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The Student News Site of Menlo School

The Coat of Arms

The Student News Site of Menlo School

The Coat of Arms

The Student News Site of Menlo School

The Coat of Arms

Kaylie Wu

Kaylie Wu, A&L Editor

 

Number of years in The Coat of Arms: 3

Favorite aspect of journalism: writing about topics I'm passionate about, like music.

Interests outside of school: working at Tin Pot Creamery, baking, and dancing.

Class of 2023

All content by Kaylie Wu
Kinder most recently completed a sword for his Experimental Archaeology class at Menlo. This is the second sword that Kinder has made. Photo courtesy of Max Kinder

Max Kinder Forged Into a Blacksmith in Quarantine

Kaylie Wu, Staff Writer
May 29, 2023

While most residential driveways are used to store vehicles, senior Max Kinder instead uses his to store blacksmithing equipment: his very own anvil and...

Quigley began taking online ASL classes at Fusion Academy. Staff illustration: Michele Hratko

Ginger Quigley Shares Experience Learning American Sign Language

Kaylie Wu, Arts & Lifestyle Editor
April 4, 2023

At Menlo, Upper School students are required to study a foreign language for a minimum of three years, or until reaching completion of an intermediate...

During her stay in Morocco, Hratko went camping for one night in the Sahara Desert, where she had the opportunity to ride a camel for the first time. “They’re not like horses,” she said. “[They] were really, really tall.” Photo courtesy of Jane Hratko

Six Weeks in Morocco: Jane Hratko Pursues Modern Standard Arabic

Kaylie Wu, Arts & Lifestyle Editor
January 6, 2023

On June 20, 2022, senior Jane Hratko boarded her first ever international flight, preparing to spend the next six weeks studying Arabic in Rabat, Morocco....

Members of the Class of 2022 cheer during last year’s Halloween assembly, dressed together on the quad in Adam Sandler-inspired outfits. Photo courtesy of Cyrus Lowe

Necessary Bonding: Menlo Freshmen Should Have a Group Halloween Costume

Kaylie Wu, Arts & Lifestyle Editor
October 31, 2022

Every Halloween, Menlo’s entire senior class dresses in a group costume at school. Last year, members of the Class of 2022 all dressed as different versions...

Originally published in The Coat of Arms Edition 49.1: Are Students BeingReal? Staff Illustration: Michele Hratko

BeReal Challenges Norms: Are Students BeingReal?

Kaylie Wu, Arts & Lifestyle Editor
October 25, 2022

In the early months of 2022, the BeReal app exploded in popularity. BeReal strives to shift social media in a more casual direction by encouraging its...

Students cheer on the football team during the 2021 Homecoming Game. Photo Courtesy of Cyrus Lowe

Homecoming and Spirit Week Opinions Package

Annie Stent, Erica Fenyo, Alea Marks, and Kaylie Wu
October 6, 2022

The Spirit Week leading up to the Homecoming football game is a highlight for many Menlo students. From the dress-up days to the lunchtime activities,...

Staff illustration: Sutton Inouye

Menlo’s Homecoming Dance Should Be Made Formal

Kaylie Wu, Arts & Lifestyle Editor
October 6, 2022

Every year, Menlo rallies the school together with a packed week of Homecoming festivities. Students are encouraged to dress up in themed spirit costumes,...

Floyd competed in the Pacific Cup with his father, older sister Sammie (Menlo ‘21) and family friend Jay Bruins. Photo Courtesy of William Floyd

Senior William Floyd Races Sailboat to Hawaii

Kaylie Wu, Arts & Lifestyle Editor
September 20, 2022

While many Menlo families celebrated American independence on July 4 this year with barbecues and fireworks, senior William Floyd instead set sail on his...

Two sophomores zipline during their retreat in the Santa Cruz mountains. Photo courtesy of Madison Brown.

Sophomore Retreat Brings Class Together

Kaylie Wu, Assistant A&L Editor
April 5, 2022

On March 25, the sophomore grade departed for a retreat in the Santa Cruz mountains. Due to COVID-19, the Class of 2024 missed out on the annual freshman...

Tudor competes in a swimming meet. Photo courtesy of Emory Tudor.

Committed Corner: Emory Tudor

Kaylie Wu, Assistant A&L Editor
March 26, 2022

Last September, senior Emory Tudor committed to Amherst College for Division III swimming. “I’ve been swimming since I was six, and I never really...

The menlo community shares mixed opinions on the role APs should have in a student's schedule. Staff illustration: Sutton Inouye.

Student Opinions on AP Courses

Kaylie Wu, Assistant A&L Editor
March 8, 2022

Every year, Menlo students fill up their schedules with up to seven classes. However, these decisions are not only influenced by what classes seem interesting,...

In the 2021-22 school year, the student council program has expanded its size in an attempt to include more voices and spark change faster. Staff illustration: Dorinda Xiao.

Members of Menlo Student Council Reflect on Program Changes

Kaylie Wu, Assistant A&L Editor
February 27, 2022

In the 2021-22 school year, many changes were made to the format of Menlo’s student council program, such as the creation of new committees and weekly...

Students cheer in the gym bleachers during the 2019 holiday assembly. The annual holiday assembly always includes both the middle school and high school, but more assemblies should be held to further connect these two groups. Photo courtesy of Pete Zivkov.

The Middle School and Upper School Should Be More Connected

Kaylie Wu, Assistant A&L Editor
December 18, 2021

Menlo School contains two divisions: the Upper School and the Middle School. While these share a campus, the two groups of students barely overlap. The...

After testing positive for COVID-19, my sister was stuck quarantining for ten days. She was asymptomatic, but our family still needed to follow safety protocols. Staff illustration: Dorinda Xiao.

How I Dealt with COVID-19 in My Home

Kaylie Wu, Assistant A&L Editor
November 30, 2021

The morning of Sept. 15, 2021, began normally for my sister, Menlo eighth-grader Amanda Wu. Wu was at her classmate’s house, and she had planned to spend...

Menlo students perform on stage in the 2019 dance concert. Even though these dancers were part of the dance enrichment program for the entire school year, they never received any credit for their time. Photo courtesy of Pete Zivkov.

The Dance Enrichment Program Should Earn Students School Credit

Kaylie Wu, Assistant A&L Editor
October 23, 2021

Before graduating, Menlo School requires students to earn a minimum of four PE credits and one and a half arts credits. These requirements are guided by...

Menlo students pick up their pre-packaged lunches from inside the cafeteria. According to Hoang, if COVID-19 testing in the near future proves that the community is healthy, the cafeteria will open up its hot lunch lines, too. Staff Photo: Kaylie Wu.

When Will the Cafeteria Reopen?

Kaylie Wu, Assistant A&L Editor
September 21, 2021

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Menlo School’s cafeteria has been unavailable to students since March 2020. When the campus reopened in October 2021, boxed...

The Menlo library has made many adjustments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. But as vaccination rates increase, librarians make efforts to return to normalcy in the coming year.

How COVID-19 Has Impacted Library Norms

Kaylie Wu, Assistant A&L Editor
September 7, 2021

Club members of The Menlo Monthly meet to work on newspaper articles together. During hybrid learning at the beginning of 2021, meetings were held both over Zoom and in-person. Photo courtesy of Maren Mulloy.

Menlo Middle School Students Start Newspaper

Kaylie Wu, Assistant A&L Editor
June 4, 2021

In recent months, seventh graders Maren Mulloy and Mg Curtin brought to life a middle school newspaper at Menlo. The newspaper’s title, The Menlo Monthly,...

Latin students participate in activities together at the 2021 State Convention. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the convention was completely over Zoom this year. Photo courtesy of Dobbie Vasquez.

Despite Online Setting, Menlo Hosts Annual Latin Convention

Kaylie Wu, Assistant A&L Editor
May 21, 2021

Menlo hosted the 2021 California Junior Classical League convention over Zoom during April 9-10, a two-day event held each spring for Latin students across...

Because of the pandemic, King and her husband have been able to spend much more time together with their daughter, Eloise. “[Raising Eloise] has been something to take up our time in a really positive way during the pandemic,” King said. Photo courtesy of Alexis King.

For Science Teacher Alexis King, COVID-19 Changed Pregnancy and Raising a Newborn

Kaylie Wu, Staff Writer
April 17, 2021

When the shelter-in-place order began in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, science teacher Alexis King was immediately concerned with how her pregnancy...

During the pandemic, sophomore Chloe Appel started working at Chick-fil-A as her first job ever. Staff illustration: Sophie Fang.

Sophomore’s First Ever Job at Chick-fil-A Impacted by COVID-19

Kaylie Wu, Staff Writer
April 2, 2021

When shelter-in-place began in March 2020, sophomore Chloe Appel found herself bored and struggling to stay productive. As a result, when the first shelter-in-place...

Different eating disorders include certain signs and symptoms. Scroll down to see a larger version of this image. Infographic by Kaylie Wu.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Altered My Perspective on Body Image

Kaylie Wu, Staff Writer
March 2, 2021

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I had no idea how different my life would become. I didn’t expect classes to remain online for the rest of the school...

Sophomore Mitali Srinath and Sydney Fish plan the next steps for Cloth for Our Community together over a Zoom meeting. According to Srinath, they are currently in the process of building an Instagram account. Photo courtesy of Sydney Fish.

Sophomores Create Nonprofit to Donate Masks to Those in Need

Kaylie Wu, Staff Writer
February 11, 2021

The beginning of shelter-in-place in March 2020 left many students with limited opportunities for earning their remaining community engagement credits...

CRI's Menlo student volunteers meet to discuss plans for the organization. Staff photo: Annie Stent.

Restorative Justice Advocate Helps Menlo Students Make an Impact

Annie Stent and Kaylie Wu
January 15, 2021

Collette Carroll is the founder of the California Reentry Institute (CRI), an organization that provides pre-release and post-release programs for incarcerated...

Seniors gather at Menlo to film their section of the “Twelve Days of Christmas” song while remaining socially distanced. Unlike previous years, the song could not be performed at the annual holiday assembly because of COVID-19. Photo courtesy of Cyrus Lowe.

Menlo’s Holiday Video: Behind the Scenes

Kaylie Wu, Staff Writer
January 11, 2021

Every December, Menlo students look forward to the famous all-school holiday assembly. However, due to the COVID-19 school closure, the 2020 holiday assembly...

Upper School science teacher Nina Arnberg teaches her physics class virtually. Due to distance learning, all assessments must be proctored over Zoom as well. Photo courtesy of Pete Zivkov.

Online Assessments Change Student Test-Taking Experiences

Kaylie Wu, Staff Writer
December 14, 2020

For the first semester of the 2020-21 school year, COVID-19 has forced Menlo students to attend school virtually. In addition to adjusting to different...

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