Harvard-Westlake • Studio City • Volume 31 • Issue 7 • March 23, 2022 • hwchronicle.com
Students respond to Ukraine By Daphne Davies
On a Friday afternoon, an Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. Government and Politics class sat in its Seaver classroom, deeply immersed in a discussion about the events that had transpired the day before: Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian forces to invade Ukraine. The chatter of students quickly faded with the sound of chair wheels sliding back across the carpeted floor. A student stood up from their desk and exited the room, leaving nearly twenty pairs of eyes staring in surprise. The student in question declined to comment. Their classmate Raymond* reflected on the moment the student made the decision to leave the room. “We were discussing the Russian invasion [of Ukraine],” Raymond said. “One student, whose family is Russian, essentially brought up how the demonization of Russian people has been part of American culture since the fall of the Soviet Union. [The student] was talking about how Western media incorrectly portrays the Russian invasion and how [the student thought] there are legitimate reasons for it.” As the debate escalated, Raymond said his classmates remained calm but highlighted multiple flaws in the student’s argument. He said they did not criticize the student directly but that they instead chose to use facts to prove their points. • Continued on B8
WILL SHERWOOD/CHRONICLE
TO MASK OR NOT TO MASK: Logan Azizzideh ’24 takes notes during a lecture in his Honors Algebra II course. For the first time in more than two years, Azizzideh was able to attend a class without having to wear a mask after the administration removed the school’s indoor mask requirement.
Cases rise after school relaxes indoor masking policy according to county recommendations By Natalie Cosgrove
The Community Health Office (CHO) announced in an allschool email the school would be lifting the mandatory mask mandate, meaning masks are strongly recommended but no longer required on campus. The school made the decision in response to the school’s case count decreasing significantly and Los Angeles County lifting its mask mandate, according to the email. “One of the reasons that the school is confident in its de-
cision to follow [Los Angeles Department of Public Health (LADPH)] guidance with respect to indoor masking is that case rates on campus remain very low,” the CHO wrote. “Since early February, the number of cases on campus each week has been in the low single digits.” The email said the individual PCR testing program will be continuing at least through the week of April 16, in addition to a number of other current COVID-19 protocols that require testing in special circumstances.
By Lily Lee and Will Sherwood
Bake Sale Benefits: Community Council sold cookies on the Quad and donated the funds they made to Ukrainian refugees.
request of all of [students] is that [they] respect the choices of every individual around masking, understanding that everyone’s personal and family circumstances are different.” Commons said he made the decision to lift the mandate because of the updated LADPH guidelines, but he said he also kept the feelings of the student body in mind. “What makes me excited [about the change is] that it is a step forward in our return to normalcy,” Commons said. • Continued on A2
Committee revises existing schedule
IN THIS ISSUE
A7
Following the initial March 9 email, both Head of Upper School Beth Slattery and President Rick Commons sent emails to the student body reiterating the sentiments of the school’s previous email. Slattery said she expects students and faculty to respect the boundaries of students who are hesitant about the change in rules. “While this news is a welcome respite for many in our community, there are also many for whom this change is unsettling,” Slattery wrote in an email. “My
A10 Eco-Conscious Campus: Teacher Ryan Ellingson writes about the need to change the Upper School’s sustainability policies.
B4-B5
C3
Coming to the Court: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson makes history as the first Black woman nominated to the Supreme Court.
Peaceful Protest: Students collaborated to paint a version of Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica” in response to current events.
The Scheduling Committee approved changes to the school’s schedule for the 2022-2023 school year by extending lunch to a full hour, adding more breaks and adjusting break length. Scheduling Committee Chair and Science Teacher Heather Audesirk said the committee chose to extend breaks and change the order of the block schedule for a number of reasons. “We are hoping for a number of positive changes,” Audesirk said. “We [hope that] students will have more opportunities to meet with teachers, that there are more times in the schedule for students to retake assessments, that there will be time during lunch for [students to eat] lunch and [attend] club meetings, that students might utilize [the] first break [in the schedule] just as a legitimate break rather than trying to fit in another meeting with teachers and that the blocks rotate more equitably.” Audesirk said the Scheduling Committee made the decisions in response to survey results that suggested students are not able
to find time to meet with their dent body will like it,” Hsieh said. teachers or make up tests in the “Of course, people will still have current iteration of the schedule. minor complaints, but I think “People reported not having that this new schedule adds [and] enough time to meet with teach- builds off the positive aspects of a ers [and that there were] very few block schedule concept.” times in the schedule in which Sophomore Student Rep[students] could realistically make resentative on the Scheduling up or retake an assessment that is Committee Wilson Federman longer than about 40 minutes,” ’24 said he enjoyed getting to Audesirk said. “[Other problems have an impact on the future of included] not [having] the school. enough time to meet “It was a very with teachers during eye-opening opportulunch and still be able nity because I had no to eat lunch during the idea so much thought lunch period [and] stuand care went into dents being late to class crafting the schedule,” meetings and directed Federman said. “We studies due to the lack hoped to create the l. wood of passing periods, so best possible schedule we did our best to solve for the community, Heather Audesirk as many of those issues and this year we were as we could.” specifically focused on Junior Student Representative deciding whether or not to make on the Scheduling Committee lunch longer by 10 minutes and Hope Hsieh ’23 said she is happy break shorter, so kids can make with the the suggested changes. up tests during lunch. It’s really She said she and a number of stu- interesting how those 10 minutes dents on the committee gave ad- makes such a big impact on the vice to the administration during schedule-making process. We Scheduling Committee meetings. had numerous test schedules cre“The students on the commit- ated, sent lots of surveys sent out tee all had a lot of input on the and it took a lot of discussion to schedule, so hopefully the stu- finalize it with the school.”
A2 News
March 23, 2022
The Chronicle
Masks no longer required
• Continued from A1
In Commons’s follow-up March 16 email, he said in the weeks following the announcemen, COVID-19 cases have risen in the school community. “I want to let you know that our case counts over the last two weeks have ticked up,” Commons wrote. “While we have recorded only a handful of positive cases at the Middle School, at the Upper School, the number is now over 10. While we are not reverting back to an indoor masking requirement, I want to remind everyone that indoor masking is strongly recommended as a way to protect yourself and others in the community.” Bill Coleman ’24 said he is excited about the recent mandate change and believes it will improve social interactions. “I believe removing the mask mandate is a very positive change for the school,” Coleman said. “COVID-19 has lasted over two years now and I think most people are tired of wearing the mask. Personally, I believe removing the mask will help my learning so I will not be wearing it in any of my classes.” History and Interdisciplinary Studies and Independent Research Teacher Dror Yaron said he believes removing the mandate will allow for a better learning environment in class. “Dropping the mask mandate will be a liberating policy, and I feel that as we follow the science, we can adjust accordingly if need be,” Yaron said. “But it is high time to unmask [and] reveal the gleaming smiles and thus engage the whole person in a robust here and now exchange. It will bring more closeness between our student body which will savor the opportunity to reconnect on a more intimate level.”
WILL SHERWOOD/CHRONICLE
ADDRESSING THE CROWD: Current Junior Prefect Yoshimi Kimura ’23 answers a question during her speech in Rugby Auditorium about a time when she did the right thing. Four out of the seven candidates running to become Head Prefect will advance to the second round of elections.
Head Prefect candidates address junior class during preliminary election speeches By Lucas Cohen-d’Arbeloff
Head Prefect candidates spoke to juniors in Rugby Auditorium before the first round of the election March 18. Each candidate delivered a general address to students before giving answers to both a prepared question and an unprepared question. All four current Junior Prefects—Yoshimi Kimura ’23, Simon Lee ’23, Aiko Offner ’23 and Assistant Features Editor Harry Tarses ’23—are running for Head Prefect. In addition, Terence Mathews II ’23, Sophia Rascoff ’23 and Carter Staggs ’23, who are currently not on Prefect Council, are running. Staggs said although he was initially nervous to speak in front of his peers, he ultimately enjoyed participating in the event.
“It was really nerve-wracking before the speech,” Staggs said. “Once I got up there, it got a lot easier to start just saying what I thought. It was actually an enjoyable experience, and I love being able to hear the other candidates’ speeches and the different takes that they had on all the same questions was fun.” Offner said she thought deeply when planning her statements after realizing the significance of serving as Head Prefect and leading the student body. “I almost didn’t realize the difference of responsibility, expectation and presence [compared to] a normal Senior or Junior Prefect,” Offner said. “So I really sat down and thought about why I wanted this and what I could actually bring because I think anyone can run, but then it’s another
thing to think about objectively what you can actually bring [to the position].” The unprepared question candidates answered was, “What is one lie you tell yourself?” Offner said she thought this question was relevant because of the importance of trust among members of Prefect Council. “Being honest with yourself about what your strengths [and] what your weaknesses are is really important to becoming a leader that people can trust,” Offner said. “What’s really important is, within Prefect Council and really within anything, being able to trust the people around you.” Mathews said his friends in the audience did not prevent him from speaking his mind and presenting himself in the way he wanted during his speech.
“I saw my friends in the crowd,” Mathews said. “They were all laughing, making faces and just trying to throw me off. But I just kept speaking from the heart and stuck to my core.” Candidates then answered a prepared question about a time they struggled to do the right thing. Mathews said he chose to say that he has not found it difficult to act responsibly in the past. “I spent so much time once we got the question just racking my brain trying to come up with a way that I could express myself through the answer,” Mathews said. “I think that was just the best way I could. I feel [that] Prefects [should] be pillars of the community. And so if it’s hard for [them] to do the right thing, then what does that say about [the school] in general?”
Admissions director set to leave
By Lily Lee
ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
Head of Admission and Enrollment Aaron Mieszanski will leave the school to join executive search firm Spencer Stuart after the end of the 2021-2022 school year. The school recently began an accelerated search process to fill the Head of Admission and Enrollment role, welcoming current employees to apply. Mieszanski said he has been working in admissions for 14 years, so he decided to try something new and step into the next chapter of his professional life. “I have loved my time at [the school],” Mieszanski said. “It’s been an amazing four years having been here, and I still feel so lucky that I got a chance to be part of this community and to be someone for the last four years who has been responsible for building it. An opportunity presented itself, and it was one for me that seemed really exciting to jump into that still allows me to be connected to an industry and a world that I really love, but do something a little different.” Mieszanski said he will miss the environment of a school and
that it will feel different to work really took a creative outlook.” with only adults all day. Assistant Director of Admis“I’ll miss the people [at the sion Julia Kraft said the admisschool],” Mieszanski said. “That sion team will not be the same [includes] the combination of without Mieszanski, as he has my colleagues in the Admission made an important impact on Office and the kids that we get to the school. work closely with, as well as the “Mieszczanski has been a great other faculty and staff and all of head of the Admission Office for the kids that I get to meet along the last four years, and we will the way to help them learn about miss his leadership, guidance, opportunities [here]. That will creativity and expertise,” Kraft be different for me besaid. “During his time cause ever since I gradhere, he’s streamlined uated from college I’ve our process, brought worked at a school, so us fully online, guided it will be different to us through admissions just be around adults during two years of all the time.” the pandemic and enSenior Student Amsured that we welcome bassador Co-Chair wonderful students and Li Yam Kreiz ’22 families to the school].” l. wood said Mieszanski’s inKraft said the AdJulia novation during the mission Office has Kraft pandemic helped the already begun their student ambassador team with search to find a successor to fill Zoom events and recorded tours Mieszczanski’s role online. of the school. “In terms of finding the next “Over [COVID-19], we had a Head of Admission and Enrolllot of changes that had to be taken ment, the role has been posted,” into consideration, like in-person Kraft said. “We have already betours and different events when gun interviews and hope to find perspective families would come out next Head of Admission and visit,” Kreiz said. “[Mieszanski] Enrollment this spring.”
March 23, 2022
Nithya Raman visits
hwchronicle.com/news
News A3
By Natasha Speiss
Los Angeles (LA) City Council Member Nithya Raman and her staff members toured the school and ate lunch with students and faculty on the Lower Quad on March 14. Director of Community and Public Affairs Stacy Marble organized the event. Eleven students, six faculty members, Raman and three of her staff participated in the lunch. Marble said the relaxed environment at the luncheon made it easier for Raman, her staff and students to form valuable connections with each other. “Raman comes from a very strong academic background, and she got to connect with our students on their goals, ambition and who they are in the community,” Marble said. “Our students are living examples of the purpose beyond ourselves in the [school mission statement], and she got to meet some great students who really embody that.” Marble said the luncheon was an effective way for the school and the LA City Council to meet. “I think any time you can build relationships and work towards a common purpose, that’s going to be beneficial to the community,” Marble said. “I think this was the first of hopefully many meetings [to come] and ways the [LA City Council] can work together with the school [in order to] make a [tangible] difference.” Ariana Azarbal ’22, who toured Raman and her staff around the school, said she enjoyed her personal interaction with Raman and her team. “It was interesting to hear about [the visitors’] jobs, as well as tell them a little bit about the school,” Azarbal said.
ILLUSTRATED BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
Memorial held for late Allan Sasaki in chapel By Lucas Cohen-d’Arbeloff and Chloe Park
Reverend Anne Gardner hosted a memorial service for school archivist Allan Sasaki in St. Saviour’s Chapel on March 16. The event honored Sasaki’s life and career at the school, and several of his former colleagues shared personal stories about him and reflected on his community-wide impact. Gardner opened by recounting Sasaki’s decades-long tenure at the school, which included teaching Spanish, English and Visual Arts before serving as the school’s first archivist. President Rick Commons reflected on Sasaki’s legacy. The Chamber Singers then performed Kieran Chung’s ’23 composition “Midnight Lullaby,” sung to the words of an Emily Dickin-
son poem, as a musical tribute to piece ‘Midnight Lullaby.’ The Sasaki, who was a frequent attend- [solemnty] of the occasion addee of many of the Performing Arts ed brilliance to our performance. Department’s concerts. We will use what we learned from Performing Arts Teacher and today to refine our sound in upChamber Singers Director Za- coming rehearsals. Contributing naida Robles said she to today’s service providappreciates the oped a sense of meaning portunity to present and purpose behind our Chung’s song to the singing [voices].” school community. She Chamber Singer Pressaid the performance ton Yeh ’23 said he was helped the singers unsatisfied with the group’s derstand the deeper performance, and hearsignificance of the piece ing the speakers at the while honoring Sasaki’s memorial provided inL. WOOD lasting memory. sight into an impactful Kieran “We were honored figure at the school. Chung ’23 to have been invited to “There was a strong sing for a service honoring some- sense of community that came one as beloved as [Sasaki],” Robles from the speakers,” Yeh said. said. “It was especially gratifying “They all felt that the memorial of to premiere [Chung’s] stunning their friend should be something
celebrated, and I hope that we helped in that regard by making the memorial a celebration.” Chung said he was honored to have his music included in the commemoration and hopes the performance did Sasaki justice. “It was lovely to see so many people taking time out of their busy schedules to honor the life of a colleague and mentor,” Chung said. “I’m glad people were able to walk out of the Chapel smiling about the music and the performers. From what I heard of [Sasaki], it seems like he would have appreciated [the service].” Gardner said the Chamber Singers’ performance was a pleasant way to close out the ceremony. “Ending [Sasaki’s] service with this soulful collection of voices [was] a fitting end,” Gardner said.
Oishi presents to club By Natalie Cosgrove and Davis Marks
SANDRA KORETZ/CHRONICLE
WOMEN IN FILM: Claremont Graduate University Associate Professor of Cultural Studies Eve Oishi speaks to the EMPOWER Club. She is presenting her research on Winnifred Eaton, also known as Onoto Watanna.
Claremont Graduate University Associate Professor of Cultural Studies Eve Oishi spoke to the EMPOWER Club on March 17. Oishi presented a slideshow on her research about Asian American cultural studies and independent film. Oishi received her PhD from Rutgers University in English Literature. She has published multiple novels about gender studies and Asian American media including “Screen Memories: Fakeness in Asian-American Media Practice” and “Visual Perversions: Race, Sex and Class in the Screenwriting of Winnifred Eaton (1925-1931).” Oishi said her work is inspired by the lack of collection and restoration of lost women’s film compared to men’s film. “[For a] central part of the work we do, we need to look at the larger context to make sense about why all of these films [have gotten] collected, restored and maintained,” Oishi said. “That becomes an important part of the history. For example, when we compare a 21-year-old Asian American woman versus Thomas Edison, it is important to take
this into consideration when we think about film history.” EMPOWER Vice President Claire Paul ’23 said the club was especially excited to host Oishi during Women’s History Month. “I really enjoyed hearing [Oishi] share about her experience archival research relating to feminist history, specifically [that of ] women of color,” Paul said. “I think it was very impactful for the members of EMPOWER to hear from such a remarkable woman, especially during the month of March. I’m looking forward to the other Women’s History Month activities that EMPOWER has planned.” Empower member Illi Kreiz ’24 said Oishi’s presentation left a lasting impact on her and it succeeded in highlighting the history of feminist movements. “I found the event to be very interesting and impactful,” Kreiz said. “It is so important to increase our understanding of feminist history during Women’s History Month, and [Oishi] was an amazing person to learn from. As someone passionate about feminism, I really appreciated the opportunity to meet and hear from [Oishi] about her extensive work [studying women in film] and become inspired.”
A4 News
The Chronicle
Activist speaks with JFA
March 23, 2022
By Ella Yadegar
Jewish Family Alliance (JFA) hosted an interactive discussion with Israeli American activist Judea Pearl and History and Middle East Studies Teacher Dror Yaron in Ahmanson Lecture Hall on March 13. Pearl is a professor of artificial intelligence at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and writes works calling for advanced tolerance among people of all cultures. Pearl and Yaron, who said they have been friends since they were young, began the conversation by discussing the association between Jewish people and the state of Israel. Pearl’s grandparents died in the Holocaust after being forcibly taken by train from their home in Poland to Auschwitz, a Nazi concentration camp. He said his support for a Jewish state stems from the fact that he was born in Israel and raised Jewish. “For me, [believing in] Zionism and Israel [is] just natural, like oxygen,” Pearl said. “I haven’t gotten a chance to compare [the relationship] to anything else.” Yaron and Pearl also discussed the Israel-Palestine conflict, a dispute between two states who both have claims to the same piece of land in the Middle East. • Continued on hwchronicle.com
MILLA BEN-EZRA/CHRONICLE
SELL OUT CROWD: Fiene Oerlemans ’22 and Deven Dees ’22 chant alongside other Fanatics at the boys basketball game against Sierra Canyon School in Taper Gymnasium on Feb. 18. The school limited the number of attendees at the playoff game, where the school fell to the Trailblazers 72-55.
Students resell CIF basketball tickets
By Alex Hahn and Will Sherwood
During the boys basketball team’s run in the 2022 CIF playoffs, students reportedly scalped tickets they bought in bulk and duplicated tickets in order to get friends into games. Lily Weisskopf ’23 said she observed alternative methods students used to enter the basketball games, besides scalping. “There were some people who would screen record [while] using their ticket and send it around to other kids to help get them in,” Weisskopf said. “The lengths people were willing to go to were crazy to see.” Even though Athletic Director Matt LaCour instructed students
not to do so in an email March 3, some students continued to purchase tickets in excess, planning to sell them for profit once they sold out, Weisskopf said. For the CIF Southern Section Open Division semifinal game at Sierra Canyon School, adult tickets priced at $9 and student tickets priced at $5 sold for as high as $70 from second-hand sources after the original tickets sold out in less than an hour. As the playoffs tournament progressed, the Athletic Department attempted to limit student tickets to one purchase per student account by monitoring the purchase history on the website. Athletic Director Jason Kelly said the Athletic Department holds the student body to high
Chaplain publishes debut book
By Vasilia Yordanova
Reverend Anne Gardner published her debut book, “And So I Walked,” on March 1. In her book, Gardner recounts her 500mile journey across the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain and discusses the value of friendship, family and faith. Gardner said she wrote the book as motivation to others and to further illuminate her appreciation for friends and family. “The book is part travelogue, part memoir,” Gardner said. “I hope it acts as an inspiration to those who might not think they
are capable of such a feat [or] who wonder what walking hundreds of miles might be like. But I also wrote it partly as a love letter to my parents and to those who did the pilgrimage alongside me. Their continued influence on my life is immeasurable.” Gardner said she has always been interested in writing but struggled to find a topic at first. “For many years, I wanted to write a book, nearly all my life,” Gardner said. “Raised by a mother who was a voracious reader, libraries were like cathedrals to me, and books my most precious possessions. But somehow, I nev-
er stumbled on to an idea that seemed worthy of such a goal until I began to walk the Camino.” Gardner said she faced a variety of challenges throughout the writing and editing process. “Like many other art forms, you need to develop somewhat of a tough skin to get the result to really shine,” Gardner said. “Getting published through traditional channels is very challenging. Being tenacious is essential to all but the very, very lucky.” Upper School Performing Arts Teacher Mark Hilt said he enjoyed reading Gardner’s book and speaking to her about it.
standards, which he said were violated by the ticket scalping. “It is [the Athletic Department’s] hope that members of our community will act honestly and with personal integrity when purchasing tickets for popular events,” Kelly said. “Scalping of tickets to school events would not meet the school’s mission or Honor Board principles. Incidents of such behavior can be reported discreetly to any member of the school or athletic administration and would be investigated accordingly.” Oscar*, who said he first started reselling tickets as early as February, said he believes much of the public disapproval towards ticket scalping can be attributed to misconceptions about the law-
“
fulness of the practice. “A lot of people think that it’s unfair for somebody to buy multiple tickets, which I understand,” Oscar said. “This is why if somebody at school didn’t have a ticket that wanted to go [to a game], I would give them the ticket for free, and once I was sure nobody else needed a ticket, then I would advertise it.” Oscar said because of the school’s disapproval of students engaging in ticket scalping, he is not sure whether or not he will continue to resell tickets at basketball games in the future. “I don’t know if I’ll [resell tickets] in the future, as there is just too much controversy around it,” Oscar said. *Name has been changed
Raised by a mother who was a voracious reader, libraries were like cathedrals to me, and books my most precious possessions.”
“Learning about the traditional pilgrim’s walk in northern Spain in so much personal detail was fascinating,” Hilt said. “I do not think I could do it. [Gardner’s] tone in the book is striking. The complete honesty which is required in writing a memoir, if it is to be any good, is scary to me. The fact that she goes there consistently, with integrity, through-
— Chaplain Anne Gardner
l. wood
out the book is inspiring.” Emily Silkina ’23 said learning of Gardner’s memoir encouraged her own writing aspirations. “I have a passion for creative writing although I am not planning to be an English major,” Silkina said. “In the future, I hope to write my own book, so hearing about [Gardner’s] book is an inspiration to me.”
Bake sale raises funds for Ukrainians
By Iona Lee
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JORDAN CHURCH
COOKIES FOR A CAUSE: Community Council members pose for a photo by their booth, where they raised over $1000 for Ukrainian refugees.
Community Council sold Zooies cookies on the Quad to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees March 11. Proceeds were donated to Lifting Hands International (LHI), a nonprofit organization that provides war relief by partnering with local organizations and building infrastructure. Since Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, LHI donated over $275,000 in relief for Ukrainian refugees. Dillon Ring ’24, who bought a cookie from the booth, said he was enthusiastic to support Ukraine through a school event. “I believe that what’s happening in Ukraine is atrocious and awful,” Ring said. “If I have the opportunity to support Ukraine [by] buying a cookie, I would like to [do] that.”
Community Council Member Andrew Choe ’22 said the event was organized to emphasize the importance of helping refugees. “Our goal was to host an event in which the school community could provide tangible support to the relief effort,” Choe said. “Community Council decided that raising funds for organizations that support Ukrainian refugees was an effective way to [do that].” Additionally, Choe said the event helped familiarize the student body with the conflict. “Community Council felt it was important to hold an event in support of Ukraine to raise awareness on campus and show that the school community was committed to supporting the humanitarian relief effort,” Choe said. “Although many classes had discussed the current events
in Ukraine, we noticed that the school hadn’t taken much community-wide action in relation to the crisis.” Emily Silkina ’23 said although she recognized the fundraiser as a way of educating the student body on the war, she also appreciated that the fundraiser was treated as a way of supporting Ukrainians rather than a statement on the greater conflict. “I think that [the fundraiser] is great because regardless of political standpoints, money needs to be raised for Ukrainian refugees since they are people just like us,” Silkina said. “We should support them in any way we can. Just like Russian citizens aren’t at fault for the war, Ukrainian citizens should not be victimized for it. I agree with raising money for purely the refugees but nothing more political than that.”
March 23, 2022
Venture organizes blockchain event
hwchronicle.com/news
News A5
By Averie Perrin
trust is a huge step for mankind,” Kazemian said. “Stores of around Web3 Social Founder Andrew [$500-600 billion] of value all Lee ’09 and Frax Finance Found- around the world are made up er Sam Kazemian joined the HW of people that don’t know each Venture and Blockchain Club other, don’t trust each other to discuss the decentralization [and] have no idea who each of cryptocurrency and Web3 other are, which is a very new during Community Flex Time thing for society.” World Languages Teacher on March 16. Web3 Social is a social finance Amandine Nelaton said she atplatform where people buy cryp- tended the event to become more tocurrency to gain access to differ- informed about changing online markets and technology. ent communities and forums. “I went to the event to eduLee said he believes that Web3, an umbrella term encom- cate myself because it’s a wild new passing the evolution of the in- world that differs radically from ternet and digital infrastructure the one of 10 years ago, and I feel the need to have a to becoming financially basic understanding of decentralized, is a prohow economy, business, gressive step toward finance and tech are combining online media evolving,” Nelaton said. and finance platforms. “I have been navigating “When people have the blockchain [and] an investment in a comcrypto space for some munity, they are more time, and I find it diflikely to add value and ficult to get some inforyou get a better-filtered L. Wood mation and get the ancommunity of people Amandine swers to my questions.” who want to be there, Nelaton Blockchain Club rather than Web2 platforms like Reddit and subreddit member Nalaah Cohen ’23 said [forums], which are completely she appreciated the opportunity unfiltered communities,” Lee said. to hear from an alumnus with a “Web3 allows for communities of similar educational background like-minded people to congregate. to her own. “I liked that one of the speakWeb3 is moving [us] from a sociers was an [alumnus] because it ety of ‘me’ to a society of ‘we.’” Kazemian said both Web1, shows what students will be like in the first iteration of the web years to come, especially ones inand social networking sites, and volved in crypto and finance,” CoWeb2, the current version of the hen said. “It’s interesting because I internet with social media and fi- can see myself in their shoes when nancial applications, require trust they talked about classes they had between people, while Web3 taken and it’s a similar pattern to the one I am on in becoming indoes not. “Decentralized crypto without volved in the crypto world.”
GEORGIA GOLDBERG/CHRONICLE
FUN IN MUN: Model United Nations (MUN) students pose in their formal attire while in a break at their conference at Marymount High School. Several delegates from the school secured awards at the end of the conference.
MUN team wins at Marymount By Jackson Mayer
Members of the Model United Nations (MUN) team competed in a tournament hosted by Marymount High School on March 14. Competitors took on the roles of United Nations delegates, representing various countries and resolving diplomatic issues. Leo Craig ’24 and Alex Lee ’24 won Best Delegate awards, Zoe Kramar ’24 won an Outstanding Delegate award and Assistant Arts and Entertainment Editor Georgia Goldberg ’23, Lila Daoudi ’24 and Jake Lancer ’24 earned Verbal Commendations. Craig said the small size of the Marymount tournament made
interacting with other delegates easier, which helped him win his first award in MUN. “The conference had small committee sizes, with only 22 delegates in my committee, making it much easier to communicate with other delegates and speak about my country’s positions on the topic,” Craig said. “I was very excited and glad to win a Best Delegate award in my committee. It was the first award I’ve won in my MUN career, and I tried to speak as much as possible in my committee.” Vourakis said she enjoyed the camaraderie within the committees, as she was able to communicate easier with fellow delegates and become personally acquaint-
ed with them. “I got to know some people who live in the LA area, and I liked how the committees were a little smaller,” Vourakis said. “This allowed me to be able to converse with all of the delegates and really understand their policies.” Vourakis said she appreciated representing Canada because of the nation’s stance on women’s healthcare rights. “Although the system isn’t perfect, Canada does have a history of championing women’s rights to equality in healthcare,” Vourakis said. “I was able to focus some of my research on the accessibility of healthcare for women in indigenous groups in Canada.”
Prefect Council holds student scavenger hunt
By Chloe Park
KRISTE AN/CHRONICLE
SHOWING OFF: Kensuke Shimojo ’23 displays a handmade plane to fellow members of the Science Olympiad team. The team recently qualified for the Southern California State Tournament following success at regionals.
Science Olympiad advances to States
By Kriste An
The Science Olympiad team qualified for the Southern California State Tournament on April 2. The Science Olympiad is an international competition dedicated to improving the quality of science education by introducing students to a wide variety of fields including astronomy, chemistry, physiology, machine learning and physics. The Science Olympiad is divided into several chapters around the nation, each of which hosts its own regional competitions before finalists are chosen to advance to the state level. The team participated in the regional competition Feb. 26, competing in 26 different events.
Kensuke Shimojo ’23 and Olivia Wang ’23 placed first in Bridge, Solomon Baik ’22 and Kevin Kwak ’22 played first in Run It Code It, Kwak and Shimojo placed second in Machine Learning and Grace Ma ’22 and Helena Wu ’23 placed third in Botany. Other students, including Justin Bu ’23, Weston Fox ’24, Luke Collins ’24, Elliot Lichtman ’23, Luke Madden ’24, Cherry Li ’22 and Josephine Tsai ’22 also received awards. Wang said the team’s qualification to the state tournament is a culmination of their hard work. “I was elated to find out that our team had qualified to States, especially because I witnessed the hard work our team mem-
bers had put in, preparing for the competition,” Wang said. “Normally, it takes a while for teams to settle in, develop and, even more, qualify to States, so I was really glad to have managed this in our second year as a team. It has been exciting bonding with members of the team and seeing them grow as they study and conduct research in their designated events.” Ma said she enjoyed being able to compete in-person the regional competition. “I had a blast at Regionals,” Ma said. “Being in-person simply was great. I got to spend more time with my team and socialize with underclassmen, whereas last year, I barely got to know them.”
spring break. “We really just wanted a fun Prefect Council organized activity to do on campus before a St. Patrick’s Day scavenger we went on break,” Kimura said. hunt including prizes and candy “Since it’s a fun holiday, we figured March 17. Prefects hid five pots it would boost morale to put out of gold around campus: Each pot a scavenger hunt for the students was filled with candy, and one where they could get some free pot contained an Amazon gift candy and a gift card. Little events card. Students were told to no- like these are what we feel can tify prefects upon finding a pot make people’s weeks a little better, of gold so that Prefect Council so any excuse to host activities on could track the progression of the campus is always welcome.” However, bescavenger hunt. cause St. PatSophomore rick’s Day ocPrefect Dillon The timing [was] curred shortly Ring ’24 said the scavenger hunt’s kind of difficult because before the end of the third purpose was to everyone has so many quarter, Savangive opportunitests and [was] focused nah Mashian ties for students on studying rather than ‘24 said some to enjoy themstudents were selves, and Prea scavenger hunt. ” anxious about fect Council is —Savannah Mashian ’24 their schoolexcited to plan work and were similar events in unable to enthe future. “We put candy in five pots joy the festivities. Mashian said around campus and an Amazon most students couldn’t particgift card in one random pot,” ipate in the scavenger hunt beRing said. “By the end of the day, cause of the assessments they three were found. The St. Pat- had to prepare for. “To be completely honest, I rick’s Day scavenger hunt was a fun community activity, and we think that the timing [was] just can’t wait to plan future events kind of difficult because everyone has so many tests and [was] fojust like it soon.” Junior Prefect Yoshi Kimura cused on studying rather than a ’23 said Prefect Council planned scavenger hunt, but it [seemed] the festivities to bring joy to like a fun idea otherwise,” students’ last few weeks before Mashian said.
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A6 News
The Chronicle
March 23, 2022
School departments host the annual Academic Fair to advertise both new and returning classes to students. Check out a few new classes below!
American Playwrights
Arts, Democracy and the Holocaust
Black Diasporas
By Lucas Cohen-d’Arbeloff
By Davis Marks
By Grace Coleman
Upper School Dean Adam Howard will teach the new directed study, “American Playwrights—The Great Work Begins,” next year, in which students will learn about a variety of works in contemporary theater. The course discusses playwrights such as Ayad Akhtar, Annie Baker, Dominique Morisseau and Quiara Alegria Hudes, and students will also explore their personal creative voices in the class, according to the 2022-2023 Curriculum Guide. Howard said as a playwright himself, he hopes to spotlight and bring awareness to artists from marginalized communities.
Performing Arts Teacher Bev Meyer will offer a new course titled “Arts, Democracy, and the Holocaust.” The semester-long course will be available to all upper school students and will explore democracy’s link to a society where artists are given freedom of expression. The class will examine the actions of the Nazi regime and the ensuing resistance artwork in the Terezin concentration camp. Meyer said she wanted to offer this course because it intersects democracy and artwork, two topics about which she said are important for students to know.
History and Interdisciplinary Studies Teacher Erik Wade will teach a new class titled “Black Diasporas: Hip Hop and Modern America” next year. The class explores how Black people in the United States and the Caribbean helped cultivate hip-hop while shaping urban spaces, politics and economies. The course intends to study Black American resilience to systemic racism and cultural appropriation to establish stable roots in America, according to Wade. Wade said the full-year course will provide insight into areas of history that are not covered.
ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER, SOPHIA EVANS AND ALEXA DRUYANOFF
Sophomores and juniors peruse course offerings at Academic Fair
By Ella Yadegar
The annual Academic Fair took place on the Quad during Community Flex Time on March 8. Sophomores and juniors visited a variety of booths correlated to various courses and electives where they discussed course information with teachers and seniors who enrolled in the class. Lily Stambouli ’24 said the information she recieved at the Academic Fair was beneficial to her course selection process because she was able to hear different students’ perspectives on varying course workload. “I found it really helpful to speak to people who knew what the classes consisted of and could provide useful information,”
Stambouli said. “Unconventional Leadership seemed really fun because the seniors and juniors who were working the booth seemed really excited about the class. I also really enjoyed speaking to the English teachers and seeing the books that I would get to read for the [Advanced Placement (AP)] Literature classes.” Idalis McZeal ’23 said she considered the rigor and content of each class as she spoke with their teachers. “Something that I learned last year is that you can’t [take all] hard classes because then you’re not going to like [your schedule] at all,” McZeal said. “The [Academic Fair] helped me narrow down my idea of my schedule for next year.”
At her event booth, Science Teacher Chelsea Stewart discussed her Human Anatomy and Physiology class. Stewart said the course offers laboratory experiments that students will find both useful and engaging. “We do a rabbit dissection,” Stewart said. “Since we’re looking at the anatomy, what better way to learn about it than to actually see it? It is pretty cool to skin the rabbit of its fur and then dive deeper inside.” Annabelle Mass ’24 said she is interested in enrolling in Stewart’s class because she wants to study biology or a similar science in college. “I’ve always had a strong interest in how the human body functions,” Mass said.
WILL SHERWOOD/CHRONICLE
CLASS ADVERTISING: Jack Hartmeier ’22 converses with a student, explaining the elements of the post-AP Chinese course at the Academic Fair.
March 23, 2022
hwchronicle.com/news
News A7
Nonprofit founder lectures By Iona Lee
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF EVE LEVY
LEARNING FROM THE BEST: Professional animators Edwin Chang ’01 and Wendy Chen ’13 deliver a virtual presentation to Animators’ Club members Caroline Reimer ’24, Isaac Tiu ’24 and more, during which the two explained their daily work lives in addition to their animation process.
Pixar Studios animators, alumni speak on careers on Zoom at Animators’ Club meeting By Davis Marks
Animators’ Club hosted professional animators and alumni Edwin Chang ’01 and Wendy Chen ’13 during lunch on March 10. Chang and Chen currently work at Pixar Animation Studios in the capacities of Simulation Technical Director and a software engineer, respectively. Animators’ Club Co-Leader Eve Levy ’22 said the club held the event to draw attention to careers in animation and to give interested students the opportunity to speak with professionals. “High school students ar-
en’t often exposed to animation as a career path even though it’s a growing industry and the intersection point of different popular interests,” Levy said. “Giving students the opportunity to speak directly with professional animators is important for students who like animating but is also fun for anyone who’s watched Pixar movies.” During the event, Chang and Chen spoke about their backgrounds and specific roles in the Pixar animation process, as well as their day-to-day work experiences. Chang and Chen took questions from student attend-
ees concerning top college animation programs in addition to topics regarding both 2D and 3D animation. Animators’ Club member Caroline Reimer ’24 said she attended the event because she is interested in pursuing a career concerning animation. “I decided to attend partly because I’m in the Animators Club, [but also] because I wanted to hear what the artists had to say,” Reimer said. “I’ve considered doing animation when I’m older, so it was interesting to hear how many sections and subsections there were in the actual [anima-
tion] process, [and] it’s making me think everything through a bit more.” Isaac Tiu ’24 said although he is not a member of the Animators’ Club, he found speaking with Chang and Chen interesting, and he said that the event showed him that artistic passions have the potential to evolve into a lifelong career. “The event was a great opportunity to learn from the experiences of animators actually working in the industry and get a grasp [of] how a high school experience can evolve into a flourishing career,” Tiu said.
HW Venture invited Alexandria House Founder Sister Judy Vaughan to speak about homelessness March 9. Vaughan said the Alexandria House impacts the LA community and encourages students to become involved in social justice causes they are passionate about. The Alexandria House, founded in 1996, is a nonprofit charity that serves as a transitional residence. Traditional residences provide temporary housing for those currently xperiencing homelessness, specifically women and children. In addition to housing, the Alexandria House provides its residents with shelter, meals and access to therapy. Vaughan said it is necessary to advocate for the issues that personally matter to a person. “A mentor of mine said that there are so many issues you can be involved in, and they all need support,” Vaughan said. “The mentor said that you need to work on issues that stick like a washcloth in your throat. You have to find an issue that connects with your life and your experiences which will really draw you to do things.” •Continued on hw.chronicle.com
Tap Out tournament concludes By Alex Hahn
After one month of competition, the schoolwide Tap Out game concluded March 18 with Jason Salmeron ’22 as its winner. Salmeron said his victory surprised him, but he credits his success to the strategies he utilized. “To be honest, it feels funny that I actually ended up winning because I was really exposed and walking around freely most of the time,” Salmeron said. “But I would say my most-used plan was just having awareness, walking briskly and scanning around me. I looked behind my shoulders and was aware of any person who had their phones out.” Senior Prefect Jason Thompson ’23 said Prefect Council
was eager to organize Tap Out because they sought to improve school spirit and unity within the student body. “[Tap Out] is an annual event that helps bring the student body together and gets everyone really excited and nervous, so bringing it back to a campus where many students hadn’t played because of [the] COVID-19 [pandemic] was a daunting yet exciting opportunity,” Thompson said. Participant Arize Nwike ’23 said he enjoyed competing in the game because it varied his daily school life. “I liked having to search around for my targets, especially when they were people I rarely interacted with, as I had to really work hard to find them on
campus,” Nwike said. “My favorite part about Tap Out was how it spiced up the monotony of my schedule, as sometimes [the school day] can sometimes become rinse-and-repeat, and the days can pass by me.” Thompson said he wishes the student body stayed engaged with the game longer but that Prefect Council has learned from this year’s competition. “I feel that we could’ve tried to keep the hype going for a little longer to get deeper into the game before slowing down,” Thompson said. “But with a group [that] has mostly never played Tap Out before, I feel that next time everyone, Prefect Council included, will definitely have a better idea of what to expect.”
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF AIDEN SCHILLER
A DISAGREEABLE DEPARTURE: Izzie Ahn ’22 swivels around in surprise after being “tapped out” by Aiden Schiller ’22 on the Quad.
Robotics team succeeds at state, qualifies for world championship By Claire Conner
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ANDREW THEISS
TEAM TRIUMPH: The Robotics Team poses after their tournament victory that qualified them for the VEX Robotics World Championship.
Team 62A, one of the school’s robotics teams, won the 2022 Southern California VRC High School State Championship and qualified for the 2022 Vex Robotics World Championship on March 5. Team members Dru Reed ’24, Kaito De Anda ’24 and Ben Ren ’24 won both of their finals matches and earned the Amaze Award, which recognizes a team with an “amazing, well-rounded and top-performing robot,” according to the official VEX robotics website. Both of these victories doublequalified the team for the world championship. Robotics Coach
Andrew Theiss said he is proud of the teams’ successes, which boosted 62A’s morale in preparing for the global competition, which will be held in Dallas on May 5-7. “The LA state championship is well-known to be the most competitive and difficult to qualify at,” Theiss said. “Double-qualification only provides one spot, but knowing [the team’s] robot qualified multiple ways bodes well for the world stage.” Theiss said VEX Robotics tournaments are divided into two sections: qualification rounds and alliance rounds. Teams are matched randomly and compete for placement at the top of the tournament ranking during qual-
ification rounds. These rounds are followed by alliance matches in which the top teams select other teams to partner with for the tournament’s final rounds. Theiss said the school’s team initially performed below expectations in the qualification rounds and ranked in the bottom half of the tournament despite their success throughout the season. “There was a tremendous amount of help from the people that we have invited over here for scrimmages and the relationships that we have had with previous teams, which got us the alliance selection by the fifth-ranked team that we were able to win with,” Theiss said.
A8 News
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Science Teacher Nate Cardin makes the fifth edition of the Chrons-Word crossword puzzle for this issue. Make sure you find the references to your teachers!
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15. “___ Well That Ends Well” 16. Give temporarily 17. Tree-lined street for a class co-taught by a Spanish teacher and History teacher 20. Greek god of war 21. Musical speed 25. Religious outdoor area for a class co-taught by a Prefect Council advisor? 29. Courses for college credit
32. Mermaid’s home 33. Distress signal 34. Sturdy religious text for a class co-taught by a Computer Science teacher and Athletics director? 39. Decline to participate 40. State with conviction 43. Lengthy javelins for a class cotaught by an English teacher and Performing Arts teacher?
48. Thing sometimes stolen in softball 51. Historical periods 52. Four plus two 53. Inquires 54. Burrowing rodent (or secret agent) 55. “___ about time!” 56. Not that 57. Be indebted 58. Needle and thread
41. Desert haven 42. Compose prose 44. Pixar clownfish 45. Get bigger 46. Black Friday event 47. Austin music festival, initially 48. Flying mammal 49. Pokemon protagonist Ketchum 50. Hit the slopes
Opinion The Chronicle • March 23, 2022
Studio City • Vol. 31 • Issue 7 • March 23, 2022 • hwchronicle.com
Editors-in-Chief: Tessa Augsberger, Milla Ben-Ezra Print Managing Editors: Julian Andreone, Caitlin Muñoz, Will Sheehy
editorial
Presentation Managing Editors: Kate Burry, Ava Fattahi, Mimi Landes, Melody Tang Digital Managing Editors: Amelia Scharff, Katharine Steers Executive Editors: Quincey Dern, Sydney Fener, Sophia Musante News Editors: Sandra Koretz, Josh Silbermann Assistant News Editors: Lucas Cohen-d'Arbeloff, Natalie Cosgrove, Alex Hahn, Will Sherwood, Natasha Speiss Opinion Editors: Caroline Jacoby, Sarah Mittleman Assistant Opinion Editors: Claire Conner, Daphne Davies, James Hess Features Editors: Mia Feizbakhsh, Alec Rosenthal Assistant Features Editors: Fallon Dern, Allegra Drago, Lily Lee, Harry Tarses, Emmy Zhang A&E Editor: Keira Jameson Assistant A&E Editors: Becca Berlin, Georgia Goldberg, Jina Jeon, Vasilia Yordanova Sports Editors: Justin Goldstein, Maxine Zuriff Assistant Sports Editors: Danny Johnson, Paul Kurgan, Andrew Park, Leo Saperstein, Charlie Seymour Multimedia Editors: Julian Andreone, Ava Fattahi Photography Editor: Sandra Koretz Broadcast Producers: Chad Bacon, Zach Berg, Jack Coleman, William Moon, Mikey Schwartz Business Managers: Kate Burry, Justin Goldstein Assistant Broadcast Editors: Andre Birotte, Hunter Bridgett, Bill Coleman, Aaron Milburn, Jack Limor, Rayaan Rao, Audrey Yang Engagement Editors: Liam Razmjoo, Ryan Razmjoo Art Director: Alexa Druyanoff Freelance Writer: Davis Marks Freelance Artist: Sophia Evans Layout Assistants and Staff Writers: Kriste An, Jaden Bobb, Grace Coleman, Dylan Graff, Abigail Hailu, Iona Lee, Nathalie Leung, Jackson Mayer, Christopher Mo, Chloe Park, Grant Park, Averie Perrin, Tate Sheehy, Jackson Tanner, Ella Yadegar Advisors: Jim Burns, Max Tash Layout Assistant: Alexis Arinsburg Publication Information: Founded in 1990, The Chronicle is the Harvard-Westlake Upper School’s student-led newspaper. Now in its 31st year, The Chronicle strives to report stories accurately and to uphold its legacy of journalistic integrity. The newspaper is published eight times per year and distributed to students, parents, faculty and staff. The paper is affiliated with two school magazines, Big Red and Panorama. We are members of the California Newspaper Publishers Association and the Private School Journalism Association.
JAMES HESS/CHRONICLE
Reframing Ukrainian News
Six thousand miles away, we watched the first few days of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on our TV screens. We saw powerful images of and read worrisome articles about Ukrainian families fleeing their destroyed homes, soldiers risking their lives in service of their country and citizens standing in solidarity with each other in the face of horrific casualties. Over the last few weeks, these stories have helped us understand both the consequences of war and their emergent heroes, shaping our perception of the two countries and the conflict itself. In Russia, the narrative is quite different. Putin and Russia’s state-controlled media called the war in Ukraine an attempt to “de-Nazify” the country and claimed Ukraine has no distinct culture or national identity to justify its sovereignty. While this propaganda was predominantly picked up by the far-right media sources in Western nations, it is not the only example of misleading information generated as a result of the Russian invasion. According to Cybara, a misinformation monitoring platform, over 115,000 Twitter and Facebook accounts have allegedly spread Russian propaganda, and negative content towards Ukraine increased by over 11,000% on Twitter on Feb. 14. Moreover, some Russian sources are not only attempting to spread misinformation but also to limit the spread of information by banning Facebook and restricting access to other social media platforms. Times of war and chaos make online platforms and our fast-paced media environment more prone to error; with missiles in the air and a sense of international unity against the Kremlin, even seemingly credible sources latch on to stories that are inspiring but factually inaccurate. Misinformation exists on both sides of the conflict. As the
Russian government tightens its grip on social media, some Ukrainian outlets have also spread misleading posts. A verified Ukrainian military Facebook page posted what it claimed to be a video of Ukrainian forces in action but was actually from a conflict in Syria in 2020, according to NBC. Another video, which obtained almost 20 million views on TikTok, showed a soldier parachuting out of an airplane—in a training exercise in April 2016. These examples of misinformation distort the reality of war and its severe consequences. They are also not a geographically isolated problem—the reach of social media is wide enough that Western nations also have access to news spread by unreliable sources, forcing facts even farther out of reach. Almost every national newspaper covers major global events, so it is our responsibility to train ourselves to obtain accurate reporting from trustworthy sources. At a time when information is sparse and the truth is hard to uncover, local reporting becomes more important than ever. It condenses and clarifies complex global events by focusing on factual reporting that bridges partisan divides. Unlike national and international sources, it is not beholden to shifting global perspectives, instead focusing on verifiable facts and impacts on the community. At The Chronicle, we strive to maintain accuracy and uplift the voices of our diverse student body. We remain committed to reporting on pertinent issues that affect our world and local environment. Whether it is an analysis of the Ukraine crisis' roots in a pre-war opinion column, a feature piece on students' and teachers' reactions to the outbreak of war or a Ukrainian American editor's reflection on her identity, we continue to work towards reporting that delivers useful information and serves as a platform for community voices.
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A10 Opinion
March 23, 2022
The Chronicle
My Russian Guest Editorial: School sustainability A thanks to the school identity in a By Science Teacher Ryan Ellingson pickling club time of crisis L By Sandra Koretz
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ussian melodies and whispers escaped through the open doors as the smell of my grandma's authentic Russian cooking seeped out of the house. Rich bowls of borscht and blinchiki welcomed me as I walked into the house. Although my parents grew up in modern-day Ukraine, they lived under the Soviet Union and therefore considered themselves and our family Russian, as did most of their friends and neighbors. But as the Russian invasion has escalated, I've come to reject my Russian identity. I've decided to embrace my Ukrainian heritage because that is my family's true origin.
I've decided to embrace my Ukrainian heritage. My mom grew up in the small beach town of Odessa, Ukraine. For the first 11 years of her life, she hid her Jewish identity in fear of religious persecution, and in 1988, she immigrated to the U.S. as a religious refugee. My father lived in Lviv, Ukraine before immigrating to the U.S to pursue a career as a doctor—a career that had been far more difficult to obtain as a Jew living in the Soviet Union. One night, I came home to my parents huddled around our kitchen table, where they stayed for hours, watching live footage of Russian convoys invading their hometowns, displacing and killing Ukrainians. They looked on as their hometowns were taken over by Russian forces. Most of the world has supported Ukraine throughout Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked attack on the nation. Neighboring countries have accepted over two million refugees, with other nations imposing sanctions against Russia and sending military equipment to Ukraine. Locally, I've seen neighbors come together and crowds gather on the corner of Ventura Boulevard and Laurel Canyon to protest Russia's actions. On a personal level, I also find myself embracing my Ukrainian roots as the conflict rages on. I have watched with pride as my Ukrainian-American community has rallied around Ukraine, organizing supply drives and fundraisers to help families. I have watched my dad translate Ukrainian medical records for young children who were evacuated from Ukraine to St. Judes Children’s Hospital. And while I watch Russia bombing children's hospitals and blocking aid sent to starving families, I find more reasons to fully denounce my Russian identity. Three weeks ago, I would not have thought twice about calling myself Russian. But in the wake of this tragic invasion, I have given greater thought to my identity. Just like the people who fight tirelessly against the war from Russia, I will now proudly call myself Ukrainian. ILLUSTRATION BY CAROLINE JACOBY
ast September, members of the school community were asked to fill out a Visions Survey, reflecting on what we might continue, change and create as our leaders reimagine our school’s Visions. I was eager to respond, enthusiastic about the possibility of bringing environmental stewardship and sustainability efforts to the forefront of our priorities. But when the administration shared the survey results in early February, I was disappointed that climate and sustainability were not prioritized. If that is an accurate reflection of our values as a community, we need to strive harder to fulfill our stated mission. Joy, educational excellence and purpose beyond ourselves are meaningless without a safe and healthy future for the planet. Climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss are human-made problems whose consequences are already being felt today. I understand these issues can be easy to ignore. The wealth and privilege enjoyed by most in the school community allow us to experience little more than the discomfort of increasingly hot
summers. For hundreds of millions of people around the world, however, the situation is already costing lives and creating climate refugees. Sadly, the scientific consensus is that we’re on a trajectory for things to get much worse. It’s easy to sit back and say we are not doing enough, but we should ask ourselves how we can do better. On Feb. 8, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) passed a resolution on climate literacy to address climate change and environmental injustice, setting concrete goals to implement relevant discussions across all subjects. With the incredible resources and teachers at our school, we could enact a similar program. We are all tired this year, but being exhausted today cannot be used as an excuse to avoid teaching our students about the urgency of the current enviornmental situation and the steps that must be taken to avoid some of the most serious consequences we face. Obviously, no one school can fix the global environmental crisis, though I believe we
can be leaders in modeling what responsible schools should look like. A school is nothing if not an investment, and serious consideration of the future must include environmental protection and sustainability on campus. We have already become more diverse and inclusive, and I am proud to be part of a community that continues to support that important work. Because environmental injustice disproportionately impacts communities of color, environmental stewardship must be part of the diversity, equity and inclusion work we are committed to. The sustainable design of River Park is also a great step toward demonstrating our commitment, and now is the time to bring that mindset to our already existing campuses. Conserving water, transitioning to renewable energy and reducing plastic and other waste are achievable goals. Students deserve to see that their school recognizes the urgency of the environmental crises, is striving to model solutions within our community and is preparing them for the challenges that lie ahead.
By James Hess
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f you ever make a habit of wandering through the highest parts of the upper school campus, first around the library and then up the stairs to Feldman-Horn, you may encounter a peculiar sight. Peer into a window of Feldman-Horn 106 on late start days, and you will find dozens of students eagerly crowded around two painting tables. Various pickle and pickle-based products sit atop the table, along with other store-bought snacks—everything from store-bought potato chips to homemade fermented recipes and refrigerated samples. Pickling and Fermentation Club members spend their late start lunch periods sampling, preparing and discussing the merits of pickled foods, and they do so unlike any other club on campus. The club's Instagram posts creatively advertise its meetings, asking trivia questions like “When does a grape become a pickle?” to their followers. Emails promise that meetings will “appease the essiggurken und nicht-essiggurken in our ranks” and that they offer a “delectable selection of pickle and non-pickle snacks, whatever supports your path to enlightenment.” Such a niche subject seems unlikely to attract more than a few devoted followers, and yet the club’s popularity rivals even the most well-known clubs at the Upper School—scheduled meetings consistently have loyal participants, and the club's email list cotains hundreds of student names from all grades.
The Picklers can teach us an important lesson.
ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER
Earmarking and Greene, Claire-ified By Claire Conner
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resident Joe Biden signed a $1.5 trillion spending bill March 15, enacting legislation that is historic on multiple fronts: It provides the largest increase in funding for high-poverty schools in a decade, renews the Violence Against Women Act and sends a hefty $13.6 billion aid package to Ukraine. But nestled between the provisions of this massive 2,741-page bill lies an equally crucial change. The bill officially brings back congressionally directed spending, commonly known as earmarks, and consequently reinstitutes a practice that is instrumental in facilitating cooperation and combatting right-wing extremism. Earmarks add federal spending in a certain state or district to legislation as a consolation prize for lawmakers who might not otherwise vote for important bills. Even if they were on the losing side of an ideological debate, legislators could deliver key funding to their constituents for a new highway or hospital. Congressionally directed spending alleviates the impacts of partisan divides on major policies like appropriations, and it is a
useful tool for party leaders to rein in outliers when they need solid numbers. When Congress banned earmarks in 2010, it threw this tool out the window. Democrats like Sen. Joe Manchin lost any incentive they once had to stick with the party on issues like healthcare, and the rapid rise of political loudmouths like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rep. Madison Cawthorn kicked off.
Earmarks alleviate the impacts of partisan divides. Greene’s workdays at Capitol Hill are simple: She arrives, she tweets, she heckles, she propagates Neo-Nazi and Kremlin disinformation and then, she leaves, ready to tweet some more and rest up for the next day of yelling and baseless dissent ahead. The core function of Congress is to manage and spend taxpayer dollars. Elected officials are supposed to work on substantive legislation that improves citizens’ lives and contributes to national success and security. But when the losing party has nothing to
take home and the winning party falls short of its goals because it lacks numbers and cohesion, the only way for politicians to consistently maintain support from constituents is to prove their ideological purity. When earmarking was banned and removed from the national budget, Greene and other lawmakers on the edges of the political spectrum could foment discord and make our nation’s most powerful legislative body the laughing stock of the world. Now that funds in the new appropriations bill have been allocated for congressionally directed spending, lawmakers can only do this at the cost of forfeiting rewards for their work and congressional cooperation. If they refuse to contribute to significant policies and spend their time complaining about “Jewish space lasers” and “Nancy Pelosi’s gazpacho police,” they will miss out on legislative perks for their districts, and their more sensible opponents will get a major leg-up on the campaign trail. • Continued on hwchronicle.com
In a community made up of students who participate in activities that are often competitive in nature, the Picklers' self-referential humor and innate sense of absurdity refresh students burdened by the daily tedium of classes. The club is made more exceptional by the observation that meetings contain no hidden agendas or leadership hierarchies—it is clear that members join purely to share their common interests and for the sake of enjoyment itself. The Picklers can therefore teach us a lesson about the importance of levity and sincerity in an otherwise competitive community. We can all follow the Pickling Club's lead by not taking ourselves too seriously and recognizing the humor in everything. It would also serve us best to draw inspiration from our organic interests—even if they are seemingly silly or insignificant—and create communities around them to share in our curiosity. We may not be pickle disciples ourselves, but the frenzy of pickling students in FeldmanHorn can nevertheless encourage us to be better students in the classes, activities and communities we do particpate in. ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER
A11 Opinion
Considering current events By Daphne Davies
E
March 23, 2022
The Chronicle
xactly one email sits in the drafts folder of my school email account. It was composed passionately and professionally in November 2020, three months into my sophomore year on Zoom. It is addressed to Head of Upper School Beth Slattery and Associate Head of School Laura Ross, and it chronicles my ongoing frustration with the school’s staff and administration regarding the discussion––or lack thereof–– about COVID-19. "It is not normal to have to deal with the stress of a global pandemic and to have no social interaction with any of the friends or acquaintances we used to see every day,” I wrote. “It is not normal to do this in the social climate of this election year. What is making it so much harder is not hearing from the school that they understand how difficult this is, or that they even recognize what is going on and the toll this might be taking on us.” I never sent that email, but I wish I had. Its message is important and even more pertinent in light of recent global developments. Over the last few weeks, headlines about the crisis in Ukraine have seemingly overwhelmed everything else in the news and in our lives. We have been rendered heartbroken by photos of crowded trains separating Ukrainian families, women holding newborn children in bomb shelters and fighter pilots flying low over Kyiv. We are witnessing a truly pivotal moment in our contemporary world, yet the institution with the vastest resources and greatest responsibility to offer us education on and support throughout this situation has, again, failed to
put them to use. I take the maximum number of courses with seven different teachers, only one of whom acknowledged that Europe is at war for the first time in 80 years. This is especially unacceptable in history classes, where politics, foreign relations and wars are frequent topics of discussion. But teachers should not need to have experience studying these things to raise the question of their existence in our world right now; biology teachers are just as privy to the news as history teachers.
It is time for our curriculum to include real-world issues. We should expect all of our teachers to recognize the unique emotional strain of what is happening––not only because of the empathy many of us feel for the innocent civilians impacted but also because the U.S. is becoming increasingly involved, and the situation has forced students to grapple with their own identities. I am not suggesting that STEM teachers should necessarily extensively discuss topics that are not relevant to the established curriculum. Especially with the relatively new block schedule, class time is limited, and focusing on school can even provide a welcome distraction from the harrowing news of the world. But taking a few minutes to acknowledge the situation at hand surely will not interrupt or diminish teachers’ academic plans. The school does offer courses that primarily focus on current events. Directed studies like The Election and electives like Middle East Studies offer students @hwchronicle the chance to
80% of students said at least one of their teachers facilitated a classroom discussion about current events.
weave historical information into important modern-day topics, but anyone who chooses not dedicate a block in their schedule to current events is left in the dark. All students—regardless of whether or not they are especially interested in political or economic affairs—should understand how their core class material relates to the world around them. For students who want to learn about current events but take primarily STEM subjects, this crucial education is completely out of reach. As many of us prepare to vote in our first election this upcoming fall, we must fill this gaping hole in our curriculum. It is time for our classes to incorporate real-world issues that matter to us.It is also worth noting that the school has a myriad of emotional support resources, from deans to learning specialists, part of whose role is in these exact circumstances. Teachers should encourage students to seek help from these administrators. As an establishment that serves to educate students of many backgrounds and political viewpoints, it is understandable that the school feels it must remain relatively neutral when it comes to weighty, complicated topics like the war between Russia and Ukraine, but ignoring them is not the solution to that problem. The administration can address current events without stating the political opinions of its members, and the idea of students being "brainwashed" by discussions with teachers underestimates our intelligence and maturity. Our school teaches us about everything from definite integrals to Latin epic poetry––but we cannot value that nearly as much if its classes do not facilitate discussion about worldaltering events currently unfolding a mere ocean away.
@hwchronicle
84% of students said more classes should add current events to their curriculum.
@hwchronicle
57% of students said classroom current events discussions should be required by the school administration.
@hwchronicle
59% of students said they think they are knowledgeable about current events.
@hwchronicle
*56 students participated in this non-scientific poll.
41% of students said they do not think they are knowledgeable about current events.
The Chronicle's guide to course selections By Georgia Goldberg
Science
Math
AP Chemistry: So hard that you get free merch...just kidding, they stopped doing that. It's just hard now.
Advanced Precalculus: Advanced Topics in Analog Clock Analysis.
Honors Chemistry: You don’t actually like chem, you just like Dr. Cardin. Chemistry: Just because it’s not honors doesn’t mean you won’t be miserable. Honors Molecular and Cellular Biology: Pretty challenging, so this class is a hard cell. Honors Physics I: Prepare to spend 75 minutes learning about "women in STEM."
AP Calculus BC: You know that movie Saw II? It’s like that but worse. AP Calculus C: You know that movie Despicable Me? AP Calculus AB: Sorry you didn’t make it to BC. Better luck next year! AP Economics: Fictional Studies: the Gender Pay Gap.
Physics I: 75: the class average says it all.
Calculus and Statistics: Future Stanford math majors only.
AP Environmental Science: Hawaii Obsessions, Parrot Screeching and the Grim Reality of the Future of Our Planet.
History
Astrology: This course introduces students to the fundamentals of astrology. Various topics are presented, including the history of astrology, radiation from space, astronomical instruments, Scorpios, the solar system, mercury in retrograde, stars, galaxies, Libras, cosmology and space technology. Class time is allocated to presentations, laboratory exercises, class discussions and videos.
World Languages Spanish IV: English as a Second Language. AP Spanish Language: No. (this translates to "no" in Spanish) French III Honors: Can I make a Google Translate joke here or am I going to be sent to the Honor Board? AP Latin Literature: Congratulations! You’ve spent six years learning a dead language. British III: Students build on skills acquired in previous British courses to establish a firm foundation upon which to advance their language ability. The main goal of this class is to continue developing all modes of communication (interpretive, interpersonal and presentational). Students work with audio, visual and written sources intended for native speakers, reinforcing grammar and vocabulary in context. Students learn strategies to communicate creatively through the use of imaginative, expressive and increasingly advanced language. They also learn about various cultures of the British-speaking world.
English English II: Introduction to Subtly Gay Literature. Honors English III: American Studies: Introduction to Explicitly Gay Literature. AP Literature: Same House, Different Worlds: More students take it than Lexapro.
ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER
Honors Precalculus: You know that movie Saw? It’s like that but worse.
AP Language: Imagined Societies—Utopias and Dystopias: You hated every English class you've ever taken, but you desperately want to have that AP on your transcript.
AP United States History: Tonight's homework: 52 pages of textbook reading, 45-minute podcast and a three-paragraph discussion post. We are single-handedly saving democracy. AP United States Government and Politics: Dr. Sheehy told me to take it, and I would trust him with my life.
Arts Jazz Band: Off to Poland to completely destroy Russian tanks with trumpets. AP Studio Art: Somehow your hardest AP… Three-Dimensional Art: Sculpture: A pottery class he takes for an easy A reveals Jeff’s deep-seated need to succeed.
Electives Yearbook: Perpetually in Chronicle’s shadow (sorry losers). Venture: Boybosses and Sophia Rascoff ’23. Student Leadership: Still bitter about not becoming a prefect? Want to get on a first-name basis with Mr. President Head of School Rick Commons? Wait, what are we leading again? Shakespeare: Prerequisite: British III. AP Computer Science A: Shut up, you’re not going to MIT. Honors Design and Data Structures: I don’t have a joke for this one. It's simply the worst, most tortuous class I have ever taken. You will cry in class, you will cry doing homework, you will cry meeting with your teacher. Please do not take this class unless you actively want to inflict pain upon yourself. Middle East Studies: Mr. Yaron's Midlife Crisis. Cinema Studies: For guys: No way! Quentin Tarantino is your favorite director? For girls: No way! Wes Anderson is your favorite director? Gender Studies: Honors Studies of Getting Back to the Kitchen. Chronicle: Definitely wasn’t described as “toxic” over twenty times on the student survey.
Community The Chronicle • March 23, 2022
County lifts mask mandate By Natalie Cosgrove and Davis Marks
Los Angeles (LA) County lifted its indoor mask mandate March 4, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Previously, the CDC categorized LA as having a “high” COVID-19 risk, but as case rates dropped, the CDC moved LA into the “low” case risk categorization. This category includes counties where fewer than 10% of inpatient beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients or where there are fewer than 200 cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days. Studio City resident Natasha Clement ’24 said although she is glad Los Angeles is trending towards a sense of normalcy, she fears another COVID-19 surge. “I’m happy about beginning to return to normal, but I do have a lot of anxiety over the mask mandate being lifted,” Clement said. “Last time things began to open up, there was a large spike in cases, and I can’t help but think that’s exactly what’s going to happen now. We’ve also seen multiple new variants emerge, and I do also have concerns that a new variant could emerge and reset all the progress we’ve made. I know that my chance of developing a serious illness is low, but several of my family members, friends and teachers aren’t as lucky.” Owner of Studio City restaurant Il Tramezzino Rick Walken said since LA has lifted its indoor mask mandate, he has observed a decrease in mask-wearing in his restaurant. “[Following LA dropping the mask mandate] I have noticed [fewer] customers wearing masks at our restaurant,” Walken said. “We feel very fortunate that our business has picked up immensely since COVID-19.”
LUCAS COHEN-D’ARBELOFF/CHRONICLE
THIRD CAMPUS: A sign advertising the school’s River Park plan to replace Weddington Golf & Tennis is posted on a tennis court fence next to the Weddington parking lot. The River Park plan came closer to completion when the City of Los Angeles released its draft environmental impact report (DEIR).
City of LA releases draft impact report By Lucas Cohen-d’Arbeloff and Will Sherwood
President Rick Commons announced that the City of Los Angeles released the draft environmental impact report (DEIR) for the River Park project in an email to the school community March 10. Commons said the draft report concluded that the plan to replace Weddington Golf & Tennis could result in construction noise but would likely not have other significant impacts on the environment. The school recently began advertising River Park on campus by placing signs in walkways, on the Quad and in Taper Gymnasium. Commons said that the school seeks student support for the project and that having a third campus will benefit both students and locals. “We would like students to understand not only the process of getting approval but also to understand the various bene-
fits that it will bring to the [the professionals to digest the whole school] experience, to the broad- thing and then prepare a rebuttal er community of Studio City, Los in 45 days isn’t realistic or fair.” Angeles and the environment,” Austin said the DEIR has not Commons said. “We would like altered many Studio City resistudents to participate in asking dents’ concerns that the project questions and expressing con- would involve the dismantling cerns should they have them. I of major aspects of Weddington’s really believe that when geographical landscape. students understand “The [DEIR] the degree to which this hasn’t changed our will benefit not only mind about [the proj[the school] but [also] ect] because noththe community and the ing about the project environment, there will has changed,” Austin be enthusiasm.” said. “There’s been Save Weddington no mitigation of the Board Member Teri 240 old-growth trees L. Wood Austin said the timethat are still going to Ben line for Studio City resbe destroyed. There’s Volokh ’22 idents to comment on no mitigation of the the school’s DEIR is insufficient. heat islands [or] the two artifi“The [DEIR] filed with the cial turf fields. There’s no mitcity [was] bought and paid for igation about the noise. But by [the school],” Austin said. “It we’re still willing to talk, and took almost two years to create we’d really love to come to the that 6,000-page document, and table and have an open forum to ask the residents and com- and talk about real changes to munity members who are not this program so that it would
be something that would fit in our neighborhood.” Commons said the release of the DEIR will be followed by critical discussions with the Studio City community about the future of the project. “It signals the beginning of a season of conversations that we’ll have with people who have questions and concerns about the project,” Commons said. “It starts the clock ticking toward the approval process with the City Planning Commission and the City Council.” Studio City resident Ben Volokh ’22 said he has frequented Weddington and wants to preserve its facilities. “In a cityscape that is increasingly concrete and crowded, Weddington’s golf course is a breath of fresh air,” Volokh said. “The driving range got me through quarantine as I [worked] to perfect my craft every day after school. [We should] save Weddington.”
Rising gas prices follow sanctions
By Lily Lee
LUCAS COHEN-D’ARBELOFF/CHRONICLE
FUELING PRICES: A sign at a gas station in Studio City reflects the recent rise in fuel prices in Los Angeles, as well as throughout the nation.
California’s average price per gallon of gasoline ascended to $5.91 March 18, signaling record high prices for the country, according to NBC Los Angeles. The U.S. enacted sanctions on Russian oil and gas imports following Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, causing the increase of gas prices nationwide, according to CBS News. Even before the invasion, prices increased as oil companies failed to meet increasing demand from consumers who are commuting to work and traveling more often as COVID-19 case numbers decline. Ofek Levy ’23 said these raised prices could take a financial toll on many Americans. “[The rise in gas prices] is a huge deal especially for people who only have one way to get to school or for families who only have one car,” Levy said. “It’s really hard when gas prices go up
because we buy a lot of gas here in California and especially Los Angeles (LA) because that’s how we get around places.” Levy said he feels the city should increase public transportation to alleviate the effects of the gas price surge and the potential effects of future price fluctuations. “In LA, people just need gas, so what are they going to do, not pay for gas?” Levy said. “This is tough for some people who now can’t get other things because they need to pay for gas. We should increase the amount of public transportation in LA and also have higher quality public transport. Not only would that cost a lot less money, it would also cut down on carbon emissions.” Maddie Morrison ’22 said the gas price increase might greatly affect students who live far from campus. “I do not think I’ve ever had to pay this much for gas,” Morri-
son said. “Rising gas prices might make it harder on people who commute to and from school by car, especially if they live far from school. For students who use a lot of gas in their daily lives [due to] commuting to and from their activities and school, it’s going to be more expensive to continue driving themselves. This might cause students to be more aware of carpooling, public transportation or other ways that they can save money while still getting where they need to go.” Emma Miller ’23 said she opted to drive an electric car in part to avoid the effects of high gas prices. “The decision to get an electric car centered around lessening my impact on the environment, avoiding the cost of gas and other cost incentives,” Miller said. “In addition, it’s very convenient to be able to charge my car at home as opposed to driving to a gas station.”
Features The Chronicle • March 23, 2022
INSTRUCTED TO EXCELLENCE Students, faculty, teachers and the tutors themselves reflect on what purpose private classes serve in the community. By Lily Lee Cynthia* spent weeks researching and writing her United States History paper, but she did not know then that some of her classmates were acquiring fully written research papers from an alumnus who became a tutor after graduation. “[The tutor] went to [the school] and he had all of the old tests,” Cynthia said. “He knew how to do every class perfectly. He was really big at helping with the 11th grade history research paper. He knew all of the homework assignments. In [Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science], we had a lot of online quizzes and online assignments and he would just do them with people in my classes. I would be having the hardest time and they would be breezing through.” According to a Chronicle poll, almost 30% out of 249 survey respondents said they use tutors for academic classes. Cynthia said tutoring became rampant among a group of students in her
classes. She said once she learned about how widespread tutoring was, she realized why some students were receiving dramatically better grades than her. “Some students keep their tutors a secret,” Cynthia said. “When I was in high school, I realized that there was a group of people that shared tutors and it was very insular between that group of people.” Cynthia said she thinks students with tutors end up with better grades than students without them. “[Tutoring] is probably different year to year,” Cynthia
Three girls cram behind the door of the far bathroom stall. Lillian* can feel her shoulders rubbing against her friends, breathing quickly as they shuffle their feet uncomfortably. Their eyes are fixed on the small red and green pouch they took from Lillian’s backpack just moments ago. Taking a nervous inhale, Lillian tugs at the silver zipper running through the colorful sack, revealing the Stiiizy, a THC vape pen, she brought from home. Just as she reaches to take a hit, the bathroom door opens and the shuffling stops. Lillian’s friends’ eyes break away from the pouch and
Students discuss the fine line between appreciating or appropriating another’s heritage. a professional tutor for Honors Physics I. She said students hire tutors for two primary reasons: to understand the material and to increase their GPA. “At such a demanding school, pressure to do well from teachers, peers and parents can be challenging, and having a tutor can make people feel more secure in their knowledge,” Appel said. “Personally, I got a tutor to better understand the material, but I know that many people only have tutors because their parents make them so that they can have a better GPA.” Appel said she often procrastinates working on assignments, so her tutor keeps her on track by making sure Appel completes her work and helping her understand the course material. “I just decided that it might be helpful to try and get help for classes that I wasn’t putting enough work into,” Appel said. “I had never thought about tutors before this year, but I realized that most kids have at least one, and some people have one for every subject.” • Continued on B6
UP IN SMOKE By Harry Tarses And Allegra Drago
said. “Students that use tutors often do a lot better than students who don’t. I didn’t realize that it was such a big thing until senior year, and then I realized that a lot of people in my grade had tutors for every single class. This is why they were doing so much better than me.” Less than 5% of those who said they use tutors said they utilize the school’s Peer Tutoring program. The remainder of the respondents who said they use tutors hire professional tutoring. Chloe Appel ’23 said she has a peer tutor through the program for AP Calculus B and
The community reflects on substance abuse and its presence on campus.
turn towards her, panicked. But activity,” Lillian said. “But with Lillian does not worry. It is just [school], giving so much a passing student, and after a few work and adding calming murmurs, she inhales a lot of stress with again, this time with the device tests, sometimes I pressed against her lips. Smoke [want to] relax for a crawls over the stall door as Lil- second. It’s like an escape.” lian passes the Stiiizy to her left. Lillian said her smoking habLillian said she chose to its fluctuate from day to day partake in smoking based on her mood and during the school that her mental health day on a whim, havplays into whether or ing initially brought not she smokes on any her Stiizy for a friend. given weekday. None“There wasn’t any theless, she said she particular reason smokes marijuana four [for smoking],” Lilto five times a week. lian said. “I had an “I’ve gone through art class next block], periods of smoking evL. Wood and it was just conveery day, and I’ve gone Miles nient. [It was] easy.” through periods takMisczynski ’23 Lillian said aling two-week breaks,” though she has been advised Lillian said. “I have considered against frequent marijuana us- smoking during the break of an age, she still chooses to make the academic class if I’ve been sudrug part of her daily routine. per anxious or in a bad mood.” “When I started According to The Diagnostic smoking, people and Statistical Manual of Mentold me to keep tal Disorders (DSM-5) Fifth it a weekend Edition website, the periodic use of cannabis can negatively affect an individual’s behavior in educational and work environments. The drug can cause physical changes and decrease one’s ability to complete basic tasks. Lillian said in her experience using marijuana has not affected her academic performance. “[My friends] have told me
CULTURE SHOCK
[that] it actually surprises them that I take all these [rigorous] classes because I smoke,” Lilian said. “I don’t think it really affects my academic life.” Lillian said her habits are moderate compared to the usage of other weed users who smoke at an extreme level. “I’m able to witness firsthand just how much [some people] smoke,” Lillian said “It’s like, ‘Oh, I smoke once at school.’ That’s not so bad. They’re literally smoking every single day, all day, every day.” Lillian said though the at-school drug-using community is small, they are hard set in their ways. “It’s a select group of people, maybe it’s like a handful of kids, but everybody I know who smokes at school does not want to stop and does not have any intention of stopping,” Lillian said. Miles Misczynski ’23 said though he does not share Lilian’s smoking habits, he has observed the same community of heavy marijuana users at school.
• Continued on B3
By Allegra Drago and Georgia Goldberg As Savannah Shaub ’23, who identifies as white, examined this year’s new clubs list, she said she noticed few spaces for students to discuss Chinese culture at the Upper School. Seeing this as an opportunity, Shaub said she created the Chinese Pop Culture Club to discuss Chinese fashion, celebrities and food and to allow students, regardless of their fluency in the Chinese language, to share insights on these topics. Shaub, who began taking Mandarin in her freshman year at the Middle School, co-founded the club with Neleh Kay ’23, who identifies as Chinese American. Discussion topics in meetings have ranged from the recent Winter Olympics to Chinese celebrities. Shaub said her appreciation for Chinese culture and language has grown since enrolling in Chinese classes at the school, and she said she hopes to share her interest with others through her club. “[Creating the club] was an amazing opportunity to expose [people] to [this] fascinating and beautiful language,” Shaub said. “I feel a connection to it as I keep learning more about [it], and I wanted to share some of that with other people.” Shaub said because her club focuses on pop culture, they spend less time on the more sensitive aspects like discrimination, bigotry and oppression that affinity groups such as Asian Students in Action (ASiA) and Black Leadership Awareness and Culture Club (BLACC) discuss in their meetings. “A lot of our members are not Chinese or Asian, so it’s not our place to discuss some of the more vulnerable topics or ways in which they might feel,” Shaub said. “I think that there’s a fine line between talking about current news and talking about oppression, for example. We [have] made sure there is a big difference between pop culture and true culture.” Shaub said she does not intend to appropriate aspects of Chinese culture in creating and running her club. “It’s not [the club’s] place to take [Chinese] culture as our own, but instead to shine light on aspects of [it] and appreciate the pop culture facets of it,” Shaub said. “We just wanted to make a separate, different, super uplifting [and] fun community that has no affiliation. We [are not] trying to take away from ASiA or culturally appropriate by any means. That would be wildly inappropriate.” • Continued on B2 ILLUSTRATIONS BY FALLON DERN
B2 Features
The Chronicle
March 23, 2022
Students engage in discussions regarding the sensitive boundary lines between cultural appreciation and appropriation on campus. • Continued from B1
ASiA Co-Leader Anabelle Kang ’22 said affinity groups and cultural clubs play different roles as outlets for students. “With an affinity group, one part of it is that there comes a much bigger responsibility to uphold values of diversity, equity and inclusion,” Kang said. “To me, an affinity group mainly serves as a processing space to understand and recognize your own identity and culture. A club, while it can function as what my definition of an affinity group is, is mostly activity-based.” Kang said she was confused about Shaub’s role in Chinese Pop Culture Club, as she said she does not think people should lead spaces promoting cultures that are not their own. “I totally get wanting to learn about another culture,” Kang said. “It’s super important to engage with other cultures and gain that cultural perspective. But when you create a club, it’s something that you know a lot about and you’re passionate about and you want to share it with others. If you’re white, it’s not your culture to share.” Kang said ASiA is open to all students and provides a safe space for students of all identities to be included in discussions and celebrations. “A big difference between [the Chinese Pop Culture Club] and ASiA is that we care a lot about creating a community where students can get vulnerable or just celebrate traditions with us and feel included in the school,” Kang said. Kang said ASiA also discusses aspects of Asian pop culture and hosts activities to celebrate and inform others about it. Although Shaub said she enjoys discussing different aspects of Chinese pop culture, according to the official ASiA member roster, she is not a member of the group. Brandon Aghnatios ’23 said he enjoys attending ASiA meetings because he believes it is beneficial to learn about his peers’ experiences as Asian students. “[ASiA is] a wholesome community,” Aghnatios said. “I’m not Asian, so there are moments when I don’t have much to say, but I like to be there because a lot of my friends are Asian. I like to know what they might be going through [and] how they’re feeling.” Aghnatios said students at the school value the perspectives they gain from their peers. “I see a lot more appreciation than I do appropriation [at the school],” Aghnatios said. “This is a very respectful and closely knit community that is cognizant
of each other’s boundaries and where to important not only draw the line. A lot of the appreciation for them to get edhappens when one recognizes different ucated on our issues, facets of a culture that is not their own but to educate us on and then tries to gain an understand- the outsider perspecing and a respect for it, which tive,” Mesa said. “I find I think is quite beautiful.” that it’s been very helpful Patrick Yeh ’23 said at times [to have people of he notices cultural ap- other backgrounds in meetpreciation on cam- ings]. I have friends who pus when students take Spanish and can speak come to meetings on how Latin America is and events to sup- taught in Spanish class. They port their peers of definitely can contribute an other cultures. outsider’s perspective on is“ A p p r e c i a - sues, which is very important tion doesn’t nec- because you need a bunch essarily have to of different perspectives.” mean going out Mesa said if a perof your way and son does not belong to trying to display a particular culture, they that you’re an ally should not start a cultural group for it. but just being there “I don’t think it’s your place to start and being present and be- a group as being a safe space for people ing able to listen,” Yeh said. “It’s on campus, a space that’s not necessarialso about having that sense of com- ly your own,” Mesa said. “Even though munity, no matter what race you are.” I have been to ASiA meetings and I’ve Jayden Huang ’23 been to BLACC meetsaid affinity and culings, and I’m not Asian ture groups at the or Black, I don’t think school are open to all, A lot of the appreciation it’s okay for people to but he said he is aware start that group [if they happens when one don’t identify with it]. that it can be challenging to attend a group recognizes different facets Why do you feel the one is not a part of. of a culture that is not need to have that space “I understand some on campus if it’s not their own.” an issue that you yourpeople may feel uncomfortable going to —Brandon Aghnatios ’23 self are dealing with?” an affinity group if they Mesa said she sees are not the race or ethappreciation as learnnicity of said group, but ing about and celeASiA and the other affinity groups are brating another culture while acknowlconstantly welcome to everyone,” Huang edging the history of that culture. said. “In fact, oftentimes people not of “Cultural appreciation and allyship is the race or ethnicity are encouraged to where you feel that you can enjoy aspects attend the meetings, as it is important of a culture but that [Black, Indigenous and other peo- not necessariple of color’s ] voices are spotlighted.” ly claim them Latin American Hispanic Student Or- as your own ganization (LAHSO) Leader CC Mesa or profit off of ’22 said students can support groups them,” Mesa that they do not identify with by com- said. “Cultural ing to cultural events and participating a p p re c i a t i o n in activities organized by affinity groups. is recognizing “One way that [cultural appreciation] [that a culmanifests on campus is when certain clubs have events like ASiA’s Lunar New Year [festival] or LAHSO’s Hispanic Heritage Month table,” Mesa said. “We see people that are not of those particular identities still playing the games with us or getting food and telling us that they enjoy the games and the food.” Mesa said she appreciates that many of her peers who attend LAHSO meetings are not of Hispanic heritage. “It’s important to have people who are not of that certain affinity in the room because it’s
“
ture] is not your own but still enjoying it in a method that is sanctioned by people in that culture.” BLACC member Idalis McZeal ’23 said it is difficult to draw the line between cultural appropriation and appreciation, but she said she ultimately sees it as a matter of understanding. “Cultural appreciation is when you are able to understand where one’s culture came from, take its context and understand how it influences the people who the culture is a part of,” McZeal said. “Appropriation is when you use these pieces of culture for your own benefit without truly understanding the effects that it [has] on these cultures.” McZeal said the appropriation of Black culture is particularly harmful because people adopt the culture as their own, despite understanding the history behind it. “Specifically within the Black community, we’ll do something and then it’s viewed as urban or ghetto,” McZeal said. “But then it’s taken and used as high fashion. You shouldn’t be allowed to take something that people have been oppressed for or looked down upon for.” McZeal said the role of an affinity group is to create safe spaces, while culture groups should focus on spreading awareness of a culture. “An affinity group is there to provide people who are within a culture a space to express their difficulties or the problems that they face in their dayto-day life, especially in a predominantly white institution,” McZeal said. “A culture group’s point is to be able to inform the larger community about that culture and about the things that [the members of that culture] face.” ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
March 23, 2022
hwchronicle.com/features
Features B3
Community members discuss stoner culture and narcotic usage among students both in and out of the school. lieve stress, whether in or out of school. “I think ‘stoners’ get a pretty bad [repuMiles Misczynski ’23 said though he tation],” Rahhal said. “I don’t think there’s does not share Lilian’s smoking habits, anything really inherently wrong with it. he has observed the same community of You’re doing it for fun and to relax. It’s heavy marijuana users at school. not really hurting anyone. I don’t think “I was in the bathroom, and I heard that doing it at school or at a place that two kids’ voices come in [which] I rec- you’re not supposed to really signals to me ognized,” Misczynski said. “I knew what an immediate need for like punishment.” they were coming into the bathroom to Misczynski, on the other hand, said he do. They started [smoking] and laughing. has avoided this lifestyle due to the negaThey didn’t see me and left, and the whole tive effects that may come from a depenbathroom [smelled of marijuana].” dency on marijuana. Misczynski said he had predicted the “Obviously, [there are] health implistudents’ illicit activity based on the way cations and it could also just cause eduthey choose to dress and conduct cational troubles,” Misczynski themselves daily. said. “If your priorities when “[The assumption] came from you’re at school aren’t actually their actions, what they talk school, you could [have probabout [and] how they act,” Mislems] later down in life.” czynski said. “They like to emStefan*, who uses marijuabrace that sort of culture. They na daily, said potential negalike to portray themselves as tive effects do not prevent him ‘stoner kids.’” from using it. On the contrary, Misczynski said this stereohe said he does not think he l. wood type is often propagated in modsmokes enough. Olivia ern media as a way to escape the “Am I high every day at Rahhal ’23 tribulations of everyday life. school? No. Should I be? Yes,” “I feel like throughout our [society] Stefan said. “I guess I have to function and [platforms] like TikTok there’s sort of a little bit, but if I could be high 24/7, I style or fashion [that] has been developed would [be].” to what a stoner kid should look like,” Stefan said he began moderately smokMisczynski said. “I think a bunch of kids ing at a young age, but he said his usage feel like they have to resort to it. They feel eventually grew into a consistent habit. safe being in that community.” “I was 12 [when I first smoked] weed,” Olivia Rahhal ’23 said there is a com- Stefan said. “It was like a one-time thing, mon aesthetic shared by marijuana users. and then I did it again when I was 13. I “When I think of a ‘stoner’ I picture [then] started to get high and see movies baggy clothes [and] earth tones,” Rahhal at [Westfield Century City], and then it said. “Basically grunge chic with messy grew into me taking an edible every day hair, that kind of thing.” before school.” Rahhal said, despite her decision not to Stefan said his early start with marijuasmoke weed, she generally views smoking na helped him to develop a healthy relaas a fun and relatively harmless way to re- tionship with the drug, even if smoking has harmed other connections in his life. “[Weed] has ended relationships of mine for sure, because I’d rather choose [weed] over [other things],” Stefan said. “But I have grown through ups and downs of dependency, and now, I know how to balance myself way better than I did.” Stefan said his marijuana usage is partly a response to the school’s intense academic and social cultures, which he said he feels disconnected from. He said drugs have allowed him to explore aspects of himself again, which demands of school have prevented him from enjoying. “I learned fast [that] I was not a traditional Harvard-Westlake kid,” Stefan said. “Kids here stay very sheltered in their bubbles.” Stefan said using drugs has allowed him to break out of the confinements the school places upon him. “I feel like drugs have allowed me to experience what the school has kept me so closed off to,” Stefan said. “I like the underground sh*t, like downtown Los Angeles (LA), how many kids here do you think f**k with downtown LA?” Stefan said he finds his approach to school completely ac• Continued from B1
ceptable and said it is far less harmful to other students than ways some students handle their academic stress. “You’ve got to play the system because it’s all a game,” Stefan said. “It’s kind of messed up how kids cheat the system. That’s how they get good grades you know, with how the curriculum is built: Cheating. I don’t like to cheat. So I’d rather get high and just pass.” The school has punished students for partaking in substances on campus. One such case is current Viewpoint School senior Jack Conlin, who was asked to leave Harvard-Westlake as a ninth grader after he was caught using nicotine products in the middle school bathrooms. Conlin said the school’s “punish-first” approach was an inappropriate response to his actions, and he said there are far more helpful alternatives. “I think the way the school handled it was extreme and considering their job is to educate, [but] they didn’t really do that,” Conlin said. “My new school had me take a Stanford [University] online class to better understand the harms of vaping, which I learned a lot from. I needed to learn not to be aimlessly punished, but the school didn’t really see that.” President Rick Commons said punishment is a secondary factor in maintaining a healthy and safe environment at the school. “Our desire is to keep people healthy, and we know that tobacco products are unhealthy,” Commons said. “It’s not just a desire, but it’s a promise that we’ve made to families to do everything we can to make the environment and student wellness healthy. Our student disciplinary policy is not because we want to exact price for misdeeds. It is designed to preserve the environment of health and to disincentive the use of [unhealthy] tobacco products among [the student body].” Commons said although he can understand the impulse to relieve the pressure the school might place upon students, his goal is to offer more positive methods of relief than smoking or vaping. “We know that stress is a challenge in our intense environment,” Commons said. “I can imagine that a student might feel the need to relieve stress in that way. Our aim to help students to relieve stress in healthy ways through exercise, through meditation, through laughter with friends, through getting more sleep or through talking with a counselor, not through turning to substances that make a person less healthy.” Upper School Counselor Michelle Bracken said she agrees with the school’s policy that students should be disciplined for such actions but thinks it needs to better explain the consequences of consuming drugs and alcohol. “I think the protocol for the school needs to be communicat-
ed to students in the same way that sexual harassment or consent or any of those things [happen],” Bracken said. “I think education needs to be about communication, what the procedure is and why it’s set up the way that it is. The goal is to help someone and not to be punitive.” Bracken said in the past students have met with her to discuss concerns on their peers’ addictions but have been worried about outing them. “These are sticky situations,” Bracken said. “No student wants to come forward and talk about their friend [revealing] details or information [and being] the one [outing] that friend. At the same time, if we don’t know who that friend is, we can’t help them.” Bracken said the school has dealt with these situations in the past and is aware of students partaking drugs and alcohol at school. She said students at the Upper School have been punished for participating in drug-related activities on campus. • Continued on hwchronicle.com
*Names have been changed
ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
The Chronicle
B4 Features
Members of the school community reflect on the significance of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court. By Lucas Cohen-d’Arbeloff and Emmy Zhang Following several losses in a primary battle with progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, and with the critical South Carolina primary looming, then-Presidential candidate Joe Biden pledged to nominate a Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court in February 2020. Two years later, President Biden fulfilled his campaign promise by appointing Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to succeed retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on Feb. 25. Jackson graduated from Harvard Law School in 1996 and served as a supervising editor of the Harvard Law Review before clerking for Breyer from 1999 to 2000. Prior to her historic nomination, Jackson served as a district judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (D.C.) from 2013 to 2021. After President Biden took office, he nominated Jackson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit— the second-highest court in the country—on which she has
served for nearly a year. Jackson’s confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee began March 21, and if confirmed, she will make history by becoming the first Black woman to sit on the nation’s highest court. Black Leadership Awareness and Culture Club (BLACC) member Idalis McZeal ’23 said she is pleased about Jackson’s nomination and hopes the milestone will be a catalyst for greater diversity in government institutions. “I think it’s really exciting that [Jackson], who is part of an underrepresented mi-
nority group in America, has been nominated for such a powerful position,” McZeal said. “Hopefully, this is just the beginning, and we’ll see more representation for marginalized groups who have been excluded for so long [from government positions].” McZeal, who identifies as Black, said she feels a strong connection to Jackson and encouragement in knowing that someone who comes from a similar ethnic background as hers has received such recognition. “Seeing people like me in such high positions of power inspires me to reach higher,” McZeal said. “[Jackson] is a role model not only for me but for young Black women everywhere who can now finally see someone who looks like us in prominent roles in our country. Her nomination gives me hope for my own future.” Conservative pundits and politicians have suggested that by pledging to nominate a Black woman, President Biden would not choose someone with the necessary qualifications, according to CNN Politics. Fox News host Tucker Carlson, for example, called on President Biden to release Jackson’s Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score as a metric for her legal talent. McZeal said comments like Carlson’s
reflect a longstanding pushback toward the advancement and successes of people of color. “For example, people tried to claim President [Barack Obama] wasn’t born in America,” McZeal said. “People are so resistant to change and will find any excuse to delegitimize a person’s achievements, especially the successes of people of color. I think this is typical in American society, where we see people not wanting a Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Her credentials prove that she is clearly highly qualified for the position.” Alex Lee ’24 said he noticed Jackson being confronted by political commentators but that the controversy has led to important discussions about race and gender, issues that he said need attention for the country to progress. “Trump’s nominees to the court were treated very differently from the way Jackson is being treated by the media,” Lee said. “The attacks were never made on their race because frankly, they were all white. Although Jackson is being treated unfairly, her nomination has initiated meaningful and necessary conversations that have to happen if we’re ever to achieve social, legal and racial justice and equality in our country.” Lee said he hopes to pursue a legal career and feels inspired by President Biden’s choice to appoint a Black woman to the Supreme because it reas-
March
23, 2022
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sures him that the nation is making strides in diversity and equity. “Jackson’s nomination is crucial not only for the Black community but also for other minorities who haven’t had representation in the highest court of the land,” Lee said. “For instance, there hasn’t been a Supreme Court justice who’s Asian. Jackson’s nomination gives me hope that I can succeed if I choose to go into law and that, as a nation, we will have an increasingly diverse and inclusive judicial system.” Empower Club Co-leader Shoshie Bernstein ’22 said because women of color are often the last to be included in major governmental roles, Biden’s nomination of Jackson is particularly important. “I feel [that] the first woman to [achieve milestones] in government is usually a white woman,” Bernstein said. “But I think this just shows that we’re working past that. I think it is so important that we are starting not just to have white women [in government], but also to have women of different races and backgrounds.” Three of the nine sitting Supreme Court justices are women. Bernstein said the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg inspires her as a Jewish woman. “I’m a huge [Ginsburg] fan,” Bernstein said. “I always think back to when she was asked, ‘When do you think there will be enough women on the Supreme Court?’ And she said, ‘When there are nine.’ I very much align with that belief.” Jackson’s nomination comes after the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court by President Donald Trump in 2020. When Barrett, who was nominated by a Republican president, replaced Ginsburg, the nominee of a Democratic president, the ideological balance of the court shifted to twothirds conservative, according to the Washington Post. The recent conservative dominance of the Supreme Court has
Features B5
signaled to many that the court is rights with students in his Advanced now primed to overturn landmark Placement (AP) U.S. History class, cases like Roe v. Wade, which guar- Sheehy said he noticed setbacks as anteed abortion rights nationwide, attempts have been made to crimand Obergefell v. Hodges, which le- inalize women who want to fulfill galized same-sex marriage, accord- their legal right to an abortion. ing to PBS. “In class, we were just talking Jackson’s appointment would about the efforts to pass the 19th not shift the court ideological- Amendment and struggling to figly, as she is replacing Breyer, and ure out why there was so much reboth Breyer and Jackson are wide- sistance to it,” Sheehy said. “Then ly considered liberals, according to we discussed the Equal Rights CNN Politics. In turn, Bernstein Amendment, which was on the said since abortion rights are an verge of passing but is now poissue of particular importance to litically dead. Although there has her, Jackson’s nomination illus- been so much progress since the trates how difficult it is to change ’80s, we’re now seeing an assault on the impact of the Supreme Court. women’s reproductive freedom, like “The one issue that I have on the [Texas Heartbeat Act], which my mind, that I empowers prifeel like everyone vate citizens has on their mind, to go after and [Jackson] is a role is the [Dobbs v. sue abortion model not only for me Jackson Women’s providers, as Health Organiwell as peobut young Black women zation] abortion ple who in everywhere who can now case, and how it’s any way assist finally see someone who very likely that with a womRoe v. Wade is an getting looks like us in prominent going to be overan abortion, roles in our country.” turned in a few which is still months,” Bern—Idalis McZeal ’23 legal under stein said. “And [Roe v. Wade]. u n f o r t u n a t e l y, [The bill’s] just because of how the Supreme assault on that landmark deCourt works, having one justice cision is troubling to me.” who would have probably voted to Despite the fact that Jackson’s protect Roe v. Wade be replaced by presence on the court will most another justice who is going to vote likely not shift the current conservapresumably to protect Roe v. Wade tive majority, Raisa Effress ’23 said means that won’t really have an im- the significance of Jackson joining pact on what the result will be.” the court cannot be overstated, as Upper School History Teach- it signals a change in leadership for er Peter Sheehy said he is deep- decades to come. ly concerned about the potential “Even though the nomination of overturning of Roe v. Wade. While [Jackson] to an existing liberal seat discussing the history of women’s won’t sway the underlying partisanship of the court, it’s at the very least comforting to know that the U.S. is installing a new generation of progressive justicesespecially now with important issues like abortion rights being debated before the court,” Effress said. Lee said he recognizes that Jack-
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son’s appointment will probably not lead to changes in the decisions made by the court. However, Lee said Jackson may provide a fresh perspective that will have a positive impact not only on the Supreme Court’s opinions but also on the lower courts that constitute the American justice system. “The greater racial representation on the court may not change policies immediately, but it will provide a more diverse perspective and a way of framing policies that will trickle down into other parts of the nation like lower courts and district circuits that rely on the information and precedents set by the Supreme Court to make their decisions,” Lee said. “I think having Justice Jackson on the court will lead to change for the better.” Claire McLean ’23 said Jackson’s past experience as a public defender will also bring a critical voice to the court. “[Jackson] is the first public defender to be nominated [to the Supreme Court],” McLean said. “Her background in criminal defense will definitely add a unique perspective to the court.” Jackson’s Senate hearings began March, which was designated by Congress as Women’s History Month in 1987. Bernstein said this coincidence serves as a poignant reminder of how the nation is slowly working its way toward gender equality. “During Women’s History Month, I think [specifically] of the strides that women make,” Bernstein said. “Having this historic appointment kind of reminds me of how important it is to still make strides and how many strides are left to be made, because while it’s so exciting that we have a Black woman on Supreme Court, we still have never had a female president. Basically all bodies of government in the U.S. are disproportionately male. I think it is exciting but also really motivating to keep pushing for more equality.”
ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
B6 Features
The Chronicle
March 23, 2022
Tutoring Too Far Students, teachers and tutors discuss the relationship between tutoring, the Honor Code and tutor culture at the school.
“Students can sign up to be tutored in a course and they’ll be assigned one Professional tutor Sonny Ahad said of our peer tutors, [who will be] anhe tutors students from many Los An- other student who has already taken geles private schools, including over 20 the class,” Azarbal said. “Our goal is to students from the Upper School. He make sure that all students have access said the school’s academic expectations to free, high-quality tutoring. Peer tuare part of the reason parents hire him. tors can be great tutors because they un“[The school sets] their standards derstand class demands and know how really high, so [the students] try to to explain concepts in a digestible way.” get to the highest level,” Ahad said. Azarbal said there are 30 student Max Dessner ’24 said he began work- peer tutors who tutor 54 students. ing with a chemistry tutor after his “I hope that students know the Peer teacher recommended that he reach out Tutoring program is available to them to the school’s Peer Tutoring program. whether they’re struggling to stay afloat “[My chemistry in a class or just teacher] recommended want to brush up [that I get] a peer tutor on some topics At such a demanding in chemistry because I before their school, pressure to do well want to do better in the next test,” subject and, according to from teachers, peers and Azarbal him, that was a good way said. parents can be challenging, to start,” Dessner said. Even and having a tutor can make Dessner said many though of his friends have tupeople feel more secure.” the school oftors and that his grades fers peer tu—Chloe Appel ’23 have improved since toring, some studying with his pristudents still vate tutor. He said peer hire outside tututors are helpful because they are expe- tors. Matthew Nguyen ’23 said there are rienced in the classes he is taking now. ways that receiving help from tutors unaf“[My tutor] helped with mainly just filiated with the school can violate the Honindividual assignments, which is prob- or Code and become unauthorized aid. ably where the peer tutor will be better “Having a tutor to teach or review because they go to [the school] and they topics does not violate the Honor Code,” know [the expectations better], whereas Nguyen said. “However, having a tutor a tutor from outside of school isn’t going that inter- prets text, answers assignto be as in tune with that,” Dessner said. ments on behalf of the student and Head of Peer Tutoring Ariana Azarbal provides unauthorized aid is a violation.” ’22 said most students who work with Mac Bailey ’23 said he does not the program receive help in STEM class- view tutoring as against the Hones, but she said the proor Code, as long as the tutor does not gram also receives complete an assignment for a student. many requests for “I don’t see tutors as a violation of the tutors in history Honor Code,” Bailey said. “Obviousand language ly, if a tutor is writing an essay for you, classes. The prothat’s a violation. But in most cases, when gram does not they are just giving you problems and offer tutoring answering questions, that is totally fine in English. because there is no unauthorized aid.” Dean of Students Jordan Church said the Honor Code is an overarching guide and is not meant to catalog specific ways in which a student can violate the school’s academic values. He said there are roughly 20 cases per year in which a student uses unauthorized aid on an assessment. He said students usually know when they have violated the Honor Code. “We rely on teachers to identify course-specific areas of concern, but ultimately I’ve found that students do not have • Continued from B1
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trouble understanding when they have “I think it’s just an extra safety net crossed an ethical line,” Church said. for some families that [feel] if it’s not a “They may rationalize or justify this be- financial burden. Why not have an exhavior in the moment, but rarely do I find tra person come in and give that stua student in violation of one of our pol- dent a few extra tips?” Goedde said. icies who did not know they were gainGoedde said parents have asked ing an unfair advantage by their actions.” her for tutor recommendations, but Junior Prefect Aiko Offner ’23 she advises that the Learning Censaid receiving help from tutors is not ter is a great resource for students. against the Honor Code as long as stu“I think I would be shocked at the dents tell their teachers and use their number of students [who have tutors],” own words and ideas in their work. Goedde said. “I had parents ask me [for “The main thing about tutoring is tutor recommendations]. The Learnthat, regardless of if it’s for an essay, lab ing Center can do everything that a or test, the student must be transparent tutor should be doing for a student.” with their teacher about the aid that they The English Department’s plagiaare receiving,” Offner said. rism policy statement defines “It is for common courtesy of a tutor as someone outside or the teachers. When you subinside a family, and it details mit something, it should not what is deemed acceptable veronly be in your own words, sus unauthorized aid as well as but it should also be your the policy on secondary sources. own ideas. It makes sense if The English Department policy a student wants help on how document states that a student’s to phrase things or grammatEnglish teacher must be informed ical structures. That’s comif they are being tutored so that L. Wood pletely understandable and they can accurately assess the stuLarry within the Honor Code.” dent’s work. Andrew Wesel ’24 said Weber Offner said teachers bring he has a tutor for focused and guidtutoring cases to the Honor Board when ed study, to help him stay on task and to they see ideas being written about that they reexplain concepts. Wesel said if students did not teach in class. Offner said another told their teacher about having tutors, reason a teacher would bring a case to the it would most likely not affect the class. Honor Board is if a student writes about “I don’t think people usually tell their a topic that would not make logical sense teachers [if they have a tutor],” Wefor the student to have been able to con- sel said. “Although I don’t think that’s a nect the class material to that conclusion. good or bad thing, the teacher knowing “The basic tutoring [Honor Board] more about where their students are at case is when a student introduces an [in the class] could be good. I doubt a idea that usually was not taught in class whole class structure would change be[and] is very obviously from a tutor,” Off- cause a couple of kids are being tutored.” ner said. “[If ] it was not taught in class, English Department Head Larry [we ask], ‘Where did you get these ideas Weber said English teachers delineate from?’ It’s always a teacher who brings a what is acceptable versus what is uncase to the [Honor Board]. When differ- authorized aid, but he said the process ent concepts that were not taught in class of doing so is imperfect. He said it is are used to answer the lab questions, it better for a student to meet with their becomes obvious and defeats the point of English teacher than to hire a tutor. the question or project because [the stu“We want a level playing field and dent] is not applying what [they] learned we want to make sure that the program in class. It is a fine line, and it’s sometimes is instilling real confidence,” Weber said. hard [to determine what crosses the line].” “Rather than having a third party be the The school’s Honor Code for- one to be communicating with students, bids the use of “unauthorized aid,” yet [we want] it to be more between teachthe definition of that term varies ac- er and student where the teacher is the cording to each department’s policies. coach and the student begins to trust History Teacher Celia Goedde said that relationship and then [theirself ].” students are allowed to use history tuWeber said since tutors and teachtors and that tutors can be beneficial in ers are not in contact with each othcertain aspects of the learning process. er it can be hard to determine what a “A tutor [can be] very helpful [with] tutor’s role is in the learning process. organization [and as a] study bud“Tutors can be really good in that prody who students can go over the ma- cess, but since we are not, as teachers, in terial with,” Goedde said. “[Tutors] dialogue with that process, very often it’s may give students frameworks for or- hard to know the extent to which they are ganizing [their] notes, notebooks and grabbing the rudder from the student’s study materials for an assessment.” hands,” Weber said. “Therefore, the student While Goedde said tutors are allowed, doesn’t really benefit from the instruction.” she said students should not be turning Further, Weber said tutors can interover work to a tutor. She said while tutors fere with teacher-student relationships. can be useful when studying, she believes “I’m afraid that the numbers [of stuclassmates can also act as helpful resources. dents with tutors] are really high,” Weber “Discussing a rough draft would be said. “When I say ‘afraid,’ [I mean that] fine,” Goedde said. “Any time that a tutor it makes my work as an English teacher is actually making annotations either phys- feel absurd sometimes because [I ask myically on a page or on a google doc would self ], ‘What am I grading’ or ‘Who am be too far. In terms of content, if a tutor is I trying to help?’ We assume a dialogue serving as a study buddy it can be helpful, with a student when we are writing combut a classmate could do that just as well.” ments or having feedback lessons, and Goedde said she thinks families with the sometimes I feel like I don’t know how economic resources hire tutors to ensure pure that dialogue really is. It’s hard not to that their children do well in their classes. wonder and it’s hard to fight cynicism. ” * Name has been changed ILLUSTRATIONS BY SOPHIA EVANS
March 23, 2022
hwchronicle.com/features
Features B7
Cafeteria workers outline their daily lives working at the school and cooking hundreds of meals while interacting with students. By Will Sherwood
Since 2008, the school has paid Healthy Choice a total of $32.5 million. Chief Financial Officer David Weil Campus is quiet when the sun begins to peak over the Studio City hills; the ’93 said the money the school pays sprinklers are just turning off as Cafeteria Healthy Choice is a sum of the purchasChef Oswald Monge begins his work for es students, faculty and staff make in the next ten hours. Until 4 p.m., Monge both cafeterias. Payments are recorded and 27 other cafeteria staff members will using Didax, the school’s data manageserve spaghetti and meatballs to over a ment software; the school then takes the thousand students, teachers and admin- money from students’ accounts to pay istrators. In addition to the different hot Healthy Choice. “Purchases [made by students and facmeals served each day, the cafeteria sells fruits, drinks and snacks and provides a ulty] comprise [of ] more than two-thirds of all payments made to Healthy Choice salad and sandwich bar. “It has been great to have worked here and are a direct pass-through from the the past five years,” Monge said. “The en- school,” Weil wrote in an email. “In vironment is super nice. I really love to other words, the purchases are tallied by cook and being able to do that all day is the school and, periodically, payment is made to Healthy Choice. There is [never just what I want.” Monge said he personally cooks ap- any] markup whatsoever by the school.” Weil said around 20% of the school’s proximately 300 meals per day and that he and the rest of the staff must work to- payments to Healthy Choice are for employee purchases at the cafetegether in order to handle their rias, which the school provides long shifts. allowances for. The remainder “We get there at [6 a.m. in] goes paying Healthy Choice to the morning, and we help each cater events such as graduation other,” Monge said. “Whatevand parent receptions. Booner we need to get done, it gets yamas and her team provide done [with us working] as a food preparation, cooking and whole team.” service for each of these events. Monge and the rest of the “[The school] provides this cafeteria staff are overseen by L. Wood employee allowance in recogCafeteria Manager Nipa BooDavid Weil nition of the fact that it isn’t nyamas, who began working always feasible, particularly at the school immediately after graduating from high school in 1993. for teachers, to leave campus during the Boonyamas said she took over the caf- school day.” Weil wrote. “Funding for eteria operation in 2008 following the this category of expenses comes from the death of Thiak Lor, who had worked at operating budget. The last category [of payments to Healthy Choice] consists the school for 25 years. When she took over as Cafeteria of all the events we host throughout the Manager, Boonyamas founded Healthy [entire] year.” Weil said the school works with Choice Catering Corporation to replace Thiak Lor Food Service, the company Healthy Choice to find balance for custhat previously hired employees, ordered tomers and employees. “Our goals with Healthy Choice have raw ingredients and prepared meals. Healthy Choice runs both the upper always been to provide nutritious food [and] a varied menu in which hopefully school and middle school cafeterias. According to the school’s tax filings, everyone can find something to like at a the school paid $3.4 million to Healthy reasonable price point,” Weil said in an Choice during the 2019-2020 school email. “We recognize that those goals are year. For comparison, the school paid sometimes at tension with each other, $3.1 million for security and janitori- but [we] do our best to find the right balal services and $1.7 million for student ance to satisfy the greatest portion of our transportation that same school year. [whole] community.”
On a typical day, Boonyamas said the cafeteria produces and sells 60 pounds of bacon, 60 pounds of chicken strips, 60 pounds of French fries, 60 pounds of grilled chicken and 100 pounds of white rice. One hundred breakfast burritos are made and sold each day, making them the most popular item in the morning; tacos, orange chicken and burgers are popular for lunch. “The number one item is always the breakfast burrito,” Boonyamas said. “Especially nowadays after [COVID-19], students like items that are grab-and-go.” In lieu of recent worldwide inflation, Boonyamas said it has become difficult to maintain reasonable prices. She said she will continue to run a break-even operation and cover the difference in rising prices because students with financial aid are given a limited amount of money to spend with their allowances each year. “We have to cover the change in prices [that happen] because of inflation,” Boonyamas said. “We have to keep the prices the same because we are selling to students, some of whom have financial aid. That means we have to stay as reasonable as we can.” Weil said inflation can also have an effect on the wages that Healthy Choices pays its staff in addition to the prices of different supplies. “As inflation causes the cost of ingredients to rise, there is absolutely upward pressure on what the cafeteria charges,” Weil said. “The same [goes for] wages that are paid to cafeteria workers, which are subject to state and city minimum wage ordinances. But in each of those instances, we work with [Boonyamas] and Healthy Choice to keep costs as reasonable as we can and the food a welcome addition to the day.” According to Boonyamas, the cafeteria is busy now, which she said is a welcome
turnaround from when the pandemic shut down campus and the cafeteria only served a handful of teachers and staff. During this time, Boonyamas said providing work for her staff was difficult and many of her workers found other jobs in the food industry. “When school closed in March 2020, everything just froze,” Boonyamas said. “We tried to work together as much as we could and even without students we still continued serving a little bit to teachers. We had to cut down hours and closed earlier each day. Some [staff] could not afford to only come in here without students, and they did not want to wait for students to come back, so they stayed home or got outside jobs.” Monge said instead of coming to work during that time, he chose to stay home and wait out the lockdown. Following his long absence, he said it has been exciting to see students and faculty back on campus. “I just stayed home when everything was shut down,” Monge said. “I didn’t even go anywhere else to work. It is so nice though to see [students] and all my co-workers back at school.” Boonyamas said during COVID-19, the cafeteria struggled with the additional challenge of finding ingredients. • Continued on hwchronicle.com
ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
B8 Features
The Chronicle
March 23, 2022
Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The community reflects on the conflict’s impact and how it is being addressed in school one month later. lasting political and humanitarian effects. “This action by the Russian president space“Students were generally respect- to invade Ukraine is certainly not without ful and no one went after [the student], precedent, historically,” Lane said. “Hisbut a lot of people got offended and tory tells us that rarely do these actions overwhelmed [the student] with facts, end without incredible violence, destrucpointing out how [the facts were not tion and suffering on the part of regular solely present in] Western media,” Ray- people. Putin is not protecting Russians mond said. “Scholars across the world or Russian security [...] but instead seems have brought attention to the objec- to be threatened by the possibility of a tively bad things Russia has done [...] functioning democracy on Russia’s borIt got to a point where [the student] der. When this type of aggression goes got uncomfortable and left [the] room.” unchecked, it encourages and conRaymond said he feels his history dones other countries to do the same.” In light of the invasion, Lane said teachers have effectively allowed students to talk about the invasion in the context she has facilitated discussions on of other material covered in each course. the history of Russo-Ukrainian re“It’s not good that these world events lations in the classes she teaches. “When the invasion happened, we happen, but out of it we do get detailed, cumulative discussions where we can spent about 25 minutes discussing the synthesize the things we’ve learned,” Ray- background of the conflict in my sophmond said. “In [AP Government and Pol- omore history classes,” Lane said. “We itics], which is a class where there’s a lot talked about the long history of [...] the Russian and Soviet Empires of talk about current events, and the Cold War backstory.” we heard a lot of different Lane said she gathers online perspectives. I think I came tools for her students, encouraway from it with a better unaging them to further their own derstanding of world affairs. research and to add diversity It’s not common to be in a to their regular news sources. classroom environment where “Many of my students knew a you feel comfortable putting lot about the context, but many forth an idea that’s not necesL. Wood did not,” Lane said. “I urge stusarily shared by other students Sam dents to read from a variety of or the teacher, and that’s Volokh ’23 sources and not rely on social something I really value.” media exclusively for their news. For Raymond, this particular incident was part of a wave of class I often post news stories on current topdiscussions following the Feb. 24 inva- ics on my homework page to encourage sion––the largest military mobilization in students to get out of their filter bubbles.” Ryan Pinsker ’23, who is of both Europe since 1945. The New York Times cited both Ukrainian proximity to North Ukrainian and Russian descent, said the Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) crisis strikes a more personal chord for stunations and the belief that Ukraine is dents with connections to those affected. fundamentally part of Russia as motivations for the invasion, which has killed thousands of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers and forced over three million Ukrainian civilians to flee as of March 19. History Teacher Lilas Lane said the invasion is concerningly similar to previous events in European history and that she fears its • Continued from A1
“It’s honestly horrible to see what’s I just hope all my family stays safe.” happening in Ukraine right now, and Though he said he agrees that the naturally, my heart goes out to everyone invasion will have detrimental effects who is currently there,” Pinsker said. “I on both Ukraine and Russia, History just think it never should have happened. Teacher Peter Sheehy said he feels upMy family is trying to get a lot of our lifted by the response of other foreign friends out, and we’ve been relatively suc- powers, including the United States. cessful. We’ve gotten a lot of people to Po“Russia’s invasion has underscored the land and safer parts of Ukraine as well, so continued relevance and importance of hopefully, it’s all going to die down soon.” NATO,” Sheehy said. “The invasion has Pinsker said as he grapples with the united Western Europe. I am not sure emotional impact of the ongoing occu- Putin expected to see this strong unity, pation, he is concerned with the spread including the swift implementation of seof misinformation throughout the me- vere economic sanctions. I am pleased to dia and the credibility of certain sources. see the United States, Europe and NATO “A big problem is that there’s a lot respond with [these sanctions], but I fear of fake news that’s going around, which that Putin is committed to a long and deis kind of natural with something that’s structive war and occupation of Ukraine.” happening on such a large scale in toSheehy said he has taken a simiday’s world,” Pinsker said. “That honestly lar approach by holding class discuscan’t be helped. But if there’s someone sions so students can share their own you trust who’s talking about it, listen knowledge and learn from each other. to them and stay informed. A lot of it “I am not an expert in this issue, so is just research. You I am cautious about can’t just rely on people leading discussions on saying random things.” the invasion,” Sheehy All teachers are Sam Volokh ’23, whose said. “I have tried to encouraged to think family is Ukrainian, make time for students about what’s happening to discuss the news, and said the crisis has made him more aware of his in the world and bring it I have tried to provide privilege in his daily a basic framework for into the classroom. life. He said he empaunderstanding issues thizes strongly with all —Rick Commons such as sanctions, diUkrainian civilians. President plomacy, NATO, the “I think it’s realCold War and the fall ly unfortunate that of the Soviet Union.” this is what the world has come to,” As a means of creating a safe, inforVolokh said. “It’s a true tragedy. As a mative space where students can ask Ukrainian myself, it hurts to see my questions and share their feelings and brothers out there suffering so much opinions, President Rick Commons pain. It really puts things into per- said the school encourages teachers to spective and shows us the multitude of discuss current events in the classroom. things that people have to go through. “I know there have been conversations with students and community members about their feelings and their perceptions from a historical, political and humanitarian perspective,” Commons said. “We have asked teachers to think about the relevance of world events in their classes every day. That’s easier to do sometimes in humanities classes than math and science,
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ILLUSTRATION BY FALLON DERN PRINTED WITH PERMISSON OF KIM KYUNG-HOON, GONZALO FUENTES, ALBERTO PEZZALI AND ALEX HALADA
Arts &Entertainment The Chronicle • March 23, 2022
Westflix organizers and filmmakers discuss the film festival and the role that high schoolers play in cinema. By Georgia Goldberg The lights of the TCL Chinese Theatre shine upon actor and filmmaker Jordan Peele as he announces the 11 student films about to be showcased at Westflix. Westflix is a student-organized film festival that features films from high schoolers all around California. Westflix Co-Leader Oliver Wyman ’22 glows with excitement as the black screen fades into the first film. “God, I love Westflix,” Wyman said. “I’m so excited for people to come see these films [and] for people to come and enjoy the night. I’m really excited for the filmmakers because seeing their films on the big screen is going to inspire them for years to come.” Wyman said he felt grateful the festival was held in-person after being held on virtual platforms for two consecutive years. He said he was particularly excited that Westflix was held at the TCL Chinese Theatre. “It’s one of the most special theaters in California,” Wyman said. “I worked at the Chinese Theatre a few summers ago. I interned for the man who runs it, Matt Barrett. He gave us this festival because it wouldn’t have happened [otherwise]. Because of [COVID-19], the theater where [the festival] always is was closed. Now, we have a real, tangible place for filmmakers to show their product.” Wyman said it was gratifying to watch the festival finally come together after months of hard work. “The members of the club all participate together to make the event really special by taking photographs, by interviewing and by doing all the things that are required to make the festival special,” Wyman said. Westflix Co-Leader Shanti Hinkin ’22 said her favorite part of Westflix is seeing the dedication and passion of each leader and member. “Our faculty leaders are so incredibly dedicated to helping us execute every idea we had for this festival, and they have worked so hard to make it a truly special event,” Hinkin said. “My fellow student leaders are so fun to work with, and I really feel like the four of us have a really cool, artistic vision that has been so fun to create with.” Hinkin said in
ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF AND SOPHIA EVANS
addition to working alongside her peers and advisors, she enjoyed the process of planning the festival. She said organizing the festival required hard work, both logistically and creatively, but was ultimately a rewarding experience. “Every little thing, from designing logos to booking venues, requires some level of attention from us, and it has been so fun navigating those tasks with the other student and faculty directors,” Hinkin said. “It’s obviously difficult creating something so aesthetically driven because all of us have really strong visions, so figuring out how to communicate and incorporate all of our ideas was sometimes a challenge.” Hinkin said the primary responsibility of Westflix club members is to judge the submitted films. She said the student judges rank every film they watch on a scale from one to 10 in different categories such as cinematography, writing and acting. The top 20 ranked films become semi-finalists, and club leaders choose which films will be showcased in the festival from the semi-finalist pool. This year, there were over 100 films submitted, with 11 chosen as finalists to be screened at the film festival. Prior to the festival, Hinkin said she was excited for a large audience to watch and appreciate the original films showcased. “I am most excited to see and hear everyone’s reactions to the films,” Hinkin said. “They’re all truly amazing, and I think people are going to be really blown away by the quality and variety, not to mention how stunning they will look on the massive screen.” Wyman said he is disappointed that there have not been more student film festivals, and hopes these types of events will be held more often in the future. “It is so important to showcase young filmmakers because we are the coming generation of filmmakers,” Wyman said. “We should be branding student films as a more widespread thing [because] we have so many different methods and mediums to see films nowadays.” Wyman said the perspective of high school students in filmmaking is becoming increasingly important. “We’ve all experienced so much trauma through [COVID-19], whether that be isolation or just detachment from friends,” Wyman said. “We’ve grown so invested in our shows, our entertainment, our television and in our escape. The perspective of
high school students to film, cinema and entertainment overall is astronomically increasing because we’re so determined to entertain ourselves. It really comes to a point where we’re just trying to improve upon a craft that we all know and enjoy.” Filmmaker and Westflix winner of the Founder’s Award and Audience Choice Award for the film he co-created, “Survival Style,” Will Chandrasekhar ’23 said high school students continue to have a monumental impact on modern cinema. “Old enough to grasp mature concepts and address serious issues but young enough to possess a fresh and innovative outlook on life, high school students can be consequential in creating narratives that touch on new ideas or concepts,” Chandrasekhar said. “The perspective of high school students is necessary in the film industry to bring in new, creative ideas and help to contribute to the global understanding of human emotions and the intricacies of the teenage brain.” Chandrasekhar said his film centers around the intersection of African-American art and activism in South Central Los Angeles. He said the film crew for “Survival Style,” was able to approach the film in a way that allowed for the story to shape itself. “Although our goal was to have the movie form itself as we went, before we began shooting, our group brainstormed potential set locations, interview questions, narrative choices, music and more,” Chandrasekhar said. “My favorite part of the process was traveling around South Central Los Angeles with the crew because it gave me an opportunity to experience and learn about the history and culture of the area.” Animator, filmmaker and Westflix winner of the Humanitarian Award for the film she co-created, “A Prayer for My Mother: The Eva Brettler Story,” Eve Levy ’22 said films can adeptly convey important messages, stories and histories through many different mediums, such. She said her film, centering on the adolescent life of Holocaust survivor Eva Brettler, tells her story through animation. “I worked with several other animators and directors to create this film in only two weeks,” Levy said. “We talked with [Brettler] to find the events that were most impactful for her in the moment and long term. For the remainder of our two-week intensive, we created multimedia [and] analog animations, both individually and collaboratively. Using paint, paper, sand, charcoal and more, we strived to imitate Eva’s emotional experiences through color, texture and motion.”
Levy said her film is important because she is part of the last generation that will be able to speak face-to-face with living Holocaust survivors. She said the crew and herself had an important perspective on Brettler’s story as high school students because Brettler was an adolescent when she endured the horrors of the Holocaust. “We understand that she was in a formative and confusing stage of her life,” Levy said. “This intergenerational connection is important for the ability of each filmmaker to represent [Brettler’s] experiences through animation and therefore, to communicate the tragedy of the Holocaust, as well as the inspiring perseverance of [Brettler] and other child survivors.” Levy said she was appreciative of her time spent talking to Brettler one-on-one because it helped her realize the importance of creating connections in filmmaking and storytelling. “My conversations with [Brettler] illuminated the importance of storytelling as a form of communication, whether a story is told through film, writing, painting or between two individuals,” Levy said. “We discovered a meaningful connection between our families. During the Iranian Revolution of [1979], [Brettler] worked with my grandfather to get tens of thousands young Jewish children out of Iran. Both having experienced violent displacement due to our religion, we found this reach across the diaspora inspiring, confident that, regardless of the adversity we face, human connection is persistent.” Fellow animator, filmmaker and Westflix winner for “A Prayer for My Mother: The Eva Brettler Story,” Raisa Effress ’23 said seeing her film on the big screen was her favorite part of the night. “I got to look around and see people’s reactions and see their faces at certain parts that I knew were important to me,” Effress said. “I could see that [the film] had the intended effect on them and it was important to them. Looking around and seeing how everyone was so touched by [the film] really touched me.” Effress said it is important to host student film festivals like Westflix because support from fellow young filmmakers promotes creativity and engagement. “Everyone was so incredibly supportive of each other’s films, and it just created an environment that really inspired everybody to keep creating,” Effress said. “Our speaker, Jordan Peele, inspired everybody to create as well. Things like this that encourage young artists to create are possibly the most important things in order to keep us all grounded in something good.”
C2 Arts & Entertainment
March 23, 2022
The Chronicle
Costume designers on campus discuss their creative processes and involvement in school plays and musicals. By Claire Conner and Jina Jeon
explores different methods of costume design, and along with other students, Chen works beSitting in front of a wall cov- hind-the-scenes to create cosered in magazine scraps, sketch- tumes for the school’s on-stage es and patterns, Paisley Kandler productions. She said this pro’22 traced over her fashion de- cess allows her to enjoy theater signs on Procreate, a digital without the pressure of acting in illustration app. A sewing ma- front of a live audience. “I’ve always been interested chine hummed in the background, and a group of students in character design,” Chen said. stood around a mannequin, “I took the [Basic Sewing and pinning fabric to form the shape Costume Techniques] class to of a dress. The Basic Sewing and gain more drawing skills. I also Costume Techniques class had like theater, but I don’t want to been working on costumes for physically participate on stage, the upper school winter musical so I think [making costumes] is “Spring Awakening” through- a good balance.” Chen said although some out the semester with the goal of enhancing the storyline through students may not be familiar with the costhe performtume design ers’ clothing. class, the Kandler course helped said although her pursue some peocreative, colple overlook laborative costume deprojects and sign as a mere gain new exbehind-theperiences. scenes theater “A lot of process, she people who said she beL Wood come into lieves there Paisley the costume is more to it Kandler ’22 room are than meets the surprised beeye. She said cause they that costume did not even design is an art form that can be used to express know that this room existed,” Chen said. “I think more people ideas, themes and feelings. “Students might assume that should learn about [the class] costume designers mainly work because you can make a lot of on costumes for plays and mu- cool projects. Right now, I am sicals,” Kandler said. “While working on a dress with two some do, the point of the class classmates, which we made usis to explore conceptualization. ing sewing patterns and the inThe intro class focuses on com- structions that go with it.” Peters said she strives to teach ing up with costumes based on real-world things, such as music students how to express themor the scents of different spices.” selves and their ideas through Basic Sewing and Costume wearable mediums. “I teach students about the Techniques student Henry Pokress ’23 said fashion is more art and craft of costume design,” than just visual art and can be Peters said. “The class involves the principles of design and how used to tell a story. “Metaphors can help you to use them to create an effective choose fabric and certain design costume, break down the script techniques,” Pokress said. “For and form a cohesive group of example, in ‘Spring Awakening,’ characters that tell a story.” Peters said her favorite part instead of dressing up the adult characters in typical costumes of teaching costume design is of the time period, the design- watching students gain new exers went with a devilish look to periences and create practical, convey how the kids in the play wearable products. “I love working with students saw their parents.” Barbara Chen ’23 said she and seeing their lightbulb mowas inspired to join the Basic ment when they learn a tangible Sewing and Costume Tech- skill,” Peters said. “It’s fun to see niques class, run by Perform- them sit ing Arts Teacher Lisa Peters, to gain artistic skills and branch out into different mediums. The class
down and do something they have never done before. For example, when my students make pajamas, they create something wearable for the first time, and it excites them.” Likewise, Maddy James ’23 said her favorite part of the Basic Sewing and Costume Techniques course is the feeling of completing a project. She said it is gratifying to use fabric and sewing materials to make a practical wardrobe item. “I like being able to take something and turn it into something completely different,” James said. “There’s definitely a lot of effort that goes into each project, but at the end of the day, I am able to create things, which is very satisfying. In academic courses, you get a letter grade in return, which does not feel as rewarding.” James said while she enjoys the feeling of completing a project, the art of costume design requires more effort than she expected. She said even though she is occasionally discouraged by mistakes, trial and error make for a strong final product. “Before I got into fashion design, I just thought it was cool, but there was so much more behind it,” James said. “Whether you are altering a pattern or creating something from scratch, it could take months just to plan the scaling and sizing of the project. You have to put a lot of consideration into it first.” Like James, Peters said the work that goes into costume design should be appreciated because of the necessary planning and collaboration. She said costume design can be unpredictable and requires a lot of perseverance to complete projects. “Even in a small-scale production, a lot of thought and preparation is required,” Peters said. “Sometimes, you just get to a situation where something is not working, and you have to rethink it. Going back to the beginning and starting again can be frustrating, but sometimes leads to a better solution.” Ofek Levy ’23 said the school’s costume process for plays and musicals involves a lot of brainstorming, editing and collaboration to ensure the outfits are cohesive. “Once the actors are recruited, the costume designers [get involved],” Levy said. “We start sketching de-
signs and breaking down what jects. He said he recently we would like to fit a certain completed a project based on character in terms of mood and succulent plants, in which he theme. Then, we look at the de- drew inspiration from the natusigns done for the other actors ral world and its patterns. to see how they compare. [Fi“I did a collection [inspired nally], we make the costumes by] succulents, and one of the match based on whether we big things about succulents want to emphasize the similarity is their symmetry,” Levy said. or difference.” “However, a lot of times, sucKandler said although her culents are also asymmetrical. process involves more digital Comparing and contrasting work than hands-on sewing, her those two ideas was central to preparation involves researching my collection because I wantdifferent types of fashion and ed to create this idea of balance design techniques to construct and repetition that creates really an effective costume. strong clothing and art.” “I start with a lot of research, Pokress said while he is not particularly if my costumes are completely sure about his plans based on a book or folktales,” for after high school, he wants K a n to contindler said. ue pursu“Then, I ing fashion draw the design as sketches a method I am able to in a noteof creative create things, which book and expression. render “I defiis very satisfying. In them in n i t e l y academic courses, Procrewant to you get a letter grade ate. The do [fashdigital ion design] in return, which does rendering after high not feel as rewarding.” takes the s c h o o l ,” most time Pokress —Maddy James ’23 and makes said. “I up threefeel like and-a-half I would months of not really my [most recent] project.” be [myself ] if I did not express Pokress said he likes the col- my creative side. I would like to laborative environment that the learn more about fashion and course provides. Additionally, explore it further, whether it’s as he said he is able to bond with a career or a hobby.” other students through a shared Despite the amount of work interest in costume design. and planning that goes into “My favorite part about the costume design, James said her class is being able to see what the final products make her feel reother kids in the class are work- warded for her efforts. ing on,” Pokress said. “I think “It takes bravery to take on it is less competitive than other a large project,” James said. classes, and you can work with “There’s so much more to [fashother people to express your ion design] than just pretty garideas. Right now, I’m working ments, but if you take the time with another classmate to make to prepare up front, then the a spring outfit.” end result will be much, much Levy said a fundamental better and very gratifying.” part of fashion design is finding themes within everyday ob-
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ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
Mar. 23, 2022
hwchronicle.com
Arts & Entertainment C3
Arts & Entertainment editors recommend their favorite spring break activities: gardening, cooking and visiting farmer’s markets.
JINA JEON/CHRONICLE
Although we should all do our part to keep the planet clean throughout the year, spring is an exceptionally great time to pursue environmental projects. With Earth Day just around the corner, participating in nature conservation events such as tree planting, community garden weeding and park clean-ups would make a great addition to anyone’s spring break plans. A quick online search can help you find volunteer organizations that offer service activities that include working with community gardens and local cleanup groups.
Volunteering at an environmental conservation organization can help you get in touch with nature while also providing a sense of purpose in making our communities cleaner and healthier. In my experience, working at these volunteer events has introduced me to wonderful new communities. For example, I formed relationships with fellow high school students and retired elderly volunteers alike while weeding in the Rio de Los Angeles State Park. As we worked, I listened to new acquaintances share pieces of their personal lives and explain why they volunteer to help the planet. For those interested in volunteering, I recommend reaching out to Tree People, which organizes Saturday morning park
cleanups and gardening events. The organization’s next tree planting events are at 8:30 a.m. on March 24 in Commerce, California and at 8:30 a.m. on March 26 in Watts, California. Volunteers of all ages can sign up on their website by providing personal information and signing a waiver. Walk-in volunteers are also welcome, and Tree People accepts donations on their website and allows people to dedicate a tree to a loved one for those who are unable to volunteer in person but are looking to get involved in helping the planet this season. These are just few of the various opportunities Tree People offers, so I strongly suggest taking the time to look into them and visit the organization to get in touch with our planet during spring break.
Instead of sleeping in until 11 a.m. on Sundays, which is tempting, I rush to get dressed and walk to my local farmers market before their cinnamon raisin brioche runs out. Farmers markets were a staple of my childhood, but this past year, they have once again become a part of my Sunday routine. Sometimes I bring friends or family with me, but I especially love going on my own. As I walk between rows of familiar vendors, the mellow and relaxed energy of the market gives me a moment of peace
in my otherwise busy weekend. In the spring, farmers markets are more exciting than ever. A particular highlight at the Beverly Hills farmers market is market stand Harry’s Berries. From their fresh fruit to their jams and juices, Harry’s Berries’s products are fresher and more flavorful than the options in a supermarket. But something to keep in mind is that not all farmers markets are the same; most cities within Los Angeles County have farmers markets, but each has different vendors and products. They also vary in size and popularity, so it is important to find the best farmers market near you if you want to have the optimal spring farmers market experience. The best farmers markets have a wide mix of vendors, allow-
ing for patrons to discover a new product with each visit. As you build relationships with these vendors and try their products, the farmers market begins to feel more like a community. Some notable farmers markets are located in Studio City, Beverly Hills and Brentwood. They differentiate themselves from the average farmers market with their quality and quantity of product. Also, since they are more popular, they tend to attract a larger and more regular following. Although many farmers markets take place on Sundays, others take place throughout the week, so research when your local farmer market is open, and make sure to stop by for the perfect spring break activity.
BECCA BERLIN/CHRONICLE
citing. Spotting baby spinach, arugula and strawberries, I realize I am craving something fresh and flavorful that will capture the essence of the new season, and I venture away from my classic kale salad with tahini dressing. Chopping berries soothes my nerves, and worries float away as I focus on stirring balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, lemon, salt and olive oil for a dressing. Sprinkling chopped almonds on top of my salad, I still feel something is missing: avocado or feta cheese? Avocado. Following my gut instinct is rewarded when I taste my salad. Creamy avocado, tart strawber-
ries, crunchy almonds and a sweet yet sour dressing blend together to create the perfect flavor profile. Strawberries are iconic spring fruits, and the other fresh ingredients of the salad complement them perfectly. Now that I have dipped my toes into experimental cooking once again, I cannot wait to leap into baking and make strawberry shortcakes or a strawberry tart. The next time you struggle with stress or are overcome by boredom, enter your kitchen, open the cupboards and refrigerator, find some ingredients that inspire you, put on an apron and start experimenting.
By Jina Jeon
By Becca Berlin
By Vasilia Yordanova
VASILIA YORDANOVA/CHRONICLE
With the arrival of spring comes loads of fresh fruits and vegetables, all of which are perfect for cooking experiments. Spring break is just around the corner, which means days full of time free from schoolwork, so I turn to my kitchen for a creative and relaxing activity. I open the refrigerator doors and scan the shelves of groceries to curate something new and ex-
VASILIA YORDANOVA/CHRONICLE
ACTIVIST ART: In light of the current war in Europe, over 50 upper school visual arts students and several teachers created a colorful emulation of Pablo Picasso’s iconic “Guernica.” The original painting is widely considered to be a symbol of peace as well as a representation of the tragedies of war, and it brought the world’s attention to Nazi brutality during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s, according to pablopicasso.org. ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
C4 Arts & Entertainment
By Vasilia Yordanova Upper school dance students performed in the contemporary dance concert “Metamorphosis: A Celebration of Transformation,” on March 11-13. Dancer Cherry Li ’22 said the show is titled “Metamorphosis” to showcase the transformation and improvement of the dancers and choreographers. “We wanted to tell the audience about our story of growing up and our growth as dancers,” Li said. “A lot of us are seniors, [so] we thought [‘Metamorphosis’] would be a fitting theme when we are about to go into this big transition in our lives. We also wanted the audience to connect with [and find] the idea of growth and transformations in their own lives.” Li said the majority of her preparation for the show entailed practicing the dances her classmates choreographed. “Since I was not a student choreographer, I mainly played
the part of learning dances,” Li said. “I tried my hardest to truly embody my choreographers’ vision of the dance while throwing in some personality with my movement quality.” Li said that she enjoyed performing on stage and that she was pleased to see her classmates’ work come together for the show. “It feels really great to be back on stage again,” Li said. “I can easily see the hard work everyone has put into the show, so I hope our stories were able to reach our audience as well.” Upper School Dance Teacher Quela Clancy said the show was canceled March 12 because a dancer tested positive for COVID-19, which caused several changes to the show’s original program. “[Canceling the performance because of [COVID-19] meant we
March 23, 2022
The Chronicle
had to restage parts of the show,” Clancy said. “The positive perspective however, is that it allowed the dancers to exercise the words perseverance, accountability and understanding [in light of the cancellation].” Clancy, who directed and choreographed for the concert, said she also participated in one of the student performances. “I served as the concert director and faculty choreographer,” Clancy said. “I also had a featured role in ‘Two Sides of The Comb.’ The work was a solo
performed by Olivia Sparks ’22 celebrating and addressing different perspectives of Black hair.” Clancy said giving the choreographers and dancers agency in their work allowed students to fully express themselves through the production. “While working with the student choreographers, I avoid being too involved with their creative process because I do not want my voice to come through their work,” Clancy said. Dancer Mateo Ahmad ’23 said he enjoyed experiencing his peers’ excitement right before they performed on stage. “My favorite part of performing was the energy everybody had,” Ahmad said. “Backstage to get out the jitters, everyone was doing little dances and joking around and it just made it a really fun atmosphere. That made it
really easy to have a positive outlook onstage and have fun with the choreography.” Ahmad said he appreciated all the hard work the choreographers and dancers put into the performance because it helped everyone do their best. “I think my favorite thing about the show was the quality of all of the dancers around me,” Ahmad said. “For starters, the choreography they made was so innovative. But also, having everyone around you makes you try to incorporate [an interesting movement] you see into your own dancing.” Dancer and choregrapher Cory Porter ’22 said she savored the chance to collaborate with her friends as a senior. “My favorite part about performing [was] the company of dancers who I performed with,” Porter said. “I have been dancing with most of these people since seventh grade, and it has been really special to create this final show with them.”
ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
By Lucas Cohen-d’Arbeloff
ditions all the time, rejection is a recurrent thing,” Figueroa said. “I Fatigued from the rush hour definitely didn’t really have that drive from Santa Monica to Hol- fear, and my social anxiety was lywood, a 10-year-old Penelope better [back then].” However, Figueroa said the Figueroa ’23 waited among dozens of other child actors contend- stress of the industry sometimes ing for a role on Disney Channel. took a toll on her mental health. Figueroa, then 10 years old and When she failed to book jobs, she equipped with a manager and said she often took the decisions personally and quesagent, said she struggled tioned her ability. to stay engaged in the “I had acting teachindustry at a young age. ers explain to me, ‘Oh, “That’s impossible, you just probably didn’t driving an hour and a have the right look,’” half there and back,” Figueroa said. “[How Figueroa said. “It was excould] my little 11-yearhausting for a sixth gradold brain process what er, especially since you that means? Sometimes have such a low chance L. Wood I’d be like, ‘Why am I of getting [a role].” Penelope not getting into these Between 2015 and Figueroa ’23 things? Is my acting bad, 2017, Figueroa peror do I look weird?’” formed in a number of In light of the strain of constudent films, as well as the feature film “Prodigy” and Spanish-lan- stant auditions and a desire to foguage film “Por Sofia.” She also cus more on academics, Figueroa took classes at the Lee Strasberg said she stopped acting profesTheatre & Film Institute in West sionally at age 12. She said she initially was not going to particHollywood from 2014 to 2015. Figueroa said despite her ex- ipate in performing arts in high haustion, acting had a positive school but chose to revisit acting impact on her childhood, helping as a junior. “I’m definitely [doing] nothto alleviate her fear of rejection ing as crazy as auditions because and shape her personality. “Because you’re going into au- I really don’t have the time,”
Figueroa said. “I’m just taking [The Actor and the Stage I and II] at school, and I’m going to do Playwrights Festival.” Katie Hadsock-Longarzo ’23 also participates in the school’s performing arts classes, including Advanced Acting and Video Art. Hadsock-Longarzo performed in the fall play “J.B.” and the winter musical “Spring Awakening” but said schoolwork is currently preventing her from pursuing a professional career in film. “If I had to miss school, I would stress out too much,” Hadsock-Longarzo said. “Worrying about auditions is another level [of added stress] that I don’t really need right now.” Hadsock-Longarzo said in addition to her commitment to the arts, she is equally interested in biomedical engineering. She said she hopes to go to a college where she can study both of her passions, but she said the academic pressure of the school sometimes clouds her judgment. “Sometimes there is pressure to go into something more academic because the arts aren’t usually really stable career choices for most people,” Hadsock-Longarzo said. “It’s a very competitive field to enter into. I worry about the fact
that if I choose [acting], I might fail, and I could have easily have chosen this other path.” Hadsock-Longarzo said the environment around school productions can mirror the cutthroat nature of the school’s academic and extracurricular activities. “Especially during auditions, when things are just starting, there’s high competition because there [are] a lot of people in the program that are really talented,” Hadsock-Longarzo said. “In order to be considered for something that you want, you have to really put energy and effort into it.” Actor Fran Kranz ’00, who recently released his directorial debut called “Mass” about gun violence to critical acclaim, said he participated in nearly every performing opportunity while at the school, including theater, choir and dance. Kranz said although he was not a strong student until junior year, he hoped his performing experience would help his application stand out in the college process. “I think there was always some hope that if I were going to be a good actor, and if I was showing success as an actor, that that would counter [my] more average grades,” Kranz said. “A college
would sort of [say], ‘Well, he’s got these grades, but he really excels in this artistic pursuit, and he’s really passionate about this.’” After graduating from the school, Kranz earned his bachelor’s degree in humanities from Yale University, where he said he chose to pursue a liberal arts education despite his desire for an acting career. “For me, it was important that I continue acting and continue to be in plays because that’s what I wanted to do but also [that I] would get a liberal arts education,” Kranz said. “I did not want to go to a conservatory. I did not want to just be a theater studies major. I wanted to major somewhere in the liberal arts.” Kranz said school productions required professionalism comparable to the demands of his academic coursework. He said working in a rigorous high school environment gave him invaluable skills for his film career. “I was groaning through [schoolwork], and I didn’t think some of it was even humanly possible to complete,” Kranz said. “I was stressed out of my mind a lot. But it shaped this perspective about how what you want to do in life is best supported by a well-rounded education.”
Sports The Chronicle • March 23, 2022
Thompson to play in World Cup By Leo Saperstein
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JEFF MITCHELL
SEASON READY: Tommy Park ’22 sprints the last 50 meters of a 200-meter Individual Medly Race at the Easterns Interscholastic Championships on Feb. 25. In the first meet of the season, Park won a second gold and broke school record with his relay team at the 200 meter medley race on Feb 26.
Swim and dive team wins golds at Easterns By Paul Kurgan
still has room for improvement. “[Winning the 200 individual After a historic performance at medley] felt pretty good,” Park Easterns Interscholastic Champi- said. “I dropped a significant onships, in which the team broke amount of time at the race since the school record and won gold my last event. I still think I need medals in the 200 Medley race, to keep working and putting in 200 individual medley and the the hours during practices for the 50 freestyle relay, the team tran- CIF meet.” sitioned into its Mission League One week after Easterns, season, defeating Chaminade Evette Um ’24 won the 100-meHigh School on March 3, Ale- ter freestyle in the meet against many High School on March 10 Chaminade High School, which and Loyola High School the boys team won on March 17. 146-24 and the girls Tommy Park ’22, who team won 142-35. set the school record for Um said she was the 400 freestyle relay pleased with the win, at Easterns with Ronald but she said she still Dalmacio ’22, Ethan has to improve her Wang ’23 and Benjamin technique moving Ham ’23 with a 3:02.40 forward in the season. time, said eating healthy “I’m looking forL. Wood and getting adequate ward to improving on Ethan sleep was crucial to the a more explosive turn Wang ’23 team’s success. and start,” Um said. “I tried to avoid doing “Although it wasn’t anything that would jeopardize my personal best time or my best my swims,” Park said. “I still had performance, I am still glad that fun with the team but went to I was able to score points for my sleep early and tried to be on a team.” proper diet so I would perform at At the same meet, Charlotte the meet. I was proud of how well Newman ’24 scored first place at we did at the relay.” the one-meter dive event in her Park also competed in the 200 first competitivedive of the seaindividual medley event, follow- son. Newman said she is proud ing his 400 relay victory in an- of her progress thus far. other gold medal performance “Diving is primarily a mental with a time of 1:46.81. While challenge because, as hard as it is Park said he feels proud of his physically, that is nothing comaccomplishment, said he said he pared to how scary it is,” New-
man said. “I have had to over- well against some great competicome a lot of fears [including] tion—the kind of competition failure, injury and height, but we will see when we get to [MisI am so happy to be doing this sion] League Finals and CIF,” sport, and I am so glad I found Kelly said. “For us, we just need something I am so passionate to remain focused on the end about. “Our whole team is really goals and keep training well, supportive of one another so, de- [taking it] one day at a time in spite the initial nerves, we had a practice and [getting] a little betlot of fun as we competed.” ter each session.” At the team’s second league At the meet, Donya Ghassemeet of the seaspn, a 132-31 vic- mieh ’23, Evette Um ’24, Avya tory for boys varsity and 133-26 Magna ’22 and Sascha Gadalov victory for girls varsity against ’25 won the 200 freestyle relay. Alemany High Ghassemieh said School, Ethan mental preparaWang ’23 said he tion and support swam one of his from her teamOur whole team best races to win mates brought first place in the is really supportive so, the team sucdespite the initial nerves, 50 freestyle. cess. “During the we had a lot of fun as we “I think that race, I had a our team did good dive and competed.” a good job of was able to get —Charlotte Newman ’24 getting in the my tempo up right mindset to quickly,” Wang race,” Ghassesaid. “In addimieh said. “We tion, the team spirit at the meet did this by just keeping calm, also helped me get more excited believing that we would swim for the race.” fast and not getting too nervous. Following up the two league Our team needs to keep cheering victories against Chaminade each other on to ensure success. A High School and Alemany High huge part of swimming fast is the School, the team competed at the encouragement and support that Justin Carr Friday Night Lights you feel through hearing your meet March 11. Athletic Director teammates cheer for you.” Jason Kelly said the event emuThe squad will face Saugus lated a playoff atmosphere. High School on March 25 in “Both the girls and boys its seventh meeet of the season. teams stood up and raced really Coach Schwarz said that he has
“
Alyssa Thompson ’23, forward for the Under-20 (U-20) United States Women’s National Team (USWNT), defeated Mexico 2-0 in the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Women’s Championship on March 12. Thompson was one of 20 players selected from around the nation to play for the U-20 USWNT. During the tournament, the team scored 49 goals while keeping opposing teams scoreless, qualifying them for competition in the World Cup in August 2022. Thompson played in five of the team’s seven games and scored three goals throughout the tournament. Thompson said the team’s strength and overall skill level allowed her to step up to the challenge and pushed her to compete at a high level during the CONCACAF women’s championship tournament. “[My teammates] are all a year or two older than me,” Thompson said. “The [playing] level is high because we are all striving to be our best and earn a spot on the [World Cup] team.” After winning the tournament, Thompson said she feels grateful for being selected to play on the team and looks forward to competing at a high level in the near future. “I feel amazing,” Thompson said. “This was truly a team win, and we played until the very end for each other. [I’m] just so happy I got to experience [the tournament] and [I am] excited for what is to come.” Girls Soccer Program Head Richard Simms said he expected Thompson’s success and hopes she continues to compete at a high level. “Nothing [Thompson] does surprises me,” Simms said. “She is the hardest worker I have ever seen and has married talent, work ethic and mentality in perfect harmony. I hope [Thompson] continues to be given the opportunities that her hard work deserves. She will continue to shine no matter how big the stage. There is not a defense in the world that can stop her.” • Continued on D2
4.
D2
PUT IT IN PLAY: To prepare for the Laguna Beach Invitational on March 19, Sam Paluski ’24 improves his shotput technqiue.
D3
FANATIC FRENZY: Fanatics support boys basketball in its CIF semifinal game against Sierra Canyon on March 5.
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SETTING UP FOR SUCCESS: Boys volleyball trains for upcoming league matches against Notre Dame on March 15.
D2 Sports
March 23, 2022
The Chronicle
Thompson wins with USWNT • Continued from D1
Simms said Thompson serves as a prime example of athletic competitiveness and dedication. “[Thompson] does not just want to be great,” Simms said. “She wants to be the best. There is no complacency or arrogance to her game. She is always present in every moment, whether in the weight room, practicing on the field, watching film or in a game. She ticks every box of an elite athlete, and she has earned her success. I feel very fortunate to be a witness to her development.” Although U-20 USWNT Head Coach Tracy Kevins asked Thompson not to play for the school team during the 20212022 season, Thompson led the team to an 18-0 overall record and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) SoCal Regional State Championship in the 20202021 season. School team Captain Daniela Quintero ’22, who first met Thompson on their youth track team, said Thompson’s talent and perseverance distinguish her from other soccer players. “[Thompson’s] drive to improve year after year is what sets her apart,” Quintero said. “[She] dedicates so much time to refining her skills and becoming a better player, so it is crazy to imagine where she will be in a few years. There is no doubt in my mind she will continue to make an impact in the women’s game.” Thompson will attend a U-20 USWNT training camp in June, before competing in the World Cup. She said she aims to help the team into the final stages of the tournament. “Our first objective is to make it out of the group round because the federation has not done that in years,” Thompson said. “Obviously, winning the whole thing would be incredible, and that is what we are striving for.” • Continued on hwchronicle.com
PAUL KURGAN/CHRONICLE
PRACTICE PLAY: Singles and doubles player Jordan Assil ’22 runs to the net for a volley in preparation for the team’s 11-7 loss to Calabasas High School. The squad started the season 7-0 overall before losing to Crespi Carmelite High School 11-7 March 15. The team’s overall record stands at 8-2.
Boys tennis defeats Loyola High School after consecutive losses end seven-game win streak By Andrew Park
The boys tennis team began its season with seven consecutive wins. The program is ranked second in the nation in the Pre-Season Universal Tennis High School Boys National Team Rankings based on last year’s sucess. Last season, the team beat top-ranked team University High School Charter to win the school’s first CIF Southern Section Open Division title. Singles player Andrew Arkow ’23 said the team is looking to repeat last year’s success this season. “Obviously, last season the team played great, allowing us to win many games in the playoffs and regular season,” Arkow said. “We hope to defend our CIF Southern Section Open Division title and our CIF Regional title.”
Doubles player Avi Carson ’22 said he believes the team will have a strong season despite the pressure he said they feel playing for the program. “As a historically powerhouse program, we always feel pressure to go far and possibly win CIF,” Carson said. “Since I joined the team in my freshman year, we have always made a deep run in the playoffs, and I do not expect this year to be any different.” Carson said many people do not expect the team to be successful this season compared to last season, but this expectation has not changed the mentality. “We have kind of been written off by many people this year after losing four of our top guys in the offseason,” Carson said. “People don’t expect us to go as far, but we hold ourselves to the
same standard of championshipcaliber performance every game and practice. The biggest thing we need to focus on is perfecting our doubles teams, as we understand the importance of having really strong doubles teams.” After losing two straight games following a 7-0 start to the season, singles and doubles player Justin Lee ’22 said everyone has aspects of the game that they can improve on, and he has spent the offseason perfecting his own. “Even with all the success last season, there is room for improvement for everyone, such as bringing as much positive energy to every match as possible,” Lee said. “Personally, I took the time to hone my serve and sharpen my footwork in singles and doubles.” Singles player Teddy Ingold ’24 said the team’s senior leadership
set a strong example of how hard the team needs to work in order to recover from recent losses. “After the two losses, our seniors have set an excellent example for us on how we should carry ourselves in practice by demonstrating their ferociousness and dedication to the sport even after losing,” Ingold said. “We are practicing with a greater intensity and focus, and I believe that will translate to continuing our winning culture.” Boys Tennis Program Head Bo Hardt said he expects the team to improve after recent defeats. “Losing is the best thing to happen for this team, which needed a wake-up call,” Hardt said. “I want [our players] to improve every day to be way better than we were to begin the season in order to make the CIF finals and CIF regional [championship].”
Track and field loses to Notre Dame By Paul Kurgan And Leo Saperstein
CHARLIE SEYMOUR/CHRONICLE
LAUNCHING IT: Sam Pulaski ’24 practices shot put March 15. The team defeated Crespi Carmelite High School 65-34 in its second meet.
The track and field team lost to Notre Dame High School 7254 in its third league meet of the season, improving its overall record to 2-1. The squad won its first two meets of the 2021-2022 spring season against Chaminade High School on March 3 and Crespi Carmelite High School on March 10, winning 92-35 and 67-37, respectively. Benson Fleischer ’23 won first place in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.33 seconds and in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.99 seconds, beating Chaminade High School runners. Fleischer said although the team has room for improvement, the competition felt rewarding. “[Chaminade High School and Crespi Carmelite High School] were not the strongest [opponents], and we have bigger challenges coming up,” Fleischer said. “It was great to compete after eight months of not competing.” Fleischer said a good start to
the season motivated the team to couraging environment] is why work harder in practice in order the team is having so much sucto refine their technique as the cess,” Azarbal said. “I hope the season progresses. team can continue to become “I am looking forward to see- even closer off the track and ing all the improvement around achieve results they’re proud of the program,” Fleischer said. on the track.” “Putting in hard work Jesse Goldman ’23 and seeing numbers won first place in shot improve is a really fulput against Crespi Carfilling feeling and it is melite High School, great to see my teamthrowing 51 feet, 1 mates improve.” inch, which was eight Distance runner Arifeet beyond any of his ana Azarbal ’22 said the competitors. He said team’s collective effort he aims to continue impressed her. improving in preparaL. Wood “I am in awe of evtion for more competiArian eryone’s work ethic and tive meets in the future. Azarbal ’22 commitment to being “I am looking there for each other,” Azarbal said. forward to trying to improve “I see so many of my teammates throughout the whole season and dedicating themselves wholeheart- making my season as long as posedly to the sport, whether they are sible,” Goldman said. “There are waking up at 5 a.m. to run six many things I need to improve miles or taking every opportunity this season, but the main one is to encourage their teammates.” improving mentally. It is very easy Azarbal said the team’s sup- to get in your head when competportive attitude contributes to ing in large competitions.” The team competes against St. athletes’ success in meets. “I think [the program’s en- Francis High School on March 24.
March 23, 2022
hwchronicle.com/sports
Sports D3
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
ALEXA DRUYANOFF
The Fanatics are a student group who show school spirit and support to athletic teams at home and away games. By Allegra Drago
than for the boys basketball finals, the Fanatics struggled to gather larger audiencDozens of fans donning bright red es at the beginning of the winter season. T-shirts with text reading, “I don’t know “We got audiences for sports like sochow to say this, but we’re kind of a big cer, for instance, but it was challenging deal,” poured down from the stands, gathering big crowds,” Ross said. “For flooding the Sierra Canyon School bas- field hockey, the Fanatics went to some ketball court as the clock hit zero in the big games. But none of these crowds comschool’s 63-60 win in the CIF Southern pared to those of Homecoming in the fall.” Section (CIF-SS) Open Division playoffs. Fanatic Jade Zoller ’22 said she was Moments before, Head Fanatic Julian- impressed with the support the boys na Ross ‘22 led a deafening chant cheer- basketball team received in its game ing the boys basketball team to victory. against Sierra Canyon School in the The Fanatics are a student-led group face of significant logistical challenges. established in 2006 who attend home “The CIF-SS semifinal was by far one and away school sports games to support of the best games I have been to,” Zoller their peers. A 2006 print of Vox said. “Sierra Canyon [School] Populi said the group cheered was not close in location, tickwith unmatched enthusiasm. ets were impossible to get and “Led by incredibly enthuyet the [number] of Fanatics siastic seniors, what began as a that showed up was amazing.” small group of very loud cheerers Head Fanatic Ridley Bergevolved into almost a cult moveer-Sacks ’22 said that at the ment, with members even sportSierra Canyon School basketl. wood ing bright red T-shirts to disball game, he noticed players Julianna tinguish them from the crowd from both teams interacting Ross ’22 regulars,” Vox Populi wrote. with the Fanatics. He said be“It was only to be expected of ing close to the players throughHarvard-Westlake’s cheering section.” out the game made the difference. Ross, who was elected a Head Fa“[Cameron Thrower ’22] and [Dahnte natics this fall, said her role involves Rusell ’22] looking at [the Fanatics] and informing the community about trying to hype us up—it’s their signature,” upcoming games, distributing Fa- Berger-Sacks said. “I know we get into natics T-shirts and leading chants. the players’ heads while they play. For in“I honestly am excited to support my stance, [Sierra Canyon School senior Ampeers and make them smile by just cheer- ari Bailey] definitely recognized us during ing them on and creating a happy spirit the game. He made gestures to the Faenvironment,” Ross said. “I think sup- natics a couple of times and blew porting each other can make such a posi- a kiss when he made a dunk.” tive difference in our mindsets and mental Zoller said the Fahealth overall. It’s so important to have natics act as a metaphorical some sort of leadership group or role in the crowd making the game more exciting.” Ross said other
“12th man” at games. She said being a Fanatic allows her to feel as though she is part of the competing team. “The Fanatics remind whichever team is playing that they have this big group of students who care about them and want them to succeed,” Zoller said. “[The Fanatics] play the supporting role and help out in any way we can with our energy and school spirit.” Zoller said she has noticed the positive impact the Fanatics have had on the teams. “The Fanatics bring so much energy and get the team going during the games,” Zoller said. “Coming from [the girls tennis] team that never really got any support from Fanatics, I can tell how big of a difference there is in the players’ demeanors when t h e Fanatics are there cheering for them. The environment is just so much happier and welcoming. I think our presence was definitely recognized between both teams.” Boys Basketball Program Head David Rebibo said the Fanatics make a positive difference in games, especially during home games by inspiring and cheering the team on. “The Fanatics are a huge part of athletics,” Rebibo said. “The pride and passion they show, impacts all programs and teams. Home court advantage is dependent on the presence of the Fanatics.” Columnist Eric Sondheimer for the Los Angeles Times High School Sports emphasized the Fanatics when he tweeted about the school’s boys
basketball program Feb. 19. “The Fanatics are making so much noise I think Harvard-Westlake should play all their home games at Sierra Canyon,” Sondheimer wrote in a Tweet. Head Fanatic Rohan Mehta ’23 said indoor sports like basketball and volleyball allow for a better connection between the Fanatics and the players. “Being next to the court allows us to be more intimate with the players,” Mehta said. “The vocals echo and you [can] be a lot louder.” Mehta said he hopes to gather more Fanatics for upcoming games in the spring. “Going into the spring season we have lacrosse games, track and field meets and we also have boys volleyball,” Mehta said. “I look forward to going and being energetic.” Boys basketball forward Jacob Huggins ’23 said he has noticed an improvement in his sports performance when the Fanatics are at games. “We didn’t have fans for a while at the beginning of the season,” Huggins said. “They bring a lot of energy and the team plays better when they are there.” Huggins said hearing the encouragement from the Fanatics helped the team during the state championship playoffs. “Having my classmates watch me hypes me up and whenever I score it makes a big impact,” Huggins said. “Hearing my name being cheered and having that energy coming from the crowd is great.” Swimmer Max Shapiro ’23 said he hopes to have the Fanatics cheer him on during meets. “I would want [my peers] to come because like in football or basketball, it is more exciting as players when there is a lot of energy and noise during our meets,” Shapiro said. Shapiro competed in the Easterns Interscholastic Swimming and Diving meet in Pennsylvania, he when he competed he appreciated the presence and energy of the crowd. He said he hopes to experience the same spirit at home meets. “When [the team] was in Pennsylvania, the pool was so loud and everyone was super hyped [that] I’d never enjoyed swimming more,” Shapiro said. “It’s also easier to go our fastest when we have our friends cheering for us.” Nyla Shelton ‘24 said the student section at Homecoming allowed her to feel like a part of the school community. “Everyone’s energy and enthusiasm made [the football] Homecoming [game] a really unforgettable experience,” Shelton said. “I think that everyone holding posters and cheering our athletes on not only encouraged our athletes but also encouraged every student to continue attending future [school] games and tournaments.” PRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM VOX POPULI
The Chronicle
D4 Sports
March
WOLVERINE WOMEN
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF DARLENE BIBLE
DARA TORRES ’85
Dara Torres ’85 had the longest career of any Olympic swimmer, attending five Olympic Games over the course of 24 years and winning four gold medals. At age 17, Torres won a gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. At 41, Torres qualified for the 2008 Olympics, where she set a national record in the 50-meter freestyle.
HARVARD-WESTLAKE ARCHIVES
ALI RILEY ’06
In her time at the school, Ali Riley ’06 won two Mission League Offensive MVP awards en route to a CIF Division I finals appearance. In addition to her professional careers at Chelsea F.C., F.C. Bayern Munich and The Orlando Pride, Riley competed in four World Cups with New Zealand, captaining the team beginning in 2017.
23, 2022
hwchronicle.com/sports
Sports D5
In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Chronicle highlights the school’s past and present female athletes.
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ALYSSA THOMPSON
ALYSSA THOMPSON ’23 Forward Alyssa Thompson ’23, together with the rest of the US Women’s Under-20 National Team, won the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) championship March 13. Thompson scored three goals in the tournament to contribute to the victory.
CHARLIE SEYMOUR/CHRONICLE
PRENTISS CORBIN ’22 Midfielder Prentiss Corbin ’22 became the first female athlete to join the lacrosse team in school history. Corbin joined the program in the winter of 2021, playing in her first practice in January. Corbin said she hopes to inspire future female athletes at the school to pursue their athletic passions, regardless of gender barriers.
ILLUSTRA TION BY
MELOD
Y TANG,
SOPHIA
EVANS AN D
ALEXA D
RUYANO
FF
D6 Sports
The Chronicle
March 23, 2022
Girls Basketball Season Awards
L. Wood
Amelia Scharff ’22
In her senior season, Digital Managing Editor Amelia Scharff '22 averaged 10.8 points and 12.0 rebounds, placing her in the top 10 in CIF-SS Division I in both statistical categories. ALLEGRA DRAGO/CHRONICLE
CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGE: Shooting guard Cameron Thrower '22 shoots for three points over defenders in the CIF-SS Open Division Championship game against Centennial High School. The team eventually lost the game 68-48, ending its historic run in the regional tournament.
L. Wood
Deana Thompson ’25
As a freshman, guard Deana Thompson '25 averaged 9.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. She was one of three freshmen in all of the CIF-SS Division I selected for an end of season award.
L. Wood
Jordyn Call ’23
Junior guard Jordyn Call '23 led the team in scoring this year, averaging 11.2 points per game, and earned a top 10 rank in the total number of three-pointers scored in CIF-SS Division I.
Boys basketball team members receive season-end awards following CIF State Championship loss By Charlie Seymour The boys basketball team lost 55-72 to Sierra Canyon High School in the quarterfinals of the CIF State Open Division playoff tournament March 5. The loss ended the program's season with a 25-3 overall record. The team previously beat Sierra Canyon High School 6360 in the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Open Division tournament Feb. 18 before losing to Corona Centennial High School 48-68 in the opening match of the CIF tournament Feb. 25. Centennial went on to win both the CIF-SS Open Division and CIF State Open Division championships. With a 5-1 Mission League record, the team tied Notre Dame High School for first place in the league. Guard Cameron Thrower ’22 and forward Brady Dunlap ’23 were named First Team All Mission League, and forward Landon Lewis '22 and center Jacob Huggins '23 were
named Second Team All Mission applying the experience and League. knowledge earned over the course For the first time in program of three years to his relationships history, the team made it to with his teammates. the CIF-SS Open Division “I have contributed leadership, championship after its Feb. energy and a competitive spirit 18 victory over Sierra Canyon to this program,” Thrower School. Thrower said he is proud said. “Throughout my years of the program’s improvement here, I have learned how to be since joining as a freshman. a better leader and win. All the “I am most proud lessons I learned have of the growth we have accumulated to help shown over the course this past season and it of my four years,” led to our historically Thrower said. “When strong postseason.” I was a freshman, we Boys Basketball started at Division I in Program Head the playoffs and now, David Rebibo said in my senior year, we the team’s greatest made it to the CIF accomplishment this L. Wood Open Division Final. season was its ability Brady We pulled together to overcome adversity Dunlap ’23 as a team to have an as players pushed on outstanding playoff run that not despite a plethora of injuries and only brought our team closer COVID-19 cases. but brought the entire [school] “I am proud of [the team’s] community closer.” character that was on full display Thrower said that as a senior, all season,” Rebibo said. “I was he took on the role of being one proud of how we continued of the team’s primary leaders, to respond and come together
throughout the season.” Rebibo said the team is doing everything possible to further push its success next season. “[The team] will put a major focus on getting bigger, faster and stronger through the weight room [in the offseason],” Rebibo said. “We will continue to work and develop skill sets, and as we approach summer, begin the framework of what our team can and will be. We are excited about the future and looking forward to building off the success of last season going into next year.” In addition to the program's historic finish, Dunlap said players put in an extra effort to establish camaraderie and strong team culture for future teams to improve upon. “I take great pride in the culture we created,” Dunlap said. “We really became a family towards the end of the year, and I would do anything for every single one of [my teammates]. [This season] was truly special to be a part of."
Boys volleyball commences league play By Jaden Bobb
PAUL KURGAN/CHRONICLE
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Setters Victor Lowe '24 and Solomon Baik '24 defend a teammate's serve during volleyball practice Feb. 17.
The boys volleyball team defeated Crespi Carmelite High School 3-0 March 17. After a 2523 win in the first set, the team went on to beat its opponent 2519 and 25-13 in the second and third sets, respectively. The win brings the team’s overall record to 4-6. Outside hitter Mikey Schwartz '22 said the team had a difficult start to the season, but he said he expects team camaraderie and players' close bonds to help them win future games. “We started off the season pretty slow, but we just got a pretty big win against Crespi [Carmelite High School], and we did pretty well in the [Dos Pueblos Tournament],” Schwartz said. “We have a really good group of guys this year, and we're only getting better as time passes.
Knowing what victory feels like has been motivating us all to win even more.” Like Schwartz, setter Victor Lowe '24 said he thinks the win against Crespi Carmelite High School set the tone for the remainder of the team's season. “[The win against Crespi] is a big booster for us,” Lowe said. “It’s the first Mission League win, and it keeps us in the hunt for a playoff spot.” The squad lost 0-3 to Notre Dame High School in their Mission League opener March 15. The Wolverines opened the match with an 11-25 loss in the first set and were defeated 24-26 in the second set. Outside hitter Carter Staggs '23 said the team can learn from their mistakes during the game. “The positive [part] of the second set was that it forced us to be in a position to finish what we
started, and it gave us experience in late-game situations,” Staggs said. “Going forward we need more experience closing out games, but I think this was good practice for the next time the opportunity arises.” The team was unable to recover during the third set and lost 16-25. During the Dos Pueblos Tournament on March 12, the team beat Cabrillo High School and Hart High School but lost to Calabasas High School, Granada Hills High School and San Marcos High School. In the 30team tournament, the Wolverines finished second in pool play and fifth overall. Outside hitter Ben Volokh '22 earned AllTournament recognition for his performance in the tournament. The team will play its match against Loyola High School March 24 in Taper Gymnasium.
March 23, 2022
hwchronicle.com/sports
Golf places in two recent tournaments preceding Oak Park invitational event
By Charlie Seymour
The boys golf team holds a 0-3 overall record following two third place finishes in Mission League tournaments on March 2 and March 17, respectively, and a 204-215 loss to Windward High School on March 8. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CIF playoff tournament hosted fewer teams for competition in 2021; as a result, boys golf did not compete in last season’s playoffs. Boys Golf Program Head Scott Wood said despite the lack of competition experience among current team members, they aim to succeed during their season and into the postseason this year. “[The team] missed [the playoffs] last year for the first time in a while,” Wood said. “[I] want that
experience for this team.” With only two seniors in the program this year, Wood said he is focusing on developing the younger players who will shape the program’s future. “We are a young team without a ton of experience,” Wood said. “We will go through our ups and downs this year. Improving our consistency and our ability to handle our emotions will be key to our success in the long run.” First-year player Nate Berg ’23 said playing on the golf team has exposed him to an environment that is both fun and competitive. “I hope to have a good time this season with the great guys on the team,” Berg said. “Still, we want to compete at a high level and represent the school in a good way. We work hard at our craft, but [playing] is also
really relaxing.” progressively better,” Berg said. Berg said despite the team’s loss “I am fairly new to golf, so all to Windward School in its second the repetitions I can get with the match, he believes they will find team out on the course in league success this season as they contin- play are super beneficial [in] reue to develop as a unit. gard to my mentality.” “It is still early in Alex Mogollon ’22 the season, and there is said participating in still a lot of team bondthe golf program ofing to do,” Berg said. fered him a critical ath“Our team is going to letic and social outlet get closer and get more throughout high school. comfortable playing “The experience has with each other as the been something that I season goes on, so there will always remember,” L. Wood is certainly a foundaMogollon said. “I have Nate tion [that we are able to been lucky enough to Berg ’23 improve] upon.” play with really talBerg said considering his fresh ented teammates and learn from perspective on the game, the really smart coaches. I look forteam’s early losses have provided ward to seeing how my senior opportunities for him to develop season will bring an end to my his approach to golf. experience with the [school’s] “The team is definitely getting golf program.”
Sports D7 Facts and Figures Baseball Maxpreps preseason ranking: Boys lacrosse win rate:
No. 5
85.7%
Boys tennis overall record: Girls swim & dive average point differential:
7-1 107
Girls beach volleyball suffers first loss against Marlborough By Andrew Park
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF CLAIRE PAUL
SERVING SUNSET: Maddie Hilboki ’25 prepares to serve at a practice at Will Rodgers State Beach. The team holds a record of 3-1 this season.
The girls beach volleyball team holds a 3-1 record at the beginning of its inaugural season after a recent 2-1 loss to Marlborough High School on March 15. Team member Alex Adishian ’23 said while the team started the season strong, she expects the team will face stronger opponents during the rest of the season. “The season has started very well, as we won three of our four [dual matches],” Alex Adishian said. “As a pair, [Isabella Adishian ’24] and I are playing well and are undefeated so far, but there are a lot more talented teams coming up on the schedule.” Alex Adishian said she hopes to strengthen her team chemistry throughout the season while improving on the technical aspects
of the game. “The team and I are training hard to hone in on our core skills in serving, passing and sidingout,” Alex Adishian said. “I am super lucky to play with my sister, [Isabella Adishian,] who is very positive and competitive, and I hope to build off our chemistry as the season moves forward, regardless of different weather conditions or hurdles.” Isabella Adishian ’24 said she views teamwork as crucial to the team’s success. “Although getting better is also super important to all of us, the importance of being a supportive teammate is something we always keep in the back of our heads since it is just the two [players] on the sand,” Isabella Adishian said. Team member Claire Paul ’23
said although she struggled with the transition to beach volleyball from indoor volleyball, she enjoys the competitive aspect of playing for the team. “Right now, I am having a great time competing with all [of] my teammates,” Paul said. “However, since I have only played indoor volleyball, I am still getting used to jumping and running on sand compared to hardwood floors.” Team member Olivia Suddleson ’24 said encouragement from her coaches helps her adapt to playing beach volleyball. “The team and coaches have been amazing,” Suddleson said. “Even with the transition to outdoor volleyball, I have been surrounded by so much support and [I] am excited to see how [our] season continues.”
Lacrosse wins consecutive games By Leo Saperstein
The lacrosse team defeated Crespi Carmelite High School 5-4 in its first Mission League game of the season March 15, recovering from its 12-11 loss to Sierra Canyon High School on March 8. The team went 12-3 overall and 10-2 in Mission League games during the 2020-2021 spring season. Defender Zachary Greene ’23 said even without last year’s senior players, the current team will find similar success once it solidifies its play chemistry and style. “After only losing four [seniors], although they were all starters, if we keep on the track we are going, we have a bright future ahead of us,” Greene said. “This team is made up of a ton of great individuals, who all have their strengths and weaknesses. When we play our game and focus on us as a team, no other team can beat us. That is our key to success. If we keep on the track we are going on, we have a bright future ahead of us.” Greene said he attributes the team’s recent wins to the guidance of its coaching staff, especially La-
crosse Program Head Erik Krum. “One of the ideas that [the coaching staff] harps on the most is, no matter our skill, [we need to be] the scrappiest and hardest working team out there,” Greene said. “As a team, even when we are down, to hear the coaches getting into it with us and reflecting our emotions brings a bit of hope and drive to continue to fight for our team.” Goalkeeper Rohan Mehta ’23 said in order to win the Mission League Championship, the team needs to work on applying a more concerted effort throughout the entire game. “The key to success is locking in as a team for all four quarters,” Mehta said. “That will help us win more games. I think sometimes we start games a little flat-footed, or we end games a little bit tired.” Attacker Becket Lee ’24 said the team needs to develop more consistent communication while on offense in order to improve its record during the second half of the season. “We need to learn from how we are playing right now and improve on what we are doing,” Lee said. “We need to move the ball faster
on offense. [Better passing] will help us keep possession for longer and will help us get better opportunities in front of the goal.” Krum said the team will be able to maintain its winning record by focusing on the core components of lacrosse. “We must control the possession of the ball, scoop a majority of the ground balls and play team defense,” Krum said. “If we move the ball well from the defensive side to the offensive side and our offense protects the ball, we will put ourselves in a good position to win games.” Krum said he and his coaching staff expect players to practice with focus and dedication. “One of our main goals as a coaching staff is to instill the love of the game into all our players and motivate them to be the best teammates as possible,” Krum said. “We want our players to practice with the intent of getting better every day, and every game it is our goal to out-work our opponent.” The team will play against Chaminade High School in its second Mission League match of the season March 26.
CHARLIE SEYMOUR/CHRONICLE
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Attacker Beckett Lee ’24 cradles the ball before a 5-4 overtime win against Crespi Carmelite High School on March 16.
D8 Sports
March 23, 2022
The Chronicle
WOLVERINES ONLY
BY I
CLAIRE MCLEAN
was seven years old when I first started competing in swim meets. Having no prior meet experience, I felt isolated from the rest of the swimmers who were bigger, stronger and more experienced than I was. Until then, I had only raced and practiced against my coach who would always let me win. The nerves felt like butterflies in my stomach, tingling at the thought of diving off the blocks. I swam three events at my first swim meet and expectedly, was disqualified in all of them. I didn’t know what to do, and I wanted to quit swimming. However, I soon realized that my love for swimming overpowered my fear of swim meets, and I had to learn how to compete. With the help of my parents and coaches, I was able to gain the confidence to start competing again. The next couple of years went by, and I grew more comfortable with competing, but I still felt inexperienced compared to the other kids in my group. I was probably one of the weakest swimmers in my group, which made me feel like swimming was more of a hobby than a sport. I can not say that I remember what made me stray away from that feeling, but I started wanting to become the best. I started to become really competitive, and I found that I performed really well at big meets when the stakes were high. I started to post top times in the country for my age group, and that's when I started to feel like swimming was a huge part of my life. There are some moments during swim practices and swim meets that make me reminisce on why I started swimming in the first place. The sense of community and the endless amount of support that come from this sport are truly special and something that I wouldn’t give up for anything. Many people think of swimming as an individual sport because they see one person swimming. However, when you watch the Olym-
pics on TV and you see one swimmer in each lane representing their country, the whole country is behind that one swimmer. That same idea applies to my swim team. When I dive into the water off the blocks and begin my race, I feel that I have support from all of my teammates. As I have grown through my sport, I have come to the realization that my teammates are more than just people I train with every day. They are like a second family to me. Whether it's someone I met 10 years ago or last year, we share the same passion for swimming. We help each other finish swim sets that feel nearly impossible to complete. When the pool feels like 2 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, we huddle around to keep each other warm. A fond memory from when I initially started swimming was when one of my teammates and I held weekly bake sales after Saturday morning practices; we would bake cookies, sell them and donate the money we made to charity. Although it was not entirely related to swimming, it was something that I looked forward to as it helped me build a sense of community with my teammates. They are a very important reason why I am in the place I am today. My favorite memory of high school swimming was in February, when our team traveled to Pennsylvania to compete at the Eastern Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Championship. This was a huge meet for all of the schools on the east coast, but it was only our first meet of the season, so we didn’t really know what to expect. We arrived at our hotel for the first time only 12 hours before we had to leave for the pool. Everyone had to fight to keep their eyes open that first morning, and the time difference for all of us was extremely brutal. The results from the morning were not amazing, but most of us had a second chance to swim again in the afternoon and redeem our-
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JEFF MITCHELL
selves. We kept a positive mindset going into finals. Swimming is the kind of sport where anything can happen, which is what makes it so compelling. This aspect of the sport has allowed me to always keep a growth mindset and never get discouraged even during my toughest times. When it was finally time for finals, we had around 18 people competing. Whether it was in an individual race or a relay, everyone cheered for each other. Even swimmers from other schools cheered each other on, and the energy in that indoor pool was unmatched to anything I had ever experienced in my swimming career. I remember standing behind the blocks nervously shaking before diving into the pool for my 50 freestyle, and I could see my entire team at the end of my lane. I was extremely fatigued and could barely feel my arms moving, but knowing that I was surrounded by support and encouragement allowed me to push myself through the pain. Without their encouragement, I don’t think I would’ve won the event. The energy and excitement in the pool was so intense; it was something I had never experienced before. While I make the most of my last couple of years in high school, I look forward to competing at a Division I school in the fall of 2023. It has been a dream of mine to compete at such a high level with the best athletes in the country. Throughout my journey, without the support of all my coaches, teammates and family, I would not be able to imagine pursuing swimming after high school. When I made my commitment to Duke University in the fall of my junior year, I knew it was the right decision for me. I’m beyond excited for the new opportunities and doors it will open for me as a student-athlete. I hope to grow, not only as a swimmer in college, but as a person whose future is still in the making.