Illustration by Finley Mullen Staff Illustrator Over 40 years ago, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) was introduced by President Gerald Ford. The grant was enacted to provide municipalities with monetary assistance from the federal government to develop housing, and was voted into law bipartisanly in 1974. 44 years later, the City of South Pasadena […]
SPUSD needs clearer student-teacher boundaries
Illustration by Kate Rogers Staff Illustrator South Pasadena High School thrives on the relationship between community and school. School is integrated into so much of students’ lives: we run into our teachers at the grocery store, we go to school with our teacher’s kids, and we spend hours in after-school tutoring sessions. Naturally, relationships form […]
Save room for Jesus, please
Illustration by Isabella Frescura Staff Illustrator Picture this: you’re walking down the hall of the 400s building. You’re late to Spanish class. Suddenly, you are bombarded with the animalistic growls that could only possibly come from the mauling of a small animal or the sound of two fish being slapped together. It takes you a […]
Fast times at South Pas High
Illustration by Finley Mullen Staff Illustrator My older sister hated high school. When she came home for winter break during her freshman year of college, she refused to even step foot on the SPHS campus. As an eighth-grader, this came as a shock to me. I had survived all of middle school with the hope […]
With a vote over net neutrality two days, the fate of a free internet is at stake
Illustration by Elaine Yang Design Associate Editor The last few weeks have been filled with discussion about net neutrality, yet the majority of the American public knows little about what these Internet regulations are, and what effect their repeal will have. Special interest groups have taken advantage of this collective ignorance to propel their agenda […]
Despite a mantra of tolerance at SPHS, conservatives are often left silent
Written by Peter Wang Opinion Associate Editor Illustration by Kate Rogers Staff Illustrator South Pasadena is known as a safe and welcoming place for all people; we are proud of our principles of social progress and tolerance. While SPHS may appear to champion acceptance of people, the collective atmosphere and attitude on campus is unaccepting […]
Uncovering Asian-American apoliticism
Written by Sammy Park Senior Staff Writer Illustration by Kate Rogers Staff Illustrator Asian-American parents often push their children towards a career in medicine to the point of it being stereotyped. However, the wellbeing of the Asian-American community has, ironically, nothing to do with how many healthcare professionals we can produce: our future success as […]
Staff Editorial: South Pasadena’s difficult truths regarding race
Tiger Staff Editorial Illustration by Elaine Yang Staff Illustrator We cannot ignore race in South Pasadena. To many of us, the discussion surrounding race has become redundant, especially in our ‘perfect’ community of tolerance. In fact, our community is quick to flaunt an unspoken badge of so-called ‘colorblindness,’ as if our pocket of society lives post-racially. […]
A letter from a South Pasadena Dreamer
Written by Shine Cho Tiger 2014-2015 Editor in Chief Illustration by Ashton Carless Design Editor Dear Old and New Friends of South Pasadena, As it is for many of you, South Pasadena is my home. In my sixteen years of living here, I’ve had the opportunity to read, write, and direct some of the stories featured in this […]
Neurotypical stigmas surrounding medication harm those who need it
Written by Sofie Dreskin Staff Writer Illustration by Isabella Frescura Staff Illustrator It is not unusual for someone to tell a person with an anxiety disorder that they need to “relax” or “spend more time outside” rather than accepting the fact they need medicine to address their chemical imbalance. Simple solutions to combat stress will […]
Fake news: an issue on both sides
Written by Peter Wang Staff Writer Illustration by Elaine Yang Staff Illustrator The heated political climate of today has lead to widespread distrust of media, including the now-familiar accusation of “fake news”. While fake news is generally associated with fully fabricated stories that are intended to deceive, readers may encounter partially fabricated stories, altered facts, omission […]
Uber isn’t gay, it’s bad
Written by Amelia Anthony Copy Editor Illustration by Isabella Frescura Staff Illustrator Pride this year exploded— plastered all over windows, Instagram feeds, and headlines. I read dozens of articles about the origin of the Rainbow Flag and the history of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. As the traction for Pride month increased, so did its rainbow […]
A Sonic Endorsement: Performers at the Inauguration
By Nate Rudman Copy Editor Illustration by Angelica Navarro Staff Illustrator At first glance, President Trump’s difficulty finding musicians to perform at his inauguration seemed simple; no artist wanted to be associated with a figure whose words and policies have alienated so many. Many performers knew that they would be ridiculed or looked down upon […]
Participation: not the point
Story Oona Foley Illustration Isabella Frescura Some call participation points SPHS’s version of extra credit. At times, “active listening” in class can entirely save a student’s grade. Many teachers, however, require more than active listening; they grade students on an active-participation basis, creating drastic grade inequalities by inflating the grades of more outspoken students. Participation points can […]
Examining our roots in the City of Trees
By Olivia Nouriani Editor in Chief In team dinners for Little League, “I donate to SPEF” signs, and wine moms who go to Parti Gras, what it means to be rooted in South Pasadena is distinct. As my friends return from first semesters in college, it is clear that most of them are having a […]
Barriers beyond borders
Story Maya Williamson Illustration Ashton Carless America is often referred to as a cultural “melting pot,” where immigrants from across the globe flock to find individual success. We boast of the “American Dream,” the idea that anyone, regardless of their circumstances, can prosper with only their own perseverance and innovation. As romantic and inspiring as this idea […]