THE INTERLAKE INQUIRER
The Official Student Newspaper of Interlake High School
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HOW ARE OUR SAINTS DOING BACK AT SCHOOL?
By Zoya Merakov
We’re back, Saints! Our summer days are quickly fading away, replaced with seven-hour school schedules and the crisp crunch of leaves underneath our feet. Classic events like homecoming, football games, and assemblies are back in full swing – along with waking up at 7 AM and procrastinating on daily homework. There are so many different aspects to the beginning of the school year. So how are our students and teachers feeling about these first couple months back?
In a survey given to Interlake students, most students admitted that they were both nervous and excited for the new school year. “I was excited because after a long summer, I would finally be reunited with friends in a school environment,” reported an incoming freshman. A senior echoed the same sentiment by answering, “I was a bit nervous, but also excited to see everyone again.” In an interview with AP World and US civics teacher Ms. Romero, she admitted that she also had mixed feelings at the beginning of the new school year. “I was excited to be back in person with students. I really missed joking around with them since I didn’t get to do that online, although I’m thinking a lot of teachers knew that it would be challenging for everyone to come back after a year at home.”
However, the fantastic warm welcoming efforts produced by the drill team, cheer team, and band made Interlake saints feel ready to get back to the grind. Additionally, the second day of school assembly helped revive Interlake school spirt after its year-long hibernation. After this exciting event, students started going all out for Interlake spirit days, class competitions, and football games.
One key aspect to the beginning of the school year for students and teachers alike is figuring out how to manage new responsibilities. Students must juggle homework, extracurricular activities, and their social lives. Teachers spend their days going to meetings, preparing lessons, and teaching. In the same survey given to Interlake high schoolers, 49 percent of students reported that they receive about thirty to ninety minutes of homework per day. Additionally, a little over 7 percent marked that they do homework for one to two hours per day and 22 percent do homework for three to four hours per day. Approximately 50 percent of these students are also in a sport. “Volleyball has been really fun so far, but I’ve been having trouble managing my time because of it,” noted an anonymous sophomore. However, despite the additional strain, students wrote that overall, they enjoyed participating in school sports.
In an interview, Ms. Alvarez, a health teacher, was asked how she thought the school year was going so far. Alvarez replied with, “Students were really excited when they came back into the building. Students and staff were enthusiastic. It now appears that stress and fatigue is setting in.” It is definitely true that both teachers and students can become burnt out, especially as the year goes on. It is incredibly important to take care of your mental health and ask for help if you feel overwhelmed.
COVID-wise, varying opinions were expressed when asked how safe students felt at school. “Mostly, it's scary when news about COVID-19 cases in the school comes out. However, despite the packed hallways, [Interlake] is pretty good compared to other schools I've seen,” acknowledged a junior. In addition to this, another pupil described how the Bellevue School District has taken many important precautions to control the COVID-19 variant, including “social distancing, masking, and opening the campus during lunch.” However, not everyone feels this way. One teen stated that at Interlake “our hallways get really swamped and people take their masks off a lot.”
According to the survey, the average rating for the school year so far has been 3.93 out of 5. This year at Interlake, students have already begun excelling in various activities. It is important to remember that we are still getting into the grove of things. Remember to keep working hard and spreading Interlake spirit, Saints!
Credit for the photo goes to Karin Kamazawa
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What does the future hold?
By Ananya Chavali and Trinity Lee
People see high school as a place with a thousand different purposes. It may be a place to learn, a generator of endless tests and assignments, or a diverse community that allows students to create lifelong bonds with others. For all those who attend Interlake, high school is a place to pave their foundation in life. For seniors, their years at Interlake have allowed them to consider and change their plans for the future.
In freshman year, Cody Tan says that he thought he would “most likely go to UW and study computer science,” if there weren’t any better alternatives. Now a senior at Interlake High School, Cody is planning on “going [into]… UW computer science.” Though he was quite unsure of his future in freshman year, Interlake has allowed Cody to follow his passions. However, high school has also introduced him to different possibilities for his future, such as studying medicine or psychology. In addition, one of Cody’s “biggest passions nowadays is… rock climbing, [which he] wouldn’t have been able to do [or discover] without the people at … [Interlake]”. While spending time with peers and creating bonds, Cody has stumbled on what is now one of his favorite hobbies. Interlake has not only encouraged Cody to go to UW and given him the opportunity to be surrounded by a diverse community, but it has also opened his eyes to new opportunities for the future.
Unlike Cody, current senior Anna Lederle came into Interlake without “many plans…[and was more] focused on… high school … and… grades”. Like many freshmen, Anna came to Interlake with a vague goal of attending a prestigious university and an uncertain view of her future. However, after gaining insight into a variety of career fields, Anna is now “hoping to go to either UW or Santa Clara… [to receive her] bachelor’s degree and then start [her] career … [in] business management or communication”. Over her three years at Interlake, Anna discovered the professions that truly called to her and decided to plan her future around her passions. When asked how Interlake has helped her through her journey of planning for her future, Anna describes how Interlake “helped…find… [her] love for leadership positions…and…. [connection] with the community… [allowing her to become] more comfortable to try new things”. High school is a rigorous period of time in the lives of Interlake students. However, these years also produce students who are confident in their futures and ready to follow the passions they have discovered.
In our senior class (Class of 2022) at Interlake, 55 people responded to a survey about what their plans are for after high school. 52 out of 55 students responded saying that they were planning on going to college. One student said that they weren’t planning on going to college and two responded saying that they weren’t sure. When asked what their dream college or university was, many responded with University of Washington, but other responses included Johns Hopkins, Stanford, and the University of Michigan.
CLUB SHOWCASE: CULTURAL CRAFTS CLUB
By Peter Lee
Art is an effective way to showcase different aspects of one’s culture through creativity and craftmanship. Cultural diversity is significant to our lives since it gives people an opportunity to express their identity, beliefs, and values. When we are willing to embrace each other’s differences, it betters our community by promoting unity and happiness, which are values that we, the students of Interlake High School, strongly support. However, the importance of cultural representation is often overlooked, and at times, people may feel too shy, unconfident, or even suppressed to express their cultural viewpoints. Cultural toxicity still exists, and it’s gradually becoming more and more normalized. This is why it is crucial for there to be more awareness towards cultural inclusion and support.
Considering this, are you looking for a cool way to express your cultural identity in school? I introduce to you: The Interlake Cultural Crafts Club!
What is it? The Interlake Cultural Crafts Club is a club that is open to students of all skill levels and encourages Interlake students to make cultural crafts of traditional mediums and meanings! In this club, students learn about the history and cultural significance behind their chosen craft while also being able to express themselves. A junior in this club, Roman Sycz says that even though traditional art isn’t his primary interest (as he prefers 3D art), he is excited to make traditional art crafts “that pay homage to [his] Polish ancestors who fought in WWII, a fundamental part in the modernization of Polish culture.” Even seniors who are busy with college apps are excited to participate. Adi Chatterjee, a senior member in the club, says that his favorite art medium is cultural caricatures, and “a specific cultural piece [he] is excited about making is a caricature of a Hindu god from Indian culture.” Through this art piece, Adi hopes to exemplify and express his culture.
Due to art being a lot less popular than technology nowadays, the club also strives to revitalize the tradition of craft-making by encouraging people to step out of their comfort zones artistically and expressively. Devoted to greater artistic inclusion, they intend to create a strong bridge of understanding across various cultural arts and to strengthen diversity and cultural pride for all.
Art may not align with everyone’s interests. Some may say it’s too time consuming. Some may say that they don’t know how to create art. Some may just find it plain boring. Well, regardless of your affinity for art, you may still want to consider joining this club for a variety of reasons. First, members can earn volunteer hours for making crafts; the number of hours awarded depends on the amount of effort genuinely put in. Members have been stoked to make time for the club since they feel that it “is an excellent opportunity to get volunteering hours while being able to connect with other students through cultural creativity and expression.” On top of this, the cultural crafts produced provide cultural support to other local organizations. The crafts that you make are submitted or showcased to different organizations, including Vibrant Palettes Art Center, Beacon Arts, and Right At School. Vibrant Palettes Art Center empowers artists with disabilities and raises the visibility of their work, and Beacon Arts strives to provide opportunities for local artists in Beacon Hill in Seattle. Both of these organizations are willing to take craft submissions and award volunteer hours to students who submit! The last organization, Right At School, is a national after-school program established in the Bellevue School District that teaches youth about the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion through creating cultural crafts. They can showcase art created in the Interlake Cultural Crafts Club to elementary students during their workshops and demos.
All in all, the Interlake Cultural Crafts Club is up and running, and the creativity of Interlake students creates a diverse, passionate community intent on ending cultural toxicity through art!
Teacher’s Opinion on Test Retakes
By Gauri Gupta
Many students are excited to return to in-person school after nearly two years of remote learning. We’ve definitely missed spending time with friends and peers and learning in interactive classroom environments. However, there is one clear downside of coming back to school- tests. Tests are one of the major stresses that students face in school. Many believe that tests don’t accurately measure a student’s knowledge of any given subject. To combat this stress, many teachers offer ways for students to better their test grades, such as test re-takes and test corrections. But teachers also have differing opinions on the value and effectiveness of such methods, and the procedures and rules around test-retakes and corrections vary from teacher to teacher.
Mrs. Bennet, a teacher at Interlake, doesn’t give too many tests in her class, but whenever there is one, she always offers students the opportunity to re-do it while incorporating her feedback to demonstrate their improved understanding of the subject. She believes that test-retakes are beneficial because she thinks that the point of school is to help students master academic content and skills. “There are very few other learning endeavors where one only gets one chance to demonstrate mastery,” she points out. She says, in most cases, “one keeps attempting to show mastery, then practices and learns more, then tries to show mastery again”. Likewise, Ms. Ramos allows test corrections in her class. First, students must check in with her and talk about the score. Then, depending on the test type, she either has test corrections or assigns a new assignment with similar learning objectives and skills. Ms. Ramos believes “it’s important to let students know that it’s okay to not be perfect the first time around”. She adds on that “having a growth mindset is a lifelong skill they can carry out into the real world”.
Some teachers fall in-between the spectrum of stances on re-takes and corrections. Ms. Alvarez doesn’t give students the opportunity to retake tests in her class because she only has one test- her final exam. However, to help students prepare, she provides a detailed study guide. For projects and essays, she’s “started to offer a follow up form, which allows students to earn some points back”. However, Ms. Alvarez struggles on where she stands with retakes because on one hand, she believes “it’s important for students to be able to meet standard as we all make mistakes and should be offered opportunities to improve”. On the other hand, Mrs. Alvarez also thinks that “it’s not helpful to the learning of students if they take the first opportunity to see what the test is like, then study relevant content areas and retake it”.
Finally, many students don’t support test retakes because they believe these opportunities don’t encourage students to actually learn the material, but rather encourage them to learn how to test for the material, which isn’t the goal of the educational process. Mr. Murphy generally doesn’t endorse test retakes, as he believes “that they reinforce the toxic addiction to points … which the vast majority of students are already suffering from”. Although Mr. Murphy has occasionally offered to allow students to earn credit for missed questions by completing test corrections, he says he has “never found a way to really get students over their ‘point-zombie’ attitude”. Mr. Murphy doesn’t necessarily believe that test retakes are bad, but he sees them as “a band-aid on a broken leg”. Instead, he thinks that “we need to reset the leg, preferably by replacing the antiquated system with an achievement based one and remind[ing] students that they’re here to learn and be better people, not to get awarded with arbitrary numbers”.
In conclusion, Interlake teachers are divided on their philosophies and policies when it comes to retakes and corrections for tests. Some see these opportunities as chances for students to reflect on their own learning and think about what they can do to take it to the next level. Others worry that retakes and corrections decrease students’ motivation to prepare for assessments and encourage poor study habits that leave students ill-prepared for college and future careers. Ultimately, the availability of retake opportunities depends on the teacher and their individual beliefs. However, regardless of the teacher’s decisions, it’s important to make sure you study and work hard the first time around, so you don’t have to spend additional time prepping for the retake!
OPINIONS ON COVID PROTOCOLS FOR BAND
By Conrad Gauss
For over a year and half, band students in Interlake High School have been struggling to play in an ensemble due to the prolonged lockdown that started on March of 2020. Throughout this pandemic, the school band had been very secluded, and the soul of music had been lost through the screen of a Microsoft Teams meeting. However, with the return to in-person school, new COVID protocols have been implemented to keep band students safe.
To play an instrument that requires a mouthpiece to blow into, Washington State requires students to have both a slitted mask and a bell cover. Those who do not need their mouths to play an instrument must wear a mask the entire time. Although the outdoor requirements are unclear, students do not wear their masks while marching because it is important to be able to play on command.
The first procedure, which is slitting a hole in the mask so that the mouthpiece of an instrument can fit into it, is received with mixed feedback. Antti Manissto, one of Interlake’s trumpet players, stated that “[this procedure] seems pointless” and that “it doesn’t help because we are already playing our instruments.” Even though wearing a punctured mask contradicts mask safety and protocol, the state requirements for performing arts still require this. Mr. Kim and Mr. Gillespie, the school band directors, have also expressed their opinions about the slitted masks. The directors believe that the slitted masks can help reduce the spread of aerosol and state that the masks are crucial to keep the band running. Violating these conditions and precautions can possibly cause the school band to get shut down by administration. On the other hand, Cherie Suzuki, another band student at Interlake, wishes that “we had reusable masks because we throw out so many paper ones after cutting them.” Using slitted masks produces a lot more waste because these slitted masks add on to the normal masks we already use at school. Through the combination of increased waste and skepticism of effectiveness, slitted masks are an unpopular aspect of the school band’s COVID procedures and are begrudgingly carried out by many.
The second main procedure, which is the use of bell covers (a mask-like covering that tightly fits around the bell of the instrument), is received much more positively. The bell coverings are made to prevent much of the aerosol produced by blowing into an instrument from getting into the air. The general consensus of many band students is that this requirement is reasonable and seems more effective than the use of a slitted mask. One of the most common opinions, expressed by Antti Manissto, is that while “[the bell coverings] are sometimes hard to play with, they are reasonable.” Furthermore, bell covers on band instruments statistically reduce particle expulsion from the instrument by about 79%, making them an effective method for containing potential virus spreading. The bell coverings act as a mask for the instrument, so it is quite useful in the same way face masks are for people. However, much like the everyday struggles with face coverings, the bell covers make some tasks slightly harder, especially with regards to noise projection.
The opinions on the school band’s COVID procedures are split, where the slitted masks are quite unpopular, and the bell coverings are much more widely accepted. However, seeing as these precautions allow the band to play together after a long period of separation, they are still a huge improvement from past online alternatives.
Works Cited:
Ungar, Laura. “Musicians Improvise Masks for Wind Instruments to Keep the Band Together.” Kaiser Health News, 16 Oct. 2020, https://khn.org/news/musicians-improvise-masks-for-wind-instruments-covid-protection/.
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QUESTIONS ON INTERLAKE SCHOOL SPIRIT
By Shripadh Iyer
We all know about school spirit and how it is an integral part of our school’s individuality. School spirit is more relevant than ever, especially during the week of homecoming. But there are many questions about it lingering in the air - what is school spirit and how can I show it? Why is school spirit important to us? How much of Interlake has “school spirit”?
First off, what is school spirit, you may ask? School spirit is the sense of identity and community shared by members of an educational institution. Although we know school spirit relates to our communal uniqueness, how exactly does it apply to Interlake?
This past week at Interlake has been homecoming week, one of the biggest events of the school year! With large Interlake events, my goal is to find how many students at Interlake have “school spirit”. To find answers, I took a poll in the Interlake team and other Interlake-related chats/groups/teams.
From the poll, 46% of students had merchandise (out of 78 students in the sample size), 32% had none, and 22% had planned to purchase merch. The data shows that 68% partake in school spirit by owning or planning to own merchandise. The poll results were quite interesting: I expected most people to not have merchandise since I do not often see it when I walk in the halls.
Furthermore, 29% of people planned to participate in all five days of spirit week, 38% of people said that they planned not to participate, and 32% of people said that they would take part in some days. Based on the results of our poll, most people have school spirit.
Although I had received good data regarding Interlake’s school spirit, I still had other questions. To answer them, I asked Elaine Merhoff and Tomer Kalach, both seniors and my Link Leaders. When asked about the potential disadvantages of school spirit, they both stated that wearing school spirit can appear weird. It can feel that you’re judged for it, but in reality, you are not. To add on, I asked about the ‘easiest’ or best way to show school spirit, and in response, Elaine and Tomer both agreed that school spirit weeks are the easiest way to show your spirit as well as large scale school events like homecoming.
In conclusion, many, if not most, Interlake Saints show school spirit. Be it wearing merchandise or showing up to homecomings and dances, school spirit helps create a sense of unity for students!
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In the Eyes of an Interlake Student: Resources and Advice for High School
By Rohak Jain
As the Interlake student community makes the unfamiliar transition to in-person learning, being aware of available resources and general advice can be helpful in reducing the overwhelming amounts of anxiety and stress associated with such changes. After being in distance-learning for so long, suddenly returning to an in-person learning environment can catch many by surprise, especially with frequent health concerns and the obstacles of wearing masks for extended periods of time. Now, more than ever, we need to feel reassured and confident in our safety, ability to succeed academically, and capacity to meaningfully contribute to the Interlake community.
One of the key aspects of ensuring academic success is staying on track with homework and assignments. As trivial and unimportant as it seems, being timely and punctual when completing schoolwork not only significantly reduces levels of stress and anxiety, but also instills good habits for the future. Given that Interlake is an International Baccalaureate school, putting off large projects and time-consuming assignments until the last minute is something that should be actively avoided. In addition, instead of forcing yourself into clubs and activities you’re not particularly interested in, take time to choose extracurriculars you are truly passionate about and invested in. Your time in high school is limited, so be sure to follow your passions and work on things that interest you the most. But above all, always try to maintain a careful balance between school-related activities and personal hobbies- carving out time for self-care and relaxation is equally as important as challenging yourself academically. Oftentimes, caught up in the hectic routine of daily life, we find ourselves demotivated and unfocused. Taking care of our mental health and well-being is essential in withstanding the pressures of being a high-schooler.
As we continue to re-accustom ourselves to an unfamiliar school environment, being mindful of best practices and tips to succeed is a great way to ensure future success. Making the most out of each day, embracing the little things, and finding academic success are all things that we, as a student body, should aspire to. It definitely won’t be easy, but nothing easy is worth working toward. In the words of Oprah Winfrey, “Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.”
Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next issue! - Rohak
Credit for the photo goes to Karin Kamazawa
LUNCHTIME EXPERIENCES
By Shyam Arumugam
Since the 3rd grade, I have been a consumer of school food. And, overall, I’ve found the food to be okay and nutritious, whether or not you take advantage of the salad bar. However, I see a large shift in the quality of food and service from between elementary/middle school lunch, and the food we are served here in high school. There are many aspects of the overall experience to analyze. Let’s start off with the most irritating part: waiting in line.
Waiting in line:
Since I am a sophomore, this is the first year I am consuming food from the school. I wholeheartedly support the school’s decision to offer food for free, but this has impacted the lunch line. Quoting my sophomore friend Shantanu Govalkar, “There’s some people that eat only school food, and there are other people who use school food as their appetizer.” The fact that school food is now free encourages people who bring food from home to eat from both places, which results in longer lines. In comparison, middle school lunch lines were much shorter- sometimes even shorter than the snack bar lines.
The service:
The chefs at Interlake are much nicer compared to the chefs in middle school. When I ask for extra food, 10 times out of 10 they do so willingly. And when I end up accidentally ordering pork (which my dietary restrictions don’t allow), they replace my meal, no questions asked. The only negative aspect of the service are the utensils and plates that students are given. Back in middle school, we got sturdy, strong plastic plates that were washable and therefore a better choice for our planet. Nowadays, we use throwable plates that, if held even slightly improperly, allow food to fall. I have a roller backpack with no back straps, and so the first day of school, I could only hold the plate. I made a slight movement with my hands as I rolled the bag up the ramp, and all the food came tumbling down. Not only that, but it is not a great choice for the planet. I know these are probably for COVID-related reasons, but I would encourage the school to adopt hard plastic trays and silverware or washable forks and spoons to protect our environment.
The food itself:
Comparing the food from high school and middle school isn’t quite fair, because the pandemic has forced a lot of changes on where the school gets food from. Because of the high demand, high schools like ours might sometimes need to purchase food from third party suppliers. For example, the school always serves sweet potato fries with burgers and some main meals. However, on a handful of occasions, they have brought in actual, fast-food style fries as replacements for the fries. For accurate comparison, I am not going to consider the instances when we received meals from third party suppliers.
It’s still important to consider the fact that the chefs at our school are under a lot of pressure to make food, because demand is high after the price was nixed. In my opinion, this is the reason for a slightly diminished quality of food in high school. The meat patties for the burger look like they came from the genetically modified chickens upperclassmen saw in Food Inc. in Health. The pizzas consist of more bread than cheese and sauce, and the main meals come in similar wan colors, indicating that they are not particularly nutritious. Therefore, it’s important we take advantage of the salad bar instead of just eating the main meal and throwing away the stuff we take from the salad bar.
The eating experience:
Covid-19’s impact on our eating experience has lessened over time. When we entered Interlake for the first time after the pandemic in April 2021, we were given packed lunches and breakfasts to eat at home. When this school year started, we switched to eating lunch outside. Just recently, the lunch-tables were brought inside so that students could eat in the cafeteria. While Interlake has not had many cases of COVID-19, new variants have sprung up and other diseases can increase our susceptibility to COVID. So, while our high school lunch times are very similar to our middle school ones, the difference is that we are now respecting social distancing rules and using masks to prevent the spread of diseases. One thing’s for sure: the way we eat lunch now surely beats what lunch was like a year ago, when we were eating in our bedrooms while playing random games of Among Us. Or maybe that was just me.
THE EFFORTS BEHIND YOUR YEARBOOK
By Sia Razdan
From collecting memories throughout the school year to working together to come up with a well-designed product, the yearbook club is truly remarkable. They work with diligence and creativity to create a book that is meaningful to the school community and serves as a recap of our year.
The yearbook club consists of editors, writers, photographers, and others who help report on school events, take pictures, and create fun themes for the yearbook. After the long process of assigning roles and categories, the yearbook is written and intensively edited through February to Marth, and finally reviewed multiple times by the editors and presidents before publication. Each part of the committee has a crucial, unique role: the writers report on events; the editors form an outline and set deadlines, conduct interviews, and edit pages; the presidents oversee the process.
Another gear in this system is us—the students of Interlake. There is a huge need for non-club participation because club members cannot attend and record every event. So, it is very important for us to be a supportive, unified community who can provide the pictures and details necessary for the yearbook. This was especially crucial last year when there was almost nothing to report on. During remote-learning, people sent in pictures of their pets, of spirit days, and even of their families and friends, helping make the yearbook possible. “Participation from the student body has actually been really great,” Amarrah, co-president of the yearbook club, said. “We really rely a lot on it”.
Amarrah pointed out that the process has been very different this year. Last year, it “was more random” and “even the theme was scrapbook,” she said. She remembers how chaotic and tight the club was before, because there were few members and a very large workload. In addition to the stress of figuring out what to report from home, there was a lot of confusion. It was difficult to create distinct roles and assign members to appropriate jobs. Prisha, the yearbook’s secretary and editor, emphasized the importance of organization.
This year, the club started off strong with a good plan in pace. Having learnt from their experience last year, roles were established, sections divided, and work assigned. At the same time, Amarrah also made sure to encourage flexibility while maintaining a strong, efficient team since “having the ability to gain experience in every aspect of the club and dipping a toe in everything”.
The yearbook club is deeply intertwined with school spirit as they capture each year’s highlights and experiences for us to look back on. With last year’s low school spirit, many may relate to students not “[feeling] involved enough.” Joining this club is a guaranteed way to be a part of every event, and that’s what makes it incredibly meaningful to the school, the student body, and the members of the club. We’re all looking forward to seeing what the rest of the year holds and to see it all captured in the next yearbook.
THE EFFECTS OF MUSIC IN OUR COMMUNITY
By Sophia Taylor
Music has historically been an important part of human society and a tradition we can trace back to around 60,000 years ago. Back then, people carved flutes from wood or created drums from animal skins. Many used music to bring people together through tradition and express themselves and their culture. In the modern day, music has evolved immensely. With apps like Spotify and YouTube, music is now easily accessible through or phones, computers, and other electronic devises.
According to a Healthline article, music “boosts memory, builds task endurance, lightens your mood, reduces anxiety and depression, and helps you work out more effectively.” As a student in the Interlake community who has faced many highs and lows in school during COVID, I was interested in why my peers listened to music so frequently. It seemed like a common habit, and I was intrigued, so I asked my classmates for their reasons.
One junior student named Sadhana Ramesh listens to pop music regularly and she said that “[it] makes [her] feel inspired and motivated.” Dashiell Pinck, a sophomore student, said that he listens to Indie Rock and Pop, and “[it] makes [him] feel excited and energized to go on runs.”
Curious about a teacher’s perspective on this topic, I interviewed our P.E. teacher, Mrs. Beattie, about her favorite music genres. Her go-to music choices include folk, bluegrass, artists like Mumford & Suns, and even EDM music. She said that she felt more energized listening to them and she enjoyed their flow. She also talked about her personal passion for yoga relaxation and said that if she wanted to listen to lyrics that were relatable, she turned to rock music: Florence and the Machine, for example, would be one of her top choices.
Similarly, a sophomore student named Emme Cruz says that she listens to alternative music because it can be peaceful, and it alleviates her stress.
As it has been a very stressful few years, I encourage others to use music as a way to escape the stress of home, school, and other responsibilities, and relax.
A number of participants said that they use music to enliven and excite themselves, especially with high-energy genres like pop and hip-hop. Many also enjoyed listening to music that made them feel calm.
With these wide range of preferences, what do you like to listen to?
CLUB DISPLAY: SAINTS ROBOTICS TEAM 1899
By Aryan Kedarisetty
Saints Robotics is Interlake’s robotics team that participates annually in the FIRST Robotics Competition – a competition that kicks off on January 8th. In addition to FRC, the team participates in outreach events and takes on side projects like the T-shirt cannon. More importantly, it helps students at Interlake develop STEM, business, leadership, and teamworking skills. Every Monday and Friday, the team meets from 3:45 to 5:45 pm at their workshop in Ivanhoe, which was authorized through support from the Bellevue School District and other FRC teams in the district.
The club operates in a structure that allows members to be productive and pursue their interests. They have 3 departments: Administration, Engineering, and Communications. The Administration department is made up of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and department directors and sub-team leads. On the other hand, the Engineering department is made up of the Programming, Mechanical, and Control Systems sub-teams. Finally, the Communications department is made up of Business and Imagery sub-teams.
This past year has been rough for many clubs, especially Saints Robotics. The lack of in-person meetings made it harder for the team to engage in creative and fun tasks. Despite the challenges, the team was able to utilize online platforms like Slack and Google Meets to continue working together.
Now that a new year has started, what is the team up to?
For the past two months, Saints Robotics has been hard at work. They participated in the Pacific Northwest Block Party competition, hosted an outreach event at the Issaquah Salmon Days Festival, and organized an Applebee’s fundraiser. After hosting an orientation event for new members, all sub-teams spend time and effort on training the new recruits so that they are ready for competition. Currently, the administration is working on making the sure the club is safe and following the correct safety and health procedures.
So how are the meetings now that they are in-person?
Aditya Shrey, a senior and president of Saints Robotics, describes them as “thrilling” and believes that the transition from online to in-person meetings went smoothly. Additionally, he feels that the meetings cheer him up when he is having a stressful day since “working with others makes [him] smile and feel happy.”
The team boasts a dedicated group of students who are highly passionate about what they do. Many of these people joined the team just to see how it is or improve their existing skills, but they learned much more. In fact, when asked of what Saints Robotics means to them, the first word Aditya thinks of is “family”. Furthermore, Ethan Shen, a senior and Co-Engineering Director, says he joined to learn more about engineering, but he got to learn and interact with many different people and environments.
When I first joined this team through the Discord app, I didn’t think I would stay for long. I was under the impression that many of my peers were far more skilled in STEM areas and knew much more about robotics, so I wouldn’t have a chance. However, I was proven wrong: every time I step into the workshop, I feel ready to explore. This club had allowed me to be less concerned of my own expertise and pushes me beyond my limits.
Remember to check Saint Robotics out sometime!
THE IMPACT OF IB ON STUDENTS' WELLBEING
By Ken Clark
Interlake High School prides itself on offering the challenging International Baccalaureate program. However, just as important as the program’s success is the wellbeing of the students who undergo this rigorous path through high school. This year, according to the Bellevue School District, Interlake serves approximately 1588 students and nearly 400 students are working towards their IB diploma. On their website, International Baccalaureate states that it “aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect,” but pursuing these lofty goals has some adverse effects on IB students.
A common complaint about IB is that the academically challenging program can be very stressful. Tiffany Shi, a sophomore, says that IB causes high, but manageable levels of stress, as well as limited free time. To keep up with the large workload, students devote a lot of their free time to studying and homework. Managing both time and stress is a key skill that is crucial to succeeding in the rigorous program. Building these skills in high school makes the transition to college smoother.
The IB program is a large commitment that takes lots of daily time and effort. Compared to the general education high school experience, some IB students find themselves lacking in time that could be devoted to preparing for college. “I kind of regret taking the program because I feel like I could’ve spent the time I now spend doing additional IB work on other resume building activities that would help me graduate with a better record,” says Drew Spier, a junior. Because the program requires students to take challenging IB classes, many students struggle to achieve the GPA they desire. Additionally, students have less time to devote to extracurriculars such as sports, clubs, and other hobbies.
On the other hand, the IB program during remote learning seemed to generally be much easier than in-person. “Second year, at least in the terms of COVID and the online situation, was much easier. It didn’t even feel like IB,” says Parshvi Balu, a senior who finished the IB program last school year, during remote learning. Due to having less work last year, students entering their second year are faced with the unique challenge of learning the traditional second year material, as well as making up for last year. Because of this, many students entering their second year of IB this year may have an abrupt transition into in-person IB.
In conclusion, many students believe that IB can be stressful and increase workload, but as sophomore Daniel Jung says, “In the long term IB seems to be helpful in teaching how to manage time effectively and have a balanced life.” With focus and perseverance, students graduate the program with their diploma and a promising future ahead of them.