Granite Bay Gazette, May 2024, Vol. 26, Issue 2

SENIORS FROM THE

Dear Gazette readers,

Throughout our combined 14 years on staff, we’ve had the privilege of learning how to write meaningful stories that represent our community. We’ve had the joy of late nights covering local school board politics and tackled our APStyle learning curve with gusto, eliminating countless Oxford commas to deliver clear and concise news. Many of us began our journalism journeys as freshmen or sophomores during the pandemic: our first interviews were virtual and our final interviews are internal as we reflect on what it takes to write a good story – what does it mean to do good journalism? As seniors, we’re approaching uncertainty head-on, about to graduate, to make summer memories and to write a lot more (some of it journalistic, some of it totally unrelated) in college. Yet, as journalists, we’ve reconciled with the uncertainty because we work with it and through it each and every time we begin a story. The spark of a story is a question: the who, what, when, where and why.

What: Transitioning newsrooms from online to offline as we reported on our community’s resilience through adversity and recognized new sports teams, student and staff achievements and advocacy. Designing and distributing the Gazette’s first magazine. Doubling our staff to over 70. Establishing our Bounds Broken section. Growing our social media presence to a public following of over 1800 community members, sharing countless “Meme Mondays” and “Photo of the Days”.

When: High school - 2020 through 2024 - through a pandemic, a presidential election and of course, many, many deadlines.

Where: Brought to you on the crisp page of the 27th issue of the Granite Bay Gazette and from the cubicles of room 514.

Why: To tell diverse community stories with passion and purpose. To inspire and be inspired by past, current and future journalists in their unique journeys. To recognize the power our youth voices hold to inform and empower our readers.

Who: Ryan Kim., Sofia Baumgartner, Sarah Yee, Sabine Kanz, Batul Zanzi, Brendan Alders (Not pictured)

Editors

Sarah Yee

Rachel Guo

Batul Zanzi

Emily Lau

Ryan Kim

Sienna Rodriguez

Brendan Alders

Sofia Baumgartner

Sophie Nguyen

Sabine Kanz

Samantha Yee

Audrey Baime

Staff Writers

Elyse Houlihan

Jackson Tate

Elijah Snyder

Jack Stebbins

COVER: Gazette Photo Illustration /EMILY LAU & RACHEL GUO

Features covers a wide variety of topics that focus on sharing community stories, from interviewing a student-run businesses/ clubs, to highlighting aspects of student life.

Bounds Broken, where writers celebrate voices that aren’t commonly covered in journalism, falls

Features

Not for the weak-hearted!

Opinions is a section where students publish their take on events and argue for important change in their community.

Yes

Where do you belong on staff?

Take the quiz to find out! Start at the seed at the bottom.

By Sabine Kanz

Sports is a great way to get involved with school community and be in the middle of the action. Standing on the sidelines, you get the thrill of the game as you take vibrant photos and interview players right when they leave the field or court.

Are you a people person?

BY SABINE KANZ skanz.granitebaytoday@gmail.com

Entertainment staffers write about anything and everything that interests students! From fashion trends to video games and the newest movies

Which is your ideal date?

Do you prefer outside or inside?

News is a beloved part of our newspaper!

It’s a crucial section where students report about the on-goings on campus in a timely and succinct manner, and how real-world events affect us.

News

Official news sources, newspapers

Where do you get your news?

Weighted courses and niche classes: niche classes: A look into the newest GBHS courses

The 2024-2025 school year will offer three new AP/IB courses and offer a variety of additional unique classes to the master catalog.

CTE

The Computer Science CTE pathway will offer a new course for the 2024-2025 school year, specifically IB Computer Science SL. This course is designed to be taken as the last course of the pathway, so students will take this course after Exploring Computer Science, AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A.

Additionally, there will be a new CTE pathway– journalism.

Performing & Visual Arts

IB Music SL-2 will be the newst prforming arts class, as an addition to the existing IB Music SL-1 course offered. In the class, students will continue on building their knowledge of musical analysis across various genres of music to prepare them for the exam

Physical Education

Physical Education (PE) will offer two new courses, specifically Advanced PE and Unified Sports, in the 2024-2025 school year. Advanced PE puts an emphasis on team sports and serves as an outlet for students who are interested in continuing their interest in physical education. On the other hand, Unified Sports will be taught by Dede Walker.

“(Unified Sports is) where special ed students and gen ed students are working together with some adaptive PE stuff under the instruction of the head teacher,” Julie Ford, PE teacher, said.

BY SOPHIE NGUYEN

snguyen.granitebaytoday@gmail.com

Science

AP Physics 2 is the latest physics course added to GBHS’ curriculum, and GBHS will be the first school in RJUHSD to offer this course. Equivalent to a second semester college physics course, AP Physics 2, an algebra-based course, will add upon concepts taught in AP Physics 1, and it will serve as preparation for both AP Physics C’s, which are calculus-based.

There will be seven units in AP Physics 2, and they include the following respectively: Fluids: Pressure and Forces, Thermodynamics, Electrical Force, Field, and Potential, Electrical Circuits, Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction, Geometric and Physical Optics and Quantum, Atomic, Nuclear Physics.

“Course … is ranked using the following: 1st) project-based course, 2nd) conceptual-based course, 3rd) learning-based course, 4th) memorization-based course,” David Nelson, physics teacher, said.

And More!

IB French, offered biennially, is making its return for the 2024-2025 school year.

Paving the way: New Journalism CTE Pathway

As a newspaper, we aim to accurately cover local news.As students we strive to do our best.And as a class, our purpose is to grow for our future staff members.

Journalism has been a class at Granite Bay High School for 19 years and was taught by Karl Grubaugh until 2019, when Julie Francesconi took over.

“I loved my high school experience as the news editor of Norse Notes at Oakmont High School and even thought I would want to pursue journalism in college. I jumped at the opportunity to teach journalism after being a long term sub for (Stephanie) May because I loved the culture of the school and the mission of the newspaper to serve the community through informing the public with diverse, thoughtfully researched news,” Francesconi said.

“The Gazette has been so much more than just a class; journalism forms irreplaceable memories.”

- Sophie Nguyen, current Opinions Editor BY SIENNA RODRIGUEZ sienna.rodriguez@student.rjuhsd.us

As of August 2024, Journalism will be a CTE, or Career Technical Education, pathway. Rather than having an Introductory Journalism and Advanced Journalism, the course will now be listed as Journalism 1, Journalism 2 and Journalism 3.The first class will lay the stepping stones when working in the journalism field, such as different skills and tips. Journalism 2 will be more independent, allowing students to broaden their horizons beyond traditional news coverage. Journalism 3 will be student-led, leaving students to learn by doing. Journalism 3, the final class, will be student-led and allows students to take on an editor role.

“With more classes, there is more separation between each class and makes it harder to work together with people who are not in the same period. But it also means that more diverse and unique people are putting their work into the Gazette, which brings more opportunities and ideas,” Rachel Guo, current co-editor-in-chief for the Granite Bay Gazette, said.

For writers, photogaphers and artists alike, Journalism is an excellent opportunity to open gateways to new careers, hobbies and friendships.

WHY DOES WELLNESS

BY SARAH YEE, SAMANTHA YEE & Contributions by Sophie Nguyen syee@gazette@gmail.com

Why and when did the policy change?

Parental notification policy changes weren’t on many students’ minds when they left for February break. In many cases, the notification email from the Roseville Joint Union High School (RJUHSD) board sat unopened.

When students returned from break on Feb. 26, RJUHSD administration informed them via email that if they miss class time to see their school counselor or visit the Wellness Center, their parents will be notified under Administrative Regulation 5020: Parents Rights and Responsibilities. Confidentiality

where a student’s parents wouldn’t be notified is if they didn’t go during class time?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” Constant replied.

Unlike RJUHSD’s policy, Rocklin Unified School District’s (RUSD) recent parental notification policy specifies what a “timely notification” for parents means and explicitly mentions notifying parents when a student changes how they express their gender identity. The

“

the Nov. 9 meeting.

This isn’t the first time parental notification policies have caused conflict in the RJUHSD.

Our board policy did not add or take away any rights from parents or students

Pete Constant,

RJUHSD Board President

“

In 2003, the Roseville Joint Unified School District (RJUHSD) Board voted to overturn a policy –against advice that it violated state law– that allowed students to leave for confidential medical appointments (often related to a student’s sexual health, mental health or substance abuse) without parental consent. Now, according to “Annual Parent Notifications 2023-24,” RJUHSD “pupils enrolled in grades 7 through 12 may be excused from school by school authorities for the purpose of obtaining confidential medical services without the consent of the pupil’s parent.” RJUHSD parents can still see in Aeries Attendance that their student wasn’t in class for an excused absence (marked “X”).

Last March, the RJUHSD informed the community that The Landing Spot, a LGBTQ+ support non-profit organization, could no longer meet on RJUHSD sites. As of this article’s publication, the RJUHSD has never formally investigated The Landing Spot, and appears to have no plans for reinstatement.

“When looking at the intent of a policy, it’s not just what it says on its face,” Jennifer Chou, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union who specializes in cases regarding LGBTQ+ education and rights, said. “The Landing Spot was removed from the Wellness Centers…The school district…has (created) a policy that potentially jeopardizes additional supports for LGBTQ students. They don’t have to say it in

NOTIFY MY PARENTS?

See page 31 for the rest of the story

words for people to see the pattern… of the board’s priorities; LGBTQ students are not high on that list at all.” What happens now if a stu dent visits Wellness?

Since Feb. 26, if a student comes in and requests to speak with a Wellness Cen ter staff during class time (whether it’s a drop-in visit or a counseling session), the parents will be notified through Aeries attendance (typically via email or a text message). When a Gazette staffer went to the Wellness Center, their parents received this text notification within the hour:

“Hello, this is Granite Bay High School. Your child, ( ), has been marked as visiting the wellness center today. If you have any questions regarding this visit, please ask your student.”

“It’s really important to understand that our California Edu cation Code has always required that parents be notified if a student misses school,” Constant said. “When they miss instructional time…Education Code 51101.1 requires us to notify parents…If a student were to go during lunch, before school or after school, there’s no manda tory notification of the parent.”

Nearly 1000 Wellness Center refer rals for individual or group services took place in the district in the 2022-23 academic year compared to 761 Wellness referrals made this school year. Last year, GBHS had the highest number of refer rals (191) in the district, not including drop-ins.

The policy was implemented on Feb. 26.

What California student rights exist?

Until the policy was implemented, students were eligible for minor consent (meaning they could receive counseling

Editorial: Students have the right to privacy

BY THE GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD

TheWellness Center was created with the express purpose of supporting our student body, regardless of family background, experiences or identity. From individual therapy to a place to go for a break, it was a much needed sanctuary for a student body that boils in a pressure cooker of academic competition and general stress.

As a result of an addition to the Parent’s Rights and Responsibilities Act, Roseville Joint Union High School District (RJUHSD) students received an email on Feb. 16th stating, “parents/guardians will now be notified if you miss class time to meet with your School Counselor or visit the Wellness Center during a class period.” We, the staff of the Granite Bay Gazette, are strongly against the passage of this policy.

Your child has been marked as visiting the wellness center today. If you have any questions regarding this visit please ask your student.

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be sitting in the Wellness Center with them, as the notification text states:

“If you have any questions regarding this visit please ask your student.”

When students know their parents will be informed of their visit, they may be hesitant to seek help or share their struggles. This hesitation has huge implications for students who need viable mental

“Where do students who can’t share their problems at home go?”

If a student felt safe enough at home to communicate their mental health to their parents, the parents would already know. If a student did not feel home was a comfortable space, they could go to the Wellness Center. With this new policy, parents might as well

health resources at school. So the question is posed - where do the students who can’t share their problems at home go? Do they dump it on their equally stressed peers or do they bottle it up and struggle under the grueling weight themselves?

Our generation copes with an unprecedented amount of mental health tribulations. According to this year’s California Healthy Kids

experienced chronic sadness for at least two weeks and 12% have considered suicide.

We are uniquely situated to understand how delicate the mental health of Gen Z is. We were born underneath the distress of the Great Recession. We grew up online, with a constant barrage from phones and an interconnectedness never before experienced by any other generation, and because of this, we are hyper vulnerable to low self-esteem and poor mental health, more so than any other generation according to the Cigna Group Survey from 2022. We went through puberty while combating COVID, watching death statistics climb while dealing with online misinformation concerning vaccines and aggressive political polarization.

Academic stress can be attributed to familial pressures- pressure from parents to get into a good school, keep a high GPA and maintain class rank all occupy significant head space for many GBHS students. According to the National Health Institute, many elderly people view mental illness as a sign of weakness. This, juxtaposed by the unfortunate fact that young people are more likely to

experience symptoms of depression and anxiety, creates a toxic cycle of mental health problems. A paradox is created when the demographic in desperate need of mental health support is deprived from it. The Wellness Center was created to be a support system, distinctly separate from academic and home life.

By adding this notification, it dampens students’ willingness to reach out for support when needed, especially if the student is struggling with homelife and needs an outlet to express frustrations without the critical ear of a parent.

In Gallup’s 2023 Familial and Adolescent Health Survey, only 48% of parents to kids ages 13-19 report having an ‘excellent’ relationship with their child. Having trusted adults during formative years is necessary so teenagers can receive helpful guidance and advice. When parents aren’t those trusted adults, it is crucial to have other adults to turn to, like Wellness Counselors, present without conditions made to access them.

If the intention of this policy was to build trust and bridge communication gaps with students and parents, it failed. If the intention of this policy was to assist in improving the health of students, it failed. If the intention of this policy was to take away a safe space on campus, it succeeded.

In California, when someone reaches the age of 12, they are afforded the right to privacy in certain health and medical circumstances. Minors can receive contraceptive care and abortions without parental notification, a decision that has significantly more gravity than a ten minute break to a Wellness Center.

But at RJUHSD schools, where students are

preparing for college and beyond, soon-to-be adults are regarded as though their parents must be alerted of their every move, as if they are incapable of making decisions that California law states we are more than capable of making. It stunts the growth of young adults when they are treated like children.

As a community we must ask ourselves, why pass this now? Before, when there was no notification in place, what was the harm done to the student body without one? Why, after four years of the Wellness Center, has the board abruptly decided that a notification is necessary to have?

The justification of this policy as an effort to improve attendance fails to address the fact that we are young adults, going off to college and careers where we need to manage our own punctuality. This act is a detriment to fledgling students who need to learn personal responsibility. The safety and health of the student body should always be prioritized above attendance issues or increasing desire from certain parents to be over-involved.

The Wellness Center policy states that they will not withhold any information from the parents if their child is a risk to themself or others, aside from circumstances of potential domestic abuse. Therefore, there is no educational or moral value in this notification- if a parent needed to know something, they would know.

There is no reason that the jurisdiction of one school board should overrule the sentiments of the majority of a student body and a culture of freedom and privacy that has been tactfully established by the greater state of California.

Exploring AAPI Businesses!

From Vietnam Veteran to Franchise Owner

SBY SAMANTHA YEE syee404@gmail.com

ince receiving $20 to buy his first meal in America, Tran has spent the last 27 years serving life-long customers who return for the meal that they had when they were younger.

Quang Tran, one of the first La Bou owners, immigrated to the U.S. seeking asylum after the Vietnam War. During the Vietnam War he fought until the fall of Saigon in 1975.

Tran starts his day at 4:30 a.m. making croissants. Rocklin’s La Bou, part of the Greater Sacramento based bakery and cafe franchise, will open its doors to customers in less than two hours.

“Our store originated the recipes for the La Bou chain,” Tran, chain production manager and franchise owner, said.

La Bou’s Chinese chicken salad was created by Tran’s wife, Gwen Tran. It is a blend of shredded chicken, lettuce, carrots, celery, and peanuts all tossed together with a soy-sesame vinaigrette.

“ I wanted to be my own boss and work for myself, live the American dream.

camp of the government. After I (went) back to Saigon, we found a way to build a boat (and) escape from the country.”

Tran said he received asylum status to immigrate to the United States because he fought for the United States Army’s 101st Airborne Division for five years. So in 1979, with not a single dollar to his name, Tran’s sponsor picked him up and gave him $20 so he could buy a meal.

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Scan Here to see the Gazette’s Review on La Bou!!

As a La Bou franchise owner, Tran experiences challenges typical of a small business owner. He is adept at keeping customers satisfied, and training new employees.

When I see that $20, I say, in life, I will make more than this.

- Quang Tran, owner of La Bou

“When I see that $20, I say, ‘In life, I will make more than this.’ And then from that day, I keep looking for a job and working and working,” Tran said.

Less than a year later, Tran became production manager for La Bou corporation, where he oversaw the recipes of all the menu items.

“One thing I learned is to treat employees like family and keep them happy. Even though I am their boss, I sit down and talk to my employees to let them know how they can improve,” Tran said.

Tran, who’s trained hundreds of employees, says La Bou’s community impact is generational.

“We hire a lot of students from Rocklin High School who work here part-time. They go off to college and have come back with their own families to visit. (...) They tell me how their old job interacting with customers in high school has helped them grow and become confident in their current profession,” said Tran.

- Quang Tran, owner of La Bou

“(My wife) went through the process and tested it over 100 times before it finally was ready to serve to our customers,” Tran said.

Tran is one of the first La Bou owners and employees. His brother-in-law, Truong Nguyen, founded the first La Bou cafe in downtown Sacramento in 1981.

“In 1979, South Vietnam fell and then the Communists took over,” Tran said. “I lived with them for four years, going through the labor camp, the reeducation

When La Bou opened their first store in Downtown Sacramento, Tran officially became a cafe owner.

“I wanted to be my own boss and work for myself, live the American dream,” Tran said.

Since 1977, Tran has run the store with his wife. As of May 2024, there are over 26 La Bou cafes located in the Sacramento region, including locations in Folsom, Roseville, Rocklin and Granite Bay.

“People come in from word of mouth to taste our quality. It is a place where you can feel at home and enjoy a cup of coffee and your favorite pastry,” Tran said.

La Bou owner, Quang Tran, displays the goods he sells in his bakery.

She Nailed It!

tarting a small business is hard work, especially knowing that 65% of businesses fail during the first ten years. Starting a small business in a foreign country is downright terrifying. However, An Lac Vo (pronounced Ann Lack Voe), a Vietnamese immigrant, skillfully navigates her way through both American customs and small businesses.

Dior Nails is a Roseville-based nail salon co-owned by Vo and her husband Timothy Ngan. Vo immigrated ten years ago, but has specialized in nail design for nearly 20 years.

Gazette graphics/EMILY LAU

In Vietnam, nail technicians learn by doing - if clients didn’t like the results, they would take their business elsewhere. In the

United States, aspiring nail artists must attend a cosmetology school, where they go through specialized training surrounding acrylic applications and gel nails.

So, in spite of many years of experience, Vo went to cosmetology

“Back in my country, you don’t need to have a (cosmetology) li-

BY SABINE KANZ skanzgranitebaytoday@gmail.com

cense,” Vo said. “You just learn how to do it.”

Vo began working as a nail technician for her family when she was 16. Her venture into her family’s nail salon business started even before that, when she was six years old and helped her mother cut nails.

Beyond dealing in mani-pedis, a major part of owning a nail salon is great customer service.

“She loves talking to our clients,” Ngan said. “She has really good clientele ... and she makes everyone feel so welcome and like, she just loves helping everybody. ... Even if they go home, break a nail, she always tells them to come back and ... she’ll fix it for free.”

Because of her generosity, kindness and warmth, Vo has built a strong rapport with her clients.

“They followed her when she was pregnant,” Ngan said. “None of her clients wanted to do ... their nails while she was pregnant. ... They didn’t want to go anywhere else besides her.”

Dior Nails is located at 1450 Lead Hill Boulevard, Suite 120. Their phone number is 916-699-7939. You can also reach out to them through their Yelp Dior Nails & Spa or their Instagram page @diornailsbyann.

Capital Pain Consultants: Putting Pain to Rest

BY EMILY LAU elau.gazette@gmail.com

Sharon Leano, a Filipino American, is an anesthesiologist with a fellowship and specializes in pain management. Along with James Kim, who is board certified in pain medicine and anesthesiology, the duo opened Capital Pain Consultants, located in Sacramento.

As both a woman and person of color, there are some hurdles that Leano has to face during work. Working in a predominantly male profession, she can encounter challenges that stem from gender bias.

For instance, when walking into a room with a new patient, the patient said she didn’t want to see Leano because she was a woman. Leano felt hurt and disappointed from this statement because in her mind, she believed that “we should always uplift each other.” Additionally, as someone of an Asian

background, some patients comment on her lack of an accent, despite Leano being born in the United States.

“So from that perspective, with patients, it’s been challenging. From

“ In my specialty, there aren’t as many women, and certainly, women of color.

- Sharon Leano, a Filipino American anesthesiologist ”

a professional perspective, with my colleagues, I’ll go to conferences or meetings, and I’ll be one of 50 people or more, 2 of a 100. So in my particular specialty, there aren’t as many women and, certainly, women of color,” Leano said. Although there are negative experiences as a physician, there are definitely more positive experiences that outweigh the negatives.

After hearing her own patients express their appreciation, Leano finds happiness in knowing that they valued the care they had received and the bonds they had created, making the challenges worthwhile.

The ARTS ARe

NOT JUST A HOBBY

Felicia Chen - Visual Development

BY RACHEL GUO & BATUL ZANZI rwguo@gmail.com

Felicia Chen is a graduate from University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) and a full time visual development (visdev) artist at DreamWorks Animation. Chen worked on projects such as “Across the Spider-Verse” and “Kung Fu Panda 4,” and other projects with companies such as Netflix, Disney, Nickelodeon, Sony and miHoYo.

What inspired you to get into this career?

I grew up loving art…I didn’t seriously pursue visdev until halfway through college, but I’d say the sense of wonder I felt from watching animated films as a child inspired a desire to create films that could make others feel the same way. Were you always interested in arts in high school and what did you study in college?

I was interested in drawing things I liked, but didn’t think it’d be a good way to make money. Junior year, I realized I wasn’t interested in coding for the rest of my life. I looked deeper into visdev and the job landscape for artists in animation, and ultimately resolved to graduate a semester early and use my free time to develop a visdev portfolio.

What has the experience been like so far?

It’s been eye-opening in a lot of ways. I’m grateful to be able to do what I love everyday and earn a living. Most of the teams I’m on are full of kind-hearted and passionate people. It’s always incredible to go from the beginning stages of a film to seeing the finished project years later, at which point you’re excited to recognize the parts on screen you helped design, but also amazed at the amount of collaboration needed between thousands of people to produce just one film. I am incredibly thankful and fortunate for my job.

What advice will you give to people who are aspiring animators/storyboard artists/etc?

Do a lot of research on the industry you’d like to enter. Don’t be afraid to email animation professionals for advice. Reach out to graduates of the schools you’re looking at for their advice as well!

The work in your portfolio matters more than anything else. If you have artists or inspirations you look up to, hold yourself to that standard or higher. Research professional portfolios of artists in the field you’d like to specialize in, when you’re applying for roles, make sure your portfolio aligns with theirs in terms of skill level.

Photo/graphic courtesy of Felicia Chen

Rowan Drake

Songwriter/Singer

Rowan Drake is a singer and songwriter who has written songs such as “Elephant in the Room,” “Would You Do It Again?” and “2 People.” As a child, Drake was part of his school choir, but it wasn’t his primary focus till 11th grade, music has always “been close to heart” and a “retreat” for him. Drake’s music is inspire by his life experiences.

What challenges have you faced in the music industry, and how have you overcome them?

The biggest challenge in the music industry is that once I grew a team around me I started to get many opinions about my art. Too much outside input can dilute the product and take away any sense of individuality that once may have existed.

How do you keep yourself constantly motivated in this field that requires a lot of creativity and time?

I let myself fall into pits and be pulled by the currents of creativity. There is no correct way to do this. One must give in to some extent to the swings of creation. Then maybe you stand a chance.

What was your journey like from when you started to where you are now?

I would have to write a four year novel to properly answer this question. In simple terms I would say the closer I get to my dreams, the more afraid I become. I was so blind to the truth of this business when I started and that was a beautiful thing. Sometimes not knowing the inner workings is the best way to soar in it.

Can you share any advice for aspiring singers looking to break into the industry?

A cliche but you must understand there is already a Harry Styles, a Billie Eilish, a Matty Healy, etc. Admire and learn from them. But you will only fill space and never leave any sort of lasting impression by being anything other than yourself. That is what makes you special. Who are you? Why should we care about what you have to say and how you see the world?

Read the FULL Q&As from Felicia Chen, Rowan Drake and gavn! by going onto granitebaytoday.org

Gavin Maher, professionally known as gavn! is a recording artist and singer. gavn! has written many folk/country infused pop, such as “hit the dirt,” “vices” and “City of Angels.” gavn! fell in love with music when he started recording songs in the app, GarageBand and continued to do talent shows throughout his childhood.

What inspired you to get into this career?

I always liked music. My mom and dad showed me growing up like James Blunt, b52’s, Led Zeppelin and I wanted to be just like all of them.

What are some things that inspired you to write your songs? I feel most comfortable writing about my mistakes and issues I’ve had in life particularly in songs like “hit the dirt” and “vices”.

What themes do you aim to convey through your music? I think responsibility and hope are the two common most found themes in my music, at least that’s what I try to convey!

What challenges have you faced in the music industry? I think the biggest challenge I’ve faced personally was always feeling like I was happy with where I am/things I’ve accomplished.

How do you balance your personal life with your music career?

Oh, I don’t do the best job but I always just try and set specific times as to when I’m going to post content & go live.

Can you tell me about a project that you worked on that you are proudest of?

I wanna say I’m most proud of my recent record Open Arms (Hallelujah), mostly because I was able to open up about things that haven’t always come easy to talk about.

Can you share any advice for aspiring singers looking to break into the industry?

BE YOURSELF! And don’t be afraid of constructive criticism (unless people are just being lame). & it’s hard advice, but make sure you keep some level of “never satisfied” when it come to your drive

Photo courtesy of gavn! gavn!

Recording Artist/Singer

Photo courtesy of Rowan Drake

BY SOFIA BAUMGARTNER and BRENDAN ALDERS sbaumgartner.granitebaytoday@gmail.com

Gazette illustration / Sofia Baumgartner

Alcoholism, abuse and tainted morals. These are just a few of the things that are associated with the party culture within the Granite Bay bubble. Toxic party culture is an issue in Granite Bay with there being various illegal activities taking place as well as bad decisions being made leading to horrifying stories being told from GBHS students who go to parties.

“There’s people who drink or smoke way too much and black out, girls drink too much and guys take advantage of them, which I think is an overlooked issue that people don’t normally talk about,” Martina Lado, a junior at GBHS said.

The consumption of illegal substances is not uncommon among students that attend GBHS; this can be in the form of alcohol, marijuana and more. The National Institute on Alcohol and Abuse, NIAA, found that drinking as a teenager can impair normal adolescent brain development and increase the risk of becoming an alcoholic. Adolescent drinking can also increase injuries, sexual assaults, alcohol overdoses, and deaths—including those from motor vehicle crashes.

The NIAA reported in 2022 that “Alcohol is a factor in the deaths of thousands of people younger than age 21 in the United States each year. This includes: 1,573 from motor vehicle crashes, 998 from homicides, 177 from alcohol overdose, falls, burns, drowning and 649 from suicides.”

There are many reasons why students choose to use substances. Students could be in search of some sense of belonging, peer pressured into the use of illegal substances or just wanting to experience the rush of taking part in something that is illegal.

“Maybe you could just slow down a pace or two and give that some thought. About how this Friday night might affect the next five years of your life. Just ask the question of how hanging out with this group of people is going to affect the next years of your life,” Emily Kay, a GBHS parent said.

“on warmth – were more than twice as likely to engage in heavy drinking. Researchers at BYU found that teenagers who grow up with parents who are either too strict or too indulgent tend to binge drink more than their peers.

“I have a bunch of friends whose parents buy it for them, some people ask people outside of Walmart to buy it for them or steal,” an anonymous GBHS sophomore boy said.

Any minor who is caught either buying or consuming alcohol is subject to being guilty of a misdemeanor. This excludes possession in motor vehicles.

“It could be a minor possession, which is a misdemeanor. Of-

I have a bunch of friends whose parents buy [alcohol] for them, some people ask people outside of Walmart to buy it for them or steal it.

Going down the rabbit hole of substance abuse is very easy. According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), “13.2 million people ages 12 to 20 reported that they have had at least one drink in their lives.”

In a survey of 5,000 teenagers done by Brigham Young University, the teens least prone to heavy drinking had parents who scored high on both accountability and warmth. Teens with “indulgent” parents, those low on accountability and high on warmth, had triple the risk of heavy drinking. Teens with “strict” parents – high on accountability and low

An anonymous, sophomore boy said.

tentimes, it’s more the parents are held civilly liable based on if it’s in residence. So it just depends on the circumstances. It is a misdemeanor offense for a minor to be in possession (of alcohol),” Officer Shon Schoer, GBHS resource officer, said As videos and pictures circulate through social media, toxic party culture continues to foster at many parties that GBHS students either go to or host which makes these parties seem common.

The way people act at parties and the kinds of substances that people use can sometimes be attributed to students attempting to escape from life and all of the stress that comes with it.

“It is a rush and it is a positive, fleeting, temporary fix and it

Source: National Library of Medicine

Globally

22% of males and 5% of females binge drink during adolescence

5.8 Million

People ages 12 to 20 reported that they drank in the past month

Source: National institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Gazette illustration / Sofia Baumgartner

The average age of initiation for alcohol use among US and Australian adolescents is 15 years

Source: National Library of Medicine

does feel good in the moment. The dangerous thing with parties is that there is a lot of bad that could come in the aftermath. So you could be living for the moment and having a great time but how is this going to potentially affect the rest of your life? Show me somebody my age who looks back on their teenage years and their college years and in their young adult years and thinks ‘Man I am so much of a better person because I did that.’ When it comes down to it, I’m pretty sure if anything that kind of behavior will lead to more regrets then it will lead to them being a better, more positive influence in the world,” Emily Kay, a GBHS parent said.

According to the National Library of Medicine, research suggests that having an immediate family member, like a parent or sibling, that is an alcoholic increases an individual’s chances of developing alcoholism roughly three to fourfold. Approximately 50 percent of a person’s risk comes from their genes, but their home and social environments are also important factors.

Some students and parents express that their faith has led them to have better judgment which leads to a safer experience when deciding whether or not going to a party or engaging in drinking is a good idea.

The dangerous thing with parties is that there is a lot of bad that could come in the aftermath. So you could be living for the moment and having a great time but how is this going to potentially affect the rest of your life? Emily Kay, a GBHS Parent said.

“When I was younger my faith really did play a big role in the decisions I made. I felt you know the drugs and alcohol thing was just stupid just because it rendered me out of control. So honestly I was fearful putting myself into a situation and like fearful of what negative or bad things could come out of it. So that kind of kept me on the straight and narrow path,” Kay said.

According to the Center on Addiction teens who are not religiously active are three times more likely to smoke, five times more likely to binge drink alcohol and almost eight times more likely to

use marijuana compared to teens who are spiritually active.

“I’ve been pursuing Christianity for a long time and I don’t want to have a negative representation on the rest of Christians. I don’t want people to think I’m someone who’s not devoted to their faith,” said an anonymous senior girl who attends parties. For many Christians using illegal substances can cross a boundary following the tenants of their faith.

“What it really comes down to is peer pressure [and] parties… kids are seeking to belong somewhere and that’s something that starts in a deep part of a person and until that’s figured out, they’re not really going to know their place,” Kay said.

illustration / Brendan Alders

Gen-z SL ANG-OLOGY Gen-z SL

BY RYAN KIM, SIENNA RODRIGUEZ, & JACKSON TATE rkim.gazette@gmail.com

Womp WOmp

One Of the most simple, yet destructive forms of Gen Z slang. If you find yourself in the company of a professional Gen Z-er, and hear a sarcastic “womp womp”, it would be safe to assume that something has gone terribly wrong, and somebody’s about to burst into rage.

JON ESPINOZA

“Oh my grades are dropping, I need to lock in”

BELLA SIMMONS

“It’s when you really want to focus and want to get in the zone.”

Lisa Wallace

“In the last three weeks I have heard it daily.”

MYLES MIKE

“It means like a tragedy, like oh well, you lost, womp womp.”

AUSTIN LUNDQUIST

“Like womp womp, stinks to be you”

DYLAN WING

“You say it when you’re like sarcastically sad about some-

Lock In

Among the most motivating and powerful phrases in the Gen Z Almanac, spoken in times of deep disarray or terrible chaos. From enabling students to pull all-nighters cramming for AP exams to helping entire teams work together like never before,its powers still remain mostly undiscovered, only tamed by the mysterious and indomitable human spirit.

coOked

Once confined to the culinary arts, “cooked” has broken free of the kitchen, and has made its way into Gen-Z vocabulary. Whether you’ve pulled an all-nighter or you’re about to take an exam without having studied, describing yourself as “cooked” is the ultimate way of explaining you are burnt out to a crisp and aren’t prepared for what comes next.

BELLA SIMMONS

“That’s me! I’m a yapper! It means when you talk a lot and that’s what I do. I am a D1 yapper.”

AUSTIN LUNDQUIST

“Like ‘that girl be yapping her mouth off’”

CARSON URIBE

“Bro that math test just cooked me, like it almost just burnt me to a crisp”

SARAH TRAN

“You probably use it if you want to end a long, drawn out conversation”

SARAH TRAN

“It means like, ‘I’m doing really bad’”

JON ESPINOZA

“I use it hourly”

YAp

a masterfully repurposed term, WITH several variations, being applied to “D1 yappers,” those having a “Yap sesh,” or a fan favorite, “What is bro yapping about?” This phrase is an invigorating way to keep conversation flowing, while still being able to get out the equivalent of an eye-roll in words.

C h i l d h o o d R e v i e w

CalviN HobbEs and

BY RYAN KIM rkim.gazette@gmail.com

When I think of comic books, few childhood experiences take the mantle over the beloved adventures of Calvin and Hobbes. This hilariously quirky childhood classic takes me back to the days of innocent, mischievous youth. The main character, Calvin’s schematics and constant ways of getting into trouble made me laugh from the second I read the first panel. Nearly every strip has a unique story, filled with imagination – brought largely by Calvin’s sidekick, Hobbes, a large, stuffed tiger that only communicates with Calvin. This comic generously gives its readers grins and laughs with each new adventure, starring a few of Calvin’s alter-egos, such as Spaceman Spiff, Detective Tracer Bullet, and Stupendous Man, just to name a few. This comic is and will always be something that I will never forget for showing me the greatest pranks and wildest dreams, crashed with real experiences and the mightiest friendships.

ELEGOS LEGOS LEGOS

BY ELIJAH SNYDER esnyder.gazette@gmail.com

very kid has a childhood memory that allows them to look back at fun times they had with friends or family. Legos are at the top of that list where every kid can remember playing with them at some point in their childhood. On average when comparing stores in the U.S for product awareness of certain toys, Legos alone stand out at 90% of overall usage of consumers found at https://www.statista. com. This whopping percent clearly shows the popularity of legos for young kids

There are certain bragging rights that come along with building a Lego set like, “I built a 6,500 piece Lego set.” The connection of friendships that was brought through Legos was one of the defining moments I remember as a kid when spending time with my friends. The option to have Legos as a kid was super impactful in being able to relate with your close friends on what Legos you have and in those moments, are what make them awesome to have. Times like these are what made Legos super fun, but also super competitive which can always be turned around into a fun conversation in the aftermath.

I remember when I was a kid playing with Legos, some of the best moments were when my brother and I had certain Lego sets like the Star Wars spaceships that had the option

to have Lego vehicles or figures that shot bullets. We would then set a battle scene where we could shoot each other’s Legos with the bullets. After being introduced to Legos I just remember that never ending feeling of waiting until school is over and being able to go back home and play with the new Legos that I had just bought and building them with friends. When I look back at Legos, I now realize that they had a larger purpose to them than just being fun to use with friends. They were a mind building exercise, putting piece by piece together, and following the manuals that were given with each set. As your lego sets progressed, so did the difficulty in being able to build them. This brought a sort of fun challenge to Legos which always ended in the friendly banter of who built a harder lego set.

Another amazing aspect of Legos is not only did you have the fun sets you could buy at Walmart or Target, but some of the stores had an option to buy a big tub of random pieces of Legos with no manuals of anything to build. This brought creative thinking to life when as a kid, your mind was full of creative thoughts jumping around in your head and with this huge box of Legos, you could finally sit down at home and build whatever you dream of.

Minecraft

BY JACKSON TATE jtate.gazette@gmail.com

From Roblox to flash games on Cool Math Games, I played a plethora of video games when I was younger. Of all the games that I played, my childhood favorite was Minecraft. A simple sandbox game that somehow turned into the highest selling game of all time and has arguably the most nostalgic soundtrack of all time, Minecraft was the defining game of my childhood. I had it on almost every device I had at the time, my phone, Xbox, I even had it on my mom’s laptop. Everybody talked about it, even my family had to hear 5 year old me talk about it for hours.

AKratts

BY ELYSE HOULIHAN ehoulihan.gazette@gmail.com

nimal adventures, wacky wildlife and educational examples - Wild Kratts does it all.

A show with elements of live action and animation, this series follows Kratt brothers Chris and Martin as they use unique animal abilities to rescue animal wildlife out of risky situations. While the longest running PBS show may be a targeted toward academics-oriented children, it still has its quirks,

Minecraft was trending everywhere on the internet, and being exposed to websites like YouTube at a young age, I couldn’t escape it. All my friends played it and I felt like I was missing out on the fun, so naturally I checked it out. I couldn’t resist the cheap price of $7.99 that was listed on the app store, not knowing that it would turn into the best purchase that younger me ever made.

Whenever I went to my friend’s house, we would load up a world and play for hours, building houses, farms and exploring the world; it never got old. The combination of infinite creativity in the game and the soothing soundtrack made the game easy to play and subconsciously infused my brain with nostalgia, which looking back at it now I reminisce the memories that I made with my friends playing Minecraft.

Episodes begin with a live action, educational segment of the Kratt brothers discussing the abilities of a particular animal. The start of episodes feel akin to a fast-paced, exciting nature documentary - perfect for young kids with a short attention span. Then, the brothers prompt the audience to imagine what it would be like if they themselves were able to possess the animal’s characteristics and ask, “What if?” The question is followed by the brothers becoming their animated characters with a nostalgic theme song playing in the background. “Gonna go wild, wild with Wild Kratts! Gonna go wild, wild, wild!”

Wild Kratts created a generation of animal lovers, myself included. The show’s many explanations of wildlife conservation detail how to care for animals, the environment and others. By familiarizing the audience with different animal species, Wild Kratts builds a connection between those watching the show and nature, fostering a sense of duty to preserve and protect all of Earth’s natural resources and organisms.

At the end of every episode, the Kratt brothers ask one thing of the viewer, “Keep on creature adventuring.”

So to all looking forward to revisiting this childhood favorite show, “We’ll see you on the creature trail.”

CLUB SPORTS:

BY ELYSE HOULIHAN ehoulihan.gazette@gmail.com

About half of Americans played a competitive sport during high school or college, but for the past couple of decades, youth sports have become an exclusive $15.3 billion industry.

Granite Bay High School’s student-athletes may have found their origins in recreational youth sports, but one thing remained constantmany also participated in youth club/ competitive/ travel sports.

Sophomore

However, price differences vary when accounting for equipment (a $20 soccer ball vs. $400 golf clubs), competition level (recreational sports to high level competitive clubs) and the amount of travel involved within their league.

Suri Sheth-Shelat is a swimmer and volleyball player at GBHS who plays on competitive teams.

When it comes to club participation outside of high school sports teams, “In swim you don’t have to but in volleyball it’s definitely encouraged. You’re not going to make the team unless you do it, and in swim, if you’re a club swimmer then you’re generally the top. You’re the fastest there,”

Sheth-Shelat said. The average family pays $883 for a single child’s primary sport.

“Comp(etitive) cheer was really expensive.” senior and former competitive cheerleader Kim Song said. “I feel like it’s more expensive than people think because it’s kind of a niche sport and with it you have to pay for uniforms and they can go up to like $1000.”

Some sports also lack recreational accessibility. Water polo, one of America’s fastest growing sports, is most often available to play under competitive teams. Luckily, at GBHS, “(Water polo)’s not competitive. Anyone can join, anyone can be a part of it if they want to,” senior Brody Redline said.

-senior Kim Song “

I just wanted to enjoy high school and I had to miss a lot of high school events for practices and competitions, and I didn’t get to be as involved as I wanted to.

Aside from costs, many criticize youth sports for being too demanding. For youth athletes who receive early sports

”

A COSTLY COMMITMENT

specialization, their chances of experiencing overuse injuries are 50% higher than the average population. Long practice hours even require some competitive athletes to prioritize athletics over academics.

“I would have to leave (school) early and I always have a lot of AP classes (both semesters, 3 each), and so it was just tough for me to figure out how to manage my schedule,” Sheth-Shelat said.

For others, the tough choice of leaving their childhood sport behind must be made to make room for other life experiences due to the high time commitment of club sports. Kim Song continued her cheerleading career into non-competitive sideline

“

cheer for GBHS, leaving behind her competitive career.

“I just wanted to enjoy high school and I had to miss a lot of high school events for practices and competitions, and I didn’t get to be as involved as I wanted to,” Song said.

Then, there are those dedicated few that have never strayed from their sport, like Brody Redline who’s been playing water polo for years. Or, senior Kevin Braun, a varsity baseball player, who began playing club baseball when he was ten, starting out in recreational tee ball around five or six years olds.

At the end of the day it’s just a game. It doesn’t matter your (high) competition. In fact (club) was probably better because the competition is higher and it makes it more competitive.

-senior Kevin Braun

”“(Club baseball) wasn’t really a sacrifice because I knew baseball was something that I wanted to do,” Braun said.

R O S S W O R

D(Hint: Read this issue to help determine the

ACROSS

1. A type of speech that resembles a puppy’s bark and characterizes an individual who talks incessantly.

4. Everyone’s favorite childhood game where plastic bricks are compiled to form a structure.

6. A term to express the hopelessness of a situation; before an AP exam, many students typically sigh, “I’m so ______.”

8. The newest English CTE pathway that will make its debut in the ‘24-’25 year.

10. According to our sports story on pg. 22-23, this is the most expensive sport. DOWN

2. A medical doctor that administers treatment to prevent pain during surgical procedures; Sharon Leano’s occupation.

3. Duo Chris and Martin starred in this adventure TV show exploring wild animals.

5. 28% of GBHS’ Class of ‘23 attended this type of college.

7. The score that seniors and juniors tied at during Powder Puff.

In a first-ever PowderPuff showing, seniors (Class of 2024) and juniors (Class of 2025) tied at 14-14

Ties & touchdowns

BY AUDREY BAIME baime.granitebaytoday@gmail.com

Seniors celebrate after scoring a touchdown.

Senior Madison Bell is tackled with the ball.

Junior Ava Dunn carries the ball with Senior Malia Pilimai in tow.

Junior Maile Zeng shares the plan for the next play.

WHAT’S NEXT?

BY BATUL ZANZI & JACK STEBBINS bzanzi.gazette@gmail.com

Community. Cost. College.

Four seniors: four different paths.

Senior Luke Gai is committed to Sierra College-a decision common for Granite Bay High School graduates. Last year, Theresa Keeney, GBHS’ College and Career Center counselor said 28% of students from GBHS’ 2023 graduating class enrolled in community college.

Keeney said 60.1% of students enrolled in a four year institution like Northwestern–where senior Noah Carver is headed to pursue Mechanical Engineering.

What about the other 11.9% of GBHS graduates?

Part of that percentage includes seniors like Madison Warmolts, who will be attending Hoss Lee Academy to obtain her cosmetology license this fall.

Others are still undecided, citing the three month FAFSA delay as a major hold-up.

The financial difference between senior Emily Medina’s two options is at the forefront of her mind as she decides between the University of Arizona or community college.

“I’m waiting on my financial aid because that’s really the only thing that’s holding me back from committing to any school,” Medina said.

around February,” Medina said.

Out of the third of GBHS graduates going to community college, many students are pursuing the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program such as senior Sakena Zahra.

The TAG program allows you to apply to UC’s with a guaranteed acceptance to at least one of them after two years of attending a California community college and meeting the program’s requirements. Only select UC campuses are part of the program: UC Los Angeles, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego are not.

“(TAG provides) an easier transition into the university lifestyle… it’s nice to be able to have a class of 40 instead of a class of 200 at a university,” Zahra said.

“I think there’s definitely more of a social aspect going to a four year because it’s..forcing you into this new environment where everybody’s new,” senior Sofia Richards said. “We kind of have to bond together and make connections to be able to fit in and be comfortable”.

Zahra, however, thinks her time at community college will prove to be a uniquely beneficial experience.

“It’s not just GBHS teenage students going there. It’s people of all ages, all backgrounds compared to a university where it’s mainly teenagers. I feel like I’ll be able to get to know a lot more of different people who I usually don’t interact with,” Zahra said.

-senior Sakeena Zahra ” “

The 2024-2025 FAFSA release was delayed due to changes made to make the application more accessible.

(Community college has) people of all ages, all backgrounds compared to a university where it’s mainly teenagers. I feel like I’ll be able to get to know a lot more of different people who I usually don’t interact with.

Private versus public colleges is also a crucial factor with the cost being drastically different. According to the Education Data Initiative, “private tuition is 282.4% higher than public tuition”.

“Public (school) is a better deal, but the resources at (a) private (school) are probably better… with the increased tuition,” Carver said.

Medina has struggled to complete the “contributor” information of her FAFSA due to difficulties with the application, leaving her without a guarantee of what her aid package will look like.

“I really fully started considering community (college) when I started having problems with my FAFSA,

Community college also allows students to save up money during their two years.

“(Community college) being entirely free is just more of a benefit…(to attend),” Gai said, “You still are missing out on the experience of going to a four year, being a freshman, going to the dorms and all that so there’s some drawbacks.”

There is less student-to-student interaction with community college students living at home compared to four year university students living, primarily, in dorms.

Carver was considering Duke, but ultimately decided on Northwestern due to it being a better fit academically as well his legacy status allowing for better connections.

“I think going to a school where (I) know I can succeed and know what I’m going into… makes me a lot more comfortable in college. Just having that upper hand will be huge in the first few months and years of college,” Carver said.

Keeney said the number one factor students should consider when deciding between colleges is the cost, followed by majors offered, location, and then what matters most to you– whether that’s sports, clubs and/or small class sizes.

THE VERY HUNGRY

American River College

David Minor

Will Dunnigan

Arizona State University

Kailee Brust

Richard Grube

Cayne Terry

Audrey Wherry

Kale Karres

Jasmine Pirsaheli

Aurora University

Connor Parish

Baylor University

Natalie McGuckin

Davis Abell

Timothy Zhuchenko

Boise State University

Savana Adler

Kai Randall

Jackson Tate

Brenden Hackett

Cassie Anaka

Ava Cadden

Brown University

Eniola Okon

Brigham Young

University

London Kroff

Lindsay Trythall

BYU Hawaii

Malia Niimi

Emme Danielson

Cal Poly Pomona

Grace Stachnuik

Cal Poly SLO

Sabrina Bell

Gracelyn Brown

Abby Carleson

Madison Coibion

Ava Doyle

Paige Wilcox

Jace Martinez

Sofia Engott

Billy Hagman

Zinnia Vallero

AJ Dipoetra

California Lutheran University

Ava Casa Grande

Riley Petesch

Chapman University

Tyler Yzuel

Holly Nickle

Chico State University

Madison Bell

Nate Clore

Cole Garcia

Elyse Houlihan

Rylie Ross

Olivia Chain

Sydney Brister

Westen Reis

Claremont McKenna

College

Mia Urosevic

Clemson University

Courtney Franz

Colorado Mesa

University

Kaylee Kittle

Connecticut College

Julia Rachman

Cornell University

Shereen Kazemi

CSU Fullerton

Angelica Fowler

Gabriella Santos

CSU Long Beach

Macie Kniesel

Ava Berry

CSU Monterey Bay

Layla Williams-Sturdivent

CSU San Marcos

Jocelyn Espinosa

Cuesta College

Kira McCutcheon

Folsom Lake College

Liliana Nunez

Gonzaga University

Talan Rochelle

Grand Canyon

University

Kathryn Borges

Tennille Marcelino

Parker Sidney

Harvard University

Sarah Yee

Hoss Lee Academy

Madison Warmolts

Illinois Institute of Technology

Duwayne Aikins

William Jessup University

Olivia Thomas

Loyola Marymount

University

Josh Reo

Morehead State University

Tavia Burgess

Northwestern University

Noah Carver

Occidental College

Katie Smith

Elena Han

Oklahoma State University

Brendan Alders

Orange Coast College

Spencer Evans

Oregon State University

Shea Ryan

Jordan Baker

Purdue University

Arya Bijish

Sabine Kanz

Sriyesh Senthil

Sarae Hays

Sacramento State University

Aaliyah McCarty

Peter Caldera

Simona Crigan

Sofia Tabet

San Diego Miramar College

Conrad Monson

San Diego State University

Avery Klein

Sophia Spotts

Kaitlyn Jones

Isabella Peterson

Annalise Smith

Brady Roach

San Jose State University

Andrew Lee

Jack Ghufran

Tirth Patel

Santa Clara University

Aveed Gorji

Tessa Ferguson

Jacob Marchuk

Scripps College

Gemma Wu

Sierra College

Parker Brittain

Carson Cooper

Tristan Eccleston

CLASS OF 2024

Liam McLaughlin

Cody Munroe

Kadi Scott

Brodie Williams

Katherine Wilson

Aiden Ricaurte

Lola Engel

Karleigh Osenbaugh

Zoey Pochy

Grant Manoogian

Abigail Garritson

Ronin Tran

Eli Snyder

James Handy

Sofia Baumgartner

Kyle Becwar

Camila Mena

Pablo Pillai

Jada Madden

Simpson University

Reef Lowell

Sonoma State

University

Rylie Morin

Southern Methodist

University

Sohom Patel

Carly Conforti

Southern Oregon

University

Payton Griffin

Stanford University

Soraya Johnson

Syracuse University

Madi Tsuchida

Texas Christian

University

Kevin Scifres

Cayden Williams

Toulouse Business

School, Barcelona

Andreas Georgescu

U.S Naval Academy

Victoria Pahland

UC Berkeley

Tala Aljoubori

Haley Garrett

Blake Haug

Sharvani Andurlekar

Broc Daily

Arjun Javagal

Annie Johng

Tyler McLean

Sofia Richards

Ben Tonnos

Lesya Terpeluk

Ilan Sankar

Kim Song

Seth Bousfield

Neil Pattanaik

Carson Perry-Smith

Taylor Wells

UC Davis

Delvin George

Emily Allison

Adelle Fries

Ryan Kim

Batul Zanzi

Chelsea Momoh

Brooke Hill

UC Irvine

Mia Ionov

Meera Kashyap

UC Los Angeles

Jack Stebbins

Brody Redline

Austin Hailey

UC Riverside

Sam Lee

Shreya Amin

Jennifer Li

Anika Suresh

UC San Diego

Jocelyn Peers

Gigi Garcia

UC Santa Barbara

Lilly Mermer

Jack Ortman

Ginger Grube

Lillian Doolittle

University of Alabama

Jaylin Arnold

University of Arizona

Karson Kindelt

Lucas Gruia

Edgar David

Ashley Ratican

Kevin Braun

University of Cincinatti

Megan Lynch

University of Colorado,

Boulder

Kennedie Vargas

Gavin McManigal

Arman Mokhesi

University of Georgia

Avery Scribner

Kylie Harris

University of Hawaii

Lauren Pierce

Olivia Yamaguchi

University of Indianapolis

Ethan Griffin

University of Nevada

Reno

Malia Pilimai

Stephanie Hall-Jones

Danielle Denis

Will Fisher

Peyton Ledger

University of San Francisco

Timothy Reed

University of Southern California

Asha Karmakar

Sarah Alami

University of Texas Austin

Mia Dawson

University of Utah

Isaac Dionne

Tanner Lawrence

Allie Nihart

Daschel Brown

Andrew Cadden

Erik Taylor

Alyssa Price

University of Vermont

Genevieve Cowles

University of Victoria

Charlie Van Der Veen

Noah Lemos

University of Washington

Sana Dasi

Ryan Gould

Irene Vega-Hernandez

University of Wisconsin

Anna Hooglander

Ursinus College

William Grahame

Utah State University

Ben Ashe

Wake Forest University

Kyle Li

Washington State University

Frank Cusano

Garrett Harrison

Washington University St.

Louis

Avery Wu

Xavier University

Delaney Keefe

Yale University

Amre Abumarkieh

Youth Law– agreed with Trillin about the need for minor consent.

“There’s a million different reasons (for minor consent) that fall far short of abuse,” Gudeman said.

She pointed to a case the National Center for Youth Law had counseled for where a teenage girl needed to use minor consent because her single mother couldn’t answer the phone to consent to services.

The policy is in clear violation of the law.

Abigail Trillin, Stanford Law

School

Youth Law & Education Project “ “

“We’re really talking about something that may or may not impact the major ity of students, but for the students, for whom it matters, it’s a huge deal.”

Seventeen RJUHSD students who previously received counseling under California’s minor consent laws in the 2022-23 school year will no longer be able to do so unless they get parental consent, Vella said.

“Since the wnew board policies began, I have been told a handful of students at different sites…come in and read the notification and then (turn) around and (leave) and (not wanting) to talk to anybody after that,” Vella said. “We also encountered students crying in the hallways (that) said that they dwidn’t want to come to the Wellness Center or talk to a counselor because of the new notification.”

Are there any exceptions?

An earlier version of BP0260 called BP0470 stated one exception to paren tal notification: “However, if notifying the parent/guardian creates a clear and present danger to the student, no notification to the parent/guardian is required, but the school counselor/ psychologist must record the specific basis for his or her belief that a clear and present danger exists.”

Meeting minutes from the RJUHSD Dec. 14 Board Meeting show that Board Member Marla Franz proposed to edit AR 5020.1 Parents Rights and Respon sibilities in multiple ways, including removing the aforementioned exception entirely. 4 other RJUHSD Board Mem bers, including Constant, voted to pass by the district, Dopson said.

Farewell, Class of 2024 Farewell, Class of 2024