Brad's Big Bad Bold Bucket List 

By: Brad Arata
When seniors meet with their counselors to make sure they have fulfilled all of their graduation and college requirements, it is also important time to check off everything on the personal Novato High student bucket list. By the time you are a senior, you will have needed to attend the following places in order to fully capture the true Novato High School student experience.

The Misconceptions of Feminism

By: Francesca Williams
 International Women's Day was this month. Captain Marvel came out in theaters, and following every comment section on said trailer were loads and loads about feminism. Both positive and negative. Feminism, a word controversial until the end. However, it shouldn’t be so. Years of misogyny and extremism have warped the original meaning and goal of it, and honestly, I’m tired of it.

The Sexualization of Girls at School

By: Elsa Dunn
Based off of clothing restrictions at school, many girls feel as if they have to conform to what an older generation considers inappropriate. This leaves some young women feeling censored and stifled. When administrators monitor the outfit choices of teenage girls, they are sending the message that certain articles of clothing are sexualized, even if that’s not the intent.

The Outdated Grammys

By: Cailan Ferguson
The Grammys will take place in two days, giving music fans a chance to see some big winners and performances. Nominees for album of the year include Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy, Post Malone’s beerbongs & bentleys, and Drake’s scorpion, amongst others. While these industry superstars undoubtedly were the frontrunners of pop music this year, these albums were purely party anthems. 

Trump's Disastrous Border Wall Plan

By: Spencer Koonce
The recent record-setting shutdown of the government of 35 days was a giant mess that could have been avoided. Having its roots in xenophobic views, the border wall proposal would never serve to benefit any group of people, and only inflate the ego of the President as he would fulfill campaign promises.

Celebrating Diversity in Political Thought

By: Jack Curtis
As younger people at Novato High and people throughout the nation are becoming more and more involved in politics, a simple problem has risen that is very detrimental to our democracy. The act of blindly following your own political party has seemingly increased recently, while not accepting ideas from across the aisle. This fosters a sense of hatred toward the opposition.

The Dangers of Generalizations and Stereotyping

By: Francesca Williams
Whether it be more applicable to a stereotype, or a wave of dismissal of an entire group, generalizations are all around us. They are showcased in media, in culture, and in social life. They become fads, jokes, memes, and all without our knowledge; each one of us is guilty, and each one of us is a contributor to this cycle. Even the hypocritical author of this article, preaching behind a keyboard on a Tuesday morning.

Politics in the Classroom

By: Miles Elkins

In the last decade, the U.S. has experienced an increased amount of political polarization. After the election of President Donald Trump, politics has embedded itself into the lives of many youths, especially high schoolers. The country’s current political situation leaves teachers with a tough dilemma of how to discuss politics in the classroom. At Novato High School, teachers have developed various strategies to approach touchy political topics.

Conflicting Politics Among Friends

By: Sierra Aghazadeh
Today’s politics have seemingly become more controversial than ever, which can lead to potential conflicts among friends with differing opinions. The question is; can conflicting political beliefs really damage or possibly even end friendships?

Hard Work Beats Natural Ability

By: Jason Carpenter
Contrary to popular belief, the true measure of a person’s success is how hard they work to achieve their goals. Hard work is often more important than simply having natural ability. People can achieve almost anything if they commit to excelling at their goals. However, there is a limit to one’s success.

Natural Talent Beats Hard Work

By: Brad Arata
As a self-proclaimed realist, I believe that natural ability exists and makes more of a difference in life than hard work and dedication. People are born with certain capabilities where they are more likely to succeed than others.

Queerbating

By: Francesca Williams 
A new issue has reared its head in the ever-constant battle for representation between the LGBT community and media, one that goes by the name of  “queerbaiting.” This name is just as ugly as its meaning. Queerbaiting is the teasing of LGBT characters or of an LGBT relationship in a fictional work, and it has become a disgusting phenomenon overtaking the media industry. Instead of actual visual representation, there are claims of queer characters or hints of queer relationships, causing detriment to the LGBT community, and negatively impacting consumers across the mediums.

Politics of Parents

By: Spencer Koonce 
It has long been believed that children adopt their parents’ political ideologies. The assumption has been that children are products of their family environment when forming their political opinions. Kids have largely been assumed to develop beliefs that align with their parents and that the household was the largest factor in political identification.

Exploring the Bizarre
​Kanye Controversy


By Brandon Llamas

“Thank you Kanye, very cool!” said President Donald Trump via Twitter, in response to a Tweet made by artist Kanye West, in support of Trump’s “dragon energy”. Around the same time, West has been seen multiple times representing a signed “Make America Great Again” hat amidst his recent claims that slavery “sounds like a choice”, all in the wake of outbursts throughout his 2016 “Saint Pablo” tour protesting media misinformation and politicians poisoning the minds of the people.

Jason and Sam's Sandwich Review


​By Jason Carpenter and Sam Lynam

Nothing hits the spot like a freshly-made sandwich that is suitable to everyone’s needs. The city of Novato has many excellent sandwich places, so we took it upon ourselves to visit the best spots around. We decided to review the quality of their signature sandwiches, ingredients, and tastes. Our journey took us to many great sandwich sites including Perry’s, Tagliaferri’s, the classic Italian Delite, along with the very popular sandwich joint Michael’s Sourdough, located in Bel Marin Keys. We decided to use a traditional 5-star scale for this review. Let’s get started baby!

Students Changes At Novato High


By Bernie Michel

With my final year at Novato High coming to an end, I can now look back on all I've learned and have been through and how it changed me for the better. Like many seniors would agree with, you're not the same person you were when you walked into high school. You discover new things about yourself and slowly develop into a whole new person. 

On The Flipside: A Review Series


 By Brandon Llamas

“I’m the latest phenomenon you should be hip to,” Doctur Dut opens strong on the first track of Royalty, made in collaboration with fellow Atlanta native Jonny Venus. The Dreamville Records duo EarthGang’s jazzy end to a trilogy of EP’s sets the stage perfectly for their debut studio album Mirrorland, which has been rumored by the group for months. With only five full tracks, Royalty delivers a melancholy and thoroughly refreshing look at the group’s past, present, and future.

The Beauty of Kindness


​By Lauren Pratt

Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

Gangin': SOBXRBE Review


By Makayla Gillis

With numerous hip-hop groups taking over the Bay Area, the up and coming group, SOBxRBE is quietly taking over the world. ​

Activism Missing in School


By Ava Francis-Hall

On Wednesday March 14th, Novato High School Students gathered in the Old Gym in for a memorial to the students killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. It was a unified moment of mourning that signified Novato High’s commitment to coming together during hard times.

School Spirit


​By Zach Leshin

Let's get excited Hornets! As we finish the 2017-2018 school year, let's try to raise our school spirit as a school. As a junior here at Novato High School, I see a lack of school spirit. The school seems dead, as nobody is coming out of their shell and being who they really are. School spirit should be fun and exciting. School spirit is important because it is the one thing that actually sets the tone for the various aspects of high school. 

Girl Code Ethics


By Lucy Cipriani and Lauren Pratt

Girl Code def : Girl code is the unwritten and often unspoken set of rules/ethics that exist between a girl and her best friends. Simply stated, girl code are the commandments that outline the DO's and DON'Ts of a good friendship. Whether the rules are implicit or explicit, they are generally what can make or break a friendship.
​

Summing Up Trump


By Nick Jackson

In November of 2016, the world was shocked by the election of Donald J. Trump as America's new president. Trump gained popularity by attempting to relate to the common people. Leaders around the world were in awe as the populist uprising took place. 
​

Getting Lost in Great Books


By CC Trifoso

Picking up a book and actually reading can be hard, I know. But from second to eighth grade, I was the biggest bookworm. I would hop from series to series, engulfing myself in made-up worlds and makeshift lives. It was calming and a great escape from ‘the real world’, but, then again, how ‘real’ can the world be for a 12-year old? ​

A Burger Journey


By Griffin Cipriani

There are many fantastic burger joints scattered across the city of Novato and I headed out with the goal to uncover their true caliber and flavors. I decided to focus on the service, atmosphere, and quality of their signature menu items. A 5-star scale was used for this review.

Hairstyles to Express Identities


By Matt Frey

Whether it be waves, a slick back, a temple fade, braids, twisted curls, or a mohawk, hair can define who you are.  Hair sometimes influences other people’s perception of who you are just by your visible style. 

Inside Miss Teen Marin


By Bernie Michel
​
In my first year competing in the Miss Marin County beauty pageant, I learned a lot about the beauty pageant life. Like most people, I thought that all you had to do to be a beauty pageant queen was walk around in fancy dresses and avoid the words “world peace” when being asked a question. Through this experience, I learned that it's a lot more than that.

A Closer Look at Marijuana 


By Gabby Caldera

To no surprise, the use of marijuana is quite common for many Novato High students. A New York Times article stated that 40% of high schoolers have at least ventured into the use of marijuana. This statistic might cause alarm among many parents, as they watch their children make their way through high school. ​

The Issues Surrounding
Ideal Body Image


By Keara Aughney

Social media, television, magazines, and peer pressure in today’s society has impacted many young people in creating an image of ideal beauty and body image.  

Addressing the Use of the N-word


By Bernie Michel

​Someone has to say it; America has completely forgotten what it was meant to stand for. We now have this warped idea of what freedom and equality for “all” means. As Americans, we are free to choose if we want to stand for the national anthem. Those rights are what the veterans fought for, not to limit our freedom of expression in this country.

Maintenance Noise Issue 


​​By Sam Lynam

Many teachers and students are fed up with maintenance during school hours due to constant distractions limiting classwork and affecting the learning environment in classrooms. Novato High teachers and students have voiced their opinions of the maintenance and would like to see changes made to prevent the work from happening during school hours. Many of the teachers in the Social Studies and English wings have been voicing their disappointment for many years to no avail.

Extreme Heat Takes Its Toll on NHS


​​By Brad Arata

​The lack of air conditioning in classrooms at Novato High has become a major issue as the recent heat wave took Novato by storm. During a recent heat wave, Novato High was forced to shorten a day to maintain a safe environment for students. The extreme heat has created a safety issue as well as an interference to academic opportunities for students.

The Dangers of Peer Pressure


​By Lauren Pratt

Is peer pressure an issue at Novato High School? Clearly, the answer is yes. People at Novato High School face peer pressure every single day. Peer pressure can lead to bad experiences in high school and leave kids feeling worthless. According to Wikipedia, Peer pressure happens when kids are encouraged to follow their peers by changing their attitudes, values, or behaviors to conform them to be a different way.

Facing the Future of
​Climate Change


By Ava Francis-Hall

Climate change is one of the most challenging problems of the century as President Donald Trump and the Republican-led Congress aim to pass legislation which could advance the rate of global warming.  ​

Students Forbidden From
​Eating Lunch in Cars


​By Lauren Lubin

It is well known that students at Novato High School are not allowed to sit in their cars during lunch time. The question now is why has that rule been put in place?
1    2
© 2017 The Swarm