CHRONICLE the harvard westlake
Studio City • Volume 29 • Issue 2 • Oct. 2, 2019 • hwchronicle.com
Inside News
Robotics sets new record for earliest state championhsip qualification. A4
Opinion
Students who study humanities and the arts instead of STEM courses should be respected. A11
Features
Students reflect on the diversity of cultures within the school curriculum. B4-5 *** The reputation of therapy and students’ personal experiences seeking mental help and counseling. B6
Arts and
Entertainment
The role of art portfolios in the application process. C3
Sports
Field Hockey remains undefeated for third season. D1 *** Girls’ Golf rebuilds relationship with coaching staff after suspensions. D1
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SPENCER KLINK
By Casey Kim and Lindsay Wu In response to a complaint filed by an anonymous whistleblower Aug. 12, the Democratic Party launched a formal impeachment inquiry into the president’s actions Sept. 24, presenting the greatest challenge yet to his presidency, according to The Washington Post. The whistleblower, an unnamed Central Intelligence Agency officer, alleged that Trump and his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani engaged in a months-long effort to press the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President and current Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. “Trump is using the power of the federal government for his own personal political gain,” Advanced Place-
ment Government and Politics teacher Dave Waterhouse said. “That is essentially what [the Democrats] were intending to punish with impeachment: sacrificing the national interest for personal gain. The argument there is that it was the national interest for the U.S. to support Ukraine, and he was using that and undermining our national interest by threatening to withhold back money just so he could get a political advantage.” The whistleblower’s complaint focused on President Trump’s phone call with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenksy on July 25, in which the two leaders first discussed Ukraine’s dependency on U.S. foreign aid and then transitioned to discuss the Biden family. White House officials removed the transcripts of the call, which were released
Students leave school early to attend Global Climate Strike By Sarah Healy Upper school students skipped class to join the Global Climate Strike on Sept. 20 at Pershing Square in Downtown Los Angeles, raising their voices against lack of government and business action regarding the climate crisis. Participants of the strike urged leaders to take meaningful initiative in order to help the environment, according to the Los Angeles Times. The school administration decided to excuse students from class with parental permission, after receiving encouragement from Environmental Club leaders Erika Ekstrand ’20 and Helen Graham ’21. In an email sent to all up-
per school students, Ekstrand and Graham provided directions to the march location, with specific metro routes and a meeting place for students to gather. Greta Thunberg, a 16-yearold from Sweden, is a prominent figure in this youth activist movement. Last year, Thunberg missed school every Friday to protest outside the Swedish parliament. Thunberg’s actions sparked the Fridays For Future movement, which has inspired students across the globe to miss school and hold their own protests in their own cities, according to the movement’s website. Ekstrand said that she is a long-time follower of Thun-
berg’s movement. She has been working with faculty members to invite more speakers to address the issue on campus, and hopes to inspire more students to get involved and spread awareness. “I’ve been really inspired by [Thunberg] and what she’s been able to do,” Ekstrand said. “It just shows that if you’re really committed to something, you can make a difference, and you just have to continue and go through with it.” Spanish teacher Margot Riemer said she supports Ekstrand, and hopes that more students become excited about the promise of youth activism in the future. • Continued on A12
to the public Sept. 26 from the regular electronic system and relocated them to servers intended for highly sensitive material, according to the New York Times. This alleged cover-up adds to the numerous justifications the Democrats could use for impeachment, Waterhouse said. “[The Democrats can cite] abuse of power for personal gain,” Waterhouse said. “They’re really excited about cover-up, though, because that’s obstruction of justice, and I think that’s probably the decisive thing that [Speaker of the House] Nancy Pelosi latched onto because it sounds like the Watergate scandal. In the Constitution, it says that major offenses include treason, bribery and other high crimes and misdemeanors. Essentially, this was bribery,
since Trump offered U.S. money in exchange for political favor, so [the Democrats] can use that too.” Emmanuel Zilber ’19, who is currently working for Democratic presidential candidate and California Senator Kamala Harris’s campaign, said he believes that the reason Democrats have decided to formally impeach now, as opposed to during the Russian investigation and Mueller report, is because the current controversy provides a more tangible case to be made for impeachment. “Previously, Mueller distanced the findings of the report from directly accusing Trump, or the Trump Campaign from committing a crime,” Zilber said. “Now, with the whistleblower’s letter and the partial transcript released, • Continued on B3
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ANNABEL ZIMMER
BRING THE HEAT: Ryan Smith ’21 and Echo Seireeni ’21 hold signs they made at the Global Climate Strike Sept. 20.
A2 News
The Chronicle
CEO talks about her company
Oct. 2, 2019
By Milla Ben-Ezra Coolhaus CEO Natasha Case ’01 kicked off HW Venture’s Speaker Series on Sept. 4, sharing the secret behind the success of her startup company. Coolhaus is an ice cream company, run by women, that uses high-quality ingredients to make a variety of ice cream flavors, Case said. Its ice cream products are available through nationwide grocery stores, scoop shops and ice cream trucks. With a background in design, specifically related to architecture, Case and cofounder Freya Esteller found an outlet for their passion for making ice cream sandwiches by incorporating architectural aspects into their baked goods. Case said she and Esteller founded Coolhaus in 2008 when they noticed a lack of representation coming from the vast majority of ice cream companies. They envisioned an ice cream company motivated and inspired by the diversity and enthusiasm of its consumers, Case said. “What we saw was there was very little innovation, almost no unique flavors,” Case said. “Most importantly, we just didn’t feel represented by these brands as millennials, and definitely not as women.” They opened their first ice cream truck at Coachella Valley Music Festival in 2009, and after years of marketing, made their way into grocery stores. Case said every brand tells its own story and encouraged HW Venture students to embrace their uniqueness. “I thought [Case] was really enthusiastic,” event organizer Sophia Rascoff ’23 said. “She clearly cares a lot about her company.”
SARAH MITTLEMAN/CHRONICLE
HW AD-VENTURE TIME: Brooke Levin ’12 spoke to students in the HW Venture Incubator Program about her startup company, (Ate)ifi. Her company collects sales statistics and broadcasts the nutritional values of food items sold in vending machines.
Two alumni present at HW Venture Incubator By Sarah Mittleman Two alumni entrepreneurs shared their start-up experiences with students at HW Venture’s Incubator Program Sept. 27. Brooke Levin ’12 spoke first about her startup, (Ate)ifi, a vending machine that allows users to customize their trail mix according to their nutritional needs. Levin, who now works with HW Venture, discussed the value of the Incubator Program. “One of the benefits of a program like this, which again, is an extremely rare and amazing opportunity, is that you will have, in ten weeks, the ability to take an idea from an idea to a business, and there’s a really big difference in going from an idea to a product than from an idea to a business,” Levin said. Afterward, app creator Alex
Ma ’11 spoke about his social ‘this product is coming,’ and media startup TTYL, an app you can start generating dedesigned to allow younger gen- mand,” Ma said. erations to communicate with Afterward, Venture Head each other more easily. He Jacky Zhang ’21 spoke next, advised the explaining the audience to purpose behind identify probthe Incubator Investors want to Program lems and creand back credible founders ate startups to how it can influfind solutions. ence the comand really interesting “Invesmunity. problems that they can tors want to “[Venture] back credible is essentially a build missions behind.” founders and place to make —Alex Ma ’11 change happen,” really interesting problems Founder of TTYL Zhang said. “If that they can you see a probbuild mislem on-campus sions behind,” Ma said. or off-campus and you want Ma also gave advice to as- to transform that problem, piring entrepreneurs about Venture is your resource. Inapp development. cubator [exists] to empower “I think something really students to start their own great about the incubator pro- startups.” gram is that you can quickly Ariana Pineda ’21 exbuild a landing site that says, pressed the goal of this year’s
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Venture challenge, which will grant three to five winners upwards of $12,000 to create a successful startup. “Venture’s Incubator Program serves as a platform for students who are interested in entrepreneurship or even have a great idea but don’t know where to go from there,” Pineda said. “This program provides students looking for innovative solutions to problems in their community with resources such as funding, mentorship, workshops and consulting.” Following Pineda’s speech, fellow club member Stone Kletecka ’21 shared a few words about the importance of the Incubator Program. “No other school is doing this,” Kletecka said. “Actually starting your company and growing the craziest idea you can think of and turning it into a reality.”
In the issue ...
A3 BRING
A RING: Members of the Class of 2020 received rings during the annual senior ceremony Sept. 15.
A10 SPORTS SALARIES: Stu-
dent athletes should be fairly compensated after bringing in millions of dollars in revenue.
B7 CONCUSSION CRISIS: Student athletes discuss how concussions have shaped their lives on and off the sports field.
The Chronicle, the student newspaper of Harvard-Westlake School, is published 8 times per year and distributed for free on both the upper and middle school campuses. There are about 730 students at the Middle School and 870 at the Upper School. Subscriptions may be purchased for $20 a year for delivery by mail. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the seniors on the Editorial Board. Letters to the
C3 HIGH SCHOOL ON HBO: Students reflect on the portrayal of high school students in the television show “Euphoria.”
D1 FOCKEY FUN: Field Hockey
beat Huntington Beach High School, its toughest competition of the year, 2-1 Sept. 12.
editor may be submitted to chronicle@hw.com or mailed to 3700 Coldwater Canyon Ave., Studio City, CA 91604. Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Chronicle style and format. Advertising questions may be directed to Zack Schwartz at zschwartz1@hwemail.com. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or the school.
Oct. 2, 2019
Teachers construct obscura
hwchronicle.com/news
News A3
By Crystal Baik
The visual arts and science departments collaborated to create a camera obscura in Rugby Tower, which was available to the community Sept. 12 to 13. A camera obscura is an optical device that has been used since the second half of the sixteenth century and projects an image into a darkened room through a small hole, visual arts teacher Jesse Chehak ’97 said. One of the main goals of the project was to help students better understand optics and the inner workings of a camera. “Since we’ve been doing similar projects [in the classroom], it was really nice experiencing it on a larger scale,” Photography I student Marty Kaplan ’22 said. “Just seeing projects like this is motivating and really cool, and I’m really thankful that I’m a part of [Photography I].” Those involved in constructing the camera obscura included Chehak, visual arts teacher Alexandra Pacheco Garcia and science teachers Karen Hutchi-
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JESSE CHEHAK
PHOTO, PHOTO ON THE WALL: Students in Video Art I and II and Intro to Photography gathered in Rugby Tower to view the camera obscura from Sept. 12-13. The camera obscura projects a display of the outside surroundings on the wall behind the students. son and Steve Yang ’08. Yang said he believes that future projects similar to the camera obscura will continue to increase student awareness about the field of engineering. “[Engineering is] this interface between art and science, but if you were to ask a typical student what engineering is, I don’t think they would have any idea,” Yang said. “This is
an opportunity for students to realize that they can actually take an object they don’t really understand and open it up and see how it works, which I think is making science more intuitive in a way.” Pacheco Garcia said she would like to see the camera obscura become an annual project. She hopes to witness increasing collaborations
Learning Center opens for peer tutoring and students’ studies By Sandra Koretz A new Learning Center opened in Seaver Hall at the beginning of this school year in order to give students a place to study and complete their homework. In addition, the Learning Center will host the Upper School’s first-ever Peer Tutoring program. Learning Resource Specialist Grace Brown, receptionist and SAT/ACT Test Center supervisor Nathaly Blanco, Eng-
lish teacher Jenna Gasparino and librarians Edith Darling and Jessica Wahl will operate and supervise the center. “The Learning Center is a space to go is when you have a specific academic task that you need to get done, whether you want to do it on your own or whether you need support with that,” Brown said. The Writing Support Program and Academic Support Program will take place in the Learning Center as well. Charlie Keller ’20, one of
the students spearheading the Peer Tutoring Program, said the center will be very helpful for students and make school a more enjoyable experience. “I am excited to not only help students who need assistance but also form connections with each person I interact with through the program and make school more enjoyable,” Keller said. Eve Levy ’22 said she believes the center will help students learn about proper research and studying skills.
across all of the departments in the future, she said. “[Chehak and I] want to turn the Rugby halls and Seaver halls into installation spaces,” Pacheco Garcia said. “We want to have more collaborations across more disciplines and departments, like illustrating a book [students] are reading in their English classes. We often talk about different ways
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I am excited to not only help students who need assistance but also form connections with each of person I interact with through the program and make school more enjoyable.” white’s
teachers for help. “Having a personable relationship with teachers can be beneficial to students in reinforcing hard to grasp concepts,” Cooperstein said. “When a student feels comfortable with their teachers, it makes learning the information more meaningful.”
The Kenyan government awarded Chung a Service RecUsing the funds that ognition Award for her work Chronicle Photography Editor with MTree. Chung said that Caitlin Chung ’20 raised from the award represents the exan açaí bowl fundraiser, MTree tent of her work with MTree in Incorporated, a nonprofit orga- Kenya. “A seemingly small imnization dedicated to creating pact can actually go innovative solutions a long way, especially in developing counin a community that tries, bought and dehasn’t really gotten livered tables to Maya the national attention Primary School in Keor even the local atnya. tention of the authoriDuring her sophties there,” Chung omore year, Chung said. sold açaí bowls to upChung is currently per school students ’ working to organize from RioZonas Açaí, Scarlett an annual charity a local store in StuStrasberg ’20 concert, which would dio City. By the end of the fundraiser, Chung had also benefit MTree. She said raised $1,496 out of her goal it is important for students to of $1,500. MTree used the know that their contributions funds to purchase tables that to fundraisers can make a sigreplaced the rocks and tree nificant difference in the lives stumps students at Maya Pri- of others. “We do a lot of fundraismary School previously used as desks and chairs, Chung ers at school that are based on said. selling food, and a lot of people
forget that a cup of açaí can actually turn into a chair and a table for a student in Kenya,” Chung said. Chung said that her interaction with fellow volunteers informed the way that she views service. “Seeing the people who sacrificed their time and their lives when they’re young [and] devoting it to some mission that is far greater than their own interests changed my perspective on [community] service,” Chung said. Scarlett Strasberg ’20 echoed Chung’s sentiments, adding that community service is most fulfilling for those who do more than the school’s twelve-hour requirement. “I think, for people who do more than [the required hours], it is so much more than just trying to get a school requirement; you’re actually doing something that you care about and that will build community,” Strasberg said.
Elementary school students in Kenya receive tables through fundraisers
white s
CAITLIN CHUNG/CHRONICLE
— Charlie Keller ’20 Peer Tutor
“For me and my friends, we’re still struggling to find the most effective study methods for absorbing our reading,” Levy said. “A learning center could help with skills to be developed for future use.” Carli Cooperstein ’20 said the center will help students feel more comfortable asking
By Tessa Augsberger
EAGER TO LEARN: Students at Maya Primary School in Kenya learn at the desks provided to them by the fundraiser.
we can do big, participatory, photographic collaborative projects like this where photography and the visual arts aren’t just isolated up here in Feldman-Horn, but you can find them throughout the community in these different ways whether it’s spatially moving through the spaces or in the classroom.”
Oct. 2, 2019
hwchronicle.com/news
Debaters win bids to TOC
News A4
By Gemma Lippman
The debate team participated in a tournament at Cal State Long Beach last weekend, with Claire Conner ’23 and Chronicle Features Editor Joanna Im ’20 reaching the quarterfinal rounds. Olivia Feldman ’22 and Allie Landecker ’21, reached the tournament’s octafinals. “I think the biggest thing we’ll be doing to prepare for future tournaments will be debating each other to practice against arguments we’re uncomfortable with,” Feldman said. “We’ll also be continuing to research new arguments and going to tournaments for the rest of the year.” The team, led by debate program head Mike Bietz and assistant coaches Jasmine Stidham and Scott Phillips, competed earlier this year in tournaments at the Greenhill School in Addison, Texas and at Loyola High School in Los Angeles. At Loyola, Chronicle Broadcast Director Alexandra Mork ’20, semifinalist Andrew Gong ’21, quarter-finalists Im, Chronicle Digital Managing Editor Jessa Glassman ’20, Nathan Russell ’21 and octafinalist Matthew Paul ’21 received bids for the Tournament of Champions. At the Greenhill tournament, finalist Samantha McLoughlin ’21, semifinalist Mork, quarter-finalist George Zhang ’21 and octafinalist Gong also received bids. Jaya Nayar ’20 and Ben Weinberg ’19 also competed in the policy division, where Nayer won a speaker award in the tournament’s round-robin format. McLoughlin and Mork brought home speaker awards from both the round robin and Lincoln-Douglas divisions. “We really are a community who fully supports one another,” Feldman said. “And when one of us wins, we all win.”
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF KATIE MUMFORD
ENGINEERING ARCHITECTS: Subteams 62A and 62X pose for a photo with their two robots at Arnold Beckman High School on Sept. 21. Subteam 62X received the Design Award, setting the record for the quickest qualification for the VEX California State Championship.
Robotics qualifies for state tournament By Hannah Han
ful prototypes, the team finished constructing their robot After earning the Design Sept. 20 and presented its enAward Sept. 21, robotics sub- gineering notebook to the judgteam 62X set a new record es Sept. 21. for the earliest VEX California “It was a really gratifying State Championship qualifica- experience to win the Design tion under Team 62’s Award, as it’s one division. Adjudicaof the two highest tors at the qualifying awards you can get competition, which at a competition,” took place at Arnold Mumford said. “Since Beckman High School, there were over 40 granted 62X the award teams there, it was a for creating an engibig honor to win such neering notebook. The a prestigious award, notebook chronicled and it’s a really great ’ all of the team’s defeeling to already be Katie sign choices and the qualified for the state Mumford ’20 reasoning behind their championship.” decisions. Subteam 62A, consisting Subteam 62X, comprised of of Yvette Copeland ’21, Jake Justin Ansell ’20, Katie Mum- Futterman ’21, Isaiah Jeter ford ’20 and Dean Reiter ’20 for- ’21, Reggie Kim ’21 and Chris mulated the idea behind their Ladreyt ’21 also participated in robot during the summer and the tournament, winning four began building in July, Mum- sets before it was eliminated ford said. After two unsuccess- in the quarterfinals. Futterwhite s
man said his team hopes to that, while mostly beneficial, implement several structural occasionally prevented team changes to its robot in order to members from clearly analyzimprove its performance before ing potential problems with the next competition. their robots. Nevertheless, he “We defiremains confinitely got a dent that their sense of some strong work There’s nothing of the probethic will enable lems with them to succeed that [the teams] can’t our robot [at in future tourovercome, and they’re the tournanaments. going to put in the work ment],” Fut“The teams terman said. are putting in to overcome it.” “For example, so much effort —Andrew Theiss that the velocity there were some probRobotics coach of their progress lems with the can almost be robot fitting a detriment to [within the sizing constraints their success,” Theiss said. “It’s of the competition] and with it very difficult to gain that perdeploying, so we’re definitely spective if you’re always pushgoing to be working on those ing 100 percent. But in terms issues leading up to the next of the teams and the issues tournament.” they face, there’s nothing that Robotics coach Andrew they can’t already overcome, Theiss said that both subteams and they’re going to put in the demonstrated an intense focus work to overcome it.”
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National Merit semifinalists announced for Class of 2020 By Frank Jiang
ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation named 21 seniors National Merit Semifinalists Sept. 11. Less than one percent of 1.7 million students, equivalent to around 16,000 individuals, received the designation, which is based on PSAT scores. Students who qualified as Semifinalists either met or exceeded a Selection Index of
222. This year, six fewer seniors from the school qualified as semifinalists, compared to the 27 recognized last year. The semifinalists now have the opportunity to apply for finalist standings, which will allow them to compete for approximately 7,600 National Merit Scholarships totaling more than $31 million. NMSC will announce winners between April and July next year.
Sports teams will compete on Ted Slavin Field and in the fencing room and Copses Family Pool.
“Into the Woods” Musical:
PSAT/ NSMQT Test Day:
30 students will perform the Broadway musical at the annual autumn play after rehearsing for 11 weeks.
Sophomores and juniors will take the PSAT/NSMQT test while the seniors take the day off.
11/16
Upper school students will gather in Taper Gym to attend the annual dance from 8-11 p.m.
Homecoming Games:
11/08
White’s Studios photographers will take pictures of Upper School students and faculty in Chalmers.
Homecoming Formal:
10/12
Upper School Picture Day:
10/05
10/02
Upcoming Events
Oct. 2, 2019
hwchronicle.com/news
News A5
Fellowship recipients recap summer travels By Frank Jiang
people in Japan talking about the role that bonsai played in The seven recipients of this twenty-first century life and year’s HWGo! Fellowships pre- how traditional arts influenced sented their findings from their our art scene as well,” Gordon trips to faculty and friends said. For her presentation about Sept. 19 in the Kutler Center. Most of the presentations con- “The Artifacts of the American sisted of a slideshow and a me- Road,” Levin shared photos dia supplement, which includ- that she took of her journey ed photo collages and videos. across the country. She said The event lasted around three that the purpose of her trip was hours and included a 30-min- to learn more about the history ute reception in addition to the of road-trip photography in the United States. presentations “[In my themselves. presentation], Scarlett I think it’s very I used phoStrasberg ’20, tos that I took Abe Kaye ’20, cool to have a place during my road Chronicle Phowhere I can see how trip to Texas tography Editor impressive the kids at to make a seCaitlin Chung ries of works ’20, Otis Gorthis school are.” and paintings,” don ’20, Haley said. Levin ’20, Alex —Haley Levin ’20 Levin “One [of my Daum ’20 and Fellowship recipient works] was this Amelia Kobig painting blentz ’20 presented their findings from the that I made, and I also did two collages and painted on some fellowships. Chung presented first, other photos.” The series of presentations speaking about the experiences of Korean “Comfort Women” concluded with Gordon’s exhiduring World War II. Chung bition of the bonsai trees that presented a series of photos he took care of while in Japan. and documents in Rugby Hall Gordon said that he was nerTower depicting the Wednes- vous being the final presenter day Protest, a weekly protest and hoped to keep the audiin Korea regarding the sexu- ence’s energy up. Nevertheless, al slavery system established he said that his experience was amazing as he shared his bonduring World War II. Kaye’s presentation, which sai tree trip to Japan with the was about the experiences of audience. Levin said that, though she the Dutch during the Holocaust, was more photo-based. enjoyed the event, she would While in the Netherlands over have liked to see more students the summer, he spoke with attend and see the amazing several inhabitants that had work that students had done lived or had relatives living during their fellowships. “I just think it’s very cool to during the Holocaust. Gordon, whose fellowship have a place where I can see was about traditional Japa- how impressive the students at nese arts, also screened a doc- this school are because someumentary instead of showing a times you forget,” Levin said. typical slideshow for his pre- “But then you get reminded when you come to an event sentation. “My documentary includ- like this, and it really is just ed a series of interviews with mind-blowing.”
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PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF SHAUNA ALTIERI
ACTIVITIES FAIR FESTIVITIES: Immi Shearmur ’20 and Presentation Editor Keila McCabe ’20 present their club, Westflix, to the student community and encourage prospective members to join.
Students find clubs at Activities Fair By Crystal Baik and Tanisha Gunby The Prefect Council hosted the annual Activities Fair on Sept. 16, where 80 clubs and organizations set up tables on the quad. This year, the council arranged the affinity groups toward Taper Gym rather than on the main quad for the first time. The different placement of the affinity groups encouraged students to walk through the entire fair, Prefect Chelsea Cho ’21 said. “[The Prefect Council] thought a lot of clubs got the attention that they deserved,” Cho said. “Some clubs, like the more academically oriented ones, didn’t usually get that attention before because
the other more fun or loud clubs that had music attracted a lot of people.” The fair represented a variety of clubs, including Black Leadership and Awareness Culture Club and Immigration and Citizen Assistance Club. New clubs this year include the Financial Diversity Group, Puzzles and Games Club and Pickling and Photography: The Art of Fermentation Club. “I have been interested in fermentation and pickling for some time and thought it was about time for Harvard-Westlake to try something new and unique,” Pickling and Photography: The Art of Fermentation Club leader Abe Kaye ’20 said. “With the stress and competition at the school, I
wanted this club to be a space to learn and explore and just have fun.” The fair provided students the opportunity to step out of their comfort zones and form new connections with their peers, South Asian Students Alliance Club leader Mohona Ganguly ’21 said. “At first I was really nervous about manning my own booth because this is my first time doing something like that,” Ganguly said. “I really wanted to help make an impression on people because of my new club, but I found the activities fair a really rewarding experience because I got to meet so many new people, and I got to see many new clubs. It was overall a really great experience.”
ILLUSTRATION BY EVIE DE RUBERTIS
A6 News
The Chronicle
Oct. 2, 2019
Tickets to benefit alumnus By Austin Lee
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CAITLIN CHUNG/CHRONICLE
DOG DAYS: (From left to right) Helen Graham ’21, Sadye Lackman ’22, Viktoria Ekstrand ’25, Sophia Ekstrand ’20, Erica Ekstrand ’20, staff writer and layout assistant Sophia Musante ’22, Melody Tang ’22 and Paisley Kandler ’22 pose for a team picture with their pets.
Students participate in Pet Walk for community service hours, raise awareness for therapy animals By Sophia Musante Students supported Paws Helping Hands, an organization which provides comfort and raises donations for those living in difficult situations, by participating in Pet Partners’ World’s Largest Pet Walk at Hotchkiss Park in Santa Monica on Sept. 28. Sophia Ekstrand ’20, a facilitator of the school’s participation in the walk said the event was a collaboration between Paws Helping Hands and Pet Partners. “Pet Partners registers, trains and supports thousands of therapy animal teams who
share the healing power of pets with people in need, and the impact of these therapy animal visits is felt over three million times a year,” Ekstrand said. Ekstrand, who connected with Paws Helping Hands four years ago, is a youth therapy handler and regularly volunteers for the organization. “Since becoming certified as a therapy animal handler with my dog, we have been volunteering regularly at an assisted living home in Studio City for more than two years,” Ekstrand said. “Seeing the smiles and faces light up every time we walk through the door is amazing, and the interactions that I have
with the residents while they are happily petting my dog are incredibly rewarding.” While at the event, students walked their pets, met therapy animals and learned about the organization. The purpose of the walk was to raise money and awareness for the organizations, Ekstrand said. “The event is honoring [the city’s] 900 plus therapy animal teams, raising awareness of Pet Partners to spread the word on animal-assisted interventions and raising funds to continue to provide ongoing training and resources for all of our volunteers and the people they serve,” Ekstrand said.
Attendee Sadye Lackman ’22 said the event helped her learn about Paws Helping Hands. “I really enjoyed meeting new dogs and their owners and learning about therapy dogs and their importance,” Lackman said. Ekstrand said she felt Paws Helping Hands and Pet Partners’ mission united with the school’s mission of a purpose beyond itself. “We hope that people took away the importance of therapy animals in our community and continue to support Pet Partners through donations and joining events in the future,” Ekstrand said.
Students buying tickets for the Homecoming Formal dance now have the option of donating five dollars in addition to the $50 ticket fee to the recovery fund for Kevin Chen ’19. Chen, a former head prefect, was hospitalized over the summer due to a brain aneurysm and spent several weeks in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center before he was transferred to a respiratory hospital in Van Nuys. Senior Prefect Landon Poon ’20 proposed the idea to other members of Prefect Council, who supported the suggestion. Head Prefect Grace Burton ’20 said that she liked the idea because she felt that many in the community would welcome the chance to help. “We thought it would be a good way to support [Chen], and we wanted to give people the opportunity to help because we know that the community wants to,” Burton said. Evan Roderick ’21, who played football with Chen, said that Chen’s influence on him and the community during his time at the school inspired him to contribute. “Kevin has been somebody I’ve known since I was six, and he’s always been a positive member of the community,” Roderick said. “To see somebody who’s done so much good in his life be put in such a terrible situation, this is the least I can do to help him.” According to the GoFundMe page, Chen’s health insurance will not cover his medical bills. The campaign, started in August by Tracy Wang (Catherine ’11, Charlie ’21), raised about half of its $100,000 goal at the time of publishing.
School to commence WLSA Pen Pal program with two foreign schools By Ethan Lachman and Austin Lee In an effort to foster a more understanding community, the school will partner with the World Leading Schools Association (WLSA), Westville Girl’s High School in the Republic of South Africa and Appleby College in Canada, to create a new global pen pal program. Approximately 15 students at the school have signed up to participate in the program, which is scheduled to begin at the end of October. Kutler Center and Summer Programs Director Jim Patterson said the pen pal program will allow students to create new bonds with a diverse group of people. “The WLSA pen pal program gives Harvard-Westlake students the opportunity to get to know highly motivated stu-
dents at other WLSA schools throughout the world,” Patterson said. “Such opportunities help Harvard-Westlake students appreciate the many cultures that make up our globalized world. I believe such cultural exchange continues to be an important aspect of high school.” Westville Girl’s School student and WLSA Communications Manager Jenna Morgan ’20 said she organized the exchange to help connect her schoolmates with students overseas. “I was really excited to have our school participate in this program because it is such an amazing opportunity for us students to expand our knowledge of the world,” Morgan said. Looking back on her experience with WLSA, Morgan said she gained a more whole-
some perspective about the world. “Just by being in [WLSA Student Council] and interacting with students from a number of different countries, I became more aware of the world I live in,” Morgan said. Morgan also said that her interactions with students worldwide have helped her become more aware of issues happening around the globe. “It is a priceless experience that has helped shape me as not just a student, but as an individual in the world,” Morgan said. Several participants from the school expressed their excitement about the program. “It was a great opportunity to meet new people and to learn about the world,” Ella Ganocy ’22 said. “I’m really looking forward to talking to new kids.”
ILLUSTRATION BY EVIE DE RUBERTIS
Oct. 2, 2019
News A7
hwchronicle.com/news
Seniors gather for ceremony By Sandra Koretz
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF AMAYA WASHINGTON
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF LILAH WEISMAN
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ZANAIDA ROBLES
(RE)TREATED: (Clockwise from top) Choral students enjoy their free time on a jungle gym at Alpine Meadows Retreat Center. Members of Chamber Singers take a break after their rehearsal. Students pose for a group photo on their last day during a morning hike.
Chamber Singers bond at Alpine Meadows By Sophia Musante Students in Chamber Singers rehearsed choral repertoire, improved vocal technique and engaged in recreational activities on their annual choral trip at Alpine Meadows Retreat Center from Sept. 13 to 14, Upper School Choral Director Zanaida Robles said. Singer Amanda Korris ’22 said she felt the retreat helped unite the individual members of Chamber Singers as a more cohesive unit. “The retreat really helped us bond as a choir and work on our music,” Korris said. “We got to stay up really late to talk,
and it was super enjoyable.” Robles said her favorite activity was the morning hike, as she loved seeing the students create music together in nature. She also remembers the team’s arrival to the retreat fondly, she said. “That moment when we first set foot on the grounds, I loved the way the students all ran to the playground and started swinging on swings and climbing on play structures,” Robles said. “Play is an important part of bonding, and we got to play a lot.” The intent for the retreat was to establish a strong, hardworking community within the
choir, Robles said. “Choir retreats are important for building a positive group dynamic and cultivating focus,” Robles said. “Working in a [place] distant and remote, surrounded by beauty is the perfect environment for setting a firm foundation of solid work ethic and musical excellence that we will carry through the entire year.” Korris said that she felt the retreat was successful in achieving these goals for building foundations. “The choir retreat really helped us come together as a group and become more than a combination of individual voic-
es,” Korris said. “By the end, we had been placed in the most cohesive arrangement and all felt way more confident about our music.” Similarly, singer Maddie Boudov ’21 said the retreat allowed her to get to know the individuals within her section, as well as those new to the ensemble. She said the retreat helped the entire choir improve as a whole. “After the retreat, I felt so much closer to my section and we really bonded,” Boudov said. “Being close and comfortable with the rest of the choir has also helped our sound and made us a better choir.”
The Class of 2020 attended the annual Senior Ceremony on Sept. 15, where they received a ring or pin from Dean of Students Jordan Church and Head of Upper School Laura Ross. English teacher Sara Cohen delivered the keynote speech, encouraging students to accept life and face the obstacles in their paths with grace and dignity. Senior prefects also spoke to the student body and family members attending the event. Prefect Clay Skaggs ’20 discussed the meaning behind the school motto, ‘Possunt Quia Posse Videntur,’ which translates to ‘they can because they think they can.’ Skaggs emphasized self-efficacy, the meaning of the school motto and how it applies to students’ daily lives. “So for example, when you are assigned an English essay you have a certain level of self-efficacy about your ability to write a good essay,” Skaggs said. “If you think the best you can do is a C, you have a low self-efficacy. If you believe you have the ability to write an Apaper, you have a high selfefficacy. And if you think you can write a paper that deserves a flat A, you clearly don’t go to Harvard-Westlake.” Senior Prefect Dahlia Low ’20 reflected on her high school experience and how her peers have become some of her closest friends. “Harvard-Westlake bonds people like nothing else,” Low said. “It is a shared journey of struggle and success that I feel so lucky to be a part of and a journey that I wish was longer.” Sarah Cohen concluded the ceremony by offering advice to students. She presented “Frankenstein” as an allegory for life and encouraged the senior class to enjoy their limited time remaining at the school. George Caras ’20 said he found Cohen’s speech to be impactful and inspiring. “Listening to [Cohen] brought back great memories exploring ‘Frankenstein’ in her class,” Caras said. “The special part about her speech was that even though we spent hours analyzing the text, she found meaningful ways to share memorable insights in the novel.”
A8 News
The Chronicle
Ringing in the new year
Oct. 2, 2019
The senior class gathered on Ted Slavin Field on Sept. 15 to take part in the annual Senior Ceremony, a tradition continued from the Westlake School for Girls. The participating students received their school rings or pins to commemorate the beginning of their last year
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF PAIGE CORMAN
CROWNED QUEENS: (From left to right) Annabel Zimmer ’20, Emma Poveda ’20, Immi Shearmur ’20 and Paige Corman ’20 gather on the bleachers after receiving their rings during the ceremony.
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF YOOHAN KO
THE THREE MUSKETEERS: (From left to right) Xander Bolt ’20, Yoohan Ko ’20 and Raleigh Harris ’20 smile for the camera.
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF CALISTA CHU
THE FLORAL FOUR: (From left to right) Caitlin Chung ’20, India Altschul ’20, Calista Chu ’20 and Elaine Liu ’20 pose for a picture.
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF WILL SEYMOUR
FOR THE BOYS: Following the ceremony, a group of senior boys bond on the bleachers alongside Ted Slavin Field as they celebrate their last year on the upper school campus together.
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF KYRA HUDSON
EDITORS UNITE: (From left to right) Panorama Editors-in-Chief Casey Kim ’20, Kyra Hudson ’20, Spencer Klink ’20 and Lauren Nehorai ’20 group together for a picture.
SANDRA KORETZ/CHRONICLE
A LINE OF LEADERS: Head Prefects Grace Burton ’20 and Michael Lehrhoff ’20 lead the way as the rest of the students of Class of 2020 file behind them.
C HRONICLE the harvard-westlake
Editors-in-Chief: Tammer Bagdasarian, Lindsay Wu Print Managing Editors: Kyra Hudson, Casey Kim, William Seymour
Opinion The Chronicle • Oct. 2, 2019
Los Angeles • Volume 29• Issue 2 • Oct. 2, 2019 • hwchronicle.com
editorial
Digital Managing Editors: Luke Casola, Jessa Glassman Presentation Editors: Spencer Klink, Keila McCabe Executive Editors: Jeanine Kim, Will Mallory News Editor: Luke Schneider Assistant News Editors: Crystal Baik, Hannah Han, Siobhan Harms, Tanisha Gunby, Frank Jiang Opinion Editors: Emma Shapiro, Amelie Zilber Assistant Opinion Editors: Ethan Lachman, Austin Lee Features Editors: Joanna Im, Lauren Nehorai Assistant Features Editors: Lauren Cho, Ruoshan Dong, Marina Nascimento, Chloe Schaeffer A&E Editors: Jordan Murray, Sarah Reiff Assistant A&E Editors: Emma Limor, Celine Park Sports Editors: Zack Schwartz, Eugene Wyman Assistant Sports Editors: Eugean Choi, Lucas Lee, Jaidev Pant, Kyle Reims, Charlie Wang Multimedia Editor: Annie Beckman Photography Editors: Caitlin Chung, Jay Lassiter, Astor Wu Broadcast Producers: Coleman Katz, Yoohan Ko, Alex Mork Business Manager: Zack Schwartz Community News Engagement Editors: Sarah Healy, Zoe Redlich Events Engagement Editor: Madison Huggins Assistant Business Managers: Lucas Lee, Emma Limor Assistant Broadcast Editors: Alex Amster, Alice He, Kyle Reims Junior Art Director: Evie de Rubertis Senior Staff Writer: Lee Nichols Freelance Artist: Hannah Mittleman Freelance Writers: Mak Kriksciun, Allie Landecker, Anusha Mathur, Valerie Velazquez Layout Assistants and Staff Writers: Tessa Augsberger, Julian Andreone, Milla Ben-Ezra, Katherine Burry, Elise Chen, Marine Degryse, Quincey Dern, Ava Fattahi, Mia Feizbaksh, Sydney Fener, Justin Goldstein, Jane Hamilton, Caroline Jacoby, Keira Jameson, Sandra Koretz, Gemma Lippman, Sarah Mittleman, Caitlin Munoz, Jason Morganbesser, Sophia Musante, Liam Razmjoo, Ryan Razmjoo, Amelia Scharff, Katharine Steers, Melody Tang, Maxine Zuriff Broadcast Assistants: William Moon, Zachary Berg, John Coleman, Ely Dickson, Benjamin Jacoby Layout Assistants: Alexis Arinsburg, Brittany Brahn Advisers: Jim Burns, Max Tash The Chronicle is the student newspaper of Harvard-Westlake School. It is published eight times per year. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the seniors on the Editorial Board. Letters to the editor may be submitted to chronicle@hw.com or mailed to 3700 Coldwater Canyon, Studio City, CA 91604. Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Chronicle style and format. Advertising questions may be directed to Zack Schwartz at zschwartz1@hwemail.com. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or school.
Together through the college process ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
With the end of first quarter approaching in early November, school is officially back in full swing. As the community settles into its normal routine, students’ workloads pile up higher and higher. Every year, seniors are forced to quickly adjust to courses and classmates as the endless wave of assessments and homework assignments flood their minds. But above all, seniors feel the intense pressure to produce a flawless transcript before the Early Decision deadline. This is because a significant aspect of our senior experience is dedicated to building interesting resumés and trying to cram in good grades as the year is getting started. Currently, sophomores are adjusting to life at the upper school and learning how the new AP limit, which will be implemented next year, will affect their applications. Juniors are in the midst of standardized test preparation while gearing up for the intense year ahead of them. Finally, seniors are rushing to finish supplemental essays and personal statements as the Nov. 1 early application deadline sneaks up behind them. Wherever students are in the process, it is necessary that everyone remains honest with both each other and themselves. While this ideal may seem simple enough, the importance of maintaining positive attitudes and interactions during what is seemingly the most stressful few years of our education cannot be stressed enough. Negativity will only bring about more unnecessary anxiety. When looking at the positives, the most obvious one is that no student is alone. Every student is involved in this seemingly never-ending application journey, and everyone understands the stress and anxiety associated with the process. Since the community is more sympathetic to these stress-
es, it is important not to take advantage of the trusting and supportive environment by being hyper-competitive. Since practically every one of our peers is overwhelmed by the stress of first quarter, it is unfair to lie about the process in order to mislead classmates. We are all aware of the genuine fear that comes with choosing the college that fits us best, but we should not allow the fear of competition and college-related stress to negatively impact our student-to-student relationships. If students are honest with how they feel during the process, then they will be supported by their peers in return. It is important that friends help friends by staying positive, regardless of whichever school they are interested in; just because one college does not appeal to a particular student does not mean the institution is lesser than another. Being supportive of other people’s choices and decisions is key during this stressful time in our lives. This is most important when friends are applying to the same schools. When two students are both looking to be accepted into the same college, the outcome is not a reflection of someone’s capabilities or worth. We should ensure that we lift each other up in this process and not compare statistics, grades and extracurriculars for personal peace of mind. The college process should not be about going to a university featured in the U.S. News Ranking but about finding a school that is the right match for each individual. We understand that it is hard to maintain a positive and supportive attitude during this stressful period, but in the long run, this mindset will foster stronger relationships as the application process comes to a close.
A10 Opinion
The Chronicle
Oct. 2, 2019
Wise words for Wolverines By Jessa Glassman
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remember sitting in a science classroom, air conditioning blasting, at orientation just a few days before the start of my sophomore year. My dean group and I shyly gripped our new schedules as juniors and seniors gave us advice for our upcoming years at the Upper School. I will never forget the petrified feeling that overcame the room after an upperclassman sarcastically chuckled and said in a warning tone, “good luck!” I met my friend’s eyes, and we gave each other a knowing look of absolute trepidation as if we had seen a monster. But this monster was not the type seen on Halloween. It was a much scarier creature: the ominous and legendary Upper School. Flash forward to the first semester of my senior year, and I cannot say this warning was entirely fear-mongering. Test after test and reading quiz
after reading quiz, HarvardWestlake has proven to be worthy of its title as one of the hardest and best high schools, not just in California, but nationwide. This impressive reputation informs the general public’s opinions about us as students. I am sure most of the student body can relate to hearing the presumptive tones in people’s voices when they hear where we go to school, as they assume we must be future Rhodes Scholars or multibillionaires. But fancy titles, reputations and reactions aside, the lofty gates of the Coldwater campus hold a different meaning for each and every student. For the field hockey player, HarvardWestlake means sweaty practices and turf-filled cleats. For the physics whiz, it means metal balls rolling down ramps and flying
through classrooms, and for every student in between, it means something different and unique. The truth is, HarvardWestlake is not just about hard classes and a heavy course load. It is about community, personal growth and self-discovery — as cliché as it sounds. It means panting students trekking from the quad all the way up to their history classes, Jackson’s repeated reminders to stay in the “cone-zone” on walks to Starbucks and crowds of panicked students standing around printers waiting for their essays as the menacing WolverScreens count down to the end of passing period. It means all the buzzwords that go in one ear and out the other as we sit in the sweltering sun, listening to speeches at convocation each year. And, as hard as it is to take the time to step back
from what seems like a never-ending cycle of scantrons and red pen marks, it is important to pause and appreciate our fleeting time here. High school should not be seen as a means to an end, whether that end is college or even a future career. It is a site for development and a place where I believe we start to grow and flourish as individuals. It is a time to take risks and explore interests by joining new clubs and taking stimulating electives. In my mind, there is no better place for this than our school. This column is more than an appreciative ode to our school. It is a call for us all to take a moment to be thankful we are here, which
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admittedly can be difficult in the midst of labs and papers. Take advantage of the seemingly endless opportunities on campus and stop to smell the roses (or in our case, the pervasive cafeteria dumplings). The monster that terrified me and my sophomore friends as we awaited our first day at the Upper School has shown to have a friendly side: a side that instills a sense of community and fosters a love of self-discovery and tostadas.
Compromising on controversy By Spencer Klink
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ILLUSTRATION BY EVIE DE RUBERTIS
Endorsing college athletes By Kyle Reims
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n March of 2019, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, better known as March Madness, made roughly 900 million dollars, absolutely none of which went to those who actually played the games. In fact, those athletes are strictly forbidden from getting any sort of compensation. That $900 million is more than the revenue from the Super Bowl and NBA Finals combined, two events where athletes make tens of millions of dollars. Due to the NCAA’s rules on “Amateurism,” college athletes are prohibited from receiving any kind of payment. Any violation of those rules, intentional or otherwise, can and has resulted in excessive punishment, sometimes even lifetime bans from college sports. Defying the NCAA, California recently passed a bill which will take effect in 2023 and will allow players to accept sponsorships. This new law is an effective way to compensate athletes while costing the NCAA nothing. At the moment, the only form of compensation athletes are allowed to receive is through scholarships, but flaws still exist within the system. Many athletes have expressed how little time students actually have for school work. When they have prac-
tices every day, when would they even be able to attend classes, much less study? In addition, according to the NCAA itself, less than two percent of collegiate athletes will go on to play professionally. These students are sacrificing their education and futures, making money for the NCAA in the process, just for the slim chance of making it to the pros. In terms of potential fixes, increasing salaries will not work, as this would give an unfair competitive advantage to schools with more money. Making the schools pay would also likely lead to many programs shutting down due to the extra financial burden of such an expensive operation. The NCAA itself could not pay the athletes, as different players add different values to different teams, depending on their position and skill level. In order to determine how much each player would earn, the NCAA would have to publicly decide who deserves what. It would be incredibly controversial if an organization like the NCAA were to effectively rank the value of every single player in college athletics, not to mention that is an impossible process given the number of players who would be involved. The only option that makes sense, the closest
thing to a win for all sides, is to allow athletes to profit off their likeness. It should not matter to the NCAA if a player is sponsored by different brands, and, if it wanted to, the NCAA could even take a portion of the earnings as a tax. The NCAA could probably make a profit partnering with players, turning it into even more of a win for the governing body. The life of a college student is already hard, even without the time these athletes put into their passion. The NCAA turns a ridiculous profit without giving any of it to those that do the work, and the organization actively prevents them from gaining money in any other form. It would make sense for all sides if these players could accept sponsorships or other forms of income. If the new California law is successful, it is possible that this system could become the new norm, as it should. The bill was passed despite the NCAA directly requesting its denial. If at least one state has recognized this is the right way to go, it may spread to the rest of the country. The athletes deserve to be compensated for all of the work and effort they put into our entertainment, and this is the only way that could happen.
he 2020 presidential election will most certainly be divisive. Liberals have already demonstrated a lack of unity for this upcoming election, with 19 Democratic candidates in the running. Beyond the Democratic Party, President Donald Trump’s controversial first term has generated a new wave of political polarization throughout the entire nation. The end result of these divisions is the creation of a fragile state of American politics that is not conducive to sustained dialogue and political agreements. Unwillingness to meet halfway is certainly an issue among younger generations. Only 46 percent of millennials voted in the 2016 Democratic Election, according to National Public Radio, demonstrating their unwillingness to back candidates whose platforms are not completely aligned to their beliefs. Although 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign goals did not mesh perfectly with the political values of most millennials, Trump, the antithesis of all their views, ended up winning. How is that logical or beneficial? To keep it short: it’s not. In fact, the “my way or the highway” mindset is short-sighted for this exact reason; the unwillingness to vote or compromise on some issues cedes the political sphere to more flawed candidates who rely on a sense of disunity to build their campaign and win votes. The end result is that addressing significant problems, like the lack of healthcare coverage for millions of people or unbearable debt from student loans, becomes even more challenging, since leaders who disregard these problems altogether step into office. But not all hope is lost for American politics. Through
strategic political compromises, individuals can push the envelope of what is accepted and help pave the way to a more unified future. Yes, this disconnect between what people want and what politicians advocate for is unfortunate. In an ideal world, there is no need for politicians to meet in the middle, as they can meet all of the needs of their constituents. However, glossing over this political reality will leave oppressed populations with even fewer resources to handle the issues they face. It is very easy to conflate political compromise with an over-reliance on gradualism, but these two are fundamentally distinct; making strategic concessions is necessary to sway moderate voters, increase collaboration between parties and ultimately produce the broad structural changes the United States needs. Compromise does not produce spineless politicians who cower in the face of adversary: it generates representatives with a greater willingness to listen and engage with other political parties and to make appropriate political changes. There is a reason why even Marxist scholars like Jodi Dean, professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, write about the necessity of scaling up to political demands through acts of compromise as opposed to perpetually waiting for sweeping reforms; it is because making concessions is an important and necessary aspect of contemporary American politics. So for the upcoming presidential election, when most of us will be filling our first ballots, it is important to consider not only candidates’ platforms but also the feasibility of their political goals and their odds of being elected. The alternative is four more years of instability and dissatisfaction.
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Opinion A11
The value of the humanities By Hannah Han and Ethan Lachman
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t’s Thanksgiving. Distant relatives, now reunited, scoop sweet potatoes onto paper plates and slather gravy on slices of turkey. They dance around each other, moving from one trivial conversation to the next. Finally, the ever-soanticipated question arrives: What do you want to be when you grow up? Looking down at our feet, we consider saying artist, writer, musician. Instead, what comes out is “doctor.” The study of humanities and the creative arts is often misunderstood. It is neither the decision to spectate the world nor to judge it; rather, it is an opportunity to reach a greater understanding, and for some people, to attain spiritual fulfillment. To most, writing and art are just abstractions and analysis, or the dreaded “close-reading” of obscure texts. In reality, however, the humanities give individuals the opportunity to delve into their shared pasts and to understand the intrinsic, psychological processes that drive us forward. As our history teacher told us on the first day of class, writing is essential; it is the act of thinking on paper. It is, fundamentally, a way of ensuring that our most private thoughts and insightful revelations have a way of withstanding time and movement. In Latin, we still study Vergil’s “Aeneid” because we can admire Aeneas’s humility and persistence as he blindly stumbles through harpy-infested lands and frothing oceans to found one of the greatest civilizations of all time. In “The Scarlet Letter,” we can relate to Hester’s
alienation and to Dimmesdale’s internal struggle between his instinct to assimi late and his personal desire for freedom from societal restraints. We, like Dimmesdale deciding whether to stay or go, face the same dilemma when questioned about our future professions. As creative individuals, we smother our aspirations and close our lips to prevent the syllables from falling from our mouths—drummer, painter, novelist, poet, philosopher—because we know what the response will ultimately be. How are you going to make money? What are you going to do with an English degree? Do you really want to be a starving artist? So, instead, we mention the medical or political field, waiting for our relatives’ eyes to light up with approval. This is the path they think is best, even if we do not. Their poignant, piercing responses are both an unsubtle dig and a barbed warning. While we know that our relatives are wellintended, we realize that this devaluation of art and writing careers is detrimental to our personal growth.
Guest Editorial
Yet, we still let their words influence us. In our daily lives, individuals face hidden challenges, which are heightened by the perception that their aspirations are not understood. Whether they have that support system or not, and whether they entirely understand themselves or not, writers can provide this companionship in a sometimes more acute way than any person can. Not all pieces of art are lifechanging, but readers and observers can be soothed by and even become bonded to these works, proving them to be invaluable sources of peace. Just as we understand the immense value of people who invest themselves in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields, we should respect those who devote their lives to writing—to transforming everyday language into a heartwarming Rom-Com nobody is ashamed of watching. In those awkward, unsettling family moments, we always make it out alive. Nevertheless, in the future, it would be nice to reach a point where pursuing a creative career, related to humanities, causes no distress. As long as there is an astute responsibility for the path one wants to take, his or her road should not only be respected, but encouraged. In our eyes, there is something admirable about those who make a conscious decision to chase the seemingly uncatchable.
What type of career do you want to pursue? STEM: 35.6% Humanities: 36.5 % Both: 27.9% *208 students polled
Chance Walker ’21 “I think I want to pursue a career in humanities just because I really enjoy those classes that I take, and math and science were never my strong suits.”
ETHAN LACHMAN/CHRONICLE
Eve Levy ’22 “I would study STEM because, personally, it’s more interesting to me, but I also think it’s the direction that everything is moving in.”
AUSTIN LEE/CHRONICLE
Justin Ansell ’20 “I would choose a job in STEM. If you’re building a bridge or an airplane, or designing a new computer, it’s more impactful to society than writing a book.”
AUSTIN LEE/CHRONICLE
ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
The Chronicle invites guest contributor Maya Doyle ’21 to write about the role of metal straws in the greater struggle to combat climate change. By Maya Doyle
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Malibu outlawed plastic straws in 2018; when my family and I went up to Paradise Cove, we were greeted by the sight of straws made out of pasta sticking out of tall, overpriced drinks. Coffee shops like Starbucks are switching to lids with a prominent lip for a “No Straw Needed” experience. Other restaurants are adopting more environmentally-friendly policies of not providing a straw unless asked, while some provide only paper. And many people, like my sister, dare not leave home without their handy stainless steel straw. Every day, we are pummeled with various reminders of the tragedy that is climate change, from the
Amazon going up in flames to mental doom. a pathos-laden shot of an otIt’s paralyzing. Like a deer ter choking on a plastic bag. caught in headlights, we shut According to environmental down; the human mind scientists, the time we have has trouble processing until the climate change issues of such magnitude. apocalypse keeps shrinkTo attempt to understand ing. Right now, we is to break down the situare estimated to ation into easily proLL US TR have just around cessable bits. AT ION BY 31 years left. We latch onto S YD NEY FE N E R Smog obscures this idea of a single the horizon of component comprisour own city, ing the whole issue. and grey smears And so we turn to the the silhouette metal straw. of buildings We log onto Amadowntown. zon, click “Buy Now,” and We’re drownboom. We’ve done our part ing in the for our environment. Post vast wealth a picture of your boba tea of statistics with your new metal straw and news and caption it something like articles of environ“#sustainability.” I
y sister recently coerced our mother into buying rainbow, stainless steel straws for our family (0.5” wide and angled for better boba consumption). The straw came in a slick wood case with its own cleaning brush, and it fit easily into a bag. Toting her straw around in her backpack, my sister whips it out to the delight and envy of her classmates whenever a straw-necessary situation presents itself. VSCO girl memes of scrunchies, Hydro Flasks and saving the turtles aside, more and more people are using alternatives to the old plastic straw — hereby referred to as “the single greatest threat to Mother Nature.”
It’s a beautiful deception. In a time of worry that turns quickly into panic, we look for certainty. We scramble for something to hold tight to. And the solution presents itself in the endlessly fashionable form of the metal straw. We cling to our reusable straws like a lifeboat. We charge at climate change, wielding only an aesthetic BPA-free straw and unearned confidence. For a problem so huge and incomprehensible, it’s amazing that a single purchase ($7.99 for 5) is a step in the right direction. So you order your boba tea, and when they offer you the plastic straw, smile and say no thank you, I have my own.
Community The Chronicle • Oct. 2, 2019
At the strike, students listened to keynote speakers “When I first heard about and marched through the [Thunberg] last year, I was streets until they reached in shock that a teenager was City Hall. Graham, who attaking on a problem that tended the strike, said that we adults should have been she enjoyed seeing the wide dealing with,” Riemer said. range of people who attend“Bit by bit, my shock has ed. turned to hope. I admire her “[It was nice to see] all and all the people participat- of the really young kids that ing in the climate strikes so were really enthusiastic and much, and I am so grateful to passionate about the issue,” them for showing me Graham said. “Even a way forward, a ray elementary school of hope.” kids were talking The ultimate goal knowledgeably for the strikers was about the topic.” to convince governThis march ments to make acmarks one of the tive policies that will biggest youth-led cut carbon emisclimate strikes in sions and lower the history. Many citglobal temperature ies, in over 150 dif’ to under two deferent countries, Sophia grees Celsius. The experienced turnEkstrand ’20 strikes came just outs totalling about days before leaders around 100,000. In Los Angeles apthe world gathered in New proximately 8,000 individuYork at the United Nations als participated in the strike Climate Summit to discuss downtown, according to the new prospective plans of ac- New York Times. tion that would bring meanGeorge Grube ’20 said he ingful change, according to attended the strike to show The Washington Post. his support for the cause and “We need to raise aware- to emphasize the importance ness and let [leaders] know in numbers. that we want governments “We don’t to change, [especially] envi- have any ronmental policy changes, because that is so important for the whole world,” Ekstrand said. • Continued from page A1
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more time to act on climate change,” Grube said. “No matter what the president says, no matter what the [Environmental Protection Agency] says, human society has to act now in order to fix the problem. There’s not another way. No matter what individual people can do to decrease their carbon impact, there has to be widespread societal change, so these climate strikes are vital to the health of our world and future human civilization.” Ford McDill ’21 said that what stood out most for him at the strike was the sense of unity. He said he feels it is important for the youth to protest in this way to speak up about policies that they can not vote about. “It’s up to the youth to fix this issue because this is our planet and if we ignore it, we will destroy it,” McDill said. “That’s why we have to show that we care with things like the strike. We have to illustrate the important issues and make our voices heard, despite being young.” Fighting for climate change is not only
a matter of caring about the that will avoid worsening Earth, but also about every- the climate; however, China, one who lives on it, Graham one of the biggest industrial said. Graham added that she economies of the world, did thinks more people need to not mention any new plans to strike to protect the world’s take stronger climate action, inhabitants, especially people according to the New York of color and low-income com- Times. munities, who tend to be afNevertheless, it is evident fected disproportionately. that the movement will con“If you feel that you care tinue to grow as Thunberg about other people and your and students take charge all own future, then you should over the world, concerned also care about their about climate own future, change and according to the effects the WashingWe have to that it has on ton Post illustrate the important your quali“Our enty of life, the gagement issues and make our quality of life with the pubvoices heard despite of others and lic, the media being young.” the environand with govment around ernment offi—Ford McDill ‘21 cials is part of you,” Graham said. what changes Despite the kinds of the monumental turnout policies they put in place,” globally, it is unclear whether Graham said. “Apathy is what the strikes will actually con- leads to decisions that do vince governments to change not benefit the people of the their policies and attitudes United States and the enviabout the climate, accord- ronment, so it is important to ing to the New York Times. stay politically engaged.” World-leaders were expected to attend the summit last week with concrete plans to change the global economy
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SIOBHAN HARMS/CHRONICLE
Features The Chronicle • Oct. 2, 2019
Student athletes share how concussions have affected their lives on and off the field, especially in their academic careers. • Continued on B7
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN NEHORAI AND JOANNA IM
B2 Features
The Chronicle
Oct. 2, 2019
Students express their opinions regarding the increasing prevalence of teenage cosmetic surgery and its long term effects. By Lauren Cho and Ruoshan Dong
the ages of 13 and 19 received more than 226,000 cosmetic procedures, about four percent of “What will everyone think? all cosmetic surgeries. CommonIs it super obvious?” ly requested procedures include As Violet* organized her rhinoplasties, otoplasties, ear rebooks for the first day of school, shaping surgery and breast augthese thoughts ran rampant in mentations and reductions. her mind, dampening her usuFacial Plastic and Reconal excitement for the new year. structive Surgeon and founder of Over the summer, Violet had the Center for Advanced Facial received a rhinoplasty, a popu- Plastic Surgery Babak Azizzadeh lar cosmetic surgical procedure (Kylie ’21), credited the recent performed on the nose. surge in teenage plastic surgeries According to a survey con- to the rise of social media. Azizzaducted by the American Associ- deh said that the increased social ation of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), media coverage of plastic surgery rhinoplasties constituted almost has reduced the fear factor and 12 percent of all cosstigma surrounding the metic surgical proceprocedures. dures and 50 percent “[Plastic surgery is] of teenage cosmetic not a taboo subject anyprocedures performed more, like it was 16 years in the United States ago, because it’s all over in 2018. television, news and social Like many others media,” Azizzadeh said. in her generation, Vi“People also have more olet sought plastic access to the surgical foot’ surgery as a way to age. So, whether it’s on Tina boost her self confiYouTube, Instagram livesMcGraw ’01 dence and esteem, treams or posts, the shock she said. Violet said her insecu- factor is not as much there, and rities about her nose started in the acceptance [of plastic surfifth grade, when her classmates gery] is significantly higher now began making jokes about her than ever.” appearance. According to a Chronicle poll “People just started making of 205 students, 58 percent beterrible and rude comments to lieve that teen plastic surgery has me about my face,” Violet said. been on the rise. “Those comments stayed with “With beauty standards beme and affected how I viewed coming more and more unrealismyself. I would spend so much tic, the demand for features obtime just crying over it because tained only by plastic surgery is I thought that my nose was the on the rise,” Sophia Schwartz ’20 defining factor in my beauty. It said. “With cosmetic beauty bewould tear away the little confi- ing a primary concern for many dence that I had built up.” teens, especially in Los Angeles, Violet said that although she more parents are pressured to was worried that receiving the entertain their children’s wants surgery would alter her sense of and give in to surgery.” self and cause her peers to think Also, 21 percent of students differently of her, she felt that surveyed said that they have conshe ultimately made the right de- sidered receiving plastic surgery cision. in the past. “It was so surreal,” Vio“I am very open about my let said. “I was really scared. I plastic surgery,” Lisa* said. “There had a fear that people at school is nothing wrong with changing a would judge me for it, [and] that feature of yourself if it increases [I wouldn’t be the same person your confidence. I got to such a after]. It made me feel so happy low point in my life that every that people were so supportive thought I had of being outgoing and that I had spent time worry- was clouded by the fear that my ing and crying about nothing.” nose was too big and misshaped. According to the ASPS annu- The insecurity became crippling, al plastic surgery procedural sta- and I knew I needed to do sometistics, in 2018, patients between thing about it.” white s
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SPENCER KLINK AND LAUREN NEHORAI
The increased prevalence of receive cosmetic surgery. social media has also paved the “If someone is getting plasway for celebrities to set unreal- tic surgery to alleviate something istic beauty standards through that’s very distressing for them, edited and staged posts, Head I would really hope that they of Peer Support and psychol- would get some other counseling ogy teacher Tina McGraw ’01 or other mental health resources said. McGraw said that these first and not make that decision posts have influenced teenagers out of a place with helplessness to scrutinize their appearanc- or emotional vulnerability,” Mces, leading to more widespread Graw said. self-esteem issues. McGraw added that self-con“I can imagine that it has a lot fidence increases with age, and to do with social media,” McGraw teenagers should be self-aware, said. “There are a lot of studies mature and emotionally prethat link poor self image with so- pared before making a decision cial media use, and the more you as monumental as plastic suruse social media, the lower your gery. self image becomes.” “When [people] are teenagAlthough the lack of self-con- ers, you’re the most self-confidence among scious that you’ll teenagers is a ever be, and dewidespread issue, laying the choice Plastic surgery some teens, like to get plastic suris not a taboo subject Ariana Pineda gery might give ’21 said that they anymore like it was 16 you more perspecdo not consider tive and greater years ago.” plastic surgery self-acceptance,” as a viable meth—Dr. Babak Azizzadeh McGraw said. “I od of increasing ENT Plastic Surgeon would suggest that self esteem. Pikids wait as long neda said that, as possible before although she has previously making that decision.” struggled with self-acceptance, Although Violet said that she she never considered altering her does not regret her rhinoplasappearance because of the dan- ty, she believes that self-worth gers it entails. should be based on more than “I think the risks involved just appearance. with surgical procedures out“After I got it done, I realized weigh the possible benefits,” Pi- that I was beautiful before I got neda said. “You also shouldn’t my nose done, and I was beauhave to alter yourself in order to tiful after I got my nose done,” be able to look in the mirror and Violet said. “I just wished that like what you see. If you have to I could go back in time and tell change yourself to be confident, my younger self, ‘hey, your then you wouldn’t be trunose is not defining in ly confident anyways.” the way that you Although Mcthink it is.’” Graw does not oppose the idea of *Names teenagers rehave been ceiving plaschanged tic surgery, she said she believes that students should consult professionals for advice before proceeding with the decision to
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Oct. 2, 2019
hwchronicle.com/features
Features B3
Presidential Pay-Phone stantly-[evolving] attempt to impeach President Trump “There’s a much clear- is just a tactic of the Demoer case of criminal wrongdo- cratic Party to decrease suping on the part of President port for Trump as part of the Trump. Because this case long-standing tradition of poseems to be more evident of litical mudslinging, this time a crime than the wide-reach- in the context of the upcoming ing and broad Russian inves- presidential election,” Yamtigation, Democrats are able polsky said. “The Democrats to lay out a definitive case of continue to make baseless why there should, claims, as initially at the very least, be seen with the lack impeachment hearof evidence resulting ings.” from the Mueller inWith the 2020 vestigation and now presidential elecwith their fixation on tions approaching, Trump’s phone call the ongoing imwith Ukrainian Prespeachment inquiry ident Zelensky.” will discredit the ReYampolsky also ’ publican party while said she believes Matthew Lee elevating the Demothat Democrats need ’21 crats, Lee said. more sufficient evi“The whistleblower and dence before jumping to conthe stuff that’s come out is clusions. pretty bad, and I think you “Although the impeachcan’t really ignore what we’ve ment claim accuses Trump seen with him trying to lever- of coercing a foreign power age America’s influence for to aid in the investigation of his own personal gain over a political opponent, there political opponents,” Lee said. is no such inclination in the “That’s the kind of thing that call transcript,” Yampolsky shouldn’t be accepted in a said. “Thus, I believe that the democracy and is more so a Democrats need to acquire thing that is seen in a dicta- more evidence before they can torship. Trump has done a lot deliver any substantial accuof intolerable things, and this sation. However, I am largely is definitely up there with one convinced that this is purely a of the worst things he’s done.” political strategy considering Sabina Yampolsky ’20, the upcoming election as well however, said she is skeptical as the fact that Trump will about the timing of the im- most likely be out of office by peachment scandal due to the the time any formal impeachclosely approaching presiden- ment proceedings will be untial election. derway.” “I think that the conThough the Democrats • Continued from A1
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control the House of Repre- lican presidential candidate sentatives, Trump will likely who may prove more difficult not be convicted due to the to defeat in 2020, Waterhouse Republican’s majority in the said. Senate, Waterhouse said. “I think they’re afraid of “No matter how much the [new candidates] being Paul Republicans hate him person- Ryan or someone like that,” ally, which I think many of Waterhouse said. “Even Mitt them I think do, he delivered Romney would seem like such tax cuts, cut immigration, a breath of fresh air compared delivered Suto Trump that preme Court he might be justices, more capable Trump is using deregulatof winning than ed, all the the power of the federal Trump. So it’s things that government for his own a funny balancthey wanted ing act for the him to do,” personal gain.” Democrats.” Waterhouse H o w e v —Dave Waterhouse said. “They er, whether History teacher or not Trump are grateful, and they’re is impeached, not going to remaining poabandon him unless it looks litically active is vital for our like there’s nothing he can generation, Lee said. do for them. I don’t think “Get involved with a cammany of Trump’s supporters paign,” Lee said. “Find somewill switch their views. There one you support, and go and might be a slight erosion, help them because every volthere might be a few that fi- unteer, every voter counts. nally decide this is enough, As we saw in 2016, everyone but there won’t be enough thought Clinton would beat of a groundswell to force Re- Trump in a landslide so many publicans to convict Trump in of the Democrats didn’t turn an impeachment trial unless out to vote. Obviously, I can’t there is a bigger groundswell speak for the whole country, of opposition to Trump than but a lot of the people I know I expect, in which case some weren’t paying close attention of the Republican leaders and didn’t try to get involved, might decide it’s not good for myself included. And Trump the party to have him as their ended up winning. It shows standard bearer anymore.” that every little thing counts, Though Democrats hope every vote counts, everything impeaching Trump will lead you do to try and help a camto a decline in his popularity, paign will matter, because it could pave the way for an- anything can happen in toother, more popular Repub- day’s politics.”
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ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF AND MAK KRIKSCIUN
B4 Features
The Chronicle
Octob
Mapping Representation Students and faculty members reflect on the importance of incorporating multicultural forms of knowledge in pre-existing classes.
PHOTO BY JOANNA IM AND LAUREN NEHORAI
ber
2, 2019
hwchronicle.com/features
By Tammer Bagdasarian
ject to the new California school system requirements. Last year, Mimi Offor ’21 However, since the school’s read hundreds of textbook required curriculum currently pages, spent hours upon conforms to that of the state, hours studying for exams and making ethnic studies a pubburned through more than a lic school requirement would few packs of pencils during likely bring about a discussion her history course, The World within the school community, and Europe II. When she left Head of Upper School Laura her class for summer break in Ross said. Though Offor understands June, Offor had spent approximately 135 days supposedly the drawbacks of including learning about world cultures, ethnic studies as a required yet she could remember only course, she said she believes one class period where the that incorporating a course teacher discussed her own. that teaches an equitable and Offor, a first-generation Amer- diverse view of the world would ican with Nigerian roots, said be beneficial to the student that the lack of coverage of Af- body. “Every other counrican history did not try and every other upset her, but rather continent’s history made her feel alone. should be just as im“It just felt like portant and just as I was being left out, valid to us as Western and I really did not culture,” Offor said. know why,” Offor “In my everyday life, said. “I would walk I don’t just see white out of class confused ’ and westernized peoabout why Western Mimi ple, and our current culture was disOffor ’21 history courses don’t cussed in such dealways represent that. tail, but I never learned about Not many people will enjoy anthings like the Biafran War, other class on their schedule, which my grandfather actually but [ethnic studies] should fought in. Almost all of what I be just as necessary as a hisknow about my Nigerian cul- tory course, or as a language ture comes from my grand- course.” parents or when I would travel Currently, the school ofback there and not necessarily fers opportunities for stufrom school.” dents to learn about different Over the past few months, cultures through a series of the conversation surrounding elective courses. For example, the place of ethnic studies, students are given the option a course that would explore to take Middle East Studies, history, literature and politics Assimilation and Difference through the eyes of different in American Society or decultural perspectives, in the sign their own directed study California school curriculum course. Since he began teachhas escalated. ing at Westlake School for In discussions that would Girls in 1988, Spanish teacher affect high school students Javier Zaragoza has pushed across the state, California for more diversity within his lawmakers are drafting and curriculum and course offerediting legislation that would ings, he said. Zaragoza said make ethnic studies cours- that one reason his Advanced es a graduation requirement, Placement Spanish Language according to the Los Angeles and Culture course is so imTimes. portant is because it is one of As a private institution, the few classes that is centered the school would not be sub- around a foreign culture. white s
Features B5
“It’s in my blood,” Zarago- Xander Boldt ’20 has immersed za said. “It’s in my interest. It’s himself in diverse cultures my obligation to share what is through educational programs going on from a variety of cul- in Spain and Borneo, as well as tural perspectives. What has through an exchange program happened in Venezuela and in Argentina. Boldt said that why? What has it been like for though he believes learning the Cuban people to sacrifice about different cultures is an so much due to ideology and essential part of education, an a changing world economy? ethnic studies course is not the These are just as important or best way to do so. more important for students “Living in a culture is than learning the language much more different than a alone, and I think we need to simple course in a familiar encontinue moving in that direcvironment,” Boldt said. “Much tion.” According to a 2016 study of the point of [immersion] in a conducted by Stanford Univer- culture and learning from it is sity, schools in the San Fran- that you are put in an unfamilcisco Unified District saw an iar situation and have to use your own increase in student attendance and GPA abilities, Anything that when students comsocial and pleted a year of an challenges people cultural, to ethnic studies class. learn and to look at different In 2014, Santa Monsucceed. ica High School be- perspectives is An ethcame one of the first worthwhile.” nic studschools in the Los An–Conrad Cuda ies course geles Unified School History Teacher seems very District to introduce vague. I a full ethnic studies am only course into its curricskeptical about how the school ulum. History teacher Conrad could carry out a proper, thorCuda, who taught at Santa ough immersion into a culture Monica for 13 years, said that in a classroom.” Ross said that over the last though he admired the ethnic studies course, its status as an few years, the English, lanelective offered in the English guage and history departments department led to small class- have made an effort to cover es comprised of almost exclu- more ethnic perspectives. In sively senior students. Though the future, the school will look adding ethnic studies as a re- for new ways to reflect its culquired course is not easy due tural diversity and will likely to finite time and resources, discuss adding some form of a Cuda said learning from other comprehensive ethnic studies cultural perspectives is still an course, Ross said. important part of high school “One of the most important education. things that creates a healthy “Anything that challenges community is empathy and an people to look at different perunderstanding of others’ exspectives is worthwhile in my opinion,” Cuda said. “Anything periences,” Ross said. “I think that helps people build empa- it’s a pretty central piece to our thy as a skill is also worthwhile school and to the health of our in my opinion. I don’t believe community to make sure we there is any community you continue to learn and hear difcould define that I would not ferent perspectives, and we are see this as a valuable potential going to continue pushing for more of that in the future, in option for.” Over the past three years, whatever form it may take.”
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PHOTO BY JOANNA IM AND LAUREN NEHORAI
B6 Features
The Chronicle
Oct. 2, 2019
When In Doubt, Talk it Out Gen-Z students discuss the lack of mental health awareness and social stigma surrounding therapy
By Zoe Redlich
friends about our experiences in therapy,” Poveda said. As Britney* found herself in “Sometimes I’ll randomly get a yet another lunchtime conver- text from my friend saying ‘Just sation with a peer about anxi- had the most bomb session ety, she wracked her brain for with my therapist.’ It’s nice to something to say that would see my friends getting supportmake her friend feel better. Af- ed in this way.” Although she acknowledged ter reflecting on her own positive experiences in therapy, she that there will always be stigma brought it up in conversation. surrounding therapy and menHer friend went silent. Realiz- tal health, Wasson said she ing that she had unintentional- thinks that the school’s efforts ly walked into a charged issue, to decrease these stereotypes have been effective. Britney did her best to “I think that there dismantle any stigma is a worry about surrounding thera‘what’s wrong with py for her friend, she me if I have to have said. these discussions “I told her that and go to therapy,’” [therapy is] not a Wasson said. “Psycure all, but it’s not chology and psychishameful. If you don’t atry hold that fear want to feel bad, you ’ symbolically for lots Alon should take action,” Moradi ’21 of families and peoBritney said. ple who think about According to a Chronicle poll of 217 students, making this step. However, I 21 percent of students said do think that our culture has they regularly visit a therapist, shifted and people are much while 46 percent of students more open about what they’re have consulted one at some going through. I hear kids all point in the past. Of the stu- the time say, ‘oh yeah, I’ve got dents who regularly attend ses- therapy on Tuesday’ or ‘I’ve got sions, 53 percent said that they family therapy on Friday’ as if feel comfortable talking about it’s just a part of their daily life, not something to be worried or therapy with their peers. Upper School psychologist ashamed about.” Although some students Sophie Wasson said she thinks that the trend of decreasing are able to talk about issues stigma surrounding therapy is with their friends, Peer Supcommon for the current gener- port leader Paige Corman ’20 said she finds that many of her ation of high school students. “[This] generation is much peers will share their emotions more flexible, expressive and only in more private situations. “I know a lot of people who open-hearted to these issues, whereas when their parents don’t feel comfortable talking and my parents were teenag- about their issues publicly but ers, nobody talked about this instead go to Peer Support or see a private therapist to help stuff,” Wasson said. Students on campus are them cope,” Corman said. “On also becoming more comfort- the other hand, I also know a able with discussing their ex- lot of people who feel comfortperiences in therapy, Emma able talking about their struggles with mental health.” Poveda ’20 said. Regardless, Corman said “It’s really nice to talk to my white s
she thinks that the school is struggles, Bracken said. a supportive environment for “I think that it is helpful those who do choose to share when celebrities come out and what they are going through. talk about their anxiety and de“It’s definitely a personal pression or severe things like decision about how open a per- bipolar disorder or suicide atson wants to be, but I think the tempts,” Bracken said. “Celebcommunity at Harvard-West- rities and athletes that have a lake is going to be supportive platform are really helpful.” of that person no matter what,” While the media has beCorman said. come more open to discussions In the same survey, 80 about mental health, Hollypercent of students said that wood seems to be echoing this discussions regarding men- trend with films that focus on tal health on the struggles campus are teenagers face comfortable bea day-to I’ll randomly get on tween peers. day basis, While he a text from my friend Wasson said. agrees that his saying ‘Just had the “I think classmates are most bomb session movies like becoming more ‘Ladybird’ and open to dis- with my therapist.’ ” ‘Eighth Grade’ cussing mental —Emma Poveda ‘20 are starting to health, Alon talk more seMoradi ’21 said riously about he believes that what children the students attracted to the are going through,” Wasson school tend to feel the need to said. “Whether or not they acsolve problems on their own. tually depict therapy scenes “Harvard-Westlake students with those kids in the movies have this shared attribute of is another issue, but I do think resiliency and wanting to figure the first step that’s being adthings out on their own, just dressed is that there are mental out of ambition,” Moradi said. health issues for children going “This applies to both the educa- on, so I really applaud those tional and the social and emo- movies and those directors and tional setting.” writers for actually bringing This positive trend among this forward.” the current generation can also Bracken said that in her exbe partially tied to their use of perience, discussions of mental the internet and social media, health and therapy have defiInterdisciplinary Studies and nitely improved from prior cirIndependent Research Teacher cumstances. and Counselor Michelle Brack“I think that getting help and en said. us reaching out and helping “[Teenagers’]phones have people is much more accepted,” provided this amount of infor- Bracken said. “It used to be mation where if you’re alone that we wouldn’t talk about our in your room and feeling sad, problems, and now it’s much you can Google all types of in- more accepted to say, ‘Yes, I formation and can talk to other am struggling with that, and it teens,” Bracken said. is hard for me, and I do need to More specifically, celebrities go talk to somebody about it.’” impact how students feel about expressing their mental health *Names have been changed.
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ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
Oct. 2, 2019 -
hwchronicle.com/features
Features B7
Brain in Pain
Student athletes provide insight on the effects of concussions, as well as the importance of concussion prevention.
By Siobhan Harms
“Every week I kept trying to go back to school, and I pretty Helen Graham ’21 laid, con- much couldn’t read and had a lot fused and terrified, unable to of trouble seeing,” Graham said. move or respond to the questions “I couldn’t look at one person and asked from her coach and team- have a conversation with them. mates. I’d be too distracted by shades of Graham’s life changed in the light and things behind them.” fall of 2017 when an air-borne Graham said that the school ball hit her directly above the tem- was accommodating, allowing ple during a field hockey game, her to attend school for half-days leaving her with a debilitating so that she could rest. However, concussion. by the end of first semester Gra“I could hear things that were ham said she still had not recovgoing on around me, but people ered from the concussion. So, she were asking me if I was alright and made the difficult decision to drop asking me if I could out of school for sophomore get up and I just year and repeat the 10th couldn’t,” Graham grade the following year. said. “They called an “It was a slow transition ambulance, and the to being completely better,” EMTs said they were Graham said. “By the time very concerned about summer was halfway over, the bump, and that I I was completely good. Or, ’ needed to go immedias good as I’m going to get.” Helen ately to the hospital Ben Lee ’21 experienced Graham ’21 and get a scan to see his first concussion this if I was dying.” year during a football game. Lee Graham said the doctors as- said he played through the rest of sumed she experienced severe the game after getting hit in the brain damage, due to the place- head, but visited the doctor afterment of the bump on her temple. wards. “They told me that I was prob“I missed a full week [of school] ably going to [have hemorrhag- to recover,” Lee said. “It [took] ing],” Graham said. “Then they three weeks before [I could return had me sit in a room for several fully] to football.” hours, thinking that I had brain Lee said all his teachers have hemorrhaging. So, I was just sit- been very understanding of his ting there trying to calm down my situation. mom because she was freaking Upper School out. Then they got the scans back history teachand they said it looked like there er and was no internal bleeding.” Graham, who has had several prior concussions, expected a quick and easy recovery, she said. “I thought it was going to be a two day thing, like [I would] take two days off and then go back to school,” Graham said. “The biggest thing I was stressed about was missing a chem quiz and a field hockey game.” Graham said she didn’t realize the extent to which this concussion would affect her. Her doctor told her that she needed to stop attending school for several months, but Graham was convinced that she could return to health in a few weeks by going to school for half. white s
former football coach, Conrad head and went through the whole Cuda, said the school now re- process again.” quires concussion training for Rajinder Singh Maan, a doccoaches. In addition, to ease stu- tor specializing in preventive care, dents back into school, he said said it is important to seek treatthe trainers coordinate with the ment immediately after an athlete athletes’ doctors and then the suspects a concussion. Treatment teachers. takes a variety of forms depending “[Treatment] is individualized on the severity of the injury. in terms of the feedback we get, “[Treatment] begins with the how long the kids need, and usu- athlete being removed from the ally [the trainers] try to coordinate game and a quick assessment at with a doctor to determine how the sideline,” Maan said. “Then, long and severe the concussion the athlete needs to get further is,” Cuda said. “[The trainers] also detailed evaluations depending give us a plan for how to try and on initial findings. Treatment inease students cludes relative back into it berest, where the I [wasn’t able] to do cause it’s essenathlete returns anything for two weeks, tially not someto school graduthing you want ally as they can I basically just sat in my to jump right room and listened to audio tolerate. Initialback in to and ly, there may books.” go full tilt. be decreased Delaney —Delaney Klace ’21 h o m e w o r k , Klace ’21 has test accommoalso experidations and enced several sport-related con- breaks as needed. Returning to cussions, including concussions sports also involves a step wise in fifth and tenth grade. With the process, and only begins once an first concussion, she woke up and athlete has no more symptoms.” did not know where she was or Maan said there can be dire what day it was, she said. consequences for an athlete who “I [wasn’t able] to do anything does not wait for a concussion to for two weeks, I basically just sat heal or who does not seek immein my room and listened to audio diate treatment. books,” Klace said. “I couldn’t re“If an athlete does not wait ally [go to] school. I got my second for a concussion to fully heal and concussion just last year in tenth they sustain another brain injugrade also at soccer prac- ry, it could possibly lead to brain tice, got kicked swelling which can have catawith a ball strophic outcomes,” Maan said. d i r e c t l y “Repeated trauma to the head can to the also lead to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) or Chronic Neurocognitive Impairment (CNI) which involve long term deficits in cognition, movement and behavior.” Even with the possibility of CTE or CNI, Graham said that if she could go back in time she wouldn’t have given up field hockey to avoid her concussion. “I miss field hockey, and if I had known what I know now, I would still have played because it was the hardest thing I’ve had to do,” Graham said. “I t h i n k it has changed me and made me more empathetic.”
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY EVIE DE RUBERTIS
hwchronicle.com/features
Oct. 2, 2019
Features B8
Hydroflask(sksk) Students reflect on the rising popoularity of Hydroflasks with regard to social media and climate activism. By Jeanine Kim
how many plastic water bottles we use per day,” Eisenkolb said. Whenever Emily Nutting ’20 “And some AP Environmental Scisits on the quad to have lunch ence students made a video and with her friends, she scans the ta- showed it in class meeting, urgbles. An array of bottles, in differ- ing all students to decrease their ent shades and sizes, light up the water bottle consumption and imarea with their bright colors and pacts on the environment. Plus, the now-ubiquitous Hydro Flask Hydro Flasks generally seem to be a very popular brand, so their use logo. The company, born out of has definitely increased the use of Bend, Ore. in 2009, has recently reusable bottles.” Similarly, Nutting, one of the made waves on the reusable water bottle market. First touted by founders of the Instagram acoutdoor enthusiasts who need- count @hw.hydros, said she beed a heavy-duty bottle to keep lieves their prevalence is due to the need for high-quality their water cold during water bottles in Southlong hours out in the ern California. sun, Hydro Flasks have “I think Hydro Flasks grown in popularity have become so popular among the general popon campus because of ulation, especially stutheir quality,” Nutting dents, according to The said. “Especially at this Seattle Times. time of year, when it’s On campus, the bot[more than] 90 degrees tles have become inat school on some days, credibly popular, Nut’ students want to have Emily ting said. According to cold water, and the HyNutting ’20 a Chronicle survey of dro Flask, is able to give 219 students, 43 percent of the school owns a Hydro them that all day long.” Lucas Alberg, Public Relations Flask. Furthermore, 81 percent of students own a bottle of a simi- and Communications Manager of lar type, although not of the same Hydro Flask said that the bottles help the environment, not only brand. The newfound popularity can through their sustainability, but be credited to a multitude of rea- also through their promotion of sons, Advanced Placement En- improved lifestyles. “We can all make a difference vironmental Science and Biology teacher Nadine Eisenkolb said. and an impact if we focus on The school and student body’s simple things like using a reusdedication to the environment able water bottle versus a sinhas likely been a major factor gle-use plastic one,” Alberg said. in the rise of the water bottles, “As an outdoor-based company, we believe being outdoors leads Eisenkolb said. “The Environmen- to healthier, happier and more tal Club did a fulfilled lives, so protecting these plastic art green spaces is especially importi n s t a l l a - ant.” The brand’s dedition to make us cation to specific details have aware of also white s
contributed to its popularity, Al- said she generally likes how her berg said. bottle keeps her water cold. “Hydro Flask celebrates diver“VSCO girls are a cute and sity and inclusivity with prod- wholesome community, bonded ucts that everyone can enjoy, and by water bottles and scrunchies,” we’re a very approachable brand Kronenberg said. as a result,” Alberg said. “Our inHowever, not all students novative, colorful, insulated prod- share this need for insulated waucts help people enjoy the things ter bottles, and not all are willing they love to do in the places they to buy them, with prices ranging love to be.” from $30 to $60 for one bottle. Furthermore, Hydro Flasks in Will Tao ’21 said he has not purparticular have become cultur- chased a reusable bottle because ally significant, with the “VSCO of a combination of factors. girl” trend, which often pokes fun “I don’t use water bottles parat girls stereotyped as those who tially because I don’t actively seek wear scrunchthe accumulation ies and puka of material goods,” shell neckTao said. “I don’t VSCO girls are a laces and use use water bottles, cute and wholesome the water botbecause I lose them, tles, becoming and the water supcommunity, bonded widespread on ply around where I by water bottles and social media tend to hang out is scrunchies.” platforms like often very good.” TikTok and InTao said there —Amy Kronenberg ‘20 are other reasons stagram. “I think why he has not even though bought a Hydro recently in pop culture Hydro Flask, stating that losing one Flasks have been associated with would be the equivalent of losing ‘VSCO girls,’ they still are versa- $40. tile and available for anyone to “I’m forgetful because I don’t use, regardless of their social sta- pay attention to my surroundtus,” Nutting said. ings and I have more interesting The brand, which seeks to pro- things to do,” Tao said. “I don’t mote environmentally-friendly often need water bottles because practices in all forms, appreciates human metabolism only requires the trend, Alberg said. water every few hours.” “Our reaction for anyone usHowever, Nutting said the ing Hydro Flask products is the brand’s dedication to the environsame,” Alberg said. “We love see- ment is the most important thing ing people of all ages and walks of to consider when deciding to buy life making a conscious decision a bottle. to help eliminate the use of sin“The high price is definitely a gle-use plastics by carrying reus- factor, but there are many other able products and having a little brands producing similar water fun and expressing themselves in bottles at lower prices, so people the process.” can still have reusAmy Kronenberg ’20, who able water botoriginally bought her Hy- tles,” Nutting dro Flask because of said. a promotion at Vans United States Open in Huntington Beach,
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN NEHORAI
Arts & Entertainment The Chronicle•Oct. 2, 2019
Students comment on the HBO series “Euphoria” and discuss whether the show presents a realistic depiction of high school By Jordan Murray
following the lives of several other students at her high As society has evolved school. The show, created by and diversified over the last decade, the entertainment Sam Levinson, depicts teenindustry has also made agers’ experiences with sex, great strides with the con- drugs, nudity, social media, tent it presents to teens in abuse and rape. “Euphoria” cast poputelevision shows. This movement toward lar actors such as Sydney less censorship is evident in Sweeney (Cassie), Eric Dane the new teen drama “Eupho- (Cal Jacobs) and Jacob Elorria,” which is meant to pro- di (Nate Jacobs), but has vide a raw and uncensored also included lesser-known depiction of the high school actors like Hunter Schaefer experience, according to the (Jules), Barbie Ferreira (Kat) and Alexa Demie (Maddy). Los Angeles Times. Tufeld praised the show “I just find [“Euphoria”] for explormore relating the able to curdifferent rent high It’s realistic in its facets of school exg r o w i n g periences, exploration of gender, up, she especially struggles of drugs and said. regarding “I think gender and alchohol, the struggle of [‘Euphoria’] sexuality,” body image, popularity is realistic Tali Tufeld in its ex’20 said. and family issues.” ploration “Especially —Tali Tufeld ’20 of gender, with social struggles of media, I feel drugs and like no other show integrates [gender and alcohol, the struggle of body sexuality] as closely as ‘Eu- image, popularity and family phoria’ does to the reality of issues,” Tufeld said. “An exit in [teen] lives. I feel like it ample of this is Nate’s explois more accurate and up to ration with his gender and date with current times than sexuality.” Although the first season other shows. Every character is super unique and has of “Euphoria” has received their own story. It is truly successful ratings and has an ensemble piece and it is been renewed for a second season, many believe that beautiful.” “Euphoria,” based on an the show is too graphic and Israeli mini television se- overdramatic. The New York Times reries with the same name, concluded its first season ported that teens of today’s in August. Euphoria dives generation drink less, try deep into 17-year-old narra- fewer drugs and commit tor Rue’s (Zendaya) struggle fewer crimes than the teens with drugs, relationships of past generations, resultand depression while also ing in a disconnect between
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reality and the portrayal of Savannah Walske ’22 said high school in “Euphoria.” she thinks it is important Parents Television Coun- for people to understand the cil President Tim Winter said struggles current teens enthat the goal of “Euphoria,” dure. is to sell explicit and real “In many of the shows content to the younger gen- concerning teenage life and eration, according to Fox well-being, what we see is News. augmented reality, and ofAlthough she loves Ze- ten one in which serious ndaya, Gisele Stigi ’22 problems in the educationsaid that the show was too al system are romanticized graphic for her to watch. like in ‘13 Reasons Why’ and “I heard that the show ‘Riverdale,’” Walske said. was really intense and deals “What I think makes ‘Euwith a lot of sensitive issues phoria’ stand out is that the [that] I don’t really like to way they portray it is real— watch,” Stigi said. “I prefer they show the hardships for upbeat shows.” what they are and Ava Benavente things as small as ’20 said that she apmakeup have their plauds the show for own significance ts ability to depict in the show. This the struggles that show is just very high-schoolers may important to me be experiencing toas it’s one of the day. first teenage shows “While I don’t bewhich is acculieve all of those israte and hopefully ’ sues would be hapwill inspire more Gisele pening at the same shows of this light Stigi ’22 time in the same to come about.” high school, I think Walske also the show depicts real issues said that while she does not [that] teens are facing and think the show’s depiction is really hits the specific high fully true to life, overall the school [experiences] with show succeeds at portraying things like social media, a realistic high school expedrinking and JUULing,” Be- rience. navente said. “Not all high schools Benavente also said that have as much of drug abuse the show can connect to [as ‘Euphoria’], but I think all high schools, including [‘Euphoria’] does a good job ours. at showing all the problems “I think the issues are in high schools, whether a quite relatable and the lan- high school only has one of guage the characters use is them [or all of them],” Walvery relatable,” Benavente ske said. “‘Euphoria’ is not said. “However, obviously an attempt to romanticize the values and set up of their the high school experience, schools and Harvard-West- but instead to spread awarelake are quite different.” ness about teenage society Like Be- n a v e n t e , these days.” white s
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MIA FEIZBAKHSH AND SPENCER KLINK
C2 Arts and Entertainment
The Chronicle
Oct. 2, 2019
Watch and Learn Students and teachers discuss the potential benefits of learning a foreign language through watching television. By C eline P ark and E mma L imor
through foreign television does, in fact, improve overall language proficiency. The report included adults Ever since the Mexifrom Spain aged 21-28 can comedy-drama “Club years old, who all watched de Cuervos” caught his the first episode of the eye, Luke Riley ’21 has British historical-drama revamped his language “Downton Abbey” with Enlearning strategy. Instead glish subtitles. The particof flipping through pages ipants reportedly improved of textbooks, he now turns their listening to the televiabilities by 17 sion, watching subtitled [TV] is a lot better percent. Brandon foreign shows than just any audio Liang ’21, who to further teaches himdialogue course just his skills in Spanish, Gerbecause the langauge is self Japanese through anman and Italway more natural. ime shows, ian. “I made a —Luke Riley ’21 said he thinks that these Netflix profile shows have set to a differhelped him ent language, engage with the language and I [found] a show in in a productive manner. that language and put on “[Subtitles] allow me the [English] subtitles,” to connect words and help Riley said. “I’ll watch as me figure out certain senmuch as I can and will try tence structures, which I to comprehend a few words then just memorize over in each sentence. The Nettime because I hear them flix Originals are dubbed being said over and over in eight languages, so [you again,” Liang said. “In can watch] any show in television shows, it is aca different language with tual people speaking, so pretty good dubs.” you can get an idea of Watching these shows how the language sounds has heightened his speakin everyday conversation. ing and listening abilities, In regular textbooks, you Riley said. don’t know [how words ac“This summer, I was tually sound] because you preparing to go to Germaare just reading them in ny, but [I had] only ever your own head.” [studied it] online, so my In addition, films and comprehension skills were other visual programs act bad because I had no one as helpful learning aids to talk to [in German],” Ribecause they present the ley said. “I went on Netflix language more naturally, and just watched a bunch Riley said. of television shows in Ger“[Television] is a lot man. By the time I went to better than just any audio Germany in July, my comdialogue course just beprehension skill level was cause the language is way so much higher.” more natural,” Riley said. According to a study “In a lot of audio courses published by the Public in regular textbooks, the Library of Science’s jourlanguage is not natural. It nal PLOS One, learning
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is super slow and is way kind of exposure to the more basic than the way language,” Li said. people actually talk. In Li said that, because [television] shows, it might she had already taken be harder at first to underEnglish classes for many stand, but it can give you a years, watching the sitsense of the real pace peocom “Friends” impacted ple talk in that language.” her understanding of daily Similarly, Katherine life in America more than Kihiczak ’21, who studies learning grammar or memUkrainian, Ancient Egyporizing vocabulary words. tian hieroglyphics, “I could relate French, Spanish to a lot of things and Italian, said while I was watchthat movies have ing ‘Friends,’” Li taught her specific said. “I rememcolloquialisms that ber the first day I supplement the came to the United formal grammar States, I was able used in textbooks to relate to many and novels. These of the things that ’ visual depictions were talked about. I Brandon Liang ’21 have also helped could better underher relate her forstand the culture of eign language interests to American life. I could also the real world, she said. imitate the way characters “Beyond slang, forsay sentences [and was eign films have taught me able to] fix my oral skills.” about culture and globalLi said that self-disization, and changed my cipline and motivation mindset in terms of how are the keys to improving I approach languages,” language proficiency. She Kihizcak said. “It’s much proposed a three-step plan more important to try to when watching a foreign express an emotion or television show. idea than to have flawless “The first time [you grammar. Through foreign watch a video] with no film, I’ve been able to see subtitles to get the genervariations in the internaal idea of what the story is tional human experience about. Li said the second as told through different time [you try] to underdirectors. I learned about stand the detailed inforNew Wave French cinema, mation, still without submisrepresentations of Antitles. The third time [you cient Egyptian Gods and check yourself] to see if Italian filmmaking.” your guesses were correct However, learning or not by watching with through television will subtitles,” Li said. “The only yield significant reshow should be something sults if individuals have you can relate to or are previously studied the lanvery interested in, or you guage, upper school Chiwouldn’t be that self-disnese teacher Kun Li said. ciplined enough to watch “It is my belief that you a random television soap should be able to know opera in another foreign grammar structures and language.” basic words before watching videos and have some white s
ILLUSTRATION BY EVIE DE RUBERTIS
Oct. 2, 2019
hwchronicle.com/ae
A&E C3
Power of the Portfolio Art students and teachers comment on the role art portfolios play in the college process, and how others weigh it.
By Chloe Schaeffer
see good grades [and] good activities, things like that.” When visual arts teachThe schedule for most AP er Claire Cochran ’06 was a art students—a new piece senior, her art portfolio was every two weeks—can often her ticket to college, she said. mean long hours working Even though her GPA may in the art rooms in Feldnot have been high enough man-Horn, leaving little time for her to gain admission to for them to participate in otha highly competitive school er extracurriculars, Cochran like Tufts University, Co- said. Cochran estimates that chran said she believes she students who are planning was accepted to its School of to apply to art schools spend the Museum at least 10 of Fine Arts to 15 hours dual-degree every week Portfolios are a program beworking on great way of showing a cause her their piecportfolio was es, in order skill that isn’t necessarily so strong. to define a quantifiable but also Cochran concentrawas just one demonstrates time, effort tion for their of many stuportfolios. and creativity.” dents who “ F i v e used an art days a week, —Sophia Nuñez ’20 portfolio to I have art their advanclass for 45 tage in their applications, minutes, and then someshe said. Students enrolled times, I stay after school a in Advanced Placement Stu- few times a week for a coudio Art: 2D Design and Ad- ple of hours,” Lola Butan ’21 vanced Placement Studio Art: said. “My only extracurricuDrawing work on a series of lar is really art so that I don’t thematically and visually have to balance it with anyconnected pieces during their thing, which is nice.” senior year, which then beAs a senior going through come the portfolio that they the college application prosubmit to colleges during the cess, Sophia Nuñez ’20 said application process. that her art portfolio will add Upper School Dean Jamie personal elements to her apChan believes that having a plications. strong art portfolio as part “Art portfolios are a great of an application can greatly way of showing a skill that boost students’ chances of isn’t necessarily quantifiacceptance. able but also demonstrates “I think it depends on time, effort, commitment and the school that the art stu- creativity,” Nuñez said. “Of dent is applying to,” Chan course there are definitesaid. “If they are applying to ly things that colleges are a portfolio-based program, looking for, but [portfothen the portfolio is going to lios] are a great way to need to be strong and com- show a different form petitive. For example, [at of self-expression to New York University], port- schools.” folio-based programs, [have] Nuñez said that become test-optional. How- for many, having a ever, [NYU] will still need to strong art portfolio
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is just as valuable as an ath- students continue to spend letic recruitment designation their time in the visual art or a high GPA during the ad- world, others end up pursing missions process. other non-art related paths However, art student in college and their future Echo Seireeni ’21 said she careers. feels that non-art students “It’s always been this seor parents in the school cret, almost ‘back-door’ into community do not widely ac- some schools—similar to the knowledge or understand the way that athletic recruiting value of the art portfolio. works,” Cochran said. “A stu“We’re always told that if dent I know at a public school you’re really good at sports, in the valley had, maybe, a you might get re3.2 [GPA] and on her cruited,” Seireeni SAT got something said. “But you nevaround a 1200, er hear ‘if you’re and she got into really good at art, UCLA, into a portyou might get refolio based program. cruited,’ and that From there, she was needs to change. able to double major There’s this tradiin business, and she tional way of getting couldn’t have gotten ’ accepted that our there without the art Claire parents know and portfolio.” Cochran ’06 that their parents However,the know, and that’s by power of the portbeing really smart and being folio in the admissions proat the top of your class. But cess does not mean that all the average intelligence and art students feel their craft is grades in students have ris- taken as seriously, Seireeini en so much, and that’s not said. enough anymore. We’re all Seireeni said that while stuck back in the mindset the deans may be supportive that, you need straight A’s, in individual meetings, she you need an SAT [score of] does not believe art as a path 1600 in order to get into col- to college is adequately prelege. And that’s just not true sented in larger group setanymore.” tings, class meetings. In fact, art students have “One-on-one, they’re suused the lesser-known route per supportive, but I still have of an art portfolio to supple- a problem with the fact that ment lower grades in the ad- it’s almost never mentioned missions process for years, to the great majority of peoCochran said. Cochran said ple, so if you’re not already that once those with portfo- an ‘art kid,’ you might not lios are accepted into high- have any way to understand ly competitive schools, they that that’s an option for you,” then have the option to Seireeni said. “For example double-major across in our class meetings, we’re different depart- quizzed on colleges [in a ments. While some fun activity], but there were no art schools mentioned in the quiz. So I definitely think that it should be more advertised.” white s
ILLUSTRATION BY EVIE DE RUBERTIS AND ALEXA DRUYANOFF
C4 Arts And Entertainment
The Chronicle
Feldman-Horn exhibit displays art portfolios
Oct. 2, 2019
By Caitlin Munoz
point of departure too, from the work you’ve made to the The art department kicked work you will create. That off an exhibition displaying the gratification is so fulfilling, yet work of four Advanced Place- also driving.” In the past, the school has ment art students Tuesday in held annual exhibitions for the Feldman-Horn Gallery. Participant Haley Levin ’20 seniors who submitted an AP said she saw the exhibition as Studio Art portfolio. This exhibition features a success and that she is enthusiastic about it going for- work in clay, glass, drawing, painting, photography and ward. “I’m very proud of [Cleo Ma- film. “It is rare for a Harloney ’21, Oscar Montañez-Garay ’20, Hailey Hameetman vard-Westlake junior or soph’20] and myself for putting omore to submit to [AP Stuin the hours to submit these dio Art], but we were going to [AP] portfolios,” Levin said. “I make enough work anyway watched every one of them pri- and it made sense to submit oritize art-making in their lives an AP portfolio,” Levin said. Many of the paintand it was exciting to ings that will be availwatch. Getting our able for viewing at own exhibition is very the exhibition have exciting.” distinct focuses deLevin said she veloped based off of had also looked forthe creator’s thesis ward to seeing both choice. her own art work and Levin said her the work of her classpaintings are meant mates come together ’ to depict her role in for the showing. Haley her family, which she “I love every piece Levin ’20 hopes is a theme that in the gallery and I saw them all come to life very many students will be able to slowly,” Levin said. “It’s incred- connect with when viewing her ible to see the final picture all work. “My concentration focused at once. Since I do large figural oil paintings, they take a long on my experience as a youngtime to make. By the time I fin- er sister, which I hope a lot ish one, the other is already at of people can relate to,” Levin said. “My older brother shaped home.” Maloney described the feel- a lot of my personality—strong ing of satisfaction she experi- opinions, brutish behavior, etenced after seeing her work on cetera. I am also a very sensitive person, so in this series, display. “Seeing your work on the I tried to capture that duality wall is so gratifying, yet sim- of traditional ‘masculinity’ and ilarity it’s a stepping stone,” ‘femininity’ with symbols of my Maloney said. “It feels like a mother and sister.” white s
By Jordan Murray and Sarah Reiff After watching an embarrassing number of viral TikToks centered around the new—and highly controversial—Netflix film, “Tall Girl,” we were confused about the phrase “men’s size 13 Nike’s” and why it was significant. We decided that it was time to investigate. For those unfamiliar with the new release, “Tall Girl” follows high school junior Jodi Kreyman (Ava Michelle) as she deals with the “struggles” of being a six-foot-one-inch teenage girl. The movie starts with Jodi narrating what life is like for her as an “oppressed,” tall, blonde, white, upper-middle-class girl. It is during this narration that she says the now infamous line: “Think your life is hard? Imagine being a junior girl wearing size 13 Nikes. Men’s size 13 Nike’s.” At this point, we had to pause the movie to make sure we did not hear the dialogue incorrectly. Did Jodi really just say that her peers discriminated against
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF REMI PATTON
AMAZING ART: Student artist Remi Patton sold multiple of her paintings at the Band of Vices Art gallery, a gallery that provides a platform for emerging, mid-career professional artists.
Remi Patton sells paintings at art exhibit By Quincey Dern Remi Patton ’20 sold four of her paintings in the “We’ve Always Been Here” art show at the Band of Vices art gallery Sept. 14. This event marked Patton’s first time selling her pieces. Two were paintings of Adam and Eve and the other two were titled “Seventh” and “Portrait of a Woman”. The general theme of all four was putting people of color into the art historical narrative, Patton said. “The woman who bought [my painting] is herself an artist; that experience made it even better,” Patton said. Patton said she was very excited that someone connected to her artwork and wanted to bring it to their home. She said
her for her shoe size? Sure, Jody. Tell that to minorities facing racial discrimination everyday. Yes, Jodi. Your unfortunate shoe size means you are at the pinnacle of suffering. You have our condolences. As the movie continues, we learn that Jodi believes her height has prevented her from ever finding a boyfriend, despite the fact that her 5-foot-7-inch best friend, Jack (Griffin Gluck), has vied for her love since they were young. Jodi quickly decides she actually can find a boyfriend when she meets her school’s new Swedish foreign exchange student. At six feet two inches, Stig (Luke Eisner) somehow manages to be the only boy at Jodi’s school above six feet tall. The movie then follows Jodi as she competes against the most popular girl in school for Stig’s affection. Despite first choosing her enemy, Stig realizes that Jodi is actually the one for him. By the end, Jodi realizes that she only liked Stig for his height, and (predictably) ends up with her short best friend.
she is also appreciative of the buyer for giving her painting more exposure. “The piece itself was something I had made after a slump where I was low on inspiration, so knowing that she liked it helped me get some of my confidence back,” Patton said. Patton started drawing when she was seven years old, and began painting during her freshman year. She said she spends her free time painting in the art classroom, the place where she feels happiest, most relaxed and productive. “I love art because it’s such a universal language,” Patton said. “Beautiful paintings speak to people regardless of cultural barriers and can at times bring people closer to-
Of course, yet another movie is pushing the narrative that Jodi, an awkward girl, can only learn to overcome her insecurities and feel proud of her “flaws” when a guy validates her. While Netflix tries to create the facade of being a progressive company with an empowering message, in its’ core, the film’s plot follows the overdone storyline where the knight saves the damsel in distress. The cliché plot is not the only problem here. We are the first ones to admit that we love a stereotypical rom-com, but the issue is how far the screenwriters and directors went to convince viewers that Jodi is worthy of sympathy. First, let us look at the casting. There is no way that the directors coincidentally casted Jodi’s sister, as well as the entire high school and family, with actors around five feet tall. The scenes over-dramatized the bullying Jodi endured, to the point where her obstacles were entirely unrealistic. The insane over-exaggerations caused the film to lose any credibility of actually shin-
gether. Also, I find human achievement endlessly interesting and paintings are so exemplary of the amazing things humans can do.” Patton favors figurative painting because she finds human dynamic to be extremely intriguing, she said. In her work, she also explores ethnic diversity and concentrates on representation as part of her subject matter, she said. “I think art is one of the most important ways we record history because it offers a look into the inner workings of people’s minds throughout the ages in ways that straight historical records and photos can’t,” Patton said. “It portrays raw humanity in a way no other medium is able to.”
ing light on hardships teens have to go through. Overall, the film was a gross exaggeration of the struggles of a six-foot-oneinch girl. These exaggerations not only diminished the integrity of the film, but also caused it to be boring. The fact that Jodi’s height made her the object of oppression is an insult to those who face actual discrimination and also creates a lack of sympathy for Jodi’s struggles with her height. The movie failed to shed light on what it is like being a tall girl, and in the end, the TikT o k s were more entertaining than the movie.
Sports The Chronicle •Oct. 2, 2019
Field Hockey
Team strives for third title By Lucas Lee
After winning back-toback Los Angeles Field Hockey Association titles, the field hockey team looks to continue its three season-long, 45game win streak. The team has struggled to defend against goals at the start of each game, forward Penny Juarez ’21 said. Throughout the entirety of last season, the team conceded seven points, but has already allowed six this year. By increasing the intensity of their practices, team members hope to open games with a fast-paced tempo that wears out other teams early on, midfielder Bella Ganocy ’22 said. “Our greatest improvement [has been that] that we [now come] out super strong and [stay] strong throughout the entire game,” Ganocy said. “Our team is going to work on attacking on the right side more instead of the left side, so that we are on our strong side, which is other teams’ weak sides.” The team has not lost a game since its 2016 season. Captain and midfielder Rachel Brown ’20 attributes the team’s success to its closeknit bonds, which translate onto the field, she said. “Personally, I accredit our success to the team spirit we share,” Brown said. “The whole field hockey team supports each other, and the trust built helps us to [excel] on the field. The Wolverines’ chemistry provides them with the confidence to perform at their highest level, Ganocy said. “My teammates are definitely a second family to me, and I would trust them with
LUCAS LEE/CHRONICLE
ELLA-GANT OFFENSE: Ella Ganocy ’22 surges through the defense on her way to the goal. The Wolverines defeated Huntington Beach High School 2-1, where Fienne Oerlemans ’22 scored both goals and the defense shut out the Boiler’s offense in the second half. my life,” Ganocy said. “If I ever need someone to talk to or need help figuring something out, they are always my goto. We are all so close, and I think that this really contributes to our overall success as a team.” By rallying around the upperclassmen, the team hopes to grow even stronger this season, Brown said. “The team’s goal is to continue to improve,” Brown said. “We already have such a strong foundation, built by now-graduated teammates, that our team can easily continue to get better. Our hard
Girls’ Golf
work is already improving our team.” This year there are seven seniors on the team: Rachel Brown ’20, Emily Kornguth ’20, Alex Mieszala ’20, Scarlett Strasberg ’20, Caroline Sturgeon ’20, Chronicle Photography Editor Astor Wu ’20 and Sam Yeh ‘20. “I am excited to see where our team goes and how we continue to play together,” Brown said. “I am sad for this to be my last year on the Harvard-Westlake field hockey but I couldn’t imagine a better team to end it with.” Though the team will lose
seven players next year, many starters plan to return. In addition, out of school clubs have allowed players to develop their skills, especially those necessary for defense forward Penny Juarez ‘21 said. Lately, the Wolverines have also adjusted their zone defense, which utilizes players in the stopper, left and right wing and back sweep positions, to outfit the ball on the outside to create possession plays, Juarez said. Juarez said the team expects to face its most difficult competitors, Huntington Beach High School, Edison
High School and Newport Beach High School, again in playoff matches. “Edison was a surprise, but we knew [the game] would be hard,” Juarez said. “It was a flashback to [last year’s] championship game because it happened on the same field.” After encountering these teams early in the season, the Wolverines have refocused their sights on securing a third consecutive title, Juarez said. “We want to prepare for games leading up to the championship,” Juarez said.
Squad pushes through suspensions By Lee Nichols
KYLE REIMS/CHRONICLE
PHIL MICKEL-SEN: Alexa Sen ’22 drives from the teebox to
the fairway in a 190-217 loss against Notre Dame High School.
Despite placing second in the All-League Mid-Season Tournament on Sept. 24, the girls’ golf team is off to a strong start with a 3-1 Mission League record. The team is currently ranked second in the league, behind its biggest rival Notre Dame High School. Although the team placed second in the mid-season tournament behind the Notre Dame Knights with a score of 199-191 and lost to them for a second consecutive match 190-217 Sept. 26, Katie Kennedy ’21 said that the team is currently in a stronger position than in prior years. “I think that we’re a lot stronger this year,” Katie Kennedy ’21 said. “So far we’ve been playing better than we were at this time last season. I think that a big part of it is that we’ve put a lot more emphasis on our swinging and on having spe-
cific plans.” it’s definitely going to make However, three of the [winning] difficult.” squad’s major players curThe coach has yet to rerently face a three-match spond to inquiries about the suspension, due to a team situation, and at the momember’s release of nega- ment, it seems this will be a tive comments regarding the test for the team and coach coach on social media, Sar- as to whether the trust beah* said. tween them “Someone can be rebuilt, posted on ominique*, So far we’ve been D their [private one of the susInstagram acplaying better than we pended playcount],” Sarah ers said. were at this time last said. “It was “Of course season.” a seemingly we never inappropriany — Katie Kennedy ’21 meant ate joke, but harm, but it didn’t have Girls’ Golf Player after it was any malicious shown to the intent.” coach, it was definitely perAs a result, the squad may fall short of its goal to main- ceived [in a negative way],” tain its undefeated league re- Dominique said. Nevertheless, the girls’ cord, Katie Kennedy ’21 said. “[The suspensions will] second place rank still puts definitely affect how we do,” the squad in contention to Kennedy said. “Especially for qualify for CIF playoffs later our mid-season match, be- in the season. cause we’ll be missing three of the strongest players, so *Names have been changed
“
Oct. 2, 2019 Cross Country
Team races to Mission League meet
The Chronicle
D2 Sports
Football
By Charlie Wang The boys’ and girls’ cross country teams competed in their first Mission League meet last Wednesday. The girls’ team finished in third place, while the boys’ team placed fifth. Isabel Lawrence ’21 finished second in the three-mile race with a time of 20:49. Violet Barron ’22 came in eighth and Assistant Features Editor Chloe Schaeffer ’21 finished thirteenth. For the boys, captains Diego Ahmad ’19 and Nathan Aloisi ’19 finished in fourteenth and fifteenth place, respectively. Ahmad said that while the results may not show it, the team has displayed lots of potential. “I think the season is going really well, and better than it might appear at first glance,” Ahmad said. “After losing so many seniors last year, it wasn’t clear how we were going to rebuild our varsity, but people have been stepping up.” The team's most recent meet, the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic, hosted over 100 schools coming from 15 states. Ahmad had the team’s best time of the season for the three-mile run, finishing with a time of 15:55. In total, nine runners set personal records at the meet. India Spencer ’21 said that she and her teammates aim to enjoy their time together during the season. “My goal for this season and for the team is to make sure that everyone has a pressure-free and fun season,” Spencer said. “Our team is a little small this season, but it allows for all the girls of the team to focus on having a good time while they do a sport that they love.” The team is currently preparing for the Palos Verdes Invitational on Oct.4, and its next Mission League meet on Oct. 16.
EUGEAN CHOI/CHRONICLE
FANCY FOOTWORK: Quarterback Marshall Howe ’21 drops back in the pocket, surveying the field for an open receiver on the left sideline. The Wolverines lost to Crespi Carmelite High School 54-0 Sept. 6 after defeating Venice High School on Aug. 30.
New coach suffers through below-average stretch By Kyle Reims The football team is off to a slow start this season, wrapping up its first five games with a record of 2-4. New head coach Ramsey Lambert has had a difficult debut, as his team has been outscored 195-63 so far. The Wolverines have experienced multiple injuries, losing starters on both sides of the ball. One of those players, quarterback Marshall Howe ’21, missed a game-and-ahalf with a hip injury. Howe said the team has impressed him so far and praised the team’s continued strength through its early struggles. “This year, we have gone through a lot of adversity as a team,” Howe said. “A coaching change less than three weeks before our first game, numerous injuries to key players, health complications with our former teammates, it’s been a lot. I’m really proud
Girls' Tennis
of the way we have battled Facing adversity, the team, throughout the beginning of led by four touchdowns from the season despite facing so Thompson, beat Salesian much.” High School 45-14 in their Receiver Jason Thompson league opener. ’22 said he is proud of the The team could not way the team has connected capitalize on that momentum, throughout the season. however, falling to St. Francis “I feel like we’ve really come High School 56-7 in its next together through this game. year,” Thompson With many games said. “I’m very happy left to play, though, about how we’ve Howe said the team really bought into will improve in the each other. We’re coming weeks. playing for each “We still have a other every play. I’m lot to work on as a excited for what’s to team,” Howe said. come the rest of the “I feel like people ’ season.” haven’t really seen us Jason After a comeback at our best yet. We’re Thompson ’22 victory against a young team, so just Venice High School, continuing to build the Wolverines were 1-1, but on our previous performances the team's record soon slipped and learning to play together to 1-3. is really our biggest priority The team suffered a right now.” 54-0 blowout loss to Crespi The team is now 1-0 in Carmelite High School, league play, and there is still followed by a 38-21 defeat to plenty of time to turn things John Burroughs High School. around. white s
Howe said that despite struggling early on, the players are confident taking things one game at a time. “While we didn’t have the start we wanted, we still have high goals for ourselves,” Howe said. “Right now, we’re going week by week, trying to be 1-0 each and every Friday for the rest of the year. If we can do that, things will take care of themselves.” Thompson echoed the importance of a moment by moment approach, discussing what he feels the team can achieve. “Our goal is to take the season one game at a time and win that week,” Thompson said. “But, for us, a league championship is in our sights.” The team will look to bounce back when they travel to St. Anthony High School on Friday, Oct. 4 at 7:00 P.M. In the teams' last meeting in 2018, the Wolverines came out on top, 28-21.
Young, injury-riddled program looks to build momentum and experience By Eugean Choi
JAIDEV PANT/CHRONICLE
TAN WITH A PLAN: Kimberly Tan ’22 serves ball to her opponent in a 70-59 Mission League win against Notre Dame High School on Sept. 24.
Despite many early injuries, the girls' tennis team has performed consistently, starting the season with an overall record of 2-3 and league record of 1-1. Girls’ tennis program head Jelena Durisic said that the team has overcome early obstacles and has improved since last year. “Some of the challenges we face is that we still have a much younger team, many [players are] freshmen and sophomores who need experience but they are eager to play,” Durisic said. “I think we have a lot of talent, we just need to learn to utilize it in the right way. The more they play matches, the more experience they gain and confidence grows. They are learning from each match on what to improve, and how to
move forward and it’s only the beginning.” Singles and doubles player Kate Konvitz ’20 said that the girls will continue to work harder to achieve the results that they want. “I think that compared to last season, we are doing a lot better,” Konvitz said. “Over the summer, we all grew as players. I think that our technique is a lot better and that as a team we are a lot more connected. However, I think we can increase our overall team energy, and we should start off stronger.” Similarly, singles and doubles player Maddie Dupee ’20 said that, despite recent successes, the team still looks to improve. “In our most recent game, the score was 9-9 against Notre Dame but we won in games,” Dupee said. “Although the game went
pretty well, we can still do better in the next matches.” Konvitz said the team has gotten closer throughout the season as the players spend more time with each other. “I think the biggest thing we improved on is becoming more of a family,” Konvitz said. “I love all the girls and don’t know how I’d get through the harsh 'firstquarter senior year' without them.” Durisic said that the girls are focused on becoming better players, but have one goal in mind: winning CIF. “This year the goals are simple,” Durisic said. “[We need to] stay healthy the entire season, compete hard every match, win the [Mission League] hopefully and get past CIF preliminary rounds. Most importantly have fun as a team, and improve together.”
Oct. 2, 2019
hwchronicle.com/sports
Sports D3
inbrief
Boys’ Water Polo
Boys’ tennis player commits to Tulane Boys’ tennis player Timothy Li ’20 verbally committed to play tennis at Tulane University. Li qualified for the USTA Boys National Championship this year, after the Wolverines’ tennis team finished 20-2 overall, going 12-0 in league play. He is ranked twentysixth in California and he has a Universal Tennis Rating of 12. — Justin Goldstein
Wrestling names new program head SANDRA KORETZ/ CHRONICLE
KILLER KRUTONOG: Goalkeeper Nolan Krutonog ’20 surveys the pool for teammates in a game against Palos Verdes High School on Sept. 13, where they won with a score of 13-4. The Wolverines play their next match in the S&R Elite 8 Tournament from Oct. 3 to Oct 5
Boys strive to keep undefeated record By Jaidev Pant The boys’ water polo team started its season with 12 straight victories and a win at the South Coast Water Polo Tournament, building on its success from last year. The team opened the season with a 21-1 win against St. Francis High School on Aug. 30 at the Copses Family Pool. The squad also defeated Mission League rivals Crespi Carmelite High School and Notre Dame High School with scores of 26-3 and 18-6, respectively. After winning its first four games, the team traveled to Newport Harbor High School for the South Coast Tournament. Goalkeeper Asher Schwartz ’21 said the team is prepared to face its competitors at the tournament. “We were anticipating some
tough competition, as this, along with the [North-South Challenge] in October, brings in all the top teams from Northern and Southern California,” Schwartz said. The squad began the tournament Sept. 19 with a 21-7 win against Edison High School and a 12-7 win against Corona del Mar High School. An additional 14-9 win against Bishops High School on Sept. 20 advanced the team to the tournament semi-finals, where the Wolverines defeated Huntington Beach High School with a score of 13-10. With this win, the team encountered a rematch against Newport Harbor. The squad managed to win the tournament championship, defeating the Sailors with a score of 11-7 on Sept. 21. Attacker Shay Gillearn ’21 said that, despite win-
ning the tournament, the players must continue to improve in order to continue their success. “It was nice to win the tournament but we have to get back to work and improve on all of our weaknesses,” Gillearn said. Players credit the squad’s 12-0 record to the team’s extra effort during the season, Christopher Kim ’20 said. “I think that the team’s success has to do with everyone really trying to buy into the process,” Kim said. “We could be the undoubtedly best team in America if everybody just puts in that last five percent effort. I think that everyone is trying their best, especially the senior class, whos put in extra work outside of our practice time.” After winning the tournament, the Wolverines defeated
Oaks Christian High School with a score of 11-10 Sept. 26 and defeated Orange Lutheran High School with a score of 1614 Sept. 28. Looking to the future, players said that the team will focus on the Elite 8 Water Polo tournament from Oct. 3 to 5 and its rematch against Newport Harbor on Oct. 12. “We definitely want to defend our Elite 8 title, and in the process it’s almost certain that we’re going to run into Newport at some point in that tournament,” Schwartz said. “As far as the Newport rematch, we want to make sure we can beat them at full strength, as they were missing two key players this weekend. We don’t see this weekend’s win as illegitimate, but another one will certainly cement us as a top team.”
Girls’ Volleyball
Team looks to grow for future matches
By Alex Amster
The girls’ volleyball team has had an average start to their season, with a 14-14 overall record and a 3-2 record in league play. The beginning of the team’s season included its annual trip to Hawaii and wins over Milikan High School, Oakwood High School and Westlake High School. After competing in the Ann Kang Invitational on Aug. 10, the group went on to win seven out of its next nine matches until losing to Westlake 3-1 Sept. 5. During the first game of league play Sept. 9, the Wolverines fell to Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. Despite the ups and downs the team experienced at the start of its season, opposite Eva Lekovic ’21 said she believes the team is beginning to adjust to playing with each other. “Even though it’s a very different team than last year, we’re trying to figure out what our identity is moving forward,” Lekovic said. After beating Notre Dame High School 3-0 Sept. 24, libe-
ro Josephine Amakye ’21 said she is optimistic regarding the growth of the squad so far this season. “The team is doing so well, getting better and better everyday, and working hard in every match,” Amakye said. “I feel like we’re growing and learning everyday and it shows in how we play in games. I cannot wait for the rest of the season and what we’ll do.” Despite the loss of many upperclassmen, the younger players have taken larger roles and overcome many of the early season challenges, outside hitter Lola Craig ’20 said. “Because we don’t have that many returners, we got a lot of younger freshman and sophomores,” Craig said. “Even though they are young, their skills are really amazing for their age and they bring a lot of energy to the team.” The results of the match against Marlborough on Tuesday were unavailable as of press time. The Wolverines will host Marymount High School in its next match Oct. 8.
The athletics department welcomed Junior Amazan as the new wrestling program head and sports performance coach. Amazan wrestled at the collegiate level for Ithaca College in New York, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Sports and Exercise with a Medical Emphasis. Prior to coaching at the school, Amazan served as an assistant sports coach for basketball, water polo and tennis teams at California State University Northridge and Santa Monica College. Over the summer, Amazan worked to expand the school’s wrestling program in order to start off-season training earlier and recruit more athletes for the team. —Marine Degryse
Water polo names new interim coach Emily Greenwood, former program head of girls’ water polo, stepped down after two years of coaching at the school. After this season, the search for a permanent program head will commence. Assistant coach Matt Kubeck will assume head coaching duties in the interim. Prior to coming to the school, Kubeck coached at El Toro High School and Trabuco Hills High School. He began his coaching career for the Wolverines in 2014. Kubeck said he is excited to step into this position year. “Having assisted the boys’ and girls’ programs at Harvard-Westlake for the last four years, I will work hard with the team to uphold the traditions of academic and athletic excellence at the school,” Kubeck said. —Amelia Scharff
Baseball shaves hair off for sick alumnus
JAIDEV PANT/ CHRONICLE
ROOM SERVICE: Setter Neha Tummala ’24 serves the ball in a home match against Long Beach Poly High School on Aug. 27.
Approximately 34 members of the baseball team collectively decided to shave their heads last week in honor of former Wolverine reliever and closer Bryant Reese ’19, who is suffering from Lymphoma. Many returning players and Reese’s former teammates said that they enjoyed reflecting on team moments together after their deep CIF playoff run. In recent years, the baseball team shaved their heads to raise cancer awareness; however, players said that shaving their heads this season meant much more.
—Maxine Zuriff
D4 Sports
The Chronicle
WOLVERINES ONLY
Oct. 2, 2019
BY W
henever I tell my peers I play golf, there are a few responses that I get: one, someone mimics a golf swing; two, “So who’s your favorite player, Tiger Woods?” and three, my least favorite of all, “Golf is not a sport.” The story of how I met golf is in no way fascinating. I was six years old, and my mom noticed that I was memorizing lines from commercials, jingles and television shows. Much to her concern, she decided that, instead of letting me turn into a couch potato, it was best to put my muscles into a more physically active pursuit. I then joined the First Tee of Los Angeles at a par three golf course called Maggie Hathaway. Every Saturday morning, I tucked my Dodger-blue polo into my khaki shorts and learned what it took to succeed at the greatest game ever played. Of course, I didn’t know it yet. Imagine a group of 20 seven and eight-year-olds, wired on Capri Sun, given white-dimpled balls the size of their hand and sticks with metal heads. At first, running around the putting green and chasing one another with a club in hand was the most we were able to accomplish for a while, but it was the beginning of everything. Golf has instilled lessons in me that not only apply to hard days on the course, but also to the challenging periods I will face in life. As a part of the First Tee, I have adopted nine core values over the past ten years: honesty, courtesy, confidence, respect, responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship, judgment and perseverance. They might just seem like words, but they carry
SKYLAR GRAHAM
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JASON KELLY
meaning beyond the game. Whenever I step out onto the golf course I am acting not only as an athlete, but as a moral person. Courtesy is not just doing something because it seems polite, like not talking while someone is hitting; it’s about doing something because I want that person to feel supported and because that person deserves consideration. Responsibility is more than completing a task or a job, like turning in a scorecard; it’s being accountable for one's impact on society and the obligation they have to help positively influence it. Judgment goes beyond deciding what club to hit based on the wind's direction; it’s about making choices, having faith in them and dealing with the challenges that may arise. I was taught to golf from the green to the tee box. My first coaches always stressed that it’s not about smashing the ball down the fairway and hitting it 300 yards, it’s about who can put the ball into the hole first; who can finish the round. Through golf, I have learned that the person who gets out of the gate first is not the guaranteed winner. The person who ends with the best round is the most patient, aware and precise. As I sit here writing this, I can’t help but mention my current state. This week, I played in the Pure Insurance First Tee Open Junior Pro-Am at Pebble Beach. Only 78 juniors from across the country are selected through an extensive process for this event, and I was one of them. As I walked down the iconic 18th hole overlooking the deep blue waves that crashed
over the cove, feeling the ocean breeze spray my cheeks and hearing the seagulls singing my name, I could not help but get emotional. I never could have imagined that golf would open up this many doors for me. The relationships I have built and the friendships I have made across the country are all due to a game that was meant to get me off the couch. Golf in itself has been a life changing experience for me. Every putt I have made has taught me to win with grace, and every putt I have missed has taught me to be resilient. Every day, golf presents a new challenge, whether it’s practicing in the rain alone or missing the cut for the final round. But, I think that’s why I push myself to get better. My biggest competition is not the field of competitors or even the course; it’s myself. Before I step up to the tee box, I ask myself, 'Can I overcome my nerves, my fears and the uncertainty that golf brings? Will I let the pressure define me or let disappointment over a bad shot defeat me?' The answer is no. Although I have given a lot of myself to succeed in this game, it has also given a lot to me. Who would have thought that a game, dominated by white dimpled balls, would be one of my greatest passions? To me, golf is a lifetime of lessons. Golf is a lifetime of relationships. Golf is a lifetime of unforgettable people and experiences. So, in response to the comment “Golf is not a sport,” I could not agree more. Golf is not a sport. It’s a way of life. So I say, thank you to this way of life, because it hasn n changed mine.