Letter from the Editor

Dear Reader,

We are more than two months into the spring semester, and now is as good a time as any to remind ourselves of the importance of community.

During this time of year, many of us are getting into the thick of our academic coursework as both major essays and midterm exams come around. Despite this, I urge you to find a moment to reconnect with your community. It could be checking in with a friend you haven’t messaged in a while or simply spending quality time with your family at home. Though we may not always realize it, now can be a time when we need these connections the most.

At OHS, I know reaching out online can be dauntingly deliberate as well as something that can easily slip to the back of our minds amid our academic priorities. Nevertheless, I encourage you to take that first step! I promise you won’t regret it. 

In this issue of the Pixel Journal, we certainly celebrate community. In the Culture column, we recap two meetups NorCal OHSers got to attend as well as Valentine’s Day events that brought the OHS community together in the name of love. In honor of Black History Month, we highlight the events that took place to celebrate it and spotlight some prominent black figures in history. With the introduction of a new AP course, AP African American Studies, we also provide an inside look at the curriculum, and insights from Dr. Smith and Dr. Chudzinski about the course’s structure. Finally, in the Stories column, get to know Dr. Khatchirian, one of our Core instructors at OHS.

Wishing you the best of luck with midterm exams in the month ahead!

Eryn