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April 27, 2024

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Free speech and activism at Aragon

4 min read

Features

Free speech and activism at Aragon

Austin Lautenbach March 9, 2017

Learn about the students who go out and shout.

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On May 12, Aragon hosted its end of the year rally

On May 12, Aragon hosted its end of the year rally in the gym. Students watched the dance team perform as well as giant hamster ball fights, a tug of war competition and a basketball competition. Leadership also projected this year’s lip dub on screen for the school to watch for the first time. At the end, seniors were awarded with the Don Baton for showing the most spirit.

Photos by Alessandro Riedel.

On May 10, Aragon’s Fashion Fanatics Club organi

On May 10, Aragon’s Fashion Fanatics Club organized an end of the year fashion show in the MPR. Students dressed up in their summer outfits and strutted across the room, showing off their styles as the audience cheered them on.

Photos by Darra McLintock.

On May 5, Aragon celebrated Latino culture at Lati

On May 5, Aragon celebrated Latino culture at Latino Night in the South Gym. The Latino Parents Group organized this event to promote the culture and fundraise for the Latino community. Throughout the night, families gathered to eat a variety of dishes from different Hispanic countries and enjoyed live music as well as traditional performances.

Photos by Victoria Santana.

On April 28, Math Club hosted a math competition f

On April 28, Math Club hosted a math competition for middle school students for the first time since COVID-19 disrupted this annual event. Eighty five students from middle schools like Bowditch, Borel and Bayside attended.

The club’s goal was to give students more competition experience. Participants were given four tests that were 40 minutes long each and were mainly tested in word problems that required different steps and knowledge about various math topics. During one round, the students worked in teams. All of the questions on the tests were written by club members like sophomores Akilan Paramasivam and Anish Dara, who have prepared them during meetings over the past few months. Senior club president David Sai, vice president Angelina Parker and other club members volunteered during the competition to grade papers and monitor the students. Ten students with the highest scores and the top three teams were given T-pump gift cards as prizes.

Photos courtesy of Neeha Kumar.

On April 11, the girls and boys varsity track and

On April 11, the girls and boys varsity track and field dominated over Westmoor with team scores of 80-47 and 77-50. The home meet resulted in records being broken, one of which was when junior Jarod Nunnemaker soared over senior Erik Dodge’s previous pole vaulting school record of 14’ 2.5” with 14’ 7”. Later on, Dodge surpassed Nunnemaker’s height by resetting the school record with a mark of 15’ 1”, placing Dodge first in the Central Coast Section. In addition, junior Pia Cho broke the school long jump record with 18’ 4.5”.

The Dons will be attending the San Mateo Bearcat Invitational at San Mateo High School on April 22 at 8:30 a.m.

Go to aragonoutlook.org to read a full recap about the meet against Westmoor.

Photos and video by Anna He.

On March 21, Aragon senior Lloyd Walter signed his

On March 21, Aragon senior Lloyd Walter signed his letter of intent to Tufts University in Aragon’s south gym. During the signing, Walter was surprised when current 49ers running back Jordan Mason, cornerback Samuel Womack III and offensive lineman Jason Poe entered the gym to present him with the 2023 Bay Area All-Star Team scholarship and a $5000 check.

“I grew up watching the 49ers play,” Walter said. “Having them come surprise me while I was signing was … a really big achievement.”

The Bay Area All-Star Scholarship Team, or BAAST, is a program by the 49ers, Warriors, Giants, Sharks, A’s and Earthquakes in which a senior student-athlete who shows academic, athletic and extracurricular promise is nominated by a coach or administrator from their school. After being nominated by Coach Sell, Walter was selected as the sole 49ers scholarship recipient from 39 regional schools.

Along with five other athletes, Walter has been invited to professional games of all participating teams to tour arenas and meet players and was recognized on the court of the Warriors’ home game on March 31.

In addition to the BAAST scholarship, Walter is the CCS Male Scholar-Athlete of the year, an honor that was last given to an Aragon student in 1998, and a National Football Foundation Award recipient. He is the first Aragon athlete to win all three awards. Sell decided to retire his jersey, something that has only been done twice in Aragon’s history: in 2001 for Manase Tonga, another influential Aragon football player who joined the NFL, and in 2004 for Andrew Dang, an Aragon football player, wrestler and US Marine who was killed in Iraq.

“If you could clone [Lloyd], you wouldn’t lose a game,” Sell said. “Not just because of [his] ability but because of [his] leadership. The respect that [Manase and Lloyd] had of their peers, and their opponents and other coaches was unparalleled. When you retire someone’s number, [it’s because] he is absolutely everything you’d want in a player.”

In college, Lloyd will continue playing football while studying electrical engineering to pursue his passion for technology and math.

Reporting by Veda Yama.
Photos courtesy of Lloyd Walter.

On March 21, three more trees fell on Aragon’s c

On March 21, three more trees fell on Aragon’s campus due to high wind speeds during fifth period and after school.

On the south side of campus, a large tree was knocked down, blocking the south access road. The tree crushed a student’s car while it was parked and unoccupied and damaged one side of the tennis court fence. Because another tree was touching a power line extending from a house in the nearby neighborhood and causing sparks, PG&E was immediately dispatched.

The south access road was blocked from student and staff access, and those with cars parked on the road needed to wait to exit campus.

On Alameda, another two eucalyptus trees fell. The first fell right after school, blocking part of the sidewalk where school buses typically park. Another tree was knocked down later in the evening and is currently blocking the road to the theater.

Administrators have been coordinating with PG&E and Timberline Tree Service to repair the power line and remove the damaged trees. The possibility of pre-emptively removing more large trees on Alameda is being considered with district support.

Reporting by Veda Yama.
Photos courtesy of Valerie Arbizu and Martin Zheng.

Just before 7 p.m. on March 16, power was restored

Just before 7 p.m. on March 16, power was restored to Aragon and the systems were tested for an hour to make sure there were no issues. On the morning of March 17, students and staff returned to school after two days off from no electricity.

Around 7 a.m., facilities staff and administrators noticed a strange smell near the library. It was discovered that a fuse box connected to the solar panels on the north side of campus near the library was smoking. The San Mateo Fire Department used a heavy layer of fire suppressant spray on the roof, causing a detectable smell across the school and south access road when the spray cloud was carried south by the wind.

The school’s HVAC system, which is designed to bring fresh air into the classrooms, resulted in an intake of the smell indoors, causing two English classrooms to temporarily relocate.

“We know that sometimes, when things have been offline [for a while] … our systems start to go a little cuckoo,” said Principal Valerie Arbizu. “Our alarm systems … have residual power for about 48 hours [because] they’re battery packs. As soon as those start to wind down and the system doesn’t have as much energy as it’s used to, things will start to go off.”

Before power was restored, the theater alarm went off. At about 8 p.m. on March 16, after power was restored, alarms in the MPR and the Digital Photography room, which is directly below the MPR, played a National Weather Service bulletin on loop. The two classrooms were part of an extension on the school and share a newer emergency warning system that the rest of the school doesn’t have.

In an early-morning communication on March 17, the administration assured families that there would be no need to change school plans for the day. District electricians arrived during second period to isolate the solar panels and repair any damage.

Reporting by Veda Yama.
Photos by Martin Zheng (martinemergencyresponsevideos) and Veda Yama.

See Ms. Stretch’s email for more details.

See Ms. Stretch’s email for more details.

Stay tuned for ongoing updates. Photo by Catheri

Stay tuned for ongoing updates.

Photo by Catherine Wang.

Stay tuned for ongoing updates.

Stay tuned for ongoing updates.

On March 14, a tree was knocked down by high winds

On March 14, a tree was knocked down by high winds near the tennis courts on the south side of campus. A limb of the tree hit a power line, causing sparks and smoke. The access lane and the staircase to the neighborhood area was blocked off to allow emergency services to extinguish the small fire.

Students and staff who were parked on the road behind the tennis courts lined up by the baseball field to be dismissed by administration staff. Some needed to take a detour to access cars parked in the neighborhood.

Because the incident involved a power line, PG&E would need to shut down power to the school to make repairs. All sports practices and games on campus were canceled for the afternoon and athletes were advised to leave campus.

Photo by Veda Yama.

On March 11, the Aragon varsity baseball team (4-2

On March 11, the Aragon varsity baseball team (4-2 overall) dominated Hillsdale (3-1 overall) 7-3.

Junior starting pitcher Eric Laguna held the Knights scoreless through the first three innings, while Aragon recorded the game’s first hit in the bottom of the second. Then, with two outs and bases loaded, junior outfielder Joey Mazzola hit a single to right field and scored two runs, sending the Dons into the third inning leading 2-0.

In the bottom of the third, the Dons mounted a two out rally. With runners on second and third, senior infielder Ronin Lee hit a double to center field, scoring two. Then with runners on first and third, senior utility player Yuta Kammer got a base hit, driving in another run for the Dons. Finally, with runners on first and second, Hillsdale walked two batters, scoring the sixth run for Aragon.

However, Hillsdale was able to score one run in the fourth inning on an error off of a ground ball to third base.

In the fifth inning, the Dons made a pitching change from Laguna to senior center fielder Jared Walsh. Walsh kept the Knights in check, aided by a running catch in center field made by junior center fielder Sean Hickey. Then, in the bottom of the inning, sophomore first baseman Josh Jacobs launched a solo homerun over the right field fence, increasing Aragon’s lead to 7-1.

The sixth inning was a fast one due to strong defense on both teams, with neither team scoring a run.

In the top of the seventh inning, Hillsdale scored two runs off of ground balls to the outfield. Nonetheless, Aragon was able to protect their lead, recording the final out on a fly ball to right field. The Dons ultimately secured a 7-3 victory in their first rivalry game of the season.

“I think the way we played today was close to perfect,” Walsh said. “Maybe [we could have] cut down on a couple errors in the field, but I think we're cruising right now.”

According to the coach and players, the only downside to the game was the wet weather.

“The field’s a mess thanks to the rain,” said head coach Don Hahn. “But today’s game was great despite that. It’s always nice to beat Hillsdale.”

Reporting by Phoebe Harger.
Photos by Nailah Blake.

On March 10, Aragon’s Biotech Club participated

On March 10, Aragon’s Biotech Club participated in Bayside Academy’s Fab Lab. The Biotech Club ran a strawberry DNA extraction activity, where strawberries were mashed up, mixed with a buffer solution, strained and covered with a layer of alcohol for the DNA to be spooled. Students of all ages (K-8) participated, with club members helping to facilitate and explain the lab.

Photos by Lian Wang.

On Feb. 25, the Aragon varsity girls soccer team (

On Feb. 25, the Aragon varsity girls soccer team (18-4 overall) lost to Sequoia (13-3-5 overall) 0-1 in the CCS finals game.

Both teams had a lot of energy during the first half of the game with strong defense. Though there were many attempts on goal, both defensive lines made it challenging for any ball to get past them.

With 3:40 left in the first half of the game, Sequoia intercepted a throw in and swiftly passed. While the Dons continuously tried to regain possession of the ball, Sequoia eventually broke through the defense and Aragon’s goalie, making the first goal of the game.

“[Our defense] bent, but didn’t break,” said head coach Michael Flynn. “We did give up that goal, but overall they played their hearts out.”

Halftime was called and both teams circled up to talk strategy for the next half.

“I just reminded them … that last time we played them, it was 3-0 at half,” Coach Flynn said, “We were down … only 0-1 [this time] and we’re [still] in the game. I think [Sequoia] underestimated how we were going to play this time and that 0-1 is a fine line. All we have to do is find the back of the net.”

The second half continued on with both Aragon and Sequoia repeatedly stealing the ball from each other, but never making it into the goal. Aragon goalie sophomore Luana Denniston didn’t let any more goals get past her and was quick on her feet for the entirety of the second half.

“She … made some big saves which kept us in the game and energized us,” Flynn said. “[You’ve also] got to give credit to Sequoia; they did a very nice job of keeping us from putting the ball back into the net.”

The game ended with no other goals scored by either team, sealing the victory for Sequoia.

“It was a great game,” Flynn said. “Obviously we would have liked to win, but the girls did everything I asked them to do [and] I’m really happy … with the way we played,” Coach Flynn said. “It’s been a tremendous season. We went undefeated in league [and] we made it to the finals of CCS.”

Reporting and photos by Neeha Kumar.

On Feb. 3, the California Interscholastic Federati

On Feb. 3, the California Interscholastic Federation approved girls flag football as an official high school fall sport to begin in the 2023-2024 school year. To gauge the amount of interest in the Aragon community, athletic director Steve Sell hosted an informational meeting during lunch in the South Gym on Feb. 23., where 24 people attended to learn more about the sport.

Aragon previously had flag football as a popular winter sport from 1979 to 1999. However, flag football was discontinued due to waning interest, especially after girls soccer was established at Aragon in 1996.

During the meeting, Sell presented information about the proposed schedule for flag football, which would include games twice a week on Wednesdays and daily training after school. Flag football players would share the main field with football players, alternating between early and late practices.

While flag football as a sport has been approved by the state, the SMUHSD board still needs to approve funding for equipment and a coach, who has not been selected yet. Sell encouraged interested athletes to attend board meetings to indicate their interest and to fill out a preliminary interest form. Go to the link in bio to access the form.

Photo by Veda Yama.

Around 4:15 p.m., high winds caused a large eucaly

Around 4:15 p.m., high winds caused a large eucalyptus tree to be knocked over, blocking three lanes of Alameda de las Pulgas. Another nearby tree was uprooted and would have to be removed. Since the section of the street between Aragon Blvd. and Sonora Drive will be closed tomorrow morning, the Aragon administration advises the Aragon community to drive cautiously, arrive to campus earlier and avoid the lawn area in front of campus. The SamTrans dropoff location will also be relocated.

Photo courtesy of Drew Smith.

On Feb. 18, the Aragon varsity soccer teams played

On Feb. 18, the Aragon varsity soccer teams played their CCS quarterfinal matches.

Girls soccer (16-3 overall) beat Burlingame (9-4-4 overall) 1-0.

Both teams held even possession in the first half, with most of the game played in midfield. Burlingame initially had more shots, but the Dons responded late in the half with multiple shots from outside of the box, including four from junior midfielder Nuria Lopez Adorno. Neither team was able to score, ending the half 0-0.

The start of the second half was evenly matched until the twenty-sixth minute when senior defender and co-captain Kayla Bresee sent a cross to the middle of the penalty box. Senior forward Celeste Calvo gathered and shot the ball over the goalie and into the back of the net.

“[The goal] is all kind of a blur for me,” Calvo said. “But when I saw that ball go into the back of the net, it was the most incredible feeling.”

After protecting their lead for the rest of the game, the Dons will now advance to Division I semifinals.

On the other hand, boys soccer (10-4-7 overall) lost to Archbishop Mitty (15-4-2 overall) 0-2.

The Dons’ defense kept the score at 0-0 for almost the entire match, but conceded two late goals. They were aided by senior goalkeeper Lucas Peschke, who came up with several saves, including a close reaction save ten minutes into the game.

The Dons grew into the game in the second half, with their direct style of play leading to chances in behind. However, they weren’t able to capitalize, and with five minutes remaining, Archbishop Mitty unlocked the defense and finished on the back post. The Dons fought, but weren’t able to find a goal.

“[The game plan] was to defend really well, absorb pressure [and] counter down the sides,” said head coach Joe Rousseau. “[We] … created a lot of good chances, but didn't quite finish [them].”

The loss does not diminish the Dons’ achievement of winning PAL three years in a row.

“[This has] never been done before in the PAL,” Rousseau said. “Open Division is always tough. There's three private schools in this league.”

Reporting by Gary Green and Phoebe Harger.
Photos by Aydin Paz (@aydins_flics) and Phoebe Harger.

On Feb. 15, 17 members of Aragon’s GSA club (@ar

On Feb. 15, 17 members of Aragon’s GSA club (@aragonpride) went on a field trip to the Castro District in San Francisco, a community known for its LGBTQ+ culture and history. Club adviser Vincent Bravo organized this trip, which was postponed for the past few years due to the pandemic.

The students took a historical tour of the neighborhood, attended the GLBT Historical Society’s museum and viewed art at Strut, a health and wellness center that serves the surrounding community. Students visited the former camera shop of Harvey Milk, who was a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the first openly gay man in California public office. Other memorabilia from queer culture in the local area, such as a segment of the AIDS memorial quilt, were also viewed.

Photos courtesy of Zoe Neil.

With New-York-inspired subway station and city dec

With New-York-inspired subway station and city decorations, the Fox Theatre in Redwood City was the venue for Aragon’s Winter Formal, hosted on Feb. 11. Seven hundred forty seven students and guests attended the “An Evening in New York” dance. The DJ played music from the stage and students partied on the multi-colored dance floor below. There was also a photo booth where guests could take pictures against a golden disco-inspired backdrop.

Photos by Anna He.

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