Shanza Syed

Students balance long commute times with a BHS education

Features

For several students at Berkeley High School, getting to school looks a little different than a short bike, walk, or the typical 10-to-20 minute bus or car ride.

Members of the BHS Jewish Student Union pass out snacks.

Ally members of affinity groups take away from the overall cause

Opinion

Berkeley High School prides itself on the spaces it provides for students from marginalized communities to come together. Many of these spaces have become a place for students to celebrate the cultures of different groups while talking about important issues that each community faces.

African American woman going through a lab.

NSBE helps foster Black passion for STEM

Opinion

As of 2021, careers in STEM continue to be white-dominated. White men alone comprise 49 percent of  STEM professionals in the United States, while Black individuals, of all genders, make up only 9 percent of the workforce.

The person in red is miserable having to fill out 108 questions for the FAFSA and the person in green is happier with the reduction in the number of questions for the FAFSA, now only having to answer 46.

New changes to FAFSA bring much-needed improvements

Opinion

Every year, the United States Department of Education gives away around $112 billion in free federal student aid. All students are required to do in order to receive this aid is fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, otherwise known as FAFSA.

Illustration of Miriam Stahl.

Miriam Stahl: Giving back to students through art and activism

Features

Miriam Klein Stahl, known to all her students simply as “Stahl,” has been an art teacher at Berkeley High School since 1995. As a teacher, she gives her students creative freedom to express themselves.

Left half of image shows students working together on a paper. Right half of image shows independent isolated testing.

Teachers search for the most effective type of final assessment

Features

Last minute cram sessions in the College and Career Center, arduous classes working on elaborate individual and group projects, staring at computer screens, working away at lengthy essays: finals can be an extremely stressful time for Berkeley High School students, and one of the greatest factors that can dictate a student’s level of stress is

Students perform "Conversations at Berkeley High" in "Our Monologues."

The history of Our Monologues: Shaped by the BHS community

Features

The “Vagina Monologues” was a staple production at Berkeley High School for 19 years. Based on the 1996 play written by Eve Ensler, the student-run show aimed to capture the nuance of women’s experiences in a patriarchal world.

(Left to Right): Hunter Valencia, Eloise Biddle-Gottesman, Elisandra Moulitsas, Jacob Goldman, Sophie Tsulaia, Amber Safir, Nathaniel Amish (back row), Wyatt Fortner, Gursimar Kaur, and Santi Bergman (front row) pose, after a successful debate practice.

BHS Speech and Debate works to continue increasing diversity

Features

Laughter vibrates through the air as members of the Berkeley High School  Speech and Debate Club huddle around the front of G215, intently listening to a heated debate on whether The Joker deserves a trial or not.

Dan Goldfield  is now a teacher at BHS.

Career change teachers: Why they teach

Features

While many teachers at Berkeley High School are drawn to their profession from the start, others find their calling later in life, after pursuing different careers.

A group of students study in the College and Career Center.

Best places to study in Berkeley

Features

Choosing a place to study is a very important decision, setting the tone for the entire studying session. Making sure the atmosphere is cozy enough to be able to get work done, but not so comfortable that one no longer has the motivation to study is a tricky balance to achieve.

A photo of a substitute teacher with a backdrop of a map of the world.

Why  do substitute teachers at BHS do it?

Features

Many students at Berkeley High School see substitute teachers around campus on a daily basis. Substitute teachers are a vital part of ensuring that teachers are able to take days off when they need to, and students are able to continue their learning, even in the absence of a teacher.

The Wellness Center staff, Melissa Virrueta, Rachel Krow-Boniske, Stacy Shoals, Yolanda
Clark-Brown, and Doreen Bracamontes show off the new BHS motto.

After a year of planning, the BHS Wellness Center finally opens 

Features

After returning to in-person learning in 2021, Berkeley High School saw a spike in conflicts, as students returned from isolation and re-learned how to interact with peers and balance their personal and academic lives.

A student is at a desk, with Chat GPT open.

Should AI be allowed as an educational tool?

Opinion

PRO There’s no denying that the Artificial Intelligence revolution is here, but it looks nothing like the warped realities from The Matrix or Terminator.

Girl with green beams surrounding her.

Internalized colorism: Leaving deep marks in Asian communities

Opinion

Colorism in Asian communities dates back to 710 A.D. when it was used to separate the elite from the working class. Over the centuries it has allowed for the preferential treatment of light skinned individuals in relation to their darker skinned counterparts.

A venn diagram with two silhouettes and the jacket logo in the middle.

Interpersonal segregation limits student exposure to diversity

Opinion

The term “interpersonal segregation” refers to the idea of individuals socializing with people to whom they have similar backgrounds. This can be on the basis of race, gender, age, disability, etc.

A scale with different proffesions on either side.

Glorification of select career paths limits student happiness

Opinion

Picture a lawyer passionately defending a client who was falsely accused of a crime, a firefighter bravely battling the flames of a California wildfire, or a calm, cool, and collected doctor saving a patient’s life.  There’s no doubt that each of these professions are deeply necessary and valuable to society, but it’s important to note

BHS SHIFT program displays the necessity of sex education

Opinion

Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. Part of what contributes to this problem is a lack of sex education. Currently, under the U.S. Federal Law, there are no set standards for sexual health education.

Aryn Faur assists students in the MLP.

MLP must exist in schools across the U.S.

Opinion

When navigating the treacherous river of high school, there are a lot of things to think about: social cliques, grades, extracurriculars, college applications, and so much more.