Emerging Student Journalists, Ninth Graders Ella Schwartz and Nicolaus Thyen, Debut Their “Youth Voice” Stories In Collaboration With Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School’s Budding Journalism Program
Overview by Larry Freeman for alamedanews.org
A vast number of high schoolers, brimming with promise, drive and the energy of youth just need some structure, informed guidance for learning, encouragement and a venue to showcase their works in a classic ‘learn by doing’ engagement with the real world.
Time and again, the combination of the above allows youths to excel to levels that surprise and please folks –including themselves, not to mention gramma and grampa– with how well they can do and how much they can learn. Sometimes they rival or even exceed the proficiency of highly experienced adults.
Two up and coming youngsters, at Alameda’s Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School, under the Journalism Club and English Class tutelage of English Teacher Michael Sunderland, are making their marks in their school’ s fledgling “Pilot Island” digital publication and now, in another step forward, to show their prowess to the public eye, in ANN’s Community Showcase page.
In honor of these two driven youngsters and their teacher who have provided their news creations, ANN is posting two stories on the front page before they later become part of SJND’s Community Showcase page on ANN, a spot dedicated for a variety of hometown content contributors and organizations to increase public outreach at no cost.
Mr. Sunderland has shepherded the growth of his school’s now revived Journalism focus by adding a variety of news, feature, sports and other journalism foci into his English I classes, giving all of his students an important learning experience geared towards multiple professions that entails writing to a genuine external audience, communication skills as interviewing, time management, sourcing, adherence to key tenets of ethics based journalism, and more.
“A highlight to me is a student really immersing themself in a topic and going beyond their normal comfort zone to talk to people they might not ordinarily talk to, like an older student, administrator, community member, or SJND alum,” said Sunderland.
One of his other students remarked one day after class about her perspectives about how learning to be a news journalist can transcend the nuts and bolts of traditional curricular learning and meaningfully impact one within. “I find beauty in being able to hear different perspectives from people from different walks of life to form one idea. It unites us in a way,” said Freshman Anabelle Holmes.
One of Sunderland’s two writers, whose works appear below, had a different, perhaps more teen-conventional, if not brass-tacks pragmatic for his motivation in writing his Chess ‘piece.’
Nicolaus Thyen confided that, “my main motivation to put as much effort into the (Chess) article was to raise my grade from a B to an A. However, my motivation for the game of chess itself runs a little deeper.
I was first introduced to the game as a little kid. I wasn’t a genius at the game or anything but I was solid for a 1st grader. That’s how it remained for years until I volunteered as an assistant to my school’s middle school chess team.
There I met a kid named Conrad…the best chess player I’d met who was a similar age as I. He would obliterate me in every game.
This motivation made me genuinely practice the game and get better. It was also at this time that I met Nicolas Fontaine, an avid chess player, as well as Chess Master Robert Gavrich. They taught me the game at levels deeper than I could’ve imagined. Even though I’ve been through quite a few hiatuses, it’s (to) them I owe my skill and passion for the game.”
Just then, perhaps, the alluring power of journalism as a driver for creativity and productivity dawned a bit on Thyen.
“That and I just love writing and writing about something I care about makes me put in effort. I wish I could write about things I love in class every day, but then every article would be about the most recent steak I’ve eaten,” he said, spurring food for thought and probably a chuckle or two.
With the launch of the school’s digital publication, “Pilot Island,” students who produce substantive, insightful and well crafted pieces can get their work on display in the school community, and now, select stories will also run in ANN as part of a joint effort between the two.
ANN encourages other talented youth journalists, photojournalists and related community content creators (adults included), as well as teachers and students in our town’s schools, to join in our service to the Alameda Community.
Please refer our “Journalism Education Free Program” on the homepage and click on the “Journalism Internship” option and the “Don’t’ Just Read The News, Write It!” option.
While you are there, take a look at our free access Community Showcase section as well, and see how your school, community service program, local organization etc. can garner a spot their to increase your outreach to our folks. Just click on the “How Your ….Could Be Here” option.
ENJOY THE STUDENTS’ ENTIRE STORIES AND A Q & A HERE:
SJND Softball Team on a Six-Game Win Streak
Written by Ella Schwartz ‘27
The SJND Varsity Softball season began with a bit of a bump, but now the team is on a roll. With a record of 6–1 and a six-game win streak, the team is tearing through the league.
Coach Ralph Gonzalez, who was unavailable for comment, has been guiding the team throughout the season. The team has consistently shown exceptional skill and teamwork, making them a formidable opponent in the league.
Standout players this season are Cassandra Sanchez, a sophomore pitcher who displays confidence on the mound, Lexi Roben, a junior who shows great agility and athleticism at shortstop, and Safah Hashemi, also a junior who shows extreme grit and supports the team behind the plate.
Cassandra, informally known as Cassie, grew up watching A’s games and overall loving baseball and played tee ball up until around the age of 10 where she switched to playing higher level competitions. She was originally incredibly hesitant about pitching but embraced the challenge and grew to love it.
Being a pitcher obviously has its ups and downs and Cassie is no stranger to them. Cassie expresses, “Being a pitcher is very hard mentally. I know that for me when my defense doesn’t have my back, I try to do it all myself and I screw myself up. It’s also a very dangerous position as we don’t have as much time to react as infield and outfield.” Despite these cons, our pitcher still loves her position. She states, “It’s an amazing feeling when you learn new pitches and execute them beautifully and all the support and cheering you get from teammates and fans. You are the center of attention as pitcher.”
Cassie so far has struck out 65 batters, making her the top pitcher in the East Bay Counties League.
However, Cassie is not only excelling at pitching. With a .370 batting average, she is also a beast at the plate and stands tall, ranked among the league leaders in RBIs in the East Bay alongside teammate Ella Schwartz.
Cassie has also scored 10 runs throughout the season. In the midst of the chaotic season, she remains grounded and determined to continue her journey throughout her sport.
Lexi Roben was unfortunately unavailable for comment, but still shows some impressive stats. She started playing her sophomore year and was placed at shortstop from there. She has an impressive .947 fielding average. Her batting average is .381 and has knocked in two home runs with hopefully many more to come.
Safah Hashemi, the catcher for the SJND softball team, originally had no intentions of joining the softball team. That changed when Coach Ralph Gonzalez approached her one day in P.E with an invitation to play despite Safah having no prior experience. “I just decided to try it out and when I did, I really enjoyed it,” she stated. Joining the team as a freshmen was obviously quite nerve wracking; however, she expressed how supportive and loving the upperclassmen were.
Initially placed in the outfield specifically right, Safah found herself thrown into a new position as the team needed a new catcher. “My coaches explained I would have to start learning,” she recalls. Safah was excited but also a little scared at the prospect but rose to the challenge quite quickly.
The transition from outfield to catcher comes with its own pros and cons. Safah explains the advantages saying, “Pros of catching are being able to see the entire field and situations as well as being close to the umpire to ask any questions.” However, she openly admits the challenges such as joint pains and the time consuming process of taking on and off gear.
Despite these issues, Safah has been able to notice progress in her own abilities even since last season. She expresses how she feels she has improved specifically in her communication and catching by stating, “From last year, I feel like I’ve improved my communication skills and catching skills overall.” Beyond her own personal growth, however, Safah expresses the great mood surrounding the team overall. She explains, “The atmosphere of the softball team is very welcoming and encouraging, and everyone is helpful when you need guidance.
Safah’s stats, though not nearly as flashy as the other two, are still incredibly impressive. She has 9 RBIs, making her a reliable batter. She also has an impressive fielding percentage of .988.
As the season continues, the team hopes to keep their impressive streak and continue striving towards excellence. Led by Coach Ralph Gonzales, the team has consistently demonstrated teamwork and individual teamwork.
Standout players such as Cassandra Sanchez, Lexi Roben, and Safah Hashemi have shown incredible skill allowing the team to excel. Cassandra has dominated both the plate and the mound, earning her the title of number one pitcher in the East Bay Counties League.
Lexi’s defensive and offensive contributions have been incredibly valuable, while Safah’s journey from outfield to catcher shows athleticism and flexibility. Despite the challenges these athletes have faced, they continue to persevere and, if they can keep rolling as they have over the past seven games, the future for the SJND softball team looks bright.
Chess, the Mind, SJND, and Alameda
Written by Nicolaus Thyen ‘27
Chess is a game played all over the world, with a history spanning over thousands of years. It’s known for its simple-to-learn gameplay (outside of a few niche rules), difficulty to master, and many layers of strategy. The game has many proven benefits for the mind, from increasing logic and problem-solving skills to increasing focus. The game’s universal nature has allowed people from many walks of life to pick up and enjoy the game. Some of these people include those who go to SJND or reside in the Bay Area. This article will go over the effects of chess on the human mind, the SJND chess tournament, and interviews with notable chess players in SJND and Alameda.
A True Mind Game
Chess is a strategic game that, if one is to play proficiently, requires the brain to do intense thinking and problem-solving. The critical thinking skills required help sharpen the mind and engage one’s critical thinking skills, activating the prefrontal cortex (part of the brain responsible for problem-solving). This was proven by an experiment using federated chess players from official Portuguese chess clubs and conducted by using a Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, also known as an fNIR. In the experiment, “Participants were asked to solve three chess problems with different difficulties (low, medium, and high) while changes in HbO2 and HHb were measured over the PFC in real-time with an fNIRS system. Results indicated that the left prefrontal cortex (L-PFC) increased its activation with the difficulty of the task in both adolescents and adults. Interestingly, differences in the PFC dynamics but not in the overall performance were found between adults and adolescents.” (You can read in full detail here).
Another thing that chess can help with is memorization: The multitudes of openings you or an opponent might play also encourage intense memorization and studying, which activates the hippocampus, the part of the brain that carries out the functions of memory.
This evidence of the effect of playing chess on the human mind is not only backed up by experiments done by scientists but also by statements from chess players around the States and the Bay Area. In an interview with former Bay Area resident and chess Master Robert “Jersey Bob” Gavrich, he states, “It’s a great training for the mind. It keeps me sharp as I age.”
Some more evidence that backs this up is a statement made in another interview with another chess player (and chess teacher) Nicolas Fontaine, in which he says, “ I feel like it’s really helped my critical thinking skills. I think it’s really made me sharper as a person. It’s made me more patient as a person when making decisions and thinking one step ahead.”
Chess and SJND
SJND is also home to a chess club, and over the past couple weeks, the club has been hosting a chess tournament to decide who the best chess player is at SJND. Currently the tournament is nearly over, with only grand finals left remaining. The bracket consists of 18 people, each matchup containing a first to one and 10 minutes of time. Whoever wins moves up in the bracket.
Currently, the grand finals consist of 1st seed Jerry Hu and Oliver Suer.
Both players fought hard to make it to the top. Notably, Oliver Suer defeated teacher and SJND chess club supervisor Mr. Sunderland in a close set. What makes the Suer v. Sunderland special though was the first game. Mr. Sunderland was winning game and by the endgame, he was up a queen and time to Oliver’s single king and 0.3 seconds of time. Despite this massive disadvantage, Oliver managed to crawl his way back and force the game into a draw. This massive momentum shift allowed him to gain a decisive victory over Mr. Sunderland in the next game, guaranteeing his spot in grand finals.
Our other competitor in grand finals, Jerry Hu, made it to the top, and while not making any major upsets, still had quite the journey. After defeating Kieran Brown and Mateo Esparrago, Jerry ended up facing 4th seed and chess club president, Michael Ho. The game was mostly even until Jerry managed to pull ahead in the later half of the game and take the victory.
Another surprising performance was that of 14th seed and freshman Nicolaus Thyen. Nicolaus was up against 3rd seed Kaizer Clauson, a candidate who was expected to go far up the bracket and possibly win the whole tournament. Nicolaus was expected to be a free win for Kaizer, and the first half of the game supported this belief. By the midgame, Nicolaus was down a bishop and time. However, Nicolaus managed to bring it back to nearly even with some tricky play. The endgame was looking to be a fight to see who could make their pawn reach the other side of the board to turn it into a queen. Nicolaus had a pawn on the H file, and Kaizer had one pawn on the D file and another less important pawn on the board. Both pawns were set to become queens on the same turn, and indeed they did. However, Kaizer’s king was set on the F3 square, which is a perfect diagonal to skewer the king and take the free queen on D1. Nicolaus noticed this and took the queen, securing the comeback. Kaizer, realizing the situation was hopeless, resigned.
Nicolaus also went on to defeat 6th seed and fellow freshman Jeremiah Myers in another unexpected upset. After this, Nicolaus lost against Oliver Suer in a 2–0 sweep, guaranteeing his 4th place finish as the 14th seed.
As of writing this, the grand finals are still yet to happen and are planned to take place after spring break.
Chess in Alameda
Another local aspect of chess is the chess in Alameda. Nearly every school here has a chess club or at least a chess club. However something notable is happening in the Alameda chess world. Avid chess player, teacher, and gym employee Nicolas Fontaine has started his own chess club in the gym where he works at where you can learn chess and get a workout in at the same time.
In an interview, Nicolas Fontaine was asked about how he got his start in chess and what has kept him playing for so long, in which he responded, “Initially it was watching the old guys play in the park. After that it was playing casually with my friends and wanting to beat them. I can really attribute what’s kept me playing the game is working with Bob Gavrich. For about 5 years, we exchanged chess lessons for personal training. In a way, he held me accountable for continuing to play.”
Nicolas’ lessons are available to anyone on Saturdays, So if you are interested in learning more about chess, as well as get in some exercise, this is the thing for you.
Three Interview Pieces As Thyen Moves Across The Board With Cohorts
The following is an interview with SJND student and chess player Jerry Hu, who is currently set to play Oliver Suer in the grand finals of the SJND chess tournament.
Question: What got you into chess?
Jerry Hu: I had a friend in the chess club when I was in elementary school. I wanted to play with him so I went to the same club as him. I beat him on the second.
Question: What has kept you playing the game after so many years?
Hu: What kept me keep playing the game? What kept me? I play because I want to play and because I don’t want to lose the chess skills that I have.
Question: What do you consider your general play style to be? What openings do you like to use?
Hu: I have a defensive style. I prefer black as I like defending. When I play black, I play defensive, and when I play white, I play offensive.
Question: What do you consider to be your strengths as a chess player?
Hu: The use of bishop. The skill of looking at the whole game. I’m like the Godview of the game.
Question: What do you consider to be your weaknesses as a chess player?
Hu: Weaknesses? I would say, if I haven’t played for a day then I would be super bad on the first game but fine on the next game. I get rusty.
Question: How has chess affected you in your life?
Hu: It gives me confidence, it keeps me thinking.
Question: Do you remember what the little horsey is called?
Hu: The knight.
Next is an interview with chess player and teacher, Nicolas Fontaine:
Question: What got you into chess?
Fontaine: Initially was watching the old guys play in the park. After that it was playing casually with my friends and wanting to beat them.
Question: What is your rating and your connections to chess?
Fontaine: My rating is 1800 in blitz. I teach chess privately as well as teach chess at an elementary school. I also host a chess workout lesson at my gym.
Question: What has kept you playing the game after so many years?
Fontaine: I can really attribute what’s kept me playing the game is working with Bob Gavrich. For about 5 years, we exchanged chess lessons for personal training. In a way, he held me accountable for continuing to play.
Question: What do you consider your general play style to be? What openings do you like to use?
Fontaine: I would consider my play style to be “scrappy” fast and aggressive. I like to win in advantage very quickly and then trade all my pieces off the board. I like to use The Vienna, the Queen D6 Scandinavian, and the Bayonet Attack. Also the Rossolimo and the Budapest.
Question: What do you consider to be your weaknesses as a chess player?
Fontaine: The endgame.
Question: How has chess affected you in your life?
Fontaine: I feel like it’s really helped my critical thinking skills. I think it’s really made me sharper as a person. It’s made me more patient as a person when making decisions and thinking one step ahead.
Question: Do you remember what the little horsey is called?
Fontaine: I think the little horseys are called ponies. In regards to chess I think they are called the knight, k-n-i-g-h-t and they are the only piece that can jump over other pieces.
Finally, an interview with former Bay Area resident and chess Master, Robert “Jersey Bob” Gavrich:
Question: What got you into chess?
Robert Gavrich: Fischer vs Spassky. The American hero who defeated the Russian chess machine. He pretty much took down all the Russians. The Russian state sponsored the Russians, and Fisher was just a guy from Brooklyn, New York on his own. Watching that match in the summer of 1972 is what inspired me, I was 12 years old at the time.
Question: What is your chess rating and title?
Gavrich: When I was 18 years old, I got as high as 2260, you got to be above 2200 to be a master. I was at one point the 26th-best player in the U.S. I played until I was 20, and that’s when I stopped playing. In my last tournament, I played so badly that I dropped below 2200 so technically I’m an expert, not a master if you take my rating from that tournament.
Question: What has kept you playing the game after so many years?
Gavrich: It’s addictive. It’s a great training for the mind. It keeps me sharp as I age. It’s really shaped my mind and whole outlook on life.
Question: What do you consider your general play style to be? What openings do you like to use?
Gavrich: The openings are not my strength even though the diagnostics on Lichess say my openings are really strong. I prefer tactics over the opening.
Question: What do you consider to be your strengths as a chess player?
Gavrich: My strengths are tactics. Tactics could be explained like little tricks on the chessboard, such as forks, pins, etc.
Question: What do you consider to be your weaknesses as a chess player?
Gavrich: The openings. I don’t want to memorize long openings that last 15 or 20 moves so I try to steer towards openings that rely more on intuition and general feel.
Question: How has chess affected you in your life?
Gavrich: It’s trained my mind to think in an orderly manner. Chess is really good at dealing with change, as the board changes every move. It has helped me be more flexible and deal with changes in life, roll with the punches. It’s helped my sense of planning. It’s helped me meet a lot of interesting people. Just two nights ago, I went to Reno Chess Club, where I met a lot of interesting people, and on my trip to the Philippines, where I met a lot of interesting people.
Do you remember what the little horsey is called?
Gavrich: Do I remember what the little horsey is called? The little horsey is called the knight. K-n-i-g-h-t. A lot of people who are new to chess will call the knight the horse and the rook the castle.
OVERVIEW
Chess has had a massive impact on many aspects of people and cultures around the world. It has found its way into the foundations of pop culture, even if its influences may seem subtle. From yelling out “Checkmate!” when winning any game, to phrases such as “chess, not checkers.”
Chess is undeniably part of humanities culture as a whole. SJND’s chess community is no different when it comes to chess’ allure, as it does indeed have a chess club with some avid chess players. Chess’ timeless nature and universality allows anyone to play it. Anyone could include you, so if you haven’t picked up a piece and start playing yet, give it a chance. Who knows? Maybe you could become one of the best chess players the world has to offer.