C Magazine Vol. 4 Edition 6

C

May 2016 Vol. 4 Edition 6

Magazine Arts & Culture

Service Trips Abroad

24

Letter from the Editors

Cover photo by Emma Scott

Dear Readers, Bittersweet is the word we would use to describe this last production cycle. Bitter given the knowledge that this is our last production as editors and with our staff. From our last “story ideas” period to our final evenings of production in the MAC, it seemed as though every step we took marked a new finish line. Even standing in the kitchen on a random Wednesday eating pretzels with Nutella (it has become somewhat of a C Mag tradition), someone commented “This may be our last time doing this.”

However, although this production cycle has been filled with lasts, it has also been filled with lots of firsts. In that way it has been sweet. We have enjoyed watching the new generation of editors and the entire new editorial board take control and learn the ropes of their positions. We are incredibly excited to announce that Reilly Filter, Katie Passarello, Sarah Shapiro and Ahana Ganguly will take over as the new editors in chief of C Mag next year while Jasmine Abeyta and Atusa Assadi will be the new managing editors. Jordan Schilling will be our Technical Director and Teddie Stewart will be our Creative Director. Watching them run this production cycle, there is no doubt in our mind that they are going to do amazing things next year and continue to develop C Mag to its full potential.

In other news, we recently received a heartwarming email with news about one of the undocumented students we featured in our last cover story. This student is finishing her eighth grade year at Beechwood K-8 school and just went through the process of applying to private high schools. Eastside High School seemed to be a perfect fit for her but she was waitlisted. Beechwood’s staff sent letters to Eastside and did whatever they could to convince the admissions office of her qualification and passion for attending the school, but weren’t successful. In a final attempt to change the mind of the admissions office, Beechwood’s Graduate Services Coordinator brought the story we wrote about her and her family and shared it with Eastside’s principle. Shortly after, they received the news that she had been admitted. We are overjoyed that our article may have been the tipping point needed to admit her. Moments like these remind us of the power of what we do and the importance of journalism.

We’ve had an amazing experience as editors this year (which you can read about more on page 44) and are sad to say goodbye, but can’t wait to see where the magazine will go next. We wish Reilly, Katie, Sarah, Ahana and the rest of the C Mag editorial team and staff the best of luck and feel confident that great things are in store.

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

Managing Editors Ahana Ganguly Katie Douty

Design Editor Charlee Stefanski

Copy Editor Katya Sigal Photo Editors Larkin McDermott Emma Scott

Social Media & PR

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

Palo Alto High School’s Arts and Culture Magazine

Alex Weinstein

Photographer Jordan Schilling

Staff Writers Jasmine Abeyta Atusa Assadi Karni Beth Chiara Biondi Laure Blanchez Maddy Buecheler Hannah Darby Reilly Filter Henry Gordon Nicole Li Katie Look Katie Passarello Rima Parekh Ally Scheve Sarah Shapiro Emma Staiger Teddie Stewart Nathan Zeidwerg

Advisers

Brian Wilson

What’s Inside...

FOOD

4 6 7 8 10 12

Ice Cream Sundaes

Monkey Bread Spice up Your Coffee

California Ave Farmers Market Finds Vegan Treats Make Your Own: California Rolls

Culture 14 15 18 20 23 24 30

C Mag Perspective: This is the End Picnics in Paradise C Mag Simplifies: Global Warming What a Time to Be Alive!

Depths of Netflix Cover Senior Stories

arts

31 35 36 38 42 44 46

Artist of the Month: Yotam Ponte Make American Music Great Again The Soundtrack of Our Teenage Years Summer Crafts

Slam Poetry Murals Music & Art Poems

Ice Cream

FOOD

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sundae: Creamy cookie dough mixed with hot fudge and vanilla ice cream is the perfect midnight snack for any post-party craving.

Ingredients:

3 scoops vanilla ice cream Hot fudge sauce Caramel sauce Chopped peanuts Rainbow sprinkles Cookie dough batter ­— either homemade or store-bought

Instructions: Put one scoop of the vanilla ice cream into the bottom of a tall glass, then place a scoop of the cookie dough on top of the vanilla ice cream. Top the cookie dough and ice cream with hot fudge sauce. Repeat this two more times or until the glass is full. Then, add caramel, more hot fudge, whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles.

Sundaes Strawberry Shortbread Sundae:

Looking for a fruity sundae that makes summer taste oh-so-sweet? Try this zesty strawberry shortbread sundae!

Ingredients: 1/2 cup strawberries, quartered Shortbread, purchased at a local grocery store 2 scoops vanilla ice cream 1/3 cup strawberry jam Whipped cream for topping

Instructions: Put one scoop of vanilla ice cream into a tall glass, and add about 1/3 of the warm strawberry jam on top of the ice cream. Next, crumble pieces of the shortbread on top of the jam and ice cream. Top the sundae with the strawberries. Repeat this two times or until the glass is full. Finish with a dollop of whipped cream and enjoy!

TEXT, DESIGN AND PHOTOS BY HANNAH DARBY AND KATIE PASSARELLO

MONKEY BREAD

You’ll go bananas for this simple monkey bread recipe!

TEXT, PHOTO AND DESIGN BY EMMA STAIGER

Ingredients: t 3 cans non-flaky buttermilk biscuits t 1 cup white sugar t 2-3 teaspoons cinnamon t 2 sticks butter t 1/2 cup brown sugar Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Open all three cans of biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters.

3. Combine the white sugar with 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon (depending on how strong you want the cinnamon flavor to be). Put the sugar mixture into a 1 gallon Ziploc bag, and shake to mix evenly.

4. Place all of the biscuit quarters into the cinnamon-sugar filled bag, and shake vigorously to unstick the biscuits from one another.

5. Layer the covered nuggets evenly in a bundt pan.

6. Melt the two sticks of butter together with 1/2 cup of brown sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the butter and sugar mixture, stirring for a few minutes, until the two become one color.

7. Pour the combined butter and sugar mixture over the biscuits packed in the bundt pan.

8. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the crust is a deep dark brown on top.

9. Remove from the oven, and allow the monkey bread to cool for 15 to 30 minutes before turning it over onto a plate.

10. Enjoy this cinnamon-sugar masterpiece!

oooooooo 6 food

food 7

o

Ingredients:

TEXT • DESIGN • PHOTOS

BY TEDDIE STEWART

1 chai tea bag 1 cup water 1/2 cup cold brew coffee 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup 1 cup milk handful of ice whipped cream and caramel for topping

Instructions:

Brew the tea bag and let it seep for 5 minutes.

Allow the chai tea to cool to room temperature and add the cold brew.

Place the ice in your glass, followed by the vanilla syrup, chai tea/cold brew mix and milk.

Stir together, top with whipped cream and enjoy!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup good quality coffee beans (or buy them pre-ground) 3 cups filtered water Almond Breeze Almondmilk Original (about 1 cup per latte)

Instructions:

Grind your coffee beans in a coffee grinder, or start with pre-ground coffee.

In a large pitcher, stir the ground coffee and water together. Cover and chill overnight in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.

Use a nut milk bag or cheese cloth (doubled up) to strain the coffee from the grinds. Strain twice if you need to.

Pour into ice cube trays (this will fill about 2) and freeze. Make lattes by mixing the coffee ice cubes with almond milk. For a stronger latte, use more ice cubes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup milk 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon butter extract 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, combine milk, cinnamon and brown sugar over medium heat. Whisk continuously until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in the extracts and sweetened milk.

Remove from heat and pour into a large quart sized mason jar. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Shake well before use.

food food 77

CALIFORNIA AVE

FARMERS MARKET FINDS Farm-to-table eating is not only healthier but also more environmentally-friendly! C Magazine decided to take advantage of the local produce grown in Northern California and explore the variety of stands at the California Avenue Farmers Market.

2

7

2

1 8 food

STANDS TO SWING BY NEXT SUNDAY TEXT AND DESIGN BY CHIARA BIONDI AND REILLY FILTER PHOTOS BY EMMA SCOTT

1 Tomatero Farms

Located in Watsonville, Tomatero Farms distributes to local grocery stores in the Bay Area and Santa Cruz.

2 Cole Canyon Farm

Cole Canyon Farm is committed to organic food, humane treatment of livestock and wise use of the land and its limited water supply.

3 Cavanaugh Color

This nursery’s hopes that their flowers “brighten your home and warm your heart.”

4 Old Creek Ranch

5 Houweling Nursery This vendor exclusively sells tomatoes and cucumbers of top notch quality.

Berries 6 CFennellas Magazine’s favorite strawberries at the Farmers Market!

7 Capay Organic

As one of the trendsetters of the organic movement, Capay Organic has been supplying the Bay Area with its scrumptious crops since 1976.

A family owned farm since 1949, Old Creek’s produce is “grown in harmony with nature.”

6 4 5 3

food 9

VEGAN TREATS TEXT AND DESIGN BY KATIE LOOK PHOTOS BY KATIE LOOK AND JORDAN SCHILLING

Whether you’re a vegan or just someone who loves good food, these vegan recipes are definitely worth a try. Vegan cooking is cruelty-free, so the only guilt you’ll feel will be for eating too many muffins or cookies. Also, no eggs means no worries about food-borne diseases. (In other words, eat as much cookie dough as you want! We won’t tell.) Try these three amazing recipes for some yummy vegan snacks, courtesy of members of Paly’s growing vegan community.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour 2/3 cup quick cooking oats 1/3 cup cocoa powder 3/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1 cup non-dairy milk

Watch a video of this recipe on Instagram!

10 food

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 2. Grease muffin tins with cooking spray or line them with paper liners and set aside.

3. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt peanut butter in milk and stir constantly.

Remove saucepan from heat, and set aside to cool slightly.

4. In a large bowl, combine together the flour, oatmeal, cocoa powder, sugar and baking powder.

5. Once the dry ingredients are mixed and the peanut butter mixture is somewhat cool, pour the liquid into the dry mix and stir until combined.

6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and fill each cup to the top.

7. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes.

Elizabeth Rauner-Swan’s

Coconut Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup almond meal 1 cup rolled oats 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon A pinch salt 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 tablespoon non-dairy milk 1 heaping tablespoon softened coconut oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3 to 2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1/3 to 2/3 cup chopped pecans 1/3 to 2/3 cup dried cranberries

“The truth about the mistreatment of animals is hidden or covered up.

When people buy meat, leather, dairy products or products that have been tested on animals, they don’t think about the cruelty behind it. I would really encourage them to do the research for themselves.”

1. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (except coconut, pecans and cranberries). Mix well. 2. Add all wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. 3. Once wellcombined, add the coconut, pecans and cranberries. Amounts of these ingredients depend on personal preference — add as much or as little as you wish. 4. Roll dough into two-tablespoon sized balls. Place on cookie sheets, then flatten cookies with a fork. 5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Note: Cookies may come out looking slightly uncooked, but don’t cook longer. Let cool before eating.

— Elizabeth Rauner-Swan, freshman

Sissi Risse’s “I love baking in the first place, and having to bake without the usual ingredients is a little bit challenging — and I love that. We also get tastes that are different from what we usually have, and realize that replacing some ingredients is not such a big deal at the end.”

— Sissi Risse, junior

Fruit Crumble

For the filling: 8 ounces leftover fruit (any kind) 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon agave syrup For the crumble topping: 1/2 cup almond meal 1 tablespoon almond butter 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon flour Slivered almonds (optional)

1. If necessary, dice fruit into bite-sized pieces, removing any stems, seeds or inedible parts. 2. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the fruit, water and agave syrup until fruit is soft. 3. Pour the fruit into a baking dish. 4. In a small bowl, combine the almond meal, almond butter, cinnamon and flour.

5. Scatter the crumble over the fruit. If you like, sprinkle slivered almonds on top.

6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until fruit is bubbling and topping is golden brown. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

food 11

California ROLLS

Make your OWN:

TEXT, DESIGN AND PHOTOS BY LAURE BLANCHEZ AND NICOLE LI

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6+)

Raw tuna (1/4 lb) Raw salmon (1/2 lb) Rice vinegar (200 ml) California sushi rice (3 cups) Seaweed sheets (1 pack) Sushi rolling mat (1) Sugar (5 teaspoons) Salt (1 teaspoon) Avocado (2) Cucumbers (1) Sesame seeds (sprinkle as desired)

TIPS

All ingredients and materials can be found at Whole Foods — but, no matter where you choose to shop, make sure the raw ingredients are fresh and safe to eat!

Use a wooden spoon to take the rice out of the pot and wash it with water regularly so the rice doesn't stick to the surfaces it touches.

12 food

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine 3 cups of rice and 6 cups of water in a pot. Cook until the water evaporates.

2. Cut the peeled and pitted avocado, peeled cucumber, tuna and salmon into long slices about 1 cm wide.

3. Stir the rice vinegar, sugar and salt into the cooked rice. Mix thoroughly. (It is normal for the rice to be sticky).

4. Lay a sheet of seaweed onto the rolling mat (If you don’t have a sushi mat, a rectangular piece of saran wrap works just as well).

5. Spread a thick layer of rice on top of the seaweed, leaving about 2 inches of bare seaweed sheet on one end.

6. In the middle of the rice, lay out slices of cucumber and avocado side by side to make sure the whole distance is covered. Then add slices of tuna or salmon, once again making sure that the whole distance is covered.

7. Sprinkle sesame seeds on the uncovered spaces of the rice.

8. Now grab the sushi mat, and roll the seaweed sheet, making sure none of the cucumber, avocado or fish fall out of place. The part of the seaweed sheet that is not covered in rice should stick to the roll.

9. Cut the roll into pieces of desired size and serve immediately or after chilling.

10. Put in the fridge and let cool. Add ginger, wasabi and soy sauce for extra flavor. Enjoy!

JULIAN CHASE SALON & SPA

Serving Palo Alto and the Bay Area since 1997

Services: Men and Women’s Hair Cut and Color, Hair Straightening, Styling, and Treatment

20% Off First Time Clients, All Services, All the Time 2343 Birch Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 321-7025

CULTURE C MAG PERSPECTIVE:

this is the end

“I

t looks like they’re standing in puke,” Maya Benatar says while critically inspecting her painting of the characters from Pixar’s “Inside Out.” She is obviously having regrets about the murky green-brown color she used to paint the floor. The four of us are sitting around a table scattered with art supplies, painting as we look out at a 360 degree view of San Francisco. The plan was to spend the day in the city at Maya’s grandma’s apartment and then go back to Maya’s house to have a sleepover.

If you had told us this would be us just a couple months ago, we probably all would have laughed.

We never could have imagined that the four of us, all very different and socially separated, would become best friends in just a few months.

When the four of us met up for the first time to discuss the upcoming

14 culture

TEXT BY FRIDA SCHAEFER BASTIAN, MAYA BENATAR, CLARA DE MARTEL AND MAYA KANDELL DESIGN BY FRIDA SCHAEFER BASTIAN PHOTO BY LARKIN MCDERMOTT

school year at Printer’s Cafe on California Avenue, the conversation was limited strictly to C Mag. Although we were careful around each other that first day and spoke politely, we quickly discovered that we wouldn’t always see eye to eye. Maya B. and Frida often teamed up fighting for leniency, while Clara and Maya K. argued for more structure and harder deadlines.

However, the more we met up, the more the conversations evolved from C Mag to our personal lives, and the less we were afraid to speak out and fight openly (and loudly) for our opinions.

Since then, every hour spent making class plans, discussing cover stories and assigning stories to writers has been filled with laughter, arguing, yelling (good and bad) and, most of all, compromise. We experienced something we never had before: a peer relationship

where we could disagree completely without the fear of offending someone. The environment was one of acceptance and understanding because no matter what, we were always brought back together by our love for the magazine—which quickly developed into a love for each other.

11 p.m. production nights in the Media Arts Center turned into spontaneous Thursday night parties in Maya B.’s basement, which turned into two day sleepovers, which turned into weekends skiing in Kirkwood.

We talked about the preconceptions we had about each other and how grateful we were to have the opportunity to cross those social barriers to make unlikely yet deep friendships with one another. We learned to keep an open mind when it comes to making new friends because sometimes the closest friendships form when you least expect it.

Although the future scares us because it will entail some serious separation anxiety from Maya B., who is the only one who didn’t get the memo that the C Mag squad is going to the same college, we know that this friendship is forever. And for that, we want to thank C Mag.

PICNIC-IN-

PARADISE When in doubt, whip the blanket out TEXT BY MADDY BUECHLER AND EMMA SCOTT

33 culture 15

Windy Hill Space Preserve PHOTO BY EMMA SCOTT

Windy Hill Open Space preserve

Rapley Trail

Perched in the hills of Los Altos, Skyline Ridge displays

This picturesque picnicking place is located right off of

breathtaking sights of the peninsula; unimaginable views

Alpine Road, in Woodside/Portola Valley. After hiking

from San Francisco’s skyscrapers to Stanford’s red roofs

about a quarter of a mile downhill, you’ll stumble across

expand across the horizon. If you’re feeling adventurous,

a little pond and stream area — the perfect place to eat.

Skyline offers numerous trails with exquisite views of the

Perhaps one of the most peaceful places in the bay, the

Santa Cruz Mountain Range. You may even be able to see

Rapley trail is a great place to escape for lunch during the

filtered views of the Pacific Ocean!

weekend!

34 16 culture culture Windy Hill Space Reserve PHOTO BY MADDY BUECHELER

Rapley Trail PHOTO BY EMMA SCOTTECHELER

Windy Hill Space Preserve PHOTO BY MADDY BUECHELER Windy Hill Space Preserve PHOTO BY EMMA SCOTT

Located on San Mateo’s Bay shore, Seal Point Park offers gorgeous aerial views of the Bay Area that are perfect for a picnic. After your picnic lunch, take advantage of the park’s many recreational activities. From kayaking on the bay to the hiking trails for walkers and bikers, Seal Point is the ideal location for summer days.

Windy Hill Space Preserveww PHOTO BY EMMA SCOTT

Seal Point Park

culture 17 35 culture Rapley Trail PHOTO BY EMMA SCOTT

C MAG SIMPLIFIES:

There’s a lot more to global warming than melting ice caps and California’s drought. C Mag simplifies the causes of climate change and its effects on generations to come.

The causes FOSSIL FUELS We’ve all heard of fossil fuels, but what are they, and where do they come from? Humans heavily rely on fossil fuels, which account for 80% of the world’s energy.

The three main types of fossil fuels are coal, oil and natural gas. Oil and natural gas come from fossils of plants and animals, hence the name “fossil fuel.” When small plants and animals die in the ocean, they sink and settle at the ocean floor, and over a period of many years, they are covered by sedimentary rock. As the layers of rock become thicker, the dead organic matter is placed under a great amount of pressure which helps convert it to oil and natural gas.

Coal is formed by the same process, but instead comes from fallen dead trees and plants that sank into swamps and bogs millions of years ago. Oil, also known as petroleum, is refined and used as gasoline. Natural gas, however, is made of methane and is used in stoves and for heating homes, while coal is primarily used for electricity. The burning of fossil fuels is the main culprit for global warming, responsible for 65% of the planet’s carbon emissions.

40%

Of the ocean’s ice cover has decreased since the 1960’s

by 2099

10%

Sea levels will rise 1.9 feet

of people in the world Live in vunerable flooding areas

172,000,000 18 culture

acres of forest were cleared from 1990-2005

What IS...

A lot of people know what global warming is, but many can’t explain what occurs and why the earth is heating up. Here’s what it is in a nutshell: energy from the sun enters Earth’s atmosphere and is transformed into infrared light, which leaves Earth slowly because it is absorbed by greenhouse gases.

As people produce more greenhouse gases, energy leaves Earth even more slowly, causing the temperature to rise. This process has a fitting name: the greenhouse

GLOBAL WARMING TEXT AND DESIGN BY RIMA PAREKH AND CHIARA BIONDI • ARTWORK BY TEDDIE STEWART

The Perils RISING SEA LEVELS

global Warming? effect. The most widely-known greenhouse gases are methane and carbon dioxide (CO2), which occur naturally and help keep Earth warm enough to harbor life. However, due to human activity, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased.

Earth’s temperature has risen 1.6 degrees (which is a lot!) in the last 150 years. Since the industrial age, which began around the 1750s, CO2 has increased by 40%, while methane has increased by 150%.

As oceans become warmer because of climate change, the water expands. In fact, half of the rise in sea level in the last century has happened because warm water takes up more space. Melting glaciers and polar ice caps have also caused sea levels to rise, and 125 billion tons of ice are shed from ice sheets in Greenland and West Antarctica every year.

DROUGHTS

Due to climate change, there is less rainfall, which ultimately results in water shortages. Additionally, through the extraction of fossil fuels, such as coal mining and fracking for oil, water is wasted and contaminated.

ANIMAL EXTINCTION

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global warming could put up to as many as 70% of species at greater risk of extinction. Because ecosystems are intertwined, species that go extinct could have an impact on other species, ultimately causing a snowball effect.

what you can do DRIVE LESS

Bike to school or carpool with friends (even if it means you don’t get to ride shotgun). According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, transportation is the second largest contributor for U.S. greenhouse gas emissions after electricity.

REDUCE MEAT IN YOUR DIET

Bring back Meatless Mondays! By reducing the amount of meat you eat, you can decrease your carbon footprint. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, meat produced for consumption causes more greenhouse gas emissions than transportation or industry.

TURN OFF THE THERMOSTAT

Try wearing layers when you’re feeling cold in your house, or open the windows when temperatures start to rise in the summer. By lowering the thermostat two degrees, you can save about 2000 pounds of CO2 over an entire year. Not only can you save energy by doing this, but also money.

culture 19

What a time Picture a world where internet is available to everyone, transmitted by billowing balloons hovering 20 kilometers above Earth. Google X’s Loon project has turned this vision into a reality. The balloons are 15 meters wide and filled with gas and can hover in space for approximately 100 days at a time. They connect to phones with a system called LTE (which is the standard wireless communication of highs-speed data for mobile phones), which can partner with telecommunication networks to provide internet access to everyone. When a balloon is finished with its 100 days in the stratosphere, it returns in a controlled descent by letting the gas out of its envelope. This project has already been tested in New Zealand, Brazil and Southern California and will hopefully be available to everyone soon.

When it is, third-world country residents living in poverty and isolated areas will have much easier access to technology.

20 culture

THE OCEANARRAY

Google x loon

Welcome to 2016, with fascinating technology, futuristic designs and innovations in every field.

Here are four projects that have the potential to revolutionize life as we know it.

Invented by Danish teenager Boyan Slat, the Ocean Cleanup Array is a project that cleans the ocean inexpensively and effectively by letting the ocean clean itself. Slat’s project is composed of a V-shaped array of floating barriers attached to the bottom of the ocean. The ocean’s natural currents push plastic floating around the ocean into these barriers. The litter is then guided by a semi-permeable screen. The screen helps concentrate the trash and funnel it into a central platform from which the plastic is periodically extracted. This project is still in the model testing stage, but it will hopefully be put to use by 2020. The Ocean Cleanup Array has the capacity to clean half of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 10 years. The array doesn’t disrupt sea life because most of the ocean’s currents pass under the barriers and screen. In addition to cleaning up our oceans, the Ocean Cleanup Project aims to raise awareness for ocean pollution and prevent further pollution.

e to be alive!

Microsoft’s HoloLens blends reality and the digital world.

The futuristic glasses aim to project virtual reality onto the real world, creating an interactive playspace that can be used for anything from entertainment to saving lives. Through their voice and gestures, people can design whatever three-dimensional images they can imagine and project them onto plain space with the glasses. The glasses work by tracking movements and gaze, and then blasting light at your eyes, producing incredible images. The HoloLens has layers of glass and sensors that allow you to get the most realistic experience possible and interact with the objects you produce. The potential is endless with these smart glasses; some of the possibilities include surgeons projecting detailed surgery instructions straight onto a patient’s body, engineers mapping out life-like models or simply screening your favorite Netflix series onto a nearby wall. Although Microsoft hasn’t announced a time frame for the release of the glasses, the HoloLens is predicted to be available to the public in five years.

HYPERLOOP Train

HOLOLENS

TEXT AND DESIGN BY KARNI BETH AND LAURE BLANCHEZ ILLUSTRATION BY CHLOE PATTERSON

The idea of the hyperloop train is to have wagons (or “pods”) traveling in vacuum tubes, powered and lifted on a five-centimeter air cushion by magnetic fields. Because the train is traveling in vacuum tubes, air resistance is eliminated, which allows it to travel at hypersonic speeds of 600 to 900 miles per hour producing almost no sound. The hyperloop train was first designed

by Elon Musk in 2013, who decided to leave his design unpatented so that anyone could improve and develop it. Thanks to Musk’s initial design, droves of students and researchers have been working on research for this exciting new technology.

Two Las Vegas-based start-ups are coming close to making the project a reality. The hyperloop train is already being tested on testing tracks in Las Vegas and is projected to be completed in 2016. The estimated cost for the planned line between San Francisco and Los Angeles is $6 billion. One of the most exciting things about this new mode of transportation is it would only require the equivalent of six and a quarter cups of gasoline for a 30 minute trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Imagine this: you could go out to dinner in Los Angeles after school and be back the same night!

culture 21

Grateful Gardens Since 1975

Landscape Design & Build Meticulous Maintenance Expert Pruning Bruce and Sharon Andrews, Owners

License #803784 (650) 224-7441

If You Want to Advertise With C Magazine Contact: agscheve1@gmail.com 650-201-7714

the depths of

NETFLIX

C Magazine

TEXT AND DESIGN BY ALEX WEINSTEIN AND KATYA SIGAL Often we find ourselves caught in a Netflix warp where we keep watching and watching. Continually viewing the same television shows can get boring, and what are you supposed to do when you finish the show? It’s time to travel into the unknown, far far down until you reach...THE DEPTHS OF NETFLIX! Here we find the weird, the creepy, the funny, the perfect watch for that late night binge.

Come embark with us as we enter and explore what the depths have to offer.

Happy Tree Friends

2006

TV-14

1 Season

+

MY LIST

Starring: Ellen Connell, David Winn, Warren Graff Genres: TV Shows, TV Comedies, TV Animated Comedies This show is: Dark, Goofy, Quirky The title and cute cover art may make this seem like a kindergartner’s Sunday morning cartoon, but don’t be fooled! One 15-minute episode in, and you’ve discovered the other side of this creepy show. This fun adult comedy is everything you love in a cartoon with a strange twist. It’s filled with adorable animals, interesting storylines and lots of blood ... not for the weak-minded!

Rubber

2010

R

+

1h 22m

MY LIST

Starring: Stephen Spinella, Jack Plotnick, Wings Hauser Genres: Comedies, International Comedies, Dark Comedies This movie is: Cynical, Absurd, Quirky Looking for a horror movie for your upcoming date night or night in? We went into the depths of Netflix to find you the perfect one. Ever have a fear of tires? Well don’t worry, after this scary film you will, and you’ll have a fear of getting your head blown up by one. This movie follows the life of a tire who discovers its power to blow up animals and humans heads. Think what you will, but a tire has never been so compelling!

Sharknado 3

2015

TV-14

1h 28m

+

MY LIST

Starring: Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, Cassie Scerbo Genres: Cult Movies, B-Horror Movies, Campy Movies This movie is: Campy, Exciting, Irreverant Just when you thought the shark movies would end, Netflix comes in clutch with the third film in this gripping trilogy. The last, and by far the most believable, Sharknado 3 follows the story of Fin Shepard, a sharknado fighter who tries to intercept multiple sharknados across the country which could create a “sharkicane” and put the nation in serious danger. Watch this highly plausible and realistic third movie because Netflix knows that the first two movies were just not enough.

culture 23

CULTURE

Service Trips Abroad TEXT BY JASMINE ABEYTA DESIGN BY CLARA DE MARTEL

Every year, thousands of students travel to impoverished countries, volunteering and immersing themselves in different cultures while looking to broaden their perspectives — but how effective are these trips?

24 culture 26

S

ome people are skeptical of the motives that prompt people to participate in these trips and the amount they actually help their host communities. Many resent service trips because they believe the excessively high prices organizations charge are only affordable for the wealthy. While there are those who seek the self-fulfillment these organizations offer, some feel the motivation to attend these programs does not stem from a genuine desire to help people; others are dubious of how much time is committed to productive service.

These organizations typically charge thousands of dollars for their programs with the objective of building leadership in their students and providing them with first-hand experiences that will educate them on global issues. The cost of these programs begs the question of how accessible these trips are for lower income families.

Palo Alto High School (Paly) senior Aiva Petriceks believes that some of these programs are targeted towards all students, not just the wealthy.

During the summer of 2015, Petriceks went to Matagalpa, Nicaragua with Global Glimpse, an organization based in Oakland that targets inner city schools in East San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco. To ensure all students have the opportunity to participate, Global Glimpse offers need-based aid, in addition to $1,000 of financial aid to all participants.

“By removing students from their schools and immediate social and community environments, we hope to challenge Glimpsers to think critically about the interdependencies of the global community and how their decisions inevitably have [an] impact on communities they may have never known existed before,” said Breanne Tchang, Global Glimpse Bay Area Program Coordinator.

However, despite the financial aid offered, participants must pay an additional $500 to $4,000 depending on the amount of aid granted and the program they’re attending.

Paly senior Kai Gallagher, who also spent three weeks in Matagalpa through Global Glimpse, doesn’t feel that the program offers sufficient aid and equal economic opportunity to all students.

“Global Glimpse funded people who had less family income, but I still got the feeling

that they were [focused on accumulating] profit,” he said. “If you can afford to do this over the summer, you’re pretty well off.”

In addition, Gallagher is uncertain of the lasting impact his volunteering had on the community, “I’m not saying our project didn’t help anyone, but in the face of countrywide poverty, one fence isn’t really a major step. It’s important to realize that the problems surrounding countries in South America, the Middle East and Africa (just to name a few regions) are so deeply developed that it’s going to take multiple generations of effort to even begin solving them.”

Paly senior Sidd Srinivasan participated in Amigos de las Américas, an organization that offers unique cultural immersion programs in Spanish-speaking countries. While Srinivasan enjoyed his time in Nicaragua, he is unsure of the effectiveness of these programs.

“There is no doubt that those who go [on service trips] develop as people, it’s just

ven into the culture, history and heritage of the people,” Vanessa Allen, GLA Director of Marketing, said.

“Our goal isn’t just to accomplish a task … it’s to show them another way of life in hopes of opening their minds and hearts,” Allen said. “It’s to teach an appreciation of new cultures and attitudes, so they can bring this understanding back to their communities and become ambassadors for a country and cause.”

Despite the unique personal growth that comes from going abroad, local community service can arguably prompt the same eye-opening experience and personal growth students seek abroad, but for free.

According to Paly senior Reid Walters, a volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula (BGCP), it’s not necessary to go abroad to experience a different way of life.

“Personally I have found a lot of value from working within my own community. I’ve developed deep connections and have been able to see the impact of my volunteer work. I think the biggest aspect of local volunteer work is the ability to volunteer consistently … that is a gift that service trips just don’t have the ability to provide.”

Paly senior Sarah Wang, also a volunteer at BGCP, agrees. “I was originally looking into doing some Amigos-type thing out of the country, but it seemed stupid to pay money to help people so far away when I could just help people five minutes away.”

While going abroad may sometimes be a luxury confined to those who are wealthy, and the lasting impacts on the community are up for debate, Petriceks, Srinivasan and Gallagher still had overall positive experiences.

“By far the most impactful moment of my trip was when I got to shadow a woman named Rosa who lives on a dollar a day. She lived in this tiny home with dirt as the floor, metal sheets as her wall and tarp as her roof and it could have been so easy for her to be sad about her life,” Petriceks said. “But Rosa is the kindest and happiest person I have ever met because she finds joy in her community, her daughter [and] her mom. Coming back from a really rough junior year, that day alone taught me to take a step back when things get really stressful, and remind myself of all the joys I have in my life.”

It’s important to realize that the problems surrounding countries in South America, the Middle East and Africa (just to name a few regions) are so deeply developed that it’s going to take multiple generations of effort to even begin solving them.

— Kai Gallagher, senior a question of whether participating in construction betters the community more than using the cost of the plane ticket and giving it to the community or organization,” he said.

Additionally, the design of these programs is a source of debate when considering how much traveling within the host country is done relative to actual volunteer work.

“Of course, there are some programs where people are in third world countries going to beaches everyday and doing this tourist thing and that tourist thing and maybe a couple days they go and help the community,” Petriceks said.

Global Leadership Adventures (GLA) is an example of an organization that incorporates an “adventure” portion into all of its programs.

GLA justifies having a few days dedicated to travel and other activities by explaining that “[it’s] like having weekends free.

We plan excursions for a variety of reasons, but primarily so that we give our students a well-rounded experience of the country they are visiting, so they have an opportunity to see the richness of the country’s natural resources, and to understand how they are wo-

culture 25

More about the organizations

TEXT BY JASMINE ABEYTA • DESIGN BY JASMINE ABEYTA AND KATIE PASSARELLO

Global Glimpse Global Glimpse sends volunteers to three Spanish-speaking countries: Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. To participate in Global Glimpse, you must submit an application after being nominated by a teacher, administrator or Global Glimpse Alumni Ambassador. An average of 13 students are accepted from each of Global Glimpse’s partner high schools.

Amigos de las Américas Amigos de las Américas is a language and cultural immersion program that collaborates with communities in Spanish-speaking countries to create projects specific to their needs. Amigos is one of the few programs that offer complete immersion, improving participants’ Spanish speaking skills tremendously while strengthening student leadership. Volunteers are assigned in pairs and live with a host family for about six weeks, working closely with the community throughout the trip.

“

The biggest impact the trip had on me was popping the bubble. It’s pretty easy to lose sight of the outside world when all you know is [Palo Alto], so it was eye-opening to see the sort of community that makes the rip-off goods you see in flea markets sometimes.

-Kai Gallagher, senior

”

“

I wanted a challenge, and living six to eight weeks in a rural community with only a partner or two who speak English is certainly that. I personally also liked the fact that from the get-go the organization emphasizes the fact that volunteers are not there to help the community members.

-Sidd Srinivasan, senior

”

teens get to interact with the Global Leadership Adventures staff, “In Guatemala...our teachers and students [at a state-run school] Global Leadership Adventures (GLA) is an organization that offers a wide variety of programs throughout the world. Community service, hands-on learning and adventure are at the core of each program.

Depending on the length of the trip, program costs range from $1,899 to $4,999. However, GLA offers need-based financial aid, encouraging students of all economic backgrounds to participate.

to see how they integrate Mayan culture into modern-day Guatemalan education objectives. Then, they take a weekend excursion to Lake Atitlan...It’s a fun weekend steeped in [Mayan] history, tradition and culture.

-Vanessa Allen, Director of Marketing

”

The Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula “ The Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula (BGCP) is a local institution that works to provide low-income students with the tools and opportunities they need to graduate and be successful. Volunteers can help students improve in a number of areas, whether it be coding, art or simply providing extra help with homework.

Typically, volunteers become interns over the summer for three to four weeks as a teacher’s assistant.

26 culture

During the summer I help out in the classroom.

During the school year, I either tutor one-on-one with kids who need extra help, or I just help kids with homework in class... Working at BGCP has made me [like kids more] and has also made me more open to trying new things.

-Sarah Wang, senior

”

OPINION: SERVICE FOR LEARNING

“R

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY EMMA SCOTT • DESIGN BY NICOLE LI

aise your hand if you think you can change the world.”

That was the first thing I heard when I stepped off the bus at my compound in the Dominican Republic.

That request was met with no response — except for a few slightly awkward laughs from my fellow service groupmates.

What could a small group of teenagers do?

My passion for traveling and meeting new people started when I went to Peru with Global Leadership adventures as a rising sophomore. There, my service group and I worked for a month in rural Cusco, building a greenhouse so the local community could grow food year round.

That was when I was first introduced to the idea of finding sustainable solutions, or giving communities aid with long-term benefits.

Inspired by the concept of helping create long-term benefits, I raised $3,500 so that I could travel to the Dominican Republic for a month. During my time in the Dominican Republic, I was once again exposed to the increasing need for sustainable solutions.

The first few days we were there, we destroyed and rebuilt the ceiling of an old concrete water tank that had collapsed, a tank that provided fresh water to the community of Joba Ariba. Without the tank, over 2,000 people were forced to haul up their own botellas of water, which was extremely costly and time consuming. Many residents of Joba Ariba couldn't afford the non-water tank water and were left with a shortage of clean water.

Once that was completed, we moved on to aiding families in Bateys — communities of immigrants who once worked in the now abandoned sugar cane factories. The Bateys had no infrastructure, no trash cans, no roofs, and often, up to 18 people lived in two rooms. The town was overrun with blackwater (sewage) which could give people deadly infections. We worked to cement floors so that

blackwater didn’t find its way into homes.

Perhaps the most mind boggling experience I had on that trip was my visit to Dajabon. Dajabon is one of the biggest markets in the world, where over a million people pass through every single day.

Located directly on the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, it serves as a selling ground for Haitians and Dominicans alike.

The crowds were so immense that it was difficult to walk even a few feet, but once you made it to the actual vendors, it was astonishing to see what they were selling.

Old baby toys, toothpaste, shoes, all things donated

by NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) after the Haitian earthquake.

I was amazed to see that someone would rather sell their clothes and toothpaste, than use them. But, as it was later pointed out to me, people need food to survive, not clothes.

Currently, I am fundraising so that next summer I will able to go back and start a water filter project that brings clean water into many Bateys around the area of Las Canas. Additionally I hope to go back to Peru sometime to set up a program that provides, distributes and educates communities on basic hygienic necessities.

“Raise your hand if you think you can change the world.” That was the last thing I was asked on the bus ride back to the airport. It was greeted by every single hand being raised in the air. But, as I learned, service is not always about changing the world. Sometimes it’s about personal growth, sometimes it’s about helping just one person. Sometimes, it’s about realizing that the best solution to a problem is going to take more time and more dedication than you can ever give, but trying your best anyway. And that’s okay with me. Service is something I love, and though there’s not always an endgame, it’s something I truly want to do for the rest of my life. It’s the combined efforts of many that lead to beneficial progress, and together, we can eventually shape our world for the better.

culture 27

The science of doing good:

why service trips aren’t the solution Donating to cost-effective charities betters more lives than any summer volunteer program TEXT, DESIGN, AND ILLUSTRATION BY MAYA KANDELL

M

y Instagram feed in late August tells a story repeated through colonial history.

Smiling African children cling to the back of an American volunteer who has dedicated their summer to service abroad. The grinning teenager, most often white, stands heroically in the center. At first glance, this scene is heartwarming, but when the same photo archetype shows up over and over, it tells a certain story: White American goes abroad to save the children of the third world — to teach them, fix their villages and present the “gift” of Westernization.

Actually, Western aid can be a wonderful gift — just not in the form of teenage philanthropists. People planning to venture to poverty-stricken villages in Africa and South America, often times spending upwards of $6,000 for their programs, should recognize that the money for that program cost and plane ticket can make a far greater impact when directed elsewhere. For example, that $6,000 could deworm 60,000 children, purchase nets to protect over 3,600 people from malaria, or prevent up to 30 years of blindness in 60 people, according to the organizations The Life You Can Save and GiveWell.

This speaks to the idea of effective altruism — that there is a scientific method to distributing money, and that to do the most good, money should go where it can make the most impact per dollar.

Of course, service trips can provide great

28 culture

opportunities for personal growth, often supply aid and resources to impoverished communities, and can inspire a lifetime of service in its participants. It’s hard to complain about any program or person aiming to build schools, bathrooms and sources of clean water. But however in-fashion high school volunteerism abroad might be, it is scientifically not the most effective way of helping people.

People create the greatest good when they do what they’re most qualified for (even if that means working on Wall Street and donating a portion of the money they make), and they can often make the biggest difference if they work locally. For a doctor trained to treat malaria, the cost to fly them across the world may well be worth it, but for the average high school student, tutoring underprivileged children within a 10-mile radius of their home may be a better use of their skills.

In fact, we have a lot of work to do in our own metaphorical backyard. According to the U.S. Census in 2010, 13 percent of children in Santa Clara County live in poverty.

That’s 60,000 kids. There are hundreds of local organizations aiming to help the people around us, and anyone can help out and experience the same personal growth that they would abroad — for free.

Some worry that local service pales in comparison to service trips abroad on college resumes, but there’s growing skepticism in college admissions offices about those who pay for “high-profile or exotic forms of community service,” as Harvard’s 2016 recommendations for “reshaping the admissions process” put it. Harvard suggested that college admissions should not view service based on its proximity to home but on the student’s “ethical awareness and skills generated” from the experience.

My advocacy for local service doesn’t mean I think we should ignore the plights of foreign nations — the answer just isn’t high school students’ amateur construction skills.

If your goal this summer is to do as much service to others as possible, think rationally, not sentimentally. Your best bet might be to get a job and donate the money you earn to a cost-effective charity.

To do this, you can visit GiveWell, a mega-charity of sorts that extensively evaluates thousands of other charities based on cost-effectiveness, room for further funds and a number of other factors. Go ahead and click that donate button. Because starving Africans need our money, not our high schoolers.

culture 29

SENIOR STORIES

TEXT BY EMMA SCOTT AND HENRY GORDON DESIGN BY EMMA SCOTT PHOTO BY KATYA SIGAL

“One time I...

played Manhunt around Palo Alto with 50 other kids from the grade.” went with a ton of people, parked cars on the quad at night and turned on the headlights so we could play volleyball.”

went to Tunitas (twice) for grade bonding (it was L17).” accidently showed up at a trap house.” had Conner Harden make me hot chocolate.” stole a stranger’s boat and took it for a joyride.” camped in my car.” totaled my car.” threw up on someone’s mom. My parents made me give her flowers and write an apology note.” participated in table wars 2016.” had a guy give me hickeys in the shape of my initials.” went night swimming wearing only my undergarments with a large group of fellow 2016ers.” defecated on the Gunn football field.” won Kahoot.” peed on someone’s credit card and gave it back without telling them.” continued the 50-yard line tradition.” had to buy a dress to match my green graduation gown.” actually had a good time at a Paly dance.”

30 culture

ARTS

ARTIST OF THE MONTH

YOTAM PONTE TEXT, DESIGN AND PHOTOS BY NICOLE LI AND AHANA GANGULY

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WORK AT A WORLD-CLASS RESTAURANT AS A HIGH SCHOOLER?

arts 31

A

s we take the train from University to Castro, Ponte warns us of the dangers of the kitchen. “Never walk backwards.

Always move around; stay out of people’s way.” He’s nervous about the smallness of the kitchen and how our presence will affect the staff ’s perception of him. As a young apprentice at a Michelin-starred restaurant, junior Yotam Ponte has good reason to be conscientious.

“Keeping up with the pace of the kitchen, thinking when you cook — that is a challenge,” Ponte says. “While you’re working, you can’t help but think of everything you’ve done wrong. I can’t just let go of the mistakes I’ve made and move on.” The intensity of the job isn’t the only stressor. “During service, you’re supposed to plate fast but still make it beautiful.”

After Ponte drops a few more pieces of advice to ensure we’re on our best behavior, we see the storefront. Small, green and Victorian, Chez TJ looks like a welcoming private residence. Only the modern white sign hints at the extravagant culinary experience inside.

We head up the drive and enter the kitchen through the back door. The first person we encounter is the pastry chef, who is already kneading dough in one of the three rooms the hallway opens into. Ponte switches into his work uniform — white T-shirt, checked pants, and a white apron — and we follow him into the main kitchen.

Though cast in chrome, the kitchen maintains the homely feel of the

32 arts

rest of the house, with its weathered white walls, worn tiled floors and heavenly aromas. Jars holding mysterious powders line the shelves, accompanied by handmade pottery and unrecognizable spices. (One shelf is dedicated entirely to different kinds of salt.) There’s a garnish garden out back, spilling over with colorful plants — almost all of which, Ponte reports, are edible. We follow him through the

“KEEPING UP WITH THE PACE OF THE KITCHEN, THINKING WHEN YOU COOK — THAT IS A CHALLENGE.”

clusters of greenery as he looks for quarter-sized nasturtium rounds, nibbling on herbs and flowers as we walk.

The head chef, who the staff refer to as simply “Chef,” is garnishing rows and rows of canapes on heavy silver spoons while staffers prepare ingredients en masse. They acknowledge us warmly when we come in, then slip right back into the humming, coordinated rhythm of the kitchen. The sous chef — tall and wearing a red shirt instead of the standard white — makes room for Yotam at the prep table to start slicing cauliflower. We stay on the sidelines, snapping pictures and taking notes on the focused, fast-paced work.

Ponte’s experience in culinary arts may seem unattainable to

“YOU HAVE TO BE ON YOUR TOES, YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU’RE DOING ALL THE TIME, AND IT’S THRILLING.”

some, but he maintains that his journey is simply derivative from his love of food and happy circumstance. “It started out with something that I hated — a lifeguarding course over spring break,” Ponte says.

“My parents told me they would take me to a nice restaurant if I completed the course.”

Ponte decided upon Chez TJ, a French-American restaurant that his friend had raved about. Loving the food, he asked if he could have a menu signed by the chef, Jarad Gallagher.

“To my surprise, he came out with the menu himself. I told him how much I loved cooking and how much I respected his food, and he told me I was welcome to come by and cook with him.” Soon after his meal at Chez TJ, Ponte sent a tentative email to Gallagher.

“The first emails were scary because doing something like that was so important to me, and I just wanted to cook.” At first, Ponte says, he took on less advanced tasks — everything from peeling fava beans to washing dishes.

But, from the get-go, Ponte knew he was stepping into something he felt passionate about. “The first time I went there, I knew I really loved the kitchen. You have to be on your toes, you have to be aware of what you’re doing all the time, and it’s thrilling. It’s thrilling to know that you’re putting a lot of hard work into just one thing, and the result is something beautiful.” Now, Ponte helps 15 hours at the restaurant every week.

Ponte’s cooking experience began with making simple dishes at home that “tasted kind of good.” Attending a cooking camp over the summer and taking foods classes at school helped him develop basic techniques.

Ponte had always regarded food as an art form, one with visual as well as gustatory elements, but it wasn’t until he began working at Chez TJ that he discovered the elaborate, hours-long process of fine-dining. “At this level of cooking, food doesn’t just satisfy your hunger; it satisfies creativity and aesthetic. It goes beyond just eating;

it’s about the experience. Creating this food that has so many purposes is just really fulfilling.”

At the restaurant, Chef hands us each a small canape on a spoon.

Tuna tartare, fatty yet light and topped with tangy kimchi, delights our senses. Each night, Chez TJ offers its diners two different meals with set menus of what Ponte describes as modern French and American fare. “From what I know, Chef ’s a guy who has travelled a lot, and he infuses his dishes with those cultures.”

When asked what he wants in the future, Ponte becomes contemplative. “Obviously, I want to open a restaurant. The ultimate goal is to be creating food that I love and just expressing my creativity through food. I want to develop and master my palate, and I think that’s when the creativity will really come.”

Ponte is loyally supported by his parents, who often give him rides to the restaurant and supply equipment for the dishes he makes at home. They expect him to go to college, where he plans to major in hospitality so he can learn the valuable skills he needs to achieve his goals.

“It’s about much more than cooking; as Chef once told me, the restaurant business has four equally important parts: the ambience, the beverage program, the service and the food.” After college, the avenues are open.

Ponte wants to immerse himself in different cultures and learn to cook different foods.

“Good food doesn’t always have to be expensive, and it doesn’t always have to be fine dining, like my grandma’s food, street food, the food that I grew up with,” Ponte says.

We leave Chez TJ as service starts and guests begin to arrive, feeling pleasantly overwhelmed. We have come to the conclusion that cooking is indeed an art. “A lot of people don’t see it as an art because they see it as a science, following a recipe to the tee, or as a basic necessity, only to fulfil hunger,” Ponte says. “Good food has to be aesthetically appealing to all five of the senses ... It conveys emotions, creativity, memory, cultures, place and time.”

arts 33

“AT THIS LEVEL OF COOKING, FOOD DOESN’T JUST SATISFY YOUR HUNGER; IT SATISFIES CREATIVITY AND AESTHETIC. IT GOES BEYOND JUST EATING.”

34 arts

Guest writer Zach Kirk encourages readers to abandon EDM and return to classic American music TEXT AND PHOTO BY ZACH KIRK DESIGN BY REILLY FILTER

E

lectronical dance music (EDM) has buds, forcing us to reach mindlessly for any conquered the musical realm with composition that provides spice or flavor its new, inventive sound. DJ’s who and eschew any sonic blend that does not only a few years ago were resigned feature a drop, independent of its merits. to nightclub gigs have taken over, filling We must break the bonds of musical stagup whole stadiums and leaving traditional nation and assail the mentality that traps us American genres in a sonic cloud of lifeless- into thinking only from drop to drop. This ness. Yet, the “inventiveness” of this more corruption and bastardization of American synthetic blend of sound doesn’t mean that music — of our music — has to end now. the evolution of music into EDM is progress; What I’m suggesting is nothing short of a in fact, the currevolution. Murent pace of music sic must take a WE MUST BREAK THE BONDS OF seems to be retropace back, surMUSICAL STAGNATION AND ASSAIL gressing. vey the nearTHE MENTALITY THAT TRAPS US INTO The vast maly irreparable THINKING ONLY FROM DROP TO DROP. jority of electronic damage and, songs hinge on one somehow, remoment: the drop. Gone are the days where pair it. And with that, let the Renaissance of music was conceived of and created for American begin. the sole purpose of evoking a given mood, In this war for the heart of the true Ameror breeding a visceral type of emotion that ican sound, soldiers are needed. Congratucouldn’t be replicated through any other me- lations! You have been drafted. dium.

Your instructions are simple: seek out all The new normal, on the other hand, does music that evokes emotion and avoid any little but magnify the worst impulses of hu- collection of sounds, which falsely parades man musical taste, which prioritize dance- as music, whose only aim is to send you into able music to the skill and care that was a frenzy of fist pumping and compel you into formerly appreciated from the 1940s to the body contortions which has been labeled 1970s, the true heyday of American music. dancing. And in this age where downloading During these golden years, music was eclec- music is only a click away, buy the work of tic and diverse, but all these different threads fledgling artists and they will pay dividends were derived from jazz, a genre which nears for your ears. Breaking this nasty habit may extinction as the baby boomers grey and age. be difficult. For this reason, I will give you a Where have the smooth baselines and inge- few marching orders, a blueprint to inspire nious trumpet melodies gone? future experimentation and the eventual resThe years have numbed our musical taste toration of American music.

ROY BROWN

Without Roy Brown, the 1950s surely would have lacked the liveliness that oozed out of the decade’s music. His delivery, which used elements of gospel, set the mortar and the stones for all of his up-tempo, R&B successors. Along with his smooth voice that often begged forgiveness for his innumerable love crimes, Brown’s style was characterized by his frequent exclamation of “whoa” that only compounded and strengthened his plea for restitution.

LEON BRIDGES

Though Sinatra and Brown long ago reached their peak and have slipped into a status of obsoleteness, Leon Bridges, a young, soulful singer from Texas, has picked up the torch in a time where unblemished soul music is unheard of. His unique blend, which pulls from Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, is distilled into a product that can only be described as pure sonic goodness.

FRANK SINATRA

Frank Sinatra, invariably, is a staple of 20th century music. Known in his early life only as “The Voice,” Sinatra serenaded his way into the hearts of every man and woman in the free world. His smooth crooning topped the charts for decades, completely transforming the trajectory of the love song and remaking the musical environment that all musical artists operate in.

arts 35

wHenry Henry

Playlist of the Month:

The Soundtrack of our

TEXT AND DESIGN BY LARKIN MCDERMOTT AND HENRY GORDON PHOTOS BY LARKIN MCDERMOTT

Larkin McDermott

Katya Sigal

1. Best Song Ever - One Direction 2. In My Life - The Beatles 3. Wasted Time - Keith Urban

1. Tongue Tied - Grouplove 2. Mr. Brightside - The Killers 3. Buddy Holly - Weezer

Maya Benatar

Alex Weinstein

Frida Schaefer Bastian

1. Shut Up and Dance - Walk the Moon 2. Sorry - Justin Bieber 3. Summertime Sadness - Lana Del Ray

1. Our Youth - Sonni Alven 2.Teenage Crime - Adrian Lux 3. Closing Time - Semisonic

1. You & Me (Remix) - Flume 2. Waste - Foster The People 3. Royals - Lorde

Katie Douty

Charlee Stenfanski

1. Tangerine - Led Zeppelin 2. Yes I’m Changing - Tame Impala 3. When We Were Young - The Killers

1. Kids - MGMT 2. Drive - Oh Wonder 3. Sleepless - Flume

Music is arguably one of the most important parts of growing up. This story features three song selections from every senior on our staff that they felt accurately captured the roller coaster that is high school. We also included twenty bonus songs that we felt also deserved recognition for having made an impact on our last four years of high school.

36 arts

Maya Kandell

1. I Wonder - Rodriguez 2. Real Life - Jake Owen 3. My Life - Billy Joel

enry Gordon

High School Years Emma Scott

1. Paris - Geographer 2. Life in Technicolor II - Coldplay

Henry Gordon

1. Time to Pretend - MGMT 2. Places - Shlohmo 3. #3 - Aphex Twin

Clara de Martel

1. Stole the Show - Kygo 2. Wasted - Tiesto 3. Don’t Wanna Fight - Alabama Shakes

Scan here for the full playlist!

TEXT, DESIGN AND PHOTOS BY HANNAH DARBY, KATIE PASSARELLO, SARAH SHAPIRO AND EMMA STAIGER

38 CULTURE

Henna Tips • Test out the henna cone on old newspaper or paper before starting on the body.

• It’s all about improvisation!

Designs rarely start off perfect, but the more you build on them the better they become.

• Squirt lemon onto your finished henna before the dried ink chips off.

This will help ensure a more vibrant stain.

Where to get henna • Henna kit at Urban Outfitters: $24.00 • Henna cones on Amazon: $5.00 to $20.00 • Mehndi Henna Kit at Michaels: $14.00 culture 39

Friendship Friendbracelets ship

Materials • Embroidery floss (3-4 different colors) Stores like Michael’s or Joann’s Fabrics have lots of variety!

• Scissors • Clipboard (or tape & a hard surface)

Candy Stripe 1. Pick three colors and cut a three-foot piece of embroidery for each. You should have three strings.

2. Hold the strings together as if they were one and tie a regular knot. Leave about 2 to 3 inches on the upper-side of the knot to attach to the clipboard. Attach the group of strings to the clipboard so that the clamp is directly above the knot (alternatively, tape down the group of strings with the tape placed over the knot).

3. Line up your strings from left to right, one after another, laying flat on the clipboard.

4. Take the first string (furthest to the left), and bend it to the right about three inches down so it lays over the second string. It should look like a number four, with the bend and crossover being the first string and the vertical stem being the second string. Take the part of the first string that crosses over the second string and tuck it behind the second string and up through the triangular space of the “4.” Pull it tight — this creates a basic knot!

5. Tie two basic knots per string; once you finish tying two knots with the first two strings, take the first string and tie two knots with the third string. The first string will now be furthest to the right.

6. Pick up your second string, which is now furthest to the left, and repeat steps 5-6.

You should see diagonal stripes forming.

7. Continue steps 5-7 until your bracelet has reached a desirable length; once you’re at that point, tie another starting knot and you’ll have your bracelet! All that’s left is to tie it to your wrist. For this design, you may add as many strings as you want, and try out different widths and color combinations of bracelets.

40 arts

Tie-Dye

SpiraL

Tips

1. Cover your work surface with a plastic table cloth and wear gloves to avoid stains from spilled dye.

2. Wash all fabric in order to remove protective chemicals placed on clothing in stores to reduce wrinkling.

3. Take your washed clothing directly from the washing machine and, while the cloth is still damp, begin dying.

4. Pinch fabric at the center point of your spiral.

5. Twist until all fabric has formed a spiral shape.

6. Bind the spiral with three to four rubber bands, overlapping to create six to eight wedge shapes.

7. Apply dye to each wedge shape of the fabric. For best results, apply a different color to each section or create an alternating pattern between a few colors.

8. Rotate and flip the fabric to make sure that all areas have been dyed.

9. After the dye has set, rinse your dyed fabric under cold, running water until the excess dye runs off (the runoff should be clear). Launder your clothing separately from other clothing according to the instructions included in your tie dye kit.

• • •

•

•

Use white cotton fabric for the most vibrant results.

For brighter colors, leave your dyed item in a plastic bag overnight.

Zip ties or string can be used in place of rubber bands to secure your tie dye.

Place your fabric on a wire rack while dying to prevent spilled dye from staining your fabric.

Be careful not to use too much dye — white space on the shirt looks nice!

41 arts

everything Slam you poetry: need to know TEXT BY ATUSA ASSADI DESIGN BY MAYA KANDELL ILLUSTRATION BY YOONJUNG CHO

LOCAL slams san jose poetry slam @ fahrenheit lounge

99 East San Fernando St, San Jose 8:15 p.m. sign up, 9 p.m. show $5-10 admission Third Tuesday of every month

oakland poetry slam @ awaken cafe

1429 Broadway, Oakland 7:30 p.m. sign up, 8 p.m. show $5-10 admission Second Thursday of every month

berkeley poetry slam @ the starry plough 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley 8 p.m. $7-10 admission Every Wednesday

swang slam @ two jacks nik’s place 410 Haight, San Francisco 5 p.m.

Last Saturday of every month

42 arts

WHAT IS SPOKEN WORD?

YOUTUBE STARs

Spoken word poetry is a unique art form that combines written word with the visceral power and intimacy of live performance. It falls into the category of performance art and is primarily intended to be watched rather than read. With the rise of YouTube, which allows poets greater exposure, spoken word has soared in popularity. It is typically different from classic poetry in that it’s delivered in the form of a rant, societal criticism or some form of social satire.

Because spoken word is delivered directly to an audience, it tends to be more conversational. Unlike the classical poetry that you’re likely to analyze in English class, spoken word is not subtle — in fact, it’s known for being forward, blunt and unapologetic. Despite all that sets it apart from other forms of poetry, spoken word is still a hugely diverse and versatile art form that nearly always elicits a strong audience response.

YouTube is the perfect way to introduce yourself to the world of spoken word. Check out these poems to begin your journey with the artists below or check out the Button Poetry channel.

Jesse Parent, Hooked Cross Sierra DeMulder, Ana Sarah Kay and Philip Kaye, When Love Arrives Denise Frohman, Dear Straight People Dylan Garity, Friend Zone Ethan Smith, A Letter to the Girl I Used to Be Sarah Kay, The Type Anthony McPherson, All Lives Matter

A word with slam poet blythe baird How did you get started with poetry?

The 19 year old YouTube and national poetry slam star is currently a sophomore at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn. Originally from Chicago, Baird began writing provocative poetry at 17.

I never really thought about spoken word until my sophomore year of high school, [when] I saw Sierra DeMulder performing at my school. It was literally my first day back at school after I was out for about three months receiving intensive rehabilitation treatment.

At the time, I had never seen spoken word before. She had this one poem about anorexia and there was this line – “Your body is not a temple, your body is the house you grew up in. How dare you try to burn it to the ground?” and it rocked my s*** up. When I heard that poem, it made me genuinely want to get better. I was astounded that a poem could do something so profound and impactful.

What inspires you to write?

I don’t really have a consistent process. After Slam Camp, I started finding the poetry in everything around me. I couldn’t ignore it. I would look at the word “divorce” and see a half-made bed. I would watch my mother refuse to leave the house without makeup and see the reason she still keeps her wedding ring on. I began to look at situations in my life as components of a story. I rarely sit down with the intention of writing a poem.

It happens when I’m in line at the grocery store, during class, while I’m falling asleep, when I’m babysitting. It sounds strange, but it’s like suddenly I can see the poem with features as clear as a person. I see its little legs stretch out. Until I literally stop what I’m doing and write it down, I can’t focus on anything else.

What is your advice to aspiring poets?

I would definitely say to advocate for yourself. Involve yourself in the poetry community. Support and reach out to other artists. Find shows in your area. The Poetry Slam International website has a list of all the certified slams.

Go to them! The SlamFind app is also a great resource that shows you live performance poetry venues near you.

Bring your work and read if given the opportunity. Write as often as you can. Read literary journals. (My favorites are The Offing, Banango Street and Drunk in a Midnight Choir.) Submit your work. Post it on Tumblr. Watch Button Poetry on YouTube. Absorb art. READ! Find artists with styles you dig and study them. Most importantly, be kind to people. Do great things and share them. Pursuing poetry is hard—make sure you love it.

What do you aim to achieve with your writing?

I feel like my primary aim is to empower people — specifically, young women. For me, personally, I always want to articulate to the best of my ability. I want to create a written painting or snapshot of my life and experiences in each poem. My target audience is probably high school or college-aged students who are trying to change the world.

arts 43

Murals, Music & Art

The Mural Music and Art Program works to empower disadvantaged youth through the arts.

TEXT, DESIGN AND PHOTOS BY ALLY SCHEVE

HHH has served teenagers since its formation in 2004. “[HHH] is a visual performpeakers boom with original beats ing arts program, so there are components and innovative lyrics as young adults of graffiti, design, album art and stage backshowcase their newest music in a redrop. On the visual and performing arts cording studio located in San Fransides, [the students] write and record origicisco. This is the typical Tuesday night scene nal music,” said Tefferi Mogus, executive difor the high school rector of MMAP. students from East The program Palo Alto and San works to give young Francisco who particiadults a voice through pate in the Music Mumusic. “I want these ral and Arts Program young artists to un(MMAP). This group derstand and amplify of adolescents are their voices as young focused in MMAP’s leaders and problem History through Hip solvers in their comHop program (HHH), munities,” Mogus said.

— Troy Davis, student of Mural Music and Arts Program which supports stuThe program recentdents’ creation of origly released an origiinal music while sinal album, “FTP The multaneously promoting learning about the grams showcasing several different art forms. Mixtape,” highlighting issues young adults history of hip hop through a project-based “The kids really drove the expansion of of color face on a day-to-day basis. It focuscurriculum.

MMAP. Kids didn’t want to do speeches; es on student-selected topics such as police MMAP, the local nonprofit that runs they wanted to rap, so that’s how the His- brutality, stereotypes and gentrification.

HHH, was founded in 2001 by Sonya tory through Hip Hop Program started,” In addition to the History through Hip Clark-Herrera and her husband Eugene Clark-Herrera said.

Hop Program, MMAP also invites local

S

Clark-Herrera to serve underprivileged youth from East Palo Alto and San Francisco by fulfilling their mission to educate, empower and inspire youth through the arts.

What started as a summer program dedicated to creating murals has evolved into a multi-faceted organization with many pro-

“Sometimes the people of East Palo Alto get unnoticed and with our art we can show how much talent is here.”

44 arts

youth to participate in their flagship Teen Mural Program, which focuses on supporting the San Francisco and East Palo Alto communities through public art. During a twelve-week program that fosters academic and artistic development, students will design, draw and paint a mural for their local community.

The Teen Mural Program works to reclaim dangerous public spaces and make them safe for the community.

“We work in what are called hot spots, as defined by the shotspotter technology the police department uses to triangulate the sound of gun shots,” Mogus said. The places with the highest prevalence of gunshots determine the location of the next mural.

One of these hotspots is located near Jack Farrell Park. The mural created at the park through the Teen Mural Program has helped decrease crime in the area. While creating the mural, MMAP held events at the park, inviting the entire community to participate in recreational sports and contribute to the mural’s production.

Troy Davis, a participant of both the hip hop and mural program, is a visual artist who creates cover art for musical albums and paints murals in his hometown of East Palo Alto. Describing the impact of MMAP, Davis said, “Sometimes the people of East Palo Alto are unnoticed, and with our art we can show how much talent is here.” Davis is currently a senior in college and credits MMAP for supporting his artistic talent and fostering his success in the classroom.

Students, mentors and administrators

At the MMAP offices the building serves as a canvas for artists and is covered in colorful murals, such as this one, which advocates for the the ending of police brutality. participate in these two youth programs to create and catalyze a change in their communities. “Art has this potential to really enliven, beautify and make a community safer,” said Dany Ceseña, the deputy direc-

tor of MMAP. “I think that if we continue along the trajectory we’re going on, we can definitely help students, reduce crime and increase public health in EPA and San Francisco.”

arts 45

WHY I GO OUTSIDE

TEXT BY TEDDIE STEWART ART BY MAYA KANDELL DESIGN BY CLARA DE MARTEL

My flesh is a threat to me It hangs with a heavy insolent manner Like an axe to a lumberjack who carries it through without choice.

My flesh taunts me, laughing at my attempts to see how far away I can get I feel best with room And my flesh tells me that we can never live in harmony That my need to pull the skin away from its origin is a life occupation That by pinching and pulling the meat from my ribs Is so I can see the bruises after But it’s not so I am creating room between my bones and skin for canyons to form their easy beauty With contour lines carving their way so I can feel curvy So I have space for the sublime kindness of a springs mother like nature being home to life with no reserve I can be home to a fresh cliff So I can harness the first breath of a perfect submit I venture so I will leave feeling much more than city weight on fragile ligaments I am reminded that my body is too occupied by natures divine right to be my number one purpose There’s no room for anything else And flesh is nothing but its purest form a smooth, flat, gorgeous casing for all my youth.

46 ARTS

BEAUTIFUL

TEXT BY TULU TOFAVAHA AND AIYANNA MUNGIA ART BY MAYA KANDELL

This poem is written by two eighth graders who attend Eastside Preparatory in East Palo Alto.

One of the former editor in chiefs, Frida Schaefer Bastian has been Tulu’s weekly tutor for the past two years. We are publishing their work so that they can believe in their art and not give up on their passion for writing.

I’m not beautiful.

Or at least that’s the mindset everyone stuck into me like sharp thumbtacks.

Since my face is like cracked pavement, damaged but strong, I’m not really beautiful.

Since my thighs rub together, making static electricity, every boy wants to stay away from me.

My worth is determined by the shape of my eyebrows and how slim my stomach is.

Since I keep my breasts inside my shirt, I’m not really beautiful.

Since my ribs are not visible, lost in waves of fat and body rolls, I am not really beautiful.

Since I am not tall, like a short stack of pancakes, I am not beautiful.

Since I don’t have Kylie Jenner’s lips or the perfect eyelashes, since bags moved under my eyes a long time ago, selling their souls to insomnia, I’m not really beautiful.

I wear scars like you wear a thin sweater, wrapped up in them, but the numb coldness still seeps through, leaving me surrounded by shivers.

My hair never grows past my shoulders, like there’s a stop sign on both of them.

But at least I can say when the tips of my hair die, they go to the funeral in my eyes.

My insecurities hide behind mascara and foundation.

They signed a contract, promising they would always make me feel like I was ugly.

They’ll tell you that “thick is beautiful” and then complain when you have too many curves. When I look in the mirror, my vision is clouded with hatred. Self-criticism is my best language ... Since my fingertips are caked with dry blood and teeth marks because every now and then, anxiety sweeps Since my legs feel like sandpaper, since the arch in my back isn’t flawless, I’m not beautiful.

I walk down the runway with my awkward walk and short legs.

My poofy hair, my scar-ridden face.

Since I am not perfect ... I am gorgeous in the most hideous ways.

ARTS 47

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