Empowering students to think critically and creatively since 1913
VOLUME 112, ISSUE 9
MAY 27, 2026
Tiger compares Trump’s America to Stalin and Khrushchev’s USSR.
Tiger discusses current CIF policies around trans-athletes, including AB Hernandez.
Page 7 Page 4
Tiger spotlights teacher Shane Mills, winner of this year’s Harold Hartsough Award.
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PHS’s Jazz Band performed in the Little Theater for their annual Jazz Night on Friday, May 15 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The band’s goal was to showcase the culmination of Jazz Band’s work and raise interest for next year, which led to free admission. Around 30 people attended, ranging from the cast’s parents to curious SPHS students.
“Every piece of the music program has an evening to showcase what they do. For the marching band, it’s competition throughout the Fall [where] they will have their own places to do their thing,” Jazz Band director Tim Orindgreff said in a pre-event interview. “Jazz Band plays all the concerts … but this is really their time to shine.”
The band performed a total of 11 songs, mostly composed by themselves, starting with Orange Drag, an energetic song to kick off the night alongside a solo by senior saxophonist Riley Yoshimura. The next song, Emergency Stopping Only, quickly followed, keeping the energy lively for senior drummer Helios Heidenreich, senior Preston Wai, and Yoshimura to deliver their solos.
Each song left room for several solos, including ones for drums, saxophones, trombones, and trumpets later on. Further on, the audience cheered for several other performing soloists. Seniors Julian Ovalle and Sammi Keller alongside sophomores Adrian Molina, Augey Cheng, Bono Stevens, Ronan Selsby, and
GRADUATION
freshman Zoie Wong delivered solos followed by waves of cheers.
The band played five other songs: Honk, Dat Dear by Bobby Timmons, Speak and Deep, and Fire and Brimstone, showcasing a range of tones from upbeat symphonies to mellow and smooth romantics. After concluding their sixth song, the band retired for a short 10 minute intermission to prepare for the later half of the show.
Jazz Band picked up with the same upbeat energy going into the second half of the performance, starting with Deep End, which featured a conversation between Sammy’s and Ronin’s solos. The piece was followed by Night Wing, Soulful Strut, and Old Havana, before closing with a romantic piece, and favorite of Orindgreff, Blue and Sentimental by Count Basie and his orchestra.
Orindgreff and the Jazz Band concluded an accomplished year, thanking patrons, parents, and students for their continuous support. With a final bow, the crowd erupted with vibrant applause as Jazz Band made their way off stage.
“It felt like a good sense of closure, it was just wonderful being with the people that are here for you, just as much as you are for them,” senior Josh Schottelborb said.
“It really makes the experience.”
In particular, this year marked the end of an era for Jazz Band with eight out of 20 Jazz Band members graduating. Among the eight are the last students who joined the band under previous music teacher Howard Crawford, promising a clean slate for next year’s Jazz Band.
The class of 2026 will have their graduation ceremony on Wednesday, June 3.
“It’s been really great. I’ve been with [my bandmates] for all four years now. We stuck it through with changing directors and everything, so it’s been pretty great. I think we all got a lot better … definitely not the same as when we first started,” Yoshimura said.
With only the spring performance left, many seniors now recall their high school careers before setting their sight towards college.
“It’s sort of like a relief, but not exactly like a relief as a relief from anything bad … I honestly don’t know what to think about it,” senior Julian Ovalle said. “I can’t imagine going to school next year and not being woken up by some [jazz] people who play well and maybe not so well, but I’m very glad to have played with [Jazz Band and] hear such great music from them.”
A hole will be left in the leadership position that the seniors provided for the band next year.
“Leadership isn’t just what you do like today, it’s what you’ve done that someone will benefit from in a year. So when we’re talking about leadership, we talk about what they do for the program that will entice the incoming freshmen to want to be a part of this, right? … It’s not always what you put your hands on right now, it’s about a legacy … [they did that today] I’m proud of them,” Orindgreff said.
Jazz Night was Jazz Band’s highlight event for SPHS but their true final performance was the Spring Instrumental Concert on Tuesday, May 26 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Anderson Auditorium.
SENIOR AWARDS NIGHT
SPHS graduating seniors will receive their senior awards on Wednesday, May 27 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the Anderson Auditorium.
Finals for periods one and three will begin for non-seniors on Friday, May 29. They will conclude with the period zero and seven finals on Wednesday, June 3.
In 1968, Brazilian educator and Marxist philosopher Paulo Freire published Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Two years later, after it was translated into English and disseminated across the Western Hemisphere, Freire’s text found particular traction in the United States and Western Europe, where a “permanent underclass” of minorities and those of lower socioeconomic status is perpetuated by failing welfare programs, poverty in major cities, and laws that disadvantage the disenfranchised and marginalized.
Freire theorizes that this cycle is enabled through flawed practices of pedagogy, or methods and theories of teaching. He argues that a “banking model” represents the educational world: in this model, a teacher (the oppressor) filters and
STORY SONYA SHIMPOCK PHOTO SEBASTIAN GUTIERREZ
This TAAGLAA was originally intended to be co-authored. Ethan and I argued over what percentage of this article we were going to split in the skinny rows of Old Town Pasadena’s Blick supply store, lined with shelves of hanging art supplies and carefully labeled fountain pens. We’d strayed into the supply store while waiting for Diana; Alison had picked up Kristel, Emi, Helena, and me, and we’d run into Sebastian (who arrived via motorized unicycle) and Ethan outside of Blick. I lost the authorship argument pretty immediately, and spent the rest of our time in Blick taking half-hearted notes in my iPhone notes app.
Our main goal was the retro arcade Neon. Neon’s a storefront in Old Town
STORY ELLIE SONG PHOTO CONTRIBUTOR
Gustavo Dudamel is a prestigious conductor who has conducted and served as the music and artistic director at the Los Angeles Philharmonic (L.A. Phil).
In February, Dudamel announced that he has signed a contract to move to the New York Philharmonic (N.Y. Phil).
When he first started his career in music, he did not see himself any different from his peers. Dudamel had an ordinary childhood, where he spent time with his friends and family, but in his free time, he often pursued his passion for the violin.
“I love to be a musician,” Dudamel said in an interview with Tiger. “A musician that shares the values and the action with the rest of the people. To be a conductor is an inspirational thing, but in the end [that is] not the main goal. The main goal is to have the chance to have a beautiful piece of music that you [can] create with your friends and other great artists.”
Dudamel has conducted performances at both the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl over the course of his journey at L.A. Phil. He also created Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA), which has allowed young musicians, ages 5 to18, to perform and learn the language of music.
Another program Dudamel has created is the Dudamel Foundation, founded in 2012. The foundation gives the notion that music can bring peace to the world and aims to inspire future generations of musicians, since Dudamel believes that music is a way to inspire the youth to become global leaders.
“Music is in a space of beauty, creativity, interaction, and teamwork, and it’s fun. It’s really an action that, when you
Gustavo Dudamel reflects on his legacy during his time in Los Angeles.
really understand the real dimension of what you do, it’s the most beautiful thing,” Dudamel said.
Dudamel has also collaborated with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra through the foundation in August 2019, encouraging students who studied music from all over the globe.
SPHS freshman Juniper Wollman was inspired by Dudamel’s delivery of music, and the impact he made on
the music world. Wollman began her journey of music in fifth grade band where she played the clarinet. She then picked up the cello in 6th grade orchestra, and continued to play in the SPHS marching band.
“Dudamel is an inspiring conductor who has influenced the lives of many young musicians,” Wollman said.
SPHS sophomore Justin Kim, who has played music for over 11 years of his life, has been one of the young musicians inspired by Dudamel’s passion for music.
“[Dudamel has] big expressions musically, but also physically with his conducting [that] displays his love for music,” Kim said. “And seeing people do what they love inspires me to pursue not just music but other activities I enjoy.”
Dudamel’s legacy and impact has spread throughout the Los Angeles community, including SPHS students, encouraging them to pursue music and become leaders through this art form.
Moving forward, the N.Y. Phil and Dudamel will partner with Carnegie Hall with a five year project that will start the annual performances of two opera shows in concert at the Stern Auditorium. This project will start in November of 2026, with Dudamel performing in two performances called Tocsa, which is an opera by Giacomo Puccini, and will be the first appearances of Dudamel leading the N.Y. Phil.
“You can discover other people through the beauty of the sound, and what you can create together to make something sound beautiful, so that is very special,” Dudamel said.
STORY JULIA GILDERSLEEVE & MAXINE MESSINEO
PHOTO LUCINDA ERNST
South Pasadena High School’s Biomed Club hosted its White Coat Ceremony at SPHS on Thursday, May 21. The Biomed Club is made up of all the students in the four-year Biomed pathway. The event took place in rooms 211, 212, and 213, and spotlighted students who completed the fouryear Biomedical pathway.
“The White Coat Ceremony is really just a way for us to show all the parents and the friends of the students what we’ve been doing for four years. It’s kind of just looking back at everything we’ve done through the program and … a round of applause for all of us who have been through it,” Biomed Club President Baron Shroff said.
The first part of the ceremony was when students were officially “white-coated.” White coating is the process of Biomed students going down the line of students and introducing the person after them. Each person elaborates on why the preceding person deserves to be white-coated, and then puts the lab coat and medal on them. During the second part of the ceremony, students displayed their chosen project on the most interesting topic they learned about throughout the pathway. Some included presentations were about prosthetics, blood drawing, arteries, and karyotypes.
The Biomed Club leadership then leads a discussion about potential fundraisers and what the club could sell during class. The club discusses their options by taking notes from the class and seeing which students are free to volunteer for fundraisers such as bake sales or selling
Olive Young opens in LA
STORY KHLOE YUEN
Olive Young, also known as the “Sephora of Korea,” is a beauty, health, and cosmetic company that is gaining popularity across the world. In May 2026, two locations will open in California: In Old Town Pasadena and at Westfield Century City Mall.
“[I was very excited] when I heard about Olive Young opening in L.A. This was because I really enjoyed shopping for beauty products when I visited Korea last year,” freshman Seoyoung Chae said. “It was a fun experience seeing many unique K-Beauty products being sold at Olive Young, and I was really impressed by their services.”
Korean culture has expanded throughout the year across Los Angeles through music, food, fashion,
Christmas grams. The Biomed Club meets during the second period, their class period, in Biomed instructor Wendy Budd’s room.
Shroff’s role as president of the Biomed Club is to bring the club together and engage everybody in the club discussions. He ensures that conversations remain engaging and constantly move forward, while taking suggestions from members for fundraisers and events.
“As president of the Biomed Club, it’s my responsibility to take charge of all meetings of the club because my goal is to raise funds for the Biomed Club so we can do things like the White Coat Ceremony,” Shroff said.
Shroff leads the team alongside several of his classmates. The current vice president is Haruto Maekawa, the treasurer is Amelia Tran, the secretary is Alestor Law, the social media manager is Ellis Kim, and the volunteer coordinator is Cinbie Chang. One Biomed Club member who donned their white coat earlier that evening, senior Samantha Gaeta, expressed that she enjoyed the pathway as it inspired her to pursue a career in medicine and offered her many learning opportunities.
“I would like a career in medicine, and I thought that this would be a great introduction for what it’s like to be in the medical field. And so far, it [has been] really inspirational. We were given these many opportunities to dissect things and to learn about different diseases,” Gaeta said.
Another Biomed Club member, senior Ethan Wu, shared Gaeta’s feelings about the course, saying that he, too, had many opportunities through the course as someone
beauty trends, and now, through Olive Young. Los Angeles plays a major role in the influence because of its larger Korean American population, especially with ethnic enclaves like Koreatown.
Olive Young’s opening will allow greater access to Korean cosmetics in Los Angeles, highlighting the expansion of K-culture in America. Olive Young continues to gain popularity among young adults due to their value and popular products. Mainstream products are continuously being promoted by influencers and celebrities throughout social media platforms. Furthermore, the impact of K-Culture expanding through products not only promotes Korean brands globally but also shapes customer preferences and lifestyle choices. However, the global success of the K-Beauty industry has overshadowed the country’s traditional arts, long history, and athletic achievements.
“I think it has boosted people’s interests in Korean and Asian cultures, but because K-Beauty is so prevalent, I think other aspects like sports and traditions are less appreciated. It has been good because it really showcases
wanting to pursue a career in medicine.
“I already wanted to go on a medical path, so I was looking through classes and I was like, ‘oh, Biomed is a little bit more related to medicine, so on top of being able to learn a little bit of medicine, I feel like I can get a little bit of a jumpstart from these courses,” Wu said.
At the end of the ceremony, students and parents gathered outside the classrooms and bonded over snacks and sodas. In the future, the Biomed Club will continue to consistently organize fundraisers and prepare students for medical careers.
“Definitely do [Biomed], but you should definitely also know people who also want to do it with you. So, be prepared to
Korea’s modernization and advancements through technology,” freshman Paris Auyeung said.
However, some individuals believe that the shopping experience in L.A. will differ from that in Korea due to its affordability. The Korean won is worth less than the U.S. dollar, making various beauty products in Korea cheaper than in L.A.
“When I visited Olive Young in Korea, it wasn’t that great, and I found it fun only because the prices were lower,” freshman Bella Vanichsombat said. “Since it’s opening up [in] Old Town Pasadena, it’s going to be more expensive and will be really crowded. Most of the products you can find on Amazon.”
Although an Olive Young location in L.A. may not recreate the same affordability as in Korea, it still represents the growing influence of K-Culture throughout the world.
“I’m expecting it to be very popular and a great way for people in that area to learn more about K-Beauty,” freshman Aariel Lee said.
NSPA FIRST CLASS 2025
NSPA FIRST CLASS 2024
CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2023
CSPA SILVER CROWN 2022
CSPA SILVER CROWN 2021
CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2019
CSPA SILVER CROWN 2018
CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2017
CSPA CROWN AWARD 2016
CSPA GOLD MEDALIST 2015
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
SONYA SHIMPOCK
MANAGING EDITORS
ZOE CHEN, Print
EMIKO ESSMILLER, Online
RUBY FOUDY, Associate
NEWS
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OPINION
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FEATURE
RUBY FOUDY, Editor
SPORTS GAVIN BARTOLOME, Editor
DESIGN
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PHOTOGRAPHY
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COPY
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SOLANA SINGER, Editor
STAFF WRITERS
UMA CHAKRABORTY
EVELYN DIAZ
MIRIAM ELGHEFARI
JULIA GILDERSLEEVE
HARRIET GODSON
ETHAN KWAK
LEIGHTON KWOK
ANNA MCDONNELL
MAXINE MESSINEO
ELLIE SONG
KHLOE YUEN
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS
LUCINDA ERNST
SEBASTIAN GUTIERREZ
MAC SHROPSHIRE
STAFF ILLUSTRATORS
KRISTEL HOUNG DIANA LOPEZ
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PAGE DESIGNERS
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VIDEOGRAPHER
THEO THOMPSON
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Paulo Freire wouldn’t believe in Generative Artificial Intelligence, and neither should students.
In 1968, Brazilian educator and Marxist philosopher Paulo Freire published Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Two years later, after it was translated into English and disseminated across the Western Hemisphere, Freire’s text found particular traction in the United States and Western Europe, where a “permanent underclass” of minorities and those of lower socioeconomic status is perpetuated by failing welfare programs, poverty in major cities, and laws that disadvantage the disenfranchised and marginalized.
Freire theorizes that this cycle is enabled through flawed practices of pedagogy, or methods and theories of teaching. He argues that a “banking model” represents the educational world: in this model, a teacher (the oppressor) filters and selects knowledge to feed their students (the oppressed). Because the teacher determines what the students learn, this transfer of knowledge is passive, as students are never urged to seek out their own information. In this model, teachers are “depositors” who issue instead of communicate knowledge, and students are “receptacles” who emphasize rote memorization over internalization.
Freire identifies one major concern with the banking model: it encourages complacency and discourages critical thought. Within the banking model, “the teacher talks about reality as if it were motionless, static, compartmentalized, and predictable,” which inevitably pushes students away from radical action or resistance against a system that enables structural inequality. Because of this, there is no escape from the “permanent underclass.”
Pedagogy of the Oppressed is often swallowed by over-intellectualized language and fiercely idealized principles of Marxism, but Freire’s message is clear: a “receptacle” who refuses to seek out knowledge for themselves will forever remain submissive to their “depositor.” This allor-nothing language, however, ignores teachers who encourage dialogical modes of education or students who practice civil disobedience. As such, the principles of Pedagogy of the Oppressed may be better applied to the mounting use of Artificial Intelligence by the general public.
On Nov. 30, 2022, the first iteration of ChatGPT was released. Widely regarded as the catalyst of the public’s modern embrace of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), the AI platform reached over 100 million users in just two months. AI immediately began to infiltrate the upper echelons
of government and industry and crept into education and research. High school students were especially vulnerable: in October 2025, the College Board found that “the percentage of high school students who report using GenAI tools for schoolwork is growing, increasing from 79% to 84% between January and May 2025.”
Students typically justify AI usage by defining it as a “tool” rather than a crutch. Many prominent educational institutions outline AI usage as acceptable when it works to “supplement” instead of “replace” human thought, but this itself is a slippery slope: as a dependence on AI increases, so does a reluctance to engage in independent critical thought. A study by the Duke Center for Teaching and Learning confirms this: while “university students who use Large Language Models to complete writing and research tasks experienced reduced cognitive load,” they also “demonstrated poorer reasoning and argumentation skills compared to those students using traditional search methods.”
As passivity grows and independence degrades, Freire’s thesis is fulfilled. Artificial Intelligence unavoidably portrays reality as if it is “motionless, static, compartmentalized, and predictable,” because it is incapable of engaging in genuine thought — answers rely on probabilistic models trained on Internet sources. When individuals are only shown one avenue of thought and knowledge, filtered for their viewing through an AI model, they learn inflexible perceptions of reality. In turn, this may lessen their willingness to engage in radical change and combat oppression. When students reach the age to vote and influence policy, this belief becomes especially problematic.
Escaping the “permanent underclass” means many things in today’s America, which is ruled by mounting fascism, governmental incompetence, and severe systemic discrimination. America needs citizens who are able to think for themselves, and the “depositor” of Artificial Intelligence is one that maintains cycles of ignorance and complacency. Choosing instead to actively research and pursue different thought patterns is, therefore, a radical act within itself; deliberate actions to erase or reject an AI dependence will grow a new generation of critical thinkers and resistors. As such, however insignificant a reliance on Generative Intelligence may seem, the future of democracy is on the line.
Tiger’s cheers and jeers for the month of May
BOO to the Met Gala. Let’s keep it to the Halloween party, Heidi Klum.
BOO to Hacky Sack. All that’s missing is the vineyard vines polo.
BOO to working at Chipotle. I will not be rejected by Ava Cado.
BOO to Off Campus. Since when is hockey straight?
BOO to hanta virus. The whipped coffee, it’s calling me…
BRAVO to Real ID. I’ve given up on that license.
BRAVO to summer. I have pined for you since August.
BRAVO to flip flops. Yes the dogs are out, no I do not care.
BRAVO to Calico Critters. Their eyes are watching.
Students feel the pressure to choose a pathway as a freshman early on, but have more time than they realize.
STORY ANNA MCDONNELL ILLUSTRATION OWEN HOU
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tudents at SPHS are given the opportunity to choose a pathway starting in their freshman year. Typically, these pathways are two to four years and explore various topics in depth. One pathway that SPHS offers is the biomedical program, where the fourth and final year is designed around a research project spanning the whole school year. The school also offers a variety of different exploration opportunities through PCC classes, such as kinesiology, psychology, and creative writing.
When students choose a pathway in their freshman year, they are presented with both benefits and drawbacks. Andrea Fox works at the district as the Communication & Grant Advancement Specialist, and she coordinates the CTE board, connecting local businesses with teachers and administrators to inform what pathways we offer.
According to Fox, “The main benefit of completing a pathway is maximizing the depth of learning and using that pathway completion to open future college and career doors.”
She also noted that there are potential cons, such as students not being sure what they want to pursue yet,
or getting tired of a subject that they choose freshman year. She made a point that if a student decides their pathway and course schedule, and wishes to switch later on, there are a variety of courses that will guide them on a new path.
“We try to offer a balance for students. The SPHS core curriculum provides broad academic exposure, and students have many options for extracurricular offerings for exploration,” Fox said.
Students are learning to understand the balance of which classes they want to explore and which classes they may need for a specific college. Both the four-year exploration pathway and the variety of different electives can impact a student positively. However, despite the need for exploration, it is good for students to start thinking about their interests and how they might apply them to the rest of their lives.
“Choosing a pathway during freshman year can be beneficial because it maximizes the student's opportunity to complete the full sequence of courses,” Fox said. "However, not choosing one as a freshman allows a student more time for general academic exploration before making a commitment to a specific career area.”
There is a lot of time for students to decide what they want to major in at college. They also have access to many resources if they need help picking classes or exploring new topics. Many students are stressed in their freshman year about a problem they may encounter in their adult life, but the reality is that they can always change their minds later down the road.
STORY ETHAN KWAK ILLUSTRATION KRISTEL HOUNG
The Trump administration’s disregard for democratic norms exhibits a “lawlessness” mirroring that of Stalin and Khrushchev’s USSR (1929-1964). This will result in a cultural shift from the “Western” notion of inherent rights to the service state concept of rights conditional on citizens’ loyalty to the government’s interests. This democratic backsliding as observed in Trump’s second term has resulted in a more unfree society that inherently oppresses itself.
Article 125 of the 1936 Soviet Constitution clearly outlined that citizens of the USSR would be granted “(a) freedom of speech; (b) freedom of the press; (c) freedom of assembly and meetings; (d) freedom of street processions and demonstrations." Clearly, Soviet law in theory diverged significantly from Soviet law in practice, as pointed out by Benjamin Nathans in his book To The Success of Our Hopeless Cause. The vagueness of oppression is directly proportional to the flaccidity of resistance, so therefore it is paramount that Americans are capable of identifying specific democratic norms and the consequences of breaking from them. Blatant disregard for democratic norms must not become the norm.
ICE’s cavalier violence, warrantless arrests, and restrictions on congressional oversight have come to symbolize the cumulation of democratic backsliding over the past 20 years. By attacking the independent press and punishing institutions (ex: higher education) that do not yield to his politics, Trump has successfully weakened long-standing societal constraints on executive power. Simply the act is enough to leave a mark; its effectiveness is irrelevant.
In the fall of 2016, The Washington Post worked with the New York University Center for Social Media, AI, and
This column was supposed to be titled Seven things for seniors to do before graduating, but that didn’t fit in the space above. Delay graduation until you’ve completed the list.
(1) Don’t skip Tiger. Soak up the youthful energy of the freshmen. Hang out with the awesome junior who is writing this column. Hi Solana! Or at least bring us some Trader Joe’s Takis upon your return. Hi Mimi!
Politics to ask 2,600 Americans to “name something in your life that would improve if Donald Trump were elected president.” Many respondents hoped that Trump would help citizens “be able to follow [their] religious beliefs” or “eliminate political correctness,” placing party before principle. These statements highlight respondents’ understanding of individual rights as an item to be granted in exchange for political loyalty to the state rather than something inherent.
A striking parallel can be drawn between the 2016 survey of American voters and a 1960s survey of Soviet citizens. For a new constitution that never came to be, Khrushchev solicited input from thousands of Soviet citizens. In one report preserved by the Russian State Archive of Contemporary
History, A. I. Avgustovsky of Kyiv wrote: “Prior to receiving rights and using them, citizens of the USSR should know and fulfill their duties” (RGANI, 5-30-385, l. 109). One “duty” in the case of Soviet citizens was loyalty to the state and socialist discipline.
In conclusion, the endgame of the Trump administration’s “shock and awe” strategy is for US citizens to not protest or express dissent against the government’s interests for fear of their remaining rights being eroded without the courtesy of democratic norms. “Laws, of course, do not rule; people do,” Nathans writes. People rule. This is the fundamental truth of American democracy. The moment Americans forget this, society will be truly unfree.
(2) Reminisce. Go to the Dinosaur Farm, pay $13 for your middle school boba order at TeaMorrow, walk by your elementary school’s playground and peer in through the fence, but not in a creepy way. Hi Diana! Dismay the parents at Garfield Park by climbing on the dinosaur and eating dirt like you used to. Hi Alison! Hi Ethan!
(3) Go through your SPUSD Google Drive. Read your third grade South Pasadena project and the emoji-ridden, allcaps emails you sent to your friends during middle school homeroom. Hi Kristel! Once you are done, share your SPUSD password with the world, unless you’re like me and use it for just about every other website password, in which case, don’t. Hi Jayden!
(4) Dig out the box of your elementary school art projects. It’s probably under your bed covered in a layer of dust thicker than the pile of homework assignments you never did. You said you would do them eventually, but you caught a nasty case of senioritis in mid-January that left you incapacitated and confined to that very bed, able only to write fanfics and scroll on Zillow. Hi Helena! Hi Sonya!
(5) Scream back at the parrots. Make sure to one-up them. Hi Sebastian!
(6) Stop spending $10 on matcha every morning. Hi Evelyn! Hi Olivia! Ease into being a broke college student so you don’t pass out from caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Hi Emi!
(7) And finally, read the newspaper. Dig out the first issue of Tiger you contributed to, whether that be August 2025 or September 2022. If you didn’t save your old issues, begone. (Though you’ve made a grave mistake, you are lucky that there are extra copies in the darkroom that were spared from the mold, visibly at least.) Laugh at your dramatic ledes and overly intellectual (sesquipedalian) vocabulary. But also be proud of how you’ve grown as a writer, or illustrator, or photographer, or page designer, or whatever the heck else you are.
Cheers to the seniors. I will miss you and wish you the best out there.
SEBASTIAN GUTIERREZ
This TAAGLAA was originally intended to be coauthored. Ethan and I argued over what percentage of this article we were going to split in the skinny rows of Old Town Pasadena’s Blick supply store, lined with shelves of hanging art supplies and carefully labeled fountain pens.
We’d strayed into the supply store while waiting for Diana; Alison had picked up Kristel, Emi, Helena, and me, and we’d run into Sebastian (who arrived via motorized unicycle) and Ethan outside of Blick. I lost the authorship argument pretty immediately, and spent the rest of our time in Blick taking half-hearted notes in my iPhone notes app. Our main goal was the retro arcade Neon. Neon’s a storefront in Old Town stocked with over 40 games from the 80s and 90s; you pay for admission at the door and then get unlimited plays within their collection.
We spotted QBert, Super Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Fix it Felix, Galaga, and dozens of other 90s favorites. Recently, they’ve also installed some flat screen TVs that are hooked up to Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart. The entire storefront was dimly lit; flashing video game screens and soft LEDs provided ambient light that cast shadows over the slightly sticky floors and wall paneling. Sebastian had orchestrated a leveraged ticket buy-out through Groupon,
so we were waiting for Diana to arrive before we attempted to piece together admission. As we waited, I pitched (and was immediately shot down from) a Scientology speed run. Funnily enough, the Old Town Church of Scientology is directly across the street from both Blick and Neon, and the door handles were still affixed to the entrance, suggesting they had yet to be adequately terrorized by local youth. Diana arrived a couple minutes later, and we huddled in a clump outside of the Blick storefront, rigging up Zelle and Apple Cash transfers to pay Sebastian back for his ticket purchases. After we’d ironed that out, he led us into the arcade, where we got fitted with bright yellow wristbands labeled with our two-hour time slot.
I used to go to Neon frequently when I was a kid. It was my family’s favorite pre-pandemic spot, before COVID made the idea of handling public-shared videogame joysticks all a bit nauseating. I’d packed a spray hand sanitizer in my jacket pocket and resolved not to touch my eyes or my face for the entire block, so hopefully (for the rest of SPHS) we avoided any semblance of Hantavirus. We mostly split up throughout Neon, spreading out to play games. Seb won a few rounds of Galaga, Emi set a new PacMan highscore (as we would all hear about for the next six hours), Helena killed us in Super Smash Bros, Kristel vastly outpaced us in Mario Kart, and Emi and I failed out of a police academy simulator. The video games easily sucked up around two hours; as our time block drew to a close, I perched on the back of a sofa and watched a cutthroat game of Mario Kart while scrolling through Instagram reels (I’ve had the app for three days and have already developed an addiction).
The menu was shown on a lit-up television at the front of the shop, where we all gathered in front of and squinted before ordering. The workers behind the counter looked vaguely alarmed at the flood of chatty teenagers; perhaps we did achieve a speed run, after all. I ended up getting a Wintermelon juice (try it now, your life will change) and sipped on Emi’s passionfruit drink (also very good!). Kristel and Diana got cute novelty drinks in the tea house’s signature plastic bottles, and we oohed and aahed while Emi took a photo.
Overall, our Old Town adventure (while severely lacking a possible Tom Cruise sighting) was a great way to spend the senior TAAGLA. It’s still a bit surreal to be writing this, knowing that we’re all going to be graduating soon, but I’m grateful I was able to spend this time with such fantastic, passionate, and motivated people. High school passes by in a blur — it’s important to go have fun. Have a day in Old Town for Tiger Newspaper. Tell us of your adventures!
1) Tiger students waiting for a table at cheesecake factory.
2) Ethan Kwak plays basketball style arcade game.
3) Neon Retro Arcade features over 40 “oldschool” arcade games and pinball machines.
4) Helena Easterby winning MarioKart arcade GP
5) Tiger students play PacMan on pub table style machine
6) Neon currently features a pinball machine by Marvel’s Uncanny X-Men.
Once we wrapped up at Neon, we all headed to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. We made our way through the provided brown bread quickly, sipping on ice water (student budget!) and discussing general happenings within our lives. I got a chicken katsu bowl and stole a good half of Seb’s fries, who’d set himself up for it by sitting down to my left. Somehow, we racked up a tab of over 200 dollars and had to once again engage in Zelle and Apple Cash Tetris to pay back Sebastian, who put his credit card down for the bill. Our final stop of the TAAGLAA was Jin Tea, my favorite place in Old Town. The inside of the 1 2 3 4 5 6
SPHS seniors sign off with advice for underclassmen through a Tiger survey.
STORY LEIGHTON KWOK
ILLUSTRATION KRISTEL HOUNG
As the end of the 2025-26 school year nears, Tiger Newspaper asked graduating seniors for advice to underclassmen via a Google Form. These were some of the notable responses that were shared, edited for grammar or clarity.
What is something that you wish you had known at the beginning of freshman year?
“At the beginning of freshman year, I wish I knew how important it was to stay present in the moment and not rush ahead.” -Marlowe Arrieta
“Don’t sweat the stuff you can’t change. If a teacher won’t change your grade, stop worrying. On the flip side, always advocate for yourself.” -Gwyneth Daley
What is something that you didn’t expect or wished you could change from your time in high school?
“I did not expect to be brought so far out of my shell. High school has been such an amazing experience, allowing me to find so many people and things that I love and cherish.” -Sophia Allen
“Growing and changing as a person is good! Sometimes you don’t expect things to work out the way they do, but it’s still good for you.” -Chloe Lee
“I wish I had said yes to things more often! I spent a lot of time alone at home out of certain fears, which hindered my ability to experience high school to the fullest.” -Annie Demaine
How did you overcome times when you felt overwhelmed or discouraged?
“I try to reassure myself that, ‘I can do it’ or that ‘things will be okay,’ even if I don’t fully believe it. Fake it ‘til you make it.” -Esther Roh
“Taking care of yourself is important, so mental health days are helpful to take a break and reflect.” -Laura Whang
Advice for freshmen
“Choose classes based on your interests in them, instead of what grade you think you’d get taking them. The knowledge you get from classes you are genuinely interested in is way more beneficial for the future than merely getting the score you wanted without retaining any of the work.” -Joshua Schottelkorb
“Experience high school to its fullest potential, and don’t be afraid to try new things, whether that be classes, sports, or clubs.” -Sophia Yan
Advice for sophomores
“Sophomore slump is real, [so] learn to take breaks, especially when classes are becoming more challenging.” -Baylen Orchard
“Be kind to everyone, you never know who you’ll meet or how much someone needs it.” -Jasper Heathfield
Advice for juniors
“If you feel like you’re friends with someone because you have to be or feel like an outsider in your friend group, then that friendship sucks. Real friendships should be natural. If you notice that some of your other friends are super welcoming, go to them; don’t wait or feel pressured to stay. Put yourself first!”-Aislinn Meza
“Balance your school and social life so that the transition isn’t overwhelming and studying doesn’t consume you. Work hard on the weekdays so you feel confident in enjoying the weekend as a reward.” -Nico Watford-Edelson
Advice for incoming seniors
“It’s good to have people you trust read and suggest changes for your college essays, but if you think any of the suggestions don’t make it feel like your essay, don’t listen. Make sure the colleges you apply to are ones you like and want to go to, not what your friends or parents want. It’s your life!” -Madeline Cherkis-Bray
“Take in the limited time you have in high school, time will come and go. It is your senior year; you won’t be able to experience it again. Do something new or that you have been wanting to do, but never had the chance, as long as you can handle it.” -Esther Roh
STORY MIRIAM ELGHEFARI
PHOTO LUCINDA ERNST
During the Hartsough assembly, held this year on May 1, SPHS faculty were presented with a range of awards in commemoration of their achievements. The Harold Hartsough award is arguably one of the most prestigious awards. The Hartsough Award is named after Harold Hartsough, a South Pasadena administrator, counselor, and teacher for well over 30 years.
The award honors a faculty member who excels in their dedication to bettering the community at SPHS.
The winner of this year’s Harold Hartsough award was Shane Mills. Currently, Mills teaches Math Analysis and Math 2+, working with students from every grade and dedicating time and effort towards them.
Mills told Tiger that his journey to teaching started as a highschooler himself. “I loved high school. I just had such a wonderful time … [filled with] growth and excitement. I wanted to be a part of that for future kids going forward and make their high school experience as enjoyable as mine was.”
The “quaint, small-town vibe” of South Pasadena was of interest to Mills, who began teaching here in 2002. His journey to teaching at SPHS began quite some years earlier.
“I actually lived in South Pasadena years before I taught here and just completely fell in love with the town… it’s kind of picturesque.”
His choice of teaching mathematics came from a personal appreciation of the subject and a realization that most people struggled with learning and applying it.
He strives to build connections within his classroom through short-group discussions and often encourages students to share tidbits of their own during class.
“So I think other than cultivating math, I do try to cultivate community,” Mills said. “That’s a big focus for me. Whether that’s just casually talking about weekends or whether that’s small group problem solving. I like that freedom to just have conversations go wherever, sometimes in the context of academics, sometimes not… I like that connection.”
Alongside teaching math, Mills also sponsors several clubs. He noted the consistency of a few in particular: Interact Club, Young Life Club, and Animal Care Club.
Interact Club students often organize fundraisers and community service to give back to the community.
They have a motto, “Service Above Self” which they are dedicated towards.
Shayan Ameri, a senior and member of Interact Club, spoke highly of Mills. “Mr. Mills is a great teacher. He definitely enjoys giving back to the community and without his help, we could not have done as much as we did.”
Part of his many duties, Mills also organizes the SPHS chapter of the California Scholarship Federation.
Also known as CSF, the chapter provides scholarships and
recognition of academic achievements and community service for certain students that apply. Two years ago, Mills began working as the sophomore class advisor. Several students have worked alongside him in ASB. Senior Adelaide Bertolina, who was previously sophomore class president said, “He came to a plethora of events… even if he didn’t need to. He’s always there supporting everyone, and he was super kind and supportive in our process.”
Mills has made a lasting impact on his students and the community at SPHS.
His consistent dedication toward his students and involvement in many SPHS clubs and activities show how the award is undoubtedly well-deserved.
Students express their appreciation for coaches at SPHS.
STORY ANNA MCDONNELL
PHOTO HELENA EASTERBY
As SPHS reaches the end of the school year and sports seasons, athletes show their appreciation to coaches who have made a positive impact on their teams’ athletic journeys. For sports with preseasons and postseasons, coaches show up to train the students every day, and help them overcome every athletic challenge they are faced with.
Throughout difficult seasons or games, coaches need ways to motivate their athletes to try their best and keep pushing. Sophomore varsity badminton player Justin Jee highlighted his coach, Tony Liu, and Liu’s motivational words before a match: “Always believe there is a chance to win.”
She tells me that I’m a good person, I’m a good student, and if I have one bad competition, it doesn’t mean anything about who I am. “ ”
- ELIZABETH ROSENBERG
Senior Anna Kowal has just completed her fourth year of track, and her second year on varsity. For the past two years, Kowal has worked with coach Shevon
Nieto, a former Olympian who coaches the SPHS varsity sprinters.
Nieto’s athletes report how she always puts her energy and effort into them, which has come through in her team’s mindset after a race. After a bad race or practice, Kowal said that she always feels supported, and that nothing ever feels like the end of the world when Shevon is there. In the fall, Kowal will attend Johns Hopkins University as a track recruit.
“I wouldn’t still be doing this sport if it wasn’t for her. I definitely wouldn’t be running in college if it wasn’t for her, [so] I owe it all to her,” Kowal said.
Fostering a capable athlete is strongly dependent on the support they receive throughout their careers. For high school athletes, one of the most important things they should remember is that they are more than a loss or a win. Deb Vogel is SPHS’s throwing coach, an inspiration for the throwers, and someone who embodies this belief.
“[After a bad competition, Vogel] tells me to brush it off, and that I have a lot of things going for me other than this,” senior shotputter and discus thrower Elizabeth Rosenberg said. “She tells me that I am a good person, I am a good student, and if I have one bad competition, it does not mean anything about who I am.”
This type of support is vital for student-athletes, and Vogel delivers it in a way that lifts her athletes up.
“She is definitely an inspiration to me; she helps me with consistency and how to practice, and [she] always makes sure that I enjoy what I’m doing,” Rosenberg said.
“ ”
You can be nervous for a race, but don’t let the nerves take you out of [it] ... it’s your race, [so] don’t let it take it away from you.
- ANNA KOWAL
The stress of a competition can affect an athlete’s performance, but both Shevon and Vogel take great strides to ensure their athletes feel confident and ready.
“She always tells me to trust my training and that I’ve done this a million times, so just do the same thing in competition,” Rosenberg said. Kowal added, “You can be nervous for a race, but don’t let the nerves take you out of the race [or] ruin your race, it’s your race, [so] don’t let it take it away from you.”
Liu, Nieto, and Vogel shape their school for the better and inspire student-athletes to push themselves in fields they are passionate about. From incoming freshmen to graduating seniors, SPHS sports teams continue to demonstrate compassion and resolve.
STORY HARRIET GODSON
Senior AB Hernandez is a transgender track and field athlete from Jurupa Valley High School, which is located about an hour drive away from SPHS. Her high performance at CIF Southern Section preliminaries and finals in the spring of 2025 led to serious scrutiny toward both CIF and Hernandez herself. Protesters began filling up the stands where fans usually sit, wearing shirts reading “protect women’s sports” and “XX only,” an anti-transgender slogan referencing female chromosomes. These protesters have followed Hernandez throughout her 2026 season, attending her meets and heckling from the crowd.
As this situation garnered more attention, CIF set in place a policy that allowed an additional athlete to qualify for the next round of CIF and specifically share the podium with a transgender athlete. CIF’s intention was to mitigate criticism from the public and the Trump administration, who alleged that having a transgender athlete compete takes away opportunities from cisgender women.
However, the internet remains split over the policy. Many online critics have a fundamental belief that transgender women should be entirely excluded from
women’s sports. Mainstream supporters of this include Riley Gaines, a proponent of the XX-XY athletics organization, and 2026 California gubernatorial candidate conservative Steve Hilton, who is a noted Trump supporter. Conversely, those who believe that transgender women should have a right to compete in women’s sports disagree with this policy. This camp believes that forcing Hernandez to share the podium not only invalidates her win but also invalidates her gender identity. Furthermore, CIF’s new policy appears more placating than logistical. Adding another athlete to an event such as the 100-meter would be impossible. This “fix” seems to be an act to appease the Trump administration rather than create a long-term solution.
Following Hernandez’s standout performance at CIF, President Trump threatened to cut federal funding to California if it continued to permit transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports.
Trump took to Truth Social to attack Hernandez, commenting, “As a male, he was a less-than-average competitor. As a female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable.” Trump went on to argue the unfairness of this situation, despite the accommodations that CIF had put in place.
California Governor Newsom has recently departed from his previously inclusive ideology, calling transgender women participating in women’s sports “deeply unfair.” This rare instance of Newsom aligning with the Trump administration could possibly represent a larger shift of liberal politicians to a more conservative interpretation of gender-inclusive policies.
Despite the fact that Hernandez has been at the center of national controversy and the target of a political campaign against transgender athletes, she has faced all of this backlash with a smile and refused to let it affect her performance. Hernandez won multiple championships in both the 2025 and 2026 seasons, and took on CIF Southern section preliminaries on Saturday, May 9, placing first in long jump, triple, and high jump and securing her spot to finals in all three events.
Furthermore, although Hernandez frequently has to deal with heckling, protesters, and the unwanted attention of major political figures, she shared with the San Francisco Chronicle that, “the support [I received] was intense … [my competitors at state championships] made my experience perfect. I will be forever grateful for them.”
Tiger collected survey responses from 180 of the 431 graduating seniors in the Class of 2026. Seniors were given their option to include their name in the spread. The survey asked seniors about their post-graduation plans and compiled data about their geographic location and intended major for college-bound graduates.
(Intended Major)
Beatrix Aboud UC Davis (Civil Engineering)
Sophia Allen UC Irvine (Environmental Science)
Shayan Ameri USC (Human Biology)
Gopal Amissah Cal Poly Pomona (Hospitality Management)
Marlowe Arrieta Trinity College (Neuroscience)
Mason Asakura University of Pennsylvania (Health Policy)
Alexander Ballesteros PCC (Real Estate)
Jackson Bangar Cal Poly Humboldt (Forestry)
June Barthelemy Undecided (Theatre)
Willow Baughman Cal State Fullerton (Kinesiology)
Liam Baum Brigham Young University (Economics)
Audrey Berkobien Hobart and William Smith Colleges (History, Media and Society)
Adelaide Bertolina Boston College (Political Science)
Allyson Bishop UC Santa Barbara (Financial Mathematics)
Revelie Brick CSU Long Beach (Communications)
Juliana Brown Colorado College (Political Science)
Elleina Caine University of Edinburgh (Philosophy, Politics)
Vaughn Tyrone Carigma PCC (Engineering)
Joseph Carney UC Davis (Animal Biology)
Joaquin Cervantes University of Nevada (Spanish)
Hanson Chan University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Civil Engineering)
Madison Chan Baylor University (Bioinformatics)
Cinbie Chang Fordham University (Sociology)
Aidan Chavez Cornell University (Civil Engineering)
Brian Chen Cal Poly Pomona (Electrical Engineering)
Isaac Chen UC Riverside (Accounting)
Eileen Chen UC Los Angeles (Biochemistry)
ChangSheng Chen UC Santa Barbara (Electrical Engineering)
Madeline Cherkis-Bray Smith College (English, Creative Writing)
Racquel Dominguez
Diana Du
PCC (Law)
Beach City College (Nursing)
(Pre-biology) Helena Easterby
(Robotics Engineering Technology) Emiko Essmiller
(Asian American Studies) Audrey Estanislao
Berkeley (Computer Science)
(Sound Engineering)
(Business Economics)
(Political Science)
(Economics)
(Environmental Science) Xuntao Gu UC Davis (Undecided)
Bryce Hanson Undecided (Undecided)
Abbie Hillman Cornell University (Architecture)
Troy Hirunpidok-Clark Occidental College (Cognitive Science)
Catelyn Hodson Tufts University (Electrical Engineering)
Naya Holden UC Los Angeles (Biochemistry)
Colorado
Top five most attended colleges in SPHS’s Class of 2026 1. Pasadena City College
2. UC Santa Cruz 3. UC Los Angeles 4. UC San Diego
5. University of Southern California 56% in state 44% out of state Virginia Tennessee
(Intended Major)
Riverside (Environmental Science)
Santa Cruz (Astrophysics)
San Diego (Chemical Engineering)
University of Pittsburgh (Nursing)
Pacific University (Nursing)
University (Fiber Science)
Lawrence College (Undecided)
Los Angeles (Nursing)
University of Michigan (Sociology of Health and Medicine)
Princeton University (English)
Los Angeles (Biology) (Anthropology)
San Diego (Cinematic Arts)
University of Pennsylvania (Undecided)
Pomona (Electromechanical Engineering)
University of Technology (Architecture)
University (Biomedical Sciences)
Stanford University (Physics)
Purchase (Creative Writing)
(Fire Technology)
University of San Francisco (Nursing)
Chico Islands (Nursing) (Philosophy)
Georgia Tech (Computer Science)
College (Theatre, Biology) (Business) First
Emma Matsubayashi UC Santa Cruz (Sociology)
Maggie McDonald UC Santa Barbara (Political Science)
Aislinn Meza USC (Art & Cinema Studies)
Ricardo Montes UC Santa Cruz (Economics)
Abbey Montgomery UC Berkeley (Environmental Science)
Evan Morales UC Los Angeles (Undeclared Life Sciences)
Isabelle Mullican UC Davis (Business)
Tara Murray Yale University (Undecided)
Graham Nickerson-Custer Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Mechanical Engineering)
Maya Oniciuc Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Electrical Engineering)
Noah Park UC Berkeley (English)
Adrian Paz San Francisco State University (Kinesiology)
Mailani Ramos-Platt Grinnell College (Biology)
Nico Rettig
University of Washington (Economics)
Lauren Roach UC San Diego (History)
Samuel Rodak UC San Diego (Chemical Engineering)
Esther Roh Undecided (Biology)
Zoe Rusch UC Santa Cruz (Politics)
James Ryan ArtCenter (Entertainment Design, Animation)
Joshua Schottelkorb Azusa Pacific University (Psychology)
Alison Schrader Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (History)
Lilith Shaffer Chapman University (Animation & Visual Effects)
Claire Shanley Tulane University (Business Management)
Sonya Shimpock Bryn Mawr College (Biology, Philosophy)
Eric Shiroishi University of Virginia (Political Philosophy, Policy, & Law)
Baron Shroff
UC Santa Cruz (Biology)
First Name Last Name Plans (Intended Major)
Dylan Shugg Seattle University (Accounting)
Yuan Si PCC (Undecided)
Mia Sirota Occidental College (Music)
Eva Stephenson UC Berkeley (Molecular Biology)
Ky'Mani Thompson Louisiana State University (Political Science)
Kai Tilley USC(Astronautical Engineering)
Amelia Tran UC Los Angeles (Human Biology & Society)
Gihan Van Kerkhove UC Santa Barbara (Chemical Engineering)
Rose Vandevelde Tufts University (Biochemistry)
Leila Wahbe UC Santa Cruz (Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology)
Julianna Wai University of Aberdeen (Business Management)
Preston Wai UC Irvine (Undecided)
Nico Watford-Edelson Columbia University (Film & Media)
Roman Whitmore-Vossler Elite Junior Hockey
Zenaida Williams University of Miami (Psychology)
Viviana Williams Cornell University (Industrial & Labor Relations)
Tendo Williams Tufts University (Civil Engineering)
Emery Wise PCC (Kinesiology)
Woody Wu University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Computer Science)
Sophia Yan PCC (Education)
Justin Yu PCC (Kinesiology)
Ayden Yusuf UC Davis (Biomedical Engineering)
Vera Zapata PCC (Biology)
Zachary Zhang Pomona College (Undecided)
Wings Zhang Princeton University (Astrophysical Sciences)
Audrey Zheng UC Berkeley (Business Administration)
As their high school art careers come to a close, SPHS seniors are continuing art at the collegiate level. Tiger presents ten seniors who are looking forward to perfecting their skills in college.
ART AND CINEMA University of Southern California
ANIMATION AND VISUAL EFFECTS Chapman University
ABIGAIL HILLMAN ARCHITECTURE Cornell University
STUDIO/VISUAL ART Cal Poly Humboldt
GRAPHIC DESIGN Pasadena City College
MUSIC PERFORMANCE
University of California Los Angeles
ENTERTAINMENT DESIGN ANIMATION ArtCenter College of Design
DOMINIK LOHEED CREATIVE WRITING SUNY Purchase
CINEMATIC ARTS
University of California San Diego
MIA SIROTA MUSIC PRODUCTION Occidental College
Some SPHS seniors are looking to continue their athletic career in college. Tiger presents 11 seniors who have committed to play their sport at the collegiate level.
STORY & ILLUSTRATIONS JAYDEN ZUMBA
Ihave a terrible memory. Or maybe memory is just soft, like fog that can’t stay in one shape. Or maybe I do just have a bad memory.
I reach back sometimes. Not whole scenes, just pieces: a song, Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day. The purple lock I kept on my locker, always messing up the code, my name that looked like scribbles trying to write in cursive.
School, it was years upon years, moments stacked too fast, like pages I didn’t realize were turning.
And I don’t want this to be a cliché. I don’t want it to sound like “look how far I’ve come,” but maybe it is that, quietly, without trying to be.
I’m 18, standing in a doorway I didn’t notice forming, one foot still in routine, in bells, in deadlines, the other already stepping into something I can’t name yet.
It feels like I’m a kid again, looking at a world too big for my hands. Funny, my hands are bigger now. I only just noticed.
Time creeps up like that, quiet, patient, pretending it isn’t changing everything.
I was scared to leave or maybe just used to staying.
But I’m here now, at the end of one long race and at the beginning of another I didn’t train for.
And still, I’m ready. Not a loud I’m ready, just… ready, deep somewhere under everything.
School wasn’t just school. It was becoming. It was breaking and building, and then becoming again. People came and went, teaching me something valuable, maybe without even realizing. I know I’ll still cherish the classrooms I passed through. Mr. Ketchum’s room, always feeling lighter somehow, walls filled with memes and references that made the days feel less heavy. Mr. Modarres and the updates on his hard work, a house he was building, constructing piece by piece. Mrs. Budd, with her shelves of animal specimens and the care she had for living ones too. Each teacher taught me lessons without ever saying them out loud.
And I think I’ll keep it, not perfectly, not cleanly, just in fragments that I won’t forget.
STORY & ILLUSTRATION KRISTEL HOUNG
Mourning my childhood is something I do unhealthily often. So often, in fact, that it has unintentionally become a part of my routine. The thoughts come without formalities, whether it be during a late school night or a blazing summer day; they come in the form
of gut-wrenchingly familiar scents and sad tiktoks with users who share the same sentiment. If you’re a chronic reminiscer, you probably get what I’m saying. The past is something I have proven time and time again that I can not let go, and despite the popular advice of “moving on” I have come to terms with my inability to do just that.
I turned 18 this year, and already I am inconsolable. I am a constant target for “unc” jokes, and the realization of life getting real haunts me. All of that big talk from fifth-grade Kristel about wanting to become an adult now sings a taunting melody in my mind.
Most of my time at my elementary school — Marengo, the best — was spent hitting tetherballs and climbing the dome. It was where I both lost and gained a best friend, where I cried to Ms. Jill about stomach aches, and where I became one of the leading singers for Bruno Mars’s Count on Me during fifth grade promotion. Things like anxiety and worries ceased to exist here. It was both a place where I started to learn English, and where I promoted with a higher than average reading level (definitely lost that in highschool). Marengo built the foundational blocks of my life, and it is a place I will forever hold near and dear to my heart.
Middle school brought on a whole plethora of questions to me — more classes, more hours, and more homework. Sixth grade passed with a blur — then COVID hit. It was a disaster for the world, but a utopia for me. The internet became my obsession with apps like TikTok reeling in my
curious adolescent brain. My zoom meeting attendance was halfbaked at best and nonexistent at worst. Though, even with the lack of in-person socialization, I truly believe that the time I spent in quarantine was one of, if not the happiest time of my life. Back then, I had no issue with expressing myself the way I wanted to, and it was freeing. I can’t say I don’t miss it. Some nights, I like to keep the window open. Something about the smell of cool evenings brings a wave of nostalgia.
And of course, high school. If I had to repeat it all over again, I lowkirkenuinely think I would just give up immediately. My years at South Pasadena High School may have moved quickly, but your perception of time really changes when you’re actually experiencing it. That said, I will forever appreciate the time I spent here for the last four years of my youth — I couldn’t envision spending it anywhere else with any other people.
Growing up here has been a journey. It’s thanks to those around me that I’ve had an amazing four years in high school, a fascinating three in middle school, and an unforgettable six in elementary. Thank you to my teachers who have inspired me — Ms. Athalye, Mr. Afram, and Ms. Pearson; thank you to my bestest friends — Katie, Kim, Chloe, and Lizzy; and thank you to Tiger
I hope to make my time in college even more memorable with a new setting and new people, afterall, “youth is never coming back but the best is yet to come.”
STORY & ILLUSTRATION DIANA LOPEZ
If I were to interview myself four years ago at the beginning of my freshman year, I’d remember the anxiety I felt entering this school. I was afraid of the upperclassman, my future, but most importantly, other people’s perceptions of me. One of my goals as I entered high school was to “not be cringe,” or express myself in any way that would be seen as weird. As I was entering high school, I remember not looking at my middle school memories fondly, but with disgust; I thought of how embarrassing it was that the reason I got into art was because of my Hamilton phase, how weird it was that I watched anime and read manga, or listened to Kpop. I hid that part of me my freshman year; it was mostly kept to myself, except for and the few close friends I kept around me.
A lot has changed since then. Just yesterday, as I’m writing this, my friends and I drove to Taco Bell while blasting Nonstop from Hamilton and all shouting the lyrics with the windows down.
Obviously, it took a while to get to this point. Freshman Diana wouldn’t even dream about doing something like that, out of fear of being judged and mocked.
Now, as a senior, I watch many of my peers go through this same experience. I remember listening to two freshmen in front of me laughing and talking about how embarrassing it is to be a middle schooler; how pathetic they are for liking the things and acting the way they do. I see the people in my grade do this as well, making fun of
underclassmen for doing or expressing themselves in any way that’s seen as weird.
Being fully transparent, I’m guilty of this as well. I can’t help but see someone do something outlandish and side-eye them a little. But another part of me is slightly jealous. I truly believe that it takes an immense amount of courage for a person to freely express their interests, even those that seem “weird” in front of their peers, and to act without fear of what others think of them.
If I could give any freshman, including past Diana a piece of advice, it’d be to express myself however I felt like it. Many times, it feels easier to hide parts of yourself in order to fit in, to hide the fact that you like something, or avoid trying new opportunities out of fear of being made fun of. But at the end of the day, by living in fear you prevent yourself from so many opportunities, so many new friends, so many experiences. Isn’t it better to know what has happened rather than dwelling on “what-ifs”?
As my time in high school passed, I’ve slowly gotten better at overcoming this fear of being judged by others and have tried to take advantage of any new opportunities that have presented themselves. My junior year, I joined Tiger (something I was initially afraid to do), and this year alone, I have done so many things I never would’ve dreamed of in my freshman year. If you told freshman year Diana that she was an illustrator for the school newspaper, had produced for the musical this year, and she was not in fact going to pursue art in college, she probably wouldn’t believe you. She’d be even more shocked (and probably
mortified) at the way I act and express myself towards my friends and peers. But despite her fear and anxiety, I’d reassure her that the way I express myself now and the people I surround myself with has never felt so freeing.
So sure, freshman Diana, tease me all you want, but while you jeer and laugh, I’ll be gladly and proudly singing to Hamilton on my way to Taco Bell with my friends.
STORY EVELYN DIAZ ILLUSTRATION OWEN HOU
Growing up, I always enjoyed writing. I loved writing mini stories and writing things I’m passionate about. Going into my sophomore year of high school I knew I wanted to do something more with writing.
My great friend in Tiger, Sophie Mertzel, told me I could express and practice my writing in Tiger Newspaper. I felt kinda intimidated because Tiger Newspaper has so many great writers — I felt my writing was nowhere near that level. But I decided to apply and hope for the best.
When I found out I got into Tiger Newspaper, I was excited but also nervous. I remember hoping my writing is just as good as others. When I entered Tiger, the environment just felt right. Being a part of the process of the school newspaper, and being part of the behind the scenes is so fun.
Being in Tiger Newspaper has taught me so much, not just in the writing department
STORY MIRIAM ELGHEFARI ILLUSTRATION JAYDEN ZUMBA
As my time at SPHS comes to an end, I have experienced strong waves of nostalgia quite often. I am reminded of each era by things such as smells, sounds, and places. Each time a wave of nostalgia hits, I cannot forget it. It follows me like a cloud, one of bittersweet feelings and memories. Despite these feelings and my worries of stepping into the unknown, I look back on my high school career with pride, and look ahead to the future with excitement.
I moved to South Pasadena halfway through freshman year. At my old school, I felt trapped. I was in need of fresh air, desperate for a new environment. South Pasadena was everything I could’ve hoped for. I made friends (and lost some, too). My teachers were kind, and I adjusted well. Some of the very people I met freshman year are my closest friends today. Freshman year was marked with cloudy weather, both literally and figuratively. I am reminded of freshman year every time I pass by Mr. Chi’s classroom, spend time in the 900s on rainy days, or catch a whiff of the small gym.
I fell short my sophomore year. I struggled with motivation, and I was
further impacted by personal events. I regained my strength thanks to my family — my mom, especially. I have her to thank for the woman I am today. I am taken back to sophomore year every time I listen to Thinking Bout You by Frank Ocean, stumble upon my pair of faded light wash jeans from Urban Outfitters, or pass by the 400s building (thank you, Ms. Fuentes!).
During the middle of junior year, the Eaton Fire took my childhood home from me. Seeing ashes where my bedroom once stood was jarring. All I had left were memories. Nevertheless, I persevered. The Altadena community, my family, and my friends came together during that time. I will forever be grateful for the support I received, and I will always remember the kindness I was shown. The rest of my junior year was great, and I ended the year on a high note. I was excited for senior year, but sad to leave. Junior year is brought to me by the memory of Mr. Regan’s classroom (and his many brightly colored hats), the smell of the slightly burnt turf in the quad, and a scenic pass-through of Altadena.
My senior year has been incredible. I have become close with so many people, felt certain in who I am as a person, and am prepared for adulthood. As the year has
but within myself. It’s help me discover how else I can further my writing. I have always been shy about voicing my opinions and proving my thoughts but being in Tiger has taught me to amplify my voice on writing my opinions, sharing my best interests, and not be afraid of putting my writing out there.
Tiger Newspaper feels like a safe space where I can be myself. I enjoy being in the dark room in the classroom, airpods in, and working on my articles in peace or just enjoying the time I have for myself just to recollect.
Being in my second year in Tiger I have made closer connections with Miriam Elghefari and Olivia Chin where we would just be sitting in the dark room talking about our lives and just having our own fun. I’m so glad I have spent my last two years of high School in Tiger
It has felt such a privilege and I can’t wait for my next chapter in my life to continue.
While my
STORY HELENA EASTERBY ILLUSTRATION KRISTEL HOUNG
Iremember when senior Maddy Madrigal last year titled her farewell after an Abba song, so every time I think of that song, I think of her. Thanks Maddy, we miss you. At the end of middle school, I was originally confused on what my “path” in high school was going to be. I had just gotten rejected as a staff writer, and really no other electives or classes had anything to do with videography. I applied my sophomore year and got in for videography, which introduced me to everyone.
I am really glad I stuck with Tiger, because it gave me these bonds that I’ll treasure forever. Thank you Emi for somehow convincing managing to add me to staff. Diana, thank you for clocking every stupid decision I’ve ever made. Kristel, your desire for reading my stories inspires me, and no, you will not have access. Sebastian, thanks for the food, but that doesn’t mean my dad will talk to you. Thank you, Ethan, for providing your feminist insights and literature. Thank you, Alison, for being a star in my work and life. I know I’m in debt from every ride you’ve given me… but it’s not my fault the gas prices are so high! But Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics (and Steven Universe) has taught me that I can make a change, so I’m voting Alison in 2030! Carry that flute to victory!
Mac, Ruby, Isabella, Rafa, Lanah, Leighton, Lucinda, Claire, Gavin and Owen: Thank you for being great friends with me during this class. You all have bright futures ahead of you, and I love y’all equally. I’m still and always up for hotpot. And now, for a cumulative ranking of my high school years:
Freshman year: 6.5/10 — This year was a blur for me. I mostly remember playing Minecraft though! To all those who were on any server with me, I’m sorry for trying to tax you all.
Taxing and minecraft do not mix. Plus, shoutout everyone in Leung’s seventh period! You all made it worth it.
Sophomore year: 9/10 — My friend group and I used to sit in a corner until one day, someone on Brawlstars told me they thought I changed schools! Eye opener. Shout out to my group in Cutler and Modarres. Also, shoutout to Mr. Murray for being the only person in this school who enjoys The Killers.
Junior year: 5/10 — Sometimes I think, “I wish I could go back to APUSH and the SAT,” but then I shake my head in horror upon realizing I’d even consider going through that. SAT warriors, Khan Academy is your best friend. Memorize Desmos. And do NOT do that SAT tutoring summer classes that College Board gives. Go to bed at nine p.m. the entire week before the day of the test, and WAKE UP EARLY. Your score WILL improve. Thank you, Madeline, for waking up early every morning to study for APUSH. I wouldn’t be able to force myself to study without you. But, Junior year did have a good side. I joined Tiger and produced for the musical! Yay! Harper, Ethan, Mason, Catalina, Ramonda, and Elliot, I won’t forget 5/6 Honors. You guys made that class so much better!
Senior year: 9.5/10 — As I am actively writing this, I really cannot believe my high school years are over. Thank you to everyone who participated in my ASB videos as actors and endured my crazy ideas. Another shoutout to the album Hawaii: Part II, a banger album. Shoutout to Diana, we really did survive every class together. Shout out to my lunch group too! This year really made me realize that the best thing about school was the people.
Audrey and Harper, if it weren’t for you two, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I really didn’t know a lot of people after COVID-19, and you guys recruiting me into your TCN (And making Toby) group really made a difference. I know it was a long time ago, but I feel the need to give a little thanks to everyone I met in that class. Being able to bring my scripts and stories to life
I love you to the moon
STORY ALISON SCHRADER ILLUSTRATION LANAH KIM
High school was tough, but putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) about my experiences is not! There are so many groups of people that I need to thank, for shaping my highschool journey. Unfortunately my CC is limited so I can’t thank everyone, but even if your name isn’t mentioned I
Acknowledgement
STORY SOLANA SINGER
DIANA LOPEZ
ILLUSTRATION
I would like to thank the mulberry tree on the Meridian bridge over the 110. You’ve given me nourishment, shade, wonder; and as you’ve watched me walk into adulthood, I’ve watched you too.
Graduation is supposed to create a clean divide between before and after, yet I’m still waiting for any distinction to make itself visible in my perception of life after high school. At least right now, what I’ve been told is monumental feels ordinary. I should be just around the corner from some momentous self-realization, but instead I feel like all I’m doing is crossing the street. Crossing Meridian, walking toward the intersection with Grevelia, your fallen berries staining the sidewalk beneath my feet.
To be clear, I’m not trying to compare myself to you. Your continuity is what stands out to me. You exist quietly above
with the help of every animator and voice actor really swelled my love for scriptwriting. Audrey, thank you for writing with me. I hope we can treasure what we’ve done forever and collaborate sometime again in the future. All and all, high school has been an experience, and I’m excited for what’s to come. Over and in, last call for sin. While everyone’s lost, the battle is won, with all these things that I’ve done.
promise that I care about you immensely and you have truly made a positive impact on me. Feel free to skip around!
Dear marching band,
Thank you for being my second home. We had such a fantastic season this year, and I want to thank everyone who made that possible. Thank you to the woodwinds <3. The sergeant thing was new, but you guys were so fantastic and I’m so proud of everyone’s growth and skill displayed throughout the season. Thank you to my fellow seniors. It was a long journey but I’m so happy that we pulled through! You guys are some of the greatest people I’ve met, and it has been a gift to march with you all.
Dear winter guard,
Thank you for being such a welcoming and caring bunch. Many of you won’t read this, as you’re scattered across the state, but guard has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life, and I owe you all for it. Guard was never an activity I planned on joining, but after finding my place there, it felt like it was meant to be. To my fellow seniors, you guys have been incredible captains, and I’ve really enjoyed learning with you guys! To the underclassman, please stop trying to throw the triples, I don’t want you guys to get hurt. (Also fantastic for the season, and you guys are going to be amazing next year!) To Jojo, thank you for being such a fantastic friend. I love you so so much, and I’m truly going to miss you in college.
Dear Mean Girls,
Thank you guys for accepting me into your ranks. After my brief foray with Spamalot in the pit, I knew that I wanted to try my luck on stage. I ended up meeting so many new, excellent people and strengthening my older friendships. It was definitely a change of pace, from my usual extracurriculars, but the change was welcome. It was such a fun experience, and I will truly treasure the memories we made together.
Dear Tiger
,
Thank you guys for being such an amazing group. It has been such a pleasure to have met you all this year, and become so immersed in the life of a page designer. Graphic design
constant movement. Every afternoon you watch rush hour from above. Every summer your branches bloom with sweet red-purple berries.
Do you perceive distinctions between cars crawling at fifteen miles per hour versus those flying at fifty? Do your roots ache to loosen themselves from the dirt and be carried off by the current beneath them?
No, don’t answer; these questions don’t matter. You exist without needing epiphany. Traffic continues its forward motion beneath you, and I continue my forward motion beside you, approaching some distant exit in an uncertain number of miles.
What you’ve taught me is that transition isn’t always transformative. It can be continuous. Meaning has never come to me in dramatic revelations, and I think that’s okay. It’s softer than that, more natural, like sunlight diffused through mulberry leaves onto the sidewalk below.
was always something I enjoyed, but Tiger turned my hobby into a real skill. Thank you to Emi, who scouted me after my abysmal ASB run. Thank you to Jack Black for choosing us as your favorite paper! Tiger has become such an important part of my educational experience, and I’m so glad that you all have been there along the way.
Dear Gang,
Thank you guys for being my day 1s. It is rare to have a group of friends since freshman year, but I was lucky enough to be blessed with you guys. Thank you to Nora for being so amazing and funny, it was so nice to get to know you better this year. Thank you Sam for looking at me while I’m writing this, look away. I’m serious. Stop. (I love you <3) And thank you to Lily and Kaitlyn for always being there for me since kindergarten. I love you all and truly treasure our friendship.
Dear Harry Styles,
Thank you guys for being my friends. I love you all so so much, whether we’re screaming over the D&D table or crying over different shutdowns, I’ve always felt appreciated and supported. Thank you to Esther for being such a great son/ ap lit/chem buddy. You are such a caring person and I’m so glad you drew our teachers as fish. Thank you to Rumi for being a great friend and bandmate. While I definitely was gobsmacked when you showed up to band camp, I’m glad you stuck around. Thank you to Michelle for understanding my references, I would be here if someone else wasn’t as chronically online. Thank you to Madeline (my legal wife!) You’re such an amazing person and thank you for helping me create/level up Nero. Thank you to Helena for sticking by me ever since ymca volleyball. Your humor and intellect are always appreciated. Thank you to Audrey for being one of the kindest people I know. I love you so much and I can’t wait to see what marvel movie you star in next!
Dear Leila Wahbe,
Thank you for being my goat, and you definitely deserve an extra shoutout. Thank you for being such a great friend to me over the entire span of high school. You are such an incredible person, and I am truly honored to call you my friend.
STORY ETHAN KWAK
ILLUSTRATONS OWEN HOU & LANAH KIM
Ijoined Tiger as a freshman staff writer with the goal of becoming a better writer. I also hoped that joining Tiger would help me acclimate to a new school district. Thank you to Ms. Hames for welcoming me into Tiger and for being supportive throughout. Thank you to Ben for being someone I could look up to as an underclassman. As a sophomore, I served as News Editor. I wrote articles when there were no (willing) staff writers and walked the tightrope of last minute ad placements, articles that simply fell through, and online news beats. I became a better leader, and while I know I wasn’t perfect from the start, these lessons from the News section directly applied to my work as founding editor of Voice Box, the art and literary magazine at SPHS. I never expected that by junior year I’d be spending my time reading literary magazines, keeping several notebooks, or attending writing workshops to further my craft. Although I’m not going to become a journalist, I do plan on studying creative writing throughout college. Maybe my senior thesis will spawn a collection; nothing is certain. There’s nothing I fear more than somehow not being a writer. Right now, that seems impossible. I’m very grateful to spend my final year on Tiger as a columnist, and I’m very grateful to be a part of this community.
Listen here: edwintigerfarewell.carrd.co
1. We Are Real and 2. Pretty Eyes by the Silver Jews for Rafa: I felt that you’d appreciate the literary quality of the lyrics and the strange familiarity of Berman’s voice.
3. Roll Bus Roll by Jeffrey Lewis for Ash: This song rollicks like said bus on and on, forward. I love talking about music with you, and I will miss our conversations.
4. The Swimming Song by Loudon Wainwright III for Mac: O captain! My captain! (of the LA River Swim Team) I’ll miss you. Piggle-wiggle.
5. Pissin’ In the Wind by Jerry Jeff Walker for Mason: I’m so glad I know you. You’re a wonderful poet. Very few can do what you do so exquisitely and with such intent.
6. Soul by Songs: Ohia for Miles: Thanks for being the best Gov seat partner, LOTR-meme connoisseur, and Teen Poetry Exchange participant. I’ll see you soon in the Big Apple.
7. Everything is Free by Gillian Welch for Joon: I’m so excited to see you on the East Coast next year and catch up on all the art you’ve been working on!
8. Nothing is Easy by Jethro Tull for Gavin: You’re always so fun to be around, and I will miss hanging out with you in Tiger.
9. Right Back to It by Waxahatchee & MJ Lenderman
for Ruby: I can’t wait to observe (from afar) all the great things you accomplish on Tiger next year as Managing Editor.
10. Venus in the Zinnia by Aldous Harding for Lanah: [Ba weep graanah weep nini bong] I think you’re a fantastic artist with a solid sense of humor. Thank you for drawing me.
11. Penelope by Pinback for Sadie: Thank you for being the most wonderful treasurer and co-EIC of Voice Box. You are one of the most creative people I know.
12. Poop Ship Destroyer by Ween for Alison. What’s the MOTW? May you reign forever, Queen of BS.
13. The Man I’m Supposed to Be by Bill Callahan for Leo: I want to thank you for sticking with Voice Box since day 1. And for being the most responsible secretary. Ever.
14. Bloody Well Right by Supertramp for Rumi: A bloody good song for a bloody good musician.
15. Shoulder to the Wheel by Saves the Day for Owen: Before knowing you, I didn’t know about chikawas or the Fray. I’m glad I got to know you and Gavin better in Minneapolis.
16. Over My Head (Cable Car) by the Fray for Vaughn: I’m so glad I met you this semester. Thank you for playing guitar and sharing your music.
17. Aaron Burr, Sir for Helena: From a little known musical I think you’d enjoy.
18. Rock Bottom Riser by Smog for Silas: I’m glad I know you better as an artist and friend.
19. DREAM LIKE ME by Crowd Lu & The Black Skirts for
STORY OLIVIA CHIN
ILLUSTRATION LANAH KIM
Before I was a design editor, I was a page designer. The application for Tiger required design applicants to submit a “house-ad,” which is essentially a selfpromotional ad publications use to fill empty space. Unfortunately, however, freshman me wasn’t familiar with such newspaper terminology and didn’t bother looking it up.
So, I did what made sense at the time and designed a fake Pasadena house listing on my Chromebook.
The top half of the page read “FOR SALE” in a pretentious font, while the bottom featured a collage of real estate photography taken directly from Zillow. Exterior, interior, everything.
A week later, it finally dawned on me that I had misunderstood the instructions. But fortunately, Tiger
Leighton: My rival sibling.
20. Surrounded by Richard Buckner for Isabella: A melancholic song, but you listen to Elliott Smith, so I figured why not. Thank you for the whimsical gnome and for introducing me to Zoé. Follow @tigernewspaperspam on Instagram.
21. Wandering Star by Lucero for Michael: Even though you’ve passed on, the fact that we could have in-depth conversations about linguistics and poetics during AP Bio made my day.
22. Shake it Up by the Cars for Josh: I think if we had spirit songs instead of spirit animals yours would be incredibly catchy and danceable. I’m so glad to have gotten to know you better this year.
23. New Partner by Palace Music, for everyone I have met through writing. You are always on my mind.
is a publication that welcomes mistakes, and I received my acceptance email not long after.
I remember quickly becoming fond of graphic design. I spent time watching Adobe InDesign tutorials and experimenting with the different ways I could manipulate the software, from aligning columns to text wrap tools. There is something deeply satisfying about fixing tiny problems over and over again, but also drives me a little insane. That’s probably why I like it.
By senior year, I was less impressed by the process, mostly because it just became repetitive as an editor. Draw wireframes, clear InDesign files, image dimensions, resolve copy edits, export PDFs, and so on. But even at deadline, when my eyes hurt from staring at a computer screen, I’ve never stopped caring about the details.
Which is probably why I can’t really look at newspapers normally anymore. When I pick up another publication, my eyes don’t go to the headlines but instead to the awkward spacing or printing errors. I know that makes me sound obnoxiously critical, but after years of working on layouts, my brain just does it automatically.
Beyond all of this technical stuff, I really appreciate being a part of a team of students who care. Over my past three years on Tiger, I’ve been consistently inspired by people’s eagerness to contribute in this classroom. Everyone wants to be helpful. I hope I can find a similar atmosphere like this in college.
As I approach graduation, I’m glad that I dedicated a lot of my high school experience to Tiger. It’s difficult to articulate my feelings, because on one hand I can’t wait to get out of here, and on the other I’m dreading life without high school. I keep asking myself questions about the future: Will I experience summer boredom? Most likely. Will I regret going to college in the South? I don’t know. One thing I do know, though, is that I will always look back on my experience on Tiger with warm regard.
STORY SONYA SHIMPOCK ILLUSTRATION LANAH KIM
At one point in my high school career, the only way that I was able to get anything done was by watching toxic study motivation videos stitched together into a disjointed, scratchy compilation on YouTube. I would spread my papers out in front of me, arrange my pens in a straight row (black, blue, red), and watch until my eyes blurred while someone warned me to “lock in or clock in.” I was unmoored and confused, and these videos gave me something to latch onto.
I’ve never liked feeling stupid. I have stark memories of younger me kicking my sneakers into the Kumon lobby’s linoleum floor, trying to disguise how scared I was that I couldn’t breeze through the material. I remember clutching at the edges of the worksheets and feeling my heart pound in my ears when I didn’t recognize a solution.
“Yeah, I know how to do this,” I’d say, my voice unconvincing even to my own ears. “But why waste my time?”
This became a trend. When I didn’t understand something, I’d act like I was above it. I’d become the loudest person in the room to disguise that I felt dumb. I think I liked toxic study motivation videos because they reminded me that someone else was struggling just as much as I was.
Of course, I am not stupid. And as much as I like to loudly complain about it, I don’t really believe that anyone is. We all have different niches that we fit into, areas that we excel in: and for me, my area was writing. I never had to watch toxic study motivation videos to force myself to write an essay. As silly as it is, I have always considered myself a writer.
However, for as long as I toiled sketching out worlds and stories in notebooks, I was afraid to truly pursue writing. I didn’t want to pour myself into it, only to realize that I didn’t have as much potential as I thought I did.
If I fully committed to writing, and then I crashed and I burned, I would lose my niche. And that terrified me. In the end, I think this is why I didn’t apply to Tiger for my freshman year. I opened the application, sat in
front of the blinking cursor on the google form, and then clicked out of it.
“Yeah, I know how to do this,” I said, my voice unconvincing even to my own ears. “But why waste my time?”
I spent a good majority of freshman year flipping through different issues of Tiger. I’d trace words on the page, watch how writers strung together sentences and ideas, and feel my own leaps of connection and understanding form in my brain. Writing suddenly felt tangible, moldable, and alive. Slowly, I realized that potential was neither measurable nor definitive.
I applied to Tiger for my sophomore year. It was difficult; there were long hours, dodgy interviews, and dauntingly long google docs. Initially, I was cautious and careful. I was still afraid of being burned by writing, something I had cradled so close to my chest for my entire life. However, Tiger was teaching me that a stumble was not an abject failure, and that disappointment could be good for you, once in a while. I tried to remember this while parsing through dozens of edits, redrafting articles, and staring blankly at empty google documents. (“Has writing finally deserted me?” “No. Just write a thesis, Sonya, Jesus.”)
When I became the opinion editor, I discovered the joys of working with other people. I will always be incredibly thankful for this experience, where I was able to watch how other people’s love of writing translated onto a page. I was endlessly impressed and inspired. I chased this feeling further as Editor-in-Chief, where I was able to flit between tables and positions and take the time to truly immerse myself in the paper and staff. As I grew alongside Tiger, I became more confident and self-secure. When I took writing off of the pedestal I had placed it on for so long, I was finally close enough to truly love it.
My high school experience has taught me many things, but this is a big one: It’s okay to fumble around while you try to find your place in the world. It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to not instantaneously be the absolute best at something (as much as that upsets me). And, most of all: if you truly love something, you need to be at least a little bad at it. Sucking at something means that you’re getting better. If you’ve only ever been good, you’ve never pushed yourself far enough
to be excellent. I’m still trying to find that stretch with writing, with friendships, with life, with my voice. I’m trying to accept the pain and the failures and the hardships that will lead to me becoming a better version of myself. And I will always be deeply grateful that Tiger led me on this journey.
For a final farewell: Zoe, Claire, Ruby, you are all fantastic and incredible. I know that Tiger will only grow with you at the helm. To the freshmen: I wish you all the best. I know you’ll do great. To Emi: Thanks for being my Tiger buddy. I’ll be expecting alimony soon. Rafa: You are hilarious and talented and I’m so grateful to have worked with you. Lanah and Helena: Love you guys. Sorry that I sleeptalk. Gavin and Owen: You are so tenacious and forever kind. Seniors: I am forever impressed with all of you. To everyone on Tiger staff: Thank you for a wonderful three years. I am so proud of all of you. I hope I’ll see you soon.
& PHOTOS EMIKO ESSMILLER ILLUSTRATION KRISTEL HOUNG
The first Tiger farewell that I ever read, all the way through my freshman year, was titled “Goodbye/Riddance, lots of love.” I’d be lying if I said there weren’t times when I was tempted to take inspiration from it. Don’t worry, though, this essay won’t be as passive-aggressive as that one was.
As I was saying, the newspaper is my favorite place at SPHS. While it sounds ridiculous on paper (haha, get it, we are a newsPAPER), it has truly been transformative. Aside from giving me a path to pursue in life, it gave me a place to thug out my high school years.
I’ve quite literally cried, laughed, found my passion, and made lifelong friends, all within the walls of room 615. I think Ms. Hames has seen me at my worst, best, and unfortunately(?)
everything in between. My pathway from being a staff photographer, to a staff page designer, to a design editor, to the photography editor, to the online managing editor, and now to a retired old lady, sure has been an experience.
Samantha and Rachel, thank you for raising me as a photographer and helping me acclimate to the battlefield that is the sidelines of football games. Morgan and Isole, I felt lost without being able to match April Fools bylines with you, but I’m more thankful that I even got to do so in the first place.
Sonya, please keep me updated on your new water bottle stickers. I’m so glad that Tiger brought us closer together (but keep your Ao3 choices to yourself, please, for Ms. Gill’s sake).
Zoe, Claire, and Ruby, I know Tiger is in incredibly talented hands.
The Tiger staff, thank you for dedicating your time to journalism — you’re the reason our newspaper exists. And to my fellow seniors, thank you for being a part of Tiger’s narrative. I’m unbelievably grateful to be able to graduate alongside people as truly wonderful as you.
Now comes the hard part. I’ve reached the end of my writing, and still haven’t come up with a title for this farewell. Saying good riddance feels like doing a disservice to everything Tiger has done for me, and yet, I can’t help but feel like it sums up the majority of graduation overall. Saying good riddance or goodbye, the feeling is the same: it’s always going to be bittersweet.
Good riddance to the anxieties that come with socializing and the AP statistics curriculum. Goodbye to my unshaded lunch table and my seat on the right side of the SAC room. Good riddance to the way that the Tiger office door locks and the way the toilet leaks in the middle bathroom stall of the 500s. Goodbye to the yuri that Helena drew on the Tiger whiteboard and the black ink that stains my hands when carrying newspapers to classrooms on distribution day.
Good riddance and goodbye to my high school self.
And lastly, farewell to Tiger Newspaper. Cheers to all the future good riddances and goodbyes to come. Please embrace them all with open arms, just as you embraced me.