C
TheCampanileA&EMagazine
The Stigma against community colleges
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Letter from the Editors Dear Readers, As one of the more competitive and high-achieving school districts nationwide, PAUSD (Palo Alto United School District) has its share of bright-minded pupils and brilliant general community members alike. As years pass by, the general achievement level of our students shows an ascending and positive trend. Now, to be sure, that is a good thing that we should be proud of. However, an unfortunate side effect of this is society’s stigmatization of community colleges and other 2-year colleges. There is an unspoken condescension against those who attend community colleges by many people, and C Magazine hopes to address this topic in this edition. We believe that community colleges do not indicate academic incompetency or a poor student record (by cases such as truancy or delinquency). Not only do the said colleges’ students have reasons other than those assumed by many, but there are many positive consequences from attending 2-year colleges. To read more about the stigmas of community colleges, check out our cover story on pages 14 to 17.
-Maggie Zheng & Olivia Vort Editors-in-chief
Editors-in-Chief Olivia Vort Maggie Zheng Business Managers & Creative Directors Carmelle Bareket-Shavit Kallee Bareket-Shavit TEXT EDITOR Frida Schaefer Bastian Maya Benatar Design Editor Clara de Martel PHOTO EDITOR Emma Low STAFF WRITERS Clara Chiu katie douty Maya Kandell Larkin McDermott huda navaid emma scott Katya sigal charlee stefanski Alex Weinstein ADVISOR Esther Wojcicki
Food 4-5
Pumpkin Recipe - When it comes to compiling scrumptious food recipes, clara de martel is your go-to woman. join her as she runs over the various indulgences having to do with fall’s ultimate foodie accessory: pumpkins.
C Magazine
Table of Contents
6-7
Alkymists - editors Olivia vort and Frida Schaefer Bastian are far better restaurant critics than the food app downloaded on your phone. SO come see what they discovered at this newly-opened fusion cafe down on University avenue.
Arts & Entertainment 8-10
how spirit week has changed - charlee stefaniski doesn’t only provide amazing retro photos extracted from vintage madrono’s, but she also has something to say about how spirit week has changed throughout the years...or decades!
11
October Playlist - trust frida schaefer bastian to come up with the best music playlists. This time she’s focusing on a theme of lazy days. it seems that C Mag has found a successor for our previous music fiend Nikki freyermuth!
Culture 12-13 14-17 18-19
Makeup and Self Confidence - why do girls wear makeup? is makeup necessary? maya benatar explores this cosmetic-related issue in her latest article. stigmatizing against community colleges - c mag’s cover story for this edition concentrates on the unspoken denouncement of 2-year colleges. Football Buddies - this ongoing tradition between Paly’s football, dance, and cheerleading teams is somewhat inconspicuous amongst football game-onlookers. This time Maya Kandell is here to dig deeper into the subject.
20-21
Pumpkin Carving - on a lighter note, pumpkin carving is shown in different ways by part time c mag writer alex
weinstein.
22-23
Person of the Month - ana sofia amieva-wang is this month’s spotlight individual. the young photographer answers some of c mag’s questions.
Food
The Best Pumpkin PIe Text and Photos by Clara de Martel
Pie Dough (Pâte Brisée) ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed
1¼ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt
1. Cut the butter into small pieces and place in the freezer for 15 mins. 2. Combine the salt and the flour in a bowl. 3. Add the cubed butter and rub the mixture in between your fingers until it resembles wet sand. 4. Add the water and and combine until it forms a dough.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at
Filling 1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk 3 eggs plus 2 egg yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 1 cup drained candied yams (from 15-ounce can) ¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup maple syrup 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt
1. Prepare the crust and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface to about a 12-inch circle. 3. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Refrigerate 15 minutes. 4. Fold the overhang dough over itself and use a fork to prick the dough all over the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Refrigerate dough-lined plate for about 15 minutes. 5. Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans (I used rice), filling the whole way up to the rim of the pie plate. 6. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and paper/foil, rotate plate, and bake 5 to 15 additional minutes until crust is golden brown. 7. Meanwhile, whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Combine the pumpkin, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat, 10-15 minutes. Stir the mixture constantly, mashing yams against sides of pot. 8. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the cream mixture until fully incorporated. Strain the mixture through a strainer set over a medium bowl, using the back of a spatula to press solids through strainer. 9. Rewhisk mixture and transfer to warm prebaked pie shell. Return pie plate with baking sheet to oven and bake pie for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until edges of pie are set and the center looks firm but jiggles slightly, 20
4 food
Pumpkin Oatmeal cookies 2 cups + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 heaping teaspoon pumpkin pie spice* 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted 1/4 cup dark molasses 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (or light) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 egg yolk 3/4 cup pumpkin puree** 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 and 1/2 cups total add-ins* (chocolate chips, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, pecans, white chocolate, or a combination) 1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together. Fold in the oats and Set aside. 3. Melt the butter in the microwave. Whisk in the molasses, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Then whisk in the egg. Add the pumpkin and vanilla and whisk until combined completely. Pour into dry ingredients and gently mix. Fold in your preferred add-ins. 4. Scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets. About 2 or 3 Tablespoons of dough per cookie. 5. Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes until very lightly browned on the edges, and still appearing soft in the center. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets and enjoy!
Pumpkin swirl brownies 3 ozs cream cheese, soften 1/2 cup pumpkin purĂŠe 1 large eggs 3 tbsps sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 18 ozs brownie mix (I recommend Ghiradelli) oil water 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. 2. In a medium bowl, beat all filling ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Set aside. 3. In another bowl, prepare the brownies as called for on box. Pour 3/4 of the batter into prepared pan. 4. Pour pumpkin swirl filling evenly over batter. Pour remaining brownie batter evenly over filling. Swirl through batter several times with a knife for a marbled effect. 5. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Cool completely and enjoy!
Food 5
Alchemy -- (noun) “A power or process that changes or transforms something in a mysterious or impressive way.”
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ALKYMISTS
Text, design and photos by Olivia Vort and Frida Schaefer Bastian he philosophy of alchemy is the basis of the brand new restaurant called Alkamysits, which opened on 140 University Avenue in Palo Alto, on Oct. 11. in the old Palo Alto Grill. Co-owners Jared Combs and Thierry Fassiotti created Alkamyists based on their love of feeding people and building community. They define the purpose of the restaurant on dragonfly is a symbol of love, hope, purity, renewal, courage, strength, harmony, swiftness, good luck, prosperity, positive forctheir website with a word they es, new beginnings, power of life, new light and joy, the soul of the dead, subconscious thoughts, change, maturity, invincibility, coined -- “Foodanthropy: when and agility. a nutritious substance meets love of humankind.” that dish are going to go to our events of each other’s energy and creativity. The purpose of the restaurant is not every month,” Combs said. “First is the “We both came from Los Angeles and just to serve delicious and multicultural battered women, and then next month is he asked me to come up here and join food, but also to work toward the greater going to be [low income] children.” him for this,” Combs said. “I ended up cause of helping people get themselves Combs, the co-owner and executive quitting my job and giving the notice on up on their own two feet and improve chef, graduated from Le Cordon Bleu my apartment and within three days I their lives. The partnership utilizes both School of Culinary in Los Angeles and moved up here with nothing to open this Combs’ years of success as a chef, as well has previously worked at multiple restau- place because I believe in [Foodanthropy] as Fassiotti’s decades of work in philanrants in the Los Angeles area. His passion so much.” thropy. They will create and serve infor cooking started in his grandmother’s Together, Fassiotti and Combs built ventive fusion dishes, while also offering kitchen when most of the cooking classes, providing job training he was six years restaurant interior and donating proceeds to local charities. themselves, using “We want [Alkymists] to be a place for old. “After wood from old everybody...The alchemy is not just in the church my houses that are food that we make, it’s in the interactions grandma and being torn down. between people,” Combs said. I would bake This was was an The restaurant will be service-based pies and stuff inexpensive way to and focus on helping battered women for people, ” he give the restaurant and low-income mothers and children. more character, Every month, Combs will teach a cooking said. “Grandma was infamous and use the wood class for them to learn how to provide for inviting for a good cause. for themselves. They will also receive the random people over for dinner. [That’s “This restaurant, all this wood, we opportunity to intern at Alkymists to built this table ourselves,” Combs said. learn about how to work in the restaurant where] I got the passion for feeding “We built the restaurant basically on no industry. After completing an internship, people and joy of cooking. It’s not just budget at all.” Combs will be able to serve as a reference making an awesome dish, it’s the process of getting to where you wanna go. It’s to The restaurant is designed to make it for those who want to further pursue a enjoy getting there.” an affordable place, with dishes ranging prefession in the culinary arts. They are Combs and Fassiotti have known each from six to ten dollars. Combs, who crehoping this program will create opportuated the menu, was inspired by the food nities and open new doors for underpriv- other since they worked together in Los Angeles. Seeing as they both have backof different cultures that he encountered ileged women and children. grounds in food, they discovered that on his travels around the world. The “We’re actually making a dish called ‘Foodanthropy’ that all the proceeds from they work well together and now feed off
“The alchemy is not
just in the food that we make, it’s in the interactions between people.”
6 Food
Alkymists bar
menu ranges from asian slaw salads to french crepes with slow braised brisketoods, truly representing different parts of the world. “The style of food is actually called the food of the traveller, so it’s world fusion,” Combs said. Combs and Fassiotti are hoping to make Alkamysits a loved place in the community, where people come just to hang out, eat great food and get inspired. They are planning on being open from brunch until dinner everyday, and are even thinking of keeping the restaurant open until later in the night. “I’m hoping to do a late-night menu if we get enough late-night people in here,” Combs said. Fassiotti and Combs are also looking into the idea of partnering with local businesses, to extend their involvement in helping the community. They are both determined to keep the resources Alkymists uses, local and non-corporate. They want to work together with local farmers, brewers and other businesses to keep their restaurant community-centered. “One of the best things about this place is that we hire people with a story,” Combs said. “We sell stuff thats not quite showcased.” Although Alkymists just opened, Combs and Fassiotti are already planning ahead for expansion. They are looking into a property in downtown Los Angeles for their next location. Their concept of a restaurant promoting both social interactions and inspiring action towards a charitable cause is a moving new approach in the culinary industry. “We are not dream fixers, we are foodanthropists. we feed knowledge, endorse audacity, will & determination. We help build hope.”
Alkymists room
Chef’s Table (Made by Executive Cehf Jared Combs)
Food 7
A&E
Spirit week:
How has it changed? Text and design by Charlee stefanski Photos by paly madrono
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pirit week has been one of the most salient Palo Alto High School (Paly) traditions for decades, and its importance to students is evident in the anticipation and excitement on campus every year as homecoming week approaches. Over the past three decades, the main concepts of spirit week have stayed the same; classes compete over tug-a-war, obstacle courses, and themed floats. However, some traditions that make up spirit week have changed in some substantial ways. The majority of spirit week activities take place during the lunch time rallies. Currently, spirit week consists of five lunchtime rallies and one after school rally
8 Entertainment
on Friday. In the past, the week also consisted of two additional events: a “WakeUp Breakfast” and a Thursday night dinner. Kathy Bowers, a math teacher who has taught at Paly for twents-seven years, states that the two things she misses most about past spirit weeks is a breakfast that took place in the small gym on Thursday morning, and a dinner hosted at Paly on Thursday nights, which included float building and dance preparations. “It was so many people and it was so loud and it was really, really fun”, Bowers said. “Everybody would come because it was the only time the floats were here [at
Paly].” The floats and dances also used to be prepared differently in the earlier days of spirit week. The floats were built off-campus and then towed by trucks around the football field during halftime at the homecoming game, which is also when the dances were performed. “Somebody would teach the dance, and every class would learn the same dance”, Bowers said. Each grade would then have a finite amount of time at the end to display their own creative piece, as well as their unique costumes and music. Junior Emma Cole, one of the two ASB
“spirit commissioners” that are in charge of planning this years spirit week, said, “First of all, we want everyone to have fun. We’re trying to plan really fun games and rallies that everyone will enjoy.” This goal is what inspired some of the changes that will be implemented for this spirit week and for years to come, like the changes regarding the spirit dance. Rather than having just five boys and five girls like in past years, now the dance will include anyone who wants to participate. “I like the way the dance is going to be encompassing more people”, Bowers said. She thinks anything that includes more kids is a positive change, including the other aspects of the rallies, as she said, “I think they have done a really good job of distributing who participates in the games.” Spirit commissioners were not always in charge of planning spirit week, another big change in the recent years. According
to Bowers, teachers used to play a much larger part in spirit weed activities, including the planning. “What I miss the most, and what I think spirit week as a teacher lacks, is that teachers used to be assigned to a class. Teachers got points for their classes”, said Bowers. There used to be a committee made up of the eight teacher advisors (two from each grade) as well as students from each class that planned spirit week. The teacher advisors were selected by each class and continued with that class until their senior year. This system inspired more teachers to get involved in spirit week activities. “I wish as a teacher there was more push for me to get involved”, Bowers said. Another big tradition that is no longer a big part of homecoming week at Paly is the homecoming court. Each sports team at Paly, as well as ASB, would make nominations for homecoming king and queen that were put on a ballot and voted on by
upper left: students cheer at a spirit week rally in 1988 left: Homecoming king and queen ride around the field in 1988 middle: Sophomore shows off her outfit in 1996 right: Freshmen on generation day in 1981 entertainment 9
all the students. Bowers thinks that this tradition is not missed, as she explained, “What I like to do is look at a tradition and say, “What positives does this tradition bring to our school?”, and If you can’t name a bunch, then maybe that tradition has run its course.” One thing that has not changed over the years in spirit week is misbehaving students and the interference of the administration. “Kids are always going to push the boundaries, that is their job, and it the adult job to corral them in and set those boundaries”, Bowers said. Some spirit week traditions stir up tension between the classes, and sometimes things go too far and the administration has to get involved. When it comes to planning spirit week, Cole said, “A few of our ideas were vetoed by the administration but it wasn’t really a conflict, we just had to come up with better ideas.” Sometimes students are upset by the
10 Entertainment
constraints that this involvement brings to spirit week activity. “There is naturally going to be kids feeling like the administration is too harsh, when in reality they are just doing their job,” Bowers said. The administration has a responsibility to respond to negative events on campus and try to prevent them in the future. Junior Halle Biorn also believes that bullying should not be an issue during spirit week. “Spirit week has gotten a lot nicer. Sometimes certain people used to be targeted but now its a lot nicer between the grades”, said Biorn. This type of behavior is what encourages the administrations discipline, as Cole said, “The administration is going to be a bigger part of spirit week to make sure that everything goes smoothly.” Despite the changes in certain traditions, spirit week still has the same positive influence and importance to Play culture. “In all my years here, I can’t ever say there has been a bad spirit week,” said Bowers.
Top right: Sophomore spirit week float in 1990 Top Left: students during spirit week 1981 Middle Left: Sophomores at rally in 1988 Bottom left: seniors in tug-a-war competition in 1998 Bottom Right: Students at a rally in 1990
October Playlist
Lazy Days Text & Photo by Frida Schaefer Bastian Design by Frida Schaefer Bastian & Larkin McDermott
Grizzly Bear - Angus & Julia Stone Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap East Harlem - Beirut White Tiger - Izzy Bizu You’re the Best - Wet Fellaheen - Faded Paper Figures Taxi Cab - Vampire Weekend Bridges Broods Light Years Away - MoZella Do It All Again - Mr. Probz Whispers - Passenger Atlas Hands - Benjamin Francis Leftwich Winter Song - The Head And The Heart Me Again - J Mascis Always Like This - Bombay Bicycle Club Sitting, Waiting, Wishing - Jack Johnson Airwaves - Ray LaMontange Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin Closer To You - Brett Dennen West Coast - Coconut Records Scan this QR code with your phone to check out the full playlist!
Entertainment 11 23 Entertainment
culture
Makeup & Self-Confidence Text & Design by Maya Benatar
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he reflection a girl sees looking back at her first thing in the morning is not necessarily the same image she chooses to share with the world. Considering that the world’s beauty industry is valued at close to $170 billion, it is not surprising that girls find the idea of enhancing their features with cosmetics tempting. Why do some girls choose to wear makeup every morning and others do not? How do boys feel about g i r l s’ de-
12 CULTURE
cisions and makeup in general? Join me as I search the Paly community for answers. Junior Bryn Carlson chooses not to wear makeup to school on a daily basis and explains that this is primarily because she does not “usually wear makeup in an attempt to cover up insecurities […] When [she] wears makeup it’s usually for a special occasion.” Carlson’s perception of makeup is a common one and she is lucky to feel secure and confident enough to save makeup for a time when she wants to look a little more glammed up. “The nice thing about not wearing makeup everyday is that when you do wear it for a party or an event, people notice a difference,” Carlson says. The scary thing about makeup is that most people start out doing what Carlson does—wearing makeup every once in a while to look a little nicer for a special occasion. People often become addicted to
Creative Commons Some people choose to highlight their lips and go bold with brigh red (above photo)
photo by Teru on Flickr
Many people choose not to wear eye-make up if they have brightly colored eyes (above); Junior Nachi Poupin decides to accentuate her full lips as the focus of her face with a subtle lip tint. (right) Photo by: Maya Benatar
the attention they receive when they wear “As for guys, I mean, if you’re born makeup, so much so that they eventu- ugly, you’re ugly—you don’t have any ally crave that feeling everyday. As you makeup or anything that can help can imagine, this is a slippery slope that you change that,” Bolarinwa said. can often lead to a girl wearing makeup Bolarinwa brings up an interesting everyday and putting on even more for point: if a girl wakes up in the morning special occasions. and needs to fix I was interested something, she in finding out how “The nice thing about not can pull out her the guys on campus wearing makeup everyday is concealer and feel about make- that when you do wear it for a foundation. If a up and asked ju- party or an event, people no- guy, on the other nior Dami Bolarin- tice a difference” hand, wakes up wa for his thoughts and isn’t look-Junior Bryn Carlson on the matter. ing his best that “I don’t feel day, there is not like girls wearing much he can do. makeup is a bad Society has thing,”Bolarinwa said, “if they want created unrealistic aesthetic standards to wear makeup that’s their choice.” for both guys and girls, the difference I continued by asking him for his thoughts being that girls have the ability to try to on girls’ ability to change their appearance make themselves reach that standard. when guys don’t share the same luxury. However, some feel that looks are not,
in fact, what is meaningful in the end. When asked whether or not girls should wear makeup, Freshman Liam Shalon shared that he feels the way people carry themselves is the most important thing. “I think the best type of beauty is confidence,” Shalon said. Whether it is good or bad, just or unjust, natural or unnatural, the fact remains that girls have the luxury of changing their appearance every morning. Maybe someday society’s norms will change and boys will be allowed the same leisure. The most important thing is leaving your house in the morning everyday, confident in your reflection.
CULTURE 13
cover story
14 COVER STORY
STIGMAS COMMUNITY AGAINST
COLLEGES
Amongst the many things that society decided to mark with stigmata are community colleges. In this cover story we will explore the various pro’s of the subject whose con’s are its comText by Maggie Zheng and Olivia monly pointed-out attributes. Vort. Photos from Creative Common
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ossessing ambitious qualities and a strive for excellence, most Paly students would sneer at the thought of attending the nearby Foothill College or De Anza College. Little do they know, these institutions for higher education prove to be a great transfer points for higher paths while at the same time, being much more affordable. When a word like “community college”
rings to the ears, many would associate it with the following: sh*tty education, sh*tty campus, sh*tty future, sh*tty delinquent/truant students, etc. It’s a common misconception to place community colleges in the categories of anything but good. Many think that a college education at a small institution of shoddy education would completely obliterate their resumés, and that employers wouldn’t give a second glance at a candidate educated by a bunch
of professors that got their diplomas from, at best, a nearby state university. Moreover, who would want to be surrounded by nogood peers that ended up at this dumping site because they partied too hard during high school? Nature versus nurture, right? We are who we’re surrounded with… Not only is this completely incorrect, but the communities at community colleges (go figure) are probably more tightlinked and helpful than are the mini-soci
COVER STORY 15
eties established in large-scale universities, where colossal lecture rooms ring echoesand professors can’t remember the names of all the hundreds of thousands of students. At community colleges, the classrooms are much smaller, so the classmates are consequently closer with each other, establishing a friendly and helpful environment. Moreover, without the bustling crowd lining up to ask the professor questions after school, you can have the comfort of clarifying any confusions with your professor in private and receive a response whose length exceeds one syllable. The basis for the derogatory outlook on community colleges stem from both the ancient American bourgeoisie history and the cultural entertainment of today. Ever since the establishment of prestigious universities like those of the Ivy League, those who attend them were members of the high society who could afford such luxuries like higher education. Even decades later, the idea remained the same: affluent and truly intelligent people attended “good” universities while the scum at the bottom attends community colleges because (1) they’re not smart and (2) they’re poor. Popular entertainment emboldens
16 COVER STORY
the disparaging view of community colleges. TV shows and movies frequently show the presumably dumb and klutzy high schooler being rejected from all the school he or she applied to and finally settling for a disappointing community college near his or her house. By catching on the subtle hints that community colleges are the worst of higher level educations, the whole population in turn stigmatizes community colleges. While notions like stigmas and stereotypes have a tried-and-true basis behind them that led to their birth in the first place, and this specific stigma against community colleges also has a somewhat persuasive argument behind it, we have to look for the good in everything. A trip to the other side shows us that there are, in fact, perks for attending community colleges. Whether it’s a cheap price tag or a easy(ier) road to well-ranked 4-year colleges, community colleges prove to be more than just monotonously bad. Students who attend two-year colleges can transfer to four-year colleges with greater ease than students who graduate straight from high school to four-year colleges. The reason for this is the decrease
in competition pool; there exists a more vigorous competition pool for undergraduate freshmen positions than transfer positions. In fact, many colleges, including the University of California chain, even hold quotas for their transfer students so that there is a set amount of spaces to be filled up by transfer students from community colleges or other backgrounds. “We give California community college students first priority over other transfer applicants,” says the UC admissions website. Perhaps the best perk of attending community colleges has to be their relatively affordable price tag. Compared to 4-year colleges, community colleges like Foothill or De Anza prove to be only a fraction of the price. This is especially beneficial for students who are financially in need; rather than shelling out Ks by the double digits or signing a deadly student loan contract that can immerse you in debt for many years to come after graduating, you can pay for a substantial education for much cheaper. And of course, scholarships are always available for applications! Whether its a voluntary decision or an inevitable outcome, consider community colleges as options for higher education.
Perhaps you didn’t perform as well as you’d have liked during your last two years of high school, or maybe your family simply cannot afford to pay $55,000 a year for your tuition. Whichever reason it is, don’t ignore community colleges simply because of the stigmas that society places upon them.
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% of undergraduate students as of the year 2011-12 were enrolled in public two-year colleges
Community colleges ≠ incompetency COVER STORY 17
FOOTBALL BUDDIES Text & design by Maya kandell
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Photos by Nicole Cox
ervous hands caress transpar- ent plastic wrapping tied with a delicate green ribbon. Three freshly baked brownies weigh down the meticulously prepared package, as junior Catherine Yu takes it out of her bag and joins the group huddled together on the outskirts of the field. The varsity cheer and dance teams stand poised for action. The glaring scoreboard shows a devastating loss for the Vikings: 55-14 — a tragic end to the first home game of the season. The exhausted, demoralized varsity football team groups on the field for a brief post-game talk. Bowed heads show frustration and resignation. As the athletes trudge off the field, more than 20 girls sporting green uniforms and voluminous white bows rush to meet them. Each carries one or two identically wrapped packages. Yu searches for Number 88 amongst the dozens of bulky jerseys. When she finds her player, she hands him the brownies and offers a few words of congratulations, receiving a “thanks” in return. The two quickly part ways, the athlete to leave the field and Yu in search of her next football buddy. It may seem old-fashioned, yet at Palo Alto High School (Paly) it remains tradition for each varsity cheerleader or dancer to give each football player a treat at the end of every home game. The Football Buddies program aims to support the varsity team and nurture a relationship between the football team and the Spirit Squads (the fusion of the cheer and dance teams). Before every home game, an assigned four or five girls bake enough cookies, cupcakes, or brownies to give several to each member of the 35-person football team. When the cheer and dance teams arrive at the field an hour early for warm-ups, each girl prepares a package of baked goods and stows it away in her bag until the end of the game. As the varsity players leave the
18 culture
Sophomore Gillian robins searches for her football buddy after the first home game of the season on sept. 19
field after the game, each participating thing,” Yu explained. “If they lose they’ll cheerleader or dancer delivers the treats to be kind of mad and they’ll just take it.” Beher one or two assigned football buddies. nest, unsure of how she feels about FootIt can be difficult to find the right ball Buddies, also notices the scoreboard’s football player in the crucial seconds the effect on the pleasantness of the exchange. “Because the past girls have to make couple of games their deliveries. Lei“You congratulate them, they’ve been losing, la Benest, a junior I feel like that puts you say ‘good game’, on varsity Cheer, another negative has failed to find ‘good job’ , and they effect on them, ” she her second football said. Higashi obbuddy after any of don’t really say that serves the effect of the games so far this much… Sometimes the team’s victory or year. Ella Higashi, defeat on the playalso junior on varsiers’ reception of the ty Cheer, explained as well. “When the difficulty of —Junior Catherine Yu gifts they win, they’re so finding her playhappy that you come er after the game. “It’s kind of hard because they’re so onto the field and bring them treats,” she much bigger than we are… they all said. However, Higashi feels appreciated have their helmets on … so you have regardless of the score. “They look forward to know their number,” Higashi said. to having [the treats] and just knowing Once the girls find their buddies, the that even if they lose… their cheerleaders affability of the post-game exchange de- still support them and still cheer them on.” Varsity cheerleader Luma Hapends on the turnout of the game. “You made, a junior, explained that knowing congratulate them, you say ‘good game’, ‘good job’, and they don’t really say that her football buddy beforehand helps much… Sometimes they don’t say any- make the exchange more comfortable
they don’t say anything.”
and enjoyable. Most girls already know their buddies, since each cheerleader or dancer sends her top three choices of football buddies to the varsity Cheer captains, who distribute them so each girl gets assigned one or two players. Spirit Squad coach Mandie Bowen believes that the girls’ purpose in participating is to show the football team that they are rooting for them. Veronica Santo, senior and captain of the varsity cheer team, agrees. “It shows them that even if they did badly we’re still really proud of them,” she said. Higashi feels that providing support for the football team makes up much of the essence of Cheer. “That’s what cheerleaders are for. They’re supposed to cheer on the team and make the crowd excited,” she said. Although both Cheer and Dance participate, “cheerleaders are more enthusiastic about buddies [than Dance],” according to Yu, who is one of the four dancers on the 12-person dance team who participates. Bowen explained that last school year they made Football Buddies optional for Dance because so many members of the team were underclassmen; a dainty freshman dancer who has yet to establish connections on the football team might find it awkward or intimidating to present brownies to an unfamiliar and massive senior football player. Participation remains mandatory for Cheer, which has fewer underclassmen than Dance. In general, the cheerleaders and dancers interviewed seemed genuinely enthusiastic about the tradition. “It’s only a varsity thing, which makes it kind of special,” Higashi said. Benest likes the social opportunity the exchange provides. “It’s kind of the only time during the football game that we can connect to them,” she said. Hamade explained that because football players do not see the cheerleaders perform at games, it gives the Spirit Squad a chance to be recognized and noticed for what they do. Others find it less gratifying to always be the giver. “They don’t really pay that much attention to you,” Yu said in regard to the football players. Maya McAuliffe, a senior on Cheer, adds that although she thinks it’s “nice,” she sometimes wishes that the football players showed more appreciation for their female supporters. Junior Takeru Nishi, a member of the varsity football team, agreed that the
Junior Samantha Haight delivers brownies to oliver svirsky (‘16) as part of the football buddies tradition
football team should show more gratitude. “We should appreciate them more; as much as they appreciate us,” he said. Cheerleader Higashi points out that the football team does host a banquet for the cheer and dance teams at the end of the season to thank them for their support. The football players present the Spirit Squad members with gifts, like flowers or T-shirts. “Last year they got us shirts that said ‘We Love Our Football Buddies… All of the girls still wear them to practice,” Higashi said. Yu, on the other hand, believes the banquet does not show sincere appreciation on behalf of the football players. “I think it’s supposed to have a sense of being equal with the buddy banquet,” Yu said, but even that “is set up by cheerleader moms,” which, in Yu’s opinion defeats the idea of reciprocation. Junior football player Justin Hull agrees about the imbalance. “I don’t think it’s really equal,” he said. Football Buddies has inspired discon-
tent amongst some cheer squads in the past. Two years ago, Paly alumna Maya Kitayama, then a member of the varsity dance team, published an opinion piece in the Campanile opposing Football Buddies. Kitayama argued that the tradition puts girls in a “position of servitude under boys,” in her article Age-Old Football Buddies Tradition Needs to Change. However, to most cheerleaders now it is not a matter of sexism. McAuliffe explained that there is not an expectation that the football players will give anything back — it’s simply a nice thing to do. “I don’t think it’s sexist in regards to respect” Yu said. “They definitely respect us,” added Sharissa Holopainen, a senior on varsity Cheer. Still, some girls wish the football players would do something more to promote an equitable relationship between the football players and Spirit Squads. “I just think it’s a little one sided,” Benest said. “What if the guys did something weekly for us?”
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Pumpkin Carving Text, Design & Photos by Alex Weinstein
Basic Pumpkin Carving
Step 1: Cut a Hole in the Pumpkin If you are putting a candle inside your pumpkin, use a keyhole saw to cut a hole at the pumpkin’s top. Cut a hole on the bottom or side if you are using electric lights (so you can hide the cord).
Step 3: Transfer Your Design Place your selected design onto the pumpkin using tape, and trace the design by poking holes with a needle tool or a pin.
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Step 2: Scoop Out the Flesh Scoop out the insides of the pumpkin using your hand or a scraper tool.
Step 4: Carve the Features Remove the template and carve along the lines with a miniature saw scraping tool.
Pumpkin Etching
Step 1: Cut a Hole and Flesh (Optional) Cut a hole in the pumpkin and carve out the insides.
Step 2: Transfer Your Design
Step 3: Etch the Pumpkin
Place your selected design onto the pumpkin using tape, Use a pin or needle tool to trace your design by poking holes partially in the pumpkin. Make sure not to poke the needle all the way through the pumpkin.
Peel the skin off along your outline with a paring knife.
No Carving Required!
Step 1: Wrap the Pumpkin Cut a section from stocking or tights and wrap excess at the top around stem, knot, and wrap with masking tape.
Step 2: Spray the Pumpkin Spray paint top half of pumpkin with 1 or 2 coats; let dry. Then turn the pumpkin over and repeat on bottom.
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Artist of the month
Ana Sofia Amieva-Wang Text & design by: Katya Sigal Photos by: Ana sofia amieva-wang
W
hen Palo Alto High School senior Ana Sofía Amieva-Wang goes on vacation, she takes snapshots of her family, just like many people. But she goes a step farther. Amieva-Wang sees photography as a way to tell stories about people and ways of life in the developing countries she visits. Currently, Amieva-Wang is enrolled in advanced placement photography class, is the Photography Director of Verde magazine, and Editor-in-Chief of Proof magazine. On Verde, Amieva-Wang takes 85% of the pictures and advises the rest of the staff on the pictures they take. In her position at Proof magazine, she mostly works on layout, design, editing stories, and putting the magazine together as a whole. Her interest in photography developed during middle school when she took a beginning photo class and used her dad’s camera to take pictures whenever she was outside. “I usually take photos anytime I’m outdoors…
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Also during the summer when I travel a lot,” Amieva-Wang said. Since Amieva-Wang was young, she and her family spent their summers traveling around the world due to her mother’s work as a physician. She would use these travels as an opportunity to volunteer and cultivate her interest in photography. In 2011, on a trip to a rural town in West Borneo, Indonesia, Amieva-Wang and her sister started a small conservation education program called Alam Sehat Lestari, or ASRI kids. The purpose of ASRI kids is to educate the local youth in West Borneo, raise their awareness of their surroundings and teach them the importance of rainforest conservation. “We’ve been going back for four years now and the program has gotten quite a bit bigger,” Amieva-Wang said. “I’ve gotten to really know a certain community and I think most of my photography has been centered around conservation and education.” This life-changing experience was fascinating for
her because she got to see how this one community in Indonesia progressed over the years. By utilizing her camera, she notices the changes in the same town over the years and how the different people that she met on her first trip matured. “My favorite part has probably been getting to see the kids grow up… In addition to becoming my lifelong friends, we’ve gotten to see them truly take on responsibility and gain a sense of pride in where they come from,” Amieva-Wang said. She prefers taking portraits in order to capture different lifestyles and to tell stories through photography. She thinks that this is a good way to generate awareness of her summer travels. “My favorite aspect of photography is being able to capture new experiences and different people and being able to share it with people who haven’t gotten the chance to see it,” Amieva-Wang said. As a resident of a privileged area, Amieva-Wang wants to use her photography to expose people to different societies or to a unique perspective about an
issue that people of her lifestyle would not necessarily see. Amieva-Wang uses her photojournalism as a medium to capture the community of Palo Alto. “[The photos] showed different people, unique aspects of Palo Alto that we necessarily haven’t seen before,” Amieva-Wang said. She set out to take pictures of Palo Alto for her class and thought she knew her town pretty well; however, from behind the lens of the camera she learned much more about the people and places around her. This experience made her recognize that photography can help people learn about the world surrounding them. Whether she is shooting in Indonesia or Palo Alto, Amieva-Wang hopes people can learn something new about a community, or person through her photos. “If the opportunity presents itself I’d like to continue to do photo journalism in college, maybe working on a newspaper or something,” Amieva-Wang said. “And of course I’ll keep taking pictures when I travel.”
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