Features

By Kevine Liang

 Competitions become the main focus of Lincoln Architects during April and May as impending architecture competitions’ deadlines are near. Paolo Salazar, who teaches Advanced Architecture, Architecture 1, and Art 1, guides his students in preparation for the annual Engineers Alliance for the Art’s Student Impact Project Bridge Competition and The Architectural Foundation of San Francisco’s High School Design Competition.

Jane Regnier and Kiki Johnson are seniors working alongside two freshmen, Anna Chang and Kailey Liang and were chosen from third period to attend the Student Impact Project Bridge Showcase at UC Berkeley. Their reimagined bridge was named The Hills and won second place overall. Juniors Zekai Liao, Ayden Lieu, Curtis Cheuk Hin Lau, and Colin Siu won best in class with their bridge named The Celestial Gate. 

This year students could choose from two scenarios to reimagine: either the moving 3rd Street Bridge in San Francisco or a new bridge that spans the Ashley river in Charleston, South Carolina. The top two teams per class qualify to represent Lincoln in showcasing their ideas against other Northern California high schools at UC Berkeley on April 25th. Three groups that scored top three overall will be awarded cash prizes.

Students are judged on the innovation of their bridge and their speeches. Since the innovation relies on describing aspects of the bridge model that cannot be seen, Salazar’s focus has been on preparing each groups’ speeches, in terms of memorization, confidence, engagement, and highlighting unique aspects.

Last year, where a Lincoln group won first place for the first time on the moveable bridge, students were required to make at least three rough draft drawings of their bridge. These rough drafts are created into paper models, then move on to scaffolding cardboard models. These requirements were a shift from his first year of teaching Architecture in 2024, where students were required to only make one drawing. 

He explains, “I think a lot of the times people’s first idea is not their best idea and [so working on more models and drawings] gives [students] a way to really build off their mistakes and kind of work through any issues.” 

The Celestial Gate Bridge is an arch bridge that features a hydraulic vertical lift mechanism, a movable bridge that lifts its deck straight up while being powered by hydraulic jacks. Liao, Lieu, Lau, and Siu were inspired by the Fremont building in San Francisco, while incorporating a LEED system, a green rating system which provides framework for building healthy, efficient, and environmentally friendly projects and nighttime protection from cellforce towers. 

Regnier and Johnson’s green bridge features an arch with trusses; their inspiration came from the hills of San Francisco and local vegetation. Special attributes of Regnier and Johnson’s bridge include a bridge powered by wind turbines. 

Regnier wanted to take an art class but was placed into architecture without knowing art was incorporated into many aspects of it. To Regnier, the emphasis on preparation left little time for the actual building of the bridge.

“At first, I was really scared. You know, I knew nothing, but then I kind of found some sort of beauty within being precise with all the measurements and such…I felt like we were really rushing things, but it ended up looking quite beautiful in the end, and we were learning as a team,” she says.

Dom Hayet, Thomas Byrne, and Dalton Muck were working with Salazar’s class, where they were really helpful in “pushing [them] out of their nest” as Regnier describes. Engineers like Hayet, Byrne, and Muck are volunteers from around the city that come into support the students with problem-solving and advice, giving students the opportunity for students to experience and learn more about what architecture or engineering could look like. 

Additionally, Salazar’s Advanced Architecture class is preparing for the international AFSF competition on the topic of revitalizing and redesigning Fisherman’s Wharf, competing against Lick Wilmerding and schools across the U.S., Korea, and China on May 8th. 

Students have to think about using mixed structures in order to reimagine Seawall Lot 300/301, an area west of Pier 39 to align with the City’s Climate Action Plan in mitigating sea-level rise while incorporating vacation rental units, a restaurant and a boba cafe, a visitor center, a promenade, two public plazas, and their own interests like a skate park. 

Advanced Architecture students like Steffie Kwong and Judah Meyerson are given around 130,000 square feet in their scenario to remodel but had to take into consideration how their design could encourage gathering with events, performances, outdoors, daily use, and how their design would enhance the picturesque view of the bay. 

Advanced Architecture was brought back for the first time this year since 2022. In preparation for the AFSF competition, the students mock revitalized mid-Market street—last year’s competition prompt. Students are required to write an essay and a two minute presentation, and with funding from the district, the architecture students get to use brand new MacBooks, 3D printers, and AutoCAD and Revit, industry standard software used to render 2D drawings and 3D models to pitch their ideas for the new pier. 

Kwong is a senior in Advanced Architecture and has had her mind set on architecture since eighth grade after interning with an actual architect. Throughout her design, her hope for the resurgence of third spaces is prevalent. Kwong’s redesign features open space that feels more connected, allowing people to walk anywhere and see more. Natural light makes up a large component of her design. 

The architecture classes offered at Lincoln allow students a chance to explore their career possibilities. “A lot of people think they have to be kind of groomed since middle school to be in those kinds of fields (architecture and engineering), but no, that’s not the case,” says Salazar. 

Meyserson is a sophomore pitcher on the Lincoln baseball team, and Architecture 1 was his first exposure to art. Before, Meyerson wasn’t much of an art person; he chose architecture because he thought the subject was the least oriented around art. Architecture being a more structured way to be creative allowed him to have great experiences in continuing to take Advanced Architecture this year. 

“I certainly didn’t expect myself to want to do something like this in the beginning of high school. I am not sure I want to do architecture, but there are certain aspects of it that I enjoy, like urban design, civil engineering, and thinking about the space itself and how it is working into the city, in the neighborhood.” 

Meyerson works with two other juniors, and his last trip to Seattle left a lasting impression on his designs for his focus on the vacation rentals at the Wharf. He incorporated the idea of a rooftop pool and lookout into a scenic view of the bay. He wants people to have a memorable experience and having these amenities is important to drawing people in. 

“Even with certain constraints you can have certain freedom with your design. All of our designs are very different from each other, and they look a lot different."

By Sophie Ng 

One spring ago, I promised myself I’d write my college essays over summer break. That summer, I wrote absolutely nothing. My saving grace that fall was the fact that my American Literature final had been to write all four UC personal insight questions. 

By the end of junior year, you’ve done everything you can academically in regards to college applications. Rather than impulsively picking up a new activity you think will look impressive, continue what you’ve already been doing. The summer before senior year is the time to start the actual application process. With summer on the horizon, I advise rising seniors to at least start preparing the skeletons of their college essays. 

The Common App offers seven prompts exploring broad topics such as adversity, personal growth, and identity, with students responding to one in 650 words or less. The UCs offer eight prompts that are more concentrated; questions ask of leadership, creativity, and community service. Applicants must choose four of eight to respond to in 350 words or less. These prompts are found on their respective websites.

 It is tempting to write an essay that reads as a resumé, especially with prompts that encourage you to write about leadership, but admissions officers will see your achievements and accolades in the activities section already. 

Essays are your chance to breathe life into your application by telling a story, and the key to becoming a better writer is to read, read, and read. All SFUSD students get a San Francisco Public Library card, which can be used to check out books in-person or online through apps like Hoopla and Libby. In this context, read memoirs. Memoirs capture the narrative and introspective style demanded of college essays. 

My two favorites are “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi, which chronicles Kalanithi’s struggle with his lung cancer diagnosis as a neurosurgeon, and “Know My Name” by Chanel Miller, which details Miller’s experiences dealing with trauma and the legal system after being sexually assaulted during a party at Stanford University. Both of these books are beautifully written and dive deep into personal reflections and growth. What’s particularly captivating about both of these texts are the author’s abilities to take a specific event in their life and tie it in with the rest of their character. 

Both of these books cover a life-changing event. However, you don’t necessarily have to cover something as heavy on your college essay. In fact, you can write about the seemingly mundane as long as you are passionate about it. One of the PIQs I submitted was about making fan edits of the K-pop girl group LOONA. 

Once you get a clearer idea of what you want to write and how you want to write it, aim for a complete first draft of your main essay before the start of the school year. Your first draft will be your worst draft, so don’t fuss over perfection. Allow yourself to write poorly; you can always go back and revise. Depending on your senior courseload, you will probably not have the time or motivation to work on your essays as much as you’d like once school picks up. 

As for the technical aspects, start to prepare a list of colleges you want to apply to and look into their application requirements. Several schools require letters of recommendation and supplemental essays specific to that institution. Make a Google Doc of all the essays you’ll have to write and see if there is any overlap. It is okay to reuse—in fact, I would encourage you to reuse supplemental essay outlines since most prompts are adjacent.

Perhaps most importantly, get off of r/ApplyingToCollege or whatever online college admissions communities you lurk on. It’s easy to freak out over not doing enough; the so-called “LinkedIn warriors” and their flawlessly worded posts thanking whoever and whatever for an opportunity out in Whoville, the college admissions influencers clamoring for your attention with inane hooks like: “Not doing this in 7th grade will absolutely destroy your chances of getting into an Ivy League,” and your peers buzzing in your ears saying, “I’m so cooked, I’m so cooked,” in a dizzying loop are enough to send anyone into a spiral.

Applying to college is going to be hard, but remember that this process will only take up a sliver of your life. In junior year, I kept a diary. On October 22nd, 2024, I wrote a list of things that were bothering me. The list reads, “college applications / I’m hungry / my hair is too short / the SAT / AP exams.” 

One spring later, I get to look back at this weird, mushy period of my life and laugh a little at this list. The spring after you apply, you, too, will get to look back at your weird, mushy period and laugh. 

By Christine Kang

For generations, summer jobs were a predictable milestone for American teenagers. When school lets out, teens head straight into seasonal work. It offers independence, spending money, and a first glimpse of adult responsibility. In 2026, that similar summer pastime is becoming harder to hold on to. What used to be an easy way for a sixteen‑year‑old to earn a paycheck is now squashed by rising wages, new technology, and a flood of older workers competing for the same short‑term roles.
Even for a three‑month summer job, workers are expected to handle customer conflicts, communicate professionally, and stay focused without constant supervision. Seasonal employers can’t afford to hire someone who needs weeks of training when they’re only open for three months. Instead of taking a chance on a high‑schooler with no experience, many businesses now choose college students or adults who can start strong on day one. Another major shift is the growing number of adults seeking seasonal work. Some want extra income to offset rising living costs while others prefer flexible, short‑term jobs that don’t require long‑term commitments. This means teens aren’t just competing with each other, they’re competing with adults who have years of experience and full availability. For employers, the choice is obvious, the adult applicant is less risky for a fast‑paced, short‑season business.

As a manager of a restaurant in the Ferry Building BiJay puts it, “If we’re paying twenty an hour, we need someone who can jump in on day one.”

Technology is reshaping summer work. Many of the simple tasks that once made summer jobs perfect for teens are now automated. Self‑checkout counters reduce the need for cashiers. Mobile ordering apps cut down on counter staff. Even scheduling times are determined by owners and managers, which limits workers with consistent availability.

A student who constantly applies for work, Caitlin Hilt states, “... after about two or three months I heard that I got rejected. But I got an interview in a month and the orientation email a week or more after I applied…”

Time and scheduling is a problem for teenagers, whose summers are often packed with sports camps, family trips, part‑time classes, and college visits. Seasonal employers, facing high labor costs, can’t afford unpredictable attendance or randomly assigned meetings or interviews for applicants. Employers would focus on adults who can work steady hours all summer long.

On top of that, transportation is becoming a real obstacle. Many teens don’t have cars, and public transit schedules don’t always match early morning or late‑night shifts. Employers don’t want to deal with workers who might be late because a bus didn’t show up. And with insurance costs rising, some businesses won’t let minors operate equipment or handle certain tasks, shrinking the list of jobs teens are even allowed to do.
Still, even these human‑centered summer jobs are becoming more competitive than they used to be. Camps and recreation programs want workers who can commit to the entire summer, not just the weeks between vacations and sports tournaments. Some programs even start hiring in late winter, long before most teens begin thinking about summer plans. As a result, the teens who land these roles are often the ones who prepare early, complete certifications ahead of time, and show they can handle responsibility before the season even begins.

The easy, low‑stakes summer job is fading, but not all doors are closing. Instead, the summer job market is becoming more selective and more skill‑based. Teens who adapt, by building soft skills, demonstrating reliability, and leaning into roles that require human connection, can still carve out meaningful opportunities.

By Quincy Fulton

Alan Wong, District 4 Supervisor, is a lifelong member of the Sunset and once attended Abraham Lincoln High School, graduating in 2004. After the recall of prior supervisor Joel Engardio and the mess of tried-and-failed replacements, Wong was sworn in on the steps of Lincoln by Mayor Daniel Lurie. 

He was never formally elected, only appointed by Lurie, and he is running for reelection on the June 2nd ballot with the help of some current Lincoln students. Multiple students are working on his paid canvassing teams and internships for experience and insider perspectives on the political world. They have a range of jobs they can choose from, including canvassing and rearranging the current Supervisor’s office supplies. 

“At first I was just interning because my major is going to be political science. I was a paid canvasser for Saikat [Chakrabarti], but I switched over to canvassing for Alan Wong because he genuinely endorses the JROTC, which is a program I’m in,” an anonymous senior stated. 

Wong has served in the California National Guard for over 15 years, although his campaign has not been endorsed by the U.S. military. As a supervisor, he introduced a resolution supporting the importance of Junior ROTC. 

On other young-adult-based establishments, the anonymous senior said, “[Wong] does a lot for younger people, especially because he was the former City College board trustee during 2020 and 2024, so he was the person that kept City College free for SF residents,”

Fellow senior, Aidan Bolosan, had the same reason for joining the campaign. “As I intend to enter [the political science field], I’m campaigning in general in order to learn more about elections,” Bolosan stated. 

On why they picked Wong out of the five running for the seat to canvas for, the anonymous canvasser said, “He is the one that aligns most with my political points.” The other four running for the seat are Natalie Gee, Albert Chow, David Lee, and Jeremy Greco. 

Wong is running on a campaign of funding the police department and making the Sunset cheaper and livable, but the anonymous senior said that his campaign is also largely focused around District 4 youth. 

The interns, also, are largely San Francisco youth from different districts, the anonymous senior said. 

“What I meant by endorsing JROTC is that [Wong] talked to the school district board and was like, ‘No, don’t shut this down. It’s such a good program,’” the senior continued. 

They also added a reason for participating: “It’s very important to keep track of political affairs. You can’t just say, ‘Oh, I don’t involve myself in politics anymore,’ because it affects your life.”

Freshman Nathan Liang interns for Wong and sometimes canvasses, unpaid, and said “I didn’t specifically want to campaign for Alan Wong, but he has the best stances, sponsors, and chances of winning the race.” 

In particular, Liang agrees with Wong’s stance on closing the Sunset Dunes park and reopening the Great Highway on weekends. 

On why he decided to intern, Liang said “I just wanted to learn more about politics, and see how things are run, especially in the city.” 

Many of the students working on the campaign team are using it as a safe first venture into city bureaucracy. However, the canvassing can sometimes get rowdy, as it involves talking to people about potentially divisive subjects.

“It’s hard to campaign; it’s lowkey rejection therapy, because you’ll always get a person that's kind of evil, or someone that’s just even more evil, just telling you their stuff,” the senior canvasser recounted. 

None of the interns and canvassers represent Wong at school, and say schools hours don’t inhibit their roles, even benefitting them: “People also go home at around the same time as we leave school, so the moment I get [to their doors], I can just start talking,” Liang described about canvassing. 

“Sometimes you can see people going into their houses,” Liang added. 

He thinks canvassing is fine, but he mostly likes the office work, personally making post-its or other reminders for Wong, as it has a quiet and plain atmosphere. 

“I’ve talked with [Wong] once: it was when he was doing a fundraiser, so I was sitting at the door, trying to get people to write their names down, and he thanked me for being there on that day,” Liang remembered. 

Whether they are knocking on doors and spreading the word, or helping to organize Wong’s office, the students feel like they are learning and breaking in a fresh path for themselves through a candidate they have a connection to. 

This fall, Lucas Rondone is headed to Buffalo, New York, to play Division II volleyball at Daemen University, where he plans to major in Physical Therapy. 

Rondone wasn’t a volleyball player all his life; he grew up playing Amateur Athletic Union basketball. It wasn’t until COVID-19 pandemic where he discovered his passion for volleyball. 

His transition from one sport to another wasn’t easy, but he values his mom for being the motivation and determination behind his consistency in the sport. 

“I started playing volleyball, and I was really bad at it. But she would come with me to the park every day during COVID,” Rondone says. 

The persistence extended towards his recruitment process. Rondone shares his proactive approach to the recruitment process by consistently emailing coaches and colleges. His hard work paid off as interest poured in, allowing him to narrow down to his top five schools, one of them being Daemen University. 

Daemen University stood out the most with its campus culture. After having the opportunity to spend two days on campus getting to know the players and environment, Rondone knew he had found a community that he resonated with. 

While he is eager to move to Buffalo, Rondone admits that the San Francisco food scene is irreplaceable. He’ll miss the ease of hopping on a Muni bus to find any cuisine he craves, as well as his mother who has been his biggest supporter. Despite the long flight to the East Coast, he looks forward to the challenge of a more competitive athletic environment and a chance to connect with other peers across the country. 

“I feel good about it, it’s gonna be a good experience to find a new place outside of San Francisco,” Rondone adds. 

These stories are just a glimpse of these graduates of the class of 2026.  As these graduates embark on the next chapter away from San Francisco, they carry their experience and supportive community of Lincoln onto their journey. Congratulations to the class of 2026!