Nov-Dec 2023

The Oak Leaf

Official Publication of Alameda High School

November-December 2023

CONTENTS 3

Diverse Cultures Celebrated at Unity Assembly

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A Night Under The Stars: Senior Banquet

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Senior Banquet Photo Gallery

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Book Review: Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

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What Did You Do Over Thanksgiving Break?

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AHS Loss In End-of-Season Pink-Out Game

13

Senior Athletes Share Their Thoughts

15

Students Gather for Annual Winter Assembly

17

Teacher Spotlight: Mr. Higashi on Teaching Style

19

Fun Facts About Alameda

21

Advice: Ask Buzzy

23

Winter Puzzles

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Halloween Puzzle Answers

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Our Team

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Cover Photo Credit: Emily Ye

Diverse Cultures Celebrated at Unity Assembly Written by Rowan Diener Photographs by Angelica Zhu The Unity Assembly is a tradition which celebrates the diversity of culture here at AHS, and which promotes our union as a community. It coincides with the “Rep Your Culture” spirit day, and so concludes with a fashion show. This year’s assembly on Nov. 17 included a wide variety of cultures and performances some familiar, and some brand new.

practicing right up until the day of the assembly. “I love Unity,” says Rebolledo. “I love my team and our crew.”

One of the newer acts was a demonstration of a traditional East Asian art the Lion Dance, as a collaboration between the

Vietnamese Student Alliance and Chinese Culture Club. Tim Phan, a senior, explains how “[the joint VSA and CCC] discovered that throughout the history of the Unity Assembly, there’s never been a Lion Dance, and…[it’s] such a big part of East Asian culture.”

Alameda High’s 1K Dance group performed to the song “Super” by the band Seventeen.

Derek Rebolledo, sophomore, explains that the song was chosen by a group vote.

“Super,” despite not being what one might consider a traditional cultural song, was included in the vote because it was “culturally related to Asian folklore.”

The group put in many hours of hard work, beginning choreography rehearsal in September and

The lions showcased in the Lion Dance

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He added that he felt like it was a missing puzzle that needs to be added into the Unity Assembly to make sure that all cultures are represented, and wanted to introduce that aspect to the student body.

Seeing as this was the first year such a dance has been performed at AHS, no small amount of consideration was put into planning it.

Phan was responsible for sourcing the elaborate costumes, gongs and drums, and organizing the choreography of the dance.

The elderly man also performed a number of impressive acrobatic stunts, occasionally interacting with the lions.

Aside from the unique cultural representation the dance provides, it was also a unifying experience for those involved, and promotes community. “It was fun to meet new people,” Jackson Babbitt, junior, remarks - prior to working on the dance, Phan was the only person in the group he’d really been acquainted with.

The red lion’s performers explain how this is symbolic of how we support each other in our community.

“It’s easy to be mean,” Zou adds, “so make sure to be nice.”

Another of the new performances was a collaborative effort among friends and members of the Black Student Union, and featured both traditional and contemporary West and East African dances.

The group put on the performance to “represent At one point in the dance, Black culture at our school, “I really give a shoutout to the red lion hoised the which is not represented at Tim for being such an elderly man character onto all…this is very, very integral part of all of this. its back.

This literally could not have happened without him, so big props to him for that,” Jackie Zou, also a senior, says.

Three central figures performed the dance - a gold lion, a red lion, and an elderly man. The lions ran down the aisles of the auditorium, stunning the audience, before leaping onto and all over the stage.

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heartfelt to us,” says Heran Girma. “Us being unified together and pulling those long hours after school and those SMART periods and lunch periods– it means a lot…we have that time to bond as a Black group of students. We usually never do, except for BSU, so I think it’s a very special time for us.”

“Right,” says senior Layla Robinson, “it felt good to actually be able to come together and have a safe space for Black students to connect.” The group’s choreographer was Halle Debretsion, a student who’s had experience with African dance since early childhood.

This year saw the return of a pair of piping and drumming brothers - Henry and Will Cooper. They played “Scotland the Brave” - a song commonly associated with Scotland and Scottish patriotism and two other snappier Scottish dancing tunes,

Siva Samoa, and those are just used to express our deep love for our culture and our heritage. They’re both performed at traditional Samoan whether The brothers have been gatherings, formal or informal.” playing for around six years, starting with their San Francisco-based pipe band - These were just a few of a a practice they picked up wide spread of acts many from their father, who also representing cultures, all performed plays the bagpipe. Henry started in sophomore year, with talent and hard-won at the request of a friend - skill. complete with modern Scottish formal wear. Henry plays the highland bagpipes, Will the Scottish drums.

he explains that this friend thought it was a “cool thing that shows culture and stuff like that,” and he was stoked to try. Henry has played in the Unity Assembly every year since, now accompanied by Will.

Another returning act was a group of students performing Samoan dances.

“Our first dance is called a Sasa,” Jade Ah Hing, senior, explains. “It's a fast-paced dance.

The majority of it is just hand movements, and it's supposed to depict the daily activities of village life. Our second dance is called a

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The rest may be found on the school’s Youtube channel, @alamedahigh9573 - we highly recommend you go and check it out!

Finally, as the last act finished, all of the performing students and a host of others gathered on the stage together, representing their respective countries and cultures. Many students chose more traditional styles of dress, but others still repped outfits with modern twists.

They shouted and jumped up and down with a vigor reflecting their pride.

A Night Under The Stars: Senior Banquet Written by: Tonia Chen Photographs by Emily Ye and other seniors The annual Senior Banquet is one of the most beloved events for seniors at Alameda High.

It is a part of a series of large-scale events in which the graduating class can make long lasting memories of their last year of high school. The Senior Class Committee planned the event. On Nov. 4 hundreds of seniors boarded the Commodore Cabernet Sauvignon, a luxury yacht, for the Senior Banquet.

Students gathered on the waterfront at Mariner Square to board the four-story yacht that set the stage for the event from 7:00pm to 11:00pm.

A crew of parent and staff chaperones checked in bags and maintained order among the students.

Once on board, the seniors could enjoy the captivating night sky and bright lights that accompanied the numerous activities available.

A highly anticipated part of the night is Senior Superlatives, in which students nominate and vote for seniors for each category of superlatives.

The winners are honored with a crown, and are featured in the senior video that follows this announcement.

“I watched these people grow up with me, so it was nice seeing everyone winning these superlatives,” said Leslie Ramos, who won Most Artistic.

The Student Voices Committee put together the 25 minute senior video. The video includes photos of seniors from their childhood to their current high school years.

This gave the night an emotional and personal touch.

With the time in between these activities, students could enjoy the four floors filled with karaoke, henna art, board games, food, a photo

booth, and a dance floor.

“The photo booth gave me a chance to capture the moment with all my friends. The music also had songs that I grew up with. It was really nostalgic,” said senior Megan Truong.

This year’s senior banquet received many positive responses from students.

“It was a very entertaining experience,” said senior Amelia Badamjav, “I got to literally sing my heart out with people I didn’t even know.”

“I actually work for that boat company so it was cool for me to ride the boat as a guest,” said senior Bella Patrick. “It was really fun to get all dressed up with all the classmates and have dinner and dance. You could tell everyone had a great night!”

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Senior Banquet PHOTO GALLERY

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Senior Banquet PHOTO GALLERY

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Book Review: Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf Written by Piper Dooley

Virginia Woolf is a distinct and intimidating literary figure, pioneering her own form of narrative, shaping the modern novel, and challenging many social norms in the early 20th century. One of her most pivotal novels, an example of stream-of-conscious narrative and a recommended entry novel into the work of Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway.

This seminal text portrays a single day in a woman’s life with reflections on her past, post-war London, love, marriage, the individual, order, and disorder. It is relatively brief, both in pages and plot, but psychologically probes deep into both Clarissa Dalloway and the society around her.

Mrs. Dalloway begins with Clarissa’s preparations for a party she is hosting that evening. Parallel to this is the day of Peter Walsh, her former lover who has just

returned from India, and Septimus Warren Smith, an injured war veteran with shell shock and paranoia.

Smith in particular proves a foil to Clarissa, the climax of his story dramatically intertwining with her own.

Virginia Woolf Fair use image

The text passes without warning from one narrator and one mind to another, and from the present to the past. Ordinary and even mundane life is mixed with profound internal revelations.

Evocative quotes in Mrs. Dalloway often put into words

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thoughts very close to many women’s own experiences and musings.

Woolf was undoubtedly a feminist writer who often explored themes of Queer relationships, and female self-governance, particularly in A Room of One’s Own. This novel is no exception.

Clarissa expresses love for her daughter and a desire to be a person separate from being a mother. She revels in passion from her past and appreciates the comfort her life has settled into in her middle age.

Her desire to center herself as an individual, aside from her roles as a woman in the 20th century, a mother, a wife, a socialite, and a homemaker is her most pressing task.

Lurking behind the setting of 1922 is the shadow of World War 1 and the England it has left behind.

Clarissa ponders whether

altered by war. There is poignant today in the wake

victory has given England

both order and disorder of other global conflicts

strength or if the senseless

constantly

carnage

Clarissa.

of

war

has

untethered it. The lives and dreams of Mrs. Dalloway’s characters are waylaid and

surrounding and social reform.

Mrs.

Dalloway is a unique and

powerful novel that could This intriguing portrayal of offer much to any reader. the effects of war is

What Did You Do Over Thanksgiving Break?

Student Responses Organized By Angelica Zhu

I got to bake bread, which was very fun. It was “White Bread Plus” (the plus is plus sugar.) Usually I don’t make bread because I wind up doing something halfway through the day, but this time I was dedicated

Emery Connors,

and got in a whole arms workout kneading the bread

Senior

for 10 minutes straight.

I went to my aunt and uncle's house in Sonoma for

Karissa Pate,

Thanksgiving. I went skating with my friend Bella, went

Freshman

shopping in a mall, and I decorated for Christmas.

I was house sitting for my cousins family the whole week. They have two cats and a dog so I got to spend

Claire Onderwater,

the whole break alone with cute animals and I enjoyed

Senior

it very much.

I visited my grandparents in Elkhart, Indiana and got

Robin Loren, Senior

to go to Chicago for the first time. I love the cold weather and it was nice to have my first ever "American" Thanksgiving.

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Over Thanksgiving break, I went to visit my cousin for his

Logan Thomas,

18th birthday in LA. I got to play his awesome guitars and I learned how to play Thunderstruck so pretty successful trip.

Junior

This Thanksgiving break has been super busy, on Monday however I was lucky enough to be able to go completely around the Bay Area using only public transit! Starting at Fruitvale, my friends and I journeyed down to San Jose, taking VTA and CalTrain to get to San Francisco, and taking the Muni Trams back

Marcell Peto, to BART, all the way back to Fruitvale. It took all day, but was Senior

super fun, and in doing so we covered over 7 types of transit and traveled over 50 miles. All with a clipper card!

I didn't go on a vacation or didn't do anything fun besides going out and playing baseball when my dad had his day offs from work, staying home and chilling, and going out to

Alex Tu, Junior

restaurants on certain days and eat for dinner.

I went to Minnesota to visit my family. It was only my

Lindsay Gilbert, Junior

Grandparents at the beginning, but my cousins showed up part way through the week too. We went to Han's Bakery, which makes donuts as big as your head (and normal size ones) and exists only in Minnesota (that I know of).

I went to Paris with my family! It was amazing to see the Louvre, Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, and all the rest

June Murray,

of the amazing art and architecture. The food was

Junior

great, too!

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AHS Loss In End-of-Season Pink-Out Game Written by Shion Koga-Dean and Lauren Brack

This season the football team started off strong with six consecutive wins but unfortunately the end of the season went downhill, leaving them in a three game losing streak with only one more game left against American High School.

On Oct. 27, the team held its last home football game of the season against Kennedy High School. The teams were neck and neck the whole game, scoring the same amount of points per quarter. The game was tied up, 24-24, by the end of fourth quarter and went into overtime where Kennedy scored a final touchdown leaving the score at 30-24.

This was Alameda's third loss of the season.

According to MaxPreps, in previous years Alameda has beaten Kennedy, including last year when there was a similar score and Alameda won, 26-24.

This year they had the most consecutive wins in all Alameda high school football history.

“It was a cool night, but it was annoying how good the other team’s quarterback was. I think we could’ve made better play decisions on defense,” varsity linebacker Christian DeGuzman said.

Because the game was the last of the season, it was also Alameda High Football senior night.

During halftime, all the seniors were honored and brought to the field with their parents. “[The best part of the game was] seeing the family of the seniors and cheering for them, and seeing everybody come out. It was a good ending for younger graders, but hard for seniors because we lost,” Deguzman said.

In honor of breast cancer

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awareness month, this game’s theme was pinkout. At the entrance of the field, leadership students were selling breast cancer awareness hoodies.

Many students in the crowd were either wearing a form of pink, the hoodie, or had a pink ribbon attached to their clothing.

While some themes for football games are meant to show school spirit, this game’s theme had an effect on the community as well by bringing awareness to the topic in a fun and creative way.

Senior Athletes Share Their Thoughts Interviewed and Written by Kylie Zorn

Three seniors from varying sports were asked to describe the ups and downs of their high school athletic careers. They all play sports that are during the fall season, which ended in late november.

The three athletes have been playing their sports all four years of highschool and provided insight on why sports are beneficial for underclassmen.

barrier that stopped me from playing the sport I loved, but now I use it as motivation to work even harder and push past the condition.

awesome accomplishment for us and I was so happy to be there to support, even when I wasn't my best.

Piper Dooley, senior, Q: Why do you play water Women's Tennis polo?

Q: Why did you choose A: I play because I love the tennis?

sport and all that it does for me. When I play water polo, I forget about everything else and I just focus on the Ava Lizitsa, senior, game. It helps me clear my Women's Water Polo head and mentally it is the best tool I use to stay healthy. It is almost like free therapy for me, whenever times get rough, I know I have water polo to help.

A: I really didn't want to do P.E. and I felt like tennis was something I could play.

Q: Would you recommend a freshman to join a sports team?

Why? A: Yeah I would. I think it's a really great way to meet people and especially as a freshman, having a group early on can make high school less daunting.

Q: What is your favorite memory of playing water Q: What has been the polo? biggest challenge you have faced in your career A: My favorite polo as an athlete? memory would be winning league championships my A: The biggest challenge I junior year. I had been sick Q: What has been your have faced as an athlete the week prior and I pushed favorite high school would be having asthma. I through my sickness to be tennis memory? used to think that it was a there for my team. It was an Ava Lizitsa

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A: Matches that our whole team did well on. Tennis is not necessarily a team sport but when every game we all win it's really fun. Potlucks and events with the team are also really fun.

Charlie Cowell, senior, Cheerleading The Cheer Team practice a stunt Photo Courtesy of Charlie Cowell

Q: Why would you recommend Cheer to an underclassman?

A: Cheer is a great way to become a part of the school and of such a tight-knit group of people. It is so good for self confidence as Charlie Cowell well, and many of my great Photo Courtesy of Charlie Cowell friendships started because Q: What is your favorite of cheering together. cheerleading memory?

Q: What was the hardest A: My favorite memory challenge you have faced was practicing and Cheering? performing a joint football-cheer dance at the Homecoming rallies, because it was such a big group of people that I hadn’t talked to before. I made so many friends doing that.

A: Competing at Cheer camp. There is so much to learn and perfect in a short amount of time. It is very physically and emotionally draining but it is also some of the most fun I’ve had.

The bonds I’ve created from the camp are so strong.

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If you are a senior athlete and would like to be featured in a future edition of the Oak Leaf contact kylzor809@ausdg.us for more information.

Students Gather for Annual Winter Assembly Written by Tsolmon Gunbileg and Ruth Woldesemayat Photographs by Angelica Zhu On Friday Dec. 8, students gathered in Kofman Auditorium to watch the Winter Assembly. The performances were a shorter version of the musical concert later that night.

The concert contained musical performances by the jazz band, string orchestra, and symphonic band. There was also a dance mashup performed

by Anaya Simon, Maddy Brooks, Ariana Robinson, and Vanna Hyunh. The dancers performed to hit songs such as “Work” by Rihanna.

short film performed by the buzzies.

Robinson, one of the dancers, felt positive after The assembly.

“I loved it,” Robinson said.

“It was very fun but scary,” she added.

The buzzies, Alana Pampo and Carter Luo, also performed an iconic dance to Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me.” At the end of the assembly the iconic AHS winter video was played containing Q & A’s with groups of students and a Images of dance performance at winter assembly

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The dancers performed with amazing energy that echoed through the whole auditorium, with songs that many students can relate to and mashups that would spark through the crowd.

part of the school’s holiday culture with questions about people’s holiday traditions and their favorite parts of the season. With performances of classic christmas songs such as “Carol of the Bells” the assembly is a great way to decompress before dead week and our upcoming finals. The performances showcase the practice and work band students have put in that resulted in them getting the opportunity to showcase their skills to their peers.

Image of Alameda High School’s jazz band at winter assembly

Following AHS tradition, the assembly was held on the last Friday before finals.

it was really fun to pull off the show even if it was scrappy in the beginning.”

The lighting was eye catching and went with the performances so well that the emotions being brought out by the performances were really vibrant. Tech wizard Alana Meyers says: “I love Liz and all my friends in tech wizards, and

This goes to show the hard work and time that the performers have put into the show to get it to look as great as it does. The winter assembly and concert are a large part of the school culture in the winter with the yearly winter video.

The winter video is a key

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Teacher Spotlight: Mr. Higashi on Teaching Style Written By Chau Nguyen liked working with children, so I thought it was a good combination of the two. I took a summer teaching job during college and fell in love with teaching ever since.”

What are some of the biggest accomplishments or aspects of your role as a teacher that you're proud of?

Mr. Higashi - LinkedIn

Todd Higashi is the new Biology and Physiology teacher at Alameda High School.

Before coming here, he worked at the Alameda Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) for 15 years, where he taught Biology, Media Studies, Physical Education, and Current Life. He was also the school's Yearbook adviser and the founder of ASTI's community garden.

In 2017, he won "Life Changer of the Year"- a national education award with only 15 winners each year from his contributions to ASTI. Following is a brief interview with Higashi.

What inspired you to become a teacher?

“Wow, that was so long ago. So I've always liked science, and I've always

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“I think I'm always happy when students come back and visit me when they're adults or after they've graduated college and to see them be successful in their lives. So it is really meaningful to me when they come back and talk to me and say how much I played a role in their life through high school and through their teenage years.

That's always great to see that.”

What's your teaching style, and how do you think it affects the classroom and your students?

I try as much as possible to keep my class student-centered so I'm not lecturing all the time and make it so that they are working with each other to learn something.

My class is centered around productive struggle where I give them problems to do that are not easy but they should be able to work through it with other people.

I think that students and people in general learn better that way instead of listening to a lecture or watching a video. I think talking and working with others is the best way to learn something and to remember something for the long term.

I want everyone to talk. I don't want the class to be silent. I don’t expect people

to talk only about class all the time, they can still talk to their friends and learn at the same time. The hard part is that the students have to be mature enough to focus in class because it is very easy to not do the work. So it does put a little bit more of the responsibility to focus on the students.

What are some challenges or obstacles you have faced in your career?

Unfortunately, salary is always hard for teachers.

And the class sizes here are a lot bigger than I'm used to. It definitely affects the way you teach and how effective of a teacher you can be. And adjusting to the new school culture and expectations is always going to be a challenge.

Lastly, can you tell us a fun fact, hobby, or a lesser-known part of you that you want to share with other people?

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That’s a good question.

Let’s ask some of my students what they were surprised to learn about me.

Student #1: That you watch anime.

Student #2: I saw on Instagram that you fish.

Student #3: That you could have become a pro-bowler.

Fun Facts About Alameda Written by Genevieve Yuen, Olivia Vu, Ella Randecker

Popular Filming Site

Spite House

Alameda was a popular spot for filming many iconic movies. Many movies have chosen to film in Alameda for its ideal view of the Bay and temperature.

Just as the name suggests, the house was built by Mr. Charles Frolling who built an entire home out of revenge to the city and to his neighbors.

In fact, some of your favorite movies might have even been filmed here!

Some popular movies include: ● Euphoria ● Matrix Reloaded ● The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ● Romeo + Juliet ● The Matrix Revolutions ● Star Trek: First Contact These movies are just to name a few, as there are many more! So, the next time you sit down to enjoy your favorite movies, remember that many were filmed in your own hometown!

Originally, Frolling had intended to construct his dream house using the property that he inherited from his relatives.

However, after having the majority of his land taken away, Frolling decided to create an architectural nightmare of a house that is twenty feet high, fifty four feet long, and ten feet wide.

Photo Credit: Atlas Obscura

He succeeded in taking revenge on his neighbor by forever obscuring the sun from entering their house, as well as creating

a sign of rebellion against the city that took away his land to build the sidewalk.

Now, one hundred years after the construction of the house, it lies at 1359 Broadway in Alameda that is currently under residence by another owner.

Although originally created out of spite, the house now puts a smile on passerby’s faces as they imagine the construction of such a wild house.

AHS' Creation Alameda High School is over 100 years old. First founded by C.Y. Johns, the first “Alameda High School” was a rented room over a drugstore on Park street called “Boehmer’s hall.”

Soon after, however, the school board ruled in favor of building a new

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high school on Central and Walnut street, which was eventually finished in December of 1903. Our school was listed as an Alameda Historic Monument in 1976, and was eventually placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

canal that took 30 years to finish after weather and sewage inconveniences flooded their work.

Eventually, Krusi’s team cleared the mess and built bridges to connect Oakland to Alameda, finishing the project in 1902.

Geography

This made Alameda an artificial island, now serving as an essential landmark for naval and high-technological companies.

1. The shoreline of Alameda, now known as “Crab Cove,” used to be considered as the “Coney Island of the West,” as many amusement parks, pools, and other forms of entertainment originally were built upon the sand.

These activities attracted many movie stars and celebrities who wanted to be seen having fun by the shoreline.

2. While Alameda has been an island for many years, it was initially connected to the mainland.

In 1899, Hermann Krusi and his men created a man-made

3. Before the colonization of California, Native Americans, such as the Ohlone Tribe, who inhabited Alameda, would rely on the generous amounts of shellfish as a food source. As a unique tradition, the Native Americans then amassed a large mound of shellfish shells to feel “surrounded by their ancestors.”

Other 1. Alameda was once home to Tom Hanks, who lived here in 1973-1976 with his father and his stepmother, in a houseboat docked at Barnhill Marina. He even attended the now-closed Woodstock Elementary.

2. A species of bird referred to as the Least tern, is an endangered population that takes refuge in the Alameda naval air station.

Free to use under the Unsplash License

3. On September 6, 1969 an Alameda terminal achieved the first transcontinental railroad from coast to coast in all of North America. The railroad ran all the way from the Missouri river to Alameda.

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Advice: Ask Buzzy Written by Buzzy Hey Hornets!

This month’s edition of Ask Buzzy is special because for the first time, someone has filled out the google form for questions! Special thanks to “Tom Cruise Fan 1” for asking “What is high speed rail and why should it be built in the U.S.?”. If you want your questions answered, or want any advice from me, make sure to fill out the form!

Thanks, Buzzy.

ravel, and reach speeds of at least 110 MPH. With that defined, we can see that in the U.S.; Amtrak's Acela service is the only high-speed rail service, running from Washington D.C. to Boston, often competing with airlines on the same route. Now as for the rest of the question, it seems to suggest that we should expand it, and for

What is high speed rail and why should it be built in the U.S.?

Now, I’m not exactly an expert on transit in the U.S., but I love being able to discuss policy and proposals!

Now, this question seems to hint at wanting High-Speed Rail, so I might as well support my fellow hornet and back it up as well. As for what High-Speed rail is, it's defined as any rail system that can compete with air

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places to expand it, creating a route between SF and LA seems to be perfect! Again, I'm no expert, but being able to reduce emissions and increase efficiency in travel seems like a win-win to me. Thanks again to “Tom Cruise Fan 1” for asking, and I look forward to seeing many more questions come in!

The winter weather has really got me feeling down, what can I do to feel better?

Often the winter season is the hardest to get through, from limited opportunities to get outside to finals to shorter days, many people unfortunately suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Even without a diagnosis, many people can feel absolutely miserable in the winter.

This can affect anyone, reducing academic ability and impacting mental health. Luckily however, there are ways to feel better. For starters, I know that getting consistent exercise (especially outside) can help a lot, and doing so can help you get some much needed sunlight as well. But even when inside, sitting near windows can help combat seasonal depression, getting you some sunlight and connecting you to the outside. Some meditation techniques can also help as well, imagining sunlight

and warmth to help keep you going. No matter what though, know that there is help available for all students at the School-Based Health Center free of charge.

It’s my first ever finals!

What should I expect?

Finals are a stressful time for everyone, but can be especially stressful for freshman hornets, who are going through their first finals season ever! Finals are gonna take place from December 19th to the 21st, with the schedule distributing all 6 periods worth of exams across three days. 1st and 2nd on Tuesday, 3rd and 4th on Wednesday, and 5th and 6th on Thursday. These finals are going to be two hours in length each, the first lasting from 8:30 to 10:30, with a 15-minute break, then a second final, lasting from 10:45 to 12:45, with student’s days ending then. Studying for finals and preparing to use all of your time effectively

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is key, and can help greatly reduce your stress during the exam itself. What you’ll be doing for finals depends on your teacher, and discussing with them is great to help you prepare in case you don’t know what to expect.

Reviewing concepts from throughout the semester is a great way to study, and this can branch out to creating flashcards and answering practice questions as well. With all that said, I believe in all of you guys, and wish you the best of luck this finals season. Good Luck!!!

Buzzing out for now!

- Buzzy 🐝 .

Winter Puzzles Written by Genevieve Yuen, Olivia Vu, Ella Randecker

Winter Word Jumble:

Where’s Buzzy: Easy-

RNWITE ______________ NIBGEGRDARE ______________ LSFONAWEK ______________ CNDACEYN ______________

Medium-

GLEDSIDN _______________

Hard-

Answer Key: WINTER GINGERBREAD SNOWFLAKE CANDYCANE SLEDDING

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Halloween Puzzle Answers Riddle 1: Answer: A mirror.

Hi All! Putting together this year’s Halloween riddles has been super fun.

Riddle 2: Answer: A tombstone.

For those who are curious, the riddles and their answers can be found below.

Riddle 3: Answer: The poison was in the ice.

Thanks, and see you next time!

Marcell P.

Riddle 4: Answer: Fire.

Riddle 5: Answer: A candle

Our Staff Editor-in-Chief Angelica Zhu Head Designer Leslie Ramos Head of Finance Chau Apple Nguyen Head Photographer Emily Ye

Writers Lauren Brack Tonia Chen Piper Dooley Tsolmon Gunbileg Shion Koga-Dean Ella Randecker Olivia Vu Ruth Woldesemayat Genevieve Yuen

Editors Rowan Diener Marcell Peto Designers Ilan Alcasas Anna Park Emma Park Advisors Ms. Gregor Ms. Piazza

Kylie Zorn

Special Thanks to our donors on our GoFundMe, and the AHS PTSA for supporting our print editions 24