Bearcats Strike for Climate
More than a million people have participated in climate strikes in 2200 events and 125 countries worldwide over the span of the past two years. This widespread movement was all started by Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old dedicated to climate change activism. Ever since she declared that she would not attend school until the 2018 Swedish general election and began striking every Friday until Sweden joined the Paris Agreement, she has inspired millions around the globe to join her in taking action to defend the planet. Thunberg created the slogan FridaysForFuture, which gained global attention. Since then, school strikes began to…
A Personal Account On Vaping
WEATHERFORD, T.X.- Tryston Zohfeld, 17, is recovering after nearly three weeks of being in the Intensive Care Unit due to vaping, doctors conclude. On July 26, the 17 year old was fighting for his life as his seemingly healthy and athletic lungs suddenly failed. Tryston told ABC News, “When I woke up I was throwing up everywhere, and my heart felt like it was beating out of my chest going 100 miles per hour.” Tryston was rushed to Cook Children’s hospital and was immediately admitted to the ICU where he was put into a medically induced coma as his condition…
SMHS Starts the Year Cellphone Free
As we approach the end of the first six weeks of school, many students have begun to accept the new anti-cellphone policies. Despite not accepting the new policies at first, many people have changed their minds and begun to appreciate the new approach to having students pay more attention in class. Kai Ando had a lot to say about the new system. “At first it was weird seeing people with their eyes not glued to their phones, but now it’s nice to see people actually speaking to each other. It also seems like people are paying more attention in class,…
SMHS’ Boomwhacker Club
The xylophone can produce about 40 different pitches; the piano, a whopping 88. The boomwhacker? One. A boomwhacker is a hollow plastic tube that produces a sound when hit against a surface. The length of the tube determines the pitch, with longer tubes producing lower pitches. Crucially, this means that each boomwhacker can only make one sound. Combine this with the fact that you can only play one or two boomwhackers at a time, and you have a recipe for monotony. But with several people working together, entire octaves can be spanned –– and, with practice, music can be created….
California Flu Crisis
The Golden State is currently experiencing what could be one of its most deadly flu seasons in the past decade. Since the beginning of the season, the number of flu-related deaths has risen to 165 people-eight times the number seen at this time last year, according to recent figures released by state public health officials. The state doesn’t collect data on deaths among people over the age of 65 though, meaning that the actual death toll of flu related deaths could be much higher. California hospitals have been packed in the past few weeks, with doctors struggling to…
Chinese New Year Brought to SMHS
Gung Hay Fat Choy! Chinese New Year began on Friday, February 16 and the Chinese Language 1 and 2 classes performed in the quad at lunch on that day to celebrate! The holiday, also known as Lunar New Year, begins on February 16th. It is the first day of the new year on the traditional Chinese lunisolar Calendar and spans for a total of 15 days. Each new year on this calendar is represented by an animal of the Chinese Zodiac. This year, Chinese New Year will be in celebration of the Year of the Dog. Celebrations for this holiday…
Shaun White Wins Gold at Pyeongchang
Shaun White, after his 14 year career, finally sealed his legacy of one of the best snowboarders to live, by winning the gold medal on the men’s halfpipe in Pyeongchang. It was an extremely close match between him and the Japanese olympian, Ayumu Hirano. In the first run, White led the competition but at the second run, Hirano was in a good position for gold. White needed to one-up Hirano’s 1440 spin with two 1440 spin and he did. White also landed his signature move on the run and the final result: an astonishing 97.75 run. After his victory, White…
“The Mini Show”
Art- it comes in many shapes, sizes, and forms, but what can be better than a piece that is no bigger than five by five inches? SMHS’s art classes, including drawing and photography have come together to bring “The Mini Show,” where you can have the artwork of all the students at your fingertips. The focus of this specific exhibit is the size of the pieces and the detail that is in them. Imagine having a story that tells itself in the palm of your hand. Starting November 28th, all bearcats and families are welcomed to visit the Art Studio;…
College Visits
A slight breeze, a ray of glorious sunlight, a ruffling of leaves, the perfect setting for… college visits! San Mateo High School has welcomed over 50 colleges this semester during Tutorial and/or Lunch times. These colleges send a representative to San Mateo High School to spread details about the colleges. In October, San Mateo High School has been honored to have these following colleges on campus; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Pace University, University of Utah, University of la Verne, Trinity College, Savannah College of Art and Design, Willamette University, Cañada College, Waterloo University, California College of the Arts and UC Santa…
Bearcats Qualify for the National Merit Scholarship
National Merit Qualifiers at SMHS On the morning of October 11, 2016, 10th and 11th grade students from all over the nations took the PSAT or the NSMQ. The test is composed of three sections; reading, writing, math and, while the test prepares students for the SAT, it also allows 11th grade students to qualify for the prestigious National Merit Scholarship. At San Mateo High School, there are 5 students who are semi-finalists in the competition to the receive $2,000. Recipients of the scholarships are chosen by a committee of college admissions officers and secondary school counselors. The selection…
