Vote today for next year’s Head Prefects inside: Q&A with the candidates >>Page A10-A11
C hronicle
online: winners of the girls’ primary
The
Will there still be semiformal next year?
Harvard-Westlake School • North Hollywood, CA • Volume XIX • Issue 6 • March 24, 2010 • chronicle.hw.com
Girls’ hoops to play for state title Friday By Alex Edel
Candice Navi/chronicle
The girls’ basketball team won the southern California regional state title after beating Bishop Montgomery 57-44 Saturday night. If the Wolverines beat Albany St. Mary’s on Friday, it will be the first ever state title for the girls’ basketball team. The last time they won a regional title was in 1999, where they later lost in the stat e finals. The Wolverines pulled away from the beginning, finishing the first quarter with a seven point lead. By the end of the half the score was 29-18. The team continued strong in the second half, with Nicole Hung ’10 scoring 15 of their 23 points. After struggling defensively in the CIF finals, the Wolverines were able to keep the Knights from scoring for a full seven minutes in the first half. As the final buzzer sound at Saturday’s game, the team came together, jumping up and down shouting “We’re going to the ‘ship!” “We don’t know how to feel because everything is coming together and we are so excited we finally made it this far. This is what we’ve been working for since fall,” Nesbit said. The Division IV state final will be held Friday at 3:30 p.m. at the Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, California. Fans who wish to attend the game can turn in a permission slip signed by their dean by Wednesday afternoon and ride the rooter bus, which will be leaving at 12:30 p.m. Attendance will be taken on the bus and students may not drive themselves.
Speakers remember Siegler for her energy, love of dance Daniel Lundberg/vox
reel talk: Director Kathryn Bigelow has a conversation with Jason Reitman ’95 (top). Olivia Chuba ’12 answers a question about her film “The Stand” before a line of all of the festival directors.
Bigelow, Reitman discuss cinema at 7th annual festival in Hollywood By Alice Phillips
Approximately 800 people attended the Film Festival last Friday at the Arclight Cinerama Dome to hear Academy Award winner Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”) speak with Academy Award nominee Jason Reitman ’95 (“Up in the Air”) and to watch 17 student films ranging from animated films to narratives to music videos to documentaries. “Calamus,” a nuanced retelling of first love by filmmaker Jonathan Jayasinghe of Cleveland High School won the Lizzie Award for Best Overall film (named for festival founder Liz Yale ’04). Festival Directors Romina D’Alessandro ’10 and Jake Gutman ’10 gave the Festival Directors’ Choice award to “Two Weeks” by Brian Tran of University High School. The New York Film Academy gave a $1,500 scholarship to Jayasinghe and $500 scholarships to all of the filmmakers. For the first time, the festival partnered with Kid Flicks, a charity run by Lexi Barta ’03, Romi Barta ’06, Marni Barta ’09 and Berni Barta ’10, to collect movies to be donated to children’s hospitals. The final 17 films were selected from over 150 entries in a two-tiered voting process by festival directors Romina D’Alessandro ’10 and Jake Gutman ’10, several Video Art and Cinema Studies students, Upper School Dean Tamar Adegbile, Upper School Visual Arts Department Head Cheri Gaulke, and performing arts teacher Ted Walch. A panel of film industry judges, including Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (“Little Miss
Sunshine”), James Eckhouse, Randy Newman (Amos ’89, John ’96, Patrick ’10, Alice ’11), Laurie MacDonald and Walker Parkes (Graham ’10), voted on the Lizzie Awards. After the screening, D’Alessandro and Gutman asked each filmmaker a question about their filmmaking process and why they were drawn to the subject matter of their films. “It was great to see everyone so supportive and so many filmmakers who were so passionate and so willing to speak about their films and to show their amazing pieces of work,” Gutman said. Gutman said that the panelists’ varied tastes in films, from guerilla and indie style films to crafted narratives with beautifully constructed cinematography, helped ensure that the 17 selected films would be a diverse group on screen. “We look for a good story, which is one of the more challenging things for the filmmakers. We look for technical excellence, but not at the expense of story,” Gaulke said. “The Beast” by Mario Adriano, Eric Becarra, Denny Dimalanta, and Michael Greenwood of Providence High School received the Lizzie Award for Directing, “Break Away” by Franchesco Ramos of Cleveland High School received the Story/Writing award, “The Compact” by Grace Samson of Providence High School received the Acting award, “Good Neighbor” by Cesar Cervantes of Bell High School received the Humanitarian award, “Love Vigilantes” by Libby Blood of El Dorado High School received the Cinematography award, “Ninja Claus” by Arnold Aldridge of Homestead High School received the Special Effects award, “Sleepyhead” by Patrick Corell and Matt Mendoza of Chaminade College See FESTIVAL, A9
By Sam Adams
Purple bouquets fill the corner of Sunset and Cliffwood; scrawled messages of love and loss cover nearly every inch of space on trees and lampposts alike; candles in honor of Julia Siegler ’14 that had once illuminated the vigil on the night of her death on Feb. 26 now sit extinguished. Siegler was crossing the street to catch the morning school bus when two cars turning right onto Sunset Boulevard struck her. She died soon after arriving at UCLA Medical Center. Police have ruled the incident a “tragic accident,” and neither driver, one of whom is a student at Palisades Charter High School, is being prosecuted. In a memorial service at the Middle School on March 5, students and teachers remembered Siegler as a girl who practically “smiled in her sleep.” Teachers recalled her habit of “filling classrooms with color, humor, and joy,” and friends mourned the loss of the “unprecedented fire and animation of an amazing girl.” Speakers gathered in Bing Auditorium celebrated her love of dance and of life. “So many moments where we seemed to cry on cue, and then pull ourselves together and be part of the next thing,” mother Jody Siegler said. “That was really a turning point for us, and we really had something to look forward to as we tried to mea-
courtesy of jody siegler
Julia Siegler ’14 sure the days and get past the days at the early, beginning days of the shock.” The memorial began with an invocation by chaplains Father J. Young and Rabbi Emily Feigenson. Her seventh grade civics teacher Stephen Chan described a girl who was passionate about history and had an uncanny ability to turn mundane topics into thoughtful, interesting reports, for example about the early 20th century painter Mary Cassatt, Chan said, “a lady who only painted babies.” “She was a diligent student and a social butterfly who put her whole heart into everything that she did,” Chan said. “And she really cared, about everything and everyone. That’s what I think I’ll See SIEGLER, A4
preview Science Bowl team places in competition held by LADWP
Three students have a rare, sense-melding condition called synesthesia.
B12
A4 s w e n
Schuyler Moore ’10 started diving two years and is considering the 2012 Olympics.
on the
web
Candice Navi/Chronicle
• PRINT EDITION: Flip through PDFs of past issues of our paper. All five issues from this year are viewable online, as well all 2008-2009 issues.
chronicle.hw.com
podcasts videos photos blogs
Cami
de
Ry
Justin Bretter ’11 took a win on failblog.org for sticking with CoCo. Bretter humiliated rival talk show host Jay Leno to support talk show host Conan O’Brien, posing for a photo with Leno and secretly exposed his hand displaying the words “Co-Co FTW,” meaning Conan For The Win. “It was all random,” Bretter said. “I was just driving and I saw them filming Jay Walk [a feature on Jay Leno’s show], so I quickly wrote ‘Co-Co FTW’ on my hand and asked for a picture.” The talk show host feud between O’Brien and Leno sparked when, in 2004, Leno promised to hand O’Brien “The Tonight Show” in 2009. After Leno’s ratings went down because of the time, NBC switched them back, forcing O’Brien’s resignation. The feud forced viewers to choose sides and build support for their favorite host on the internet.
Bretter posted the picture as his profile picture on Facebook and joined the Conan O’Brien fan club page. Later that night, Bretter posted the picture on the fan page and got a fast reaction. Almost immediately he was receiving messages from fans and people were commenting on the photo. “I got messages of people congratulating me on how great the picture was,” said Bretter. Bretter woke up the next day with the pictures on TMZ, failblog.org, and the Huffington Post.
Leah Merkle ’10 leads the girls’ soccer team to CIF.
sp ort s
Alec caso/chronicle
offbeat and
Students video chat with strangers around the world.
es ur
• POLL: Do you think that the Fanatics’ support for teams tends to be biased towards certain teams?
By Maddy Baxter
B12
chloe lister/Chronicle
feat
Candice Navi/Chronicle
The Chronicle reflects on the recent losses to our community.
chloe lister/Chronicle
A12
PHOTO: See more photos of the “Romeo and Juliet” themed dance concert.
VIDEO+PHOTO: See more photos and clips of the performances that took place at the second Coffee House.
Geena Davis urges gender equality at the Women’s History Month Assembly.
op i n
C7
The Chronicle Wednesday, March 24, 2010 Volume XIX Issue 6
i on
A6
A2
C3
new beginnings
Cassius Lalek Ethe
Nia Cheryl Armstrong
Three middle school teachers welcomed new family members last month. Husband and wife Jordan and Hillary Ethe, who teach English and science respectively, greeted son Cassius Lalek on Feb. 5, while physical education teacher Adia Armstrong gave birth to daughter Nia Cheryl on Feb. 15. The community of young parents within the middle school faculty has been “enormously helpful and reassuring for us as new parents,” Hillary Ethe said. —Jessica Barzilay
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
News A3
chronicle.hw.com
Coffee House, Take Two
Trustees raise ’10-’11 tuition
Next year’s tuition is $29,200, almost five percent higher than this year’s.
By Sammy Roth
candice navi/chronicle
Open MiC: Ben Krause ’11 sings and Coldplay’s “Yellow” on his guitar at the second Coffee House hosted by the Prefect Council, March 1 in Chalmers.
Court rules against free speech appeal By Hana Al-Henaid
A California appeals court ruled last week that threatening posts made by readers of a website are not protected as free speech under the First Amendment if the messages can be taken as genuine threats of harm. The case involves a teen, identified as “D.C.” in court documents, who attended Harvard-Westlake in 2004 and 2005. Fellow students posted derogatory comments on a website promoting his pursuit of a career in singing and acting, mocking his perceived sexual orientation and making statements that threatened him with bodily harm. The boy’s father sued six of his son’s classmates and their parents, accusing them of hate crimes, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress caused by their postings on his website. The appeals court denied the motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by one of the defendants, who contended that the postings were constitutionally-protected speech on a public issue. In their decision, the court concluded, “The students who posted the threats
sought to destroy D.C.’s life, threatened to murder him, and wanted to drive him out of Harvard-Westlake and the community in which he lived.” The appellate court’s decision allows the case charging the defendants with hate crimes and defamation to proceed in court, to be decided by a jury. In her dissenting opinion, Judge Frances Rothschild said the appellate court ruling “alters the legal landscape to the severe detriment of First Amendment rights.” Harvard-Westlake’s policy maintains that if a student makes a serious threat using school computers or makes negative comments about another student while identifying him or herself as a HarvardWestlake student from their home computer, the school has the right to punish the student, according to the Student Parent Handbook. “Students do have some free speech rights protected by the First Amendment,” Head of School Jeanne Huybrechts siad. “But when developing and upholding school policies, we should look at the big picture — what’s right for the community. “Using threatening language is inconsistent with our Honor Code,” she said.
Seniors to give class gift to Kutler Memorial Fund By Michelle Yousefzadeh
“If this fund could be used for something that could be used to Twelfth graders voted to donate support independent research or their Senior Gift to the Brendan interdisciplinary study, I think Kutler Memorial Fund at their that would really honor Brendan’s class meeting Feb. 23. memory,” Huybrechts said. Every year, seniors vote to doMembers of the Senior Gift nate a gift from their class to fund committee will be in the quad pea program, sponsor an endorseriodically until April 27 to collect ment or buy a memorable object donation forms but students and nathanson ’s/chronicle to give to the community. parents will be able to continue Ed Hu Brendan Kutler was a member to donate through checks, cash or of the senior class who died in his sleep in credit cards, Beeson said. December. Last year, $7,400 was raised from stuHis family is deciding what the fund will dents and an additional $25,000 came from sponsor. matching funds. They are discussing possibilities with Matching funds have not been finalized Chief Advancement Officer Ed Hu and for this year, however the committee is Head of School Jeanne Huybrechts. looking for a 75 percent student participaThe senior class chose between Finan- tion rate from seniors to help secure more cial Aid, the Brownstein Fellowship and the donors, Beeson said. Memorial Fund. “I am confident that the outcome will The options were selected by the Senior result in some very exciting, long-term imGift Committee, which consists of the Se- plications for the school that will approprinior and Head Prefects, senior members of ately reflect Brendan’s spirit and honor his the Student Alumni Association, Hu and memory on an on-going basis,” Hu said. Associate Director of Alumni Relations SuDonations are currently being accepted san Beeson. in the quad.
Tuition is going up to $29,200 next year, a nearly five percent increase from this year’s tuition. The Board of Trustees approved the increase in December after it was recommended by the Business Office. This year’s tuition is $27,825, a six percent increase from last year. Chief Financial Officer Rob Levin said that although tuition increases every year, the six percent Nathanson’s/chronicle Rob Levin increase for this year was slightly higher than usual because of the economic recession, which began in late 2008. But he added that tuition increases for this year and next year would have been even higher if not for smart decisions the Business Office made in past years. Levin said that during the middle of the decade, when the economy was in better shape, the school experienced an “unprecedented” financial boon, getting high interest rates on its money and having to spend less than expected on financial aid and faculty health insurance. “It was almost like tripping over money,” Levin said. “Everything good that could possibly happen did.” But Levin said that since the economy is cyclical, with bad times generally following good, the school decided to save, rather than spend, much of this money. “We didn’t adjust our budget to this temporary reality,” he said. “As a result, we ran some significant surpluses.” When the economy went sour a year and a half ago, Levin said, these surpluses came in handy. But ultimately, the school still planned to run a deficit. To keep this deficit to what they estimated at the time as $500,000, they increased faculty salaries slightly less than usual and raised tuition slightly more than usual. Without planning for a deficit, Levin said, they would have had to freeze faculty salaries and raise tuition by 10 percent. Tuition has increased every year since Levin came to HarvardWestlake 25 years ago. One reason for this, he said, is inflation: faculty salaries have to keep pace with the cost of living. But inflation only accounts for a fraction of the annual tuition increase. During the last quarter-century, tuition has risen every year at a rate of about inflation plus four percent. Levin chalked up this increase to the increasing cost of technology. When Levin arrived at Harvard-Westlake, the school did not have any full-time computer services employees. Now it employs 13 and spends $3 million per year on technology. In most industries, Levin explained, advances in technology lead to productivity gains. For example, he said, because of the Internet, Amazon can sell many more books per employee than a neighborhood bookstore can. Costs go up, but increased productivity means businesses have fewer salaries to pay. Schools, Levin said, are different because they are “inherently unproductive.” He said that most educational institutions spend more and more money on technology without increasing their productivity. “One of our selling points is we have terrible productivity,” Levin said. “Amazon doesn’t advertise that they can sell 75 books for every one person. But we sure advertise, ‘We have only 14 people in a class. [We have a small] student/teacher ratio.” Spending more on technology while paying the same number of faculty salaries is why tuition must increase faster than inflation, Levin said. But Levin knows that if tuition keeps rising at inflation plus four percent every year, Harvard-Westlake will become less affordable to more and more people. He said the Business Office has a long-term goal of slowing the annual increase to inflation plus two percent. The first step in doing that, he said, is increasing the school’s endowment. He said that the Advancement Office has set a goal of increasing the endowment from $36 million to $500 million during the next 20 years, which would slow tuition increases to inflation plus three percent. Past that, he said, the school is still looking for ways to slow tuition increases. Levin knows that eventually, a major change might be necessary. “If we’re going up faster than inflation, than fewer and fewer people can afford to pay the tuition,” Levin said. “Over the next 25 years the odds are we’re going to have to adjust.”
onthe
chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com chronicle.hw.com
web
• Programmers compete for $1 million prize
• Students to travel to Poland for March of the Living • Math teacher runs the LA Marathon • Juniors named Mr. and Mrs. Palisades
look for more coverage at chronicle.hw.com
A4 News
The
C hronicle
chronicle.hw.com
March 24, 2010
Noell was a ‘friend to all’ By Nick Pritzker
Anna Etra/chronicle
Peace Makers: Arab Christian Dana Boulus and Israeli Jew Tamar Borman (pictured with Dror Yaron) speak to students about getting along despite Middle East conflicts.
Former upper and middle school bookstore assistant and middle school librarian, Mary Noell, died of a blood clot on Jan. 28. She was feeling sick on Thursday afternoon and was rushed to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a blood clot between her heart and lung. don hagopian/chronicle Noell died later that night. Noell came to Harvard Westlake in 1997, and Mary Noell worked at the upper school bookstore. She transferred to the middle school bookstore in 2006. Noell later changed positions and began working in the middle school library and tech center. She retired in 2008. “She was a great person,” Head of the Upper School Bookstore Irma Hernandez said. “She was really helpful and great with all the kids.” “Mary was more than an employee; she was a friend to all who loved her,” Head of Middle School Bookstore Tina Cleveland said. “She had a smile that would lighten up a dim room, she had a spirit of love and kindness and she was willing to help with any task that was put before her. She loved her children and grandchildren; she spoke of them all the time.” Noell loved to garden, read books and help people, and gave Cleveland advice about how to stay healthy, Cleveland said. “Mary always was a breath of sunshine and pleasant to be around,” Cleveland said. “We will miss her.” “Mary always had a bright smile on her face,” middle school librarian Carolyn Zucker said. “She was always optimistic and loved working at Harvard-Westlake.”
Israeli and Arab classmates discuss Middle East conflict Philanthropist speaks By Anna Etra
A Jewish Israeli student and an Arab Christian student told Harvard-Westlake students that amid all of the conflict in the Middle East, it is still possible for people on both sides of the conflict to get along. Dana Boulus is a Palestinian Christian and Tamar Borman is a Jewish Israeli. The two attend a non-segregated school in Israel. The school is one of the Hand in Hand education centers, a Jewish-Arab education organization in Israel founded to build peace between Jews and Arabs through development of bilingual and multi-cultural schools, according to its website. The school accepts Jewish, Arab Christian and Muslim students. The organization connected with HarvardWestlake through parents Julie Bram (Alanna ’09 and Ben ’06) and Jensen Gores (Angus O’Brien ’14). Borman, a sophomore, has been attending Hand in Hand since first grade. She explained that her parents are very forward-thinking but she still gets criticized by some of her peers for hanging out with Arabs. Boulus, a junior, transferred into Hand in Hand in ninth grade, and she will be a member of the first graduating class at Hand in Hand in Jerusalem. Even though she lives in Israel, she had never before been friends with Jews. Within the school community however, students do not categorize their friends by religion or nationality, Boulus and Borman explained. The students emphasized that especially in times of extreme conflict, they are taught to listen to each other’s opinions. Although they do not have to agree with their friends, it is extremely important for them to hear both sides of the argument. They were selected as representatives from the school to speak about their program because they are both
“
They were just like me, even though they live thousands of miles away.” —Evan Brown ‘12
passionate, deep thinkers and extremely articulate, Bram said. “They were called into their principal’s office and they thought there were in trouble,” Bram said. “They were excited to hear they were going to America.” Lee Gordon, the co-founder of Hand in Hand, accompanied the students. Gordon lived in Israel for 20 years and was active in the peace movement. The other co-founder, Amin Khalaf, is an Arab Israeli. In the United States, Gordon is the director of the support organization called American Friends of Hand in Hand. “Tamar and Dana were invited to participate in a weekend youth conference sponsored by the Jewish Youth organization called NFTY,” Gordon said. “The goal was to help publicize Hand in Hand and our mission of building peace and partnership through education for Arab and Jewish Israelis.” The students took a brief tour led by Head of Upper School Harry Salamandra, stopped by the cafeteria and headed to Seaver 302. They first spoke to Ari Engelberg’s seventh period AP Human Geography class, and then to Salamandra and Assistant to the Head of Upper SchoolMichelle Bracken’s eighth period Choices and Challenges class. “It was nice seeing the translation of our class focus on personality types and real life situations into these girls’ stories,” Evan Brown ’12 said. “They were just like me, even though they live thousands of miles away,.”
at senior assembly By Ester Khachatryan
A mother who honored her daughter’s memory by starting a dance program and then a charter school urged seniors to be involved in causes they are passionate about. Liza Bercovici (Jacob Axelrad ’10) was invited to speak at the senior class meeting on Feb. 23 as part of Community Service Awareness Week. “We thought that her organization was really great and she could bring a lot to the seniors, especially because her son is in our grade,” said Anna Etra ’10, who controlled the event. Bercovici’s presentation included a short film that outlined the accomplishments of her foundation and the positive changes it has made in the lives of underprivileged children in Los Angeles. Bercovici founded the Gabriella Axelrad Foundation and the Everybody Dance program in 2000 in memory of her daughter, Gabriella, who loved to dance. Gabriella was a student at the Middle School when she was killed in a traffic accident while bicycling during a family vacation in Grand Teton National Park. “That’s why it meant so much to me to try and do something with dance for other kids,” Ber-
covici said. The dance program serves underprivileged children in lowincome inner city communities where gangs are prevelent and there are few enriching after school activities. Everybody Dance has expanded to five studio locations since 2000, serving more than 1,000 students in 150 weekly classes, according to the official website. “Parents would frequently tell us that their children were better behaved socially, more outgoing personally and improved academically as a result of the dance program,” Bercovici said. “From that I got the idea – probably because I am insane – that I could run a charter school.” In 2005, Bercovici established Gabriella Charter School for students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Gabriella Charter School is one of the only “dance-themed” charter schools in the country. According to the school website, Gabriella Charter School students have performed far above students in the Los Angeles Unified School District in mathematics and English language standardized tests. The school focuses on academics and uses dance as a means to build discipline and self-confidence, Bercovici said.
Siegler was ‘extraordinary at making every minute count’ from Siegler, A1
remember most about Julia – she had spirit, and she let it soar to such great heights.” Both Chan and her history teacher Timothy Newhart said that before classes, they had to do two preparations: one for the class and one for Julia. Siegler’s Latin teacher, Moss Pike, echoed sentiments Siegler’s vivacity and passion for learning, quoting the Greek philosopher Epicurus to describe the sense of unity in grief of the school community: “It is not so much our friends’ help that helps us, as the confident knowledge that they will help us.”
Next, five of Siegler’s closest friends and classmates spoke. Shana Haddad ’14 remembered her wide vocabulary and described her as a “walking dictionary” who had a “magical way that she made even a simple sentence sound.” “Julia was extraordinary at making every minute count,” Haddad said. “She was the shining example of someone who reached out and took every opportunity in life to participate with all of her heart.” Siegler’s perpetual optimism was a running theme through the speeches. “Her smile told it all,” Haddad said. “It was luminous, and I know she would’ve been
very proud of me for using that word. It said, ‘I am happy to see you, I am thrilled to be here,’ at school, at dance, at a party, or just hanging out.” But along with the celebration of her life came anguish and anger over her death. “There are no scientists that can find a meaning, no poets that can express our sorrow, no doctors that can heal our broken hearts,” Emily Segal ’14 said. “Julia was not ready to go,” Brooks Hudgins ’14 said. “She had her whole life in front of her, and her place was here, her time was now, and this was her world.” “I know that from now on
all those whom she’s inspired throughout her time so mercilessly cut short will love each other a little bit more, will enjoy everything a little bit more, and will appreciate the uncertainty of our duration on this fantastic planet a little bit more,” Hudgins concluded. Jason Park ’14 preformed an original song in honor of Siegler. The Dance Production class choreographed a dance for the assembly. Siegler’s parents thanked the audience for the kind words and support. Scott Siegler, Julia’s father, concluded the assembly with a reminder to “dance so long and so hard that no one can tell the dancer
from the dance.” Her friends have placed signs around Brentwood reading “Slow Down for Julia,” encouraging more cautious driving and a more leisurely path through life. Siegler’s mother thanked the school for support in the crisis and for giving Julia with an outlet for her joy of life. “Her report card was filled with comments about how happy she was, and how fun she was in class, and she enjoyed it,” Jody Siegler said. “She made use of it. She just didn’t take stuff for granted. She had a lot of love in her, and she poured it into everything.”
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
chronicle.hw.com
News A5
Marine Bio visits harbor, aquarium
By Hank Gerba
photos courtesy of megan hilliard
ships ahoy: Billy Lourd ’10, Natalie Margolin ’10 and Ethan Kurtzman ’10 sift through mud in search of worms and other marine species. Katherine Gallagher ’11 demonstrated boat safety by wearing a life vest on her Oceanography and Marine Biology class’s trip. OMB is taught by Dr. Blaise Eitner.
and
Eli Haims
The Oceanography and Marine Biology class took a field trip to the Aquarium of the Pacific and spent time on a boat to apply the concepts learned in class. The 19-person class went on a behind-the-scenes tour at the aquarium during where they learned about the different species it houses. The class had time to visit the displays of the animals that they had learned about throughout the year. “It was a great way to see the animals and concepts that we have been learning about,” Megan Hilliard ’10 said. The trip occurs annually. The class also took a field trip on a boat in the Long Beach Harbor a week before. On March 9, the class went on a multi-story yacht that left from Rainbow Marina, which is also in Long Beach. “We stayed in the breakwater and conducted a series of little experiments,” Mattie Calvert ’10 said. These experiments included collecting plankton and fish in nets in order to study them. After separating the fish, they studied each of the species and related it to what they had learned in class. The class also collected a sample of mud which they separated and classified, putting their classroom knowledge into practice.
Alum, parent lecture at leadership summit By Catherine Wang
The third annual Student Leadership Summit featured Dr. Howard Marks (Andrew ’05), founder and chairman of Oaktree Capital Management, Saturday March 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Chalmers East and West. Students attending the summit included Prefect Council members, Community Council members, Student Athletic Advisory Committee members, Chronicle and Vox editors and various club leaders in grades nine through 12 grade. Head of School Dr. Jeanne Huybrechts introduced the featured speaker. Se said she heard Marks speak at UCLA in an MBA class and wanted students to have the same experience. Marks, spoke to students about his work and the role of ethics in successfully leading a business. He stressed that in leading Oaktree, he hopes to make good investments, treat employers and clients well, and avoid hierarchical internal workings. Marks attended graduate school at the University of Chicago, where he was taught that making a profit is the sole purpose of running a business, he said. This notion brought a question to Marks’ mind. “Every day at work, a potential conflict arises,” Marks said. “Do you care more about yourself or others?” To roughly judge how ethical his business is, Marks uses the “New York Times test.” He asks himself if he would be comfortable publishing details of his business management on the cover of the New York Times. If he feels the need to hide something that his company is doing, it should not be doing it, he said. After concluding his speech, Marks answered questions from students regarding ethics, business and investing. In the next portion of the summit, students split into three breakout groups. In one of the breakout groups, Director of Student
Affairs Jordan Church spoke to students about “paradigm shifts.” A Paradigm is what is expected of a particular situation or person. Leaders, Church emphasized, should learn to recognize negative paradigms and try to “shift away” from them. In the second breakout group, Mark Mitchell ’95 talked about his time working at a record company. During his time there, the music industry underwent a drastic change as online downloading quickly overtook CD sales. Mitchell stressed the importance of leaders being flexible and able to embrace change. In the third breakout group, students discussed a situation brought up in the New York Times Magazine’s column “The Ethicist,” which was written by Randy Cohen. A reader wrote Cohen about the private school her husband worked at, where two students who arrived at a school event with marijuana were asked to skip a day of school. Rather than call this penalty a “suspension,” the school called it a “restriction” so as not to put it on the students’ school record. The reader asked Cohen if the school’s use decision was ethical. Students gave their personal answers to this question before listening to the answer written in the column. On the one hand, the administration wanted to protect the reputation of the students, but on the other, the school has an obligation to the universities to which the students applied. Some student leaders pointed out that by calling the punishment a “restriction,” the administration wasn’t harsh enough on the students. Cohen wrote that the school’s decision was unethical. “I feel like I learned a lot from the Summit,” Community Council member Patrick Edwards ’11 said. “It was cool being around all of the other student leaders as well.”
HWPA Annual Event to feature Randy Newman By Victor Yoon
Academy and Grammy Awardwinner Randy Newman (Amos ’86, John ’96, Patrick ’10 and Alice ’11), who wrote and performed “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” for the movie “Toy Story,” will perform at the HarvardWestlake Parents’ Association Annual Event. Newman, a singer, songwriter, composer and pianist, is famous for his film scores. He has scored many movies, including “The Natural” and “Meet the Parents.” He has also scored five DisneyPixar films: “Monsters, Inc.,” “A Bug’s Life,” “The Princess and the Frog,”
“Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2.” Newman has won four Grammy Awards and one Academy Award. The HWPA Annual Event, “A Special Musical Evening with Randy Newman,” will include a wine tasting at the Middle School, a performance by Randy Newman at the Bing Performing Arts Center. A buffet supper and an auction. The event will start at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 17. Tickets to the event are $150 each, and all proceeds will support financial aid. The event is being chaired by Namhee Han Gilhuly ’80 (Emma ’10 and Ty ’13) and Diana Lancs
Nathanson ’81 (Olivia ’10 and Nicholas ’13). The event will include a live auction and an “opportunity drawing.” Laker tickets and a table reading with the cast of “The Simpsons.” Prizes for the “opportunity drawing” include a three-night stay at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Hawaii, an Apple Macbook Pro computer, an iPod Touch with some of Randy Newman’s favorite albums and an upper school student parking space. Prizes for the live auction include Tickets and additional information are available at www.hwannualevent. com.
candice navi/chronicle
pizza party: Courtney Hazy ’11 buys a slice of pepperoni pizza, sold by the prom committee in honor of March Madness.
School celebrates March Madness By Catherine Wang
In celebration of March Madness,” the annual three-week competition between the top 64 men’s college basketball teams, students took part in a game of knock-out basketball and watched the games in Taper Gymnasium last week. About 50 students took part in the knock-out game March 15 during break. Jonah Rosenbaum ’10 won the game and was awarded a minature basketball hoop. The Student Advisory Athletic Committee, the Social Committee and the Prefect Council worked together to organize these festivities. “People kept playing until the end of break, just starting up game after game and it was really fun,” SAAC member Tiana Woolridge ’11 said. “Everyone was really into it and excited, which was great.” On Thursday and Friday, pizza was served in Taper as students cheered for their favorite teams. The committees also sold pizza in the quad. On Thursday, some students came to school dressed to support their favorite team, sporting jerseys and other gear. There is currently an online bracket competition on the Yahoo! Sports website, in which students predict the outcome of the March Madness tournament. Matthew Wolfen ’12 is currently in first place. There are 88 people registered for the competition. The team that wins March Madness is the NCAA Champion.
A6 News
inbrief
The
C hronicle
March 24, 2010
chronicle.hw.com
Poet, Fulbright Scholar speaks to English II
An internationally-published poet and former Fulbright Scholar spoke to sophomore English classes in Feldman-Horn Gallery on Friday, March 12. Carol Davis, English teacher Charles Berezin’s wife, discussed the basic components of poetry and analyzed poems by other authors. She read and spoke about some of her own poems, including “My Son Accused,” a poem based on a teacher’s false claim that her son attempted to steal his own wristwatch, which he had left in his father’s classroom. People read poems “through the prism of our own experience,” she said. —Austin Block
Actor, producer visits Shakespeare elective Co-founder and managing director of the Independent Shakespeare Company David Melville spoke to Jocelyn Medawar’s Shakespeare class on Thursday, March 18. He told the class of his experience acting in and producing Shakespeare’s plays. This summer, ISC is moving to Griffith Park, where they will perform “Othello” and “Much Ado about Nothing” for the Griffith Park Shakespeare Festival. —Mary-Rose Fissinger
Chenier offers first Greek directed studies Matthew Lee ’11 and Alice Newman ’11 have studied Latin since seventh grade, so when Latin teacher Paul Chenier mentioned his knowledge of Greek, the two approached him about learning themselves. The Greek directed study will meet twice a week and will consist of “10 or more” students, Chenier said. The class is for students who have “coursed through the offerings of the Latin program” or are taking Latin Literature Honors since the two languages are “natural and obvious” complements, Chenier said. —Chloe Lister
Student to spend spring break building houses The fourth annual Habitat for Humanity trip will begin next Monday when 24 students and six faculty members travel to New Orleans. Students and faculty will work with Habitat for Humanity to help build and re-build local housing. The trip was started three years ago by Olivia Kestin ’09 after she visited hurricane-ravaged New Orleans with her family and friends and wanted to offer the experience to other students. “Being able to put a face and a personality on the people that you’re building the house for is a really unique experience too,” trip chaperone Father J. Young said. -Neha Nimmagadda
Juniors to tour colleges in midwest, northeast
The 40 spots on each spring break college tour have been filled. The Jumbo Tour and the Wolverine Tour both leave on April 4. Juniors on both tours will spend a week touring colleges. The Jumbo Tour will visit various east coast schools while students on the Wolverine Tour will see schools in the Midwest. —Kelly Ohriner and Victoria Pearson
Graphics courtesy of gabe benjamin
iHW: The app displays a student’s personalized daily schedule, left, with countdown of time remaining in a period. To navigate between days, the user would select the planner button, center. The page peels away when selecting a date, right.
Junior develops schedule app
By Alex Leichenger
you because you always have your phone with you,” Benjamin said. Gabe Benjamin ’11 is developing an iPBenjamin began working on the project in the Computer hone application that will allow students to Science Club, which meets Wednesdays after school. view their daily school schedules and keep At the club’s first meeting of the year, members decided to track of their homework. devote the year to learning about iPhone application developThe iHW application will feature a stument. dent’s personal schedule for the day and During subsequent meetings, the club watched hour-long a timer counting down to his or her next segments of an online iPhone application development class class. It will also have a “virtual planner” offered by Stanford University. nathanson ’s/chronicle where students can write notes and check Gabe Benjamin ’11 Members also discussed ideas for an application that would the start and end time of each period. The be useful to the school community. application only works with Benjamin’s schedule so far, but Benjamin became particularly engrossed in the project, he plans to make it usable for all students soon. conducting additional research before beginning development “I’m 99.999 percent sure we’re going to have it available in of the actual program four or five weeks ago. the summer so anyone can use it next year,” Benjamin said. “I’m open to any and all comments and recommendations,” “If I get it done in time, we could have it available by spring Benjamin said. “If anyone has any questions or suggestions, or break.” anything they would like to see, I would love to hear it and try Benjamin said he hopes to add teachers’; schedules, school to figure it out and put it into the app.” email, school news and a campus map to the application. Students can make recommendations for the application “At least for me personally, the number one appeal is that at http://www.twitter.com/iHWApp. essentially it is like a planner but you always have it with
Little League hosts bone marrow search By Noelle Lyons
courtesy of ian cinnamon
Speaking of science: For the third year. The Science Bowl team advanced to the double-elimination round in the LADWP competition.
Teams compete at LADWP Science Bowl tournament By Anna Etra
Two teams competed at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Science Bowl in downtown Los Angeles on Feb. 27. The competition consisted of questions ranging from chemistry, to math, to earth science, to physics, team captain Ilica Mahajan ’10 said. Math teacher Kevin Weis was the coach of the “A” team and math teacher Jacob Hazard was the coach of the “B” team. The competition was divided into two parts. In the morning, the teams competed in a round robin competition. The top teams from that round continued to the afternoon double elimination buzzer round. There is also a hands-on competition for teams that do not qualify for the second buzzer round but is also offered when there is not enough room for a school to have multiple teams in the main competition. This is the first year that both of the Harvard-Westlake teams were able to participate in the buzzer
competition. The A team, consisting of Mahajan, Colin Campbell ’12, Max Simchowitz ’10, Jeffrey Sperling ’11 and Sajjan Sri-Kumar ’12, won fourth place, bringing home $200 for each individual and $1,250 for the school. Additionally, the B team. Ishan Bose-Pyne ’12, Ian Cinnamon ’10, Justin Ho ’12, Richard Liu ’10 and Susan Wang ’12, competed in the hands-on competition, which involved solving logic puzzles. They won fourth place, with each team member winning $100 and roughly $1,000 total for the school. The students decided who should be on what team. The decisions were based on performances at practices, which have been going on all year. It is currently unclear where the money earned for the school will go. “I’m hoping that the money will be put into the Harvard-Westlake STEM fund and be used to increase student awareness of, and participation in, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math opportunities,” Weis said.
Shortly after the start of his freshman year in September, Christopher Robinson ’13 was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. The cancer of the blood has prevented him from attending school for the past four months. Following his diagnosis, doctors said his best chance was a bone marrow transplant from a donor not related to him. Robinson, who planned to play on the froshsoph baseball team, had been playing baseball at Ladera Little League since age 6. To help Robinson and others with leukemia, the league decided to host a bone marrow registry drive during its opening day Saturday. The registry was run by the Be the Match Foundation and was open to Little League members and the public. Joining the registry was a two-step process where people filled out paperwork with personal information and had their cheeks swabbed. “It’s really important that we help each other out when things like this happen,” league president Tracie Lyons said. “Particularly when you are a part of a family like Ladera Little League, you want to help people when you have an opportunity. And this is a great opportunity to help not only one of our own players, but possibly other children and adults who may need a bone marrow match.” According to the UCLA Health System, it is difficult to find people with similar bone marrow. Patients are more likely to match with people of the same race or ethnicity. Out of a registry of millions of potential donors, less than 10 percent are African-American, as Robinson is. Most of those attending the Ladera Little League drive were black, increasing the chance of finding a match for Robinson. Unable to participate in the league’s opening day, Robinson watched the event from center field near the front parking lot. Robinson was supposed to throw the ceremonial first pitch, but instead, his 10-year-old brother did the honors, throwing the pitch to their father.
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
Actor advocates gender equality
News A7
chronicle.hw.com
inbrief
Sonnenberg debates to second place at Harvard Entering as the top qualifier in the Harvard University debate tournament, Jake Sonnenberg ’11 placed second in the final round Feb. 11. Needing two out of four wins to compete in the elimination rounds, Sonnenberg won all six preliminary rounds. Along with his teammate Ben Sprung-Keyser ’11, Sonnenberg also qualified for the most prestigious tournament in the national circuit, the Tournament of Champions. Exceeding the necessary requirements of two “bids,” Sonnenberg holds four bids to the TOC. The TOC will be held the first week of May. —Megan Wang
By Nicki Resnikoff
Academy Award-winning actor and women’s rights activist Geena Davis told upper school students that there has been very little progress towards equal representation for women in the media and in films. The Women’s History Month Assembly on March 8 started off with an introduction by members of Martha Wheelock’s Gender Studies class and a video montage feauturing clips from some of Davis’ 18 films, including “The Accidental Tourist,” “A League of Their Own,” and “Thelma and Louise,” as well as from the TV show “Commander in Chief.” Davis discussed gender inequality in films. She helped initiate the most comprehensive research study ever of G-Rated films, which was aptly named “Where the Girls Aren’t.” According to Davis, there is a 3:1 ratio of male roles to female roles in films, and in G-Rated films, crowds in group scenes are only 17 percent female. “The vast majority of females in these movies are stereotyped and oversexualized,” she said. “They wear the same amount of sexually revealing clothes in G-Rated movies as in R-Rated movies.” Also, 37 percent of female roles in G-Rated movies in the study were charactors of royalty or entertainers. “People think women will watch men, but men won’t watch women,” she said. “That is an assumption I am trying to disprove.” Davis said she noticed when she was younger that on TV, especially in her two favorite shows, “The Rifleman” and “Bonanza,” there were very few female characters. She commented on the “Dead Mother Syndrome,” where the mother dies in the beginning or is already dead at the start of a show or movie. Davis also founded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, whose motto is “kids need to see entertainment where females are valued as much as males.” “The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media focuses first on getting more females and more varied portrayals of both female and male characters into movies, TV, and other media aimed at kids 11 and under,” according to the GDIGM website. “The Institute is a resource for the entertainment industry (media companies, animators, writers, producers, and others), the next generation of content-creators, and the public.” In February, Davis gave the closing keynote address at the United Nations Economic and Social Council’s “Engaging Philanthropy to Promote Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment” event. Davis explained that she uses the word “actor” to describe both male and female actors because the dictionary definition of an actor, Davis said, is a person who acts. She explained that she does not feel the need for a separate word for females. “I am a former waiter who became an actor,” she said.
Robotics Club enters regional competition candice navi/chronicle
Actor, Not actress: Academy Award-winner Geena Davis speaks about gender inequality in movies at the upper school Women’s History Month Assembly March 8. Davis began her speech by proclaiming that she had known since the age of three that she had wanted to be an actor. She spoke of her struggle to fulfill her dream. As hard as it was, she kept trying, she said. “I didn’t know it was impossiple to get into the [Screen Actors Guild],” she said. Her personal motto is “If a person can do it, I can do it.” As a struggling actor, Davis turned to modeling, joking that it was much easier to become a supermodel than an actress. However, despite getting jobs as a model, including being on the cover of New Jersey Monthly, Davis had a “profoundly bad self-image.” “I was convinced I was tricking everyone into thinking I was attractive,” she said. “I was acting like my butt was cute. It was a sham and one day people would find out.” Davis finally found confidence in herself, she said, when she learned to play baseball for the 1992 movie “A League of Their Own” and a coach told her she had untapped athletic ability. “I started to feel like it was okay to take up space in this world,” she said. While she previously thought of herself as uncoordinated, Davis went on to learn archery, even becoming a semifinalist to qualify for the 2000 Olympics. “I have to be careful with what I get involved in, because I am going to want to go to the Olympics in it,” she joked.
Psychologist stops middle school assembly By Sammy Roth
A Harvard alumnus was making a presentation March 8 to middle school students about treating burn victims when the campus-wide assembly came to an unexpected end. As part of his presentation, Dr. Peter Grossman ’80 was showing images of different types of burns. The assembly ended after middle school psychologist Susan Ko asked him to stop showing the images. “I was concerned about the graphic nature of some of his slides,” Ko said. “In particular, I was concerned that many of our students who have been quite upset and experiencing some traumatic reactions in the recent aftermath of a classmate’s tragic death, might be especially sensitive to images and discussion about injury.” Grossman is a plastic surgeon on the Board of Directors of the Grossman Burn Foundation. The Consumer Research Council of America has called him one of America’s top surgeons. Vice-President of Harvard-Westlake John Amato spoke to the Middle School at a regular Monday assembly last week, explaining why Ko felt it was necessary to end the assembly prematurely. “I think Dr. Ko’s feeling was that she was helping the community. And I applaud her for that,” Amato said. “She’s been sensitized to this, she understands what kids are going through, and if a pro takes action to help kids, I’m supporting her.”
Some students were disappointed that the assembly ended before Grossman finished his presentation. “I was shocked and embarrassed by how they stopped him. A lot of people were really angry [about how he was stopped],” one freshman said. “He told us you had the right to close your eyes and no obligation to stay, so people in the room actually wanted to see it.” But others thought that ending the assembly was appropriate. “I had to walk out,” an eighth grader said. “I think it was a good idea to interrupt him, and I would probably stay outside if he came back.” “Despite having the best interests of the students in the forefront of my mind, I am truly sorry that my actions resulted in an abrupt close to the assembly and a disrespectful ending to Dr. Grossman’s presentation,” Ko said. At last week’s assembly, Amato explained that his longtime friend Grossman was not upset with how the assembly ended. “[Grossman’s] job in life is to help people, or protect people, or make people better,” Amato said. “He understood how emotions could have been raw after Julia’s passing.” Amato said that some students approached Grossman after the assembly and told him they were interested in his work. He added that Grossman plans to return to Harvard-Westlake to speak to these students in a smaller setting. This was the second time this year that students walked out of an assembly because of the images being shown. The
“
I think Dr. Ko’s feeling was that she was helping the community. And I applaud her for that.” —John Amato
first time was in October when sophomores watched a reenactment of the Columbine massacre as part of lockdown training with school security. “Sometimes we put forth a great effort but there are unintended consequences,” Head of School Jeanne Huybrechts said. Huybrechts said the administration does not usually preview assembly speakers’ presentations beforehand. “I think it’s safe to say that whenever we invite a guest speaker we have a general idea of what’s going to be said, but in the interest of free speech and respect to the speakers’ expertise, we never ask to see the written speech or anything like that,” Huybrechts said. She added that the administration will have to be careful going forward about what is shown at assemblies. “I think that the administrators of the school—and I count myself among them—need to be ever-vigilant about these kinds of things,” she said. —Additional reporting by Jessica Barzilay
Led by Ian Cinnamon ’10, the Robotics Club will participate in its one and only competition of the year, to be held at the Long Beach Arena. Fifty-eight teams are currently registered from the Los Angeles area. After returning to school from winter break, the Robotics Club plunged into what Cinnamon described as an “intense” building session that lasted six weeks. Upon completion, the robot was shipped to the competition headquarters. —Nika Madyoon
Juniors reach semifinals in Duke Moot Court
Ben Dreier ’11 and Andrew Hartford ’11 were semifinalists in the Duke Moot Court Competition in February. Dreier was also awarded fourth place as an individual speaker. This year’s case was about whether or not customs agents should be able to search laptop computers at international borders. Using previous Supreme Court cases, the teams had to prepare both sides of the argument in advance. Teams then competed against other teams before judges, who could interrupt and ask questions about the arguments. —Allison Hamburger
BLACC hosts fundraiser dance for Haiti relief
In an effort to aid the victims of the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti, the Black Leadership and Culture Club hosted a school dance March 5. BLACC raised and donated over $2,000 to Friends of Haiti, a nonprofit organization devoted to improving the health, education and economic development of Haiti. Flodynamic, led by Matt Pichvai ’11, performed music for the dance. —David Burton
Chronicle website and print edition win awards The Chronicle won Silver Crown Awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association for both the newspaper and website. One of 1,558 publications to enter the competition, The Chronicle took two of the 154 prizes awarded to schools across the country. Judging took place throughout the winter and the awards were presented March 19 during the 86th annual Spring Scholastic Convention. —Rebecca Nussbaum
A8 News
The
C hronicle
Speaker stresses global activism
March 24, 2010
chronicle.hw.com
Luck of the Irish
By Emily Khaykin
After hearing about hundreds of refugees fleeing in rickety boats from Vietnam in an effort to escape to Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand, in 1979 Richard Walden and a friend decided to find a way to help. “Many boats didn’t make it and I couldn’t bear hearing about children dying in clinics from the flu,” Walden said. That year, Walden founded Operation USA. He urged the junior class at its Feb. 22 class meeting to get active not only in the local community but in the international community as well. The assembly was part of Community Service Awareness Week. Originally a lawyer, Walden put his practice to the side when he founded Operation USA. According to its brochure, Operation USA is an international relief organization that “helps communities at home and abroad overcome the effects of disasters, disease and endemic poverty by providing privately-funded relief, reconstruction and development aid.” “After I decided what I was going to do, I started calling everyone,” Walden said. After a few phone calls to the Red Cross, UNICEF and McDonald-Douglas, Walden managed to organize a cargo plane full of medical supplies and food to fly out to Vietnam within a week. “Once we were in Vietnam we loaded seven tons of stuff on fishing boats and brought it to an island off the coast of Malaysia, which was filled with refugees,” Walden said. This was Walden’s first of many trips to aid people world-wide. After that first visit to Vietnam, Walden attracted the attention of several health care companies and television shows, appearing on “Good Morning America.” Since 1979, Operation USA has “delivered over $250 million in aid to 90 countries,” including Haiti and the Sichuan province in China, Walden said. Walden emphasized that when collecting supplies to send as aid that students “can’t hysterically collect anything that makes you feel good.” He said that when collecting supplies, the most important things are sometimes the simplest things, like medical supplies. “The most important goal in supplying aid is to get the community to start to turn the corner and begin long-term recovery,” he said. “That means re-opening health clinics and getting kids back into school.” Walden suggested that the best way for students to get involved with the world around them is to inform themselves by watching the news. “And keep in mind that the non-profit sector takes up approximately one-fourth of the American economy,” he said. “There are so many ways people can help,” Walden said. “You just have to have the initiative to get up and do it.”
Students advance in Olympiads By Allison Hamburger, Nick Pritzker and Sade Tavangarian
Two AP Chemistry students are semifinalists in the Chemistry Olympiad Competition, seven AP Biology students will advance to the semifinal round of the Biology Olympiad Competition and one student is a semifinalist in the Physics Olympiad Competition. Jack Petok ’11 and Jeremy Work ’11 will participate in the next round of competition for chemistry April 24 at Occidental College. Ten AP Chemistry students participated in the first round of the Chemistry Olympiad Competition after school on March 17-18. Seven AP Biology students qualified for the semifinal round of the biology competition, meaning they scored in the top 10 percent of students nationwide in the preliminary exam. “We’ve done Chem Honors and AP Chem, so we’ve had two years of chemistry. I felt well prepared,” Petok said. The national semifinal competitions for chemistry and biology are taken by approximately 1,000 students. However, only the top 20 scorers in the nation are invited to attend a study camp, with the possibility of being chosen to compete at the International Olympiad Competition. Jeffrey Sperling ’11 is one of 312 students nationwide who will take the next round of testing for the US Physics Olympiad. His first exam was the “F=ma” exam, Newton’s second law. The two rounds took place in March. Sperling’s first round was solely mechanics and working with f=ma. He qualified for the second round which took place on March 15. Only 312 of the 1000 high school
michelle yousefzadeh/chronicle
MAGICALLY DELICIOUS: For St. Patrick’s Day last Wednesday, the Social Committee set out tables in the quad with drinks and Lucky Charms for students to pick up on their way to class. Seniors received green clover leaf cookies in their mailboxes from the Grad Night Committee. The Social Committee also decorated the quad with green stickers and beads.
Going for the Gold Ten students qualified to advance to the next rounds of competition for various science Olympiads. Biology: Hank Adelmann ’11,
Nick Duckwiler ’11, Alexander Jaffe ’11, Ava Kofman ’10, Jasmine McAllister ’11, Susan Nussbaum ’10, Andrew Wang ’10
Chemistry: Jack Petok ’11, Jeremy Work ’11
Physics: Jeffrey Sperling ’11 source: larry axelrod, christopheR dartt and jeffrey sperling ’11 infographic by emily khaykin
students entered in the competition qualified for this round. The second round includes all subjects in taught introductory college physics, including mechanics, electricity and magnetism, waves, atomic physics, thermal physics and fluid mechanics. Sperling, has always had an interest in science, is a team member of the Science Bowl A team. He is currently taking two physics courses, AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. Sperling’s mechanics teacher, John Feulner, mentored him as he is a member of the AAPT (American Association of Physics Teachers). “I owe my success to him,” he said.
Brown speaker to discuss disease By Hana Al-Henaid
Public health expert Peter Katona (Lindsay ’03 and Joey ’06) will be featured as this year’s Brown Family speaker in an all-school assembly on April 19, according to Executive Assistant to the President AnnMarie Whitman. Katona works at UCLA Medical Center as a specialist in infectious diseases and is the Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine. He also studied infectious disease for two months at St. George’s Hospital in London and two months at Holdsworth Memorial Hospital in Mysore, India. He has made appearances on several television shows including “The Today Show” on NBC and “ABC World News Tonight.” He is a public health expert who also serves as a consultant to the Pentagon on biological warfare and he has written two books, “Countering Terrorism and WMD” and “Global Biosecurity.” Both books focus on preserving biohealth and countering various biosecurity threats. Katona will speak to AP Biology and Genetics classes before the assembly. Katona is likely to address “why the H1N1 flu did not materialize to the extent many had feared and will also speak to the way that influenza and other viruses can mutate in such ways as to become worldwide health hazards,” Whitman said. The Brown Family Distinguished Speaker Fund was established by Linda and Abbott Brown (Russell ’94 and David ’96) in 2000 as an endowment to bring notable lecturers to the school every year. Past speakers include documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, author and host of his own international affairs program on CNN and director of the documentary “National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” “Newsweek International” editor Fareed Zakaria and music icon Herbie Hancock.
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
chronicle.hw.com
Photo Field Trip
News A9
Senior wins national computing competition By Nicki Resnikoff
ners are selected for their demonstrated, outstandMonica Chen ’10 won ing aptitude and interest the 2010 National Center in information technology/ for Women and Informacomputing, solid leadertion Technology Award for ship ability, good academic Aspirations in Computing. history, and plans for postChen was one of 33 Nasecondary education.” tional Winners selected Applicants must also from 150 semifinalists. be high school girls with a More than 700 students GPA of at least 3.0. Chen nathanson ’s/chronicle applied for the award. For has not yet decided what winning, Chen will receive Monica Chen ’10 she will major in when she a $500 award, a laptop and starts at Columbia Univeran engraved plaque for the sity this fall, but she “definitely will school. be studying in a science/technology She will also travel to the Bank field.” of America Technology Showcase Chen decided to apply for the award and Awards Ceremony this week in after computer science teacher Jacob Charlotte, N.C., courtesy of the com- Hazard told her about it and encourpetition’s sponsor, Bank of America. aged her to apply. She almost missed She will receive a crystal award along the deadline. The application, due in with the other prizes. November, consisted of essays as well NCWIT recognizes accomplished as a resume of the applicant’s skills women with this award as part of an and experience in programming. initiative to promote female interest Chen found out about her finalist in careers in technology. status in mid-December. “Encouraging young women’s in“I didn’t expect to be a finalist,” she terest in technology careers is criti- said. “I was surprised that I actually cal: our workforce needs their cre- won.” ativity and their innovation,” NCWIT “Winning this award is a signifiCEO Lucy Sanders said. cant accomplishment,” NCWIT DiAccording to the NCWIT’s public- rector of Strategic Initiatives Ruthe ity kit about the award, “Award win- Farmer said.
Candice Navi/chronicle
photo-op: Members of the Advanced Photography 3 class listen to their teacher Kevin O’Malley in front of the Annenberg Space for Photography.
Reitman interviews Bigelow at film festival from Film festival, A1
and “The Stand” by Olivia Chuba ’10 received the Founder’s award. Also screened were “Back on the Bike” by Garret Gioia of Orange County High School for the Arts, “Cupidity” by Phoebe Singer ’09,” “The Eraser” by Joe Caedo and Conor Gould of Providence High School, “In the Beginning” by Ethan Corn of Santa Monica High School, Daniel Lachman of Las Lomas High School, Eddie Mele of the Gould Academy, Sebastian Savino of Carmel High School, and Michael Stone of Brentwood School, “Still Life” by Lee Feldman of the Harvard-Westlake Summer Film Camp, “Stop and Smell the Roses” by Harrison Litvack of Crossroads School and “Stop. Think. Rewind.” by Mattan Cohen of Northwood High School. When D’Alessandro and Gutman were looking for a guest to speak, they tried to fulfill two goals: to draw people to the festival and to represent women in film. “Last year we were horrified to realize that there was only one female director out of the 13 films [that] were selected for the festival,” Gutman said. Reitman interviewed Bigelow on stage before the screening. In the past, Reitman hosted the series “Speaking of Movies” in Ahmanson Lecture Hall, interview film professionals including “Juno” screenwriter Diablo Cody and “Little Miss Sunshine” directors Jonathon Dayton and Valerie Faris. In her conversation with Reitman, Bigelow said that her ability to inspire or to embolden other filmmakers is a positive byproduct of her recent awards for directing “The Hurt Locker.” “I thought Kathryn was incredibly articulate and interesting and Jason delightful and charming as he always is,” Walch said, “but it’s finally about the kids. As long as they continue to push themselves and make really interesting films then we’re in good shape.” The festival started from Yale’s vision
in 2004 in Rugby Auditorium. Seven years later it has expanded to accept submissions from across California. “Each year we say it can’t get better, and I thought it got better in a lot of ways this year, especially in the overall quality of the films,” Walch said. “I thought it was very impressive, especially the work from some schools that don’t have that many opportunities and just make it happen.” “Most high school film festivals are in their school auditorium, and we started out that way,” Gaulke said. “To be at the Arclight Cinerama Dome, I mean when are you. As a teenager going to see your film on that gigantic screen and when are you going to have a multiple Academy Award-nominee and a multiple Academy Award-winner in the audience watching your film?” The festival is a platform for young filmmakers to display their work and get a leg in the door in terms of a career in the film industry, especially because the students have the opportunity to show these films to Hollywood producers who would otherwise never see high school films, Gaulke said. Summit Entertainment, Deluxe Digital. Executive Rob Friedman (Taylor ’03, Lane ’07), the distributor of “The Hurt Locker,” underwrote the list of the DVDs of the 17 screened films that all attendees of the film festival received. This festival marks the first time the festival directors have asked companies for sponsorships. The Advancement Office endows the film festival, aided by the sponsorship of several Harvard-Westlake families. Director of Annual Giving Alan Ball said that events like the film festival are good opportunities for Harvard-Westlake to become an asset and a resource to the community. “I wrote on [CEO of Arclight Cinemas Christopher] Forman’s ’79 thank you card: ‘Thank you for making 900 people smile tonight’ and I think Harvard-Westlake did just that,” Ball said.
Chloe Lister/chronicle
clap to the beat: African drummers accompanied Black History Month speaker Sarah Culberson as she began her presentation with a dance.
African princess talks about discovering her heritage By Allison Hamburger
When Culberson visited Bumpe, she was asked by her father to wear a specific An adopted woman who green dress. discovered she was the prinShe was then greeted by cess of a village in Sierra everyone in the village, all of Leone told students at the whom were singing, dancing Black History Month Asand wearing clothing of the sembly Feb. 16 about the exsame green pattern. perience of learning about Culberson’s uncle is the her heritage. Paramount Chief of Bumpe, candice navi /chronicle Accompanied by two African drummers, actress and Sarah Culberson a village recovering from an 11-year civil war that left philantrophist Sarah Culberthousands dead and her fason began her presentation with a brief performance of an Af- ther’s school destroyed. She co-founded the Kposowa rican dance as the audience clapped Foundation in 2005 to help rebuild along. Culberson was adopted at the age her father’s school. The organization of one by a Caucasian family in West has since restored the school’s library, Virginia and spent her childhood try- dormitories and some classrooms. ing to fit in. She did not discover her The next project is to rebuild the heritage until she was an adult, when bathrooms, since many young women drop out of school because of their she hired a private investigator. At the assembly, Culberson de- menstrual cycles, she said. Without scribed the process of finding, speak- an education, the girls usually marry ing to and later visiting her birth earlier, and in Sierra Leone, one in father, a high school principal in eight women die from pregnancy or Bumpe, Sierra Leone, in West Africa. childbirth. Culberson’s adoptive parents later Her birth mother had died of cancer traveled to Bumpe as well and are ina few years earlier, she learned. Culberson waited two weeks for volved with her foundation. Culberson is the next in line to be her father to contact her. She feared that he might not want her to contact chief of Bumpe. She said that she will him, though this turned out to not be probably not choose to become chief the case. After speaking to him and because she feels it is more important other relatives, she made plans to vis- for her to spread the message to help the people of West Africa. it his village. She told the assembly to follow “Those were the longest two weeks of my life,” she said of the time wait- their dreams in spite of real or perceived obstacles. ing for her father to call her.
A10 News
The
C hronicle
March 24, 2010
chronicle.hw.com
&A Head Prefect Candidates
Q
with the
The Chronicle spoke with all of the Head Prefect candidates for the 2010-2011 school year. Below are selected questions and answers from our conversations.
Compiled by Alex Gura, Eli Haims, Alice Phillips, Hunter Price, Daniel Rothberg, and Lara Sokoloff
Chris Holthouse Q A
Q
If you could pick one leader from history that you admire most, who would it be and why?
Nelson Mandela, because of the unconditional respect he had for people regardless of what they had done to him in the past.
Q
In your candidate statement, you say the one change you would make would be to improve student involvement in the community. Could you describe how you would go about doing that if you were elected head prefect?
A
One of the things I have definitely noticed in my two years on the prefect council is that a lot of times events are planned by single groups and they come into conflict and competition with events that are being planned with other groups without pooling our resources or cooperating as much as we could...If you can work together you have a lot more manpower and you can put together a broader event, and you can also pool the ideas from everybody and really craft a plan that would work better than anything that one group alone could plan by themselves.
Austin Lewis Q A
A Q A
Obviously, you are going into this a little differently than all the other candidates in that you have been involved in student government since seventh grade. What do you think is the most important thing that you have learned in your five years as a representative of your class? I would say to stay open to every idea. Sometimes, what you initially think might be the best approach, the best plan or the best idea turns out to be one that has some critical flaw. And another idea that you wrote off as something that wouldn’t work in the end turns out to be something that is incredibly successful. What do you think the most important role of the Head Prefect is? To inspire positive action in the Prefect Council room between us as a group and also inspire the student body to get involved with the school and get involved trying to make a difference themselves.
Q A
What historical leader do you most aspire to be like? I do admire Thomas Jefferson because he just sort of stood for his ideals a lot. He made it known that he was different from what the norm was. I admire that sort of standing up for what you believe in.
Q A
Q
If you could identify one problem with Harvard-Westlake and a way to solve that problem, what would that be?
A
There is a huge lapse in communication between all of the different groups at this school, whether it be students to faculty, faculty to administration, administration to students, all of those groups don’t have really great communication...I think more of an effort should be made in communication between the faculty and the students.
If you could only do one thing as head prefect to make an impact, what would it be? I would get more textbooks in the library, make it more even, get some for all grades (now there are only a few). I think that that worked well at the Middle School and I think that if it becomes a more centralized Prefect Council objective, that that work out really well. What do you think the best things and the worst things are about the Honor Board? I think the best thing about Honor Board is there’s a human side to it; they’re students too, and so they understand that it’s two in the morning and you’re trying to write an essay and, you know, there’s sort of that understanding there [that] I feel that just having the administration deal with these consequences might not have [the same effect]. The downside is that, at many times it’s separate from the student body as well, the student body doesn’t really know what happened and the only people that can learn and gain experience from it are the people that sit on the Honor Board and that are in front of the Honor Board.
Greg Zalevsky Q A
If you could pick one historical figure to emulate, who would it be and why?
George Washington, our first president. He just sort of had it all right when he set the guidelines for the way the U.S. would go. Saying be careful of the different parties and whatnot. He had a nack for foresight and whatnot.
Q A
What’s your favorite part about HarvardWestlake and what part would you improve? Everyone knows what they’re doing and everyone is so focused. It’s sort of a nice atmosphere to be around, you stay focused as well. As for a negative thing, I said this in my prefect statement, but, there’s sort of a lacking sense of community, intertwinement between students, faculty and all stages of HarvardWestlake. It’s not as connected as... it could be.
Q A Q A
What do you think is the one thing that sets you apart from the other students running for head prefect? I like to employ a sort of ‘lead by example role.’ I don’t know how the other candidates do it, but you can’t expect other people to do what you can’t do, so if you can show people, they can emulate it and whatnot. What experiences have you had in high school that you think you can bring to the table if elected Head Prefect? Being on the football team taught me to lead. Especially this year. I’m going to be a senior next year, and we started spring training already. For the first time, all the kids are younger than me on the team. It sort of helps me refine my leading by example.
all photos by chloe lister
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
News A11
chronicle.hw.com
Mariana Bagneris Q A
Q A
Q A
I had the idea to have a certain type of talent show, so that students could get up there and do whatever they wanted to do. Prefect Council turned my idea into the coffee house... If I could turn back the clock, I would have made more events that would be fun for the community and a good to further progress the Harvard-Westlake community.
Q
Prefect Council is an ever-evolving body, and as head prefect, you would have a lot of influence on the Prefect Council. Do you envision any changes?
A
I was hoping to have perhaps a student lawyer or something of the sort [on Honor Board] to be on the case as well so that the student would feel like they have even more support.
What historical figure do you most aspire to be like? Who do you hope to emulate as a leader?
I would hope to emulate Martin Luther King Jr... I like the fact that he’s able to bring different communities, of different places, different aspects of life, different thinking together in order to be able to come a consensus together. If you could change one thing about Harvard Westlake, what would you change? At my old school, we had Pinnacle, which is where teachers would go online and enter in different quiz, test and overall grades. I thought it would be a good idea to have that at Harvard-Westlake because most students here are very active in wanting to know their grades.
If you could turn back the clock, and do something differently as a prefect council member, what would you change?
Melanie Borinstein Q Q A A What historical figure would you hope to emulate as a leader?
If I had to pick a leader from the past to emulate I would choose Abigail Adams. During a formative period of American history, she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind on uncomfortable and controversial issues.
Q
As somebody who hasn’t been on Prefect Council, what kind of unique perspective do you think you could bring to the head prefect position?
A
I think that, being on the outside of Prefect Council, and seeing it how everyone else views it, and knowing just what its like to be a student... It will be easier to help the community because I’m part of the community that isn’t the Prefect Council.
Emilia Louy Q A
If you could pick one historical figure that you admire most, who would it be and why? I would have to say Dorothea Lange. She is a female photographer who took pictures during the Great Depression and during the Japanese internment... She really wanted to show what was the truth and what was actually going on.
Q A
What inspired you to run for head prefect?
Q A Q A
I really wanted to make a difference in the community and because I am almost a senior and it is almost my last year at school I figured it’s my last year to make a true difference in the Harvard-Westlake community and I wanted to try to do that.
Jamie Temko Q A
If you could pick one historical figure that you most admire, who would it be and why? I’ll say Alice Paul because in the suffrage movement, I think she showed amazing strength and I think that was something that was needed for her to break the mold of the perception of women at the time. I admire the strength in her actions to gain women’s suffrage in the United States.
Q A
What do you think is the most important thing that the head prefect has to do? The main thing to me is feeling the views of students on campus and reporting those to the administration and making changes based on those views; putting into action the views of the students. The people who will be elected are the people who the students trust the most with their views and with their desires to have changes on campus.
If you could make an impact on the HarvardWestlake community, as head prefect, what would be the one thing you would do? It’s really hard to hear people say “you just have to get through H-W and you’ll be fine.” A lot of people say that and it’s really sad to hear because there are so many amazing opportunities at H-W... I think H-W isn’t only a place to get through, it’s a place to have an amazing experience, and changing that kind of outlook on school would be really important to me.
Q
If you could do something differently from what the Prefect Council has been doing, what would you change?
A
Prefect Council members are the only ones that know the realities of the system... If there were prefects who could be more connected, and act as liaisons between the student body interest groups and the people that are experts at the H-W system, that would be a really effective way of increasing communication and helping bring the school together.
If you could change one thing about the way Prefect Council operates, what would it be? One thing I think we can change is that the Prefect Council sends out a lot of emails over the week and, sometimes, I think that instead of sending out one email per day... They really should combine them into one. What Prefect Council should do is send out a week overview. What do you think the one thing is that sets you apart from the other head prefect candidates? Once I set a goal, I will complete it and that’s something that I’m willing to do if elected for Prefect Council to represent the students, to represent their ideas and try to get their views and their opinions voiced to the administration and until we hear a decisive answer from the administration about that certain issue.
Q A
In your candidate statement, you talked about planning more events for Prefect Council. If elected, how would you try to implement this change? I think that this year on the Social Committee, I got to see how such small events can actually mean so much to people. We’d have something as simple as ice cream sodas in the quad, and it just meant a lot to the Performing Arts Department and a lot to the people in the play. I just think that small things like that. I mean, all it takes is a few people to plan an event, a few people to go get ice cream, a few people to go get sodas.
Q A
If elected, how would you change the Honor Board to make it more transparent? If elected, I’d like to explore options of maybe having a student who has come before the Honor Board and is willing to talk about it... If there is a way where we can have individual students who are willing to come out and speak openly about their situations coming before the Honor Board, I think that could be beneficial.
all photos by chloe lister
EDITOR’S NOTE: Polls closed last night, after The Chronicle went to press, on a primary election to thin the field of candidates from four female candidates to three. Consequently, one of the candidates profiled is not on today’s ballot. The candidates were aware of this outcome and decided to proceed with the primary election regardless. Please see our editorial coverage on Page A15 for more information.
opinion
A12
Harvard-Westlake School
Volume XIX
Issue 6
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
3700 Coldwater Canyon, North Hollywood, CA 91604 Editors in Chief: Sam Adams, Hana Al-Henaid Managing Editors: Sammy Roth, Allegra Tepper Executive Editor: Michelle Nosratian Presentations Editor: Candice Navi Multimedia Editor: Jamie Kim Business Manager: Neha Nimmagadda Ads Manager: David Burton Assistants: Jordan Gavens, Victor Yoon Chief Copy Editor: Ellina Chulpaeff Copy Editors: Spencer Gisser, Ester Khachatryan, Catherine Wang
Slow down for Julia and just B
T
wo holes were seared into our school in the past three months. Some of us lost a classmate, some of us a friend, but we have all felt the pain of laying to rest two of our own. One of the holes is the size of a 17-year-old science whiz with the heart of gold, just as he was getting ready to graduate and take on the world. The other, a 13-year-old dancer who by all accounts spread optimism and cheerfulness wherever she went. Brendan Kutler and Julia Siegler share little in common other than that their deaths were devastating blows to the entire school and all who knew them. We lost both Brendan and Julia in senseless cosmic spasms, the kind that make us question our faith in a rational and benevolent universe. If there is any ray of good to emerge from these successive tragedies, it is the way in which our community rallied together to support each other. Teachers, students and parents alike were rocked by the news, whether or not they knew Brendan or Julia. The ubiquitous double baseball caps in honor of Brendan as well as the letters of love and support that practically overflow in Julia’s bedroom are a testament to the family that is Harvard-Westlake. Purple bouquets fill the corner of Sunset and Cliffwood, now covered in scrawled messages of love and mourning. Since their deaths, we have heard more beautiful and eloquent things said about Julia and Brendan than we have ever heard anybody say about anybody. These words bring comfort to us as we grieve their loss, but we think another true tragedy is that they never got to hear what people truly thought of them while they were still alive. All of the beautiful things people have been saying were not planted posthumously. The compliments were in our minds, but we never thought to or summoned the courage to say them until it was too late for the subjects to hear. We always talk about the uncertainty of life in an abstract, rhetorical manner that borders on cliché. “You better enjoy life because you never know when you’ll step into a street and lose it in a flash,” or some
variation is a phrase said so often that there is only the hollow echo of a trite, vague remark until the violent reminder of the fundamental truth that one second you could be running for a bus and the next, not. It is necessary to try to take something away from what would seem to be a senseless tragedy in order to maintain our own beliefs in a logical existence. The only lesson we can find from the loss of Brendan and Julia, though, is that we shouldn’t bottle up and hide away our feelings about others. If you have something nice to say to someone, say it while you still can. We shouldn’t have to wait until a person is gone to remember them fondly. Too often we take for granted the idea that the people we love know that we love them. When we criticize our friends, it is rooted in our admiration and affection for them, but usually that part escapes day-today conversations. There would be much more happiness in the world if we just vocalized those compliments that we think but don’t say. In honor of Julia, her friends have placed street signs and made wristbands that read “Slow Down for Julia.” The phrase, they said, has double meaning: drive with more caution so as to avoid another accident like the one that took Julia, but also take your time in everyday life to appreciate the beauty in the world and people around you. We should decrease the tempo of our lives as well as the speed of our cars. We should stop and smell the roses, and then tell the roses how good they smell. So Slow Down for Julia and Smile for BK. Spread love while you still can, because you never know when, suddenly, you can’t.
News Managing Editors: Nicki Resnikoff, Michelle Yousefzadeh Section Heads: Emily Khaykin, Alice Phillips, Daniel Rothberg Assistants: Jessica Barzilay, Maddy Baxter, Hank Gerba, Sanjana Kucheria, Marissa Lepor, Rebecca Nussbaum, Hunter Price, Lara Sokoloff, Saj Sri-Kumar Opinion Managing Editors: Anna Etra, Erin Moy Section Heads: Kelly Ohriner, Jean Park Assistants: Eli Haims, Vivien Mao, Anabel Pasarow, Nick Pritzker Features and Arts & Entertainment Managing Editors: Drew Lash, Lauren Seo Features Section Heads: Jordan Freisleben, Olivia Kwitny, Mary Rose Fissinger Features Assistants: Evan Brown, Melanie Chan, Lauren Choi, Camille de Ry, Allison Hamburger, Claire Hong, Megan Kawasaki, Chelsea Khakshouri, Joyce Kim, Ryan Lash, Lauren Li Arts & Entertainment Section Heads: Ingrid Chang, Matthew Lee, Sade Tavangarian Arts & Entertainment Assistants: Justine Goode, Noelle Lyons Sports Managing Editors: Jack Davis, Alex Edel Sports Writer: Jonah Rosenbaum Photo Coordinator: Alec Caso Section Heads: Austin Block, Ashley Khakshouri, Alex Leichenger Assistants: Sofia Davila, David Gobel, David Kolin, Tiffany Liao, Judd Liebman, Austin Lee, Julius Pak, Chelsey Taylor-Vaughn Multimedia: Alex Gura, Chloe Lister, Nika Madyoon, Abbie Neufeld, Megan Wang, Susan Wang Web Designer: Jake Staahl Adviser: Kathleen Neumeyer The Chronicle is the student newspaper of Harvard-Westlake School. It is published eight times per year. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the senior members of the Editorial Board. Advertising questions may be directed to Business Manager Neha Nimmagada at (818) 481-2087. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or the school.
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
Opinion A13
chronicle.hw.com
Sam
Adams
In defense of senioritis
“
Now’s the time to find the balance between doing what we have to and what we want to; to explore what we are capable of outside our comfort zone.”
T
he pencils of seniors drop at the end of the final semester exam, standard thought dictates, and with them plummet the students’ academic achievement for the duration of the year. The phenomenon, often diagnosed in a clichéd manner as “senioritis,” is the subject of relentless demonization by teachers and colleges as well as idealization by just about every teen movie ever made. Second semester seniors, it goes, throw caution to the wind along with their notebooks and lead an existence intoxicated by the freedom from grades reported to colleges. For me, the experience has been more like drearily rubbing my eyes after staying up all night writing a paper, the rising sun assaulting after hours of my halogen desk lamp. In a way, I feel listless, almost lost without the anchoring cycle of neuroses about upcoming tests. The hard labor of high school is over, and there is more to life than grades and SAT scores. We often miss this fact andour school tends to deemphasize the world beyond the classroom and the study table. Most of us won’t take a gap year. Our path will flow from high school to college and maybe to grad school before we embark on our careers. That’s a daunting thought, to stand at the end of adolescence and look back at our time at Harvard-Westlake, and ahead to our futures. The college process, that driving force that motivates so many of the late nights and early mornings, the practices and rehearsals, has an interesting effect: it makes us explore ourselves. We are forced to introspect and figure out whether we are a liberal arts type or a business major, city or rural, where we will be happiest. It is one of the first major life crossroads where the ultimate decision lies with us. We have to look into ourselves and write essays summarizing our existence in about 500 words. Granted, it’s a polished, idealized, academic version of ourselves we present in applications, but we still need to address that fundamental question: who am I? We finish our applications just a little bit more selfaware than we began them. As college decisions start to roll in and grades begin to matter less, we lose the great incentive to work that is the grade point average. In that absence, we are given the opportunity to figure out what we actually care about. Those subjects for which you still are studying late nights even when the grade doesn’t really matter are probably the ones
“This makes so much more sense outside of the textbooks.” JAMIE KIM/CHRONICLE
that you will delve further into in college and beyond. If you find yourself uninterested in studying for a calculus test second semester, chances are you won’t become a mathematician. If you’re still devouring your economics textbook, though, that may be what you want to do with your life. We have an opportunity to educate ourselves without having to abide by the rigid curricula set by the AP system. A couple weeks ago, I put off an English essay to see the new exhibit at LACMA with friends—on a Thursday, no less! Instead of studying for a biology test, I went to a Tarantino double feature at a theater in Hollywood. Seeking education in a textbook is great, but we can’t forget the vibrant city around us. Of course, there is another side to the argument. After making a similar point to my AP Biology teacher, he shrugged and agreed, wishing me luck in my career as a trash collector. And to a degree, he makes a good point; students know what they’re getting themselves into when they enroll here. The achievement-oriented atmosphere is why we have top-caliber performances and athletics, not to mention prestigious college matriculations. The same drive that pushes us to study relentlessly is also that makes us successful. I’m not saying we should swing to the other side of the spectrum, ditching class and taking a joyride around town in Dad’s antique
Enjoy our independence
I
t doesn’t take a lot to see that students at Harvard-Westlake are given a fair deal of independence and respect. Sure, it’s easy to complain about the occasional unaccommodating teacher or undeserved detention, but it’s important to also consider the privileges we have. At very few other schools are free periods such a frequent occurrence, or independent studies even an option. However, as we all spend the majority of our time in this environment, it’s easy to lose perspective and begin to take this freedom and respect for granted. I certainly had, but my gratitude for Harvard-Westlake was renewed after a seemingly insignificant observation made during my Saturday spent taking the SAT put things back in perspective. I took it at a public school near my house, and during one of the five minute breaks allotted to give the test takers an opportunity to refuel and/ or use the restroom, I found myself glancing around the room I was in
and taking in the scenery as I nibbled on a protein rich power bar. It seemed to be an all-purpose science classroom, complete with Bunsen burners, a giant periodic table and several diagrams of the inner workings of the human body adorning the walls. What really struck me, however, were the myriad signs around the room placed there, I’m assuming, to remind the students of the various rules of the classroom. They were printed on brightly colored sheets of paper and seemed to predominantly feature capital letters and exclamation points. They warned against things such as cell phones, talking out of turn and chewing gum. One in particular that caught my eye read, “15 MINUTE RULE: NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE CLASSROOM DURING THE FIRST OR LAST 15 MINUTES OF THE PERIOD!” I’m not sure what exactly the students of this school had been doing during the first and last 15 minutes of the period that prompted the admin-
Ferrari like in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” the quintessential movie about senioritis. But now’s the time to find the balance between doing what we have to and what we want to, to explore what we are capable of outside of our comfort zone when the stakes of failing are as low as they’ll ever be. Teachers are understandably frustrated by slacking seniors; classroom apathy can be perceived as disrespect to the teacher. But here’s what I suggest: just as students are seeking education outside the classroom, so too can teachers educate beyond the class description we read in the curriculum guide last year. Why not push that lecture about polar integration back a day in favor of a discussion of how math fits into music? Parents are understandably worried at the sight of an unopened backpack; all our hard work making it to the end of senior year could be ruined by coming up lame the last couple months. Trust your 18-year-old to make decisions that will not be disastrous. If that kind of confidence isn’t there, maybe neither parent nor child is ready for college next year. Never again in our lives will we have a chance to pursue things solely for the sake of it. In college, the specter of GPAs again prevails. After we start careers, it is very hard to turn back or look around. The end of high school should be a breather to slow down and consider who it is we are, and where it is we want to go next.
Mary Rose
Fissinger istration to make such a rule, but I am aware that signs of that nature are very rarely spotted in the classrooms of Harvard-Westlake. They aren’t necessary. I believe that this can be attributed to the fact that the students and faculty at our school have an amount of respect for one another that is simply unmatched at most other schools. This may just be my own personal experience, and I’m sure there are people who disagree, but coming to Harvard-Westlake from nine years at a Catholic elementary school, I appreciate the small things. Being able to simply get up and leave class at any moment to use the restroom is a nice change from my sixth grade teacher standing in the door to the classroom and timing students as they sprinted down the hall in order to ensure that they returned from the restroom in less than 90 seconds and didn’t waste any time. In my almost three years at this school, I’ve always found the studentadministrator relationships that I’ve
encountered to be ones of mutual respect. Teachers here expect a lot of the students, and it’s not just because Harvard-Westlake has an academic reputation to uphold. It’s because their students have rarely given them reason to think that they were incapable of meeting those expectations. For the most part, we do the work, we take school seriously, and we don’t need multi-colored signs screaming at us from every wall to make us do it. I’m a junior, and with my senior friends receiving college decisions on what seems like a weekly basis, I too sometimes become weary of the structured high school atmosphere and long for the freedom of college. But now I realize that if I’m going to be in high school for another one year, two months, two weeks and two days, Harvard-Westlake is the best place, in my opinion, to be. And so, instead of pouting, I’ll enjoy my free period, or maybe even get a drink of water in the last 15 minutes of class.
A10 Opinion
The
C hronicle
March 24, 2010
chronicle.hw.com
Austin
Block
Moan and groan
“O
“
Venting does have a cathartic element to it, but at what point does healthy stress relief turn into a habit?”
h my God I have sooo much homework,” students complain. “Not Wednesday break! Nobody wants it!” they whine. “I’m so tired,” they bitterly mumble. Here at school, complaints decorate the halls, cake the buildings, envelop the library, and drift merrily through the quad. Classes, homework, tests, essays, sports and SAT prep are innocent victims of our relentless anger. FML has become the official school acronym. We complain so much that we don’t realize we are complaining anymore. “Vergil, you have overstayed your welcome. Please just pack up your things and leave. Thanks,” said one student’s Facebook status. Is all of this complaining a bad thing? Venting does have a cathartic element to it, but at what point does healthy stress relief turn into a habit of thinking negatively and appreciating little? Disclaimer: I’m not above complaining. I’m just as guilty as anyone else. Complaining is also a very handy way to fill an awkward silence, solicit sympathy, start up a conversation, get attention or prompt somebody to make you feel better by explaining his/her situation, which is inevitably far worse than yours. It’s cool to be discontent. But is this habit something that we want to take with us to college? Naturally, in the competitive atmosphere of Harvard-Westlake, grumbling turns into a game of one-upmanship. We’re perversely proud to have more work than everyone else. “Why do I have three tests tomorrow?” I might despairingly ask. “Oh yeah,” another could reply, “well I have a test or quiz in every class plus an English essay due plus a history project outline plus I have late soccer practice!” Do I feel better now? In a sadistic your-life-sucks-more-than-mine way, sort of. So what can we do about it? Obviously, life is distinctly less fun when we focus on all its worst aspects. There is no such thing as a perfect life, week, or even day, so we’re going to have to deal with imperfection. The more we do so, the happier we will probably be. At the risk of sounding like I might have some idea of what I’m talking about, here is a suggestion that I think I’ll try myself: After complaining about something, take a moment and ask yourself “Did that make me feel better?” “Did that make anyone else feel bad?” If your first answer is no or your second answer is yes, try your best to eliminate those complaints from your repertoire. I’m not trying to preach appreciation of all of the great things we have (even though we really should appreciate them more often). I’m not trying to go on a fruitless complaint crusade and convince everyone to be happy little angels. A bit of verbal release is good once in a while. All I’m trying to do is raise some awareness and food for thought. Ugh, now I have to go do homework.
Reward yourself, take a break
M
ission accomplished. The SAT is over, and I’m relieved. It is Saturday, March 13, and I have emerged from five hours of circles, triangles, graphs and vocabulary words I wish I could use relatively unscathed. The weekend hours eclipsed by practice tests have paid off because I feel confident about my performance. After all the hard work, I deserve some relaxation time. If only relaxation time existed anymore. Upon my return home, I am warmly greeted by the realization that I have work at my synagogue tomorrow morning, a physics test Monday, a lab due Wednesday, an APUSH test Tuesday, multiple Chronicle stories to write, an English essay, an AP
VIVIEN MAO/CHRONICLE
Up in the air
Emily
Khaykin
“S
o, what kind of career are you thinking of pursuing?” asks my neighbor. This question is the second most popular question I and every other junior are probably asked this year. Second only to the ever-popular “Where do you want to go to college?” And so, I smile politely and recite my predesignated line, “Oh, I’m really not sure yet, there’s just so much I’m interested in!” My neighbor nods and smiles understandingly but hides her surprise in finding that I don’t have a 10-year plan. Even in our preschool years, we are coached by our teachers to have some preconceived notion of what we would like to be when we grow up, a ready answer for any adult who asks. However, is it so wrong not to have some idea of what you want to do? Some college students graduate not knowing what they want to do with their lives and are given grief for it, but different paths unfold in different ways, and I firmly believe that society needs to give the undecided some leeway, some time to think before committing to a profession for the rest of your life. “Why don’t you look into law?” my father suggests. “Or how about you go into health care?” my mother pipes in. My father takes his suggestion back and sides with my mother. “You can give us a discount,” he says. Sometimes, when procrastinating for a particularly irksome test, I think of what
United States History research paper looming, and homework in precalculus and Latin and plenty of other minor tasks to complete. Wait, I thought my mission was accomplished. I have gotten to the point of junior year where there are so many tasks to complete that finishing a test I’ve heard about since elementary school seems relatively insignificant. I have realized that my complaining is the product of an over-obsession with preventing procrastination, a habit which only serves to increase my procrastination. Whenever I finish an assignment, I need to reward myself in some fashion proportional to the breadth of the task. Yet, I am aware that there are a multitude of other tasks to be completed, and taking a self-satisfying
life would be like if I were to just quit school and go live my life as a rancher under that big Texas sky that everyone talks about, or become a forest ranger in Yosemite. But the truth is, no one should ever feel afraid to do or study what they love because if you have a passion for something, chances are you can figure out a way to either incorporate it into a job or create your own job from what you love. Just last Friday, Carol Davis, an award-winning poet, came to talk to sophomore English classes about writing poetry and some of the thought process she goes through when writing her own poetry. Unbeknownst to her, however, she imparted some wisdom to me that I’ll never forget. When living in Russia, people would ask her what she did for a living, and she would reply, “Well, I’m a poet.” And that was accepted. But once she moved back to the United States, she would give the same response, except here, the inquirer would respond, “No, seriously, what’s your real job?” And with the price of a college education these days, it’s sensible to think twice before jumping into that eight-year plan for becoming a doctor. And that’s without a specialty. And so, in the end, I’ve decided that it’s okay to not know what you want to do with your life; there’s time. And the only thing you really have to be ready to put up with are all those people who want know your plan. After getting over her original shock, my neighbor turns back to me and asks, “So, where do you want to go to college?”
Alex
Leichenger break seems to be a waste of time. I sit down at my computer, ready to work. Only the “reward myself ” instinct is still lurking. So instead of opening my lab, I open my e-mail, or my Facebook page, or maybe ESPN. com. I am still telling myself that I really need to work. Basically, even procrastination fails to satisfy. And therein lies the problem—viewing everything that is not work as procrastination. Rewarding ourselves with a break when we earn it is not procrastination. We have to keep our rewards in perspective with our achievements, and we cannot sacrifice effort in our schoolwork and other commitments. But by forbidding ourselves from watching one television show or forbidding ourselves from one
bike ride with our family, we aren’t helping ourselves achieve academic success or a higher level of efficiency. We are not eliminating procrastination, and we are not becoming adept at self-restraint. In fact, it is the opposite. We are dooming ourselves to procrastination by not being fully prepared to dive into our next mission. If you have this problem, take the time to cool down and transition to your next objective after you accomplish something of personal importance. Make it long enough to clear your mind, but brief enough to stay sharp. Most importantly, don’t second-guess yourself. Believe it or not, watching an episode of “Jersey Shore” may actually help you be productive.
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
quadtalk
Opinion A15
chronicle.hw.com
Do you think it’s fair to eliminate one candidate in the primary election for Head Prefect?
“I think it’s fine...it just so happens that there are four [girls] and three [boys] this year but the primary is just a way to eliminate a few kids so the real thing is a bit shorter.” —Melissa Gertler ’11 photo by saj sri-Kumar/Chronicle
“I’m sorry, you are no longer in the running to become Harvard-Westlake’s next Head Prefect.” RYAN LASH/CHRONICLE
makinggrades
A B+ C+ D-
The Chronicle evaluates recent campus developments
“In the past they’ve stuck to three girls and three boys. So if we have protocol to keep it even, it’s probably necessary.”
Girls’ Basketball makes it to state finals for the first time in 11 years.
School caps student enrollment in Studies in Scientific Research (SSR).
—Chris Holthouse ’11
photo by Jordan Gavens/Chronicle
“i think it’s more fair when a person can go down with a group instead of by themselves.” —Natalie Epstein ’12
Fanatics largely fail to support female sports.
Female Head Prefect primary election singles out one candidate to eliminate.
bynumbers
The Chronicle polled 308 students who weighed in on the Fanatics’ support of sports teams.
Fanatic Do you think that the Fanatics’ support for teams tends to be Fairness biased towards certain teams?
photo by Camille de ry/Chronicle
“In the future, I think that we’re going to handle the primaries by saying: ‘five or more candidates merits a primary, [but] three is ideal.’”
157
142 9
—Reid Lidow ’10
photo by saj sri-kumar/Chronicle
I think that they represent teams based on perceived student interest Yes, I think they tend to favor certain teams No, I think they represent the teams equally
Results based on an online poll e-mailed to Harvard-Westlake upper school students through http://www.surveymonkey.com.
Asixteen
March 24, 2010
in fair verona Advanced Dance II adapts ‘Romeo & Juliet’ for their shows in March.
1 4
W
2 3 5
wherefore art thou: (1) A fight scene between the Montagues and Capulets during the Advanced Dance II performance on March 5. (2) Heidi Chung ’10 contemplates drinking a sleeping potion from Rebecca Ressler ’11. (3) Max Sheldon ’11 agonizes as Romeo. (4) Bella Hicks ’12 leads a line of dancers. (5) Chase Morgan ’10 performs as one of the Romeos. (6) Zaakirah Daniels ’10 leaps in the air.
illiam Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was brought to life by the Advanced Dance II class during the weekend of March 5. As is tradition, the theme of the show was kept a secret until the night of the opening performance, alluded to only by ambiguous posters around campus. When the lights went down at 7 p.m. on March 5, the subject matter was immediately revealed as the show opened with the members of the class reciting the opening lines to the show. The performance continued with 33 dance numbers, tracing the famed story of the star-crossed lovers. Each member of the class choreographed at least one dance, and the performance featured the 14 members of Advanced Dance II as well as more than 10 guest performers and several guest musicians. Some dances were performed to songs sung live by one of the performers, including Max Sheldon ’11, Bella Hicks ’12, and Kathryn Gallagher ’11. “I am very proud of the cast and crew from this year’s Dance Concert. Their kindness to one another, along with their love for the work that they were doing, helped to make this performance very special,” Advanced Dance II director Cyndy Winter said. —Mary Rose Fissinger
6
Photos by Candice Navi/chronicle
features The
Harvard-Westlake School
Chronicle
Volume XIX
Issue 6
March 24, 2010
on a greener note By Jessica Barzilay
A
s a result of perusing his favorite band’s website, Jacob Chapman ’12 has the chance to win the school a private concert, not to mention a green bus and a green makeover for the school. America’s Greenest School Contest sponsored by IC Bus Inc. selected Chapman’s original song “Get on the Bus” as one of 10 finalists across the nation from a pool of 550 applicants. The contest requires an entry explaining a theoretical plan to promote eco-friendly behavior at school in the form of a photo collection, video, essay, piece of artwork or music and winning would mean the chance to realize this green plan, with funding and an IC hybrid bus worth an estimated $20,000 and $150,000 respectively. Chapman noticed an advertisement on the website of the contest’s official band, The Maine, and “it just looked like a great thing to do,” he said. Chapman was excited by the opportunity to combine his love of music with his desire to join the environmental movement, he said. A piano player since age 6, Chapman’s passion for music has led him to explore many different ways of expressing himself musically, from being the lead singer in a rock band to the lead in a musical to teaching himself guitar. Chapman recorded and mixed the song in his bedroom using a program called Logic, and digitally added in drums and rhythms to enhance the sound. In his song, Chapman outlines different ways to bring
environmentalism to school, but by the last chorus, the bus becomes a metaphor for those already active in the environmental movement and “it encourages others to join the effort,” he said. From March 22 to April 2 the finalists’ submissions are posted in a gallery featured on the contest website, and a public vote will decide the winner. As incentive to participate, randomly selected voters will receive $100 Visa gift cards simply for contributing. Chapman hopes to spread the word to as many people as possible, utilizing the same tool through which he discovered the contest: the Internet. Although he was encouraged by “the obscurity of this contest,” Chapman did not expect a search for updates on one of his favorite bands to yield such an exciting outcome he said. “Little did I know I would find a digital poster for a contest in which I would be a finalist,” Chapman said. Chapman said this is his first time trying to make a difference in the environmental movement because to date, his efforts have consisted solely of trying to minimize paper waste for assignments and recycling rather than discarding his trash. “The need to be greener is increasing and sooner or later, all of us must make some important changes to our lifestyle and the way we use resources and technology,” he said.
More Coverage
on
B5-6.
Visit americasgreenestschool.com to vote for Jake Chapman’s song and help him win a hybrid bus for Harvard-Westlake. Visit chronicle.hw.com for lyrics, audio and updates.
Photo Illustration by Allegra Tepper, Candice Navi and Chloe Lister
B2 Features
The
C hronicle
chronicle.hw.com
March 24, 2010
Chance encounters Logging onto Chatroulette leads to a random match with a complete stranger via live video feed.
By Daniel Rothberg With just a computer, an Internet connection and a webcam, Kathryn Gallagher ‘11 talked to a group of soldiers who were about to be deployed to Iraq. “It was one of the only times that I have really talked to soldiers,” she said. “I had a very interesting conversation and they told me why they wanted to be in the war and stuff like that.” Gallagher, who said that she does not support the war but does support the troops, thinks that talking to the soldiers gave her a new perspective on military service. “Talking to them made me realize that there was a whole other side to the story,” she said. “It was really admirable what they were doing.” Using the website Chatroulette.com, Gallagher has, on multiple occasions, connected with strangers from around the world through a live video feed. “You meet really cool people,” Gallagher said. “I have never not been entertained by Chatroulette.” Created by a 17-year-old high school student in Russia, Chatroulette is a website that allows its users to communicate via webcam with strangers from anywhere around the globe. If users are unhappy with the person that they have been randomly paired with, they have an option to exit the interaction. By clicking the “next” button on the website, a user can terminate their current conversation and begin a new one with a different stranger. Two months ago, Cassie* ’11 walked into her friend’s room to find a group of her friends huddled around a computer talking to a stranger. They were on Chatroulette. “I thought it was the weirdest thing and then two minutes later I was hooked just like everyone else was,” Cassie said. “It’s a rush. You never know what you will get when you click ‘next.’” School psychologist Sheila Siegel thinks that students are intrigued by Chatroulette because they are interested in getting a peek into other people’s lives. “You get a slice of people’s life and there is sort of a thrill to that,” Siegel said. School Counselor Luba Bek thinks that students are attracted to Chatroulette because there are no restrictions on what you can or cannot do on the website. “I think it is chaos,” Bek said. “Chaos has always been attractive to people, especially to people who live within a set of really strict rules. When you get on the site there are no rules and anybody can do whatever they want to do. Nobody is telling you the parameters or the logistics of the ‘game.’” Bek said that the chaos might provide a psychological release for students growing up in a strict environment. “The anarchy of [Chatroulette] is so different from the structure and environment where you grow up that I think it is really just a psychological release,” Bek said. Many students have found the website addictive because they are curious to see what kind of person they are paired up with when they click the ‘next’ button. Justin Bretter ’11 said that he has gone on the Chatroulette
almost every day since finding out about the website over two months ago. “I get consumed by it,” Bretter said. Both Siegel and Bek compared the addictiveness of Chatroulette to gambling. Chatroulette users, like gamblers, stay on the website for long periods of time in the hope that they will find a person to interact with that is to their liking. This behavior is recognized in psychology as random intermittent reinforcechloe lister/Chronicle ment, Siegel said. While the Terms of Service for the website clearly s t a t e that Chatroulette “does not tolerate broadcasting obscene, offending, pornographic material” and will “block users who violate these rules,” students have said that they have often seen explicit and pornographic content when using Chatroulette. “About one out of four [people] are naked men or guys pressuring you to take your shirt off,” Cassie said. “It’s a risk you have to take.” “It is a little bit dangerous because you might get something disgusting but that is probably what also makes it a little intriguing,” Siegel said. Officer Cleon Joseph of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Media Relations Office said that there are inherent risks with using any website where you communicate with strangers. “You don’t know who you are talking to,” he said. “Use your head, use your best judgment, but the bottom line is, there are adult predators out there.” Joseph recommends that adolescents have their parents screen the websites that they go on to make sure that the sites are safe. “There are a thousand things that make it [the internet] dangerous,” Joseph said. “You really have to involve your parents.” While some students are addicted to the Chatroulette, others are repulsed by the website. “I think it’s really creepy to cycle through random strangers and half of the time get naked people,” Max Sheldon ’11 said. “I don’t think that’s very fun.” Because of the anonymity that Chatroulette provides, adolescents are more willing to do things that they would not normally do in public where their identity is known, Bek said. “The anonymity of this makes people feel thrilled, totally unrecognizable and gives kids the possibility to do whatever they want,” Bek said. “It’s a thrill to make yourself look dumb in front of a stranger without the danger of having the stranger right in front of you,” Cassie said. “You can say whatever you want, meet whoever you want. Nothing is lasting. It’s cool that you can make a fool out of yourself without actually being there.”
Chatrouletters Anonymous “I got a guy from England once, and we talked about books, school. He gave recommendations on German literature. It was comforting to know that I would never really talk to him again, so I could be more candid with my opinions.” —Anonymous ’10 “One time I met this guy on Chatroulette who was taking the same Spanish class as I was. We were both in Spanish V, so we started to speak Spanish with each other. He went to Stevenson High School in Monterey, and we found out that we had mutual friends.” — Anonymous ’10
Meeting strangers on the internet proves to be an insightful experience to some, unpleasant for others.
“One night me and a couple of bros were Chatrouletting it up on a Friday night. All of a sudden we get some bros in a dorm room, and one of them is wearing a Vanderbilt sweater. The funny thing is that I had just got into Vanderbilt early decision. After our conversation, the three Vanderbilt students found and added me on Facebook.” —Anonymous ‘10 “A group of friends and I were gathered around my laptop, and when we clicked next, there was a dead corpse hanging from the ceiling with a rope around its neck. All of us freaked out until we realized it was a prank.” —Anonymous ’11 infographic by matt lee
March 24, 2010
C hronicle
chosen ones The
By Catherine Wang
W
JORDAN FREISLEBEN/CHRONICLE
“I’ve Always been into family history and genetics...I guess i really just wanted to know who I look like.” — Lili Nanus ’11
ALLEGRA TEPPER/CHRONICLE
“My real mom is the mom who raised me, and shaped me into what I am today, not my birth parents. ” — Gabi Kuhn ’12
hen Susan Nanus looked into those brown eyes on her television screen, it was love at first sight. After watching countless videos of babies, she knew her search had come to an end. She had found her soon-to-be child: a one month-old girl named Natalia. Dozens of stacks of paperwork later, Nanus boarded a flight to Moscow to adopt her baby girl. Nearly 16 years later, Natalia—renamed Lili ’11 by her adoptive mother—recalls the story of her adoption without hesitation, as if she has told it numerous times before. “I’m not protective of the information,” she said. The process Lili’s mother, a single woman, went through to adopt her consisted of hiring an adoption lawyer to manage her paperwork, getting screened by an adoption agency to ensure she was fit to be a parent and watching short videos of babies playing with orphanage caretakers. After watching Lili’s video, Susan took it to a doctor to make sure she was healthy, before finalizing her decision and going to Russia. A second generation Russian herself, she always knew she wanted to adopt a child from Russia. “I don’t know why; I guess it would be easier if I looked like her,” Lili said of her mother’s choice. For a week, Susan visited Lili’s orphanage for a few hours every day, in order to familiarize the baby with her new mom. “It’s actually a funny story,” Lili said. “The baby orphanage I was living in was so poor, the women working there didn’t have [baby] clothes to give to my mom, so she just took me from the orphanage naked.” Lili knows her biological mother was a woman in her 20’s who was financially and mentally unprepared to be a parent when she gave birth, but little else. Until recently, she did not care to know more. But in the past year, Lili has become more interested in her lineage. “I’ve always been into family history and genetics,” she said. “But really, I just wanted to know who I look like.” Susan Nanus still had the one-time address of Lili’s biological mother, and Lili found a telephone number for that house using public listings. When Lili called that number, she found out that her biological uncle still lived in the Russian village she was born in, as did her 20-yearold biological sister, who was brought up by her biological grandparents. Last August, Lili sent her first letter to her sister. Since she can only “sort of ” read Russian, Lili wrote her letter in English. A friend of her mother translated it into Russian, and Lili sent both versions to her sister. In early January, her sister replied, asking to see a photo of Lili. Lili sent a picture of herself and is currently waiting for a reply. Lili has never returned to Russia. She plans to go at some point in her life, though she is not interested in meeting her biological family. “It’s more like a cool detective thing, rather than reconnecting with my family,” she said. “I don’t really know them, you know?” Lili considers her relationship with her adoptive mother to be like a friendship. She said her mother is not bothered by her daughter’s recent inquiry of her past. “She understands that I would become curious at some point,” Lili said. Lili said she does not have any negative feelings about being adopted. “I don’t know any other way,” she said. Hannah Rosenberg ’11, who was adopted at birth, agrees. “[Being adopted] doesn’t make a difference,” she said. “It’s not as traumatizing as the media makes it out to be.” When they knew they wanted to adopt, Rosenberg’s adoptive parents contacted an adoption agency, which matched couples looking to adopt with pregnant couples. Rosenberg’s adoptive parents met with her biological parents before Rosenberg was born. Each couple was pleased with the other couple, so Hannah was adopted. “My mom’s really open about my adoption process,” she said. “Anything I ask her, she always tells me.” Rosenberg has seen pictures of her biological parents from before her birth, and she knows basic information about them. Her birth mother was 21, and her birth father was significantly older, either
chronicle.hw.com
Features B3
Adopted as infants from Russia, China and the US, students’ curiosity about their past lingers. in his late 30s or early 40s. He left his wife and got together with Rosenberg’s birth mother, but when they found out she was pregnant, they realized they could not raise a child together. “I think it’d be really weird,” Rosenberg said of meeting her birth parents. “It’s not as emotional for me as it probably is for them.” Rosenberg, an only child, does want to meet her two half-brothers. Her birth father had a son with his first wife before she was born, and her birth mother had a son when she was 10. “A brother’s kind of cool, since I’ve never had siblings,” she said. “I would want to meet them to see if we look alike.” Unlike Lili and Rosenberg, Jake Fernandez ’10, who was also adopted at birth, wants to meet his birth mother, and is planning on doing so sometime next year. “It would be nice to meet the woman who started it all,” he said. “Apparently I look like her.” Fernandez was born in Arizona as a result of what he calls “faulty contraception.” Because his birth mother’s pregnancy was unplanned and she was financially unable to support a child, she knew she could not keep Fernandez. Rather than get an abortion, she decided to put him up for adoption. She hired a lawyer and interviewed numerous prospective couples before finally deciding on Fernandez’s two fathers. For them, finding Fernandez’s birth mother was a stroke of luck, since their earlier attempts to have a child through a surrogate mother or other adoption agencies all failed. “Gay parents were uncommon in the early ’90s,” Fernandez said. “So having a kid was more than slightly difficult for my two dads.” In the months leading up to Fernandez’s birth, his birth mother and adoptive parents spent time together, and when Fernandez’s mother gave birth, one of his adoptive fathers was in the hospital room holding her hand. Since then, however, contact between Fernandez and his mother has been limited, since it was so hard for her to give him up. “Growing up, I knew where I came from,” Fernandez said. “My parents were very clear with my place in their life and [my birth mother’s].” Like Nanus, Rosenberg and Fernandez, Gabrielle Kuhn ’12 and Annie Wasserman ’13 were adopted at very young ages. Both Kuhn and Wasserman were adopted from China. Kuhn was adopted from Wuhan city in Hubei province, and Wasserman was adopted from Guandong province. In rural parts of China, parents prefer to have boys to help with heavy labor. Because of China’s one-child policy, which restricts each family to having only one child, it is not uncommon for parents to abandon their newborn baby girls on the street. “I was found by a woman named Guiying and to honor her, the orphanage named me after her,” Kuhn said. Her adoptive mother kept Guiying as her middle name. Because parents in China frequently abandon their newborns rather than bring them to an orphanage so as not to be caught by the government for violating the one-child policy, orphanages typically have little information regarding their children’s families. “I have no clue at all who my parents are,” Wasserman said. “Sometimes [my adopted sister] and I are like ‘It’d be cool if we knew our biological families,’ but I’m not so curious that I’m dying to know,” Wasserman said. “It’s just something that’s in my head.” For the time being, Kuhn is “pretty comfortable” knowing nothing about her biological parents. “Why do I need to meet them?” she said. “My real mom is the mom who raised me, and shaped me into what I am today, not my birth parents.” Wasserman shares Kuhn’s feeling of disconnection from her biological parents. “I don’t look at my adoptive mom as someone who adopted me,” Wasserman said. “She’s just my mom.” Wasserman’s family belongs to a “Families of Children who are Adopted from China” club, and she attends the club’s annual celebration every year. She is also a member of the Harvard-Westlake Chinese Culture Club. “I find that it’s unique to be adopted, especially since I wasn’t adopted in the United States,” Wasserman said. “It’s kind of cool.”
ALLEGRA TEPPER/CHRONICLE
“I DON’T LOOK AT MY ADOPTIVE MOM AS SOMEONE WHO’S ADOPTED ME. SHE’S JUST MY MOM.” — Annie Wasserman ’13
JORDAN FREISLEBEN/CHRONICLE
“[BEING ADOPTED] doesn’t make a difference. It’s not as traumatizing as the media makes it.” — Hannah Rosenberg ‘11
CHLOE LISTER/CHRONICLE
“IT would be nice to meet the woman who started it all.” — Jake Fernandez ‘10
B4 Features
The
C hronicle
chronicle.hw.com
March 24, 2010
happy campers Camp Harmony volunteers provide homeless and impoverished children with the traditional camp experience.
By Matthew Lee
A
lice Newman ’11 had been spending time with her campers the whole day. They had just played an exciting soccer match and were chanting and singing with each other happily. Newman was delighted to see them playing with so much energy and reacting to her so positively, yet she noticed that one of her campers seemed to not enjoy the activities and was remaining quiet and aloof from the others. Later in the day, Newman was walking alone with a six-year-old girl named Emily, leading her to the next camp activity. Newman wanted her to open up to her and come out of her shyness. “Emily, we’re going to arts and crafts now. What are your favorite things to draw?” Silence. “You’re probably hungry, aren’t you? Don’t worry we’ll go to lunch after arts and crafts. That soccer game really wore me out, Are you tired too?” Silence. Newman continued to attempt to get the child to talk more and feel comfortable with her, but Emily still did not speak much. Then, as Newman was beginning to think that Emily just was not enjoying the camp, the little girl said in a quiet, shy voice of a six year old, “I love you.” This scene from Camp Harmony illustrates the intimate bond that campers and counselors share with each other. For about 25 years, Harvard-Westlake students have been volunteering as counselors for Camp Harmony, which provides homeless and impoverished children with an overnight camp experience. Camp Harmony takes place at Camp Hess Kramer in Malibu and at Gindling Hilltop in Malibu, and runs events throughout the year. “The main goal of the camps is to provide impoverished kids who could not otherwise afford to attend camp with the traditional camp experience,” said Jason Macabee ’10. There is a summer —Henry Braun ‘11 camp every year that lasts one week at the end of August, and there is a winter camp that takes place during Presidents day weekend. The counselors stay with the campers in cabins throughout the camps. “Living with the campers in the cabins is the best part of Camp Harmony because this is the time when you really get to know the kids,” Henry Braun ’11 said. Harvard-Westlake students can become counselors after they have completed ninth grade. They must apply to become a counselor by filling out application forms and completing a group interview with Camp Harmony board members. “The group interview was kind of scary at first, but all the interviewers knew my sister who had done Camp Harmony before so eventually I began to feel more comfortable. They called me baby Kellman,” Eliza Kellman ’12 said. Camp Harmony counselors also include high school students from other Los Angeles schools such as Brentwood, Crossroads, Windward, and Calabasas high school. “Some of my closest friends from out of school are
“
You have to be fun with them but also know when to assert your authority.”
friends that I met at Camp Harmony,” Newman said. Camp Harmony attracts its campers by keeping in contact with directors of charities and homeless organizations around Southern California. The board members of Camp Harmony inform these directors Photo courtesy of cindy ok about the camp, and the directors send several of the young children New friends: Berni Barta ’10 shares her singing talents that are beneficiaries of their orga- with some of her campers. nizations. When the campers first arrive, there are counselors waiting to welcome them and lead them to their assigned cabins. Each cabin has eight campers and three counselors who are responsible for the eight campers in the cabin. Basic necessities such as toothbrushes and blankets are provided to the camp by donors. The counselors’ first responsibility is to hand out these necessities to the campers. Throughout the weeklong camp, the counselors must lead the campers to activities and make sure that the campers eat and bathe. There is also tedious work involved for the counselors. Braun said that the younger kids often urinate in their beds, and the counselors have to clean up the messes. “Sometimes it can get really difficult to control the younger campers, but interacting with them is always fun. You have to be fun with them but also know when to assert your authority,” Braun said. The activities that occur throughout the camp consist of hiking, sports, arts and crafts, going to the beach, swimming, and ropes course. For many of the campers who attend the camp in Malibu, it is their first time ever seeing the beach although they live in southern California. “It’s so interesting to see the campers’ reactions to seeing the beach for the first time. It makes me realize how much we take some things for granted,” Newman said. In addition to the summer and winter camps, Photo Courtesy of cindy ok Camp Harmony also runs Leadership and Mentoring programs that run throughout the year. arts and crafts: Eve Bilger ’10 In the Leadership program, high school student designs a shirt with one of her campers. act as counselors to children ages six to ten and accompany them on weekend trips to places such as the aquarium or the zoo. Volunteers work with kids ages 12 to 14 in the Mentoring program, and the emphasis is on creating individual bonds between the high school volunteers and the kids. “Basically what we do is set up events every month that allow the kids to be kids. We take them out to fun places like the zoo and Dodger stadium,” said Macabee, a Mentoring leader. Nick Melvoin ’04 first became involved with Camp Harmony when he was a sophomore, and has been involved ever since. He is now the programming director of the camp advisory board and helps to coordinate the high school volunteers. Melvoin said that the close-knit community at Camp Harmony that he has become part of is what keeps him willing to volunteer every year. Melvoin has noticed changes at Camp Harmony since he first began. The percentage of HarvardWestlake student volunteers has decreased because the camp has been trying to diversify the counselor base in the past five years. He also said that the camp has expanded remarkably in terms of the number of campers and counselors. Not only do the campers benefit, but so do the counselors, said Melvoin. “Camp Harmony is really unique because we take high school students and really to try mentor them as they become more mature and must take up more photo Courtesy of cindy ok responsibilities,” Melvoin said. Trailing along: The campers hike in the Santa Monica mountains, as a a part of some of their day field trips.
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
Teens may avoid cholesterol problems by taking steps now By Daniel Rothberg
H
igh cholesterol runs in Beanie Feldstein’s ’11 family. When Feldstein was 5 years old, her pediatrician ordered a blood test and discovered that she had high cholesterol. Since then, in an effort to lower her cholesterol, Feldstein has eliminated sugar and dairy from her diet and exercises frequently. Hypercholesterolemia (elevated cholesterol) in adolescents is uncommon. In fact, only 10 percent of children and adolescents have high cholesteral, cardiologist Michele Hamilton (Matthew Goldhaber ’11) said. But adolescents like Feldstein who have a family history of high cholesterol, heart attack or stroke are likely to have high cholesterol. In addition, a sedentary lifestyle and a diet that includes both large amounts of fats and carbohydrates can contribute to the development of elevated cholesterol, cardiologist Norman Lepor (Marissa ’12) said. Found in the bloodstream, cholesterol is an important molecule for the body. However, the accumulation of too much cholesterol in the bloodstream can result in atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries), which, in turn, can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Since cholesterol cannot dissolve in the blood, it must be transported throughout the body in what are called “lipoproteins.” In the body, there exists both low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). An increased amount of LDL cholesterol, known as “bad” cholesterol, increases the risk of heart attack or stroke. However, an increased amount of HDL cholesterol, known as “good” cholesterol, seems to protect against heart attacks, according to the American Heart Association. Over time, elevated levels of cholesterol are dangerous because they can exacerbate the progression of atherosclerosis. Two ways to lower cholesterol include “being aggressive with nutrition” and “regular exercise,” Lepor said. He said that teenagers should exercise for about 30 to 60 minutes per day. Exercise benefits the cardiovascular system by reducing LDL cholesterol and raising HDL cholesterol. This process slows down the progression of plaque buildup in the arteries, Lepor said. Apart from lowering cholesterol, exercise helps prevent the development of obesity and diabetes, he said. For adolescents struggling to lower their cholesterol, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that teenagers maintain a healthy diet. “The way we always start with adolescents is with their diet,” Hamilton said. One way that teenagers can improve their diet is by avoiding processed foods, she said. According to the American Heart Association, an acceptable concentration of LDL cholesterol in children and adolescences is less than 110 mg/dL. A concentration of LDL cholesterol between 110–129 mg/dL is considered by the organization to be the borderline between low and high LDL cholesterol. Any concentration of LDL cholesterol greater than 130 ml/dL is
Features B5
chronicle.hw.com
defined as high. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that cholester-lowering medications should only be considered for children older than 8 years old with an LDL concentration greater than 190 mg/dL. However, they suggest that medication be considered for children with an LDL concentration greater then 160 mg/dL if that child has a family history of early heart disease or two additional risk factors for high cholesterol. Additionally, for children with diabetes, they suggest that medication be considered if the child’s cholesterol is greater than 130 mg/dL. While doctors first recommend lifestyle changes, such as exercise and diet, to combat high cholesterol, Hamilton has found that teenagers often find it difficult to make lifestyle changes because the payoff from those changes will not come right away. “It is really difficult to convince adolescents to make a change… for something that may happen 20 years down the line,” Hamilton said. At the recommendation of her pediatrician, Rachel Katz ’11 was tested for high cholesterol when she was 14. Katz was surprised to learn that she had high cholesterol since she is a vegetarian and exercises regularly, she said. Katz said she is not too concerned with lowering her cholesterol levels. “I probably should do something about it but I don’t really care. I’m not the best about it,” Katz said. “I like my dairy products.” The American Heart Association explains that atherosclerosis is a condition where lipids accumulate as plaque in the inner lining of a large to medium-sized artery. A thick and hard substance, plaque can cause the arteries to be less flexible. When too much LDL cholesterol or too many triglycerides, a type of fat, flows through the bloodstream, plaque in the arteries can build up. The presence of plaque can partially or completely impede the flow of blood through the artery. “If you can lower the cholesterol with diet and exercise you can keep it [plaque buildup] from progressing and sometimes get it to regress,” Hamilton said. In addition to elevated levels of cholesterol, risk factors for developing atherosclerosis include high blood pressure, high levels of triglyceride and smoking cigarettes. For children with a family history of high cholesterol, high fat levels or early cardiovascular disease, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting to screen for high cholesterol at the age of two years old. From that point, they suggest that children with a family history be screened for high cholesterol every three to five years. The organization also recommends screening for children who are overweight, have high blood pressure or diabetes, or whose family medical history is unknown. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children who are screened for elevated cholesterol be tested using a fasting lipid profile, which is a blood test that requires patients to fast for 12 hours beforehand.
Cholesterol:
the quick facts
Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) is “bad cholesterol.” High LDL levels cause to a build-up of cholesterol in arteries, leading to heart disease. High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is “good cholesterol.” Higher HDL levels lower the risk of heart disease. Whole grain cereals help lower cholesterol. Eat fruits that are high in soluble fiber, such as apples and bananas to lower bad cholesterol. Legumes, such as lima beans and lentils, prevent the digestive tract from absorbing bad cholesterol. Regular exercise can help lower LDL levels and raise HDL levels. Less than 7% of your daily calories should come from saturated fats. Foods high in saturated fats are dairy products, baked goods, meats, deepfried foods and processed foods. Limiting sodium intake can help lower cholesterol. This can be done by choosing low-salt or “no added salt” foods and suing less seasonings while cooking. Infographic and illustrations by drew lash Source: national institute of health
Dealing with the College Admissions Process?
College Dimensions LLC can be your personal guide to make wise and effective choices www.collegedimensions.com Personalized guidance by a thoughtful, Ivy-educated former business attorney (and parent of an H-W grad) with extensive understanding of the college admissions process to help you: ¥ research, identify, visit, evaluate, interview “own” the process for, and apply to a balanced set of colleges lower the stress that all are “good fits” (the key to getting make wise and effective admitted) choices, keeping things ¥ get organized and stay on track in realistic perspective College Dimensions serves many different types of students, including: ¥ ¥ ¥
¥ ¥ ¥ ¥
academic super stars average students performing and studio artists students with specialized interests (such as fashion or video game design)
¥ ¥ ¥
late bloomers elite athletes (especially those bound for Ivy or D-III colleges) students with learning disabilities
An early start gives valuable time to plan curriculum/extracurriculars and strengthen your profile. If you and your family are interested in exploring how we can guide you through your college admissions process, check out our website at www.collegedimensions.com and contact us for an initial consultation at reduced rates: email: dona@collegedimensions.com; Tel. 818-788-2550 .
An Industry Leader since 1980 REMEMBER Start Driving immediately upon completion of Driver Ed. DRIVER ED. & TRAINING STARTS AT 15 NOT 15 1/2 Safest Driving School in Southern California since 1994 CALL ABOUT OUR SPECIAL! Outstanding, Informative, and Educational Drivers Education Classes Our fleet of cars are safe, fun, easy to drive, and mostly new or late models. We offer the only computer based On Line Driver Ed. Our Instructors are Professional, Friendly, Patient and EXPERIENCED EXPERTS! Certified by the For the past 30 years private one-on-one Lessons with the same INSTRUCTOR! Driving School Tens of thousands of well Trained graduates AK YOUR FIRENDS WHO THE BEST IS! Association of California To be the best! Train with the Best! At Dollar Driving School Location Woodland Hills: 22311 Ventura Blvd. #119
Named #1 Safest Driving School in S.CA for over 10 years per the National Safety Council START NOW! Enroll Today on the web www. dsac.com/dollar
CALL FOR DETAILS! (310)
275-0189 (818) 264-0555
B6 Features
March 24, 2010 The
environmental breakthroughs
Ch
From turning out the lights to bringing their own crockery to the cafeteria, faculty and students are helping cut down on our carbon footprint.
Community Council
events to look out for:
April & May Heal the Bay Beach Clean-ups March
3 27 24 15 Tree People
courtesy of LADWP
Lights Out saves 13% in February By Jordan Freisleben
The school reduced its electricity consumption over 13 percent as part of the “Lights Out H-W” campaign. Jessica Barzilay ’12 started the initiative to improve Harvard-Westlake’s performance in the Green Cup Challenge, a nationwide competition for schools to reduce their energy sue. The first Green Cup challenge concluded on Feb. 22 and consisted of two major components: reducing electricity used by lights and computers. “The 13 percent reduction represents a reduction of 34,552.57 pounds of carbon dioxide,” Jessica Barzilay ’12 said.“In addition to [the school’s] successful conservation effort, the Green Cup Challenge also succeeded in raising awareness within our school community of the climate crisis facing the world and especially our generation.” In addition to leading the project, Barzilay performed the required electricity meter readings each week with English teacher and environmental club adviser Martha Wheelock. “After all of the time and energy put into registering the school and launching Lights Out H-W, seeing my idea realized and executed was a truly amazing experience,” she said. “The ability to physically measure and calculate the
school’s reduction was an intensely gratifying experience, but the overwhelmingly positive response from the school community was the most rewarding of all.” Math teacher Catherine Campbell made a conscious effort to check the schedule and turn off lights in classrooms if no class followed hers. She only turned on lights for her first period class and turned them off for the rest of the day. “It was nice to see the kids take responsibility and turn the computers off themselves,” math teacher Paula Evans said. However, not all members of the faculty and student body felt as enthusiastic as Evans did about the eco-friendly program. Many members of the English department felt inconvenienced by the lack of light in their classrooms, English teacher Geri Harding said. “If I can’t see, I can’t save the environment,” English teacher Lisa Rado said. But Barzilay said she received mostly positive feedback from faculty about the program. “Students and teachers alike approached me to proudly report that they had turned off the lights in their English class or elected to teach a class in the dark,” Barzilay said. “Some teachers even told me that they were now going to print class handouts double-sided, which was really great to hear.”
April
Tree People & Simi Valley Clean-up
May
Franklin Canyon Clean-Up
infographic by joyce kim, ingrid chang and candice navi
julie barzilay/chronicle
Clearing the air: (Clockwise from left) Jessica Barzilay ’12 learns how to read an electricity meter, Ellie Diamant ’11 raises awareness for the Environmental Club, Advanced Sculpture teacher Arthur Tobias displays his homemade reusable bowls, the E-waste donations by the security kiosk, and Dayna Berkowitz ’10 and Chelsea Edwards ’11 pick up trash during a Heal the Bay trip.
hronicle
Features B7
chronicle.hw.com
Junior chooses eco-friendly diet By Jamie Kim
Ca n
di
ce
Na vi /C h
ro n
ic
le
The meat industry is more detrimental to the environment than any other practice humans engage in, Ellie Diamant ’11 said. “It is the number one cause of global warming, more than transportation and factories and all that combined,” she said. Being vegan is “the number one thing you can do to help the environment.” Producing meat for consumption is energetically expensive, as cows are fed enormous amounts of grain and water that could otherwise feed many more humans. The waste products of processed meat are also a major cause of pollution. Diamant became a vegetarian when she was eleven “for ethical reasons.” After learning more about the environmental impact of the food she was eating, she renounced dairy two years ago. In addition to altering her eating habits, Diamant, a member of the Environmental Club, takes the bus every day. She thinks making small alterations to driving habits can make an impact in the long run. “Just keeping your rpm below 2,500 saves a lot of gas, and not driving above 65 miles per hour increases the efficiency of the car,” she said Diamant plans to start composting “soon,” she said. Composting is a way to make use of organic wastes that would otherwise be landfilled. Diamant also remembers to unplug all electric appliances in her house. Being conscious of the impact of our daily habits is the first step, Diamant said. “It’s getting the word out. If people know how to do it, and actually have the drive to do it, they will.”
Faculty dine on teacher’s pottery By Eli Haims
Advanced Sculpture teacher Arthur Tobias noticed that he wasn’t being very eco-friendly when using the cafeteria’s disposable plates every day. “I eat out of a paper or Styrofoam plate and it gets thrown away; it just doesn’t seem like a good idea,” he said. He decided to use the pottery bowls and mugs that he has made over the years to eat his lunch. After eating, he returns to his studio and washes out his bowl before using it the next day. Some teachers then became interested in Tobias’s pottery.“I guess some of the teachers saw my bowls; somebody asked
for some, and somehow it got started and teachers started buying them,” he said. He says that some days he sees a dozen faculty members using his artwork, and believes that he has sold between 15 and 20. Tobias enjoys being able to sell his pottery, as it makes room for him to make more. French teacher Simona Ghirlanda, who generally eats with a reusable bowl and fork, says that the environmental factor of not throwing out paper and Styrofoam plates every day is very important to her. Students also have begun to use reusable containers. Doyin Oyekan ’10, who brings her lunch from home, says, “I just find them easier and less wasteful.”
le
ic
n ro ch g/ an
id
gr In
ch
Senior sets up e-waste collection By Susan Wang
Joyce Kim/chronicle
Outdated MP3 players, ancient gaming controllers, and homemade science experiments peek out over the edges of a large blue plastic bin by the security kiosk at the north entrance to the Upper School as car upon car whooshes by. In a dark maintenance storage room in Weiler Hall, a dusty printer and wood-framed television set sit surrounded by broken appliances and power tools. To most, this assortment of random electronic devices is reminiscent of the forgotten heap of junk stored in the corner of their garage. However, to Jonathan Etra ’11, each piece of electronic waste represents a small step towards achieving a more environmentally friendly school. Upon suggestions from his AP Environmental Science teachers, and with help from the Environmental Club and Jewish Student Union Club, Etra started the E-Waste Recycling Program as a safe and easy way for students and teachers to get rid of their useless electronic devices. After discussing plans and working with administrators, the program kicked off at the upper school campus on March 8, and is scheduled to run until Friday.
Etra’s goal when starting the E-Waste Recycling Program was not only to provide students a safe and proper way for disposing their e-waste, but also to encourage people to make smart choices regarding environmental issues. If not recycled properly, he said, “e-waste” could cause considerable harm to the environment. “When e-waste is disposed of as regular trash, its chemicals can leach out of storage sites and can contaminate soil, underground water aquifers as well as pose threats to animals exposed to the chemicals,” Etra said. The e-waste brought in by students is taken by a specialized recycling company to a recycling plant where it is processed and disposed. Types of e-waste that can be recycled include cell phones, computers, cameras, printers, cables, televisions, and other electronic devices. Etra hopes that the E-Waste Recycling Program will increase the school community’s awareness for the environment by motivating students to recycle. “I think that when people are provided with means to do things that are environmentally friendly,” said Etra, “they usually take the opportunity.”
Graphics by Ingrid Chang and Joyce Kim Ingrid chang/chronicle
B8 Features
High Stakes
The
C hronicle
chronicle.hw.com
March 24, 2010
Clue six: While acceptance and rejection letters flow in, a huge weight is taken off students’ shoulders, and seniors can now enjoy the rest of the year with the anticipation of graduation. By Allegra Tepper
While seniors count down the days until the everanticipated April 1 finish line arrives, some college decisions are already trickling in, and each of the three High Stakes seniors have been able to exhale in the comfort of knowing that they will indeed be going to college. Taylor* Taylor has heard back from six schools and thus far has five acceptances under her belt. From the University of California, Taylor received acceptances to the Irvine and San Diego campuses. The daughter of a UCLA graduate school professor, Taylor said she was a little surprised to learn that she was rejected but always knew the school was a long shot. “When I heard I didn’t get in, I really started to regret not auditioning in music or acting,” Taylor said. “I thought it would hurt my application and I might not be able to compete, but now I’ll never know.” However, the more disappointing outcome came from USC. “I was accepted to the [College of Letters, Arts and Sciences] but was denied admission to Thornton,” Taylor said. “It came at a really bad time; combined with [other rejections from school-related auditions], I started to question if I really was any good at what I want to do with my life.” The bittersweet acceptance was offset, though, by an acceptance from Bennington College, complete with a generous and luring financial aid package. From her current set of choices, which also includes
Illustration by joyce kim
Pepperdine University, Taylor thinks Bennington leads the pack. Her only apprehension lies in the fact that Bennington is not only across the country in Vermont, but is also a world away from the Harvard-Westlake experience. With a student body under half the size of Harvard-Westlake, Taylor worries the seclusion may prove to be a big shock. As for the next few weeks, Taylor is eagerly awaiting decisions from several colleges, most importantly Williams and Scripps. Nevertheless, the primary concern remains aid packages, and for that reason above all else, Bennington might have Taylor hooked. Shawn* March proved to be fruitful for Shawn, who heard the first of five recent acceptances, coming from Vanderbilt University. Soon after came Irvine, USC, Emory and Washington University in St. Louis. Despite bad news from the University of Chicago, UCLA, and UCSD, Shawn sees these past few weeks as victorious. “I’ve reached my goal with these acceptances,” Shawn said. “I wanted to get into a top 20 school, not necessarily to go there, but to prove to myself that I could do it.” The spread came as a surprise to Shawn, who ex-
pected an acceptance from San Diego. He was hopeful for Vanderbilt and Emory, but never expected an admission from Washington University. With three top 20 schools down, Shawn has decided to keep an open mind as long as he can to weigh out his options. Although he spent the weekend at Vanderbilt for a multi-cultured visitors’ weekend, and was pleasantly surprised by how much fun he had, he still doesn’t think any one school of the three stands out from the others. Annabelle* Like Shawn, Annabelle also received surprisingly good news from top-rated schools. Her biggest achievement thus far was an acceptance to Cornell University, one of her top choices. She also learned that she was accepted to Wesleyan University, a highly selective college that Annabelle and her dean had placed on her safety list. The University of Chicago offered Annabelle a place on their waitlist, but she doesn’t suspect that she will further pursue a place there now that she has earned a spot at Cornell. “At this point, USC, Stanford and Columbia are the only schools I’d consider over Cornell,” Annabelle said. *Names have been changed
Senior visits Indonesian orphanages By Sadé Tavangarian As Alex Mao ’10 boarded a flight to Indonesia, anxiety began creeping into her mind about whether or not her community service trip would be successful. It was Mao’s first community service trip outside the U.S. and the way she decided to do it was out of the norm. It all began on a college trip to Chicago, where Mao and her father were visiting the University of Chicago. That night she had dinner with one of her father’s friends, Richard Berg, CEO of Performance Trust Baking. Berg surprised Mao, asking her if she was interested in getting involved with a community service project. Berg invited her to join a group of people to visit orphanages in Indonesia, where they would pass out blankets as part of the Warm Blankets Orphan Care International, a Christian mission. “I didn’t think it was possible I could go and my dad would never let me miss school,” Mao said. Her dad surprised her. He encouraged her to go on the trip since it was an amazing opportunity for her and he thought she could make up the school work. The purpose of her trip was to “basically supply orphans with resources they didn’t have and warm blankets because the blankets they had at the time were raggedy and thin,” Mao said, “So they needed brand new ones.” “We also handed out food and went around and played with orphans, interacted with them, and they even knew a little English. So we got to converse and practice English,” Mao said “so we got to converse and practice English with them.” Mao boarded the plane on Thursday, Feb. 18. She knew none of the 14 people on the trip, including the founder of the organization, Craig Moore. She was one of seven teenagers and the rest were adults. On Friday she arrived at the first stop: Bali, Indonesia. The group used Friday to relax and grow accustomed to the intensely hot weather. “It was literally 90 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 percent humidity,” Mao said. On Saturday Mao visited an orphanage. “We had to drive a little bit and we got there at 11 a.m. and went to lunch with kids.” she said. “The kids ranged from seven-17 years old and the area we were in was rural, there was no clean
drinking water, no electricity and they even had to buy bottled water to brush their teeth,” she said. The group also learned the philosophy of the Warm Blankets Orphan Care International from Moore. On Sunday she experienced her first visit to the Christian church with the kids. There was also a translator to help orphans communicate better with the group. Some of the orphans’ stories really impacted Mao. “One kid was telling me how their village got attacked by an army and mini gang that killed everyone who got in their way,” Mao said. A boy’s parents were also murdered right in front of his eyes. “Another girl had the same kind of story where luckily she and her friends managed to get out,” Mao said. “She lived by herself on an island with no resources until a group of survivors found her and her friends and moved them all to another island to get shelter and education.” They then took a plane to Sumba island, a small island with a lot of dirt roads. Mao went to where they visited another orphanage, ate dinner and met kids. She also got a tour of the island, she said. On Monday she woke up at 5 a.m. and headed back to the airport to get on a plane back to Bali, where she visited another orphanage. On Tuesday the group flew to Komodo Island. Mao took a two-hour boat ride to another island and got to see Komodo dragons, wild monkeys and cobras. “It was scary, not gonna lie. If you had been cut, or smelt of food, the Komodo dragon would eat you alive,” Mao said. On Wednesday, Feb. 24 she flew back to Bali for the last time and went to a water park with another orphanage. She had reached the end of the trip and was ready to board the plane home in the early afternoon. “It opened my eyes to see how lucky we are,” Mao said. “I told my sister if I ever complain about anything again she could slap me in the face.” “Seeing what these kids have been through and listening to their stories really show that we can’t complain about little things and should be grateful for what we have,” Mao said.
Photos courtsey of Alex mao
Lending a helping hand: Alex Mao ‘10 helps deliver blankets to an orphanage in Indonesia as part of a community service project.
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
Features B9
arts&entertainment
All photos by Allegra Tepper/chronicle
musically inclined: (from left) Spencer Horstman ’10 plays tenor saxophone, Austin Park ’10 plays trumpet, Casper Stockwell ’10 plays saxophone and Alex Silverman ’10 strums the bass for the middle school Jazz Band. The concert took place on Feb. 5 in the Bing Auditorium.
Keeping the rhythm By Kelly Ohriner
The spring jazz concert featured all combos from rhythm section, jazz ensemble, studio jazz and jazz band on March 12 and 13. Over the course of two nights, the combos filled Rugby Auditorium with sounds from Stevie Wonder to The Doors. The combos, who name themselves after the leaders of their group, are combinations of sophomores, juniors and seniors. They rehearse all year for concerts spread out from fall to spring. Guitarist Ben Krause ’11 performed both nights in two different combos, The Ben Krause Band and the Charlie Mischer/Ben Krause Band. He was one of the few students to perform both nights. “Being in two combos wasn’t too difficult, because the Charlie Mischer/Ben Krause band was sort of impromptu and we only rehearsed a couple of times,” Krause said. On Friday, five combos performed and on Saturday six combos performed. While most of the bands performed without vocals, there were a few that had non-jazz students perform their vocals. Kelsey Woo ’11 provided vocals for the Ben Krause
Jazz combos showcased their year’s worth of performances at the spring jazz concert.
Band and Ben Platt ’11 provided vocals for both the Mischer/Krause Band and the Jazz Explorers. The Friday show ended with the Advanced Jazz Combo and the Saturday show ended with a performance by the Jazz Explorers. The Advanced Jazz Combo played songs such as “One Finger Snap” by Herbie Hancock and “Benny’s Tune” by Lionel Loucke, while the Jazz Explorers ended the show with songs like “Well You Needn’t” by Thelonious Monk and “Too High” by Stevie Wonder. “The Jazz Explorers were incredible, but my favorite part was Charlie Mischer’s epic drum solo to begin our set,” Krause said. Right before the Mischer/Krause Band was set to go on stage, Director Shawn Costantino approached Charlie Mischer ’10 and asked him to do a drum solo. “I was startled because there had been absolutely no preparation for a drum solo in our set, but he reassured me, telling me that I should just go on stage and play with absolutely no restraints,” Mischer said. “He said it was an opportunity that I might never have in front of an audience again. That thought re-
Combos perform set at Vibrato’s
Advanced Jazz Combo named champions in annual festival
By Kelly Ohriner
By Vivien Mao
The Jazz Explorers and the Advanced Jazz Combo performed at Vibrato’s, an Italian restaurant in Bel Air, on Feb. 21. The two student groups played for about an hour and 15 minutes to an audience which consisted of mostly parents and teachers, but some other diners as well. “It was a good experience because they have a really professional set up, so it sounds really good,” Nick Chuba ’10 said. The jazz groups perform at Vibrato twice a year, so there will be another concert soon. Jazz instructor Shawn Costantino also performed with his band for an hour and 15 minutes. For some students, it was the first time seeing their own teacher perform on stage. “It was really cool watching Mr. Costantino’s band play too,” Noah Weinman ’12 said. The Advanced Jazz Combo also gave a night performance for diners at Vitello’s, a jazz restaurant in Studio City, on Jan. 10.
ally excited me.” Costantino then gave Mischer an introduction he said he will never forget. “As I walked on by myself, he gave me a really heartfelt introduction, and introduced me as one Harvard-Westlake’s ‘great drummers,’” Mischer said. “The whole thing really meant a lot, and I felt so proud and thankful to have become so involved with music at our school, and grateful that Mr. C was kind enough to give me that kind of opportunity. It was one of those rare moments that you never really expect but that end up leaving a deep imprint.” Costantino said he enjoyed Mischer’s drum solo very much. “I really love listening to him play drums and that concert was one of my last chances to hear him play,” Costantino said. The students and Costantino both seem to agree that the concert was a success. “Overall it went really well,” Krause said. “Everyone sounded great.” “The concert was amazing,” Costantino said. “All the combos and small bands sounded polished, wellrehearsed, and tight.”
courtesy of dan chuba
making the band: Alex Silverman ’10, Max Simchowitz ’10 and Charlie Fogarty ’10 play at Vitello’s.
Masterpiece Dance Theatre Curriculum endorsed by the Vaganova Ballet Academy, St. Petersburg, Russia
The Advanced Jazz Combo was overall festival champion while the Jazz Explorers won first place in the combo division at the annual Dos Pueblos Jazz Festival on Saturday March 6. The festival took place in Goleta, north of Santa Barbara. Fifteen schools competed. The Advanced Combo played an original tune created by their tenor saxophonist, Spencer Horstman ’10, called “The Libertine,” a swing tune called “Five Brothers” by Gerry Mulligan and “Benny’s Tune” by Lionel Loueke. The Jazz Explorers played “Equinox” by John Coltrane, “You Don’t Know What Love Is” by Jerome Kern and “Waltz for Ruth” by Charlie Haden. “It was a lot of fun,” Advanced
Combo bassist Hank Adelmann ’11 said. “We don’t have a lot of chances to go out and compete and see other California jazz programs. It’s always fun to win too.” “I was really surprised when we won first because last year we got second and since it was the same schools as the year before I thought we would get second again,” Jazz Explorer guitarist Nick Chuba ’10 said. Chuba also won the Most Outstanding Soloist Award. “I was extremely surprised and ecstatic to have won the Most Outstanding Soloist Award,” Chuba said. “I didn’t even think that I would be considered a contender for the award. Last year an unbelievable pianist won the award, so I didn’t even think I would come close to winning it.”
D E LI SA N D WI C H ES - H A MB U R GER S - F I SH ON T H E GR I L L M E AT PL AT T ER S - H U MMOU S & FA L A F EL - PA R T Y SU B S S A LA D S - SOU PS - D ESSER T S - A N D MOR E! We will cater to your special needs and create a special menu just for you!
PROGRAM OFFERINGS -Performing Company -Summer Programs: (Los Angeles and Rome, Italy) - Excellent student to teacher ratio - Certificated Programs -Competition Dance Coaching -Scholarships
ALUMNI ACTIVITIES -LA County Arts Commission -The Getty Center -The Music Center Plaza -The Geffen Playhouse -James Armstrong Theater -Big Bear Lake -Vancouver Playhouse, B.C.
1365 WESTWOOD BLVD. Los Angeles, CA. 90024 310-477-6414 www.balletla.com Nadezhda Koscuik, a Principal Ballerina who has trained and worked with the Kirov Ballet for the past thirty seven years, is also the only authorized professional to teach in Los Angeles the Vaganova curriculum which is synonymous with the Kirov Ballet.
CHECK OUT OUR SHABBAT TO-GO MENU!
818.788.9896 Fax: 818.788.9890 13628 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks
Hours: Sun-Thurs 10:30am-9:30pm Fri: 10:30am-1 hour before sundown Motzei Shabbat: 1 hour after Shabbat-12:30am
10 % OFF your entire order
Must present Smart Mail coupon Not valid with any other offers Expires 3/31/10
B10 Features
The
C hronicle
arts&entertainment
March 24, 2010
taking it in: Event creator Catie Yagher ’10 talks to a bidder; Co-chair Katie Schreier ’11 explains an art piece to art teacher Marianne Hall; Anders Villata ’12 looks at a photo of a footprint; Photography submissions line the walls of Feldman Horn.
heartfelt art By Victoria Pearson
The second annual Art for the Heart benefit show raised $10,000 for the American Heart Association. The event was held in Feldman-Horn Gallery from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Artist Catie Yagher ’10 started the benefit last year. Attendees purchased student, alumni and professional artwork. “My grandfather died before I was born and my two-year-old cousin had open heart surgery so I wanted to find a way to promote student artwork to make a difference,” Yagher said. This year the event was organized and hosted by co-chairs Ali Nadel ’11 and Katie Schreier ’11. After submitting applications at the end of last year, they were selected by Yagher to take charge of the event after she graduates. She advised them and assisted in the event’s organization while teaching them all they had to know about hosting a benefit. “I wasn’t expecting to get co-chair because it had been 3 months since I had applied, but when I received an e-mail from Catie saying she has liked my application I was so excited,” Nadel said. Starting early in September, the three students formed a club which meets during Monday activities period to discuss fundraising techniques and
photos by chloe lister/chronicle
The second annual Art for the Heart benefit raised money for the American Heart Association.
to bring attention to their cause. Twice during the year, members of the club set up tables in the quad to sell t-shirts and canvas bags designed by Nadel, priced at $15 each. They also sold and delivered Candygrams, $1 boxes of Sweethearts candy, to celebrate Valentines Day. Nadel and Schreir were also responsible for contacting professional artists to ask them to donate their work. “I went to a lot of art shows outside of school in the Santa Monica design district to ask people for donations and to get the word out,” Schreier said. Nadel was surprised by the response they got. “I contacted an artist at 9:50 on a Friday night and he replied at 1:15 a.m.,” she said. “He might be the biggest music photographer of our time.” Some of the ways the co-chairs publicized the event were making a facebook event, sending out invitations to friends and family and making announcements at class meetings. Singer and songwriter Kathryn Gallagher ’11 performed original songs and classics for the three hours at the event. “They asked me if I would do it, and I was flattered so I said yes,” Gallagher said. Artwork lined the walls of Feldman-Horn and tables of treats and sodas decorated with flowers were set up in the corner.
Senior singers organize Penny Lane benefit
Scene Monkeys alter their act for campers
By Nicki Resnikoff
By Justine Goode This Valentine’s Day, seven Scene Monkeys traded in the usual candy and flowers for laughs by visiting Camp Harmony, a non-profit camp in the Malibu Hills for homeless and impoverished children. However, instead of giving its usual fullscale performance, the improv group aimed for a more interactive experience, playing theater and improv games with the kids attending the camp. “We thought it would be the most fun for the kids if they were up on stage, playing and being silly with us,” Susanna Wolk ’10 said. Dressed in pink and red, the Monkeys led groups of kids through exercises that included acting out scenarios, making up poetry and using their bodies. The kids, who live in shelters across Los Angeles County, threw themselves into the games with a zeal that impressed the visiting students, Beanie Feldstein ’11 said. “They were all so enthusiastic and most were not self-conscious, which is something I still struggle with while doing improv,” said Feldstein. The event was planned and executed by members of the Scene Monkeys, without the involvement of their director, Michele Spears. Jilli Marine ’10 and Jillian McAndrews ’10, who are counselors at the camp, had approached the Scene Monkeys about doing a workshop, and most members leapt at the opportunity. “Those of us who were in town for that weekend immediately jumped on board,” Wolk said. The group’s collaboration with the camp proved to be an experience both are eager to repeat. “I know that Camp Harmony has already invited us back for every session of the camp because they loved it so much,” Megan Fleming ’10 said. “It was a truly special day that I will never forget,” Chloe Korban ’10 said.
Upon entering the gallery, people signed in and received a page of stickers with their personal number which they could place on items to make bids. People who could not wait the full three hours for the bidding to end could place their sticker on the “knockout bid” paying the highest possible price to take their piece home right away. One significant student contribution came from Alex Valdez ’11, who made a 17-piece set of line drawings of hearts on Schreier’s request. “I was sitting in class one day when I saw her doodling and I immediately thought ‘I must have that,’” Schreier said. “So I asked her to do a set of drawings for us and they turned out amazing.” Other contributions came from students in Advanced Photo II, AP Studio Art and Advanced Drawing and Painting III. Schreier saved a lot of art that would’ve gone unused or thrown away. “We took art that some students weren’t even going to bring home,” she said. Famous artists such as Russel James, who sometimes judges on America’s Next Top model, made an appearance to support some of the art they donated. In May, Nadel and Schreier will be accepting applications from sophomores interested in being co-chairs of next year’s event.
Julia Cambre/vox
Julia Cambre/vox
Jazzed Up: Jilli Marine ’10 sings her part of “All That Jazz” from the musical “Chicago,” Simon Hunegs ’10 and Elana Fruchtman ’10 watch as Max Sheldon ’11 sings a solo.
Jenna Hamburger ’10 and Chloe Korban ’10 held a concert to raise money for the charity Penny Lane’s performing arts program March 14 in Chalmers. Penny Lane provides residence and education for teenagers, transitional housing for young adults and a variety of services including finding foster care for young people. “Penny Lane used to have a performing arts program,” Korban said. “However, last year, they were forced to get rid of the program because of the cuts in funding. Jenna knew that I was familiar with the organization and told me this past summer about the financial troubles they were having, which led to them cutting the performing arts program. We decided to raise money to help them relaunch the program. A concert seemed an appropriate way to raise the money.” Fourteen upper school students, including Korban and Hamburger, sang in the show and Max Druz ’10 provided accompaniment on the piano. “We basically just made a list of our friends and asked them if they’d like to be involved,” Korban said. “Most of them did, and that’s how we chose the performers.” Performers sang songs from musicals, with the performances ranging from solos to ensemble pieces. The two songs sung by the entire ensemble were “One” from “A Chorus Line” and “I Believe” from “Spring Awakening.” “We made sure that every song was upbeat and happy, because those are the feelings we wanted people to walk away with,” Korban said. Tickets cost $15. Korban and Hamburger raised additional money by selling $1 raffle tickets. The items they raffled included a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses, gift cards and a t-shirt. Raffle items were donated by Positive Eyeons Optometry, Humphrey Yogart, Joan’s on Third, Soto Boutique, Jonah Hill, Eddy James Salon and a Harvard-Westlake family. The event raised about $2,000, Korban and Hamburger said. “Everyone seemed to really enjoy the concert, and all the performers were extremely enthusiastic,” Korban said. “The event took a lot of work, but it truly came together at the end, and it feels wonderful to know that we were able to do something truly worthwhile for Penny Lane. ” “We are really happy with how it turned out we raised a lot of money for a great cause and in the end that is all that we had hoped to accomplished,” Hamburger said.
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
arts&entertainment
photos courtesey of nick healy
‘Annie’ production draws crowd at Bing Auditorium By Joyce Kim
After five weeks of rehearsal, the cast and crew of the middle school production “Annie” had their opening night last Friday,” said Nick Healy ’13, who played the role of Oliver Warbucks. “Opening night was one of the best experiences of my life, and I can’t for the life of me imagine it without everyone with whom I have become very close with during the process.” All three shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, were performed in Bing Auditorium. Director Kate Benton described performing in the new auditorium as, “Wonderful – It is a state of the art professional theatre.” The musical “Annie” was chosen this year because its multitude of female parts. “It is a good show for middle school,” Benton said. “At the Middle School more girls than boys audition for the shows.”
Features B11
it’s a hard knock life: Megan
Ward ’13, Claire Nordstrom ’15, Nick Healy ’13 and Josh Lappen ’13 take their bows (top left). Healy and Nordstrom play Annie and Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks (top right). Ward dances with Healy, who shaved his head to fit the part of Daddy Warbucks in the middle school production (left).
While there may have been more female parts in the show, Healy showed his ultimate dedication to his role by shaving his head for the production because the character Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks is supposed to be bald. “Of course I shaved my head. A bald cap would’ve looked awful and felt awful. It was also very liberating”, Healy said. Other crowd favorites from the show included the role of Sandy the dog, played by Sara Winshel ’15, whom Benton described as adorable and theatrical, and all the orphans. “By far my favorite parts of the show are the orphans; they are so cute!” Healy said. Although two hour rehearsals every day for five weeks was intensive, Healy said, the production was one to remember. “The whole experience was one of great joy, sadness, excitement, sometimes boredom, but always breathtaking,” he said.
Singers combine for music concert By Lauren Seo
courtesy of
joyce kim/chronicle
in sync: The Chamber Singers perform one of their seven songs at the spring choral concert March 20. The
group also went to the American Choral Directors Association’s Western Convention two weeks earlier.
Choral groups perform in spring concert By Sajjan Sri-Kumar
and
Julius Pak
All five choral groups performed classical, jazz and modern songs in last Saturday’s Choral Concert at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica. The concert was a “culmination of months of hard work,” choral teacher Rodger Guerrero said. The first group that sang, the Jazz Singers, was joined by a Jazz combo for three of its’ songs. The members of the jazz combo, Hank Adelmann ’10, Charlie Mischer ’10 and Jake Staahl ’10, were taught singing twice a week for the past two months to sing with the Jazz Singers for their last song. “It gave me a perspective on what choirs have to go through,” bassist Adelmann said. “It was kind of new, really fun, but definitely worthwhile.” Bel Canto surprised the audience during their performance with an unannounced additional song, during which four singers sang down to the audience from the balcony of the church. The song, “Hoi Dua Hoi,” was originally not going to be performed, but it was added to the program in a last-minute change. After the Wolverine Chorus and Combined Men’s Chorus sang, the Chamber Singers began their performance lined up in the church aisles. The Chamber Singers also attended the Ameri-
can Choral Directors Association’s Western Division Convention in Tucson, Ariz., where they performed in front of a large audience. The group, conducted by Rodger Guerrero, performed a 30-minute concert for an audience of roughly 600 choral directors from across the western United States. The concert followed an audition process; the group sent an audition recording to a listening committee, which selected groups to perform. Out of the nearly 300 groups who applied to perform, Harvard-Westlake was one of only four schools that were selected. Guerrero compared the magnitude of the feat to an athletic team being selected to represent the state of California in a regional competition. In addition to the performance, the convention, which ran March 3-6, offered the singers the opportunity to attend sessions on a wide arrangement of topics, from music reading to rehearsal techniques. Guerrero was very proud of the group, which he thought did a great job of enhancing the reputation of the Performing Arts Department. “The singers are just the finest young women and men around,” Guerrero said. “No teacher on campus is luckier than I am.”
For the first time, the upper and middle school programs joined together to perform at the Chamber Music concert on Friday, Feb 12 in the Middle School’s Bing Auditorium. The performers were handpicked from each campus’ Symphony Orchestra by their respective conductors. The majority of the program showcased small chamber music ensembles, from octets to soloists. Musicians from both campuses collaborated in the large ensemble pieces closing the first and second halves of the concert. Both performances were conducted by Andrea Witt, who is substituting the middle school orchestra director Emily Reola. “It was really inspiring to hear the older musicians play,” Tommy Choi ’14 said. “I think it made us all aspire to play to their higher level of performance.” This was the first time performing at the Bing Auditorium for the upper school musicians. “Performing at the Bing Auditorium was an amazing opportunity,” Jacob Gindi ’10 said. “We’ve never gotten the chance to before, and the sound was incredible. It would be a great auditorium even for a college.” Gindi, who played the clarinet, performed Sergei Prokofiev’s “Overture on Hebrew Themes, Op. 34,” with a string quartet and a piano. The musicians had spent a month and a half rehearsing for the concert. The last piece, “Serenade for Strings” by Dag Wirén, was played by the strings section of the middle and upper school Symphony. They only had one group rehearsal before the event, but had been rehearsing for a month and half in their respective classes. “It was pretty good, considering we only had one rehearsal,” Simon Hunegs ’10. “It was fun to play with [the middle school symphony], and to show them what it was going to be like to perform in the upper school symphony.”
B12 Features
The
C hronicle
chronicle.hw.com
pictures in their heads
March 24, 2010
Illustration by Marianne hall, john hulsey, and phil meier
Three students believe they have a cross-sensory condition present in less than one percent of the population.
Drew Lash/chronicle
out of the blue: Riley Mate ’10 sketches one of the many images he pictures in his mind’s eye triggered by other senses while Eve Bilger ’10, who also experiences the same type of visions, looks on. By Allegra Tepper
E
ve Bilger ’10 stared down at a vocabulary question on the SAT, feeling pressure from having already spent precious minutes zoning out. She read the question, at a loss for any clue as to the meaning of half the answer choices. Looking at one of the options, a vision came to her mind of an isosceles triangle missing the bottom side, with a gleaming ray at the point where the two sides met. The word was zenith, meaning the highest point or state. The vision seemed to fit the prompt, so she chose it before zoning back into her internal fantasyland. Low and behold, she was right. Bilger’s vision was an involuntary cross-sensory reaction triggered by the word zenith due to a neurologically-based condition called synesthesia. According to the Journal of Cognitive Science, synesthetes, as synesthesia carriers are called, have cross-wired senses; the stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic and involuntary sensory reactions in a separate pathway. A rare condition with relatively little scholarly research having been done, there are over 60 reported types of synesthesia. According to Andy Woo, a neurologist practicing in Santa Monica, certain studies have reported that up to one percent of the population might have some form of the condition, but the lack of significant research on synesthesia doesn’t back up the claim. Woo said he had seen only one patient with the condition in his 18-year professional career. Bilger’s most frequent reactions fall under the grapheme to color form of the condition, which, according to Woo, over 60 percent of synesthetes are reported to have, but she also has stimulations under the music to color category. Other forms include taste to touch like a prickly sensation in the finger tips sparked by the taste of chicken, and touch to smell like the scent of cedar wood sparked by the feeling of velvet. Bilger always knew she had a different way of thinking. She kept that awareness to herself, though, for fear of alienating others and appearing marginally insane. “I honestly thought I was crazy,” Bilger said. “I was perfectly happy keeping that to myself.” The night before school began this year, Bilger was sitting in her room listening to music with her best friend, Riley Mate ’10. That night, Mate said something to Bilger that he’d never said aloud to anyone, an involuntary utterance that at the time, just felt right: “This guy’s voice sounds like this.” Mate raised his hand to draw biomorphic shapes in the air to demonstrate what he was seeing. Bilger responded, “Totally.” The two spent the next four hours talking about their cross-sensory reactions. Not only was it the first time that either of them had shared their expe-
riences in such detail, but it was also the first time they’d ever encountered a like-minded person. Mate described what he saw as his “inner mind’s eye.” “Every taste, smell, sound or texture has its own accompanying image,” Mate said. “I don’t see it instead of what’s around me, but it’s happening in my head. It’s almost like hallucinating, maybe even a natural high.” From then on, the two talked about all of the visual sensations they experienced. They compared images of tortilla chips breaking, glass shattering, the image that accompanies the taste of spicy food (Mate described his as bar codes being scanned at increasingly fast rates) and the image of the word “it” (a cactuslike prickly form with dark colored stripes all over). Mate purchased a moleskin notebook so that he and Bilger could document their visions and discoveries. “After figuring out that we both thought this way, I decided to talk to my brother about it,” Bilger said. “He immediately mentioned [Russian-American novelist] Vladimir Nabokov because he had read that he was known for having this thing called synesthesia.” Nabokov had the same variety of synesthesia that Mate and Bilger believe they have exhibited. Since neither Bilger nor Mate has felt this unconventional way of thinking has hindered his or her lifestyle, neither of them has seen a professional for complete diagnosis. Jared Green ’11 is also a synesthete; he associates sounds, tastes and textures with colors. Green’s pediatrician gave him an electronic self-test for synesthesia, which came out 96 percent positive, but there is currently no perfect way to diagnose the condition. When Bilger told her mother about their discoveries, she began researching famous cases of the condition, including painter David Hockney, and musicians Jean Sibelius, Duke Ellington and Eddie Van Halen. In AP Art History courses, seniors were recently exposed to synesthesia by way of Wassily Kandinsky, who was known to have often transposed his visions to the canvas. “When I brought it up to my mom, I told her some of the stuff I see, like the number one is blue and it wears brown shoes and it carries a suitcase and wears a little hat,” Mate said. “And the number two is yellow and sort of gets along with the number one. I think she sort of thought I was making it up, being an idiot.” Bilger nodded in agreement with some of Mate’s descriptions; they both always recognize the letter “I” as white, but Mate’s wears a red striped tie. Likewise, Nabokov also associated visuals with letters; to him, blue letters include a steely “X,” thundercloud “Z” and huckleberry “K.” “Each number has its own personality, so each math problem has its own little narrative based on the ways the numbers interact,” Bilger said. An example of their mathematic perspective? Both Bilger and Mate independently called the problem 36 divid-
Synesthetic experience Mate’s visual representation of the sound of glass breaking.
Mate’s visual representation of the sound of a tortilla chip breaking.
ed by 47 “chaotic”—four and seven do not get along. “For that reason, though, it makes certain concepts really difficult to understand; if the numbers aren’t in the order I see fit, then I don’t really get it,” she said. Bilger and Mate’s synesthesia has had other negative effects on their academics as well. While the condition occasionally proves helpful for Mate in AP Art History—his acute visual memory and the fact that “sometimes my image of an artist’s name will look like their style of art”—he is often distracted for long periods of time by the visuals triggered by Eric Zwemer’s lectures. “I have honestly never been able to pay attention in class,” Bilger said. “Unless I am being directly spoken to or really involved in what’s happening, I can’t stay with it. Sometimes my history teacher will just say the most random fact and it will send me off for 20 minutes on this visual trip, and that will be the only thing I remember from the lecture. The one thing that upsets me is I wish I knew the exact way that I could learn best. I know that these classes don’t really work for me. ” Even so, Mate has found a way to make his Synesthesia work in his favor; a student artist, Mate is currently using some of his more pertinent visuals as part of his Advanced Drawing and Painting III Senior Body of Work. He’ll be attending Savannah College of Art and Design in the fall. Despite some of the pitfalls that come along with being a synesthete, Mate and Bilger are both grateful for their condition, and can’t imagine what life would be like without it. “It shows me my own creativity, like all of these things I have in my head that I can just whip out,” Bilger said. “Just the collection of everything over your lifetime, sometimes it just floods back. I think of it as a file cabinet, like a big storage unit inside my head.” While Mate and Bilger have similar forms of Synesthesia, Bilger has one thing Mate can’t relate to. “I can tell myself I’m feeling things all over my body, tastes, smells, textures,” Bilger said. “I’ll think to myself ‘What do I want to eat right now?’ then just open my mind up and let tastes run through my mouth until I taste what I want.” “I am starting to understand myself so much better having someone to talk to about it with,” Bilger said. “Even now, I’m just searching for myself. For how much I’ve come to understand since school started, I can’t even imagine how much I’ll continue to understand.”
“
Every taste, smell, sound, or texture has its own accompanying image.” —Riley Mate ‘10
Riley Mate ’10 shares some of his artwork that stems from his mental images. A portrait of Mate’s father wearing Mate’s visual representation of the word “it.”
The number looks all dressed up to Mate. When listening to Michael Jackson’s “P.Y.T.” this is the vision that appears in Mate’s mind’s eye. illustrations by Riley Mate
sports The
Harvard-Westlake School
Chronicle
Volume XIX
Issue 6 March 24, 2010
Girls’ basketball nears state title, one loss season By Alex Edel
Photos by alex edel/chronicle
Champs: Nicole Nesbit ’10 drives during the regional final (top); The team celebrates after winning the regional title (bottom left); Skylar Tsutsui ’11 and Head Coach Melissa Hearlihy hug (bottom right).
Boys’ basketball loses in CIF semifinals, first round of state By Jack Davis
After an historic season which included the first perfect Mission League record in 12 years and a 22-game winning streak, the boys’ basketball team ended their season losing back-to-back playoff games ending their hopes of repeating as CIF champions and conquering a state title. The boys’ first playoff loss came in the semifinals of the CIF tournament to Compton Centennial, the squad’s first CIF playoff loss since 2008. Before the Centennial game, the team already suffered from poor luck, as they lost the coin toss that determined where the game was going to be played. While the CIF semifinals were going to be played at a neutral site regardless of who won
the coin toss, the winner of the coin toss could choose the neutral site. If the Wolverines had won the coin toss they would have chosen to play at Calabasas High, which is only about 15 minutes from Harvard-Westlake. However, Centennial chose to play the game at Lynwood High School, only ten minutes away from Centennial and an estimated hour and a half away from Harvard-Westlake. With much less fan support than usual, the Wolverines collapsed in the fourth quarter, losing 78-70. “That’s a game we normally win,” guard Chris Barnum ’10 said after the game. The loss ended the team’s hopes to repeat as CIF champions, but the team still qualified
for state playoffs. However, due to their loss in CIF, the team received a very low seeding and drew an away game at Ridgeview. Ridgeview High School is located in Bakersfield and was a two and half hour drive for the team. The Wolverines found themselves in a similar position against Ridgeview as they did against Centennial, going into the fourth quarter with a lead and looking to close out the game. But again a victory slipped away from the Wolverines as a six point lead with two minutes to go turned into a seven point 79-72 loss. “We didn’t reach our goals and I feel like this team could have done more,” Erik Swoope ’10 said. “Still, I love my guys and I’m proud of what we accomplished over two years.”
From the beginning of the season the girls’ basketball team has had a well defined and known goal: to win state. On Friday they will finally have the chance to achieve this goal as they face off against St. Mary’s of Albany California in the Div. IV state finals at 3:30 p.m. at the Robobank Arena in Bakersfield, California. This season, the girls won 29 games in a row, losing only to Mater Dei, the number one team in the state. Coach Melissa Hearlihy credits the team’s unity and depth. She knows and believes that she can rely on her second string to score points and keep the team in the game, she said. In the CIF final game against Bishop Montgomery, Hearlihy said that what helped them to win was their depth. “Our CIF final game was indicative of our depth. We had to go to our bench and they really pulled through. The fact that we are not just relying on our starters really helps us,” Hearlihy said. Nicole Hung ’10 agreed, saying that because the season is so long, starting in early November, having a reliable second string has really helped. “We can get quick breaks and the subs can go in and do a good job and we are not scared of what is going to happen,” Hung said. Although the majority of the starting line-up is made up of seniors, the rising juniors also contributed to this season’s success. Skylar Tsutsui ’11 is the third leading scorer on the team with an average of 9.5 points per game, only behind Hung and Nicole Nesbit ’10. Other underclassmen who have had a major part in the quest for the state title are Leslie Shuman’12, Hilary King ’11, Esther Lee ’11 and Tiana Woolridge ’11. Hearlihy said the team has also mastered the tough mental aspect of the game and was able to come back from being behind most of the CIF final game to win. After getting three quick fouls at the beginning of the Regional Finals game, Nesbit had to rely on her tough mentality to get her back in the game, she said. “Getting three quick fouls in the first half kind of took me out of the game so just being patient and keeping my head and my composure in my game really helped,” Nesbit said. The “all-five” concept has been a motto for the team, and Hearlihy attributes the team’s success to their unity and friendship; something she feels is a challenge at Harvard-Westlake. “They enjoy each other, they want to be with each other and that is something that I have worked so hard on at this campus,” Hearlihy said. “We have been talented for the past three years, but I think that it is the extra unity that we can attribute our success to.” St. Mary is 33-3 overall this season losing only to Brea Linda, Hanford, and Miramonte. Max Preps has ranked St. Mary 15th and Harvard-Westlake fifth going into Friday’s game.
inside:
C2
CIF Champions: Girls’ Soccer, Nick Treuer ‘10
C7
Schuyler Moore ’10 named All-American
C8
Backtalk with Nicole Hung ‘10
C2 Sports
The
C hronicle
chronicle.hw.com
Girls’ soccer wins CIF, league titles By Austin Block
This year’s girls’ soccer team accomplished what its predecessor could not by winning the Mission League and CIF championships, but failed to recapture the Division II Southern California Regional Championship. The Wolverines’ last Mission League championship was in 2008 and they had not won the CIF title since 2002, when they were cochampions. The team finished 22-2-3 overall. In league it finished 8-1-1 and lost only to Flintridge Sacred Heart, who the Wolverines edged out by one point to win league. “I think the team easily achieved and exceeded all my expectations,” Head Coach Richard Simms said. “I knew we would be good but I didn’t realize we would be as mentally tough and as determined as we were.” The Wolverines rolled through CIF, giving up a single goal in five games and won 2-1 in the final against Beckman on March 6. They crushed Burroughs 7-0 in the first round, won 1-0 against El Dorado in the second round and defeated Laguna Hills 1-0 in the quarterfinals. The girls then soundly beat Redlands East Valley 4-0 in the semifinals with the help of two goals and two assists by Katie Speidel ’11. “I was always very confident that this team would have what it took to win a CIF championship. I really think the playoff success was attributed to the team’s experience and mental toughness,” Simms said. “That mental toughness was epitomized by the win at El Dorado in the 2nd round,” Simms said. “We had to play on a bad field in front of an extremely hostile crowd and Haley [Boysen ’10] had to be rushed to the emergency room after just 10 minutes of the game. Despite all the hurdles, the team’s poise never wavered and we came through with a tough 1-0 win. Once we got through that game I really felt like we would win the whole thing.” In the CIF final, Doni HunterSallustio ’10 scored at the beginning of the game and Boysen, the team’s leading scorer, also scored in
the first half. Beckman scored on a header on a corner kick before the half was over to cut the Wolverine lead to one, but the Wolverines held off the Wildcats in the second half to clinch the victory. The team crushed Belmont 11-0 in its first regional playoff game but fell in the regional semifinals at home to Granite Hills. The team scored early in the semifinal game to take a 1-0 lead, but Granite Hills scored once in the first half and again near the end of the game to win 2-1. “I just think we were emotionally drained after winning CIF. That was our main goal all along and once we won that it was hard to get motivated for the Regional tournament,” Simms said. “I think great chemistry, toughness and a will to win defines this team. The chemistry definitely lasted throughout the season but it was the team’s determination to be champions that I will always admire and remember.” “Everyone was encouraging but at the same time if you were on the field and you weren’t giving your best you heard it from your teammates,” defender Christine Kanoff ’11 said. “Everyone was in it 100 percent.You wouldn’t step on the field and not give all of your effort.” Boysen finished the season with 16 goals and 10 assists for 42 points, Katie Speidel ’11 collected 10 goals and 10 assists for 30 points, and Danielle Duhl ’12 had 11 goals and eight assists for 30 points. “Certainly we are losing an amazing senior class and in Haley we lose one of the best players in the entire country but we will return a lot of quality players with plenty of experience next year,” Simms said. “The big question will be whether or not this team can show the same motivation and determination that it takes to be champions.” Boysen, Sallustio, and Leah Merkle ’10 were the team captains. “We couldn’t have asked for better captains,” Kanoff said. “They pushed and when they were on the field they gave it their all every time and I think that set an example for all the rest of the players.”
March 24, 2010
Austin Block/chronicle
All the right moves: Team captain and leading scorer Haley Boysen ’10 dribbles in the CIF semifinals against Redlands East Valley. The team won the game 4-0.
Austin Block/chronicle
up the field: Katie Speidel ’11 dribbles up the field in the team’s 2-1 regional semifinal loss to Granite Hills. Speidel finished the season with 10 goals and 10 assists for 30 points.
Senior takes CIF wrestling championship with early pin By Alex Gura and Judd Liebman
Couresy of Nick Treuer
Face-off: Nick Treuer ’10 squares off in West Coast Classic in December. Truer won CIF with a pin in the first two minutes.
With a pin in the first two minutes and a victory on Feb. 20, Nick Treuer ’10 became the first Wolverine in five years to win the CIF individual wrestling championship. In the 152 pound weight class, Treuer, the co-captain of the wrestling team, went into the match as the second seed and defeated the first seed, Dan Busch of Corona Del Mar, with a textbook takedown. “It was a pretty normal match and he did not do anything that I had not encountered yet,” Treuer said. The double elimination tournament, which took place at Whittier High School, placed Treuer against 32 high school wrestlers in his weight class from all over the Southern Section. Leaving no room
for error, Treuer dominated his opponents, Coach Gary Bairos said. “Nick destroyed the field. I haven’t seen a performance like that from a HarvardWestlake wrestler in a long time,” Bairos said. His performance even impressed his opponents, including Busch. “[Busch] walked off the mat looking at Treuer like he was some kind of god,” said teammate Steven Ring ’12. Treuer’s experience extends to middle school, when he started wrestling in seventh grade just for fun. By ninth grade Treuer was on varsity, practicing every day, yearround. By 12th grade, Treuer had become even more serious about his sport. “In the beginning I just wanted to do the best that I could do. [Winning CIF] be-
came a realistic goal at the beginning of my senior year,” Treuer said. Treuer had been performing well the whole season and was primed for his victory, Ring said. He said Treuer has not missed a practice in two years and had a great performance in the semifinals, pinning three opponents and winning by more than ten points. Both his teammates and his coach thought Treuer would win the championship. Though Treuer is shy and quiet, he is a dedicated athlete, Ring said. Audrius Barzdukas, head of the upper school athletics department, also thought that Treuer was the right choice. “Nick is an extremely hard worker… [he] is a model student athlete. [Winning CIF] couldn’t have happened to, or be made to happen by, a better person,” Barzdukas said.
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
Sports C3
chronicle.hw.com
Boys’ soccer falls in CIF championship By Alex Leichenger
Though the boys’ soccer team advanced deeper into CIF playoffs than any of its predecessors in school history, the team fell just short of capturing a CIF title. The Wolverines lost 2-1 to JSerra in a fervent, rain-soaked showdown March 6 at Warren High School in Downey. Goalie Alex Silverman ’10, a decorated four-year varsity player in his last game as a Wolverine, received a red card when he tackled an opposing player to prevent a goal that would have extended JSerra’s lead to 3-1. “I could feel him just on my side getting by me,” Silverman said. “You know, it was a no-brainer. It was a definite goal versus one that might not happen. I wanted to end it on my terms.” The Wolverines’ comeback attempt was kept alive when reserve goalie Wiley Webb ’12 blocked the resulting penalty kick, but the save ultimately was not enough. “When we went down 2-0, a lot of teams could have quit [at that point], but we didn’t, even when we only had 10 guys at the end,” Mattie Calvert ’10 said. “We left all we had on the field,” Silverman said. The Wolverines advanced to the final round of CIF with only three goals in their four playoff wins. After Silverman scored on a 60-yard free kick to in their first round game, the team edged opponent Royal on penalty kicks. The Wolverines were carried by defense in the
XXXXXX/chronicle
Austin Block/chronicle
tough loss: Alex Markes ’11 dribbles up the field in the Wolverines’ CIF Finals loss to JSerra March 6. next three contests, giving up zero goals en route to the title game. The team emerged from a scoreless tie in the semifinals against Edison by virtue of their fifth win of the season on penalty kicks in six opportunities. The squad suffered two losses each to Mission League rivals Crespi and Loyola prior to CIF, and Head Coach Freddy Arroyo seemed to have moderate playoff expectations at the time. But Arroyo said he was not surprised by the team’s turnaround, since he knew “the talent was
always there.” Arroyo credited defense and extensive preparation for opponents as key factors in the team’s run. “It was hard to rebound after Crespi and Loyola, and I think we just felt that the playoffs were a completely fresh start,” Silverman said. The Wolverines finished the season with a record of 21-7-3 and cracked ESPN Rise’s national rankings, finishing 48th. “I’m extremely proud of the run we made,” Silverman said. “I loved every minute of it.”
Boys’ soccer writes apology letter to CIF after loss By Alex Leichenger and Jack Davis
Alec CAso/chronicle
Shooting Motion: Ashley Grossman ’11 takes a shot in a victory over Marymount. The Wolverines fell to St. Lucy’s in the CIF quarterfinals.
Girls’ water polo eliminated from CIF in quarterfinals By Alec Caso
The girls’ water polo team ended their season in their second game of CIF with a 25-2 record overall and a 10-0 record in league with head coach Robert Lynn. Last season the team had an undefeated record of 10-0 in league and a 17-6 record overall under former head coach Larry Felix. “We have had a great season. Robert Lynn is a great coach and we have bonded as a team,” Camille Hooks ’11 said. This season, the team played their first game against Long Beach Millikan and won 18-4. They then continued to participate in the
Mistletoe tournament, where they won all five of their games. They played Santa Ynez, Hipomo, Cabrillo, Westlake and Rio Mesa and ended up winning the tournament. The team lost their first game at the Irvine tournament. In their game against Murrieta Valley the team lost for the first time this year 10-11 in the third round of over time. They continued to win the next four games after playing Esperanza twice. The team made it to CIF with high expectations. It won its first round game against Whittier at home 17-5. The team then played its second round game against St. Lucy’s High School and lost 9-11.
What was arguably the most successful season in boys’ soccer team history was clouded by controversy in a CIF Finals loss March 6. Fiery emotions translated into what CIF determined to be unsportsmanlike conduct by Wolverine players toward referees. CIF officials approached Athletic Director Terry Elledge, who was on the sidelines with the team, to inform him of complaints regarding players on the Wolverines’ bench. When Elledge passed on CIF’s request to tone down criticism of officials to players on the bench, tensions escalated. “I’m not going to side with anyone in this situation, because I think that it was unfortunate that two sides both representing our school had to have a fight,” starting goalie Alex Silverman ’10 said. “My only regret about it is that the guys on the field didn’t deserve to go through that...And you know there was so much positive to take out of the game that it was like a couple of people’s decision to make the game more about themselves.” CIF Commissioner Jim Staunton spoke with Head of Upper School Harry Salamandra and Head of Athletics Audrius Barzdukas over the phone the following Monday, prompting a closed-door meeting between Salamandra, Barzdukas and the team that day after school. “[Staunton] expressed deep concern with the conduct of our coach, players, and others on our bench,” Barzdukas said.
“High standards, exceptional results” www.DrFaraNosratian.com
Valid on Driver Ed (classroom or online)/Training package. Coupon must be presented at sign-up to receive discount. 1093 Broxton Ave #218, Los Angeles, CA 90024 One Coupon per student. Expires 9/2010 Call 310-824-4444 or email us at www.westwooddriving.com or start your Driver Education online now at www.310driversed.com!
20% off any dental procedure for Harvard-Westlake families
> Digital X-rays (80-90% less radiation) > Aesthetic Crowns/bridges > Porcelain Veneers > Tooth Colored Fillings > ZOOM! Teeth Whitening > Root Canals > Dentures > Extractions > Implants
The school asked the team to write a letter of apology for their unsportsmanlike actions on the field to CIF. The athletic department has prohibited the team from participating in overnight tournaments next season. No other sanctions have been meted out by CIF, and the team will not be forced to forfeit any games next season, Barzdukas said. “There are lessons to be learned by everybody,” Barzdukas said. “We are thankful Mr. Staunton pointed out those lessons to us, and we will take them to heart.” Even if the Wolverines won the game and the controversy did not occur, the team would not have qualified for state playoffs, Arroyo said. Prior to the game, Arroyo spoke to CIF officials, who told him that CIF rules would prohibit another team in Southern Section Division I from advancing to the state round. Arroyo did not think that the emotions of players affected the outcome of the game. “The game was lost on the field,” he said. Barzdukas attributed the misconduct on the field to a variety of factors that caused frustration, not just among members of the team. He said everyone involved from the school should take responsibility for the controversy. “There was plenty of room for improvement from everybody associated with that game, adults and kids,” he said. “And that’s all been addressed.” “Sportsmanship, acting respectfully, honoring game officials, all that stuff really matters,” he said.
Private party wishes to sell two side-by-side interment spaces Lot #1678, location Abiding Trust $3,500 for one or $6,500 for two Endowment Care Fund included
Forest Lawn Memorial Park 21300 Via Verde Drive Covina Hills, CA For more information, contact Lan Ky: 626-392-1692
C4 Sports
The
C hronicle
March 24, 2010
chronicle.hw.com
Alumni help teams reach NCAA regional semifinals
By Jack Davis
As fever for March Madness swept across the country and sports fans filled out millions of brackets, two former Wolverine basketball players had an especially invested interest in the annual NCAA basketball playoffs. Renaldo Woolridge ’08 plays for the University of Tennessee and Jon Jacques ’06 plays for Cornell University; both teams advanced to the third round of tournament play. Woolridge has not yet played in a tournament game but averaged 3.5 points and 3 rebounds per game during the regular season, including a 14-point 8-rebound performance in Tennessee’s upset victory over then top team Kentucky. Jacques, a senior, starts at forward for Cornell and scored six points while adding four rebounds and two steals in the Big Red’s 78-65 upset win over Temple. Against Wisconsin, Jacques scored nine points while grabbing two boards, dishing out two assists and nabbing two steals in 16 mintues
Boys’ golf drops two to Crespi By Austin Block
Early in the season, the boys’ golf team has played in two tournaments and compiled a 1-3 overall record. The team hosted the Harvard-Westlake Invitational at Saticoy Country Club in Camarillo on March 8 and placed 15th out of 16. It finished in 13th out of 15 at the Servite Tournament at Western Hills Country Club in Chino. “I think by the end of the year, playoffs are
of play. During the regular season Jacques averaged 16.4 minutes a game, scoring 6.9 points per game while grabbing 2.6 rebounds. Jacques has detailed the rigors of his season and his tournament experience all year on the Quad Blog at NewYorkTimes.com. Jacques has been blogging since Cornell arrived in Jacksonville, Florida for their first round game. Jacques detailed the police escort the team was given to and from practices and games and all the other amenities the team has received. “After speeding forward and successfully warding off any oncoming traffic, the forward motor cop would basically park in the middle of the road or intersection and let the bus pass while the other cop zoomed forward to restart the cycle. I have never felt more safe or pampered on a bus ride,” Jacques said in his post. In his most recent blog post, Jacques talked about the Big Red’s win over Temple. “Our goal was to advance in the N.C.A.A. tournament and while we accomplished that, we’re not done yet,” he said in the post.
Reprinted with Permission of cornell Athletics
going up: John Jaques ’06 plays for Cornell against Yale.
definitely within reach, and depending on the development of some of the younger players, like [Max] Goodley ’12, [Royce] Ryu ’12 and Andrew Sohn ’13, we can compete,” Head Coach Scott Wood said. The team lost its first match 221-213 to Notre Dame on March 9 and then came back to defeat the same team by 23 shots two days later, 198-221. Both matches were played at Lakeside Country Club. The Wolverines then lost two matches to Crespi on March 16 and March 18. They played Alemany after press time yesterday. “Golf is always up and down, it’s a long season and a lot can happen,” Wood said. “We have to be prepared to take our lumps and move on. Against Notre Dame, it was a very windy day at Lakeside, which is a tough course. I think we may have been a little down after our performances in the tournaments, but the guys, to their credit, took it in stride, put it behind them and came to play two days later.”
The team is led by Captain Jeff Wibawa ’10, who will play on scholarship for Rice University next year. The American Junior Golf Association’s Polo Golf Rankings ranks Wibawa 55th in the country. “He has taken a big role this year, mentoring some of the younger players and leading them in off season workouts,” Wood said. “He is an outstanding young man who has learned a great deal from the great players before him and he is ready and willing to pass along his knowledge to help his team.” Wood said Charlie Benell ’12, who finished 3rd in the Mission League last year as a freshman, has also stepped up to lead the team. “Each player is different, with different strengths and weaknesses, however all need to work on their mental toughness and preparation to achieve success,” Wood said.“We are trying to peak at the right time, so every win or loss is experience and a lesson for us.”
David Kolin/chronicle
Time to run: Kevin On ’11 and Hank Adelman ’11 run at practice. The boys’ track and field team is 2-1 overall and the girls’ team is 3-0 overall.
YOU SHOULD BE HErE Track team win five of six, runner sets school record join us for The suMMer prograM aT harvard-WesTlake Arts: • Acting • Arts and Crafts • Ceramics • Dance • Film and TV • Music • Performing Arts • Photography and Video • Pottery • Sculpture • Theater • Visual Arts Athletics: • General Sports • Baseball and Softball • Basketball • Cheerleading • Fencing • Field Hockey • Fitness • Football • Lacrosse • Soccer • Swimming • Track and Field • Volleyball Academics: • General Academics • Computers • Creative Writing • Finance • Journalism for Newspaper and Yearbook • Languages • Liberal Arts • Math • SAT Prep • Science HARVARD-WESTLAKE SUMMER PROGRAM For more information and registration, please visit our website www.hw.com/summerprograms. If you have questions, please contact us. General Information (818) 487-6527 summerprograms@hw.com
Gold Medal Sports (818) 508-4883 gfecske@hw.com
By Alex Edel
The boys’ and girls’ track and field teams started out the season with 2-1 and 3-0 overall records respectively. The boys’ team lost their first meet to St. Francis, but continued on to win the next two meets against Alemany and Oaks Christian High School. The team also had their first invitational at the Tri-County Invitational on Saturday, March 13, at Moorpark High School. In the meet Matthew Bedford ’10 set a new 400 meter school record with a time of 48.47, beating Brian Shields’ record set in 2003, with a time of 48.75. With this time Bedford not only set a school record but also a meet record and the California State leading mark. Bedford accounts his success to not only consistent running and strength training but also to his coach and his attitude. “Determination has also been a
great factor so far this season, without it I would have quit a long time ago,” Bedford said. “A love for running in general has also helped. I don’t think track is something you can do unless you really like to do it.” The girls will have their biggest meet of the season on Thursday against Notre Dame, but will be missing two of their sprinters, Sydney Haydel ’10 and Hilary King ’11, because of how far in state the girls’ basketball team has gone. In order to compensate for this, Coach Koolsbergen will be strategizing by placing girls in events which they normally might not compete in, in order to earn the most points possible. According to Jennie Porter ’10, this meet will determine who wins league. “We just have to run our races hard,” Zaakirah Daniels ’10 said. Over spring break the team has an invitational each Saturday.
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
Sports C5
chronicle.hw.com
Boys’ tennis extends league win streak By Austin Block
After a slightly rocky start, the boys’ tennis team has built up a five game win streak early in the season. The Wolverines squeaked by Palos Verdes, who they lost to last year 8-10 during the season and then defeated 17-1 in the CIF quarterfinals, on games in its opener and then fell to perennial powerhouse Peninsula 7-11. Since then, the team hasn’t lost any non-tournament games. It beat San Marino 13-5 and Valencia 12-6 and then began league play with a 13-5 win over Loyola on March 16. It beat Mira Costa 10-8 as part of the Bay Area Classic Tournament and defeated Notre Dame 17-1. The team played its second game of the Bay Area Classic Tournament against Palisades on March 22 and won 12-6. Last year, the team finished 18-5 overall and won the Mission League title with a 10-0 league record. It advanced to the semifinals of CIF and lost to University High 5-13. The team’s league winning streak currently stands at 106. The team played in the Dana Hills Tournament on March 19 and March 20 and placed 4th out of 16 teams. In the semifinals, the Wolverines were down 4-3 to the top seeded team in the tournament going into the last match. Jamie West ’12 won his match to tie the match score but the team lost on games. The Wolverines won three out of the five singles matches but co-team captain and doubles player Kyle MartinPatterson ’10 was sick and the team won only one doubles match. The team dedicated the tournament to Brendan Kutler ’10.
Austin Block/chronicle
topspin: Jamie West ’12 hits a forehand during warmup before the team’s match against Palisades Monday, which the team won. The match was part of the Bay Area Classic Tournament.
Softball wins 4 games, prepares for league play By Alec Caso
Alex Leichenger/chronicle
three in a row: David Kinrich ’11 evades Crespi players. The team won 8-5 and won three in a row, including a 17-0 win over Viewpoint.
Lacrosse wins 3 in a row after loss to rival Loyola By Alex Leichenger
An 8-5 victory against Crespi Saturday lifted boys’ lacrosse to a 3-2 record. The Wolverines lost their first two games of the season to Palos Verdes and Loyola, respectively. They defeated Brentwood March 13 and routed Viewpoint 17-0 March 16. Head Coach Mark Haddad blamed the loss to Loyola on frequent turnovers. The Wolverines had a 4-0 lead after the first quarter, but were held scoreless for the next two quarters as the Cubs rallied. Midfielder Conor O’Toole ’10 said the team’s offense has improved with better passing in the three wins, especially against Crespi. “We moved the ball very well and let the offense do what it is made to do, and we scored off of set situations,” O’Toole said. Haddad attributed the win to exceptional goalkeeper play by Barrett Meister ’10 and an efficient 44 percent conversion rate on shots on goal. The squad is led by O’Toole, goalkeeper Barrett Meister ’10, and attackman Cory Wizenberg ’11.
Wizenberg notched a career-high nine points against Viewpoint and leads the team with 14 goals. Meister and O’Toole were named “Elite 25” high school players in the Los Angeles area by Westside Lacrosse prior to the season. The team hosted Chaminade last night at Ted Slavin Field after press time. They will play four non-league games before facing Brentwood and Loyola in mid-April rematches. O’Toole said he and the team are eager to avenge the Loyola loss, a game “we should have won.” “I think that we have enough depth and enough character on our team that kids can turn it on,” Haddad said. The coach specifically mentioned midfielders Alex Herrarte ’10, David Kinrich ’11, Justin Shabahang ’12, and attackman Will Oliver ’11 as players with high potential. The team has excellent senior leadership and experience, according to O’Toole, but he said players tend to struggle with selfishness at times. Ensuring fluid ball movement and picking up ground balls in the defensive zone quicker are key areas of improvement, O’Toole said.
The girls’ softball team hopes to improve their record after a steady start of 4-5 overall. After ending their season last year with an overall record of 11-13 and a season record of 3-7 the team is looking forward to a new season in which they hope to reach CIF. The team has yet to play its first league game which is coming up Tuesday April 13 against Chaminade. The Wolverines play 10 league games total. They play each of the other five league teams, Notre Dame, Alemany, Flintridge Sacred Heart, Louisville, and Chaminade, twice. After losing their first game to Marlborough 5-4 on the road on March 8, the Wolverines went on to shut out Glendale 10-0 at their home field at Los Angeles Valley College. The game was called after six innings due to the mercy rule as starting pitcher Christina Cavanaugh ’10 had sixteen strikeouts while shutting out Glendale. “I think our defensive skills are really great,” Chelsea McMahon ’10 said. “Everybody gives a lot of effort and so obviously we see a lot of results. I think batting offensively is a little harder to just get results with effort. It takes a lot of practice and a lot of experience
but we’re getting there.” The team then lost to San Marino 3-5 on March 11 only to shut out Glendale again 5-0 two days later. In the rematch against Glendale, the Wolverines were once again led by a starting pitcher, as Chloe Pendergast ’13 struck out six as the team completed its second shutout of Glendale in just over a week. After defeating Glendale, the team then lost to La Canada 11-1 but looked forward to the Lancaster High Desert Tournament to redeem themselves. They won a solid victory in their first game of the tournament against Oak Hills 4-1. Cavanaugh again starred for the Wolverines on the mound, striking out twelve. However after Cavanaugh’s dominating performance, the team then went on to lose their next two games against Serrano and Sultana 8-1 and 9-7 respectively. It won its final game of the tournament. “We have a lot of talent on the team this year,” catcher Emilia Louy ’11 said. “I think for a really young team we’re doing well so far,” McMahon, who plays third base, said. “We have a lot of freshmen and sophomores who haven’t really experienced the varsity level play before so I think all things considered we’re doing well.”
PIANO LESSONS FROM JUILLIARD GRADUATE Few other activities engage the physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual abilities to the degree that piano can. Studies have consistently shown the unparalleled educational value of piano lessons. I earned a Masters in Piano Performance from the Juilliard School and was awarded a Piano Fellowship in recognition of my teaching abilities. While in New York City, I taught 15 students from the SAR Academy as well as in several local music conservatories. I’ve performed as piano soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony and have toured as collaborative pianist with many world class soloists including violinists Cho Liang Lin, Kurt Nikkonen and cellist Daniel Gaisford. My composition, “Wizard of Oz Fantasy” has been performed around the world, on radio and has inspired videos on YouTube. You can view them by typing in my name William Hirtz on YouTube. I also am active as a composer of film scores and a songwriter. I teach in my home and also travel to the student’s home if desired. Please call for references.
William Hirtz 14045 Milbank Street
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 Phone – 818-981-4164 Email – w.hirtz@att.net
C6 Sports
The
C hronicle
chronicle.hw.com
March 24, 2010
Lacrosse debuts at middle school By David Gobel
Alec Caso/chronicle
ready to swing: Jordan Orringer ’11 bats against Alemany. The team has a 3-3 record.
The Middle School has a lacrosse team for the first time in Wolverine history. The team, coached by Tom Payton, has already beaten Brentwood and won the Los Angeles Lacrosse League jamboree. “There has always been interest in a middle school lacrosse team, but we have not been able to do it because of lack of field space. Now that the field has expanded, we are able to have one,” said varsity coach Mark Haddad. The team has a mix of experienced and amateur players. The Wolverines won all four matches they played in the LALL jamboree, an under-14 tournament held at the beginning of the MS lacrosse season. “In the Jamboree tournament, we came in with no experience playing as a team, but we really came together by the end. We really rose to the occasion during the tournament,” Payton said. “We got a huge win from Brentwood. The main for our team this year is to set the foundation: we want the kids to feel comfortable,” Payton said. The team plays today against Oaks Christian.
Baseball ends 2 game losing Boys’ volleyball beats league opponents streak with comeback win By Jack Davis
An eight-run seventh inning to cap a fiverun come-from-behind win has highlighted the boys’ varsity baseball team’s 4-4 start to the regular season. The team has started its regular season with a mix of league games tournament play, splitting their two games series with league rival Alemany while going 3-3 in tournament play. In their second game against Alemany, this one at Alemany, the squad entered the seventh and final inning down 9-3. A loss would have put the team at an early disadvantage in league play and last in the early Mission League standing, but with their backs against the wall, the Wolverines mounted a comeback charge. The inning started with two-hitter Oliver
Boys’ golf
For their first match, JV boys’ golf was scheduled to play against their biggest rival, Loyola, on March 15. However, the match was rescheduled for today. The team played Westlake on March 22. “Both JV and varsity are working on creating more of a team mindset and atmosphere. We want to play well to help each other out,” Parker Thomas ’12 said. Their next match is not until April 12, when the team will play against Chaminade. —David Kolin
Lacrosse
The JV lacrosse team is looking to build off of their 1-3 start to their season. “The season started a little rough, we’re still getting into the feel with each other. I think the [season] will start getting better as the season moves on,” team captain Connor Pasich ’12 said. After beating Palos Verdes 3-2 in the opening game of season, the team has lost to Malibu 10-2, Loyola 9-2 and Crespi 3-1. “The overall goal for this season has been the development of new players,” Pasich said. —David Gobel
Baseball
After training hard all year, JV boys’ baseball has started a
Lowry ’10 being hit by a pitch. With Lowry on first, catcher Andrew Shanfeld ’10 doubled off the wall and the rally was on. After RBI singles cut the deficit to 9-5, second baseman Justin Genter ’10 hit a three run homer, his second of the game, to bring the Wolverines within one. “Before that bomb we were starting to feel the momentum shift already,” Lowry said. “But once it cleared the fence and we were down one the feeling was there is no way were losing this game,” Lowry said. Down 9-8 the Wolverines kept putting runners on base. With runners on second and first, cleanup hitter Austin Wilson ’10 singled home the game tying run. “I can’t stress enough how important that win was,” Shanfeld said. “We have that belief as a team that we are never out of a game.”
JVRoundup
strong season with an overall record of 5-3-1 and a league record of 1-2 after a 10-3 loss to Chaminade. Practicing every day after school since the start of school, the team’s hard work has really paid off,” pitcher Alex Rand-Lewis ’12, said. “We all knew each other at the start of the season which is why were able to start off so strongly,” Rand-Lewis said. —Judd Liebman
Boys’ tennis
The JV boys’ tennis team is undefeated as of press time. They currently have a 7-0 overall record and a 2-0 league record. “Our team’s really strong this year,” Jonathan Chu ’12 said. The team defeated Palos Verdes and Peninsula. The team also defeated San Marino, Valencia, Loyola, Mira Costa, Notre Dame and Palisades. —Tiffany Liao
Track and field
Undefeated in the Mission League, the girls’ track and field team started off their season with a tie against Flintridge Sacred Heart and Oaks Christian at home, and a victory against Alemany 4032. “We’re doing really well, and we’ve started our season out strong,” Christina Yang ’12 said. “It’s amazing to see our hard work in practice pay off
By Ashley Khakshouri
After losing seven seniors last year, the boys’ volleyball team starts off its season with an overall record of 6-4 and a league record of 3-1. Adam Black succeeded Nigel Dookhoo as head coach of the young team, which has two sophomores and five juniors. He has been the head coach of the girls’ volleyball team for two years, leading them to two undefeated Mission League seasons. Against Loyola, the number two ranked team on ESPN Rise’s FAB 50, the team put up a fight, losing the first
game 18-25, the second 20-25, and the third 22-25. The team practices three times a week with two games in between each practice, said Spencer Eichler ’11. “I expect the team to put forth their best effort to improve and compete everyday. Everyone we play is a test. Doesn’t matter who it is or who they have,” Head Coach Adam Black said. “We have a good group of guys who treat each other with respect. We have been making improvements in a lot of areas of our game and that is a big factor for us,” Black said.
during meets.” The boys’ team has yet to score a league win, having lost to both St. Francis and Alemany in their two league matches, but won a match at home against Oaks Christian last Wednesday. —Julius Pak
Swimming
The JV boys’ swimming team has started their season with a three game streak, with a league record of 1-0 and an overall record of 4-0. The team won their first game against Canyon 107-47, followed by their first league win against Chaminade 121-0. They went on to defeat Santa Barbara and Crespi. “I feel that the team is off to a great start this season,” Richard Polo ’12 said. “People are very supportive of their teammates, especially during meets,”
David Gobel/chronicle
David Gobel/chronicle
Scoop it up: Frederic Tennenbaum ’13 is pursued by opponents in the team’s 3-1 home loss to Crespi. The team is 1-3 so far.
—Austin Lee
Boys’ volleyball
After winning its first three games, the JV boys’ volleyball team has an overall record of 3-2. They got second place in both the Valencia and Royal tournaments. “We have a lot of talent on our team and when you add that and our chemistry we’re pretty hard team to beat,” Charlton Azouma ’12 said. —Chelsey Taylor-Vaughn
David Kolin/chronicle
Practice: Julian Lopez ’12 and Jessie Orrall ’10 run at track practice. The boys’ team is 1-2 and the girls’ team is undefeated.
sky high
March 24, 2010
The
C hronicle
Sports C7
chronicle.hw.com
All-American Schuyler Moore ’10 will dive for Harvard next year.
By Erin Moy
S
c huyl e r Moore ’10 takes her place roughly eight meters above the ground. At the end of the board, she turns around and leaps without a moment of hesitation. While airborne, she flips twice and, seamlessly transforming her last flip into a perfect dive, cuts through the water with her body perfectly Alex edel/chronicle straight. Moore’s recent victory on March 13 in the Rio Mesa Diving Invitational in Oxnard, CA not only involved her setting a pool record of 519 points and automatically qualifying for the CIF Southern Section Championships held in May, but also made her eligible for All-American honors, an award given by the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association to the top 130 male and 130 female high school divers. A competitive gymnast since she was seven years old, Moore quit gymnastics before 10th grade, a change that Moore found difficult to do since she saw gymnastics as her “first love.” It was due to a combination of physical conditions including tendonitis, osgood schlatters, and a growth spurt that Moore started diving on the recommendation of her gymnastics coach. “Basically everyone in diving is an ex-gymnast and it makes everything so much easier to pick up,” Moore said. “There is a certain awareness of where you are in the air; I can actually feel exactly where I am in the flip,” Moore said. “[Moore] came to diving from the world of gymnastics and was used to training about 15 plus hours a week,” said diving coach Tim McLaughlin. “I suggested if she wanted more intensive coaching she should go see Tom [Steppins, the coach of the UCLA dive team].” The high injury rate of gymnastics also convinced Moore to switch. “No mistakes in diving could ever hurt as badly as mistakes in gymnastics. Water doesn’t do as much damage as the beam,” Moore explained. While Moore herself does not see many of her experiences during her first year in diving as main achievements, others saw her first year as an impressive start. “Schuyler made an immediate impact her
first year of diving, finishing third in CIF Division II. That was the highest finish of any diver in my 15 years of coaching,” McLaughlin said. Moore thinks the majority of her achievements have occurred last year, most notably the national tournament where Moore won fifth place. Moore thinks of her performance at the national tournament last year as “a step in the right direction.” However she is also aware of her late start in the game. “Everyone else started diving really young, so I feel like I have a lot of work to do before I reach my full potential,” Moore said. While she thinks of her qualification in nationals as “a big deal,” it was her final placement in the tournament that has left her with the biggest impression. “Placing fifth was the icing on the fact that I qualified in the first place,” Moore said. “It is fun to get to the finals but at the same time it’s frustrating because you’re so close to first,” Moore said. Moore’s debut in the national tournament is, however, not what she sees as her biggest pool of competition. Recently, Moore has been considering the 2012 Olympics. Originally, Moore saw herself as going out for the U.S. diving team. “Going for another country just seemed like a huge cop out,” Moore said, “but then I started to realize how politicized the USA Diving Federation is and, because of that, how hard it would be to qualify so I looked at my other options.” Those other options included the idea of getting a dual citizenship in South Korea as Moore is half Korean. Moore thinks of the Olympics as an incredible opportunity. “I know if I go, it won’t be enough just to compete,” Moore said. “I’ll want to win it.” Though Moore is committed to attending Harvard in the fall, she does not intend to let her diving fade into the background. “Her athletic ability coupled with her highly competitive desire to be the best, provided her to compete at the US Junior National Championships last summer,” Steppins said. “Schuyler is currently working on some dives that even some [divers] on my college team have never tried,” Steppins said. “I am confident in saying that by the time she graduates, Schuyler will have become the best diver in Harvard-Westlake history and will become a valuable addition to Harvard College diving program as she moves on to the next level,” McLaughlin said. “I have this theory that I will be able to beat anyone if I try harder and put more hours in than anyone else out there,” Moore said. “It seems so simple, but honestly, so many people don’t go 100 percent during practices and don’t do drills at home and that’s what it takes to push you above the pack,” Moore said.
Alex Edel/chronicle
In the air: Schuyler Moore dives in a high school meet last March. Last season, her second season ever competing, she placed third at CIF Div. II.
Boys’ and girls’ swimming win preliminary league matchups By Jonah Rosenbaum
Anabel pasarow/chronicle
together At last: Boys and girls practice together. This is the first year that the swimming teams have been combined.
Despite the loss of several key seniors from last year’s team, the girls’ swimming team has begun the season with a 3-1 overall record and a 2-0 league record. “Going 2-1 to start the season is a really good accomplishment, especially when you consider all the adjustments we’ve had to make,” Marisa Berger ’10 said. “This is supposed to be a rebuilding year. Thirteen swimmers graduated last year and 16 the year before that. We lost a lot of heavy hitters, but we’re relying on consistent performances from our seniors which we’ve been getting and a lot of juniors have really improved,” Berger said. In addition to the loss of so many players, the girls and boys team practice together for the first time ever, and are under the leadership of the same coach, Darlene Bible. “I thought that might be a tough adjustment but it’s worked really well and we really enjoy practicing with the guys and pushing each other,” Berger said.
Last year the girls’ team was moved up to Division I, making the times necessary to qualify for CIF even more competitive. “We’re just going to try to qualify as many girls as possible and see where that takes us,” Berger said. The boys’ swimming team is 4-0 overall and 2-0 in league after a 92-78 victory over rival Crespi. “The Crespi win was huge. We’re not as deep as we were last year so everyone really needs to work hard and that’s happening for us so far. A lot of different guys are stepping up,” Danny Fujinaka ’10 said. The team has five more dual meets remaining to go with one invitational, but Fujinaka pointed to the team’s April 15 clash with rival Loyola as the meet that the whole team has their eyes on. “Loyola is not just one of the top teams in the state, they are probably one of the best teams in the nation,” Fujinaka said. “They have a lot of depth so we need our best effort from everyone on the team.”
C8 Sports
The
C hronicle
chronicle.hw.com
backtalk withNicole Hung
By Alex Edel
March 24, 2010
Senior girls’ basketball captain
Q A Q A
What do you think has helped you get this far as a team?
I think we’re really cohesive this year and we really have good chemistry on and off the court. I think having eight seniors on the team really matured [the squad] People have assumed bigger leadership roles. Has there been a specific moment when you felt the team came together and bonded or played really well?
Well we played Bishop Montgomery for the first time in CIF finals and we weren’t playing well at all. That was the second time we had been down the whole season at the half. Even though we didn’t play our best we still willed out the win. But then two games later we played St. Josephs and that was probably our best overall performance the whole year. To bounce back from playing so poorly only two games later really showed our maturity.
Q A Q A Q A Q A
You have had less than a week in between state regionals and finals, How do you personally deal with the physical stress?
Yeah, it’s been an extremely long season but our bench is pretty deep this year so that’s really helped. In the past the starters had to play 30 minutes out of the 32, but now we can get quick breaks and the subs can go in and do a good job. We trust them.
What do you think has been your most fun or best high school basketball memory? Actually there have been too many good basketball memories but the most recent one was probably meeting Bell Jeff at home. I mean the whole season has just been good but our tournament to Arizona was probably the most fun off the court. After the season ends, what are you planning to do before you go to college and start playing?
I just have to get in really good shape. I’m probably going to be playing in a spring league and summer league for college players and high school seniors who are going to be freshmen next year and then just getting stronger physically and getting in better condition. What about Princeton’s basketball team drew you to the school?
I’ve always liked the underdog and they’re on the rise right now. They just made it to tournament and lost but they got an 11 seed which is the highest seed an Ivy team has ever gotten, and that all started this year. Last year they were 14 and 14 and this year they are 26 and 3 so they’re definitely on the rise and kind of an underdog.
mark your calendar
Austin block/chronicle
March
24 25 25 26 26 Softball
Boys’ Golf
Boys’ Tennis
Today at 3:45 p.m. LA Valley College
Thursday at 3 p.m. Encino Golf Course
Weddington Tennis Club
vs. Village Christian
“I think we should have won last year when we didn’t, so I think to me and the rest of the seniors and the juniors it’s an important game.”
—Chelsea McMahon ’10
vs. Alemany
“We have already lost more league matches then we normally do so we have to get our season back on track right away and it starts by winning league matches.”
—Jeff Wibawa ’10
vs. Crespi
Thursday at 3:15 p.m.
“Crespi always has really good athletes so if we are able to beat them it means we are playing really solid tennis.”
—Kyle Martin-Patterson ’10
Baseball
Boys’ Lacrosse
Friday at 7 p.m. Birmingham High School
Friday at 7 p.m. Palisades High School
vs. Chaminade
“Every league game is important and winning the first game of a two game series gives us momentum for all other league matches.”
—Andrew Shanfeld ’10
Palisades High
“They’re ranked higher than us, but they’ve lost to teams that we’ve beat, so I think we can beat them.”
—Conor O’Toole ‘10