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Inside Berkeley High by Chanel Leaf Did you ever watch the television show “The OC” on Fox? Well that was my high school. Seriously, the show was filmed there. My high school consisted of a majority of wealthy beach blondes and water polo players, who are trapped in a “selective” social bubble. During my frequent visits to Berkeley High, a big, diverse, urban school located within the downtown area of Berkeley, I had an entirely new kind of social experience. Initially I was drawn to the kids who were just hanging out, not really invested in high test scores, but more involved in the “here and now.” Then I went into the classrooms, out to the courtyard and even to the junior prom. I realized that each student I met was refreshingly unique and down-to-earth. My perspective as an outsider was mediated by the fact that I had only recently graduated from high school myself. I was able to cross social boundaries that had been impassable in my “OC” world. I learned that this high school is a microcosm of the culture of Berkeley. The students are children of activists, immigrants, scholars and longtime residents. They mimic and contradict their parents like high school kids everywhere. They grow up in a town that allows for a wide definition of acceptable behavior. As the youth of Berkeley, they are setting in motion its future. They well represent the energetic and experimental nature of this off-beat town.  |
Skateboarding in Civic Center Park | 
Honors Anatomy | 
Communication, Arts and Sciences | 
Hippies in Civic Center Park | 
Waiting for Parents | 
Couple at Junior Prom |