Yearbook Editor-in-Chief Layla Williams can be frequently found camera in hand at Granite Bay High School’s athletic events, behind a computer workshopping spreads on InDesign or teaching a staff of 15 to do both of those things. Williams has been in the yearbook since she was a freshman and has been the Editor-in-Chief for the past two years. 

“People in Granite Bay see me as a Black leader when sometimes I wish I was just a leader,” Williams said. “I want to be a leader because I’m a good leader not because I’m Black and a good leader.”

As Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook, Williams strives to put as much diversity in gender and race on each page– though this is challenging given GBHS’ demographics. Granite Bay High School has historically and continues to be a predominantly white school. According to the GBHS School Accountability Report Card (SARC) from the 2022-2023 school year, the school has a 2.3% Black population.

“We’re not really a diverse school, race wise,” Williams said. “It’s majority white people so of course the book is going to be majority white, because it’s a reflection of what’s on campus.”

Williams is biracial with a Black father and white mother. She said she is the only Black person in her family as she was raised primarily by her mother.

“The only place I can learn about Black culture from is the Black Student Union (BSU). That’s the only place I’ve really been exposed to anything like that.” Williams, a three year BSU member said. “When I go to places like the BSU, I feel heard…I feel like I’m getting knowledge from people who experience what it is like to be Black in the Granite Bay community day to day.”

Generally, Williams said her exposure to Black history in GBHS’ curriculum is limited to a few discussions of Black History Month or briefly during history units. 

“Most teachers I’ve had don’t seem comfortable when teaching Black history and I don’t know if they don’t believe what they’re saying is important or they are uncomfortable with discussing racism,” Williams said.  

Among the student body, Williams said she has heard the N-word many times and has been called the N word before. 

“There’s been several friendships I’ve been in. I think I know the person, I’ve been friends with them for multiple years just to find out that they say the N-word,” Williams said. “I was in class the other day, and there was a girl who said, ‘Oh, my parents would never let me date someone that’s Black.”

Though Williams said she always confronts racism when she hears it on campus, she believes the racism she sees on campus is cultural and generational. Changing this culture on-campus starts off-campus. 

“Most of the reasoning of why I feel uncomfortable here is because of the student body. You can only teach so much in the curriculum about Black history,” Williams said. “It’s up to GBHS students’ parents honestly to be good examples.”

Senior Timothy (Timmy) Reed, in his second year at Granite Bay High School, is a Grizz Nation Leader. Reed has been recognized on campus for this athletics. He’s a varsity baseball player and a University of San Francisco (USF) baseball commit.

Before Reed was a student at Granite Bay High School, he attended school in Vacaville. Coming to GBHS though, Reed says, was a “culture shock.”

“In Vacaville, it’s like you can either believe what everybody else believes or you’re just an outsider. Versus here, in Granite Bay. It’s almost like you embrace everybody for their own beliefs,” Reed said. 

Reed spotlighted English teacher Michael Handling as someone who made him feel particularly welcome. 

“He’s actually really good at touching on, not just Black culture, but a lot of other cultures,” Reed said. “He embraces it and just shows you that it’s good to learn about other people’s culture and you shouldn’t be offended or embarrassed to try to learn.”

Reed credits not only staff, but students for welcoming him into the Grizzly community. As for the climb to Grizz Nation Leader, Reed wasn’t alone. He had the guidance of former Granite Bay student and leader, Adarius Jackson. 

“(Adarius) was more of my mentor like everybody else had certain mentors,” Reed said. “He would take me out to lunch and explain, ‘This is the stuff that you need to do your best to improve at Granite Bay.’”

Reed said he and Jackson were brought together by the shared experience of being a Black leader on the campus of a predominantly white school. Now he’s carrying Jackson’s torch and striving to empower future Grizz Nation leaders of color. 

“’What are you doing to help Granite Bay?’” was Jackson’s motto according to Reed, and it was with this sentiment that he spoke to the importance of setting a good example for every GBHS student. 

“Me being  a Black male on campus, I’m representing every other Black kid at school since I’m in a position of, I guess you would say power,” Reed said. “So with that, I have to think responsibly of what I do– I can’t just go out making radical decisions like skipping school or decide to talk back to my teachers. I have to be respectful about what I do.” 

Outside of school, Reed’s family has instilled in him a strong sense of self and pride in his background since he was young. He grew up with Black literature and learning about Black figures like baseball legend Jackie Robinson, the subject of his favorite movie “42.”

“When I was younger, I remember it would be the first day of Black History Month. My mom would bring out books about every color of person, like down the line, we’d have one for every day,” Reed said. “My parents were really heavily motivated and pushed towards letting their kids, especially being like kids of color, know that ‘You are Black and you should be proud of being Black.’”

Correction: Article previously stated that Reed is committed to play baseball at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). He is committed to play baseball at the University of San Francisco (USF).

With a strong presence on campus, senior Gerrard Ediagbonya shines the most on stage. He starred in Othello in the fall of 2023 and continues to leave his mark at GBHS through the performing arts program.

Outside of school, he is the youngest of two older sisters who have greatly shaped his outlook on life.

“They’ve impacted me to strive for greatness,” Ediagbonya said. 

Like his sisters, Ediagabonya’s mom is a key influence in his life. She emigrated from Italy and before that, came from Nigeria.

“All the stories that she’s told me and my siblings and all the different experiences and …hardships that she’s had to go through to get us to where we are right now,” Ediagbonya said. “That inspires me a lot.”

Having grown up in an area with little Nigerian presence, Ediagbonya expresses desire to connect with his culture on a deeper level. 

“I don’t really have that many Nigerian people around me, but definitely, due to my background, I want to connect more to it. And I feel like growing up I’ve kind of decided that I want to learn more about… how the experiences of Nigerians in the past have influenced who I am today.”

With every play and musical he is in, Ediagbonya strives to be the best he can be. 

“Always strive for excellence,” Ediagbonya said, “Spreading Black excellence and just being the best we can be can highlight that we too, are great.”