Winged Post Volume 20 Issue 1 by Harker Aquila

WINGED POST FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2018 | THE HARKER UPPER SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER, VOL. 20, NO. 1 | www.harkeraquila.com WHAT’S INSIDE? New Teachers 2 Trade War 4 Immigration 8 Summer Research 12 Landscaping 14

KATHY FANG

Matriculation welcomes class of 2022

NICOLE CHEN

WARM WELCOME (RIGHT) Freshman adviser Yumiko Aridomi and members of the class of 2022 recite the matriculation oath at the matriculation ceremony in the upper school’s quad on Aug. 24. (UPPER LEFT) Members of Student Council and Honor Council gather on the stage at the end of their “Freshman 101” skits at matriculation to inform the incoming freshmen. (LOWER LEFT) Upper school division head Butch Keller addresses the audience at matriculation. After Keller gave his speech, which dealt with the importance of kindness and feeding positive rather than negative emotions, ASB President Neil Ramaswamy (12) gave a speech and students recited the matriculation oath in unison with ASB Vice President Shania Wang (12).

eric fang & arushi saxena news editor & global editor

The 2018-19 school year’s annual matriculation ceremony welcomed incoming freshmen, returning students and faculty with a series of speeches and skits on Aug. 24. After sophomores, juniors, and seniors settled into their seats in the upper school’s quad, the processional of teachers in their gowns took their seats behind the stage. The class of 2022 soon walked down the center aisle in their advisory groups. Once everyone was seated, Head of School Brian Yager commenced the ceremony by commemorating Harker’s 125th anniversary and offering introductory remarks to the incoming freshmen. He stressed the need for upperclassmen to aid freshmen in their first year of high school. Next, upper school vocal group Cantilena performed a

rendition of Stephen Hatfield’s “Ain’t That News” directed by Susan Nace. Jennifer Sandusky, director of Bel Canto and Downbeat, also joined the choir during the performance. Following their performance was a speech by Upper School Division Head Butch Keller. He began with a Cherokee legend to emphasize the importance of expressing love and kindness to all members of the student body. According to the legend, Keller explained that a good wolf, embodying love, kindness, generosity and other aspects, constantly clashes with an evil wolf, which represents one’s negative traits. In the end, Keller highlighted the fact that students are in control of their actions and that they have the power to decide “which wolf to feed”. “You must be the guardian of your own mind,” Keller said. “Attitude and emotions directly coincide with how you see the world; be good to one another,

and let your decisions not only positively influence you but have an impact on the entire world.” ASB President Neil Ra-

“Be good to one another, and let your decisions not only you, but have an impact on the entire world.” BUTCH KELLER UPPER SCHOOL HEAD maswamy (12) then took to the stage to once again welcome the Class of 2022. He chose to recite a personal anecdote of a recent conversation with a friend, in which he at first felt embarrassed to say that he was a Harker student,

and closed by emphasizing pride about being a part of the diverse Harker community. “What differentiates us is the passion, intensity, and authentic fascination that is present in everything that we do,” Neil said. “It is because of this passion that we excel not only in classrooms and labs, but also on the field and on the stage.” Neil introduced all of the Student Council and Honor Council representatives, and Shania Wang (12), ASB vice president, recited the Matriculation Oath in unison with the rest of the student body. Next, Assistant Head of School Jennifer Gargano invited the incoming class to take a copy of the Oath and sign the Honor Code. As freshmen filed out in lines to sign books containing the Honor Code, the Harker String Quartet — comprising Rachel Broweleit (11), Constance Horng (12), Sophia Horng (10) and Jerry Peng (12) and con-

ducted by instrumental music teacher David Hart — performed John Legend’s “Stay With Me” and Bastille’s “Pompeii.” Student Council and Honor Council followed up the performance with their annual “Freshman 101” skits. The skits referenced TV shows and advised the Class of 2022 on the “do’s and don’ts” of the upper school, covering topics such as Eagle Update, campus rules, Extra Period Options, clubs, performing arts and the Honor Code. After the performance, Yager offered closing remarks as the teachers filed out of their seats. Students then departed for orientation meetings specific for each grade and had their photographs taken in the auxiliary gym. After, they ate their first lunch of the school year in Manzanita and gathered in advisory groups to receive forms and lockers. The academic year began with classes on Aug. 27.

Former upper school music teacher arrested on misconduct charges nicole chen & kathy fang & ryan guan & prameela kottapalli & katherine zhang strategic leadership

A former Harker upper school teacher was arrested in San Jose on Aug. 16 and faces criminal charges for inappropri-

reach out to counselors, advisers and administrators. “In any situation that is challenging, there’s a lot of dynamics involved that are hard to manage for the community, and a range of emotions,” Yager said in an interview with Harker Aq-

“In any situation that is challenging, there’s a lot of dynamics involved that are hard to manage for the community, and a range of emotions.”

ate communication with a minor during school functions and on social media. Schools officials terminated instrumental music teacher, orchestra and jazz band conductor and class of 2019 dean Christopher Florio, 39, after they were informed of an allegation of misconduct with a student. Head of School Brian Yager met with faculty about the situation and Harker policy on appropriate faculty-student interactions this week. Yager encourages students who are processing the situation and who want to talk to

uila and Winged Post. “We have to recognize that and, as always, be our best and learn from this experience.” Dr. David Hart, an instrumental and vocal music teacher at the middle school, has transitioned to the upper school to assume Florio’s teaching roles. Upper school music group members and their parents were notified of the transition on June 30, but no other details about Florio’s departure were provided. “I have a love of this place and I have a love of the faculty and the students here,” Hart

KATHY FANG

BRIAN YAGER HEAD OF SCHOOL

THE RPAC The Rothschild Performing Arts Center. A former upper school teacher was terminated in June and arrested on Aug. 16 on felony and misdemeanor charges relating to misconduct with a student.

said. “I’m happy to now be a part of this team here.” Upper school math teacher and former class of 2018 dean Dr. Victor Adler took on Florio’s role as dean of the class of 2019. “I understand that it’s a loss. Somebody’s been with you for three years, and having gone through that process, I understand you get attached to this person,” Dr. Adler said. “I feel bad for the class. At some point we have to move forward ... and I hope we [do so] together.”

Prior to his termination, Florio had taught at the upper school for nine years. Members of the community received the news with a range of reactions. Teachers in the performing arts department, as well as the rest of the school, look to support their students in the coming months. “Often in arts classes, people’s emotions come up, and we want to be able to let students say they’re sad or angry or whatever they are,” Director of Performing Arts Laura Lang-Ree

said. “We’re often in a dance, or in a play, or in a musical; we’re talking about deep and personal things, so we’re fostering that conversation, but at a level where the student feels safe.” Students and teachers alike are dealing with the impact of the situation. Additional reporting by Eric Fang Continued on page 2

NEWS

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KATHY FANG

Community moves forward after former teacher’s arrest

THE UPPER SCHOOL CAMPUS A former upper school teacher was terminated June and arrested Aug. 16 on felony and misdemeanor charges regarding misconduct with a student.

Continued from front page “I was a little bit disturbed, and over the next coming days, I kept thinking about it. I really could not believe it,” said ASB President Neil Ramaswamy (12), who had previously worked with Florio in student council and jazz band. At the school meeting on Tuesday, Upper School Division Head Butch Keller will deliver an announcement to the student body about safety precautions and student-teacher interactions. “I care so much about your emotional and your physical safety—that is what my main

concern is everyday,” Keller said. “You’re in a community that cares about you, supports you, is there for you. When you come to school, I want it to be a place where you’re so comfortable that you feel good about the things you do—that’s how we all feel, we want you to be safe.” Currently, policies relating to student-teacher communication states that “all email communications between students and The Harker School faculty or staff must be through their official school email account.” Otherwise, students and teachers are only permitted to communicate through social media or text

“When you come to school, I want it to be a place where you’re so comfortable that you feel good about the things you do— that’s how we all feel, we want you to be safe.” BUTCH KELLER HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL

“after the student has become an alumna/us of the school and is 18 years of age or older.” Keller advises students who feel uncomfortable to tell someone in the community as soon as they can. “Just go to the next teacher you see and you trust, go to your advisor, go to one of your counselors, come to me. Any adult in the community would be a good adult to go to if something didn’t seem right to you,” Keller said. “Go to somebody in the community. That’s what we’re about.” After the San Jose Police Department conducted an investigation into the allegations, Flo-

Upper school welcomes 8 new teachers to campus

rio was arrested and booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on Aug. 16 on for communicating with a minor and misdemeanor charges for annoying a minor. That same day, SJPD Police Sergeant Enrique Garcia issued a press release to inform local media outlets about the allegations. The San Jose Police Department’s media relations unit declined an interview request from the Winged Post due to the ongoing nature of the investigation. Anyone with information regarding this incident may contact Detective Chris Mendoza of the San Jose Police Department at (408) 537-1379.

Class of 2022 attends upper school orientation

New teachers share high hopes and expectations for the coming school year eric fang

nicole chen & eric fang

news editor

ROSALYN SCHREIMAN

ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS

BIOLOGY

COUNSELING

Goal for next year: “I know that everyone here is a really high quality teacher, so I want to live up to those expectations by having all my kids be engaged in class, love what they are learning and hopefully find their new area of interest.” Fun Fact: Owns 200 board games Favorite Movie: Apollo 13 Favorite Book: Freakonomics

Goal for next year: “My hope is to get my students excited or enthusiastic at some point about something we do, even if they are not a “science” person or self described biology person.” Hobbies: Bee Keeping, Bird Watching, and kayaking Fun Fact: Lived in India for 3 years Favorite TV Shows: Big Bang Theory and Nova Science

Goal for next year: “I hope that I can be there to help students out and find some ways for them to sort of cope on their own when they are feeling stressed out or worried because I know that there is a lot of anxiety that goes on in high school.” Favorite Movie: Forrest Gump Favorite Books: We Were the Lucky Ones, The Help

Goal for next year: “I hope to become more familiar with the staff and kids. Overall I really want to make friendships and be supportive to everyone on campus” Hobbies: Watching theater and ballet, non-profit work and going to the beach Fun Fact: Huge Disney fan Favorite Movie: The Sound of Music Favorite Food: Mexican

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LYNDSEY NELSON

DB A Y N IK OLAI SL IV K

THOMAS ARTISS

DEAN LIZARDO

BHASWATI GANGULI

JONATHAN SAMMARTINO

NIKOLAI SLIVKA

DAVID HART

PRECALCULUS

PSYCHOLOGY

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Goal for next year: “I hope to make my students confident learners and to teach them that math is not just a bunch of numbers. Instead, I hope they find that math stays with them their entire lives and will help to make them more self sufficient.” Hobbies: Travel, reading and badminton Favorite Movies: Amadeus and Nebraska

Goal for next year: “My hope is to get a lot of students as excited about psychology as I am. I also hope to learn more about Harker and to get to know the community.” Hobbies: Tennis, board games, choir and watching sports Fun Fact: Wrote a textbook Hobbies: Reading, photography, and hiking Favorite TV Shows: In Treatment and The Wire

Goal for next year: “My hopes are to prepare my students as best I can for tenth grade and to get to know as many of my colleagues as possible.” Hobbies: Watching movies and running and hiking in the foothills Favorite TV Show: The Sopranos Favorite Books: Ride the High Country, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, and Back to the Future

Goal for next year: “This is my ninth year at Harker and it is cool that a lot of students have worked with me in the past. I think my focus will be on creativity and improvisation and how those play a role in the learning process.” Fun Fact: Fifth generation Californian Hobbies: Travel, gardening and yoga Favorite TV Show: Curb your Enthusiasm

The freshman class of 2022 visited the upper school for the first time and participated in various team-building activities with their advisories as part of freshmen orientation on August 23. The freshmen got to know their advisors, advisory groups and senior link crew members. Led by freshman class dean and performing arts teacher Jeffrey Draper and APEX Adventures, freshmen got to know their advisors, advisory groups and senior link crew members, in addition to playing exciting games on Davis Field. The activities were interrupted in the middle of the day for a lunch break, during which freshmen sat with their advisors and Link crew members. Afterwards, they played more games focused at increasing teamwork and collaboration amongst the students. Freshman Josh Field enjoyed spending time with his advisory and felt that it helped him become more familiar with other members of his class. “As the day went on, I noticed my classmates get a lot more comfortable with their advisories,” Josh said. “It was overall just an incredible day for us to bond and get to know each other.” Freshmen attended matriculation and receiving lockers for the year the day after orientation. They attended the first day of school, meeting teachers and going to their first classes, on August 27.

NICOLE CHEN

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Aquila editor-in-chief & news editor

STARTING WITH A BLAST Freshman Muthiah Panchanathem balances on the Triangle Walk with the help of his advisory. The Class of 2022 was officially introduced to the upper school campus, their advisors and their advisory during orientation.

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Sophomores and juniors enjoy ropes course, rafting to start the new year kathy fang & ryan guan Aquila managing editor & executive news editor

Juniors whitewater raft The class of 2020 traveled to OARS American River Output in Coloma, California, for the annual

junior class rafting trip on Aug. 23. Students split into groups of six to eight and cruised down the American River, paddling through class one, two and three whitewater rapids. Each boat was led by an instructor who guided the rafters. Rafters assembled in front of

IRINA MALYUGINA

the Rothschild Performing Arts Center at approximately 6:10 a.m. to depart in four buses on a three-hour drive to OARS. They attended an instructional session before boarding the rafts. After the rafting trip, which traversed approximately 12 river miles,

KATHY FANG

IRINA MALYUGINA

KATHY FANG

NEWS

CLASS ADVENTURES (LEFT) High up in the treetops, a member of the class of 2021 grips a rope for support during the sophomores’ ropes course trip in the Santa Cruz Mountains on Aug. 23. (TOP) Guided by rafting instructors in groups of six to eight, juniors raft or swim in the American River during the class’s rafting trip on Aug. 23. (LOWER RIGHT) Dressed in rafting gear and holding their oars, Amla Rashingkar (11) and Aditi Khanna (11) prepare to push away from the shore in their raft. (LOWER MIDDLE) A ropes course instructor assists a sophomore in belaying during the sophomores’ ropes course trip. The classes of 2020 and 2021 participated in off-campus trips on Aug. 23.

the students and junior advisers had a quick dinner before driving back to the upper school campus, arriving at approximately 8 p.m. Sophomores tackle ropes course Meanwhile, the class of 2021 kicked off the school year by traveling to the Santa Cruz Mountains for the annual ropes course trip. Participants split into multiple groups; each went to a different location. In the forests there, the sophomores took on various chal-

lenges testing their strength, skill and balance. Participants could traverse ropes course elements such as the Giant’s Ladder, a gigantic rope ladder with rungs separated by several feet, and the Leap of Faith off a tall platform, while their advisories cheered them on from below. As the juniors and sophomores embarked on their class trips off campus, the freshmen enjoyed a field day on Davis Field and seniors had no events scheduled before matriculation on Aug. 24.

varsha rammohan copy editor

One year after the violent Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Unite the Right 2 rally took place in Washington, D.C. from Aug. 11 to Aug. 12. White supremacist groups began to gather at the Foggy Bottom subway station but were immediately met with counter-protesters belonging to 40 anti-racism groups, according to CNN. These counter-demonstrators confronted members of the rally on their way to Lafayette Square Park, where the two groups were kept apart by police dressed in riot gear. The rally ended shortly after it started, due to the small number of protesters and the strong counter-demonstration presence. Last year’s Unite The Right rally was a white supremacist and white nationalist rally held to oppose the removal of a statue of Confederate leader Robert E. Lee. Protesters clashed with counter-demonstrators, leading former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe to declare a state of emergency. The rally ended with a white supremacist driving his car into a crowd, killing counter-activist

Heather Heyer. In contrast, Unite the Right 2 saw two arrests without any fatalities or injuries. The number of participants, which amounted to around two dozen, was also far less than expected. The rally organizer Jason Kessler blamed the low turnout on fear and an “atmosphere of intimidation” online.

DEFINITION Counter-protest: A protest organized in order to respond to or oppose another protest with differing views. Kessler, who also organized last year’s rally, orchestrated Unite the Right 2 to mark the anniversary of last year’s riots and “to protest civil rights abuses in Charlottesville.” Kessler originally tried to hold Unite the Right 2 in Charlottesville again, but the city denied his permit application, stating it would “present a danger to public safety”. Charlottesville declared a state of emergency on Aug. 8 and increased its police presence to prepare for the weekend of the anniversary; this enabled more access to state military re-

sources, such as the National Guard. One of the larger counter-protest movements against Unite the Right 2 was Shut it Down D.C., which called for counter-demonstrators to gather the same day as the rally. The stated purpose of Shut it Down D.C. was to unite the resistance against white supremacy and racism. According to its website, the gathering was for three activists assaulted or killed during last year’s Unite the Right rally. In Charlottesville, activists honored Heyer by gathering at the site of her death; they wrote messages on the streets and walls of nearby buildings. Heyer’s mother also visited the site and delivered a speech denouncing racism and racial tension in America. Across the country, 20 people were arrested at the ‘No to Marxism in America 2’ rally at the Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park in Berkeley on Aug. 5. Skirmishes between demonstrators for and against the rally groups led to vandalized city vehicles, projectile fireworks and damage to the front of a Marine Corps recruiting office. Amber Gwen Cummings, a right-wing activist and organizer of the rally, had led a similar protest last year, which resulted in

arrests and injuries. Khawer Khan, one of the counter-protesters at the rally, is a member of the East Bay chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. “[The march] is essentially focused on gathering together reactionary forces to assert their position that what they’re doing is actually free speech. What they’re doing, in reality, is hate speech, and it’s endangering people in this country,” Khan said. “[The counter protest is] about making sure that working class people have solidarity and that we work together to make sure that none of us are at risk.” Such clashes have been common among protests and rallies this past summer. Two rallies organized in Portland by white supremacist group Patriot Prayer, in June and August, ended with police ordering participants to leave the area and arresting violent protesters. Joey Gibson, the founder of Patriot Prayer, also visited Berkeley and San Francisco. Gibson launched a bid for a seat in the U.S. Senate for Washington state but received less than three percent of the vote. The Proud Boys, another farright group, has joined Patriot Prayer at some of the rallies it has organized in Portland.

ERIC FANG

Rally a year after Charlottesville faces resistance

DEMONSTRATION Counter-protesters raise their fists at the “No to Marxism in America 2” rally in Berkeley on Aug. 5. “[The counter protest is] about making sure that working class people have solidarity,” said Khawer Khan, one of the counter-protesters.

“We love America. We love freedom and want the government to leave everyone alone,” Pawl Bazile, production director of Proud Boys Magazine, wrote in an email interview when asked about similarities between President Donald Trump’s beliefs and theirs. “This is a land of free men and free women and freedom [...] Proud Boys believe that and we can see that in Trump.” Following another armed rally in Seattle in mid-August, Gibson announced that he hopes to schedule more protests on the West Coast. Additional reporting by Eric Fang, news editor.

Politics this summer: senator dies at 81, Russia probe What You conviction, Supreme Court nomination and more

Capitol Hill:

Part six of a seven part series on American politics

To read more on international politics, turn to our Global section on page 4.

August 21

June 26

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that President Trump’s ban on travel from several majority-Muslim countries was lawful. The first iteration of the ban was issued in January 2017, and the current one took effect last December.

Summer-long

Special elections (which fill House vacancies resulting from resignations or deaths) and congressional primary elections took place in several states throughout the summer.

What’s Next

Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was convicted on eight counts of fraud, and Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to making illegal payments and breaching campaign finance laws.

June 27

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, a key swing voter in several cases, announced that he would retire on July 31. On July 9, Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh to fill Kennedy’s seat. The nomination is pending.

The U.S. and Mexico are in talks to revise NAFTA, a trade agreement among them and Canada. Congressional primary elections in Massachusetts, Delaware, New Hampshire and Rhode Island are set for the coming weeks.

August 25

Republican senator and twotime presidential candidate John McCain died in his home in Arizona. McCain was 81. His office stated that he had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

RYAN GUAN

Missed

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MICHAEL ENG

GLOBAL

China retaliates as U.S. increases tariffs

How the two most powerful economies are fighting the wars of the future michael eng global editor

13 rescued from Thai cave On June 23, a birthday party excursion into Thailand’s Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex turned into a deadly rescue mission for Navy SEALs across the world. Twelve youth soccer players and their coach were trapped in the cave for 18 days and later were evacuated on stretchers through a 5-mile stretch.

Bangladeshi students protest road safety High school students blocked major intersections in Dhaka’s streets for five days in early August, cutting off traffic and vandalizing vehicles to protest a bus accident that killed two teens. To end protests, authorities bombarded citizens with tear gas, assaults and threats.

Amsterdam renames streets with names of prominent women Dutch activists put up signs replacing 43 street names in early August to honor prominent women in history. The signs are scattered throughout 11 cities, including Amsterdam, and feature the names of individuals such as singer Beyonce, and Suze Groeneweg, the first woman elected into the Dutch parliament.

Italian bridge collapses, killing 43 The Morandi bridge in Genoa collapsed under dozens of vehicles in heavy traffic on Aug. 14. A 656-foot section fell 150 feet, injuring those in cars and on foot, as well as a few locals from a nearby apartment complex. Officials are still searching the rubble for bodies, and the Italian President and PM led a statewide funeral for the victims in early August.

300+ Catholic priests accused of sex abuse Following an eighteen-month investigation, a grand jury in Pennsylvania uncovered a large network of church leaders who covered up sexual abuse in their churches. Over seven decades, hundreds of priests across Pennsylvania allegedly sexually abused over a thousand children; similar scandals are currently occurring in Chile and Australia as well.

global columnist

For the past year, the United States and China have been slugging it out in one of the largest trade wars in history. The U.S. enacted 25 percent tariffs, that would affect $16 billion worth of Chinese goods on Aug. 23. China retaliated with a 25 percent tariff of their own on an equivalent $16 billion worth of American goods. A tariff is a tax that a political entity places on imports from another polity, typically to favor domestic producers and stimulate domestic economic growth while reducing the amount of reliance on foreign exports. However, if the country whose exports are being taxed sees the tariffs as unfair, it will sign its own tariffs, which leads to another round of tariffs signed by the first country, and this cycle continues until negotiations are held. “Trade wars, by definition, are pretty much always lose-lose.

“Trade wars, by definition, are pretty much always loselose.” SAM LEPLER ECONOMICS TEACHER

have pants, and we trade, we are both by definition better off. So the more voluntary free trade there is, generally speaking, the more both parties are benefiting from that trade; otherwise, they wouldn’t make the deal.” President Trump ordered the Office of the United States Trade Representative to investigate the trade relations with China on Aug 18, 2017. In a mem-

orandum signed in August 2017, he explains the various restrictions that China has imposed on the US over the years, mostly pertaining to allegedly biased intellectual property laws, intellectual property theft conducted by the Chinese government on U.S. companies. As a result, Trump enacted tariffs by March 2018 on Chinese products in an attempt to retaliate. In response, China increased taxes on American goods. However, that time in between the first tariffs being signed and when one country backs down or tries to negotiate is usually when most consumers are hurt. For example, a $130 million construction project with about $20 million accounted for steel could have steel prices jump by $6 million when an opponent in a trade war increases tariffs. That cost could be the difference between the project being finished and it remaining incomplete. The universal dependency

on trade leads to some countries taking advantage of it for personal gain. If a large country, — China and the U.S. — decides to enact tariffs on trade or stop trade completely, most, if not all, countries contributing to the global economy would be affected. “Nearly two-thirds of goods traded today are connected to global value chains,” World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Roberto Azevêdo said in a speech on May 31 to the WTO. “In this context, shocks to the trading system are likely to be globalised.” In addition to severing economic ties, trade wars can have the consequence of also raising political and military tensions. “When those economic interconnections dissipate, the cost of going to physical war against another place decreases,” Lepler said. “If you have a trade war that can get dramatic enough, it raises the specter of more military conflict as well.”

Trump meets with Russian and North Korean leaders saloni shah lifestyle columnist

Summit with Russia U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met one-on-one for their first official meeting at a summit on July 16, 2018 in Helsinki, Finland. Since there was no official statement issued after the summit, there was a lot of speculation as to whether any agreement was reached between the two counterparts. Subsequently it was revealed that a wide range of issues were discussed at the meeting ranging from Syria refugee crisis, Russian annexation of Crimea, the Ukranian crisis, extension of New Strategic Arms Reduction Treat treaty and denuclearization of North Korea. On July 13, 2018, special counsel, Mr. Mueller, indicted 12 Russian intelligence agents for the hacking of the 2016 US Presidential elections. People were anxiously awaiting Trump’s reaction to the allegations of Russian meddling in the election. To the shock and disbelief of everyone, President Trump found Putin’s denial of interfering with the US 2016 Presidential election “extremely strong” and “powerful” despite evidence from US intelligence agencies to the contrary. Additionally, Trump remarked that Russia was a “good competitor” and he blamed America’s “foolish” actions for the deteri-

oration of relations between US and Russia. Putin offered to cooperate with Mr. Muller’s investigation of Russian suspects in the U.S. 2016 election in exchange for the opportunity to question some Americans who they suspect of breaking the law in Russia. Stating that it would be more beneficial to meet after the Russia “witch hunt” is over, it was announced by the White House on July 25 that Trump was postponing Putin’s visit to White House in the fall of 2018 till the beginning of next year. Summit with North Korea June 12, 2018, was a historic day. President Donald Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to meet face-to-face with a North Korean leader. At the summit, President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a statement committing to build the peace and prosperity of the Korean peninsula, to work towards denuclearization and to return and recover the remains of prisoners of war and missing soldiers from past military excursions. Tensions have been rising between the U.S and North Korea since the Korean War, and North Korea’s continued attempts to build a nuclear state and conduct long range missile tests further increase conflict. Responding to North Korea’s continued instigating behavior,

Trump threatened to use “fire and fury” against North Korea in a UN speech in September 2017. Trump later took to Twitter to call Kim Jong Un the “Little Rocket man.” Kim and Trump continue exchanging words about whose nuclear button is bigger and more powerful. Orchestrated by South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in, the South Korean National Security Adviser, Chung Eui-Yong, announced in March 2018 that there would be a meeting between Trump and Kim. Later, the meeting was canceled and eventually held in Singapore. As an outcome of the meeting, Trump suspended military exercises conducted by the U.S. and South Korea in the Korean peninsula, raising concerns about the impact on the readiness of our troops and North Korea becoming the dominant actor in the peninsula. Masako Toki, project manager and research associate in the Nonproliferation Education Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey found it concerning that this decision was not consulted with the allies. “The problem of his decision is he didn’t consult with President of South Korea beforehand”, Toki said. “Japan and South Korea are US allies and both countries rely on US and their trust between each other amongst the allies is very important. But what Trump did

was very extraordinary.” So far, North Korea has returned 55 sets of remains of American soldiers on July 27 without any fee. The White House applauded the efforts and actions of North Korea as a first step towards positive change in rebuilding relationships. Though North Korea has fulfilled a part of its commitment, it is merely in a freeze state. Having previously exited the Non-Proliferation Treaty and having reopened nuclear plants, North Korea could resume nuclear testing as long as it has the weapons and capability to do so. The steps towards Trump administration’s “complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization”(CVID) goal are still not defined.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

arushi saxena

Because trade, by definition, with some exceptions, is generally win-win -- voluntary and untouched,” upper school economics teacher Sam Lepler said. “If you want a shirt, and I want pants, and I have a shirt, and you

THE FIRST MEETING Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un shake hands at their summit in Singapore. The two hoped to resolve tensions between their countries.

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VOLUME 20• ISSUE 1 AUGUST 31, 2018

Crimson crosses over to tangerine, meeting sunny yellow then lime then azure before finally merging with violet. These colors form a common variation of artist Gilbert Baker’s rainbow flag, created in 1978 to represent gay pride and the LGBTQ+ community. The Stonewall Riots started after the police raided the Stonewall Inn, one of the only bars that was welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community, in New York City on June 28, 1969. These protests sparked the start of the gay rights movement across the nation. In honor of the protests, June was eventually labeled Pride Month.

ALL PHOTOS BY KATHY FANG

OF THE PEOPLE

TOGETHER IN PRIDE (CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE) (1) A group of activists march down Market Street at the Silcion Valley Pride parade in San Jose. (2) Student marchers representing the Office of LBTQ+ rights carry a festive banner in honor of Pride. (3) Two enthusiastic attendees join in on chants from a hoodless car. (4) Two performers join hands as they stroll around the Silcon Valley Pride celebration grounds. (5) Marchers, wielding colorful flags, poses for a photo as onlookers march by. Silicon Valley Pride took place from Aug. 25 to 26, with the Pride parade taking place on the 26th.

Bay Area Pride parades highlight love, support sara yen asst. features editor

Now, Pride parades are widespread across the Bay Area. The most recent parade in the Bay Area was the Silicon Valley Pride parade, which took place last Sunday. On the day before the parade was a Trans and Friends Rally, the first Silicon Valley Pride rally to specifically commemorate the Trans and Non-Binary community. Following the rally was the Night Festival “Fantasy,” where people dressed in costumes related to four themes: the Enchanted Forest, Under the Sea, Good versus Evil and Space Odyssey.

On Sunday morning, the Pride parade followed along North Market Street from East Julian Street to East San Fernando Street. Subsequently was a stage festival; the Hey Girl area with beauty stations and vendors; a space for video games, virtual reality and other tech products; and food trucks. “[This is the] first year we’re pulling out the Trans Rally, and our first year having a female-focused area,” said Saldy Suriben, Chief Marketing Officer of the Silicon Valley Pride parade. “This year we’re more inclusive, and [the community] pointed out that there should be more trans and female presence

at the festival so that it’s not a male-centered festival.” Silicon Valley Pride was just one of several Pride parades during the summer. The San Francisco Pride Parade took place on June 24, during Pride Month, with participants parading along Market Street from Embarcadero to Civic Center. Celebrations and rallies took place on both June 23 and June 24 and included presentations by performers, speakers and contributors, as well as community stages aimed toward more specific demographics, such as the deaf and hard-of-hearing and the Asian & Pacific Islander community.

The San Francisco Pride parade had attracted over 50,000 marchers, many of whom were students. “As a member of the [LGBTQ+] community and as a person with a lot of friends who are members of the community, it’s cool to have that solidarity,” sophomore Sarah Raymond, who attended the San Francisco Pride parade, said. “It sounds kind of corny, but being able to just go, hang out, wear your rainbow boa and not be afraid of people judging you, it’s really fun. It’s a liberating experience.” Beyond their colorful festive atmosphere, Pride parades demonstrate the expansive sup-

port for the LGBTQ+ community and can make a powerful statement of its existence in today’s society. “Pride events are a great fun public celebration, but it’s also a way and a time for the LGBTQ community to come together and highlight the diversity within the community, to highlight all the progress that’s been made but also remind people of the work that still needs to be done,” Amy Lanteigne, Management Analyst of the Santa Clara Office of LGBTQ Affairs, said. “A fun celebratory atmosphere is great to bring folks in and start those conversations with them.”

Biology teacher experiences joy of beekeeping

KATHY FANG

In this installment of “Meet Your Teacher,” Dr. Thomas Artiss discusses his apiary love

jessie wang reporter

Dr. Thomas Artiss is a new face around campus this school year, teaching biology. What many may not know is that Artiss is an apiarist, a beekeeper. “I’ve been interested in [beekeeping] for several years. I dabbled in Etymology for my doctoral thesis, and I’ve been interested in social insects for a long time, sort of from a biological perspective, but I’ve been thinking about beekeeping for several years, and about two years ago my wife and stepkids got me a beehive for father’s day, so at that point i was kind of committed to it.” Dr. Artiss’s first attempt at raising a colony failed, as he established it too late in the year, and the bees did not have the time necessary to build up enough reserves to survive the winter.

“I was disheartened.” He said, “but I contacted someone who got me something called a swarm, and I got it up and running in May this year. And when I started to realize that this colony was going to take, I was pretty excited.” Artiss’s favorite part of his hive is not the honey he can harvest, nor profits to be made, but the feeling that he is doing good for his community. “I feel like I’m actually doing something good. I feel I’m establishing a group of insects that are going to help pollinate wildflowers and trees in my community, which, ultimately, is going to make the area around which I live that much better.” Dr. Artiss plans to bring his hobby into the classroom, with the incorporation of bees, wasps, leafcutter ants, and other social insects into his curriculum. “It’s not there yet,” He said. “I’m working on it, but I was

talking to Ms. Chetty, and I think I’ve convinced her to buy what’s called an observation hive for Harker. That will be set up just outside my classroom actually, and there’s a colony behind plexiglass, you can actually lift the lid and you can actually see the entire colony in action. You can see the Honeycomb, the Queen, all of the workers doing what they do, and there’s a tube that leads outside and bees can come and go without actually ever entering the building.” Dr. Artiss’ plans do not stop at just an observation hive, however. Next summer he hopes to go to research with a friend at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, who researches Leafcutting Ants — social insects similar to bees in many ways — and to perhaps secure a colony to take back to harker with him. “You have to get all sorts of USDA permits and that sort of thing, but bottom line is, with

DON’T STOP BEE-LIEVIN (LEFT) Biology teacher Dr. Thomas Artiss tends to a beehive. “I could stand and watch the hive for half an hour,” Artiss said. (RIGHT) Artiss wields fresh honeycomb between his gloved fingers. “Fom a biology perspective, I think it’s really interesting how the queen bee can actually, somehow, from one genome, produce 5 or 6 phenotypically different bees. It’s fascinating,” Artiss said.

an observation hive and leaf harvesting ants, the opportunity to have lessons that we could bring into the classroom are there.” Ad with these new lesson plans and options in hand, Dr. Artiss aims to fulfill his goal — reaching his students. “My goal in teaching has always been to teach to the students — they’re the biggest cynics in the room — because I feel like the ones who love biology are going to love it no matter what I do,” he said. “The ones that I want to reach are the students in my class because they have to be, not necessarily because they want to be. I know 10 or 20 or 30 percent of those students have no interest in science or biology, and I want them to leave my classroom, at least once, and say ‘Wow, that was really cool.’” Additional reporting by Kathy Fang. To see Dr. Artiss’s hive in action, visit harkeraquila.com.

“My goal in teaching has always been to teach to the students that are the biggest cynics in the room, because I feel like the ones who love biology are going to love it no matter what I do. The ones that I want to reach are the students in my class because they have to be, not because they want to. I know 10, 20, 30 percent of those students have no interest in science. I want them to leave my classroom at least once and say “Wow, that was really cool.” or ‘I can’t wait to come to Artiss’s class tomorrow.’” DR. THOMAS ARTISS BIOLOGY TEACHER AND AVID APIARIST

WINGED POST 6

FEATURES

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 1 AUGUST 31, 2018

Veganism in the lunchroom and beyond ALL PHOTOS BY IRINA MALYUGINA

As vegan diet mounts in popularity, vegan meal options accommodate most lifestyles

COOKIN IT UP (LEFT) A kitchen staff member prepares a vegan dish. (TOP RIGHT) Teacher Marina Peregrino serves herself a salad. (BOTTOM RIGHT) A prep cook chops brussel sprouts.

irina malyugina

photo editor

Non-Vegan

Vegan

Caprese salad

Garden salad

Pizza

Brussel sprouts

Cupcakes

Fruit

According to the Collins English Dictionary, a vegan “never eats meat or any animal products such as milk, butter, or cheese.” Though both vegetarians and vegans avoid meat, there is a difference: vegetarians avoid meat and fish but consume other nonmeat animal products such as eggs and milk. Vegans choose this diet for a variety of reasons. Some make the decision out of health concerns. According to the American Dietetic Association, “appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” Even those who do not choose veganism out of concern for their health note the benefits of avoiding animal products. “I’ve never experienced energy deficiency since I’ve gone vegan; actually, my energy levels have gotten a lot better since I became vegan because I’m eating healthier and more nutritious foods. I’m able to get through my day, and I’m able to dance for hours on end,” alumna Anastasia Cheplyansky (’18) said.

Avatar’s matches dishes to customers’ needs

Research shows that a vegan diet has other advantages as well. An article in the Permanente Journal, a peer-reviewed journal of medicine sponsored by the National Permanente Medicinal Groups, delves into the health benefits of veganism. The article asserts that plant-based diets can lower one’s blood pressure and cholesterol levels, adding that “physicians should consider recommending a plant based diet to all their patients, especially those with high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or obesity.” Transitioning to this diet takes patience. To ease into veganism, some people first eliminate meat from their diet before discontinuing their consumption of other animal products. “I’m actually vegetarian now, but I’m going vegan really soon,” said Rachel Joslyn, assistant to head chef Steve Martin. Veganism is not a perfect diet. Doctors and nutritionists underscore veganism’s rigorous nature. The Permanente Journal article cautions that “a healthy, plant-based diet requires planning, reading labels and discipline.” While veganism narrows the number of sources of essential nutrients, vegans can choose

Staying Healthy with Saloni: Health and wellness column ushers in new year

prameela kottapalli

saloni shah

There’s a restaurant in Sausalito, CA, on the bottom floor of a grey building. To the casual passer-by, the exterior appears to be a nondescript storefront, a blue overhang sporting the establishment name– Avatar’s– in unassuming block letters. But those who take a closer look bear witness to the magic beyond the glass doors: the golden glow of low-hanging lights over wooden tables, the tiny waiting room packed with hungry customers and the dining area filled with mouthwatering aromas and hearty laughter. “We have locals, we have people from all over Sausalito, and we have people passing through,” restaurant manager Ashok Kumar said. “Look at this environment, it’s the best possi-

columnist and asst. humans of harker editor

IRINA MALYUGINA

editor-in-chief

COMFORT FOOD Kumar and an employee chat with a customer. The restaurant is named after Kumar’s late brother-in-law, Avatar Ubhi.

create something healthy that everybody loves,” Kumar said. “Thirty years ago we didn’t need to know what type of clientele we were going to get, but we were insistent upon the idea of organic, all natural, and healthy food.”

“Look at this environment, it’s the best possible community. We love people, and people love this. It’s that simple.” ASHOK KUMAR RESTAURANT MANAGER ble community. We love people, and people love this. It’s that simple.” Run by Kumar’s family, Punjabi immigrants who came to Marin County over 30 years ago, Avatar’s Restaurant specializes in “healthy California Indian fusion food.” The restaurant provides visitors with a plethora of lighter alternatives to classic Indian comfort cuisine, and its menu is friendly to all dietary needs. “Everything was organic, low–fat, and everyone can eat here– if they’re vegan, low sodium, no dairy. We’re trying to

Gluten-Free Vegetarian Samosa Plate: Spicy, savory, and utterly delectable, these vegetarian samosas–north-Indian style vegetable dumplings–hit just the spot. The instant my teeth sank into the crispy corn flour coating, a kaleidoscope of hearty flavors suffused my mouth with the warmth of an Indian kitchen. Samosas, traditionally, are deep fried in ghee (clarified butter, which is skimmed of protein) or vegetable oil, but Avatar’s panfried take on the South Asian favorite provides a healthful twist to the comfort-food-classic.

from plenty of foods. Vegans may eliminate the risk of a deficiency by eating the right plant-based foods. According to an article on the Harvard Health Publishing website, the potassium and magnesium in fruits and vegetables allows more calcium to stay in the body. Nuts, seeds and whole grains provide protein. Soy and walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids. For B12, vegans must eat either fortified foods such as cereals or take a supplement, as the vitamin is found only in animal products. Harker’s lunch program is moving to accommodate the vegans in the Harker community. “We need to label a lot more things as vegan,” head chef Steve Martin said. “We’re [also] going to offer more vegan options and expand on the vegetarian, the vegan, the organic [and] the natural.” Some changes currently being implemented include baking more vegan desserts. “We have culinary students that come in to do their internships, [expanding on desserts] might be a project for them,” Martin said. To learn more about the vegan diet, visit harkeraquila.com.

Punjabi Enchiladas: Avatar’s premise does not only encompass healthful comfort food. It also revolves around food fusion, mingling the spices and staples of ethnic cuisines to form a delicately delicious balance of flavors and ingredients. And the restaurant delivers on this concept, particularly through its Punjabi-style enchiladas (which happen to be the most highly recommended category of dishes on Avatar’s 5-star Yelp page). My personal favorite is the vegan sweet potato enchilada, an eclectic combination of spicy, savory and sweet. Rose mango dreams: A food fusion favorite of restaurant regulars, this generously-portioned dish–a tropical take on classic ravioli–is filled with freshness and flavor. A full-bodied blend of creamy herbed ricotta and tangy mango pulp fills these heavenly pasta pillows drenched in velvety alfredo sauce. While it may seem like one of the restaurant’s richer options, the dish retains Avatar’s signature lightness. To read more about Avatar’s, visit harkeraquila.com.

Dear Eagles, Welcome back from exotic vacations, summer classes, tournaments, research labs, jobs or whatever else Harker students do during summer! It’s time to kick off another school year, whether we’re ready for it or not. We are launching a new column on health and wellness. Some of the big issues in our high school years are physical and mental well being. This column will concern itself with navigating the tumultuous road of high school. We will share the anxiety, address the stress, overhaul the diet, watch out for long nights, fight the germs, follow the latest breakthroughs affecting teen healthcare, step up the exercise and learn to be safe. Let’s listen and be there for each other because there is so much love to share. Freshmen, welcome! In hindsight, this may be your easiest year in high school. Explore, but only take on a manageable number of activities. Joining too many clubs can end up being a distraction, so limit your clubs, but definitely stay involved in the ones you are passionate about. Take advantage of office hours and extra help because we have amazing teachers who are here to support you. Be sure to lean on your Link Crew for advice and support. Manage your email! Check your email a few times a day because it’s a convenient way for teachers and administration to contact and communicate with you. And last but not least, make amazing friends who will last a lifetime.

Sophomore and Juniors, naps! Develop a knack for catching power naps at every opportunity presented. 20 minutes is the sweet spot for nap length if you want to wake up feeling alert, cheerful and productive. Additionally, although we all need the caffeine (trust me, I know), try to regulate your intake throughout the day. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that adolescents should cap daily caffeine intake at 100 mg (the equivalent of about one cup of coffee, one to two cups of tea or two to three cans of soda). Personally, I love boba. Although it is a sugary beverage with high calories (according to the Public Health Advocate at Berkeley, 16 ounces of milk tea with tapioca has 300 kcal and 38 g of sugar), who can resist the flavor of tea mixed with chewy tapioca pearls heavily ingrained in the Bay Area culture with its predominant Asian influence? Try to substitute this high sugar and calorie drink for herbal, low caffeine or decaf options, which are equally enjoyable. Seniors, you are in the end zone. You can almost feel it, sense it and grab it. You all need the last long push before you cross the finish line. By January, you will revel in your senioritis and be the envy of the rest of the school. In the meantime, keep burning that midnight oil and writing those torturous college essays. On the bright side, with all the reflection and brainstorming, you might truly discover a new side to yourself. We all look up to the strong leaders and mentors that you are and look forward to the amazing things you will accomplish this year. In health and wellness, Saloni Shah

LIFESTYLE/A&E

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 1 AUGUST 31, 2018

A FASHION DESIGNER?

all those fabrics and pick one or two or three that you know are going to match.” Mimi has added sparks of her own character to her love for fashion design to craft a brand signature: hand-beaded sequin flowers. Her brand signature was the brainchild of late-night problem solving when trying to design custom outfits for country singer Kelsea Ballerini’s first tour. Now, they represent her own quirkiness and evolution from self-pro-

Constance Wu (Rachel) was to attend Columbia University for graduate school, but fled New York City after a break-up.

Entertainer Nora Lum (Peik Lin) developed her Awkwafina persona in response to her own shyness.

Gemma Chan (Astrid) first studied law and gained a contract to a firm, but chose instead to pursue an acting career.

Henry Golding (Nick) was a professional hairstylist before becoming a travel host and actor.

Entertainment Column: the importance of “Crazy Rich Asians” nina gee & gloria zhang staff illustrator & features editor

Before the classic high school plot of “The D.U.F.F” was “Mean Girls”, and before “Mean Girls” was “Clueless”. Before the romantic musical of “La La Land” was “Singin’ In the Rain”. Before the fake-relationship narrative of “The Proposal” was “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”, and before that, “While You Were Sleeping.” But before “Crazy Rich Asians” was… ”Memoirs of a Geisha?” “Enter the Dragon?” “Doctor Strange,” which, believe it or not, is in fact listed under the category of “Asian movie” on IMDb? No, there is far too much village-fleeing and Kung fu in those movies to ever be classified as a rom-com. Pop culture magazines’ top-whatever lists of best romcoms believably feature films

starring predominantly Caucasian actors and actresses. Even just last year, having an Asian lead in a rom-com would be about as improbable as having a Jackie Chan movie without any martial arts. Asian men and women have usually been represented as nerdy, shy, socially inept sidekicks, and moreover, women, specifically, were often overly-sexualized and portrayed as “exotic.” “The industry is run by white people. . . If we go back to history, . . . they wanted us to fear Asian men, and they wanted us to emasculate them, and then they also wanted to sexualize Asian women, so it’s always been tough to get the perception for Asian people in regular media and to normalize us,” Laura Sirikul, activist and journalist with Nerds of Color, a community of fans that looks at events with a “culturally critical eye,” said.

It is time the media represents Asian men and women as unique individuals, whether confident, funny, smart, beautiful or all of the above. In recent years, shows like “Kim’s Convenience”, “Master of None” and the ever-famous “Fresh Off The Boat” have done a fantastic job of portraying Asians in all walks of life. De-tokenizing them, if possible. “Crazy Rich Asians,” however, is not that kind of representation. Though written through an Asian lens and with an undeniably Asian cast and setting, the story of “Crazy Rich Asians” is surprisingly American. Universal, even. “[After seeing the promotions,] I thought it was really cool it was an all-Asian cast. The trailer is really funny. It seem[ed] like a fun rom-com to watch.” Rashmi Iyer, who watched the film, (11) said.

4 1. SMILE AND WAVE Designer Mimi Tran, center, poses after her fashion show on Aug. 25. 2. BOLD AND CLASSY A model pairs a patterned sequin coat with clear, over-the-knee heels. 3. BEADED BRILLIANCE The pure white dress radiates Tran’s style—a classic silhouette spiced up with trademark flowers and a capelet. 4. READY-TO-WEAR GLAMOR The show in Santana Row previewed Tran’s fall and winter collections, which ranged from beaded minidresses to flowing tulle.

5. POWER POSE A model sweeps across the catwalk in a gray starburst-patterned dress enveloped in a flowing black chiffon overlay.

Five tips to fall asleep tonight jin tuan lifestyle editor

The new school year has started already, bringing with it promises of deadlines and possibilities of sleep deprivation. As we revert from our summer schedules, it’s important to remember to still take time to relax and sleep. Apart from the usual breathing and meditation tips, here are five more to try out! TENSE UP! This first exercise seems counter-intuitive. Why tense up when you need to relax? Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) ensures that your body has the least stress possible by taking away any tension you’ve built up. Not only does this method help with falling asleep, but it also relieves general stress, anxiety and sometimes even chronic pain. KEEP A DAILY JOURNAL Log your day to clear your mind before going to bed. Happy or sad, sharing something or writing something down always helps release the emotion. It’s always a good idea to track all your moods throughout the day. This will also make you more aware of how yovu might be able to improve your daily life. MAKE A TO-DO LIST Creating a to-do list aims to take any intruding thoughts off your mind. High stress levels are never good, especially when you really need to rest up for a busy day. Having a to-do list and schedule for tomorrow is a great way to release some of that

JIN TUAN

MIMI TRAN FASHION DESIGNER

claimed high school “geek” to confident woman. As a result of her own past experiences, she works to also spread a message of empowerment through her fashion—not just in the product, but also in the process. “What I call the ‘Mimi woman’ is a woman who knows what she wants, and nothing scares her from going to get what she wants,” Mimi said. “I work with many different types of bodies, but I always make sure that whatever I design for the particular person fits right in with her personality and body type. That’s the way to feel confident.” Despite being able to both expand the scale of her art and spread a positive message, Mimi feels that building a label as a professional fashion designer sometimes limits her capability. However, looking ahead, Mimi hopes that one day she can freely develop her style—flairs of color and fresh designs merged with traditional cuts and classic silhouettes—and that the challenges she currently faces will not prevent her from reaching her ultimate dream: to leave her mark on the world. “I hope I can make enough [money] to give me the opportunity to just contribute to the fashion world, because I think I have a gift,” Mimi said. “I hope when I’m on my dying bed, I can look up at my grandkids and say, ‘Hey, I did it. I contributed to this generation, this decade. I’ve changed fashion.’”

L C AT H I AN M N ES EL

“I think I have a gift. [One day], I hope I can look up at my grandkids and say, ‘Hey, I did it. I contributed to this generation, this decade. I’ve changed fashion.’”

L C AT H I AN M N ES EL

W C IK O IM M E M D O IA N S

Mimi Tran’s journey to becoming a fashion designer began when she was barely old enough to form sentences. Now, she owns a store in Santana Row and works with the stylists of celebrities like Lady Gaga, Camila Cabello, Little Mix and more. After moving from Vietnam, her birthplace, to Paris at six years old, Mimi began to develop an interest in visual arts and fashion. There, she attended a boarding school that offered sewing classes, an early start to her future as a fashion designer. At nine, she received a scholarship for the arts in Paris. However, following her father’s advice, Mimi later set aside her interest in fashion and the arts to pursue a more stable, predictable career. She and her family moved to the United States when she was 15, and she later received degrees for electrical engineering and marketing. After years of working in engineering and finance, she finally decided to return to fashion. Since then, she has had no regrets. “I went online and studied everything I need to know about fashion,” she said. “If I had started out as a fashion designer way before I had the engineering and business degrees, I would’ve never been able to do it. I think because I went through all that, it got me where I am today.” To Mimi, her passion for fashion connects directly with her innate roots as an artist. Follow-

ing the example of top designers, she draws all of her designs by hand and carefully deliberates over each and every detail in her designs. “I don’t use computers because I think they’re very limited [...] because it’s not just important to being a fashion designer that you know how to draw, but also that you have an eye for color and texture,” she said. “You have to have a gift—you look at

L C AT H I AN M N ES EL

helen yang A&E columnist

anxiety about not being able to finish all your tasks. Not only will you have everything you need to do in order, but you’ll also know when exactly they will be completed. LIMIT SCREEN TIME Try staying away from screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Our brains are wired to start producing melatonin, the sleep hormone, when the sun sets, or when there’s less blue light around. Staring at a bright screen impedes the hormone production, making it harder to fall asleep. Even if spending some time on an electronic device seems like a good way to unwind before bed, it keeps you alert to what’s going on in your feed or your favorite movie. CREATE A BEDTIME ROUTINE This last tip is more of a long-term solution. By creating a bedtime routine, you train your body to recognize when you are about to head off to dreamland. Slowly build up your routine until you find one that works the best for you. Constantly practicing the pattern will allow your body to associate these steps with going to bed and allow you to fall asleep more easily.

ALL PHOTOS BY KATHY FANG

WINGED POST 8

DOUBLETRUCK

AGAINST THE CURRENT

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 1 AUGUST 31, 2018

the refugee story

“I began writing this piece at the start of 2017 after working with a local refugee services nonprofit and feeling called to draw awareness to stories like the ones I heard within the Harker community. This aim of this article is to shed light on human perspectives of people all around the world who are affected in multifaceted ways by the crisis, to change perspectives, and, hopefully, to inspire action.” -- Mahika Halepete (11), special story writer mahika halepete special story writer

On September 2, 2015, Maria Tran saw a photograph depicting three-year-old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi washed up on a shore near Bodrum, Turkey. The photo had circulated in the news, altering the perspective and conversation on refugees. Millions around the world had seen and been affected by the image, but it held special meaning for her: 36 years prior, she, too, had fled by sea with her family at the age of three, leaving everything she had ever known behind. In the late 1970s, the North Vietnamese Communist government took over Vietnam, initiating persecution of groups that were not tolerated by the new leadership. Among them were the now-defeated Southern Vietnamese. In addition, the administration profiled the ethnic Chinese, Tran’s family’s demographic. “Businesses got taken over or shut down. It became very difficult for people who were ethnic Chinese to live there,” Tran said of the time. Tran’s family, like many other ethnic Chinese families like hers who lived in Vietnam at the time, had resided in northern Vietnam for multiple generations. In 1979, her family decided to flee Vietnam because of the persecution. “[The persecution] starts happening to people closer to you,” she said. “It starts happening to people you know, or your friend’s friend. That anxiety and that worry put them at a place where they decided they needed to get out before they became victims.” Her parents initially attempted to cross over Vietnam’s northern border into China, but, like many countries do today, the Chinese government had blocked off the border. Their only viable mode of escape? By sea. Tran and her parents were smuggled onto a boat sailing for Hong Kong. After three to four

days at sea, Tran says, the family was rescued by the coast guard. Tran recalls how Hong Kong had large refugee camps; her story of escape and seeking refuge was not uncommon. Of the estimated 1.6 million “Vietnamese boat people” who left their homes behind, not all made it safely to a new one. Tran and her family were registered by the local refugee agency and remained in the ref-

In 2015, in the aftermath of global political turmoil, the world began to experience its greatest refugee crisis since World War II. After photos began to circulate of the crisis in Greece, individuals across the world began to read stories about and view pictures of the crisis. As they realized that no one was there to aid the refugees, some individuals even put a pause on their daily lives to go

“They’re giving up everything that they know to just try to find safety. That’s really the meaning of the word, it stems from ‘refuge’. They’re people looking for safety.” MARIA TRAN REFUGEE FROM VIETNAM ugee camp for six months. An American family living in central Oregon decided to sponsor Tran’s family to travel and stay in the United States, and they arrived in November 1979. In 2017, 65.6 million people around the world were forcibly displaced, with 22.5 million classified as refugees. The global refugee crisis is constantly evolving as hotspots of violence shift over time and as policies and attitudes towards accepting refugees develop. In the fiscal year 2016, the United States accepted 84,995 refugees for resettlement. In October of 2015, spurred by the photograph of Kurdi, Tran traveled to Lesbos, Greece. One month later, she founded a nonprofit organization called Sea of Solidarity to ease the plight of the refugees she encountered there, providing essential humanitarian aid to the individuals coming ashore.

directly to the scene. On a Monday morning that same month, Amy Rao arrived in Lesbos on a similar mission as Tran. A board member of the nonprofit organization Human Rights Watch, she was alerted by the organization’s director of the Emergencies Division of the crisis in Lesbos. ProActiva Open Arms had arrived at Lesbos from Spain with the goal of rescuing the refugees who were drowning before reaching the shore. Rao learned that these lifeguards were the only ones in the water and raised funds for them. She

also traveled to Greece to see the crisis and the humanitarian work firsthand. “I was standing on the shore watching and they swim out to the boat and they bring the boat in as far as they can. They’re waist deep in water. The babies come off the boat first, and all of a sudden, they’re looking at me and handing a baby to me,” she said, remembering the boat that arrived just a few minutes after she had arrived on Lesbos, immediately compelling her to start helping the families. Rao recalls a family of nine, with seven children from the ages of six months to 18 years, arriving ashore. All were drenched in ice-cold water, and they had arrived on the beach with no knowledge of where they were or what their next steps would be. Their 14-year-old boy walked up to Rao and introduced his family, asking if Rao could talk to his uncle, who was on the phone with his father. After exchanging contact information, Rao says, she informed the man of where his brother’s family was, how

they were doing, and what their next steps would be. What happens next? The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR, would register the family at a camp, nine miles away from the beach they had arrived on, to which they would have to walk by foot. This process would include in-depth interviews, reference checks and screenings wwith the purpose of preventing threats of military combatants and terrorists.

DOUBLETRUCK MEENA SANKARAN FOUNDER, PRERNA

“We focus on getting them the job, but also focus on career pathways and helping them through different programs. We focus a lot on the youth, and we focus a lot on education.” Rao visited the next camp the following day but could not find the family. Weeks later, she was contacted by the same man she had spoken to over the phone in Greece, who wanted to inform her that he had finally made contact with his brother’s family, who had now reached the border at Macedonia. In December 2016, she was contacted by the man again. Rao then realized that she was the last person who had seen that family since they fled their homes, and had now become a part of the family’s journey. “I could guarantee you that they’re

WINGED POST 9

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 1 AUGUST 31, 2018

MELINDA MCROSTIE

SAYONI MAITRA

ATTORNEY, CENTER FOR GENDER AND REFUGEE STUDIES

“Throughout the process of seeking asylum, many [refugees] arrive without their children because they couldn’t afford to bring them, and they hope to later apply to bring them.” not in the U.S., which is where they should be. American lives were saved because their family member worked as a translator for our military, and there are so many stories like that. I can’t forget, and I will never forget,” she said. In many of the camps like the ones the family would travel to, conditions are brutal and can potentially be fatal. “These people are stuck in these camps indefinitely. They might be there for 10 years,” Rao said. “There’s barely enough food in the camps. It’s been a really tough winter. A lot of people froze to death this year.” With basic needs such as dry clothes, food and water covered, volunteers are starting to look towards the long-term well-being of refugees in the camps. “How do you open schools in these camps? How do you get these people work and earn a little money?” she said of the questions they began to ask. An important factor to note, Rao said, is the link between the aid or lack thereof that refugees receive and their vulnerability, especially for youth, to recruitment into extremist groups. “If I am a 15-year-old

KHALED HOSSEINI

FOUNDER, STARFISH ORG.

“On the front, it felt like a war zone. We were having people arrive in the middle of the night. People were dying because boats would sink. I’ve seen lots of death and suffering.”

child, with no hope of furthering my education and no hope of getting out of that camp, it would be very easy for someone to recruit me to a group like ISIS and Islamic extremism,” Rao said. Some political rhetoric has encouraged the idea that letting refugees in will bring in terrorists. However, the risk of such groups being a threat only increases when refugee young adults are not given help and are left with with no other op-

DEFINITION Refugee: A person forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or natural disaster. tion but to join. But the agenda to remove refugees is not politically unique to the United States. Following the United Kingdom’s February 2017 decision to withdraw the Dubs amendment, which had provided refuge to children who were victims of the European migrant crisis, counter-terrorism organization Quilliam found that these actions of limiting aid to refugees would increase the risk of youth recruitment into terrorist groups like ISIS. Even for the families

FOUNDER, THE KHALED HOSSEINI FOUNDATION

“Although I would put myself on the very lucky end of the spectrum, I share something in common with [refugees]. There’s something about that experience that I understand.”

who survive the long boat ride, it can take years for a refugee family to finally be safely relocated in a developed country. In this time, they have no idea when they will be able to leave the camps and are faced with a lack of basic needs. “If some group says we’ll take you, we’ll train you, we’ll give you an education, we’ll pay you, we’ll give you food, we’ll get you out of this bad situation, I don’t know what I would do. I would do whatever it took to get out,” Rao said. From the fall of 2015 to today, the situation in Greece is quite different. “When we started, it was emergencies. We were on standby for emergencies all the time. Now, everything is more under control. Now, we are filling gaps,” said Melinda McRostie, founder of the nonprofit organization Starfish Foundation. “One of the gaps is mobile telephones for the unaccompanied minors so that they can be in contact with people一family and friends.” McRostie, who is a local restaurant owner in Lesbos, started Starfish when Lesbos began to experience an influx of refugees. “Because we were on the front, it felt like a war zone for us. I hadn’t slept because we were having people arrive in the middle of the night. People were dying because their boats would sink. I’ve seen lots of deaths and people suffering,” McRostie said.

Before, she said, they could see as many as 70 to 80 boats per day. That number has now gone down to about one to two boats per week. As the volume and needs of incoming refugees changed, the focus and efforts of the many nonprofit organizations on the beaches also shifted. Present in Greece in the refugee camps are independent volunteers, grassroots organizations, and larger organizations attempting to register refugees and remove them from the camps. “The government is so embarrassing right now, because we should be stepping up and taking in these refugees, as Canada is, as Germany has done. These are people that could add to society, they are professional people, they are educated people. If we leave them there, their children, we will leave an entire generation of children,” Rao said of the Trump administration’s attitude towards refugees. Contrary to the Obama administration’s practice of steadily increasing refugee quotas throughout the president’s second term, President Trump issued a temporary immigration and travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries — Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — within his first week in office. Somalia and Syria rank third and first respectively in number of displaced persons in 2015. To read more from this article, visit harkeraquila.com for the full piece.

ILLUSTRATION BY NINA GEE

10 WINGED POST Editors-in-Chief Prameela Kottapalli Katherine Zhang Executive News Editor Ryan Guan

OPINION

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 1 AUGUST 31, 2018

Healing, recovery and moving forward with time

News Editor Eric Fang Global Editor Arushi Saxena Features Editor Gloria Zhang Lifestyle Editor Jin Tuan Assistant Features Editor Sara Yen Opinion Editor Srinath Somasundaram STEM Editor Arya Maheshwari Sports Editor Aditya Singhvi Copy Editors Varsha Rammohan Anjay Saklecha Photo Editor Irina Malyugina

NINA GEE

Staff Illustrator Nina Gee Columnists Michael Eng Anjay Saklecha Kushal Shah

Saloni Shah Jin Tuan Helen Yang

Adviser Ellen Austin, MJE Aquila Editor-in-Chief Nicole Chen Aquila Managing Editor & Humans of Harker Editor Kathy Fang Assistant Humans of Harker Editor Saloni Shah Reporters Vivian Jin Anika Rajamani Nerine Uyanik Annamma Vazhaeparambil Anmol Velagapudi Jessie Wang

Visit The Winged Post Online at www.harkeraquila.com Follow us on social media with the handle /harkeraquila

The Winged Post is published every four to six weeks except during vacations by the Journalism: Newspaper Concentration and Advanced Journalism: Newspaper Concentration courses at The Harker Upper School, 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, CA 95129. The Winged Post staff will publish features, editorials, news, sports and STEM articles in an unbiased and professional manner and serve as a public forum for the students of The Harker School. Editorials represent the official opinions of The Winged Post. Opinions and letters represent the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Winged Post. All content decisions are made by student editors, and the content of The Winged Post in no way reflects the official policy of The Harker School. The opinions expressed in this publication reflect those of the student writers and not the Harker board, administration, faculty or adviser. Letters to the Editor may be submitted to Manzanita 70 or emailed to wingedpost2019@ gmail.com and must be signed, legible and concise. The staff reserves the right to edit letters to conform to Post style. Baseless accusations, insults, libelous statements, obscenities and letters that call for a disruption of the school day will not be considered for publication. Letters sent to The Winged Post will be published at the discretion of the editorial staff. The Winged Post is the official student newspaper of The Harker School and is distributed free of cost to students. 2017-2018 NSPA Pacemaker 2017-2018 NSPA Best-in-show publication 2017-2018 Gold Crown-winning publication 2016-2017 NSPA Pacemaker Finalist 2016-2017 Silver Crown-winning publication 2015-2016 Gold Crown-winning publication 2014-2015 Silver Crown-winning publication 2013-2014 Silver Crown-winning publication 2012-2013 Silver Crown-winning publication 2010-2011 Gold Crown-winning publication 2009-2010 Silver Crown-winning publication

EDITORIAL THE OFFICIAL OPINION OF THE WINGED POST In the wake of the arrest of a longtime Harker teacher for misconduct involving a student, the Harker community is experiencing a complex jumble of emotions — denial, grief, frustration, shock, betrayal. You may be feeling the jolt of that initial shock, or a blanketing sadness that dulls your excitement to be back at school. You might feel anger or confusion, or feel isolated and unable to express your feelings. Or you may feel distanced from these reactions, viewing them as troubling, or interfering with the responsibilities of daily life and the bustle of the back-toschool season. But all of these feelings are okay. It’s okay to feel like crying, to feel like you’ve lost someone or to feel like you’ve been blindsided. It’s okay to feel confused or disappointed or hurt.

It’s also okay to not feel these strong emotions because you don’t know as much about this incident or aren’t as connected to what’s going on. They are natural reactions to trauma. To provide support for each other, we need to ac-

To provide support for each other, we need to acknowledge that the range of emotions we’re all feeling is just that: a range. knowledge that the range of emotions we’re all feeling is just that: a range. It’s also a natural reaction to want to know more, and to latch onto any information you can get. But what we know for sure is only in the official words provided by police statements— anything else is rumor or speculation, from which we gain little, but lose a lot more. Hushed speculation is not the right way to proceed. Probing into the details of who, what, when and where does not respect the privacy of those who

have been affected or hurt by the news. With the entire school community reeling, students, teachers and administrators alike, it is important to keep the people in our community who are impacted by this incident in mind when talking to others. Not only has one of our peers has been deeply affected, but their family and friends are still recovering as well. Spreading rumors on social media and speculation among peers is insensitive to people in pain and isolating to those who have difficult experiences to share. Discussing and speculating prolongs an event that hurt many and misdirects the spotlight: Now is a time when we as a community must look to recover. For all of us, whether we knew this teacher or not, the healthiest way to move towards recovery is to recognize our own feelings while understanding that these sentiments may not be mirrored in those around us. And just as it’s okay to feel, it’s okay to take time to heal. Take a moment to step back from your life and responsibilities and obligations and give yourself some breathing room.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to trusted friends, family and adults on campus, from administrators to counselors to advisers, for help. In return, be receptive towards those who look towards you for support. Remember that when you need someone to pull you up, our community stands by your side. Tragic events take a toll on all of us, but to move forward, we must accept what happened, lend a helping hand to those struggling and not be afraid to accept help when we find ourselves overwhelmed. responsibilities and obligations and give yourself some breathing room. The road to recovery is rarely ever straightforward, so if yours has twists and turns and lapses into sadness or anger, know that it’s okay — just keep looking forward. Recovery has no timeframe — it’s a process, and it’s a process that you don’t have to undertake alone. Don’t be afraid to reach out to trusted friends, family and adults on campus for help, and in return, be receptive towards those who look towards you for support. Remember that when you need someone to pull you up, a community stands by your side.

eart of Harker: Lessons from twelve years at Harker victor adler guest writer

I always wanted to be a teacher, but throughout my life adults tried to talk me out of it for a host of reasons. When I finally committed to be a teacher, it even stunned my wife. I originally sought a job at a Harker rival. They rejected me. With hindsight that would be my fortune. In January of 2006, I dropped my resume for a job-fair event for private schools in San Francisco. By February, Harker was the only school to pick up my application for a scheduled interview at the event. In that first interaction, Harker seemed to be the most organized and professional school around. When I researched Harker before the interview, I saw the courses offered and saw that Mathematica was utilized. I was simultaneously blown away and intrigued about the possibility of teaching at Harker, and I thought that it was definitely the place I wanted to be. Chris Nikoloff was just taking on the job as head of school, and he interviewed me. I was definitely nervous when I came

to do my demo lesson and meet the faculty. Little did I know that four math teachers were departing that year and Harker was probably desperate. And little did I know that I was going to be “all-in.” When people ask me, “Does it get boring to teach the same thing every year?” I explain that I’m in the people business, not in the math business. Each year is different because the students who make up the class change, there are different interactions and there are different challenges. Every year is an adventure. I find the students at Harker engaging. They’re intelligent, hard-working, talented and generally curious. I enjoy learning from them as much as teaching them. They come to me excited about a theorem they’ve read or even novel research in math. When the chorus used to be in Patil, the teachers having lunch out back would be serenaded by rehearsing students. Even the eagle painting or spirit dance gets my jaw to drop. So much goes on at the campus that it feels more like a school of 3000 than under 800, and I can’t keep up. My colleagues at Harker are similarly amazing. They’re fun, they’re supportive and they have high

standards. They definitely spur me on to do always do better. My first year certainly wasn’t easy. I came in thinking that the material is all-important and that students should go through the wringer. I thought that missing homework or being a little out of line in class deserved swift punishment rather than understanding. My current approach is far different from my first year, although students may still feel that they’re being put through the wringer in Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations. Our students try to juggle too many things: class load, school activities, outside activities, and they expect perfection in everything. I want to help them be successful, but I have to balance being lenient with holding them accountable for their choices (personal accountability is one of our pillars). In my third year at Harker the new pool was built, and the water polo program was revamped. I had the opportunity to become the boys’ assistant coach. Participating in water polo added a needed physical element to my duties at Harker. It’s intriguing and gratifying to see how the athletes progress over time and see the team chemistry

develop (or not). Senior boys really step up when they see that they’re required to be responsible and hope springs eternal that we’ll have a great season. Water polo is just a classroom in the water, and coaching has actually informed my teaching. At the start of my fifth year, I became class dean. Serving in this role has been an honor. Because I’m in the people business, I enjoy getting to try to know all the students in a class as dean. The job has pushed me out of my comfort zone because I don’t like being out front acting or whatever else the officers ask me to do. But I have to get out of my comfort zone if I’m going to ask students to get out of theirs. I took a pay cut from my engineering job to be a teacher, but I haven’t regretted it for a moment. I have been fortunate to be at Harker and have the roles I have had. We have new buildings, but people make the school, and my experience has been that the students and staff are interesting, high-achieving and kind. Just amazing. I look forward to coming into work everyday. To write for our recurring guest column, please email the Winged Post at wingedpost2019@ gmail.com.

OPINION

WINGED POST 11

VOLUME 19 • ISSUE 1 AUGUST 31, 2018

Dialectic: Free Speech

In our recurring Dialectics, two authors with contrasting viewpoints discuss an issue of prominence in the local or broader community. We hope to use these multiple views to provoke deeper thought among the student body and help readers explore new perspectives.

ROSE GUAN

Recently, several online platforms have removed or suspended the content of right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his website, InfoWars, sparking a debate over the extent of free speech, especially with regards to private companies. What is free speech, what are its limits, and how should they be applied in situations like that of InfoWars? Juniors Kathy Fang and Jin Tuan debate. kathy fang & jin tuan

FREE SPEECH OR SPEECH FREE? The removal and suspension of InfoWars ignited a debate about free speech and the amount of control social media platforms, especially, should have over the content on their sites. What are the limits?

Aquila managing editor & lifestyle editor

Winged Post: The first amendment protects “free speech,” WP: This month, various social media platforms removed

FAST FACTS • Apple, Facebook, LinkedIn, MailChimp, Pinterest, Spotify, Vimeo and Youtube have all removed Jones’s accounts or content. • All platforms cited the fact that emoved content and accounts had violated their policies. •Jones was suspended from Twitter for a week, but his account was not removed.

JT: The first amendment means to me that as a basis in this country we are allowed to report on anything within reasonable bounds as long as it’s not completely threatening or slandering someone. KF: For me the first amendment essentially guarantees the people a voice in five different aspects: press, speech, assembly, petition, and religion. I think that voice should only extend so far as to not infringe on others which as I read it is the subtext of the first amendment.

content from conservative/(far-right) radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in response to Jones’ posting of “hateful” content that violated company policies. To you, was this action an infringement of free speech or a removal of hateful speech? JT: I would say that because a company is more or less a private domain that you sign an agreement with when you post things on their platforms, their actions and their decisions recently would classify more as removal of hateful speech. KF: I would agree with Kathy. Additionally, because Alex Jones has been reported for giving death threats; that’s going against the first amendment itself, so there is no gray area in removing his content in my opinion.

WP: As private companies that hold sway over how informaWP: Many argue that the first amendment protects hateful tion is shared, should social media platforms like Facebook speech. What, to you, classifies as “hate speech”?

JT: Personally, I classify hate speech as anything that’s casting negative aspersions at people. However, I believe that even though it is hate speech, as long as you are just stating your opinion and nothing of bodily or emotional traumatic harm is coming of it, I think it should be able to be spoken out lawfully wise. Morally wise, I would disagree with that. If you can measure the emotional or physical trauma of it, it’s wrong. KF: For me hate speech is any speech that is not backed by reasoning, is discriminatory, and is more than anything harmful, both physically or emotionally. The effects of hate speech limit other voices which in my opinion goes against the first amendment.

VOX

•Founded in 1999, InfoWars has spread unfounded conspiracy theories and hoaxes.

but the exact meaning and extent of that protection has been hotly debated. As journalists, what does the first amendment mean to you?

JT: I feel, additionally, that the reasoning can often be flawed, so that sometimes people who do spread a lot of hate speech believe that they do have reasoning, so it’s hard to use that as a parameter.

and Twitter strive to guarantee users the same freedoms that the first amendment upholds or can they create their own rules and guidelines?

KF: I think that they can create their own rules and guidelines. There’s multiple different platforms for different ideologies and groups of people. Because they are owned by private companies and because you can choose whether or not to participate in that space, they should be able to make their own rules and guidelines. JT: I think I more or less agree with that because as I see it, the role of social media is to create an ideal environment for expression whatever ideal means to that specific company. Since you do sign an agreement when you create an account or page on this particular platform, it makes sense and it is legally sound that the company should have the right to remove anything that takes away from or does not contribute to the environment that they are aiming to build.

Editors’ Note: Our take on the purpose of the paper prameela kottapalli & katherine zhang editors-in-chief

A new year, a new class of freshmen, new teachers — and with it, a new issue of the Winged Post! We, your editors-in-chief, welcome you to Volume 20. A couple weeks ago, editors of the journalism staff gathered to discuss the values we student journalists, pledge to uphold, which included accurate, timely reporting that represents the multitude of perspectives in our community and promotes understanding. We hoped not to change the values of the newspaper but rather to make them clear to our community at-large. In that vein, much of the Winged Post will look familiar to you — the Global section, a new addition last year, will continue, along with a slate of repeaters ranging from a teacher profile to a political news recap. We also look forward to featuring new recurring content, including columns across all sections. With that being said, there will be some shifts in the paper as well, starting with a decreased in the number of news briefs. With our limited space, we hope to go in-depth into the local, national, and international issues that im-

pact all of us— so expect to see more in-depth features and profiles in every section. We still maintain our dedication to truthful and timely news reporting, but the Winged Post is released once a month, while our online counterpart, Harker Aquila, will have fresh content every week. We hope that Aquila will allow our readers to hear about the events they care about in a more timely manner. Another change we are piloting this year is the addition of a strong panel of columnists in all sections. We aim to establish regular voices in the paper for our readers to follow and look forward to each issue. Columns will revolve around an array of topics–from entertainment to professional sports to politics– that reflect the varying perspectives and diverse interests within/of our school community. As always, we love hearing from our readers. We encourage you to write a letter to the editor, in which you can respond to an article from the latest issue, or a guest column about your experience at Harker for our Heart of Harker column. To submit to either, email us at wingedpost2019@gmail.com. Looking forward to a great year, and see you next month!

vivian jin & jessie wang reporters

When you read the news-be it The New York Times, The Washington Post, or perhaps Buzzfeed--do you notice a common pattern among the articles? They seem to echo similar stances, which we tend to classify these as “liberal” beliefs, while differing opinions on these issues are classified as “conservative.” Although these beliefs are not black and white (in fact, there is a spectrum of ideas), many mainstream news outlets do carry a liberal slant. While this imbalance in the spread of information definitely does not mean that credible news sources are spreading “fake news” and lies, an imbalance still exists. This is especially striking because the general public is not mostly liberal and slightly conservative--there’s plenty of people from both sides and everything in between, yet one side is represented more than the other. Ideally, the media should facilitate a conversation between opposing sides. When only one side of an issue is shown to the public, people lack the information to form their own thoughts and opinions on the matter. The two-sided discussion becomes one-sided agreement. This causes a great rift to open between the people who stand on either side of the matter in question. They each become less receptive to the views of the other side and often overlook or

misinterpret the underlying reasons behind each side’s beliefs. In turn, this lack of understanding leads to childish name-calling. Liberals become “entitled hypocrites” while conservatives are labelled “backwards extremists.” These prejudices and their connotations cause each side to lose respect for the other. Meaningful discussions simply cannot happen. In fact, one Google search result for the phrase “meaning of liberal vs. conservative media” is a Quora user’s simple statement, echoed by many others: “Liberal means… any media that is good, reliable and objective… All conservative media is propaganda.” This incorrect definition clearly illustrates the serious problems in the current political environment. The words “liberal” and “conservative” should not become synonymous with “good” and “evil”; they should instead refer to what they are meant to refer: two differing sets of opinions and political ideologies, each with their own merits. Nevertheless, the imbalances and misunderstandings exist, the prejudices exist and the rift between parties is only growing. There are simply no easy solutions to the complex problems that plague our nation today. Instead, there is a growing need for the general public to hear all sides of a story, to accept different opinions and to encourage more voices in the mainstream media. Until the day comes when credible and equal amounts of conservative and liberal views coexist peacefully in the same publication, there will be no bridging of the divide that has split our country in two.

OPINIONS ON THE NEWS Here are some of the sites that we look at in order to get all the perspectives that we want in order to round out our own views.

WALL STREET JOURNAL The Wall Street Journal is a publication that showcases points of view from both sides of the aisle almost equally and is thus often considered centrist.

GOOGLE NEWS Google News is a media compiler that gathers articles about the latest breaking news from a variety of sources. This allows readers an opportunities to hear multiple perspectives.

YAHOO NEWS Yahoo News is a news source that presents articles that show multiple sides to each issue it covers. Reading multiple such articles can provide insight into the variety of viewpoints on one event.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

IRINA MALYUGINA

Conservative representation in the media contributes to discussion

WINGED POST 12

STEM

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 1 AUGUST 31, 2018

Summer research internships create new opportunities for student researchers

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

anika rajamani reporter

saloni shah & anjay saklecha

NASA launches Parker Probe to explore sun

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

NASA’s Parker Probe launched on a mission to gain more information about a region in the solar atmosphere called the corona on Aug. 12. The goal of the mission is to orbit the sun 24 times and gain insight into energy, heat, and the movement of particles that distance from the sun.

Scientists detect water on Mars

“You can learn fantastic techniques, you can tackle very open ended research and you can work very closely alongside lots of people who have experience doing this.” DR. RAJA GUHATHAKURTA PROFESSOR OF ASTROPHYSICS AT UCSC

ternships through emailing professors at various labs. “I emailed around for the certain research area I was interested,” Joshua Broweleit (12) said. “I showed them my background of my previous research projects and ... told them how their research and my interests would work really cool together, and it took off from there. I [in-

autism and had a unique opportunity through her research. “Because of my interest in psychiatry and human behavior, I founded a choir for individuals with autism in 2014 and have been working with the choir ever since, which really helps on my personal interactions with the children,” Kelsey said. Dr. GuhaThakurta encour-

Ebola outbreak worsens in the Democratic Republic of Congo

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The death toll from the latest ebola outbreak rose to 41 people by August 1 in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s North Kivu province. The Democratic Republic of Congo has faced 10 major epidemics since 1976. Health officials have started ring vaccination in North Kivu, which includes vaccinating those who contacted confirmed cases and those who contacted the contacted.

Saliva modifications for bitter foods A study presented at the American Chemical Society showed that proteins in human saliva could bind and adapt to bitter compounds and make them more palatable. These researchers hope to find what changes were made to the saliva and how these changes could be applied to making bitter vegetables and foods more appealing.

aged students to try to identify what fields of study bring them the deepest enjoyment or pique their interest the most while searching for a fulfilling research experience. “I am really asking people to really look at themselves and not look at other people’s expectations of them,” Dr. GuhaThakurta said. “We are not born with these passions and sense of what we enjoy. We are shaped by our environment and there is no denying that - we are shaped by our parents and other adults around us but that has to be balanced with one’s inner spirit and what one is passionate about.” Aarzu Gupta (11), who has been passionate about research since middle school and participated in research at the University of California at San Francisco over the summer, shared some advice for future participants based on her experiences. “Even if you’re not very interested in a subject, if you find some area fascinating, I would say that research is a great way to explore and delve deep into that area and find out whether

Remedying video game toxicity: Can the new incentives in “Overwatch” get the job done?

TEAMING UP) Harker’s first-place team poses with their trophy. The competition was held from June 22 to 25.

Harker teams win awards at national TEAMS competition

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Scientists recently detected a large lake beneath an ice cap by radar measurement on Mars. Scientists speculate that while this discovery gives hope to finding life on Mars, the salt content might still be too high for terrestrial organisms to survive.

Over the past summer, students participated in various research projects at locales ranging from local companies to startups to academic institutions such as Stanford University and University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC). Students looking to participate in UCSC’s Summer Internship Program (SIP), one research program designed for high schoolers, are screened through Harker and SIP. Accepted students are matched with mentors based on their interests. SIP has grown from three students to 160 in the past decade. Dr. Raja GuhaThakurta, founder and director of SIP, explained why he believes there is an increase in interest for summer research internships. “You can learn fantastic techniques, you can tackle open ended research and you can work very closely alongside lots of people who have experience doing this,” Dr. GuhaThakurta

terned] at Stanford University, and I was really happy there.” Some students had remarkable research experiences that defied their initial expectations. Senior Kelsey Wu participated in an internship at Stanford University to help create strength-based assessments for individuals with

PROVIDED BY ROXANA YANG

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

columnist & senior copy editor

said. “Those have been the three pillars of SIP - open ended problem solving, practicing critical thinking, learning sophisticated skills and being closely mentored by professional researchers.” While some students worked as part of an internship program, others found their summer in-

JIN TUAN

Apple is set to release three models of the new iPhone later this year, presumably in September. This includes a larger iPhone X Plus and a cheaper LCD model. Apple has yet to disclose the official release date or the name of the new iPhones.

PROVIDED BY ALLISON CARTEE

New iPhones set to release

SUMMER SCIENTISTS Allison Cartee (12) performs a chemistry experiment under a glass hood at UC Santa Cruz. Allison was a member of the Summer Internship Program (SIP) at UCSC and spent ten weeks performing research under the guidance of a mentor. Several other Harker students attended SIP as well, researching in various topics, such as astronomy, computer science and chemistry. Other students, such as Kelsey Wu (12) and Joshua Broweleit (12), obtained internships under postdoctoral students or professors outside of structured programs. Students seeking such internships are encouraged to email multiple professors earlier in the year, and the upper school Research Club provides many resources for students interested in such internships.

helen yang columnist

arya maheshwari STEM editor

“We often talk about ways to punish players who are behaving poorly and it’s not very exciting to a lot of us,” Jeff Kaplan, the lead designer of the Blizzard Entertainment video game “Overwatch,” started in his developer update for early June. “I think, more often than not, players are behaving in an awesome way in Overwatch, and we just don’t recognize them enough, so we’re super excited to introduce a feature called ‘endorsements.’” As Kaplan explained, the endorsements feature was just a concrete ranking, or “endorsement level,” assigned to players based on their conduct, analogous to the normal skill rating based on playing skill, designed to make gaming experiences more positive. In an environment full of toxicity, the concept was undoubtedly intriguing, having the potential to remedy a problem that needed addressing. Most policies regarding behavior on gaming channels have been punitive, with the most common repercussion being account suspension. Despite these countermeasures, language and actions filled with racism, mi-

sogyny, religious disparagement, harassment and insensitivity, all packed into the umbrella term “toxicity,” has become rife in many video games.

DEFINITION Endorsement (n): a marker that can be given to players, by their teammates, to highlight positive behavior / actions But the proposed concept of endorsements introduces the idea incentivized reinforcement of exemplary behavior. Givers receive a boost to their experience level (XP), and likewise, the endorsement counts towards the endorsement level of recipients, which in turn yields in-game rewards. The endorsement system also amplifies the power of punitive measures, as bad behavior can remove endorsements. Indeed, the endorsements system, and other new features, seem to work. In July, Kaplan reported that abusive chat was down by over 25%, and players reported more friendly communication and cooperation. Still, there are side effects.

Players could hand out endorsements just for the small XP boost for themselves, blurring the line between a genuine endorsement and one handed out randomly. There’s also the problem of “fake niceness,” a term critics use to point out that the recent surge in kindness could be caused in part by players wanting to gain from the system. If players associate endorsements with fake niceness, then those who genuinely want to spread kindness and positivity risk being chided. The system isn’t a complete solution to toxicity. The misogynistic culture that pushes female gamers to stay quiet in voice channel largely remains, as well a whole host of toxic behaviors that did not disappear overnight. On the surface level of fighting toxicity, endorsements are a true step forward. For many, it will effectively dissuade bad behavior. But whether the feature has a net benefit when side effects are taken into account or not, the thought certainly counts. In any case, now is not the time to be complacent with the system: rather, we should push the pedal and build off of Blizzard’s first step to work towards remedying toxicity in the gaming culture.

Two teams of upper school students won in several categories of the national Test for Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science (TEAMS) competition from June 22 to 25 in Atlanta. This year, TEAMS proposed “Engineering a Greener World” as the annual theme. The competition challenges middle and high school students to formulate and present their ideas. Team 1, including juniors Jessica Jiang, Matthew Jin, Sachin Shah, Jasmine Wiese and team captain Jackie Yang, and sophomores Luisa Pan and Russell Yang, won first place in Best in Nation, fifth in Prepared Presentation, first in Problem Solving and fourth in Digital Media under the freshman/sophomore division. Team 2, including juniors Prerana Acharyya, Ellen Guo, Rashmi Iyer, Annabelle Ju, Jason Pan, Bryan Wang and team captain Jin Tuan, and Stanford Online High School sophomore David Smith placed third in Best in Nation and first in Prepared Presentation. The 2019 TEAMS competition will open the state qualification competition window from Feb. 13 to March 17, and the national competition will be held June 28 to July 2 at National Harbor near Washington, D.C.

STEM

WINGED POST 13

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 1 AUGUST 31, 2018

GLOBAL

RESET

The new normal

Climate change increases the size and frequency of natural disasters

TUA N

“The message is just that there is urgency. The thing that drives me at this point is the desire to prevent the human suffering that is coming if we don’t act.” DR. KATHERINE SCHAFER BIOLOGY TEACHER AT THE UPPER SCHOOL

SELF-DRIVING CARS

LIDAR WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

• stands for “LIght Detection And Ranging” • spinning sensor bounces laser off surroundings • used to identify lanes and other markings

CAMERAS WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

In October 2017, a bill titled the “AV Start Act,” designed to remove some restrictions on the operation of self-driving car technology, unanimously passed the Senate Commerce Committee in a significant legislative step forward for the future of autonomous technologies. Backing to bring the bill to a vote stalled when a self-driving Uber car fatally hit 49-yearold Elaine Herzberg in Tempe, Arizona in March of 2018, with self-driving technologies receiving more pushback. But now, in order to ensure the bill’s passage, proponents of the act are trying to attach the bill to a larger package which will certainly be passed. This back-and-forth on the bill’s prospects now brings special attention to the ethical issues surrounding autonomous vehicles. One of these concerns involves the trolley problem, a thought experiment that has challenged ethicists for over 50 years. In the original version of this infamous experiment, a trolley is barreling down a track which would lead it to crash into five people, and a human is placed in the situation where she can switch the tracks and cause the trolley to hit only one person. The thought experiment originally also caused dialogue and studies about the nature of what a human would do if put in

such a situation. Now, the problem prompts questions about how an autonomous car would deal with situations like this. What type of decision would it make? Would it allow more people to die or would it risk receiving culpability and save more lives? In addressing the ethical problem, some simply question the practicality of such a thought experiment, and thus whether it is worth discussing. “When talking about self-driving car problems, a lot people draw up scenarios such as the trolley problem,” Leilani Hendrina Gilpin, a Ph.D student at MIT currently focusing her research on autonomous machines, said. “Those kinds of things don’t really happen in real life, so they aren’t the most meaningful though they do get a lot of press right now.” Some also believe the only way to solve such a dilemma is to have more advanced self-driving cars that are perfect or close to perfect. “As humans we can reason that, ‘Oh, this person wanted to save more lives’ or if they didn’t, maybe we would say ‘They were overwhelmed with the decision.’ We are pretty tolerable with humans, while we aren’t tolerable with fallible machines,” former ethics and philosophy teacher Dr. Shaun Jahshan said. “I think what the industry will demand is infallible machines, where there

it into something that gives us the ability to be resilient to a disaster next time.” Taking such action is simple: citizens can contact local assembly members to call for their support on Senate Bill 100, which will have California on 100 percent clean energy by 2045. Additionally, the People’s Climate Movement will hold a Climate March on Sep. 8 to demonstrate the urgent need for change. Creating more discourse on climate change does not need to simply be over the phone to assembly members or isolated in annual marches. Casual conversation is just as important in spreading awareness and the sense of urgency needed to provide a better future for all. “We have the technology, we have the ability to create a society that’s way better than what we have right now. We need to figure out a way to get there. If we see that endpoint, ... this is going to be better for all of us,” Dr. Schafer said. “All of us have the ability to dream of a better life.”

TECH TALK:

• a second mechanism to monitor surroundings

• helps identify pedestrians and other obstacles • important in reading and responding to traffic lights

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

ERIC FANG

opinions editor

are plenty of failsafes and extra precautions.” When self-driving cars do make mistakes, however, another host of questions come with them. The most prominent of these being: whose fault is it when a problem occurs with an autonomous vehicle? This question of blame often becomes tangled between software, hardware, and the human driver. “In the UBER accident, the lidar did detect a human, but the software characterized it as a false positive, so this question is a very interesting one because who is at fault there?” Gilpin said. “I think we need more information to do answer these questions. I also believe that a really big thing is that we need to make a lot of these data records public.” Others say that these problems will be encountered and dealt with through time and law. “I think the same issues of fault apply to the technology we have now, so we will have to build a body of law, of precedent, like we have now for other things.” Dr. Jahshan said. “What will happen is that, year by year, we’ll get more used to this idea of having self-driving cars that function reasonably well most of the time. And as we go through cycles of discussion about these things, then we will be able to come up with norms.” This problem of blame ties into accountability issues, which may restrain the future autonomy of such vehicles. “I think taking human drivers completely out of the picture will happen in the distant future. What we’ve seen, say even in the UBER accident, is that when we have humans in the loop, they aren’t perfect at all.” Gilpin said. “However, it’s very easy to blame a person in the front seat if anything goes wrong. I think a big reason that drivers will be around for a long time is liability.”

better future for our planet. “Most of [the change] will probably come not from professors like me but from people on the ground who work in government agencies, from people who are just community members,” Dr. Anderson said. “I think there are a ton of opportunities to be thinking about the best way to harness what is a really terrible experience, a disaster, and turn

• central command: the computer and brain of the car • receives data from sensors and makes decisions accordingly

GPS WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

connect in time with the kind of problem that we’re trying to ask them [politicians] to solve and their incentives, which are to pay attention to the short term, to get re-elected tomorrow, or next year,” Dr. Sarah Anderson, Associate Professor of Environmental Politics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said. Significant change starts

Moral dilemmas arise with new self-driving cars and advanced artificial intelligence

srinath somasundaram

with the people. Rather than latching on to the dread caused by the status quo, take action and make an impact on the fight for the environment. In addition to decreasing the size of one’s carbon footprint, rallying for government legislation also provides an opportunity to ensure a

JIN

Often, long-term government action in combating climate change is difficult to achieve due to the frequency of elections as well as the fluctuation of political ideals. President Trump’s backing out of the Paris Climate Accord is one example. “There’s a really big dis-

• stands for “global positioning system” • uses a network of satellites to pinpoint car’s location at all times

SENSORS WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

lifestyle editor

17 fires are actively burning across California as of Aug. 27. The Mendocino Complex fire, the largest ever in Californian history, continues to spread in the Ranch portion and is now 90 percent contained. With three injuries and one fatality confirmed so far, and smoke covering all of California and reaching as far as parts of Canada and Montana according to NASA, the blaze affects much more than the immediate fire perimeter. The Carr fire, the seventh largest in state history, is 96 percent contained after a month of containment efforts. Eight lives have been claimed, and three firefighters were injured as the fire continues to burn across the scorched California landscape. The Carr fire, a result of vehicle failure, is one of the many natural disasters that are man-made. According to 2017 research conducted by the Earth Lab at University of Colorado, Boulder, 84 percent of wildfires from 1992 to 2012 have been started by humans. With this increasing frequency of such disasters, a new question is posed: is this the new normal? Though scientists cannot fully attribute such natural disasters to climate change, research has linked human-caused rising temperatures to the increas-

ing frequency and size of these events. The destruction also increases as more and more people are moving to disaster-prone areas as the population continues to grow. “As temperature rises, more intense heat waves dry out the soil and make the drought worse, and in combination with that, ... invasive bark beetles kill more trees, which provide more fuel for fires,” said Diana Moss, advisor of Green Team. “When you have these high temperatures and big heat waves, you get these firestorms, or fire tornadoes, which are really intense.” With these tragedies surrounding us, it’s difficult to look beyond the short-term and seek solutions. However, giving up hope is just as harmful as allowing humankind’s current abuse of the environment to continue. “I think that the message is not to feel like this a problem that we can’t solve, or that we’ve already messed everything up and so why bother. The message is just that there is urgency,” upper school biology teacher Dr. Katherine Schafer said. “[What] drives me at this point is the desire to prevent the human suffering that is coming if we don’t act – the human suffering for people around today, but more seriously, people that are yet unborn, that can’t fight for themselves, but that are going to be born to a diminished planet if we don’t really get our act together.”

JIN TUAN

jin tuan

• ultrasonic, radar, and other sensors used for more information about surroundings • ultrasonic sensor helps detect objects very close

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SPORTS

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 1 AUGUST 31, 2018

Davis Field undergoes $587,585 makeover

MICHAEL ENG

Eco-friendly and cost-effective turf provides field athletes with improved playing surface

“We didn’t go with the crumb rubber; instead, we went with the more natural infill,” athletic director Dan Molin said. “It’s a combination of sand, cork, and coconut husk, which is better for sustainability.” Besides the sustainability advantage, the new materials in the infill have a lower specific heat capacity than the traditional rubber pellets, allowing the field to dissipate heat faster, and thus be cooler by the time the players go to practice. The field can be as much as 25 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the crumb rubber alternative, decreasing player fatigue. Other new features include the three inch padding under the field, three quarters of an inch thicker than the previous field, with the extra thickness occupied by a layer of compressed foam known as “Pro Play.” In addition to providing a more forgiving playing surface, this layer of foam has the added benefit of absorbing water, improving the drainage capabilities of the field. “We chose a quality system, that should last for 12 years or longer and remain cost effective.” Facility director Mike Bas-

global columnist & sports columnist

For the past decade, the vast majority of school events would take place on Davis Field, whether they were Homecoming, spirit events, or a fire emergency drill. However, this very well used field was beginning to nearing its end: its turf was beginning to wear down and become unattached to the ground, finding its way into students’ shoes. This was an annoyance to the students in itself, but also had the unfortunate consequence of not keeping the crumb rubber ingrained the field, which resulted in it forming noticeable splotches, making it easier for the rubber to also migrate into shoes. It was time for the field to receive a makeover. The aging 11 year old Davis field was replaced over the summer. The entire removal and reinstallation process took about six weeks to complete. In addition to simply replacing the weathering field, the new field contains more natural components than its predecessor.

soni said during an email interview. The whole project cost $587,585, or about seven dollars eighty cents per square foot of field. However, while the field was undergoing replacement, the football team has had to adapt, holding practice on the Blackford fields instead. “The first the first week of us practicing on Blackford field was a little rough just because we weren’t used to practicing on a grass field,” varsity offensive and defensive lineman Nicholas Coulter (10) said. “It’s not as great of a field as Davis but as the weeks went on, we just put that in the back of our minds.” However, the field was ready just in time — a week before — for the game against Saratoga High on Aug. 17. “It’s definitely amazing,” offensive and defensive lineman and varsity captain Ayush Vyas said. “After playing on [the Blackford field], you definitely appreciate everything you have. It just makes us a lot more understanding and not complacent.”

FACELIFT Davis Field took six weeks to replace, finishing a week before the football team’s first game. The new field has a more eco-friendly, natural infill consisting of cork and coconut husk.

ADITYA SINGHVI

michael eng & kushal shah

Athletic teams practice over summer, begin fall seasons Sports include cross country, football, boys water polo, girls water polo, girls volleyball, girls golf and girls tennis anika rajamani & aditya singhvi

Football

Girls Volleyball

Girls Golf

reporter & sports editor

The football team lost their first game of the season 47-20 against Big Valley Christian on Aug. 17, but won their second game against James Lick 22-18. Summer training started on June 11. There is no JV team this year, and it a smaller team than previous years, with just four new freshmen. The team is headed by captains Ayush Vyas (12), Mitchell Granados (12), Anthony Meissner (12) and Jared Anderson (12). The team plays today against Washington School.

Girls volleyball has finished tryouts and is into the season now, with 16 people on the varsity team, coached by Coach Theresa Smith. Due to a large turnout for tryouts, the coaches decided to create an intramural team, so this year there will be four teams, with freshman, JV, and varsity participating in games. Practices started Aug. 16, and the first scrimmage was against Saratoga High School on Aug. 17. They compete in the Spikefest tournament tomorrow.

The girls golf team held their first tryout on Aug. 25 at Baylands Golf Links. The team has 12 girls and participated in an unofficial scrimmage on Aug. 28 against Palo Alto High and Valley Christian. The team will compete in the Helen Lengfeld Memorial Tournament on Sept. 4 and in an official tri-match against Sacred Heart and Belmont on Sept. 5. The team is coached by Coach Ie-Chen Cheng.

Girls Water Polo

Girls Tennis

Boys Water Polo

The girls water polo team began practices on Aug. 13. There is only a varsity team, and the team has just one new athlete joining. The team’s first game is a home, conference game on Sept. 4 against Saratoga High School. The team is coached by Coach Allie Lamb.

Girls tennis held tryouts three weeks ago, and began practices this Monday. The team is coached by head coach John Fruttero. There is only a varsity team, with 17 girls on the team. There are six new freshmen. The team competes in the California Girls Tennis Classic on Sept. 7 and 8 in Fresno.

The boys water polo team has both a JV team, consisting of only sophomores and freshmen, and a varsity team. Their head coach is Coach Ted Ujifusa. Their first game is a league game on Sept. 4 at home against Saratoga High School. This will follow the girls water polo game on that day.

NG KATHY FA

RUN EAGLES RUN (LEFT) Members of the Cross Country team run a warm up lap during practice at Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve. (BOTTOM) Giovanni Rofa (11) and Marcus Tymous (12) attempt to tackle a Big Valley Christian running back. Harker lost to BVC 47 - 20. (RIGHT) Jared Anderson (12) runs with the ball, trying to evade an opposing BVC player. The team won their second game against James Lick 22-18. (FAR RIGHT) Anya Gert (11) volleys the ball in a scrimmage against Saratoga High on Aug. 17.

KATHY FANG

MICHAEL ENG

The cross country team started preseason practices on July 9 at Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve. The team is coached by head coach Scott Chisam. Their first meet is on Aug. 30 at Gunn High School. This meet is not a full-length 3-mile run, but rather a 2-mile practice meet with races separated by grade. The first large meet is the Lowell Invitational on Sept. 8 at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

KATHY FANG

Cross Country

SPORTS

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VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 1 AUGUST 31, 2018

KATHY FANG

IN THE MOMENT

BIG SAVE Arushi Madan (11) saves a goal during a girls’ water polo preseason practice at the Singh Aquatic Center on Aug. 17. The girls’ varsity water polo team plays their first game on Sept. 4 against Saratoga High School at home at 4:45 pm.

James opens school for at-risk I Promise: LeBron youth in hometown of Akron, OH

Just another usual unusual NBA offseason kushal shah

that the NBA rumor mill coughed up was Dwight Howard; however, the Washington Wizards snatched him up before the Warriors could. Then, on July 3, it was announced that DeMarcus Cousins, who had been waived by the Pelicans because of an ACL injury, had agreed to sign a one year deal with the Warriors. With news of the deal coming only two days after LeBron’s announcement, it sounded like a major statement by the Warriors sent to express fearlessness and almost disinterest to both the Lakers and The King. Another offseason move was a trade involving two-time Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard and San Antonio Spurs Veteran Danny Green being traded for DeMar DeRozan and a 2019 first round pick from the Toronto Raptors. Many expected that Leonard would be traded due to friction between him and the Spurs, but lifelong Raptor DeRozan being traded was a surprise.. In the last blockbuster trade of the 2018 offseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder traded AllStar Carmelo Anthony (to reduce their luxury tax bill) and a 2022 first round pick to the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks, in turn, waived Anthony, who was then picked up by none other than the talent-hungry Rockets. And with that, the All-Star veteran sealed the 2018 offseason with a 2.4 million-dollar, one year deal with the Houston Rockets. Despite all these drastic trades, like last year, the Warriors are bound to pounce on their Western Conference “peers” like an eagle pouncing on its prey, while the only squad in the East that may have a real chance of defeating the Celtics is the Raptors.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Like the 2017 NBA offseason, this past offseason has essentially once again been an All-Star shakeup. Trades ranging from LeBron James moving to Los Angeles to DeMarcus Cousins coming to the Bay Area have left fans at the edge of their seats, uncertain of which team could possibly challenge the Warriors. For example, the Boston Celtics left their core untouched. Despite Gordon Hayward’s gruesome injury in his Celtics debut last year, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown stepped up and with the guidance of Kyrie Irving, the Celtics reached the Conference Finals. The Celtics are still a young team that will only rise in their dominance. With the combination of flat-earther Kyrie Irving, second year Jayson Tatum, future All-Star Jaylen Brown, and an almost fully rehabilitated Gordon Hayward, they are primed to be the apex predator team of the East, and perhaps, one day, of the NBA. After LeBron James’ four year return to Cleveland, it was time to leave once again. Last year was exhausting for the King: Kyrie left the Cavs for the Celtics and even after the Cavs shook up nearly their entire roster, they still struggled to regain their former ascendance. Yet, LeBron undoubtedly carried his team to the Finals, although getting swept by the indomitable Warriors. So on June 30, The King opted out of his contract with the Cavs, and the next day, in arguably the biggest trade of the 2018 offseason, announced he would sign a four-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Throughout the offseason, it was rumored that the Warriors were looking for another center to bolster their Death Lineup. Among the names

TRADE WARS San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James were both traded from their respective teams this past season.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY KEITH LIECHTY

sports columnist

PROMISES KEPT The interior of the I Promise School in Akron, OH. The school was created through a partnership between the LeBron James Family Foundation and the Akron public school district.

varsha rammohan & gloria zhang copy editor & features editor

“Nothing is given. Everything is earned” is the motto of LeBron James’ I Promise School. Closely linked to his I Promise initiative that tackles high school dropout rates, the motto serves as a reminder for the Akron youth to never give up on their academics and finish school. The LeBron James Family Foundation created the I Promise School, a public school that serves at-risk children in Akron, Ohio. The school opened on July 30 with 240 third and fourth grade students but expects to teach grades one through eight by 2022. “One of the things we are really trying to talk about in the community is that we are just a regular public school. Our district funds the same about of teachers, we provide the transportation, we provide free lunches to our students like they do all of the other students across Akron,” Keith Liechty, the Akron Public Schools’ liaison to the LeBron James Family Foundation, said. “What stands out is all of the support that we get from the foundation and all of their partners. One of the largest contributions right now is what we call class reduction, so instead of having about 25-30 kids in the classroom, we have about 19-20 kids.” The Akron public school district and James’ philanthropic foundation collaborated to support the school, which has an extended eight hour school

day, a student support circle, and GED courses for parents. The school also emphasizes nutrition: it offers free breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks to all students. If a student successfully graduates high school, the James foundation will cover full tuition for the University of Akron. “In orientation, when we told the parents that our school would go from 9-5, we got a standing ovation. They were so excited. Traditionally our kids get out of school by 2:30 and they get home by 3, and that

“I know exactly what these 240 kids are going through...I know everything that they dream about, the nightmares they have, because I’ve been there.” LEBRON JAMES ATHLETE AND FOUNDER OF THE I PROMISE SCHOOL means child care for a lot of families. Here, they know that their kids are well taken care of,” Liechty said. “We’re really proud of our family resource center. It’s our goal that every family that comes in for support gets an individual family plan. We’ve only been open for three weeks, and we’ve already had over 10 families come in, and they now have a family plan, which means we sat down and set goals for themselves and

their kids, and we’re going to help them achieve those goals.” In Nov. 2017, the foundation addressed the Akron school board about creating a school that specifically gives academic opportunities to at-risk children.Like many of the children he seeks to help, James grew up in Akron and faced several difficulties due to his unstable home. He created the I Promise School because he wished to provide struggling future generations with stable help and care. “I know exactly what these 240 kids are going through. I know the streets they walk. I know everything that they dream about, all the nightmares they have because I’ve been there. They’re the reason why the school is here today.” James said at the opening of the School. By giving the disadvantaged community in Akron access to education and support, James ultimately hopes to decrease the city’s crime rate and increase its median income and literacy rate. “When you’re looking at the problem itself, starting at an early age is what we should be doing and what should be happening. Donating to charity and all that stuff is very helpful, but I think it’s a little bit too late. I think targeting young kids is really important, because once you get that drive in a young person, it’s really hard to stop,” varsity basketball team captain Akhila Ramgiri (12), who traveled to Mumbai as part of a volunteering organization that coaches underprivileged kids basketball, said.

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BACK PAGE

Harker in bloom irina malyugina photo editor

The landscaping between Dobbins and Davis Field appeared in the early spring. “All of the planting that we did is either drought tolerant or trying to depict the history of the Santa Clara Valley,” Facilities director Mike Bassoni said. Drought-resistant plants in the landscaping include bird-of-paradise and silver ragwort. Bassoni provided input on the fruit trees in the landscaping and directed the salvaging and replanting of the three oak trees that are now next to the Rotshchild Performing Arts Center (RPAC). “We want the students to experience what it was like to be here in the Santa Clara Valley in the 1940s, 50s, 60s,” Bassoni said. “That’s how I grew up.” The Santa Clara Valley is the region between the southern end of San Francisco and Gilroy. Filled with fruit trees, the landscaping is meant to reflect the Valley’s past. “In the first half of the twentieth century, the primary industry was agriculture,” Bassoni said. “People from Europe found out that the weather and the soil and the environment was very similar to Italy and Spain and

Portugal, so a lot of those people came here to start farms.” The orchard, an ode to the Valley’s past, aims to encourage natural pollination. “You’re gonna get optimum fruit production if you have a high bee count,” Bassoni said. Plans to launch developments that will educate students about the process of pollination are underway. “Ms. Chetty was researching the potential of having an indoor-outdoor beehive in Nichols Hall,” Bassoni said. “You could watch bees bring the pollen in, create honey, and that’s going to also help for fruit production.” The landscape features a variety of plants, from fruit trees beside pathways to stunning “ornamentals” on the perimeter. “They’re there because they add color, but primarily because they’re drought tolerant, so we don’t have to put a lot of water.” Not all of the landscaping is recent. The three oak trees beside the RPAC predate the building itself. “I planted them on the Harker property 35 years ago,” Bassoni said. To learn more about various plants on the upper school campus, visit harkeraquila.com.

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 1 AUGUST 31, 2018

Brightly colored drought-resistant plants and trees laden with ripening apricots rustle in the fall breeze. Fragrant fruits, flowers, trees and bushes decorate pathways. Spring may be over, but fall promises a blossoming new horizon for the landscaping between Dobbins and Davis Field– the beauty of nature, in our very own backyard.

“We were trying to depict the history of the Santa Clara Valley. We want the students to experience what it was like to be here in the 1940s, 50s, 60s.”

MIKE BASSONI FACILITIES DIRECTOR

An Erigeron Karvinskianus flower blooms in front of the gym. It does not tolerate extreme heat or cold and may shut down in extreme weather– but returns to blooming quickly once conditions are satisfactory.

4 5

A Rhaphiolepis Indica flower blooms on a landscaping pathway. The plant’s common name is Indian Hawthorn, and it is very drought-resistant. A ‘Kwanzan’ variety apricot grows on one of the youthful apricot trees planted near the RPAC. “The students are welcome to go by and pick and eat it right off the tree,” facilities director Mike Bassoni said. Yarrow blooms near the Main office. Achillea millefolium grows in all regions of California, except its deserts, and in ancient times, it was used to stanch blood. Pink Coleonema or Breath of Heaven flowers blossom on a bush. Coleonema is less drought–resistant than some of the other bushes planted, but tolerates highly sunny conditions.

The ornamental Jacobaea Maritima or silver ragwort grows alongside the Main pathway. Silver ragwort is a droughttolerant evergreen that occasionally blooms with yellow flowers. A vibrantly pink Fragaria “Pink Panda” flower stretches its petals in the sunlight. This ornamental strawberry produces edible berries and requires moderate irrigation, which is ideal for regions with a dry climate, such as the Bay Area. A strikingly orange and purple bird of paradise, or Strelitzia Reginae, blossoms. “It doesn’t really go with the orchard, but it’s very drought tolerant,” Bassoni said. Unlike the other plants, the bird of paradise is not pollinated by insects.

ALL PHOTOS BY IRINA MALYUGINA

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Yellow flowers of a Juncus Patens, a native of the North American west coast, bud on one of the pathways that cut through the landscaping. Though this plant prefers regions that are damp year-round, it can tolerate dry soil.