The Coat of Arms Issue 47.1

The Coat of Arms The Coat of Arms

serving Menlo's upper school since 1973

difficult time together. The Coat of Arms hopes that this paper can serve as a source of

Students and Teachers Anticipate Momentous

2020 Elections With Fears of Polarization

by EMILY HAN

As the 2020 general elections approach, politically-involved members of the Menlo community are speculating about the implications its outcomes could have for the United States. While opinions about Donald Trump and Joe Biden themselves abound, most students and teachers are ultimately concerned with the election’s potential to undermine democracy and national unity in America.

Some students have expressed concern around Trump’s presidency. “Chaos is going to reign if Trump is reelected,” sophomore Malia Chavinson, a proclaimed Democrat, said. She thinks that Trump has handled his first term poorly and that his actions have set a poor example for the nation.

Freshman Mikey McGrath, who considers himself more right-of-center, takes a similar stance on Trump’s character but

disagrees when it comes to policy. “Trump is not a very good role model,” he said. “But I do believe that his policy views would not be as detrimental to our country [compared to if Biden were elected].”

“We’re in a worse place than we were four years ago,” said junior Claire Lenden, who identifies as politically liberal. Lenden co-leads Menlo’s Election Club and plans to volunteer as a poll worker. Like Chavinson, she believes that Trump would be ruinous to the nation if he is reelected.

Meanwhile, senior Andrew Rajkovic regards this presidential election as a race between equally unfavorable candidates. He will not be old enough to vote by November, but if he could, Rajkovic is unsure if he would feel confident supporting either candidate. “I don’t think I would vote at all if I could,” he said. Rajkovic does not feel that

he aligns with either major political party.

Junior Parker McLaughlin, who tends to agree with liberal ideals, has a contrasting outlook. “If I could vote, I would be voting for Joe Biden in a heartbeat,” she said. McLaughlin co-leads Elections Club and has been text-banking for Democratic Congressional campaigns.

To senior Ilan Listgarten, a second term for Trump would be devastating. Listgarten agrees with liberal views, especially around climate change. “I’m hoping if [Biden] gets elected, there will be a lot of change in terms of new jobs and creating a carbon-neutral future for America,” he said.

Numerous other issues are also at stake in the 2020 elections. Rajkovic worries that another Trump term, along with a Republican Senate, will cause reinvigorated antiabortion efforts, especially with the recent nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court in the wake of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death.

Healthcare is a central matter in the election and one that Trump and Biden — as well as different Menlo students — vastly disagree on. While Trump has been working to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Biden promises to build on it.

The coronavirus pandemic has also been a matter of contention. “The Trump administration’s COVID-19 response […] is going to be [its] Achilles heel,” AP Government and Politics teacher Dan Devitt said. Devitt is a registered independent and calls himself a political contrarian.

Chavinson points out that while Trump

Menlo To Go Millions Over Budget Because of COVID-19 Expenses by

SYLVIE VENUTO

Menlo School is currently on track to go $3 million to $6 million over the planned budget for the 2020-2021 school year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Chief Financial Officer Bill Silver. The money is going to new technology in classrooms, COVID-19 safety precautions, care for teachers’ children, additional staffing and financial aid, Silver said.

The first major, unforeseen expense for the 2020-2021 school year was the investment in technology to aid distanceteaching, according to Silver. One million dollars were spent on new technology in classrooms, including the Zoom carts. Teachers are currently using Zoom carts to teach entirely online classes, but they will also be vital in the hybrid class model, where half of the students will be present in school and the other half will remain online.

Additionally, a significant amount of money was spent on sanitation and personal protective equipment to stop the spread of COVID-19, according to Silver. New furniture, such as desks, had to be purchased to aid in maintaining the six-foot social distancing guidelines in classrooms. In addition, the amount of on-staff janitors increased and bathrooms were modified as COVID-19 precautions, Silver said. These healthprotective measures also were upwards of $1 million for the school, according to Silver. Moreover, if any form of in-person school should resume, periodic COVID-19 testing will be required by the school as part of the COVID-19 prevention actions, Silver said. While testing has so far been covered Elections, page 3

Budget, page 3

Coronavirus Pandemic Causes Positive Changes in College Admissions

by MADISON LIU

Between April and May of 2020, many American colleges and high schools closed as a result of the rapidly-growing COVID-19 pandemic, calling into question both the upcoming school year and the college application process for rising seniors. As a result of the pandemic, campuses remained closed and were forced to cancel college tours and standardized tests, causing many students to expect a completely transformed application process.

However, both students and college counselors agree that applying to college during the coronavirus pandemic actually isn’t very different from the typical application process. “While it may be tempting to think that the pandemic has caused seismic shifts in the college process, the reality is that the college process remains the same, for the most part,” Menlo college counselor Beatriz Hodavdekar said.

COVID-19 has caused the significant issue of not being able to visit a school in

person. “I know for a lot of people it’s definitely hard to know where you should commit when you’ve never stepped foot on the campus, or even been in that state,” Menlo

“I think it’s kind of a pro that they are offering these panels and virtual things that we can do.”

senior Annabelle Marenghi said.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, touring campuses in person was a common way to decide on colleges for students to apply to, which has now been replaced by virtual tours and information sessions. Though these resources are now online, the information

given during these sessions remains largely the same. “The format and information presented in these sessions has not changed at all [...] and many schools are offering live, student-guided tours,” Hodavdekar said.

Schools have also implemented student panels and live chats with admission officers. “I think it’s kind of a pro that they are offering these panels and virtual things that we can do,” senior Annabelle Marenghi said. “I don’t know if they’d have them if this were a normal year.”

“[Virtual visits] have cost-saving benefits for the colleges and are an efficient way of reaching a large portion of the population they are trying to recruit,” Hodavdekar said. Going virtual has allowed schools to create new, cheaper resources that may be used in the future. It has also made schools more accessible to a larger audience.

Since testing centers were also closed, many colleges changed their policies to testoptional, meaning the applicant can choose

whether or not to submit test scores, and choosing not to submit a score won’t hurt their application. The pandemic seems to have expedited the nationwide transition to putting less emphasis on standardized testing, as before the pandemic, more schools were already making the switch. “[Before the pandemic], roughly 400 colleges were test-optional,” Hodavdekar said. “I could see this number rising exponentially, even after quarantine restrictions lift.”

Since college touring has become an at-home activity, researching schools has also become more convenient for students who now don’t need to miss the school days they normally would have had to. However, the constant barrage of virtual tours and information sessions students are attending can also be tiring. “When you’re online, all of the schools start to blend together and can look kind of the same after a while and it’s easier to get burnt out quickly,” Marenghi said.

Halloween Faces Obstacles Admist Pandemic

by ZAB TAUBE

On Halloween, the terror of haunted houses, horror of certain costumes and jump scares are all part of the fun. Is anything too spooky for Halloween? Well, COVID-19 may be.

Trick-or-treating, for many, is the crux of Halloween; however, with the COVID-19 outbreak, trick-or-treating could be the least feasible part of Halloween in 2020. Being face-to-face with strangers as they hand out candy is a health risk in these times, even with masks. Walking around hundreds of people on the street and eating candy that other people were touching also seems conducive to virus transmission.

Trick-or-treating was nearly banned by Los Angeles officials and is still described as "not recommended" by Los Angeles county officials, according to The New York Post. Certain cities are offering drive-through trick-or-treating, which would involve cars lined up and down the street as they are given

“I’d still go out, with a mask of course.”

candy by registered vendors. This eliminates the crowd of Halloween while maintaining the spirit and the candy. This method is already confirmed to be taking place in certain parts of the country, according to WBKN First News.

Another trick-or-treating substitute could be virtual trick-or-treating. Apps such as the newly developed “Treat Town” will allow for virtual trick-or-treating, where users can visit their friends and family nationwide, and vouchers can be earned to redeem for real candy.

Despite the promise of these COVID19-friendly solutions, Menlo students are hopeful for a somewhat normal Halloween. “I’d still go out, with a mask of course,” senior Cole Taylor said. “As long as the candy is not opened, I am down to eat it. I’d be using hand sanitizer, though. Distancing and masks [are] necessary, plus sanitizer.”

“I would feel comfortable going out and eating candy, as long as it is packaged,” sophomore Brooks Mead said. He also seems to be hopeful of a normal-looking Halloween. The first step will be to abide by local guidelines, which will likely be given soon.

Budget, cont.

by Menlo’s insurance, if the frequency of the testing increases, there is a chance that the insurance would stop covering testing. As a result, Menlo would have to cover the cost, which could be upwards of $2 million to $3 million expenditures, according to Silver.

Another COVID-19-related expense is the construction and staffing of portables to aid Menlo faculty who are parents and to create extra study spaces for students, should any form of in-person classes resume, Silver said. While the portables have not yet received permits from San Mateo County, the children of Menlo faculty are still currently being supervised in the dining commons on campus. The

construction of the portables cost an additional $1 million, according to Silver.

With these new enhancements to the Menlo campus, additional staffing was needed, according to Silver. Staff in professional development, student support, child care, supervised study space and janitorial service roles were hired, resulting in an additional $1.3 million in unexpected expenses for the school, Silver said.

The final significant expenditure as a result of COVID-19 is additional students requiring financial aid, Silver said. The COVID-19 economic ramifications have negatively impacted the jobs of some Menlo families, resulting in

Election, cont.

has avoided discussing the pandemic, Biden often highlights it as an example of Trump’s poor leadership. This contrast, Chavinson believes, represents key political strategies in both campaigns. “It’s all about how the candidates are going to play it off,” she said.

“Accepting and acknowledging how problematic [current events are] will be a huge thing for the candidates to do and will really help them gain support,” McGrath said. Nonetheless, Upper School Director John Schafer, who is teaching a class this year called The 2020 Election, thinks most Americans already have their minds set about whose

“People just have an opinion about these things. Now it’s a question of who is going to show up and vote.”

policies they align with. “People just have an opinion about these things,” he said. “Now it’s a question of who is going to show up and vote.”

Yet amid this uncertainty, Schafer predicts that Biden will ultimately win the presidency. “At the end of the day, Biden will become president with a narrowly divided Senate and a Democratic House,” he said. “That’s what I predict, but, you know, who would have predicted the pandemic?”

Lenden, who takes Schafer’s 2020 Election class, believes that more Biden supporters will vote as a result of Trump’s responses to the Black Lives Matter movement, the California wildfires and the pandemic. However, she thinks Judge Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination will galvanize multitudes of Trump voters.

These intense political controversies have led Listgarten (also taking the 2020 Election class) to expect a significant increase in overall voter turnout this year. “I think everyone will, no matter which side they’re on, feel like this is a vital

election just because of the huge contrasting issues between the two candidates,” he said.

Victory is crucial for the Democrats, history teacher Matthew Nelson believes. “If they do not win the presidency and the Senate, the Democrats are going to be behind the eight ball for a generation,” he said. While he grew up in a politically conservative home, Nelson now identifies with more left-of-center ideologies but prefers to view politics issue by issue.

Regardless of who wins, many Menlo community members expect chaos to inevitably follow the election. “I think we’re in real danger of slipping into serious civil unrest and resistance against the government that we have not seen since the 1960s,” Devitt said. “And I’m talking from both sides.”

“I don’t think it’s going to be a peaceful transition of power either way,” Listgarten said. With many Americans voting by mail this year, Listgarten fears that the presidency will not be finalized until much later than election night on Nov. 3. It will take a landslide victory for either candidate to accept defeat, he believes.

“The scenarios kind of boggle my mind because we are America. We have always prided ourselves on a peaceful transition of power,” Nelson said.

In addition to causing unease and turmoil, recent shifts and radicalization in American politics have also blurred political identities, according to Nelson. “What really worries me is that political identities are changing so quickly,” he said. This rapid evolution of identities has been another concern for Nelson throughout the recent political atmosphere. “We just don’t know who we’re talking about when we’re talking about political identities.”

For some, the 2020 election also brings back memories of the 2000 presidential race between George W. Bush and Al Gore. In the aftermath of that election, the Supreme Court had to determine the winner in the face of vote recount demands. “I have a real fear that this is going to be something that’s contested similar to 2000, but in a different world that is incredibly polarized [with] more and more violence and with more and more intolerance,” Devitt said.

That outcome would be ruinous to American ideals, Schafer said. “Once you start losing confidence that the vote is actually fair and capturing the people’s will, you’re really taking a wrecking ball to the foundation of a democracy.”

an increase in their required financial aid, which the school has risen to meet, according to Silver.

Though it could be thought that dining facilities expenses would significantly decrease as a result of less students eating at the dining facility, this is not the case, Silver said. While no students currently eat lunch on campus, the school must still pay staff to keep the Flik dining facility running, both to feed faculty who are currently teaching from Menlo and to prepare the facility in case students do return to eating on campus. As a COVID-19 precaution, meals are now served in individual packages instead of through the normal buffet-style, adding costs of the packaging materials, according to Silver.

As the Senior Administration Team and the Finance and Investment Committee finalized the budget for the 2020-2021 school year in December of 2019, these COVID19-caused expenses were not included in the $43 million budget that was announced in January of 2020, Silver said. Instead, the $3 million to $6 million funding for the COVID-19 costs is being withdrawn from Menlo’s reserve of $13 million, which is currently invested. Silver additionally hopes for donors to help cover the unexpected costs.

In a typical school year, 15% of Menlo’s budget originates from donations through Menlo’s Annual Fund and other events such as the Menlo Auction, according to Silver, who emphasized the importance of these donations for the 2020-2021 school year. While the endowment comprises 5% of the school’s annual funding, 80% of the budget comes from tuition, set at $51,450 per student for the 2020-2021 school year, Silver said.

“The school is taking a major financial hit here because of COVID-19, but we have the resources to do it, and we’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do. We want to open the school if we can, and we want everyone to be safe,” Silver said. “We made these investments, and we will see how the year plays out. From a finance and budgetary perspective [the coronavirus pandemic] has been a huge negative for us. On the other hand, it’s a one-time negative, and the school builds its reserves to absorb these challenges. We’re hoping that some of our donors will help to soften the hit that we take.”

October 16, 2020

MOGUE: Students sell clothing online to support BLM and make money

by GEORGIA PAYE

Menlo students have created websites and Instagram accounts to sell second-hand and original clothing items as a way to earn money or to support the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.

With the goal of getting involved in the BLM movement, juniors Kami Israelski and Alli McKenney started their own website and Instagram both called Threads4blm in early June where they sell hand-embroidered sweatshirts and crewnecks. “We thought this was a great alternative to support the cause without running the risk of contracting COVID-19 by going to the in-person protests,” Israelski said.

Israelski and McKenney purchase crew-

"We thought this was a great alternative to support the cause without running the risk of contracting COVID-19 by going to in-person protests," Israelski said.

necks and sweatshirts from Amazon and then embroider a BLM fist, a symbol of Black Power and Black pride, on the wrist of the right sleeve. Israelski and McKenny also do custom orders. They made masks for the Menlo Black Student Union embroidered with the BLM fist. “We also partnered with our beach volleyball club Sandlegs. They were able to give us their old jackets, and we embroidered those as well,” Israelski said. The pair have been hand-delivering their products, taking safety precautions such as wearing masks

and minimizing physical contact as much as possible, according to Israelski.

Israelski and McKenny donate all proceeds to an organization called the Innocence Project. According to their website, the Innocence Project works to “exonerate the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reform the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.” “This organization does a really great job with not only freeing wrongly convicted people, but [also by] giving them support post-release so they can rebuild their lives,” McKenny said.

Seniors Hope Issacson and Jhayden Davenport started a joint Instagram account (@hopeandjhaydanscloset) in early April to resell their lightly used or never-worn clothing. “We did it mainly because we were going to give them to Goodwill anyways, but we also wanted a way to earn money,” Issacson said. It was also a way to relieve their boredom following the shelter-in-place protocols, as well as to give clothes a second life, according to Issacson. “I’ve done this

According to their website, the Innocence Project works to “exonerate the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reform the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.”

before through middle school but I wanted to start it up again when I started hoarding clothes because I [would have] felt bad if [they] went to landfills,” Davenport said. Davenport also noticed that during quar-

antine many Instagram accounts aimed at reselling clothes popped up which contributed to her decision to create one. After an item is sold, Issacson and Davenport either drop off the clothes at the buyer’s house or the buyer comes and picks it up at Davenport’s or Issacson’s house.

Similarly, senior Sabette Grieve cleaned out her closet early into quarantine and decided to sell the clothes that she didn’t wear anymore on Instagram. “A lot of other people were doing it and it turned out to be pretty successful, so I wanted to try it,” Grieve said. Grieve uses some of the money to donate to organizations such as BLM bail out funds which helps to bail out protesters in need of assistance that were arrested due to their activism in racial justice.

Selected Student Profie: Max Saito

by BRADY KLINE

COA: Why do you always throw the tennis ball during the tennis ball roll competition at the homecoming assembly instead of actually trying to win?

Max: At the end of the day, it’s not about winning. It’s about getting everybody hyped up. Winning isn’t part of Menlo’s core values. It’s about having pride for our grade and getting everybody hyped up for the homecoming game. It’s just a tradition.

COA: Is cereal soup?

M: No, cereal is good though.

COA: What conspiracy would you like to start?

M: That this whole coronavirus thing is an act for the globalists, AKA Bill Gates, to take over the world, suppress the people and go for an overall worldwide dictatorship. Their model for that is China.

COA: Is a hotdog a sandwich?

M: No, because it’s a bun. Now that I think about it, Subway is like a bun, so I guess you could consider a hotdog a sandwich if you wanted to.

COA: What would your last meal be?

M: Probably a Wagyu steak from Japan. Those things look really good.

COA: Do you have any pets?

M: I don’t. I used to have fish, but I don’t think I was responsible enough, so I think I kind of stopped [having pets].

COA: Does pineapple belong on pizza?

M: I’ve actually never had pineapple on pizza, so I can’t answer that.

COA: What’s your favorite weird food combination?

M: I think everything I have is pretty straight forward.

COA: If you could make a rule for a day what would it be?

COA: What conspiracy would you like to start?

M: That this whole coronavirus thing is an act for the globalists, AKA Bill Gates, to take over the world, suppress the people and go for an overall worldwide dictatorship. Their model for that is China.

M: No censorship.

COA: What is your favorite color?

M: Dark purple. It’s really cool.

COA: If you could only bring three things to a deserted island, what would you bring?

M: I would probably bring a skimboard so that I would have something to do. Probably a trampoline because that would be pretty fun to

use and then probably a bed.

COA: What does no one know about you?

M: I think I’m pretty open; I can’t think of anything.

COA: Who at Menlo reminds you a lot of someone from a TV show or movie?

M: Dr. Hanson. I’ve never talked to him or had his class, but he looks like Dwight Schrute.

COA: What would be the worst thing to hear as you are going under anesthesia before heart surgery?

M: Probably “get him undressed.”

COA: Who at Menlo reminds you a lot of someone from a TV show or movie?

M: Dr. Hanson. I’ve never talked to him or had his class, but he looks like Dwight Schrute.

COA: If you could change your name to anything, what would it be?

M: Right now Max stands for Maxwell, I would probably change it so it stood for Maximus.

COA: Do you think aliens exist?

M: I’m sure they do somewhere.

COA: What was your favorite Halloween costume you ever wore?

M: In 6th grade, I dressed up as Ron Burgundy. I went down to Goodwill and got a magenta suit and a wig and everything.

Virtual school’s effect on Menlo school spirit

by LAURA ARTANDI

School spirit activities and competitions have always been a large factor in bonding the Menlo School community. However, since March, distance learning has put a damper on school spirit, according to a few Menlo students.

Student Body President and senior Lindsey Canessa said that most of her favorite spirit activities that bonded students the most were the competitions that took place at assemblies. “I know last year [...] we tried to do the spirit week virtually, and I mean it was cool. It’s just so hard to get [students] into it because we’re not in person,” Canessa said

Student Body Activities Coordinator and senior Brooke Weinstock confirmed that there will be a virtual spirit week much like the one that took place in the spring happening the week of Oct. 26 or later if the school decides to go hybrid. “Even though [the grades are competing against one another], at the end of the day we’re still one community [...] It’s not just about your grade [winning]. It’s about being there all together,” Weinstock said.

Despite the lack of enthusiasm for the spirit week in the spring, Weinstock predicts that there will be more excitement from the student body this year. “I think that people are more hopeful now than they were [in March], and more informed about everything [that’s] going on. Everyone’s [thinking], ‘well this is how it is. I might as well make the [most] of it,’” she said.

Both Canessa and Weinstock agree that

in-person events, such as the senior drivethrough for the first day of school, garner much more excitement than virtual spirit events. One example is the socially distanced drive-in movie that occured at the Santa Clara convention center for Menlo families. Similar to the senior drive-through on the first day of school, Weinstock believes that it was a great opportunity for students to bond with one another from a distance, although students were only allowed to attend only with members of their household in their car.

Freshmen have had a lack of in-person activities and, therefore, a lack of bond ing opportunities. Consequently, Menlo implemented a mentorship program between freshmen and seniors. Seniors in the program have a group of five or so freshmen who they mentor. Canessa is the mentor of a group and said she enjoys it. “I think it’s a great opportunity for freshmen to meet other [students from] different grades and [to] socialize. I can’t even imagine how difficult it is for them to make friends virtu ally,” she said.

Freshman Jackson Deutch had high expectations for school spirit as a middle schooler. “I remember being [at Menlo] Middle School and seeing how spirited [the] high schoolers were,” Deutch said.

Deutch looked back positively on the school spirit at the end of his eighth grade year. “I think that’s the great thing that spirit does: it makes you feel like you’re still part of the Menlo environment, and that defi nitely helped me a lot during online classes,” Deutch said.

Menlo has the most transfers they have had in years

by PENELOPE STINSON

A total of 15 students transferred into Menlo’s sophomore, junior and senior grades this year. This was the highest number of transfers that Director of Admission and Financial Aid Beth Bishop has seen during her six years of working for Menlo. Bishop credited uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 to the increase in transfer student admissions. “We were unsure [of] what the summer would bring. [...] Maybe people were going to leave because of COVID-19,” she said. “So we opened with a few more students than expected.”

Bishop also indicated that the town of Atherton was willing to be more flexible surrounding their cap on the number of students Menlo can enroll. “Because we knew that probably at no point during this year will we have everybody on campus at the

same time, [...] the town [of Atherton] was willing to be a little more flexible with us,” Bishop said.

10 of the 15 transfer students are sophomores. “We just had a really strong group of transfer candidates for 10th grade,” Bishop said.

One of those sophomores, Reagan Grady, came to Menlo from St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco. According to Grady, she loved St. Ignatius; however, she had had issues with the basketball program there, citing concerns with a switch in coaching staff. Grady was familiar with Menlo’s basketball program, as she spent years playing with many of the members on the varsity team when she was young. She also applied to Menlo in eighth

"Because we knew that probably at no point during this year will we have everybody on

campus at the same time, [...] the town [of Atherton] was willing to be a little more flexible with us,"

Bishop said.

grade and came very close to attending after she was accepted. “It wasn’t that hard for me to just decide to transfer,” she said.

When Grady had her admission interviews during the summer, she said that her admissions officers were very confident that the year would be starting off with a hybrid

schedule. When it became clear the year would be starting online, she was hoping for clarity with Menlo’s basketball program and confirmation about whether or not there would be a season at all.

Sophomore transfer student Sofia Labatt was in a similar position. She previously attended a tennis academy in Spain and transferred to Menlo because of the strong tennis program and tightly-knit community. She accepted Menlo’s offer of admission in March, not fully aware of the severity of COVID-19 had become in the U.S. She was disappointed about having to start her school year online but is optimistic that she will find her place once Menlo returns.

Sophomore Felix Liu and junior Nik Khuntia both transferred from large public schools this year. Khuntia, who transferred from Mountain View High School, attributed Menlo’s ability to have more refined and complex online learning to the larger amount of financial resources at Menlo.

Between the sophomore, junior and senior transfer students, 10 out of the 15 are sophomores.

Liu echoed a similar sentiment. “As a private school, you have [many] more resources to help students foster their growth,” Liu said. He said that at his old school, San Mateo High School, they could not assume that everyone had access to WiFi or internet; therefore, it was more difficult to have a synchronous online learning program.

According to Bishop, one of the most important things to know about the admissions process for transfer students is how much it varies each year. For the most part, it depends on how many students per grade left the previous year, she said.

Influencer Sponsored Social Media Content, the New Generation of Marketing

by PENELOPE STINSON

Kylie Jenner makes at least one million dollars from each of her sponsored Instagram posts, more than 22 times the yearly salary of the average American worker, according to reports by BBC and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The most followed person on

Instagram, Cristiano Ronaldo, made almost 48 million dollars from sponsored content on Instagram in 2019, according to Fox Business. On Tik Tok, 16-year-old Charli D’Amelio makes more than one hundred thousand dollars from each of her sponsored videos, according to reports from Cosmo-

politan. These celebrities certainly are not the only ones who have profited from their millions of followers.

Teenagers are particularly susceptible to influencer and celebrity marketing tactics: according to Pew Research Center, approximately 63% of teenagers reported using social media every day. Because teens collectively represent 44 billion dollars in purchasing power, according to Time, they are a likely target for companies.

Junior Jazlin Chen has recently cut down on the number of celebrities and influencers she follows on Instagram due to her feed being overwhelmed with sponsored content. “[I’ve] stopped going on [Instagram] as much because of the influx of advertisement and sponsorships I’ve seen,” she said. Chen admitted that because of influencer sponsorships and the relentless marketing done by companies on social media, she has been tempted to buy products.

Sophomore Dorinda Xiao also noted the current abundance of sponsored posts on Instagram.

“There’s a whole category of models literally called Instagram models. [...] Instagram has just become a really big advertisement app,” she said. On Instagram, an app designed for visual content, brands get about three times more engagement than on Facebook, according to a 2018 article by Forbes. Instagram also recently updated their Explore page, a function of the app that allows users to view brands and content outside of the

Teachers Have Less Control in Students’ Learning

by RILEY HUDDLESTON

As another school year kicks off online, it brings with it new teaching styles. Teachers who once required written notes, hard copies of homework or binder checks can no longer administer as much control over students, and as a result, students now have more freedom in their learning.

Math teacher Leanne Rouser believes that keeping her students organized is important for their learning. “I myself kept a lot of [control] helping them with their organization skills in terms of keeping things in an organized binder. [...] I get so much positive feedback from alumni when they’ve gone to college, so I have always done a lot of that kind of forced organization.”

Similar to Rouser, history teacher Car-

Similar to Rouser, history teacher Carmen Borbón had strict expectations for her students’ organization during in-person school, such as a table of contents in binders and binder checks. However, with online school, she admits to having less of a say in her students’ study habits.

men Borbón had strict expectations for her students’ organization during in-person school, such as a table of contents in binders and binder checks. However, with online

school, she admits to having less of a say in her students’ study habits. “I realized that I have no control [now],” Borbón said. “I can’t just go to their house and check to see what they’re doing.”

However, as wwteachers lose control, students gain freedom, which can be beneficial for more independent students. Junior

However, as teachers lose control, students gain freedom, which can be beneficial for more independent students.

Daniel Louie has found that he has more freedom in his organization online and embraces it. “I see [more freedom] as a positive because it lets students experiment [and] find out what organization style fits them best, rather than being forced to use one approach,” Louie said in an email to The Coat of Arms.

Teachers and students alike have also experienced changes to their note-taking processes, another essential part of learning. Preference to either written or typed notes varies from person to person. Louie, who already took notes on an iPad during in-person school, likes the organizational benefits of online notes. “The transition to online learning actually made it easier for me as I wouldn’t have to take pictures

of papers or ask for PDFs of the homework as that’s the new norm,” Louie said.

In contrast, freshman Hinako Karachiwala feels that taking paper notes helps her remember the information better. “Although it’s more efficient to type my notes, the information doesn’t stick with me as much,” Karachiwala said in an email to The Coat of Arms.

Like Karachiwala, junior Amy Wyatt sees the pros and cons of both note taking styles. “While handwritten notes are harder for me in terms of keeping up with the pace of the class, I think they ultimately produce more helpful notes,” Wyatt said.

From another perspective, Borbón encourages students to take hand-written notes as a way to ensure they are paying atten-

user they follow.

Sophomore Ryan Braat estimates that of the 150 celebrities he follows on Instagram, there are only three he pays attention to when they post. He mentioned one celebrity in particular, Travis Scott, who has recently come out with a collaboration with the popular fast-food chain, McDonald’s. After learning about the collaboration from Scott’s Instagram, Braat ventured to his local McDonald’s to try the exclusive meal, a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, fries with barbeque sauce and a Sprite. Despite its celebrity appeal, he was not fond of it.

Junior Madison Peña had a more positive experience with buying products based on sponsored posts. After finding a discount code for a jewelry brand called Pura Vida on the account of a popular Instagram influencer, @dreaming_outloud, she bought a few bracelets from the company. Peña is pleased with her purchase. “I wear them every day,” she said in an email to The Coat of Arms.

Sophomore Ralston Raphael runs a popular Tik Tok account with more than 90,000 followers and a combined 4.1 million likes. Because of his popularity on Tik Tok, Raphael says he gets at least five emails a week from different people and companies that want him to create sponsored content for them.

He agreed to promote one of the brands, an LED light company, and has posted a personalized discount code for the LED light strips on his Snapchat account. However, he has yet to post anything for the brand on his Tik Tok account because he wants to make sure that when he does, he incorporates the product both in a meaningful way and in a way that fits the theme of his account.

“Sometimes,

they were actually doing

other things [while seemingly writing digital notes] like shopping or, you know, playing games,” Borbón said.

tion. “Sometimes, they were actually doing other things [while seemingly writing digital notes] like shopping or, you know, playing games,” Borbón said.

A Unique College Experience: Menlo Alumni Face the Consequences

by LOUISA SONSINI

As COVID-19 changes how colleges operate, Menlo alumni are forced to face the repercussions. But is there still hope for a somewhat normal freshman year?

Schools across the U.S. are taking far from a uniform approach, as each has devised a unique plan to combat this unusual situation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, colleges should execute different procedures according to their classified risk category — whether that be the lowest risk level, the more risk level or the highest risk level. As a consequence of this variety, students have had to endure the outcomes of their college’s own specific outlook.

Princeton University is among the colleges that have chosen a synchronous virtual model for their fall semester, with all classes entirely online. The onset of new college experiences was thus cut short for Princeton freshman Henry Knoll (Menlo ‘20). Due to this virtual model, what Knoll expected to be the start of a new beginning seems like a mere continuation of his senior year at Menlo. “I’m [working] at home in my house. It’s pretty much the same thing that I was doing throughout my last [quarter] of high school,” Knoll said.

While Knoll has had no exposure to Princeton’s in-person social activities, such as sports and gatherings, his remote classes have also prompted academic hurdles. “The main challenge [of remote learning] that I didn’t really think about is not knowing anyone,” Knoll said. “It’s a lot harder because you have to do everything on your own.”

Like Knoll, college freshman Emily Doll (Menlo ’20) currently has all five of her classes online. However, Doll calls into her

classes from her dorm room at the University of Michigan. U Michigan is among the colleges that have chosen to permit maximum occupation, so Doll can reap the benefits of physically being on campus. “Although [the situation] is obviously not ideal, I’m happy to be here and meet people,” Doll said.

“It’s a lot more work than it seems like it would’ve been if we were doing classes in-person,” Doll said. “You are basically doing double because you have to do classwork, like recorded lectures, and homework in addition to that.”

In order to execute proper social distancing mandates, U Michigan students are obligated to spend the majority of their time outside in temporary large open-air tents. They are also required to wear a mask at all times, and if caught without one, citations are immediately administered by faculty.

Wake Forest University sophomore Meredith Power (Menlo ’19), is also currently living on campus. Wake Forest has taken a similar approach to U Michigan in relation to student housing accommodations. However, unlike Doll, Power’s schedule is a hybrid model. Specifically, of her five classes, one of them is in-person and the remainder are remote.

On the social front, COVID-19 has not

made a substantial impact on Power’s lifestyle. She is not confined to the people in her suite, so she has the liberty to see friends beyond her dorm on a daily basis. “Wake [Forest] is a very social place. So seeing that freshmen aren’t able to fully experience the social life is definitely a bummer,” Power said. “For me, it’s definitely different, [...] but I don’t feel isolated.”

Aside from the differing social scenes, Knoll, Doll and Power all suffer the consequences of online learning. “It’s a lot more work than it seems like it would’ve been if we were doing classes in-person,” Doll said. “You are basically doing double because you have to do classwork, like recorded lectures, and homework in addition to that.”

Despite the many downsides of COVID-19, one positive outcome has emerged: an increase in appreciation. “I’m definitely

How other schools in San Mateo County are following COVID-19 restrictions Arts & Lifestyle

by LAURA ARTANDI

San Mateo County high schools have all started the 2020-21 school year virtually. In both private and public schools, these unprecedented times have resulted in various new rules regarding schedules, extracur-

“On Wednesday[s] there are no Zoom classes, but there are assignments in every class that are due at 1:15 p.m. in order to show attendance,” Woodside High School junior Tara Perkins said.

riculars and school events.

Most schools’ schedules had to be adjusted in order to better accommodate the online school learning

environment including Woodside Priory School, Sacred Heart School and Woodside High School. These schools have one day a week dedicated to asynchronous learning. “On Wednesday[s] there are no Zoom classes, but there are assignments in every class that are due at 1:15 p.m. in order to show attendance,” Woodside High School junior Tara Perkins said.

Perkins described how her school is attempting to continue school activities virtually with spirit days, freshman transition events and the school’s student announcements broadcast that is sent in a weekly email to the stuwdents and faculty.

Sacred Heart School has one day a week with asynchronous classes as well, though there is still an hour on that day designated for an all-school Zoom meeting. Students then have time to work until after lunch. Afterwards, they attend virtual meetings with their “home groups.” “[We] have what’s called community life, which is a webinar where the entire school comes together, and [we] get debriefed on the

of COVID-19

“I’m definitely going to take advantage of [...] and relish being on campus,” Knoll said. “I hope that online learning will set me up well so that by the time I get to be on campus, it won’t be hard to adjust.”

going to take advantage of [...] and relish being on campus,” Knoll said. “I hope that online learning will set me up well so that by the time I get to be on campus, it won’t be hard to adjust.”

week. [In the community life sessions we] have home groups, which is just a group of 15 kids in [our] grade,” Sacred Heart sophomore Will Thomson said. Sacred Heart has opened up extracurricular pods for students as well. They have socially distanced sports practices

Typically, Priory sophomores go on an overnight retreat to the Santa Cruz Mountains. This year, sophomores had a twoday retreat on campus, socially distanced with masks.

and conditioning workouts in groups of 10 to 12 people. Each pod meets two to three times a week and has a three-week-long session. There will be three sessions

in the fall.

“At every entrance to the campus, there is a station with some of the trainers or nurses from the school. At those stations, [your temperature is taken] by scanning your forehead, and then they’ll also ask you questions like ‘Have you had symptoms of COVID-19?’ or ‘Have you been in contact with anybody who’s tested positive?’” Thomson said.

Other schools, such as Woodside Priory, have also been eager to begin in-person extracurriculars again. Typically, Priory sophomores go on an overnight retreat to the Santa Cruz Mountains. This year, sophomores had a two-day retreat on campus, socially distanced with masks. “[Before we go on campus] we go on this app called SchoolPass, and we fill out [a form] saying [whether or not we’ve had] symptoms or [been] contact with anyone with COVID-19. So, [there’s] no testing and no doctor’s notes,” Priory sophomore Clint Smith said.

Let’s Continue the Conversation...

Common Signs of an Eating Disorder

This list does not include every sign of an eating disorder, but rather the most frequent ones in adolescents. All information is pulled from the National Eating Disorder Association.

Rapid fluctuation in weight

-- Extreme weight loss or gain could suggest changed eating habits

Withdrawl from social activities

-- Changed behavior in social life can often suggest unhappiness towards appearance

An increase or decrease in appetite

-- appetite changes can suggest trying to implement control over eating

Moodswings

-- Appearing more depressed, anxious, irritable, or tired than normal can suggest an eating disorder. Although moodswings are common inadolescense, depression and anxiety can both predate or be caused by an eating disorder

Behavior that suggests, exercise, dieting and weight loss

-- Those struggling with an eating disorder often express concern with their weight or appearance, and can exhibit have excessive interest in dieting and exercise regime

Changed evergy levels

-- Having low energy for activities they once found interesting, or excess energy such as taking on more responsibilites or perfectionism can both be signs of an eating disorderAlthough moodswings are common inadolescense, depression and anxiety can both predate or be caused by an eating disorder

How to Support a Loved One Struggling with an Eating Disorder

Showing a loved one struggling with an eating disorder that you care while making sure you aren’t causing any unwanted harm is difficult but important. Counselors Jake Fauver and Tracy Bianchi gave a list of phrases, talking points, and advice that they think are important.

“I’ve noticed that...”

-- Follow this a starter with a non-judgemental observation you’ve had about their behavior that worries you

Don’t talk about weight

When pointing out your observations, focus on behavioral changes rather than appearance. Additionally, throughout recovery focus on positive changes rather than negative one

Don’t say “if you just eat more...”

-- Don’t give eating or exercise advice, let professionals help with this. Try to just be a consistent and caring individual in their life

Make it about care for them, and not about you

-- Don’t talk about how their eating disorder has changed parts of your life or how its affecting you. Let them know you care, and that its all about them getting better

Remove Potential Stigma

--Make sure your loved one knows you don’t view them differently because of their eating disorder. Help them understand its not their fault and that you want to help them recover

Offer to Join Them in Seeing a Professional, Counselor, or Adult

-- Knowing you will be there for support during a potentially difficult conversation can encourage them to seek help. However if they refuse to seek help, get an adult involved

Social Media, Stress, Body Image can all Lead to Eating Disorders, Counselors Say

by Riley Huddleston

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), an estimated 0.4-0.5% of adolescents will struggle with anorexia nervosa and 1.1% will struggle with bulimia at some point in their life. Although there is no certain cause for eating disorders, NEDA’s growing censuses suggest they can develop as a result of varying biological, psychological and sociocultural factors.

“Sources can differ from [pressures] that [one person] feels,” Menlo guidance counselor Tracy Bianchi said. Specific factors she mentioned include stress, social media pressure and a personal or environmental focus on body image or athletic pressures. Bianchi and fellow Menlo guidance counselor Jake Fauver agree that an increase in social media has fueled negativity around body image. According to NEDA, 95% of girls have seen beauty and body image critiques on social media. Another study found that social media is often linked to objectification and even 30 minutes of social media a day can change the way one views their body.

Social media opens up a new window of people to compare oneself to, which is a large reason why it has been linked to eating disorders. “You used to show up at your high school and have 100 people that you see [...] but now you’re comparing yourself to a million people,” Fauver said. Furthermore, photographic distortion, or photoshop, is common in the media, which can create unrealistic beauty expectations. Fauver expresses how unrealistic and potentially harmful it is to compare oneself to social media, due to the increase in photo distortion. “No one really looks like [models],” Fauver said. “Let’s say 1% of people look like [models], then I mean, 99% of people don’t.”

Fauver also notes that comparison often leads to body dysmorphia. “People start getting in their head and comparing themselves and then don’t actually end up seeing their body the way it’s represented,” Fauver said. According to NEDA, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a fixation with perceived bodily flaws; the preoccupation or perceived flaw can extend to any body part, not just weight or fat as is commonly believed. Those who struggle with an eating disorder consistently also struggle with BDD; however not all who experience BDD struggle with an eating disorder.

Fauver and Bianchi both note that control and significant changes in one’s life can also be a factor in eating disorders.”Seeking a sense of control can be one driving factor that leads someone to micromanage an aspect of their life,” Fauver said. “With eating disorders, that sense of control can come in the form of regulating food intake,

counting calories or overexercising.” Additionally, Fauver acknowledges that eating disorders are often dealt with throughout one’s entire life. “They can be managed and people can come to understand them and learn what sort of things bring them on,” Fauver said. “But [there’s] not just this onoff switch where you can do something and the eating disorder goes away.”

If a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, it can often feel overwhelming figuring out how to be the best support system. When helping someone through recovery, it’s important to keep a stable and familiar role in their life whether it be parent, sibling, friend or peer. “[Be] a really level headed [...] outlet,” Bianchi said. Having an open relationship will also create trust and a safe space. Listening, asking how they are or what they need, being patient and nonjudgmental and validating their emotional pain are all recommended by NEDA. According to Fauver, acknowledging and accepting they have an eating disorder is one of the hardest parts for a person. “In many cases, the eating disorder is so ingrained in the person’s mind that they will try to deny it [when approached by a concerned loved one],” Fauver said. He gives advice on helping a loved one who denies that they’re struggling. “If the walls go up and you’re still concerned, [...] you have to get an adult involved.” These surges are too serious and they run too long underground that you have to find a way to help them get some treatment.”

On the Zoom: Should the Student Body Return to Campus?

SAT and ACT Test Positive for COVID-19

by VALENTINA ROSS

It seems crazy that as a senior applying to colleges, I am not taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). I remember preparing months and months for this one test. I spent countless hours on practice tests only to find out a couple of days before about the cancellation of my first real SAT. Testing sites everywhere were closing down, one after another, due to COVID-19.

Students panicked. In a move intended to soothe the anxiety of rising seniors, many colleges quickly announced that they were going test-optional.

But students were still anxious. Some feared that with optional testing, their remarkable test scores would be undervalued in the college admissions process. Other students were afraid that if they didn’t send in a test, they would be at a disadvantage.

However, as pop star Taylor Swift nicely puts it, “You need to calm down.” I believe that a student has more value than what a test score shows. Most colleges seem to believe this too. Students need to calm down.

Still, when asked by The Coat of Arms to elaborate on the admissions impact, prestigious schools had few words. Princeton said, “The Office of Admission does not take interview requests from high

school newspapers.” Harvard said, “We have no comment.” Yale did not respond.

Granted, the lack of comfort from these schools isn’t surprising. Perhaps a student’s opinion won’t provide comfort either. However, students should listen to the admissions officers from other schools who were willing to talk to The Coat of Arms.

In an interview over the phone, a senior administrator at Santa Clara University gave assurances that test scores are only one part of the application process.

“We read everything that is in the application because at the end of the day there are so many variations to a student,” Vice President of Enrollment Management Eva Blanco Masias said. “Academics is one part of it. What your application represents to us is who you are as a person.”

According to Menlo Director of College Counseling Matt Mettille, over 500 colleges’ leadership teams signed the agreement, “Test-Optional Means Test-Optional,” through the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Harvard, Yale and Princeton are among the colleges that have signed onto the test-optional agreement.

According to a statement from test-optional colleges, “[We] will not penalize students for the absence of a standardized test score.” Instead, the colleges promise to use

“a student-centered, holistic approach to admissions that will not disadvantage any student without a test score.

Consider Pomona College: with a 7.6% acceptance rate, it’s just about as hard to get into as any Ivy League school. Unlike the deans at Harvard, Yale and Princeton, the Pomona dean offered a reply.

“Be assured that the academic record (transcript, curriculum, rigor, grades) was always of greater importance than test scores,” Associate Dean of Admissions Tina Brooks of Pomona wrote in an email to The Coat of Arms. “We feel confident we can fully assess an applicant’s academic preparation through the transcript, recommendations and essays.”

Boston University shared a similar insight. “BU is committed fully to applicants receiving a full, fair, and equitable review,” Assistant Director Matthew Gallery wrote in an email. “Students will be reviewed based on the components that they choose to submit. Tests have always been just one piece to the application, and with BU being test-optional, it will be a non-factor for students who choose to not submit test scores.”

But what happens to students who do submit SAT or ACT scores? “[Test scores] will be like other optional elements (alumni interviews, arts supplements). They are one additional piece of the applicant’s complete

record that will be considered as evidence of academic preparation,” Brooks said. Gallery agrees. “For students who do choose to submit tests, they will be weighed into the application in comparison to the rest of their application materials – the tests have never been the end-all be-all for applicants, but rather one additional ingredient in the proverbial application soup,” he said.

It’s hard to say what will happen to the future of testing, but at this point, colleges are starting to question the value of a student’s test score.

“A test score was a neutralizer that even has criticism,” Blanco Masias said. “There has been [a] more national consensu that maybe test scores aren’t that reliable and the best way to measure students.”

COVID-19 has arguably created more conversation in regard to the application process. “I think it is fair to say that this has brought a heightened awareness and more urgent discussion to the table regarding how tests are used in the application process at all institutions that consider and/or require them,” Gallery said.

Will anything ever alleviate the panic of college admissions? I guess we will find out this spring. But for now, you need to calm down.

To Post or Not To Post: The Controversial Issue of Instagram Activism

by PENELOPE STINSON

On Tuesday, June 2, I checked my Instagram feed expecting to see the typical myriad of sunset pictures, comedy gifs and celebrity selfies. In stead, I stared down at post after post of just a singular black square with differ ent Black Lives Matter (BLM) related hashtags.

How ever, my first thought was not about the BLM move ment, but rather, whether or not I needed to be post ing a black square as well. In that moment, I needed to ensure that every one knew I supported

the movement just as much as the people posting black squares.

For the entire day, I wrangled with the idea of posting or not. But in the end, I decided not to participate due to my concerns with the performative aspect of social justice activism on social media. Although Instagram activism can help spread awareness, it comes with of moral dilemmas that undermine and thwart its origi-

The most prominent issue with Instagram activism is the reason behind why people feel inclined to post social justice

related content. Instagram users care about what people think of them, more so than the actual social issue. Another term for this is ‘Bandwagon Activism’ or when people participate in a movement because it is trending and they feel that it is expected of them.

In an interview with Vox, author, speaker and social worker Feminista Jones spoke on this particular issue. “A lot of people share memes and think that’s enough, and it’s really not. They share it, and it’s really performative and them wanting to be a part of something and they see everybody else doing it, and they don’t want to be the ones who didn’t do it,” Jones said.

One example of this type of Bandwagon Activism is Instagram story chains. In this particular feature, users can be mentioned in one of their friends’ stories. From there, the person initially mentioned would name five more people on their story, all in the name of the BLM cause. It didn’t matter whether or not one actually cared about the movement as they just had to make sure that people saw them respond to the chain.

Sharing a list of peoples’ usernames on an Instagram story under the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter is not going to benefit the fight for racial equality. In some cases, Instagram activism can actually be detrimental to the cause. Take the example of Blackout Tuesday. People posted black squares with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, flooding it with empty content. This detracted from other more useful and productive posts under that same hashtag, frus-

TikTok’s Effects on Body Image Issues

by ELLA

“Girl stop with the crop tops they are made for pretty people.” That was a com ment on a post by popular TikTok creator, @xobrooklynne. Brooklyn was quick to respond with a video of her dancing with her stomach exposed that received over seven million likes. Although Brooklyn called out her hater, this comment exem plifies that TikTok is a platform contami nated with body shaming and bullying.

TikTok is a global platform with 800 million users, is still continuing to grow. Ranging from dancing to comedy videos, TikTok is a platform for creators to express their individuality. However, according to BBC, a large portion of likes on TikTok are based on physical appear ance. As I scroll through my For You Page, I see countless comments gush ing over someone’s looks. “I would say people get more likes on TikTok based on physical appearance, but I think that’s just how the world works, better looks often get more attention,” junior Saaz Ahuja, an avid TikTok user, said.

TikTok has a predominantly young audience. In the U.S. alone, 32.5% of users are between the ages of 10-19 according to Statista. Young people may idolize popular creators for multiple reasons, including their humor or their personality. However, they may also ad mire them based on their appearance. “I definitely think that a lot of young users compare themselves to popular creators. Especially since their audience is often middle schoolers, that makes an impact during a period of fundamental growth,” junior Cassidy Hurwitz said.

Society’s ideal body type has been reinforced by social media. Consequently, people want to look like the “pretty” TikTok creators on their feed. In attempts to alter their appearance, people may change their eating habits.

While this can be done over time in a

app is that if I eat like someone else, then I will look like them. However, everyone has

trating many Black Lives Matter activists, according to a Washington Post Article. Furthermore, when social media users post content based on their peers’ posts, it’s easier for fake information to spread. Take the example of Instagram activism following the Sudan crisis in June 2019. Thousands of people turned their Instagram profile pictures to a solid blue color to supposedly raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis, according to BBC. Quickly after this flood of blue posts, people began to repost accounts that claimed they were providing meals or aid to Sudan citizens for every repost or like. However, these accounts were solely created to obtain likes, shares and followers, and many social media users fell victim to this scheme. One specific Instagram account—@SudanMealProject—obtained over 400,000 followers in less than a week before Instagram took it down, according to MTV News. Instagram activism is simply not enough to overcome the complex issues defining our world right now. We need to do more than post a black square or turn our profile pictures blue. To implement effective change, social issues require productive action. However, I do believe that with time and education, activism on social media can truly become a powerful tool for our generation. In order for Instagram activism to truly succeed at its original purpose, we have to educate ourselves before we post, understand the reasons behind why we post and only post and repost content that will order and bulimia nervosa.

However, these posts and videos aren’t all bad. There are a lot of body-positive activists on TikTok. Brittani Lancaster is one of these creators who previously had two eating disorders: anorexia and binge-eating disorder. Lancaster is very open about her struggles and promotes intuitive eating. With 743,000 followers, Lancaster is able to reach a large audience. Additionally, videos with #body positivity have 2.4 billion combined views, illustrating that the promotion of self-love and health reaches a large audience.

These creators are addressing the problems with self-objectification by openly sharing their imperfections, thus teaching others to embrace their bodies. I think that these activists are helping make TikTok a more supportive community. However, there is still

billion combined total views. While some of these videos are lighthearted and show creative meals; others may have a negative impact. I think a common idea on the

in the beginning, but restricting diets are unrealistic to maintain and often lead to failure. These diets also can sometimes lead to eating disorders such as binge eating dis-

For Students’ and Families’ Wellbeing, We Need to Reopen Schools

By ALEX LEVITT

As state and local governments are deciding whether to reopen schools, they are examining a number of factors, such as COVID-19 test positivity rates, the trustworthiness of children, and whether educators can be kept safe or if they will be put in harm’s way. While this final point is entirely valid, our government overlooks the negative impacts online school has on students and their families. The lives of families around California and America have been upended, and we need to find a way to reopen schools as quickly as possible in order to lessen the harmful effects of online learning.

The worst effect of school closure for such an extended period of time is the toll it takes on students’ mental health. According to a survey in June by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), young adults between the ages of 18 and 24, many of whom are still students, have seen a dramatic increase in suicidal thoughts and be-

haviors. 25.5% of all young adults responded that they have “seriously considered suicide in the 30 days before completing the survey.”

A likely explanation for this increase is that “Teenagers are in a developmental space where it is critically important that they have regular contact with their peers and are able to develop close and ongoing relationships with adults outside the home, such as their teachers, their coaches, their advisers,” adolescent psychologist Lisa Damour said on her podcast Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Parenting.

Another drawback of online school is the exponential increase in screen time for children. Currently, the U.S. National Library of Medicine suggests that parents should limit their child’s daily screen time to 1-2 hours to prevent problems like difficulty sleeping, attention problems, and obesity. But that number is unreasonable with online school, especially when some students spend their entire day on Zoom and doing online homework.

Unfortunately, none of these monumental concerns are largely represented in mainstream media outlets. Day after day, news outlets focus on the case counts in schools around the country and the teacher unions whose primary focus is only educators’ safety. Mental health issues among students and the screen time overload on teenagers are often issues that get pushed aside when compared to the overall death count of COVID-19.

While it’s true that many reopened schools have faced high case counts, a huge overlooked factor is how most on-campus students are being tested regularly, so it should be expected that more cases are caught in colleges. A more accurate toll of the damage that COVID-19 has taken is the death count, and according to research by the New York Times, there have only been 60 COVID-19-related deaths of people who were in some way connected to a school. In addition, most of these deaths occurred in the spring.

But while these exaggerated facts may

be misleading the general public, it’s the teachers’ unions who have been able to stop the reopening of schools because students are typically forced to comply with no say in the matter. While most public school districts require their teachers to be part of a union where they can advocate for themselves, there is no equivalent when it comes to students.

High school students deserve a say in their everyday life because unlike younger students, most high schoolers have a strong understanding of what is happening in the world regarding COVID-19. Even though students outnumber teachers 18 to one in America, it feels as if they aren’t getting fair representation.

While the health of educators does matter, a tiny risk of contracting a virus should not outweigh the mental, physical, and emotional health of millions of students, especially when precautions can be implemented to further protect teachers.

Mission Statement

The Coat of Arms is an independent, student-led open forum for student expression. All decisions relating to the management and content of The Coat of Arms are fundamentally the responsibility of students. Coat of Arms reporters strive to acknowledge their internal biases and tell meaningful stories with empathy, fairness and journalistic integrity. The Coat of Arms staff is committed to building on the legacy of past staffs while setting the foundation for future members.

Fantasy Football is in, the Best Players are out: Menlo’s Reaction to NFL Injuries

by CHASE HURWITZ

The National Football League (NFL) is back, and with that comes millions of Fantasy Football players. Even after just a few weeks, the 2020 season can be summed up as promising for some, tragic for others and unpredictable for all.

For those who don’t know, Fantasy Football is an imaginary league where a participant manages and drafts their favorite players and competes against other teams. Though the scoring system depends on the league, the better a player does, the more points they score for their team and the better chance the participant has of winning.

Week 1 of the NFL went relatively routinely. However, for many, Week 2 was a catastrophe plagued with injuries.

Some of the most valuable players — who are usually running backs or wide receivers — are out for the rest of the season. Nick Bosa and Saquon Barkely will miss the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL. Meanwhile, Christian McCaffery, another highly valuable player, is expected to sit out for a month due to an ankle injury. These are only a few of the big names that got hurt in Week 2. The question for Fantasy players now is what do with these injured first round picks. “I think it might be

a bit of a tank situation,” sophomore Jake Bianchi said. Though Bianchi didn’t have any of the previously mentioned injured players, his first round pick, wide receiver Michael Thomas, was injured during Week 1. “It’s tough. [You’ve] got to try and make a trade to get another running back or something. You’re in a very tough situation no matter what you do.”

Junior Mick Tamas is in a league of Menlo juniors and luckily drafted Joe Mixon in the first round. Although Mixon has not been injured yet, the previous games are making Tamas worried. “I think a lot of the injuries are probably due to a short-

ened preseason because of [COVID-19],” Tamas said. “So, it’s kind of crazy that all the best players are getting injured. But, I don’t know if it’s all a coincidence. It could be Mixon next.”

For some participants, this season is one they’d already rather forget. Junior Noah Kornfeld is in two leagues: one composed of Menlo juniors and the other of family friends. He unluckily drafted Barkley in the first round in his Menlo league. This major blow to his team has just about ruined the season for Kornfeld. “I’m not talking about it. I’m focusing on my family friends league now. Realistically, you try

and make a trade for some lower tier guys and then you hope and pray. Up to the Fantasy Gods now.”

Junior Daniel Solomon is the commissioner of the league that both Kornfeld and Tamas play in. “I pretty much just make sure no one cheats through cheap trades, set up a draft time and just keep the league running smoothly. And, I also keep the money [safe] during the season,” Solomon said.

The “money” Solomon is referring to is the cash prize, and there is serious money

on the line. “The pot in our league is worth something like 200 dollars,” sophomore Chris Liao said. Liao plays in a league composed of Menlo sophomores. Solomon’s league has a winner takes all rule while second place gets their money back, but other leagues may choose to divy up the winnings differently.

In addition, most leagues implement an unsavory punishment for the last place team. “You gotta have the punishments,” Tamas said. “The thing is, without the punishment, there’s nothing to play for once

you realize you can’t win. You may not come in first but you can’t come in last.” Punishments range in severity, from having to shave one’s head to wearing a dress for a week.

If Fantasy sounds intense, that’s because it is. “On Sundays, I watch maybe eight hours of football,” Liao said.” I just hang out and watch all day.”

However, there are less serious players who are just as interested in winning. “I know some guys who just watch football all Sunday. It’s not that serious for me,”

Solomon said. “I try to watch what I can, but it’s not the end of the world if I miss a game.”

For many, Fantasy Football is a tradition that’s been around for years. “We’ve been a pretty consistent group of guys ever since the sixth grade,” Tamas said about his league. “Some new guys joined in freshman year, but at this point it’s pretty much a tradition. [...] We’re all pretty competitive and bragging to your friend about your win just never gets old.”

Students Forced to Pick Between School and Club Sports During Pandemic

by SAMMIE DOSTART-MEERS

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, students are choosing between playing Menlo or club sports. According to Upper School Athletics Director Earl Koberlein, county regulations allow students to only participate in one in-person activity at a time, meaning students must choose between their Menlo commitments and activities outside of school. In an email, Koberlein explained that these regulations help contain the spread of COVID-19 while simplifying the contact tracing process.

Sophomore Sydney Burnett would usually be playing both Menlo girls tennis and club lacrosse during the fall. However, due to the county guidelines, she has chosen to only play in the Menlo girls basketball pod. In the coming months, Burnett will have several lacrosse tournaments; however,

with Menlo’s requirement that every student quarantine for two weeks after traveling outside of Northern California, she doesn’t know if the trips will be feasible.

Junior Aidan Housenbold isn’t able to participate in a Menlo sports pod because he chooses to attend his weekend ADVNC club lacrosse practices instead. “It’s just not possible to do both,” Housenbold says. “I would have to miss out on two whole weeks of club lacrosse practice just to attend one Menlo conditioning session.” Housenbold has played football since middle school, but since he had to choose between attending his club lacrosse practices and Menlo football practice, this fall is the first year he will not play.

Another aspect of high school sports that has been disrupted by the pandemic is college recruiting. Housenbold has chosen to practice with his club team, so he has

a better opportunity to showcase his skills with looser regulations about contact. Even though he is not currently part of a Menlo sports pod, Housenbold remarked that the Menlo Athletic Department is still extremely communicative and helpful with keeping him up to date with college recruitment and sports regulations during COVID-19.

“It’s more of a social game,” Housenbold says. “Your best shot right now is to make personal connections with the college coaches.”

Koberlein shares the same sentiment as Housenbold. “College recruiters have not been able to go out and scout, nor have they been able to bring recruits to their campuses for official visits,” he said. Koberlein describes that all students can do for the moment is reach out to colleges, rely on existing performance videos and

ask their coaches to contact schools.

Burnett is thankful that she is years away from college recruiting. “All I can hope for is that as I get older, things will clear up,” she said. Burnett described how her club lacrosse coaches have explained the class of 2020’s recruiting situation to younger players to prepare them for what may come ahead with their own college process. “Even though we are still pretty young, our coach talks about colleges a lot,” Burnett said.

Though the situation is not ideal, both Burnett and Housenbold are appreciative of what Menlo is doing for the community and the hard work they are putting in. “It’s so cool that they’re giving us an opportunity to go and practice when everything else has shut down,” Burnett said. “It shows us that Menlo really cares.”

Bay Area Schools Begin Athletics on Campus in the Form of Athletic ‘Pods’

by LEXI FRIESEL

Similar to Menlo, many other Bay Area private schools have been getting students back on campus through the use of athletic pods. Menlo’s pods take place on Wunderlich and Cartan Fields and are run by the Menlo Performance team as well as coaches in some cases. There are both similarities and differences between Menlo’s pods and the groups practicing at other schools. “We are pretty similar to other schools because people are following the guidelines set down by San Mateo County Health Department. I have heard that some are being less conservative than we are and are allowing things like the sharing of equipment,” Menlo Athletic Director Earl Koberlein said.

Like Menlo, Castilleja School has also had their students returning to campus for athletic pods. However, unlike Menlo, they have not been having sport-specific training but rather just strength and conditioning pods. “We are thrilled to have resumed

in-person, small group outdoor conditioning with health and safety as our number one priority,” Castilleja Director of Athletics Mary Jo Pruitt said in an email. “Our student-athletes are so happy to be back on campus even with the restrictions placed by the county.”

At Saint Francis High School, athletes have been broken into pods by sports and skill level with 16 students and one coach in each group. Due to the less restrictive guidelines of Santa Clara county, the athletes have been participating in both conditioning and sports skill training with shared equipment which, according to Koberlein, is the next step for the Menlo program if San Mateo County lessens restrictions.

Though the restrictions are more flexible for Saint Francis, the school’s athletic department still has put many safety procedures into place. “We’ve been using a program called Workwatch that sends an email to the students the night before practice, and it will ask them the screening questions

about COVID-19 contact and symptoms,” Saint Francis Head Athletic Trainer Scott Henrichson said in a phone call. According to Henrichson, there is only one entryway, athletes are given hand sanitizer, social distancing is enforced and all equipment is wiped down after being used.

Saint Francis has just recently begun allowing athletes to practice on campus to play a club sport as well. “The Santa Clara county department of public health now allows students to change cohort groups, so students can now participate in clubs and in school groups,” Henrichson said. “That is kind of the nature of how things have been going. It is constantly evolving and we have to remain flexible with the recommendations that are given to us.”

Junipero Serra High School has also begun their athletic training this fall. Like Castilleja, Serra has had bodyweight conditioning twice a week without any sport-specific skills work. “We don’t care about the physical aspect as much as we care about the mental aspect. The boys need to be around their brothers. Their classmates are like their family,” Serra Assistant Athletic Director Darius Bell said. According to Bell, athletes have to check in through an app, wear a mask until they get onto the field, remain six feet apart, take temperature checks and exit one by one.

Sacred Heart has also begun some on-campus athletics with procedures in place that are similar to those of Menlo and other schools. However, unlike other Bay Area schools, the Sacred Heart athletic department has created co-ed groupings based on desired activity instead of the sport that the athletes would hypothetically be playing. “We are currently offering outdoor activities like strength and conditioning, running and spin classes,” Sacred

Heart Athletics Director Bret Simon said. “We are also offering tennis with modifications to meet state and county guidelines.” The other aspect that makes Sacred Heart’s current program unique is their incorporation of weights in the strength and conditioning programs.

“We have been following the guidelines for youth and school sports,” Simon said. “That includes limiting the number of students in any activity at one time and preventing equipment-sharing except in approved situations and with proper cleaning and sanitizing.”

At Woodside Priory School, fall sports teams as well as the basketball team have begun both sport-specific training as well as fitness in person. “We have been doing individual skills work without sharing equipment, as well as a lot of conditioning,” Priory Athletic Director Mark Stogner said. “Students are also offered the outdoor adventures option that includes hiking and surfing.”

Similar to Menlo, after being dropped off, athletes have to check in via an app, wear a mask and go to their “camps,” which are located either at the outdoor courts, pool, track or one of the school’s fields. However, the Priory athletic department does not restrict athletes playing club sports from joining their on-campus “camps.”

Crystal Springs Uplands School began their on-campus athletic program on Sept. 28, with athletes coming to campus twice a week. “We are dividing the pods into groups of 12-14 based [on] which sport our athletes will be playing this winter,” Crystal Springs Director of Athletics Bobby Long said. “We haven’t been cleared to use our inside spaces yet, so they’ll work out outside in a combination of agility and bodyweight exercises.”

Committed Corner

Mattias Yotopolous, Columbia University

by DANIELLE MCNAIR

Senior Mattias Yotopolous committed this fall to row at the Division I level at Columbia University. Yotopoulos has been doing crew at the novice level since the summer before his freshman year and at the varsity level since he was a sophomore.

Inspired by his grandma, who rowed recreationally in Oregon, Yotopolous attended an open house at NorCal Crew, his current club team, which sparked his passion to begin crew. “During the open house, I was challenged by a member of the varsity team to a race on the erg [a rowing machine] [for] one minute as fast as I could. [Because I was] in middle school, he obviously let me win, but it was in that moment that I set a solid relationship with a bunch of the guys. They made me want to pursue crew,” Yotopolous said.

Over the last four years, the NorCal crew community has strengthened Yotopolous’ passion for the sport. “To be honest, I am just as obsessed with the type of people [that] rowing produces as I am with the sport itself. It takes a certain type of person to be willing to wake up at 5 a.m., get out on the water every morning and be happy about it. These guys are some of the most tenacious, grounded and down-to-earth people,” Yotopolous said.

However, it is not only his teammates that motivate Yotopolous but also his coach, Jarrod McClendon. “[Jarrod] has been like a father figure to me in many ways. He has taught me humility [and] dedication, and [he] knows what he is talking about when it comes to rowing. I have a lot of respect for his dedication to the sport and our club,” Yotopolous said.

Since the start of his crew career, Yotopoulos knew he wanted to row at the

collegiate level. “During the open house, all the guys were so passionate about their commitment to NorCal and the sport itself. I knew from the get-go,” Yotopolous said.

When COVID-19 hit in early March, Yotopolous had already visited twelve of the schools he was interested in; however, the pandemic played a role in him choosing Columbia. “When it really came down to my final decision, I only considered schools I had a personal relationship with, whether that meant I visited [them] in person, met with some of the coaches and players or sat in on classes,” Yotopolous said.

Yotopolous chose Columbia University because he wanted a school with a strong sense of community but also access to a big city. “The moment I stepped on campus, I was blown away [...] I met a bunch of the guys on the team who were super down-toearth, and I loved my conversations with the coaches every time I picked up the phone.”

Roxy Karrer, Johns Hopkins University

by ASHLEY GRADY

This past summer, senior Roxy Karrer committed to play Division III volleyball at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.

According to Karrer, she started volleyball on the later side, first being introduced to the sport in middle school. Previously, she had dedicated her time to club soccer, but she quit when she started to play competitive club volleyball at 13. She has played for Vision and Encore volleyball clubs and has been on Menlo’s varsity team since she was pulled up at the end of her freshman year.

“Once I started playing more competitively, I realized [that] the [recruiting] process starts really early. So I had to start making film reels and reaching out to coaches between my freshman and sophomore year,” Karrer said. During the beginning of this process, the coach at Hopkins reached out to her. At that time Karrer was looking more seriously to play in the Ivy League but kept in contact with the coach at Hopkins when she learned more about the school and found that it met the criteria she was looking for in a college. She knew playing collegiately was a possibility, but set her sights on smaller, highly academic schools. At five foot ten, which is on the shorter side for volleyball, Karrer knew it would be difficult playing her position, outside hitter, at a bigger DI school where

Ashley Scafetta, Boston University

by PARINA PATEL

Senior Ashley Scafetta committed to swim for the Division I program at Boston University in the beginning of Aug. and recently announced her commitment on Instagram on Sept. 20.

Scafetta originally committed to the admissions process at Dartmouth back in July, but the Dartmouth athletic director cut the swim team and was no longer able to offer Scaffeta a spot. Because she hadn’t officially committed to Dartmouth yet, she was able to go back to the other colleges that she was still talking to. “BU and Dartmouth were my first choices, but it was such a stroke of luck that BU offered me [admission] right after Dartmouth did,” Scafetta said.

Scafetta’s story starts when she was 16 months old. “I was a really really fat baby. One time, my mom turned her back for a second when we were in a pool, but I was so fat that my legs held me up and I was floating. And she was like, ‘Oh my god, she’s swimming!’” Scafetta said.

Her mom was invested in Scafetta’s ability to become a great swimmer, so she began with “Mommy and Me” classes. She was then put on a swim team at age five.

At this time in her life, the Scafettas were living in Boston, Mass. Because swimming is an indoor sport in Boston, she was able to do it all year. In addition to swimming, Scafetta dabbled in figure skating, diving, soccer, dance and gymnastics.

Swimming became serious for Scafetta at age eight when her coaches began recognizing her natural talent in one her best strokes: breaststroke. Soon after, she started qualifying for championship meets.

Then, when she was 10, she moved to Menlo Park, Calif. and quit all the other sports she was doing. When high school came around, Scafetta reevaluated swim-

ming as a priority. “When you start high school, especially for club swimming, it turns from casual commitment to up to 30 hours a week of swimming. So you really have to choose if you really want to do it because that’s going to lead you to college. So freshman year was kind of when I knew I wanted to swim in college,” Scafetta said. Scafetta faced some setbacks in her high school career. Freshman year, she suffered from a tear in her rotator cuff and breaking her back, so she was out for a year and a half. “That was pretty tough. I definitely considered stopping then,” Scafetta said. “I had to go back [to swimming] because it just felt wrong to give up after working so hard at it.”

Scafetta currently swims for Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics Rinconada. Her practices consist of 5-6:30 a.m. three times a week and 4-7 p.m. every weekday.

Avery Lee, Yale University

by LEXI FRIESEL

most of the girls are well over six feet.

COVID-19 stopped the entire club season this past year, which made the recruitment process more difficult. They weren’t able to see her play, but the coaches at Johns Hopkins ultimately decided they had seen enough of Karrer to extend an offer. “I realized this was a great opportunity for me, both academically and athletically, and I wouldn’t want to miss out on it. I got back to the coach after a couple days and said I was all in,” Karrer said.

After her commitment, Karrer flew out to visit the campus for the first time with her parents. “I love the city and the campus is beautiful. I didn’t know what to expect, but it exceeded my expectations.”

This past spring, Menlo senior Avery Lee committed to play Division I women’s basketball for Yale University. Lee began playing basketball in second grade and instantly became passionate about the sport. “[I’ve] loved it from the minute I had a ball in my hand,” Lee said.

Prior to high school, Lee played for several teams, including the Amatuer Athletic Union, (AAU) Palo Alto Midnight, San Jose Zebras and Fever organization, where she had the opportunity to participate in several local and national tournaments. “Through club practices and tournaments, I learned lots of fundamentals and mechanics that gave me a super strong foundation,” Lee said.

As a freshman, Lee joined the school’s basketball program as the varsity starting point guard where she got to play alongside teammates much older than her. “I instantly saw Avery was a very dynamic and athletic player as well as very empathetic,” varsity Menlo girls basketball coach John Paye said. “She has the ability to make her team better with those combined qualities.”

According to Lee, Paye played a large role in her journey as a basketball player. “Coach Paye handed me the reins and believed in me,” Lee said. “He’s always been there for me as a player. I wouldn’t have the confidence I have if it hadn’t been for him.”

Paye wasn’t the only coach with a positive first impression of Lee. “You could

just tell by the way she approached the game that she was a competitor and likes to win,” varsity Menlo girls basketball coach Melanie Murphy said in a phone call. “Off the court, she was also one of the first people that made me feel welcome at Menlo.”

Throughout her high school career, Lee received several awards and honors, including the Sportsmanship Award — recognizing student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior, according to the NCAA website — after winning the Division II state championship her sophomore year. “Winning the state championship was one of the highlights of my life,” Lee said.

As she continues her journey at Yale, Lee is looking forward to the Yale-Harvard rivalry games as well as the opportunity to win an Ivy League championship.