Emma Donelly-Higgins

Vote16 Palo Alto: New teen group advocates for student voting rights in school board elections

A group of rising Palo Alto High School juniors and seniors gather around a large conference table at the Rinconada Library. This is Vote16 Palo Alto, a new student led organization with the goal of lowering the voting age for Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education elections to 16 through a social media campaign and petition.“The Board of Education makes decisions that are affecting students every single day and the students never really get a voice in these decisions,” rising seni

VTP students to be consolidated to fewer schools

The decision to consolidate Palo Alto Unified School District Voluntary Transfer Program students to fewer schools is facing push back from some elementary scho...

Sex Education: Netflix comedy redefines teen sexuality

"No, it's my vagina." In a school assembly hall, students of all genders stand up one by one, each proclaiming to be the subject of a revenge porn incident. A ...

Fletcher hosts LGBTQ+ info forum

Parents, students, administrators, board members and educators attended the Ellen Fletcher Middle School Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Plus Parent ...

Stanford expansion protest: Community calls for full cost mitigation

Members of the Board of Education and Palo Alto Unified School District families area calling for Stanford to fully mitigate expenses incurred by the district a...

Reframing dyslexia: District plans new supports

"I just generally thought I was stupid .… I would take shorter spelling tests. We would get 15 questions and I would have five and I would get all of those wron...

Librarian to retire, Assistant Principal to resign

Two Palo Alto High School employees are to leave the school at the end of this school year, Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education documents revea...

Gov. Newsom at Paly MAC, addresses Trump, 2020 election, housing, education gap

In a surprise visit with journalism students this afternoon at Palo Alto High School’s Media Arts Center, California Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke about the high-spee...

Legal controversy over Gunn sexual harassment claim

A conflict between two Henry M. Gunn High School robotics students appears to be headed for court, where lawyers will pit two competing parts of federal law aga...

From Students to Teachers: Class teaches childhood development

"You made this bridge? Wow, it looks like it could hold up me,” senior Luc Pardehpoosh says, working with one of the five-year-olds in the Greendell Preschool c...

Emma Donelly-Higgins

Editor-in-Chief

Emma (class of 2020) is a current Editor-in-Chief (hybrid digital and print) and former News Editor. After joining Verde Magazine halfway through her sophomore year at Paly, she has devoted her time to writing untold stories and breaking important news to the Paly community. As hybrid EIC, she works to integrate and enhance Verde's print and digital platforms. Outside of school, she enjoys being politically active, working with children with special needs and playing the violin.