March Issue 2016

redwood

bark.

Volume LVIII, No. 7 • March 4, 2016 • Larkspur, CA

Marin City students walk the extra mile p.12-13

Photo by Sam Slade

Redwood High School 395 Doherty Drive, Larkspur, CA 94939 www.redwoodbark.org

Editors-In-Chief

Olivia Dominguez Shiriel King Abramson Bella McWhorter Matt Ross

Copy Editors

Spanish Editors

Aaron Halford Maxime Kawawa-Beaudan Adam Kreitzman Anne Pritikin Rebecca Smalbach Pearl Zhong

Catherine Conrow Henry Tantum

Video Editor

Annie Forsman

Social Media Manager

News Editors

Kylie Kvam

Hannah Blazei Emily Cerf

Snapshot Editor Jenna Herz

Feature Editors Eric Ahern Gregory Block

Web Developer/ Newsletter Kevin Makens

Opinion Editors

Senior Staff Writers

Caleigh Stephens Nicole Stock

Julia Cherner Geneva Gist Megan Millard Robin Naylor

Sports Editors Michael Benz Heidi Roenisch

Business Manager Sabrina Dong

Lifestyles Editors Sarah Kimball Kendall Rhoads

Review Editors Sam Sheridan Sydney Soofer

Survey Manager Keely Jenkins

Equipment Manager Max Josef

Technology Aid

Adviser

Garet Jatsek Sam Slade

Erin Schneider

Reporters

Kayla Aldridge, Isabella Alioto, Danny Avins, Madison Barsi, Hayden Blum, Addison Brady, Kaylee Bushell, Ella Cook, Ovie Crum, Luke Dahlin, Jason Fieber, Annie Fogarty, Andrew Hout, Max Josef, Camille Kawawa-Beaudam, Isabelle Marmur, Macrae Sharp, Cosmo Taylor, Mary Winnick, Chloe Wintersteen

redwood

bark. redwood high school

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395 doherty dr., larkspur, ca 94939

Zika Virus

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volume LVIII, no. 7

Trash Troubles

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10

March 4, 2016

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Friday Night Bites

www.redwoodbark.org

19

Community reacts to potential wellness cut as board meeting nears

By Gregory Block and Rebecca Smalbach Some members of the Tamalpais Unified High School District (TUHSD) community reacted strongly to news that funding for wellness programs in the district is uncertain due to upcoming budget decisions made necessary by increased enrollment.

Last month, superintendent David Yoshihara created a budget study committee to evaluate the district’s fiscal priorities and present a funding plan to the board. Wellness programs in the district, among others including TEAM and AIM, are one of the topics being discussed, according to Yoshihara.

Community members created a change.org petition that collected over 1,300 signatures, and many attended a TUHSD board meeting on Feb. 9, where they voiced concerns. While Redwood is the only school in the district that has a physical wellness center, both Drake and Tam students addressed the necessity for wellness at their respective schools at the board meeting.

“I think it’s very obvious that a lot of students need a lot of help and even with all of the amazing support that they already do get, there is not enough support for the amount of students at Drake,” said Noah Block, a junior at Drake. “Peer Resource can’t cover it all, BACR, Bay Area Community Resources, can’t cover it all, the counseling department can’t cover it all. We have to have more.”

The meeting also attracted community members who Photo by Gregory Block don’t attend schools within the TUHSD to speak in favor ENJOYING THE relative quiet of the wellness center at Redwood, a student takes advantage of one of the many of wellness programs.

“This wellness center is a place for kids to go who activites aimed to bring about calmness. aren’t highly attached and don’t have anywhere else to go.

They either go there or they slide into a bottle, a joint, or or emotionally––it doesn’t matter how many teachers we harder for board members to remain impartial.

“If there’s so much news out there, then how can you a pill. Give them an alternative,” said Don Carney, who is have. It doesn’t matter how good of an education we have if they can’t learn,” Block said. make a fair decision and listen to the facts? We’re trying to in charge of the Marin County Youth Yoshihara said it was important not to present to the committee the facts of what’s occurring, the Court. be single-mindedly focused on wellness budgetary challenges, and so if there’s so much [news] out Yoshihara said that he appreciates to the detriment of other programs. there, can you be fair?” Yoshihara said. the community response because it “When you look at all this with One of the questions pertaining to wellness is the role shows that they have passion for the limited dollars, it does become difficult,” schools should play in providing students with mental children in the district.

Yoshihara said. health support, sexual health education, “It shows that the community The budget study and a place to meet with counselors. cares about its youth, certainly, and committee has yet “The only way to prepare students to how it translates into our overall to discuss specifics go on to college is to have the support well being in school, so I think regarding which of the school, where they spend most of that’s a good thing,” Yoshihara said. David Yoshihara aspects of wellness their daily lives. It’s so important that we “I certainly knew that but it doesn’t Superintendent could receive less implement support for their well-being hurt to see that reinforced so I’m funding or be cut into public schools and make that a appreciative for that.” entirely, according to priority. You can’t be prepared to learn The budget committee, which if you’re not in a good place mentally,” consists of staff, students, parents, and other community Yoshihara.

Yoshihara believes that it is best said Tam junior Emma Weinswig at the members, has met four times and will meet once more that the community find out about the board meeting. before presenting its findings to the board.

Redwood junior Lily Kane-Dacri Yoshihara said that if the community reacts strongly committee’s proposals at the same time expressed a different opinion. to each potential wellness topic, it will be difficult for the the school board does.

Emma Weinswig “What we believe will be the Tam junior “I don’t think California tax money committee to carry out its work, and that it must remain most supportive of the process [of and grants should go towards Kind bars open to other budget considerations. and free tea,” Kane-Dacri said.

“We spent a lot of time with the budget study committee establishing a budget] is when [the The committee will present its talking about the importance of confidentiality and the committee] presents to the board in how the work that they do needs to be really considerate March, the board will see that at the same time [the public findings to the board on March 22. does,]” Yoshihara said. “It is fair to say that the board, of the overall district and all the needs,” Yoshihara said.

Block reiterated the need for wellness at the district’s much like everybody else, doesn’t know what’s occurring [during budget committee meetings].” other sites.

Yoshihara also said that public attention surrounding “If the students aren’t in class because they are not well, or they are not healthy in whatever facet––physically wellness and the budget study committee will make it rsmalbach@redwoodbark.org

It shows that the community cares about its youth.

The only way to prepare students to go on to college is to have the support of the school.

Junior arrested for weapons violation Geometry A, Honors Geometry return

By Olivia Dominguez A Redwood junior was arrested for a weapons violation on school campus last Monday, Feb. 22, after the police received a tip from Redwood’s confidential tip line.

At 3:10 p.m. the Central Marin Police Authority (CMPA) was notified of the violation by Redwood authorities after the school received an anonymous tip that a student had an “unregistered gun for sale” in his car.

The CMPA found a disassembled antique shot gun without ammunition in the student’s car.

Since there was no ammunition, the

CMPA has concluded that there was no immediate threat to students or staff.

The student said that he received the gun from a relative and was taking the gun to get it cleaned.

Redwood Principal David Sondheim stated that the CMPA as well as the Redwood administration are “taking appropriate next steps with the student and family.”

The student was taken into custody and was booked at Juvenile Hall for possession of a firearm on school grounds.

odominguez@redwoodbark.org

By Geneva Gist Geometry A and Honors Geometry will be offered next school year after controversy about math cancellations escalated last year.

Last December, the administration decided that Geometry A, a slower alternative to Geometry 1-2, would be merged with the Geometry 1-2 class.

Since Honors Geometry had been canceled two years before, the merge resulted in three levels of students within only one class.

Additionally, Algebra P3-P4 was combined with Algebra 1-2, which was less controversial, as the two classes were already fairly similar.

Math teachers were upset about the

cancellation of Geometry A, according to Aaron Simon, the math teacher leader, as it placed significant pressure on teachers who had to both catch up struggling students and challenge advanced students in one class.

“It has provided a lot of stress to the math teachers who are teaching Geometry because originally they had only Geometry kids. Then they got regular Geometry and Honors Geometry kids grouped together, and then finally they got all three levels combined into one class, which made the pacing and the planning a lot more difficult for them,” Simon said.

• Math classes return Continued on page 3

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Page 2 • News

March 4, 2016

Photo Survey:

What’s your favorite hiking trail in Marin?

“Christmas Tree Hill because it’s where I live and it’s not too long or short.”

“Ring Mountain because you can see everything.”

freshman

sophomore

Lucy Whiteford

Reese Buffalow

“The hills in the headlands where all the bunkers are because you can see the ocean.”

Grace Westle junior

“Madrone Canyon because I can access it from my house and it’s nice this time of year.”

Miles Johnson senior

Calorie-tracking apps in sophomore PE classes elicit mixed responses

By Mary Winnick Last semester, some sophomore PE students were required to download and use an app that tracked their daily calorie intake as part of a nutrition unit. The use of the app sparked controversy among some who thought the app influenced students to adopt unhealthy eating habits, despite teachers’ positive intentions of integrating the app into the curriculum.

The goal of the assignment was to show students how their eating habits compare to what is considered healthy based on body composition, according to PE teacher Byron Nelson, one of the two teachers who integrated the app into the nutrition curriculum.

The teachers told the sophomores to track their calories using either MyFitnessPal or Livestrong for four days. Students were graded based on the completion of tracking their calories during the four-day span, and were not marked down based on the number of calories eaten.

The most recent version of MyFitnessPal requires users to choose whether they want to gain, maintain or lose weight, and tracks the number of calories needed to reach this goal. Livestrong only gives the option to maintain weight if the user creates an account, which the sophomores were required to do. If a student didn’t have a smartphone, they were instructed to log their data using a tablet or a computer, according to Nelson.

“The way I approached it, it wasn’t about calorie tracking or weight. Weight is a terrible measurement to use for anything. Body mass index, body mass percentage, muscle weight are all good benchmarks to use,” Nelson said. “We just used weight as a way to figure out what each student needed.”

Nelson made an effort to emphasize to his students the importance of maintaining weight for the sake of the project.

“I said that if you have a goal you are trying to do personally, I’m not going to tell you what to do. For the project, you wanted to keep it on maintain [weight] so that all the standards are for where you’re at now,” Nelson said.

During the nutrition unit, PE teacher leader Heather Long was unaware of the use of the apps, but in a recent interview, she said she thought they were a positive way to support Violet Loo the understanding of the sophomore nutrition unit.

“I don’t see anything wrong with using the app because it’s just a tool for students to be mindful of what they’re eating,” Long said. “I don’t think the app is prescriptive to everyone. It’s more of a general outline of what you should be eating on a daily basis.”

Although the teachers meant for the project to be positive, it upset some students. After a couple of days using the app, some felt that the app influenced them to eat less to fit the recommended calories for each meal, according to students in Lloyd and Nelson’s classes.

“I started going way above the calorie intake that I should have and be expected to have, so I felt really bad about myself,” said sophomore Claire Birchenough, who chose to maintain her weight for the assignment and felt the app influenced her to adopt unhealthy eating habits.

Sophomore Violet Loo, a student of Lloyd’s class, said that when her classmates were first given the assignment, some girls immediately thought the project was urging students to lose weight.

Similar to her peers, Loo saw both a positive and

Photoillustration by Mary Winnick

ENTERING HER snack into a daily log, sophomore Violet Loo uses MyFitnessPal. negative side to the assignment.

“It did help. I was like, ‘Oh, wow there’s a lot of calories in this,’” Loo said. “But at the same time, it’s not sending the right message for most people.”

According to Loo, many of her peers made light of the app and the assignment, but other students felt that the app was harmful because it monitored what they were eating so intensely.

“I definitely cut back a lot of what I was eating,” Loo said. “I didn’t eat as much and I paid a lot of attention to the calories I was eating.”

Loo said she showed MyFitnessPal to her cousin, who has suffered from eating disorders throughout her life, after the nutrition unit ended.

Her cousin was surprised to hear that students were required to download the app as part of the curriculum.

“When I showed her we had to download that app she was astonished,” Loo said. “Almost every girl in her rehabilitation camp had [MyFitnessPal] and that was the reason they started to cut back their calories,” Loo said.

Loo’s cousin made Loo remove the app from her phone.

Katy Litwack, operations manager of Beyond Hunger, a company that strives to treat, educate and improve the lives of those with eating disorders, said there are both positive and negative aspects of using calorie-tracking apps.

“The concept is good to be able to get more information, but what happens is it becomes more of a tool that feeds your own mental obsession about your body and your weight and self esteem,” Litwack said.

Not everyone needs the same amount of exercise, even when they have the same weight, which changes the types of foods and the number of calories they should be eating, according to Litwack.

“When you have an application that tracks certain things, it doesn’t really take into account your genetic factors, and the deeper biological factors of your body and your body’s needs,” Litwack said.

Although Livestrong does ask users to report their activity levels when entering body composition,

I didn’t eat as much and I paid a lot of attention to the calories I was eating.

Birchenough felt the calories didn’t accurately reflect how much she should be eating.

“I swim a lot, so I eat a lot more than other girls do,” Birchenough said. “The app gives a calorie intake that you should be maintaining, and I was going over that so I felt like I had to lie about what I was eating.”

During the first couple days, Birchenough said she thought about cutting back on her calories, but knew she couldn’t because it was crucial to eat more than the app was recommending. Birchenough decided instead to input “healthy meals” that she found on the internet, most of which she never actually cooked or ate.

Birchenough never considered approaching Nelson with her doubts about the project.

“None of my students approached me with any concerns or wrote about it in the final write-up for the project,” Nelson said.

Although some students thought negatively about the app, sophomore Jack Green had a positive experience as he began eating healthier and learning about specific types of food he needed to cut back on or eat more. Green chose to maintain his weight.

“It was cool to see the different kinds of food I was eating and how that stacked up against the foods that I should be eating,” Green said. “It was an interesting exercise for me to take a step back.”

Although the unit influenced Green to positively change his eating habits, he also thought it would be hard for other students to do the same in a limited amount of time.

Green said he knew of several students who were eating significantly more than the recommended calorie amount and faked their calorie count so they wouldn’t get a bad grade for the assignment.

“I think a lot of people didn’t want to see what they were eating,” Green said.

Since the assignment, Green has made an effort to eat healthier and cook more meals for himself and his family.

Members of the Body Positive Club were particularly upset about this assignment. The club aims to look at all the messages people receive about body image and filter them, a goal it calls “reclaiming health.” Senior Alison Wood and freshman Sally Noble, members of the club, thought the app promoted a negative message about being healthy.

Wood decided to take up the issue with principal David Sondheim, who referred her to the PE department. Wood has not yet followed up with the PE department to express her concern about the apps.

Wood said there are better ways to have students look at their eating habits than having them track their calories.

“I think it could be so much better served if they had students write a list of the foods that they eat,” Wood said.

“Some sort of thing where they don’t have to track their calories or track their weight because it can be so harmful.”

Additionally, Noble felt that the use of the apps was not the best way to measure a person’s health.

“Just because you have the same height and weight and daily activities as someone else, doesn’t mean you should be eating the exact same thing,” Noble said.

Noble suggested the class could have benefitted from a unit about self-love rather than one about monitoring calories because of the prevalence of eating disorders in Marin.

“I am definitely open to approaching things from a different angle to meet the needs of the students and I will always make individual adjustments where they are needed, but I do not want to sacrifice the benefits of the project either,” Nelson said.

Lloyd declined to comment.

mwinnick@redwoodbark.org

bark ASB funding process reformed to follow Ed Code rules Page 3 • News

www.redwoodbark.org

By Rebecca Smalbach The Associated Student Body (ASB) found out this year that it can no longer give funding to individuals or unassociated students groups. It can now only provide money to official clubs registered with ASB. According to Leadership teacher David Plescia, money given to groups of students previously came from what ASB used to called the Scholarship Fund. Individuals could receive up to $250, and clubs could receive up to $1000.

This year, ASB was notified by the administration that the Scholarship Fund violated California Education Code, and that under the current Ed Code rules, ASB could not longer give money to individuals for fear that the money wasn’t being used properly.

ASB was also required to change the name of the fund to the Club Assistance Fund.

“The way that the Club Assistance Fund works now is basically we have an ASB operations fund, which consists of our income from all of our events that create money,” said ASB President Adelaide Shunk. “From ASB operations we set aside $3000 every semester and we use that money as an avenue for clubs to start events, host meetings, and go to conferences.”

The process for requesting money from ASB has remained relatively unchanged, according to Shunk, although it is limited to approved clubs.

“If you would like to get money from the Club Assistance Fund, you have to go to Room 107, fill out a sheet that says what your club is, why you need the money, what the event is, and how much money you need,” Shunk said. “Then you come back on Thursday morning at 7:30 a.m. and you come into Leadership and you explain what you’re doing.”

Shunk said that although the presentation isn’t formal and students

don’t need to prepare long speeches, students in Leadership often ask many questions because they want to ensure that they are giving funds to clubs who will use it wisely.

“I’d read off your sheet in our meeting, and then the Leadership class asks questions like ‘We only have $3000 so why should we give you $1000?’ From there, we have the club step outside and we discuss it as a Leadership class, and then we vote,” Shunk said.

Even though the change in process means that fewer people can request money, Shunk said that there are still too many clubs requesting money for everyone to get funding.

“Most of the time we’ll give a smaller amount than [the clubs] ask for, just because we don’t want to give $1000 to the first three clubs in the first month and then have someone come in November and [Leaderships] says ‘That’s a way better idea than the one in September,’ and not be able to give them money,” Shunk said. “It’s kind of difficult, and clubs can get really frustrated with us, but the main goal is just to help support clubs so that they can run activities, run fundraisers, and get jump started.”

Junior Caroline Noble found the process of requesting funding for her club, Body Positive, to be smooth and easy when she needed $2000 for a training.

“The founder [of Body Positive] Elizabeth Scott said that I should start a club, and that they were hosting a training for high schools who wanted to attend. It was a two-day 15-hour intensive training that cost $2000 to send seven people to.

So I was like, ‘How am I going to get $2000?’” Noble said.

At the suggestion of her club advisors Erin Schneider and Stephen Hart, Noble presented to the Leadership class and was granted $1000 for her training.

“Obviously [Leadership has] money to give and it was really generous and it helped us a lot,” Noble said. “The training

Photo by Gregory Block

LEADERSHIP STUDENTS vote to decide if a club will receive funding. As of this year, only clubs registered through ASB can receive funding. changed everything.”

Noble received an additional $1000 from the PTSA, but other than that did not do any fundraising before going to Leadership.

Not everyone agrees that the ASB funding allocation process is working smoothly.

Senior Nate Orwig was denied $300 when he was asked for money so that the Environmental Action Club could buy transformers to decrease energy use at Redwood by automatically shutting down electronics at night.

Orwig said he was told that his club should have explored other fundraising options first before going to ASB for money.

Shunk said it is very important that clubs try to obtain money from other sources before requesting funds from Leadership.

“What Leadership wants to see is that you’ve exhausted other avenues before

you come to us,” Shunk said. “You’ve had fundraisers, you’ve done a GoFundMe campaign or you did three bake sales last year, because as a Leadership class we do that a lot for our activities and so we understand that it’s not always easy to get a ton of money at first. Showing that you at least tried makes it a lot easier for us to justify giving you more money.”

Shunk also added that Leadership doesn’t want clubs to rely on ASB for funding.

“One of the main issues we run into is clubs that become dependent on the club assistance fund because then out of our $3000, $500 of it is going away every single time because they’re always asking us for money, versus if we could give a club $500 to help jumpstart this event, and then they can start fundraising,” Shunk said.

“It’s a lot easier to [jumpstart clubs] than every year giving out the same amount.” rsmalbach@redwoodbark.org

One year later: Canceled math classes will resume Algebra 1-2

• Math classes return Continued from page 1 Math teacher Allison Kristal said that it is harder to reach all students when there is such a wide variety of levels in one class.

“It’s very difficult to try and differentiate my curriculum. You want to engage your students that are really passionate about mathematics and really excited about it,” Kristal said. “The students who I feel would be thriving at a slower pace, I know that they are wrestling with trying to master all of the small details instead of focusing on the bigger picture.”

Geometry Advanced Workshop was offered as extra support for some students in Geometry 1-2, essentially enrolling them in two math classes. However, according to Kristal, this doesn’t always work for students.

“I had a conversation with a student a couple weeks ago who felt really disheartened. He’s paying for a private tutor, he’s in a Geometry AW class, does all of the assignments that I ask. He felt that he put forth over ten hours a week towards Geometry and to just still not be passing is really disheartening for a teacher,” Kristal said. “I feel like that student is really doing everything that we’re asking and would really thrive in a course that’s just a little bit slower.”

Geometry A covers most of the same topics as Geometry 1-2, according to Kristal. The main difference between the two is that Geometry A is less comprehensive.

“Students come to you with certain skill sets. They don’t all have the same prerequisite skills in place,” Kristal said. “For [Geometry A], I would really emphasize more of the broader topics in geometry. I would have more time to fill in an algebra foundation and feel like I’m getting them to a really strong level of mastery.”

The math department decided to discontinue Honors Geometry a few years ago in hopes of benefitting both upper and lower level students, according to Simon.

“A lot of math teachers had the thought that by putting students of mixed abilities in a single class it could be helpful for both,” Simon said. “The higher level kids might be able to learn by teaching a little bit and the lower kids would benefit by having more teachers.”

The decision to remove Geometry A, however, was

Geometry Geometry 1A-2A 1-2

Honors Geometry

Intermediate Algebra

Advanced Algebra Precalculus

LightLight blue:Blue: classes thatthat were classes werecanceled cancelled Infographic by Geneva Gist

not supported by the math department, which voted 13-2 against its cancellation.

This decision was made by Principal David Sondheim, who hoped that giving extra support to students who would have been placed in Geometry A could allow them to advance to a higher math class.

“If you took Geometry A, you didn’t have a choice to go directly into Advanced Algebra, you could only go Geometry A into Intermediate Algebra, which now meant you were forced into a year of a course that was not UC/ CSU eligible,” Sondheim said.

Kristal expressed frustration with the decision to remove these classes, saying that it failed to represent the sentiments of the math teachers themselves, who had to figure out how to best support students of varying levels.

“I think from the beginning, we didn’t really understand as math teachers what problem we were trying to solve.

We were just told that this was going to happen,” Kristal said.

According to Sondheim, he talked to the department math teacher leader and other math teachers before cancelling Geometry A. “In my meetings with [math teachers], they expressed concern about the decision I was making, so I absolutely took their input very seriously and into consideration,” Sondheim said. “At that time, I still felt like it was the right decision, but it certainly helped me thoroughly think about what was the right thing to do.”

The main reasoning behind the cancellation of Geometry A was to increase students’ chances of admission to UCs and CSUs, which require students to complete Advanced Algebra by the time they graduate. Students in Geometry A couldn’t move on to Advanced Algebra, but had to take the next level of Geometry instead, setting them behind.

However, at the end of last year, Redwood received approval for Intermediate Algebra to count as a year of math for UC/CSU. In the fall of 2015, Tara Taupier, assistant superintendent of educational services, created a math task force to solve the issues within the math departments of all schools in the district.

The task force is composed of the four teacher leaders in the district as well as one math teacher from each comprehensive site, selected by the teachers’ union, and one special education teacher.

They finalized a proposal on how to fix the problems within the math department in December, which they presented to the board on Jan. 12.

“They came up with a proposal that had, what we called, pathways, to A-G eligibility in math,” Taupier said. “It had entering 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th. It had the different math course offerings students could take in each of those years. If you are successful each year, all of them would result in being eligible for UCs in math.”

ggist@redwoodbark.org

March 4, 2016 bark Page 4 • News College and Career Center offers practice standardized tests getting that scholarship when it’s time for them to go to college,” Vantrease said.

Vantrease said that she has been The College and Career Center is offering practice standardized tests this organizing the practice tests for the last 10 March to help students determine which years.

“If students have to put in a little bit standardized tests are right for them as well as understand the new 2016 SAT, which [of effort to sign up] then they’re going to has changed its format so that it aligns show up, because there have been times more closely with the ACT. The center will when 30 kids have signed up and only 10 also offer a practice ACT, a combination have shown up,” Vantrease said. “I do it on SAT/ACT, an essay writing workshop and a Saturday, so that’s my Saturday time that I’ve had to come down here and get the practice SAT Subject Tests.

“I’ve developed different relationships room ready to go, help with the proctoring with the different companies,” College and and be here for [testing].”

Junior Stephanie Oh took a practice Career Specialist Paula Vantrease said.

“I’ve used Revolution, I use Compass, I use combination SAT/ACT on Feb. 3, and said C2, I use Kaplan, I use Princeton Review, that one benefit was that it allowed her to familiarize herself with the I use anybody and testing format. everybody who is “I wasn’t totally willing to do it for aware of what the test free.” structure was, and I knew This year, beforehand that I wanted to Vantrease is using a take the ACT, but I wanted combination of C2, the practice anyways,” Oh Kaplan Prep, and said.

Compass.

Oh found the most It costs $10 beneficial part of the to take the tests, experience to be the and Vantrease also feedback she received from sends reminders Paula Vantrease, the test prep companies out to students the College and Career Specialist regarding her performance. day before they are “The most helpful part scheduled to take of it was that you get your the tests, which are essay scored as if it had been part of the offered after school or on the weekend.

“The number students pay [for tests] actual test returned to you,” Oh said.

Because Oh is planning on completing goes to fund a scholarship here at school, so seniors will potentially benefit from most of her standardized test preparation

By Rebecca Smalbach

I think the more exposure kids can have, the better it’s going to be.

Photo by Geneva Gist

PRESENTING TIPS and tricks, C2 representative Stephen Horabin led an after-school class in the College and Career Center on the SAT and ACT writing sections. by herself, she finds it valuable to gain practice with the essay because the scoring is so subjective that she can’t score it on her own.

Vantrease believes that the main benefit of the practice is to familiarize students with all aspects of testing.

“I think the more exposure kids can have [to the tests], the better it’s going to be when it comes time for them to do the real thing,” Vantrease said. “Some students will register for a test and they don’t even realize they need to print out an admit

ticket and they don’t know what time they have to be there. That’s what I tell students: bring your pencils, bring your calculators, because when you go to a real test they’re not going to have them there for you.”

The next practice test offered by the College and Career Center is a March 19 practice ACT. Students can sign up in the College and Career Center.

rsmalbach@redwoodbark.org

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Cammi Bell

Michele & Peter Dean

The Hood Family

The Bialek Santas Family

Will & Milena Dixon

The Isaacson Family

The Blum Family

The Dudgeon Family

Jim & Tami Jackson

The Boutwell Family

Mark & Janet Epstein

Bill & Kathleen Brady

Wendy & Scott Ewry

The Josef Family

The Bronzo Family

The Finegold Family

The Kardel Family

The Brugger Family

Sandra Fisher

The Kehoe Family

Liz Brusseau

The Foehr Family

Cheryl Vohland & Don Buder

Keith & Beth Forsman

The Kennedy Family

The Bushell Family

Laurie Fried

Martin Khadoenouri

Anna Cahill James

The Gardner Family

The Kimball Family

The Canady Family

Colleen Bourke Geiger

Stacie & David Cherner

The Gerson Family

Pavlo Gesmundo & Christine Gregorak Jane Mertens & Jeb Gist The Churton Family

Kiki Goshay

Dominique & Neil Halilej The Hanssen Family

The Hetrick Family

The Horstmeyer Family The Jacks Family

Jill Kauffman & Tyler Johnson

Sydney & David Joyner Lisa Katz

John Kellerman

The Key Family

The Kim Family

The Klein Family

Steven & Nicole Klopukh Jill & Larry Knott

The Kopstein Family

The Kreitzman Family The Laub Family

The Leiter Family

The Lentz Family

Janet Raiche & Alan Perper

The Tantum Family

John & Linnea Leonhardt

Linda & Mike Perrella

The Tholan/Fair Family

Carolyn & Michael Lewis

Lynn Soper & David Peterson

Monique Tiger

Kirby Bartlett & Lisa Choy

Robyn Finley-Pope & Brad Pope The Tull Family

Joan Lubamersky

Christine S Ramos

Susan Sellers & Peter van Pruissen

Pat Lynch

The Renner Family

Karen VanBrunt

The Madison Family

The Rocha Family

Kris & Philip Wade

The Marlowe Family

Frank J Rollo

Sheila & Scott Wakida

The Massik Family

The Ross Family

Jim Granger & Yu-Ling Wang

Mary Beth McClure-Maorz

The Safavi Family

Leroy & Vasiliki Ware

The McKellips Family

The Sarmiento Family

The Watkins Family

The Miller Family

Carlyn & Jon Schulberg

Dr. Jennifer Watters

The Miller Family

The Seidler Family

The Whelpley Family

The Mindel Family

The Sharp Family

The Wilford Family

The Moglinicki Family

The Shiomi Family

Isolde & Alec Wilson

The Mowbray Family

The Smalbach Family

The Wintersteen Family

Steve A Nielsen

Louis Smith

Kristin Wolcott Farese

Mark & Donna Norstad

Lida & Kaveh Soofer

The Wong Family

Jodie O’Connor

The Stiles Family

Amy Young

Vickie Feldstein & Dennis Orwig

Marcus & Cecily Stock

The Zeitz Family

The Overson & Allen Family

Michelle & Alan Sullivan

The Zlatunich Family

Bernice Kintzer & Kurt Paul

Robert Taitz

The Leograndis Family

Linda Perrella

The Tede Family

Bill & Cori Lewis

Karin, Scott & Alex Peters

John & Jane Thornton

The Lind Family

The Petri Family

Paul & Paula Trish

The Loo Family

The Pritikin Family

Ellen & David Turner

Eugene & Janey Lupario

Robin Snyder & Manny Ramos

Lesley Van Voorhees

Courtney Lynch

The Rhoads Family

The Vargelis Family

Alice & Bob Marks

The Roenisch Family

The Wagner/Towns Family

Dorothy Marschall

Karin Rosen

The Walters Family

The McBride Family

Tim & Annette Ryan

The Ward Family

Kevin McGee

Mimi Sardou

Jordan Warren

Patrick & Sabrina Middleton

The Saylor Family

The Watridge Family

The Miller Family

Dan Segedin

The Watts Family

Chris & Marilyn Millias

Chris & Corinne Seton

Sara & Erik Whileford

Jimmy & Jacqui Miranda

The Shepard Family

The Willens Family

Juliana Morgan

Jack & Ramelle Sholl

The Winters Family

The Naylor Family

Karen Smart Hill

Joe & Entela Wolberg

The Nolan Family

Janeen & Wade Smith

Denise Zvanovec & Liang Wong

The Notter Family

The Stephens Family

The Woolard Family

Dennis & June Oh

Christy Seidel & Peter Stock

The Zeisler Family

The Overmyer Family

The Stocker Family

The Zhong Family

Barbara & Christina Owens

The Sylla Family

Kit Burnet & Maddy Peng

The Tallerico Family

Page 5 • News

www.redwoodbark.org

Calling all victors: It’s time to travel to the Games

bark

By Kayla Aldridge and Max Josef From Feb. 13 through July, Bay Area aficionados of the “Hunger Games” franchise are able to experience the set of the movie for themselves. With costumes, props, and interactive activities drawn directly from the movie, the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco has been transformed into the world of “Hunger Games: Panem.”

Visitors can enjoy an interactive experience while walking through scenes from District 12, District 13, the reaping ceremony, the training arena and the resistance headquarters. Among other things, fans can make decisions resembling those in the movies, and learn fighting moves that were practiced in the training arena during the movie.

When the visitor first enters the exhibit, they are greeted in a dark room by Effie Trinket. It is the reaping of the Hunger Games, but instead of being sent to the games, the visitor is transported into the life of the Hunger Games cast, seeing the world of Panem through their eyes.

Upon exiting the initial room, fans are led into the mining area of District 12—Katniss’ home. Clothing worn

by Katniss Everdeen and Gale Hawthorne is displayed on mannequins alongside props taken directly from the movie set.

Next, the twisting hallways lead to the woods, where Katniss and Gale hunted in the first movie. Here, various tools and wildlife are interactively displayed. Images of flowers from the woods, for example, are propped up on a board, with information beneath them elaborating on their relevance to the storyline.

Next the infamous train scene where Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch and Effie were transported to The Capitol is recreated with the exact movie set props.

The next room leads to The Capitol. Here, the podium from which President Snow spoke is displayed. In the corner of the room is a filming area, where visitors can take the place of Katniss and Peeta riding in the chariot.

The next stop is the training area. Visitors can view outfits that the actors wore and learn how to tie knots like Katniss. The room features an interactive screen where visitors can play the role of the gamemaker and learn about the various obstacles that were put into the games.

Afterward, the exhibit moves on to the resistance headquarters, where one can see the bunkers. Toward the end of this area, visitors are able to create their own resistance-style propaganda.

Photo by Sam Slade

EFFIE TRINKET’S costume stands near bowls holding the names of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.

Photo by Kayla Aldridge

THE CARRIAGE in which Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark rode in the movie stands as a central exhibit of the Hunger Games gallery. The exhibit includes costumes and interactive activities drawn directly from the movie.

The tour through the exhibit ends in a fan gallery. The I’ve been taking care of him for most of the time since the gallery holds hand-drawn pictures of various characters movie was released,” Henson said. “The amount of love that the fans of these movies have is incredible. It’s been and scenes from all the movies.

After the gallery, the visitor arrives in the gift shop great to be part of this franchise.”

Toward the beginning of working on the where they can buy Hunger Games memorabilia, including t-shirts, propaganda posters from The Capitol, baking film, Shields struggled due to her young age.

“In the first couple of movies, I was 10 and 11. I was doing supplies from Peeta’s bakery, and keychains. extremely emotionally draining scenes, If the visitor chose to be filmed as like the reaping scenes, which is a very Katniss or Peeta in the chariot activity, intense thing at such a young age,” they will be able to watch the video Shields said. “I was given the chance here. to grow with my character, but it was Primrose Everdeen, played by really challenging.”

Willow Shields, and Pollux, played Henson was most excited to work

by Elden Henson, both visited the on the film because of his niece and exhibit for the first time Feb. 9. While nephew’s love for the Hunger Games walking through, they reminisced books. He was also a fan of the about memories made while filming director’s work. the movies. “[My niece] was the first one who “It still hasn’t hit me that we will I told that I was going to be part of the not be doing another film. One would franchise. She was so happy,” Henson expect us all to be crying during the Willow Shields said. “I started reading all of the books premiere of the last movie but we cast member and getting as much information about weren’t. We were just remembering the them as possible so I could be ready for memories we had made,” Shields said. the first day of filming.”

Henson agreed, adding that working on a project for nine months builds everlasting friendships.

“I would say that my life has changed drastically since the release of the first movie. I started when I was 10, and now I am 15,” Shields said. “It has taken up a huge part of my life. I grew up with Jennifer Lawrence as a mentor. It’s been pretty cool.”

Henson’s life has changed as well, in a different way.

“The day after I stopped filming, my son was born. bark@redwoodbark.org

I would say that my life has changed drastically since the release of the first movie.

opinion

Page 6

Learning improves when classes are grouped by ability

By Rebecca Smalbach Algebra P1-P2. Honors Chemistry.

Geometry 1A. Honors Geometry. These are four classes that the Redwood administration did not offer this year. They did offer standard classes such as regular algebra, regular geometry, and regular chemistry.

The administration’s decision meant that students who had excellent grasps on chemistry and geometry were forced into slower-paced classes, and students who weren’t ready for a full year of algebra were left struggling to keep up, according to a recent Bark article.

Redwood offers few remedial or honors level courses, especially during the first years of high school, so a majority of classes for underclassmen contain students of varying abilities shoved together into one classroom, with a single teacher trying to figure out how they can meet every student’s needs.

Ultimately, they can’t. In classes where students are lumped together regardless of ability, it is impossible for teachers to fully support those who may not learn the material as quickly while simultaneously challenging those who have already mastered it.

Required classes with no alternatives, such as Integrated Science 1-2 or English 1-4, must have a “consistent message of what students are expected to learn,” according to the Common Core State Standards Goals. Theoretically, all students will learn effectively in these courses and understand that “consistent message.”

Illustration by Eve Anderson

However, my own experience suggests those at the ends of the ability spectrum do not get their needs met.

In my earlier Spanish classes, I always felt we were moving at a glacial pace, and that I never had any opportunity to advance my own learning. In my freshman English class, I felt challenged just the right amount.

In my chemistry class, I occasionally feel completely lost after the day’s lecture.

Often, when people say that required classes don’t meet the needs of all students, critics counter that teachers can differentiate their teaching so that all students are able to further their learning.

In my experience, however, “differentiating” means enlisting high

achievers to teach lower achievers the material. Though this might help higher achievers gain an even greater understanding of the material, it doesn’t allow them to learn new material.

A study from the Fordham Institute surveying teachers in various public schools throughout the nation found that 81 percent of teachers “acknowledge that it is difficult to tailor instruction to match the individual needs of students on a daily basis in the classroom.”

It seems only plausible that Redwood teachers face the same struggles, despite the school’s stellar reputation.

Because teachers are not able to properly differentiate instruction to

accommodate a wide range of ability levels, it is necessary that more class levels be offered at Redwood so that students have the opportunity to learn at an appropriate pace.

Redwood’s class sizes of 25 or 30 make for slim chances that a classroom could be populated with students of the same ability, unless it is a remedial or advanced class. Additional specialized classes are necessary so that teachers can gear instructions toward the specific abilities of their students.

The same study by the Fordham Institute also revealed that teachers believed that teachers are generally more effective if students are “grouped homogeneously by ability” than if classes contain students who are “mixed in ability.”

Furthermore, students in classes grouped by ability performed better by a “significant” margin on “achievement examinations” than students in standard classes did, according to the American Educational Research Journal. More important, however, students in grouped classes were more likely to enjoy the subjects they were studying than those in normal classes.

Because students not only learn better in classes when they are with students of like ability, but also enjoy them more, Redwood should offer more classes like Algebra P1-P2, classes where students can work up to their full potential.

rsmalbach@redwoodbark.org

Please stop the showboating, just play the game

By Gregory Block As a sports fan, there is nothing I love more than a display of pure athletic brilliance. Whether it is an acrobatic dunk, a perfect 50-yard spiral or a spinning corner kick that rockets by a goalkeeper, sports inspire and awe me.

Yet lately, I’ve been disappointed. Instead of witnessing a game-winning touchdown pass, I also have to stare at a television screen full of dabbing and dancing, chest pounding and finger wagging. Instead of being blown away by a towering home run, I have to sit there and watch the hitter flip his bat into the air.

This self-centered behavior detracts from the game itself.

Professional sports are so appealing to the casual fan because the raw athleticism on display reminds us that we will never be able to perform similar feats. This makes the Illustration by Gregory Block

on-the-field behaviors of today’s athletes so frustrating and disappointing because they are taking attention away from the real reason we watch sports: the power, the beauty, and the competition.

I most definitely cannot dunk a basketball. But I can dance in front of a camera. I don’t need incredible feats of athleticism tainted by behavior that seems childish and attention-seeking.

As a long time sports fan, the more sports I follow, the more disillusioned I become. Today’s athletes are a whole different breed of superstar not only athletically superior and impressively talented, but louder and cockier.

They understand their greatness and they are much more willing to talk about it, retweet it and reiterate it at as a press conference.

It may seem that I’m a hater of fun. But I’m not.

I love it when athletes have fun on the court or the field––it makes them seem more personable and less focused on money or fame. Cam Newton, the Panthers’ MVP quarterback, plays with child-like enthusiasm on the field, hurling beautiful passes with an infectious smile on his face.

Newton is known for a specific celebration that he does after scoring a touchdown: the dab. This year many athletes began dabbing after making a great play. The dab craze grew to the point where it garnered more attention than the game itself, and if for no other reason than its recency, I think the dab serves as a prime example of why the celebratory behavior of athletes is taking away from their play on the field.

People may argue that the off-the-field behavior of athletes is more concerning than on-the-field celebration.

The recent news of professional football players Johnny Manziel and Greg Hardy’s domestic violence incidents is a reminder that professional sports leagues must be more diligent in the supervision of their athletes and hold them accountable.

However, as fans, we have little impact on what athletes do when they are out of uniform and away from the cameras. We can choose to turn off the news and avoid their off-the-field struggles. But when we make the choice to turn on a sporting event and watch world-class athletes perform, we should watch their athletic prowess, not their flashy dance moves or haughty attitudes.

While the dab may be a trend that will fade, it seems likely that other self-centered celebrations, such as the chest-pounding or trash-talking that are prevalent throughout sports, will not. And when flashy behavior is so ingrained in the culture of professional sports, it seems only likely there will be repercussions.

Showboating may be emulated across all levels of sport, from the collegiate level down to elementary school playground games. Athletes are role models for younger generations—if a young fan sees his favorite basketball player behaving a certain way on the court, he may be more likely to behave the same way himself.

Young athletes aspire to perform like their role models and they may assume that the post-play celebration is just as much a part of that role model’s persona as their threepoint shooting ability.

Part of the reason for the flashy celebrations and attitudes of today’s athletes is the rise of social media, giving athletes an avenue to talk with fans directly and vice versa. Athletes now, more than ever, are the center of attention, not just on the field but on their phones and in the media, creating an environment that supports the individual and their accomplishments rather than the team’s.

My dad tells me that when he was a kid, athletes didn’t do such things––that in general they did their job and mostly avoided the spotlight. Granted, there was no social media back then, nor was there 24-hour coverage of sports. ESPN, NFL Network and Bleacher Report were not media giants like they are today.

But today’s athletes are different. Many of today’s athletes turn themselves into celebrities through their personas off the field, but also through their behavior on it.

As a sports fan, all I want is to see a well-played game with talented athletes. I don’t need wild celebrations to remind me of the talent on the field.

If there were fewer celebrations and less trash-talking, less dabbing and showy dancing in professional sports, the fans could get what they deserve: a game being played how it was meant to be played.

gblock@redwoodbark.org

Page 7 • Opinion

www.redwoodbark.org

Eco-consciousness: Practice what you preach

By Andrew Hout Several Lake Tahoe ski resorts, including Squaw Valley, have recently outlawed plastic water bottles, but curiously, Marin has not followed in their footsteps.

It is surprising that Marin, which is generally perceived as an eco-friendly community, has not outlawed plastic bottles given their harmful effects on the environment.

Could it be that Marin County residents talk the talk when it comes to environmental safety, but do not walk the walk when it comes to their personal lifestyles?

In March 2014, San Francisco banned plastic water bottles in order to provide a productive approach to prevent pollution. At the beginning of this ski season, Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows ski resorts also banned plastic bottle sales in order to reduce waste. Movements to ban plastic water bottles in other ski resorts have also sprouted.

In Marin, Redwood led the charge against plastic water bottles by stopping the sale of them in the CEA and having boxed water available.

New water filling stations were also installed to encourage reusable bottles.

R e d w o o d ’s decision to go eco-friendly set a good example of the changes that need to be made all across Marin.

Marin County’s large suburban community may believe in the problems that pollution will create, but when it comes to making a change at this moment, I have found that many residents still won’t separate paper from glass Illustration by Asha Cummings

when recycling, or bring a reusable water bottle to work.

PerhapsMarin residents are hesitant to change because many perceive this issue as inconsequential due to the fact that they don’t personally see the harm that plastic bottles cause. The problems caused by the plastic water bottle that a resident just purchased will not have a direct effect on the environment for a considerable amount of time. And that effect may never be seen by the resident.

The problem is not equivalent to an oncoming car about to crash, but more comparable to a reckless drunk driver one mile behind you, slowly catching up.

Even though it is commonly known that plastic bottles are detrimental to the environment, about 80 percent of them are still never recycled, according to Brooks/Cole’s fourteenth edition textbook, “Environmental Science.”

Not only are plastic water bottles large polluters of the environment, but purchasing water in this form is more expensive than using tap water. Tap water is a much more sustainable source and everyone in Marin County should be using it.

The common misconception with tap water is that it can be contaminated or unhealthy to drink. However, Marin gets all of its fresh water from the numerous local above-ground reservoirs, and the Marin Municipal Water District makes sure that water is purified. Phoenix Lake, Kent Lake and several other lakes, along with the Russian River, provide all of Marin’s drinking water. Fear of outside sources that could be contaminated should be of no concern for both these reasons.

In addition, about 40 percent of bottled water in America is tap water and 30 percent is contaminated with some type of bacteria, according to “Environmental Science.”

There is one drawback that would come from a ban of plastic water bottles: which is accessibility. However, to keep drinking water accessible, a new water company with cartoned water could easily take the place of these plastic companies or water filling stations could be spread around Marin. This problem could be easily and effectively resolved if the ban were enforced.

With all of this evidence easily accessible to thousands of Marin residents, how come everyone is not advocating for changes? It is because many do not realize that the change starts with every individual person. I know everyone hears this baloney all the time, but if individuals can start making these minor changes to their own lifestyles, the aggregate effect will make a huge change.

ahout@redwoodbark.org

Prom dress page promotes superficiality

By Jenna Herz The description for the RHS Prom Dresses 2016 page reads: “For RHS junior and senior girls (and invited underclassmen). Please post what you think your final dress will be! (And if you already posted another one, please delete the old post.) Seniors get priority! Let’s keep the prama to a minimum.” The page sprung up the night of Jan. 23, over three months before prom.

The page features pictures of junior and senior girls in their chosen dresses, as well as screenshots of dresses that girls hope to receive soon in the mail.

The Redwood Prom Dress page, although possibly well-intentioned, is inherently sexist. It pits girls against each other and re-enforces the idea that girls must spend lots of money on a one-time dress that is unique––but not too unique, god-forbid your dress is too “out there”–– while boys can rent tuxedos for a night and all look relatively similar.

Not only is it ridiculous to forbid the repetition of a dress at a dance of over 600 kids, it’s close to impossible.

There are many out-of-school invitations to our prom.

These students have no access to our prom dress page.

What would happen if one of them showed up in a repetitive dress?

This page also discriminates against those at our school that can’t afford to buy a prom dress. Prom dresses range from expensive to very expensive; this page broadcasts girls’ personal wealth through screenshots of dresses on the page show prices in the hundreds. Undoubtedly, those having to wear an old dress or buy an inexpensive one will face feelings of inadequacy and isolation.

We live in a generation of repeats. So many of us wear hip-hugging leggings and bleached white vans to school, so why should prom be any different? Why, all of a sudden, do we care about individuality?

Those in support of the page think that being the first one to buy a dress makes them sole owner of it. Not only is it extremely unlikely that you will be the only person with your dress at the prom, but it is impossible that no

Illustration by Jenna Herz

person’s dress will look like yours. The prom dress page is filled with hundreds of simple colored dresses that look almost exactly the same. Even if people don’t have the same exact dress, odds are there will be dozens of dresses at prom that look very similar to yours.

I’m not the only one who sees the ridiculousness in this page. Posts and comments on the page such as “What is the point of this? and “Does anyone care if someone else has the same dress?” have racked up many likes.

This show that there is support for the disbanding of this absurd page.

Prom is intended to be one of the greatest nights of your high school life. Now, this page is turning it into a dog show: a fight for the prettiest, one-of-a-kind dress.

We need to stop focusing on the dress, and start focusing on the night. People should be allowed to wear whatever they want to prom, no matter if someone else is wearing it. With this page it seems that “keeping the prama to a minimum” is pretty unrealistic. The only way this prama will go away is if we scrap this page altogether and all just showed up to prom in whichever dress we wanted to. jherz@redwoodbark.org

bark

Sections in history textbooks augment inequality The Gist of it

By Geneva Gist In most history textbooks, events are separated into sections. We learn about life on the homefront during World War II and the presidents during the 1920s. Then comes the next section: women.

The fact that women’s history is separate from history itself suggests that women weren’t a vital part of the past. They may not have been presidents or generals, but there is more to the past than male leaders.

Fifty percent of the population deserves more than a few paragraphs in a 20-page chapter.

This isn’t just true for women, however. In the US History textbooks, there are subsections for Black and LGBT Americans in some chapters. In others, these groups aren’t mentioned at all. The worst part is that the textbooks with these sections are some of the most inclusive I’ve read. Textbooks from my middle school didn’t even touch on LGBT issues, and one of few Black Americans we talked about was Martin Luther King, Jr. The separation of women, other races and other sexualities in history textbooks maintains the idea that history really is his story, as told from a straight White man’s perspective.

If somebody asked me in my history classes about LGBT history, the only events I could recall are Stonewall and Harvey Milk. I didn’t learn about the White Night riots, which occurred after the trial for Dan White, who was responsible for Milk’s assassination, or Jeremy Bentham’s fight for the legalization of homosexuality.

Much of society simply accepts the emphasis on White men throughout history. The phrases “women’s history” or “Black history” aren’t uncommon. But “man’s history”? “White history”? Nobody has ever needed to specify that it’s about straight White men— after all, that’s what history is. If we believe that the only important historical events involve straight White men, then we are taught to believe that they are the most important members of society.

Furthermore, the categorization of history into women, Black, and LGBT issues, falsely assumes that these three groups are completely separate: Many people in the past and present belong to more than one.

When we don’t learn about people subjected to more than one disadvantage, we don’t understand the full extent of their experiences. Gloria Anzaldúa, a feminist and queer theorist explained this when she wrote, “The lesbian of color is not only invisible, she doesn’t even exist.” We are furthering ignorance of people experiencing intersectionality, a term used to describe the simultaneous actions of many systems of oppression worker together, when we learn history from a White man’s perspective.

White feminism, for example, is the focus on problems White, middle-class women face, such as being paid 79 cents to the man’s dollar, according to National Partnership. Meanwhile, Black women in the United States are paid only 60 cents to the man’s dollar, on average. This focus on the issues facing solely White women is a result from our society’s narrow view of inequality—that it affects only one group at a time. This ignorant view is only furthered by our study of history, and the separation of marginalized groups into subcategories.

When we learn about the history of oppression, we hear a very limited view—if it’s Black history, it’s about straight Black men. If it’s women’s history, it’s about straight White women. If it’s about LGBT history, it’s about White men. Minority groups are compartmentalized, even more so if they belong to more than one, and that makes their needs easier to ignore.

There is more to feminism than equal pay and more to LGBT rights than marriage equality. LGBT women of color living below the poverty line sometimes can’t fight for equity because they are too busy fighting to stay alive. They may have words, they just don’t have time. And then Anzaldua’s quote becomes true: Those victimized by intersectionality become nonexistent in our eyes because they are so easily ignored.

It is vital that history encompass all perspectives and all tales. Textbooks should tell history from every point of view so that we as students can see a broader picture of what was actually happening at the time, and open our eyes to the injustices that are still present today. ggist@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 8 • Opinion

March 4, 2016

bark

Redwood High School 395 Doherty Drive Larkspur, CA 94939 www.redwoodbark.org E ditors -I n -C hief

Olivia Dominguez Shiriel King Abramson Bella McWhorter Matt Ross

editorial

Aaron Halford Maxime Kawawa-Beaudan Adam Kreitzman Anne Pritikin Rebecca Smalbach Pearl Zhong

Wellness Center

Isn’t our mental health more important than our grades?

In defense of the Wellness Center

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 be submitted to room 177 or the Bark mailbox in the facility. They may also be emailed to bark@redwoodbark.org.

Barks & Bites

Copy Editors

The doors of the Wellness Center finally opened to the Redwood student body on Jan. 15, marking the commencement of a brand new resource that offers services to promote physical, mental and sexual health. It was a major step toward combating the oft-ignored issues of mental illness and other taboo topics such as substance abuse and sexual relationships.

Yet just weeks after its inauguration, doubts have been raised about the future of the Wellness Center as the district considers cutting its funding. A budget committee has been formed to explore the effectiveness of the Wellness Center and other programs such as TEAM, AIM, and art programs, and to evaluate the school’s responsibility for student wellness due to a projected increase in student enrollment throughout the district.

In Redwood’s high-stress environment, the Wellness Center is a welcome addition. As a place where most students spend at least seven hours each day, the school has a responsibility to provide resources that not only benefit students academically but also support their mental and emotional well-being.

As students, we often toss around words like “stress” and “pressure” when venting to friends about heavy workloads or packed schedules, but data from the most recent California Healthy Kids Survey suggests our emotional distress is a much larger issue: Twenty percent of juniors and 17 percent of freshmen at Redwood have seriously considered suicide in the last year.

Blocking funding for the Wellness Center––a resource intended to curb this high rate––would deny the school an opportunity to improve the health of students. As the budget committee considers cutting funding for a number of programs, the Wellness Center stands out as a particularly important resource to maintain.

Evidence suggests that initiatives like Redwood’s Wellness Center are effective.

A similar program called the San Francisco Wellness Initiative has been implemented in 19 San Francisco high schools with great success: 7500 students visit their wellness centers each year, according to the program’s website, and 93 percent of students trying to improve their health and well-being were successful through help from the wellness centers, according to a survey conducted by the initiative. In addition, 94 percent were successful in reducing their use of tobacco, alcohol or other drugs.

Support for the Wellness Center extends throughout Marin, with a Change.org petition

A BARK to Marin being the “wettest” county in the Bay Area. We finally filled our reservoirs and our self esteem.

A BITE to the Oscars. The nominees were whiter than a Starbucks during pumpkin season.

A BARK to the Republican voters for trimming the Bush.

Now we just need to dump the Trump.

A BITE to the “Reserved For Career Conversations” parking spot. Let’s talk about our careers.

A BARK to the Night of Blues.

Thanks for making my night a

titled “We Stand For Wellness,” garnering 1,384 signatures as of press time. At a Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 9 at Drake, students and parents from all three comprehensive district high schools along with other community members gathered to speak about the Wellness Center. Community members spent more than an hour addressing the issue during public comment.

Talk of eliminating the Wellness Center is only furthering a widespread conviction at Redwood that mental health and well-being are less important than academic success. The two are not mutually exclusive—rather, academic success is augmented by student well-being.

In fact, data from the San Francisco Wellness Initiative found that of students participating in their wellness programs, 64 percent reported doing better in school and 76 percent of students said they are coming to school more often as a result.

Critics of the Wellness Center suggest it is unnecessary because its services overlap with those of resources already available outside of school.

If people were taking advantage of these outside-of-school resources, however, it seems likely that the issues the Wellness Center was created to combat would not be present at Redwood. When 35 percent of juniors and 26 percent of freshmen, reported chronic sad or hopeless feelings during the past year, according to the California Healthy Kids Survey, it is clear that the resources outside of school are not being utilized.

We urge our board and our superintendent to listen to the community and acknowledge that the Wellness Center is not a luxury, but a necessity.

The Wellness Center is just starting out; given the chance, it could be a safe space that makes a profound impact on students’ lives.

We hope that the TUHSD Board of Trustees will see the community’s support for the Wellness Center and decide not to cut funding for this program that has the potential to bring much-needed support for students.

For a longer version of this story and multimedia components, visit www.redwoodbark.org

little less blue.

A BITE to dabbing. We keep saying bless you and it’s just getting more and more awkward.

A BARK to the new Rustic Bakery opening up in Tiburon. For how basic we are, two Rustic Bakeries were definitely not enough.

A BITE to everyone buying prom dresses in January.

Wasn’t the order get a date, then a dress?

A BARK to Leo finally winning an Oscar. We’ll miss the memes.

A BITE to the AP testing fee.

We didn’t think five points could be so expensive.

A BARK to the Environmental Action Club’s Scavenger Hunt and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade falling on the same S a t u r d a y. T h a n k y o u f o r encouraging us to go green.

A BITE to this election. It’s like having to pick the best meal from the dumpster.

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.

News Editors Hannah Blazei Emily Cerf

Opinion Editors Caleigh Stephens Nicole Stock

Feature Editors Eric Ahern Gregory Block

Sports Editors Michael Benz Heidi Roenisch

Review Editors Sam Sheridan Sydney Soofer

Lifestyles Editors Sarah Kimball Kendall Rhoads

Spanish Editors Catherine Conrow Henry Tantum

Video Editor Annie Forsman

Website Developer Sam Slade

Business Manager Sabrina Dong

Social Media Manager Kylie Kvam

Survey Manager Keely Jenkins

Snaphshot Editor Jenna Herz

Reporters

Kayla Aldridge Isabella Alioto Danny Avins Madi Barsi Hayden Blum Addison Brady Kaylee Bushell Julia Cherner Ella Cook Ovie Crum Luke Dahlin Jason Fieber Annie Fogarty Geneva Gist Jenna Herz Andrew Hout Garet Jatsek Max Josef Camille Kawawa-Beaudan Kevin Makens Isabelle Marmur Megan Millard Robin Naylor Macrae Sharp Cosmo Taylor Mary Winnick Chloe Wintersteen

Illustrators

Eve Anderson Asha Cummings

Adviser

Erin Schneider

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

español

Página 9

Estudiante contrae el virus de Zika en El Salvador Por Annie Fogarty

Cuando Xenia Rodríguez, estudiante del último año, fue a El Salvador en diciembre para visitar a su familia, no sabía nada del virus de Zika. Entonces dos días antes de regresar a los Estados Unidos, desarrolló una erupción.

“Tuve puntitos en la piel y mi hermana los tuvo también. Al principio, pensamos que era una alergia desconocida”, dijo Rodríguez. “Mi doctor en El Salvador me dijo que no había un problema, pero que debía buscar otras dolencias.”

Aunque Rodríguez y su doctor al principio pensaron que no era una enfermedad severa, su madre estaba preocupada cuando se enfermaba más después de su regreso a los Estados Unidos en enero. Rodríguez tenía fiebre, los ojos rosados y fatiga — síntomas del virus de Zika.

En los meses pasados, el virus de Zika ha extendido rápidamente en Centroamérica, Sudamérica, y unas islas del Caribe. Más de 20 países en las Américas han tenido brotes del Zika, y la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) declaró la epidemia del Zika una emergencia internacional el primero de febrero.

Rodríguez aprendió sobre el virus de su familia en El Salvador, y luego su doctor en San Francisco le diagnosticó con Zika.

Aunque ese diagnóstico no fue probado, los síntomas se alinearon con los del Zika.

“Llamamos a mi familia en El Salvador y resultó que mi primo en la casa en la cual me estaba quedando tenía los mismos síntomas que yo. Aprendieron del Zika antes de nosotros. Ellos fueron los que nos dijeron lo que estaba sucediendo”, dijo Rodríguez.

Zika provoca la fiebre y el dolor de músculos y cabeza. Sin embargo, 80 por ciento de la gente que contraen el virus no muestran síntomas, según los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC). El virus sale de la sangre después de una semana, pero ahora no hay una cura.

Después de sufrir la enfermedad por más de una semana en enero, Rodríguez ha recuperado ahora. Ahora, no hay una vacuna para Zika, pero los científicos están trabajando en ella.

Informacíon coresía de el CDC Infotografía por Annie Fogarty

Aunque no hay reacciones ni graves ni fatales para la mayoría de la población, pueden ser peligrosas para las mujeres embarazadas. Cada día hay más evidencia que muestra una relación entre el virus del Zika y serias malformaciones como microcefalia para infantes. Los CDC recomendó que las mujeres embarazadas no viajen a países infectados.

En mayo del 2015, la primera transmisión sudamericano del Zika fue reportada en Brasil.

Cuando declaró un estado de emergencia el OMS, los CDC pudo dar recursos a países en desarrollo que no tienen una infraestructura de salud pública avanzada, según la oficial de salud pública del Condado de Marín, la Dra. Lisa Santora. La salud pública del Condado de Marín es asociada con los CDC. “Eso nos permite a enviar a personal

y control de enfermedades infecciosas a países que necesitan ayuda”, dijo Santora en una entrevista en inglés.

Líderes internacionales han tomado medidas amplias para luchar contra la propagación del Zika. Presidente Obama pidió a $1,9 billones del Congreso para controlar la propagación del virus el 22 de febrero, y Papa Francisco sugirió que los anticonceptivos son aceptables para disminuir la propagación del Zika. El gobierno de El Salvador llevó a medidas más radicales, solicitando que las mujeres no embarazarse hasta 2018.

El 8 de febrero, los CDC aumentó su Centro de Operaciones de Emergencia al máximo nivel después de activarlo el 22 de enero, que significa que acelerará las medidas de preparación para combatir un posible brote futuro en los Estados Unidos.

Las agencias del gobierno no sólo están

Critica: Las croquetas de San Francisco Por Madi Barsi Una buena manera de celebrar la cultura española es comer la comida típica de España: las tapas. Uno de los platos típicos es las croquetas. El Bark fue a San Francisco para encontrar las mejores tapas. Consideramos tres cosas principales: el sabor, la presentación, y la cantidad.

Zarzuela El ambiente de Zarzuela era muy calmado, como un restaurante tradicional. Las croquetas tuvieron mucho sabor que no podría dejar insatisfecho al comedor. Sin embargo la presentación era un poco decepcionante porque, a diferencia de Coqueta y Beso Bistronomia, Zarzuela no sirvió salsa. Zarzuela está en Russian Hill en la calle Hyde, que era muy ocupado y casual pero también muy elegante.

afogarty@redwoodbark.org

Para leer más artículos y versiones en inglés, visite www.redwoodbark.org/spanish.

For more articles and English versions, visit www.redwoodbark.org/spanish.

Profesor nuevo Por Isabella Alioto

Coqueta tiene las croquetas más ricas de todos los restaurantes que visité. Que suerte de encontrar un restaurante que tiene una mezcla excelente de comida y ambiente. Aunque la presentación fue un poco anticlimática, las croquetas eran deliciosas. Se debe pedir dos platos porque solo vienen tres croquetas en cada plato.

Aunque no había ni champiñones ni jamón, el pollo me satisfizo más que las otras croquetas. Coqueta está en el Embarcadero en el Pier 5.

Tizoc Garcia, un profesor nuevo de español, empezó a enseñar Español 5-6 y el Español 7-8 Honores en Redwood el 26 de enero. Garcia ha enseñado el español por 10 años.

Antes de venir a Redwood, enseñó Español AP en la escuela secundaria Misión en San Francisco y también era el subdirector de una escuela en Truckee.

En el pasado ha llevado a sus clases de español en viajes a Madrid y otras partes de España.

Según Garcia, la mejor parte de la enseñanza es “el descubrimiento”.

“Todos los días hay un descubrimiento con los estudiantes, conmigo, con el aprendizaje”, dijo Garcia.

A García le gusta aprender de sus estudiantes a través de la poesía que escriben en su clase de español.

“Yo no quiero ser ese maestro que no conozca a sus estudiantes, o que no se preocupe por sus estudiantes”, dijo Garcia.

Además de enseñar, García ha tomado clases de la fabricación de guitarras españolas, y disfruta de la poesía y otra literatura en español.

mbarsi@redwoodbark.org

ialioto@redwoodbark.org

Beso Bistronomia Las croquetas de Beso Bistronomia eran fantásticas.

Aunque fueron un poco secas, los champiñones crearon un sabor que reemplazaron la falta de carne. El ambiente fue muy vivo y había mucha gente que vinieron para comer las tapas deliciosas. Beso Bistronomia tenía la mejor presentación de las croquetas de los restaurantes de tapas que visité. Beso Bistronomia está en el distrito Castro.

ayudando en el exterior sino también están protegiendo a la población estadounidense.

“En el Condado de Marin ya tenemos algunas cosas en su lugar para proteger la seguridad de nuestra población, especialmente relacionadas con las enfermedades infecciosas emergentes”, dijo Santora.

El Control de Vectores del Distrito de Marin-Sonoma proporciona vigilancia para vectores como mosquitos y educa a los viajeros que van a regiones afectadas, según Santora.

“Marín tiene una población que ha emigrado desde la zona –– Brasil y otros países sudamericanos –– donde el virus Zika ha sido establecido”, dijo Santora.

Se envió un aviso para educar a los residentes y proveedores de atención médica en Marín, así que hay un entendimiento común sobre las precauciones necesarias.

Algunos de los estudiantes de Redwood que viajaron a países con Zika tomaron estas precauciones. Lindsay Thornton, estudiante de penúltimo año, fue a Colombia por una semana en febrero y dijo que investigó técnicas para prevenir infección antes de su viaje.

“Vimos la advertencia que los Estados Unidos les dan a viajeros, asi vamos a tomar precauciones. Llevaremos ropa suelta y repelente de insectos”, dijo Thornton en una entrevista en inglés.

Aunque los viajeros pueden contraer Zika en otras regiones, el virus no puede transmitirse por mosquito en Marín porque la especie no puede sobreviver en el norte de California, según el Departamento de Salud Pública de California.

El mosquito Aedes, una especie invasiva a California, es responsable por la propagación de Zika. Como el mosquito prefiere climas tropicales, se puede encontrar en California del sur, pero los científicos no predicen un gran brote en la mayoría los Estados Unidos.

No hay transmisiones locales de Zika en los Estados Unidos continentales ahora, aparte de 14 incidentes declarados de transmisión sexual.

Fotografía por Madi Barsi

CRUJIENTES Y SABROSAS, las croquetas de Zarzuela son una apetitosa opición para cualquier persona que quiera auténtica comida española.

Coqueta

bark

Page 10 • Feature

March 4, 2016

Acting Trashy:

Redwood’s War on Waste

Photos by Kylie Kvam and Emily Cerf

By Emily Cerf and Kylie Kvam “It smells like money,” said Joey Garbarino, Marin Sanitary Service garbage-truck driver, with a laugh, referring to the garbage pit in front of him.

To Redwood High School, and many other schools in the county, trash does smell like money. Redwood currently pays roughly $5,500 a month to the MSS for garbage services.

Currently at Redwood, about 57.1 percent of the waste products produced on campus go directly to landfill, 6.8 percent is recyclable paper, 31.4 percent is cardboard and 4.6 percent is plastic/can/glass recycling.

By reducing the amount of trash Redwood produces and increasing the amount of waste Redwood recycles and composts, monthly costs would be brought down.

Soon it will be the law for Redwood to divert at least a portion of its organic waste away from the landfill.

AB-1826, which takes effect April 1, 2016, will require businesses that produce at least eight cubic meters of organic waste to arrange for composting services.

However, Zoe Pearl, the recycling programs coordinator for Marin County schools and director for tours of the MSS in San Rafael, worries that the law will not be very effective since it is difficult to monitor.

In addition, the law does not specify a certain amount of waste that must be diverted from the landfill in order for businesses to be considered compliant.

“It’s kind of a tough law because how are you supposed to know if you produce eight cubic yards of organic waste?

Is someone looking through your garbage and measuring that?” Pearl said.

Nevertheless, Pearl believes that the law will motivate Redwood and other schools in the area to start putting more focus on how much they recycle.

“I think that a lot of schools are kind of kicking it into gear now that they know that there’s a law in place,” Pearl said.

Pearl has been working with the business officer of the Tamalpais High School Unified School District in order to reinforce the importance of implementing recycling and composting programs.

“Hopefuly once they see that in April it’s the law that you have to be composting, they start telling maybe the principal or admin that they have to say yes,” Pearl said.

Pearl hopes to promote understanding about the wastefulness that occurs when no effort is made to recycle.

“I want everyone to know that everything you put into a garbage can—it doesn’t get sorted. It will all go to the landfill,” Pearl said. “When you throw [trash] into a garbage can, imagine you are throwing it into the ground, because it’s going to go get buried tomorrow. What a waste!”

However, Redwood faces a variety of challenges that

Infographic by Kylie Kvam

prevent it from being able to recycle and compost to an ideal extent.

One hurdle is the lack of effective recycling in the eating areas at Redwood.

In order to spur a movement toward recycling, members of the Environmental Action Club have recently created a petition to bring back recycling bins in the eating areas of Redwood.

“It’s a little ridiculous,” said senior Henry Hood, a member of the Environmental Action Club who co-created the petition. “We realized that we’re more conscientious with our solar program and how we’re conserving electricity at school and yet we don’t have something as simple and basic as recycling.”

Redwood alumni Bailey Ferguson, who graduated in 2015, fought to have recycling bins spread throughout the eating areas during the 2014-2015 school year to decrease the amount of landfill waste generated by the school and lower the costs paid to the MSS. Yet, at the beginning of the school year they were removed by the custodians because students failed to properly sort waste between the bins, according to Tim Mullery, head custodian at Redwood.

Both Redwood’s Environmental Action Club and the custodial staff found that many students would throw trash in the recycling bins and recycling in the trash bins, leaving custodial staff to sort through the bins.

“Kids don’t really care that much,” said senior Nathan Orwig, a member of the Environmental Action Club. “Hopefully by raising awareness about how much recycling really does in the big scope of things, kids will

be more enticed to [recycle] and realize how easy it is to do.”

Data from a recent Bark survey suggests that students would be willing to make an effort to recycle properly.

Ninety-two percent of students recycle at their homes, and 75 percent say that they would actively try to recycle at Redwood if there were bins available.

The club hopes that by making the bins more available and convenient, students will recycle more. “[We are] making it more convenient for the students so there aren’t really any excuses for them not to be doing it right,” said senior Marguerite Spaethling, a member of the Environmental Action Club.

In addition, the Environmental Action Club plans to raise awareness about how to recycle properly in order to promote understanding and improve the effectiveness of the bins.

“What we’re planning on doing is working with admin and with custodians to make sure we can start an ad campaign to let students know to not throw trash in the recycling,” Hood said. “And if you don’t know if it should be recycled, at least just throw it out to keep our recycling clean.”

The custodians were willing to put in the effort to make the recycling bins effective, and would be willing to do so again if there were a way to make the bins successful, according to Mullery.

Mullery noted that the recycling programs that have been implemented in the past have started off strong, but taper off as the year progresses.

Orwig believes that it would take a major change in the attitude of the Redwood community in order for it to participate in reducing waste at the school.

“Mostly it’s just a cultural shift at the school to be more eco-friendly,” Orwig said. “The school has done that—putting in solar panels is a sign that the school wants to be more eco-friendly. You would suspect with such an educated student body that [the students] would be more aware of how easy it is.”

Orwig believes that a process for ASB allocation of funds which he described as “poorly designed” has been a prohibiting factor in his club’s ability to work to reduce Redwood’s carbon footprint.

One incident in particular, in which ASB denied the allocation of $300 so that the club could purchase devices to decrease energy consumption from computers and other appliances on campus, was particularly frustrating for Orwig.

“They said we should raise the money ourselves,” Orwig said. “And we were a little besmirched because we were like, ‘Wait, we’re doing this for the school, and we’re going through all the initiatives to help the school, and help them save money. Why don’t you guys want to fund us?’” bark@redwoodbark.org

Page 11 • Feature

www.redwoodbark.org

Sexual assault

bark

“It’s your body whether you’re a girl or a guy. It’s your body and your decision. If you, at any point, don’t feel comfortable with something it’s okay to say stop. And that’s it, it’s game over.”

Scott McKenna, detective

Illustration by Maxime Kawawa-Beaudan

By Jenna Herz “I woke up and he was on top of me,” said “Sadie,” a senior girl who wished to remain anonymous to protect her privacy.

“He was having sex with me.”

According to a February Bark survey, 12 percent of Redwood students, 19 percent of seniors and 14 percent of females have also been involved in non-consensual sexual encounters.

Sadie’s night started with a consensual encounter with a friend of hers. Then, she fell asleep.

“I was asleep and he was not wearing a condom,” she said. “For two weeks I sort of just tried to forget about it and tried to understand what it was that happened.”

After suppressing her story for weeks, Sadie broke down in front of one of her teachers, who reported it to the police as required by federal law.

“If someone has harmed another student we have both an ethical and legal duty to report that to the necessary people,” said school counselor Lynne Kennedy. “If the student hasn’t “Sadie,” reported it to the senior police, we explain the process and get them connected to the police. The great thing about having a school resource officer is that we have someone here who really understands teenagers and can demystify what can be very scary.”

Redwood’s resource officer is Detective Scott McKenna, who is now in his second year on the job. After an incident is reported to the police, victim protection is the first priority, according to McKenna.

“The first step is to get a support system set up around the victim so that when we do start talking they don’t feel overwhelmed or scared,” McKenna said.

Setting up a support system involves informing parents about the incident if they don’t already know, according to McKenna.

“I wasn’t the one to tell my parents.

The police were,” Sadie said. “I avoided them for a while. I was so scared. But my parents ended up being the most supportive people. I’m so lucky. I know they would do anything for me.”

Sadie developed several methods of coping after her assault.

“Everyday I wrote in a journal. I had this one journal dedicated to healing. For over a month I would write in it every day,” Sadie said.

Aside from writing in a journal, Sadie turned to other methods of getting her anger out.

“Throughout the night he had choked me and scratched me and so I began cutting

a lot all over my arms and body,” Sadie said. “I did it because I needed to feel my body again.”

Sadie eventually mustered the courage to tell her wellness counselor about her self-harm, and her counselor suggested healthier ways to cope.

“Before I would take a shower I would take a pen and write terrible things all over my body and cuts and then wash them off. That really helped. I would also take pictures of it just to document it. I think that was probably the most powerful thing,” Sadie said.

Sadie’s case is currently being investigated, but Sadie said that not a day goes by when she doesn’t think about her assault.

“Sometimes I would wake up at the exact same time it happened in the middle of the night and feel him on me,” Sadie said. “I’d have to pound on my bed to get it to stop and remind myself that I was OK.” It is still extremely difficult for Sadie to see her assailant at school.

“I see this person everyday in several of my classes,” she said.

“It was very difficult to sit through my classes.

I would leave class at least once a day and just escape to either the office or the Wellness Center.”

Sadie said she experienced constant pain and anxiety from seeing her assailant at school in addition to night terrors.

“I couldn’t let people touch me for a long time because my body was always stimulated. It was always in pain,” Sadie said. “It would start in my chest and my chest was always hurting and then it would spread through my limbs. I felt like I was on edge all the time.”

It is not uncommon for people to be sexually assaulted by close friends or people they know. According to data from a 2009-2013 study by the U.S. Department of Justice, 82 percent of sexual assaults are perpetrated by non-strangers.

Anonymous senior Abby is also a victim of sexual assault by a non-stranger.

“It was last May, a couple weeks before school ended, and I went over to a friend’s house for a party,” Abby said. “I got really drunk and high and I felt sick. This one guy told me he would take care of me and help me and I believed him because he was my friend.”

Abby later passed out on a bed in a room that her “friend” had brought her to.

When she woke, she felt his hands down her pants.

“He wouldn’t stop and I tried to push him off. I rolled over to push him off of me but he took that as an [invitation]. He started really roughly kissing me and took off my pants and everything and then he raped me,” Abby said.

Throughout the night he had choked me and scratched me and so I began cutting a lot all over my arms and body.

Thirty-seven percent of Redwood students know someone who has been involved in a sexual encounter to which they did not consent, according to the Bark survey.

Like Sadie, it took Abby several weeks to talk to anyone about what had happened, and once she did, she felt the need to reach out to more than one source of support.

“It got to a point where I felt like I was going to die without telling someone else so I told someone else. Unfortunately, they didn’t believe me at all,” Abby said, adding that the person later told her parents. “[My parents] just kept asking me why I didn’t tell them. It was because I wasn’t ready to tell them. It was one of those things that was too personal and too recent,” Abby said. “It hurt more that they didn’t hear it from me.”

Although Abby’s parents were initially scared, they eventually became a strong support system for her.

“My parents told me I should talk to police, but they didn’t pressure me to,” Abby said. “They did, however, make me go to a rape crisis center and see counselors.”

Counselors at all rape crisis centers are required to report incidences of assault; however, Abby has not personally talked to the police about her assault.

“I haven’t really gotten to a point in my life where I’m comfortable telling the police in full detail what happened because I can’t fully share [with myself] in full detail what had happened that night either,” Abby said. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to be able to tell someone like the police what happened if I can’t [accept] it yet myself.”

Abby believes she might press charges when she gets to a strong enough place in her life, but right now she still doesn’t feel ready. For now, she is focusing on the support she draws from her friends and family.

“Your friends are a huge support system, same with your family. Use the people around you and make sure that you surround yourself with people that you know will be there for you no matter what, especially after this kind of situation,” Abby said. “The way people react when you tell them [you’ve been assaulted] says a lot about their character. If they react poorly to this then you shouldn’t have them in your life.”

Detective McKenna believes that sexual assault is prevalent among young students nowadays because of sexualization of women in the media. “ Y o u ’ r e bombarded by sexual images and adult imagery at such a young age now because

it’s all over TV,” McKenna said. “Even the way fashions are now, fashions are far more revealing and far more adult-based, but kids are all wearing it.”

McKenna said the best way to avoid potentially harmful situations is to be cognizant and hyper-vigilant, especially when drugs and alcohol are involved.

“Protect your friends.

Protect yourselves. Don’t ingest things if you don’t know what they are,” McKenna said. “Kids need to feel empowered. It’s your body whether you’re a girl or a guy.

It’s your body and your decision. If you, at any point, don’t feel comfortable with something it’s okay to say stop. And that’s it, it’s game over.”

Increasing education about sexual assault is the next step to preventing it, according to Kennedy.

“There’s nothing systematic we do to educate students on sexual assault,” Kennedy said. “However, there’s been more discussion this year on raising awareness and educating our teens on how to be safe.”

McKenna hopes that the Wellness Center will play a big part in both preventing sexual assaults as well as helping survivors.

“The Wellness Center is going to be a direct link in line for students,” McKenna said. “The whole purpose of the Wellness Center is to provide a safe environment for students.”

jherz@redwoodbark.org

By Robin Naylor and Cosmo Taylor

A

ny given morning at 7:20 a.m., as one student boards her bus on Paradise Drive, another student will step off of his bus from Marin City. Both will ride on Marin Transit and both woke up earlier than they’d wish.

The difference? He will walk more than a half-mile to school––she will walk a few steps. A few hundred yards away from school, the girl’s bus will drive past the walking boy. This was the common experience of Jordan Jackson, a junior who lives in Marin City and takes the bus once or twice a week.

“We see the bus that the Tiburon kids take and it passes us every day, so it’s just like we’re walking in the cold, but they get dropped off right in front of the school.” Jackson said. “For me that’s pretty isolating.”

Google Maps estimates that the walk from the northbound Lucky Drive bus pad spans 0.6 miles and takes 13 minutes.

Tam junior Jaiana Harris, who transferred from Redwood to Tam this past October, cited transportation, specifically the walk, as one of the key factors in her decision to transfer.

“When you’re walking to Redwood, the two or three Tiburon buses will be driving past,” Harris said. “It kind of burns. You could tell all the kids were looking at us—I didn’t like it.”

JUNIOR JORDAN JACKSON used to ride the bus from Marin City daily.

The Bus Ride

rain, most of us who needed to catch the bus didn’t go to school. When it rained, we didn’t have to walk all the way to school in the rain.”

To use youth passes with no additional fare, students from Marin City must ride the 17 bus, which leaves the Donahue & Terners stop at 6:35 a.m. and arrives at the Lucky Drive bus pad at 7:20 a.m. If a student were to miss the 6:35 a.m. bus, the next 17 departs at 7:05 a.m. and arrives at the Lucky Dr. bus pad at 7:50 a.m., five minutes before the first bell.

Annual youth bus passes are sold for $325 through schools and enable students to ride Marin Transit without paying a fare. Certain income-qualified families can obtain free youth passes.

Jackson described the difference between taking the 6:35 a.m and the 7:05 a.m. route as either “wake up really early and be on time,” or “get the right amount of sleep and be late.”

Due to the timing of the 17 route, many Marin City students typically gravitate toward the 70 route, a direct commuter route run by Golden Gate Transit, which does not accept youth passes and charges a $1 fare. The 70 departs from Donahue & Terners at 7:30 a.m. and arrives on Lucky Dr. around 7:45 a.m.

In the 2014-2015 school year, the Larkspur-Corte Madera Elementary School District distributed 322 youth bus passes, 42 percent of which were free. The SausalitoMarin City Elementary School District distributed 254 passes, all of which were free.

Students said that the walk was more unpleasant when it rained. With a wet season that lasts from November through March, Marin typically sees 52.65 inches of rain per year, according to Marin Municipal Water District.

“It was to the point where we didn’t even want to come to school when it was raining because we would have had to catch the bus, and our parents worked so it’s not like we could get a ride,” Harris said. “So when it would

A Temporary Solution The Marin City transportation issue has not gone unnoticed. Assistant Principal LaSandra White spearheaded a system that began earlier this school year to improve the commute for Marin City students.

“We figured out a system where whatever bus they take from Marin City they’d get off near the old Denny’s at the freeway stop, so they could get on one of the buses coming from Tiburon. One of the Tiburon buses would then, if they were able to time it right, come and stop there and pick them up. It wouldn’t cost more money,” White said. “I set it up late last spring and we had it all set up for the beginning of the school year.”

Despite never participating in White’s system, Jackson learned about others’ experiences with it.

“It didn’t work. I never tried it, but I know some girls who did, and one day the bus came to pick them up, but the bus was already too full and so the bus driver said they couldn’t get on,” Jackson said. “The girls were late to school because they had to call Ms. White to come pick them up from the bus stop.”

Aside from logistical obstacles, students often had a hard time getting a seat on the Tiburon bus. White witnessed it for herself when she chaperoned students one time.

“Even for me it was awkward. It was like, ‘Why are we picking up these people on the side of the freeway and they’re all Black?’ The bus was really crowded,” White said.

The system fizzled out in under a month, according to White, who described it as “too clunky and too cumbersome.”

“It was really awkward because when we got on the second bus, it’s all the White kids from Tiburon,” Harris

7:05 a.m.

Students board bus in Marin City

7:50

Students get off the bus stop and begin 13-minut

Photos by Sam Slade SENIOR KEITH GREEN stands on an overpass while making the 13-minute walk from the Lucky Drive bus stop to Redwood High School.

said. “And sometimes the bus wouldn’t even stop so we just gave up on that, and shortly after that I transferred.”

After White’s initial plan, students from Marin City reverted back to their usual walk to school. There has been no effort from the school or district to move forward, according to White.

“Obviously we are always open to looking at how to help those kids because we don’t want to see more and more leave here,” White said.

The Transfer

At least five Marin City students from Redwood have transferred to Tam within the last year. Some have cited transportation as a factor in their decision to transfer.

“I know for sure that some of the kids who recently transferred from Redwood to Tam just within this school year cite transportation as one of the biggest reasons for transferring because they felt like they had to get up much earlier than all their peers to get to school and let alone walk,” White said.

While most eighth graders living in Marin City typically choose to attend Tam High, the school in their zoning area, students are able pick between Tam, Drake or Redwood.

TUHSD’s open enrollment policy enables any student who attends any middle school in the Mill Valley, SausalitoMarin City, Ross Valley, Kentfield, Larkspur Corte Madera, or Reed Union districts to attend the school of choice.

The district’s open enrollment policy doesn’t require students to attend the school to which they are zoned, but Assistant Superintendent Sally Swan thinks that zoning complicates the situation.

“It’s difficult because our schools are established to serve the students in the communities where they exist.

It’s nice to give students the option to go to a different school from where they’re residing,” Swan said. “How far we go out of our way to provide transportation for

that student to go to a school that’s other than where their residence is served, is a difficult question.”

Tiburon Buses The 119 from Tiburon and the 113 from East Corte Madera, routes most bus-riding students take to school, are “tripper routes” for Redwood. Tripper service is a school bus service run by a public transportation company–– it’s coordinated with the school’s bell schedule, but regulated to stop at only public bus signs and remaining open to the general public. Marin Transit runs the tripper routes independently from TUHSD as part of its regular scheduled service. There is no contract between Marin Transit and TUHSD, but Marin Transit coordinates with schools to provide the service. “[The schools] give us the bell times and we adjust the routes and the schedule of the routes according to that information,” said Holly Lundgren, administrative analyst at Marin Transit.

The only transportation TUHSD provides is a charter service for 24 students who live in Bolinas and Stinson Beach and attend Tam. The district will spend $80,000 this school year, according to Swan, to contract with a private yellow bus company. Bolinas and Stinson Beach are part of Tam’s zone.

extracurriculars,” White said. “If you’re here for practice until dark and if you don’t have a ride home, you might not want to or feel safe walking to the bus stop.”

The Marin City transportation situation continually comes up in district meetings about equity, according to White.

Harris said she and her friends from Marin City often talked about the walk from the bus stop when she attended Redwood.

“We used to complain about it a lot amongst each other. Kids always talk about it––having to walk,” Harris said. “[They’d say] that they’re tired of doing it, that we should have a bus that drops us off in the parking lot. Why do the White kids get a bus when we don’t have one?” bark@redwoodbark.org For a longer version of this story, as well as multimedia components and an editorial related to this topic, visit www.redwoodbark.org.

The Walk

Under the current system, it is more difficult for Marin City students to participate in extracurricular activities at Redwood.

“I’ve been here for 20 years, I grew up in Marin City, so I know all these kids but I find that [the bus] discourages them from participating or even wanting to participate in

8:03 a.m.

Students arrive at Redwood three minutes after school starts.

a.m.

s at the Lucky Drive bus te walk to school.

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March 4, 2016

Redwood adopts new approach to student suspensions

By Macrae Sharp First, you break the rules, specifically one of 23 rules that are listed as “grounds for suspension” in the Redwood Parent Student Handbook. Maybe you aren’t thinking about the consequences, but the administration catches you red-handed.

You are suspended and told to arrive at Mr. Sondheim’s office the following morning for your “in house” suspension.

The “in house” suspension has become more frequently given to students as the administration is trying to keep students out of the classroom learning time for the minimum time necessary during a suspension period, according to Assistant Principal Katy Foster.

This type of suspension usually lasts one day rather than three, and requires students to stay on campus under adult supervision instead being at home.

“There’s a nationwide movement to understand that suspending kids out of school is not as productive.

I think we’re headed that direction (restorative practices) as a country and certainly as a district,” Foster said.

Eleven students were suspended from Redwood during the last school year, according to the California Department of Education. With a student body of 1,761, Redwood had an overall suspension rate of 0.6 percent.

Compared to data from the 20132014 and 2012-2013 school years, these numbers are significantly lower. In the 2013-2014 school year, 2 percent of students were suspended, with 34 total suspensions, and in the previous year (2012-2013), 3.5 percent of students were suspended with 58 total suspensions.

Foster speculates that this decrease could be due to the decrease of suspensions for students who “disrupted school activities

or willfully defied the valid authority of supervisors,” often referred to as a “K suspension” because of its description in California Education Code. Foster attributes the decrease in “K suspensions” to an administrative push to provide counseling rather than consequences to students. The administration most often deals with suspensions regarding unlawful possession and the use and sale of alcoholic beverages or other intoxicants, according to Foster, which is known as a “C suspension” in California Education Code.

Foster also attributed the decrease in suspensions during the past three years to the district’s influence in keeping more students in class during learning hours.

“If [the suspension] is in-house, [the students] are still away from the rest of the school, but their teachers can come in and work with them or can bring them work, and so we can support them better that way to stay connected to school. That’s why we made that change, and I think it has worked really well,” Foster said.

Senior Gabe Di Donato said that when

He also said that he believes serving his suspension on campus instead of at home was intended to increase his discomfort and increase the severity of the consequence.

Di Donato doesn’t think the administration deals fairly with all suspensions.

“I don’t understand why sometimes [the administration] dishes out the maximum consequence, and in other situations they say no, no consequences necessary. I think [the administration’s] judgement when it comes to handing out consequences is very skewed,” Di Donato said.

Redwood also has a contract with a local organization called Dynamic Solutions for Youth, which helps students evaluate their situation, see alternatives and other perspectives, and then re-evaluate their choices and decisions, according to their website.

Infographic by Macrae Sharp Foster said that Dynamic Solutions he was suspended last month, there were for Youth President Keith Jackson no student services offered to him during has previously spoken with Redwood his time serving his in-house suspension. students who have been suspended “It was an in-school suspension. If I about their choices. The program aims to was at home, I could provide a “constructive be messing around environment to help or playing video the student understand games. So [I] came the seriousness of in and I sat there all the suspension and day,” Di Donato said. the school’s point Di Donato said of view,” according he was suspended to their website. in February under Foster said that suspicion of when she arrived at being under the Redwood in 2012, influence of alcohol. Gabe Di Donato, defying school authority According to the senior in any particular way letter he received was considered an from the district, automatic suspension. his suspension Now, she said, the was classified as a “C suspension.” administration has tried to create a learning “I was put in a room and told environment for small instances of to be quiet. They told me to put my defiance, rather than automatic suspension. headphones away when I took them out. It was of no benefit for me to be at school that day,” Di Donato said. msharp@redwoodbark.org

I was put in a room and told to be quiet... It was no benefit for me to be at school that day.

Page 15 • Sports

www.redwoodbark.org

Taking the plunge: Diving team springs into season

By Sarah Kimball “[Being in the air] is weightless. It feels like those types of plane rides where they go up a thousand feet and then drop so there is no gravity on you,” junior Vanessa Graf said.

Graf is captain of the diving team. In past years, she was the only diver, but seven other divers will be competing this year, including senior Kyle Wong, one of the first male divers in three years. The divers earn points that are then added into the swim meet total score, sometimes making or breaking the meet.

The lack of male divers put the boys’ swim team at a significant disadvantage, according to Wong.

“Last year was the worst because we would start the meet 20 points under because we didn’t have any guys diving,” Wong said.

Because of this disadvantage, Wong felt it was necessary that he filled the missing hole.

“I was talking with my friends about what we were going to do next year, they all said they were just going to do swimming,” Wong said. “I figured that someone had to represent our gender.”

Wong and Graf both believe that the lack of males on the team is due to misconceptions of what is physically involved in diving.

“Most people think that only females can do flips and can be flexible and don’t realize that guys can go higher and do more flips,” Graf said. “They only base diving on the flexibility portion, not on the strength as well.”

In addition to Wong, junior Jenna Kieffer joined the diving team. Kieffer became part of the team due to her belief that diving has lower expectations.

“I swam freshman and sophomore year and I liked swimming a lot, but I didn’t know if I could fully commit to the sport because I know Fred [the coach] has really high expectations of all the swimmers,” Kieffer said. “I feel like diving is a compromise of expectations because you

Photo by Sarah Kimball

SPRINGING OFF THE board, junior Jenna Kieffer pratices pike position mid-flip.

Kieffer joined the diving team because it requires less commitment than swim. obviously have to show up at practice everyday, but it is nice knowing that I will be new to the sport so the expectations won’t be so high.”

Graf, Kieffer and Wong have been dryland training for the season, in order to achieve their best physical form. Kieffer and Wong have also been watching videos

so they can begin understanding the technique.

“I’ve been watching a lot of videos to watch the approach and get used to the idea of throwing yourself off a piece of plastic,” Kieffer said.

Wong has been trying to improve his flexibility outside of practice.

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“It is crucial that when you do the pike position, you actually touch your toes,” Wong said.

All three believe that the sudden increase in divers is due to publicity.

“A lot of people know how well Vanessa [Graf] has been competing because there are a lot less divers in the league than swimmers so she really stands out and shines,” Kieffer said. “I think it is true that one girl inspires others.”

Graf believes that the larger freshman class has created more interest in the sport.

Two freshmen, Eva Geitheim and Sam Jackson, will be competing on the team this year.

Techniques used in diving are very similar to those used in gymnastics, and Graf began her career as a diver after participating in gymnastics.

“I did gymnastics when I was smaller and then I did tumbling and then trampolining in eighth grade and freshman year,” Graf said. “I like to do flips and gain those little adrenaline rushes which diving allows [you] to do.”

The scoring for diving is similar to that of gymnastics. Each diver does six dives, with more points given for more difficult moves. The scores are then totaled and the highest cumulative scorer wins.

Then, based on the final standing of the divers, a specific number of points are added to the total swimming score.

Diving coach Jeff Miller has already seen all eight of the divers improve and begin performing more advanced dives.

“It is a short season and I had to get them up to speed pretty quickly, but fortunately all of these guys are fairly talented and now two weeks in, we have divers, not novices,” Miller said.

Miller credits the team’s improvement to the ability the divers have to watch each other’s techniques, especially Graf’s.

“It is really helpful for the new divers to see people like Vanessa [Graf] who have experience because they can see it done correctly,” Miller said.

skimball@redwoodbark.org

Sophomore bears the cold in East Bay ice hockey league

By Jason Fieber Sophomore Hayden Stocker has made weekday trips to Oakland for years—trips that are made out of love for a sport that he has built upon since he was seven years old.

Because hockey is not widely popular in a place like Marin, Stocker’s dedication to the sport is quite rare.

From the moment he first learned how to ice skate, Stocker was captivated by hockey.

“I became interested in hockey when I went to the Santa Rosa Snoopy’s Home ice rink. After we went skating, a hockey tournament was [being televised], and my dad and I sat down and watched it,” he said.

Stocker’s fascination with the sport has not diminished since he began playing at a young age. He now plays goalie for the Oakland Bears of the California Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA), a league for AA hockey teams, which is one step below the highest level of youth competition, tier one, and one step above AAA hockey.

Stocker is the only Bears player from Marin, as his teammates live throughout the Bay Area.

“It’s really unique in Marin because it’s not a popular sport, but it’s definitely growing, so the community is getting stronger,” Stocker said. “Once people start exploring hockey, the community will get larger.”

After developing the fundamental skills, Stocker became interested in one of the most essential aspects of hockey: goaltending.

“I played one game as a regular player, but I never found the interest or the fun as a player,” Stocker said.

“My interest turned towards goaltending.”

Stocker emphasized the importance of the mental aspect of playing goalie.

“Being a goalie is about 70 percent mental and 30 percent physical,” he said.

He also said that maintaining confidence is vital to success as a goaltender.

“If you aren’t confident you’re not going to play well,” Stocker said. “That’s the thing with goaltending—you have to really be ready for what’s to come and for the next shot.”

Stocker also said that fatigue can affect a goalie over the course of a game.

Photo courtesy of the Oakland Bears

SOPHOMORE HAYDEN STOCKER tends the goal during a game with the Oakland Bears, an East Bay tier two hockey team. Stocker has been playing ice hockey since he was seven years old.

“Goalies are on the ice the entire game, so it can get beating a lot of other teams that had been in AA for a long really tiring or really frustrating if your players don’t play time,” he said. “Other teams now recognize us as a force the way you want them to,” he said. to reckon with.”

On most weekends during the season, Stocker plays in Stocker’s season with the Oakland Bears has ended, tournaments in Los Angeles, competing with teams from but he plans to continue playing during the spring season both northern and southern California. with the Bay Area Blazers, an AAA team, and in the near He said that traveling schedule can be difficult, but it future he will participate in hockey camps, including some doesn’t stop him from pursuing his passion. in Canada.

The Oakland Bears finished their winter season 8-7-3 Stocker hopes to follow his interests to the point of with a tournament win in Chicago. playing hockey in college.

Stocker views the Bears’ season as a success, as it was “That’s one of the biggest things I’m looking for in a their first season in the AA league. school,” he said.

“We finished in the top ten, which is really good for our team because it is our first season in AA. We ended up jfieber@redwoodbark.org

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Page 16 • Sports

March 4, 2016

Concussions on the rise in youth and professional sports different opinions,” Steve Fainaru said.

However, not all concussions lead to neurodegenerative diseases. Former San Francisco 49er Steve Young sustained numerous concussions, but has not developed a NFL’s concussion problem persists neurodegenerative disease.

Most football-related concussions could be prevented Hall of Famer and former Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound by creating more tightly fitting helmets, according to in 2002. It was later revealed in an autopsy performed Fainaru-Wada. The current standard helmets do not

by Dr. Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist and prevent the brain from rattling around in the skull.

Dr. Edgar Angelone, a neuropsychologist at Marin neuropathologist, that Webster had developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) due to repeated brain Neuropsychology Center who has treated teenagers who trauma. This was a defining moment in the game of have had concussions and other brain injuries for more than 30 years, said he thinks the NFL needs to change rules football. regarding player safety.

More concussions have been “Things have to change on many reported recently because of increased different levels. The competition today awareness and media reports about is getting out of control. If you watched CTE. In the past two decades, the latest football games, you would extensive concussion research has see that the players are hitting the other been conducted in response to public players head-to-head purposely to injure outcry regarding neurodegenerative the other player, ” Angelone said. “If the brain disorders, especially in the NFL, issues like unnecessary contact are fixed, according to journalist Steve Fainaru. then the number of concussions will be Fainaru and his brother Mark reduced.”

Fainaru-Wada, both Redwood Steve Fainaru, A study recently released in the graduates, wrote a book in 2013 called Journal of Athletic Training by the “League of Denial” in which they investigative journalist University of New Hampshire showed exposed the severity of concussions that if teams practice without helmets, and argued that the NFL has neglected the number of concussions is reduced the issue.

“We spoke with a bunch of NFL players, league by 30 percent because players learn to lead not with their officials, parents, government officials, and kids, and it head, but lead with their shoulder and hit lower.

“There is no clarity about how many people are was really real when we found out how many people were going to suffer neurodegenerative diseases from playing suffering from mental illness because of concussions.

These are real people that we watch every Sunday,” football. All we know is that there is an increased risk of it,” Fainaru-Wada said. “The sport is a collision sport and Fainaru said.

Fainaru-Wada said that the NFL has been denying that it is violent. If the NFL can move up the kickoff, it can make adjustments to the rules on hitting.” the issue exists for about two decades.

The NFL formed a research board that was made Degenerative diseases connected to of former team trainers and a rheumatologist, a doctor who specializes in arthritis and other joint, muscle, and concussions bone diseases. There were no brain experts. This group produced 16 research papers over an eight year period Athletes who have suffered multiple brain injuries may about concussions and other brain traumas in football. suffer from CTE, a brain disease that severely impacts the Fainaru-Wada said. “The message from the NFL was brain’s ability to function. It can develop in people who repeatedly that, ‘We don't have a problem with brain have suffered from repeated trauma to the brain, though it trauma and football players are not susceptible to these is not restricted to football—research performed by Omalu kind of injuries.’ has revealed that the brain disease can affect any athlete Fainaru was critical of the NFL’s denial of independent susceptible to brain trauma and that there is a link between research that has been released in recent years.

CTE and depression or thoughts of suicide.

“The NFL is a business. It’s an industry. An industry’s An estimated four million people are diagnosed with first instinct is to protect its business and in the case of a concussion every year, according to the Centers for concussions, where the NFL found itself directly in the Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). middle of a public health crisis, their instinct was to Angelone said if multiple concussions are suffered deny that it was real and to attack other researchers with during a student athlete’s career, they may need to stop

By Max Josef, Alexandra Lee and Jordan Overmyer

The NFL is a business.

An industry’s first instinct is to protect its business.

Infographic by Max Josef

playing their sport completely or risk developing CTE. “We are noticing more concussions. In fact, in the last report from the NFL, there was a significant increase in the number of concussions,” Angelone said. “I think people are more aware and that is why people have begun to report them more.”

As many as 10 to 20 percent of student athletes in Marin who are involved in contact sports will sustain a concussion each year, Angelone said.

Angelone said that more concussions are reported due to increased testing and heightened concern.

“People are looking at concussions differently than they were 10 or 20 years ago,” Angelone said. “Athletes are being taken out for even a small ding to their head, something that would not have even been thought about back then.”

A number of professional organizations, such as the American Neurological Association, are invested in increasing awareness of concussions.

Concussions are suffered because of the impact caused when the brain hits the skull.

“The brain is a very soft tissue and it moves freely inside of the skull. The base of the skull is a very rough surface so when the brain hits the skull it causes shearing of the neurons,” Angelone said. “[The shearing] is the microscopic breakdown of the chemical components and the tissues of the cells of the brain, which is why we see the symptoms of concussions.”

Concussions can cause confusion, memory loss, dizziness, nausea, and imbalance. These symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to a few months, sometimes lingering for years if post-concussion syndrome occurs.

Concussions are difficult to diagnose because their symptoms are numerous and can be mistaken as those of other illnesses, according to Americ Alvarado, Redwood’s athletic trainer.

“With a concussion, it's not something you can see like a broken bone. You have to go with what the athlete says,” Alvarado said.

The effects of a concussion are cumulative for athletes who return to play before a full recovery, according to Angelone.

Angelone said that a second-impact injury occurs when a person suffers a second concussion before recovering fully from the previous one.

“We want to make sure that the athletes are free of symptoms, or are able to pass a test that lets us know that the player is completely healed, before they return to playing, ” Angelone said.

Concussions cripple students in the classroom

Infographic by Max Josef

After trying to jump over a fence in sixth grade, senior football player Jono Chu received a concussion and suffered from amnesia, which caused him to forget what happened between climbing the fence and waking up in a hospital room.

Chu suffered another concussion in his final game as a senior last fall, and missed five days of school. He has suffered four concussions in his life, two of which occurred while playing a sport.

Fellow senior football player Ben Bialla has also suffered four concussions in his life, two of which resulted from playing football.

Page 17 • Sports

www.redwoodbark.org

Bialla and Chu are two of many teenagers who have suffered at least one concussion, an injury that often has debilitating effects for young adults in their lifetime, even after recovery.

“I couldn’t focus on anything school-related for a while [after the concussion] because my head hurt,” Chu said. “As the semester ends, teachers start stacking up work, but most of my teachers were pretty understanding.”

Chu took makeup tests every day for about a week after returning from Thanksgiving break, in order to be caught up in time for finals.

“I feel like there are some classes, such as math, where my grade was on the border of an A or a B. I took a hit in other classes to get an A in classes like that,” Chu said. “I did not think I would be able to focus the same for every class, so I took the sacrifice.”

According to Alvarado, school is hard for teenagers who have concussions because their minds are working on so many things simultaneously during class.

“They have to focus, they have to prepare for tests, and they have to do their homework.

It aggravates the mind and it causes more issues for the head, which can be worse with a concussion,” Alvarado said. “For a high school student who has to go to school and has to get good grades, and think about this and that, their mind is getting overloaded.”

After suffering a concussion during his first game this past fall, Bialla went to school and took a couple of tests on his first day.

“I returned to school and on the Monday immediately following the game, I was taking tests and it was hard for me to focus on them,” Bialla said. “I definitely got the worst grades of my life last semester.”

The Redwood football program had a smaller varsity team than usual this season and opted not to field a JV team due to the lack of participation. Alvarado suggested the decline could be due to concern among families surrounding the dangers of concussions and how they affect teenagers in school.

Redwood is not the only place in which football participation has declined. Participation rates in Pop Warner football, a national youth football program, have dropped steadily since 2010.

There was a 10 percent drop in participation in Pop Warner between 2010 and 2012, a loss of about 23,000 players.

“There is a legitimate decision-making process that probably has to be factored in for anybody who wants to have their kids play football,” Fainaru said. “It is impossible to say at this point how much of a risk there is of a kid suffering a concussion with long-term effects while playing tackle-football, but we do know that it is higher than previously thought, when people thought these were pretty minor injuries.”

Angelone attributed the decline in youth football participation to fear regarding the dangers of playing and how it may be impeding the development of the brain.

“There has been a significant amount of media attention surrounding the dangers of getting a concussion during a contact sport. I would imagine there is more concern about developing concussions while your brain is still developing,” Angelone said. “Traditionally, high school football has been a good ground for building friendships for males. But there may be a drop off in participation because of the concerns surrounding concussions.”

The number of concussions that have occurred at Redwood has stayed constant in recent years, according to Alvarado.

Alvarado said he thinks that federal legislative action regarding athletic trainers would be the most effective way to improve the attendance of trainers at games, as not all schools’ athletic trainers are available at all athletic contests.

“The schools that have athletic trainers are very fortunate to have them every day and at every game. I think something needs to happen at the federal level that requires schools to have athletic trainers present at games [to improve immediate concussion care],” Alvarado said.

Angelone said that he wants coaches to focus on the athlete's health rather than winning the game.

“I think that what is important is for the coaches to be aware. Coaches need to be proactive when it comes to head injuries,” Angelone said. “When the injury occurs,

Illustration by Eileen Bettinger and Maxime Kawawa-Beaudan

the player needs to come out and, if they are experiencing any symptoms, they should not return. We have to think about the player—not the team. This is not about winning, it’s about preserving the functions of the athlete’s brain.”

Bialla said that one time when he got a concussion during a game, he continued playing in the same game even though he was not completely healed.

“I don’t think that my coaches were aware that I had a concussion,” Bialla said. “I did not feel the symptoms until later that night, so I did not go and tell them until practice the next week.”

New concussion testing has been implemented for Redwood athletes this year. The ImPact baseline test measures an athlete’s neurological function, reaction time, cognitive thinking, and memory.

According to Alvarado, all that is needed to take the test is a computer and good wifi. The test requires roughly 45-60 minutes to complete, and costs $600 for a yearly subscription, which Redwood is paying for.

The test evaluates cognitive ability by giving a series of tests, such as attention span, memorization, and reaction time. In addition, there are a series of questions about the athlete’s current mental state. There are no wrong or right

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answers.

If an athlete who completed the test receives a head injury, they can come in and retake the test. Alvarado would then compare the athlete’s results to their previous baseline score to see if there are significant differences.

“We want to get a good baseline so if [athletes] were to have a concussion, we can see where you started from and go from there,” Alvarado said. “You compare the post-concussive test to the baseline test and if the numbers are higher, lower, not matching, or close to your baseline test, then it’s worrisome of what's going on and if we can get back to baseline. ” Only a few sports teams have been offered the test, but it will be introduced to all athletes within the next year.

Since the treatment of concussions has progressed during the last couple of years, Redwood wanted to keep up with the latest technology.

“It's been widely used in the NFL and a lot of professional teams, it’s something that gives us a tool here at Redwood to say if someone got concussed that we did a baseline test on them,” Alvarado said.

Most Redwood coaches now will pull an athlete out of the game as soon as they see a big hit to the head, according to boys’ varsity lacrosse coach Blake Atkins.

“Any time a kid gets hit in the head, we get him off to the sideline,” Atkins said. “We have him checked out by a trainer, and if they even seem a second slow, we are overcautious and hold him out, because it’s much easier to get a second concussion in the time frame before you’re healed.”

According to Alvarado, it is very important that athletes see a physician and getting lots of rest after suffering from a concussion.

“At this level, and the athletes we have at Redwood, seeing a physician, taking time to rest, taking them out of activity is just as good because there's no pressure to put them back into sport,” Alvarado said. “If anyone has a concussion, resting is the best and we provide that here at Redwood.”

Bialla’s doctor, Angelone, said that he should have missed one or two months of school before returning so he could fully heal before having to focus on schoolwork.

Chu said he does not regret playing contact sports despite emerging research about the long-term effects of concussions. “With everything that is coming out and with all the negative publicity around sports in which concussions occur, I have to say I would not take [my experiences] back and I would do it all again,” Chu said. bark@redwoodbark.org

March 4, 2016 bark Page 18 • Sports Softball seeks to surpass last season’s shortcomings

By Heidi Roenisch Some say that those in second place are really just the first losers. After finishing second to Marin Catholic in the MCAL finals and second to Alhambra in the North Coast Sectional finals last year, the Redwood softball team is entering this season determined to regain the top spot and never experience that feeling again.

Losing is unfamiliar to Redwood, as the softball program has been a perennial contender, winning seven of the last ten league pennants, including six in a row from 2006-2011.

Junior captain Sabrina Nunez, who committed to Cal for softball her freshman year and was the 2015 MCAL player of the year, attributed the team’s failure to finish last season to a lack of team chemistry.

“Last year, we couldn’t make that last push and unify under a common goal,” Nunez said. “Our talent had gotten us there, but our chemistry lacked at the last second.”

According to head coach Gary Casassa, this year they are focused on the pennant.

“There’s only one spot to improve to,” he said. “We have most everyone coming back, that’s the good news.

The bad news is that the one girl not coming back is two time MCAL pitcher of the year, Lani [Kaleikini].”

Nunez also believes losing Kaleikini will impact the team this year.

“Without Lani it’s going to be hard, but if everyone steps up we can definitely be successful,” she said.

The team will look to sophomore pitchers Cat Jensen and Morgan Celis to fill the starting pitcher gap.

Both Casassa and Nunez believe that the team will rely on its current seniors, who make up the most of the starting lineup and include MCAL second-teamers Kayla Rose and Shawn McCullough.

“We’ve got six seniors and five of them are returning starters, and Sabrina’s all [league] everything,” he said.

However, Casassa emphasized the importance of playing as a team.

“Experience is our main strength. I count on them all, they all have a job to get done,” he said. “I wouldn’t say I count on just one person to get it done.”

According to senior Shawn McCullough, the Giants will look to their offense to carry them.

“We’re going to be heavily relying on our hitting and offense to improve, and we always have a strong defense,”

Photo by Heidi Roenisch

FIELDING THE BALL at third base, freshman Ella Morrison is part of Redwood’s first JV team in five years. The team will compete with schools from Sonoma and the East Bay. she said.

Both Nunez and McCullough noted that chemistry and communication need improvement, but they aren’t concerned given how early it is in the season.

Redwood will also field a 12 person JV team for the first time in five years.

“A big strength this year is our JV team because we have a lot of players getting experience and getting two years of training,” McCullough said. “Having this developmental team will really help later on, especially since the team will be graduating six seniors this year.”

Since no other MCAL schools have JV teams, the

Redwood squad will compete with teams from Sonoma and the East Bay. Its season will end about three weeks before varsity’s, allowing players to be pulled up for playoffs if the need arises.

Casassa was recently inducted into the Redwood Athletic Hall of Fame for his 27 years of coaching varsity softball, during which he has led the team to 11 MCAL titles and two first place NCS finishes.

Redwood’s next home game is a non-league matchup against Ukiah on Thursday, March 17.

hroenisch@redwoodbark.org

Boys’ lacrosse shoots for MCAL pennant

By Kaylee Bushell The Wildcats led 9-4 with only a few minutes left in the game, and it seemed as if the game had already been lost. The Giants stepped back onto the field after a timeout for one final push. Senior Matt Tracy scored a goal, followed by two more from Jack Elders, but it was not enough to earn a victory. The scoreboard read 9-7 as the final whistle sounded. Redwood had fallen in the MCAL Championship.

Now, a year later, the team takes the field with a different vision.

“We all know this is our year. These new players coming up want the same thing as the returners: to win it all,” junior Cameron Breck said.

Although key players have graduated, like attacker Matt Tracy and goalie Ethan Baer, Breck says that the new players can step up and fill these holes.

“We may have lost a lot, but we also gained a lot of players that can make the team even stronger than before,” Breck said.

Junior Cosmo Taylor will start as goalie after recovering from a shoulder injury last season. According to head coach Blake Atkins, Taylor will be key to the team’s success, as he did well stepping in last year when needed.

Last year, the team was in a different mindset according to Breck and junior Jack Elders. It was a rebuilding year.

“I felt like the team wasn’t as focused on winning it all. We had a rough start, losing our first few games until we started to wake up,” Breck said.

This year, according to both Breck and Elders, the team woke up early, starting their training right after fall sports came to an end.

“It’s good to see a lot of new faces out there. We have a strong class of freshman this year, which will help us tremendously.

It is good to have a deep team and to

Winter MCAL Results:

• Boys’ basketball lost in the quarterfinals to Marin Catholic.

Photo by Kaylee Bushell

SOPHOMORE WILL KEPLER defends a Casa Grande player in the first game of the season, which Redwood won 17-5. have strong players fill the shoes of the upperclassmen when they leave,” Atkins said.

While the overlap with the end of soccer season has posed a field space challenge, Atkins said they have combatted the issue with the help of portable lights, which will be on the field for roughly three weeks.

“We need to work with what we have.

In some ways it’s a benefit. We can practice late because of these lights and do a lot of full field work, which was hard for us last year because we only had a half field,” Atkins said.

The team will be able to practice full field clears and scrimmage. Atkins will also be coaching a larger team than before, about 30 boys, so the full field will again provide a benefit.

Right now the team’s main focus is getting through MCALs. Afterward, it will turn its focus to NCS. Last year the team entered NCS ranked ninth and was knocked out in the second round, losing to San Ramon Valley.

A few years ago, Redwood wasn’t strong enough to be looking at a pennant.

The team is proud of how far they’ve come.

Breck transferred from St. Ignatius halfway through his sophomore year, just in time to make an impact on the lacrosse field.

Elders has been with the team since freshman year, and has seen the lacrosse program grow tremendously.

“I remember a few years back when lacrosse wasn’t much of a focus in Marin, but in time we have developed a name for lacrosse. We have competed with some of the best teams around, and came out on top,” Elders said.

The team has gotten three transfers this year, one from Saint Ignatius, one from Lawrenceville, and one who previously attended Redwood and returned this year, senior Andrew Marshall.

“We are starting to develop a reputation here at Redwood for lacrosse and it’s something to be proud of,” Breck said.

The team won their first game against Casa Grande on Tuesday March 1 with a score of 17-5. kbushell@redwoodbark.org

• Girls’ basketball lost in the quarterfinals to Justin Siena.

• Wrestling won the championship for the second year in a row.

• Girls’ soccer lost in the quarterfinals to Marin Catholic.

• Boys’ soccer lost in the finals to Terra Linda.

review

Page 19

Friday Night Bites: Berkeley’s neat sweet treat

By Macrae Sharp Friday Night Bites, Bark’s newest review segment, highlights the hip places to eat and hang during your night on the town. From delicious desserts to superb suppers, the Bark knows where to go to tantalize your tastebuds.

If you’re willing to hop in the car and drive to Berkeley on a Friday night, CREAM is the place to go. With pleasantly inexpensive ice cream sandwiches, you won’t be sorry you sat in commuter traffic on the way to buy this delicious treat.

Cookies Rule Everything Around Me, also known as CREAM Inc., was founded in Berkeley, Calif. in 2010.

To order an ice cream sandwich at CREAM, you will likely have to wait in the line that often wraps out and around the small store. Once you get to the counter, you can choose what flavor of ice cream and what type of cookie you want, and the enthusiastic employees make the sandwich in front of you. Your ice cream sandwich will then be placed in a “sandwich holder” dish so you can use both hands to pay once you step up to the register.

According to CREAM’s website, Jimmy and Gus Shamieh opened the ice cream sandwhich shop and made four promises, all of which they have not strayed from as they expand their company across multiple states.

Promise #1

To provide premium products made with their own proprietary recipes. They have stayed true to this pledge through ongoing development of new recipes for ice cream flavors, cookie types and topping options. CREAM offers over 20 different ice cream flavors, 10 cookie flavors and a myriad of toppings ranging from rainbow sprinkles and nuts to rich chocolate sauce.

Promise #2

Affordability. The founders aimed to maintain low costs so that all customers

could revel in the childhood memories that ice cream sandwiched between cookies brings back. With ice cream sandwiches costing the low price of only $2.99, CREAM offers an inexpensive dessert that will definitely fulfill your sweet tooth.

Promise #3:

Ensure customer delight and “show you the same love you’d show your BFF.” CREAM genuinely cares about how you like your sweet treats! The menu includes gluten free and vegan cookie sandwiches, as well as a few soy ice cream options for lactose intolerant customers. There are also “specials” on the menu, including the “Cream Taco,” the “Dough-Ssant Sandwich,” and speciality milkshakes.

The “Cream Taco” is a delicious alternative to a traditional ice cream sandwich, with the choice of red velvet or regular waffle taco shells and up to three ice cream flavor options. However, the “Dough-Ssant Sandwich,” which combines a croissant and a doughnut into a breaded exterior with a choice of ice cream in the middle, results in too many flavors in one dessert. The ice cream will always be delicious, but the croissant-doughnut combo needed improvements in texture and flavor.

Promise #4

A fun atmosphere and relaxed ambiance. Often, employees will break out into an impromptu karaoke session or an improvised dance routine, adding to CREAM’s social feel. What we’re really saying is, it’s a great place to stop by with friends on a Friday night, or to take that special someone on a first date that isn’t too serious. On a weeknight the atmosphere is certainly more mellow than on the weekend, and less customers means shorter lines. However, you also miss out on the laughter and conversation that echo throughout the store and among the waiting customers in the long friday night line. At the Berkeley store, situated on the corner of Telegraph Avenue and Channing Way,

Photos by Macrae Sharp

COSTING ONLY $2.99, ice cream sandwiches from CREAM are affordable and delicious. CREAM is open from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. you are also immersed in a lively college environment, as the location is just a few blocks from the UC Berkeley campus.

Overall, CREAM is a fun place for a delicious dessert or sweet snack. Grab a few friends, fill the gas tank and be ready to wait for 20 minutes or longer for an ice

cream sandwich that definitely beats the homemade version.

msharp@redwoodbark.org

‘The Fifth Wave’ drowned out by sappy plot and weak script

By Rebecca Smalbach Adapted from Rick Yancey’s book of the same name, “The Fifth Wave” is a dull romance movie masquerading as science fiction.

Yes, there are aliens, and yes, there is fighting, but what screenwriters Susannah Grant, Akiva Goldsman and Jeff Pinkner unfortunately choose to highlight is the love story between Cassie Sullivan (Chloe Grace-Moretz) and her childhood crush Ben Parish (Nick Robinson). This is unfortunate because the science fiction storyline is as original as teen dystopia usually gets.

The requisite stereotypical love triangle is completed

by Evan Walker (Alex Roe), at whom Cassie spends an inordinate amount of time staring. Movie plots don’t get more predictable than this.

After aliens land on Earth and take away electricity and cause natural disasters and produce other catastrophes, Cassie’s little brother Sam is taken by the military, which claims it is trying to help the citizens of Earth survive the disaster. The movie follows Cassie and Evan looking for Sam, and also gives screen time to Ben, who is training for war at an Air Force Base.

The acting in “The Fifth Wave” is lackluster for every

Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures Infographic by Rebecca Smalbach

IN A TYPICAL SCENE, Sullivan stands by while her male counterpart takes action.

character, though Grace-Moretz could shine given deeper material, as evidenced by her past performances in “Hugo” and “Dark Shadows.” The Cassie in the book version is much less frivolous than the one in the movie, and had Grace-Moretz been given a script with as much depth as the character in the book, she would have been much more successful in her emotional scenes.

Where the movie does succeed, however, is in its beautiful portrayal of the post-apocalyptic wastelands left by the aliens, though it does seem like the colors in the movie should be more muted––bright primaries and neons don’t seem quite appropriate for an alien invasion.

Production designer John Billington has a knack for creating slightly more tasteful versions of scenes that could be gory or disturbing, re-emphasizing that this movie is like the diet version of a true science fiction thriller.

The ending of the movie is unpalatable and dissatisfying. The cliffhangers are the most obvious leadin to a sequel I’ve ever seen.

This explicitness is emblematic of the tone of the entire movie––everything is so overt that every plot twist seems inevitable and each bit of symbolism is spelled out so transparently it’s painful.

The climax of the movie, when Cassie, Evan and Ben finally meet up, is disappointing. It causes the plot for the rest of the movie to be more focused on the romance than it was before, which is ridiculous. I’ve never seen a science fiction movie with such little focus on science throughout the plot.

Ultimately, the screenwriting trips up “The Fifth Wave.” A focus on all the wrong subplots means that fans of the book should steer clear, and most everyone else should as well. rsmalbach@redwoodbark.org

March 4, 2016 bark Page 20 • Review Lettuce brings raw, organic funk to Terrapin Crossroads

By Aaron Halford The renowned funk band Lettuce stopped by Terrapin Crossroads’ Grate Room on Feb. 10 and delivered fresh, uncut funk. The group’s lively set, combined with the tightly packed, intimate atmosphere of the venue, made the show captivating.

The Boston-based group consists of members Erick Coomes (bass), Adam Deitch (percussion), Neal Evans (organ), Eric Krasno (guitar), Ryan Zoidis (saxophone), Eric Bloom (trumpet) and guest singer Nigel Hall. The band’s performing experience showed in their 24th year of playing together.

Lettuce’s appearance at Terrapin came in the midst of its Winter 2016 tour, which followed the release of its third studio album, “Crush.” Released in November 2015, the album reached No. 1 on the U.S. Jazz Album’s chart.

The sextet served up a groovy, danceable set combining its new and old hits.

Each instrumentalist’s stage presence and dance moves rubbed off onto the audience, making the experience feel like a Bee Gees show from the late ‘70s.

Lettuce came out with guns blazing, opening with “The Dump,” from the group’s first studio album.

Leaving little time between songs, the band kept the ball rolling and the energy high throughout its two long sets.

“The Dump” preceded other funky, rhythmic tunes such as “Get Greasy,” “The New Reel,” “Ghost of Jupiter,” and Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule The World,” and “Remember The Children.”

Photo by Aaron Halford

JAMMING ON HIS SAXOPHONE, Ryan Zoidis of Lettuce lays down a funky riff.

Zoidis shined during Lettuce’s rendition of “The Dump.”

Lettuce’s second set featured several impressive renditions: “The Force,” showcased the group’s fat horn parts; “Neal Untitled,” featured keyboardist Neal Evans’ creativity on the hammond B-3 organ; “Sounds Like a Party,” left the

audience permanently grooving.

While many funk groups require a vocalist to connect with their audience, Lettuce was able to keep me interested without one for most of its performance.

Lettuce’s intricate horn and bass lines, and Adam Deitch’s percussive prowess made the show enthralling and unique.

Additionally, Nigel Hall’s soulful vocals in three songs during the first set gave the instrumentalists a break, and added a new dynamic to the show.

In comparison to the group’s first studio album “Outta Here” in 2002, “Crush” is evidently more in the pocket.

It was clear that the sextet prioritized creating an interesting groove over producing a catchy song. Almost every song during the two sets was upward of eight minutes.

Most notable, each instrumentalist not only displayed impressive skill at their respective instrument but also combined with the others to create a pocket that left my body swaying to the rhythm section’s groove.

Drummer Adam Deitch shined, showcasing complex paradiddles and an impeccable sense of rhythm that held together each song.

His sound was complemented by bassist Erick Coomes’ playing from the first fret to the twelfth.

On stage and off, it was an all-smiles experience.

Lettuce’s positive energy was contagious, and sent me home with my neck bobbing all night until my head hit the pillow.

ahalford@redwoodbark.org

Coen brothers create another classic with ‘Hail, Caesar!’

By Anne Pritikin One movie-star kidnapping, two scandal-hungry gossip columnists, three late-night confessions, four spiritual consultants, five films in production, six communist writers and a one hundred thousand dollar ransom.

The Coen brothers’ newest movie “Hail, Caesar!” effortlessly combines these spectacles and more in a dazzling, technicolor, cynical ode to Hollywood’s Golden Age. Equipped with a star-studded cast, the plot parallels characters’ lives and pays homage to actors of the period.

Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin), whose character is very loosely based off of a real former film executive and allaround Hollywood problem-solver with the same name, acts as the common thread that sews together the various dramas he must manage.

The movie is structured more as a day in the life of Mannix and his tribulations than as a story with a linear plot.

However, the film does focus on the disappearance of pea-brained Baird Whitlock (George Clooney), the star of the biblical movie “Hail Caesar: A Tale of the Christ,” which is one of the five films currently being produced by Capitol, the film studio that Mannix manages.

Clooney’s character is a refreshing change from past roles that he has taken on and his comedic timing is impeccable throughout the film.

“Hail, Caesar!” cleverly invokes the cinema’s Golden Age nostalgia with exaggerated pastels, incredible sets, film noir cinematography and narration while maintaining signature Coen brother humor with iconoclastic jabs at religion, politics and the studio system.

The cast is perfection, as most characters in the movie are a sensationalized form of Hollywood’s Golden Age personalities.

Scarlett Johansson channels Esther Williams as DeeAnna Moran in a razzle-dazzle aquatic scene, but once the cameras are off, her hard interior overtakes her faux cheery exterior and she dials up the tackiness.

Tilda Swinton plays twin shrewish gossip columnists, Thora and Thessaly Thacker, likened to Hedda Hopper, who are constantly scandal-mongering at the studio.

Gene Kelly’s remake is Channing Tatum as Burt Gurney, who plays a girl-hungry sailor on shore-leave in a fantastic dance sequence with ironic homo-erotic flourishes.

Among the bizarre characters is Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich), a loyal ally to Mannix, who, before proving himself to be a genuine hero, was little more than a charmingly naive former cowboy turned actor.

After finishing a Western featuring trick riding, incompetent actor Doyle is hired to act in an elegant

Photo courtesy of Universal Studios

DELIVERING AN ENTERTAINING dance sequence, Channing Tatum stars as Burt Gurney in the Coen brothers’ new quirky comedy film “Hail, Caesar!” Tatums performance was exceptional. drama “Merrily We Dance,” much to the irritation of director Laurence Laurentz (Ralph Fiennes), a caricature of Vincente Minnelli.

A particularly hilarious scene occurs when Laurentz attempts to fix Doyle’s Western drawl, who is as weak an actor in the drama as Ehrenreich is as strong in real life.

Between Mannix’s late-night confessions to a seemingly all-hours priest, the film follows the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Baird and Mannix’s search for his big-budget, leading actor while he keeps the studio running.

Simultaneously, a subplot unravels as Mannix is offered a job at a military aircraft firm. Now Mannix has to decide between his bittersweet relationship with the

film-making industry and a dull, but stable profession with reasonable hours.

Stunning to watch and perfectly executed, “Hail, Caesar!” entertainingly examines the beauty and the blemishes of the film industry.

The movies produced paint a picture of perfect lives, but behind that gleaming, golden facade lies a very different type of reality in which on-screen images must be maintained off screen for the sake of audience satisfaction.

apritikin@redwoodbark.org

Page 21 • Review

www.redwoodbark.org

Veg Out: The best vegetarian retaurants in Marin

bark

By Pearl Zhong Whether you’re a vegetarian, a vegan, or just want to go out for a meatless meal, the Bark has you covered on the top vegetarian restaurants in Marin: Cafe del Soul, The Plant, Veggie Grill and Lotus Chaat & Spices. These restaurants were reviewed based on quality of food, vegetarian/vegan options, ambience and price.

The Plant

Nestled in Strawberry Village, The Plant is an organic, vegetarian-friendly cafe that prepares its dishes with fresh, locally grown produce. Many of the dishes served are vegan and gluten-free, and substitutes like tofu and vegan meats are also offered. The Avocado and Grapefruit Salad was both nutty and tangy, as arugula, macadamia nuts, fennel, grapefruit and avocado were thoroughly tossed in a nut dressing, the refreshing taste compensating for the higher price of $11.25. Much like Cafe del Soul, The Plant’s interior is homey and laid-back, a good choice for informal, delicious dining.

Cafe Del Soul

Photo by Pearl Zhong

OFFERING BOTH vegetarian and gluten-free options, The Plant in Strawberry Village serves up a variety of dishes.

The Avocado and Grapefruit Salad is made with a variety of fresh ingredients.

Veggie Grill

Neighboring the Shoreline Highway is Cafe del Soul, a locally founded restaurant in Mill Valley. Cafe del Soul has a wide assortment of wraps, salads, soups, bowls, smoothies and freshly-pressed juices that are all, as written on the takeout bag, “made with love.” Everything on the menu starts out as a vegetarian dish, and customers can choose between tofu and chicken options. I ordered the Cilantro Lime-ilicious ($7.00) which consisted of feta cheese, brown rice, spinach and cilantro lime vinaigrette wrapped in a wheat tortilla. Although served in filling portions, the wrap was much too overpowered by the taste of lime, and the tofu lacked flavor. Despite this, the food was served quickly by the restaurant’s attentive staff.

Succulents line the wooden countertops and tables, giving off a modern rustic design and a casual ambience—perfect for a quick fuel-up.

Lotus Chaat & Spices

Veggie Grill was recently introduced to the Town Center in 2014, and is another restaurant that serves an array of diets. Meat alternatives are made from soybeans and wheat, and chao cheese, made from tofu and coconut, substitutes as a vegan option, according to the menu. I ordered the vegan cheeseburger ($9.95) with a side of fries, and the chao cheese, despite being thinner in consistency, tasted surprisingly similar to dairy-based cheese. Although slightly greasy, the vegan meat was well-seasoned and complemented the vegan cheese, chipotle ranch, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles nicely. Compared to the four restaurants, Veggie Grill’s ambiance tops the list, as chic ceiling lamps work well with with the modern orange and green color theme.

For those who enjoy Indian Cuisine, Lotus Chaat & Spices is an excellent choice for quick and traditional dishes. Similar to the other restaurants reviewed, all of the items on the menu begin as a vegetarian dish, branching off to a variety of meat options if desired. In addition, most dishes can be prepared vegan or gluten free upon customer request. The Pav Bhaji ($9.99), consisting of a potato vegetable curry served with bread rolls, was served very quickly. Although the portions were small, the curry tasted well-spiced and had an even consistency. As for ambience, Lotus Chaat & Spices was pleasantly casual, with traditional Indian paintings and designs lining the interior. Its 4th Street location in San Rafael is accessible for Redwood students. pzhong@redwoodbark.org

Bark Beats

By Ovedia Crum

Feel Like Cappin 2 Chainz “Feel Like Cappin,” released on January 27, is quite short for an album, with only six songs. The album seems even shorter because the songs share a similar sound. However, the songs are similar to 2 Chainz’s old hits, with loud electronic instruments, strong bass and an intense rapping style. Old fans of 2 Chainz and similar artists may enjoy the album but may feel it leaves something to be desired.

Despite the short length of the album it still features Lil Wayne on “Back On The Bullsh**.” Wayne’s signature raspy voice adds a fresh flow of sound, counter-acting the cliche tone provided by 2 Chainz.

Recommended: “Not Invited” Though this song lacks meaningful lyrics, the simple word choices and repetition of lyrics makes it easy to listen to and even sing along. The fast beat changes pace multiple times throughout the song, keeping it interesting. However, the song lacks a compelling message and will likely lose popularity with time because it doesn’t have enough substance.

Wonderful Crazy Night Elton John Elton John’s signature clear vocals and crisp sound are on display in this new album. It uses acoustic instruments instead of the synthetic sounds made popular in hip hop and pop songs. Listeners can easily understand John’s words, making his personal lyrics much more important to the sound and themes in the album. John sings, “I brought blessings from the above, I was here and I was gone, just a heartbeat from the past,” in his song “I’ve Got 2 Wings.” The lyrics are about how John perceives his life and how he finds death increasingly inevitable as he grows older.

Recommended: “Claw Hammer” With positive lyrics and quick melodies, this song is a highlight of the album. The memorable chorus and instruments add to the general sound of the song and share similarities to John’s earlier hits. Frequent instrumental interludes add depth and variety to the song.

ANTI Rihanna Rihanna has an excellent voice, but the heavy bass and instrumentals on songs like “Kiss it Better,” “Work” and “Woo” take the focus away from her vocals.

Instead of the clear and strong voice that she typically displays in her songs, these titles feature choppy and repetitive sounds, which are more annoying than catchy.

Some of the pieces, like “Yeah, I said it,” and “Desperado,” still show off her voice, and these were by far my favorites of the album. Additionally, the album has a few noteworthy cameos, including one by Drake.

Recommended: “Yeah, I Said It” This track is more catchy than the rest of the songs on the album. Rihanna shows off her beautiful voice with less background noise and puts more focus on her lyrics. The song is slower than her classic karaoke-style songs like “Umbrella” and “Disturbia.” However, it still boasts a similar vibe to those songs, as her voice is clearly audible, which fans of her old music may enjoy.

Khalifa Wiz Khalifa This album displays Khalifa’s musical versatility, though none of the songs are entirely appropriate to listen to with your grandma. The songs are all highly explicit.

The album includes guest artists like Ty Dolla Sign and Travis $cott, who bring their own personal styles to the songs.

Overall, the album’s beat and lyrics are very catchy however the album gets old quickly, marking it as an album which cannot be listened to in one sitting. However, some of the songs are truly good but I felt they were few and far between. Like the popular hip hop songs of today, the rapping style is loud with a heavy bass.

Recommended: “Elevated” With layered vocals and a light and dynamic melody, this song easily stands out against the rest of the album. The chorus keeps the song upbeat and intriguing, and the fast pace of Khalifa’s lyrics stay true to his trademark style. The song is powerful and personal, as it features stories from his rise to success and his reactions to “fake” rappers with whom he works.

bark

Page 22 • Lifestyles

Random Facts 57 34

1,384

percent of waste products produced at Redwood goes directly to a landfill.

students were suspended in the 2013-2014 school year.

people have signed the “Support TUHSD Wellness Centers” petition at press time.

of Redwood 19 percent students have suffered from a concussion.

3,764

students recieved free subsidized youth bus passes for the 2014-2015 school year.

of 15 Redwood 13 out math teachers voted

to keep the Geometry A course.

92

percent of Redwood students said they do not feel victimized by chants such as “four more years.”

14

percent of Redwood females have been invovled in nonconsensual sexual encounters.

March 4, 2015

Acting out: Seniors audition for colleges

By Ovedia Crum Senior Sofia Cassidy has been acting since she was 6 years old. She has always pictured a career on a stage, and took another step toward her goal last spring when she began auditioning for collegiate theater programs.

Many of the schools to which she applied require students to submit a specialized drama portfolio along with their regular application, though certain schools allow students to apply to the dramatic arts without supplements.

“I started in April. I met with a coach and chose all my audition pieces in April, and since then I have been meeting with the coach once a month,” Cassidy said.

After the regular academic application is finished, students fill out a separate portfolio that includes videos of them performing, resumes, and headshots, along with a letter of recommendation from a teacher of the arts, according to senior Paige Colvin.

Cassidy stated that bigger schools often require a pre-screen performance, which is typically sent in as a video and is used to spot potential students with exceptional talent.

Those who are called back have in-person auditions.

Regular auditions Paige Colvin can take place at the senior college, but some representatives go to major cities so students don’t have to travel as far, according to Colvin.

It is hard to know what to expect from the auditions, as the audition length varies, Colvin said. Colvin is currently applying for repertory theater.

“One of the schools I’m auditioning for

Photo courtesty of Claire Siedler

SENIOR PAIGE COLVIN performs in EPiC’s drama performance, “Heathers: The Musical.” Colvin has applied to schools that require specialized portfolios. said that the audition is around 10 minutes long. Other schools say that you need to be there for about 30 minutes to an hour, ” Colvin said.

Some repertory theater auditions may also include an interview, according to Colvin. The auditions are much different from the type of auditions that Cassidy and Colvin do for productions.

“The scary thing is that for regular shows, you are auditioning for a character in a show.

In colleges, you are auditioning yourself. You are showing this is what I can do as an actor and what I hope to bring to your college,” Colvin said.

Colvin added that programs are looking to round out their ensemble.

“If you have something very specific or unique about you, this is your time to let it shine. I have a very interesting look, so every person who has helped me prepare for the college process has said, ‘That’s your Sofia Cassidy gold –– you need to senior use that,’” Cassidy said.

Though the process is about showing a college nonacademic talents, it is very different from an athlete’s application process, according to Cassidy.

“With sports you are able to commit before; [drama auditions] are not like that,” Cassidy said. “It’s similar to any other person applying to a college but you have that one additional component,”

If you have something very specific or unique about you this is your time to shine.

Students often pay a lot of money throughout this process. Cassidy estimated spending between $4,000-5,000 for regular college application fees, travel fees, headshots, and coaching.

Colvin didn’t use a coach and had a friend take the headshot photos; however, she agreed that the process was expensive.

Colvin applied to six schools and Cassidy applied to 18.

While both Colvin and Cassidy applied to universities with specific drama programs, senior Sophie Keaney applied to conservatories, or schools that concentrate solely on the arts.

Keaney chose conservatories over big universities like the ones Cassidy and Colvin applied to because of their smaller size.

Keaney applied for her musical programs in both singing and violin.

“I got way into singing sophomore year and I think that’s when I decided that was something that I wanted to do with my life,” Keaney said. “Acting as well, but that is kind of on the back burner now that I have gotten into college for music.”

Like Cassidy and Colvin, Keaney started the application process last year.

“I talked to my vocal coach about all the schools I was thinking about applying to and she helped me choose songs and work on them,” Keaney said. “I have only actually auditioned once and it was probably one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of my life.”

Keaney will attend Berklee College of Music, but both Cassidy and Colvin won’t hear back from schools until early spring. ocrum@redwoodbark.org

You are showing this is what I can do as an actor and what I hope to bring to the college.

Photo courtesy of Claire Seidler

IN EPIC’S “Heathers: The Musical,” senior Sofia Cassidy performs.

Page 23 • Lifestyles

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Face-to-Face: Is the Wellness Center useful or ineffective?

By Camille Kawawa-Beaudan

FACE

Face-to-Face is a feature that allows two members of the Redwood Community to grill each other, argue, or simply converse about a relevant issue or event. We provide the topic, and they do the rest.

This month’s participants are Senior and Peer Resource student Carli Jacks and Junior Ben Gold-Matejka.

They discuss Peer Resource and the Wellness Center, specifically whether these services are worth the funds or not.

TO

Is it okay to skip class for Wellness Center?

FACE

Carli Jacks - vs Ben GoldMatejka

Is the Wellness Center as a whole a useful part of Redwood?

Carli Jacks: I think they’re a great addition to school campus. Families that can’t afford mental health assistance have a safe space to turn to on campus that also provides other wellbeings not only mentally but physically.

Ben Gold-Matejka: I believe that it’s more the parent’s responsibility. It really highlights the issue of the death of traditional American family values in places like Marin, where students are getting distanced from their parents, thus creating these problems and having the school take the responsibility that they have.

CJ: I agree that it’s very important for parents to be involved with students’ lives, but for the majority of kids that I’ve helped and worked with, there have been parental issues. We just want to be a baseline. In most of those cases, we like to talk about, “Have you talked to your parents, can you talk to your parents,” and if they’re not comfortable with that, we try to lay the

CJ: I completely agree that I would really like for the parents to be able to speak up, and for the kids to be able to speak to their parents about anything that they want, but we want to have [another] option in case they don’t.

steps so that they [are].

BGM: I think Peer Resource is a great thing, as a class it’s great, but I feel like it could be an extension, like you took psychology, you really enjoy it, how about you do Peer Resource and put that into action. But I feel that the district shouldn’t be diverting so many of the school’s funds to the Wellness Center, when really the only thing they’re helping is getting someone tea or a snack.

Could the academic counselors deal with emotional issues, or do we need specialized counselors?

BGM: I feel comfortable talking to my counselor if I have a problem with a teacher or even a parent, God forbid, but I feel like the counselors are suited to talk to students.

CJ: Although [the counselors] can deal with certain issues, some of the things that kids have going on are on a much deeper level and I think that having a trained specialist there is an extreme benefit.

Does the Wellness Center provide something that parents can’t provide?

CJ: It depends on someone’s financial situation, because therapists are very expensive, especially in Marin, and having this as a free option is very helpful for those parents.

BGM: I feel like that’s a job for the nurse.

I don’t feel like we need a whole Wellness Center. With things like suicide, I feel like if someone is cutting themselves, or is anorexic or bulimic, the parents should really take the hint. I mean if they see scars on daughter’s or son’s arms or if they think their daughter is getting too thin, I think they should have the responsibility to speak up and say, ‘Hey, you know, I don’t think that’s right, we have to talk about this,’ because I feel like that’s the issue, the death of American family values where parents are afraid to confront their kids about these issues that are life-threatening.

BGM: I know I sound old fashioned but I think a school’s a place for academics, sports, and some extracurriculars like drama, music and things like that. I don’t really believe it’s the school’s responsibility and the government’s responsibility for this welfare system especially in the school.

With this whole welfare system, how do you know a kid’s not going to go down to the Wellness Center just to get out of class?

Of course teachers won’t say no because they could be risking their student’s life, so they have to let them go. At Redwood, people are definitely going to try to take advantage of that. And when do we know when they’re trying to get help, or when they’re just trying to get out of class.

CJ: I think that goes for everything in the world, there’s going to be someone trying to take advantage of something good that’s happening. But you get marked; they take attendance so you can’t just skip class, and at that point if you need something, they have to in a sense verify if what you’re saying is how you’re feeling, in a sense. And of course there’s going to be people who take advantage of it, and that’s probably one of the most unfortunate things. ckawawa-beaudan@redwoodbark.org

Satisfying the hunger: Sophomore creates app and club

By Camille Kawawa-Beaudan Sophomore Jason Silberman was all smiles and big gestures as he described his new club, which also happens to be a pilot chapter for a charity organization by the same name, Farepath.

The goal of the charity is to inspire people to collect and donate food year-round, rather than just during the holiday season. The organization is centered around a smartphone app and website; Silberman is working to create the website alongside the founders of the charity.

“We’re trying to make it so that people are inspired to collect [food]. We’re making it so that there will be notifications on your phone saying, ‘It’s time to collect’ and donors will also get notifications so they know, ‘It’s time to put food on my doorstep,’” Silberman said.

The app also has a competitive aspect—collectors can see how they stack up against other collectors in their area.

According to Silberman, he and the founders hope this will appeal to people’s ambitious nature and drive them to collect more food.

The collected food is donated to food banks throughout the Bay Area to help families in need. According to club secretary and sophomore Luna Zirpoli, one of the founders of Farepath also donates some of the collected food to another food charity organization called College Track, which donates food to college students that can’t afford food.

“I hope that people see that by helping others, you’re also helping yourself and helping everyone around you to make the community a better place,” Silberman said.

Zirpoli agrees with Silberman.

“This is a really great thing. I think that people aren’t aware that there’s hunger in Marin and so I think it’s really cool that we’re talking about it,” she said.

Silberman was introduced to the charity founders while shooting photos at the Marin Headlands in July.

“These guys had a drone, and I thought that was super cool and so we started talking to them,” he said. After an extended conversation, Silberman obtained the men’s emails and soon began working with them to design and create the app and website. Despite the four founders living internationally, they communicate constantly through Google Hangouts and Skype to create a cohesive platform.

According to Silberman, the founders started Farepath studying at a college in Indiana. They collected one can of food from donors a week, and were able to implement a

Photo by Camille Kawawa-Beaudan

SOPHOMORE JASON SILBERMAN, founder of the Farepath club, explains the goals of the charity and club chapter.

In addition to leading the club, Silberman created the app that the organization is centered around. successful charity at the school.

The founders currently live around the world, and manage the charity as a hobby alongside other full-time jobs.

Silberman’s club is the charity’s first high school chapter, and according to Zirpoli, this has allowed the club members more freedom to have a say in how the club is organized. However, this can also be slightly difficult.

“In a way it’s hard because we’re the first trial, so it’s a learning experience,” she said.

Sophomore and co-founder of the club Elizabeth Ratcliffe added that the biggest hurdle the charity faces is lack of recognition.

“You say Red Cross and everyone’s like, ‘Oh, OK,” Ratcliffe explained. “We just have to get the word out. I think the goal is to have everyone know in the next couple

of years what this [charity] is.”

Silberman became interested in coding in sixth grade and is entirely self-taught. He has designed two apps in Apple’s App Store, Tasky and Spoook, neither of which are still available. However, he has found a particular passion in designing the Farepath app.

“I really like solving problems and critical thinking, so that’s why I like coding. I’m also making something.

There’s a blank screen and I’m making it do something, making something to help people,” Silberman said.

Club headquarters are in art teacher Nicole Mortham’s room, room 404, and meetings are held Wednesdays at lunch. ckawawa-beaudan@redwoodbark.org

Longboarding excites thrill­-seeking students

By Jason Fieber Gliding down a hill at 40 miles per hour has become commonplace for some Redwood thrillseekers.

Junior Jordan Stern became interested in longboarding during his freshman year, and has since become increasingly passionate about the sport.

“I was never really into skateboarding,” Stern said. “I was watching videos online, and a longboarding video came up and I thought it was the coolest thing ever.”

Some students say they have come to love the adrenaline rush provided by the speed and focus that are essential to the sport.

“I’m just really in the moment,” Stern said. “It feels like I’m flying in a way.”

Sophomore Jackson Westbrook has always had an interest in skateboarding, but said that he found that longboarding required certain

skills that may not be required in traditional skateboarding.

“I had tried skateboarding in the past, but I had never tried longboarding. I got on it, and it was the smoothest thing I have ever ridden,” Westbrook said.

“The threat of, ‘If I fall I might die or severely injure myself,’ gives me that adrenaline.”

Westbrook also added the importance of the adrenaline rush provided by the sport.

“It was all kind of for a rush,” Westbrook said. “The adrenaline rush I got from doing it was crazy.”

Longboarding differs from traditional skateboarding in the goal of riding each type of board.

Longboarders are focused more around transportation or downhill riding while skateboards are more trick-oriented.

The physical boards are also different as a means of accomplishing these goals, a longboard would have a longer board with bigger wheels and trucks.

The board is also usually stiffer than a traditional skateboard to help the skater

balance.

Stern said he has participated in other sports in the past, but feels particularly at home in the longboarding community because of its laid-back nature.

Westbrook said he appreciates the flexibility of practicing the sport.

“You don’t need to have a particular schedule, you can just go out and do it whenever you want,” Westbrook said.

Longboarding has existed for about 60 years. It was first developed in Hawaii and was based on the mechanics of surfing.

Competitions have become popular in the last 10 years, and have since made their way to local areas.

According to Stern, longboarding is not as popular in Marin as it is in neighboring areas like San Francisco, Sonoma, and the East Bay, which offer greater opportunities for races and other competitions.

Longboarding competitions test various skills like speed and sliding ability, but some are also organized for the sole purpose of providing a meeting place for skaters.

Races usually take place on residential streets.

Westbrook has been intrigued by another, less official form of longboard racing.

“There are ‘outlaw competitions’ where you don’t necessarily notify the local authorities that you’re going to be racing down a road at 40 miles per hour,” Westbrook said.

Stern said he has never participated in races or sliding competitions, but has met with other longboarders to skate at slide jams.

“It’s so much more fun when

Photo by Garet Jatsek

I can skate the hill and then walk up and watch everyone else going down,” Stern said.

He added how much of an influence events and competitions have had on keeping him interested in longboarding.

“The days where I do events have been some of the best days of my life,” he said.

Westbrook has never participated in any longboarding events, but is working toward it as he continues to refine his skills.

He said that races seem like a natural next step now that he has learned the basics of longboarding and has a year of practice under his belt.

Given the speed and the location of longboarding, the sport is dangerous, according to Stern and Westbrook.

Most longboarders practice on public, residential roads, where it can be difficult to avoid cars.

“Some people go up to 60 miles per hour on a public road,” Stern said. “I think that’s pretty awesome, but at the same time, insane, and I don’t want to be doing that.”

Westbrook emphasized the consequences of falling when moving at high speeds.

“As you progress, you’re going to start going down bigger and bigger hills, so it definitely gets scarier,” he said. “If you fall, you’re going to get destroyed.”

Westbrook said that the injuries he has accumulated carry special meaning.

“I have scars all over my body from the various times I have fallen,” he said.

“They’re kind of like battle scars that are representative of my passion.” jfieber@redwoodbark.org