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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

Isa Khalak

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer

Isa Khalak looks forward to working once more as a journalist going into his last year at Carlmont High School. He anticipates discovering new stories and meeting new people. Experience his work as a journalist for ScotScoop and editor for the Highlander. Learn more about his journey here.

Follow the Twitter: @IsaKhalak

 

All content by Isa Khalak
After the death of T'Challa, his friends and family have to pick up the pieces and protect Wakanda. 'Wakanda Forever' follows the journey of Shuri and the rest of Wakanda after T'Challa dies.

Review: ‘Wakanda Forever’ beats expectations

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer December 12, 2022

Four years ago, Marvel fans found an inspirational hero in Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa, who played the role of a king and warrior trying to save his nation and world. When colon cancer claimed this...

Ethiopian Prime Minister and former Nobel Prize winner faces pushback over the brutal war in Tigray. Protests arise in the United Kingdom halfway through this conflict.

Opinion: Media bias undermined the Tigray war

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer December 1, 2022

For the last two years, violence has erupted between the Tigray region and Ethiopia in a gruesome war. Residents of Ethiopia received hope a couple of weeks ago when the Ethiopian Government and Tigray...

Protestors in a 2018 march through San Francisco raise their fists in solidarity with missing and murdered indigenous women.

America’s silent genocide

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer October 31, 2022

Like the beginning of a horror movie, another missing person's poster is tacked against the wall. Along with thousands of Native women disappearing across the US, faces, stories, and memories are all families...

Spider ball python that was abandoned in San Mateo and found by the SPCA. Breeders will sometimes throw out animals with defects.

Opinion: Perfect pets don’t need to be overbred

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer October 30, 2022

Pets and their owners have an extraordinary bond. Man's best friend has been a dog for centuries for a reason; pets are trustworthy and lovable friends. Yet a controversial new focus to create the...

Deshaun Watson in a 2016 practice with his college team, the Clemson Tigers. Watson led the Tigers to a College Football National Championship before being drafted with the 12th overall pick to the Houston Texans.

Opinion: Deshaun Watson deserves harsher punishment for assault allegations

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer October 4, 2022

Over the offseason, countless star players shuffled around the league. By a quarter of the way through the regular season, eight NFL teams had new signal callers. However, one of their biggest acquisitions,...

Picture of San Quentin prison in San Francisco. Recently, the death row was dismantled in accordance with Governor Newsom’s moratorium.

Opinion: The Parkland shooter’s trial demonstrates inconsistencies with the death penalty

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer September 14, 2022

The world was shocked when almost five years ago Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Today he faces the death penalty. This unique case reignites the often debated...

Sophomore Evan Wang hits the birdie in mid air.

[Photo] Carlmont badminton shines in last match of the season

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer April 23, 2022

Junior Eric Zhai swings for the birdie.

Keoki Firenze, freshman midfielder contests for ground ball.

Crusaders conquer the Scots in a near shutout

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer March 26, 2022

The Archbishop Riordan Crusaders conquered the Carlmont Scots JV lacrosse team in a 9-1 victory. After this tough game, the Scots have found places that need improvement. However, it doesn't represent...

Sophomore midfielder Nicholas Tolod sprints towards the goal.

Carlmont triumphs over Woodside in season opener

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer March 12, 2022

Carlmont's boys varsity lacrosse team started their season with a bang. They triumphed over Woodside for the first game of their season, scoring 13 points and holding the Wildcats to only three of their...

Donovan Dooley, a freshman, contends for the ball on the sideline.

Carlmont remains undefeated with win over San Mateo

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer February 4, 2022

Carlmont's JV boys soccer team has been solid all season. They have yet to lose and have triumphed over all the best teams in their league, so it wasn't surprising when Carlmont left the field victorious...

Smokey Bear, a symbol of the fight against fire, warns that fire danger may arise.

Convicts help fight against wildfires

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer January 20, 2022

When smoke rolls across the sky and fires consume another forest, Californians accept it as inevitable. However, the truth is that with each fire, firefighters must contain them. Some of these heroes...

Freshman Tyler Southworth surges over Hillsdale for a layup.

JV boys basketball crushes Hillsdale

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer January 14, 2022

Carlmont's JV boys basketball team played with electricity. They displayed this every second of their 65-39 victory over the Hillsdale Knights. The game over the Knights will be another addition to the...

Senior Brady Greene drives to the basket with hopes of scoring.

Scots shootout ends with Vikings victory

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer December 2, 2021

Carlmont's boys varsity basketball team lost a tough battle to the Lynbrook Vikings with a whopping score of 68-59. This dynamic game featured a lot of offense, each team combined for 127 points, which...

Basketball players practice layups in an organized drill.

Multisport athletes fall into winter season

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer November 13, 2021

For some athletes, the end of the fall season is only the beginning of their year in sports. As an infectious sense of completion and lethargy spreads through some teammates, others must start training...

Brendan Zelnis, a sophomore, winds up and attempts to score on the Dons.

Scots lose in a heartbreaker to Aragon

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer October 19, 2021

Despite a magical comeback in the fourth quarter, Carlmont boys varsity water polo fell to Aragon with a score of 9-6. As the final quarter began, it seemed dismal for the Scots. Down 6-3 after a buzzer-beater...

Carlmont girls varsity tennis huddles before the start of the game.

Varsity girls tennis steamrolls Aragon

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer October 2, 2021

Carlmont girls varsity tennis beat Aragon 5-2, continuing their dominant win streak into the second half of the season. The win against the Dons elevated them to a 6-1 league record and a 9-1 overall record. The...

Anika Marino, a senior, lines up to shoot the ball.

Water polo dominates Hillsdale in season opener

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer September 1, 2021

Carlmont varsity girls water polo won 12-7 in the first scrimmage of the 2021 season in a dominating performance against Hillsdale. As the game started, Carlmont scored a goal in the first few seconds...

Some students spend their summers taking college courses. "You actually can get both high school and college credit," Mayra Arellano, Director of High School Transition & Dual Enrollment, said.

Students choose to take college courses over summer

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer June 9, 2021

Summer college courses have numerous benefits, but they can be very rigorous. Undeterred by the challenging classes, many students choose to take these courses to explore their interests and begin their...

As students connect to their classes online socialization is tougher. "The hardest part for all the kiddos that I have noticed is that they miss the social aspect," Bonnie Rutz-Alvarez said.

Remote learning impacts special education

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer April 27, 2021

The difficulty of online education has been a mixed bag, but being a special education student adds an extra wrinkle. Each special education student has different experiences in remote learning. They...

For some students, the AP Capstone program can help them express themselves or discover new passions.

Students express their passions in the AP Capstone program

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer March 20, 2021

As Carlmont students pick their classes for next year, many may consider entering the AP Capstone program. As opposed to content-based courses, the AP Capstone program is a skill-based class that encourages...

The booster club provides funds for many sports items including uniforms and sports equipment.

Booster Club to raise money for Carlmont sports

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer February 27, 2021

Sports are a conundrum this year; however, one constant remains: each team's financial demands. On March 4, the Carlmont Booster Club plans to raise money to satisfy these necessities through their Scots'...

The Dogs in the "Quad" event helped students de-stress before finals.

Pets relieve stress during challenging times

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer February 9, 2021

A hard day is finally coming to a close. As the last class ends, a young student logs off from online school. Yet, the day is far from over. Hours of homework, dozens of tests, and a never-ending...

According to Child Trends, only about 20% of high school students in 2018 worked. This may be because school is starting to become a more time-consuming responsibility. The number of employed youth in 2020 has also taken a significant dive due to lock-down measures.

Jobs For Youth prepare students for jobs, even through lockdown measures

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer January 31, 2021

Earlier this month, students across Carlmont attended a virtual seminar, presented by Jobs For Youth (JFY), to learn valuable skills to help in the employment process, particularly to help students during...

Neighborhood cat helps destress children during quarantine.

[Photo] The long history of our companions

February 9, 2021

Neighborhood cat helps destress children during quarantine.

During COVID-19, some meals must be delivered to-go as sitting next to one another is no longer an option for meal distribution.

Charity organizations provide Thanksgiving meals for people in need

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer November 25, 2020

Bay Area charity organizations are finding innovative ways to provide anyone with a conventional meal this Thanksgiving. While many are stressing trying to figure out how to celebrate Thanksgiving this...

The altar of love is displayed at the Marigold Project's online, live broadcast.

Dia De Los Muertos traditions brings communities together

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer November 6, 2020

Dia De Los Muertos became an opportunity for families to reunite and celebrate life, as organizations found innovative ways to host the annual festivities online. Traditionally, Dia De Los Muertos is...

Two racoons roam their enclosure at Coyote Point as the zoo reopens to the public.

Outdoor zoo at Coyote Point provides an escape from quarantine

Isa Khalak, Staff Writer October 12, 2020

As people feel trapped at home with nowhere to go, CuriOdyssey's outdoor zoo provides refuge from the quarantine and a place to reconnect with the community. CuriOdyssey has created its exhibit to follow...

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