Verde Volume 26 Issue 5

V.

A Bumpy Ride

Tesla Protest, pg. 15

Nervous Union, pg. 18

VERDE MAGAZINE

June 2025 Volume 26 Issue 5

ON THE COVER

A protester holds up a sign displaying “Defend our Constitution” at a protest in front of the Palo Alto Tesla dealership, organized by the activist group, Indivisible Palo Alto Plus. This photo, taken by Editor-in-Chief Kensie Pao, encapsulates just one of the ways our local community is responding to the changes our nation is facing under the Trump Administration.

Publication policy

Verde Magazine, a news and features magazine published by the students in Palo Alto High School’s Magazine Journalism class, is a designated open forum for student expression and discussion of issues of concern to its readership. Verde is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost.

Letters to the editors

The staff welcomes letters to the editors but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obscenity. Send all letters to verdemagazine1@gmail. com or 50 Embarcadero Rd Palo Alto, CA 94301.

Advertising

The staff publishes advertisements with signed contracts providing they are not deemed by the staff inappropriate for the magazine’s audience. For more information about advertising with Verde, please contact our business manager at verdebusiness5@ gmail.com.

Printing & distribution

Verde is printed five times a year in September, November, February, April and May by Folger Graphics in Hayward, California. The Paly Parent Teacher Student Association mails Verde to every student’s home. All Verde work is available at verdemagazine.com.

Editors-in-Chief

Chloe Huang

Kensie Pao

Managing Editors

Eva Chang

Lilia Kuzmicheva

Lara Saslow

Features Editors

Chris Jeon

Ryan Saket

Profiles Editors

Lilo Sayag

Yardenne Sternheim

Culture Editor

Tessa Berney

Perspectives

Editor

Stefan Eriksson

News Editors

Leela Kulkarni

Julie Yang

Manager of Business Operations

Stefan Eriksson

Webmaster

Ethan Zhang

Art Director

Darah Katz

Cover Director

Yardenne Sternheim

Launch Editor

Keira Ling

Staff Writers

Niaz Alasti

Nathalia Arias

Alma Bendavid

Lia Cardwell

Zachary Crystal Vit Do

Divya Gandhi

Cate Graney

Andrew Kassel

Otto Kiss Meyerfreund

Jaron Leung

Sophie Mies

Maya Rajbhandari

Stanley Tang

Lizzy Williams

Adviser

Paul Kandell

FROM THE EDITORS

DRIVING INTO THE NEXT CHAPTER

Whether people perceive it as positive or negative, most can agree that our country is changing. As Verde’s new editing team, we strive to accurately represent the political climate and how local groups are responding to these shifts. The most direct evidence of local pushback can be seen in front of the Tesla dealership on Arastradero Road, where protestors gather every weekend to peacefully protest the Trump Administration’s actions.

To enter their world, our feature story, “Tesla Takedown,” by staff writers Maya Rajbhandari and Lizzy Williams, delves into Indivisible Palo Alto Plus, the activist group who organizes the weekly protests and encourages people of all ages to join their movement.

Protesters who publicly speak out aren’t the only ones feeling uncertain about the future. To better understand the emotions of our own student body, our verbatim story, “Our Nervous Union,” by staff writer Nathalia Arias and Perspectives Editor and Manager of Business Operations Stefan Eriksson, dives into topics such as education, political leadership and tariffs, and explores the reactions and opinions of Palo Alto High School students regarding the state of our country.

With tariffs being implemented, prices on imported goods are increasing. All kinds of corporations and organizations are being forced to adapt, including Paly’s glassblowing studio. As a result, staff writers Zachary Crystal and Jaron Leung discuss the local impacts of Trump’s 10% tariffs as a baseline for imports to the United States in the feature story, “Tariff Terror.”

Additionally, in the anonymous perspective, “Between Borders,” our writer shares worries about their American citizenship as a green card holder. After hearing about the deportations of immigrants like Mahmoud Khalil, our writer has recognized the need to be more careful than most, choosing to draw as little attention as possible to their life — while still getting the word out.

As Verde continues to diligently cover shifts in our local community, national cases of resistance are unraveling. In our editorial, “Applauding Harvard for pushing back,” Verde highlights the Harvard University lawsuit filed against the Trump administration and urges other colleges to stand up against Trump’s efforts to reshape higher education.

On a local level, the Palo Alto Unified School District is also standing strong in supporting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies as lawmakers in Washington, D.C., double down on targeting DEI initiatives, according to ABC News. In our editorial, “Applauding PAUSD’s commitment to DEI,” Verde commends PAUSD for setting an example for other districts with the financial means to continue upholding DEI in their curricula.

By sharing various perspectives on the current state of our government, whether it’s from students, top universities or the public, we hope this edition inspires readers to stand up for their rights. As always, Verde will maintain our commitment to honest news reporting and journalistic integrity. We encourage you, as a reader of Verde, to also stand up for what you believe in.

— EVA, CHLOE, LILIA, KENSIE, LARA

TESLA

the verdicts

Applauding PAUSD’s commitment to DEI

ON FEB. 15, THE UNITED STATES federal government stated in a press release that the Department of Education “has taken action to eliminate harmful Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives” in compliance with President Donald Trump’s recent actions to remove DEI-related language and material from all federal agencies. On April 3, state education commissioners were informed by the Department of Education that federal funding is at risk of being withdrawn from K-12 schools if they do not remove DEI initiatives.

The PAUSD Promise is defined as “a testament to our [the Palo Alto Unified School District’s] dedication to balance organizational goals, student outcomes, and innovative practices with a clear and purposeful vision,” according to the PAUSD’s website. The PAUSD sees DEI as a core part of the Promise.

Verde agrees. DEI is an essential part of the Palo Alto High

“What we’ve been told is that there won’t be anything at the local level,” Austin said. “If there is anything that comes toward this anti-DEI movement, it would be cases against the State of California, not individual local education agencies.”

Verde applauds the PAUSD for its steadfast commitment to DEI in the face of funding cuts.

“I think as far as a district is concerned, lots of places say it [DEI] is lip service,” Austin said. “I think we really, for the most part, walk the walk here.”

Out of the district’s $350 million annual budget, just over 1% comes from the federal government. According to Austin, the PAUSD gets about $4 million from the federal government.

This money is used for a variety of causes, such as funding special education programs and supporting low-income families. According to the PAUSD website, low-income families can apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is funded by the federal government, to receive benefits.

“Students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals may qualify for individual benefits such as discounts and/or waivers in college application fee, AP testing fee, internet services, summer programs, access to higher education scholarships, afterschool club scholarships, holiday gifts and many other learning and enrichment opportunities,” the website states.

Austin said he does not believe that the PAUSD will be greatly affected by these funding cuts, because the majority of the PAUSD’s budget does not come federal funding.

“Right now, it [a possible funding cut] is not a place that I think people need to panic about,” Austin said. “We’re just in a unique position where we could make it [the district budget] whole on our own. There’s really nothing that could happen that concerns

Lana Conaway, the assistant superintendent of equity and student affairs, broke down the district’s view on DEI.

“I believe, as a district, we have an obligation — no matter what an executive order says,” Conaway said. “We have an obligation to serve our students in the best way that we can.”

This sentiment is especially important in schools.

“What we realize is that, within society, there are embedded barriers, and because those embedded barriers are in the society, they also show up in schools,” Conaway said. “So the idea is to make sure that we recognize those differences, to recognize those disparities, so that we can effectively respond to them in an educa-

Verde believes PAUSD should continue to uphold its dedication to DEI. Diversity, equity and inclusion are not just buzzwords, but fundamental aspects of our district values. v

DEEP IN CONVERSATION — PAUSD Superintendent Don Austin says DEI is a core value of the district. “We don’t do any report here without having an equity lens, meaning that anything that we try to put in place or measure, we try to measure through a lens of equity,” Austin said. Photo: Lara Saslow

Colleges should uphold educational values

A“TIDE OF CHANGE IS SWEEPING THE country,”

President Donald Trump said in his Jan. 20 Inaugural Address. The words were an ominous promise of what was to come under his return to power. Now, four months later, it seems more like reality.

Recently, Trump has threatened to pull research funding from colleges across the country if they don’t meet his demands. According to a letter the Trump Administration sent to Harvard University, these demands include immediately eliminating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs, focusing on merit-based admissions and hiring practices as opposed to race-based practices, and allowing the implementation of a third-party audit to assess “viewpoint diversity.”

If colleges concede to this pressure, it could normalize attempts to reshape higher education through enforcement rather than collaboration or shared values. Some institutions like Harvard have taken a firm stance, rejecting the demands and refusing to allow political threats to erode their right to academic freedom.

Verde applauds Harvard’s resistance to Trump’s demands, and believes that Harvard should serve as an example for other colleges facing budget cuts.

According to Palo Alto High School senior Sarina Grewal, the Trump Administration’s recent actions threaten core values of academic freedom.

“It [Trump’s threats to cut funding] is an insult in every sense to higher education, so … the response that Harvard has put out to Trump’s attempts to dis credit them … really makes me respect them as an institution,” Grewal said.

In retaliation, the Trump Administration froze $2.2 billion in multiyear research grants, and $60 million in contracts to Harvard according to the Harvard School of Public Health. These research grants account for 46% of the university’s total budget.

For decades, American colleges have been at the forefront of innovation, pioneer ing developments in medicine, technology and more with their elite graduate programs. Budget cuts would decrease funding toward areas like bio medical engineering and public health that rely heavily on federal grants for groundbreaking research.

“The consequences of the government’s overreach will be severe,” Harvard President Alan Garber said in a statement in April. “Research that the govern

ment has put in jeopardy includes efforts to improve the prospects of children who survive cancer, … to predict the spread of infectious disease outbreaks, and to ease the pain of soldiers wounded on the battlefield. As opportunities to reduce the risk of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease are on the horizon, the government is slamming on the brakes.”

Cecile Alduy, a professor of French Literature at Stanford, said that, if left unchecked, compliance with Trump’s actions could embolden him to seek more control over America’s education system, and colleges that push back could face graver consequences than lost funding.

“I’m a scholar of fascism and European history, and [I] know that when civil society doesn’t resist a shift towards authoritarianism, things go … the wrong way,” Alduy said. “In the last 27 days, I’ve noticed likewise attacks on law and science.”

Alduy recently signed a letter for the American Association of Colleges and Universities decrying Trump’s actions and the “unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.” She believes Americans, including college students and faculty, should make their resistance known.

“Rallies, demonstrations, a lot of legal fights, … boycott products from brands that are overly compliant [with Trump’s de-

Still, several colleges appear to be complying with Trump’s threats. One of these colleges is Columbia University, where Trump threatened to pull $400 million in research funding according to a letter from the Trump Administration to Columbia. Like Harvard, Columbia was presented with similar demands. However, unlike Harvard, Columbia gave in to most of Trump’s demands to Grewal says that the way a college responds to Trump’s threats plays a major role in her decision about whether to attend that school.

“I think it [whether or not a college concedes] really shows a school’s level of integrity and dedication to their mission of education, and whether or not they want to uphold the rights to free speech on their campuses,” Grewal said.

Verde believes Columbia and other universities in similar situations should follow Harvard’s example and take a firm stand against Trump’s demands to defend their academic freedom and valuable research. v

LAUNCH ASB ANSWERS

with ASB Publicity Commisioner

Keerthi Raj

Q: What is ASB planning for back-to-school next year?

A: We have a lot of plans for link crew, a more improved curriculum and improved experience for new students. I think it’s going to have a really good outcome, and these new students are going to feel a lot more welcome.

VERDOODLE

Summer Bliss by Joy Peng

Text, design and photos by

KEIRA LING

SENIOR SUGGESTIONS

“Join a lot of sports because they are fun and you get a lot of exercise.”

— Audrey Horn, senior

“Get more sleep before classes, even if you need to study a bit more.”

— Divij Motwani, senior

“If you’re thinking about dropping the lane, then you should drop it.”

— Aavriti Kataria, senior

SUMMER BOOK RECS

Palo Alto History Museum opens for public preview

THE PALO ALTO History Museum

staff is excited to open its doors in the spring of 2026 after a successful sneak peak on May 3 following the May Fete Parade.

According to Steve Staiger, Palo Alto’s town historian, more improvements must be made before the museum's opening.

“We need to hire an executive director,” Staiger said. “I have ideas of what the topic should be, but I’m not skilled enough to take that idea and visually show it to the public, so we also need to hire that person.”

After the parade, the museum exhibited May Fete Parade displays spanning the decades, along with models of old airplanes.

Dana Tom, a visitor at the museum, said he heard about the preview while walking through Heritage Park.

“It [the preview] is a chance for me and other people to learn about our local history,” Tom said.

Another aspect of the museum’s opening process is having the community give recommendations about what they want to see.

Bike thefts persist

BIKE THEFT has become a common problem at Palo Alto High School, with students frequently reporting that their bikes have been stolen, partially because they were left overnight or unlocked.

Sophomore Arunav Ramanathan has had his bike stolen after staying late for robotics.

“It was in the bike cage next to the MAC [Media Arts Center], and I left it there until 6 or 7 p.m.,” Ramanathan said. “When I came back, I found the lock on the floor cut and the bike was gone.”

While Ramanathan does not place blame on the school, he believes there is room for improvement.

Carl Hubenthal, Paly’s lead campus supervisor, handles bike theft reports and surveillance.

According to Hubenthal, the City of Palo Alto is responsible for securing the area after school hours.

However, because the school is an open campus and next to many busy areas, a lot of bike thefts occur.

To help students in reducing bike theft, Hubenthal recommends taking several precautions: registering bikes with the city, using high-quality locks and not leaving bikes after school hours.

Tby KEIRA LING

“High school students and faculty are welcome to join in and play their part,” Staiger said. “We would want someone of your age and experience as a Palo Alto resident to advise us on what excites high school students.”

HE ONLY PARK in Palo Alto’s Ventura neighborhood, Boulware Park, has officially been reopened to the public as of April 25 following multiple years of renovations. The park is located on San Fernando Avenue. It includes two playgrounds, basketball courts, bocce courts and an open grass-covered space. The playground areas feature artificial turfs instead of natural grass.

“If you really like your bike, … don’t leave it overnight,” Hubenthal said.

by STANLEY TANG

Boulware Park reopens after extensive renovation

Gabrielle Deviemme, a resident of Ventura, says the park is an important place for kids to play, and that she likes the two separate playground areas.

“It’s really nice and we like that it [the playground] is separated into the big playground and the smaller one, and also that it's fenced,” Deviemme said.

by ANDREW KASSEL

A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE — Mark Florant, a member of the Board of Directors, welcomes visitors into the Palo Alto History Museum during its preview on May 3. The museum is set to open in 2026. “They [visitors] can come in here and take a peek,” said Steven Staiger, the town historian. “I think they've been impressed with how beautiful the building is, and get an idea of what the exhibits could be."

Photo: Keira Ling

Edited and designed by LEELA KULKARNI and JULIE YANG

Student groups applaud sustainability plan

PALO ALTO UNIFIED School Dis-

trict student climate leaders are celebrating after the district announced during its May 13 board meeting that a draft of a comprehensive district sustainability plan is set to be integrated into the PAUSD Promise.

The plan will incorporate environmental responsibility into different aspects of the district, such as operations, facilities and instruction.

The PAUSD Promise is the district's mission statement — a specific set of goals to follow with clear and purposeful vision.

A school board meeting was held April 29, where student activists of several clubs and organizations urged the school board to make sustainability a priority.

Talya Schube, a senior at Henry M.

Gunn High School and the co-executive director of Palo Alto Student Climate Coalition, says that the new clause will push the district to take action more quickly and treat sustainability as a real priority.

“Adding a sustainability clause formalizes PAUSD’s commitment to environmental responsibility,” Schube said. “Putting it in writing is necessary to hold the district accountable for supporting sustainable initiatives.”

Palo Alto High School sophomore Aiden Miao, a member of PASCC, said adding a sustainability clause will reflect students' passion for the environment.

“We need to reflect our students’ passion for sustainability through the PAUSD Promise, and solidify it as a district goal,” Miao said.

Miao also said that PASCC eventually plans to instate a sustainability manager within PAUSD.

“This [having a sustainability manager] would help PAUSD install heat pumps for buildings, add more solar power to rooftops and fully electrify the school bus fleet,” Miao said.

Paly sophomore Avroh Shah, a member of PASCC and the vice president of Paly Eco Club, emphasized the importance of including the sustainability clause, stating that the future of PAUSD communities is at risk due to climate change.

“Is it so much of an ask [to include sustainability in the Promise]?” Shah said. "All we want is for future generations to get an equal shot at life like those who live today.”

by RYAN SAKET

Celebrating district through art show

GAZING AT THE GALLERY Paly senior Sasha Kapadia and her brother admire artwork created by Paly students for the Annual Youth Art Show, one of the biggest visual art showcases of the year. A joint effort between the PAUSD art department and the local art center brings the exhibition, “Roots & Wings,” to life. District Visual and Performing Arts Director Kelly Martin started planning the exhibition months in advance. “Our VAPA office staff, art teachers and I work side by side to carefully hang each piece,” Martin said. “It’s a true artwork in itself — bringing together this incredible collection of student creativity.” Photo: Tessa Berney

by TESSA BERNEY

Mind Matters 5K promotes mental health awareness

ORGANIZERS ARE hoping that the Paly Mind Matters 5K, held at Palo Alto High School on May 10, fostered mental health awareness and sparked change in the community.

The event was open to everyone from Paly students to community members, where participants walked or ran the Viking Loop. The course wound through the school with five stations relating to various mental health themes.

Paly biology teacher Elizabeth Brimhall, the main organizer of Paly Mind Mat-

ters 5K, got the idea several years ago when she and other teachers went on the Overnight Walk for Suicide Prevention.

“When I did that event, I thought it would be great to do something like that on a smaller scale just because there are continuing concerns around mental health for our students,” Brimhall said. “We’ve been doing it for the past three or four years now, and it’s been really great.”

Paly sophomore Kai Bunger-Tang agreed and said that he enjoyed spending time with his friends at the 5K.

“Being outside and getting exercise is really good for mental health,” Bunger-Tang said. “It’s for a great cause.”

Likewise, Brimhall emphasized advocating for mental health awareness and supporting those who are in need.

“I think we’re in a wonderful community, but it’s also very high-pressure,” Brimhall said. “As much as I think everyone is working to help support students and each other, there’s still more to do. We just need to keep working on it.”

by CHRIS JEON

Text by ZACHARY CRYSTAL and JARON LEUNG

Tariff

LOCAL IMPACTS OF TRUMP’S TARIFFS

PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL

glassblowing teacher Mike Da Ponte turns his phone to show an email he has just received from a small art supply company in Seattle, called the Olympic Color Rods. The email announces that, because of the recent increased tariffs on goods imported to the United States, they will have to raise their prices. In an apparent effort to keep prices down, customers will only have to bear 50% of the cost of the tariffs. Meanwhile, the company will have to absorb the other 50% of tariff-induced costs.

This story, of companies having to sacrifice both profit and affordability, has been happening all across America during the past month due to new tariffs on imported goods implemented by President Donald Trump.

Da Ponte is grateful companies are considering the needs of consumers.

“At least companies are thinking about the overall picture rather than just themselves,” da Ponte said.

On April 2, Trump announced a 10% tariff as a baseline for all goods imported into the U.S., with certain countries, including China, having much higher rates

according to PBS. In response, many nations have imposed tariffs on the U.S. in retaliation. For example, China has imposed tariffs on U.S. exports reaching up to 147.6%, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Immediately following the 2024 election up until President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the stock market was booming. Trump’s pro-business reputation had investors feeling positive about the future of the economy, according to CNN. However, in the first 100 days of his presidency, the stock market has dipped 7%, the worst start to a presidency since Gerald Ford in 1974, although it has largely recovered in recent weeks, partially due to delays in implementation of tariffs.

gy because the price is passed to con- sumers.

“Economists typically believe that tariffs are ultimately born not by the firms themselves, but by the consumers, and certainly not by the countries,” Cummings said.

Since his inauguration on Jan. 20, Trump’s rhetoric has been unclear. His tariff strategy has targeted numerous countries without distinction.

“ I don’t think that Trump is playing 4D chess. I think it’s much more likely that his advisors are trying to get him to stop eating the pieces.”

— RYAN CUMMINGS, chief of staff at the Stanford Institute of Economic Policy Research

The cause of this? Tariffs, which according to Ryan Cummings, chief of staff of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, have been the Trump Administration’s primary economic strategy.

“Tariffs are generally a quite literal tax that is paid by a firm which is importing a particular type of good, or alternatively, maybe service,” Cummings said. “But here, President Trump is really talking about goods.”

Cummings said tariffs are generally not advised as a broad economic strate-

“I don’t think that Trump is playing 4D chess,” Cummings said. “I think it’s much more likely that his advisors are trying to get him to stop eating the pieces.” Cummings said tariffs will negatively impact the economy for multiple reasons. A more immediate effect is higher prices, which will impact a broad group of consumers — including da Ponte and his work in the Paly glass studio. Da Ponte said the tariffs would increase the price of glass that is imported into the U.S.

“A lot of the ingredients to make glass are imported from all over the world, and companies are going to have to keep up with the tariffs and still make profit on their products,” da Ponte said.

Paly junior Dylan Chen will also be impacted when purchasing everyday things. Chen said he worries about the increased costs of international products, which he said he buys frequently.

“I order a lot of Chinese products from sites like Weee!, and recently they

by JULIE YANG

Art by DIVYA GANDHI

TError

have spiked their prices,” Chen said. “I like to drink this Chinese herbal tea called Wang Lao Ji, and last time I checked, their price has practically doubled.”

But according to Cummings, the more drastic impact of tariffs is the high uncertainty that comes along with them.

“There’s so much uncertainty around what the tariffs will do or what they even will be.” Cummings said. “The issue is like, Trump wakes up, he says tariffs are high. He goes to bed, he says they’re low. … Nobody knows how to plan, … so you’re going to scale back on investment.”

Though Palo Alto, and Silicon Valley in general, is known for its technology, Cummings said that the tariffs would also impact the prices of general goods in Palo Alto.

“It’s cool that at least companies are thinking about the overall picture rather than just themselves.”

— MIKE DA PONTE, Paly teacher

“[Prices of] things like your surfboards are going to increase, your soccer balls, like common goods, a lot of that comes from China,” Cummings said. “Toys [will increase in price] for people with young kids. Just little everyday things [like] going to the grocery store.”

While some of Trump’s policies are reversible, his first few months have had some irreversible and negative effects on the economy, according to Cummings.

Beyond the initial scaling back of the U.S. economy, tariffs may have a recessionary effect on the economy in the long run. This means that the tariffs will decrease global output of goods.

“We get in this vicious cycle where firms retract a little, they lay off labor, [which] lowers demand,” Cummings said. “Then that goes back to the firm, and we start the cycle over again.”

Cummings said tariffs will especially impact Palo Alto’s tech industry.

“Palo Alto in particular, I would say we have bigger exposure from tech,” Cummings said. “A company like Nvidia that makes semiconductors, they’re going to rely a lot on China for a lot of different kinds of imports.”

“Typically [for Christmas], those orders are from all over the world,” Cummings said. “So what we’re seeing is a bunch of people cancel orders. … We’re seeing container volumes decrease, so that means they’re not being produced. Come Christmas time, that’s going to have an impact whether or not he [Trump] reverses.”

Despite some irreversible supply chain issues, Cummings said that the economy could still be fixed.

“I do think you can undo a lot of it.” Cummings said.

such as energy commodities, according to Reuters.

As uncertainty continues to rock the economy, only time will tell whether Trump’s strategy will succeed, but the negative effects are already clear.

Following his initial flurry of tariffs, Trump has scaled back in some countries, increased tariffs in others and imposed special carve-outs for certain products

by DARAH KATZ

“How bad do you want it to get so we can stop it from getting worse, but it doesn’t mean we can naturally go back from where we are now,” Cummings said. v

Text by KEIRA LING and STANLEY TANG

Graphics by KEIRA LING

BETWEEN BORDERS

BEING A GREEN CARD HOLDER UNDER TRUMP

GROWING UP IN A developing country, there are a few things you are born knowing: 1. Politicians are corrupt and cause public systems to fail. 2. The law doesn’t protect you; its only purpose is to protect the rich and powerful. 3. Our impression was that none of these societal flaws happen in the United States. In the U.S., people have rights that are actually enforced and protected, and have the resources to achieve their dreams. For these reasons, I was thrilled to leave my home country and move to the U.S. in 2019. Al though some of U.S. President Donald Trump’s old immi gration policies scared my family and me because we were on vi sas, I believed our future in the U.S. would be se cure once we got our green cards. I thought achieving permanent legal resident status meant I could stop worry ing about my rights and finally feel like any other American.

Only four years later, though, I find myself being forced to remain anonymous while writing this piece in fear of being deported by the Trump Administration for simply exercising my First Amendment rights. In the short time since the administration took over, almost all of the beliefs I held about the U.S. have been torn apart. The administration has shown blatant disregard for Constitutional rights and laws, especially free speech and due process. It’s now become clear that anyone who opposes their political views may face consequences. For example, the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University

graduate student and green card holder who was arrested without a warrant for exercising his rights, was unprecedented. It has green card holders like me wondering,

sources, Trump called some undocumented immigrants “not human,” and he labeled their immigration efforts a “migrant invasion.” Still, I believed deportation efforts would focus mainly on those two groups. But as time passed, I saw that he planned to target all immigrants, legal or not. He began by revoking the student visas of hundreds of university students without credible reason. Now, according to Newsweek, the administration is preemptively warning green card holders to behave like “guests” or risk deportation.

All of these events have green card holders like me questioning whether our

rights are really protected in America, and whether our future belongs in this country. I’ve come to realize that when I go to college under Trump’s presidency, I’ll have to be careful. I won’t be able to express certain political opinions freely, and I certainly won’t be able to attend protests. If I want to stay in this country, I’ll need to avoid putting myself in the spotlight.

It’s also hard to see how the new administration has affected the immigrant community around me. Since moving, my family has grown close to others from our country — including some who do not have green cards.

During Trump’s first term, I saw how his policies and the uncertainty that came with them scared many of us. According to Forbes, Trump tried to end H-1B visas, which are reserved for highly-skilled foreign nationals. When that happened, some of us had to change our immigration status in a matter of days.

Things calmed during the Biden-Harris administration, but now, it has become even worse than before. Those with and without green cards are back to living in fear.

While many actions taken by the Trump administration scare me, I believe now, more than ever, is the time for Americans to speak out for those who can’t. Staying silent only empowers those who violate immigrant rights. All immigrants, documented or not, deserve to be treated with the dignity and justice the U.S. has claimed to stand for. We must act now so that future generations don’t have to fear speaking out like I do. v

Art by BASIL RUDOLPH

TESLA TAKEDOWN WEEKLY PROTESTS PROMOTE POLICY CHANGE

RAIN OR SHINE, a group of determined protestors hold signs, chant slogans and wave to honking cars, determined to show passersby their commitment to their social and political beliefs. Every Wednesday and Saturday, they gather on the corner of El Camino Real and Arastradero Road in Palo Alto, in front of the Tesla dealership.

Protesters around the nation have been rallying outside Tesla dealerships to express frustration with Tesla founder Elon Musk’s public political alliance with President Donald Trump, who many view as a threat to democratic institutions. Protestors argue that they aren’t against electric vehicles, or even anti-Tesla, but are rather purely anti-Musk, using the protests to send a message to Tesla consumers to rethink the political implications of their purchases.

The protest may be in front of Tesla, but the cause isn’t singular. The group is protesting against what they see as an erosion of democracy under the Trump Administration.

Since Trump’s inauguration in January, his political collaboration with Musk has been controversial, with many believing that Musk’s unelected leadership is unfair or even unconstitutional.

The protests, which began in February, are run by the Palo Alto branch of the national organization Indivisible, a progressive social movement founded in 2016.

Melissa Dinwiddie, the founder and president of the Palo Alto chapter of Indivisible, Indivisible Palo Alto Plus, said that the protests began in partnership with local organizations and community members.

“The first one [protest] was back in

February when a group of churches locally organized it,” Dinwiddie said. “That first one brought out about 500 people … and we thought, ‘This should keep happening.’”

According to Dinwiddie, although the Tesla dealership reflects issues protesters are rallying against, the protests unite people advocating for a range of issues. Past protests have drawn up to 2,000 people.

“It’s not that people are here because of Tesla,” Dinwiddie said. “They’re here because they care about what Musk and Trump are destroying, … and that’s why this particular location acts as a central organizing force to attract a lot of people.”

Susan Juhl, a protester who has consistently been active in these demonstrations, explained the origins of the protests.

“We started with Elon Musk,

HANDS OFF (TOP LEFT) — Melissa Dinwiddie, founder of the Palo Alto chapter of Indivisible, holds a sign in front of El Camino Road. “There are so many different signs … because Musk and Trump are destroying so many different things that people care about,” Dinwiddie said.

RAGING GRANNIES (BOTTOM LEFT) — Members of Raging Grannies sing protest songs outside the dealership. “You have to get out on the street,” Granny Linda, an activist from Raging Grannies, said. “It helps quite a bit to say ‘Hey, we don’t want this.’”

THE FORCE IS STRONG (MIDDLE) — A protester holds a Star Wars-themed sign. Another protester said, “We are trying to get attention from people who haven’t really thought about the damage that Elon Musk is doing.”

OUTRAGED YOUTH (TOP RIGHT) Sequoia and Rainey, two young protesters, hold signs. Organizers say involving youth is key to sustaining engagement. “I’m here … to protect the rights of people I know and love, and my own rights,” Sequoia said.

PATRIOTIC PROTEST (BOTTOM RIGHT)

A protester waves an American flag. Protesters say they’re reclaiming patriotism in their civic action. Protester and Gunn alumnus Scott Kresie said, “It feels good that we can do something instead of remaining helpless due to everything going on.”

SPEAKING OUT (PREVIOUS PAGE) — A protester leads a chant while wearing a pride flag as a cape. Protester Mila Bruce said, “The ability to be able to protest and peacefully protest is kind of a privilege, and I think it’s important to exercise that right.”

but we are actually protesting against the government and all the Republican MAGA [Make America Great Again] people,” Juhl said. “Congress is being bypassed, our laws are being broken. The whole administration, including Marco Rubio, is not honoring the Supreme or federal courts. They’re taking judges to court, and that means we do not have freedom or civil rights.”

For many protesters, the motivation to show up each week stems from frustration with the current administration, but also from the personal consequences. One parent, who asked to remain anonymous, highlighted the real-life consequences of defunding public programs.

“They’re planning to cut Medicaid, and my child and other disabled people rely on it,” she said. “While we have really good private insurance, we need Medicaid as a secondary insurance plan, otherwise he [her child] cannot get any necessary durable medical equipment because private insurance does not cover that. It is just really unfair that billionaires are getting another tax cut while they [the Trump Administration] are trying to cut necessary funding like Medicaid for the most vulnerable Americans.”

Other protesters echoed this sense of urgency, citing a range of policies they believe have harmed everyday Americans.

“We’d like to show support for people who are affected by mass deportations and also by all of the changes that are happening with tariffs, as small businesses are affected,” protestor Scherazade Sohrabji said. “Most importantly, I’m protesting the lack of due process that has arisen with this administration and showing the danger of losing that due process.”

As policies shift, many have realized the urgency of action and solidarity.

“Every day there’s another executive order assaulting the Constitution,” a protester who wishes to remain anonymous said. “From day one, Trump has assaulted our Constitution illegally and gotten away with it. One of my biggest questions is, for young people — why is your generation not here?”

Granny Ruth, a longtime activist from Raging Grannies, a group of older women activists, urges youth to get involved.

“When you all [Paly students] marched out of campus to protest school shootings, we joined you on the streets,” Granny Ruth

said. “Now it’s your turn to join us. School shootings are just a part of what is going on. We are protesting for immigration rights, freedom of speech and the climate all in one. So there’s no excuse not to have students out with us.”

While in general the protesters are older adults, some younger people were in attendance as well. Students Sequoia and Rainey, who requested that their last names not be used, said that although the protesters’ main demographic seemed to be older people, teens and young adults should consider attending as well.

“There definitely are a lot more of the older generation here,” Sequoia said. “I don’t know if that’s because young people are scared to turn up, but also it’s not being pushed that hard on social media which is where a lot of young people get their information. But I think that generally, older generations are more informed and have a better idea of how this history is sort of coming around again.”

Despite generational differences in turnout, the protests have maintained a steady presence.

“It’s really good to see the community consistently protesting,” Scott Kresie, a protester and graduate of Henry M. Gunn High School, said. “Oftentimes with protests, it’s a one-time thing, and then it loses momentum. But pretty much every weekend they’ve been out here.”

Protester David Shawcross said he has noticed a shift not just in turnout, but in how people carry themselves when they show up. As concerns pile up, he sees the protests as an outlet for frustration.

“This [the protest] gives people a chance to feel like they can do something, and they’re no longer powerless,” Shawcross said. “They may not realize how much power they have until they get out and do this, but then they see the numbers. I think Musk has lost $31 billion on Tesla shares, and that’s quite a bit of money for anybody, even him.”

As the protests grow and evolve, so does the urgency behind them, fueled by the understanding that inaction today could mean consequences for tomorrow.

“It’s important to fact-check information and to show up for your neighbors, even if you don’t think you’re being affected, because it will eventually affect you,” Rainey said. “It’s all going to come around.” v

OUR NERVOUS UNION

STUDENTS REFLECT ON DIRECTION OF NATION

UNITED STATES President

Donald Trump has been in office for just over five months. In that short amount of time, he has implemented changes which have turned our country in a completely different direction than was set by his predecessor, former President Joe Biden. Trump has

dismantled the Department of Education, imposed a baseline of 10% tariffs on all countries, eliminated federal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs and is implementing mass deportations. The New York Times released the op-ed “How 13 Independent Voters Who Backed Trump Think He Is Doing So Far”, which documents a

Why do you feel confused?

I support some of the Republican policies, especially on immigration and tariffs, but Trump often takes things to an extreme. His biggest flaw is how he ignores the separation of powers.

What issue feels most personal or urgent to you?

The erosion of constitutional norms, especially the disregard for separation of powers. Also, tariffs and economic nationalism are raising prices for consumers like me.

Why do you feel anxious?

I feel like our country is heading to war.

What issue do you feel is most personal or urgent to you?

[Parents] letting their kids be more independent. I’m talking about all the apps and restrictions they put on your phone. They need to be more trusting.

Why do you feel comfortable?

I think we just went through a lot of change, and now things are starting to settle.

What political issue feels most personal to you?

Education. We’re blessed here to have good education, but there are areas in the country that could have better education and teachers.

90 minute discussion about the State of the Union, which was held on April 8. Verde wanted to conduct a similar study with Palo Alto High School, so we spoke with a diverse population of students and asked them to fill in the following sentence: I feel “blank” about the way the country is going these days. This is what they said. v

Do you trust either political party to represent your values?

I’d vote for the lesser of two evils. I don’t like Trump’s disregard for due process, but I also don’t think Kamala Harris would be a great president. Still, I’d prefer her because she wouldn’t mess with the Constitution.

What do you think of Trump’s immigration policies?

I think he’s doing a good job on border control, though he still should’ve returned wrongly deported U.S. citizens.

What do you think of President Trump’s new tariff policy?

Prices have gone up. … It’s a little harder to get stuff, ... but I’m okay with paying more if the jobs stay in America [instead of labor being outsourced].

What do you value the most?

Helping those who need it most, like homeless people.

What do you think about Elon Musk’s influence on government policy?

He’s very educated overall, so he should be up to the role. … Just don’t make assumptions based on social media.

What’s one issue you wish adults took more seriously?

Just how our education can affect the future leaders of our country.

TORN BETWEEN

THE VARYING IMPACTS OF DIVORCE ON STUDENTS

WHENEVER I BRING

up the fact that I have divorced parents, people will always say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry,’” Palo Alto High School junior Nathan Mourrain said. “People just assume that it’s somehow worse, and that’s not always the case.”

Many students face similar circumstances as Mourrain, as roughly 40% of United States children do not live with their married, biological parents according to the National Library of Medicine.

“It [divorce] is so common … in our culture and in our communities,” Paly wellness coordinator Andie Barker said.

had an issue with having divorced parents. For me, this is normal.”

While Mourrain’s parents both live nearby in Palo Alto and Menlo Park, many students have to travel farther between houses, making their experiences different.

Paly junior Meryem Orazova’s parents divorced when she was three years old, forcing her to alternate between households throughout her childhood. On weekdays she would stay with her mom in Palo Alto, and on weekends she would stay with her dad who lived an hour away.

“ To be honest, I’ve never had an issue with having divorced parents. For me, this is normal.”

personally think that kids with split parents handle being alone better.”

According to The Center for Divorce Education, divorce often reduces parental involvement and increases responsibilities at home. This forces many children to adapt quickly and develop greater independence in managing their academic and personal lives.

“ It felt like I was missing out at a young age.”

— MERYEM ORAZOVA, Paly junior

“I wouldn’t be able to hang out with my friends over the weekends or do any activities in Palo Alto,” Orazova said. “It felt like I was missing out at a young age.”

According to Psychology Today, children who divide their time between households often experience a sense of unpredictability that can increase stress.

“My only parent is a single mother, so that requires her to act as both the mom and the dad,” Sandoval said. “Instead of having two parents to kind of lean on, I only have one parent, so it’s not as reliable when it comes to getting support. It just comes back to me having to be more independent than other kids.”

This forced independence is challenging, but it can also shape adolescents positively by helping them learn crucial life skills earlier.

— NATHAN MOURRAIN, Paly junior

Because so many students live without both of their parents, everyone has varying experiences.

“I feel like every kid of a split-parent household is very different from one another,” Paly senior Juliana Sandoval said.

While the NLM says that divorce can lead to higher risks of academic, behavioral and emotional challenges for children, most do not develop severe mental disorders.

“I don’t have that many memories of my parents being together, and even if I did, it’s not like I was having full-blown conversations with them when I was five,” Mourrain said. “So to be honest, I’ve never

“Stability and routine are crucial, especially as you’re growing and developing,” Barker said.

However, sometimes this is not possible between two households because divorced parents have different ideas of how they want their home to operate.

“Stability and routine are crucial, especially as you’re growing and developing.”

— ANDIE BARKER, Paly Wellness Coordinator

“I don’t think people with parents that are together understand how hard it is mentally, and how taxing it is to fit yourself into what family dynamic works the best,” Sandoval said. “I

“Sometimes it [divorce] can also give the person going through it a sense of resiliency,” Barker said. “They learn how to cope with that loss and a new way of life, which can help them grow, especially if the parents are communicating well. And even if they’re not, it still teaches that person how to navigate that new situation in life and how to deal with stress.” Students can still excel in their studies and personal growth without the support of both parents. Usually, this requires patience and understanding from educators and administrators in school environments, where they spend much of their time.

“Teachers should be aware that some-

Art by DIVYA GANDHI

TWO REALITIES

times students do go through challenges at home,” Orazova said. “Everyone has a unique family situation, so they should show empathy to a student who might not be having the best day or seem like they’re tapped out.”

For many individuals, understanding that they are not alone in their struggles can also help them cope and feel less isolated.

“Something that makes it [having divorced parents] easier is seeing that a lot of other people have complicated family situations,” Orazova said. “I was surprised when I got to high school because I met so many people with divorced parents, and knowing I wasn’t the only one made things easier for me.”

For those who struggle with coping on their own, the Wellness Center at Paly offers a safe space to process emotions and talk about complicated experiences.

“Even if the person across from you can’t necessarily take away the burden or the loss, they can help support you and be there so you’re not alone in that grief and pain,” Barker said. “That’s one of the reasons why we want to be here. We want to make sure students know they’re not alone and that they have a place to come and process that privately.”

Barker emphasized the importance of helping students who are going through tough times understand that they are not alone.

“Sometimes, just talking about it [divorce] makes it less scary,” Barker said. “If you’re going through something like that, you can hold a lot of that [pent-up emotions] within, and simply releasing it can give it less power.” v

Text by STANLEY TANG and KEIRA LING

by KEIRA LING

LIGHTS OUT

PALO ALTO AIMS TO HAVE DARK SKIES

A

S NIGHT FALLS on University Avenue, the illumination of streetlights and storefronts casts a cozy glow onto the sidewalk. But beyond the inviting atmothe biodiversity that makes Palo Alto special.”

However, with these benefits also come possible challenges that the City Council must consider. According to Stone, balclose of business, or when people are no longer present in exterior areas, whichever is later. This language is incredibly flexible and will ensure that when people are outside or at a business, they will

Art

Text by LIA CARDWELL and JULIE YANG

ON THE OTHER SIDE SENIOR TRACK STAR REFLECTS ON HIGH SCHOOL CAREER

A“AAND PALO ALTO takes the lead!”

The crowd’s roar fills the air as the commentator’s voice cuts through the excitement at the Stanford University track on April 5. With speed and precision, Palo Alto High School senior Kinga Czajkowska powers through the final stretch of the 1600-meter race, her blue track spikes a blur as she crosses the finish line with a personal-best time of 4:46.34.

As the clock stops, it’s clear that Czajkowska has not only set a new milestone for herself, but has also broken her own school record by almost two seconds, making her mark yet again in Paly’s athletic history.

“I wasn’t really expecting a PR [personal record] during that race, so being able to win and PR, especially at a competitive meet basically right in my backyard, was super cool,” Czajkowska said. “Both my parents were able to make it, and some of my friends and teammates were in the stands cheering for me, which was really nice.”

As impressive as her track records are now, they didn’t come to her without hard work.

Michael Davidson, Paly’s head cross country and track coach, said that when Czajkowska joined the team, she had to learn how to pace herself strategically. Davidson recalled one of Czajkowska’s first track practices, when she started sprinting the mile time trial immediately instead of keeping a steady pace.

“We’re like, ‘Does she know it’s a mile?’ [because] she’s going so fast,” Davidson said. “The beauty is … she was going to

Photo by TARIKA PILLAY

OF THE FINISH LINE

showcase what her talent was without her even knowing it.”

Davidson said that Czajkowska overcame a learning curve early on in her running career as she adjusted to both the physical and mental demands of competing.

“She knew about running, but she didn’t know about racing,” Davidson said. “Her racing acumen has grown tremendously, and that’s because her talent has put her into situations that she totally wasn’t ready for mentally yet. ... She had the capability to move up to [the] Varsity [team] a lot earlier than some athletes did.”

“

reer has been marked by notable success, it hasn’t been without challenges. In her junior year, Czajkowska had a stress fracture in her lower left leg which ended her cross country season early and postponed her track performance in the spring.

“With as much energy as she has, [she was forced] to sit down and get quiet,” Davidson said. “But she stood patient. She stayed patient about what she needed to do, working her way through her injury, being smart about what she was capable of doing, following what the doctors told her to do.”

In a span of a week we demolished a school record, ... a meet record ... and we won at an incredibly competitive national level meet.”

Czajkowska said she started track and field later than most other top athletes, beginning in middle school at an after-school program directed by Casper Vroemen, who also coaches at Paly.

— KINGA CZAJKOWSKA, Paly senior

During this time, Czajkowska used cross-training with exercises like weightlifting, biking and swimming to help her recovery. While it was difficult, Czajkowska noted some of the positive outcomes of her recovery period.

Czajkowska throughout the entirety of her high school season so far, and said she looks up to her.

“She will do anything that it takes to win the race,” Bharadwaj said. “Having a training partner to do all my workouts with and always being a few steps behind her … motivates me to push myself harder. I always tell myself before a race, ‘If she can do it, you can do it.’”

Czajkowska will be continuing to compete in college at Cornell University, a Division I school.

She said that she looks forward to the Ivy League conference championships, also known as the Heptagonal Championships.

“It [Heptagonal Championships] is usually a bit more … close-knit,” Czajkowska said. “You’re more likely to know these other athletes, and the excitement there is much more palpable than other competitions.”

While she is excited to embark on her collegiate career, Czajkowska said that she will miss the Paly cross country and track team.

Despite a slightly later beginning, Czajkowska quickly found her stride on the track. As a sophomore she ran a school record of 4:48.23 for the 1600-meter, and in junior year broke the 26-year-old 3200-meter school record with a time of 10:28.59.

Just recently, she and her fellow teammates not only broke their school record at the Stanford Invitational for the 4000-meter Distance Medley Relay with a time of 11:46.16, but also set a meet record and ended up ranked seventh in the nation.

“We not only broke the Stanford meet record, which stood for 18 years actually, we also broke the Paly record … and won Arcadia [an invitational meet],” Czajkowska said. “That was honestly the coolest thing ever because in a span of a week we demolished a school record, we demolished a meet record at a really competitive meet and we won at an incredibly competitive national level meet.”

While Czajkowska’s high school ca-

“That [recovery period] did kind of let me refocus and get better at cross-training,” Czajkowska said. “It also helped prevent burnout, because you really realize, ‘Oh, I do love this sport, and it means so much to me when I had it taken away.’”

After her recovery period, Czajkowska was able to make a comeback in her senior season where she set new school records at Stanford and Arcadia.

Despite Czajkowska’s accolades, her teammates and coaches describe her as down-to-earth and approachable.

“She hates being in the limelight,” Davidson said. “She’s very humble about what she does, but she puts in a lot of hard work and I’m gonna miss her work ethic [and] her fun personality to come and participate and be around the team and just be goofy and just be Kinga.”

Paly junior Amaya Bharadwaj also said that Czajkowska is able to have fun while working hard. She has been running with

“The Paly track and cross country team has been a really great community,” Czajkowska said. “It has been the highlight of my high school experience.” v

SPEEDY START — Czajkowska sprints the beginning stretch of the 1600-meter race at the DeAnza League Finals track meet on May 1, where she placed first with a time of 4:49.16.

BROKEN SCHOOL RECORDS

1600 meters: 4:46.34

1 mile: 5:00.73

3200 meters: 10:28.59

4000 meter distance medley relay: 11:46.16 (with Amaya Bharadwaj, Kailia Leming and Romy Kiessling)

4x800 meter relay: 9:17.25 (with Amaya Bharadwaj, Romy Kiessling and Lilia Kuzmicheva)

Text by NIAZ ALASTI and ETHAN ZHANG

Photo by NIAZ ALASTI

BALDWIN BIDS GOODBYE

PAEA PRESIDENT RETIRES AFTER 13 YEARS

MAY 13’S PALO ALTO Unified School District board meeting brought not only business, but melancholy and gratitude as well.

“Serving as the Palo Alto Education Association’s president for the last 13 years has truly been an honor,” Teri Baldwin, the president of the PAEA, said as she stepped in front of the podium. “I’m deeply grateful to our educators for entrusting me with that responsibility. Their dedication to public education and to each other has been the heart of my work and the source of my daily inspiration. I leave this role proud of what we built together, and confident in the path ahead.”

Baldwin is set to step down from the role, which she has held since 2012, in June.

The PAEA is the collective bargaining unit for all educators and counselors employed by PAUSD, and serves as a means to advocate for the rights of its members.

Baldwin began her teaching career in Connecticut, where she became committed to union advocacy.

“I recall a moment when the district [in Connecticut] expected teachers to attend an unpaid Professional Development Day,” Baldwin stated in an email to Verde. “There was pressure to comply, and we were told by the superintendent that … we would be unprofessional if we didn’t attend. Our union organized collectively, and all members stood in solidarity by not attending. That experience was a turning point for me — it showed me the power of educator voices united for fairness.”

Since then, Baldwin has served in many capacities in the PAEA: site representative, bargaining member, vice president and, most recently, president.

In her almost three decades serving the PAEA, Baldwin has played an instrumental role in many of the union’s accomplishments. What she feels is one of her greatest accomplishments is also one of the least mentioned — member engagement.

“When I first became president, many educators didn’t know who their union leaders were, and several sites had vacant representative positions,” Baldwin stated “Today, we hold elections because there is more interest than there are positions; members are actively engaged and eager to represent their colleagues.”

Baldwin also stated that last year’s salary negotiation was one of her proudest moments, where the PAEA rallied for salary increases to combat the high cost of living in the Bay Area.

“Achieving meaningful salary increases and restructuring the salary schedule over the years has been vital in honoring our members’ work and expertise,” Baldwin stated.

union’s contract and advocacy for union members. But her biggest advancement was in her own leadership style.

“I’ve learned that true leadership means listening to our members, amplifying their voices and centering their needs in every decision,” Baldwin said. “Serving as president has helped me recognize my own resilience and capacity for navigating both praise and criticism. Representing over 800 educators has been a tremendous responsibility – one that has taught me to lead with empathy, clarity and strength.”

“I’ve learned that true leadership means listening to our members, amplifying their voices and centering their needs in every decision.”

— TERI BALDWIN, PAEA president

However, Baldwin’s tenure on the PAEA has not been without challenges, one of which has been the perception of the union for both members and the public.

“We [PAEA] operate as a democratic body, not a top-down organization,” Baldwin stated. “Our Representative Council is composed of site-elected members who gather input and help guide union decisions. It has taken time and effort to consistently communicate and reinforce this idea of shared ownership and participatory leadership.”

Although her time as PAEA president is coming to an end, Baldwin isn’t completely retiring as she will assume a position as a librarian at Fletcher Middle School.

“I decided to embrace this new chapter and step down to return to working directly with students in a role I’m genuinely excited about,” Baldwin stated.

Baldwin’s time leading the PAEA has profoundly changed her life, professionally and personally. According to Baldwin, she was able to more deeply understand the

Tom Culbertson, a fourth grade teacher and vice president of the PAEA for the past year, is set to take over the role upon Baldwin’s retirement. Baldwin stated in the email that she believes that the PAEA will continue to thrive under his leadership.

“I have full confidence in … Tom Culbertson,” Baldwin stated. “I’m excited to see how he brings his own vision and leadership to the role. I believe PAEA will continue to grow in strength, solidarity and effectiveness under his guidance.”

Baldwin stated that she is thankful for all of the members of the union and their support of her.

“It has truly been an honor to serve as PAEA president for seven terms,” Baldwin stated. “Their [educators’] support, dedication and commitment to public education have inspired me every day. I leave this role proud of what we’ve accomplished together and confident in the union’s continued strength and future.” v

BALDWIN SPEAKS — PAEA president Teri Baldwin delivers her final board meeting speech. “Serving as the PAEA president for the last 13 years has truly been an honor,” Baldwin said.

Text by ALMA BENDAVID and ZACHARY CRYSTAL

Photos by KENSIE PAO

Exiting the MATH TEACHING DUO TO RETIRE

Equation

IN THE CENTER OF THE MATH

building, two old friends, with coffee mugs in their hand and a twinkle in their eyes, reminisce on a fulfilling journey of educating youth.

“We went through life together,” Palo Alto High School math teacher Natalie Docktor said. “We got married, we had babies, we got divorced, we had death, we had birth.”

Kathleen Bowers and Natalie Docktor are two of many math teachers at Paly, but their journey from graduate school, to 38 years of teaching together, to retirement sets them apart as a forever intertwined duo.

The pair first met in 1983 as graduate students getting their teaching credentials for math at Stanford University.

By 1989, two years after graduating, both teachers had come back and settled down teaching full time at Paly.

“I went to Capuchino [High School] and I didn’t love it, [so] I knew that I wanted to come back to Paly,” Docktor said. “... I never thought I would leave [Paly].”

Both teachers agreed that they felt very lucky working with the students at Paly.

“We had a very rigorous program,” Bowers said. “Kids rose to the level. I think our kids inherently want to be successful, and so they want to follow the rules by and large.”

Since their arrival, Palo Alto, and by extension Paly, have changed tremendously. They experienced Palo Alto evolve through the expansion of Silicon Valley, the invention of the iPhone and COVID-19. These

changes have led to different relationships between teachers and students.

“They would talk to us more because they didn’t have so many other [learning] resources,” Docktor said. “They have so many ways to get help these days, back then they didn’t have as many.”

Before Khan Academy and other online math resources, Bowers and Docktor worked on the Paly Math Hotline. From Monday to Thursday, Paly students could call Paly math teachers for homework help.

“No computers, no internet and the kids need homework help, so I would be home and I have my [landline] phone,” Doktor said. “In the two-hour interval, a kid would call, ‘Hello, I need help with geometry,’ and I’d get my geometry book.”

At the time, according to Bowers, Paly

itself was much smaller than today, with just around 1,000 students. There was also a different culture. Almost all students attended spirit week rallies, and teachers were more local, creating a tighter knit community and closer relations with students.

“Because we were smaller, the whole school really participated,” Bowers said.

Bowers recounted the most memorable example of her closeness with students, when she had many students visit her in the hospital following the birth of one of her children by cesarean section.

“There was a descending of children in my room and I had just given birth in the hospital and I had a C section,” Bowers said. “And then, I can still picture this, they were handing the baby around … I had so many kids [students] there [visiting] all day for the three days I was in the hospital. Looking back, it was insane. It was just so different.”

Despite this level of closeness being left in a pre-internet era, students of Bowers still find her to be a teacher that makes an effort to make personal connections with students to help them learn math. Senior and former student of Bowers, Ella Hwang, describes how caring Bowers is.

“She was so supportive of me, when I was struggling in the class she would have talks with me after school about what she

can do to help me progress in the class,” Hwang said.

Throughout their careers they each stuck to their own teaching styles in the belief that they would be the best possible teachers if they stayed true to themselves.

“I would give this advice to all of the young teachers: don’t try to be somebody you aren’t,” Bowers said. “You have to figure out what works for you in your classroom and what makes you comfortable, or you’re never going to be any good. You’re only going to be good if you do it your way. So I have always kind of taught my own way.”

Bowers has been sure about her decision to retire in 2025 for a while, but has had her hesitant moments.

“This will be the first fall since I was four years old, that I wasn’t going back to school,” Bowers said. “That has been on my head today. I’m a little freaked out.”

Now, as they appreciate their last few weeks on campus, they look forward to their still-busy post-retirement plans. Bowers is looking forward to spending time with her grandson, playing bridge and pickleball and taking classes at Stanford. However, she won’t be totally done with teaching.

“I want to tutor three kids,” Bowers said. “Because I think the best part of teaching is the kids, and I think tutoring

will allow me to still get to know a couple of kids”

On the other hand Docktor plans to be traveling in Europe this summer and will remain active afterwards.

“I’m crewing on a boat from the Mediterranean outside the Straits of Gibraltar, up the coast of Portugal this summer,” Docktor said. “So when you guys start school in September, I’m going to be traveling.”

After 38 years at the school, their lasting impact on students and the school remains.

“I want them to remember that there was a math teacher that they had, that cared about them,” Docktor said. “That’s all. I care about them. And I hope they know that.”

Looking back at their experience teaching the Paly community, Bowers and Docktor said they feel appreciative of how much they have learned from Paly.

“We’ve grown up with the students of Paly,” Docktor said. “It was our whole youth.” v

A NUMBERS GAME — Palo Alto High School math teachers Kathy Bowers and Natalie Doktor sit down playfully posing for photos holding math themed mugs that they have aquired over the years.

SAYING BYE TO SANO

SOCIAL SCIENCES TEACHER PLANS TO RETIRE

I“’VE DONE A LOT OF THINGS IN my life,” Mary Sano said. “Teaching is not my first career, and ... I just feel like it’s time for the next thing.”

After 24 years of teaching, Sano, the Palo Alto High School social sciences department head, history teacher and Advanced Placement Research teacher, is retiring.

Sano is familiar with the Palo Alto area. Having grown up in the city, she attended local elementary school, El Carmelo, and later returned to raise her own children here.

“

A major highlight of Sano’s educational journey has been the friendships she’s made as head of the social sciences department.

“Just working with this crew, we’re like a family, for better or for worse,” Sano said. “Working in collaboration with this crew here has definitely been a highlight.”

Teaching is not my first career, and ... I just feel like it’s time for the next thing.”

— MARY SANO, Paly social sciences teacher

“I love the community,” Sano said. “I think because I grew up in Palo Alto, I feel really comfortable in this community.”

Sano’s career has not been linear, taking many paths before she decided to pursue education. After finishing her degree in journalism, she moved to Hawaii where she worked multiple jobs, working at a nonprofit organization, a laboratory, an airline and a restaurant. Additionally, she was a journalist, freelancing in addition to writing for the Honolulu Weekly.

Despite her diverse background, what inspired Sano to be a teacher was raising her son.

“When my son was born, … I realized the importance of guiding children, raising kids, nurturing young people,” Sano said. “Not that I didn’t care about young people before, but that … purpose of nurturing kids and raising them up was crystal clear to me when I had my own child.”

Right after her son was born, Sano went back to school for her teaching credential, after which she taught sixth grade and eighth grade at Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle School before coming to teach at Paly.

“My biggest mission is that kids come out of my classes interested in the world,” Sano said. “Not necessarily memorizing things, dates and people’s names, but that they come out of my classroom going, ‘Wow, there’s so much to learn!’”

Fellow social sciences teacher

Adam Yonkers has known Sano for 20 years. Aside from going on dog walks with Yonkers, Sano has not just been supportive as a friend, but also as a leader.

“I think her leadership has helped us be the best version of ourselves, [and] the best teachers we can be,” Yonkers said. “But also, she blocks and tackles for us behind the scenes, and there’s a lot of things that we don’t have to deal with because she’s doing that work as an organizational need.”

Sano’s work as a department head includes taking care of many administrative tasks.

“It’s scheduling, it’s managing who’s teaching in what rooms,” Yonkers said. “It’s new curriculum that is being offered. It’s textbooks that are being adopted. ‘My God, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.’”

son-to-person connection.”

One of the aspects of Sano’s teaching that stuck out to Sullivan was her dedication to teaching AP Research.

“I know a lot of teachers who’ve said they don’t want to teach it [AP Research], because everyone’s doing different things and it’s hard to keep track of so many different projects and stuff that everyone’s doing,” Sullivan said. “But you can tell she’s really passionate about helping everyone achieve their vision.”

Although Sano doesn’t have a specific plan for retirement, she knows that she wants to stay engaged with the community and do something she is passionate about.

“One of my passions is, for lack of a better way to put it, environmental issues and saving the Earth,” Sano said. “I’d love to work for a nonprofit that’s working on ocean-kind of environmental issues or redwoods.”

One thing Sano will miss most about Paly are the many opportunities she has gotten to both teach and learn.

You can really tell how much she cares about her students and her job.”

AUDREY SULLIVAN, Paly senior “

“As far as my teaching career, I have taught 10th, 11th and 12th grade,” Sano said. “I’ve taught a lot of different classes, so just getting to experience all those classes and the different focuses on the curriculum itself has been fun and exciting.”

Longtime friend and AP Seminar teacher Lucinda Filppu has been collaborating with Sano through the AP Capstone pathway for many years.

“Ms. Sano is so patient and sees beyond grades and traditional markers,” Filppu said. “She is a deep person and a deep thinker, and brings out the same in her students.”

According to Paly senior and AP Research student Audrey Sullivan, a key characteristic of Sano’s teaching style is the effort and dedication she puts in.

“You can really tell how much she cares about her students and her job,” Sullivan said. “She really cares and wants that per-

After working in fast-paced and constantly evolving work environments, Sano hopes to discover this same sense of energy and fulfillment elsewhere.

“There are just opportunities left and right to be involved and to move things forward and to learn new things,” Sano said. “Boy, I hope I can find that out there after I retire.” v

SEND-OFF FOR SANO — Social sciences teacher Mary Sano reflects on what has inspired her to keep teaching for so many years. “I think what has really kept me vibrant is just watching you guys [students] process the world ... in these ways that are so different from the way I do,” Sano said.

Behind the

Music

PALY TEACHER’S LEGENDARY CAREER

AFULL HOUSE AT THE Palo Alto High School Performing Arts Center hums with excitement on the night of May 15. On stage, high schoolers dressed in suits

“It was a really special experience,” said Jose Pinto, a Paly junior and orchestra member. “To be out there performing with him one last time was cool, especially since he’s been teaching for so long.”

Willner began teaching at Paly in 2000. Unlike Willner’s previous jobs, which included a variety of high school music positions, including orchestra and competitive marching band, the Paly band initially had no marching experience and stayed in the stands during football games. He began taking his band out on the field to practice, improving the band’s

You have to have a balance of things, and that’s a hard thing to do when you’re trying to do great things at a school.”

Paly choir director Michael Najar said one of Willner’s greatest strengths as a teacher is his ability to work together with different groups to create amazing musical performances.

“When there’s a group of singers and a band and they have to work together with dancers and they have to work together, he’s crucial to making all that happen,” Najar said. “My long-lasting memory of him is him conducting in the pit the musicals that we’ve done together.”

Willner said one of his best memories at Paly was during his first few years.

“At the last football game [of his first year at Paly], I had everybody stand on the track and play, and people liked it,” Willner said. “I liked it. It grew from that and turned into a fullfledged marching thing.”

Simultaneously, the Paly football program had grown into a powerhouse, competing for a state championship in 2006 where Willner’s band marched on the field with the players.

“Our growth as a spirit group was cool, because it went right along with the team getting better,” Willner said.

While Willner said he takes pride in the strides he made with the Paly pep band, that isn’t the part of his career at Paly that he has found most rewarding.

“I’m proud of the fact that I was able to really make some good strides here musically,” Willner said. “Everybody had a good time, and I also didn’t neglect life at home.

“My second year [of teaching], almost everyone came back, so that was like ‘I’m doing something good’,” Willner said. “Not everybody comes back. And that’s cool, because sometimes band is not for them.”

Pinto said he admires the dedication Willner brings to band every day.

“The passion he brings to each class really is an inspiration,” Pinto said. “He’s a big figure in Paly music and has been doing it for so long.”

Najar said the consistency Willner brings every day has been a big part of his and the music program’s success at Paly over the last 25 years.

“He’s incredibly consistent,” Najar said. “He knows what it takes to be successful through changing times. He’s been around a long time and through that, if you let the different variety of things affect choice, programs, electives, they can really hammer you. But he’s been incredibly consistent.” v

CELEBRATORY CONCERT — Paly Band

Director Jeffrey Willner stants in front of students in the band classroom. “You have to have a balance of things, and that’s a hard thing to do when you’re trying to do great things at a school,” Willner said.

WILLNER’S WORK — Paly Band Director Jeffrey Willner directs his students’ performance during his farewell concert. “These [students] aren’t just my little minions to do great things with,” Willner said. “They’re other people’s kids. That perspective has helped me become a better teacher in many ways.”

Text by EVA CHANG and LILIA KUZMICHEVA

STEADFAST SERVICE — Paly secretary Vallen Queen reflects on her experience at Paly, saying she is particularly proud of her long commitment to the job. “I’ve taken on a lot of things when people left, and I feel good about having been able to ... keep things going,” Queen said. “I’ve done a lot of things, but I’ve never done anything for 25 or 26 years.”

ARETIRE AFTER 25 YEARS

QUEEN EXITS THE SCENE SECRETARY TO

NSWERING PHONE CALLS, processing work orders, organizing substitutes and managing administrative schedules are just some of the duties Secretary Vallen Queen oversees on a daily basis. Now, after 26 years of dedicated service, Queen is retiring from Palo Alto High School.

Initially beginning her Paly career with a role in the library, Queen later transitioned to secretarial work in the main office where she has been ever since.

“I’ve worked at Paly since 1999, and I started in the library,” Queen said. “Then they needed someone here in the front office, and the person who was leaving that position thought I would make a good candidate, so I applied for the job. I’ve been doing that [secretarial work] since 2000.”

Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson says that Queen always makes sure that students feel comfortable.

“She has always been so kid-oriented,” Berkson said. “Whether it’s the shyest kid, or a kid having some sort of issues, ... she was always

a go-to person for someone to connect with who might not connect with other adults.”

In addition to the many tasks she juggles, Queen has dedicated herself to taking a proactive role in serving the Paly community.

“I bring in treats every week to stock the snack boxes,” Queen said. “Before, we didn’t have free lunches and free breakfast, so I used to do breakfast for a lot of people … every day.”

Queen says her favorite part of working at Paly has been her interaction with students.

“The most rewarding part is the kids,” Queen said. “Some of them I still keep in touch with from 25 years ago. That’s the best part. That’s what has kept me here.”

She hopes that students will continue to receive the same level of assistance and support she has tried to provide.

“I think people [staff members] can get caught up in all the things they have to do, and they’re busy, and I just would like people to continue making kids their first priority,” Queen said. v

Photo by LILIA KUZMICHEVA

REPAIR, REUSE, REPEAT REPAIR CAFÉ PROMOTES SUSTAINABILITY

TODAY, AT THE PALO ALTO Repair Café, a team of nine sewists take on a high volume of ripped seams, fraying hems and broken zippers. Sonne Lemke, occasionally pausing to offer her expert advice to a younger sewist, watches over them all as she irons a patch onto a ripped pair of pants.

Lemke joined the Repair Café move-

that’s something that we’re losing.”

Repair Cafés are held at multiple sites across the Bay Area, often in libraries and community centers. Palo Alto’s Repair Café is held at the Museum of American Heritage in Downtown Palo Alto. The initial Bay Area branch of the Repair Café, which the organization considers to be the first of its kind in the United States, was founded by Peter Skinner, a Stanford University graduate, but has since been taken over by

Coladonato joined the initiative in 2013. Since then, Repair Café has expanded into Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara

Many of the volunteers, called “fixers,” have backgrounds in engineering. Irene Yang, an electrical engineer, said that she volunteers at the Repair Café to fix electronics because she enjoys helping others understand how things work.

“There’s a lot of design and thought that gets put into all of these electronic objects that I really hope that everybody can get an understanding of when they talk to the fixers,” Yang said.

Apart from fixing bikes and electronics, the Café also focuses on mending

clothes. According to Lemke, her love of repairing clothing began as a child, as she grew up in a family that valued repairing things instead of throwing them away.

“The mentality was that you figured out how things work and you put them back together,” Lemke said. “My mother was an excellent seamstress, and so she passed those skills on.”

Lemke said that she finds the job rewarding because she gets to give people an opportunity to give new life to their damaged clothes, with some being especially sentimental.

“That first thing that I worked on … the bag that I fixed was her [the patron’s] son’s from the Rio Olympics,” Lemke said. “And so it was old, but it also meant a lot to her, and that’s the thing I like to see — that something, some item that’s a favorite, can be put back into use and worn.”

While many of the fixers who volunteer at the Repair Café are retired or working professionals, the organization appeals to all ages. Selene Bruyere, a junior at Homestead High School, got involved with the Repair Café after being inspired by her father, an experienced fixer, and began working as his apprentice.

“You really get to put your mind to work and figure things out, because at school, when they give you problems, it’s like, ‘okay, whatever,’” Bruyere said. “But here, it’s fun. You’re helping someone. You’re fixing things, and it’s awesome.”

Through the apprentice program, the Repair Café recruits young fixers from local middle schools, high schools and colleges to train under experienced fixers. Accord ing to Coladonato, the program serves as a learning experience for all, mentors and apprentices alike.

“They can exchange ideas, they can collaborate,” Coladonato said. “They can bounce ideas off of each other, like ‘what do you think the problem is here?’ … Having that exchange, I think, is really important, and that helps everybody learn how to fix more things.”

The com munity that has

VROOM VROOM — A pair of fixers work together to repair a toy car. Fixers at the Repair Café are experts in a variety of disciplines, including electronics, bikes and textiles. “Whenever you open it [an item] up or root cause with failure, it’s always a learning experience for the future,” fixer Wubing Ye said. Photo: Kensie Pao

PICKING OUT PIECES — Sewist Sonne Lemke carefully selects a replacement zipper for a sweater. “We’ve now got a bunch of younger sewists, and I love to see that,” Lemke said.

Photo: Kensie Pao

Text by DARAH KATZ and LIZZY WILLIAMS

Art by DIVYA GANDHI

Text by JARON LEUNG and YARDENNE STERNHEIM

BEYOND THE MAT

WRESTLERS GIVE INSIGHT ON THEIR ROUTINES

UNDER THE BRIGHT lights of the gym at Independence High School during the Central Coast Section wrestling tournament, with a packed crowd in the stands, Palo Alto High School wrestler Brian Miller performs his pre-mat ritual.

“I’ll step out to the line, do two hamstring stretches, and then jump up and bounce a couple times,” Miller said.

Miller meets his opponent in the mid-

dle of the wrestling mat. They shake hands, the referee blows the whistle, and the match begins. What is accomplished on the mat in the next six minutes is often what is taken at face value. Many don’t account for the athlete’s countless hours of training, dieting and maintenance their responsibilities to achieve their goals.

This past 2025 wrestling season, many members of the Paly wrestling team achieved significant success competitively.

Brian Miller placed third in CCS, ranking #28 in the state at 132 pounds, James Otuhiva came in sixth in CCS at 144 pounds, Ella Cohen ranked first in both CCS and in California at 105 pounds, and Atticus Ayres came in sixth in CCS at 132 pounds.

Verde asked Paly wrestlers Brian Miller, James Otuhiva, Hudson Press and Ella Cohen how they train to stay in peak condition during the busy season. v

FACE - OFF — Paly sophomore Brian Miller (Left) squares up against junior James Otuhiva (Right). Both are members of the Paly varsity wrestling team. “The time when you’re not competing is the hardest because you’re doing a lot of time and effort into building yourself up and breaking yourself down to get better without a lot of results to show for it,” Miller said.

What keeps you going and motivated?

It definitely motivates me to see what the other people on the team are doing, like upperclassmen and freshman Ella [Cohen], ... like qualifying for state. It makes me want to be like them. They’ll stay 10 minutes [after practice], and watching them push harder inspires me to push harder and to give it my all.

BRIAN MILLER,

sophomore HUDSON PRESS, sophomore

What keeps you going and motivated?

I think it’s a mindset thing that starts before you even walk into the room or walk into where you’re going to compete. It’s having that thing in the back of your head, no matter how hard I train or how hard something gets, it’s all for a reason.

What is it like being on the girls team?

I think there’s just a lot of stigma and negative assumptions about the sport, especially with women in it. I do a lot of working with the guys in the wrestling room, and I don’t mind it. If anything, I think it pushes me harder just because of the difference. But I wish there was just more representation coming out of the [Silicon] Valley.

How do you balance your responsibilities?

You’d think that in-season your grades would get worse because you’re spending so much time away from school work, but I find that in season my grades are actually at their best because I’m so focused on just school and wrestling.

JAMES OTUHIVA,

junior

How do you review your performance? What is most challenging in training?

I’ll usually look over at my dad because he also coaches me, and I can tell if he’s upset with a performance. And when we get home, we always just review each match, go over some stuff that I did well or could do better.

ELLA COHEN,

How do you wind down after competition?

After a day of training or competition, I like to wind down by just taking care of my body in any way I might need to, and just getting good sleep always.

freshman

Physically, it [wrestling] is definitely tiring. During training there are definitely moments where I do get tired, but there’s also a learning aspect.

What keeps you going and motivated?

Winning keeps me motivated, but I don’t need motivation to work hard.

Text by DARAH KATZ and LILO SAYAG

HIDDEN

GEMS

TWO DESSERT SPOTS LOCALS

RETURN TO AGAIN AND AGAIN

FROM THE SLOW BREWING of cocoa beans at SWEET55 to the bestselling Cookies & Dough flavor at Rick’s Rather Rich Ice Cream, some of Palo Alto’s most beloved spots don’t have flashy signs or big crowds. Tucked between well-known chains and familiar brands are some of the city’s hidden gems, where craftsmanship and community come together. We visited these two locations to learn what keeps people going back. This is what we found:

Hidden between boutiques and cafes at Palo Alto’s Town & Country Village, SWEET55 offers something rare: swiss chocolate made fresh, not flown in.

Ursula Schnyder, the owner of SWEET55, opened her first production

SCOOP SERVICE — A Rick’s Ice Cream employee serves a scoop of Rocky Road in a waffle cone. Rick’s Ice Cream shop continues to draw loyal customers of all ages. “We only do small batch production, … two or three tubs at a time, … so everything’s more fresh,” co-manager Kiki Khosla said.

kitchen in Half Moon Bay in 2015 expanding to the Palo Alto boutique in 2022.

Before she was crafting pistachio marzipan and milk ganache, Schnyder was a journalist covering California’s food culture, not only drawn to the story, but to the cuisine itself.

“It was basically a childhood dream to found that business,” Schnyder said. “Every time I was in a kitchen, I thought, ‘Hmm, that’s actually really what I wanted to do,’ … so I decided to quit my job.”

Schnyder studied at the San Francisco Baking Institute and then returned to Switzerland, training specifically in traditional chocolate making. After mastering all the techniques, recipes and formulas, Schnyder launched SWEET55, her own hand-crafted Swiss chocolate company, from her backyard cottage in Palo Alto.

“Any other Swiss chocolate that you buy anywhere in the United States is actually not manufactured in the United States,” Schnyder said. “It’s manufactured in Switzerland, and then it’s shipped over.”

Unlike most Swiss chocolate sold in the United States, SWEET55’s products are made fresh locally and without preservatives.

When customers ask which chocolate is the healthiest, Schnyder likes to smile and give them her usual answer.

“We are not in the health business, we are in the pleasure business,” Schnyder said.

That same love of indulgence lives just across the city at Rick’s Rather Rich Ice Cream.

Founded in 1956, Rick’s Ice Cream has been a classic in the Palo Alto local community for decades.

Co-managed by Kiki Khosla and her family, the small, independent ice cream shop has attracted much attention for the

SCHNYDER’S SWEETS — SWEET55 owner Ursula Schnyder smiles at a customer inside her Palo Alto boutique. “We only purchase the raw material in Switzerland, then make every piece freshly in Half Moon Bay,” Schnyder said.

past 14 years, and continues to draw customers from all corners of the community with its rich flavors.

While Khosla had no prior experience in the food industry, the decision to take over Rick’s came naturally. Her family was quickly won over by the quality of the product.

“Once we tried the ice cream, there was no going back,” Khosla said. “It’s just so good.”

Today, Rick’s continues to stand out with its fresh, high-quality ingredients.

“We make everything in-house with mostly locally sourced ingredients or things that are more premium than other places,” Khosla said.

On any given day, the shop sees a wide variety of regular customers: students pouring in after school and longtime locals stopping by for their usual scoop.

“Some people have been coming here since they were kids — and now they’re grandparents,” Khosla said.

At its core, Rick’s is much more than just an ice cream shop — it’s a place created by the community for family gathering.

“Rick’s is a community shop,” Khosla said. “It’s still alive because of the city and the people who support it.” v

Timeless Treasures Timeless Treasures

STORY BEHIND THE WARDROBE PROJECT FLEA

Text and photos by NATHALIA ARIAS and CATE GRANEY

AS THE BART SCREECHES through the Rockbridge station, vendors set up their booths, turning the once-empty parking lot into a world of timeless treasures. The world, known as The Wardrobe Project Flea, is a marketplace compiled of the Bay Area’s art, culture and fashion. Serving as a space for like-minded, yet perfectly unique people to come together as a community.

Talia Brown, founder of The Wardrobe Project Flea and 2014 Palo Alto High School alumna, first created her store, The Wardrobe Project, to cultivate a sustainable

After two years at her consignment store, Brown and her partner, Jon Jon Prejean, had the idea to expand into a larger setting, taking a leap of faith to start The Wardrobe Project Flea, a market accommodating more vendors and buyers along with her store.

Brown specifically picked the Rockridge BART station in Oakland, just a block away from The Wardrobe Project store, because she said she felt that the Rockridge area has a booming economy. She wanted the area to have a special community space, or a “third space,” where like-minded people can congregate.

“We just noticed that there was a void for accessibility in the more curated vintage world, and they [the community] wanted to create an accessible space also in Oakland,” Brown said.

Brown said she also wanted to have a space to shed light on organizations, communities, and fundraisers she felt passionate about, which she can’t do at her store.

“I feel like, especially now, it feels like a need in every community … to highlight the organizations and the causes that matter a lot to us,” Brown said. “At every flea we’ve had either anti-ICE, or Palestinian fundraisers, or People’s Program Oakland, which is people working with local community organizations.”

Over the years, Brown has acquired a collection of vendors, small businesses and organizations to create a space for people to shop, learn and connect with others. At

PERUSING FOR PURSES

—

the flea you can find anything from clothing, bags, stickers, home goods, jewelry, watches, cameras and more.

Sarah Hyde, whose business is known as Fruity Femme Vintage, is a clothing vendor at The Wardrobe Project Flea. For Hyde, selling vintage clothes and fashion has always been her aspiration.

“This has been a dream since I was very young because when I was in middle school, high school, I was obsessed with thrifting,” Hyde said. “I was obsessed with vintage. I was that kid that was wearing a dress and heels to high school and falling over in the hallway because I was not walking in heels very well.”

Hyde found out about The Wardrobe Project Flea when she started to shop at Brown’s store located in Oakland.

“Over time, we [Hyde and Brown] became friends and they’ve been really mentoring me and encouraging me and starting this business,” Hyde said. “I just love this event in particular because it brings so many communities together.”

Fruity Femme Vintage is one of the many vendors at The Wardrobe Project Flea who feel this kind of support and community from Brown. Verynormalgoods, an organization that donates 100% of their profits to displaced families in Gaza, also felt this encouragement from Brown as she let her set up for free.

“She [Brown] let me set up for free because she knew all of it was getting donated,” said Frances, a vendor at Verynormalgoods.“We’ve donated our time into designing and creating these pieces in

A shopper at The Wardrobe Project Flea browses through various vintage bags. Photo: Cate Graney

SPECIAL SELECTION — A thrifter sorts through vintage coats as people walk by. Photo: Nathalia Arias

hopes that you’ll like them enough to donate to one of the causes below.”

Shopping at flea markets is also a great way to support local businesses. David Ruiz, whose business is known as Goodboy Jewelry, curates vintage and newer jewelry to sell at The Wardrobe Project Flea.

Ruiz found out about the flea when Brown reached out to him, asking him if he would like to join the group of vendors.

“They [Brown and Prejean] reached out and we were so happy to join and be part [of the flea],” Ruiz said. “I’ve been doing vintage jewelry for about a year now, and to pair it with an event like this, that’s so busy, has been nothing but wonderful.”

Brown said that she feels like the vintage-selling community is very tight-nit and strong in itself, with her and Prejean making the effort to build connections with all of her vendors at The Wardrobe Project Flea market.

“We’ve seen other markets get really disconnected from their vendors,” Brown

FRUITY FEMME VINTAGE (BOTTOM RIGHT)

— Vendor Sarah Hyde sits at her booth as shoppers browse her collection of vintage items. “Fruity Femme is just the expression of like queerness and joy and glam and all the things that I love and make me feel good,” Hyde said. “I just love sharing it with other people.”

Photo: Cate Graney

GOODBOY JEWELRY (BOTTOM LEFT) —

Vendor David Ruiz explains to shoppers about all of his 100% gold jewelry. “I highly recommend any vintage dealer that wants to join, or if you’re looking for vintage goods, you can literally find anything you’re looking for,” Ruiz said.

said. “They’re not as focused on their vendors succeeding. And for us, it’s like, this is a wash if our vendors aren’t succeeding.”

The community-focused approach not only strengthens the vintage market ecosystem but serves a greater purpose. Brown and Prejean recognize that by supporting their vendors, they are empowering a sustainable alternative to fast fashion.

Shopping second-hand has grown into a great alternative to purchasing nearly anything. With about 92 trillion tons of textile waste going into the landfills every year, according to The Rouung Up, vintage shopping is a great way to live a sustainable lifestyle. Vendors at The Wardrobe Project Flea recognize this and

In today’s day and age many brands don’t use sustainable materials and are only producing fast fashion over all creating more waste.

“Vintage things are just better made,” Hyde said. “I want something if it looks gorgeous and [if] it’s already 30 years old, then I know it’s going to look gorgeous when it’s 40 years old.”

Brown wants shoppers to know that even though second-hand shopping may be time consuming, she said she feels like it’s worth it.

“It’s more of a treasure hunt … so I feel like just having that patience of, ‘okay, I might not go in and find something that fits me immediately, but when I do, it’s going to be really special and it’s going to be something that lasts in my

Brown said she feels that shopping second-hand is not only good for the environment but a better experience for the shopper and wants more people to take time to understand where their clothes are coming from.

“There’s so much more value in things that are made well,” Brown v

Photo: Nathalia Arias

TWO LEFT FEET — A shopper at The Wardrobe Project Flea digs through buckets of boots and heels.

Photo: Nathalia Arias

ART AND BART —

An art vendor at The Wardrobe Project Flea paints as she sells her pieces.

Photo: Cate Graney

HOW TO THRIVE AT PALY 101

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE ON WHAT (NOT) TO DO

WELCOME TO THE DEFINITIVE, 100% legit guide on how NOT to survive Palo Alto High School, brought to you by two seniors. As we reflect on our four years at Paly and prepare our-

No. 1: Wearing camo

selves to exit the gates of the Earl Hansen Viking Stadium, we are leaving with many lessons to share. So, proceed at your own risk, and feel free to take notes on what not to do... v

It’s a long-standing tradition for Paly seniors to wear camouflage pants on the first day of school and on special occasions throughout the year. The best way to get acclimated at Paly is to pretend you’re a senior.

Heck, go all out and buy a ghillie suit that covers you headto-toe. If you see seniors staring aggressively at you, they’re probably just impressed by your impeccable fashion taste!

No. 2: Walk really slowly in the hallways

Getting to class on time is just a mentality, right? Time isn’t real, and neither is the bell. If you stroll down the hallways like you’re in slow motion, you get to observe all the different shades of beige that make up the Paly aesthetic. As you take your leisurely pace, don’t forget to create a bottleneck for the people behind you, especially in the 800s building hallway where it’s like a human traffic jam.

No. 3: Sprint to the lunch line

The best-kept secret of the school cafeteria is that the first five students in the lunch line each day are rewarded with a top-secret, off-the-books menu item. We’re talking crème brûlée, lobster tail, filet mignon and other delicacies. Is the secret menu real? Who knows. But do you really want to be the one who didn’t run and missed your shot at macaroni and cheese with caviar?

No. 4: The quiet room

3 4 8

Ah, the quiet room — a special place in the library for reflection, studying or chilling when you need some peace and solitude. But let’s be real: What’s peace without a little disruption? A true icon knows that the quiet room is the perfect spot to blast Instagram reels at maximum volume.

Sure, everyone else might be pretending to focus, but nothing says “I’m cool” quite like the sounds of a 30-second cooking hack at full blast. Besides, the acoustics in the quiet room are too good to waste on silence.

**Bonus points if you somehow manage to get the entire room watching your video at once. It’s like a surprise group viewing session, except no one asked for it.

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No. 5: Making new friends

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In a school with 1,992 students, it can be difficult to stand out in the crowd — unless, of course, you take a bold approach. A great way to make new friends is to approach someone and immediately ask them about their GPA, extracurriculars and what they scored on their most recent math test. People love sharing these deeply personal details about their life, and will definitely appreciate you skipping the usual pleasantries and diving straight into the numbers. Plus, they’ll be so impressed by your directness!

If you’re feeling really bold, you can take your networking to the next level and ask these questions on LinkedIn. Make sure to send them a personalized connection request first, with a message that says something to the effect of, “I noticed we both have math class together and I thought we could collaborate on our future career aspirations.” Instant friendship!

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No. 6: Testing center protocols

The testing center is meant to be a collaborative space. After all, learning is all about working together, right? So why not treat the test like a group project? Speak loudly, ask your neighbors for answers and offer your own opinions on their answers too.

You can start the conversation by casually leaning over and asking, “Hey, what did you get for number 3?” The proctors will surely appreciate how you’re cultivating the spirit of teamwork in such a high-pressure environment. If anyone gives you a weird look, assure them that “teamwork makes the dream work.” Feel free to overstay your allotted time limit in this collaborative space. No one will mind — great things take time.

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The senior deck: a place where the upperclassmen lounge with all the grace and authority of royalty. But why should they have all the fun?

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Freshmen, it’s time to make your mark and march up to that deck like it’s your rightful domain. The seniors may glare at you as if you’re trespassing on hallowed ground, but they’re just jealous of your youthful audacity.

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What are they going to do, ask you to leave? Pfft. Just act like you’ve been there for years.

The more confusion you create, the better. With your confidence, they’ll soon be questioning the very notion of seniority. It’s your deck now. Embrace it.

No. 8: Wear your P.E. uniform at all times

Why limit your P.E. uniform to just gym class when it’s clearly the most practical outfit you own? It’s like the Swiss Army knife of school attire: comfortable, effortless and ready for any physical activity that may or may not come your way.

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Wearing your P.E. uniform to every class is a bold move. It says, “I’m here to learn, … but also, if the fire alarm goes off, I’ll be the first to the Quad.”

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Art by VIT DO

No. 7: Senior deck aka freshman deck

Proudly

GREGORYS COFFEE

POPULAR COFFEE SHOP OPENS IN STANFORD

TUCKED BEHIND a shady courtyard in Stanford Shopping Center sits Gregorys Coffee, a coffee shop chain originating in Manhattan, New York.

Famous for its vegan options and zero upcharge on alternative milks, Gregorys Coffee opened in 2006. Since then, it has rapidly expanded to 50 locations nationwide, opening its first locations in Palo Alto and Milpitas in early April. The black and white airy interior has plenty of seating,

CROissant

($3.10)

All baked goods at Gregorys Coffee are made in-house, and displayed for customers to view and select. We were excited to try the dark, crispy croissant.

We asked for the croissant to be warmed up, and it came att the perfect

making it the perfect spot. The couches in the back of the store are a great secluded place to relax.

Additionally, Gregorys Coffee provides ample outdoor seating because of its prox imity to the shopping center’s courtyard.

Because of the large space, Gregorys Coffee prides itself on its warm and wel coming atmosphere, perfect for any study ing or working to be done.

“Our focus on the culture of bringing out something that’s different [from] other

temperature to eat.

We found the croissant to be lightly sweet and very bready, not light or flaky like a traditional croissant. This croissant would be great paired with one of Gregorys hot coffee drinks.

Next time, we would get something less basic, like their breakfast sandwiches or egg bites.

STRAWBERRY HIBISCUS REFRESHER

($5.35)

We tried this drink with light ice and freeze-dried strawberries on top, touted as one of the best drinks Gregorys Coffee has to offer, according to reviews.

Despite its vibrant pink color, we found this drink to be sickly sweet at first, before it gave way to an overly tart aftertaste. We could only drink less than a quarter before the sweetness became overpowering.

The drink also came with vegan cold foam, which does not include an upcharge. The drink was beautifully pre sented, with the matcha forming a dis tinct layer from the syrup.

However, compared to the photo on their website, the drink did not have the distinct pink and green layers.

When we mixed the drink together, the cold foam was not noticeable and blended into the milk.

Overall, the drink was light and re freshing. The matcha had a nice, mild flavor and didn’t taste overly grassy or

We did find the cherry syrup to be a bit intense, with an especially strong af tertaste, but we really enjoyed this drink.

SPICY AVO toast

($7.10)

We tried the spicy avocado toast from the store’s limited food options. The Spicy Avo is one of the more expensive items on the menu, and for the price, we found it to be a little underwhelming, arriving on a small slice of bread slathered in chili oil. The excess of chili oil made the bread soggy, greasy and masked all the other flavors.

We did find that the avocado tasted fresh and the toast had a nice crispiness, but the amount of chili oil distracted from the other flavors

Another one of Gregorys Coffee’s signature drinks, the Biscotti Testarossa, is an iced latte with hints of hazelnut and almond. The drink also comes with a mascarpone and orange zest cold foam on top.

Though we couldn’t taste the orange zest, the cold foam mixed into the drink fairly quickly. We definitely recommend this drink, with its strong notes of almond and subtle hints of chocolate.

Text by DIVYA GANDHI and STANLEY TANG

GANDHI

TAKING THE LEAP

WHY SENIORS ARE CHOOSING TO TAKE GAP YEARS

AFTER HIGH SCHOOL graduation, students are presented with a multitude of options for their future. While most graduated high schoolers move into their dorms at a four-year college, some make an unorthodox choice: taking a gap year.

Here, students take a year before starting college for a chance of self-discovery and real-world experience, while also being

able to save for college.

A gap year is taken when someone spends a year off away from school, usually between high school and college, to pursue other interests.

The reasons for gap years can vary greatly; some students use the time to save for college by getting a job. Others take a break from studying to travel abroad. Since there is no set curriculum during a gap year,

a student has the freedom to pursue whatever interests them.

While gap years are becoming an increasingly popular option for students, they still remain uncommon. According to Gap Year Solutions, only about 2% to 3% of high schoolers in the United States choose to take this path, but for the few who do, the experience can be transformative, offering an opportunity for personal growth. v

Izzy Bienaimé: Backpacking in Patagonia

Art and photos by DIVYA

Ben Levav: Soccer development in Spain

For soccer standout Ben Levav, a gap year represents time for personal, academic and athletic improvement.

“I had coaches that wanted me to take a gap year to reclass [push back one’s graduation year],” Levav said. “That way, I could develop my game and help the discipline that I needed to play soccer in college at the Division I level.”

Levav will spend a year at a professional soccer acad emy in Spain, called the International Development Academy, while simultaneously competing in a development program aimed at college recruitment. The academy consists of about 100 soccer players ages 15 to 22, all focused on improving their soccer skills.

In addition to the intense training schedule, Levav is eager to use his downtime productively.

“I’m hoping to learn a lot about myself and really what I want to do,” Levav said. “I think I know the field I want to get into, but I want this to be an opportunity where I can actually explore that field deeper and do other internship and community service opportunities that’ll help me develop in that

Levav credits his parents for recommending

“My parents actually think that everyone should take a gap year because no high schooler, 17- to 18-year-old, is ready for college two months later,” Levav said. “Their opinion is that you should have that year of development to learn about yourself and learn about the world.”

Levav will also be using this time to pre-

“I think that I’m not necessarily ready for college in the fall,” Levav said. “I need some sort of break to help me build habits that I

Milan Towfiq: A Year of Service in Haifa

Milan Towfiq’s decision to take a gap year is deeply rooted in his faith. As a follower of the Baha’i Faith, Towfiq has the oppor tunity to take on various duties, such as gardening, security or jan itorial work, in one of the most sacred sites of his religion in Israel.

“It’s called a year of service,” Towfiq said. “It’s an option to take a year off, give the year of service to the house of worship, House of Justice, which is in Haifa, Israel, and it’s a big program for Baha’i youth.”

Towfiq was inspired to pursue this path by a close friend who had previously participated in this program during a gap year he took be tween his second and third years of college.

“He [Towfiq’s friend] is someone I look up to,” Towfiq said. “He said it [the pro gram] was a life-changing experience for him and it’s taught him a lot, so I talked more to him about it and I was like, ‘Yeah, this is something I want to do.’”

In addition, Towfiq’s friend learned more about the value of hard work and managing long hours of labor.

Similar to his friend, Towfiq hopes to develop skills that will benefit him both personally and professionally.

“I expect to learn many of the same things, and there is an aspect of being in the Holy Land of my religion that I look forward to as well,” Towfiq said. “I hope to improve at forming new interpersonal relationships with those around me, have the chance to serve at the spiritual and administrative center of my faith and

Towfiq also emphasized the personal growth he hopes to achieve through this experience, particularly in how

“I hope to develop some skills that I’ll use later on, mainly working with a team,” Towfiq said. “Focus is also a big one, … learning to have respectful, meaningful conversations with those around me, compassion, those are all things that you need to learn.”

Towfiq’s parents have fully supported him through his decision, encouraging him to attend the program without pressure. His gap year plan relies on both receiving an acceptance from the program, as well as a deferral from Emory University, with his ultimate goal being to attend college after completing the program.

Text by ANDREW KASSEL

Photo by ETHAN BARNICKEL

Sidelined

MY EXPERIENCE WITH A RARE SPORTS INJURY

IWOKE UP TO A KNOCK ON my door. A mix of vascular surgeons and residents walked into my hospital room to explain the surgical procedures they would be performing in less than an hour. My right arm lay next to me, completely limp and propped up on two pillows, a mix of purple and dark red, swollen from my shoulder down to my hand. It was still early in the morning; the sun hadn’t risen yet, and I was too tired to listen or care what the team of doctors was saying. The only words that mattered were the last things one of the surgeons said before leaving the room: “You’ll probably be out for the season.”

The previous 48 hours had been hectic. Two days earlier, aside from some mild unexplained soreness, my right arm (the one I pitch with for Palo Alto High School’s Varsity baseball team) felt great. I went through my extensive warmup routine, played catch and even pitched two innings in a scrimmage. After practice, I looked down at my right arm. It was unusually bright red and swollen. Although concerning, my arm wasn’t in much pain, and I assumed some ice and rest would help return it to its normal color.

However, when the color had not resolved the next morning, I finally went to the emergency room and got diagnosed with an injury I’d never heard of before: Venous Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS).

TOS is an extremely rare condition, primarily affecting athletes who use repetitive overhead arm motions, like baseball pitchers or swimmers, affecting nerves or blood vessels in the shoulder and upper chest. Stanford doctor and Chief of Vascular Surgery Jason Lee said that the condition occurs when the affected vein doesn’t have enough room between the patient’s first rib and clavicle, leading to a blood clot.

My first hospital visit lasted two days and involved two separate procedures in

a 12-hour span to break up the clot using blood-thinning medications, which I’d likely remain on until the end of May.

In early March, I also underwent a rib resection, which involves re moving part of my first rib that was compressing my subclavian vein. Lee, who performed the surgery, said the procedure would decompress the shoulder area and prevent future blood clots.

“The goal of that opera tion is to create more space so that in the future, the vein is not compressed, or the body isn’t put at risk anymore,” Lee said. “It allows the athlete to get back to their usual activities.”

Lee said that while 80 to 90% of patients under go successful treatment through completely removing the blood clot and reopening the vein, there are still patients who have complications and need addi tional treatment. Sometimes their veins never return to their full pre-injury function. At a follow-up appointment three weeks after my rib resection, doctors determined that my subclavian vein had collapsed again. I underwent two more procedures in a span of a month in an attempt to balloon my vein back open.

I was devastated. After four sur geries, I wondered if I could do the same activities I did pre-injury, and if I would ever be able to throw a baseball again.

However, after conversa tions with doctors and go

ing through physical therapy to regain my strength and mobility after my surgeries, I realized that everyone’s recovery process is unique. Although mine might take longer than most others and will likely heal differently, my body will find a way to adapt and live with a compromised subclavian vein.

“Blood flow in the body is an amazing thing,” Lee said. “When something is narrowed or blocked, the body on its own will find what are called collaterals, or detours, where then the body heals itself to allow the patient to compensate for some blockages that might be there.”

In the past, I’d taken my health for granted. Missing my last season of competitive baseball that I poured so much time and effort into made enduring my injury physically and mentally difficult. However, it has allowed me to engage in other activities, like coaching Little League baseball in East Palo Alto. I’ve been able to make peace with the fact that while my arm may not heal perfectly, I can still achieve a positive recovery and return to playing the sport I love. v

PRE-PITCH — I stand on the pitcher’s mound, looking in at the catcher, ready to throw a pitch in a 2024 Palo Alto High School regular season baseball game.

where are

COMPETING IN A MALEDOMINATED SPEECH EVENT

THE EXTEMP PREP ROOM

is always the same: tables littered with handwritten speech outlines, teens passionately delivering evidence to the walls like madmen, and a noticeable lack of girls.

Life is no different than a high school extemporaneous — or extemp for short — speech competition because women are not equally represented in the workplace, education or politics as their male counterparts.

In 2023, UNICEF estimated that 31% of women across the globe were denied access to education, which is 15% higher compared to men. Of the top 500 U.S. revenue-generating companies of 2025, 10.4% are led by female CEOs according to the Women Business Collaborative. As of May 2025, the Center for American Women and Politics reported that women only make up 28% of Congress, even

though they make up half of the total U.S. population.

With a 2-to-7 ratio of girls to boys nationwide, extemp is one corner of the speech and debate world that is a female no-go-zone.

For men, a lack of females doesn’t affect them. But for girls like me, I have to perform well not just for myself, but to prove to everyone in the room that girls belong here just as much as boys do.

For two years, I’ve competed in extemp. I receive a question related to current events and have 30 minutes to write and memorize a seven minute speech. From the moment I see the question, my brain runs through a million different ideas. I have no time to spare. In a matter of minutes, I must determine my perspective, make the topic relevant to my audience and sprinkle in funny anecdotes to lighten the mood. It’s an impossible task, and at times it feels like I could start an electric car with the brainpower it takes to dazzle the judge.

a shoulder to lean on would be nice. I’m lucky enough to have teammates and coaches that who relate to me, but girls at other schools are not as lucky.

Girls from the Paly speech and debate team often make up the majority of females in attendance for extemp at local tournaments. Aside from me and my teammates, there’s usually only one other girl from another school, which makes me wonder: Where are the ladies?

I have to perform not just for myself, but to prove to everyone in the room that girls belong.

I’ve always believed it’s the lack of representation and the misogyny women face that drives them out of extemp. This is an ongoing cycle — not just in speech and debate tournaments, but in our society as a whole.

If the results don’t go my way after all the hard work I’ve put into this event,

Tournaments can mimic the real world. High stakes and high pressure means people will go to the furthest lengths to win. Misogyny perpetrated by both competitors and judges has led to a staggering amount of women dropping out of speech and debate events. A University of Pennsylvania research paper published in 2020 found that female debaters are 30.4% more likely to leave speech and debate activities

the ladies ?

than their male counterparts.

According to the Student Press Law Center, one female debater received a private message from her male opponent asking her for nude photographs in exchange for conceding the round. Not only was he degrading her by equating her body to the value of winning a round, but he also failed to see her as an equal. The lack of respect for women is still deeply embedded in activities teenagers participate in, even if we choose not to confront it.

Often, women in speech and debate face more than just crude comments. One of the hardest parts of extemp are the noticeable double standards between genders in terms of appearance and speaking styles. Even small things like having a higher-pitched voice can impact girls.

Hillary Clinton faced an issue larger than misogynistic comments posted online. Part of what hurt her campaign was subtle bias, where critics called her shrill, unlikable and uninspiring, according to The Washington Post.

That’s a point Jay Newton-Small supported in her book, “Broad Influence: How Women Are Changing the Way America Works”, which addresses subtle sexism. Her book states, “When women raise their voices, people tend to get their hackles up.”

Female debaters are 30.4% more likely to leave speech and debate activities than their male counterparts.

A 2012 study published in the Public Library of Science One found that both men and women prefer male and female leaders who have lower-pitched voices. It’s an unfortunate bias, but one we’re forced to

It’s no different in extemp. If I try to highlight an argument during my speech, I’m taught to use a stern and powerful voice. Some judges perceive this as too dominating, but when I try to give speeches in a less traditional, more lighthearted manner, judges say my speaking style is unprofessional compared to the monotone, traditional speeches my male peers deliver. With a saturated competition of boys giving speeches in the same style, judges become familiar with their mannerisms and patterns.

The Paly speech and debate club’s as-

sistant director, Erin Ritchie, has dealt with this issue in both her past competitive journey and her professional career.

“When judges see that [dominant personalities] as the norm, they will see that as what’s winning and they come to embrace it without leaving room for alternative speaking styles,” Ritchie said.

It’s an impossible line to walk between appeasing your judges and conveying your own personality.

So what’s a small-town Palo Alto girl to do? Start by accepting that not everyone is right. This doesn’t mean I don’t value my judges’ feedback, but I’ve learned to take the helpful parts and leave the nasty stuff behind. I’m most comfortable and successful when I’m authentic, even when some don’t like it.

But the expectation to perform and represent a whole gender is too much for one person to tackle. That’s why we need more women to lift us up collectively. I encourage girls not to back down, but to fight back by showing up. Not just in speech and debate, but in life. Because we need you. I promise to do my part, but will you do yours?

In a society full of black dress shoes, I’ll be there in my kitten heels with bows working to disrupt the pattern. v

A Guide to Getting Lost

NAVIGATING THE WORLD WITH DIRECTIONAL ISSUES

IWAS SIX WHEN I FIRST remembered getting really lost. The cluttered streets, loud chatter and parents nowhere to be seen. I felt like I was drowning in the crowd. Like I was amid the stampede in The Lion King where Mufasa died (my favorite movie at the time).

I remember scouring the streets, looking for a “nice mom” as I’d been taught, to call my mom. I recited my mom’s phone number from memory.

Little did I know, my mom was only about 10 feet away from me, buying fruit at the stand over at our local farmers market. I did, however, feel very, very lost. I had been completely disoriented, feeling like my mom could have been miles away, and that I was never going to find her again.

Three years and a bunch of “Alma’s lost” stories later, my grandma, and favorite spatial psychologist, sent me an article about a condition called DTD, or Developmental Topographical Disorientation.

According to Science Direct, DTD is defined as the lifelong inability to orient in extremely familiar surroundings, despite the absence of any acquired brain damage or neurological disorders.

first paper on DTD published in 2009, the neurological issue that causes DTD is a lack of connectivity between the hippocampus and other brain regions that have to do with spatial orientation.

“Why DTD is a dysfunctional issue is not because the hippocampus is not working properly, not because the retrosplenial cortex is not working properly, or any other regions are not working properly, they’re working fine,” Iaria said. “The problem with DTD is that because spatial orientation is a very complex behavior that requires the integration of different brain regions and different kinds of information while you navigate.”

According to Ford Burles, a co-author on some of the more recent papers on DTD with Iaria, a main difference between someone with DTD and someone with a more typical “bad sense of direction” is people with DTD tend to get lost in very familiar places.

“

end up turning the wrong way on the right street because I have no sense of the general direction that I need to go in.

Often, I have to drive to my house getting from one place to another because it’s the only way I know how to get from Point A to Point B.

“If you get directions, someone can just give you a list of behaviors, like, head straight, see this, turn right,” Burles said. “Now that has spatial words in it, but there’s not the map. … So, those people with DTD can still do the route-based finding, do A, do B, do C, D, but it’s that intuitive … mental representation of space that’s [hard].”

We expect individuals with DTD really to be getting lost in places where you would expect they would have figured out … [they] just seem to never build that implicit sense of direction. ”

—FORD BURLES, Professor of cognitive neuroscience at Calgary University

“We expect individuals with DTD to be getting lost in places where you would expect they would have figured out ... regardless of their level of attention, just seem to never build that implicit sense of direction,” Burles told me.

I don’t experience right and wrong turns, or moments of being lost or found.

Based on current research, DTD is genetic and caused by issues with the hippocampus, a brain region responsible for memory and spatial cognition. According to Guissepe Iaria, the author of the

I proceeded to tell him how much I related to what he was talking about and how I still frequently go the long way around a circular building at my school where I have navigated to classes every day for the last four years.

While I can easily memorize the street names where I need to turn, I still often

For years, when people would get confused why I didn’t know my way home, I would defend myself saying, “I have a bad sense of direction,” trying to brush it off and hide how stupid I felt. If I brought up DTD, people would ask if I made it up or if I was self-diagnosed. So instead, I laughed it off and found ways to compensate and avoid it ever coming up.

DTD is not a well-known condition partly because it is a developmental condition that people are born with, making it hard for people who have it to even recognize it themselves.

“We have estimated about 2% [prevalence of DTD],” Iaria said. “Why they don’t come out with this? Well, likely because they do not know about this condition. Also, because being a developmental condition, people do not even know what it means to be different.”

However, the older I got, the more apparent my DTD became and the more excuses I had to come up with. I always felt

Text by ALMA BENDAVID

like people were mad at me for not knowing which way to turn, but it felt so out of my control. I didn’t understand why I was being blamed for the way my mind worked. Reading and hearing more about DTD felt liberating. There was an explanation for my “bad sense of direction” rather than it being my fault for not paying attention. I felt relieved I wasn’t the only one who lacked an assumed ubiq-

Of course, as I got older, I also came up with good ways of compensating and figuring out how to get around without having to talk about my DTD. I memorized the big streets in town and all its cross streets in order. I memorized the routes to every place I ever needed to go and used mnemonics to remember which way to turn on which street. I knew that to get to one of my friends’ houses, I had to turn right on Bryant because Bryant Street has an “r” in it. I began to shift my focus on the skills I was learning to navigate, rather

It was then that I realized I had a different definition of being lost than most.

For my friend at that moment, once we had turned the wrong way, we were lost. For me, however, I was exactly where I needed to be in order to figure out how to get to my friend’s house. It may have been a longer route, but it was my way of finding my way around. Wrong turn? What does wrong mean anyway? I took a guess, saw the cross street, realized my friend’s house was the other direction, and knew to turn back.

I now use my own definition of being lost as a way to stay calm in moments of stress, and to be more present in where I am at any given moment. If I never know where I am, there is nowhere to be but exactly where I am.

For me, life is more of a progression of events where, at each turn, you learn something new to help you find where you want to be.

Now, as I go off into the world with many more unfamiliar places than I have seen in the last 17 years of my life, I’ve decided to try and see how much better I can get at navigating. I want to try and distance myself from the comfort of simply being a bad navigator.

When I asked both Burles and Iaria about this possibility for gaining the mental map that most people have, they told me about a video game they have developed to try and help people improve their navigational skills.

I didn’t understand why I was being blamed for the way my mind worked.

one point, I realized I had taken a wrong turn and we needed to backtrack just one block to get back on track and simply turn the other way. I told my new friend at the time, “No it’s fine we just need to go this

She, however, was convinced we were lost, that it was my fault and that I was not going to be the one to fix it. She insisted on calling my best friend, who was disappointed I had lost my way to her house, and made her pick us up from the street corner we were at to take us to her house.

“We tried to build this little town, a virtual town, that people could explore,” Burles said.

“And the thought process was that they would get this opportunity to practice their spatial skills in a way that’s safe, where there’s no risk of getting lost. So it was basically using a video game model.”

Iaria and Burles have created a whole website to learn more about topographical orientation skills called gettinglost.ca. They have worked and done research to make the lives of people with topographical disorientation less confusing. I go forward in my life forever grateful to them, holding onto the skills I have learned through managing my DTD and continuing to try to grow my map of the world. v

Palo Alto Unified School District

Palo Alto High School

50 Embarcadero Road

Palo Alto, CA, 94301