![WASC looks for more than the basic California State standards. According to chairperson Mike Woo, “As new rules and new concerns come up through society, [WASC] look[s] is the school doing something about that. Like the biggest trend post-COVID is mental wellness. So is your school doing something to address the mental health of the students? Along with are they still doing the proper academics?”](https://theburlingameb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3401-1200x1200.png)
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Tree Lighting marks the beginning of the holiday season
December 6, 2016
On Friday, December 2nd, the Burlingame Community came together to spread the spirit of the holidays in the annual Tree Lighting.
The event began at 5pm, and after a short ceremony- featuring music from the BIS band- Burlingame recreation advisor Nicole Acquisti lit up the tree. Shortly after the tree was lit, downtown Burlingame became a spectacle of holiday music, bright lights, and bustling people. The rest of the night’s activities featured a parade with various community groups, live music, and rides for children.
Many groups helped organize this event. Among them were the Burlingame City Council, BHS Service Commission, the Burlingame Youth Advisory Committee, the BHS Band, the BIS band, along with other volunteers who helped with planning the event and live entertainment. City Council was involved in planning the majority of the event, the BHS and BIS bands provided cheerful music, BHS Service Commission helped set up chairs for band and choir to perform, and the Youth Advisory Committee also helped with setup and cleanup.
For many, the Tree Lighting is an important event that unites the Burlingame Community in festive spirit.
“I think that the best part of the Tree Lighting is that it raises the spirit of the community, particularly the children. It’s Christmas! To see so many people out there celebrating together, is really amazing,” junior Leland Hsu said. Hsu played saxophone at the tree lighting for the BHS band.
In a similar fashion, others believe that the tree lighting marks the beginning of the holiday season for the Burlingame community.
“I think the tree lighting is important to our community because it brings us together and is also a really nice way to transition into the holiday season. I think that people tend to decorate their houses after the tree lighting, so maybe the tree lighting gets them into the holiday spirit” senior Rachel Solomon said. Solomon helped setup the event with the BHS Service Commission.
Others reflected particularly on the aesthetic appeal of Burlingame Avenue.
“I love to see how alive Burlingame Avenue is, especially with the lighting of the tree and the way ‘the ave’ is lit up. Many people come to join and i think it’s a great way to all enjoy the holidays” junior Edie Arteaga said. Arteaga helped organize this event as a part of the Youth Advisory Committee.
A variety of Burlingame clubs, such as the Student Impact Team and the Robotics Club, sold items at the Tree Lighting to raise money for their events. The Italian Exchange program raised $3,000 to go towards scholarships for the trip in the spring.
This year’s tree lighting was a success, for it united the community in holiday spirit and brought together community, school, and city organizations.
