October2017

redwood

bark.

Editors in Chief Anne Pritikin Daniela Schwartz Shannon Donelan China Granger

Copy Editors

Review Editors Christine Watridge (Head Copy Editor) Natalie Cerf Julia Jacoby Maggie Smith Neva Legallet

Vincent Leo Alexander Lieberman

Spanish Editor Sabine Lloyd Saaamya Mungamuru

Bea Cazares

Feature Editors

Carolyn French

Alexandra Lee

Art Consultant News Editors

Max Gilberg Caroline Cummings

Julia Scharf

Business Manager

Sydney Hilbush Opinion Editors

Jocelyn Overmyer

Social Media Manager Jericho Rajninger

Tilly Friedlander

Lifestyles Editors Lily Baldwin

Emily Sweet

Sports Editors

Advisor Melissa Block

Erin Schneider Jordan Overmyer

Reporters

Nate Charles Sylvana Percek

Josh Cohen Maxim Kawashima

Anna Compagno Jacob Klionsky

Lauren Conrow Natalia Lazor

Grace Gaudin Amanda Morse

Jack Green Matthew Mulcahey

Hannah Halford Sachi Nahas

Lucie James Veranice Palczynski

Charlotte Seton Sam Warren

redwood

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Teen models

9

Students pursue sailing

14

Healthy fast food

redwood high school ● 395 doherty dr., larkspur, ca 94939 ● volume LX, no. 2 ● October 20, 2017 ● www.redwoodbark.org

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Raging wildfires force cancellation of school and sports across Marin

By Josh Cohen and Sydney Hilbush Wildfires continue to scorch Northern California’s wine country regions, quickly becoming the deadliest fire in California’s history with a confirmed death toll of 41, according to Cal Fire. The forceful velocity of these fires has rained ash and poured smoke over the Bay Area, resulting in the cancellation of sports practices and school.

Currently, 14 separate fires have incinerated neighborhoods across hundreds of dry, smoggy suburbs, scattering ash and smoke on surrounding cities and states, according to Cal Fire. As the air quality in Marin has reached “hazardous” levels, the highest of the six air quality classifications, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), schools across the county canceled their sports practices this week, in addition to school closure this past Friday, Oct. 13. According to Principal David Sondheim, fears over student health encouraged the discontinuation of sports practices and games starting last Tuesday, as well as the cancellation of all Tamalpais Union schools on Friday.

“To reduce the chance of breathing difficulties...we recommend students stay inside as much as possible...and keep physical activity to a minimum,” Sondheim wrote in a school-wide email.

Although Redwood decided to cancel its sports practices, non-school sports continued with their practices to prepare students for upcoming games and events.

According to junior Sally Noble, a varsity rower for Marin Rowing, her coaches decided to continue practice for certain boats last week.

“We have a big race next weekend so most of the teams haven’t been practicing, but the two boats going have been rowing with masks on,” Noble said.

According to junior Rivca Chaver, another varsity rower, exercising with a mask on was difficult, yet she thought it was important the team still practiced to be prepared for their race in Boston next weekend.

“You are trying to breathe in the air and it’s just not there, but when you breathe in the smoke it triggers coughing and it feels like it is kicking the inside of my throat,” Chaver said.

Over 182,000 acres of land have been torched, forcing the evacuation of entire towns in Santa Rosa, Sonoma and Napa, according to the SF Chronicle. The influx of evacuees from fire hazardous cities has prompted the opening of multiple evacuation centers across the Bay Area, including at the Civic Center and the gym at Terra Linda High School. The evacuation center at Terra Linda has interfered with the school’s volleyball practices, leading volleyball coach Tahan Minakov to open Redwood’s courts for Terra Linda’s use.

However, according to senior captain of the varsity volleyball team, Alex Lefebure, the Giants have halted all

Photo by Caroline Cummings

LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA’S wine country, Journey’s End Mobile Home Park is among the many locations affected by the recent wildfires. practices and matches, so Terra Linda has been unable to to get into their gyms. These girls play volleyball every day so they will hopefully be able to get right back into it.” take advantage of Redwood’s open courts.

Although Minakov said he was disappointed to find out “Considering that we have had two matches and many practices canceled, it is vital that we come out next week practices had been canceled for the whole week, he remains focused and on top of our game more than ever,” Lefebure confident in his team going forward and encourages the said. “Because we haven’t played in a week, having girls to have a positive outlook on the situation.

“The fact that we have not been able to compete in flexibility with mistakes is also important.”

According to Lefebure, the practices and matches that athletics does not even compare to what everyone else has were canceled last week could have been helpful to build been dealing with up in Santa Rosa and Napa and further momentum for their upcoming match against the Branson north in that area,” Minakov said. “It’s unfortunate, but I Bulls. Despite the inability to practice, the team has tried consider us lucky to not be directly in the wildfires.”

According to Minakov, MCALs were expected to to maintain high spirits, according to Minakov.

“The one big thing that we are all in unison about is resume this Monday, yet with fire containment levels low that everybody knows that we are losing valuable time, and deteriorating air quality, the continuation of practices and so that shows that everybody cares a lot about our was being examined day by day.

In addition, schools across the district are expecting to success,” Lefebure said.

Lefebure added that Minakov encouraged all of the receive several transferring students in the next few days, girls to get in the gym at least once last week to sustain as high schools in Santa Rosa and Napa have been burned and multiple families have been displaced across Marin. their fitness for the upcoming MCAL matches.

“I think the whole league has been kind of halted over the past week,” Minakov said. “All the teams are going to be rusty going into MCALS because no one has been able bark@redwoodbark.org

Student survives earthquake Cuba school trip canceled

By Lucie James

On Sept. 19, Mexico City was struck by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, killing at least 225 people and wounding hundreds.

The natural disaster occurred on the same day as the disastrous 1985 Mexican earthquake.

In 1985, over 10,000 people were

Photo courtesy of Anto Fran

A BUILDING COLLAPSED in Mexico after the earthquake struck.

killed, and roughly 200 buildings had collapsed, whereas last month, about 40 buildings were destroyed.

Though a couple of weeks have passed since the earthquake, the city is still in mourning as people have lost their houses, family and friends in the many collapsing buildings.

Diana Sunderland, a Mexican native, who attended Redwood freshman and sophomore years before she moved back to Mexico, was at her school when the earthquake occurred.

“We were all sitting down listening to music, and then out of nowhere the whole building started shaking, and we said ‘What the heck is going on?’” Sunderland said. “Someone then said ‘Oh my god it’s an earthquake,’ so we ran outside. All the trees were moving, and the building was moving.”

The first earthquake with a magnitude of 8.2 hit on Sept. 7 at night, although not many people felt it.

● Mexico earthquake Continued on page 3

By Saamya Mungamuru

Redwood’s first ever school trip to Cuba, initiated over a year ago by Spanish teacher Todd Van Peursem, was undergoing the final stages of planning when he decided to cancel it earlier this school year due to escalating tensions between Cuba and the U.S. On Oct. 3, the U.S. expelled 15 Cuban diplomats from their embassy in Washington as punishment for failing to protect 21 U.S. diplomats stationed in Cuba who have reported suffering from mysterious symptoms such as minor brain trauma, deafness and dizziness.

The U.S. believes that these illnesses are resulting from sonic attacks targeted at the diplomats, according to a BBC News article.

These developments are a setback to U.S.-Cuba relations that had been recovering under the Obama administration.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez described the decision to expel Cuban embassy officials from Washington as “hasty” and “irresponsible,” claiming that the attack allegations weren’t based on solid evidence, according to BBC News.

The conflicts between the U.S. and Cuba, in addition to the impact of

Hurricane Irma on the island, influenced Van Peursem to cancel the trip that would have been offered to students this February break.

“I think June was when I first started seeing these articles pop up on BBC that were talking about U.S. diplomats and their children having difficulties in Cuba.

And that was the first thing that came under my radar because from the moment school started in August [we were planning to] start pumping advertising and getting students signed up,” Van Peursem said.

Van Peursem said that although he is skeptical about the evidence behind these reports, he decided to pull back the trip because the safety of the students was his top priority.

In addition to safety concerns, Van Peursem, who has organized and traveled on several student trips to Latin American countries, said he didn’t want to proceed with advertising the Cuba trip and conducting informational meetings for students because he feared that rising tensions would impact its feasibility.

● Cuba trip Continued on page 2

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Page 2 • News

October 20, 2017

Photo Survey What is the scariest thing that has happened

“I fell out of a tree and scraped my knee really badly.”

Claire Henry

to you?

freshman

“My parents asked me to watch my sister for an hour, then took her with them.”

Jaden Ramos sophomore

“I was woken up in the night and had to leave my house because of a fire.”

“I was on a night hike with friends. [Then] we saw a pair of bright yellow eyes in the dark.”

junior

senior

Makenzie Allen

Loren Greene

Local film festival gives students an opportunity to advance filmaking skills

By Alexander Lieberman

The internationally-renowned Mill Valley Film Festival has played host to some of the best films of recent years. In 2015, “Bridge of Spies,” “Room” and “Spotlight” (films all nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards that year) were screened at theaters throughout Marin County.

This year, the festival will screen such films as “The Shape of Water,” “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” and “Mudbound,” three high-profile drama films to be released later this year.

Something less known—but no less noticable—is the 5@5 Future Legends short film program. The films are all made by local filmmakers under age 18. This year, a collection of 20 short films selected by a Youth Jury was screened at the Lark Theater in downtown Larkspur. The Jury members, all Bay Area high school students aged 1318, participated in summer programs called Behind The Scenes and Young Curators, both put on by the California Film Institute (CFI), which also runs the Film Festival.

The programs are run by CFI Education Director Joanne Parsont and CFI Education Manager Melanie Nichols.

According to Parsont, the students in the program have to watch more than 100 submissions, that they will then cut down to a sizable program.

“They basically are putting together a program that’s roughly 70-80 minutes. There’s a gradual process for them to determine which of the ones that they think should move forward,” Parsont said over the phone.

One aspiring youth filmmaker is Drake senior Dashiel Keplinger. He worked with his fellow Drake senior Nicholas Decker and now-graduated students Chris Roher and Bridget Wait on a film called “Burning the Old Year,” based on Naomi Shihab Nyes’ poem of the same name.

● Cuba trip canceled Continued from page 1 “Imagine if I had gone through and people had already put their deposits down and all of a sudden, President Trump comes out and says we are now issuing travel warnings to Cuba and that it’s not the safest place to go right now. How would I feel?” Van Peursem said.

The inaugural trip, based in Havana, was going to be focused on getting to know Cuba through experiences involving Cuban culture and making connections with local youth, according to Van Peursem.

They had already built the itinerary and selected some local high schools to work with.

“Designed with culture, music, dance and high school kids, this first trip was going to be more of a ‘get to know you’ Cuba, ‘get to know you’ Havana, get to know the area, the local families and communities and to move into a couple of high schools to talk [with the youth] about what’s going on in their minds as Cuba was opening up to the rest of the world,” Van Peursem said.

To organize the trip, Van Peursem was working with the TUHSD Global Studies Department, which facilitates trips abroad for students in the district. He said the planning process involved hours of collaborating with the department and with partners in Cuba.

Although Redwood has never been on a trip to Cuba before, groups from Tamalpais High School have traveled to Cuba three times in the past through the Global Studies program, according to Global Studies Director, Brian Zailian.

The first trip, in 2000, was a trip

According to the Poetry Foundation, the poem depicts the metaphorical burning of a previous year’s events and memories as the narrator moves into a new year. The narrator reflects on how so much of what happens in a year is “flammable” and how “so little is a stone.”

“It represents what’s going on in that story, and it shows a single person and [their] story, going along with the poem and a group of their friends,” Keplinger said.

According to Parsont, it is especially important for teenagers to be part of the film festival.

“They have been part of the film festival for many, many years because education has always been a huge

part of the California Film Institute . . . and so it’s always been a strong part of the festival as well because we feel strongly [that] young people have a voice and they should be heard from their perspective. Not just films about youth but films that are from their viewpoint,” Parsont said.

Keplinger is also looking forward to future opportunities in the film industry.

“I am extremely excited to go to college and see what they offer and keep making films, hopefully throughout my whole life,” Keplinger said. alieberman@redwoodbark.org

Photo by Alexander Lieberman

FEATURED IN THE Mill Valley Film Festival, teenagers around the county were able to create movies that were then shown at the Sequioa Theater in Mill Valley.

organized by the journalism program.

Students who were part of The Tam News traveled to Havana and published their first color magazine.

The next trip, conducted in 2001, was designed for students interested in art, music and dance to visit art, music and ballet schools in Havana and meet with local students.

The latest trip was in 2013, when Tam’s boys’ baseball and girls’ softball teams went to Cuba to play baseball and softball with kids in Havana.

Zailian said that he didn’t face too many difficulties organizing the trip, despite the weak political relations between the two countries.

“I work with someone who’s Cuban, who has his own company in Miami, who knows the ins and outs. It’s really the networking — because he has a vast network of connections, he knows exactly what he needs to do. It was actually a fairly simple thing to put together,” Zailian said.

“But things are a little more difficult now and that’s why I think Mr. VP has found himself in the position he is in.”

Though it was never officially presented to students, Van Peursem said that many appeared interested when he discussed the trip with students he had traveled with in past years, and in his classes.

“The moment I said Cuba, the musicians were all excited to have a once in a lifetime

to speak with Cuban musicians who have been creating amazing, beautiful music for years. It opens up the possibilities for all sorts of cultural focuses whether it’s photography, art, dance, theater, music, so many different types of kids, their eyes lit up when we mentioned Cuba,” Van Peursem said.

Senior Rob Hoffman, who traveled to Panama with Van Peursem last year, was very excited about the trip.

“I was just pumped about the idea of seeing something that’s wholly different from what you would see in the United States or even other Latin American countries,” Hoffman said.

Although Van Peursem has never traveled to Cuba, he said he has been dreaming about going for the past two decades, a reason why he was so passionate about the Redwood trip.

“Anyone who has been to Cuba within the last couple of years would tell you that it’s such an amazing place. It is rich culturally and the people are kind and compassionate and generous even though so many people have so much less than many of our community members here,” Van Peursem said.

He also explained that his deep appreciation for Cuban music draws him to the country.

“The vast majority of the music that I listen to on my own is traditional Cuban music. There is just a flow and a rhythm to the Cubana that is incredibly contagious and feels very positive, it’s heartfelt. It’s a warm vibrant culture and community,” Van Peursem said.

Photo courtesy of Mark Arie

VISITING THE MAMONI Valley Preserve with Redwood graduate Auz Zadoff, Van Peursem organized a trip to Panama in 2016.

smungamuru@redwoodbark.org

Page 3 • News

www.redwoodbark.org ● Mexico earthquake Continued from page 1 The second earthquake, which was much stronger and caused the most damage, struck Sept. 19 during the day with a magnitude of 7.1. Sunderland lives in Interlomas, which is roughly 30 minutes away from Mexico City, therefore neither her house nor her family were severely affected.

Sunderland’s school was canceled for a couple of weeks, and during that time she volunteered by donating and packaging food.

“There was a university I went to and I was there for two days to help. We helped donate food and clothes, anything we could. I feel like that is part of the reason we do not have school for a little bit, so we could go help,” Sunderland said.

Though Sunderland has been living in Mexico with her aunt and uncle since August, her parents are currently living in Marin with her brothers. Sunderland’s mother, Patricia Millán, said she has remained relatively calm despite her daughter experiencing an earthquake alone.

“It was very, very scary, but at that time I knew [Sunderland] was at her school and the school that she is at is [in] an area that is not in the center of the valley in Mexico—it’s higher up on rocky soil. The chance of buildings falling down there are very low because most of the buildings are well built,” Millán said.

While this earthquake was a tragedy and occurred unexpectedly, Millán said she is happy to know her family is safe and that people were willing to unite and help each other.

“The good thing about all of this and the earthquake

is that everyone came together and helped. There were so many donations and still are. People were giving away stuff and risking their lives to save other people,” Millán said.

Millán just recently visited her daughter last Sunday for Sunderland’s birthday. Although she was scared to see the country and its current state, she was ready to visit her family.

Similar to Sunderland, senior Cesar Segundo, an exchange student from Puebla, Mexico, said he didn’t personally have any injured family, but is still aware of the devastation caused by the Sept. 19 earthquake.

“I know the epicenter was in Puebla and nothing happened to my friends and family, but they are helping to collect resources for everyone from Mexico City and Puebla, because a lot of buildings collapsed,” Segundo said.

When Segundo found out about the earthquake, he was under lockdown at Redwood because of the bomb threat.

“It was the same day as the bomb threat, so my mom called and she was really scared. She said an earthquake just happened and she was working and the roof cracked, but nothing happened. My sister was in the second story of her school, and they said it felt really bad, and they were really scared,” Segundo said.

According to Millán, rescuers and volunteers are continuing to help everyday by donating and removing rubble in order to rebuild destroyed buildings. While some schools have resumed session, many are still destroyed and are not back to their original state. ljames@redwoodbark.org

bark

Photo courtesy of Cesar Segundo

IN THE AFTERMATH of the earthquake in Mexico City, numerous buildings collapsed, leaving many without homes and jobs.

Drama starts year with humorous parody of ‘Plan 9’ film

By Charlotte Seton “Men don’t get scared, Paula,” Jeff Trent, played by senior Jake Hanssen, says multiple times to his wife Paula Trent, played by senior GiGi Buddie, in Plan 9 from Outer Space, the Musical. EPiC’s humorous parody of a 1959 American science fiction horror film.

The play’s script comes directly from the original film of the same name that was written, produced, directed and edited

by Ed Wood. In 1980, it received Golden Turkey Awards for Worst Director Ever

and Worst Film. This negative publicity created a significant cult following for the film, even resulting in a television sitcom, according to Wikipedia.

Movie critics mocked everything, from the film’s sometimes painful dialogue to its bloopers and not-so-special effects, according to Mental Floss. Yet these are the things its legion of fans love.

David Smith, a drama teacher at Drake High School for 26 years, obtained the rights to the script many years ago.

“The play basically takes the script from the worst movie ever made and puts

Photo by Charlotte Seton

PERFORMING IN A parody of Ed Wood’s film “Plan 9,” seniors GiGi Buddie and Jake Hanssen share an intimate moment on stage.

musical numbers in it,” Smith said.

Smith wrote all thirteen musical numbers and directed the production. His musical has also been produced in various U.S. cities and London. Smith’s music pokes fun at the melodramatic and poorly written script as well as the fears and stereotypes of the 1950s. Trilling musical notes highlight the overly dramatic moments. Multiple lyrics address the ridiculousness of seeing flying UFOs over Hollywood and gender-related prejudices (“It takes a whole lotta man to bring the zombies down” is the refrain of one song).

In addition, the kaleidoscopic lighting reflects the vibrant colors popular in the 1950s.

Redwood junior Amira Jain, who stars as both Edie and Army Man, says she feels the strange humor added to the audience’s enjoyment.

“I’m most excited for people to see the show, because it’s very funny and no one really knows what it is,” Jain said.

The original script tells the story of extraterrestrials who want to stop humans from creating a doomsday weapon that could destroy the universe. The aliens implement “Plan 9”―a scheme to resurrect the Earth’s dead. The aliens hope the ensuing chaos will force human beings to listen to them. If not, the aliens plan to destroy the earthlings with armies of the undead.

Catchy music and comedic acting are the primary attractions of the play, explained junior Jackson Beer, who plays Dead Old Man and Kelton in the

production.

“It’s so hard to keep a straight face,” Jain said.

Beer similarly felt that the toughest performance test was not reacting to the humor in the show. “[It’s hard] not laughing on stage because a lot of the show is very funny. So always staying in character would be the hardest thing,” Beer said.

Criswell, the play’s narrator as portrayed by Redwood junior Leela Dembowski, fears the death of the nation and our civilization, common concerns in the 1950s.The nation was still coming to grips with the frightening implications of potential nuclear destruction after the atomic bombings in Japan at the end of World War II. The ensuing race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to stockpile nuclear weapons added to the general fear for the planet.

In addition, the Space Race era began in the 1950s with the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. competing for supremacy in space, as well as aggressively launching rockets to reach the moon and other planets. The possible existence and discovery of extraterrestrial life and civilizations sparked people’s imagination as well as their fears.

Plan 9 from Outer Space, the Musical played from Oct. 3 to Oct. 8 in the Little Theatre at 7 p.m. each night for 1.5 hours.

cseton@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 4 • News

October 20, 2017

Summer of Love Youth Poster Contest provides outlet for students’ opinions

By Sam Warren

This summer, the first ever Summer of Love Youth Poster Contest was established in Marin by Bruce Burtch, an avid community volunteer and entrepreneur. The competition allowed teenagers aged 12 to 18 to express their opinions and messages about current world problems to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the historic social movement of 1967, where thousands converged in San Francisco to protest government problems and the Vietnam War. On Sept. 8, Tamiscal student Rachel Shindelus won first prize in the age 15 to 18 division, while former Redwood student Haley Bjursten finished second.

The creator of the contest was also a teenager when he first became involved in activism. Burtch was 17 years old in 1967 and was an active advocate for the anti-Vietnam war cause, participating in many protests and marches.

“I created the contest because I wondered what the youth of today were thinking about. With all the same issues of race relations, gender relations, war and climate change, all the things we were fighting about then are still prevalent problems now, and many of them haven’t gotten better or have gotten even worse,” Burtch said.

Burtch established the contest pro-bono, meaning that no participant had to pay an entry fee to enter their poster into the contest. Additionally, no observer has to pay to view the winning posters currently on display at Rileystreet Art Supply in San Rafael.

The main purpose of the contest, although centered

Photo by Sam Warren

Photo by Sam Warren

CREATING HER OWN poster design, Tamiscal student Rachel Shindelus won first place in the Summer of Love Youth Poster Contest.

The Abbott Family The Ames/Bouton Family Susan and Mark Anderson Anonymous The Ayres Family The Bailitz Family The Baldwin Family Jeff and Catherine Barcy Lisa Bernardi The Blum Family Linda Brune The Buechner/Whitt Family The Burgert Family Carrie and Jim Burroughs Kristina and Steve Campondonico David and Rebecca Conant The Conner Family The Conrow Familiy Deb and Kevin Cook The Corn Family The Dalzell-Piper Family Gina Deangelis The Diener Family The Donelan Family Laurie and Scott Dubin The Elliot-Diab Family Naz and Brian Erickson

HANGING IN THE Marin Civic Center, the finalist posters in the Summer of Love Youth Poster Contest are available for anyone to stop by and enjoy. around the art style of the psychedelic 1960s, had little to come take classes [at Rileystreet Art Supply] and become do with the actual Summer of Love. interested in art, so when Bruce came and told me about “The idea of the contest was to give youth in Marin the classes and the exposure the contest would bring, I was a public platform for them to express their views on really excited to be a part of it.” important topics in our society today, which is why we Mirow said she felt like she accomplished her goal of made our slogan ‘Let your voice be heard,’” Burtch said. making art more prevalent in youth society today because Burtch not only wanted to give students an avenue to of the amount of interest and involvement she saw. There publicize their opinions, he also wanted to give back to the were 92 contest entries and many children coming to students and their schools as well.

Rileystreet to look at the posters and take classes, such as Shindelus will receive $150 in art supplies for her first the free art poster workshop with famous rock poster artist place finish and, in addition, the Tamiscal art program will John Mavroudis from The Rock Poster Society. also receive $150 in art supplies by way of the contest.

Shindelus and Bjursten were unavailable for Bjursten and Redwood’s art program will receive $100 in comments, but Redwood art teacher Lauren Bartone saw art supplies individually as well. the contest as a great opportunity for students who aren’t “My daughter taught art at an elementary school, and as expressive to be able to vent how they feel. we were constantly having to put our own money into her “I taught Haley as an AP Art student, and she was a program to pay for art supplies because schools aren’t very quiet girl. But, when it came to art, she really conveys giving enough. So we thought it would be great for the her beliefs and makes her message known. That’s what’s winners of the contest and their schools to receive a prize so great about art. It gives everyone a voice,” Bartone said. for their efforts,” Burtch said.

The posters from the Summer of Love Poster Contest As for Bente Mirow, owner of Rileystreet Art Supply, are currently on display at the Marin Civic Center, and her goal was not as focused on giving youth a voice, but after their stint they will be moved to the new Haight more on popularizing the expression of art to harness that Street Art Center in San Francisco. voice.

“When Bruce came to talk to me about displaying the posters here, I realized it was a perfect match,” Mirow said. swarren@redwoodbark.org “For years I have been trying to attract young people to

The Fargo Family Violich Farms The Felder Family Shane Fricke The Fuches Family Eva Geitheim The Gibbs Family Jennifer and Michael

Ginsburg Elon Ginzburg The Gullen Family The Hackett Family Dominique and Heil Halilej The Hanssen Family Jan and Annabel Heinemann The Hilbush Family Caren and Bill Horstmeyer The Jeffry Family The Jessen Family Jill and Tyler Johnson The Johnson Family Sylvia Jones Nina Katz and Mike Fuller John and Frances Kellerman The Kempler Family John and Frances Kernan The Kimball Family The Klein Family

Bark Patrons The Klionsky Family Jill and Larry Knott Paul and Esther Kulhanjian David and Melissa Lee The Leslie Family Carolyn and Michael Lewis The Lewis Family Midori Liu and Bret Lama The Lloyd Family The Loebbaka Family The Malek Family Alice and Bob Marks Kerianne and Christopher McBride Wendy and William McKinley The Mellberg Family Michael Metzner Kathleen Morse The Mulcahy Family The Muller Family Jennifer Newbury Timothy and Julia Noble Mark and Donna Norstad The Notter Family

The Overmyer Family Barbara and William Owens The Parker Family The Peterson Family The Pfeiffer Family Steve Pigott The Pole Family The Pritzker Family The Rajninger Family Manny Ramos and Robin Snyder The Rankin-Williams Family Michele and Tim Richards The Riggins Family The Robinow Family The Rocha Family Frank J Rollo The Scharf Family Chris and Corinne Seton The Skerrett Family The Smalbach Family D.J and T.T Solomon The Steele Family The Stock Family

Paul and Paula Strand The Sweet Family Patricia and Robert Taitz The Tantum Family The Tede Family Greg and Heidi Thomson TJ’s Gym The Van Hooser Family Philip and Kris Wade Towns Wagner Family The Wait Family Jim Granger and Yu-Ling Wang The Watkins Family Dr. Jenniffer Watters The Welch Family The Wentworth Family Michelle Wilcox Isolde and Aleck Wilson The Yoslov Family The Zeitz Family The Zlatunich Family The Zlot Family

To support the Bark, visit www.redwoodbark.org

Opinion

Page 5

California should stop taxing menstrual products. Period.

By Christine Watridge “Women and girls do not get to choose when or if they have their period; it’s basic biology,” said California assemblywoman Cristina Garcia in May 2017. “We must make menstrual products available to women and girls who struggle with access to these basic health necessities.

If we truly value women’s health, we’ll remove the stigma associated with a basic health care need and treat this fact-of-life like any other medical necessity.”

Garcia echoes the sentiment of other women who have been fighting for women’s rights, specifically to remove the so-called “pink tax,” a sales tax on menstrual products. There are already nine states that have approved legislation exempting tampons from this taxation (Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania), and California’s government must also take steps to stop the taxing of menstrual products.

There have been significant efforts to do exactly that, just last year. A bill exempting menstrual products from sales tax in California was introduced by two members of the California State Assembly, Garcia and Ling Ling Chang, both women, in January 2016. Garcia’s office calculated that women in California on average pay about seven dollars per month for 40 years of tampons, pads and other sanitary products. About seven percent of the cost of a box of tampons, or 49 cents, is sales tax.

However, Governor Jerry Brown vetoed the bill in September 2016, arguing that it would cost the state too much money. Legislation about the tampon tax was delayed from 2017 to 2018. This action is a blatant display of misogyny in our own liberal, forward-thinking backyard. A powerful man, who has had no experience in his whole life dealing with menstruation, talks about tampons primarily in the context of taxing them.

I highly doubt Governor Brown truly understands the physical and emotional struggles almost every woman has felt in her life when it comes to periods.

The societal stigma against talking about periods or

Illustration by Christine Watridge

dealing with such natural bodily functions is exemplified in this tax, and adding more economic pressure on women is completely unfair and, dare I say it, sexist.

Menstrual products are not considered “necessities of life” by the California Revenue and Taxation Code of Feb. 2017. But is something so fundamental to a woman’s wellbeing, and even social acceptance, a luxury? According to a recent Bark survey, 85 percent of Redwood students self-reported that they do not consider menstrual products to be luxuries. Specifically, 91 percent of male students do not consider menstrual products to be luxuries, which is more than can be said for Governor Brown.

Some argue that the tax on tampons is not separate— that it is not singling out tampons in specific, but is in fact taxing many hygiene products, such as diapers and

toilet paper, under the sales tax. However, the fact is this “pink tax” unfairly targets half of the population (157 million women, according to the 2010 U.S. Census), who are already paid less than men. In 2015, women earned 83 cents to a man’s dollar, according to a Pew Research Centeranalysis of median hourly earnings of U.S. workers.

In the state of California, there are approximately 18,736,830 women. According to MedlinePlus, a government medical website, girls usually start their periods between age 11 and 14. Until she reaches menopause around the age of 51, a woman will use approximately 10,000 sanitary products in her life, according to obgyn.net. In the words of Garcia’s tweet on Sept. 13th, 2016, “@JerryBrownGov please #mansplain why it’s ok to balance the budget on women’s backs? The unfair #tampontax continues.”

The tax cut would cost California about 20 million dollars in revenue, which is the principal argument used by Governor Jerry Brown to justify his veto of the bill. But the 2017-2018 California State Budget is about 180 billion dollars, which means that cutting the “pink tax” would only cost 0.0001 percent of the total spending budget. A possible solution to the loss of sales tax would be to tax a product that all genders buy, such as candy. You read correctly: candy is considered a necessity of life and is exempt from sales tax. It would be more productive to tax candy, a sugary product that contributes to unhealthy habits and raises health care costs, than menstrual products.

We are a nation with a history of discrimination against women and their needs. We are a country that has built a delicate system of government spending, budgeting and collecting revenue through taxes. I am not going to try to explain every nuanced way in which our government works, but I will say this: how advanced can our own state government truly be if Viagra, candy, snack foods, records and vehicles, to name a few things, are exempt from taxation but menstrual products, which are used to help cope with a person’s natural bodily functions, are not? cwatridge@redwoodbark.org

Reassessing sports: Do you play for the right reasons?

By Jacob Klionsky It was my first T-ball game. As a sixyear-old, I wasn’t worried about winning, emailing scouts or getting recruited to college; I was just there to have fun. Sure, it was always exciting to play well, impress your peers and maybe help your team win, but that was never my first priority. I played baseball because it put a smile on my face and turned any bad day into a great day.

As the years passed, baseball only got more competitive. Was this a bad thing?

Not necessarily. It’s bound to happen if you strive to play any sport past the age of six. But as the competition grew, winning and helping the team became more important and often dictated the enjoyment behind playing. This was surely different from T-ball, but that didn’t diminish my excitement to go out and practice every minute I could.

But now when I step on the field, only two things matter: winning and college recruitment. It’s natural that specific priorities of players change over time, but no matter my age, I have always wanted my sport to directly lead to joy. Sadly, I can’t say this is true anymore.

So when did it all change? To be honest, I don’t really know. What I do know is that no matter your age, level, or sport, you should always strive to play for your own personal enjoyment.

Senior Lauren Bell has been playing soccer since before she knew how to read.

The varsity soccer player always felt that the game has never been about impressing others or winning. However, while playing for Marin FC’s Blue-Team, Bell witnessed her teammates become overly preoccupied with impressing scouts, reaching out to

college coaches, or attending showcases.

Bell, on the other hand, was solely interested in playing for the joy of the sport and to be with teammates. For this reason, to play with a group of like-minded girls, Bell decided to move down from the BlueTeam to the Red-Team.

“If you’re just trying to go to college you are not playing for the team, you’re playing for yourself. That’s just never what it’s been about for me,” Bell said.

This is the problem. While caught up in the politics of college recruitment, athletes tend to forget why they play their sport in the first place. Sure, playing a college sport is a huge achievement every NCAA athlete should be proud of. But should this be at the cost of an athlete’s personal enjoyment?

It shouldn’t. Whether or not you play a sport should always come down to the way you feel every time you play. Playing a sport should be something to look forward to, not to dread.

Though this is still achievable at higher levels, it’s often forgotten by athletes who put money, recruitment and other incentives above what should be the most important, their passion.

Rowing tends to take the main stage when referring to athletes who use their sport as an entryway into college. Unlike most sports, rowing is a 10-month commitment that requires participation six days a week.

Junior Marisa Phipps was a member of the Marin Rowing Association for nearly a year and half. In an effort to have fun and get exercise, Phipps decided to take up rowing as a sophomore. Yet after her first year, the initial fun that came with rowing soon vanished as it seemed like more of a burden or a chore than a sport.

“Last year I would be really excited to

Illustration by Will Ethridge

go to practice, but this year it was just kind of like a thing I had to go to,” Phipps said.

In mid-September, Phipps decided to quit the team because rowing was no longer an activity that she enjoyed or wanted to continue.

Although different motives caused Bell and Phipps to either move down a team or to quit, both should serve as examples for all athletes, not because quitting is admirable, but because both athletes found a way to do

what’s best for their own wellbeing.

By no means am I asking you to quit your sport. All I ask is that you answer these two questions: Why do you play your sport? Is this reason being fulfilled every time you come to practice or a game? If so, then you should play until the day your love fades. If not, it’s time to find a way to bring yourself back to those T-ball days. jklionsky@redwoodbark.org

October 20, 2017 bark Page 6 • Opinion Ignorance isn’t bliss: the importance of self-education

By Lily Baldwin Within the last year, I’ve learned more about the current issues surrounding gender identity than any academic subject I’m required to study in school. I was thrown for a loop when someone very close to me came out as transgender, and while I was extremely proud of her, I found myself lacking in knowledge about what she and other members of the LGBTQ+ community were going through.

I’d always considered myself an advocate for equality, but it wasn’t until I became personally connected to someone facing a world that was arguably against her that I truly became aware of the current debates surrounding equality for the LGBTQ+ community.

I educated myself through online research, books and articles because I knew no one else was going to come along and teach me. When I finally felt like I understood the topic, I realized how many meaningful, relevant conversations I was missing out on simply because I didn’t know about issues the transgender community faces.

When I told someone about my family member’s transition, they responded with, “That’s great, I don’t really support it, but I’m not necessarily against it. I just don’t know enough to stick my head where it doesn’t belong.”

An honest response, but an irresponsible one. The minute they said that, our conversation was over, as they had no way of continuing because they lacked knowledge on the subject.

I understand that speaking on a topic you know nothing about is something most want to avoid, but as a member of our society, it’s your responsibility to know about current issues, especially ones that affect such vast amounts of people.

According to a study by Williams Institute, more than 12.9 million teens and adults in the U.S. identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender, roughly 4.4 percent of the U.S. population. If everyone feels they don’t need to know about issues that they believe don’t directly affect them, then conversation is impossible. And when conversation is inhibited, progress cannot be made.

A survey by National Geographic demonstrated a shocking inadequacy in the awareness level of young people regarding world issues. A quiz consisting of 75 questions about geography, trade, current events and economics was administered to 1,203 young adults between the ages of 18 and 26. All 1,203 test-takers had attended or

were currently attending a two or four-year college, yet the average score for the quiz was 55 percent, a failing grade.

Whether or not schools should incorporate current events or politics into standard curriculum has been widely debated. For the most part, schools continue to keep politics and news out of class. In a recent Bark survey, 57 percent of students selfreported that they believe schools don’t teach current world issues enough.

This debate about curriculum will not stop any time soon, but in the meantime, the world continues to face new issues every day. Since schools don’t consider current issues a necessary part of common curriculum, it is the responsibility of the individual to educate themselves on their own time.

Some may argue that young people shouldn’t be subjected to the harsh reality of the problems our world faces, promoting the idea that “ignorance is bliss.” It’s true that exposing adolescents to the concepts of mass shootings and modern warfare can be scary, but at what point do we start treating these sheltered kids as the future leaders, voters, teachers and opinionated individuals that they will grow up to be?

Clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst Jennifer Kunst, Ph.D. says that sheltering young people from the world can do more harm than good for adolescents.

“The less awareness one has as a child, the greater the bliss but also the greater the anxiety. Lacking the big picture, you have no idea what is going on,” Kunst said in an article from Psychology Today.

While it’s not pleasant for anyone to discuss horrific events such as murders, political dictatorships and genocides, the knowledge of the events of history and modern day are necessary for the progress and safety of the young generation. If a generation doesn’t know or understand the causes of tragedies such as the Holocaust, how will they be able to identify the causes and prevent

Illustration by Will Ethridge

another mass genocide from happening in the future?

According to the Nation’s Report Card, recent test scores of U.S. students show a clear decline in aboveaverage knowledge of U.S. history as students age through grade school, with 20 percent of fourth graders being at or above proficient, then declining to 18 percent of eighth graders at that level and finally dropping to a mere 12 percent of 12th graders being proficient in U.S. history.

When the younger generations keep themselves in the dark about the news, they are doing a disservice not only to themselves, but to those involved and directly affected by different issues. They limit themselves from having conversations, and when they do, they’re unable to contribute a valuable point of view, therefore remaining neutral and ignorant. When the conversations stop, solutions can never be reached.

It’s a snowball effect: the less you know, the less you can contribute to ongoing conversations, and the less you

lbaldwin@redwoodbark.org

End religious stereotypes by encouraging discussion

By Melissa Block There is an unwritten rule that in most social settings there are three subjects you should never bring up: money, politics and religion.

It’s understandable why one would not want to talk about money—possible economic inequalities might make conversation uncomfortable. And as high schoolers, our money usually belongs to our parents, so it’s not our place to discuss it.

Politics are much more relevant to our generation, but still people tend to refrain from bringing up politics because of how divisive the subject can be.

To me, religion is the most unfortunate “taboo” topic. It needs to be discussed.

Most people’s religious beliefs originate from their heritage, meaning familial values are passed down from generation to generation. And along with this inheritance comes certain beliefs and perspectives.

Often the inherited knowledge is narrow, from one point of view, leaving the children or young adults uneducated about other religions. Other families may not even be affiliated with a specific religion because of their personal beliefs. This wide range of understanding makes discussion of religion challenging, so people often avoid it altogether.

But, therein lies the irony; by avoiding conversations about religion, we miss the opportunity to get rid of stereotypes and lift the veil of ignorance.

In my high school community, I’ve observed my peers blindly following stereotypes and propagating preconceived notions about minorities. Classmates have shared images on social media that were obnoxious portrayals of Jewish people.

I’ve received messages with anti-semetic jokes perhaps not intended for me, but I was part of a large distribution. Seeing

these prejudice remarks makes me feel isolated and uncomfortable. While I can’t speak for all my Jewish peers, I’m sure many feel similarly to me.

Even though there may not be much evidence of anti-semitism in our halls, there is in our nation. Anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. surged more than 33 percent in 2016 and jumped 86 percent in the first quarter of 2017. According to Pew Research, 5.3 million Jews live in the United States, accounting for approximately 1.9 percent of the U.S. population. Yet, in 1995-2000 it was found that 78.6 percent of all hate crimes were committed against them.

Whereas Catholics take up 20.8 percent of the U.S. population, and only 3 percent of hate times were directed at them.

How much of this inappropriate behavior is agitated by ignorance? If

Illustration by Christine Watridge

the perpetrators had known more about Judaism, would they have been so insensitive? Wouldn’t it be better to talk about religious differences rather than avoid the topic?

In order to lift the veil of ignorance among our peers, students must be enlightened and taught about religion.

According to a recent Bark survey, 70 percent of the student population selfreported that they wish they were more knowledgeable on other religions and cultures.

However, federal regulations limit the teaching of religious subjects in public school environments. More than 65 years ago, the McCollum v. Board of Education decision by the U.S. Supreme Court was passed, making religious indoctrination in public schools illegal. The Supreme

Illustration by Christine Watridge

Court also passed the 50th anniversary of Abington v. Schempp, barring Bible reading and reciting of prayer. It’s clearly illegal for our public schools to favor certain religions, but that shouldn’t stop us from having conversations. Teachers shouldn’t instill their own religious beliefs in their students. They should simply do what they already do so well at Redwood—provide us with a safe environment to learn, share and talk.

Religion is already applicable to many courses, especially history, so it could be seamlessly blended into preexisting curriculum. Our teachers could go into depth explaining the causes behind religiously-motivated wars or the religious backgrounds of various historical leaders and the impact of their beliefs on their influence and governorship.

But religion wouldn’t have to be limited to just history courses. Science teachers could explain how religion played a role in scientific discoveries or English teachers could read and discuss religious texts and literature. If schools continue to shy away from religion, then they are allowing misconceptions to breed in ignorance and are depriving students of educational opportunities.

We aren’t asking teachers to be advocates for any particular religion anymore than we ask them to be advocates of violence when they teach us about World War I or World War II. By no means am I suggesting that teachers would be forcing religious practice on their students.

Instead, they would simply broaden the student’s awareness of other cultures.

If we talk about religion more extensively and openly within the safe environment of our classrooms, then our communities will be places of mutual understanding of religious and ideological differences. mblock@redwoodbark.org

Page 7 • Opinion

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

Editors-In-Chief Shannon Donelan China Granger Anne Pritikin Daniela Schwartz

Head Copy Editor Christine Watridge

Illustration by Christine Watridge

editorial Threats remain serious, so should we significant, not silly For most, starting a new school year is equally as exciting as it is scary. We look forward to the freedom and independence of high school, but at the same time worry about navigating the halls, managing an intimidating homework load and making new friends.

But for students this year, beginning high school has been a different kind of scary. The first two months of the school year have been marred by car break-ins, a bomb threat, a lockdown and a shooting scare. To many, the events of the past month have become a joke or an excuse to skip school, stay in bed or spend time with friends. Though for students new to Redwood, this is the first and lasting impression of our school that they will carry into the next four years and beyond.

These occurrences at our school have been shocking and fear-inducing for many students.

However, others laughed about wanting there to be more of such scares to force school cancellation or that the people responsible for the threats were students trying to pull a prank or get out a test. But these events aren’t humourous and shouldn’t be treated as such.

Through social media and rumors, we are sensationalizing the threats—perhaps for temporary benefits, such as getting a day off of school—while with each time, we are taking their significance less seriously. Even in the midst of the bomb threat, some risked the safety of all by breaking lockdown protocol and jumping the fence of the football field to leave the evacuation site. We can’t let ourselves become desensitized to these threats because although, thankfully, they have turned out to be false alarms, the next one could be real.

Mass shootings and bombings are not unheard of in our country today. Just a little over a week after our own school shooting threat, 58 people died and 489 were injured in the horrifying Las Vegas massacre. In addition, school shootings are also becoming more common in this country. According to the National School Safety and Security Services, school shooting and bomb threats increased by 158 percent from 2014 to 2015. Furthermore, according to the FBI, shootings in schools and places of business represent 70 percent of all active mass shootings in 2013. There have been 242 school shootings in the U.S. since 2013, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit advocate on gun control.

In response to the threats we’ve encountered, members of our community, including the administration and local police, have bettered our

security efforts. Joking about wanting more scares to cause more school cancellations disrespects those affected by the greater issue of gun violence and those who have done so much to protect us. In acting immaturely regarding these threats, we fail to recognize how lucky we are that they weren’t real, because for the 59 people killed and 124 injured by school shootings in the past three years, they were real.

Carefree behavior surrounding school security establishes a pattern of collectively neglecting the severity of both past tragedies and potential future incidents. It also reflects privileged behavior in our community because other schools, a few within the Bay Area, experience not only threats, but actual unsafe circumstances at school. There are places in which students and administrations must take safety precautions, such as metal detectors at the front doors, just to go to school. We are lucky to have dynamic administration and security that are committed both to the safety of our community and our campus. Even though we’ve faced unusually alarming situations, we aren’t normally put in danger, so we shouldn’t take our safety for granted.

After the threats, Redwood alumni have posted on social media platforms such as Facebook voicing their concern surrounding the students’ behavior.

They have expressed disbelief and confusion over the events happening, as this never was such a prevalent issue until this year. This shows how theses incidents were anomalies considering the usually consistent presence of respect among Redwood students.

This school year has had an undeniably turbulent start. The reputation of Redwood to students and others in our community is not merely characterized by these episodes, but also by how we respond to them. We need to re-establish the positive spirit of our school by changing the fearful and indifferent rhetoric that has defined our first two months.

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

Copy Editors Julia Jacoby Neva Legallet Vincent Leo Alexander Lieberman Sabine Lloyd Saamya Mungamuru News Editors Caroline Cummings Julia Scharf Opinion Editors Jocelyn Overmyer Jericho Rajninger Feature Editors Carolyn French Alexandra Lee Sports Editors Melissa Block Jordan Overmyer Review Editors Natalie Cerf Maggie Smith Lifestyles Editors Lily Baldwin Emily Sweet Spanish Editor Bea Cazares Business Manager Sydney Hilbush SocialMedia/ Snapshot Editor Tilly Friedlander Survey Manager Devon McClain Art Consultant Max Gilberg Reporters Nate Charles Josh Cohen Anna Compagno Lauren Conrow Grace Gaudin Jack Green Hannah Halford Lucie James Maxim Kawashima Jacob Klionsky Natalia Lazor Amanda Morse Matthew Mulcahy Sachi Nahas Veranice Palczynski Sylvana Perczek Charlotte Seton Sam Warren

Adviser

Erin Schneider A BARK to Joe Jonas for getting engaged. Guess he’ll be eating wedding cake by the ocean.

A BITE to $80 college application fees. This will be the most expensive ‘No’ we’ve ever recieved.

A BARK to firefighters for working extra long shifts to put out the fires. If they were hot before, now they’re smokin’.

A BITE to the smoke. Our throats hurt, and it’s not even creme-brulee flavored.

A BARK to Boy Scouts accepting girls now. The popcorn sales just got a whole lot butter.

A BITE to the parking tickets

being handed out like candy.

Ticket-Or-Treat?

A BARK to Congress for considering giving more financial aid to Puerto Rico.

They’ll have a big sum of money blowing their way.

A BITE to Jared Kushner for using a private email account for White House affairs. Hopefully he cc’d Hillary in those messages.

A BARK to leadership for changing the name to Homecoming Royalty. Now everybody gets to live happily ever after.

A BITE to the death of Tom

Petty. Not sure if it’s quite “Time to move on.”

A BARK to the Redwood community for donating over $65,000 to faculty whose homes were lost in the fire. Go Giants!

A BITE to Columbus Day still being observed. We thought teachers said stealing something and putting your name on it was plagiarism.

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.

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

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Un año sabatico en Perú, Ecuador y España Por Amanda Morse Después de pasar por un terremoto de 7.8 que zarandeo Ecuador, un exalumno de Redwood Shaya Barry se fue de Ecuador con el deseo de regresar y ayudar los que necesiten ayuda.

Como uno de los estudiantes de Redwood que estaba en el viaje de servicio a Ecuador ella vio los efectos durante el terremoto en la mañana del 16 de Abril, 2016 Shaya sentía que necesitaba ayudar los ciudadanos del país.

Motivado por su amor de el idioma española y su meta de empezar nuevas relaciones con otros alrededor del mundo y ayudando reconstruir el país de Ecuador, Shaya decidió tomar un año sabático antes de asistir UC Berkeley.

“Amo hablar con personas que no saben hablar inglés muy bien o hablando con alguien con quien normalmente no podría comunicarme. Amo el idioma de español en general, pienso que es una idioma lindo,” dijo Shaya.

Obteniendo el permiso para embarcar un año en el extranjero no fue fácil, según su madre Leslie Barry. En orden para estar considerada para la oportunidad, Shaya tenía que aplicar dos semanas antes de empezar su primer año en UC Berkeley. Ella fue uno de cinco otros estudiantes que fueron elegidos para viajar, a pesar que UC Berkeley usualmente no ofrece años sabáticos.

Después Shaya viajó a Perú, Ecuador y España, adonde podía explorar cada país individualmente y ayudar a los que viven ahí.

En Perú, Shaya paso tiempo visitando a Machu Picchu, pero también pudo pasar dos semanas ayudando animales que eran rescatados de diferentes partes de la Amazona como el Puyo Rescue Center. Cada dia ella se despertaba a las 8 de la mañana para atender a los animales.

Después regresó a Ecuador, después de haber estado ahí en un viaje de servicio su último año de Redwood. Esta vez, vivió con una familia anfitriona mientras enseñaba clases de inglés a la gente de la zona. Durante el viaje, Shaya adquirido fiebre de Dengue que le prohibió terminar el resto de su viaje en Ecuador porque estaba en un hospital la mayoría del tiempo.

En su último destino, Barcelona, Shaya asistió a clases

de español en la universidad local mientras jugaba fútbol para un equipo semi profesional.

El equipo de fútbol con quien jugo estaba formado con otras chicas de Barcelona. Diferente de sus otras experiencias que estaban basadas en la comunicación, esta fue especial porque la dejo hacer vínculos jugando el deporte.

“Fue genial porque estás conectando con personas y ni necesitas hablar el idioma,” dijo Shaya.

Aunque Shaya experimentó muchas dificultades con su salud, ella regreso con una perspectiva nueva de culturas diferentes y personas.

“Personas con orígenes diferentes pueden vivir vidas tan diferentes, pero uno es muy similares a ellos,” dijo Shaya.

Según Leslie, Shaya ha cambiado en muchas maneras positivas después de regresar de sus viajes y tiene una nueva perspectiva de la vida.

“Ella ha hecho muchos diferentes tipos de amigas y está abierta a muchas perspectivas diferentes, especialmente viniendo de Marin, un condado muy liberal,” dijo Leslie.

Un año sabático no solo es una manera excelente para explorar países y sus culturas mundialmente, pero prepara estudiantes para la universidad en una manera diferente que simplemente mudandote directamente de la preparatoria.

“En muchas maneras es más complejo que ir a la universidad, pero de permite irte a la universidad con una perspectiva nueva,” dijo Leslie.

El maestro de español Todd Van Peursem encabeza casi a todos de los viajes de servicio de estudiantes globales y el cree que años sabático puede ser extraordinariamente beneficioso al crecimiento de las habilidades de un alumno después de la preparatoria, porque es difícil capturar todo sobre una cultura en una clase.

“Aprendes viviendo, amando, y aprendendiendo.

Aprendes por trabajar, compartiendo e interactuando socialmente. Entonces creas ese tipo de ambiente, inmersión en una clase es muy difícil,” dijo Van Peursem.

Van Peursem siente que estar involucrado con la comunidad no solo localmente, pero globalmente, puede

Foto cortesía de Shaya Barry

ADMIRANDO AL PAISAJE Shaya abraza a Frank, el líder de su grupo. ser esencial antes de llegar a la universidad. El cree que con aprender nuevos idiomas, es importante compartir experiencias culturales.

“Cuando empiezas a aprender un nueva idioma, y experimentas diferentes culturas, aprendes más sobre ti mismo y el mundo alrededor de ti y tienes más experiencias para haber sentido del mundo,” dijo Van Peursem. amorse@redwoodbark.org

Voluntarios en Canal cultivan el amor por el béisbol Por Maxim Kawashima Los sonidos de béisbol se pueden oír casi todo el año en el área de Canal en San Rafael, originado de niños jugando en los varios parques locales.

Aunque sea un deporte popular localmente, el béisbol es uno de los deportes más caros para jugar por la cantidad de equipo que es necesario, haciéndolo difícil para que participen los niños desfavorecidos.

Según NBC Bay Area, en 2012, el ingreso promedio de una persona viviendo en el Canal era solo $21,000, comparado el ingreso promedio de un estadounidense de $29,530 y el promedio de Marin de $44,246.

Kevin Loughlin, un nativo de San Rafael decidió hacer el deporte más accesible para la creación de Canal Baseball Academy.

“Mi meta era dar a estos niños la experiencia de jugar Little League. Todos sabemos que genial es estar en un equipo: la presión, la angustia, y la emoción de ganar en equipos de Little League. Estos niños no pudieron jugar porque [Little League es] costo prohibitivo,” dijo Loughlin.

Loughlin decidió entrenar a los niños en Canal para cooperar con la comunidad y ayudar a los niños a aprender las reglas del juego.

“No es solo de deportes, es enseñando los niños la responsabilidad de llegar a tiempo a la práctica y a los partidos.

Nosotros entrenamos liderazgo y nuestra programa pone énfasis contra el bullying entonces nosotros nos aseguramos que los niños sean competitivos pero justos con sus compañeros,” dijo Loughlin.

El programa es completamente sin fines de lucro y el dinero viene de patrocinadores o donantes. Todo el dinero es gastado en equipo. Ellos están auspiciados por organizaciones como MarinLink, San

Rafael Community Services, Junior Giants y el Rotary Club of San Rafael Harbor.

“Empezamos el programa cuatro años atrás y inicialmente solo recaudamos fondos localmente. Estamos muy afortunados de tener donantes en un base anualmente que provee dinero para patrocinar los 50 niños que juegan,” dijo Loughlin.

El programa corre tranquilamente con un aumento de inscripciones a través de los años. Sin embargo, hay problemas que Loughlin le gustaría abordar en el futuro.

En el verano las personas pueden ser voluntarias en el programa de Junior Giants Camp, que dura ocho semanas. Estudiante de último año Grace Willens trabajo en el campamento durante el verano. Ella dijo que su razón de ser voluntaria es que le encanta trabajar con niños. Penso que seria una buena idea ayudar a miembros de su comunidad que no tienen la oportunidad de integrarse al equipo de Little League.

Estudiante de último año Josh Katz decidió que quería ayudar al programa para obtener más horas de servicio comunitario involucrando deportes que le encantan, y escogió a Junior Giants.

“Mi consejero de universidad penso que seria una buena idea que participe con los Junior Giants porque sabe que me gustan los deportes. Entonces me anime y me gusto la primera vez que fui,” dijo Katz.

Willens ha hecho actividades de servicio comunitario pero pensó que era muy especial el Canal Baseball Academy.

“Yo soy voluntaria en Ceres, donde cosinas comida nutritiva para pacientes con cáncer,” dijo Willens. “[Junior Giants] era más divertido porque podía interactuar más con los niños que es algo que me encanta hacer. Era mas gratificante.

Cocinando comida también es gratificante pero no en la misma manera.”

Ambos Katz y Willens pensaron que la

Ilustración de foto por Maxim Kawashima

LANZANDO LA PELOTA estudiante de ultimo año Josh Katz imita lo que le enseño a los niños. parte más difícil de ser voluntarios era la barrera del idioma. La majoria de niños en el Canal solo hablan español, pero esto no desanimó a Katz o Willens.

Este año, el programa ha permitido a algunos de sus miembros integrarse a los programas de béisbol y sóftbol en Terra Linda High School y San Rafael High School.

“Esto te hace sentir bien porque significa que se an enamorado con el deporte, hicieron tiempo para aprender el juego, y van estar reuniéndose y trabajando con otros niños de la comunidad,” dijo Loughlin. “Estas son las ideas básicas del deportes: conocer otros niños y niñas de diferentes culturas. Ellos van estar trabajando como un equipo de alrededor de San Rafael, entonces ayuda salvar las

distancias entre Hispanos en Canal y otros niños en la comunidad.”

Con el éxito creciente del programa, Loughlin ha pensado en crear programas similares en diferentes partes de la área de la bahía.

“Hay más de 2,000 niños que viven en el Canal entre las edades de cuatro y 13, entonces todavía hay muchos niños que todavía no he podido de alcanzar,” dijo Loughlin. “En el futuro me encantaría integrar el programa en otra áreas de la comunidad que necesitan ayuda financiera y equipo que Canal Baseball Academy provee,” dijo Loughlin.

mkawashima@redwoodbark.org

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Fierce faces: teen models take on industry at full force

By Alexandra Lee When sophomore Lyle Belger signed with Stars Model Management Agency last March, she expected only to be doing print ads and campaigns. Fast forward to this August, when she was called to audition for a runway show at San Francisco Fashion Community Week—she not only landed the job, but ended up winning Best Model for 2017.

Modeling is widely known as an extremely competitive and cutthroat industry, but for three students who pose behind the camera, it’s about having fun and meeting new and creative people while working at the same time.

Sophomore Rebecca Gann, who’s currently signed with FORD Models in Los Angeles (LA) and Stars Models in San Francisco (SF), has been modeling since eighth grade and has continued to refine and advance her skills since then.

“There had just been a lot of people telling me that I should try modeling just because I’m so tall and it’s obvious that I’m taller than everyone in my age group. So, I submitted pictures online,” Gann said.

Since signing with FORD, Gann has been in the developmental stage, meaning that she’s focusing on improving her skills by doing test shoots that teach her how to model. She’s been traveling back and forth to LA a few times a year to partake in photoshoots and gain experience. However, according to Gann, modeling takes a backseat to her academics.

“School is my number one priority and modeling is something in my life, but it’s not at all something I think about every single day. It’s just every now and then and it’s really fun,” Gann said.

Senior Jack Wentworth has been modeling since age seven. His mother is a former owner of a modeling agency and introduced him to the industry, according to Wentworth. Since then, Wentworth has modeled for several big-name brands, including Levi’s, Pottery Barn, Gap and Wells Fargo.

Currently signed with Scout Models, an agency based out of San Francisco, Wentworth said his favorite part of modeling, similar to Belger and Gann’s, is the opportunity to create friendships and become inspired by the people whom he works with.

“Through all the different jobs, I’ve met a lot of really cool photographers and other kids who’ve done shoots with me,” Wentworth said. “I’ve met a lot of kids my age that are really cool and they’re into it the way I am, like really relaxed and they do it kind of as a hobby.”

Belger said she draws on her love of performing and acting when she models, because she often has to transform her personality into something completely different. Especially for runway modeling, facial expressions are supposed to be much more serious and composed than they would be in a commercial modeling campaign, Belger said.

“I’m a generally happy person, but in modeling you’re supposed to keep a straight face and not smile at all; they don’t like teeth, and they don’t like happiness, I guess you could say,” Belger said. “You try to be very straight-faced and you can see on some of my pictures from runway it’s very collected and intense, and so I just have to pull back into my acting training and be like ‘Ok you are a Photo courtesy of Jack Wentworth

Photo courtesy of Lyle Belger

STRUTTING DOWN THE runway, sophomore Lyle Belger participates in her first ever fashion show season during San Francisco Fashion Community Week. serious person right now. Go.’” Belger said she has big dreams for a potential modeling career, but for now she’s focusing on moving up the ranks slowly, from one job to the next. From her first runway season at SF Fashion Community Week, Belger is already being noticed by people in LA, where she could possibly walk for their fashion week.

“Especially because it started out slow, my hopes for that went down a little bit, so I think it’s good that I’m not reaching too far like Victoria’s Secret and Marc Jacobs and all of those people who are so well-known,” Belger said. “But it’s like San Francisco Community Fashion Week, that’s a big deal for me, especially because I’d never done it.

And LA Fashion Week, that’s even bigger.”

As for Gann, she said she isn’t sure where modeling will take her, or if she wants it to be a career when she’s older.

“In the future, my plan would just be being able to do small jobs that are really interesting and to always Lyle Belger, have fun with it. If it’s sophomore not fun, I won’t do it,” Gann said. “I don’t want to say I have one job where it’s like ‘By the end of my life I need to do this job’ because I don’t really and I don’t want to put that pressure on myself.”

Similarly, Wentworth is unsure if he will pursue modeling as a career after high school or if he will stick to smaller jobs.

“I was thinking about doing two routes, whether it’s going to a four-year [college], which is my plan now, or taking a gap year and moving to LA and re-signing with my old agency. I think I could do something on the side probably later on, but not full-time,” Wentworth said.

Photoshoots, like those that Wentworth does, are key learning experiences for Gann, as well as a lot of fun. When Gann visits her agency in LA, she says she’ll normally have test shoots and meetings with her agent where she can practice runway walks.

“They’ll set up test shoots and basically they’ll tell you to ask the photographer as many questions as possible, and the photographer will just give you instructions,” Gann said. “When you review the photos of yourself you can see like ‘Oh I look really bad from this angle, I probably won’t do that’ or ‘this is really cool, I’ll try to do this more’ and you play around with your posing.”

All three students explained different misconceptions associated with modeling that they have to deal with on a regular basis. According to

Wentworth, people mainly judge his work as being easy and don’t always appreciate the effort behind it.

“The last shoot I did was a pharmaceutical company and I had to drive a few hours away and go up on a mountain and wear really summertime clothing and it was freezing out, and I was there the whole day like that,” Wentworth said. “It was like a 14-hour day. [There are] those main misconceptions that it’s super easy, but it’s harder than it seems.”

According to Gann, the presence of social media is becoming a bigger factor in modeling, though it has never played a large part before. The number of followers somebody has on their Instagram, for example, can play a part in whether a model is accepted for a job.

“I was talking to the older models who are also signed with FORD and they were saying they’ll go to castings and they’ll give you a paper and you say your name, your agency, your height… and then they’ll give you a section that says ‘Instagram followers,’” Gann said.

According to Gann, people often think that her life revolves around modeling instead of her other priorities.

“A lot of people think I don’t really care about school because modeling is my whole life, when it’s not at all,” Gann said.

Another misunderstanding of models is that they barely eat. According to Belger, when she tells people that she is a model, their first reaction is often along the lines of, ‘Oh, so do you have to diet all the time?’

“Honestly, for me especially, I don’t completely diet if I’m getting ready for a photoshoot or a runway show or something, I just eat healthy and kind of watch what I eat, but not starve myself. I think a common misconception is that models have to be on diets 24/7 and they have to eat next to nothing and that’s just not true, especially from my experiences,” Belger said.

According to Belger, the modeling industry is so diverse that the companies and agencies aren’t just looking for the prettiest faces. It’s all about how your look fits in with one brand’s image, not necessarily about who is the most beautiful.

“For example, people say I’m pretty, but I could not be right for an ad or a runway show and some other girl who they may think is not pretty could be perfect for that show, so it’s all in the eye of the beholder. It’s based on looks, but every look is different and every look can be appreciated in the modeling world,” Belger said.

It’s based on looks, but every look is different and every look can be appreciated in the modeling world.

alee@redwoodbark.org

bark Yoga poses calming way to connect with mind and body Page 10 • Feature

www.redwoodbark.org

By Emily Sweet Alison Hammond Castro’s bare feet routinely wove through rows of yoga mats, periodically stopping to adjust students or ground herself at Fresh Yoga in Connecticut this summer, where she focused on yoga from the early hours of the morning until dusk. For a month, Hammond Castro helped aspiring yoga teachers earn a Forrest Yoga certification. Between meditation classes and her own practice, Hammond Castro began to worry that her left foot’s arthritis may act up. Days without arch support, guided by spiritual and physical connection to herself, seemingly prepared Hammond Castro for an increased risk of aggravating her feet. However, by the end of her training, her foot pain had completely subsided.

According to the October Bark survey, 22 percent of Redwood students self-reported that they attend a yoga class at least once a month. About 92 percent of these students are female, according to the same survey. A 2016 study done by the Yoga Alliance in association with the Ipsos Public Affairs Research Firm found that 15 percent of adults in the United States practice yoga, or about 36.7 million people. In 2014, the number was 20.4 million. In only two years, about 16 million more adults in the United States have begun to practice yoga and based on this data it is a phenomenon that will likely continue to grow.

Senior Haley Catton not only practices yoga, but embraces the experience and community of her yoga studio through her job. Catton began practicing yoga in the middle of her sophomore year and quickly afterwards obtained a job at New Om World in Larkspur. Currently, Catton works twice a week, but devotes much of her free time to New Om World whether it is attending classes or helping outside of her scheduled hours.

“Outside of work, I’m usually there once or twice a week. Out of everyone that works there, I’ve been there the longest. It’s kind of my space. I really care about it and I’ll go to check up on stuff,” Catton said.

Catton’s introduction to yoga came through a close friend, and she said she immediately developed a passion for it. She did not become involved in yoga for the spiritual aspect of it, but has found unexpected benefits from the spirituality. This element of yoga is part of what makes the activity so effective, according to Catton.

“Obviously it’s good for your body and feels nice, but it’s also really important as a way to have some time to yourself,” Catton said. “It’s a space where you’re focusing on yourself and your mind is clear.”

Junior Sophie Lizarraga also finds yoga to be a soothing way to connect Haley Catton, with her surroundings. After playing senior volleyball for two years, Lizarraga began attending yoga classes at Marin Power Yoga with her mom. Lizarraga explained that volleyball was a very aggressive way to release frustrations and yoga has countered that aggression.

“Yoga is more about confronting your problems—you flow more. With volleyball, I didn’t feel like I was totally flowing,” Lizarraga said.

According to the recent Bark survey, 54 percent of students do yoga as a method to release stress, and 58 percent of those students reported feeling relaxed and focused afterwards.

Photo courtesy of Alison Hammond Castro

INHALING AS HER students around her lie in savasana, Alison Hammon Castro helps aspiring yoga teachers earn a Forrest Yoga certification.

According to the same survey, 26 percent of students that practice yoga use it to balance other sports or activities. Lizarraga frequently uses yoga to supplement the weight training she has recently taken up. However, she also recognized that despite a student’s gender or reason for doing yoga, it can complement a healthy lifestyle.

“There definitely is a gender gap in yoga between boys and girls. I went to yoga class last night and it was all women, but with a man teaching it. Whether you’re a guy or a girl, it’s a nice way to relax,” Lizarraga said.

Though many students regularly practice yoga, it’s also a prominent aspect of many adult lives, includwwwing Spanish teacher Hammond Castro’s.

According to Hammond Castro, Forrest Yoga is one of the most valued and respected branches of yoga.

She earned her Forrest Yoga certification in the summer of 2009 after a month-long intensive program. This past summer, Hammond Castro returned to the training in New Haven, Connecticut to continue her practice and assist in teaching and helping new trainees. To do this, Hammond Castro had to devote countless hours to yoga, including a mentorship, attending 40 yoga classes, reading materials relating to yoga and completing community service hours at a shelter for victims of domestic violence.

Hammond Castro said her love for yoga has influenced her teaching.

“I am very empathetic, I feel people’s anxiousness or when people are frustrated. I feel when people are mad.

How I use yoga is I take a deep breath and I ground myself, then I respond to whatever question someone is asking. I’ll often say, ‘wait, I need to take a breath here’ and then I talk.

At the most it takes me three seconds, but that one breath can change the whole interaction,” Hammond Castro said.

Not only does Hammond Castro use yoga during her teaching, but she said she offers her Spanish students many opportunities to practice mindfulness. Her classes each practice mindfulness daily for about one and a half minutes.

While mindfulness and yoga are different practices, they intertwine, Hammond Castro said.

“Yoga is like mindful movement. It’s not exactly mindfulness, but it is a branch of mindfulness,” Hammond Castro said.

She hopes in the future to take her Spanish classes to one of the PE facilities to do a more structured activity.

However, Castro also explained that without a sense of maturity, it can be difficult to enjoy yoga.

“At high school age, I don’t think everyone is quite ready for yoga. People want to move more than they want to be still in a position. I do feel like there’s some students who are ready for it, and would benefit from it. [For] other people maybe it would be nice to have some sort of dance class, moving all the time,” Hammond Castro said.

Catton believes that more students could benefit from yoga, however adjusting can be a challenge especially compared to the fast-paced, loud nature of typical sports.

“It takes getting used to. You’re kind of thrown into it,

Your body is completley exhausted, but also buzzing­—there’s this energy you don’t get from anything else.

Infographic by Emily Sweet

that’s the nature of how class goes. The first couple classes I did I had no idea what was going on, they don’t really explain the poses or what you’re doing; you have to look around and watch people. You can’t be goofing off; there’s etiquette that yoga studios have,” Catton said.

Though the etiquette required for yoga is often a new experience for students and attending a yoga class may push students out of their comfort zones, the payoff for Hammond Castro has been enormous, she said.

“I feel very fit, I feel strong. I feel like the physical strength also gives me mental strength and emotional strength. The community that I have through yoga, I can post something on Facebook like a question or a problem and they’ll get back to me. It’s really helpful, it’s like a group of people that believe the same thing that are looking out for you,” Hammond Castro said.

Catton has also developed strong connections not only to her studio, but the actual practice of yoga. This summer she hopes to get a teacher certification, allowing her to teach yoga in college.

“There’s a stereotype surrounding yoga and the people who do it. Some people think of it as a hippie thing to do, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but it is different than that. I really want to advocate for it,” Catton said.

Her passion and gratitude towards yoga are evident and Catton’s final thoughts reflect this.

“The feeling when you’re laying in savasana at the end of class on your mat, and your body is completely exhausted, but also buzzing, there’s this energy you don’t get from anything else,” Catton said. “You just get to lay there in silence and think, actually not think, and focus on your breathing. It’s therapeutic. There is nothing else that compares to it.” esweet@redwoodbark.org

Photo courtesy of Alison Hammond Castro

Page 11 • Feature

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bark

TRAGEDY OF NorCal Fires: THE CARDINAL NEWMAN

Photo courtesy of Alvin Jornada

BURNING DUE TO the Santa Rosa Fires, Cardinal Newman has strived to remain a united force in the midst of tragedy. but for Braun, it is a sobering reality.

By China Granger, Neva Legallet “For the first time I actually want to go and Anne Pritikin to school. I wish I could, but I can’t. It’s hard because being with your friends is At the beginning of the year, the such a comfort and now we’re all scattered principal of Cardinal Newman High because a bunch of people have evacuated School in Santa Rosa County gave each from their homes,” Braun said. of the students a shirt that read “One For Joe Bone, a senior at Cardinal school undivided.” At the time, many of Newman, the loss of his school hits hard. the students didn’t see the relevance of “It definitely aches to think of the the message, including senior and ASB place that I’ve been going to high school president Kasey Braun. for the past few years of my life is for the “We were like, most part rubble, just ‘Why did you make destroyed,” Bone said. this? What’s the Now, Bone and point of it?’” Braun Braun aren’t sure said. where they will be That was before going to school for the last Sunday, when remainder of the year. the Tubbs Fire According to swept through Braun, the school Santa Rosa County, administration is destroying numerous working to get students neighborhoods back to school either and buildings— Kasey Braun, through online or offone of which was site classes, but there senior the campus of the are no clear solutions.

American Catholic Students also plan high school, Cardinal Newman. In to submit various assignments through the wake of the devastation, during a Google Classroom and possibly meet once church service held last Thursday, those a week. shirts suddenly held newfound meaning “I heard some of my friends in AP for Cardinal Newman students.

English got an email from their teacher “At the Mass a bunch of people wore and the teacher asked if anybody was those shirts and it really came true. We willing to offer their house for a meeting, a are one school undivided. We can get study group, for their class because there’s through this together,” Braun said. nowhere else to go,” Bone said.

According to Braun, although Some students might simply enroll in the gym still stands, the library, main other schools. office and many classrooms have been “A lot of people have been saying destroyed. they’d want to go to this school or that “There are so many memories. I’ve school or whatever, but personally I’d hate been going there for four years and now to see my school split up because we’re half of it’s gone. It’s awful,” Braun said. such a close community and my grade is Although for some tired, over- pretty close. We’re a pretty small school, stressed students, an extended break so I’m close with the majority of the kids,” from school may be a welcome relief, Braun said. “It would be pretty hard to be

There are so many memories. I’ve been going there for four years and now half of it’s gone.

separated after something like this.”

Although large portions of the campus are destroyed, Braun is hoping to return to the familiarity of her school.

“I hope the school can bring in portables and get rid of all the damage, and hopefully we can get back to school. We want to be at Newman, but we’ll see,” Braun said.

According to Braun, in a school of just over 600 students, their ASB is aware of over 20 students who have lost their homes to the fire. Although Braun did not personally lose anyone to the fires, she knows of peers who have lost loved ones.

“My friend’s elementary school teacher passed away [in the fire] and that’s been hard for her because she really loved that teacher,” Braun said.

In the wake of the tragedy, Bone, who is currently living at the place of a contact of his father’s friend in San Francisco, said that the community has come together.

“I think that this is honestly bringing a lot of people closer together, people that are technically friends, but don’t really talk really much are all coming together, offering shelter, clothes,” Bone said.

According to Braun, GoFundMes have already been set up for families who have lost their homes.

“People from all over, like alumni, family and friends of students and faculty have been reaching out, saying that they want to help rebuild and want to help donate,” Braun said.

On Monday, Braun, along with ASB presidents from all across the Sonoma County School District, met to begin organizing a clothing drive.

“We have exact sizes for certain people and then we’ll either deliver it to their houses or set up a location where they can come and get the clothes. The school has been pretty supportive of those people,” Braun said.

On Tuesday, she met with other the Cardinal Newman ASB members to discuss ways of supporting affected community members.

Cardinal Newman also held a Mass Thursday night as a way to reconnect and reflect after the devastation.

“I know two teachers who lost their homes. I saw them at the Mass last night. For a Catholic school that’s kind of our place to come together,” Braun said. “Most of us are united in that we believe in God and everything happens for a reason, so that’s keeping us together and giving us hope for the future.”

Although Braun’s house was not damaged in the initial blaze on Sunday, her family has been prepared for days to evacuate their home for a second time, first leaving on Monday after a downed power line caused a neighbor’s house to catch fire. She woke up at 2:30 a.m. that morning to see the hills near her house bright red.

“We didn’t have power, so we didn’t know what was going on, if the fire was close to us, or who was affected. My friend called me in the middle of the night and told us we had to evacuate, get up and leave,” Braun said. “It was just awful, we had to drive through our street and it was on fire.”

Bone awoke to a similar situation that same Monday.

“I was half-asleep because I found out at two in the morning. I woke up to my step-mom telling me that we had to evacuate right away because there’s a fire coming at us. We left in a matter of five minutes. I just got out of bed, put sweats, a shirt on, grabbed my phone and some flip flops and nothing else.”

Compared to the loss of lives in the community, the destruction of material possessions holds less significance.

“My dad reminded me of how lucky we are to have each other and nobody is hurt and that we can replace things like a surfboard and skis and cars and houses,” Bone said. bark@redwoodbark.org

Photo courtesy of Kasey Braun

AT 2:30 IN the morning, Cardinal Newman senior Kasey Braun woke up to see the hills outside her Santa Rosa home on fire.

NorCal Fires: EFFORT

BY CAROLINE CUMMINGS, SHANNON DONELAN way to Sonoma to check. We’re not gonna find out until everything calms down,” Vences said.

According to Erwin, this was the first time they have seen a fire burn outside of a campfire.

“That was my first time seeing fire destroying Sonoma, killing Sonoma,” Erwin said.

Both Alan and Erwin are uncertain of the status of their homes.

“If feels good being here with all my friends but it feels bad leaving our home. I miss it,” said Alan. “Going back if I see it burned down, I’ll be mad, worried and sad.”

Chaban described the wide range of emotions he experienced while evacuating.

“I always saw that people were in devastation of hurricanes and stuff, and I never would have thought it would happen to me until that day. I was just really sad and in disbelief and thinking how could this happen to us,” Chaban said. “I was just praying for the best­—that our house wouldn’t burn down.”

Search and Rescue:

Amidst the white ash coating the remains of the once trailer park in Santa Rosa, seniors Nick Forbes and Kobe Pole looked for signs of bones.

“We had to wear big boots with steel bottoms, and steel toes so we didn’t step on nails, white Tyvek suits to keep the dust off because there are all sorts of chemicals in the ashes, gloves, hardhats, safety glasses,” said senior Kobe Pole.

On Friday, Oct. 13, Pole searched for hours through the remains of Journey’s End Mobile Home Park in Photo by China Granger Fountaingrove, Santa Rosa, alongside other members of BURNNED IN THE fire, a Santa Rosa bus was found after firefighters Search and Rescue (SAR). and volunteers worked to clean up the wreckage caused by the flames.

Friday was the first day SAR was called up to locate missing persons at the mobile park and a few other family Edgar Chaban, a 17-year-old from Santa Rosa, had homes nearby. At the mobile home park, bones were Evacuation Centers: “It’s often said you see the best of humanity when the about thirty minutes to gather his stuff. He took his wallet, located.

“I was taken aback about how much was destroyed and worst is happening. I wish you didn’t have to wait for the IDs, phone, clothes and shoes.

“It was Monday around two in the morning and my how many people were displaced,” Pole said, “It was kind worst to happen, but you’re definitely seeing the best of everybody,” said Ryan Porter, a Santa Rosa resident and parents woke me up saying that we had to go. I had just of eerie to be in someone else’s house knowing that they the Director of Operations at Epicenter, a sports and gotten back from a soccer game so I didn’t really know hadn’t seen it yet and we’re still picking through it.”

According to Pole, it was strange to be able to recreate entertainment facility that was recently converted into a what was going on,” Chaban said. “They said there was a fire so I went outside to look and I looked up at the sky and houses as they located certain items. Bedsprings suggested donation center. where the bedroom used to be. Ceramic plates, cups and In the wake of the devastating wildfires that swept over it was all orange.”

Two boys, 10-year-olds Alan and Erwin, are friends bowls, common items left behind, pinpointed the kitchen.

Northern California, many residents are left unsure of how “Everything was blackened and just ash covered, and it and neighbors in Sonoma. When the fire hit their town, to move forward following this tragedy.

Across the Bay Area, facilities have welcomed those Alan was woken up by his brother and had 30 minutes to was desolate and destroyed,” Pole said.

Pole, who has been on SAR for four years, has done affected by the fires. Evacuation centers have opened up in grab personal items before his family evacuated.

“His mom said grab anything important and he numerous searches and responded to many tragedies. places such as the gymnasium of Terra Linda High School, “We do a lot of body recoveries for the County of the Marin County Civic Center and other locations in grabbed his soccer shoes,” Erwin said.

Erwin and his brother were the first of his family to Marin as well as elsewhere so [they’re] not my first bodies.

Petaluma, Santa Rosa and Sonoma.

Depending on the circumstances,

Laine Hendricks, a public relations officer for the realize the situation, they alerted the I don’t know anything about this county of Marin, has been working in close collaboration rest of his family. person, I don’t know their history, “I felt like it was time for school with the Civic Center evacuation shelter.

I haven’t met their family before, I “We opened it initially as an evacuation center, so that and then I went outside. Then I noticed don’t actually know who they are. means it was just a temporary location to hang out and to there was smoke, fire, and everything All I’m seeing is a fragment of their wait out to see if the evacuation orders were going to be was burned,” said Erwin. bone,” Pole said.

While Vences said he is still feeling lifted,” Hendricks said. “We realized that is not going to According to Pole, SAR first happen. I mean, they are not going to be able to go home much of the same uncertainty as before, sends a drone up to make sure the because the fires are still raging, so we turned this into a the support he has received from the area is safe. They then send dogs in Marin Center has helped a lot. shelter.” and the human searches follow.

“Just knowing that the people from According to Hendricks, on the night of Monday “Yesterday there was a lot of Oct. 9, the shelter housed 475 people, with an additional here, they’re great, that calms me down aluminum roofs that would melt 50 moved over to Terra Linda’s gym as the Civic Center a little bit more,” Vences said. in over the frame. So we would Despite the less than ideal Exhibit Hall filled to capacity.

Ryan Porter, have to peel back the roof and then The shelter provides the evacuees with three meals a conditions, Chaban describes a sense of EpiCenter Director of Operations we would send the dog in another day, a safe place to sleep, activities for the children and camaraderie within the shelter. time. Then we would go in and look “It’s very friendly. People help their families, showers and donations from the community carefully,” Kobe said. such as clothing and shoes, according to Hendricks. each other out,” Chaban said. “They’re SAR was originally contacted around 4 a.m. on Sunday, She described the response from the community as being compassionate for each other. And they know what everybody’s going through—that they don’t know if their Oct. 8 by Sonoma County Sheriff Office to help with tremendous. evacuations. Due to complications, the SAR team was sent “We didn’t even need to ask for donations. People just house is still standing or not.”

Alan and Erwin discovered a bright side to staying at back to Marin, where they led the set-up for the evacuation started showing up with clothing and cases of bottled water center at the Civic Center. and food and all sorts of things. This is what happens often the Civic Center.

“A lot of the Red Cross people and the Health and “We can do everything we want here. [At school] we when there is a disaster,” Hendricks said.

Marketing and Communications Manager for Cultural can’t do nothing, we can’t play soccer whenever we want,” Humans Services people who run the shelters normally Services Libby Garrison echoed the generosity shown by Alan said. “We can do more things like play cops and don’t have the same response time as we do. [SAR] can show up immediately,” Pole said. robbers. In school we have to do math and science.” the community.

Pole will most likely continue to go up to help the As the sun set below the horizon, Alan, Erwin and their “The response from the community has been completely efforts of searching for missing people as the fires continue overwhelmingly heartening. This community has really friends laughed and played soccer.

Erwin describes his daily routine at the center as “sleep, to burn. rallied to come together in every possible way,” Garrison said. “I’m getting calls all day long from neighbors who live eat and video games.”

Community Support: Chaban felt that the uncertainty was the worst part and close by who want to come pick up families and take them As Garrison put it, fire doesn’t discriminate. home and let them shower and feed them and then bring recognizes that his town has a long road ahead.

“You hope for the best for [evacuees], that their house Unfortunately, two Redwood faculty have been severely them back.”

Some evacuees were given enough warning to collect is still standing, but you know that a lot from the news that impacted by the fires, losing their homes. In an email sent their important belongings, but others had a much more you see are gone. You’re just wondering when you go back, out Thursday, Oct. 12 by Mary Jane Burke, Marin County what houses will be standing and what won’t be there no Superintendent of Schools, over 1,000 school employees in rushed evacuation.

Nineteen-year-old Gustavo Angel Vences’ parents more and how Santa Rosa will get back on its feet,” Chaban Marin have been affected.

Redwood teacher Stephen Hart decided to step forward picked him up right from his work in Sonoma to drive said.

Vences and his family are among the many that still do to help Redwood staff by creating a GoFundMe page, a site down to San Rafael for safety. All he had with him was his which allows people donate to a specific cause. not know if their house survived. uniform.

“As of Wednesday, Oct. 11, at least two of Redwood “Where I live is all the way up in the mountains and “I felt like throwing up [driving away from home],” Vences said. “Honestly, I don’t even know how to describe where the fire is occurring, so we don’t really know if it High School’s staff members have lost their homes and burned down or not. And we’re kind of scared to go all the possessions in the fires raging in Sonoma, Napa, and other it, but I was feeling really uncomfortable.”

It’s often said you see the best of humanity when the worst is happening.

TS FROM MARIN COUNTY

N, JOCELYN OVERMYER AND JORDAN OVERMYER

Photo by Christine Watrige

PROVIDING REFUGEES WITH clothing and survival resources, volunteers have donated and helped people coming down from Santa Rosa. counties up north. Several more fear being impacted as the fires continue to move closer to their homes,” Hart wrote on the donation page.

Hart said he created the web page because of people outside of the state who expressed interest in donating money.

The GoFundMe’s call for support gained immediate traction and immense support from our community.

As of Monday, Oct. 16, $65,660 has been donated by 576 people, shattering the original goal of $10,000.

Hart says he was not expecting the overwhelming amount of donations that occurred.

“We knew that there was a lot of potential help and support waiting from the community, but I don’t think any of us expected that much to come out of it,” Hart said.

This type of support is something special to the Redwood community, according to Hart.

“I think we’re very lucky in that we generally live in an area where people have the ability to help out in the capacity that they are,” Hart said. “It shows that Redwood has a great support network and that there’s really just some very caring people in our community, everything from teachers to students to former students.”

Hart plans on ending the GoFundMe page some time in the near future.

“Donations have definitely slowed down. I think we’ve kind of reached basically everyone in our community as much as we can, and we really at this point want to make sure that this money makes it to our impacted employees,” Hart said. “We’re probably going to be withdrawing that money and distributing it very soon.”

Redwood’s leadership class also stepped in to help organize different forms to help support not only the staff affected but the entire community. Senior and ASB president Eamon Rogan has been helping lead these efforts.

“There’s been a lot of support within the Redwood community helping people they know or even people they don’t know,” Rogan said. “It’s good because we are a community that has the resources to help people and it’s great to see that everyone is feeling that we are going to help.”

Starting last week, Leadership organized boxes that were placed in every classroom, where donations of any sorts could be brought. By the end of the day on Thursday, the two outside the front office were already filled to the brim.

The donated items will be collected and sorted through all donated items which will then be brought to local centers.

Leadership also plans to start a fundraiser this week where they will be collecting money donations.

“We are going to be by the flagpole and CEA collecting money before school, during lunch and after school.”

Rogan said. “There’s also going to be people going up to the cars and asking if they will donate.”

Within the Leadership class, they are creating gift baskets filled with donations and gift cards for the two staff members that lost their homes.

Other Redwood families are assisting evacuees in different ways as well. With shelters and evacuation centers declining further donations due lack of space, families

have decided to take more direct action. Seniors Katie and Maddie Baker and their family decided to “foster” a family.

“They had nothing. They are positive their home was destroyed,” said senior Maddie Baker about the Napa family her family is supporting through buying them necessities.

The Baker family has been helping a family of three who lost everything in the fire.

“When they woke up they hadn’t gotten an evacuation notice, but when the dad woke up his whole window was orange with fire. So they left the house with nothing, only their PJs on,” Baker said.

The Baker’s met the family through the owner of TJ’s gym, and provided the evacuee family with clothes, Target gift cards, Visa gift cards, towels, toiletries and more.

“Our whole system worked really well and we organized everything in 48 hours. They thought it would take two weeks, but my mom wanted to do it in 48 hours because if we had waited any longer it would have been harder to help them immediately because they needed clothes right away,” Maddie Baker said.

Before the fires, players on the Corte Madera Football Club competed against the Santa Rosa United Club players’, both with the mindset to score. But as the fires enveloped the homes of Santa Rosa players, the two clubs banded together with one goal.

Cynthia Pillsbury and her colleague Smallhorn, both mothers of players on CMFC, stepped up to organize donations from families on the soccer club to help the Santa Rosa United Club.

“We play Santa Rosa United, which has been gravely affected by the fires. In fact, over 40 homes have been destroyed of players we play against, so we decided let’s help our fellow soccer players. We all become one team when tragedy strikes,” Pillsbury said.

Their efforts were met with much compassion and generosity from the soccer club families. In a matter of days, over 50 bins and $7,000 were collected at Hall Middle school, the homebase for donations. The bins of clothing are being transported to a house in San Rafael where the affected families can collect essential items.

“I just knew that we could make a greater impact by getting our community together and we wanted our kids to do more than see us write a check. We wanted them to get involved and create a movement, work together, and for them to realize the kids we play on a soccer field, it could have been us,” Pillsbury said.

Pillsbury and all the families raised an additional $250 through a bake sale and plan on continuing holding events and fundraisers to further help the victims.

“I love that my kids are getting involved and they’re realizing they can make an impact. I feel like the whole community has come together. You know, in two short days a small community of soccer players and people they know have raised a lot of money that will go directly to these fire victims,” Pillsbury said. “At least they have new clothes to wear, and games to play and dolls to hold and soccer cleats and shin pads to play soccer with in the coming weeks.” bark@redwoobark.org

Photo by China Granger

SEARCHING FOR BODIES, memebers of Search and Rescue survey the rubble.

Timeline of the fires in Northern California

sports

Page 14

Sailing: one of Redwood’s best-kept secrets

Article and photos by Jack Parsons A briny spray is ejected into the air as the powerful waters of the Raccoon TRYING TO UPRIGHT their boat, the sailors have learned how to recover if their boats capsize in the cold water. A boat can Straight slam into the fiberglass hull of a capsize because of a simple technique error or due to a large gust of wind. small, two-man sailboat known as a Flying Parker Shinn, who just recently began Junior (FJ). The boat maintains its balance coaching the Redwood team this year, for another ten seconds, but soon enough, attended Point Loma High School in San a gust of wind along with a simple error Diego, which is consistently ranked within overturns the boat. the top five in The two sailors PCISA ranking. have capsized.

With many years Now completely of competitive submerged in the sailing under San Francisco Bay, his belt, Shinn the sailors must is more than quickly upright qualified to lead their boat before the the team as a cold temperatures coach. take control and “Redwood hinder their physical never officially abilities in the next adopted the practice race. sailing team in the LEANING OUT TOWARDS the water, senior Liam Farese balances his boat during These two young past years due to practice. sailors, seniors liability reasons, Tommy Young and and nowadays it Parker Shinn, Ian Roddy, both wear would take too Coach lifejackets with the much time and big red letter R and effort to be considered,” Shinn said. a Redwood tree. These lifejackets indicate Kaelin Stock, a 4-year sailor, stated which school they sail for when competing that the athletic department turned down a in regattas (sailing tournaments), and funding offer because of the liability with a during practice, like how the red and gray dangerous sport like sailing. jersey represents Redwood on the football But, like official Redwood sports, field. Although Redwood is known for students still need to tryout for the varsity its diverse range of school-funded sports or JV team. Sailing isn’t advertised like programs such as water polo,volleyball, other sports, causing many students to be football and softball, the one sport that unaware that the team exists although the might not come to mind when “Redwood team still competes at official regattas. sports” are mentioned is the sailing team.

“Sailing is a lot more popular than That could be because although it seems most people think, but since sailing as though seniors Young and Roddy are regattas aren’t held on school campus like associated with a Redwood sport, that isn’t basketball and football games, it doesn’t quite true. get as much schoolwide attention,” Shinn SAILING THROUGH THE San Francisco Bay, the team departs from the San Francisco Yacht Club.

The coed group of 17 sailors isn’t said. recognized as an official school team. fifteenth place out of 53 teams.

For that reason, the sailing team is one in his eighth grade year.

Though the team competes under the of Redwood’s best-kept secrets, according “Like many other high school sports, “Although we aren’t an official name “Redwood,” it is actually owned by to Kaelin Stock. sailing is really hard to pick up if you begin Redwood team, that still hasn’t affected the San Francisco Yacht Club. Similarly, “The Redwood Sailing Team is your freshman year of high school, and it’s us from performing well. In the future, the Tamalpais High School sailing team is something you’d only find out about if hard to excel in the though, I would like hosted by the Sausalito Yacht Club. Most you have been sailing your whole life,” sport if you start that for the team to become other high school sports, in comparison, Stock said. Stock, however, makes up the late,” said Stock. an official Redwood are funded directly by the school.

Sophomore Eric sport,” Maier said. minority of the team as he began the sport Maier, who grew up The team just in Tiburon, joined finished their first the team because of regatta, which took a passion for sailing place in Monterrey that started at the age from Sat.14 Sun.15. of five. In Tiburon, Redwood finished in

where the San 16th place out of 33

Francisco Yacht Club teams. The team raced Linda Perrella, College Planning Consultant is located, sailing in the “Gold” Fleet, a Kaelin Stock, is a very popular collection of 33 varsity • Tutor for ACT/SAT • UCLA-certificated pastime for many senior sailing teams from • Member: NACAC, HECA, • Search for Colleges/Careers locals because of the around the state, and WACAC proximity to the bay. junior varsity teams • Help to Create Distinctive “Most of the team is from Tiburon raced in the “Silver” fleet. Their next Essays and grew up sailing, which is what I think regatta is in Newport Beach, CA on Nov. makes this team unique compared to other 11-12. lindaperrella@comcast.net · www.lindaperrella.com Redwood sports,” Maier said.

Despite lacking official school Office: 415.927.7944 · Cell: 415.606.7521 recognition, the team still looks forward to their upcoming season and hopes to land Life is a journey, not a destination. –Ralph Waldo Emerson

the same or better results than the 20162017 season, in which they finished in jparsons@redwoodbark.org

Sailing is a lot more popular than most people think, but since sailing regattas aren’t held on school campus like basketball and football games, it doesn’t get as much schoolwide attention.

The Redwood Sailing Team is something you’d only find out about if you have been sailing your whole life.

bark Selden seldom ceases to impress as captain of varsity water polo Page 15 • Sports

www.redwoodbark.org

By Jordan Overmyer

At six in the morning, most high schoolers haven’t even started hitting the snooze button on their alarms, but for junior Ely Selden it’s time for his morning routine: a cool down in the Redwood pool.

“I’m half asleep when I leave. We usually get to the weight room and work out in there for 30 minutes before hitting the pool to loosen up and warm up for the day,” Selden said.

As the varsity boys’ water polo team is in the midst of its season, this busy schedule is warranted. According to Selden, the team practices eight times a week in addition to games and tournaments on the weekend.

Although initially he did water polo solely for conditioning purposes, Selden has turned it into an activity where, from being named MVP his freshman year to being a captain of the team this year, he has thrived as a vital player.

“I’d say I’m a more active player or at least I’m trying to be this year. I used to just take outside shots and play defense, but this year I’m trying to be more active because we don’t have any big dominant players this year,” Selden said.

Selden began playing six years ago in sixth grade for the Tiburon Peninsula Club (TPC) Sharks, a local club team. At the time, he was also playing soccer and baseball and used water polo as a sport to help stay in shape.

“First I was just doing it for conditioning for soccer and baseball because it’s a vigorous sport. But then I never really liked baseball that much so I quit and I found water polo more entertaining than soccer, so I stuck with water polo,” Selden said.

Selden is now one of the three captains, a trio faced with leading a group of mostly underclassmen after last years graduation left the team lacking in senior superstars, including previous captains Tim Peterson and Francesco Cico.

“We lost a lot of our best players last year. Since we are trying to rebuild our team this year, continuing the legacy is trying to win MCALs next year and to play well this season,” Selden said.

Sporting the number two on his cap, Selden is the second highest scorer on the team, with a total of 16 goals so far and is tied for the highest number of steals at 17.

During the 45 games he’s played over the course of two year on varsity, Selden has taken a total of 76 shots on goal, converted 39 of those into goals, has had 32 assists and 34 steals.

As a versatile player, Selden plays utility, a position meant for someone who is defensively and offensively skilled and capable of interchanging their positions in the pool.

“I think he is a very well-rounded player and you can put him anywhere and he’ll do his job,” said Tor Parawell, a junior and co-captain.

Senior Jacob Berston agrees that Selden is a player that you can always count on.

“Ely is not scared to make a decision and he doesn’t

Photo by Jordan Overmyer

REACHING UP TO catch a pass, Selden is considered a reliable, hardworking, and responsible player and captain by his teammates. have any fear out in the game. He is able to think quickly same page,” Selden said. “I try to give them constructive and act upon those thoughts,” said Berston. “When you criticism which doesn’t always work. But it depends on give the ball to Ely, you can also trust him to make a smart the person, you have to figure out what works for them.” pass and put down a accurate shot.”

Parawell and Selden, along with their third co-captain, Parawell met Selden during the summer of sophomore senior Cale Tippett, work together after each game by year, when they played together during water polo trip to watching the game tapes to review and discuss strategies Croatia. From teammate to friend to co-captain, Parawell for the future and make sure they are all helping everyone regards Selden as a hard worker, a great communicator perform to the best of their abilities. and a responsible captain whose actions garner respect “As a captain, he works hard and leads the team with from the entire team. a nice energy and everyone “He’s a team leader. He’s not respects him,” Parawell said. really a captain to me but more like “If there is an issue on the team, a friend and I feel like he’s a friend he tries to solve it and he’s to everyone on the team,” said constantly thinking about the Parawell. game and ways we can improve.”

Berston matches Parawell’s Berston believes that Selden thoughts on Selden as a captain. wasn’t just chosen because “Ely is the main captain because he’s our best player of his talents but also because of his naturally positive and is always there, he’s a dedicated player. Ely never personality. questions his actions. He realizes what he has to do and “The kind of person that Ely is, is reflected in the way then executes it,” Berston said. “[As captain] he is given he plays. He doesn’t play dirty or is an aggressive player. a platform to which he can manage and instruct the team He is a honest athlete and a really nice person, wellaccordingly.” tempered and in control,” Berston said.

With his newfound position as captain, Selden has Selden plays water polo year round and when Redwood found himself becoming more vocal in practices instead season isn’t in session, he plays for Sleepy Hollow of keeping to himself in order to keep the team organized Aquatics (SHAQ), a competitive club team. and improving.

“The last couple of years, I’ve spent more energy “To me, being the captain is trying to help everyone on waterpolo than on school, which is fine for freshman be as good as possible and help everyone stay on the and sophomore year, but this year it’s a lot more difficult because the workload is a lot harder,” Selden said. “But it’s a really good way to blow off steam because you use a lot of energy.”

According to Selden, this season has been rough due to the difficulty level of the tournaments they’ve played in and the number of new faces to the varsity team.

“Our biggest goal right now is being able to play well enough to beat Tam so we can get second in MCALs because I don’t think we have a chance of beating Drake this year,” Selden said. “In our league games we’ve only lost to Drake, which is an insane team.”

Selden and his team play next at home against Tam on Oct. 24.

SPORTS

SPOTLIGHT

Infographic by Jordan Overmyer

4 10-3

days of sport practices were canceled due to the fires

jordan.overmyer@redwoodbark.org

SPORTS BY THE NUMBERS

The girls’ field hockey teams final season record

103

steals were made by the boys’ water polo team

60 22

goals were scored by the girls’ water polo team of which were scored by Caitlin Donnelly

Infographic by Jordan Overmyer

www.redwoodbark.org bark Page 16 • Sports Senior expands her passion for aerial dancing through teaching

By Tilly Friedlander

When she was 12, senior Emma Ross wasn’t like the other girls at her horseback riding camp. It was not the horses that she was drawn to—instead, she had her eyes on an activity more daring, a sport that no one that she knew had done before, a passion that she would later pursue throughout her high school career. That week at horseback riding camp, Ross gracefully wrapped silks around her body as she pulled herself off the ground, beginning to teach herself aerial dance.

“There’s nothing that can prepare you for what you do in aerial. It’s kind of like ballet. You don’t start doing all these cool turns or having a perfect turnout. It’s something you really have to work up to slowly,” Ross said.

According to Ross, she is the only Redwood student who aerial dances and is the only person her age at Aerial Dance Marin in San Rafael.

R o s s ’ schedule can be overwhelming at times, as she balances aerial dance two to three days a week, advanced d r a m a performances Emma Ross, and her own job senior at an athletic store.

“Balancing aerial with drama class has been a lot. Last year I had Micetro rehearsals and aerial and [modern] dance all at once. And then second semester I got a job,” Ross said.

Aerial Dance Marin, owned by Sheila Bannon, opened in 2015 and Ross was the first student to take a class. The new studio has been much more convenient for her schedule than the San Francisco studio

where she used to take classes.

“I remember when I met her it was so funny because she came to a class where she was the only one there, but she didn’t mind. She just dove right in and has been coming ever since,” Bannon said.

Since then, Ross has been co-teaching beginner classes to other students ranging from six to forty years old.

“Sheila really wanted to start a trend of aerial dance [in Marin]. As [Aerial Dance Marin] grew, I was one of the more advanced people who went there. Sheila was the only teacher and asked me to start helping her co-teach for one of the beginning classes and bring new material for the more intermediate students to learn,” Ross said.

Ross has been an exceptional coteacher for the beginner dancers, according to Bannon.

“She’s so good at explaining things. She plans what she is going to do ahead of time and she works well with kids,” Bannon said.

“She’s motivating and she’s good at keeping kids on track and focused.”

According to Kelsey Ruggard, a beginning adult dancer at Aerial Dance Marin, Ross has been a very helpful coach for students in her class.

“She definitely pushes you and she wants everyone to do the absolute best that they can,” said Ruggard. “She always has a bunch of different moves that we’ve never seen before that she brings from other places or invents herself.”

Ross appreciates that aerial incorporates all her passions and physical strengths into one activity.

It is kind of cathartic when you achieve something that you’ve been working on for a really long time.

Photo by Tilly Friedlander

STRETCHING INTO A pose, Ross has been using her talent and experience to coteach a beginner class.

“I love aerial because it combines my “The San Rafael farmers’ market interest in athletics and performing arts. sometimes allows us to come in and set up It’s the ultimatum between those. It is kind with the crash pads and the masks. It was of cathartic when you achieve something a less formal show where you just kind that you’ve been working on for a really of pop up there and free-style improv it,” long time,” Ross said.

Ross said.

Ross prefers aerial dance to a modern Although she has already proven her dance class that she takes at Roco Dance talent at the studio, Ross is hoping to Studio in Mill Valley, because aerial continue to improve her aerial skills in the exercises a wider range of muscles. future. “[Aerial] uses such unique muscles.

“Now that I’ve been doing aerial for You’re holding yourself in the air. It’s a nearly four years, I like to say that I’ve got lot of grip strength, back strength and core a lot of conditioning under my belt, but I strength that you really can’t gain from still have a long ways to go,” Ross said. other activities,” Ross said.

Ross plans to practice aerial no matter Ross’ first show with Aerial Dance what, but her dream is to have aerial dance Marin was a benefit performance to raise as part of her career. money for the Valley fire in Lake County, “My future is uncertain at this point. where she performed her first duo act.

I’m applying to traditional colleges but “We choreographed it together and that aerial silk is my passion,” Ross said. “No was my first time choreographing my own matter what happens career-wise in my piece and then performing it. My friends future, aerial will be something I’m doing were there and it was really cool because for a long time.” it was the first time they’d ever seen me do this live,” Ross said.

Since then, Ross has performed three times at farmers markets around the county tfriedlander@redwoodbark.org with Aerial Dance Marin.

Junior makes history despite falling short in the Tiburon Challenger

By Sam Warren Five years ago, junior Stevie Gould was idolizing the players at the Tiburon Challenger as a ballboy. But this year, it was his turn to take the court.

“Playing was a surreal experience,” Gould said. “Not too long ago, I was asking players for autographs and watching them play. Now, little kids are asking for my signature.”

On the morning of Friday, Sept. 22, Gould got an

Photo Courtesy of Harrison Segal

PREPARING TO RETURN a serve, junior Stevie Gould competed in the Tiburon Challenger.

unexpected phone call during first period.

“I was sitting in my AP United States History class when I got a call from [tournament director] Brendan Curry.

I was really surprised when he told me I got a wildcard spot and that I would be playing the next morning. I didn’t think I was going to get in, so I was really excited when I heard the news,” Gould said.

Curry, the director of the tournament, said he was impressed by Stevie’s desire to play and decided to give him a shot.

“Stevie really took initiative. As a wildcard, you must apply to be eligible to take part in the tournament. Stevie continued to keep in touch with me after he requested to be considered for the tournament, and when a spot opened up and his qualifications checked out, we thought it’d be a really good opportunity for him to go out and play,” Curry said.

Gould had never played in a professional tournament before and he was quickly thrown into the fire. He was tasked with playing the second ranked player in the qualifying rounds, Marcelo Arevalo, a former top 100 player in the world who played in all four major tournaments last year.

“It was crazy. I’d never played someone of that caliber and strength before. I’d practiced with some of the former players for the Cal Men’s team that were at the tournament and even the junior US Open champion who was also playing, but I’d never played against a professional. It was a profound and humbling experience,” said Gould.

Not only did Gould have a personal first on Saturday, but he also set a Tiburon Challenger record as well.

According to Curry, Gould is the first high school player to ever play in the 11-year history of the tournament.

Although he felt intimidated by the track records of some of the other participants in the tournament, Gould has built a reputation for himself as well. He is currently the number one ranked player in Northern California in the under-eighteens division, number ten in California and

top 50 in the nation, according to the United States Tennis Association (USTA) amateur rankings.

“These guys were seasoned veterans, and I was by far the youngest player in the tournament. Most competitors were in their mid-20s and had been playing on the circuit for a while. But when they learned who I was, they were quick to give me pointers and advice on how to approach a professional tournament and how to improve my game, and were also really impressed and complimentary of my game,” Gould said.

Even though Gould went down his first match of the qualifying, losing in straight sets to Arevalo, he still received massive support from the hometown crowd.

“Stevie had been taking lessons at the Tiburon Peninsula Club for years and when people found out that he was playing in the Challenger, many came out to support the local kid. It was a really great atmosphere and everyone was excited to come and watch a homegrown product,” Curry said.

Mary Lou Tierney, the director of ballboy operations for the Challenger, had known Gould since he was a ballboy for the tournament and was impressed by his love for the game from a young age.

“He’s always been passionate and the hardest worker on the court. Since he was little, he always tried his hardest and never complained. He’s one of the nicest young men I have ever met but also one of the fiercest competitors,” Tierney said.

Although the results didn’t turn out the way Gould hoped, he said he found many positives to take away from his experience.

“You have to be more physically and mentally tough [at the professional level], and you have to outwork your opponent and not purely rely on your talent. I know what I need to improve upon and I can’t wait for my next shot at another pro tournament,” Gould said.

swarren@redwoodbark.org

bark Page 17 • Sports Skating provides an outlet for sophomore Elliot Gorham “When I see [Elliot] in school it’s like he’s chained up with responsibilities that he doesn’t necessarily want, A skateboard and a pair of Vans are the only two but when he’s out skateboarding, there’s a lightness in his objects that sophomore Elliot Gorham needs in order to personality that comes out,” Freiburger said. “He is more feel free and gain a sense of self. carefree, he seems freer, happier and excited about the Growing up, Elliot was inspired by his brother’s love world.” of skateboarding and subsequently fell in love with the According to Freiburger, Elliot’s necessity for a ruleadventure and social aspect of it. free environment has been fulfilled through this sport.

“You can do whatever you want, see whatever you “Skating is what gives Elliot the freedom that he want and there are no rules, which I like a lot,” Elliot said. needs. There’s something in his genetics that makes it so Elliot’s brother, Nick Gorham, described the way that he doesn’t want to be subject to anything that is forced on skateboarding has taught them to work together rather than him,” Freiburger said. against each other, as they are united by their common At least twice a week, Gorham spends time skating, passion. placing one foot on the deck of “When we were younger I feel like the board and using the other to there was kind of a competitive aspect control his speed and direction. On about it, but not so much anymore. weekends, Gorham travels to the When we were younger I’d be bummed city to skate with his brother and if he learned a trick before me, so we friends that he’s made through the were pushing each other in that way,” sport or through Freiburger.

Nick said.

When completing the advanced The bond that the Gorham brothers tricks like the ones Elliot can share through skateboarding has created Tommy Freiburger, perform, injuries are common, common ground for the both of them. and Elliot’s fearless personality junior “I’ve always skated with him, and contributes to his success in the I started skating with him, so it’s pretty sport. natural. It’s the thing that we do together,” Nick said.

“Elliot’s a thrill seeker; he likes to get dangerously close Elliot’s best friend and former skating buddy, junior to getting in trouble. There’s a physical injury component Tommy Freiburger, described the important role that to it, and yet still he’s pretty daring,” Freiburger said. skating has played in Eliott’s life, highlighting skating as a

Nick echoed Freiburger’s description of Elliot’s way that both he and Gorham de-stress. adventurous personality and noted his significant

October 20, 2017

By Hannah Halford

Elliot’s a thrill seeker; he likes to get dangerously close to getting in trouble.

Courtesy of Damahni Jackson

BANKING OFF THE wall, sophomore Elliot Gorham finishes a trick in Chinatown in San Francisco. improvement over the years.

“He used to fall a lot and he’s super sketchy and dangerous to watch, but like everyone [else] he’s just getting better,” Nick said.

Elliot’s deep passion for skating has served as a healing art form that has let him experience a taste of freedom.

hhalford@redwoodbark.org

Mountain biking gears up for their unpredictable season

By Jocelyn Overmyer Most Redwood sports are played on campus with a panoramic view of Mount Tam. But within the trees of Mt. Tam, the rolling hills and the California coast line, the Redwood Mountain Biking club rides on the unlimited woven trails that sculpt the terrain.

“It’s so fun to be in nature and you’re not confined to a workout room. You’re not confined to a field on campus. You can really just go all over Marin County, all over the state, all over the country and world and you’ll still find mountain biking,” senior Bay Johnson said, who has been on the team since his freshman year.

Made up of around 40-50 riders, the Redwood-affiliated sport looks to regain their former success after previously unrewarding years.

Like Johnson, juniors Dylan Anderson and Nathan Kim joined their freshman year.

“My goal is trying to go fast and still push my limits but not lose my control and go off the cliff; finding that boundary of going really fast and really smart,” Anderson said.

Throughout the season, the team practices every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. In the winter, the

team attends indoor Pelo Spin classes.

Every year the team races in five competitions in the Northern California (Norcal) region. The races are divided into groups: freshman, sophomore, junior varsity and varsity. The top 75 percent for each section qualify to go to State, where the northern and southern California conferences meet for one integrated race.

The amount of laps in the race increases as a racer moves up the ranks, starting at two laps for freshman increasing to four to five for Varsity racers.

In previous years, the team held backto-back State Champion titles. But recently, the team has fallen short in claiming the title. According to coach Peter Brockman, the team is looking to place at least in the top three in the state.

The 2016 team came in 4th in State and 5th in 2015. The previous three years before the 2015 season, the team came home as champions of the state race. Tam and Drake continue to be their biggest rivals.

However the team does not lack potential. In 2016, Anderson claimed the number one spot in the sophomore division in States. This year Anderson hopes to continue placing in the top spots.

The team has numerous coaches who are parents of students previously

Photo by Jocelyn Overmyer

PREPARING FOR HER trail ride, junior Kate Benjamin sits up on her bike with fellow riders to her side.

and currently on the team. This includes Brockman, the father of Viveka Brockman, who graduated last year. Her father is continuing to coach for his fifth year. Other parent coaches include Rodney Loo and Hugh Marasa.

“Normally there’s four of us that are always here, [and] probably 10 more that come and go,” Brockman said.

According to Johnson, the fact that the coaches are parent volunteers doesn’t mean that their skill and dedication falls short or lacks experience. In fact, Brockman dedicates a lot of time and effort to the team.

“It’s developing kids as young adults, preparing them for when they are off on their own. The camaraderie helps the kids learn to be much more responsibility,” Brockman said.

According the Johnson, the team has a lot of new racers joining the team this year that will strengthen the team in numbers, skill and passion.

“We got a lot of new kids this year which is great. Last year we had a kind of small team, and we lost a big portion of our graduating class which was a good fifth of our team,” Anderson said.

Freshman Haley Randel, who has been attending the team’s practices for two years, is one of the numerous new riders.

“It’s really great because the last two years I haven’t been able to do the Norcal races. It will be really fun to actually have the race experience with my teammates,” Randel said.

The newcomers’ experience ranges across all levels. Kim, who started racing competitively in the summer of 6th grade, was introduced to the sport early.

“The first time I ever went on a mountain biking trail was when I was six years old. My dad and I went to China Camp,” Kim said.

But not all of Kim’s teammates had early exposure to the trails. For Anderson, it was his first time mountain biking when he joined freshman year.

“It was a big learning curve. I had biked to school just about every day in elementary school but mountain biking is pretty hard. I got the hang of it pretty quick. It took me about a month until I was riding with the older kids,” Anderson said.

The sport allows racers of all skill levels

to proceed at any pace and competition level.

“It’s not like any sport we have here at Redwood. The atmosphere is so different.

It’s not super competitive but if you want to go really hard and be competitive, you can do that. But no one is going to judge if you just want to have fun,” Anderson said.

Mountain biking has no confinement, and the open-endedness of the sport attracts riders like Johnson.

“Part of the reason I love it because it’s so accessible in terms from here. I can literally just ride 10 minutes from my backyard and be on the mountain within the hour so it’s super easy to ask a friend to go on a ride,” Johnson said.

This allows mountain bikers a temporary outlet into the surrounding nature.

“It’s really just a way for me to get out and just forget about all my school problems and stuff that’s going on at home.

[Biking is] a way to zone in on what you’re doing, just a great escape,” Anderson said.

For Johnson, starting the sport allowed him to get more involved.

“I really like it because it’s one of the first sports I’ve really gotten excited about, in terms of school sports. When I was in middle school, I didn’t really care about school sports but when I started going to mountain biking races it made me a lot more spirited and I started paying more attention to other school sports,” Johnson said.

Like most racers, Randel is drawn towards mountain biking because of the personal reward it offers.

“It’s really fun you can just get so much speed and it builds a lot of confidence.

You get to be proud of yourself for accomplishing such a great thing,” Randal said.

Like most of the racers, the reward the sport offers for coaches is plentiful.

“As coaching, it’s great, seeing a kid barely make it up a hill one year and then racing in a National championship all smiles another, that’s the payoff,” Brockman said.

jocelyn.overmyer@redwoodbark.org

review

Page 18

Eatsa provides futuristic, automated fast food experience

By Verenice Palczynski Walking into a restaurant, one would typically see waiters, a hostess or two and chefs working in the back. Eatsa, located at 121 Spear Street in San Francisco, has other locations around the country, and is almost completely void of human interaction. The only staff member in sight is one person at the front door explaining how things work to first-time customers. Though the lack of human interaction is alarming at first, it creates an experience that is simpler, quicker and more enjoyable than a traditional chain.

The red bubble letter sign out front is delightfully inviting.

Stepping into the restaurant, one sees two walls lined with iPads that only accept credit cards.

Each iPad opens to a menu with tabs for the different categories of food: breakfast bowls, lunch bowls, bites and beverages.

Once the order is placed, you walk over to an area with a wall of animated windows. Each otherwise transparent window displays a different animation: some say “Welcome to Eatsa” or show a cartoon bowl of food rolling across the screen.

The inside of the restaurant felt as though it were from several years into the future. In about three

Photo by Verenice Palczynski

APPEARING IN A window after being ordered from an iPad, the food at Eatsa in San Francisco comes quickly without sacrificing taste.

When I visited the restaurant, minutes, when the order is ready, a personally-assigned window I ordered the “No Worry Curry” will black out, and after about quinoa bowl, the “California ten seconds turns transparent, Poke Bowl” rice bowl, dark displaying the food behind the chocolate cake bite, berry chia glass and the customer’s name parfait, a sparkling mango guava on the front. Tapping twice on drink and a sparkling cucumber the glass opens the container. All melon drink. This was more than food and beverages come in a to- enough food for two people and go fashion. The food can either came out to only about $20.

Both food bowls tasted as be eaten at one of their tables or though the ingredients had been taken it to-go.

The establishment provides picked that morning. The avocado both indoor and outdoor seating. in the rice bowl was beautifully Both maintain the color scheme of green, without a bruise or brown chrome and a red-orange, which spot in sight. The greens were keeps the overall atmosphere fresh, unlike what one would find consistent and gives it a futuristic at other fast food establishments.

The crunchy wonton strips feel.

stayed crispy after being mixed in and added a texture to the meal that made eating that much more enjoyable. This fast food chain seems to come without any of the unhealthy connotations associated with other large chains.

The food, atmosphere and experience alone is worth the trip to San Francisco; however, if you are in the mood for a dessert, you are better off staying home.

Though I cannot attest to the other desserts offered by Eatsa, if the dark chocolate cake bite and berry chia parfait are any indicator, Eatsa is not the place to satisfy a sweet tooth.

At first glance, the dark chocolate cake bite looked delectable, a perfect square of chocolate. However, it tasted like

a dense piece of fake sugar and artificial chocolate and was not worth finishing.

The berry chia parfait had the texture of cottage cheese and, again, tasted like artificial sugar.

Though some people enjoy the texture of chia seeds, I am not a fan. Additionally, the added berry flavoring tasted far too sweet and artificial.

Despite the unsatisfactory desserts, Eatsa is the perfect place for lunch with friends, a quick grab on the way to work or a date. With rising automation in the country, it is fascinating to see the potential future for many resturants. vpalcynski@redwoodbark.org

Photo by Verenice Palczynski

SERVING FOOD IN a restaurant with little human interaction, Eatsa offers fresh and healthy fast food.

Young local artists showcased in Marin art museum

By Charlotte Seton Did you know there’s a modern art museum in Marin?

I didn’t either, until I recently visited the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Novato to see an exhibition featuring up-and-coming local artists.

The museum is housed in a mission-style building in Hamilton Field. The interior has the same California feeling as the exterior, with bright, airy cream walls, Spanish tile floors and wooden beams on the high ceilings.

Rather than being intimidating and lacking natural light as one usually experiences in museums, MOCA offers a refreshing and uplifting atmosphere.

The exhibit of Emerging Artists of Northern California is located in the main gallery of MOCA. It highlights the work of five artists, each of which offers a strikingly unique artistic interpretation. The exhibit begins with the colorful collages of Andrea Bergen. Like most of the artists in the exhibit, Bergen is a young local artist. She received her

Bachelor of Fine Arts degree only in 2013.

The texture of Bergen’s work is so compelling that I found it hard to resist touching it—she layers hundreds of bits of paper to create images, and one can see the sculptured depth this layering effectively creates. Bergen’s work is typically centered on playful animal images but upon longer reflection, you will see the darker themes of an imploding human world in the background.

Bergen explains that her work demonstrates her anxiety about climate change and humanity’s footprint on the environment and wildlife in the plaque adjacent to her artwork. Her collages represent her expectation that animals will take over the world in the future, but she uses bright and vivacious colors and themes to depict this message in a lighthearted way.

The exhibit is set up for the visitor to meander from one artist to the next, room by room. The second artist, Shannon Abac, uses ceramics to express her creativity.

Abac received her Masters of Fine Arts degree from San

Photo by Charlotte Seton

PORTRAYING THE EFFECTS of climate change, Andrea Bergen’s collages are part of an exhibition at the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art in Novato.

Francisco State University in 2016.

Abac’s ceramic pieces are purposefully unexpected and messy, yet surprisingly fascinating in their seemingly ongoing state of half formation. In the plaque describing her work, Abac says, “The unexpected, the mistake and failure are sources of innovation that lead to unforeseen possibilities in my work.” Her attempts to control the uncontrollable are compelling to behold.

I walked into the third artist’s exhibit and thought I was in the wrong room. There were several very large, very stained strips of silk fabric hanging from the ceiling to the floor. But it turns out Katie Revilla’s art centers on textile-based images, in this case reflecting the rust stains of well-used farm tools. Revilla is a young artist who only just graduated from University of California Berkeley.

Her immigrant family’s long heritage of farm labor is symbolized by the process of the metal alloys from the rust eating away at the silk hangings and changing the stain imprints over time. While the metaphor is striking, large pieces of stained fabric are not necessarily aesthetically appealing.

The last two exhibits were more strange than captivating. The next artist, Aida Lizalde, is currently a student at University of California Davis. Her medium is clay, and she sometimes uses her own body to sculpt the clay. She actually will reside in the clay forms while creating them, often as an exercise in endurance and discomfort. I couldn’t help staring at one piece that clearly held the imprint of a human body, but that was the only piece that held my interest.

The final artist, Philip McGaughy, used film, lighting and sound to attempt to convey his message of a planet in peril. However, his film of a tidal flow and someone digging in the sand was too long, and the imagery was boring.

The city of Novato dedicated the current location to MOCA in 2000. According to the museum brochure, MOCA houses working studios for over 55 artists along with the main gallery. MOCA does not charge admittance although a $10 donation is suggested since it does not receive any government funding.

If nothing else, this exhibit will broaden your definition of art. These artists’ imagination areis laudable and, in some cases, truly striking. This small but eye-opening exhibit was well worth the hour I spent to view it. cseton@redwoodbark.org

redwoodbark.org

‘Battle of the Sexes’ shines light on story fighting for gender equality

By Caroline Cummings Full of powerful women, male chauvinism and enough bright tennis outfits to cause permanent eye damage, “Battle of the Sexes” offers an entertaining and heartwarming portrayal of a real-life fight for gender equality in the realm of sports.

Depicting the highly publicized 1973 tennis match between one of the top female tennis players in the world, Billie Jean King (Emma Stone), and a 55-year-old former Wimbledon Champion, Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell), “Battle of the Sexes” provides a look into the inequality and sexism that pervaded the nation at that time, which is still all-too familiar today. Although some of the rougher details of the struggle for equality were glossed over, “Battle of the Sexes” is both easy to fall in love with and thankfully devoid of any moral preaching.

Much of the film is told through juxtaposition, offering an interesting and effective way of telling the stories of two wildly different characters: King and Riggs. This contrast can be seen as soon as the movie begins, as the scenes shift back and forth at a fast pace, providing background information on both

King’s and Riggs’ lives.

King is immediately likeable, shown as spirited and lively.

In only the first few scenes, we see her being recognized as the first woman to win more than $100,000 in a single year in the sport of tennis and being praised by President Nixon for her achievements. Most importantly, we see her pulling out of the Association of Tennis Professionals to form her own Virginia Slims tour with other female tennis stars when they wouldn’t award women equal prize money.

These scenes are split up by windows into Riggs’ much darker life. We see him watching King on TV as he sits idly in an empty office, leaving his family dinner early to make outrageous bets in the dark on a dimly-lit tennis court and calling King in the middle of the night at a random payphone in an empty parking lot to propose his idea for their match.

These fast-paced scenes at the start effectively highlight the drastic differences between the two lead characters, and these contrasts are continually shown throughout the movie. When King finally agrees to Riggs’ idea of having a “Battle of the Sexes” match to see if women can play at the same caliber as men, their training routines are shown in the same style. Riggs’ scenes are quick and amusing shots of his ridiculous publicity stunts: dressing up as Bo Peep, playing with skillets instead of tennis rackets in his exhibition games or labeling himself a “male chauvinist pig,” while King is shown tirelessly training, a look of determination on her face.

Much of the success of the film is due to Stone’s seemingly effortless portrayal of King.

Stone depicts King as a likeable, strong and empowered woman while simultaneously conveying her internal struggle, particularly in navigating her first romantic relationship with a woman, her hairdresser Marilyn Barnett

(Andrea Riseborough).

This relationship, though not the driving plot of the film, is strong enough to almost carry the movie on its own. The chemistry between Stone and Riseborough seems natural and easy, and the struggle that King faces both with coming to terms with her sexuality and figuring out how to handle her affair without hurting her husband is arguably the most captivating aspect of the plot.

Perhaps most interesting about the film is that Riggs is clearly not the antagonist. It is obvious he is acting the way he is simply for publicity, and not because he actually believes in inequality. The real enemy of the film is the society that rewards Riggs for his absurd and sexist behavior. This social commentary is an incredibly important and powerful aspect of “Battle of the Sexes.”

However, while many comparisons have been made between the publicity surrounding the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match and the last presidential

Page 19 • Review

election, directors Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton made sure to steer clear of any direct connections between the two. The movie instead focuses solely on the 1973 events.

With that in mind, Carell perfectly portrays Riggs doing what he does best: keeping it light and comical. He expertly depicts the attitude of a man who only wants to be in the spotlight, even if that means being preposterously chauvinist and making a fool of himself.

While Stone and Carell both deserve recognition for their portrayals, the movie could not have succeeded in being so entertaining had it not been for the supporting cast. Sarah Silverman and Natalie Morales’ portrayals of Rosie Casals and Gladys Heldman, respectively, two crucial figures in the success of the Virginia Slims Circuit, added spirit and humor to aspects of the movie that would otherwise have been brought down

by King’s serious nature.

The characters are what make this movie the uplifting and

ccummings@redwoodbark.org

Photo Courtesy of Fox Searchlight

PUBLICIZING THEIR TENNIS match, Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) sit next to each other at a press conference.

New Corte Madera Philz Coffee location impresses

By Jack Parsons

It’s hard to choose between a dark roast or a medium roast, an iced mojito coffee or an iced mocha coffee, a slice of avocado toast or a warm buttery croissant. For that matter, it’s hard to make up your mind about anything at Philz Coffee. Tucked away at Town Center in Corte Madera, the newly-opened coffee shop will impress anyone. Known as one of the pioneers of “Third Wave Coffee,” a movement to produce high quality coffee and to treat it like an artisanal foodstuff rather than a

commodity, Philz is a unique, pleasant and fun experience.

Philz has real coffee. It’s not a place where the most popular drink is a Pumpkin Spice Latte or a Unicorn Frappucino. Philz Coffee is how coffee really should be. The flavors are authentic, the coffee is bold and the caffeine rush is intense. Nothing is overly sweet or watered down, and the barista makes the drink right in front of you; all of the coffee is pour-over.

A perfect example of coffee gone well is the Jacob’s Wonderbar dark roast. At

Photos by Jack Parsons

ON THE MENU of the new iced coffee drinks, the Mint Mojito is just one of Philz Coffee’s many inventive drinks.

bark

entertaining story that it is. A sense of attachment and care for the characters is developed throughout the movie. “Battle of the Sexes” doesn’t spend much time building up suspense to the match between Riggs and King, as would be expected. However, this allows more time to be spent on the seemingly natural character development and while the storyline is predictable, the lives of the characters are engaging enough that the outcome is surprisingly not boring.

“Battle of the Sexes” may have taken place in 1973, but the struggle it depicts is still relevant in society, and is one that needs to continue being discussed.

The movie is both uplifting and entertaining, and for that reason alone, it is worth watching.

Furthermore, it is important and pertinent. It is rare to find a movie that is light-hearted, funny, spirited and relevant. “Battle of the Sexes” succeeds in all these categories, making it a must-see.

$4.50 for a large cup, this roast checked from flaky chocolate croissants and Greek all the boxes. The flavor was deep and had baklava to avocado toast and a Philz bagel, a chocolatey, nutty undertone. The drink which combines cucumbers, tomatoes, was the perfect temperature. It wasn’t a cream cheese and salt on a fresh New York lukewarm liquid that you forgot about bagel. Whether you’re looking for a sweet on your desk for twenty minutes, but it pastry to accompany your coffee in the also wasn’t something so hot that would morning or something to give you energy burn your tongue and serve as a reminder for your upcoming day at school, chances during your next three meals. The barista are you will find it at Philz. added a perfect blend of cream and sugar, Besides the coffee, what separates Philz known as “50/50” in Philz lingo, without from any other coffee shop in the area is its becoming overly sweet or creamy. environment and culture. The baristas ask If a hot coffee from Philz still doesn’t you how your day is as you wait for your cut it, the shop has a variety of unique coffee to be crafted, and customers chat in iced drinks that will make anyone go line. The menu is written in bright colors crazy. Take the iced Tesora mocha, and is small, not in your face with thirtyfor example. At $5.50, the mocha is a plus menu items and overwhelming calorie quintessential blend between cold and counts next to them. You can find games flavorful coffee mixed with rich cream like Connect 4 to play at a table while and a chocolatey, syrupy bottom whose sipping on your coffee. Philz is not a place flavor seeps into the coffee that sits above. you walk in, have your drink within five While this mocha is addictive, it’s not minutes and rush back to your car. The line something that will have most counting is long and the shop is spacious and filled their calories and feeling sick by the end. with comfortable furniture; Philz is a place It’s not overwhelmingly sweet but gets to take your time. the job done if you’re looking for a cold, People there are having conversations, chocolatey blend on a hot day. not staring down at their phones while If you’re feeling exotic, you may drinking a chocolate chip frappucino. want to sip on a mint mojito iced coffee. Everyone in the shop seems like a dieThe name may not sound appealing, hard Philz drinker that would never settle but it’s not what you may think. This for a different cup. The price for a coffee adventurous concoction combines isn’t cheap at Philz, but for the quality and iced coffee, cream and a subtle mint experience that comes with your drink, flavor. Atop the white frothy drink sits anything should be worth it. If you go there a fresh mint leaf, whose green color a lot, you might as well develop a first pops out against the white foam. name basis with the employees.

Oh, and they have food too. Lots of it. Philz serves a range of fill-me-ups, jparsons@redwoodbark.org

October 20, 2017 bark Page 20 • Review Ohana Açai Cafe scoops up fresh take on açai bowls

By Anna Compagno Açai smoothie bowls are a fairly new trend that have been sweeping up and down the California coast. Açai is an energy-filled snack that not only tastes delicious, but has an extensive list of health benefits which include promoting heart health, boosting the immune system and energy levels, and improving mental function according to Global Healing Center.

Recently opened on Sept. 27 and located at the Market Place shopping center in Corte Madera, Ohana Açai Café is the perfect place to get your daily dose of açai. Within walking distance from Redwood, students can buy a healthy lunch and still make it back to school in time for class.

Serving both açai and pitaya (dragon fruit), smoothie bowls, smoothies, as well as homemade Kombucha on tap, they use only fresh, healthy and organic ingredients, according to owner Todd Donaldson. Donaldson has been in the açai business for over five years and was inspired to start his own company after trying it for the first time in Santa Barbara.

“I love being able to look customers in the eye and know I’m serving them something that

not only tastes good, but is also healthy and amazing for their bodies. I only make things with the highest quality ingredients because that’s the way I like to eat,” Donaldson said.

The Hanalei Bowl, with sweet açai, ripe banana, juicy pineapple, tasty papaya and coconut milk topped with fresh granola, chopped strawberries, coconut shreds, cacao chunks and a drizzle of honey, stood out to me on the menu due to the variety of appetizing flavors. It proved to be a mouthwatering display, with the honey slowly oozing down the sides of the bowl and the strawberries, granola, cacao and coconut sinking into a cold blend of açai. Bursting with flavor, each ingredient combined together tastefully for every bite of the delightful bowl. It had an ideal ratio of toppings to blend, and the bowl was surprisingly filling even though it was mainly composed of fruit.

The second bowl I tried, the Avo Açai Bowl, topped with granola, bee pollen, shredded coconut, granola and a drizzle of honey laying on top of the pure açai, papaya, pineapple, banana, avocado and coconut milk, did not fall short of my high expectations. With every bite I took, the luscious smoothie base melted in my mouth and I tasted

Photo by Anna Compagno

SERVING FRESH AND nutritious açai, Ohana Bowls opened in the Market Place shopping center in Corte Madera on Sept. 27. every flavor each spoonful.

The menu offers a variety of açai blends, including peanut butter, kale, avocado, banana and strawberry bowls, topped with granola, fresh fruit, honey and much more. This extensive list means that there is a type of bowl that suits any taste palette.

Ohana Açai Café, is still working on adding new additions to their menu, according to Donaldson.

Although it is a little pricy at $8 for a small bowl, $10 for a medium and $13 for a large, Ohana

Açai Café’s bowls are made with all organic ingredients. The fresh ingredients and knowledge that you’re eating a nourishing and delicious meal makes up for the price. Furthermore,the portions are also sizeable considering the prices.

With a laid-back coastal theme, the atmosphere of the cafe is relaxed and offers a modern twist on a typical smoothie bar.

One of my favorite parts of the experience was hearing the owner consistently ask the workers if

they were having fun. Being in an environment where the owner cares if the employees as well as their customers are happy makes the overall experience even more enjoyable.

Currently, their hours are Monday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but they are hoping to expand to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. once they are at full speed.

Their Instagram, @ohanabowls actively posts updates. acompagno@redwoodbark.org

Jump into fall by visiting Marin’s best pumpkin patches

Kevin’s Strawberry Villa Pumpkin Patch

By Sachi Nahas Decorating doorsteps, carved with silly faces or baked into pies, pumpkins are a fall necessity. Shy until autumn, the vibrant orange, cloudy white or mellow green pumpkins make their first appearance on the first day of Oct. For those seeking the true fall pumpkin patch experience, below are some of the best patches in Marin.

Marin Country Mart

Located in Larkspur Landing across from the ferry building, the organic pumpkin patch at Marin Country Mart provides customers with fresh heirloom pumpkins from Marin’s Fresh Run Farm in Bolinas. Conveniently located in two spots in the shopping center, one next to Three Twins Ice Cream and the other near the Marin Country Mart Trading Post, the small pumpkin patches are open every day all day until October 31.

Under and around a tall, long-branched tree stands series of hay stacks that provide the support for the display of many organic pumpkins. Offered in a variety of colors from creamy white to warm orange, the pumpkins are sold through a white cash box which displays the pricing of each pumpkin. The pumpkins are sold by flatrate size; small pumpkins are sold for $5, medium for $10 and large for $15. As no one stands guard or mans the pumpkin booth, the pumpkins are sold in the form of the honor system.

Although the Pumpkin Patch at Marin Country Mart’s location is very accessible and convenient for Redwood students, the pumpkin patch doesn’t provide their customers with an enthusiastic fall season feeling. If one is looking to buy pumpkins quickly, than this pumpkin patch is a quality visit. On the contrary, if one is seeking a longer, more fulfilling experience at a pumpkin patch, then the Pumpkin Patch at Marin Country Mart may not be the perfect one for you.

Photo by Sachi Nahas

OFFERING AN OCTOBER staple, the Nicasio Pumpkin Patch provides customers with beautiful pumpkins and a real-life farm experience.

Nicasio Pumpkin Patch You can find the perfect pumpkin at Nicasio Pumpkin patch, where there are hundreds of pumpkins to choose from.

Celebrating their 22nd season in Nicasio, a small town west of Marin, the pumpkin patch not only offers beautiful plump pumpkins but provides customers with a real-life farm experience. Open from 10 a.m. to six p.m. on Oct. 1-31, Nicasio Valley Pumpkin Patch is worth the 32-minute drive from Redwood.

On the farm, high quality organic pumpkins are dispersed along the grounds of the wide-spread meadow. Ranging in size from petite to large, the pumpkins are priced through a wooden cutout in the form of a specific pumpkin size. The pumpkin someone chooses can either fit in a small, medium or large slot depending on its distinct figure. The prices range from five dollars to $32 and increase with the pumpkin size.

Along with size, the pumpkins vary in types. There are the typical orange

Halloween jack-o-lantern, plump cinderella, silvery orange fairy tale and pale green jarrahdale pumpkins available for purchase.

Additionally, a farm stand greets customers at the entrance, where one can find squash, gourds, decorative corn stalks, small drinks and snacks.

Along with pumpkins, one can find many entertaining attractions including real life farm animals, hayrides and more kid-friendly attractions, such as a jumpy house or an inflatable slide. Most of the attractions are free, but some have an admission fee and are primarily set up on weekends.

Furthermore, Nicasio farm invites people to their location as they provide shaded seating areas, live bands on weekends, and Bim Jim’s BBQ, enabling automatic relaxation as the customer looks out at the beautiful agrarian scenery.

The environment at the patch is very inviting and friendly, as the workers take their time to welcome and assist customers to their necessities.

Kevin’s pumpkin patch offers much more than wonderful quality pumpkins.

When visiting the patch, which is located off the Highway 101 south Stinson Beach exit, one will experience a blast from the past. Visible from as far as the highway, Kevin’s pumpkin patch is surrounded by gigantic cutouts painted to portray an abundance of Disney characters. Along with the cutouts, the patch has bouncy houses and its famous inflatable space shuttle slide, all available for a total of $5.

Celebrating their 39th year in Marin, Kevin’s Strawberry Vwwilla Pumpkin Patch allows customers to select from a supply of “grade A” pumpkins. The round bright orange pumpkins are found scattered around the cutouts and bouncy houses, ready for the customer to pick their perfect pumpkin. If one guesses the weight of the Big Mac pumpkin, sitting up in front of the trailer, the winner gets to take it for free.

The prices range depending on size and schools can receive a 15 percent discount.

Likewise, Indian corn, gourds, miniature pumpkins, pumpkin cutters, scoops and candles are sold up front at the trailer. Free pumpkin recipes and pumpkin facts and information can be found throughout the patch. The worker at front is very friendly and encourages her customers to take photos of the recipes.

The adorable and youthful aspect of Kevin’s Pumpkin patch may be entertaining and engaging for some customers, but primarily attracts younger children and families. The experience visiting Kevin’s is one worth going for, but may not be longlasting visit for the older customers who may not be as excited to jump and play on bouncy houses or slide down slides.

snahas@redwoodbark.org

lifestyles

Page 21

A trip for freedom: Redwood parents fly to Catalonia to vote in referendum

By Amanda Morse For years, the people of Catalonia, a small region in northeastern Spain, have been united by the same desire: independence for the region they call home. With a different flag, culture and language, many Catalans believe they should not be associated with Spain.

On Oct. 1, 2.25 million people filed into polling stations, awaiting their chance to vote for the freedom of Catalonia from Spain, the result being 90 percent of the population voting in favor of their independence according to officials.

Despite the Spanish government’s attempts to stop the referendum by deeming it an illegal practice, the unified people have continued to fight for Catalonia.

To stop the rebellious action, the Spanish government sent police troops into the region to subdue voters.

Junior Lia Gubau is the daughter of Catalans Marta Llibre and Pep Gubau who were both born and raised in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia. After years of living in Catalonia, the Gubau family decided to move to California when Lia was in fifth grade.

With the majority of their family still living in Spain, it is difficult for the Tiburon family to witness the devastation occurring in their country from a distance, especially with the fast progression of the situation.

“Our parents have been fighting for our culture for years, which was forbidden and persecuted. Our grandpas fought in the civil war and died. [Fighting for Catalan independence] is something that is ingrained in our DNA,” Pep said.

Due to their Catalan background and pride for their culture, Pep and Marta decided that it was important for them to fly out to Catalonia for voting day on Oct. 1. Although it was difficult leaving their four kids at home, they were willing to make it work if it meant being able to fight for their region’s freedom.

“We feel that our country requires all the citizens to fight for it so we are proud of this and we feel

that we have to. It’s a national feeling, a cultural feeling; we feel the weight of the history on us and we feel that we owe that to our country,” Pep said.

Although there have been past referendums (the most recent one being in 2014) that the family has traveled back to vote for, they have all been unsuccessful. The severity of the current situation has become increasingly tense in terms of the extremity of the police forces and government actions.

While working at one of polling stations, Marta recieved notices that the police were on their way to shut down the voting. The environment quickly switched from one of excitement to one of fear.

“People were standing there, no fighting at all.

Quiet, silent, no flags, but they were just coming and beating everybody, trying to show that they are stronger and bigger... it was really scary,” Marta said.

This time, the government did not allow ballots to be sent in through mail and has also blocked any online websites that include information about the referendum for the people in Catalonia.

“Everyone should have a right to democracy and voting for what they want and all we are asking for is a right to vote,” Lia said.

After being able to experience the voting first-hand, both Pep and Marta were excited by the amount of people who voted “yes” for Catalonia’s independence, despite the violence that circled the ballot boxes.

Although there were many people who participated in the voting, Marta was shocked by the amount of violence that occurred between the voters and the Spanish police officers. Marta feels that the government was trying to scare people as a way to keep them from voting.

“It wasn’t about the independence, it was more about having the freedom to vote. It doesn’t matter if people were trying to vote yes or no,” Marta said.

With the vast majority of voters in favor of independence, these results clearly express the anticipation of the people awaiting the moment that Catalonia declares independence.

Photo by Amanda Morse

STANDING OUTSIDE THEIR house Lia Gubau’s (middle) parents, Marta (left) and Pep (right), prepare to leave for Spain to vote.

“We feel we are culturally and historically different and we want to follow our path. Americans decided not to be English. We’re not Spanish, we were forced to be Spanish. At the end it’s ‘we the people,’” Pep said. amorse@redwoodbark.org

Teachers tackle the fantasy football season head-on

By Matthew Mulcahy Football lovers crowded around their televisions on Thursday, Sept. 7 to catch the opening kickoff of the 2017 NFL season. This kickoff was especially symbolic for fans who participate in their respective fantasy football leagues nationwide.

The 2017 fantasy football season had commenced.

According to the October Bark survey, 37 percent of students have drafted a personalized roster of NFL players for a fantasy football league at some point in their lives. However, students are not the only ones on campus who have drafted a roster, joined a fantasy

Photo by Matthew Mulcahy

LOOKING OVER HER fantasy lineup, chemistry teacher Marissa Peck prepares to select players before the game.

league and have their own fantasy football team to stand by this season. Chemistry teacher Marissa Peck, World History and Leadership teacher David Plescia and Physical Education and Academic Workshop teacher Ryan Lloyd have all drafted their own fantasy teams to tackle the competition in their leagues.

Peck and Lloyd have distinct memories of watching sports growing up. Peck’s father was a sports fanatic, who exposed Peck and her siblings to football, hockey, soccer and basketball. Lloyd grew up in a household where football was the most popular sport. His father played football in his high school years and his brother played all the way up through junior college.

However, neither Peck nor Lloyd played the game.

“Personally, I had always watched football but I was never a big lover of football,” Lloyd said.

Plescia became involved when he was in college while Peck and Lloyd did not learn about fantasy football until they were out of school. Plescia first learned about it during the 1995-1996 NFL season when his college roommate introduced it to him. He remembers scouring the Monday morning paper for the previous week’s game’s box scores, which were sent to be cross referenced and added up by hand by his roommate who was the league’s commissioner.

“My college roommate was and still is an actuary, a man of statistics. He was one of the people who got my friends and I into fantasy sports,” Plescia said.

While teaching his first year at Redwood in the fall of 1998, there was a school-wide league that a majority of the staff participated in. They would pick the winners of the upcoming week’s football games, and whoever picked the most winning teams would receive the most points for the week.

“Everyone would mark the winners and it would be posted in the teacher lounge about how many points each participant had, how much money and who was leading,” Plescia said.

Currently, Plescia plays in a league with some friends from his neighborhood. Similar to Plescia’s experience, Peck first learned about fantasy football through her friends while participating in a coed flag football league in San Francisco.

“I started playing fantasy football with my flag football teammates,” Peck said. “I’ve been playing with them for about eight years, which is a pretty long time.”

Before fantasy season, Peck likes to conduct light research on team predictions and lineups to prepare for

the draft. She looks for teams with strong offensive lines.

“If a team is going to have a good offensive line in front of the quarterback, that’s super important, so I always keep that in mind come draft season,” Peck said.

This year, Peck’s family started their own fantasy football league. Peck finds the inter-family competitive spirit fun and engaging for the whole family.

“I talk to my sisters a lot more about fantasy football and it’s all my dad wants to talk about now,” Peck said with a chuckle.

Lloyd began playing fantasy football when a group of friends from his high school asked him to join their league after they had all graduated from college in 2007.

“They asked me to play to complete the league lineup and I did it. I’ve been in it ever since,” Lloyd said.

Lloyd, Peck and Plescia all note that fantasy football has helped them stay in contact with their friends. For Lloyd, due to family responsibilities and the fact that his friends live throughout the East Bay, it’s often hard for them to meet up. However, fantasy has helped solve that problem.

“For our league’s draft, it’s mandatory that each member shows up. You get to see people that you [normally] see once a year. It’s fun. We make a day out of it. We cater in food, just like a nice gettogether to hangout with everybody,” Lloyd said.

Overall, Peck, Lloyd and Plescia enjoy the fun and competitive nature of their fantasy leagues.

“The fantasy league is fun because you have friends to joke around with and smack talk with in a good natured way,” Lloyd said.

Peck and Plescia have found that fantasy has increased their knowledge regarding football and the players and teams of the NFL. “Fantasy has encouraged me to watch more football and learn more about the game rather than just pay attention to the teams I like,” Peck said.

Although the three teachers have their own fantasy teams, they all stress the importance of rooting for the success of their favorite NFL teams before the players on their respective fantasy rosters.

“My rule of thumb is that you always have to root for your team first but if my players are competing against a team other than the [San Francisco] Forty-Niners, I root for them,” Plescia said.

mmulcahy@redwoodbark.org

bark

Page 22 • Lifestyles

October 20, 2017

What’s cookin’ good lookin’?

By Sylvana Perczek Nick Cook’s morning routine consists of analyzing his mood that day and piecing together his outfits accordingly. On a good day for example, he’ll sport a colorful crop top and a pair of denim shorts. Other days, he’ll convey his low spirits by wearing pale colors and sweaters. As an AP Art Studio student, Cook is not shy when it comes to expressing himself.

When he was thirteen, his wardrobe changed drastically. According to Cook, he began wearing outlandish clothing because he didn’t want to look like everyone else anymore. When Cook was in seventh grade, Vineyard Vines started becoming a more popular brand; every day he would come to school and he would see khakis, white Vans and quarter-zips all around.

Cook felt compelled to have a distinct look that was unlike anyone else’s at his school, as spending $135 on a sweatshirt was not something he wanted to do.

“If I can’t be them, I’ll do something else that I enjoy. In seventh grade, I started watching videos of people on YouTube going to thrift stores and just looking cool and I was like yeah, I’ll just do that because I don’t have money to buy Vineyard Vines,” Cook said.

According to Cook, people thought how he dressed was weird and would comment on it, but by eighth grade people started accepting it.

Cook likes to find items no one else is wearing and spends a lot of time looking for those one-of-a-kind pieces in secondhand stores.

However, he struggles to find thrift shops nearby.

“I do thrift shopping in the city with my mom and friends and go online shopping to find clothing items that other people aren’t wearing. I also have a sewing machine and I embroider my own clothes,” Cook said. “Being in Marin, there’s not much in terms of thrift stores. There’s a Salvation Army and a Goodwill in San Rafael and they just closed down the two family thrift stores in Mill Valley.”

Recently, Cook has been trying to start a clothing company with his business partner junior Jason Pham, who attends San Rafael High School. The products that Cook makes are marketed through the Instagram account of @lilthiccy and he plans on establishing a website after he has an official set of products.

Although he has the intention of making new clothes and designs, he has difficulties due to the lack of money he currently has. Recently, he got a job at Three Twins

Ice Cream in Larkspur to fund his fashion endeavors.

Although Cook has a love for fashion, he isn’t sure if he wants to pursue it later in life. He knows that even though it is something he is passionate about, it isn’t easy to be successful in the fashion business.

“I am considering becoming an art teacher later in life in order to keep myself young. I think that if I become a teacher, then I’ll always be around younger people and always know what’s going on and popular among young kids,” Cook said.

Cook is interested in fashion, but in terms of it being a career path, his mom and dad have told him that it’s a good hobby, not a steady job.

“If I had all the money in the world to choose my profession, then I would make a bunch of clothes for people and I would try to make it as affordable as possible.

I would make it reach as many people as possible and make it have some kind of meaning behind it,” Cook said.

Fashion aside, Cook is also interested in all types of art. He used to make music by teaching himself, as well as playing the trombone, trumpet and occasionally the piano. Now he focuses his musical talents purely on singing. He also likes photography, as well as making short movies and videos. According to Cook, he has experimented with every kind of art except for dance.

Along with taking AP Art, Cook is also a teaching assistant for two other art classes. Because of his schedule, he spends a lot of time in the art room with his teacher Lauren Bartone. Bartone teaches AP Art History, Drawing and Painting levels 1-6, Art Explorations and AP Studio Art Drawing and Painting.

“Ms. Bartone is probably my favorite teacher in the whole campus. She tried to force me into a lot of new things just so that I could learn. Because I do a lot more designdeveloped stuff, she wants me to try and do more realistic kind of art and she pushes me to be a better artist,” Cook said.

Bartone has been teaching art for about 13 years.

According to Bartone, early in her career she had been hesitant about teaching art.

However, the enjoyment she finds from

helping students like Cook grow their talents brings Bartone enough inspiration to overshadow her initial fear that she wouldn’t be able to handle when kids didn’t like art.

“I like to think of my job as helping kids get out of their own way in terms of being creative thinkers,” Bartone said.

“I work with a lot of kids that are very creative on their own and are very hard working as artists on their own, and I feel that my job as their ‘coach’ is just about helping them get through the rough parts or the hard times or the struggles with a project, and helping them stay motivated to finish and try new things so they discover more about themselves.”

According to Bartone, Cook is exciting to work with because he knows what his voice is and is very clear on how he wants to communicate it. She is dedicated to helping Cook develop more of his technical side and guiding him to master skills that he normally wouldn’t acquire on his own. “[Cook] has a real affinity for a graphic style in his work. He’s very influenced by fashion and pop culture.

Sometimes he will interpret my assignments into his own language but he’s never outright resistant. He’s not ever going to copy something that someone else did for the sake of following directions,” Bartone said.

According to Cook, making art at home by himself is a lot harder than being in a classroom with all of his friends who challenge him to be better, such as junior art student Ulla Wilcox.

Cook’s unique style pushes his peers’ creative limits.

According to Wilcox, he inspires her to look fashionable, work harder at her art and be the best person that she can be.

“People have told me of what an odd outfit Nick Cook is wearing, but I think [the outfits] are cool. I think they’re always very put together and thought out and really interesting. I have seen him evolve with his clothes but especially with his art,” Wilcox said.

Cook has strong opinion on style and how people choose to express themselves.

Because of this, he has a very simple life motto.

“In terms of dressing the way you want, it’s all just a matter of being comfortable with yourself and saying f**k everybody else. This is how I feel, and this is how I wanna express myself. I don’t really care how you feel about it, but if you enjoy it, that’s cool,” Cook said.

sperczek@redwoodbark.org

Photos by Sylvana Perczek

Page 23 • Lifestyles

www.redwoodbark.org

Meet the couple living in Hannah Baker’s house

bark

By Neva Legallet At the top of smooth wooden stairs, a cherry red door is propped open, framed by white wooden pillars and flowering shrubs. The exterior of 2 Diane Lane is a familiar sight to many across the country—it was the set of Hannah Baker’s house in the wildly popular Netflix show “13 Reasons Why”—but is even more well known to the local community, as it is located just blocks away from Redwood.

Released March 30 of this year, “13 Reasons Why” revolves around the suicide of a high school girl and her 13 reasons for killing herself, each of which is a person in her life. Approximately a month after its premiere, it was 2017’s most tweeted-about show, with over 11 million tweets according to Variety magazine. It was popular among students as well, as 59 percent of students selfreported having watched the show in a recent Bark survey.

The show was filmed exclusively in California, including many local areas such as San Rafael, Vallejo, Corte Madera and Petaluma.

The owners of 2 Diane Lane, Gillian Cassel and David Ripperton, were first approached a couple of months before the show began by an independent scout contracted

by Paramount Pictures.

David Weber was a location scout and assistant location manager for the first season of “13 Reasons Why,” and will serve as a location scout for the second season as well. According to Weber, Hannah Baker’s house was chosen based partially off the script, but specifics were also provided by the crew.

“We collect a lot of houses. We read the script and decide with the director and location and set manager and decide what kind of house will fit the person. They give us a description, and it comes from the story too. It gets refined from there, and it’s about trying to match the character to the home,” Weber said.

Each time they filmed there, it involved a large effort to completely transform the house, according to Cassel and Ripperton.

“Every time [the crew] came, they took all the furniture out, all the paintings, all the tchotchkes, everything, from

Photo by Neva Legallet

BEGINNING TO FILM a second season, “13 Reasons Why” was very successful following its premiere on Netflix.

The Larkspur house used to film the first season will not be used again for season 2.

Hannah’s room, the kitchen and breakfast nook. And then they replaced it with what they wanted,” Cassel said.

Besides relinquishing all of their furniture and personal items for several days, Cassel and Ripperton also had to spend the film days away from home due to the lack of space and amount of crew members present, which was about 100 according to Cassel.

Cassel watched all 13 episodes and believes that the acting improved over the course of the show.

“I thought the actors got better and better as they went along, and the story, well, I was glad my kids aren’t in high school to tell you the truth, because I think [high school] has changed,” Cassel said.

On the other hand, the subject and storyline didn’t appeal to her husband.

“I watched three episodes. It was well done but it just didn’t interest me,” Ripperton said.

Because Weber was involved David Weber , in the production of the show, he location scout watched the entirety of the season.

“I originally watched it because I worked on it—I was very invested in the show’s production for nine months. I wanted to see how all of it had come together, and how it actually felt when it was all done and put together. I don’t watch too many teen dramas,” Weber said. “Although originally I was just watching the production, I got into the story, which I thought was really well done on all aspects. It opened up an important discussion and I’m happy to have worked on it.”

Cassel and Ripperton agreed that the show accurately portrayed the modern high school experience, which has undergone a great deal of change since they graduated themselves.

“I think it was very accurate. I don’t think she started

out as mentally ill. I think that it’s a very vulnerable stage in life and some people are scarred for life because of what happened to them in high school and middle school,” Cassel said.

Ripperton added that a major difference between his high school experience and today’s is the presence of technology and social media, and that during his time at high school, bullying didn’t escalate to the same level as seen in “13 Reasons Why.” “I don’t think we called it bullying, we just had cliques and friendships but it wasn’t as intense,” Ripperton said.

Although she found the subject matter disquieting, Cassel recognized the importance of bringing attention to the prominent issue of teenage suicide and bullying.

“I thought it was very disturbing but it made a very good point about social media bullying, which needed to be said,” Cassel said.

Weber praised the way the show handled sensitive topics and related it to the target audience.

“I think they did a good job of figuring out who the audience is, and creating a story that could relate to them in a way they could digest it,” Weber said.

Despite the amount of controversy surrounding the show’s depiction of mental illness and teenage suicide, a second season will be released sometime in 2018.

However, this time an exact replica of 2 Diane Lane has been built, so the crew will be filming on a set instead of on location for convenience purposes.

“Now for the sequel, [Ripperton] gave them the blueprints for this area so they’ve staged it and made a set.

They started filming in June or July,” Cassel said. nlegallet@redwoodbark.org

It’s about trying to match the character with the home.

Photo by Neva Legallet

LOCATED ON THE corner of William Avenue and Diane Lane, the house was used as the home of protagonist Hannah Baker.

HEARD IN THE HALLS “Does the vending machine take debit cards?”

- Main Entrance

“Who hotboxed the earth?”

- Back Lot

“You don’t have to add “If there’s another exactly 15 drops, just bomb threat, I’m count to 15 seconds. going to explode.”

Chemistry is not an - Language Hallway exact science.”

- Science Hallway

“My teacher talked the whole period about how he would commit the perfect murder.”

- History Hallway

Richard Seidel’s wonderful world of cardboard

By Bea Cazares

Picture Vincent Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” in your head: the warm yellow swirls and curls that contrast with the cool navy blues and whites, the deep haunting black buildings and specks of green marking up the mountain side. Now imagine it again, except this time made out of a material that we usually throw in the recycling.

Meticulously-built cardboard models of everyday objects are junior Richard Seidel’s specialty. From airplanes and trains to the humble candy bar, Seidel builds it all. After watching a video in seventh grade of a YouTuber building things out of cardboard, he was inspired to do the same, building his first model: a hamburger. He then would bring them into class to show his teacher his creations.

“I got into it because it’s unique. [Cardboard] is cheap, I have a lot of it, it’s easy to work with, and sticks together easily. You don’t really hear about anyone working with that material,” Seidel said.

Richard Esteb, Seidel’s engineering teacher, said in a recent email interview that Seidel has to cut the cardboard in a certain way to accommodate the bends of what he builds. In Esteb’s Intro to Engineering Design class, one of his assigned projects is to build a chair out of cardboard, so it’s not uncommon for him to see it as a building material. “[Cardboard] has properties that are not universal in each of the three axes.

It is strong and stiff in two directions, and can bend usually in one,” Esteb said.

In the future, Seidel said he wants t o become either an engineer or an architect.

By creating these mini projects, he is getting accustomed to the field.

“It is a pleasure when I see a student follow their passion, regardless in what area it is. [Seidel] seems to get closer to his inner voice and passions, now that he is engaged in these projects,” Esteb said.

Building the models also provides a way for Seidel to combat the stress of taking demanding classes.

“I’m always stressed out, so when I make something it’s lots of fun and I can get in my zone and just work.

I think to myself, ‘Yes, homework is important,’ but at the same time if I don’t build something, there’s just an unrest in myself,” Seidel said.

Although the length of the project can vary depending on the scale, Seidel sets up time around his homework schedule to create his projects. Each one, according to Seidel, can take from four to 16 hours.

“It includes blue-––printing, or waiting to design something and just thinking about it, but all my free time is just thinking about what I’m going to make,” Seidel said. “I print out diagrams or I design a diagram of my own on my computer and I go from there.”

Other times, Seidel will take a picture of what he wants to build, draw how he thinks it’s supposed to look

and start making it from there.

Despite being Seidel’s way of relaxing, he doesn’t just make models solelyfor himself. He has also made them for his teachers and friends.

“I’ve made a tank for a friend that likes World War II stuff.

I’ve made political figures for my friends,” Seidel said. “The reason that I made Van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’ was because my precalc teacher had a lot of pictures of Van Gogh’s artwork.”

Junior Aidan Chrisley, a friend of Seidel, said he admires his ability to create things that the average person isn’t able to make. “[Seidel] is really dedicated to his work and it shows. I’ve seen some of his projects midway through and it’s breathtaking,” Chrisley said.

Seidel creates a new model each week.

He also receives ample support from Esteb on all of his model building endeavors.

“I have seen Richard blossom with his creations. I have given him support and encouragement to make these items. I’m always excited to see what he brings in on Monday after a weekend of work,” said Esteb. “Richard is an amazing creative talent and has a wonderful future ahead.” bcazares@redwoodbark. org