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
News
The Stanford Blood Center (SBC) in Mountain View remains operational until 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. There are four SBC donation centers, but there are also services for mobile drives. "When I was in my twenties the blood draw people came by my work saying how having available blood could save lives, so I tried it," said Mary Beth Gray, a donor at SBC.
Stanford Blood Center launches Warriors ticket raffle for blood donations
Jiya Venkatesh, Staff Writer • March 1, 2025

The Stanford Blood Center (SBC) is launching a new opportunity for blood donors to stand a chance to win two tickets to see the Golden State...

An empty classroom may be in the future for school programs, due to the Department of Education's order for educational institutions to remove DEI policies within the next two weeks or face losing federal funding. Cutting federal funding from schools could result in the removal of programs including free or reduced lunch, special education, financial aid, and more.
US Department of Education bans DEI initiatives in schools
Addya Agarwal, Staff Writer • February 28, 2025

The U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to all federally funded K-12 schools and universities across the nation on Friday, Feb. 14, instructing...

A young boy sports a bright smile as he celebrates his great shot at Redwood City's temporary mini golf course.
Get ready to tee off: temporary mini golf course opens in Redwood City
Caitlin Stehr, Staff Writer • February 27, 2025

This spring, Redwood City's Courthouse Square on Broadway became home to a temporary 18-hole mini golf course, providing a fun and exciting outdoor...

Features
With four 100-square-foot food pantries in Palo Alto, San Francisco, San Mateo, and San Rafael, the JFCS Food Bank has just enough space to successfully feed all its customers every month. Unlike a traditional food bank, JFCS clients make weekly visits to each pantry to "shop" for food, forcing them to always be clean, organized, and accessible. "I mark all the cans and boxes with expiration dates and stack and organize the pantries to make them look like a grocery store. So, when our food bank clients come in to shop, it's easy for them to navigate," Green said.
Fighting food insecurity differently
Claire Kornberg, Staff Writer • February 25, 2025

Little food, no energy, poor health. This is the reality for millions of Americans who, despite continuous efforts from local organizations and...

A local CVS pharmacy displays the unrealistic expenses of over-the-counter medication, some of which are locked behind plastic screens with prices over $50.
A pricey pill to swallow
Melissa Hong, Staff Writer • February 24, 2025

Picture this: You’re at your cousin’s house, celebrating your aunt’s 50th birthday. You spot a slice of cake, sitting idly on top of the...

Avalon, a citron-crested cockatoo, curiously checks out the camera. Avalon was already several years old when she was found in a tree in 1990. No one stepped up and claimed her as theirs, so she now lives happily with Wildwood Veterinary Hospital manager Susie Hons. Although Avalon has been plucking her feathers since before she was found, she is well cared for and living her best life.
Finding their flocks
Lauren Henne, Staff Writer • February 19, 2025

Everyone knows that parrots can talk. It’s also widely believed that birds will sit on your shoulder, or that they’ll step up on your hand...

Sports
Opinion
Luxury items surround a heart cake with intricate details, representing that celebrations don't need to be luxurious or expensive to be significant. A celebration's value comes from the event's satisfaction rather than the price tag.
Opinion: Birthday celebrations should not be a luxury
Lara Ibasco, Staff Writer • March 1, 2025
Opinion: Students must question history
February 28, 2025
Opinion: Hobbies should go beyond productivity
February 25, 2025
Opinion: The rise of Gacha games foster gambling habits in children
February 24, 2025
Opinion: Veganism doesn’t always support sustainability
February 16, 2025
Entertainment
Finding the motivation to complete homework and projects can be challenging, but one's perspective shifts with simple changes. When the writing tools are unique, functional, and fun, productivity will increase, allowing students to build good study habits.
Spicing up studying with unique school supplies
Audrey Navasca, Staff Writer • February 26, 2025
A Duolingo user earns rewards for completing a Spanish lesson. According to Duolingo’s 2024 Language Report, Spanish was the second most popular language learned globally and the most studied language in the United States. “I wanted to learn Spanish because my new babysitter spoke it,” said Michael Winters, a student at Ralston Middle School.
Duolingo speaks a new way of learning languages
Ava Rafii, Staff Writer • February 26, 2025
A box of medications and cold remedies sits in a student's house. "My 'medicine bag' for the common cold or respiratory illness is lots of rest, fluids, supplements, and decongestants," Karen Molinari said.
5 effective remedies to battle the flu blues
Piper Nguyen, Staff Writer • February 15, 2025
Cartoons
Younger generations are hooked on a new game, Block Blast, in which players are given tiles to strategically place on a grid with the aim of completing rows or columns to clear space and earn points. The game has no time limit, but players lose if they fail to clear enough space for the pieces they are given. Though many play Block Blast leisurely, the game has become an addiction for some, causing teens to waste hours of their day on their phones. It is important for them, especially as they approach complete independence, to learn to budget their time wisely. With continual advertising of the game on social media, teens may feel pressured to follow the trend. We need to be more careful of what exactly is being promoted: is it a fun game, or is it encouraging an ongoing epidemic?
Cartoon: Blocked out
Julia Cline, Staff Writer • February 25, 2025
Thousands of park rangers employed at natural parks across the USA have been laid off as part of the effort to reduce federal jobs led by President Trump and Elon Musk. This can create great struggles for the rangers because they have the difficult jobs of managing vast expanses of land, animals, and tourists. Cutting down the number of park rangers makes it incredibly harder for them to do their jobs and sustain natural parks. Online, many are worried for the future of national parks while some rangers have taken to social media to garner external support for them. While some government funded jobs are unnecessary, park rangers should not be included in federal layoffs.
Cartoon: Wrangled rangers
Leher Kawadia, Staff Writer • February 23, 2025
After the TikTok ban was revoked, users of the app began to take note of the fact that some topics, specifically ones that went against President Donald Trump’s ideals, were censored. So, they created a code hashtag: cute winter boots. under this hashtag, people began to post their videos on topics that would have otherwise been censored, allowing the information to reach a wider audience. As much as the government wants to limit free speech, people will always find a way to express their opinions, even if it means they have to go out of their way to do so. Either way, the government, under the Constitution, does not have the right to censor speech against it, and the fact that people are recognizing this and making it known is a step in the right direction.
Cartoon: Stomping grounds
Julia Cline, Staff Writer • February 11, 2025
Games
Crossword: US Presidents
Crossword: US Presidents
Isabelle Ling, Staff Writer • February 28, 2025
Crossword: A bug’s life
February 27, 2025
Quiz: Which AP class should you take?
February 26, 2025
Crossword: Thrills and Rides
February 25, 2025
Trivia: Disney Movies
February 24, 2025
Trending Stories
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Quiz: Which Jellycat are you?

Quiz: Which Jellycat are you?

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A Duolingo user earns rewards for completing a Spanish lesson. According to Duolingo’s 2024 Language Report, Spanish was the second most popular language learned globally and the most studied language in the United States. “I wanted to learn Spanish because my new babysitter spoke it,” said Michael Winters, a student at Ralston Middle School.

Duolingo speaks a new way of learning languages

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People have mixed opinions when weighing in on the case. "There is no standard 'sentence' to be given out in such speed racing cases or in any juvenile justice case," said Sharon Cho, a juvenile court judge. The defendants took part in a street race, in a Mercedes and a BMW respectively, on Nov. 4, 2022.

Juvenile manslaughter sentencing leads to widespread debate

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A TV shows the description for 'The Sex Lives of College Girls' on Amazon Prime. The header image shows the four initial main characters, Bela, Leighton, Whitney, and Kimberly. In Season 3, Leighton was replaced by two secondary characters: Kacey, a new roommate, and Taylor, a freshman who Bela mentors. “Taylor has had the most interesting plotline from this season. She’s a completely new character so we’re learning more about her every time she appears. I would like to see more of her,” said Carlmont senior Cecilia Baranzini.

'The Sex Lives of College Girls' leaves audiences wanting

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The renovation plans draw inspiration from the outdoor space added to the north end of the mall a few years ago. "The current outdoor space is really nice and makes the mall look a lot more modern," Lin said.

San Mateo unveils plans for Hillsdale Mall redevelopment

Campus
A student grabs a mask from the office. Although masking is appropriate when feeling sick with a runny nose, frequent hand washing is the most important safety measure, according to Erica Quintana, Carlmont's health aide.
Winter illness severely lowers Carlmont attendance
Noah Galatin, Staff Writer • March 1, 2025
A student looks through the ASB election packet, which contains the information about how to run for a class officer position. However, if candidates don't win the election, they can still apply to be commissioners.
ASB prepares to open applications for new members
Sophia-Angelie Laluc, Staff Writer • February 28, 2025
A group of students perform at the Heritage Fair. Students are preparing for the event as this year's Heritage Fair approaches. "We have contacted many clubs to see if they are interested in performing, and we have a good grasp of what the event will be like, but we have much more to prepare for," said Kara Kim, the lead facilitator of the ASB assemblies commission.
ASB gears up for upcoming Heritage Fair
Nathan Gonzales, Staff Writer • February 25, 2025
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Podcasts
The Highlander
Editorials
Meta's decision to end its fact-checking program risks undermining the trust of millions of users. With social media being a primary source of news for many, this change could make Meta's platforms more vulnerable to misinformation.
Editorial: Meta’s fact-checking ban turns it into a misinformation hub
Editorial Staff • February 25, 2025
Many Americans hold a deep national and patriotic pride for their country. In recent years however, this pride has been declining.
Editorial: The US is overrated
Editorial Staff • February 11, 2025
Donald Trump signs orders to green-light the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines.
Editorial: The Trump Administration will make no economic impact
Editorial Staff • February 4, 2025

Scots Media (@scot.scoop) • Instagram photos and videos

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