April 2013 Issue

Personal accounts from students who traveled to Laos over spring break.

A16

C2

Varsity lacrosse seeks third straight league championship.

the harvard-westlake

CHRONICLE Los Angeles • Volume XXII • Issue VII • April 24, 2013

Dudamel to conduct at assembly

By Jack Goldfisher and David Lim

Gustavo Dudamel, the conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, will be featured as this year’s Brown Family Speaker in an all-school assembly on Thursday, May 23.

The Brown Family Speaker series was established by Linda and Abbott Brown (Russell ’94, David ’96) in 2002 to feature individuals prominent in their fields.

Past speakers have included journalist Fareed Zakaria and architect Maya Lin. Dudamel, who won a 2012 Grammy and was named Gramophone Magazine’s 2011 artist of the year, will be the 13th speaker in the series.

Maria Gonzalez ‘13, on behalf of the Latino Club, approached President Tom Hudnut with the idea to invite Dudamel, a family friend, as the Brown Family Speaker.

Orchestra Director Mark Hilt said that there were preliminary plans to have Dudamel conduct students during the assembly in an “open rehearsal” before answering questions from the audience.

In the past, musicians invited as the Brown Family Speakers including worldclass violinist Midori and jazz legend Herbie Hancock performed during the assembly instead of giving a speech.

The Venezuelan-born Dudamel was named the Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2009 when he was just 28.

“He’s a complete and total musician in every sense of the word,” Hilt said.

Dudamel is also known for working extensively with youth in music, Hilt said, notably through the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles program.

“He’s a wonderful musician and a sparkling personality,” Hudnut said. “His well-known affection for young people will be an inspiration for us all.”

Hilt noted Dudamel’s passion and technical skill and praised him personally, saying he had a “perfect personality” to communicate his talents.

“Teenagers get a little cynical and ironic—and [Dudamel] is not about that at all,” he said. “He’s about cutting to the humanity of every issue and why humans make music in the first place—and for him it’s one of the most important things we do as human beings on this planet.”

MAZELLE ETESSAMI/CHRONICLE

PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL: Nine student-written plays will be performed April 25, 26, 27, 28 in Rugby Auditorium. The plays will be split into two different sets. Upper School Performing Arts Head Rees Pugh, left, directs students in “Gawking Dead.” Oliver Sanderson ’15, top right, juggles oranges in“Lemonade.” Daniel Palumbo ’14 and Anna Witenberg ’13 act out a scene from “Zamena.”

Bombings cancel college welcome days

By Michael Sugerman

Hank Gerba ’12 was sitting in his Northeastern University dorm room when a notification popped up on his iPhone.

“Are you blown up?” read a text from his friend.

“He said that there were just two explosions at the end of the Boston Marathon,” Gerba said. “And I realized that if I listened to what was going on outside my room there were helicopters and sirens and people screaming.”

For Gerba and other alumni in Boston, the drama was beginning to unfold just down the street.

“It was something out of a movie,” Blaise Ormond ‘12, a student at Boston University said. He was a mile away from the Marathon finish line when

the first bomb was detonated.

Gerba grabbed his camera and walked the five minutes from his dorm to the edge of the police perimeter at Boylston Street, where the first bomb was detonated Monday, April 15.

“I didn’t even think of the fact that there might be future danger,” he said. “I figured this was a pretty important event that had happened and to be able to be there and capture some of it on a camera would be a good thing do.”

After snapping numerous photos, Gerba was about to head back to his dorm when he noticed a man covered in blood and clutching a bloodstained American flag.

“He looked disoriented and it was immediately clear that he had been at the explosion,”

Gerba said. “Some people went up to him and asked if he was hurt or okay. He assured everyone that he was fine and that it wasn’t his blood, which was a strangely good thing to hear.”

The man was Carlos Arredondo, who was one of the first citizen reactors to the Marathon explosions. Many may now recognize Arredondo from a dramatic Associated Press photo, where he is pushing a wheelchair with a Marathon runner who lost both of his lower legs.

Gerba took video as Arredondo spoke to reporters, and was incidentally featured in NBC’s street interview with the hero.

Three days after the Marathon bombing, the suspects reappeared, engaging in a

‘Napalm Girl’ to attend film screening

By Elana Zeltser

Kim Phuc, the “Napalm Girl,” will speak to parents and students May 10 at 7:30 p.m. following the screening of a documentary about her life entitled “The Power of a Picture.” The movie, presented by producers Jeff MacIntyre and David Ono, also features Nick Ut, the Pulitzer Prize winning photographer who captured the image of Phuc running naked, her clothes seared off by burning napalm, through the streets during the Vietnam War. “It is probably the most fa-

mous war picture of all time,” Head of the Visual Arts Department Cheri Gaulke said.

“Many people say it’s the photo that ended the war.”

The evening will benefit Phuc’s Kim Foundation and The Friendship Fund, an organization which recently took 10 Harvard-Westlake students to Laos as part of their World Tours program. These nonprofit charities “help victims of war,” Gaulke said.

“The movie evokes the question of what our responsibility is in a time of war, particularly in relation to civilians who are often the victims

of bombs or the dropping of napalm,” Gaulke said. Admission is free, as the evening will be sponsored by the GunterGross Asia Initiative with the mission of informing students about life in Asia. Following the 26 minute documentary, Phuc will answer the audience’s questions.

“Kim’s journey is all about forgiveness,” Gaulke said.

“That is something we found in Laos, too. There is a culture of peacefulness.”

On May 11, students will accompany Phuc and Ut to the Annenberg Center to see a show on war photography.

shoot-out with police at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and killing MIT Officer Sean Collier.

“I was really scared, because I was at Stata Center an hour before the shooting happened,” Jeffrey Sperling ‘11 said. “The place where the police officer was shot is not a remote part of campus; it’s one of the hearts of campus. I’m there every day.”

Fellow MIT student Jennifer Plotkin ’11 met Collier through her work with the school’s Emergency Medical Technician program, befriending the officer the week before he was slain.

“We instantly hit it off,” she said. “He would come hang • Continued on page A9

INSIDE

B4 BRAINS AND BALLET: Kaitlyn Yiu ’13 juggles international ballet competitions with her senior year class load.

A2 Preview

The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle Wednesday, April 24, 2013 3700 Coldwater Canyon Ave. Studio City, Calif. 91604

ELANA ZELTSER/CHRONICLE

JACK GOLDFISHER/CHRONICLE

A TALK TO REMEMBER: Performing Arts teacher Ted Walch shares a discussion with President Tom Hudnut, who is retiring this year, during a fundraiser celebration.

News A3

SARAH NOVICOFF/CHRONICLE

CALL ME ISHMAEL: The English Department will hold a 24-hour readathon of “Moby-Dick” April 26.

A&E B12

SARAH NOVICOFF/CHRONICLE

GRAPHIC CONTENT: Avalon Nuovo ’13 leans over a drawing for her AP 2D Design senior art concentration.

Sports C7

LUKE HOLTHOUSE/CHRONICLE

PUTTING ON THE GREEN: Jeffrey Aronson ’15 putts the golf ball on the course during a golf match.

offbeat

2 juniors win Palisades pageant

By Claire Goldsmith

Greg Lehroff ’14 and Julie Engel ’14 won first place and runner-up respectively at the annual Mr. and Miss Pacific Palisades pageant Wednesday, March 20.

All seven competitors opened the show with a battle-themed group dance to the song “Some Nights” by Fun. “On the night of the show, the dance went extremely well, which was a relief because I’m not much of a dancer,” Lehroff said.

In the talent portion of the competition, he sang Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes” and accompanied himself on the piano. Each participant was asked a prepared and an un-

prepared question in front of the audience and five judges.

When asked the surprise question about how he would fare without his cell phone, Facebook and other technology, Lehroff drew laughs from the audience.

“I would be fine but my mom might not be,” he said.

“She’s always texting me to find out where I am. I don’t have that problem; I always know exactly where I am.”

Lehroff won a $1,500 scholarship and now must fulfill the duties of Mr. Palisades at various Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce functions like the 4th of July parade.

For her talent, Engel sang the song “They Don’t Know”

from the musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” in character as a has-been star turned innkeeper who shanghais younger actresses to prevent them from stealing the roles she thinks she deserves.

“I performed in that same musical on that same stage twice when I was younger, so it was a nod to my musical theater days,” she said.

In the question and answer segment, Engel described her personal growth as a result of her involvement with debate.

Engel ultimately won runner-up, second to Hannah Wasserman of Palisades Charter High School.

“I had a lot of fun performing and I learned that life isn’t always fair,” she said.

The Chronicle is the student newspaper of Harvard-Westlake School. It is published eight times per year. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the seniors on the Editorial Board. Letters to the editor may be submitted to chronicle@hw.com or mailed to 3700 Coldwater Canyon Ave., Studio City, CA 91604. Letters must be

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ARTHUR TROY

AMERICAN BEAUTY: Greg Lehrhoff ’14 won and Julie Engel ’14 earned runner-up in the Mr. and Miss Palisades Teen Contest.

signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Chronicle style and format.

Advertising questions may be directed to Leslie Dinkin at 310-975-4848. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or the school.

April 24, 2013

hwchronicle.com/News

News A3

School to launch discussion groups

By Elana Zeltser

NOA YADIDI/CHRONICLE

GO GREEN: Sriram Rao ’15 and Brian Adler ’15 encourage Ally Hirsch ’13 to “Go Green” April 22 during activities period. The Environmental Club hosted the school’s inaugural Green Week.

Environmental Club kicks off its first Earth Week celebration

By Miles Harleston

Harvard-Westlake is currently in the midst of Green Week festivities hosted by the Environmental Club. The Earth Week celebration is a completely student-run initiative. Green Week is a weeklong celebration promoted by the Environmental Club.

This week-long celebration is a step up from the club’s old Earth Day celebration in an attempt to get the message out to more people, according to club members.

“This is our first Earth Week celebration,” Environmental Club leader Kevin

Adler ’13 said “In the past, we have celebrated Earth Day by giving away ice cream and candy, just as a reminder that Earth Day exists. We’re hoping that this year, we get our message out to a lot more people.”

Club members gave away candy and signups opened for community service events on Monday during break.

“WALL-E” was also screened after school Monday in Chalmers lounge. Bins are available all week long for students to drop off clothing which will be donated to Goodwill. In addition, there are paper artwork displays around campus to

demonstrate how much paper waste there is at HarvardWestlake, as well as various educational displays.

On Friday, there will be an all-day bake sale. The proceeds of this cash-only bake sale will benefit the organization Tree People.

“Our main goal is just to get people thinking environmentally in a fun way,” Adler said. “We hope to just make people a little more conscious of their ecological footprint.

It’s easy to forget our impacts on the environment when we don’t see immediate causes and effects right before our eyes.”

arise between classmates and teachers that may be stifled in The Character Educa- a setting where grades are astion Committee is launching signed. a Community Time program The discussion topics will next year that will integrate be “relevant and timely,” Satfaculty, administration and terthwaite said. students into mandatory “Many of our faculty memmonthly discussion groups. bers would like to have opApproximately 18 sopho- portunities outside of the mores, juniors and seniors will classroom to develop a more be randomly assigned to a dis- balanced relationship with cussion group. Each group will students,” she said. meet with two or three faculty Satterthwaite said the or staff members in order to drive for this initiative came delve into issues relevant to from a passage out of Harvardworld and Harvard-Westlake Westlake’s mission statement news. to “empower [the school’s] di“ M a n y verse students schools take to: develop time each their intellecweek, or even tual, spiritual, Many of our faculty day, to gather emotional and as a commuphysical gifts; members would like nity and share to understand to have opportunities in a common and respect e x p e r i e n c e ,” outside of the classroom the similariHead of Charties and differto develop a more acter Educaences among balanced relationship tion Committhemselves tee Ashley and others in with their students.”

Satterthwaite their local and —Ashley Satterthwaite world commusaid. “For a Head of Character nities; and to variety of loEducation Committee learn the habgistical reasons, this has its of mind and been difficult self-discipline to do at Harvard-Westlake. necessary to live with integriThe Character Education ty and purpose as contributing Committee certainly sees val- members of society.” ue in this as a regular occurFather J. Young, who also rence.” sits on the Character EducaSatterthwaite said that tion Committee, said that this food, as well as an idea for a monthly mid-day break will topic of conversation, will be ultimately be a chance for stuprovided at each meeting. dents and faculty alike to “step By doing so, she hopes a dif- back occasionally and catch ferent kind of discussion will our breath.”

“

English Department organizes overnight ‘Moby-Dick’ readathon

By Lauren Sonnenberg

The English Department will host a nearly 24-hour “read-a-thon” of “Moby-Dick” on April 26-27 in Mudd Library. Students, faculty and parents are invited to attend the school’s first ever marathon-read.

Students participating in the event will not be allowed to leave between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. in order to ensure safety and security of students. Adults and faculty, however, will be allowed to leave as they please.

The reading will be recorded to create an audio book.

Students in Charles Berezin and Malina Mamigonian’s English III Honors classes each volunteered to read one of the 135 chapters in the book. Both teachers held sign-ups using a Google docs, asking students to volunteer to read and bring dinner and dessert.

Mamigonian said she has wanted to host an event like this since she arrived at Harvard-Westlake seven years ago, but the inclusion of “Moby-Dick” in both her and Berezin’s curriculum helped Mamigonian get the permission of Head of Upper School Audrius Barzdukas a few

months ago.

“At first I was a little worried about reading the same book for so many hours, but I think it will be a good way for us to understand it a little more,” Kelly Crosson ’14 said.

Parents of students have volunteered to bring food and “midnight snacks” and Starbucks Coffee is providing coffee for those students staying through the night.

“The objective is to create a shared, active experience for the whole community, not just English classes, “ Mamigonian said. “Everyone has read or will (or should) read “MobyDick” at some point.”

Alex Ravan ’13 designed Tshirts with a quote from “Moby-Dick,” which will be sold on campus to raise money for the Marine Mammal Center of Los Angeles.

The marathon-read is among other “Moby-Dick” related activities this year.

Mamigonian, Berezin and Head Librarian Shannon Acedo accompanied 27 students on a whale-watching trip in San Diego on March 21.

Participants boarded a replica of the 1851 “America” to simulate an experience similar to the one they read about in the book.

NOA YADIDI/CHRONICLE

WORLD PEACE: Aliyah Daniels ’14, second from left, Kennedy Green ’14, Christina Tribull ’14 and Angie Haney ’14 pose with “World Peace for Justin Carr” signs with members of the maintenance crew.

Apparel, signs sold to honor Carr ’14

By Elizabeth Madden

The Black Leadership Awareness and Culture Club sold apparel and car signs to raise money for the Justin Carr Memorial Fund throughout last week.

The organization sold Tshirts that featured a silhouette of Justin Carr ’14 making the peace sign. The image was taken from a photograph that Carr’s father took at a University of Southern California football game, Carr’s parents said. The back of the shirt features Carr’s actual signature, which was taken from his previous homework assignments, and features the five adjectives that Carr listed to describe himself on his junior questionnaire: creative, skillful, observant, helpful and sensitive.

The shirts were designed by friends of the family.

“I designed the car signs

on a website that creates advertising or fundraising merchandise,” fundraiser co-organizer Angela Haney ’14 said.

“The signs were funded by the incredibly generous donation of Jensen McRae’s ’15 family, specifically her mom Suzanne McRae. We still have signs, so hopefully we will continue to sell them beyond HarvardWestlake campus.”

Signs were selling for $2 and T-shirts were selling for $20.

At the previous fundraising sales where they sold BLACC merchandise and held a bake sale, they raised $5,229.82 for Carr’s memorial fund, BLACC adviser Janiece Richard said.

The money will be used to provide funding grants and scholarships to high school students with passions in the visual and performing arts, design or athletics, which were all interests of Carr’s, his

mother Susan Carr said.

“Frank D. Parent School in Inglewood is the school that BLACC is currently working with for tutoring,” Susan Carr said. “We will be seeing how we can include support in the arts for their students. Justin attended McKinley School in Pasadena, and we will be reaching out to them to provide enrichment programs,” she said.

The signs and T-shirts will be sold at www.justincarrwantsworldpeace.org, or by contacting justincarrwwp@ gmail.com.

Carr’s family invited anyone to take a picture while wearing the shirt, carrying the sign or making the peace sign at a famous monument and post it on the memorial page on Facebook, send it to justincarrwantsworldpeace.org or send it to justincarrwwp@ gmail.com.

The Chronicle

News A4

Classes elect new prefects

April 24, 2013

By Rebecca Katz

The Class of 2015 elected Jackson Beavers ’15, Albert Choi ’15, Rachel Persky ’15 and Sarah Winshel ’15 as next year’s junior prefects.

All candidates were asked a prepared question by this year’s Head Prefects, Michael Wagmeister ’13 and Katie Lim ’13 and ended with a statement about what sets them apart.

Six female and five male candidates ran for junior prefect. Voting opened Friday April 19 after the sophomore class meeting when candidates discussed topics from campus cleanliness to character.

Current junior prefects Ashley Sacks ’14 and Henry Hahn ’14 were chosen as Head Prefects by default and will lead Prefect Council next year. Hahn ran unopposed as the only male candidate. Sacks was left as the only female candidate after Mazelle Etessami ’14 withdrew her candidacy for Head Prefect due to an Honor Board violation.

Etessami was only allowed to run for senior prefect after sending an email to the junior class in which she admitted to breaking the Honor Code earlier this year, confessing that she had become overwhelmed by school work and extracurricular activities.

Etessami said that having been on both sides of the Honor Board will make her a better representative.

The Class of 2014 elected Etessami, Oliver GoodmanWaters ’14, Greg Lehrhoff ’14 and Malanna Wheat ’14 to serve as senior prefects from three female and five male candidates.

MICHAEL SUGERMAN/CHRONICLE

NOA YADIDI/CHRONICLE

APPEARANCES: Nick Healy ’13 asks John Amaechi a question at the assembly, left. Amaechi speaks to the students and faculty, right.

First openly gay NBA player implores students not to form preconcieved labels

By Lauren Sonnenberg

Former NBA player and openly gay performance psychologist John Amaechi asked upper school students to combat poisonous words, preconceptions and stereotypes at an all-school assembly April 10.

Amaechi said that all words have impact and warned against “labels,” which can only broadly reflect people’s’ appearance and demographic.

He explained that others often have a hard time believing that he is gay or a psychologist, because his towering frame and the color of his skin seem to imply that he can be nothing but a basketball player. Amaechi said assumptions like these, based on physical appearance, are quite dangerous “I regularly got knocked back by gay bars,” he said. ”Unless I show up in hot pants

with an apple-tini, I’m not getting in.”

As a child, Amaechi said he was mocked for being fat, and the scorn haunted him even at the peak of his athletic career.

Though he had only four percent body fat, he was too selfconscious to take off his shirt and swim with his Orlando Magic teammates.

“When you’re younger, negative reactions are like wet cement,” he said. “There is an opportunity to smooth it over, but if you don’t act immediately, it sets.”

As an 11-year-old, Amaechi began to look for a hero in books that he could identify with. He found his match after reading “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” as both he felt he and the hunchback seemed to invoke fear and receive ridicule from their respective peers. He even asked his mother if he, like the hunch-

3 run for Dean of Faculty position

By Ally White

Teachers will elect a new Dean of Faculty due the departure of current dean and math teacher Jacob Hazard.

Math teacher Suzanne Lee, science teacher Jesse Reiner and science teacher Dietrich Schuhl are vying for the position, which has a term of two years. The winner will be announced Monday April 29 after four days of elections.

The candidates will not make speeches or write statements, but between the announcement of the candidates and elections there is a twoweek period when faculty can go to them and ask questions if they are undecided.

The purpose of the dean of faculty is to be “the conduit of information for the faculty to the administration and also from the administration to the faculty,” Hazard said.

The dean of faculty manages the sunshine fund, which is tapped into to send cards for birthdays, gifts for new babies and flowers when a death occurs in the family. He or she is also part of the upper school leadership team which includes Associate Head of Harvard-Westlake Audrius Barzdukas, Director of Studies Liz Resnick, Head Dean Beth Slattery and the FAC chair Ken Nealis “to make sure things are getting done,” Hazard said. This year the position

has expanded to include orga- ty,” he said. nizing faculty meetings.

A few faculty members enThe position of dean of couraged Lee to try for the pofaculty has been appealing to sition, but it was her family’s Schuhl almost since he came encouragement that was the to the school. deciding factor she said.

“If [Hazard] wasn’t leav“I feel like I am well inteing at the end of the year, I grated with the faculty,” Lee certainly wouldn’t have chal- said. “I understand where lenged him for the role, but they are coming from and as I’m actually really exalso a math teacher cited that the opporI know what I want tunity is available,” he my school to do, so added.

I think I could be a While Schuhl good representative doesn’t plan on takof the faculty.” ing the role in a comIf elected, Lee said pletely new direction she hopes to create if he wins, he does more activities that have a few changes facilitate school bondhe’d like to make to ing. nathanson ’s improve the school’s A colleague also Jacob Hazard feeling of community. suggested to Reiner He also wants to work on that he should run for the poways in which the faculty at sition. middle and upper school can “It took me by surprise move more easily between and I was flattered and it also campuses to better communi- made me very nervous,” he cate on a professional level. said. “The fact that it made me What he considers to be nervous alerted to me to the the most challenging goal he fact it might be a good chalwishes to accomplish is to lenge for me.” “represent the faculty more Reiner said he does not to our physical plant devel- have any bold new plans for opment.” As of now teach- the position but would want ers merely receive an an- to settle into the position nouncement about additions first before making any major or changes to the campus. If changes. elected Schuhl hopes to be“It would be [a great] honcome part of the discussions or to represent an awesome of “what we are going to build, group of teachers and to have what we are going to do with an opportunity to play a part an ear to how we can help the in making the school as good faculty be a better communi- as it can be,” Reiner said.

back, was a monster.

Amaechi jokingly compared his mother to a Jedi from “Star Wars” because of her ability to walk into a problematic situation and reduce tension by reminding involved parties that they could cope with whatever problem they were confronted with. He says this experience helped inspire him to become a psychologist.

In his adult life, Amaechi said he is still “assaulted by people’s perceptions on a daily basis,” but prides himself on not fitting labels. He encouraged students to do the same.

In a reception at Feldman-Horn after the assembly, Amaechi advised that a nasty comment made by a stranger on the street should not impact you or make you feel bad, but that a comment made about your behavior by a friend should weigh heavily and force reconsideration of

how you act.

Amaechi said he had heard positive reactions from students and faculty and said the his visit’s impact is “a question of how many people are willing to take advantage of this plastic moment when they’re willing to change and be flexible to reflect and change a little and push so that by the time things go back to being rigid, they’ve already changed shape.”

After hearing Amaechi speak at the assembly that morning, Sam Schlesinger ’15 approached Amaechi and asked him to narrate his Video Art I project about growing up, titled “The Minister of Exams,” which they then recorded after school.

“He just had the right voice for my project. It was great because he was super easy to work with and really brought my project to the next level,” Schlesinger said.

Graduating with honors 57 seniors with GPAs in the top 20 percent of their class will be inducted into the Harvard-Westlake chapter of the Cum Laude society May 20.

Kevin Adler Charlie Andrews-Jubelt Michael Aronson Daniel Belgrad Austin Chan Wendy Chen Theodora Davis Paheli Desai-Chowdhry Jordan Elist Solange Etessami Brendan Gallagher Rhett Gentile Eli Goldman Nicole Green Michael Gromis David Hoffman Martine Johannessen Brian Jun Kenneth Kim Maya Landau Arianna Lanz Joshua Lappen Madeline Lear Bo Lee David Lim Samantha Maccabee Sophie McAllister Elana Meer

Dara Moghavem Yasmin Moreno Kristina Park May Peterson Allana Rivera Michael Rothberg Jeremy Schreck Rachel Schwartz Christopher Sebastian Demren Sinik Carla Sneider Andrew Sohn Hunter Stanley Elana Stroud Leila Thomas Michael Wagmeister Walter Wang Annie Wasserman Eden Weizman Jackson Wildasin John Wilding Eleanor Wilson Samuel Wolk Ashley Wu James Wu Ryan Yadegar Caitlin Yee Adam Zucker

SOURCE: CUM LAUDE SOCIETY PHOTO COURTESY CUM LAUDE SOCIETY GRAPHIC BY ENYA HUANG AND JAKE SAFERSTEIN

April 24, 2013

hwchronicle.com/news

Curriculum Guide

News A5

In preparation for the next academic year, departments have evaluated their curricula to meet student demand.

Kutler Center adds first directed study for research projects

By Tara Stone and Noa Yadidi

NOA YADIDI/CHRONICLE

FINAL COUNTDOWN: Marielle Bagnard ’14 and Liza Wohlberg ’13, the only students in the Gender Studies course, introduce swimmer Dara Torres ’85 as the Women’s History Month speaker on March 18.

Not enough enrollment to fill Ethics, Gender Studies classes

By Marcella Park

The Ethics and Gender Studies courses will not be offered next year due to a lack of student sign-ups.

Only three students signed up for Ethics next year, and two for Gender Studies, English teacher Malina Mamigonian said.

Mamigonian, who teaches both classes, said that courses in the Interdisciplinary Studies and Independent Research department contribute to an imbalance of enrollments with a number of over-enrolled classes, such as Psychology.

“Occasionally, in all departments, various courses go on a hiatus,” Interdisciplinary Studies and Independent Research department chair Larry Klein said. “This occurs

to provide variety in offerings, because of faculty staffing requirements, and/or due to student demand. The latter applies to the two courses referenced. There is no reason to anticipate that those courses will not run again in the future.”

Ethics: Philosophical Traditions and Everyday Morality is described in its course description as a class which “examines moral issues of everyday life and asks questions about character, conduct, and social justice.”

Gender and Sexuality, according to its course description, “examines the ethics of gender and sex-based social roles.” Students in this class host the annual Women’s History Month Assembly speaker. The class was created as

Women’s Studies at Westlake School to fill the need for such a class in the early 1980s at an all-girl school as a full-year course.

Now offered one semester each, Ethics and Gender Studies have been presented as complementary courses.

“The Women’s History Month Assembly also started with such speakers as Toni Morrison, Alice Walker and Maya Angelou,” Mamigonian said. “Some of the speakers at these assemblies have come from the Westlake School: Jessica Yellin, Dara Torres and Sally Ride. I hope that this program will continue, as it brings speakers to HarvardWestlake who present realworld perspectives and history and offer positive role models for all students.”

New computer science course covers programming for websites

By Jake Saferstein

Web Technologies will be offered next year as a directed study for students who want to learn about websites from a Computer Science perspective.

Math Department Head Paula Evans, who will teach the class, created the course to broaden the curriculum and support the growing interest in computer science.

“Lots of kids come in and take AP Computer Science as a junior, so as seniors they want to take Design and Data Structures, but they also want to learn past that, and learn other [coding] languages,” Evans said.

Web Technologies allows seniors and juniors taking De-

sign and Data Structical, it’s designed for tures to apply their kids who plan on usskills to designing ing websites as entrewebsites, and learning preneurs.” a few coding languagLater in the es along with that. course, Evans will diThe course will rect the curriculum start with creating towards what the stubasic web pages. Students want, similar to dents will also learn Advanced Topics in nathanson ’s about client and Computer Science.

Paula Evans server interactions “The goal is to in websites, as well as stan- broaden the curriculum,” Evdard algorithms on sites, like ans said. “We’re bringing in a shopping cart and a forum new teachers with lots of exboard. perience in computer science.

“The course will reflect a The amount of people enrolled lot of things from AP Com- in AP Computer Science next puter Science and Design and year is more than the number Data Structures, but will be of people enrolled in Calculus separate from those mostly AB, so we need to support the academic courses,” Evans said. growing interest in computer “This will be much more prac- science.”

Administration to excuse juniors from school intern service next year

By Jake Pulier

Starting next year, juniors will no longer be required to fulfill school service. Assistant to the Head of Upper School Michelle Bracken said the school did not need many jobs to be done.

“Before emailing and texting, the only way to communicate was with notes,” Brack-

en said. “Then email, texting and cellphones evolved and it hasn’t been needed as much.

Also we used to do mailings for report cards comments which they don’t do anymore.

Technology has made the jobs obsolete.”

She said there were 250 spots for 580 sophomores and juniors. So it just seemed like a more efficient use of time to

cut it for the juniors.

“Cutting the school service program for juniors makes sense,” Alex Copeland ’15 said.

“Most people including myself view school service as really nothing but a small waste of time as we really don’t have to do anything with meaning anymore. Most of the kids who do school service just check in and leave.”

the opening of the Kutler Center.

The logistics as to how the Projects in Interdisciplin- class will operate in particular ary Study and Research will instances have not been fully be offered as a directed study developed yet, as the course through the Interdisciplinary was approved by the Faculty Studies and Independent Re- Academic Committee last search department next year. week, Klein said.

The course is “intended to One such project that may facilitate immersive and ex- be included through the new tensive exploration of inter- course is a project led by visudisciplinary subject matter, al arts department head Cheri through directed mentoring Gaulke, in which students by a faculty member and peer will study the 1994 Rwandan consultation and critique,” ac- Genocide and learn the techcording to the course proposal. nique of how to document isThe class, which is open to sues related to war and peace juniors and seniors, through filmmaking, will be offered each Gaulke said. semester twice a cyThe project will cle. ISIR department center around a weekchair Larry Klein will long trip to Rwanda be the lead teacher where students will for the course. meet affected peoThe class aims to ple and visit various have students design a monuments in order project for which they to record footage. can undertake reStudents will then nathanson ’s search while working spend the rest of the Larry Klein with their peers and semester-long course mentors.

Students working with Gaulke will also have the opportunity and Emmy award-winning to learn and practice their journalist Jeff MacIntyre to ability to present information turn their footage into short through public presentation documentaries. as they must produce someThe trip is slotted to take thing concrete, Klein said. place over spring break or in The course is modeled on February. Students who are existing courses such as Stud- not enrolled in the course are ies in Scientific Research permitted and encouraged to and will provide a vehicle for come on the trip, though they students who have a specific would not receive credit for interdisciplinary interest to the class. begin or continue exploration Gaulke got the idea for the of that interest in a directed, course after returning from structured and peer-linked the Laos trip she coordinated manner, according to the over spring break that had a course proposal. similar goal. She realized that The course will be the first a class would be more benefidirected study in the Inter- cial for the students as they disciplinary Studies and In- could learn about Rwanda dependent Research depart- before they go and then have ment after the department’s a designated time to work on inauguration this year with their documentaries.

Gragg to offer German language, culture class

By Sarah Novicoff

tance they opened the class to the student body.

The Foreign Language DeThe curriculum will be pripartment will begin offering marily based on the Foreign a yearlong Directed Study in Service Institute Language German next year.

Program although Gragg plans The class will be to adapt the curricutaught by Technology lum slightly to fit a Center Director and twice-a-week class. math teacher Chris “I’m going to inGragg, who holds a corporate some video master’s degree in and cultural stuff German from the Unias well,” Gragg said. versity of Southern “The students need to California and gradulearn a little bit about ated from Frankfurt Germany and not just nathanson ’s High School in Gerthe language.” many.

The class will not Chris Gragg Gragg also taught complete a student’s German for a year foreign language reas part of the University of quirement and will meet only Maryland program for Ameri- twice a cycle for half-credit. can military personnel sta“I am excited about people tioned in Germany. being able to learn what they William Ruppenthal ’16 want to learn, to make opapproached Foreign Language portunities available for those Department Head Margot who are really interested,” Riemer this spring about a Gragg said. “If people are realDirected Study in German. ly interested in knowing some Riemer asked Gragg to teach German or going to Germany the class, and after his accep- to visit, I’ll help.”

The Chronicle

A6 News

inbrief

April 24, 2013

GSA to screen film directed by alumnus The Gay Straight Alliance will screen the film “GBF,” directed by alum Darren Stein ’89, at the Downtown Independent theater on May 8.

The film revolves around two gay high school boys struggling to improve their social status through becoming popular girls’ gay best friends. The screening will be held with the cast and crew of the film.

Stein, a member of the Harvard-Westlake LGBTQ Network, organized a November prescreening of GBF for the GSA, still a work in progress at the time, with a review session afterwards.

“It had its official premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and is already a success,” GSA leader Patric Verrone ’13 said.

When we saw it earlier this year, we loved it and Darren seemed to take everything we had to say to heart. I can’t wait to see the finished product.”

—Kenneth Schrupp

New JSA mayor elected into office

Six students attended the Junior Statesman of America’s fall convention at the LAX Hilton from April 19 to April 21.

The Club President Samantha Garfield ’14 was elected Mayor of the Los Angeles Region.

“It was inspiring to hear seniors reflect on their experiences and finding their voice,” Garfield said.

—David Woldenberg

Students to take part in Denim Day Students are encouraged to wear denim to spread awareness about violence against women today.

Denim Day began in the 1990s after an Italian girl was raped by her driving instructor.

He appealed his criminal sentence and got the verdict overturned after saying that her jeans were too tight to have been removed without consent. Italian women protested by wearing denim to work in the following hours.

—Jensen McRae

Community Council hosts drive Community Council will host a blood drive for the American Red Cross on Friday. Everyone from the community ages 16 and older is encouraged to give blood. From Monday to Thursday, there will be a table where students can get information about the blood drive, sign up to donate, and get treats.

“I think it’s so important for our community to donate because we’re so fortunate to be healthy,” Emily Plotkin ’13 said. “Donating blood is a fairly easy process and such a little thing we can do in order to save three lives. It’s just an incredible opportunity.”

Students with questions or an interest in signing up can email Plotkin or Caitlin Yee ’13.

—Sara Evall, Jensen McRae

JACK GOLDFISHER/CHRONICLE

CHIT-CHAT: Harvard-Westlake hosts the Fireside Chat event with President Thomas C. Hudnut and performing arts teacher Ted Walch. Above, Walch and Hudnut embrace after discussing various topics at the event, like the history of the school and their enduring friendship. Top right, Hudnut speaks to guests of the event over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. The rug and leather chairs have been set up on the stage of Bing Auditorium. Bottom right, Alan Chapman and Karen Benjamin (Jake ’12 and Molly ’14) perform adapted versions of famous operatic songs, including one of Hudnut’s favorites, Andrew Lloyd Weber’s ‘Memory.’

Hudnut, Walch talk about shared memories

By Jack Goldfisher

In honor of President Thomas Hudnut’s final year at Harvard-Westlake, the school hosted a special event April 13 for 375 parents, alumni, faculty and friends of the school.

All of the proceeds from the event went to support the Thomas C. Hudnut Scholar Endowment Fund for financial aid created earlier this year.

A cocktail hour on the lower lawn of the middle school campus kicked off the event and was followed by dinner in a tent on the lawn, complete with three crystal chandeliers and heating units.

Finally, the evening culminated in an operatic perfor-

mance and a “fireside chat” between Hudnut and longtime friend and performing arts teacher Ted Walch in the Bing Auditorium.

The cocktail reception featured specialized hor d’oeuvres, like unagi, Japanese sea eel, to yellowtail tuna sashimi with yuzu dressing.

“They’ve got all of Tom’s favorites,” said archivist Allan Sasaki, who often dines with Hudnut at Asanebo, a Japanese restaurant they both enjoy.

Alan Chapman and Karen Benjamin (Jake ’12 and Molly ’14) adapted several famous operatic songs, replacing the lyrics with ones centered on Hudnut’s personality and leg-

acy at the school.

Hudnut, a fan of opera and occasional performer, then took the stage with Walch and talked for almost 20 minutes about his life, their friendship, and his thoughts on the school that he joined more than 20 years ago.

When the pair sat down in two large, brown leather chairs, an image of Hudnut’s vacation home in upstate New York was projected onto the screen on stage.

Hudnut and Walch have known each other since 1970 and have taught at a number of schools together, beginning at St. Albens School in Washington D.C. They spoke about working

together, their shared memories of certain students, and how Walch’s drug addiction affected their relationship.

“I think second chances are very important,” Walch said. “Knowing how tough you need to be with a second chance is no easy thing to do, but this guy knows how to give a second chance, and I, for one, am forever grateful.”

“Sometimes your ability to give a second chance is contingent upon the performance of the person involved,” Hudnut said. “If I wanted to be able to continue to employ the best drama teacher, the best director, the best guy in his field anywhere, I had to believe in him.”

Chief Accounting Officer begins work

By Julia Aizuss

help companies with business challenges like acquiring a David Weil ’93 filled the competitor or budgeting and seven-month vacancy in the financial issues. school’s Chief Accounting OfHowever, Weil realized the ficer position, with his first day work did not satisfy his desire of work April 8. for a more meaningful relaPrevious Chief Account- tionship with his employer. ing Officer Dennis Geselowitz “I just didn’t ever feel as departed from the position in though I was really connected August, giving the Business to an organization,” Weil said.

Office short notice to “You’re a confind a replacement. sultant, you’re hired To allow more time out for four or five to find the right remonths at a time, placement, the Business you finish the projOffice decided to disect, and then you tribute the responsibilimove on to the next ties the Chief Accountclient.” ing Officer normally When Weil disperforms, like making cussed his discontent rob levin sure school resources with Harvard-Westare being managed ap- David Weil ’93 lake administrapropriately, among its tors like Levin, they members, Weil said. urged him to considChief Financial Officer Rob er working for a school, which Levin said that the time spent they thought he would find without a Chief Account- more fulfilling. ing Officer was difficult but In 2004, Weil became Dithat the school would rather rector of Finance at Laurence go without the officer for a School and has been, he said, short-term period rather than “thrilled with it ever since.” fill the opening quickly with Weil was working at St. somebody inadequate.

Matthew’s Parish School when “We were really insistent he learned of the opening at on finding the right person,” Harvard-Westlake.

Levin said. “We found a numThe position remained ber of people who would have open for months before Weil been fine, but fine doesn’t get talked about applying for the it done.” job with Levin, with whom he Prior to working in school has been very close friends accounting, Weil was a man- since he graduated from Haragement consultant, hired to vard-Westlake.

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM MICHELLE BRACKEN

SOUNDCHECK: Performing arts teacher Ted Walch gives a speech in the Quad at the upper school campus for “At the MIC.”

Character Committee launches mini-lectures

By Julia Aizuss

Lecturing on the importance of quiet to gain a sense of identity in the quad during break on Monday, math teacher Ashley Sattherthwaite was the second speaker in the new weekly mini-lecture series “At the MIC,” an acronym for “minute in contemplation.”

Inspired by a similar series at the University of Pennsylvania, where he used to work as an admissions officer, Dean Pete Silberman proposed the series to the Character Education Committee, Satterthwaite, who is also the CEC chair, said.

“We were looking for a way to increase conversation on topics of great worth, but that maybe are not addressed in the classroom due to curricu-

lar goals and the pressure of time,” Satterthwaite said.

Although Satterthwaite said the CEC has planned to feature only faculty and staff in the series, performing arts teacher Ted Walch, who delivered the inaugural lecture last Monday, said he thought students should be included.

“I already showed that you can push the bounds of good taste without pushing too far,” Walch said.

Walch’s talk, “Look for what you need in what is closest to you,” recounted a night when he sought advice in the Bible.

The passage he landed on read: “They put the arc of the Lord and the box containing the gold mice and the models of their hemorrhoids of the cart.”

hwchronicle.com/news

April 24, 2013

News A7

inbrief Price of prom tickets increases by $15

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF LAUREL WAYNE

YOM HASHOA: Laurel Wayne ’13 places a rock on a plaque at the Birkenau concentration camp to pay her respects to the camp’s victims. Wayne was one of four students to participate in March of the Living, a program for Jewish students to remember the Holocaust.

Students march to remember Holocaust

By David Gisser

Stepping onto the grounds where 1.2 million Jewish people died, Zach Getelman ’13, Deborah Malamud ’13, Adam Gross ’13 and Laurel Wayne ’13 visited Auschwitz-Birkenau as part of the two-week March of the Living program, in which Jewish high schoolers pay remembrance to the Holocaust.

The first week took place in Poland, where 11,000 teens visited cities and concentration

camps to gain a better understanding of Holocaust’s impact.

“I’ve witnessed things that no person should ever have to witness,” Wayne said.

The Chelmno camp, described by Getelman as the “toughest thing to see,” is a gravesite to some 150,000 people with only two known survivors. Here Wayne saw on a plaque the names of her greatgrandparents, who Wayne had previously believed were killed at Auschwitz.

The nine Holocaust survivors on the trip made the tragedy feel more real, Getelman said. They described what it was like to live in the barracks and be shipped to Auschwitz in cattle cars, Getelman said.

The trip culminated with a silent march from the inner gates of Auschwitz to Birkenau.

The second week, in Israel, focused on the strength and tenacity of the Jewish people.

There the group celebrated

the holidays of Yom Hazikaron, which remembers fallen soldiers, and Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day. On the march from Jerusalem to the Western Wall, the group sang songs and waved the flags of their home countries.

“I’ve been there three or four times before, but this trip was so different,” Getelman said. “I have a newfound appreciation for the state of Israel and a newfound pride in my Judaism.”

Science classes visit harbor, aquarium

Wolk to discuss structure in film

Director and writer Andy Wolk (Suzanna ’10, Sam ’13) will talk to Cinema Studies students about the effect of screenwriting on film structure on April 25 and April 29.

He plans to use Sidney Lumet’s “The Verdict” for the basis of his lecture, he said.

“It’s not going to be about dropping wisdom so much as creating an experience to get [the students] to think about movies that they may see or want to write or direct one day to sell,” Wolk said.

—Nikta Mansouri

3 students take first place at JCL events

By Jessica Lee

The Genetics and Biotechnology class went on a fishing trip to Ventura Harbor on April 17 for a DNA barcoding project, and the Oceanography and Marine Biology class went to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach on April 17.

The Genetics students took a boat to Channel Islands National Park, where they and the two chief scientists from Coastal Marine Biolabs fished for rockfish and sampled their DNA. DNA barcoding is a technique used to identify all living organisms by sequencing portions of their DNA. The Genetics and Biotechnology class is participating in a world-wide project to create DNA barcoding libraries for species identification and management, science teacher David Hinden said. The students curate DNA sequences, and the product is uploaded to national databanks in the United States, Japan and Europe. Students are given publication credit for their work.

“We did this to give students a better idea of what is involved in the actual collection of data and why the DNA barcoding project is essential to species management,” Hinden said.

The students in Oceanography and Marine Biology observed live marine organisms and learned techniques for maintaining them in aquariums, science teacher Blaise Eitner said.

The price of prom tickets has been raised from $100 to $115 because the cost of producing prom has risen in expense over the last couple years. Director of Student Affairs Jordan Church and Father J. Young proposed the idea to Student Council, who agreed with the proposal, although they have been trying for many years to keep the price at or below $100.

Prom will be held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel May 18. Head Prefect Michael Wagmeister ’13 does not believe the price increase will have a significant impact on prom attendance.

—Sophie Kupiec-Weglinski

NOA YADIDI/CHRONICLE

COMEBACK KID: Dara Torres ’85 spoke about her experiences as an Olympic swimmer and her multiple comebacks to competitive swimming at the Women’s History Month Assembly on March 18.

Torres ’85 encourages students to disregard age, follow dreams

By Noa Yadidi

Five-time Olympian Dara Torres ’85 encouraged students to “never put an age limit on your dreams” at the annual Women’s History Month Assembly March 18, where she spoke about her career, which spanned from her junior year at Westlake School for Girls to a final attempt to qualify for the 2012 London games as 45-year-old mother.

Torres said her competitiveness helped her brush off speculation that age would hold her back in multiple comebacks to competitive swimming.

“If someone says something negative to me, I’m going to use that as fuel,” Torres said. “I’m just going to show them wrong and prove them wrong.”

“When you dive in the water, the water doesn’t know

your age,” she added.

After winning a gold medal at age 17 in the 1984 Olympic Games, Torres went on to win 11 more medals to tie as the most decorated female swimmer in the United States.

Twenty-four years later, Torres made her third comeback to swim in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where she won three silver medals. She found that training with swimmers much younger than her helped in raising the competitiveness of the team, as younger swimmers pushed themselves not to be beaten by her.

She found that her maturity and experience helped her excel over her younger competitors. Torres said her age provided perspective, so she was in a calmer state of mind for competition.

“I realized at that moment when I walked in that I see things much different through

the eyes of a 41-year-old than I did through the eyes of a teenager,” Torres said, reflecting on observing the girls in the ready room before a race. “For these kids, the race was the most important things in their life. My daughter was my most important thing. Maturitywise, I was at such an advantage compared to these kids.”

Torres added that swimming helped her as a student at Westlake, which she initially did not want to attend.

“The more involved I got with sports, the better my grades got,” she said. “I don’t think I’d be the woman I am today if I hadn’t gone to Westlake.”

While in middle school, Torres was coached by current athletic director of operations Darlene Bible, who helped Gender Studies teacher Malina Mamigonian reach Torres to plan the assembly.

Three students in Junior Classical League placed first in competitions at the organization’s state convention on March 15 and 16 in Newport Coast.

Alex Liao ’15 placed first in the grammar test in the high school three level, while Jonathan Sington ’14 and Zach Birnholz ’14 placed first in the high school advanced level of the open Certamen competition, a Latin-based game modeled on “Jeopardy.”

Each annual convention, which includes schools from across California and Nevada, features activities from workshops to chariot races.

—Scott Nussbaum

Advancement begins ‘Share Your Story’ The Advancement Office launched “Share Your Story,” a forum for alumni, teachers, students and family to submit Harvard-Westlake memories on the school website, April 10.

Director of Communications Jill Shaw and Director of Advancement Communications Beth Stokes conceptualized the website as an organic way for the community to not only share but read stories.

Stokes said that the number of posts on the site will determine its success.

“If the desire to share stories on this site takes off in this community, we’d like to keep the site active because it would be a fun read for anyone who’s part of our community or wants to know more about our community,” Stokes said.

—Haley Finkelstein

The Chronicle

A8 News

7 qualify to debate at championship for top 75 in U.S.

By Claire Goldsmith

The Coach’s Influence Seven members of the Bietz has coached the Harvarsity Lincoln-Douglas de- vard-Westlake LD team since bate team, the most from any 2007 and is the director of the school in the country, have Victory Briefs Institute (VBI), qualified for the Tournament a summer debate intensive at of Champions. The TOC, held University of California, Los this weekend at the University Angeles.

He attends most of Kentucky, accepts only the of the team’s approximately top 75 debaters nationwide.

30 tournaments during their Head Debate Coach Mike season, which stretches from Bietz will receive mid-September to his second Diamond early May. Assistant Award from the Coach Nate ZerNational Forensics bib-Berda handles the League (NFL), the middle school team oldest high school and administrative debate society in the duties, while Bietz fonation. cuses on directing the Each coach renovice (freshmen or ceives one-tenth of debaters in their first the points his stuyear of LD) and varnathanson ’s dents win during insity teams.

Mike Bietz dividual debates, and In high school, once a coach has acBietz participated in cumulated 1,500 points, he is policy debate, which involves eligible for his first diamond. teams of two, until his coach To win his second diamond, told him he would have to quit which can only be awarded five football and band to continue years or more after a coach’s debating. He then switched to first diamond, Bietz accrued a the single-person LD style. total of 3,000 coach points.

“I quit because I could do LD when I wanted to,” Bietz Best in the Nation said. “Similarly, a lot of the LD, named after the 1850 kids here are so busy. [In poldebates between Abraham icy,] you have a partner, you Lincoln and Stephen Douglas have to be flexible.” over Douglas’ Illinois Senate While attending the Uniseat, draws thousands of high versity of Minnesota, Bietz school students nationwide. coached rather than competed In order to qualify for the with his school’s debate team. national tournament, debat- Upon graduation, he began ers must have two bids, each his first debate job at Edina earned by reaching a final High School near Minneapolis, round of any individual tour- where he built up the LD pronament. gram for six years.

“All of the kids who attend “I worked in tech startups have proven themselves at a so debate was always somedifficult level,” Bietz said. “We thing I did on the side, but have the talent to be successful something I never didn’t do,” [at TOC] if we prepare right.” he said.

Overall, the team has 19 In 2003, the Harvard-Westbids, according to the National lake debate program contacted Symposium for Debate. Annie Bietz, asking him to coach the Kors ’14 and Michael O’Krent team, but Bietz chose to stay ’14 both have four bids, Julie in Minnesota. Three years Engel ’14 and Brendan Galla- later, he moved to Los Angegher ’13 have three and Shelby les to run VBI and felt that, as Heitner ’14 and Andrew Sohn head of a summer program, he ’13 have two. “needed to be coaching too.”

Tommy Choi ’14 applied to Bietz spent a year workthe TOC via an “at-large” pro- ing with the debate teams at cess for debaters with only one Archer School for Girls and bid. His 80 percent record of Brentwood School before acwins in preliminary tourna- cepting an assistant coach poment rounds earned him one sition at Harvard-Westlake. of five spots at the national The head debate coach at that tournament reserved for ac- point was an undergraduate complished one-bid debaters. student at the University of

April 24, 2013

By the Numbers

The seven debaters qualified for the TOC have won, on average, 76.5 percent of their debates this year and have a combined 19 bids to the TOC. win record:*

Tommy Choi ’14 @tchoi_debate

Julie Engel ’14

@jengel_debate

Brendan Gallagher ’13 @bgallagh_debate

Shelby Heitner ’14 @sheitner_debate

80.0% 75.9% 77.3% 74.0% 75.0%

Annie Kors ’14 @akors_debate

Michael O’Krent ’14 @mokrent_debate

Andrew Sohn ’13 @asohn_debate

76.6% 76.5%

number of bids:

1 3 3 2 4 4 2

Novice debater Cameron Cohen ’16 competed at the California High School Speech Association Debate Tournament at West Ranch High School in Santa Clarita, the first time any Harvard-Westlake team member has qualified for the tournament. Cohen debated from April 19 to April 20.

Cohen did not reach the elimination round but was one of only six who represented the Los Angeles District.

“I was working for weeks to prepare for this tournament but the work doesn’t directly pay off as much because it’s a different kind of debate,” Cohen said.“It’s more random.”

3 9 1 – 5 1 13

Silver and Black Invitational, UT

Southwest Speech and Debate Institute Invitational, AZ

Meadows Invitational Tournament, NV

NDCA National Championships, NV

Southwest Speech and Debate Institute Invitational, AZ Golden Desert Invitational, NV

Go to hwchronicle.com for a collection of the debaters’ tweets from the TOC and results and commentary from Head Coach Mike Bietz (@HWDebate). *calculated by adding preliminary round wins and elimination round wins and dividing by total number of preliminary rounds and number of elimination round wins graphic by claire goldsmith source: debate team and the national symposium for debate

Southern California whom Bietz had previously coached.

“She said, ‘You can be head coach,’ so that’s what we did,” Bietz said.

Wolverine Debate The Harvard-Westlake debate program was “absolutely not” at the level it is now when Bietz started, he said. Only one debater from the previous year’s team had returned for the 2007-2008 season.

“In the 70s and 80s, [Harvard] debate was one of the top in the country under legendary coach Tedd Woods,” Bietz said.

Woods retired in 1991 when Harvard and Westlake merged, and King Schofield, a former debater at the University of Southern California who coached at Westlake, took over before the program was shut down in the 1990s.

History teacher Ari Engelberg ’89, who had debated at Harvard School, revived the program, but it remained somewhat lackluster until Jake Sonnenberg ’11 and Ben

Sprung-Keyser ’11, who had created the parliamentary debate program at the Middle School, both qualified to the Tournament of Champions in their junior and senior years and competed on the United States debate team.

Sprung-Keyser also won the NFL LD championship as a junior in 2010.

The Team Today “I’ve always said I don’t care if the kids win that much,” Bietz said. “I try to relay that to them. I think that so much of that need to win hurts them.”

When it comes to preparing for tournaments, Bietz sees himself as “part of the team.”

He seeks out books, journals and law reviews as material for the debaters’ arguments and helps prepare rebuttals to potential arguments.

“The reading and the writing and the way you think in debate, I can’t think of a thing that it doesn’t prepare you for,” he said.

Debaters spend months

Freshmen compete at state, novice tournaments

By Sophie Kupiec-Weglinski

and one at-large

best speaker award this year:

Cohen previwith four in the Big Sibs ously won the Top 40-minute program, told him Speaker Award and rounds ocabout the debate First Place Overc u r r i n g program. all at The Novice each day.

“Everyone alNational TournaAlthough ways told me I was ment in Atlanta, it was an super argumenfrom March 22 to individual tative and that it March 24. There, tournament, would be perfect for Nick Steele ’16 Cohen and me,” Cohen said. advanced to the Steele pracCohen debated nathanson ’s nathanson ’s semifinals and took ticed deon the merits of reNick Steele ’16 Cameron Cohen ’16 fourth place. Cohen bating with habilitation versus and Steele traveled their team retribution in the with six other freshman team- which is coached by Mike US Criminal Justice System. mates. Approximately 50 stu- Bietz and Nate Zerbib-Berda.

Cohen was awarded First dents from California, Texas, Julius Pak ’12, a student at Place Overall by winning all Nevada, Minnesota, New York University of Chicago, joined his elimination rounds. In and Massachusetts attended the team at the tournament to addition, he also received the the tournament. help prep the team.

Top Speaker Award. The Top At the Novice National Cohen first started debat- Speaker Award is granted to Tournament, Cohen’s first ing in seventh grade when the speaker with the highest round started at 8 a.m., Tommy Choi ’14, his ‘Big Sib’ average of points earned each

researching a topic and walk into tournaments with prepared arguments. During each round, they use philosophical and ethical justifications to prove their points as well as to rebut opponents’ cases.

“I’m much more involved with helping figure out ways to craft responses to arguments and researching,” Bietz said. His input and experience in both research and debate strategy has helped the team attain its current success.

“Bietz has a more vast knowledge of debate than anyone on the circuit and his insight is priceless,” Engel, who also attends VBI, said. “He’s the reason our team is as successful as it is.”

Although his debaters consistently advance to high elimination rounds, Bietz goes into every tournament “thinking we’re going to be awful,” he said. “I always think there’s more we could’ve done. It ends up not being the case, but I never expect that we’ll win. I do expect that they will work hard every round.”

On the Web For live coverage of the debate team at the Tournament of Champions, go to hwchronicle.com starting April 27, 2013.

Debaters will share tweets, pictures and video from their experiences at the tournament as well as constant updates and results of every round. round. Judges look for quality of argument, organization and strategy when awarding points.

“I was really excited,” Cohen said. “The whole team and I have been working really hard the whole year, and I wanted to put everything into this tournament as it was the last tournament of the year.”

April 24, 2013

hwchronicle.com/news

News A9

Alumni contribute to media coverage • Continued from page A1

out with us and play Halo.

Right after the marathon he messaged me and made sure the crew and I were okay.”

Plotkin was in her sorority house when the suspects opened fire on campus. She began to worry about her new friend when she heard an officer had been killed, and her fears were confirmed when she checked his Facebook profile the next morning.

“I started sobbing,” Plotkin said. “When I heard an officer was shot, I was immediately worried about [Collier], but I thought ‘Oh, what are the chances?’ It was devastating.”

During the manhunt for the suspects in Watertown on April 18, most Boston-area schools were put on lockdown, subsequently shutting current students in and some prospective students out.

Harvard University cancelled its admitted students weekend, April 20-22, causing Michael Rothberg ’13 to stay home altogether. He said he made the decision while he was in line to board his flight to Boston at 6 a.m. April 19.

“The city was on lockdown while the local, state and federal law enforcement were searching for the Marathon bombing suspects, so Harvard decided that it wouldn’t be safe to accommodate kids on campus,” Rothberg said.

“Also, public transportation in the city was shut down, so it would have been impossible to get from the airport to campus at that time.”

Harvard did not reschedule

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF HANK GERBA

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF DEMREN SINIK

HOME OF THE BRAVE: Hank Gerba ’12 walked to the police perimeter at Boylston Street after the Marathon bombings and took photos, including some of bloodstained hero Carlos Arredondo, left. Vigils like the one on the right were visible throughout Boston after the attacks. the admitted students weekend, which Rothberg called “a major bummer.” Unlike Rothberg, Elle Wilson ’13 flew into Boston’s Logan International Airport that day and was forced to stay there while the city was locked down.

Rebecca Aaron ’13 was to visit Boston University April 20 while on a tour of the East Coast with a friend. However, because the city was on lockdown the night before while police searched for the second bombing suspect, her mother called and told her not to go.

Although the suspect was caught later that night, Aaron doesn’t regret her decision to skip a stop in Boston.

“At the time, it was unpredictable,” she said.

Demren Sinik ’13 arrived in Boston to visit Harvard in the early afternoon April 18.

When the city went on lockdown that night, Sinik found himself stranded in his hotel.

Maddie Lear ’13, who arrived in Boston April 18 and was staying at Harvard with a friend, was confined to campus for all of the next day and left on April 20.

Harvard had reopened its campus by then, and Lear said

that although the student re- greater something. It was alception remained cancelled, most welcoming. Here everyHarvard students and orga- one is just looking out for each nizations planned unofficial other.” events for incoming freshman.

Esther Zuckerman ’08 covSinik decided to stay through ered uplifting Boston stories Monday, and sat in on a few throughout the week for The classes when school resumed.

Atlantic Wire in New York Christine Sasaki ’13 toured City.

Northeastern hours before the “I was actually waiting to MIT shoothear who had ings that inwon Pulitzers stigated a city this year when lockdown.

I heard about Although the bombings It was like something her tour of via Twitter,” out of a movie.”

Boston Unishe said. “I versity was had seen one —Blaise Ormond ’12 Tweet passed cancelled for Boston University around from the next day, she said that NBC Sports given the cirNetwork that cumstances, told of Marait wasn’t a top priority. thon runners that had contin“Everything that happened ued running to Mass General was terrifying, especially when to give blood, and decided that they linked the [MIT] shoot- I wanted to write about the ings to the Marathon bomb- stories of kindness that were ers and said they might have emerging. Once I had that idea planted explosives around the I began scouring social media city,” Sasaki said. “But at the and various publication’s resame time, I got to see every- ports for other like stories. I one in Boston come together used accounts that came from after the tragedies and the reporters that were on the entire city shut down for this ground or marathon runners cause. Seeing the city unite or spectators that were documade me feel like a part of a menting their experience.”

“

Michael Kaplan ’08 also contributed to Boston coverage, helping produce Scott Pelley’s interview with the Boston Police Commissioner for CBS’ “60 Minutes” broadcast Sunday night.

Since one suspect was killed and the other taken into custody, Gerba said the streets of Boston have been packed with celebratory citizens.

“The street that all the dorms are on was packed with people cheering, and the Boston police did a miniature parade,” Gerba said. “Even when I went back to my room, just through my window, people were roaring. It was pretty cool, honestly, to hear.”

While Sperling has enjoyed the celebrations, he is happiest with the city’s return to normalcy.

“People have been running on the Boston Bridge and all over,” he said. “One of the slogans after the Marathon bombings was ‘Run Boston, Run,’ as in keep going despite the tragedy. The point of terror is to make us abandon our daily habits, and it’s really nice to see everyone coming together and resuming their everyday activities.”

Stanford graduate releases debut novel

By Nadia Rahman

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF FIGMENT

FIGMENT OF IMAGINATION: “Georgetown Academy” co-author Jessica Koosed Etting ’98 is starting a writing competition and invites students to submit their short stories to FIGMENT.

Alumna hosts writing competition

By Nikta Mansouri

“Georgetown Academy” co-author Jessica Koosed Etting ’98 is inviting students to submit short stories to her writing contest.

Stories can be submittedd to FIGMENT, a website and online community for teen writers and readers. The deadline is May 8 and the two winners’ stories will be featured in the back of “Georgetown Academy: Book Four” which will be published in June. The contest is a promotion for her

upcoming fourth book, Koosed Etting said. The story must be 1,000 words or less and it must involve the characters of “Georgetown Academy” at a Washington D.C. monument.

A copy of the first book in the series will be given to all contestants via PDF or e-book for them to use as inspiration for their story.

“I definitely plan on entering [the competition.] I read the first two books and I really liked the stories and characters,” Cameron Victor ’15 said.

“It would also be really cool to

have something I wrote published in a real book and to get a publishing deal.”

“Georgetown Academy” revolves around a group of privileged students attending an elite private school in D.C. Readers can choose which character they follow as they navigate their way through sex scandals, fights and friendships.

Koosed Etting and her co-author, Alyssa Embree Schwartz plan on shopping the television show version in June.

In her debut novel, “Follow Her Home,” published April 16, Stephanie Cha ’03 introduces her protagonist, Korean-American Juniper Song.

Song’s interest in noir writer Raymond Chandler’s detective novels drives her to accept a request from a college friend.

Song agrees to investigate whether her friend’s wealthy father is having an affair with another Korean-American woman. Upon accepting the request, Song finds herself involved in a real life murder mystery.

Publishers’ Weekly, Kirkus, Library Journal, and the LA Times gave “Follow Her Home” positive reviews before its release. Cha began writing while she was in law school.

“I started writing because I decided that I didn’t know if I really wanted to do law and I decided to give writing an honest shot,” Cha said.

Her interest in books and literature stemmed from her time at Harvard-Westlake, Cha said.

“I liked English at Harvard-Westlake; it was my fa-

vorite subject,” Cha said. “It was my worst subject but it was my favorite subject.”

Cha’s courses at Stanford University introduced her to Chandler’s noir novels, which are a genre of crime fiction with a focus on dark ambience, Cha said.

“After I read Chandler in college, I thought that somebody should write a KoreanAmerican female noir because I think noir is an interesting way to explore different parts of society,” Cha said. “I thought it’d be a cool idea. At the time I had the vague notion that maybe I could try it.”

Cha wrote the first draft of her novel in her second year of law school and finished her work several years later.

“I’ve had the idea for somebody like Song for a long time; the actual character came more into shape while I was writing her and the side characters kind of fell in too,” Cha said.

Cha will be visiting Oakland and bookstores in Los Angeles to promote her debut novel for the next two months.

“It will be kind of tiring, but it will be fun,” Cha said.

A10 News

Wagner to retire after 23 years

for Girls, by her second year at Harvard-Westlake, she had After 23 years of the cus- transitioned to teaching Lattomary workbook exercises, in IA to seventh graders and mnemonic tricks and “cookie Latin I and Latin II to ninth of the week” traditions that graders, which she remained characterize the middle school teaching ever since.

Latin curriculum, Latin Although teaching basic teacher Joyce Wagner plans Latin might seem easier than “to have no plans” following teaching more advanced levher retirement. els, Latin teacher Paul CheniWhen her younger sister er said teachers like him could passed away last year, Wagner easily be replaced, and that was impelled towards evalua- the far bigger challenge lies in tion of her own life. teaching younger students.

“As long as I’m still healthy, “You need a broad skill set I want to enjoy what there is to do it,” Chenier said. “[Wagto enjoy,” Wagner said. ner] just has this.”

Although her general plans Chenier, who used to teach are wide open, Wagner does ninth grade history, recalled intend to that once a 12th do some grader visited substitute him to tell him teaching at how much he I really wanted to be local schools had enjoyed the kind of teacher I so that she Chenier’s hisoften didn’t have in can contory class but tinue to could not actuhigh school. Teachers spend time ally remember were not all that kind.” with kids what he had as she has learned.

—Joyce Wagner for the past This would Latin teacher 30 years never have ocshe’s spent curred in a class teaching. taught by Wagner, Chenier “I think it would be too said. much of a shock to my system Instead, students come to not to be around young peo- his upper school classes still ple,” Wagner said. remembering the anecdotes It was Wagner’s own expe- and mnemonic devices that riences as a young person with Wagner taught them in the her teachers that spurred her seventh grade. to teach.

“She’s instilling stuff that’s “I really wanted to be the going to last forever,” Chenier kind of teacher I often didn’t said. “That’s not normal.” have in high school,” Wagner Chenier called her the said. “Teachers were not all “mother” of the Latin prothat kind.” gram.

Wagner discovered quick“She leaves very big shoes ly that she had a passion for to fill,” Chenier said. “It’s inteaching middle school stu- credibly difficult to find a dents. Although she taught teacher who’s effective but also Latin III to 10th graders in her has a great gentle touch with first year at Westlake School the kids coming to school.”

The Chronicle

April 24, 2013

By Julia Aizuss

“

DAVID WOLDENBERG/CHRONICLE

HELPING OUT: Hazard assists Zoe Bohn ’14, left, and Matthew Lucas ’14 in one of his Design & Data Structures classes. He will return to Michigan next year to work as a dean at Cranbook School.

Hazard to take academic dean post at alma mater in Michigan

By Enya Huang

Nine-year computer science teacher and Dean of Faculty Jacob Hazard will join Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, as Academic Dean for grades 11 and 12 in September.

He will also teach one math class.

The position will give Hazard a greater role in school leadership, he said.

“I’m going to the school where I grew up,” Hazard said.

“My dad taught [English] at Cranbrook School for roughly 40 years.”

Hazard’s father, who still lives near Cranbrook, made a point of not pressuring him into accepting the offer, Hazard said.

“His being there makes it a desirable location,” Hazard said. “He really did always support me and encourage me to go pursue anything that I wanted to pursue.”

benefitted due to being white and going to a private school.

“The lack of obstacles in my life is a form of inequality,” Hazard said.

Although a teenager at the time, the experience informed his approach to teaching.

“It sensitized me [to] how every person has a different set of struggles and that those struggles are distributed unequally,” Hazard said. “My job as a teacher is to somehow give every student an equal opportunity to succeed.”

Because of this Hazard views academic success in terms of opportunity, not grades.

“I don’t take it personally if a student doesn’t do their homework or doesn’t do well on a test,” Hazard said. “Doing badly doesn’t mean you’re not trying. But they have to understand there is a cost to not doing the homework. It’s not a personal cost; it’s an opportunity cost.”

Costantino ’99 to attend grad school at Stanford

Anderson to focus on painting

By Jensen McRae

By Sara Evall

Middle school art teacher Brenda Anderson is retiring this year, 20 years after she first began teaching as an art substitute in the spring of 1994. Anderson teaches seventh grade art classes, Mixed Media I and II, and is the faculty adviser for the Arts Club.

“I am retiring after a great run of 20 years, and sometimes you just know,” Anderson said.

“Last year after getting married again, my husband and I decided to travel and for me to be able to focus on my painting, so the school has known for a while my intentions.”

As a teenager, his father’s leniency gained him access to the family car when Hazard and his friends decided to attend a school dance.

But the dance was too full, so they decided instead to cross the border into Canada, just for fun.

Their fun was cut short when the border patrol halted their plans and demanded to see everyone’s driver’s license and social security card.

While Hazard fumed about the situation, two of his friends, who were AfricanAmerican and Puerto Rican, whipped both documents out.

“They said, ‘I frequently need three or more forms of ID just to go about my daily life; I’m getting stopped by the cops for all kinds of stuff,’” Hazard said. “[If] I get stopped by the cops, driver’s license is sufficient,” Hazard said. The experience led Hazard to recognize the privilege from which he

ANDREW LAUGEL

ARTS AND CRAFTS: Anderson advises a student on an art project during a class. She is retiring after 20 years at the middle school.

Anderson said that she is passionate about teaching students with an appreciation for art. Some of her previous students, such as Middle School Visual Arts Department Head Katie Palmer ’98, have showcased their works at museums such as the Whitney Museum and the MOCA.

“I have gained patience and a clearer understanding of what the needs are of this newest generation,” she said.

“I have always loved my students and want them to be happy and confident. I have also learned that the product isn’t as important as the appreciation of the process.”

helped me to connect with my students in deep and meaningMiddle school dance teach- ful ways.” er Carrie Green Costantino said Costantino ’99 is that her fondest leaving at the end memories of being a of this school year student at Harvardto attend Stanford Westlake were her University’s School “insane crush on Jake of Education. She Gyllenhaal and finding plans to study Policy, my love of dance.”

Organization and “Being an alum Leadership Studies. has helped me to re“Going to gradually understand what nathanson ’s ate school has been the students are going Carrie Green a dream of mine for through,” Costantino Costantino ’99 some time, but I only said. really got serious During her time about applying to a full-time at Harvard-Westlake, Costangraduate program this year,” tino has taught Contemporary Costantino said. “I also think Dance Workshop I, ContemI understand the Harvard- porary Dance Workshop II Westlake culture, and that has and Dance Production.

April 24, 2013

hwchronicle.com/news

Hiring process begins for faculty

By Sophie Kupiec-Weglinski and David Woldenberg

With nine job openings in four departments, Head of School Jeanne Huybrechts and other administration and faculty are busy reading resumes and interviewing candidates for the fall.

21 years ago, when she was a candidate, Foreign Language Department Head Margot Riemer, sat nervously at the lunch table with several other teachers.

Her lunch barely touched, Riemer busied herself with talking to people who she hoped would eventually be her colleagues. Riemer’s road the Coldwater Campus started with an opening in the Foreign Language Department.

Fresh out of college with a degree in Spanish, Riemer sent in her resume and soon had a phone interview. The interview was in Spanish, so Reimer could show her proficiency in the language before the school spent money to fly her in from Michigan.

The interview went well, and soon Reimer was staying at the Sportsman’s Lodge in preparation for the day of interviews to come. The Head Master Tom Hudnut, Department Chair John Corsello, and Will Sellmon, the teacher she would be replacing, all interviewed her. Reimer was offered the job, and she took it.

“I could tell that it would be a challenge,” Reimer said.

“I could tell that the kids were the kind of kids who would

push me, and who would ask me questions to which I might have to look up the answer.”

Mathematics Department Head Paula Evans had a different experience.

When attending a conference, Technology Center Director Chris Gragg asked if anyone taught computer science. Out of the 200 people in the room, only Evans raised her hand. Gragg quickly asked her if she would like a job. Attached to her research at The Alabama School of Math and Science, Evans refused. Yet after persistent calling from the math department, Evans agreed and showed up for an interview.

“I was kind of surprised I decided to come. I wasn’t nervous, I didn’t plan to come here,” Evans said.

By the fall of 1999, Evans was a math teacher at the upper school. When hiring a teacher, there are two possible ways in which the process starts. Applicants send resumes to Harvard-Westlake and they reach Administrative Assistant Pat Nolte. When a vacancy opens up among the faculty, she searches through the resumes on file and chooses a select few to progress through the rest of the administration.

“The process of hiring is complicated in that there are many individuals involved in any single hire and depending on who were are hiring, the process can look very different from one case to another,” Huybrechts said.

It is also possible for an administrator or department chair to notice a good prospect for a teaching position at a job fair or convention.

Eventually all resumes are sent to Nolte, who enters them into Didax. Teaching experience, amount of education and a good phone interview make a desirable candidate, Director of Studies Liz Resnick said. The administration proceeds with one of two actions. If the candidate has a superior resume and phone interview, but he or she lives far away, Nolte or Executive Assistant to the Head of the Middle School Melissa Zimmerman books a hotel, flight and other necessary travel arrangements.

If a local candidate also has an impressive resume, the applicant will come in for about an hour to be interviewed, giving the administration an opportunity to solidify their opinion about the candidate.

Candidates then come to campus and take part in an Olympiad of interviews and activities.

They are interviewed by department heads and members of the prospective department. The day also usually includes teaching a sample class and possibly giving lectures to the respective department.

Just as Riemer and Evans did, Chemistry teacher Narae Park had a phone interview and then arrived on the upper school campus in person for a formal interview.

“On the phone, it went

News A11

The process of hiring teachers Every year when the administration needs to hire teachers, the candidates gothrough the following process.

1 Administrative Assistant Pat Nolte looks through resumes and contacts agencies that assist in hiring teachers.

If an administrator or department chair notices a good prospect, his or her resume can also be sent in.

2 Once the list of candidates is narrowed down and all of them are called, the best will be chosen for an interview.

3 If a candidate does not live nearby, the school will book a flight, and hotel, and to arrange the interview.

If a candidate lives nearby, he or she will attend an hour-long interview.

4 The candidate will have a full day interview with the respective department head, other teachers, and Head of School Jeanne Huybrechts and teach a sample class.

5 Interviewers send their opinion to Huybrechts. Huybrechts will then make a decision and call the candidate with her decision.

INFOGRAPHIC BY JIVANI GENGATHARAN

pretty well because it was really casual, but when I came here, I was real nervous because it was my first teaching interview,” said Park.

When all the interviews are completed, each interviewer sends his or her opin-

15% Discount for Harvard Westlake Students

ion on the prospect to Huybrechts, who makes the final decision. Huybrechts calls the prospect and offers him or her the job. *Additional reporting by Aimee Misaki

Pick-ups and Dine-ins from the regular menu

the harvard-westlake

CHRONICLE Los Angeles • Volume XXII • Issue VIII • April 24, 2013

Editors in Chief: David Lim, Elana Zeltser Managing Editors: Robbie Loeb, Michael Rothberg, Camille Shooshani Executive Editor: Rachel Schwartz Presentations Editors: Jamie Chang, Gabrielle Franchina

Opinion The Chronicle

•

April 24, 2013

Sports Editors: Michael Aronson, Luke Holthouse Chief Copy Editor: Allana Rivera News Managing Editors: Michael Sugerman, Ally White News Section Heads: Julia Aizuss, Jack Goldfisher, Elizabeth Madden, Lauren Sonnenberg, Noa Yadidi Infographics Manager: Jivani Gengatharan News Copy Editor: Jessica Lee News Online Managers: Claire Goldsmith, Jensen Pak Assistants: Leily Arzy, Sara Evall, Haley Finkelstein, Enya Huang, Sophie Kupiec-Weglinski, Jensen McRae, Nikta Mansouri, Scott Nussbaum, J.J. Spitz, Jake Saferstein Opinion Managing Editor: Ana Scuric Section Heads: Beatrice Fingerhut, James Hur, Kyla Rhynes, Tara Stone Assistants: Parker Chusid, Lucas Gelfen, Kenneth Schrupp Features Managing Editors: Maggie Bunzel, Carrie Davidson Features Section Heads: Eojin Choi, Sydney Foreman, David Gisser, Sarah Novicoff Morganne Ramsey, Lauren Siegel Assistants: Carly Berger, Zoe Dutton, Jacob Goodman, Aimee Misaki, Marcella Park, Nadia Rahman, David Woldenberg Sports Managing Editors: Aaron Lyons, Keane Muraoka-Robertson Section Heads: Patrick Ryan, Grant Nussbaum, Lucy Putnam, Lizzy Thomas Assistants: Elijah Akhtarzad, Mila Barzdukas, Jordan Garfinkel, Tyler Graham, Miles Harleston, Erina Szeto, Jeremy Tepper Business Manager: Cherish Molezion Ads Manager: Leslie Dinkin Photographers: Mazelle Etessami, Rebecca Katz, Scott Nussbaum, Emily Segal Multimedia Team: Mazelle Etessami, Jack Goldfisher, Henry Hahn, Luke Holthouse, Eric Loeb, Sam Sachs Adviser: Kathleen Neumeyer The Chronicle is the student newspaper of Harvard-Westlake School. It is published eight times per year. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the seniors on the Editorial Board.

Letters to the editor may be submitted to chronicle@hw.com or mailed to 3700 Coldwater Canyon, Studio City, CA 91604.

Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Chronicle style and format. Advertising questions may be directed to Leslie Dinkin at 818465-6512. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or the school.

JACOB GOODMAN/CHRONICLE

Do everyone a favor

Recently some senior English classes were handed an assignment sheet for their last essay. The last guideline read “culminate don’t dissipate.”

Fourth quarter of senior year has arrived, and many of us have let out our parachutes. Gliding through the last few weeks before graduation, we have the luxury of attending our classes without stressing about our grades. While a moderate amount of slacking is acceptable and even expected, we still have the responsibility to continue to learn, particularly in Advanced Placement classes.

You may be wondering why APs matter. After all, we have already settled our college plans and the test scores do not count for our grade in class. Refusing to study is selfish. AP tests have a significant impact on our faculty, our school’s reputation and ourselves.

Teachers of AP classes spend months working tirelessly to cover entire curricula and to prepare their students for the exam at the culmination of their courses. These tests are not only a measure of the student’s proficiency in a subject, but they also act as an indirect gauge of the instructor’s ability to teach the concepts of the course.

So if a student refuses to crack open a textbook or put any effort into his or her classes, the resulting scores on the exam could reflect poorly on the teacher as well as the student.

An entire year’s worth of teaching effort can be rendered null by just a few weeks of “senioritis.”

Our school’s consistently positive reputation in part depends on the scores of AP tests because they demonstrate how we compare academically to other schools on a standardized national scale.

In the college process, this reputation enables admissions staffs recognize the academic rigor of classes students take and ultimately helps seniors get into some of the best colleges in the country.

Enough low scores on APs at the hands of apathetic seniors could tarnish our school’s reputation, preventing future generations of Harvard-Westlake students from enjoying the benefits of a positive reputation. Even if high AP scores do not grant you course credit or exempt you from introductory classes in college, putting forth your best effort in AP courses has an intrinsic value.

Studying subjects at the AP level while still in high school can give you an in college courses and prepare you for the academic challenges you will face in years to come.

Do yourself a favor. Do your school a favor.

Stay studious for just a few more weeks.

hwchronicle.com/Opinion

April 24, 2013

A13

Find your own idea of peace

By Rebecca Katz

W

ANA SCURIC/CHRONICLE

Kristina, prom?

By Luke Holthouse Dear Kristina Park ’13, A wise man once said: “Fortune favors the bold.” As you can probably tell from the headline of this column, I’ve really taken these words to heart.

I think I know exactly what you’re thinking right now. And to answer your question, yes, this is actually happening and I’m about to ask you to our Senior Prom in our award-winning high school newspaper.

Ever since I asked you to be my date to the Whiteout Dance this February, I’ve been trying to decide if I should use sushi again for my Prom Proposal [for readers that didn’t see the Instagram, I creatively used a bowl of rice to represent the “WHITE” and then some spicy tuna to spell out “O-U-T”]. It was clever, but good sushi in West Los Angeles is just way too overpriced, so I didn’t want to do that twice. I knew all along I didn’t want to use any of the more traditional means like baked goods, flowers or a poster in the quad, because that’s just way too boring and You Only Get to Ask Someone to Senior Prom Once (#YOGASPO?). Well, unless you get rejected the first time, but I think you’re going to have a hard time declining this offer after you finish reading the whole column.

I really hope this isn’t embarrassing you that much, but I can totally understand at this point if you’d rather gouge my eyes out with a pair of stilettos than go to this dance with me. So before you make your decision on whether or not you want to go with me, I came up with a list of 10 things you should consider before deciding: 1. If you let me take you to Prom, I’ll buy you a really pretty corsage to compliment your dress. Well, my mom will, but she really likes you, so I bet she will get you a good one.

2. If you wanted me to color coordinate my vest/tie combo with your dress, I’d totally be game.

3. If you go with me, I guarantee you can wear the highest pair of heels you own without being taller than me.

You’re a relatively tall girl at 5’5”, and the pictures on Facebook from sophomore year show that you were dangerously close to being taller than Ric Tennenbaum when you two went to 2011 Semi Formal together. I measure in at 6’2.5”, but I like to round up to 6’3”, so you can let loose in the ridiculous shoes department. If you do, I’ll even let you complain about how much your feet hurt the whole night without rolling my eyes.

4. If I attempt to grow a lucky beard while the lacrosse team is in playoffs, rest assured. Our latest possible game if we go all the way to the CIF championship game would on May 11, a whole week before Prom on the 18th, and I promise I’ll get rid of any facial hair once the season’s over.

5. I was the most dedicated fan of the girls’ tennis team and have been the most dedicated Chamber Singers supporter all year. Ok, so I only went to two tennis matches this year and both of the times I went to take pictures for the Sports section instead of supporting you, but I’ve been to three of your choral performances this year and only once did I go on a photography assignment.

The other two times I went because I genuinely wanted to support you, the other singers and mingle with parents.

6. Speaking parents, if you go with me, Mr. and Mrs. Park would be amped. In fact, your parents may be more excited about the two of us going together than you are.

And that’s ok! I’ve always been better with adults than kids my own age. But after all the time I’ve spent hang-

ing with them this year while supporting you at your various extracurriculars, I feel like my bond with your parents is much stronger than the bond I have with all the other Harvard-Westlake parents. I don’t know your sister Katy ’11 as well, but she seems really nice from the one time I met her at your place and I feel like we’d get along great.

7. If you don’t say yes, I can’t think of anyone else in our grade to ask and I’ll probably end up taking a random sophomore. I’ve never asked him about the subject, but my guess is that my younger brother Roman ’15 gets kind of uncomfortable whenever I hit on his friends. Don’t make me be that guy that takes a random sophomore to his Senior Prom.

8. If you go with me, I’ll be a valuable asset to have by your side at The After Party.

So maybe I’m not the funloving party animal in our limo, but someone has to drive everyone to Fat Sal’s at 2:30 to pick up sandwiches, right?

9. When I asked our mutual friends what they thought of my idea, several of them said they had talked to you and told me you would say yes if I asked. I would be a little confused and disappointed if I was under the wrong impression this whole time.

10. Last, but certainly not least, I would really love to go with you. You’ve become one of my closest friends this year and I always look forward to seeing you whenever we’re going to the same party over a weekend or have a common free at school. I didn’t get the chance to spend as much time with you at Whiteout as I was hoping because I had to set up for the event with Prefect Council, so I’d love nothing more than another event where I could spend the whole night hanging with you.

So Kristina, will you go to Prom with me?

Sincerely, Luke

ithin seconds, it appeared on tons of screens as the Facebook pages loaded and Instagram and Twitter apps were opened. There it was so small, yet so big – “World Peace for Justin.”

Justin Carr died on Friday February 22. I wasn’t at the funeral that early Saturday morning March 2, but I saw how the powerful words Justin Carr’s father uttered there spread like a wildfire. #JC4WP materialized in a snap, and was suddenly felt and seen and heard everywhere.

At first, I felt a little uneasy about the message. I thought that somehow this broad, ever-encompassing idea could swallow up Justin and take away from all of his minute, embellishing details and quirks. I was scared that people wouldn’t remember Justin for all of his unique and subtle nuisances, but would say, “oh yeah, that’s the world peace guy.” I thought that the popular, new slogan might mask everything that Justin was.

But when I started to think more about it, and watch people bustle about and move on with their fast-paced daily lives, I realized that such a ubiquitous and grand topic was really the only thing that could sum up Justin in his whole. He was big and broad and his presence was felt, and that’s how I believe world peace should start. It may seem like an unreachable goal, but peace can be felt and spread in so many different ways.

Peace can be as simple as reaching out to someone you’ve been at odds with, or maybe it’s holding onto a fleeting moment of calm and steady in a sea of chaos.

It could even be bringing a sound intensity to everything you try, just as Justin did. I think as we all start to flirt and mingle with our own ideas of world peace, that’s when it can really build and unite into something beautiful; and together, who knows?

Maybe we really can achieve Justin’s dream of world peace.

Almost feels like home

By Alex McNab

S

chool Year Abroad China, the high school foreign exchange program I am participating in, took me 16,000 miles away from my home and didn’t give me a place that I could call mine. They gave me a host family, and my host family gave me a room.

“This is your room,” my host parents told me, but we all know it really isn’t.

“This is your house,” they said, but we all know that it belongs to them.

“We are your parents,” they explained, but they aren’t.

After living in a foreign place for as long as I have, it’s hard not to think of it as home. I have a life here and friends and places that I go to only because I live in this city.

Most of the time, these habits and routines that I have developed during my eight months away from Los Angeles, my real hometown, succeed in giving me the illusion that this place is mine, that these people are mine, and that I am, in fact, a Beijinger, but I am not and am often reminded that I am not.

The fact, for example, that I have to either spend money or sit outside in the cold if I want to spend time with my friends is a harsh call back to the reality that, really, I have no place to go in China.

It is not Chinese custom for high school kids to invite their friends over, and, in Beijing, there are only two public libraries: the National Library

and the library at Peking University, both of which are quite far away.

Also, our school locks its doors at 5:30p.m. every day, forcing us to leave the school building and hui jia, go home, but, really, we can’t go home, not until May 29 when we go back to America. Beijing is not our home. I have not been living in a Chinese home away from home. The way I see it throughout my time in China, I have been homeless. Many of S.Y.A. China’s teachers are aware of the unique situation that S.Y.A.’s students are in, and in an effort to help, have opened up their houses as places where S.Y.A. kids can hang out without having to wear a thick coat or spend thick wads of cash.

Chatting, baking and watching movies in these teachers’ houses, we may appear to an outsider to be like any other group of high school kids having a chill time on a Friday, but we are more than just that because, sitting on couches, chairs, beds and the floor as we all try to crowd into a stuffy apartment, we are connected by the common struggle, which is to live in this city which is not our own.

In our hearts, we know that Beijing will never be like the States, but, while we have no choice but to be here, we are doing are best to make this place our home, and, when we finally do go home, I believe we’ll miss it just as much as we now miss America.

A14 Opinion

Asking tough questions

The Chronicle

April 24, 2013

By Rachel Schwartz

W

hen my moms and I landed in Tel Aviv last year over winter break I met an old man in traditional Orthodox Jewish garb in line at the airport cafe. He saw me looking at the ice cream flavors and said to me at first in Hebrew and then in heavily accented English, “The best dairy comes from Israel. The ice cream, the milk… this is the land of milk and honey.” He asked me if I had ever been to Israel before and when I told him this was my first visit he said, “Wait till you see Jerusalem.

The city will call to you.”

Before I visited the Holy Land I was the most religious member of my family, but since I have been questioning how or if I will involve religion in my life.

In third grade I sent myself to Hebrew school, not in hopes of a huge party to go with my Bat Mitzvah, but because I thought I should have a Jewish education.

Although both of my moms consider themselves atheists they have raised me with Jewish cultural tradition and gladly sent me. When I was 13 I didn’t want to stop going to Hebrew school as soon as I

got the chance to stand on the bima in front of my friends and family, as was common at my congregation. As the demands from school and ballet increased, however, I stopped attending the youth program at my synagogue.

Last year before my trip abroad as I began to visit some colleges and saw Hillel groups and Jewish life centers on every campus, I started to think about how I wanted to approach religion in my life when I was out on my own.

At home I have to petition to get my moms to go to both Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur services, so I felt I should get more involved in the Jewish community in college and maybe attend Shabbat services and dinners.

In Israel it was amazing to feel as though I could scratch any patch of soil and find ruins and only dig a little deeper to find relics from even earlier civilizations. I feel grateful to have been able to go and learn about the region’s ancient and modern history and will always carry memories such as stopping in the middle of the desert to look at the two holes on the face of a cliff where the Dead Sea scrolls

were discovered for the rest of my life. I was surprised, however, to find that I did not feel the connection to the land the man in the airport described. I felt totally dissociated from the orthodoxy I witnessed. I saw an Armenian Catholic priest and his incense get scooted out of the Roman Catholic section of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, parts of which also belong to the Coptic, Ethiopian and Greek Orthodox churches. All of Jerusalem halted as minarets around the city blared the call to prayer in slight

syncopation. I watched men bow to the Western Wall with all-consuming fervor. The world there seemed so different from my own, as though it belonged to a different century. This year when my moms didn’t want to attend High Holy Day services, I didn’t object and at the Bar Mitzvahs I have attended this year I have felt conflicted. It feels good to chant in unison and I still feel proud to know the prayers, but I wonder whether it is valuable to make such traditions a part of my life in the future.

JACOB GOODMAN/CHRONICLE

These are the kinds of questions I have been asking myself at the end of my senior year as I struggle to be the person I want to be when I move away from home. I know I am only 18 but sometimes I feel as though I am already running out of time. I want to thank all my teachers for introducing me to the types of discussions that have helped me learn to ask difficult questions of myself and for helping me understand that while there may not be a definitive answer I should always keep asking.

Let actions be the determining factor

By Elizabeth Madden

A

s my family and I were watching the terror of the Boston bombings and the subsequent manhunt for the one living suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, unfold on television, I kept hearing the same thing over and over again: “He was a sweet guy,” “He was a lovely, lovely kid,” “He was a wonderful kid… he was never in trouble.”

While I understand the importance of painting a picture of who the suspect was pre-attack, it’s dangerous to associate him with these positive adjectives. There are even websites that are dedicated to how “hot” the suspect is.

Take my dad, for example.

He inadvertently began calling Tsarnaev “the nice one,” before I had to remind him that someone who could even

fathom attempting mass murder couldn’t be all that “nice.”

Of course he immediately corrected himself, but it’s clear that that’s the association that is in our heads now; an association that could, possibly, be ingrained in history.

If we keep thinking of him as a great guy that was simply manipulated by his big, bad older brother, we are going down a slippery slope

(although he hasn’t been convicted in court yet).

Now, it very well may be that he was coerced into this horrifying act by his older brother, but that still does not mean that he was innocent in all of this. He could turned his brother into the police, or, at the very least, refuse to participate. The fact, however, is that if he did it, he shared the same ideology as his

brother, and as such he would be equally guilty.

In order to move on from this tragedy, we should remember the names of the victims, not the perpetrators.

We should focus on the brutal killings of four innocent people, including a 8-year-old child and police officer, for the loss of limbs for thirteen more bystanders, and for the injuries of more than 100 others.

I don’t understand, and maybe I never will

By Claire Goldsmith

O

n Thursday night, I texted my friends for the second time in a week to ask if their relatives in Boston were okay.

“I can’t believe I have to ask this again,” I said. And it’s true. I can’t believe it.

How many times have you been stunned by senseless violence, perpetrated against the young or the innocent or the unknowing?

How many times have you been unable to wrap your mind around the how and the why and the what are we doing in this country, what are we doing wrong so that this keeps happening?

I was 5 on Sept. 11, 2001. I did not know why my parents kept watching the same plane and the same building on TV but wouldn’t let me look at

the screen to see what had happened. I did not know to ask my mom if my uncle was okay after his meeting at the World Trade Center that morning. I did not know to ask my friends at kindergarten, when I was dropped off two hours late and picked up an hour early, if their parents away on business trips and older siblings at college were okay.

I was 10 on April 16, 2007.

I did not understand why someone would bring a gun to a college campus, why he would kill so many of his classmates and later himself.

I did not understand why my elementary school started making us do lockdown drills, and instead I giggled with my friends as we hid under desks and joked about our teachers,

who fumbled with the new routine of checking the blinds and locking the doors.

I was 14 on Jan. 8, 2011.

I had never heard of Representative Gabrielle Giffords.

I had never been to Tuscon.

I had never thought about the damage that one person, without the mental help he so clearly needed, could do to a community, at 10:00 in the morning in front of a neighborhood Safeway.

I was 16 on July 20, 2012. I could not imagine why someone would plan to inflict such terror on an audience captivated by a summer blockbuster. I could not imagine how he planned so carefully, down to the last pieces of his body armor, to maximize the pain he could cause and the effect he would have. I could not

imagine how, two weeks later, another man walked into a Sikh temple to attack representatives of a peace-based faith because he believed in his own superiority.

I was 16 on Dec. 14, 2012. I could not fathom what would motivate anyone to kill those 20 children and six teachers in Connecticut, or how someone so unstable could acquire so many weapons. I could not comprehend the extent of the parents’ grief, parents who should not have outlived their six- and seven-year olds still working on their spelling.

I was 16 on April 15, 2013.

I do not know why I kept watching the same video, of runners falling as flags and fences imploded due to the force of a bomb. I do not know how someone could set

out to destroy an event based on positivity and determination, a shining moment for a vibrant city and for so many who set out to accomplish an incredible personal goal.

I do not know how you run through the end of a marathon and continue on to the nearest hospital to donate blood, or how you tie your shirt onto a stranger’s leg as a tourniquet and accompany him to the hospital.

I do not know how you immediately run toward the source of an explosion, without regard for your personal safety, to help as many people as you can pull from the ground. I do not know how you cope with the loss of your legs, or sister or eight-yearold son.

And I still don’t.

April 24, 2013

hwchronicle.com/opinion

Opinion A15

quadtalk

The Chronicle asked: “As a second semester senior, are you going to study for your AP exams?“

“Why or why not do you want to take an Advanced Placement class?“ “For AP Chemistry, I wanted to learn the subject more in depth. For other classes like AP Music Theory, the AP version was the only one available.”

131 seniors weighed in on the monthly Chronicle poll

47

—Lisa He ’14

40

33

“For the grade boost, for the challenge, and they’re college courses, and I want to see what they’re like.”

11

—Jack Price ’15

Yes, I will

Less than last year

No, I won’t

Probably a little bit

“Most of the classes I wanted to take were APs. The GPA boost doesn’t hurt though.”

— Eden Wiezman ’13

“Do you think seniors should still study for their AP exams?“ 261 juniors and sophomores weighed in on the Chronicle poll

Yes, they should

“High school is all about stretching and taking hard courses. I also think you’re putting your parents in a hole for like $35,000 and just coasting through easy courses”

140

Doesn’t matter

121

—Robert Lee ’14

“Should or will? I think if a senior needs to study for their exam, then they should study.”

reportcard

—Patric Verrone ’13

“Seniors should definitely study for their AP exams. Colleges are still watching.”

—Zita Biosah ’14

“In practice, they should study for their exam but I can see why some don’t want to.”

—Eric Greenberg ’14

What’s in a name?

By Jack Goldfisher

I

Googled myself today. I wasn’t feeling particularly narcissistic, nor did I actually expect to find anything new since my last self-Googling, which probably took place about four or five months ago. I guess I did it more out of curiosity than anything else; it almost seems like a normal thing to do in times where one’s primary outward identity is that which is presented, or rather manufactured, online.

People select the tidbits of their lives they want to share on Vine, Twitter or Instagram (none of which I have, despite my supposed penchant for

embracing new technology) and these snippings metastasize into full identities that resemble nothing close to the people we know in real life.

I like to occasionally check up on web Jack to make sure he’s not straying too far from my own self. I tend to keep him on a pretty short leash these days, after so many stories of a quick web search losing someone a job or driving someone else to depression.

Often times, a Google results page can be clouded with many people of your same name, and unless you’ve done something of particular import, you get lost beneath the

crush of your same-named brethren. I have a friend who shares her name with a porn actress, so she stays away from searching for herself most of the time. Today, my search yielded a Jack Goldfisher who had died in 1906.

It’s usually pretty easy to find the real Jack Goldfisher (me), though, as I have a pretty uncommon name.

I like that about the name Goldfisher. Besides my relatives, I have never met another. However, I get a lot of “that’s a weird name” comments, with a smattering of judgmental looks and the occasional “that can’t be your

A A A B+ F

Students sell T-shirts and car signs in the memory of Justin Carr ‘14 John Amaechi, inspirational speaker and basketball player, spoke to students on both campuses First “Green Week” to spread awareness about environmental issues Construction doesn’t affect commute time too drastically Gender Studies classes are canceled for the 2013-2014 school year due to low enrollment

What happens when you search for your name on Google?

name.” That is what I like least about my name; second only to the fact that it has the word goldfish in it, and I hate goldfish. They’re cheap and boring to look at.

I find names really interesting. We have absolutely no choice in the matter, at least until we’re adults, and yet the way we treat our names can tell others a lot about how we view ourselves.

A friend of mine goes by one name normally, but uses a formal version of his name professionally, because, as he puts it, “My name looks impossibly stupid the way I normally say it.” I’ve had a

pretty complex relationship with my last name, but I’ve come to terms with Goldfisher in the past few years.

I guess the thing I like least about goldfish is that they have impossibly short attention spans. It seems like I, and a lot of people I know, are trending towards this dangerous trait more and more with the advent of services like Twitter and Facebook that update you every five seconds with 140 characters of new information. If I could take one lesson away from my last name, It’s that I want to be less like a goldfish, and more like a Goldfisher.

A16

exposure

Films to depict Laotian suffering

April 24, 2013

By Leily Arzy

Ten students who took an investigative journalism trip to Laos during spring break are making six documentaries about the impact of the Vietnam War on the Laotian people.

Visual Arts Department Head Cheri Gaulke held a story-writing workshop on Saturday with new media journalist Jeff MacIntyre, who went with them on the trip.

They intend to premiere the films in the fall and to have an event in the Feldman-Horn gallery to sell photos and raise money for the victims in Laos.

“I truly believe that this documentary will help the world know more about what we call the Secret War,” Max Cho ’15, one of the students who went to Laos, said.

“The fact that we had 15-year-old students who have the compassion for these people was very moving to me,” Gaulke said.

Many Laotians are maimed and unable to work because of the bombs still hidden in their soil.

“We felt guilty because here we are Americans, we are the people that left these bombs in your country that have now blown your legs off,” Gaulke said. “But there was no sense of animosity or anger towards us; the Laotian people are very in the moment.”

Gaulke said when they finished interviewing one victim, he asked, “Are you going to tell a rich man about me and bring some help to my family?’”

“He was shaken up and emotionally torn by the fact that he couldn’t really sustain life for his family,” Cho said.

“He actually cried.”

Cho has started a club to make people aware of the hardships people face in Laos.

PHOTOS BY CHERI GAULKE AND AIMEE MISAKI

HOPE FOR CHANGE: A young Laotian girl holds onto the wheelchair of her father, who lost both of his legs to an UXO bomb, top. Students take a break from shooting film and pictures, bottom left. A grandmother tears up speaking to students about her family’s hardships, bottom left.

‘We could see a lot of pockmarks in the ground - bomb craters’

By Marcella Park

This was my first time out of the country without my parents, and my first time in Southeast Asia. I had been to Mexico to do charity work, but then I could run to my mother whenever something different from normal life in the bubble that is America scared me. We had even packed Korean food to eat while we were there.

This time, I was going with adults I had never known before and classmates I had never known well. I had no idea what the food would be like in Laos.

Before I went there, I had not even known where the country was on the map. I dreaded having to ask all the time if the water was safe to drink, and I was terribly afraid of getting lost. My mother gave me, along with a giant load of baby wipes, hand sanitizer and granola bars, an absurd amount of “emergency money,” telling me if I did get lost, to buy an airplane ticket and fly home instead of bothering to find my group, and also never to hire a cab; it just was not safe. This only frightened me more, and the last thing I remember doing while waiting for our flight is shaking from nerves.

I know these confessions sound anything but fitting for someone who signed herself up for an “Investigative Journalism Adventure” to document the effects of the Secret War waged

on Laos by the United States during the Vietnam War. At least I can assure anyone that what I saw on this trip was well worth the anxiety.

During a layover we toured some of Bangkok, where next to temple roofs encrusted with glittering jewels I saw rows of houses made of rusting sheet metal. There didn’t seem to be any segmentation between rich and poor neighborhoods. Every one of these sheet metal houses had perched on its roof a giant red satellite dish. One company seemed to have a monopoly on all of Thailand’s television service. In Laos, one company made almost all of the motorcycles, and one made almost all of the vans. Essentially every restaurant or bar or hotel had on its sign a picture of a brand of beer called Beerlao.

Eventually, we landed in Vientiane, the capitol of Laos, at an airport the size of a small train station and passed through customs by handing our documents to officers sitting in little booths of bamboo.

We visited COPE, an organization that provides prosthetics to victims of the cluster bombs left in the ground from the Secret War. The purpose of these bombings by the United States had been to get rid of communists in Laos and cut off a supply trail the North Vietnamese had used during the Vietnam War. More than two million tons of ordnance were

different way: with origami. I showed him all of the colors that I had, and naturally, he pointed out which color appealed to him the most. All of a sudden, we were both absorbed with folding our origami papers into cranes.

By the time we were finished, he gave me the most heartfelt smile, and the deadly heat didn’t matter anymore.

We had just become friends despite our vast differences.

He invited me over to his dormitory where he and his family, along with other injured families, were living.

Led by the little boy who I could now call my friend, I walked through the halls while people popped their heads out of their rooms to see what the new attraction was. He introduced me to his family, and they welcomed me with big smiles and the Laotian phrase for ‘thank you’, “kopchai”.

Afterwards, he showed me to his neighbor who was injured by a UXO bomb and lost his hands, his eyesight, a quarter of his face, and consequently, his pride.

When I asked the man what his goals were for the future, he simply replied that he wanted to start working again, so he could supply his family with food. He didn’t just want his wife to magically get a donation. He wanted to be the one to put a plate of food on his family’s table.

The video cameras around us were focused on his already damaged face as he reluctantly said his wish. I showed them my collection of origami papers like I did to the boy, and the couple chose their favorites.

Because the man could not write with his hands, I asked his wife to write his goals for him on the origami paper.

She began to write, but soon

‘He gave me the most heartfelt smile’

By Aimee Misaki

On the second day in Vientiane, it was scorching hot, and the humidity did not help.

We visited COPE, a non-profit organization that provides prosthetic limbs for Laotian citizens. The entire group was interviewing a young man who had lost both of his legs, arms and his eyesight from a UXO bomb, while I was instantly drawn to a boy who was sitting in his wheelchair looking at us with awe from a distance.

I slipped out of the group with our translator and approached him. At first, he was silent and I felt like he saw me as just another foreigner. Even when I high-fived him, he just looked down with wariness.

All I wanted was to put a smile on this innocent boy’s face. I soon realized that it wasn’t me; it was the language barrier.

So I approached him in a

dropped, and about one third of the bombs did not explode right away, most of them remaining in the ground today.

We met a man who lost both of his hands and his eyesight when one of these unexploded ordnances had blown up near him on his 16th birthday. He was one of the happiest and funniest people I had ever met, even when he had lost so much.

Next, we surveyed a hospital, barely lit and full of chaos with patients scattered all over the place, some of whom were the casualties of unexploded ordnances. I realized that the Secret War affected people even now. I remembered how I had not had one clue about what was going on in Laos before I arrived. Now I had met real people with real problems because of the Secret War, and there was more to come.

In Xiangkhouang Province we spent most of our time visiting and interviewing families of bomb victims. As we approached our landing at an airport the size of a house, we could see a lot of pockmarks in the ground bomb craters.

Among the people we visited on our first day was a 3-year-old who had lost his eyesight and much of his face to shrapnel from an unexploded bomb. I had the privilege of playing with him and meeting his grandmother, who reminded me so much of my own.

The next day we visited

another family whose father had lost both legs because of a bomb that exploded while he was working in the fields. His oldest son, about my age, had dropped out of school to take care of his five siblings.

These were brave people that I met. Interviewing them was by far my favorite part of the trip. I had always liked asking questions, but these interviews were set apart by the stories they had to tell.

We spent our last few days in Luang Prabang, visiting preschools to play with the kids and taking the time to ride elephants and shop.

When I got home I was too tired to tell my parents about the people I met. Instead, I went on and on about things that seemed like more of a backdrop, like signs in the airport warning travelers not to sneak their livestock through security inside their suitcases. The last thing I told my mom before she went to sleep was that Korean pop stars were very popular in Laos.

But now that I’m home and over the jet-lag, I do want to tell people about the really important parts of my trip — all the stories I had gotten from the incredible people I had met in Laos. I don’t want to wallow in ignorance as I did before I left.

The next step for me to take is to let people know first how different it is in places like Laos, then how they can help the situation there.

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF MAX CHO

HIGH-FIVE: Misaki high-fives a Laotian boy in a wheelchair, who has received prosthetic limbs from the COPE organization. giggled and told my translator something in Laotian. I expected it to be something along the lines of “I don’t know what to write,” but it was, “I don’t know how to write.”

She had finished school in third grade and had not learned how to write or read past the elementary school level. I always knew I was lucky for being able to get such a great education and for my loving family, but this situation was something in which I had

no expertise. When the wife saw the solemn expression on my face, she began to laugh, not at me, but for me. By nature, I shyly giggled back, and everything felt normal again.

All the cameras focused on us became a blur.

We became people — not interviewers and interviewees or Americans and Laotians — and oddly, I felt at home with these people. I think I would add them on Facebook if I could.

Features The Chronicle

GLOBAL

Families immigrate from other countries, bringing their cultural traditions with them and shifting the paradigm.

First generation students retain cultures

By Ally White As a child, when Adam Zucker ’13 was being a little rambunctious his parents would tell him “dai” pronounced “die.” Zucker’s parents are from Israel and were telling him to stop in their native language of Hebrew, but this scolding often generated strange looks from surrounding people.

Zucker is among many Harvard-Westlake students whose parents are not originally from the United States.

“My mother likes to say that I was born in America but made in Israel,” Zucker said.

Blake Nosratian’s ’13 parents both left Iran during the revolution of 1979. His mother was smuggled to Pakistan and then lived in Germany and Italy before eventually obtaining a green card and immigrating to America. His father spent a short period of time in Israel before moving to America.

Nosratian sees having immigrant parents as almost entirely beneficial.

“I like being a hyphenated

American,” Nosratian said.

“It’s like having the best of both worlds. The only trouble I’ve ever had is trying to reconcile the American ways outside my home with the very eastern traditions inside my home.”

“I think the more cultures someone is exposed to, the more tolerant and accepting they are as a person,” Bronty O’Leary ’13, whose parents are both from Australia, said. “I believe that if there are multiple cultures involved in the upbringing of a child they have enriched their lives in some way.”

Australian barbeque on Sundays, a traditional dice game called Pass the Pig and eating vegemite on toast are among some of the Australian traditions O’Leary and her family have maintained since moving from Australia.

After having lived in America 20 years, Zucker’s parents have come to understand American culture, for the most part, although there are some things that never worked their way into their

lives.

“My family never really understood or cared about football and the Super Bowl or baseball, and when it comes to food, we value our hummus above all else,” said Zucker.

Solange Etessami’s ’13 parents also emigrated from Iran. She agrees that there have been benefits to having immigrant parents because it has enabled her to retain elements of the Persian culture that often seem to fall away over the generations. She also realizes that she has faced some difficulties that friends with non-immigrant parents haven’t experienced.

“Words like the common app, APs, supplements etc. were all somewhat foreign to my parents,” Etessami said.

“I definitely had to be responsible for a lot of things on my own. My parents really aren’t familiar with the schools that are out there so we could both be clueless together.”

Like Etessami, Seana Moon White’s ’13 parents were also “clueless” with regard to the college process, but according

to White, so was she.

“We learned and went through it together,” White said.

Because White’s mother is from Korea but grew up in Australia and her father is from London there was never a language barrier. With regard to slang and idioms, however, she “gets lost.”

Despite potential cultural barriers and the occasional mistakes in the nuances of American English, students appreciate not only the foreign exposure their parents are able to open them up to but also the United States as a country that allows this to happen.

“It really shows what a special country we have where two Iranian-Jewish immigrants can rise up and be productive members of society, just like those born here,” Etessami said. “It may have been windier road, but they reached just about the same destination in the end.”

• For further coverage, turn to B6-7

The Chronicle/features

B2 Features

April 24, 2013

Driving Dangerously

Although drivers under 18 who have had their license for less than a year cannot legally drive passengers under 20, some students choose to break the law.

By Nadia Rahman, Lauren Siegel and Erina Szeto As the end of the school day rolls around, Susie* ’14 and her two friends head towards the school parking lot, piling into her gray Jetta after an argument over who called “shotgun” first.

They roll down their windows as they pull out of the school driveway, unconcerned with the driving law that they are breaking.

According to the California Vehicle Code, drivers under 18 who have had their license for less than a year cannot carry any passengers under 20 or drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. without an adult over 25 in the car.

This law, however, doesn’t stop a large fraction of the student body from legally driving their friends.

“I drive people all the time,” Susie said. “My parents don’t really allow it, seeing as they’re not big fans of me breaking the law, but I don’t tell them. If I’m out all day, how are they ever going to find out I had other people in my car?”

Susie says she doesn’t hesitate to give a friend a ride and generally ends up with an underage passenger in her car once or twice a week.

“It’s not a big deal since everyone does it,” she said.

Police officers cannot pull drivers over specifically to check if they are abiding by these restrictions. Drivers must have committed another infraction, such as running a red light or speeding, for police to legally pull them over and charge them.

“As far as laws go, it’s still a relatively new law,” attorney John Dewell ’90 said. “Most police officers who are enforcing this law didn’t grow up under it, so they don’t necessarily check for it. But that’s changing as people become of age, and the younger police officers who grew up with it are familiar with it.”

Although the law mentions several exceptions, including medical emergencies and sometimes school, they are not often applicable to drivers in high school.

“Let me put it this way,” Dewell said. “The quickest down and dirty answer is that there is no exception for carpooling to and from school.”

For the first year after obtaining a provisional license, minors cannot regularly carpool, with the only possible exception being an underage student who is also attending the school.

This is a gray area because “your parents would have to write you a note stating what the reason is, that there’s no alternative means of transportation, and that this will go on during this given time period, one month, two months, three months,” Dewell said. “And it does take a pretty good reason for doing it.”

For Harvard-Westlake students with immediate siblings they could potentially carpool with, this “gray area” is mostly inapplicable because the bus service would qualify as an alternative means of transportation.

It takes a specific type of situation to qualify for this exception, said Dewell. Siblings that qualify would need to live in an area where school bus-

Illegal Carpooling 125 students answered questions about illegally driving passengers under 20 through a Chronicle poll.

LAWBRKR

ses or adequate public busses being pulled over with a minor could not reach them. If their in her car would be a second parents were also unavailable strike and could result in a to drive them and the sibling suspension of her license. did not have a license or the “I used to drive other peofamily owned only one other ple, drive past curfew,” she car, the siblings would qual- said. “My parents completely ify as having no alternative allowed it, so I didn’t really means. care.”

“You have to try everyPenalties for first time viothing else lations of the first,” Dewell provisional lisaid. “What cense restricthey’re retions can inI drive people all the ally driving clude a fine of is they don’t up to $35 and time. My parents don’t want you with 8 – 16 hours really allow it, seeing kids your age, of community especially in service. Reas they’re not big fans school situaurcussions of me breaking the law, pincrease tions.” with but I don’t tell them.”

The rea second vioquirements lation: fines —Susie* ’14 are up to $50 for this exception corand 18 – 24 respond with hours of serthis interpretation because a vice can be assigned. signed note from the school, “The fact that your license not parents or guardians, is during those first few years berequired to qualify for this ex- tween 16 and 18 is provisional, ception. pretty much the courts can do “It can be a note by some- whatever they want,” Dewell one from the school, either a said. “The courts can say, ‘You dean or someone above that know what? We’re going to level,” Dewell said. “Clearly, suspend the license and not let you’re not going to get that you drive for a year.’” from the school, that’s why it The fear of having her lidoesn’t apply.” cense suspended has stopped Despite the law’s rigidity, Maya from breaking any driv44.6% of the 35 students who ing laws. answered this question in the “The curfew my parents Chronicle poll responded that set for me used to be around 3 they illegally drive passen- a.m. but since I got my ticket gers under 20 at least once it’s been pushed to 11 p.m. to a month, with 7.5% of the 35 comply with the actual curfew breaking the law daily. [law],” she said. “I also basicalLouly Maya ’14 used to give ly never drive anyone, maybe rides to her friends; however, a once a month under special recent speeding ticket caused circumstances, but that’s it. her to think twice about let- It’s not worth getting my liting anyone under the age of cense taken away for. ” 20 into her car. Now that she has the ticket on her record, *Names have been changed.

“

25.9%

of 125 students have had their license for at least 12 months.

44.6%

of 35 students say they illegally drive passegers under 20 at least once a month.

2.1%

of 117 students who drive passangers under 20 have been pulled over while carrying an underage passenger.

GRAPHICS BY NADIA RAHMAN SOURCE: CHRONICLE POLL

hwchronicle.com

April 24, 2013

Features B3

EN PO NTE

Ballerina Kaitlyn Yiu ’13 has performed in international ballet competitions and trains daily at the Kova Ballet Conservatory.

By Rachel Schwartz After two hours of rehearsing the wedding pas de deux variation from “Sleeping Beauty” and a solo from “Diana and Acteon,” Kaitlyn Yiu ’13 munches on a handful of almonds before getting up to stand in first position for the start of technique class. She still has two-and-a-half hours in her pointe shoes before she can untie her ribbons and pull the pins out of her hair.

“I don’t socialize that much because I’m too busy,” Yiu said.

“If I’m not in class I’m at ballet.”

Yiu not only trains and balances her schoolwork, but also travels internationally at the invitation of ballet competitions that accept her audition videos. In the last three “I really knew how to years, Yiu manage my time. There has competed in New York, were three or four times Boston, Paris, though that I missed France, Istanbul, Turmy bus stop because key, Helsinki, I was sleeping on the Finland, Bubus.” dapest and Hungary and —Kaitlyn Yiu ’13 will go to Moscow for the 12th Moscow International Ballet Competition in June.

Most competitions include multiple rounds in which dancers must perform classical variations from a specific list of options, a contemporary ballet piece, a piece with a partner (called a pas de deux) and a character dance varia-

tion. Requirements differ from competition to competition.

“I really, really like Grand Pas Classique but I think I’m strongest in Coppelia,” Yiu said.

She has performed both dances in competitions.

“I think [Grand Pas Classique] is a piece that suits me and it’s a piece where I feel I can express myself,” Yiu said.

“It makes me feel special. I don’t know why. It’s very playful.”

When she was 10 years old she performed sections of classical ballets “Paquita” and “Don Quixote” in her first ballet competition, regionals for the Youth American Grand Prix.

“At that age it was mostly me smiling on stage, loving ballet, not caring about technique, which was in some ways great, but a little embarrassing when I watch the video,” Yiu said.

Youth America Grand Prix is the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition.

It awards over $250,000 annually in scholarships to leading dance schools worldwide, according to yagp.org.

Yiu said her mother was eager for her to compete even though most students at the Marat Dukayev School of Ballet, at the time did not compete until they were a couple of years older.

Since she was 12, Yiu has trained at the Kova Ballet Conservatory, a studio her mother opened with Olga Tozyiakova as the main teacher.

Since then her schedule has become much more rigourous, especially when competitions near.

Yiu wakes up at 5 a.m. to stretch and read her Bible.

She then makes herself a breakfast and lunch mostly of fruits, vegetables and sprouted bread so that she can stay under 1250 calories a day.

Yiu said that throughout junior year she usually went to bed at two in the morning to finish her homework.

“I really knew how to manage my time,” she said. “There were three or four times though that I missed my bus stop sleeping on the bus.”

Upper School dance teacher Cyndy Winter, who taught Yiu in her junior year mixed level ballet class, described her as “focused” and “gracious.”

She said Yiu was always willing to learn and participate even though there were people in the class “on the opposite side of the spectrum with very little training.”

“Beautiful dancer and lovely technique, but it’s her inside beauty that is the most captivating,” Winter said.

Yiu said she still works to improve technical issues such as footwork, which she said judges have commented on in past competitions.

“My knees turn in naturally because they’re bowed and that causes a lot of problems,” Yiu said.

Her focus has shifted towards artistry since she started working with Maria Tikhomirova.

“Right now I’m just focused on showing how much I love ballet,” Yiu said.

Yiu is not sure where she will end up next year. She was accepted to New York University Tisch School of the Arts and is considering attending although classical ballet is not the focus of the program.

“It has a company feel,” Yiu said. “I want to see how it feels to be in a dance environment constantly. I am worried about my classical training because I only have so much time.”

Yiu said if she does attend she would have to figure out how to squeeze in extra ballet classes. She recognizes that contemporary training, which she has never experienced, could be useful as many companies have lots of contemporary ballet in their repertories.

“I’ve always felt that in contemporary it is a lot easier to express yourself,” Yiu said.

She might choose to take a gap year and focus on her training since she said most companies she is interested in do not have apprenticeship openings right now and are looking for dancers older than 18. Because she skipped ninth grade, she turns 18 in January.

She said hopes to end up in a company like American Ballet Theater, San Francisco Ballet or Boston Ballet.

“I would never be able to dance the way I do without God and without the support and love of my parents,” Yiu said. “Without them I probably wouldn’t have found a passion for anything like this.”

The Chronicle

B4 Features

April 24, 2013

Working Overtime

Late nights and many extracurriculars often lead to stress.

The school has tried to manage this problem through homework surveys, although students doubt their efficacy.

By Morganne Ramsey When Katie Jung ’14 is stressed, she practices the stress and insomnia relief poses that her yoga teacher Katie Lowry taught her.

Jung has found her junior year to be especially stressful, when compared to other years past, and struggles to find ways to deal with it.

“It’s more challenging than I thought it would be,” Jung said. “And now we’re meeting with our deans about college and everything’s just really starting to pile up.”

Jung, who spends around five hours a night working, also believes that the culture of stress at Harvard-Westlake also adds to her stress levels.

“I think the culture adds to everyone’s individual stress levels,” Jung said. “If you aren’t stressed, it makes you feel like you’re doing something wrong.”

A publication from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests ways of dealing with stress, saying to “lower unrealistic expectations” and “get proper sleep.”

In order to combat her stress, Jung sleeps and makes sure that she has time for herself on the weekends.

Lizzete Medina ’14 uses a different method to avoid staying up until all hours of the night working. Most days, Medina finishes her homework

during her frees and the two hours a day she spends taking the bus to and from school.

This way, when she gets home she can relax.

Even though Medina typically doesn’t do homework when she gets home, she still normally only gets around six-and-a-half hours of sleep each night. She typically likes to relax when she gets home, spending most of her time on the internet or drawing.

Although Medina wouldn’t describe herself as sleep deprived, she thinks she would be less anxious if she got more sleep, because she would be more organized.

Medina said that a major cause of her stress is procrastination.

When Medina doesn’t feel like working, she tends to procrastinate by drawing.

Even though Medina regularly feels over-extended, she doesn’t understand how people pull all-nighters.

“I would rather go to bed knowing I had nothing done and suffer the consequences in the morning than pulling an all nighter, getting it done and being too tired the next day to function,” she said.

When Medina feels overwhelmed, she likes to stop working and try to calm down.

“When I’m stressed, I just give up on life and listen to music for a while,” Medina said.

School psychologist Luba

Bek recognizes that stress is a problem at Harvard-Westlake, she recommends that students “avoid awfulizing” events such as bad grades.

“If something seems incredibly important and distressing, think of how important this issue will be to you in six months, a year, five years from now,” Bek said. “It puts everything in the proper perspective.”

The article “What Is Stress? How To Deal With Stress” in Medical News Today states that a major cause of stress is feeling like there is a “lack of time.” In the busy lives of students here, that is a major contributor to stress.

Covi Brannan ’14 juggles her academic load with participation in dance and theatre, which she does both in and out of school. She agrees with the article in Medical News Today, and wishes that there was more time.

“For most people, they won’t find their life in school,” she said. “They need to do other things. They need to have dance or sports or music. If they want to discover their in-

Due to a combination of coursework and procrastination, the average Harvard-Westlake student: gets 6.9 hours of sleep on a school night gets more than 8 hours of sleep on a weekend night does 4.2 hours of homework a day

But many students waste significant amounts of time procrastinating

74 % surfing the

ner self and who they are, and do this crap ton of work we’re assigned, they have to sacrifice either what they love, or what they have to do. It’s a lose-lose situation. If there was more time in the day, we’d have time to pursue what we love and have more time leftover to pursue the things required of us.”

Internet

56 % on Facebook 28 % watching TV 26 % texting SOURCE: CHRONICLE POLL GRAPHIC BY LIZZY THOMAS AND EOJIN CHOI

Homework surveys can affect workload in classes

By Lizzy Thomas

At the end of every quarter, a pile of small white sheets of paper amasses atop Latin teacher Paul Chenier’s desk.

The contents of these slips of papers, made all the more diminutive by the way students fold them out of some semblance of privacy and a vestigial protectiveness of their answers, Chenier knows, could potentionally have a large impact.

Chenier is the lone teacher of AP Latin, a course whose workload often has its students circling the “more than three hours a week” option on these homework surveys. And Chenier has taken this into account.

“I cut a lot,” Chenier said.

“There has been a significant amount that’s been cut be-

cause of the surveys.” poor but I have to keep the It’s a fine line AP teachers homework way, way down.” like Chenier are forced to walk, Students in the ninth though, with the ever-present through 12th grades have been storm cloud surveyed that is the quarterly AP exam since 2007, looming over following a their heads workload I kind of doubt that from the day study done in whatever anyone school starts 2006, Direcanswers is really going to the day of tor of Studies the test in to affect what happens. Liz Resnick early May. said.

They’re not going to “ T h e r e ’s Seventh only so much change anything about and eighth you can cut graders were our homework.” because of surveyed for the AP at the —Wendy Chen ’13 the first time end of the this month. year,” CheIf, in a single nier said. “We have very lim- class, more than half the stuited amounts of class meeting dents report doing more than time compared to people that I the allotted three hours a meet when I go to conferences, week of homework, adminisand I wonder if the course is trators ask the teacher to as-

“

sign less homework.

“Harvard-Westlake takes these quite seriously, as those guidelines are in place for very good reasons, and teachers are expected to assign work within those parameters,” Resnick said.

It’s a sentiment echoed by Upper School Dean Sharon Cuseo.

“I’ve seen [the surveys] have a big effect. AP Bio and AP U.S. History are probably the best examples of courses that responded to that and they have changed, and they have a much more manageable courseload,” Cuseo said.

And yet, the slips do not seem to be a tool often utilized by students.

“I kind of doubt that whatever anyone answers is really going to affect what happens,” Wendy Chen ’13 said. “They’re

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not going to change anything about our homework.”

Chen’s is a sentiment echoed by Sam Lyons ’13, who almost always circles the “approximately three hours” option, he said, because “that’s what they want me to do.”

“I really don’t think about it because honestly, it’s not going to affect me,” Lyons said.

“It’s not even really going to affect the next year. Most teachers I think just look at it and just go with it, so I really don’t put any thought into it.”

And while some students might disagree with Lyons’ method, they concur when it comes to the effectiveness of the surveys.

“I don’t think they change the homework load,” Audrey Wilson ’13 said. “But I try to think of a week-to-week basis and do an approximation.”

hwchronicle.com/features

April 24, 2013

Sew What?

By Sarah Novicoff

Hunched over her sewing machine downstairs, Elle Wilson ’13 pushes the white muslin fabric under the needle and observes the line of its seam. The white muslin will soon become a dress, a mockup of the red gown that Wilson will don on Saturday May 18 for her senior prom.

After taking a few sewing classes and observing her mother and grandmother, Wilson began to make some of her own clothing at 7 or 8-years-old. She began with simple skirts and tops before expanding to more complex designs. Her freshman and sophomore year, Wilson made her semiformal dress and this year made her Ring Ceremony dress.

“I think it’s a lot of fun to experiment so even though sometimes it won’t turn out the way I wanted it to, I like to push myself and see what I can make on my own,” Wilson said.

Refining an idea for a dress can take months, while the sketching can take a week or two. For Wilson, after making a muslin or cotton mockup and fitting it to her shape, Wilson transfers the design onto the satin or lace from which the final dress will be made.

Wilson further explored her interest in fashion design during an internship last summer with designer Monique Lhuillier, a celebrity designer of bridal and red carpet gowns.

The internship taught her about the delicate merge of business and art in the fashion industry, a facet she had never seen before and that intrigued her, Wilson said.

“I would definitely really love to keep making clothes,” Wilson said. “I don’t know if I necessarily see this as a career

Four girls interested in fashion create their own clothes for clients, everyday use and school events.

path for me, but it’s a hobby I’ve always loved my whole life.”

Hannah Kofman’s ’14 first word was not mama or dada, but rather shoes. Her interest in fashion has not waned since she has designed dresses and skirts, which she wears to school often.

“I can’t even decide yet if I like sewing or if I just like what it yields,” Kofman said.

Kofman has built her skills by taking sewing classes. Her most complicated piece to date is a denim bustier with hooks, eyes, cups and boning in the front. However, her favorite piece is a simpler, boatneck dress with zippers and ties in the back and a stormy Hawaiian print.

Her process begins with a search of the sale bin at a local fabric store. With no idea of what she will make next, Kofman picks up the pieces of fabric that no one else wanted and imagines the outfits she could make with it.

Kofman returns home with the fabric, rarely stumped on what to make but often stumped on how to make it.

After a search of YouTube as well as sewing and design books, she chooses a pattern, a template from which a dress can be traced, and embarks on the process of sewing the dress.

Kofman’s next project will be her friend Avalon Nuovo’s ’13 prom dress as well as a dress to give to a different friend for an upcoming birthday.

At the Parsons New School of Design Summer Intensive Studies in New York City last summer, Eugénie Lund-Simon ’14 watched her project culminate in a photo-shoot at the Strand Bookstore. A model walked around the store wearing a dress Lund-Simon

Eugénie LundSimon ‘14 made this black lace shirt for herself.

Features B5

had designed and sewed with school, but we learn a lot about a bodice made of book covers social problems which was reand a skirt made of curtains ally cool,” Lund-Simon said. from the store.

Inspired by her mother, a After a fashion show at fashion designer who makes Parsons displayed a men’s her own samples, Krista shirt she had made out of body Knighton ’14 enrolled in a few chains, Lund-Simon began sewing classes three summers to sell the shirt among other ago and immediately became designs. She has since sold interested in learning more. around 40 simple pieces as Knighton has since expandwell as 20 more expensive ones ed her skill set and has bein the $200 to $300 range. gun making skirts, shirts and Lund-Simon continued her dresses. work with chains for her AdHer most recent piece, a vanced Dance Seminar proj- lace maxi skirt, was an item of ect this year, an exploration of clothing she had wanted for a the way Dadaism would have while but had not been able to affected a traditional ballet find in stores for a reasonable costume. Her final work was price. Knighton wore the skirt a tutu but with chain sleeves, in a post on her blog, So Fetch a chained back and chains re- Fashion. placing ribbons on the pointe “Sometimes I sew things shoes. because I want to wear them, “I absolutely love it,” Lund- but sometimes I just want to Simon said. “It was so much make something so I just go fun when I did it at Parsons, for it,” Knighton said. and I hope that I have the time Knighton has never made to keep doing it.” anything for anyone else, preLund-Simon ferring to rarely makes design pieces clothes for herfor herself. self to wear regThe outfit I think it’s a lot of fun ularly, instead often cento experiment so even ters around choosing to focus on the intela fabric her though sometimes lectual or social mother had it won’t turn out the aspect of fashleft over, and ion. After her depending on way I wanted it to, I father, a supply how much like to push myself chain manager she has at and see what I can at Disney, visher disposal, ited factories in Knighton make on my own.”

China and told can make her the stories —Elle Wilson ’13 many piecof many women es from the with severe back same swatch problems as a result of bad of fabric. She once made four bras, Lund-Simon has started skirts and five shirts from the developing a solution. Through same material. cooperation with Parsons and “I’ve made a lot of stuff possibly with a corporate part- that I will never wear in my ner, she would design a bra, life, but I think they’re just and a percentage of its pro- really fun to make,” Knighton ceeds would go towards these said. “I think, for me, it is a women. very rewarding way to express “Parsons is a fashion myself creatively.”

“

Elle Wilson ‘13 poses in the dress she made herself for ring ceremony.

>>

>>

>>

This is Hannah Kofman’s ‘14 favorite dress she has made.

She likes its “stormy Hawaiian print.”

SARAH NOVICOFF/CHRONICLE

PHOTO PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF HANNAH KOFMAN

>> Krista Knighton ‘14 models a skirt she made from her mom’s extra fabric.

PHOTO PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ELLE WILSON

EMILY SEGAL/CHRONICLE

The Chronicle April 2

B6 Features

Japan

Japanese light lanterns for ancestors

Some countries, including traditions like taking a bath Japan, turn somber at midnight on New themes into celebraYear’s Eve and [not tory opportunities. bathing] again until For example, the next day because “Obon is the honoring you don’t want to of the dead; there’s wash away the good ancestor worship. We luck.” just go for food and A popular food friends,” mathematics during New Year’s is teacher Michael Mori azuki, or red bean, said, grinning. “In the which is incorperatnathanson ’s American version you ed in delicacies from have festivals with dessert dumplings to Michael Mori typically game booths sweet soups to moand food booths, a chi. Other than these shrine for ancestors passed on festivals, Mori does not adhere before them.” too tightly to Japanese tradiA common Obom custom tion. is to float candlelit lanterns, “The problem is Japanese toro nagashi, on boats “down celebrations are often tied a stream or river to go to the to religion; as I’m Christian, place of the dead,” Mori said. some of the celebrations have “Then there’s New Year’s,” fallen to the wayside,” Mori Mori said. “We use Jan. 1, not said. “It’s hard to separate the lunar calendar. There are them, culture from religion; certain foods to bring you good some things people think are luck for the year, and certain only Japanese.

American

Families carry on maintaining cul traditions from a

By Leily Arzy a

Lithuania

Lithuanians wish on a wafer

When Head of the Upper States, the Barzdukas family, School Audrius Barzwe are a melting dukas was growing up, pot, our kids are he would attend Lithu50/50,” said Barzanian language schools dukas. on the weekends in “We also celWashington, D.C. as a ebrate Kūčios, part of his Lithuanian the night before upbringing.

Christmas, a sol“When we were emn Lithuanian younger, we went to celebration. During Lithuanian family Kūčios, no food is nathanson ’s camps and we would cooked, it’s meatAudrius raise the Lithuanian less.

Barzdukas flag, even though there “There are was no such thing at these things called the time, and sing the plotkelės, which are Lithuanian national anthem,” wafers, and what you do is Barzdukas said. “It was a part walk around with your wafer of my upbringing.” and you hold it out to someone Barzdukas still has rela- and that person will break a tives in Lithuania, but he vis- piece off, and when they break its Portugal during the sum- a piece of your wafer off, you mers to see his wife’s side of wish something good for them. the family.

Everybody breaks a piece and “We are like the United makes a good wish.

Russia

Russians buy trees for New Year’s

“The only people who buy ers on that day, just for being Christmas trees on Dec. 25 female. The biggest presents are Russian,” counare to the mothselor and humanities ers,” Bek said. teacher Luba Bek said.

As for AmeriInstead of having trees can cuisine, “there for Christmas, they buy are some ethnic trees to celebrate the markets where New Year, Bek said. you can find food “New Year’s is the from Scandinabig [holiday],” Bek said. vian countries, and “There are two New the food is very Year’s — the Russian similar,” Bek said. nathanson ’s Orthodox calendar is “There’s pelmeni, Luba Bek 13 days later. It’s like little ravioli filled Christmas and Thankswith three differgiving together. You ent types of meat, have your favorite food, you cooked with a little bit of butget dressed up … it’s totally ter. So you buy Italian ravioli, secular,” unlike most Russian cook it in butter, and call it holidays, which are religiously pelmeni.” based, Bek said.

“I [also] like caviar, like a Another big celebration is stereotypical Russian,” Bek March 8, International Wom- said. “I do not like vodka, unen’s Day. like a stereotypical Russian. I “The tradition is that any like tea,” or as Russians call it, female gets a gift, usually flow- chai.

Australia

Any excuse for a party for Aussies

Math teacher Catherine Bridge. Campbell doesn’t celCampbell was born in Mel- ebrate like she did in Ausbourne, Australia, but tralia because it is even after moving to the middle of winter California she still in Los Angeles. She tries to celebrate Aussaid Anzac Day is tralia Day. another important “It is similar in a date in Australian way to fourth of July. history, comparing it Except of course, with Veterans Day. fourth of July is celApril 25 is a day set ebrating getting rid aside to remember of the English and we the lives lost of the nathanson ’s have never quite done Australian and New that because AusZealand Army Corps Catherine tralia is still part of during World War I. Campbell the commonwealth,” “When I am Campbell said. making a worksheet The day is set aside to cel- or writing the date on the ebrate when Captain Cook en- board I always think about it,” tered Sydney Harbor with the said Campbell. first fleet on Jan. 6, 1788. It is Campbell says she still eats the custom to have barbeques Vegemite, a traditional Ausand beach parties because it is tralian food. during the summer time.

“You kind of have to be “It’s kind of an excuse for raised with it. It’s very salty,” a party. For Australians, any said Campbell. excuse for a party,” Campbell She also makes traditional said. family dinners that include Campbell describes the roast lamb with peas and celebrations in Sydney with mint sauce with some roast big fireworks at the Harbor potatoes, garlic, and rosemary.

24, 2013

hwchronicle.com/features

n Mosaic

n their heritage by ltural and holiday around the world.

and

Enya Huang

Features B7

India

Lighting clay candles

Riya Garg ’15 and her famUpper school math teacher ily celebrate the major Indian Kanwal Kochar celebrates the holidays such as Diwali and traditions of his religion, SikhHoli. ism, a religion that “Diwali is the fesoriginated in the tival of lights, so evPunjab region of Inery year my family dia. and I lay out lit diyas, “In Sikhism, little clay candles, in there are 10 mathe front yard of our jor gurus, teachers, house,” Garg said. the 10th one is usuHoli is the celebraally the biggest one, tion of spring. which we celebrate “In India, this holiin December,” Konathanson ’s day is celebrated with char said.

Riya Garg ‘15 colored powder that The 10th guru, people decorate their Guru Gobind Singh, streets, houses and was born on Dec. even each other with,” Garg 22, 1666. said. “My family, along with Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti a bunch of our friends, every is a festival that celebrate the year celebrate this holiday the day of his birth. same way. During Holi in InMost families gather todia, I’ve heard that there is gether to pray, eat unique color everywhere and that it dishes, and praise the guru. is a beautiful sight see. In fact, Kochar and his family go to so many people throw color temple to celebrate. on each other without even “I don’t wear traditional knowing each other, as if ev- Indian clothes, but my wife eryone there is one big family.” and daughter do,” Kochar said.

Iran

Haft-sin food symbolizes Earth and sky

“Nowruz is the equivalent the family dresses up and we of the Persian New always have the traYear where we celditional Persian new ebrate spring and life year table called the itself,” Iranian Ashley Haft-sin,” Aminian Aminian ’15 said. “My said. family is very moderThe Haft-sin is ate and we aren’t too a traditional table strict about the tradimeant to represent tions.” certain aspects of Aminian is Muslife. lim, but Nowruz is Some of the nathanson ’s meant to be celebrated items placed on the Ashley by all Persians and is table are a mirAminian ‘15 no way related to reror that symbolizes

Italy

Blending Tunisian and Italian customs

Foreign language teacher scribes her home as “very open Simona Ghirlanda was born in minded.” Demonstrating the Verona, Italy but her contrast of culture, she mother was Tunisian grew up with a Muslim and she recalls spendnanny and also sang in ing most of her childthe Catholic Church hood traveling Tunisia, choir for years.

Corsica and the south “My mother used of France. to tell me ‘you want to “My father was encounter every culItalian and he had to ture. You are not going somewhat adjust to to sit in yours,’” Ghirnathanson ’s the dominant culture landa said. which was my mothGhirlanda said she Simona er’s. My mother was tries to recreate some Ghirlanda absolutely inflexible. childhood experiences She wanted my moththat have really resoer tongue to be French. That nated with her. was the only language allowed “When I cook couscous, it at home,” Ghirlanda said. always takes me back like a Ghirlanda considers her journey,” Ghirlanda said. “I have dominant culture French with to have women around me bea prominent Tunisian influence. cause I grew up with women “I only know the bad words who were preparing couscous in Arabic because my moth- all together and sitting on the er used to use them when she floor with big bowls. It was a didn’t want to be understood. full day of work. I like to repeat I picked them all up,” she said that ritual. I mainly prepared it laughing. with Muslim women. I want the Ghirlanda grew up in a women to also experience that secular environment and de- circle and the chatting.”

ligion.

“We usually have big family events to celebrate Nowruz, and sometimes I might have to miss school.

We usually meet up with my mom’s side of the family. We get together and everyone in

the sky, an apple that symbolizes the Earth, candles that symbolize fire, rose water symbolizing water, barley sprouts symbolizing sprouts, goldfish symbolizing animals and painted eggs symbolizing humans.

Israel

Purim: ‘a biblical Halloween’

“I live in the Jewish ghetto,” a Persian emperor who history teacher Dror Yaron persecuted the Jews. Purim said with a laugh. “When is more altruistic than its you live in an ethnic micro- American counterpart, Yaron cosmos, it’s easy to forget said. Instead of asking for that you’re in a mainstream candy, families put together Protestant society; food baskets for their even the mainstream neighbors to “forge Protestants are communal ties,” pretty accepting.”

Yaron said.

Yaron lives in Commonly seen the Pico-Fairfax in Israeli clothes are neighborhood, “blue and white, [to] where abundant symbolize the colors shops cater to the of the flag of Israel,” considerable local Yaron said.

Jewish population.

For special nathanson ’s Born in Israel and occasions he brings raised in the United his tallit, or prayer Dror Yaron States, Yaron retains shawl. culture from when he While Israel and was young.

America are similar in their “Purim is a kind of biblical “ambitious, highly competitive Halloween,” Yaron said. “It’s worlds,” key distinctions make like Halloween, but none of the the cultures fundamentally commercialized fascination different. with blood and gore like “The biggest difference you see in the mainstream. [between American and The only scary costume Israeli culture is] the Sabbath, is depicting yourself as an one day in the week in Israel oppressive king, like Haman,” where you can check out.”

The Chronicle

B8 Features

April 24, 2013

highstakes

RACHEL SCHWARTZ/CHRONICLE

Ben Gaylord, The Athlete

Kristina Park, The All Around

Kenneth Kim, The Brainiac

Seniors finalize college decisions

By Rachel Schwartz

Ben Gaylord, The Athlete Although Princeton University doesn’t have a pre-med concentration, Ben Gaylord ’13 plans to take all of the classes necessary to qualify for medical school in the next four years.

He also wants to get a certificate in classics to keep studying Ancient Greek and Latin and possibly a certificate in history as well.

“I’m so ready for high school to end,” Gaylord said.

“My parents will probably be sad to see me go to the East coast, but it’s for the best.”

Gaylord said that he is happy to be finished worrying about college because now he can focus on pole vaulting in the Track and Field season and post-season. He is looking forward to Ivy League athletics.

“I definitely want to keep jumping high so that I can be competitive in the Ivy League,”

Gaylord said. “I have the potential to place, which is really exciting. “

Kristina Park, The AllAround Kristina Park ’13 accidentally found out that she was accepted to her first choice school, Brown University.

“I was on the Euro trip with Chamber Singers so I wasn’t going to check,” Park said. “I was just checking my email and saw I had a Facebook-group invite.”

When she realized that it was an invitation to join the Brown University acceptedstudents group Park said that she freaked out.

“Maybe my family was more excited than I was,” Park said. “They weren’t expecting a call.”

Park is looking forward to going to school with her sister who will be a junior at Brown next year. She plans to pursue a math and science track.

“I think it’s a huge step,”

Park said. “No parents, new friends. I don’t think I will be nostalgic until graduation.”

Park was also accepted by the University of Michigan, University of California San Diego, University of California Berkeley and Emory University.

Kenneth Kim, The Brainiac Kenneth Kim ’13 decided to place a deposit at Brown University for its four year bachelor degree program rather than their eight year medical program.

He realized he wants the option to apply to different medical schools when he finishes his undergraduate degree.

Kim also decided to stay on Yale University’s waitlist. It is his first choice though he says Brown is not far behind.

“I was a little bummed when I got the countless number of rejection letters, but after visiting I feel really happy about Brown,” Kim said.

Nick Healy, The Artist

Students decide on colleges and pick classes as the year winds down.

Kim said his decision came down to choosing between Northwestern University and Brown.

He was also accepted to Cornell, Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Southern California with a full scholarship.

“It took me a while to realize that I got into places where I would fit in and didn’t get in to places where I probably won’t,” Kim said.

Nick Healy, The Artist While Nick Healy ’13 is nearly sure he will double major in English and Theater at Brown University, he said he is happy to be attending a school with no course requirements.

“I have no freaking idea what classes I’m going to take,” Healy said.

Healy plans to put more energy into magic, piano and organ next year, activities which he feels he has let fall by the wayside in the last couple of years of high school.

Though community service was not a large part of his experience at Harvard-Westlake, since working with the Advanced Dance I class on a show for The ARC for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, he has been inspired to do community service and volunteer work at Brown.

Healy said his friend Justin Carr’s ’14 involvement in his cultural heritage has also shaped his goals for the coming four years.

“I have a deep ItalianAmerican heritage that I’m totally ignorant of,” Healy said.

“I want to touch base with my culture.”

As he faces the end of his senior year, Healy feels both nostalgic and ready to leave home.

“I realized the other day I’m going to miss this place,” Healy said. “It’s weird though, I’m ready to start college. I realized over Spring Break I want to leave.”

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Arts&Entertainment The Chronicle • April 24, 2013

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF NICHOLAS ABOUZEID

ON TOUR: The Chamber Singers and Wolverine Chorus pose in Heroes’ Square, a historic square in Budapest, Hungary, on their tour of Eastern Europe.

The two groups traveled for two weeks during Spring Break, performing in Budapest, Eisenstadt, Vienna, Sofia and Plovdiv and visiting tourist attractions.

The Universal Language

By Morganne Ramsey

Wearing “Justin Carr Wants World-Peace” shirts, the Chamber Singers and Wolverine Chorus landed in Budapest after an airplane ride that was more than 12 hours long for their tour of Bulgaria, Austria and Hungary.

The tour spanned three countries and six performances in the cities of Budapest, Eisenstadt, Vienna, Sofia and Plovdiv.

In two of the performances, students sang with local choirs — in Szentendre, they performed in a joint festival with a Bulgarian choir and the choir also held a concert with the Sofia Boys Choir at the National Conservatory of Music.

Before their concert with the Sofia Boys Choir, the two choirs had a mixer, where they were able to talk and, according to Chamber Singer Alex

Chamber Singers and Wolverine Chorus sang to audiences in three counries across Eastern Europe.

Berman ’14, got to know each the concert they did for Upper other pretty well.

School Choir Director Rodger “We were really able to Guerrero’s doctoral recital. connect with them because, as “We were introducing mu[Rodger] Guerrero said, music sic to a new audience,” Berman is the universal language,” Ber- said. “Their reactions were reman said, “It was really easy to ally amazing. The Bulgarians connect with loved it when them on that we sang in level.”

Bulgarian.”

A perforThe choir We were really able to mance at the spent most Bulgarian of the year connect with them, National Hall preparing because as [Rodger] in Sofia, was for the trip Guerrero said, music is televised on as they had Bulgarian nathe universal language.” learned most tional televiof the matesion and was —Alex Berman ’14 rial for previplayed on the ous shows. radio as well.

In their “That was concerts, the our best performance,” Ber- Chamber Singers sang a vaman said, “We nailed every riety of different songs, from song.”

“Liebes Lieber,” by Johann Berman said that singing Braun, which is in German, to in Europe was a completely the spiritual “This Little Light different experience than their of Mine.” performing at school, or even “This Little Light of Mine”

“

was supposed to fea“It was really ture a solo by Justin interesting to see Carr ’14 and Guerthe contrast in the rero sang the solo architecture,” Berinstead. Berman said man said. “There’s that it felt “uneasy” a Starbucks on the to sing without Carr. corner and next to They wore pins in his it there’s a building honor. from 1800.”

“When we sang During their nathanson ’s “This Little Light of free time, students Rodger Guerrero Mine,” our pins were went on guided glowing,” Berman tours, shopped and said, “We could feel his pres- visited sites like Hayden Conence.” cert Hall in Eisenstadt and In addition to the Cham- Schrönbrunn Palace in Vienber Singers, the concerts also na. featured performances by the Berman said that the tour Wolverine Chorus, the Jazz provided her the opportuniSingers, and a combined en- ty to get closer to her fellow semble composed of Wolver- Chamber Singers and also get ine Chorus and the Chamber to know the singers in WolverMen’s Chorus. ine Chorus as well.

Although they spent large “We had already bonded amounts of their time either over Chamber retreat, but it performing or taking a bus was really cool being in anothfrom one city to the next, stu- er country together,” Berman dents also had free time to ex- said. plore the different cities.

Two artists honored in the Spotlight Awards

By Jensen Pak

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JOHN LUEBTOW

GLASS CLASS: Art teacher John Luebtow gestures to the kiln, which was used to make his sculpture, Venus Vitae. Some of his former students visited his workplace to learn more about the process.

Art seniors visit workplace of teacher

By Jivani Gengatharan

The first thing Bea DyBuncio ’13 noticed as she took in her surroundings at her former art teacher John Luebtow’s home was the abundance of original artwork.

DyBuncio was one of the students in the Directed Study in Ceramics and Glass class, taught by visual arts teacher Dylan Palmer, that visited Luebtow’s home on April 19 to look at parts of the glass sculpture that will be installed in between Taper Gym and Munger Science Center as a

tribute to President Tom Hudnut.

Since the piece has not been assembled, students were only able to see a miniature version of the sculpture and parts of the final sculpture.

Luebtow also gave students a tour of his house, which he and his wife designed with pieces of furniture that he made.

All students in the Directed Study class had Luebtow for a different class in 10th or 11th grade.

Since the majority of the students in the Directed Stud-

ies class have proven their dedication to art by taking art courses for all three years at the Upper School, Luebtow invited them.

“I talked to them about what it takes to be an artist and what it takes to be committed, regardless of the profession,” Luebtow said.

He hoped that these students would be able to see the products of a life devoted to art through the field trip.

“If we could all live a part of Mr. Luebtow’s life, I think we would just be happy,” DyBuncio said.

were selected to perform in the grand finale concert at the Two students received Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on honorable mentions in the fi- May 4. According to the Munal round of the Music Center sic Center website, the works Spotlight Awards. Out of the of all the semifinalists were five semifinalists from Har- shown at a special awards revard-Westlake, Megan Ward ception in a prominent South‘13 received a third place hon- ern California gallery. orable menWard has tion in the been parClassical ticipating in Voice categothe Spotlight Sitting in the master ry and Maria Awards since Gonzalez ‘13 ninth grade. class and listening to was recog“I just everyone perform their nized with missed the songs, I realized how an honorable final round, mention for lucky I am to be a part of but I am still her photograreally hapa community of people phy. py with the The Music o u t c o m e ,” who are so passionate Center SpotWard said. about the arts.” light program “Everyone in awards over —Megan Ward ’13 my category, $100,000 in and every scholarships category for to finalists, semifinalists and that matter, has such amazing honorable mentions. talent. Sitting in the master The 15 semifinalists in each class and listening to everyone category of the competition perform their songs, I realized participated in a master class how lucky I am to be a part of before their semifinal audi- a community of people who are tion. Two grand prize finalists so passionate about the arts.”

“

The Chronicle

B10 Features

April 24, 2013

Singer named as finalist

By Carrie Davidson

DAVID LIM/CHRONICLE

PLAYING FROM THE SOUL: Zach Saunders ’14 plays the saxophone with Daniel Belgrad ’13 on the guitar, left. Top, the Studio Jazz Bando Combo performs at the Catalina Bar and Grill’s Young Arists Series. Kevin Ho ’13 plays alto saxophone, right.

Jazz Combos play at Catalina Bar and Grill

By Sarah Novicoff

The Advanced Jazz Combo, Jazz Explorers and two Studio Jazz Combos performed at the Catalina Bar and Grill on March 19 as a part of the Young Artist Jazz Series.

The four jazz groups were invited to perform, though the Young Artist Jazz Series is mostly targeted at college groups. The series, which began in 1996, has launched the careers of jazz musicians such as Zane Musa and Anthony Wilson. “[The program was launched] with the goal of providing a forum for local young jazz artists to show-

case their talents in front of a groups have performed at the live audience, while giving the Catalina Bar and Grill in the community the opportunity to past but never in such large support and numbers. enjoy these “ T h i s musicians,” was the first the Catamore It was fantastic to be able time lina Bar than one or to play at such a welland Grill two combos w e b s i t e were invited,” respected jazz institution. said.

“The Jazz DirecIt’s not only known in Los tor performers Shawn are selected Costantino Angeles, but also across mostly from said. “It is a the country.” r e c o m real sign of mendations —Zach Bushkin ’14 growth for made by our program.” teachers or The mumusicians sicians colin mentoring positions.” lectively earned $500 for their Harvard-Westlake jazz performance, but Costantino

“

has chosen to donate the money to the financial aid program.

“It was the right thing to do,” Costantino said. “It is always beneficial to give money to the school and generate good will.”

Each group performed four to five numbers, including original numbers by Jazz Band member Jason Oberman ’15 and Jazz Explorers Daniel Sunshine ’13 and Nick Lee ’15.

“It was fantastic to be able to play at such a well-respected jazz institution,” Studio Jazz Combo member Zach Bushkin ’14 said. “It’s not only known in Los Angeles, but also across the country.”

Artist wins national silver medal for glass sculpture

By Elizabeth Madden

Bea DyBuncio ’13 won a silver medal for her glass sculpture at the National Scholastic Art and Writing Competition in April.

The piece, entitled “Ice,” first won a gold key at the Regional Scholastic Art and Writing Competition, which automatically placed her in the running for the national competition, DyBuncio said.

“This was actually the first piece I made this year,” she said, “I was inspired by these big pâte de verre pieces I found online.”

Pâte de verre is a form of kiln casting. In it, finely crushed glass is mixed with binding material and colorants. This paste is then used to coat the inside of a mould.

To construct the piece, DyBuncio took the paste and sprinkled a thin layer onto a

kiln shelf to put in the kiln, she said.

She then took a metal cone shape, placed the sheet of glass over the cone and put it into the kiln so that the glass folded over the cone, which resulted in a vase-like shape.

The white sculpture’s shape falls somewhere between being a bowl and being a flower.

“When I was in elementary school my sister was at

Harvard-Westlake and took glass with Mr. Luebtow,” she said. “I remember her coming home and bringing boxes filled with these glass pieces…

I told myself that when I had the chance to take this class, I would.”

DyBuncio plans to try glass blowing when she attends New York University next fall.

“You can make really clean and crisp pieces [through glass blowing],” she said.

Samantha Frischling ’13 has been named a finalist for the Southern California Vocal Association’s Vocal Solo/Small Ensemble Competition.

“The competition was something that I always knew was going on because Harvard-Westlake students had competed in previous years but it wasn’t something I ever thought I would do,” Frischling said. “But when I started talking to my voice teacher about more performances I could do she thought I should do it.”

The first round of the competition was in late February, in a master class format Performers sang before the other competitors and the judges.

After the performances, the judges offered feedback to the singers, and finalists were informed that they would proceed to the next round at the end of the day.

“I was first of the high school students- it was really nerve-wracking,” she said.

“It was nice though because I didn’t get nervous based on how good anyone else was.”

School accompanist Sara Shakliyan accompanied Frischling as she performed “Lágrimas Mías” by Pedro Miguel Marqués.

“I was really excited,” Frischling said. “Before the competition I wasn’t really expecting to go on. I was obviously hoping to but I wasn’t sure who my competition was so I didn’t get my hopes up too high.”

The first round of the competition was Feb. 23, the day after friend and fellow Chamber Singer Justin Carr ’14 died.

The performance was very emotional for her and Shakliyan.

“I knew if I let myself think about it too much during the competition I would break down and wouldn’t be able to function,” Frischling said. “I made sure to find Sara before the performance and give her a big hug.”

The final round of the competition is on Sunday, April 28.

“I’m really excited for the finals,” Frishling said. “The competition is filled with so many talented people and even just being able to compete against them is such an honor, whether or not I win.”

April 24, 2013

hwchronicle.com/features

Scene Monkeys perform improv at student film festival

Students handcraft clay bones to fight genocide

By David Woldenberg The Genocide Awareness Club, in association with BLACC, hosted an event in Feldman-Horn Gallery where students had the opportunity to make clay bones for the One Million Bones Project. The event was also held to honor the organization Justin Carr For World Peace.

The project’s goal is to display one million hand-crafted bones in the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for Act Against Atrocities: Advocacy Day. The purpose of the threeday installation, taking place June 8 to June 10, is to spread awareness of mass atrocities and genocides past and present.

“The first step of making change is to make people aware,” Upper School Visual Arts Department Head Cheri

Gaulke said, “As powerful large scale artwork this project will do just that.”

Students were invited to come make bones from Monday April 15 to Wednesday April 17. The event in Washington, D.C. will feature speakers, workshops, and a candlelight vigil. For every bone created, $1 will be donated by the Bezos Family Foundation.

Gaulke recommended the project when the GSA and BLACC decided to host the event in honor of Justin Carr’s foundation. Arielle Winfield ’13, one of the club leaders of the BLACC, is a ceramic artist and came to make bones both to honor Carr’s cause and to support the national project.

“I think it is important for students to be aware of how art can function in society to raise awareness,” Gaulke said. students of that can be done.”

Upper school student improv group, Scene Monkeys, performed in the Los Angeles Student Media Festival on March 30. Six members of the ensemble performed, which was their first public performance of the school year.

Nick Healy ’13 said that every performance is nervewracking, but that “the energy of the audience and the other actors settles your nerves, oddly enough.”

“What was memorable was how we came together as a group to do a killer show,” Healy said. “So I’m especially proud of them [new members] for stepping up and making everyone very proud.”

—Lucas Gelfen

DAVID WOLDENBERG/CHRONICLE

MADE OF CLAY: Rosie Rubenstein ’15 and Rachel Savage ’15 make clay bones in Feldman-Horn Gallery for One Millon Bones.

Film festival speaker informs about career difficulties

By Jack Goldfisher and Julia Aizuss

to have,” Iñárritu said. “But it’s a very tough one.”

“It’s very easy to lose [your In a speech to more than voice] in other kinds of inter800 people, including high ests. It can be fame, it can be school filmmakers from across power, it can be money,” he the country, Oscar-nominated said. “But I would like to invite director Alejandro González you to always think that filmIñárritu stressed that film- making is an incredible opm a k i n g portunity for should be self-expresfun, and not sion in art.” motivated His speech No matter what kinds of by any outpreceded the films you do, it’s always side interscreening of ests, at the 23 student a very hard equation 10th annual films from 15 of human relations, Harvardschools and money, and emotions.”

We s t l a k e programs, Film Festival including six —Alejandro González films made Friday.

“I think Iñárritu by Harvardit’s one of the We s t l a k e most beautistudents, alful jobs that anyone can dream though no preference is given

“

to Harvard-Westlake submissions.

After the judges selected the films that will be shown at the festival, a panel of industry professionals scored the films blindly to determine the winners of the Lizzie Awards.

This year, the award winners were announced at the end of the festival to provide “a sense of anticipation,” Visual Arts Head Cheri Gaulke said, rather than before the festival as in previous years.

Iñárritu also spoke about his own career, saying that he never had an “aha” moment when he absolutely knew he wanted to be a filmmaker.

He said his life took him on many paths that led him to his final career which can at times be “a humiliating job,” he said.

“No matter what kinds of

By Jivani Gengatharan FIRELIGHT: Alex Musicant ’13 rehearses a scene from Cory Batchler’s ’13 play “Firelight” with his director David Shaugnessy.

Playwrights Festival to open with nine plays

By Tara Stone

The Playwrights Festival 2013 will take place from April 26th through April 28th, and features nine original student written one-act plays. The festival will incorporate many different facets of student arts as it involves writing from student playwrights, performances from student actors, student stage technicians, and performances from the Jazz Explorers, the Scene Monkeys, and the Jazz Singers.

Patric Verrone’s ’13 oneact “Eve” will be professionally produced as part of the Blank Theater’s Young Playwright

films you do, it’s always a very hard equation of human relations, money and emotions,” Iñárritu said.

Student directors Natalie Markiles ’13, Patric Verrone ’13 and Rebecca Moretti ’13 had worked with Gaulke, Performing Arts teacher Ted Walch and photography teacher Kevin O’Malley since the fall to organize the festival.

The festival did not end with the event itself: on Saturday, an invitation-only event called “The Day After” provided the student filmmakers and Video Art students the opportunity to engage in a Q&A with Iñárritu on their own films and attend workshops on screenwriting, acting, cinematography and the movie business taught by industry professionals.

Student films chosen for screenings at festivals across the country

MORGANNE RAMSEY/CHRONICLE

Festival and Becca Katz’s ’15 one-act “Something Like Magic” won this year’s Leon Fan Memorial Award.

In October 34 students submitted their one-act plays to be evaluated by a panel of judges. Chosen plays were then cast and began rehearsing with professional directors.

Drama teacher Christopher Moore has overseen the festival every step of the way.

“The Festival is the first opportunity for these wonderful young playwrights to hear their words and see their stories come off the page and come alive on the stage,” Moore said.

Features B11

Several films created by students from and outside of Harvard-Westlake as part of the summer film program and during the school year will be screened at three different film festivals. These festivals include the deadCENTER Film Festival in Oklahoma City from June 5 to June 9, the Newport Beach Film Festival on April 28, and the Boston LGBT Film Festival from May 2 to May 12.

Eight Harvard-Westlake films were selected for the Newport Beach Film Festival, two were selected for the Boston LGBT Film Festival, and three were selected for the deadCENTER Film Festival.

Students whose films will be showcased in the three festivals are Sarah Jensen ’14, Sophia Lopez ’14, Patric Verrone ’13, Amanda Reiter ’14, Alexander Haney ’14, Natalie Markiles ’13, and Rebecca Moretti ’13. A film created by Allan Sasaki and Alyssa Sherwood’s Photo I class and a film

created alumna Xochi Maberry-Gaulke ’12 will be screened as well.

“It’s really exciting to have people recognize all the work I put into the film and give it more exposure,” Amanda Reiter ’14 said.

The deadCENTER Film Festival and Newport Beach Film Festival both encourage artistic freedom of expression and through their selection of films.

The Boston LGBT Film Festival “entertains, enriches and enlightens all audiences in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and allied communities” and hopes to create a greater sense of awareness in LGBT and LGBT-friendly societies, according to the festival’s website.

“It’s great to have my film featured in a festival, especially since it’s so close to home that I can actually go and see it up on the big screen,” Rebecca Moretti ’13 said. “It’s satisfying to see a project that you started from scratch get national recognition.”

Advanced Dance classes prepare for final showcase

The Upper School Dance concert will showcase the work of 32 students enrolled in the Advanced Dance I and II classes on May 1.

The showcase will be the last performance for the seniors enrolled in the class.

“It is going to be a great final performance of the year,” Advanced Dance I student Isabelle Lesh ’15 said.

—Scott Nussbaum

Jazz band to have big band style show The Jazz Band, Studio Jazz Band, and Jazz Ensemble groups will be performing their final concert of the year on Saturday, May 4 in Rugby Auditorium.

In big band style, the Studio Jazz Band will be performing songs such as “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers (Todd ’95, Kori ’97).

“We have achieved such a high level of jazz performance, and I’m really looking forward to this concert,” Studio Jazz Band pianist Vincent Huang ’14 said —Jensen Pak

Choral concert to be dedicated to Hudnut The upper school springchoral concert will be dedicated to Harvard-Westlake President Thomas Hudnut, who will perform a song of his choice with the choirs.

The show, which is scheduled for May 25 at 7 p.m. in Rugby Auditorium, is titled “In Good Conscience.” Upper school choral director, Rodger Guerrero, described the show as “a call to the downtrodden.”

—Morganne Ramsey

Orchestra to play in May performance Members of the upper school orchestra will perform “Seeds” by Anderson Alden ’09 for its concert on Friday, May 3 at the First Presbyterian Church, at 7:30 p.m.

“It was exciting to write for the ensemble since I owe a lot of my knwoledge to HarvardWestlake,” Alden said.

For the concerts conclusion, musicians will play Howard Shore’s “The Return of the King.”

—James Hur

The Chronicle

B12 Features

1

ARTWORK BY WENDY CHEN

April 24, 2013

2 JAMIE CHANG/CHRONICLE

3

4

Artful Seniors JAMIE CHANG/CHRONICLE

ARTWORK BY AVALON NUOVO

Seniors in studio art created family portraits, brass sculptures and paintings as part of their required concentrations. Their work went on display April 22 in Feldman-Horn Gallery.

1

Wendy Chen ’13 is fascinated by color relationships, which are “as interactive and complex as the relationships between the people [she] portrays.” Chen’s senior concentration currently consists of 10 portraits of her family.

“I’ve conveyed my perception of each family member’s psyche through careful composition and selection of color,” Chen said.

Each portrait begins as a more abstract under painting and is slowly developed into a more representational portrait.

“It was clear to me that I had to paint faces for my concentration,” Chen said.

The 10th grade Impressionist Self-Portrait was Chen’s introduction to portraiture and sparked her passion for color.

For this project, she painted in the style of the impressionists, utilizing primary colors and short brushstrokes.

The progression of art’s role throughout various cultures and time periods is a constant reminder for Chen to “think about the intent of each of [her] pieces.”

Worry-Wart is a selfportrait that echoes Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream.

Chen describes the portrait as a metaphor for fear of college applications. The picture features an over-exaggerated screaming Chen, with a minor pimple on her face.

By Sydney Foreman

2

Jun Lee ’13 is currently creating a three-dimensional brass work of art inspired by the human spine.

Through the welding of brass rods, he is “making a cylindrical skeleton and creating intermittent forms inside,” that resemble vertebrae.

Lee’s concentration focuses on “finding viable and sustainable structures from human anatomy.” He most enjoys working three-dimensionally, which he attributes to the architectural models he has worked on in the last couple of years. Lee describes his architectural style as “contemporary, minimalistic and sometimes aggressive,” while his painting style is more “traditional or classical.”

For Lee, Frank Lloyd Wright, Santiago Calatrava and Frank Gehry are the most inspirational architects due to their “dynamic and revolutionary” styles.

Lee finds the most challenging part of his concentration is working with “stubborn mediums.” They make it more difficult for him to finish a piece the way he intended, which aggravates him.

Lee is currently deciding between attending the Cornell College of Architecture, Art and Planning or The School of Architecture at Washington University in St. Louis. Regardless of his choice, he will continue studying art and architecture.

3

Max Thoeny ’13 covered a white canvas with thick white oil paint using only a spoon.

“It’s very culinary,” Thoeny said. “It felt like spreading cream cheese frosting.”

Thoeny’s concentration began as a study in automotive design, but it has evolved into abstract motion paintings. After making a few pieces related to automative design, however, he became frustrated.

“It felt too laborious,” Thoeny said. “I wasn’t technically good enough to crank out what my ideal was.”

Although Thoeny entertains the possibility of an automotive design graduate program, he switched his current focus to examining movement through abstract painting.

After winter break, Thoeny returned to school to discover a large tube of white oil paint. He mixed this with other oil pigments, which gave him enough of his favorite paint to cover the canvas. He has stuck with oil paints over acrylics ever since.

Thoeny experimented not only with mediums, but also with tools. He originally created his motion paintings using brushes, but then switched to using a pallet knife, forks, spoons and knives. Thoeny is even “exploring linear movements with a pocket knife.”

On some pieces, he carves not only into the paint but also the canvas itself.

4

Monsters and alien landscapes shaped Avalon Nuovo’s ’13 AP 2D Design concentration.

Nuovo’s process resembles the work of concept designers, who develop the look and feel of backgrounds, props, characters and overall atmospheres for movies and games, a field she hopes to pursue for part of her career. Nuovo describes her pieces as a mixture of “color keys, stills and storyboards.”

Since common content unites her body of work, Nuovo enjoys the ability to experiment with different mediums and to jump between color and black and white.

Constantly coming up with new ideas has been a challenge.

For Nuovo, “breaking away from monotony while still keeping everything consistent is hard.” Having started her concentration last summer, Nuovo said she has lost some of her initial eagerness.

Nuovo refers to one of her favorite pieces as “an exercise in color choice,” which she believes is “a pretty intimidating part of painting.” The piece was done on a large black canvas containing four panels, each consisting of a different setting and character. “[It] is not very refined because its main purpose is to give a general, impressionistic sense of a character’s scale in the landscape, the color pallet and the lighting of the scene,” Nuovo said.

Sports The Chronicle • April 24, 2013

going viral: Benchwarmer Greg Zatzkis’ ’13 basketball mixtape has nearly 12,000 views on YouTube.

C6 Long jumper breaks national record

By Grant Nussbaum

photos by sam sachs/chronicle

WEB GEM: Center fielder Ezra Steinberg ’15 dives to catch a fly ball during a Mission League victory over Alemany on April 19. The Wolverines won 12-5 behind six innings from right handed pitcher Conor Cuse ’13, bottom left, and two home runs from catcher Arden Pabst ’13.

Fight to the finish After falling just short of winning the National High School Invitational over Spring Break, the baseball team hopes to avoid a similar fate in Mission League play.

By Lizzy Thomas On the road to a possible CIF championship, the varsity baseball team is struggling to secure its third straight Mission League championship.

The Loyola Cubs are poised to thwart the Wolverines’ would-be three-peat, despite the fact that the Wolverines’ boast an 18-3 overall record to Loyola’s 13-8. Due to early season stumbles against Loyola and Crespi, the Wolverines are second to the Cubs in the

Mission League standings and need Loyola to lose to have a shot at the title.

“Unfortunately we put ourselves in a position where we don’t control our own destiny,” Brian Ginsberg ’14 said.

“If we go out and win every game hopefully the pieces will take care of themselves. We’re playing our best baseball right now and our goal is CIF and League, too.”

The team increased its chances at another league championship this past week with 10-3 and 12-5 wins against league opponent Alemany last Wednesday and Friday respectively. Even so,

the team will almost certainly have to win all five of its remaining games to unseat Loyola as league leaders.

“We have to win the rest of our league games and hope Loyola loses a game. But we can only worry about ourselves right now,” Jack Flaherty ’14 said.

Regardless of how they finish in league, the Wolverines, currently ranked third in CIF Division I, have a legitimate shot at a CIF championship.

A deep postseason run would likely mean a rematch against Mater Dei, who is • Continued on page C3

With one swift spring of the legs, Courtney Corrin ’16 took first place in the long jump competition, not only breaking her own school record but also the national girls’ freshman long jump record at the Mount San Antonio College Invitational on April 20.

At the Mt. SAC competitions, Efe Agege ’14 joined Corrin in the winner’s circle, taking first place in the girls’ triple jump. Alex Florent ’15 claimed third in the girls’ high jump.

For the boys, Akosa Ibekwe ’13 placed ninth in the triple jump, while Anton Beer ’14 and Jonathan Felker ’14 tied for 10th in the high jump competition. Ben Gaylord ’13 placed the highest for the boys, taking third in the boys’ polevaulting competition. Prior to the Invitational, Gaylord also set the pole-vaulting meet record in the Russell Cup on April 14.

Track and field program head Jonas Koolsbergen ’83 said he came out of the annual meet impressed by the Wolverines’ performance.

“We’re talking about tremendously talented athletes, with a great desire to perform at an excellent level, and a willingness to compete against absolutely anyone,” Koolsbergen said. “They come to big meets ready to perform.”

• Continued on page C5

sam sachs/chronicle

Second no-hitter propels softball team in defense of league title

By Jordan Garfinkel

As the softball team continues its quest for a second straight Mission League title, pitcher Chloe Pendergast ’13 threw her second no-hitter of the season during a 15-0 win against Louisville on April 18.

Pendergast’s first no-hitter of the season came on Feb. 26 against Immaculate Heart.

“In the first game I wasn’t aware that I was throwing a no-hitter until after the game,” Pendergast said. “I was more relaxed that game. But, I felt more confident in this game compared to last one.

“I was aware that I was throwing a no-hitter and was focused on finishing strong. I wouldn’t say I was nervous, but I was more cautious and careful,” Pendergast said.

Pendergast’s teammates are also appreciative of the performances that she has displayed this season.

“Chloe is an awesome player and teammate,” Maddie Kaplan ’14 said. “She did a great job pitching in the game against Louisville because she was able to maintain a high level of intensity on the mound the entire game. Chloe is a really hard worker and a great example to the rest of the team.”

“Our pitching rotation is very strong, and this comes from the support we have from the offense and defense backing us up,” Pendergast said. “Being confident in my team puts less strain on my pitching.”

“She has definitely stepped up in some big moments, but there are eight other players on the field helping her win the way she does,” Tate Castro ’13 said. “Softball is a team sport, and without even one player, nobody can be successful.”

The season has not been a totally smooth ride for the

team.

The squad hit a slight bump in the game before Pendergast’s no-hitter, in a 2-1 loss against Chaminade.

Kaplan won all four of her first decisions on the mound this year, but she lost her first game of the season in the low scoring pitching duel against Chaminade.

“The game against Chaminade was a really tough loss,” Kaplan said. “We had a lot of opportunities, but we just couldn’t finish. In practice we’ve been working on a little bit of everything; hitting, fielding, throwing, etc. We feel confident going into our game against Alemany next Tuesday.”

After the loss, the members of the team showed the great chemistry they have together by rebounding in a big win over Louisville.

“We’ve also had games where we’ve been able to

luke holthouse/chronicle

MAKING CONTACT: Molly Steinberg ’14 connects with a pitch during the softball team’s 11-8 win over Nordohoff on April 12. score a lot, but we need to be more consistent from game to game,” Ashley Wu ’13 said.

“We are definitely a super close team and always support each other, which has affected our team spirit on the field as well.”

Jessica Johnston ’14 has 21 hits and 10 RBIs this season and has been overlooking the team in centerfield.

“I think our success is due to how well we communicate

and are bonded as a team,” Johnston said.

Through all ups and downs, the softball team is still set on one thing: winning the league championship.

“We’re playing really well right now, we just have to continue to come together as a team,” Johnston said. “We have some tough competition in league this year, but I think our main goal right now is to win league.”

The Chronicle

C2 Sports

Facts &

Boys’ tennis clinches Mission League title

Figures

-3

Golfer Adrian Berger’s ’15 9-hole score in matches against Notre Dame and Windward Arden Pabst’s ’13 home run total in the Wolverines’ game against Alemany on April 19, one to each side of the outfield

2

By Lucy Putnam

78

Total runs that the softball team has outscored opponents by through 15 games The boys’ volleyball team’s record in matches that went to five games

4 -1

Game to watch APRIL 24 Boys’ golf vs. Loyola 3:15 p.m. @ Encino Golf Course

The boys’ golf team finishes its regular season at its home golf course against rival Loyola today, potentially contending for the best record in the Mission League depending on the results of yesterday’s match at Wilshire Country Club.

Players to Watch: Bakari Bolden ’14 and Adrian Berger ’15 Bolden and Berger have shot under par in multiple matches this season, shooting as low as three-under par in nine holes at Balboa Golf Course.

Junior Varsity Boys’ golf (4-1) Last Match: W (258-269) vs. Notre Dame

Girls’ swimming (1-3) Last Meet: L vs. Alemany

Boys’ swimming (3-1) Last Meet: W vs. Alemany

Baseball (17-1-1) Last Game: W (9-5) vs. Granada Hills

Lacrosse (6-5) Last Game: W (9-4) vs. Malibu

Boys’ tennis (13-1) Last Game: W (18-0) vs. Chaminade

Boys’ volleyball (2-17) Last Game: L (25-13, 25-17) vs. Alemany

April 24, 2013

LUCY PUTNAM/CHRONICLE

KICK SERVE: Max Rothman ’14 serves in the Wolverines’ match against Loyola on April 16. The boys won the match 16-2.

While the boys’ tennis team’s season is not yet over, the boys have already clinched another Mission League title with an unbeaten record of 8-0. Now the team is looking ahead to the CIF playoffs.

The team secured the title with a 13-5 win against Chaminade on Friday, April 19.

Both Michael Genender ’15 and Sam Hummel ’14 won their singles matchups and the doubles team of Henry ’13 and George Noonan ’16 contributed to the victory with a win in straight sets.

The victories place the team at the top of the Mission League with an undefeated performance, but also cap off a run of 12 straight wins against all competitors. Overall this season, the team is 16-5 heading into the final week before the CIF playoffs.

The winning streak included a victory Thursday against Palos Verdes, ranked third in CIF Division I, with strong performances by Hummel and Max Rothman ’14, who both won twice for Harvard-Westlake, as well as doubles victory for Harrison Kalt ’13 and Dylan Eisner ’13. Rothman said sophomore singles player Genender led the team to victory.

“We were up 9-8 and he beat the number one on their team to have us win 10-8,” Rothman said.

The CIF Finals take place on Monday April 29 and Wednesday, May 1 at Los Angeles Valley College. According to the CIF Coaches’ Poll, Harvard-Westlake is currently ranked fifth with University High School and Corona del Mar in the top two slots, but the win over Palos Verdes could vault Harvard-Westlake into the third position.

This new ranking will allow the team to avoid playing its fiercest opponent, University, prior to the finals. University is a tough rival and the team knows it faces a challenge to beat them, team members say.

“They are one of the best teams in the country so I doubt we will beat them but we did have a close match earlier this year with them so who knows,” said Henry Noonan.

The team is keeping its eye on the rounds ahead, hoping to advance to the semifinals.

“Our team is really coming together and hopefully we can make it to a third consecutive CIF semifinal,” Rothman said.

Its strong record going into this year’s playoffs could give the team the confidence it needs to take them to the final on May 1.

Lacrosse team in position to win its league title

By Eric Loeb

A recurring theme was on display last Friday, April 19 during the boys’ lacrosse team’s battle with Malibu. The Wolverines entered halftime after a roller-coaster first half, first up 3-0, then seeing momentum shift entirely out of their favor, even losing control of the lead until the final seconds and entering intermission tied 4-4. They yet again suffered what players say is the team’s biggest flaw going forward, slow starts to games, but outscored Malibu 5-1 in the second half and won by a final score of 9-5.

The team has found itself digging itself out of deep holes after slow starts to games.

“We have absolutely started many games slow,” intern Head Coach Alexander Weber said. “This can, and will change.”

Players attribute the problem to multiple issues.

“I think we have been joking around too much during warm ups,” Jack Temko ’14,

said. “We came out and scored three quick goals against Malibu, but we relaxed after that.

We have to keep our momentum going.”

Attention to detail in how the team prepares to take the field pre-game is something players vow will improve over the course of the rest of the season, in order to reach their preseason goal of a third straight league championship.

“We have a tendency to give up the first goal pretty often, especially in important games,” Roman Holthouse ’15 said. “We’re a pretty young team for the most part. I think we get nervous or overly excited at the beginning of games, but then settle in.”

Holthouse added that the team seems to almost always finds a way to refocus and exit the locker room determined to play up to their potential.

“If we play our game and play hard for four full quarters then I think we can beat anyone,” Temko said. “We struggled this season playing strong the whole game but I think we

JACK GOLDFISHER/CHRONICLE

BALL CONTROL: Midfielder Noah Pompan ’14 rips past a defender during the Wolverines’ 9-5 win over the Malibu Sharks. are capable of it for sure.”

As the team crosses game after game off its calendar, Weber said that this is not time for it to take its foot off the gas pedal.

“We deserve to win the Mission League title and CIF. The time is now, and ball’s in our court,” Weber said. “I just want our boys to do their best physically, mentally and emotionally.”

The score of the team’s game at Brentwood was not available as of press time. The team’s next game is at Crespi on Sat. April, 27. Wins over Brentwood and Crespi would

guarantee the team its third straight league title.

Though the team has never advanced past the quarterfinals of playoffs in program history, Weber is confident that this team has a legitimate shot of doing so. Advancing through the three rounds of playoffs in the Los Angeles division would earn the Wolverines a date with the Orange County division winners in the Southern Section championship game. Lacrosse blog laxpower.com has the Wolverines currently ranked as the fourth best team in the Los Angeles division.

Athletics names new head of girls’ golf program

By Michael Aronson

The Athletic Department named Marge Chamberlain, a member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association and a golf swing teacher, its new girls’ golf program head.

Chamberlain has experience on both the playing and teaching sides of golf. She has been a teacher and manager at Golf-Tec, a high-tech golf teaching facility with highspeed, motion-sensored cameras to help golfers with swing fundamentals.

Chamberlain also plays in Sectional LPGA tournaments and boasts a BMW Championship victory on her golf resume.

“We are very excited to have Marge Chamberlain leading our girls’ golf program,” Head of Athletics Terry Barnum said. “Her extensive knowledge of the game and ability to be a role model for our young women makes her the perfect fit for our school.

The future of our golf program is very bright.”

Chamberlain played vol-

leyball in college and did not begin involvement in golf until after college.

She fell in love with the game of golf and joined the LPGA teaching program in 2001.

“I learned about the program from the director of the girls’ program at Oaks Christian,” Chamberlain said. “I was just so excited to have the opportunity to apply.”

Chamberlain will be in charge of the entire girls’ program, including the middle school team.

“We need to build the program from the ground up,” she said. “We need to get girls at the Middle School excited to play golf. The more you play, the better you get. From a women’s perspective, we need to grow the game for women in America. I would like to see some top quality girls’ golfers come out of Harvard-Westlake. Harvard-Westlake is one of the preeminent prep schools in the country, and I look forward to growing the program and mentoring young women to achieve their goals.”

April 24, 2013

hwchronicle.com/sports

Boys’ volleyball team snaps losing streak in time for postseason

By Luke Holthouse

Sam Sachs/chronicle

JUMPER: Outside hitter Chase Klein ’13 prepares to lob the ball in the boys’ volleyball team’s 3-0 win against Crespi on April 9.

For a team that looked well on its way to earning the best playoff seed the team has had since Head Coach Adam Black became the program director in 2009, the boys’ volleyball team has faced much tougher competition in the battle for second place in Mission League standings after Spring Break than before. Though the Wolverines dropped two crucial matches in the second run through to teams they had beaten earlier in the year, they still look in position to earn home-court advantage in the first round of playoffs.

“We’re playing well,” Black said. “We’re playing consistently throughout the whole entire season with improvement.”

The Wolverines entered Spring Break with a record of 11-4-1 overall as well as 5-1 in Mission League, with only a loss to Loyola in league play. Loyola was undefeated in league play last year, and is on pace to finish this season as the undefeated league champions as well. However, the Wolverines would automatically earn home-court advantage in the first round of CIF playoffs if they finished in second place in league standings, and players have said all season that their goal was to earn that automatic home-court advantage in the opening round of playoffs.

The team beat Crespi in

its first competition after the break, but fell to Notre Dame and Chaminade, two teams the Wolverines handled during the first half of the league season.

“When we returned to practice after Spring Break, it was obvious that we as a team were not performing to our potential,” Hudson Ling ’15 said. “It took a tough loss on the road at Notre Dame to wake us up, and then a close battle against Chaminade, in which we unfortunately fell just short again.”

However, the team rebounded with a win against Alemany last Thursday to round off the team’s league record at 7-3 as of press time.

Overall, the team is 15-8-1, but non-league play is irrelevant for playoff seedings. With no other league team playing as consistently well as the Wolverines did in the first half of the season, both Ling and Black said a record of 8-4 should be good enough to earn the second seed out of the Mission League.

The Wolverines played St. Francis yesterday in a game which would essentially guarantee the Wolverines the second place spot in league with a win, but results were not available at press time. The Wolverines host Loyola today.

“With this big win at Alemany, it was clear that we are back on track,” Ling said.

“This is the energy that we will bring for the rest of the season and playoffs.”

Baseball goes on winning streak following second straight NHSI tournament finals loss • Continued from page C1

ranked first in the Division I coaches’ poll. Mater Dei beat the Wolverines in the finals of USA Baseball’s National High School Invitational for the second straight year last month.

“It’d be pretty cool to play them in the CIF Championships,” Ginsberg said.

Flaherty hopes the Wolverines can get another opportunity this season to snap their cold streak against Mater Dei. “It’s really frustrating but they’re a really good team who happen to have our number recently,” Flaherty said.

“Hopefully we get a chance to play them again, but if we do, we can’t really focus on that they’re Mater Dei, we just have to think of them as an-

In North Carolina, the team had the chance to practice at both Duke and the University of North Carolina an experience that was especially meaningful for Flaherty, who committed to North Carolina last fall.

“It was awesome and the facilities are great,” he said.

NHSI will not be the only elite tournament for Flaherty this year, as the pitcher was invited this past weekend to play in the Under Armour All-American Baseball Game on Aug. 24 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

“I’m really excited,” Flaherty said. “I heard about it this weekend, I got a call from the guy and I’m just really excited to have the opportunity to play.”

PANIC PLAY: Catcher Arden Pabst ’13 reaches for a ground ball in the baseball team’s 12-5 win over Alemany on April 19.

the parents. Being a teacher of “I wanted to go last year but many of the baseball players, it conflicted with a commitWalch makes it to alment I had made to most all of the team’s my alma mater Kenyon College. If it begames, both home and away, in California. comes a tradition, this Although Walch year will be the kick has been to a handstarter.” ful of games during Walch said that he thoroughly enjoys his 22-year teaching career, he had never watching the team nathanson ’s been to one of the play and being a part team’s tournaments of the overall HarTed Walch vard-Westlake baseuntil now.

“I hope it will beball experience. come an annual event, but this Walch said his favorite year was my first,” Walch said. moment of this season was

“watching Jack Flaherty get himself out of tight situation, very much in need of a third out, by picking off a guy at first.”

Infielder Ezra Steinberg ’15 appreciates Walch’s support of the team.

“Mr. Walch is great,” Steinberg said. “It was really awesome having him there. It was really nice to see a familiar face like Mr. Walch in the stands along with our parents.

Mr. Walch is like a part of the team, he knows the players on and off the field.”

other team we have to beat, though I’m sure there will be some extra motivation there.”

Prior to the finals of NHSI, a national championship-type tournament that invites only the most elite teams, the Wolverines shut out all of their opponents before having the tables turned on them when the Monarchs beat them 4-0.

“Having the same ending there as last year, losing to Mater Dei in the finals, it stings,” Ginsberg said. “Hopefully we’ll get a chance to play them again in CIF and get them back.”

Ginsberg said the experience was still great.

“The experience you get there is unbelievable, especially the USA Training Complex,” Ginsberg said.

Sam Sachs/chronicle

Drama teacher doubles as baseball fanatic

By Jake Pulier

Cinema studies and performing arts teacher Ted Walch traveled to Cary, North Carolina during Spring Break to watch the varsity baseball team compete in the USA Baseball National High School Invitational.

A baseball fanatic and a strong follower of the Wolverine team, Walch thought it would be fun to go down to the USA Baseball Complex in North Carolina to enjoy the games and spend time with

C3 Sports Former basketball player chooses to play at Tulane Josh Hearlihy ’12 has committed to play college basketball at Tulane after playing this past year at Northfield Mount Hermon, a post-graduate prep school in Massachusetts.

Hearlihy joined former Wolverine teammate Zena Edosomwan ’12, who is headed to Harvard next season, at the prep school after graduating last year to open up additional recruiting opportunities.

The duo won the prep school national championship, with Hearlihy averaging 11.3 points and 5.2 rebounds.

His final choices came down to Davidson, Santa Clara and Tulane.

—Patrick Ryan

Junior soccer player commits to Northwestern

Right midfielder Mackenzie Howe ’14 committed to play soccer for Northwestern University.

Howe was drawn to the school because she spent early years of her childhood in Evanston, Illinois and has family in the Chicago area nearby. Howe officially committed on April 14.

Although she plays right midfield, she will be playing forward for the Wildcats.

“I love the school, I know this is where I want go, I know this is where I want to be, so, why not?” Howe said.

—Aaron Lyons

UCLA concludes nutrition tests

The UCLA Department of Medicine’s nutrition study released its results on the girls’ volleyball and field hockey teams in late March. UCLA researchers will share the results in Ahmanson Lecture Hall on April 29.

The results determined that after a nutrition intervention over 12 weeks, female high school athletes experienced a significant increase in lean mass and decrease in adipose mass.

The intervention included educating athletes on healthy diet choices, individual and group counseling, changes to the school cafeteria and parental education.

—Mila Barzdukas

Track and field teams participate in flexibility study

The track and field teams took part in flexibility and respiration studies led by Jamie Skaggs ’15 on April 16.

The studies, aided by Children’s Hospital workers, measured height, weight, flexibility and respiration through a variety of methods such as a 100-meter run and stretching exercises.

“We only tested kids for the first step of the study, which measures the maximum amount of air they can move while holding their hands in three different positions: above the head, by the sides, and on the knees. Hopefully, depending on the results from this, I will see how it relates to recovery over summer,” Skaggs said.

—Haley Finkelstein

C4 Sports

The Chronicle April 24, 2013

Sprint to the finish

Track and field sets records despite suffering from injuries

By Jeremy Tepper

Daniel Kim/chronicle

GROWING PAINS: Ben Weissenbach '15 is one of the Wolverines who has dealt with injury this season and attributes it to bad luck.

Despite the recent clinching of the girls' Mission League track title, and a 2-3 record from the boys, the track team’s success has been hindered by injuries to some of the team's top athletes throughout the season. With the renovation of the track set for this coming summer or next winter break, some athletes have looked to the track as a cause for recent injuries.

“Injuries have affected many people on our team this year and ruined two of our elite athletes’ seasons," Shea Copeland ’15 said, who is tied for the school record in the 100-meter individual race and who currently holds the Los Angeles County Meet Championship title in the 200-meter individual race.

“Most of the athletes on the track team would agree that the track is extremely hard and in horrible condition and is hurting shins," Copeland said. "I definitely think it isn’t helping any pre-existing injuries and I definitely think it’s a major cause of the increased amount of injuries this season.

“As the season goes on there isn’t much to do but ice and get treatment after every practice to prevent injuries," Copeland said.

Copeland, in addition to several other key contributors to the team such as David Manahan ’14 and Alex Florent ’15, have all experienced shin injuries his season.

Manahan is the defending champion of the CIF 800-me-

hwchronicle.com/sports

The track and field program has suffered injuries to many of its top athletes, but has set records regardless. Courtney Corrin '16, Alex Florent '15 and Ben Gaylord '13 are ranked top 10 in state this year in their respective individual events. Corrin's record is first in the nation.

Courtney Corrin '16

ter individual race, while Flo- treatment. rent broke the school record in “Even though one can ashigh jump last year as a fresh- sume a correlation between man, and consistently held one running surfaces and injuries, of the top three marks in the we cannot with certainty say nation throughout that sea- what, where and how certain son. injuries occur due to running Ben Weissenbach ’15, who surfaces,” Sini said. “There are was part of the school record- many different surfaces that setting sprint medley team our kids run on and each has and was named to the Califor- its pros and cons for what it nia All-State Freshmen track does for running.” team last year, suffered a foot Athletic Director Darinjury that kept him sidelined lene Bible said that replacing for six weeks. He returned on the track is a “top priority” April 20 in the Mount Sac In- for the Athletic Department, vitational, but doesn’t blame but mentioned that there are the injury-ridden year on poor many “little obstacles” which track conditions. could delay the pro“I think that incess. juries are inevitable The actual replaceif you want to train ment of the track is at a level that will yet to be set for a spemake you successcific time period. The ful," Weissenbach school is considering said. "Every year both the summer of there are plenty of 2013, as well as the injuries on our team, Winter Break of the but this year is an same year. A cost esnathanson ’s anomaly, so I would timate has yet to be Darlene Bible attribute it to bad determined as quotes luck.” from various compaHe is more concerned with nies are being gathered, but the negative impacts of the in- school officials expect the juries themselves on the rest construction to take approxiof the season, than he is with mately two weeks. the condition of the track.

"Hopefully the track will be properly fixed this summer before the next season.”

The responsibility of taking care of the athletes’ injuries lies with Head Trainer Milo Sini and his training staff. Many of the track team members, in addition to other athletes on campus, schedule time throughout the day to visit the trainers’ office for remedies from icing to laser

Long jump: 20'11"

The freshman Corrin recorded a length of 20-feet, 11-inches, beating her previous school record, set at the Arcadia Invitational on April 6, by nine inches.

“I was frustrated at my first jump," Corrin said. "Because I didn’t get the pop I wanted off the board.

“I knew on my second attempt that I had to relax and just have fun, which was when I jumped 20-11. I was happy because I exceeded my expectation, but my goal for this year is to win CIF and jump 21 feet. I know that takes time, so I’m being patient.”

In her first year on the varsity team, the freshman has compiled a long tally of accolades.

This season, Corrin has set school records in the long jump, the triple jump, and along with Francesca Walker ’16, Shea Copeland ’15 and Imani Cook-Gist ’15 - the girls’ 4x100 meter relay. She has

also set several meet records, is always someone workincluding the Mt. SAC long ing harder. By the time I am jump record, and before that, a senior I want to jump over records in the April 13 Russell twenty-four feet, and my goal for this year is to jump, enjoy Cup in all three of her events.

Even with her freshman and hopefully win CIF.” year accomplishments, Corrin Koolsbergen believes that strives to reach a higher level Corrin’s work ethic has been in the weeks as well as years the key to making her name ahead. recurring in the record books.

“Courtney’s been spec“It’s unimaginable, but you’re only tacular so far freshmen this season,” K o o l s b e r ge n once in your said. “She’s a lifetime, and I don’t just want to what you do special talent, with that is but she works set records, although up to you,” extremely that’s great, but I want hard to make Corrin said.

“I don’t just sure that she to make history." want to set maximizes her —Courtney Corrin ’16 records, performance.

There are peoalthough ple with talent that’s great, but I want to make history, who never manage to take and that comes with hard advantage of it and utilize it, work. It takes heart, hard and so she does a great job of work, and passion, but most of bringing out her very best to all, it takes enjoying the mo- perform at an extraordinarily ment while never getting too high level.” comfortable, because there With the annual invita-

“

tional behind them, the varsity track and field teams now only have one meet remaining before entering the postseason.

The team will host Loyola and Marymount tomorrow at home before Mission League Preliminaries on April 30.

“It really was a great weekend, because you’re taking on an extremely excellent field at a meet like Mt. SAC,” Koolsbergen said. “It tells us that we’re ready [for the postseason ahead], and that we’re preparing ourselves to be in top form for the biggest championship meets. That’s exactly what we want to do.”

Approaching the postseason, the teams could face a bumpy road, as key runners face injury issues. Cook-Gist is out for the rest of the season, as is Garrett Robinson ’15, who clocked the fifth fastest time in the 400-meter race in CIF Division III last year.

According to Koolsbergen, Zita Biosah ’14 will fill in for

pole vault: 15' 9"

Alex Florent '15 High Jump: 5' 8"

US #1 CA #8

Printed with Permission of Kirby Lee

Printed with Permission of Ben Gaylord

Daniel Kim/chronicle

Sophomore record holder sets eyes on 2016 Olympic Games in high jump

By Kyla Rhynes

Abbie neufeld/chronicle

LIFTOFF: Efe Agege '14, one of the top triple jumpers at Harvard-Westlake, won the event in the Wolverines' last meet at Mt. San Antonio College on April 20.

Cook-Gist on the 4x100 meter relay team. Like Robinson, David Manahan ’14 may be unable to defend his CIF title this May due to injury struggles.

Despite the obstacles posed by these injuries, Koolsbergen maintains that the teams will remain resilient and will keep going.

“Whenever you deal with sports on a school level, or watch sports on

Ben Gaylord '13

CA #5

Track and field jumpers make mark at Mt. San Antonio College Invitational

• Continued from page C1

Sports C5

television, injuries are part of it unfortunately, as are teams having to adjust,” Koolsbergen said.

“Members of the team having to take on new roles is a part of it, and so we’re definitely disappointed to not have all our pieces at full strength," Koolsbergen said. "But we know we have to continue doing track and field the best that we can as we proceed through the season.”

Alex Florent ’15 stares ahead at the horizontal bar mounted 5 feet and 10 inches above the ground, tuning out the noise from the other events taking place on the field before jumping over it. It was at this height during the Los Angeles County Championships meet last year that Florent jumped the highest mark recorded by any high school girl in the state that season.

Florent first started running track when she was five years old, but didn't begin high jumping until five years ago.

“I hated it at first,” she said. “I used to run but with growing and everything, I had a lot of growing pains. I picked up high jump one day by accident.”

Florent began high jumping after she joined the summer club team The Californian Comets.

She stayed with them for five years, up until she enrolled at Harvard-Westlake last year.

Coming to Harvard-Westlake as a freshman, she was eager to be a part the varsity track program and jump for the team.

During her first year on varsity track, Florent broke the school record with her jump of 5 feet and 10 inches.

Not only was the jump higher than any jump recorded at a girls' high school meet

last year in the state, but it balancing her academic life also stood as the third highest with her sport is equally imjump recorded at a girls' high portant, she said. school meet in the country.

Rebecca Armstrong ’14, “I felt really lucky to be the who was on the track team first in the state and the third last year, praised Florent for in the country. Especially since her determination during I was a freshman and I was practice. new to Harvard-Westlake, it “Alex’s work ethic is imwas cool to be able to put my peccable,” Armstrong said. name out there and see myself “It definitely shows when she ranked at the top with a lot of competes in her events.” good jumpers,” she said.

According to Florent, This year, Florent is hoping there are several high jumpto high jump ing styles, but six feet, a feat, there are two she said, she’s approaches that gotten close to are most comAlex’s work ethic is several times. mon.

“My bigThere is impeccable. It definitely gest challenge an approach shows when she is and has in which the competes in her events. jumper runs in been trying to fix all of my a C-shape be—Rebecca Armstrong ’14 fore jumping technical issues,” Florent and a style that said. “There requires a Jare a lot of shape run. things about my approach that Often, the approach before I've been having trouble with jumping is thought to be the and am working on, and I tend most important step to clearto get frustrated often. It's ing a high bar. tough, but I'm working on beFlorent practices and coming more patient with myself.” petes using the J-shape apFlorent also admits that proach, which she says is the adjusting to the Upper School style more common of the two life this year was another chal- and the approach that feels lenge. more natural to her.

“So far the Upper School is In addition to being able to a lot harder than the Middle tune out her surroundings and School and I hate the stairs,” dedicate her total attention she said, “But it’s doable.” to her jump, Florent has sevThough she has big goals eral pre-meet rituals that she for her future in high jump, makes sure she never skips.

“

With her for each meet are her red blanket, white crew socks, and black nail polish with a tuxedo painted on her ring fingers.

“I have a lot of little things that I do to prepare for meets," she said. "I'm not really sure how all of these traditions got started, but I make sure nothing ever changes for meet days.”

This summer, Florent hopes to be able to join the United States' World Youth Championships Team.

The World Youth Championships, organized by the International Association of Athletic Federations, is a competition between young track stars from around the world every two years.

Comprised of the top 16 to 18 year old track stars in the world, the World Youth Team has to personally invite their members to join after they’ve qualified, making it an exclusive organization.

“If I’m able to make their team, I can jump with them in Spain," she said. "That will be a great experience.”

However, her biggest goal is being able to qualify for and compete in the Olympics.

“My biggest accomplishment regarding high jump, though, is going to be making the Olympics in 2016,” Florent said. “I’ll be 19 years old. I already have it mapped out! Any medal and I’ll be happy.”

C6 Sports

Basketball player posts mixtape

garnered nearly 12,000 views and has been reposted on sites Benchwarmers rarely get such as Reddit and Sports their own highlight video, but Shmorts. It gained more fame thanks to the efforts of var- when the popular Facebook sity basketball guard page “Basketball ForGreg Zatzkis ’13 and ever” posted it. It refriend Andrew Miller ceived over 2,500 likes. ’13, the off-the-bench Zatzkis and Miller play of Zatzkis has are completely surgone viral. prised by the video’s Titled “5’10 Greg success.

Zatzkis Is STILL The “When we origiMost Exciting White nally did it, it was Boy In High School!”, supposed to be a little nathanson ’s the video features more of a joke beseveral of Zatzkis’ tween friends,” ZatzGreg exploits at his senior kis said. “I honestly Zatzkis ’13 night home game didn’t think we were against St. Francis. gonna do it until that He drinks water, night when I saw shakes hands with [Miller] with his camthe refs and stretchera on my way out of es. Numerous shots the locker room.” show him doing his “I didn’t really exmain job on the team: pect to get much [atcheering enthusiastitention], but I think cally from the bench. it’s pretty cool that Zatzkis’s favorite people find it funny nathanson ’s part of the video is outside of HarvardAndrew the clip of him walkWestlake,” Miller Miller ’13 ing out at the start of said. the game.

Zatzkis credits Miller for “I just can’t believe it the success of the video. worked so perfectly,” Zatzkis “He kind of ended up taksaid. “As I’m walking out, no ing the reins; he recorded it one is cheering and the cheer- and did most of the editing,” leaders are already walking Zatzkis said. away.”

Miller also advertised the Since being posted on You- video by posting it to other Tube March 20, the video has videos and sending it to local

The Chronicle

April 24, 2013

By Mila Barzdukas

LUKE HOLTHOUSE/CHRONICLE

MILLER TIME MIXTAPE: Guard Greg Zatzkis ’13 attempts to dribble around a St. Francis defender in the Wolverines’ loss to the Knights on Feb. 1. His friend, Andrew Miller ’13, created a video reel of highlights from Zatzkis’ season, which has nearly 12 thousand views on YouTube as of April 22. reporters.

“We sent it to a couple basketball pages. Our final goal is to somehow get on the Yahoo homepage,” Miller said.

The video broke out when he posted the link to the popular Aquille Carr Mixtape, which the Zatzkis mixtape is based on.

The original video follows the high school phenom, who, despite being 5’6, scored an average of 31 points per game sophomore season.

“We ended up just pro-

moting our video [in the comment],” Zatzkis said. “It was a little deceiving. It got mixed responses, some was laughter and some was ‘wow I watched that kid and he was awful.’”

A fan of the video is Los Angeles Times Prep Sports Writer Eric Sondheimer. Miller sent the video to him and he ended up posting it to his blog.

“He’s got a future - just not in basketball,” Sondheimer said in an article. “But it’s a video idea I never would have thought of. Those Harvard-

Westlake students are always the smartest around.”

Zatzkis averaged 0.5 points, 0.1 assists, and 0.4 rebounds on the season. Even though he received little playing time, the first-year varsity player is glad he was a part of the team.

“All in all it was a great season with great coaches, great teammates and great fans,” Zatzkis said. “And I have to say, from the point of view of the star benchwarmer, it was probably the greatest season I ever watched.”

Junior fencer receives bronze medal in worldwide event

By Tyler Graham

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JAKE RAYNIS

PEP TALK: Fencer Jake Raynis ’14 listens to a motivational speech from his coach during a one-minute break during his semifinal match in the Cadet Fencing World Championships in Porec, Croatia.

Fencer Jake Raynis ’14 was teeming with pride when the bronze medal was slipped over his neck at the 2013 Cadet Fencing World Championships in Porec, Croatia. Raynis represented the USA in the epee under 16 division halfway across the world and was able to get on the podium despite fencing against very stiff competition. The tournament is highly regarded and features competition between the best fencers from over 80 countries to see who comes out on top.

“The tournament was very exciting, but also very competitive and intense,” Raynis said.

“It was a two day event with 116 of the best fencers from all

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over the world.” to the second day.”

Raynis bested opponents Raynis not only felt the from Korea, Germany, Canada pressure to perform, but he and Belarus. Unfortunately, he also felt the pressure to repwas defeated in the resent his country to semifinals in a heartthe best of his ability. breaker. Raynis’ semi“I was very nerfinal opponent tied vous about representhim with four seconds ing the US as there left and then beat him were many great in overtime. fencers around the “I did far better country who were than I ever could have competing for a spot hoped as only two on the national team,” fencers from the US Raynis said. “I was nathanson ’s have ever medaled in nervous that by doing Jake the cadet men’s epee poorly I was letting Raynis ’14 World Championmany people down. It ships,” Raynis said. “As this felt great to be a part of somewas my first time competing thing bigger and to feel that I in such a high profile event, I represented the US well in a really didn’t expect much, my sport where the US is not seen main goal had been to make it as particularly strong.”

April 24, 2013

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Boys’ golf faces Loyola to finish season, heads to league finals

By Sam Sachs

“I expect us to finish strong with our last two matches After winning its first against Loyola,” the team’s eight matches of the season, lowest scorer Bakari Bolden the boys’ golf team dropped ’14 said. “If we can beat them its first match of the season at their home course on Tueswith a 203-207 loss against day, I am confident that we Notre Dame can win at on April 9. our home. It’s The Wolgoing to be an verines hot exciting finish “I expect us to finish start consistfor sure.” strong with our last two ed of winning Bolden their first six matches against Loyola. If has been unleague games, par in we can beat them at their der including almost every home course on Tuesday, I match this sweeps in the team’s season am confident that we can season and series against has been key win at home. It’s going to to the team’s St. Francis, Alemany and success so far be an exciting finish for Chaminade. this year. sure.

The WolB o l d e n ’s verines close —Bakari Bolden ’14 contributions out the reguwere expectlar season ed coming with back-to-back matches into the season as he is the against Mission League rival program’s top golfer, ranked Loyola.

525th in the nation according They faced the undefeated to the American Junior Golf Cubs yesterday at Wilshire Association’s Polo Golf NaCountry Club, but results were tional Rankings. not available as of press time.

The contributions of secThe boys will host the rival ond-year varsity player AdriCubs today at Encino Balboa an Berger ’15 did not have the Golf Course. same kind of expectations;

“

LUKE HOLTHOUSE/CHRONICLE

TAP IN: Jeffrey Aronson ’15 taps in a putt at Balboa Golf Course.

but, Berger has shot three under par twice this season in matches against Windward and Notre Dame and has been a steady contributor for the 12-1 Wolverines by shooting under par in almost half of the league matches this year.

“So far, the season has gone great for me, and I feel like I am definitely stepping up to a leadership role this year,” Berger said.

Once the league regular season wraps up, the Wolverines will shift their attention to the League Finals where a win at the all-day, 18-hole tournament would most likely grant them a Mission League title.

“I have been on the varsity squad since my freshman year, and this is easily the strongest and most consistent Wolverines golf team that I have been a part of,” team co-captain Michael Aronson ’13 said.

“We’re a pretty young team, and I don’t see why we can’t make a deep run in CIF this year. We have the talent and the potential. It will just come down to the little things for us like making smart decisions out on the course.”

Swimmers look to qualify for CIF, head to League Finals

By Patrick Ryan

After sending 13 swimmers to last year’s CIF Finals meet, the swimming team hopes to have similar representation at this year’s CIF Finals.

Head Coach Jonathan Carroll stressed that the main focus for the swimming team’s upcoming Mission League Preliminaries and Finals meets is improving on times and qualifying as many swimmers as possible for CIF. “We can try to make sure that as we move past the league competition, we are doing the best we can in CIF competition,” Carroll said.

“Because then it becomes a quality issue versus a quantity issue. We can have better quality swimmers than them, and at the end of the day that’s a better barometer of who has a better team. Not just who has more people.”

The boys’ team has a record of 4-1 this season, with its sole loss against league rival Loyola. The girls’ team has compiled a 3-2 record this season. Carroll said that the boys’ team uses the Loyola meet as a measure of where the team is and where the team needs to improve before League Finals.

“It is the biggest challenge I face as a coach in terms of returning our boys’ program back to the top of the Mission League,” Carroll said. “We will have to do a great job at developing athletes, because we aren’t going to get as many kids admitted as Loyola who are just going to be swimmers. To compete with them, we need to do a great job of recruiting and retaining the swimmers we do have, so we can offset some of their depth.”

Carroll said he has encouraged more swimmers to swim for a club team, especially

since Los Angeles Swim Club practices at Harvard-Westlake, making it convenient for athletes. He also believes that the Copses Family Pool is a huge selling point in enticing prospective swimmers to join the program. The Olympic size pool is big enough for swimmers to use year round, even while water polo teams are in season.

“Just because of the sheer quality of the facility, it’s going to have be people excited to use it,” Carroll said. “We don’t have to sacrifice one program [water polo] for the other [swimming] with the new facility.”

Carroll said that some school records that may fall in the postseason are the 500 freestyle and the 200 freestyle with Henry Copses ’14 and the 100 breaststroke with Alex Sing ’16 and John Copses ’14.

John Copses said he feels

LUKE HOLTHOUSE/CHRONICLE

LEAN BACK: Megha Srivastava ’14 swims the backstroke in the varsity swim team’s meet against Alemany on April 18. confident that some of the records will be broken.

“Right now we are winding down our training hours and we are tapering for the coming league meet,” John Copses said. “I think Alex Sing has a really good shot at breaking Patrick Kang’s ’12 record.”

Most of the girls’ records are held by Olympic Gold Medalist Dara Torres ’86. Carroll said that despite four-year varsity swimmer Kassie Shannon ’13 being an accomplished

swimmer, her times will likely not eclipse Torres’ times.

The team is swimming in honor of Justin Carr ’14, who died during swim practice of cardiomyopathy, this season.

“We all loved him and [Carr] was huge part of the team, in terms of the spirit of the team,” swimmer Sydney Cheong ’14 said. “I think we have come together. I think we have overcome it and every time we swim, we always have him in mind.”

The Chronicle

C8 Sports

Between the lanes with

April 24, 2013

Kassie Shannon ’13 Swimmer

This season’s times:

24.36

50-yard freestyle

1:00.9

100-yard backstroke LUCY PUTNAM/CHRONICLE

Four-year varsity member Kassie Shannon ’13 has dominated in the pool this season. The two-time CIF champion water polo player swims backstroke and freestyle for the swim team. She looks forward to her last CIF Finals meet and to what her collegiate career at Davidson has in store.

LUKE HOLTHOUSE/CHRONICLE

By Lucy Putnam

Q A Q A

With CIF Finals approaching, what are your chances of winning an event?

Shannon: It would be amazing to win CIF, but at this point I’m only trying to get into the top 10. I would have to drop a lot of time, which is really difficult in the short races I swim.

MAKING A SPLASH: Kassie Shannon ’13 swims the 100-yard freestyle in the Senior Day meet against Alemany at the Copses Family Pool on April 18. The girls team won the meet 104-65.

Q A

What was the highlight of your high school swimming career?

Shannon: Last year at CIF, it was the first time I made a CIF individual event, even though I missed one of my events, which disqualified me from the meet.

The group of people that went to CIF were all really cool and we had a lot of fun staying down in Riverside and competing in the meet.

Q A

Was it difficult to manage both swimming and water polo?

Shannon: In ninth, 10th and 11th grade it wasn’t difficult because I was primarily a water polo player and I only swam during the season so the two sports didn’t overlap that much. This year, I joined a club swim team and so in order to keep up I had to go to morning and Sunday practices, which made my schedule pretty busy. Swimming has definitely complemented my water polo because it made me faster and able to get from forward cover back to defense more quickly.

What is your favorite event to swim in?

Shannon: The 50 freestyle. It’s the shortest and most fun.

Q A Q A

Do you plan on continuing to swim competitively in college?

Shannon: Yes, I’m going to Davidson College in North Carolina next year. I went on a recruiting trip there in February where I got to meet the coach and team. The coach was really nice and his philosophy on swimming is what I’m looking for.

The team was great and I’m really excited to join the team next year.

What is your coach’s philosophy on swimming?

Shannon: Swimming isn’t all that I enjoy doing and this coach realizes that we do other things and even encourages his swimmers to branch out and try other activities on campus.

Q A Q A

How do you prepare for your meets?

Shannon: Before every meet our coach usually gives us the same warm-up so we get into a racing mood. I usually visualize myself swimming the race a few times before I swim and it lowers the amount of small mistakes I make.

What are you doing this summer to prepare for swimming in college?

Shannon: I will continue to swim with my club through the summer and swim in meets with them. Collegiate swimming will definitely be a level up from what I am doing now, but hopefully it won’t be too much more difficult.