How can we cope with life?

Listen to Hudson Scott and Buddhist Though teacher Leslie Cushner discuss mindfulness, liberation, and what it means to let go.

Practicing self-care at a college prep school?

Listen to Hudson Scott discuss mental health with guidance counselor Rose Stoloff.

Ground Breaking Paralysis Research Gives Hope to Many

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com/bsd

By Adam Tufts

The daily lives of most people are simply a conglomerate of movements. In fact, most actions can be simplified to a few coordinated pushes and pulls from specific muscles in the human body. Of course, these muscles don’t magically activate, rather they react according to impulses sent from the control center of the body: the brain. Moreover, this communication is efficient, and transportation of information from the brain to the rest of the body typically takes fractions of a second. However, this efficiency can be compromised, especially when the body’s primary highway of information, the spinal cord, is damaged. 

The spinal cord is an essential component of the nervous system, and it facilitates the movement of electrical pulses being transmitted from the brain. For this reason, medical professionals have long understood the severity of spinal cord injuries: the spine is simply too important to malfunction. To combat the adverse effects of spinal trauma, German biochemists from the Ruhr-University Bochum researched the remedial properties of a specific protein, coined “hyper-interleukin-6.” Their findings give hope to paralysis researchers who predict the development of treatment options in the, albeit distant, future. 

However, before the conclusions from the biochemists’ studies can be discussed, the fundamental components of the nervous system should be understood. 

“The basic functional cell of the nervous system is called a neuron,” said Monica Moya, a bioengineer at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. “An axon is a long skinny part of a neuron that carries information really far and really fast.”

These neurons are responsible for the aforementioned transmission of information between the brain and the body, particularly via the spinal cord. When the spine is damaged the axons, and consequently neurons, may be rendered incapable of fulfilling their purpose.

“If a motor neuron, a neuron that tells muscles what to do… is damaged then that signal will not be able to go through,” said anatomy and biology teacher Katherine Papastephanou.

Therefore, when the spine is damaged the motor neurons may be inhibited from stimulating certain muscles, resulting in either partial or complete paralysis. Put differently, any given impulse’s path from the brain to a given muscle can be disrupted if the spine is in any way impaired. Unfortunately, recovery from a spinal cord injury is typically impossible, leaving paralyzed individuals permanently disabled. 

“Nerve cells are highly differentiated making it very difficult for them to regenerate,” said veterinarian Dr. Lesia Machicao, a small animal practitioner at VCA Old River Animal Hospital. “That’s why it is so difficult to reverse nervous system injuries.” 

The study conducted at Ruhr-University Bochum further explored this medical phenomenon, investigating whether motor neurons could be forced to regenerate under certain conditions. In one of their experiments they introduced a virus to paralyzed mice’s brains, so that a specific protein, hyper-interleukin-6, might be produced, in a process known as gene therapy. 

“Viruses take genetic material and insert it into cells,” said Moya. “Genetic material is essentially a blueprint, so when the cells receive these blueprints they make a certain kind of protein, in this case, hyper-interleukin-6.” 

The new proteins happened to influence neighboring motor neurons to regenerate their previously damaged axonal fibers. With the axonal fibers intact the scientists noticed that the mice began walking once again.

“Thus, gene therapy treatment of only a few nerve cells stimulated the axonal regeneration of various nerve cells in the brain and several motor tracts in the spinal cord simultaneously,” said professor Dietmar Fischer at Ruhr-University Bochum, in a recent press release. He added: “ultimately, this enabled the previously paralyzed animals that received this treatment to start walking after two to three weeks. This came as a great surprise to us at the beginning, as it had never been shown to be possible before after full paraplegia.”

Of course, the implications of these findings in human medicine are still unclear, and will likely remain as such for years to come. 

“It takes a long time to replicate studies and test methods in different organisms… Even though humans and mice have a lot in common, insofar as they are both mammals, we are not exactly the same,” said Papastephanou. “We would need to repeat these tests in organisms that are more similar to humans to know if it would have a similar effect in human anatomy.” 

While the findings of this study may seem intangible and distant, it is important to remember the significance of this groundbreaking discovery. 

“It would be marvelous to find some way to cure paralysis and make animals and people walk again,” said Machicao. “It would be a significant breakthrough in modern medicine.”

SO Delicious Dairy Free Cashew Salted Caramel Cluster Frozen Dessert

Photo Credit: Natali Zakharova / Shutterstock.com

Looking for a healthy and dairy-free alternative to ice cream? Look no further than the SO Delicious Salted Caramel Cluster Frozen Dessert. Made with cashew milk and free of GMOs, SO Delicious joins the ranks of companies to produce high-quality vegan and gluten-free frozen desserts that everyone can enjoy!

SO Delicious’s Salted Caramel Cluster Frozen Dessert is one you cannot miss during your trip to your local grocery store. The perfect blend between the creamy cashew milk base and dollops of gooey caramel and chocolate chips make this dessert stand out, especially for those with a sweet tooth! SO Delicious’s dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free treat has a rich and smooth texture that can now be enjoyed without the worry of a stomach-ache later-on! 

This indulgent ice cream is not only rich and creamy but also packed with caramel clusters and sprinkled in with just the perfect amount of chocolate chips giving it a sweet and diverse flavor combination. If you’re someone who loves caramel and doesn’t mind a bit of a chunky texture then this frozen treat is for you. The base does have a hint of cashew milk but it’s not overwhelming to the point where you only end up tasting cashews. Though we would advise those who dislike a nutty flavor or are allergic to cashews to steer clear of this ice cream. 

This ice cream is a good option to try out, but if you are someone who does not like overly sweet treats, we would suggest trying an alternative option. The cashew milk base is definitely one to applaud for its similarity to regular ice cream bases; however, for this ice cream, the base was a bit too sweet for some of us. While we recommend this brand to ice cream lovers, we advise those who are not fans of overly sweet treats to try out one of the many other flavors available from this company.

Taste: 🍦🍦🍦/5

Consistency: 🍦🍦🍦🍦/5

Similarity to Ice-Cream: 🍦🍦🍦🍦/5

Overall: 🍦🍦🍦/5

Athenian’s 2020 Female Alum: College Experiences During The Pandemic

Photo Credits: Shutterstock.com/Andrew Krasovitckii

By Rishi Reddy

Athenian’s class of 2020—where are they now? What are they up to? And what do they have to say about college? Many of the 2020 alumni are now attending excellent universities from all over the world! Making the jump from high school to college can be really challenging, especially considering the fact that they’re first-years attending their universities over Zoom. But we know the class of 2020 is one of the most resilient groups that ever graduated from Athenian. They really pushed through it all! Anyways, they must have a lot to say about the last few months regarding their school life, mental health, and everything in between. Here’s what they have to share. 

School Life

We all know that Athenian’s academic program is a rigorous one. But how does it stack up against college? 

Hinata Sasaki, now attending Waseda University (in Japan), explains: “At first, I thought the workload was much heavier at college than it was at Athenian, but once I got used to it, I was hardly stressed.” Sasaki also mentions that since she’s attending college over Zoom, she’s able to concentrate on her work with limited distractions. It helped her work efficiently on particularly busy days and ultimately paved her way to a strong finish for the first semester. College life can be especially stressful under current circumstances, so it’s great to hear she’s doing okay! 

Aditi Reddy, now a student at UCLA, shares positive experiences with college as well. She expresses: “Athenian definitely prepared me for college rigor, though it’s still a lot of work.” She adds that “it’s difficult to compare the college workload to highschool’s though, because unlike Athenian, UCLA has a quarter system.” She can only take 3-4 classes at a time; whereas at Athenian, her schedule consisted of 6-7 classes. 

Jess McKay, another student at UCLA, adds that “nobody holds you accountable for doing homework, so it’s important to stay on top of your work if you don’t want all the work to pile up.” That’s a great tip!

Victoria Koffi, who now goes to Howard University, expresses: “Doing college has been hard. I think this is mainly because of two reasons. One, the teachers are only accessible by email. I wish they were more approachable--like the teachers at Athenian. And two, I’m not as motivated because I’m not physically surrounded by other classmates.” Being surrounded by her peers used to be a constant motivating factor for Koffi during her time in high school. She had lots of friends to study with and spend her downtime with as well, however, she hasn’t been able to make that many friends at college over Zoom. Was it just as hard to make friends for the other alum?

Friends

Sasaki asserts: “It isn’t that hard to make friends, but it’s hard to get closer with them.” McKay shares a similar perspective: “Being a freshman in college over Zoom is pretty anticlimactic compared to the typical freshman experience because it is hard to meet new people and connect over Zoom. It’s difficult to bond with others when you can’t physically be in the lecture halls or live in the dorms or eat at the dining halls.” 

Maya O’Kelly, also attending UCLA, conversely expresses: “everyone I’ve met has been super nice. People love to help each other and that is so helpful given how many people are in each lecture.” 

Adding on to O’Kelly’s statements, Reddy expresses: “yes, it can be difficult to make new friends online. You only see people over Zoom, and you might get to talk to people every now and then in a breakout room.” Despite her initial comments, Reddy had no trouble making lots of new friends at school. How? Clubs.

Clubs

At the beginning of the year, Reddy enrolled herself in many different clubs. Currently, she is in a variety of pre-med clubs. Besides assisting her with her pre-med future, the clubs serve as a place for her to surround herself with a group of peers with similar interests. It’s essentially a spawning ground for forming friendships. Reddy is also in another club called Hugs in a Blanket. This club was supposed to be for the community to knit blankets and scarves for the hospitalized youth and elderly; however, they couldn’t do that due to the current risks of coronavirus. Instead, Reddy and her peers write letters to health care workers thanking them for their service during the pandemic. On top of that, they hold school wide events and fundraisers to serve the healthcare community. 

McKay shares: “I am currently part of UCLA’s backpacking club and climbing team. Neither of these clubs are allowed to hold in person events; however, the backpacking club, for instance, holds weekly seminars about topics ranging from outdoor ethics to backcountry cooking to navigation and orienteering. I’ve been able to attend some of these online seminars and socials to interact with people who have similar interests.” 

O’Kelly specifies that she joined the design team for UCLA’s paper, the Daily Bruin. She says: “it’s been nice to join different organizations. I think it’s the best way to meet people over Zoom because it’s a smaller group, and everyone has some sort of shared interest.” 

It’s evident that Athenian’s 2020 alumni are really giving it their all in college. Despite the college rigor, they all enrolled in a variety of classes and clubs that aren’t even required! So you might be wondering, with all of this on their plate, how is their mental health?

Mental Health

Koffi explains: “My mental health has not been that well because the main way for me to talk to my friends is through screens. I also have to spend countless hours each day on the computer. But I try to reward myself after I do work so that I can keep my life entertaining.”

On the contrary, McKay explains: “My mental health has actually improved throughout quarantine because I have learned to make time for myself and make sure I get outside. College over Zoom has made my schedule more flexible, and I have found more time to go on runs and hikes throughout the week so that I’m not spending 8+ hours on my computer doing schoolwork.” Reddy shares this viewpoint. She feels like she has more time for self care--both physically and mentally. Sasaki also thinks that her mental health has gradually improved as she got used to quarantine and “mid-corona life.”

In Conclusion...

It’s evident that these 5 alums have had varying experiences and opinions on college life. Nevertheless, one thread connected all of their statements: each and every one of them reported that quarantine enabled them to reflect on themselves and their surroundings more often. Quarantine has rocked our lives like never before, that’s for certain, but we ultimately get to decide if it was for better or worse. Now that we’ve taken a detailed look at the lives of these alum, I think it’s safe to say that Athenian, despite its rigorous academic program, has molded all five of these women to become the resilient, independent, and adaptable individuals they are today. Cheers to the class of 2020!

What Can We Expect From A Biden Presidency?

Photo Credit: Illustrasi Senja / Shutterstock.com

By Adam Tufts

On September 17, 1796, George Washington issued his infamous farewell address, warning Americans to steer clear of partisan politics so that the United States could remain a cohesive entity, united on all fronts. Ironically, immediately after retiring from his presidential duties, two opposing political factions emerged, seeking to advance their ideologies in the American political sphere. While the names of these political alliances have changed over the centuries, their deep-rooted feud continues to drive much of American politics, aligning individuals against one another on the basis of political affiliation rather than moral philosophy. In modern times, the two most prominent political parties are known as “Democrats” and “Republicans.” 

In their constant struggle for power, Democrats and Republicans have typically gained control of the government in cycles—the Democrats might control the legislature or the presidency for some time before that power shifts to the Republicans, and then vice versa. After the official results of the 2020 elections were announced, it became evident to the American public which part of the cycle the United States government was in. With Democrats controlling the presidency, Senate, and the House of Representatives, many Americans are left to wonder what the future of The United States might look like, particularly in the next two years. In this period of political transition, it is particularly important to comprehend the Democrat agenda and the extent to which it can be advanced. 

However, to even begin broaching this topic the fundamental components of the federal government and who currently controls them must be understood. 

Joseph Biden, the Democratic nominee for presidency, emerged victorious from the 2020 presidential election and was inaugurated on January 20, 2021, becoming the 46th president of the United States. This alone, the majority of political scientists agree, would have been unlikely to significantly advance the Democrat agenda. However, fortunately for Democrats, the entire Congress is also unified under Democratic control. While the Democrats lost a net total of 13 seats in the House of Representatives, they maintained a majority, with 222 Democrats seats overpowering the Republicans’ 213 seats. Furthermore, following the contentious Georgia Senate race, where Democrats managed to emerge triumphant once more, the Democrats achieved a tie in the Senate—50 Democrat seats to 50 Republican seats. While such a result may appear equally beneficial for all political parties, the Democrats are, in reality, in the advantageous position. If the vote for a piece of legislation that requires a simple majority to pass through the Senate is tied (50 Democrat votes to 50 Republican votes), then, to break the tie, Vice President Kamala Harris, a well-known Democrat, is permitted to cast her own vote. 

While the Democrats’ current position grants them a plethora of opportunities on the American political stage, disagreements, particularly between moderates and extremists, surrounding the pace at which the Democrats should pass legislation might hinder the advancement of a Democratic agenda. Some Democrat politicians are apprehensive about drastically changing the status quo, while others, such as Ron Wyden, Democratic Senator of Oregon, argue that Democrats must seize this opportunity to expand their power in America.

“When you’re in the majority, you really have to play offense,” said Wyden, as quoted by the New York Times. 

However, since the Democrats hold the Senate by the narrowest of margins, moderates hold incredible power over their extremist counterparts. If moderates become uneasy with the rate of Democratic progress, they can vote against their own party and inhibit Democrats from passing anything through the Senate. Furthermore, the shrinking lead of Democrats in the House has reinvigorated Democratic leaders who believe that elevating moderate Democrats is key to electing more Democratic politicians. Signs of this inter-party tension are already manifesting, with moderate Democrats, such as West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Machin III, announcing their opposition to Biden’s nominee for the Office of Management and Budget. 

“I believe the [nominee’s] overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget,” said Manchin in a recent press release. “At a time of grave crisis it is more important than ever that we chart a new bipartisan course that helps address the many serious challenges facing our nation.” 

Appealing to the desires of moderate Democrats, Biden has called for bipartisan cooperation, claiming that unity is of utmost importance in such an unprecedented time. Looking to garner more support from not only moderate Democrats, but Republicans as well, Biden extended an olive branch to supporters of his rival, Donald Trump. 

“To those of you who voted for President Trump, I understand the disappointment,” said Biden during his first speech as president-elect. “If we can decide to not cooperate then we can decide to cooperate. And I believe this is part of the mandate from the American people. I call on Congress—Democrats and Republicans alike to make that choice with me.” 

Beyond mere calls for bipartisanship, Biden has voiced his apprehension towards a slew of policies backed primarily by progressive Democrats. For instance, Biden indicated his firm stance on student debt during a CNN Town Hall, claiming that he would refuse to endorse Senators Elizabeth Warren’s and Chuck Schumer’s student debt policy, which would cancel $50,000 of federal student loan debt. Instead, he proposed a more moderate alternative: forgiving $10,000 of student loan debt at maximum. This proposal is indicative of how Biden typically responds to disagreements within the Democratic party: he weaves between moderate and progressive perspectives, attempting to locate a position that renders him the greatest possible support.

However, in many ways Biden has taken cues from his more progressive counterparts. For instance, Biden’s climate plan “A Clean Energy Revolution” is heavily inspired by the framework of the Green New Deal, a piece of legislation developed by self-proclaimed Democratic Socialists, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Edward Markey. Biden has repeatedly expressed his support for the Green New Deal.

“Biden believes the Green New Deal is a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face,” according to Biden’s official statement of his positions on his website. “It powerfully captures two basic truths, which are at the core of his plan: (1) the United States urgently needs to embrace greater ambition on an epic scale to meet the scope of this challenge, and (2) our environment and our economy are completely and totally connected.”

The Green New Deal is viewed as exceptionally progressive, since its passage (or the passage of similar legislation) would require massive economic reform. Of course, many of Biden’s Democratic colleagues are unhappy with this position, but his climate plan is vital in acquiring support from more extremist Democrats. Political scientists remark that these diverse policy positions are essential in maintaining a respected and powerful presidency. 

In short, the future of the Biden Administration, and the Democratic Party in general, is largely difficult to foresee. However, as Biden performs an ideological balancing act and inter-party tensions continue to escalate, the nature of America’s political system becomes apparent: politics are simply a haphazardly organized jumble of philosophies and opinions. 

Bay Area Musicians You Need to Check Out

Photo Credit: Photo provided Mount Saint Elias

Amanda Cutrer

Music is one of the most important aspects of human culture; it brings us together and really makes us feel. Music is all around us, but sometimes discovering new artists can be a challenge. Within the Bay Area, there are a myriad of talented musicians waiting to be discovered. With the cancellation of most of their gigs due to COVID-19, supporting the work of local musicians in other ways can be a wonderful way to help people within the community. Here are some Bay Area musicians that everyone should get to know.

Lot 49

Lot 49 is a reggae inspired indie pop/R&B band based in the Bay Area. It is composed of Ryan Viera, the singer/songwriter and guitarist, Matt Vazquez, the bass player, and Jai Dhar, the drummer, all of whom were born and raised in the Bay. 

“I feel like our music can best be described as relatable, raw, and real, without being depressing or overly emotional. People have always described our style as chill, and I think the reggae element brings that beach vibe into the picture that we all grew up loving,” said lead singer Ryan Viera. 

Born out of a love for West-coast reggae, Lot 49’s sound is defined by mid-tempo beats, catchy melodies, and lush chiming guitars. 

Their 12 song album, Deja Vu, was written, recorded, and produced in Viera’s studio apartment and released in March of 2020. The pandemic didn’t give the band the chance to play these songs live, but they have been writing more music and preparing a performance set for when the time comes. 

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Photo Credit: Photograph provided by Lot49

The Quilters 

Having grown up in a family of seven homeschooled kids, band members Ray Porter and Jerome Porter spent most of their childhood playing music and surfing as opposed to doing traditional work.

 “Our dad grew weed and worked in restaurants to support the fam, while our mom stayed home and homeschooled the kids,” said Porter. 

This led them to meeting multi-instrumentalist Iam Bhisitkul while surfing, and meeting drummer and vocalist Dorian Cunningham in the San Francisco Boys Chorus.
The four of them started creating and releasing alternative music and playing shows around the Bay Area. 

COVID-19 has prevented them from going to play small clubs and venues, but they have started live-streaming concerts from home. You can sign up to get invited to their monthly shows through their Instagram bio.

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First in Flight: 

First in Flight is a dance rock band heavily influenced by 80s music. However, First in Flight utilizes plenty of styles.

“Two of the members are jazzheads and the other two are metalheads, so naturally we incorporate plenty of other influences. Imagine if Metallica and Panic! at the Disco got into a bar fight. That’s what we sound like,” said lead singer Pat McClosky. 

The band is composed of McClosky, Max Huss on the drums, David Topete on bass, and Richard Mier on guitar.

Live shows have been hugely important for them, and the band consistently toured 3-4 times per year before the pandemic. Now, they are focusing on making new music and developing a presence on social media. 

If you’re looking to get into the music, “Chopsticks and Champagne [is a song that really represents us],” said McClosky. “It’s got rock guitar, slap bass, a catchy chorus, a rap, 80s synths, and a great groove. It’s us through and through.” 

Chopsticks and Champagne

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Alvin Mata:

Alvin Mata is a multi-instrumentalist who plays piano, guitar, ukulele and drums, but having played the instrument for 22 years, saxophone is his main focus. 

Mata is part of Mr. Mego, a reggae inspired band he founded with a friend. He also posts covers on YouTube and enjoys playing gigs around the Bay Area.

The pandemic has affected his performances, but he can still focus on his main goal of creating his own music. 

“My main project lately has been my original music. I am currently in the process of recording an album of all original songs,” said Mata. “COVID affected myself and all of my musician friends equally- no gigs, cancelled lessons, etc. However, a lot of people including myself started building and recording from our home studios.”

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Mr. Mego Music

Analog Dog: 

Analog Dog, a five-piece rock/pop/psychedelic jazz fusion band based in San Francisco, explores a wide range of instrumental tones, and utilizes the diverse musical background of each member to create new and interesting music. 

Composed of Austin Wasielewski, Rob Nicol, Steven Jenny, Jason Blasingame, and Eric Foster, all of whom play too many instruments to list, the band is able to create unique sounding pieces.

 “We had only been together for about eight months before the pandemic struck, but despite that, we have been able to utilize the tools of the internet to continue to grow our audience and get our music into people’s ears,” said band vocalist, guitarist, and pianist Austin Wasielewski. 

“We were lucky to play a fair amount of shows around SF & the Bay Area before the shut-downs at notable venues such as Amnesia, Stork Club, Hotel Utah & other local favorite spots,” stated Wasielewski.

The band now holds live streams and is working on new music. Check out their debut music video for “Product Pivot” filmed in the streets of San Francisco: Product Pivot Music Video

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Mount Saint Elias:

Singer/songwriter Joey Choe believes that his home state, Kentucky, is where the band Mount Saint Elias, finds much of its inspiration. 

“We describe [our music] as indie folk/indie rock. It's rooted in the folk music I played growing up in Kentucky like John Prine and Josh Ritter, but influenced heavily by my love of indie and experimental rock like Wilco and Radiohead,” said Choe. His bandmates Luna Fuentes and Josiah Johnson met in Oakland, California, and decided to make music fusing Bay Area inspired tones and indie influence. 
They played a lot of shows before COVID-19. “Post COVID, we've adapted by buying a battery powered PA and moving our practices outside to Lake Merritt,” said Choe. “We also went on a COVID-safe porch-tour called ‘Porchella,’ where we played on our friends' porches to audiences in their yards around the state.” 

The band is planning to release their debut album in 2021. Until then, you can listen to their latest single “Juicy Love.” The song is dedicated to vocalist and former bandmate, Tatyana Schmid, who was tragically killed in a bicycle accident in the Oakland hills.  

Juicy Love

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Photo Credit: Photo provided by Ian Santillano

Ian Santillano: 
Multi-instrumentalist Ian Santiallano was born and raised in Hayward, California. He first found a love for music by teaching himself how to play the guitar, but this passion grew as he took lessons and studied jazz and music theory while majoring in computer engineering at Santa Clara University. 

Santillano’s music takes inspiration from funk, soul, and jazz, using melodic rhythms and guitar solos as staples in his songs. Writing, producing, and playing all of his music himself, Santillano has been able to pour himself into his work.

He is also a member of ‘The Housewarmers,’ a band composed of himself and his talented best friends. “The band has been a little out of sorts with the extreme lack of performances,” said Santillano. “But we tried our best to connect by doing a ‘Twitch World Tour’ in 2020. I set out to connect to an audience virtually and it came through very nicely.” 

Santillano’s bandmates include Pablo Lopez on bass, Jenny Hughes on keyboard, LASI on bass, and Terry Lewis II on sax; all five are still making music and performing whenever they get the chance.

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Santillano live with the Housewarmers

Athenian’s Revamped ACI Curriculum

Photo Credits: Zoey Patterson

By Zoey Patterson

Every student at the Athenian Upper School remembers how exciting and terrifying it was to start ninth grade, how curious we all were about what the year would bring, and how little we knew about what to expect. But for this year’s freshmen, the experience is noticeably different to how it was just two years ago.

Last year was the first in which ninth graders took Computational Thinking and Sociology instead of ACI (Arts, Culture, and Identity, in which students took a quarter each of drama, visual art, music, and health). This year, the ninth grade history curriculum has been drastically changed and renamed from “World Cultures” to “World History.”

Computational Thinking is the modification least based in the previous curriculum, marking a switch from teaching all ninth graders about the arts to teaching them the basics of logic and computer science. This transition was controversial, but it may not be as binary as it seems.

“There’s STEM, right, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and there’s some people who say STEAM, science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics,” Mark Lukach, ninth grade dean, said. “It’s kind of putting the A into the STEAM.”

The course is, however, centered on computer science and the skills it requires, and while it does lose most of the arts education, it is also important for students’ cognitive development.

“It’s not just programming, because Megan does a lot of stuff that’s actually completely removed from computers,” Lukach said. “It’s just about logically sequencing cause, effect, cause, effect, etc., which is a really helpful outlook, this idea of a logic-oriented view of the world.”

However, learning about computer science is also an important part of the class.

“My major takeaway from CT was how important coding was in the everyday world,” David Montgomery ’24 said in an email. “Especially with the final project, where we got to make a useful program, the class really showed me how coding can help both fulfill simple needs or solve global issues.”

Computational thinking prepares students not only for the wider world, but also future Athenian classes.

“It’s laying a framework and a mindset that is so crucial to all logic-based classes, which I think are primarily science and math, but also, even language follows a lot of logical patterns,” Lukach said.

In addition to being useful, Computational Thinking is, at least for some students, challenging and engaging.

“I'm not hugely into coding, but it was super interesting to take this class because not only did we learn about coding, but we learned a lot about different ways of thinking and how to solve different types of problems,” Anastasia Evans ’22 said in an email.

The other half of the year (some ninth graders start with Computational Thinking and some with Sociology) is Sociology, half of which deals with health and wellness and half of which deals with social justice.

The Health quarter of Sociology is relatively similar to the Health quarter of ACI, but it is now taught by Mark Lukach rather than by several faculty members (the specific teaching team changed from year to year).

“I have a pretty clear vision of the class from start to finish, and I know that everything we’re doing is kind of working in the same direction towards this final project,” Lukach said. “The reason that project makes sense is because as we keep going through all this stuff, I’m always sort of trying to connect the dots.”

This project, being enabled by there being a singular teacher, has no basis in the Health quarter of ACI.

“The final project for the Health class is [that] students build a self care plan,” Lukach said. “They basically say, how do I take care of myself around the issue of my diet? How do I take care of it around my exercise? Around my sleep? Around my mental health? Around my stress management? Around all these other things.”

However, there are disadvantages to having a single teacher.

“What was great about [ACI Health] is it exposed...students to a lot of people,” Lukach said. “You got to meet the counselor, you got to meet the learning specialist, you got to meet the athletic director, etc.”

These changes aside, taking Health for a quarter remains an important part of the ninth grade experience.

“We often are so busy in our lives that we tend to forget to check in with ourselves and assess our state-of-mind, and I think it's really important to have a class dedicated to doing that,” Montgomery said.

The other quarter, which focuses on social injustice, is equally important.

“It’s really looking at the structures in society that have created injustices,” Lukach said. “We look at race, gender disparity, sexual orientation and gender identity, immigration (I call that origin), and then also wealth, and then those become the lenses through which we look at society and try to talk about how to make it more just.”

Having a dedicated quarter to learn about these issues helps prepare ninth graders for later engagement with these issues, not only in their lives but within the Athenian community.

“We talk as a school a lot about social issues, and I often feel that ninth graders can sometimes be a bit intimidated and feel like they’re thrown into the deep end of the pool,” Lukach said. “The idea behind the social justice unit is to not necessarily learn everything, but at least learn...core ideas, so that ninth graders can feel confident going into...discussions, so that they know that [they are] a culturally competent member of the community.”

This new quarter on cultural competence also has to do with the change in ninth grade history.

“Cultural competence as a skillset has always been taught in World Cultures, but the idea was, ‘Let’s keep that in World Cultures, but let’s really solidify it in a separate class so that World Cultures can in fact be also a really clear history class,’” Lukach said.

However, focusing on history has helped the class itself become more culturally competent.

“We’re digging more deeply into these non-western cultures that...in the World Cultures course, were only really seen in relationship to colonialism,” Marty Rubio, history teacher, said. “We thought, well, we really need to tell the story of cultures before that, and really appreciate their richness, and then you can deal with the trauma that was brought about by imperialism.”

The format of the class has also changed, particularly the types of assignments given.“We moved away, at least in the first semester, from these really large assignments like the Hero/Villain Essay [an essay wherein students chose a historical figure and wrote about whether they were a hero or a villain] to smaller, more pointed writing assignments,” Rubio said.

These assignments all go into each student’s “Historian’s Journal.”

“The Historian’s Journal is an opportunity for students to reflect on deep questions about a particular unit,” Rubio said. “They’re usually questions of controversy, where you have to kind of argue for something or really reflect on...how that particular historical case is making you think about your own values.”

An important outcome of the course is the development of a historian’s skills.

“Those skills would involve document interpretation, weighing the validity of documents—so, initially, the stuff that the teachers will put in front of you, but then eventually...the students have to go out and find sources that are representative of really different arguments in history,” Rubio said. “We wanted to make sure that students came away from the course with the sense that the way you write history is an argument.”

Yet the skills learned in the class are not the only important part.

“Focusing on world history, we’re putting a context for any subsequent work, so when you do US History, that will really fill in the gaps, but you will have a sense of where the US fits on the world stage in history,” Rubio said. “And then I think a lot of the seminars that are offered are just really deeper dives, closer looks...and this will give you a general, and probably a broader, perspective to situate lots of different courses that you will take as a seminar.”

The course also aims to be an engaging experience for students!

“I didn't particularly enjoy history in my middle school, but this year, I really have enjoyed this class,” Stephen Klein ’24 said.

YouthSpeaks Podcast

Photo Credits: Anna Ravid

By Sonya Surapaneni

Throughout 2020, high schoolers across the country suddenly had an abundance of spare time due to pandemic school closures, allowing them to explore new passions and develop innovative projects. I was one of them, a rising sophomore, already beginning to develop an interest in psychology and sociology. From blogging to taking related courses, I decided to delve  deeper into my field of study, adopting a creative lens as I went. This led me to podcasting in late July, and as I ranted into the microphone, the podcast accumulated a base of over over 1000 listeners globally!

YouthSpeaks is a mental health podcast focusing on self-care, global issues, and nuanced topics from a South Asian perspective. With fourteen episodes out in our first season, we have covered everything  from heteronormativity to South-Asian struggles to toxic masculinity and even eating disorders. The podcast began as I struggled with Leela, my best friend, as we navigated technology in  the vastly different post-pandemic landscape. From talking to people who have experienced podcasting firsthand, such as Ninth Grade Dean, Mark Lukach, to reaching out to advisors for outreach like Mark Friedman, YouthSpeaks took a community to build. Initially, our following was hard to grow, but as we spread the word through social media and connections,-people began to listen, and we grew globally!

At YouthSpeaks, we feature many different guest speakers to speak about their stories and offer advice to the listeners. Our most popular episodes featured an eloquent friend of mine, Piya Devidasani--founder of Cal MSV--as she spoke about self love, Stress-Free Teens Founder Rohan Tirumala, and Forbes Entrepreneur Naomi Porter. They shared their stories of how they combatted adversity through their lives, speaking of gender relations and making it as teenagers in the media. They also talked about their initiatives, which is common among many episodes at YouthSpeaks. At the end of each section, these guests often give a quick piece of advice to our listeners, which we’ve had good reviews about! My favorite piece of advice comes from  Vishesh Gupta, Stanford graduate, who proclaimed at the end of the college application advice episode: “it’s important to know when you’re done [...] there is a lot to get through, and you should just know. At that point, you’re done.” Super simple, but super compelling! 

My favorite episode featured Athenian history teacher, Sanjev deSilva, and National Youth Poet Laureate Finalist Samuel Getachew, as they spoke on the world as a whole today. As they were both extremely intelligent people involved with their own communities, we emphasized their educational lenses as we spoke about the media. The lengthy discussion continued as we discussed coping mechanisms people use, stereotypes, and even action we can take to further ensure safety in our closest communities. This episode continues to be relevant to society even today, as it focuses on the BLM protests around the world. 

The podcast also brought us to social media--accumulating over 7000 followers on all of our platforms. We’re most active on Instagram, where we post updates about the podcast including episode release dates, upcoming episodes, potential guest speakers and more. As we continue to post about world affairs, our page is filled with resources for students to get involved with their communities including nonprofits, startups, volunteering opportunities, podcast interviews, and more. Students are able to go to our highlights to find hundreds of resources for all of their interests and passions. Check out our Instagram page: @youthspeaksca to keep updated! 

. With listeners from over 23 countries around the world, thousands of  followers on social media, and various publications in mental health and equality journals, YouthSpeaks is becoming a leading mental health podcast for teens around the world today! For our next episode, we have a battle between Leela and myself: Introvert vs Extrovert, and how we deal with social situations today. Check it out now on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eODPHe6orpzImJoSakjvU?si=KP0unulsQC63Md3_ihtG4g!

Public vs. Private: How Schools in the East Bay are Working to Reopen

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com/halfpoint

By Anna Ravid

In March of 2020, schools closed down as COVID-19 spread across the nation. Teachers and students were thrust into digital learning, adapting on the spot to Zoom, Google Classroom, Canvas and a myriad of other new online programs. While Californians did not underestimate the deadly ramifications of COVID-19, being the first state to issue a stay at home order, it was almost unthinkable last March that a year later life would not be back to normal.

 While a few public schools in the Bay Area have begun to open gradually, 5 million students statewide have not seen the inside of a classroom for a year.  School Districts across the state have struggled to bring students back to schools, including two of the largest in the state, San Francisco Unified and Los Angeles Unified, which are slated to reopen at reduced capacity for the first time since the onset of the pandemic this April. While large districts have struggled, Private schools have flourished, many reopening in the fall with extensive safety plans designed to mitigate the risk of COVID-19. 

One district where students have not yet returned to in-person learning is Mount Diablo Unified School District, which serves 56 schools and over 30,000 students from Concord and Walnut Creek to Pittsburg and Martinez. After a year of complex negotiations, the district detailed its latest back to school plan in a February 19 newsletter entitled ‘Three Steps Forward.’

 “MDEA (Mount Diablo Educators Association) and the District also added five additional bargaining days for the next upcoming weeks, with a commitment from both teams to complete an agreement for a Hybrid plan by March 15th that allows for students and teachers to safely return to school.”

 A successful implementation of the proposed hybrid plan is dependent upon Contra Costa County moving out of the purple tier. One key component of the reopening negotiation is the teachers unions’ demands. The statewide California Teachers Association and the California state government have been in debate over the conditions under which in person learning can take place.

 “Once completed vaccines for employees are a key element to safe in-person school reopening,” wrote the California Teachers’ Association in a January letter of demands to Gavin Newsom.

 Facing pressure from the Biden administration to bring students back to the classroom, Newsom has supported the multi-billion dollar California Legislature bill which aims to provide a  financial incentive for California to reopen in person learning. 

According to the text of California Senate Bill 86, to acquire state funding the bill  “requires a local educational agency to offer in-person instruction and authorizes these agencies to offer distance learning, as specified.”  

While the bill provides copious incentives to open, how many students and hours to reopen is left unclear. The bill also does not fully address the logistical challenges many districts face in creating their COVID-19 safety plans, addressing the need for student and teacher safety, cost restrictions, and union negotiations. 

MDUSD has reached an agreement to return students to the classroom a year after COVID closures.    

“We are pleased to report that by Monday (March 29), we will have successfully welcomed over 11,000 students back to our classrooms,” wrote Adam Clark, Mt. Diablo superintendent. “A It is also good news that the number of cases of COVID-19 is steadily declining in all of the communities served by our district.”

However, students will not exclusively receive in-person instruction. The current plan includes a hybrid of in person and virtual learning. Students receive virtual instruction in the mornings and go to school twice a week for 2-3 hours in the afternoon. Plans for the future remain uncertain.

“We will also offer families the option to continue in a Distance Learning model in 2021-2022 if they prefer,” said Clark. 

Parents at recent board meetings have expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of reopening and the very limited amount of in person hours while the teachers’ union have complained about the lack of follow through on safety protocols designed to make the return to school safer. Conflicting interests of the teachers’ union, parents, students, and government regulation have made it difficult to make any progress towards returning to pre-pandemic schooling. 

Private schools, free from many of the constraints of public schools, have often been able to reopen efficiently in the fall. Their COVID-19 safety plans can shed light on the key components necessary to bring students back to campus. The Athenian School has managed to bring students back to campus this fall as part of a hybrid plan where underclassmen and upperclassmen rotate between online and in-person instruction every other week. 

Athenian had the assistance of a medical doctor and industrial hygiene firm FACS (Forensic Analytical Consulting Services) when creating their one hundred page COVID-19 safety plan. Upon the state approval of their school reopening waiver, Athenian had the infrastructure in place to quickly begin bringing students back to campus, beginning with the sixth grade. 

Reaction to Athenian’s reopening has generally been positive. Overall, two thirds of the upper school and ninety five percent of the middle school have come back to campus. Open communication and has been a key component of the reopening. 

“Teachers' reactions were mixed,” said a team of faculty in charge of COVID-19 coordination including Amy Wintermeyer, Eric Niles, Lauren Railey, and Debbie Derana. “Many were very excited to return to in-person instruction and others felt nervous and preferred staying in distance learning. Faculty were involved in that they all attended mandatory training conducted by an industrial hygiene consultant. Also, our school administrators, our medical advisor, and safety consultants held open meetings with faculty to address questions and concerns.”

In weekly testing procedures this year, Athenian has had a total of three positive cases, two of which are believed to be false positives. According to the administration, after a positive case, Athenian files a report to the California Department of Public Health, which opens a report and conducts its own stringent contact tracing procedures to determine any individuals who may have come into contact with the infectious person. 

As a private school, Athenian had the ability to adapt its plan and safety precautions quickly and efficiently as circumstances in Contra Costa County change without lengthy negotiations. 

“Once it was deemed safe to open, we did so as quickly as possible,” said Wintermeyer, Niles, Railey and Derana. “(We)  think it helped that we had worked with FACS and already had a safety plan in place. The advantages of being a private school are that we are not held to the requirements of the district and we can make our own decisions around schedule and capacity.”  

While many school districts have also put together extensive safety plans, they have been unable to execute them as the COVID-19 case count fluctuates and the requirements of the governments and unions shift. The outstanding comparative success of private schools raises questions about the equity in quality of education across different socioeconomic levels in the past year. 

According to a study on COVID-19 school performance by the Economic Policy Institute, “learning and development have been interrupted and disrupted for millions of students… The pandemic has exacerbated well-documented opportunity gaps that put low-income students at a disadvantage relative to their better-off-peers.” Some reasons cited for this widening gap are uneven access to devices and internet  and the difficulties of online instruction including vastly reduced hours, distractions of home life and a lack of resources for teachers conducting online line lessons. 

According to a Bay Area News Group study, a large percentage of the public schools that have reopened are in wealthy areas. 

“Those serving children in big cities, or children who come from poor families or families of average means, remain in online “distance learning,” widely acknowledged as inferior to in-person instruction,” writes John Woolfock in a Mercury News article entitled “Rich Bay Area kids head back to class, others don’t”

This statistic compounds the growing COVID-19 opportunity gap for students. Private schools, most of which have reopened, also cater to the wealthy. 

The pandemic has shed a light on the different circumstances for public and private schools. What remains clear is students need a return to normalcy. How long before students across the state are back in school full-time remains uncertain. 

Where Does Our Water Come From?

Graphic by Alekhya Maram

By Savonnah Wong

When you twist the knob on your sink to get a glass of water or turn on your shower, the source of the water never crosses your mind. When you use water, you may be tapping into different sources either close to your home or from many miles away. In the Bay Area, there are over 11 reservoirs that deliver more than 260 million gallons of water to our homes daily. 

However, the amount of water that is available each year differs based on climate conditions. As of 2021, the Bay Area’s dams and reservoirs are not completely full. According to the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency, “The district’s seven reservoirs were 72% full on Friday [January 29, 2021].” Although recently, conditions have not been “as dire as the drought between 2011 to 2016” said Andrew David, a physics teacher at the Athenian School, “everyone should be aware that as every single year passes, there has been less and less water.” 

One particular reason the water levels are dropping is that climate change disrupts weather patterns. With global warming and the rising temperatures on Earth, snowpacks are melting. 

“Snowpacks are nature’s way of storing water for a longer period of time than rain,” said David. 

Water is retained in seasonal snowpacks and melts slowly throughout the spring and summer. Instead of having to capture snow as it falls, the snow melt from the mountains steadily fills reservoirs throughout the warmer months. 

However, due to global warming, snowpacks are declining and melting earlier, reducing the water levels of reservoirs. This contributes to the onset of megadroughts: extreme drought conditions for an extended period of time. Megadroughts create conditions conducive to the desiccation of trees, forests, and soil. These dry conditions take a toll on the health of plants and allow fires to start relatively easily. When a fire starts, it can grow into a huge forest fire quickly. It is beneficial to have snow or water on the ground as long as possible so that trees and forests can retain moisture to withstand fires. However, temperature rise due to global warming makes this unlikely. 

Another way our water supply is connected to the environment is the impacts of water distributing facilities on eco-life. Many animals are directly impacted by the artificial reservoirs and dams built to transport water to our homes. Specifically, the populations of some fish species are dwindling due to how water is distributed. 

In California, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has listed the Central California Coast Coho Salmon as an endangered species as of 2005. Many salmonids swim upriver to the mountains to lay their eggs; however, if there is an artificial dam built on the river, the salmon are not able to lay eggs where they originally were supposed to be. With the combination of overfishing, disease, pollution, and water distribution infrastructures, 99.5% of all native Salmon have disappeared from the wild. Although this disappearance is the result of many factors, the important takeaway is that there are many things humans do disrupt the life of animals.

Water in California is one of the top issues in the state. If people continue to waste water daily, we run the risk of depleting our water supply. Many Californians want to know how to make a positive impact and want to change their daily habits to conserve water. However, it is “important to educate yourself on what actually makes a difference, and what just feels like it is making a difference,” said David. 

Many people turn off the sink while brushing their teeth or cut down the length of their showers, but compared to reducing meat consumption or cutting down on clothes shopping, the impact of these actions is negligible. 

“People will be hearing about California water for a long, long time. [This is a] huge issue in the state and people will deal [with] this problem,” said David.

A Hopeful Future for Exercise

Photo Credit: ORION PRODUCTION / Shutterstock.com

By Ilah Ross

Jack LaLanne, the man who shaped the 50s with his message about the importance of exercise and healthy living, passed away on January 23, 2011. Throughout the 34 year run of his fitness television program, The Jack LaLanne Show, he impacted millions and led an exercise movement which overtook the American public. However, his impressive legacy did not end with his passing at the age of 96. 

Chris LaLanne, the great nephew of this iconic figure, possesses the same infectious passion for exercise and healthy living as his great uncle, and he too has impacted countless individuals with his work running LaLanne Bootcamp in Castro Valley, California. Chris, who studied exercise and nutrition at San Diego State, began his fitness career by working as a personal trainer. In 2008, he opened one of the first Crossfit gyms in San Francisco and successfully led a tight-knit Crossfit community for eight years. In 2017, he opened LaLanne bootcamp in Castro Valley, which he ran for three years. Though the COVID-19 pandemic forced LaLanne Bootcamp and other gyms and businesses worldwide to close their doors, it did not prove to be a challenge too daunting for Chris to overcome. In March, LaLanne Bootcamp shifted into an online format, an entirely necessary pivot to survive as an exercise business, and in doing so, adapted to a COVID-19 world in a way which redefined what gyms are and how they function.

On his new LaLanne Bootcamp app, Chris LaLanne has created a holistic approach to exercise. 

“I’m not necessarily just doing things like a workout or a plan; it's more of a holistic one-on-one makeover of your entire lifestyle,” LaLanne said. “I’ll be honest, this has been far more fulfilling for me than allowing people to just take a class, and then going back to their life. Now we can work on your whole day and get results in a very efficient and far more intimate way. Going online has opened me up to a completely new avenue in how I help people.” 

However, despite the many benefits of being online, there are certain aspects of working out in person that cannot be replicated on an app. The community created in an in-person setting is not only important for gym members, but coaches too.

“I’m a people person and so going to work and driving to the gym was something I did forever, and I miss it, I really do,” LaLanne explained. “But nowadays we just don’t have a choice, we need to pivot and see the opportunities available or create one of our own.”

There are also many challenges regarding the motivation of participants which an online format presents. When faced with the choice of working out in a group setting with a supportive coach just a few feet away, versus following an online class in the basement, many will opt for the in-person approach.

“Most people, naturally, are going to want to see other people and go to a class or a gym. It’s a social experience,” noted LaLanne. “So replicating that is difficult because you’re at home all by yourself.”

There are many parallels between the stories of Jack and Chris LaLanne. Both men worked to create positive change in their communities, and both chose to go about their work in creative and unconventional ways. In the ever-changing industry of fitness and health, the story of the LaLannes provides insight into the importance of creating a unique approach to exercise, and challenging the status quo.

“Now that I’ve closed my gym and I’m no longer leading groups or individuals in the flesh, I’ve been thrust into this online setting which is allowing me to reach more people in a more authentic way, just like Jack LaLanne did on the television in 1953,” LaLanne said.

Despite the many challenges the pandemic has presented, LaLanne has maintained a positive and enthusiastic mindset which allowed him to adapt his business in this evolving world, and has provided a way for his message to reach countless individuals around the globe.

“I have opened myself up to the entire world by going online, and so I’ve now been able to help people from all over the US and even abroad, which is amazing,” LaLanne said.

Just as Jack Lalanne was a pioneer of fitness in the ‘50s, Chris Lalanne has become one of the brave individuals paving the way for his business and others as they shift to an online environment, while maintaining that healthy living and exercise are both possible and necessary aspects of our daily lives in a COVID-19 world.

The Stress of Staying “Informed”: A Mental Health Dilemma

Photo Credit: Crush Rush/Alamy Stock Photo: South Carolina Protestors hold a rally at the South Carolina State House protesting the death of George Floyd

By Allison Chabala

Everyone is vulnerable to the feelings of stress that can be induced by a myriad of reasons. It’s sometimes nice to de-stress by surfing the waves of Netflix, letting the tide of relief wash over our minds and bodies. It is a much needed amelioration to the constant notifications on our phones, and the sober headlines that feel like they are being obtrusively thrust in our faces. 

According to an article by the American Psychological Association, 95 percent of Americans surveyed regularly follow the news. Of this percentage, 56 percent said that being informed causes them stress. Additionally, 63 percent stated that the future of the nation is a major source of stress for them.

This article was released in 2017. But this was just a mild presage to how people feel today. There has been a rough awakening for many Americans amidst a global pandemic, perpetually stressful politics, social injustice and unfair persecution of minorities, particularly African Americans. It is harder to rebuff these topics and turn to Netflix because many people encounter a moral dilemma—is it ethical to turn away from the news when so many people are suffering, now more than ever in their lifetimes? Ninth Grade Dean Mark Lukach shared his views of the importance of balancing mental health with news. 

“If it’s ethical ...yeah,” said Lukach. “But there's ethics on how you take care of yourself, and there's also ethics on how you take care and you help others.” 

 “Americans’ stress levels were significantly higher than the global average of 35 percent leaving the U.S. tied for fourth (alongside Albania, Iran and Sri Lanka) in Gallup’s ranking of the world’s most stressed populations,” reported a Smithsonian Magazine article written by Meilan Solly.

A more recent article by U.S. News provides additional commentary on the public’s mental health in the face of current events. “For a lot of people, we might be reaching the breaking point in terms of the amount of stress and uncertainty we are experiencing," said Vaile Wright, the American Psychological Association's senior director of health care innovation, as quoted by U.S. News. But in the wake of all the unfortunate events happening in the world, how should we find a balance? 

“I would say that about ‘being informed’—it’s a gradient,” Lukach states. “Like I could have the NYT open on my computer and be refreshing it every five minutes and I could be informed. And that's probably gonna cause me immense anxiety. I could also dedicate 20 minutes a night to reading the news and staying up-to-date. I'm still informed, I'm way less anxious in doing so.” Lukach also offers an interesting analogy about the importance of staying informed. “It’s almost like your homework as a citizen. You're not constantly doing your homework, you set time aside to do your homework,” said Lukach. “You’re not constantly reading the news, you’re setting aside [time] to check in, make sure you know what’s happening, and then, you put it away! And you go about the rest of your life.”

The Science Behind the COVID-19 Vaccines

Photo Credit: M-Foto/Shutterstock: COVID-19 vaccine on a laboratory bench.

By Noelle Woodward

2020 has been an arduous year for us all, with the most notable event being the pandemic that has claimed nearly 300,000 lives as of mid-December in the U.S. Scientists around the world have been tirelessly working to design and create a fast, safe, and effective vaccine in attempts to end this fear-filled time of change and uncertainty. Though traditional vaccines take years to develop, scientists have discovered a new opportunity for vaccine advancement through mRNA technology. 

Recent statements from two pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer and Moderna, reveal that their mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have been 95 percent effective in preliminary trials, introducing us to all the possibilities of mRNA vaccines and the dangers and benefits they possess. 

Messenger RNA, or mRNA, is a nucleic acid that carries the genetic instructions to produce DNA particles and proteins. 

“It has a couple of known features,” said Dr. Marica Grskovic, a molecular biologist who studied RNA translation at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany. “At the end of it is a polyA tail which is a bunch of adenosines [one of the chemical “letters” that make up RNA] in a row. This is the structure that is recognized by translational machinery in our cells that make proteins from it. So each mRNA will code for a specific protein based on the nucleotide sequence that it carries.” 

Unlike traditional vaccines that work by injecting a weakened or small, non functioning part of the virus into your body used to create a reaction from your immune system that builds antibodies, mRNA vaccines use synthetic chemicals and enzymes to make up mRNA that is derived from those specific spike proteins on COVID-19 cells. 

These mRNA proteins are encased in fatty cells called lipid capsules that allow our body to accept the vaccine. 

“They work in a nutshell by hiding [in] the human cell, by pretending to be human mRNA, so that they can get in the cell and they're not rejected and recognized by the immune system,” adds Dr. Grskovic. “Once they’re in, they take possession of this translational machinery, and they make viral proteins.” 

Our immune systems then produce antibodies in response to these viral proteins, building up the immune response to the actual COVID-19 virus. 

Both of the leading mRNA vaccine candidates, the pharmaceutical partnership between U.S. Pfizer and German BioNTech as well as the government funded biotechnology company Moderna, have succeeded in reaching 95% effectiveness in their vaccine trials of this technology. 

Although they possess broad similarities in success rates, Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines differ in molecular structure as well as transport and handling capabilities. 

“For Pfizer, the thing that's really key is that for long-term storage it needs to be at -70 degrees Celsius,” said biology teacher Maria Luca. “That’s a pretty extreme request for different parts of the country. [...] Moderna, (which only needs to be kept at -20 degrees, is) refrigerator stable, and that's really, really important for shipping and getting the vaccine to different areas.” 

Despite the extensive amount of research in the last year, mRNA vaccines are relatively new technology. Research began during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when populations all over the world realized that we need to be more prepared for emerging epidemics. 

As with any new technology, widespread doubts have developed over safety, effectiveness, and potential side effects. As of now, the mRNA vaccine candidates appear to be very safe, and their 95% effectivity rate proves reliable even in small trials. Even the side effects will likely be consistently lower than those of traditional vaccines. 

“mRNA is like a temporary copy,” said Luca. “Because it's so temporary and so fleeting, there's less potential side effects for mRNA vaccines.”

The only uncertainty left is over how long these vaccines will actually last in the human body. It is not yet known if we will need to get revaccinated often in a matter of months, or if the mRNA vaccines will be long-lasting and we can go years before revaccinating. 

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have already been identified as requiring two shots to build up the immune response effectively: 21 and 28 days apart respectively. 

“One of the things they initially tried was a higher dose of the mRNA on some of the initial tests, and that initial higher-dose led to an extreme fever and [other extreme symptoms],” says Luca. “They had to lower it by over half for that sort of thing, and so over half then means that there's going to be an initial immune response, but that second immune response is what you’re trying to build up and train the body for.” 

In spite of these unknowns, this introduction to  mRNA technology has opened the door to many new benefits, most notably the speed at which vaccines can be produced. Though the process of creating a vaccine typically takes years, Moderna was able to design one in 32 days due to the relative simplicity of the mRNA process.

The months between Moderna’s first 32 days and now haven’t just been occupied by production. The additional time required for testing and revising has been a time-intensive process. 

After designing a vaccine, scientists first have to administer preclinical testing where they test their vaccines on cells and animals such as mice or monkeys. The vaccine then goes through three phases, (safety, expanded, and efficacy trials), in which it is administered to increasingly larger, regulated groups of people and compared with a placebo. The vaccine can then be put up for approval where country regulators such as the American FDA must approve it before it is sent out to the public. Both Pfizer and Moderna have applied for emergency authorization, and have been approved for public use. 

As of now, both vaccines should be ready for widespread public implementation in mid-spring, with distribution for healthcare workers and vulnerable citizens already occurring.

How Athenian Boarders are Managing School Abroad

Photo Credit: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

By Amanda Cutrer

A very beloved part of the Athenian community are the Athenian boarders. Boarders have always brought intriguing new perspectives to campus, but this year, as summer came to an end, it became clear that the pandemic was going to affect the 2020 school year. Some students chose to come back to campus, but with very limited student visas available and concerns with safety pertaining to COVID-19, 15 students were faced with the reality that returning to the dorms would not be an option. 

Remote learning can be hard for everybody, but attending school remotely from a different country than the majority of the student population and faculty presents unique challenges. Due to the time zones, for many international students there is no ideal way to attend class. Being so far from the community can cause students to feel disconnected.

Pow Vachirajindakul ’22 lives in Thailand, and she chose not to attend classes synchronously due to the 14-hour time change. 

“I didn't feel as motivated to study at home as I was at school. Every day, I spent the whole day watching the recordings and catching up with all the assignments,” said Vachirajindakul. “It took me forever to understand everything and finish each assignment as I couldn't ask teachers [questions] right away.”

Not being able to attend classes synchronously strips students of the learning experience they had once enjoyed. Many are unable to talk with their peers and teachers, and the classes can begin to feel like independent study full of busywork. In response to these struggles, some students made an effort to attend their classes. 

One student who is currently living in China, Clara Feng ’23, consistently stayed up in the middle of the night to go to class. 

“Before you guys started the in person school I used to stay up till 6:30 am to go to all my classes including E period and elective, and [then I usually woke up at] 3 pm,” said Feng. “Now that all classes end at noon for you guys, I can go to sleep at about 3:30 am, but sometimes I have E period or electives later, so I’ll just sleep for like two hours and then wake up for classes.”

These hours seem unreasonable for many, but only watching class recordings brings additional social challenges. In addition to academic obstacles, living abroad creates a social barrier between the boarders and the day students. Weizhi Du ’23, a new student living in China, responds to this struggle. 

“It’s hard for me [to get to know the school as a new student],” said Du. “I try to attend a few classes if I can. Because I’m a new student here, I can only connect with a few people… [I wish] there could be more activities that I can attend in my time zone.” 

For some boarders to even see the faces of other students, they must maintain an absurd sleeping schedule. Especially for our new students, getting to know Athenian while living in a different country is far from easy, and can easily lead to the deterioration of students’ mental health.

“It sometimes feels like I’ve been left out of something at school,” said Feng. “I’m fine for now. I might not be once the in-person E period starts. I’m thinking I’ll go back to school next semester. I will feel terrible if the theater starts to do a show at school and I’m not in it.”

Whether it is the musical, sports, or other programs that are generally a part of life at Athenian, attempting to continue these traditions without our boarders can make them feel isolated. It is a hard situation with no clear answer, but the best the school can do is reach out and try to make them feel like a priority.

“I was lucky that most of my teachers are very understanding and flexible with due dates of the assignment for those who were overseas,” said Vachirajindakul. 

Du echoed this sentiment, saying “I think I got a lot of support. For example, my history teacher scheduled a discussion with me every week, so it’s been really good.”

Athenian students have always loved the teachers at the school, but the pandemic really highlighted their care and resilience. Teachers went out of their way to try and make this transition as comfortable as possible for the students living abroad. 

Domestic students can follow this lead and reach out to boarders. As the world awaits highly anticipated vaccines and the Athenian community has to patiently await the day we can all be together again, it is important to connect with one another in whatever way we can in order to support each other through this time. 

“I went to the campus last September. It’s really nice,” said Du. “I like the school… And one day if I can go to the campus in person [I know] it will be much greater.”

Despite being thousands of miles away, Athenians can find ways to unite through their collective struggles and hope for change. For now, the students and faculty can acknowledge the challenging position of those overseas and try to make a difference, and the community will look forward to filling the dorms back up with boarders.

The Impact of Social Media on U.S Elections

Photo Credit: Cienpies Design/Shutterstock

By Zachary McGraw

According to polls published by the Pew Research Center, 55 percent of American adults get their news from social media. Social media has been crucial for social and political justice movements in the last few years, sparking the MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements. But there is also a downside to relying on social media for information; according to the Pew Research Center, 38 percent of 35 to 49 year olds often believe fake news, and 41 percent of 18 to 34 year olds believe fake news articles are real. It is evident that social media has an immense influence on our society and politics; how social media companies choose to manage their platforms will have a large impact on our country and the world for years to come.

In the last thirty years, 92 percent of Republicans have become more conservative and 94 percent of Democrats have become more liberal, according to the U.C. Berkeley Political Science newspaper, The Greater Good. While this alone may sound harmless, the percent of Democrats and Republicans who view the other party negatively has doubled and it is only getting worse. Sophomore Ousseynou Ndoye says he has noticed the impact.

“It has become more difficult to talk about politics in the last few years—people seem less open to new ideas and listening to the other side.” said Ndoye ’23

The polarization in politics has also led to more extreme politicians getting elected. Politicians who used social media to their advantage have won unlikely elections, such as Donald Trump and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. Some believe that social media gives a voice to those who wouldn’t have been represented before in politics, while others think it makes elected officials have more extreme views; there is truth on both sides. Politicians who have less money are more likely to win, but the average congressman has become more extreme in their political views. Social media has amplified more dangerous voices as shown by the 2020 election of a Georgia QAnon supporter to Congress, Marjorie Taylor Greene. Social Media amplifies radical ideas and makes them mainstream, which can have dangerous effects on our world. According to studies by NBC news people are more likely to believe outrageous and obviously fake news on social media. This problem is amplified when members of the left and right are only given biased news on their feed which further validates their worldview. 

Social media has led to the growth of many social justice movements that are widely viewed as positive for society, such as Black Lives Matter and the MeToo movement. Social media spread the killing of George Floyd, creating mass awareness and visibility of issues such as police brutality that people may not have been aware of twenty years ago. Lizette Ortega Dolan, tenth grade humanities teacher and a frequent user of social media states, “Social media hasn’t impacted my political views, but it has become an additional way for activism. There's strength, possibility and knowledge in social media, we just have to learn to use it correctly.”

Under the layers of hate and disagreement, social media contains valuable information and discussions that can impact our world in a positive way.

Although social media can be used for positive change, it is a breeding ground for misinformation. Fake news spreads 70 percent faster than real news and leads to widespread confusion and distrust about what is true or not. Politicians continue to manipulate the truth to fit the narrative they are pushing for their own self-interest. 

In the last few months, sites like Twitter have started cracking down on misinformation spread by politicians. Many politicians have countered this with the narrative that Twitter is biased and unfair, but this claim is simply false; Twitter’s fight against misinformation has no apparent biases and holds the same standards for both parties. While this is widely regarded as a step in the right direction, many ask if this is enough. Despite social media companies’ best efforts, many conspiracy theories and radical policies continue to become mainstream on their platforms. Many more regulations on content are considered, on both sides, necessary to lessen polarization in this country, and how these social media companies decide to regulate their platforms will have lasting effects on our democracy for years to come.

Does COVID-19 Mark the End of Small Business?

By Ilah Ross

Does Covid-19 Mark the End of Small Business?

On April 16, 2020, Neal Gottlieb, founder of Three Twins Ice Cream, one of America’s leading grocery store brands in organic ice cream, announced that his business of 15 years would be ceasing operations as of April 17. Many were distraught to hear this news, as Three Twin’s iconic flavors of Lemon Cookie, Dad’s Cardamom, Land of Milk and Honey, and more, were staple ice creams in countless Bay Area homes. The reason for this abrupt closure was not unique to Three Twins; many other small businesses are also closing up shop due to the immense economic strain brought about by COVID-19.

When citizens of the United States were sheltered in place during the months of March and April, many were worried about the most pressing insecurity which COVID-19 introduced: the health and safety of their family members and themselves. However, a significant subset of Americans had other worries on their minds in addition to this basic concern. For the 49.2 percent of Americans who are owners and/or employees of a small business, COVID-19 was not only a matter of health, but also of livelihood, as the pandemic had a direct impact on the way in which these vital businesses function. Beyond the primary issue of many businesses completely closing down during March, April, and May, small businesses had to reevaluate how many people they could keep employed, and whether they could afford to stay open at all.

“The local business climate has been heavily impacted by the pandemic,” said Judy B. Lloyd, president and CEO of the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce. “Small businesses in the retail and restaurant sectors have been hit most directly, and many of these businesses have been well within compliance guidelines issued by the State and County, yet they were still forced to be closed out of fear of spreading the virus.”

According to the latest research by Yelp, 72,842 businesses in the United States have been forced to close permanently due to the impact of COVID-19 on businesses. As Lloyd notes, the food industry has been one of the most harshly affected by COVID-19. An estimated 15,770 restaurants have permanently closed in the US alone. One out of every 10 restaurants which temporarily closed in March, April, and May has since closed permanently. These devastating statistics are concerning for small business owners, as they serve as a reminder of the looming threat bigger businesses pose in encroaching on their market share. For Gottlieb, this threat came in the form of companies like Ben and Jerry’s and Haagen-Dazs. 

“The biggest challenge of the grocery side of the business even before COVID was competing with the likes of Ben and Jerrys and Haagen-Dazs, who are cheaper grocery market brands. It’s just really challenging to offer a clean and organic product, and to get consumers to pay significantly more for it,” Gottlieb said. 

The concern of national brands overtaking small business may have been exacerbated by the pandemic, but Gottlieb’s account suggests that it existed long before COVID-19. Most consumers opt for the more convenient and cheap option when it comes to food and other products. Supporting small businesses is becoming less of a priority for the American public.

Unfortunately, Three Twin’s business model was inherently harder to sustain due to their commitment to producing reasonably priced organic ice cream through environmentally friendly means of manufacturing. In the current consumer economy, it has become increasingly difficult to survive as a business while staying true to these values.

“I wanted to create a business that was organic and environmentally friendly but appealed to the masses for reasons far beyond just being a green business. So I wanted to put that out into the world at an affordable price, which was something that had a lot of initial success but that also proved to be very challenging as far as getting to a place where the business was sustained and profitable,” Gottlieb explained.

Then came the pandemic, an obstacle which introduced a new level of financial instability that Three Twins was unable to keep up with.

“The more established companies just have deeper pockets, and they have established profitability. So they are able to weather the storm when there’s a downturn, whereas we just didn’t have that. We were already running on fumes before the pandemic,” Gottlieb said. 

The story of Three Twins Ice Cream is one of hope and resilience but ultimately loss. The 72,842 businesses which have permanently closed in the recent months suggest that there are many other stories like Gottlieb’s. COVID-19 has served as a harsh awakening for small business owners who started companies from the ground up with hopes of providing consumers with unique products. Many of these businesses were ultimately unable to withstand the combined forces of an economic recession fueled by a raging pandemic and the competition created by bigger companies who have established profitability.

There are, however, cases of successful pivots to an online format during the pandemic. Chris LaLanne, owner of LaLanne bootcamp in Castro Valley, California, quickly shifted his fitness business to an online format when the pandemic hit.

“In March, when the state mandated closure of gyms and bars and restaurants and all those services, there was lots of writing on the walls in the business community. The time to close down and pivot to an online format was something that couldn’t wait any longer.” LaLanne explained.

On his new LaLanne Bootcamp app, Chris LaLanne has created a holistic approach to exercise. 

“I’m not necessarily just doing things like a workout or a plan; it's more of a holistic one-on-one makeover of your entire lifestyle. This has been far more fulfilling for me than allowing people to just take a class, and then going back to their life. Now we can work on your whole day and get results in a very efficient and far more intimate way. Going online has opened me up to a completely new avenue in how I help people,” LaLanne said.

The future of LaLanne’s venture in connecting with customers online is yet to be determined, but this potential success story may be the exception among most small businesses. 

In a time where the average American’s trips to the grocery store are increasingly centered around finding the least expensive products in the shortest amount of time, many wonder if small businesses and brands still have a future in our world and consumer economy.

Meet Lizette Ortega Dolan

Lizette Ortega Dolan

By Zoey Patterson

Lizette Dolan is a new Humanities teacher at Athenian, but it’s not her first time working here.

“I was hired as Dean of Equity and Inclusion back in 2006, and I…did a lot of explicit training on equity and inclusion,” Dolan said. “I had just developed an Ethnic Studies course at the school where I was teaching before I came to Athenian, so I was really excited to bring that knowledge and that energy and passion to a different school.”

Dolan explained that part of what attracted her to Athenian was the emphasis it places on equity and inclusion.

“I…really believed that there was an authentic desire to improve the learning environment for marginalized groups,” Dolan said.

Athenian’s community is also something Dolan is glad to return to.

“I’ve been working independently for about three years as a consultant, and so I’m excited to now kind of be a part of a team again,” Dolan said.

Dolan is even more excited for when Athenian can return to normal in-person classes.

“That’s one of my favorite places to be…in the classroom with students,” Dolan said.

However, classes aren’t the only thing Dolan misses from before COVID–19.

“I certainly see myself as the hostess with the mostest,” Dolan said. “I love having people here. I love, like, setting the table and deciding on what I’m gonna serve and making little name cards…I love hosting, so that’s what I miss the most.”

Dolan’s own ideal meal, however, is less common for hosting.

“It’d be French toast with sausage, scrambled eggs, sourdough bread, sour cream on the side, and fake maple syrup,” Dolan said.

But that would not be the only component of Dolan’s ideal start to a day.

“I would love it if it was a normal thing for every day to start like a musical,” Dolan said. “Like, if I could wake up and be like ‘ONE DAY MORE’...like, everyday, where that is just, like, normal, I’d love that. I think it’d be great.”

Musical theater is not, in fact, Dolan’s main passion, especially in the realm of school.

“I absolutely love, love, love history,” Dolan said. “And…studying history and the humanities is everything, everything’s connected to it, it’s all about, literally, humanity.”

To explain this, Dolan paraphrased the words of a more famous humanities expert.

“There’s this great quote that I like by Paulo Freire that says, ‘It’s about learning how to not simply read the word, but read the world,’ and I feel like, as a humanities teacher, that’s what I’m supporting students in doing.”

Meet Nenelwa Tomi!

Nenelwa Tomi

By Zoey Patterson

Nenelwa Tomi is the new Associate Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. She’s especially interested in working in admissions because of the unique perspectives she can bring to the table.

“In thinking about my role here...what comes to me is my experience in admissions as a student ...and just feeling like there wasn’t much support along that journey, and feeling like there were people in the spaces who didn’t represent the experiences that I had gone through,” Tomi said. “So part of what drew me to this work was trying to be that person for others, to see themselves represented.”

Tomi is also interested in how the current pandemic provides an opportunity to reimagine Athenian’s admissions process.

“I think this year, because we don’t have the capacity to have prospective families visiting our campus, it offers us a really interesting opportunity to think of new ways to showcase our experience, or...what distinguishes Athenian from other spaces and places,” Tomi said.

The current admissions process, she said, has “been a bit stale.”

“We’ve all done kind of the same things across institutions,” Tomi said. “Whether you are at a school on the East Coast or the West Coast, you kind of have the same standard of experience. We just have different campuses.”

However, Tomi not only believes in Athenian’s mission, but has a personal connection to it.
“It values experiential learning, which is something that was a core component of my upbringing not just in the classroom, but also outside of [it],” Tomi said.

Tomi finds this quite meaningful and is excited to share it with more people.

“The fact that I’m at an institution that places high value on that...idea of creating and innovating in the classroom and finding ways to be yourself, or bring yourself into that classroom space, is so powerful to me,” Tomi said. “[I want] to think about how to increase...the capacity that Athenian has to reach more phenomenal students to experience this.”

Being off-campus, however, has made it harder for Tomi to properly acquaint herself with working at Athenian.

“It’s kind of a strange space to be in in terms of being a new person because you don’t even know how to be proactive because you don’t really know people, and you don’t know the systems yet,” Tomi said. “So it’s been great to engage with...forum and community meetings and see students from that perspective, but it’s been strange to not meet them.”

Tomi is still eager to meet whoever she can within the limitations of (partial) distance learning.

“I encourage students—or faculty and staff who are interested—to just reach out,” Tomi said.

When we do fully return to campus, Tomi has a note on something distinctive students might notice about her.
“I love to sing, so you can find me singing in the car,” Tomi said. “If you’re ever leaving the Athenian parking lot and you see someone singing and dancing in their car, that’s probably me.”

Meet Robert Nelson

Robert Nelson

By Zoey Patterson

Robert Nelson is a new Humanities teacher at Athenian. He’s teaching ninth graders this year, which might be conducive to developing relationships with students for him in particular.

“It takes people a while to get me,” Nelson said. “People kind of think I’m...grumpy or aloof, and kind of distanced, but honestly, if you talk to students who have been with me and had me for multiple years as a teacher, you [will] find that we have a really close, trusting relationship.”

Nelson added that these relationships, which often last beyond graduation, make his job particularly special.

“They’ll still send me emails and tell me about their college courses and ask my advice on this and that,” Nelson said. “I think that’s the best thing about being a high school teacher…[getting to] watch as students get older, and play a part in that, but also keep in touch after they’ve gone on and done awesome things.”

Nelson is also looking forward to interacting with the Athenian community.

“[I love] the feeling that you get when you’re in the right place and the people around you share your values and share your ideas about what education should be,” Nelson said. “When people genuinely believe in the power of education, you come together around it.”

Even so, the community is only one of the nice things at Athenian.

“One of the things that is very appealing about Athenian is just the physical location of it, being right near Mount Diablo,” Nelson said. “I’m very much an outdoors person, so I can totally relate to that.”

The aesthetic side of the outdoors is not the only thing about it that Nelson appreciates, however. He also enjoys “just you being outside” and interacting with the outdoors.
“I like throwing a ball around, whatever type of ball it is,” Nelson said. “In high school, I played baseball, football, and ran track.”

These things have also helped Nelson interact with other people.

“You’re part of a team, and you automatically have this community set up for you,” Nelson said. “They want to welcome you in and make you a part of their team.”

This was particularly important to Nelson as a child because he moved around frequently.

“Being a person who sort of has to adapt to new places and has to get used to new communities, it gives you a sort of perspective on people wherever you go,” Nelson said. “There are people who are very likely to find differences in comparing people from one place to another, but I like to think of it more like similarities, like looking for human nature and what makes us all very the same, in a way.”

This is part of the reason Nelson ended up teaching history.

“I’d always wanted to explore more things about the history that was around me...the differences between peoples and towns and landscapes always interested me, so I just wanted to know more,” Nelson said.

Nelson has an interesting personal history as well.

"My mother is from Iceland, and there are a lot of cool things about being descended from a small group of people,” Nelson said. “There’s only about 250,000 to 300,000 of them in the country right now, and they have a really well-documented history, so if I actually did my genealogy...it would go back over 1,400 to 1,500 years.”

The variety in Nelson’s backstory gives him an interesting way to explain who he is.

“I like it when people ask me where I’m from,” Nelson said, “because I never have a good answer.”