“When did you start playing guitar?” “I started playing guitar [at] the beginning of 8th grade. I got a $7 guitar at Goodwill and just practiced on that for hours, and, you know, I figured that I really loved it and kept going. It wasn’t really a thing to meContinue Reading
In a world full of stressors, mental health is paramount and just as important as physical health because it greatly impacts quality of life. However, while mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression are relatively common, many people are unable to afford or otherwise access treatment and therapy forContinue Reading
Since the beginning of this school year, the Travel and Tourism Academy has been fundraising for the homeless, Travel and Tourism Academy Academy Coordinator Tricia Brownstein said in a Zoom interview. Students got the idea to raise money for the homeless after Brownstein shared statistics with them on the numberContinue Reading
The inability to create a transition from middle to high school, due to COVID-19, has resulted in more freshmen struggling than in previous years, Principal Francis Rojas said in a Zoom interview. In addition to academic support, building a sense of school spirit is being prioritized in helping the freshmenContinue Reading
Christmas is a time for celebrating with family and friends, spreading joy, and eating a lot of food. While people may not be willing to admit it, the food is probably the most appealing part—well, to me it is. Christmas food is as richly ingrained in Christmas tradition. Why elseContinue Reading
On Nov. 28, Santa Clara County announced a temporary ban on all contact sports in the county, affecting professional teams, such as the San Francisco 49ers, and high school athletics. The ban came as a result of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in the Bay Area and lasts forContinue Reading
Rating: 5/5 “The Queen’s Gambit,” a Netflix mini-series released on Oct. 23, 2020, follows the life of orphan-turned-chess-prodigy Beth Harmon. Focusing on Beth’s experiences competing in chess tournaments, the show touches on issues of substance abuse, women’s inequality, and adoptive families. A factor that drew me to the show wasContinue Reading
During the COVID-19 pandemic, about the same number of students or slightly fewer are signing up for free therapy sessions from CASSY (Counseling & Support Services for Youth), a local non-profit that provides mental health services to Bay Area youth, MHS CASSY Site Supervisor Alice Bui said in a GoogleContinue Reading
Special Education students at MHS have been affected in varying ways by distance learning, Principal Francis Rojas said in a Zoom interview. Although some have been able to keep up with their peers, others have been unable to learn at all, he added. When a student qualifies for Special Education,Continue Reading
Atlas, a social media wellness app, was introduced to MHS students by their teachers during the advisory period on Wednesday, Nov. 4, Assistant Principal Jennifer Hutchison said in an email interview. MHS administrators decided to share this app with all students to support those struggling with mental health issues, whichContinue Reading
Surprisingly, the district has good finances at the moment despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Principal Francis Rojas said in a Zoom interview. The increased expenditure on software for distance learning has been offset by savings for things the school is not doing, such as field trips and college visits, Rojas continuedContinue Reading
As the first semester comes to an end, the MHS class of 2021 is more than eager to see what second semester has in store for them. There is already a lot of uncertainty clouding plans for the second half of the school year as COVID-19 cases continue to escalateContinue Reading