FINDING COMFORT IN OUR TRANSITION TO THE NEW YEAR
CAMPOLINDO HIGH SCHOOL | ISSUE II, VOLUME LXXII | DECEMBER 15, 2023
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NEWS
Table of Claw-tents NEWS
Briefs................................................4 Instrumental Fall Concert New Course Additions Canned Food Drive AP Lit Class Taken Over...............5 Native American Club..................6 New Clubs......................................6 Earthquake Ignored.......................7 Compassionate Cougar.................7 Cultural Fair....................................8 Ms. Gallegos Resigning...............8
LIFESTYLE
Holiday Traditions.......................10 Changes in Student Style............11 The Eras Tour Movie....................11 Senior Perspectives......................12 Local Boba Shops.........................13 Looking Forward to Finals.........14 ASL Taught In-Person.................14
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OPINION
Xmas’s Greatest Enemy................16 How to Celebrate the Holidays..16 Power of Sleep...............................17 Message on the Sidelines............18 Power of Shakespeare..................19 Racist Nutcracker..........................20 Japanese at Campo........................21 Social Media...................................21
SPORTS
Fall Sports Recap........................22-23 NLI Signing Day + Graphics...24-25 Winter Sports Preview..................26
ACTIVITIES
Hot Cocoa Recipe...........................9 Crossword......................................15 Snowflake.......................................27
THE CLAW
The Claw
Campolindo High School 300 Moraga Road Moraga, CA 94556
Issue II Volume LXXII
ONLINE AT:
www.thecampoclaw.com & @thecampoclaw Editors in Chief Erin McDonald (she/her) Molly Stephens (she/her) News Editor Indira Naylor (she/her) Lifestyle Editor Hailey Wilson (she/her) Junior Lifestyle Editor Isabella Domingo (she/her) Opinion Editor Alex Shrauger (he/him) Junior Opinion Editor Anya Houston (she/her) Sports Editors John Weaver (he/him) Harrison Fuller (he/him) Visual Media Editor Katie Welch (she/her) Buisness Editor Lily Qin (she/her)
From the Editor The winter months bring the inevitable intensifying workload. However, as we navigate stressful finals and await a restful break, it’s important to remember how far we’ve come. Reflection and nostalgia is a way of admiring the past while accepting we are moving on from an eventful year. This time is also one of conflicting emotions for students: love, stress, excitement. Though focused on their exams as the semester comes to a close, many NEWS EDITOR have feelings of reminiscence. We can attribute this to the fond memories they’ve made during the season’s holidays, many of which are with family. Even research done by the National Health Service shows a consistent connection between colder temperatures and feelings of nostalgia. The cold makes people more likely to find solace in the warm emotions we associate with nostalgia. In other words, the winter chill has the odd ability to bring people together.
INDIRA NAYLOR
This is a time to look back, but it’s also an opportunity to move forward. Though the world around us may be slowing down, it’s important for us to look ahead. However, this doesn’t mean forgetting the memories that make us who we are. Seniors like myself are wrapping up applications and preparing to submit to the schools of their dreams. As we attempt to convey who we are to strangers through piles of admissions essays, it’s easy to have some feelings of nostalgia. Connecting with the stories that brought us can help us imagine the kind of people we can grow into. Another way to connect with the past while moving forward is practicing holiday traditions.These special customs may evolve throughout the years, but the essence of them remains. They shape the memories of past holidays and help us reminisce on times from our childhood. Even so, adopting new traditions can be a way to embrace the future while establishing something that can endure for years. Traditions are often different from person to person, but regardless, they make the holidays a special time of year for everyone. Though we shouldn’t get too caught up in the past by obsessing over mistakes or regrets, it is healthy to let ourselves feel proud of how far we’ve come. Especially as the new year approaches and students become even more immersed in their work, simply remembering the different ways to reminisce can ease our transition into 2024.
Social Media Editor Parker Blau (she/her) Photography Editor Sebastian Whitfield (he/him) Staff Emilia Barck (she/her) Thomas Berg III (he/him) Beatrice Johnson (she/her) Lauren Kawamoto (she/her) Karly Kazliner (she/her) Laiba Khan (she/her) Nate Littell (he/him) Brooke Maher (she/her) Rachel Moen (she/her) Sarah Moses (she/her) Daisy Penney (she/her) Sloan Pullen (she/her) Ashley Purcell (she/her) Anjali Rao (she/her) Olivia Seelig (she/her) Matt VonderBrink (he/him) Tobias Wasicek (he/him)
FRONT AND BACK COVER BY KATIE WELCH If you have a story idea, would like to write a Letter to the Editor, or have other comments/concerns, please submit them to the form at https://thecampoclaw.com/submit-a-letter/. The Claw staff will respond as soon as possible.
Adviser Lauren Henson (she/her)
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NEWS
NEWS BRIEFS Fall Concert Ushers Seasonal Change With Viva America Theme Campolindo hosted its second concert of the year on November 16 in the CPAC. The concert centered around the theme, Visions of Americana, which had the band playing orchestral folk music from centuries past. Through this concert, the musicians also hoped to raise funds for future musical ventures in Southern California and even the opportunity
Finally, the Wind Ensemble incorporated more modern pieces with their performance of Manhattan Beach March, October, and finished with Metroplex, which highlights the various aspects of New York City from the vibrant club scene to the bustling city streets. Junior Clara Sanchez, who played a significant alto saxophone solo during the performance, noted that the “people were more excited and prepared with the music and enjoyed the song choices as well.” The love for the song choices showed through and the Wind Ensemble finished the concert on a strong note. Sanchez stated that their continuous improvement would allow for “a lot of possibilities for the future.” -Alex Shrauger
Promising New Course Additions SEBASTIAN WHITFIELD/STAFF
to play at Disney. The concert band began the performance by playing old country music which emphasized the theme of pioneering and the natural beauty of America. They played Douglas Wagner’s High Sierras, Frank Ticheli’s Shenandoah, and Julie Giroux’s When Country Comes to Town. The band demonstrated a new level of cohesion that emphasized their extensive opportunity to work with and get to know each other in the band. Freshman Clementine Damon-Espinas noted that “the concert went a lot better than [their] last concert because they had gotten adjusted to Ms. Barnett’s conducting style and each other as a group.” Next, The String Orchestra continued the folk-music performance by playing a unique arrangement of pieces which even included the use of percussion instruments in Rick Hirsch’s piece, Grand Central. The most significant moment in the String Orchestra’s performance was sophomore Danny Dang’s violin solo where he improvised 32 bars during Grand Central and left the audience in awe. “I prepared a couple of patterns and I was able to put them together,” Dang said. The orchestra focused on the subtle aspects of their pieces including “specific thumb position,” said senior Winston Li, which definitely enhanced the performance.
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Among the wide selection of classes currently offered here at Campo, three new courses are being proposed for the 2024-25 school year.
EMILIIA BARACK/STAFF
AP Human Geography
AP Human Geography will be one of the next newest courses to be offered at Campolindo High School, taught by Leadership teacher Lindsay Webb-Peploe and engaging in the topic of how humans interact in different cultures and religions in a geographical aspect of the world. “There are units on population, migration…economic development, culture, and it touches on why particular religions live in certain areas of the world, and what sort of migrations contribute to that,” Webb-Peploe explained. With previous experience with this course content and her existent teaching capabilities, Webb-Peploe hopes to offer this class to tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders. When asked about popularity predictions for the course, WebbPeploe said, “I have no idea, I think we offer so many good courses at Campo that hopefully it’ll attract a lot of people. I think it’s an acces-
sible course though.” Webb-Peploe is already offering to hold more info sessions on the course for interested students, and is excited about the addition of AP Human Geography to the Campo curriculum.
become the Campo-ESPN”, he said. With no prior experience needed for students, Fuller hopes the class can become a space for all Campo Students interested in producing or presenting information relative to the Campo environment.
Stagecraft Assistant choral teacher Daniel Jones has been working with the tech club since being hired at Campo, covering every performance held in the CPAC this year. Currently teaching Treble Chorale, Concert Choir, and Bel Canto, Mr. Jones has announced his role as stagecraft manager in his upcoming class, a new course that will be available to all students beginning next year. From learning how to run lighting boards, mix sounds in the booth, and film with cameras, the stagecraft course will cover all theater needs for school productions. “The tech club right now is doing some really amazing work and the potential within this stagecraft class to expand our knowledge of all theater needs is huge.” Jones hopes to take advantage of the additional hours spent working with the development of an actual class. The tech club and stagecraft class will remain separate, as students will be provided with additional opportunities within the realm of theater. “We’re just excited for students interested who are in stage craft to learn in a more structured way,” said Jones. “My hope would be to create an environment where students can appreciate and delve into the professional tech world of theater. There’s so many facets to stagecraft, where there’s truly something in here for everybody,” he said.
-Lauren Kawamoto, Nate Littel, Parker Blau
Broadcasting Broadcasting, an extension of Journalism which offers students a chance to write and create art for The Claw, will take the form of student-run news broadcasts. Junior Harrison Fuller currently runs the The Sports Broadcasting Club which will evolve into the Broadcasting class taught by English Teacher Lauren Henson next year. By adding cameras and microphones to the equation, he aims at producing a “digital” version of The Claw with video and audio. “My vision is obviously more sports-oriented. I’m hoping it can
Annual Canned Food Drive Competition Begins
Campolindo’s annual canned food drive is being implemented by the Leadership class this November. In order to inspire participation, a competition around which fifth period class can buy the most cans has commenced. The winning class is awarded with a pizza party, second place with ice-cream, and third place with candy. Leadership holds this competition to spark motivation around donating cans. Senior Maya Carassco, an annual contributor to the drive, describes how, “I definitely think the competition is a motivator because then people get really into it…it pushes people to remember to bring in money and cans.” The drive started the week of November 1st and will last until December 13th, giving the fifth period classes enough time to collect funds. Each year the proceeds of the drive are given to the Contra Costa Food Bank, each dollar buying three cans. Students also have the opportunity to donate money online by scanning barcodes around campus. Senior Marcus Han, a fourth year organizer of the drive, describes how, “we send out two leadership students every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to collect funds for the drive” and how, “it helps to have not only the barcodes, but also students collecting money as a way to get donations.” The whole Leadership class is involved in this ordeal, working together to collect funds and make sure they get to the food bank. Sophomore Rhett Hollyfield is the president of the drive and explains how after receiving the money in the form of either check, cash, or online donation “[they] give it straight to the food bank because they prefer cash.” The Contra Costa Food Bank gains around 60,000 cans annually from Campolindo’s drive and as Carassco explained, “it is a great way for us to help support people in our community…it’s a really great way to give back.” and work together in order to raise money to support a good cause. - Daisy Penney
THE CLAW
AP Literature Class Taken Over BY INDIRA NAYLOR
In the new 2023 school year, German teacher David Blumberg and English teacher Nathan Ward have taken over Campolindo’s Advanced Placement English Literature class from recently retired teacher Dan Doyle. Due to its difficulty and demand for quality, students have varying opinions on the new curriculum. This has been a significant adjustment for both teachers as Mr. Doyle was “one of the most respected and talented teachers at this school,” said Ward. Further, this class adds more of a workload because of its rigorous curriculum. There are more essays that are being assigned, and since most of these students are going to take the AP, the teachers “want to get them prepared to take this exam,” said Ward. The class mainly consists of conversing on works that have been assigned as reading. “It’s pretty discussion based…we are in charge of reading the books on our own time…then we come to class and discuss lots of elements like theme, character, and plot,” said senior Marcus Han. This type of learning definitely helps break down works that are hard to grasp, as students build off of their classmates’ points. Most students find the class difficult, but highly engaging. Han said, “the volume of text is pretty challenging, but I really enjoy digging into literary analysis and the class in general is pretty fun.” The importance of AP Lit is not lost on the students either. “I think the
KATIE WELCH/STAFF
an adjustment from past English classes. “It’s harder, especially in terms of in-class essays. If there was an in-class essay before [we would] get the whole period, now it’s just an hour,” said senior Sergey Kirsanov. Further, the focus of the class differs from English 1, 2, and
ment, students also find themselves working off of past knowledge that they learned as underclassmen. “With literature I find myself pulling a lot back to my freshman year knowledge about integrating quotes in a complex way,” said Han. This class is a clear example
“It’s pretty discussion based…we are in charge of reading the books on our own time…then we come to class and discuss lots of elements like theme, character, and plot.” main focus of the class is to expose us to a diverse portfolio of literature and really teach us how to read these different types of texts and interpret them,” said senior Max Marino. Further, students find this to be
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3. As an underclassmen, it would mainly be about “reading books,” but now students are “learning about the structure of literature” and analyzing different kinds of texts, said Kirsanov. Though this class is an adjust-
of how students have to adapt to a new style of writing each year and build off of what they have learned. The class has taught students a a mutitude of subject already and helped them refine many skills including “writing skills, analysis
skills” as well as “being able to read old English,” said Marino. It’s clear that what they have learned in this class will help seniors who have decided to go to college next year, because that is where their writing will truly be tested. Overall, most seniors find themselves happy with their decision to take the class because of what they get out of it. “It’s a challenging AP, but I’ve always enjoyed literature so I enjoy seeing perspectives on these works,” said senior Madeleine Termondt. It is difficult with the amount of text assigned and the harshness of the grading, however, there is still room for success and support given to the students. Seniors “have opportunities to pull [themselves] back up out of any problems and mishaps” and they are given “a lot of time to get things done,” said Termondt. Further, the skills that they are learning will surely help them during college and their careers.
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NEWS
New Native American Club Helps Raise Awareness BY INDIRA NAYLOR
Campolindo students established a Native American club this year to educate and raise awareness, while also celebrating culture that is not as prevalent on Campus. They hold meetings once a month in B7, Shannon Sieckert’s room. Senior Bella Stratford, the president of the club, detailed the many activities and events that the club partakes in, as well as all the goals they have. “Right now we’re working on getting approval for a land recognition plaque which we’re going to try to have woodshop make….and we do tribal months for meetings,” Stratford said. For example, in October they
INDIRA NAYLOR/STAFF
will recognize the Cherokee Nation Tribe. Further, they are “going to try to do field trips to reservations and the Blackhawk Museum,” Stratford continued. The creation of the Native American club has not been without its challenges, however. Stratford said she has been getting feedback from the community that “because [she’s] not that huge of a percent [she] shouldn’t be running it” and even questions about “whether or not [she] is Native American.” Stratford thinks this feedback is the result of Native Americans being underrepresented on campus. “It’s something new and not
everyone really knows much about it,” she said. This has certainly been difficult, especially since Native Americans do not make up a huge percentage of the population at Campo. However, this has not deterred Stratford, or the club, from continuing in their endeavors. Stratford said she started the club because “it’s very important for not only [herself] but also other Native American people to see themselves represented at Campolindo.” Further, the club works to make a more inclusive space for people of this ethnicity. “We’re here to bring awareness and educate as
difference.” Among the slough of new clubs at Campo, sophomore Daniel Siu leads the Cultural Art Club where he guides thematic art projects and discusses the history and culture behind each art piece. Siu thought it would be fun to start a club where he could “create projects and spread cultural diversity around the campus,” referencing their recent making of papel picados for Hispanic Heritage Month. Sophomore Matthew Lkhagvasuren runs the Campo Cybersecurity Competition Club where computer enthusiasts can practice and compete in problems related
to hacking websites and programs. He said that he created the club because he felt there wasn’t any other club on campus like it. “And so I wanted to make that club so that other people who are also maybe looking for this kind of opportunity can join.” And despite the influx of new clubs on campus, membership has still remained steady. Siu said “there are more people than I thought there would be so it’s been going pretty well.” Lkhagvasuren added “I’ve found a lot of people who are actually very interested and very motivated to do good things in my club this year.”
well as celebrate our background and where we come from,” said Stratford. Native American Club Vice President senior Maya Schwartz, whose responsibilities entail running the instagram and communicating with administrators about projects the club is doing, believes the club has a great significance on Campo . She said they “bring awareness and light to the to the Native American communities and the small community we have on campus and educate people about Native American culture.” Schwartz first became a member because Stratford “asked [her] to be VP and it sounded really interesting to help her out and start the new club,” she said. However, she now realizes more of the importance of the creation of the club. She hadn’t “seen any Native American Awareness on Campus at all”, so their group sets an important precedent, said Schwartz. Other students feel similar about this sentiment. Senior James Martin thinks the club creates a more inclusive campus culture in general. “I think it serves a purpose where people that do identify can come together and exchange culture,” he said. Despite the challenges of starting this club, its creation has been worth it. “Obviously there [has been] negative [feedback], but there’s been an overwhelming amount of positive feedback,” said Stratford. They will keep working towards growing in members and will strive to raise awareness for the Native American community here at Campo.
New Clubs Bring Triumph to Campo Club Culture BY NATE LITTEL
This year Campo has broken its all time record for new clubs on campus, with 61 new sign-ups as of Club Day. From activism clubs such as the Action Against Cancer Team to hobby clubs such as the Taylor Swift Lyric Analysis Club, the resurgence of new clubs has brought a new meaning to the importance of club culture on campus. Commissioner of student affairs senior Kathrynanne Terry explained how “this club day we had 137 clubs compared to 120 last year.” She added that “a good number of clubs also applied for grants this year which shows that they are passionate and want to make a
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With a flourishing scene of clubs on campus helping to empower affinity groups and encourage creativity, Terry believes the importance of clubs is shining through. “I think clubs give people something to bond over that’s not a sport. I feel like our school is really athletically dominant, so clubs help give everyone a place on campus.” And for Terry, a senior who is departing Campo this year, she’s most excited about “the clubs that were created by someone in my grade who’s going to be leaving. I think the leadership being passed on to the next generation of leaders will be exciting to see.”
THE CLAW
Earthquake Alert Went Largely Ignored By Students BY HARRISON FULLER
When Principal Peter Alvarez got an urgent message – a ShakeAlert – on his phone, he raced to his doorway and gripped the wood frame tightly. “I went old school,” he said. “I went to the door frame, because when we were kids we were told that’s one of the safer places to go if an earthquake happens.” Most of Campolindo had the opposite reaction, and ignored it. That has Mr. Alvarez and other administrators concerned. The message that went out on the morning of October 18 warned: “Drop, Cover, Hold On. Protect Yourself.” It was broadcast via text message to about 390,000 people across
the East Bay and was the first time that residents of Northern California had received a real-time earthquake alert on their phones. This earthquake, whose epicenter was outside of Sacramento in Isleton, came one day after the 34th anniversary of the infamous Loma Prieta Earthquake. The shaking from that 1989 earthquake killed 63 people and left more than 3,700 injured, causing more than $6 billion damage across the Bay Area. It also disrupted the ongoing World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A’s. Senior Shane Harris, like many other students, said he did not care about the alert. Senior Owen Fitzmaurice didn’t notice anyone
that was worried by the alert. “I don’t know anyone that did anything,” he said. “If anyone did anything they’re a dork,” said Harris. He was only half joking. That seemed to be the attitude of many at Campo towards the alert. Many were confused. “I thought it was an Amber Alert,” added Harris. But seismologists in California say we should all be very concerned about earthquakes because the “Big One” is overdue. Alvarez, who was a student at Justin-Siena High School in Napa at the time of the Loma Prieta, remembers being at football practice and was taking a knee as his coach spoke when the earthquake oc-
curred. “I started to see cars bounce across the parking lot,” he said. “The earthquake made the World Series and the A’s sweep a little less joyous. It was pretty tragic.” One of the first assistant principals that Alvarez worked with lost his sister in the Loma Prieta quake. “He would always remind us of the importance of earthquake drills and safety,” Alvarez said. Coincidentally, the earthquake alert came as science teacher Tren Kauzer was talking about the Hayward Fault Earthquake to his AP Environmental Science class. “A bunch of students asked if I had planned it,” said Kauzer. “It was a complete coincidence. Nobody can plan an earthquake.”
KATIE WELCH/ STAFF
First Compassionate Cougar Award Inspires Kindness BY OLIVIA SEELIG AND ISABELLA DOMINGO
With the conclusion of the first semester of the school year, Leadership has announced the winners of a brand new award, the Compassionate Cougar Award. Picking four students, one from each grade, students have voted: The winners this fall are freshman Madison Watkins, sophomore Colbie Freese, junior Chloe Cheung, and senior Emilio Peñate. The winners were invited to a celebration for their award on December 6 in E9 with Leadership. Senior and commissioner of the Student Support and Recognition Board, Maya Carrasco, is one of the major contributors to the creation of this award. Just as the name
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describes, the Student Support and Recognition Board is a new leadership board which focuses on putting spotlights and support on all members at Campolindo. As a previous winner of the JM ‘iKind award’, Carrasco states that she modeled the Compassionate Cougar award after iKind. “This award, like the iKind award, encourages people to be kind to others…yes, maybe it’s because they want something out of it, but in the long run…it’ll encourage people to just be nicer to each other.” According to the Google Form for submissions, the Compassionate Cougar Award is “a way to recog-
nize students in the Campolindo community who demonstrate empathy, kindness, and a passion to help others on an everyday basis.” Students and staff were prompted to submit the names of students with a brief description of why they deserved the award. “Compassion is a deeper level of kindness,” Peñate said when asked about what it means to be compassionate. “Kindness is opening a door for someone, while being compassionate is helping someone in need.” Cheung said, “I’m really honored and I find it empowering that people view me as a compassionate
person and that they feel comfortable recognizing that…I see compassion not only as a one-way thing but as a mutual connection between two people.” Freese added, “I’m very appreciative of leadership for creating this award and grateful to all of my friends for supporting me… Compassion means showing up and trying to be a hardworking, kind individual as much as possible.” Watkins stated, “Earning this award makes me feel good about myself and gives me feedback to let me know that I’m doing the right thing to make others feel like they’re heard.”
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NEWS
DEIB Connects Students With Culture
MADDY SOUN/ PHOTOS AND SEBASTIAN WHITFIELD/ART
BY ISABELLA DOMINGO AND ANJALI RAO The Campolindo’s 2023 Cultural Fair happened on Wednesday November 15, 2023 in the big gym. It had 14 clubs participate, garnering many students for the purpose of promoting diversity and belonging in Campo’s community. Members of Campo’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Belonging (DEIB) leadership committee worked hard in order to make the Cultural Fair an overall interactive experience for the whole student body this year, “We wanted to set up this event because we wanted to help create a link between culture clubs and the DEIB board,” Sophomore and Leadership Member of DEIB, Patricia Davilla Gill said. “We wanted the clubs to have more contact with each other since many overlap… we wanted to create more links and inspire the groups to do the same.”
Davilla Gil shared that she felt that this year’s Culture Fair was a drastic improvement compared to last year’s which had little participation. This year was drastically different. Instead of after school, this school hour event had a big crowd of people flowing in for all of lunch. Davilla Gill stated, “We’re really, really happy with the turnout. Honestly we did not anticipate that many students coming in.” To keep the students involved and participating, Leadership kept them engaged by buying fake passports and stamps. If any student managed to collect 10 stamps from each respective club, they received the prize of a little globe. Sophomore Nishta Mukundan said “I got all the stamps. It was pretty fun. As a prize I got a little globe keychain.” Despite engagement from
students, Diversity Clubs who participated in the fairstated they felt frustration that people were more focused on trying to speed through the gym to get stamps instead of being more attentive to the clubs itself. Students shared that they appreciated that leadership made sure everything turned out good for every club. Sophomore Sophie Tang said, “Overall I appreciate how leadership took the time to ensure that each diversity club had a space to promote their culture during the Cultural Fair.” The process to set up this event started on Wednesday morning during 4th period. Leadership students set up all the tables in the morning and proceeded their preparations during academy and at the beginning of lunch.
For many of the students advertising their clubs at this event it went well. Club presidents were able to give their clubs publicity while spreading awareness about their cultures. Freshman and President of Taiwanese Club, Angele Tseng stated, “The Cultural Fair went well, we were able to distribute all our snacks and a few people hinted at joining us at the next meeting. I think we let more people know about our club.” As great as the turnout was, DEIB stated that they had a few improvements that they’d like to add onto next year’s fair. “Next year hopefully we’ll get more clubs to do it both religiously and culturally,” Davila Gil summarized. “[We want] more students individually [to hold stands], and next year we want to do more advertising.”
was gone. We just had to adapt.” Others stated that they found out after her Canvas was taken down and through group chats with other students. Despite her sudden departure, many students state that it wasn’t unexpected. Rogers stated, “[It] made sense. She had missed most days. She missed about one day per week up until she resigned.” A former substitute and new addition to Campo’s English De-
partment, Mrs. Lafond is well liked by her students. Lafond is currently teaching sophmores both grammar and literary points to apply to their current read: Born A Crime. She pays attention to how the students learn and uses that to help them. Freshman Joshua Smith said, “She is really nice and really organized.” Gallegos’ resignation was abrupt, but her classes are getting back up on their feet with a positive outlook.
English Staff Member Resigns Unexpectedly BY ISABELLA DOMINGO AND ANJALI RAO
On November 4, English teacher Caroline Gallegos unexpectedly resigned from Campo due to personal reasons. Gallegos joined the Campo staff this August, and she taught both English 1 and 2. While her resignation was unexpected to many, students have expressed a lot of appreciation for both her and their new teacher Kelley Lafond. Students expressed that Gallegos was a really nice person and teacher and stated that she engaged
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the class in a lot of social topics like feminism. “She taught some interesting topics,” sophomore Isabelle Culinco said. “I liked it overall, and I think we learned some good things.” When asked how they were informed of her resignation, sophomore Ori Rogers said, “It started off as a small rumor. We never got any word except for when we came into class the next day and Mrs. Lafond was there. She said Gallegos
THE CLAW
LAIBA KHAN/STAFF
DECEMBER 15
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LIFESTYLE
‘Tis the Season: Students’ Favorite Holiday Traditions BY HAILEY WILSON As the winter season approaches, Campo students were asked to reflect on their favorite holiday traditions. Old or new, traditions tend to shape students’ memories of past holiday seasons. While each student holds their own traditions, they all enjoy celebrating the holidays. Junior Elizabeth VonderBrink recalled her traditions with extended family: “My grandma lives in a different state, so she always sends us gifts and on Christmas Eve we open them on FaceTime with her.” This tradition stood out to Vonderbrink because it allows her to celebrate with her out-of-state family members. VonderBrink added her earliest memory from the celebratory season: “When I was younger, I got a makeup vanity for Christmas and it had a pink polka dot chair, a hair dryer, and other little things.” This present is a fond childhood memory for VonderBrink. Senior Katherine Yokomizo said her favorite tradition was “gathering with family at [her] grandparents house, making pies and cookies to give out to friends and family, and having a big Christmas gathering.” Many students agreed that seeing their extended family was a large part of celebrating winter holidays. Freshman Alana Bacher shared her longstanding customs with her family: “My grandma and I bake rolls and cookies together. The recipe I made with my grandma is really old and is passed down in our family.” Bacher was not the only one with familial traditions, Yokomizo also has aspects of the holidays that have been passed down through generations: “We do have some Chinese traditions for Christmas like having foods such as Jian Dui and deep fried dough balls.” In addition to
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past traditions, some students have adopted new customs as they got older. Junior Refi Briskman said, “Now that my brother and I are the oldest ones in the family, our little cousins come over and we are in charge of them during the holiday dinners.” Many Campo students observed how their traditions have evolved as the years go on. These traditions bring about new holiday memories. Yokomizo reflected on her more recent traditions for the holiday season: “It’s a lot of fun…We do Hanukkah and Christmas as one because a lot of my newer relatives are Jewish.” Freshman Amelia Becker’s family maintains annual traditions in the month of December. Becker said, “I go to the San Francisco Nutcracker every December with my family. On Christmas day, my extended family comes to
open presents and have dinner at the house.” Becker added, “Sometimes we do secret santa and I invite my friends over for gingerbread house decorating.” Junior Refi Briskman shared her favorite aspects of the holidays: “I like Hanukkah because I like doing presents. I like that it is really festive and there are a lot of fun decorations.” When asked why she enjoyed the holidays, Becker said, “Because you get to hangout with family and I like listening to Christmas music. Our family comes over for Christmas and we go to Tahoe or we ski in Canada sometimes.” While some are enjoying family time, others are traveling. Regardless, Campo students each have their own traditions to make the holiday season unforgettable.
EMILIA BARCK/STAFF
THE CLAW
Winter Season Sparks Changes in Style BY KARLY KAZLINER
As the weather turns, styles throughout the student community are changing. This may be because there are new winter trends, or maybe it’s just the change in temperature. While some students are expressing themselves with new clothing styles, others haven’t changed their fashion choices at all. Trends come and go, but some clothing brands are more popular and have become a part of students’ day to day outfits. Sophomore Sifat Sarang said, “My style has gotten so much better since the beginning of the school year. Since it’s winter, the style gets way better and there are way more cute trends.” Sarang mentions that it was easier to create more expressive outfits both because of the cold weather and current trendy clothing. Sarang spoke about how she liked to layer clothes and stated that “it is hard to do that in the beginning of the school year due to the warmer weather.” Sarang believes that the winter trends are better than the summer trends. Sarang’s thoughts about the winter style seemed to be a trend amongst the student community. Freshman Alex Lewis stated, “My style has progressed by wearing more comfortable clothes.” Lewis’s thoughts on comfortable clothing in the winter have not been the only opinions that have been shared. Sophomore Jack Simmons said, “My style
has progressed because instead of shorts and stuff I am just wearing warmer clothes. I care more about comfort than how it looks.” Simmons’ thoughts on fashion in the winter goes hand in hand with Lewis’s opinions. Lewis also expressed his beliefs about student’s fashion in the winter and how there might be a deeper meaning behind comfortable clothes in the winter. He stated, “I think people start to care less about fashion when winter comes around because people should start to care more about warmth than being fashionable. I normally wear Nike because a lot of my friends wear Nike too.” Nike became a popular clothing brand with Lewis’s friend group and a lot of the Campolindo community as well. Styles have changed for many reasons. The new winter trends have influenced some students to change certain parts of their style and the change in weather has caused students
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to care more about comfort rather than looking fashionable. Some students have also changed their style because the brands they have been wearing have become more popular. Over the past few months, some clothing brands have become the norm around campus which has pressured students to conform to fit in. Either way, students are expressing their individuality in through fasion in many different ways.
Eras Movie Gives Fans Tour-Like Experience BY ASHLEY PURCELL AND OLIVIA SEELIG The Eras Tour Movie has caused a frenzy of excitement amongst the Campo student body. Students have flocked to whatever theater they can to watch the concert phenomenon on the big screen. However, students aren’t just watching the movie. They’re dressed in bejeweled looks that represent different eras, similar to the actual concert, which has caused a resurgence of excitement after the conclusion of the U.S. leg of the tour. The movie version of the concert was good because it provided fans who didn’t get tickets to the concert an opportunity to experience the magic. The so-called “Great War” of the Ticketmaster queue back in November 2022 made it hard for some fans to see the concert live. Taylor Swift herself wanted these fans to still be able to see the concert, when she expressed how “Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing [are] encouraged.” Listening to her advice, many fans wore fun, themed outfits. From PJ’s and the Junior Jewel shirt based on the
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“You Belong With Me” music video, to bright pink ‘Lover’ outfits, the Swifties did their best
to dress for the occasion. Sophomore Aurora Mende wore a “cute white skirt and a pink shirt that I had…[she] was dressed up as ‘Lover.’”
The biggest controversy within the Swiftie community was the removal of various songs. As the real concert is about three hours and 15 minutes long, Swift felt the need to cut some songs so the movie is roughly two hours and 50 minutes. However, in order to do this, the movie cut out five songs including “The Archer,” “No Body, No Crime (feat. HAIM),” “Long Live,” “Cardigan,” and “Wildest Dreams.” The Swifties of Campolindo had words to say about these exclusions. Sophomore Shira Ayalon called these choices “Tragic, so tragic. I was waiting for “Long Live,” [but] it wasn’t there.” Junior Adriana Carranza said, “I understand that she had a time constraint, but none of them were justified.” The movie revived the energy from the concert. Whether students went to the actual concert or not, people from throughout the school were EMILIA BARCK/STAFF able to come together and bond over it and created memories that will last forever. Mende, who didn’t attend the concert, said “I had a great time…it was the loudest theater experience I’ve ever been to.”
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LIFESTYLE
Senior Perspectives on College Apps Process BY INDIRA NAYLOR AND HAILEY WILSON The first two quarters of the year were made difficult for many seniors because of the stressful college application process. Students struggled to manage school work, extracurriculars, and plan for their future. Seniors found that the hardest part about this process was managing time while having to juggle so many different aspects of their lives. “It’s really hard to figure out where your priorities lie and how you want to attack this…even with help from the College and Career Center it can get very overwhelming at times,” said senior Charlotte Eirich. Senior Grace Gafni can also attest to how difficult it is to manage how busy she is while trying to apply for college. She said that the most difficult part of all this was “finding time in my week to dedicate to it because I have practice everyday and games.” The difficulties of applying were also exacerbated when there was not enough help from Campo itself. For example, many of the applications were challenging to figure out, especially for first time users. Eirich said she thinks “Naviance is a little tricky at times and [she] struggled a lot with requesting [her] transcripts.” As well as struggling with Naviance, some students wished for more support on the actual application. Senior Marcus Han said, “I wish Campo gave more support on writing descriptions for your activities. I think that if there was a seminar that would be really helpful.” Senior Rachel Andre, “I wish they gave more support on what to do before you apply to college, like extracurricular activities, projects you can start, or things you can do to show early interest in schools.” Many students said that the most difficult part of college applications were the countless essays. Senior Max Marino said, “The hardest part was the personal statement because it is the main
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thing you are writing for the colleges.” Han agreed and added that the hardest part of the process was “Definitely writing the essays. Reading them back and revising has been super grueling because it takes a long time.” Gafni agrees with this and said that she wished the school gave seniors more support when it comes to “coming up with ideas and knowing what the college that you’re applying to is looking for in an essay,” Andre struggled with finding the time to complete all of the necessary steps. Andre said, “The hardest part for me has definitely been balancing my schoolwork and writing my supplemental essays. It has been a lot to try to
work on my time management and make sure I get everything done, but also keeping my grades up. There are a lot of different things to juggle.” Although students found several aspects of the application process difficult, they also expressed where there was adequate support and encouragement. Han said that the part of applications where Campo gave the most support was “Definitely reviewing the details of my common application, I think Ms. Batcheller did really well with that.” Andre added, “Campo offers a lot of support for the essays. I know that Mr Petrocco helps kids at lunch or during 7th period. The College and Career Center is also always open. One time I had a question about something on my common application and I popped into the College and Career Center and they helped me right away.” As well as resources at Campo, many seniors
found support from their family and friends. Andre said, “I have a college counselor and she helps me a lot and I also sometimes bounce ideas off my parents and my friends. It has been super fun to learn about the different programs at different schools and see which school suits me the best.” Even with all these resources and forms of support, students were still highly overworked and stressed. “I’m really trying but sleep is being sacrificed,” said Eirich. Han recalled how he completed his college applications, “I started college applications at the start of the summer. Oftentimes I start writing my essays late at night but I try to block out a square of time for it. If I have 7th period off or academy, I will try to block off time to work.” Andre explained how she stayed motivated during the process, “I have to really discipline myself and when I get home I make sure to get right to my work. It has been really hard to balance it and I am still working it out. It definitely helps to put on some headphones, listen to music, and just crank it out. I think it is really helpful to think of getting into the schools as motivation.” For many students, the college applicaSEBASTIAN WHITFIELD/STAFF tion process facilitated stress and a feeling of being overwhelmed. Han said, “I think it is important to remember that you are not defined by your outcome. I think that people can put a lot of emphasis on this process and how well you do, but you aren’t defined by a number or a name.” Marino agreed and said, “Just to stay true to yourself, take breaks, and not get too drowned in it because it is a tedious project.” Andre said, “I think it is important to remember that you are going to end up in the place that is best suited for you. You will be successful at any college and the college you go to doesn’t define who you are as a person or who you are as a student. Everybody has their strengths and gravitates towards one subject over another. I think you are going to find your people at the school and you will find resources wherever you go..”
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Exploring the Flavors of Local Boba Shops BY LILY QIN
Boba, or bubble tea, is a beverage originating from Taiwan that has taken the world by storm. With a foundation of sweet and milky tea, the drink’s texture is punctuated by chewy tapioca pearls and an unlimited array of toppings. Senior Stephania Lieben agreed, adding that “there’s room for experimentation with flavors. You can choose whatever drink you want and add whatever toppings you want. You can pick different drinks based on your mood.” iTea Located in the Moraga Shopping Center, iTea is a popular hangout spot for Campo students after school. Because of this, the wait times can
Hawaii-themed boba store. The wait times are usually around 5 minutes or less, making it a good option if you’re in a rush. Some of their specialty drinks include House Milk Tea, Thai Tea, Herbal Lemonade, and P.O.G. Aloha. They also offer smoothies, Kona Italian Coffee, and the option to make your own drink. All drinks come in two sizes – 16 or 24 oz. Unfortunately, adding boba pearls and other toppings costs an extra $0.75. Senior Adelina Zheng enjoys Lilikoi, particularly their Strawberry Black Tea Lemonade, because “it’s convenient and they have parking,” she stated. In addition to drinks, Lilikoi offers mochi donuts. Panache Cafe Located off Mount Diablo Blvd, Panache Cafe is a small business that specializes in Italian coffees, especially lattes. They also offer organic teas and have gained recognition for their homemade Chai and blueberry scones. One distinctive feature of Panache is their packaging approach. Instead of having branded cups, they had custom stickers on each drink, adding a unique touch. Furthermore, there also isn’t a numeric size, rather only small and large, for nearly all drinks.
Mr. Green Bubble Nested in Downtown Walnut Creek, Mr. be long. Green Bubble proudly represents a iTea drinks include a generous amount of Bay Area franchise. While parking toppings you can order and you can also customcan be a hassle because of its locaize your sugar and ice levels to 5 levels – 0%, tion, there is a paid parking lot in 30%, 50%, 80%, and 100%. Senior Suraya Mathaiclose proximity. Jackson’s go-to drink is the Earl Grey Milk Tea, Mr. Green Bubble’s interior sets which is “pretty similar to the Signature Boba it apart from other shops on this Milk Tea, but it tastes super fresh” because the list. The wall features intriguing tea is brewed on the spot, Mathai-Jackson stated. handwritten boba-related facts and Beyond drinks, iTea also offers other snacks, hand drawn graphics to accompany, most notably, ramen, which is good for the price. creating a unique artistic ambiance. But don’t be fooled by Mr. Lilikoi Green Bubble’s name; their beverLocated in downtown Lafayette, Lilikoi is a age offerings don’t stop at just bubble tea. They also have a wide selection of smoothies and slushies. You can choose from a small size, which is 16 oz, or a regular size, which is 22 oz. Like iTea, you can adjust the sugar to 5 levels and ice to 3 levels, allowing you to tailor your drink to your preferences, and they generously include a satisfying amount of boba in each serving that’s “not too sweet,” said senior Piper Lalli. LILY QIN/STAFF In addition to their LILY QIN/STAFF
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LILY QIN/STAFF
beverages, Mr. Green Bubble has a wide array of board games stashed in the corner. Sharetea With two nearby locations in Orinda and Concord, Sharetea is an internationally recognized boba shop. Unfortunately, because of this, their wait times are longer, even on Sunday afternoons. Some of their bestsellers include the Classic Pearl Milk Tea, Mango Green Milk Tea, Wintermelon Lemonade, and Strawberry Tea. Like iTea and Mr. Greenbubble, you can adjust the sugar to 5 levels (0%, 30%, 50%, 80%, 100%), and 3 ice levels (no ice, less ice, and full ice). Zheng adds that “Sharetea has good boba. It’s a good consistency.”
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LIFESTYLE
Final Exams: Stress, Uneasiness, and Advice BY BROOKE MAHER
With fall coming to an end, the sting of winter and finals are just around the corner. A rigorous week crammed with tests, projects, half-days, and stress kicks off the winter break for Campo students. For the Class of 2027, this is their first finals week, but, for the Class of 2024, this may be their last major week of finals. For many sophomores, their first AP final is looming. Sophomore Henry Goodman shared his uneasiness about this: “I’m most nervous for AP Euro because it’s my first time taking an AP class and I’m not sure how finals work for that class.” Freshmen are also unsure of what December 19 through the 22 holds. Without previous experience, finals week is a new and puzzling thing to Campo’s Class of 2027. This feeling of nervousness seems to be customary in the freshman class. Freshman Emily Brockmeier looked ahead to December, “I definitely feel nervous going into finals. I have no idea what to expect yet because I’ve never taken one.” Freshman Amelia Becker shared similar thoughts as Brockmeier, “I’m really nervous because this is my first finals ever.” Upperclassmen have lots of experience with
finals week. These veterans have the guidance to ease the freshman’s nerves about finals week. Senior Olivia Roesch offered her advice, “Don’t worry about finals too much, it doesn’t impact your grade as much as you think.” Junior Audrey Flitter agreed, “Don’t be so worried, because it’s freshman year. You’re still learning about what high school is and navigating your way around Campo.”
Campo students have many different ways to attack stress. Taking a brain break and putting a pause on the seemingly endless studying helps. It can be taking a walk, grabbing food, napping, or any other way you can clear your mind. Flitter recalled how she relieves her stress,
“When I feel stressed I usually do breathing and study more so I don’t feel stressed during the test.” Becker noted how she releases tension from school, “I usually just take a break by reading or going outside usually.” On campus, students can visit the Wellness Center for tea, fidgets, a break, or just to talk. Students are welcome to visit during passing periods, breaks, or during class. This way to clear your mind or take a breather is crucial to a student’s mental health. Campo students offered their tactics for healthily tackling tests. Before tests, Roesch decides to prioritize her health to succeed, “Before a big test I get good sleep, get all my studying done days before, and have a good breakfast before the test.” Goodman recommended, “I think stressing over finals is necessary but having too much stress can be unhelpful. I think you need to do your studying in moderation and actually take your time instead of trying to cram it all in.” With the weeks BEA JOHNSON/STAFF counting down until winter break and finals, it’s important to take a breather and relax. Stress is normal when it comes to school but can be managed through the use of resources or selfcare. It is important to keep an eye on the light at the end of the tunnel: the long, comforting break at the end of finals week.
years of world language or two years of career technical education coursework. So if a student takes sign language through our district, this online option we created can count towards those two years of language they need for graduation.” This ASL class has a limited amount of space, so every student would not be able to take it. If a student did want to take ASL but was not accepted into the Campo course, they are able to take it through other sources and it would cover their language requirements. However, it is not financially covered or considered for credit, so the student would have to complete an additional two years of a career technical education course on campus.
Sophomore, Demitri Drury said, “I take ASL through Campo and it’s a great experience. It really opens my perspective to the big history behind ASL that I didn’t know about.” Students who do not take ASL seem to be interested in Campolindo’s course. This course is not publicized too much so the majority of students are not aware that it is offered. “I think it is really cool how inclusive Campolindo is for offering ASL. I used to take Spanish but I would have taken ASL if I was aware that it is offered,” said sophomore Cassidy Mclain. Offering ASL at Campo is a great opportunity for students to broaden their horizons and learn something new.
ASL Offered Online Through Campo BY KARLY KAZLINER
Students are required to take two years of language or a career technical education course in order to graduate. Campo allows students to choose from many different languages such as Spanish, German, French, and Mandarin. As of last year, Campolindo started offering American Sign Language, also known as ASL, as an online class that some students are able to apply for and take free of charge. In order to enroll, a student must have a compelling reason why they want to take ASL, whether that be an interest in ASL or a negative experience with learning foreign languages in the past. Counselor Duane Magno said, “Our requirement for graduation is every student needs two
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EDITORIAL
Santa: The Greatest Enemy of Christmas BY ALEX SHRAUGER
Spreading the lie of Santa Clause across the country is a detriment to the true meaning of Christmas, which should be centered around spending time with loved ones rather than eagerly waiting for gifts. He represents the ultimate of deceit, capitalistic participation, and shifts the meaning of Christmas to material possession rather than time with loved ones. The way to ensure that Christmas returns to its true wholesome values is to quash the lies of Santa and to focus on enjoying a couple weeks of relaxation and family bonding. The very issue with Santa begins with the concept of forcing people to lie to their kids to protect the sense of magic and wonder that accompanies the holiday season. Not only does this lead to distrust once children reach the age where they must dispel the myth, it also creates a problematic expectation of receiving gifts. Finding out that Santa is merely a myth has led to the breakdown of trust within a multitude of families across the nation. Senior Tyler Ngo noted that “it was difficult to believe anything that [his parents] say,” once he had found out that they had been lying about Santa for 10 years of his life. Further, senior Ben Young believes that lying about Santa “takes away from the good done by real folk-tale heroes such as the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy.” While Young’s opinion may be an optimistic misrepresentation of these fabricated characters, he makes a reasonable point that Santa detracts focus from the important elements of
Christmas. Understanding that the true heroes of Christmas should be family, friends, and relaxation is certainly critical for gaining the most out
holiday got lost in the midst of industrial growth. “The character’s popularity grew due to the Coca Cola Corporation’s ad campaign in the 1930s,” he explained. Thus, Santa’s impact, rather than promoting good during the holiday season, is mainly forcing the everyday to conform to the capitalist system to an unusually high degree in an attempt to satisfy the youth’s shallow expectations of material possessions. Further, the idea that gifts are expected rather than being part of a kind gesture fosters a spoiled mentality among the youth and takes away the appreciation that should follow the reception of presents. Parents never follow through with the age-old promise of putting coal in a misbehaving child’s stocking, leading to the belief that they deserve material possessions for merely existing. Such a perception surrounding gift giving certainly should not be promoted. People should give because they want to, not because they have to. Santa detracts from what the holiday season should truly represent. When we think of Christmas, it’s important to remember the origins of the holiday and how best to celebrate them. The entire enjoyment of the holiday shouldn’t revolve around a symbol KATIE WELCH/STAFF of deception and the capitalist system. We of the holiday experience in a wholesome way. don’t remember the material gifts we receive, but “The biblical origins of the Holiday also get rather the fun times that have been spent with lost within the Santa Mayhem,” noted senior Cyril loved ones and the relieving feeling of decompresRussell. Christmas was originally intended to sion after what is arguably the most stressful part keep Abrahamic traditions alive across future genof the school year. Enjoy your time away from erations. With an overall decrease in religiosity in academic obligations and appreciate your loved the country, the true meaning and tradition of the ones who mean the most to you.
How to Destress During the Holidays BY ERIN MCDONALD
As much fun as they are, it is no secret that the holidays are a stressful time. Whether you are a senior struggling to finish college applications, a student trying to get your grades up before finals, or just overwhelmed with life in general, this merry time full of traditions can quickly become a wintery nightmare. It can be easy to hide the overpowering truth of the holiday season under the guise of family, gifts, and cheer, but it is important to recognize that in order to truly appreciate this season you need to take time for yourself as well. Since this time of year gets so busy, it is easy to overbook yourself. Saying yes to many plans can become too much and can lead to a feeling of disappointment when you can’t fulfill everything. In order to avoid this, it is important to set boundaries for yourself before the season begins. Determine what is most important to you and learn from your overplanning last year to decide what to commit to. Becoming more comfortable with saying “no” and taking time for yourself will help these holidays from being unbearable. While time off from school is a nice break from
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the stresses of grades and extracurricular activities, the end of the first semester is considered to be one of the most stressful times of year. With finals and college applications due for seniors, these couple of weeks feel like they last a lifetime. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, however, with a nice long two week break after the last final is over. Keeping this in mind and setting personal goals can help give a much needed motivation boost going into these dreadful weeks. Senior Olivia Roesch explained her process of getting through these final weeks: “I like to think about the holidays coming up. I celebrate Christmas, so I love buying gifts and wrapping them for my family and friends, and just looking forward to that.” Once on this much needed vacation, you can still get bogged down with the looming threat of a second semester over your head. This can lead to anxious thoughts of what you still have to do or what awaits you back at school, so it is important to remind yourself that you deserve a meaningful break. This time off school is a free pass to relax and celebrate all you accomplished the semester before. So take time to relax and don’t feel bad while doing it.
A method to ignore these uncontrollable thoughts of school is to: “Close all my school tabs on my computer so that during the New Year I can restart. It also just helps me so when I go on to my computer I don’t think about school at all,” said Roesch. There’s a lot of peer pressure during the holidays as well. Seeing your friends going on extravagant vacations or to social events can make you feel like those are things that you are missing out on. However, remember what these holidays are really about: gratitude and family. Reminding yourself what you are grateful for and spending quality time with family and friends is all you should be worried about during this time. Junior Gracie Walburg commented on what this holiday season means to her: “The most important aspect of the holidays is spending time with family and friends because they are the really important people in my life.” As the holidays unfold, live in the moment. Appreciate all the traditions that have been with you all your life because high school can pass you by quicker than you realize. Especially for seniors, savour these last few moments at home because soon, your whole life will be different.
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Well-Being Requires Healthy Sleep Habits BY NATE LITTEL In a highschool culture devoted to constant studying for AP classes and participation in extracurricular activities, essential tasks like sleep have been monstrously neglected. Though the CDC recommends nine to ten hours a day of quality sleep, Campo students struggle to maintain six or even seven hours of rest. The true culprit of highschool sleep deprivation is certainly time management. Human and Social Development teacher Erin Cody explained that “[sleep] is probably one of the most critical things that teenagers can do to maintain their health and wellness which is crucial.” For teens who are in a time of very fast physical, intellectual and emotional growth, sleep is a necessary habit to allow the body time to repair. In fact, according to Stanford Medicine, “Sleep deprivation increases the likelihood teens will suffer myriad negative consequences, including an inability to concentrate, poor grades, drowsy-driving incidents, anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide and even suicide attempts.” Cody explained that extracurricular activities, homework, and our craving for that mental break while we study contribute to this delayed bedtime. Sophomore Akhila Bhagavan, who gets roghly five hours of sleep each night, explained that her jam-packed schedule inhibits her ability to sleep. “I do two to three hours of volunteer work every other day and get home around six. Then I usually have PSAT or LSAT prep which takes about 45 minutes. And then after that, it depends on the day because Thursdays I have
Debate from 6:30 to 8:30. Then I get home around nine and then I do homework.” Meanwhile, Senior Sean Kim gets about six hours of sleep each school night, explaining that his two-hour water polo practice and hours of studying when he gets home around 7:30 eat up the little time he has for schoolwork. In a hyper-competitive environment of students with high aspirations for college and future jobs, the idea that doing more and sleeping less
So while it may be impossible to truly reduce the amount of time spent on after-school activities or homework, one hidden area that seems to consume a disproportionate amount of teens’ time is social media. Cody added that: “Social Media and technology can be a little insidious when you scroll on Tik-Tok for what you think is a little bit but it’s actually been 45 minutes.” With 90% of teens saying they use social media among numerous surveys; Instagram, Snapchat, and Youtube have molded their presence in high schoolers’ lives. And while not all students claim that they are fully active on social media, the occasional glance or study-break dramatically delays efficiency thanks to our inability to truly multitask. Kim added that he will occasionally look at his phone over the course of his time studying and that “I always keep it right next to my bed when asleep”. Breaks or scheduled time to text friends or play video games is essential to maintaining mental sanity for highschoolers after long and laborious days. The fact of the matter is that when it comes to our after school schedules, we prioritize things like homework, extracurriculars, and our social lives to a much greater extent. In reality, however, sleep ultimately bears a greater impact on our ability to focus and concentrate in such activities. So just as we budget time studying for an upcoming test or practicing for an upcoming game, we need to give the same amount of attention to our rest. For Cody, sleep is non-negotiable: “We need to start changing the narrative around the importance of sleep. It shouldn’t be going head to head against academic or extracurricular endeavors but an necessity.”
“We need to start changing the narrative around the importance of sleep.
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will contribute to one’s success plays a significant and harmful role in widespread sleep deprivation. Cody added that “there definitely is a narrative within our society that productivity oftentimes equates with sleeplessness. Saying ‘I only slept four hours last night’ is not a flex, it should be a cause for alarm.” Recently in 2022, California passed a law prohibiting high schools from starting school days earlier than 8:30 am. The legislation was aimed to combat this epidemic of sleep deprivation which according to Cody, was “a step in the right direction.” But she added that despite the change, “We [still] can’t legislate extracurricular activities and course load.”
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EDITORIAL
Sending a Message on the Sidelines BY ANYA HOUSTON
Our campus is progressive in a multitude of ways and aims to combat negative stereotypes by fostering an accepting and equitable environment. However, one area of our school that seems to lack this are the cheer teams. While members of the cheer team may support feminism, female team’s captains and coaches still choose to not cheer for female sports. Traditionally, cheer teams have typically been made up of girls with big ponytails and glowing smiles, jumping up and down on the sidelines of a usually sexist, male dominant sport. The goal is to support the players on the field and encourage the audience at games to show enthusiasm. Supporting the male dominated Campo football team is exciting and a prominent part of social culture. Continuing this tradition is great as long as it isn’t rooted ideologically in the belief that females exist to cheer on males and can’t have their own independent success in life. Cheerleaders seem to have succeeded in creating a new ideology around this, finding ways to encourage feminism within the team. However, expressing feminism through their actions is just as vital to contributing to the positive culture we are trying to cultivate on campus. Junior cheer co-captain Adrianna Castanza said the reasoning for not cheering at girls sports, despite 80 to 90 percent of the team supporting it is “they don’t have a big enough fan base so it doesn’t make as much sense to cheer for them…
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[cheer] doesn’t have enough time…[cheer] would lose practice time…and it’s hard to communicate with the teams [to coordinate cheer coming], they don’t reach out to us as much.” Cheering for girls sports is essential regardless of these reasons. The cheer teams need to make the time and do their part to help build up the female athletic programs. The comp cheer team could sacrifice some practices to accommodate cheering at some of the flag football home games. The sideline cheer team could choose to cheer at
fewer male basketball games and instead cheer at some female games to create a balance between the two. Displaying support for these female teams regardless of the lack of an audience could help bring attention to these programs and encourage more fans to show up. Junior and varsity girls basketball player Reagan Shum believes, “having [cheer at games] would be a sign that we’re a team and should be supported…it’d be really nice.” She feels “girls basketball doesn’t get the same support as boys basketball…it’s kind of underground…a lot of people don’t know about girls basketball.” Shum also believes that if the cheer team showed up to regular season games players would “feel more of a sense of importance as a team because Campo cheer is coming to support you like at football games and boys
basketball games.” Senior varsity basketball player Julia Erickson-King said “It makes sense girls basketball at first didn’t get as much support and funding as boys because we were smaller…but the program is growing and if we’re going to match [the size of the boys program] then we should get the same support…if the cheer team came it would be great to have the extra support and I think it would make students more excited to come.” Junior flag football player Grace Allen said, “It would be fun to have the cheerleaders there [at home games].. it could help encourage people to come and support [flag] football.” Additionally, cheering at the events wouldn’t be a loss or waste of time because it gives the cheer team more opportunities to practice their routines formally. Castanza said “this KATIE WELCH/STAFF could be an incentive and I’m going to try and get us to cheer at some flag football games.” Helping to increase the confidence and feeling of acceptance the female players experience is worth losing a few normal practices. Sophomore cheerleader Isla Fitzmaurice believes, “It wouldn’t be that hard [to cheer for female teams], we could even add an extra practice if needed or more time to our practice to help allow us to cheer for girls sports,” she said. There are ways to combat the current obstacles preventing the cheer teams from cheering at female sports to help pursue feminist values at Campo. Creating this equitable athletic environment is a great step in challenging the other gender inequities that exist within the larger school community.
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The Enduring Power of Shakespeare BY DAISY PENNEY When Shakespeare is announced in the average English class, there’s usually a few eye rolls and the occasional groan. The works of this iconic playwright have been circulating through classrooms for years and students are beginning to ask why. It’s a genuine question, and
pages of poetry is what makes Shakespeare’s writing so timeless. Senior Michael Tague has a shaky relationship with Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “I barely understood the book to be honest with you. I mostly had to rely on like the translated texts.” This sentiment is not so far-fetched. It’s easy to get lost in the metaphors and often cryptic writing that Shakespeare is so famous for. Tague said, “if it was a bit easier
truly realize the value of Shakespeare and why it’s so important to take the time to understand it. Reading is not the only way to foster an appreciation for Shakespeare. In fact it wasn’t the way Shakespeare wanted it to be appreciated. He is a playwright, whose words find their true home on a stage and for students who have a hard time tackling pages of confusing verse, turning to this method is definitely the solution.
“open mindedness should be the approach before immediately approaching with a stigma that it is impossible.” one that can be easily answered. Yes, his writing is hundreds of years old, but the lessons and values woven throughout his words will forever be ones worth teaching to the next generation. AP Literature teacher Nathan Ward noted that Shakespeare allows students to experience “unsurpassed beautiful poetry. The language itself is timeless and gorgeous… there’s nothing like Shakespeare,” he said. The knowledge gained from the language in his plays cannot be replaced by any modern work. His writing will forever be the epitome of beautiful verse, each word carefully crafted to build a story that is not only pleasing to the ear but connects to issues that every individual encounters. Take Hamlet. At the root of the story, a young man is struggling to cope in a world he feels has been corrupted by the circumstances around him. Shakespeare uses this universal dilemma to spin the tragically beautiful tale of Hamlet. Ward commented upon these lessons asking if “people still break up with their girlfriends or their boyfriends or their partners?…Do we still laugh? Do we still cry?” The answer is most obviously yes. Every teenager has experienced problems with love, laughed until they’ve cried with their friends, and dealt with a time when tears became inevitable. The fundamental trials of life splashed across
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to understand I might have enjoyed it more, but it was more of like a stressful ordeal.” The last
thing students are looking for is another layer of stress to add to their already busy lives, but taking time to interpret Shakespeare can give those same students important lessons, fostering a greater understanding of the nature of human struggles and life itself. Ward preached, “Patience. [Because] the language is difficult,” and also “open mindedness should be the approach before immediately approaching with a stigma that it is impossible.” English classes at Campolindo are designed to help students learn and appreciate older texts such as Shakespeare, but it’s up to the students to
AP Language teacher Jamie Donohoe made an important point about Shakespeare: “Shakespeare was never meant to be read.” This simple statement is what students such as Tague are missing. Donohoe compares Shakespeare’s plays to a “rock concert…it’s not like a movie where you just sit back and watch, there would be people throwing crap at the actors on stage.” His plays were pure art; actors were the vessels who portrayed the emotion in his lines and the words they spoke lifted his words off the page and created performance. ISABELLA DOMINGO/STAFF Donohoe puts these ideas into motion each year, having his students perform some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays for his final. It’s clear that students should be exposed to this side of Shakespeare more often in order to foster a different perspective on his works. There’s a reason Shakespeare’s works will never fall out of relevance. They provide lessons on tribulations that every human will face in their lifetimes. Whether students discover this knowledge through reading his plays in class or performing them on the stage, Shakespeare’s works are too valuable to be deemed as irrelevant.
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EDITORIAL
Racist Nutcracker Needs Reform BY LILY QIN
Hate against Asians and Asian Americans has sparked long overdue reform movements for the Nutcracker’s Chinese Tea. The Nutcracker, a traditional ballet that premiered in Saint Petersburg on December 6, 1892, depicts the story of a young girl named Clara (named Marie in some versions) who received a Nutcracker doll at her parent’s annual Christmas party from her godfather Drosselmeyer. She is whisked away into the Land of Sweets by the Nutcracker Prince, where she is entertained by magical dances. But are those dances really that magical? Even before the pandemic, there had been a call to attention to the racist stereotypes in Nutcracker. “It’s pretty controversial due to the stereotypical portrayals they have of different cultures that’s portrayed through the choreography and also through the costumes and makeup,” explained senior Ellena Link, a current dancer with Contra Costa Ballet. Sherri Leblanc, former professional dancer with New York City Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, explains that “[The Nutcracker] was created with the idea that all of the second act dances are from a different country. It was like a dessert from each country. In that way they were trying to show something from each different country, and so it was choreographed with the intention of trying to represent that, and that in itself builds stereotypes.” While there are three countries – Spain, China, Russia – and one region – Arabia – represented in the second act of Nutcracker, Chinese Tea has faced the most criticism. Started by Phil Chan and Georgina Pazcogu-
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in in 2017, “Final Bow for Yellowface” aims to change the stereotypical representation of Asians in Chinese Tea. Most major ballet companies, including New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Royal Ballet, and even UNC Chapel Hill’s Carolina Performing Arts, have signed the pledge committing them to “eliminating outdated and offensive stereotypes of Asians (Yellowface) on our stages,” as the Yellowface website states. “Instead of portraying these stereotypes that we often see, they can work to appreciate and
showcase these cultural dances in a more respectful manner” Link stated. While it’s important to preserve tradition, it’s also important to adapt as society changes. It’s possible to do both, as various ballet companies have demonstrated. Many have changed their choreography, costuming, and makeup. Harriet Jung states on the costuming page that “bear in mind that while a Chinese person depicted as a railroad worker or rice farmer (“chinaman” or “coolie”) might be historically accurate, it is a caricature that Asian people are trying to move away from.” Boston Ballet has replaced the traditionally offensive dance with a pas de deux inspired by traditional Chinese ribbon dance. The dance was choreographed by artistic director Mikko Nissinen, who said in the New York Times article ‘As ‘Nutcracker’ Returns, Companies Rethink Depic-
tions of Asian’, “I just want to make sure there’s absolutely nothing that could ever be considered as insulting to Chinese culture. We look at everything through the lenses of diversity, equity and inclusion. That’s the way of the future.” Similarly, Peter Boal, artistic director of Pacific Northwest Ballet, has added a cricket, which is a symbol of good luck in China. The cricket replaces the man who is dressed in stereotypical Chinese clothes. These are just two examples of changing the choreography and costumes to be more respectful. While these are more creative examples, there are simpler ways to remove stereotyping. Contra Costa Ballet has recently exchanged the finger pointing in Chinese Tea for lanterns, which represents the culture more accurately. If major ballet companies start changing their portrayals, it encourages other comISABELLA DOMINGO/STAFF panies and schools to change. “All it takes is some conversations to say okay, well how can we do this in a better way?” Leblanc stated. One might argue that the stereotypes portrayed in the Nutcracker should be preserved because of the tradition. But let me ask you, slavery was considered traditional in the early 1800s, yet we can all agree that slavery was cruel, which is why it isn’t around anymore. Couldn’t the same thing be argued with Nutcracker? The racial stereotypes are fueling implicit biases, which can take a huge toll on someone of that race. Is it not cruel to be mocking someone’s eyes when it makes them “different” when they are already so self conscious? While it might’ve been acceptable to say “I didn’t know” in the 19th century, it is no longer acceptable to perpetuate stereotypes. The Nutcracker must change, or it will be lost with the
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Japanese Right Now!
BY LAUREN KAWAMOTO
Japan is a unique country and one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world. Yet it is often overlooked to the point that it is hard to remember the wonderful benefits that this small archipelago empire offers to those new to its culture, beginning with food and ending with language. Campolindo High School is ranked 27th out of the 3,649 schools in the state of California and considered very accomplished in its language department, which teaches Spanish, French, German, and Mandarin. So the question remains: why isn’t Japanese included in this selection? Sophomore Sonal Patel, a member of the newly established Japanese Cultural Club, explainedher opinion on this not-so-controversial issue: “I would love to see Japanese [here] because there’s a large number of Japanese people at Campolindo; I really want to learn more about a culture I’m not part of,” she stated. Japanese continues to remain one of the hardest languages in the world to learn, consisting of its three writing systems, hiragana, katakana, and kanji, the latter modeling characters similar to simplified Mandarin, a grammar and sentence structure contrary to the English language, and several verb forms dedicated to varying types of formality. This poses a new mystery: why would anyone want to learn Japanese?
“I took a Japanese class for a year during Covid, and I kind of lost a little bit of what I’ve learned,” said Sophie Tang, secretary and social media manager for the Japanese Cultural Club. “It’s really interesting, not only getting to learn more about Japanese culture, but also to just bring
my friends at Walnut Creek went to Las Lomas. I did hear that the Japanese teacher was retiring or is retiring so he wasn’t taking any new students, but I think students could gain more opportunities, like Japanese at Las Lomas.” With a tentative approach toward Japanese becoming a state-approved course in the Campo curriculum, there could be more of an expression toward cultural diversity, as freshman Drew Kirchner, who has emphasized his inclination toward Japanese food and art, agreed with. “[Japanese] would be pretty interesting to have. I don’t think I would take it because I’m already taking Mandarin, but I think that would be a good option.” While Campo is already well-versed in the delineation of undervalued cultures, such as the emergence of the course Ethnic Studies and more than eight new cultural clubs, there was a common sentiment that more Asian languages could be implemented, as stated by Tang: “I think that it will be such an awesome opportunity to not only learn about Japanese culture, JapaKATIE WELCH/STAFF nese language, but just having more diversity in Asian languages offered more at Campo.” a lot of people together.” Japanese is a beautiful language in its pronunLas Lomas High School, another school in the ciation, vocal range, and the calligraphic style of Acalanes Union High School District, has been its written characters, as it belongs to a diverse offering Japanese for at least twenty years, accord- country, and it deserves a place in the curriculums ing to Mr. Schreiber, the retiring Japanese teacher of all California schools –especially Campo, and who has been at the school for six years. Tang also perhaps beyond. So if Las Lomas can offer it, shed some light on this as a Walnut Creek native. why can’t Campo too? As asserted by Patel, “Yes, “I used to go to Walnut Creek schools, so most of definitely!”
Social Media: Downfall of Sustainable Fashion BY ASHLEY PURCELL
When we think about fashion, we think about trends. With poodle skirts in the 50s to neon colors in the 80s, new styles are always coming and going. However, with the increase of social media use, these current fashions are changing far more rapidly than ever before. The amount of accessible information has escalated dramatically. You open Tiktok (or your social media of choice) and are immediately bombarded with influencers boasting the most recent “must-have” clothing item. And these trends have been cycling through at an alarming pace, earning the name “microtrends.” We need to focus on buying clothing that will be practical long-term. If not, the effects of this shortened trend cycle will be detrimental to our planet. Society needs to put its foot down and demand action. There is also a responsibility that comes with being a social media user– to not give in to these trends immediately. Influencers will continue to
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impact the fashion industry, but it’s in our control to prevent overconsumption. We need to refrain from clicking “add to cart” at every link. Microtrends are also in motion due to our dependence on other people for advice. According to the 2021 Nielsen Trust in Advertising study, “71% of consumers trust advertising, opinions and product placements from influencers.” So basically, if an influencer declares a trend is over, the trend is over for their audience. This means that clothing companies are constantly trying to keep up and stay relevant. This is where “fast fashion” comes into play. Big companies pay as little as possible to produce clothing that makes the most profit. They use cheap fabrics such as polyester, nylon and synthetic fabrics. Campolindo environmental club copresident Ella Dunn explained, “Clothing brands that thrive off this constant influx of trends make their clothes out of non-environmentally friendly materials.” These materials are called “microfibers.” They are essentially made from plastic, which doesn’t ‘biodegrade’ or break down naturally in the en-
vironment. These tiny fibers are released into our oceans, which contributes to pollution. According to Vivian Tolajian, the other environmental club co-president, “Fabrics that aren’t biodegradable, like polyester, end up as a form of plastic pollution that is just as detrimental as things like water bottles [and] shopping bags.” An ACS Publications reveals unbiodegradable fibers are released into the water when washed and into the air we breathe when worn. As a society, we need to stop listening to everything influencers say and buying whatever is trendy at the moment. It is imperative that this overconsumption stops as soon as possible. To help stop the problems caused by fast fashion, buy things that will last many years. Shop at brands that have decent quality goods and are environmentally friendly. Social media is not going away anytime soon. However, through a little self-control we can focus on being mindful, and buying more sustainable clothing. This way, when your new pair of shoes falls out of style within weeks, the earth doesn’t suffer the consequences.
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SPORTS
Fall Sports Recaps
Football
Record: 7-3-1 Best Moment of the Season: Beating Acalanes The Campolindo varsity football season started with low expectations, but ended in high drama. The team set the pads down after their 38-31 overtime playoff loss to San Ramon Valley (SRV) on November 10th. The Cougars came a long way this season. SB Live predicted in a preseason ranking the Cougars would finish 17th in the North Coast Section. By November, they were ranked 5th. “I think we shocked a lot of people,” said senior offensive lineman Owen Fitzmaurice. The Cougars were moved up to Division 1 before the season. This meant competing for a playoff spot with football powerhouses like De La Salle, Pittsburg, and SRV. Campo ended the regular season with a miraculous win at Acalanes. The Cougars came back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win the game. That was just one of this season’s incredible comebacks, the last of which ended in heartache. Against SRV, Campo was down 21-0, then battled to a lead in the fourth quarter. Ultimately, the game, and the season, ended with SRV’s overtime touchdown. -Harrison Fuller
KATIE WELCH/STAFF
Girls Volleyball
Record: 18-14 Best Moment of the Season: Win against Carondelet H.S. The girls volleyball season has come to a close, but in the words of senior captain Rachel Andre, the team found success in “trusting
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[themselves] and not worrying about those who doubted [them].” Despite losing many skilled seniors from the year before, the 2023 players faced a number of challenging opponents and were able to qualify for state. Other senior captain Hanna Bjornson said, “not many people had high expectations for us…so upsetting Carondelet was definitely exciting.” The team managed to hold on to the league title and placed 3rd in NCS. Even though the team didn’t make it very far in state, Andre said, “[She’s] very proud of how they came together as a team.” She added, “[The girls] grew super close throughout the season, which translated into wins on the court.” From beating Acalanes to excelling in tournament play, team chemistry and an uplifting atmosphere was key to the team’s achievements. -Molly Stephens
Girls Golf
Record: 4-4 Best Moment of the Season: Stomping the Mats
Despite being a smaller Campo athletic program, girls golf had a great season of incredible individual performances. Senior captain Daisy Artist said, “the girls did very well…many of them broke the WPP.” This feat requires athletes
to score under 50 in a single match. After a few wins, the team also made it to the championship match this season. Being a smaller program, the team became close over the course of the season. Junior Sierra Hack said, “Even though [she] was new to the team, she felt included by the other players.” For players like Hack, this positive environment allowed players to reach their fullest potential. Artist added, “beating Miramonte was one of [her] favorite moments.” This particular match put the team’s promising young talent on display, making the future of the program look bright. -Molly Stephens
Girls Tennis
Record: 12-10 Best Moment of the Season: Getting 4th at the Golden State Classic The girls varsity tennis team had a great 2023-2024 season, packed with many wins and a truly bonded team. The team secured their 6-4 league record with wins including San Ramon Valley, College Park, and Las Lomas. Another successful moment that proved the team’s strength was getting 4th place out of 32
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hurt team chemistry, but for the Cougars it helped them bond. Senior Shea Volkmer said, “I am really proud of not only how we competed but how everyone grew closer throughout the season.” Despite all the pressure, the Cougars dominated, finishing 1st in every race until state. Volkmer led the way for the Cougars, finishing 1st in all 3 DAL meets along with receiving 1st team NCS honors. Two other runners received NCS recognition, as senior Kate Kabenina made the 2nd team and senior Daisy Penny was an honorable mention. The Cougars’ win at NCS was their best, having four runners finishing in the top 10, along with it being the 20th NCS title for the school. Overall, another great season for this highly decorated Campolindo cross-country program. -John Weaver
Boys Water Polo
Record: 17-12 Best Moment of the Season: Shutting out San Ramon Valley
SEBASTIAN WHITFIELD/STAFF teams on the first day of the Golden State Classic tournament. With a varsity record of 12-10, the team had many successful moments including one of the best moments of the season, beating 8-1 Acalanes. To build a bond within the team, senior captain Jamie Kelly said “For team building, we paired each senior with a junior/underclassman on the team to be ‘sisters.’” These pairs would get each other their favorite food or drink before every game. Kelly further explained that the team had “frequent team dinners and trips to Tangelo after practices.” Although the team faced hard competitors like Miramonte and Northgate, Kelly said that the “season this year was super fun.” -Ashley Purcell
Boys Cross Country
Record: 2nd in NCS/2nd in DAL/15th in State Best Moment of the Season: Going to State
Going into this year the expectations for a dominant Campolindo Cross country team remained at an all-time high after finishing 2nd in the state the year prior. After the departure of 3 collegiate level runners from the 2023 class, less experienced runners would have to make big
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leaps for the team to succeed. Luckily for the Cougars, race in and race out they stepped up. Sophomore Cody De La Cruz provided excellent support behind senior Alex Thomasson, breaking his course record by over 3 minutes in the Rough Riders Invitational in Fresno. Another standout underclassman was freshman Clark Gregory, who finished in 3rd place at NCS and had the fastest freshman time between all 5 divisions. The boys fell just short in NCS along with DAL, finishing 2nd in both races. Although they might not have won NCS or DAL, it was an overall good season as they competed well in every single race. Thomasson said, “I really think we competed well this year and I’m excited with the freshman class and where they will go.” -John Weaver
Girls Cross Country
Record: 1nd in NCS/1nd in DAL/2nd in State Best Moment of the Season: Winning NCS After winning state and going to Nationals in 2022, expectations couldn’t be higher for Campolindo’s girls XC team going into the 2023 season. These high expectations can
As the boys varsity water polo neared the end of their season, they went to the finals ranked 1st in the D2 CIF Norcal Championships. The team dominated State and beat Buchanan in finals 14-12. In NCS, they finished 4th in a very competitive division. The team earned a strong 17-12 record through victories over Acalanes, San Ramon Valley, and Las Lomas. Senior captain Dante Vattoune recalled his favorite accomplishment from this year, “The best moment of my season was shutting out SRV 8-0.” After losing the 9 seniors who helped the team succeed in 2022, many questioned the success of the team. However, they defied these assumptions and continued to triumph, despite the severe loss of players. This season’s team had an assortment of players, including 7 seniors, 8 juniors, 3 sophomores, and 4 freshmen. Vattoune was appreciative of the team he got to close out his high school career with, “I’m most proud of how our team unified at the end of the season and overcame many challenges.” After working hard in and out of the pool all fall, the work paid off. -Brooke Maher
Girls Water Polo
Record: 21-8 Best Moment of the Season: Going to the State Finals Girls varsity water polo created a legacy for themselves in their 2023-2024 season. Dominating the pool with an average of 13.4 goals a game and 273 goals in total, the team successfully took down teams including Acalanes, Carondelet, and Las Lomas. The girls finished 2nd in the NCS Open Division, further exhibiting their strength and success as a team. The team headed to the CIF State finals and finished second in a tough game against Miramonte. The girls built this powerhouse team through bonding. Senior captain London Menard’s favorite memory from her 2023-2024 season was the “varsity retreat”. This tight-knit team could be seen conducting spirit days, morning practices, and team dinners. The team recently played Sacred Heart Prep, which had beaten Campo in recent years. However, in the CIF semifinals, the girls defeated them 10-9, securing their 21-8 record, the best record girls water polo has had in 5 years. After this season, seniors Menard and Ana Pieper are continuing their water polo careers at Santa Clara University and UCLA. -Brooke Maher
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SPORTS
FALL NLI COMMITMENTS CAPTURING CAMPOLINDO’S ATHLETES THAT WILL TAKE THEIR TALENTS TO THE NEXT LEVEL
BY HARRISON FULLER
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SEBASTIAN WHITFIELD/STAFF
Fall Signing Day Marks Important Milestone for Athletes BY ERIN MCDONALD On November 8 in the quad, 14 athletes were celebrated during lunch for NCAA’s National Fall Signing Day. All of these student-athletes officially signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to a school that is a part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Campo hosts two of these ceremonies each year, one in the fall and one in the spring, to honor the many prestigious athletes who participate in Campo athletics. The quad was packed with students and families supporting these athletes as they made their official decision to take their sport to the collegiate level. The ceremony is coordinated by Athletic Director Ray Meadows and hosted by leadership, with juniors Luke McLeod and Avery Jules announcing this year. McLeod and Jules started off the ceremony by giving a brief introduction of the event, and then one by one introducing each of the athletes.
“I think it’s important to recognize everyone’s athletic success because a lot of work gets put into the process.” Each athlete had the chance to express their gratitude for the people who have helped them on their journey and allowed them to reach this impressive level in their sport. The speeches were heartfelt and even comedic at times, as the students reflected on their past four years with Campo athletics. “I loved hearing everyone’s speeches and athletic achievements. It was really cool to see what everyone said,’’ senior Ali Maguy said. Maguy officially committed to Brown to play Division 1 (D1) tennis during the ceremony.
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While this signing day is an important milestone marking these athletes’ commitments, it is also an important event to recognize all the hard work and dedication these athletes have put into their sports throughout the years. Senior Ana Pieper, who committed to UCLA for water polo, said, “I think it’s important to recognize everyone’s athletic success because a lot of work gets put into the process”. Campo Athletics works hard to create a community among athletes that is accepting and motivating. Celebrating all of their accomplishments together helps reinforce this community and gives a chance for all of the athletes to acknowledge each other’s achievements. “Seeing all of the athletes come together and just seeing where everyone is going was my favorite part of NLI this year. A couple even surprised me because I didn’t know where they were going, which was fun,” said senior Will Vranesh, who committed to Brown to play D1 water polo. “It is definitely special. I mean, you get to share this amazing memory with everyone and remem-
ber it through all the photos we got. It’s also just super cool to do it with your friends by your side,” said Vranesh. Athletes in attendance of the ceremony included: Graham Volk (Wabash College), Joey Cecchin (Fordham), Hanna Bjornson (Oregon), Meliana Calica (Westmont), Whitney Wilkalis (University of the Pacific), Abby Shang (Villanova), London Menard (Santa Clara University), Ali Maguy (Brown), Ana Pieper (UCLA), Charlotta Bell (Stanford), Shea Volkmer (Colorado State), William Vranesh (Brown), Haley Richards (Louisville), and Dante Avicolli (Southwestern University).
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SPORTS
Winter Sports Season Previews impact include junior Sean Mungunshagai, senior Holden Anderson, and junior Levi Olson. A win over Acalanes is all they have to do to make this season a winner. Even so, we don’t think they will compete for the league or NCS. -John Weaver
Wrestling:
Record Prediction: 6-0 (League), 1st in DAL
THOMAS BERG/ STAFF
Boys Basketball:
Girls Soccer
After a half-decade of dominance in DAL, Campolindo’s well of high-level talent has dried out. The departure of the 2023 trio of Shane O’Riley, Logan Robeson, and Clay Naffziger, will force many players with little varsity experience to step up. With this, it is up to senior Dylan Mansour to lead this rebuilding program throughout the year. Year after year, new players have provided pivotal contributions to Coach Steven Dyer’s system, so we expect nothing different this year. Some players that are expected to take bigger roles along with hopefully providing larger contributions are guards junior Ren Marchetti and senior Landon Fly and senior center Tim Smith. Even so, this is Clayton Valley’s league to lose, and we expect them to win the league handily with Campolindo finishing 2nd. Lastly, the Cougars have the coaching and winning culture to stay competitive even against more talented players. -John Weaver
Coming off a stellar 12-6-4 season, where they came one game away from reaching the North Coast Section Division 3 championship, the Campo girls soccer team has much to prove this year. Their team has been completely shaken up since last year. Just under half the players from last year’s team either graduated or left for other schools. Regardless, the girls always manage to do better than the boys team as of late. They will have to rely on their strong junior class, with players like Mylie Jacquet and Julia Whitney. We know this team can win games, so the question becomes: “By how much?” -Harrison Fuller
Record Prediction: 18-8, 2nd in league
Girls Basketball:
Record Prediction: 13-13 The girl’s basketball team had a rough season in 2022-2023, going 9-17 and only winning one league game. Since the pandemic, this team has struggled to regain successful play, only winning 3 league games. Luckily for the program, a new coach has been hired, Doug Cardoni, so hopefully he can turn this program around into a team that competes for the league every single year. That said, an immediate turnaround to league champs seems blindly optimistic, but improvement is almost 100% guaranteed. -John Weaver 26
Record Prediction: 12-3-1
With head coach Phil Freeman going into his 3rd year coaching wrestling at Campo, the team looks to improve on last year’s 2nd place finish in the division. The team has only lost 1 League Dual Meet over Coach Freeman’s career and I think that they will continue the hot streak. The team is solid on the boy’s side, only losing 1 senior from last year, Chase Yang, the team’s captain for the 2022-23 season. They boast wrestlers like senior Gavin Juni, this year’s captain for the boys, who had a 9-5 win-loss record individually last year. The girls side is stacked with talent as well. Senior Piper Lalli, who placed top-10 in NCS last year, is a co-captain for the girls. Junior Isabel Zabronsky, who qualified for state last year, will unfortunately be off the mat for the entire season with a torn ACL, but Coach Freeman is still confident in his team’s ability to dominate this season. “I think we’re the best team around here. More often than not, we’re gonna get it done.” -Harrison Fuller
Boys Soccer
Record Prediction: 8-10-2 Since 2019, Campolindo boys soccer has yet to be truly competitive, only winning 4 games each year in the last 3 seasons compared to nearly 20 in 2018-2019. This might be the year they get over the hump, but that will only come with massive improvements in almost every area. Last year they scored 17 goals and allowed in more than double that (40 goals). Players who should have some big
THOMAS BERG/ STAFF
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BY KATIE WELCH (SHE/HER)