Carlmont Highlander March 2016

HIGHLANDER Homeless, but not hopelessPage 12

Philz coffee is the best way to fill up- Page 20

Explore the benefits of buying local- Page 24

THE

An update on the construction around campus- Page 2

Carlmont High School — Belmont, California

March 2016 Vol VII Issue VI

www.scotscoop.com Twitter: @scotscoopnews

Next year, sleeping is encouraged

Rachel Borshchenko

Hit the snooze button, Carlmont.

Starting in the 2016-2017 school year, Carlmont students with six periods or fewer will be starting school nearly an hour later than in previous years.

Carlmont Principal Ralph Crame said, “For next year’s schedule, the times will not be different as far as periods but instead of first period starting at eight, that is when zero period will start.”

This decision was made by the Sequoia Union High School District School Board on Feb. 23 after months of deliberation.

But this isn’t the first time late start has been talked about by the school board.

In 2011, a late start schedule for Carlmont was denied due to concerns about traffic, athletics, and transportation for students living in East Palo Alto.

Five years later, some concerns still exist for students and staff.

Even so, Crame says that the reason that late start could be reconsidered is that new solutions have been created for some of these problems.

“We didn’t have field lights, but now that we do, we can have later start times for games. The other factor was transportation, since Highway 101 was getting backed up around a later time.

Now SamTrans is more willing to work with us and support that later start, which will help with buses coming from East Palo Alto,” said Crame.

Some students, like sophomore Kazim Haider, still prefer to finish school earlier rather than starting school later.

“I’m hoping to be able to take a zero period instead of a seventh because I’m a morning person and I’d like to get school over with

ZOE WILDMAN

The late start schedule allows students to sleep in later, which has been shown to improve attention and academic performance. Many students and parents support this change. and get out earlier. Even so, I still think some students could benefit from the new schedule,” said Haider.

Unfortunately for students, a zero period can only be taken by those with seven periods next year.

“Students that have a zero period class will only be those students who qualify for seven classes. Students will not get to choose to take a zero period instead of a sixth period class,” said Crame.

Many studies, including those done by Stanford and the University of Minnesota have shown the overall benefits of high school students being able to start school later.

“It’s beneficial to students because the Stanford study we saw showed that due to their biological clocks, even if a student woke up at the same time every day, their brain would be more ready to focus for school throughout

the day if they could start learning later,” said Crame.

In the study done by University of Minnesota, students who attended schools with start times later than 8:30 a.m. showed significant improvement in all aspects of their lives.

Dr. Kyla Wahlstrom, a researcher for the University of Minnesota, has led multiple studies on the effects of high schools starting late, with her first major

2016-2017 Schedule

study starting in 1996.

“When the school [in Minnesota] had made this time change, people were shocked about the changes made in the students.

We looked at the grades earned in academic subjects, and all of the grades improved in all semesters.

There was also clearly less depression, risk of suicide, and significantly less risk of car accidents,” said Wahlstrom.

Though this decision has many intended benefits, students taking the bus from East Palo Alto may not feel the same benefit as students coming from the BelmontRedwood Shores area.

Buses taking students to school from East Palo Alto will still arrive at approximately the same time depending on where students live. Times will depend on whether or not students have a zero period, according to Crame.

Crame noted that places like the Student Union and

the library will be open to students who have no other option than to arrive early.

Another concern is for sports players who will be missing even more class than usual with the schedule change.

“I sometimes missed class during basketball season, and I had work to make up. Next year it might be harder with classwork since we will end class even later,” said Haider, who plays basketball for Carlmont.

Crame hopes to combat this problem with later start times for some sports games.

“We’re working with the league, PAL, and other schools in the area to make later start times when appropriate. For football, if we can push all start times back by half an hour, athletes can miss less class and it won’t be a big difference for spectators since football games are on Friday nights,” said Crame.

Sophomore Emily Abrams, who is planning on taking six periods next year, knows she will feel the effects of late start.

“I feel like there’s going to be a lot more traffic at the end of the day. Usually when I get up earlier in the morning, I feel like I get more done throughout the day. I know that they looked at the Stanford study to make this decision, so it probably does have some benefits,” said Abrams.

As for adults, Crame mentioned that while they also may have concerns, many understand the need for the change.

Crame said, “For most of the parents and adults who have concerns about later starts, they still do realize the benefits of starting later.”

Though some may be reluctant to accept this decision, it is one that students will have to live with.

Embracing the practice of social manipulation Aria Frangos We all do it.

Spending ten minutes typing up that text, carefully wording it to create just the right effect.

That pointedly neutral tone in your mom’s voice that alerted you to exactly how she felt you should take action in your social drama.

People manipulate each other all the time, in all sorts of relationships and situations.

Manipulation is a loaded word, but it isn’t wrong.

“Social manipulation” is a term that often brings to mind thoughts of sociopaths and bullies. However, manipulating people can just mean being charismatic and having a knack for social grace and people management.

This kind of manipulation is a “soft skill,” which is a highly desirable trait that many employers seek in their workers. According to research done by Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation and the Stanford Re-

search Center, 85 percent of job success is due to soft skills, while just 15 percent of success in a career is a product of technical knowledge and skill.

So if soft skills are in high demand, and soft skills are good, and soft skills are a form of social manipulation, is this tactful deception okay?

“I feel like most people try to avoid overtly manipulating the people around them, because the situation can become very controlling and sometimes abusive,” said senior Lucas Parkin. “Most people are

aware of that and don’t want to ruin their relationships with others. In the end, even small manipulations create a lack of trust and destroy any bond between people.”

High school students are experts in manipulation of their peers, parents, and teachers. There are unspoken strategies to gaining social status, and undeniable weight is carried in the tone, vocabulary, body language, and conversation between acquaintances.

Continued on page 10

Page 2

CAMPUS

The Highlander

March 2015

Biotech Institute grooms future scientists Jill Albertson

this program has given me the opportunity to see what I can do in Scientists will shape our future. the outside world once I’m done But you can’t have future dis- with school. It’s the only course coveries without future scientists, I’ve ever been a part of that has and through the Biotechnology showed me what real life might be Institute (BTI) at Carlmont, the like. It’s really good exposure.”

In addition to providing stuscientists of tomorrow are taking dents with a focused educational classes today. track, the smaller and more perThe BTI, currently consisting sonal classes create a good workof 50 students from the class of ing environment for many stu2018, has almost completed its dents. first year in action.

BTI student Alice Gevorgyan, According to Centers for Apa sophomore, said, “I was initially plied Competitive Technologies intrigued by the Biotech Insti(CACT), biotechnology is a scitute because the small classes and entific field in which medicine is close-community feel appealed to improved, advances in space exme.

I’m so pleased with my deciploration are made, and the qualsion to join because the Biotech ity of human lives are enhanced Institute is like another family. We through new discoveries. From have all the same teachers, so we genetically modifying organisms can discuss work from all of our to gene therapy, the biotechnolclasses.

I love the personalized ogy world is full of discoveries.

JILL ALBERTSON The Biotechnology Institute at feel.”

Where MUSICIANS & DANCERS become Many students in the BTI pro- Alice Gevorgyan, a BTI sophomore, mixes multiple substances with a micropipette.

Carlmont is a small learning comgram are interested in a scienceCONFIDENT ARTISTS! munity that provides students directed career path.

This pro- dents seem to be enjoying the ex- work.” interested inAmazing science with aTeam scifield. All these experiences allow An of 33 Professional gram is a way for them to discover Teachers ence-focused education. Through perience, a few have not had their The curriculum for the BTI her to have a more balanced and hands-on labs and guest speakers if that’s truly the way they wish to expectations fully met yet. program consists of unique teach- informed scientific view of the from places such as Genentech, go.

BTI student Natalie Troglio, a ing methods that incorporate sci- world, which in my opinion is Barnes said, “I’m not 100 per- sophomore, said, “The environ- ence into all core classes such as very important to have.” students in the BTI program recent sure if I want to be a scientist ment of the class is different than math, history, and English. ceive exposure to real-world Plans for future years of the when I get older, but being a part what I expected from this proworkplaces and learn the profesBTI history teacher Charles BTI are already in motion as Find out whyinover 600 families love ourgram. school. program has MUSICIANS made me reWhere & DANCERS become sional skills needed to thrive a of this I feel as though many of my Bauer said, “For my class, we this year’s sophomores become alize that I definitely want to work future career. do not take this oppor- concentrate on the science and juniors, and a whole new set of In your community since 1997. classmates CONFIDENT ARTISTS! in something science-related.”

BTICall studentus Graham Barnes, tunity seriously. technology used in history, and sophomores enter the program.

An Amazing 33 a Professional Teachers today at a 650-574-2844 toofTeam schedule visit! But the teachers Although a majority the stu-of are sophomore, said, “Being a part of very influential and overall I how it impacted history. We foFreshman Kayla Gustafson

MUSIC & DANCE for all Ages!

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Visit www.myriadmusic.net

MUSIC & DANCE for all Ages!

think they created a strong pro- cus on the technologies used in said, “I’m looking forward to apgram for students such as myself.” the war, and the scientific think- plying for the BTI program next The BTI program was created ing that evolved in the 1800s. I year. I’ve only heard great things for students to develop the skills really enjoy incorporating science about it. Science has always been Small, cozy Classes Find out why over 600 ourfor school. andfamilies knowledgelove required the into my history class; it brings in a my favorite subject, and hopefully In your community since 1997. biotechnology industry. After ex- new perspective, and the students I will get to work in something Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, tensive planning and collaboraseem to be enjoying it.” science-related later in life. This is Call us today at 650-574-2844 to schedule a visit!

Lyrical, Contemporary tion between Carlmont’s adminIn addition to the feedback a great opportunity for me.”

Strengthen & Stretch for istration and science department, from students and administraThe path that the BTI program Where MUSICIANS & DANCERS becometion, many parents seemed to be creates Teens too! the BTI program came to life. for Carlmont students Dance Academy CONFIDENT ARTISTS! Principal Ralph Crame said, pleased with the outcome of the helps students discover their pasforscience all Ages!

Small, Classes Team of Ancozy Amazing 33BTI Professional “The team, filled with Teachers hard- BTI program. MUSIC & DANCE sion for and gives them a working teachers, are the people Tigran Gevorgyan, Alice’s faglimpse of what life may be like in Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Where MUSICIANS & DANCERS become responsible for establishing this ther said, “I am very happy with theARTISTS! scientific field in the future.

CONFIDENT Lyrical, Contemporary program. They have a passion for the way the program turned out.of 33 Professional Alice Gevorgyan said, “I didn’t An Amazing Team Teachers Strengthen & Stretch for Private Lessons teaching students interested in It exposes Alice to biotechnology know how much I loved sciTeens too!

Meet your Mentor! science, and it really shows. They in a larger context than a dedi- ence until I joined this program.

Find out why over 600 families love our school. www.myriadmusic.net put a plan in motion and created cated science classVisit would have. It opened my eyes and made me Attain your musical goals In your community since 1997.

Where MUSICIANS DANCERS become Find out why over families love Iour school.

JILL ALBERTSON this amazing program.

Our adShe is reading about current de-600& realize what want to do for the Voice · Piano · Guitar · In your community since 1997.

Call us today at 650-574-2844 to schedule a visit!

CONFIDENT ARTISTS! ministration was involved as well velopments Call in usbiotechnology, rest of my life.

To those Music School today at 650-574-2844 to schedule a visit!who may Ukulele · Violin Viola · Flute Sophomores Taylor· Douglis and Markle Addis put on as a support system, but it was and looking at historical events interested in joiningTeachers next year, An Amazing Team of 33beProfessional Private Lessons Trumpet · French Horn a Biotech lab coats before beginning experiment. primarily the BTI team doing the and scientific viewpoints in the I say go for it. You won’t regret it.”

Meet your Mentor!

Dance Academy

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Find out why over Visit 600 www.myriadmusic.net families love our school.

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The Highlander

Page 3

CAMPUS

CAUTION

March 2015

CARLMONT UNDER CONSTRUCTION To be completed by the Spring of 2017 $20 million is the total cost funded by Measure A Bond Sales Phase 2: Contruction of buildings

Phase 1: Building pads for new classrooms, new firelane, new medium voltage electrical service, upgraded utilities, relocated modular

Scheduled timeline 2015

Phase 1

Removal of B-9 portables Relocation of S-1 and S-2

2016

2017 Fall

B-9 Portable New Student drop-off Cafeteria remodel Locker room update

Spring

Weight Room addition

Fall

New S-Wing classrooms

The fight for acceptance is not over they are going through right now.”

The Uganda-Anti Homosexuality Laws is an example of this. It allows the Ugandan After the Supreme Court legalized gay government to arrest gay men or women marriage, it seemed like everybody got a and makes homosexuality a crime worth punishing a life sentence for. happy ending. But this far from the truth.

Junior Sonia Mahajan said, “These According to the annual Annenberg USC report on television diversity, out of kinds of blatant attacks on gay people are 11,194 speaking characters on television, absolutely why we, as a community, need to speak up. We need to bring these issues only 158 identify as gay, and 49 as lesbian.

Senior Percival McDaniel, who identi- to light..”

The National Day of Silence is an event fies as transgender, said, “We are not accurately portrayed on television and in the that happens on April 17 that does just media. Directors tell the actors to ‘act gayer’ that. The The Day of Silence website deand then these characters get stereotyped.” scribes the day as, “a student-led national The gay community has been a minority event that brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullyfor a long time. ing and harassment According to The in schools. Students Statistics Portal, 2.2 “The day of silence is a day from middle school percent of American to college take a vow males are openly gay, where we understand the of silence in an effort while 1.1 percent of feelings of those who don’t to encourage schools American women are and classmates to adhave a voice.” openly lesbian. dress the problem of For most LGanti-LGBT behavior BTQ+ people, they Star Ravenelle by illustrating the siare in the closet, beSenior lencing effect of bulcause they are scared lying and harassment to come out. on LGBT students Junior Elsa Carrerars identifies as non-binary and bisexual. and those perceived to be LGBT.” Senior Star Ravenelle identifies as asexShe said, “A lot of people can’t speak up about their sexuality. A lot of these people ual. She said, “The day of silence is a day live in unsafe places or can’t come out for where we understand the feelings of those various reasons. That’s why we need a Na- who don’t have a voice. It is a reminder of tional Day of Silence. It’s a day to remember people who are forced to be silent by their these people and relate to the struggles that environment.”

Holly Chen

ISABEL MITCHELL

Junior Evelyn Lawrence spreads awareness for the National Day of Silence.

But there are some misconceptions associated with the day.

Carreras said, “Many people don’t understand the reasons behind the National Day of Silence. They thinks it’s a small day of rebellion and aren’t educated about the different types of sexualities out there.”

For senior Sierra Segal, a co-president of the GSA (Gay Straight Alliance), The National Day of Silence is a day not only to remember how far they have come, but also to how much there still needs to be done.

Segal said, “There is still a lot of stigma toward and within the community. Lots of progress has been made, but we still have a long way to go, especially for the transgender community. Bullying is a huge problem in schools, and leads to an adult society that makes hate crimes acceptable. I was bullied my freshman year, but it thankfully hasn’t happened in a long time. However, it is still a huge issue at Carlmont and in other places. I hope we can reach a place where it’s a thing of the past.”

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Page 4 The Highlander

CAMPUS

March 2016

Suppressing passion for college applications Celine Yang Many students are master tailors for themselves, crafting their image and individuality with colleges looming over their heads. But with the pressure of college, many of these tailors lose sight of their individuality.

These tailors don’t always know the expectations of their “dream” colleges, and whether they should go for the “standard” or their own individual style. All they know is that colleges are looking for something.

This murkiness of college standards have led many people to prioritize their choices, sometimes placing their interests below what may look better to universities.

However, this doesn’t always work.

Sophomore Jenna Williamson, a dedicated musician, said, “I was in Geometry Enriched last year and wanted to be a year ahead in math because I felt that was what colleges wanted. I had this giant plan to move up a level and that all failed.”

Williamson chose to ease off on her workload. With more time to practice on percussion, she’s been allowed to truly focus on her future musical career.

Meanwhile, junior Victor Li took a different approach.

“I took a lot of AP classes because I like to challenge myself, and it will help my college applications. I’m taking AP computer science next year because I want to learn about it, and there is a an appeal for colleges there. However, I would never take a class I disliked just for college,” said Li.

ISABEL MITCHELL

Balancing passion and college readiness proves difficult for many students.

These two students chose different paths. However, both faced dilemmas.

Williamson said, “I felt judgement, such as ‘Why isn’t she taking more advanced classes?’ and ‘If she’s partially in honors classes, why can’t she take all of them?’

Some people think it’s weird because math is supposed to be basic, and some do belittle me a bit in chemistry and history, as if they have to talk me through everything we do.”

For Li, it was a different situation, involving him juggling several extracurriculars based on his interests and in order to fulfill his graduation requirements.

He said, “I joined some clubs that I have a leadership role in, and am not as passionate about, but still joined them since it

would help my college applications.”

Both students faced the pressure to be individuals while conforming to a set of standards and expectations, and reacted in divergent manners.

Many universities emphasize individuality. On its admissions website, University of California, Berkeley said that they “identify applicants who are most likely to contribute to Berkeley’s intellectual and cultural community and, ultimately, to the State of California, the nation, and the world.”

On top of this, rigorous classes are highlighted to measure a student’s ability.

According to the Princeton Review, “An AP class signals to admissions officers that you’re ready for college-level work. College counselors and administrators consistently

tell us that grades and academic rigor are the most important factors (even overstandardized test scores) when it comes time for the admissions committee to evaluate applications.”

Many can agree that advanced classes are great for academic purposes and exploration of one’s interest. However, it can also go the other way around, with too many classes limiting a student.

Guidance counselor Kim Miller said, “I don’t know how honest students are about their interests with the counselors. There’s an ultra-competitive image of colleges, but there are a lot more schools out there. We’re going to be encouraging students to take classes that they want to take. A lot of the students’ self worth is based on the schools that they get into.”

While this may be the case for some students, it’s not the case for all.

“I’m definitely suppressing myself a little bit. I’m trying not to be weird since other people think I’m weird for not thinking about college applications as much as a lot of other people do. But I’ve seen that over time, I’ve grown more confident in myself,” said Williamson.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the student -- one who could be facing pressure and decisions.

Senior Allison Yeh said, “At this time, it’s our natural tendency to want to conform.

It’s not necessarily just for college applications, but it’s also a fear of being different. And in college apps, you want to be unique.”

Taking the road less traveled to junior college Bijan Khalili Go to a four-year university right after high school. That is the goal.

Well, at least that is what students are told.

“It’s fixated in our minds from the beginning of high school that we need to go to college,” said senior Amelia Armstrong.

With this urge to go to a four-year university, students develop the idea that all other post-high school alternatives are seen as going off track.

“The purpose of high school is to prepare you for the next level, which is attending a four-year college, and if you don’t do that, many people believe you are wasting your time,” said senior Thomas Chin.

Despite popular belief, many students still choose to go “off track” and go to a community college instead.

According to the Aspen Institute, an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington D.C., nearly 12 million students after high school go to a community college. This makes up 44 percent of all undergraduate students.

Every year, there is a large number of students who choose to go to a community

MONA MURHAMER

The College of San Mateo helps students transfer into four-year universities. college as opposed to a four-year university.

With competition growing each year to get into college, community college is not seen as an alternative, but rather another option.

“It’s so difficult to get into college nowadays, so it makes sense that students would rather go to community college to relieve them of time and stress,” said Armstrong.

Bottom line, students who choose com-

munity college are not necessarily wasting their time; they all have their own reasons for doing so.

“Next year I’m going to community college because I want to stay home and be close to my family,” said senior Evangelina Bahu.

The desire to still play a sport after high school lingers in the air, and for some students, that is just the deal breaker to take a different route and go to a community col-

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lege to play a sport at the college level.

“I’m going to be attending Cañada College next year mainly so I could continue to play baseball after high school,” said senior Andy Cross. “I’ve played all my life and I want to gain experience playing at the college level.

For other students, it is the right choice financially to go to a community college.

According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees at a two-year school is only $3,131 per year, just over one-third of the cost for a year at a fouryear public institution.

On a financial standpoint, it is ideal for students to stay home while still continuing their education at a local community college.

“I have been going to Cañada for the past two years taking all of my general ed requirements, which has saved me a lot of money,” said Carlmont Alumnus George Abinader. “I plan to transfer to a four-year next fall semester.”

No matter where a student goes whether it is a four-year university or a two-year community college program, they are still advancing their educational experience after high school.

Page 5

CAMPUS

The Highlander

Submitting resume: Submittingyour your resume

Talk to the boss and find out the crucial information about the internship.

Create your resume portraying yourself as an ideal candidate for the job.

March 2016

Submit your resume with confidence that you will get the job.

Before clicking submit on a computer or sliding a resume through a mailbox, students might find it more beneficial to contact previous interns or talk personally to a boss. This could ensure that the internship would really teach the necessary skills being seeked. From there, the process could be just a resume or a combination of a resume and an interview.

Nicole del Cardayre

Interning opens up potential career paths Chesirae Barbano With a swipe of a pen or click of a mouse, students take their future into their own hands with summer internships.

These internships offer the chance to learn new skills for a particular field or job and can substitute for credits in certain schools.

The uses for an internship, however, aren’t just for the work level.

Director of Career Services at the University of Southern California (USC) school of International Relations Ashley Bonanno said, “[Internships] offer great work experience and [are] something that look amazing on a college or job application. Internships are great for a college applications because they demonstrate a student’s initiative to tie theoretical knowledge with practical experience [and] signal a level of maturity and drive in a student that colleges appreciate in an applicant.”

Editor-inChief Zoe Wildman Managing Editor Alyssa Fagel

Art Director Minh-Han Vu

Like any application, West Michigan University advises that a resume should include why this internship or any other position is desired, any past history that could support credibility, any other jobs, activities or interests, and about three references.

For junior Megan Wadleigh, an internship is a means to gain work experience and an opportunity to explore career choices.

She recently applied for a local non-profit group and is interested in biotech internships offered through the San Mateo County School District.

For someone who hasn’t participated in an internship, Wadleigh said she associates internships with “knowing what you want to do with your life.”

However, internships don’t necessarily mean knowing what positions fully entail or even being skilled in that position.

Senior Ramy Wong said, “[A] misconception would be that you have to be good at that field to get an internship, but I think

THE

you just have to prove you want to learn from the mentors in those fields.”

Internships aren’t always a desk job or fetching coffee either.

In Wong’s situation, she had no time to fetch an assortment of Starbucks orders.

Wong spent most of her time producing and transporting chemicals for labs at a biotech internship under GeneConnection.

The work she was a part of is used continuously for schools without labs or science classrooms. “[An internship] helps get your foot in the door in many ways,” said Wong.

In her case, she made connections through her mentor and her co-workers.

However, there can be downsides to this summer commitment.

With most of an intern’s time put into their internship, it can divert the focus away from receiving money, especially if the internship is unpaid. Depending on the location of the internship, students could

also lose money with traveling expenses rather than gain.

Timing is also a setback for internships.

Since many students are focused on school work and extracurriculars, most internships are done during the summer, so summer internships mean less time for a summer vacation.

Wadleigh said, “if I do get this internship I’m giving up most of my summer, which is a little annoying because I’d really like to be able to go on summer cruise and I might not be able to.“ After being considered, the next step is an interview.

According to Entrepreneur, interviews work well if the applicants are respectable, ask questions to find the parameters, and be yourself.

Bonanno reminds applicants “[To] choose something that is in line with your interests and would entail you gaining valuable work experience.”

HIGHLANDER

Faculty Adviser Justin Raisner

Staff Writers

Lily Bakour Chesirae Barbano Rachel Borschchenko Brooke Chang Holly Chen Nicole del Cardayre Aria Frangos Karen Gao Nate Godwin

Josef Gonzalez Isabel Mitchell Sophie Haddad Jackson Monge Artie Hazelton Ivy Nguyen Leea Ivanel Mackenzie Kian Karamdashti O’Connell Bijan Khalili Kiera PendletonEstella Lippi White Anya Meredith Sophie Penn Seiya Mirande Hanalei Pham

Justin Som Ally Stein Taran Sun Megan Tao Jiselle Vigil Skylar Weiss Celine Yang Hannah Young Jason Zheng

Scot Scoop Editor-in-Chief Sarah Schisla

ScotCenter Editor-in-Chief Elena Mateus

Editors Kelly Song

Avery Adams

Mona Murhamer

Kimiko Okumura Adriana Ramirez

Jill Albertson

Connor Lin

Jordan Hanlon

Sarah Tocatlian

The Highlander is a newspaper dedicated to providing Carlmont students, staff, and the community with high-quality news, features, and opinion articles. We want to keep our readers informed on important issues ranging from events at Carlmont to international news, and want to engage them with unique stories and images. The Highlander is a publication completely run by the students of the journalism classes at Carlmont High School. Story ideas are generated by the students and the published content is up to the discretion of the editorial staff. This month’s editorial was written by Zoe Wildman.

Page 6

SPORTS

The Highlander

March 2016

Scots hit the ground running Josef Gonzalez

Over 100 Carlmont students run for the track team during the spring.

Why do all these students participate in track but not other sports, such as football or soccer?

One reason is that track is the one sport that Carlmont students can participate in without getting cut.

Sophomore Andrea Mendez said, “Track does not have cuts and it keeps you in really good shape, which is why I believe so many kids run track.”

Another reason is that track is all running-based, which people have been doing since they were kids.

Students at Carlmont run every week as freshmen in P.E., so running track can

come easier to these students.

Writer and researcher Amanda Onion said, “Not everyone may feel this way, but new research argues that humans evolved to become natural runners”.

Another reason why many people participate in track is because of the conditioning to gain speed for their “main sport” that they play at school or outside school on club teams.

Researcher for USA Football Joe Frollo said that a benefit of track is that one can gain a “proper running technique.” With this talent, one may be more fit than other opponents playing in their “main sport.”

Researcher and writer Lucas Kurtz said that by running track, one will find their “fastest running form,” build a better “burst,” and get more speed with “less

effort,” which will help tremendously with other sports that require running.

Sophomore John Tann said, “People run track because it is an in-between season and people use it for conditioning for the sports that they take priority in.”

An example of this is football - students that are on the football team are recommended to join the track team on the offseason in order to gain speed and stay fit for the next season.

Sophomore Anthony Arteaga says, “One of my football coaches recommended for me to run track during the offseason to build up lots of speed for football. I believe that speed is one of the most crucial aspects of the game, we football players can gain a lot of it by simply running track”.

If a Carlmont student plays a school

sport for three seasons, they do not have to take P.E. as a class after freshman year.

Sophomore Jet Penne said, “I run track for the P.E. credits, and I believe that is why other students run as well. I also think running is fun.”

While some run for the credits, others do to it for the exercise.

Sophomore Timmy Palthe says, “Kids run track to stay in shape and because you don’t have to stress to be the best on the team. There are also no cuts and everyone knows how to run. The practices are less intense and easier than other sports practices at Carlmont.”

Track overall is a sport which benefits hundreds of students in a variety of ways, allowing them to broaden their horizons in the athletic department.

ISABEL MITCHELL

Senior Johnny Gray leaps forward for the long jump, and sophomore Megan Ouzumi warms up by running laps during an early spring practice.

Introducing girls junior varsity lacrosse Alexandra Stein Girls lacrosse scored a huge goal with the increase in their roster this year In its third year of its existence, Carlmont girl’s lacrosse is creating a junior varsity (JV) team.

“I think it’s great that enough new people tried that there can be two teams because newer people don’t have to jump right in at varsity level,” said junior Alyssa Fine.

In previous years, having only one team has led to a wide range of skill levels all being melded together. This is not the ideal situation, but girls lacrosse has made the best of it through their first couple of seasons. The gap in knowledge is not insurmountable, but closing it takes time and can be daunting to new players, as well as frustrating for experienced players.

Fine said, “I think [the JV team] is going to change how the newer people get better. The two previous years, people who had never picked up a stick were just thrown into game situations with more experienced players and no previous experience. Having a JV team allows them to go slower and learn without as much of a rush. They can also play against teams more their level.”

Junior Lillian Gowen has been a member of the girls lacrosse team at Carlmont since it began her freshman year.

“Lacrosse is a challenging sport, and just like any other sport, you have to have the drive for the game and be able to work for it. JV players are often beginners who have never even picked up a stick before,” said Gowen.

Some current lacrosse players feel the only obstacle that has been in the way of a JV girl’s lacrosse team is numbers.

“We had to do a lot of publicizing because a lot of girls didn’t know the sport even existed or had never even thought about playing it. Last year we almost had [a JV team] but we had a few under the minimum number of girls needed so we just had a big varsity team, which was tougher for playing time for some players,” said Fine.

One of the two girls lacrosse coaches, Annie Thompson, did not have doubt that a JV team could happen this year.

“With help from our players, we were able to recruit a handful of players in the past couple weeks. The majority of JV will be new players so they will not only master basic lacrosse skills, but also be able to work as a team in a new sport. This will not be easy, but I believe they can do it,” said Thompson.

Juniors and seniors who have been with the team since its creation have been able to see it change, grow, and pros-

per.

Senior Megan Handley said, “I’ve been on the team since it started in my sophomore year and I have seen it grow and gain interest. Even some people who have never played a sport before are playing lacrosse I’m very excited to see what this season has in store.”

These girls have a personal connection to their team that is significant.

“I remember getting signatures for a petition to get girls lacrosse at Carlmont my freshman year, our progress since then has been astonishing,” said Gowen.

ADRIANA RAMIREZ

Varsity lacrosse player Lillian Gowen, junior, teaches junior varsity lacrosse player Lucy Gibbs, sophomore, how to cradle the ball in the lacrosse stick so that the ball doesn’t fall out while she is running.

The Highlander

SPORTS

Page 7 March 2016

Waving through the benefits of surfing

NOSARAPHOTOGRAPHY

Sophomore Jason del Cardayre surfs the waves of Ocean Beach in South San Francisco. He surfs most weekends to relieve stress from a long week of school.

Skylar Weiss It is 6 a.m. -- darkness lingers outside.

An alarm clock blares, interrupting the tranquility of a morning during the weekend.

Sophomore Jason del Cardayre wakes up, climbs out of his warm bed, and fixes himself something for breakfast.

He begins to mentally prepare himself to jump into filthy and ice-cold ocean water.

Del Cardayre has been surfing ever since he was in seventh grade and heads to the coast most weekends to surf with his father and friends.

“Some mornings we get up around 6 a.m. to beat the crowds and get the ocean to ourselves. It’s dark out and you have to walk outside in the cold wearing your pajamas and get your wetsuit and board and pack the car,” said del Cardayre.

Many people in the Bay Area have the “surf bug,” chasing the best waves to ride throughout Half Moon Bay, Pacifica, and even Santa Cruz. The media often glorifies surfing, but what is so great about being in dangerous and dirty waters when you could be relaxing?

“I actually used to hate surfing. Until about seventh grade, I was scared of the waves and I didn’t like getting up early because it was really cold,” said del Cardayre.

Along with the initial early wake-up time and commute to the coast comes constant uncertainty that the conditions for surfing won’t be just right.

Del Cardayre said, “It’s hard waking up in the morning

and dedicating yourself to go to the beach because you can never completely rely on a swell. If the swell’s bad, you can have a terrible time, but if it’s good, you can have a great time.”

The early process of getting ready seems to be one of the difficult parts of participating in the sport. Next comes immersing oneself in the water, which is usually around 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the Bay Area at its warmest, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.

“When the waves are big and cold, you have second thoughts, but once you get in the water it’s not as bad,” said junior Megan Olazar, who surfs on occasion.

In addition, surfing is a workout. According to Surfer Today, paddling is typically the most frequent form of exercise during the sport; a surfer must use his or her strength to paddle out through waves into the ocean, and must paddle vigorously to actually catch waves. This movement works the shoulders, upper back, and core. The legs and core are also involved when balancing on a board while riding a wave.

The sport also challenges lung capacity, as people must be prepared to hold their breaths for long periods of time underwater when being held down by a wave.

The initial efforts made for surfing seem to be a hassle, and the actual mechanics of catching waves can be physically tough, so what keeps people coming back with their boards? The answer for many, including del Cardayre, is adrenaline.

“Surfing is like riding a roller coaster. Immediately after

you get off of a wave, you want to get back on again. I think there’s something cool about the challenge and technicality of riding the waves. You’re dealing with a part of nature that’s completely unpredictable,” said del Cardayre.

Surfers have also found that they experience a significant release of stress when participating in a sport in nature. Their sudden rushes of happiness are triggered by an unexpected rewarding system in the brain.

When exercising and immersed in nature, the brain releases amounts of endorphins, adrenaline, and serotonin.

According to Medicine Net, endorphins reduce a person’s perception of pain. In addition, Medical News Today stated that serotonin maintains mood balance.

According to Theintertia.com, the brain releases dopamine during the time that a surfer is hoping for waves while sitting in the water. The combination of dopamine with the other mood-improving chemicals in the brain create a feeling of addiction for a surfer; they often feel the need to come back for more sessions.

“When you surf, it’s like anything you are stressed about doesn’t matter anymore. You’re present and focused on what’s actually happening around you. It’s a short break from stress and responsibility that is really relieving,” said Peter Domis, a sophomore at Sequoia High School who surfs most weekends.

Surfing may be a demanding sport, but people who pursue it believe there’s nothing else like it.

“It’s kind of cheesy, but it feels so powerful because you feel in control of the ocean, and the ocean is in control of you. There’s a balance,” said Olazar.

Why March Madness is so popular

Seiya Mirande

Screaming uncontrollably in celebration. Hectically filling out the “perfect” bracket. Pulling out an old college sweater to root for your team.

The season of March Madness has begun.

March Madness, sometimes referred to as “The Big Dance,” is college basketball’s tournament style championship. The number of schools that are picked is 68 and a single champion is chosen through a knock-out tournament, that takes place over three weekends starting at the middle of March.

Other college sports have a similar bracket style championship but basketball’s March Madness stands out as a fan favorite, according to the viewer ratings put out by Nielsen N.V. The big question is why March Madness is so popular.

The first ever March Madness, which took place in 1939 had just eight schools participating. The number has since grown to 68 over the years. The seeding works by pitting the strongest teams against the weakest. The teams are split into four regions of 16 schools each.

The single elimination tournament means every game is a must win for all 68 schools, producing tense, dramatic

finishes. This factor perhaps is what makes March Madness so enticing to fans. When just a single point can send a school home, fans are sure to be glued to the television.

Another factor that makes this tournament so exciting is the “Cinderella team” factor. Almost every year, small schools somehow manage to upset top tier colleges.

“Having an underdog team beat a top school is always exciting. It’s also fun seeing how far they can go in the tournament,” said senior Kevin Velichko.

There have been many notable “Cinderella” teams in the history of the tournament. In the 2006 tournament, George Mason University made it to the Final four as a number 9 seed. In 2013, Florida Gulf Coast University made it to the Sweet 16, seeded 15th in the bracket. The “David vs Goliath” element that falls into play both fans and players dream of a miracle upset.

Arguably the biggest part of March Madness besides the game itself is bracket-filling, predicting the outcomes of all 68 games.

“I like March Madness because it’s fun to see how close to a perfect bracket I can get,” said sophomore Kevin Xiang.

According to ESPN roughly 70 million brackets are created each year by both fanatics and non-fans. Even President Barack Obama takes part in this annual bracketfilling. The President of the United States posts his own

bracket annually on the White House’s website.

Even for a college basketball expert, predicting the outcomes of every single game, or creating the “perfect bracket,” is an extremely difficult task.

According to USA Today, the chances of creating a perfect bracket is approximately one in 9.2 quintillion.

The chances are in fact so minimal that in 2014’s March Madness, multi-billionaire Warren Buffett offered one billion dollars to whoever created the perfect bracket. The cash prize is yet to be claimed.

The popularity of bracket filling also lets avid sports fans put their money where their mouth is.

The creation of March Madness pools allow for serious fans to win big along with their team.

According to internet gambling site BetFirm.com, The NCAA tournament ranks second to only the Super Bowl in terms of sports betting. An estimate of $3 billion are also being wagered every tournament.

“What I like most about March Madness is joining bracket pools with my friends. When there is money involved, everything becomes more interesting,” said sophomore Josh Fong.

With The Big Dance just beginning, work productivity will surely go down as fans toon into the madness of March.

Page 8

NEWS

The Highlander

March 2016

Closed case: Saying goodbye to Scalia Nathan Godwin

The recent passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has now put the balance of the High Court up for grabs.

Scalia passed away Feb. 13 after sitting on the Supreme Court for almost 30 years. He was an Associate Justice since 1986, appointed by President Ronald Reagan.

Sophomore Kyle Kawakami said, “It’s really important who the next justice is. I think that the Supreme Court will make some very important rulings in the near future.

Hopefully their decisions will help the country progress.”

Previously, five of the nine justices were appointed by Republican presidents. They were Scalia, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Anthony Kennedy. They often collectively voted together which gave the Supreme Court a conservative majority.

The appointment of a new justice under the Obama ad-

ministration would likely see a more liberal judge nominated. This would give a liberal majority in the Supreme Court. That majority could affect the system of checks and balances in the government depending on the upcoming election.

If a Republican candidate is elected that would give Republican control of both the Senate and the Executive Branch.

However if a Democratic president was elected there would be a more Democratic controlled government further testing checks and balances in the government.

Republicans are now trying to delay the nomination of a new justice until a new president is inaugurated in hopes that their candidate would be elected . They have cited the “Thurmond Rule,” which is a rule of thumb stating that the a new justice should not be nominated in the months leading up to a new president’s inauguration.

“I know that the Supreme Court affects all the lower

courts in the U.S. The next justice will contribute to interpretation of laws for a long time. It will be interesting to see how the next justice is appointed,” said sophomore Miguel Encarnacion.

The Supreme Court’s rulings sets precedent for all other lower courts in the country. Their decisions determine how laws are interpreted in the United States.

The ruling in 2015 allowed marriage for same-sex couples nationwide. This ruling was decided 5-4 in favor of marriage equality.

“When the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage it was a big deal. It was a real sign of progress for the country. I think it could help the country continue to progress if a more liberal justice was nominated,” said sophomore Josh Camerino.

The appointment of the next Supreme Court Justice could have a long-standing effect on the future of the country.

Striking the gavel against a new justice KELLY SONG

Justin Som With the recent death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, President Obama is scrambling to fill the power vacancy left

by Scalia with one of his own candidates.

However, members of Congress do not want this spot to be filled for another year.

The death of Judge Scalia on Feb. 13 only enlarged the rivalry between Democrats and Republicans. Many questioned whether or not the president should have the ability to choose a new justice, given that his final term ends in January 2017.

The Senate, which has a majority of Republicans, explicitly stated that they do not want Obama to have his choice, and if Obama did so, it would be improper.

“The Supreme Court is not an extension of the White House,” said Speaker of the House Paul Ryan during an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “The Pres-

ident has absolutely every right to nominate a Supreme Court Justice vacancy made and someone to the Supreme Court, but Con- filled during the last year of a presidency for gress, as an equal 80 years. branch, also has As senaevery right not “Will we allow the people to contors, we are to confirm some- tinue deciding who will be the left with a one.” choice,” said “I plan to fulfill next justice? Or will we empower Senate Mamy constitutional a lame-duck president to make jority Leader, responsibilities Mitch McCoto nominate a this decision on his way out the nnell. “Will successor in due we allow the door?” time,” said Obama people to conin response to the tinue decidMitch McConnell House of Repreing who will Senate Majority Leader sentatives. “There be the next will be plenty of Justice?

Or time for me to do so, and for the Senate to will we empower a lame-duck president to fulfill its responsibility to give that person a make this decision his way out the door?” fair hearing and a timely vote.”

“In this case, the Senate will withhold A major concern for the Republicans is [consent]. We will revisit the matter in Nothe United States’ lack of experience with vember after the people finish making their such an event. In fact, there has never been decision [for president].”

Unless the person nominated by Obama promises the same goals as the GOP, the Senate would continue to deliver non-consent as their verdict.

According to CNN political analysts, the government is losing progress as a result of these party struggles. With Scalia’s spot vacant, the Supreme Court can no longer function at full capacity.

Prior to Scalia’s death, there had been nine Justices -- one person always had the duty of being tiebreaker to the remaining eight.

Without Scalia or a replacement, the Supreme Court will be incapable of solving the current cases on abortion and death penalty. They will merely stay the same way they have been for the past months.

Until Scalia’s successor is finally chosen, the President and Congress are in a political deadlock for the remainder of the term, and progress will begin to fade away.

The Highlander

FEATURES

Page 9 March 2016

Teenage slang is ‘hella’ prevalent Mackenzie O’Connell

In the Yay Area, sophomore Jack Hicks gets hot about school.

Unable to control his anger he whips home in his Corvette.

When Hicks gets home he’s lightweight hungry and slides to his friend house. The homies eat hella food and chill all day long.

They scarfed Twinkies and Cokes down their throats.

Throughout the various ethnic societies and cultures there are roughly 6,500 different languages spoken in our world. Teenagers are known to share a language no matter where they are in the world.

Slang.

Teenage slang creeps its way into the halls of high schools and communities as our youth participates in the tradition of the slang language.

The division between urban slang and formal English has caused many to believe it is either “dumbing down” the culture of our language or simply uniting the youth as our languages are constantly evolving, Hicks said, “It affects our English language a lot. In reality none of it really makes sense. I think it makes our

generation not sound smart at all.

It also can exclude people from conversation because sometimes not everyone understands.”

According to the Pew Research Center 50 percent of teens say they use informal writing styles instead of proper formal writing styles in their school assignments.

“Adults think we’re ghetto and not educated, or less focused on our work because of slang. Because they think of us like this it ends up affecting our English language and how our generation is seen even if we like using slang with friends,” says sophomore Raquel Ward.

Different accents in places such as Texas and New Jersey have also been linked to a unique dialect. Teens try to impersonate each others’ accents to sound silly in an unfamiliar dialect.

Guido’s (Italians who live in New Jersey) are automatically linked to the reality series “Jersey Shore” and the morals they live by GTL (Gym tan Laundry).

Adults also use different types of slang to communicate at work.

Adults in the medical field use abbreviations to identify certain parts of the Hospital. “ER,” also known as the emergency room,

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MINH-HAN VU

is used around the hospital halls.

They also use “MRI’s” to shorten the name of an examination.

School tests such as the SATs and the PSATs also are shortened, but everyone in school knows they are referring to the test.

In a Sociolinguistic Study published in the Academy Publication Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Yanchun Zhou said, “Although many intelligent people consider slang to be of lower acceptability in society, the

trend is more obvious that the use of slang expressions in movies, television, newspapers, and magazines is noticeably increasing. We can see American slang plays an increasingly influential role in the everyday discourse of American English.”

As the trend goes viral among teen smartphones, the power of slang is also seen to unite the youth population. Popular music and movies also include a new vocabulary of slang impacting

the new teen trends.

English teacher Jody Humes said, “Slang will always exist as a common language and trend in our world. It tends to unite people as we all use it occasionally.”

As our language continues to evolve, it is known to bring kids together. Though it can be seen as a damaging factor to our formal language, it adds a sense of originality to each generation.

The tradition of teen slang is obvi here to stay.

Page 10 The Highlander

FEATURES

March 2016

Embracing the practice of social manipulation Continued from page 1 “People act differently around different people. I personally act more respectfully around teachers, but I don’t think that’s deceptive because I really do just want to be respectful to them,” said freshman Sophie McGrady. “I think it’s okay to change your attitude around different people for reasons like genuinely being respectful or relaxing more. It’s not okay if the person doesn’t mean it, and just does it to have a certain effect on someone.”

There are entire guides to social manipulation online, offering methods and tips for deceiving others without them noticing. Switch and Shift, a business consulting firm, declares social manipulation as a “great thing,” saying, “the term may have earned a bad rap, but manipulation, by definition, is simply skillfully using information for a specific purpose.”

Some of these methods include flattery

with compliments or gifts, guilt-tripping, to do so.” feigning ignorance, or laying blame on othTeacher-student interactions aren’t an ers, as listed by Darlene Lancer, JD, MFT in exception. Most students know how to her article How to interact with teachSpot Manipulation. to get what they “Mothers use guilt trips to get their ers However, mawant, whether that nipulation doesn’t kids to do things, and anybody be a deadline extenhave to be as intense who hasn’t twisted a story to cast sion or a guide to as those examples. success in the class.

“Manipulation themselves in a more favorable On the other side, on its own is perlight is either a saint or lying.” teachers have to fectly okay. In fact, maintain control of people do it all the their classrooms in Denis Yudin time,” said senior order to be able to Senior Denis Yudin. “It teach effectively. becomes a problem “Teachers mawhen habitual manipulators do it for their nipulate students by setting a classroom amusement, your detriment, or both. If you climate. It’s just necessary to have an effecboth manipulate each other a bit to get your tive classroom,” said government and ecoway sometimes, it’s fine. Everybody does it. nomics teacher Karen Ramroth. “We need It’s like speeding -- it’s not always a victim- to understand what motivates each student less crime, but everyone does it sooner or individually, whether it’s getting the grade, later when they have sufficient motivation wanting to be respectful to the teacher, or

something else entirely. It’s one of us handling 30 or so students, so we need to keep control of the class to ensure we have a good learning environment.”

Saying that a teacher should keep control of their classroom isn’t controversial.

Everyone knows that teachers need to have good people skills in order to handle both students and parents to run their classes smoothly,but nobody wants to say that teachers should be skillful manipulators; it just doesn’t sound as good. In reality, though, it’s only the name of the action that differs.

All in all, the line between deceitful social manipulation and true social grace can be hazy, and arguably may not even exist.

“Mothers use guilt trips to get their kids to do things, and anybody who hasn’t twisted a story even slightly to cast themselves in a more favorable light is either a saint or lying,” said Yudin. “Social manipulation comes along with being a social species.”

Applying ‘Jurassic World’ ideas to real life Estella Lippi Extinct. A word that once contained no hope. A once irreversible title reserved for species wiped from existence on Earth.

However, with modern technology, this incredible act has been overcome. The once impossible act of making nothing into something has been accomplished (or seemingly accomplished).

The New Yorker recently published an article about a new and extinct flower found by Entomologist George Poinar, Jr. The flower was found in amber and resembled no flower alive today. This puzzled scientists until it was declared that it was an extinct flower. They named it Strychnos electri for its star shaped petals.

Sophomore John Peterson said, “It’s interesting that something can be preserved in time for that long. It really makes me think of the biodiversity we have on the planet right now, and it makes me want to try and preserve it, so the beautiful species we have now won’t go extinct.”

The scientists began to wonder if they could possibly clone the preserved flower to study it. However plant DNA is much harder to extract than animal DNA so the flower will remain extinct for now.

In 2013, all over the news was a story about a preserved mammoth found in Siberia. This mammoth was preserved in the permafrost and remarkably had blood seep out of the carcass when they dug it out. However, this wasn’t the first available mammoth DNA found.

In the journal “Nature,” published in 2008, the first 3.3 billion base pairs (around 50 percent according to National Geographic) of mammoth’s DNA had been sequenced, though we still don’t know which part of this sequence makes a mammoth differ from any other animal. As in, what gives it its signature long tusks and fur.

Since then, other mammoth bones and carcasses have been excavated, but the genome is yet to be mapped out completely.

Once the genome is complete, scientists are thinking about putting mammoth DNA into the embryo of a female Asian elephant, the mammoth’s closest relative.

The “Jurassic Park” franchise was based off of Poinar findings in 1982 of a female fly trapped in Baltic amber for an estimated 40 million years. This finding inspired the

CREATIVE COMMONS/SHARE ALIKE 3.0

With de-extinction becoming possible, certain aspects of the popular movie “Jurassic World” have become more and more likely to occur in real life. author Michael Crichton to imagine a world wear the prehistoric extinct walked among us, in a zoo of course.

Which brings up one of the ethical problems of de-extinction. How would they be placed back into their ecosystems that have adapted to their absence? Many of these animals would just live out their lives in zoos for people’s entertainment.

Senior Molly McDowell said, “I think [bringing back extinct animals] is extremely situational; I feel like there are some animals that went extinct because of humans when they hunted them to death. But if it was something that went extinct naturally over time and [then bringing] them back would be completely out of our place.”

Another issue is that of the suffering the female Asian elephant will possibly go through. According to Beth Shapiro, a Professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of California, there is no way to know if the hybrid elephant (born from the original Asian elephant) will be able to carry the mammoth baby due to the size difference.

Science department chair Tina Smith said, “I’m a fond believer in preserving knowledge, but I’m not sure I’m 100 percent in support of [scientists] rebreeding them, because it’s not even going to be 100% a mammoth. Seven or eight years ago when they found the mammoth [scientists] were

saying there were lots of problems, one of which that there was not a female alive which can carry the mammoth a full term and there’s other issues as well.”

There is also the possibility of people disregarding endangered animals because of our new found ability to just remake.

However, the cause of many of these animals extinctions can be directly traced back to humans misbehaving and it could be our way of undoing our sins and even helping fix ecosystems.

One of the reasonings behind bringing mammoths back is that they will revive the siberian tundra and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released from the area.

In an interview with with The Huffington Post, Dr. George Church, a molecular biologist at Harvard University, said, “The Arctic tundra has about two and a half times more carbon trapped in it than all the forests of the world put together. So if it melts, that carbon gets released. And if that gets released, it would be the equivalent of burning down all the forests of the world two times over.”

Scientists believe that if they release mammoths back into the Arctic tundra, they will stop this carbon from escaping and help fix the ecosystem.

Church said, “They’ve done experiments where they’ve set aside plots of land and do a treatment similar to what mammoths could do [to the habitat], using tanks or tractors to knock down trees and punch holes in the snow. This has resulted in a 15 to 20-degree lower soil temperature -- and that would stabilize the carbon.”

The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List “is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species” according to their website. This list shows that right now there are 834 extinct plants and animals.

“Many species are extinct because of humans and what we’ve done to the environment. We’re in the middle of a mass extinction and its almost all human created so the fact that there’s a lack of species in many different areas are directly from what we’ve done to the earth,” said Smith.

De-extinction could bring back those extinct organisms and revive ecosystems.

With time, the concept of extinction will become extinct itself.

The Highlander

FEATURES

Page 11 March 2016

Students misinterpret behavior protocol Sophie Haddad The door creaked open. Every head in the classroom turned.

They could all smell it. At the end of class, she was called to the office. Some days later, she was expelled.

Some Carlmont students contend that punishments are either too harsh or racially biased.

“The way this school works is it’s either your ethnicity or your record,” said senior Mateen Nozzari.

But for Belmont Police School Resource Officer Brian Vogel, it’s a matter of behavior only. Race is only a factor in the sense that it can be used to describe a suspect.

“We tend to profile behavior, rather than race or color or religion or anything like that,” Vogel said. “We’re trained to look for behavior, and then there’s times where the description is race or ethnicity, and that’s all we have to go off of to try to apprehend somebody or try to protect somebody. I think I have good relationships with people of all nationalities and backgrounds. At the same time, I’ve had to arrest kids of different nationalities and backgrounds too, based on their behavior and actions, not what they look like or where they’re from.”

Administrative Vice Principal Grant Steunenberg stressed that the decisions behind punishment come from a strict adherence to the California Education Code.

“Everything we do, we operate within the California Education Code,” he said. “We are very cautious to not stray from what is ‘Ed. Code,’ because when we do that, we tread on really thin ice about losing our jobs. I’m not going to go against the Ed. Code and risk my job over something, even though you might think I’m going over the top. Because a person might not realize that what they’ve done is more severe than they quite get.”

Steunenberg came to Carlmont in 2013, when the California Education Code policy for dealing with infractions changed to make suspensions less frequent. He said that this change may have been brought on in response to racial prejudices that affected much of California.

“Part of the reason [we have] that section of the Education Code that said, ‘You can’t suspend kids for anything on a first offense for anything that’s not a through e,’ is because there was a disproportionate number in the state of California across the board of students of color being suspended for defiance and disruption and disrespect to the teachers,” said Steunenberg.

Not too long ago, racial bias in many schools was undeniable. In 2012, Education Week published data that said, “Black students were 3 ½ times more likely to be expelled than their white peers.”

At his previous school,

Steunenberg noticed that race wove itself into the decisions about discipline.

“When I was at Truckee High, I saw it,” he said. “Our demographics there were white and Hispanic, and there was a disproportionate number of Hispanic students suspended to the white students at the school.”

According to Steunenberg, the system at Carlmont under the new law is very effective.

“The more interventions we have to support students is just so much better because we keep people in class. They’re still getting their education, and we’re not taking that away through suspension,” he said.

The suspension rate at Carlmont was 5.3 percent in the 20112012 school year. The next year it dropped to 4.7 percent, and the year after that it rose slightly to 5.1 percent, according to the 2013-2014 School Accountability Report Card.

Even though policies punishing misbehavior at school may have improved, some students felt that there was a difference in the way minorities were treated.

“I don’t think they mean to but, from the student’s perspective, it may come across that [students are targeted] just because we think that the teachers see us a certain way, especially if we are a minority,” said junior Liza Poslavsky. “We all just want to be treated the same way, as anybody

MINH-HAN VU

Administrative Vice Principal Grant Steunenberg works daily with 10th and 12th grade students to resolve conflicts. else would. But, even with history, and just teachers in general, it’s hard to change the views that they already have and grew up with.

It could just be a general feeling among the student body that there is some sort of racial profiling going on.”

Vogel explained that students sometimes misinterpret arrests as being racially biased when they’re not.

“A lot of times, people don’t understand the reason why we’re trying to be safe and could justify their actions or justify what we’re doing because of race or because of something else,” said Vogel.

Crisis Counselor Shelley Bustamante agreed that administration focuses on disciplining bad behavior.

“Usually [students] are targeted because they did something wrong,” she said.

Even though some students are under the impression that Carlmont has flaws in the way it treats minorities, Steunenberg noted that there are many upsides of being a student at Carlmont.

“This district is unique in that it has more funding than other districts, and we have therefore more resources available to assist our students,” he said.

Crows are more than just scavenging birds Leea Ivanel

A black-feathered creature stood on the edge of a roof, watching. Always watching.

Strangers passed by with heavy backpacks and heavier books, and the bird simply waited, calculating just the right moment to strike.

When it came, the creature, with a quick flap of its wings and a ferocious battle cry, dove through the air and aimed...

It had gotten the bag of half-eaten chips.

However, there is a lot more to these midnight-plumaged birds then their loud caws and habits of stealing food.

Crows and ravens are one of the most common birds of the world. They are particularly common on Carlmont’s campus, especially after lunch, when they scavenge any scraps of food they can find.

Despite how common they are, there are students who do not notice the presence of these two-legged beings.

Their broken caws and black feathers simply fade into the background.

“I never really knew that there were crows or ravens on campus, or any other birds for that matter. I guess I just never had a reason to notice them,” said sophomore Daisha Sherman.

Thus, many people overlook the qualities that crows and ravens share. For example, if one pays close attention they can observe both the advanced battle tactics and the communication skills of these birds, which both suggest high levels of intelligence.

According to an article on Nature World News the mental capabilities of these birds were actually proven when the University of Auckland conducted a study on six wild crows. In the study the crows were given a cup of water with food inside and several ways to obtain the food.

After numerous trials the study concluded that, much to the joy of the scientists, most of the crows chose to use

ALYSSA FAGEL

Crows often eat the food and trash that students leave behind during lunch or after school.

water displacement to get their food. This lead the scientists to come to, as the leader of the study, Sarah Jelbert, said, a “striking discovery.”

As it turns out, crows possess the same level of intelligence as most seven-year-old humans. These “simple food thieves” are not what what they may seem to be.

Still, Jelbert’s study was conducted on six wild crows that did not possess any previous experience with testing.

But what about crows that have had years of training?

To answer that question, Auckland University conducted another study, this time having Alex Taylor, a psychology researcher, as its head scientist.

Taylor performed his study on a highly trained crow named 007. This crow, much to the amazement of Taylor, passed one of the hardest tests ever conceived for the animal mind in only a mere three minutes.

In an article on The New Zealand Herald News Taylor said, “In terms of birds, crows are basically one of the smartest, if not the smartest. 007’s amazing performance proves that.”

Scientific research aside, there are other factors that

make crows and ravens stand out amongst other birds, and that make them more than just any common beings around Carlmont’s campus.

According to an article on Avesnoir, ravens are actually able to learn basic human languages, much like parrots. Crows and ravens are also renowned for their brilliant memories.

Crows have, in fact, even been known to get involved in caring and complex relationships with humans, such as the case of nine-year-old Gabi Matt.

The little girl started feeding a group of crows years ago, according to an article on Audubon. Over time the crows started bringing her small trinkets, rocks, shiny objects, and anything else they found of interest to show their gratitude.

They even brought her mother’s lens cap back when she lost it in an alley.

Matt is today the proud owner of an ever growing collection of gifts, as well as an ever growing collection of very intelligent black-feathered friends.

Sophomore Aliana El Shawa said, “There is something extraordinary in all animals if you just take the time to look for it. That goes for crows and ravens too. Just because they don’t look or sound special doesn’t mean they aren’t actually truly special creatures.”

homeless

...but not hopeless Sarah Schisla Robert McGehee likes to go to the library and read up on astronomy and oceanography. He said, “Those are my two passions. [Growing up], I always wanted to be an astronomer or an astrophysicist.”

McGehee has now been homeless for over six years.

Negative stereotypes about the homeless are often misleading. They reduce sympathy for the homeless and dehumanize them, especially near large cities like San Francisco, where it is easier to reduce the homeless population to a number.

According to the 2015 San Francisco Homeless Count Report, there were more than 7,500 homeless in the city as of January of 2015. Even more alarming, this report indicated a steady increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness.

McGehee said, “San Francisco is the best city in the world, but everything has its [problems]. To be so rich and to have this many homeless people in San Francisco is [unacceptable].”

In 2015, USA TODAY named San Francisco the richest city in America.

Although San Francisco’s annual budget is projected to exceed $9 billion in the 2016-2017 fiscal year, San Francisco’s local publication 48 Hills reported that just $241 million was allocated to alleviate issues related to homelessness. While this is no small sum, it makes up less than 3 percent of the city’s annual spending.

Many are homeless as a result of the rising cost of living. Minimumwage jobs no longer pay enough to cover housing costs in the Bay Area.

McGehee struggled financially after he was laid off from a sandblasting job in Fontana, California. He became homeless when “everything ran out.” He said, “I don’t drink. I don’t smoke cigarettes.

You can’t just judge all homeless people as drug addicts, alcoholics, or people with mental issues.”

Another man, who wished to be identified only as Solo, was condemned to homelessness by something completely out of his control.

“I’ve been homeless ever since Hurricane Katrina,” he said. “I lost everything -- my family, my friends, my job, my home.”

Solo worked as a prep cook for years in New Orleans. Now, he can’t even get a job washing dishes.

“When you apply for a job, the only address you have [comes with] homeless shelter status. Once they [see that] on the application, they’re not going to hire me. They don’t think that the homeless have the skills, the knowledge to do the job. How can you be underqualified to wash dishes? How can you be underqualified to vacuum floors or make beds? You can’t be,” Solo said.

Unemployed, Solo makes what little money he has by selling copies of Street Sheet, a newspaper produced by the Coalition on Homeless-

ness. The group aims to provide San Francisco’s homeless with employment opportunity, giving them $2 for each paper sold.

However, when some homeless people try to sell Street Sheet while drinking or acting aggressively, it hurts business for other vendors.

Solo said, “You’ve got guys like that. If [potential buyers] have already seen them around before they see me selling Street Sheet, [the buyers] are going to step around me. They put me in that same category.”

At the mention of Street Sheet, McGehee said, “I can’t do that because people will just walk right by [me].” He has also been unable to find employment without a resident address, but a local gas station sometimes allows him to pump gas and wash cars for tips.

Once people become homeless, it can be extremely difficult for them to get back on their feet. Although the city provides limited shelter space and services, there is no reliable exit strategy that will reintegrate the homeless into society.

Additionally, homeless shelters are not always safe.

Solo said, “Shelters today are dangerous. When I first got here, I was at Providence [Shelter]. A guy comes in drunk, and [he] thought I was on his mat. He literally broke my face. He broke my jaw.”

Solo’s jaw was reconstructed through Medi-Cal, but the experience left him wary of shelters.

Unfortunately, shelters remain the city’s go-to solution for homelessness.

There are frequent “tent sweeps,” in which the homeless are forced to pack up their tents and other belongings and move on. Sometimes, they are instructed to go to a certain homeless shelter.

Carlmont senior Malia Canepa said, “I think that the city isn’t doing enough. Doing sweeps doesn’t help the homeless; it hurts them and displaces them until they can find another place to settle. And they will most likely have to move from that [new] spot in time.”

Shelters are an imperfect solution; they can be crowded and dangerous. The services linked to some shelters can draw in people who are mentally unstable or unable to coexist with other inhabitants.

No one deserves to be homeless, but those with severe psychological issues require a different kind of help than people like McGehee and Solo.

McGehee said, “I have my own problems. I know it’s weird for me to feel bad for someone else who’s homeless, but some of them have mental problems. You can look at them and see that they aren’t all there. At least I’m not going to lose my mind.”

Solo and McGehee are currently on housing waitlists, and both cited housing as the first necessary step to achieving self-sufficiency.

McGehee said, “The city should get [the homeless] off the street if they want to be off the street, because I sure want to be off the street.”

Page 14 The Highlander

LIFESTYLE

March 2016

Passions can lead to a better lifestyle Kiera Pendleton-White A passion can be defined in a lot of ways: a thing that you love doing, and formally as an intense desire or enthusiasm for something.

Sometimes a passion goes further than that and it becomes a defining factor of someone’s life and a permanent part of who the person is.

People can have passions for anything ranging from performing, video games, or writing. They usually manifest because of emotional connections that come from discovering and experiencing something.

In a journal of published studies titled “Psychology of Well-Being: Theory, Research and Practice,” the researchers discovered that there are actually two types of passion: harmonious and obsessive. These categories were distinguished by how the

activity was internalized into one’s being.

Harmonious passion can be considered as the better type and it comes from a person having a self-determined internalization of the activity. This occurs when the individual has accepted that the activity is important to them without having major dependence on the activity fulfilling a condition.

Obsessive passion results from a controlled internalization of the activity which typically comes from pressures, such as social acceptance.

The individuals with obsessive passions can find themselves having a need to partake in the activity. This can lead to this activity controlling the person and cause negative emotional experiences.

According to a study done by the Université du Québec à Montréal among other universities, harmonious passion causes

80% of people

individuals to have a strong investment in that activity and therefore are committed to doing well in the activity and strive to become better. This leads to these individuals becoming better at that activity in comparison to others.

“There are things that I’m really passionate about, and by pursuing them, I open up new opportunities to continue doing them.

It’s awesome because then I can keep doing the things I love,” said senior Claire Gonzalez.

According to Philosophy Today, finding a passion can be extremely easy. They suggest that to find passions one can think back on something that was done in childhood.

“I would say that I have a passion for music, but there wasn’t really a specific experience that defined it, it’s been there my entire life. Music has affected me in a lot

of ways and it’s made me who I am today,” said senior Clare Marks.

In terms of financial security, some argue that following these passions may not be the best idea. Especially if the passion is not compatible with the modern job market. In some cases following passions can also lead to indifference for the activity, but there’s plenty of cases on the other side of that spectrum.

However, passions can also be motivational and help people through tough times by distracting the person from their problems.

“Music honestly makes my day better. Also the people I’ve met through music have become some of my best friends and have helped me through rough times.

People are able to bond together through music, which has made my passion grow,” said Marks.

Passions are easy to develop when you are care free.

hate their jobs.

70% of

Most people choose pay checks over their interests.

Americans are disengaged from their jobs.

businessinsider.com passionsdrivenstatistics.com

NICOLE DEL CARDAYRE

Teacher passions inspire students Leea Ivanel

In an age where the answer to everything lies on the internet and it takes just the click of a button to have access to online classes, one might wonder what the role of teachers truly is.

Online courses are, undoubtedly, a wonderful inversion, especially for those who cannot afford to pay full tuition or attend an actual class.

“What used to be expensive and inaccessible becomes convenient and accessible,” said Harvard professor Clayton Christensen, who studies the affects of

technology on education, in an interview with U.S. News.

However, these classes are not perfect.

Most of them, while allowing some student-teacher interaction, do not convey any emotions and lead to impersonal interactions.

The vast majority of online courses could never compare to the experience of having a teacher.

A direct interaction between students and teachers is important for many reasons. teachers that interact with their students are able to directly observe what their students comprehend and what they do not.

Therefore, they are able to adjust the difficulty of their classes in order to help their students do the best they can. Math teacher Gayle McGinnis allows her students to take group quizzes in particularly challenging chapters, for example.

Moreover, these teachers are able to explain the material in a multitude of ways, such that it helps each individual succeed.

While the internet has a multitude of sources on many topics, there is no existing website that will rephrase ideas for the specific needs of individuals.

Another important aspect of direct student-teacher interaction is the passion that

teachers can convey to their students.

Taking an online course consisting of reading and tests, or watching videos of lectures. A teacher sharing their passion in person can be a truly life-changing experience for students, as it may help them discover what they are passionate about.

Teachers who are in direct contact with their students also tend to care more about them, often encouraging them to strive to reach their highest potential.

In the end, it is quite obvious that direct teacher-student interaction is important, as it benefits students greatly and it may even change their lives.

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Page 15

LIFESTYLE

The Highlander

March 2016

Coddling exchanged for smothering Parenting taken too far can be very damaging to students Sarah Tocatlian “Imprinting” is a term used in psychology to describe any kind of learning that occurs at a particular stage of development.

From the moment that you are born, your parents shape you to be the person you end up becoming.

But not all methods of “imprinting” have the desired effect on the child.

Different types of parenting can affect children in different ways.

There are four main styles of parenting: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved parenting.

“I have very high expectations in school and sports when it comes to what my parents want. They only want to see all A’s on my report card and they expect me to excel in sports. They expect me to be very responsible and respectful towards everyone I talk to,” said sophomore Elise Haugerud.

This is an example of authoritarian parenting where children are expected to follow the strict rules established by the parents. These parents have high demands when it comes to their children, and reinforce these demands with punishments. If their children fail to follow the rules given, more nurturing and forgiving consequences are given rather than punishments.

Authoritative parents establish rules and guidelines that their children are expected to follow, similarly to authoritarian parents. However, this style can be described as more democratic, with the child having more say in how their household rules are made, along with what the consequences should be.

“I do have a say in what goes on in my

house, and I know that voice will always be heard. Rules in my house are not that strict but are expected to be followed, but I usually never do anything to upset my parents because there is a lot of trust in our relationship. My parents have always been really supportive in everything I do and that’s allowed me to do things I like and be confident in them,” said junior Erica Pang.

Permissive parents have very few demands to make of their children. They have relatively low expectations of maturity and self-control, so they rarely discipline their children. Sometimes permissive parents take on the status of a friend more than that of a parent, but they are generally nurturing and communicative with their children.

“I would consider my parents to be ‘cool’ parents, they don’t really care what I do and where I go when I go out as long as I come home at some point. There are rules in my house, but if I don’t follow them, they won’t really be enforced,” said sophomore Sarah Greenbaum.

An uninvolved parent usually tends to have few demands, lacks responsiveness, and communicates little with their child.

These parents are usually inclined to care for their child’s basic needs, but is detached from the child’s life.

With all these different types of parenting, it can be hard to try and find the one that would most benefit a child and their physical and emotional needs.

Clinical Psychologist Belén Mora-Byers said,“A parent that would set limits and have guidelines, while still being flexible at the same time is a type of parent that would be most effective.”

It may seem as though children are the

ISABEL MITCHELL

One popular type of parenting is authoritarian parenting, in which a parent is overbearing and has a large number of strict rules. only ones affected in a parent-child relationship. However, there can be a lot of pressure on parents to achieve the ideal parenting style.

“Parents have all sorts of pressures depending on their personal situations, if they have financial pressures, they will be more worried about work and getting enough to provide. All parents, even those who might be better off financially, can have the pressure to raise the perfect child. The ‘perfect’ child might be characterized as participating in extracurriculars and doing well in school. This pressure can then get transmitted to their kids,” said Mora-Byers.

Pressure from parents can come from all sorts of different areas.

“I think that parents have high demands

of their children because they want to give them the best future. As for rules, parents just try to do what’s best for their children, whether it would be regarding their safety, physically and mentally,” said sophomore Jade Sebti.

With all the different ways that a parent can raise their children, parents have to take in the consideration of how their child will turn out as the grow older and develop into their own person.

“My parents raised me with such high expectations and discipline, I personally think I have become a much better person because of this, and I hope I will continue to live up to my own standards and the standards of my parents,” said Haugerud.

Destructive criticism takes a toll on teens Mona Murhamer “Don’t eat so much.”

“You need some acne medication.”

“How could you possibly mess that goal up?”

Parents are often the most influential people in a child’s life.

From growing up to moving out, young adults are an impressionable group with room for improvement in every aspect of their lives.

Young adults often feel pressured in academics, social situations, and families. According to Palo Alto Medical Foundation, 79 percent of a group of 124 adolescents felt most stressed in school, at home, and around friends— the three highest stress factors described.

Often times, parents weigh heavily on their kids because they want their children to achieve goals they themselves weren’t able to in their childhood.

“Some parents want their children to accomplish more than they did, so they tend to live through them. This leads to the parent pushing the kid too far in order to make sure the end goal is achieved,” said high school crisis

counselor Shelley Bustamante.

In the media, the hit television show “Toddlers and Tiaras” brings to attention how adults can live vicariously through their children.

“These parents treat their children less as humans who are searching to live a fulfilling life and more as trophies that are direct representations of themselves as parents. Because of this, they want their children to be perfect in their eyes,” said Bustamante.

Parents’ pressure in teens’ lives affects the way teenagers see themselves from the way they look to the way they act.

For junior Savannah Vold, it involves the way she makes decisions.

“My parents influence how I want to do certain things or make certain choices, but for the most part if I feel strongly about something, they respect that and let me make my own decisions,” said Vold.

For others, the extra influence is a positive factor.

“At first, I hated soccer, but my dad kept pushing me, and, eventually, the force turned into passion. I started seeing soccer as something I enjoyed doing rather than something I was be-

ing forced to do,” said sophomore Kaz Ishida.

Often, teens feel the need to impress family members and fulfill high standards set for them because they would rather deal with the extra pressure than with the disappointment of those they care for.

“I want to make my parents proud, so I set high expectations for myself. I want to live up to their standards because they both went to competitive colleges,” said senior Claire Wheeler.

According to Bustamante, as more and more pressure is put on teens by outside factors, they begin reacting the same way people do in response to traumatic events. “Teens will experience changes in sleep schedules and eating habits, as well as possibilities of experiencing anxiety and depression,” said Bustamante.

According to kidshealth.org, a website offering advice on child development, kids with low selfesteem can find challenges to be sources of major anxiety and frustration. Those who think poorly of themselves have a hard time finding solutions to problems.

Faced with a new challenge, their immediate response might be “I can’t.”

From there, children believe their actions and appearances are inadequate.

In a University of Minnesota Medical School study, Professor Jerica Berge wrote, “Because adolescence is a time when more youths engage in disordered eating behaviors, it is important for parents to understand what types of conversations may be helpful or harmful in regard to disordered eating behaviors and how to have these conversations with their adolescents.”

For impressionable teens, the words used to convey how parents really feel can severely damage self-esteem.

“Parents often mean well, but fail to realize that eating disorders, among other things, develop from seeds planted in the child’s mind by the parents. A kid might not view themselves as ‘fat’ until a parent brings their weight to their attention; from there, an eating disorder has the possibility of forming,” said Bustamante.

Berge and her team found that discussing and promoting healthy habits like eating well and exercising regularly will have better outcomes than weight or lookcentric conversations, regardless of their child’s age and weight.

Along with using correct words, it is important to lead by example. Instead of telling kids to eat healthier, Burge and team say children respond more positively when following examples set for them by their parents.

They also found that this method was functional with obese children but did not give them unhealthy mindsets.

Instead of telling a child they need to exercise or restrict their diet to lose weight, parents should encourage their children to exercise to relieve stress.

“It’s not a matter of what the parent says, but how the parent chooses to say it. Instead of bombarding the child with criticism, the parent should try weaving it into everyday conversations,” said Bustamante.

In any case, kidshealth.org studies show a welcoming environment with constructive, never destructive, criticism establishes a strong sense of self-worth in adolescents.

“Kids are dependent on their parents, so their words can be very powerful to their children, often in a negative way,” said Bustamante.

Page 16 The Highlander

LIFESTYLE

March 2016

Being a woman has hidden costs Hanalei Pham

It costs more to be a woman.

And then, they are taxed on top of it.

When shopping for hygiene and personal care products, there is almost always a very distinct gender division, from razors to body wash, shaving cream to antiperspirants. Women’s razors often cost more than men’s razors.

At Target, the Schick Hydro Silk Razor costs $9.59, while the male version, the Schick Hydro 5 Razor costs $8.52.

Many justify this price difference because women use razors to shave a much larger area; they say women shave their legs, men only shave their face.

In an interview with Boston Magazine over the price of razors, Kristina Vanoosthuyze, a scientist at Gillette Innovation center of skin care sciences, said, “[For women’s razors] the elastomer materials in the grip points, finger rests, and how women hold the razor are different and more comprehensive. It’s important to make the razor ergonomic to use, because women typically shave in a fairly wet environment. And for women, shaving can be like acrobatics, trying to get the ankles, back of the legs, knees, etc. We want the handle to have good control so she can move it around in her hands.”

In essence, because women shave more than men, the women’s razor is more complex and more expensive. Still, some women believe that the price difference is unproportional and ridiculous.

Teacher Cynthia Faupusa said, “I use men’s razors. I don’t use women’s razors. I use my husband’s.”

The price difference extends beyond razors. So much so

that in 2010, Consumer Reports did an article on the cost difference of many common products between the male and female counterparts. The article concluded that consumers should “try to ignore gender labelling and buy the cheaper version.”

Recently, the taxation of female menstrual products has also come into focus.

According to California Revenue and Taxation Code, all the necessities in life are exempt from sales taxes; this includes food, health related items, and housing. Yet women in California annually pay around $20 million in sales tax for feminine hygiene products like tampons and sanitary napkins. This is called the “tampon tax,” according to Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia’s website.

But periods are not optional. They aren’t something women choose to have. It is a natural occurrence that all ovulating women must deal with. Feminine hygiene products are not luxury items, but rather essential products for women’s health.

Faupusa said, “I think the tampon tax is yet another example of the misogynistic patriarchy that runs the United States. Periods happen whether the woman wants them or not, and therefore, it should be deemed as a medical expense and should be covered. In some places, condoms are not taxed because we are trying to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Isn’t women’s health just as important?”

Women must accommodate for menstruation when going through daily activities. Bacteria growth can cause urinary tract infections, other bacterial infections, and skin rashes. Leaving a tampon in for more than six hours can lead to Toxic Shock Syndrome, a life-threatening complication that can take weeks to recover from.

However, many people argue that exempting tampon and other feminine hygiene products from taxation is a risky path to follow. Some opponents to the repealing of the tampon tax claim that the more items exempt from taxation because they are deemed as “necessities,” the more interest groups protest for more exemptions, driving up tax rates.

Felton said, “The government needs to make money somehow. If we are going to cut a certain tax, taxes will need to be upped elsewhere. We can’t just cut a tax. Still, taxing tampons is not really fair. It seems almost sexist.”

The debate over the tampon tax continues. During the first California state legislative meeting of 2016, Garcia and Assemblywoman Ling Ling Chang introduced a bill to do away with the “tampon tax,” to bring about greater gender equality, make such products more available for women, especially low income women, and close the income gap, according to Garcia’s website.

Sophomore Hazel Lam said, “I feel like it is a tax on women. The price of tampons adds up, and sales tax makes it worse. Some people cannot afford [tampons], which puts their health at risk.”

Currently, only five states have eliminated the tax: New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. In Canada, the government decided to lift the tax on feminine hygiene products as of July 1, 2015.

When YouTube personality Ingrid Nilsen interviewed President Obama regarding the tax on menstrual products, Obama said, “I have to tell you, I have no idea why states would tax these as luxury items. I suspect it’s because men were making the laws when those taxes were passed.”

Licensed: The adventure after the test Sophie Penn

Junior Tori Miranda walked into the DMV in November absolutely terrified.

However, by the time she left, she was an ecstatic new driver.

Little did she know, the simple test would change her lifestyle forever.

“I got my car for my 16th birthday and I never thought I’d love an object so much,” said Miranda.

Now that she was a licensed driver, she wouldn’t have to be late to events because her mom wasn’t ready to leave, or wait for a parent to get home from work in order to get a ride to a friend’s house.

“My mom got tired of driving me to and from games, ASB events, choir events, and anywhere else I needed to go. My parents also found it to be practical to give me a car if I needed to run some errands or what not,” said Miranda.

Many high schoolers eagerly anticipate the day when they will get their licenses.

Being able to provide your own transportation brings a feeling of responsibility and independence many teenagers long for.

Sophomore Michelle Tenin said, “When I get my license I’ll be able to drive myself to practice instead of taking public transportation, which is less convenient.”

She currently walks, takes the train, or rides the bus to get to her house, school, and diving practice at Stanford.

However, for some, having a license can be a burden at times.

Sophomore Brock Lotti, who recently got his license, said that “Every person who doesn’t have their licenses constantly ask for rides. Also paying for gas is something I now have to take into account and begin paying for.”

Many young drivers struggle to balance their bank accounts with their urge to drive.

But money is not the only problem for licensed teenagers.

Driving anyone under the age of 21 who

is not in one’s immediate family is illegal for drivers who have not been licensed for at least one year.

Despite this law, teens commonly give their friends rides, when they have not yet reached their year of driving.

Teenagers are also prone to going on their phones while behind the wheel.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the leading cause of death for American teens is traffic crashes. In addition, “when it comes to distracted driving, young people are among the most likely to text and talk behind the wheel.”

Driving can be an inconvenience at times. However, most teens still consider it far better than the alternative.

“Sometimes I don’t feel like driving, but it’s so much better than having to wait for a ride or keeping your parents informed of when an event ends, or when to leave the house to get you on time,” said Miranda.

For some students, driving is more

about the social aspect than the academic and extracurricular benefits.

Teens such as junior Michael Morris reap the social rewards of being able to drive.

“I am able to go more places and do more things, which is super cool. It has changed my social life because I go out more because I don’t have to ask for rides everywhere, I can just go,” said Morris.

The excitement of driving, while invigorating at first, eventually wears off for most people.

“Being able to drive is a huge milestone in my life, but eventually it will just become another everyday thing that I have to do,” said Lotti.

Getting a license is considered a rite of passage for teenagers in today’s society.

However, it is important to take the responsibility of driving seriously, and not get too carried away in the excitement of the independence it brings.

The Highlander

MEDIA

Page 17 March 2016

The emotions behind modern mixtapes Brooke Chang She plugs in her headphones and listens to the music. Each song in the playlist is a surprise; given to her from a friend or even a significant other.

The beat courses through her veins, she closes her eyes and is transported to a magical world of music.

All that she sees is her fantasy: no stress, no fights, and no worries. Just those butterflies in her stomach. Not the nervous ones, but the thankful ones that only appear when someone has done something sweet for her.

Her only care in the world is the meaning behind the songs.

She wonders how this person has found the perfect songs with the perfect lyrics to communicate the perfect message. And all of this is in a single playlist.

“Music is the most thoughtful gift. It can brighten any day and it conveys so much about a person and how they feel.

As you listen to these songs, you know that the person thought of you when they heard them and that is the most special feeling.

The gift of music is like the gift of happi-

ness,” said senior Annie Klups. emotional gift can lead people to second Music has been a common gift between guess every word of every song choice. friends for decades, whether it is in the Junior Liam Jocson gave his advice on form of a mixtape or a playlist. song choice and said, “I would put songs Although the technology has drastically that are happy and upbeat. The goal is to changed from old cassette tapes to iPhones, make the person enjoy themselves and tell many believe that the them that you appreemotions of making ciate them and want “I’ve found that people love and receiving a mixto share your feeltape have not only throwback songs because they ings.” stayed the same, but Many students bring a source of unity as are actually the reaat Carlmont enjoy everyone remembers the joys son that the gift is so making their own popular. playlists for their of the past.”

Stephen Thomppeers to listen to. son from NPR Music These students ofAshley Wen explained this point ten find that the easiJunior of view and said, est way to capture an “When you’re pickaudience is to choose ing songs for a mix, based on your specific songs that emphasize a feeling or time peexperiences, emotions, and inside jokes, riod that people want to surround themyou’re saying more than ‘I love you’ or ‘I selves with. like you,’ or whatever; you’re capturing a Junior Ashley Wen created her own connection that is unique to you and your playlist on Spotify that has become very shared story.” popular around Carlmont.

When making these playlists, many stuThe playlist is called “Middle School dents worry about the message that is being Bangers” and showcases songs that Wen sent. The stress of giving someone such an and her friends enjoyed during their years

in middle school.

Wen explained how the songs in the playlist were chosen and said, “The songs allow people to reminisce and remember the middle-school energy and freedom. I’ve found that people love throwback songs because they bring a source of unity as everyone remembers the joys of the past.”

Like Wen used older songs to create unity, others choose to use songs that the recipient of the playlist has an emotional connection to.

Klups explained, “I make playlists with songs that will remind them of me, or of fun things that we’ve done together, or songs that remind me of them. The playlist is always better when it brings up happy emotions or memories.”

Many feel that playlists are timeless gifts that bring memories and emotions to its recipients and will continue to do so as long as the music industry is alive.

Sophomore Ben Hood said, “Mixtapes are a good way to express feelings and show your appreciation for someone. They’re a great way to spread positivity and I think they will continue to be made in different variations as technology progresses.”

The superhero war beyond the screen

Taran Sun

While superhero fans are gearing up to witness the showdown between Batman and Superman, a bigger opponent looms in the distance - Captain America.

DC’s big screen release of “Batman vs.

Superman: Dawn of Justice” is scheduled hit theaters on March 25, Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” coming out soon after on May 6.

“I like Marvel in terms of movies more than DC, but I’m more excited for ‘Batman vs. Superman’ because I really like both of those superheroes,” senior Jake Kumamoto said. “It’s something new, whereas this is going to be the third ‘Captain America’ movie.”

Data from Box Office Mojo shows that the top grossing superhero movies of all time are split fairly evenly down the board between the two superhero universes of Marvel and DC, “The Avengers” (Marvel) coming in first with $623,357,910, “The Dark Knight” (DC) coming in second with $534,858,444, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” (Marvel) coming in third with $459,005,858, and “The Dark Knight Rises” (DC) placing fourth with $448,139,099.

YouTube movie critic Jeremy Jahns explained in one of his videos a possible reason for the massive success of Marvel’s top movie. “Half of the greatness of [‘The Avengers’] was just that it happened. We saw it happen. All the Avengers in one movie? There was a time when that was just impossible,” said Jahns.

Senior Lauren McDonald said, “I love Marvel, I’m looking forward to ‘Captain America’ because I loved ‘The Avengers.’ I liked how they combined so many actors and characters together for the cast of the movie, and they are doing that with ‘Captain America.’”

DC’s blockbuster film has the potential to top box office grossing lists for the same reason: the cast is packed with iconic superheros, such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and The Flash.

Senior Lucas Coley said, “DC’s inaugural crossover movie is going to have the

ISABEL MITCHELL

Marvel comics have evolved into a multi-million dollar movie industry. Now, companies are battling it out to have their superhero movie be the best reviewed and highest grossing at the box office. challenge of going head to head in the box office with Marvel’s third big crossover movie, and Marvel seems to already have the formula down.”

Although Marvel is famous for movies in which superheroes team up to combat adversity, Marvel no longer owns the rights to numerous superheroes that were staples in Marvel’s comic books.

Until recently, 20th Century Fox owned the Fantastic Four, the Silver Surfer, Wolverine, Deadpool, Cable, and the X-Men according to Screen Rant. These are all superheroes that originally belonged exclusively to Marvel.

Quicksilver, a mutant with superhuman speed, has appeared in both 20th Century Fox and Marvel movies in “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”

Senior Austin Tang said, “I think 20th Century Fox portrayed Quicksilver in a much cooler light than Marvel did. The

slow motion scene where he toys with the guards in ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ was really good. However, I think Marvel’s Quicksilver had a better personality.”

Sony Pictures owns the rights to Spiderman and his iconic nemesis Venom. Sony released Spiderman for use in the Marvel Cinematic Universe last year while still retaining film rights, which is the reason he was able to appear in “Captain America: Civil War,” according to Movies Cheatsheet.

Although the superhero movie genre is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world, some students don’t find them to be worthy of their box officetopping popularity.

Sophomore Jade Sebti said, “I’m not a huge fan of superhero movies. They portray idolized individuals with completely unreasonable powers that control the rest of the world. I normally enjoy more realis-

tic movies, but I will admit that ‘Batman vs.

Superman’ looks interesting.”

The superheroes, their universes, and the respective fan bases all come together to support one side or another in the struggle for superiority in the category of superhero movies. Whether or not the viewer is a die hard comic book fan or just a casual movie goer, the money still goes to support the endeavors of the various companies vying for the top spot.

“I think Marvel will have more long run success because they have so many different movie franchises established at this point that they tied together with the first ‘Avengers,’” said Coley. “DC seems to be trying to replicate the success of ‘The Avengers’ with ‘Batman vs. Superman.’ They are fighting an uphill battle, but I think that there’s such a huge market for superhero movies that both franchises can thrive.”

Page 18 The Highlander

TECHNOLOGY

March 2016

Government challenges Apple’s integrity Connor Lin One issue regarding a single iPhone has the potential to compromise the security and safety of millions of people.

The United States government allegedly insisted that Apple, a popular technology company, remove the pass code restrictions on an iPhone. This device was recovered from the San Bernardino terrorist attack, where 14 people were murdered on Dec. 2, 2015.

In a message addressed to their customers, CEO of Apple Tim Cook said, “The FBI asked us for help in the days following the attack, and we have worked hard to support the government’s efforts to solve this horrible crime. We have no sympathy for terrorists. We have great respect for the professionals at the FBI, and we believe their intentions are good.”

Despite Apple’s admiration for the United States government and their intention to help the government, Apple refused to support the development of software that would unlock the iPhone in question.

The clash between Apple and the FBI could potentially threaten data security for many people.

CONNOR LIN

In iOS 9, Apple’s operating system, users can opt to have a six digit passcode instead of four digits. This provides more security because instead of the original 10,000 combinations, there are 1,000,000.

Developing a software to give the government access to the phone belonging to the terrorist could have a negative impact on people who store personal information electronically, such as photos, messages, and health records.

Cook said, “Building a version of iOS

that bypasses security in this way would undeniably create a backdoor. And while the government may argue that its use would be limited to this case, there is no way to guarantee such control.”

The thought of the government possessing the power to access personal informa-

tion leaves a feeling of uneasiness in some people.

Sophomore Emma Armstrong said, “I store almost all of my files on electronic devices and the fact that the government is requesting access to bypass security on an iPhone makes me uncomfortable. I would not be okay with the government having so much freedom.”

The threat of compromising electronic security is not a new problem. On Dec. 31, 2013, Snapchat was hacked and the personal information of many of their users were released to the public.

With a deep concern for the data security of their users, Apple has taken a firm stand against the demands of the FBI. Sophomore Alice Gevorgyan said, “Whatever happens next regarding the San Bernardino case should not involve the possibility of hurting all Apple users. The government does not have the right to demand something that would threaten the security of that many people.”

Substitute teacher Kevin Garvey said, “The issue between Apple and the United States government makes me wonder how far people go to ensure security and how many freedoms we have to give up in exchange for safety.”

Stopping data loss in its tracks Jason Zheng

A teenager is lazily flicking through their phone when something pops up.

Blaring at their screen is a rather unfortunate message: “You’ve reached the specified data usage limit. If you re-enable data, you may be charged by the operator.”

They stare at the message, initially confused, before their eyes widen in horror.

They have ran out of phone data.

This situation is all too familiar. Many of Carlmont’s students are plagued with using up their data plans on their phones. And most of them do not like this concept.

“It’s annoying and a huge hindrance,” said sophomore Ryan Nowell.

Data on phones typically exhausts itself whenever the phone is on. However, it rapidly depletes by consecutive usage of apps, whether it be using the Internet or playing games such as “Angry Birds,” which is so addicting that it could shave off 24 percent of a 2GB monthly data plan according to LycaMobile. As shown by M2 App Insight, Tumblr and Snapchat happen to be two of the most popular apps that students use, depleting 12.3 and 10.4 megabytes, respectively, per day.

“I usually use up all my data once every two to three months,” said sophomore Jade Sebti.

But even though data already runs out very quickly, the process has been known to happen even faster than before. Teenagers usually consume 1.8 gigabytes of data per month, but here, they use up significantly more, withe the maximum being 2 gigabytes.

As King 5 reports, the new Apple iOS 9 update has led to rapid data drains that can consume 12 gigabytes of data in 15 days, especially due to the “Wi-Fi assist” feature.

This feature forcibly switches the phone to data when Wi-Fi is low, which has been seen as inconvenient for many students.

“Sometimes, my battery goes down from 30 percent to completely gone,” said junior Pauline Sy, “It doesn’t have much of an effect on my data, though.”

But despite these challenges with data, there are at least eleven ways to save data, as AndroidPit reports. They include compressing Chrome pages, using Google Docs online, and restricting background data, all of which are effective and can potentially cut down data usage by a half. Perhaps the most common method would be to not use apps that use plenty of data, but this par-

ticular method does not sit well for many students.

“I would be very irritated [if I had to limit my usage of apps],” said junior Salvador Solorzano, “I can’t go on my phone that often.”

Another solution for saving data would be to eliminate the apps that caused the data plans to be cut off. According to iMore, a newsletter website dedicated to explaining the nuances of Apple technology, eliminating certain apps saves up storage on data, making it last longer.

Some students are planning on deleting certain apps to save their data. “[I would probably eliminate] YouTube; it’s why I usually run out of data,” said senior Steven Palthe.

Wi-Fi, though, is a better alternative. If used frequently, it could use very little data on phones, or none at all, and that can benefit the social media-loving students.

These strategies might be very effective at preventing data from running out.

IVY NGUYEN

The Highlander

TECHNOLOGY

Page 19 March 2016

Soundcloud loses money, not momentum Kian Karamdashti “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.”

Confucius, a famous Chinese philosopher who lived around 500 BC, reflected an idea that has rung true throughout time: no matter what time period, music has held an important part of daily human life.

In today’s world of portable audio devices, music has arguably never been more prevalent in society.

“Music is one of the most important things in my life,” said senior Jay Russell. “Listening, making, whatever it may be, it’s pretty much life. It can change your mood, make you happy, sad, and that’s what I love about it; it can move you and reach you unlike any other medium of entertainment.”

It’s obvious that music is an almost essential part of daily life, as well as the platform it is expressed on.

For many students at Carlmont High School, Soundcloud, a free global audio distribution platform created in 2007, allows them to listen to the songs of their choice, create playlists, or even create their own music to display publicly.

“The main thing that makes Soundcloud different than other platforms is that it is free, which draws a larger audience, said College of San Mateo sophomore Arian Tabarroj. “It has become the best and easiest way for a new artist to become discovered in a world where the radio cycles

MINH-HAN VU

Soundcloud provides an intimate platform for small artists and professional musicians alike. through the same 10 songs over and over again.”

With a growing monthly user base of over 175 million people and a reported $77 million haul in 2015, many would think Soundcloud is currently flourishing in today’s music obsessed market.

Well, the exact opposite seems to be true.

In 2014, Soundcloud reported a loss of $44 million, a staggering amount for a company that had just reported such positive growth .

How was this even possible?

As stated above, Soundcloud is indeed free. The only other large source of revenue come from advertisements, and those can only earn the company so much.

According to Billboard, Soundcloud’s average revenue per user is a measly 11 cents.

These recent troubles have forced the company to release a

statement regarding the situation.

“After making enquiries, the Directors have concluded that they have a reasonable expectation that the Group will have adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. However, the Directors have concluded that there are material uncertainties facing the business.”

Breathe easy, Soundcloud is not shutting down anytime in the near future, but the company is aware that changes need to be made to manage its growth.

With many big-name artists such as Kanye West, Justin Bieber, and Drake choosing to not share their music on the site, Soundcloud has become the safe-haven for smaller, independent artists to create a name for themselves.

Even the idea of that window closing will strike fear into the

hearts of any smaller artist.

“Soundcloud is basically my own platform,” said Tabarroj, who goes by the Soundcloud username: TAB. “Most big-name artists have a distribution deal with a major record label who pay the artist in order to gain permission to distribute their music. Soundcloud is my own free version of that. I’m in charge and I get to decide how to publish my music.”

Soundcloud’s variety is evident in its database, holding a library of 110 million audio tracks, in comparison to Spotify, another popular streaming service, holding 30 million. It’s stream feature also allows users to share playlists directly with their followers, while keeping up with professional artists.

“Soundcloud is definitely more social than Spotify, or other music services, and provides a bet-

ter outlet for smaller artists to get promoted,” said Russell.

Despite its appeal, Russell does feel the site lacks in some departments.

“Soundcloud’s inability to get big-time or established artists does hurt its credibility, and makes me believe that for a majority, Soundcloud is not as important as its made to be.”

“If Soundcloud somehow, someway shut down, I would probably have to take my music to another platform, which would be frustrating,” said Tabarroj. “Although there are deficiencies, it is very important to a lot of people.”

Luckily for Tabarroj, Glen Sears, the owner of Dance Music Northwest, doesn’t believe that situation will ever arise.

In his editorial, “No, Soundcloud Won’t Be Forced To Shut Down Due To $44M In Operating Losses,” Sears states that “Anyone who tries to tell you Soundcloud’s sky is falling is crying wolf and trying to sell you a bill of goods in exchange for page views. Don’t listen. Invest your mind (and eventually your money) in the future of Soundcloud. It’s the music ecosystem we’ve always wanted.”

The most likely truth is simply that Soundcloud is just way too valuable and significant to just disappear.

“There is no world in which simple operating losses will shutter Soundcloud,” said Sears. “It’s too valuable for the music industry now. The company still faces hurdles but their importance is concrete.”

Students put cyber security on the back burner Artie Hazelton

At the beginning of each school year, students at Carlmont are given passwords and usernames for their school-related accounts.

These passwords and usernames serve the purpose of protecting one’s school account, but many students use this incorrectly, and in the end, become hacked.

The school’s passwords and usernames are created to be very simple; the username is the student’s ID and the password is one’s initials and date of birth. This system is used so students can get on to their accounts successfully at first.

Administrative Vice Principal Grant Steunenburg said, “It’s convenient because they can access accounts initially, but they need to change it after so they are protected.”

Although many students may want their account to be protected, most are unaware and never change their school password.

“Organizations such as schools and

workplaces that provide employees or students with accounts, always give a password that is easy to remember when they first begin working there. The expectation is that they must be responsible with the Technology Use Agreement,” said Steunenburg.

Along with the passwords provided to the students, students are required to agree with the Technology Use Agreement, basically stating that students are responsible for their accounts and its protection.

Junior Kyle Kawakami said, “Someone went into my Google Docs last year and copy and pasted my write-up for science class. In the end, we both almost received zeros even though I did nothing wrong. It made me very upset, and I felt as if it was unfair.”

Kawakami had not changed his school password and came close to getting a zero on his assignment. Because he was unable to change his password and take responsibility, he almost faced consequences.

“A friend of mine logged into my School

Loop and looked through my grades. They even used it to make fun of me and blackmail me,” said sophomore Julia Walsh.

If a student is not responsible enough to go through the steps to change their passwords, then they are at risk of being hacked.

Although there are situations where students are ignorant of the technology use agreement, some students have changed their passwords and shown responsibility.

“At our freshmen orientation, the people running the presentation told us that we had the opportunity to change our passwords. I didn’t want to get hacked, so I changed it immediately,” said freshmen Kyle Dimick.

With the freshmen orientation, many freshmen are able to get the message about school passwords. The rest of the school, on the other hand is lacking this knowledge.

Though it may seem as if the school should be better at communicating information like this, Steunenburg explains

why this isn’t so easy: “Many communications that we send home are often ignored, even though it works for a great number of people. We could send out a phone call but the downside is there will be complaints.

No matter how we communicate, there are always complaints.”

Steunenburg shows that there is no simple way to get across information like this.

Additionally, Steunenburg sees this situation as a way to teach students about the life to come after high school.

“Our job is to prepare students for adulthood, we want students to take personal responsibility. We provide the opportunity to be independent,” said Steunenburg.

Even though there are a large number of students who are not aware of their unsafe accounts, some students who show responsibility are becoming more protected.

“Our students really need to use our accounts as a practice for the real world, there’s a good learning curve,” said Steunenburg.

1090 Alameda de las Pulgas Belmont 650.486.1530 monday - sunday 10:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Page 20 The Highlander

REVIEWS

March 2016

Philz coffee is the best way to fill up

Elena Mateus

I have a new secret boyfriend. His name is Phil. He’s tall and dark. Smooth. Magical.

My friends are convinced of my obsession.

For the past four months, I’ve constantly been “at Phil’s” or “en route to Phil’s.” And at my worst, I’ve been in “desperate need of Phil’s.”

But my secret affair with Phil is actually a reference to Philz Coffee, a Bay Area-based coffee chain that originated in San Francisco in 2003. Founder Phil Jaber opened the first location on the corner of 4th and Berry Street, just a block away from the train station.

Many coffee shops would want to claim that they’re not just a coffee shop, but this claim holds true for Philz. Their coffee is so good that it breeds addicts and incites a cultish, hipster following. At first sip, Philz Coffee will make you ashamed you ever stepped foot into Starbucks.

But Philz’s success comes from more than just the actual product; their success stems from the experience they give their customers.

When one first steps into the Redwood City Philz, a giant, wall-length mural of tree trunks dominates the view. Round, dangling lantern-like lights dot the building and continue the geometrical trend of the coffee house.

Powerful air conditioning, high ceilings and sleek, neon chairs created a refreshing, vibrant feel in Philz. At the same time, Philz had a rustic edge that is sustained by vintage wooden tables, “meet the team” polaroids, and mason jars used to hold their infamous mint garnishings.

Summed up in one word, Philz is unique.

While Philz Coffee is a chain of stores, one would not assume so at first glance. In fact, each Philz location looks quite different.

There is no uniform look at Philz Coffee in the same way that there is at, say, Starbucks locations.

Philz does a good job of making their customers feel important. With a local bulletin that plasters an entire wall, art from local artists for sale, and a “lending library” readily stocked with magazines, Othello, and a few records, the company clearly values a sense of community.

On my first trip to Philz, I was confused on how and where to order and pay, but now it’s a straight routine.

There is a single line from which mul-

MINH-HAN VU

From its creamy coffee to its energetic ambiance, Philz keeps customers satisfied and coming back for more. tiple baristas call customers to “come on over” from. When I was called, I was warmly greeted by a smiling barista sporting a Led Zeppelin t-shirt.

I asked him to serve me his favorite drink, and he suggested either a gingersnap coffee or a traditional mocha. I opted for the gingersnap, and I am quite glad I did.

The gingersnap drink tasted like the equivalent of Christmas in a cup. The coffee had a distinct cinnamon taste with notes of nutmeg. It was a very smooth, rich coffee without the acidic taste. The froth on top of my cup of goodness was and is my favorite part of every cup of Philz Coffee.

My classmate ordered a cup of Jacob’s Wonderbar, named after the founder’s son.

When I tried it, the blend brought to mind the taste of the burnt, caramelized top of creme brulee. It was toasty and dark, and it reminded me of a walk back to the car after a long day of skiing.

The way Philz makes their coffee just makes you feel special. Everyone gets an individual barista to talk to, ask questions, and order from. Also, Philz uses a singlecup drip system, which means that each

cup of coffee is ground and brewed individually.

All baristas ask if I want my drink “sweet and creamy.” My barista excitedly described it as a concoction of Berkeley Farm’s heavy whipping cream and two tablespoons of brown sugar.

After ordering, I proceeded to the register to pay before my drink was done. The system relies on the honor code, as one simply tells the cashier his or her order.

Here, while paying, is where select baked goods can be purchased. I ordered a cinnamon raisin roll and a spice bagel.

The glazed cinnamon raisin roll was warm, flaky, and the perfect pastry to be dipped into my coffee.

My spice bagel was a plain bagel with cream cheese, cucumber, and a blend of spices. The bagel was toasted to perfection and tasted fresh. The cucumber and medley of spices made the dish light and cleantasting.

My order of a large ginger snap coffee ($4.50), spice bagel ($3.75), and a raisin cinnamon bun ($3.75) came out to $12.00.

The prices are somewhat steep, but I also

ordered more than the average coffee goer might.

The customer service is the most outstanding component of Philz Coffee, to which the company’s success can largely be attributed.

I even had an engaging conversation with the cashier that made my day. And it is the quintessential experience that truly defines what makes Philz different.

At Philz, you are paying for more than the hand-crafted caffeine buzz. You are paying for the personalized experience in a unique, stylish space surrounded by people who are smiling and happy at work: whether it be reading, studying or whipping up a cup of Philz specialty coffee.

The only complaint about Philz is the steep prices that they charge their customers. However, the unique ambiance, impeccable customer service, and unparalleled quality of coffee make up for the discouraging price points.

Get ready to reach deep into your pockets for this one, because Philz Coffee is an experience. And it is worth every penny.

Intensify your Sunday nights with ABC’s ‘Quantico’ Alyssa Fagel

Fierce, enticing, and full of nail-biting cliffhangers, ABC’s “Quantico” is easily one of the best new dramas on television. The show follows a group of new recruits to the FBI as they journey through both physical and mental training at Quantico Base in Virginia. And while their weekly adventures in the field and in their personal lives is enough to get your average drama-lover hooked, the show’s main allure comes from its creative twist: one of these agents is a terrorist.

“Quantico” opens with what it declares “the biggest terrorist attack since 9/11,” and every one of the recruits is a suspect. Well, not really. The FBI believes it has found its terrorist in main character Alex Weaver, and has thrown all of its resources into tracking her down. Only the viewers know

Alex is innocent, and the show follows the accused in her journey to not only clear her own name, but also to find the true guilty party before he or she strikes again.

Creator Joshua Safran, with the help of some of the show’s stars such as Priyanka Chopra and Jake McLaughlin, has done an excellent job in making the story come to life; the episodes strategically incorporate both the present, as Alex rushes to find the culprit and avoid being found, and the past, where Alex recalls her training at Quantico and looks for clues into who may have been acting suspiciously.

One of the many elements that makes this new hit series so exceptional is the acting. So many shows struggle to have the characters truly come to life, especially in the first season when actors are still trying to fit into their part. And with “Quantico” revolving around such a young cast, it’s

clear that this series could be the breakthrough that so many of them need. One can only hope the show is around long enough to give such talented people that chance.

And though this adventurous new show is still only in the middle of airing its first season, it is already appealing to all sorts of TV lovers. Unlike many of today’s failed shows that solely focus on one genre, “Quantico” can easily fit under four: crime, drama, mystery, and thriller.

However, this isn’t to say the show is free of flaws. As much as we all love having those cheesy romantic moments, and that ill-fated couple that we can’t help but root for, “Quantico” may be trying just a little too far to incorporate this. After all, can a girl with her face pasted on “Wanted” posters all across the country and with time running out to find a terrorist really have

time to fall in love? The producers all seem to think it’s possible, but that is really just a ploy for the show to appeal to yet another audience.

That said, it is no easy task to bring a criminal drama to life, especially with so many other hit shows right now that fall under a similar premise. And yet on March 3, ABC announced that “Quantico” would be renewed for a second season.

It’s too early to be making predictions as to what might be the focus of this second season, but it’s no stretch to expect more death and deception in order to keep the viewers interested.

So if you’re looking for a new show to spice up your Sunday evenings, and put you on the edge of your seat before you have to return to school the next morning, look no further. “Quantico” is sure to get the job done.

The Highlander

Page 21

REVIEWS

March 2016

‘Eddie the Eagle’ inspires all ages

A classic film about beating the odds and achieving amazing goals Connor Lin Determination is the key to success.

This message was delivered loud and clear in “Eddie the Eagle,” which was released on Feb. 26. This movie is not only a feel-good movie, but also an emotional and inspirational story.

The narrative of a young man working hard to achieve his goals is a relatable topic that attracts a variety of audience members, young and old.

Based on true events, “Eddie the Eagle” is a motivational movie about Michael “Eddie” Edwards, played by Taron Egerton, who pursues his dreams of participating in the Winter Olympics.

Since childhood, Eddie’s goal was to compete in the Olympics. As he grew up, he faced the disapproval of his father and the constant support of his mother. His motivation to achieve his goals causes him to take bold steps, including traveling to Germany to practice on ski slopes.

In Germany, Eddie trains to become an Olympic ski-jumper for Great Britain.

During his time on the slopes, he meets Bronson Peary, played by Hugh Jackman. It is later discovered that Peary was a champion in the Olympics for ski-jumping, but was dismissed from competing due to his disrespect for the sport.

USA TODAY

After successfully landing a ski-jump in the 1988 Winter Olympics, Eddie “the Eagle,” played by Taron Egerton, and his coach, Bronson Peary played by Hugh Jackman, celebrate.

Despite Peary’s initial dislike for Eddie, the two form an unconventional partnership. They become close friends after arriving at the realization that both of them are outcasts in the eyes of Olympic competitors. Peary assists Eddie and gives him advice on how to improve his skiing.

Jackman beautifully executed the role of

Peary. His emotions are clearly delivered to the audience as he casts his affection and support for Eddie’s training.

Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who founded the Olympics, is quoted in the film: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not the winning but the taking part; the important thing in life is not the

triumph but the struggle.”

The audience witnesses Eddie’s transformation as he is continuously trained by Peary.

Though Eddie faces setbacks, he prevails through all obstacles thrown at him, and is eventually invited to compete in the Winter Olympic Games of 1988. After each ski-jump success, the audience feels a wave of excitement.

At the end of the competition, his pride and sense of accomplishment warms the audience. Eddie victoriously flaps his arms towards the spectators, which wins their hearts and gives him the name of “Eddie the Eagle.”

The actors in “Eddie the Eagle” made this movie highly anticipated. Egerton’s success in “Kingsman” and Jackman’s popularity in “The Wolverine” and many other movies set the expectations high.

“Eddie the Eagle” certainly delivered a superior level of acting, and the emotional scenes in this movie were incredibly executed.

Eddie’s growing popularity after his victory “dance” is a perfect example of an underdog story. Even though this movie was like many clichés of a typical hero’s journey, the charm and humor in the movie was more than enough to make up for it.

Page 22 The Highlander

The Tao of Megan Megan Tao “The job of the newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”

-Finley Peter Dunne

Hate to burst your bubble

When gay marriage was legalized in America, there were rainbow hearts and the hashtag “love wins” across the board on all my social media feeds.

I thought about how lucky I was to finally live in a place where people were accepting of one another no matter who they loved; Then again, I realized I had always lived in a place of acceptance, just not an entire country of acceptance.

Growing up in the Bay Area, I was surrounded by a culture that was the embodiment of San Francisco Pride and regular protests, which has created possibly one of the most liberal places in America. Growing up here has protected me from any ideals remotely conservative. Nothing could penetrate this liberal bubble formed by the culture around me.

By liberal bubble I mean living in an environment that is only made up of liberal views, blocking out any conservative views. I mean looking at the world and only hearing arguments that supported the liberal beliefs I was born into.

Whenever I had heard any conservative comment, my initial thought was “that’s wrong.” However, the only argument I could produce was “that’s not how things should be.” Now, I realize the only argument I have is because “it’s not what I’m accustomed to.”

According to Association for Psychological Science, both the structure and function of the human brain throughout its development are shaped by the environment; and in turn, the environment is shaped by the surrounding culture.

Being a liberal is not in any way a bad thing, but the problem with the liberal bubble is that it automatically places anyone in it as a liberal, not by choice, but because that is the only view our brains are exposed to.

Being stuck in a liberal bubble limits our perspective.

It doesn’t allow us to be able to look at a conservative view with any rationality other than it’s wrong. Also, if we are incapable of understanding any conservative view, then we are incapable of understanding why liberal views are right.

This is a problem stoked by our constant presence on social media.

Graphs depicting the breakdown of why women still don’t have equal pay, or a long anecdote of yet another person of color facing racial discrimination in public are examples of posts that would get automatic likes from people in the liberal bubble.

Along with these posts are captions that, essentially, encourage viewers to like or retweet unless they want to be labeled as someone who doesn’t agree with liberal views, which is synonymous with being wrong.

By liking these posts we also influence our friends to do so; therefore, reinforcing that our views are right, but still having no justification for why they are right.

As our use of social media as a medium for presenting our political and social stances grows, so will this problem. The liberal bubble that already decides for us to share and like these posts will influence more people to do so as well, not out of choice, but because the only other option is being labeled as a bad person.

The only way to get out of the liberal bubble is to leave the original environment and culture that made the bubble.

Like most things, to broaden our perspective and grow as a person, we have to leave our comfort zones. By leaving our comfort zones, which in this case is our liberal bubble, we can hopefully experience new environments and cultures that will either change our minds or give us the justification we’re looking for. Either way, for there to be any change or growth, we must physically leave the liberal bubble.

Once having physically left the liberal bubble, only then can we start to mentally grow from it.

OPINION

March 2016

Earn your happily ever after Karen Gao

“I think it’s important to see the best in every situation.

When I was younger, I used to claim that having a low exFiction speaks of hope and light, so it must be a contrast pectation always made you right or pleasantly surprised,” Feigelson said. “In a way I still believe that, but I think that to a dark and bleak reality.

There is so much despair and sadness in the real world projecting optimism is important to keep positivity, even if that there are those who question if there are such things as you don’t necessarily believe it.”

However, having a pessimistic viewpoint is not necestrue happy endings, from fiction, in real life. sarily unhealthy. According to research done by New York This belief regarding “happy endings” is truly the ability University Professor Gabriele Oettingen, it is better to utito hope and think optimistically, while the opposite side lize thoughts of negative outcomes to create greater success is taking a pessimistic view of the and accomplishment. world.

One does not have to be comJunior Alyssa Feigelson said, “In “However, in such a dark pletely engulfed by negative this day and age, it is easy for pesreality, it is important to thoughts, but should acknowledge simism to be conflated with realism, them in a neutral manner, to better retain some optimism, so much that they can be difficult to aim for success. untangle. However, in such a dark some positivity.”

Though this idea seems simple reality, it is important to retain some enough, it is harder to apply practioptimism, some positivity. It is the cally, as many people are ingrained Alyssa Feigelson only way that we can make it betwith ideals of thinking positively or Junior ter, by moving forward to aim for a of the possibilities of failure. brighter future.”

“I think people need both pesIt is much more common to hear simism and optimism in moderaencouragement to “think positively” tion.

Human beings cannot function if we only revolve or “look on the bright side,” simply because society has around the fact that people die everyday, ” Nejad said. come to value optimism and view it as the key to accom“People also cannot function when their world is full of plishing success. rainbows and ponies.

So I believe both can be very helpful Senior Melody Nejad said, “I believe that having an opin our lives but that moderation is key. ” timistic view is better in moderation. You can’t live with Feigelson said, “I would like to believe that happy endjust a negative point of view because that keeps you from ings are possible. I think most people would like to believe seeing the good in life. You also can’t always be optimistic that.

As someone who’s still on more of her ‘character debecause you won’t be aware of the bad things that happen velopment’ segment of her personal story, I cannot say too. But I do believe an optimistic view is important to an with confidence that a happy ending is feasible from my extent because it brightens your mood and I believe shows own personal experience, but I can hope.” people the good in life.”

Pessimism is not simply of method of discouraging Despite this reoccurring encouragement and advice, positive thinking, but it sets a boundary between blind armany people also still hold the world with a more negative rogance and optimistic thinking.

It allows people to aim outlook and pessimistic view, some of whom believe that for their set goals while keeping in mind their own limits. they are being more “realistic.”

Editorial

Tracking students is beneficial As soon as the word “tracking” is uttered at a PTA meeting, there are sure to be mixed reactions ranging from outcries to gasps of horror to soft whispers asking what tracking even is.

Tracking in regards to education is the system of placing students in classes based on their academic level. There are many different forms of tracking that can range from rigid placement of students based on performance on standardized test, to offering multiple levels of a class that students are free to take at their discretion.

The benefits of tracking are that it allows students to be in classes with other students that are the same level as them, making it easier for the teacher to pace their class appropriately. In addition, being grouped by one’s skill levels for some subjects such as reading and math, and not others, can lead to greater improvement in performance according to a study done by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Since the late 1980’s, tracking has been phased out after arguments were made that tracking students perpetuates racism by limiting the upward mobility of minorities, and exaggerates the gaps in academic achievement between students of different socioeconomic standings over time.

Carlmont has recently changed its class offerings to streamline the science pathways and to limit student stress by eliminating honors or advanced standing (AS) science classes, and taking away the option for juniors to take AP English Language and Composition. According to Assistant Vice Principal Jennifer Cho, these changes are intended to discourage high-achieving students from taking on an overwhelming course load and five point classes just for the extra grade boost. As a fairly diverse school, with students from a variety of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, taking away upper and mid-level classes may have the unintended consequence of hurting these groups of students.

In regards to the changes in science classes, taking away honors classes forces many students who normally would take AS classes as a challenge to settle for the regular-level class, as taking an AP version of that class may seem too difficult.

Instead, students should be able to self-track by choosing which regular, AS, and AP classes to take, while all the energy put into “leveling the playing field” could be rerouted and put into directly helping underrepresented minorities and other underprivileged groups at Carlmont succeed.

Assistant Vice Principal Jennifer Cho said the changes in the course offerings at Carlmont did not have to do with tracking at Carlmont. Rather, the changes were made to streamline the science pathways and hopefully reduce the stress that many students feel.

“If a student takes the regular-level class, does really well, and maybe gets a teacher recommendation saying ‘Hey, I think you should take this AP class,’ then they can have more confidence taking that class.

We don’t want to be artificially channeling kids into AP classes from the AS level; regular-level classes should sufficiently prepare kids for those AP classes,” said Cho. Despite the motives of the administration for these changes, taking away mid-level classes, and the option to take high-level classes is detrimental to the student body.

With the right foundation of support for upward mobility, tracking has the ability to help students reach their fullest potential in an environment that is appropriate and comfortable.

Students should self-regulate what courses they believe they can succeed in, so they aren’t discouraged from challenging themselves or pacing themselves. It’s all about finding the right balance.

The Highlander

Page 23

OPINION

March 2016

Not just a homework assignment

Reading for enjoyment versus reading for an assignment

Adriana Ramirez

Do you like reading?

“Ew, no. We’re only forced to read in school.”

“You mean those books like ‘The Odyssey’ or ‘The Great Gatsby?’ Never!”

“How does reading even help us?”

As we grow older, we associate reading with those terrifying 700 page textbooks or old English novels we are forced to read in school. So of course, reading has to be boring and tedious.

And without a doubt, we have to keep up with our readings to maintain that perfect GPA; colleges will love that.

Our main motivation to do reading assignments is getting an A on the next essay we have to write or that outline we have to complete.

In high school, those who want to do well have no other option but to read these textbooks or novels and try to follow along. But in reality, we just end up reading like zombies, zoning out as our minds briefly skim over the text.

We end up talking like zombies too, saying “uhh” after we finish a passage, having to read them over and over again because we missed

all the information the first time.

Reading is definitely a big part of our lives; yet just like zombies, it is not actually alive.

This is because we are reading blindly instead of reading actively.

According to the 2002 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 26 percent of twelfth graders cannot read at the basic reading level. That is, when reading grade-appropriate-texts, these students cannot extract the general meaning or make obvious connections between the text and their own experiences. In other words, they cannot understand what they have read.

Another study done by the Department of Justice determined 21 million Americans can’t read at all, 45 million are marginally illiterate, and one-fifth of high school graduates can’t read their diplomas.

In addition, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 50 percent of the nation’s unemployed youth, age 16 to 21, are illiterate with virtually no prospects of obtaining good jobs.

The benefits of reading are something people need to be aware of.

Professors Anne E. Cun-

ningham and Keith E. Stanovich found that reading, in general, improves intellectual capacity and keeps you sharp as you age.

Educational experts, Peggy Gisler, Ed.S. and Marge Eberts, Ed.S., found through research that reading can be beneficial in many ways: expanding vocabulary, reducing stress, writing improvements, gaining skills in handling complex ideas, and even just helping teens expand their horizons as they learn more about people and the world.

But reading isn’t all school assignments and work; it can also be a popular hobby done outside of school with books, newspapers, or even magazines that may interest one.

According to The Natural Center for Education, students who reported having four types of reading materials (books, magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias) in their homes scored on average, higher on tests than those who reported having fewer reading materials.

And no, being on the Internet and reading random posts with a lot of grammar mistakes is not really “reading” because reading tweets from Kim Kardashian or tumblr posts that confuse “your”

ISABEL MITCHELL

Reading can be a relaxing hobby, or a nuisance depending on the viewpoint of the person. with “you’re” will probably give you more stress and confusion than needed or wanted.

Yet society bombards us with funny videos on Vine and the life of celebrities that robs our time, so we end up not really doing anything that is beneficial to us.

Reading is an important aspect that people may overlook because it is considered a “school” or “nerd” thing.

However, reading is more than

that. It helps in every aspects of life: from reading prescriptions to reading mortgage settlements.

Without the skill of reading, it is hard to go anywhere in life.

Putting it in terms of benefits for student, that test we all have to take to get into a good college (yes, the SAT) requires good reading skills which only arise from reading actively.

And as the saying goes, better late than never.

Facetime over face-to-face time Anya Meredith You’re walking down the hall and you see someone walking towards you.

Do you smile at them?

Pretend they aren’t there?

But then you remember that piece of technology you have in your pocket that can solve all your problems-your phone.

You pull out your phone and pretend that you’re reading the most important text you’ve ever gotten.

With the rise of technology, it seems like people have forgotten to interact with one another.

However, this is not only evident in awkward confrontations in the hall.

Take dating for example: these days it’s much more common to be asked out on a date by someone “sliding through their DMs” than actually being asked out in person. Or even texting people instead of talking to them in person.

I know I am guilty of this.

Have you ever texted your mom something even though she’s in the room next door? Or emailed a teacher a question instead of going into their class to talk to them?

If yes, then you’re guilty of this too.

Is this okay? There seems like there should be consequences, right?

According to John Cacioppo, a neuroscientist at the University of Chicago, “If you use artificial means of connecting as a substitute for physical means of connection, you actually get lonelier,” said Cacioppo.

Loneliness can have an effect on stress hormones, immune functions, and cardiovascular functions.

“Social isolation has an impact on health comparable to high blood pressure, obesity, lack of exercise, or smoking,” said Cacioppo.

Knowing how to be social and to deal with awkward situations is an essential part of life, both physically and mentally.

According to Kim Stoltz, the author of the book “Unfriending My Ex: And Other Things I’ll Never Do,” “There’s been an emerging body of research that shows that when you stop having offscreen interaction, you lose empathy. You lose the ability to have genuine reactions to real problems and real things. College students are 40 percent less empathetic than they were 30 years ago, thanks to on-screen interactions that make it easier to say mean things and act before considering the consequences of our actions.”

While technology allows people some means of social connection that would have never been possible before, like maintaining long-distance friendships, it is

still slowly ruining the quality of social interaction that we all need as human beings.

Because technology is making a clear difference in the quality of social skills and relationships,we have to remember that we do have a choice about how we use our technology.

According to “Huffington Post” writer Nile Capello, “In navigating the emerging technological society, it is most important to remember that we are not passive participants -- we have the power, and the right, to opt-out of technology when we wish.”

Sometimes people forget that they have the power to talk to someone in person rather than Facetiming them or that we can go out and make friends rather than just “‘friending’” people on Facebook.

People seem to have forgotten this and it scares me to think that in the future, people’s social skills could be even more limited than they already are now.

Things like awkward confrontations in the hall, dating over social media, and even being afraid to raise your hand in class could be just the beginning.

So, put your phone back in your pocket and close your laptop, and embrace the awkward situations, because in the end, it will be worth it.

BROOKE CHANG

“Late start is going to cause a lot of traffic problems, especially for students who drive themselves.”

Sofia Tam

Sophomore

“The parking lots are already really crowded, with everyone getting out at the same time it’s going to be almost impossible.”

Kurt Castro Junior

Buying Local Kelly Song Many people follow a daily routine consisting of going to the store, picking up some groceries and driving back home, cruising in a mid-sized convertible with some Katy Perry blasting in the background. Maybe glancing at a billboard featuring a couple of kids smiling over watermelons at Safeway, or thinking about how that gallon-sized carton of milk might be going sour in the fridge.

But what if there was a simpler way – a smaller way?

The world of farmers’ markets isn’t exactly go big or go home; in fact, it’s just the opposite.

Because while one person is struggling to choose between 50 types of shampoo at their local Target store and pouring their money into a multibillion dollar corporation, another small-business farmer is hand-mixing beeswax and honey conditioner made straight from the kitchen.

The difference is simple: Money handed to a larger corporation may only make a fraction of a difference in the hands of billionaires, while buying a slice of pecan pie from a farmer could feed a family for the winter.

Farmers’ markets embody this concept of small business purchasing: Among an entire colorful expanse of tents, each individual table displays a separate life, a separate story.

“I think farmers’ markets are one of the most successful and impactful ways to reach out to the population and allow them to reduce their carbon footprint,” said senior Tara Sharvini, who has served as a member of the Sierra Club for three consecutive years.

“They let them think about the effects of their daily lives on the environment, because there’s human interaction when it comes to getting your food from someone who’s nurtured it, rather than picking up a perfect piece of fruit from a pyramid at the grocery store. I think farmer’s markets are a rare way to have that relationship, because a lot of us don’t know who’s behind the lettuce that we eat in our salad or who’s behind the orange we eat in our lunch.”

Many people choose retail because they believe it’s less pricey, but local businesses are not necessarily more expensive. According to Forbes, stores do not control pricing of most products; it is the vendors of the products themselves. Whether the store selling the product is a family-owned business or nationwide retailer, they are subjected to

the decisions of vendors when it comes to price.

However, many people choose corporations because it is often more difficult to make a trip to the farmer’s market, and large-scale stores offer easy access to widely-demanded products, whether it is a quick necessity or a common household item.

“I like stores like Costco because you can find just about everything there,” said junior Siobhan Ang. “I love going to farmers’ markets, but it’s not really convenient because they’re only on the weekends for a few short hours. Also, when not enough people go, they usually close down.”

But for those who struggle to find time to shop at local markets, health-conscious stores like Whole Foods Market provide easy alternatives to supporting small businesses.

In May 2015, Whole Foods Market introduced “365 by Whole Foods Market,” a small-store concept set to launch in 2016. This campaign branches from the original store to create smaller, affordable shops in the local area. According to Fortune Magazine, the 365 chain will maintain the high quality of Whole Foods products and also keep prices low by offering a “smaller, more curated assortment of products.”

In contrast to purchasing food from a large corporation, purchasing from smaller businesses places shoppers directly in contact with the grower, ultimately heightening their sense of conservation when it comes to purchasing food.

“Farmers’ markets are also important for the community because having that relationship of grower to consumer allows us to check our waste,” said Sharvini. “Food is actually the number one thing wasted in a household. Knowing the person who grew your food is a good way to understand what you have and what you need, versus what you want.”

Community members can find a colorful haven of farmers’ markets right in the Bay Area. The San Mateo Farmers’ Market (located at College of San Mateo) and the Belmont Farmers’ Market (located in the Belmont Caltrain parking lot) are both year-round outdoor markets boasting a variety of self-grown crops, speciality foods, baked goods, and live performances.

And when someone hands a crinkled dollar bill to the calloused hands of a home-baker or dairy enthusiast, the money is recycled as a turkey platter on the dinner table at Thanksgiving or ginger snaps fresh out of the oven. A bond is created between the consumer and the producer, and best of all, they won’t have to choose between 50 types of shampoo.

ALL PHOTOS BY AVERY ADAMS