Rachel Alper

Position

Writer

University of California, Berkeley freshman Leilani McIntosh dribbles the ball at a basketball game on February 21, just two weeks before the university moved to online instruction only.

BHS Athletes Work to Stay in Shape Despite Spring Sports Cancellation

Sports

With school shut down for the remainder of the year due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and activities like sports cancelled for the foreseeable future, Berkeley High School athletes are grappling with ways to deal with lost seasons and stay in shape for the future.

Junior Emmet Rayhill dribbles the ball during the boys

BHS Boys’ Soccer Forfeits O’Dowd Game

Sports

On February 7, 2020, the Berkeley High School boys’ soccer team forfeited their highly-anticipated game against rival high school Bishop O’Dowd. This happened shortly after a list of students accused of rape and labeled as “sus” appeared on the wall of a girls bathroom at BHS, sparking a conversation about rape culture.

Young Athletes Pushed to Use Performance-Altering Drugs

Sports

When people think of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs, images of Barry Bonds smashing home runs over the right-field wall, and Lance Armstrong dominating the Tour de France come to mind.

Exercising Has Positive Effects on Teenagers' Health and Lives

Sports

Last year, at a dryland training practice for a club swim team, the coach introduced a stretching technique he called “decompression.” The problem that he aimed to address was general muscle pains and back aches that he said teenagers suffer from because we spend hours a day hunched over, looking at our phones.

BHS 2019-20 Winter Sports Preview

Sports

GIRLS SOCCER The Berkeley High School girls soccer team had a successful season last year, winning the conference title for the first time since the 2013-14 season with a 13-3-2 record.

Cal Football Inspires BHS Students Athletes

Sports

The California Golden Bears football team has started its season strong despite a few setbacks. To start the season out with a bang, they won their first four games and defeated the Washington Huskies for the second year in a row, winning 20-19 with a thrilling last minute field goal.

Haley Kirtland: Legend in the Making

Sports

Haley Kirtland, a current senior and captain of the Berkeley High School swim team, holds seven BHS records — five individual and two relay — and is the first BHS swimmer to ever compete at state championships.

Girls’ Lax Pushes Past Rough Start

Sports

The Berkeley High School girls’ lacrosse team got off to a bit of a rocky start, with a current record of 3-8. However, as the season progresses, they’re working together and improving as a team.

Girls’ Softball Starts Season With a Hit

Sports

The Berkeley High School varsity softball team is optimistic as they begin their 2019 season. They hope to reclaim the league title that they won in 2017 and make it further in the North Coast Section tournament.

Gender Gaps Pervade English Curricula

Opinion

In my AP Spanish Literature and Culture class, it was not until the final week of the first semester that we read our first work written by a woman. The College Board determines our reading list, and out of 38 works, seven were written by women.

Could a Voting Holiday Increase Turnout?

Opinion

Democracy depends on voting. When Congress chose the first Tuesday in November as Election Day, it picked the day with the intention of having as little interference with people’s workdays as possible to allow for the most accessible possible voting process.

Prop 13 Damages California Education

Opinion

As the fifth largest economy in the world, we’re well known for being an economically prosperous state. However, California ranks among the lowest in the US for the amount of money spent on each K-12 public school student per year.

Tech Advancements Threaten Job Security

Opinion

When people talk about a robot apocalypse, they’re usually envisioning a war zone scenario in which machines become self aware and decide to revolt against humanity.