The Eagle George Washington High School 600 32nd Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121 Issue iii. March 22nd, 2017 Website: gwhs.co Instagram: gwhsofficial Twitter: gwhs_official
“From a young age I’ve been insecure about my appearance. The media and criticism from the world around me didn’t make things any better. I thought the melanin in my skin made me ugly and undesirable. Dark skins has time and time again been rejected in society and colorism persists, even post slavery. It wasn’t until recently, that I fully accepted myself and realized that Black is beautiful too.” -Bitota Mpolo, Senior for more, see page 9
What’s Inside:
Q&A with JROTC leaders. for more, see page 4
F.O.B. A three letter acronym that has haunted me and continues to do so, till this day. F.O.B. stands for Fresh Off the Boat... for more, see page 7
Before Tomokazu Morikawa became a teacher, he was a marketing director for a large advertising company in Japan... for more, see page 8
2 News
The Eagle
March 22nd, 2017
The eAgle Computer Science: A World Without Women Editors-in-Chief: Bitota Mpolo Melody Yan Winnie Zhang
Website Editors-in-Chief: Anthony Chi Jack Matull
Photographers: Christina La Mandy Yu
Graphic Designers: Robin Fong Amy Hilomen Jessica Thai Casey Toy
Staff Writers:
Henry Chan Gabriel Cywinski Malika Golshan Simone Herrera Zoey Hou Tiffany Lau Christopher Lee Corinne Leung Belinda Li Kevin Li Chidinma Onyeonwu Madison Ross Samantha Sacks Tobias Sunshine Kimberly Thai Anna Voloshko Erin Wong May Yang Carmen Zhen
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BY ROBIN FONG
he ’80s: a time of great music, interesting fashion, big hair and less commonly known as when women left coding. Even here at Washington, female students make up only 25% (43 out of 172) of those in our computer science program. Modern day computer science is overrun by men. However, that wasn’t always the story. Women, at one time, were leading pioneers in the world of technology. Ada Lovelace, a mathematician in the 1800s, is credited with proposing the very first computer algorithm. Kathleen Antonelli was one of the six original programmers of the first general purpose electronic digital computer. For decades, the number of women in U.S. computer science was growing fast and steady. Then in 1984, that number reached a stopping point and eventually started to decrease. So what caused the sudden plunge? A podcast broadcasted by the National Public Radio reveals that personal computers had made their way into the homes of U.S citizens just as women in the computer science field were leaving. Personal computers, at the time, were fairly simple and contained limited programs, such as gaming and some word processing. You would think that having computers as household devices would increase the number of women in the field, but the devices were mainly marketed towards a male audience. In almost all the ads filmed for personal computers, the cast was entirely made up of men. Movies of the decade, such as Weird Science, Revenge of the Nerds and War Games, created the conventional idea that geeks and computer nerds were male. As mentioned in the podcast, “This idea that computers are for boys became a narrative. It became the story we told ourselves about the computing revolution. It helped define who geeks were and it created techie culture.” Those stereotypes created a home environment where more boys than girls were exposed to the wonders of computing, where the computers were placed in the boy’s room, making them less accessible to girls in middle and high school. Because personal computers were seen as “boy’s toys,” women who decided to major in computer science faced disadvantages in the classroom. The podcast also states that professors would assume that all their students grew up playing with computers. Female students would often notice that their male peers were much more knowledgeable about computers and their assertiveness would begin to drop. Jane Margolis, UCLA professor of computer science, mentions, “If you’re in a culture that is so infused
w ith this belief that men are just better at this and they fit in better, a lot can shake
your confidence.” Her research in the 1990s also shows that of the women who dropped out of the top computer science program offered at Carnegie Mellon, half had been on the dean’s list. In an interview with New York Times, Ellen Spertus, Professor of Computer Science at Mills College, says “Women choosing not to go into computer science is fine… if there aren’t artificial barriers keeping them out.” “We are very similar to the rest of the country, in terms of female participation. It definitely lags,” says John Hajel, founder and head of the Washington computer science program. In the APCS Java class, females make up 28% (8 out of 29), in the APCS Principles (APCSP) class 31% (35 out of 114) and in the Exploring Computer Science class a staggering 0% (0 out of 29)of the class is made of girls. Despite the low numbers of girls in our classes, an ample 41% (30 out of 74) students surveyed who identify as female said that they were interested in computer science. However, only 15 out of those 30 girls are taking or planning to take a computer science class offered here at Washington. Out of the 59% (44 out of 74) of female students who weren’t interested in computer science, one student who is currently taking the class explains that she doesn’t like the class because she doesn’t have a friend to enjoy computer science with. Another female respondent says, “I didn’t have a good experience with computer class in the past.” When asked about how the school plans to address the problem, Hajel mentions the Hour of Code movement : “That makes everyone more familiar with what they’re taking, so there is no misunderstanding.” Hajel also talked about the Girls Who Code club, an organization dedicated to closing the gender gap in technology, where “girls can go and find out if they like coding or if it’s something they are good at.” The school also has big plans for the computer science program, coming fall. “ We’re going to have the ability for girls to sign up (for the class) with a friend or two and we’ll make every effort we possibly can to get them in the same class. There are studies that say that girls that have ability to take a class with friends are more likely to take the class,” explains Hajel. There will also be an APCSP class for girls with the exact same curriculum and rigor. Though it is not exclusively for females, the idea is that the class will make it easier to get girls and their friends in the same class. Hajel expressed concern that girls may have a misconception about coding. “Computer science is not just working at Facebook or writing computer games. It’s about solving the next medical mystery or curing cancer… these days all fields have computer science in them.”
Advisor: David Cary
A Letter of Apology to the Washington Community Dear GWHS Community, I want to apologize for disrespecting everyone at the Fall Spirit Rally. What I said was inappropriate and wrong. I respect everyone equally. I made a mistake and am truly sorry if I hurt or upset anyone. I was not trying to hurt anyone, like legit that would be messed up. All I’ve got to say for myself is that I’m sorry. Sincerely, Osiel Torres
We apologize for our offensive behavior at the Fall Rally during the mannequin challenge (about 15-20 tenth grade students did the “Heil Hitler” salute). We realize that our behavior was highly inappropriate and offensive. Our actions were in no way intentional in that we did not set out to cause harm to, or fear in our school community. When put in a historical context, the idea that we even raised our right arms in such a gesture is abhorrent to us. We appreciated sitting with Ms. Blinick and Jewish students to hear firsthand what harm and fear our irresponsible and unthoughtful behavior caused. It is terrible for us to think that our actions caused members of the GWHS community to feel unsafe. We have learned the lesson of empathy. Going forward we will be more cognizant of how our actions affect those around us. We will work to become a positive influence on our school community by modeling thoughtful, positive and respectful behavior.
March 22nd, 2017
Features 3
The Eagle
FIVE
FREE CITY COLLEGE
On Monday, February 6th Mayor, Ed Lee announce a deal that woukd make CCSF free for all San Francisco residents. The mayor has agreed to spend $5.4 million on free tuition for San Francisco residents as well as books for low-income students in the next school year. In the past few years City College has sruggled, losing a third of their students during their accredidation crisis. This might just be the turning point City College needs to be successful in the coming years.
CURRENT EVENTS A small look into what is happening around the world today BY: CHRISTOPHER LEE AND BITOTA MPOLO
BREXIT
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The European Union is a 28 member state organization that operates as a cohesive economic and political block. The EU primarily operates through the European Single Market to ensure the four freedoms of the movement of goods, services, people and money. With a combination of immigration, terrorism and the European Debt Crisis, many Britons began to question the validity of EU membership. Prime Minister David Cameron promised a referendum to ease many British citizens’ frustration with the economic union. He and many others had hoped for the referendum as just easement. On Thursday, June 23rd, a referendum was held to decide whether the UK should leave or remain in the European Union. It was a shock when exit polls showed the vote to leave with a lead of 5% and the vote to remain at 48%. Consequently of failing to secure the remaining vote, Prime Minister Cameron relinquished his position citing, “he didn’t want to become a ‘distraction’ from the government.”
2 THE FAILED COUP IN TURKEY
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On Friday, July 15th, a coup d’état was attempted in Turkey against state institutions. Around midnight, local time, a contingent of rogue Turkish soldiers mobilized to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government, in an attempt to “reinstate constitutional order.” President Erdogan, vacationing to the sea site of Marmaris at the time, was nowhere to be found. He suddenly addressed his country via FaceTime on an iPhone. President Erdogan called on his fellow countrymen to suppress the coup and regain law and order. Thousands of Turks heeded the call and took to the streets across the country. Finally, by the morning, loyalist forces took back control. Returning home to his country, Erdogan blamed former political ally, Fethullah Gulen, for inciting the coup. Gulen, self-exiled to Pennsylvania, was demanded to be extradited back for trial. The United States, however, declined citing there wasn’t enough definitive evidence to back the allegation. This later fueled conspiracy theories that the United States had encouraged the coup, straining U.S.-
MUSLIM BAN 2.0 Earlier this year Trump signed an Executive Order temporarily banning people from seven Muslim-majority countries (Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Sudan) from entering the United States. This led to many protests and chaos at airports around the country. The Trump Administration claimed that a ban like this was necessary to keep our country safe from terrorist threats. Soon after, a federal appeals court put the ban on hold. On Monday, March 6th Trump signed a new version of this ban to be passed by a federal appeals court. Version 2.0 temporarily bans people from six Muslim-majority countries (this time excluding Iraq), unless they have valid visas or green cards. This executive order was almost instantly block by US District Judge, Derrick Watson of Hawaii.
4 AFTER THE RAIN COMES A RAINBOW California has been experiencing an abnormal amount of rain in the past few months. Due to this California went from having over 62% of the state being in a severe drought in September 2016, to having only 1.06% of the state currently in a severe drought. Despite the vast improvement in drought conditions, negative impacts remain. The most recent NASA data reveal that parts of the San Joaquin Valley have been sinking due to groundwater depletion. The silver lining to this is that the rain has caused flowers to bloom all over California’s deserts, depicting beautiful scenery.
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4 Features
March 22nd, 2017
The Eagle
Student of the Issue: Din Ho
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BY MELODY YAN
here is a general feeling when it comes to siblings; you either hate them or you admire them and follow in their footsteps. When Din Ho was in eighth grade, his older brother, a junior at Washington at the time, introduced him to the JROTC program at Wash. Ho quickly became intrigued as his brother would tell him stories about the community in JROTC. “He was shy and quiet back then [and] didn’t really talk. I was sort [of] like him as well, quiet and shy. He became so cool [to me] from being in RO, and he [would] tell me stories about him doing this and that. My brother always tries to influence me to be a better person by doing more good, like community service and helping friends. And that’s what he did in RO; [he] provided for others and [was] selfless. That’s what made him so cool to me,” Ho explains. Ho joined JROTC his freshman year, and while most people quit after their second year, he continued to stay in the class. “I really like the community here. They’re cool to be around with. When we’re volunteering for community service, we go out together and we do work together. The service is meaningful, but it’s the people that makes [me] feel good [about] being in RO,” Ho expresses. “Helping others satisfies me, [which is] why I chose to stay, to continue to help others and be a good role model to the young people.” Now a senior, Ho holds the position of Battalion Commander, which is the highest rank. In
order to become the Battalion Commander, you must submit a resume and personal statement, as well as be interviewed by the current class leaders. Last spring semester, Ho – along with 4-5 other people – applied for the position. It was something he wanted since he was a freshman, but he didn’t think he would get selected. “I went anyway because it is like a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Ho says. He doubted whether he could be a leader that people would look up to. “I didn’t think I could do it,” Ho says. “I have an accent, and I doubted myself about being able to speak publicly. I wasn’t good at public speaking – even now, I’m really not that good. I constantly doubted myself. [But] when I got the job and my assignments, I talked non-stop. I knew what I was doing, so I never gave up trying. [I’m a lot more] confident [because] of those experiences [with public speaking].” A common misconception of those in JROTC is that the students in the program plan to join the military. “It’s just a leadership program, and it’s not meant to get you into the army,” Ho explains. Ho has gone through personal changes that wouldn’t have been possible without JROTC. “I always acted cold and aggressive towards people I didn’t know, but throughout my service in RO I became more open-minded. I learned to be selfless. There’s a saying that’s been passed down from the past leaders, and it’s ‘kill them with kindness’.”
Meet the Special Team Commanders! BY AMY HILOMEN
Drum Corps is a Special Team that specializes in performing all percussive instruments. Included instruments are the tenor, snare, bass, bells and cymbals. Q: What motivated you to become the Drum Corps Commander?
Alfy Arma
Drum Corps)
A: When I first joined the team as a freshman, I was flowing with motivation to contribute to the team as I both had passion for music, and a close bond with the other team members as well as the commander at the time. As each year passed, I found myself doing more for the team (composing music, contacting our volunteer-coach, providing food and drinks for fundraising), and with new team members coming and going, I thought, “What is my ideal team like? How can I get this team to reach my standards?” This was when I was presented with the opportunity to take on the role as the Commander, which I happily accepted.
Alex Tsui
Commander of Flag Team
Flag Team is a comprised of young men who drill without verbal commands. Within the drill sequence, they form various formations while performing with their flags. Q: How long have you been a part of Flag Team? Why did you stay? A: I have been in Flag Team for all 4 years. I have stayed on this team because I have put in a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. There is always going to be a part of myself at one point where I want to quit, but all I have to do is look back and see why I started. [That will] immediately motivate me to work just as hard as before.
Roy Kunisaki Commander
of Orienteering
Orienteering is a Special Team that focuses on teaching its cadets how to read (topographical) maps and orient themselves in the wilderness. Q: How did your time as a Special Team Commander impact you not just as a cadet leader, but as a student? A: As a cadet leader, I feel challenged to create an engaging practice that people want to attend. Nobody wants to be in a team that isn’t fun. It’s my task to make people want to be a part of this team. As a student, I feel empathetic towards teachers because I understand the process of planning out a lesson. I think a lot of students take for granted the preparation teachers do in order for a class to go smoothly. Being a team commander gives you a lot of insight into teaching, because you have to come up with plans just like teachers.
Kevin Mei
Commander of Raiders
Raiders trains competitively by doing obstacle courses and all sorts of different physical activities. It is the most ‘athletic’ team through the program of JROTC. I’ve been a Raiders cadet for 3 years, from my freshmen to junior year. I stayed because I wanted a challenge that would further better myself, Raiders is the most physically and mentally demanding team as it constantly tests the cadets limits. It’s different and in my opinion more fun and challenging than the other special teams in JROTC.
Chrstine Lo Lauren Wong
Expedition Drill Team
This Expedition Drill Team (EDT) is a Special Team comprised of young women whose drills consist of hand movements, singing and stomping.
March 22nd, 2017
The Eagle
Features 5
Teacher of the Issue: Cynthia Sawchuck BY BITOTA MPOLO
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hen Cynthia Sawchuck first came to interview for a job at Washington, she recalls seeing “a lady with a fancy suit, sweeping up in front of the school”. This lady was the principal, Ms. Lovrin and she was cleaning up after the senior prank (a release of crickets). It was at this moment that Sawchuck knew, she was destined to be at this school. Sawchuck began as an Inclusion Support Teacher at Washington eight years ago. Before Washington, she taught as an Inclusion teacher at A.P. Giannini for nine years. After nine years teaching middle school, she wanted to try something different. “I love high school,” says Sawchuck “High school students are who I am most comfortable with.” At Washington, Sawchuck works one on one with students with disabilities in the classroom as well as outside of the classroom. Each year she has a caseload of about ten students and she stays with those students throughout their four years of high school. Many people ask Sawchuck if it ever gets frustrating or difficult to work with the special needs students; however, the real problem Sawchuck sees is in the mindset of others. “The things that are hard about the job are often adults rather than the kids,” says Sawchuck. “Some adults don’t understand kids with disabilities should be in general ed settings and so sometimes you have to do a lot of advocacy.” Over the course of the four years that Sawchuck works with each student, she is able to form close bonds that other teachers rarely develop. “We don’t just look at the 7:30 to 2:17 part of a child’s life,” says Sawchuck. “We look at what they are going to need to be prepared for work in the future, making sure that if there is any kind of outside services that need to be available, we provide those.” This year, of Sawchuck’s ten students, seven are seniors. Some will be moving on to four year colleges, some to two year colleges, and some will go down different paths. No matter what path her students go down, Sawchuck has seen all of them grow tremendously throughout the years. “I’ve seen kids open up and blossom and go from denying that they have a disability, to accepting it and advocating for what they need,” says Sawchuck. While in high school in rural New Jersey, Sawchuck knew she wanted to be a teacher but she had no idea what she wanted to teach. She was never really exposed to what special education was. “When I was in school there was a room for kids who had disabilities. It was down at the end of this hallway that nobody used and it was kind of kept secret,” explains Sawchuck. “The kids in there [were] anyone who had any disabilities.” Students with disabilities were never given the opportunity to be in the classroom and take the challenging classes with the other students. “If you used a wheelchair, if you had an intellectual disability, if you had a vision or hearing disability, they would go to that room. It didn’t matter what your capabilities were,” elaborates Sawchuck. “If you were outside of the norm, you were segregated into this special class.” “When I was in school, in 5th grade,” Sawchuck recalls, “ a girl moved [to my school] from Sweden and she wore hearing aids in both ears. Without the hearing aids she couldn’t hear anything. With the hearing aids she could hear pretty well. She still needed some support [such as] copies of notes because she might miss some of the information. However, when she came to school, they principal said to her “You can’t go to general ed classes. You’re going to have to go to the special classes down the hall” and her parents were like “No that’s not going to happen” and luckily they did that. As a result she went on and she’s a [Registered Nurse] now and I don’t think that would have happened had she been put in a class where she wasn’t going to receive the challenging education that everybody else was getting.” Sawchuck’s ultimate goal is for all students with disabilities to have the opportunity to thrive in their education. The last thing that she wants is for students to be turned away or neglected, simply because they are different from others. “Be-
fore 1975 schools were allowed to say ‘I’m sorry, your child has too severe of a disability. We have nothing for you’. And parents were left with no option but to leave there kids at home,” said Sawchuck. In 1975, The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142) guaranteed a free appropriate public education to each child with a disability. The students motivate Sawchuck to keep going. One thing she loves about her job is seeing the progress of her students, and the environment around them. “There are many cases where administrators don’t get [inclusion] so there is a big fight” explains Sawchuck. “Washington was one of the first schools in the district to have inclusion.” At one point in time it was an option whether or not to include special needs students in the regular classroom. It’s not an option any longer. “Every year the school gets more inclusive. More and more teachers get [why inclusion is important], think that it is a wonderful thing, and work with us,” elaborates Sawchuck. “The teachers here at Washington, for the most part, are incredible. They’ll meet us halfway and even more.” In addition to working at Washington, Sawchuck teaches two classes at California State University, East Bay, where she received her California teaching credentials. Sawchuck currently teaches in the teacher credential program and is able inform the future teachers about inclusion. “I get really excited, working with beginning teachers, to tell them about inclusion,” says Sawchuck Aside from teaching, Sawchuck is an avid cat lover. “I have more than one [cat], I usually don’t like to reveal the actual number… but I have a lot of cats that I really care for,” says Sawchuck. Because she loves cats so much, Sawchuck got a parttime job at Arguello Pet Hospital and was a receptionist there on and off for 20 years. Being around animals offered a pleasing break from teaching for Sawchuck. Through the nice people at that pet hospital Sawchuck was able to bring in animals to have spayed and neutered.This is when Sawchuck first started doing cat rescuing. She would bring stray cats she found and the pet hospital would pay for them to be spayed and neutered. “That’s what cat rescuing is about,” says Sawchuck. “You don’t just take in stray cats, you try to stop the problem.” Although the hospital was a tremendous help in paying for the recovery, Sawchuck did the cat rescuing by herself. “Over the course of my cat rescuing I’ve probably found homes for over 100 stray cats. Some of them have found a home with me as well.”
March 22nd, 2017
The Eagle
I Regret Pushing Away From My Culture BY ZOEY HOU
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.O.B. A three letter acronym that has haunted me and continues to do so, till this day. F.O.B. stands for Fresh Off the Boat which generally implies that someone is an immigrant with traditional “Asian” qualities, interests, or possessions. In middle school I didn’t know what the acronym meant, but after I understood, I did everything in my power to NOT be it. Little did I know that making the mental decision to reject anything “Asian” would turn into years of disrespecting my own culture and other Asian ones as well. Even before there was a name to label things “too Asian” I was already rejecting my Chinese/Vietnamese heritage long before middle school. Growing up in Grattan, a primarily Caucasian elementary school, has made me incredibly whitewashed. I was one of three Asian kids in my grade which made me uncomfortable and felt the need to fit in with everybody else. When my mom packed me lunch, I would pray that it wasn’t something weird that the other kids would make fun of. When I brought dried squid and let another boy try it, he immediately coughed it up and looked at the food with distaste. Besides the strange food and racial differences, I also went to Chinese school every Thursday and would throw a fit before each class. I didn’t want to learn Chinese. I didn’t want to speak the language. I didn’t want black shiny hair or tan skin. I wanted to be fair skinned and blue-eyed like all the other pretty white kids in my class and I didn’t fit that criteria. Also, the traditional standard of beauty in America mostly displayed models and advertisements of white families instead of Asian-American families. Though I had a good childhood growing up, these sorts of situations occurred consistently in my daily life. Because of the environment I grew up in and the beauty standards of the society I lived in, I felt pressured to look and act a certain way. When I moved on to middle school at Presidio, everything was different — the majority of kids at Presidio were Asian! One would think that I would have been able to find solace in a group of people who were just like me, that I would be able to allow myself to eat whatever my mom packed and relearn a language I tried to forget. On the contrary, being in middle school was even worse because the numerous amount of Asians were either classified (by other Asian kids and non-Asian kids) as one of the “white-washed” Asians or “FOBBY” Asians. I uncon-
In retrospect, throughout my adolescence, I was rejecting pieces of myself. sciously internalized this process and with every new person I would meet, I would immediately classify them into a group. In retrospect, throughout my adolescence, I was rejecting pieces of myself. It was only until I reached high school that I was able to slowly, but surely, understand the effects that my previous decisions had caused. There wasn’t an exact eureka moment that I experienced that made me change, but it was a contribution of small factors that led me to who I am today. By joining Dragon Boat, spending more time with my grandmother and visiting Vietnam, I was able to understand
many aspects of my culture that I had never known before. I joined Dragon Boat my freshman year, a new sport I had never heard of. Dragon Boat is typically an Asian sport that originated in southern central China more than 2500 years ago. After joining the team in my freshman year, I learned to love the sport and learned to love the people. I was able to accept each and every member as a person rather than categorize them as “whitewashed” or “FOBBY.” I was able to appreciate the efforts and more importantly the tradition that went into the sport. The second factor was choosing to spend more time with my grandmother during sophomore year. Since I lived across the city from school and my grandmother lived nearby Washington, I decided that living with her for half of the week would lessen commute time as well as strengthen our relationship. Inevitably, I was forced to speak Chinese since I was spending more time with her. As days went by I discovered the novelties that Chinese had to offer. Mandarin is such a beautiful, difficult and passionate language, and I had never viewed it in that sort of light before. I quit Chinese school in fifth grade and hadn’t practiced it for maybe four to five years. By relearning the language I noticed the details — how every tone in my voice can make the difference between words. Chinese is extremely challenging but I found it interesting to say the least. The more I allowed myself to accept bits and pieces of being Chinese, the more open I was to other things. Chinese food? AMAZING. Since I ate it often I was pretty used to the taste, seasonings and dishes that my mom prepared. My grandma would show me how to prepare vegetables which weren’t particularly interesting; these experiences made me appreciate the efforts that went into food-- even though I never necessarily learned how to cook-- just observe. She showed me how to hand make dumplings, make chow mein, and pickle your own vegetables. My parents never taught me how to make traditional chinese food and the efforts that went into them. My new view of strange Asian foods drastically changed and I was able to embrace the eccentricities of the cuisine. I also learned to accept my culture during my trip to Vietnam during winter break two year ago. I was able to meet new relatives and have new experiences despite not being able to speak the language. I saw the whole country: north, south and mid Vietnam. All of the regions held their own sort of charm and beauty. In the southern capital Ho Chi Minh City, I explored the street vendors that sold a variety of items. From my hotel window I could watch teenagers go to school: girls dressed in lovely ao dais (traditional vietnamese dresses) and the boys in button up shirts. In mid Vietnam we visited Da Nang where we spent the night in a lantern festival eating ice cream and buying knick knacks. In the northern city of Ninh Binh we canoed through the Red River and stared in awe at huge mountains and lush green trees. Vietnam changed the way I viewed the part of my culture that I was never as in tune with. There are countless unique and beautiful aspects of each culture. Up until high school I was ignorant of this. I regret not appreciating the food, clothing, music and language that my cultures had to offer. Now I have learned from my mistake and do my best to respect and immerse myself in the cultures I was brought up in. The moral of the story is: don’t go out of your way to become more Westernized. By
Features 7
rejecting a part of your culture you are rejecting a part of yourself. All of our cultures, whether it be Norwegian, Ethiopian, or Mongolian, are captivating and beautiful. To dismiss a culture that has been continued for hundreds of years is crazy! We can learn so much from our ancestry including games, activities, rituals, foods, music, ceremonies, etc. I believe that being in touch with one’s cultures are a gift, therefore we must be grateful of them. Stop rejecting and start embracing!
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The Eagle
March 22nd, 2017
People From Different Countries Who Live Here Now
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Seran Park
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BY TIFFANY LAU
ess than three years ago, senior Seran Park left Jeonju, South Korea and moved halfway across the world by herself to live with her aunt in the United States. “My aunt wanted to offer this great opportunity for me to come to the U.S,” Park mentioned. Initially, her parents were concerned about her coming to the United States alone. “My mom was anxious, but at the same time she was excited for me to explore the New World. It was a new chapter in my life,” expressed Park. At the time, Park spoke little to no English and struggled to communicate with her teachers and classmates. “I didn’t know what people were saying to me. I became less confident and it made me quiet and reserved,” revealed Park. As she became more fluent in English, Park became more outspoken and was able to meet new friends. “I listened to what kind of terms or slangs people would use in conversations . I tried not to be afraid of making mistakes in [my] pronunciation and grammar,” Park revealed. Though Park found it difficult adjusting to the cultural differences between Korea and the United States, she never felt pressured to change the way she presented herself. “The way I talk and the way I dress is still the same as in Korea. For me, it’s just the way I am. I’m okay with myself and I have confidence in myself,” Park admitted. The biggest difference between her life in Korea and the U.S was that she was able to try new things and express herself freely without being criticized. “Especially for teenagers, a lot of things are forbidden. We couldn’t dye our hair or wear crop tops. We had to be conservative. Here in the U.S, we’re free from that,” Park compared. In Korea, Park’s typical day at school would be spent studying until 10 PM. She had rigorous academic courses and didn’t have the luxury to discover a new hobby. However, that all changed when Park came to the U.S and discovered her interest in music. “I just love music. Whenever I’m stressed, I play the guitar, the piano or sing,” Park stated. She also had the opportunity to bond with new friends. “I met so many new people and I’ve created many precious memories [with them]” Park expressed. Currently, Park has no immediate thoughts on moving back to Korea, but she plans to spend her summer in Korea after graduating from Washington in the spring.
efore Tomokazu Morikawa became a teacher, he was a marketing director for a large advertising company in Japan. In the early 1990s, he was offered a project from his company that required him to move to United States. Morikawa accepted the opportunity and spent two years as a guest speaker at Cornell University. There, he discussed comparative advertisement theories to graduate students. Morikawa discovered his passion for teaching and decided to quit his job in New York and his marketing job in Japan, to go back to school to pursue a career as a teacher. “I came back to [the United States] to study because no matter what, if you decide to teach, you need to have a master’s degree,” Morikawa believed. At San Francisco State, Morikawa received his credentials in linguistics and taught Japanese and Tourism at ISA (International Studies Academy) for ten years before becoming a teacher at Washington. When Morikawa first started teaching at Washington, he felt that learning a language in a classroom setting limited opportunities for his students to experience authentic cultural values. “Students want to be able to speak the language but they need motivation and experiences to break out of their comfort zone to improve their language skills, ” Morikawa explained. By having sister school relationships, he believed that his students would be able to gain personal and real experiences. “Being exposed to different experiences, students find more about themselves, their interests, desires and potential skills for their future. Possibly even a way to change themselves for the better,” Morikawa suggested. Six years ago, Washington’s sister school in Tohoku, Japan had an earthquake and tsunami. “My students really stood up and started to fundraise. They raised $20,000 right away and we went back to Japan to donate the money to our sister school,” Morikawa revealed. Through this student exchange program, Morikawa hopes for his students to gain a sense of empathy. “A lot of times, people are busy with their own lives and students [mainly] focus on receiving good grades. I hope for them to establish a good relationship with their friends, families, neighbors and be more accepting and open,” Morikawa expressed. In the United States, Morikawa gained new experiences and had the chance to visit many different places. For Morikawa, the biggest difference between Japan and the United States was the cultural diversity. “I was in New York and then I came to San Francisco. I’m lucky to be in very unique cities, [and being able] to see so many people from different backgrounds. If I were to live in somewhere like Idaho, I would have a different perspective,” Morikawa reflected. Comparing the teaching style between Japan and the United States, Morikawa emphasized, “Japanese education expects results, while American education focuses on the process. No matter how well you do, in Japan, the results are the most important.” This past winter break, Morikawa visited his family in Japan. “My parents are ill and I try to go back to Japan and see them at least a few times a year,” Morikawa explained. By 2030, Morikawa hopes to retire and eventually, he would like to move back to Japan.
Tomokazu Morikawa
Unique Cultural Experiences From Students at Washington
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BY CHIDINMA ONYEONWU
ere at Washington, there are a lot more unique cultures than the eye can see. I was able to talk to a few students who have been able to experience their culture in a different way.
Junior Petar Gordic is from Požega, Serbia and he is well aware of his culture and his country’s history. Since the age of two, Gordic and his family have traveled back to their home country during the summer. He particularly loves his hometown, which is in located in the western part of Serbia. It’s forest-like and mountainous terrain is vastly different compared to the north’s flat and agricultural land. From traveling, Gordic has been able to learn more about his culture and the important history behind it. Gordic is very fond of his country, and he is very proud to be apart of such a rich culture. Goridc is proud of everything from his country’s amazing athletes to its diverse various scientific achievements such as those done by scientist and astronomer Milutin Milankovic and the famous Serbian-American engineer Nikola Tesla. Gordic has made sure to always stay in touch with his Serbian roots, whether it be speaking Serbian with his parents or watching Serbian T.V. shows and news. He also celebrates both Serbian Easter and Christmas and participates in a Serbian Orthodox tradition by celebrating his family’s patron saint, Saint Luke, every year on a day known as Slava. As Gordic noted, “Traveling made me a better person through meeting new people and having an open mind.” Most importantly, he was able to get a different perspective on the world, which he thinks made him a better person. Gordic has a great love for all the aspects of his country, which is why he is so knowledgeable on all the topics regarding it. For anyone planning to travel to Serbia, Gordic recommends actually going around the country and visiting unique/historical places such as “old medieval monasteries, the capital city Belgrade and the Vojvodina region, which has an Austrian and Hungarian influence in food and architecture.”
It’s not hard to miss the happy, energetic Yonas Tesfai. Tesfai is a current junior whose family is from Ethiopia. Since birth, he has had the opportunity to travel to his home country twice, once at the age of three and again at the age of 15. Each of his trips were three month long stays, and they gave Tesfai the experience of what it was like to live in a different country, and also how lucky he is to be in America. While in Ethiopia, Tesfai was able to learn more about himself and what truly made him who he is today. He is most proud of his culture and his people because of how they persevere. There have been so many fighters in his country throughout time such as Abune Petros becoming martyrs and continuously advocating for what they believe in, whether it be a religious belief or political beliefs. “My people, if they believe in something they will never stop,” said Tesfai, similar to how he persists until he succeeds. “[Traveling back to my home country has] made me more humble,” Tesfai stated. He was able to realize how privileged he was to be in the United States and how he took advantage of so many things that nearly everyone here had access to, such as the internet. “[Having] a laundry machine [meant] wow you must be ballin’,” said Tesfai. From travelling, he realized how often he takes certain things for granted in the United States and how they are valued objects in Ethiopia. Tesfai looks forward to visiting his country again because he enjoys seeing his relatives. Although Tesfai lives in the U.S, he still tries to connect with his roots by surrounding himself in his culture through food and speech. “The food there, such as a legume stew called Shiro be Kibbe, is so bomb and so exotic. Most people are not used to it but it’s amazing,” Tesfai noted.
These are just a few people who are hidden in our school. Both of them dearly love their culture, and always make sure to represent it. Culture is what makes them who they are.
March 22nd, 2017
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The Eagle
Centerspread 9
I Hated My Skin Color BY BITOTA MPOLO
s a toddler I loved playing with dolls. Soon, I grew increasingly aware that the skin color of these dolls was not the same as my own and began to wonder why that was. During my elementary school years I started noticing differences between myself and other kids in my school. I wondered why the girls with lighter skin had straight hair and I didn’t. I slowly began to realize that these were girls that people saw as beautiful. Eventually I started to resent my own skin color. At one point, I wished I didn’t have such kinky, curly roots when my classmates came up to me and asked to feel my hair. I resented my dark skin when my friends’ parents were shocked to see that their child had made a friend who was black. I wished I was white when I saw that all the dolls in the store had blonde hair and blue eyes. The stereotypes I heard from people around me and saw on the media caused me to hate who I was. Stereotypes are often negative and almost always overgeneralized. People often complain about their stereotypes but I would rather have many of those than the ones pushed onto my own race. I wish my race had a stereotype of being smart instead of being “ghetto” and a “thug.” In the future, I hope that people will not assume Black people have no father presence because our dads are either in jail or dead. I urge people to not classify Black women as angry dark skin girls just because they are strong and independent. Black people are stereotyped to to be unintelligent and unmotivated. In the 7th grade, for instance, in the second week of school I was switched into an advanced math class and everyone looked at me surprised. Someone in the class even asked me, “How did you even get into this class? Did your dad threaten to beat up the principal?” This was the day I realized that things wouldn’t come easy for me in this world and I would have to work twice as hard to prove my worth. I started getting involved in different programs and taking leadership opportunities within student government and in the Boys & Girls Club, rationalizing that this was the only way I could prove myself. In the ninth grade, I wished my skin was “caramel” or of a lighter complexion because people around me seemed to admire that. I feared that guys wouldn’t like me because I was dark skinned. People continue to demean dark skinned women by exhibiting colorism in their preferences. Colorism in the United States is rooted in slavery and is the product of racism. Lighter slaves were more favored than darker slaves, though all were dehumanized nonetheless. Statements like “dark skins aren’t my type” or “I like lightskins” is demeaning; it is not
simply ‘having a type’. You cannot have a type based on a skin color scale. Through my years of public school, I realized that other students tend to gravitate towards people that came from a similar background as they did. It was uncommon to see friend groups that were very racially diverse. At Washington, only 75 out of 2,024 students are African-American. This made it difficult for me to find friends that I felt like I fit in with. I always felt judgements from other students before I have even spoken to them. Even the friends I have now said they were afraid of me before they met me. Many people also have this preconceived idea of Black people that causes them to form this irrational fear. It is very harmful because almost everytime I get onto any form of public transportation I feel the stares. Often times when there is a seat next to me on the bus, I can sense that people are intentionally not sitting next to me because of their irrational fear of the color of my skin. People tend to claim that this is just “racist white people” but even people of color hold prejudices. I hope that one day people will stop saying “You’re pretty for black girl”, but instead leave the compliment at “You’re pretty.” I hope people no longer tell me “I wish I had darker skin” as if that would compensate for the pain I felt. Hopefully one day people will not equate beauty to skin tone . It wasn’t until the eleventh grade that I realized Black is beautiful too. Rather than keeping my insecurities to myself, I started looking at and aspiring to be like the successful Black women around me. My mother, along with the young Black women in my life aided in my realization that no matter what skin tone, there It was then that I stopped holding onto the the negative connotations of my race and started focusing on the positive aspects. Lupita Nyong’o helped show me that there is no shame in Black beauty. She single-handedly shattered the stereotypes and was able to become an Academy Award Winning actress and film director in Hollywood. In fact, she was the first Kenyan actress to win an Academy Award. On top of this, in 2014 she was named “Most Beautiful Woman” by People and “Woman of the Year” by Glamour. Despite her setbacks, Nyong’o was able defeat the odds and become a worldwide success. Seeing the success of others, caused me to regain confidence in myself. I finally began to love being Black because it has taught me to not care about what other people think of me. I love being Black and embracing my African culture. I love my hair because it is a reminder of where my roots are. And I love being Black because it makes me who I am.
Society plays an important role in shaping the way we understand race and ethnicity. It questions the way an individual may perceive their own ethnic background and skin color. Racial stereotypes have also shaped its way into our everyday lives and the difference in our culture and the color of our skin can lead to resentment. The environment an individual has grown up in and the experiences that one has encountered determines the meaning of race and ethnicity. BY TIFFANY LAU
“I come from El Salvador. It’s very small and you don’t hear much about us much except the Latin community. I understand that living in a small country can make it harder for people to know where I come from. There are many countries in this world but I believe that in Central America, Mexico is often chosen first. People come to think that Mexico represents all Latinos. I think it’s better for people to ask where I am coming from instead of just assuming what ethnicity I am.” - Gabriela Anaya, Junior “I resented being white because my friends assumed that I would look down on them for maybe not having as nice a home or living in as nice a neighborhood as I did, so I never got to meet my friends’ parents or visit their homes or really get close to them. It made me feel disconnected from my best friends.” - Anonymous
“I’m Vietnamese and a quarter British. I’ve always felt disconnected from both [cultures] because I wasn’t interested in learning about them. I had to perform rituals and specific things that didn’t really appeal to me. It made me sleepy going to the temples to pray.” - Royce Tran, Senior “I was always made fun of for having a thick Filipino accent. It was embarrassing because every time I tried talking in front of the class, my classmates would giggle from the back of the room. I felt insecure and I couldn’t talk to anyone without someone commenting about it.” - Katherine De Leon, Senior “I resented being Mexican because everyone assumed that most Latinos were immigrants. I felt disappointed because we live in a time period where many [people] still label and think differently of others because of the way they look, speak and think. ” - Kimberly Miam Lambert, Junior
“I resented being Asian because I was expected to be the best in class. I was expected to act and be a certain way because my teacher had expectations of who an Asian person was. My other classmates (of other races) were not punished for speaking their minds or being expressive and loud. I felt my teacher was confining me into a box, not allowing me to grow but to shape into this box that my teacher expected me to be in (being that perfect, quiet, respectful and smart Asian kid in class).” - Sarah Tam, Senior
The Eagle
10 Opinion
American Society Has Yet To Conquer Racism
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BY ZOEY HOU
n America there are no “colored” bathrooms, “colored” schools, or “colored” sections on buses. It is self-evident that the attitudes towards race have drastically changed since the mid-1900s. Black people aren’t called negroes and there is no lawful limitation to what black people can do. But despite all of this, it is crucial to ask the question: does that mean racism in America has ended? The answer: a definite no. There are hundreds of years worth of ingrained racism in our society and in the mindset of people. Although important leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. have certainly made progress in response to racism, there is so much more that needs to be altered in America’s society. Would King be proud of the America we live in today? To the people who believe that racism doesn’t exist: please open your eyes. Living in San Francisco, where mostly everyone shares a liberal mindset, makes us blind to the racism that occurs across the nation. Naturally, we adopt the ideas of our peers since they are the people we converse with on a day-to-day basis. We live in a diverse, liberal-minded and open city that has raised us to accept everyone of color, identity and sexuality. This bubble we live in isn’t entirely a good thing because we are unconscious of the fact that not everyone was raised the same way. There are plenty of towns, cities and states that do not hold the same ideals that San Francisco does. In other parts of the country, specifically more “traditional” ones (i.e. middle America, southern states), bigoted ideas are taught by parents to their children. In 2017, more than sixty years later after the Civil Rights Movement, we are still dealing with racism, bigotry and prejudice. After the election of Donald Trump, the country is as divided as ever. Such things as the building of the wall between Mexico and the US and the Muslim ban are significant changes since the election that further divide the country. Swastikas drawn in New York subways, a confederate flag flown next to an arena, and the phrase “go back to your country” being used entirely too much are examples of how racism has continued to spread. These executive orders and hate crimes go to show how racism in America still exists to this day. We all have some sort of unconscious bigotry and prejudice even if we don’t want to have these kinds of thoughts. It is what our parents have taught us as kids and how our parents were taught to think when they were kids. Racism in America may never end but it is the steps we take to lessen that gap that push us forward as a society and as a nation. Here are a few ways we can change that: Teach. Teach your parents. Don’t let their remarks go uncorrected. We must correct them and be patient; we are essen-
March 22nd, 2017
tially trying to change the way someone thinks. My dad once made the statement that a certain ethnic group must be derived from a whole different species because they were aggressive. That made me really mad! So I looked up some articles, statistics, and conducted research online, and sat him down to have a discussion. I pulled up sources that explained how this “aggression” is associated with low-income families and other environmental factors, instead of it being due to a genetic issue.
Here are a few ways we right our wrongs. I was thorough, clear and tried to understand what he said even though I one hundred percent disagreed with him. Though I wasn’t able to change his mind, I did make a lot of good points that he acknowledged. Success doesn’t necessarily come from the results, but rather the attempts that we make. Now my dad knows that racist, ill-considered phrases do not pass by me. Secondly, work together. As cheesy as it sounds, work with other students and friends to create projects to make change. It’s daunting to make change by oneself. One of the main reasons why people have fixed ways of thinking is because they lack exposure. To combat ignorance, we need to expose ourselves to different viewpoints, people, and ethnicities to better understand the different perspectives that are offered. One could participate in a penpal system with other states, create anti-hate flyers to put around the city, or share a spoken words poem to share online. Plenty of people in our generation hold different ideals that we need to respect and be flexible with. We need to talk to those with opposing viewpoints and understand one another not just as someone from the “other side.” We seem to label each other as something to dehumanize them. We shouldn’t see each other as Republican or Democrat nor as white or black. In the end we are all human with different minds, opinions and races. Lastly, we teach our kids. In each generation, we learn more about awareness and respect, or at least that is the goal. For example, America first allowed immigrant men to vote, then black men, and then women. In this generation, I believe we have grown up more open-minded, empathetic and aware because our society has continuously been evolving. One reason for this profound amount of awareness is due to the exposure that we receive in the tech-age. With technology and social media we are able to watch videos and read articles about people’s stories which make us more empathetic. For example, the social media account “Humans of New York”
tells the stories of hundreds of New Yorkers and their struggles that they encountered in their life. By attaching stories to names, people are not merely seen as a certain color or group, but rather identified by their story. We are exposed to many opinions that go beyond our own “bubble” in society. When we’re old and have families, we have to do our best to teach them what we have previously learned so that they can continue to carry out those teachings and ideals. We are the generation to make change and become the lawmakers, judges and politicians of the future. Ideally, in the future, there shouldn’t be the need to teach children about racism. When we no longer need to teach them such an issue because it will already have been eradicated, we will have reached our end goal of abolishing racism. Which doesn’t go to say that we should erase our history, but more that we do not need to teach it to our children because it will no longer be a social issue in the future. We have fought segregation, but we have yet to conquer racism. It is up to us to do what Martin Luther King Jr. was not able to achieve in his lifetime. Throughout his life, King has done more than just perform his “I Had A Dream” Speech. He was a leader in the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, organized peaceful marches and sit-ins and promoted work to eradicate injustice. King never stopped in his fight for the rights of black people and in his fight to end segregation. He fought peacefully and with the intention to unite people of all skin color. So would King be proud of America in 2017? It’s for you to decide.
These Young Celebrities Are Making A Change
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BY GABRIEL CYWINSKI
eenagers today are more politically active and more socially aware than ever. Recent events in U.S. politics have forced teens to wake up from their blissful ignorance and realize that any decisions made in government could directly affect them and the people they care for. This nationwide realization is what led many Washington students to protest the day after Trump won the election, and many more to march at the January 21st Women’s March. Alongside teen students in this march were famous millennial influencers, such as Zendaya Coleman, Rowan Blanchard and Amandla Stenberg. These teenagers are just some out of many in a group of the new generation of teen celebs who aren’t afraid to use their platforms to speak against racial injustices and make important political statements. They acknowledge the privilege their profession has granted them and use it for a bigger purpose, something the previous generation of teen celebs (Lindsay Lohan, Hilary Duff, Mischa Barton)
failed to do. Zendaya: When she’s not busy singing a hit song or acting as Spider-Man’s new love interest, fashion icon Zendaya uses her platform to empower women and speak out against racial inequality, while also participating in political protests, like January’s Women’s March. At only 19 years old, the Disney channel star proudly defended her feminist status to Flaunt magazine, stating: “A feminist is a person who believes in the power of women just as much as they believe in the power of anyone else. It’s equality, it’s fairness and I think it’s a great
thing to be a part of.” Zendaya also uses social media to emphasize the importance of body acceptance. After coming across a tweet where a man mocked a woman for her weight, Zendaya tracked down the woman and gave her a job as a model for her successful clothing company, Daya, fulfilling the woman’s dream of becoming a plus-size model. Amandla Stenberg: After rising to stardom playing Rue in the movie adaptation of The Hunger Games, Amandla quickly garnered a following on social media where they actively dis-
cussed racial inequality, LGBTQ+ rights and gender politics. At only 18 years old, Amandla revealed that they prefer “they/them” pronouns, making them one of the only young celebrities to openly identify as non-binary and pansexual. Amandla has also garnered attention for actively criticizing cultural appropriation in media, pointing out Hollywood’s hypocrisy of deeming aspects of black culture as undesirable when showcased by black celebrities, but praising the same aspects when a white celebrity claims it as their own. Amandla is also a proud supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement and was also an attendee of the Women’s March. Rowan Blanchard: Being born in 2001, Rowan has accomplished a lot for a 15 year old. After landing a star role in Disney Channel’s “Girl Meets World” in 2014, Rowan has not only become a successful actress in a short amount of time but also an influential activist. Blanchard self-identifies as Queer and often uses her platform to discuss important topics affecting the world today, such as the importance of intersectional feminism and LGBTQ+ representation in media. When speaking to a crowd of 750,000 at the LA Women’s March, Rowan voiced her disappointment towards the 2016 election results, noting that although “[her] generation may not have had a technical legal voice in this election, that doesn’t stop me from saying that we are the most politically active one.”
March 22nd, 2017
Opinions 11
The Eagle
The Misconception of Feminism vice man of stalking her”, and now has over 1 million views. t the age of fifteen, Malala Yousafzai was shot in They misused the title “feminist” with the word crazy the head by a Taliban gunman while she was re- right in front of “feminist”, making it 100% clickbait. The turning home from school in Pakistan. Surviv- audience doesn’t even know whether the women identiing the gunshot made her realize that it was time to speak fies as a feminist or not but, right in front of their eyes, the up. Currently, she is a passionate advocate for girls’ educa- woman is already labeled as a feminist. Once someone on tion, speaking out alongside her father who believes in the the internet is labeled as something, everyone is going to importance of education. In 2012, at the age of 16, Yousafzai see it and believe it without any other real evidence. False became the youngest activist to win a Nobel Peace Prize. labeling is what makes everything go downhill. It can misShe has written a diary on BBC (British Broadcasting Cor- represent a community of people by portraying them in a poration) news under a pseudonym, documenting events negative way, due to one member of the community being happening in her hometown and writing about how she mislabeled. felt about schools available for only boys. Yousafzai later coEven though there is a portrayal of feminists being psywrote a book alongside other authors, “ true means chotic man-haters, not all feminists naming it “I am Malala”, a biography are like this. I don’t call myself a about herself. The purpose of writing someone who is aware of feminist because the meaning “I am Malala” was to empower people behind the word has become so such as to protect reproductive rights for women and to to speak up about problems happen- the problems that women distorted that I now see it as a com- fight against the gender wage gap. ing to women around the world and face around the world, and plete joke. The image of a feminist There are places around the world, such as Pakistan, show how anyone’s voice can make a is now seen as one who’s a “petty- India, and Cambodia, that limit girls’ education. Femihas the passion to speak up sensitive extremist”. A part of me nists should continue spreading the message about gender change. Yousafzai is someone who I consid- about it to the public” feels embarrassed to call myself a equality and focus on problems such as these in less proer to be a true feminist. A true feminist feminist because of how the com- gressive countries. We need to come together to undermeans someone who is aware of the problems that women munity of being a feminist is portrayed. But, a part of me stand the problems women deal with such as lack of educaface around the world, and has the passion to speak up also wants to support the feminist community who actu- tion, loss of reproductive rights (abortion being illegal and about it to the public. However, due to media and the nega- ally do something for a good cause, such as fighting for re- no birth control), domestic violence, and the fear of being tive representation of feminists, the word “feminist” is often productive rights or transgender rights. raped. We need to make sure to make campaigns for situamisused and distorted. Any dictionary will tell you that the Despite the misconceptions, there are still feminists that tions like these so we can help women all over the world. definition of a feminist is someone who believes in equal I believe are motivating. I respect these activists, such as The more we can get the message out about sexism and rights for both men and women. Rowan Blanchard (a teen celebrity who uses her social me- violence that’s happening in countries, the more we can Throughout America’s history, there have been numer- dia to express her opinion to the public on women’s rights make a change. ous times in which the feminist movement has helped se- and activism) and Amina Yusuf (a 20 year old Nigerian There is always room for improvement and there is cure the rights of women. Lately, feminism’s representation child activist who wants to give girls more opportunities still time to change the way feminism is seen. It is sad to has been distorted by videos, social media posts, and photos such as education), who take the time see these misconceptions when that have created the stereotype that feminists are sensitive, to speak out about their beliefs. Their “Even though there is a there are so many ways feminism sexist, man-haters, and get “triggered” by everything. That activism has shown how big changes can benefit lives. As we teach every is far from what feminism is. It’s not what some people call can happen in our society and make portrayal of feminists being generation gender equality, and man-hating, it is about ensuring equality — making sure possible impacts on our world. psychotic man-haters, not kids become more aware of the that women and men have the same rights — for everyone For example, the Suffragettes (The around them, feminism will all feminists are like this.” world and having that last forever. Women’s Social and Political Union continue to evolve. Once something goes onto a social media platform, in- founded by Emmeline Pankhurst However, the truth is, there is a formation can spread in a blink of an eye, and most people and daughters in 1903) is one example; they are what I call very little chance that everyone is going to believe in womwill take what they see at face value. It’s difficult to draw the the first big feminist outbreak in the western world. They en’s rights in 50 years no matter how much hard work is put line between what is real and what is unreliable on social stood for women’s right to vote in the early 20th century in. Therefore, taking action more often and speaking up media/ news, and those who consume it can easily believe by marching down to the White House in protest. Then may at least help the feminist community grow and make what is put on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc. we have a more recent event which was the 2017 Women’s people become more aware. You don’t have to be a femiOne example would be a video I watched on YouTube, March after the inauguration of Donald Trump. Both men nist to support and participate anything related to women’s which was titled “Crazy feminist accusing US Postal Ser- and women, all over the world, marched for many reasons, rights. As long as you believe in it, go for it.
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BY JESSICA THAI
feminist
Schools Need To Change Their Sick Policies
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BY SAMANTHA SACKS
hen you miss school for one day, you suddenly have an essay to make up, a quiz you missed, a new project that you have no idea how to do, and homework to complete. Then, on top of that, you have no idea what you missed for every class because, oh yeah, you weren’t there yesterday. The last time I missed school was because of a cold that caused one of the worst headaches I’ve had in a long time. I spent most of the day asleep, and the couple hours I was awake consisted of eating, taking headache pills, and trying to avoid anything loud or bright. This particular cold caused me to miss two days, and in that time period I missed two separate tests, a unit on satire in english, and the start of a project in art. These, however, were just the major things that I had missed, as on top of these I had missed two full days of instruction, and therefore fourteen lessons, in which new material was introduced. With so many new assignments and material to learn it became hard to juggle them all, and I found myself forgetting some and rushing while doing others. Either way, my grades suffered. While this may not be the experience of most people, every student does know the overwhelming feeling of
missing school and the resulting pile of work that comes from it. This creates an environment where students are coming to school sick instead of staying home and getting better, all because we care more about our grades than our bodies. There is something wrong with how our education system works if we, as students, feel obligated to come to school even when we are unwell. There should be no competition. Yes, being sick is counted as an excused absence and you will not be marked truant, but that doesn’t change the fact that we, the students, are still coming to school unwell. Taking care of ourselves, both mentally and physically, should come before everything else, yet it does not. School does. Now, there are two types of sickness: mental and physical. Physical is the one that everyone knows about, when you have the flu or a cold or a fever. It is recognized, and for the most part is an acceptable reason to miss school. Mental, though, is not recognizable, and for that reason most people will not believe you when you say you needed a day for your mental health. There are people who have panic or anxiety attacks who cannot come, or who have ADHD and everything is suddenly too much, or even people who have too much stress and need a break from everything. There
are more reasons than a cold for not coming to school, and students and teachers alike need to realize and recognize these. Our mental health is just as important, if not more so, than physical health, yet when someone claims they needed a day for their mental health, they are labelled as lazy or faking it. It should be made clear to us that if we need a day off for our mental health that we can take it. Having a day to de-stress and relax can do wonders for us, and overall just make us more ready to come back to school and learn. The way that sickness is dealt with in our school, and throughout the school district, is wrong. Students should feel like they can stay home and get better. They should not feel obligated to put school over their health. We need to make clear to everyone that it is okay to be sick and that it is okay to take a day off for the sake of our mental health, but more importantly that they will not fall behind if they do. Teachers should do everything in their power to reinforce the idea that students will have time to make up the work they missed, and that if needed, students can come to them for mini-lessons on the material they were not there to learn. If we can do this, then the lives that students have will be improved for the better.
Features 12
March 22nd, 2017
The Eagle
celebrity lookalikes BY HENRY CHAN AND BELINDA LI
6.
1.
jose jamos
joe mantegna
2.
josette aggarwal
melora hardin
nader atweti
bryan cranston
mia ramirez
lucy hale
7.
kimberly ellis
paula marshall
3.
8.
gregory west
wagner moura 9.
4.
susan saunders
robert smith
christine lahti
james lipton
10.
5.
steve youn
tadanobu asano
fredrick lessley
jimmy kimmel
T
he Journalism class has collaborated with a local neighborhood company, Mint WorldWide, to create apparel that our fellow students, teachers, staff and family members can wear. A portion of the proceeds will be going towards the Journalism program, to help support and pay for the school newspaper and magazine.
Photo by: Henry Xie Model: Francine Amable
$20 for a T-shirt $45 for a hoodie
All sales will be pre-ordered and sold in room 211. For more information, contact: gwhsjournalism@gmail.com Mint Worldwide Website: www.mint-worldwide.com Instagram: mintworldwide
The Eagle
14 Opinion
For High Schoolers, Being Late Isn’t All that Bad
discussions or lessons and was able to think about topics on a more complex level rather than just listening and taking notes. Even though tardiness usually carries a negative stigma, I don’t think it’s fair to judge the majority of students who struggle with punctuality in such a negative light. I still make an effort to arrive to school on time, but understand that this might not always be possible due to my 80 minute commute or high workload. Teachers should also try to make an effort to be more sympathetic towards late students instead of penalizing or antagonizing them as it often further discourages them from even trying to come to class. Being late to class shouldn’t be seen as the end of the world and can often be a good thing for many.
The Eisenhower Box
URGENT
NOT URGENT
IMPORTANT
my time working on tasks that fall into boxes 1 and 2, like preparing for a presentation or studying for a test, because these tasks tend to be the most challenging and provide the greatest payoff. Secondly, the matrix states that only a small portion of time should be delegated to unimportant but urgent tasks in box 3, like reading notes and warm ups, and that tasks in box 4 should be eliminated altogether since they don’t provide much of a payoff and take time away from more important or urgent work. I noticed that I spent way too much time focusing on trivial assignments that were of low importance and not enough time on things that are important to me, like getting enough sleep and studying for tests. This new approach helped me work more efficiently than ever and the extra time it provided also helped me catch up on my sleep and improve my attendance. I began thinking about my tardiness much more objectively and saw that it shouldn’t be seen as such a bad thing. Many view being on time to class as the first step towards becoming a successful student but from my experiences junior year, I found that trying to be on time to class with as little as four to six hours of sleep a night made me anything but a successful student. While juggling between my 4 AP/honors classes and extracurriculars, I found myself constantly falling asleep, forgetting about assignments, and becoming bored during class. These factors all heavily affected my academic performance and physical health and I knew that trying to grind through this was not the solution. From being late every once in awhile, I found myself always feeling fresher and more aware than I would’ve if I had rushed to be early to school and that missing something like a warm up assignment had no real impact on me. I noticed that the extra energy I felt motivated me to talk with my classmates and participate more during class. In addition, I felt much more engaged during
Q1 DO IT NOW
Q2 DECIDE WHEN TO DO IT
NOT IMPORTANT
A
BY ANTHONY CHI
s a habitual truant and someone who has struggled with tardiness for the past two years, I know how ignorant or naive it sounds when I say that being late to school isn’t that bad. Even though many people see being tardy as a negative, I think that it also provides some positive benefits to students. One of the biggest criticisms I hear about being late to school is that it makes students complacent when it comes to being punctual for work or interviews and appointments. However, I don’t believe this comparison can be made because it assumes that students are deliberately late. Students aren’t late to a class because they want to be, but because they are tasked with immense burdens and workloads that deprive them of sleep and cause them to be late. The extremely competitive nature of school nowadays no longer allows high schoolers to have fun and be kids. Students are pressured more than ever to get perfect grades, ace their SATs and have extracurriculars that will stand out on their college applications, all while trying to maintain their sanity and lead a healthy social life. As a result, a majority of students deprive themselves of sleep throughout the year; this lack of rest causes their academic performance to tumble and can potentially threaten their mental and physical health. Even though this problem affects almost all students at one time or another, few do anything about it and just try to “grind” through it. I did this during my freshman and sophomore years, but as my workload increased during my junior year, I realized that “grinding” through my work and depriving myself of sleep everyday was anything but helpful. With a little bit of research, I discovered the Eisenhower Matrix and I used it to better understand and categorize my tasks based on their importance and urgency. The matrix states that I should ideally be spending most of
March 22nd, 2017
Q3 DELEGATE IT AWAY
Q4 DELETE IT
Homeroom Is Largely A Waste of Time
A
BY ANNA VOLOSHKO
t George Washington High School, homeroom is a time when students have 14 minutes to sit in a classroom and do whatever their teachers allow them to do. Some teachers even allow their students do anything they please as long as they check in. If that’s the case, dedicating an entire class period to that seems unnecessary. The most popular belief is that homeroom is meant for students to have some time for themselves. Whether they need to catch up on work, speak to teachers or simply relax and take a breath, homeroom is the time for students to spend it however they please. Along with that, homeroom is the perfect time for students to receive important information and announcements particularly catered to them. Whether this is a necessary class for everyone is debatable. Some people are completely opposed to idea of homeroom. Josette Aggarwal, a 9th grade homeroom teacher, has a strong opinion that homeroom is simply “a waste of time.” She explains, “while some [students] use their time wisely, the majority don’t.” She sees many students wandering the halls and being unproductive which does not benefit anyone. Along with that, there is an extra 14 minutes of passing period added on; if homeroom were to be removed, this time could be added towards class time or lunch. When it comes to announcements, Aggarwal believes receiving important information in part of another class period is a much better use of time. “You could still have the announcement in, for example, a second period…” In all, she believes an entire class period is not needed for occasional announcements. On the other hand, homeroom has the potential of being an amazing way to build a community within certain students. AVID teacher Michelle Kyung strongly believes in this. She states that “homeroom is a time for me to get to know students in a deeper level.” She has enjoyed bonding with her students throughout the years. She adds that “[homeroom] is a time for me to have discussions about politics, and help them with their homework.” Along with that, she mentions that because of the freedom they get, her classroom has become sort of a community where the students have a good bond with one another. She wants homeroom to be a
time “where they feel like they’re not as restricted.” Overall, Kyung enjoys homeroom and believes her students do as well. Some believe that although it’s not quite there yet, homeroom has the ability to be beneficial. Eleventh grade homeroom teacher Teresa Camajani believes homeroom has its fair share of ups and downs. She likes the fact that homeroom gives students a break. “I’m not opposed to that being a duty-free period for [students],” Camajani mentions, but she doesn’t like how most students get fairly limited freedom. She believes that students shouldn’t have to sit in a classroom for their break. Ideally, homeroom should be a time for students to do whatever students may not have the chance to do later on it the day such as get food, go to the library, or check in with a teacher or counselor. In my experience, homeroom is not as not as much of a community as it is believed to be. Most homerooms consist of a group of teenagers sitting on their phones and being
disconnected from their surroundings, which is completely fine if that is the way students want to use their time, but if that’s the reality of homeroom, then why do we need to go to a specific classroom on time and have students required to show up? A reason many people have mixed opinions about homeroom is because not everyone has the same experience with homeroom. Some students are allowed to do whatever they please as long as they check in, while other homeroom teachers have strict rules that only allow students to do certain things which takes away the point of a so called “free period” for students.
In a recent survey, 131 out of 162 students said that they enjoy homeroom which is roughly 81% of those who were surveyed. The most popular rationales were that students need a break-time from classes and that homeroom gives them the opportunity to finish classwork. “You have many opportunities in homeroom,” one student explained. “Other than chilling, you get to work on assignments, get breakfast and plan out your agenda for the week.” Some students truly believe homeroom is beneficial for getting simple things done. Another student stated that in homeroom, “I feel like I belong”. Approximately 19% of people who said that they do not enjoy homeroom, the most common answer as to why was that they believed it was a “waste of time.” Interestingly, out of the people who do not particularly enjoy homeroom, 65% of the students do not want the school to take it out of the schedule. “Even though it’s boring and we don’t really do anything, it’s the only place we get information about things we need,” one student explained. Another student simply stated, “I need a break. Lunch isn’t enough.” So although some people do not enjoy homeroom, most of them do not want it to be cancelled because even though it may not be the most ideal situation, it is better than nothing. Because of the hectic schedule and busy lives most students have, I believe a certain period of time apart from lunch and passing periods is necessary for every student’s well being. Ideally, homeroom should be replaced with some form of study hall. There can be a room assigned to each grade of students where they can pick up information or any announcements, and after they check in they could do anything they need including getting food, talking to teachers or go to the cafeteria or library for a “study hall”. This gives students the freedom to use their time however they prefer, but to an extent where they can be found if they needed to be reached for the minimal amount of announcements given. Although I don’t believe being forced to sit in a classroom is the best way to give students the opportunity to do so, having some version of a “break” is better than none. Personally, I do not have much free time during lunch and after school with homework, clubs, sports and other commitments as do many other students, so taking a break from that is extremely helpful.
March 22nd, 2017
Sports 15
The Eagle
Defensive Players Are Underrated
“Offense sells tickets, but defense
T
wins
championships.” –Bear Bryant
Gerard Pique FC Barcelona
BY KIMBERLY THAI
he most famous and glorified athletes are often times the ones that score; Buster Posey, Stephen Curry and Lionel Messi are all household names. There is no doubt that running the scoreboard is thrilling, but what about those games when the offense is in a slump? Both offense and defense are essential to emerging victorious, but defense is what keeps teams consistent. A solid defense keeps teams in games when their offense just can’t score. With that being said, there is a lack of recognition being given to those who play defense. It is fair to say that in a well-played match, games are evenly distributed between offense and defense. So needless to say, both offense and defense are necessities to winning games. In a sense, yes, it is more of a priority to score in a game rather than defend, because if no one scores, the game would go on indefinitely. On the contrary, the defense’s job is to prevent the offense from scoring; defenders block shots, perform tackles, run after fly-balls, etc. If you have a chance, check out some defensive highlights. They can be just as momentous as watching attackers score. Some personal favorites of mine are soccer fullbacks making goal-line saves and hockey players putting their bodies on the line to block shots. One of the most famous defensive plays in history is known as “The Catch,” made by New York Giants outfielder, Willie Mays, in 1954. In a way, a tough defense is the reason behind why scoring is so exciting. Watching a team score after beating a tough defense is so much more enthralling than beating a weak defense. Without a defense, scoring would be signifi-
GWHS ALUMNI: Where are they now? BY KIMBERLY THAI
cantly less meaningful. This year, our varsity girls’ soccer team played a grueling semi-final match against Mission High School. The game drew out into double overtime due to both teams playing with resilient defenses. Since the match had been tied at nil throughout the whole match, our Eagles scoring with a mere three minutes left on the clock in the second half of overtime meant profoundly more. “Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships,” is a popular quote from Bear Bryant, former head coach of the University of Alabama football team. The quote is fairly self-explanatory: the offense is why people are interested, but the defense is what keeps the team together and ensures that the opponents don’t score. This quote shows that the defense is just as important as the offense. Therefore, defensive players should receive more recognition. For example, Lionel Messi’s team, Futbol Club Barcelona, would not be as successful as they are without their defensive line which includes world-class defender Gerard Pique. It’s easy to celebrate the success of offensive players. However, it is time to shed some light and acknowledge the true game changers, the defensive players. Preventing the scoreboard from increasing can be just as tough as scoring. Both offense and defense are essential to emerging victorious, so why are only offensive players receiving fame? Not only do defensive players need to be acknowledged more often, they are also well deserving of the fame that offensive players receive.
COLLEGE AT
HLETE
EDITION
a i r d n a Alex ng #8 Duo
O
ne of the most exciting aspects of high school is in the realm of sports, where students showcase their skill in a competitive atmosphere. Some athletes are more skilled than others, but very few make it past high school and play in college. With 158 career goals in high school, it is no wonder why Alexandria Duong is one of the few athletes who is continuing to pursue her sport after high school. Duong was introduced to lacrosse her freshman year at Washington and knew in her sophomore year that she wanted to play in college. Conscious of the strenuous road to playing college ball, she was determined to play after high school. “I would work my [butt] off at games and practices, not just for my team, but for me,” she says. After being admitted into the University of California, Santa Barbara, in the spring of 2016, she sent in a recruitment form. Her dream of playing in college came one step closer when she was given the opportunity to try out. UCSB offers two levels of women’s lacrosse: an A team, which is similar to what we call varsity in high school, and a B team, which is more of a JV team. Both teams participate in division one, which is the highest level of college sports. After being analyzed by the coaching staff at UCSB, she was placed on the A team. Duong is currently a starting midfielder for UCSB and has scored eleven goals and four assists this season. High school sports are nothing compared to playing division one in college. “100% effort all throughout practice is expected from everyone,” says Duong, revealing the high standards that are expected of collegiate athletes. According to her, there is an average of about ten to twelve goals scored by GWHS at lacrosse games. This is not the case in college; UCSB scores an average of six goals per game. The fact that the amount of goals scored is cut in half shows that college sports are much more prestigious and competitive than their predecessors. While Duong has seen an immeasurable amount of success in high school and college lacrosse, she does not see herself playing in the United Women’s Lacrosse League. Instead, she sees herself coaching in the future to share her love for the sport that changed her life.
Photo Credits by: Kristy Zhao
16 Sports
The Eagle
Atheletes Of The Issue Nicholas Lew
March 22nd, 2017
E
very stance, timing and ball release can impact the result of Nicholas Lew’s score. “I step up to the line, making sure my ball is stable. I keep my eyes on the target and release [the ball] while exhaling,” describes Lew. BY TIFFANY LAU At the age of three, Lew was first introduced to bowling at a friend’s birthday party. However, it wasn’t until he was ten when he began to take an interest in the sport. Throughout elementary school, Lew’s school offered free summer bowling passes to Serra Bowl, a bowling center located in Daly City. As he gradually spent more time at the bowling alley, he became attracted to the sport and enjoyed bowling with new people and meeting new friends. In 2011, Lew decided to join Daly City’s Classic Bowl junior bowling league, turning open bowling into a competitive sport. For the past six years, Lew has spent endless hours practicing on new bowling techniques and mastering ball rotations. “I typically bowl three games, twice a week and attempt to reflect on my mistakes after every game,” says Lew. Occasionally, his teammates would give him advice on how to improve. As Lew became more advanced, he moved up tiers. In 2015, he was promoted from Junior Majors to Junior Scratch, the highest tier on the league. Currently, Lew’s bowling record is 289 points (out of 300) and has an average score of 205 points per game. Lew has won three consecutive league titles (2013 to 2015) and has received over $1000 in scholarships. With two state championship appearances at the Classic Bowling Center, one in 2013 and another in 2015, Lew has his eyes set on state championships this year. “I have a qualifying round that I have to pass in order to get there. So right now I’m just focusing on improving my game and getting ready for the district qualifier in May,” states Lew. Competing with bowlers of the same age, Lew’s most memorable achievement was being able to place 20th in the 2015 state championships. “There are over one thousand bowlers in California. Being able to place in the top 20 is just amazing. Though I didn’t win any scholarships, I feel that it gives me hope that I can come back and do better,” Lew expresses. Since 2011, Lew has competed individually in his league. This season, Lew decided to shift from being an individual player to a team player. “Right now, league is my motivation to teach others rather than winning for my personal benefit for the season,” Lew reveals. Working with his teammates, he has learned countless new approaches to bowling and considered it an honor to be able to work with his teammates. Lew currently bowls for four hours a week with high school teammates at the Classic Bowling Center, watching their shots and figuring out what they need to fix. “At times, I felt like a coach but overall, I’m still a teammate. In the past, I was usually the one who needed help. But now that I understand the game more in depth, I felt that it was only fair if I helped others who needed the guidance and assistance,” Lew explains. In almost every sport, athletes experience setbacks and losses. There were numerous times where Lew entered a tournament expecting to do great but didn’t bowl as well as he wanted to. “I think that’s the most important part about any sport. If you’re frustrated with anything or you’re missing your shots, you realize how much you can learn by taking a step back and going over what you originally learned,” Lew believes. With that, he began to understand the mistakes he made and learned how he could improve from them. The constructive criticism Lew received from his family members and teammates helped him train to become an even better athlete. For the past six years, Lew has remained humble throughout his winnings. Experiencing tough losses has helped Lew gain the motivation he needs to always stay on top of his game. With a year left before he graduates from Washington, he is considering schools that have bowling teams. “If I choose to go to San Jose State, they have a bowling team there, and I can try out,” Lew states. Although Lew is uncertain if bowling will turn professional, he believes that bowling will remain a part of him for the rest of his life.
A
Jiries Harb
t the request of his friend, senior Jiries Harb decided to join a learn to row summer camp before his junior year. After getting a feeling of what rowing was, Harb BY WINNIE ZHANG was convinced to continue to stay and row all year round with the Pacific Rowing Club. “It was just enjoyable — exercising is fun and doing it with other people is also fun. The intensity level with other people, at that level, just makes it better; it’s something that I look forward to,” said Harb. “Crew is a sport. It consists of people rowing, nothing usually bigger than eight people and the ninth person is the one who steers. There’s also boats with four people, two people, and there are boats for one person,” Harb explains. Pacific Rowing Club is a local San Francisco rowing team for youth from eighth grade to senior year of high school. The team is separated into four groups: Novice Men (Novice being first-year rowers), Novice Women, Varsity Men, and Varsity Women, with around 30 members in Harb’s Varsity Men’s group. The team competes in races all around the country. Last year Harb and his team traveled to Long Beach, California, and Tacoma, Washington, while this year they will be traveling to Seattle, Washington, over spring break weekend. Unlike most high school athletes, Harb has practice every Monday to Saturday of the year, except during special holidays. Rain or shine, The Pacific Rowing Club has TOP PHOTO: JIRIES HARB (OUTER LEFT) BOTTOM PHOTO: JIRIES HARB (SECOND TO LAST) two-hour practices everyday after school and on saturdays, at Lake Merced. “I feel like because of it, I have gotten better grades. Because I don’t have as much time to do other things, I kind of focus more on doing my homework,” explains Harb. “Rowing means everything to me because I dedicate everyday to it and it is a lot of hard work to it. If it didn’t mean anything to me then it would be kind of pointless,” said Harb. Harb and his teammates often joke around about why they still row and that they should just quit because it’s so hard, but it has always come down to them staying on the team. What motivates Harb to keep rowing is that some of the relationships that he has formed through rowing are some of the best relationships that he has ever had because they are all really close. “Everything is like an escape. My coach says when you get here you don’t have to worry about anything else; I forget about my homework and just school in general, I just focus on whatever I am doing there. The best relationships that I have are from rowing, so that’s also why I associate with it,” said Harb. One of his greatest accomplishments through rowing was when Harb’s novice team, last year, went undefeated all year and almost won the Southwest Regionals Championships. “Our team is not as big as other teams; in rowing there are teams with hundreds of people but in ours we have 30 on the Varsity men’s, so last year we had like 18 kids — not many of them were bigger than me, and we almost won championships, which was really good.” Although rowing has made Harb a more outgoing person and has taught him many things, such as “what you put into something is what you get out, hard work matters, and to appreciate easy times,” he does not plan to continue rowing competitively after high school.