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Table of Contents

Students Kickstarting Their Careers

Elena Levin, Jennifer Woo, Jamie Lee, Karli Larsen, Mallory McKenna

OC Cupcakes for BLM

By: Elena Levin and Jennifer Woo

Baked goods are everyone’s go-to quarantine comfort food! Sisters, Sara (IA ‘22) and Camila Balanta launched OC Cupcakes for BLM to contribute to Black-led organizations and bring people joy with vegan cupcakes. 

“You get something to eat that you like, and you’re helping someone else!” said Sara. OC Cupcakes for BLM has raised $780 and donates 80 percent of their profits to Black-led organizations. 

Balanta had been wanting to start a cupcake business for a few months and gained support from her mom who used to run a baking business. Balanta’s advice for fellow students wanting to start a business is to “Just start it!” 

OC Cupcakes for BLM is a true family-run business. Sara runs the social media accounts, Camila and their mom create the recipes and bake the cupcakes, and their dad drives to deliver the orders. 

Despite the current success of OC Cupcakes for BLM, its beginnings held mixed reviews via the feedback survey accompanying each order. “What we’ve learned is that there’s always going to be someone that just isn’t going to like it. Especially when it comes to food in particular, you really can’t please everyone,” Sara said. 

Apart from responses, another challenge is making a consistent profit. The Balantas often struggle to ask for extra money from clients, as they currently include an option for donation increases and tips; however, they wish to uphold their current donation rate as they tackle raising money for concerns such as their college fund, while sustaining their business. 

As for the future of OC Cupcakes for BLM, they’re looking to reach their $1000 milestone and transport their products over larger distances. The Balantas are extremely grateful for all of the support their business has received thus far and invite everyone to follow @ocblmcupcakes on Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter with the link in their Instagram bio!

Book Bears

By: Jamie Lee and Karli Larsen 

Daisy Noh (IA ‘22) and Isabelle Tran (VA ‘22) have both shared a love for reading from a young age. Together, they founded Book Bears, an organization that promotes literacy among children to make literature more accessible to children who don’t have it. Book Bears stemmed from Noh and Tran both being avid readers as kids, and wanting to share their passion with kids in their communities. 

Having a passion for literature as children, Noh and Tran knew and understood the importance of childhood reading and the impact on student’s future performance and success. “I think especially seeing the effects of being a reader today, how it impacted how we do in academics, how we communicate, and how we can empathize, I think we saw that it was really important for other kids to experience the same thing,” Noh said. Although neither of them plan on pursuing a career in literature or education, they believe that Book Bears has helped them learn about both communication and leadership while making a difference in their community. The lifelong leadership skills they’ve learned through Book Bears will put them ahead in any career they choose. 

While COVID-19 has affected how Noh and Tran run Book Bears, they have seen benefits of adjusting to an online format. Book Bears originally started as a club at OCSA; from there, it was created into a much bigger organization outside of school. They have seen growth in the amount of students they’ve been able to reach due to increasing connections with schools during quarantine. Something that has helped the co-founders stay committed to their goals is having one mission, and “having a really strong purpose and knowing exactly why you're doing everything you're doing,” Noh said. They also mentioned how important it is to not be afraid of reaching out to people and organizations because “the opportunities that we have had is due to them,” said Tran. 

One recent step that Book Bears has taken with their organization was reaching out to the head of the Claremont School District. “We've never done anything professional before, or reached out to professional people, so that was a risk that we took,” said Tran. Book Bears is now hosting virtual reading events to the students in the Claremont School District, where volunteer readers read a picture book to students over Zoom. 

During COVID-19, they have also found new and innovative ways to reach people using social media platforms which has grown their organization. In the near future, Book Bears hopes to expand to Youtube, creating literacy videos for kids to watch at home, and continue with their virtual reading events at different schools. 

Through Book Bears, Noh and Tran have not only been able to share their passion for reading to students in the community, but also have promoted literacy to the younger generation.

Book Bears can be found on Instagram: @book.bears 

Moon Princess Apparel

By: Karli Larsen and Mallory Mckenna

Megan Ververa (CV ‘21) started her own clothing line in June of this year called Moon Princess Apparel, hoping to “find inclusivity amongst all types of styles.” She wanted to find cute, basic, staple clothing items that people could wear with any style. She started an Instagram account (@moonprincessapparel) to promote her business by posting pictures of her products and customers wearing them. Her main goal was to bring people with various fashion interests together. In the future, Ververa hopes to major in business. “I thought that it would be really fun to at least learn the basics and even just experiment now while I’m young versus later,” Ververa said. 

Despite her excitement and success, she’s still faced challenges within herself as well as learning how to manage how much she spends versus how much she makes back. She says, “Challenges I’ve faced is my own inner critic being scared of criticism from other people. At the end of the day sometimes you realize that the people who you think would support you don’t, so just always remember to step outside your comfort,” said Ververa.  

By stepping out of her comfort zone, Ververa has gotten business from people she doesn’t know which has increased her networking skills. Her parents were also a huge help in promoting her brand. “They have really helped and promoted at least my instagram page so I’ve really been appreciative of that.” Starting this business has been an eye-opening experience for Ververa and has impacted her goals and interest to further her career in business later on.

What Happened to Louis Tonkovich?

Erick Ferrufino

Parents of Louis Tonkovich, former Satire Editor and disgraced OCSA graduate, recently came forward to state their child had gone missing. Leading up to their disappearance, Louis had spent the last two months working an internship at Clovis Humanities Research Facility as an archives assistant. Clovis, as many know, has been OCSA’s top benefactor since 1987, and offers more than 100 different internship positions for graduating seniors. 

Police had little information about Louis’s whereabouts or the circumstances leading to their disappearance. The only lead investigators had were the accounts Louis’s parents gave the night they went missing. 

According to Lisa Alvarez, their mother, “Louis came home that night very late, looking panicked. They were muttering something about knowing too much and that it’s not safe. After only being home for 10 minutes Louis packed everything into a suitcase and sped off. This isn’t like them. They wouldn’t just get up and leave. And they hadn’t shown any signs of strange behavior leading up to this.”

What happened that night that made Louis so frightened that they ran away from home? After three weeks with absolutely no clues, OCSA Evolution received a letter containing an alleged account written by Louis Tonkovich about their disappearance. The following is said account:

“My name is Louis Tonkovich and I am under great danger. I’m sure many are wondering why I fled home and have been off the grid. I hope this letter answers all your questions. During the two months leading up to my disappearance I interned at the ‘reputable’ Clovis Labs in their archives division. My station was a small room off to the side of the facilities with records and accounting files from the past couple of decades. After filing these documents for a few weeks I noticed something strange in the accounting records. Every few years, OCSA sends Clovis a large sum of money ranging from $200,000 to $1,000,000. This didn’t make sense to me, why was OCSA sending money to a research facility? Then I found some documents that added a little more context. On the same day that wire transfers occur, Clovis delivers a shipment to OCSA labeled ‘undisclosed assets’ sent from the basement storage room. At this point I knew something was up. Why would Clovis do business with a school? And most importantly what were these ‘undisclosed assets’ in the basement?

The next day during my lunch break I went down there to investigate. The lights were off and the temperature was much cooler compared to the rest of the building. Hundreds of rectangular crates filled the hallways. After a bit of hesitation, I opened one and something I never would’ve expected happened.

 There was a body. But not just any body. It was Matthew Morrison. Confused, I started opening the other crates in the row and inside laid more Matthew Morrisons. I moved to the other rows and found nearly every famous actor, musician and artist associated with OCSA since 1987. That’s when things began to fall into place. I started thinking bigger than just that room, than just these facilities. OCSA gets more recognition when they have famous alumni being great successes in the entertainment industry. My suspicions were confirmed when I opened the last crate and Ralph Opacic fell out. OCSA has been genetically engineering fake alumni to look more competitive and prestigious, and they created Opacic to act as a fantastic founder and all-knowing god for these artists.

Soon after, the guards found and tried to capture me. I was able to escape but it was too late. They knew I was down there and would’ve killed for the information I knew. So I've been on the run ever since. If this letter reaches Evolution, know this: OCSA has been lying to us for years and we cannot trust them. Stay safe my friends.

-Sincerely, one last time, Louis Tonkovich”

2020: Nothing to Write Home About

James Herde

Anyone you ask will tell you, 2020 has been an especially boring year. There’s been a lot of sitting around, the news has been mostly the weather and no good movies have come out to talk about. No worldwide emergencies to read about, no global…it’s on the tip of my tongue… palification? That’s not right. I’m not sure, something to do with, maybe sickness? Well, whatever it is it’s nothing to worry about.

As I’ve already said, nothing has happened. It’s not an election year or anything. Though I suppose we have the Olympics and Super Bowl to look forward to. No big wars are happening or feeling as though they’re about to begin. Our country’s political system has never been stronger or more unified. The last president to be impeached is still Bill Clinton. No mass shootings or killings, in fact, we’re safer than ever. No widespread corruption, or supremacy of any kind, all our citizens are safe no matter their gender, race, sexuality or political leaning. 

No protests taking place, so there’s no need to argue the legitimacy of protests, or what’s being protested. The police don’t have tanks, or commit war crimes--their focus is to protect and serve. In this day and age, it's obvious to say that Americans are widely antifascist. Most people lately have been more likely to agree than disagree with each other, so most people are getting along just fine. No task forces, distancing measures or debates over public safety--nope, just the normal bureaucracy. We haven’t had nearly 200,000 Americans die and had our fellow Americans debate whether or not it’s something to worry about, or even worse, argue that those deaths never actually happened. 

No stimulus checks to depend on. No housing, or eviction crises. Unemployment is down this year and Americans are economically comfortable for the most part and those who aren’t are getting the help they need from our government.

No major natural disasters this year. The drier regions of the U.S. like those on the West Coast are safe and cool. No heat waves killing at risk populations this year. No fires across thousands of acres killing firefighters and destroying homes. Those near the Gulf like Louisiana, Florida and Puerto Rico have no storms to fear. No hurricanes, floods or high winds destroying towns and leaving hundreds of thousands without power.

No drama in the Royal family across the Atlantic. No drama with celebrities or YouTubers to discuss. No celebrity deaths to mourn over so far. Sports have been taking place as usual. The Oscars earlier this year were the same old, same old, nothing to add to the history books. 

How has this affected our school? Seemingly in no way, as I said, life has been boring and nothing of interest has happened since the start of the New Year. Teachers, administrators and students alike have been going about their business as usual. No new learning formats or schedules to learn, just the same boring day to day stuff we know best. Maybe a show coming up? Nothing I’ve heard about thus far. Graduation and prom will be happening as they always have. Seniors have the stress of college applications as they do every year, but nothing special, no differences. They don’t need to worry about how politics will affect them when they move out of state for college. No students are worrying about their health and safety at school, just the normal high school drama. Teachers aren’t having to drop everything to reformat their classes, or writing wills in case things aren’t as safe as they seem. 

No added stress, just the normal everyday kinds. Nothing to write home about. Everyone is content, but bored. 

Comic

James Herde

Lauren Le

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups All-Purpose flour

• ½ cup butter*, at room temperature

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

• 1 cup buttermilk**, at room temperature

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 ½ cups blueberries

• To add—optional but appreciated oomph 

  • Zest of 1 lemon 

  • ½ tsp ginger and/or cardamom and/or cinnamon 

* the same amount of any oil can be used (I like coconut best)

** can also be substituted with 1 cup of any milk, plus 1 tbsp vinegar

Instructions

1. Prepare all of the ingredients. Please. Measure them out. Take them out of the fridge for at least a half hour before you start mixing. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare your muffin tins. One of the most helpful and important steps of any recipe is organization!

2. Cream the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until it reaches the consistency of mayonnaise for about 3 minutes. Then add the sugar and cream the two together until pale and fluffy for 3 additional minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the blades of your mixer with your spatula so everything incorporates evenly.

3. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium low and waiting 1 minute until adding the second egg, along with the vanilla.

4. Mix together the flour, salt, baking soda and powder, the lemon zest, and spices, if using. Zhush it up. Fulfil your Master Chef fantasies. 

5. Gently fold in the flour in 3 additions and pour in the buttermilk in 2 additions, alternating between the two. Make sure to start with the dry ingredients first. 

6. Toss the blueberries in 1 tbsp of flour so they don’t all sink to the bottom of the muffins. Gently fold them in until they are evenly distributed, no longer!

7. Transfer the completed batter into the prepared muffins tin, filling each about ⅔ of the way full. 

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. Remove the muffins from their tins and onto a cooling rack immediately after they come out of the oven. Leaving them in the tins will lead to the condensation of the steam that was generated in the oven. This means soggy bottoms, à la Mary Berry. Don’t disappoint Mary Berry. 

10. Enjoy as soon as the muffins have reached a temperature that doesn’t scald your mouth. Make sure to share! Or not!

Jennifer Woo

With everything going on in 2020, everyone could use a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth. Unfortunately, Disneyland Park is the last of the six global Disney resorts to reopen, and it may be a while before guests can get back to the parades, Dole Whip, rides, and fireworks.

Shanghai Disneyland reopened on May 11, and recently increased its capacity to 50% on August 24. Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disney opened in July and remained open as of early September.

Hong Kong Disneyland on the other hand reopened on June 18 but was forced to close less than a month later after a surge of cases in the region. 

People are now divided over the questions of “When can Disneyland reopen?” and “When should Disneyland reopen?”

Disneyland has published compliance with numerous CDC guidelines and precautions that will be taken upon the park’s reopening. According to Disneyland’s official website, cast members will be extensively trained to handle COVID precautions, hand washing stations will be installed around the park, and outdoor areas will be frequently cleaned. (Additional guidelines and procedures can be found at https://disneyland.disney.go.com/)

“I felt extremely safe because of all of the intense social distancing guidelines,” said Keaton Evans (MT ‘24) who visited Walt Disney World in August. “It feels very different but the Disney magic is still there!” 

The new regulations allow for only one group per car on attractions. For rides with row seating, every other row was left empty. Despite all the changes to the familiarity of the park, a plus side to COVID-era Disney parks is the shorter wait times. Evans said that the longest wait time was around 40 minutes,a dream in comparison to the usual 120 minute wait times for Space Mountain and other major attractions. 

Evans stayed in Disney World’s Riviera resort during his trip to the Sunshine State. “It was amazing. The remotes and all handles etc. had plastic over them because they had been disinfected, and you have to mobile order from all restaurants,” said Evans, regarding the hotel’s COVID precautions.

However, the reopening of Walt Disney World was not without opposition. A petition on MoveOn.org gained more than 20,000 signatures urging the Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, to consider opening Walt Disney World Resort at a later date to protect cast members and park guests. 

On the flip side of the reopening debate, Disneyland employs more than 30,000 cast members and staff, most of whom have been furloughed since April 19. Reopening the park would give employees a steady income which is a major factor in the consideration of reopening the park. 

In addition to protecting staff and visitors, many are also concerned about those who live in close proximity to the park. 

“I love Disneyland myself, but what are you going to risk?” said Cas Kesig (CW ‘21), a resident of Anaheim. Kesig acknowledged the negative impact of the Disneyland shutdown on the Anaheim economy but expressed concern for the health and safety of local residents, many of whom are lower-income and may be disproportionately affected by COVID. 

Disneyland’s initial proposal to reopen on July 17 was rejected, but Downtown Disney reopened July 9, with temperature checks, socially distanced benches, mask requirements, and limited capacity in stores and restaurants. However, videos from inside the World of Disney store during the re-opening weekend showed crowds of shoppers jostling each other, less than six feet apart, while shopping for Disney merchandise. While everyone in the video was wearing masks, this video suggests that even Disney’s strict guidelines cannot ensure compliance with safe practices.

The word “unprecedented” has become somewhat of a COVID cliche, but it’s definitely applicable for Disney Parks. Disneyland has only ever closed twice before the COVID shutdown: the day after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and September 11, 2001.

As with every other business, the reopening of Disney Parks is a balance of trying to revitalize the local economy while keeping people safe and avoiding liability. Disneyland is such a nostalgic, personal place for so many people, and its reopening, whether it’s in a week or a year, will certainly be a magical moment.

OC Schools Reopening

Jane Lee and Anica Sherry

So many of us are eager to get out the door and on our way to school again, with bookbags perched on our shoulders and masks in hand. As the fall semester approaches, and the number of cases increase daily in the U.S., the question of whether to open up schools or not increases as well. 

In July, “the state's department of education issued an executive order requiring all ‘brick and mortar schools’ to open ‘at least five days per week for all students’ by August 31”. The U.S. is divided as many school districts have decided to stick to Distance Learning and others have reopened back up for the fall semester, which consequently, has caused a spike in COVID-19 cases in those opened districts. As of now more than 850 schools in the U.S. that have already reopened in the fall for in-person learning have reported COVID-19 cases, forcing those schools to return to Distance Learning.

The question that families have is how distance learning versus in-person learning will affect students’ educational life. According to the Orange County Register, Many parents worry that by not going to school, their children will fail to form their social and emotional development. In addition, many schools funded by the federal government provide necessities to students and families such as nutrition, physical activity, and perhaps a sense of safety. School districts such as Huntington Beach and Santa Ana currently still provide free and reduced lunch for students to pick up, while they are learning from home. 

OC school districts have pushed for reopening on-campus at the earliest of Sept. 22, 2020 and teachers, as a result, have voiced their concerns. Teacher unions have been conversing with the school districts they are part of specifically, and The California Teachers’ Association, one of the largest state-wide unions, has written a letter to state leaders demanding that school districts stay remote. Those teachers state they are uncomfortable with returning to school so soon, despite agreeing that in-person learning is most effective for students.  

OCSA released a statement in response to Orange County schools potentially opening up again for the fall semester. On August 31, OCSA sent an email to families and students regarding the “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” in that they remain “committed to transitioning to an in-person hybrid learning model once it is safe to do so.” To ensure the safety of OCSA students and staff, students would attend school on campus twice a week, and bus transportation, locker assignments, and homework or afterschool clubs will not be available. Along with that, strict safety protocols such as wearing masks, checking temperatures, social distancing will be mandatory. 

Following the email from OCSA sent on September 9, students started the schedule of Phase 1B on September 21. This new schedule aligns with the old block scheduling, before quarantine was enacted nationwide. The 1B scheduling is now more convenient for students and teachers, allowing for a more easier transition to other classes and to going back to in-person learning on campus. In addition, Fridays will be used for students to have personal zoom meetings with their teachers for additional support for their classes. 

As of now, OCSA administration and leadership will continue to monitor data and remain committed to the hybrid-learning model, providing a safer environment of learning. But in the end, OCSA’s curriculum for the 2020-2021 school year will be dependent on the parents and students' decision whether to continue with distance learning or to begin the “hybrid learning” model.

Tips and Tricks for Treating Zoom Fatigue

Isabel Hahn

Ever since the start of quarantine in March, daily life has been completely overshadowed by Zoom. What used to be a mere online socializing site is now a lifeline for jobs, classes and even meetings with loved ones. 

With school back in session again, many students have realized that Zoom-induced exhaustion is very real. It isn’t easy going from being in a lively classroom to staring at thirty different faces at once on an electronic screen. Who knew attending a single math class would result in a headache and a strong temptation to sleep the rest of the day away? 

This weariness can be almost too difficult to deal with sometimes, but with the reopening of school still uncertain, it is important to adapt to online learning with mental and physical health in mind. Here are some tips that will hopefully lessen the heavy burden of Zoom fatigue. 

Declutter your workspace. 

Just looking at a messy room can be a stimulation overload in itself. Personal home spaces become makeshift classrooms in online distance learning and are vital to productivity and focus. If one’s workspace is cluttered, it can be tiring to fully block out distractions. 

Model your space like a typical school desk. At the end of each day, take five minutes or so to throw away any old food wrappers, sweep off eraser crumbs and stack textbooks neatly to the side. Set class notes and stationary in places that will not need any unnecessary scrambling to find. Put away clothes that may be hanging off chairs or crumpled up on the floor. An orderly setting will allow for learning without the hardships that a scattered attention brings. 

Utilize “passing” periods. 

Yes, it may sound nice to use these precious slices of free time by slouching back and scrolling mindlessly through social media or browsing a website. After all, in distance learning, the next class is not in a completely different building anymore, but only a few clicks away. 

Scrap these thoughts and try to mimic normal passing periods by getting up and walking around. Stretch, grab a snack and open up a window for some fresh air. Physically moving from one place to another gives the mind a clear-cut sense of transition, and by the time class begins again, it will be refreshed enough to take in a new set of information.

Get some sleep. 

As simple as it may sound, taking a power nap or going to bed early can be the best way to recharge. Make a timed schedule with an appropriate bedtime. Avoid procrastinating and follow the schedule thoroughly in order to fit in the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Additionally, even a brief hour long nap after class dismissal can get rid of mental fogginess and supply that boost of concentration needed to get through homework later on in the day. However, napping carelessly can be risky, so make sure to set an alarm to avoid oversleeping!  

Take unplugged breaks. 

Though sitting down to binge watch a favorite show may sound like a nice way to unwind after a long Zoom session, too much time spent with electronics can be extremely draining.

Turn to the simpler things for technology-free breaks. Try a new recipe or pick up that book that’s been sitting at the side of your desk for a while. Take a walk around the neighborhood, go chat with a family member and gaze out of a window for a few seconds. Being forced to be virtually present all the time, it is easy to forget that life is still ongoing. It can be incredibly relaxing to have a moment to take it all in.  

Distance learning has made it harder than usual to adjust to the new school year. It is perfectly normal to feel worn out as classes progress in an unfamiliar online setting. As important as studies are, it should also be a main priority for students to tune in to their personal well-being. 

Remember to breathe, and to take things one day at a time. A productive and healthy distance learning experience is more attainable than it may seem!  

How Sports Leagues are Adapting to COVID-19

Max Mikkelsen

As sports leagues were shut down in early March, sports fans were devastated. The NBA Playoffs, the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the start of the 2020 Baseball season were all cancelled until further notice. Sports fans were devastated to say the least. 

Right as COVID-19 hit the U.S., the MLB was scheduled to start Spring Training, its annual pre-season training. “Spring Training is something my family and I love to go to and watch games so it sucked to not have baseball to go to, or even watch while stuck at home” said Jess Perez (ACT ‘21). With four months of no baseball, the MLB finally started up its limited season on July 23. 

The MLB has shortened the season from 162 down to 60 games, and the season will end on Oct. 31. While travelling is still happening, all of the games are being played within a division. Teams in the West will only be playing other Western teams, and that goes for Central and Eastern divisions as well. Jess said she’s “glad it’s back now, it gives hope to having things go back to normal”

Players are tested every other day, with strict contact tracing and social distancing enforced in between games. Teams such as the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals have had minor outbreaks and have had to miss games, but the season continues on and the outbreaks have been managed.

Due to Baseball being an already socially distanced game, testing has shown that COVID-19 has not spread between teams, rather, it has spread within. Getting lazy with protocols, not wearing masks, and possibly leaving the hotel are all factors that could have contributed to the breakouts in these teams. “I just hope they learned from previous mistakes, and try to keep it safe” Jess said. 

On Mar. 11, the NBA season was officially put on hiatus. On Jul. 30, however, the NBA played its official first game of the season. The NBA is deciding to utilize a single site for the entire league at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The NBA invited 22 teams to determine the roster for the playoffs, which began on Aug. 17. The First game of the NBA finals is set to begin on Sep. 30, and that will be the end of the NBA season. 

The “Bubble” method has been a fairly successful way of preventing the spread of COVID-19 within the league, and the National Hockey League has been another organization to implement the plan. For its end-of-season playoff games, the NHL has created two bubbles in Canada: one in Edmonton, Alberta, and one in Toronto, Ontario. 

Testing is thorough, with around 1500 tests administered each day. Anyone entering the bubble must quarantine for two weeks, and families have been able to join their players in the bubble as results have trended positively. 

As sports come back this year, fans are excited to see their favorite teams playing. More and more leagues will start their season, and fans will eventually be allowed to watch games in the stadium as restrictions loosen. Isabel Lyons (IA ‘22) said that “everything is happening at once so no matter what sport you like there’s something on for everyone.”

OCSA’s Plans for the Future

Cas Kesig

After a summer of critical dialogue with students, parents and alumni, OCSA administration consolidated the feedback they received to form the Coalition for Antiracism and Inclusion, which was announced at the end of July in a mass email to the OCSA community. The blueprint for reform left many students cautiously optimistic and curious about its implementation, especially on a digital campus.

Facilitated by a steering committee consisting of four administrators, the Coalition has begun to tackle school reform in partnership with parents, stakeholders, and student organizations like Black Student Union and LatinX Club. Two members of the steering committee, Abby Levine and Brian Stevens, were able to provide a more nuanced look into the Coalition’s mission and methodology. 

Levine, who has worn many administrative hats, began as a teacher in the Creative Writing conservatory, and had a hand in founding CSArts-SGV as dean of arts before returning to OCSA and settling into her current role as the Executive Dean of Strategic Growth. Stevens, a former Integrated Arts teacher, was hired this summer as the new Dean of Arts Enrichment. 

The Coalition is a sort of cyclical operation. It culls community input from “town halls,” in which the steering committee meets semi-regularly with racial affinity groups to collaborate on reform. “The first step for us was creating an infrastructure where we could listen to the Black and Brown voices on our campus, amplify their concerns, and use that to create priorities for the coalition,” said Levine. “Then the steering committee codifies that into what we’re hearing, how many times we’re hearing it, what seems to be rising to the top as the most important priorities, and we report that out to the advisory committee, who advise us back on what sort of actions need to happen.”

As of now, the Coalition’s chief issue is curriculum, which has received an overwhelming amount of commentary from the student body. How race is presented and discussed in the classroom is under more well-deserved scrutiny than ever before. As such, all administrators and staff (academic and conservatory) are currently participating in a book study of “Not Light, But Fire: How to Lead Meaningful Race Conversations in the Classroom” by Matthew Kay.

While this effort has been largely introspective, the Coalition is also evaluating school practices in terms of disparity from our surroundings. As Dean of Arts Enrichment, Stevens has used the discussion about racial inequity to revisit OCSA’s relationship with the Santa Ana community. “We’re looking at deepening some of the existing partnerships we have and asking: ‘Are we delivering on our promise of being a good neighbor?’” he said. Levine mentioned the possibility of working with Kidworks and The Wooden Floor, OC youth organizations not dissimilar to OCSA-specific programs like CSArts Academy and Camp OCSA, but with a wider scope. 

These are just two examples of the many task forces created to amend specific issues. Curriculum, community outreach, restorative justice, hiring practices; a number of institutional flaws, with racism and implicit bias at the crux, are being addressed with unprecedented fervency. Some of these goals, such as altering hiring practices, can only be made possible through sustained self-examination and accountability, but Levine makes it abundantly clear that the steering committee is in it for the long haul.

“Our plan for next year is to deepen it and go further into culturally responsive curriculum and instruction. While we do already have an arts and academic curriculum task force at work doing some initial recommendations for changes, the depth of study will be bigger next year than it can be this year. We need to pave the road for those meaningful conversations. We want to make sure we don’t just scratch the surface.”

 Taking a Bite Out of Injustice

Mehra Marzbani

Besides drawing attention to the injustices faced by African-Americans, the Black Lives Matter movement has opened the door to recognizing those who are making a difference in their communities. One such person is Chef Skyler Tanksley. Tanksley, a Santa Ana native, is no stranger to OCSA. As a teen, he wanted to join the Acting Conservatory, but his father pressured him to pursue sports at his local high school instead. What became a necessity would lead to the revelation of Tanksley’s true calling. 

Around the age of 16, Tanksley started cooking in order to feed himself since his mother was away working in Santa Barbara and his father worked long hours serving as a local police officer. He continued to cook at home until he started working in restaurants at the age of 22. 

“Working with pretty big chefs in the market business made me realize what I really wanted to do long term and how much I cared about food and cooking,” Tanksley said.

And so, with the help of his friends and family, the journey began.

“We started selling food from our home into the streets, from the streets into our first restaurant, which is now our final home.” 

In fact, by the age of 26, he had opened his Santa Ana-based vegan restaurants, Munchies Diner, Munchies Deli and Naughty Panda. Due to the injustices he faced as a Cambodian-African man, he had to make important business decisions.

“People weren’t going to support black-owned businesses at the time,” Tanksley said. “My colorful brands and names are a product of having to mask who I really was.” 

What is not masked, though, is Tanksley’s talent as a chef, desire to protect animals and the environment by supporting veganism, and commitment to supporting his community. Not only are 98% of the people working at his restaurants people of color, Tanksley has taken it a step further by helping his hometown of Santa Ana.

 “We put [all our businesses] specifically and purposely in my city that I grew up in,” Tanksley said. “I want to be the role model that lets people know you can create revenue and capital to help support your community that you place your business. This shows people that you care.” 

Tanksley believes the current Black Lives Matter movement is also good for the community because it allows people of color and those who have been oppressed to exercise their rights. 

“Protesting is important,” Tanksley said. “We need to keep the energy [up] so we can provide our community with strength, understanding, and awareness.”

 Although the chef has experienced a significant increase in sales ever since the protests, he fears “the energy and love has phased out.” Tanksley is doing his part to maintain awareness through Linktr.ee, an extension to his Instagram, where he recognizes the loss of innocent lives like that of Elijah McClain.

 “Of all the dramatic videos we see...this one hit me because of the innocence involved,” Tanksley said. “[Elijah] was the catalyst and variable for people to understand that there are purely innocent humans of color being picked [on], poisoned, and harmed, and he was one of them.” 

Tanksley is a role model because he is making a difference in his community as a successful chef and restaurateur, and he is a passionate human being who wants to support others. In fact, he concluded the interview by giving the following advice to all OCSA students: “Follow your heart, don’t be ashamed of what you are passionate about, and voice what you care about.” And if you want to follow your stomach, try Tanksley’s favorite item on the menu, the Western Bacon Munch Burger, at Munchies Vegan Diner located at 313 N Bush St, Santa Ana, California.

Instagram: The New Conduit for Social Justice

Lauren Le

The world has gone digital. Everything is now virtual, from mobile baking to attending school. Especially in a pseudo-post-pandemic world, it seems that every aspect of modern society has become more virtually compatible, for better or worse. Social media platforms have seen a major shift in content that reflects the changing world. Many people, especially students, have turned to Instagram in order to spread and awareness for pressing systemic issues in need of resolution. 

Melanie Kallah (IA ‘21), believes that using Instagram to raise awareness for a cause is a blessing and a curse. “[Social Media] allows for the spreading of information quickly to help educate people and combat implicit biases or ignorance,” Kallah said. “However, this only remains true if: people remain engaged and take the time to read posts, and if people expose themselves to multiple perspectives.” Inherently, people tend to share political and social opinions with their friends, which limits the range of information and viewpoints that a student  comes across, not to mention the added complexity of digital algorithms. However, in the ideal situation where Instagram users encounter multiple viewpoints, real change can occur. “The one thing we can hope is that the parts that stand out will intrigue people so that they can stimulate productive conversations with those around them,” Kallah said. 

Ashley Ferraez-Diaz (PM ‘21) leads the team of OCSA students behind @diversifyournarrativeocsa on Instagram. Their bio explains that they are a “student led initiative that targets CA school boards to expand curriculum.” Beyond just posting educational resources on the platform, they are working to help broaden their follower base’s worldview. 

“We try to read the comments and DMs as much as possible in case someone feels there isn’t enough talk on a certain subject or if people are asking us questions on a historical topic,” Ferraez-Diaz said. By sticking to a focused posting schedule, they can designate certain days for specific content and topics, ranging from “educational slides for all cultural backgrounds on things we didn’t learn in history classes,” to “testimonies on student, staff or parents experiences with discrimination.” 

Beyond just raising general awareness, there is also the issue of accuracy that comes with the sheer volume of information students circulate. “At times people may be getting false information from non credible accounts,” Ferraez-Diaz said, which comes with its own issues when combined with frequent posting.  

Caleb Yang (IA ‘22) believes in the use of social media platforms to spread awareness, but urges users to fact-check their sources before posting. “Anyone can make a cute graphic on Instagram, and they do not need to have accurate information for it to gain traction and popularity,” Yang said. “A situation where social media users blindly repost a graphic without checking if it contains credible information quickly spirals out of control, because the post suddenly covers everyone’s feed,” Yang said. Another common issue is the widespread phenomenon of “performative activism,” which can be traced back to the death of George Floyd, when people started “conveying the message ‘If you are silent right now, you are part of the problem,’” Yang said. With a boom in peer pressure to look socially and politically active, the dangers of performative activism have surfaced. “What we need to realize is that civil liberties and basic equality is not a trend,” said Kallah. 

However, if students take the time to seek out resources that are very intentional with the content they post, the power of social media can be harnessed, especially if platforms are used beyond just story posts. “This is still the beginning,” Ferraez-Diaz said, “We hope to educate ignorant people or even continue educating people who are already for social justice. This way they have a way to back up their thoughts.” Realizing the potential to incite real change is exciting for students, especially when it is easier now than ever to access a variety of educational resources, donation pages, and petitions. However, it is imperative to remember that “the most important part of activism,” said Yang, “is following through on your words and opinions and taking action in day to day life.” 

A Story for Everyone: Deconstructing Racist Narratives in OCSA Curriculum

Mia Soumbasakis and Kaon Suh

[To] be sung to the ‘I like it’ tune by Cardi B. `

"Yeah baby, Indian Removal is wrong

You gotta believe me when I tell you

Indian Removal is wrong

You gotta believe me when I tell you

I said—

our job was to protect them from the western settlers

instead Jackson moved them over so we could take them over."

Alex could only watch as their group members rapped about the genocide of their people. It was a part of the debate they were having as a class on, out of all things, the constitutionality of Andrew Jackson's "Indian removal policy," (his solution to the "Indian problem"). Their team had been assigned to indict Andrew Jackson against the other half of the class. 

As their classmates giggled at the juxtaposition of the actions of a dusty, stoic historical figure and the bold, cheeky music of Cardi B, they could only think of how it must have felt to leave behind your beloved in an unmarked grave by the dirt road, never to be seen again. How cold they were, and how hungry. The little feet of the children blackening and falling away. The elderly slowly making themselves disappear. One did not know where they were going; one only knew that to halt was to surely die. It was "very isolating in moments like that when everyone else is very on board for this assignment, and you’re supposed to just kind of be okay with it, to be a good sport about it." It seemed to them, at that moment, that they and their classmates both existed within two completely separate worlds. That what their classmates were rapping about and the event that they knew about were completely different things; they had to be. 

And their classmates weren't bad people; they knew this. The teacher who had assigned her this assignment, they assured us, was a really nice person! And that's what terrified them the most. 

As they forced themself to go through the motions of calmly and rationally indicting the specific actions of an American leader that had patriotically and brutally murdered their people, they realized that they couldn't do it. They were not able to be a good sport. They couldn't stand the laughter of their peers. They excused themself from the classroom, shaken and in tears, their blood roaring. 

"To be expected to do that," they said, "[when] you have so much cultural and emotional trauma associated with historical oppression."

After the debate, most students might be able to wash their hands free of it all and, after receiving the grade they wanted, simply forget about it and return to their daily lives. This was something that Alex could not do. 

The reality is that this is just one concrete result of a curriculum written for an audience that is very much non-Indigenous. The expectation was that the people holding debates about Indigenous genocides (specifically of the Taino people and the peoples forced to walk the Trail of Tears) would be the descendants of settlers or settlers themselves. With this added erasure, Alex was rendered completely invisible. Silent. 

Reflected within the rap itself is the conflict between two settler identities perpetuated by the curriculum; the "we" whose point of view their group was rapping about were both simultaneously the protectors and oppressors of the Native American people. This, as Alex observed, couldn't be blamed on the students themselves. It is a product of a curriculum that has inherited and upholded the ideologies left behind by the "victors' for centuries.

Native American history and Black history cannot be divorced from American history. Without the histories of these people, contemporary American history has no choice but to become a fairy tale. In this fairy tale, white settlers miraculously appear on a continent void of civilization and build a vast, wealthy empire with their own hands, a complete sanitization of an inescapably brutal history. 

Regardless of the intention, these debates equated the perspectives of the oppressors and the oppressed. It created a situation that encouraged students to view both sides as equally worthy of pursuing, breeding complacency in this violence. Much of OCSA’s current curriculum, especially within its history and literature departments, are far from immune to these "fairy tale" narratives, something that many students are actively harmed by and are now beginning to speak out against.

Christina Miles, a senior in Creative Writing, is one such student. After the murder of George Floyd, she and Tyler Simpson, both co-presidents of the Black Student Union, pushed for “curricula within OCSA that is anti-racist as opposed to just diverse,” meaning it would not only include marginalized perspectives but “[actively address] racist and problematic ideologies, [deconstruct] them, and [show] why they shouldn’t be supported” (Christina Miles ‘21). Christina is working now with OCSA admin on the Curriculum Revision Task Force, and she and Tyler separately have contacted OCSA teachers with plans not only to dismantle racism within curricula, but add to the conventionally white perspective with a multitude of others. She recounted her experiences with the literature department in particular, saying, “As a Black student, I felt very alienated and tokenized [when our Lit&Comp II Honors class read] A Raisin in the Sun [by Lorraine Hansberry].” It was one of the only times she remembers Black artists being mentioned in the class and in an attempt to make this play more relatable to OCSA's students, it was analyzed within the context of a discussion on the achievability of the “American Dream.” She says a more effective way to teach this play would be to focus on this Black perspective as something necessary for all people (especially non-Black and non-Indigenous people) to listen to in order to understand how they fit into systems of racial oppression within America without comparing Black peoples' specific struggles to their own life. As the play shows very clearly, the American Dream was never something viable for "both the characters in Lorraine Hansberry’s book and…real Black people [today]."

Another aspect of the work that Christina wants to implement into future curriculum is to try to contact people who can provide personal accounts for or are of communities who are still deeply affected by historical events. She recalls learning about the murder of Emmett Till, which is credited for starting the Civil Rights Movement, and how her understanding of the event was more personal than it was for other students. “For me, the murder of Emmett Till represents a gruesome, horrifying event that happened [and] continues to happen. It’s why Black mothers always tell their children to be careful when walking down the street. It’s why there’s such a stigma in the Black community of when a Black man dates a white girl--you’re either afraid for him or hate him for it.” These are aspects of Black history and culture that aren’t talked about in the classroom because they are things that non-Black people can never truly understand, especially if they aren’t informed by Black voices.  In her efforts to create a curriculum which recognizes the nuances that certain communities go through in relation to real events, Christina contacted Indigenous students about environmentalism and ecotourism in their lives for the APES class. She is constantly searching for historical accounts of BIPOC in writing, YouTube videos, and podcasts, which she has compiled into a resource document for people who are interested in informing themselves. At times she finds this workload overwhelming, especially when combined with the constant questions she has to answer from peers and teachers trying to educate themselves. She hopes the work she does now will make it so that students of color in the future don’t have to be responsible for teaching the rest of the class their history.

Chamina Dormitorio, a junior in Digital Media, is another student who has been actively working with OCSA's administration to change the current curriculum. She, too, was inspired by the murder of George Floyd. "I wanted to do something that would be long term…" she said, "because social media is good for organizing and protesting but what do we do when it… inevitably dies down?" She began to look into ethnic studies as a way to "extend understanding and respect" between those who have the privilege of learning about racism and those who must live through it. She explains that most of OCSA's history curriculum "is entirely based on eurocentric history; it is hard to completely untangle that because you're being state-mandated to teach this specific [narrative]."

 It would require, then, an interdisciplinary class such as Ethnic studies to combat a lot of the problematic narratives that are inevitably woven into OCSA's history curriculum, encouraging thoughtful dialogue and giving OCSA students situational awareness of their position in history and the, tools to identify and dismantle systems of oppression.

 "Ethnic studies isn't a cure-all for racism," she cautions, however. "It requires… [collaborative] work on both the parts of the teachers and students… students need to be willing to see how their mindsets have affected them and must be willing to change" outside of taking this course. As of right now, the future of ethnic studies seems to be cloudy; all we know at this point is that if OCSA Admin follows through, it will be a required course that would most likely replace Global Studies. Student support is therefore critical for OCSA's ethnic studies program; students must hold admin accountable and demand for a transparent process because if it is not handled carefully and not in dialogue with and for OCSA's students of color, it can do more harm than good. 

“Teaching is a political act,” Miles said. Having the authority to present information to young people who are told to undoubtedly believe it holds immense power. Students go to school with the intention to prepare themselves for real life, and are very rarely given the chance to “source” their teachers for bias. It is important for a teacher to understand that students internalize the material they are taught and apply it to their lives. For example, Alex says that many of their peers at OCSA “had no reason to challenge [their own] beliefs [about indigenous people] or to participate in [indigenous] activism” because they were simply never taught about the ongoing violence and struggles that indigenous people face today, such as police brutality and the fight for land reclamation. Teachers should aim to recognize the broader effects of their teaching methods and content and work to revise through doing additional research and addressing their own experiences and personal biases.

As they do this work, students ask that they make their classroom a safe, open, and nurturing space and that they check in with their students. As Miles puts it, “not [relying] on students to [tell them] when [they] say something damaging.” Similarly, white students are asked to recognize their privilege within a classroom setting, never having to feel singled out or unaccounted for, and adjust their language if told by a student of color that what they are saying is derogatory or untrue.

“Question everything,” Christina says in regard to OCSA students, “actively search out multiple perspectives on the material you’re talking about.” Research. Have conversations with your friends. Email teachers if you think of a way to aid the continuous process of creating an anti-racist story. Email OCSA admin and advocate on the behalf of Ethnic Studies. Although change doesn’t occur instantaneously, we have a lot of power in what we say and what we do and we can hope for a future where the thoughts of BIPOC from both today and the past are valued. 

In the end, Alex told us, smiling, that they know for a fact that the students at OCSA are "strong and passionate people who have [the power] to… make that kind of change.”

Pierce Tries: Senior Year

Pierce Lewis

Senior year. I honestly didn’t think this would come as quick as it did and I feel like my fellow classmates probably feel the same way. A couple months ago, a friend of mine called me and brought up an old conversation we had in 10th grade. We talked about how senior year was just around the corner, how it was going to just sneak up on us, and how our conversation would soon become a distant memory. It hasn’t even been two years since then but it feels like it was ages ago.

It’s crazy to think back to previous years of high school where we would dream of what senior year would be like. Some of us dreamed of the fun it had in store, while others dreaded the thought of college applications and SAT/ACT tests. However, this year took an unexpected turn. What we thought was going to be a two week spring break ended up changing everyone’s lives. Obviously this year is going to be a change for everybody at OCSA, especially the seniors. Basically everything we anticipated senior year would have is cancelled, at least for now. However, with a hybrid plan being thought of, the only thing we can do to help get our senior year festivities back is to be mindful of what's happening and simply continue to follow CDC guidelines.

The one thing that hasn’t changed about senior year is the stress that comes along with the college application process. Of course COVID would cancel everything ... but this. For real though, while it didn’t completely cancel college admissions, it led to a number of changes on how they’re done. COVID cancelled recent SAT and ACT tests for many, which has forced colleges to rethink the necessity and requirement of these tests in their applications. That might be a “hooray” for some people or a cause of dread for others, affecting the application process positively and negatively. 

Regardless of these effects, most people are still stressing out about their applications and I’m no exception. Personally, I don’t get super stressed out about things such as tests, auditions, or interviews, but with the thought of essentially deciding my future, it’s hard not to feel that way. I will admit, I definitely started the whole college process late. As of right now, I’m still not too sure on what I want to do in life and consider myself lost compared to my peers who have everything planned down to the second on where they want to go and what they want to do. 

Some of you might feel the same way, or simply aren’t too sure on your career path you planned out because as humans we change a lot. When looking back on previous high school years, I’ve seen that I’ve definitely changed as a person, so naturally my ideas and passions have changed alongside me. When I was younger I wanted to be a videogame designer (I know, pretty nerdy), but as time went on I lost interest in that field. Nowadays, I’d rather do something related to film or business but I’m still hesitant on what I want to do. If it isn’t clear at this point, I’m not a very decisive person and it tends to stress me out a lot, especially now. 

Of course this time can cause anxiety for a lot of people, it’s important to do things you enjoy. Play video games, read a book, or even try something new, like a taco, because it’s always good to take time for yourself. You hear that a lot from your parents or teachers, but they’re right because when you look back on high school, you’re going to want to remember the times you had fun as a kid. The times you and your friends went to Disneyland, roller skated, went to each other's houses, tried something new or even just made jokes over text. Sure I might’ve followed that advice too much, but at least I was able to make every year of my childhood count before the inevitable adult years.

September Horoscopes

Monica Johnson and Anica Sherry

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Start taking pride in what you do! You’ve been working hard, so be sure to take care of your mental and physical health. Consider some personal reflection once Mars goes into retrograde this month. Now is a great time to start fostering relationships and creativity, as long as you don’t give into your impulses.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20): Your focus this month should be on making time for leisure. Relax a little! You may face some disagreements at work or school during this time, but you should be able to persevere by reacting calmly and with patience. Start bringing your expectations back down to Earth. The new moon on September 17th should’ve given you a fresh start.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20): You’re about to go into an introspective phase caused by the full moon on the 2nd, and you may have revelations about your long term goals and plans. Now is a great time to communicate with others, so create about something you’re passionate about and get ready to have some meaningful conversations with those you hold close to your heart. Be sure to live in the moment, and don’t stress about the past.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22): Though this is not often a problem for Cancers, be careful with your impulses at this time. Venus leaves your sign on the 6th, so you may feel the need to delve into the joy of simple activities. You may also long for comfort and security as the month goes on, which will allow you to analyze the constants in your life, especially in friendships. Just make sure you don’t lose momentum in your work-related endeavors.

Leo (July 23 – August 22): Joyful surprises are in store for you this month, and others may start to recognize you for your achievements. With the full moon in Pisces, your artistic abilities are likely to flourish and you will assist you in your creative endeavors. As long as you budget your time and money accordingly, you will have a very successful period.

Virgo  (August 23 – September 22): It’s Virgo season! You’ve had a challenging year and this month should serve as an oasis from the hardships you’ve faced for a while now. Closeness is something that you should pay attention to, as you will see strong relationships becoming even more important to you. You may feel a bit unenthusiastic at the moment, but if you plan on doing anything important, get to it as soon as possible, because there’s no better time than the present.

Libra (September 23 – October 22): Libras, this month there will be more focus on your talent for forming strong bonds as Mars moves through your seventh house of partnerships. Pay special attention to serious relationships of any kind, including anything related to school or business! Until a new relationship surfaces, practice some self care.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21): September brings positive change in your relationships after a long time of frustration. Mars retrograde will make it difficult to stay organized with work, as your sixth house of health and organization will be affected by this until November 13. You might feel the urge to be extra critical this month, so remember to stay open-minded.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21): The full moon in Pisces at the beginning of the month will bring happiness to your home and family. Set aside some work goals for the month, because Virgo’s new moon will move into your tenth house, focused on ambition and triumph. Your work potential will not go unnoticed and by the end of the month, you might find yourself in a position of security. 

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19): Capricorns, this month there’s a big emphasis on your home life. Mars entered your fourth house just a little before September and on the ninth, the same planet turns retrograde. This might slow down your personal life, so be patient and considerate. Things will look up as Jupiter ends its retrograde and as Saturn turns direct, and it’ll be easier to make positive choices. 

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18): You’ll be very involved with finance this September. Your second house of income will be highlighted starting with the New Moon in Pisces at the beginning of the month. Along with Capricorns, you might experience slowdowns in your communication and personal life. If you’re feeling uninspired, take a minute to take care of yourself, and then revise and reorganize your plans.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20): After a period of stress, September will provide you with a break. Lucky you, Pisces! There was a full moon in your sign on the second, allowing you to make positive changes for yourself. There’s a chance you’re experiencing trouble in a  relationship, but you will find the time to address it.