Acalanes Blueprint posted: " // As 2021 began, many people hoped for a possible return to normality. With vaccines becoming more widely available and COVID-19 deaths dropping, the tragedies plaguing 2020 seemed to be coming to an end. However, this year was filled with unprecedented"
// As 2021 began, many people hoped for a possible return to normality. With vaccines becoming more widely available and COVID-19 deaths dropping, the tragedies plaguing 2020 seemed to be coming to an end. However, this year was filled with unprecedented events, beginning with the Capitol insurrection and ending with a new COVID-19 variant.
Below is a timeline of events Blueprint believes shaped 2021 both at Acalanes High School and in the U.S. To maintain a local angle, Blueprint did not include all of the months and major events. Blueprint recommends viewing this piece on a computer for the best viewing experience.
January
Thousands of Trump supporters mobbed the Capitol while the Senate and the House of Representatives finalized the election results in a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6. Prior to the insurrection, former President Donald Trump gave a speech at 11 a.m. ET, where he insisted the election was rigged and encouraged his supporters to march in front of the Capitol. By around 2:15 p.m. ET, Trump supporters breached the building, causing an immediate evacuation of the House Floor.
The insurrection resulted in five deaths, and, as of the writing of this article, 727 people have been charged.
Print Editor-in-Chief Liam McGlynn and Online Head Section Editor Shrida Pandey reported on the incident as the riot was occurring.
"The process with writing that piece was really hard because it was a really short deadline… We were writing it the day or the day after the Capitol rioting happened, so during the process of writing it …there was just so much information just getting thrown at us," Pandey said.
After law enforcement cleared the Capitol of Trump supporters, former Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi resumed the sessions in the House and the Senate. At least 14 Republican senators planned to object to the election results, but following the insurrection, this number decreased to eight.
Pence and Congress finished certifying the election results at around 3:40 a.m. ET on Jan. 7, over 15 hours since the joint session began, and officially confirmed Biden's victory.
This unprecedented insurrection shocked many members of the Acalanes community, pushing McGlynn and Pandey to complete their article as quickly as possible.
"I think that one of the biggest things I took away was, for stories like this, they need to be done very quickly so the public would know what is happening, and I think… this was a very popular piece at the time it was published because so many people were wondering what [was] happening," Pandey said.
Jan. 20: Kamala Harris Becomes Vice President
By the end of January, the country not only witnessed Biden's swearing-in, but also a remarkable moment in women's history: Vice President Kamala Harris's inauguration. On Jan. 20, Harris became the first woman and the first Black and Asian American vice president of the United States.
Harris's inauguration was impactful across the nation, including in the Acalanes community. Many women found her vice presidency inspiring.
"Watching Kamala Harris's inauguration was very moving for me. I felt a stirring, uplifting sense of pride seeing a woman, especially one of African and Asian descent, now occupying the office of the vice president. To me, Harris's inauguration serves as both a marker of how far we've come as a nation and a reminder of the progress we still have to make," senior Christine Mlynek said.
Harris serves as a role model for many women who saw only male leaders throughout their lives.
"When Kamala Harris was [inaugurated] as vice president, I felt a sense of accomplishment for all women. Growing up I saw that predominantly men held political power, and I started to believe that men were the ones who would always hold it. Kamala Harris's vice presidency helps women, as well as people of color, know that politics is not only for men and that anyone can succeed," junior Gianna Intagliata said.
Some students also hope that her accomplishments are a catalyst for a brighter and more equal future.
"I hope that Kamala Harris's vice presidency creates a shift in politics where women are more involved and young women know that it is achievable to obtain high positions in any job field," Intagliata said.
February
Feb. 22: Volume 81 Issue 6 Cover Story: The Life and Legacy of Chris Huber
Blueprint's Volume 81 Issue 6 cover story released on Feb. 1 honored the life of Chris Huber, an Acalanes physical education teacher and basketball coach who passed away on Jan. 21. Another Beautiful Day: The Life and Legacy of Chris Huber detailed Huber's life and explored the positive impact that he had on Acalanes.
Print News Editor Zach Snyder and Online News Editor Brendan Connelly, along with four other writers, wrote the article. They told Huber's story by reaching out to many of his family members, students, and colleagues.
"I got to speak with a lot of people that were close to Huber, especially his daughter. I got to learn a lot about Huber, which was really interesting since I had him freshman year, and I created a nice bond with him. Even when we went to distance learning, I would send him an email every week and just check-in. And just being able to hear about more of his life was really special," Synder said.
Along with this article, Blueprint Online also posted In Memory of Chris Huber on Jan. 28. The memorial showcased Huber's influence on Acalanes and was Blueprint Online's second most popular story of the year with over 620 views.
In November, the Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD) approved renaming the Acalanes Big Gym to the "Chris Huber Memorial Gymnasium". The gym will now have a small area to display some of Huber's memorabilia. Both the gym's new title and the Acalanes community's memories of Huber will continue his legacy.
"I think we should all remember Huber and cherish our memories of him, and we should also appreciate the new gym renaming after Huber and embrace and embody his spirit that he brought every day to Acalanes," Connelly said.
March
March 16: Students Return to Campus in Hybrid Model
After almost an entire year of distance learning, AUHSD students returned to school with a hybrid learning model on March 2, resulting in a range of reactions from the community.
For several weeks, Print News Editor Marisa Guerra Echeverriacovered the topic of returning to school to help students and parents stay up to date with the information provided by the AUHSD Governing Board.
"The hybrid learning articles were really important to me because it was something that I was passionate about because a lot of us didn't know when we would be going back to school or how safe it was, and it was something that I really wanted to learn about," Guerra Echeverria said.
Due to fluctuating COVID-19 case numbers, plans for returning to school changed frequently, making it difficult for Blueprint's staff to cover this topic.
"We had to make sure we were timing stuff properly and that we had the most up-to-date information from the county health department and the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]. [There] were a bunch of moving parts, and although that was challenging, it kind of helped us keep up with the most up-to-date information," Guerra Echeverria said.
Guerra Echeverria emphasized that she learned a lot from covering the return to school.
"This was definitely one of the first major news things that I had done. It really helped me now that I am Print News Editor in learning how a lot of these stories are really fluid and there's going to be a lot of last-minute changes and there's going to be a lot more people to reach out to. But that's okay because a lot of this is just being flexible and being patient with the process too," Guerra Echeverria said.
March 26: Volume 81 Issue 7 Cover Story: The Forever-Burning Light in Asian Americans
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread from China to the United States, the rise of hostility towards Asian Americans became a pressing societal issue. According to California State University-San Bernardino Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, hate crimes against Asians have increased by 150 percent in the United States.
Blueprint's Volume 81 Issue 7 cover story, The Forever-Burning Light of Asian-Americans,aimed to raise awareness towards the rising racism towards Asians while celebrating their contributions to the world.
Former Managing Editor Lizzy Xie, Online Editor-in-Chief Stella Heo, and Print Feature Editor Lyanne Wang worked on the piece to include both current and historical examples of racism against Asian Americans while explaining how these events have impacted the greater Lafayette community as a whole.
"We really wished to get across the point that anti-Asian racism was not something that only occurred during the peak of the pandemic but rather something that has been present since America's inception. That meant that we had to cover topics like the model minority while also covering recent events including the attacks on [Asian American and Pacific Islander] people in the Bay Area," Wang said.
In order to integrate all of the complexities surrounding the Asian American experience, the group first started working on the piece in June 2020 before it was eventually published in March of the following year.
"We actually started the process for this during the summer leading up to the first semester. We had a document with all of our processes and angles we wanted to do before we even came into the issue cycle or even started writing it, several months prior [to help us with our process]," Heo said.
The writers also had personal ties to the story that made writing it a valuable experience.
"This piece allowed me to convey a message that I've always wanted to tell since the first time I experienced racism as an Asian person. It's really special to get to talk with people who share similar experiences and then get to use their voices to teach about an issue that is so prevalent in our world today," Wang said.
April
April: Beginning of Student Vaccinations
Although the CDC approved the first COVID-19 vaccines in December 2020, the vaccines gradually became available to people based on age and supply throughout early 2021.
People 16 and older, which included most sophomores, juniors, and seniors, could receive the Pfizer vaccine beginning on April 19.
"For me, getting the vaccine felt like a safeguard against the virus, almost like a return to usual. Of course, it didn't fully protect me from everything, but at least it made me feel safer and let me play soccer without a mask on which was amazing," junior Riley Bonner said.
Many students felt receiving their vaccine was a relatively easy process.
"[Getting the COVID-19 vaccine] went pretty smoothly when I went. I went to WaterWorld to get it. It was really crowded. We probably were there for no longer than half an hour. We drove by a tent with a doctor, and I just stayed in the car and got the shot," junior Jack Hambidge said.
This approval coincided with the beginning of hybrid learning. The vaccine provided a sense of comfort to many students as they returned to the classroom for the first time in over a year.
"When I got vaccinated, I felt a sense of protection and a bit more safe because at the time, I was going out and seeing more people," junior Mary Laska said.
May
May 30: Acalanes Holds In-Person Graduation
After an abnormal senior year, the class of 2021 experienced a COVID-safe, in-person graduation ceremony. Students took safety precautions such as wearing masks and staying socially distant outside, allowing them to enjoy a traditional high school send-off.
The ceremony took place on May 28 on the Acalanes track and field and Online Graphics Manager Arlyne Noguera attended to take pictures.
"Though I was nervous to take photos of so many people, I was happy to see everything play out the way a pre-COVID graduation would. Taking pictures of the seniors congratulating one another as they got their diplomas was heartwarming," Noguera said.
Some students felt that the normal graduation ceremony was an indicator of a brighter future with fewer COVID-related issues.
"I did feel like COVID-19 was gonna start going away. The bleachers were close to full and there were parents on the field trying to get videos of their kids like most graduations. Compared to the 2020 ceremony, I'd say we've made big progress," Noguera said.
July
July: 2020 Olympics
Viewers worldwide virtually watched the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games beginning on July 23 after the pandemic delayed the games for a year.
"My initial thoughts [to the postponement] were if [the Olympics were] really still going to happen because we didn't really think that COVID-19 would just be over by next year," sophomore Daichi Nannen said.
The games began while Tokyo was in a state of emergency and cases of the Delta variant rose around the world. The Olympics adopted many changes to keep athletes and viewers safe, such as limiting the number of spectators for most events and quarantining athletes.
"I was pretty surprised [to see the Olympics happen], but to see the crowds limited made a lot of sense. That's probably the best thing to do to prevent more cases. I think the [organizers] handled it pretty well," Nannen said.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics also brought attention to the often unacknowledged role that mental health plays in sports. Team USA gymnast and four time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles withdrew from the women's team finals to prioritize her mental health.
"It kind of inspired me in a way to know [that] if I'm not mentally stable for competing in sports, I should take a step back… I've never seen an athlete do that before, and it was inspiring to me to know if I'm not 100 percent comfortable that I don't have to do anything," sophomore Ella Thomason said.
August
Aug. 10: Students Return to School Fully In-Person
After over a year of digitally attending school through distance and hybrid learning, students and staff fully returned to campus on Aug. 10. For most frosh and sophomores, this was their first time attending high school fully in person.
"When I first set foot at school I was excited to meet new people and see some familiar faces… It was really refreshing being able to see people face to face and having an actual conversation. Being able to meet new people not through some online ice breaker," frosh Romi Avrahami said.
Blueprint Head Videographer and Head Liaison Editor Keith Johnson documented student and staff experiences with returning to school.
"We wanted to show how different students were reacting and show a lot of the excitement that students and teachers had about coming back to school, as well as some of the concerns about COVID-19 and safety protocols," Johnson said.
September
Sept. 14: California Gubernatorial Recall Election
The 2019 campaign to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom received enough signatures this year to qualify for a recall due to a large portion of Californians disapproving of how Newsom handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
Newsom's implementation of strict public health measures and mandates to reduce the spread of the virus sparked controversy and ultimately resulted in the campaign garnering the necessary 1.495 million signatures to hold a recall election. California Lieutenant Gov. Eleni Kounalakis set the recall for Sept. 14.
Online Feature Editor Juliet Becker and Staff Writer Kea Yoshinaka reported on the recall and its relevance to the Acalanes community.
"Our main focus was getting as many different viewpoints on the election as possible, so that meant getting as many interviews as we could with a variety of students and staff members," Yoshinaka said. "We also wanted to focus on why it was all happening because going into the article, I didn't know the whole story, and I think in order for it to be a good article there needs to be a clear explanation as to why the situation is taking place."
While writing the article, Becker and Yoshinaka faced difficulty obtaining informed sources.
"Getting staff members to talk about politics was kind of difficult. There are definitely certain teachers who will share their opinions, but a larger percentage don't want to, which is understandable. Also, since a lot of kids at Acalanes can't vote yet, we had a hard time finding students who were fully informed and ready to share their ideas on the topic," Yoshinaka said.
To inspire student interest in the recall election, librarian Barabara Burkhalter held an election simulation on the same date and with the same list of candidates.
"I had a long talk with Burkhalter about how to get more people involved next year, so hopefully, that'll be a focus just because many students didn't know it was happening. When involved, students are pushed to research and form their own opinions, which is so important for a well-rounded and educated community," Yoshinaka said.
Sept. 17: Squid Game is Released on Netflix
Hwang Dong-hyuk's "Squid Game" premiered on Netflix on Sept. 17 and reached over 111 million viewers in under a month, breaking Netflix's record for most viewership. The nine-episode show was a hit among Acalanes students as well.
Noticing the show's popularity at Acalanes, Blueprint Liaison Editor Zack Lara and Staff Writer Melina Nath covered students' reactions.
"I didn't feel inclined to watch it, but when a show becomes so popular that people are talking about it everywhere you go, that's what inspired me to watch the show, and that kind of buzz around a show is something that I guess a lot of people weren't expecting, so that was why I wanted to write the story," Nath said. "What I thought was interesting is that some people couldn't exactly pinpoint exact reasons why Squid Game was popular while others pointed out the characters were super relatable, the sets are really colorful, the concept is really interesting."
The writers focused on interviewing a variety of sources to maintain both a general and a local angle.
"I wanted to make sure I was talking about Netflix overall and how Squid Game could be changing what people consume on the platform, but I also wanted to get student perspectives and perspectives of people who watch other [Korean] dramas and their thoughts on the show," Nath said.
Lara and Nath's position as student journalists allowed them to engage with a variety of students to gain their perspectives on the show.
"I think as student journalists, we can bring new angles to these topics, even if it seems difficult at first. So I really want to work on, going forward, highlighting those angles that student journalists can bring to topics, and that makes your story unique from other journalism," Nath said.
Sept. 22: Governing Board Votes to Require COVID-19 Vaccinations for AUHSD Faculty
Following a growing national debate on vaccinations, the Governing Board passed vaccine mandates for all AUHSD teachers and staff on Sept. 22, requiring proof of vaccination by Nov. 1. Online Feature Editor Juliet Becker covered this mandate for Blueprint Online.
"In September, the board passed the mandate for teachers to either be vaccinated or get their vaccine by a certain date. And it was just important to cover because vaccine mandates and mask mandates are a big point of contention just everywhere, including in the Acalanes community," Becker said.
Becker interviewed a variety of students in order to paint a clear picture of the wide variety of reactions the mandate caused throughout the Acalanes community.
"I tried to reach out to a lot of different students because I figured that they would have some differing opinions," Becker said. "Whether or not they were pro-vaccine, or anti-vaccine, mandating is kind of another ball game for a lot of people. Because some people think that even if they support vaccines, they don't think that everyone should be required to have it."
As a whole, the Board's unanimous passage of this mandate received positive responses from students, teachers, and the Lamorinda community as a whole.
"There was an overwhelmingly positive reaction. There were a few people who were against it, but most of the community were happy about the passage," Becker said.
From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, Acalanes celebrated Latine Heritage Month. During this period, Leadership hosted events and activities around campus with the purpose of highlighting Latine culture.
Print News Editor Marisa Guerra Echeverria wrote Blueprint's Volume 82 Issue 2 cover story, which focused on what a Don is.
"I had always kind of wanted to write about the 'Don'... As a Mexican person and as a Spanish speaker, I always thought that the idea was kind of ridiculous, and I had always been interested in exploring how [the] whole 'Don' identity and the concept of being a Don has evolved in Acalanes, and those ideas kind of molded together," Guerra Echeverria said.
The issue also featured several other articles that provided an in-depth look at Latine representation, culture, and history.
"[I wanted] a themed issue [and] have every section have one story that has to do with Latine identity, representation, or something like that because I'd never really read that kind of content before, or it hasn't really been discussed at the school that much, and California… has the biggest Latine population in the whole country," Guerra Echeverria said. "I thought it would be really important to highlight that this is the first time that our school is celebrating [Latine Heritage Month]... and I felt that it was fitting that that we celebrate that in Issue 2."
This issue was important to Guerra Echeverria not just because of greater representation but also because it had a connection to her family.
"I send a Blueprint over for my family to read in Mexico, and my grandpa, who's one of my only family members who [reads] English... I was most proud to show the cover and talk about it with him because he had always asked me, 'oh, how's Blueprint doing? Oh, I'm really proud of you and all that'... He passed away last week, and I'm really happy that I got to share that cover with him," Guerra Echeverria said.
November
Nov. 1: Acalanes Women's Golf Places Ninth at North Coast Section Championships
In November, the Acalanes women's golf team qualified for the North Coast Section (NCS) championships for the first time in ten years.
Led by new head coaches history teacher Cass Mulholland and math teacher Kenneth Lorge, the team scored the second-highest result in the school's history.
Online News Editor Brendan Connelly wrote an article about the team's successes by reaching out to team members and coaches.
"The story was heavily driven by interviews from both the players themselves and a coach. I began by reaching out to the golf captains to get an idea of the experience itself. I also interviewed coach and social studies teacher Cass Muholland to get a coach's perspective," Connelly said.
To better portray the team's road to success, Connelly also focused on the team's entire season, not just their performance in NCS.
"It was very important to talk about the results of the whole season because that's what really led the team to NCS and was really impressive in addition to the impressive result of having one of the best NCS scores of Acalanes history," Connelly said.
The culmination of the team's hard work throughout the season as well as their impressive performance at NCS resulted in their most successful season in recent history.
"For me, personally, [NCS] was one of my best rounds, so that was really rewarding. Our team was really good, especially considering we were Acalanes golf, and Acalanes golf hasn't been the best [in the past]," freshman Hana Chelemedos said.
Nov. 5: Volume 82 Issue 3 Cover Story: Across, Beyond, and Through the Binary Universe
Blueprint's Volume 82 Issue 3 aimed to feature the issues and topics regarding gender identity to better inform the Acalanes community on student experiences, incorporating relevant stories throughout all sections of the issue.
The culmination of this work was in the cover story: Across, Beyond, and Through the Binary Universe. Print Editor-in-Chief Emerson Brown, Copy Editor Asher Meklin, and Staff Writers Natalie Hiatt, Valentina Penati, and El Reid wrote this article focusing on describing the wide variety of student experiences related to gender identity.
"We really wanted to capture the students' experiences which led us to really prioritize interviews. We ended up getting several hours worth, over 65 pages of transcripts. Our general process really revolved around those interviews," Penati said.
In addition to student experiences, the writers interviewed experts both in AUHSD and beyond, such as Diversity and Equity Director Dr. Lynnā McPhatter-Harris and a gender therapist who chose to remain anonymous.
Meklin also interviewed the first openly transgender rabbi, Reuben Zellman. The full interview can be accessed here.
"When I was researching for the story above, I had to stop and think about what was personally interesting to me," Meklin said. "Other than the obvious interest I have in it as a trans person, I've always been interested in the intersection of religion and more 'modern' topics such as gender variance and diversity, with an emphasis on the intersection of Judaism and trans issues, as the above affect me personally in my day-to-day."
The writers also recognized the importance of defining critical terminology in order to effectively communicate the experiences of many students and people that often go ignored.
"We knew we needed to lead with definitions as many people don't know much about trans people," Penati said.
As a whole, Blueprint intended to provide an interesting and powerful reflection on student experiences with gender identity and beyond.
"The gender issue is very important to me because obviously, I'm trans. We have never [covered gender identity in-depth in Blueprint], and I wanted to do it since I was a tiny first year. I know a lot of students who were trans, and I know a lot of their issues. I don't think Blueprint has ever covered those, and it gave a lot of students a voice, so that upheld our mission of trying to let minority voices and unheard voices be heard in our paper," Brown said.
December
Dec. 5: Spotlighting Olivia Williams
Acalanes athletics was successful across all sports programs in the 2021 fall season, but one athlete in particular dominated in two sports. Sophomore Olivia Williams ran for the varsity cross country team and played for the varsity women's water polo team, breaking several records along the way.
On Nov. 6, Williams became the Diablo Athletic League (DAL) champion and broke Hidden Valley Park's three-mile course record by 30 seconds. She also competed in the NCS meet on Nov. 20, becoming the Division 4 champion and leading the Acalanes varsity team to a third-place finish. At the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Cross Country Championship on Nov. 27, Williams placed second.
Staff Writers Melina Nath and Henry Hagel wrote a profile on Williams listing her accomplishments and outlining her impact on Acalanes athletics.
"For covering sports, especially Olivia Williams, she has a lot of accomplishments, and I wanted to make sure that I was able to ask her about what it was like to win at certain courses. What was it like to be playing both sports at the same time? Just making sure that I was well-informed on who I was talking to was really important," Nath said.
In addition to her DAL, NCS, and CIF accomplishments, Williams also made first team all-league for cross country, second team all-league for water polo, and placed third in the Eastbay West Regional for cross country on Dec. 4. On Dec. 11, Williams represented Acalanes at the Eastbay National Cross Country Championships where she finished in 17th place.
"It's not all too common to have such a great athlete come out of Acalanes, and pretty much unheard of for it to be a two-sport athlete, so I think the story just interests a lot of people in our community for that reason. It also came right before her national cross country meet, so it was cool to draw attention to her in such an important time," Hagel said.
Overall, Hagel and Nath wanted to convey Williams' exemplary performance during the season.
"Olivia Williams represents Acalanes athletics on a state level and a national level. In addition to that, many of our sources state that she is a role model student and athlete. It's relevant to our community because she is someone who excels in two sports. It's impressive enough to excel in cross country or water polo, but to do both at the same time really shows her dedication to everything she does," Nath said.
Dec. 10: Volume 82 Issue 4 Cover Story: The Triumphant Return of Acalanes Sports
At the conclusion of the fall sports season, Acalanes had many noteworthy performances in the NCS championships.
Print Sports Editor Griffin Ruebner and Staff Writers Zubin Acuña and Justin Law covered the story, which headlined Blueprint's Volume 82 Issue 4.
Ruebner, Acuña, and Law found out that their article would be the cover story only a few days before Blueprint finalized the issue, leaving them little time to finish the piece.
"This story was definitely difficult to write. Two staff writers had originally written it as a smaller sports piece, and then a few days before it was time to put the issue together, the decision was made to make it the cover story. I had the help of a bunch of other Blueprint members when it came to getting interviews, and then I put all the information into a story over the course of two nights," Ruebner said.
The writers wanted to highlight each team individually to separate them from one another, leading to a unique story composition.
"I personally really wanted to let the teams themselves tell their own story, so we really leaned on quotes and wrote around what the players and coaching staff said," Ruebner said. "The main angles were how NCS and CIF were different after a hiatus during the pandemic, and I also wanted to focus on the success of the individual teams and how hard they all worked to get to where they are now."
Written by:
Kayli Harley and Stella Heo, Online Editors-in-Chief
Shrida Pandey, Head Online Section Editor
Gabriella Gruber and Helen O'Neal, Online Shadow Editors
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