Carlmont Highlander Vol 10 Issue 3

The Highlander December 2018 Vol X Issue III

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Applications are anything but common Nina Heller

While many of her peers were still drafting their essays, Sophie Mercado knew where she was going to college.

Mercado, a senior, had already committed to the University of Hawaii at Manoa on Oct. 13 2018, after being admitted through rolling admissions.

“I decided where I wanted to go to college during the summer between junior and senior year because I knew I wanted to do cheerleading in college,” Mercado said.

Rolling admissions is one of several college admissions options.

According to the University of Hawaii at Manoa Office of Admissions, rolling admissions means applicants are notified as soon as possible after recieving their application.

“One advantage stu-

dents have is that they have the relief of finishing their college applications and the relief of knowing they got into a school by the end of the first semester,” said Head Guidance Counselor Tammy De Paoli.

Similarly, early decision (ED) offers students an early admission, but it restricts them to that school once addmitted.

According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Statement of Principles of Good Practice, ED is the application process in which students make a commitment to a first-choice institution where, if admitted, they will definitely enroll.

While pursuing admission under ED, students may apply to other institutions but may have only one ED application pending at a time.

According to Tulane

University Admissions, early action (EA) is designed for students who wish to complete the admission process early in their senior year, but do not want to commit to that school right away, unlike ED. Students who are applying to schools via ED must attend the university once admitted. According to Tulane, ED is a binding decision, and students admitted through the ED timeline are committed to withdrawing all applications from other universities and enrolling at the university they have been admitted to.

“I just really liked the school, and I will get the decision back in December,” said Divya Menon, a senior, who is applying ED to American University.

As students are applying to more schools, the amount of schools they are applying to

early has also increased.

According to the NACAC, in 1990 just nine percent of students applied to seven or more colleges.

By 2011, the year of its most recent survey, that group had risen to 29 percent.

“I’ve seen the California schools become a lot more competitive because of population growth. I see students applying to a wider range of schools, which is a good thing, I see a lot more students applying to out of state schools and private schools,” said De Paoli, who has been helping students through college admissions for 19 years.

Between the fall of 2015 and fall of 2016, colleges reported an average increase of five percent in the number of ED applicants and six percent in ED admits, according to the

NACAC. The number of EA applications increased by 15 percent and the number of students accepted through EA increased by 16 percent.

While many students are able to manage the stress that comes with applications, others are able to find solace in the fact that they do not have to wait to know where they are going.

“I am not stressed out at all. It’s just one [fewer] thing I have to worry about, not having to be actually and doing college applications,” Mercado said.

At some universities, applicants also have an advantage when they apply ED. According to US News and World Report, at over 200 colleges and universities, the average percentage of applicants admitted with ED or EA was higher than the average

acceptance rate for regular admissions.

But for others, applying early is not the right fit. Having fewer options may not always be the best for all students.

The financial implications of the binding ED plans can also weigh in a students decision.

When students are accepted via regular decision (RD) in the spring, they are able to compare financial aid packages from different institutions. Financial circumstances can result in a student to rescind their ED agreement.

Nonetheless, students applying to college should be aware of all of the factors tied to their acceptances.

Menon said, “Only apply early if you really love the school and you would be happy to go there. If you are not totally in love with one school, just do regular decision.”

In This Issue the environment issue: Making History Carlmont’s football team makes it to the CCS Finals for the first time since 1991.

Page 5

Seasonal Moods Surfing Mavericks Global Warming Waste-Free Living Overheard at Carlmont

page 3 page 4 page 9 page 13 page 18

News Sports Campus

Features

E-waste’s Impacts Lifestyle Opinion Community Coastal Ecosystems

2-3 4-5 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-14 15-17 18-19 20

NEWS

2

December 2018

The Koch brothers vs. George Soros

How did they gain wealth? How do they intend to use it?

Three people contributed almost $1 billion to the 2016 election. Just three people.

George Soros and the Koch brothers, Charles and David, were key underwriters of the presidential candidates.

According to Open Secrets, Soros donated $21,024,898 to Hillary Clinton, and according to PBS, the Koch brothers budgeted $889 million for the 2016 presidential campaign.

These contributions can directly affect election results. Economics and government teacher Karen Ramroth addressed the impact of money on the election season.

“Money allows candidates to gain name recognition, airtime, etc. People start to see candidates as front-runners or ‘ones to watch.’

Once a candidate is seen as viable, based on those things, they get even more coverage and support, which starts the cycle over. Very often, this increase in attention translates to votes, which will lead to a win,” she said.

One way of gaining recognition from the American public is through ads and propaganda.

These platforms can be helpful for spreading the messages of candidates, but they can also be very deceiving.

“Advertisement and propaganda can really influence elections in my opinion because if a voter has not done the correct research or none at all, and they see an ad pro-

moting a candidate or proposition, they might go ahead and blindly vote for it, even if it’s not what’s in the best interest of the voter,” Kelly Moroney, a senior, said.

Many Americans, especially teenagers, are unaware of the people who fund these campaigns.

Madison Wong, a senior, said, “I have never heard of George Soros or the Koch brothers. Maybe they are magicians?”

“George Soros and the Koch brothers sound like people who invented a plane,” Bella Romero, a senior, said.

Learning who funds candidates is essential because sponsors may affect the actions of the candidate if they are elected.

“If a candidate was taking money from the [National Rifle Association] and wasn’t upfront about it, the voters wouldn’t know if he or she would support legislation in favor of the NRA while they were in office. The voter would have no idea if they would do that, and possibly vote for the wrong candidate,” Moroney said.

It is crucial for teenagers to become better informed on the funders of candidates, so they can make educated decisions. Although it may be difficult to see beyond the facades of politicians, it is necessary if one wants to reveal their true characters.

Ramroth said, “Most politicians like to be seen as grassroots and homegrown representatives of the people as opposed to someone in the pockets of millionaires.”

orge Soros Ge

Andrea Butler

Lizzy Hall

Andrea Butler

Bombs sent to Trump critics widen political divide Maya Benjamin Former President Barack Obama, former Attorney General Eric Holder, and actor Robert De Niro are three out of the 16 targets Cesar Sayoc allegedly attempted to kill.

Beginning on Oct. 22 with George Soros, several Democrats and critics of President Donald Trump began receiving packages containing pipe bombs. CNN was sent two packages in total: one to their mail center at the Time Warner Center in New York City and another to their headquarters in Atlanta. None of the 16 bombs detonated, but it is still unknown why they did not explode.

After four days of intense media coverage, Sayoc was arrested on Oct. 26 in Florida on suspicion of sending the bombs.

According to authorities, a fingerprint on one package and DNA on two others led authorities to Sayoc.

Sayoc has an extensive criminal history. In 2002, he pleaded guilty to making a bomb threat.

He has also been arrested for charges that included theft, battery, and drug convictions since 1991.

When Sayoc was apprehended his van where he lived was also seized.

His home on wheels was covered in pictures of Trump and Vice President Mike Pence as well as stickers that had gunsight crosshair designs on the faces of Hilary Clinton, Obama, and Van Jones, among others.

Officials also revealed that Sayoc had a “hit list” of dozens of names in his van, but officials

chose not to release those names to the public.

The reactions to Sayoc’s alleged crimes have come from both sides of the political aisle. Newsreporters, politicians, celebrities, and even Carlmont students had something to say.

Rachel.Amir Chatman, a junior, said, “I think it’s crazy that an act this hateful and maniacal is happening in 2018. I can’t believe someone attempted to murder people just because they were part of the opposing political group.”

While many can agree that the acts committed by Sayoc were unjust, Americans appear to be split on whether or not Trump’s controversial rhetoric had an impact on Sayoc.

According to a poll conducted by the HuffPost/YouGov, a little under 25 percent of respondents

believed that the president bears a lot of the responsibility for the bombs, 15 percent said he bears some responsibility, and 10 percent said the president bears a little responsibility.

The remaining half of respondents said the president bears no responsibility at all.

John Brennan, whose name was on a bomb sent to the CNN mailroom in New York City is one of the many respondents who believe Trump is responsible for the bombs.

In a statement to ABC News, Brennan said, “Unfortunately, I think Trump, too often, has helped to incite some of these feelings of anger, if not violence, when he points to acts of violence or also talks about, you know, swinging at somebody from the press or the media.”

Others, like Thomas Slayton, a senior, believe the president’s rhetoric played no part in Sayoc’s actions: “People like that [Sayoc] who are in that mental state are going to find excuses no matter what so I don’t think any of the blame should fall on Trump.”

The division between Americans does not end with whether or not Trump’s actions influenced Sayoc. A poll by Gallup claimed that 77 percent of Americans, a record high, believe the nation is divided on the most important values, and 21 percent believe the country is united and in agreement.

Chatman said, “I think the climate we are living in is one of the most divisive America has ever experienced due to the radical ideas that each opposing side fights for.”

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NEWS

December 2018

3

Winter temperatures freezes emotions

How the changes in temperature have affects on mood Mandy Hitchcock

It’s that time of year — the wind chills you to the bone and the sun took a perpetual vacation; you feel like suffocating yourself in blankets until the bright light of spring brings you out of hibernation.

Got the blues? It’s likely just because of the rain outside. But if the sun is up and shining, everyone else is expected to be up and smiling.

Though subtle, California’s shift of a few degrees between seasons is enough to assume connections between a person and their mood.

In the journal “Emotion,” a study from 2008 published their findings describing how different aspects of climate had little effect on positive moods, but rather, they would contribute to the degree of one’s negative mood.

AP Psychology teacher Michelle McKee notes a marked pattern in the mood swings of her stu-

dents as a result of varying temperatures.

“I definitely feel like when it’s gray, rainy, and cold, we all want to go into a sort of hibernation mode.

And so, that would make people a little less in focus and a little more lethargic, and you may see more students falling asleep in class,” McKee said.

The extreme side of the thermometer is even more so seen to heavily add to inflamed emotions.

“In extreme heat days especially, trying to hold their attention, it just doesn’t work very well,” McKee said.

Lily Frank, a junior, lived in the state of New York for the majority of her life. Now living in the mild climates of California, the lack of uncontrollable snowstorms and blistering heat and humidity is a bit of a change.

“In New York, every season changes at least ten degrees. But here, all the seasons just overlap. But probably during the sum-

mer, I feel happier in California because of the nice temperature; in New York, the second you wake up, it’s humid and just really hot,” Frank said.

However, Cole Lorch, a senior, feels that sunny skies don’t necessarily predetermine smiles all around.

“Most of my day really just depends on how much sleep I get and the activities I have going on,” Lorch said. “[Weather] definitely shouldn’t be a thing that makes or breaks your day; I would just say that the more you try to focus on other things rather than the temperature, the less it will affect you.”

Despite the multitude of tasks demands are of each individual — keeping heads bowed over tablets or textbooks, oftentimes not sparing a moment to glance outside — the stereotypes attached to certain shades of the sky can still hold true.

Frank said, “I’m honestly not that affected by the weather, but if I’m in a bad mood and it starts raining

I’m going to think, ‘yeah this fits.’”

Though a bit of sunshine may be enough to coax out a no-strings-attached grin, radical changes in character and mood in proportion to the current climate is defined as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. Such severity, however, is uncommon and only impacts 6.8 percent of the U.S. population, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

And then, a lesser extent of SAD can be traced to the presence of sunlight.

“People who experience SAD find they feel depressed during the winter months. But there are people who definitely experience that to a lesser degree, experiencing some mood fluctuations in the winter months when there’s less sunlight,” McKee said.

According to Healthline, a medical search engine, sunlight and darkness trigger the release of the hormones serotonin and melatonin, respectively. The first

Andrea Butler

is associated with improving mood and boosting focus while the latter is used to help with sleep.

But simply stated, a lack of sun exposure could lead to recurring patterns of depression.

Luckily, the expected temperate climates of the Bay Area, whether the sun peeks out behind some fog or a light rain shower

graces the ground, keep its inhabitants mostly happy.

Gray skies and clusters of nimbus clouds are no longer gauged in the typical fashion but often welcomed as a nice change.

Frank said, “Find good things about gloomy weather; if it’s raining, dance in the rain, run around. Don’t feel down just because it’s gray outside.”

Julia Rhodie

Humans have been given 12 years to reverse the detrimental effects of global warming.

The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report in October stressing the importance that global warming stays at most 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

While the U.S. exits international environmental agreements, global warming continues to worsen, affecting daily lives and causing irreversible damage.

“The federal government has a very important role to play in fighting climate change, and I do not believe that the current administration has made it a priority,” said Jenny Mao, a junior and a member of the Green Team, a student-led environmental club.

Global warming will impact daily life by causing droughts, food scarcity, and increased poverty, according to Mao’s research.

The United Nations confronted this issue earlier this year in Incheon, South Korea.

According to the same report released in October by the IPCC, “Impacts on natural and human systems from global warming have already been observed. Many land and ocean ecosystems and some of the services they provide have already changed due to global warming.”

This is not going unnoticed.

“On my last trip to the Dominican Republic, I worked on marine life conservation, (mainly coral reef data collection),” Marina Stoilova, a senior, said. “Global climate change has a huge impact on marine life and it was really shocking to see it face to face. I never realized the rate and severity of climate change until I was working on reefs almost completely wiped out from coral bleaching.”

Although global warming is a commonly discussed topic, some citizens are still unclear about what it actually is and how it is caused.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) believes that global warming has occurred since the beginning of time, and natural in addition to human factors contribute to its worsening.

These factors may include changes in the sun’s intensity and volcanic eruptions, as well as heat-trapping gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, according to the organization’s website.

“I think one way we contribute to global warming is by not taking care of our carbon footprint and not taking precautions to take care of our world,” Daniel Friis, a senior, said.

In addition to individuals neglecting the environment, some students blame other factors.

“The cause for a good chunk of global climate change can be attributed to inefficiencies and neglect in the industrial food complex and other industrial consumer providers. It’s not one specific demographic or country. It’s the global push for fast and cheap consumption overriding a concern for environmental longevity,” Stoilova said.

The U.N.’s dire forecast is leaving people wondering how global warming can be reversed.

In addition to reducing individual carbon emissions, the UCS believes that citizens must “demand action from their elected leaders to support and implement a comprehensive set of climate solutions.”

The non-profit organization suggests that among this set of climate solutions, the government must expand the use of renewable energy, increase vehicle fuel efficiency, and build a clean energy economy.

To what meets the eye, the government’s role in preserving the environment should be simple.

However, many are frustrated with the government’s supposed inability to take the issue seriously.

In an interview with “60 Minutes” aired on Oct. 14, President Donald Trump stated that he thinks “something is happening, something is changing and it will change back again,” and expressed that he is uncertain whether or not climate change is manmade, despite numerous discoveries stating otherwise.

Many were relieved, however, that the president acknowledged the problem, as opposed to making assumptions like he has done in the past.

An example of this can be found in a tweet released by the president, where he claimed that, “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing noncompetitive.”

Similar statements have outraged not only environmental activist groups, but individuals concerned with the planet’s future as well.

“While the U.S. government does make some effort to mitigate the country’s contributions to carbon emissions, more could be done. I don’t think they have realized how serious the situation really is,” Stoilova said.

Instead of placing the blame only on the U.S. federal government, many stress the importance of environmental preservation as a global effort.

“There should be more of a push for a long-term solution that’s not pinned on just one country or administration,” Stoilova said.

Many are taking the U.N.’s announcement as a wake-up call.

“A lot of the change will have to happen on the international and national level to reduce carbon emissions and make the switch to renewable energy sources,” Mao said.

Andrea Butler

UN addresses the climate change disaster

In times where change is required, many individuals are unsure how they, personally, can be a part of the effort. Akin to what many experts have suggested, students are taking steps to prioritize their environment.

Mao said, “Personally, I have been doing my best to reduce my carbon footprint by taking public transportation, eating less meat, installing solar panels on my house, and spreading awareness about the environment.”

SPORTS

4

December 2018

Girls gain skills one pin at a time Kimberly Mitchell

Every day after the 6th period bell rings, she leaves Carlmont and drives to our rival school: Sequoia.

Upon arriving she opens the door to the gymnasium and finds herself greeted by the grunts of teenage boys as they go head-to-head.

She’s ready to rumble.

Talia Fine is one of the three female wrestlers in the gym and the only girl from Carlmont, but rather than feeling intimidated, she feels empowered.

“I think it’s a truly empowering sport for women, but the problem is that you look at the sport and you don’t see a lot of girls,” Fine said.

In fact, most people picture wrestling as a group of sweat-covered boys brawling against each other, a sight that may be nerve-wracking for some girls.

But when a chance encounter in the halls of Carlmont with a student and a wrestling sweatshirt led Fine to the Sequoia gym for tryouts, she received an unforgettable welcome.

Greeted with smiles and warm introductions, Fine felt an instant connection to her new teammates. While chatting with the Sequoia wrestlers was fun, the reality of wrestling soon hit her when she met the floor.

“The first time I ever wrestled, I got slammed to the mat so hard I saw stars,” Fine said.

The impact left her skin blue and purple the next day with bruises that made her unable to walk up the Carlmont steps or even hold a pencil.

The pain that Fine felt after her first day is what deters some from wrestling, but for those involved in the sport, the bruises from getting pinned and grappled often transform into a promise to perform better and become stronger.

“I mean you’re going to hit the mat and its probably going to hurt, but we’re going to get back up and we’re going to try again,” Fine said. “Once you understand the mentality of ‘it’s only pain’ then you’ll truly feel invincible.”

In fact, the very move Fine’s partner used to take her down on her first day has become her all-time favorite technique.

But this year will be her last season to use that technique on the mats of Sequoia. While she plans to pursue wrestling at the collegiate level, Fine will leave behind Kaylie

Rivera — a Sequoia freshman — as the sole female wrestler.

Rivera joined the wrestling team out of curiosity, but she decided to stay for the people she met on the team.

“My dad told me that he wrestled when he was in high school and I thought that was really cool.

But when my friend was talking to me about all the winter sports the next day and mentioned the wrestling team I said to him, ‘Oh wrestling? I’m never going to do that,’” Rivera said. “The funny thing is that I ended up trying out anyways and decided to stay mainly because of the people that I met.”

Unlike Fine, who’s sparring partner is female, when Rivera is on the mat, she’s up against a boy.

Steve Runyan However, from the first day she joined the team, Rivera never felt Talia Fine, a senior, faces off against a female wrestler from Menlointimidated by the other boys. In- Atherton High School. Fine is the only girl wrestling for the Scots stead, she too received a warm wel- this year and hopes more will join the sport. come from the team.

“When I first walked in, there were no girls in sight,” State Championships it not only helped her, but it helped Rivera said. “But I didn’t get the chance to feel awkward me improve as well,” Camacho said. “I think it’s really imabout it because they were all so welcoming. Everyone in- portant to treat everyone equal both on the mat and off troduced themselves to me and it was almost like the mo- because we are all equal.”

Many of the girls’ fondest memories come from the ment I opened those gym doors I stopped becoming an cheers of support given to them by the boys and other wresoutsider and became a part of the team.”

While the Washington Post reported that female wres- tlers on the team. But apart from their strong camaraderie, tlers in high schools across the nation “continue to grapple the emotions and lessons that follow them when they step for respect from the male peers,” when Fine faces her male off the mat bring many wrestlers back each season.

When Fine was first slammed onto the gym floor by her comrades she believes the wrestling mat places them on partner on her first day she wondered why she tried out for equal footing.

“I think wrestling is a sport that respects the fighter, not the sport. But after all the takedowns, bruises, and cracked ribs her answer came with her first victory. the form the fighter comes in,” Fine said.

“When you’re on a mat, it’s just you against another In fact, the majority of the male wrestlers, such as senior captain of the Sequoia team, Daniel Camacho, respect all person. There are no teammates, there is no ball or goal the girls on the team and often learn new techniques from or net. It doesn’t matter who you are, what body type you have, how big your muscles are. You just go for it,” Fine them.

“Last year, Iris Guzman got third place at CCS and I said. “And winning that battle is an indescribable feeling of wrestled her the whole season so when she made it to the empowerment.”

Cheerleaders jump into competition season preparation Robyn Stein The cheer team is preparing for the Jamz Slam City regional cheer and dance competition at UC Davis on Saturday, Jan. 12.

They may be nervous, but all of them show excitement in their preparation and are determined to do well in their performance. It will be their first competition of the year.

A competition routine differs from their week-to-week halftime performance due to the extended length and difficulty of the routine.

“For football games, we have a week to perfect the routine. For a competition, we take about a month or two,” said Jianna Lloyd, a junior and base.

In the chilly dance studio all the cheerleaders who are going to the competition warm up, preparing to practice their intense competition routine.

They warm up their tumbling, stunting, and dances.

They start with stretching so they warm up their muscles and don’t injure themselves during practice, then move on to

Samantha Dahlberg

Carlmont Cheer will be participating in the Jamz Slam City regional competition on Jan. 12, and they hope to place well after all the hard work they have put in so far during the 2018-2019 season.

“Carlmont kicks,” which consist of kicks on each leg to the side and then to the front, while spelling out “Carlmont.” Then, they work on the dance portion of their routine before the stunts.

The flyers are freshmen Alyssa Kent and Sophia Morgan, sophomore Tara

Bakhtegan, and juniors Taryn Schloss and Sadie Lyman. Together, they perform scorpions, arabesques, basket tosses, and scales with the support of the bases.

“It’s scary, but I know that if I fall down, my bases are there to catch me, so I’m not really worried about getting hurt. I’m more

worried about looking good in the air,” Lyman said.

Many of the cheerleaders look forward to going onstage.

“I like the thrill of when we go out there; you see everyone watching and it’s just really fun. I just really like performing,” said Savannah Ponce, a sophomore and front spot.

The team works very well together and they have created a close bond with each other over this past school year. It helps up in the air, down on the ground, and in all the catching in between. When mistakes happen, they recover quickly. When bases catch their flyer incorrectly on occasion, they get right back into the routine as if nothing happened.

The show goes on and the team stays strong.

They have earned the trust from their coaches to do well in their competition helping boost their performance, routines, and spirit.

“I think we’re doing pretty well,” Morgan said. “Our coaches are very confident in us, so I think we’re going to do ok.”

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December 2018

On the rise: Briana McDonald ScotCenter Editor-In-Chief Defying all odds.

That’s what Carlmont’s 2018 varsity football team has done this year. The Scots have stayed undefeated in their league, won the PAL title, defeated their rival Sequoia returning the Terremere trophy to Carlmont, and advanced to the postseason for the first time in 27 years.

After the heartbreaking losses at the end of the 2017 season, the players knew that they had to make the 2018 season a comeback season.

“Last year we were 8-0 but lost our two most important games against Jefferson and Sequoia, which lost us our chance at winning the league. This year’s seniors have held that anger from falling short and used it to get us fired up this season. We were so close last year, so we knew we had to pull through this year,” said Simon Tara, a senior and varsity defensive back.

This year, Carlmont defeated Jefferson 44-22, earning them their league title, and defeated Sequoia 14-7 for the first time in seven years. Now, the Scots have ended their 27-year playoff drought with a spot in the CCS championships.

“Our reputation around school has completely changed.

Freshman year, football wasn’t important because we’d been losing so much. For 27 years to pass without making it to playoffs, we were in a huge drought. Some people said it was a curse. Coach Messina joined the coaching staff and told us that he was going to make a change, ever since then we’ve been in the weight room a lot more, which is something that never happened before,” Tara said.

Proving that their success last year was not a one-time occurrence, weightlifting and team bonding during practices have made positive changes to the program and are reflected in their record.

“Coming into the season, we had set goals for ourselves, we didn’t want to be just that one team that was a ‘blip on the radar’ as Julian says, where a good season was just a one-time one-year thing. It’s just the beginning,” Tara said.

The Scots have tackled this season by focusing on one game at a time. With this mindset, head coach Jake Messina and his team have dedicated more time to film studies and weightlifting, meeting the goals they set for themselves at the beginning of their season: winning league and defeating Sequoia. And even doing the unexpected: advancing to the postseason.

“Once you get into winning and becoming a team that is good, especially winning league and beating teams we couldn’t beat last year it gives everyone a confidence and lets them know what we can actually do as a team. Now we go into games where we’ll take care of what we need to do and get business done,” said Julian Morin, a senior and varsity running back.

It was only two years ago that the Scots had a 3-7 record, but after making successful improvements to their program they have put themselves in the position to win it all: facing the Burlingame Panthers in the 2018 CIF Central Coast Section Football playoffs for the division title.

“What made us improve so much this year compared to last year is the amount of time we’ve spent together this year. We practice four hours on Monday, four hours on Wednesdays, we practice on Saturdays now which is something we haven’t always done in the past. It’s really the amount of time that we’ve all devoted to the program,

SPORTS

5

Carlmont football goes to playoffs for the first time in 27 years

which was there last year but not to the extent that it is this year, which has made the difference,” said Darian Dennler, a senior and varsity inside linebacker.

With the bar set high from last year’s 8-2 record, the Scots felt pressure at the beginning of the season.

“Expectations were really high for this year,” said Daniel Taumalolo, a senior and varsity offensive lineman. “Having three years of weightlifting under our belt really helped us be successful this year.”

Friendly competition took place between the teammates that lead to working to become a better unit. Younger and newer players on the team saw the passion the seniors had for the game and were also inspired to keep up their efforts.

“The chemistry on the team between the players was a little rough at the beginning of this year because we didn’t really know the guys coming up from JV. It was a slow progression, but we started to really build chemistry after the first two games and we started bonding and talking to each other more because it’s a brotherhood; it’s not something you can build in just one day. As leaders on the team, [the seniors] were talking about how we have to keep pushing them and keep them in check, and it has made our chemistry as a team a lot better than it was last year,” Tara said.

Many seniors stepped up this year as leaders and the rookies got a taste of what it was like to win. The Scots proved to their community that they were capable of change and improvement.

“What’s made us accomplish an eight-game winning streak was that feeling of winning. I remember my teammate Nabeeh crying after our first win against Mountain View. Our younger guys went through a lot last year; JV had a 0-10 season, not a single win. Once they actually felt what it was like to win, they kept striving for that every game,” Tara said.

Many players who moved onto the varsity team this year had yet to experience winning, but they were willing to learn and willing to be coached.

“The new guys who came on this team this year were scared, like me. I was scared to hit someone and I didn’t want to study up on film, but as time went on I put my struggles to the side and focused on what I had to do to become better,” said Nabeeh Shamieh, a junior and varsity offensive lineman. “(Jayden Kuhn) shows a lot on the field.

He helps me get through times when I am feeling down, he has been helping me out throughout this entire year, he has been picking me up when I’m feeling tired, and truly helps out the whole team.”

After making it to playoffs, the Scots set a high goal for themselves: winning their division in the CCS Championships.

“We’re doing it for ourselves and for the school. We’ve worked too hard and come too far to not set high goals for ourselves,” Morin said.

The seniors strive to create a high standard for future players coming into the program and raise the bar that has been placed for them.

After a season full of accomplishing goals the Scots had set for themselves, younger athletes are inspired to carry on Carlmont’s winning legacy.

Dennler said, “The younger guys know that it’s their legacy now and it lies on them. After two years of decent seasons what we’ve been doing is not a fluke, so once we pass it down to them it’s their responsibility and I think they know that and at this point, they’re driven enough that they’ll want to keep it going.”

Photos by Samantha Dahlberg

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December 2018

Therapy dogs reduce student stress Alena Ruhstaller

It’s the end of the school day and all you can think about is getting home, how much homework you have, and estimating how much sleep you’ll get that night.

The sound of your dog’s collar filters through the front door.

A small black nose pokes outside as you enter the house, and with this, you drop everything.

Your dog leaps on you in excitement the second they see you.

At that moment, the concern of completing assignments and handling all of your stress washes away.

Imagine a dog that is specifically trained to relieve stress.

According to the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, the idea of animal-assisted therapy was utilized in Ancient Greece, where animals, specifically horses, were used to raise the spirits of the ill.

Throughout his work in the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century, Dr. Sigmund Freud used dogs in his psychological studies to lower levels of anxiety in young patients.

Freud believed that dogs had the best understanding of the human character, and his experiments triggered further scientific research behind the effects that dogs have on mental, physical, and psychological human health.

“Scientific studies have shown that when we look into the eyes of and pet a dog, our oxytocin levels rise, which makes us feel good,” said Jean Cary, a dog trainer for

Service Dog Tutor. “When this hormone level rises, our blood pressure lowers and our breathing slows down.”

Therapy dog training has been regulated since 1989, where the Delta Society, an organization focused on animal education, created a certification program to ensure the success of the training process.

“Dogs that are eligible to be trained to become therapy dogs must be over one year old, have to be housebroken, not pee on the floor in stressful environments, and must be reliable and can no longer be a teenager,” Cary said.

“Eligible dogs must be evaluated by a vet and prove to be healthy and be able to withstand discomfort by not responding to a squeeze of the paw. If they pass the vet test, the dogs must complete beginning and intermediate training and be capable to all basic things, like sit and stay with seven other dogs in the room to pass the Therapy Dog International (TDI) test.”

After completing the training process and passing the TDI test, owners volunteer their therapy dogs to attend hospitals, schools, and nursing homes to provide relief and comfort for patients and students.

“Dogs are so powerful in a hospital setting and for students because they are completely nonjudgemental, live in the moment, and love to be cared and talked to,” Cary said. “For people that are lonely or don’t feel like they

Kimberly Mitchell

Bella, an 8-year-old Bichon Frise therapy dog, smiles up at her owner while playing. are part of something, the unconditional love and acceptance of a dog is truly something very powerful.”

ASB’s Human Relations Commission has harnessed the concept of using animal-assisted therapy by holding Dogs in the Quad twice a year before finals weeks of both the fall and spring semesters “The Human Relations Commission began Dogs in the Quad because we want to help take away the stress level of the student body and hope to add more happiness in their lives,” said Azucena Duran, a junior and member of the Human Relations Commission.

By working with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in San Mateo,

the Human Relations Commission is able to provide the student body with trained therapy dogs and caretakers during finals weeks.

According to Duran, therapy dogs uplift student spirit during an otherwise stressful time.

“I’ve definitely seen students come to Dogs in the Quad and leave the event laughing and having smiles across their faces,” Duran said. “The dogs put them in a better mood overall.”

Apart from making appearances at schools in order to reduce student stress, a therapy dog’s training is mainly aimed to supply patients in hospitals and nursing homes with emotional and psychological support.

“After working in medicine and

surgery for 11 years, I’ve learned how comforting it is to have a dog in a stressful environment,” Cary said. “My dogs comforted me in these stressful environments and realized that it would help others too. I’ve visited 14 different hospitals with my therapy dogs and found it extremely rewarding to see miracles happen.”

Despite whether or not a dog is trained as a therapy dog, the presence of a pet in one’s life encompasses a sphere of love and appreciation.

“My dogs are basically family, and to me, their lives are as valuable as any humans’ is,” said Valentina Baehrle, a junior. “They’ve provided me emotional support just by being their innocent joyful selves.”

Carlmont flexes new schedule options Nihal Karim

Nihal Karim

Carlmont will experiment with different types of schedules in the upcoming years, according to the school’s administration.

In an email sent to Carlmont students, Jennifer Cho, the Instructional Vice Principal, notified students that two different bell schedules will pilot during the 2019-20 school year in order to determine which schedule is more favorable.

“Our goal is to see what gives us the most flexibility and what works best for the students and the staff,” said Gigi Kruse-Silva, a science teacher and a member of the Bell Schedule Committee (BSC).

The decision was made after the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) self-study process during the 2017-18 school year. Since both students and teachers requested more time to work with each other, the WASC visiting committee recommended a change of the traditional bell schedule.

The BSC met to discuss different options for block scheduling, and eventually decided to focus on exploring Flex time, also known as the Flex period.

Flex time allows for a 30 minute time period during which students have the opportunity to ask their teachers for help, make up missed tests, do homework, etc.

The incentive behind Flex time is to give students extra time to catch up on work and relax during the school day without taking away their lunch time.

“I have some hard classes and don’t always have time to ask teachers for help, so I feel like Flex time would benefit me,” freshman Brandon Tran said.

Although many students find Flex time beneficial, the administration would need to create the time to fit it into the schedule.

The school day can not be longer, since that would increase the total number of instructional minutes, so an alternative method would need to be found.

In order to implement the Flex period without modifying school day hours, the administration will either have to shorten class time, or introduce either a modified or a full block schedule.

“Even if we do decide to have a block schedule, it most likely be either Flex or a modified block, but not a full block,” Kruse-Silva said.

In a modified block, each week consists of mostly regular school days with block only two days of the week, while a full block has mostly block days with a regular school day only once week.

Unlike the Flex period, block schedule has a lot of debate surrounding it. Although some students and staff are supportive of it, many argue that it would not be helpful.

“A lot of my teachers teach until the last minute, and they all have their lessons planned out to fit the 50 minute classes,” Will Sherlock, a senior, said. “What we have right now works and I think that changing things is pointless.”

Even though the change of schedule is seen as unnecessary, the administration is going to experiment with different types of block schedules in order to accomodate for the needs expressed by students and teachers during the WASC process. A majority of the schools in the district have already implemented block, but Carlmont is still uncertain about it, since many students

and teachers find it challenging in a variety of ways. Longer class times cause issues for both students and teachers during block days, thus making it less favorable among some students and staff members.

“During block days, teachers tend to lose their total number of instructional minutes. In addition to that, many students have trouble focusing on the material during longer classes,” Kruse-Silva said.

Although Carlmont only has block schedule during special events, such as assemblies or testing, the possible incorporation of a modified or full block schedule sparks debate.

“If we have a modified block, there would be times when I can miss a day when I don’t have those classes, but if I do have them, it means I would miss a double-lecture day,” Kaitlyn Parohinog, a junior, said.

The permanent incorporation of block schedule has challenges. Some students say it can benefit their schoolwork and help them deal with stress, while others find it chaotic. Students tend to be against block schedule due to its longer class periods.

“I think that block periods are too long,” Sherlock said. “It gives you strange structures and just messes up everything.”

While Carlmont does plan to experiment with different types of block schedules, it is still unclear whether or not a permanent block schedule will replace the traditional one in the upcoming years.

“We want to see what works best for both the students and the teachers,” KruseSilva said. “While a full block probably won’t happen, we might try a modified block or the Flex period.”

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December 2018

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Students donate food for families in need Francesca D’Urzo Editor

With the spirit of the holiday season, ASB held their annual food drive in order to give back to the community by collecting canned food donations for those in need.

The food drive began on Nov. 13 and ended on Nov. 20. Throughout the week, students were encouraged to bring in canned foods and non-perishables to their second-period class or the ASB room.

Greta Foehr, a junior and member ASB’s Do Something commission, said, “The overall purpose of our annual food drive is to help provide families in need with a Thanksgiving meal. I always look forward to this event, as it provides students with the opportunity to give back to the community in such a positive and effective way.”

The classes who collect the most donations are rewarded with boxes of donuts provided by ASB This year, the three classes that gathered the most donations were the secondperiods of Michelle McKee, Felix Guzman, and Genevieve Tep, who all collected over three bins worth of canned food and nonperishables.

Francesca D’Urzo

Soni Kanaya, a junior and member of ASB, organizes and prepares the canned food donations for collection.

Soni Kanaya, a junior and member of ASB’s Recognition commission said, “Everyone in ASB was so amazed by how successful the food drive was this year. When it was time to collect the donations from the classes, ASB members were bringing back bin after bin filled to the top with do-

nations. I have never seen so many Carlmont food drive donations before.”

All of the canned food and non-perishables that were collected at Carlmont will be donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank focused in the Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.

The Second Harvest Food Bank is a non-profit organization founded in 1974 aimed at providing food for those stricken by hunger and poverty across America. In 2018 alone, the organization has collected over 46 million food donations for the Silicon Valley community.

Nate Hsich, a freshman, said, “If every student contributes a small donation to the food drive, we can make a huge difference in the lives of families in need. It feels amazing being able to help others have food on the table, so I encourage others to try and make the effort to donate to organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank.

Whether it’s one can or three bags of cans, every donation helps.”

With the annual food drive, ASB aims to make a positive impact on the lives of those in need as well as to provide students with an opportunity to give back.

“The more students participate in events like the food drive, the more of a positive impact we can make in the community as a school. And with the beginning of the holiday season, it is the perfect time to be giving back,” Foehr said. “Overall, I am just proud to be a part of such a dedicated and charitable community.”

Coastal Honor Choir provides an Russian Unity Club executives insightful experience for singers work to break stereotypes Nicole Yeo

Ava Richards

The stage is set, and the audience waits with anticipation as the singers take their places.

There’s a beat, and the music begins.

After weeks of individually practicing and just two days of practicing with their choir, the students of Coastal Honor Choir performed in a concert on Saturday, Nov. 17.

Coastal Honor Choir is a choir that encompasses people along the 101 freeway. Students have to audition with music theory and a solo, and if they get a high enough score, they’re accepted. It is made up of three choirs: men’s choir, mixed choir (men and women), and women’s choir.

Each year, many Carlmont students audition. Around 500 people audition in a given year, and only 300 singers get accepted into the program. Every Carlmont student who auditioned for Coastal Honor Choir this year was accepted into the program.

O r i g i n a l l y, Coastal Honor Choir was slated to take place at San Mateo High School

The introduction of the Russian Unity Club (RUC) has created a welcoming environment for students of Russian heritage.

Ethan Torban and Misha Shkolnik, the freshmen co-presidents, began work early in the school year.

Their main goal is to create a place that allows students to celebrate their culture while becoming more educated in its history.

“I think it’s important to have a club like this, because personally, people were mean to me because of my heritage and I know that others have also experienced this,” Torban said.

Combatting the stereotypes towards Russians today is

Robyn Peters

Amelia Espinosa, a senior, practices with the women’s choir. with rehearsals on Thursday and Friday and a concert on Saturday.

“Coastal Honor Choir is an excellent place to get together with a large choir of really highperforming kids,” said choir teacher Genevieve Tep. Tep said that she encourages students to audition because they don’t normally get to sing with such a large group of talented singers. Students not only audition for the experience but also to discover new things.

Adrian Fernandez, a junior, said, “I decided to audition because I wanted to put myself out there this year, and I also had a great experience last year, so I wanted to continue learning more and growing. Everyone at Coastal Honor Choir already has a

great voice, but we can all develop further as good musicians.”

At Coastal Honor Choir, students did a lot more than just learn.

Sarah Dunwoody, a junior, said, “When I got there, I met other really talented and friendly people. My favorite part was being able to work hard with committed singers.”

Unfortunately, because of the bad air quality from the wildfires in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, the rehearsal and concert venue shut down. The rehearsal on Friday was canceled, and the concert on Saturday was relocated to San Jose State University.

Each choir performed three out of the five songs they prepared because of this lastminute change.

For those who qualify, there is the All-State Honor Choir.

According to the California Choral Directors Association (CCDA) website, “The All-State Honor Choir is ‘the cream of the crop,’ bringing together the finest high school singers from the entire state of California to sing in the All-State Honor Choirs in March.”

To get accepted, singers need to have participated in their regional honor choir — in this case, Coastal Honor Choir — and have a high enough audition score.

When asked for advice for future auditionees, Fernandez said, “You have to be confident in whatever you do, and confidence comes with practice.”

a large focus of the club. Most criticisms are rooted in dramatized tellings of the political, gender, and societal norms of Russia.

“My family suffered from communism and left Russia, so it agitates me when people assume that I support the movement that harmed them,” sophomore Katrina Sharonin said.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are roughly 3.1 million Russian people in the U.S., making them a decent portion of the country. The lack of representation at Carlmont is why Torban and Shkolnik initially sought to start the RUC. However, the idea of reversing many of the false assumptions about Russians was even

Data from Amereida.com

more prevalent.

“Assuming is very impolite because every person is an individual and doesn’t speak for every Russian or Eastern European person,” saidsophomore Liz Gurevich, the secretary. “We like to advocate for individuality and to break the walls of social norms.”

RUC is not in full swing yet, however. As the executive board has been working to create a plan for the club, a few open meetings have occurred.

These meetings consisted of members providing ideas for future activities.

The executive board has spent a lot of time considering these ideas and creating competitions, games, and finding old Russian cartoons many

members watched as kids.

“During the meetings, we just want to create a fun and educational environment and bring more people together,” Gurevich said.

RUC’s first activity is designing a club t-shirt. Members were able to suggest their ideas and create something as a whole.

Torban hopes to host the sale of traditional Russian foods, and potentially games.

“Although we have our families, having clubs that further extend the celebration of cultures allows students to feel welcome in a community,” Sharonin said. “It’s an essential part of the school community, no doubt.”

Ava Richards

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FEATURES

December 2018

Everyday environment largely impacts health Samantha Hanlon

Twenty-three percent of worldwide deaths are caused by environmental hazards.

Many of these deaths are influenced by soil, air, water, and other standard parts of the environment that humans come in contact with every day. But little do people realize, these elements have large impacts on our health.

For starters, thousands of people are affected by seasonal allergies. Though they are of the most commonly occuring allergies, according to Everyday Health, they are almost impossible to avoid since pollen is almost a permanent part of the air we breathe.

“A lot of things in the environment affect us but if I had to narrow it down I’d say water or air quality,” Kelly Lelapinyokul, a junior, said. “It’s something that we come in contact with on a daily basis and it’s a necessity to our well being.”

Dust mites are another common allergy influenced by air. Dust mites are tiny bugs that live in dust and are usually found in homes. Having a dust mite allergy can lead to asthma or worsen asthma symptoms.

Air pollution also has significant impacts on health and especially affects those with asthma, which is often worsened as a result of bad air conditions.

One component of air pollution is known as particle pollution, which can worsen syptoms and can trigger asthma attacks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) particle pollution is found in smoke, haze, and dust while ozone, another form of air pollution, is found in smog.

Ozone is an unstable toxic gas with a pungent odor that is formed from oxygen by electrical discharges or ultraviolet light.

The pollution levels of ozone are at their worst on hot summer afternoons and early

evenings.

In contrast, particle pollution can be bad year-round, but is present especially when weather is calm and air pollution can build up near busy roads or factories during rush hour.

Air pollution was especially strong on the evening of Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, when the Camp Fire in Butte County, California started. It caused the air in surrounding cities, reaching as far as the Southern Bay Area, to have hazy, smoky, unhealthy air.

“I’ve been having an itchy throat frequently causing me to cough a lot and when I’m outside for too long my eyes start to burn. Also, my swim practices have been canceled,” Hana Lip, a junior, said.

Smoke is dangerous, and secondhand smoke, which results from burning tobacco products, is just as concerning.

Secondhand smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals including hundreds that are toxic and around 70 that can cause cancer. It is estimated that 2.5 million nonsmokers have died from secondhand smoke exposure since 1964.

Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also known as SIDS. “Smoke makes your blood stickier, raises your LDL cholesterol, and damages the lining of your blood vessels,” William Blahd, MD, said. “Eventually, these changes can make you more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.”

Another big factor in air pollution is smog. Smog is fog or haze that combines with smoke and other atmospheric pollutants and causes throat and chest irritation.

Smog is often harmful because even after immediate exposure, it can still have longterm effects on your lungs and health.

Breathing in too much smog can be extremely dangerous due to the fact that smog contains ozone. But smog is espe-

Samantha Dahlberg

A student covers their mouth to protect from smoke that came from the California Camp Fire. The air quality during Nov. 2018 reached an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 228, which is gauged as very unhealthy. cially dangerous for people with asthma as it can increase the risk of an attack.

Human health is also largely affected by water contamination. Tainted water can spread diseases, chemicals, and other substances that are unsafe to come in contact with.

Water-borne diseases such as malaria, jaundice, and cholera cause about 3.5 million deaths annually, with a majority of them being children. People are also often affected by other materials in their drinking supply like lead or nitrates that have long-term negative consequences such as kidney and brain damage.

Another prominent form of pollution is soil pollution. Soil pollution especially affects rural health, but also can impact those in the cities and suburbs. According to Everything Connects, soil pollution occurs when there is a presence of toxic chemicals,

pollutants, or contaminants in the soil.

One of the main causes of soil contamination is the use of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers. These factors increase the salinity levels in soil which then cause it to lose its fertility and kills more organisms than pests.

Soil does not need to be highly contaminated to be dangerous to humans. Even minor pollution can cause headaches, nausea, fatigue, skin rash, eye irritation, and neuromuscular blockade.

If heavy metals are present in soil, it can cause developmental damage in children that is irreversible as well as neurological problems.

Soil, water, and air pollution are the main ways that the environment impacts humans. Although some of the effects are rare, peoples’ everyday lives are being harmed because of these factors.

Waste production increases during holiday season Rachel Hunter

The holiday season can seem like the most wonderful time of the year, however, these celebrations are impacting the environment.

They are causing food to be wasted, electricity bills to be driven up, and air quality to worsen.

Thanksgiving is one of the many traditions that Americans still enjoy regardless of these environmental effects.

“Every year on Thanksgiving, I have my cousins come over to my house for dinner, so my entire family can spend time together and eat,” Sharon Tulman, a senior, said.

Besides the familial aspects of the holiday, many also enjoy the food. However, since families typically make more food than needed, it can go to waste.

According to Feeding America, a non-profit hunger relief organization, 72 billion pounds of food go to waste each year. On Thanksgiving specifically, 172 million pounds of turkey goes uneaten.

“After we eat, we have so much leftover food that we normally just toss most of it out except for the turkey,” Tulman said.

To reduce food waste this Thanksgiving, Food Recovery Network suggested freezing food and limiting quantities to only necessary portions.

Before Thanksgiving dinner is over, many Americans rush into the Christmas spirit.

“Christmas is my favorite holiday of all time. I always

have a Secret Santa gift exchange with my friends every year. I’m never expecting what they get me,” sophomore Taylor Snow said.

According to the Clean Air Council, a member-supported environmental organization that wants to keep a healthy environment, an additional five million tons of waste is generated during the holidays, which includes wrapping paper and shopping bags.

“From the gifts that I get, I don’t normally keep the wrapping paper that were used for the gifts that I just opened. I usually toss them out because there’s really no point in keeping used wrapping paper that’s been ripped,” Snow said.

Considering how much wrapping paper is thrown away during Christmas, the holiday also witnesses a lot of waste in Christmas tree production, as thousands of trees are cut down for the holiday. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, approximately 25 to 30 million Christmas trees are sold in the U.S. every year.

“We only get real trees because we just love the smell of fresh pine tree in our house during the holidays,” Snow said. “But once Christmas is over, we normally just throw our tree out on our street for someone to pick up.”

According to Country Living, a website giving suggestions to help the community, using recyclable paper for wrapping presents, such as old newspapers, and saving a fake tree throughout the years will still make Christmas great but also create healthier environment.

To end off the holiday season, Americans gather to celebrate the coming of a new year.

“Every year, I always watch the Times Square ball drop on TV with my family and neighbors. I watch my favorite singers perform, and when it gets close to midnight we all countdown with our sparkling cider and poppers ready,” Kyla Orthbandt, a junior, said.

Even though people love watching all of the lights and performances during New Year’s Eve, a lot of electricity is being used throughout the U.S. According to Think Progress, a website using statistics about the latest news happening around the world, the Times Square ball uses more than 24 kilowatt hours of electricity during the six hours that it’s lit, which is the amount of electricity that could power 115 active video game consoles for the same amount of time.

“Normally, we have our TV on from the morning of New Year’s Eve till about one in the morning,” Orthbandt said. “We don’t want to miss any of the performances and especially the countdown to midnight.”

The Balance Everyday, a website that helps with everyday problems, suggests that turning off the lights and decorating with candles instead may help with the usage of electricity, while keeping the TV on.

“I never knew how much our environment is being impacted by my favorite holidays,” Tulman said. “Now, I am going to take more precautions about what I’m using each year.”

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FEATURES

December 2018

Foreign countries take action to slow climate change

World powers are aiming to only use renewable energy sources by 2020 that will produce enough electricity to power 600,000 houses by 2022.

Although Denmark has the highest proportion of wind energy in the world, the country also uses bioenergy, the transformation of organic material into resources, which contributes to their goal of having an energy system devoid of fossil fuels by 2050, according to the official website of Denmark.

Even countries who aren’t in the “Top 20” in terms of EPI are still pushing towards a greener future.

Morocco is building a solar farm that will power more than one million homes by 2020, Scotland has opened the ly world’s first floatol M ing wind farm, and even Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in renewables to move away from an oil-based economy, according to António Guterres, the current Secretary-General of the UN. Not only do these developments improve the environment, but they help to curb global unemployment as well. Guterres reported that in Bangladesh, the installation of more than 4 million solar home systems has created more than 115,000 jobs and saved over 400 million dollars.

So, the question is: what is motivating their innovation besides impending doom? na ld so n

Our planet is dying.

The debate over whether climate change will destroy it is no longer a question of if, but when.

If nothing is done by 2020, Earth’s rising temperatures may become an unstoppable phenomenon and millions of people could perish as a result.

Even in 2018, it is no longer a surprise when a fire desolates half of California, leaving towns in ashes and thousands of people either homeless or dead, or when a hurricane wreaks havoc and leaves a suddenly poverty-stricken population to fend for themselves.

These catastrophes appear to already be out of human control. It is important to consider, though, that the frequency of these disasters has been increasing almost every year, according to the National Centers for Environmental information (NOAA).

Just last year, the damage caused by natural disasters cost the U.S. $306 billion, making it the most costly year on record, according to the New York Times.

Although not all natural disasters are a direct result of climate change, increasing global temperatures do play a role in triggering hurricanes, droughts, wildfires, and countless other catastrophes.

In an attempt to find a solution, the United Nations finalized the Paris Agreement in 2015 in order to combat climate change and prevent global temperatures from rising more than two degrees Celcius. In regards to the European Union, the agreement requires that at least 20 percent of their total energy must come from renewable sources by 2020.

Many countries have already begun to

work towards these goals.

Across the ocean, the Nordic countries lead the transition towards renewable energy, claiming four of the five top spots in The Telegraph’s “20 Most Environmentallyfriendly Countries,” according to their Environmental Performance Indexes (EPI).

In 2016, the Swedish Energy Policy Commision proposed that Sweden should aim to be completely reliant on renewable energy by 2040. Currently, renewable sources account for over half of its energy needs, according to The Independent.

Sweden is aiming to provide support for developing countries in finding costeffective and low-carbon energy solutions, as outlined in “Sweden and the 2030 Agenda,” a report to the U.N. High Level Political Forum of 2017 on Sustainable Development.

In order to further their support for the Paris Agreement, Sweden’s government also submitted a bill outlining a climate policy that would prohibit Sweden from producing any greenhouse gas by 2045.

Nonetheless, Sweden is far from the only country making strides in environmental sustainability.

Throughout its existence, Denmark has been a pioneer in wind energy. Currently, they are working on an offshore wind farm

Do

Veronica Roseborough

The answer is, in part, a deadline.

The goals outlined in the Paris Agreement implement deadlines for all countries involved to promote transformation in the time allotted, much like when a teacher assigns a student a project and gives them a certain amount of time to complete it.

While other countries have been and are continuing to be proactive, the U.S. is currently the only country to reject the Paris Agreement, according to the New York Times.

Without any legal obligation to the goals set by the agreement, there is no deadline on the U.S. government’s response to climate change and, therefore, other issues take precedence.

In addition, President Trump is notorious for his denial of climate change.

Even after visiting the ruins of towns destroyed by the recent California wildfires, he claims that the fires were not a result of climate change but “other things” such as negligence by forest management.

However, although it may seem that the U.S. is resistant to environmental sustainability advancements under the current administration, the country’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement did not change the fact that it still leads the global reduction of fossil fuel usage.

In order to work towards a better tomorrow, the reality of climate change must be addressed by everyone, even those who are reluctant to change.

“The time has come for our leaders to show they care about the people whose fate they hold in their hands [...] Far too many leaders have refused to listen,” Guterres said. “We know what is happening to our planet. We know what we need to do. And we even know how to do it. Our fate is in our hands.”

Stereotypes distort holidays’ intended meanings Rachel Matatyaou

New Years: midnight kiss.

Cinco de Mayo: “Cinco de Drinko.”

Fourth of July: barbecue, beer, and fireworks.

Thanksgiving: turkey and football.

Hanukkah: one gift per day.

America’s diversity can be reflected in its holidays, however, when trying to please all cultures, the original celebration can be lost and often gives way to Hallmark stereotypes.

“On one hand, [commercialization of holidays] could make holidays more fun and accessible, but on the other hand it cheapens the experience,” said Assistant Rabbi at Peninsula Temple Sholom Lisa Delson.

The New World Calendar begins with New Year’s Eve. Thousands crowd around their television, champagne in their hands and party hats on their heads while counting down until the ball drops in Times Square, New York. Hours later, they wake up promising to follow their unobtainable resolutions.

On Feb. 14, rather than celebrating the death of St. Valentine, rose and chocolate sales skyrocket and restaurants are booked for romantic dinners.

“Americans are looking forward to pampering and indulg-

ing their loved ones with flowers, candy, dinner, and all of the other Valentine’s Day stops,” said National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay.

Soon enough, it’s St. Patrick’s Day and Americans immerse themselves in drinking beer, eating corned beef, and wearing green for the day.

And yet, according to Authentic Ireland, “Irish pubs were closed on this holy day and it was illegal for alcohol to be sold on St. Patrick’s Day up until the 1960s.”

Over the years, the intentional celebration of St. Patrick’s Day has been distorted due to stereotypes of the Irish culture.

Then comes Cinco de Mayo where Americans dress up in sombreros, drink tequila, eat Mexican food, and listen to mariachi music. But many don’t realize that while celebrating, they’re capitalizing on the stereotypes of the culture.

“I think the reason that people celebrate Cinco de Mayo more here is because they think that they’re being progressive, but they end up being somewhat offensive,” said Latinos Unidos President Adrian Harris.

Then comes what is known as the “holiday season.” In a matter of weeks, stores are flooded with Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and later Christmas decor.

Society tends to rush through

Thanksgiving and straight into Christmas out of anticipation. According to USA Today, Christmas tree prices are lowest on Black Friday. Even before November comes to an end, Christmas season is in full swing.

Christmas’ intended meaning is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

However, it has become a part of American culture and many observe the holiday while ignoring its religious origins.

“I celebrate Christmas because we live in America. To celebrate Christmas my family gets a tree, decorates the house, has a dinner, and gives presents. We do everything but the religious aspects,” said Alisha Mitha, a junior, who identifies as Hindu and Muslim.

Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of light, has seen similar Americanization. The intended celebration of Hanukkah does not involve gifts nor decorations but instead the lighting of an additional candle every night to recognize the Jewish people’s persistence against the Greeks and Syrians.

“People think [Hanukkah] is a big, important holiday because it’s next to Christmas. People associate Hanukkah with presents and decorations, while it’s actually anti-assimilation. Commercializing the holiday does the opposite,” Delson said.

During the holiday season, not only do stores promote the holidays, but ASB spreads the season’s spirit as well.

“The Spirit Commission puts on a holiday village every year. We plan on decorating the school with various decorations for every religious holiday,” said Zahra Haider, a junior and ASB’s Spirit Hype Supervisor. “We work hard to try and make every person feel included so we try and put on more religiously neutral fun activities such as cookie decorating and fake

snow in the quad. We feel [the] holiday village is a fun way to get everyone excited about the break and the holiday season.”

Along with being inclusive to all cultures, religions, and their holidays, it is important to educate one another about holidays’ intended meanings so society can truly be as inclusive and progressive as possible.

Harris said, “When it comes to holidays just really know what each culture’s celebrating. Celebrate the holidays correctly.”

Rachel Matatyaou

10

An E-waste landfill / George Hotelling / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

E-Waste is the world’s fastest-growing trash stream Kylie Lin Scotlight Editor-in-Chief E-waste. E-scrap. End-of-life electronics.

Regardless of what name electronic waste goes by, the general consensus from environmental agencies around the globe is that the amount of it is growing too fast.

E-waste, which can be defined as electronic products that have reached the end of their useful lifespan, has become the world’s fastest-growing trash stream. In 2016, the yearly accumulation of E-waste reached 49.3 million tons, according to the United Nations University. By 2021, the annual total is predicted to surpass 57 million tons.

Moreover, according to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report from 2009, approximately 25 percent of electronics in the U.S. were collected for recycling. The remainder was disposed of primarily in landfills where their parts are much more difficult to retrieve for reuse.

That’s where environmental concerns truly begin.

Within landfills, toxic materials such as lead, cadmium, and mercury can seep into the earth from phones, laptops, and other gadgets. This harms nearby plants, animals, and humans by contaminating drinking water and adding pollutants to the air.

To make matters worse, the world’s increasingly technologically-based society doesn’t exactly help mitigate the growing E-waste dilemma.

With the production of electronic devices skyrocketing in recent years, the amount of corresponding waste is on a similarly exponential scale. According to research from Kantar Worldpanel, Americans replaced their phones after 25.3 months on average in 2017.

With more phones comes more waste.

Alyssa Nguyen, a senior and president of the Green Team, cites convenience as the motivation behind younger generation’s handling of electronic devices.

“People just want something that works when it comes to technology,” Nguyen said. “As a kid, I would always be like, ‘I want an Android!’ But now, as a jaded teenager, I just want an iPhone because it’s convenient.”

Furthermore, when it comes to older-age technology that lasts for a longer period of time, there are a whole different set of environmental concerns.

“When I think of electronic waste, I think of gadgets and computers,” said Ramesh Bhatt, vice president of the biotech company Janux Therapeutics. “In terms of my line of work, I think of medical and research equipment.

Those tend to have a longer lifespan. The bad news is, because they have a longer lifespan, they are made with parts that are not contemporary.”

Electronic devices are being trashed with increasing frequency, and those that last longer aren’t exactly made for environmentally-friendly disposal. Still, there are a variety of ways to minimize one’s electronic waste footprint and reduce the collateral damage of E-waste.

One way that trash is recovered and restored is through Recology, a resource recovery company active throughout the Bay Area and headquartered in San Francisco. The company offers E-waste retrieval services for parties ranging in size from small businesses to individuals with a bag of batteries to throw out.

Andres Raddavero, a junior, has used Recologyprovided E-waste services on numerous occasions during his work as a youth commissioner for the Belmont Parks and Recreation Commission.

“The IT department gets involved in a whole bunch of stuff from police computers and laptops to city telephones,” Raddavero said. “They just dump it all in one bucket, take it down to Recology, and they do some sorting there.”

Raddavero also helps manage the sound system for events hosted by the Parks and Recreation Commission and recalled how easy it was for him to dispose of electronic devices that broke down.

“Usually what happens is when electronics get too old, or in my case when microphones get dropped, I’ll try to repair certain things,” Raddavero said. “However, if it’s beyond repair, usually I just put it in an E-waste bucket and the city takes care of it.”

In the Bay Area, batteries can be placed in plastic bags on top of blue recycling bins to be sorted by Recology, and select drop-off centers welcome E-waste to be properly recycled.

On a more national and worldwide scale, there are a variety of companies that will accept old, used electronics either for reuse or just appropriate recycling. Apple GiveBack allows its customers to trade in any of their devices for gift cards so that older models can be reused for their parts rather than being thrown away. Goodwill and Craigslist, among other companies, often accept used phones and devices as well.

Ultimately, in order to slow down the world’s fastestgrowing trash stream, it is necessary to stop throwing away electronics and instead make sure they end up recycled where they will cause the least amount of harm.

“Professionally, I consider how best to take care of E-waste so that you have the least impact on when things are used up,” Bhatt said. “Nothing ever really goes away.

They need to go somewhere and be recovered best as possible.”

Page Design by Nisha Marino

12

LIFESTYLE

December 2018

Waste-free living

Why we should care about the one planet we have Taisiia Yakovenko The average American produces over four pounds of landfillbound trash every day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Seeing this data, some people decided to reduce their use of non-recyclable materials to a bare minimum and commit to wastefree living.

“Human waste is a huge problem to the environment,” said biology teacher Sara Shayesteh.

Waste-free living consists of not only being conscious of the trash that one produces but also being conscious about the energy and the materials that are used in that person’s everyday life.

“I moved to California from Arizona about a year ago and that’s when I started to be conscious about the energy that I use,” said science teacher Alexander Wallace. “In the past year, my energy efficiency increased by almost 45 percent. Ninety-four percent of the energy that I use is renewable and the majority of it comes from natural sources.”

According to the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA), reducing, reusing, and recycling will conserve the energy that is used for

production and dramatically reduce carbon emissions. It will lower the greenhouse gas emission, gas that absorbs infrared ration and is considered dangerous for the environment.

Small communities, such as families and schools, attempt to reduce their negative impact on the environment by recycling and reusing products.

“There is a lot of push for individuals and smaller communities to be environmentally conscious even though it’s the large corporations that do a majority of the damage,” Emna Sellami, a junior, said. “We all need to work to take care of the planet.”

Even though a lot of smaller communities, such as Carlmont, put a significant amount of effort into being environmentally conscious and reducing the amount of waste that they create, it is not enough to make any major longterm changes on the global level.

“Carlmont has tried to become more environmentally conscious by implementing the tri-bin system,” Sellami said. “It is important to reduce waste in small communities but it is not enough to make any global

changes because the majority of the issues come from large corporations.”

According to the Global Issues, environmental and social justice organizations around the world have reported and documented an increasing concern about corporate-led globalization contributing to environmental problems.

According to the EPA, the emission of greenhouse gasses has one of the worst impacts on the environment. Twenty-two percent of the total gas emissions come from the industries that create energy through burning fossil fuel.

“Industrialized farming is the single most contributing factor to the creation of environmental waste,” Shayesteh said. “There are more animals for human consumption than humans on Earth.

This overpopulation has a lot of issues such as a shortage of space, maintenance of animals, and animal waste.”

Based on those statistics, wastefree living could be beneficial to the environment on a smaller scale, but

the individual effort of people is not enough to dramatically reduce or prevent the majority of the pollution that is caused by industrial production.

Although there are a lot of benefits to waste-free living and similar lifestyles that promote a conscious and responsible use of resources, a majority of the people are not able to commit to them.

“It is hard for some people to commit to such a lifestyle because of financial issues,” Shayesteh said. “Making changes costs a lot of money and most of the items that fit into a waste-free lifestyle tend to be more expensive than the mainstream ones.”

According to the Toxics Action Center (TAC), the waste industry has become a business, making it hard for smaller communities to make effective regulations for recycling and reducing waste, both economically and logistically.

On top of the economic issues, people believe that they are not informed enough to lead a wastefree lifestyle since it might require some dramatic changes to their old ways.

“The main scare behind being self-sustainable is that people simply assume that they do not know how to do it,” Wallace said.

“Even though some knowledge gaps do exist, they are not nearly as big as people seem to believe them to be.”

In addition, many people do not try to change their lives to be more environmentally friendly due to a belief that it would not make any difference.

“I think that the idea behind the participation in waste-free lifestyle is similar to the idea behind voting,” said Wallace.

“Even though one vote might not make that much of a difference, the collective efforts are needed to make it all work. It’s the same as being environmentally friendly. If more and more people decide to do it, it will have a bigger impact.”

Waste-free living might be a small step towards improving the environment, but the collective efforts will be able to prevent further pollution and resolve some of the pressing environmental issues.

“We produce a lot of waste,” Gary Hogen, a custodian, said. “I think that if we learn to recycle properly and stop being lazy about it, we can significantly reduce our waste production.”

Sean Vanderaa

Holiday season boosts charity participation Samantha Dahlberg Over 100,000 people in California are homeless, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Some homeless people struggle to get a meal every day, and volunteers could help be a part of the change that stops their hunger.

According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, “Volunteers are needed yearround. Because many of us think of giving back during the fall and winter holidays, many volunteer programs are quite busy during this time. Think about committing to volunteer once a month all year, or ask your favorite local organization when they might need the help.”

Take Kaija Villagrand as an example.

She is a junior who is in the National Charity League (NCL). She volunteers at Street Life Ministries in Redwood City where she serves food to homeless people on Monday nights.

“Volunteering makes me feel good because I can give back to others and we live in an area where we are all very lucky and privileged. Giving back a little bit does not take anything out of our day, and it creates so much happiness to other people,” Villagrand said.

Volunteering could go a long way for the less fortunate.

The unemployment, a shortage of af-

Samantha Dahlberg

Tony Risaliti (left), Wyatt O’Shalin (left center), and Tricia Vredenburg (right center) all attend Glide Memorial United Methodist Church where volunteers, such as Edwin Jucutan (right), help provide food for them. fordable housing, poverty, and low wages are the four leading causes of homelessness in major cities. Mental illness, the limited amount of needed services, shortage on affordable housing, and substance abuse are the four primary factors that go into why unaccompanied individuals are homeless, according to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.

Tony Risaliti was a teacher for 23 years, working as a member of a union. After teaching, he became a chauffeur driver for movie stars, but there were times when the movies would go away, and he would be broke.

Since the 1980s he has come to the Glide

Memorial United Methodist Church in San Francisco to get his meals.

“This place is really important for someone who is trying to make it because sometimes there were days where I had nothing.

It was my lifesaver. They make this place convenient for people like us who are old because we cannot cook anymore. There is so much that goes into making a good meal since it takes time to get good food and prepare all of it. Now, all we have to do is to stand in line, and then we get to eat right away. They always give us enough food so we can eat some, and save some to have for later which gives us enough food to have for more than one meal a day,” Risaliti said.

According to The Bay Area Rescue Mission, “Many homeless shelters rely on volunteers to serve meals, organize and work at collection drives, mentor youth, or contribute specialized skills. Whether you can only volunteer once or you can fit it into your weekly schedule, volunteering is the perfect way to get involved and learn more about homelessness while assisting those in need.”

Jake Robinson is a senior who is a part of the Young Men’s Service League (YMSL).

He volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club in San Mateo with lower income kids where he plays games with them, and he helps them out with homework.

“People probably deserve what I have more than I do and I feel like I should at least be able to give a part of that back. At the Boys and Girls Club, you see how nice the kids are, and I think about how people underestimate how good these kids are. There have been people who I see that I would have thought that they were not necessarily a good person but then I talk to them and it all changes. If I see a homeless person, before, I would have not talk[ed] to them, but now I think they could need it and are probably really nice people,” Robinson said.

In the long run, volunteering is a small way to help homeless people one step at a time.

Risaliti said, “[Glide] taught me that giving charity, is real love.”

13

LIFESTYLE

December 2018

Students prematurely planning for future Samantha Chu “I can’t go to practice,” Sophie Hyde, an eighth-grader at the time, said to her coach.

“I have SAT prep.”

Hyde eventually took the SAT that year; she felt that taking it would help her, as an eighth-grader, prepare for college, and while many people find that fact shocking, others don’t. Middle-schoolers are already planning for college and it is starting to become the norm.

In fact, according to guidance counselor Connie Dominguez, students should start thinking about college early on.

“Middle school is a good time to start thinking about college; this allows students to work on the study habits they will need in high school to get good grades,” Dominguez said. “There’s nothing wrong with thinking about college too early as long as students understand that a lot can change between then and when they apply, which may impact their thoughts regarding college.”

However, students who start thinking about college at a young age often feel that it consumes their lives entirely.

“I’ve been thinking about college for a long time. It’s always been something on the forefront of my brain,” said Hyde, now a freshman. “My life has been controlled by college, and that’s definitely a big issue not only for me but also for a lot of other students.”

Hyde first started to think about college when she was 11 years old after her parents told her to focus on getting good grades.

Although learning to do well in school may create good habits for high school, as mentioned by Dominguez, the pressure to excel in school and to stand out for colleges can be overwhelming for a student.

“We live in such a competitive area, and it’s so hard to stand out. You have to do so

much more because everyone here is constantly one-upping each other,” Hyde said.

“Having straight A’s in the Bay Area is just the basis. You have to have all A’s, do volunteer work, and have a lot of extracurriculars. The earlier you start, the better jump you have on everyone else.”

Due to this competition, the average high school GPA over the years has increased. According to Inside Higher Ed, in a span of eight years, the average high school GPA has risen from 3.27 to 3.38.

This is due to the fact that students with A averages have gone from 38.9 percent in 1998 to 47 percent in 2016.

Many students have noticed this increase in higher GPAs and feel even more pressure to do well in school.

“I always feel like I have to do well, especially since Carlmont is such a competitive school,” Zac Mallet, a junior, said. “My parents make it seem like my GPA will drop and that I can’t go to college if I slack off for even one day.”

Worrying about getting into college isn’t the only reason for premature planning.

College sports recruitment often forces student-athletes to think about college early, which can have negative impacts.

Ashley Trierweiler, a senior who is in the recruitment process for softball, has noticed the negative effects of early college recruitment.

“People are starting the recruiting process really early to just get ahead of everyone else,” Trierweiler said. “I don’t like how everyone is pushing to get recruited when you’re a freshman in high school because I feel like that in itself is a lot of pressure.”

The NCAA has recently implemented more rules to restrict early recruitment.

Despite this, college recruiters continue to recruit student-athletes who are in middle school. However, many of those who are recruited don’t know what they want to ma-

jor in or what they want to do as an adult.

According to Forbes, 20 percent of athletes report first coming into contact with a college recruiter in their freshman year of high school or earlier.

However, 41 percent of male athletes and 32 percent of female athletes who committed freshman year of high school or earlier still had no idea what they were going to major in.

Jessie Sanders, a senior, committed to San Diego State University her sophomore year for soccer. At the time of commitment, she didn’t know what she was going to major in, but she still started to think about college at a young age.

“I started to think about college ever since I started playing soccer competitively,

so when I was 7 years old,” Sanders said. “I think it’s not smart to be recruiting athletes that are really young. The athlete can have injuries, and you can’t predict how the athlete is going to grow. It’s hard to see when they’re so young.”

Despite all of these negative effects, students continue to think about college at a young age, and guidance counselors and staff still strive to help those who are planning for college, regardless of when they start.

Dominguez said, “I tell my students not to stress about college because there are so many options to get where they want to be.

We are now living until [we are] 100 years old! Why let four years dictate one’s happiness?”

Sean Vanderaa

The race for college admissions: Affirmative action raises concerns about racism Anna Feng Racial issues in the United States have always been black versus white. But when it comes to colleges, it’s more like black and Hispanic versus white and Asian.

However, this conflict originally arose from an attempt to give equal opportunities to disadvantaged groups in a process otherwise known as race-based admissions or affirmative action.

Race-based admissions were first implemented in the 1960s as a result of the Civil Rights Movement. According to National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), it was meant to provide African Americans with better opportunities regarding employment and education, and required government contractors to use affirmative policies when hiring in order to increase the number of minority employees. Over time, colleges and universities alike have adopted affirmative action.

Affirmative action affects all high schoolers. It takes ethnicity and background into account during college admissions, along with other statistics about a student, such as their GPA and test scores, to create a comprehensive overview of your life. If

overturned, millions of teenagers would face a different college admissions system than the one today.

This issue of race-based admissions has been simmering below the surface of American politics since its implementation in 1961. However, when a group of unnamed Asian-Americans at Harvard University filed a lawsuit against the school claiming it was discriminating against them based on their race, a debate erupted.

Proponents of affirmative action primarily argue that it allows for more minority applications to elite universities, thus creating a more diverse community. *Stephen Lee, a graduate of Columbia University’s Class of 2018, said, “I personally think that what colleges are doing with the general idea of ‘quotas’ is important because the U.S. never really started out as a fair system. We have to be deliberate about giving people those opportunities.”

Meanwhile, opponents of race-based admissions say that it creates a possibility for reversediscrimination or even backfire on those whom it was meant to assist.

“I am surprised that black folks

want their best and brightest kids to be sent to colleges they are the least prepared for in the entire college, all to give the white kids some exposure to their skin color,” wrote a commenter who went by the name De Laura regarding an article by The Washington Post on affirmative action. “Black students who would get A’s in engineering at colleges they are prepared for instead get admitted far above where they are prepared, and they must drop out of hard majors and even drop out of college at horrendous rates.”

Even though race-based admissions has sparked a nationwide debate, the issue of affirmative action isn’t simply black and white.

“I wouldn’t say that I’m pro- or anti-affirmative action from the stance of an African-American person who benefits from it,” Janelle Kwofie, a junior, said. “I think it’s a way to buffer education-based racism, but as a minority, I can see that it’s been twisted against other minorities like Asian-Americans.”

A big part of this discussion is that some of the biggest dissenters of affirmative action are Asian-Americans, who feel that their high grades and extracurriculars are bypassed in favor of

diversification. However, not all Asian-Americans feel this way.

Lee, for example, pleads for his fellow Asian-American students to champion affirmative action.

“I understand the anger from Asian-Americans regarding affirmative action, but I have a lot to be thankful for. I lived in a safe neighborhood, I had families supporting me — all these things we Asian-Americans take for granted,” Lee said.

Indeed, according to United Negro College Fund, only 57 percent of black students have access to college-readiness courses.

Meanwhile, 81 percent of Asian American students and 71 percent of white students have the opportunity to take such courses.

Lee said, “The reality is these kids are just as bright as us on some of these tests that happen before high school, but because of their position [in life], they don’t even make it to the point in high school where you take SATs or ACTs. Consider that they have it much harder than us and have much fewer opportunities and resources as a whole, so we should stop blaming them and support things that help all minorities.”

Although California banned affirmative action in 1996 with

the passage of Proposition 209, private schools, such as Stanford University, can still admit based on race, according to guidance counselor Connie Dominguez, who also works as an admissions officer at University of California, Davis.

In order to find a way around Proposition 209, the UC system created the Eligibility in Local Context (ELC) program. According to Dominguez, the ELC program would prioritize students by their background rather than race.

“Say you have a school in downtown Oakland, and it’s primarily African-American. Well, [the universities] are going to know that they’re going to be able to reach students of color at that school,” Dominguez said. “The ELC program is not a guarantee, but it does tip the scale.”

Although affirmative action and the ELC program favor people of color, Dominguez warns students not to get complacent.

“Students need to erase the idea that coming from a certain background is going to help you in college applications because it’s not,” Dominguez said. “It’s not a checkbox anymore — they’re looking at your life.” *Name has been changed to protect identity.

LIFESTYLE

14

December 2018

Stereotypes hurt country music popularity Sarah Cheung Where there’s country music, there’s also an abundance of rednecks, beer, and pickup trucks.

If you’re from the Bay Area, you probably believe this statement and find its image repulsive. You’ve never actually experienced this kind of lifestyle, but you quickly jump to generalize it.

Country music is often stereotyped and unpopular in liberal regions of America, and enthusiasts might fall victim to judgement if they admit their music taste.

They’re typically labeled as closed-minded, conservative, and simple.

Oh, and they’re probably white.

These assumptions are partly motivated by the demographics of country fans. Arbitron, a U.S. research company that collects radio listener data, reported in 2006 that country radio’s national audience consisted of just 5.4 percent Hispanics and 2.3 percent blacks. The “other” category, including Caucasians, accounted for 92.3 percent of its listeners.

This doesn’t prove that every country lover is closed-minded and conservative.

But the idea likely stems from the South’s history of mainly right-leaning voters, many of whom are presumed to fit those categories.

As a result, country music’s representation of Southern culture discourages many people’s preference for the genre.

“I think someone’s political and social ideologies lead them to avoid or gravitate towards music created by people they know

of and trust,” Victoria Tsinker, a senior, said.

“Country lifestyle is generally unknown to Bay Area people, so it’s understandable that it’s mocked or disliked.”

Other aspects of Southern traditions, such as its strong drinking and ranching practices, also evoke rejection from those unfamiliar with it.

“Music is an outgrowth of culture. If you don’t come from Southern culture, then the music might not speak to you because you have a difficult time relating to the ideas put forth in the song lyrics,” said music teacher Brian Switzer.

Due to unfamiliarity, people tend to judge a country fan’s character off of the music’s themes.

Despite living in the Bay Area, Kayla Gustafson, a senior, has enjoyed country music ever since she was young because most of her family listens to it.

“I’m not very vocal about my music preferences, but when people get to know me, they learn that I like country along with other types of music,” Gustafson said.

“People used to make fun of me for liking country, but I’ve found some others who also like it, so I don’t really let those people bother me.”

Not everyone who dislikes country music is hostile towards it. They may avoid it for its musicality or admit they simply aren’t exposed to it enough to appreciate it.

“I personally enjoy fast and upbeat music I can dance to, like Reggaeton, other types of Latin music, jazz, and pop,” Tsinker said. “I never came into contact with country so I can’t say I hate it, but I also

don’t particularly enjoy it.”

In order to gain a deeper understanding of country music’s appeal, outsiders must consider that the genres they do enjoy also carry their own classifications.

Oakland, California, for example, bred popular hip-hop artists like MC Hammer, Tupac Shakur, and G-Eazy. People growing up in the Bay Area are more likely to be fans of their music style because they can relate to the themes it focuses on.

“I think a big part of liking a certain type of music is that it’s an entry point to proclaim your identity as a member of a particular culture,” Switzer said. “If you’re growing up in a place where hip-hop is popular, then it’s in your interest to tune into it to feel like you belong.”

Skeptics should also notice that some modern-day country artists are attracting a wider audience by revolutionizing their sound. While incorporating elements that attract a more diverse demographic, they also adhere to the traditional qualities on which they pioneered their careers.

Kacey M u s g r a v e s ’s most recent album, “Golden Hour,” strays from classic country through Sean Vanderaa

her incorporation of pop components like vocoders and disco beats. Since the widespread success of the album, music critics have described Musgraves as “the greatest country singer for people who don’t listen to country music.”

“Golden Hour” also won Album of the Year at the 2018 Country Music Association Awards, proving that her original fans remain loyal to her as an artist.

Similarly, successful country singers Sam Hunt and Maren Morris have experimented outside of the typical country realm by blending contemporary R&B and pop into their sounds.

By breaking common impressions, country’s audience may be starting to shift. But for now, the stigma surrounding the genre still exists in the Bay Area.

“What I love about country songs is that they tell a story and come from the heart,” Gustafson said. “There is a least one country song that everyone can relate to, and if people gave it a chance, I think they could learn to like it.”

Spring forward, fall back Review: ‘A star is born’

love and addiction Daylight saving may change for good Exposing the truth about cally different from my day-later thoughts, Andrew Shen

Sophomore Ashley Zhang wakes up at 7 a.m. to take a bus to school at 7:30 a.m. It is not until she brushes her teeth at 7:15 a.m. that she realizes that it is only 6:15 a.m. She forgot to set her alarm clock an hour back to adjust for daylight saving time.

Zhang had to set her alarm clock back because daylight saving time had just ended the day before.

Daylight saving time occurred this year between March 11 and Nov. 4.

People like Zhang often have trouble adjusting to the new time schedule, since they are either losing or gaining an hour of sleep. In this case, Zhang had gained an hour of sleep since daylight saving time ended.

Some may believe that daylight saving time has existed since the beginning of time itself, but it has actually only been in the United States for a little over a century.

States have a choice whether they want to do daylight saving time or not, and currently, only two states do not use daylight saving time: Hawaii and Arizona.

Some states have also argued that there should be a national set standard day-

light saving time, according to Pew Trusts.

Another state that had considered having a standard daylight saving time is California.

In the most recent midterm elections, California put Proposition 7 on the ballot to establish permanent daylight saving time in by a two-thirds vote, if approved by the federal government.

On Nov. 6, California passed Proposition 7, allowing the state legislature to establish a permanent daylight saving time if approved by the federal government.

“A permanent daylight saving time would make me feel more tired because it would get darker earlier, but it’s nice having a standard time schedule without having to worry about changing all my clocks,” Shreya Patel, a junior, said.

Even though California voted to implement a permanent daylight saving time, many do not see the point in doing so.

“I see why a permanent daylight saving time could benefit the state, but I do not think that it would have much of an impact on our energy use. With or without a permanent daylight saving time, we would all consume the same amount of energy throughout our

days, regardless of the time it is on the clock. Changing the time would not affect the amount of energy I would use,” Janice Chen, a college junior, said.

One study by the New England Journal of Medicine found that there was a small increase in heart attacks when daylight saving time began compared to when it ended.

If permanent daylight saving time was implemented, it could eliminate this health risk.

Daylight saving time has also been linked to disturbances within our sleeping schedule, as it reduces the hours of sleep people get, according to Harvard Health.

In addition, according to Christopher Barnes, an associate professor at the University of Washington, the time change in the fall reduces the amount of sleep people get by an average of 40 minutes, negatively impacting their behavior the following day.

If we were to set a permanent daylight saving time, it could eliminate this health risk as well.

Zheng said, “In my opinion, daylight saving time has more positive effects that outweigh negative consequences, so I think it is worth keeping it at the end of the day.”

Kathryn Stratz Managing Editor

A burned out folk-country singer walks into a bar after his show. He watches a girl perform, loves her voice, loves her individuality. He has to meet her.

A huge star has discovered a nobody with raw talent and falls in love with her while simultaneously making her famous.

It’s a story that has been told many times, but never in the way that the 2018 “A Star Is Born” tells it.

Produced and directed by Bradley Cooper, who also takes the lead male role of Jackson “Jack” Maine, the movie is the fourth official take on the story.

Cooper is well suited for the role of Jack; he perfectly plays the ruggedly handsome yet complete mess of a performer with a growing addiction problem. The casting of Lady Gaga, on the other hand, seemed a little off. The storyline about an upcoming star whose emphasis was talent and individual sound, not looks and main-stream music, seemed too close to Gaga’s real-life story.

But, looking back on the past three versions of “A Star is Born,” there seems to be a consistent pattern, as the same can be said for Janet Gaynord in the 1937 version, Judy Garland in the 1954 version, and of Barbara Streisand in the 1976 version. All four women were known to want to stay true to themselves with their work.

My initial reaction to the movie is drasti-

Wikimedia

as my initial focus was on criticizing the story’s structure.

The plotline was spaced in a way that didn’t really capture one focus of the movie, with the beginning being honestly boring and the end being too short while lacking details.

The focus was not present; the story went from Ally’s blooming career to Jack’s failing career, to his addiction and her overwhelming love for him. I couldn’t honestly decide what the main idea was until the movie was completely over. One could argue that’s a good thing, but for me, this came from a lack of organization as opposed to a deeper, thought-provoking meaning.

Then it hit me. Addiction is the focus.

Not just the fight and inevitable relapse, but what it’s like to love an addict.

Cooper perfectly depicts the truly deep and scarring elements of the disease and the fight behind it.

Jack is never seen without a drink and is seen doing various drugs throughout the movie, causing him to not even be a functioning person. The portrayal of addiction was real, raw, and disturbing, with an emphasis on disturbing.

The movie, in its entirety, was well done.

The lights, the costumes, the makeup, and the angles were impeccable.

The singing was great, showcasing Gaga’s natural, folky voice and proving that Cooper can sing just a little. The full-length songs did take away from the attention of the movie, but perhaps a Gaga lover might appreciate that more.

Overall, “A Star Is Born” isn’t really about a star or her career, but about her passionate love for a non-recovering addict.

It was disturbing and not an uplifting viewer experience, so watch with caution.

The R-rating is definitely warranted and I would not recommend this movie for anyone who is not emotionally prepared.

OPINION

December 2018

15

The paradox of choice:

We need to learn to be happier with less Kaylee George Scot Scoop Editor-in-Chief I’m pretty indecisive. I don’t even really know how to start this article. Well, I guess I’ll open it with a little anecdote.

My sister had been hyping up this boba place in San Jose for weeks. So naturally, I had pretty high expectations.

The second I walked in, there were a ton of flavors I wanted to try. I was wrestling between two options for a while, but then when I went up to the counter, I got flustered, overwhelmed by all the exciting options, and just ordered a random Taro Slush. I don’t even like Taro.

Afterward, I regretfully sulked around the boba place. As they called my name to get my drink, I ripped off the straw wrapper in spite. I took a sip and my face scrunched up at the taste. To top things off, I dropped the drink in my car and it exploded everywhere. To put it simply, I was pretty disappointed.

I’ve found that a lot of people have had a similar experience.

Psychologist Barry Schwartz has studied this “Paradox of Choice” extensively, presenting his work in books and TedTalks.

What spurred him? His dissatisfaction finding a pair of jeans.

You, yes you dear reader, are a culmination of choices. Life is a matter of choice. They are everywhere we look: what we wear to prom, who we want to associated with, or what we order at a trendy boba place. Because we have all these choices, we get to constantly invent and shape our identities.

After a point, the number of choices diminishes happiness

Nisha Marino

But all these choices aren’t really a good thing. There’s a “sweet spot,” as Schwartz refers to it, where choice is great, but where there are too many choices, people often find it hard to choose at all. We keep putting off the decision for a while because we’re hesitant to actually have to accept the choice we make. That’s why I stood there for five minutes looking like a fool telling people “Oh, I’m not in line, still deciding.”

One study conducted by psychologists Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper looked at this paradox of choice through jam. On one day, shoppers at an upscale food market were presented with a display table with 24 varieties of gourmet jam, who received a coupon for $1 off any jam. On a different day, shoppers were exposed to the same display except there

were only six jams. The large variety attracted more interest than the small one. Yet, when it was time for purchase, people who saw the large display were onetenth as likely to buy as people who saw the small display.

Then, what happens when do choose? We fret over anything that is disappointing about what we chose. We are less satisfied because with increasing choices we have increasing expectations.

Because I had such high expectations for this boba place, I regretted that Taro Slush that much more.

While we’re at it, I’m going to touch upon a possibly more relatable experience, especially relevant in this lovely time of year: cuffing season. If you’re tired of swiping left and right looking for that special someone, look no fur-

ther. I’m serious, look no further.

We’ve found this problem of the paradoxical effect of choices, but Kaylee, how do we find the solution? You might just have to lower your expectations a bit. This is one serious ingredient to the secret recipe of happiness and possibly, going back to relationships, love.

I’m not saying to settle, but if you’re always searching for something better, chances are you will probably always have a resonating feeling of dissatisfaction and possibly end up with nothing at all. On the same topic, a Business Insider article commented, “Otherwise you might be holding out for a fairytale that could never happen.” So if there’s any chance something might turn out good, just give it a chance. And this advice not just exclusive to relation-

ships, it’s applicable to all sorts of facets of life.

In our current affluent Western society, we’ve seen a huge spike in the number of depression diagnoses and suicides. A lot of this is correlated with all this choice surrounding us — and consequently, all these decisions we must make.

And please don’t think that I’m saying a lengthy boba drink menu is the reason why a lot of us are depressed. Rather, a lot of people are experiencing disappointment because they have such high expectations, and when they start to reflect upon those experiences, they fault themselves.

Because of this enormous choice, we have to find the “sweet spot.” Schwartz explains that this middle ground “enables people to benefit from variety and not be paralyzed by it.” I can’t tell you exactly what that sweet spot is; I can’t say limit yourself to five choices for guaranteed satisfaction. But what I can tell you is that we’re long past the point where the number of choices we are presented with actually benefits our wellbeing.

Schwartz connects this sweet spot to finding a fishbowl. Without a fishbowl, the fish would die.

With too little of a fishbowl, the fish has no movement and might also die. In his TedTalk, Schwartz said, “If you shatter this fishbowl so that everything is possible, you decrease satisfaction. You increase paralysis, and you decrease satisfaction.”

I’m stuck deciding how I should end this piece, but I’ll leave it at this: lower your expectations, find that sweet spot, and stay in a medium-sized fishbowl.

Race and ethnicity complicate applications Victoria Valle Remond College applications are a competition.

They’re a competition to see who can apply the fastest with the highest scores, the best essays, and as the most compelling candidate.

All the possible information about a student is accounted for in its own specific category within the application, with each section designed to give admissions officers the tools necessary to draw conclusions about each candidate.

The only part of the application that is not obligatory is the race and ethnicity section, which is theoretically present for demographic purposes. However, “checking the race box” can feel like a big decision for students regarding how they present themselves to the admissions officers.

The simultaneous academic and social pressure to complete this section can have personal ramifications for applicants, which subsequently raises the question: what happens if you don’t check the box?

According to Michelle Purdy from Washington University’s education department, the federal government began using racial categories to quantify diversity beginning in the 1960s and 1970s, primarily to develop affirmative action policies at the

wake of the civil rights movement.

The data that universities gather about students’ race provides information for statistics, strengthens affirmative action policies, and ultimately lends itself as a guide for the way universities foster diversity.

Simultaneously, there are several benefits that come with “checking the box.”

For one, there are hundreds of scholarships and grants available to students simply because of their race. A 2011 study by Financial Aid.org found that 53.3 percent of need-based federal grant opportunities were given to non-white, minority students.

Self-identifying your race on a college application automatically brings about opportunities for financial aid that might not have been available otherwise.

Completing this section also provides protection against the type of discrimination that brought about affirmative action laws. According to nationally renowned college counselor Sara Harberson, “If a student self-identifies their race on their college applications, they have a built-in safety net against discrimination.”

Affirmative action was first introduced as a concept in 1961. According to Harriet Alexander of The Telegraph, John F. Kennedy introduced a provision targeted at

government contractors to ensure that applicants were employed without regard to their race, creed, or national origin.

This policy later spread onto university admissions procedures, and continues to be upheld by the Supreme Court (most recently in 2016). These protections afforded to minority students during the application process defend them against discrimination and help stimulate diversity in college campuses.

Yet, regardless of the benefits, the decision to “check the box” remains a complex one, as many are reluctant due to a fear of being stereotyped.

As someone of mixed race but with a single ethnicity, I always do a doubletake when filling out racial categories. My mother is a white Mexican while my father has indigenous roots, meaning that my ethnicity is entirely Mexican but my race is half-Caucasian, half-Hispanic.

Race and ethnicity are crucial to personal identity.

Self-identifying oneself into a racial category can be frustrating, but taking that leap of faith leads to more opportunities, a better application, and even gaining insight on who you can be.

Labels have never been this good for you.

Victoria Valle Remond

OPINION

16

December 2018

Capitalism is superior to everything Joseph Gomez

If a proletariat revolution happens within my lifetime, consider this article a hilarious piece of satire.

Now that I’ve hedged my bets, I will explain my fondness for capitalism not because I want to, but because I need to. Capitalism is not to blame.

I can see it now, hipsters with their gauges, Che Guevara shirts, cowboy boots, and Hitler Youth haircuts (Google it, you’ll be amazed), hammer in one hand, sickle in another, telling me that capitalism is the bane of human progress and the source for all conflict.

After all, the evil, corrupt fat cats of capitalism are the reason that we don’t have have a $15 minimum wage. The hipster is but a hardworking member of the proletariat, laboring a hard day for only $10 an hour, and his life literally sucks because of it.

Look at how the rest of the world is suffering! This is obviously the fault of the capitalists.

One problem. Our hipster friend here is a capitalist, and benefits greatly because of it.

Dear hipster, did you make those gauges? Did you sew that shirt? Did you kill the cow yourself for those boots? Did you go to Great Clips for that haircut, or did you buy yourself a kit for a cheap $44.17 on Amazon?

My dearest misled friend, you can get a cheeseburger at McDonald’s for only four quarters. Your phone contains nearly every single document recorded throughout our history, thousands of years of knowledge, potential, and beauty, and the

Emma Romanowsky

newest model is only worth about 1,249 Taco Bell Caramel Apple Empanadas. For those of you that don’t know the price of one of Taco Bell’s delicious empanadas (shame on you), it’s an easy 99 cents.

Capitalism benefits our society greatly, and we should cherish what it has given us.

However, what must be talked about is how capitalism impacts what capitalism is responsible for in the first place.

Enter the concepts of “globalization” and “free trade.”

For those unfamiliar with these notions, globalization and free trade are the reasons why everything is made in China, why there are multiple McDonalds in the country of Oman, and partly why Donald Trump rose to the

presidency. To say it is an issue of great complexity would be the understatement of the century.

But, I’ll summarize it here; cheap stuff and unemployment for us (developed nations), poor wages and working conditions for others (developing nations).

However, these drawbacks are more the fault of horrible and corrupt governments than of capitalism. Socialist or capitalist, corruption is still corruption.

Let’s use the country that Transparency International ranked 169th out of 180 on its Corruption Perceptions Index of 2017: Venezuela.

Picking on this country is easy and overdone, but important to learn from nonetheless.

As it turns out, increasing the number of social programs,

nationalizing the oil industry and firing their executives is a recipe for economic disaster and unpayable debts.

That, combined with a drastic drop in the price of oil and President Nicolás Maduro’s dictatorial grasps for power, leaves us in a country where food is scarce and inflation is rampant.

My view on social programs comes from the world’s second favorite Italian Renaissance man, Niccolò Machiavelli.

The Prince describes how a ruler shouldn’t be generous to their people, or else the citizens will expect more generosity and rebel if it is taken away. Stinginess is stability. Stability is prosperity.

Replace “ruler” with “government” and “generosity” with “social programs” and you

have the pickle that many nations have encountered with socialism.

For example, 65 percent of the U.S. Federal Budget is dedicated to Mandatory Spending, which itself is 87 percent dedicated to such things as Medicare and Social Security. If we suddenly increase our entitlement programs to better the lives of citizens and hipsters, our budget would be drained So, what if a country were to be as capitalistic as possible?

Welcome to Indonesia, the Bizarro Southeast Asian doppelganger of Venezuela.

Like Venezuela, Indonesia is rich with resources. According to AZoMining, Indonesia has silver, coal, fertile soils, natural gas, petroleum, gold, bauxite, tin, copper, timber, and nickel.

However, you would probably recognize the sweatshops and impoverished workers before you noticed its potential.

Unlike Venezuela, Indonesia is extremely welcoming to free trade, foreign investment, and capitalism. Thus, many companies send their goods to Indonesia for their cheap production and labor cost.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, the average Indonesian factory worker’s wage is about 50 cents per hour. Not even a single empanada’s worth.

Indonesia’s focus is on adapting to a capitalist system, and they’re probably going too far. But remember, corruption is more of a problem than economic philosophy.

Guess what nation’s history has a long history of corruption?

Venezuela.

Capitalism is not the problem.

Corrupt government is.

Beware the problems of going paperless Sam Hosmer It’s time to cut down more trees.

Society has grown infatuated with the concept of “going paperless.” It’s a noble obsession, to be sure. Born, we insist, out of a sense of guilt imbued in us by the knowledge that every time we pick up a physical newspaper, a great old oak or perhaps a sizable swath of the Amazon rainforest eats it. I’m not trying to devalue the fact that our paper consumption fuels the timber industry, and I certainly don’t dispute the wisdom that without trees we have nothing.

But let’s be real. That isn’t the allure of “going paperless.”

Instead, it’s ascended past anything altruistic or environmentalist. It wasn’t ever really that way at all. The abstract idea of paperless-ness is a zen, mysterious, 21st-century -ism. One who chooses to take the grand leap of faith into paperlessness is automatically innovated 20 years — from a grim, beige, rolodex-filled past into a shiny, minimalist, hyperproductive future; a sort of barren isolation chamber with only a monitor and a keyboard and a mouse, where you no longer have to slog through reams of filed-away obscura to accomplish your goals, and where every iota of information is stored not physically but digitally; a collection of transistors on a magnetic canvas.

But our data is vulnerable. Just like any mechanical system, the mediums we use to digitally store information nowadays are prone to failure, and it isn’t just the sort of failure caused by misuse, it’s the sort of unavoidable decay that occurs over time, gradually. Even mediums with the most longevity — magnetic tapes among them — are only rated at maximums of about three decades, give or take. When we’re taking into account the broader future of civilization, that isn’t very long.

The degradation of our digital footprints goes by a few names. “Bit rot” is one of them, and my personal favorite, but you can also refer to it by such names as “data rot,” “data decay,” “software entropy,” and other uninspired industry lingo. The gist of it is that, in spite of our best efforts, data storage devices tend to, at a hardware level, simply degrade, and there isn’t much you can do about it.

Yes, storage media is worn down by constant use, but the true degradation happens when we aren’t looking. It occurs once we put that old computer on a shelf, in the silent hope that we might need it later, all while the bits and ones and zeros on its hard drive lose their magnetic potency, until suddenly all those family photos are held hostage by data recovery services.

Needless to say, that doesn’t happen when we store information on paper.

Sure, the environment can have its way

with our analog media, but it’s certainly less mechanically vulnerable than its technological counterparts, and leaving it dormant isn’t a death sentence. The Gutenberg Bible is over 500 years old and has barely lost any clarity. The Library of Congress tells us that strong paper stored in the right conditions can last “up to hundreds of years.” You’re not going to find that kind of longevity with a DVD. Granted, DVDs and flash drives and even hard drives are poor examples for this exercise, since they are all waning in popularity.

For many years now local storage has been going out of vogue, rapidly supplanted by what we’ve jargonically termed “cloud storage.” Google Drive is an easy example. I store my school assignments there, and I use my personal Google account to store documents related to work, college applications, p e r s o n a l

items, photos, and other stuff I’d rather remain intact, preserved, and mine. But uncountable recent headlines warning of widespread security vulnerabilities and foreign offensives on your data would suggest that these things aren’t necessarily safe, either.

I’m not a Luddite and I don’t deny the virtues of distributed computing, as will I readily admit that I use Google Drive and other cloud services all the time and thank them for their convenience. When an electromagnetic attack from a foreign power buncoes our country’s networking infrastructure, I’ll be the first to say, “Oh crap, there goes all my stuff.”

I only hope that our starry-eyed subscription to the paperless ethos is moderated by the knowledge that our aggregate digital archives aren’t safe nor secure nor permanent.

That’s enough to make me print out my f Emma Romanowsky amily pictures.

December 2018

The Highlander Editor-in-Chief Sophie Lynd Managing Editor Kathryn Stratz ScotCenter Editor-inChief Briana McDonald Scotlight Editor-in-Chief Kylie Lin Scot Scoop Editor-inChief Kaylee George Social Media Director Ry Lei Faculty Adviser Justin Raisner Editors Andrea Butler Molly Donaldson Francesca D’Urzo Nisha Marino Emma Romanowsky Sean Vanderaa Staff Writers Ben Balster Maya Benjamin Samantha Chu Sarah Cheung Samantha Dahlberg Anna Feng Talia Fine Nina Heller Joseph Gomez Lizzy Hall Samantha Hanlon Mandy Hitchcock Sam Hosmer Rachel Hunter Nihal Karim Ailee Lim Rachel Matatyaou Kimberly Mitchell Victoria Valle Remond Ava Richards Julia Rhodie Veronica Roseborough Alena Ruhstaller Andrew Shen Robyn Stein Taisiia Yakovenko Nicole Yeo 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 Sean Vanderaa. This month’s editorial cartoon was drawn by Sarah Cheung. Ask Monty was written Talia Fine.

OPINION Editorial

The Earth needs our help The Earth doesn’t matter.

For such a divided nation, this is a statement that most of us can agree is false. Everything we know is based on Earth: our homes, families, friends, jobs, and much more.

But a new report from the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that by 2040, the world will warm by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, putting hundreds of millions of lives at risk as well as creating severe weather events that would significantly hurt all areas of the world.

And yet, according to the latest Gallup poll, roughly 54 percent of Americans believe that climate change does not pose a serious threat in their lifetime.

So why is it that Americans, and even the world, are so negligent in taking care of the one planet we have?

But before we get to that, let’s look at what we know about global warming as of now.

Since the Industrial Revolution, the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has spiked, preventing heat from escaping and resulting in the acidification of our oceans.

This excess heat has caused the ice caps and glaciers to melt which in turn are causing sea levels to rise. By 2100, the ocean will have risen between one and four feet, according to NASA, and by 2200 will have risen by as much as 20 feet, completely submerging many coastal cities and islands around the world.

These are just a few of the many effects that global warming will have on our planet, and with a limited amount of time left to create change, they may soon become a reality.

And yet somehow, even with all of this evidence, some remain skeptical as to whether or not global warming is the result of human influence, or if it’s even real to begin with.

The Huffington Post cited this failure to acknowledge climate change as a result of social communities and biased sources.

Since humans have an innate tendency to follow the trends and beliefs of those that came before them, in communities where global warming is not all that accepted, that belief gets extended out to all of those in contact with that idea.

This effect is emphasized by the ideals pushed by high-ranking conservatives. Fifty-six percent of Republicans in Congress deny climate change, according to ThinkProgress. These beliefs get passed down from politician to citizen, and hence, are why only 18 percent of conservatives believe global warming will pose a serious threat in their lifetime.

The most influential advocate against global warming is none other than President Donald Trump.

Trump has on several occasions denounced the theory of global warming, and as such has caused many people to further deny the idea of climate change.

Another cause of the denial that a large portion of the population believes is a result of the fact that the effects of global warming are hard to see, and that even the name itself is misleading.

‘Global warming’ insinuates that the Earth is becoming warmer, which it is, but that heat is only experienced in some areas of the world.

There has been an extreme spike in the number of large wildfires per year and wildfire season in the West has elongated by roughly two months since the 1970s.

The East Coast, however, experiences climate change differently. Increased coastal flooding, as well as more destructive hurricanes, are just two of the many effects global warming has had on the East Coast. But because there isn’t a noticeable change temperature, many are skeptical as to whether or not global warming is real.

An additional reason for the impediment of change for the climate is a result of political contributions. In 2018 alone, over $99 million was spent by the oil and gas industry in lobbying, and of that, 77 percent went to Republicans.

As such, with Republicans in power, passing legislation that would be pro-environment is tougher due to the fact that they would be going against the interests of those that gave them donations.

As a result, the government has failed to take action towards climate change and fix one of the biggest problems facing mankind right now.

Although California, and especially the Bay Area, is very progressive in terms of global warming, more can be done and needs to be done in order to solve climate change.

Simple at-home actions can be taken in order to help preserve the environment, such as by taking shorter showers, turning off lights that aren’t in use, carpooling as often as possible, and not using air conditioning or heating within our households when unnecessary.

Writing letters to your local representatives and taking a stand for what’s right can produce effects that in the long run will allow us to live on this planet for hopefully as long as we need.

Without action, our time may be significantly limited.

After all, the world does matter, and we should treat it as such instead of leaving it for coming generations to deal with.

17 The Lei Way Ry Lei “Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault.”

– Henry Anatole Grunwal

Holidazed

The only reason my family will have a 25-pound turkey at Thanksgiving dinner next year is my 5-year-old sister.

She will enjoy her holiday seasons the way I wish I had, surrounded with matching horrible holiday themed sweaters, strings of lights around the house, and family. She will do so because, after 18 years, my immigrant parents have begun to assimilate into what they believe is more American.

And after 18 years, I’ve realized my problem was never with the holidays: it was wishing for our family to have a conventional holiday.

I don’t blame my parents, nor would I ever choose turkey over a bowl of noodles. In hindsight, I think the only reason why I wanted so badly for a conventional holiday, a conventional family, was because I was never truly comfortable with our so-called “Asian-ness.”

Or maybe there was something about hearing “wait, your family doesn’t celebrate Christmas?” from a classmate in second grade that stuck with me.

The thing about growing up as an immigrant family is that, while we might stick to our cultures and tongues inside our homes, as soon as we walk outside it’s always about being as American, as normal, as possible. Maybe not so much here in the Bay Area, but when my family used to live in quiet suburban streets in Albuquerque, N. M., it was necessary.

Our differently lived experiences, and in this case our differently experienced holidays, make it harder for us to feel like we are where we’re supposed to be. And the longer we’re here the harder it is to distance ourselves from that feeling.

So every year, we add something else to the mix. Three years ago, it was Christmas lights (that we later neglected to take down for about a year); two years ago, it was a two-foot tall Christmas tree propped up in the corner of our living room. Next year, it will be a turkey. My sister might have holiday meals consisting mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce if my parents can stomach their dislike for Western food.

But here’s the thing: no matter how much we mimic those around us in efforts to blend in, the urgency at which we do so inherently makes us stand out.

Maybe it’s time for me to let go of wishing for conventional holiday food and decorations, and start cherishing those homemade noodles. It’s small and it seems superficial, but culture matters, and it shouldn’t be replaced with something that would have made me more like that second grader in Albuquerque.

This holiday season, I’ll eat, get some mediocre sleep, and then I’ll wait for next year.

18

COMMUNITY Crossword

Ask Monty

December 2018

Hey Monty,

I’m a freshman and I’m pretty nervous about finals. I haven’t really dealt with this much stress before because middle school didn’t really have finals.

Plus, a lot of people say your grades from freshman year don’t count. Is that true? This would be the first time my school record has actually mattered for college. My parents really want me to do well, and I want to go to a good college.

I know Carlmont has some resources for students, but I can’t find the announcements on Canvas and sometimes I don’t hear them over the loudspeaker.

Do you know where I can find student resources leading up to finals week or, like, do you have any strategies for studying?

-A concerned freshman

Hey, bud!

Love , Your friend , Monty

Across

Down

1. The majority of the Earth’s atmosphere

4. Material that can be recycled infinitely

2. French for “environment”

5. Turtles mistake plastic bags for _________

3. Your carbon _________ is the result of your consumption of fossil fuels

6. Another word for rainfall 10. Soap that helps animals who were in oil spills

7. Spanish for “winter” 8. Sank after the boat he was on collided with an iceberg

12. The result of a glacier sliding into the ocean

9. The number of hearts an octopus has Answers Down: 1. nitrogen 2. environnement 3. footprint 7. invierno 8. Jack 9. three 11. AQI Across: 4. aluminum 5. jellyfish 6. precipitation 10. Dawn 12. iceberg

I hear you! My freshman year was pretty rough, but I have definitely learned some tips from my time at Carlmont.

For starters, kudos on thinking ahead. It is a common misconception that your grades from freshman year don’t count. All four years of high school factor into your cumulative GPA at the top of your transcript.

Still, don’t focus on college too much yet. You can expect to have annual or semi-annual trips to the College and Career Center in B-Hall to get updated on (you guessed it) college and career information throughout high school.

Overall, the College and Career Center is a good resource to be aware of. Next to that room is the counseling office, where you can go to meet with your guidance counselor. If you’re not sure who yours is, ask the front desk. Your counselor can help you with college information, as well as give you advice on managing stress.

In terms of test prep, the library is an excellent resource. It is open most days before school and during lunch. You can go in there to look at textbooks, use computers, do research, or print out papers. You can also go to the tutoring center in A-12 to get peer help with work. It’s open during 0 period and after school most days.

I’ve also heard a couple of class-specific tips while walking through the halls!

If you’re turning in an essay for English, lab writeup for science, or any other type of written report, Grammarly.com is a free online editor.

Quizlet is a free online flashcard site where you can collaborate on study sets or make your own.

This resource can be great for history terms, English vocabulary, scientific definitions, or foreign language practice.

Math can be a difficult one to study for. Khan Academy is a free online compilation of tutorials that include algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. If you’re more of a book person, it can be helpful to just go through your math textbook and try a few problems from each chapter review, usually found at the end of the section.

Finals can feel a little overwhelming. If you’re studying and feel like you’re just not getting it, take a break. Walk your dog around the block. Take a quick shower. Make some tea. Nap. Definitely set aside time to study and try not to go out too much during review week or finals week, but remember: the night before your test, the best thing you can do for yourself is sleep.

On test day, don’t neglect your breakfast in the morning, and remember to drink some water. Bring extra pens and pencils, and show up to school early because everyone starts at the same time. Keep a positive attitude and remember that you have worked hard.

Just showing up to class and being engaged in your work has prepared you for this moment. Good luck, Concerned Freshman!

11. Scale of measurement for air pollution

Jokes Q: What does CNN call an

unexpected earthquake?

A: Ground-breaking news

!

HaH a!

Q: What kind of barbeque does a A:

llama make?

Spit-roast

Q:

What does the Ozone Layer feel when it sees climate change happening?

Q: What kind of lettuce did they serve on the Titanic?

A: Iceberg

Ha! Ha!

A: atmos-FEAR

! Ha! HaH a!

Q: What kind of dressing does a tree put on its salad?

A: Branch!

Overheard at Carlmont

Overheard at Carlmont is a new section in The Highlander featuring out-of-context quotes students have heard at school.

Students can anonymously submit quotes by going to tinyurl.com/chsoverheard.

“You can’t breathe while you’re eating, so that way, you won’t get asthma!”

“I don’t do drugs, I just Juul.”

“I was gonna say ‘let’s get this bread,’ but look at it! It’s moldy.”

“Man, your glasses are the bees’ knees.”

“He literally hit his dab pen in AP Comp. Sci. That doesn’t make you cool.”

“Why do I still have this picture of Scott Disick?”

“I overheard her conversations and she’s a fake German.”

“You’re like a $10 Android. I’m like an iPhone XS.” “But can you, like, get drunk from slurping hand sanitizer?”

“His laugh is gross but he’s so cute.”

“I gave my Juul to Becky*, so I’ve been seven days sober already.”

“We should haze the babies.” *name has been changed to protect identity

COMMUNITY

December 2018

19

What’s happening at Carlmont?

On Campus

Performing Arts

Friday, Dec. 7 at lunch

Instrumental Music: Winter Concert Series

Santa in the Quad

String Orchestra and Concert Band: Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7:00 p.m.

Dogs in the Quad

Friday, Dec. 14 at lunch

Symphonic Band and Symphony Orchestra: Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7:00 p.m.

Ugly Sweater Day Friday, Dec. 14 at lunch

Winter Formal

Choir: Cold Hands, Warm Hearts Friday, Dec. 14 at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 15 at 5:00 p.m.

Spring Musical: “Into the Woods”

Jazz Ensembles and Jazz Combos: Friday, Dec. 7 at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Fox Theater at 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 7 at 7:00 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 8 at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 9 at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 10 at 2:00 p.m.

Sports Boys Basketball:

Girls Basketball:

Boys Soccer:

Girls Soccer:

Thursday, Dec. 6 - Varsity tournament at Burlingame High School at 2:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 6 - Varsity vs.

Saratoga High School at 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 7 - Varsity at Santa Clara at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 8 - Varsity Tournament at 12:40 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 11 - Varsity vs.

Notre Dame Belmont at 5:45 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 7 - JV at Santa Clara at 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 8 - JV Tournament at 1:40 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 11 - JV vs. Notre Dame Belmont at 4:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 7 - Varsity at Homestead at 3:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 11 - Varsity vs.

Mountain View at 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 11 - Freshmen at Menlo High School at 7:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 7 - Varsity at Homestead at 3:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 11 - JV vs.

Mountain View at 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 6 - JV tournament at Burlingame High School at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 6 - Freshmen vs.

Mills High School at 7:00 p.m.

20 CALIFORNIA’S WATER SNOWBALLS INTO

AQUATIC CRISIS

Ben Balster It’s not just the terrestrial forests being reduced to nothing in California, the coastal kelp forests along the Gold Coast have been eaten away by a purple epidemic.

Before California was known for its environmentalism in all its liberal-stereotyped glory, early exploitation of the state’s environment by early immigrants such as the gold rush miners crippled the aquatic ecosystems. The consequences of overhunting and overfishing, international trade, and pollution compounded upon California’s coastal kelp forests and the San Francisco Bay to beat them into the listless bodies of water they are today.

California’s kelp forests were home to an assortment of species ranging from abalone to eel, serving a similar role to coral reefs as the foundation for a unique ecosystem. However, take this foundation away and all the below water image of the coast begins to look a lot like the rocky, desolate beaches of northern California dotted with purple asterisks, the tool of the kelp forests’ destruction. Said asterisks are purple sea urchins and in every sense satisfy the role of nature’s leveller: they have few predatorial checks, are inedible and worthless to humans, and have defensive spines and shells. All this lends

to the urchins’ ability to swiftly eat through all the kelp along California’s coast leaving it an urchin barren.

Of course, such power was stymied by the presence of otters, who were adept at breaking through an urchin’s defensive shell. Otters especially are a keystone species in kelp forests around the globe, their presence making or breaking the ecosystem. In California, desire for their fur made the species endangered and left few predators to check urchin growth. However, an outbreak of disease among sea stars occurred, possibly spurred by climate change and warmer waters favoring the pathogenic bacteria, eliminating the population along the coast, and removing the last restraint on purple sea urchins. Without any predators, the urchin population exploded and California’s coastal environment transformed form kelp forests to urchin barrens.

Currently, a number of activist groups have taken to the waters to hunt for and forcibly stem the growth of urchin barrens along the coast. Past precedent has also seen kelp forests recover with the reintroduction of sea otters — one instance of this being the kelp forests in the English Channels.

Unfortunately, current efforts to reintroduce and nurture otters back to full strength along California’s coast and to fish purple sea urchins into extinction are far from fully reestablishing California’s kelp forests.

Along with the decline of its coastal

waters, California saw the gradual tarnishing of the San Francisco Bay. Although overfishing and overhunting in the bay did not cause the same sort of spontaneous destruction it did for the kelp forests as the primary victim of this for the San Francisco Bay were the non-keystone species sturgeon, human influence was still the institution of the bay’s suffering.

The San Francisco area was grown by trade and was a major port city for oversea trade missions. The ships that passed through the city’s docks balanced themselves atop the water through the use of ballasts: starting every voyage taking in water and then releasing the water upon arrival, allowing the vessel to maintain its balance relative to the local waters.

While truly genious in naval engineering, ballasts have the unfortunate side effect of introducing invasive species to wherever the trade markets take them.

The San Francisco Bay is especially vulnerable to invasive species due to its unique brackish water and pseudo-isolation from the oceans, and with booming trade came a plethora of ballasts and foreign species. One example of how devastating these invasive species can be is the Channeled Whelk, which is best described as having the shell that people “hear the ocean inside of.” Channeled Whelks have no natural predators in the bay and are apex predators with

their sandpaper-esq tongue boring holes into clams and mussels and sucking up the animals inside. With no defense against such tactics, the local mollusk population has dwindled.

Considering the impact a single invasive species can have on the bay’s ecosystem, the ruined state of the bay is no surprise as several hundred invasive species are already established in the bay, outcompeting native species, consuming resources, and disrupting the ecosystem.

On top of the foreign invasion of the San Francisco Bay is another human driven sap on California’s waters. An influx of population in the bay area has led to demand for land, and, in fulfilling such demands, landfill cities, such as Foster City or the San Francisco International Airport, began popping up over the water, encroaching on and shrinking the size of the bay.

Conversely to the kelp forests along California’s coasts, the damage done to the bay is practically irreversible at this point. It simply isn’t feasible to remove hundreds of species from the bay nor is it to remove Foster City.

However, conservation efforts can still prevent a total collapse of the San Francisco Bay, and the limitation of pollution and human encroachment and the further introduction of invasive species will at least preserve what is left of the bay.

Photo Illustration by Francesca D’Urzo