Identidade_Issue 3

Editors in Chief

Júlia Paolino Liv Ferreira

Manuela Dal Pozzo Manuela Oliva Maria Luiza Santos

Graphic Design Project Marina Barroso

Design and Illustration

Daniel Schocair Júlia Lima

Maria Luiza Duarte Nicolas Comparato Sophia Tobal Tito Giafone Valentina Weiss

Assistant Editors

Alex Gheilerman Arthur Sayeg Belén Ayerza Carolina Shayer Gabriel Oliveira Gabriela Jardim Guilherme Pompermaier João Braga

Leonardo Trombeta Maria Clara Pedutti Mathias Cury Núbia Silva Vitor Codogno

Cover Art Raphaela Gamboa

Faculty Advisors

André Arruda Thalita Castro

Special thanks to Aidê Resende, Alyssa Pritchett, Beatriz Sakashita, Carla Gomes, Carlos Marotto, Cayo Candido, Everton Lins, John Ciallelo, Kristin Smith, Letícia Oliveira, Liam Flaherty, Marcelo Tolentino, Maria Medeiros, Mike Maccarone, Molly Yergens, Nadiesda Dimambro, Pedro Cordeiro, Wesley Correa, and all the teachers who contributed with their pictures.

São Paulo, December 2022

Dear Avenues Community,

Welcome to the third issue of Identidade magazine! This issue explores themes that are relevant to the school community, ranging from Grades 8-11 projects, reviews of the most popular video games, TV shows, movies and events, and articles on a wide variety of themes.

After much anticipation, the World Cup is fnally here. In “The Rise of the World Cup”, Identidade interviewed several Avenues students and teachers to fgure out which team is most likely to win. The elections have also been a popular topic this year, and in Carolina’s article you can explore the roots of electoral corruption in Brazil. Curious to know what teachers do outside of school hours? Leaf through “The Secret Lives of Teachers” to fgure out who their besties are, their favorite Gilmore boyfriend or the hairstyle they rocked as teens. Don’t forget to examine our teacher’s pictures as kids – we dare you to fgure out who is who!

This magazine is the work of 25 Journalism students who collaborated with Upper Grades teachers and colleagues to determine topics to cover, conduct extensive research, plan interviews, illustrate and layout articles. There was a lot of efort put into this issue and we are proud of what we were able to achieve. We hope you treasure the magazine we are publishing for you.

Enjoy reading, e Editors.

rise of the world cup

S.

Cup? After speaking to 20 Avenues São Paulo teachers and students from Grades 9

Arthur

and Gabriel O.

Illustration by Isabela P.

At Avenues São Paulo, 95% of the interviewees are cheering for Brazil in the World Cup. The other 5% are cheering for Portugal and the USA, among others. There are those like Associate Division Head Mr. Sawtell who “believe in miracles,” as he said, and think Italy will win the World Cup. But when asked which teams they thought had the best chances of winning, respondents mentioned Argentina and France as well. These two, along with Brazil, are the top three teams according to FIFA.

Argentina is one of the best countries right now, after all, they remained undefeated for 35 games. This is probably the last World Cup of the “GOAT” (Greatest Of All Times) Lionel Messi, meaning that he and the team will give all they got. However, his situation is similar to Neymar Jr’s, who shared in an interview to DAZN that this will also be his last World Cup. Neymar and Messi have both been playing outstanding soccer this season, with the frst recording 15 goals and twelve assists in 19 games and the latter recording 12 goals and fourteen assists in 18 games. The major diference between the two players is in their minds: while Messi was chilling with his family in Paris, Neymar was probably worried about the trial for his alleged involvement in fraud and corruption in his transfer from Santos to Barcelona.

France is the third-to-last favorite and their star player, Kylian Mbappe, is now in great shape with a total of 18 goals and fve assists in 19 games. But N’Golo Kanté, Paul Pogba, and Mike Maignan, three of France’s greatest players, are injured, thus the team’s quality will be reduced in the midfeld, which means that it will be harder for Mbappe to get good passes in the attack.

While 95% of Avenues São Paulo interviewees cheered for Brazil, only 50% thought the country is actually going to win. “In the Copa América, Brazil and Argentina performed great and were superior to all other teams. In recent friendlies, the

coaches brought great results to the national teams. With Messi and Neymar as protagonists, both teams are very confdent they will win the title in Qatar,” shared Pedro M. (’22).

Last month, an incident made people lose faith momentarily in the World Cup, leading some to believe that it is a staged event. If you searched Lusail Iconic Stadium (where the World Cup fnal will take place) on Google, the results showed that the December 18 match would be Brazil x France. Google claimed that this was a system error, as it was actually displaying the World Cup fnals from 1998, not 2022. The company has now corrected the problem, and if you search again, it will say TBD x TBD (To Be Decided).

Brazil has a really good team, and until now no major player was injured. Just in the starting eleven, there are three players who made it to the top 20 this year: Vinicius Jr fnished in eighth place, Fabinho fnished in thirteenth place, and Casemiro fnished in seventeenth place. Additionally, the Brazilian team features four Champions League winners: Vinicius Jr, Casemiro, Éder Militão, and Rodrygo. Pedro, who plays for Flamengo, just won the Libertadores. Brazil has gone through 15 games without losing, and in their past two games they won with a three or more goal diference. Finally, Neymar Jr is doing superbly on the soccer feld, and given that this is his fnal World Cup, we know that the rest of the team will defnitely support him in this “last dance.”

While 95% of Avenues São Paulo interviewees cheered for Brazil, only 41.7% thought the country was actually going to win

The boy named elvis coste o

Guilherme P.

Declan Patrick MacManus, or as you might know him, Elvis Costello, has always been an astonishing singer and composer. Ever since his frst album back in the 1970s, My Aim Is True, Costelo has recorded great songs. His most recent record did not achieve the success he desired, but this has changed with The Boy Named If. Released in January of 2022, the album is the resurrection of Elvis Costello, and it proves that the singer, at the age of 66, still has something to ofer.

The album has a clear main theme, which Costello chose to portray in the majority of the songs: the moment when a boy becomes a man. The backstories, as well as topics such as love and farewell, help to give the album meaning and perspective. The very frst track is among the fnest of the thirteen. “Farewell, OK” is about letting go, and going separate ways. This is shown in various verses, such as “Farewell, OK / you’ll be on your way / you’ll be on your own now / but to my dismay / I can’t go on / after what you’ve done”. This song is among the greatest since it has a peculiar rhythm when compared to others that explore the same subject; it has a highly upbeat pace and excellent instrument employment to make it more provocative than usual. Despite the fact that they are both about similar circumstances, this song is signifcantly happier and more lively than one of Costello’s most popular hits, “She”.

However, the new album is more than pretty fowers and rainbows. Some songs don’t bring this cheerful rhythm with them, sounding repetitive, and honestly just boring to hear. “The Death of Magic Thinking” is by far the worst song out of the thirteen. It is aficted by the unnecessary number of instruments played simultaneously throughout the melody. After listening to it for a few extremely long seconds, I just wanted to move on to the next one.

Overall, The Boy Named If by Elvis Costello is an excellent album if you simply want to relive your adolescent years or if you are merely seeking out music that is distinct from mainstream pop. Although this album may have some unexciting songs, there are others that compensate for it.

Illustration by Nicolas C. and Valentina W.

Illustration by Nicolas C. and Valentina W.

norman f@#$!%& rockwe

An Out of Body Experience

Nicolas C.

Out of all of Lana Del Rey’s records, Norman F@#$!%& Rockwell is the best. Lana’s sixth studio album was released in 2019 and has fourteen tracks. The name of the record was inspired by American painter Norman Rockwell and it seems as if the lyrics were painted by him. The album appears to be set in the United States, specifcally in Los Angeles, and based on the aesthetic of the videoclips, during the 1960’s or 1970’s. Here, Del Rey is writing about the twisted American dream.

But who is Lana Del Rey? In 2012, the hit “Born To Die” helped Lana achieve great fame. Because of the themes explored by her songs, she rose to the status of a troublesome superstar, and this fame grew when Lana released her third studio album, Ultraviolence. The title was inspired by the conficting emotions of aggression and softness. She explained to Complex magazine: “I like that luxe sound of the word ‘ultra’ and the mean sound of the word ‘violence’ together. I like that two words can live in one.” This is one of the reasons people may consider her problematic, but it is also the reason why she is unique.

Nominated for the Grammy Award as Record of the Year in 2020, Norman F@#$!%& Rockwell stands out among other Lana Del Rey’s albums. Although the Grammy went to the less inventive Taylor Swift’s Folklore, Norman remains one of the fnest of 2019. The combination of pop and folk rock give the music a 1960’s vibe. Like many of the artist’s other albums, it portrays California as a promised and wondrous land. The singer adds a pop rock wind, a Mazzy Star downbeat, and a

Nancy Sinatra melancholy to the melodies. In this record, the piano really shines out, and in the song “The Greatest,” it draws you to a movie-like experience.

The album’s opening track has a gentle melody that sets a lighthearted tone and gradually introduces the piano. The fact that she mentions the color blue in the lyrics is an intriguing aspect of this song: “Your head in your hands as you color me blue.” For Del Rey, the color blue communicates feelings of melancholy and isolation. The implication of the words is that someone is making her feel depressed or blue.

Another track worth mentioning is “Mariners Apartment Complex”, a four-minute song in which the lyrical tune sees the narrator promising to assist and mentor a lover throughout their admirable but troubled relationship. The lyrics “I ain’t no candle in the wind” is a reference to Elton John, but the phrase was originally inspired by the tragic death of Marilyn Monroe. When Del Rey sings, “I f***** up, I know that, but Jesus / Can’t a girl just do the best she can?” it could be a reference to the demanding standards of the music business.

This album has been out for three years, but I never get tired of it. It feels like a warm hug on a cold day. Lana brings her sad and mysterious air to the songs, as she did in previous records like “Honeymoon” and “Paradise,” but in this one she added a touch of sweetness and vulnerability – that is why Norman F@#$!%& Rockwell is Lana Del Rey’s deepest and greatest album.

Illustration by Marco S.

Normal People:

But how normal are they rea y?

Illustration by Heeyeon C.

If you haven’t read Normal People, you don’t know what you are missing. Released in 2018, it is a captivating romance novel set in Ireland. This must-read by Sally Rooney is about two ordinary teenagers, one perhaps more ordinary than the other, their many weaknesses and qualities, and how their lives evolve whether they are together or not.

In the fctional town of Carricklea, Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron begin their story. Marianne is awkward and has little to no friends. In contrast, Connell is surrounded by people and is efortlessly liked. As they form a strange and deeply problematic relationship, the book explores how puberty, early adulthood, love, and difering social status afect the characters’ development and choices. The lack of similarities is obvious. But as the story unfolds, the author proves that the two have a stronger bond and are more alike than anyone saw coming.

The narrator navigates these diferences by switching between the characters’ perspectives every few chapters. This allows readers to have access to almost every thought that goes through the disturbed minds of Connell and Marianne.

In addition, this best-selling book is full of pithy quotes that will stay with you: “Marianne, he said, I am not a religious person but I do sometimes think God made you for me.” My biggest problem was the author’s use of speech punctuation, which is non-existent; however, after a few chapters, the lack of quotation marks is no longer noticeable.

With about 250 pages, Normal People is a character-driven novel very similar to Looking for Alaska, by John Green. This type of book wasn’t my cup of tea before, but after reading this I can only imagine buying more. The plot won’t puzzle you, but the author’s ability to portray dramatic events in such a raw manner will leave you in awe. Her strong writing style makes you cheer for the couple, even if it doesn’t suit your morals. Would you normally want someone to cheat on their signifcant other? In this book, you will.

Normal People focuses largely on how social experiences shape individuals, their relationships, and the way they deal with situations. It is, above all, a love story and one that is worth reading. The ending may not give you peace of mind, but it will make you think: are they going to be together after all?

Carolina S.

In Verity, the Truth wi Not Prevail

IllustrationbyLisandraK.

“I stretch truths where I see ft. I’m a writer.” Known for her romance novels, Colleen Hoover decided to write a thriller in 2018: Verity soon became famous for its unexpected plot twists. The book begins as the main character, Lowen Ashleigh, walks the streets of Manhattan to attend an important meeting. On her journey, she witnesses a car accident and meets Jeremy Crawford, married to the famous writer Verity Crawford. Being a writer herself, Ashleigh receives a proposition to become co-author of the series coincidently written by Verity, since the author wasn’t able to fnish it.

Suddenly, the co-author fnds herself inside the Crawford’s house. While looking for notes on the unfnished story, she discovers a new manuscript: Verity’s secret autobiography. From then on, the process of reading this novel will leave you on the edge of your seat – and after fnishing it, you will question everything you just read.

The reader thought Verity Crawford was a harmless mother who sufered diverse traumatic experiences, but the author tears down this idea we had of her when Lowen fnds the manuscript. As the story progresses, it exposes Jeremy and Verity’s relationship. The couple sees their life as a chronicle based on family tragedies: “Some families are lucky enough to never experience a single tragedy. But then there are those families that seem to have tragedies waiting on the back burner. What can go wrong, goes wrong. And then it gets worse.”

Every misfortune happens because of something, or is it… Someone? As you keep reading, it’s hard to believe how deranged someone can be and to what lengths people go to have everything the way they want. This novel will hold your attention, and you will be able to fnish it within days, if not hours.

Despite the good suspense, some excerpts seem to be fllers for the story, as they do not add to the plot. For example, we think that Lowen had a terrifying past, her childhood afecting who she is today. As the story progresses, we understand that this idea is an overreaction to the truth. Nonetheless, it helps to have a break; sometimes the narrative is so tense the words will make you jump scare. Our main character, Lowen, seems slightly underdeveloped and becomes an unreliable fgure. Actually, none of the characters are to be trusted.

When the new chapter comes out, we will fnd the answers to all questions that the last one presented and understand who the real Verity is. If you are looking for thrillers with overwhelming plot twists, read Verity. But don’t forget that the story will also leave you traumatized, and that you will think about it at least once a day.

Illustration by Esther M.

Why war?

Grade 10 Project

In Why War? students from Grade 10 studied warfare through a scientifc lens, evaluating whether it is a societal parasite or a tragic pitfall on the road to progress. Can humanity eradicate tragedies? As they investigated war novels (such as A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, A Woman Among Warlords by Malalai Joya, The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemmingway, and The War of the End of the World by Vargas Llosa) and grappled with large-scale conficts, they considered the roots of violence and discussed the conficts in our communities. Here you can see their Found Poems inspired by the novels students read.

Illustration by Francisco L.

Poem and illustration by Sarah M.

Poem by Julia T.

Poem by Fernando G.

Poem by José A.

O pa ado e o presente Da co upção Eleitoral

Carolina S.

O Brasil foi o primeiro país a desenvolver uma máquina que faz com que o tempo pare: aqui, os anos se passam, porém estratégias políticas permanecem iguais. A corrupção existe desde os tempos coloniais, inclusive nas práticas dos europeus, e é assunto contínuo em anos de eleição, incluindo a mais recente.

Em junho de 2022, o Congresso brasileiro aprovou o aumento do Auxílio Brasil – dinheiro disponibilizado pelo governo para famílias em situação de extrema pobreza – de R$ 400 para R$ 600. Isso signifca que mais de 25 bilhões de reais do orçamento da União estão sendo destinados para a mudança. É a primeira vez que uma medida como essa é aprovada em tempos de eleição. Porém, o aumento é apenas temporário, já que a última parcela será paga em 23 de dezembro deste ano. O escândalo é ainda maior porque o Auxílio Brasil inclui também empréstimos via Caixa Tem, nas agências da Caixa, nas Casas Lotéricas e nos correspondentes Caixa Aqui. Considerando o cenário no qual o benefciário usaria 24 meses para quitar uma dívida com 3,5% de juros (maior taxa possível), a pessoa poderia pedir até R$ 1.139,03 de empréstimo. Embora a medida não seja ilícita, a data de realização deve ser questionada: seria essa uma jogada política do governo Bolsonaro, que buscava a reeleição?

Há outros exemplos nítidos de corrupção na história recente do país, como o mensalão. Uma variação da palavra mesada, o mensalão foi um esquema de compra de votos dos parlamentares durante o governo do ex-presidente Lula. Foi defagrado durante o primeiro mandato do petista, e exposto por Roberto Jeferson (ex-presidente do PTB) em uma entrevista para a Folha de S.Paulo em 2005. O esquema consistia em pagar aos deputados da base aliada do PT uma ‘mesada’ para votarem de acordo com as vontades do governo. Por mais que tenham se passado quase 15 anos desde então, este ainda é um dos maiores escândalos da política brasileira.

Métodos de manipulação de votos podem ser encontrados em diferentes momentos da história do país. Durante a Primeira República (1899 a 1930), coronéis frequentemente coagiam seus subordinados a votarem em candidatos que mais os favoreciam para que pudessem permanecer com poder. Essa prática era chamada de coronelismo. Na época, o voto era aberto, o que tornava o controle dos subordinados mais fácil (por isso o nome “voto de cabresto”). Durante essa era, a expressão política dos subordinados era refexo da vontade do fazendeiro, que era seu empregador.

Atualmente, existe aquilo que pode ser chamado de “coronelismo corporativo” que, em menor escala, também infuencia os votos dos eleitores. Eronildo Lopes Valadares, ex-prefeito de Porangatu e empresário, revelou em um áudio que, se Lula (PT) ganhasse a eleição, ele fecharia sua empresa. Embora Valadares não force seus funcionários a votar no candidato que prefere, como era feito no século XX, sua fala ainda pode ser vista como uma tentativa de coação.

A infuência dos coronéis só começou a diminuir com os avanços sociais. O êxodo rural fortaleceu as estruturas urbanas e, com isso, o poder político foi saindo das mãos dos fazendeiros. A Revolução de 1930, comandada por Getúlio Vargas, também foi parcialmente responsável pelo declínio do coronelismo: Vargas introduziu o código que tornava o voto secreto, além de um direito de toda a população. Com isso, seu principal objetivo era acabar com a República dos Oligarcas. Ainda assim, podemos dizer que a Revolução não foi completamente efetiva, já que, nos dias de hoje, os métodos de coação só fcaram mais sofsticados e difíceis de caracterizar.

Jagunços não são mais chamados para forçar a população a votar em um determinado candidato, como era feito na época dos coronéis; porém, na atualidade, a corrupção eleitoral tomou novas formas. Devemos permanecer atentos para reconhecê-las.

GIVE ME A BREAK!

Alex G.

At Avenues São Paulo, the current Grade 9 schedule allows for two breaks between classes, one of twenty minutes and one of 10 minutes. With an eight-hour day, we have 75 minutes of non-class time, and 45 of these are dedicated to lunch. While this does give us a chance to relax between classes, we still don’t have free time with friends to just let go, which is essential to the development of students cognitive skills.

After meeting with the Head of the Secondary Division, Mr. John Ciallelo, Identidade explored what went into creating the current plan. We have learned that making tweaks is very hard because the schedules are like a moving puzzle: “With Primary and Secondary, there is a big number of students, and we have to balance all of the schedules so none overlaps.” Our current timetable was proposed by Global Dean Mr. Maccarone, who then worked with Associate Division Heads to fne-tune it. And the plan is to keep adjusting it so it can, at one point, become fnite.

Even though the schedule is complicated to manage, the fact that we don’t have enough break time makes us more agitated during classes, inducing us to focus less. There are multiple existing expert opinions to support that appropriate recess time makes students improve their behavior and metacognitive skills. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “recess is a necessary break in the day for optimizing a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.”

The lack of space is also a subject among students. Many grade levels have WAM classes regularly, which is why the courts are usually not available during break. We walk around the 6th foor, but there is no space to play. And this afects our level of agitation and our academic performance. A report published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2010 says that there exists “substantial evidence that physical activity can help improve academic achievement, including grades and standardized test scores.” (CDCAP)

In conclusion, more break time would allow students to feel more relaxed, while also enhancing our cognitive abilities. In addition, it would strengthen the ability to focus during class and grow academically. We hope that during the last 20 minutes of lunch, we fnd a space to run around once or twice a week! After all, we understand how important it is to exercise – we just need the time and space to do so.

Illustration by Maria Luiza D. and Julia L.

Illustration by Isabella L.

da Margem erros

Leonardo T. e João B.

Em 2 de outubro de 2022, o Brasil se chocou com um deslize que nunca tinha sido cometido – ou, pelo menos, não com tal magnitude: contradizendo as expectativas, haveria um segundo turno das eleições entre Lula e Bolsonaro.

Pesquisas do Ipec de agosto desse mesmo ano antecipavam que, no primeiro turno, Lula teria 52% dos votos, enquanto Bolsonaro 37%. Com uma margem de erro de dois pontos percentuais, a pesquisa do Datafolha indicava Lula com 50% dos votos e Bolsonaro com 36%. Por isso é que o resultado do primeiro turno surpreendeu: o candidato Jair Bolsonaro conquistou 42,4% dos votos (51.072.345 milhões de pessoas) e Lula 48,2% (57.259.504 milhões de pessoas), deixando a derrota de Bolsonaro com gosto de vitória. Mas por que as pesquisas de intenção de voto parecem tão erradas? O que aconteceu este ano para que seus resultados fossem tão diferentes do que vimos nas urnas?

De acordo com o cientista político Paulo Kramer, a sequência de erros dos institutos de pesquisa sugeria um favorecimento da esquerda. Kramer explicita que “muitas empresas, além de fazerem pesquisas para meios de comunicação, também trabalham para certas candidaturas, e com isso surge um confito de interesses.” Mas será que os institutos apresentaram

pesquisas erradas intencionalmente, com o intuito de desorientar o eleitor e infuenciar seu comportamento nas urnas? Ou será que os eleitores responderam uma coisa na pesquisa e fzeram algo diferente nas urnas?

O presidente da Câmara Arthur Lira se pronunciou sobre o acontecimento, avaliando que é preciso tornar a legislação mais rígida para evitar divergências entre as pesquisas e o resultado fnal da apuração. Lira diz que, para isso, o governo terá que analisar os erros e investigar sua origem.

Nos dias que antecederam o segundo turno, muitas propagandas foram publicadas por diferentes partidos abordando o assunto. As estatísticas de 27 de outubro de 2022 ainda apontavam vantagem para Lula, mas a diferença havia caído 9% com relação ao primeiro turno, deixando Lula com vantagem de 5% dos votos.

Entender como são feitas as pesquisas é fundamental para que a população não se surpreenda diante dos resultados e não se deixe manipular. O brasileiro precisa estar pronto para controlar suas emoções e saber que pesquisas são apenas um retrato das intenções de voto em um determinado momento, e não uma garantia do que veremos nas urnas.

Ilustração por Maria Eduarda R.

monster

TRIGGER WARNING: VIOLENCE, MURDER, AND RAPE

I have never been so disturbed by a Netfix series before. This show contains material that might be unsuitable for children under 16; if you are younger than that, don’t watch it, or at least don’t do it alone. Monster: The Jefrey Dahmer Story was released to the public on September 21, and it soon became the second most-watched series on the platform, only behind the hit Stranger Things 4. The popularity is understandable, as there were a lot of discussions that rose upon the retelling of the crimes that happened between 1978 and 1991.

Jefrey Dahmer was an American serial killer and sex offender that killed 17 men. His modus operandi included rape and cannibalism, among others. Dahmer was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, and psychotic disorder. Psychopathy is commonly associated with crimes; the main characteristics of psychopaths include a lack of empathy and consciousness, which make them controlling and manipulating. They also have difculty showing emotions, because they can’t feel them (Psychiatric Times, 2021). These are evident in the magnifcent job Evan Peters did as the main character of the show.

As you consider such a famous serial killer, people will want to know everything about him and what he did, and might not be as interested in knowing about the victims. Ryan Murphy, the director, didn’t take the spotlight of Dahmer, but he still gave immense importance to the dead. The sufering and agony of the families of the victims were respectfully shown. And yet, some of the families didn’t appreciate the work because names and stories were revealed without their explicit permission. In an interview for The Guardian, Tony Hughes’s mother shared that the show didn’t display the events exactly how they happened.

Errol Lindsey, the nineteen-yearold boy that was sent out to get a key cut and crossed paths with Jefrey Dahmer, has a daughter that shared her reaction to the new TV series. Tatiana Banks said that she has been having nightmares every night

because of the disturbing images of her father’s path. Lindsey’s cousin had something to say as well. On Twitter, Eric Perry said: “It’s retraumatizing over and over again, and for what? How many movies/shows/documentaries do we need?” He continued, “So when they say they’re doing this ‘with respect to the victims’ or ‘honoring the dignity of the families, no one contacts them. My cousins wake up every few months… with a bunch of calls and messages and they know there’s another Dahmer show. It’s cruel” (Men’s Health, 2022). In an interview, the director stated that the producers of the show tried to get in contact with the families and no one responded.

One of the topics that the show brought to light was the fact that there were several times that the police could have arrested Dahmer, but didn’t. Jefrey used to fnd his victims in bars and take them to his grandmother’s house, the bathhouse, or later to his apartment. He moved to the Oxford Apartments, in Milwaukee, in May of 1990; his neighbor was Glenda Cleveland, a black woman played by Niecy Nash in the show. Nash did a tremendous job with her execution of the character. She was very passionate and realistic with the emotions she wanted the character to show. Cleveland always suspected Jefrey and used to warn the police about him, but was repeatedly ignored.

One day they fnally listened. A man who was about to get murdered by Jeffrey found a way to escape his apartment and got the police to go there. Dahmer was arrested and charged with the crimes he committed. Don’t worry, this is not a spoiler. If you didn’t know who Jefrey Dahmer was and what he did before reading this, I recommend you watch the show; but if you don’t like true crime, violent flms and series, you shouldn’t watch it. There are some scenes that will probably scare you. Knowing the reality of the world is important, and the series is so afictive because it is telling what happened exactly as it was. This is what makes this show ten times more intense, disturbing, and also interesting.

Illustrations by Sophia T.

Manuela O.

O Bem-amado

Carolina S. e Maria Clara P.

Quem não riu ao menos uma vez durante a apresentação da peça O bem-amado? No dia 21 de outubro de 2022, um grupo de alunos do 11º ano estrelou a adaptação desse clássico da literatura brasileira. O elenco, composto por João O., Letícia C., Rafaela T., Davi D., Matheus P., Giovanna Z., João S., Sofa S., Jorge T., Carolina B. e Maria Eduarda C. (‘24) deu tudo de si ao interpretar personagens excepcionais de Dias Gomes.

Um dos aspectos que merece destaque foi a modernização do texto. Ao deixar as falas acessíveis para a nossa geração e acrescentar piadas sobre as eleições do Student Council ou a morte da Rainha Elizabeth, os alunos garantiram que audiência se mantivesse engajada. Interpretado por João O., o protagonista Odorico Paraguaçu tinha um carisma inegável, que ajudou a peça a fuir.

E o que mais foi necessário para o sucesso da apresentação? O envolvimento e dedicação dos alunos foram essenciais. A naturalidade com a qual eles interpretaram diferentes personagens só pode ser resultado de muito esforço. “Os estudantes ensaiaram com afnco ao longo de três semanas,” comentou Ms. Castro, professora responsável pelo projeto.

Tendo acompanhado todo o processo de preparação, Ms. Castro também se disse impressionada pela união do grupo. Foi esse vínculo, combinado com a dedicação dos alunos e da professora, que fez da peça um sucesso que deixou dezenas de membros da comunidade escolar sorridentes numa manhã de sexta-feira.

Fotos por Fausto Uehara e Lorena Costa

Life is Strange: WHAT IF YOU COULD DECIDE?

Núbia S.

Picture yourself watching a compelling movie. The story fows well, but suddenly the protagonist messes it up with a wrong decision; there were many paths to take, but they chose the worst – and you know you could have done better yourself. Does it feel relatable? What if you had the chance to play the protagonist? In Life is Strange (LIS), winner of almost ten international game awards, this is possible. And LIS has just released its Remastered Collection, a better version of the frst and second chapters of the series.

This graphic adventure works similarly to an interactive movie and tells Maxine Caulfeld’s story. The introvert character is an 18-year-old high-schooler who is still an incomplete book. You are responsible for writing her story and defning her values. This is one of the most exciting things about the game, along with the fact that she can travel back in time.

Wait, travel back in time? While many factors attracted me to LIS, this one negatively captured my attention. After all, the game presents itself as a tale of a teenager’s life, not a magical fantasy. After fnding that out, I lost interest in the series, but fortunately I decided to give it a shot anyway.

The frst episode begins with Max walking in a forest during a storm with a tornado on the horizon. The player is forced to stroll, and it takes forever to get out of the place. However, as soon as we start to look around, two things come to mind: why did they give us control if we can’t run? And most notably: why is she alone in the forest, in the middle of a tornado?

The angst of not being able to get away is terrible. Fortunately, we soon learn that this scary moment is part of Max’s nightmare while she was sleeping in class. At this point, the game caught me. Getting the player annoyed was not a mistake because this is precisely how Max felt. We are put in her shoes to gain a deeper understanding of her mind. An initial agonizing moment followed by a compelling plot was all I needed to recognize some of the game’s value.

But there isn’t much time to refect on it because the school bell rings shortly after Caulfeld wakes up from the nightmare and she goes to the bathroom to wash her face. However, as soon as Max gets there, she fnds herself in another unfortunate situation: two students enter the bathroom arguing; one pulls a gun and shoots the other.

Max becomes the only eyewitness of a crime. What would you do in this situation? The player doesn’t have time to process what happened; suddenly, she is back in class, waking up one more time. You might think this too was part of the nightmare, but it is actually the frst time Max had traveled in time. When the bell rings again, we realize that now she has a chance to prevent a murder from happening.

I was wrong to think this game was a cliché. The soundtrack, the intriguing story and excellent graphic quality made playing Life Is Strange one of the most enjoyable game experiences I have ever had. The time-traveling teenager story quickly became my escape from reality, and anyone who plays LIS will feel the same.

Illustration by Cora B.

by Lucas B.

You are BEING Played

Guilherme P. and Vitor C.

Do you know which cars run the streets of São Paulo? For two days during the last week of September 2022, Identidade observed the cars entering one specifc street between 8:30 AM and 9:00 AM. After gathering the brand of these cars and their value according to Tabela Fipe, research revealed the astonishing average price of more than half a million reais per vehicle. Is it possible to conclude that this research represents the buying power of the average paulistano?

Considering that the average income in Brazil in 2022 is approximately R$ 1.898,00 per month (Darlan Alvarenga, G1), something does not seem right. It would take approximately 22 years without spending a dime for a regular worker to collect all the money to buy a similar car. So, is this data valid? Well, believe it or not, it is. But the research was biased, meaning data of one part of town (instead of a variety) was generalized to the entire city. In this example, the data is about one street that tends to have high-end and expensive cars, and the results certainly do not represent São Paulo or any other city in Brazil.

The problem with this type of research is that it may infuence people’s opinions and beliefs. For example, by looking at the graph on the right, one may believe that the population is in a very good fnancial position, the city has a high GDP per capita and that there is a low gap between social classes. While the data may indicate that, this is not São Paulo’s reality.

To dive deeper into this topic, we interviewed Mr. Craik, Statistics teacher at Avenues São Paulo, and asked for his expert opinion. “Manipulating data isn’t inherently bad. Sometimes we need to manipulate it – times where there are outliers or anomalies that we don’t want in our research, that would make our conclusions invalid.” This would explain why many companies alter research results to prove a specifc point of view. Mr. Craik also stated that this type of manipulation is “extremely dangerous because people

base their whole opinions on statistics. So if statistics are maliciously manipulated, people will form wrong opinions.” You may have already been manipulated without even acknowledging it. One example is the brand Colgate, which uses the famous slogan “80% of dentists recommend our toothpaste.” According to Mr. Craik, this data is not true, as there is probably bias in the research.

However, there are ways to avoid manipulation by being aware when reading a research paper or looking at a graph. “First, it is very difcult to know when the data is manipulated; we all fall for it. So be okay if you don’t know it. Also, be open to changing your mind. One way to see if data is misleading is by contrasting various graphs, along with seeing who conducted the research and looking at how it was conducted (sample size, sampling method etc.),” clarifed Mr. Craik.

Data can easily be manipulated. Keep that in mind when reading any type of research. It is not an easy task to fgure out if it was manipulated or not, but one way to double-check is by looking at other sources and searching for analogous conclusions; if they don’t present similar results, it’s time to seek more information.

Illustration

The Future of Cities

Grade 11 Project

In The Future of Cities, Grade 11 students investigated and presented specifc traits of the city of São Paulo through a series of podcasts. These podcasts are split into three sections: the frst looks into São Paulo and other cities’ pasts; the second analyses their present; and the fnal gives us a glimpse at these cities’ futures by commenting on the policies that would beneft citizens.

Scan the QR code below to access the project website and listen to the incredible podcasts!

E-Motion

Grade 9 Project

In the E-Motion project, Grade 9 students went through a design process to build an electric vehicle. They collaborated with students from Primary Divison to record songs that would be played in the car, and interviewed patients and professionals from Hospital Menino Jesus, since the car’s purpose is to motivate and entertain the kids who were admitted to the hospital. Based on these clients’ needs, desires and challenges, the groups built a remote-controlled electrical car using coding and engineering tools.

Below you can see the students’ attempt to trace historical car models using Adobe Illustrator.

Illustration by Laura D.

Illustration by Gustavo S.

Illustration by Betina V.

Illustration by Marina R.

2022 met gala

Celebrities say “no” to the theme

This event was a disaster. The 2022 Met Gala, set on May 2nd in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, seemed like a great opportunity to see gowns reminiscent of the 19th century with a modern twist, honoring the Gilded Age of American fashion; one of the prettiest in American history. Instead, we got Kim Kardashian damaging a historic piece of fashion, Olivia Rodrigo wearing a fairy dress, and very few celebrities actually following the Gilded Glamor dress code. So why is there even a Met Gala theme at this point?

The Gilded Age is a period of time that goes from the 1870s to the 1900s. Because of the second industrial revolution, it was a period of rapid economic growth and an infux of European immigrants, but the south of the USA was still recovering from the American Civil War. It got its name from a novel written in 1873 by Mark Twain, called The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, where he claimed that hunger and poverty were being masked by the gold gilding that was the economic growth of the country, making this period in time appear to be wonderful, when in reality there was much corruption and sufering.

With the rapid economic growth, fashion grew too, and became a lot more striking with small waists, bows, necklaces, and a dramatic silhouette, with women wearing bustles underneath their dresses. Around the 1880s the skirts became a bit slimmer, adding emphasis on wide pufed sleeves, and, with time, extravagant hats. The materials available increased in variety, with fabrics such as silk and tulle being sought after, leading to frills and detailings in the dresses. For men, the suits at the start of the period were a bit boxy, but they also grew leaner with the passing of time. In contrast to the simple form, men experimented with large hats and bowties. The suits and gowns of this time period are incredibly unique and absolutely gorgeous, which makes the celebrity’s failure to follow the theme even more heartbreaking.

It would be unfair to say that all the outfts were terrible. Some celebrities really got together with their team to design something that not only followed the dress code but was absolutely dazzling to look at. Billie Eilish, for example, did a great job in embodying the feel of the era in her corseted Gucci ensemble. The mint green garment imitates the structured slim silhouette of the era, with the bright pastel colors so reminiscent of the time, lace detailing, and the large fower on the front. Not only that but the dress is made out of recycled materials and vegan, which is always a plus. Billie said she was inspired by the Madame Paul Poirson painting in 1885, using similar colors, elements, shapes, hairstyle, and even jewelry. It’s safe to say that she defnitely rocked it out of the park with this look.

Vanessa Hudgens is someone else who, surprisingly, did really well. Her look was not as on-the-nose as Billie Eilish, especially skirt-wise, but she incorporated elements from the gilded age in the lace detailings, high neckline, dramatic pufed sleeves, a draped train, extravagant jewels, makeup, and a fancy updo, complete with jewels in her hair. A look truly ftting for a host, Vanessa took elements from the Gilded Age and modernized it, leading by example and showing that you don’t necessarily need to wear a full-on corseted look to be on theme.

You don’t necessarily need to wear a skirt to be on theme either, like Emma Corrin, who apparently does male looks better than the men themselves. At this Met Gala, she was rocking a look inspired by The King of Dudes, or Evander Berry Wall, a New York City socialite that was known for always outdressing the other men. Emma wore a large plaid coat that resembled one Evander had famously worn, paired with a large top hat (a common accessory at the time), high-heeled boots similar to the shoes that were also popular then, and minimal jewelry. She was incredibly creative with how she interpreted the theme, and it paid of, making it one of the best of the whole night.

Belén A.

While Emma did great with her interpretation of a ‘male look’, there were some very innovative men on the red carpet. Ashton Andrews wore a Casablanca suit complete with white contact lenses. The blue and gold suit is inspired by the uniforms that the Bufalo soldiers, a cavalry of African American men that had fought in the Civil War wore. The suit is really well tailored, and not a replica of the uniforms, paying an ode to the soldiers while still looking incredibly stylish, and adding modern elements to the fashion of the time, such as the motorcycle gloves, or the glasses. He showed that men in the Met Gala can wear much more than just black suits.

Co-chair Blake Lively made quite an impact with her Lady-Liberty-inspired dress, which changed color from copper to teal, just as the Statue of Liberty. While the dress is gorgeous, it had very few elements to do with the Gilded Age, having only a slight bustle that is soon undone. The strapless style is very modern, and so is the silhouette. The

Statue of Liberty was gifted to the USA during the Gilded Age, and even though I would have liked for her to wear a gown that had more historical elements tying it to the time period such as a diferent neckline, it was still much more on-theme than other celebrities.

For example, Kim Kardashian. The Kardashian sister was wearing the same skin-tight beige dress that Marylin Monroe had worn when she was singing ‘Happy Birthday Mr. President’ back in 1962. While it’s a great ode to an iconic moment in fashion, it was out of place. Why? It was frst worn in 1962, more than 60 years after the Gilded Age had already ended, which makes you wonder why Kim Kardashian thought it’d be adequate to take the historic garment out of a museum to wear it to the wrong event. The silhouette was completely diferent from those popular at the time, and the styling was a little lacking compared to Marylin Monroe’s. Even though Kim only wore it to the red carpet, and then changed it into a replica, it was enough time for her to damage the back of the gown. It’s heartbreaking to consider the dress was perfectly preserved for six decades but ended up being

Illustration by Sophia T.

damaged by her choosing to wear it for a fashion event that was asking for fashion from 60 years before.

Kim Kardashian is apparently not the only one who forgot to do her research on historical fashion either. Chloe Grace Moretz wore an embroidered silver coat, an ode to the coats worn by European men in the 17th and 18th centuries; Laura Harrier looked ready to be a princess, but the outline of her garment was reminiscent of the Tudor era, between 1485 and 1603; Emma Stone’s outft was the same she’d worn to her wedding afterparty, and it looked like a fapper from the 1920s; Kris Jenner’s look was almost exact to one that Jackie Kennedy wore in 1967. All these dates are completely of, and these celebrities, with all their money and resources, were apparently not even able to open up Google for a quick search. They, however, at least tried to be on theme, which is more than can be said about the dozens of people who just decided to throw it out the window. Kh-

loe Kardashian, Natalia Poonawalla, Amber Valletta, Chloe Fineman, Amy Fine Collins, Camila Mendes, Megan Thee Stallion, Carey Mulligan, Michaela Jae Rodrigues, Sara Sampaio, Sabrina Carpenter, Cardi B, Dee Hilfger, and Adriana Debose all had the same idea of Gilded=Gold and wore golden gowns to the red carpet. There was also an assortment of neon colors, such as Sebastian Stan and Glenn Close wearing bright pink, Gwen Stefani wearing a neon green ensemble, and not to mention the very colorful–and confusing–Versace dress Emily Ratajkowski decided to take to the event.

Obviously, that’s just scratching the surface of some of the looks that stood out, in a positive or negative manner. The Met Gala had hundreds of guests, and there were many people that nailed the references to the Gilded Age time period that I didn’t talk about, as well as many celebrities who chose to outright ignore the fact that there was a dress

Illustration by Sophia T.

by Sophia T.

code in the frst place. The Met Gala is a really good opportunity to see creative and innovative designs, so whenever the attendees miss the mark, the saddest is what it could have been. Maybe there needs to be a dress code that’s a lot more open for interpretation–therefore giving a larger space for creativity–or maybe what needs to be done is a very specifc dress code to make sure everyone follows it. Fashion is a way to express yourself,

and if these celebrities choose to do so, they can dress like a Greek goddess or a caveman. It’s just disappointing to see that, even with the resources available, they decided to go for something basic instead of something inspired.

Well, there’s always next year…

Illustrations

Photo by Tito G.

alÉm do tempo integral

Núbia S.

Em setembro de 2022, 219 alunos do Secondary estavam participando ativamente dos treinos e campeonatos esportivos na Avenues São Paulo. Por trás desses números existem pessoas com diferentes rotinas e motivações. Em entrevista, dois estudantes deram mais detalhes sobre como é participar dos treinos e o motivo pelo qual julgam valer a pena fazer parte desta iniciativa da escola.

Melissa Domingues (’25) é líder de torcida na Varsity, termo usado para se referir aos principais times esportivos da escola, enquanto Nicolas Pardim (’27) pratica vôlei na JV, sigla para Junior Varsity, que é destinada a alunos de Middle Grades. Ambos compartilham uma paixão em comum: o esporte.

Por morar em Guarulhos, Mel acorda às 4:40 todos os dias e começa a se arrumar. Por volta das 5:50 ela já está na rua. Às 6:20 seus pais a deixam em Santana, onde ela pega a van rumo à escola. Enquanto ela enfrenta o trânsito de São Paulo, Nicolas ainda está acordando. Ele sai de casa às 6:50 e seu dia só começa quando ele chega na Avenues. Para a sorte dos dois esportistas, seus treinos acontecem à tarde, diferente de outros como o da Varsity de vôlei, que tem início às seis da manhã.

“Participar do time de líderes de torcida é a minha oportunidade para me desligar do mundo. Nós entramos no personagem e esquecemos todo o resto.”

Melissa Domingues (‘25).

Apesar de hoje em dia ser capitã das líderes de torcida e

de ter participado de diversos campeonatos, de início Mel não queria entrar em nenhum time. Sua rotina já era estressante e ela estava ocupada com atividades extracurriculares. Mas, depois de ter sido muito bem recebida no primeiro treino, rapidamente se apaixonou pelo esporte. Já Nicolas foi um dos primeiros a se juntar ao time de vôlei: ele decidiu entrar para apoiar um amigo. Não se sentiu motivado nos primeiros dias, já que o treino era difícil, mas felizmente insistiu. Ele havia jogado futebol e basquete e não gostava de nenhum; porém, após alguns treinos, foi melhorando e o vôlei passou de algo desinteressante para uma das suas paixões.

“O esporte consome energia física, mas gera a adrenalina e a motivação que eu preciso no dia a dia.”

Nicolas Pardim (‘27)

Ambos concordam que os treinos deixaram a rotina mais pesada, porém a adrenalina antes de um jogo e a animação de arrumar as malas para viajar para campeonatos fazem o esforço valer a pena. Ambos recomendam os treinos para qualquer um, mesmo aqueles que não têm costume de praticar esportes, já que contribuem para quem quer se manter saudável e também podem ter impacto na sua inscrição para faculdade.

E então, que tal se somar aos mais de duzentos atletas da Avenues? Sua presença nos treinos será benéfca não só para você, mas para a própria comunidade; afnal, com os times cheios, as chances de voltarmos premiados de campeonatos é maior!

O que é preciso para treinar um esporte na Avenues

Wi bLACK PHONE become the new hoRror classic?

*Spoilers*

I was truly disappointed in the beginning. Black Phone is currently one of the most talked about and highest rated horror flms of the year. With the amount of talk this flm received, I was expecting a revolutionary production that would knock me of my feet. The only thing I was left with in the end was one question: why is it so popular? It took me a while to understand what the flm was about, and this wondering was captivated in my head for so long that I now understand. There are many more connections we can make to the flm than what we see on the screens. So if after watching Black Phone you felt that same disappointment, you came to the right place.

The production was directed by Scott Derrickson, known for fexing his talent in horror industries directing flms such as The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister, and Deliver Us From Evil. Derrickson has directed many admirable flms in the horror universe, so there was no doubt he would do the same for this one. That’s until you start watching it…

In Brazil, the flm hit theaters on July 21, 2022. The movie is based on the 2004 short story dubbed “The Black Phone”, by Joe Hill, who just so happens to be the son of the legendary horror author Stephen King, whose many novels have been turned into flms, such as IT, The Shining, and Carrie

The flm tells the story of 13-year-old Finney Shaw (Mason Thames), a quiet but intelligent young boy who is being held captive by a vicious, disguised killer called The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) in a soundproof cellar. He quickly learns that he can hear the voices of The Grabber’s past victims, who are now actually dead, which is very unrealistic and annoying if you don’t know the meaning behind it. The flm doesn’t explain any of it, so the only way I could understand what was happening was by doing additional research. The other victims are determined to prevent Finney from experiencing what they did, and they use a disconnected black colored phone on the wall as their means of communication.

The story is set in 1978 in Denver suburbs. The movie recreates the nostalgic vibe of the 1970s through the characters’ wardrobes, hairstyles, surroundings, TV shows, and music, while also evoking the eerie, unsettling atmosphere typical of every horror flm through the use of traditional dark shots and various camera angles that heighten the suspense. Although the flm can appear simple, there are hidden levels to its meaning that are important to take into account.

Black Phone may be a horror flm, but it’s really more about hope than terror. It’s also more about defeating evil instead of being harmed by it, which creates an innovative environment in comparison to other similar flms. It highlights humanity’s will to eradicate evil, even if it requires doing so by returning from the dead. The phone Finney uses to talk to dead people becomes a symbol of hope in the movie. The events in the flm are merely a metaphor for the process of facing your anxieties and pain, by opening up to other people who have gone through similar things.

The flm reveals The Grabber is also able to hear the phone, but when he chooses to ignore it, he continues a nonstop cycle of killing children. The double meaning of the black phone may lead us to believe he has experienced a circumstance similar to this one before. The only character without a backstory is The Grabber himself, and while we want to know what kind of bizarre upbringing this individual had to justify his acts, Derrickson deliberately prevents viewers from learning about The Grabber’s past. This technique is used to remove his humanity. Serial killers typically experienced some abuse as a child, and this causes them to develop twisted associations between pleasure and other people’s sufering. Its approach helps to humanize the serial killer and occasionally equips the victims with the means to establish some connection with their captor.

Hawks performance as The Grabber was outstanding, being able to capture the fast change in emotion and creating

Manuela D.

a powerful feeling from within. A specifc scene from Hawks’ performance reminded me of the Joker; their same cheery attitude during unpleasant situations makes an uneasy atmosphere. The Grabber change in emotion is so fast and sudden that from a psychologist’s point of view, he might sufer from Dissociative Identity Disorder. When Finney asks if The Grabber has killed other boys, he denies and says someone else had done it. A diferent personality comes out at diferent moments of his plan, and the mask exhibits this change of emotion.

The mask was also used as a way to distinguish Pennywise, the dancing clown from IT, from The Grabber. In an interview, Hill states that screenwriters didn’t change much while adapting the short story — except for one key line. The big change is that, when the Grabber is kidnapping Finney, in the movie he says “I am a part-time magician’’, while in the book he says “I am a part-time clown’’. This decision was made as Stephen King’s IT introduced the world to Pennywise, an evil clown that preys on children as his victims. The author later revealed it was not his intention to make Pennywise and The Grabber similar to each other; it was otherwise purely accidental. Fun Fact: during Finney’s kidnapping scene, The Grabber isn’t wearing his mask, so we are able to see his full face painted with white chalk – that might be a way of the director keeping that adapted line (as clown usually paint their face white), or maybe simply because the Grabber doesn’t want Finney to see his ‘real’ face. These were not the only scenes where an IT connection was made. When Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), Finney’s sister, discovers The Grabber’s house, she

is seen riding a bike in the pouring rain, which reminds us of the iconic scene where Georgie is playing with the paper boat also in the pouring rain, using a yellow raincoat.

During the whole fasco with The Gabber, the most unrealistic detail is not even Finney talking to the dead, or Gwen’s visions, but the lack of care the kids’ parents show. There is a literal serial killer on the loose, who has already kidnapped six children in broad daylight, and it appears that no one cares. Even at the school, the only thing that came remotely close to someone caring is when they announced Finney’s disappearance. Finney is able to kill the Grabber and reencounter with his sister at the end of the movie, and in the next day he is already going to school as if he hadn’t spent about a week captured by a serial killer who might have not harmed him physically, but defnitely did psychologically.

The timeline is something that annoyed me the most. In several flms, when a series of events are broadcasted, a little date appears on the screen (“one week later”, “two days later”), but in Black Phone the only date that we get is in the beginning. After that, little to no date was announced, which made me get lost. It’s not like you can’t understand the storyline, but it can get pretty confusing at times.

There were some factors that bugged me, but overall it was an entertaining movie. It might not be the best horror movie ever, maybe a little slow paced, but it is still worth the watch, if not for the plot, then for Ethan Hawks incredible performance.

Illustration by Valentina W.

Unveil

Grade 8 Project

In the Unveil Project, students explored and investigated the lives of several people whose contributions to the Brazilian economy, culture, and politics should not be ignored. Finding its main inspiration in the books Enciclopédia Negra, Narrativas Negras, and Heroínas Negras Brasileiras (all available in the school library) the Unveil Project provided students the tools to research, read and write about these important characters of National History.

The power of representation instigated their creativity in coming up with diferent types of illustrations that were assembled and curated to be displayed in an exhibition. The work below is from the frst cycle of three in which students explored diferent ways they can publicize their fndings and contribute to expanding the reach of these incredible narratives.

Ana Paula Xongani by Bruna O.

Rogério Clementino by Julie C.

Ruth de Souza by Giulia T.

A.

Milton Santos by Felipe

Secret Lives of Teachers

Belén A. and Maria Clara P.

As students, the only side we see of our teachers is wise, professional, and mature. Sometimes, we forget that behind this strong facade, teachers are still human, with their own lives, relationships, faws, and childhoods, just as anyone else. Therefore, we present to you the human side of our mentors. What do they do outside of school? What were they like when they were our age? The curiosity had us on the edge of our seats. Much of what we learned through the interviews surprised, intrigued, or made us laugh, so we hope it does the same for you. Without further ado… What is the Secret Life of Teachers?

HIDDEN CRYING, PLAYLISTS, AND A HAIRCUT SO SECRET IT'LL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY

Ms. Medeiros is quite an icon.

As the choir teacher, and, to her own surprise, a teacher in the Senior Seminar, she also takes care of her dogs, regularly exercises, and is an adorable girlfriend to her partner. We asked whether she would consider herself romantic, and she dared to say no, before telling us that she and her partner made special playlists for each other every month to demonstrate their love. It seems that playlists are a way in which Ms. Medeiros shows her emotions regularly, and she loves to make one for every occasion. Some examples include Pop Divas (which she uses for motivation when running), Crying Jazz (for those special occasions when its important to feel fancy when you are bawling your eyes out), Gatilho Salvador (for when one feels like vibing to Brazilian 90's music), Fachina Animanda, Domingo de Sol, and, because she is an absolute maniac, No Tom da Amarela, a playlist made for a specifc area

us pictures of either, Ms. Medeiros refused.

The connection between Ms. Medeiros and music runs deep, going so far as to make her cry on multiple occasions. One very memorable sob was during a 3 hour performance at Sala São Paulo; after she had sung her part, she sat down and quietly wept as the song was played. According to her, it was so well-written that it made her want to cry… And cry she did, quietly, hidden in the dark from the thousands of people in the crowd. She says that there is now a video online of her feeling very moved by a well performed song…

SAY CHEESE

Mr. Lins has gone through quite a bit of change.

gross-looking cheese and ofered our hilarious Portuguese teacher some. Understandably, he denied and said he didn’t like cheese to avoid coming of as rude. As he and his friend walked away from the shop, Mr. Lins justifed to his friend how he actually did like cheese but didn’t want to get it from that disgusting dude. To which his friend replied: “That was my grandfather.”

UNDERCOVER SURFER

Mr. Marotto is a jock.

Changes that have made him into the academic, teacher, and person he is today. He became the professional he currently is during college and found his love for big cities after leaving home. Growing up in a small town in Nordeste, Mr. Lins had more than the accent, but fun traits that made him stand out. He identifed himself as the fun, humorous and energetic personality in his school. But inside that little boy whose head was always in the moon, was a huge heart and unexplainable passion for the Spice Girls. Let’s just say that this succeeded in making him a unique one. Nonetheless, he has always been social and cool, which has evidently not faded over the years.

Let us break down his coolness with an example. Picture Mr. Lins’ iconic glasses. Now, can you imagine that they were once almost rejected? That’s right, the signature glasses Mr. Lins wears almost never came to be. The reason for this? Mr. Lins felt like a total nerd, and if there is one thing we found from his interview, it is that he isn’t one. But many compliments saved the day, and he kept them. With this story, Mr. Lins explained that he considers himself quite the partier, a quality that originates from his social butterfy personality – later elaborating on this trait with how he and his wife are always going out, dancing, and taking the weekend as a time to be young. Another quality that has not gotten away from him is his loyalty to his friendships. This became very evident when Mr. Lins shared with us a fun little habit he has of telling all of his teacher colleagues when he hears students going of about them. This shows the great loyalty and sweet bond he shares with all the teachers. Also serves as a great tip for students.

From handball in high school and college to biking or running every afternoon, sports have always played a big part in his life. Nowadays, his family has adopted the habit of doing physical activity as well, so every afternoon after school they spend time together in Clube Paulistano. Having an assigned time to hang out with his family helps him out a lot, as routines have always been something he appreciates.

Family is also super important to Mr. Marotto. As a kid, he would argue a lot with his siblings, but at the end of the day, he cared about them more than anything. Unfortunately, Mr. Marotto lost his mother when he was very young, and that was something that brought him closer to his brothers; he told us his biggest fear was losing them, along with his wife and kids. Having met his wife in college, the Science teacher has now been married for 30 years. He has two kids, including Enrico, in Grade 7, and Angelo, who is nearly graduating.

This meant, however, that Mr. Marotto had to, at some point, teach his own son. We asked about that, and he said that the relationship was purely professional: “We decided to be student and teacher. I asked him what he called his teachers, and he said ‘Mr.’ and ‘Ms.’, so that is how he called me.” Mr. Marotto has a whole gang of teachers who he’s close

Illustration by Manuela A.

to, including Mr. Johnson, Mr. Teixeira, Mr. Crawford, Ms. Pritchett, Ms. Resende, and Mr. Candido. Even though he’s always been quiet, Marotto is adaptable, which made him ft

from a small town, he said that college was crazy. For the frst time in his life, he felt at freedom to do anything, and sometimes ended up going overboard on the ‘free’ part. But he eventually got some sense knocked into him. In due course, Mr. Cordeiro did transition into being a grown-up: he met his wife, got married, settled down… And got smacked in the face by parenthood.

the world, named Caetano. While he is incredibly adorable, it’s quite a handful to take care of him, leading to a crazy sleep schedule. As for how Mr. Cordeiro feels about being a new father, he says that “it is the most cliché thing ever. Everyone tells you that this is going to be the person you love most in the world, that you’ll love them unconditionally… And it’s true!” He has already gained some ‘dad qualities’, like playing

As a young boy, he was a full platter. Blowing up toilets and power outlets, Cordeiro was constantly trying his best to drive teachers insane. He told us about his most creative prank, an occasion where he sneaked into school at night and turned every single painting, picture, and award upside down. “It wasn’t a bad prank, no one was hurt. It was just funny because people walked into the school and everything was upside down!”, he told us. The reason Mr. Cordeiro tried so hard to annoy his teachers was that he was really insecure and wanted validation from his classmates – and from girls. At the end of the day, though, his tactics worked; Pedrinho

But behind this prankster player facade, Mr. Cordeiro was actually quite soft. Every Thursday, he made sure to catch the 8 PM episode of Gilmore Girls that would air on Warner channel. In case you were wondering, he’s Team Jess. He has a controversial opinion of the show, and defends that Rory is not very likable, especially in the last seasons… We agree. He also said that, while Lorelai (Rory’s mom) was someone he would totally go out for drinks with, she was not very good at parenting.

As he aged, Mr. Cordeiro matured very slowly. Coming

Let us elaborate.

For context on this iconic Science teacher, she owns three cats, ice skates, and plays soccer on Fridays with Mr. Cordeiro or goes out with other teachers. Ms. Sakashita told us she has her very own besties at Avenues who would totally fght for her: Ms. Dimambro and Ms. Moren. The three of them consider themselves a strong pack, and other teachers can’t help but fully agree that the three are joined at the hip. However, before she came to the school and met them, Ms. Sakashita went through a tough but fun college experience.

At USP, there was a lot of very difcult content, yet she powered through like a queen! By the time her studying

years ended, Ms. Sakashita was already moving on to other challenges in her academic career. This called for an early graduation, which the college dean and main secretary would take her through. Unfortunately, though, she forgot all about it, resulting in an embarrassing call from the secretary, and a much more embarrassing run down the USP hills in sandals. The graduation occurred with two fancy ofcials and

While talking about her experiences with teaching, Ms. Sakashita explained some of the diferences between Upper and Middle grades. For starters, she mentioned the greater need for close attention when teaching Middle years –especially during experiments. However, and she defnitely facepalmed while sharing that, during one of her experiments with Upper grades, one student tasted a sample. Yes, that’s right. This defnitely served its purpose to bring her full guard back up, after all, young or old, we are all students.

Despite the embarrassing moments we all have, Ms. Sakashita’s life can certainly be aesthetic. For example, every night before bed, she and her partner play Wordle together; very romantic. Her partner is a Math teacher, but works at another school, which defnitely gives of an academic rivals vibe! Science and Math teachers, wow! Their cats must be geniuses.

MYSTERY BABY, PIERCINGS, AND ADVICE

Let’s spill the tea: Ms. Pritchett is pregnant. And we were the frst students to know!

Young Ms. Pritchett was quite the hit in high school. Between her social personality and competitive athlete schedule, Ms. Pritchett now recognizes her clique as the “nice but known” group. However, young Alyssa went through her rebel phase like any other; complete with a high school boyfriend who she never was serious with due to her commitment to competitive gymnastics. She also told us about her various piercings. Yeah, that’s right, multiple piercings and tattoos. All bloomed from the common teenage desire to shock, more specifcally her father. Luckily, and don’t worry friends, that phase does end.

Ms. Pritchett does recognize that the realities in Brazilian schools versus those in the US are very diferent. When asked to describe the most impactful diference, she said, “In the US, it’s a lot like Mean Girls, people are more judgy.” However, she did mention one of her highlights from high school were the many, many school spirit events, which we also see in romcoms, and that she hopes to bring to Avenues one day. This came as an interesting revelation, given that American high schools are rooted into their own stereotypes – the good and bad ones.

One of the common concerns amongst Brazilians is that in foreign countries, the wild, warm, and fun-oriented mindset that is so loved here is lacking. However, according to Ms. Pritchett, the fun during college years is still very much intact in the US: “It was crazy, I screwed up and also accomplished a lot”. She attended UCLA (University of California Los Angeles), and was a highly trained gymnast for the school, practicing around fve hours per day. Watch out, athletes!

Furthermore, Ms. Pritchett loved college and expressed how much she valued the prominent freedom she had in that phase of her life. This meant not only being able to make her own decisions but also being free of the judgment that high school carried. She also had some teen drama in her college years though. Ms. Pritchett got herself a college boyfriend, who was a handsome jock, and lived through that dramatic reality, especially the not-so-stable parts, “It was ofcial, unofcial, I love you, but situation.” This came more as a learning experience than anything, and helped her realize when she found the love of her life in Brazil, that it was indeed a love worth pursuing, even though they had to communicate

By the time this article is published, perhaps this news will be nothing out of the ordinary. However, by discreetly throwing in the huge announcement during our interview, the English teacher made these journalists’ day.

After learning new things about our teachers, we hope that students can look at them with an even more human gaze. Whether that is when we crack a joke with them or when we are giving them a tough time. Remember that, at frst, they

Gue the teacher!

Do you think that you could recognize teachers when they were little children? Here are 10 pictures of some of our high school teachers as kids or teens, and some tips that they personally gave to help you fgure out who is who. Let the games begin!

1. I don’t look that much like a hippie anymore, but I’m still very much into music.

2. This photo was taken in Campinas, and I’m still into painting… Just not my face.

3. This is from a cricket tournament. The hair was dyed! Now I also have a beard. This photo was taken in Norwich, England.

4. I teach Grade 9 and I’ve been put in a metal box before.

Belén A. and Maria Clara P.

5. I love reading sci-f and fantasy books, and especially thinking aloud as I do!

I’m not from São Paulo, and I *don’t* like cheese.

My hair has not always been pink. I’m very supportive of my students.

This is still my face when I listen to music!

I have lived outside of the USA for 6 years. And I like to dance salsa!

Read the saying on my shirt and notice the object on my hand! I advise Grades 8 and 9 students.

If you would like to contribute to the next issue of this magazine, reach out to identidade-sp@avenues.org