This year has been a whirlwind of events. From 2024 to our current time in the spring of 2025, the world has experienced ever-changing developments in technology, conflicts, politics, and power. However, through all of this, we are determined to stick together as a community committed to action and integrity.
One World, Two Wars
In 2022, after years and years of growing conflict between Russia and the former Russian territory of Ukraine, the cap flew off, and chaos ensued. The conflict dates back to ancient times, when Ukraine gained independence, but not without a fight, and now Russian leader Vladimir Putin is slowly reclaiming Russia’s lost territory. Since the war erupted 3 years ago, it has progressed significantly, resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties for both countries. There was, however, a brief ceasefire from January to March. But since then, the war has continued endlessly. Molly Cannon ‘27, a current AP Comparative Government student, noted, “The conflict has increased Russian-American tensions significantly, of course. There have been economic impacts, supply impacts, and an impact on inflation.”
Another prevalent conflict is one that began in ancient times when Palestine was fought over by Israel and the Palestinians were walled into their small country. Battles over this land have been fought for decades, but in 2023, a full-scale war broke out, this time involving more countries. The group revolting against Israeli subjection is Hamas, a Palestinian nationalist group that is supported with weaponry by Iran and others. The world has been divided in siding with one or the other country, and while many protests and movements for a “Free Palestine” have been expressed in the U.S., there are countries in the Middle East that support Israel. The Israel-Hamas war has been ongoing for 2 years in the making. Due to the war, numerous bombings, raid,s and invasions, sicknesses, and starvation, the losses have been profound. This war is more complex than it seems, as not all countries have taken sides and must think of the consequences of their involvement.
Technology on the Move
Way back in the mid-20th century, AI was just a possibility, a concept. Much later, in 2022, powerful AIs such as ChatGPT and others were developed and became available for public use. They grew more accurate and capable through updates and developments made throughout 2024 and 2025, and AI is now considered a vital tool to many. In SHC, AI is popular because of its abilities to brainstorm ideas and concepts, help students study and quiz, and help with homework. Piper Ling-Winick ‘27 commented, “I mostly use AI when the instructions given from my teacher are confusing or do not make sense, and I am just genuinely confused on what the assignment is asking for me. I ask AI what the assignment is asking for me to complete, and then do it on my own.”
To learn more about this topic, an exceptionally anonymous poll was conducted of the SHC student body asking how, when, and what AI students use, if any. Of the 105 respondents, virtually spread evenly over all four grades, 75% of participants said they use ChatGPT, and 60% use it when doing math.
Along with the developments of AI, self-driving car companies have aimed to develop a safe, human-less way of transportation, and the most successful among them to date is Waymo, by Google. It was launched in our very own city, San Francisco, in 2022 and took some time to catch on, but since 202,4 it’s been very popular. It has proven to be safer than transportation companies like Uber and Lyft since there isn’t a person, so it’s safer and more reliable. For instance, there is little risk of Waymo getting distracted by texting, growing tired, making rash decisions, kidnapping the passenger, and more. As a user of Waymo myself, I can attest that the cars are good drivers. They maintain an even speed and are cautious. Additionally, Waymo tends to be less expensive than other private transportation since there are no drivers in need of paychecks.
Election of the Ages
The election in the fall of 2024 was a tense one. Many were unsure how it would end, as the polls showed possibilities for either Red or Blue. However, in the end, Donald Trump won. The whole election season was chaotic, as not only was Joe Biden running for office again in the beginning when many had doubted him, but he eventually stepped down. Biden faced backlash for how he had handled affairs regarding the
Israel-Hamas war, inflation, the withdrawal of US troops in Afghanistan, and more. Biden’s age was used as a cover for these concerns, and ultimately, Vice President Kamala Harris took over as the Democratic candidate. It was risky since everything during this time was very rushed,d and there wasn’t much time for her to properly campaign and sway audiences.
A poll done in the week leading up to the election of the SHC student body showed that 61% of participants had confidence in Harris’ abilities, while only 14% had confidence in Trump’s abilities (the remaining were either indifferent or unsure). 82% of participants had been raised in democratic households, as this is San Francisco after all. Additionally, many students had conflicting and/or
indifferent feelings towards one or both candidates or the election, as only 9.5% of the 75% of seniors in the poll were registered to vote. One of the 10% of students who believed Trump was a good candidate, SHC senior Kanoe Palmer, noted, “…his actions toward taxes are good because he won’t tax overtime workers on paychecks,” which has yet to be proven. In the end, Trump won the popular vote, gaining about 76.9 million votes, and he won the electoral college vote, gaining 312 votes.
In the Wake of the Smoke
After the New Year in 2025, California was met with devastation. Our Golden State is known for its wildfires, such as the record-breaking wildfires in the fall and winter of 2020 that burned over 4.3 million acres. There were over 8,600 fires recorded that year that contributed to over 11,000 buildings being destroyed and over 494,000 medical emergencies. Also, among the many areas to be destroyed, Tahoe and Yosemite were greatly affected and in some areas, are still recovering from the restitution.
The fires this year were among the top 10 worst California wildfires because of the significant damage and trauma. Fires sparked in the Los Angeles area in January due to human activity, climate change, and weather patterns. They lasted nearly all month, and over 200,000 people had to evacuate their homes because they were in fire-risk areas. The fires destroyed around 16,000 homes and buildings, resulting in over $30 million in damage. The fires swept through quickly, spanning from Malibu to Palisades. Millions of people have been affected, but luckily communities came together to provide support financially and emotionally, such as the many donations from people and organizations to help repair the LA area to its prior state.
Second Term, First 100 Days
With the Trump administration in office again, the country has changed considerably. When Donald Trump began his second term (since the first one was in 2016), one of the first things he talked about doing was implementing high tariffs on foreign goods imported from China and other countries, and deporting undocumented residents. In these first 100 days, Trump has done just that…and more. He implemented tariffs but then suspended them for 90 days, renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America”, heightened Homeland Security and ICE duties, abolished DEI across organizations, companies, and universities, deported 137 men and boys to South America–the list goes on.
While campaigning, Trump made many threats and promises regarding policies and regulations, most notably his immigration and deportation policies. The administration has tightened its hold on border security and immigration, as promised. It has also made an effort to actively seek out those who are going against government orders and beliefs and detaining them, silencing their freedom of speech, and ignoring their Constitutional rights. The administration has ignored the Constitutional rights stipulating that due process is entitled to everyone on American ground and has rapidly deported people. When Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Venezuelan man residing in Maryland, was “mistakenly” deported to Venezuela for suspicion of being a part of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, Trump said it wasn’t possible to bring him back to the US. In an interview with Mr. Standley, an Instructor of Social Studies at SHC, on these recent events, the highlighted topic was the denial and deliberate bypassing of Constitutional protections. He mentioned, “It affects all Americans, those who are citizens, those who are Visa-holders, those who are here without any set of formal documentation, because the administration has shown that it is willing to bypass constitutional protections…And play the role of, in effect, prosecutor, judge, and jury.” Based on what we’ve seen the administration do to uphold the promises and plans made these past few months, we can assume there is more to come, good or bad.
Grazie Mille, Papa
After an impactful and lasting papacy, Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025, on Easter Monday. He was 88 years old and lived a fulfilling life, helping millions and imprinting hope and faith in all Catholic believers. Under his leadership, the Church became more open to homosexual relations, immigration, was an advocate of climate change, social equality and justice, and more. Pope Francis was different from past popes; he was humble and didn’t want to present ornately, nor did he care for frivolous items. He had adopted the name “Francis” from St. Francis, an Italian monk who lived a simple life and helped the hungry and poor, while revering God. Pope Francis also embodied these admirable qualities, not living the lavish lifestyle most popes lived, and he chose to be buried in a more modest church: St. Peter’s Basilica. Millions of people came from around the world to honor the late pope, paying their respects and condolences, Catholics and non-Catholics. He was a beacon of hope and a model for leaders worldwide, and as a Catholic school, SHC has also admired his work and impact over the years and now mourns the loss.
Now, however, the world welcomes the first American pope, Pope Leo XIV, who was chosen as the new pope on May 8. He is from Chicago, but spent much of his adult life doing missionary work in Peru and thus has a special connection to the country and people. He is known to be open-minded and is a good mix of liberal and traditional, presenting hope for everyone.
