C Magazine Vol. 4 Edition 3

C

January 2016 Vol. 4 Editon 3

Magazine Arts & Culture

Slipping Through the Cracks 16

Letter from the Editors Dear Readers, This cover story’s focus is close to our hearts. For the first time, the cover opens with a personal narrative — that of staff writer Teddie Stewart.

She explains her struggle navigating through her Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) education as a student with a learning disability, and explores the district’s process of assigning students education-aid plans called 504s. PAUSD has helped many students realize their learning disabilities.

However, a majority of success stories we looked into came from scenarios where students were clearly deficient in one area of school. The article examines the fundamental question: are students with less-noticeable disabilities slipping through the cracks? We hope you come away with a broader perspective on how our district goes about aiding students with learning disabilities.

We want to thank our guest photographer, William Dougall, for the photos he took for our cover story. The cover photo abstractly represents the hardship Teddie faced in learning to read and write at the same pace as her peers.

In their satirical “New Year’s Resolution” column, Katie and Charlee parody the “new year, new me” philosophy. Katya tells us everything to do at Ikea, except make good use of your time, while Jasmine and Sarah write about all aspects of veganism in their piece “Yipee! It’s Animal Free!”

Enjoy reading!

Frida Schaefer Bastian, Maya Benatar, Clara de Martel and Maya Kandell Editors-in-Chief

Cover by Teddie Stewart and Jordan Schiling

Palo Alto High School Arts and Culture Magazine Editors-in-Chief

Clara de Martel Frida Schaefer Bastian Maya Benatar Maya Kandell

Managing Editors

Ahana Ganguly Katie Douty

Design Editor

Charlee Stefanski

Photo Editors

Emma Scott Larkin McDermott

Copy Editor Katya Sigal

www.sequoiaacademy.com

(650) 847-1368

Sequoia Academy offers a variety of courses and programs designed to help students succeed in math, science, APs and the SAT and ACT tests.

Social Media & PR Alex Weinstein

Photographer Jordan Schilling

Staff Writers Ayah Chakmakchi Henry Gordon Jasmine Abeyta Katie Passarello Nicole Li Rima Parekh Reilly Filter Sarah Shapiro Teddie Stewart

Advisors

Brian Wilson Esther Wojcicki

What’s Inside...

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Yippee! It’s Animal Free!

Oreo Cake

Best Soup

Artist of the Month: Max Lenail

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14

4

It’s Cop-licated

24 2016 Winter Events Calendar

16

Why You Always Lyin’?

Slipping Through the Cracks

26

28

Album Reviews: Grimes & J. Cole

Letters to the Editors

C Magazine welcomes letters to the editors.

Letters must be signed and the staff reserves the right to edit submissions. Send letters to: campanilemagazine@gmail.com

Email: campanilemagazine@gmail.com Instagram: @campanilemagazine Facebook: The C Magazine Twitter: Paly_CMagazine

A Look Into Katya’s Spotify

22 New Year’s Resolutions

29 What I’ll Miss About Paly

10 C Magazine Perspective

23 Reasons to go to Ikea

30 C Magazine Tries Virtual Reality

FOOD

YIPEE! IT’S ANIMAL-FREE! PHOTO BY EMMA SCOTT

[All About Veganism]

TEXT AND DESIGN BY JASMINE ABEYTA AND SARAH SHAPIRO The idea behind veganism is to eliminate all animal-based products from one’s life.

This includes not only meat, but also other products such as milk, honey, cosmetics, wool and leather. Read on to find out why people make this choice!

water used in the US goes towards raising animals for consumption.

Additionally, one person eliminating meat from their diet reduces carbon dioxide emissions by about 1.5 tons every year. This is a more effective way to combat global warming than buying a hybrid car.

should eat a chicken.”

According to a study by the Huffington Post, 69% of vegans choose this diet for animal rights-related reasons. A vegan lifestyle serves as a straightforward way to protest violating an animal’s right to freedom, life and humane treatment.

H ealth be n efits

Eth ics

What it’s really like

For many, veganism is centered around opposition to animal exploitation. McIntosh’s ethical concerns began after witnessing a video exposing animal abuse in farms.

Paly junior Layla Solatan has recently transitioned from vegetarianism to veganism for eithical reasons. She believes most people are unaware of the conditions and mistreatment of animals in the meat, egg, and dairy industries.

“Obviously, for meat, you have to kill animals, but people don’t realize that getting eggs and dairy aren’t just what you see in children’s books with a cute little farm,” she said.

According to Solatan, the dairy and egg industries may even be worse than the meat industry. “[The animals] have to stay alive and they don’t get to end their suffering,” she said.

To those not ethically opposed to the meat industry, Solatan says: “If you say you wouldn’t eat a dog, then I don’t think you

Although veganism is often considered an extreme shift in lifestyle rather than just a diet, it may not be as drastic a change as one would assume.

Both Solatan and McIntosh believe the transition to veganism is relatively simple.

With alternative foods serving as substitutes for old favorites and little difference in prices between the two diets (aside from pricey organic food), both agree the lifestyle is not too difficult to maintain.

The only drawback, according to Solatan, is the negative reactions to her diet choice.

Both agree that many belittle the lifestyle, question the personal choice of becoming vegan, ask uninformed questions regarding the sustenance of the diet, or take personal offense from a lifestyle that they perceive as being a judgement of their ethics.

People go vegan for various reasons, but whatever they may be, it’s undeniably a rewarding lifestyle.

W h at is vega n is m ?

There are numerous health benefits to adopting a vegan diet. The removal of meat can result in weight loss and lower cholesterol levels, which benefit the heart. The addition of fiber, folic acid, antioxidants and phytochemicals lowers cholesterol and lessens the risk of stroke. The American Institute of Cancer advises against consuming cured meats, linking it to colon cancer.

Overall, a vegan diet can result in better health and a longer life. Chelsea McIntosh, a Palo Alto High School (Paly) senior who has been vegan for 2 years, has noticed the positive effects the diet has had on her weight.

She feels the diet has improved her general well-being: “The best part about being vegan is having more energy, having clearer skin, and just feeling great overall.”

Environmental benefits A vegan lifestyle has multiple environmental benefits. According to the organization One Green Planet, nearly 50% of the

4 food

PHOTO BY JORDAN SCHILLING

Chelsea McIntosh: What I Eat in a Day 7:30 Breakfast: Green smoothie with spinach, celery, parsley, apple, pear, and bananas 9:45 Brunch: Banana or apple 11:35 Lunch: Salad with brown rice and black beans

4:30 Snack: Fruit bowl 7:30 Dinner: Big salad accompanied by potatoes, lentils, and/or gluten-free pasta food 5

N

reo Cake

Bake

TEXT, DESIGN, AND PHOTOS BY EMMA SCOTT

INGREDIENTS:

instructions:

For the filling: ■ 4/5 cup heavy cream ■ 7 oz dark chocolate ■ Half a stick of butter (1/4 cup) For the oreo crust: ■ Roughly one package of regular oreo cookies ■ 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)

For the oreo crust: Blend the package of oreos in a food processor until the the consistency is extremely fine, then add the 1/2 cup of melted butter and mix it well. When the ingredients are thorougly mixed, put it into your tin and press it down into a crust.

For the decoration: ■ A handful of oreo cookies ■ Mini m&ms ■ Any other desired chocolate sweets for toppings Other: ■ A medium sized pan ■ A tin pan of your choice

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For the filling: Over a hot stove, pour your 4/5 cup of heavy cream into the pan, and wait for it to boil.

While you are waiting for the cream to boil, chop your chocolate into tiny pieces, and heat your half stick of butter. Once the cream boils, put your chocolate and butter in and then let it sit for a few minutes on a cool surface. Then stir everything together.

For the decoration: Pour the filling into the tin, and place your desired toppings on top. Put it into the fridge to cool down for 1-2 hours, and enjoy!

soup TEXT, DESIGN, AND PHOTO

BY KATIE PASSARELLO

Minestrone with Greens by the fire

Tired of runny, watered down, chicken noodle soup out of a can? Try these hearty soups that’ll warm you to the soul on a cold winter day.

Zucchini with Bacon: (Home recipe)

Ingredients:

• 5 slices of bacon • 3 lbs chopped zucchini • 1 large onion • 3 tbsp chopped basil, or 2.5 tsp dried basil • 5 cups chicken broth

Instructions: 1) Cook bacon over medium-high heat, 5-8 min-

utes. Discard drippings (excess oil) and chop into bite size pieces. Add to pot with: zucchini, onion, and basil (all chopped). Add chicken broth.

2) Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, about 15

minutes or until zucchini is soft. Whirl the soup in a blender (separate parts at a time).

3) Garnish with basil leaves if desired. Add parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper for flavor.

Minestrone with Greens: (Martha Stewart edition)

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup virgin olive oil • 6 cloves garlic • 1 tbsp tomato paste • 2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained • ½ cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc • 1 large sprig sage • 1 piece (2 ounces) Pecorino Romano, plus more, grated, for serving • Coarse salt and ground black pepper • 4 ounces (1 cup) ditalini or other short, tubular pasta • 4 cups shredded chicory, escarole, or kale

Instructions:

1) Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

2) Add beans and wine; simmer, stirring

occasionally, until liquid has thickened and wine has almost evaporated, about 4 minutes.

3) Add 8 cups of water, sage, and cheese; season with salt and black pepper. Simmer, partially covered, over medium-low for 25 minutes.

4) Bring soup to a boil, stir in pasta, and

cook until al dente according to package instructions, stirring occasionally. Add chicory/escarole/kale; keep stirring, until wilted, about 1 minute. Serve, topped with grated cheese.

FOOD 7

ARTS

ARTIST OF THE MONTH

MAX LENAIL

A peek into the life of photographer and glass-blowing extraordinaire, Max Lenail.

TEXT AND DESIGN MAYA BENATAR AND CLARA DE MARTEL

P

alo Alto High School (Paly) junior, Max Lenail, began his artistic career at a young age, taking on the role of family photographer during family vacations. Lenail demonstrated clear natural talent when it came to photography and, noticing this, his parents bought him a top-notch camera allowing him to develop his skill into a real hobby. Photography serves as a creative outlet for Lenail, and he enjoys creating projects with his older brother and friends. Growing up, Lenail was exposed to another art form as well. He watched his older brother go through the Paly art program, taking

full advantage of Paly’s rare glass blowing studio.

His freshman year, Lenail was enrolled in Photo, however, having so much personal experience with photography, he found the course relatively basic. He was able to switch into art spectrum which is the prerequisite for ceramics and sculpture, a course that allows its students to access the glassblowing studio. Lenail, however, could not wait another year and with the permission of Mr. Camner, the ceramics teacher at the time, he began practicing glass blowing on weekends and whenever he could.

C Magazine sat down with him to learn more.

C Magazine: What do you love about glass blowing? control it in a way, I think is really awesome.

Max Lenail: In glass blowing I love the kind of controlled chaos that you can bring. Glass is such a volatile and C: How has photography impacted your travels? amazing material and to kind of let it do its thing but also ML: It’s wonderful to kind of capture everything in an ar8 ARTS

tistic way. But when you go on trip it can be frustrating to have to balance taking photos and also experiencing things. Sometimes when you’re stuck behind the lense of a camera it’s hard to actually experience what’s going on around you.

C: What inspires you?

ML: For glass, definitely just the material itself. Just by playing with it you can discover beautiful things and looking at it is really amazing. With photos, I guess it’s cliche but really the world. There are a lot of things that are amazingly beautiful, and being able to capture that it in a way that does it justice is something that I really strive for.

C: Where in the world especially inspires you?

ML: France for sure. France from a cultural aspect is really near and dear to my heart. And just nature really. That’s something where I love spending time in and looking at and taking photos of.

“I LOVE THE KIND OF CONTROLLED CHAOS THAT YOU CAN BRING. GLASS IS SUCH VOLATILE AND AMAZING MATERIAL” C: Do have a funny story of when you messed up a piece?

ML: So one time when I was learning to blow bubbles, I blew really really hard into the pipe and the glass got super thin, and there were a ton of people around, and it exploded and since the glass was still hot it just floated away, like actual bubbles except it was glass, and people had to dodge it.

C: What is your favorite photo?

ML: We were in Vietnam last christmas and we were at some of the ruins and there are a lot of buddhist monks in Vietnam and they have these bright orange robes, and when you see them, you think that they’re very disconnected...They seemed so natural in the ruins and then they were all getting out their phones and their cameras, just like me. It was crazy to see all these monks busting out their iPhones. I asked them ‘Can I take a photo of you and he said ‘Then I have to take a photo of you’ so that was really funny.

ARTS 9

C Magazine Perspective:

Searching for Faith

TEXT, DESIGN, AND PHOTO BY LARKIN MCDERMOTT

“M

y dad is a priest,” I would say, quietly embarrassed after being asked the classic “What do your parents do?” Then came the routine follow up questions: “How can he be married?”

(Not Catholic), “Is he strict?” (Nope), “Do you go to church every Sunday?” (When I want to), etc.

Growing up my dad wasn’t just “father” to me, but also to the congregation of our church. During my teenage years, church took a backseat to everything else in my life. I juggled typical high school challenges like classes, activities, friendships, and lack of sleep, while also juggling a not so typical one; a chronic illness — juvenile arthritis.

My dad never forced his beliefs on my family and has always encouraged us to question our faith. Like many people, I have wrestled with my belief in God. In these last few years, though, finding time to try and figure out my often shaky relationship with both my father and the Father hasn’t been a priority.

Last summer was a turning point for me. Junior year had been the most difficult time of my life. Juggling an unhealthy course load, tumultuous relationships with friends, growing tensions with my parents, and problems with my health had left me feeling disconnected from any kind of spirituality. My plan for respite was to work at St. Dorothy’s Rest summer camp in Sonoma County, CA. It was a place that had been a central part of my life for many years and this would be my second summer on staff. I thought another summer there would be the perfect antidote to my year of struggling — an eight week escape from everything “Palo Alto.”

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as expected. My illness relapsed right before I left for camp and the atmosphere there was completely different from the previous summer with constant staff drama and difficult campers. Being so far from home

ARTS 1010ARTS

during such a trying time in my life left me feeling disconnected from family and friends. The summer wasn’t what I had wanted it to be, but it turned out to be what I needed.

The camp theme was Psalm 139:12: “The night is as bright as the day.” This theme was put to the test when a staff member became suicidal, climbed to the top of a water tower, and cut his wrists.

As I huddled with the rest of the staff that night, frozen with terror and grief, it was the tipping point for my own year of trials.

How could so much go so wrong in one year? I struggled to grasp onto something that would explain why these events had taken place. I was in need of something to believe in, something to strive for, something to live for. I wanted to be able to fix everything that had gone so wrong, but I didn’t know how.

While I struggled to grasp for a reason why my year had gone so poorly, I found myself only wanting to talk to my dad.

Despite our differences, I realized it was my dad’s calm voice and wisdom that I wanted and needed in this crisis. He always knows what to say to help me find my own answers. I’ve realized that my dad helps people through the biggest challenges of their lives. My dad might not be a doctor or a therapist, but he helps people heal their souls.

What my dad helped me to realize was that through all of this struggle, there would come strength. I’m still working towards understanding my own faith, but this past summer made me want to work on finding answers. I’ve realized that, just like my relationship with my dad, my faith does not have to be perfect. As I go through life, I hope to be inspired by my dad’s example and reminded by my own faith that the night can be as bright as the day. Now when people ask me what my dad does I say, “He inspires hope.”

Fri. Jan, 22th @ 8pm Sat. Jan 23rd @ 2pm & 6pm Cubberly Community Center, Palo Alto Tickets $25 & $35 at EnActe.org

Hard on the heels of the latest Supreme Court ruling comes a LOL comedy about love, marriage and being desi gay in Silicon Valley today!

LanguageArts in Palo Alto Teaching and tutoring for all levels and all ages in all languages of the PAUSD World Language Program www.languagearts.org (650) 329-1731 info@languagearts.org

IT’S

COP -

School Resource Officer Ben Lee from the Palo Police Department often visits both Palo Alto high schools.

CC-JORDAN SCHILLING

LIC ATED

C Magazine explores student and community perception of law enforcement in Palo Alto.

TEXT AND DESIGN BY RIMA PAREKH AND AHANA GANGULY

“T

hey’ve got better things to do than yell at kids to get off their bikes,” said Ian Woodfill, a junior at Palo Alto High School (Paly).

Woodfill’s sentiment concerning police presence around town is common among Palo Alto youth, who typically often wonder to themselves, “Why don’t the police go do something useful?” Police are often viewed as the tyrants who stop student bikers, the rigid authority that crashes house parties, and the disciplinarians who have ended Paly traditions.

But even as stories of citizens protesting police brutality dominate the news across the country, at Paly, the view of local police is not so clear-cut.

12 culture

An online voluntary response survey

by C Magazine found that while only 11 out of 86 respondents felt having more police stationed around the high schools would be helpful, 41 out of 86 — or 48 percent — felt that police have a positive impact on the town as a whole.

The Palo Alto Police Department itself does not perceive any particular animosity from students. School resource officer Ben Lee feels that throughout the years, they have generally been welcoming.

“We have a really good relationship with the students, not just at Paly, but also at Gunn,” said Lee, who has been with the department for 13 years.

Lee believes that it is important for the police to be present in the com-

munity and schools. He goes to social functions and stops by block parties in order to bridge the gap between citizens and the police, and hopes the students can see him and his colleagues as approachable.

Lee and his colleagues are doing what they can to keep students safe. “Really, as police officers, we’re not there to be party poopers, but we certainly want the kids to be responsible ... My rule of thumb is [to go] out there and treat students and other kids like I treat my own kids.”

But no matter how much students agree with these goals, they are frustrated when they see police on their way to and from school.

“Having cops on Churchill in the bike lanes in the mornings only

CC-CLARA DE MARTEL

Officer Angel Sanchez of the East Palo Alto Police Department poses for the camera in his office. serves as an annoyance and danger to bikers,” junior Hiya Datta said.

“The police ... create unnecessary traffic in an already congested area.”

She continues to say that having police around Paly is troublesome. “We definitely don’t need on-campus cops to monitor our every move. It really creates an environment of hostility.”

Although Lee does not monitor traffic, he knows his fellow officers are “just out trying to keep traffic flowing and keep people safe.”

As in Palo Alto, the East Palo Alto Police Department tries to strengthen the relationship between the police and the community by assigning officers to certain areas around town.

This way, residents are familiar with the officers patrolling their area.

Officer Angel Sanchez of the East Palo Alto Police Department feels that the community’s perception of

the police has been affected by recent facts,” said Sanchez. coverage in the nation regarding poLee feels the same way, adding that lice brutality. Both Lee and Sanchez he feels youth are impressionable and believe the media is a huge influence easily influenced by the media. on people’s opinions and attitude to“The police certainly do not get favorable visibility through the avenues of social media and the news media ... Only bad things that happen get attention, but the hundred thousand times something good happens rarely get attention,” Lee said.

“I’ll do my part to try and change that perception, but I don’t know if a handful of officers and I are going to [be able to] change that.”

Overall, it seems the youth feel that the police are beneficial for the com— Ben Lee, School Resource Officer munity, but anyone receiving a ticket or citation is bound to be irritated. wards the police.

“Whether it’s a student or … a local “Unfortunately, when the media motorist, it’s always the same thing.” portrays things like that, they don’t Lee said. “They’re saying, ‘Don’t you really do a good job of getting all the have something better to do?’”

“The police certainly do not get favorable visibility through the avenues of social media and the news media.”

culture 13

Why You Always Lyin’?

TEXT AND DESIGN BY LARKIN MCDERMOTT PHOTO BY JORDAN SCHILLING

14 ARTS

I

t starts out as a simple lie. No harm, no foul.

Picture this: You walk into your kitchen and there is the most amazing, heavenly-looking piece of apple pie sitting on the counter. Next to it there’s a note that says, “Do not eat! Property of Dad.” But the smell is unreal, and there is absolutely no way you can control yourself. So, you decide to take a small bite, then another, and the next thing you know, the entire piece is gone. Well, shoot. When your dad asks who ate his piece of pie, you panic and deny any involvement. A harmless lie about a piece of pie. But what happens when the “little” lies turn into bigger ones?

In a study conducted by researcher Robert S. Feldman of the University of Massachusetts, about 60% of adults can’t get through a ten minute conversation without lying at least once. We are taught that lying is wrong from a young age yet our daily lives are overrun by lies. We probably don’t even notice the little white lies we begin to tell because they have become such a natural part of our interactions. Certain little lies are frequent for everyone, I constantly find myself telling small lies that have become like habits, woven into my everyday interactions. Like telling someone I love their sweater when it’s really not my favorite, or pretending that I understand a math concept that someone has been trying to explain to me for 20 minutes because I just want them to shut up.

I try to tell myself that as long as I’m not doing something that could be harmful or breaking the law, these lies will have little to no impact. And sometimes this may be true. That’s why lying is so difficult to handle, it is hard to know how a lie you may be telling could affect someone else. The line between a lie that is okay and a lie that may be destructive, is blurry in most cases. And maybe some prevent someone else’s feelings from getting hurt. But it’s when you start to lie excessively that it becomes unhealthy. Lies start to form tangled webs, innocent victims get caught up in them, and before long, there’s a mess that you may not be able to clean up.

An example of this is the story of high school graduate, Kaitlyn and Daniel, whose names have been changed in order to protect their identity. Kaitlyn and Daniel had been dating for about a year when Daniel

graduated from Palo Alto High School (Paly) and left for college, while Kaitlyn stayed in Palo Alto. The couple decided to stay together long distance. Kaitlyn visited Daniel every weekend, for as long as possible depending on her work schedule. After a couple months, Kaitlyn began to get suspicious that Daniel was talking to other girls but when she confronted him, he denied it to her face. Later Kaitlyn found out from texts on his phone that he had in fact cheated on her and had then proceeded to lie about it. Their relationship was irrevocably affected between the cheating and the lying, however Kaitlyn proceeded to stay with Daniel. The relationship, which at this point lacked trust, caused Kaitlyn to spiral into a period of extreme anxiety, which Daniel could not handle. Daniel ended up ending the relationship, not because he stopped loving her, but because he couldn’t handle witnessing the anxiety his lies and actions had caused the girl he loved.

These tangled webs become your own personal hell. It becomes situations of “Oh, well, I want to do this, but then I would have to tell Person A about this, and I already lied about that.” You become unable to be honest with anyone — including yourself.

You tell yourself, “It’s better this way.” You try to justify the lies and this is the hardest part of lying, admitting that maybe it’s time to own up to you lies. Time to stop weaving your web, because any type of relationship — familial, romantic, or platonic — based on lies isn’t healthy and does not benefit anyone involved.

Throughout our lives, we come across people who are deeply tangled in their webs of lies. We delude ourselves, thinking that they can change and that they won’t lie to us because they care about us. But, in reality, it doesn’t matter how much we care about each other. What I’ve learned is they will only stop lying if they decide to change. As hard as you try to give them opportunities to change and be honest, you can’t control them. The only person who has the power to make them into an honest person is themselves.

Honesty is the best policy. If you tell the truth from the beginning, it will only benefit those involved. If your friend or girlfriend looks bad in a dress she’s trying on, tell her! Be honest if you don’t understand that math problem.

Tell your dad you ate his piece of pie — I’m sure he will appreciate your great taste in pie.

“Lies start to form tangled webs, innocent victims get caught up in them, and before long, you’ve created a mess that you may not be able to clean up”.

culture 15

COVER

SLIPPING THROUGH THE

CRACKS

Through a personal perspective, C Magazine examines the impacts of PAUSD’s approach towards learning disabilites and 504 plans.

T

he phrase “Just try harder” was the bane of my second grade education. I watched my teachers cringe as I told them “I am. I really am.” They couldn’t comprehend how I could put in so much effort and still be unable to do something as simple as read a clock.

In elementary school, I went to extra English classes to try and form coherent sentences. Everything would make sense in my head, but translating my thoughts onto paper was a whole new ordeal — one that rarely worked in my favor. Doing

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multiplication flashcards was anxiety provoking. I only knew up to my 2’s, when everyone else was up to their 12’s. All the signs were there, but nobody noticed. I would practice at home to avoid humiliation, but all I would get out of it was a screaming headache and a hatred for school. As I learned to read, my mother noticed that when trying to sound out the word “was,” I would start with the “s.” I did things backwards. But little kids do this. They are just learning and get confused, right? Yet as the years went by, I still read from right to left. My mother told my teachers

that she thought I was dyslexic, and she recalls them saying, “No, she’s just slow.”

In middle school the problem only got worse. I couldn’t figure out why I still got Ds and Bs confused. “Teddie, if you just put more effort into it you would do as well as everyone else, you just don’t care enough,” my teachers would admonish.

So I tried harder. I pushed through the headaches and studied for hours, but I still got Cs and Ds. In seventh grade, I gave up. If the effort I put in had no effect, then the effort wasn’t worth it.

TEXT BY TEDDIE STEWART, FRIDA SCHAEFER BASTIAN

DESIGN BY CLARA DE MARTEL AND FRIDA SCHAEFER BASTIAN

PHOTOS BY WILLIAM DOUGALL CONTRIBUTIONS BY MAYA BENATAR

My teachers labeled me as a troublemaker who didn’t care, so I shut down and accepted that I just wasn’t a smart kid. My parents recognized that I hadn’t been acting like myself, so, thankfully, in the middle of 8th grade they took me to an outside doctor, to whom I explained my difficulties.

The next thing I knew, I was run through three days of testing, where I was asked strange questions for hours.

“What does this ink blob look like to you?” “Look at this picture and write a story about what’s happening.”

I walked out with a diagnosis for dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia, and walked into the bewildering world of learning disabilities, a world

with its own deficiencies.

In Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD), students with learning disabilities suffer not just before they are tested, but in many cases afterwards as well. For many, the system that deals with learning disabilities is inconsistent at best. In some cases, it fails to diagnose students, and it falls

and concepts that I had to familiarize myself with. Getting tested helped me understand who I am. I still struggled with times tables, but I started to recognize that I wasn’t stupid — my brain just functioned differently.

I came back to school with my results, and worked with my parents and administrators to set up a 504 plan — a set of classroom accommo dations given to students with d o c u m e nt e d learning disabilities.

A 504 plan varies depending on the student’s needs. My plan consists of not being graded on improper grammar and having the option to take my tests in spaced-out segments with unlimited time. In my case and many others’, dyslexia creates difficulty in learning

My teachers labeled me as a troublemaker who didn’t care, so I shut down and accepted that I just wasn’t a smart kid. short in providing support to struggling students whose disabilities just aren’t quite debilitating enough to meet district requirements for assistance.

So when I walked out with my diagnosis, I carried with me new words

cover 17

“It didn’t look apparent enough to them that I needed help, which is frustrating because I, as a student, know that I needed help and my parents saw that very clearly too,” Kinnaman said.

“To me it’s kind of insulting to have someone say ‘you’re fine, you have okay grades, and you can’t get help because of that.’”

ILLUSTRATION BY SHYON LEWIS

to read or interpret words and letters, making reading slower. Dyscalculia makes it difficult to do mathematical calculations, and dysgraphia hinders written expression.

But, before accommodations, comes testing — the beginning of a long evaluative process that doesn’t always result in the perfect solution.

First, a teacher or parent who suspects a learning disability must notify the school.

Among others, signs like sporadic attendance, tiredness, lack of participation, conflict with peers, or poor performance on tests are red flags.

“Teams of teachers and school psy-

chologists meet each week to talk about if there are kids that need more support. They make recommendations and talk with parents to see if they need any type of intervention,” Chiara Perry, PAUSD director of special education, said. “It just de-

testing are made. Tamis emphasized that there are many different reasons that a student might be falling behind, not all of which suggest a learning disability.

“There could be late exposure, stuff at home, mental health issues, a health issue, a relational issue, or a language issue,” Tamis said.

Paly senior, Declan Cassini, who got tested for a learning disability and received special accommodations in first grade at Duveneck Elementary School, and a 504 plan during his junior year, is an example of a case where the system worked just as it was designed to.

“There could be late exposure, stuff at home, mental health issues, a health issue, a relational issue, or a language issue” - Tamis, PAUSD school psychologist

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pends on the student.”

A PAUSD school psychologist, Anna Tamis, explained the detailed process of interventions, which happen before any referrals for further

“It was something that my teacher and my parents both saw because I was deficient in reading compared to every other kid but then I was with or above them for everything else,” Cassini said. “It was obvious that this was a specific deficiency that I had with learning.”

The interventions work for those who are clearly struggling in a certain area, but for students whose disabilities aren’t as clear cut and have learned coping mechanisms that keep them just above failing, the situation becomes more complicated.

How does PAUSD deal with those who are just getting by?

Another Paly senior, Meredith Kinnaman struggled and ultimately failed to obtain academic help from PAUSD. Her difficulty began in third grade at Escondido Elementary School, where she was having trouble meeting certain state standards for her grade level. Her teacher told her parents to consider having Kinnaman tested for a learning disability. However, after being tested through PAUSD, the district decided that Kinnaman didn’t qualify for any kind of education-aid plan.

“I wasn’t given a plan back in third grade because I wasn’t doing badly enough that it was necessarily affecting my academic performance in a major way,” Kinnaman said. “I think there is a huge flaw in the system and how [PAUSD] approaches kids who are ‘slow learners.’”

Kinnaman struggled through the rest of elementary school and middle school without special accommodations. During her sophomore year, Kinnaman really began to feel like she was falling behind and couldn’t do anything about it without additional help. Finally as a junior, Kinnaman took matters into her own hands and decided she should try to

get tested again.

“Junior year I went to my parents and said ‘I’m really struggling. It’s showing in my grades. It’s showing in my test scores,’ and especially during the SAT and ACT time I really recognized that I needed extra time or extra help during those tests, and I could only get that if I was tested again,” Kinnaman said.

After going through the district’s process to determine if a student qualifies for a 504 plan, it was determined that Kinnaman, again, didn’t qualify for extra help.

“It didn’t look apparent enough to them that I needed help, which is frustrating because I, as a student, know that I needed help and my parents saw that very clearly too,” Kinnaman said. “To me it’s kind of insulting to have someone say ‘you’re fine, you have okay grades, and you can’t get help because of that.’”

In contrast to Kinnaman, senior, Britt d’Arezzo, got a 504 plan easily when her parents initiated the process during her junior year, because her grades were dropping. However, she does not believe that the extra time she is offered actually helps her and does not think she needs her 504 plan. This begs the question: Are 504 plans being given to the right students and for the right reasons?

Palo Alto parent Ann Mendenhall is another example of someone who became frustrated with PAUSD’s process. She had realized that her daughter had a reading problem early on in elementary school, and got her daughter’s third grade teacher to agree to let her daughter be tested for a learning disability. After doing a series of tests over several weeks, the school concluded that there was nothing wrong. However, Mendenhall was not satisfied with this conclusion, so she took her daughter to

get tested at Morrissey Compton, an educational testing center in Redwood City, where she was diagnosed with dyslexia.

“I immediately went back to the school and told the reading specialist about my daughter’s diagnosis,” Mendenhall said. “I asked her how she could have missed it. She told me they don’t test for dyslexia in PAUSD.” Mendenhall was incredulous that PAUSD had not told her that the district doesn’t test for or diagnose dyslexia, while leading her to believe they had tested for every possible problem.

“When they said there was nothing wrong with my daughter, they should have also let me know that they hadn’t tested her for dyslexia,” Mendenhall said. “It’s tragic that our school district isn’t testing for it.”

Over 40 million American adults have dyslexia.

Only

2 million know it.

1 in 5

kids in the United States have a learning disability

350 out of 2,000 students at Paly have a learning accommodations plan

Statistics provided by the American Dyslexia Association, National Center for Learning Diasbilities and Guidance Counselor Susan Schultz, respectively.

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A Palo Verde Elementary School teacher, who wishes to remain anonymous because of her critical comment, agrees that schools in the district often only test students for obvious learning disabilities, and that the less severe cases can fall through the cracks.

“Elementary school teachers won’t send a student to resource to get tested unless it’s a blatantly severe case because if we send them and the school spends the money to get them tested and [they] don’t get diagnosed with anything, that makes us look bad,” she said.

Mendenhall ended up taking her daughter out of PAUSD, and sending her to Charles Armstrong, a private school in Belmont that specializes in education for dyslexic students.

She is hopeful that Senate Resolution 275, which “designates October

2015 as National Dyslexia Awareness Month, and calls on Congress, schools, and educational agencies to recognize that dyslexia has significant educational implications that must be addressed,” will change how dyslexia is handled within PAUSD. According to Susan Shultz, the current senior guidance counselor at Paly, there are a variety of reasons for which students can acquire a 504 plan, such as learning disabilities

the diagnosis and you’re not doing well in school, part of what we want to do is help you be successful.”

Paul, a Paly senior with dysgraphia, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, said he was unable to receive any kind of academic aid plan during his freshman year because the district told him that “they had given too many [504 plans] away, and since I was in high-level classes and doing fine in my classes at that point, they w e r e n’t willing to give it to me.”

P a u l ’s primary issue in school and with standardized testing is needing more time to complete the same tasks as other students. On his SAT, Paul got a 1750, but he believes he could have done better had he had more time.

“On my SAT I left 26 answers blank, but I only got like 2 wrong,”

“I think there is a huge flaw in the system and how [PAUSD] approaches kids who are ‘slow learners.’”

- Kinnaman, senior

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and mental health issues. However, the diagnosis of a learning disability alone is not enough to qualify a student for a 504 plan.

If you have a diagnosis and you’re doing super well in school we would think that you don’t need accommodations,” Shultz said. “But if you have

Paul said. “I just never finished the test.”

Having a 504 plan can be a helpful tool for students with learning disabilities when it comes to standardized testing, such as the ACT or the SAT. Students go through their guidance counselors to apply for extra time for the ACT and the SAT, which has to be approved by the national test boards.

“Having a 504 plan does not guarantee you extra time on the SAT or ACT, because a lot of times what they’ll say is ‘we need more information than what your 504 is providing,’” Shultz said. Basically, you have to really prove to ACT and SAT that, based on your disability, you require extra time to be successful on this test.”

At the beginning of each school year, all teachers are sent a file of all the 504 plans of their students, that they are supposed to review so they can get familiar with which students receive which types of accommodations. Often, students must advocate

for themselves if they want to receive the accommodations in their plans.

“I have had some experiences where the teachers do not understand what my accommodations are or what I need,” Cassini said. “[Students should] say ‘Hey can I come to the meeting so I can hear what I’m doing well in? What do I need to improve on?’ because the im-

cial education, including Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), for students whose learning disabilities require more time and personal attention, has been criticized by many PAUSD parents. For the past year, there has been an ongoing investigation into whether the Special Education department is fulfilling its obligations.

A parent advisory committee, representing the complaints of over 400 parents, believes that “parents are frustrated and often mention the slowness of staff to identify problems or find an appropriate response.”

Looking back, I wish someone had told me it was okay that I don’t learn like everyone else; that hawving a learning disability doesn’t mean I’m not trying hard enough. I hope young students don’t have to go through what I did to make that realization, and I hope the administration recognizes that just because someone isn’t failing doesn’t mean they don’t need help.

“On my SAT I left 26 answers blank, but I only got like 2 wrong, I just never finished the test.”

- Paul, senior

Various pencil grips common among people with dysgraphia

portant part is being able to manage and advocate for yourself,” Perry said.

Shultz agrees.

“Sometimes the teachers will forget and they need to be reminded,” she said. “Just remind your teachers that you have the 504 plan and that you get the extra time.”

However, it is clear that some students are uncomfortable bringing up their special circumstances to an adult they are unfamiliar with.

It’s not just 504 plans that are controversial. The whole realm of spe-

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

Prepare for the best month of your life

3

TEXT AND DESIGN BY KATIE DOUTY AND CHARLEE STEFANSKI ILLUSTRATION BY MAYA KANDELL

, 2, 1 and the ball drops! The clock strikes midnight and confetti bursts.

A wave of relief rolls over me with this fresh start. I rush to my cellphone to tweet the most unique saying of the century: “New year, new me!” Finally, it’s time to make the incredible leap from the messy, outdated me to the completely hasher-life-together, 2016 me.

As I give out countless New Year’s hugs, I realize that my acquaintances are having a hard time making their arms meet around me. My heart drops as I realize my bikini bod has been compromised by Christmas cookies and peppermint bark. With spring break just four short months away, it’s time to check off my first resolution. One word: Equinox. Even though my mom has been offering me a membership for months, I’ve forced myself to stay home and eat just so the 2016 me seems that much healthier. However, with a gym membership comes the risk of sore muscles, so it’s only safe to get a free trial. It’s a win-win: I’ll feel toned for seven days and have a supply of Lululemon attire to last the whole year.

However, Equinox won’t make a big enough dent in the overwhelming damage I’ve done. Going into 2016 with a balanced diet is crucial. All I’ll need is a few boxes of trash bags and a heavy duty vacuum to clear out all the junk food I’ve allowed to accumulate in my kitchen. The new me will be disgusted while scrubbing away all evidence of those almost-empty pints of ice cream and that half-eaten family sized bag of chips. However, I know she’ll thank me for leaving my stash of gummy worms on the highest shelf in the kitchen.

Wow, I’m absolutely on a roll! I’m going to make 2016 me not only a health fanatic, but also a do-gooder. I admit, for the past year I’ve slacked off and only thought about myself. C’mon, that’s understandable, but yes, unacceptable. I’ve already

22 CULTURE

looked into a few non-profit organizations to take part in this year: dog shelters, retirement homes, you name it. The one that catches my eye, however, is the local food bank that’s shutting down in February. Hey, I never said 2016 me gained commitment.

With all of this do-gooding, I’ll have to rev up my fourth resolution: organization.

Even after making the trip to Office Depot and labeling my dividers last semester, all of my AP Literature handouts somehow ended up shoved into the depths of my backpack.

Second semester me would never allow this.

It’s time to take on a new era of diligent organization — no more struggling to locate last night’s homework during the first half of class. This may have been on last year’s resolutions list, but I promise this time it’ll be different.

Embodying the organized and helpful new me means dedicating

myself to responsibilities that I have been avoiding for the past 17 years ... fine, including chores. I solemnly swear to stop using “I have to start studying for finals” three months early and “I’m pretty sure I have to be at AJ in thirty minutes” as excuses. This time around, I fully intend to help my mom with whatever task she needs done for a solid month. After that, I figure I will have done us both a favor: she will have received my dutiful aid, and I will be fueled with a multitude of new excuses such as, “I loaded the dishwasher like a month ago” and “I fed the dog in January!”

While I’m mending my relationship with my mom, I guess I’ll expand it to other inspirations in my life. I admit, I owe a sincere apology to my physics teacher. College essays and “Mad Men” have taken up hours that really should be spent sleeping or studying motion and inertia. Sometimes when the clock rolls around to 7:30 a.m. my body just says “no.” Making it to first period isn’t always possible when I need to run to Starbucks or do the homework that I didn’t finish the night before. Don’t worry — when the calendars flip to January 1st, I’ll abandon all traces of this irresponsible behavior. So, from now on, I promise to show up to class when I don’t have a believable excuse. I’ll save getting to class on time for next year’s resolution list.

I admit, I also owe a sincere apology to my grandma. 2015 me definitely didn’t pay enough attention to her sweet, fading soul.

However, this year I’ll revive her with the soothing sound of my voice on her cell phone every day. She’ll love the recordings of my voice I taped for her, trust me.

How considerate is next year’s me?

I know, I have a ton to work on for 2016, but believe me, I would never tweet something that wasn’t legit. With this new year there will be a new me. I will at least try to fulfill these resolutions, but there is one that I know I will complete: I’ll actually know where I am when I wake up next January 1st.

REASONS TO GO TO TEXT, DESIGN, AND PHOTOS BY KATYA SIGAL

Eat Swedish meatballs Play hide-and-go-seek

Turn up

Pretend to be a model

Take a nap for 5 hours

Learn Swedish

Eat more Swedish meatballs

Hella turn up

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2016 WINTER EVENTS CALENDAR TEXT AND DESIGN BY REILLY FILTER PHOTO BY EMMA SCOTT

FOOD

SPORTS

JANUARY 30: HALF MOON BAY CRAB FEST

JANUARY 7: SHARKS VS. RED WINGS

EVERY WEDNESDAY & SUNDAY: FARMERS MARKET IN UNITED NATIONS PLAZA

JANUARY 10: HOT CHOCOLATE 15K/5K RUN

EVERY SUNDAY: CALIFORNIA AVENUE FARMERS MARKET

SCHOOL

JANUARY 11: WARRIORS VS. HEAT FEBRUARY 7: SUPER BOWL

NATURE

JANUARY 14: PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL WINTER RALLY

JANUARY 5: CONSERVATORY OF FLOWERS FREE ADMISSION

FEBRUARY 5: PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL CLUB DAY

JANUARY 6: UC BERKELEY BOTANICAL GARDEN FREE ADMISSION

FEB 9 & 10: CHOIR POPS CONCERT AT HAYMARKET THEATER

EVERY SATURDAY: FREE OUTDOOR YOGA IN GOLDEN GATE PARK

ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 15: TEEN ARTS COUNCIL OPEN MIC AT LUCIE STERN JANUARY 29: TEEN ARTS COUNCIL POINT B POETRY JAM AT LUCIE STERN FEBRUARY 11: G-EAZY CONCERT AT BILL GRAHAM CIVIC AUDITORIUM IN SAN FRANCISCO

2424CULTURE Media

ART JANUARY 9: JACK OF ALL TRADES INDIE CRAFT & ANTIQUE MARKET AT JACK LONDON SQUARE IN OAKLAND FEBRUARY 7: ASIAN ART MUSEUM FREE ADMISSION IN SAN FRANCISCO

Culture 25

MEDIA

EXPLORING TWO ARTISTS: J. Cole’s “The Come Up” TEXT AND DESIGN BY JORDAN SCHILLING ILLISTRATION BY MAYA KANDELL

I

t was a mixtape, released in 2007, that propelled Jermaine Cole towards becoming one of the best hip-hop artists of the decade.

Today he is known to the public as J. Cole and is regarded as one of the best storytellers in the game. But before diving into his musical prowess, it’s worth appreciating Cole’s hard-fought journey to fame.

Cole grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina, which he often refers to as the “ville.”

He grew up in the care of his single mother, which is an inspiration for many of his songs. Despite his rough upbringing, he left his hometown to attend St. John’s University on an academic scholarship. Graduating with honors in 2007, he released his first ever mixtape. Although it didn’t reach the billboard 200, it kick-started his career in the hip-hop world.

The 21 track album, “The Come Up,” includes two of my favorite J. Cole songs: “Simba” and “Carolina On My Mind.” It is a personal memoir, a roast, and a love story all in one mixtape. The songs seem disconnected, but each one tells a powerful story.

The first song in the mixtape, “Simba,” introduces J. Cole’s unique storytelling style.

With its lively beats and dramatic lyrics, “Simba” tells the story of Cole’s journey to

My top five favorite J.Cole tracks on soundcloud:

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fame. Cole, right out of college, had nothing to his name. In “Simba” Cole raps, “I’m spittin’ hungry like ain’t s*** up on my dinner plate.” Cole is working hard, “spittin’ hungry,” and trying to make a name for himself.

He ends the song with a tribute to Prince Simba’s song in The Lion King, “I Just Can’t Wait to be King,” with his lyric: “I can’t wait to be king, n****: young simba!” Cole, just like Simba, has great ambition.

“Carolina On My Mind” is my go-to late night song. It has an old school feel with relaxed beats and flowing rhymes.

The song consists of powerful lyrics that stress the importance of remembering where you come from, because your story is what shapes you and makes you “real.”

Cole does exactly that in this song by rapping about the “ville,” the place that gave him his swagger.

8.7

It is easy to appreciate the stories and beats Cole brings to the table in his mixtape.

If you are new to Cole’s style, it won’t take long to get attached to his music. His specialty is writing lyrics that grab the listener’s attention and make them empathize with him.

Today, Cole is a member of the infamous Roc-Nation entertainment company and has released five mixtapes and three albums. He has become king of the new hip-hop age. His most recent album, “Forest Hills Drive” sold over a million copies in the United States alone. Cole has had three consecutive No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart. Despite all of his fame and fortune, however, Cole has not forgotten his roots. Carolina is still on his mind and “The Come Up” should be on every J. Cole fan’s mind too.

ROOTS AND EVOLUTION Grimes’ “Art Angels” TEXT AND DESIGN BY HENRY GORDON ILLUSTRATION BY MAYA KANDELL

T

he progression of Claire Boucher’s musical prowess has wowed her cult audience over the past years. Her sounds have evolved from the electro ambience of “Halfaxa” (2010), to the indie trip pop of “Visions” (2012), and to her latest masterpiece, “Art Angels” (2015), where angry Taylor Swift meets K-pop. Under the pen name “Grimes,” Boucher writes and produces all musical components of her enterprise, capturing the hearts of those looking for more than just an average indie pop star. Boucher continues to differentiate herself as a self-made splatter art musician through “Art Angels,” layer-

ing her vocal range on top of her previously established production ability. This album seems to be Boucher’s bold musical breakout from her reserved and bitterly haunting “Visions,” now boasting high pitched vocals that ebb and flow with brutal, faster paced beats.

Boucher transforms her lyrical ambitions into anything her heart desires. “Kill V. Maim” acts as a sarcastic mockery of masculinity with its lyrics, “Italiana mobster, looking so precious.” Contrarily, the Prince inspired lyrics of the song “Artangels” gives off a flirtatious vibe: “You’re my darling girl, tell me what’s on your mind.” Boucher touches on polar opposite musical themes throughout the album, ranging from masculine undertones to glamorized synth divas.

Boucher’s lyrics are light in subject, but are juxtaposed with loud and pounding rhythms. Echoing Alexis Krauss’ (vocalist of Sleigh Bells) speaker destroying rhythms, a majority of the album is not soothing late night music, but is meant to be heard at the next house over. The cheerleader-esque vocals of “Flesh Without Blood” hint at innocence, but are overwhelmed by the violent bass and dark synth in ‘Butterfly” and “Scream.” In contrast, “California” features high pitched, glam-pop wails that resembles a catchy 80’s hit. The record is composed of two completely different sounds, with half of the album unleashing her built up edge and the other di-

8.4 rectly competing with Katy Perry circa 2010.

Grimes, as a project, flows more naturally than in previous years, and it is evident that Boucher has turned her self-made fantasy into a reality. In reference to her previous albums, Boucher revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that “All the songs that are singles are songs people have to force me to do...I always hate the songs that are the singles.”

“Art Angels,” however, exposes a distinct change of heart for Boucher. She has produced an album that is plentiful with billboard single gold. Boucher unveils all of her various sounds, and has clearly taken a left turn from the tones of “Visions,” further exposing her rarely seen vocal talent on the teenage dream-esque “REALiTi.” This alteration of sound on “Art Angels” has morphed Grimes from a brilliant producer into an expansive pop star. Just when we thought she had reached her pinnacle, Boucher, once again, has trumped her previous masterpiece. Grimes’ soaring hooks and tranquil lullabies push the limits of a musicians’ transformation and open the door for increasingly different sounds in her expanding potential.

My top five selections from “Art Angels”

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A Look into: Katya’s Spotify PLAYLIST AND DESIGN BY KATYA SIGAL PHOTO BY EMMA SCOTT

Sunday Candy ~ Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment What You Know ~ Two Door Cinema Club Junk of the Heart (Happy) ~ The Kooks Changing ~ The Airborne Toxic Event Adventure of a Lifetime ~ Coldplay Gotta Get Away ~ The Black Keys Paradise Waiting ~ Vacationer Where We Should Be ~ Cherub Coastin’ ~ Zion I feat. K. Flay Shooting Stars ~ Bag Raiders Houdini ~ Foster the People Heartbeat ~ Satellite Stories For the rest of the playlist scan this QR code:

28 culture

Circles ~ Machineheart Losers ~ The Weeknd

WHAT I’LL MISS ABOUT PALY TEXT AND DESIGN BY ALEX WEINSTEIN PHOTO BY JORDAN SCHILLING

1.

2.

3.

Having to take the perfect photo for Instagram every day of Spirit Week Gotta get those likes, am I right?

Getting stopped by the PAPD for biking with headphones in Just trying to get some slaps in before school.

Everyone freaking out about James Franco always being at your school Eh... He’s not that great. He doesn’t even paint well...

4.

Not being able to go anywhere without seeing construction And we seniors won’t even get to enjoy the final product.

5.

The struggle of coming late to school and not getting parking To park in staff or to not park in staff... That’s the real question.

6.

Trying to find the cheapest deal possible at town and country Just don’t want to spend $15 on a sandwich.

7.

Seeing naked bodies running through campus Missin’ those cheeks. media 29

C MAGAZINE TRIES: VIRTUAL REALITY We find out if VR landscapes are as trippy as popular media has audiences believe TEXT AND DESIGN BY AHANA GANGULY AND NICOLE LI

Y

ou’re standing in the middle of a broad street with a wide courtyard on one side. People sit in patio chairs, leaning into their conversations. Behind you looms the Eiffel Tower.

You didn’t come to Paris on an airplane. All you did to leave your comfortable surroundings was peer into a cardboard box.

Confused? Surprised? So were we. Virtual reality (VR) goggles take you to countless places, even though they’re just simple lenses with frames made out of cardboard or plastic. Once you slip your smartphone (iPhone or Android) into the viewer, the lenses magnify your phone’s screen and curve the images at the edges. Specialized apps present videos and images in a split-screen format that merges into one when seen through the viewer. This creates an illusion of three-dimensional space.

The goggles are portals to another world, and the implications are endless. Aside from

30 media

bringing videos and simple images to life, virtual reality is also being incorporated into video games and therapy for medical patients and soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

According to Wall Street Journal reporter Caitlin McCabe, Veteran’s Affairs hospitals, universities and other establishments across the U.S. have created virtual landscapes to help trauma patients confront their fears. Patients learn to adapt to frequent exposure to psychological triggers, such as realistic war environments, without leaving the safety of the treatment center. In addition, burn patients distract themselves with VR goggles during painful treatment sessions by watching movies, playing games and listening to music.

Journalism is another sector tapping into virtual reality. Berkeley graduate students Lakshmi Sarah (Paly Class of 2003 grad and former Verde Magazine editor) and Melissa

Bosworth plan to film the refugee crisis in Germany with 360-degree GoPro technology. After Sarah and Bosworth edit the footage to make a VR landscape, viewers will be able to experience the crisis from a different vantage point.

“We’re interested in the potential of this kind of storytelling — to tell a story from the perspective of the people we’re profiling — because a lot of the media coverage tells it from a very European perspective,” Bosworth said. “We think that we could do something different to create a sense of empathy and create the sense that these are real people; this is what it feels like to be them.”

We headed out to the park on a cloudy Monday afternoon with a Google Cardboard VR viewer (you can order your own for $20 on Amazon). After loading up the Google Cardboard app and placing Nicole’s iPhone 6 into the viewer, Ahana tried out the mystical device for the first time.

Here’s a direct transcript: “Ah hahaha! That’s so cool! Oh my god!

It’s, like, right there. It moves! Nicole, it turns! Ah. There are new delights with every one! Are there children watching us? Whoa!

Nicole, I see it. It’s right here. How do I leave?

er after switching from another slide, but we consider this app a good introduction to virtual reality; the image toggling and amount of recalibration needed is minimal. Without much headache, we found out what Jerusalem looks like! #lifegoals

The one thing we hope will improve after some updates is the buffering speed. Every video we watched downloaded while it was playing, which took up to ten minutes at a time.

NYT VR:

The goggles are portals to another world, and the implications are endless.

Kaleidoscope? What does that mean? Oh my god! I’m in a kaleidoscope! Nicole, this is so cool! I’m in a kaleidoscope! Oh my god, it turns.”

Basically, it was pretty great.

It is fascinating that anyone could be anywhere in the world without leaving a swivelling office chair (which is by far the best place to view virtual reality). Even though you’re looking at a phone screen through simple lenses, it feels as though time and space are bending into a new environment.

“My brain doesn’t know what’s going on. Oh my god, Nicole! The canal is right there. Okay, okay, I’m on land. My brain can’t really grasp both realities at once.

So I can’t really walk forward because I’m going to fall down — but I know that there’s grass in front of me.

This is really weird! I swear I was gonna fall! Oh my god, this is so weird.”

While we were completely wowed by it all, we had some basic concerns: Why must the phone battery drain out so quickly? Will we suffer from headaches after so much turning and image blurring? Are those kids on the playground watching us thinking we’re weirdos?

Now for the breakdown of each app we downloaded!

Google Cardboard:

It would be nice if the images loaded fast-

The trippiest thing in this app is the kaleidoscope, hands down. Flower-like shapes blossom out of nowhere as speeding prisms whiz by, never making contact.

Jaunt:

Whoa. We will never get this close to Big Sean in real life. Honestly, we love Jaunt the most. Everyone in the front row of the Big Sean concert is filming him on their phones

To be honest, the videos’ low resolution detracted from their cool factor. Jaunt has better resolution.

But we will say that the current events and news link to virtual reality is a fabulous effort to bring people closer to the world’s affairs.

CONCLUSION:

In general, loading and unloading the phone into the cardboard viewer can be made much smoother. Opening the flap, placing the phone in and then calibrating the screen is often clunky. Afterwards, the dual lenses have to align correctly — otherwise we saw double and segued quickly into headache mode.

Sometimes we could see where the images blurred a little, but otherwise, the illusion was complete. We highly recommend you try out the experience.

when they could just go home and see him up close with VR goggles. Just enjoy the show, guys. Leave the filming for the pros.

We could see the security guards surrounding the stage, as well as just about every other detail of the concert — it seemed as though the people were two feet in front of us. We could explore every nook and cranny.

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Cynthia Schuman www.cynthiaschuman.com Resin | Enamel | Oil