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

Sienna Reinders

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor

Sienna Reinders, a senior at Carlmont, is a staff writer for Scot Scoop and an editor for The Highlander. She is a passionate journalist who has also taken her skills to UC Berkeley's Daily Cal newspaper, with internships in the summers of 2022 and 2023. When she is not writing, you can find her running with friends to train for her next cross country or track race. To view her portfolio, click here.

All content by Sienna Reinders
On Eucalyptus Avenue, residents go all out decorating their houses with lights and other holiday decorations in order to contribute to the holiday season. However, the influx of visitors leads to problems like litter and a need for restroom facilities. The city of San Carlos has worked hard to mitigate these problems.

Eucalyptus Avenue holiday lights bring cheer and concerns

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor December 20, 2023

Every winter season, thousands of people walk along Eucalyptus Avenue to experience house after house draped with lights, blow-ups, and festive decorations. The yearly tradition brings a sense of community...

Marcus Oettinger participates in discussions during the Sept. 20 board meeting.

[Photo] The elimination of honors classes: Equity or imbalance?

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor November 17, 2023

Marcus Oettinger participates in discussions during the Sept. 20 board meeting.

Baileys shares their irish cream coffee with attendees who are 21 or over. Theres a lot of variety. Theres a little bit of everything. Theres tea, theres chai, theres coffee. So overall, its a great event, said Sev Bastilyan, an attendee of the festival.

San Francisco Coffee Festival brews up excitement

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor November 19, 2023

To highlight the city's rich coffee culture, the San Francisco Coffee Festival is held annually to bring together coffee enthusiasts, roasters, and baristas from all over the Bay Area for an immersive...

Teachers at the Oct. 25 board meeting express their support for salary raises with signs and SDTA shirts. Salary raises address the growing costs of living in the Bay Area and the discrepancies between SUHSD and other districts. In addition, they also help teachers with retirement funding.

SUHSD teachers to receive salary raises for the 2023-2024 school year

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor November 4, 2023

Teachers in the Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD) will be receiving a 7.75% raise in the 2023 to 2024 school year per an agreement reached by the district’s board of trustees and the teachers...

Senator Dianne Feinstein speaks at the United States Capitol on Oct. 22, 2020.

Breaking News: California Senator Dianne Feinstein dies at 90

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor September 30, 2023

California Senator Dianne Feinstein died Thursday at the age of 90, leaving behind a legacy as a trailblazer and activist, along with an empty seat in the United States Senate. "Senator Dianne Feinstein...

On Feb. 13, 2023 three students were killed in the Michigan State University shooting. Students set up a memorial in front of the school rock a few days later.  This is an event that the Say Something reporting system is hoping to prevent.

Sequoia District implements anonymous reporting system

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor September 12, 2023

Sequoia Union High School District implemented an anonymous reporting system this school year to prevent acts of violence and ensure the safety of all students. Say Something is a 24/7 anonymous reporting...

Food from school lunches such as sandwiches and vegetables are often thrown away by students.

Schools are experiencing an increase in food waste from school lunches

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor May 29, 2023

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has helped enormously to prevent hunger for kids with food insecurity. But in recent years, students and teachers are starting to notice some flaws in the program....

An oil drill that is located in Alaska. As part of the Willow Project, more oil drills like these will be built on Alaskan lands.

Willow Project raises concerns for the future

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor March 18, 2023

The Biden administration approved the Willow Project, a fossil fuel project in Alaska, on March 13, leaving climate activists upset and concerned for the planet. "We are very saddened to see that the...

Bouquets of flowers were placed around the Spartan Statue at Michigan State University following the Feb. 13 shooting.

Opinion: The U.S. needs to adopt foreign gun reforms

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor February 18, 2023

Brian Fraser, Arielle Anderson, and Alexandria Verner. These are the names of the three Michigan State University (MSU) students who lost their lives Monday night after a mass shooting on their college...

When California saw some of the most rainfall it had seen since El Niño, many communities faced new challenges, including the Belmont Trailer Park.

The chaos after the storm

While many people celebrated New Year’s Eve with relaxing, rainy night-ins, Belmont and San Carlos’ emergency response teams were on call around the clock to manage the impacts of the biggest storm...

Gold strikes her gong to lead her students through meditation exercises.

Staff Profile: Susan Gold teaches through mindfulness

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor January 27, 2023

As students pile into their seats, Susan Gold instructs everyone to take a few deep breaths. Then, after a strike of her gong that sits atop her desk, students are told to use their five senses, listening...

Flooding occurs on New Years Eve outside of Olsen Nolte Saddle Shop on the corner of Central Avenue and El Camino Real in San Carlos.

Breaking News: Fatal series of storms surge across the Bay Area

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor January 5, 2023

Governor Gavin Newsom issued a state of emergency Wednesday morning in response to a Level Five storm, which hit the Bay Area that night. The storm, whose severity was calculated by the ABC7 Exclusive...

Sequoia Union High School Districts superintendent resigns.

Breaking News: Sequoia District’s superintendent resigns after 1 year

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor December 15, 2022

*Updated Dec. 27, 2022 Carrie Du Bois announced at the Sequoia Union District board meeting on Dec. 14 that Superintendent Darnise Williams, who was not present, will resign. As the district’s...

Whether it be in a bathroom or a backpack, when available, naloxone can be used like a nasal spray to rescue someone that has overdosed on opioids.

Opioid overdose reversal medication secures hope for tomorrow

Sienna Reinders and Lucille Sanders December 14, 2022

An opioid overdose can end a life in four to six minutes. However, it takes an average of seven minutes for emergency medical services to respond to an emergency. If naloxone is used in overdose situations,...

Candidates for the upcoming Bay Area council elections put up signs to gain voters.

Modern propaganda: hiding in plain sight

Sienna Reinders and Avery Wong November 29, 2022

The posters fluttered in the wind. They were placed all over town; on poles, in schools, and in neighborhoods. They were designed and printed to perfection, considered art, even. The dull red color and...

A car crashes into local restaurant CAPO in Belmont. The photographer was granted anonymity with Carlmont Medias Anonymous Sourcing Policy.

Breaking News: Car crashes into CAPO restaurant

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor October 28, 2022

*Updated Nov. 2, 2022 Last night, a car drove into CAPO, a local Mediterranean restaurant in Belmont. According to an email statement provided to Scot Scoop, the Belmont Police Department reported...

Six Bay Area schools receive shooter threats, including Woodside High School.

Breaking News: Bay Area schools go into lockdown due to shooter threats

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor October 12, 2022

Six Bay Area schools went into lockdown today after police were called with threats of an active shooter. Police say this was a swatting incident and that the phone calls turned out to be hoaxes. Nevertheless,...

A billboard outside Carlmonts senior parking lot promotes Attendance Awareness Month.

Attendance Awareness Month leaves many students upset

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor September 27, 2022

The month of September has brought an emphasis on Attendance Awareness Month and a lack of acknowledgment for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, creating frustration among students. Attendance Awareness...

Protestors march through the streets of San Francisco.

Protesters gather in San Francisco to protest Supreme Court

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor May 4, 2022

Hundreds of Bay Area residents gathered in front of the Federal Building in San Francisco yesterday to protest the Supreme Courts' decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973). On Monday, Justice...

Protestors gather outside of the UC Berkeley dorms to stand against anti-abortion litigation.

Abortion rights advocates ride the Green Wave throughout the U.S.

Kiana Hinkson and Sienna Reinders April 17, 2022

The University of California (UC), Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza welcomed passionate activists last Saturday for a nationwide abortion rights protest. Attendees painted signs and passed out flyers and bandanas...

Elizabeth Stokoe speaks at a TEDx conference in Bermuda.

TEDx comes to Carlmont

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor March 21, 2022

Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conferences are held annually in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Speakers from all over the world are encouraged to promote...

Lior Tsarfaty uses music therapy to help Alzheimer’s patients connect with others.

Music may be the best medicine

Sienna Reinders and Piper Diehn February 16, 2022

Henry Dryer never interacted with anyone. His mouth barely uttered a word. He lost his memory because of dementia. But when music filled Dryer’s ears, his mouth sounded the words in the song. He began...

Many classrooms have less than half of the class, because of the high number of absences.

Breaking news: Circling rumor of gun violence terrifies Carlmont students and families

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor February 15, 2022

*Article updated Feb. 20 On Monday, Feb. 14, there were a noticeable amount of absences from Carlmont High School. Over half of the students were gone in most classes, and even some teachers decided...

The protestors line plants in a circle to represent the countless wildlife killed by wildfires.

[Photo] Students protest CalSTRS’ investment in fossil fuels

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor January 29, 2022

The protestors line plants in a circle to represent the countless wildlife killed by wildfires.

From now on journalists will be absent from the Iowa Senate floor.

Opinion: Iowa’s ban of the press from Senate floor threatens democracy

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor January 24, 2022

For more than 140 years, the Iowa Senate has stood by a tradition of allowing the press to report from benches on the Senate floor. But two weeks ago, Republican leaders decided to ban journalists from...

Dont look up by Adam McKay, was released on Netflix on Dec. 5, 2021

Opinion: ‘Don’t Look Up’ reveals explosive truths about the world we live in

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor January 6, 2022

*This article contains spoilers for the movie "Don't Look Up." When Kate Dibiaski looked up at the night sky and saw a large figure falling from the abyss, she knew the world was about to come to an...

Zuills attack leaves the doors and windows of White Sage and Starbucks on Laurel Street shattered.

Thief shatters Laurel Street store windows

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor December 5, 2021

The path of the rigid sphere aimed for the crystal clear window of White Sage, a store on Laurel Street, San Carlos. After the rock left his hand, it immediately impacted the glass, shattering pieces of...

Varsity boys race at the 2021 Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) Championships at Crystal Springs. This is my favorite course to run on, said Jono Sison, a participant in the varsity boys race.

Belmont citizens run to save Crystal Springs Cross Country Course

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor November 8, 2021

PAL races, invitationals, and league and regional championships are a yearly occurrence at the Crystal Springs Cross country course in Belmont. However, the long-beloved course may soon close its gates,...

In a car, the catalytic converter sits towards the front of the car, in front of the muffler.

Thieves drive off with catalytic converters

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor October 22, 2021

Catalytic converter theft has been taking place in the Bay Area for years, but incidents dramatically surged in the past few years. As the value of the precious metals that make up catalytic converters...

Students are vandalizing bathrooms by trashing the facilities with toilet paper, breaking appliances, and stealing items for the devious lick TikTok trend.

TikTok’s ‘devious lick’ trend aggravates local schools

Sienna Reinders, Highlander Editor September 27, 2021

A new TikTok trend is putting needless stress on nearby schools by vandalizing bathrooms and stealing appliances.  The "devious lick" trend has students at schools all around the globe stealing a mixture...

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