Winged Post Volume 18, Issue 2 by Harker Aquila

WINGED POST MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2016 | THE HARKER UPPER SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER, VOL. 18, NO. 2

WILDFIRES SWEEP VALLEY

Free flu shots begin at the upper school meilan steimle

Fires burn for 2 weeks, destroys Santa Cruz Mountain homes

editor-in-chief

The upper school began providing flu shots to students on Friday, which will continue to be provided in upcoming weeks.

rose guan & tiffany wong

MEILAN STEIMLE

kshithija mulam editor-in-chief

Students on all four campuses celebrated the birthday of former Head of School, Howard Nichols. As part of the birthday tradition, chocolate chip cookies were given out to students because of Nichols’ habit of keeping chocolate chip cookies in his office during his time at Harker for students, faculty and parents to enjoy.

Upper School hosts 17th annual debate tournament kshithija mulam editor-in-chief

Harker hosted the 17th annual Howard and Diana Nichols Debate Tournament yesterday and the day before at the Upper School. The event featured a variety of events in congressional debate and public forum.

PAPER PEOPLE Former Winged Post Editors-in-chief Vivek Bharadwaj (‘16) and Elisabeth Siegel (‘16) and Managing Editor Kavya Ramakrishnan (‘16) pose with adviser Ellen Austin.

sahana srinivasan managing editor

The Winged Post was one of 18 high school print newspapers named as Crown Finalist by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) on Wednesday. A day before, the upper school’s literary magazine, HELM, was also named a 2015-16 Crown Finalist by CSPA in the category of magazines. The newspaper was also rated an All-American publication by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). NSPA also named journalism adviser Ellen Austin a recipient of the Pioneer award for her innovations in scholastic journalism. The Journalism Education Association also named upper school head Butch Keller as the organziation’s Administrator of the Year in August for his support of the journalism program.

Service Fair, A3

PROVIDED BY ELLEN AUSTIN

Publications, adviser and administrator win national awards

Firefighters continue working to contain the largest of the recent wildfires in northern California, the Loma Fire, which started on Sept. 26 off Loma Prieta Road in Los Gatos due to an unknown cause. Wildfires like the Loma Fire have raged throughout California this year, another effect of climate change on the state. As of last Wednesday, the fire had affected 4,474 acres and destroyed 28 structures. “There are three significant fires that are burning in the state right now, one of them being the Loma Fire. This is the second biggest fire in the state right now,” said Bryan Martin, an engineer at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, also known as Cal Fire. “There’s been threat to residences, critical power infrastructure, wildlife and endangered species, watershed and cultural and heritage resources.” Another recent major wildfire, the Soberanes Fire, began on July 22 in Garrapata State Park in Carmel-By-The-Sea due to an illegal campfire in the park. The fire had affected 132,092 acres as of last Wednesday, with an estimated containment date of Saturday. “The [Loma] Fire did not really affect my daily life. The wind was really blowing away from Santa Cruz, so I could see the fire and the red glow over the hill but no smoke. The smoke from the Soberanes Fire in August affected us a lot more,” said world history teacher Mark Janda, who lives in Santa Cruz. “For the Soberanes Fire, I have a family member who worked 27 out of 28 days evacuating animals from people’s homes, so that was a big deal and just being concerned about a family member who was in the midst of things.” As of Wednesday, the Loma Fire was 94 percent contained, while the Soberanes Fire was 96 percent contained. However, wildfires like these have affected upper school students, teachers and families who live near fireprone areas. “The road my house is on has been being used for people evacuated to [Southern California] High School, which is

MICHAEL SIKAND

copy editor & Aquila copy editor

Harker community celebrates Howard Nichols’ birthday

COOKIES FOR EVERYONE Students take cookies from Assistant to the Head of School Nicole Hall’s office.

| www.harkeraquila.com

FROM THE ASHES A plume of smoke rises over the Santa Cruz Mountains as the Loma Fire burns in Los Gatos on Sept. 26. The fire blazed through 4,474 acres of land and destroyed 28 structures in its path.

not very far from my house,” Alexandra Michael (11) said. “It’s impacted my stress levels a bit, like I’m more stressed now than when the fire wasn’t going on just because the fact that it’s out there is just a strain, but it hasn’t really changed how I live my life.” Cal Fire lifted all evacuation orders and road closures in Santa Clara County due to the Loma Fire last Tuesday. Previously, residents of the Loma Prieta area had been relocated to evacuation centers in Santa Cruz, Morgan Hill and Santa Clara County. “At one point, there were 325 structures that were threatened [by the Loma Fire],” Mar-

tin said. “We had over 2,000 personnel working on the fire. The biggest impact I think have been the evacuations in the local communities and such—people not being able to get into their homes.” According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 83.59 percent of California is in drought, and 42.80 percent of the state is in extreme or exceptional drought. Such hot, dry conditions increase the dryness of soils and extend the annual fire season, allowing fires to grow in intensity more easily and to burn for longer periods of time. “The rising of the heat can cause the smoke plume to go

Time to be a kid again

Students meet Eagle Buddies for first time this year sahana srinivasan managing editor

Seniors and sophomores met their Eagle Buddies for the first time this year on Thursday. Sophomores traveled to the Bucknall campus, while the seniors spent time with their buddies on Davis Field at the Saratoga campus. “It was a lot of fun. We talked about our summers since we hadn’t seen each other in a long time, so it was great to see them again,” Surabhi Rao (12) said. Juniors will meet their Eagle Buddies on Nov. 7.

FUN IN THE SUN Kshithija Mulam (12) and Vienna Wang (12) sit with their Eagle Buddies as they wait to get ice cream after playing in the sun on Davis Field.

Pumpkin Spice, A5

STEM Electives, A8

A Model Life, A11

higher up into the atmosphere,” Martin said. “Our biggest concern is after the fire is out and all that brush and vegetation has been burned away, we know there are areas that, when the rains come in, could create a flood hazard or a wipeout or stuff like that, so we try to mitigate those and we put in water bars and do a lot of erosion control in preparation and in advance.” Although fire is an important part of the Californian ecosystem, wildfires near populated areas caused by climate change can adversely affect buildings, air quality, recreation areas and water, impacting human living.

Teacher arrested for alleged misconduct maya valluru

Aquila news editor

Middle school math teacher Dr. David Scott Graham was arrested on Sept. 29 at the Blackford Campus on charges of sexual misconduct involving a minor, related to an alleged assault that took place in 2011 involving a student of The Harker School who has since graduated. According to the San Jose Police Department, the alleged victim told a friend in late July about the assault that took place in 2007, when she was 13 years old. Dr. Graham has been placed on administrative leave.

Squirrels, A12

NEWS

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

Capitol Hill:

MICHAEL SIKAND

KAITLIN HSU

What You Missed Part two of a seven part series on American politics

Obama’s Legacy

A look back at the Obama administration’s key events and legislature

MAY 2011

Osama bin Laden is killed by Navy SEALs in Pakistan.

NOV. 2012 Obama defeats Mitt Romney, being re-elected to a second term as president.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The Affordable Care Act (Obama care) is passed.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

MARCH 2010

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

JAN. 2009 Barack Obama becomes the 44th president of the United States.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

KEY MOMENTS

rose guan & nicole chen copy editor & aquila features editor

As the 2016 presidential election approaches with candidates’ campaigns and debates, President Barack Obama will leave a legacy eight years in the making for his successor.

“I think Obamacare was probably the most sweeping and consequential part of the Obama legacy.” FELIX WU (‘15) FIELD ORGANIZER AT IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY

As commander-in-chief of the United States, Obama influenced both domestic and foreign policies, with some of the major changes including introducing a new healthcare system with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and efforts against terrorist groups Taliban and al Qaeda in Iraq. The Obama Administration issued the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, in March of 2010, increasing healthcare insurance and affordability for more individuals. “I think Obamacare was probably the most sweeping and most consequential part of the Obama legacy,” said Felix Wu (‘15), currently a Field Organizer at the Iowa Democratic Party. “I think he’s been very intentional about the issues which he chooses to take on. During his second term, for instance, take the executive order that was pretty controversial that protect-

ed undocumented immigrants’ families. Executive orders like that or initiating negotiations with Iran on the Iran nuclear deal or opening up trade with Cuba again, I think all of those issues or policy decisions are examples of how President Obama has been very strategic in the kind of issues that he wants to take on, and he’s been successful in implementing them.” In terms of foreign policy, the Obama Administration dealt with international relations in countries such as Russia and promoting peace in other countries; for example, the Obama administration attempted to re-establish diplomatic relations and trade with Cuba. “He’s really learned how to reach out to the people, if you look at things like his ability to connect,” said AP U.S. Government and Politics teacher Carol Green. “I think that he’s really reached out and left a positive

view of America in terms of foreign policy and foreign relations, reaching out to nations, extending an open hand. The relations with Cuba would be a great example of that.”

“He’s really learned how to reach out to the people, if you look at things like his ability to connect.” CAROL GREEN AP U.S. GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS TEACHER Obama has also expanded protections for individuals targeted by hate crimes due to their sexual identity and orientation as well as made education more accessible.

Timeline to the election SEPTEMBER 26

JUNE 2015 The Supreme Court rules that states cannot ban same-sex marriage.

OCTOBER 4 Only vice presidential debate in Longwood University in Virginia

OCTOBER 9 Second presidential debate in Washington University in Missouri

HONDA (LEFT) Felix Wu (‘15) walks in a July 4 parade supporting Mike Honda for Congress in 2014. (RIGHT) Wu poses with Honda for a photo after interviewing him for the Harker Podcast Series. Congressman Honda’s campaign filed a lawsuit against candidate Ro Khanna’s campaign in September.

OCTOBER 19 Third presidential debate in University of Nevada in Nevada

Local campaigns for congress spark lawsuit

NOVEMBER 8

Obama announces nuclear deal with Iran to the nation.

More locally, the campaign of congressman Mike Honda filed a lawsuit on Sept. 22 against candidate Ro Khanna’s campaign over allegedly illegally accessing donor data. Honda’s campaign alleged that Brian Parvizshahi, Khanna’s campaign manager at that time, who has since stepped down, had illegally accessed the confidential information of and sent emails to Honda’s supporters. “I think it’s important that we focus on policy and look at

Election Day WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

JULY 2015

DECEMBER 19 Members of Electoral College vote for the President and Vice President.

Obama is the first sitting U.S. president to visit Cuba since 1928.

Congress counts the votes for President and Vice President.

JANUARY 20 The President is sworn in on Inauguration Day.

ent homes. “What the campaign manager did was not moral, not correct, but that should not be indicative of what Ro [Khanna] can do,” he said. Khanna ran and lost against Honda in 2014 for being the representative of California’s 17th congressional district, or Silicon Valley. The elections for members of the House of Representatives in California this year fall on the same day as the general presidential election, Nov. 8.

TEDx features Silicon Valley professionals ALL PHOTOS PROVIDED BY TEDxHARKERSCHOOL

MARCH 2016

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

JANUARY 6

what [Honda] has done, and look at what Ro Khanna has done and accomplished for the community versus what congressman Honda has done and has accomplished,” said Wu, a Senior Fellow at Honda for Congress in 2014. “I think that that’s a better examination of the candidates, scrutinizing them in that way, rather than focusing on an ongoing lawsuit.” Rahul Shukla (12) has worked as a fellow in Khanna’s campaign in 2014 and 2016 spreading his message to differ-

TECHNOLOGICAL (TOP) A representative from Arista presents a booth to a student. TEDx will take place on campus this Saturday. (BOTTOM) The team from TEDxHarkerSchool two years ago poses for a photo. This year’s event will feature speakers from various organizations.

ruhi sayana & angele yang copy editor & reporter

The upper school’s annual TEDx event will feature seven speakers, booths from Bay Area companies and a mentor luncheon on Saturday in Nichols Hall and the gym. Talks from the featured speakers will run throughout the day. In the morning, booths set up around the atrium from different Bay Area technology programs, including XROUND, Alchema and VEX Robotics, will present their products to attendees. Participants will be able to have lunch with 25 to

30 Silicon Valley professionals in the mentor luncheon. “The mentor luncheon has been a staple of TEDx for the past few years,” said Aditya Dhar (12), a co-curator of the Harker TEDx team. “All in all, every team in the event is doing a really fantastic job. They’re all coming together really well.” This year, five featured speakers from outside Harker will present at the event, as well as two seniors, Sarisha Kurup and Alexander Lam. The speakers from outside of Harker include Shahid Buttar, a representative of the Electronic Frontier Foundation; Raj Chetty, a professor of economics at Stanford University; Umi

Garrett, a 16-year-old classical pianist; Katherine Isbister, a professor of computational media at the University of California at Santa Cruz, and Prateek Joshi, an artificial intelligence researcher. “We’ve promoted a little at the preview night to the parents, and we’re probably going to be sending out emails to the entire campus to let them know that [TEDx] is happening, and we’ve also been keeping up to date on social media with posting on Facebook, especially,” marketing associate Shania Wang (10) said. Tickets for the event can be purchased for $25 in Manzanita Hall during lunch.

PROVIDED BY FELIX WU

United States begins airstrikes in Syria against the Islamic State.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

SEPT. 2014

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

First presidential debate in Hofstra University in New York

NEWS

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

Students attended a service fair organized by Harker National Honor Society (NHS) and Key Club, which hosted organizations that set up booths to recruit students for service, on Sept. 29 in Nichols Hall after advisory. NHS piloted the service fair in April last school year, and its success moved NHS to include other organizations at the event. “It’s something I’ve seen done in other schools,” said upper school biology teacher and NHS advisor Mike Pistacchi. “We got a little pilot fair last [school] year with 10 organizations in the spring. Eventually, we got in touch with [Kerry] Enzensperger and teamed up with the school’s community and made this happen. I want the organizations to connect with the volunteers, and I want the students to explore the different types of service.” NHS hosted several organizations that presented to students to recruit volunteers. Many organizations, including the Outdoor Science School in Santa Cruz, involve tutoring. “What we look for is high school students to be mentors for younger students,” Outdoor Science School cabin leader coordinator Ben Hammon said. “As a cabin leader, you’re responsible for 10-plus students and get

SERVICE FAIR (TOP) Students gather around to sign up at a booth outside of Nichols at the Service Fair. The Service Fair not only allowed students to learn about volunteer organizations but to helped students fulfill their community service requirements. (BOTTOM LEFT) Students and faculty crowd outside of Nichols for the second annual Service Fair. Twenty-three organizations total were present at the Service Fair. (BOTTOM RIGHT) A representative explains her organization to a student interested in signing up.

Sophomores and juniors to take the PSAT maya kumar & anvi banga

Annual picnic attracts all ages vijay bharadwaj & kathy fang opinion edior & reporter

KSHITHIJA MULAM

The 66th annual Harker Family and Alumni Picnic fundraiser, centered around the theme “Picnic 66,” invited students, faculty and friends to a day of carnival entertainment at the Blackford campus yesterday. To contribute to the community, students and teachers from all four campuses as well as alumni joined together and enjoyed the games and performances at the event. “I really like how more and more of the upper school kids are getting involved,” said Director of Special Events Danae McLaughlin, who coordinated the picnic. “It’s not that cool for them to run around and play the games, but to set up their clubs and to show the community what they’re doing with their clubs and to actually interact with the younger kids I think is really, really cool, and it’s something I hope we grow on.” Classical booths such as the

SKELETAL Kinetic Krew performs at last year’s picnic. The picnic took place yesterday at Blackford.

Hamster Dash and raffles were mixed with new activities such as a Nerf foam Arabejo Archery range and a smoothie stand. A student showcase featuring performing groups from the lower, middle and upper schools centered around a skit directed by lower school performing arts teacher Danny Dunn. The showcase included the upper school’s junior varsity dance troupe, Kinetic Krew and choirs Bel Canto and Downbeat; middle school dance troupes Showstoppers, High Voltage and Dance Fusion and choirs Dynamics and Concert Choir; the lower school choir, the fourth grade class; some preschoolers and teachers and administrators. “I love seeing all the performing art groups perform, practice together [and] come together kind of as one for the community event,” upper school dance teacher Karl Kuehn said. The Visual Arts Club offered face painting and displayed members’ pieces, while the Green Team hosted a booth presenting succulents as prizes to advocate water conservation. “I love that game booth where you can throw the ball into the hole, and the best part is that you can win a succulent plant,” freshman Katelyn Chen said. “I just love the prizes and the thought that goes into choosing the succulent plants.” The next major fundraiser, Night on the Town, occurs in the winter.

Sophomores and juniors will take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/ NMSQT) on Oct. 19. For juniors, the PSAT serves as an opportunity to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship, which can lead to scholarships from certain colleges, companies or the National Merit Scholarship corporation itself, for qualifying students who then submit an application. For sophomores, it serves solely as a practice test for the SAT and their next PSAT. “For sophomores I say,

year’s test, and 65 were National Merit Commended students. The new version of the PSAT will be administered for the second time in October, the first having been last fall. It includes changes that mirror the redesign of the SAT, such as four multiple choice options per question as opposed to five and the elimination of a penalty for incorrect responses. The new version of the PSAT is also out of 1520 points, reflecting the scoring changes in the new SAT. The first redesigned SAT was administered in March. While the sophomores and juniors take the PSAT, freshmen will participate in their community service day, and seniors will have the day off from school to work on college applications.

Performing arts kick off in fall and winter jenna sadhu & rashmi iyer reporters

GROUPS PERFORM AT ANNUAL PICNIC SHOW The traditional student show at the annual Harker Harvest Festival took place on Sunday from 11 a.m. to noon. The show this year followed the theme Picnic 66 and recounts the road trip that the Blues Brothers took along Route 66. The performance fea-

tured 380 students, including upper school groups junior varsity dance, Kinetic Krew, Bel Canto and Downbeat. “We’re all part of a big performing arts family with all the performers from different specialties and groups and campuses,” junior varsity dance troupe member Anna Miner (9) said.

PICNIC PRACTICE Bel Canto rehearses their song “Sweet Home Chicago” for the Harvest Festival.

DANCE SHOW REHEARSALS BEGIN AFTER SCHOOL

ASHLEY JIANG

MAYA KUMAR

features editor & reporter

look, this test is only for you. It creates a data point of ‘how can I do on these things?’” said Upper School Academic Dean Evan Barth, “Do your best on it, so it’s a good data point, but don’t stress.” A list of the the National Merit Scholar semifinalists is released each year in September. Approximately 16,000 of the 1.5 million students who take the test annually are semifinalists. “It’s a nice thing to list on your application as an honor, and if you actually end up attending a college that offers a scholarship and you’ve listed it on your National Merit application you can get a nice little scholarship,” Director of College Counselling Nicole Burrell said. Forty-five current seniors qualified as National Merit Scholar Semifinalists for last

RASHMI IYER

opinion editor & reporter

DANCE DANCE Dancers rehearse for the dance show during an after school rehearsal for the show on Jan. 27-28.

Circus, this year’s dance production, will take place on Jan. 27-28 and will have two acts: “Welcome to the Circus” and “Daring Acts and Sideshow Freaks.” “It’s a really fun theme that we’re all excited about here in the dance program,” dance teacher Karl Kuehn said.

One hundred and sixty students will participate, 25 more than last year, along with faculty members who will perform one piece. This year, there are seven student choreographed pieces by 10 student choreographers. Auditions for the production took place on Sept. 17.

DIRECTORS BEGIN PREPARATIONS FOR SDS

The Student Directed Showcase (SDS) performance preparations will take place throughout the rest of this year. Seniors Sana Aladin, Emre Ezer, Chetana Kalidindi and Kayvon Solaimanpour will each direct a play in the showcase. “When it comes to [auditioning], we try to advertise

that anyone can audition,” Kayvon, the director of “Dystopia!,” said in a comment about the audition process for students. The four directors of “Importance of Being Earnest” , “Removing the Glove” , “Grover” and “Dystopia!” had staged readings of their respective scripts last week.

TIFFANY WONG

to know them and do activities with them. A lot of students seem to know us, which is great, and it’s been very welcoming.” Several students set up booths for their own organizations, such as senior Parth Pendurkar’s program Kidz Kode. “Kidz Kode is about teaching kids to code on a fundamental level,” Parth said. “It’s a super easy way to get kids into programming. So far, we have a couple dozen volunteers, and we have spoken to a couple hundred students.” The Akshaya Patra Foundation, which is an organization that feeds lunch to underprivileged kids in India, also had a booth at the service fair. “We put together fundraisers, which is the best way to earn money and we have been feeding around 1.5 children a day across 24 cities and 10 states,” club organizer Aarzu Gupta (9) said. “We’ve got more [signups] than we’ve expected.” Students walked around the service fair, looking at each booth and deciding which ones to join. Representatives, both students and visitors, manned the booths to provide inquiring students with additional information. “I signed up for the Forbes community service,” Daulet Tuleubayev (11) said. “It’s a great way to get community service hours, and they pay you. I also do it for the kids.” The induction ceremony for new Harker NHS members took place in Nicholas last Tuesday.

vijay bharadwaj & jenna sadhu

ALL PHOTOS VIJAY BHARADWAJ

Harker National Honor Society holds service fair in Nichols

DIRECTOR’S CUT Anika Banga (11) and Sana Aladin (12) perform in last year’s Student Directed Showcase.

OPINION

A4 Editors-in-Chief Kshithija Mulam Meilan Steimle

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

Handling long-term change

Use discourse to cope with events, not engender change

Managing Editor Sahana Srinivasan News Editor Meena Gudapati Features Editor Maya Kumar Asst. Features Editor Prameela Kottapalli Opinion Editors Vijay Bharadwaj Adrian Chu STEM Editor Derek Yen Asst. STEM Editor Katherine Zhang Sports Editors Justin Su Alex Wang Photo Editor Ashley Jiang Copy Editors Rose Guan Ruhi Sayana Adviser Ellen Austin, MJE Wingspan Editor-in-Chief Kaitlin Hsu Aquila Editors-in-Chief Raveena Kapatkar Tara Parimi Aquila Staff Neil Bai Vijay Bharadwaj Nicole Chen Adrian Chu Trisha Dwivedi Zachary Hoffman Anjay Saklecha

Michael Sikand Justin Su Maya Valluru Alex Wang Tiffany Wong Derek Yen Katherine Zhang

Reporters Anvi Banga Nerine Uyanik Eric Fang Anika Rajamani Kathy Fang Jenna Sadhu Nina Gee Nisha Shankar Ria Gupta Neal Sidhu Rashmi Iyer Jin Tuan Sofia Kassaras Anya Weaver Aditi Khanna Angele Yang Krishna Bheda Gloria Zhang Visit The Winged Post Online at www.harkeraquila.com

STAUNCH SUPPORT Especially when instances of alleged injustice and misconduct happen locally, rather than in a distant community, we are allowed to take time for ourselves to cope, reflect and process, in whichever way we choose to.

EDITORIAL THE OFFICIAL OPINION OF THE WINGED POST When a community learns of possible injustice or misconduct, its constituents naturally form their own opinions and are often inclined to voice them in the form of solidarity, activism or discord. We often feel compelled to take action or advocate an immediate page based off of our knee-jerk opinion on an issue, in addition to discourse, but find ourselves unable to enact immediate, tangible change, although not for a lack of trying. While we are all entitled to advocate for any cause we care about, and while social media of the mod-

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

gradually and requires a great deal of continual support. When this discourse fades away or fails to engender institutional change, it’s easy to feel discouraged or hopeless. It’s easy to feel powerless as advocates

Change rarely happens in the blink of an eye; rather, it is developed gradually and requires a great deal of continual suppport. for a cause seemingly too monumental for us to influence. When we learn about revolution and reform in the history books, we often hear of powerful social movements led by largerthan-life figures who garnered overwhelm-

ing amounts of support to succeed in their advocacy. We remember the hundreds of thousands of people who marched on Washington with the common belief that African Americans deserved the same civil and economic rights as any other American, but we don’t see the decades of small steps that enabled continual action to be successful. Real change does not need to begin with the grand, fleeting demonstration. It can begin with a community that has sufficiently processed controversial events and is ready to stand behind a cause. The passionate, eloquent leaders of a new generation of activists are not chosen by whoever acts first. They are forged by their experience and a community standing by their beliefs regardless of the immediate payoff.

Interruption: Diverting the flow of the river

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 and sports 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 wingedpost2017@harker.org 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.

ern age often facilitates this, there are times when we find ourselves needing to take time to process information not as an advocate or a crusader for change but personally, and as a member of our community. Especially when instances of alleged injustice and misconduct happen locally, rather than in a distant community, we are allowed to take time for ourselves to cope, reflect and process, in whichever way we choose to. We are allowed to use discourse to collectively work through our individual feelings, even if our thoughts are not reflected in immediate advocacy or activism. Taking time to digest recent events is already a step towards long-term change. Change rarely happens in the blink of an eye; rather, it is developed

kshithija mulam editor-in-chief

Waking up on a dark Friday morning at 5 a.m., I was greeted by the sound of slamming doors accompanied by rushing water. Mildly disoriented, confused and squinting without my glasses, I followed the sound of my parents’ frantic yelling to the bottom floor of my house, where the spectacle that greeted me stopped me in my tracks. Gushing from the wall, water from a broken pipe flooded the entire floor of the garage, soaking our shoes, socks, carpets and other miscellaneous items in a three-inch puddle and rippling out in waves onto our driveway. The sound of rushing water elevated to a dull roar. The pungent smell of wet leather filled the air. In the resulting chaos that lasted till 5:45, I, my parents and an unwitting neighbor who wandered over after seeing the cascade of water surging down our driveway, ran through the house with buckets and

pots, trying to find the main valve to cut off the flooding. Not my typical Friday morning. Hours later and safely at school with my squelching neon yellow socks the only reminder of the morning, I couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened. The debacle kept popping up in my head at the most random times of day, and everything felt a little off for the rest of the day. It was the small things, like whimsically choosing to go outside instead of working during my free period, approaching my in-class timed essay a different way and buying Starbucks instead of boba after school. It was a refreshing change. October is a strange month, like the awkward tween phase of the year. It’s far enough into the school year that the initial excitement of being back in the classroom has worn off, but it hasn’t been long enough for students to see that first major holiday break approaching on the horizon. For seniors, it’s the seemingly never-ending cycle of working on college apps and schoolwork while still trying to find time to eat, sleep and breathe. For juniors, it’s the panic of upcoming standardized tests and the rigor of upperclassman coursework. For sophomores, it’s the jump from being an innocent freshman

to a hardened veteran of the high school experience. For freshman, it’s finally settling into high school life and finishing those waves of first tests in each class. With the stress of school life and the expectations of a new year of high school settling in, it’s easy to get lost in the monotony of day-to-day life. But until my Friday morning fiasco, I hadn’t realized how badly I had needed that change in pace, that unexpected incident followed by an unexpected day. I had sunk into a funk, planning my weeks and days out minute by minute and knowing exactly what to expect. Routine is necessary, but planning everything down to the minutiae sucks the color out of every day, making Monday and Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday blend together, passing by in a cycle over and over again. Just because we aren’t in the glamorous phase of the high school experience doesn’t mean it has to be ultimately forgettable; everyone needs a break. I’m not suggesting that you take a hammer to your house’s plumbing system and bring down the pipes; your parents would definitely not appreciate the resulting water bill. But at this time of year, we all need a splash of spontaneity.

Got Opinions? Who do you plan to vote for in the 2016 presidential election? What do you think about the level of media coverage in the election? What drinks do you prefer during autumn?

Let us know by answering polls on Harker Aquila!

OPINION

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

Talk

Around

Campus zachary hoffman multimedia editor

Pro-Con: Pumpkin spice takes over the nation meilan steimle editor-in-chief

Pro: It’s morning in America -- that is to say, autumn. Because really, what is autumn without pumpkin spice? Dreary, brown, aflush with applications and standardized tests, why it might as well be winter. Today more men and women will go to Starbucks than ever before in our country’s history. And with interest levels for PSLs at record highs, they can be confident in the future of this sweet, delicious brew. Pumpkin spice represents a singular touchpoint that all true Americans

know and love: the product of a proud American brand with humble origins in Seattle, a small business’s vision that, through hard work and relentless dedication, won the heart of the nation. Truly, pumpkin spice is emblematic of everything that is American: a diverse set of global spices, blended together into a single utterly addictive, overpowering and unmistakable flavor, now spreading rapidly throughout the world. There exist naysayers among us, those would poison or destroy our caffeine supply with non-pumpkin spice flavors. To these such individuals I say: do you hate America? Close your eyes, part your lips and take a sip of this glorious concoction. It’s morning in your mouth.

Con: There is a spectre haunting America. - the orange-tinged spectre of pumpkin spice. The time has come for every caffeine-lover, from the frappuccino dilettante to the black coffee addict, to come together and save our collective taste buds from their impending saccharine demise. This misleadingly-named “pumpkin” spice flavor has invaded every aspect of our lives. There are pumpkin spice almonds, yogurt, Oreos, Pringles, lasagna, protein powder, air freshener, bar soap, vodka, assorted apparel, the indomitable march of pumpkin spice continues. Since its release in 2003, Starbucks has sold over 200 million PSLs. In a decade, pumpkin spice has become emblematic of fall as a whole, which is rendered especially ridiculous by

the fact that “pumpkin spice” (all spice, nutmeg, cinnamon) is available year-round. The tyranny of pumpkin spice must end in 2016. No longer can we sit idly by and let this cloyingly manufactured flavor maintain its annual chokehold on our tastebuds from September to December. Pumpkin spice placates us - in its sugary haze, we forget the drive to experience novel flavors, the yearning for culinary greatness and virtually every other seasonal beverage (hello, peppermint lattes?) In short, pumpkin spice is the opiate of the masses. I remember a time when fall was about running through leaves, slow-cookers, scarves and sweaters, not the relentless pursuit of “limited-edition” pumpkin spice Oreos. Don’t we deserve that kind of fall? Don’t we deserve better than pumpkin spice?

What is your opinion on the loss of safe spaces on the University of Chicago campus?

Aliesa Bahri (11) FEM Club President “I largely disagree with the fact that safe spaces should be condemned; that’s obviously not the case. Safe spaces are an opportunity for people to share their experiences, and that’s very powerful to build communities that are trusting and cooperative.”

Media overcovers Clinton’s health Clinton’s collapse at the 9/11 memorial spurs unwanted coverage

tiffany wong

Aquila copy editor

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton had not been feeling well along the campaign trail and developed a fever on Sept. 2, Clinton’s physician Dr. Lisa Bardack wrote in a report. News outlets nationwide only began an exhaustive investigation of Clinton’s medical history after her dehydration and pneumonia episode in New York City during a ceremony commemorating the Sept. 11 attacks and her cancelling of appearances at events in both San Francisco and Los Angeles. “Hillary Clinton Collapses At 9/11 Memorial,” headlines blared the next day. Journalists soon took to expressing their opinions on Clinton’s age and its impacts on her chances at the voting polls. Coverage of the 2016 presidential race began to revolve around a coughing spell and a stumble into a van. In the context of the breadth of coverage of Clinton’s health, it’s surprising that Trump’s medical histo-

ry has not also been examBy making such disin- Trump without being influined as extensively by the terest in the coverage of the enced by what the media American public. The Trump election public, decreasing says about the candidates. campaign claims that Clin- the number of readers of Failure to provide the ton isn’t healthy enough, repetitive articles would in- American public with a but Trump himself has not centivize diverse media cov- collection of contextually released a full medical re- erage of the election with rich, diverse articles on the port besides an unsubstan- articles on more aspects of election and giving them tiated one-page statement the candidates and their the same information week proclaiming Trump to be in campaigns, instead of focus- after week effectively brain“excellent physical health,” ing on a central, recurring washes readers into formua claim that has gone largely argument or theme. lating opinions reflective unquestioned. On the other hand, they of the media coverage they At the same time, the also need to begin holding consume. media’s coverage of Trump journalists accountable for By sharing articles supis also skewed; instead of expecting Clinton, a female porting a different opinion treating the presidential presidential nominee, to ful- or a new perspective on the candidate as a politician, fill such higher standards of election —essentially, “votjournalists are treating him health, in comparison to the ing with their click,”— peoas a celebrity by placing criteria used to judge oth- ple can draw attention to more emphasis on what he er presidential candidates’ more relevant issues related says instead of the reasoning ability to govern the country to the presidential race and behind his words. The glori- effectively. allow others to truly evalufication of Trump’s words Proper coverage of the ate whether either Clinton effectively normalizes hate presidential race is essential and Trump can live up to speech to the point where to allowing the American the title of President of the the public is persuaded to public to develop their own United States. simply dismiss Trump’s con- judgements of Clinton and stant stirring up of controversy. While the population of people who are disappointed with the current lack of depth of the news about the election may be a silent majority, such members of the American public need to help the media represent their views by ignoring articles with unoriginal content and exposing others to pieces representing different MEDIA MANIA Coverage of the 2016 presidential race began viewpoints on the presiden- to revolve around a coughing spell and a stumble into a van. tial race.

Martin Walsh College Counselor “While I at times found the topics to be perhaps offensive or disagreed with them, at the same time I do think of it as a positive part of my college experience, and one of those parts of college that made it different than high school.”

Sandip Nirmel (12) ASB President “The university should really be promoting all sorts of viewpoints even if they don’t agree with a certain group within the community. The university, from what I got from that letter is really trying to open up people to more perspectives and to not be locked into their own sort of selective views. I think that’s a good thing and it really opens up the community and makes it more open.”

eart of Harker:Showing gratitude and strength in tough situations

haris hosseini guest writer

Haris Hosseini is a sophomore at the Harker upper school. He loves to travel, take pictures and enjoy time with friends. A few weeks ago, while I was walking down Main hallway, a headline tweeted from CNN caught my eye: Little boy in Aleppo a vivid

reminder of war’s horror. It was accompanied by a photo that I’m sure most of the world has seen by now: a young boy, probably around 5 years old, sitting quietly in the seat of an ambulance, his face covered in dirt and blood. His name: Omran Daqneesh. He is a victim of the Syrian war, which has taken nearly half a million lives. In the midst of the typical Harker stress, my grades, and problems with friends, I realized suddenly in that hallway, looking at that young boy, that I am a part of the lucky few. Harker, to me, is a sup-

portive and open minded community, where I am so lucky to have all that I need: helpful teachers, loving friends, and an incredible array of sushi to choose from at lunch. And yet I find that sometimes, it seems that we, as a student body, are so preoccupied with navigating our own jam-packed lives that we tend to lose sight of the bigger picture: that ultimately, just being at this school is reason enough to take a moment, take a breath, and be grateful. So, to whoever reading this, whatever you are going through, whether it be a bad grade, or difficult parents, or

your heart being broken, remember that if somewhere, a young five year old boy in Syria can make it after all he’s been through, then you too are strong and brave enough to get through whatever it is you are dealing with. Despite the odds, the worry, the high school panic, and the stress, (which can be unreasonably intense). I hope you are able to find that strength. In this repeating guest column, we encourage all student writers from around the community to share their memorable experiences while at the Upper School. Please email all column ideas to wingedpost2017@gmail.com.

Abel Olivas GSA Club Advisor “At an academic institution you’re also still trying to shape how we’re going to engage with other people. You’re still trying to educate people on acceptance and tolerance and respect, so I think placing some limits on certain speech in an academic institution is still important and that it does play this educational role.”

DOUBLETRUCK

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

STUDY TIME Students study and work in the upper school library during lunch. Other popular places to do homework or spend time with friends during lunch are Main hallway, Dobbins, Shah and outside Manzanita.

HOMEWORK WORK WORK WORK WORK? 22.7%

<1 1-2

* 10.4% 1-2

16.6%

An exploration of students’ and teachers’ perspectives on homework, as well as local and national policies

3-4

3-5

36.2% 46.0%

1-4 5-9 1014

22.1% 6-8

15+

20.2% 4.9%

9.8%

What would be your ideal weekly homework load, in hours? (Innermost)

Homework helpers: study tips

How many hours of homework do you average over a weekend? (Middle)

Create a schedule for your homework, not a to-do list. Make sure to add in breaks and free time.

Use planners or color-coded sticky notes, either virtual or phsyical, to organize tasks and assignments.

How many hours of homework do you average on a weekday night? (Outermost)

Tackle your harder assignments earlier in the evening. It will be easier to concentrate and understand them.

60.1%

If you get distracted when working on an assignment, switch to a different subject or take a quick break.

Work in the same room as others, even if it is not a group project. Their concentration will help you focus.

33.1%

Start working early so you can ask your teachers for help and spend time thinking through the work.

DID YOU KNOW: The upper school handbook states that students should have three hours of homework a night and should contact their teachers if their homework is in excess.

14.1% *0.6% of students reported having 1-2 hours of homework each weekend. 163 upper school students responded to the Winged Post survey.

TALK AROUND CAMPUS:

Education researcher talks homework PO

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it doesn’t really make sense for us to take time in class to read the book. I’m going to have to have kids read out of school time to prepare for the discussion or the activity that we’re going to do based on that. WP: How much of a role do academic extracurriculars play in student stress or engagement? There is such a thing as doing too much and being overloaded, not just in school with too many AP, honors or high level classes, not enough kids taking a free for instance, but there’s also good research to show that if you have too many extracurriculars, you might be overloaded and it will impact your sleep and it will impact your health, etc.

Winged Post: Are there specific types of assignments, in your experience, that give the most benefit? Denise Pope: What’s ideal is for teachers to really think through and differentiate their homework assignments and try to make it a successful assignment for every kid... It’s not so much that we say all homework is good or all homework is bad. WP: Do you think that no-homework policies could ever be feasible in high schools? DP: I think definitely [look] at high schools in terms of homework reduction and really purposeful homework, but I was a high school english teacher. If I’m teaching a book,

Denise Pope is the co-founder of Challenge Success and a senior researcher at Stanford’s Graduate School of Education. The Winged Post sat down with Pope to discuss her research and experience regarding homework, student health and extracurriculars.

One of the things that we talk about with parents and kids is it’s a little mnemonic aid called PDF, play time, down time, family time. Every kid needs to make sure they have enough time for the 8 to 10 hours of sleep they need each night, [that] they have time to have dinner or spend time with family, [that] they have enough to enjoy their friends and their lives in high school and to be social and if your life is completely, from the minute you wake up to the minute you go to bed, scheduled in either extracur-

“I think that balancing the reading assignments with other homework like writing assignments that students might be doing over the long term or with grammar and vocabulary homework [might help]. I have just been trying to be responsive to my students and take their feedback. ”

English teacher Michelle Andelman

“I think [the bell schedule] definitely gives students more time to do their homework, but it also gives them more time to procrastinate. And then since there are less classes, the homework load for each class is also more, so it probably becomes more stressful if the students don’t manage their time well.”

Jeffrey Yang (9)

DOUBLETRUCK

ASHLEY JIANG

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 16, 2016

kaitlin hsu, sahana srinivasan, & anjay saklecha Wingpsan editor-in-chief, managing editor & Aquila features editor

ANJAY SAKLECHA

In August, a second grade teacher from Godly Elementary School in Godley, Texas decided to send home a letter to parents explaining that she would assign no homework and proposing that students instead spend time with their families, eat dinner together, read for pleasure and sleep more. Her letter went viral on Facebook, and a number of elementary schools from Seattle to Tulsa to San Diego to Boston have also chosen to follow a “no homework” policy. Educators at these schools are following research such as Alfie Kohn’s “The Homework Myth” that indicates that homework does not provide benefit, especially at the elementary age level. “Overall, we’re seeing, especially in the elementary school, a lot more people sort of questioning the value of homework in elementary school, besides asking kids to read for pleasure,” said Denise Pope, co-founder of Challenge Success and senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Pope has extensively researched the impact and uses of homework, and her organization, Challenge Success, hosts workshops for teachers about recommended homework policies.

The lower school has made changes to its homework policy to reflect focused assignments and reduced time requirements. “[Our policies] have changed a little bit over the past several years in that the number of minutes that we’re asking the children to devote homework has been reduced a bit but not to the exclusion of homework altogether because we feel homework is a very integral part of our curriculum,” Sarah Leonard, Primary Division Head, said in a phone interview. “At the top of my list, homework is meant to design to reinforce and extend work that has been introduced in class. Second, we feel homework promotes the development of organizational skills and time management skills. We are trying to promote the idea that learning is an ongoing process and that it extends beyond the walls of the classroom,” Leonard said. The debate on the benefits of homework has continued for decades. Researchers have approached the homework debate from several different angles, investigating the potential academic benefits and health impacts of varying amounts and types of work. “What we’ve discovered is that when students have fewer classes each day, even though they’re in school for the same amount of hours, they can actually focus more on that topic,” Pope said. “You’re only supposed to then only have homework in the classes that you have the next day, so that’s supposed to

“I think that less homework would be nice, overall, but if you want to prepare kids for college, where homework is going to happen no matter what, then homework at lower stages is beneficial.” SANDIP NIRMEL (12) ASB PRESIDENT

really reduce homework stress instead of having homework in every class every night.” In recent years, schools around the country, including the upper school, have changed old policies and enacted new ones with students’ well-being in mind. According to the upper school handbook, the duration of students’ nightly homework should not exceed three hours, after which students are encouraged to communicate with their teachers about the issue. Although 17 percent of 163 upper school students who responded to a Winged Post survey indicated that no homework would be ideal, 36 percent prefered one to four hours a week. “I joke about [no homework], but I don’t really think that’s a great idea,” Aditya Dhar (12) said. “I think that homework is important. There should be exceptions—everyone learns in a different way, and I don’t know if homework really helps everyone learn in the same way. But I do think that homework is generally important.” Twenty-two percent of respondents reported they would prefer five to 10 hours of homework, 20 percent preferred 10 to 14 hours and five percent saw 15 or more hours of homework a week as ideal. “I think that less homework would be nice, overall, but I just don’t think it’s going to happen, especially at this school,” ASB President Sandip Nirmel (12) said. “If you want to prepare kids for college, where homework is going to happen no matter what, then homework at lower stages is beneficial.” Sandip’s sentiment about the necessity of homework was echoed by teachers. “[Adopting a no-homework policy] going to be tough, because every subject needs more time than what you can allocate in school,” computer science teacher Anu Datar said. “You are

here for either 255 minute periods or 170 minutes periods per week, and then if I have to cover something that actually takes five hours, it’s just impossible to do that unless I have to send some work home or you have to come in for office hours. The ongoing dialogue about homework has sparked research into ways that teachers can keep students engaged both in and out of school. One specific trend intended to increase student engagement in class and at home is a modified block schedule, such as the bell schedule that the Upper School switched to at the beginning of the year. On a modified block schedule, courses meet on alternate days of the week for a longer duration of time and is similar to the full block schedule which is common at American colleges and universities. “[The schedule has] moved to the little bit closer to a college model, which I prefer,” English teacher Christopher Hurshman said. “Especially with reading, it helps because it means that there’s always something interesting to discuss, whereas sometimes we were limited to 30 to 40 minutes of homework every night. It was pretty hard to have something that was meaty enough to justify our class conversation, so I personally like it better that way,” Janda said. Another alternative teaching method is the flipped classroom model, where students learn material at home, typically typically through short, pre-recorded lectures, and use class time to ask questions or discuss the content. “I think that if we have students learn material at home and

KAITLIN HSU

Schools nationwide adopt new homework policies

then ask questions in class, there would be less motivation to actually do the homework, when students can just go to class and ask questions,” Joanna Lin (11) said. “Even worse, I think some students might never participate in class, and others might move off topic.” With no concrete methodology for employing the flipped classroom model, its specifics differ based on specific classes. “If we keep in mind that when students listen to teachers, they retain less than if students do their own learning, I think that the flipped classroom is pretty genius,” world history teacher Mark Janda said. “This is in the sense that it forces students into the position of using the information, using the content, finding a way to explain the content and to teach their peers. I think that they end up with greater retention and a deeper knowledge of the content than if we just have the sage-onthe-stage sort of situation,” Janda said. While trends like a modified bell schedule and the flipped classroom method may contribute to a more manageable homework load, a balance is likely the best answer in the end, according to education researcher Pope. “We really have to be clear that everyone has got to be part of the solution,” Pope said. “The students, in terms of what they’re doing while they’re doing their homework and how busy their days are; the parents, in terms of what they’re allowing kids to do; and the teachers, in terms of what they’re assigning.”

“I think that if we have students learn material at home and then ask questions in class, there would be less motivation to actually do the homework, when students can just go to class and ask questions.” JOANNA LIN (11) STUDENT

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HOMEWORK AND THE NEW BELL SCHEDULE

“I have never been assigning homework that takes more than 20 minutes, and I think that’s pretty reasonable, and some days they don’t have any homework... The only difference that I noticed is the burden at home decreases because you get a chance to work on some of the homework at [school].

Computer Science teacher Anu Datar

“For people who procrastinate more, [the bell schedule] is going to be a problem because then they’ll wait the day after and have double the work for each class... There’s always homework, and if there is no homework, then you don’t really learn what you did in class because your brain doesn’t fully process it.”

Alexandra Lu (10)

“Just like students [are] getting familiar with this and getting used to the new schedule, us teachers are too, so I have reminded the students that if it has been taking them a lot longer they need to speak up and let me know... I try to pick out [problems] that give them more practice on the concepts without it just being busy work.”

Mathematics teacher Jeanette Fernandez

“I see the same levels of homework. [For] physics, the [problem set] is still due a week after it’s assigned. It’s the same amount of homework, it’s just that officially, there’s just fewer class periods to do it over. It’s the same amount of days but fewer physics classes.”

“The new bell schedule has made it that I don’t need to do any homework at home because of my hour-long free period now. While homework assignments are longer now, they take the span of two days, so that helps.”

Aditya Dhar (12)

Shaya Zarkesh (11)

STEM

Online ads lose traction as customers refuse to click maya valluru

aquila news editor

A video of crispy grilled shrimp falling gracefully onto a plate in slow motion before a math tutorial. A portal to a virtual world of celebrity chat rooms pervading your sidebar. Pop-up advertisements that block your view of the article you’re trying to read. These advertisements probably sound familiar. That’s because they’re everywhere. But the click rate for these online ads has gone down significantly over the past few years, going from a three percent click rate to around 0.2 percent.

“A lot of people think that you get paid by views, which is a common misconception. The revenue [from advertisements] actually comes from clicks.” CHLOE MAY YOUTUBE CONTENT CREATOR Daniel Hudkins, the upper school director of information technology service and support, attributes the lower click rates to the signal-to-noise concept. This idea explains that one can hear a signal in the midst of a large amount of noise if it’s recognizable and interesting, but once a person becomes acclimated to hearing it, the signal just blends in with the noise. “Because of the signal-tonoise problem, we decided that [online advertisements are] noise, not signal,” says Hudkins.

RESEARCH The Rosetta spacecraft ended its two-year mission studying a comet in a controlled impact into its comet on Sept. 30. Rosetta is the first spacecraft to orbit a comet and has, among others, detected the presence of the amino acid glycine on the comet. Yoshinori Ohsumi won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on Oct. 3, for his discoveries of mechanisms for autophagy. Autophagy, meaning “self eating,” is the process in which cells destroy and recycle themselves to create new cells. The 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to David Thouless, Duncan Haldane and Michael Kosterlitz for their theoretical research into the behavior of matter cooled to nearly absolute zero using topology, a branch of mathematics that studies what properties are preserved when objects are stretched or deformed. Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir Fraser Stoddart and Bernard Feringa shared the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the design and production of nano-scale molecular machines. When energy is added to a molecular machine, the molecule’s movements can be controlled to perform tasks.

“It’s more targeted [to the user] than it used to be, but we’ve gotten used to that too.” Some of the most prominent online ads appear before videos on YouTube. Many people have downloaded ad-blocking applications to avoid the interruption in viewing, and several companies have provided the option to skip the ad and continue to the video five seconds after it begins in case someone is not interested. For YouTube content creators such as content creator Chloe May, a sophomore at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, these promotional videos are a major source of revenue. “A lot of people think that it is just you get paid by views, which is a common misconception,” May said. “The revenue actually comes from clicks. Each click is going to be a certain amount of money, like a certain amount of revenue that you get. And through whatever partnership that you are with, you are going to get a certain percentage of that.” While online ads are receiving far less traffic than they did when they were introduced, mobile advertisements are increasingly rising in popularity. Mobile applications are proving far more lucrative for companies who wish to advertise. In particular, major social media sites that are most often visited through smartphone applications are using a growing number of advertisements. In addition to greater selectivity in advertising promoted by the company, users on some social media platforms, such as Facebook, have a say in which advertisements they find relevant and would not mind seeing in their feed. With that perk, mobile ads seem less intrusive.

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

SCHOOL Starting in October, students participating in Synopsys will have access to the Open Lab program on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. Students who participated in the Siemens Competition submitted a research paper 15 to 18 pages long on Sept. 20. The semifinalists and regional finalists will be announced next Monday on Oct. 17. GLOBAL The United Nations General Assembly convened to hold a high-level meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance on Sept. 21; meetings of this gravity have only been held in the past for discussing Ebola, HIV, and noncommunicable diseases. A 40th Anniversary Edition of the Voyager Golden Record is being rolled out by a San Francisco Kickstarter. The original Voyager Records were sent into space on the two 1977 Voyager spacecraft and contain a sampling of various kinds of music and sounds of nature for aliens to learn about Earth and human culture. Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti on Oct. 4 and has moved up the Carribean and East Coast. Matthew is a Category 4 hurricane with average sustained wind speeds of 145 mph. For reference, that’s nearly double the minimum 74 mph sustained wind speeds for a cyclone to be declared a hurricane.

briefs written by Nisha Shankar, Helen Yang and Derek Yen

Electives broaden STEM topics Students explore specific topics in greater depth rose guan

SENIOR HAPy PEOPLE Seniors Shreya Neogi, Priyanka Chilukuri and Ria Gandhi use a microscope to observe different types of tissue samples during Honors Human Anatomy & Physiology. Honors Human Anatomy & Physiology is among many of the STEM electives offered at the Upper School.

KSHITHIJA MULAM

copy editor

From Astronomy, Engineering and Marine Biology to Nanoscience, Robotics Principles and The Science of Food, the upper school offers various elective courses in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). While students must certin STEM courses in order to graduate, they can also choose to take one of these STEM electives as an extra period option to supplement the mandatory courses or as one of the graduation requirements. Mathematics teacher Dr. Anuradha Aiyer is teaching the new Advanced Topics in Mathematics: Information Theory course series this year. “I know that Harker offers a Signals and Systems math elective, and I felt that this Information Theory kind of can complement that course,” Aiyer said. “This course on information theory will actually touch upon topics in thermodynamics and statistics and physics, so I think it’s important for students to see the connections among various topics.” In addition to relating subjects to each other, STEM electives also provide students with

an opportunity to concentrate on specific components or topics that they enjoy. “I just really enjoy learning about bones and muscles,” said Sian Smith (10), who is taking the Kinesiology and Sports Medicine class. “Students can learn what they want to, like if you really liked anatomy in eighthgrade biology, you can expand more onto that. It’s pretty rad.” STEM electives can also complement the material covered in required courses through building on those topics or examining them from other angles. “I think [STEM electives] are very beneficial because STEM is a really broad field,” said Steven Cao (12), who is taking the Seminar in Modern Physics class. “If you can narrow it down to one specific thing to cover in a lot of depth, I think it’ll make STEM a lot more interesting to people, because they can choose what they’re interested in and pursue it more deeply rather than just looking at broad introductory courses.” The upper school offers many other elective courses in different areas, such as the humanities and foreign languages, for students who want to pursue fields outside of STEM.

BY THE NUMBERS

76.1% of survey

respondents are currently taking one or more optional STEM courses.

22.2% are currently

taking three or more optional STEM courses.

52.8% think the

current selection of STEM elective courses is just right.

12.3% think there are too few STEM elective courses.

8.0% think there are

too many STEM elective courses and 27% have no opinion.

STEM

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

GLOBAL

RESET

FACING OUR FUTURE Part two of a seven part series

Climate change brings both droughts and floods katherine zhang & helen yang asst. STEM editor & reporter

Catastrophic floods poured 7.1 trillion gallons of water on southern Louisiana in August, submerging thousands of houses and businesses and causing the state’s governor to declare a state of emergency. Meanwhile, California continues to face a severe drought, which has caused numerous wildfires and has pushed the Californian government to regulate water usage throughout the state. Though these weather conditions may seem unrelated, climate scientists and environmental organizations alike have postulated that the extreme weather in Louisiana, California and elsewhere is a direct result of climate change. “This amount of rain has to do with the warming of the ocean,” AP Environmental Science teacher Jeff Sutton said. “A warm ocean means warm air,

warm air can hold more water and more water in the air means more rainfall, so as the atmospheric temperature increases, you’re going to get out of the range of normal precipitation in some places and droughts in other places.”

“As the atmospheric temperature increases, you’re going to get out of the range of normal precipitation in some places and droughts in other places.”

JEFF SUTTON AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE TEACHER The recent droughts and floods may also indicate a trend in rising temperatures and sea levels. Normally hot places will experience higher temperatures

in the coming years. Sea levels will also rise in estuaries and coastal plains, including San Francisco. “We are precariously balanced because we are on the coast,” said Conner Everhart, facilitator for the California-based Environmental Water Caucus. “Coastal areas will be hugely impacted, not only by rising oceans but also by the cycle of warm air holding more water and by thermal expansion of the ocean, as each [water] molecule heats up and expands. The challenge is just to find out where [these changes] will happen, because it is becoming unpredictable.” Although the recent floods in Louisiana and the ongoing drought in California may have been caused by climate change, some scientists are hesitant to establish a direct link between global warming and regional weather conditions. According to a 2016 study led by Glen MacDonald, a professor of environmental science at the University of California

CRISPR-Cas9 revolutionizes biology research and genomics

at Los Angeles, increased greenhouse gas emissions have been linked to the occurrence of centuries-long droughts in California in the past. However, predictions that are made by analyzing past trends may not be accurate. “Climate models suggest that in addition to increasing warmth, increases in greenhouse gases will lead to more extreme weather and variability,” MacDonald wrote in an email interview. “However, it is difficult at this time to confidently differentiate the effects of increasing greenhouse gases from natural variability in terms of things like California precipitation, flooding and hurricanes. More extreme events are consistent with increasing greenhouse gases in many cases, but we cannot at this point confidently say that greenhouse gases are the cause.” Though the Louisiana floods may also be a consequence of rising global temperatures, scientists find it difficult to accurately pinpoint the causes of specific events.

“What we can say is that warmer temperatures increase the amount of water vapor, [and] that might lead to a probability of higher rainfall,” said Kenneth Leppert, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. “However, global climate change is on a time scale of over 30 years, while the floods were on the order of a couple hundred kilometers in a time scale of a week, so it’s very difficult to directly link the two.” Despite the uncertainties about the causes of extreme weather, residents in coastal areas should be prepared to face both droughts and abnormal amounts of precipitation in the future. “We’re seeing the extremes of climate change. Sometimes it’s just the wrong time or it’s the wrong place in terms of what we’re used to, making it very hard to plan and making the need for us to become more resilient,” Everhart said. “We should just accept that this is the new normal.”

How CRISPR works in bacteria

Offers researchers the ability to precisely and flexibly edit genomes You may have heard of CRISPR, a technique whose unparalleled ability to edit DNA has revolutionized the field of biology. But what exactly is CRISPR? CRISPR, which stands for Clustered Regularly Interspersed Short Palindromic Repeats, is a powerful tool that researchers can use to both disable genes and increase their expression. CRISPR-Cas9, as the name suggests, uses the Cas9 enzyme, which was first synthesized from a bacterium. (Cas standing for CRISPR associated protein, and 9 being just to classify it). Dr. Megan Hochstrasser, who is the scientific communications manager for the Innovative Genomics Initiative and received her Ph.D. in the Berkeley Doudna lab, one of the first labs to use the CRISPR-Cas9 system in research, describes CRISPR-Cas9 as having been adapted from a “bacterial immune system.” “Bacteria can be infected by viruses just like you and I can,” Dr. Hochstrasser said. “It’s evolutionarily advantageous for the bacteria to develop some way to defend against these viruses. And the way that they did it is they developed the CRISPR system, which lets them capture these little segments of DNA from viruses and integrate them into their own genome, so the bacterial host genome is full of these little snippets of viruses.” Somewhere in its genetic sequence, the bacterium will have a series of short, repeated DNA segments called repeats broken up by variable DNA segments, called spacers. These spacers are part of the DNA sequence of a bacteriophage, a virus with a bacterial host cell. The bacterium can use this sort of “rogues’ gallery” to protect the bacterium from infection. The bacterium transcribes excerpts of spacers into RNA and gives it to the Cas9 enzyme. The Cas9 enzyme then tries to find a match of the given guide RNA to

a DNA sequence. Upon finding one, it promptly cuts the DNA, deactivating it. “The cell will remember what the virus looks like, what sequence it has in its DNA, so that if [the virus] comes back, [the bacterium] can destroy the virus by finding the matching sequence and then cutting it so the virus can’t replicate,” Dr. Hochstrasser said. What this amounts to is that the Cas9 enzyme can use the bacterium’s records to identify bacteriophage DNA and destroy it before it becomes integrated into the bacterium.

“The first thing when CRISPR came out is this idea we can now edit the genome. We can take out [a target sequence] and replace it with whatever we want.” RAJIV MOVVA JUNIOR Researchers have adapted the Cas9 enzyme for research. As any sequence of RNA can be used as the guide, the Cas9 enzyme can be “programmed” to seek a target sequence of the researcher’s choice. “The first thing when CRISPR came out is this idea we can now edit the genome,” said Rajiv Movva (11), who worked with CRISPR on a research project over the summer. “What that means is that we have a certain sequence in the genome—we know where it is, we know what the sequence is and basically we can take out that sequence and replace it with whatever we want.” This ease of use is unprecedented in the field of biology. Marie La Russa, a Ph.D. candidate at the Stanford Stanley Qi

lab, which has done much research into CRISPR, says that CRISPR’s facility results from the fact that it uses RNA rather than proteins. “We know how DNA bases will pair up with each other, and it’s a very simple rule system, and it’s very similar to RNA-DNA interaction,” La Russa said. “It’s very easy to change the target sequence that you look at. With older technologies, they targeted DNA through protein-DNA interactions, and those are much more complicated to engineer because when you want to target a new site, you have to do very complicated protein engineering.” While CRISPR has already made waves in the field of research, many are excited about its potential applications in the field of medicine, as it could be used to treat genetic diseases by correcting patients’ genomes. However, current technology is insufficient for effective therapeutic use. “One of the big challenges of using CRISPR for medicine is delivering it specifically to the cell type that you want—not just targeting the gene region that you want, but also making sure that that the CRISPR Cas9 system is only delivered to [the desired target cells],” La Russa said. “But it’s very exciting; there’s a lot of potential.” Some worry about the potential ethical implications of editing the human genome. “If we’re talking about preventing disease in an embryo, for example, by doing germ line editing, you don’t really know how you’re affecting that organism, which will eventually become a person,” Dr. Hochstrasser said. “They can’t say whether or not they want this to happen.” Regardless of your moral stance, one thing is indisputable: CRISPR has already significantly augmented the capabilities of research and will only continue to influence science in the years to come.

STEP ONE

A CRISPR-using bacterium has segments of DNA that correspond to the genetic material of a bacteriophage or other pathogenic DNA/RNA.

STEP TWO

These excerpts can be transcribed to RNA and given to the Cas9 enzyme as a “guide RNA.” Researchers can give other sequences of RNA to the Cas9 enzyme as the guide RNA, allowing it to be used in research for other purposes.

STEP THREE

The Cas9 enzyme can use the guide RNA, which corresponds to a part of the viral genome, to identify genuine viral DNA and destroy it, preventing viral infection. Researchers can use this same mechanism to cut any piece of DNA using Cas9 by providing it the right guide RNA.

DEREK YEN

derek yen

STEM editor

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STEM

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

The beef with beef

Eating beef has negative effects on environment derek yen & gloria zhang Something as mundane as choosing to eat a hamburger for lunch has drastic effects on the climate. Raising cattle negatively affects the environment in a number of ways. Often publicized are such salient woes as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and car exhaust emissions. But a culprit often excluded from the lineup is one we deal with every day: consuming beef. “[Raising a pound of red meat] takes approximately 2,500 gallons of water, which is

“The land that animals graze on or [are] just trapped in is turned into unusable, not arable, land.” SATCHI THOCKCHOM (11) GREEN TEAM VICE PRESIDENT a lot of water that could be used towards agriculture,” Green Team Vice President Satchi Thockchom (11) said. “There’s that, as well as the carbon emissions from just keeping the animals in such concentrated areas for so long. And then also the land that the animals graze on or [are] just trapped in is turned into unusable, and not arable, land.” Raising cattle requires demarcating areas for the cows to live on, called feedlots. Perhaps

unintuitively, the cattle industry spurs deforestation as producers clear land for feedlots as well as fields to raise crops to feed cattle on. The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that beef manufacturing occupies around 60 percent of agricultural land. Even more land is used to raise crops for cattle; they consume 10 kilograms of grains to produce one kilogram of meat, compared to 2 kilograms of grain for chickens. Cattle contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. This is a result of the aforementioned deforestation, along with cows releasing of methane and nitrous oxide from their digestion. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, enteric fermentation, or animals’ process of producing methane through digestion, accounts for 22% of all methane emissions. An additional 8% is produced from animal manure management. Taken together, the agricultural sector accounts for more methane emissions than any other industry. While methane only ac-

KATHERINE ZHANG

STEM editor & reporter

counts for 11% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to carbon dioxide’s 81%, methane has a 25 times greater impact on the environment than carbon dioxide for the same mass. Another effect on the environment is the usage of water. This water consumption begins with the growth of crops to feed cattle and also includes the water that cows drink. According to the United States Geological Survey, the production of a quarter pound of beef requires 460 gallons of water. While these issues may seem far distanced from your

dinner table, your actions as a consumer affect farmers’ choices. The little choices we make can either accelerate or hamper climate change. Just as you might opt to take shorter showers or turn off unused lights, there are different ways you can help diminish the impact of raising livestock. “If you don’t want to drop meat entirely, you should at least drop red meat because that’s where most of the water and most of the resources and everything go into,” Satchi said. “Otherwise, just try to have a meatless day out of the week or a meatless meal every day.”

Even for those unwilling to drop meat entirely, other meats, such as poultry and fish, are equally valid sources of protein with smaller carbon footprints. Furthermore, not all beef is created equal: some companies pride themselves on minimizing their environmental impact and allowing their cattle to graze on grass rather than be raised on feedlots. So next time you’re deciding what to have for dinner, take a moment to acknowledge the environmental impacts of your meat – that’s something to chew on.

Nobel Laureate Dr. Eric Betzig discusses his research

MAD ABOUT MATH Joanna Lin (11) works on a problem during a practice round for the online math competition Math Madness on Sept. 27. Competitors worked on math problems online in 20-minute sessions.

Math Club members participate in annual online competition tiffany wong & nerine uyanik

aquila copy editor & reporter

Members of the upper school Math Club are currently competing in Math Madness, an online math tournament. Sponsored annually by AreteLabs, Math Madness invites middle and high school students to form teams with classmates and compete against groups from other schools in the United States. This year’s competition began with a practice round on Sept. 27. Skill level determines the matchups between teams after the practice round. Teams can play against each other live if they decide to compete at the same time or alternatively choose to compete at any time during the round’s week and have the winner announced once both teams have submitted their answers. The competition does not center on a specific branch of mathematics and often reuses questions from other competitions, including the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) 10. As a result, participants of Math Madness can expect problems covering

a variety of topics. Students participate individually for the first two preliminary rounds but work together in teams for the last two preliminary rounds. “Each session is about 20 minutes, and basically whoever’s available can join and play for that session,” Math Club advisor Dr. Anuradha Aiyer said. The second preliminary round of the competition began yesterday. After the four preliminary rounds, the 64 teams with the highest cumulative scores from the preliminary rounds will then participate in a series of six single-elimination rounds, a process based on the NCAA’s March Madness college basketball tournament. Harker’s upper school team has placed first in Math Madness every year since Math Club began participating in the competition in 2013. Math Club co-Vice President Katherine Tian (10) believes that this year will be no exception. “There’s a middle school league for Math Madness, so a lot of the freshmen do know the competition pretty well,” she said. “I do believe Harker will do as well as they did last

year because we have smart people, and I believe in our ability to win.” Because the competition is less difficult than other math contests, many participants of Math Madness do not prepare as much beforehand in comparison to tournaments they find more challenging. “It’s basically meant as a relaxation round, because it’s not as hard as the other competitions we do,” Math Club co-Vice President Misha Ivkov (12) said. “We just want new members to get some experience with math competitions.” Jeffrey Kwan (9), who did not participate in Math Madness at the Middle School, looks forward to honing his math skills by participating in this year’s competition. “It’s a fun online contest, and it helps me practice some math problems in a competitive setting,” he said. Math Madness will continue throughout October until the week of Nov. 4, the start of the final round of the competition, unless the upper school team does not rank as one of the top 64 teams at the end of the preliminary rounds or if they lose an elimination round.

TIFFANY WONG

Dr. Eric Betzig was awarded the 2014 Nobel prize in Chemistry for his work in developing super-resolved fluorescence microscopy. WP: How would you explain super resolved fluorescence microscopy to a lay person? EB: Every microscope, anything you use whether it’s your eyes or microscope or telescope to see things, can see things so small or so far away, they usually have a limit based on, in human’s and animal’s cases, the size of the pupils of your eyes. Looking at the samples at that limit, you can basically see down to the half wavelength of light. So what super resolution fluorescence does is it uses a sort of cheat in which by different means of super resolution microscopy you take a bunch of different images that still have the physical limitation of size but each image records only parts of the molecules that are in the sample and then afterwards you can reassemble from all of those partial images a final image actually have a better resolution than any of the single images that you took. WP: What is the current focus of the research you are doing now? EB: The microscope that I won the Nobel for is very powerful in terms of its ability to see on an extremely small scale but there is no such thing as a free lunch. Usually when you try to optimize one direction, you are giving up something else. If you want a super high resolution image, you have to have lots of pixels, and if you have lots of pixels, you have a microscope that has to measure all those pixels that takes a lot of time and furthermore because we are throwing in light. It can do damage and the more light you have to throw then the more pixels the more damage it can do. You are always trading off between how small you can see how fast you can see and how much you can see without harming the cell. And so a lot of my work for the last six or seven years has been

about developing other kinds of microscopes that try to optimize those other things. WP: What would your advice be for high school students looking to pursue research? EB: Do the things you love to do. For really young people and some kids who do research even up through undergraduate, graduate school or even beyond, some people get into science because they are kind of good at it or they blossomed in that field earlier than some of their peers or they have a lot push from their parents or other people. And they sort of like it but they are not really wedded to, it’s not consuming them. Particularly to make a career out of science in the end, there are easier careers in life if you are not really wedded to it. Whether you would do a career in science or you do a career in anything else, the first thing you should find is something you really love to do because to be good in any field requires a lot of hard work and there are going to be a lot of set-backs and the only way you can pass all of that to the best of your ability is just you really really love it. So anybody who wants to be a scientist shouldn’t necessarily be doing it because of peer pressure, because of hey I am smart so this is what I should do. You do it because you really consume them and really really feel that they need to do it. It’s part of their being.

PROVIDED BY DR. ERIC BETZIG

adrian chu

opinion editor

NOBLE NOBEL Dr. Eric Betzig won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2014 for his work on super-resolved fluorescent microscopy. 2016 Prizes were awarded last week.

LIFESTYLE

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VOLUME 17 • ISSUE 4 JANUARY 27, 2016

maya kumar features editor

The Winged Post spoke with New York-based model and photographer Louise Parker. She has modeled for Chanel, Dior and Saint Laurent in the past and graduated with a photography degree from Bard College in 2012. Winged Post: How did you first become a model? Louise Parker: I started modeling a little bit in college. I was scouted by a photographer in New York City who I ended up modeling for a few times, and then, after graduating, the photographer helped me find a modeling agency, and, you know, after college you graduate and have no idea what’s going on with your life. So I thought I should give it a shot, and I ended up finding a really great agency, and it just kind of all worked out from there. WP: Has being a photographer impacted your modeling at all? LP: I think it definitely has. I think it makes me more curious and excited to be working on set with you know different photographers who I admire. There’s a lot you can absorb by watching

someone else work. So I think I’ve learned a lot as a model just being on set, watching other photographers and learning about their process.

“I just hope to give a more truthful narrative to what goes on behind the scenes. I think that the media is really oversaturated with backstage photos of girls but it’s always these over glamorized photographs.” LOUISE PARKER WP: Many of your photos are focused on the behind the scenes of modeling. What do you aim to convey with these photos? LP: I just hope to give a more truthful narrative to what goes on behind the scenes. I think that the media is really oversaturated with backstage photos of girls, but it’s always these over-glamorized photographs usually taken by an older male or, you know, someone who is not inside of the fashion

industry, so I really try and tell my side of things. There’s a lot of downtime, there’s a lot of really boring waiting around and those are the moments that I like to capture. WP: What do you think are some of the biggest misconceptions about modeling that you face? LP: I definitely entered modelling with a lot of negative notions, but I think what I realized at the end of the day is that all these models are just girls doing a job. I went in thinking models are stupid and uneducated and vapid, and really it’s just like doing any other job. They’re just trying to get by, and they have other interests. It’s not just that world. WP: Has modeling had an impact of your self-confidence? LP: I think it has helped a lot. Well, it could go both ways. I think my self confidence may have been brought down a bit because you are constantly being rejected, but I think that’s also helped me become stronger because you do deal with a lot of rejection, and you just kind of have to go forward and realize that maybe they just didn’t need a blonde girl and maybe they needed a brunette, and, at the end of the day, they needed a brunette. At the end of the day, it’s not the end of the world.

PROVIDED BY LOUISE PARKER

So you want be a MODEL?

As a repeating feature, the Winged Post will talk to a professional under 30 who works in a creative field . This issue, New York runway model and photographer Louise Parker discusses her career.

FASHION FANTASY (TOP LEFT) Runway model Louise Parker gets her hair and makeup done before a runway show. (CENTER) Parker models for the cover of Vouge Spain in 2014. (TOP RIGHT) Parker models in a Yves Saint Laurent runway show. (BOTTOM RIGHT) Parker prepares for a Chanel runway show.

Fast Facts: Louise Parker • Parker grew up in Minnesota, and she graduated from St. Paul Academy, where she was the Photo Editor for her school newspaper • Parker graduated from Bard College in 2012 with a degree in

photography • One of her first big projects was modeling for Yves Saint Laurent on looks for an upcoming line • Her favorite Runway show experience was modeling in Cuba with Chanel

Students immerse themselves in theatre at Ashland festival kshithija mulam

PROVIDED BY DR. PAULINE PASKALI

editor-in-chief

WATCHING WITH BATED BREATH Students watched a performance of “Hamlet” in this Elizabethan style theater. “Hamlet” was one of the four plays students saw on the three-day trip to Ashland, Oregon.

Immersing themselves in the world of renowned playwright William Shakespeare for just a weekend, students traveled to the annual Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon on Oct. 23 to Oct. 25, accompanied by English teachers Dr. Pauline Paskali, Dr. Beth Wahl, and Charles Shuttleworth along with drama teacher Jeffrey Draper. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, established in 1935, features 11 different plays every season. Upper school students attended three Shakespearean plays and another featured play as part of the experience: “Richard II,” “Hamlet,” “Twelfth Night” and “Great Expectations.” “I think that seeing Shake-

speare live helps kids understand all of Shakespeare. Seeing the words come to life on the stage helps you hopefully as you’re reading understand that Shakespeare incorporates stage directions into the language of the characters and maybe helps you be more aware of the blocking and the placement of the characters in that world,” Dr. Paskali said. Students have been attending this trip for eight years since 2009 when Dr. Paskali introduced the trip. This year, among the crowd of attendees were seven seniors who had attended the trip throughout all of their years of high school, experiencing a wide variety of Shakespeare’s works over four years. “I had to chose between Shakespeare and Drake,” trip attendee Shivani Awasthi (12) said. “And Shakespeare won.”

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VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

SQUIRRELS OF HARKER aquila copy editor & photo editor

Boldly darting across campus, a squirrel nimbly weaves through a maze of students in an attempt to reach the delicious half-eaten pizza crust lying on the ground. Stuffing as much as it can into its mouth, the squirrel scampers away into the bushes to enjoy its meal in private. From dawn to dusk, these furry creatures roam freely across the school grounds either foraging for food or exploring their environment, paying no attention to the human traffic around them. “They’re fearless,” Selin Sayiner (11) said. “They’ll go for anything; they’ll come up to people and not be scared.” Though squirrels come across as harmless animals residing on the campus, they can often cause trouble for students and faculty. Squirrels not only run into school buildings and invade students’ backpacks but also like to explore Manzanita Hall, which

can be a problem for the kitchen staff. “They’ll usually try to come in through the front doors there, but the maintenance guys deal with them,” Executive Director of Food Services Callie Stanley said. Squirrels also scavenge trash cans around campus for leftover food that students dispose of throughout the day or sit attentively near students during lunch time, waiting for scraps of food to fall from the table. Many times their sudden commotion frightens students. “I think that sometimes they’re kind of creepy because they just pop out of nowhere,” Shania Wang (10) said. “You’ll be sitting down, and they just run out of the bush at you.” The squirrels’ health also remains a concern. Although they are not picky eaters, the human food available to them on campus is not nutritious. “It’s not good for them to be living in an environment where they might consume something like pizza or pasta sauce that has too much oil and could be harmful to their

bodies, so it’s better for the squirrels if they eat more food that’s meant for squirrels,” Emily Chen (11) said. With winter quickly approaching, squirrels are bound to stay indoors longer to avoid the cold weather outside. Some students don’t mind the squirrels’ presence on campus. “I know they get inside the buildings, but there’s nothing wrong with the squirrels,” Davis Dunaway (12) said. Other students believe that the squirrels’ intrusions are disruptive. “Squirrels are vile creatures that wreak havoc at school. They ruin my day and they follow me everywhere. I really don’t like them,” Raveena Panja (11) said. “One time a squirrel followed me in the bathroom, and another time it chewed my backpack.” Whether students and faculty see squirrels as cute animals quietly roaming the campus or vicious scavengers attacking helpless passersby, they will inevitably be a part of our community.

What’s your funniest squirrel story? “Two years ago I remember seeing a squirrel at the trash can right outside of Dobbins, and it was dragging a mostly eaten piece of pizza, and it was dragging it slowly and surely to the bush right next to the nurse’s office. It was pretty amazing.” -Jordan Murtiff (12)

“I heard some rustling from one of the wet bins with the lid on. I went over to look at it and a squirrel jumped out on my face and it ran away.” -Jerry Chen (11)

“Emily and I were walking towards Nichols hall going to advisory and this squirrel jumped out of the dry bin. Emily screamed and backed into me, and I yelled.” -Christine Tang (9)

“Our furry rodents hanging from these oaks unclasping tiny jaws, at last you spoke.” -M.E.S

CAPTIONS 1 2 3 4

MUNCHIES A squirrel satisfies its pre-lunch cravings with a healthy, vegan snack.

AUTUMN AESTHETIC The earthy tones popular in fall compliment any rodent’s coat. HOTLINE SPRING Preparing to pounce, this squirrel recalls how her ex used to call her on their cell bone.

TRASH TALK Perched on a Nichols wet bin, a squirrel dishes to an acorn. The nuts are such good listeners.

MEURSQUIRREL A furry friend embraces nihilism.

ON THE PROWL A squirrel practices his runway walk for this fall’s ready-to-eat acorn collection.

7 8

LUNCH TO-GO Acorns come in convenient, portable packages for Harker’s most industrious squirrels. FLAMES OF KNOWLEDGE A squirrel gazes hopefully into the Harker horizon.

ALL PHOTOS BY KSHITHIJA MULAM, NEIL BAI, AND ASHLEY JIANG

neil bai & ashley jiang

KSHITHIJA MULAM

FEATURES

MONDAY, OCT. 10, 2016| THE HARKER UPPER SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER, VOL. 18, NO. 2

| www.harkeraquila.com

Winds of change Native Americans protest Columbus Day

“In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. He had three ships and left from Spain; he sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.” These are the first four lines of a children’s poem celebrating Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas—a voyage credited by history textbooks to have opened up trading networks between the Old World and the New, to have brought Spain immense wealth and to have helped pioneer new techniques in sailing and navigation. It was also a voyage that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Native Americans. Some died due to acts of violence committed by members of Columbus’s crew, others due to infections carried by European sailors. “There’s no doubt that he killed them. To use the word that his biographer used, it was genocide,” AP European History teacher Byron Stevens said. “As a governor, he was quite ruthless and cruel when he wasn’t getting what he thought that he needed.” Franklin D. Roosevelt officially established Columbus Day as a federal holiday in 1937. Yet since the late 20th century, Native American activists and allies have been protesting against Columbus Day and petitioning administrations to recognize Oct. 12 as not solely the day that marks the anniversary of Columbus’s arrival in America, but also a day that represents the solidarity and rich culture of the Native American community. “Abolishing Columbus Day could help us,” said Diversity Committee faculty member Pilar Aguero-Esparza. “What would be a better alternative; what are we forgetting about our history, and how this country was founded.” In 1992, Berkeley, California became the first city to officially observe “Indigenous Peoples’ Day”, a holiday meant to honor Native American culture and to serve as a counter-celebration against Columbus Day while bringing awareness to the strife that native populations faced

“Abolishing Columbus Day could help us. A better alternative: what are we forgeting about our history and how this country was foudned.” PILAR AGUERO-ESPARZA DIVERSITY COMMITTEE MEMBER

While the advocacy for Indigenous People’s day has fueled the Native American call for social justice for over twenty years, the North Dakota pipeline protests have taken center stage in the movement in recent weeks. The construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, a construction project spanning four states to transport crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois, has sparked a surge of Native American activism across the country. Energy Transfer Partners, a Texas-based natural gas company, proposed to build the pipeline over miles of sacred Native American burial grounds and ritual sites. Spurred by the effects that the building of the conduit would have on their culture, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe of North Dakota stands on the forefront of this movement against

the construction. Victor Woods, vice chairman of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians in San Diego, is one of the coordinators who supplies the Sioux tribe and other protesters with necessary provisions. “[The land] is extremely important to us—it’s the reason for our being,” Woods said. “We have funerary objects located in those areas that should not be disturbed by any means and should be left as they are, considering the land was first Native American property prior to contact with colonials. It’s our cultural essentially being desecrated when they dissect this land.” Many Native American tribes from all over the nation have banded with the Sioux in a collective effort to rally against Energy Transfer Partners. While reservation leaders like Woods support the protesters remotely through shipments of food and supplies, more than 200 tribes as well as hundreds of individuals have gathered in person at Standing Rock in North Dakota. “The Native American community is more unified than it ever has been in written history,” said Sara Amador, a protester from the Kumeyaay tribe. “You have tribes that have been enemies as far back as history goes, but they’re coming together at this moment. It’s amazing what’s happening right now.” The protests are mainly peaceful, although demonstrators report that officers have allegedly used pepper spray and security dogs to suppress protesters. Nevertheless, the activists continue to fight for their rights and for their land, delivering what is viewed by many as a message of fortitude and unification. “The tribes are collectively coming together to reinstate our presence here. It’s truly a renaissance of our culture across the continent,” Woods said. “We should never be forgotten; we should never be marginalized. Native Americans have been through a lot of cultural decimation, but we are still here. We are not going anywhere. We are still here, even after everything we’ve been through. Even after Columbus.”

NATIVE PRIDE (RIGHT) A Native American dancer dressed in traditional garb performs a tribal dance at the Indigenous Peoples Day celebration in Berkeley. (LEFT) (BOTTOM) A tribal member delivers one of the dances of the ceremony at the first Indigenous Peoples Day celebration and pow-wow in Berkeley in 1993. The dances performed included the men’s Fancy Dance, consisting of intricate footwork, and the Jingle Dance, a healing dance in which dancers perform dressed in row upon row of chiming cones. (LEFT) Native American instrumentalists and singers perform at the first Indigenous Peoples Day pow-wow in Berkeley in 1993.

ALL PHOTOS PROVIDED BY IPDPOWWOW.ORG

asst. features editor & reporter

during European conquests. Each year, Berkeley hosts a cultural festival to commemorate this event. Gino Barichello, a tribal member of the Mvskoke nation, organizes the pow-wow, the ceremonial part of the celebration that revolves around traditional Native American feasting and performing arts. “It’s a day to honor the contributions of Indigenous People of America, where people can come together to learn about Native American culture, to learn about Native artwork and food and to celebrate our cultural identity,” Barichello said. “This year’s Indigenous People’s day festival is a dedication to those involved in the struggle of the establishment of the pipeline in Dakota territories, and we stand in solidarity with Standing Rock and invite people out to get educated about it.”

Students express themselves and spread personal insight through individual blogs nicole chen & jin tuan

aquila featurs editor & reporter

ALL PHOTOS MEILAN STEIMLE

prameela kottapalli & natasha maniar

INTERNET FEELS Arushee Bhoja’s (10) uses her blog, Unadorned Gifts, as an outlet for her emotions. Many upper school students run blogs in their free time.

A photograph of two hands covered in glitter appears on a computer screen followed by a field of flowers with the sun shining above the horizon. The thoughts of the blogger, Arushee Bhoja (10), sit in between these photos as blocks of text. Blogging in the 21st century takes on many different forms. From social networking websites like Tumblr to the customizable microblogs provided by websites like WordPress, many use blogging as a form of expression as well as general hobby. For students, the idea of blogging serves a different purpose. Some upper school stu-

dents actively run blogs, but their individual blogs play differing parts in their life as well as in the bigger community of blogs. Arushee shares photographs, poems and other works on her blog, unadornedgifts. blogspot.com. She mainly uses her blog as an outlet for releasing emotions. “I started blogging a few years,” she said. “I wanted to talk about my thoughts and emotions for the world to see.” Blogging gives many students a platform for expression, whether for their own use or to brighten other people’s days. Jeffrey Yang (9) uses his blog, delayingthefuture.blogspot.com, to document important events in his life as well as to express his feelings. “I just felt like I really want-

ed to share my ideas [and] have a medium to express myself freely,” Jeffrey said. “My friend really pushed me to write this blog, and they were like, ‘You should just express your emotions and what you think about the world.’” Adhya Hoskote (9) runs smilescentral.blogspot.com, a blog dedicated to creating and maintaining happiness in individuals that read her posts. “I think that writing to change people’s lives appealed to me, so I put my words and I was encouraged to start a blog and I did, and I got a lot of good feedback,” Adhya said. “I think it’s to bring a sense of joy into people’s lives and remind them that it’s not all bad and just keep them optimistic as much as they can.”

FEATURES

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

5 6 7 8 ... Student choreographers begin rehearsals for dance show adrian chu & anya weaver

ANYA WEAVER

Y LE SH

opinion editor & reporter

DANCE FEVER (TOP) Maria (Emmie) Malyugina rehearses a dance for the dance show.(MIDDLE) Students practice their dance choreographed by David Zhu (12). (BOTTOM LEFT) (BOTTOM RIGHT) Students rehearse their dance choreographed by Tamlyn Doll (12).

Class News Freshman student council announced

Humans of Harker Sravya Cherukuri choreographer * dancer * actor

KSHITHIJA MULAM

editor-in-chief

ASHLEY JIANG

SANJANA MARCE (12) “I have a lot of basis in modern dance, and I have a lot of personal inspiration from choreographers like Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham and like my own teachers, that I have been able to work with,” another student choreographer, Sanjana Marce (12) said. “That definitely inspires, both consciously and subconsciously the work that I

This signature series will profile each member of the class of 2017. to see the entire series visit harkeraquila.com.

Norman Garcia athlete * cultural historian * music connoisseur

nicole chen

meilan steimle

LOCAL GOVERNMENT From left to right, Secreraty Rachel Broweleit, President Byan Wang, Treasurer Avi Gulatti, and Vice President Jack Jia pose together after being “innagurated” by other student council members. Spirit Coordinator Adhya (Addie) Hoskote is not pictured,

“I know that it’s very different from dancing itself, but it’s also an awesome process to be able to create your own pieces, and that’s something that I wanted to explore and be a part of.”

make.” Student choreographer Liana Wang (11) said she was inspired by the theme of the show. “For the dance I’m doing for this show, I was thinking, since it’s about circus, it just kinda reminded me of those Victorian kind of road shows, back in the day,” Liana said. “So I was thinking of more traditional circus, so that’s kind of where I drew my inspiration from.” Every week, student choreographers spend several hours working on their piece between one and seven hours coming up with the piece and an hour rehearsing with dancers. While there are many different reasons for students to take the choreography course, the promise of something new is a big factor . “When I did choreography last year, it’s always been something I’m interested in,” Sanjana said. “I know that it’s very different from dancing itself, but it’s also an awesome process to be able to create your own pieces, and that’s something that I wanted to explore and be a part of.” Student choreographers take the class for seniors who reapplied after taking the class in their junior years. The reapplication process included an interview with the dance teachers as well as a short solo routine to display the applicant’s choreography level and dancing skill set. The dance show will be on Jan. 28 at the Blackford theater.

aquila features editor

5 new officers announced during class meeting

The class of 2020 elected their student council representatives September 29. The class voted into office: Bryan Wang as President, Jack Jia as Vice President, Avi Gulatti as Treasurer, Rachel Broweleit as Secretary and Adya Hoskote as Spirit Coordinator. “Our class need a closer community because currently we’re all pretty separated. I think more events that could involve everyone instead of just a select few people would help to bring up the student interest,” said Rachel (9). Avi shared his short-term plan for the class. “My plan for this school year is definitely becoming more spirited, making the freshman class defy all the other classes, no matter what preconceived notion they have about freshmen.” he said.

With January comes the upper school dance show, and there are unseen preparations; student choreographers have already begun creating their routines and teaching them to dancers. The 10 choreographers pick the various elements of their dance and have total control in making their piece. “We pick the music right away, at the very beginning,” student choreographer Miranda Larsen (11) said, “and then slowly as we go on we have to pick costumes, and we have to tell them our lighting choices and formations. “ Though student choreographers create their own routines, dance teachers Rachelle Haun and Karl Kuehn provide their insight and select the dancers who go into each routine. “I do like being assigned dancers by teachers because it allows me to meet new people and talk to people that I wouldn’t usually talk to,” Tamlyn Doll (12), a student choreographer, said. “I know last year for my dance I met a lot of new friends through choreographing. I wouldn’t have normally talked to the same group of people.” Choreographers draw inspiration from their own experiences as dancers as well as the theme of circus and their peers.

“All of the Harker choreographers that I’ve had during my time at Harker have definitely influenced me in some way,” student choreographer David Zhu (12) said. “Whether hip hop, which is my preferred style, or jazz or other types of styles, I think I’ve incorporated small elements of everybody’s style into my own style.” They each have different own ways of getting inspiration for their pieces.

“Keep moving forward -- I think that’s an amazing phrase because I think many people get drawn back by negative things in their life, and they’re unable to move past that, but I think keep moving forward is the best phrase. Find a new passion, find the things that you love, it’s okay to go through these struggles, just keep moving.” SRAVYA CHERUKURI

As a child, Sravya Cherukuri’s (12) viewed Bollywood movies as her main source of entertainment. Her early interest later grew into a passion for dance and theater. Sravya began exploring dance almost ten years ago, when aspects of Bollywood movies prompted her to want to imitate similar movements in her own dance styles. “Bollywood movies really inspired me because of the dancing, color [and] dynamics, and that’s how I first started Indian classical dance,” Sravya said. “I was a huge fan of this Indian actress Madhuri Dixit. She had the most amazing expressions ever, and I would try to mimic that in my Indian classical dance.” Dancing gives Sravya a chance to express her emotions without using words, as she has had experiences of speech problems that interfered with her efforts to communication with others. “I had a lot of speech problems as a kid, so people didn’t understand what I was trying to say,” Sravya said. “When I danced, i was able to express my feelings more thoroughly and communicate with others.” At the upper school, Sravya co-choreographs one of the dances for the upper school dance show. She is also heavily involved with rehearsing and preparing for the fall play, as she takes on major roles in this year’s show. “I hope to remembered as that kid who kept on pushing people to get out of their comfort zones because it’s senior year and people are just kind of chilling,” Sravya said. “I want to be that kid that constantly motivates others to do their best and

“When I first started coming to Harker, it was very difficult, because public school and private school are completely different. It was a really rough transition. But I transitioned very well, and I worked hard every day, and I didn’t give up. There was one point where I almost did give up, but I told myself, ‘hard work pays off, hard work pays off.’” NORMAN GARCIA rose guan copy editor

Norman Garcia loves sports and music, but it’s his golden necklace that connects him most to the past. “I love history. It’s just my passion. Ever since second grade I’ve loved it,” Norman said. “My uncle gave [my necklace] to me, and he’s had this necklace since he was, like, 15 years old, so it’s really meaningful to me because he’s been through a lot. He was in the war when Nicaragua was in civil war, and he had this.” Norman also approaches the world with open arms. His sociability and enthusiasm for teamwork have taken form with his football experience. “I love working with a team, and that’s mainly why I joined football, because just having that brotherhood experience or that team experience is just great,”

Norman said. “You get to rely on other people if you need help, or they can rely on you if they need help.” Will Park (12), also a member of the varsity football team, describes Norman as a good friend who’s “always there to lift me up.” “He’s my best friend. Norman’s a really reliable and trustworthy type of person,” Will said. Norman’s life motto is “hard work pays off,” and he plans to find a job in his field of study after graduating from college. “My dad motivates me a lot because my dad’s a single parent. He raised me ever since I was born, and I’ve only had a couple people in my family for me,” Norman said. “I want to make him proud for all the hard work he’s done. I want him to feel like all the hard work he did will pay off with me.”

FEATURES

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

A guide to fall seasonal produce

FAST FACTS: FALL FOOD • The nitric oxide in beets, widens blood vessels, increasing blood flow. This reduces the amount of oxygen a muscle needs, allowing muscles to work with less oxygen.

so does the seasonal produce. At the farmers market, squashes and apples begin to appear, while berries and peaches disappear. The best fall produce includes beets, winter squash, persimmons, and figs, allowing for a variety of recipes this season.

ria gupta & anika rajmani reporters

Autumn is here, the leaves are falling and the wind is blowing. As the weather changes,

PERSIMMONS Bright orange and crisp, persimmons make for a great snack in the fall. The two most prominent types of persimmons include Hachiyas and Fuyus. Hachiyas, only eaten ripe, have an acorn-like shape. Fuyus resemble tomatoes, except for their bright orange color. This fruit tastes best when eaten raw, but they can also be added to baked goods. Most people eat ripe Hachiyas like pudding, using a spoon to scoop out its interior. Fuyus can be cut unpeeled and added to salads. Make sure you allow the Hachiyas to sit out on the counter for a little while, but the Fuyus should be refrigerated to keep it crisp.

• The fat in baked goods can be substituted with fig puree. • Half a cup of figs has the same calcium content as half a cup of milk. • Because beets have silica, they help the body utilize calcium, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

If you are looking for the perfect addition to a soup, look no further! Winter squash can be bought year-round, but they really thrive in the summer and the fall. The term winter squash encompasses many different varieties of squash. Each type of squash has its own special texture and taste which allow it to be cooked in different ways. When in the store, make sure to choose hard squashes that do not cave in when pressed. The color of the squash should be bright, and the skin should not peel easily. If you are going to prepare the squash whole, you should make sure to really give it a good scrub. For other recipes, you can just remove the outer layer with a sharp knife, cut the squash in half, and remove all the seeds.

BEETS When buying beets, look for the ones heavy for their size. For beets with their leaves attached, check for a vibrant green, avoiding wilted and yellow leaves. The greens can be sauteed and used to make a delicious salad. Their versatility makes for a wonderful ingredient in the kitchen. Try tossing some roasted beets in your next salad or even using some to make naturally colored red velvet cupcakes. Their bright red interior flawlessly takes the place of red food coloring.

• It can take a persimmon tree up to 7 years before it produces fruit. • There are approximately 2,000 varieties of persimmon, but there are only 2 types sold in markets: hachiya and fuyu.

WINTER SQUASH

• Roasted squash can be served as pasta because its flesh separates into strands

Activist Emily Lindin takes a stand against sexual shaming

Netflix releases “Audrie & Daisy”, a documentary delving into the suicides of two Santa Clara high school girls, Audrie Pott and Daisy Coleman, who had been sexually assaulted and bullied.

The Port Townsend Film Festival in Washington screens UnSlut, Emily Lindin’s documentary examining the effects of shaming on young women. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Actress and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson delivers a speech at the U.N. addressing issues such as gender equality in universities and campus sexual assault.

the time was the certainty that she could find happiness again. “I needed reassurance that I wasn’t alone and that other people had gone through things similar and had come out not just okay, but thriving and happy,” Lindin said. “Often when girls are going through something

Sept. 24

ing her “disgusting” and urging users to “check out her sex tape and past.” “Slut shaming implies that a girl is only defined by whether or not she’s had sex, whether or not she has breasts, what her body looks like, if she flirts, if she dates,” Lindin said. “It im-

Lindin decided to bring this reassurance to others with similar experiences and to give voice to all those subjected to sexual bullying by sharing her stories. In 2013, she published her middle school journal entries online, which became the foundation of her book, “Unslut: A Diary and a Memoir”, her documentary, “Unslut: A Documentary Film” and her organization, the Unslut Project. Through her activism, Lindin has encouraged others to share their own stories, and has witnessed the strides various communities have taken towards the prevention of sexual bullying. “The UnSlut project is rooted in personal story sharing because often, it can be hard for people to change their mind about the acceptance of women’s sexuality unless we make it personal and tell our own experiences, how hurtful it’s been for us and how we’ve struggled,” Lindin said. “Now, It seems like girls are finding their voices and feeling more empowered to speak up about their own expeCelebrities and activists attend Amber Rose’s second annual #slutwalk to protest for women’s equality and against rape culture.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

EMILY LINDIN

like that, they’re afraid that life won’t get better, and they just can’t see how things could ever be happy and okay again.”

Oct. 1

“What I needed was reassurance that I wasn’t alone and that other people had gone through things similar and had come out not just okay, but thriving and happy.”

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Sept. 20

Emily Lindin founds the UnSlut Project.

PROVIDED BY EMILY LINDIN

April 2013

When Emily Lindin was in sixth grade, she was labeled the “school slut.” “Slut.” The word is used in a range of contexts, from a belittling joke that friends use with one another to a disparaging insult whispered behind backs and beyond the secrecy of closed doors—and, in Lindin’s case, said right to her face. “I don’t think there is one working definition for ‘slut’ given the way it’s used—I define it as a catch-all insult for girls and women to remind us of our current place in the world,” Lindin said. “It’s always uneccessary as a joke, and it carries pain and harm when it’s used as an insult.” One of the prominent and perhaps most common situations in which the label is used is through the act of shaming: denouncing and stigmatizing a woman for allegedly infringing upon the social expectations set before her in regards to her sexual behavior. Although this stigmatization is deeply rooted in the culture of high schools and universities,

plies that that’s the sum total of her being and her worth.” Lindin’s experience caused her pain and suffering as a preteen and teenager, but she eventually regained the confidence she had lost at the time. Then she heard about the deaths of Rehtaeh Parsons, Audrie Pott and Amanda Todd, three young women who had committed suicide after having been sexually bullied. Lindin recalled what she had gone through as a child and how what she truly needed at

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

asst. features editor

shaming also occurs within domestic settings, workplace environments and social media communities. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump released a tweet on Sept. 29 in an attempt to discredit former Miss Universe Alicia Machado, a supporter of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton whom Clinton had spoken about during the Sept. 25 presidential debate. In the post, Trump shamed Machado for her sexual history, call-

Sept. 23

prameela kottapalli

Q&A qith Katie Cappiello prameela kottapalli asst. features editor

Katie Cappiello is the co-director of the Arts Effect All-girl theater company in New York. She is the founder and co-director of several original theatre production including “SLUT”, a play that examines sexual bullying attitudes surrounding girls and women in modern society, and she is an honoree of the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Winged Post: How does sexual shaming extend beyond the female community? Katie Cappiello: People of all genders are sexually shamed. I think feminist statements should create room for all genders to have conversations about what’s happening to them. So when we talk about sexual shaming when it comes to girls, we can also open the door and discuss the sexual shaming that boys face too. Because they do, and often at the hands of other boys. WP: How do we push aside the jokes and insults involved in shaming culture and initiate a serious dialogue about gender equality? KC: The first step is to acknowledge e sexual shaming language that we have about people of all genders: people of the trans community, people who identify as agender and boys––the sexual shaming that happens with boys. The language around boys when they don’t want to hook up, when they don’t pressure a girl to do a certain thing, when they don’t act ‘manly.’

DOUBLETRUCK

Balloonin Costs

meilan steimle, maya vallaru, & michael sikand

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

editor-in-chief, aquila news editor & aquila social media editor

how to use an epipen: on you or others 1. Hold the epipen firmly 2. Inject into the thigh 3. Remove epipen

EpiPen price hikes puts medication out of reach for some familes without. “[The pricing of the EpiPen] still affects me. I can get 12 free [of the 24 required], and the other half I have to buy. We were thinking about sending more with debate this year, so once we start sending out EpiPens in first-aid kits for overnight trips, you start thinking, well, how many EpiPens do you need when they are priced at $112 for two,” Harker Health Services Director Debra Nott said. “Harker is the only school I know that trains every single faculty member and BEST

HARKER DIRECTORY

After eight years of steadily increasing the list price of the EpiPen, an emergency allergic reaction treatment device, Mylan N.V., the pharmaceutical giant behind the life-saving product, has met public rage and a Capitol Hill hearing in response to their pricing strategy. The EpiPen is an injection designed to counter life-threatening allergic reactions known as anaphylaxis to foods, medications, materials, insect bites and other allergens. The active ingredient in the treatment, epinephrine, is a synthetic version of the hormone adrenaline, which works to bolster blood pressure and relax lung and airway muscles to promote the intake of air. Increasing in price by more than 550 percent since 2007, the EpiPen is now priced at $608.61 for a pack of two, dictating almost entirely a $1 billion market hinged on subduing intense allergic reactions. With an overwhelming majority of market share, Mylan’s domination gives the company the power to economically manipulate a product that many can not go

remove and massage the area for 10 seconds.

put orange tip to thigh and push firmly. wait for a click to know it has activated. hold for several seconds. Don’t inject any other body part.

hold over the thigh with your fist. avoid accidentally triggering the epipen with your hand. pull off the blue activation cap.

proficient in first-aid and the administration of the EpiPen, Harker’s unique policy of training the entire faculty in EpiPen use reflects its importance in school medicine. The entire faculty watches a demonstration detailing the use of the EpiPen in the first few months of a new school year. In 2015, the Harker health department sought the purchase of two EpiPen Jrs, a product version for toddlers, to be stored at the pre-school. Since Harker had already received their free EpiPens for

“[The price hike] for me is insane because I always have so many EpiPens that the rise in price will definitely impact my family.” GRACEAN LITHACUM-JANKER (11) STUDENT WITH SEVERE PEANUT ALLERGY

Staff member to use an EpiPen. Everyone around you is trained with EpiPens and first aid.” While a majority of schools only require the principal and the health aide to be

the year, Nott cited paying over $600 for a pack of two, demonstrating the expensive effect on school medicine expenditures. Gracean Linthacum-Janker (11), who has a life-threat-

ening allergy to peanuts, relies on EpiPens in her dayto-day life. “If I touch or eat [peanut butter], I automatically have to use the EpiPen. There’s no Benadryl; you have about 30 seconds to get Benadryl in me before my throat closes up and I need my EpiPen,” she said. “I carry [an EpiPen] on me at all times in my backpack, and I always have a duo pack at home and in my mom’s purse, at my grandparents’ house. So that for me is insane because I always have so many EpiPens that the rise in price will definitely impact my family.” A hearing held by the House Oversight Committee on the price increases of the EpiPen questioned the motives, integrity and $19 million yearly salary of Mylan’s CEO, Heather Bresch, on Sept. 21. Bresch emphasized to the panel that Mylan makes only $50 in profit for every EpiPen it sells for more than $300. Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz of Utah reported the company’s profit to actually be $160 before the U.S. tax rate. “The greed is astounding, it’s sickening and disgusting,” congressman John Duncan of Tennessee said at the hearing. “I’m a very conservative, pro-business Republican, but I am really sickened by what

I heard today, and what I’ve read before about this situation.” Mylan can expect a slough of inquiries from lawmakers and law enforcement. Government probes will be undertaken to investigate crimes such as fraud and tax inversion, along with the request for access to internal documents regarding corporate finance. In addition to governmental pressures, the power of social media in the matter revealed itself as the outrage of thousands of EpiPen-reliant parents became apparent in Facebook and Twitter rants. Viral petitions such as Mellini Kantayya’s “Stop the EpiPen Price Gouging,” on petition2Congress.com, have prompted nearly 145,000 people to send in messages to Congress. In the wake of legal scrutiny and consumer pressure, Mylan announced the introduction of a $300 generic version of the branded EpiPen product in addition to the ongoing development of an increased device expiration date. Until the generic version hits shelves towards the end of the year, parents and schools alike will continue to feel the financial strain at the hands of pharmaceutical price gouging.

Timeline of epinephrine medications Twinject, another device used to administer epinephrine, is approved by the FDA, but fails to gain much traction in the market.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

2003

After people realize that the ComboPen could be used to administer epinephrine, it is specialized into the EpiPen and approved by the FDA.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

1986

Biochemical engineer Sheldon Kaplan invents the ComboPen, which the military used as a fast way to administer drugs during chemical warfare.

Twinject Tustle

Epinephrine Inception WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

1970

Activation Energy

DOUBLETRUCK • VOLUME 18 ISSUE 2 • OCTOBER 16, 2016

1. Protective barrier 2. Retract the outer body to release the epinephrine 3. Epinephrine solution 4. Plunger

$608.61

MMON

DIA CO

WIKIME

$600

5. Loaded spring that drives the plunger and the needle 6. Four latch mechanisms that hold the plunger secure

$500

5 Hackers create EpiPencil as a cheapter alternative to EpiPen The hacker group Four Thieves Vinegar Collective created a $30 alternative to the EpiPen, called the EpiPencil, after the controversy regarding Mylan N.V.’s pricing actions in late August. The hackers at the Four Thieves Vinegar Collective released a video of member Michael Laufer, who is not a certified medical doctor, instructing viewers how to create the EpiPencil out of materials available for purchase online, including syringes, non-fixed needle devices and hypodermic needles.The epinephrine, however, must be obtained through prescription. A printable label to paste on the EpiPencil with instructions for use as well as the group’s logo is available on their website. While the hackers’ alternative costs only 5 percent of the EpiPen, many allergic people will not rely on this DIY version of the medical device. As criticized by medical professionals as well as users of EpiPens,

using an entirely unregulated form of allergy medication is dangerous. Not only could the device malfunction entirely, but the amount of the epinephrine inserted into the device and then into the patient could also be inexact and fail to save a person in critical condition. Gracean L i n thacum-Janker (11), who suffers from severe peanut allergies and has used EpiPens twice before, says that she will never use the EpiPencil because of the risk factor. “I would not ever use that one because, from what I’ve heard, it does not have the same amount of [epinephrine] and different ingredients,” she said. “My family would rather pay the very high price of an EpiPen rather than save some money.”

$400

$300

$200.00 $200

GRAPH: PRICE OF EPIPEN UNDER MYLAN OWNERSHIP

$93.88

SOURCE: BUSINESS INSIDER GRAPHIC: MEILAN STEIMLE

$100

2013

Mylan agrees to allow a competitor into the epinephrine-administration market in 2015 in order to settle a lawsuit.

2014

2015

2016

A Steep Hike After years of gradually increasing the list-price of the EpiPen, Mylan hikes it to over $600, more than six times the price it inherited in 2007.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

2012

Lawsuit Loss

Mylan Milestone Mylan Pharmaceuticals acquires the EpiPen, after it changes hands several times. The company that sells to Mylan is Merck KGaA.

2011

2016

2010

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

2009

2012

2008

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

2007

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

SPORTS

Fall Sports

Students perform pregame rituals to prepare to compete sports editor

Many athletes have their own rituals or routines to focus and prepare before important games. These pregame rituals range from simply breathing to physically preparing for a game or competition. Some athletes take time before a game to calm themselves and concentrate, including swimmer Kevin Xu (11). “After the warm-up, I put my head on a lane line and drown out all outside noise,” he said. “Then I get in the zone.” For Vivian Wang (11), another swimmer, the concentration for a race begins the day before. “The day before a big meet, I usually hang out with friends, watch TV or anything that calms the nerves. Then, the day of [the meet], I try to stay positive and listen to music so I can focus on my race,” Vivian said. “I usually

try to focus on my own race and not worry too much about my competitors because it helps me perform better.” Many other athletes also prioritize this concentration and take similar steps to clear their minds before athletic events. “I always take five deep breaths before a basketball game. Then, as a team, we all like hang out in the team room and sometimes watch videos of the other team,” Prameela Kottapalli (10) said. “When we don’t watch videos, we just hang out and then [our] coach gives us a mini lecture about what to expect before we enter the gym together. After we enter, we do warmups and our usual [preparation].” Some athletes’ rituals are more concerned with the physical aspects of their preparation and are very specific about details regarding their rituals. “When I put my shin guards,

socks and cleats on, I always start with the left side,” Aislinn Coveney (11) said. “I always have to put on the left side first because I have this superstition

“When I put my shin guards, socks and cleats on, I always start with the left side. I always have to put on the left side first because I have this superstition that if I don’t, I’ll play badly.” AISLINN COVENEY (11) SOCCER PLAYER that if I don’t, I’ll play badly.” Athletes also establish joint rituals with teammates. Juniors Rahul Mehta and Peter Connors

perform a specific handshake with each other before basketball games. Other athletes base their pre-game routines around the environment of their home courts, using specific aspects of the courts as part of their rituals. Water polo captain Arnav Tandon (12) has a ritual specifically for the upper school Singh Aquatic Center. “The sequence for home games is I change, go into the bathroom and wash my face, get my mouthguard and then on the way to the pool, I slap all the black poles next to the fence and the shower poles,” Arnav said. “Then I do [an] arm shake [and] stretch my legs. I also listen to music.” While different athletes prepare for games and events in different ways, their goals are ultimately the same: to prepare for the game and have the greatest chance of winning.

Fantasy football season kicks off reporter & sports editor

With the fantasy football season underway, upper school students and faculty members actively track the NFL season and check and switch up their fantasy lineups. These football fans create leagues with their friends in order to put their knowledge and analysis of the actual football season to the test. Participants draft players and use their teams to compete against other league members in earning fantasy points, which depend on how well each drafted NFL player does in a given time period. Some football enthusiasts enjoy the fantasy version as a complement to the actual games, mirroring the decisions that coaches in the NFL have to make. “I love playing fantasy football every single year because it adds another dimension to professional football through picking a team of superstars and fighting for glory among your friends,” said Michael Kwan (11), who plays in a league of juniors. “It’s always a tough choice every single week of who to put

Fantasy Point Leaders QB

- Matt Ryan

- Greg Olsen

in your squad, and this season, my picks haven’t been very solid.” The analysis of the NFL associated with this game has led other players to develop strategies to outwit their opponents. “I got off to a slow start at 0-3, but that was so that [the rest of my league] doesn’t see

- DeMarco Murray

- Dustin

Hopkins

me coming later on,” said Justin Jia (12), who plays in a league of seniors. Some faculty members have also joined in on fantasy football and are seeing success in their teams. “I am currently undefeated. I was initially very hesitant [to play], as I thought that fantasy

IN THE SPOTLIGHT GIRLS GOLF

- Julio Jones

Defense

Minnesota Vikings

football was way too involved for me, [but] I’ve had some help [from my students],” history teacher Julie Wheeler said. As the season goes on, fantasy players continue to optimize their teams and strategies in hopes of winning match-ups and making it to the playoffs.

ASHLEY JIANG

The boys water polo team currently holds a 9-1 league record and a 13-4 overall record. The team placed third in the Wilcox Great 8 tournament and in the Lynbrook Connolly tournament. “Despite the one home loss we have had this season, the team has been playing at a high level,” captain Misha Ivkov (12) said. “The attention our team puts on teamwork instead of individuality has led us to blow out several teams by huge margins and really shows the strength of the team.” The team next plays in an away game against Cupertino tomorrow.

CROSS-COUNTRY

The cross-country team recently competed in the Lowell, De La Salle, Stanford and Serra Invitationals. The team is currently training for future invitationals and the WBAL and CCS Championships later on. The team began to attend WBAL meets. “Cross country has been going really well. The whole team is improving rapidly, and is stronger than ever despite [consisting of] mostly underclassmen,” team captain Grace Koonmen (11) said. “The varsity runners went to the Stanford Invitational [and] put up a good fight against teams of mostly juniors and seniors and the entire team had their first league meet [last Thursday].” The team’s next meet is the Monterey Bay Invitational on Saturday.

FOOTBALL

SAHANA SRINIVASAN

The girls water polo team currently holds a 2-6 league record and a 4-9 overall record. The girls do not have a junior varsity counterpart, so the varsity team includes four freshmen, balancing its distribution of players in different grades. “This year we have a much stronger team than [we did] in past seasons. [Our win against Monta Vista on Sept. 29] was a great boost of confidence, and it really proved that we have improved significantly since the beginning of the season,” team member Meghana Karinthi (11) said. “I hope we continue to do better in the games to come.” The girls’ play Wilcox away tomorrow.

BOYS WATER POLO

GIRLS TENNIS

GIRLS WATER POLO

MICHAEL SIKAND

The girls golf team currently holds a 5-1 league record and a 6-2 overall record. The team set a new record at Los Lagos Golf Course in its win over Sacred Heart Preparatory on Sept. 21. “Our loss to Menlo was a bummer since we tied our best ever at that course, but I think it just made us stronger and want to win more. We beat Castilleja for the first time in Harker golf history, and we have a stellar record that we look forward to improving on,” team member Vanessa Tyagi (11) said. The girls next play against Notre Dame-Belmont tomorrow at home.

JUSTIN SU

sofie kassaras & alex wang

The girls volleyball team currently holds a 1-2 league record and a 3-10 overall record. The girls have now started league play after playing a series of games during their preseason. “We played pretty tough teams for pre-season, and now we’ve started league play. We’re continuing to improve and [are] excited to keep playing highly competitive teams,” captain Rachel Cheng (12) said. The girls’ play Menlo away tomorrow.

The varsity football team holds a current overall record of 2-4. The team currently plays regular season games that do not count towards their standings for the CIF Division IV playoffs. “The football season’s been going well, but it’s been tough; we’ve had some bad luck here and there, which causes us a few losses, but as of right now, we still have a chance of being CIF Division 4 champions,” Rishi Chopra (11) said. “We haven’t played a team in our league yet, so we’re 0-0 in league.” Their next game is away against Big Valley Christian on Friday.

The girls tennis team currently holds a 2-2 league record and a 7-2 overall record. The team won the Division Six Championship at the California Girls Tennis Classic. “The girls tennis team is off to a great start, although we’ve lost a couple of close-fought heartbreakers to our top competitors,” team member Rachel Broweleit (9) said. “Overall, we’ve been fighting hard and playing well.” The team next plays in an away match at Menlo School tomorrow.

ASHLEY JIANG

alex wang

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

VIJAY BHARADWAJ

Athletes prep up to step up

sports editor

KSHITHIJA MULAM

GET READY (LEFT) Arnav Tandon (12) prepares to throw a water polo ball. (MIDDLE) Vivian Wang (11) performs the butterfly stroke during a swim meet. (RIGHT) Prameela Kottapalli (10) plays defense in a basketball game. These three athletes partake in special pregame rituals in order to prepare for sports games.

ALL PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HARKER AQUILA

alex wang

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

Giants make playoffs justin su

sports editor

The San Franciso Giants advanced into the national leagueplayoffs on Wednesday by besting the New York Mets 3-1 in a NL wild card game. They face the Cubs tonight at AT&T Park in their third game for the national league championship. “I think the Giants were amazing in sweeping the LA Dodgers in the last week of the season,” said baseball fan and Head Chef Steve Martin. “Now it’s just up to them to get through the postseason and get to the World Series.” They faced the Cubs on Friday and Saturday at Wrigley Field in Chicago. “It’s really exciting,” junior Matt Kennedy said. “It’s a big, big time right now in the Bay Area with all the good sports teams playing, so I’m really happy.”

IN THE MOMENT

PASS PLAY Quarterback Nate Kelly (11) scans the field for teammates to throw the ball to. The eagles lost the game against Prospect 1417 in overtime on Friday, September 2.

JUSTIN SU

SPORTS

To stand or not to stand?

Colin Kaepernick starts a nationwide conversation justin su

MICHAEL SIKAND

sports editor

STEPPING UP Katelyn Vo (9) follows through on her swing at a varsity girls golf game against Sacred Heart at Los Lagos on Sept. 21. Katelyn and Larissa Tyagi are the only freshmen on the varsity girls golf team.

Freshmen excel on varsity teams copy editor

As fall sports teams head into their league seasons, freshmen participate in not only junior varsity teams but also the varsity teams. The freshmen on the cross-country team are Martin Bourdev, Evan Cheng, Rishi Dange, Richard Hu, Grant Miner, Sameer Prakash and Mihir Sharma. “It’s my first time,” Martin said. “It’s pretty fun to get to know people and go places to run.” The freshmen on the varsity football team are Griffin Crook, Phillip Han and Devin Keller. “A lot of people got injured, so then the junior varsity season was canceled, so now we’re all on varsity,” Phillip said. The freshmen on the girls golf team are Larissa Tyagi and Katelyn Vo.

“At first I was kind of scared because everyone’s older except for me and Katelyn, but everyone’s really nice,” Larissa said. The freshmen on the girls tennis team are Christina Bettink, Rachel Broweleit, Amanda Cheung, Emma Li, Gina Partridge, Sara Lynn Sullivan and Srivani Vegesna. “I talk to upperclassmen, and I can be with their friends,” Srivani said. “But sometimes it can get pretty rigorous.” The lone freshman on the varsity girls volleyball team is Emily Cheng. “I’m the only freshman, I don’t really have a close buddy to be with,” Emily said. “I have to mingle with the [upperclassmen]” The freshmen on the girls water polo team are Grace Hajjar, Cassandra Ruedy, Anika Tiwari and Alicia Xu. “I picked [water polo] up this year, and it’s really fun and

PARALYMPICS: neil bai & nina gee

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

aquila copy editor & reporter

SPEEDING AHEAD Paralympic athletes race against one another in the women’s T54 1500-meter race. Athletes are eligible in the races if they have a spinal cord injury and only use their upper body muscles in the race.

Nate Kelly (11) said. “I don’t really stand for what he’s doing, and it’s something I definitely wouldn’t do—I think it’s a sign of disrespect.” According to football coach Mike Tirabassi, no upper school football players have not stood during the anthem this season.

“We don’t have an official policy, but we respect the students’ freedom of speech as guaranteed by the constitution. We won’t deny that opportunity.” DAN MOLIN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

JUSTIN SU

rose guan

San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick has recently received criticism from some and support from others after deciding not to stand during the national anthem before football games. His protest started during the first preseason game; however, it did not gain attention until the third game. Kaepernick cited his reasons for not standing during the anthem to protesting injustices against African-Americans and other minorities in the United States. Since the start of the movement, other NFL players and even high school football players around the country have adopted his protest to show consolidation.

“I think it’s wrong to kneel against the anthem, but protesting against racial injustice is [good] and [racial injustice is] definitely a big problem, and I think he’s doing a very good job about it,” upper school offensive lineman Saketh Gurram (12) said. “It’s not like he’s just kneeling during the national anthem and not doing anything about it. He said he’s going to be donating his first millions to organizations to help improve the lives [of those people].” Other players on the football team are far less supportive of what Kaepernick is doing. “It’s America, and you have the right to believe in and say what you believe in, but I don’t think he should abuse that right, and I think that is what he’s doing,” upper school quarterback

Disabled athletes from all over the world gathered to compete in their respective sports from Sept. 7 to Sept. 18 in the Rio Paralympics. While the Summer Olympics in August still remain fresh in many students’ minds, its counterpart, the Paralympics, has not received as much attention. The Summer Olympics drew in an average of 25.4 million viewers while the Paralympics peaked at 2 million viewers during the opening ceremony. “The people that participate are very hardworking,” Patrick Zhong (11), who watched the Paralympics, said. “They spend a lot time preparing just like other Olympic athletes, and

“Our procedure has always been to stand on a line, helmets off, shoulder-to-shoulder, facing the American flag; that’s always been what we’ve done. [This year] I haven’t said anything differently than I always have,” Tirabassi said. “If one of them did approach me, I would really want to listen to why they wanted to do that and try to understand why they wanted to do anything and try to understand before I made a decision on what we would do, but I would first want to understand their perspective.” The athletic department has no policy against silent protest, and students who wish to act similarly to Kaepernick are within their rights to do so. “We don’t have an official policy, but we respect the students’ freedom of speech as guaranteed by the constitution,” Athletic Director Dan Molin said. “We won’t deny that opportunity.”

Pushed aside after Olympics

they deserve to be rewarded for that.” Paralympians include athletes with disabilities ranging from amputated limbs and visual impairments to missing fingers and ligament injuries that would prevent them from competing in the regular Olympics. This year, 4,359 athletes from 163 different countries competed, and more than 2 million Paralympics tickets were sold, the second highest amount of ticket sales in Paralympics history. A total of 210 new world records were set, including Algerian runner Abdellatif Baka’s three-minute, 48.29-second time in the men’s visually impaired 1,500-meter run. Three other visually impaired athletes running the men’s 1,500-meter also surpassed the previous

world record. “The most memorable moment was watching them finish the races,” Gina Partridge (9) said. “Especially for swimming there were some people who didn’t have arms but they still managed to finish with incredible times.” Some of the students who did watch the games or read articles about it believed that there was a lot to learn from the Paralympic athletes. “I am inspired that, despite their physical abilities, [Paralympic athletes] are still trying to compete,” Albert Pun (12) said. “I think most people only want to see the best when they are watching the Olympics, and I think the regular Olympics is more exciting for them.” The next Paralympics Games will take place in Korea.

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2011

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VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 10, 2016

2016

TAG, YOU’RE IT!

Upswing in meme tagging sweeps social media copy editor

In 2011, the Internet became fascinated with a three-minute, 37-second video of a pixelated cat with a pink Pop-Tart body trailed by a rainbow as it ran across the sky. Due to the “nyanyanyanya” background music, the cat—originally named “Pop-Tart Cat” by its creator, Christopher Torres— soon became “Nyan Cat” to the Internet. As the video went viral, the first modern meme was born. Memes refer to videos, images, short pieces of text or other material that spreads virally throughout the Internet, often on social media websites such as Reddit, Facebook and Instagram. Hundreds of memes have circulated around the Internet since that day, some more popular than others. Across multiple social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, there has been a recent upswing in users tagging their friends in the comment sections of public viral posts they find on their feeds, notifying the tagged friends. “When I get tagged, it’s usually some funny stuff or

some sad stuff, but I enjoy that, because it’s really relatable when I click into [it] and it’s connected somehow to some life experience that I share with my friends or some inside joke,” Facebook user Ray Song (12) said. “It used to be that something came up and people started making comments, but now it’s just a lot of tagging, so it’s not as interesting as it used to be.” According to a Winged Post survey, 13.6% of Harker Facebook users are tagged in 10 or more memes on a weekly basis. The phenomena has spread to members of the Harker community and beyond on social media platforms. Recent memes have become topics of heated discussion. Pepe the Frog, a meme created by Matt Furie that depicts a green frog with many different emotions, was labeled a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League due to its use by white supremacist groups. The Harambe meme, centering around the gorilla shot and killed at the Cincinnati Zoo in May, also triggered controversy because it was considered disrespectful. “I think that people see

a lot of other memes and are curious, or something makes them laugh or makes them think,” said Diane Main, upper school Director of Learning, Innovation and Design. “Typically, it’s latching onto something that’s usually popular culture or adapting something that’s going on in politics or something else but then having it relate to some image that may not be related.” Memes have also gained traction on a political scale. The campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton used screen grabs of memes combining the face of Pepe the Frog with Donald Trump’s hair to associate Trump with white supremacy. Social media users have created memes of both Clinton and Trump with pictures of both candidates’ faces and text that pertains to controversies surrounding these candidates, including Clinton’s use of a private email server and Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns. “Everyone’s doing a performance, and this is sort of a lot of the theory around social media,” said Jeremy Sarachan, chair of the Media and Com-

munications Department at St. John Fischer’s College. “People are in this state of performance, thinking, ‘And how can I entertain people?’”

“When I get tagged, it’s usually some funny stuff or sad stuff, but I enjoy that, because it’s really relatable when I click into [it] and it’s connected somehow to some life experience that I share with my friends or some inside joke.” RAY SONG (12) FACEBOOK USER Memes can make a lasting impression on those who look at them, helping information go viral. “A picture with the words are so much more powerful than a picture by itself or the words by itself,” Bohannon said.

tag @harkerstudent: what’s your favorite meme?

Memes fast facts • First Modern meme was “nyan cat” -created in 2011 • Richard Dawkins coined the term “meme” in his 1976 book “The Selfish Gene” • The study of memes is called “Memetics” • Mike Godwin proposed the idea of an “internet Meme” in 1993

Q&A

with Jeremy Sarachan, Program Director of Digital Cultures & Technologies at St. John Fischer’s College

Sarachan teaches a media studies course, which includes the study of memes.

Anu Selvaraj (9) “Pepe the Frog. Because he describes my emotions 99% of the time.”

Rahul Bhetanabhotla (11) "The SpongeGar meme. Because it's like really nonsequiturish and it's like hilarious to just be reading something, and then suddenly it's there and you're like 'what'." Tho?' meme because he's just sitting there, questioning life, and that's pretty much me right now, senior year. I'm questioning why I'm doing certain things, like 'why though?'"

KSHITHIJA MULAM

Anuva Mittal (12) "My favorite meme is the 'Y

Winged Post: What do you think is the most important cause for the spread of memes? Jeremy Sarachan: “I mean, a lot of it is sort of chance, but I think in the end it’s something that has to be at the right time and also either scare people or [be] funny. WP: What do you think motivates people to share memes that go viral? Is it just that same type of interest or the right timing and moment situation? JS: I think there’s probably a subset of people that try to make them for a larger audience, but I think a lot of times, Snapchat and Instagram, espe-

cially Snapchat, are becoming so much bigger now. It seems like people are like ‘Yeah, I don’t need to write. Maybe I don’t want to write anything, even Twitter’s too much work.’ And so I think that there’s a sort of dependence [that] more and more images are favored, and so I think that if someone’s like ‘I have a cute idea I could put together really quickly, and I’m just going to send [it] to some friends.’ I’m not saying this very scientifically, [but I think that] people kind of start off thinking, ‘Oh that’s a funny thing I’m going to put together to make my friends laugh.’

PROVIDED BY JEREMY SARACHAN

ruhi sayana