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
Rebecca Von Tersch

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer

Rebecca Von Tersch is a senior at Carlmont High School and this is her third year in the journalism program. She is president of Carlmont’s Korean Culture Club and a member of Belmont’s Youth Advisory Committee. In addition to writing for Scot Scoop and editing for Highlander, she does outside design work and is on the Belmont News editorial board. You can view her portfolio here.

All content by Rebecca Von Tersch
Heritage Fair: celebrating the cultural diversity of Carlmont

Heritage Fair: celebrating the cultural diversity of Carlmont

Aimee Teyssier, Daniella Smit, Urvi Kulkarni, Sydney Tao, Adelaide Reinshagen, and Rebecca Von Tersch • March 3, 2023

"Extraordinary Attorney Woo" heavily features whale imagery, accenting Woo Young-Woo's actions.

“Extraordinary Attorney Woo” is a step forward for diversity in media

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • January 18, 2023

Whales, law school, and overcoming prejudice. What do these seemingly unrelated things have in common? They’re all part of the 2022 K-drama “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” which follows the main character...

Many of Carlmont's mental health services are located in the counseling offices in A hall and in the administrative office.

[Photo] Carlmont works with CAF to improve mental health support for students

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • November 8, 2022

Many of Carlmont's mental health services are located in the counseling offices in A hall and in the administrative office.

Many books in the western literary canon can be found in libraries across the world. These books are often considered classics, and are regarded as some of the most important and influential books in western society.

[Photo] Western literary canon is out of fashion

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • November 21, 2022

Many books in the western literary canon can be found in libraries across the world. These books are often considered classics, and are regarded as some of the most important and influential books in western...

Members of Carlmont's Girls Who Code Club received a donation from Rachele Schainker at CMIT Solutions of San Mateo's customer appreciation ceremony.

Girls Who Code Club receives unprecedented first donation

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • October 19, 2022

Carlmont's Girls Who Code Club recently received a donation from Rachele Schainker, owner of CMIT Solutions of San Mateo, at a ribbon-cutting and customer appreciation ceremony. The donation amounted...

A student waits patiently at the end of the lunch line. Students stand in lines near the student union to pick up lunch, sometimes for most of their lunch breaks.

Carlmont kitchen staff chops lunch line times

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • September 25, 2022

"I'm going to pick up lunch today."  Many things come to mind when one hears this phrase; long lines and a variety of menu options, for example. This year, the Carlmont kitchen is implementing a few...

TXT uses a dark color palette in their concept photos to illustrate the main themes of their EP. Heartbreak, shown in the broken heart of the album art, is the primary subject of the five songs.

Tomorrow x Together goes bad in “Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child”

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • May 25, 2022

K-pop group Tomorrow x Together (TXT) has returned with another stellar album. This extended play album (EP), titled “Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child,” features five songs and is a continuation of TXT’s...

"Last Night at the Telegraph Club" by Malinda Lo explores themes of love, family, identity, and race in an emotional but wonderful coming-of-age story.

“Last Night at the Telegraph Club” will keep you reading all night

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • May 5, 2022

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the book “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo and contains mentions of homophobia and alcohol. Reader discretion is advised. Identity. Relationships....

Michelle Zauner's "Crying in H Mart" explores various themes in the context of food, music, and other aspects of life.

“Crying in H Mart” will make you cry

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • April 14, 2022

Food is often a source of comfort; familiar foods that we grew up with are especially comforting during tough times. “Crying in H Mart” by Michelle Zauner, better known as the lead member of Japanese...

The 64th annual Grammy Awards had many greatly anticipated performances and awards. Performers including BTS and Olivia Rodrigo took to the stage and blew away the audience.

Grammy Awards bring grandeur and great music

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • April 4, 2022

Awards. Costumes. Dancing. But most importantly… music.  More commonly known as the Grammys, the Grammy Awards are often a hot topic during awards season. This is not only because of various controversies...

A yellow bag holds the Lay's classic chip variety.

Lay’s chips truly are tasty taters

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • March 18, 2022

Lay’s potato chips come in a wide variety of flavors and lead to a range of enjoyment between each snacker. No two varieties are the same, a quality that enhances each chip’s appeal. I tried seven...

Tess Sharpe's "The Girls I've Been" provides witty commentary on teenage life, crime, and family in an exciting thriller of a story.

‘The Girls I’ve Been’ reveals the struggles of teenage life

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • March 7, 2022

I am rarely ever a fan of books with morally gray protagonists. I find them difficult to relate to, and relatability — to some degree — is something I look for in books. Characters who regularly commit...

The story of "Our Beloved Summer" revolves around Choi Ung and Kook Yeon-soo, as well as secondary leads Kim Ji-ung and NJ.

‘Our Beloved Summer’ will warm your heart

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • January 27, 2022

*Note: This review contains spoilers for the Netflix Korean drama “Our Beloved Summer.” Lazy afternoons can often lead to entertaining experiences. This was the case for me at the end of winter...

As the Asian American movement gains prominence, many expect American education standards to address this and adjust accordingly. Students and teachers alike believe that high school history courses should be more encompassing of Asian American education, especially in light of the recent spike in anti-Asian sentiment.

Asian American history lacks adequate recognition in American education

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • January 8, 2022

Although one-seventh of California’s population is Asian American, their history is not covered in high school curriculum. Despite the efforts to include ethnic studies requirements in high school...

Quiz: Which dinosaur are you?

Quiz: Which dinosaur are you?

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • December 11, 2021

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K-dramas can be found on a variety of websites or streaming apps, one of these apps being Netflix. Netflix has a sizable library of K-dramas, and many genre options to choose from.

Nine exciting K-drama recommendations

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • December 3, 2021

As Korean culture becomes more popular internationally, K-dramas have been rising in viewership. Although not all of them have made their way to Netflix, there are quite a few notable ones that deserve...

Quiz: Which BTS album are you?

Quiz: Which BTS album are you?

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • November 27, 2021

Grocery stores stock up on food for Thanksgiving as the holiday comes closer.

What your favorite Thanksgiving food says about you

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • November 11, 2021

As Thanksgiving approaches, many people are preparing for the fall holiday and organizing family gatherings. There are many Thanksgiving foods, and your favorites out of a few popular choices can tell...

Quiz: What music genre are you?

Quiz: What music genre are you?

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • November 3, 2021

Homecoming is approaching quickly! Guest passes are available if students want to invite their friends outside of Carlmont.

Poll: How excited are you for homecoming?

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • October 25, 2021

This year's homecoming theme is related to Halloween, so there are spooky decorations all around the school.

Homecoming events: an explanation

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • October 20, 2021

This year’s homecoming is a special one. The theme is "Haunted Halloween!" and the dance's theme is "Monster Mash." There are quite a few events throughout homecoming week, ranging from the Powderpuff...

Quiz: Which homecoming event are you?

Quiz: Which homecoming event are you?

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • October 14, 2021

It's spooky season meaning decorations, costumes, candy, and pumpkins!

Poll: How excited are you for Halloween?

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • October 6, 2021

Quiz: What's your aesthetic?

Quiz: What’s your aesthetic?

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • September 25, 2021

There are many different colors. Which one is your favorite?

What your favorite color says about you

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • September 15, 2021

Your favorite color can say a lot about you. From red to pink, different favorite colors can mean different things for your personality. Have you ever wondered what your favorite color means?  Red You...

Quiz: What K-drama main character are you?

Quiz: What K-drama main character are you?

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • September 1, 2021

Returning to in-person learning has affected classes like the physical education and music programs. "There's only a couple of students, so the ensemble doesn't have the power that it normally would have when you have 60 people playing music in a room together," Switzer said.

Carlmont’s PE and music programs adapt to in-person learning

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • April 25, 2021

With students returning to campus, classes have had to adapt new strategies for learning.  Not all classes have students sitting at a desk and taking notes for the entire period. Carlmont’s music...

Students participated in the National French Contest remotely in 2020. This year, however, Carlmont decided not to participate.

Carlmont takes a break from the National French Contest

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • March 27, 2021

Carlmont will not be participating in the National French Contest (NFC) this year due to distance learning challenges.  Last year, students taking French participated in the contest virtually. It was...

Students can view their schedules on Infinite Campus. “I just had to tell [my counselor] what classes I wanted,” Koester said.

The registration process for the next school year begins

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • March 5, 2021

As the second semester rolls in, students must select their classes for the 2021-22 school year.  Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are scheduled to have appointments with their counselors beginning...

Rather than teachers logging attendance this semester, Canvas sends a report that helps attendance clerks code a student as absent or present in Infinite Campus. "You put that pressure on the district, and our attendance clerks, then you're supporting the teachers and the students," Patner said.

Carlmont changes its asynchronous attendance policy

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • February 6, 2021

A new semester usually brings new routines, and this semester is introducing a new attendance procedure. Rather than sticking with the same Wednesday routine as the first semester of this school year,...

Distance learning leaves many teachers and students scrambling to prepare for the tests, which are set to take place in May.

Teachers and students adapt for 2021 AP tests

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • January 15, 2021

With the pandemic in full swing, many students are worried about the upcoming 2021 Advanced Placement (AP) tests and whether they are truly prepared for testing due to the hurdles of online learning. Many...

The value of extracurriculars beyond college applications is often overlooked. Students are left wondering why these extracurriculars matter.

The importance of extracurriculars

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • January 4, 2021

Do sports, learn a language, lead a club! This is advice that high school students hear many times in their lives. They are encouraged to add to their college applications with extracurricular activities....

Aiming for contactless donations, San Carlos YAC had set up boxes for donation drop off. "We want to limit contact," Devalcheruvu said.

San Carlos Youth Advisory Committee holds donation drive

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • November 30, 2020

One of San Carlos’s volunteer groups, the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), hosted a Homeless Care COVID-19 Donation drive as a project for the community.  The San Carlos YAC held their Homeless Care...

Carlmont mentors and elementary school students in the Music Mentors program alike are having their lessons over Zoom. The new zoom classroom will be different from the previous year's one-on-one sessions, but will still be a part of distance learning.

Music Mentors get sharp new start over Zoom

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • November 9, 2020

The Music Mentors program between Carlmont High School and the Belmont-Redwood Shores elementary schools plans to create a new program that encourages ease of learning as a response to the pandemic. Instead...

Bel Mateo Bowl is temporarily closed due to Covid-19, but there are plans to reopen. While the reopening date is unknown, Bel Mateo has made health and safety measures to fit COVID-19 guidelines. "I think that Bel Mateo made a lot of effort to make sure we were protected while bowling from Covid-19." Hilary Esposto, a member of the bowling league, said.

[Photo] Bel Mateo Bowl saved by community GoFundMe efforts

Rebecca Von Tersch, Staff Writer • October 19, 2020

Bel Mateo Bowl is temporarily closed due to Covid-19, but there are plans to reopen. While the reopening date is unknown, Bel Mateo has made health and safety measures to fit COVID-19 guidelines. "I think...

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