Carlmont Highlander January 2023

STRIKING A BALANCE

read it pg. 17

Carlmont Journalism Carlmont Journalism is a nationally renowned media arts program run by the students of Carlmont High School. Our staff works to deliver the latest news to our student body, their families, and the community. News, within our school and beyond, is important to us, so we are committed to providing timely information, current events, and thought-provoking ideas to our audiences through storytelling, design, video, photography, and other emerging technologies.

Highlander Editor-in-Chief Chesney Evert Highlander Managing Editors Lindsay Augustine & Grace Wu Scot Scoop Editor-in-Chief Hudson Fox Scot Center Editor-in-Chief Hayes Gaboury Social Media Editor-in-Chief Mandy Mah Faculty Adviser Justin Raisner Highlander Editors Beck Von Tersch Andrew Shu Malina Wong Isa Khalak Inaaya Omer

Adelaide Reinshagen Aidan Lynd Aimee Teyssier Alexander Menchtchikov Andrew Tolu Annabel Chia Anoushka Mekerira Audrey Burnley Austin Li Avery Wong Carolina Cuadros Catherine Eikelbarner Charlotte Gordon Emma Yin Erik Cheng Evan Leong Gabrielle Shore Glydelle Espano Gracia Shao-Xue Inaaya Omer Isabel Wright Izaan Masud Jasneh Sasan

Sienna Reinders Oliver Fichte Alice Lan Lucy Sanders Clementine Cunningham

Staff

Karla Lee Kiana Hinkson Linda Lin Lucy Lopshire Madelyn Mercado Marrisa Chow Maya Campbell Myles Hu Nyah Simpson Piper Diehn Quinn Rolland Rintaro Sato Robin Linares Serenity Corbett-Richardson Soleil Dam Sophia Mattioli Sophia Schreiber Sophia Sunbury Sophie Gurdus Stella Pavao Sydney Tao Ujala Chauhan Urvi Kulkarni

Letter from the Editors Dear reader, For many of us, growing up in the Silicon Valley means a wealth of technology at our fingertips; a digital landscape changing so fast, it can be hard to keep up.

Finding our way amidst these changes is accompanied by a host of moral and ethical issues, not to mention complex social dynamics. Do I post this? Was this taken consensually?

As a print publication, we’re in a unique position to highlight these technological developments while remaining tied to the “past": a world where news was dictated by headlines on newsstands, not social media.

Our fourth estate is a crucial part of the American government, protecting freedom and autonomy. Recent partisan threats to fair, unbiased news plague our airways — an issue that transcends time, but one that is making a resurgence now more than ever. We work to make The Highlander an outlet where all news is uncensored, well-researched, and open-minded, and see a future news industry on the horizon that embodies these qualities.

We hope that this issue encourages you to think critically about how technology usage has changed our everyday lives, maybe even becoming more informed digital citizens as we enter a new year.

Wishing you a prosperous 2023,

Chesney

Every Liyayt

Want to advertise in the Highlander?

Email carlmontads@gmail.com

Contents

POPULAR CULTURE 4 6 7 8

Entering the SoundCloud Tis' the (award) season Unwrapping Spotify Celebrity sandwhiches

CAMPUS 10 Flattening the curve 12 Technology powers up student businesses 14 Behind the scenes of unique student jobs

SCOTLIGHT 17 Striking a balance

OPINION

24 Sharenting: the dangers of posting about children online 25 Streamlining the downfall of Netflix 26 Is it a blessing or a curse?

28 Editorial: an educational devolution or a step in a new direction?

FEATURES 30 31 32 34 36

Serving the future The dark side of Doordash The reality of E-waste Beneath the waves Guest perspective: Q&A(I)

FUN 38 Need for speed 40 Modern robots: the machines of tomorrow, today 41 A decade of virality

JANUARY 2023 3

POPULAR CULTURE

Entering the

SOUNDCLOUD The first step into the music industry shapes the next generation of artists Photos by Hayes Gaboury

Gracia Shao-Xue and Austin Li

S

ixty-one weeks.

That's how long R&B artist Post Malone's hit song "Circles" was on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. In fact, this is just one in 11 of his songs to reach top 10 on the chart.

"Circles" has over 2 billion plays and proves Malone to be one of the most successful artists in recent years.

However, his rise to fame didn't happen overnight. Starting in 2011, Malone had begun producing and uploading music onto SoundCloud.

Although he consistently created music, Malone struggled to attract an audience. It wasn't until he released "White Iverson" on SoundCloud in 2015 that his career began to pick up.

The song was instantly successful,

eclipsing over 20 million streams on the platform in the first two months.

However, in spite of SoundCloud's contribution to the careers of many top artists, some people have little knowledge of what it is.

SoundCloud is an audio distribution and music-sharing platform founded in 2007 by Swedish sound designer Alexander Ljung and electronic musician Eric Wahlforss. It prioritizes an artist-first relationship and is powered by a global community of both artists and listeners seeking new trends in music culture.

Over the years, SoundCloud has tailored its platform to empower independent artists with tools, services, and resources so they can build successful careers. SoundCloud's specs for aspiring artists have significantly

influenced its ability to grow as a music platform.

Every year since its launch, the platform has seen a substantial increase in listeners, artists, and revenue.

Starting with 125 million users in 2012, SoundCloud has grown to host over 175 million users per month.

What attracts many is the plethora of music selections available. With over 150 million tracks, music lovers can constantly find new music from smaller artists whose songs become popular hits over time.

“I love using Soundcloud to listen to music because there are songs that aren’t released on Spotify. It gives me access to more underground and unknown music. Sometimes the trendy TikTok songs on Apple Music and Spotify get repetitive and I prefer less mainstream

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music,” said Mariana Panisset, a junior at Carlmont High School.

SoundCloud users like Panisset allow creators to become overnight sensations. In fact, some of today's top artists– Lil Uzi Vert, Chance the Rapper, Bad Bunny, and Lizzo– started their careers on the platform.

For example, Uzi Vert's iconic "Luv Is Rage" album first dropped on SoundCloud in February 2015. The album featured popular songs such as "XO Tour Llif3," which quickly reached over 70 million plays. Chance the Rapper is another example, as he hit 1 billion streams in 2019.

The success of these prominent figures has impassioned others to follow in their footsteps. More and more aspiring artists are choosing to jumpstart their careers on SoundCloud, and it has developed into a hub for small artists and those looking to dabble in the music industry.

Drawn by the community and social networking opportunities SoundCloud offers, many small but passionate artists have also emerged from younger generations. These include Carlmont High School students Zane Tanabe, Salvatore Napizia, and Ryan Jocson.

"SoundCloud is an easy app to use, and anyone can upload music there.

Tracks on SoundCloud also spread more easily because other people can repost them."

– Zane Tanabe

Jocson began his music career years ago after seeing his older brother upload songs onto SoundCloud. To him, music served as a way to express himself and tap into his creative talents.

"I started making music during quarantine when I had free time. It

gave me an outlet to express myself while stuck at home for hours on end. I immersed myself into the SoundCloud community and quickly made friends and connections," Jocson said.

Like Jocson, Tanabe began his music career out of boredom in his free time.

"I love rap, and I really got into it over the past few years. In general, my friend and I started making music just for fun over the summer,” Tanabe said.

However, as he began to produce more music and immerse himself in the industry, his passion grew, and he hopes to "get more into the business side [of the music industry]."

Since starting, Tanabe has uploaded more than four songs, gaining hundreds of plays.

While Tanabe has hopes of pursuing a career in music, Napizia only started uploading to SoundCloud because he enjoys listening to music.

"It lets people be creative and experiment, and that's why I love the fact that you can listen to so many different genres [on SoundCloud]," Napizia said.

Initial steps into the music industry come with ease when using the platform.

Jocson reflects on his experience when first starting.

"One of the major reasons why I chose to upload [my music] onto SoundCloud is because it has solidified itself as one of the more successful music platforms. I knew that I could quickly access a community of aspiring artists with goals similar to mine and reach an audience," Jocson said.

Ultimately, although apps like Spotify and Apple Music have eclipsed SoundCloud in recent years, it is essential to recognize SoundCloud's contributions to the world of music. As the platform responsible for significant cultural changes in the music industry, SoundCloud will forever be considered one of the most influential and revolutionary music platforms of the 21st century.

Ryan Jocson Grade: Senior SoundCloud: Martin$

Zane Tanabe Grade: Junior SoundCloud: Young Zany

Salvatore Napizia Grade: Junior SoundCloud: LilSal

JANUARY 2023 5

POPULAR CULTURE

Tis' the (award) season Serenity Corbett-Richardson

These categories are most spoken about and televised and are as follows: Album of the Year (AOTY), Record urn down your radios and of the Year (ROTY), Song of the Year tune into your television for the 65th annual GRAMMYs. (SOTY), and Best New Artist.

ROTY and SOTY are not to be The most coveted award confused — ROTY is defined by The show in all of music is slated to be Recording Academy as recognizing broadcast live from Los Angeles’ “the artists, producers and engineers Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. who contribute to that recording,” while 5, 2023. To fully enjoy the heartpounding, butterfly-inducing quiddity SOTY “deals with the composition of a song and recognizes the songwriters.” of the ceremonies, one must first For example, Taylor Swift’s recordunderstand the mechanics of such.

While there are 91 total categories that breaking “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The offer the famed golden gramophone, there are just four that make up what is Vault)” is nominated for a SOTY award because of its lyrical significance; known as the “Big Four.” not only is it the most commercially successful contemporary song for its length but it was written over a decade ago and only released from “the vault” per the request of Swift’s fans.

On the other side of this, songs honored for ROTY at this year’s GRAMMYs are often the earworms heard on TikTok - songs like Beyoncé’s electropop hit, “BREAK MY SOUL” or Harry Styles’ newwave-inspired comeback anthem, “As It Was.” These songs did well on the charts, while that is less of a criterion for the lyric/compositionfocused SOTY. The most important general field category to artists themselves is Best New Artist. Winning this award can be indicative of a prosperous career, as shown by just a handful of previous winners Chance the Rapper, Amy Winehouse, and Cyndi Lauper.

Although the name ur y Sunb a i h implies otherwise, y Sop Ar t b nominees of this award are not

T

necessarily new to the industry…just new to large-scale commercial success.

Relevant artists that exemplify this would be Italian rock band Måneskin, who were formed in 2016, but were not honored by the Recording Academy until this year.

That’s not to say that newcomers don’t receive the nomination, because they very much do: alt-indie group Wet Leg, who were formed in 2019, gained popularity over the course of 2021 and 2022. This category is not the end-allbe-all of an artist or group’s success but it is a career apex for the winner nevertheless.

Perhaps the most popular category of all 91 would be Album of the Year.

All ten albums nominated for the 65th annual GRAMMYs played a major role in the course of music this past year. Genres span ABBA’s Europop comeback “Voyage,” to Lizzo’s funky “Special,” to Bad Bunny’s reggaeton “Un Verano Sin Ti,” to Mary J. Blige’s R&B “Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe).”

Albums that win in this category are sure to remain industry staples for decades to come, (see: Paul Simon’s “Graceland” or The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”).

Currently, the record for most AOTY wins by any one artist is held by Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon, Taylor Swift, and Stevie Wonder - all having won in three separate instances. While no artists nominated this year have a chance of breaking this record, some previouslynominated artists may receive their first win in the category, namely, Kendrick Lamar: he has been nominated a total of three times in this category but lost to Daft Punk in 2014 and Adele in 2016.

To watch the results of the 65th annual GRAMMY awards, tune into CBS or stream on Paramount+...the industry standards for next year’s music are to be set.

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Unwrapping Spotify Anoushka Mekerira

W

hen Spotify Wrapped was released in 2017, it was breaking news across social media. Screenshots of people’s mostlistened-to artists and most-listenedto songs were taking over Instagram and Twitter. Instagram stories were filled with statistics that either mocked basic taste or flexed artistic inclinations. Years later, Spotify Wrapped remains a social media tradition for Spotify users, creating a genuine cultural moment every year.

The buzz begins each year in late November with the #SpotifyWrapped trending all over the internet. However, as the popularity of Spotify’s feature grows, so does a growing discussion about algorithms. The use of which has become a standard procedure on social media and which Wrapped is based on.

Spotify’s algorithmic delivery may have been what initially distinguished it from other music streaming platforms. Of course, many of the top services have their own customized playlists as well, but Spotify’s wide selection of highquality playlists is curated specifically on user’s past listening activity. Daily doses of new music are tailored to users. This is an important factor in the app’s success despite the fact that

it is based on tracking data.

While tracking music data may not appear confusing at first glance, the use of artificial intelligence has been shown to discriminate. According to data collected by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, artificial intelligence can be biased. A 2021 Guardian article made claims of the platform’s features being inaccurate and deceptively marketed. Nonetheless, Spotify Wrapped has gone viral.

Alex Chun, an intern at Spotify, said, “Spotify Wrapped allows users to see their music statistics in the most simple way; it’s the best feature created.”

Users strategically construct a certain perception of themselves through snippets that become increasingly refined with the help of Spotify Wrapped and other algorithms. For example, sharing a Wrapped roundup on social media can place a person in a specific niche: indie, grunge, or rock. If the music genres are even more obscure, that person can specialize in hyperspecific niches such as folktronica, cloud rap, and Korean pop.

The anticipation for Spotify Wrapped is present in Kailani Firenze’s life.

“It’s one of my favorite things to look forward to,” Firenze said.

Noel Lim, a senior, has been using Spotify since 2015. Spotify Wrapped is her favorite feature on the app.

“I think it’s super interesting to get some statistics back on the music I’m listening to during that year, which is

shown in creative and interactive ways, through Wrapped. It’s the coolest feature that has come from Spotify,” Lim said.

The music you listen to mirrors how you feel. According to ScienceDaily, music and mood are interrelated.

To make the most of this, a Harvard research article states Spotify has invested heavily in data science and has even used people’s listening habits in its advertising.

One ad from 2017 read, “Dear person in the Theater District who listened to the Hamilton Soundtrack 5,376 times this year, can you get us tickets?”

“I love looking at other people’s Wrapped and seeing what they listen to,” Firenze said.

Spotify Wrapped has made it extremely easy to become influenced by others’ music tastes. With celebrities and influencers taking part in posting their Wrapped, it becomes a music guidebook for everyone on the internet.

The content, can be shared with a single tap. The eye-catching graphics are pre-generated. Users can divulge a little about themselves with little involvement. Ultimately, Spotify has found the best way to market algorithms back to its users.

“Spotify Wrapped is just the beginning of apps marketing off of data analytics,” Chun said.

JANUARY 2023 7

POPULAR CULTURE

CELEBRITY SANDWICHES Writing & Design by Audrey Burnley

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Photos by Hayes Gaboury

Kylie Jenner 1

Snoop Dogg 2

Ingredients: 1 Italian sub roll, 3 slices shredded turkey, salami, & pepperoni, 2 slices cheese (your choice), 1-2 handfuls shredded lettuce, spoonful of mustard, spoonful of mayo, 2 sliced pickles, 3 sliced onions Instructions: 1. Preheat your oven to 425 °F and place two slices of bread with cheese on top. Cook this until the cheese is melted.

2. Mix together the mayo and mustard together in a medium bowl and then add in handfuls of lettuce and mix the two together.

3. When the bread and cheese is ready, take it out of the oven and place preferred amounts of turkey, salami, and pepperoni on one side of the bread.

4. Then on top of the meat, place sliced onions and pickles 5. Finally, add the lettuce mixture and put the whole sandwich together and enjoy.

Ingredients: 2 slices bologna, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 slices white bread, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, 2 slices American cheese, barbecue potato chips Instructions: 1. Take the bologna, make a cut from the middle to the edge, and cook on both sides.

2. Take the bologna off the heat and place it on another plate.

3. Place butter in the same pan, place two pieces of bread and, let it toast.

4. Turn the stove to low heat , place a piece of cheese on top of the bologna, and let it melt.

5. Take the cheese and bologna and put them on the bread.

6. Put the preferred amount of barbecue chips on one side of the sandwich.

7. Finally, put both sides of the sandwich together and enjoy.

Bella Hadid 3 Ingredients: 1 Spoonful mayonnaise, spoonful mustard, 1 clove garlic, salt to taste, 1-2 handfuls lettuce, 3 slices red onion, 4 sliced pepperoncini, 3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon balsamic glaze, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon chili flakes, spoonful red wine vinegar, lemon juice, 3 slices turkey & salami, 2 slices cheese (your choice), 2 slices tomatoes, 1 baguette Instructions: 1. Add olive oil, balsamic glaze, salt, red pepper flakes, and dried basil to a small bowl and mix.

2. Add mayo and chopped basil with crushed garlic, salt, and mustard to another small bowl and mix.

3. Chop a red onion and lettuce and mix together with the lemon juice in another medium bowl .

4. Chop pepperoncini and pat onto sliced bread.

5. Put red white vinegar in the oil mixture and then mix that with the lettuce mixture.

6. Stuff the lettuce mixture into the sandwich with the pepperoncini.

7. Spread the mayo mixture on the other side of the bread.

8. Layer turkey on the side with the mayo 9. Layer salami on the side with the lettuce 10. Layer cheese on top of the salami.

11. Layer the tomato on top of the cheese and sprinkle salt on top of both.

Optional: layer some more balsamic vinegar.

12. Put together and then cut in half and serve.

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CAMPUS

FLATTENING THE CURVE

Photos by Rintaro Sato

Assistive technology helps bridge learning gaps between students with different educational needs

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Stella Pavao

H

igh school is a constant for teenagers in America; rotating through math, science, history, and English classes. But not every student is equipped with the same natural tools. Disabilities that hinder learning include conditions such as dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

According to a Pew Research Center study, nearly 14% of public school students have a disability.

Carlmont is no different. Numerous students have 504 plans or an individualized education program (IEP).

Both 504 plans and IEPs assist students with disabilities or medical conditions that hinder their learning.

For example, a student with a broken arm would be able to use speechto-text technology, or a student with dyslexia would be able to use electronic worksheets that they are more easily able to read and understand.

But at Carlmont, teachers have found a one-stop solution to keep students in general education classrooms but also understand the material the same as their peers.

“We only use Chromebooks. We don’t have any other technology in our class,” said Carlmont special education teacher Justine Hedlund.

Instead of keeping track of multiple machines and technologies, Carlmont has streamlined and opted for installing apps to help with typing and text-to-speech.

“They are just extensions that you can add on Google Chrome. It’s so easy and awesome. Compared to back in the day, you had to have a whole separate device, and you would really stand out and look weird, and then kids wouldn’t want to use it because they’d stand out,” Hedlund said.

Historically, while helpful, many students were hesitant to use assistive

devices out of fear of being different than their peers. But now, with the inception of assistive technology that is fully integrated into existing devices, anyone can use the tools to help.

“Everyone has access to it. All you have to do is download an extra extension that's usually free,” Hedlund said. “Things that are super-duper helpful for my students where, some of us are able to function without the speech to text and without the read aloud and can still comprehend the material or get as much written, but for my students without it, they'd really really struggle. So it's cool because some of us who don't need it still use it.”

But assistance comes from more than just specialized applications.

Help can come from something as simple as just digitizing assignments.

“Usually, I get to type everything up since I have that in my IEP,” said Carlmont sophomore Isaac Strehlow.

“I use Google Docs; I’m getting really good at drawing with Google Slides.”

While useful in aiding learning gaps for students with disabilities, assistive technology is also used to help students with trouble socializing. Carlmont’s integrated learning support program allows students to focus on social skills and how to interact with their peers.

For example, some students on the autism spectrum are non-verbal and require additional tools to be able to communicate.

“We are working on conversations and stuff in our classroom and like how to do small talk and appropriate social behaviors,” Hedlund said.

For students who are learning social skills and ordinarily struggle to communicate, aids are put in place to help ease the burden.

“Students have a communication device for expressive language, just like an iPad,” said special education

teacher Sevgi Carefoot. “There's an app on it called TouchChat. You can click on it and you can find you can make sentences. Or you can push and touch pictures that can say a word.”

With TouchChat, nonverbal communication is effective, and students can be properly understood by their teachers and paraeducators.

Whether social or educational, assistive technology has and will continue to help create an equitable school environment for all students.

"COMPARED TO BACK IN THE DAY, YOU HAD TO HAVE A WHOLE SEPARATE DEVICE, AND YOU WOULD LOOK WEIRD, AND THEN KIDS WOULDN'T WANT TO USE IT BECAUSE THEY'D STAND OUT," SAID SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER JUSTINE HEDLUND. JANUARY 2023 11

CAMPUS

Technology powers up student businesses

S

Sophia Schreiber

tudents at Carlmont combine passion, goodwill, and an entrepreneurial spirit to create nonprofit businesses and empower community change. From constructing handmade jewelry, making scrunchies and tote bags, and delivering groceries to the elderly for no cost, technology allows three high school students to sell their products and work towards a greater good.

With a desire to leave a lasting mark on the community, Alice Finkelstein, a senior at Carlmont, began her journey of creating jewelry during the pandemic.

"I started making earrings and added bracelets and necklaces as my business grew. I wanted to impact my community, so I decided to donate the profits,” Finkelstein said.

Finkelstein began donating to COVID-19 support causes before supporting a charity helping children in South Africa. Currently, her profits support science and education for girls in the Bay Area. Finkelstein has amassed over 200 orders and $2,600 from her business, Jewelry With Purpose, leaving customers happy with high-quality products and making a difference for those helped by the charities.

The social media site Instagram is a popular outlet for those beginning with small businesses.

Many businesses also utilize website builders such as Square Site, Wix,

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and Weebly. Separate e-commerce companies such as Etsy and Depop can help others succeed in starting their business.

"I think the main thing that allowed me to be successful is the Etsy algorithm. The way it works is that once people buy your product, the more visible you become and the more sales you get, so it was kind of like a domino effect for me," Finkelstein said.

Similarly, Emma Wang, another senior at Carlmont, recognized that she and her sister's creative spirit and values could lead to benevolence through creating a nonprofit.

"My parents immigrated from China and found jobs through their education. We saw how valuable education was through the values our parents instilled in us,” Wang said. “I think it's essential for us to create these nonprofits because it's important to have empathy toward other places that might not be as fortunate or have as many opportunities.”

Wang and her sister became inspired to continue to grow their business for this reason.

By selling handmade tote bags, masks, and scrunchies, Wang’s business, CE Scrunchies, has raised and donated over $4000 to various charitable programs.

"We've been using social media to promote our causes, including making a TikTok account. I think it's

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"

I THINK IT"S ESSENTIAL FOR US TO CREATE THESE NONPROFITS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE EMPATHY TOWARD OTHER PLACES THAT MIGHT NOT BE AS FORTUNATE OR HAVE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES," SAID EMMA WANG, FOUNDER OF CE SCRUNCHIES.

Sophia Schreiber

"

Alice Finkelstein, a Carlmont senior, models products from her business, Jewelry With Purpose. The star dangle earrings are her most popular product and sell for $10. She wears her beaded linked chain necklace, which sells for $12.

an excellent avenue to reach people, especially with Instagram Reels," Wang said.

Using technology just as simple as a cell phone has allowed Jacob Yuryev, a junior at Carlmont, to create a completely free service called Shopr, providing grocery shopping and delivery services to the elderly of San Mateo County.

"I started by coming up with an idea, creating a flyer, passing out flyers at different retirement homes and hanging them up in various community centers, and then simply waiting for the calls," Yuryev said.

As a nonprofit for the elderly, Yuryev set out from the start with the goal of making his business' technology as easy to use as possible.

Instead of a website or social media, just a phone call is needed to get the delivery on the way.

"When we start helping one person, we are automatically a success because our value is not based on money but on how much we help others," Yuryev said.

Although hard work and time are necessary to begin a business, these students are determined to continue benefitting their community.

"I think the hardest thing is getting started and putting yourself out there.

Focusing on one product at a time and on the little steps rather than trying to achieve the big picture is important.

Just think about making a difference," Wang said.

WHEN WE START HELPING ONE PERSON, WE ARE AUTOMATICALLY A SUCCESS BECAUSE OUR VALUE IS NOT BASED ON MONEY BUT ON HOW MUCH WE HELP OTHERS," SAID JACOB YURYEV, FOUNDER OF SHOPR. JANUARY 2023

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CAMPUS

Behind the scenes of unique student jobs Art & Photos by Myles Hu

When thinking of common occupations regarding teen workers, baristas, camp counselors, waiters, and lifeguards are classic jobs that come to mind. On the contrary, there are other high school students who work at uncommon but intriguing places. While some sought out these opportunities based on what was available, others hope to gain tailored experiences for their future through their experiences working.

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Sophomore Ryan Kwan has worked as a pretzel maker at Great America for six months because it was one of few jobs open to 14-year-olds.

“Originally, I went to Great America to hang out with my friends, but then I asked an employee the minimum age, and since it was 14, I later went and applied for the job on Indeed,” Kwan said.

Similar to Nyholm-Goncalves and Dixit, Kwan has learned much about customer relationships during his time working and interacting with the multitude of people that visit the amusement park daily.

“I’ve learned how to upsell products and obviously, how to make pretzels,” Kwan said.

Senior Sophie Nyholm-Goncalves has been an assistant photographer for Jeff Bartee, a professional private photographer in the Bay Area, for three years. Interest combined with a desire for work experience led to her job in the photography industry, an occupation not often associated with teen workers.

“I’m super interested in photography and was looking to start working my freshman year, so I thought it would be a good opportunity,” Nyholm-Goncalves said.

Over time, she has gained many crucial skills from her job.

“I’ve learned a lot about photography in general and more about the working environment and people skills,” Nyholm-Goncalves said.

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Junior Prithvi Dixit is an avid golfer, which has led to his position at Menlo Country Club for almost a year now, where he performs various tasks to maintain a pristine environment for guests.

“I thought, ‘If I was going to get a job, it might as well be at a golf course.’ I also wanted greater insight into the inner workings of golf courses and clubs,” Dixit said.

After reaching out and meeting with both his employer and the higher-ups, Dixit got the job, where he has learned many life lessons.

“I’ve learned about the art of making connections and conversations, as well as how to interact with people in a professional capacity,” Dixit said.

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Scotlight

Thoughts on technology

Fastforward to the future

www.scotlight.com

STRIKING A

BALANCE technology in education

written by Charlotte Gordon and Alexander Menchtchikov designed by Sienna Reinders

JANUARY 2023

17

SCOTLIGHT Scotlight

Thoughts on technology

Fastforward to the future

www.scotlight.com/technology-in-education/teachers-seek-a-balance

Thoughts on technology Charlotte Gordon Since students have returned to the classroom, the way technology is used in schools has changed in many ways.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, technology was primarily used in classrooms for presentations and word processing. During the pandemic, teachers employed technology in new ways in order to accomodate online learning. When readjusting to inperson learning, teachers were tasked with deciding which elements of technology to keep. Post-pandemic, students now submit most of their work online and spend much of the day with their computers on their desks.

“I think technology can be helpful if used in the right way and in the right amount,” said Melissa Hero, a Carlmont biology and mobile apps teacher.

“Sometimes it can be really helpful for students who might need assistive technology, to have it read things to them, using text to speech.”

While it’s clear that technology is here to stay, few teachers entirely embrace or reject technology. Most teachers try to strike a balance, but some subjects more easily transfer to technology, such as English, whereas math is much more computational and lends itself better to being on paper.

“You don't use technology just to use technology. And there's just not a lot that is going to enhance the learning right now,” said Carlmont math teacher Robert Tsuchiyama. “I could use Kahoots and things like that but with the honors classes, the pace is just so much faster, we don't necessarily have

time.”

Teachers have to work to balance the usefulness of technology without minimizing the benefits of in-person interactions.

“When using Google Docs for peer feedback, it's easy to share documents and to collaborate,” Hero said. “But you don't want to do that every single time because you want students talking to each other. So sometimes when we're doing things on computers, I might say only one person can have a computer and that can help get more face-to-face conversations.”

Technology makes it easier for students to collaborate and organize their assignments. Canvas, an online management system for students, teachers, and parents, provides a platform for tracking assignments and grades and allows all its users to see where a student stands in a course at any given time. A study conducted at Northwestern reported that 92% of student respondents felt comfortable using Canvas, similar to the percentage reported by faculty.

“Technology can help in terms of organization, students will misplace papers, when everything is on device in the cloud, it's much easier for students to find things,” said Ian Hagmann, a Carlmont physics teacher.

However, doing classwork on the computer may deprive students of the reinforcement of handwriting notes. Researchers at Princeton and UCLA found that there are strong connections between handwriting

notes and memorizing them, whereas, with typing, there is little connection.

Researchers showed students TedTalks and 30 minutes later, students were asked questions about what they watched. On factual-recall questions, participants performed equally well across conditions. However, on conceptual-application questions, participants who took notes on their laptops performed significantly worse than those who took notes by hand.

For students who miss class, many teachers now have a library of lecture videos created during the pandemic to compensate for the minimized learning hours on Zoom.

“Lecture videos were initially just made for distance learning, because there was asynchronous work and you can't just look at a book and know how to do the work,” Tsuchiyama said. “It's worked out really nicely because when students miss time, they can keep up with the work.”

Carlmont sophomore Katie Peacock accessed these videos while out from class for sports as well as illness.

“When I had COVID earlier this year, the videos my math teacher created were super helpful because I could just watch those videos and keep up with all the learning,” Peacock said.

“Throughout the year, I have also used the videos to study.”

While the didactic aspects of school may benefit from technological solutions, the effects on students’ wellbeing are debatable.

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“I think a negative aspect of using technology in the classroom is in this day and age, everyone has technology in their pocket with their cell phone, and a lot of times people are on their phones nonstop,” Hero said.

There are many advantages to using technology; it is better for the environment, typing is faster and neater than handwriting, and students don’t need to manage piles of papers. However, technological approaches may have a hidden downside, as students miss out on valuable interpersonal connections.

“If a student gets a text and we're going over something really important, they can't help themselves. They have to see who sent the text and what's going on, they are so distracted by it,” Tsuchiyama said.

Students may use their phones to avoid feeling uncomfortable in social situations, but avoiding unfamiliar people may leave students isolated. It’s easier to look at a phone than risk rejection, and this avoidance is bleeding into education.

“In the old days, when students came into class, it was like ‘hey guys, calm down, calm down, stop talking,’ even though class hadn't begun yet, it was always settle down time,” Tsuchiyama said.

“Now, it's completely the opposite. I'm upset that it is so quiet because everybody's on their phones and no one is talking to each other.”

Teachers aren’t the only ones who recognize how the presence of phones change social dynamics.

“If students don’t have their phones out in class, they are much more likely to talk to the people around them and connect with people. Whereas with a phone, it's easy for students to just be absorbed into the screen,” Peacock said.

As phones have become ubiquitous, some teachers are innovating ways to use the phone as a learning device.

“As far as phones go, phones are very useful in science

classes as experimental devices. They can be used for videos, timers, and metronomes. They definitely have a place as analytical equipment,” Hagmann said.

However, phones in students’ hands also provide a steady source of distraction.

A study conducted by Harvard revealed that undergraduate students used their phones for an average of 11 times per day during class.

“At this stage in their life, I don't think many students are mature enough to stop the impulse of wanting to look at their phone all the time. Even adults don't do this well. So it should be regulated, but not locked away or a free-for-all,” Hagmann said.

That said, Hagmann recognizes that phones are sometimes less disruptive than bad behavior. Even though phones certainly distract students, students that would otherwise be distracting others are only distracting themselves.

“Phones can be especially distracting if you are someone who doesn't really like school or really want to do work,” Hagmann said. “Now, you're looking for a distraction or some way to kind of fill your mind that isn't the work that you feel disconnected from.

Many students have two options. They either try to find distraction in others or the phone itself. With others, one kid can derail a whole class, or a group of students, or table or whatever, it can kind of pile up.”

Teachers also acknowledge that the internet’s pervasiveness, whether on their phone or computer, means that a few clicks away from school sites leads to a rabbit hole of distraction.

“The computer opens up the door just like the phone does to just being distracted by anything,” Hagmann said.

"Now, you're looking for a distraction or some way to kind of fill your mind that isn't the work that you feel disconnected from."

Ian Hagmann

JANUARY 2023

19

SCOTLIGHT Scotlight

Thoughts on technology

Fastforward to the future

www.scotlight.com/technology-in-education/the-future-of-tech

Fast forward to the future

I

Alexander Menchtchikov

n the past four years, Carlmont saw its most radical change in its use of technology. Its pivots between online learning and in-person instruction through 2020 and 2021 have been surprisingly efficient for a lot of students.

“It started out pretty messy during my freshman year, but once we started having synchronous Zoom classes during my sophomore year, it was a lot better,” said senior Swaraali Save.

“Teachers did a good job using features like screen sharing and breakout rooms to simulate a real classroom.”

When Save was a freshman at Carlmont, she faced the typical realities of high school. What she did not expect, however, is to spend half the year behind a screen in the comfort of her own home, spending time with her classmates and teachers through video boxes on Zoom.

“It was hard to stay on track and pay attention at times, especially with lecture-based classes like math, but I liked the convenience of being able to attend class from my own desk.

It was also nice having so much free time since the school day was shorter, plus there was no commute,” Save said.

For the Sequoia Union High School District, a lot of transformation was necessary to run a whole year of distance learning.

Zoom made tremendous strides in the wake of the pandemic to become the primary choice for videoconferencing and marked the most significant technological change for students in recent years.

Save questioned whether running a whole school year of learning exclusively online would work to the extent the district wanted it to. It turned out to be undoubtedly a success, aside from the apparent limitations of such a model, as students could still interact with their teachers and learn through Canvas and Zoom.

Prior to the pandemic, the district had a relaxed perspective when it came to the adoption of new technology.

However, because of the pandemic, they were forced to rely on it throughout an entire year.

Since the year of distance learning, the district has implemented universal computer use using a “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) model. If students cannot do that, the district can rent out Chromebooks to its students.

“Our district is on its way to becoming a one-to-one student device district. Currently, each site receives enough

Chromebooks for all incoming 9th graders, so that by the 2024-2025 school year, we should have enough devices for each student,” said Barbara Reklis, the district’s coordinator of instructional technology and innovation.

Previously, teachers had to schedule Chromebook carts for their students if they wanted to utilize technology in the classroom. The pandemic emphasized not only the benefits of students using technology but also the benefits for teachers.

“Before students brought their own devices, teachers had to reserve a cart like three weeks in advance, but they just weren’t using it and it wasn’t very effective,” said Melissa Hero, a science teacher at Carlmont.

John Rowe, a business teacher at Carlmont, runs his classes almost entirely online, whether it’s using Canvas to turn in assignments or using computers to take notes and participate in class activities.

“Even for us teachers, it’s easier to use technology to grade things now instead of having piles of papers on our desks all the time,” Rowe said.

Changes in schools always came in slight increments every few years, according to Rowe.

Oliver Fichte

20 HIGHLANDER ISSUE II

The necessary adoption of Zoom marked the first time such a drastic change had occurred in schools in recent memory, and it happened in a minimal amount of time.

In the case of the BYOD model, the district’s hand was forced, and universal technology use was necessary to maintain education in such circumstances. Eventually, Reklis sees a supply of Chromebooks that would eliminate the BYOD model and provide devices for all students.

“In general, tech use in our schools is growing and growing.

Three years ago, many teachers used technology in their instruction, based in large part on their own comfort level. Now, the question is more about whether technology will enhance or distract from the lesson, not simply whether or not to use it at all,” Reklis said.

As the district takes

a further step in its advancements, there are questions of whether there will be more progress made in this field. Rowe has been one of those who are critical of the speed at which schools progress when it comes to using technology.

“In some regards, education is going to stay the same, and that’s mostly because it should. We’ve been doing it for a long time, and we figured out what works and doesn’t work,” Rowe said. “And there’s more to learning than what you learn in your books.

It’s learning how to interact with your friends, and not only that, but also, you know, it’s a lot of fun being in high school.”

The extent of any advancements will be limited, as the way teachers educate their students has proven to be highly effective, and there are no plans to change that. Essential subjects such as math and English have been taught consistently throughout the past few decades, and there are no plans to pivot from that due to the effectiveness of such education.

For Rowe, the furthest extent to which he sees technology being incorporated in schools from here is through gamification and simulations, which help students learn content while also having fun doing so.

Gamification is the application of typical elements of a game into other areas of activity. This technique is typically used as part of marketing strategies but has also bled into education.

Kahoot, Blooket, and Quizlet Live are all examples of how students have used online games to learn content and compete against each other.

Simulations could also play a vital role in the

further advancement of technology use in education. For example, Rowe’s students used a business simulation competition run by the Distributive Education Clubs of America, known as DECA, to virtually experience the content taught in his classes.

“That virtual business simulation we played used to be software that we’d download in the past, and now it’s online. That’s just another example of how recently that shift to online content is being made in our schools,” Rowe said.

However, beyond gamification and simulations, Rowe thinks it is unlikely that there will be more technological advancements any time soon.

For instance, many workplaces have begun exploring AI technology’s benefits and have often benefited from using it to assist employees. While its possible upside is unmatched, it’s far from being utilized in schools and educational institutions.

“I think we’re a long way away from seeing AI be used in schools. They’ll definitely try to make money with it first, so you’ll see self-driving cars and all that, but eventually, AI will help everything,” Rowe said.

Even if access to AI platforms is attained in schools, there needs to be more clarity around its impact on academic integrity. Even with the tool of Google, the district has pushed students to answer open-ended questions rather than ones you can search up. To Reklis, AI has a chance to undo such progress.

“We need to make sure our students are demonstrating their thinking rather than their technology. As we have learned with the prevalence of search engines, like Google, we need to adapt how we are assessing student understanding,” Reklis said.

Any movements towards using AI

JANUARY 2023 21

SCOTLIGHT Scotlight

Thoughts on technology

Fastforward to the future

www.scotlight.com/technology-in-education/the-future-of-tech are hard to predict, but in the recent future, its application will be subtle, such as Google’s and Grammarly’s developments within their software.

The universal adaptation of AI is far in our future, but it is a realistic outcome to consider as the world of technology moves forward.

For now, the technology that will come within the next few years will consist mainly of gamification and simulations as schools grow accustomed to the newfound reality of every student having access to a device.

“The next leap forward can only be made once we as a district truly comprehend how technology can help our students learn,” Rowe said. “Before that, I think it’s unlikely we’ll see much movement from here.”

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OPINION

Sharenting:

_Sharenting_ _Sharenting_

The dangers of posting about children online

efore even taking their first steps, 92% of children living in the U.S. have already planted their first digital footprint. Pre-birth scans, first words, and the first day of school are just some of the many important events parents share of their child on social media.

With just a press of a button, parents can easily upload images and videos of their children on social media platforms. While this makes it convenient for parents to share funny or cute photos of their children online, many of these parents don't stop to think twice about sharing personal and private information about their childrens' lives with the world.

Since the summer of 2019, TikToker Jaquelyn Paul has been recording the life of her three-yearold daughter.

As Paul's account grew in popularity and accumulated over 17 million followers on TikTok alone, many viewers began to notice concerning comments on her posts. Some comments called Paul's daughter a "hottie," while others asked if the three-year-old was single.

Many parents believe that social media companies have substantial measures in place to protect minors on their platforms. However, even with features in place to protect some

aspects of using social media, such as limiting comments and notifying users when an offensive comment is posted, most of these policies are unsuccessful at preventing pedophiles and criminals from finding children's pictures on social media.

Not only can posting about children on social media lead to unwanted viewers, but it can also contribute to another issue: Parents should think twice before posting identity theft. their children on social media.

Every day, criminals sift through social media posts, looking for private or personal Popstar Justin Bieber was first information that could be used for discovered on Youtube when he was identity theft. Posting pictures of a 13 years old after his mom posted child on their birthday, sharing their a video of him singing. Youtube name, and revealing their age can all provided an audience of billions of be used by thieves to gain information viewers for young Bieber, but not about the child. without great costs.

Social media users are 30% more As Bieber's social media fame likely to be victims of identity theft grew, he started to gain both fans and than those who do not use these money. However, in his documentary online platforms. Instead of sharing series "Justin Bieber: Seasons," Bieber an exact location, a child's birthdate, revealed that the instant spotlight or a school name, parents can omit placed on him from viral social media this information from their public videos caused him to suffer from social media accounts. depression and drug addiction.

Even knowing that identity theft Parents need to carefully weigh and inappropriate comments may the consequences when posting an occur after posting their child on image of their child publicly on social social media, some parents may media. In the end, the importance argue that when financial resources of posting a cute photo or video of are limited, social media platforms one's child does not outweigh the provide an inexpensive way for their importance of protecting the safety of talented child to get discovered.. minors online.

Art by Piper Diehn

B

Piper Diehn

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Jasneh Sasan

G

enerational shifts among consumers have led streaming mogul Netflix to further tailor their platform to its younger audiences.

By entirely shifting their marketing strategy to display itself as the purveyor of diversity and torchholder for prevalent socio-political issues, Netflix has entirely dedicated itself to reflecting the sentiments of Gen-Z. Despite mirroring this generation’s passion for social justice, Netflix seems to be falling short.

The platform recently self-reported an unprecedented loss of over 1.2 million subscribers and a $60 billion slash in market value in the second quarter of 2022, and has experienced a marked decline since.

This leaves audiences wondering why Netflix, a company that works tirelessly to meet the demands of consumers, is expeditiously losing viewership.

The answer lies in Netflix’s constant worship of woke audiences and a notable lack of quality productions.

The over-politicization of Netflix content has cost the company its audiences, with more and more people opting to leave the platform.

Previously, Netflix had essentially

monopolized the streaming industry because audiences were addicted to Netflix’s stellar productions: ranging from feel-good comedies to toecurling thrillers, entertaining familywatches to relatable young adult content, Netflix never seemed to miss. Since the platform had a large pool of money to spend on projects, it could invested heavily on quality productions for all types of audiences.

With the global economy’s stark decline, Netflix lost a large chunk of revenue due to uncertain market conditions.

Additionally, the introduction of rival platforms like Hulu, HBO+, and Peacock caused Netflix’s streaming monopoly to die out, further cutting away from its revenues.

The resulting expense cuts have led to the cancellation of popular productions such as The Office, Patriot Act, F.R.I.E.N.D.S., and more.

The main problem, however, is that Netflix didn’t adequately replace these hit series. Instead of revolutionary productions like the ‘House of Cards’ and ‘Orange is the New Black,’ viewers will now find shows like ‘Dear White People,’ which alienate a large portion of Netflix’s audiences.

The platform has attempted to diversify classics like the ‘Vikings Valhalla,’ which race-swaps and gender-swaps historical Viking characters to appeal to feminists and race activists.

Likewise, Netflix adapted the

Art by Maddy Mercado

Streamlining the downfall of Netflix

existing, extremely successful franchise of The Witcher and adopted it into a T.V. series. Despite the franchise being based on Polishlore, the series was adapted with many ethnically diversified characters and plotlines, thus straying from the originals.

An important point is that Netflix was popularized for streaming the biggest names in comedy: Dave Chapelle, Joe Rogan, and other hilarious comedians were magnets for much of Netflix’s older audiences.

However, to appeal to woke crowds, Netflix invested in comedy specials like Amy Schumer’s “The Leather Special” with a 4% Rotten Tomatoes approval score, and Chelsea Handler’s “Hello, Privilege. It’s me, Chelsea” with a whopping 11% approval rating. These specials, though geared towards woke audiences, garner phenomenally low approval ratings amongst the general public.

There are many factors playing an active role, but checking the woke checkbox may be the most significant aspect of Netflix's downward trajectory. Netflix is still bravely trudging along, but it is clear that the platform will become another prime example of the popular saying, “get woke and go broke.”

Art by Alice Lan

JANUARY 2023 25

OPINION

A BLESSING...

The benefits of social media

T

Nyah Simpson

he global rise of social media began with MySpace in the early 2000s. Since then, the rapid rise of online media and communication has generated a frenzy of criticism.

However, many fail to remember how much social media benefits the world, and why we continue to use it today.

Social media platforms thrive off of connection, not just to the web but also between humans. They are a tool to connect people across the world and from all walks of life.

On any social app, you can have a conversation with someone from anywhere in the world. With apps like Twitter, you can easily stay up to date on news and connect with people from anywhere in the world.

Many are quick to point out the negative impacts brought by worldwide communication yet, there are also countless positive stories that they ignore in their criticism.

One example is Kayla Gaytan, who was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2016. Despite being told she couldn't bear children, she unexpectedly got pregnant with quadruplets. The

babies had to be delivered early due to her cancer coming back. Gaytan's family created a GoFundMe that raised $1.1 million, paying for her children's medical expenses.

Thanks to online platforms like GoFundMe and Facebook, online communities and organ donors can help patients gain access to financial and medical aid that they would not have been able to obtain otherwise.

Through social media, people can also find others who share the same interests and passions. This can inspire people and allows them to find communities of like-minded individuals.

When people no longer feel isolated and misunderstood, their mental health is also positively affected. According to a study by Stanford Medicine, people who feel more connected to others have lower levels of anxiety and depression.

However, as much as this connection to new people has improved people's mental health, it is impossible to ignore the negative impact social media has had on the mental health and body image of people, especially teenagers.

People are becoming increasingly aware of this issue and are taking

steps to help remedy the effects of social media on mental health.

An increasing number of global campaigns, trends, and hashtags are promoting self-love and body image advocacy.

Many social media creators are also aware of the impact they have on individuals and choose to use their influence for good.

An example is YouTuber Anthony Padilla, who is open about his own experiences going to therapy and actively encourages his 6.85 million subscribers to seek help if they need it. One of his most frequent sponsors is the company BetterHelp, a free online therapy service.

Social media has also opened up new career paths. Some of the most famous individuals in the United States are creators and influencers.

It is through social media that their career path was created, but it is also how other celebrities stay relevant in the modern world.

When you open a social media platform you are bombarded by all the problems that it causes, but the next time you start to scroll on your explore page reflect on all the reasons social media continues to help people.

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OR A CURSE? The problem with social media

S

Evan Leong

ocial media has become an everyday part of life.

However, it brings far more detrimental effects than positive ones, especially when it comes to the topics of mental health, societal standards, and social interactions.

Social media is quite addictive while giving little in return. According to Statista, the average person spends 2 hours and 27 minutes daily on social media. Those hours spent scrolling provide little benefit to the social media consumer, and there are many better ways to spend that time, such as pursuing passions, hobbies, or studying.

Social media also negatively affects mental health. According to MIT, researchers have found that Facebook use led to a 7% increase in severe depression and a 20% increase in anxiety. A major cause of these detrimental effects is social comparison– the natural human tendency to compare with other people. Social media makes it all too easy for people to compare themselves with what they see online.

However, many fail to realize that social media is often inauthentic.

They compare their lives to unrealistic standards that content creators portray, falling for personas of attractive and wealthy influencers that are often fake. This leads viewers to believe they must conform to increasingly toxic societal standards perpetuated by social media.

Social comparison often leads to the fear of missing out, envy, low selfesteem, and poor body image. These effects then deteriorate mental health, potentially resulting in depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.

According to Scientific American, humans have a natural desire to connect with others, but social media fails to provide in-person communication, resulting in isolation, loneliness, and harmful mental health effects. A lack of in-person social interaction can even cause health risks as severe as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or having an alcohol addiction, according to the American Psychological Association.

Equally as severe, the anonymous veil that social media provides can lead to cyberbullying. According to Pew Research, 59% of teens have

been bullied online, and only 33% of teens say social media sites are doing a good to excellent job addressing cyberbullying.

In addition, some cases of cyberbullying are so extreme that they result in death. According to Old Dominion University, 20% of cyberbullied people considered suicide and 4,500 deaths per year come as a result of cyberbullying.

Social media has allowed people to expand their network and platform, pushing many to fame. However, this same system allows those with influence to spread radical ideas that strain how society functions.

An example is when conservative politicians with a large following organized an attack on the capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. As a result, thousands of people came to the attack and caused considerable damage to the area. ` Social media undermines mental health and perpetuates toxic societal standards. it places people at risk, and the entertainment they get in return is nothing compared to inperson interactions. Overall, people should avoid the over-use of social media, knowing the consequences far outweigh the benefits.

Art by Maddy Mercado

JANUARY 2023 27

EDITORIAL

AI: An education devolution or a step in a new direction?

Artificial Intelligence (AI), regardless of the industry, seems at the same time fascinating and terrifying; education is no different. AI engines like OpenAI’s ChatGPT bot are, no doubt, a formidable obstacle in the way of academic integrity. The ability for students to enter essay prompts or free-response questions and receive full-fledged answers in a matter of seconds is a dream come true for academic slackers, a nightmare for teachers.

Some classes will, no doubt, revert to the days of pen and paper, but for those still tethered to the comforts of tech-based learning, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Let us not forget that just decades ago, teachers were faced with a similar dilemma.

The rise of the internet changed many things for the better, even in education, in which many processes became more efficient and streamlined. Nevertheless, the rising tide of information accessible at the click of a mouse allowed aspiring cheaters to forge papers faster and more easily than ever before. Some teachers, of course, continued to make students write by hand to prevent the problem at the source. Others, however, fought fire with fire. Anti-plagiarism software such as Turnitin were launched near the turn of the century; this allowed teachers and professors to cross-reference thousands of websites at once and eliminate the threat of plagiarism, at least from online sources.

Such a development is not an anomaly — throughout history, technologial problems have been solved using none other than technology itself. The rise of AI, even in a learning environment, will be no different. You may think that, unlike text copied and pasted from the internet, AI-generated text would be nearly impossible to detect. After all, software like Turnitin simply scans the web for matching bodies of text; if the text was never before written, how can a teacher be sure that the text was not plagiarized through AI engines such as ChatGPT? Ironically enough, the answer may lie in AI. Other AI creations, such as the Content-at-scale’s AI detector, use AI to determine if a passage was created by AI. For example, pasting the entry paragraph of a Wikipedia page into a plagiarism-checking software shows that it is, in fact, 100% plagiarized. Pasting the AI-generated equivalent into the same software shows that it is 100% original. When using the AI detection tool, on the other hand, the AI-generated entry shows up as 0% real while the human-written one shows up as 92% real.

Well, what does this all mean? To put it simply, just because AI like ChatGPT have the power to completely write complex passages doesn’t mean that it will disrupt the educational sphere. Teachers can use AI-detection software in tandem with previously used plagiarism detection software to make sure that their students are being academically honest and counter the problem from both sides.

AI is a powerful tool, and OpenAI has thrust it into the hands of the masses by releasing it to the public, who may use it for malicious purposes. But just because this tool seems to be a frightening figure looming in the distance does not mean it’s unstoppable. We are not powerless against Artificial Intelligence, though it may seem all-powerful. We just have to know where to look if we want to defend our current state of life.

This piece was written by Oliver Fichte on behalf of The Highlander Editorial Board.

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M

an vs. machine: the battle for employment.

This growing narrative of the robotic takeover has undeniably caused worries about job security across the workforce.

However, waiters and waitresses can rest easy, as humans remain essential in the food service industry.

This is not to undermine the impressive technological developments in this particular field. On the contrary, robotic servers have come a long way since their initial introduction in the early 1980s.

One of these first examples was seen in Pasadena, California, where owner Shayne Hayashi debuted two admittedly faulty robots in his Chinese restaurant, the Two Panda Deli. At the time, the public opinion of the robots was mixed, as seen in an article from the time.

“The robots at the Two Panda deli, a fast-food Chinese eatery in Pasadena, tend to blur their words drunkenly when their 12volt power cells run down, and they’ve been known to drop food and spin in circles when police radios operate nearby,” said a Miami News article from June 10, 1983.

These flaws highlight the difficulty of

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developing technology that can fully replace humans. While robotics can easily take over assembly lines and factories, working in the food service industry requires a complex understanding of human interaction.

Modern-day technology has allowed robotic servers to feature a much more practical design, such as the Bear Robotics servers used in Yayoi, a Japanese restaurant in Hillsdale, California.

This compact design features multiple trays with a touch screen and voice messages, allowing for basic communication between the robot and the customers. Human servers can send the robots to wherever it is needed in the restaurant with the simple touch of a button.

At Yayoi, restaurant management has been able to establish separate roles for robotic and human servers, with humans still taking orders but with a robot assisting with the distribution of food and drinks.

“The robotic servers are mainly here to do repetitive work and entertain the customers. This way, the human servers have more time to meet the wants and needs of the customers,” said Yayoi general manager Inderjit Singh.

In this way, Singh and his employees believe the Yayoi robots simply supplement the work of humans, therefore improving the overall customer experience. “[The robots] are very interesting,

but I don’t [believe] they are taking over my job,” said Nick Lee, a server at Yayoi.

Robotic servers also play a role in the marketing side of the restaurant, utilizing the growing usage of social media.

“If somebody that we didn’t even have to pay posts about the robot at this restaurant [on social media] and tags us, that’s free promotion for us,” Singh said.

However, this technology does come with its drawbacks, as Singh believes that robot servers are not for everyone.

“We get a lot of families and children, so they find the robots enjoyable. But then you might have a lot of other customers at other restaurants, maybe even this one, who might start thinking, why am I doing the serving for myself?” Singh said.

Even with mixed opinions about robotic servers, there is no denying the impact of this technology, allowing for the enhancement of customer service while maintaining the job security of humans.

Photo by Rinataro Sato

30 HIGHLANDER ISSUE II

The dark side of

DOORDASH

T

Maya Campbell

hirty percent. That’s the fee Doordash charges restaurants that utilize its service.

Doordash was founded in Palo Alto by two Stanford University students in 2012 and quickly expanded nationwide. It allows users to have food delivered or picked up at restaurants by ordering in the app.

As the most popular food delivery service in the U.S. with a staggering 57% market share, according to Backlinko, Doordash can afford to charge restaurants a slew of fees.

“Doordash takes a large cut of our profit, but it is by far the most popular online ordering option. If we stopped using it, business would undoubtedly suffer,” said Jia Cheng, the owner of Yan’s Garden Chinese Restaurant, a local business in San Carlos.

Cheng has witnessed Doordash’s impact on her business and businesses across the peninsula. It’s reach transcends more than just food deliveries as they offer pickup orders, which retain the 30% flat fee.

“I don’t understand why the fee is still 30% when drivers and outsourced labor aren’t used,” Cheng said. “I feel that decreasing the fee when dealing with pickups would help a lot.”

As a result, many restaurants resort to upping prices on Doordash while retaining lower ones in the restaurant itself. This strategy partially alleviates the problem of Doordash fees but also creates new issues with high pricing and incentive for the customer.

“We’ve gotten complaints about our pricing on Doordash compared with other restaurants and our website, but it’s just what we have to do,” Cheng said.

However, on the consumer side, fees are no novel concept either. A pang of hunger for a $6 drink can turn into an $18 endeavor after taxes, delivery fees, and service fees.

“For me, even the smallest craving turns into a Doordash order, to be honest,” said Andrew Benet, a Carlmont student and Doordash user.

After using Doordash for three years, Benet considers it a monetary vice, having spent over $1000 within the past

month. He acknowledges that the habit is expensive.

For many, the convenience of Doordash is quickly disputed when one thinks about its negative impacts.

“I’ve done calculations, and on average, there is about a 25% price discrepancy on items between Doordash’s pricing and the restaurant’s pricing. It’s not gonna stop me, though,” Benet said.

The fact that Doordash can deliver essential food to almost any place in the U.S. makes it a force to be reckoned with. Although there are other food delivery services, they all have similar fees and pricing practices.

Doordash’s similarity to services such as Uber Eats, GrubHub, and Postmates caused the services to fall into legal trouble in 2022. To be included on their apps, these services forced restaurants to charge the same amount for dining in and delivery. The coalition was accused of having a trust, and a trial seeking damages for restaurant owners is still on the horizon, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.

Doordash has also run into issues withholding tips from drivers and misclassifying them as independent contractors to pay them less. This resulted in several lawsuits to be filed against the company.

The legal issue-ridden side of Doordash is unknown to most people; however, there does exist a minority group that is outspoken against all facets of Doordash’s practices.

Senior Carlmont student Katrin Lelyushkina consistently voices her anti-Doordash views, even when they contradict her friends’ purchases.

“Whenever my friends order Doordash, I always shame them, I know it’s a little mean, but the company is corrupt and very scam-like,” Lelyushkina said.

Lelyushkina always makes sure to cook her own food or directly support the restaurants she buys from by ordering from them directly. Lelyushkina is also acutely aware of Doordash’s power and influence.

“Doordash’s status as a food delivery giant allows it to get away with malpractice on all levels of the business, so that’s the main reason I don’t support the company,” Lelyushkina said.

Doordash did not respond when asked for a comment.

JANUARY 2023

31

FEATURES

The reality of

E-Waste T Karla Lee and Soleil Dam

he effects of our world’s growing reliance on technology go far beyond the production of devices.

As more electronics are being manufactured, more electronic waste (e-waste) comes as a result.

E-waste is supposedly recycled at centers where they are taken apart and reused to make new electronics. However, Aran O’Sullivan, a senior at Carlmont and Co-President of Green Team, says otherwise.

“E-waste is generated from previously used electronics that are no longer being used and are just discarded.

This can lead to a lot of issues like toxic chemicals from waste products leaching into local water systems or local environments,” O’Sullivan said.

New devices like LCD TVs are made up of toxic pollutant materials which harm the environment, for example poisonous substances entering the food chain, according to the United States Geological Survey, a U.S. scientific government agency.

“LCD screens have long been popular, particularly plasma screens. They’re great and have a tremendous resolution, and everybody loves them. However, the LED screens are backlit by fluorescent light tubes, which contain white powder known as mercury,” said Russ Caswell, General Manager for e-Recycling of California.

If exposed to mercury, especially when inhaled, it can cause chronic conditions to the body, such as lung or brain damage.

Removing the fluorescent lights is also a problem, as it requires caution.

“When we dismantle a flat-screen TV, we have to remove all those little fluorescent bulbs. Because they’re about the diameter of a piece of spaghetti, we have to carefully remove them, try not to break them, and then ship them to a company in Pennsylvania where they remove the mercury powder,” Caswell said.

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Over 500 million metric tons of e-waste are generated each year across the globe.

Another emerging form of hazardous e-waste is iPhones due to the non-removable batteries. This is a problem for e-waste recycling centers because, frequently, electronics are shredded up.

However, that is not the case with the newer iPhones because batteries would catch on fire if they were to be shredded, according to Caswell.

“The facility in San Carlos had a big fire several years ago, and it’s somewhat common. We have to train our people all the time about handling batteries. Once you remove them, you have to separate them by type because ‘dead’ batteries are not entirely dead,” Caswell said.

“They still have some voltage left. If you throw hundreds of those into a bucket, and they’re all laying against each other, they’ll start shorting, getting hot, and starting a fire.”

The increased amount of recycled iPhones is a part of the millions of pounds of e-waste that e-Recycling of California receives every month. E-waste can range from as large as a TV to as small as a mouse.

“At Hayward’s e-waste recycling center, we will process probably between 300,000 to 400,000 pounds a month of flat screens, so imagine 10,000 televisions being dropped off. Other miscellaneous things like printers, keyboards, mice, copiers, and all that other materials are about another 400,000 pounds,” Caswell said. “In my location, we do over a million pounds a month. In Southern California, between the two locations down there, it could be close to double that amount.”

According to Taylor Rubly, a sophomore at Berkeley majoring in society and environment and leader of Berkeley’s e-waste team, the real issue behind the e-waste problem is consumerism.

“The fact that devices are designed not to last long is really evident. In fact, the people designing these devices are feeding off consumers and promoting them in a way that’s not sustainable, and by not disclaiming the fact that you need to be responsible with e-waste. It’s just adding to the issue,” Rubly said.

Rubly also emphasizes the importance of recycling e-waste correctly.

“If you don’t have the time to research nearby facilities, wait until you have a moment or free time, and then make sure you use that opportunity to get rid of your e-waste. There’s no rush. It’s better to wait and properly dispose of it instead of just throwing it away,” Rubly said.

A way to reduce the problem is finding the right place to get rid of e-waste. Many, like Caswell, suggest researching on the internet for a local e-waste recycling center or collection event as the best option.

“San Carlos transfer station accepts material. We also do events in Belmont, usually at city hall. We hold events at some of the transit stations, so there are collection events a couple of times a year,” Caswell said.

Photos and Art by Karla Lee and Sophia Mattioli

JANUARY 2023

33

FEATURES

Beneath the waves Diving into ocean technology

Avery Wong and Sydney Tao

T

he deep sea is one of Earth’s greatest mysteries. Despite the ocean being just miles away from many research institutes, only around 5% of it has been explored by humans, according to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. This creates the possibility that solutions to the world’s problems might be right under our feet.

The ocean is a large body of salt water that covers about 71% of Earth’s surface. The ocean greatly impacts the weather, temperature, and food supply of humans and other organisms.

However, so much of the deep sea is unexplored due to immense pressure underwater. Oceanographers have been working hard to develop new technological advancements to discover more about the ocean and what may lie under the surface.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), modern oceanography did not begin until World War II, when the U.S. Navy wanted to learn more about the oceans to gain advantages during the war. By the late 1950s

and 1960s, underwater vehicles, known as submersibles, revolutionized oceanographic exploration. After the invention of underwater vehicles, ocean technology companies have progressed by creating more efficient ways to explore the ocean.

Sofar Ocean is an ocean technology company seeking to connect the world’s oceans to power a more sustainable future. They aim to deliver largescale ocean data to accelerate climate insights and use it to develop a greater understanding of the environment to contribute to a more sustainable planet.

“Sofar’s mission is to close that data gap across the global ocean by developing and deploying a network of small basketball-sized buoys that observe the ocean surface in real time.

Sofar uses those observations together with a global wave model to predict ocean surface conditions like waves out to about a week into the future,” said Christie Hegermiller, a marine weather modeler at Sofar.

These spotter buoys are affordable metocean buoys that collect and transmit wave, wind, sea surface temperature, and barometric pressure data. Sofar releases hundreds of them into the ocean to drift around different basins to measure ocean waves, atmospheric pressure, and sea surface temperature to provide a picture of what marine is at sea. The company is working to integrate new capabilities, such as a hydrophone to listen to underwater sounds.

“Our spotter buoys are rigorously tested both in the lab space and in the field by a series of instruments that are designed to put as much pressure on the buoy as possible. These instruments put as much pressure on the green as possible to simulate what it might experience out in the ocean. Our technologies are also tested in what we call Sofar Harbor, which is the San Francisco Bay, and in an offshore ocean beach to ensure they can survive real ocean conditions,” Hegermiller said.

There are many companies similar to Sofar that aim to make discoveries in the ocean. The idea that the possibilities are endless is what keeps the hunt for sea exploration alive despite so many challenges. As stated on Sofar’s website, “Ocean data is next to non-existent.

We know more about the surface of the moon than the waters surrounding us.”

But why have only 5% of the Earth’s oceans been explored? After all, it’s a resource that is very close in proximity to humans. In an interview with Oceana, a sea conservation nonprofit, Oceanographer Dr. Gene Carl Feldman explained, “On a dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, which is nearly seven miles deep, you’re talking about over 1,000 times more pressure than at the surface. That’s the equivalent of the weight of 50 jumbo jets pressing on your body.”

Tyler Newman, a senior at Carlmont, is the president of the Mission Marine club, which focuses on learning about marine biology and ocean conservation.

“I think technology is not developing very quickly because we have focused

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more on what’s not on our planet. Technology development has shifted rapidly to outer space exploration reaching mars and other planets,” Newman said.

With that in mind, it may be shocking to know that around 4% to 5% of outer space has been explored, according to Pursuit, a research institution from The University of Melbourne. The Earth’s ocean is much smaller and much closer to human society than outer space, yet, they have roughly the same percentage of explored territory.

“In some ways, it’s a lot easier to send people into space than it is to send people to the bottom of the ocean,” Feldman said.

Human interest also plays a significant role in funded research. According to the USAspending, the official government website to track spending data, NASA alone received $29.2 billion in 2022. In contrast, the National Ocean Exploration Act was granted a total of $1.4 billion to distribute amongst multiple research programs.

“The media covers much more about space developments because most will be more interested in space exploration than deep sea exploration. Media is meant to make money for companies and will therefore cater to people’s interests,” Newman said.

Many people view outer space as humanity’s future, which is reflected in the federal donation comparisons. Although exploring the deep sea may seem like an impossible task, it is also very necessary.

“Just one of the reasons that I think is really important is that the ocean is roughly half of our climate system. So it stores a tremendous amount of carbon cycled through ocean plankton all the way up to marine mammals,” Hegermiller said. “And it also stores a tremendous amount of heat, which is a trade that has buffered us as our system has formed.”

The ocean is crucial to the planet’s current state, but it could also extend to a much larger image for the future.

Angela Kou, a double major in environmental biology and sustainable environmental design at the University of California, Berkeley, expresses her opinion on ocean exploration.

“I believe that exploring the deep sea is important because there is so much to discover, whether it be new species, information, or resources that humans can use,” Kou said. “I think there are definitely animals that have adaptations that can be emulated through biomimicry in medicine.”

The NOAA also states that ocean’s biodiversity could lead to the next major medical breakthrough. Their research shows

positive results for antibiotic and anti-cancer substances through marine invertebrates. Discodermolide is a chemical compound extracted from deep-sea sponges, which acts as an anti-tumor agent.

The farthest depths of the ocean have been one of Earth’s greatest mysteries for years, the deepest part being over 36,000 feet below sea level. Medicine, animals, and even mermaids could be below the surface, waiting to be found.

Photos by Hayes Gaboury

JANUARY 2022 13 JANUARY 2023 35

Q&A(I)

GUEST PERSPECTIVE

Interview with ChatGPT, an AI language model

A

Jackson Sneeringer

rtificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere: it’s in cars, it’s in home appliances, it’s in cell phones. Tech companies have integrated it into everyday life on the premise that it will make life easier for consumers. The latest and greatest AI development has come from a research and development company called OpenAI in San Francisco.

OpenAI released a prototype AI language model called ChatGPT. The function is similar to search engines like Google in that users can input a question or prompt, and the AI gives an answer. However, the AI has advanced programming that allows it to generate a custom text response in real time that mimics how a human would respond. ChatGPT can think, learn, reason, and act like a human. Its capabilities include answering questions, providing information, responding to prompts, and engaging in conversation based on knowledge it has been trained to have. This is an interview with ChatGPT.

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Q: What is AI, and how does it work?

AI is the simulation of human brain functions in machines programmed to think and act like humans. Most AI systems are based on algorithms designed to recognize patterns, make predictions, and take actions based on the data they receive. These algorithms are typically trained using large amounts of data and computing power to enable the AI system to learn, reason, and self-correct to improve their performance over time. Some examples of AI include virtual personal assistants, autonomous vehicles, and face and speech recognition systems.

Q: How can teachers and students use AI technology in schools?

AI can be used to personalize learning for students by adapting to their individual needs and abilities using AI algorithms that can analyze student data and provide personalized recommendations for what a student should work on next. AI can also assist with grading and assessment by automatically grading written responses or providing feedback on student work. Additionally, AI can help teachers with tasks such as scheduling and lesson planning, freeing up more time for them to focus on teaching and supporting their students.

For students, AI can be used to help with tasks such as scheduling and organization by providing reminders and alerts for important deadlines and events. Additionally, AI can assist with research and writing by providing suggestions for sources, helping to organize and structure written work, and even providing feedback on grammar and style. Overall, AI has the potential to make learning more efficient and effective and to help students get the most out of their education.

Q: What are the dangers of using AI for academic purposes?

While there are many benefits to students and teachers using AI, there are also some dangers to consider.

On the one hand, AI can automatically grade student assignments, which can help ensure that assessments are fair and unbiased. On the other hand, if students can use AI to complete their assignments without actually understanding the material, it may be difficult for teachers to determine whether their work is truly indicative of their knowledge and understanding. Additionally, students may become overly reliant on AI tools, leading to a loss of critical thinking and problem-solving ability. Finally, there is a potential for AI tools to be used to cheat or appropriate work, which can undermine the integrity of the education system and the credibility of student work.

Q: How can the use of AI impact the credibility of student work?

AI has the potential to impact the credibility of student work in a number of different ways. AI can be a valuable tool for helping students to produce high-quality work by providing suggestions for sources, assisting with research and writing, and providing feedback on grammar and style. This can help students to improve the quality of their work and to develop skills as writers and researchers.

However, AI-powered writing tools can automatically generate papers or essays based on a given topic, which could be submitted as a student’s own work. The text can be generated in a way that is similar to a student’s writing style, making it difficult to detect if it is the student’s work.

It is important for students to understand the potential for AI tools to be used in ways that violate academic integrity and to avoid using these tools in those ways.

Q: How should students be responsible when using AI technology?

When using AI, students should be responsible in several different ways. First, students should be aware of the potential biases and limitations of AI tools and should not rely on them blindly. Instead, students should use their own critical thinking skills to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content and should be willing to seek out additional information and perspectives when necessary.

Students should also be responsible for following academic integrity guidelines when using AI, be aware of the ethical and moral implications, and consider these issues carefully when deciding how to use the technology.

Overall, students should use AI to improve their education and learning experience but remain aware of AI’s potential biases and limitations and use it responsibly and ethically.

Q: What is the overall purpose of AI?

AI aims to develop technologies that can simulate human intelligence and behavior or even surpass human intelligence in certain areas. It can be used to improve decision-making, automate tedious or dangerous tasks, and help us understand complex systems and data.

Ultimately, the purpose of AI is to improve the quality of our lives by making technology more useful, efficient, and intelligent. However, we must be careful with it as it has the potential to cause significant job displacement and can raise important ethical and moral questions about the role of technology in society.

JANUARY 2023 37

FUN

Need For Speed THE EVOLUTION OF COMPUTERS FROM MEGABYTE TO TERABYTE

C

Erik Cheng and Sophia Sunbury

omputers, regarded as a constant in modern society, have evolved significantly over the past 40 years.

According to the University of Minnesota, Charles Babbage and his assistant, Lady Ava Lovelace, invented the first computer in 1833– the Analytical Engine– to run calculations.

Since then, computers began slowly evolving to add additional functions and inputs, and government agencies like the Census Bureau started adopting computers for faster information processing.

However, one of the most significant breakthroughs was the first personal computer, the IBM 5150.

Introduced on Aug. 12, 1981, the IBM 5150 shocked the world by demonstrating that anyone could own a personal computer (PC) and operate it relatively easily. The 5150 offered the information processing functions of large government information centers for $1600 (or $5,224 in today's money).

The Central Processing Unit, which is considered a computer's brain, takes in information and sends instructions to the rest of the computer. The IBM 5150 utilized a powerful processing chip known as the Intel 8088. Running a t a speed of 4.7 million cycles per second (or 4.7 megahertz), the 8088 Screen text design by Oliver Fichte handled information using 29,000 transistors: small, electricityregulating components that allow electricity to pass through at specific intervals.

Modern processors like the Intel i9-10900X or AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, considered top-ofthe-line processors, run at jawdropping speeds of up to 5.7 billion cycles per second (or 5.7

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Art Element by Oliver Fichte

faster computers can process information and send it to other parts of the computer to handle tasks. The IBM 5150 had a memory capacity of 64 kilobytes; today, customers can purchase RAM chips with capacities of up to 256 gigabytes — that’s 256,000 kilobytes.

A key innovation of modern computer technology is the separate graphics processor. Known as the graphics processing unit or GPU, it handles all the visual tasks like displaying text on a screen or playing videos, leaving more general functions for the CPU. The NVIDIA RTX 4090, a behemoth of GPU technology released in 2022, handles tasks at a rate of up to 2.52 gigahertz. NVIDIA, the company that invented the GPU, integrated its models with separate memory chips, known as VRAM, to help create textures, depth, and shading for visuals. The RTX 4090 includes 24 gigabytes of VRAM to make realistic displays for customers.

gigahertz). Both outclass the 8088 chip with transistor counts of over 13 billion on a single chip.

Compared to a human heartbeat, beating at 20 to 150 cycles per second (or hertz), the 8088 runs more than 31,000 times faster. In contrast, the Intel and AMD processors are 38 million times faster than the human heart.

One of the most considerable leaps in computer technology was storage. A byte of data is one typed character that the computer processes as instructions. However, as technology advanced, companies began measuring bytes in exponentially increasing units.

The IBM 5150 transcribed bytes onto a physical drive known as a floppy disk and had a capacity of up to 360,000 bytes or 360 kilobytes. In contrast, modern computers now store trillions of bytes or terabytes of data.

Additionally, the data is stored electronically instead of physically to compact the process further.

The popular social media platform BeReal needs 9.8 megabytes of free space to be installed and run on a smartphone. For the 5150 to properly run BeReal, it would need over 27 floppy disks.

Random access memory (RAM) is the storage accessed for quick instructions to execute functions from an application.

Installed apps like Google Chrome, Calendar, or social media platforms use RAM to function properly. The more memory, the

JANUARY 2023

39

Modern Robots: The Machines of Tomorrow, Today

E

Mandy Mah

very year, technological innovations reach and break milestones. As society transitions to a more digital age, robots are being developed at a rapid rate.

This often leaves it hard to keep up with the latest additions to robot technology. What are some modern robot inventions?

Atlas

Atlas is an extremely active humanoid robot created by Boston Dynamics. It is able to perform at human levels of agility due to its advanced programming and control system. Some movements Atlas is capable of executing are backflips, vaults, and somersaults. Boston Dynamics is designing Atlas to be able to work with nuclear reactor meltdowns and douse forest fire flames.

ROBEAR

ROBEAR is a nursing robot created by RIKEN and Sumitomo Riko Company Limited. As a lightweight robot, ROBEAR has the ability to move through doorways, transfer patients from beds to wheelchairs, and assist patients in standing up. Its distinguishing features include its gentle strength, bear shape, and swiftness.

Sophia

Sophia is the Innovation Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme and was developed by Hanson Robotics. Sophia represents the Sophia Intelligence Collective (SIC) and is able to hold conversations, recognize faces, and display emotions. Its development often prompts debate about Artificial Intelligence (AI) ethics and the future of AI.

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a decade of virality

Art and writing by Sophia Mattioli

What does the fox say?

1B Views | 9 years ago

3:45

The top trending YouTube video of 2013, “What does the fox say?” by Ylvis, a Norweigan comedy duo, was initially produced as part of the pair’s Norwegian talk show, I kveld med YVIS (Tonight with Ylvis). Originally uploaded on YouTube as a teaser, “The Fox’’ soon went viral, hitting 100 million views in just 35 days.

Ice Bucket Challenge 37M Views | 8 years ago

1:30

This internet challenge was created to collect donations for the ALS Association, funding research on the chronic and progressive disease. As the challenge grew, thousands of participants got on board with the movement, pouring buckets of ice water over their heads across the country. Eventually, the trend hit Hollywood; the Ice Bucket Challenge raised over 115 million dollars for the association.

The Dab 70M Views | 7 years ago

3:45

Originating from the hip-hop scene in Atlanta, FL, the dab became mainstream years after it was created. The move was invented by the rapper Skippa da Flippa back in 2013, but by September of 2015 the move became known for its use by professional football players as a celebratory move. Soon enough football fans, celebrities, and ordinary citizens across the country were.

Watch me Whip 1.8B Views | 6 years ago

3:23

Ricky Hawk, also known as Silentó, became a celebrity overnight at 17. Thanks to his hit song “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae). Following his drop on SoundCloud, iTunes, and YouTube, the song eventually peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for a total of six weeks. Silento had everyone from elementary school to Corporate America performing his iconic Whip and Nae Nae dance for weeks.

Walmart Yodeling Kid 84M Views | 4 years ago

2:02

11-years-old at the time, Mason Ramsey went insanely viral in March 2018 after someone uploaded a video of the boy yodeling the song “Lovesick Blues” in a Walmart. He garnered tens of millions of views across social media as his audience praised his talent. Ramsey went on to sign a record deal and released several hits, proving to be one of the biggest viral successes of 2018.

JANUARY 2023

41

No Child Should Fight Cancer Alone Super Joey Foundation was, and will always be, inspired by a courageous and compassionate 4-year-old boy known as "Super Joey" at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Born on Thanksgiving Day of 2011, Joey grew up happy and healthy with his parents and older brother until he was diagnosed with Stage-III Wilms Tumor in May 2013 and started his battle against cancer.

Joey was a big fan of superheroes and was a little hero in his life as well. He was incredibly strong, always met challenges with a smile that lit up the room, and encouraged other patients. Sadly, Joey lost his battle against cancer in February 2016.

While Joey's life was short, it was also full of joy. Joey was loved beyond words and missed beyond measure. Super Joey Foundation will carry forward with Joey's love and courage to help the children and their families who are still fighting cancer.

GO GOLD

Follow @superjoeyteam on Instagram!

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