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Unity in diversity

3 min read

Features

Unity in diversity

Caroline Huang December 14, 2015

The media has grown increasingly diverse in the last few years.

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Aragon High School's student newspaper
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Junior Elsa Richardson started her nine years long

Junior Elsa Richardson started her nine years long roller derby journey after listening to a friend's recommendations. She quickly fell in love with the sport.

“I love the community and all the people that I've met from it,” Richardson said. “I've loved what I've realized about myself by doing the sport. I also loved roller skating, so it was a really nice fit for me.”

Richardson has joined the charter team the Santa Cruz Derby Groms, a competitive travel team. In recent years the charter team has competed in the West Coast Nationals.

“I spent many years being afraid to join the team I’m currently on because I was afraid of the people and the competitiveness,” Richardson said. “I was scared, but [roller derby] also made me push myself more and step out of my comfort zone. [It] has made me much more confident in myself.”

Recently, Richardson competed in the Blood Fest derby tournament in Burbank, CA. On the team, Richardson has played various positions but is currently a jammer, the person who scores points by breaking through the other team’s pack, but she has also competed as a blocker, the person who prevents the opposing team’s jammers from breaking through.

“I push myself by learning new stops, new jumps and a bunch of new things that can help me during a game,” Richardson said. “I also push myself by skating against players that are better than me, and just trying to get more practice out …I continue to grow my communication skills, my stamina and how I observe what's going on around me.”

Richardson’s goal is to one day join a team that competes nationally or internationally. Although she is uncertain that she will ever play professionally, Richardson knows that she always wants to be a part of the roller derby community.

Reporting by Eva Ludwig.
Photos in courtesy of Elsa Richardson and by Anna He.

@globaledleader Dr. Jones speaks about his first s

@globaledleader Dr. Jones speaks about his first semester experience at Aragon

Juniors Mai Brisset and Julianna Galang both began

Juniors Mai Brisset and Julianna Galang both began their journeys as budding nail technicians a year ago.

Inspired to apply her artistic skills into something more tangible, Galang began experimenting with designs for herself and her close friends.

“Whenever I would have downtime, or if I was upset and stressed over schoolwork, I would instead just do some nails,” Galang said. “With friends, I would offer them to come over [and do their nails], and it would be a nice bonding experience for us.”
Starting her own business has not only provided Galang with a creative outlet, it also taught her valuable lessons about perseverance.
“After constantly doing the same design for a long period of time and not seeing any improvement, it’s kind of discouraging,” Galang said. “Nails have really opened my eyes to the time and effort that it takes to master something. Even if it’s just running or being an employee in a small business, it takes a long time to master the steps that are put into it.”

Galang has decided to keep nail art as a hobby, occasionally doing it with her close friends.

On the other hand, Brisset’s interest in nail art began after she couldn’t find nail salons that could do the intricate designs she wanted. After establishing her own nail business, Brisset began to attract local customers. She notes that finding a work-life balance was challenging at first.

“I’d work after school and have appointments from like five until ten,” Brisset said. “The most difficult part was finding that sweet spot where I put enough effort into school and into my passion and job.”

Despite these initial challenges, Brisset found that they taught her valuable lessons.

“Doing nails has definitely taught me a lot about scheduling, consistency, keeping your word,” Brisset said. “[I’ve learned] a lot about morals, too, and [upholding] your own personal values and policies.”

In the future, she hopes to host classes to teach others specific techniques that she has mastered over time.

Reporting by Hannah Li.
Photos in courtesy of Julianna Galang and Mai Brissett.

Where the magic happens #roomtour #newspaper #ar

Where the magic happens

#roomtour #newspaper #aragon

A summary of the Don’s Spotify wrapped for the y

A summary of the Don’s Spotify wrapped for the year of 2024. Thank you to everyone who completed the form!

On Dec. 6, Aragon’s choirs and orchestras perfor

On Dec. 6, Aragon’s choirs and orchestras performed their annual winter concert from 7-9 p.m. in the Aragon Theater.

This year, Sinfonia Strings made its debut to perform alongside Chamber and String Orchestra.

“[This concert] might be my absolute favorite in the four years that I've been in orchestra,” said senior and Sinfonia violinist Adam Richter. “It's our first time having three orchestras and Ms. Chan as our new conductor.”

The concert featured nostalgic songs like “Home Alone’s” main title, “Somewhere in My Memory,” and an uplifting version of “Nearer, My God to Thee,” which were performed by Chamber Orchestra and the combined choirs. Additionally, performances by student dancers and Aragon’s acapella groups were featured throughout the concert.

“[It’s] a high school choir and orchestra, so I wasn't expecting a professional-level [performance],” said sophomore Elliot Lee. “[But] for the amount of time and effort they put in, they were very solid overall.”
Aragon alumnus Jonathan J. Trimble appeared as a guest soloist.

“[I came today because] Mr. Chen asked me to perform, [and there’s ] also that nostalgic energy of being [back] at Aragon,” Trimble said. “It's so nice to see people younger than me doing music, and I just want to come here to help inspire people to do [music] because it's very important to our society … The group that I started in is still thriving … and I was really proud and happy to see where this [has been] going.”
Many believed the concert turned out successful.

“It was really beautiful … I really felt the emotions,” said sophomore Elisa Castillo Arevalo, a member of Chamber and Women’s Choir. “And that's what music's all about.”

The Choir and Orchestra Winter Concert is the first in Aragon’s Winter Concert series. The band and jazz concerts will be held on Dec. 13 and Dec. 20, respectively.

Reporting by Diya Poojary.
Photos by Madeline Allen and Mia Thurrell.

From Dec. 2-6, Aragon displayed the AIDS Memorial

From Dec. 2-6, Aragon displayed the AIDS Memorial Quilt in the Multi-Purpose Room for students to view during their classes. The AIDS Quilt was created by the NAMES Project Foundations, which hosted the event in conjunction with Aragon’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance Club.

The 54-ton quilt, which has 50,000 panels and includes over 11,000 people, has traveled from San Francisco to Washington D.C., going to over 1,000 schools, places of worship and community centers to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS. There were three large sections of the quilt at Aragon, some panels displaying rows of names and others being dedicated to a single person.

“I felt really moved [as] these were very deep and personal messages,” said senior and GSA Secretary Matt Grabow. “It was touching that these family members would devote their time to pay homage and honor to the people.”

Some panels were particularly noteworthy for students.

“One of the panels shows this three-year-old, and it was a shock to some people because they thought AIDS could only be contracted by adults,” Grabow said. “There was [also] one panel that someone made while they contracted AIDS, and they had died after, [which] just really shows the impact of AIDS back then; it was a very dark time for a lot of people.”

Despite misconceptions, HIV/AIDS also affects children, with an annual death rate of 76,000 children. Aarron Phillip Nelson was one of these children — his panel is adorned with toys and baby socks. He was born Nov. 7, 1988, and died three days before his third birthday on Nov. 4, 1991.

Duane Kearns Puryear was born on Dec. 20, 1964, and was diagnosed at 22 years old on Sep. 7, 1987. His panel reads, “My name is Duane Kearns Puryear. I was born on December 20, 1964. I was diagnosed with AIDS on September 7, 1987 at 4:45 PM. Sometimes, it makes me very sad. I made this panel myself. If you are reading it, I am dead….”

He died on Oct. 8, 1991, at the age of 26. He would have turned 60 this year.

Check out the full coverage in our upcoming print edition.

Reporting by Mark Rumberg.
Photos by Martin Zheng and Mia Thurrell.

On Dec. 5, varsity boys soccer secured a 5-0 win o

On Dec. 5, varsity boys soccer secured a 5-0 win over MacDonald High School, scoring 4 goals in the second half.

Photos by Felix Ma.

On Nov 21-24, the Aragon Drama department hosted t

On Nov 21-24, the Aragon Drama department hosted the musical, the Sister Act.

Check out more coverage by Yang Yang in our upcoming print edition.

Photos by Lian Wang and Darra McLintock.

On Nov 20, Aragon Biotech Club held its third annu

On Nov 20, Aragon Biotech Club held its third annual Design Competition, revolving around the theme of Health every other years, unlike last year’s theme of Environmental.

To prepare for the competition, teams had little over a month to design.

The team who won first place designed a technological aid to help a patient who has their assigned disease. They then pitched their inventions to a panel of judges made up of biotech professionals, competing for $1000, $500, and $250 for first, second and third place respectively.

Lastly, the judges announced the winners of the competition. The Asthma team won first place with the Sickle Cell anemia team taking second, and Hemophilia taking third place.

Reporting by Medha Rakesh and Angela Nguyen.
Photos by Darra McLintock and in courtesy of Ivan Hager.

The San Mateo High School Union District now offer

The San Mateo High School Union District now offers all SMUHSD students a free New York Times subscription. Swipe for instructions to gain access.

1. Visit nytimes.com/passes to activate your New York Times digital pass.

2. Check your email inbox for a confirmation message from The New York Times and claim your New York Times Academic Pass.

3. Enjoy! Download on your phone to stay informed.

Visit https://bit.ly/nytimessubscription for more information

Junior Charlie Harger first began his running jour

Junior Charlie Harger first began his running journey in eighth grade.

“I was really motivated to run because I had always been on the faster end for soccer and baseball,” Harger said. “I really wanted to see how well I would do [on] track.”

Harger joined a club team before starting high school, and continued running in high school. Last year, he won Peninsula Athletic League in the 400-meter race and placed fourth in the Central Coast Section Championship Finals.

“My success in [track] has definitely made me fall in love more with [it],” Harger said. “I used to be a little bit hesitant to go out on runs, but now, since I’ve realized my potential, I’ve become a lot more open and willing to do those hard practices.”

However, success did not come without struggle.

“Mental blocks and self doubt … were the two biggest problems,” Harger said. “I’ve really been trying to believe more in myself and not put as much pressure on myself. And one of the ways I’ve been doing that is to not compare [myself] to other people.”

But there have also been many upsides to running.

“The most rewarding part of being a runner is the happiness you feel after you reach a goal that you’ve been working towards … [And] running has definitely given me a lot of new friends, just from all the new people I’ve met at high school, meets, new teams and even summer meets,” Harger said. “I am always very nervous at meets, but the atmosphere is always very energetic and everyone there feels like we’re already a big community.”

Harger hopes to continue advancing his running career during the rest of high school and beyond.

“My goal is to go to CCS finals [again] and make it to state,” Harger said. “I definitely want to continue this in college and after college.”

Reporting by Hannah Li.
Photos in courtesy of Charlie Harger and by Anna He.

Read our reviews of Arcane season 2 acts on aragon

Read our reviews of Arcane season 2 acts on aragonoutlook.org. Act 1 is out now.

On Nov. 9, Aragon students gathered at Pinstripes

On Nov. 9, Aragon students gathered at Pinstripes in Hillsdale Mall for the annual Homecoming dance.[a] The dance featured a ‘Neon Glow in the Dark’ theme and over 1,000 students attended.

Check out the full coverage by Claire Dong on aragonoutlook.org.

Photos by Ethan Tawn.

Republican Donald Trump is the president-elect of

Republican Donald Trump is the president-elect of the United States, scheduled to be inaugurated as the 47th president. The United States is seeing a shift to the right, with the Republican party winning the majority in the Senate and the House. In California, however, U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. is the senator-elect and Incumbent Rep. Kevin Mullin, D-Calif. successfully won House District 15.

To read more about what the students at Aragon think of the election, check out our upcoming print addition.

Reporting by Darshan Bal, Andrew Dong, Hannah Li and Ellen Li.

What are YOUR thoughts? #election #trump #harris

What are YOUR thoughts?

#election #trump #harris #2024election #democrats #republican #student

On Nov. 8, Aragon High School held its annual fall

On Nov. 8, Aragon High School held its annual fall rally, where the Class of 2025 won the Don Baton.

Leadership’s Rally Commission organized the rally.

“We do logistics [for] each rally,” said senior and Rally Commission member Matthew Lua. “We contact the stakeholders involved, like the principal, the participants [and] the teachers … We also plan out [what] we’re going to do for the event, [like] the games that we coordinate.”

In addition to contacting participants and planning games, there are further arrangements for rallies.

“[We] have to plan out an entire schedule about what we want [and] also get approval from [Leadership advisor Ms. Bussey] to make sure that this actually happens,” said senior and Rally Commission Head Alessandra Hernandez. “We send out announcements to get participants, and then we also advertise for the rally itself. By then, it’s about a month and a half process.”

Class councils are involved in helping plan their mascots and coordinating class anthems.

“We buy stuff to decorate on the Rally Day, … for example, today, we were just making posters for it,” said Class of 2025 secretary Olivia King. “This year, all the class councils are in the [leadership] period, [so] we can really easily talk with them and work with them.“
At the end of the rally, the Don Baton is awarded to the class that has the most spirit and loudness during the class anthem, judged by an unbiased panel of teachers.

“I personally thought that the rally was a little rigged for the seniors,” said junior Jayla Abdellatif. “I thought that the juniors were very loud, and the seniors just didn’t have the same energy.”

The next rally will be the winter rally held in February.

Reporting by Jannah Nassef.
Photos by Lian Wang and Ethan Tawn.

Over the summer, new tri-bin trash cans were insta

Over the summer, new tri-bin trash cans were installed at Aragon to encourage students to sort their trash. These new trash cans are scattered around the center court. They have 3 different colored bins each for compost, recycling, and garbage.

“This is something that’s been happening at the district level for probably the past two years or so,” said Greg Moretti, Aragon’s representative on the district sustainability committee. “The district has recognized the importance of sorting trash and reducing the amount of trash that makes it to the landfill, and in that effort, the district facilitated the purchase of a unified system of tri-bins that would be used all throughout the district.

Although they were installed to encourage students to sort their trash, some students believe they don’t help.

“It looks pretty,” said sophomore Scarlett Choy. “But I think no one really uses them or sorts out their trash. Me and my friends just throw everything in the garbage. We don’t recycle or compost.”

Other students believe the new trash cans do help a little.

“I think that, on some level, it has kind of improved things,” said senior Katya Kleinhenz. “But I mean, we’re by no means at a point where we can say that we [don’t have a littering problem].”

Some staff also believe that encouraging students to sort out their trash is difficult to implement.

“We have always had three bins, trash, recycling, and compost,” Moretti said. “But especially the compost bins looked very similar to the trash bins, and they all had big open tops on them. And so I think a lot of students just sort of tossed their trash into the nearest bin to them, without really paying attention to where it was going, or sorting their trash.”

As the school year continues, the district will continue collecting data on how much trash is going into each bin. Results will be posted on the District Sustainability Dashboard.

Reporting by Claire Dong.
Photo by Martin Zheng.

On Oct. 31, Aragon held its annual Halloween rally

On Oct. 31, Aragon held its annual Halloween rally in center court during lunch.

The rally opened with a performance from the Aragon dance program to a mashup of “Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads and “Bloody Mary” by Lady Gaga.

Staff members then competed in a costume contest, presenting a variety of costumes, including Taylor Swift albums from the social studies department, the Hocus Pocus Sanderson sisters from the art department, scrabble letters from the office, cowboys from the English department and “Spa Pirates” from the wellness counselors.

The winning team was the science department, replicating the colors of a rainbow via a prism.

“I am a competitive human [and] I like to win, especially when it comes to beating the math department, so I feel very gratified,” said chemistry teacher Max von Euw. “I think it was well-deserved; we worked hard. I truly thought that last year, with our heavy metals costume, we were going to win, [but] math squeaked out with their Barbie costume, so this has been a long time coming.”

The math department came in second place, dressing up as Mardi ‘Graph,’ a play on the holiday Mardi Gras.

“I’m actually okay with [being second] because we often win, [and] the science teachers were very clever,” said math teacher Alice Hu. “ I liked their whole concept, it was different. Having a whole skit, and at the same time [teaching] an actual science lesson, was very thoughtful.”

Following the staffulty contest was the student costume contest, the winner of which was junior Shea Peni, who dressed up as TV show host Steve Harvey.

“I was a little scared to come to school in a bald cap because I thought I looked kind of stupid, but I decided to anyway because I thought it'd be fun,” Shea said. “It was very validating [though] — I look stupid for a reason. Then [it] paid off because I won the contest.”

Other students dressed up as classic monsters, TV show characters and inflatable figures.

Check out the full coverage by Yang Yang on aragonoutlook.org.
Photos by Madeline Allen and Ethan Tawn.

On Oct. 29, Aragon’s Varsity Girl’s Volleyball

On Oct. 29, Aragon’s Varsity Girl’s Volleyball team (17-16, 9-5) celebrated their senior night at a game against Menlo-Atherton, ultimately resulting in a 0-3 loss for the Dons. This game marks the conclusion of the team’s regular season. Next up, the Dons will host Willow Glen on Nov. 5 at 5 p.m.

Reporting by Felix Ma.
Photos by Felix Ma and Lian Wang.

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