Junto 18/19 Year End Issue

There’s No Place Like Home Page 7

Gabby Wei: A Big Fish in a Big Pond Page 10-11

A Critique of Spirit Day 2019 Page 14-15

2018-2019 RECAP EDITION For more stories, visit www.hkisjunto.org

Alumni: A Blast From The Past HKIS Class of 2014 Class Couple Maddie And David Married

By Gracie Chung

In Fall 2010, two new students first met sitting next to each other on a bus during the freshman Humanities in Action Foshan service trip with Dr. Schmidt and Mr. Ferrin.

According to the Huffington Post, less than two percent of all marriages are to a high school sweetheart. Even rarer are international high school sweethearts—especially those who embark on the notoriously difficult long distance relationship.

Class of 2014 HKIS alumni Madison (Maddie) Passamonte and David Helfer, the two new students on the bus eight years ago, are this minority.

Their wedding was on March 30 in Kapalua, Hawaii, after more than seven years together.

David Helfer and Maddie Passamonte voted Class Couple of 2014. (Jamie Au/Orientale 2014)

So, how did they overcome the odds?

It all started at HKIS

2010-2014: Dating at HKIS

An international school kid born and bred, Maddie’s first impression of David was that he was “very, very cocky.” For his freshman year, David moved from Massachusetts, where he had lived his whole life, to Hong Kong. It was his first big move, and the transition was by no means easy.

They enjoyed very similar hobbies in high school.

David was on the baseball team for three years, and Maddie was on the softball, volleyball, and basketball teams. They were also in all four years of the Battle of the Classes lip sync dances.

“I think I exuded American culture. That sort of cockiness and confidence,” David said laughingly. “I definitely toned it down… But I think Maddie’s impres sion of me was pretty accurate.”

On the other hand, David said Maddie struck him as selfless and her story always fascinated him. Maddie grew up with a full international experience, having lived in Guam, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Chile, and Hong Kong. Her mother Mrs. Passamonte was a guidance counselor at HKIS and her father was the Middle School Principal.

According to David, her family exemplified many of HKIS’ core values such as “service learning and embracing new cultures.”

He said, “I think HKIS was an eye opening experience for me. And it’s shaped the way I see the world from then on.”

David and Maddie recalled some of their fondest memories at HKIS. They once played together on the same softball team for HKIS teacher softball league with Mr. Baker, Mr. Seehafer, and Mr. Steuernagel, a former counselor.

Maddie said, “I always like being outdoors. I didn’t like the cafeteria, so… the Island was always my go-to.”

In 2014, they were voted Class Couple as well as Prom King and Queen. They danced to “All of Me”

by John Legend at Prom.

David and Maddie, Prom King and Queen, dance to “All of Me” by John Legend at Prom 2014.

At the HKIS Talent Show, David also sang “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds. He said, “Maddie was in the audience, and I can remember seeing her up at the top of the auditorium, and that was definitely a moment I’ll never forget.”

To this day, both remain special songs for them.

David and Maddie, Prom King and Queen, dance to “All of Me” by John Legend at Prom 2014.

From high school to college

Looking back

As they were transitioning from high school to college, however, they were met with the challenge of a long distance relationship.

Remnants of HKIS can be seen in their lives today. David proposed to Maddie through a scavenger hunt he set up at her apartment.

Ultimately, the puzzle pieces formed a yin and yang map with the Rawlings Conservatory in the middle with a note that said: “Meet me at the Island.”

“My mom told me when I was thinking about dating David through college, ‘It’s going to suck either way,’” Maddie said.

Maddie’s advice to those planning on a long distance relationship is always having a goal.

“If you just go into a relationship and say, ‘we’ll see how this works’ without having a plan, like we want to see each other once a month or we want to see each other twice a year,” Maddie explained. “Or whatever it is where we want to at least try to make one year work and then after one year, [you make a decision], you should always have set goals. Because if the two in the relationship don’t have… the same goal in mind, no matter if you’re long distance, a high school relationship or even in your thirties, I don’t think it ever works.”

David proposes to Maddie at the Rawlings Conservatory tropical section.

“What I meant was… there’s a tropical section, and in that tropical section it’s very humid.

You’re sweating just walking in there. It’s very hot, and there’s a koi pond,” David said. “It felt a lot like HKIS, and that’s actually where we got engaged. That’s why when I think of any spot at HKIS, I think of the island, definitely.”

Rawlings Conservatory’s koi pond, highly reminiscent of our very own Island. (Trip Advisor)

The international experience

Their “Someday”

As they prepare to embark on the eighth year of their relationship, they reflected on what solidified their bond. It all came down to the international experience.

David’s senior dedication in 2014 reads, “Maddie: I love you so much. I am so blessed to have you in my life. You are kind, caring and loving. I believe that I am only just beginning to realize how lucky I really am to have you. These past three years have been amazing together. I am so proud of us. I know the path ahead is a hard one, but I am confident that if you trust in me, trust in God and trust in yourself it will all be worth it in the end.

Maddie, I am so excited for the future we have together. Someday.”

Maddie said, “The international experience really changes things… Especially for someone who grew up international her whole life, when going into a relationship, the next step after college is important. Are you going to be overseas or are you going to be in the States? Are you going to try and find a job there? That openness [is important] because I know that I will be able to spend our years later down the road overseas again, and that’s a huge value of mine. To be able to have that in common and to know that we’re both open to that is huge.”

David echoed a similar sentiment, saying, “So many people at HKIS really identify with the international culture, and when you go back the US, because that’s where I identify as home, you feel like you lose touch with that so quickly, so it does make it way harder to find people who’ve had experiences like that.”

And that day, for Maddie and David, was on March 30 for their wedding.

Student Life Jack and Taira: Run for Syria

by Katelyn Liu Last year, Taira Blakely (10) and Jack Genesi (10) were just two freshmen who dreamed of creating a fundraising project that would make a lasting impact in the lives of Syrian refugee children.

It was from their passion for running and service that they founded Run for Syria, a non-profit organization and fundraiser with the vision of providing Syrian refugee children the opportunity to an education which in turn would “ break the cycle of poverty and help them in the future,” Taira said.

On how they were first introduced to the issues that Syrian refugee children are faced with, Jack said, “Jordan Hattar came to talk to our class and he inspired Taira and me to do something we were passionate about so we chose running. That’s where the idea was born.” Jordan Hattar is a humanitarian and the director of Help4Refugees, an organization that strives to provide adequate housing for Syrian refugees who are deprived of safe housing. Jordan also continues to work with Run for Syria, particularly during the planning process as he was able to provide guidance and advice along Jack and Taira’s journey to create their organization. In addition, they were also able to work with Dr. Marty Schmidt, their humanities teacher, for counsel and direction.

Following their first meeting with Jordan, the boys set to work researching the pressing issue of a lack of education amongst Syrian refugees, many of whom spend their childhood and adolescent years in camps, and through their research, Taira said that they, “realized they could make a sustainable change in these refugee’s lives.”

After months of intensive research and coordination with a few other students, they launched a pilot Run for Syria, a 50-kilometer trek from the Peak to Big Wave Bay where almost $20,000 Hong Kong Dollars went to an organization that Jordan put them in contact with and were able to grant several Syrian refugee children the access to an education.

“The biggest pay-off is seeing that the money we worked so hard to get and all the hours we put into this project–planning, researching, training– actually makes a difference in people’s lives,” Taira added. The pair estimate that the additional team members, Agastya Rao (10), Annika Klaus (10), and Clara Zibell (10) who participated last year trained for over a hundred hours in total and a cumulative of 500+ kilometers, a huge commitment to what Jack and Taira initially assumed would be a short project.

“It started out as a normal school project, we obviously wanted to have a thorough project and get a good grade but getting it to work, we saw that we could continue pursuing it,” Jack said as the team of runners for Run for Syria has “exponentially expanded” and they have begun to set new goals for the coming years.

This April, a group of over 30 students have volunteered to challenge themselves with this fundraiser, many of whom have very little background or experience with such an intensive activity. The leaders, Jack, Taira, Agastya, and Annika were able to recruit students from all grades and were able to plan a modified version, 25 kilometers instead of the original 50, for students who were unable to commit as much time to train but wanted to support this noble cause. They hope to be able to raise awareness and form connections with students who are passionate about helping to change the world, realizing the opportunities that come with an education, and the importance of taking action with the resources we have.

In addition, the team hopes to be able to expand overseas next year as one of the leaders will be moving to New York where he hopes to be able to continue raising awareness for the issue and getting people involved with social change around the world.

Looking back, Jack and Taira both expressed, with pride, a sense of surprise at how successful they have been with their fundraiser, especially since neither had any prior experience with starting a business or an organization before. While they both described the number of hours that went into research, training, and fundraising, they both said that this experience has allowed them to continue to pursue their passions and they encourage others to do so as well.

“You just have to be committed. I think the most important thing about starting an organization or a movement is to be very passionate and knowledgeable about the issue that you are trying to help solve, and you have to be passionate about the way that you’re going to go about doing that,” Taira added, “For me and Jack, we’re both super passionate about running and we both love running so while working on this project, it didn’t seem like a chore or an assignment, it felt more like a hobby – something that was fun, something that was interesting. And I think that’s most important when starting your own project: you just have to choose something that you know you’ll stay interested in.”

It’s incredibly moving to see students who take initiative on things that they have the power to change and to be able to find ways in which they can connect with a larger audience and make an even greater difference with. Through their hard work, Jack and Taira were able to exceed their own expectations, continue to inspire students to pursue their passions, and go searching for opportunities to make a difference in the world.

For more information about the organization, visit their website: https://www.runforsyria.org/

There is No Place Like Home

By Chloe Tse

Noa Yehudayan (11) as Dorothy and A.J. Winegar (11) as the Scarecrow.

The Wizard of Oz was a magical show that transported the audience to the land of conniving witches, cheerful munchkins and yellow brick roads. After months upon months of taxing preparation, the result was a grand success! The audience was captivated by Aunty Em’s love for Dorothy, the Tinman’s noble quest in search of a heart, and the Wicked Witch of the West’s deceitful plans. With over 150 students involved in the musical as the cast, stage crew, and orchestra pit, this musical showcased the diverse talents we have at HKIS. To gain more insight into the process of creating The Wizard of Oz, I interviewed Zooey Lundgren (10) and Noa Yehudayan (11), who had the honor of playing the lead role, Dorothy. Zooey’s highlight of participating in this musical was getting to know each member of the cast. “I think some of the closest relationships I’ve ever had have come from participating in musicals,” she fondly recalled. “The long rehearsals really accelerate the bonding.” Noa’s favorite part of this play was the freedom she had to shape and create her interpretation of Dorothy’s approach to the classic song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. “This is important to me because not only does it show Dorothy’s characterization in the beginning, but with this song, I was able to make the audience fall in love with it as though they had just heard it for the first time,” she explained.

Noa and Zooey flawlessly portrayed Dorothy’s innocent and curious character. However, underneath the lines executed with the perfect blend of emotion and actions timed to precise moments, the two actresses had their own Wicked Witch of the West to overcome. “Since the show was double cast, Zooey and I had to run every other scene, making us focus on some scenes more than others, and not running the show fully. It was a stressful process for both of us to handle, and I felt very unprepared for the show,” Noa reveals. “But the minute the pit band started playing, seeing all the audience members made me feel confident about how amazing of a show it was going to turn out.”

For Zooey, her challenge was starting the play on the right foot. “The first scene is always the scariest for me because it sets the tone for the entire production,” Zooey remarks, “But as long as the show is off to a good start, you can start to have fun with your character.”

Noa and Zooey’s passion for the theater shone through they were asked, “what inspired your love for acting?” Noa mused, “Acting is a passion of mine because you can act like someone you’re not and share that character with the audience as you bring them to life. It’s always great to see the looks on the audience’s faces when you perform, but the comments you receive after the performance makes me very excited to continue my love for acting.”

Zooey responded, “I’m a bit new to acting, but I’ve always loved to sing, so watching musicals made me fantasize about getting to be on stage and perform for others.” However, as a new student in her freshman year, she did not feel inclined to audition for last year’s musical. “After watching it though,” she says, “it made me realize how much I wanted to be a part of something like that. When auditions came around this year, I was more than excited!”

For Noa, this production helped her improve her characterization and enabled her to communicate the message to the audience effectively. “Even though Dorothy might be a ‘simple’ character, it has been challenging for me to portray [Dorothy’s] happiness and positivity to every she meets,” Noa elaborates. This musical also helped both of them grow as people. “I got to share the role of Dorothy with Noa Yehudayan which was amazing!” Zooey enthusiastically exclaims.

“Sharing a role always has the potential for jealousy, but I was so lucky that we ended up being so supportive for one another. I’ve grown so much because of her.” For Noa, playing Dorothy led her to learn from this character. “In many ways, [Dorothy] taught me as a person how to be patient with others, and when it comes to listening to conflicts from my peers and friends, I need to be more open-minded about them and not focus too much about myself.”

Zooey and Noa’s responses give us an insider’s perspective on the sheer amount of effort, time, and energy that was put into The Wizard of Oz. Needless to say, it all was worth it. The magnificent acting, melodic music and captivating visuals intertwined together to create a spectacular musical that left the audience with the heartwarming message, there is no place like home.

Zooey and Noa both agreed that playing the role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz contributed to their growth as actresses. “It’s built my confidence up, as I never felt like I had the potential to get the honor to play such an iconic role,” Zooey comments. “I’ve learned so much about theater in general, and what certain aspects of acting add to your performance.”

Dixie Lonergan (12) as Glinda the Good Witch and Zooey Lundgren (10) as Dorothy.

Satire Juniors Become the Last Generation to See Facebook Before it Goes Extinct

by Emma Pang In HKIS, it’s no secret that Instagram and Snapchat are all the rage. But what about Facebook? The last grade to regularly use the declining social media website would be the eleventh graders, with a few outlier tenth or even ninth graders. The reason for the steady decline of this is currently unknown, but there is reason to believe that there is another trend stealing all the attention: Schoology.

Despite having being founded in 2009, statistics show a recent boom in it’s users and satisfaction in the past months. In a local survey conducted by Ms Mulledwine, a science teacher in HKIS, it’s results reveal that up to sixty eight percent of the students in HKIS reportedly prefer Schoology to Facebook, saying that it’s primitive and lack of options provide an indescribable aesthetic feel. ‘It really has an early 2000s feel, especially that I can only either like or comment!’ a anonymous ninth grader enthuses. ‘I’m on it most of the time for school anyway!’

Recent exposure about Facebook’s disregard of privacy towards it’s users could have also helped drive this decline and Schoologys spike. Some even going as far to comment that ‘at least Schoology doesn’t know what colour my underwear is,’ a nod to Facebook’s known ability to know seemingly everything.

It is no surprise to know that if Facebook is to continue on this path, maybe it will end up in the closet alongside MySpace and it’s fellow brethren.

Perhaps its time for a change of pace, and more simplistic features.

From Social Darwinism to The Dress Code, Charles Darwin’s Impact Endures

by Joy Chan Scientific principles should be the basis of society’s laws and practices; however, as evidenced by the loss of Social Darwinism, we seem to have forgotten that fact. Striving to revive these sacrosanct laws of the natural world Mrs. Fine along with a select team of highly obsercant faculty members go above and beyond by implementing what they have termed the “Dress Code”. The ultimate issue of this Code enforcement is that the females don’t seem to understand that the Dress Code is fundamentally crucial to maintaining the natural biological balance of our community and that the Dress Code is actually built upon real scientific principles.

As written in the 2018-2019 Academic Handbook, HKIS believes “that student dress should reflect the values of the school and respect the seriousness of our purpose”. Thus, it is quite understandable that the school asks, that the student body refrain from procreation during their time at the school.

However, with a woman’s fertility rate peaking in her early 20s, an age very near that of a high school student, the school must take administrative measures to prevent such procreation. Thus, the formation of the Dress Code: a series of policies that reduce the emphasis of secondary sex characteristics. By eliminating short skirts, short shorts, and short dresses among other prohibitions, HKIS has effectively created an environment in which females, who are most at fault for inducing males to partake in the process of sexual selection, prevent themselves from appearing biologically fit. Of coursem

From simple calculations using the Harvey Weinstein Hardy Weinberg equation, it can be concluded that HKIS is prime for the Dress Code implementation; The conditions are just right! Note, that since the dress code is gender binary, our calculations have only factored in binary genders.

Some female students have found that biologically affiliated measures are effective to the extent that they implement such measures on themselves after their graduation at HKIS; namely, the implementation of the prezygotic isolating mechanism that is the habitat barrier.

Examples of this include matriculation to women’s colleges such as Barnard College and Wellesley College, colleges that a total of six HKIS students have attended from 2015-17. Thus, the meaningful success and long term impact of the Dress Code is underscored, and students should consider giving Mrs. Fine and other such advocates of the Dress Code a pat on the back when they see them around campus.

Sports Gabby Wei: A Big Fish in a Big Pond

by Selena Sun

At HKIS, competitive swimming has a reputation for being one of the most trying sports. The physical and mental toil of waking up at 5am to repeatedly practice the same strokes until it becomes muscle memory lacks appeal to many. It’s a grind that is made for the elite few who are able to cling to the remaining piece of strength inside them and push on.

Gabby Wei (10) is one of these athletes. For her, swimming is more than just exercise—it’s her life.

She has been swimming since she was 5 years old and started swimming competitively in 4th grade. By training nine times a week with an additional three land trainings, Gabby has developed into a dedicated swimmer and student athlete.

Juggling school work and swimming can be hard for her at times, but her tenacious and driven spirit has propelled her to succeed in both fields.

For as long as she can remember, her goal has been to swim in college, and hopefully to represent Hong Kong in the Olympics one day.

To Gabby, not much can compare to the thrill she gets from competing. It is the momentous accumulation of all her hard work. Her pre-race routine, in a nutshell, includes listening to music, strapping up her race suit, and focusing only on herself.

She explained, “I concentrate on my ‘game plan’, which is what my coach [David Pool] and I discuss pre-race and I make sure I follow through with it. My best races at APAC were when I focused on my lane and my race. My coach told me the night before we competed to “control the controllables, control your own performance. Do that and the points will come.”

And that is what Gabby did when she got up behind the blocks — just concentrate on herself and what she could do.

This focused mentality helped Gabby bring home gold for four events at APAC: 100 meter breaststroke, 200m individual medley, 200m freestyle, and the 4x100m freestyle relay. She said the most satisfying win was the 4x100 freestyle relay, where the HKIS girls relay team beat the APAC record by a commendable 3 seconds, with a time of 3 minutes and 59.21 seconds.

Gabby commented, “it was a mix of satisfaction and relief to know that our team could take the record off of the previous HKIS girls relay team, especially since our team consisted of younger swimmers compared to the older one that held the record.”

Gabby Wei (10) swimming during the World Cup 2017

This team aspect of swimming is often overlooked as it is usually considered an individual sport. But team chemistry isn’t something that is formed immediately, and it has taken them hours upon hours of timing their jumps perfectly, to working on their strokes and speed, until they are swimming as a perfect unit. Gabby has swum with the three girls in her relay team for a while; Alys Lindsay (10) since 4th grade, Hannah Tan (11) since 7th grade, and Nathalie Kerrigan (10) since freshman year.

Gabby has made lifelong friends through the swim team, some of which who have served as role models for her. She said, “In terms of who I look to for inspiration, it would probably be one of the older swimmers on the team who have graduated like Samy Morton, Ivy Richter, and Kiki Anderson. I would admire how they always knew when to step it up for school events such as APAC or China Cup.” Having lost some of their big point scorers for APAC this year, Gabby knew that she had to ‘step it up’.

“I’m especially proud of the girls team, as they knew they had to rise to the occasion and keep our winning streak going,” she added.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Gabby. Every athlete faces hardships, and for her, it was during her freshman year. She said, “Last year had been a pretty bad year for me in terms of dropping times.

It was frustrating going to training and working hard but not getting the results I wanted. But I feel like that only strengthened who I am, as you can’t really have success without a little failure which is what I needed. My plateau showed me that you can’t always PB (Personal Best) in all your races and be complacent with where you are. This year [sophomore] has been a turning point though, especially with my times. I’ve been making best times and breaking some records which I haven’t done in a while. I can’t take full credit because my Stingrays coaches, David Pool and Mr. Wimbush have been really dedicated to bringing my team and myself included to this win.”

After all the success she’s had this year, Gabby was able to look back and reflect on her growth as a swimmer and person. For her, accepting that adversities were inevitable and realizing that she could motivate herself further through the experience, was crucial to being able to thrive in an environment where the competitiveness can sometimes be overwhelming. Her grit and passion in and out of the pool teaches us that the struggles and obstacles we have to overcome are what makes success even sweeter. Nothing great ever comes easy, and to succeed in any capacity, we have to apply the philosophy of learning from failure and not giving up to our lives.

The past four years the HKIS girls varsity swim team has dominated APAC, and this time, Gabby has played a significant role in their triumph. HKIS hopes to continue to support athletes such as Gabby in their athletic and academic pursuits and be a community that fosters a positive team environment.

Noah Leddel and Josh Pak: Underclassmen Unexpectedly Take APAC By The Storm

By Iris Lee A huge factor in the boys’ success was the team’s welcoming and inclusive attitude. All the players looked beyond the age divide, taking underclassmen under their wings. Noah explained, “They trusted our ability to put the ball in the hoop, passing to us. Even under pressure, they knew that me and Josh had the ability.”

Josh Pak (10) shoots while Noah Leddel (9) watches in anticipation.

HKIS boys dominated at Super APAC basketball this weekend, winning almost every game by 10 to 20 points. This success was achieved in part thanks to Noah Leddel (9), point guard, and Josh Pak (10), forward, who were recognized as two of our team’s best players by anyone who watched the finals—a rare case of underclassmen in the spotlight.

Coach Evans had low expectations for the team at the beginning mainly because many senior players graduated last year, but the underclassmen exceeded all expectations by compensating for the loss completely.

“We were kinda like a Cinderella team in the beginning. We weren’t very good—we had low expectations,” said Josh.

As the tournament went on, however, the players felt more comfortable. “My shooting wasn’t on in the first couple games, but toward the end of the tournament, I started to feel a lot more confident in myself,” Noah said.

Contrary to the expectation that rigorous goals and standards yield results, the boys attribute their personal success to this low-pressure, friendly atmosphere with a focus on enjoying the sport. “I didn’t feel pressured at all. I had no expectation for myself and no one had any expectations for me, so I was able to stay confident,” Noah said.

“Just playing my game, contributing as much as I can to my team,” Josh said. “That’s all there is to it.”

When asked whether they’re considering pursuing basketball in the future, they adopted the same healthy mindset. Noah said, “For me, I’ll just work as hard as I can, see where it takes me. I don’t have a specific goal.” Josh echoed a similar sentiment, adding, “Yeah, just enjoy the game.”

Too often, in the pursuit of a goal, we lose sight of the passion that drives us in the first place. It takes a low-stakes, collaborative atmosphere to build skills and confidence, both in sports and any other field. Rather than adopting a competitive mindset, we should pursue our interests with the same passion that Noah and Josh exuded in every single Super APAC game.

Opinion A Critique Of Spirit Day 2019

By Krish Shah Let me start by saying I, like many of my classmates, genuinely enjoy Spirit Day. In a school year filled with so many ups and downs, Spirit Day is the culmination: a celebration of the spirit and energy that makes HKIS who we are.

That said, this year’s Spirit Day was far from that celebration, marred by a lack of organization or accountability and an attitude from some members of Senate that bordered on inexcusable.

Let’s start with the morning. After a heartwarming tribute to our seniors, the Senate took over.

After the traditional decibel contest, the chaos began.

Firstly, the brackets for tug of war were incorrect, for some reason straying from years and years of Sophomores vs Seniors and Freshmen vs Juniors. And then, in the finals, after it appeared the sophomores had won—the seniors were crowned champions.

The confusion continued in the relay race, where many were confused as to who actually won.

None of this is to say that those activities are not actually fun. Of course they are, and I am not contesting the actual results. I’m simply pointing out that better communication from the people in charge of the events would have cleared up the matter easily. All it would have taken was an ExCo member to speak into the mic and explain why the seniors actually won tug of war and much of the angst in the room would have been removed. A lack of transparency in the spirit point collection has lead to a growing sentiment that spirit points are rigged, some exclaiming “the seniors always find a way to win.”

While I don’t believe that it really is rigged, having little transparency certainly allows these feelings to grow. If the Senate wants spirit points to have real meaning, they need to demonstrate that they are being fairly calculated and distributed.

This pattern continued in the rotations. Take dodgeball. The senators there did not take the time to count the number of people after the game, leaving the outcomes of games up in the air, and occasionally, inaccurate. Simply counting points accurately would lead to a higher degree of transparency and ultimately, enjoyment, by the student body. Further, within rotations, a sense of sloppiness prevailed. It never felt as if the Senate members were on top of the schedule— sometimes not having enough materials, running way over/under time or technical difficulties.

However, those kinds of issues are understandable and negligible. What was far more concerning was the attitude of some Senate members. Without calling out anyone specifically, some members of Senate were aggressive and exasperated while handling their events. Screaming out instructions and getting angry with those who don’t listen is no way to foster a fun and spirited competition. The actions and attitudes of some Senate members came across as holier-than-thou.

While I understand it may be difficult to handle a loud group of high schoolers, I would expect our elected leaders to conduct themselves in a manner fitting of the positions they hold. It seems that some Senate members have forgotten that they are supposed to be serving the school community instead of their own pride.

What is most upsetting is that the vast majority of the Senate were pleasant, professional, and energetic. But a few bad apples ruins the batch. I truly believe that most of the Senate is filled with the best of our student body, but the behaviour of some tarnished the effort of all of them.

None of this is to say I (and others) didn’t have fun at Spirit Day. There were many fun, inspiring and celebratory moments throughout the day. But I know that it could have been so much better, and don’t think we as a student body should hold our Senate to lower expectations than what they are capable of (and what we deserve). On the whole, it appeared (and I have confirmed) that the Senate was not prepared for Spirit Day this year. I would hope that next year, our Senate shows a greater commitment to the student body by actually executing the responsibilities we give them, as opposed to neglecting their responsibilities and abusing their position.

Thank you Gracie and Kaylin for being the best mentors and leaders we could have asked for. We can't wait to see what you do after high school!

From Joy & Iris

Masthead Senior Editors Gracie Chung (12), Kaylin Chong (12) Junior Editors Iris Lee (11), Joy Chan (11) Arts & Culture Kristie Chan (11) Policy Section Editor Henrietta Ko (10) Passions & Alumni Section Editor Katelyn Liu (10) Sports Section Editor Ira Gorawara (10) Opinion Section Editor Krish Shah (11) Student Life Section Editor Mehek Jain (11) Layout Editor Amanda Cheung (11)

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