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

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer

Leea Ivanel is a senior from Romania; she likes writing, debates, small fluffy creatures, art, and getting enough sleep (which never happens). I’m Scot Scoop’s opinion/Belmont news writer, as well as the author of the “Leea It On Me” column for the Highlander.

@LeeaIvanel

All content by Leea Ivanel
This diagram shows the several scary effects that prolonged sleep deprivation can have on individuals.

Choosing school over health should not be glorified

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • June 8, 2017

"I got five hours of sleep last night." "Well, I got only three because I had a math test." "Guys, I didn't even get that much sleep combined in this past week. Y'all are weak." Somehow, being...

Math teacher Allison Davis (left) had a huge impact on her student, Miya Okumura (right), who she taught for two years. Davis was the first teacher Okumura felt comfortable talking to and going to for help because she is always passionate about her job and always there to support her students through their toughest times.

Teachers teach more than just the curriculum

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • June 8, 2017

As the end of my junior year draws near, there's one thing that I keep thinking about: where would I be without my teachers? When I entered high school, I expected to learn basic things, like what year...

Despite the fact that the protests against the North Dakota pipeline have been going on for months, Donald Trump signed an executive order approving its construction.

North Dakota oil spill shows Trump’s incompetence

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • April 20, 2017

On December 2016, there was an oil spill in North Dakota, and almost no one cared. The pipeline which caused the spill, owned by True Companies, was originally thought to have released only 4,200 barrels...

This diagram shows the complicated process known as CRISPR, which uses the Cas-9 protein to perceptively cut molecular strands. Scientists have been able to re-program Cas-9 and have used it to edit the genomes of mice, monkeys, and pigs.

CRISPR raises ethical concerns

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • March 15, 2017

On March 8, Rachel Haurwitz, president and CEO of Caribou, gave a science lecture at Carlmont about CRISPR, the next big thing in the biotechnology department. CRISPR, which stands for Clustered Regularly...

Laying in the plastic field of my elementary school, I realized that we shouldn't have to feel guilty for enjoying life.

Stop feeling guilty for being happy

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • February 27, 2017

As I laid down with my friend on the field of our elementary school reminiscing about happier times, both of us couldn't help but feel a sense of anxiety. Not because we weren't having a great time...

America is a country built by immigrants and kept alive by immigrants, and Donald Trump has no right to infringe on that.

Xenophobia is nothing new, but there is hope

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • February 22, 2017

It seems like every day when I turn on the news Donald Trump’s administration is finding a new way to attack immigrants and minorities. On Jan. 27, Trump signed an executive order banning Syrian refugees...

When Markiplier, one of the most popular YouTubers, reached six million subscribers his fans made a video showing their appreciation for all of his hard work. This gesture, and the emotional impact it had (with Markiplier quickly ending up in tears), shows the uniqueness of YouTube's audience-creator relationship.

YouTube is more than just cheap entertainment

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • February 21, 2017

After being awake since 4 a.m., going through six hours of school, and doing homework till 10 p.m., there’s not much else I want to do at the end of the day apart from curl up with a blanket and watch...

Under the Obama administration, women gained reproductive rights all over America. However, under the Trump administration, women's rights are already being limited, starting with women outside of the U.S.

Abort Trump’s polices, not foreign aid

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • January 31, 2017
In the past week, President Trump has signed a flurry of vague, alarming executive orders turning back the clock on Obama's eight years of work, from "lessening the burden of Obamacare" to removing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and to implementing a ban on seven Muslim-majority countries. Amidst mass protests and public outcry, however, one act is being forgotten. Trump also signed an executive order bringing back the "Global Gag Rule," a policy implemented under the Regan administration in 2001, which states that the U.S. will not give to any foreign aid organization which provides or "promotes" abortions. This policy is nothing but an attack on women on from all over the world.
As storms move away from the Bay Area, repairs and aid can be given to those who need it.

[Photo] State of emergency is proclaimed after storm damages

Justin Som, Staff Writer • January 26, 2017

As storms move away from the Bay Area, repairs and aid can be given to those who need it.

President Barack Obama worked for 14 months to get the Affordable Care Act passed in an attempt to bring universal healthcare to America.

Obamacare needs revision, not repealment

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • January 18, 2017
"We are the only major country on Earth not to guarantee health care to all people as a right." These were the words of Senator Bernie Sanders, discussing the deplorable state of health care in America, a country who claims to be the leader of the world.
On June 16, 2015 Michelle Obama visited the Mulberry School for Girls in London to announce a nearly $200 million partnership between the United States and the United Kingdom that would help bring education to girls all around the world.

Michelle Obama’s legacy will not be forgotten

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • December 15, 2016
While Michelle Obama may be leaving the White House, her legacy never will. On Nov.4, 2008, Michelle became America's first African America first lady - a historical moment in a country who's Civil Rights Movement led my Martin Luther King and Malcolm X only ended a mere 48 years ago. Throughout the eight years she has been in the Whitehouse, Michelle has been a model to women and girls all around the world, and a reminder for everyone of the true power and potential of a woman.
Barbara Boxer, California's retiring Democratic senator, led the efforts to overturn the bill out of fear that it would harm California's marine environment.

California’s water controversy exposed by new bill

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • December 14, 2016
It's no secret that California has a water problem, and new amendments hijacking a water bill have brought the issue to surface once more.
Anti-Trump protests occurred all throughout the country, displaying the worry and fear felt by minority groups. Hopefully, that fear will be used constructively in the future in order to protect the rights of all people in the case that they will be threatened.

Trump is president; Get over it

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • December 1, 2016

From the first day since Donald Trump's presidency was announced, tens of thousands of people have been pouring into the streets to protest the Electoral College's decision. They advocated for a recount...

All over the world, women held protests and rallies in an effort to raise awareness about rape and sexual assault. This is a picture from a "Slutwalk" meeting in London, at which women held signs promoting the idea that it is not a women's fault if she is raped.

Rape survivor changes California sexual assault laws

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • November 8, 2016

"Victims are not victims, not some fragile, sorrowful aftermath. Victims are survivors, and survivors are going to be doing a hell of a lot more than surviving." These are the inspiring words of the...

Unfortunately, this "cloud of anxiety" represents how many students feel because of the anxiety school causes them to feel.

Fear of school can be an advantage

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • October 25, 2016

"What are you afraid of?" Most people would answer with "death" or "a zombie apocalypse." However, for an increasing number of high school students, the answer might turn out to be "school." This...

Believe it or not, this might be the type of vehicle some of us might call "home" if we choose to stay in the Bay Area -- even if we work at Google's Mountain View headquarters.

Current generation driven out by housing prices

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • October 18, 2016

Whether you are a freshman or a senior, chances are you have already asked yourself the questions, “What will I do after high school? What will I do after college?” If we were to follow the "American...

While hugging trees is considered weird by most people, all of us should be hugging a lot more trees. After all, we owe them a lot.

Why we should all be ‘tree huggers’

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • September 30, 2016

The term "tree hugger" tends to hold a negative connotation today. Tree huggers are usually seen as bohemian-obsessed hippies who yell if someone uses more than one piece of paper and faint if you don't...

Native Americans from all over the country have been gathering in North Dakota to protest the construction of a oil pipeline that threatens both sacred lands and clean water.

North Dakota Natives protest for their land

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • August 31, 2016

They have had almost everything taken from them, and yet people are asking for more. On Sept. 9, North Dakota will rule in favor for or against building an oil pipeline through the sacred lands of Native...

At the Beijing Olympic Games a man was selling live turtles, fish, and lizards in plastic bags as souvenirs. This shows just one example of the unspeakable crimes that are committed against small animals whose lives are often considered less precious than those of bigger animals.

Small pets are more likely to be abused

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • May 24, 2016

Most people love dogs. Their fluffy faces, wagging tails, and crazy fur make them purely irresistible, especially when they roll over and ask for a tummy rub. Most people love dogs, so when a dog gets...

Humans use an excessive amount of plastic bags -- around 1 trillion -- each year. Unfortunately, many of them end up in the oceans, polluting the water and destroying ecosystems.

California law banning plastic bags meets opposition

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • May 20, 2016

Plastic. Plastic everywhere. On the corner of every street, in every single trashcan, on the shelves of every store. Plastic is everywhere, so why do some people insist that we need more plastic? In...

On Feb. 8, 2016, president Barack Obama signed Megan's International Bill into law, making it mandatory for sex offenders with a history of assaulting minors to have a stamp on their passport. However, what seems like a good law at first quickly turns into what many are calling "America's global embarrassment."

New international law harms the ‘wrong’ sex offenders

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • April 22, 2016

In 1994, 7-year-old Megan Kanka was raped and killed. She was living in New Jersey when Jesse Timmendequas, a known sex offender, moved into the house across the street without the knowledge of...

It's not such a fun show to watch once you realize the pain of the creatures performing.

SeaWorld’s cancellation of orca breeding program makes history

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • April 22, 2016
"Empty the tanks!" "They're dying to entertain you!" "SeaWorld is SlaveWorld!" The cries of animal rights activists have been strong for many decades, and now they have finally been heard. On March 17, SeaWorld announced the cancellation of their orca breeding program, making this generation of orcas the last to ever live in captivity at the parks, and for good reason too.
In the favelas of São Paulo, people regard groups of criminals as protectors from the police. Viceland actually interviewed these criminals, providing a unique perspective on the situation.

Viceland: A revolutionary reporting channel on the rise

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • March 11, 2016

The same news over and over again. Politicians doing this, politicians doing that. The economy doing this, the economy doing that. The same materials are being regurgitated and sold to the people...

For some, passing on means nothing more than an end. For others, it just means a new beginning.

With scientific advancements, death is no longer an end

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • March 9, 2016
Many humans live their lives fearing the day of their passing, the uncertainty of what will happen after the end being a daunting truth to face. But what if there was no reason to be afraid? What if death did not have to mean the end of one's life, but rather the beginning of another? As it turns out, that is exactly what it means to some in 2016, as science has made it possible to be reborn back into beauty and amongst the living once more.
Meet San Francisco Zoo's Indian rhino, Gauhati. This marvelous armor-covered creature weighs in at 5,000 pounds and is about 6 feet tall, a real sight to behold in person. It is devastating to think that one day there will be no more of his kind left in the world.

We are losing Earth’s greatest animals

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • February 11, 2016
The great giants of the world are leaving us. Soon they will be nothing more than distant memories told by grandparents, or old scientific records forgotten on dusty desks. They will be nothing more than antique documentaries that lie in broken cabinets, or ragged stuffed animals lost to the decades. Perhaps they will become legends one day, myths for the superstitious and fairy tales for the children. Whatever the case may be, a fact remains: Earth’s biggest land animals are disappearing at an astonishingly fast rate.
Language teacher Roberta Scott's passion for her job may lead some of her students to discover their own passion in foreign languages.

Teacher passions inspire their students

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • January 28, 2016

In an age where the answer to everything lies on the internet and it takes just the click of a button to have access to online classes, one might wonder what the role of teachers truly is. Online courses...

Even though most people think of couples as two people of the opposite sex, they should not be perceived as the norm of society.

The downside of living in a heteronormative society

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • January 22, 2016
"Your son is going to grow up and get all the ladies." "Just look at them! They will be such a cute couple when they will be older." "Come on! I know you have a boyfriend. Tell me about him! You don't have to be embarrassed!" And my personal favorite, "He was a boy and she was a girl. Could I make it more obvious?" While not all people notice, heteronormativity is all around us.
It might be hard to believe that this fluffy puppy, owned by Daisha Sherman, is drawn from the direct bloodline of a wolf, but it's true. Sometime around 10,000-32,000 years ago, humans started domesticating wolves and turning them into loving companions.

Humans and animals continue a 32,000-year-old relationship

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • January 14, 2016
It is no secret that today’s society places great value on pets, whose adorable personalities often lure those in need of a friend to either adopt or buy them. In fact, their fluffy little faces are so irresistible that, in 2012, 36.5 percent of the U.S. population owned dogs and 30.4 percent owned cats. Sophomore Aliana El Shawa, the owner of nine pets, said, “Pets are really funny and great, so it’s easy to see why they are so popular.” But how did the relationship between humans and animals start?
Christmas lawn decorations are a common way to show "holiday spirit."

Carlmont shares opinions on the holiday spirit

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • December 16, 2015

With winter break approaching, the "holiday spirit" can be felt booming all around. But what exactly is the holiday spirit? Is it just Santa Clause hats and peppermint coffee? As it turns out, the...

On Nov. 14 Kirkwood Mountain Resort turned on its lifts for the first time this season for about 500 skiers.

Students share opinions on current skiing season

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • November 19, 2015

Skiing is a sport that has been around since the Last Ice Age and the Paleolithic period, around 43-45,000 years ago, according to an BBC Travel article. The "sport" was originally a necessity, used for...

Many students do not have enough time to finish their homework before 10 p.m. and therefore end up working until the early hours of the morning, leading to sleep deprivation and stress.

Students and staff consider homework overload

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • November 13, 2015

Sara gently stroked the white, silk-soft mane of her unicorn, letting out a laugh as it neighed. She walked over to its right side and put her foot in the stirrups, preparing to mount it, when she realized...

Carlmont teacher Cynthia Faupusa and her father, Nelson Artiga, rest before the surgery.

Cynthia Faupusa saves a life through sacrifice

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • October 28, 2015

Students often forget that teachers do, in fact, have lives outside of their classrooms, and that their commitment to helping others extends beyond just their students. Such is the case of Cynthia Faupusa,...

Teacher Matthew Miskelly wins a game of Gladiator against Journalism student Zoe Wildman .

Teachers win the Game of Cones

Leea Ivanel, Staff Writer • October 9, 2015
It was the final seconds of the game -- ASB Director Jim Kelly sprinted across the court, red faced and panting, and with a conclusive effort grabbed the frisbee disk off of the heated pavement, aimed, and threw it. The last cone had, at last, been knocked down, and for first time in Carlmont history the Teachers Team had won the quarter-finals of the Carlmont Cup.
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