The Lowell Newsmagazine April 2024

April 2024

SHATTERING THE STIGMA

THELOWELL .ORG ONLINE E XCLUSIVES

CardinalBotics advances to a Texas tournament

by Miyabi Yoshida

PHOTO COURTESY OF JADEN AL-AIDROOS

PHOTO BY GARVIN KWONG

Bringing political disillusionment into focus

By Zane Wilcox

2024 Spring Spirit Rally

By Garvin Kwong, Alex Mangot, and Ryan Njuguna

PHOTO BY GARVIN KWONG

ILLUSTRATION BY YUE YI PENG

Speaking up for myself

By Sasha Hung

@THELOWELL

The Lowell February 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS The grading gamble

News Editors Isadore Diamond Sierra Sun

INFOGRAPHICS

Opinions Editor Tatum Himelstein

The caffeine craze

COVER

Shattering the stigma

NEWS FEATURE

A troubling trend: Investigating the break-ins at Lowell

MULTIMEDIA What’s in your bag?

COLUMN

From bawling to balling

MEDIA REVIEWS Happy Together The House

Columns Editor Ramona Jacobson Brooke Laur Sports Editor Roman Fong Multimedia Editors Kylie Chau Lauren Kim Ava Rosoff Art Manager Danica Yee Reporters Cecilia Choi Amalie Cimala Eliah Choi Dakota Colussi Diego Gutierrez Thomas Harrison Casey Holman Eliza Howard Sasha Hung Max Lewellen Kai Lyddan Ben McDonell Alina Mei Hayden Miller

Serena Miller Noah Muchowski Sia Terplan Zane Wilcox Nellie Zakharov Photographers Imaan Ansari Danah Aroonchaipirom Katharine Kasperski Garvin Kwong Lucas Larson Sydney Lee Alex Mangot Dahlia Myers Ryan Njuguna Illustrators Mika Catangay Joey He Charon Kong Alisa Kozmin Yue Yi Peng Emily Yee Business Managers Isabella Chan Primo Pelczynski Web Manager Katharine Kasperski Social Media Managers Maya Murakami Miyabi Yoshida

SPREAD DESIGN BY PRIMO PELCZYNSKI

02 04 06 12 18 22 24 25

EDITORIAL

Editors-in-Chief Kylie Chau Roman Fong Sierra Sun

Researchers Maren Brooks Anita Luo Advisor Eric Gustafson

SATIRE

Letter from a lovesick arsonsist

FRONT COVER GRAPHICS BY DANICA YEE AND DANAH AROONCHAIPIROM

The Lowell April 2024

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Editorial

I

THE GRADING GAMBLE

magine two Lowell students with different teachers are both taking Algebra 1. They quickly realize their grades have become a reflection of their teacher’s name rather than their level of effort — one easily achieves an A grade with hardly any homework, while the other is overloaded with projects and pop quizzes. How is this fair? They wonder. Although Lowell students often take the same courses, their grades for the same level of work greatly vary based on the teacher they take it with.

These grade discrepancies often result from drastically different policies on late work, test curves or corrections, and amount of homework. Lowell administration must implement schoolwide standards on grading policies like late work and extra credit, while teachers of the same course must ensure an equal workload for their students.

While some may argue that standardized class policies and assignments strip teachers of the freedom to follow their own teaching styles, teachers would still have broad control over how to present the content they teach. Today, teachers already follow the same state standards or Advanced Placement (AP) unit content, but they are still able to present the material in their own unique way. For example, AP Psychology teachers use different anecdotes or video examples to explain concepts while still teaching the same material and utilizing the same tests.

Courses with more unified class policies lead to fairer learning. AP Environmental Science (APES) teachers have successfully implemented a model for what a shared standard curriculum could look like across Lowell. APES instructors share the same slideshows and Google Classroom for students across all classes to know what to expect while also making the day-to-day lives of teachers less stressful.

If more classes adopted a single shared curriculum like the one seen in APES, it would make grades a better representation of student performance.

In addition, teachers must align their class policies for

late work. Some teachers allow for late work to be turned in until the end of the grading period, while others will not accept work that is even a single day late without an excused absence note. As a result, two students can turn in an assignment late, and one student will receive full credit while the other receives a zero for the same work. This is unfair to students in the class as they receive a significantly lower grade for the same work.

The frequency and difficulty of assignments can also vary dramatically between teachers of the same course. Some social studies teachers assign dozens of pages of readings and notes, while others assign no homework, only asking students to study or complete work they didn’t finish in class. These varying workloads may seem insubstantial when considering a single course, but when a student has several teachers who assign greater workloads than other instructors of the same course, the negative effects on a student’s grades compound.

Test correction and curving policies must also be consistent to ensure fairness for students’ grades. For example, two students who get the same number of correct answers on an identical test could end up with vastly different final scores. While some teachers offer generous curves and opportunities for test corrections to earn back a majority of points lost, others don’t believe in extra credit and apply little to no curve to difficult tests. This is yet another example of how inconsistent grading policies result in grades that say more about which teacher a student had than how well the student learned the course content.

Lowell’s administration, department heads, and teachers all have a role to play in ensuring that students taking the same course have an equal opportunity to succeed through fair and equitable grading policies. By standardizing grading policies and difficulty of assignments, students will have an equal chance at success in their class, and their grades will better reflect their effort and understanding of the course, not the policies and difficulty of their teacher.

Lowell’s administration, department heads, and teachers all have a role to play in ensuring that students taking the same course have an equal opportunity to succeed through fair and equitable grading policies.

The Lowell is published by the journalism classes of Lowell High School. All contents copyright Lowell High School journalism classes. All rights reserved. The Lowell strives to inform the public and to use its opinion sections as open forums for debate. All unsigned editorials are opinions of the staff. The Lowell welcomes comments on school-related issues from students, faculty and community members. Send letters to the editors to thelowellnews@gmail.com. Names will be withheld upon request. We reserve the right to edit letters before publication.

The Lowell is a student-run publication distributed to thousands of readers including students, parents, teachers, and alumni. All advertisement profits fund our newsmagazine issues. To advertise online or in print, email thelowellmanagement@gmail.com.

Contact us: Lowell High School 1101 Eucalyptus Drive San Francisco, CA 94132, 415-759-2730, or at thelowellnews@gmail.com.

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The Lowell April 2024

Cartoon

THE SENIOR STRUGGLE

ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY YEE

From the editor Dear readers of The Lowell,

Sincerely, Kylie Chau, Roman Fong, and Sierra Sun Editors-in-Chief, The Lowell

ACCOLADES NSPA Pacemaker Top 100 2018 NSPA Pacemaker Finalist 2011 & 2014 NSPA Online Pacemaker 2012 NSPA Print Pacemaker

2007 & 2011 NSPA All-American 2009 NSPA First Class Honors 2007 NSPA Web Pacemaker 2007 CPSA Gold Crown The Lowell April 2024

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SPREAD DESIGN BY KYLIE CHAU

As the spring semester unfolds, we have been thrilled to integrate our new reporters into the publication. Their dedication and hard work have been truly inspiring, as they have already published their very first articles. From sophomore Sasha Hung’s column, “Speaking up for myself,” to freshman Eliza Howard’s column, “Healing through creativity,” a bright future is ahead for the publication.

At this juncture in the semester, we are laying the groundwork for the future leaders of The Lowell. Last month, we began selecting assistant editors and held a pitching session for staff members to explain why they would like to fill an editor’s shoes and how they hope to further their commitment. It was inspiring to see a new generation of staff stepping up to the plate, ready to carry forward this publication’s legacy. Looking to next fall, staff members will elect our successors, your future editors-in-chief, and new faces will be welcomed to this beloved team — from business managers to illustrators.

With just one more magazine to go before we pass the torch, we acknowledge the nearing end of our journey with a bittersweet yet optimistic sentiment.

INFOGRAPHICS AND DATA

THE CAFFEINE CRAZE

INFOGRAPHICS BY MAREN BROOKS, ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHARON KONG

For some Lowell students, drinking caffeine is a necessary means to get through the school day; for others, it’s a way to explore new flavor combinations and coffee shops. In March 2024, The Lowell conducted a survey consisting of 216 students who shared their caffeine habits.

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The Lowell April 2024

SPREAD DESIGN BY KYLIE CHAU

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The Lowell April 2024

SHATtering the stigma

SPREAD DESIGN BY KATHARINE KASPERSKI

By Sierra Sun and Sia Terplan

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The Lowell April 2024

ILLUSTRATIONS BY EMILY YEE

Students speak out on their experiences with slut-shaming, a stigmatized problem, both in society and Lowell.

The Lowell April 2024

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COVER

E

mma, a junior under a pseudonym, dashes through the hallway to get to her next class. Approaching the classroom, she hears a group of boys trailing behind her, including a previous romantic partner.

“She’s a slut,” one of the boys whispers under his breath. Emma’s heart immediately drops, tears welling in her eyes. As the herd of snickering boys parade past her, the scarlet letter that was stamped on her back left her with a burning sensation of disbelief and alienation for the rest of the week.

sexual double standards. The problem is only being exacerbated by evolving online slang, increasing social media usage, and the stigmatization of victims who speak out. Despite Lowell’s Wellness Center making attempts to ensure students’ comfort and safety, the issue remains prevalent.

The etymology of the term “slut” runs deep into the veins of history and societal standards. According to Leora Tanenbaum, a feminist researcher and author of I Am Not a Slut: Slut-Shaming in the Age of the Internet, it was first coined as the term “sluttish” during the late fourteenth century and was used to describe a man that is dirty.

“Then the word shifted at around 1450. It became a noun,” Tanenbaum said in an interview with The Lowell. “The gender association also changed, as it became a synonym for a woman of loose character and somebody who was too sexually forward and inappropriately sexual.” Since the beginning of the usage of the term “slut,” Tanenbaum explains that people have shamed others’ sexual freedom as a way of policing their agency. Perpetrators of this form

“It makes me upset because I know that he doesn’t get the exact same treatment that I do.”

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MIKA CATANGAY

of harassment often believe in the “concept or mindset that if you’re a slut or a hoe, you have done something on purpose, that is wrong,” said Tanenbaum. It follows the idea that having intentionality behind committing a sexual act implies “that people shouldn’t have empathy for them because they deserve it.”

The gender discrepancy in how people are treated for their sexual At Lowell, incidents of peoactivity is troubling for some students. ple, especially women, being shamed Tanenbaum notes that “boys and men for their perceived sexual activity aren’t are expected to be sexually active even isolated to students like Emma. in an uncontrolled manner because Slut shaming is defined as the that’s what it means to be masculine, harassment of another but when girls and women person for their physical Have you or someone you know been slut shamed? behave exactly the same appearance or sexual hisway, they are punished tory being inappropriately Data from a random sample of 193 students who responded and judged harshly.” For to a March 2024 survey conducted by The Lowell. provocative. As Lowell has Emma, this double stangarnered a reputation for dard has allowed for her excelling in academics and actions to be shamed but subverting from the nornot the other party inmative high school social volved, the male countersetting, many students may part. “It makes me upset find their peers being slut because I know that he shamed an oddity. Howdoesn’t get the exact same ever, a March 2024 survey treatment that I do,” she conducted by The Lowell of said. She believes that al20 randomly selected registhough she may engage in tries revealed that 57.5 persexual activity with anothcent of students have expeer person, the only person rienced or know someone who is described as “diswho has experienced being gusting” is her, contrary slut shamed. Students such to the guy who is praised as Emma have been subject as a “player.” This occurs to its subsequent harms, because “women are not from victim blaming to The Lowell April 2024 8

weary of their clothing choices. Juvara grew up learning that women should self-regulate how they present themselves to mitigate their chances of being objectified. “I was raised with the concept that crop tops are ‘asking for it,’ so every time I would wear a crop top, I

“At the end of the day, it’s not just a joke.” would internalize that,” she said. Over time, Juvara’s self-esteem and confidence dwindled as a result of receiving constant judgment. “I began blaming myself for the way I dressed, even if there was nothing showing, just because I didn’t have a flat chest,” Juvara said.

Echoing the sentiment, Carew is careful to not wear revealing clothes in school to prevent being slut shamed. “I know that if I wear a low-cut top, I am going to be catcalled, and in class, people are going to look down,” she said. “I don’t wear short shorts to school, and I will rarely wear skirts.”

Although slut shaming is almost always targeted at women, non-binary, or queer individuals, heterosexual men are not immune to these incidents.

Senior Diego Miller, who has experienced students at school calling him a “slut” and “ w h o r e ,” describes the transmission of these rumors as misconstrued. Miller believes slut shaming happens to both men and women, but men are typically off the hook when they are the perpetrator. “I think it goes pretty both ways now, but I think it’s still definitely heavier on the girl’s side, so The Lowell April 2024 9

“They thought that I was a trashy person for an experience that was not even consensual... I felt so much guilt.”

SPREAD DESIGN BY TATUM HIMELSTEIN

after hearing false accusations about her perceived sexual behavior. When hanging out with a former boyfriend and his friends, one of them told the group, “The only thing that’s been passed around more than a blunt is Scarlett.”

As she looked around to see that every person in the circle, including her boyfriend, was laughing at the joke, Carew was filled with both humiliation and guilt. “It really made me feel like nothing,” she said. “I played it off because I didn’t want to make it seem like it was bothering me.” When she confronted her boyfriend at the time, he expressed that calling his friend out for what he viewed as a hilarious joke was unnecessary. “But at the end of the day, it’s not just a joke,” C a r e w said. “That shit hurts. I went home feeling like shit about myself for a while because I thought it was completely fine that the person I was in a relationship with dismissed me.” Despite feeling devalued by her partner, Carew lingered in this cycle of belitt lement for several more months, believing that she was to blame for what was said about her — another method of victim blaming that prompted her declining mental state.

Having faced a prevailing culture of women being hypersexualized, Carew and Juvara have, in turn, been

INFOGRAPHICS BY ANITA LUO

supposed to behave that way according to society’s presuppositions about our femininity, that girls and women are supposed to be minimally sexual,” Tanenbaum said.

Senior Patrick Smith has observed this double standard within his own experiences. “Slut shaming is definitely more negative towards women,” he said, recounting stories he had heard both online and from the women in his life. “For men, having more sexual experience is seen as more of a flex, while it is something women are often shamed for,” Smith said.

Emma agreed with this perspective, noting that if two students are both sexually active, “the girl will be seen as a slut, and the guy will be seen as cool.”

Targets of slut shaming or sexual assault often experience victim blaming, a distorted attribution of an event used to fault a victim instead of the perpetrator.

Tanenbaum describes it as a trauma response that many victims use to cope.

“It convinces girls and women who have been victimized that they are the ones who have done something wrong,” Tanenbaum writes in I Am Not a Slut.

Senior Caterina Juvara experienced victim blaming when friends of a student who assaulted her began falsely accusing her of being the instigator. “The person who traumatized me was praised, and his friends went around, and slut shamed me behind my back,” Juvara said. This took a toll on Juvara’s mental health, as she began to experience feelings of self-doubt and isolation. “They thought that I was a trashy person for an experience that was not even consensual,” she said. “It was really hard for me to deal with because I felt so much guilt.”

Senior Scarlett Carew suffered similar detriments to her mental health

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MIKA CATANGAY

there’s definitely misogyny there,” he said. “Boys get a lot more slack for it than girls do.” Still, Miller was hurt by the messages that were passed around.

“As a dude, I feel like people will expect you to accept it, but it still definitely affects you. It’s not something you can really accept with pride,” he said. “You kind of just feel dirty after hearing everything.”

Nowadays, the increased use of social media has only broadened the landscape for slut shaming. Tanenbaum,

“There’s just no physical escape. You cannot escape a reputation.” who began her research in the 1990’s, prior to the ascension of social media apps, notes how the amount of slut shaming that people endure now “has absolutely gotten worse.” Due to social media ensuring that almost every person has a digital footprint, “there’s just no physical escape. You cannot escape a reputation,” Tanenbaum said. Additionally, the ability to anonymously harass others online has given rise to social 10

The Lowell April 2024

media users partaking in anti-social talking about if we want to date a wombehavior such as slut shaming. “It’s an or not,” he said. so much easier now for bullies and Many victims of slut shaming harassers to be anonymous,” she choose not to speak out about their exsaid. “It was hard before social perience, fearing that their reputation media; now it’s so easy, and it may be tarnished. Sophomore Audrey brings out the worst in people.” Brogno believes that people who slut Carew, who has a social media shame others threaten their victim presence, has witnessed the into keeping quiet. “They’ll be like, ‘If prevalence of slut shaming you go and tell someone something, through the screen. “You I’ll tell everyone you’re a slut and that can see [photos] being sent you did this,’” she said. “And everyone around, people screenshot- always believes the guy because the guy ting it, and so many things is seen as in power.” Insinuating that ending up in group chats,” the public will trust a guy’s word as the she said. truth, Brogno feels that it is difficult for Additionally, the modern girls to confide in others without being slang of teenagers has expanded the called a liar. She also finds that girls will slut shaming lexicon. According to the be portrayed as “sensitive,” so anything same survey conducted by The Lowell, a victim speaks out about would not 96 percent of students have seen, heard, be considered “a big deal.” For Emma, or said the words “slut,” “whore,” “bop,” speaking out as being a victim means “ran through,” “thot,” or “hoe,” with over being labeled a “snitch,” a term that half of them encountering these terms denounces a person’s morality. People more than once a week. Tanenbaum be- who’ve been harassed would rather conlieves there has been a rise of demean- ceal their truth than be painted out as a ing vernacular against women. “There “messy” person, according to Emma. are all these other synonyms that we use Students such as Juvara and today. One that is notable is the word Brogno believe Lowell is not doing ‘hoe,’ which is an alteration of the word enough to address this issue. In the same ‘whore,’” Tanenbaum said. “The word survey conducted by The Lowell, 56.5 ‘hoe’ only really crept into our language percent of students believe that school quite recently, which came up How often do you hear, say, or see the words in the 1960s.” “slut,” “whore,” “bop,” “ran through,” “thot,” or The phrase “hoe”? “body count,” a m e a s u r e m e nt of the number of people that someone has had sex with, has also been widely perpetuated through social media.

Smith has noticed the frequency of the phrase being used when speaking about women. “Among Once every the guys I know, few weeks the term body 23.8% count comes up a lot when

How effective do you think school administrators/ counselors have been in preventing slut shaming or helping those who have been slut shamed?

dar because they don’t really care.”

While students feel that counseling support has been inadequate, Lowell Wellness’ Therapist Kim Banford assures that the program has made efforts to uphold student safety and comfort. Banford’s role is to emotionally support ongoing therapy clients and students visiting the Wellness Center who want to speak with someone. In the event of someone being bullied for their sexual identity or activity, Lowell therapists’ “general protocol is to first and foremost assess for physical and emotional safety, then validate the nuanced feelings about how folks feel that their sexuality is being j u d g e d ,” Banford said. The Wellness Center has also attempted to take preventative measures by partnering with Lowell’s Students Against Sexual Assault and Harassment

“If you slept with a lot of people or kissed a lot of people, it doesn’t make you less of a person. I wish people would stop using ‘slut’ in a derogatory sense.”

(SASHA) club during Sexual Health Awareness Week to promote healthy relationships. In response to students opposing their inaction, Banford states that Wellness is open to conversation and feedback from students on improving their ability to support them. “I’d be interested in further conversations on what feels helpful from students,” she said. “I think that folks deserve to feel supported in a big way and I think that probably takes a multidisciplinary team.”

As students walk down the hallways, the last thing they anticipate is to be called a “slut.” For Emma, the lack of productive conversation surrounding students being slut shamed has only made her increasingly disheartened. “It is so normalized to a point where I don’t really care about it that much,” she said.

“I just let time do its thing and move on, so a rumor about me will be in the past and there will be a new rumor about someone else.” Others, like Carew, believe that instead of glossing over the issue as a normalized subject, students should voice their experiences to destigmatize the topic.“If you slept with a lot of people or kissed a lot of people, it doesn’t make you less of a person, and I wish people would stop using ‘slut’ in a derogatory sense,” Carew said. “It is truly okay to seek out therapy or confide in a friend.”

The Lowell April 2024 11

SPREAD DESIGN BY TATUM HIMELSTEIN

administrators and counselors have been ineffective in preventing or helping those who have been slut shamed.

When Juvara went to the Wellness Center to vent about traumatic experiences and recurring nightmares, she made future plans for regular therapy sessions, only to be canceled on. “They canceled on me saying to sit tight, saying that they would reschedule a meeting and they never did,” she said. “So I felt really unsupported by that experience.” Similarly, Brogno believes that Lowell administrators and counselors don’t consider verbal harassment as tantamount to physical bullying.

“Some students can tell administrators what another student said about them, but they can look the other way and act like that didn’t happen,” she said. “So I don’t think slut shaming is a really big thing on their ra-

INFOGRAPHICS BY ANITA LUO

always believes the guy because the guy is seen as in power.”

Number of responses

“Everyone 1 being very poorly and 5 being very well

PHOTOILLUSTRATION BY GARVIN KWONG AND YUE YI PENG

Recent break-ins lead students to question school safety measures while administration works to address security gaps.

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The Lowell April 2024

A TROUBLING TREND:

INVESTIGATING THE BREAK-INS AT LOWELL

By Isadore Diamond and Max Lewellen

SPREAD DESIGN BY LAUREN KIM

The Lowell April 2024

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Feature

A troubling trend:

Investigating the break-ins at Lowell

By Isadore Diamond and Max Lewellen

O

ver the past few months, Lowell and the nearby Lakeshore neighborhood have experienced numerous break-ins, including incidents of damage and theft. As a result, the safety of the Lowell community has been under threat, and thousands of dollars in replacement costs have been incurred. In response to these events, Lowell’s administration has been working alongside the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) to investigate the crimes. With these break-ins raising student concerns regarding school security and the administration’s response to these events, the administration has reevaluated security measures and taken steps to prevent future break-ins.

This unprecedented series of events began in late January. On Jan. 22, the AP Environmental Science (APES) class’s garden was broken into; teacher Katherine Melvin found damage to the greenhouse and storage containers, including tools in disarray, and the entire bee colony destroyed. Later that same week, on Jan. 25, the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps’ (JROTC) storage container was broken into with its contents displaced, and a drum set was reported stolen. Additionally, that same week, the World Language building and both locker rooms were broken into and vandalized. Within just a month, more track storage containers were compromised, and one container was completely burned on the inside — showing signs of arson. On Feb. 24, Lowell softball players entering the girls’ locker room found a sleeping man. Then on Monday, Feb. 26, a woman was stopped by

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The Lowell April 2024

security after throwing eggs at various classroom windows, and most recently, on March 1, Lowell’s Robotics team had their arbor press taken from their storage container.

These events have rattled the campus community. Melvin was quick to note the psychological toll the breakins have begun to take on her, specifically from a standpoint of safety.

“I feel like all of us, especially me and PE and all of us who were directly impacted feel a little unsafe,” Melvin said. “You don’t know if you leave something at night if it’s going to be like that the next morning and that’s stressful.” Many students are also unsure about their safety on campus amid the increased break-ins. In a March 2024 survey conducted by The Lowell of 20 randomly selected registries, 31.4 percent of students feel unsafe being on campus. According to senior Kilala Mei, the break-ins have instilled anxiety in the school community because of their frequency over the past few months. “The school loses its purpose when security and safety are lost, and the students are alarmed constantly,” Mei said. “I do not feel safe as I used to after hearing about the incidents.”

Other students, like sophomore Henry Witt, feel safe being on campus but are growing concerned about the future of these safety threats. “When you think about people breaking into a school at night and even crates being lit on fire, it’s all unacceptable for a school to experience,” Witt said. “It seems to me like it’s just a matter of time until one of these ends badly, and we’ve just gotten

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOEY HE

“The school loses its purpose when security and safety are lost, and the students are alarmed constantly” off lucky so far.”

Assistant Principal Isaac Alcantar and Principal are aware of the emotional impact these incidents have had on the school. “People feel violated having their office space broken into,” Alcantar said. “It’s causing people to question our safety protocol and procedures, like whether or not there are holes or gaps in our safety and crisis protocol.”

The break-ins have impacted

“There’s been a recent crackdown on lanyards again and all doors are locked as mentioned before, but that hasn’t stopped intruders from making it on campus.”

The Lowell April 2024

SPREAD DESIGN BY ROMAN FONG

The APES garden experienced serious vandalism. According to Melvin, a standpipe was disrupted, flooding the greenhouse, and the skylight, doors, and door handles were broken off the storage container. The garden’s beehive, which was previously kept on the roof of the shed, was disrupted as well, ultimately killing the bees. “They did a lot of damage by breaking into the orange shed,” Melvin said. “It is no longer watertight so we can’t store anything in there, plus there’s no lock on it [now]. …I’m going to have to get a new replacement shed, I’m going to have to buy new tools, we have to buy new bees.” In addition to damage, Melvin reported that multiple tools for gardening and beekeeping were taken, some of which were later found about a mile off campus, but most of which remain stolen. “I figure maybe a couple hundred bucks worth of theft,” Melvin said. “It’s all awful.”

On the morning of Friday, Jan. 25, JROTC teacher Sergeant Stephen Hardee found that the program’s storage container had been broken into with its contents displaced and missing.

According to Hardee, a newly purchased drum set was stolen. A TV had been removed from the container but was left outside. The lock on the storage container had also been cut, rendering it unusable for a period of time.

On the other hand, some separate incidents that Lowell has experienced recently have left no damages or financial strain on the school. On Feb. 24, Lowell’s softball team arrived on campus for their Saturday practice and found an unhoused man sleeping in the girls locker room. The man was escorted off campus without incident, but the incident nevertheless increased concerns about campus security. Similarly, the incident on Feb. 26 in which multiple students witnessed a woman throwing eggs at classroom windows during the school day resulted in no damage.

The woman was quickly confronted by Lowell’s security and SFPD arrived the same day to re-

INFOGRAPHICS BY MAREN BROOKS

Lowell financially as well. The early breakins in January compromised many of the storage containers, resulting in locks having to be repeatedly replaced, according to Alcantar.

While these locks were easy to replace, later break-ins targeting the World Language building and the boys’ locker room resulted in expensive special-order windows and whole doors needing replacements.

According to Alcantar, damages to campus are “well into the $25,000 range.” However, he stated that with an understaffed and under-resourced buildings and grounds department, it is challenging to get these repairs done.

Damages have taken a toll on other parts of the Lowell community as well. According to track and field coach Andy Leong, replacement of materials due to the burned storage containers and prior theft will cost upwards of $20,000. However, since replacement will take time and track is currently in season, the program will have to pay for replaced materials, such as a new high jump crossbar, shovels, and rakes, out of pocket. “Right now it’s coming out of pocket of the track funds that we’ve gotten from different events,” Leong said.

According to Leong, with materials being replaced directly from the track team’s funds, they no longer have a budget for team transportation to different events.

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move the woman from campus. These events stand apart from other incidents of break-ins and vandalism as they did not create any new financial issues for Lowell Admin or leave any sustaining damages on campus.

Lowell administration has been working closely with the SFPD burglary unit and the Taraval Police station on

spread problem, it hasn’t been as quick to address the Lowell-specific break-ins as Admin had hoped. “The way this works is, unfortunately, once they’re finished with what they feel they can get from folks in this area, they will move on to another area,” Jones said. “It’s very challenging getting the police on campus, sometimes two or three calls to get a response.” When the initial break-ins

able for further comment.

In response to the January break-ins, Jones coordinated with the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to hire a private security firm to provide overnight security. The private security firm is meant to patrol all district schools after hours. Two roving units are responsible for ensuring the security of SFUSD’s 150 facilities. Ac-

Kevin Nestor, the officer leading the investigation along with SFPD’s burglary unit told The Lowell that he was “working hard to solve [Lowell’s] case” but would not be available for further comment.

investigating these incidents. However, Alcantar noted that police responsiveness has been inconsistent. According to Jones, one reason for this is the fact that the break-ins haven’t just been impacting Lowell, but occurring across the entire Lake Merced area. Because the SFPD is dealing with this more wide-

to the various storage containers were reported, the police didn’t come. According to Alcantar, he wasn’t able to get in touch with police until two days later, when they arrived to investigate a break-in at Lakeshore. Kevin Nestor, the lead officer assigned to Lowell’s case

by SFPD’s burglary unit told The Lowell that he was “working hard to solve [Lowell’s] case”, but would not be avail-

cording to Jones, Admin has been coordinating with the district and SFPD to increase security in the window of 12am to 4am when the campus is “most vulnerable.”

Despite these actions, however, some students and parents remain concerned about campus security. To address both student and parent concerns, Jones organized a town hall meeting on

Timeline of Incidents on Campus

Photos by Alex Mangot, Imaan Ansari, Kylie Chau, courtesy of Yue Yi Peng and Alisa Kozmin JROTC storage container broken into + drum set stolen

Jan 21: Numerous storage containers compromised

Damage to the garden: Cut fence, greenhouse broken-into, and bee colony destroyed

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The Lowell April 2024

March 5th to address the safety threats and to provide transparency to parents and other concerned members of the Lowell community. Jones discussed current security implementations, such as the lanyard policy, which requires students and staff to possess school-issued lanyards and their IDs whenever passing through the five designated entrances. Additionally, funding from the Parent Teacher Student Association and Lowell Alumni Association has allowed Lowell administration to respond to the recent break-ins by increasing the number of security guards on campus.

Since these break-ins first occurred, Lowell’s security team has reached eight members – the ideal number of security guards suggested by SFUSD. Some students still feel like there could be more done by the school in terms of safety. Mei was surprised the break-ins occurred, considering the ID and lanyard policy to be well-enforced.

However, students like Witt believe the security measures in place, such as the IDs and lanyards aren’t as useful as they are meant to be. “There are a lot of security measures, but they don’t seem to be working,” Witt said. “There’s been a recent crackdown on lanyards again

and all doors are locked as mentioned before, but that hasn’t stopped intruders from making it on campus.” Similarly, senior Carson Mayer, who has also noticed the recent changes to security, questions its effectiveness in conjunction to the rising safety threats. “Security measures have been amped…, so I find it really strange that break ins are becoming a larger issue now,” he said.

“No disrespect to the security guards by the way, but it makes me wonder how effective Lowell really has been in increasing the security of the school.”

Jones also called for changes to district policy to enable the addition of armed School Resource Officers on Lowell’s campus. According to Jones, Lowell’s current lack of armed security personnel has been a source of concern for him, and he has previously made calls to arm Lowell’s current security on campus. “[Current security] isn’t armed, they don’t have mace, handcuffs, or a stick.” Jones also expressed concerns about Lowell’s seemingly outdated and/ or non functioning security systems, which have made it increasingly hard for administration to make progress in identifying those responsible for the break-ins and vandalism. “Sometimes

when the district’s servers are down, [Lowell’s] cameras go offline,” Jones said. Some students, however, such as senior Levi Kauffman, feel that armed guards may do more harm than good. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea arming the security guards. If you’re going to give them a weapon, that’s only going to increase the likelihood of them using it,” Kauffman said. “I think that’s far more dangerous and far more worrisome than anything related to the break-ins.”

While break-ins on Lowell’s campus have been both costly and concerning for many, the administration is hopeful that with the implementation of new policies and security, Lowell will stop experiencing break-ins. Staying optimistic about the future, Alcantar is glad that these recent incidents provided him with clarity on what security issues need refinement. “When weak spots or weak points show up, it’s an opportunity for us to improve,” he said. As for what students can do in the meantime to ensure campus safety, Alcantar views students’ collaboration with administration as the best solution. “If you see someone who doesn’t belong here, let us know, and we will address it. It needs to be a partnership,” Alcantar said.

Feb 13: Track storage container burned March 1: Robotics storage container broken into

Jan 27: World Language building vandalized and locker rooms broken into Feb 24: Man discovered sleeping in girls’ locker room Feb 26: Woman throwing eggs neutralized by security (Pictured) The Lowell April 2024

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MULTIMEDIA

What’s in your

Bag?

Students at Lowell are all carrying the burden of textbooks, folders, and notebooks in their bags, but what unique items do students carry that they simply cannot leave the house without?

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The Lowell April 2024

Why do you carry this item around with you?

- Eduardo Soriano, sophomore

SPREAD DESIGN BY DANICA YEE

“The knife belonged to my dad’s brother who died before I was born.

My dad used to always say that I was like him.”

PHOTOS BY KATHARINE KASPERSKI, ALEX MANGOT, AND DAHLIA MYERS

“I mainly play on the block days since we have more free time in classes. And also on the days like the rally days or Globefest when we’re like off class, I’m able to play for a while with them.”

-Tomoko Konami, senior

The Lowell April 2024

The Lowell March 2023

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“I never know when I’ll come across something that is worthy of a photo.”

- Rolf Cimala, senior

“So my friend gave me this [turtle keychain charm] after a bad junior year, where I got basically no sleep, so this is supposed to give me good health. And well, it’s keeping me alive.”

- Joseph Yuen, senior

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The Lowell April 2024

- Quin Getter, junior

The Lowell April 2024

The Lowell March 2023

SPREAD DESIGN BY DANICA YEE

- Amelio Vargas, “I put it in my pocket one day, I junior think it was for a test or something, for like good luck and now I just put it in my pocket everyday and I freak out if I don’t have it. I think it helps me do well in school, so I just whip it out be fore tests.”

PHOTOS BY KATHARINE KASPERSKI, LUCAS LARSON, AND RYAN NJUGUNA

“I got this in my bag for…you know, for when you need some distortion when playing my guitar. I got it for 50 bucks at the store and it works pretty well whenever I’m playing.”

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GRAPHIC BY LAUREN KIM, DANICA YEE, AND EMILY YEE

column

FROM BAWLING TO BALLING

By Brooke Laur

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The Lowell April 2024

I

t sounds simple, but I am a lot happier today because of my decision to reduce the amount of “sad” music I listen to, and it all started with my trip to Europe last summer.

Preceding my trip, I was often entrapped within the webs of my delicious sadness, a wonderful prison of longing and sulking. Before bed, I’d gleefully construct an elaborate trap of imaginary scenarios and calculate, one by one, all the ways in which I was failing to complete these magical scenes — my love life, my future, school interactions, and everything in between. This guilty pleasure of mine was always accompanied and exacerbated by the saddest music I could compile. Mitski, Lana Del Rey, Fiona Apple, and Jeff Buckley were a persisting soundtrack to my troubling imagination and reaffirmed the knotted pit that formed in my stomach each night before I went to sleep.

It began to feel like the sadness of the music affirmed my troubling thoughts.

column

of souvenirs, t-shirts, and gifts I brought back home with me. Most importantly, I brought with me a clearer state of mind.

From exploring genres such as house, techno, rap, and drill, I found that my mornings began with me looking in the mirror, ready to conquer the day.

My absorption of this music began to stir change within me. Confidence, which fostered my ability to be myself, led to a stronger sense of happiness. My parents and relatives noticed this change as well. They complimented me on how I appeared to be “lighter’’ and that my complexion seemed to be ‘more happy.’’ It was satisfying to know that the change I was feeling inside was

My absorption of this music began to stir change within me. Confidence, which fostered the ability to be myself, led to a stronger sense of happiness. also shining through and that those around me were taking notice.

Although I used to love songs by artists like Lana Del Rey, Mazzy Star, Boygenius, and My Bloody Valentine, I realized that they affected my mood too much. Maybe it’s my fault that I let myself be that affected, but with more upbeat, happier music in my life, I had the motivation and reassurance to make changes in my life, both mental and physical.

There will always be a time for this sad music, whether it be playing special songs that remind me of a certain time of my life or maybe ones that just fit a certain mood, but I know deep down there’s nothing like turning on a hype song and feeling absolutely — deviously — unstoppable.

The Lowell April 2024 23

SPREAD DESIGN BY AVA ROSOFF

The problem was, this nighttime ritual of mine wasn’t just an escapade I engaged in at night and left behind in the morning. As I listened to the music, it was easy for me to succumb to the delicate web of yearning lyrics and plucking guitar all throughout the rest of the following day. Phoebe Bridgers’ depressing lyrics went to school with me. Radiohead was waiting for me during passing period. And all the moments, all the days, in between that. It began to feel like the sadness of the music affirmed my troubling thoughts.

Although I hate to sound like your typical American, my trip to Europe transformed me. It wasn’t just the exotic food or narrow alleyways that piqued my interest. It was the music I discovered, too. Specifically: En La Discoteca, if you will. The first time I walked into a nightclub, I was com-

pletely enamored. The lights were flashing, the people were dancing, and the beat thumped at my very heartstrings.

I couldn’t even understand the words, really, and yet I knew that the magical sound, rhythm, and beat were meant for me to hear. I was converted to whatever techno religion that had all these people, including me, jumping up and down all night long — sweaty, silly, and enthralled with the rhythm of the night.

I knew from that very moment I would devote myself each day to the upbeat genre of “hype” music I was hearing for as long as I possibly could.

I was tired of the music I was listening to back home and the drowning feelings of sorrow and despair that followed. I especially couldn’t stand it in such an exuberant place as Europe. As a result, I decided to trash my entire music library and rebuild it from scratch upon a foundation of fast tempos, strong rhythms, and bright melodies. It was like I had been baptized within the sound waves of Europe and reborn into a life full of new hype music. No more were the melancholy playlists I was so used to indulging in.

As my Europe trip progressed, I noticed I was beginning to look in the mirror and feel a new, surging sense of confidence. With someone as convincing as Bad Bunny or Chief Keef powerfully rapping ‘’I’ve been balling so damn hard I swear I think that I’m Kobe,’’ I was beginning to think, Yeah, I have been balling so damn hard I swear I think that I’m Kobe! The songs I listened to became mantras that reverberated between my temples. Taking the music as a religious metaphor even further, my mantra (Chief Keef) allows the soul of Sosa to enter within me. The confident cadence, powerful bass, and hypnotic snare were all elements that pushed me to a clearer state of mind in which I was able to dwell on nothing. Absolutely nothing. It felt like the more I listened, the more I absorbed, and the more I was beginning to believe in the confidence and clarity exuding from artists and music from Kanye, Fred Again, M.I.A. to Chief Keef.

When I came home from my trip abroad, I unpacked my suitcase full

MEDIA REVIEWS

FILM: HAPPY TOGETHER

BY KYLIE CHAU

W

GRAPHICS BY ALISA KOZMIN

ong Kar-wai’s Happy Together, nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, tells the story of the tumultuous relationship between two gay lovers who leave their homeland of Hong Kong in search of a more fulfilling life. After moving to Buenos Aires, Argentina, stress stemming from emotional, cultural, and financial isolation causes tensions to build, leading to a ruthless cycle of breaking up and getting back together. Neither individual wants to let the other go, and both are too caught up in their issues to learn how to resolve their differences. Through the film’s contrasting characters and colors, Wong develops a unique depiction of longing.

The two leads couldn’t be more different. Ho PoWing (Leslie Cheung) is impulsive and charismatic, and is the turbulent side of their relationship. Lai Yiu-Fai (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai) is more secure and introspective, representing the stable side. As a result, their relationship is angry and ugly, with scenes of shouting and showing up at each others’ doorstep battered and inebriated. Conversely, there are moments of desire, where they hold each other in silence when together and cry when they are apart. Although they want each other, Ho and Lai know they are no good for each other.

Wong’s use of contrasting colors enhances this portrait of longing. He and Christopher Doyle, the movie’s cinematographer, showcase this in their filming. The first act is in black and white, accentuating the loss of connection between the two after their first on-screen breakup.

Then, during a moment of reconciliation, Ho suggests to Lai, “Let’s start over,” and brilliant colors are introduced. This manipulation of color allows the audience members to better understand the characters’ emotions without only depending on dialogue.

Happy Together is a painfully raw depiction of yearning that feels realistic to the shifting dynamics of love.

The chemistry between the lead actors is immense, with years of pain, tenderness, and conflict conveyed in a single glance.

The film’s combination of heartfelt dialogue and emotional cinematography speaks to the idea of the endless yearning for something we can’t have.

24 The Lowell April 2024

FILM: THE HOUSE

BY MAREN BROOKS

T

he House is a 2022 stop-motion anthology film made up of three parts, each featuring different characters and their fates within the titular house. The stories span three time periods across vastly different worlds, with two populated solely by anthropomorphic animals. While the narratives may seem unrelated at first, they are united by a clear underlying message, a warning of the horrific consequences of materialism. Through surreal storytelling and aesthetically disturbing imagery, The House conveys a sinister feeling of familiarity that sometimes verges on claustrophobic. However, The House’s concluding lesson of hope makes it a powerful modern fable in an era of overconsumption.

From its very first moments, The House’s strange but beautiful cinematography captures the audience’s attention, leaving them to watch in horror and awe as the protagonists and their intricate tableaus methodically unravel. Rather than relying on shock factor to create fear, the film’s team of directors build suspense through an unsettling atmosphere that steadily intensifies. In one story, a rat developer is driven to insanity by his fruitless attempts to sell a beetle-infested house to his judgemental clients, with the ominous setting slowly devolving to emulate his rapidly deteriorating mental state. Instead of using plot twists, each film builds to a predictable yet painfully unavoidable conclusion. The film’s fundamental message, that human connection is irreplaceable by physical possessions, transforms from the moral of the stories to a nearly inescapable truth.

In The House, materialism is a disease that fatally infects characters. Items like a fireplace or a rotisserie oven become objects of obsession that ultimately lead to the protagonist’s downfall. The film remarks on timely issues of overconsumption without relying on clichés by reducing characters to almost primal versions of themselves, equating mindless consumerism with animal instinct. Inhabitants of the house, person or animal, lose their humanity within its walls — made feral by their pursuit of material gain.

The House recalls classic cautionary tales of overconsumption, but provides a fresh and horrifying take that helps it feel original. The film is about losing oneself to material-driven greed, but allows for the hope of finding direction again. In The House’s absurd but tragically sympathetic characters, there are reflections of very real and human struggles, preventing a disconnect from forming between the film and the viewers. Just as the film’s House is not a home, no amount of material goods can fulfill a lack of meaning.

SATIRE

LETTER FROM A LOVESICK ARSONIST

BY CASEY HOLMAN

All content on The Lowell’s satire page is entirely fictitious.

References to real names, places, and events are solely used for satirical purposes, and any other resemblance is purely coincidental.

see your ad in the next issue of The

Lowell? Email thelowellmanagement@gmail.com The Lowell April 2024

SPREAD DESIGN BY RAMONA JACOBSON

Would you like to

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, IMDB

D

ear Lowell, I am simply distraught! The multitude of fire-related incidents occurring around our school persist, and yet the investigations are still unresolved. These latest incidents of arson were so blatant, too. It’s extremely alarming!

How am I supposed to sleep at night knowing that even with the trail of clues I’ve left for you, you have yet to notice me?

Forget roses and chocolates. I’ve found the perfect gift to declare my intentions — fire! What’s more mesmerizing than staring into a dancing flame? I really didn’t mean for it to get out of hand; it was only supposed to represent my burning passion. The demonstration worked perfectly. It left an impression, right? All things considered, property damage is a small price to pay for the beautiful spectacle of my heart fanning the flames of love into a dramatic blaze.

I’m no amateur. I’ve done my research! Every online article says that in order to catch someone’s eye, you should “be assertive” and “make bold strokes” in order to “build in-

terest.” So I took the boldest action I could think of: building a smoke bomb. But alas, even the explosive power of my desire for your attention wasn’t enough. You were so persistent in disregarding the tokens of my affection…

I find myself saddened by your response to my advances. I thought new love was something beautiful and bewitching, just like the flickering light of a candle. It seems, however, that my gifts continually go unappreciated.

Even my peers, who I expected would appreciate the artistry of my blazing gifts, have responded to my fires with alarm and condemnation. No one supports my vision these days! This utter betrayal has left me disheartened, like dying coals left to smother themselves in ash.

After all this effort, I still have yet to be apprehended.

My disappointment is as intense as an inferno, but my passion won’t be snuffed. Even after you put out all my little embers, I cling to hope. Maybe, when you receive this letter, you’ll hang it on your wall and frame it in beautiful red yarn like the great detectives used to. I’ll be waiting with bated breath for you to catch me.

Sincerely Yours, Your Secret Admirer

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LET’S GO CLUBBING *All answers exclude “Lowell” and “Club”

SPREAD BY ISADORE DIAMOND, CROSSWORD BY PRIMO PELZCYNSKY

Across 1. Avid Letterboxd fans ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALISA KOZMIN 3. The drippiest club 5. You may have noted this club when looking at your locker (abbr.)

Down 6. A very novel club 2. They play some fowl music 9. Produce something similar to what’s in 4. Fans of this very puzzle your hands right now 7. You don’t have to tell them twice to go 10. They have photos of all of us touch grass 12. Don’t pretend to be someone you’re 8. Knowledge isn’t the only thing brewing not--unless you’re in this club at this bacteria-based club 13. Let them cook.

11. Find them in the science buidling lobby 14. A band of scat enjoyers every day after school 17. A club for sour people 15. Country role-play 18. I yarn to join this club 16. Professional swordplay

Would you like to see your ad in the next issue of The Lowell? Email TheLowellManagement@gmail.com ##

The Lowell March 2023