WInged Post Volume 20 Issue 2 by Harker Aquila

WINGED POST WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018 | THE HARKER UPPER SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER, VOL. 20, NO. 2 | www.harkeraquila.com WHAT’S INSIDE? Fall Play 2 Midterms 3 National Coming Out Day 6 Homecoming Game 14 Diana Nichols 16

KATHY FANG

NICOLE CHEN

KATHY FANG

Harker celebrates 125th anniversary, Homecoming

ANNIVERSARY (1) Seniors Kelsey Wu and Shania Wang cheer during the student-teacher dodgeball game. (2) Performing arts group Downbeat strikes a pose during their performance at the annual Family & Alumni picnic. (3) Gowtham Irrinki (10) jumps around and cheers at a spirit rally. (4) Freshmen pull against the juniors in the tug-of-war. (5) Juniors cheer and wave their class flag at the rally. (6) Faculty members Christopher Hurshman, Jane Keller, David Casso, Jennifer Siraganian and Jaap Bongers and assistant head of school Greg Lawson perform at the spirit rally. (7) Varsity dance member Tiffany Zhao (12) performs at the homecoming game. (8) Akshay Manglik (10) blows a vuvuzela at the spirit rally.

NICOLE CHEN

sara yen & gloria zhang & annamma vazhaeparambil

KATHY FANG

asst. features editor & features editor & reporter

Harker students, faculty, alumni and parents attended the various events and festivities that were organized during Harker’s 125th Anniversary Weekend on Oct. 6 to 7. All four grade levels in the high school participated in the homecoming rally on Oct. 5 to compete for spirit points on Davis Field. With a shouting contest, preliminary rounds of tug of war, skits and the homecoming court relay race, the event was full of spirit competitions. During the game later that day, the football team defeated Elsie Allen High School 56-0. At halftime, the cheer team and varsity dance team performed, the seniors beat the juniors in tug of

She first joined the HarkSchool mourns death of former French teacher er faculty in 2000 and taught

Antoinette Gathy, upper school educator for 17 years, dies from illness at 61 Aquila managing editor

Upper school French students remember that Madame Gathy always found ways to make her students feel comfortable in class, whether it was playing Pictionary before a test, writing all worksheets and tests in Comic Sans or passing around a microphone during oral exercises. Colleagues remember that she was unfailing in her kindness towards her students and impeccable in her organization of her lessons, creating folders of notes for her students to reference. Her husband remembers that in addition to keeping up with current news headlines, she was equally up to date on celebrity gossip and Hollywood relationships, with an encyclopedic memory of names and events. “A message behind whatever she was doing is love what you do and love the children and love yourself doing it,” Gathy’s colleague and upper school French teacher Galina Tchourilova said. Former upper school French teacher Antoinette Gathy, who taught at The Harker School for 17 years, died on Sept. 29 at 61 after a few weeks of hospitalization. Gathy, known to most of her students as “Madame Gathy” or simply as “Madame,” taught French classes across all levels and devoted much of her life to her work as a French teacher. Her passion for teaching created an environment within the classroom where students felt safe to explore the French language and culture. Gathy will

be remembered by the upper school community for her kindness towards her students, her quiet confidence and, above all, her love for teaching. “She helped a lot of students like me actually learn to appreciate French,” Gathy’s former student Amla Rashingkar (11) said. “I just remember her telling me that you don’t have to

“We’re thinking because she left all the files on the computer, maybe we can combine it together—I’m not sure if we can publish it, but at least use it as an internal guide for the students,” Tchourilova said. “I think it would be kind of a thankyou, because we don’t want this knowledge—this mastery, practically—to disappear.”

“Madame really did leave marks, I think, on all of us, indelible marks that I can’t even begin to describe. She was an unforgettable teacher.” TIMOTHY WANG (12) PROVIDED BY FRANCIS RUBENSTEIN

kathy fang

be the best at everything you do, just do what is the best for you.” A feature of Gathy’s class that many of her students continue to reference, as well as a testament to Gathy’s dedication to her craft, was her class notes, or “Notes du prof,” which included detailed explanations of various French grammar rules. Organized into meticulous explanations and complete with diagrams and charts, these “Notes du prof” helped students grasp even the most complex concepts in the French rulebook.

MADAME Antoinette Gathy in 2013. She taught French at Harker for 17 years before retiring in 2017 and on Sept. 29 at 61.

Gathy grew up in Belgium, with French as her native language. She moved to California in the late 1980s after her parents and her sister immigrated to the U.S. a few years before. Gathy began teaching in her twenties and worked at a school in the outskirts of Brussels for two decades. When she moved to the U.S. in the late 1980s, she opened a small French school in her house and offered classes to adults and students alike.

at the middle school for three years before transferring to the upper school, where, as a teacher of students with varying skill levels, she strove to incorporate engaging pedagogical approaches to her classes. From history lessons on the origins of French grammar to humorous anecdotes involving the misuse of French words, Gathy captivated her students while ensuring that they understood the lesson at hand. She retired at the end of the 2016-2017 school year, though she continued teaching as a substitute teacher last year. “She had a way of commanding your attention in a way that was both subtle and inescapable,” Gathy’s former student Timothy Wang (12) said. “Every time you would leave that classroom, you would feel happy and excited for the next day. You’d feel like you learned something.” Not only did Gathy devote much of her life to her work as a teacher, she also sought to perfect a unique teaching philosophy that provided each student with a rich understanding of the French language. She believed in the importance of correcting every homework assignment, offering feedback and commentary along the way. She also believed that multiple choice questions were inadequate tests of language comprehension, choosing instead to create written tests. “I always admired her for that incredible dedication that she showed to her kids,” Gathy’s husband Francis Rubinstein said. “She didn’t take the easy path, but it was the path that was for her, [that] let her basically teach the students the best that she absolutely could.” Although she faced medical hardships in the last three years

war, Dr. Teja Patil (‘02) received an alumni reward and seniors Kelsey Wu and Neil Ramaswamy were declared royalty in the homecoming court. The Alumni Reunion occurred after the memorial for Diana Nichols on Oct. 6, the next day. A time capsule buried in 1993 was opened during the event, revealing photos and notes from past students to their future selves. The homecoming dance, which included snacks and a photo booth with props for attendees, took place later that evening. The 68th annual Family and Alumni Picnic, which was hosted at the middle school on Oct. 7, featured students from all three campuses in the performances and entertained guests with rows of booths with games and prizes. In-depth story continues on 8-9. of her life, Gathy persevered and continued to teach, even after she lost her ability to hear without hearing aids. “The combination of her dedication and the students’ willingness to put up with a microphone, it really let her continue to teach them for longer than she otherwise might have been able to,” Rubinstein said. “I’m so glad she was able to do that, to keep teaching, because that was really so much her passion.” Outside the classroom, Gathy was an ardent supporter of numerous social movements, including Trotskyism in the 1970s, and she held to her beliefs with a compassionate tenacity, a trait that stood out to many of her students and colleagues. “She had very strong points of view, and she would never compromise them,” Tchourilova said. “She would say what she needed to say, but she would never offend anybody. And I think it’s a wonderful combination. I wish we had more people like that.” Students and faculty were invited to attend a memorial service held in Gathy’s honor at the house of her sister, Laurence Gathy, in Felton, CA, on Oct. 6. Gathy’s impact extended throughout the Harker community, from colleagues to students. “Madame really did leave marks on all of us, indelible marks that I can’t even begin to describe,” Timothy said. “I guess what I have to say to her is, ‘Merci, madame, pour tous ce que vous avez fait pour nous, et c’était un honneur d’être votre élève.’ [Thank you, Madame, for all that you have done for us, and it was an honor to be your student.]” Gathy is survived by her husband and her sister, as well as nieces and nephews.

2 WINGED POST

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ALL PHOTOS BY SARA YEN

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

“Our Town” music, costumes evoke town life sara yen & alyssa tomberg asst. features editor & reporter

All lined up on a metal rack on wheels, thin wire hangers bear an array of muted neutral-toned clothing, ranging from a lace-embroidered long-sleeve linen dress to a country-like red, white and blue checkered button-up. These costumes are for the upcoming fall play, “Our Town”, written by Thornton Wilder and directed by performing arts teacher Jeffrey Draper, which follows the story of a New Hampshire small town in the early 1900s experiencing the Industrial Revolution. The three-act play focuses on the lives of the couple

Emily and George. Research about the style trends during the time of “Our Town” is one of the most important factors that goes into choosing its costumes. “You want to look up the time period to see what was the fashion back then,” performing arts costume designer Caela Fujii said. “The show’s set in 1902 for the most part, but then we go back four years to 1898 and then forward three years to about 1906.” When the cast practices blocking, the actions and movements of the play, Fujii inspects their acting to see if she needs to add to their costumes. “I like putting clothes on the students and then being in-

spired by something that they do, whether that be acting-wise or if they’re doing something interesting with their blocking and they need an apron or something that helps them convey their character further,” Fujii said. “It gives me an idea to help them be more specific in their character.” Just like costumes, the music accompanying the scenes must express the tone and emotions of the play. “[Composing music for the play] is similar to any way you’d write, like, a poem for English. So you would read the scene over and over again, [and] you kind of get the idea of what mood is the author trying to convey,” music composer Anika Fuloria (10) said. “Is this music supposed to

foreshadow that the scene is going to be a fight scene, or is it going to be a sad scene? You have to write music that gives you a little taste of that.” With a violin for the main character, Emily, and a harp for the stage manager, Anika uses different instruments to individualize each role; nonetheless, “Our Town” is meant to be applicable to anyone from any background. “I’m really writing to fit the characters because each character has a distinct character persona or storyline arc,” Anika said. “The entire point of the play is to make it universal and to make it so that no matter whether you live in Cupertino or you live in New Hampshire, you have the

A GRIPPING TALE (LEFT) Costume designer Caela Fujii helps senior Emmy Huchley try on clothing in preparation for the fall play. (RIGHT) Fujii adjusts junior Joel Morel’s jacket before a practice rendition of “Our Town.” The fall play is set in New Hampshire during the early 1900s and will open in the RPAC on Oct. 25.

same feel.” Accompanied by its rural costumes and personalized music, “Our Town” can pull those watching through a thought-provoking journey. “It’s a drama, but the audience is a character in a way. Although you are not talking directly to them, they are a part of it. The entire idea of the show is to make the audience think, make the audience reflect,” Austin Killam (10), who plays the lead character’s father, said. “What happens in the show is that you see the lives of these people that you grow to love more and more.” “Our Town,” the first play to be performed in the RPAC, will open on Oct. 25.

FORESTS ABLAZE Billows of smoke rise from a forested mountain side looming over the city of Ukiah in Mendocino County. The Mendocino Complex Fire, which spanned across four northern California counties, was the largest recorded complex fire in California’s history.

Wildfires devastate Mendocino eric fang & mark hu news editor & reporter

The largest wildfire in California’s history, the Mendocino Complex Fire, began in July and has officially been 100 percent contained as of Sept. 18, nearly two months after its inception. The complex, a likely byproduct of an increasingly warmer climate, is the deadly combination of two wildfires, the River Fire and the Ranch Fire, which spanned across the Northern California counties of Mendocino, Lake, Colusa and Glenn. Surpassing the Thomas Fire, which burned 281,893 acres of land in December 2017, the Ranch Fire is also California’s single largest recorded wildfire. According to Cal Fire, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, it burned 410,203 acres and 157 residences before being contained. The National Interagency Fire Center, which coordinates fire relief efforts, reported the two fires collectively resulting in $267 million in damages and costing $201 million to put out and contain. The River Fire was contained on Aug. 13, while the Ranch Fire continued to burn for more than a month after. Two Native American reserves, the Hopland and Big Valley Rancherias, were evacuated along with almost a dozen towns residing along the border of the Mendocino and Lake Counties. Organizations like the Camarillo city based Ventura County Community Center provide much-needed grants and funds to nonprofit groups that supply shelter and economic assistance to wildfire victims. “I love being able to help during a time like this,” VCCC’s

CEO, Vanessa Bechtel, said. “I don’t know what else could be more rewarding than this type of work.” Hot and windy weather, which helps spread and foster the wildfires, has been a persistent problem faced by firefighters throughout the year. The latest California Climate Change Assessment, from Aug. 27, estimates an average temperature increase of 5.6 to 8.8 degrees Fahrenheit in the state. “Climates are changing at a global scale because we are adding more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which elevates global average temperatures,” AP Environmental Science teacher Jeff Sutton said. “Then you have climates such as in the North Pacific Coast Forest where there is less moisture and less water vapor. As a result, it is more susceptible to fire.” Students and faculty can work against the progression of climate change in many ways. “Avoiding any kind of emission, which causes phenomena such as global warming and droughts to occur, would be a simple yet long-term aid in preventing some future wildfires,” Anvi Banga (11), president of the upper school Green Team, said. Christopher Borick, Director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion and Director of the National Surveys on Energy and the Environment, conducts national polls regarding climate change twice a year. “Extreme drought, intense storms, flooding and wildfires are experiences that have been particularly noted as factors that not only convince people that [climate change] is happening but also increase their confidence that it is happening,” Borick said.

nicole chen & kathy fang & ryan guan Aquila editor-in-chief & Aquila managing editor & executive news editor

A psychology teacher began to teach at the upper school on Oct. 1 in the wake of the arrest of a former teacher due to allegations of sexual misconduct related to a former teaching position. Dr. Julie Turchin, who previously worked as a Talent Portfolio Manager at Stanford University, joined the history and social sciences department to teach psychology and AP Psychology classes. “I hope that I can balance covering the material with helping my students get a deeper understanding of what it means and how it matters,” Dr. Turchin said. “I have an open door; I love to not just only meet my

will be taking on Sammartino’s advisory duties as well as academic classes, joined the faculty. “It is something that we will move past,” Draper said. “We will always be vigilant, we will always protect the students and keep a safe, nurturing environment. That’s our primary job: it’s in our mission, and because someone made choices that impacted that mission, it hurt. But we protect each other, and we continue, always, to protect the students and to build a community of which we can all be proud.” Dr. Sammartino was hired in the spring to join the upper school faculty this school year after former psychology teacher and Kelly Horan transitioned into her role as upper school academic dean. He had previously taught from 2016 to 2018 at the French American International School in San Francisco as well

“Put that faith in your institution, even though you’re feeling like that faith is being rocked right now. Know that we have your back.” KELLY HORAN UPPER SCHOOL ACADEMIC DEAN

students, but anyone who wants to swing by office hours, and anyone who wants to learn more about psychology or more about me, is welcome.” Former psychology teacher Dr. Jonathan Sammartino was arrested in San Jose on Sept. 11 during the school day and placed on administrative leave on three felony counts of statutory rape and sexual misconduct with a minor during his previous teaching position at La Jolla Country Day School, according to a statement from San Diego district attorney Steve Walker. He has posted bail. Dr. Sammartino had been teaching at Harker since Aug. 24. “It’s concerning that one of our new staff members allegedly has done things that violate our expectations as a community,” Head of School Brian Yager said. “I’m sorry, too– because whether or not he’s convicted, it’s a distraction to learning and all the things we want to focus on.” Freshman class dean Jeffrey Draper took over Dr. Sammartino’s advisory until Turchin, who

as from 2012 to 2016 at La Jolla Country Day School in San Diego. Dr. Sammartino’s arraignment has been scheduled for Tuesday of next week at the San Diego Superior Court. According to Walker, if convicted of all three charges, the maximum sentence is four years and four months of jail time. In August, former music teacher Christopher Florio was arrested on misconduct charges for inappropriate communications with a minor. Florio was terminated by Harker in June, after which former middle school music teacher Dr. David Hart transitioned to the upper school to take on Florio’s former teaching position. The school community dealt with the aftermath of these situations in different ways. “For every one incident that has happened, there are 180 days every year that nothing happens, where we come to school and everything is okay,” Horan said. “It’s a cluster right

now, and therefore we react in panic; but in reality, every day we come to school and have great experiences.” Students are encouraged to speak to trusted adults on campus, including advisers, teachers, administrators and counselors, for support and about any concerns that they may have. “Put that faith in your institution, even though you’re feeling like that faith is being rocked right now,” Horan said. “You have teachers who care deeply about you. Know that we have your back.”

KATHY FANG

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Psychology teacher joins faculty after former teacher’s arrest last month

SCHOOL The campus at night. A teacher joined the upper school faculty this month after a former teacher was arrested on charges of sexual misconduct related to a previous teaching position.

Additional reporting by Winged Post and Talon staffs.

Hiring Process

• Potential employees are screened via interviews. • Candidates under serious consideration are then asked for references. • Once reference checks have been completed, hiring paperwork for new hires is sent to the Human Resources department. • New hires are required to submit two sets of fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Justice (DOJ). • If a submission results in a criminal record, the DOJ sends a written notification to the school. • School administrators do not hire a potential employee until after this background check process has been completed.

NEWS

WINGED POST 3

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

There are 535 seats in Congress. 470 will be contested this year in November’s midterm elections. Here’s how they break down.

46.5%

Of the 69 uncertain seats in the House, 32 are toss-up seats: different forecasts are not certain or disagree about which party will win the seat in November.

17.6% 36.8%

Senate (100 seats) 49%

House of Representatives (435 seats)

51%

44.8%

39.5%

Likely Republican Toss-up seats Likely Democrat

Midterms bring contested races copy editor & global columnist

As election day looms around the corner on Nov. 6, thousands of voters will be flocking to their local polling places or ballot drop-off sites to vote in the midterm elections. Midterm elections are held every four years and usually mark the midpoint of a president’s term. In this case, it will have been two years since Donald Trump won the office of presidency back in November 2016. The midterms this year will include all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, which each have a two-year term, as well as 35 seats in the Senate, which each have a sixyear term. Other positions up for grabs also include municipal roles such as mayors, council members and other local public offices. Historically, in every midterm

CONFIRMATION TIMELINE June 26: Justice Anthony Kennedy announces his retirement from the Supreme Court. July 8: President Donald Trump nominates Brett Kavanaugh to fill the seat. Sept. 5-8: The Senate Judiciary Committee holds public hearings regarding the nomination. Sept. 27: Kavanaugh and his primary accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, testify before the committee. Sept. 28: The FBI is authorized to confuct a limited investigation. Oct. 6: The Senate votes to confirm Kavanaugh.

election since the 1860s, the president’s party has lost, on average, 32 House seats and two Senate seats in the midterm elections.

DEFINITION Midterms: In the U.S., general elections of congresspeople, state governors and other public officeholders, held every four years in November. Both the House and the Senate are currently dominated by the Republican Party; next month, the Democratic Party needs to win 24 seats in the House and two seats in the Senate to gain the majority in both legislative bodies. In the latest poll administered by NBC and the Wall Street Journal,

50 percent of voters say that they would rather have a Democrat in charge, especially with almost two years of Washington being a Republican stronghold. Wins for either party would decide legislative rulings on partisan issues like abortion rights, tax reform and immigration policy in the coming years. In the House, there are 68 competitive seats, in which it is difficult to determine which party will win. According to political forecasters, thirty-one of those seats are toss-up races, meaning that either party has a 50 percent chance of winning. States with toss-up races include Washington, California, New Mexico, Minnesota and New York. So far, 38 Republican and 17 Democrat representatives have announced that they will not be running for reelection. These open seats where no incumbent is in the

running have a higher chance of flipping their party. In the Senate, Republicans currently have a 51-49 majority, so Democrats need to win two more seats to reverse the majority, while Republicans can bolster the current margin if they win contested seats. However, the Democratic Party will still need to maintain contested seats in West Virginia, North Dakota, Missouri, Montana, Indiana and Florida as well as historically Republican Nevada, Arizona, Tennessee and Texas. All of these states except for Florida, Nevada and Arizona have high approval ratings for Trump, intensifying the competition between Republicans and Democrats. In Florida, with constituents still reeling over Puerto Rican relocation after Hurricane Maria and the Parkland shooting, recent polls show favor for Republican candi-

New Supreme Court justice cements conservative lead

Tempered by misconduct allegations, Kavanaugh confirmation proceeds varsha rammohan & michael eng copy editor & global columnist

One of the main reasons that Republicans want to secure their majority in the Senate is to support judicial decisions resulting from the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh would fill the spot vacated by retired Justice Anthony Kennedy. Kennedy, who was nominated by Ronald Reagan in 1987, was often a swing voter in 5–4 cases the court decided. Kavanaugh, a staunch conservative, had a far more likely chance of winning the Senate’s vote if the majority was Republican. He was confirmed with a vote of 50 to 48 on Oct. 6. Kavanaugh’s nomination process brought several accusations of sexual misconduct against him and a divided legislative body. On Sept. 16, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University and a research

psychologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine, publicly alleged that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her at a gathering in 1982 while they were both in high school. In early July 2018, Dr. Ford contacted her Representative Anna Eshoo about her accusations after Kavanaugh was reported to be on Trump’s shortlist for Supreme Court nominees. Eshoo then met with California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who promised Dr. Ford that she would keep the information confidential. After media outlets tracked down Dr. Ford’s identity, she recounted her experience to a reporter at The Washington Post, which then published an article with the accusations. Shortly after Ford came forward, two other accusers, Deborah Ramirez and Julia Swetnick, also accused Kavanaugh of alleged incidents of sexual misconduct. On Sept. 27, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hear-

ing where both Dr. Ford and Kavanaugh testified. Ford alleged that Kavanaugh had “groped [her] and tried to take off [her] clothes” and she had “believed he was going to rape [her].” Later that afternoon, he testified that all sexual assault allegations were “totally false and outrageous.” Dr. Ford’s testimony at the hearing resembled that of Anita Hill in 1991 when she accused then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. Hill experienced badgering and mistreatment from the Senate Judiciary Committee, which consisted of only white men at the time. The 11 Republicans on the current committee of 21 are all white men. Sex crimes prosecutor Rachel Mitchell asked both Dr. Ford and Kavanaugh questions on behalf of the Republicans. In regards to Mitchell’s hiring, Judiciary Committee chairman Senator Chuck Grassley said he wished to provide “a forum to both Dr. Ford

ryan guan news editor

is the last day to register to vote in this year’s midterms for California residents

Check harkeraquila.com for ongoing midterm election coverage, including more information on how to vote and live updates on Election Day.

If you are 16, 17 or 18 and want to vote in this year’s midterm elections or pre-register to vote in future years, here’s how. In order to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old on Election Day. If you meet these requirements, you can register to vote in California at the website registertovote.ca.gov or fill out a paper application at a county elections office or DMV office. To vote, go to the polling place listed on your county voter information guide between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you arrive

after the polls close at 8 p.m., you will not be allowed to vote. In California, bringing identification such as your driver’s license, passport or county voter information guide when you vote is not required, but it is recommended if you are voting for the first time. Once you are registered to vote, you can also apply to vote by mail and either mail your ballot to your local election official or bring it to a polling place on Election Day. If you are 16 or 17, you can pre-register at registertovote. ca.gov, and your voter registration will become active once you turn

MAYA VALLURU WINGED POST ARCHIVES

“I’m 18”: How to register and vote on Election Day

Oct. 22

date Rick Scott, who attacked the National Rifle Association in support of students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, where 17 students and teachers were shot and killed in February. In Nevada, Republican Dean Heller and Democrat Jacky Rosen are head-to-head, but the state has a large immigrant population, which may sway the outcome of the vote. Jeff Flake, the senator from Arizona who was the swing vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on Kavanaugh, is retiring this year, leaving Republican Martha McSally and Democrat Kyrsten Sinema competing for the seat. McSally, a sexual assault victim and the first female fighter pilot in combat, is an outspoken supporter for gender rights and is a desired candidate for the Republicans. FiveThirtyEight, a political and poll analysis website, reported that the Democratic party faces tough odds in the midterms this year compared to previous years.

TO THE POLLS A sign near a polling location for the 2016 presidential elections bears instructions in many languages. According to the Census Bureau, 43 percent of eligible voters 18 to 29 voted that year.

18. The last day to register to vote in this year’s midterms in California is next Monday, 15 days before Election Day on Nov. 6.

SWEARING IN Brett Kavanaugh takes the Constitutional Oath, administered by Chief Justice John Roberts, and accompanied by his wife, Ashley Estes Kavanaugh. The Senate voted 50-48 to confirm Kavanaugh on Oct. 6.

FRED SCHILLING, SUPREMECOURT.GOV

varsha rammohan & michael eng

MICHAEL ENG – DATA FROM THE COOK POLITICAL REPORT

Of the 35 Senate seats in the midterm elections, 26 are currently Democratic and nine are currently Republican. In the Senate overall, the Republicans currently hold a 51-49 majority.

and Judge Kavanaugh on Thursday that is safe, comfortable and dignified.” Senator Jeff Flake, the only Republican swing vote on the committee, voted in support of Kavanaugh after requesting that the Senate hearing be postponed by one week to give time for the FBI to conduct a background investigation on the sexual assault allegations.

HELPFUL APPS Several apps provide useful information about voting. A link in your Snapchat user profile helps people over 18 register to vote. The California Secretary of State’s Vote California app displays your voter status and polling locations.

4 WINGED POST

GLOBAL

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

India passes historic legislation allowing constitutional freedoms for gay citizens arushi saxena global editor

NINA GEE

NOBEL LAUREATES AWARDED In early Oct., the Nobel Prizes in physiology and medicine, physics, chemistry, and economics were announced. This year’s Nobel Prize in literature was postponed to next year, following sexual -harassment allegations of the husband of one of the Swedish Academy’s members; two of these prizes will be rewarded in 2019 instead.

arushi saxena & irene yuan global editor & reporter

Rainbow flags draped the streets as happy couples, surrounded by clouds of multi-colored confetti, danced, embraced and kissed on the steps of courthouses across India following the landmark decision by its Supreme Court to strike down Section 377, a ban on consensual gay sex. Following years of oppression for India’s LGBTQ community, “irrational, indefensible, and manifestively arbitrary” were the words used by Chief Justice Dipak Misra to describe

the law, which was reversed in early September. Justices also went further to state that gay citizens were to be given all protections under the Constitution. One of India’s colonial-era bans, Section 377 made all gay relationships illegal. Prior to the reversal, any homosexual partners seen in public together were subject to fines or arrest. Throughout this ban’s existence, several thousands of citizens were discouraged from coming out, while those that did express their sexuality to friends or family were forced to keep their relationships a secret while in public.

“It is such pleasant news to see that the Supreme Court of India unanimously passed this judgement. Together, those justices finally took care of an archaic colonial-era law criminalizing homosexuality,” said Mohammed Shaik Hussain Ali, Chairperson of Trikone, a San Francisco-based volunteer organization formed to support Desi LGBTQ citizens. “To me personally, this means that at least legally, the discrimination is invalid and that I have the law on my side. To the community, they can now be less afraid of persecution, at least legally.” Despite the magnitude of support, this ban has also un-

dergone scrutiny from several groups. As India is historically a strongly conservative country, the population of India includes a large majority of older, more traditional-minded citizens. Many from the younger generation, however, are taking a more open-minded approach. “I am extremely glad about decriminalization of gays because it’s not really up to you who you fall in love with and what not. People deserve to express their feelings openly because that is what human rights are for,” Sanya Gupta, an 18-year old student from India, said. For more on this historic event, visit harkeraquila.com.

SEVERE FLOODING IN NIGERA KILLS OVER 100 Nigeria declared a national disaster following heavy rainfall in central and southern states, leading to flooding which caused thousands to be displaced. The country’s two major rivers overflowed in early September, killing over a hundred, and activating five emergency operation centers to begin search and rescue efforts and spreading humanitarian support.

Residents rebuild after Typhoon Mangkut hits Asia gloria zhang & mara tucker features editor & reporter

NATURAL DISASTERS HIT INDONESIA Indonesia’s Mount Soputan erupted on Oct. 3, just 5 days after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit the island of Palu. Several buildings came down, turning the ground to liquid in some areas, and moving entire neighborhoods. Currently, over 4000 people are presumed dead or injured, but numbers could go up to 6000, experts say.

EARTHQUAKE HITS HAITI A 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti over the weekend, leading to the deaths of 15 people and the injuries of 333 others. The Haitian civil protection agency deployed over 80 nurses and doctors to the hardest hit areas. Thousands of aftershocks have hit the area, leading to cracked buildings and severe traffic buildups. A couple of days later, heavy rainfall hit Haiti, leading to landslides.

IMAGES FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

PROVIDED BY MANDY CHAN

Residents and governments are rebuilding cities after Typhoon Mangkhut, the strongest tropical storm of the year, swept through the Southeast Asia and Southern China, causing severe damage to infrastructure and agriculture. Typhoon Mangkhut, or Typhoon Ompong, first landed in the Luzon province of the Philippines as a super typhoon on Sept. 15 with winds reaching 150 mph. The Philippine Atmospher- SUBMERGED Many regions in Asia felt the effects of Typhoon Manghkut which hit from Sept. 7 to 17. This was ic, Geophysical and Astronomi- the strongest tropical to hit the region since 2013, and over 100 fatalies have been counted. cal Services Administration, who days where school was sus- intense. Its intensity is based on ing more damage to coastal comscales storms from 1 to 5, initial- pended because of transport the speed in which the typhoon munities. ly raised a Signal 3 alert but lat- problems,” Hong Kong native is spinning and displacing.” “For these low lying areas, er changed it to a Signal 4. The Emily Hyland, 16, said. “There The rising frequency and regardless if the storms are more typhoon then made its way to was debris on the roads, so they intensity of storms in the last intense of not, sea level is risSouthern China, categorized as used two days to clean up every- few years have been related to ing. Even the storms of the same a Signal 10 storm, from 1-to-10 thing for buses and cars to go climate change. Storms such as magnitude, the communities [of scale, with 10 occurring rarely, through.” Typhoon Mangkhut are setting island nations] are more vulnerby the Hong Kong Observatory Tropical cyclones have his- records for storms occurring able, as they are closer to tide on Sept. 16. torically hit the northwestern within this century. Forecasters lines,” Schafer said. “that’s one In the Philippines, the ty- Pacific more frequently than oth- predict larger storms will hap- of the things that’s such a tragephoon caused severe landslides, er areas. Southern China, Japan pen more frequently. dy. The most impacted people, at and at least 81 died from the and the Philippines are hit by “A lot of what drives the least early on, are the ones who storm. In Hong Kong, the storm typhoons every year during the formation of these storms is the contributed the least to the probdestroyed high-rises, interrupted peak months of August to Octo- difference between the air and lem.” public transportation services, ber. water temperature. With climate Communities of volunteers uprooted trees and damaged “[Typhoons] happen about change the differentials are pre- in Hong Kong have come togethfamous historical lights. Tens 25 to 35 times every year in the dicted to be greater. The warmer for massive cleanups at beachof thousands of people were northwestern Pacific. In some er the air, the more moisture it es, oceans, streams, streets and stranded at the Hong Kong In- cases, there are super typhoons can hold; the more moisture it villages. ternational Airport. that appear, and one example is can hold, the more powerful the “To help out with the local “There was a lot damage Typhoon Mangkhut, which is a storm,” biology teacher Dr. Kath- community, our school has voldone, especially in the outlying category 5 typhoon,” former AP erine Schafer said. unteered to help clean up the areas of Hong Kong. A lot of Environmental Science student The effects of climate roads around the school. [We] buildings were damaged; trees Emma Li (11) said. “[Catego- change not only contribute to picked up branches, [which is] were uprooted; even transport ries] go from 1 to 5—1 being the storms with greater magnitude, basically a small cleanup.” was affected. There were two least intense, 5 being the most but also to rising sea levels, caus-

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Charity organizations collecting donations for those affected: ELON MUSK RESIGNS Following an investigation of Tesla owner Elon Musk manipulating stocks by the S.E.C, Musk resigned and settled the charges by the S.E.C. with a multimillion dollar settlement. The Tesla stock plunged following his resignation.

FEATURES

WINGED POST 5

VOLUME 20• ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

Movement for better men takes hold OF THE PEOPLE

Haris Hosseini (12) was 14 years old when his grandmother passed away. He wept at her funeral, lost in his grief. His mourning was interrupted when another attendee approached him and said, “Do you really want to think [your grandmother] wants to see her grown grandson cry?” The comment left a considerable impression on Haris. “In the years following, I was thinking– why is it such an anomaly for boys to express emotion?” irina malyugina & arya maheshwari & nicole tian photo editor & STEM editor & reporter

Seventeen years later, the incident inspired Haris to write and present a speech titled “The Man Problem” that explored toxic masculinity. Since the #MeToo movement was started by Tarana Burke in 2006 and was reinvigorated by Alyssa Milano in 2017, thousands of female survivors of sexual assault from all walks of life have come forward to tell their stories. As of Jan. 22, 2018, 7.5 million tweets have been shared with the hashtag #MeToo. Since then, the hashtag has spurred action: powerful abusers and harassers have been removed from their jobs, and hundreds of survivors marched down Hollywood Boulevard last November. More and more accounts of assault continue to be uncovered. On Sept. 27, another woman, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came forward about her experience with sexual abuse after the

letter she wrote to senator Dianne Feinstein was leaked to the public. This time, it was in front of the U.S. Senate, and about U.S. Supreme Court nominee. Following her allegations, new light has been shed on Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s past. Though Kavanaugh has denied Ford’s allegations and was ultimately confirmed to the U.S Supreme Court, comments about women written his high school yearbook reflect the nature of

will change their actions to combat the issue of sexual assault. The push to reform the culture of men is multifaceted, targeting the issues with upbringing of boys as well as the problems with the culture at companies grown men work at. Proponents of the movement range from advocates who dedicate their lives to combating sexual harassment to teachers. When upper school English teacher Christopher Hurshman

“To say that there’s an issue with how we’re raising boys is not to attack men, it’s to acknowledge a very clear truth that there’s a problem.” HARIS HOSSEINI (12) Speaker of “The Man Problem” the male culture he participated in. Another movement alongside the #MeToo activists aims to alleviate the global problem of sexual harassment by changing this culture. #HowIWillChange, started on Oct. 17, 2017, by writer Benjamin Law, aims to have men assist the #MeToo movement by posting how they

taught at an all-boys boarding school in Connecticut prior to teaching at Harker, he concluded that the best way teach boys proper behavior and ethics was to model it. “If you [just] tell a young man who’s convince that manhood means toughness, that he should really be comfortable with his own weakness and vul-

nerability, he’s just really going to tune out,” Hurshman said. Professional advocates, particularly those who specialize in workplace sexual harassment, focus on the broader causes and effects of a toxic male culture. According to Rachel Renock, activist and the CEO of tech company Wethos, the culture of the industry has shaped the standards of male behavior in tech. “[Tech] companies go up so quickly and scale so quickly, so there’s not a lot of time to think about policies and company structure and diversity,” Renock said in an interview last spring. Proponents of the movement acknowledge that is about reforming the male culture rather than simply denigrating men for their actions. Haris Hosseini advocates the idea that this should be stated explicitly. “This is not an attack on men, this is an attack on a certain, toxic brand of manhood, that unfortunately has become widespread. To say that there’s an issue with how we’re raising boys is not to attack men, it’s to acknowledge a very clear truth that there’s a problem,” Haris said.

RECENT ALLEGATIONS Leslie Moonves Former chairman and C.E.O. of CBS News accused by 12 women. CBS has decided to donate 20 million dollars to organizations supporting the #MeToo movement. Cristiano Ronaldo Professional soccer recently accused of rape by Kathryn Mayorga, a former schoolteacher, who alleges having signed a document in which she traded her silence for $375K. Victor Ortiz Ex-boxer, previously on “Dancing with the Stars” and multiple Hollywood movies charged with 3 counts of felony sexual assault.

Computer science teacher embraces culture in dance

KATHY FANG

In this installment of “Meet Your Teacher,” Anu Datar discusses her love and passion for Indian cultural dance.

anna vazhaeparambil & catherine feng reporters

Cheers erupt from the crowd at the NrityaGuru Annual Show as the curtains slowly open, revealing 11 dancers clad in brightly colored salwar kameezes, which are traditional Indian garments that consist of a loose pair of trousers and a long tunic, and adorned with glittering jewelry and swinging flower chains. The first notes of the music echo throughout the auditorium, and a melodic voice croons the lyrics as the women begin the performance, arms swaying gracefully and feet moving to the resounding beat of the song. And near the center of the stage is upper school computer science teacher Anu Datar, mouthing the words of the song as she dances beside other members in her dance company.

Datar has been learning Indian dance for most of her life and is experienced in all three of the major forms: classical, formally known as Shastriya Nritya, semi-classical and Bollywood. She first studied Bharatanatyam, a specific type of classical dance that originated in South India, for eight years in India, beginning in eighth grade and continuing until she completed her master’s degree in college. Bharatanatyam, traditionally performed by a soloist, features precise footwork and the most meticulous hand and facial gestures that typically narrate a mythical legend or spiritual idea from ancient Hindu texts. “Stage performances in India were very elaborate,” Datar said. “They involved a lot of traditional things, like lighting the lamp, doing a short pooja. The performance would be sacred.”

Soon after immigrating to the United States in 2013, Datar took up semi-classical dancing, which borrows elements from both classical and folk styles, at BayArea Nritya Gurukul, and she later joined a second dance company, Starrz Dance Academy of Performing Arts, to learn Bollywood. Having rapidly grown in popularity during the last century, Bollywood dancing is an essential aspect of Indian films and incorporates more complicated steps and variation in the rhythm than previously seen. “[Bollywood dancing] connects you with your people,” Swati Savale, Datar’s dance instructor, said of the dance’s increasing global recognition. “Usually kids come to us because that’s how they relate to their culture, through Bollywood. But it is becoming more and more popular also in other countries,

A CHANCE TO DANCE (LEFT) Computer science teacher Anu Datar have explored all three major forms of Indian dance: classical, formally known as Shastriya Nritya, semi-classical and Bollywood. (RIGHT) Datar’s dance instructor inspires her to become a better teacher. “I developed empathy toward those struggling in class because I myself experience that when I go dance,” she said.

so it’s not just remaining like an ‘Indian Bollywood.’” Datar quit dancing for periods of time in the past when she was pregnant, but she was always drawn back to it and would feel even more energized and excited upon returning. Her fellow teammate, Urvashi Jaiswal, who dances with her at BayArea Nritya Gurukul, repeatedly describes her as “a very compassionate person” and someone who “really loves dancing.” “Anu is a very quick learner, and she will grasp the steps quite easily,” Jaiswal said. “She’s a good team player, and she’s very disciplined, too. She’s regular to her dance practices: she knows that if she’s late, others would suffer because of her. And she’s always looking for ways to improve her dance and pick up new dance forms.”

“[Bollywood dancing] is not as cultural as the traditional form of dancing, but it is cultural in the sense that almost everybody in India, no matter if they’re from a village or they are big industrials, all watch movies. And a part of Indian movies is that every few minutes, the people break into song and dance. So, although it’s not truly cultural, I would say that yes, it still relates to my culture, it still satisfies the Indian in me– that’s the impact it has on my life.” ANU DATAR BOLLYWOOD DANCER AND TEACHER

6 WINGED POST

FEATURES

VOLUME 20• ISSUE 2 OCT. 17, 2018

rainbows and red 2 1.

GSA president Raphael Sanche (12) and club member Evan Bourke (10) hand a rainbow sticker to physics teacher Dr. Miriam Allersma.

GSA member Bennett Liu (11) offers a sticker to Alex Shing (11) at lunch.

GSA member Callie Mayer (9) paints a rainbow on Molly Mobley’s face in celebration of National Coming Out Day.

1 nina gee & emily tan

The Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club celebrated National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11 by encouraging the community to wear red and handing out rainbow stickers to students during lunch in an effort to ask students and teachers alike to show their support for the LGBT community. Two days prior, club president Raphael Sanche (12) delivered a moving speech on his identity as a transgender male, highlighting his journey to coming to terms with his gender identity. “I really wanted people to know sort of how I came to terms with me being transgender,” Raphael said. “I know a lot of people believe that being transgender starts when you’re very very young, like 3 or 4, but

Q & A with GSA president Raphael Sanche What does this day mean to you?

Humans of Harker NISHKA AYYAR

nicole chen editor-in-chief

At first glance, Nishka Ayyar (12) appears to be an ambitious person who stops at nothing to get what she wants. In reality though, at her core, she’s your carefree, high-spirited, easy-totalk-to friend. In establishing PromElle, a peer-to-peer clothing rental platform, she’s also the business partner that makes the difficult times fun to get through. “She’s really great, we’ve found a way to separate working on our company from our friendship– both of which have been really strong– and for our company, she’s been able to make all of it, even the hard processes

anjay saklecha senior copy editor

If you hear a rhythm, you may see Jerry Peng (12) nearby, tapping out the tempo with his heel. His mind focused, eyes closed and head nodding synchronously with his foot. For Jerry, life moves to the beat of music. It defines who he is and how he conducts his life. “Music is my life,” he said. “Every single day, I’m always doing something related to music, whether it be listening, playing, making it and sometimes mixing it. It’s always been a part of my life.” When he finally made the transition from worrying about pleasing the audience to enjoy-

ing the process for himself, he felt a sense of freedom in expression that comes from self-acceptance. “Now, I play music for myself — I’m up on stage doing it just for me,” he said. “I just think I’m at home and practicing. Stage fright used to be one of the biggest obstacles I had to overcome, but with my new mentality, I found my path by being independent.” His journey has evolved from playing music to creating it as well. He started by taking songs apart and analyzing the beat. Now you can hear Jerry entertaining the crowds as he DJ’s at lunch or works on mixes for the spirit rally or the Harker upper school dance production.

Junior Nash Melisso recieves a sticker from GSA members during lunch on Oct. 11.

Senior and GSA president Raphael Sanche, who delivered a speech in honor of National Coming Out Day on Oct. 9, distributes stickers at lunchtime on Oct. 11.

What do you hope that people carry with them from this day?

It’s really encouraging. We always get a lot of support for this day and a lot of people wear red and take stickers. It’s inspiring that this generation is so much more open and accepting, and it really feels like Harker is a good community.

That they have a community around them that supports them. It’s a way for people to honestly see each other for who you really are in a way that shows support for a community that’s been so marginalized in the past.

The goal of this cross-platform project is to profile all members of the senior class of 2018. To view all the senior features and the full versions of the ones below, visit Harker Aquila, the student news site of the upper school at harkeraquila.com.

friend * philanthropist * teammate

and the obstacles, really fun to get through,” Nishka’s business partner Riya Gupta (12) said. Throughout it all, she has consistently found time for the important people in her life. She’s known in all regards: as a ping-pong player occasionally dominating the Shah ping-pong matches, as the classmate that welcomes the chance to study together and as the friend that takes time to ask about your day. “She’s involved in tons of activities, but still she finds time to talk to you [and] ask you how your day has been,” Nishka’s longtime friend Anjay Saklecha (12) said. “She’s [also] dedicated to her service and won’t stop until she’s satisfied with the work she’s accomplished that day.”

JERRY PENG

ow buddy wore red attire to commemorate National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11.

What do you think of the support you see around school?

NICOLE CHEN

It’s really a day of visibility for the LGBT+ community in a time that usually they aren’t that visible, June is pride month, but for the rest of the year, the community isn’t really as visible, and it’s an opportunity for really people to come out and be themselves.

4. Callie Mayer (9) and shad-

Raphael (12) delivered a speech at the school meeting on Oct. 9 describing his journey in coming to terms with his gender identity. As part of his speech, he urged people to wear red on National Coming Out Day. In an interview with Winged Post, he reflects upon the meaning of National Coming Out Day.

musician * leader * artist

KATHY FANG

PHOTOS BY IRINA MALYUGINA AND NINA GEE

staff illustrator & reporter

I had already gone through puberty when I figured out I was transgender, so I really wanted to bring attention to that. That there is no age that someone realizes that they’re transgender.” National coming out day was founded by Robert Eichberg and Jean O’Leary in 1988 to celebrate the bravery of those who choose to come out and to raise awareness for members of the LGBT community in a localized sense. GSA hopes that students can continue supporting the LGBTQ+ community, whether by endorsing GSA during club week or simply by keeping an open mind. “Handing rainbow stickers at lunch or having people wear red that people reaffirms what kind of a community we are,” GSA club adviser Abel Olivas said. “We live our mission of embracing diversity. It’s a day of celebration.”

“Knowing that I’m helping other people and other girls feel empowered to make their own money, save money, and be conscientious, and knowing that I’m doing that and even making a small difference in people’s lives, that’s what makes it worth it.” NISHKA AYYAR (12)

“People now come up to me when they need a mix in songs. I want to be remembered for that guy who did music and made music. Music has taught me more than just a melody; it has taught me perseverance, dedication, leadership and gratitude — and those lessons spill over into all aspects of my life.” JERRY PENG (12)

LIFESTYLE

WINGED POST 7

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

Staying Healthy with Saloni

PROVIDED BY ARIANA SMART TRUMAN

A PERFORMANCE ARTIST??

PROVIDED BY ARIANA SMART TRUMAN

(1) ON THE SPOT Susie Sokol improvises a scene during an interview session with Harker journalism. (2) LETTING LOOSE Sokol plays the role of Benjy in William Faulkner’s “The Sound and the Fury,” where she plays a man with a child’s mind. (3) STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS (from left) Sokol as Jack Kerouac performs in “No Great Society” along with Vin Knight and Scott Shepherd.

1 kathy fang & helen yang aquila managing editor & columnist

The horseshoe-shaped wooden desk, neatly placed candlestick phone and crisp suits of the office create a sharp contrast with the disorderly group of workers, who lounge across the tables, chug beers and rapidly discuss legal documents—even through a screen, the short video clip of Elevator Repair Service’s latest rendition of Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure” on their website exudes a frantic energy. Actress Susie Sokol, who plays four different characters in “Measure for Measure,” has performed in 14 different off-Broadway plays in the 26 years that she has been working with Elevator Repair Service, including the lead role in plays such as “The Sun Also Rises.” With a background in dance, Sokol began to delve deeper into the world of theater in college, when a friend recommended her to a director at Elevator Repair Service, which was founded in 1991 by Artistic Director John Collins. After experiencing firsthand a play production with the company, Sokol joined the ensemble of performers and artists.

“We put on a really crazy play in college,” Sokol said. “It was very freeing — I was writing it and picking things that I wanted to do on stage. And then I was hooked.

“It’s all about the challenge of something that’s not one-on-one like a book, but instead with an audience – and still having to maintain that sort of sacred feeling of SUSIE SOKOL PERFORMANCE ARTIST ”As a performer and production member, Sokol has the opportunity to define her own characters under general guidelines. Rather than following a strictly outlined role, she choreographs movements and interprets character styles based on a combination of her own research of the characters and settings and her personal inspirations, resulting in unique dramatic performances riddled with original dances. Throughout the 26 years that she has been performing

under Elevator Repair Service, the company has evolved in production style. In the earlier years, plays drew from a variety of sources, then presented collages of different stories. In the more recent phase, most plays are complete adaptations of different pieces of literature, such as The Great Gatsby, The Sound and the Fury, The Sun Also Rises and more. In addition to acting, Sokol teaches second grade, a job that helps not only support her financially but also generate inspiration. “The little guys have funny movements, and so I’m inspired by them, and it’s easy for me to channel them,” she said. Having dedicated much of her life to Elevator Repair Service, Sokol hopes to share her love for both the freedom and creativity involved behind the scenes and the unique dances and movements performed on stage. “It’s a communal experience. It’s all about moving the audience, Sokol said. “Having to maintain that sacred feeling of reading and intimacy– but bigger.”

WHERE LITERATURE MEETS PERFORMANCE Elevator Repair Service is currently adapting different pieces of literature. Adaptations include the following: MEASURE FOR MEASURE WIlliam Shakespeare THE SOUND AND THE FURY William Faulkner THE SUN ALSO RISES Ernest Hemingway EVERYONE’S FINE WITH VIRGINIA WOOLF Kate Scelsa’s adaptation of Edward Albee’s classic “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

Additional reporting by Erica Cai

RYAN GUAN

Spooktober Shenanigans: Create a clever, last-minute costume

jay thilking & anjay saklecha reporter & senior copy editor

Sometimes Halloween seems to creep up on us. Before you know it, it will be just a few days away, and you still have not bought any Halloween costume to wear! Sure, you could try taking a trip to the store or hoping that your shipment arrives in time, but why not try making your own easy, simple and fun costume? How about you go down the punny route! Wear a medal around your neck and draw or attatch bread onto your shirt and now you’re a “breadwinner.” If you make your own fish costume, you can tell everyone that you’re “a fish out of water.” You can also be a “fork in the road” by taping

white or yellow stripes of paper down the middle of your shirt to mimic a lane divider. Then tape a fork somewhere along the road. If you want to be “Kool Aid” simply attach some band-aids to yourself and add the word “Kool” above them. If you’re really out of time, there are still options! You could be an “identity thief” by sticking name tag stickers all over your shirt, or be a “computer error” by writing “Error 404 Costume Not Found” on a shirt. You could even be “50 Shades of Grey” by covering yourself with different shades of grey or “a bunch of fives” instead by covering your clothes with the digit five. There are also plenty of options if you’re feeling more creative. To be a “flower pot,” you must first find a bucket or bin that you can cut out

and attach to yourself by using straps to go around your shoulders. Make sure that it is small enough so that it is still comfortable! Then, attach plastic flowers around the rim of the bucket and possibly one on your head. There are tons of options you can be by fitting a cardboard box around yourself as well! These can range from being a LEGO brick by using small cups as studs, a juice box using toilet paper rolls as a straw or even a recycling bin with a lid cut-out on the top. As explained, there are infinitely many options to choose from your own DIY Halloween costume. Hopefully my suggestions have sparked some ideas, but if not, asking a friend or a simple web search will certainly inspire you!

COSTUME IDEAS Have some fun and let loose when you’re deciding on what to be this Halloween! Here are some ideas to get you started. Read the article for more details. 1. Breadwinner 2. Fish out of water 3. Fork in the road 4. Kool Aid 5. Identity thief 6. Computer error 7. 50 Shades of Grey 8. A bunch of fives 9. Flower pot 10. Lego brick 11. Juice box 12. Recycling bin

Understanding the ups and downs of stress saloni shah columnist

Dear Eagles, I look around my family room and everyone seems stressed. My dad recently got promoted at work, and he seems more stressed. My mom is stressed since my grandfather in India is not well, and his health has taken a bad turn. And well, I am a sophomore in high school trying to balance my academics and extracurricular activities, juggling to be the best at everything I do, so I must be stressed. Most of the definitions of stress have a negative connotation. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, stress is defined as a physical, chemical or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation. We ignore that there is stress in daily life which has positive connotation –- there is good stress, like receiving a promotion and doing well in school. These positive stresses are not the same as my mother feeling concerned for my sick grandfather. We should differentiate between the negative variety of stress termed distress, which often connotes disease, and eustress, which often connotes euphoria. Even though eustress inflicts less harm upon the body, the body responds to the negative stimuli acting upon it in the same way for eustress and distress. It is necessary to manage both good or bad stress to stay healthy and well. My father achieves this

Unplugging myself from stressful situtions and stepping out for a breath of fresh air always seem to calm me down. SALONI SHAH COLUMNIST by diligently working out in the gym, whereas my mother focuses on yoga and nutrition. A breakfast rich in protein, ideally between 25-30 grams, can keep your cortisol levels normal. Studies have shown that owning a pet can reduce stress and improve your health — unfortunately, I have lost this argument with my mother, who is morbidly afraid of dogs. So, I have to find other ways to control stress. Unplugging myself from stressful situations and stepping out for a breath of fresh air always seems to calm me down. I also listen to music to alleviate my stress. As I hear the music notes of Travis Scott to Kygo to Ed Sheeran, it elevates my spirit and relaxes my mind. I recently added Ariana Grande’s song, ‘breathin’ from her new album, “Sweetener” to my collection. The song is about anxiety and panic attacks and breathing when you think you can’t. The lyrics of the song are powerful and can have a healing power on people who face such feelings of anxiety. “Sometimes it’s hard to find, find my way up into the clouds. Tune it out, they can be so loud... Just keep breathin’ and breathin’ and breathin’ and breathin’ I know I gotta keep, I keep on breathin’.” In health and wellness, Saloni Shah

8 WINGED POST

DOUBLETRUCK

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

CELEBRATING PAST 1893

The history of Harker

we take a trip through 125 years of history, reflecting on moments and memories

asst. features editor & features editor & reporter

“I know the names of every single of these girls still. Once there [had] been an earthquake at night, it really rattled everything, including the girls. We were all cleared, and everyone [was] scared to death. So they all—all 18 of them—got together in four bunk beds. And I sat in the middle of the hallway and I read to them all night long until they were all asleep. And they were scrunched into these beds. But they finally did get to sleep.” Cindy Ellis, former boarding parent, former middle school head and current community liaison, retold the stories from an evening of friendship and comfort, her hand brushing over photographs from the boarding program period of Harker. Nostalgic words and simple photographs could hardly communicate her fond memories at Harker. The history of Harker began in 1893, when Frank Cramer established Manzanita Hall, a boys’ college preparatory school, which is the namesake for the current Manzanita Hall at the upper school. A few years later in 1902, Catherine Harker founded Miss Harker’s School for Girls based in Palo Alto. After Manzanita Hall ended its college preparatory program, the school was renamed to the Palo Alto Military Academy (PAMA), which provided boarding for boys in first through ninth grade.

Miss Harker’s School started to welcome boys in 1955 and changed its name to Harker Day School, eventually merging with PAMA in 1972 to become Harker Academy. In 1973, Harker ended the military program and nearly twenty years later was renamed The Harker School in 1992. Several years passed and the Harker School opened a high school branch, welcoming the first class of high school students in 1998 and closing the boarding program in 2002. To this day, Ellis cherishes the weekend activities and holiday festivities from the boarding program: cutting down Christmas trees to decorate the dorms; Howard Nichols, the head of the school, reading “The Night Before Christmas”; Dan Gelineau, dean of school, playing the accordion and the boarders singing along; and the “family get-together” dinner before Christmas vacation. Ellis also reminisces over early memories at the Family and Alumni Picnic, which was first held at the Palo Alto Military Academy in 1950 and became an annual tradition ever since, even after the merging with the Harker Day School. She describes the evolution of the games and events at the picnic, and how despite becoming more “sophisticated,” its environment remained consistent over the years. “[The picnic used to be] much simpler in the sense that there were a lot more homemade activities and games,” Ellis said. “We gradually started ‘farming out,’ and it became more responsive to what people were wanting as the school grew. But the demeanor, hasn’t changed, and that’s great—I hope that never does. People at Harker [become] relaxed and just socialize; you totally step away from that alter-persona.” As a growing number of high school students occupied more campus space in the upper school, the lower school was moved to the Bucknall campus, and the middle school program was relocated from Dobbins Hall to the newly built Shah hall and finally to the Blackford campus.

The founding principles of academic excellence, love of learning, accepting challenge and self and mutual respect were the building blocks of Nichols’ vision, which carried over to the high school. “A lot of us believed in that philosophy: creative teaching that includes rigor engagement and holding high standards in check,” said history department chair Donna Gilbert, who has been teaching at Harker since the founding of the upper school. “We were all proud by being part of the Nichols’ vision for the upper school. It’s always been part of Harker, even when it was just a middle school and a lower school—the idea [of] meeting students where they are. If somebody is interested in talking about political movements, we’ll create an environment to do that. If someone’s interested in taking math courses beyond calculus, Harker will work to offer that.” What started with a few fundamental courses evolved into a menu of class selection to suit all students. For example, the history department started with a two-year requirement, changed soon into a three-year requirement of World 1, World 2, and US History and later increased the course list to include various levels of AP and honors classes and electives. The accommodation of students is a key element of the Harker philosophies, and this value is seen not only in the present but also in past years of the school. “No matter what the reasons that [the boarding students’] were there for, it was a great experience for them, and they do remark on the fact that it was great to always have somebody you could talk with.” Ellis said. “You always had somebody around you could confide in, you could chat with, you could play a game with—we had the gym [and] the fields open at night after school—so there was always something going on. [It was] a special place.” Additional reporting by Nerine Uyanik. ALL PHOTOS PROVIDED BY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION

sara yen & gloria zhang & annamma vazhaeparambil

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Former dorm mother Cindy Ellis reads stories to young boarders in the 1970s.

The PAMA marching band members pose in front of the academy building in 1932.

Boarding program dorm buildings were equipped with lounges and game rooms.

Harker Day School and PAMA merged in 1972, moving to the Saratoga campus.

PAMA cadets stand outside the original Manzanita Hall in Palo Alto in the 60s.

Student boarders and teachers enjoy a meal in the dorm’s dining room.

Two 1982 boarders challenge each other to fooseball in the dorm common room.

A 1912 advertisement for Miss Harker’s School for girls depicts a school building.

the many names of harker manzanita hall (1893 - 1919) miss harker’s school for girls (1902 - 1955) palo alto military academy (1919 - 1972) harker day school (1955 - 1972) harker academy (1972 - 1992) the harker school (1992 - today)

DOUBLETRUCK

WINGED POST 9

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

As Harker celebrates its 125th anniversary, we look back on defining moments from over a century of history and today.

AND PRESENT WEEKEND MOMENTS

125TH WEEKEND NICOLE CHEN

SARA YEN

GO GREEN Freshmen Brooklyn Cicero and Ava Lett cheer for their class during the homecoming rally. The game took place on Oct. 5. KATHY FANG

ANNAMMA VAZHAEPARAMBIL MICHAEL ENG

THROW IT BACK Middle school teacher Kate Morgensen (‘93) opens a time capsule at the alumni reunion. The reunion took place on Oct. 7.

and get involved,” freshman skit leader William Chien said. “My favorite part is getting to meet new people and work with them to unite the freshman class and band together against the other classes.” Sophomore spirit coordinator Arjun Virmani led his class through spirit week events. “We had a lunch activity going on in the quad, and it just make the culture more light hearted and more fun and relaxed,” Arjun said.

The Harker School hosted its Alumni Reunion in the afternoon of Oct. 7, inviting alumni to return to the high school to meet with past teachers and administrators, receive a tour of the new campus, and speak with past classmates. During the reunion, members of the middle school graduating class of ‘93 also opened a time capsule which held individual photos, notes, and other miscellaneous items, and the highschool graduating class of ‘08 read letters that had been ad-

dressed to them from their peers ten years ago. Filled with smiles, laughs and occasional sighs upon seeing the new athletics and performing arts buildings, the Alumni Reunion allowed alumni to reconnect and reminisce with friends. “Even though we graduated and we went through that whole sentimental process of thinking that we weren’t going to see each other, it wasn’t so much the end as it was the transition into seeing each other in a new way,” Melissa Kwan (‘18) said.

HOMECOMING

JAZZ IT UP Jazz band members perform at the homecoming game to pump up the crowd. The football team defeated Elsie Allen High 56-0.

NICOLE CHEN

Kinetic crew dancers Vance Hirota (11) and Shray Alag (10) perform at the Family and Alumni picnic on Oct. 7. “The Picnic is Kinetic Crew’s first performance [of the year], a way to see how we perform in front of an audience,” Hirota said.

NICOLE CHEN

In preparation for the Homecoming game on Oct. 5, all grades participated in several spirit activities in the weeks leading up to it, including the eagle painting contest, skits, tug of war, lunchtime competitions and a Homecoming rally. While the freshmen and seniors had the theme of west coast, sophomores and juniors bore pride for east coast. “When I came to harker the community really felt just right, and I wanted to be a part of it

ALUMNI REUNION

Sophomore homecoming court members Alex Zhai and Vivian Jin compete in an obstacle course during the spirit rally on Oct. 5. The senior class court ultimately won the competition.

During the homecoming game On Oct. 5, where the football team defeated Elsie Allen High School 56-0, the cheer team and varsity dance team performed, the seniors beat the juniors in tug of war, Dr. Teja Patil (‘02) received an alumni reward and seniors Kelsey Wu and Neil Ramaswamy were declared the royals in the homecoming court. “Homecoming [was] one of those opportunities where I really felt like I was part of a really

tremendous family in the Harker School,” former senior class president Alex Youn (‘17) said. In terms of how that impacted my experience there, it was sort of—more than anything—a nostalgic effect. Something I could always look forward to and expect new, exciting things from.” The homecoming dance, which included snacks and a photo booth with props for attendees, took place later that evening, inviting upper school students and guests.

SING IT LOUD Members of the underclassman choir Bel Canto deliver a performance at the picnic. The event took place at the Blackford campus.

MICHAEL ENG

FAMILY PICNIC

KATHY FANG

Senior class dean Victor Adler poses with the senior class homecoming royalty, Neil Ramaswamy and Kelsey Wu. The other senior court members were Richard Wang, Scout McNealy, Andrew Skrobak and Esha Deokar.

Picnic, alumni and homecoming events bring generations of students and families together

spirit festivities

Juniors Katelyn Chen and Ellen Guo pose for a photo during the homecoming dance. Harker kitchen staff catered the event and the hired DJ provided music, and student council organized the dance and ticket sales.

Cheer captains Stephanie Xiao (12) and Taylor Vaughan (12) perform the cheer team’s routine at the spirit rally. The cheer team captains choreographed the routine, which was also performed at the game.

PHOTOS BY NICOLE CHEN

2018

The 68th annual Family and Alumni Picnic, which was held at the middle school on Oct. 7, featured performances by students from all campuses as well as games and arcade booths for entertainment. While some were a part of the dance and singing groups that performed for guests, many other high-schoolers were also volunteers at the different stations: members of the robotics club helped out with the laser

tag, and students in art classes managed the face painting. “The Picnic is Kinetic Crew’s first performance [of the year], so it’s a way to see how we actually perform in front of an audience,” Vance Hirota (11), a member of Kinetic Crew, said. “It’s exciting because there’s a bunch of parents who come and watch, and we get to––especially this year since we have a new choreographer––show the different style that we’ve been taught.”

In addition to the other events of the 125th anniversary weekend, the Harker community came together on Oct. 6 to commemorate the life of Diana Nichols, former chair of the board of trustees and school leader. For more on Nichols, her life and legacy, turn to page 16.

10 WINGED POST

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

Michael Eng Anjay Saklecha Kushal Shah

Saloni Shah Jin Tuan Helen Yang

Adviser Ellen Austin, MJE Aquila Editor-in-Chief Nicole Chen Aquila Managing Editor & Humans of Harker Editor Kathy Fang Asst. Editor, Humans of Harker Saloni Shah Reporters Sriya Batchu

Emily Tan

Erica Cai

Saurav Tewari

Catherine Feng

Jay Thilking

Lucy Ge

Nicole Tian

Esha Gohil

Alyssa Tomberg

Mark Hu

Mara Tucker

Vivian Jin

Nerine Uyanik

Vishnu Kannan

Jessie Wang

Anika Rajamani

Daniel Wu

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Arely Sun

Gloria Zhu

Muthu Panchanatham Anna Vazhaeparambil Anmol Velagapudi

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

The Winged Post is published every four to six weeks except during vacations by the Journalism: Newspaper Concentration and Advanced Journalism: Newspaper Concentration courses at The Harker Upper School, 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, CA 95129. The Winged Post staff will publish features, editorials, news, sports and STEM articles in an unbiased and professional manner and serve as a public forum for the students of The Harker School. Editorials represent the official opinions of The Winged Post. Opinions and letters represent the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Winged Post. All content decisions are made by student editors, and the content of The Winged Post in no way reflects the official policy of The Harker School. The opinions expressed in this publication reflect those of the student writers and not the Harker board, administration, faculty or adviser. Letters to the Editor may be submitted to Manzanita 70 or emailed to wingedpost2019@ gmail.com and must be signed, legible and concise. The staff reserves the right to edit letters to conform to Post style. Baseless accusations, insults, libelous statements, obscenities and letters that call for a disruption of the school day will not be considered for publication. Letters sent to The Winged Post will be published at the discretion of the editorial staff. The Winged Post is the official student newspaper of The Harker School and is distributed free of cost to students. 2019 CSPA Crown Finalist 2017-2018 NSPA Pacemaker 2017-2018 NSPA Best-in-show publication 2017-2018 Gold Crown-winning publication 2016-2017 NSPA Pacemaker Finalist 2016-2017 Silver Crown-winning publication 2015-2016 Gold Crown-winning publication 2014-2015 Silver Crown-winning publication 2013-2014 Silver Crown-winning publication 2012-2013 Silver Crown-winning publication 2010-2011 Gold Crown-winning publication 2009-2010 Silver Crown-winning publication

Taking responsibility for our actions EDITORIAL THE OFFICIAL OPINION OF THE WINGED POST As high school students, we’re constantly told that what we do now–every test, each interaction, each triumph or misstep– will impact our future. This seemingly-prophetic concept sometimes makes us view a less-than-ideal SAT score as a blemish on our lifelong resumes. When put in perspective, though, the SAT– as with many things that consume us in highschool– will have little impact on our lives and the lives of others. Yet, other actions we take as we step into adulthood can have a greater effect. We see the consequences of these choices everywhere, from job interviews to the U.S. Supreme Court. After three women came forward in September to accuse Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct during his high school and college years, it sparked intense conversations about gender and privilege both within the Senate and across the country. But these allegations also catalyzed another conversation. In the days before the trial, many contemplated a question with far-reaching implications. Kavanaugh had been a young adult at the time of the alleged assault in the early 1980s– so should the accusations, if true, affect the confirmation process in 2018? The answer is clear. Harm, inflicted at any age and at any time, is just that– harm. While the allegations may have

NINA GEE

Executive News Editor Ryan Guan

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

stemmed from the 80s, assault, harassment and bullying are all realities that students face today. And the effects haven’t changed, either– pain can stay with survivors, whether adults or teenagers, throughout their lives. This conversation in our nation’s spotlight reflects an issue embedded in youth culture: the need for accountability. With each passing high school year, we get closer to taking on larger responsibilities, both in our own lives and as citizens. Some of us are turning 18. We’re applying for jobs, or taking on internships. We’re living away from home, or learning how to drive. We’re preparing to vote,

or perhaps casting our ballots already. These are all actions for which adulthood holds us accountable–actions that cause harm should not be an exception. Some decisions may not seem permanent, but they can have a lasting impact on others. Each choice we make molds us into the adults we ultimately become. Only by accepting responsibility for our decisions now, can we change ourselves for the better. And it’s through taking ownership of our behavior and its consequences that we earn others’ trust and respect. While we are tasked with taking responsibility for our own

decisions and actions, it’s critical that the institutions and people around us hold us to the same standard. For schools, this means being more transparent about issues, mistakes and consequences to allow everyone to learn. For students, this means speaking up when someone causes harm. In less than a year, nearly one-fourth of our campus will embark on the next milestone in the journey of adulthood: college. With this expanded freedom, we won’t have our parents or our school to hold us responsible– and so we must take accountability ourselves. After all, we’re a sum of our actions. So let’s make those actions count.

Bench for life: Term limits needed for Supreme Court justices saloni shah columnist & asst. humans of harker editor

Monarchs rule for life and so do Supreme Court Justices. The ongoing drama and intense scrutiny surrounding the Senate Judiciary hearing on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court has resurfaced the question as to whether there should there be a term limit for the Supreme Court justices. This is probably one of the few offices in the world where you are guaranteed work for life. In the recent years, the average number of years a judge has served in office has gone up from 16 to 26. With younger judges now serving for almost three decades, the appointment to the highest court in the country has become a high stakes affair. 61% of the registered voters expressed support for a term limit on Supreme Court Justices according to National Tracking Poll #180724 conducted in July 2018. America is the only democracy in the world which grants the federal judges lifetime ten-

ure to their offices. The Supreme Court justices are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. This process differs significantly from other major democracies in the world. In the United Kingdom, Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by The Queen on the recommendation by a special selection commission and are required to retire by the age of 70 while in India the Supreme Court justices are appointed by the President based on the recommendations of a committee comprised of the Chief Justice of India and five senior judges of the court with a retirement age of 65. The Supreme Court of the U.S. decides on the interpretation of the written Constitution. With the lifetime appointment, the framers of the Constitution wanted to ensure that the judiciary branch would remain independent of the legislative and executive branches. But I think the intention to keep the judges free of re-election pressure and the need for popular votes has long been lost. Our founding fathers must be anguished at the current state

ERIC FANG

Editors-in-Chief Prameela Kottapalli Katherine Zhang

OPINION

of the political affairs where an empty supreme court seat was used as a 2016 election tool by both the parties and the nomination process of Judge Kavanaugh became a further display of partisan divide. The citizens watched Judge Kavanaugh officially appointed as the 114th Supreme Court justice for life in an emotional, controversial, and partisan process by a 50-48 vote.

The appointment of Supreme Court justices will continue to remain a contentious issue in the near future, since any changes to the Constitution have to be approved by the Congress and ratified by ¾ of the States. This is a daunting task. Yet I hope that by some miracle, we can set term limits and a mandatory retirement age for the Supreme Court justices to restore integrity to this highly privileged position.

eart of Harker: The meaning of adulthood lilly anderson guest writer

Birthdays often don’t mean much to me. When asked how differently you feel on the big day the answer more often than not is, “I feel the same.” This birthday, however, was different. Although as an individual I did not feel any different, the rite of passage to becoming an officiwas incomprehensible. The way I look at it, when you turn 18, two life-changing gifts are given to you by society: freedom and responsibility. The freedom given when you turn 18 is unfamiliar and somewhat unrestricted. On the other hand, the amount of responsibility given is incomprehensible and somewhat too heavy to bear. There’s no class that prepares you for the day you turn 18. Instead, 18-year-olds are thrown out into the world, vul-

nerable, afraid, and expected to be more than they know. For 18 years my everyday tasks and thoughts have revolved around school and doing as I was told. For the first time in my life, I’m having to think past my everyday responsibilities, such as what colleges are right for me, what major I want to sign up for, what kind of life I want to have and how I can make that life possible. I’ve never been so uncertain about myself than the day I turned 18. For example, as I turn 18, I officially am allowed to exercise my right to vote, as granted by the 15th amendment, giving me the ability to actually make somewhat of a difference. Voting as an 18-year-old is crucial to creating a well-rounded and knowledgeable teen, because voting allows the planning of one’s future to become more attainable. Political ideology can be derivedderive from all orations

reaching from religion, social class, self-worth and individual desire. I have always believed that knowledge of the past gives you unexplainable power to make a difference for the future. Compared to thinking about high school drama, my range of

When you turn 18, two life-changing gifts are given to you: freedom and responsibility. thinking has done a complete 180-degree turn. The world often feels uncontrollable, chaotic and suffocating; taking action and being able to have your own personal beliefs and ideas heard because in the social standing you are considered a grown adult is invigorating. What’s surprising me more and more everyday is how people expect teenagers all around the world to all of a sudden become mature and leave

immature habits behind all because they turn 18. Politics are one aspect of adulthood that can be truly overwhelming and somewhat toxic. Ever since I became interested in politics, I’ve anxiously anticipated ‘til the day I can go to the polls and vote. Understanding politics ranges farther than governmental issue and becomes a platform to understanding how the world functions and operates. As I dive deeper into political articles, news podcasts, presidential hearings, political scandals, the more afraid I become of the world. When someone’s an adolescent they are often sheltered and taken care of, but slowly as I adapt to my new reality, the more I feel uncertain. The more I learn the sense of urgency, I feel to be heard when I see injustices– and the more I truly understand how incredibly important words are. Lilly Anderson is a senior who looks forward to vote in the midterm elections in November.

OPINION

WINGED POST 11

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

Perspectives: College-centric mindset

In our new repeater Perspectives, two authors with separate viewpoints discuss an issue of prominence in the local or broader community. We hope to use these multiple views to provoke deeper thought among the student body and help readers explore new perspectives. At Harker, we often see high school as our last path on a long journey to college. While this is often true, this mindset sometimes has negative implications for life during and after high school.

SENIOR POLL

69 members of the class of 2019 responded

• 98.6% of respondents plan to attend college. • 2.9% plan to take a gap year before college. • 49.3% said the biggest factor in choosing the colleges they applied to was whether the school had their desired field of study while 29% said it was the school’s rank. • 33.3% started considering the university they wanted to attend during 11th grade while 27.5% began before freshman year. • 35.3% started considering what they wanted to do after college before 9th grade while 29.4% began during their junior year.

College-centric mindset undermines personal growth anjay saklecha senior copy editor & columnist

At Harker, we undoubtedly have a culture that focuses primarily on colleges, and, at first, this may not seem bad; it encourages our high-schoolers to strive for excellence in all aspects of their life and aim for acceptance into the college of their dreams. However, as we dive closer to the heart of what this entails, it is apparent that some problems exist. To get into college, many want to build a lengthy resume complete with accomplishments in academics and extracurriculars, but as we try to build up our resumes, we often lose sight of why we should do what we are doing. Having an active role in a lot of clubs is seen as an effort to add another achievement rather than genuine interest. A choice to participate in competitions

often boils down to an award. Volunteering and community service has strayed far from its original objective of personal and community growth to a sinister one of a competition for a number of hours. Receiving a good grade is not seen as proof of how much learning or studying was done but rather as one step closer to college. This problem goes far deeper than those who simply choose to do these activities for the above reasons. The duplicitous nature of our seemingly benign actions has become our brand, the Harker brand, where college acceptance is the ultimate goal in high school. Even those who choose to join and found clubs out of real interest or volunteer out of a desire to help their community or take part in initiatives with good intentions will be written off as those who want to pad their resumes, and that is the saddest outcome of such a culture.

JIN TUAN

Anjay Saklecha (12) and Srinath Somasundaram (10) discuss the college-centric mindset.

College-centric mindset limits options after high school srinath somasundaram opinion editor

While still in high school, our college-centric mindset as a school is a double-edged sword. In some cases, it serves as the impetus for high schoolers to start to do more while at other times, it causes a toxic environment where all decisions are seen as ones that further a path to college. However, our college-centric mindset also, possibly more detrimentally, impacts the way we look at life after high school. It constricts our thinking to one path out of high school: a bachelor’s program in a prestigious university followed by more education or a job. This ultimately only limits our future choices and decisions. This path may be the one that many from Harker choose to take, but it is obviously not the only path we can take. Opting

to take a gap year between high school and college has obvious benefits in that it is a full year to focus on personal growth free of any and all restrictions caused by a university education. Another option that is too often overlooked is the military; while it is not common at Harker to pursue a career that includes serving in the military, it is a possibility that has its own advantages and should be treated as such. These two possibilities are just two of a multitude of legitimate options that we should think about when considering our post-Harker life and education. While it is completely logical to already have a plan in mind as to a future after high school, it is equally logical to have an open mind, making sure to look at all the possibilities. The latter, however, is rarely exercised and is often discouraged as our community mindset causes these alternative options to be unfairly disregarded and ignored.

Editors’ Note: What we cover and why

prameela kottapali & katherine zhang editors-in-chief

Welcome back! Last issue, we dove into the message of Winged Post, addressing what you might see inside the pages. Now, we want to explain why we believe that these topics are important. Each issue, we leave a space in our STEM section to cover climate change, one of the most pervasive and pressing problems facing our society. We hope to offer scientific analysis that will make the effects of climate change clear to our readers. Continuing upon our coverage of immigration policy, we will dedicate space in each issue to the discussion of the impact of immigration, providing a platform for immigrants in our community to tell their stories. We dedicate ourselves to the coverage and analysis of issues of equity and social justice in all forms. We seek to create an inclusive space for voices within and outside of our community.

We’ve also chosen to continue devoting a page to global news, as what’s happening around the world always has its repercussions. We hope that our news writing and columns will provide both facts and knowledgeable perspectives. We seek to represent the varying opinions and viewpoints of members of our school community; therefore, we are committed to providing multiple perspectives on issues of all levels. Though we seek to cover events and ideas broader than the school community, we also hope to acknowledge the diversity in the people around us: as a result, profiles of students will often appear in the newspaper. In addition, we hope to celebrate our community as a whole through covering Harker’s history and legacy. While we are committed to all of these topics, we also acknowledge that other issues may arise that we find necessary to include in ongoing coverage. And when we do find these topics, you will be the first to know. As always, we welcome reader input. So whether it’s responding to us through a letter to the editor or requesting to write a guest column — feel free to reach us at wingedpost2019@ gmail.com!

CORRECTIONS TO ISSUE 1

• News 2: “Former upper school music teacher arrested on misconduct charges”: The article incorrectly stated that Christopher Florio taught at the upper school for nine years. He taught at the upper school for thirteen years. • News 2: “Upper school welcomes eight new teachers to campus”: The article incorrectly labeled Nikolai Slivka’s favorite movies as favorite books. • News 2: “Class of 2022 attends upper school orientation” The article’s caption misspells Muthiah Panchanatham’s last name. • Features 5: “Biology teacher experiences joy of beekeeping”: The article misquoted Dr. Thomas Artiss’s doctoral thesis as etymology instead of entomology. • STEM 10: “Summer research internships create new opportunities for student researchers”: The article incorrectly stated that there were 1,200 SIP applicants. Nearly 700 individuals applied.

NINA GEE

A conservation of conversation arya maheshwari STEM editor

“Welcome to Medium. A place where words matter.” The bold black text appears as I open one of the internet’s most popular forums for writing feature articles, and at first, the sentence seems like a normal slogan given the journalistic and literary focus of the website. But after thinking about the line for a moment, the connotations of the claim seem shocking, yet, sadly, it does not seem wrong when analyzed in the context of the current state of the country. Fueling this sentiment is the idea that words are being devalued in our society. The power of words – building blocks of language, a medium of communication for referencing a common understanding about the world – lies in their ability to convey ideas in a meaningful fashion, which is now fading away. Two prime manifestations of a devaluation of words come straight from the highest offices in the U.S. On July 16, at a NATO summit in Helsinki, President Trump stated, “I don’t see any reason why it would be [Russia],” regarding Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. But the following day, he made a new statement to reporters: “In a key sentence in my remark, I said the word ‘would’ instead of ‘wouldn’t’... Sort of a double negative.”

The Supreme Court hearings for Brett Kavanaugh were undoubtedly a second example of this trend. Regardless of the issue of whether Kavanaugh, who was confirmed to the Senate in a 50-48 vote last Saturday, deserves his position on the Supreme Court, much of his responses in his testimony did not valuably pertain to the questions asked of him.

The power of words lies in their ability to convey ideas meaningfully, which is now fading away. The possibility of many of Kavanaugh’s statements later being found to be lies is certainly nonzero: the conversation around his drinking habits is just one example. Some of Kavanaugh’s classmates, including Yale classmates Liz Swisher and Chad Ludington, have come out against their classmate declaring that he was not sharing the truth in his denial of having passed out from drinking or done so excessively in his high school and college years. When questioned by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse regarding the meaning of a term for vomiting in Kavanaugh’s yearbook, his response included an evasive attempt that was a dialogue about ketchup on spaghetti, and then, “I like beer. I don’t know if you do – do you

like beer, Senator? What do you like to drink? Senator, what do you like to drink?” In the domain of the public, this trend manifests itself in social media. The rise of platforms starting with Facebook, Twitter, and more recently Instagram and Snapchat, has brought fundamental changes in the ways we communicate amongst one another, allowing for a rapid spread of ideas and instantaneous messaging. With this power available at the fingertips of a vast base of users, the ease of outputting messages can make it tempting to throw around words without thinking first about possible consequences. On top of this is the recent growth of internet “trolling” or the deliberate attempt to cause harm or misunderstanding via online communication. Trolling may be funny when limited in impact or done in channels whose purpose is lighthearted joking, but when applied in a broader scope, it can beget disastrous results and contention. It would be impractical to urge that all conversations must be deep and thoughtfully conveyed, which would be a radical commitment to an unfavorable ultimatum. But there is a time and place for these things, and it is important to draw a line, explicitly when needed, between the casual and the serious. Most dialogue would indeed benefit from having words of more significance, used deliberately rather than whimsically.

12 WINGED POST

STEM

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

The art of creating kombucha leather

Science inspires sustainable fashion with new eco-friendly material

JIN TUAN

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

helen yang columnist

SCOBY (n): symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast that grows and floats in kombucha by feeding on sugar

Enter kombucha. Out of a myriad of nature-based options, including tree bark and kelp, kombucha is perhaps a most unexpected place to look. A colony of bacteria, it seems less likely to yield a leather-like product. The slimy layer of bacteria and beards of yeast are usually seen as a side product of kombucha production. When satisfying the demand caused by tech companies and health enthusiasts, much of the SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast) is either discarded or reused for another batch of the tea. Creating kombucha leather reverses this relationship and nearly eliminates the water usage dilemma in leather production, as its side

JIN TUAN

Competitive math draws participants of all ages sports editor and reporter

Rows and rows of seats in a college lecture hall fill up with anxious students, armed with yellow #2 pencils, fully charged TI-84s and blank sheets of paper. Proctors distribute tests, making their way down the aisles while issuing stern directions. Soon, the talking dies down and the command of “You may begin” echoes through the hall, immediately followed by a loud shuffling of paper. For an hour, students stay hunched over their desks, the silence interrupted only by the turning of pages. Variations of this scene are played out at thousands of competitive math contests across the world every year. Many perceive math as nothing more than a required subject at school that has no day-to-day applications beyond basic algebra; naturally, it baffles those outside the math-

ematical community when competitive math so closely resembles taking a dreaded math test. “I think a lot of people have this idea [that] math is about memorizing formulas and that’s not very fun,” Michael Wang (12), co-president of the math club, said. “But for me, math is more about thinking — applying those formulas in creative ways — than actually knowing the formulas.” Contest math requires creative and unusual applications of standard mathematical knowledge to solve problems in a competition setting, making it more about problem-solving than traditional math. It is conventionally divided into four categories: algebra, which deals with the analytical manipulation of equations; number theory, which deals with the properties and relationships of integers; geometry, which deals

with figures and space; and combinatorics, which involves the combination and counting of objects constrained by certain rules . Although these categories appear to differ significantly, they are interrelated and can be innovatively used in conjunction to solve problems. “I like the creative problem solving aspect, like solving puzzles, encountering new theorems and new ideas,” Katherine “Kat” Tian (12), co-president of the math club, said. “There’s a beauty in the rigor that math uses to model the world around us.” The math club, advised by mathematics teacher Dr. Anu Aiyer, organizes most competition math-related events at

the upper school. In addition to hosting weekly competitions for members, the club travels to various national mathematics competitions, including the upcoming Princeton University Mathematics Competition (PUMAC) on Nov. 17. These trips provide members with valuable opportunities to interact with other mathematically-inclined students. “I think it’s a really inspiring community because a lot people in the math community are really dedicated and really love doing it,” Michael said. “Being around these people inspires you. It’s just a really inspiring thing, when people push each other to the limits.”

STEM editor

The lights slowly blaze to life as you awake, mimicking the dawn sun as the clock glows blue upon reaching six o’clock. Perhaps a rooster crows through the speakers as a calm voice asks you to nod if you’d like your normal breakfast for Wednesdays. The microwave then whirs to life in the background, and the voice rhythmically goes through the day’s weather forecast, your calendar, stock gains and more. Ten minutes later, your car waits, doors opened and seats warmed for you to enter, with a virtual assistant ready to keep you company as you start your day. To some, this description of a morning routine may seem to fit best in a futuristic portrayal of society of the “science fiction”

genre, but it is rapidly becoming a fitting summary of the current state of user technology. This reality drew even closer when the electronic commerce and cloud computing giant Amazon, one of the fastest-growing technology companies with a market value of nearly $915 billion, released an array of new products on Sept. 20. All connected to Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant similar to Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana, the thirteen new hardware products include multiple versions of the Amazon Echo speaker, the Echo Auto for use in vehicles and a smart clock, wall plug and microwave. Nuanced new abilities were showcased for each device, with features allowing for more power available at users’ fingertips – or literally, through their speech.

Amazon’s releases underscore the company’s pursuit in expanding their presence in the “Internet of Things,” or “IoT.” The IoT refers to the growing networks of hardware devices that are linked to a common cloud, allowing for new levels of control and connectedness between everyday items. Specifically, the consumer IoT trend is about remote access and centralized control from the cloud, as it allows users to operate devices without any physical interaction and instead through media like voice control or phone apps, and then access data all compiled digitally in the cloud. As a group, Amazon’s new Alexa-enabled devices will bring user experience closer to a smooth integration of technology with typical lifestyle. For better or for worse, with these

ARYA MAHESHWARI & WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Amazon releases expand horizons of the voice-control “Internet of Things” arya maheshwari

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket California based aerospace company SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Air Force Base on Sunday, creating a vibrant display of light across the night sky visible in the surrounding region. The rocket carried Argentinian satellite SAOCOM 1A into orbit as its payload with a successful departure and return to base.

SiriusXM to buy radio company Pandora

ADITYA SINGHVI

aditya singhvi & saurav tewari

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

DEFINITION

product is a drink. Within a week and a half, a gallon of tea yields a paper-thin but durable sheet of healthy bacteria when dried. In two weeks, the film thickens considerably. In comparison with the large-scale resource usage of raising cows or creating polyurethane, the costs are relatively low, and the time window for a sheet of kombucha leather needed to create a small pouch is much shorter than other options. When oiled and folded, the kombucha acts like a cloth, and when the paper-thin sample is folded four times, the result is a viable leather alternative, both in terms of looks and texture. From personal experience, kombucha is also low maintenance and easy to grow. With professional tools and controls, a higher quality leather can be produced with ease. Perhaps in the search for more sustainable fashion, the answer lies not in the world of larger farms and heightened production, but in places often overlooked as waste or side products. As the SCOBY quietly grows in the tub, the sustainable fashion movement it represents continues to spread in the most unexpected ways.

WIKMEDIA COMMONS

Fueled by our consumerism, climate change continues to wreak havoc. The demand for crude oil and the mountains of plastic in our oceans often take the forefront in discussions about the human footprint. What is equally as formidable, however, is the insatiable demand for animal furs and skins in fashion. In the path of these horsemen of the apocalypse floats a threeinch thick, white agar-like disk of live bacteria and culture, quietly growing in a tub of sugary black tea. As climate change becomes a more central issue, clothing designers have looked to alternative methods of production and less conventional materials to cut down on their footprint. One material in particular has not only been questioned in terms of environmental impact, but also in terms of animal cruelty. Leather, durable and ubiquitous, has been used for over 7,000 years across the world, tanned using natural resources. However, skin from livestock used for food is often not adequate. Cows are raised in

struggle to find a leather alternative is the experience. “The drawback is that as an artist, they do not yield nearly the same result of what real leather does,” Future of Retro said.

releases and future ones, consumer devices will step closer to a technological reality that seemed like science-fiction just a decade ago.

scan for details on

DEVICE SPECS

Satellite radio company SiriusXM announced the deal to buy digital radio company Pandora in early 2019 in a deal valued at $3.5 billion in stocks. Currently, the two companies garner a total of 106 million monthly active listeners in North America.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

lifestyle editor and reporter

alarming populations, increasing methane levels and exhausting water and land resources. Leather is also often now tanned and dyed using synthetic chemicals that harm the workers and the environment. Chrome, a known carcinogen, as well as other heavy oils are used in the production process. In light of negative impacts, more companies are focusing on using more eco-friendly processes. Take Future of Retro, for example. Based in Norman, Oklahoma, the company focuses on the art of leather jackets and openly reports to customers on the origin of their materials. Recently, the team has started to look into faux leather. “For us, it is important to follow the direction of the culture as well as what the customer is wanting. We care very much about the environment which makes it an important factor for us,” Future of Retro’s group of designers and manufacturers said in an interview over email. The most common alternative to real leather is polyurethane. Though it is less harmful in terms of environmental impacts, polyurethane continues to use fossil fuels, a nonrenewable resource. Another part of the

Kevin Systrom, CEO of Instagram, and Mike Krieger, CTO, founded Instagram together in 2010 in San Francisco. Six years after selling the company to Facebook for $1 billion, the duo resigned and plans to leave Instagram.

Bipartisan bill takes step towards battling opioid crisis The U.S. Senate passed a bill addressing opioids, backed by politicians in both parties, to battle opioid abuse on Oct. 3. through a combination of law enforcement and public health measures. The bill proposes increased funding for treatment through Medicaid, researching safer painkillers, and more, focusing specifically on addressing prevention,

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

jin tuan & arely sun

Co-founders of Instagram step down

Uranus reaches an optimal viewing point Uranus, the second outermost planet in our solar system, appears the biggest and brightest on Oct. 23 as it reaches the position that is both almost directly opposite the Sun and closest to the Earth. It is visible all night, and appears as a blue-green bright spot in the sky.

WINGED POST 13

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

GLOBAL

RESET

Hurricane intensity worsens with changes in global climate vivian jin & lucy ge reporters

After Hurricane Michael and Hurricane Florence damaged the east coast of the United States, thousands of people continue to recover from the destruction. According to the United States Census Bureau, the hurricane affected Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, and the District of Columbia, potentially impacting (directly or indirectly) almost 85 million people. To understand why this hurricane was so devastating, let’s go back to how they form: Hurricanes start off with warm water in the tropics. Winds blow dust from the Sahara desert into the eastern Atlantic Ocean, triggering a condensation of the humidity in the air, which begins

the storm. The condensing water creates heat, warming the ocean underneath, which causes even more evaporation and condensation, thus creating an endless cycle that inflates the storm. Such hurricanes only stop when they encounter cold water or land (which cut off its supply of warm water). However, when they move inland, they cause damage in three significant ways: “One is [that] the storm literally pushes the ocean higher ahead of it, [in] what’s called storm surge,” biology teacher Mike Pistacchi said. “As the storm moves onto land, that creates the equivalent of massively high tide, [which] causes a lot of coastal damage.” Second, the high wind

“All of the climate models have predicted if not more frequent hurricanes, hurricanes of greater magnitude. Scientists have already developed the tools to calculate how much greater magnitude a hurricane is because of the already-felt effects of climate change.” JIN TUAN

STEM

speeds of the hurricane demolish buildings and cars. “The third one is, once all that water dumps onto the land, it all has to make its way back to the sea, which creates all kinds of flooding,” Pistacchi said. “So low lying coastal communities like North Carolina are very, very vulnerable to… this deluge of water coming back down to the ocean.” Furthermore, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website, tropical storms are beginning to slow down and remain in place for longer. Storms may be compounded by the impact of increased population as well. “As more and more people move to the coast, that could cause a real negative impact in

Nobel Foundation awards 2018 prizes to laureates

KATE SCHAFER BIOLOGY TEACHER

the future,” said Dan Gregoria, a senior forecaster at the National Weather Service in San Diego. “You can’t stop a hurricane, [so] I would say the most important thing is for people moving [to the coast] to be informed.” Global warming may lead to an increase in intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes, but it is not the sole factor governing the formation of these storms. “Global warming--that’s a complicated question. Warmer water produces bigger hurricanes… and global warming will drive up ocean temperatures. There’s no doubt about that correlation,” Pistacchi said. “That being said, whether or not we’ll get more storms depends on global climate patterns, which are also being altered by climate change. Right now, if anyone

says ‘this storm was because of global warming’ it’s probably an oversimplified view of it. But the general picture is definitely on track with bigger storms.” Though the connection between climate change and hurricanes has not yet been fully explored, the correlation is clear. “All of the climate models have predicted if not more frequent hurricanes, hurricanes of greater magnitude. So greater magnitude is obviously going to do more damage than a more mild hurricane and so that definitely seems to be playing out,” upper school biology teacher Kate Schafer said. “Scientists have already developed the tools to calculate how much greater magnitude a hurricane is because of the already-felt effects of climate change.

Modern breast cancer treatments provide new answers to disease PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE RYAN GUAN

Dr. James P Allison Dr. Tasuku Honjo

michael eng global columnist

NOBLE NOBEL The announcement sheets for the Nobel prizes. The Nobel Foundation announced the laureates for Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Economic Science and Peace starting Oct. 1.

jessie wang & daniel wu reporters

The Nobel Foundation announced the 2018 Nobel Laureates for Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Peace and Economic Sciences during the week of Oct. 1. The Nobel Prize in Literature was postponed until 2019. Each year, the Nobel Foundation, established in 1900 by Alfred Nobel, grants a medal to selected members of 6 fields: (Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Economic Sciences, Peace and Literature) that they believe have contributed the most towards the betterment of humankind. The Nobel Prize, as the medal is called, remains among the most prestigious of awards to this day. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was won by Dr. James P. Allison and Dr. Tasuku Honjo for their great contributions to the fight against cancer. Their research focused on using the stimulus of the human body’s natural defense against illness — white blood cells — to attack cancerous tumors. Their respective discoveries are milestones in the search for a cure. One half of the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Dr. Arthur Ashkin for his creation of optical tweezers capable of moving physical objects, allowing for the capture of living bacteria without harm. The other half of the reward was shared by Dr. Gérard Mourou and Dr. Donna Strickland, for their development of the shortest and most intense laser pulses ever made. Their technique is used in the millions of eye corrective surgeries conducted yearly around the world. Its full range of uses is still unexplored. Dr. Frances H. Arnold was awarded half of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her development and refinement of the di-

rected evolution of enzymes. The many uses of her research include the environmentally friendly manufacturing of chemical substances and the production of renewable fuels. The other half of the reward was jointly shared by Dr. George P. Smith and Sir Gregory P. Winter. Dr. Smith won the award for his development of the Phage Display Technique, which uses viruses that infect bacteria to produce proteins. Sir Winter used this technique to create new pharmaceuticals by directing the evolution of antibodies. Dr. William D. Nordhaus and Dr. Paul M. Romer each received half of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Dr. Nordhaus modelled the relation between climate change and the economy, and his models are used to predict the results of climate change legislation across the globe. Dr. Romer researched the differences between ideas and other goods and services in the market, laying the foundations of endogenous growth theory. “This year’s Laureates do not deliver conclusive answers,” the Nobel Foundation’s press release read, “but their findings have brought us considerably closer to answering the question of how we can achieve sustained and sustainable global economic growth.” The Nobel Peace Prize was given jointly to Dr. Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad, “for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.” said the Nobel Foundation in a press release. The awards ceremony will be held on December 10, 2018, in Stockholm, Sweden, for the Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economic Sciences. The Peace Prize will be awarded in Oslo.

PHYSICS Dr. Gérard Mourou Dr. Donna Strickland Dr. Arthur Ashkin

CHEMISTRY Dr. Gregory P. Smith Sir Gregory P. Winter Dr. Frances H. Arnold

ECONOMIC SCIENCES Dr. William D. Nordhaus Dr. Paul M. Romer

October is breast cancer awareness month. Breast cancer will likely strike someone you know — one in eight women, to be precise. Although a myriad of treatments are available now, the Edwin Smith Papyrus from Ancient Egypt circa 1500 BCE, cited breast cancer as “untreatable.” When the 19th century rolled around, the average life expectancy soared, and serious effort went into finding a cure for the disease. In 1882, surgeon William Stewart Halsted performed the first successful mastectomy and by the 1970s, researchers perfected lumpectomies, where only the tumor and surrounding tissue was removed. One of the most invasive but effective forms of treatment is a mastectomy, which is a process that involves the excision of lymph nodes, breast tissue and chest muscles. Generally, patients choose mastectomies after extensive consideration, due to the scar tissue, delayed healing and overall symptoms. Another form of treatment is chemotherapy, which blocks the spread of fast growing cancer cells and is usually administered through a vein or pill. Since it affects the entire body, chemotherapy is a way to guarantee that the cancer cells are killed, even if it spreads somewhere else. However, due to its nonspecific nature, many living cells are usually killed as well. Often times, chemotherapy is given before a surgery to decrease the amount of tissue the surgeon needs to extract. Therefore, this treatment is usually reserved for

late stage cancer. “You have other tissues in your body that are also turning over and growing like the lining of your stomach and your hair follicles,” stated cancer center medical director and radiation oncologist Dr. Nam Cho of Valley Medical Center. “[That] leads to a lot of the side effects that women get with the chemotherapy.” Breast cancer shows few discernable symptoms and is usually caught through regular scanning, especially in families where the disease is prevalent. Screenings range from x-raying the breasts to a scan for lumps or unusual skin deformities. Palo Alto Medical Foundation pediatrician Jane Chen stated that the occurence of the cancer in children is rare, but when it happens, many of the same treatment procedures are taken. “They don’t want to give too much of the cancer drugs, but they also don’t want to give too little, so they have a protocol based on how big the child is,” Chen said. If caught early, a less invasive treatment like a partial mastectomy, lumpectomy or radiation can be performed. In the future, the spread of cancer could be tested by something as simple as a blood test. “I think one of the things we’re really excited for are ways to be able to detect cancer [...] in a way that’s even more molecularly accurate,” stated Dr. Cho. “A powerful feature developing is if these circulating tumor cells could be tested by a simple blood test because that might be a way to screen patients better for cancer and monitor their response to treatment.”

STEM jokes to spice up your day Q: What did the electrical engineer say when she electrocuted herself? A: “That hertz.”

PEACE Dr. Denis Mukwege Nadia Murad

A group of physics protestors in front of a physics lab: “What do we want?” – “Time travel!” “When do we want it?” - “Irrelevant!”

14 WINGED POST

SPORTS

KATHY FANG

NICOLE CHEN

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

A Harker homecoming

Eagles celebrate 125 years with 56-0 win over Elsie Allen Lobos CLUTCH Wide reciever and defensive back Giovanni Rofa (11) jumps high in the air to catch the ball. Giovanni set a school record by returning three of his four interceptions for touchdowns. “It was my first time ever scoring, and it was amazing. I heard my name; I heard that I broke a school record, which is pretty cool,” Giovanni said.

CONNECTION Wide reviever Siddharth Dudyala (11) catches a 37-yard pass from quarterback Anthony Meissner (12) two yards from the goal line. The Eagles scored five touchdowns in the first half and three in the second without allowing any points. “Our players played well,” head coach Mike Tirabassi said. ”Our defense did a good job, our O-line played great.”

ALL SMILES Karina Chen (10) and Charlotte Blanc (11) perform with other members of the varsity dance troupe at halftime. “Homecoming is the best, everyone looks forward to it all year. The crowd is so great and they’re so supportive and it makes such a big difference for our guys,” Tirabassi said. “we’d love to have a crowd like this every week, but when we get it it’s pretty special.”

DEFYING GRAVITY Lilly Anderson (12) performs a flip in the air during the halftime cheer performance. “I’ve been playing football for four years and I feel like every step of the way, cheerleaders have been there,” Ayush Vyas (12) said. “To have that support system, whether you’re winning, whether you’re losing, it’s huge.”

ADRENALINE RUSH Mitchell Granados (12) runs with the ball. Mitchell, who usually plays as a wide receiver, stepped in as runningback as both Devin Keller (11) and Marcus Tymous (12) were injured. “I hate when people get injured, especially my friends, especially my teammates,” Mitchell said. “I came in and I did what I had to do. I tried my best and it worked out.”

JUKE Trevor Thompson (12) is tackled by an Elsie Allen defensive player. The homecoming game brought the Eagles’ record to 5-2. The football team’s next game will be at St. Vincent du Paul high school this Saturday. “The crowd is amazing, we’d love to have a crowd like this every week, but when we get it it’s pretty special,” Tirabassi said.

KATHY FANG

Eagle mascot and logo amplify campus spirit, foster school unity ryan guan & jessie wang & muthu panchathantham

ALL PHOTOS BY KATHY FANG

executive news editor & reporters

EAGLE PRIDE (TOP) Members of the spirit team bow down to the eagle at the school meeting on Sep. 26. (BOTTOM) Arjun Virmani (10), the spirit coordinator for the class of 2021, forms an eagle with his hands during the matriculation skits.

A school meeting drones on, students slowly slipping into Morpheus’s embrace, when, out of the blue, a shout rends the air, stirring them out of their stupor. “PUT YOUR EAGLES UP!” The sound echoes through the air, and soon, thumbs are joined together, hands placed in a semblance of wings, raised into the air; few at first, but more and more join, until a veritable congress is soaring through the bleachers. As the sports teams and scores are announced, a figure captures and keeps everyone’s attention, sometimes mimicking sports, or running from side to side, directing the crowd into a wave. This is, of course, our very own Harker Eagle. Beyond lending its visage to the upper school’s athletic team names, Harker’s eagle mascot can be found represented in programs like Eagle Buddies

NICOLE CHEN

and statues and images around campus, such as those painted annually for homecoming or the centerpiece of the Howard Nichols Court in the athletic center. When Davis Field was resurfaced this summer with new turf and infill, the eagle logo at the center of the field was also redesigned to have a simpler and more stylized look. “We wanted to get a more stylized eagle logo with fewer colors, something that’s a little simpler that still shows a little fierceness and competitiveness,” athletic director Dan Molin said. In the past year, the mascot has made an appearance at school meetings as well. While presenters from spirit announce sports scores from the past week, a person in the eagle costume mimes throwing a football or swinging a club or racket, runs across the court floor or prompts the crowd to do the wave. “I think a lot of students are having a lot of fun just being amused by the eagle,” eagle update announcer Adhya Hoskote (11) said. “Before, when the eagle wasn’t there, it was kind of boring to just sit and listen to statistics of who scored what for different teams, so I think the ea-

KATHY FANG

gle’s really made people pay attention and have fun during the eagle update, which is what our goal was in the beginning.” This new eagle costume, with gray fur, a smiling beak and feathery wings, is a recent addition to the upper school spirit arsenal, concurrent with the opening of the athletic center in September 2017. “When we updated the gym and updated our athletics logo, they also decided to update the eagle costume,” spirit president Zach Hoffman (12) said. “We got a brand new one and we thought it would be a cool addition [to eagle update], especially when we started our eagle updates in the gym.” The eagle mascot spreads school spirit across all four of Harker’s campuses, embodying the outlook of not just the school athletic teams but its community. “I think it represents toughness. It represents resilience. It represents a willingness to work together,” Molin said. “At homecoming, the little kids love [the costume]. It promotes spirit. Every school has a mascot and a mascot costume, and it’s just meant to be fun.”

SPORTS

WINGED POST 15

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

Social justice transforms sports

With players like Williams and Kaepernick, athletes spark important conversations

Another season lost for the 49ers? kushal shah

Funny, huh? The moment when 49ers fans like my friends and me get our hopes up, lightning comes crashing and strikes down the centerpiece of this 49er comeback. A few weeks ago, my hopes and dreams were slashed. The unexpected happened. The unforeseen happened. The heart-breaking happened. Jimmy Garoppolo, the young buck who the 49ers were going to ride to the playoffs with, was horribly injured. Well, there goes another season down the drain for the 49ers. Yes, another. Lost? Let’s catch you up. The beginning of the end for the 49ers started back at the end of the 2014 season, when Head Coach Jim Harbaugh was fired after a ‘mediocre’ 8-8 season. The following year, Jim Tomsula attempted to take charge, but to no avail as the the 49ers ended their season having won only five of 16 games. Chip Kelly was hired the next year, this time finishing with a distasteful 2-14 record. It was this same year that quarterback Colin Kaepernick became a free agent. Finally, the 49ers decided to clean house with the firings of Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke and secured John Lynch as the general manager and Kyle Shanahan as head coach. All caught up? That’s where we currently stand in terms of management. As for quarterbacks, ever since the departure of Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers have gone through the likes of Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder, CJ Beathard, and Brian Hoyer. Then, late last season the 49ers somehow managed to snag Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who radiantly shined in the few games he played as a replacement for Tom Brady. And everything paid off. In the last few remaining games that Garoppolo started, the 49ers won. Ultimately, during the offseason, the 49ers elected to sign Garoppolo as their franchise quarterback to a five-year, 137.5 million dollar deal, which was also the most a player was paid on an annual basis in the NFL at the time. So, all’s well that ends well? Nope. In the fourth quarter of just the third game of the season, Garoppolo decided to take a game-changing, or even season-changing risk and run the ball himself. In an attempt to gain a few extra yards, while leading a 49ers comeback, Garoppolo tried to elude a defender, but instead crashed into him, then planted and buckled his knee. Eventually, Garoppolo had to be carted off the field, and was replaced by backup CJ Beathard. The 49ers ended up losing, but nobody cared (or at least I didn’t). Ourthoughts and prayers were on the future of our franchise: Jimmy Garoppolo. Rumors about an ACL injury were tragically confirmed the next day: Garoppolo tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Funny, huh? The moment where 49ers fans like my friends and I get our hopes up, thinking that the 49ers will come back reinvented, stronger than ever, lightning comes crashing and strikes down the centerpiece of this 49er comeback. Well, at least there’s next season, right?

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columnist

JUST DO IT Nike advertisements featuring tennis player Serena Williams (top) and former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (right). Nike saw a 31% uptick in sales after the Kaepernick-centered advertising campaign.

varsha rammohan & gloria zhu copy editor & reporter

In light of recent events regarding Nike’s campaign featuring former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Serena Williams’ controversial defeat at the 2018 U.S. Open, sports fans and activists worldwide have ignited a conversation regarding athletes’ political and social liberties. Kaepernick broke national headlines in 2016 when he knelt during the national anthem at a preseason game to protest against racial inequality and police brutality. Over the next two seasons, more football players began to join him in kneeling. In September 2017, President Trump stated on Twitter that the National Football League (NFL) should fire players who refuse to stand for the anthem, and Vice President Mike Pence left a football game after members of the 49ers knelt during the anthem. Pence later tweeted, “President Trump and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our national Anthem.” Kaepernick left the 49ers after the 2016 season and hasn’t found employment within the NFL since, leading him to file a collusion grievance suit against them, alleging that the their team owners colluded to shut him out of the league. However, Nike, the official sports sponsor of the NFL, released “Nike

Talk around Campus: Social justice in sports Winged Post spoke to 6 members of our community about Serena Williams and Colin Kaepernick by Varsha Rammohan & Gloria Zhu

- Dream Crazy” last month, an emotionally powerful yet controversial advertisement featuring Kaepernick. “I think that corporations sometimes look to put themselves in the center of a controversy because it gains attention, ,” Dr. Katharine E. Heintz, a senior lecturer at the Department of Communication at Santa Clara University, said. “In terms of the momentum of the #MeToo movement, people are paying more attention to activists, and I think that Colin Kaepernick is not seen as a disgrace so much as a hero, and they’re trying to attach themselves to

“I think that corporations sometimes look to put themselves in the center of a controversy because it gains attention.” DR. KATHARINE HEINTZ LECTURER AT SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY

sports editor

The captain’s council, a group of about 50 athletic captains and other emerging team leaders, met for the first time on Sept. 18. The council, led by athletic director Dan Molin, volleyball coach and middle school athletic director Theresa “Smitty” Smith, water polo coach Ted Ujifusa and football head coach Mike Tirabassi, was established this year to foster leadership qualities within sports captains and other team leaders. Through eight seminar-style workshops throughout the year, the coaches hope to enable team leaders to take charge and guide their teams more effectively.

it knowing that there’s gonna be some sort of financial incentive for them. I don’t think it’s even altruistic.” Williams was once again in the spotlight following the U.S. Open. Chair umpire Carlos Ramos charged her with three code violations, ultimately leading to her defeat against Japanese player Naomi Osaka. Ramos issued the first warning after alleging that Williams was receiving coaching from the stands, which is strictly prohibited. After Williams smashed her racket on the ground in frustration after losing the second set, Ramos issued a second violation, leading to a point deduction. When she confronted him about the point penalty and said, “You are a liar. You will never be on a court of mine as long as you live. When are you going to give me my apology? Say you are sorry,” Ramos responded by issuing the final violation, which led to Williams’ defeat (4-3 Osaka) as well as a $17,000 fine. Ramos’s calls angered Williams, who alleged that female athletes are treated more harshly than male athletes in tennis. Williams’ defeat and the drama surrounding her catsuit has incited a national conversation revolving around gender and racial equality in sports, as did Kaepernick’s protests. “I feel it’s really important to stand up for what you believe in,” Williams said in a later appearance with Flywheel Sports.

someone whose public persona is shifting. Despite videos of protesters burning Nike products surfacing across social media, the company’s sales increased by 31 percent afterwards. Nike also published another ad featuring tennis player Serena Williams in response to the French Open’s ban on her catsuit. After Williams wore a fulllength bodysuit at the 2018 French Open, French Tennis Federation president Bernard

main incentive for the company continues to be monetary and economic growth. “I think that it’s probably wrapped up in both [personal gain and political purpose], but I honestly don’t think that companies would do anything that they believe would hurt their bottom line, especially publicly traded companies,” she said. “Even though it can appear that they’re trying to do something for political purpose or moral ground, I think they always do

DAN MOLIN ATHLETICS DIRECTOR

AYUSH VYAS (12) VARSITY FOOTBALL CAPTAIN

JENNIFER HAYASHI (12) DIVERSITY CLUB MEMBER

“It seems a little odd about the timing, but I’m not willing to go to that level and say there’s collusion or something that the NFL coaches are colluding to ban [Kaepernick].”

“It is [Kaepernick’s] right and his ability, and what he’s doing is exactly the proper way to go about things. Unfortunately, it’s going against him, and it’s keeping him out of a job.”

“[Kaepernick] was justified because he’s kneeling because he doesn’t agree with a country that isn’t fighting for its own people. He started this really big movement.”

ADVIKA PHADNIS (10) VARSITY BASKETBALL PLAYER “For Williams, I definitely see where she’s coming from when she says that she’s discriminated against more than her male counterparts. I think it’s just ingrained in our society.”

Captains’ Council convenes aditya singhvi

Guidicelli said in a statement to Tennis Magazine that the attire broke tennis etiquette and would not be accepted. This decision spurred widespread backlash as Williams had developed a blood clot after giving birth to her daughter and wore pants to aid blood circulation. The advertisement reads, “You can take the superhero out of her costume, but you can never take away her superpowers.” Guidicelli’s ban follows years of racial criticism and body shaming for Williams. Although Nike has supported activist campaigns in recent months, Dr. Heintz believes the

“We want to start them young, and hopefully also what they all will learn will trickle into the student body as a whole. We view the athletes as leaders, and that can really translate well. Not immediately, and not so tangibly right away, but over a year or so, we will be able to see a good representation of our leaders in the Harker community,” Molin said. The group includes both junior varsity and varsity captains as well as younger leaders from all Harker sports, including those from winter and spring seasons. As the year progresses, the athletic department will continually add new leaders. In their first meeting, the council discussed various aspects of leadership and broke up into groups to talk about inspiring leaders and their characteristics.

EMILY ZHOU (9) TENNIS PLAYER

BEN YUAN (12) SPORTS ENTHUSIAST

“I think the call that [Ramos] made that the coach was coaching [Serena] was fair. Him giving her three strikes was fair too, because she didn’t handle it really properly.”

“The athlete’s resources are generally the same, although I think that female athletes are valued less in terms of selection and recruitment. I think that’s the only real factor.”

“We discussed the qualities sports leaders have and how they’re able to lead their teams well,” Olivia Guo (10), who attended the meeting as an emerging leader on the girls golf team, said. “I think it went really well.” Coaches were asked to identify members of their team, including freshmen, who exhibited an interest in leadership. These athletes were then asked to fill

out an application which consisted of six questions regarding leadership in athletics. “It was time to get this thing going. I’ve seen this done at other schools and the success they’ve had,” Molin said. “[The results are] nothing tangible that you can see, but it’s more like what you’ll be able to feel and sense a couple years away.” REACHING FOR GREATNESS Varsity boys water polo captain Matthew Hajjar (12) reaches for the ball during a game against Monta Vista. The council includes both junior varsity and varsity team leaders from all Harker sports.

WINGED POST 16

BACK PAGE

In memory of Diana Nichols

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 17, 2018

Diana Nichols, former chair of the board of trustees and school leader, died on Sept. 2 in her home in Carmel due to pancreatic cancer. Family members, faculty, staff and students attended a memorial service on Oct. 6 to commemorate Nichols. Winged Post spoke to upper school staff and faculty members about Nichols’s life, legacy and contributions to the Harker School. Here are their stories.

“Her life was one you never thought would be extinguished, and the fact of the matter is it never will be.” –Cindy Ellis community liason LEGACY “We really owe it to [her],” assistant head of school Jennifer Gargano said. “It is hard to say what she has contributed because it is hard to say what she has not.”

ADVOCATE

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION

She was a tree lover. She was a devout environmentalist. She felt very strongly about saving the environment, doing everything that she could, and she definitely integrated it into her classroom and her personal life.” MIKE BASSONI DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES

“She had me train and create a gender equity curriculum for grades K-8. She believed in giving all children equal opportunity. She [and] Howard [Nichols] were dynamic and benevolent. There was a culture that was created with the school, and it was a positive culture of hard work, equality and kindness.”

ENVIRONMENTALIST (Clockwise from top left) Nichols embarks on an outdoor adventure with family and friends. Nichols visits China on a trip in 2004. Nichols accepts a U.S. Green Building Council Award for Nichols Hall. Nichols poses with her husband and former head of school Howard Nichols, who died in 2008.

ENID DAVIS FORMER K-12 LIBRARY DIRECTOR

EDUCATOR “She always was very clear about the right thing to do for the students. She was a champion for our academic programs. Her passion was about [creating] the best possible experience for her students and giving the teachers the resources they need.” PAM DICKINSON OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR LEADER IN EDUCATION (From top left) A 1970s-era Nichols looks over a student project. Nichols, who started out at Harker as a biology teacher in 1973, engages with a student during the early 80s. Nichols is photographed with a student for a school marketing campaign from 1982. Nichols, an advocate of STEM education, chats with a student in the laboratory.

“This is a woman who really connected with the higher ideal; she reassured the students to say violence is never the answer; we are one and we have to figure out how to resolve our conflicts on this planet without the use of violence. “

DIANA MOSS UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH TEACHER

LEADER

“The impact is just gigantic, from the decisions from how the school was run before there was a high school to the decision to start a high school and everything that happenned, so many decisions.” BRIAN YAGER HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL

“Energy, impact and insightfulness are three words that would come to my mind first. She could assess a situation faster than anybody I’ve seen. Some people will have passion and ideas, but they never come to fruition. That never happened with Diana.” CINDY ELLIS COMMUNITY LIAISON & FORMER MIDDLE SCHOOL HEAD

FOUNDER (Clockwise from top left) Nichols speaks at a beam signing event before RPAC construction in 2016. Diana and Howard Nichols attend a graduation ceremony in the early 2000s. Nichols lets doves loose at the opening of Nichols hall in 2008. Nichols poses with students in the 2007 fashion show.