Raven Report 2023-2024 Issue Cycle 0 by Sequoia High School Raven Report

RAVEN REPORT SEQUOIA HIGH SCHOOL NEWS MAGAZINE VOLUME XX, NO.0 // OCTOBER 2023

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH FEATURE Newcomer Stories pg. 10-13 FEATURE Indigenous to Hispanic pg. 14 FEATURE Hispanic Folklore pg. 15

Table of Contents

LA VIDA EN UN NUEVO PAÍS / LIFE IN A NEW COUNTRY

SOULS WITHIN THE STORIES

THE IMPORTANCE OF HISPANIC HISTORY

THE BLACK STUDENT UNION: A PLACE TO CELEBRATE AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE

FALL SPORTS AT A GLANCE

NEW YEAR, NEW RHYTHM

By Priya Ansnes & Sasha Efimchik & Caroline Sieling

By Arley Brizuela & Viviana Castro & Idania Quevedo By Alex Corpos & Yamir Ventura

By Jaime Perez & Payton Russi

By Christine Chang & David Raymond ByAden Richman & Kyle Appleby

Front cover by Aislinn Daly

Back cover by Sasha Efimchik

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS IN CHIEF Change is an inevitable part of life, and the Raven Report is no exception. In the world of journalism, every story is built on the concept of timeliness. Despite the fast-paced nature that forms the basis of our work in the newsroom from news articles to feature stories, it does not negate the fact that it is still extremely difficult to endure. At the end of last year, we had to say goodbye to our group of extremely talented senior editors as they graduated. Since we, Haylee and Allison, joined journalism in 2021, they were a core part of the Raven Report. Guiding us along from the very first time we ever saw our writing published to the long frustrating hours navigating InDesign, their mentorship and enthusiasm shaped us into who we are as reporters today. With them gone, we felt unsure if our leadership would be able to fill the gaping hole that they left with their departure. We eventually found our footing, but still miss our graduated editors dearly. We also had to part with our previous advisor this year, someone who was integral in shaping our publication and bringing a sense of community to the class. It was a difficult reckoning that we had to confront. However, we completely understand this decision had to be made and feel nothing but love for everyone involved, as well as an enormous sense of gratitude for what our previous advisor gifted. For a publication that has gone through many times of uncertainty with advisor changes, the enduring tenacity demonstrated by our reporters has allowed the publication to continue to adapt and grow over the years. Within change is also the space made for new opportunities. This year, we welcomed 25 outstanding new staff reporters. We are

so incredibly proud of the work they have produced for this issue, collaborating to create truly impressive articles. From the interviews to articles to InDesign, we could not have asked for a more dedicated staff. With obstacles that inevitably arose, seeing them rise to meet every challenge was nothing short of inspirational. To our section editors, it has been so wonderful to see you all blossom into your roles as leaders of the class, as endlessly supportive mentors that helped staff develop their articles into pieces they can be proud to see go to print. Without you all, the publication would not have been possible. Finally, we want to thank our lovely new advisor, Mary Diepenbrock, for taking on this class. Ms. D, you have forced us to reflect on our goals as a publication, supported us when we lacked direction, and continue to remind us every day of the need for empathy in teaching new reporters. With every single article going to print this issue, this achievement simply is a reflection of the love and time you have provided. We are so grateful for your devotion to the Raven Report and hope to continue building an equitable, inclusive community throughout the rest of the year. We have grown into our roles as leaders of this publication so much in the first two months of school, and will continue to provide quality multimedia and print content for all of Sequoia. Without further ado, as your Editors in Chief, we present you with this year’s first official issue of the Raven Report.

Allison Wang

ABOUT

THE RAVEN REPORT IS A SEQUOIA High School student publication produced in the journalism class through the efforts and decisions of the staff and the publication’s editors and advisor. The Raven Report is a public forum for students, staff, and community. THE RAVEN REPORT STRIVES TO provide Sequoia High School with informative, engaging and relevant news. The staff will exercise integrity and accountability while promoting justice and transparency through professional reporting about our school, community and the world.

CONTACT

THE RAVEN REPORT STAFF welcomes signed letters to the editor so that readers might share in the opportunities of the scholastic free press in open forum. The written views of students, parents or community members must be responsible, in good taste and free from libel, slander or obscenity. Letters may be edited for grammar or content if necessary; furthermore, editors will not guarantee that letters will be published. 1201 BREWSTER AVE. REDWOOD CITY, CA 94062 WWW.RAVENREPORT.ORG RAVENREPORT17@GMAIL.COM

Printing and web posting funded by

Haylee Huynh

RAVEN REPORT // 23-24 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Haylee Huynh Allison Wang MANAGING EDITOR Stan Hamelin FEATURE EDITORS Zoraya King Alex Parker-Rogers OPINION EDITOR Vivian Krevor

A&E EDITOR Matthew Caesar COPY EDITOR Sarina Sanghvi NEWS EDITOR David Raymond STAFF REPORTERS Abby Aguayo Priya Ansnes Kyle Appleby

Lucie Archambault Arely Brizuela Christine Chang Alex Corpos Sasha Efimchik Natalie Ewing Gianna Federighi Sofia Ferrante Juliana Garcia Nathaniel Gotelli

Collin Liou Jaime Perez Molina Emma Nardini Rocco Piazza Viviana Castro Ramos Cameron Reynolds Aden Richman Caroline Seiling Kevin Sierra Segovia Reese Silva

Idania Quevedo Yamir Ventura ADVISOR Mary Diepenbrock

RAVEN REPORT | OCTOBER 2023

What are tardy sweeps, anyway? BY CAMERON REYNOLDS ~ REESE SILVA ~ MATTHEW CAESAR Staff Reporters ~ A&E Editor

Photo and art by Cameron Reynolds The sounds of footsteps fill the hall as hun- that existed pre-pandemic to continue to place dreds of students scurry to get to class on time the utmost value on courses and student edlike dozens of little mice, knowing that any min- ucation,” Administrative Vice Principal Sophia ute now, they could be swept up. Tardy sweeps Olliver said. is an old policy brought back on the first day of To some teachers, this policy creates a much school in order to get students to their classes more positive environment compared to last on time. This policy has left many students and year’s efforts to put students in their seats. teachers divided. “There’s a lot After each lunch of things that have and brunch, students changed and made outside of their classthis a much more poses during a tardy itive start to the year sweep will be given There’s a lot of things that have and the tardy sweeps a detention slip. They changed and made this a much more are one of them,” IB must contact a parent English Teacher Juspositive start to the year and the or guardian and go to tine Rutigliano said. detention held in the tardy sweeps are one of them. “I think what they’re AVP Office at lunch doing is fantastic. It’s or after school. This Justine Rutigliano, IB English Teacher incredibly, incredibly policy has existed for supportive when many years, however, teachers stand this year is the first outside their since returning from COVID-19 that sweeps doors trying to assure students to get to are being strictly enforced. class.” “Post-pandemic policies that were previousMany members of Sequoia’s staff believe that ly in place were removed as we did not know this policy will further improve Sequoia. what it would be like for students and staff re“I think that people thrive when expectaturning to work. We are returning to a policy tions are clear, and when the structures in place

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to support meeting those expectations are robust.” Sequoia’s Principal Sean Priest said. “The number of students out of class after the bell rings, after brunch and lunch in the past couple of weeks has been a very small fraction of what it was last year.” While some staff members say this policy is a great addition to Sequoia and its students, this isn’t the case for sophomore Yulisa Ramos. “It makes kids feel anxious and it creates a stressful learning environment,” Ramos said. Some students feel that this policy is counterproductive to their learning. “It takes away from students’ learning time when they have to get a pass and wait for the teacher to open their door,” sophomore Jesús Calixtro said. Despite students and staff being split on whether this policy is beneficial, cooperation can make tardy sweeps a little less stressful for everyone. “Students can continue to encourage their peers to get to class on time and move toward classes a bit earlier than usual. Staff also should continue to encourage students to get to class on time. It benefits everyone when we work together!” Olliver said.

Campus Security Aide Pastor Guzman locking a gate. Photo and art by Alex Parker-Rogers

Sequoia students hungry for freedom BY GIANNA FEDERIGHI ~ ROCCO PIAZZA ~ MATTHEW CAESAR Staff Reporters ~ A&E Editor

An improved, more strictly enforced closed campus doesn’t compare to the food offered in campus policy at Sequoia High School is impact- downtown Redwood City. ing students’ access to the outside world during “There’s more flavor. [The food] doesn’t school hours since the school year began. This taste like cardboard,” junior Desiree Huffer has caused lots of discontent amongst students. said. When students Teachers quickly returned to campus realized that students after the COVID-19 leaving campus is a big quarantine, Sequoia safety issue. Throughdid not strictly enforce out the district, there’s its closed campus polWe’re all working together to make a door to door policy. icy. Many students viWhenever a student olated the policy and sure that we get all of the gates walks out of their house did not respect cam- locked and have people positioned and the door closes, pus rules. they are Sequoia’s rein places where someone could “We didn’t expect sponsibility. When stupossibly sneak out. that that relaxed kind dents leave campus to of feeling would bego get food, this means come so relaxed that Mary Gil, Campus Security Aide they are out of sight people would think from staff. they had the right to “Thirty-acre leave campus whenever they wanted,” Adminis- campus, but just outside of this, there are police trative Vice Principal Gary Gooch said. interacting with transients and criminals and Some of the reasons students leave are to go things are happening just over at Sequoia Staget food or hangout with their friends outside tion. In downtown Redwood City, there’s lots of school grounds. of bad things happening that are beyond our “Food options [or] drink options, most likely. control,” Gooch said. Better food, better food…Chipotle!” Campus Staff members recognized that the policy Security Aide Mary Gil said. was not not nearly being enforced enough and Some students feel that the food provided on that Sequoia students were in danger as a re-

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sult, improvements were necessary. “Mobilizing staff, right. So, you know, in the past few years, it’s been me and [Administrative Vice Principal Sophia] Olliver and just a few campus aids we have running around. And that’s just not going to work. So we got together and we basically mobilized some other staff members,” Gooch said. This year it’s all hands on deck. “We’re all working together to make sure that we get all of the gates locked and have people positioned in places where someone could possibly sneak out,” Gil said. This new and stricter policy has created mixed opinions amongst students, however it has really helped keep students on campus and out of danger. Students prefer to stay on campus rather than face the consequences of leaving. “Because I don’t want to do detention,” Huffer said when asked why she no longer leaves campus. Not only has this resolved most closed campus infractions, others feel that there has been an improvement in energy and community here at Sequoia. “I just spoke with some students in ASB and they came up to me and said, ‘it’s such a better vibe here,” Gooch said.

RAVEN REPORT | OCTOBER 2023

What did you do before entering the field of education?

What drew you to work at Sequoia? “I just knew that Sequoia was an old reputable school, and that it was certainly one of the gems of the Peninsula. So it always had that reputation in the back of my mind, but the real reason that I wanted to come to Sequoia was the opportunity to work with English language learners, and to help support them as they move to a different country and learn a new language and to give them more equitable outcomes through education.”

“I played the string bass, which is the upright bass. So for the first part of my 20s I moved to New York City, and I was a musician...eventually I decided to move back to the Bay Area and pursue a teaching career. The genesis of that was because I, as a musician, without really knowing it, I was a teacher...I had learning intentions and I had standards, and I had exercises and I had lessons and I had assessments. I was doing all these things that teachers do, but I was just doing it intuitively.”

Teachers: back to school Welcoming new staff to Sequoia for the 2023-24 school year BY HAYLEE HUYNH ~ ALLISON WANG Editors in Chief

n Wang s by Alliso n o ti ra st Illu

What do you do for fun?

Why did you get started at Sequoia? “I am a Redwood City resident... That opportunity presented itself to try out a different position, a different role, get back to something that I really liked. Which is working on a school site and working closely with teachers around instructional practices.” 6

“My family likes to go camping. ...We try to kind of do different things, but we really love being outside and keeping ourselves active outdoors, going to Tahoe, going skiing in the wintertime and hanging out at the beach or the lake in the summertime.”

What did you do before entering the field of education? “I was a project manager for a very, very small company...based around a celebrity TV Chef ‘Yan Can Cook,’ and I ran a lot of parts of his office. So there were a lot of pieces and layers of that work that I’ve been able to utilize in my job in education.”

What are your goals for this year? What made you want to teach biology? “I realized that, very quickly, that I was just not going to do research and I was much happier in a job where I could interact with students and get them excited about learning science themselves, as opposed to sitting in a lab and doing something that I wasn’t sure was going to make that big of an impact.”

What do you do in your free time? “I play tennis. I play basketball. I used to go surfing haven’t gone much recently, although I did go once this summer. But I do love surfing...I played music so I play piano and guitar. And I also create Hip Hop so I make rap beats that I perform, I’m very passionate about that.”

What did you do during your time away from Sequoia? “I went to Gateway High School in [San Francisco]. It was a really great opportunity to see how a smaller school worked. I really got to know my students and they were wonderful as well. But I just felt really drawn to come back here. I’m so grateful and I don’t regret going but I’m happy that I was able to find my way back and I really feel like I’m invested now in this community.”

What do you do for fun? “I’m part of a nonprofit called ETC (Environmental Traveling Companions), where we bring people with physical disabilities like visual impairments out and into the Bay to kayak.”

What are you looking forward to this school year? “I have a vision for growth this year. I can see what’s in front of me that will require my commitment and some determination, but if I just stick with it, there will be growth, I will settle into my role as ELD 1 teacher, I will settle into my role as IB teacher.”

“My goals are for [my students] to think like scientists. So not just being told that these are the science facts, but to figure it out for themselves...I would say another big goal is to hopefully have them be people who think about solutions and implementing solutions for sustainability.”

What got you started with rapping for your students? “That probably goes all the way back to when I first started teaching in 2007 as as a substitute…I am a firm believer in the power of music and rhythm and words and poetry...to go deeper into understanding a concept or an exploring it themselves.”

Were you always expecting to enter education? “I realized in 2016, after the election that as a[n immigration] lawyer I would have to work within the laws in this country. [...] I was teaching in Madrid, thinking that I was going to apply to law school after that and while that was happening, my students had so many questions about the history of the US and why this moment was happening in our time... [I] felt like that was my purpose to help young people...work together to dream up other worlds and other ways of being.”

RAVEN REPORT | OCTOBER 2023

Freshman to senior: classroom rules and freedom BY SOFIA FERRANTE ~ JULIANA GARCIA ~ SARINA SANGHVI Staff Reporters ~ Copy Editor

Rules are supposed to make school a better place

...

But what if they bring defiance?

Art by Sofia Ferrante and Juliana Garcia

While students in different grades at Sequoia Chase Wilson, a sophomore at Sequoia, behave various classroom rules around phones, lieves that in his freshman year, students didn’t tardies, bathroom rules, and behavior, there are follow the rules as well as they were expected also some that stay consistent throughout all to. But by sophomore year, students listened to grades. the rules and better understood their expectaStudents are maturing every minute of their tions. The rewards of their actions, Wilson said, lives, preparing them for the world beyond the was that the rules were less strict. Lots of stucurrent rules given by their teachers and guard- dents agree that rules should loosen their grip ians. As students gain more experience, they on students as they get older. are given more trust “All the seniors and freedom, and are pretty much there are less rules adults at this point. they are required to It would be fine if we abide by. Students and went off campus. For teachers both have I think probably rules about being the freshmen, they’re different perspectives kind and being respectful of peers pretty much kids. It on what they believe that’s kind of like a given. would not really be the right amount of appropriate for them regulation for every Holden Kowitt, senior to go off campus,” segrade should be. nior Holden Kowitt At Sequoia, most said. teachers do not alSome students low phone usage in believe maturing afclass, students are not allowed to leave campus fects their lives at school; some say that you while school is in session and the number of can draw a line where students have grown bathroom uses per class is limited. A new ad- enough to gain certain privileges at a certain dition to the 2023-24 school year is the “Tardy age or grade, while others still need to grow. Sweep,” where students must be in your class “Sophomore year, there’s a lot of silly rules on time or be given detention, and teachers are that don’t really do a lot. By senior year, they required to lock their doors after the final bell let you do whatever you do, as long as you pay rings. attention during class,” Kowitt said.

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As students advance throughout grades, they are able to make more choices for themselves and are given greater privileges. On the other hand, teachers believe many of the rules are necessary for a more focused and productive school environment. For example, phones have become a big distraction to students and many teachers have formed negative opinions towards their use in classrooms. “In my first three years teaching, I did allow phones in class and it just became a huge distraction,” freshman biology teacher Eve Kenyon said. One big part of students gaining more freedom and having to follow less rules is trust. The more a student is trusted by the staff at their school, the more decisions that students can make themselves, and the more they are permitted to do. “The rules got a lot more strict this year, I get that they want us to get to class on time, but it’s a lot to just put onto us and it’s kind of ridiculous,” senior Ellie Paul said. This school year, many students are unhappy with the idea of harsher enforcement of rules. But treating each other with kindness is one rule that most students will agree on. “The most important [rules are] just respecting other people, and respecting other people’s opinions,” Kowitt said.

AI in school: good or bad?

BY ABIGAIL AGUAYO ~ LUCIE ARCHAMBAULT ~ SARINA SANGHVI Staff Reporters ~ Copy Editor As the 2023-24 school year begins at Sequoia, administration is implementing even stricter rules on AI use in classrooms. However, some students and teachers believe that AI can still be used responsibly as a learning tool. Due to the massive increase of AI in day-today life, from personalized recommendations to auto-correct, students are exposed to the possible dangers of AI.Teachers are trying to inform their classes about the negative aspects of AI that might not be obvious to some students “People seem to think AI is not biased and is completely right all the time. But I think it’s important that wherever we get our information that we question the source biases,” Ethnic Studies teacher Carlos Villa said. Many teachers at Sequoia are not fond of the idea of AI being used in classrooms. It is not because teachers don’t want to make students’ lives easier, but simply because they believe AI is untrustworthy and can lead to students getting false information. They don’t want their students to learn content that is false or would not be helpful to them. “I’m not comfortable recommending students using AI for a study tool because I don’t know its sources,” IB History teacher and Department Chair Danny Bliss said. There are other aspects to why teachers don’t allow AI such as the fact that it’s considered direct plagiarism. For a student in IB, plagiarism is the biggest mistake IB emphasizes to avoid, so if an IB student is using AI to write their essay, they will most likely fail the assignment. Teachers have many resources to easily tell when AI is used in an assignment like noticing the tone of the writing by using a detector site. “I’m sure it can be used as a study tool but I certainly don’t allow students to represent a

machine’s voice as their own,” Bliss said. Although AI does include negative features, it can also be used as a positive resource to students by creating personalized learning experiences and preparing them for the new digital age.

to a classroom. “I think it would be a little short-sighted to not acknowledge that AI is here. So I think as long as we teach students to use it as a support like textbooks and notes, and not like a replacement to learning, it can be used,” Villa said. Even though most students are understanding of the rules, they think the school should not implement restrictions for all types of AI. “It can be fair but sometimes unfair because even though some AI can help you cheat there are some types that can help you learn,” freshman Samantha Cuevas Melchor said. For example, it could be used to explain something in different words, personalize learning courses, and provide online tutoring. But generalizing the entirety of the resource to only that is used for cheating is one of the main causes of its backlash from many teachers. AI is mostly portrayed as a cheating tool used only by students, but this form of technology is also used as a helping hand by many people in their day-to-day life. Even though Sequoia teachers are hesitant about student use of AI, they do admit that sometimes it can be helpful to their jobs “I have heard of teachers who have used it to write sample essays,” Bliss said. “I know that teachers use it.” The use of AI in classrooms can be negative, but when used in the right way it can be a supporting resource to students. “I talked with my class about responsible use of AI. So I think if they’re using it as a tool to support learning and find resources, then I’m okay with it,” Villa said.

Most teachers are banning the use of this resource as a whole but are disregarding the positives it can bring

RAVEN REPORT | OCTOBER 2023

Art by Abigail Aguayo

BY PRIYA ANSNES ~ SASHA EFIMCHIK ~ CAROLINE SIELING ~ ZORAYA KING ~ ALEX PARKER-ROGERS Staff Reporters ~ Co-Feature Editors

El programa ELD (Desarrollo del Idioma Inglés) de Sequoia permite que los estudiantes que no hablan inglés asistan a Sequoia High School. Este programa brinda a muchos estudiantes inmigrantes acceso a la educación estadounidense. Muchos de estos estudiantes todavía están aprendiendo inglés, pero tienen historias que deberían ser escuchadas. Dos estudiantes compartieron el suyo para el Informe Raven. Se identifican con nombres alternativos por motivos de privacidad.

¿Cuál crees que es la diferencia entre nacer y Estados Unidos o mudarse aquí?

¿Con qué frecuencia te comunicas con tu familia en Guatemala? “Me comunico várias(depende los) días porque aveces estoy acá en la escuela y ellos esta asi como trabajado pero si vendiendo por su cuento entonces yo no me puedo comunicar mucho con ellos.”

¿Por que te fuiste de Guatemala?

“Las personas que están nacidas acá en los estados unidos tienen un poco más oportunidades que las personas que nacemos en otros lugares países que casi no hay muchos recursos entonces sería bueno que clase de personas latina sy americans para pudieramos conocer cada uno de historia y tener mas como poder ayudar a los demás que los necesitan.”

¿Cómo fue tu vida en Guatemala? “Yo soy de Guatemala, soy de una ciudad muy grande. Que se titula “Quetzaltenango. Yo nací en un pueblo que se llamaba Chiantla Entonces yo nací en un como apartamento más o menos. Yo allá empecé mi vida, nací allá, toda mi vida crecí allá. Tuve diferente etapas de pequeño, mis padres tenían que trabajar.”

“Se me dio la oportunidad el año pasado. Entonces pues me vine e porque mi hermana que se vino a los 16 años vino con un tio y pasó toda su vida aca y despues ya de 7 años me mandó a traer ami me quería venir me mandó traer antes como más o menos en agosto no en Julio pero yo en ese tiempo estaba en la escuela entonces no podría venirme. Después me vine ya en noviembre el 1 de noviembre salí de mi casa y me vine con mi otra hermana que está acá y entonces gracias dios pase y pues ya estoy acá y fue una gran oportunidad para mí porque era un gran sueño que tuve y pues estoy agradecido por eso.”

¿Cómo ha sido la escuela en los Estados Unidos? “Pues ahorita no me ha dificultada nada la escuela también me dieron mi horario y mas mi horario me fui independizando un poco más en las clases.” 10

De donde eres? “La capital de Guatemala.”

¿Cómo se siente estar lejos de Guatamala? “Me sentí triste porque este yo no sabia que ya no iba a volver a ver a mi papa y al año que yo estaba aquí mataron a mi papa en Guatemala.”

¿Qué te animó a venir a los Estados Unidos? “Quería venir acá porque tenía mi mamá y porque allá como posibilidades como acá como una vida mejor.”

¿Qué como algo que te asustó cuando llegaste aquí? “Pues venía emocionada porque dije yo voy a ir a otro país voy a ir a conocer y todo pero cuando llegué acá yo pensaba y decía cuando voy a ir a Guatemala de nuevo.”

¿Por qué terminaste en Sequoia? ¿Cómo te ha afectado estar aquí? “Este vine a Sequoia porque mi prima se graduó de aca y pues dijo hablan espanol y ingles y en cambio en Woodside que tengo más cerca pues casi solo hablan ingles y pues como que no me iba sentir cómodoat Me ha ayudado eset bastante porque aquí en Sequoia este casi todos con los que tengo clases y todo casi todos hablan español siento que varios son de Guatemala y me siento cómoda y me ah ayudado bastante.”

RAVEN REPORT | OCTOBER 2023

BY PRIYA ANSNES ~ SASHA EFIMCHIK ~ CAROLINE SIELING ~ ZORAYA KING ~ ALEX PARKER-ROGERS Staff Reporters ~ Co-Feature Editors

Sequoia’s ELD (English Language Development) program allows for non-English speaking students to attend Sequoia High School. This program gives many immigrant students access to American education. Many of these students are still learning English, but have stories that should be heard. Two students shared theirs for the Raven Report. They are identified with alternative names for privacy reasons.

Why did you leave Guatemala to be here?

How often can you communicate with your family in Guatemala? “I communicate with them on various days because sometimes I am here at school and they are working, selling for their store. So I can’t communicate much with them [very often].”

“So I came here because my sister came with my uncle at 16 and she spent her whole life here. And then after seven years he sent for me to come in August. I left my home and came with my other sister who is here and thank God I [was let into America] and am here. It was a great opportunity for me because it was a dream I had and so I am very grateful for that.”

Where are you from? “I am from Guatemala, I am from a very big city called “Quetzaltenango. I was born in a town called Chiantla. So I was born in an apartment more or less. I started my life there, I grew up there. I had different stages of childhood.”

How has school been in the U.S.? “...school has not been difficult for me at all, they gave me my schedule and I became more independent in my classes.”

What do you think the difference is between being born in the United States and moving here? “People who are born here in the United States have a little more opportunities than people who are born in other countries, where there are [less] resources. It would be good to [get to know other] Latin Americans so we could know each other’s history and have more ways to help others who need them.” Art By Sasha Efimchik

Where are you from? “The capital of Guatemala [Guatemala City].”

How does it feel being away from Guatemala? “I felt sad because I didn’t get to return to see my dad and after a year that I was here, my father was killed in Guatemala.”

What encouraged you to come to the U.S.? “I wanted to come here because I had my mom and there are possibilities here [for] a better life.”

What was something that scared you when you got here? “When I arrived here I was thinking and wondering, when I am going to go to Guatemala again?”

Why did you end up at Sequoia? How has being here affected you? “I came to Sequoia because my cousin graduated here and she said they speak Spanish and English and at Woodside, which is closer to me, they only speak English and I was not going to feel comfortable... It has helped me a lot because here at Sequoia almost everyone that I have classes with and almost everyone speaks Spanish. I feel that many are from Guatemala and I feel comfortable.”

Transcription by Carmen Victoria Cuevas Contreras Translated by Haylee Huynh and Allison Wang RAVEN REPORT | OCTOBER 2023

Souls within the stories Remembering Latin American Folklore

BY ARELY BRIZUELA ~ VIVIANA CASTRO ~ IDANIA QUEVEDO ~ ZORAYA KING Staff Reporters ~ Co-Feature Editor To sit at the dinner table with family as the pose of both continuing culture and cautioning night approaches. To listen in fear and awe as dangers. legends of strange entities are shared. To have a “I learned a lot of urban legends because head full of stories to be retold the next day to they were supposed to keep me safe, who I friends and to have those memories live years would trust, who not to trust and just tricks to after the initial fear has passed. To many survive,” Bustos said. Latin American children, that is folklore. These stories also provide insight into the According to the Journal of Folklore Re- people with indigenous Latin roots who cresearch, the term folklore is defined by stories ated them as a way to preserve a part of their or other forms of cultural expression through culture through storytelling. forms of art and storytelling.Tracking down the “It's kind of explaining the loss of indigeorigins of any tale is incredibly difficult since nous culture. Some people see “La Llorona” as they can spread verbally and boost in popular- a story about losing what was taken from the ity. The myth of “La indigenous [peoples] Llorona” is a prime during the [Spanish] example of an ‘urconquest,” Carlos ban legend, that grew Navarrete, Mexibeyond its origin in can-American Study Mexico; it is about a It has become part of our culture Skills teacher, said. woman who drowned These stories aland that’s those moments that make her children and now low for a lot of audihaunts rivers as a spir- you appreciate your family and your ence interpretation. culture. Even if it’s scary, it’s still it in search of them. To many, myths and Despite the slight who we are [and] in a way, that’s folklore can often differences in stories, part of our identity. create or reinforce a Latin American folkconnection to indigelore and its influence nous culture as a way Yeimi Ruiz Barriga, senior can be overlooked to preserve ancestry by only categorizing through sharing stothem as stories, but ries. there is much more “It has become to these myths than meets the eye. part of our culture and that's those moLots of Latin American stories are usually ments that make you appreciate your family tailored to be scary, as a way to teach children and your culture. Even if it's scary, it's still to practice good behavior and to be safe. This who we are [and] in a way, that's part of our is achieved by telling tales full of monsters and identity,” Barriga said. supernatural entities as the main focus. Folklore and history can also be “As a kid, they would tell you those stories shown through the form of tradito scare you and put fear in you [as] a way to tional dances that are performed [get you to] listen to your parents and do what during festivals. A very you're being told, ” Yeimi Ruiz Barriga, a senior popular traditionof Mexican descent, said. al dance is “La Stories tend to be passed down through gen- Danza De Los erations of oral tradition about those creatures V o l a d o r e s ” in folklore, influencing the beliefs of the supernatural and producing fear. Jesse Bustos, a Digital Arts Academy teacher and second-generation Mexican-American, has a different perspective on the effect of these kinds of stories. “I heard myths and folklore when I was a child, and it made me dream and helped me feel creative. [They were] teaching me values and principles,” Bustos said. Myths and legends are ways to teach lessons across generations and serve an important pur-

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Art by Idania Quevedo Hernandez (The Dance of the Flyers), which consists of dancers climbing to the top of a large pole while dancing throughout the entirety of the act. The actual dance itself is related to a myth where the dance is performed to appease the gods after a drought, according to Mexico Retold. “It's just really beautiful to see the way [those dances] styled our culture,” Carmen Cuevas Contreras, a senior of indigenous Mexican descent, said. To many, the dances are a gateway to understanding the culture of the dance and providing entertainment. Latin-American culture has been spread through dance in a very effective way so many people have managed to keep those stories alive. “It brings me back to my roots, my culture, my history. It shows my raza (race) [and] how different it is from Mexico and the United States,” Contreras said.

Photo of Tabarez’s family provided by Tabarez

The importance of Hispanic history BY ALEXANDER CORPOS ~ YAMIR VENTURA ~ ALEX PARKER-ROGERS Staff Reporters ~ Co-Feature Editor Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated throughout Central and South America from September 15 to October 15. Across the United States there is a movement during this month to acknowledge contributions made by the Hispanic community; many Sequoia High School students with Hispanic heritage take this time to reflect on the importance and connection to their culture. Many teachers at Sequoia include Hispanic history in their curriculum during Hispanic Heritage Month and throughout the school year. Many feel this education is especially crucial as it gives students more knowledge of their history and culture. “Hispanics today are people of Spanish or European descent and indigenous descent. I think it’s extremely important for students to

Top photo of DAA wing and bottom photo of Jesse Bustos by Alex Corpos

learn about their culture, whatever it is, not just their Latino culture. If you’re an Asian student, you should know about your Asian cultural roots. If you’re an Arabic student, you should know about your roots too,” history teacher Juan Duran said. Another teacher agrees that it’s important for students to learn about their history because Hispanic people greatly contribute to our country in many ways.When students learn about these contributions, they feel proud of who they are. “I knew what my family told me, but my peers had never heard anything good about Mexicans. And so I think it’s so important that we cover these topics,” history teacher Jesse Bustos said. “If I had more knowledge, I think I would have had more pride and more people would have appreciated the contributions of my family.” According to the National Center for Farmworker Health, 70 percent of farmworkers in the U.S. are Latino. Outside the U.S., Global Agriculture claims Latino farmworkers produce 80 percent of food in the world. Duran gives more insight on this. “Most farmworkers are Latino/a descent, and farmworkers are feeders so they put food on our table. So, I think that students should feel proud of their backgrounds. And most definitely, teachers should teach them,” Duran said. A student agrees with Duran and tells why

she was thankful for her experience learning about Hispanic and Latino history in an IB History class. “I learned about Cesar Chavez and the boycotts. A lot of our parents don’t actually really teach us about our history. So if we’re able to get some knowledge of it through school, it’s actually very important,” senior Sophia Tabarez said. Many students are able to connect to their histories outside class by visiting the Latin American countries their families immigrated from. Tabarez adds that this has been her experience. “My parents are also immigrants from Mexico. So I’m very close to the history and my Hispanic identity,” Tabarez said. “I visit Mexico every year so I actually am able to see my aunts, cousins and uncles that are still in Mexico and I get to learn a little bit more about our culture every year.” Freshman Braulio Ac Chim mentions he spent an extended period of time in Mexico with their family. “My parents were born in Yucatán. My brother was also born in California but moved only with my mom to Mexico for a year before coming back. I was born here in California, Redwood City,” Ac Chim said.

RAVEN REPORT | OCTOBER 2023

The Black Student Union: A place to celebrate African American heritage

Photo by Jaime Perez the BSU via Zoom during the COVID-19 quarantine. She felt a deep connection to the club and found joy in their events, especially the poetry jam. “I really felt like a part of the club, as if it was a family because we connected through COVID-19,” Brook said. The BSU meets every Thursday in the Tea Garden Conference Room and new members are welcome.

BY JAIME PEREZ ~ PAYTON RUSSI ~ STAN HAMELIN Staff Reporters ~ Managing Editor

food. There are foods like chicken, ribs, mac Adili Skillin walks into the meeting looking and cheese, mashed potatoes and many other sharp, dressed in a suit and purple tie ready to dishes,” Skillin said. meet with the memIn addition to bers of the Black Stuplanning community dent Union (BSU). building activities, the The BSU is a club at 25-member club parSequoia that focuses The BSU guided me, serving as ticipates in thoughtful on Black culture; their a stepping stone in my search for discussions in order primary focus is Afto deepen their unrican American Herwho I am. derstanding of African itage, but they welAmerican culture. come all cultures. The Jordan Crockett, junior Junior and objective of the club is BSU member Jordan to advocate for Black Crockett stated that and biracial students his motivation for at Sequoia. joining the BSU is to show respect for his Skillin has led the BSU for 13 years and community. knows how to make the club fun and engaging “I believe in showing authenticity and love for students to celebrate their black heritage. for my people. The BSU guided me, serving as Through his leadership, for the Black two years a stepping stone in my search for who I am. Sequoia’s BSU has gathered with other high There’s more to this world than we know and schools to celebrate. that African Americans can be proud,” Crock“These celebrations have centered around ett said. building community, and a major component President of the BSU, Amra Brook, joined of that was food, pariicularly BBQ and soul

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Photo by Jaime Perez

Photos by Natalie Ewing

Hobby turned club: Ultimate Frisbee Club BY NATATLIE EWING ~ NATE GOTELLI ~ STAN HAMELIN Staff Reporters ~ Managing Editor

students who don’t wan’t to play, can spend lunch in the sun, watching a game of ultimate frisbee.

If you eat lunch on Sequoia’s front lawn, then “Our goal with the frisbee club is to hopeyou have seen a group of students running fully get more members and possibly run more around throwing a plastic disc. You may have [than one] game,” senior member Josiah Fereven been hit in the head while peacefully eating retty said. “We want to be more inclusive to lunch. freshmen and sophomores.” The Ultimate Frisbee Club is one of the newThe club has made it their goal this year to est clubs on campus; a group of friends tossing include everyone who wants to join. You can around a frisbee became an official Sequoia club walk right up and jump into the game. for the 2023-24 year. “You don’t even The Ultimate Frisneed to know how to bee Club used Club play; we’ll teach you,” Day to spread the Ferretty said. message that they are Another issue It makes the vibes at Sequoia interested in growing the Ultimate Frisbee better. the club and welcomClub was forced to ing new members. address were com“We hope that plaints centered around Maeva Guilliame, sophomore [with] club day, people shared use of field know we made this a space. For a long time, club and that more frisbee games took up people feel encoura large section of the aged to join,” senior front lawn, where stuBrandon Kwan, an Ultimate Frisbee Club mem- dents previously sat during lunch. Many stuber, said. dents reported being hit by a frisbee. The club has faced criticism regarding its in“They take up a lot of space and hit us, they clusivity. Sophomore Skye Klinke noted a no- should practice somewhere else until they’re ticeable lack of underclassmen playing. good and then come back on the lawn,” junior “It’s kind of hard to join a community when Riya Hariharan said. they already are all part of a community,” Klinke The Ultimate Frisbee Club addressed this said. concern by arranging to play on the gated pracHowever, the founding members of the Ulti- tice field on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. mate Frisbee Club are working to address this The Ultimate Frisbee Club wants to make a complaint and expand their membership. positive contribution to campus life. Even the

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RAVEN REPORT | OCTOBER 2023

girls water polo

Elisa Flores, Girls Golf

Taryn Szeles, Girls Golf

Hannah McDonald, Girls Water Polo

Sequoia Girls Water Polo vs. Half Moon Bay

Football’s first home game of the season against Patterson High School 18

Emily Chan running Cross Country

Kristoffer Vinther playing Water Polo

Freshman Lina Wu

Sequoia Boys Water Polo vs. Woodside

Leila Berman, Girls Tennis

Girls Volleyball

Flag Football; photo by C. Reynolds Rowan Henige after a race

Elia Gvili with Cheer

Girls Flag Football; photo by Cameron Reynolds

RAVEN REPORT | OCTOBER 2023

Girls’ flag football gets the green flag from Sequoia

Photo by Cameron Reynolds, art from Clipart Library

BY COLLIN LIOU ~ EMMA NARDINI ~ DAVID RAYMOND Staff Reporters ~ News Editor The ball is snapped and, in a flurry of white newness of the sport as the primary reason for and black jerseys, a pass is thrown. Its destina- people’s excitement to join. tion: an Aragon High School student. But defen“I’m looking forward to how our games are sive team captain Ellie Paul, a senior at Sequoia, going to go because it is a new sport for evhas other plans. She intercepts the pass and eryone and a lot of new people are new to it,” begins dodging Aragon defenders, but her flag junior team member Desiree Huffer said. “I just is quickly pulled. Cheers, high-fives, and shouts wanted to try something new, especially since of encouragement are I was talking to some heard as Sequoia’s of my friends to see team celebrates and who was going to gets ready for the join.” next play. The coaches Sequoia welcomed I hope that a lot of people see it as echoed similar sentiits newest sports an opportunity since our coaches ments. team, girls’ flag foot“The girls out popped out that there can be offered here, they are exball, this Fall season following its approval scholarships to a few colleges that cited,” head coach as a brand new high have this sport. Matthew Kelly said. school sport in Cali“They’re enthusiasfornia back in Februtic about it. They’re Desiree Huffer, junior ary of this year. showing up, they’re The team has 26 ready to go. I think members and two it’s just that it’s brand coaches: head coach new.” Matthew Kelly and assistant coach Luis LedezWhile excitement for the new team was ma. Currently, they are competing against nine high, the turnout for the team ended up being other schools in the Peninsula Athletic League less than expected. (PAL). “When they first hired me I was told that The creation of the team was supported there were about 40 girls that were coming by many school administrators. After it was out,” Kelly said. announced, interest and excitement began to Currently, there are 26 players on the team. rise among students and coaches, who cite the Despite these numbers, the players on the

team come from many diverse backgrounds. “I feel like we’re pretty diverse,” Huffer said. “There’s a lot of different girls from different backgrounds. There’s Latina, Polynesian, Caucasian, a lot of different people that I got to meet and they’re very nice at the same time.” As this is the second sport for many of these players, they are balancing flag football with their commitment to other sports. “I think people see this as an extracurricular thing,” assistant coach Luis Ledezma said. “They don’t really view it as the four main sports like baseball or football, so they tend to miss practice to support other sports. I think one of the most important things is, because this is the first year, we have to set the expectations right.” Another challenge the flag football team faces is the lack of history. As it is a new high school sport in California, many of the players have limited prior experience with the game. Because of this, the coaches have specifically selected drills that focus on hammering down the basics of different positions and routes that can be run. Kelly and Ledezma have noticed significant improvement since the start of the season, and everyone remains optimistic. “I hope that a lot of people see it as an opportunity since our coaches popped out that there can be offered scholarships to a few colleges that have this sport,” Huffer said. “I hope that that’s something that progresses throughout the years.”

New year, new rhythm Dance team: practices, performances and the future BY OSCAR NOLF Staff Reporter

Photos by Kyle Appleby and Aden Richman, art by Alex Parker-Rogers BY KYLE APPLEBY ~ ADEN RICHMAN ~ DAVID RAYMOND Staff Reporters ~ News Editor As the white lights beam and the student section roars, Sequoia’s dance team counts down the seconds to half-time. With just one week of practice, the nerves of the team members match the chaotic energy of the crowd. They run to their starting positions, stare into the eyes of hundreds of students and hear the beat drop. Sequoia’s dance team was brought back after COVID-19, and the team’s captains are excited

“I’m so passionate about dance that it’s definitely just an easy thing to put into my calendar,” Dulsky said. On top of that, practicing in a smaller area can bring unique challenges. The team practices during seventh period in a classroom-sized space. With performances held in more open areas, spacing can be a puzzle. “Usually on Fridays we go to the field so that we can just see how it is spacing-wise, how

to start up rehearsals for the third year in a much we need to spread out, and then go fullrow. out because it’s definitely a different feel when The work and practice required to perform you’re on the field,” senior dance team memone new dance evber Natalie DeMarco said. ery week at school While the team is fully stuevents can be tough. dent run, Sequoia’s Let alone two. dance teacher “We learn two Everyone on [the] dance team is Taylor White new dances every has taken on week, and we have to always super supportive and we being the clean, choreograph really became a family. team’s adviand stage all of them sor. While in the week and per- Isabella Kashap, Dance Captain she has to form them by Friday,” be present senior Claire Dulsky at practicsaid. “So it’s definitely a very quick pace.” es, White is impressed with Dulsky knows this routine is challenging, but the autonomy of the class. her love for dance outweighs the commitment “They’re very organized, the team takes. very precise,” White said.

“They come in, they warm up quickly. They go over choreography, they clean it, they stage it and then they move on to the next, so they’re efficient with their time.” With no extra leadership, this efficiency is needed to get the dances ready, especially for the most rivalrous and exciting games of the year. Dance team captain and senior Rania Mehta is well aware of the high standards for these games. “[When we perform against] Carlmont, Woodside, we know we need to bring it. Everyone is just on the same page, in terms of energy level,” Mehta said.. The rivalry isn’t the only excitement-inducer for these games. Many of these dancers, across school teams, all practice their technique in outside studios. “Some of my best friends are on those other teams who I dance with outside of school and I’m around them all the time. It’s really fun to see their dance team dynamic because it’s definitely really different [from ours],” Mehta said. Unlike other nearby high schools, Sequoia’s dance team doesn’t participate in dance competitions. For now, they are content with their slate of performances at school sporting events. “Competition isn’t our main goal. Our goal is to represent Sequoia and perform for our school and just be out there. As for right now, the dynamic of just performing basketball and football games and stuff like that works for our group because we just love to do it,” Dulsky said. And with a love and a passion for the same art, it’s no surprise that the team is very close. Senior Isabella Kashap, the third captain of the dance team, highlights this connection. “Ever yone on [the] dance team is always super supportive,” Kashap said. “We really became a family.”

RAVEN REPORT | OCTOBER 2023

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10 7

tardy

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Crossword Maker Read the issue to find the answers!

1 2

Across

Down

[2] The new IB English teacher Jedd _____.

[1] “La Danza De Los _________” - a very popular 4traditional dance where dancers climb to the top of a large pole while 5 dancing.

[4] Where are the two featured newcomer students from? [6] The dance team's advisor is Taylor _____.

[8] What does someone receive when they are caught in a tardy sweep? [11] Football's first home game was against _________ High School.

[3] An urban legend about a woman who drowned her children 6 and now haunts rivers as a spirit in search of them. 7 [5] Ulitate Frisbee Club is on Mondays, Tuesdays, and _________.

[7] Hispanic Heritage Month starts _________ 15th.

[9] How many students are on the girls flag football team?

9 [10] The theme for this8 issue is ________ Heritage Month.

Down

[1] “La Danza De Los _________” - a very popular traditional dance where dancers climb to the top of a large pole while dancing. Copyright © 2023 printablecreative.com | For personal use only [3] An urban legend about a woman who drowned her children and now haunts rivers as a spirit in search of them.

[5] Ulitate Frisbee Club is on Mondays, Tuesdays, and _________. [7] Hispanic Heritage Month starts _________ 15th.

[9] How many students are on the girls flag football team?

[10] The theme for this issue is ________ Heritage Month.

Visit RavenReport.org to check crossword and sudoku answers!

lecreative.com | For personal use only

Across

Down

[2] The new IB English teacher Jedd _____.

[1] “La Danza De Los _________” - a very popular traditi dance where dancers climb to the top of a large pole while dancing.

[4] Where are the two featured newcomer students from? [6] The dance team's advisor is Taylor _____.

[8] What does someone receive when they are caught in a tardy sweep? [11] Football's first home game was against _________ High School.

[3] An urban legend about a woman who drowned her chi and now haunts rivers as a spirit in search of them. [5] Ulitate Frisbee Club is on Mondays, Tuesdays, and _________. [7] Hispanic Heritage Month starts _________ 15th.

[9] How many students are on the girls flag football team?

[10] The theme for this issue is ________ Heritage Month