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The student news site of Carlmont High School in Belmont, California.

Scot Scoop News

The student news site of Carlmont High School in Belmont, California.

Scot Scoop News

The student news site of Carlmont High School in Belmont, California.

Scot Scoop News

Lara Ibasco

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer

Lara Ibasco (Class of 2026) is a junior at Carlmont High School and this is her second year in journalism. She covers breaking news and edits for the Highlander. Outside of school, Lara enjoys cooking, traveling, and shopping with friends. You can view her portfolio here.

All content by Lara Ibasco
A woman is glad that she has some money saved when she needs it unexpectedly. According to the Federal Reverse Bank of Minneapolis, two in three Americans would worry about covering a month of living expenses if they lost their job.

Living for a rainy day: navigating financial challenges in the Bay Area

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer December 18, 2024

As dark clouds loom, not all are prepared for financial storms. Saving for a rainy day starts to feel impossible with rising costs and expenses. In a world where people are immediately influenced by what...

A heart connects to chains and money, representing how the high costs in today's healthcare system result in less people accessing the treatments they need. Between 47.5 and 51.6 million Americans cannot afford healthcare, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Opinion: Health insurance and medical services should be integrated

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer December 14, 2024

The death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has initiated a bigger conversation about healthcare in the U.S. This is not just about one man or a company, but a system that impacts all Americans.  UnitedHealthcare...

A fire spreads in the dry hills of California due to a broken power line. With lower humidity and strong winds, the probability of a fire starting increases.

Breaking News: Power outage sparks safety concerns in the Bay Area

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer November 7, 2024

Twenty-two thousand Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) customers across the Bay Area lost power on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2024. According to PG&E, the high-speed winds caused the company to shut...

A customer at McDonald's eats a burger with caution. With the temporary removal of Quarter Pounders in several states, more people are becoming concerned with the quality of the food that is being served.

E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s raises food safety concerns

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer October 23, 2024

A recent Escherichia coli (E. coli) outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounder has raised concerns about food safety. According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

A police officer guards where the fire occurred a few hours after firefighters put it out. The cause of the fire and the safety of the residents in the area remains unknown.

Breaking news: Redwood City fire displaces families

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer September 25, 2024

A fire emerged at 318 Poplar Avenue, Redwood City, causing the displacement of families in addition to the destruction of several buildings.  According to Ray Iverson, the fire chief at Redwood City...

A Roto-Rooter truck arrives at Carlmont to fix the sewer clog before any leaks  can spill. The worker fixes the issue quickly, allowing people to use the S, T, U bathrooms again.

Breaking news: Carlmont sewer clog releases disrupting odors across campus

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer August 29, 2024

A weathered pipe broke suddenly in the Carlmont sewer line, causing a water overflow on Aug. 13. According to Grant Steunenberg, an Administrative Vice Principal (AVP), an old pipe beneath the student...

A guest wants to find something new to explore and experience at Disneyland. Mickey Mouse presents the plan for the Disneyland expansion.

Disney plans for a magical comeback

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer May 24, 2024

A scorching summer day in "The Happiest Place on Earth" could never be better. Various attractions are temporarily closed, wait times are at an all-time high, and you want the Mickey ice cream bar. But...

Sadie, one of the dogs that came to the quad, licks an ASB student's face. Sadie and the fellow dogs bring joy to the stressed students.

Dogs in the Quad help relieve student stress

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer May 2, 2024

As Advanced Placement (AP) exams start taking place and finals week approaches, students feel a heavy weight on their shoulders. The therapy dogs that visited have helped relieve such stress.  The...

Shelley Bustamante talks to one of her students about her well-being. Many students have improved their social skills and gained deeper self-awareness because of her.

Staff Profile: Shelley Bustamante empowers students to overcome mental challenges

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer April 15, 2024

From utilizing breathing techniques to offering support for neglect, SOS (Students Offering Support) coordinator and crisis management counselor Shelley Bustamante has been helping Carlmont students tackle...

Chamber music performers captivate the audience with their rendition of "How to Train Your Dragon.” The audience cheered for 10 seconds before the next song started.

Carlmont music strikes a harmonious chord at Chamber Music Night

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer March 11, 2024

From tapping keys on the piano to plucking strings on the bass guitar, various harmonizing sounds echoed through the Performing Arts Center (PAC) during Chamber Music Night on March 8, 2024.  Tickets...

Participants of the Carlmont Dance Day perform a series of leaps and turns across the dance studio. Members of Carlmont’s intermediate and advanced dance teams instruct the participants and demonstrate how to perform various moves.

Dancing with the Scots

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer February 18, 2024

Turns, leaps, and seamless transitions. These are only some of the motions taught during the Carlmont Dance Day. From contemporary to hip-hop, middle and high school participants learned various dance...

A group watches “Friends” on the iconic couch of the show in a room resembling “Central Perk,” the coffee shop that is frequently visited by the main cast of the show.

Pop culture forms connections through screens

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer February 12, 2024

Ninety-seven billion minutes in viewing, and still increasing.   According to Nielsen, that's how many people watched a sitcom that changed their lives. A single sitcom that received 62 Emmy nominations...

Peer Tutoring Club member Cecilia Baranzini teaches calculus to her friend after school. The Peer Tutoring Club has tutors for the majority of the subjects taught at Carlmont.

Peer Tutoring Club powers student success

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer January 25, 2024

With the second semester in full swing, students are beginning to adjust to the daily routine of school and homework. However, some students have already started to feel overwhelmed by the amount of homework...

Choir director Genevieve Tep sings "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" as the last song for the singalong event. Santa Claus made a guest appearance and took photos with attendees right after the song ended.

Carlmont choirs spread cheer with Holiday Sing Along

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer December 5, 2023

With the arrival of the winter holiday season, choir and orchestra members alike helped to bring festive spirit to the Carlmont community as they hosted their tenth annual Holiday Sing Along.  Choir...

History teacher Greer Stone hands out candy to students during the trick-or-treating activity. This took place on Tuesday when students walked the halls looking for teachers who had candy. “I thought it was a really fun and interesting experience and it really elevated my Halloween experience at school,” said junior Emily Song.

ASB brings Halloween treats and festivities to Carlmont

Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer November 7, 2023

During the final week of October, the Associated Student Body (ASB) planned numerous activities, such as cookie decorating and trick-or-treating in teachers' classrooms to bring Halloween spirit to campus.  On...

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