DEVIL’S ADVOCATE STANTON STANTON COLLEGE COLLEGE PREPARATORY PREPARATORY SCHOOL SCHOOL
JANUARY JANUARY 2021 2021
In a
League of their
own
How How Stanton’s Stanton’s esports esports team team is is finding finding success success in in the the gaming gaming community. community. By Jillian Williams
DEVIL’S ADVOCATE Adviser: Larry Knight Editor-in-Chief: Caroline Robbins Managing Editor: Katelyn Colley Layout and Design Editor: Tatum Bowen Photography Editor: Tyler Pottenburgh Digital Media Editor: Fabrizio Gowdy Public Relations Manager: Elise Gideon Assoc. PR Manager: Cameron Kight Art Director: Eden Kershner Videographer: Ella Jansson Section Editor (Features): Charlotte Rogers Section Editor (Opinions): Jessica Malosh Section Editor (Sports): Aulani Marley Staff Writers: Ty’Hana Aldridge, Sarah Hiott, Tatum Register, Jillian Williams, Jennifer Zheng Staff Photographers: Gavin Grady, Lilliana Harrell, Piper Jones, Denise Soriano
Contributing Advocates The Devil’s Advocate is searching for contributing writers, photographers, artists and filmmakers to assist in supporting our paper. Contact Editor-in-Chief Caroline Robbins at crobbins.137art@gmail.com, Managing Editor Katelyn Colley at sunsetcolley@gmail.com or Digital Media Editor Fabrizio Gowdy at fabriziogowdy@gmail.com.
Ads and Sponsorships The Devil’s Advocate is dependent on our advertisers and our sponsors. When you purchase an ad with us, it reaches a diverse student population that can help your business. We can also design your ads. Our prices are: $45 (1/4 page), $70 (1/2 page), $75 (insert), $135 (full page), $150 (back page). For an additional $5 fee, we can advertise your business on our website. Contact Editor-inChief Caroline Robbins at crobbins.137art@ gmail.com or our adviser, Mr. Larry Knight, at knightl1@duvalschools.org. Follow Us on Social Media
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JANUARY 2021
photo by Tyler Pottenburgh
The Pulse
Photography
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HOLIDAY SEASON
ACTIVE STUDENTS
Students offer their thoughts on the holiday season and the various holidays celebrated by them and their families.
A wide variety of sports at Stanton reflect the different passions and experiences of its students.
Arts and Entertainment
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COMICS The latest adventures of William the horse in “The Mane Event.”
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COMING OF AGE As teens struggle with the transition to adulthood, they are able to find support in coming of age movies.
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MUSIC REVIEWS
A series of reviews reflecting on some of the most influential albums of 2020.
Features
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IT’S NOT JUST HAIR Black hairstyles are of significant importance to Black culture, however people are ignoring this by and appropriating the culture.
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IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN The surge in popularity of esports inspired the formation of the championship-winning Blue Devils esport club at Stanton.
THE COLLEGE BOARD MONOPOLY
Opinions
The College Board’s monopolistic control over standardized testing is concerning and unethical because it disproportionately advantaes the wealthy.
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The recent structure of today’s political world has instigated the constant war between “cancelling” individuals over controversial or politically incorrect statements.
Publishing a newsmagazine during a pandemic has been a challenge that the Devil’s Advocate newsroom has taken on.
CANCEL CULTURE
EDITORIAL
DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | 3
STUDENT LIFE THE PULSE What is your favorite thing about the Holidays? “My favorite thing about the holidays is where we’re all cooking and preparing the food for the holidays because it bonds the family.” —Laura Mae Killingsworth, 11th
What religious holiday do you celebrate and what does it mean to you? “The religious holiday that I celebrate is Christmas. To me it is a representation of my faith and my love for my religion.” —Jasmine Laux, 10th
What religious holiday do you celebrate and what does it mean to you?
Stanton’s New Year’s Resolutions “For many students who are in Duval Homeroom, such as myself, it’s harder to keep up a healthy routine while staying home all day, so I want to get outside more and start eating more nutritional meals to maintain my health.” —Elijah Files, 11th
“I celebrate Christmas and to me it means spending a lot of time with my family and celebrating the birth of Jesus.”
“Whenever it came to new year’s resolutions, I never saw the point because I knew I would never follow through. Instead, I became content with knowing that I will still be changing and growing as a person every year despite not having resolutions.” —Haley Nguyen, 11th
—Olivia Salveson, 12th
What is your favorite thing about the holiday season? “I go to California to visit my extended family every winter. We do a lot of winter activities and there is snow there so I get to have a white Christmas.” —Rona Beringer, 10th
“Because I’m a junior this year, these are the last AP exams I’ll take before I do college apps, so they’re extra important. For the new year, my plan is to start early on practicing and reviewing so that when it gets down to AP time, I won’t have to cram.” —Libby Devooght, 11th
“I feel like so many of us care about what other people think of how we look or act; it takes away from our own happiness. We should feel free to be whoever we want and we should not be scared of what society thinks.” —Sam Diancin, 9th
Stanton’s Top Three Holiday Movies
What is your favorite holiday tradition? “My favorite Holiday tradition is that every year on Christmas Eve we all open one present. It’s always Christmas pajamas and we all take a picture.” —Katelynne Russell, 12th
What do you want for Christmas? “For Christmas, I want to get into college because I want to have a future and a successful education.” —Katherine York, 12th
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VOL. XXXVII, NO. 3
THE MANE EVENT by EDEN KERSHNER, Art Director
illustration by Eden Kershner
JANUARY 2021
DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | 5
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A YEAR FOR MUSIC
The strange ups and downs characterizing 2020 have inspired various singers and songwriters to pick up their pens and instruments and create new music.
FOLKLORE
KID KROW
BE
By KATELYN COLLEY, Managing Editor
By TATUM REGISTER, Staff Writer
By JENNIFER ZHENG, Staff Writer
iiiiiThe year 2020 has been one defined by divergence from the expected. This was no different for Taylor Swift fans, who were told they would be receiving a surprise album on July 24, just 11 months after her previous album. Swift ushered in a new indie-folk era with her release of the chart-topping album, “Folklore.” iiiiiWhen nation-wide lockdowns began in the spring, the singer-songwriter took the opportunity to begin her 16-track project. The album strays from Swift’s traditional use of a first-person narrative and instead takes a broader, third-person point of view, exploring topics other than teenage affairs. iiiiiOne story told is the love triangle between characters Betty, James, and Inez. The album features hit songs “Cardigan” from Betty’s point of view, “August” from Inez’s, and “Betty” from James’. The character development woven with a complex series of heartbreaking narratives is one of the most advanced levels of artistry Swift has shown. iiiiiThe only song on the album with a featured artist is “exile,” an evocative duet between Swift and Justin Vernon, founder of the indiefolk band Bon Iver. The soulful harmonies weave Vernon’s deep, gritty undertones seamlessly with Swift’s soft, yearning falsettos. iiiiiWhile lyrically diverse, “Folklore” is almost entirely void of upbeat, non-acoustic songs, which could easily create a sense of musical monotony. Swift, however, capitalizes on this repetition by using it to mimic the feelings of the dull routineness she, like many others, has felt during this global pandemic. Overall, “Folklore” adds another layer of credence that the superstar’s career and creativity remain remains as strong as ever.
iiiiiInspired by his childhood nickname, “Kid Krow’’ was the groundbreaking album that transformed Conan Gray’s career. Excelling on the Billboard charts, the debut album established a prominent name for Gray and expressed his childhood experiences through its blend of nostalgic lyricism and melody. iiiiiFollowing his 2018 signing with Republic Records, Gray released “Kid Krow’’ on March 20, 2020. The album collectively gained over 150 million streams on Spotify and rose to No.5 on the 2020 U.S. Billboard charts. Gray aims to embody his own personal insecurities in order to captivate listeners. iiiii“Honesty is the way you connect to people through music,” said Gray in a 2019 interview on the Zach Sang Show. “My best songs came in moments of honesty and humility.” iiiiiOne particularly moving track of Gray’s is “The Story,” which shakes listeners with simplistic harmony and rhythm, unveiling the difficulties of Gray’s youth and where they have led him. The song was so emotionally infused that Gray was hesitant to release it, but after overwhelming support from his friends, he added it to his debut album. iiiiiThe “Kid Krow” album was a tremendous accomplishment for Gray, launching his name to the top of the charts. With no plans to stop, he continues to channel his ideas into lyric poetry as he heads into his 2021 worldwide tour.
iiiiiWith the coronavirus affecting every corner of the world, K-pop group BTS released their latest album “BE” on Nov. 19, 2020. In eight heartening tracks, BTS expresses their honest feelings about the alarming impact the coronavirus has had on them, while sending the message they will overcome the struggles since life goes on. In a global press conference held by Big Hit Labels, BTS said they hope people can relate to “BE” and find comfort in knowing that everything is going to be fine. iiiiiThe most upbeat tracks in “BE” are “Telepathy,” “Stay,” and “Dynamite.” These catchy songs open up with bright vocals, followed by melodic rap before returning back to the cheerful tune. In “Telepathy” and “Stay,” BTS conveys they are happiest when with their fans (called ARMY) and the unrealistic feeling of not being able to see their fans at concerts. Nevertheless, BTS will always keep ARMY in their hearts. Additionally, the joy and confidence in “Dynamite” brings much needed energy to reinvigorate the disheartened global community. iiiiiThe next three tracks, “Life Goes On,” “Fly to My Room,” and “Blue & Grey,” are more emotional but still maintain the album’s positive tone. These songs use a soft melody with background acoustic instruments to give a gentle and comforting feel, while allowing listeners to relate to the distress and anxiety present in reality. iiiiiEven though BTS is a K-pop group, they are able to spread their music all around the world. Singing in Korean does not hinder their overall message for foreign listeners. Through “BE,” BTS has let fans know that they are going to get through this pandemic together.
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COMING OF AGE In the transition to adulthood, many teens turn to the coming of age genre for support during the confusing and difficult times. By SARAH HIOTT, Staff Writer iiiiiHigh school is a time when teenagers struggle with their identity while creating long-term relationships and navigating the path to adulthood. In film, the coming of age genre depicts real-life issues such as fitting in, self-discovery, and the transition out of childhood. Centered around sympathetic characters, coming of age movies instill within teens a sense of empowerment and relatability. iiiiiMovies in this genre encompass a wide variety of experiences, such as the fear of growing up, romance, and standing up to bullies, but ultimately have the same theme of finding oneself. This allows young viewers to apply the lessons that are shown in the movie to their own lives. iiiii“[Coming of age] movies are more engaged with social politics,” said Mr. Brandon Cox, Stanton College Preparatory School’s film teacher. “[They] focus more on the introspective journey rather than a group or community’s journey.”
Coming of age films such as “Boyhood” (2014) help young viewers feel understood and ease the pains of growing up.
JANUARY 2021
iiiiiMovies have a transformative aspect that draws viewers into the characters’ worlds. By watching a protagonist stand up for themselves, adolescents share the character’s feeling of empowerment and learn more during the transition to adulthood. iiiii“[These characters] all exude a sense of confidence, which I think really helped a lot of people, me included, be more confident in our own skin,” said sophomore McKenna Geohagan. “These movies also taught us to value what we have and stick up for ourselves.” iiiiiLike Geohagan, teens can feel a sense of validation by seeing a peer experience a similar situation, giving them a sense of companionship as they face their own personal struggles. They can identify with characters who experience similar feelings of loneliness, confusion, and heartbreak, giving a better understanding of their own emotions. iiiii“The way the main characters in these movies faced their separate problems made me feel a lot less lonely,” said sophomore Rona Beringer. “It’s relieving to see media portraying characters that go through the same things that all of us do.” iiiiiThe themes and conflicts faced by characters in coming of age movies stay timeless as teens continue to struggle with becoming an adult. Classics like “The Breakfast Club” have underlying messages, like identity and relationship resolution, that remain as applicable today as they were in the 1980s. Years later, movies like 2004’s “Mean Girls” have the same conflict of stereotyping peers based on who they associate with and the general opinions of them. iiiiiWith these timeless themes are reflections on the current conflicts that teens are facing today. Newer coming of age movies like 2018’s ‘’Love, Simon’’ and 2012’s ‘’The Perks of Being A Wallflower’’ tackle modern challenges like coming out and mental health. Though mental health and coming out are not new issues, they are becoming a subject people are willing to discuss more openly, and teen films have changed in order to reflect that. These new discussions highlight the struggles teens are currently facing and show them how others cope. iiiiiEven though these movies are meant to be realistic, the endings can take away from the relatability that is expected. Fictional characters often experience a “fairytale ending” and achieve an overall resolution, which is
usually not the case in real-life situations. iiiii“Characters are always depicted as getting their way, which unfortunately doesn’t happen as often in everyday life,” said Beringer. iiiiiThe idea of a happy ending is less realistic than real-life events, but these films use the sense of fantasy and unrealistic actions to add to the experience. Movies often end with satisfactory
“These characters really helped a lot of people, me included, be more confident in our own skin.” — McKenna Geohagan, 10th conclusions that create a concept of realistic plots. iiiii“Part of [happy endings] is dramatic structure but it is more of a positive aspect to the movies,” said Mr. Cox. Even though these happy endings can give teenagers hope for their own story, it can also promote the thought that happy endings are expected and that it is common for everything to work out. A character successfully finding love and resolving every problem shows viewers that satisfactory endings are normal. A sense of false hope can lead to doubt amongst struggling teens who do not have the same kind of ending. iiiii“Life doesn’t always have happy endings and it’s okay to feel other things,” said senior Katie Russell. “[Bad outcomes] can show people that it’s okay to feel sad or stressed, and that they will get through it.” iiiiiFalse ideation of life is real, but seeing successful relationship endings can make teens feel like anything is possible, and give hope to teens who watch. iiiii“We like the happy ending and everything working out because it makes people feel good and hopeful about their own lives,” said Russell. iiiiiThe new ideas seen in recent films parallel the issues facing today’s teens, letting viewers find solace in movies that explore similar situations. Coming of age movies are a testament to the difficulty of adolescence and are a source of advice and confidence.
DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | 7
ATYIPICAL
photo by Denise Soriano
ANITA PERRERA, 11, PERFORMS CULTURAL BALLROOM DANCE IN HER FREE TIME.
photo by Piper Jones
CHASE DUGGAN, 9, HAS BEEN PERFORMING BALLET SINCE THE AGE OF THREE.
photo acquired by Thomas McLaughlin
THOMAS McLAUGHLIN, 12, COMPETES IN BOWLING TOURNAMENTS AND OFTEN BRINGS HOME THE GOLD.
ATHLETICS
photo by Piper Jones
QUINN LeVASSUER, 11, TAKES TENNIS CLASSES IN PREPARATION FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON.
photo by Piper Jones
RENEE COSEP, 11, USES KAMA BLADES AS A PART OF THE MARTIAL ARTS MULTI GROUP.
photo by Denise Soriano
AMANDA JIANG, 10, ENJOYS PARTICIPATING IN FENCING MATCHES IN HER FREE TIME.
How St team is fi the gam
By JILLIA
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tanton's esports inding success in ming community.
Staff Writer AN WILLIAMS, staff writer
DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | 11
STUDENT LIFE FEATURES IIIII Depictions of sports in the media are typically images of sweaty athletes participating in competitions side by side with other athletes. However, in the modern age of evolving technology, a new variety of sports is growing in popularity: esports. During the current coronavirus pandemic, a time when in-person sports are a potential health risk, esports has received a wave of new support, inspiring the esports club at Stanton College Preparatory School. IIIII The Stanton Blue Devils esports team, which won the North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF) tournaments in its first year competing, is the first of its kind. Similar to traditional sports, the club held tryouts and meets regularly for practices. They play “League of Legends,” a role play game released in 2009 that requires skill and teamwork from its participants. Players compete in scrimmages against other teams and communicate in Discord, a communication platform for gamers, in order to improve their collaboration and in-game skills. The players are divided into an A-team and B-team, with five members on each and two substitutes. While there are more members of the club, these teams were formed based on the players’ gaming prowess and represent the club at
esports competitions. Both teams are highly ranked as some of the top regionally. This can partly be credited to the expert composition of the teams. IIIII Within the game, each member has a different role. Senior Tristen Campayne is responsible for drafting the composition of the teams based on these roles and the skill sets of the players. These arrangements with the positions are also determined based on the characters they use in the game, each having different strengths and abilities. While some arrangements remain consistent, others are decided based on the strengths of the opponent. IIIII “You want to draft what you are good at but you also want to deny the enemy team by banning what they are good at,” said Campayne. “[I decide the compositions] because I just spend my own time thinking about the game before and after we play.” IIIII As the captain of the A-team and president of the club, senior Cody Zheng leads the team both in and outside of the game. He started playing “League of Legends” in fifth grade when the game was in the early stage of season three. Now, he considers himself a seasoned veteran as the game enters its tenth season. Zheng has aspirations to continue participating in esports during college.
infographic by Charlotte Rogers
photo by NASEF on StreamRecap
Team A captain Cody Zheng, 12, defeats an opponent in the NASEF Winter 2020
IIIII “My plan right now for after high school is most likely to join University of Central Florida’s A-team because their roster, the last time I checked, is pretty stacked,” said Zheng. “They’re probably one of the best Florida A-teams. There have been some small colleges that have tried to recruit me for their teams, but I wasn’t interested.” IIIII For talented players like Zheng, participating in esports is a viable plan for the future. Similar to other sports, colleges scout esports players during competitions and offer scholarships. This is becoming more common as many colleges form esports teams, including UCF. The high
A Team TEAMeam ANDYMAIN / Andy Zheng, 10
JESSEMAIN / Jesse Liu, 11
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CODY DONE / Cody Zheng, 12
RETURN OF BI / Alan Vu, 11
GTGBANK / Tristen Campayne, 12
VOL XXXVII, NO. 1 3 VOL.
photo by NASEF on StreamRecap
The Blue Devils competed in the NASEF Winter 2020 tournament. school competition sponsor, PlayVS, also offers a scholarship for competition winners. Not every player aspires to continue esports in college, however, and the B-team includes players who participate more for fun. IIIIIThe B-team captain, senior Cooper France, was chosen as the captain because he was the highestranking member outside of the A-team. As a captain, his responsibilities include scouting teams to practice against and deciding on strategies for matches. IIIII“It’s just like being a leader of any other activity,” said France, who has been playing “League of Legends” since the fifth grade. “There is a lot of stress to it but the reward of watching the team succeed far outweighs that stress.” IIIIIWhile esports may seem unusual to a society conditioned to see sports as synonymous with athletics, it is advantageous in several ways when compared to other sports. Mainly, esports does not require much funding. Participants play from their own devices, negating the need for equipment funding. While there are fees to enter tournaments, the Blue Devils earned free passes as a reward for placing second in the regional summer tournament. IIIIIStill, despite its flexibility with technology, esports has limitations. The team experienced new barriers
from the coronavirus and its impact just like other sports. Since the team members are a mixture of both in-person and Duval HomeRoom students, and after-school club meetings are prohibited, they have suffered difficulties with communication and organization. IIIII“This might seem crazy, but staying at home honestly did not help us,” said France. “You would think with having to stay at home things would be easier for us since we’re playing online, but at the same time there’s a lack of synergy from being in the same room as people.” IIIIIDespite complications caused by the pandemic, the team found new solutions during the NASEF tournament last year. Since the team could not meet on campus, they met at a third party location to play some of their matches and they had to compete in the championships from their homes, limiting their ability to interact as a team. Still, the team found ways to support each other throughout the competition through online means. IIIII“I would say that one of the more fun things for me, and I think it was for the team, was that for the state championship we had something like 180 people watching our game,” said France. “Most of them were from Stanton. “Just seeing them typing different messages and chants in the chat was
really fun between games.” IIIII The tournaments, held over a series of several weeks, were streamed on Twitch, a game streaming platform, by A-team captain Cody Zheng. Some of the matches were also streamed by the tournament organizers, who provided commentary resembling that of a professional match. Viewers from both the team and Stanton were able to watch the Blue Devils team win the Florida bracket and place nationally in the top ten. IIIII The team completed their regular season with both the A and B-teams emerging undefeated. Currently, the team is participating in the PlayVS competition and both teams are ranked in the top five regionally. IIIII “As for A-team, our goal is to win it all,” said Zheng. IIIII The Blue Devil’s esports team has grown rapidly since its creation and plans to continue building on its success. The accomplishments of the team mirror the growth of the sport and they hope to incorporate other games such as “Valorant” and “Super Smash Bros” into their play in the future. Through their continued successes, the Blue Devils are changing perceptions of what constitutes a sport.
photo by NASEF on StreamRecap
Cody Zheng, 12, completes a triple kill in the NASEF Winter 2020 tournament.
B Team TEAMeam DUMBAFDUCK /
Shawnick Wang, 10 THECOOLERKID
JANUARY 2021 SEPTEMBER 2020
/ Cooper France, 12 ILLANO / Marc Samillano, 11
ARCHANGEL / Leo Chang, 12
HOWDOESTHISFIT
/ Ryan Diaz, 12
DEVIL’SADVOCATE ADVOCATE| |13 5 DEVIL’S
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OPINIONS
Cancel Culture
By TYLER POTTENBURGH, Photography Editor iiiiiAmong the many trends that have emerged from Generation Z and the age of social media is one which is particularly controversial, known as cancel culture. A modern form of public shaming, cancel culture is where someone’s mistake, made recently or long ago, resurfaces and makes its way around the internet. People see this mistake and “cancel” them, which is the widespread termination of support for them. This can have a significant impact, leading to the person’s dismissal from organizations or even denial from schools and job opportunities. iiiiiCancel culture has no mercy. If skeletons are in the closet, cancel culture will find and share them with everybody. For instance, once beloved R&B singer R. Kelly quickly became infamous after the cancelation of his personage and music all over the internet. After his sexual abuse and misconduct scandal surfaced, the hashtag “mute R. Kelly” became wildly popular. RCA records dropped him and Spotify recently stopped including his music on public playlists. Someone known for making incredibly popular hits like “Ignition” and “I Believe I Can Fly” is now seen as nothing more than a sexual predator, who many feel guilty about supporting. iiiiiCases like this usually have minimal controversy. R. Kelly was guilty, therefore deserving of the public shaming he endured. However, in other cases, people feel as if cancel culture goes too far when it only involves a minor personal mistakes. photo by Gavin Grady
iiiiiTake for example superstar comedian Kevin Hart. On Dec. 4, 2018, Hart was announced as the host for that year’s Academy Awards ceremony. Soon after, there was widespread backlash all over the Internet. From 2009 through 2011, Hart used Twitter on several occasions to make fun of the LGBT community. People lashed out at the Academy Awards for employing somebody who they thought was homophobic. After being shamed and bullied into it, the Academy asked Hart to apologize. iiiiiInitially, he wouldn’t, saying “I’ve addressed this several times. This is not the first time it has come up…I’ve spoken on it. I’ve said where the rights and wrongs were.” Over the next few months, Hart wasn’t able to escape the situation. This situation brings up the question: should we hold people accountable for the things they’ve said in their past? If so, how many times must it resurface before their apology is accepted and the world can move on? iiiiiWe, as a generation and the future of this world, need to be more open to change. It is hard to accept an apology for repeated offenses, especially when the repeat comes after an apology. However, if those of us who call out others for their mistakes cannot invite necessary changes, then how are we making the world better? We are all human and every one of us makes mistakes. It is from these mistakes, however, that we learn from, and grow. iiiiiUnfortunately, it is hard for a line to be drawn for how much public shaming someone deserves. There must be another way, because people can easily have their futures ruined over one mistake. Should we really be ruining somebody’s life based on one small sample of their
character? Or can we expect them to change, if we are willing to let them?
infographic by Jessica Malosh
It’s Not Just Hair By TY’HANA ALDRIDGE, Staff Writer
iiiiiOn Aug. 24, 2018, at Christ the King Elementary School in Terrytown, La., 11-year-old Faith Fennidy arrived at school with her hair braided in a style commonly known as box braids. Shortly after, a video showed Fennidy leaving school in tears because of a policy stating “only the student’s natural hair is permitted. Extensions, wigs, hairpieces of any kind are not allowed.” The school has since removed this policy, but it does not eliminate the discriminatory effect this rule sparked. Black men and women are constantly scrutinized due to the origin and styles of their hair. Meanwhile, those who are not Black casually wear these styles, receiving less severe backlash than Black people. The double standard of cultural appropriation towards hairstyles is continuously growing alongside controversial trends. photo by Austin Mendillo
iiiiiThe emergence of celebrity fashion trends, such as wearing skin-tight Kimono-inspired dresses, reduces these cultural traditions to nothing more than styles in which to play dress up. Influencer Kim Kardashian-West has been called out numerous times for appropriating cultures since her rise to fame. In 2018, Kardashian received backlash after wearing cornrows in an Instagram post and calling them “Bo Derek” braids, after the non-Black actress and model who wore the braids in the 1984 film “Bolero.” Rather than addressing the issue, she proceeded to wear cornrows to the 2018 MTV Movie and TV Awards. Kardashian’s privilege and failure to acknowledge the cultural origin of the hairstyle is part of the reason why wearing such hairstyles is a form of cultural appropriation. In recent years, it has become normalized to see white women wearing box braids in public, stripping away the cultural significance of such styles. To avoid unknowingly disrespecting or misrepresenting cultures, certain styles should be left alone by those not ethnically part of that culture. iiiiiDating back to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Black men and women have faced discrimination based not only on their skin color but also their hair. This historical movement influenced the way Black people viewed themselves as well as their oppressors. During this time, ideal hair types and textures were long, silky, and straight. In response to this, Black people in the 1970s began embracing their natural hair by wearing afros to emphasize the now popular phrase “Black is Beautiful.” The aim of this shift was to eliminate the stereotype of Black hair being deemed “ghetto” and “unprofessional.” The history behind Black hair is important to remember and explains why wearing these hairstyles as a non-Black person is a cultural appropriation. Unfortunately, Black men and women are still being deprecated based on their hair in workplaces and schools. iiiiiIn 2019, news anchor Brittany Noble Jones was fired from her job after her transition from straight hair to natural hairstyles was considered “unprofessional” by her news
director at WJTV in Jackson, Miss. A study conducted in August 2020 at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business showed natural hair bias prevails in workplaces and accentuates racial discrimination of Black people. In the study, participants received profiles of Black and white women and were asked to rate their professionalism along with other factors. Results showed compared to Black women with straight hair and white women with curly and straight hair, Black women with natural hairstyles scored lowest on professionalism rates.
infographic by Jessica Malosh
iiiiiCultural appropriation of Black hair is exemplified through the neglect to acknowledge or credit the history of such hairstyles. Non-Black people wearing Black hairstyles is not a form of appreciation; it is taking a culture that is not one’s to claim and disrespecting it in a way one may not be aware of. Cultural traditions are cherished and appropriating any culture is a severe issue, no matter who is engaging in the action.
infographic by Jessica Malosh
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VOL. XXXVII, NO. 3
The College Board Monopoly By JESSICA MALOSH, Opinions Editor
iiiiiThe College Board is an organization which most, if not all, students in the U.S. are familiar with. The tests that it offers – the Advanced Placement (AP) subject tests, SAT, and PSAT/NMSQT – are designed to measure the aptitude and college readiness of students. For colleges that require submission of SAT scores, the SAT scores largely determine admission decisions. Because these tests play such a major role in college admissions, students strive to get as high a score as possible, which increases their chances of getting into more selective colleges. Out of this desire for higher test scores, a lucrative industry has formed which capitalizes on students’ need to improve their SAT/AP scores. What’s more, a myriad of counseling services that claim to “raise” students’ SAT scores have grown increasingly common in the recent decades. No organization should hold this much power over the future of thousands of students. iiiiiThe College Board is considered a nonprofit, which means it receives federal tax exemption. What’s more, despite its nonprofit status, it brought in $94 million in profit during 2018. The College Board also indirectly receives money from federal grants that go to school districts in need. The schools that receive these grants use this money to cover the costs of the AP exams for students, which goes directly to the College Board. iiiiiEven though the College Board offers supplemental material such as past AP tests, AP test preparation, and practice tests, the brunt of the costs falls on the schools that offer the courses. According to the College Board, it costs between $1,900 to $11,650 to launch an AP course, which includes materials, textbooks, and professional development. This projected cost does not include the salary of the teachers or the cost of maintaining classrooms. Financially, the College Board offers nothing to the AP students during the course of the school year. A nonprofit is supposed to do the public good or further a social cause; the College Board does not do this. iiiiiThis monopoly on testing adversely affects lowincome students’ while bolstering the wealthy students in the college admissions arena. In his revolutionary book “The Years that Matter Most,” Paul Tough exposes the advantages that students who come from well-to-do families enjoy when it comes to getting higher SAT and AP scores and how these advantages play in the college admission process. These wealthy students not only enjoy the benefit of guidance, experience and legacy status that comes from their college graduate parents but also the financial resources needed to afford SAT prep courses, pricey private counseling that identifies specific areas of weakness, as well as advising on SAT taking strategies. Additionally, the students from well-to-do families also enjoy the opportunity to take the pricey tests multiple times after spending countless hours of preparing - the hours that low-income students spend working a part time job or doing chores to help their families. photo by Austin Mendillo
iiiiiStudents have the option to take the tests more than once if they do not get the score that they want. But because of the high test price ranges, only low-income students bear the heavy financial burden of taking the tests more than once, and some are deterred for that reason. For the low-income students who do not receive federal grant funding, the College Board offers a $33 reduction fee, which knocks the price down to $53 per test. This is still a heavy burden on low-income families, especially those with students who take more than one AP test. iiiiiThis unfortunate phenomenon is supported by data that the College Board gathers and releases in its SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report. It shows the breakdown of scores and categorizes them by race, gender, and parental education of the test taker. A predictable yet unfair trend can be observed by analyzing the mean scores categorized by highest level of parental education - a good proxy of household income. As seen in the graph below, the higher the parental education level, the higher the students’ scores.
infographic by Jessica Malosh
iiiiiThe College Board’s monopoly on test-taking is strengthened by the lack of competitors in the industry. The only organization that approaches the College Board’s reign on standardized tests is ACT, Inc., but it still pales in comparison. Even though the ACT is gaining testtakers, its numbers still trail behind with 1.8 million testtakers compared to the College Board’s 2.2 million SAT participants in 2019. iiiiiThere is also an outside industry that surrounds preparation and score improvement for these tests. There are many test prep books and courses, even professional tutors, who charge top dollar for tips on these standardized tests. For instance, the company “Prep Expert” offers three to six week online SAT prep courses for $999, with a 100200 point improvement guarantee. There are a plethora of books such as the “Princeton Review’s Cracking the SAT,” “Barron’s SAT Premium Study Guide,” and “McGraw-Hill Education SAT Elite” that charge $20 to $40 depending on the brand. These services disproportionately target the wealthy, which gives them another advantage over lowincome students during the test. iiiiiFortunately, recent news suggests the College Board’s empire of standardized testing is starting to fall. A decreased appetite for standardized tests that was evident in the past year, along with the COVID-19 pandemic,
infographic by Jessica Malosh
JANUARY 2021
infographic by Jessica Malosh
has contributed to the College Board’s decision to eliminate the SAT subject tests and the SAT optional essay. The decision came on Jan. 19, when the College Board announced the elimination of these tests in favor of creating an online SAT test. In its statement, the College Board said that a digital SAT test would be more streamlined and allow for the needs of students to be met.The College Board emphasized AP tests’ increasing popularity and “widespread availability for low-income students and students of color” as a reason for discontinuing the SAT subject tests, iiiiiThe recent actions of the College Board may signal the crumbling of its testing monopoly. The SAT subject tests have met their demise because of lack of participation, and the emphasis placed on the AP tests is just a scramble to keep profits high. iiiiiWhatever the motive is for scrapping the SAT subjects tests and optional essays, it is a move in the right direction. If this trend endures, hopefully students will be judged on what classes they have taken, how well they did in their classes, and the types of extracurriculars they are involved in, not just their SAT score. iiiiiIn fact, because of these factors, some colleges, including many Ivy League colleges, are moving towards test-optional college applications. Hopefully, more colleges follow this test-optional trend, and the College Board will lose its monopoly on the future of high school students.
DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | 17
DEVIL’S ADVOCATE Est. 1983 I Stanton College Preparatory School
2020–2021 Editorial Board Caroline Robbins Katelyn Colley Tatum Bowen Fabrizio Gowdy Tyler Pottenburgh
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Layout and Design Editor Digital Media Editor Photography Editor
iiiiiThe Devil’s Advocate serves as the official newspaper of Stanton College Preparatory School. It is produced quarterly by members of the Journalism class. The editors reserve the right to edit any material submitted into the paper for content, grammar, length and accuracy. iiiiiThe Devil’s Advocate is a public forum for student expression, which encourages free exchanges of opinions concerning controversial and noncontroversial community and school related issues. The advertisements and ideas expressed within the newspaper are not necessarily those of the newspaper adviser, newspaper staff, Stanton administration or the Duval County Public School Board. iiiiiThe Devil’s Advocate accepts advertisements from all businesses in the Stanton community. The ad format can be given to the staff or the adviser, Mr. Larry Knight. iiiiiReaders may contact the staff and adviser at (904) 630-6760 ext. 012204 or at knightl1@duvalschools.org.
photo by Austin Mendillo
Letter from the Editor
iiiiiA new beginning is granted to us with the new year, and with it a chance to continue addressing the ever-evolving world the students at Stanton College Preparatory School are enduring. As the semester changes, many of our peers are either returning to campus to a “normal” school setting, while others continue to safely social distance as the pandemic continues to swarm across the country. In the midst of all of the chaos and change, however, there are unique and creative outlets that students have discovered to continue to make the best of their altered experiences. iiiiiIn the first sports Features story of our paper’s history, our staff delves into the world of esports and how Stanton’s esports club has risen to prominence through their personal dedication and skill. The story of their success despite the challenges we have all faced in the past year is a welcome reminder of the hope and possibility for what is to come. Exploring the development of music, coming of age film, and the recent controversies surrounding America’s cultural climate, this issue seeks to explore the complex and evolving nautre of our current time and celebrate the small victories within it. iiiiiAs some of our staff remains at home, while others continue to bring life to the newsroom, we continue our pledge to represent the voices and stories of the individuals of Stanton.
18 | devilsadvocatepaper.com
illustration by Eden Kershner
Publishing a Paper in a Pandemic
iiiiiThe year 2020 proved the necessity for journalists at a time of confusion and chaos. Initially relieved to have an extra week of spring break to focus on editing pages, Devil’s Advocate staff members, along with the rest of the world, quickly realized the road ahead would be an uphill battle. Learning how to publish a paper in a global pandemic may not have been in our initial job descriptions, to say the least, but it sparked a new wave of unparalleled adaptation, innovation, and persistence within the Devil’s Advocate newspaper. iiiiiAfter publishing the Devil’s Advocate’s first-ever exclusively digital issue in April, it became increasingly obvious that the transition from in-person to virtual communication would not be easy. A nuisance of technical errors in the classroom that normally warranted a simple exchange of school computers now threatened the very basis of staff collaboration, editing, and page production. Quick hallway meetings between editors required scheduling video calls amid internet issues, temporary switches to eight classes a day meant little class time to work, and business shutdowns left members wondering where they would secure advertisements. iiiiiWhile many of these problems were worked around with the helpful experience of longtime staff members, this went almost entirely out the window when twelve new students were accepted for the 2020-2021 production year and had to be taught the complicated inner workings of the newspaper from their bedroom. In normal years, the staff gets together the week before the school year starts and attends a week-long workshop to teach new members, plan for the upcoming year, review journalism basics, and have staff bonding. Due to the circumstances, the Editorial Board had to design an entirely virtual summer workshop—something that had never been done before. iiiiiIt would be an understatement to say that communication was awkward. It is extremely difficult to be one of the largest sources of student journalism on the campus and hardly be able to communicate with one’s own members. With students being able to choose between brick and mortar and virtual instruction, the administration was forced to compromise many electives for student schedules. This meant several members on staff, including over half of the Editorial Board, were no longer enrolled in the newspaper class. For many virtual students who faced this scheduling issue, they now essentially had nine classes to juggle and had to learn how to keep up with any newspaper affairs in their free time. iiiiiIn the present day, online platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google calendars, and Zoom have become our essential means of keeping a sense of organization. The first issue was published fully online to accommodate business shutdowns that would normally cover the cost of printing in advertisements. Additionally, staff members have become multi-taskers even more so than usual. A member can attend a sports game, for example, take photos of players, write a digital story for it, and publish it on the website all by themselves. This avoids unnecessary crowd gatherings of the staff and helps to mend any extra communication issues that group work may entail. iiiiiThe newspaper you are reading right now is the first regular cycle (non-special edition) issue to be printed this year. It is fully funded by our staff members’ hard work to secure advertisements, which is in part thanks to the reputation the Devil’s Advocate maintains and an elevated level of persistent virtual communication in business deals. iiiiiTrying to operate normally in this pandemic has not been easy for anyone, including the Devil’s Advocate staff. Nevertheless, the circumstances have forced us to adapt and overcome in ways we have never accomplished before, and expand our audience even more. Publishing a paper in a pandemic may not have been our ideal achievement this year, but it is certainly one the staff proudly and willfully works toward every day.
VOL. XXXVII NO. 3
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