May 2018 Issue by The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

CHRONICLE THE HARVARD-WESTLAKE

Los Angeles • Volume 27 • Issue 8 • May 30, 2018 • hwchronicle.com

School addresses online slurs By KAITLIN MUSANTE

In light of reports of a racist, homophobic and anti-semitic comment left by a member of the school community on a gaming site, the school has launched an investigation to find the offender. Students brought the incident to the administration’s attention, reporting that a classmate had used offensive language toward others in a chatroom on Twitch, a video streaming platform. “WE ARE THE KLU KLUX KLAN AND WE HATE NI***ERS FA***OTS AND JEWSS,” the user, who entered the site under the username hyphonixkillstrihards, wrote. The user slightly altered the spelling of the words. If spelled correctly, the words would have been blocked by the site due to restrictions placed by Twitch’s moderation settings. Although the school has taken steps to find the person responsible, the administration is currently unable to find the culprit, as the account was created under a fake name and the site is unwilling to release private information, Director of Student Affairs Jordan Church said. The investigation is still open, however, and if caught, the alleged student will go before the Honor Board. “In some ways, you reach these dead ends with anonymous online cyber incidents,” Church said. “However, we still would very much like to know who this individual is and we would like to address [the issue] because that is not behavior that we want to see in our school.” The incident also sparked discussion among administrators about potentially blocking • Continued on A3

STAGED PHOTO BY PAVAN TAUH/CHRONICLE

CAUSING A COMMOTION: Some students taking the AP English Language and Composition exam distracted others by throwing paper airplanes, stomping their feet and clapping their hands. The proctor of the exam ﬁled an ofﬁcial Incident Report to the College Board.

Students face consequences for disturbing AP Language exam By SOPHIE HABER After disrupting the AP English Language and Composition exam and prompting the proctor to file an Incident Report to the College Board, over 10 students received Honor Board infractions and had their exam scores canceled. During the free response section of the exam May 16, some students began causing distractions by stomping their feet and throwing paper airplanes, AP English Language and Composition student Eli Timoner ’18 said. “I was really trying on this, and it was hard to fo-

cus,” Timoner said. “It was a very crazy scene.” When the proctor asked the students to stop, the room erupted in to clapping. Students moved chairs, and at one point some started a “wave” across the room. After hearing about what occurred in the exam room, English Language teacher Stephen Thompson said he was shocked and disappointed. “I expected the opposite from this class, because I know that everyone on the [AP English Language: Imagined Socities- Utopias and Dystopias] team had been encouraging our students

for a month before the exam, telling them how important it was and how much it meant to us,” Thompson said. “We all went down to wish them luck personally and look them in the eyes. It just seemed like a slap in the face.” In the case of disruptive behavior during an AP exam, proctors are allowed to dismiss a student for misconduct and file an Incident Report, according to the 2017-2018 AP Coordinator’s Manual. Even if proctors do not dismiss the student, they are required to fill out an Incident Report that details the situation, length of distur-

bance and affected section. As a result, the College Board canceled some students’ scores and required the school to offer a make-up exam for students who did not create the disturbance and felt their performance was affected, Head of Upper School Laura Ross said. The proctor, as well as some students who took the exam, identified students who made the disturbance, leading the school to take its own disciplinary action through the Honor Board, Director of Student Affairs and AP Coordinator Jordan • Continued on A2

Boys’ tennis team aces the competition, wins INSIDE two consecutive CIF Division I titles By WILL MALLORY

we enjoyed the moment to the fullest.” After emerging undefeated It was only a year ago when the boys’ tennis team rushed in the Mission League for 17 the court to celebrate a 10-8 year in a row, the Wolverines victory over Peninsula in the battled under program head CIF Southern Section Finals. Chris Simpson to make their In a victorious episode of déjà way back to the Finals, becoming the first team at vu, the Wolverines the school to win two relived their triumph consecutive champiMay 18 with a 13-5 onships in CIF Divivictory over the Pansion I, a feat that they thers, clinching their have not achieved second CIF Champisince 2005. onship in a row to fin“[Last year’s] winish a dominant 21-1 ning mentality conseason. tinued on this season “It was a fantasW ’ within our group, and tic experience to have Stanley it was a true pleasure everyone rush out Morris ’18 watching them comonto the court and pete with so much dogpile on top of me,” Stanley Morris ’18 said. “We confidence and intensity in were so excited and relieved to our playoff journey,” Simpson have won we just made sure said. HITES S

The Wolverines had depth at all ages, as Morris and fellow captain Sacha Pritzker ’18 led the young team along with Jarett Malouf ’18 and Strauss Cooperstein ’18. Kenneth Lee ’19 and Will Janos ’19 contributed to strong play alongside talented younger players David Arkow ’20, Jonah Dickson ’20, Timothy Li ’20 and Mike Thomas ’20. Many doubted the Wolverines after they graduated three standout seniors last year, Adam Strasberg ’17, Jed Kronenberg ’17 and Jacob Tucker ’17. “This year is special in a different way because last year we had a lot of older guys carrying the load,” Thomas said. “So many of us young players had signiﬁcant roles to play, and it was almost more

rewarding this year to win because we really earned it.” The Wolverines began their season with two straight victories against West Ranch and Granada Hills. Their ﬁrst and only loss of the season came against University Irvine on Feb. 27, in which the squad struggled to match the energy of the Trojans in the 7-11 loss. “After our only loss to [Irvine], I think everyone was really brought back to the reality that we weren’t an unbeatable team and that we had to work hard for every single match we played,” Li said. “It was a wake up call for all the guys on the team, something that was much needed.” Pritzker said he thought that the loss tested their team’s • Continued on D1

DIFFERING OPINIONS: Students share their different opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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A2 NEWS

THE CHRONICLE

MAY 30, 2018

Seniors elect two kings to Prom Court By KENDALL DEES

The senior class elected Chronicle Print Managing Editor Anthony Weinraub ’18 and Chronicle Digital Managing Editor Eli Adler ’18 to the first ever Prom Court on May 19, making this the first time the student body has voted for a gender non-specific Prom Court instead of the traditional Prom King and Queen. In an effort to promote more diversity, equity and inclusion on campus, Prefect Council changed Prom King and Queen to Prom Court this year, Upper School Dean Sharon Cuseo said. “As we have moved from fewer gendered things at this school, this seemed like a remnant that needed to be changed,” Cuseo said. “We got rid of unnecessary gender distinctions like the colors of the graduation gowns, so this also seemed like, ‘why should we force people to choose a female and a male?’”

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF EMMA SESAR ’18

A ROYAL EVENING: Members of the senior class elected Anthony Weinraub ’18 and Eli Adler ’18 as Prom Kings on May 19. Students voted for whomever they wanted, without gender requirements. The couple shared a dance following the announcement. This year, students voted for candidates without requirements for gender and the students who received the most votes at prom were crowned. “The traditional voting system was just based upon tradition without any actual rationale behind it, and I think it’s

just one of those cases where just because it has always been that way doesn’t mean it has to persist,” Weinraub said. Prefect Council decided to change Prom King and Queen to Prom Court this year in order to honor the voices that expressed a desire to eliminate

Students disrupt AP Language exam, Honor Board cases commence • Continued from page A1

Church said. While he is aware that other students were likely involved, Church said there is no evidence to take them through the disciplinary process. “We want to make it very clear that this was extremely inappropriate and not the behavior that we want from our students,” Church said. Of the Honor Board cases related to the incident, punishments ranged from not receiving a GPA boost to not being allowed to attend senior retreat, based on how disruptive the student’s actions were and whether the student had prior Honor Board cases, Church said. “The beauty of an honor code system is that punish-

ments are not so uniform,” Church said. “We do listen to the student. We do hear their side of the story, and then we determine what we feel is best considering the circumstances.” English teachers spoke to English Language students to express their disappointment. “I told them that I was speaking to someone, and they said to me ‘well, what do you expect from such entitled kids?’” English teacher Charles Berezin said. “If you don’t like hearing that about Harvard-Westlake, neither do I. But how was I supposed to argue against that?” Ross also explained the ﬁnancial implication that AP exams have for some students

In the issue

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who may get college credit for high scores and pay for one less year of college. “For people to just be not thinking about that, it showed such a lack of empathy and understanding,” Ross said. Some students told Church that they thought their behavior during the exam would send a message to the administration that students want the school to revoke the requirement to take an AP exam. While English Language student Carolyn Kim ’18 said that she was frustrated by the distractions during the exam, she thinks it is an example of why students should not be forced to take AP exams. “It looks worse for Harvard-Westlake to have a bunch

unnecessary gender restrictions regarding Prom elections, Junior Prefect Caroline Cook said. “It ties into the idea that there is no point in putting labels on people or things in boxes,” Adler said. “It’s reﬂective of the whole notion that these

“

[Students should] remember that just because something isn’t important to you, if it’s a commitment you’ve made, just to take that minute to think about all of the people [you’re] surrounded by. ” —Laura Ross Head of Upper School

of kids getting ones and twos on an AP and a bunch of Honor Board cases after messing around for an entire AP than to just let them not take it,” Kim said. “It could have been handled better, but I do think it’s started a conversation that kids have wanted to start for a long time.” Students should have used other tactics to advocate for changes in policy that they want to see, Church said. “Even if the school felt that way, on principle, we probably wouldn’t change that rule in response to such behavior,”

Features A SNAPSHOT OF 2018: As the 2017-

A GOOD SOLE: Alec Katz ’19 and Amaan

2018 school year is coming to an end, the Chronicle presents some highlights from this year, including prom, the multicultural fair and guest speakers. B1

Irfan ’21 used the Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship to host a shoe drive for underprivileged youth. A8

of conﬂict between Israel and Palestine, Sophie Haber ’19 encourages students to recognize commonalities amidst polarization. A10

Church said. Although she said she understands that some seniors will not want to put effort into AP exams, Ross hopes that they do not diminish others’ opportunity to do their best. “[Students should] remember that just because something isn’t important to you, if it’s a commitment you’ve made, just to take that minute to think about all the people [you’re] surrounded by and that [your] choices affect them and that [you] don’t know what everyone else’s situation is,” Ross said.

SLAM DUNK: Students on the school’s slam poetry team discuss the impact that slam poetry has had on their lives and how it has helped them ﬁnd their voice. C1

mental Club advocated for increased recycling efforts, the school will add a recycling bin into every classroom. A4

PASSING POLARIZATION: In the wake

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Arts & Entertainment

RECYCLING CYCLE: After the Environ-

Opinion

distinctions aren’t as binary as one may think they are.” The announcement that the couple won the most votes sparked cheers and expressions of happiness from the members of the senior class as the two took to the dance ﬂoor, Cook said.

JENNY LI/CHRONICLE

YEAR OF DEI: In response to the Diversity, Equity and Inclu-

sion Climate Assessment last year, members of the community discuss progress the school has made this school year in terms of diversity. B8

THE CHRONICLE, the student newspaper of Harvard-Westlake School, is published eight times per year and distributed free on both the upper and middle school campuses. There are 727 students at the Middle School and 873 students at the Upper School. Subscriptions may be purchased for $20 a year for delivery by mail. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the seniors on the Editorial Board. Letters

Sports

BACK ON TRACK: The girls’ and boys’ track team took third and ﬁrst place at CIF respectively, despite setbacks due to multiple injuries. D1

to the editor may be submitted to chronicle@hw.com or mailed to 3700 Coldwater Canyon Ave., Studio City, CA 91604. Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Chronicle style and format. Advertising questions may be directed to Jiwon Park at jpark3@hwemail.com. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or the school.

A3 News

The Chronicle

Senior holds meeting on gun violence

May 30, 2018

By Jenny Li

In the wake of multiple nationwide school shootings, Abbie Howell ’18 led a strategy meeting discussing gun violence with Jacqueline Thompson, Senior Counsel to Congressmember Karen Bass, at the University of Southern California on May 19. Participants exchanged ideas about different ways to further the conversation about gun control and planned for a town hall with Bass in coming weeks. “I wanted to take this to the next step and keep pushing for reform,” Howell said. “A lot of young people want change surrounding this and other issues, but they don’t vote or get involved or feel like their voice matters. It’s so important to make sure everyone knows their voice and their opinions are valued.” Da Vinci High School student Charlie Fletcher ’19 said he participated in the meeting because he wanted to counter the apathy he noticed in his school community. “When I talked to students

JENNY LI/CHRONICLE

STANDING UP TO GUN VIOLENCE: Abbie Howell ’18 discusses gun violence with Jacqueline Thompson, Senior Counsel to Congressmember Karen Bass. Howell invited classmates to participate in the discussion, which focused on strategies to further the conversation. about the walkout, they didn’t do it because it felt like it didn’t matter,” Fletcher said. “They don’t know how to make change. Is walking out of the classroom going to do anything? Is speaking about this issue in front of a livestream going to do anything? Is posting on Instagram going to do anything? People don’t know what’s effective, and they feel helpless.” In response, Thompson

recognized the legislative power students have to address gun violence as a social movement. The student-led gun control movement that spurred from the Parkland shooting directly led to the passage of the STOP School Violence Act, she said. “[The student movement] created that momentum so we could get that tiny crack, that little bit of progress on

an absolutely critical issue,” Thompson said. “It never would have happened if teenagers hadn’t been eloquent, speaking for themselves, and saying, ‘That is our lives you’re talking about. All of this crazy talk you’re arguing about in the background, it doesn’t matter. We’re dying in red states, and we’re dying in blue states.’ That momentum has continued to have an influence on how lawmakers think.”

Fletcher said he thought the meeting was a good starting place to discuss more ways to promote change and have his voice heard. “I think it’s incredibly important for students to come together and discuss the issues of gun violence specifically because it affects us,” Fletcher said. “We are all victims of a faulty system and we deserve to have our voices heard.”

School investigates use of slurs in a chat room

which sparked conversations about diversity on campus. Despite the increased focus websites from student use in attempt to prevent further is- on creating a community that sues, Director of Diversity, does not promote the use of Equity and Inclusion Janine such language, many students, Jones (Taylor ‘18, Avery ‘23) including Gender and Sexuality Awareness club leader Dansaid. “As it stands, we don’t iel Varela ’18, said that the inblock or censor any websites cident did not come as a shock. “I’m not surprised at all here on campus,” Jones said. “[Blocking the websites] makes to hear an incident like this it challenging because we happening once again from a student,” don’t want to get into a space Harvard-Westlake of regulating kids in that way Varela said. “We may think we and not giving them the free- are well educated individuals, dom to be able to make good but in reality, a larger portion choices and good decisions of our community is very ignorant, unaware and in those spaces.” inexperienced when Head of School it comes to being reLaura Ross addressed spectful and mature the incident to the ju[about topics such as nior and sophomore race and sexuality.]” classes during class Affinity groups meeting in order to across campus have help the student taken initiative to body understand that respond to the usthey are always held W ’ age of such lanaccountable for the Laura Ross guage and educate language they use. students through “I was just trying meetings and vidto help them connect that it doesn’t matter eos, Black Leadership Awarethe format,” Ross said. “When ness and Culture Club leadyou agree to become a part er Taylor Redmond ’18 said. She also recognized the of this community, the [actions you are accountable for] school’s attempts to end the don’t just have to happen on usage of offensive language campus, it’s all connected.” within the community, but She also encouraged the said that she feels that the classes to stand up to peers administration must continue who use discriminatory words their efforts and highlight the and praised the students in root of the problem in order to the chat for their reaction. fully educate the student body. “I think the school has done “I’m so proud of the other boys who were in there who a good job so far, but there’s said, ‘this is not cool,’ stopped always more that can be done,” and shut it down and then told Redmond said. “The more we an adult,” Ross said. “They did shy away from important conexactly what I would hope.” versations, the more unfortuThis incident follows re- nate events like these happen. ports of a private social media We need to continue to edupost that included the repeat- cate our students about why ed use of the n-word and ho- certain words are not used, mophobic slurs last February, not just tell them not to say it.” • Continued from A1

STAGED PHOTO BY KAITLIN MUSANTE/CHRONICLE

YOU’RE OUT: Chronicle Assistant Features Editor Jenny Li ’19 eliminates Chronicle Assistant Sports Editor Ryan Albert ’19 from the Assassin game he created for a smaller group to participate in this year.

Students do not organize annual school-wide Assassin game, juniors start independent round By Lucas Gelfond

The school-wide Assassin game will not continue for the first time in six years because no seniors stepped forward to organize it. In the game, students are assigned targets who they “kill” by sneaking up, touching their back and filming them on a student-developed app. After “killing” their targets, students are assigned a new target until there is only one player standing. Last year, Justin Rose ’17 and James Kanoff ’17 moderated the game, with over 500 people in the official Facebook group. But since no one volunteered to lead the game this year, the tradition couldn’t continue.

“It sucks for people who really liked the game and enjoyed it,” Ben Block ’19 said. “It’s just a game at the end of the day but I guess [Assassin] is insensitive with everything that is going on.” Without an official game, students have started their own independent games. Chronicle Assistant Sports Editor Ryan Albert ’19 organized a small Assassin game through an online site and had 28 members playing at the start. “When it got to spring break and after and the app still hadn’t come out and I hadn’t heard about it, I decided it would still be fun to play even if it wasn’t with 300 kids,” Albert said. “I talked to a few of my friends, and we made a Snapchat group and just played a low-key version of the game.”

Albert said that he had looked forward to the game for much of the year because of how much he had enjoyed it in the past. “It’s fun to have this game in the back of your mind 24/7,” Albert said. “There are safe zones but since you theoretically don’t know who’s going after you and when they could attack, you’re constantly on the lookout, rather than a game for just a period or after school. It’s less of an intensive commitment but it’s always fun.” Sirus Wheaton ’19 said that the smaller size of the junior game allowed for more discretion. “It’s all your friends and it’s kind of controlled,” Wheaton said.

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A4 NEWS

THE CHRONICLE

MAY 30, 2018

Reduce, reuse: school to improve recycling By SABA NIA

ILLUSTRATION BY SAM KO

School to offer free physical exams By KENDALL DEES

Harvard-Westlake partnered with Exer More Than Urgent Care, urgent care clinics that work in association with Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, to provide free comprehensive physical exams for Harvard-Westlake students at all of the Exer facilities June 3. Exer worked with the school to organize “Harvard-Westlake Day” for students to visit any of the Exer locations and receive a free physical examination. Before they are eligible, students must present

their Harvard-Westlake ID card or provide proof of their enrollment at the school. Students had the opportunity to sign up for appointments at the Sherman Oaks facility online beginning May 11 but will now be able to make their own appointments or walk in at their other facilities. Some students’ insurance policies will not cover physicals within a year of their previous check-up. One of the goals of organizing the “Harvard-Westlake Day” is to help students complete their necessary physicals for

the 2018-2019 school year on time, Attendance Coordinator Gabriel Preciado said. These check-ups are aimed to help student athletes complete the necessary paperwork to be cleared to participate in the fall season, Preciado said. Students must submit a physical by July 23 and the paperwork must be dated April 1 or later. Students who are graduating this year will also be able to take advantage of the day to fulﬁll the requirement for a physical at the schools they plan to attend in the fall.

Sophomores participate in ‘privilege walk’ By ALEX GOLDSTEIN

Sophomores lined up on the ﬁeld and participated in the school’s ﬁrst Privilege Walk in an effort to provide students with a visual representation of different types of privilege at the school throughout the month of May. After attending the Student Leadership Diversity Conference, Chronicle Staff Writer Noah Aire ’20 proposed that the school should hold the walk for sophomores during Choic-

es and Challenges classes. Aire compiled a list of questions from various online sources that the Choices and Challenges teachers read to students during the walk. They included prompts such as, “take a step forward if both of your parents have a college degree,” or “take a step backward if you have had to wonder where your next meal is going to come from,” according to Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Janine Jones (Taylor ’18, Avery ’23).

“At the end, [they had] a visual of some advantages that [they] may not have thought were advantages in [their] life,” Jones said. “The truth is that a lot of our Harvard-Westlake students across the board have certain advantages just by virtue of being here at Harvard-Westlake.” Following the walk, students went back to their classrooms to participate ﬁrst in individual reﬂection, followed by discussions. The discussions were based on questions such

Environmental Club adviser Nadine Eisenkolb said. To help reduce the amount The school will add 109 recycling bins — at least one of waste the school produces, in each classroom — for the each classroom will contain a 2018-2019 school year as recycling bin for clean paper. a result of Environmental Students will dispose of othClub’s advocating for lower recyclable materials, such er waste consumption and as bottles and cans, in conincreased recycling efforts. tainers outside of the class“Because plastic pollution room. Eisenkolb said that is one of the greatest threats to by separating the recyclable our environment, it was not a materials and offering more difﬁcult decision for the Envi- bins, the school can at least ronmental Club to promote the double its recycling efforts. In addition to the new recause, especially given the tremendous amounts of plastic cycling initiative, Ribner said that the club plans on waste around camoffering alternatives pus,” Environmental to plastic and workClub member Soning on further ways ya Ribner ’19, who to reduce the school’s led a “Stop Sucking” plastic footprint. It’s campaign this year, important that the said. “One of the community underreasons it is such stands the impora compelling initiatance of making envitive is that limiting W ’ ronmentally friendly plastic usage can be Sonya choices in their daily fairly easy to achieve, Ribner ’19 lives, Ribner said. particularly with “As a school, we are inplastic straws, which is where the initiative started.” vested in the future because After the Los Angeles City we teach children or we teach Council voted to change the young adults,” Eisenkolb said. waste removal system last “So if I don’t have any motispring, the school was as- vation to help out future gensigned a waste removal com- erations then I really kind of pany to collect its waste and failed my job. So I think that recyclable materials. Because as a school we need to really the new waste company does think about what we’re leavnot sort the school’s recycla- ing behind and what we want ble materials as the previ- future generations to know. ous one did, the school must And I think that the way we now presort its waste, which are currently living isn’t susmakes the community more tainable. So we need to ﬁx aware of the trash it’s pro- that as a world community, ducing, science teacher and but it starts with you and me.” HITE S

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It’s good to know that other people value what you are doing and think that you have interesting insight and ideas that are worth exploring and thinking about.” —Noah Aire ’20 Chronicle Staff Writer

as ‘Where did you end up?’ and, ‘was it farther or closer to the starting point as you originally thought?’ Aire said. Patrick Hyde ’20 said he appreciated participating. “It taught me that even in

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such a separated community of privileged people, there are still people who face daily discrimination,” Hyde said. “Especially as a Harvard-Westlake student, we have to have the ability to empathize with everyone.”

Spanish teacher recognized for research By KAITLIN MUSANTE Spanish teacher Joaquin Fernandez-Castro has worked to improve the Los Angeles education system by publishing his research on the common strengths of top private and public schools in the New York Academy of Public Education Research Journal. While studying education for his doctorate program at Vanderbilt University, Fernandez-Castro was inspired to complete his own independent research on the similarities between the top 10 “magnet schools, charter schools and private schools” across the nation and discover what qualities make a school successful. After the New York Academy of Public Education Research Journal reached out to him on

LinkedIn to see if he had written anything for publication, Fernandez-Castro decided to share his ﬁndings with others. “It’s good to know that other people value what you are doing and think that you have interesting insight and ideas that are worth exploring and thinking about,” Fernandez-Castro said. Fernandez-Castro is also using his research to help inspire underprivileged children to graduate from middle school through Spark, a non-proﬁt organization that pairs middle school students with a mentor in a local business to provide opportunities for exploration. “It’s hard at Harvard-Westlake where there are kids from privileged families to understand how underprivileged families really are unable to see

any future,” Fernandez-Castro said. “They have been bottled down in the circle of poverty and lack of opportunity and to offer them a glimpse of hope, a mentorship to show them a potential future, is a whole different game.” As a member of the advisory board for the program, Fernandez-Castro said that he will use his research to reﬁne and build upon the curriculum of the mentorship program and advise families. He said that he is grateful for the opportunities to share his work with others on the board. “[The research and the program] are ways for me to ﬁnd out what can be done to really improve education,” Fernandez-Castro said. “I think that it’s really important to share this with the community.”

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JOAQUIN FERNANDEZ-CASTRO

SEÑOR SZN: Spanish teacher Joaquin Fernandez-Castro poses for a picture in his garden. His research on education was published in a journal.

MAY 30, 2018

HWCHRONICLE.COM/NEWS

And the winner is... Valedictorian - VIVIAN LU ’18

NEWS A5

The school recognized students and faculty for their contributions and dedication at the awards assembly.

Standout Seniors

Salutatorian - NICOLE BAHAR ’18

Blanche Nelson Boyle Award - CAROLYN KIM ’18

Lester Medvene Award - ZOE REDLICH ’20

President’s Award - DYLAN FAULCON ’18

Awarded to a sophomore who contributes to the life of the school and embodies Lester Medvene’s “curiosity of mind and dedication of spirit.”

Senior Academic Awards Each department honored a senior for an outstanding commitment to or achievement in that discipline.

Renselaer Award - SARAH MOON ’19

Computer Science - ARIANA SOKOLOV ’19

Given to a junior who has distinguished himself or herself in the study of math and science throughout the year. If the student chooses to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, they receive a four-year scholarship.

Duocommun Award (Mathematics) - BEN MAJOR ’18 Chronicle - NICOLE KIM ’18

Morris Michael Landres Award - ANUSHA MATHUR ’20 Recognizes a sophomore who has demonstrated “consistent effort, dedication and promise” through his or her work on a school publication.

Given to seniors who have given their time to serving the community, both on and off campus and both independently and with others.

Brendan Kutler ’10 ‘Two Hats’ Award -LUCY KIM ’19 Awarded to a junior who pursues intellectual experiences outside the classroom, takes risks to pursue his or her interests and demonstrates kindness towards peers and adults inside and outside the classroom.

History - DIEGO AYALA ’18 Performing Arts - ORI ZUR ’18 Foreign Language - DIEGO AYALA ’18

Given to a senior faculty member for distinguished service to the school.

Garrett Hardin Early Achievement Award - AMANDINE NELATON Given to a junior faculty member for early achievement in his or her department.

David Justin Rascoff ’91 Faculty Award - DROR YARON

Given to a senior, in memory of Lamar Trotti Jr. ’50, who made the most dramatic transformation in his or her life and work both inside and outside of the classroom during his or her time at Harvard-Westlake.

Created in honor of David Justin Rascoff ’91, this award funds summer sabbaticals for faculty members which the recipients can decide how to use.

David Justin Rascoff ’91 Award - DANIEL VARELA ’18

Becker Laureate in STEM - JESSE REINER Chen Family Chair in Mathematics - KANWAL KOCHAR Chen Family Chair in Science - ANTONIO NASSAR Thomas C. Hudnut Leadership Chair - LIZ RESNICK

Athletics Awards Lee Carlson Award (Athletics) - JAYLA RUFUS-MILNER ’18 ROBERT “RJ” SCHRECK ’18

Charley Connon ’18 screened his documentary about the homeless crisis in Los Angeles “God’s Children,” which he produced with funding from a HarvardWestlake fellowship May 25. Working alongside Assistant Director Abner Benitez ’18 and Chief Photographer Pavan Tauh ’18, Connon researched homelessness by speaking to city councilmen, police ofﬁcers and homeless individuals. “The most impactful part for me [of the documentary-

making process] would be going down to Skid Row,” Connon said “It’s crazy. It’s like Dante’s Inferno. There are people walking in the streets, there are people shooting up heroin on the sidewalks and [there are] people literally stabbing each other. There are people trying to break your windows and everything. It’s very scary, and it’s sad that there are so many people that have to be on that Skid Row beat.” Motivated by his curiosity to learn more about why there is such a large homeless population in Los Angeles, Connon has been involved in

AND

Awarded to two members of the senior class, one male and one female, who demonstrate excellence and dedication in athletics.

Senior directs documentary on LA homelessness crisis, screens movie By KENDALL DEES SOPHIE HABER

BEN PIMSTONE ’18

Garrett Hardin Distinguished Service Award - ERIC ZWEMER

Lamar Trotti Jr ’50 Award - AILEEN CANO ’18

AND

Faculty Awards

Recognizes a senior for his or her focus on his or her own culture or others based on ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation in a creative, corageous and compassionate way through art, activism or outreach.

Given to a member of the junior class for his or her outstanding contributions to the school environment and spirit. The recipient is nomianted and selected by senior class ofﬁcers and faculty members.

Science - MYRIA CHEN ’18

Creative Writing - IMAN AKRAM ’18

Frederick Douglass Diversity Award - JAYLA RUFUS-MILNER ’18

Cuscaden Blacwood Medal - CAROLINE COOK ’19

English - ADIN RING ’18

William L. Davis Award (Economics) - PRINCIE KIM ’18

Named in honor of performing arts teacher Jerry Margolis, who taught for 36 years beginning at the Harvard School for Boys, to a student who contributed to the jazz program during his or her time at the school.

Honors a senior who has demonstrated service to the school, friendliness, consideration for others and loyalty to the community.

Vox Populi - ARIANNA SHOOSHANI ’18 AND AMY VANDERSCHANS ’18

Excellency in Debate - INDU PANDEY ’18

Jerry Margolis Jazz Award - CALVIN KALEEL ’18

Humanitas Award - DANIEL “DJ” LESH ’18

ALENA RUBIN ’18

Visual Arts - ANNA GONG ’18

Tamkin Community Service Award - CHARLEY CONNON ’18 AND CLAIRE KELLER ’18

Given in memeory of David Justin Rascoff ’91 to a member of the sneior class who has always spoken his or her opinions in his or her daily life.

AND

the issue of homelessness in Los Angeles since sixth grade and was inspired to produce the documentary, he said. “By watching the documentary, I hope people get a better grasp on the issue and many of the factors that contribute to homelessness,” Connon said. “I hope that it removes some of the negative stigmas and myths regarding the issue, as well.” Earlier in the year, Connon produced a simulation of homeless migration patterns using animation effects to alter ﬁlm of around thirty students moving on the ﬁeld.

SOURCE: AWARD CEREMONY GRAPHIC BY INDU PANDEY

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF CHARLEY CONNON ’18

The Chronicle

A6 News

So long, farewell faculty

May 30, 2018 Twelve faculty members will depart at the end of this school year. While some will retire, other faculty will leave to pursue new opportunities.

Hall to retire after 35 years at the school By Luke Schneider

LUKE SCHNEIDER/CHRONICLE

Visual arts teacher Marianne Hall will retire after 35 years at the school. Hall has taught The History and Art of Modern Europe and The World and Drawing and Painting I, as well as other eleventh and twelfth grade classes. Hall’s favorite part of her

work was her students, she said. “It’s really fun to see [my students] develop as artists, some of them discovering themselves as artists for the first time,” Hall said. One of the most challenging parts of taking her course is learning how to interpret art, as she requires sopho-

mores to quickly learn visual literacy, Hall said. Using art as an introspective tool to capture a student’s emotions is also very important to her, she said. “[The students] learn a lot about themselves,” Hall said. “Your paintings will show you a side of yourself that you may not have been aware of, or that

you haven’t shown the world.” Students carry the ability to examine visual relationships for the rest of their lives and ultimately will be able to see the world differently as a result of learning how to appreciate art, Hall said. Many of her students said they appreciate all Hall has taught them about art.

Schuhl to teach, coach at Thacher School

By Sarah Reiff

After 16 years of teaching at the school, science teacher Dietrich Schuhl will be leaving Harvard-Westlake at the end of this year to work at the Thacher School in Ojai, Calif. At Thatcher, he will coach the school’s track, soccer and climbing teams in addition to teaching and advising in the

classroom. During his time at Harvard-Westlake, Schuhl served two consecutive terms as the Dean of Faculty and Staff while also teaching Geology, Geology Honors, Meteorology, AP Environmental Science and AP Bio classes. While working as the Dean of Faculty and Staff, Schuhl held the responsibilities of

overseeing budgets, voting on the Faculty Academic Committee and serving on the FAC Curriculum Development Subcommittee. Although he said that he will miss all the friends he made during his time working at Harvard-Westlake, Schuhl also said he is looking forward to all the new opportunities that the Thacher School has

to offer. “I’m really excited to not have a commute to work and to support all of the great outdoor extracurricular activities that Thacher offers,” Schuhl said. “Morning surf trips before school, horse-packing trips in the Sierra, rock climbing and all the things I love to do are woven into the curriculum at Thacher.”

KENDALL DEES/CHRONICLE

Neisser to retire, travel the world in his free time By Anusha Mathur

ANUSHA MATHUR/CHRONICLE

History teacher Ken Neisser will retire after 10 years of teaching at the school in order to relax, spend more time traveling with his wife and pursue interests he did not have time to focus on while teaching. “I want to rejoice in things that I will have time to do,” Neisser said. “I would like to

do a lot more personal reading, catch up on some of the television series people are talking about and look at more of my favorite [TV] channel, Turner Classic Movies. My wife and I would like to do some traveling while we are both in good shape.” Neisser said he has both challenged students and gained more historical aware-

ness himself during his time teaching. “I would like to think that I have opened students’ minds to ways of thinking and appreciating the importance of learning,” Neisser said. “I have also vastly increased my knowledge of history.” Although Neisser is looking forward to a new chapter in his life, he said that he will miss

the daily conversations he has with colleagues. “This department is a very bright and collegial group of people of strong opinions and well researched ones,” Neisser said. “It has been really a joy to have spontaneous conversations over wide ranging issues over years. That will be very difficult, if not impossible to replace.”

Halkett departs from ‘friendly and caring’ community By Joanna Im

Upper school history teacher Nini Halkett will be leaving the department after 30 years at the school. She plans to travel to the places she has taught about in AP Human Geography and International Relations, spend time with family and volunteer.

“For the most part, [I am retiring] because there are other things that I would like to do while I am still young enough to do them,” Halkett said. Most of all, she will miss the community and people she has met at Harvard-Westlake, she said. “There will be lots that I will miss about [HarvardWestlake], but first and fore-

most I will miss the people,” Halkett said. “My colleagues and my students have been a source of joy and support throughout the years. Teachers and students alike here are hard-working, intellectually curious, as well as friendly and caring.” Students said that they will miss Halkett’s presence in the classroom.

“She is a fantastic teacher who truly cares about her students and their learning experience,” Emmanuel Zilber ’19 said. I’ve loved every second of my year in [AP United States History], and have greatly appreciated her willingness to just meet and talk about history or politics. I’ll greatly miss her around campus, but wish her the best in her retirement.”

JOANNA IM/CHRONICLE

O’Malley to retire after 39 years, pursue screenwriting By Ryan Albert

RYAN ALBERT/CHRONICLE

After 39 years teaching photography and video art, Upper School Visual Arts Teacher Kevin O’Malley will leave the school at the end of this year to pursue his career as a screenwriter in Maine. O’Malley came to Westlake school before the merger. He believes that teaching the gen-

erations of artists during the different stages of the school’s development kept his job interesting. “You hang out with teenagers and hopefully I don’t act like one, hopefully, I have better musical taste, but it is the cliche,” O’Malley said. “You hang out with younger people and you yourself stay young.” Although O’Malley joked

that he would miss the art budget, he explained that he would miss his students most. He says he has a special connection with his classes. “[I’m going to miss] the students, absolutely the students,” O’Malley said. “It has been tough. I just thought I will just ride into the sunrise, no big deal, no problem. The seniors, well I’m graduating

with them, but I’m left with what am I going to emotionally with my juniors?” After this school year, O’Malley plans to finish writing the last episode in a coming-of-age television series titled “Shut up and be Pretty”. In the past, he has written six full-length feature screenplays, one novel and about 50 short scripts.

Stewart to move back to Seattle, will teach chemistry By Madison Huggins

Science teacher Chelsea Stewart will leave the school to continue her passion for teaching Chemistry at Lakeside School in her hometown of Seattle, Wash. “I have had a fantastic time at the school and learning the personality and humor of each of my classes,” Stewart said. Since chemistry was one

of her favorite subjects as a student, Stewart earned her B.S in Biochemistry and Microbiology at the University of Washington. “Chemistry was always fun,” Stewart said. “We got to do cool demos, and I’m a visual learner, so that appealed to me It’s amazing what you can find out about the world by studying simple, chemical reactions.”

She arrived at the Upper School campus in the fall of 2015 following her time instructing Pharmaceutical Biochemistry at the University of California, San Diego. Before beginning at Harvard-Westlake, Stewart was the head tutor at Reality Changers, a program dedicated to assisting students with homework and introducing first-generation college stu-

dents to prospective careers. While she enjoyed the experience of working with college-level students, teaching younger kids also appealed to Stewart, she said. Stewart began her experience at Harvard-Westlake teaching Chemistry and went on to teach the Genetics and Biotechnology course throughout her three year period at the school.

MADISON HUGGINS/CHRONICLE

MAY 30, 2018

HWCHRONICLE.COM/NEWS

NEWS A7

School counselor and humanities teacher retires By LAUREN NEHORAI

After a 27-year tenure working at Harvard Westlake, School Counselor and Humanities Teacher Luba Bek will retire at the end of this school year. She is looking forward to spending the next chapter of her life with her wife, she said, but will miss many aspects of the school, es-

pecially the students. “The students have always been my favorite part [of Harvard-Westlake],” Bek said. “Every year, every kid that comes brings something new. [They] are going to change the world, and I hope it’s for the better.” Tina McGraw ’01 will be replacing her next year. Bek said she is ecstatic that a former student will be continuing her legacy.

Peer Support coordinator Jake Neuman ’18 said he looks at Bek’s departure as bittersweet and will miss her unconditional support. “[Bek] embodies a wonderful mix of dedication and hard work with playfulness, and this deﬁnes her unique character,” School Psychologist Dr. Sophie Wasson said. “She listened attentively and respectfully, responded with kindness

and knew how and when to push each student’s limits.” Wasson said she will greatly miss Bek’s contribution to the Peer Support program and her ability to value the seriousness of her work while always making the effort to remain both joyful and funny. “Her leadership in Peer Support will always be remembered and we will work hard to carry on her legacy,” Wasson said.

KENDALL DEES/CHRONICLE

Kwitny looks forward to pursuing new interests By JEANINE KIM

LINDSAY WU/CHRONICLE

English teacher Jeffrey Kwitny has decided to retire after 17 years, and plans on using his new free time to write novels and pursue new interests. Kwitny joined the community in 2001, after having taught English at La Salle High School for three years prior. Before his time as a teach-

er, Kwitny was a ﬁlmmaker. He wrote screenplays and directed movies, winning a Daytime Emmy for his work on the television show “Animaniacs.” He also made a television movie called “Lightning in a Bottle,” which won the Gold Jury Prize at the Houston Film Festival and was screened in theaters. During his time as a teach-

er, Kwitny taught grades from nine to 12, focusing mainly on two classes: English III and Advanced Placement Language and Composition classes. Kwitny, alongside former English teacher Caroline Miller, created one of the six course options for senior year. Kwitny also created a ritual called ‘Book Blessings.’ In this ritual, he and his

students turn off the lights and speak to the class about the book they are reading, which is placed in the center of the classroom underneath a lighted candle. Kwitny said that he would characterize his experience at the school as utopian, a community where he was supported by all of the people, from his colleagues to his students.

Chenier to depart US, move to MS campus By ZOE REDLICH

After 11 years on the upper school campus, English teacher Paul Chenier will be returning to the middle school history department next year. When Chenier originally began working at the school in 1999, he taught courses in the history and world languages department on

the middle school campus. However, since 2007, Chenier has been teaching at the Upper School. When he ﬁrst arrived, Chenier taught Latin but started teaching English in 2014. “He is really considerate of how we’re feeling and is always super nice whether it be during class or outside,” Ashtin Wang ’20 said.

Although it has not yet been ofﬁcially decided by the department, Chenier expects to teach eighth and ninth graders. “I adore the ninth grade history course,” Chenier said. “It’s a real favorite with me. I also look forward to working alongside friends and sharing what I know about antiquity and beyond with kids.” According to Chenier,

although it is only a transition between the two different campuses, there are many things he will miss. “I’ll miss the kindness and support of friends and colleagues and the inspiring conversations with students, which I hope to continue on the middle school campus,” Chenier said. “I don’t think I’ll miss all the stairs, though.”

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF PAUL CHENIER

Tiari leaving to spend more time with family By EMMA SHAPIRO

EMMA SHAPIRO/CHRONICLE

After just two years as a history teacher at the school, Jennifer Tiari will depart to spend more time with family. “I think I will reevaluate my professional life for the future as to where I go from here,” Tiari said. “I hope to devote my time to my family.” Tiari will continue to

study for her PhD, which she has been pursuing for over a year. Thanks to her less busy schedule, she said she will be able to devote more time to her dissertation. “I still have around two years of research to do, but I think one of the good things to come of my departure is the more time I can spend on working towards

receiving a PhD,” Tiari said. She teaches both sophomores in World and Europe II and juniors in United States History. Before that, she taught college students at UCLA for three years, but said she preferred the atmosphere Harvard-Westlake provided. She loved the inquisitive nature of her students and appreciated getting to

know and developing relationships with her students through the foundation of history class, she said. Students said they will miss Tiari in their ongoing years. “I’m so sad [Tiari] is leaving,” Carly Wallace ’20 said. “She is an incredible teacher and genuinely one of the nicest people I have ever met. She truly cares.”

Thill to teach at the Episcopal School of LA By LINDSAY WU

Math teacher Bill Thill will depart at the end of this year and work as the math department head at the Episcopal School of Los Angeles. At his new school, Thill will be leading his colleagues in restructuring their existing program. “[My new position] is a

great opportunity to utilize the things I’ve learned in terms of leadership,” Thill said. “I’ll be working with teachers and thinking on a big picture level about curriculums that help kids grow their mathematical understanding and knowledge through questioning and independent work.” Thill has worked at the Upper School for 18 years and

has taught courses ranging from Multivariable Calculus to Sports Research. He currently teaches Algebra II with Analysis, AP Statistics and Computer Science Principles. “Harvard-Westlake provides lots of ways to grow professionally,” Thill said. “The amount of opportunity that a place like this affords you is amazing, and I’m very appre-

ciative of it. Here, I love being able to socialize and see students and colleagues outside the classroom. I cherish them.” Thill has already begun his transition to the Episcopal School of Los Angeles. This spring, he started working with his colleagues at his new school in order to develop a better understanding of the school’s dynamic.

LINDSAY WU/CHRONICLE

Moore says, ‘every day [was] a new experience’ By LUCAS GELFOND AND ASA SAPERSTEIN

LUCAS GELFOND/CHRONICLE

Performing arts teacher Christopher Moore will be leaving the school this year to what he describes as “semi-retire” in Ashland, Ore. shortly after graduation. In his 26 years at the school, Moore produced student productions and the annual Playwrights Festival. He

said the festival was memorable for him because it is so unique for a high school. “Everyday is a new experience, and I’m sure that’s the way every teacher feels, but for me it’s because the acting classes aren’t ﬁlled with just kids who want to be actors or being in the plays,” Moore said. “It’s ﬁlled with kids that are looking for some other opportunity to explore some creativity.”

Moore said he is excited to live in Ashland and to spend time in his backyard with his two golden retrievers. “[Ashland is] a quaint little town surrounded by hiking trails, lakes, mountain lakes, skiing and everything,” Moore said. The town is the center of the Tony award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where Moore said he plans to work.

Students said they would miss Moore and his vast knowledge. “It was an honor having [Moore] as both a teacher and mentor these past two years,” Chase Garvey-Daniels ’19 said. “The school has big shoes to ﬁll with [Moore’s] retirement, as his extensive work with the Playwrights Festival and many productions at school has been instrumental in their success.”

A8 News

The Chronicle

in brief

May 30, 2018

School to host Coro Leadership program

Students will gain leadership skills at the first Coro-Harvard-Westlake Civic Leadership Summer Program at the Upper School for three weeks beginning June 11. Coro Southern California works to build up communities in order to promote the democratic process and develop future leaders, according to its website. Among its notable alumni are Senators Tim Kaine and Dianne Feinstein. Through Coro’s partnership with the school, students will be trained though leadership workshops and field trips around the city. —Zoe Redlich

LAHSO presents on student experiences The Latin American and Hispanic Student Organization presented on experiences of Latinx and Hispanic students to faculty members during the Brown Bag Lunch events on May 14 and 16 at both the Middle and Upper School. The presentation covered language barriers, mindfulness and relationships between parents and the school, LAHSO leader Antonio Cue ’19 said. “It was a mutually great experience for the faculty and the LAHSO leaders that allowed Latinx and Hispanic students to share stories,” Cue said. —Casey Kim

DEI office creates first summer read Faculty will read ‘Blind Spot: Hidden Biases of Good People’ by Anthony Greenwald and Mahzarin Banaji over the summer as the diversity, equity and inclusion optional summer read. Around 175 faculty members will participate, according to Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Janine Jones. Faculty will have the opportunity to discuss the book at a brown bag lunch in either September or October. The summer read was chosen to continue discussions of DEI after implicit bias training earlier in the year, Jones said. —Kendall Dees

Jones creates school’s first Diversity Council The newly created Diversity Council will hold its first meeting June 2 as the first step in a five-year strategic plan to increase diversity in more areas of the school initiated by the DEI office. The council will be comprised of around 25 different faculty members and parents. “We are looking to do more with the students next year,” Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Janine Jones (Taylor ’18, Avery ’23) said. “So now that we’ve hit this year with Professional Development and staff pretty hard, we’re going to try to do more in class meetings.” —Saba Nia

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ALEC KATZ ’19

HEART AND SOLE: Alec Katz ’19 gives bread to the Talibés, or street youth, for breakfast before they start their morning studies in Saint-Louis, Senegal. His entrepreneurial venture will benefit these youth after graduation, so they have shoes to start businesses.

Kind ‘sole’: junior uses fellowship funds to send donated shoes to youth in Senegal

By Casey Kim

Alec Katz ’19 received the Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship, a grant that supports entrepreneurial ideas by providing mentors and financial support, and hosted a shoe drive this past week for underprivileged youth in Senegal to initiate his business, Soles4Good. Soles4Good ships shoes

to Senegal’s street-youth, also known as the Talibés, and provides them funds to start their own shoe enterprise. By selling these shoes, the Talibés will be able to make enough income to pay for their loans and maintain a profit after they graduate from high school. “As young adults, [the Talibés] graduate with few skills that will serve them in local society, as they spent much

of their childhood begging for food and money to support their schools,” Katz said. Katz worked in Senegal with Aider Sans Frontier’s micro finance office for the past two summers, and his time there inspired him to start this project. “In the micro finance office, we taught the Talibés basic math and business skills to help them formulate ideas for simple businesses that will

provide them with a sustainable future,” Katz said. “The shoe drive will provide these young men with a low-cost product that they can easily sell because many Senegalese are in need of shoes.” Amaan Irfan ’21, who had a similar pitch during the Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship presentations, joined Katz to create Soles4Good, along with the group’s Senior Advisor, Nathan Snyder ’94.

Students place at Chemistry Olympiad By Jessa Glassman

Honors Chemistry and AP Chemistry students placed second on the 2018 Local Chemistry Olympiad Exam on May 18, and of the 40 students who took the test, five individuals received awards for their personal scores. Max Caragozian ’19 and Sara Kangaslahti ’19 advanced to take the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad Exam in April after receiving sixth and 11th place respectively on the local test.

Sarah Moon ’19 and Chronicle Assistant Arts and Entertainment Editor Lexi So ’19 both tied in 15th place, and Sebastian Li ’20 earned the school’s highest ever score for a first year student. They received a certificate for their achievements, and the top scoring test-takers were given small cash prizes. “I was extremely proud of the critical thinking skills, chemistry problem solving skills and scientific intuition that our students had,” teacher Heather Audesirk said.

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF KRISTA MCCLAIN

VARSITY CHEM: (Left to right) Sebastian Li ’20, Sarah Kangaslahti ’19, Krista McClain, Lexi So ’19 and Sarah Moon ’19 pose for a picture.

Home run: English classes go to Dodger Stadium By Alex Goldstein

After her class read “The Madonnas of Echo Park,” which follows the stories of several Mexican-Americans who struggle to hold on to their ethnic identity as their neighborhoods change, English teacher Jenna Gasparino took her English III classes on a field trip to Dodger Stadium and the neighborhoods around

it to observe the gentrification in and around Echo Park. The stadium was built on land that was previously a part of the Chavez Ravine, a canyon located next to Dodger Stadium. Dodger historian Mark Langill spoke to students about the construction of the stadium and the process of acquiring the land from the Chavez Ravine. “It was very interesting

to hear his perspective about how Chavez Ravine became Dodger Stadium,” Catherine Crouch ’19 said. “We had only read about it from the perspective of those who had lost their homes when the Stadium was erected, so it was interesting to hear it from someone who passionately defended the Dodgers.” After leaving the stadium, students drove around the

nearby communities and ate lunch at a local taco stand. “I don’t go to Echo Park a whole lot so it was cool to see and it was interesting to see the stuff that we read about in the book in real life,” Andie Cook ’19 said. Lucas Lyons ’19 said he enjoyed the trip because it helped further his understanding of the book his class was reading.

C HRONICLE the harvard-westlake

Editors-in-Chief: Josie Abugov, Danielle Spitz Print Managing Editors: Maddy Daum, Alena Rubin, Anthony Weinraub

Opinion The Chronicle • May 30, 2018

Los Angeles • Volume 27• Issue 8 • May 30, 2018 • hwchronicle.com

editorial

Digital Managing Editors: Eli Adler, Noa Schwartz Executive Editors: Ellis Becker, Elly Choi Presentation Editors: Nicole Kim, Kitty Luo News Editor: Emory Kim Assistant News Editors: Kendall Dees, Alex Goldstein, Sophie Haber, Saba Nia, Kaitlin Musante Opinion Editors: Brittany Hong, Claire Keller Assistant Opinion Editor: Vishan Chaudhary Features Editors: Kristin Kuwada, Kate Schrage Assistant Features Editors: Sofia Heller, Sam Ko, Jenny Li, Alison Oh, Cameron Stokes A&E Editors: Gabi Berchtold, Sarah Lee Assistant A&E Editors: Kaelyn Bowers, Alexandra So Senior A&E Writer: Caty Szeto Sports Editors: Aaron Park, Matthew Yam Assistant Sports Editors: Ryan Albert, Lucas Gelfond, Jackie Greenberg, Ryan Kim, Asa Saperstein, Ben Tenzer Multimedia Editor: Isabelle Eshraghi Engagement Editors: Oliver Akhtarzad, Zach Swartz Innovation Editors: Sam McCabe, Adam Yu Business Editor: Jiwon Park Assistant Business Editor: Cameron Stokes Photography Editor: Pavan Tauh Freelance Contributors: Anna Gong, Nicole Bahar Layout Assistants And Staff Writers: Noah Aire, Tammer Bagdasarian, Marcelo Blander, Salvatore Casola, Caitlin Chung, Jessa Glassman, Ty Goodrich, Sarah Healy, Kyra Hudson, Joanna Im, Madison Huggins, Cole Katz, Casey Kim, Sun Jae Kim, Spencer Klink, Yoohan Ko, James Lassiter, Isabela Llevat, William Mallory, Anusha Mathur, Keila McCabe, Alex Mork, Jordan Murray, Lauren Nehorai, Grant Palmer, Zoe Redlich, Sarah Reiff, Luke Schneider, Zack Schwartz, William Seymour, Emma Shapiro, Dylan Shenson, Valerie Velazquez, Astor Wu, Lindsay Wu, Eugene Wyman, Amelie Zilber Layout Assistant Adviser: Juliet Suess Adviser: Jim Burns The Chronicle is the student newspaper of Harvard-Westlake School. It is published eight times per year. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the seniors on the Editorial Board. Letters to the editor may be submitted to chronicle@hw.com or mailed to 3700 Coldwater Canyon, Studio City, CA 91604. Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Chronicle style and format. Advertising questions may be directed to Jiwon Park at jpark3@ hwemail.com. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or school.

ILLUSTRATION BY SAMANTHA KO

Cardi B(e) Yourself

“I’m a boss in a skirt, I’m a dog, I’m a flirt,” Cardi B exclaims in her anthem, “She Bad.” Unapologetically herself, Cardi could easily be seen as emblematic of a new wave of empowerment in contemporary music. While hits like Katy Perry’s “Roar” and Fifth Harmony’s “BO$$” may have rallied consumers with their messages of total self-confidence a few years ago, the newest musical sensations indicate a change in what captivates audiences. The new refrains present in today’s top hits are becoming by and large less generic, departing from more palatable rallying cries of “we can do it” and instead speaking to a more specific experience. For instance, when describing how SZA embraces her flaws, The New York Times Magazine notes that, “In an era of aggressively cultivated self-confidence — of squads and scars that are beautiful and sometimes performative hashtag feminism — SZA has broken through singing songs that exult in self-doubt, desperation and insecurity.” Ctrl’s debut at number three on the Billboard 200 is but an indication of the demand for this type of honest, conscientious music. Despite declarations of intensely personal and therefore not always relatable experiences (Cardi’s work as a stripper, SZA’s debilitating social anxiety), the success of these new artists suggest that raw individualism generates, rather than detracts from, legitimate monetary success. This trend of prominent and wholeheartedly individual voices transcends beyond pop culture. Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia and the first black woman ever nominated by a major party for a governorship, won her primary

overwhelmingly by acknowledging groups of people who previously felt left out of the political process. Whereas the previous strategy for democratic candidates attempting to make political gains in predominantly conservative areas often catered to a more centrist audience, Abrams, with endorsements from Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, has been successful without downplaying her decidedly left-wing views. Similar to the recent achievements of Cardi B and SZA, Abrams’ accomplishments suggest that right now voters, or audiences, aren’t necessarily drawn to relatability or palatability. This sentiment of individualism and challenging ideas of power is also evident in the #MeToo movement. Women from all walks of life united in solidarity by speaking their truths and being honest about the realities of sexual assault. Coming out as victims didn’t make these women weak or strip them of their sense of agency. It made them strong for paving the way for others to speak out and proving that being a victim does not make you helpless. Thanks to these brave women, the pervasiveness of sexual assault is becoming less of a topic of taboo and more of one of necessity. This year, we learned that there isn’t just one picture of empowerment. While previous cries of confidence and strength were inspiring, they also tended to be generic and unrealistic. As we are now admiring artists, politicians and victims of sexual assault, who are often all of these things, who refuse to censor themselves to the public, we can apply this mentality to our own lives and learn to just be ourselves, flaws and all.

A10 OPINION

THE CHRONICLE

MAY 30, 2018

Seeing past polarization By Sophie Haber

SAMANTHA KO/CHRONICLE

Recognizing our heroic struggles By Saba Nia “Avengers: Infinity War” Spoiler: Superheroes are real people too. The end of my junior year was dominated by two things: cramming inefficiently for APs and subject tests and eagerly anticipating the release of superhero movies. Everybody loves superhero movies. Comic book geeks, professional critics and high school students all flock to the theaters when the next superhero film drops. It appears that there is something universally appealing about watching genetically gifted people save New York City every five months. But I’ve noticed a change in the industry: long gone are the days in which superheroes are infallible and flawless. With each new Marvel installment or DC flick, superheroes are depicted as less untouchable–less super. Even though they can fly or control time, these gifted people deal with the same mundane issues we go through on a daily basis. And most significantly, more and more superheroes are grappling with moral issues. When the “Incredibles 2” trailer debuted, my friends and I expressed our happy surprise that the movie’s plot focused on the characters’ experiences parenting while fighting crime. We were more shocked about the shift in tone than about the fact we

were four years old when the last movie came out. And emphasizing the everyday aspects of these characters’ lives is important. It highlights the humanity in all people, whether super or not, fictional or real. Because even the perfect people in our lives can make mistakes. It’s easy to assume that the people we place on a pedestal are flawless. Especially during the harrowing parts of junior year, when all my friends and I were second-guessing all of our life choices, I noticed how much we ignored the struggles of certain other peers. “Oh, well, they’re just super smart,” a classmate would say. “They can’t complain.” This attitude specifically would manifest itself in nonacademic settings. How often have students labeled their friends as the best artist, best athlete or best performer without highlightng the amount of work and dedication that goes into their peers’ success? It feels that within our own community, we breathe and toil among real-life superheroes. But like the superheroes we marvel at on the screen, they should not be considered untouchable nor their everyday problems any less than ours. Yes, someone may volun-

teer with impoverished children in Costa Rica or intern at a tech start-up, but we all still deal with the same annoying pop quizzes in English or traffic jams on Coldwater. No one was immune to the flu that descended upon the school in the winter. No one stays unfazed during his or her audition or tryout. We are all human. But how can we recognize our individual struggles? Let’s learn from our superhero counterparts in the movies; let’s recognize the human faces before the capes. No matter the academic reputation someone carries or the complexity of their personal life, he or she is subject to the same basic emotions we all are. We don’t just treat our “super classmates” with this behavior. It’s also important that we don’t reduce other peers who we consider to be unremarkable to not worthy of feeling pain. No one is a supervillain either. The truly heroic thing to do is to accept that no matter our college prospects or family income, we all go to the same school and struggle with issues that affect us, even if they are small or insignificant to others. Because, spoiler alert, when you are in your hour of need, it isn’t a superhero that’s going to save you, but a fellow human being.

The Indu-sputed truth By Indu Pandey

ndu Pandey, designated Indian applicant #35387, said she grew tired of highlighting the words in her essays every four seconds to check the word count. Only willing the word count higher by sheer mental force and intense staring can solve the problem, Pandey claims. “After playing up an obscure childhood memory for 75 words of an anecdotal hook, I just really ran out of steam,” Pandey complained, adjusting her tinfoil hat. “Why do I want to go to college? I don’t know! Paraphrasing quotes from colleges’ websites really isn’t

I can’t often point to a singular experience that informed a moment of clarity in my life, but when my sister FaceTimed me as she packed up her dorm room after finishing her last final of her freshman year in college, she told me a story that did exactly that. Sitting on a bare mattress, she picked up a square white box with a glossy black top from the pile of cardboard on her floor and held it up to her camera. Before showing me what was inside, she rested her hand across the top, as if questioning whether she should allow me to see or keep it to herself. She looked down at her fingers gripping the box’s edge and then back up at the camera. Her eyes were wide, the corners of her lips pointed up toward her cheeks in a smile, and I could tell that what she was about to show me was important to her. She pulled out a gold menorah from Jerusalem that her Palestinian friend had given her the night before. He lived on her floor, and although they were never very close, he messaged her that night asking her to come back to the hall so he could give her a gift. She rushed past the common room, catching a glimpse of the headline on the T.V.: “Israel Kills Dozens at Gaza Border as US Embassy Opens in Jerusalem.” In the wake of so much violence and turmoil, she never expected that he, a Palestinian, would offer her, a Jewish girl from Los Angeles, a gesture of goodwill. She was surprised and moved by his kindness. It took courage for him to put himself in a vulnerable position by opening himself up to a different perspective and inviting those around him to do the same. As she told me this, I found myself in a state of near disbelief, not because

I thought it was impossible, but because everything I had read and watched that day showed unresolved conflict, blind hatred without an effort to understand the other side and violence without compassion. Following the conflict, I read a lot of editorials. Most more or less explained how one side was right and the other was wrong. Some said that the protests were not peaceful and that Hamas, a terrorist organization, was deliberately manipulating the situation for their public relations benefit. Others said that the Israeli Defense Force was unjustly preying upon peaceful protestors who objected to the U.S. embassy’s move to Jerusalem. Initially, I found myself looking to choose one side, searching for clarity as to who was right and who was wrong. In reality, the conflict is so nuanced that it’s hard to label an opinion with just one word or associate with just one side. In this polarization perpetuated by the media, the middle ground disappeared. No one placed emphasis on those who sought to understand all sides of the issue. No one talked about the neighbors who exchange conversation or the college friends who exchange gifts. With issues that are loaded and confusing, it’s easy to sort opinions into black and white boxes. We glaze over the more complex aspects of the issue just so we can categorize them into our predetermined conceptions of right and wrong. Instead of viewing conflict as black and white, we should allow ourselves to take the lid off of the box, welcoming those around us to understand our perspectives and share their own. Only then can we forge an environment that is better suited to address complex issues.

Former Chronicle News Associate gives her take on current pop culture and politics in a recurring satire column. In this issue, she shares the supplementary college essay she sumbitted to Harvard College.

Seventeen-year-old attempts to use psychic powers to meet college essay word requirements cutting it anymore.” Pandey says she’s been practicing her psychic powers since September. “I stare at the screen intensely for a few minutes before I ﬁnd myself 12 quizzes in on Buzzfeed an hour later,” Pandey, a total Taurus who’s most likely to marry Leonardo DiCaprio, said. “It’s like a supernatural out-ofbody experience.” The admissions process is entirely Kafkaesque, Pandey, ever the intellectual, noted. “I saw that word in a New Yorker article once,” Pandey said. “Do you think it makes me sound smarter? I was really going for that German

existentialist meets girl-nextdoor vibe.” Among a host of other problems, essays required Pandey to have socially-acceptable hobbies and be able to identify and solve global issues. “Eating Pocky in bed and watching ‘The Daily Show’ is, according to my counselor, both pathetic and disgusting,” Pandey lamented. “So we’re just, um, sprucing it up into ‘a passion for cooking international cuisine while listening to C-SPAN.’” After learning where Nigeria is last Tuesday, Pandey wrote an essay detailing how she would resolve decades

of north-south and religious tensions in the region. “The Igloo and House–a people have some particular issues that are in need of solving with some intelligent policies urgently,” Pandey wrote in her impassioned essay. “Now, for the next 400 words, I will insert a traditional Nigerian folk tale as a cultured global citizen.” In an effort to avoid word limits, Pandey began to submit interpretive art. “They said to show, not tell!” Pandey defended. “If the psychic powers don’t pan out, then this just highlights my quirky, off-brand intellectualism. I’m holding a mirror up

to society! Colleges love that, right?” When asked if she actually had any redeeming qualities, Pandey noted that she goes to a school with Harvard in its name and hasn’t been correcting old ladies when they think she attends actual Harvard. “It shows real dedication to the institution,” Pandey said, applying duct-tape to her Harvard-Westlake jacket. “At least 12 people think I’m a Harvard student, and you should too!” This is what happens when schools let little Andy Borowitz knockoffs pick their own prompts. Typical.

MAY 30, 2018

OPINION A11

Maintaining our connections

quadtalk:

By Ryan Albert

Poll

Were you upset that there was no official school Assassin game held this year? Yes: 71% percent

No: 29% percent

372 students weighed in on the May 24-25 poll INFOGRAPHIC BY CLAIRE KELLER

Erik Anderson ’20 “I probably would have played it. I wasn’t upset because it’s not a huge deal. It would be fun if it were happening, but it’s not, so it’s all good.” TAMMER BAGDASARIAN/CHRONICLE

Andrew Ahn ’18 “It just seemed really fun all of the pre-

vious years and it was a cool tradition, but we didn’t end up getting to do it this year, and that kind of sucked.” TAMMER BAGDASARIAN/CHRONICLE

Andie Cook ’19

“I didn’t even know that someone created their own little game and I was actually sad because it sounded really fun. I got out really early last year but it sounded really fun.” VISHAN CHAUDHARY/CHRONICLE

Since the school-wide game of Assassin finished my sophomore year, I could not wait to play again. Being a student seems unimaginable without the relief of Assassin at the end of the year. As the days ticked down, I realized sadly that the game was not going to happen this year. How could such a loved school tradition disappear without students even batting an eye? During the Assassin season, I am actually excited to come to school. The game bridges some of the biggest high school divides, connecting grades, friend groups and classes in the unified pursuit of victory. I have become so accustomed to a school where everyone shares a common attachment to the game that I felt the school was losing its personality when I heard sophomores asking when the game would be held. Although the game has suffered criticism for trivializing gun violence and being a distraction, it has survived because of the mass following and student leadership opportunity for moderators. But in spite of the strong student leadership, the lack of an organized system and school support caused the well-known game to disappear. Nobody should be blamed for letting Assassin fall through the cracks, but it is such a crucial community activity that not attempting to revive or replace it would be harmful to the student body. All of the events that bring us together as a community should be recognized as critical to our mental health and academic success. Before coming to HarvardWestlake, I always imagined significant student support at athletic events and a giant pep rally before the Homecoming games, but in reality, I only see empty bleachers at games and an unenthusiastic fanatic fest in a crowded gym. I have learned, however, that school spirit does not need to be based around athletics and at Harvard-Westlake. There are many successful student-run and school-sponsored activities that bring us together. The administration provides coffee and space for students to perform during Coffeehouses, brings InN-Out trucks to football games and allows dozens of students to stay on campus late every Monday night for Peer Support. These are all unique aspects of our community, but by themselves, they can not provide us with sufficient school spirit.

The Coffeehouses conflict with most athletic practices, so I can infrequently share that connection. Friday night football games rarely interrupt schoolwork, but after a week of rigorous studying, I almost always opt out to get a good night’s sleep. Even the remarkable environment at Peer Support does not connect all of its members enough to be the sole activity that bonds the school. However, I do see it as an important part of connecting students from all grades. Regardless of which extracurricular connects me to my classmates and school, there is always a strict demand to focus on academic success that begins to overpower that relationship. I expect a strict emphasis on rigor and a commitment to success from my Harvard-Westlake curriculum, so it should not be the school’s fault that we feel pressure. However, the administration and student body should be putting more effort into retaining a positive community. Students should not despise coming to school. The Mission Statement expects students to be “united by the joyful pursuit of educational excellence,” which is not an unreasonable expectation. It is unreasonable, however, to expect academics to be the only uniting factor on campus. At Harvard-Westlake, we have unique forms of school spirit. In place of the cliché pep rally where students break out in song and dance, we have a variety of clubs, groups and teams. Each of these things may not be big on its own but together they bind us together. They make up the fabric of our school, and in order to protect our well-being as students, we should not let their integrity be compromised. Attempts to reform the system are not futile. After the administration banned the semiformal event, students voiced outrage and established a new tradition to replace it: Homecoming formal. The same process is happening now, as student outrage encouraged the reduction of the inefficient all-school assemblies to once a month. It is the responsibility of all members of the school to recognize when our traditions are being compromised and make the necessary changes required to preserve our community values. A single game of Assassin may not seem significant to some, but it represents the student body’s dedication to a positive school environment. ADVERTISEMENT

A12

And That’s a Wrap!

spotlight

May 30, 2018

The Class of 2018 participated in the annual Senior Transition Day last Thursday to learn what to expect during their first year of college. This year, the event featured a community service project, obstacle courses and the senior Coffeehouse.

LINDSAY WU/CHRONICLE

MIC DROP: Eli Timoner ’18 reads his original poetry at the Senior Coffeehouse in

the Feldman Horn Gallery. This was the final Coffeehouse for the senior class.

SABA NIA/CHRONICLE

PACKED OUR BAGS, READY TO GO: Amy Vanderschans ’18 helps out by packing bags in the community service project portion of Transition Day in Taper Gym.

SOPHIE HABER/CHRONICLE

GOTTA BOUNCE: Tiber Seireeni ’18 climbs over the inflatable obstacle course while racing a friend. In addition to the other speakers and events, Senior Transition Day allowed the seniors to relax and have fun with their friends.

SABA NIA/CHRONICLE

BLAST FROM THE PAST: (Left to right) Tali Perluss ’18, Ashlee Wong ’18, Taylor Jones ’18 and Daria Arzy ’18 look at photos as they flip through their yearbooks.

SOPHIE HABER/CHRONICLE

SIGNING OFF: Ari Shooshani ’18 and Oceania Eshraghi ’18 sign each other’s yearbooks. Yearbook staff distributed yearbooks to seniors during Senior Transition Day on Thursday and to sophomores and juniors last Friday.

LINDSAY WU/CHRONICLE

JAZZ IT UP: Calvin Kaleel ’18 and Adin Ring ’18 perform “Haitian Fight Song” at the Senior Coffeehouse. Kaleel and Ring are both bassists in Jazz Band this year.

SOPHIE HABER /CHRONICLE

HAVING A BALL: Eleanor Halloran ’18 helps push her friend in a giant inflat-

able hamster ball on Ted Slavin Field. Prefect Council set up the obstacle courses.

FEATURES The Chronicle • May 30, 2018

PHOTOS BY PAVAN TAUH AND PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ISABELLA HUANG ’19 PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JENNY LI

B2 FEATURES

THE CHRONICLE

Striking up a Conversation By ALISON OH

ditional $200 million of funding. “[The strikes] are happening, for Feb. 22, it was West Virgin- the most part, in states with Repubia. April 2, it was Kentucky and lican governors and legislatures,” Oklahoma. April 26, it was Ari- Berezin said. “What these governzona. April 27, it was Colorado. ments have been up to is making May 16, it was North Carolina. massive tax cuts and promising In each of these states, strik- that this is going to make everying teachers walked out to protest thing better. School budgets are a stagnant wages, continual de- major part of any state’s budget, creases in per-student spending and so it’s the education that gets and other problems in public edu- affected most by these kinds of cuts. cation. The teachers on strike cite It’s all about these budget cuts.” Berezin said he and his students years of budget cuts and deteriorating classroom conditions as discussed the strikes and why they reasons for their dissatisfaction. were happening in one of his classIn Arizona, for example, teachers es, AP Language: The Language protested to gain more funding of Protest. Their discussion cenand ultimately won a 19 percent tered around the broader trends pay raise after a five-day walkout. behind the strikes, Berezin said. “The teachers have historical“A lot of people are finally underly always sort of been on standing what’s going on,” the forefront of labor acEnglish teacher Charles tivism,” Berezin said. “I’m Berezin said. “What’s been very cheered to see this happening with [the sosort of revival of labor accalled] attempts to reform tivism at this time. I think schools hasn’t been talked it’s terribly important.” about as an attack on teachAlthough Harvard-Westers, which is what it really lake students have paris. But, what we’re seeing ticipated in other politiall around the country is cal movements, such as that a lot of people are be’ the “March for Our Lives” coming active who haven’t Charles movement, the school is been, and I think teachers Berezin uniquely removed from are leading that charge.” The teacher strikes follow a re- the teacher strikes given its situacent series of activist movements, tion as a private school in a state such as the gun control and #MeToo with a pro-union government. “Along with many other Harmovements. Unlike gun control and sexual harassment, however, edu- vard-Westlake kids, I haven’t recation is primarily a local and state ally heard much about the strikes responsibility, which has led to vary- because the issues that we do foing requirements and curriculums cus on tend to be more about nanationwide. The day-to-day opera- tional politics, like the political tion of most public schools is con- debates about gun control and trolled by individual school districts. stuff like that,” Leo Kwok ’20 said. Berezin, however, argued that In each of the states facing teacher strikes, however, there are education is a national issue. “I have friends who teach in the a few key similarities: most are historically anti-union and all have public school system, and what faced severe budget cuts in the they’re going through is just horrilast few decades. In Oklahoma, for fying, even in Los Angeles,” Berezin example, “right-to-work” legisla- said. “There’s an attack on teachtion restricts the power of unions, ers’ organizations and on teachers’ and inflation-adjusted per-stu- unions led by what passes for the dent funding in the public school school reform movement. It’s an atsystem has dropped by almost 30 tempt to introduce for-profit compapercent over the last 30 years, ac- nies into public education. So, this cording to the Center on Budget kind of activism is happening even and Policy Priorities. Teachers on here [in California], where we’re not strike in the state asked for an ad- having the massive budget cuts WHITE S

MAY. 30, 2018 Students and teachers discuss the relevance of recent teacher strikes in light of their position at a private school.

that red states are going through.” lives,” Escarpeta-Garcia said. “ReBerezin said the lack of aware- ally, we are here to make positive ness about the strikes was change, since the students in our just another symptom of stu- classes are the leaders of the fudents’ general political apathy. ture. There always has to be a bal“For the most part, I think that ance in what we want as teachers, Harvard-Westlake students are not what is fair for not just the students that politically-oriented, which I and the community, but also for think is unfortunate,” Berezin said. us teachers who work very hard.” Shirleen Garcia, a special ed“I would like to see more of that, but I just don’t think they’re that politi- ucation teacher at Johnson ElSchool in Arizona, cally concerned, and I would like to ementary see some more concern about that.” however, said that she did not On the other hand, Julia MacCary participate in the Arizona strike. “I wasn’t in favor of the strike,” ’19 said that she believes most Harvard-Westlake students are interest- Garcia said. “It is for a good reaed in current events and drew a con- son, but I personally felt like a nection between the teacher strikes political pawn. Both sides had under the surface.” and student activism at the school. agendas Garcia also explained that teach“I find it interesting that the strike in West Virginia was started on ers’ strikes are not a simple blackor-white issue, as Facebook,” Macthere are many Cary said. “We different factors in as Harvard-Westplay, including the lake students use I look forward to impact of strikFacebook pretseeing how those states ing on students. ty extensively to “I was mad as communicate and others will change a parent,” Garcia with each other, in response to [teachers’] said. “Because and movements with such short such as ‘March complaints.” notice, what was for Our Lives’ and —Julia MacCary ’19 I supposed to ‘Women’s March have done with on Washington’ my kids if I hadn’t are organized largely with the use of Facebook.” been a teacher? I [also] didn’t think Members of the school communi- it made sense to strike near the ty also said they could understand end of the school year rather than the motives behind the strikes. at the beginning when the im“I support the strikes because I pact would have been felt more.” Overall, the strikes have had believe teachers have a right to collectively bargain for higher wages,” mixed results, with varying degrees Emmanuel Zilber ’19 said. “They are of concessions made. In West Virone of the most important factors in ginia, for example, teachers won educating the next generation, and all five of their major demands, so they ought to be compensated including a five percent pay raise [more], both as a greater incentive for and the elimination of a proposmore to join the workforce and be- al to create more charter schools. cause of the necessity of their work.” In Oklahoma, teachers received a Conversely, Spanish teach- raise but did not win any significant er Sephora Escarpeta-Gar- legislation to increase school fundcia said that while she gener- ing. However, MacCary expressed ally opposes strikes, she could hope that voters would ultimately empathize with her fellow teachers. be able to improve the situation. “I look forward to seeing how “I don’t like the strikes, [but] I don’t understand why more re- those states and others will change spect is given to other professions in response to [teachers’] comthan to us, the teachers who are plaints,” MacCary said. “I hope working to shape and inspire mul- that voters will consider canditiple generations to be excellent and dates’ views on education and passionate in every area of their taxes when casting their votes.”

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALISON OH AND JENNY LI

MAY 30, 2018

HWCHRONICLE.COM/FEATURES

FEATURES B3

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SOFIA HELLER

‘Birding’ Takes Flight

By SABA NIA WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LAUREN NEHORAI

50 scooters on a good night, with each scooter earning them $5 - $20 depending on how difficult the scooters are to Sunday evening, while other stu- locate, Damico said. In the mornings, dents labored over their English es- chargers drop off the scooters at “Bird says and crammed for their math ex- Nests,” the designated drop-off areas ams the next day, Jonathan Damico that the company creates. “I’ve seen people who rent vans ’19 cruised alongside the PCH. As he turned toward the setting sun, Damico and and charge $500 [worth of scootwasn’t viewing the misty ocean front ers] a day,” Damico said. “It’s very or a watercolor sky, but instead he game-able. You can have fun and treat was looking out toward the bike path. this as a scavenger hunt. It’s what you make of it and is very time flexiHe was searching for Birds. Several hours earlier, Damico had ble, and it can be a good but unstable received a flurry of texts from his source of income.” Unlike other ride-sharing services friends. As was custom, the group planned to meet up in Santa Monica like Uber and Lyft, Bird doesn’t reand go on their weekly “Birding” excur- quire background checks for chargers, according to the sions. Armed with two Atlantic. Like riders, pickup trucks, radios, chargers only need to gloves and jackets, It’s really good for be legal adults and the junior and senior short rides, which I think hold valid driver’s liboys set off to locate Birds, shareable elecis their target. I see people censes. Fellow charger tric scooters scattered riding birds all the time, Brandon Porter ’18, throughout neighso the price definitely isn’t said that while the borhoods across the job can be fun, it also country that riders detering them.” comes with its own can access through —DJ Lesh ’18 dangers. an app. The start“You definitely up aims to provide a have to be careful, escheap and convenient mode of transportation that both alleviates traffic pecially because the time you’re supand helps the environment, according posed to pick up birds is at night, and they can be in some sketchy places,” to the Atlantic. Scooters cost 15 cents a minute to Porter said. Damico, like Porter, said although ride after the initial $1 unlocking fee. DJ Lesh ’18, who joins Damico on his the income is one of the main reasons “scavenger hunts” for Birds, said the why he is a charger for Bird, he beproduct may seem expensive but ap- lieves that people should be wary of pursuing the job as a career. pears to be a sustainable venture. “My concern is that people who do “It’s really good for short rides, rely on this as a source of income need which I think is their target,” Lesh said. “I see people riding birds all the to have something else they can switch time so the price definitely isn’t de- to quickly,” he said. “I don’t think that Bird’s current revenue model is staterring them.” In addition to renting the Birds, ble, and [the company] might shoot “chargers” like Damico and his friends themselves in the foot if they continue are paid by the company to collect, making it $5. I think the prices will go charge and drop off the scooters. Every down.” Nevertheless, Bird continues to night at 9 p.m., the maps on chargers’ Bird app illuminate with pinpricks of hire more chargers, and the company green, revealing where riders left Bird is expanding to meet the increased demand for its product. scooters after the day’s trips. Bird currently operates in Austin, Damico’s group can gather about

“

After its launch in 2017, Bird, an electric scooter company, has expanded its reach to students on campus. Nashville, Los Angeles, San Francisco, drive to ride a Bird, many students just Scottsdale, Washington D.C. and At- log in with their parents’ accounts. lanta. “If you don’t have a driver’s licence, Bird started gaining popularity in you don’t know the rules of the road, urban areas due to the increased con- and it could end up being a problem gestion and traffic. safety wise,” William Newhart ’19 said. In fact, Bird pledges to contribute “I feel like we’re awaiting some great to solve the “last-mile problem” many Bird disaster in the future where peocommuters grapple with. According to ple get into an accident or someone the company’s website, the distance gets injured or even killed.” of about 40 percent of car trips is unBird expressed its commitment to der two miles and Bird was founded to safety by throttling the vehicles at 15 offer drivers another method of trans- mph and offering free helmets to all portation for short trips. There is also Bird riders, according to its website. the option to rent bikes in Santa Monia However, despite the company’s insisthrough Santa Monica Bike Share, but tence to do so, many users don’t follow Lesh said Birds are more convienent. traffic laws or ride the scooters on the “[Bird is] a kind of interesting en- sidewalk, students said. trepreneurial platform that “It could possibly be a you can just pick it up wherproblem in the future,” Neever you’re walking and drop whart said. “I saw a guy in it off whenever you want,” my neighborhood birding in Lesh said. “That’s why it’s fun between cars like a motorcyto charge because by being a cle, which seems kind of dancharger, you are supporting gerous. But if it’s an efficient being able to do that. If there way to travel I’m sure it’ll be weren’t chargers, they’d have okay.” to do some sort of drop of loRiders and chargers are WHITE’S cation thing that would make aware of the safety considKate it less convenient.” erations, they said, and view Konvitz ’20 Some students like Kate “Birding” and “Bird hunting” Konvitz ’20, however, said that the as mainly recreational activities. company’s model of dockless scooters “We do it for fun,” Lesh said. “We is inconvenient and poses safety risks. go out at night. It’s one of those things “Even if I didn’t have my license I [where] you’re making money but you wouldn’t use them because I feel like are also just hanging out with friends people just put them everywhere,” and driving around and having fun Konvitz said. “They occupy all this riding scooters.” public space and I’ve seen people trip Damico also said he enjoys conover them.” tributing to a grassroots organization According to the May Chronicle that combines elements of functionalPoll of 307 students, 31 percent said ity with fun. Birds are dangerous. “I like the boot-strappy feel,” DamThe City of Santa Monica filed ico said. “It’s a bit unprofessional and a criminal case against Bird after a cool. It makes it more personal, and scooter that was left blocked a wheel- the little glitches in the app signify how chair on the sidewalk, according to it’s a small company trying to grow CBS. big, and there’s something aspirationThe company paid more than al that I gravitate to as an entrepre$300,000 in fines and restitution in neur myself. Also the product is good, February as part of a plea deal with the scooters are fast, unrestricted they the city. would go 18mph, and are super fun Some residents also complain to ride. That combined with the senabout underage riders. Though users timent behind the brand makes for a must be over 18 years old and able to really good experience.”

THE CHRONICLE

B4 FEATURES

MAY 30

Big Issues on the Small Screen Streaming platforms have made TV shows more accessible than ever, and in this golden age of television, these shows are becoming more representative, inclusive and educational.

STARS, THEY’RE JUST LIKE US: Sophia Burset (top right) from “Orange is the New Black,” Kurt Hummel (top left) from “Glee,” Samantha White (bottom left) from “Dear White People” and Junior Johnson (bottom right) from “Black-ish.”

ILLUSTRATION BY SAM KO

HWCHRONICLE.COM/FEATURES

30, 2018

By ALENA RUBIN DANIELLE SPITZ

she said she is tasked with finding a place for herself in the world given her racial identity in addition When Leyah Barris ’19 first told to navigating the normal trials of her friends that there would be a growing up. “That’s what being black-ish is— show about her and her family on ABC that her father Kenya created, it’s just growing up in this world she didn’t think they would refuse where you’re still black, you’re to watch it. They didn’t make ex- physically black, and someone cuses about being too busy with looks at you and you’re black, but homework or being uninterested at the same time, you’re not growin the plotline; instead, they had ing up with the same struggles as a problem with the name: “Black- your parents necessarily or in the same way or same environment,” ish.” When “Black-ish” first aired in she said. “It’s just learning to cope 2014, many were turned off by the with this new world of being kind show because they felt the name of in the middle.” Representation became imcarried racist connotations. A petition from change.org that same portant to Taylor Redmond ’18 year argued that the show should since watching “That’s So Raven” change its name because pro- and “Proud Family” on the Disney testors found it “racist, socially Channel. Growing up with these damaging and offensive based on shows, Redmond said she appreits concept that non-stereotypical ciates seeing different depictions black people are less their race of people of color on TV that don’t than others, that hip hop culture just stick to unrepresentative and is [something that] all blacks are oftentimes inaccurate cliches. “I don’t necessarily think there’s supposed to embrace and that culture and race are one in the same.” one specific image when I think of Among those troubled by the being represented well,” Redmond name was Donald Trump, who said. “Obviously, people are more would be elected president two three-dimensional than a caricature type on some shows or someyears later. “How is ABC Television allowed thing that’s just about the ghetto to have a show entitled ‘Black- or violence and drugs. People have ish’? Can you imagine the furor of more dimensions than just stereoa show, ‘Whiteish!’ Racism at high- types.” Shows like “Black-ish” and est level?” Trump tweeted in Octo“Dear White People” break down ber 2014. But after having discussions racial barriers not only by providing more representation, with her friends enbut also by discussing couraging them to be salient social issues in open-minded about the the storyline. Redmond show, Barris finally conpraised “Dear White Peovinced them to give it a ple” for its focus on inditry. vidual character devel“Maybe it took them a opment by devoting each couple seasons, but a lot episode to a specific charof people watched it and acter’s backstory, a struccame back to me and ’ ture shared by “Orange said, ‘Wow, I’m so sorry Leyah is the New Black,” which I said I wasn’t going to Barris ’19 creates more room for a watch it because of the wider range of topics to be name, because this is really important,’” Leyah Barris said. addressed. “Dear White People,” for ex“Not only [was it] funny, but it was really important to them, and ample, shows a group of Afrithey’d watch it with their families.” can-American students at a ficThe sitcom follows Andre “Dre” tional Ivy League college who are Johnson, an affluent black man, faced with social injustice and rain his attempt to reconnect his cial discrimination. “[TV shows] have really changed family with their ethnic roots while balancing the privileges that come because in 1985 we didn’t have ‘Black-ish’ dealing with social with their socioeconomic status. “Black-ish” was the eighth most commentary,” Director of Diverpopular show on ABC in Fall 2017 sity, Equity and Inclusion Janine behind “Grey’s Anatomy” and Jones (Taylor ’18, Avery ’23) said. Jones remembers crowding “Modern Family” but beating out “Shark Tank” and “How to Get around the TV set on Thursday Away with Murder,” according to nights with her family to watch “The Cosby Show,” which at the TVLine. Other shows addressing is- time was the only show that represues of intolerance and inequality sented people of color in a wholehave become mainstream in the some and positive way, she said. past decade. According to Forbes, But while the series shined in rep“Glee” was the fourth highest reve- resentation, it still lacked in deepnue-earning TV show of 2012, and er discussion about important raviewership for the fourth season of cial issues. The reason more recent shows “Orange is the New Black” made it the most popular Netflix origi- have been more effective in accunal of 2016, according to a study rately representing what America by Symphony Advanced Media. looks like today can be attributed More recently, the Netflix original to the growing diversity behind the “Dear White People” became one of scenes, Yvette Lee Bowser (Drew few shows to receive a 100 percent ’20), executive producer on “Dear critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes White People” and consulting producer on “Black-ish,” said. after its first season in 2017. “We’re in a moment where Shows like these with more diverse cast members allow wider more people of color are the voicaudiences to relate to the charac- es and the production entities ters. For Leyah Barris, it’s partic- behind the work, which I think ularly easy to see herself on the deepens the work,” Bowser said. small screen: the character Junior “More and more often we’re siton “Black-ish,” a studious teenag- ting in rooms that are diversified er whose friends are predominant- that don’t exclude white voices ly white, is based off her. Like the or straight voices, but the rooms children of the Johnson family, are much more inclusive, and I

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FEATURES B5 think that’s really reflective in of all different backgrounds and identities in an unexpected space: the work in a beautiful way.” Having been in the entertain- the Glee Club. Jake Schroeder ’20, who ment industry for 31 years, Bowser said she was previously used watched the show before he ento being the only person of color or tered high school and came out as woman in the writing room to be gay, said he appreciated seeing gay consulted on issues that the ma- characters who were so unapoljority of writers had no experience ogetically themselves on screen. Although he said he hasn’t experiwith. “That’s not exactly inclusion enced homophobia in high school, when you’re the exception,” she he nonetheless felt the show sparked important conversations said. But with crews that are becom- about acceptance. “It’s a lot more stereotypical than ing more diverse and the polarizing nature of today’s political scene, high school,” he said. “By making the world is ripe for a show like it very stereotypical, they’re pushing the awareness of the problems “Dear White People.” “The current political climate that we face or we supposedly face creates a certain urgency for a show in high schools today.” Schroeder said he felt espelike ‘Dear White People,’” Bowser said. “There’s more of an urgency cially comfortable being queer in increasingly for season two than there was even Harvard-Westlake’s for season one, but I believe there’s accepting community, citing the always been an appetite for ad- introduction of all-gender bathvancing the conversations that we rooms and the election of two prom need to have as Americans to make kings at this year’s prom. But representation of queer our society a better, more productive society. Obviously, with the people in TV has not always been advent of social media, we’re be- mainstream. Coordinator of Dicoming more acutely aware of the versity, Equity and Inclusion and daily atrocities committed against science teacher Nate Cardin said people of color, and I think that’s when he was growing up, few what makes the show feel and be shows showed LGBTQ people in a positive light. even more relevant.” “In the ’80s and the ’90s and “Orange is the New Black” also takes on issues of inclusion, ad- even the early 2000s, the only dressing topics such as sexism, queer movies or characters [inracism, transphobia and problems volved] the queer person being the in the criminal justice system. villain or the queer person [getting] The show traces the stories of a beaten up or the queer person [getting] AIDS—those diverse array of were the only story characters in an all-women’s prisWe’re in a moment lines,” Cardin said. “So when especially on and sets itself where more people of vulnerable teenagers apart because of color are the voices and who might think that the breadth of isthey’re LGBTQ, when sues it tackles. the production entities they see that, they’re Sophia Burset, a behind the work.” like, ‘Oh, those are trans and black inmate on the —Yvette Lee Bowser my only options?’” The only show show, is unjustly Executive Producer, that Cardin said he put in Maximum “Dear White People” remembers watching Security, where as a teenager that inshe is isolated cluded a queer charand mistreated by security guards. Poussey Washing- acter was “Dawson’s Creek,” so ton, another black inmate, winds even now, as an adult, seeing more up behind bars for possession of representation of people like himmarijuana, a relatively minor of- self is powerful. The entertainment industry is fense when compared to those of dawning on a particularly excitthe white characters on the show. In each episode, the show at- ing time because of all the recent tempts to elicit empathy from its change, Bowser said. “We’re still at the beginning of viewers, showing inmates’ families and their complex relation- it,” Bowser said. “And the good ships with each other. And there’s news is, I don’t see the end of it. a large audience eager to learn There are infinite depictions of about these women’s stories: “Or- people of color that have yet to be ange is the New Black” reaches showcased in the medium, and I millions, largely due to its home on think that’s important for people Netflix, which is available in over to recognize because there are so 190 countries. Streaming has be- many versions of us that haven’t come a popular way to tune into been seen.” Although shows incorporattoday’s most popular shows, with 61 percent of young adults aged ing more social commentary 18-29 saying that online stream- help introduce young people to ing services are the primary way new ideas, Jones said this exthey watch TV, according to Pew posure to topics as complicated as race and diversity must Research Center. Not only do streaming platforms be supplemented off-screen by help shows to reach a global audi- engaging in conversations and ence, but they also allow for more reading on these issues with a creative freedom, as the content critical eye. “Kids have to know that evdoes not have to be made more palatable for a broader audience erything that they watch on a TV like that of a network show, Bows- show isn’t necessarily real, just er said. “Dear White People” capi- like everything that they may read talizes on this freedom by utilizing on the internet in an article or satire to address issues like racism see on a television news channel, head on rather than trivializing the that might not be real or it may issue. But even before streaming be skewed, so you have to do your platforms like Netflix and Hulu, own independent research,” Jones programs like “Glee” made waves said. “To form really strong opinon network television. “Glee” pro- ions based on things you’re seeing motes the idea of being yourself by on television is not the smartest bringing together high school kids way to approach things.”

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B6 FEATURES

highstakes

THE CHRONICLE

MAY 30, 2018

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SOFIA HELLER AND SAMANTHA KO

The Other Side of the Finish Line Now that their college processes are over, the four players reveal their final plans for next year and reflect on their senior year. By KATE SCHRAGE After closely following students "Audrey," "Nate," "Jenna" and "Christopher" through their respective college processes this year, it's time to reveal their true identities, college decisions and final remarks on senior year. The Portfolio Applicant "Audrey": Sophie Levy Heaving a sigh of relief, Sophie Levy '18 is counting down the days until her summer begins, feeling satisfied with her year. After having applied and been accepted via Early Decision to Barnard College with an art portfolio to supplement her file, Levy said she is confident that her college decision was the right one for her and believes making independent decisions during the process made all the difference. "Some people were really pressuring me to shoot for a different school than Barnard because [the other school] sounded more impressive," Levy said. "But I'm really glad I listened to myself in the end and applying Early Decision was absolutely worth it." Once she visited the school, Levy said her decision depended a lot on how current students feel about the the daily life at Barnard. "I wanted to be introduced to Barnard in a realistic manner, so I knew where I would really be spending the next few years," Levy said. "I didn't want to rely on the fantasy of a dream school. If you learn about the way your college really feels in a day-to-day manner and you still want to go there, it's a great sign." Levy's advice for students still completing their high school career? Keep a clear head through the challenges and uncertainty of school. "Surrounding yourself with people

and things you care about can make it a much more gratifying experience," Levy said. "Value this time of your life as a time to learn and grow as much as you can. Listen to, but also question, what you're taught, and do the same when you educate yourself independently. Put the critical thinking skills Harvard-Westlake teaches you to use." The Athletic Applicant "Nate": Paul Leclerc With a smile on his face, Paul Leclerc '18 said he can ﬁnally attest to the statement that "everything works out in the end." Leclerc applied and committed to his college of choice, Williams College, in the Early Decision round as a swimmer and categorizes his decision as one that was perfect for him. "I went into senior year with no idea whatsoever as to what college I liked and didn't, and going on recruiting trips and experiencing the schools helped me get a very clear idea of what school was my top choice," Leclerc said. "Without them, I think I wouldn't have been able to decide which I liked most and may have made a bad decision." One of the biggest tips that Leclerc has for athletes looking to be recruited is to give teachers notice of absences far in advance in order to avoid falling behind. Additionally, like Levy, he urges students to make choices that are entirely their own. "Don't let coaches bully you into making a decision before you've gone on all your trips or before you feel ready," Leclerc said. "And ask all the difﬁcult questions. Don't be afraid to ask the coaches and athletes questions that they might not have answers to but that would affect your choice." Starting essays and supplements before summer break is advice Leclerc offers to all underclassmen, which

helped him on his path to Williams College in the fall. "Really focus on finding a school that you love, not for the name, but for what it has to offer," Leclerc said. The Service Applicant "Jenna": Izzy Reiff Izzy Reiff '18 said she is feeling both grateful and extraordinarily excited for her journey into a service academy, beginning with cadet basic training in early July. Reiff looks forward to joining The United States Military Academy, also known as West Point, this summer. "This process was definitely the right one for me because I knew early on that I definitely wanted to go to an academy, rather than do something like ROTC," Reiff said. Her early knowledge of the academies played a key role in her admissions process, Reiff said. She said that since service academies in particular have lengthy applications and processes, proactive work is necessary. "If anyone thinks that they might even be interested in going to an academy, I would advise them to start doing their research as early as possible." However, this advice doesn't just apply to service academy applicants. Reiff suggests that all students do as much work on their applications as early as they can. "Whether it's deciding on where in or out of the country you want to be, on a big or small school or even essay writing, try to leave as little as possible for the last minute," Reiff said. Another helpful factor to Reiff's process was surrounding herself with people who care about her and reminding herself that all support is positive, whether it seems like it or not. "What helped me the most was the support I got from my family and

friends, even when they were scared or nervous for me because they knew it was what I wanted so badly for myself," Reiff said. The Audition Applicant "Christopher": Michael Gaven Michael Gaven '18 looks back at his college journey fondly, knowing that he wouldn't change anything about his application process. After spending the year working on his music, Gaven plans to attend the University of Colorado Boulder for the next four years. "I feel amazing now that the process is over, but I still had a lot of fun with it," Gaven said. "I think that I went through it very efficiently and definitely was rewarded for it." Gaven spent most of his winter and spring auditioning for multiple colleges and universities, both on tape and in person, and had not publicly announced his college decision until May 1. Given that a majority of work for audition applicants is due early in senior year, Gaven credits much of his success to getting an early start on music-related work. "I would advise anyone planning to [audition for their application] to start in the summer," Gaven said. "It makes everything so much easier when you have a good idea of where you want to apply and what you want to do." Aside from callbacks and other late auditions, the majority of supplemental work can be completed and submitted before the new year, which makes timing important in this particular process and makes it easy for applicants to complete their work early. "Starting early was a big factor in helping me get through it all because it helped me finish most of my process by Dec. 1," Gaven said. "That took a lot of stress off of my shoulders."

MAY 30, 2018

HWCHRONICLE.COM/FEATURES

Peace in Pieces By SOFIA HELLER

Students share their perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and explain the ways that their surroundings have influenced their opinions.

all and would rather they be dead,” Lisa said. “A lot Looking out over miles of of the press [coverage of green atop a mountain in the issue] here is really the Golan Heights while on one-sided.” Lisa said that she finds a family trip to Israel, Lisa* ’19 was surprised to see a media especially critical of harsh line in the distance Israel, which she attributes that abruptly separated to liberal tendencies. “I consider myself to be a rich greenery from miles of bare, arid land beyond liberal person and a Demoit. After talking to her tour crat, and most of my views guide, Lisa realized that align with [those of the] she was looking at the Is- Democratic Party,” Lisa raeli-Syrian border––the said. “However, something green side was Israel, and I’ve noticed is that in a lot of cases, liberals tend to want the barren side was Syria. Her tour guide explained to favor the underdog. Gaza that Israel had developed is often presented as the an advanced irrigation sys- underdog because they’re tem to make up for their not the established counlack of water, and they of- try. If you are only hearing fered to share this system the very surface level of with neighboring countries, news, which I think a lot including Syria, who re- of people do, you would be buffed the offer on princi- likely to sympathize with them without realple, Lisa said. izing that Hamas “The thing that wants to kill Jews really stuck out and wants Israel to at me about that not exist.” experience was Hamas is a Palthat Israel was estinian Islamic trying to improve group that won [Syrian] living elections in 2006 to conditions, but occupy the PalesSyria is rejecting ’ tinian National Auit just based off Dror thority in Gaza and of what Israel is,” Yaron calls for the dissoLisa said. lution of Israel. After learning of Israel’s Despite being the primaattempts to cooperate with neighboring countries, Lisa ry political group in Gaza, said that her visit helped Hamas is recognized by the shape her generally pro-Is- European Union as a terrael stance today in the Is- rorist group. In reference to recent raeli-Palestinian conflict. “When I was in Israel, I protests on the Gaza bortalked to people who made der, Middle East Studies me realize that Israel is re- teacher Dror Yaron said he ally trying,” Lisa said. “I’ve agrees with Lisa that the heard people’s experienc- media does not portray the es of Palestinian suicide conflict accurately. “I don’t like the fact that bombers in pizza shops, killing civilians. I learned the media has been coma lot about Israel’s defense plicit in calling these prosystem and how Israel is tests peaceful, when in fact really based on defense there have been many atrather than offense, in try- tempts, not only to breach ing to protect their own the border, but to do so viborders and protect them- olently,” Yaron said. “We’re selves, rather than trying not just talking about Moloto go out of the way to kill tov cocktails, we’re talking about sporadic shooting, other people.” After her experiences [improvised explosive dein Israel, Lisa said she felt vicebombs], weapons from that many people did not machetes to knives and have proper context when chants to kill Jews.” He also said he believes forming their opinions on that this negligence by the the issue. “Israel is not perfect, but media sends a message to in general what they’re do- Hamas that their violent ing is because they have actions against Israelis these neighbors who would were successful. “The West has sucked rather they not exist at WHITE S

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up a narrative, an image and symbolism, which is profoundly misguided,” Yaron said. “This is what Hamas wanted. They wanted a public relations victory. [The media] is giving a public relations victory to terrorists, and it’s only going to inspire them to precipitate and exacerbate something that works.” In contrast to Lisa and Yaron’s belief that the media fails to contextualize events in the region with the fact that Hamas is recognized as a terrorist group, Adam* ’19, who identiﬁes as Pro-Palestinian, said he feels the media emphasizes this fact too much. “I’m personally against Hamas, but I think that the media tends to only cover when Hamas attacks,” Adam said. “When Israel launches missiles, occupies land or blows up hospitals or schools, we don’t really hear about that. I think that the Jewish people deserve a homeland, but I disagree with [not seeing the whole picture] with what’s happening between Israel and Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip.” When Adam formulates his stance on events that occur within Israeli or Palestinian territory, he said he makes sure to do his research before solidifying an opinion. “Whenever a headline comes about what happened within Israel and Palestine, I’m not quick to judge,” Adam said. Overall, Adam said no one event has deﬁned his opinion on the issue, and he believes that everyone should continuously evaluate situations that may erupt. Similarly, Sophie Levy ’18 said she tends to be more critical of Israel and supportive of the Palestinian cause but makes sure to consider both sides of the issue. Growing up in a strongly pro-Israel environment, Levy said it wasn’t until she became a teenager that she realized she wanted to revisit the Israeli-Palestinian issue. After that point, Levy made the decision to educate herself on current and past events that relate

to the conflict in addition In the wake of Barnard’s to reading a wide range of divestment from Israel, sources to avoid excessive Sanders said she finds that bias, she said. the student body does not “I believe that Jews, Pal- inform themselves when estinians and other smaller forming an opinion on the populations in that region issue, but instead sides all have valid claims to the with what they believe to be land and that the develop- liberal ideologies. ment of a pluralistic society This blind dedication to should be our goal,” Levy anti-Zionist movements on said “I strongly prioritize campus also spreads anfair criticism and approach ti-semitism, she said. the whole situation from “People claim anti-Ziona post-colonial, analytical ism and anti-semitism are perspective, because it re- separate, but most of the ally can’t be distilled to a time, that’s not the case,” black and white conflict.” Sanders said. “Anti-zionism Next year, Levy will at- serves as the perfect vehicle tend Barnard College, for anti-semitism’s spreadwhich has recently divested ing and a great cover.” from Israel, meaning that Sanders said she bethey have pulled out any lieves in an Israeli homeinvestments or business land, in part, because she they had in the country. believes Israel is a relatively The student body voted positive force in the region. to divest “Israas a sign el proof protest vides aid I believe that Jews, against that the Palestinians and other what they Palestinsmaller populations in that perceive ian govto be Isernment region all have valid claims raeli ocdoesn’t to the land and that the cupation, provide development of a pluralistic to its ciw h i c h Levy said vilians,” society should be our goal.” she agrees S a n d —Sophie Levy ’18 ers said. with on principle. “PalesIn coltinian oflege, Levy said she plans to ficials are horrible to their continue researching the civilians. The Palestinians Israeli-Palestinian issue in deserve better than that. an academic setting and Most are innocent peohopes to get involved with ple. Additionally, Israel is Jewish anti-occupation or- also by far the most liberal ganizations. country in the Middle East. Sylvie Sanders ’17 cur- Women’s rights are taken rently attends Barnard and very seriously there and so was involved in efforts to many medical and technostop the divestment and logical advances arise from continues to participate in Israel. It really is a powerAryeh, a pro-two state, or house.” Israeli support club that Ultimately, Sanders said argues against anti-occu- she acknowledges that the pation organizations on issue is contentious and campus. believes in the right of both Sanders’ involvement in states to exist. the conversations about the Adam also said that the Israel-Palestinian conflict issue is too complex for one began after she received an event to shape an opinion. anti-semitic remark at col- He said he believes both lege, she said. views are valid and deserve “It was my first personal to be heard. exposure to antisemitism,” “This is an issue that Sanders said. “Throughout you have to look at [from] the school year, I felt less many perspectives,” Adam and less safe being a Jew- said. “We should value the ish student at Barnard. I two views equally and conhad never really connected sider what both sides are with my Jewishness. I’m an saying.” atheist, but this has been a wake-up call.” *Names have been changed.

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SOFIA HELLER

B8 FEATURES

THE CHRONICLE

An Affinity for Diversity By JENNY LI

sion and Coordinator of DEI, respectively. “A lot of efforts with reRob* ’20 stared at the screen in front of him in spect to diversity, equity shock. A moment earlier, and inclusion [last year] he had been watching his had been the jobs of people friend’s video game lives- based on what they’re intertream when someone under ested in and what they’re an anonymous username passionate about,” Jones said. “I truly believe that evappeared on the chat. “WE ARE THE KLU erybody wants to do better, KLUX KLAN AND WE HATE but everybody doesn’t have N*****S AND F******S AND time to do better because it wasn’t any one person’s job. JEWSS,” the user wrote. It took all he had to calm No one person had the job of himself down, Rob said. The making sure that we are dinext day, he and his friends verse, that we are equitable chose to tell the administra- and that we are inclusive.” In this position, Jones tion about the incident (more said she now has the opon page A1). “As a black student, I’m portunity to use her own not going to allow some- experiences to focus on DEI one who’s not black say issues and act as a leveling the [n-word, using] it like force between many of the it didn’t have meaning,” tensions addressed by the Rob said. “Language like climate assessment. “My mother grew that is negative up in the segreand hurtful. I gated South with know the history whites-only and of my ancestors coloreds-only bathand the struggles rooms,” Jones said. they went through “I didn’t grow up like while being rethat, and my kids ferred to as the are also generationword, and many ally removed. We are black people are ’ an old and a new still called it toLucy school at the same day.” Kim ’19 time. When we talk This incident came more than a year af- about current events and ter controversies erupted life issues, [different] age regarding racial and ho- groups have a different spin mophobic slurs on social on things. As someone who media by students and has is somewhat in the middle of become a part of the larger these generations, I see both conversation regarding di- sides of it, and I’d love for versity, equity and inclusion us to be able to bridge that on campus. Of the 363 re- gap.” One of the most pressing spondents to a Chronicle poll, 61 percent of students issues reported by the clisaid that they have wit- mate assessment was the nessed or experienced some school’s lack of professionform of discrimination as a al development regarding diversity, equity and incluHarvard-Westlake student. Last school year, con- sion, Jones said. To address sultant group HR Matrix this issue, Cardin has led released the Diversity, Eq- monthly “Brown Box Lunchuity and Inclusion Climate es” with faculty members Assessment, which report- focused on a certain theme, ed the largest social issues such as LGBTQ rights, the on campus based on con- model minority myth and versations with members of faculty-student tensions. Tackling both this abthe community. In response to the report, Associate Di- sence of faculty training and rector of Admission Janine the tensions between camJones (Taylor ’18, Avery ’23) puses, Jones has led 15 deand Upper School science partment-level training sesteacher Nate Cardin took on sions so far about implicit the positions of Director of bias in the classroom. AddiDiversity, Equity and Inclu- tionally, the department has WHITE S

been promoting conversation about increasing inclusion within the school curriculum, by departing from the Eurocentric focus on history to including greater representation in English literature, Jones said. “Usually the first time [African-American students] see themselves, in the context of history, is as a slave,” Jones said. “A child can’t be what a child can’t see. Whether we recognize it or not, [we] are internalizing that maybe [we are] not as valued or valuable because we’re not reading of authors of African-American descent, we’re not reading female authors or we’re not reading people who are from the LGBTQ identity.” Asian Students in Action founder and leader Lucy Kim ’19 said the lacking representation as an Asian-American in the school community and growing discussions about diversity and inclusivity impelled her to found the affinity group this year. “[Not having an Asian-American affinity group before ASiA] seemed to reflect my observation that Asian-Americans are often the overlooked minority in America, a product of both our relative indifference and the model minority stereotype that ‘rewards’ such indifference,” Kim said. “ASiA, to me, provides not just a space for other students to explore and celebrate their heritage on campus, but also grants us a unified voice colored by our unique experiences as Asian-Americans.” To reinforce this sort of representation, Kim hosted the school’s first Multicultural Fair this year to celebrate the distinct cultures within the school community, she said. “It provided a space that promoted unity not just between affinity groups, but between individual members of the community as well,” Kim said. “I personally feel like my voice is being listened to, not just heard, and it’s gratifying that we could organize something like the Multicultural Fair and have

MAY. 30,, 2018 Members of the community discuss the progress the school has made this year in response to the DEI Climate Assessment

such a widely posi- it. After you do that work, tive response from both stu- you then have to really prodents and faculty.” vide more opportunities for Similarly, Jones hosted there to be real community the first annual Pollyan- connections across differna Conference in the West ences. You wouldn’t say or Coast at the Middle School, do those things to friends or which invited school repre- people who you care about.” sentatives ranging from adTo have these sort of conministration to students to versations, representatives discuss race and privilege, from all facets of the school, as well as develop action ranging from affinity groups plans for the coming year. to athletic teams to faculty Having these sort of members, have met togethmeaningful interactions er regularly to discuss ways built on trust are fundamen- to facilitate a more productal to cultivating a truly in- tive and accommodating clusive and productive com- learning environment, Black munity, Domonic Rollins, Leadership Awareness and Senior Diversity and Inclu- Culture Club Taylor Redsion Officer at the Harvard mond ’18 said. Graduate School of EducaThese sort of meetings tion, said. The majority of create a uniting force bestudents agree: 59 percent tween the groups, Jones of the 360 respondents said said. efforts like the Multicultur“It’s about the intersecal Fair and Pollyanna have tion of those groups, knowbeen effecing that even if tive. you’re a mem“Part of ber of [GenUsually the first my own der-Sexuality time [African-American philosophy Awareness], or on it is that students] see themselves, La Femme, or we have or BLACC in the context of history, ASiA not as a soand [Latin is as a slave.” ciety realAmerican and ly learned Stu—Janine Jones Hispanic how to be dent OrganiDirector of DEI zation], you’re together across difall in this toferences,” Rollins said. “I gether,” Jones said. “It’s like believe thatpeople have been bringing down the silos in socialized and learn not to those groups, even though trust people who are differ- that wasn’t identified in the ent from them, whether they climate assessment so that were explicitly told this or they can all be together. I implicitly told this. If there’s think that’s kind of the first no trust, how can we be a step for me, that our groups part of a community.” are strong.” By taking action, commuHowever, Jones said there nities can effectively work is still much to be done. Sixagainst discrimination, such ty-seven percent of 360 reas what Rob experienced. spondents said the school can “Today, we have so much do more to be more diverse, of what I call ‘joking content’ inclusive and equitable. and ‘joking matter’ espe“I see this as just the cially in the school setting,” beginning of our converRollins said. “Their entire sations,” Jones said. “This day outside of the class- work is nuanced. The whole room could just be ‘one big community must continue joke’ with this sense of lev- to educate themselves, and ity where we don’t actually we have to be thoughtful and understand what the impact intentional. We really need of our actions are on other to figure out how to have people. What we know to difficult conversations, even be a racial slur, by virtue of when the rest of the world what the word itself is, may hasn’t. Each and every one of not be understood to have us needs to commit to that.” that kind of impact by the person who’s said it or done *Names have been changed.

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Pictured: Leaders of Black Leadership Awareness and Culture Club, Asian Students in Action, Gender and Sexuality Awareness, Middle-Eastern Students Association, Latin American and Hispanic Student Association and La Femme PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JENNY KO LI ILLUSTRATION BY SAMANTHA

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The Chronicle • May 30, 2018

Loud and Proud Members of the slam poetry team, My Word!, participated in the largest youth classic poetry festival in the world, Classic Slam. By JORDAN MURRAY Sakura Price ’18 had always felt frightened by slam poetry. She felt that she would never be able to express herself in a way that was as powerful as the spoken word performances she had seen. However, once she watched poet Sarah Kay perform, Price realized she could still get her message across in a more soft-spoken way. “[The slam poetry] I’d always encountered had always been really expressive, oftentimes angry and sad and powerful, but nothing that I felt capable of writing and performing while maintaining the integrity of my own poetic voice,” Price said. “I realized that I didn’t need to emulate what I’d seen before but that I could turn my own page poetry into slam.” The slam poetry team, My Word!, is a group of students selected from the Poetry Club to compete and perform at slam festivals in Los Angeles. Slam poetry is a form of performance poetry that combines the elements of writing, competition and audience

participation, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. “I think slam is a really great opportunity for people to express themselves in ways that they are usually not able to,” My Word! member Shana Brindze ’19 said. “People who usually don’t really see the point of poetry might find some meaning in it here.” My Word! competed in the Classic Slam, the biggest poetry competition in the world, April 26. Participants must perform a classic poem, a poem chosen from a packet that the organization sends out and one of their own responses. The poets have the option to perform individually or as a group in each of the three rounds. In the past three years, the team have gotten to finals once, where they placed fourth, and to semifinals twice. Last year, the team placed first in quarterfinals and third in semifinals. In this year’s competition, My Word! placed first in the quarterfinals round and fifth in the semifinals. Brindze said that while everyone on the team seemed to be happy with how they finished, she was not.

“I know a lot of people on the team are happy, but I’m a little disappointed with how we’ve done,” Brindze said. “I know there are many schools and talented poets competing, and getting as far as we did is impressive on its own, but I feel like we can do better. I know Harvard-Westlake has gone to ﬁnals in the past, and I really want to get there again before I graduate.” Although she was dissatisﬁed with their performance, she praised the very encouraging atmosphere of the competition. “Slam poetry is something very important to me,” Brindze said. “I’ve been writing poetry almost my whole life, but actually performing the poetry gives it a whole different tone. People in the club know that I like to put a lot of rhymes and rhythm in my poems, and I don’t think that’s something you can ever really get across with written poetry. It’s a way for me to express myself.”

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SAMANTHA KO

C2 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE CHRONICLE

MAY 30, 2018

Written in the Stars The school’s literary arts magazines offer students an opportunity to explore different perspectives through literary and visual artwork.

By SABA NIA When Caity Baskin ’19 turned in her first creative writing assignment in English, she said she watched her third grade teacher’s face in bated breath. She had spent the last few days toiling over her characters and plot, and the deciding moment had arrived. As she saw her English teacher’s face light up, she said she knew she should pursue her passion. Seven years later, when Baskin first received her class schedule in August, she said she was worried about managing her time as a new sophomore. More troubling, however, was Baskin’s concern that she would no longer have enough opportunities or enough time to write. But then she discovered Stone-cutters. “We have pretty well established visual art departments and performing arts departments, but there’s not a lot for the literary arts,” Baskin, who serves as Stone-cutters’ Assistant Literary Editor, said. “Obviously Stone-cutters meshes literary and visual [art], but it’s an outlook for creative literary art that’s seen only around campus in the creative writing class. And since people want to take lots of different electives, not everyone can fit creative writing into their schedule. This is a club that provides similar services and also an opportunity for leadership and organization of publications.” Like Baskin, Zane Grenoble ’19 said he struggled with the dilemma of pursuing his creative interests when he made the transition to the Upper School. Grenoble first became interested in journalism after serving as photo editor of “The Spectrum” in ninth grade, and Babel allowed him to continue contributing to a publication in spite of his heavy course load.

“Because I wanted to continue taking both Spanish and Chinese, I had to drop journalism from my schedule,” Grenoble said. “Babel has allowed me to pursue my interests in both languages and journalism despite my busy course schedule.” Editors of Babel, the school’s foreign language magazine, and Stone-cutters, the school’s literary and art magazine, said the publications allow students to share perspectives that they would otherwise not be able to at school. “A lot of the time students and speakers of a particular language don’t have a place outside of the home or classroom to apply their knowledge and linguistic talents,” Babel Editor-in-Chief Jake Robbins ’18 said. “Moreover, students of many backgrounds don’t always get to share their culture with the student body. Having a creative outlet for foreign language and culture encourages students to strive for ﬂuency and share their perspective and their knowledge with the school through a new medium. Not only does this empower the students who contribute to Babel, but it also makes the student body more knowledgeable of the world at large.” Besides providing students with a medium through which they can voice their ideas, Stone-cutters Senior Visual Arts Editor Sarah Conway ’18 said that these magazines enrich the school by showcasing students’ creativity. “Even though it’s a magazine that comes out once a year, the website really pushes it forward,” Conway said. “I think that the more submissions we get, the more art and work we can show, so it would be really cool if we could get more pieces to be submitted next year. I love it and I think it’s a great way for students to show off their artwork. It’s all amazing and they all deserve to be shown and appreciated by this community.” In addition to having a creative outlet, members of the Babel staff also said they appreciate the bonds they have created with other magazine contributors. “For me, [Babel] was important because I could ﬁnd a community that I didn’t know existed before, and it’s nice knowing that there are other people who share similar interests and can increase my interest in that subject as well,” Babel staff member Justin Spitz ’20 said. The school offers a range of language courses students can take, from Spanish, French,

Chinese and Latin to upper school electives such as German and Italian. Because of the breadth of the student body, however, some students can communicate in more languages than those offered at the school. Babel Editor-in-Chief Zohar Levy ’18 said that Babel speciﬁcally crafted its magazine this year with the intention of shedding light on the languages not taught at the school, including the Mayan language K’iche’ and Japanese. “The magazine allows students to connect to other cultures and backgrounds as it encourages us to really understand the broad spectrum of cultures that exist on campus,” Levy said. “Every year on Babel, we receive submissions in languages that we had no idea existed in our community. The magazine encourages us to seek out our peers whose cultures may be very similar or very different than our own. Most importantly, we connect best as a school community when we celebrate each other.” Similarly, Stone-cutters sought to highlight the creative work of more members of the school community by hosting its ﬁrst ever Stone-cutters Coffeehouse at the magazine’s launch, Conway said. Because Babel and Stone-cutters’ work aligns with the school’s mission to promote diversity and inclusivity, Robbins said that the school should continue to support the publications and their staffs’ endeavors. “It brings various cultural perspectives and traditions to our student body, which helps us develop a greater understanding of the world beyond our Harvard-Westlake bubble.” Robbins said.

ILLUSTRATION BY SAM KO AND CATY SZETO

MAY 30, 2018

HWCHRONICLE.COM/AE

C-Pop to the Top By ALEXANDRA SO

C-Pop it and Lock it: Three members of the Class of 2018 filmed a music video to a pop song for a Chinese class assignment and later created a C-pop group.

seventh period and even used the dance room one or twice to work on being in sync,” Liang said. “By the time we got on stage, we were all slightly nervous but almost everyone in the Chinese classes knew about us and started cheering as we walked on.” Students were familiar with the music videos of the TF Teens because of their original class project for Chinese class. However, they wanted to extend their scope beyond the classroom. They named themselves after The Fighting Boys (TFBoys), a Chinese boy band, and added in dancing and performing to their regime. They found inspiration from the TFBoys in addition to other various C-pop and K-pop groups, such as Twice, a South Korean girl group. “Twice is our biggest inspiration for our music videos,” Wang said. “I didn’t like K-pop, but then I listened to them, and then I liked it.” They have performed

Nervous about their ﬁrst live performance in front of a crowd at the Chinese Culture Club’s Chinese New Year Luncheon, the newly-founded Chinese-pop group TF Teens found comfort in the crowd’s support. “Once we really started dancing, the crowd started really cheering and I think the three of us on stage loosened up at that point,” TF Teens member Alex Liang ’18 said. “We had practiced enough that we more or less went on autopilot and just let our bodies go through the motions they remembered. And at the end of the performance, we were proud, not because we were fantastic dancers but because we, three guys who had never danced before, got up on stage, put on a decent performance, and made the crowd enjoy themselves.” The musical group, consisting of Liang, Michael Wang ’18 and Anthony Navarro ’18, create music videos, perform to Chinese pop songs and translate K-pop songs. They performed live for the ﬁrst time at the Chinese New Year Luncheon, which Chinese Culture Club members and students who take Chinese at school attended. “We started practicing every day

The Final Countdown 1

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CROSSWORD BY NATE CARDIN

Across 1. *Movie awarded the Oscar for Best Sound and Best Cinematography in 1980 6. Mickey Mouse’s canine pal 11.Nation bordering Oman: abbr. 14. Skin dye used in many Indian ceremonies 15. *Stooge who replaced Shemp

said. “Filming them and seeing their ﬁnished products is always rewarding and entertaining. I’m glad they have the opportunity to do this, and I hope they continue this after they graduate. I love them all very much and I’m so lucky to be a part of their journey.”

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ALEX LIANG PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH LEE

21 23

and created music videos for “The Manual of Youth” and “Adore” by TFBoys, as well as “What is Love?” by Twice. “I’ve been a fan, friend, and helper of the TF Teens since their beginning,” Jaz Choi ’19

Science teacher Nate Cardin created a crossword puzzle to celebrate the the start of summer. Below are instructions on how to win a prize for solving the crossword puzzle.

A&E C3

16. Mobile network: abbr. (not 4G) 17. New Orleans celebration _____ Gras 18. Donkeys 19. * Number of the Amendment to the US Constitution that established the Electoral College 20. * Fleshy structure hanging at the back of the throat 22. Animals under attack by

predators 23. Comeback in the movie “Clueless” 24. Long, heroic, epic story 26. What gymnasts might balance on 29. One trilogy to rule them all: abbr. 32. * Noble gas that makes up 0.9% of the Earth’s atmosphere 35. Rice or Frank

36. Louisianan of French descent, perhaps 38. Opposite of WSW on a compass 39. Agency tasked with approving new medical devices and ensuring the safety of what we eat: abbr. 40. * Africa’s oldest republic 41. Teachers union with nearly 3 mil. members 42. _____ of war 43. Odd? 44. Russian ruler, once 45. * Month named after a Roman spring cleaning festival 47. Super uncommon 48. Features on the edges of a dress 49. Common tissues torn in athletes’ knees 51. Shock a British person? 53. Honorific for a female-identified British person 55. * Winner of the 2013 Barclays golf tournament 61. * Computer company founded by Rod Canion, Jim Harris, and Bill Murto 62. Colorful flower part 63. Not Bert 64. Bring action against in court 65. * Author of “Life on the Mississippi” 66. Cleanse from drugs 67. HPV or HIV 68. Bonnie’s partner 69. * Atlanta college with a jaguar mascot Down 1. “Alas! What will I do?” 2. Jump of faith 3. Letters on the top of a famous cross, according to the Bible 4. Last few moves in a chess match, perhaps 5. Chalkboard enemy 6. Genre of Super Mario or Super Meat Boy (so named because the characters jump from floor to floor) 7. Foot race position with no one behind

8. Bear-like: prefix 9. Long lock of hair 10. Cries of a rabbi, maybe 11. Characteristic of osmium or iridium, especially as compared to hydrogen or helium 12. Fit to _____ 13. Not meeny or moe 21. Something (other than a heart) the Tinman could have benefited from 22. Organization whose members include 55-Across, for one 25. Length times width, for a parallelogram 26. Award equivalent to the Oscar in the UK 27. “How did we _____ here?” 28. Like Evita with respect to 30-Down 30. Hebrew word for “word” also used to describe Noah’s Ark (see the clue for 28-Down for help) 31. Commander of the Confederate Army 33. Bedtime for those up studying late, maybe 34. Gets closer to 37. Like the trend for a graph of y = mx + b 40. Valueless 44. Mathematical proposition 46. Solid water 50. Iron alloy frequently used in buildings 52. Alexander Skarsgård or Alicia Vikander, based on their nationality 53. Rap track type, in response to a rival’s negativity 54. Border 56. Hit 1999 Macy Gray single that I can never get out of my head once it’s in there (or phrase often said to teachers) 57. Insectoid species in Star Wars (or the first four letters of the main wizard character in 29-A) 58. Suspicious of 59. Luxury perfume brand 60. What Justin Timberlake brought back, allegedly 62. Polymer often used in plastic pipes

How to win the Crossword Solver Prize: Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4:

Solve this crossword puzzle as you normally would. Take another look at the answers to the * clues…something’s not quite right about those! Make a list of what the answers to the * clues should have been. You might need to do some quick research. Look at the first letter of each original answer to the * clues…and the first letter of what each * answer should have been. Step 5: Contact Dr. Cardin at ncardin@hw.com when you’ve figured out the secret words. Thanks for solving my puzzles this year!

Scan for answers!

C4 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE CHRONICLE

MAY 30, 2018

Play on Words Students acted in the annual Playwrights Festival May 25-27, the last festival performing arts teacher Christopher Moore will produce during his tenure at the school.

From left to right, top to bottom: “Miscalculations” by Ryan Stanford ’19, “A Bridge Between Us” by Andrea Yagher ’20, “Penuel” by Savannah Weinstock ’18, “Love(ly)” by Michael Lehroff ’20, “Interview” by Chronicle Presentation Editor Kitty Luo ’18, “Like the World is Going to End” by Sonya Ribner ’19, “Lift Every Voice” by Samantha Lingard ’19, “Sunset Through a Lens” by Eli Timoner ’18, “Alex is (Not) Dead” by Sophie Kim ’19, “Maps” by Chronicle Layout Assistant and Staff Writer Zoe Redlich ’20, “Miscalculations,” “In the Same Boat” by Charlie Kogen ’19, “1:59” by Jarett Malouf ’18, “Fishbowl” by Annie Wendorf ’19.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH LEE, CATY SZETO AND PAVAN TAUH

Sports The Chronicle • May 30, 2018

Track & Field

Cheerleading

Team to transition to dance By Will Mallory

RYAN KIM/CHRONICLE

MAD MAZDISNIAN: Keon Mazdisnian ’19 sprints in the 1600-meter race in the schools first 75-54 win over the Loyola Cubs, a team with upwards of 100 members. With this win, the Wolverines secured the first-ever Mission League title in school history.

Runners overachieve in historic season

By Lucas Gelfond

Against odds and disadvantages, the track and field team exceeded expectations and dominated in season. The team was notable for breaking school records, qualifying members for CIF and notching third place for the girls and first for the boys in CIF. The team was younger than many of its competitors, making it more challenging to win meets. The group was relatively inexperienced, and several runners were taken out of the lineup due to injuries. After setting several school records and fielding an unusually strong girls’ team, Track and Field Program Head Jonas Koolsbergen said he was pleased with the season. “We did so much more than anyone would’ve ever anticipated,” Koolsbergen said. “It was just a group that was

young and...inexperienced at the highest level. We weren’t sure that we were ready for those kinds of results, those kind of achievements. The feeling was that we’re really a year, two years away. The best phrase I can use to describe the girls’ program right now is that we’re just tremendously ahead of schedule.” In addition to a remarkably strong overall performance, the team had numerous standout members who notched impressive season records. Junior standout Brayden Borquez ’19 qualified for four separate events in CIF, a feat practically unheard of in the sport. “[Borquez] is super competitive,” team captain London Alexander ’18 said. “He is the warm up warrior. He always has to win in all the drills, he’s always rushing us. He’s super funny. Even though he’s really good, he’s not obnoxious

about it. He’s a big jokester.” looking at videos, doing drills, Joshua Johnson ’19 is seeing what I could do to get also a standout on the team, the next inch in pole vault.” breaking the school record in Seireeni credited Koolsthe 100-meter. bergen with encouraging the Koolsbergen menteam and promoting tioned him as a poits success in season. tential leader in the “Coach will do coming year. anything it takes that Team captain he can do to get us in Tiber Seireeni ’18, competitive shape,” who took 10th at Seireeni said. “He’ll state last year, is curdo anything. He takes rently top five in the everyone’s problems state for pole vault, into consideration. W ’ with a 16’2” personal He’s very considerate Tiber record. of everybody and I’d Seireeni ’18 “[Seireeni] is defisay he really makes nitely someone that sure that people can people look up to because they do what they need to do in orknow how good he is and how der to succeed.” hard he works,” team captain In addition to helping playMason Rodriguez ’18 said. ers in season, Koolsbergen exSeireeni said he trained ex- perimented with the way the tensively over the summer and team trained this year, includduring the year. ing by moving the start of the “I was addicted to the sport, season earlier. pretty much,” Seireeni said. “I would spend hours and hours • Continued on D6 hite s

Starting next year, HW Cheer will transition into HW Spirit, a new program without stunts that solely focuses on dances. After the shift, the team will be able to concentrate on dance routines without worrying about stunting injuries. Squad member Ammorette Marcus ’20 said she is enthusiastic about the adjustment because she thinks it will allow her to improve her dancing skills. “I’m excited for the change,” Marcus said. “It will be better to focus more on the dancing, as I personally enjoy dancing more.” After a few injuries over the last couple years, Rachel Grode ’19 said she hopes the elimination of stunts will increase the group’s safety and prevent future injuries. “As a team, we have had so many injuries related to stunting, so eliminating it will definitely help because safety is always first,” Grode said. “Our dances have always been the main point of focus, so now that we get to devote more energy to them, they will only be better.” The name change suggests a shift back to old traditions, as HW Spirit was the team’s original name until they switched to HW Cheer. Although Grode said she feels like the name switch is beneficial in establishing a fresh start, the team’s identity and work ethic is what matters most. “Regardless of the team name or tasks, every member of the team is going to continue working just as hard as if there weren’t any changes,” Grode said. “However, now that we do have the changes, it brings a new experience to the team and I’m really excited to see how it all goes.”

Baseball

League champs out in CIF first round

By Ryan Albert

The boys’ baseball team exited CIF playoffs in the first round May 18 after being the first Mission League team to finish with an undefeated 18-0 record in 17 years. The Wolverines swept all of their Mission League series, and had a 16-game winning streak going into CIF playoffs. Although players said some of the games that seemed like blowouts could have gone either way, the team improved from its 25-5-3 overall record. As the No. 1 seed from the Mission League, the Wolver-

ines were the favorites over the Valencia Vikings, who finished third in the Foothill League. The squad was ranked eighth in the state of California and Valencia was ranked 178th. The final score in the first round of CIF was a 8-4 loss to Valencia. The Vikings leaped ahead in the first inning with four runs, and the Wolverines struggled to keep up for the rest of the game. In spite of Valencia’s early 6-0 lead, center fielder RJ Schreck ’18 said the team committed to its training, did not • Continued on D3

RYAN ALBERT/CHRONICLE

PISTOL PETE: Pete Crow-Armstrong ’20 rounds the base in a 4-2 victory over Chaminade on April 11 at O’Malley Field. The Wolverines finished with an 18-0 undefeated league record.

D2 Sports

The Chronicle

May 30, 2018

Boys’ Tennis

Players uphold winning tradition • Continued from page A1

Ojai Tournament on April 28, Li and Pritzker won first overall in character and forced them to doubles play. strengthen their bonds with As the season progressed, each other. the players strengthened their “It was actually after we lost bonds and prepared for the to [Irvine] that I knew we could fight ahead. win the whole thing,” Pritzker The Wolverines advanced said. “I saw the team come to the CIF Playoffs, defeating together and knew we had the Diamond Bar 16-2 in the first capability to beat anyone if we round, and continued their played in our element.” success with commanding After the loss, the Wolverines victories over Beckman, went on an 19-game win streak Woodbridge and Mira Costa to to solidify their spot set up the final with as one of the best Peninsula on May 18. teams in Southern Despite the lopsided California. scores, Cooperstein The squad said that the path to destroyed league glory wasn’t as easy as rivals Loyola, it looked. Notre Dame and “It wasn’t an Chaminade, finishing easy road at all,” with a staggering Cooperstein said. W ’ 18-0 victory over St. “There were a few Jarett Francis before Spring matches against teams Malouf ’18 Break. like Woodbridge, The team extended its league University Irvine and Mira win streak to 198 games, Costa that could have gone eclipsing the state record with either way.” its last league defeat dating The squad also struggled back to 1999. with a few injuries, as Lee and The Wolverines also Pritzker were sidelined for a succeeded in tournament couple weeks before playoffs. play, placing second in the AllMalouf said that the American National Tournament championship served as on March 24 after a 6-3 fall motivation during the long in the final to the top-seeded season. Menlo-Atherton team. In the “Everyone was getting a little hite s

Swimming & Diving

PAVAN TAUH/CHRONICLE

MAGIC MIKE: Michael Thomas ’20 swings against St. Francis in a 16-2 win. The win upheld the 195-

game league win streak under Boys’ Tennis Program Head Chris Simpson, ending with a 10-0 record. physically ill by the end of the season, but the finish line was so close that no one really chose to stop and recover before we clinched,” Malouf said. When it came down to it, the Wolverines brought their best tennis against the Panthers in the Finals. Their 13-5 victory solidified their spot in school history. “For now, we are going to enjoy the win,” Arkow said. “But our goal for next year is to

the Regional Championship and ending any hopes of redemption for the Panthers. The team clearly has a bright future but will dearly miss this year’s seniors after such a successful season. “The seniors saved their best tennis for the playoffs,” Program Head Chris Simpson said. “This team is a tight knit group who care about one another, and it was a privilege working with them.”

Young swimmers propel team

By Ryan Kim and Luke Casola

RYAN KIM/CHRONICLE

FISH IN WATER: Adam Copses ’20 swims butterfly in a dominant 134-49 victory against Saugus High School on April 13. ADVERTISEMENTS

three-peat.” The Wolverines continued to regionals where they continued their success, defeating Bishop’s School 6-1 in the first round May 24. The squad then advanced to the CIF Semifinals May 25 and beat University Irvine 5-2, avenging their single loss to the Trojans in February. In the finals, the Wolverines emerged victorious in one final matchup against Peninsula, beating the team 4-3, securing

The girls’ swim and dive team won its third straight Mission League title, finishing the season with an undefeated overall record, while the boys’ team ended its season with a 6-1 overall record. At the Mission League Finals on April 24, the boys’ team finished second, with 565 points behind Loyola’s 733 points. The girls’ team finished first with 704 points to win its third straight league championship. “Winning the Mission League is always the goal that we have for the season, and winning as a freshman last year was incredible, so to win again was a great experience,” swimmer Eve Hookstratten ’20 said. For the girls, Angelica Sih ’20 and Hookstratten both finished with 48 points at the

meet. Sih broke the school record for the girls’ 100-yard backstroke with a time of 57.02 seconds. For the boys, Paul Leclerc ’18 led the team in points at the meet with 45, and Jameson McMullen ’19 finished with 40. Leclerc, McMullen, Adam Copses ’20 and Taka Khoo ’20 together broke the school record for boys 200-yard medley with a time of 1:34.13. “There were a few things that were indicative of how well we did this season,” Leclerc said. “We broke, I think, eight of the 11 possible school records this season, including all three of the relays. This means that we were the fastest boys team in the history of the school in almost every event. Furthermore, we placed the highest we’ve ever placed at Division I CIFs and had the first ever top ten finish in the school history at CIFs.”

Leclerc, Marcus Leher ’18, Louis Peng ’18 and Chronicle Sports Editor Matthew Yam ’18 were the only four seniors between both the boys and girls swimming teams this year. “Not having any senior girls this year was kind of weird to be honest, but the four senior boys we had really stepped up and led the team,” Hookstratten said. “From cheering at the dual meets to hyping everyone up for league meets, they did an amazing job and will definitely be missed for everything they brought to the team.” Will Rains ’19 and Cypress Toomey ’19 both won the Mission League Springboard Diving Champions on April 24. Rains finished with a total of 504.50 points and Toomey finished with 330.5 points. On May 8, Rains won the CIF Division I diving title.

hwchronicle.com/sports

May 30 , 2018

Sports D3

Baseball

Seniors keep team undefeated in league • Continued from D1

RYAN ALBERT/CHRONICLE

BIG WINNERS: Center fielder RJ Schreck ’18 hits a grounder against Chaminade on April 11. The team finished 18-0 in league.

panic and almost made the comeback. He recognized that there were dozens of missed opportunities that the team was not able to capitalize on and that sometimes games are not reflective of the work and skill of the team. “Sometimes the best hitter, the best pitcher, the best fielder, or the most clutch player just has an off day,” Schreck said. “The amount of things that had to go wrong for us to lose that game was huge, and they all did. We did things that game that we hadn’t done all season.” After a record-breaking league season, the outcome of the game was disheartening, for the 13 seniors on the team, Head Coach Jared Halpert said. “This group made great sacrifices and honored their school, families and program

to the best of their abilities,” Halpert said. “Valencia played a great baseball game, and they should be recognized for it.” Compared to last year’s performance, players triumphed against old rivals to assert dominance during league play. Last season, the squad won only two games of the three in the series against Alemany and Chaminade and only one out of three against Notre Dame and Loyola. The successes on the field that led to undefeated league victory were the result of a dynamic play and cohesive teamwork, first baseman Calvin Koo ’18 said. “Because we all go through this journey together, [my teammates] and I don’t play for ourselves, but we play for each other,” he said. “This is the bond that the baseball program forges, and I will never forget the memories made while being part of this program.”

Track and Field

Athletes achieve top ranks in CIF playoffs • Continued from D1

“[Koolsbergen] wanted us to get a jump start on the season because he knew that we had a really good group of people this year and had a really good shot to do something special, which ultimately we did,” Rodriguez said. Seireeni said that while the team’s early start might have been helpful, it also may have contributed to more injuries, including early outs for strong team members including team captain London Alexander ’18, Jake Kelly ’20 and James Chung ’19.

Many players were taken out toward the beginning of the season for injuries and entered after it was too late to race since they missed qualifiers. “As a team that’s as close as we are, it’s definitely hard to see someone get injured,” Ryan Stanford ’19 said. “I think because we’re so close, there’s a lot of support that goes around the team. That really helps people get through it, I think.” The team was led by six captains: Seireeni, Rodriguez, Jonah Ring ’18, Alexander , Tierni Kaufman ’19 and Lila Cardillo ’18. Seireeni said that he and Kaufman worked primarily

with the jump team, Cardillo and Ring handled distance runners and Alexander and Rodriguez led sprints. Cardillo said the team’s positive mindset and ability to motivate teammates and keep end goals in sight contributed to their strong season. “Everyone on the team is willing to be both a teammate and an athlete,” Cardillo said. “It’s such a community and such a common identity. Having to push yourself and work that hard, being able to do that all together and having a sense of family and community in that common goal is important

to every member on the team.” Cardillo said she was enthusiastic about the future of the group. “I think that it will be a younger feeling team, a less experienced team, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a less capable team,” Cardillo said. “There’s so much talent and passion left, even without the seniors.” Seireeni said he attributes the team’s overwhelming success to their spirit. “We all hype each other up,” Seireeni said. “I guess that’s the secret, that we all have fun on the track team.”

Lacrosse

Injuries halt team’s early momentum

By Asa Saperstein

The boys’ lacrosse team finished the season with an 11-8 overall record and five fewer wins than last year, which players attributed to fatigue and intense pressure. The team lost 14-2 to Loyola in the Mission League Championship on April 26 and 8-4 to Palos Verdes in the L.A. Semifinals on May 5. Palos Verdes is a wellbalanced team that follows a system without a few really dominant players as the Wolverines have, players said. “All [their players] have the capability to shoot, and they move the ball really fast,” attacker Asher Early ’19 said. “They were moving the ball faster than we’d seen before and as a result got a lot of shots.” The Wolverines started off the game behind. As a result, they felt rushed to get a shot off, and that led to early fatigue, players said. Due to injuries to a few key players this season, the team

was forced to rely on a few key players, midfielder Harrison Listen ’19 said. He suffered a concussion and missed a month of the season himself. Jared Goldman ’18 suffered an ACL tear, and Sultan Daniels ’19 also missed multiple games due to a concussion. Harrison Listen specifically cited Brody Listen ’21, Owen Hudgins ’21 and Nik Grube ’21, the three freshmen on varsity, as those who stepped up to fill the void. “Dealing with lack of numbers forced some of the younger guys to step up, and I think they did a really strong job of it,” Harrison Listen said. “[The injuries] allowed our team to build chemistry in a deeper way because everyone was having to rely on each other. It showed our toughness of our team and the grit, and I’m proud of the way we handled the adversity.” In addition to injury issues, players said the team also had a lower record than last year’s 16-2 because they played more talented teams.

ASA SAPERSTEIN/CHRONICLE

LAX TO THE MAX: Attacker Owen Hudgins ’21 maneuvers around a defender in a 13-3 victory over Oak Park on March 15. “If we played the same teams as we did last season, our record would have looked a lot like it did last season,” Early said. “The fact of the matter is this year, we’re challenging ourselves. We’re playing a lot of out-of-league teams and out-of-L.A. teams.” The group will lose a few important upperclassmen, specifically Paul Rodriguez ’18, who led the team in goals, by tallying close to 50 on the season. The team has relied on a few players to score a large portion of its goals this

year, including Early and Rodriguez. This is because by the middle of the season, most of the plays they have used all season are well-known by other teams, Early said. “We tended to fall back on our key guys as a safety net a little bit more than we could have,” Early said. “I think it would’ve been more beneficial to build the confidence of everyone as a role player on the team.” Possibly the toughest thing • Continued on D6

inbrief

Student named to USA Basketball team

Johnny Juzang ’20 was selected to the USA Basketball U17 Junior National Team. He will go to training camp and compete for a spot on the 2018 FIBA U17 World Cup Team. Juzang has had an extremely successful individual year while playing for both Harvard-Westlake and his club team, the Compton Magic. During the school season, Juzang averaged 22.8 points per game, the highest on the team, as well as 9.5 rebounds per game. —Will Seymour

Lacrosse players named to all-league Lacrosse players Paul Rodriguez ’18, Simon Pompan ’18 and Donovan Econn ’19 were named First Team AllMission League. They led the lacrosse team to an 11-8 record and a Mission League championship. However, in the Los Angeles semifinals, they lost to Palos Verdes. Rodriguez will be a prefered walk-on for the University of Virginia. Pompan will attempt to walk on for the University of Richmond. Econn will hope to lead the Wolverines past the semifinals in his senior year. —Eugene Wyman

Alum awarded Pac-12 Player of the Year The Pac-12 Conference Office announced April 23 volleyball player Jo Kremer ’14, currently playing at the University of Southern California, as its Beach Volleyball Student-Athlete of the Year. According to the Pac-12 office, the award is intended “to honor collegiate studentathletes that are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline.” Kremer is a three-time nominee to the Pac-12 AllAcademic team and had a GPA of 3.72 at the time of her awarding. The fifth-seeded Trojans advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Women’s Beach Volleyball Championship before falling to the topseeded eventual champion, UCLA. —Aaron Park

Baseball players named to all-league Outfielder R.J. Schreck ’18, centerfielder Pete CrowArmstrong ’20, shortstop Drew Bowser ’20 and pitcher Sam Hliboki ’19 were named to the First Team All-League. Schreck also won MVP in the Mission League, and Hliboki won pitcher of the year for the Mission League. The team finished with an overall record of 26-4 and an undefeated league record, but it lost in the first round of the CIF Playoffs to Valencia by a score of 8-4. —Luke Casola

The Chronicle

D4 Sports

enior entiments

As the school year comes to a close, we remember the seniors from our varsity teams. Here they sign off their Harvard-Westlake career with one last memorable quote.

Girls’ Tennis

Claire Tan “woof!”

Track

and

Boys’ Tennis

Girls’ Water Polo

“I love playing high school tennis because we just can’t seem to lose.”

Don’t follow your dreams, follow my instagram. @wapomemez

Stanley Morris

Pria Pant

Field

Lila Cardillo & London Alexander “We were... THE SURPRISE!”

Cross Country

Field Hockey

“You gotta biscuit to get the risk it.”

“Enjoy everything while you can!”

Austin McNab

Erin Lee

Field Hockey

Mia Reilly

“I love those moments. I like to wave at them when they pass by.” -Jack Sparrow

May 3

30, 2018

hwchronicle.com/sports

Boys’ Golf

Girls’ Basketball

Dylan Wan “Rice

Sports D5

Boys’ Basketball

Ashlee Wong

.”

Simon Pompan “BIG BODY GANG!”

“TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More.” Swim

and

Dive

Matthew Yam

“Be like Mike.”

Louis Peng

“Jason is my dad.” “The only time you should ever look back is to see how far you’ve come.”

Paul Leclerc Marcus Leher

Baseball

RJ Schreck

“My batting average is proabaly higher than your GPA.”

Softball

Kinly McCaffrey “Work hard, play hard.” - Wiz

Girls’ Volleyball

Isabel Wiatt

“The only thing more important to me than my team was my cone.”

“No pain, no gain.”

Girls’ Soccer

Ariana Miles

“5:15 is dinner time. Let’s eat.”

Boys’ Volleyball

Tony Navarro

“As team captain, I can confidently claim that all my teammates were trying to lose.”

Boys’ Soccer

Boden Stringer

“The trophy is earned in the hours that no one is watching.”

Cheerleading

Maya Golob

“I don’t know if I took more naps or tests.”

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN ALBERT AND SPENCER KLINK

D6 SPORTS

THE CHRONICLE

MAY 30, 2018

Boys’ Volleyball

Softball

Season cut short after weak finish By SABA NIA

JACKIE GREENBERG/CHRONICLE

SPIKEBALL: Anthony Navarro ’18 and his teammates face off against Alemany on senior night May 1. The Wolverines lost 3-0, part of a weak 10-12-3 overall and 6-7 league record. The team struggled with motivation and was unable to make playoffs due to poor performance.

Players fail to bring intensity in season By JACKIE GREENBERG

The boys’ volleyball team dropped a 3-1 CIF wildcard match to Arcadia High School on May 5, stripping away the squad’s eligibility to compete in the playoff spot they earned after their 3-1 win over Notre Dame on May 2. The team ended the season with a 10-12-3 overall record and 6-7 in league play. “Teamwork and talking on the ﬂoor helped us win some sets, but we need to bring more intensity throughout the whole game to help us win more matches,” outside hitter Jasper Richards ’20 said. This year’s team will graduate a signiﬁcant portion of their lineup, including outisde hitters Justin Eitner ’18, Andrew

Klein ’18 and Anthony Navarro ing to be hard to adjust.” ’18, libero Simon Gilbert ’18, Mallory also praised senior middle hitter Max Mingst ’18, leaders for their leadership. setter Chester Ranger ’18, libe“I can’t say enough about ro Benjamin Chaslow ’18 and these seniors. They have been Chronicle senior sports writ- really helpful this year and ers and outside hitters Zachary have played really well. It’s Swartz ’18 and hard when you Sam McCabe have a leader’18. ship vacancy We need to “It’s really like that. They bring more intensity hard to prepare bring an enerthroughout the whole for the loss of gy to the team nine seniors that will never game to help us win whatsoever,” be duplicated, more matches.” setter and and all of us Chronicle staff miss them — Jasper Richards ’20 will writer Will Malvery much next lory ’20 said. year.” “With that beThe team ing said, I think our team has has to prepare for the loss of the talent and potential to step players and adapt to underinto the roles that we’re losing classmen that may not be as next year but it’s deﬁnitely go- “varsity-ready” as the veterans,

“

Golf

Senior departures to thin ranks By KEILA MCCABE

Boys’ golf finished its season after a consistent year of high placement in league and an overall record of 7-2. The team finished seventh overall in the CIF Southern Section, In their third Mission League Tournament on May 2, the Wolverines were second to Loyola, securing their second place overall finish in the Mission League for the second year in a row. “The other teams in our

league we faced played well this season, but not as well as they used to,” co-captain Chase Rosenblatt ’18 said. “A lot of the seniors graduated last year, so it left many teams very scattered.” Although they were not victorious in CIFs, Wan said they were satisﬁed with their ﬁnish and the season as a whole, and Head Coach Tony Kewal agreed. “[The golfers] have had a great time,” Kewal said. “They don’t hesitate to talk and

Lacrosse

share their stories. To me that is success.” After playing six years of golf as a Wolverine, co-captain Dylan Wan ’18 said this season has been very formative. “This was my last year playing, and it meant a lot to me,” Wan said. “I’ve grown a lot as a golfer since joining the team in seventh grade. Over time, I got to learn a lot about my teammates and coach. We played together, laughed together, grinded together and grew together.”

middle hitter Griffin York ’19 said. “We’re having some players begin to get experience playing new positions that won’t be filled next year,” York said. “This means our team is going to have to be a lot more efficient next year, as we have very little depth.” Even if they are getting more comfortable, many players had little motivation toward the end of the season and did not put in the effort to communicate and make in-game adjustments. “One thing the team needs to do more is communicate— on and off the court,” York said. “We also need to adapt to our opponent’s disadvantages and use them to our advantage during the game.

The girls’ varsity softball team finished its run in CIF Playoffs with a loss to Templeton in the quarter finals Thursday. Despite the loss, the team secured a 7-1 league record, becoming Mission League Champions. “In this [Templeton] game especially, and in all of our games, we’ve been fighting until the finish,” outfielder Lauren Witmer ’19 said. “I’m disappointed that the season’s over, but we kept on going throughout this game, pitch by pitch, and it just wasn’t the outcome we wanted.” Players said the coaches’ experience helped them strengthen their individual skills and foster a more unified team dynamic. “Because they’re fresh out of the game, it really helps us trust them as coaches, and not just look at them as our coaches, but as players as well, knowing that they were in this position not too long ago,” pitcher and infielder Kinly McCaffrey ’18 said. The team, which is comprised of 16 players, credited their success to these close bonds. Players said that they are looking forward to continuing the progress made this season. “We have another year under our belt, and we’re really close,” Witmer said. “Next year, we just have to work on it. We’ve got a really strong foundation to build up from that we set this year, last year and the year before [...] It’ll be a good year next year.”

“

Over time, I got to learn a lot about my teammates and coach. We played together, laughed together, grinded together, and grew together”. —Dylan Wan ’18 Golf Co-captain

Underclassmen have said they are sad to see their seniors leave but enjoyed getting to know everyone this season. “Next season, I hope we can create an environment similar to this year’s,” Clay Skaggs ’20 said. “I think it is really impor-

tant to give the younger golfers a shot to play in tournaments, so we can build up our base for future seasons. I don’t think we are going to win as much next year, so our main goal is to create a bright future for the program.”

Pressure limits team’s success • Continued from D3

ASA SAPERSTIEN/CHRONICLE

NO TIME TO RE-LAX: Brody Listen ’21 attacks the goal during the game against St. Francis on April 18. The Wolverines won the game

about lacrosse season at the school is that it ends in fourth quarter, when there are a lot of tests and AP exams take place and history term papers are due, according to Early. This is a competitive disadvantage to other schools, players say, because Harvard-Westlake students usually have the heaviest workload. “Going to practice can feel

more like a job than a fun thing,” Early said. “While you’re in practice, you’re there for like three hours, but meanwhile you’re focusing on the term paper you have due in a few days.” Despite some adversity this season, players identiﬁed one tournament as a time of bonding. In January, the team played in a tournament in Palm Springs. All players bussed there as a team, and it was a time of great camaraderie, players said.

WHITE’S

“That really formed the relationships for the rest of the season and gave us a taste of what we’d need to do coming forward,” Harrison Listen said. Despite the lower record this year, players still want to have a difficult schedule next year to continue to push themselves. “Last year, we were a big fish in a small pond, but we want to be a big fish in a big pond,” Early said. “This is what the next level of high school lacrosse is.”

MAY 30, 2018

HWCHRONICLE.COM/SPORTS

SPORTS D7

D8 SPORTS

THE CHRONICLE

Q&A

MAY 30, 2018

London Alexander Girls’ Track and Field

By JACKIE GREENBERG When did you start running, and when did you realize you were passionate about it? I started running when I was six years old, and I realized I was passionate about it when I was nine years old. I started getting better and doing better at track meets and realized this was something I could do seriously. What has been your most memorable moment at a meet? My most memorable moment was during this year because we beat Marymount, and it was very exciting to have everybody celebrating the seniors. There were posters, pictures, and [we] got a lot of flowers. What’s your practice schedule like? We practice everyday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on Tuesdays and Thursdays we lifted from 4:45 p.m.to 5:30 p.m. Towards the end of the season, I was going on runs by myself just to build up endurance. Who are your biggest role models? Allyson Felix and David Rudisha are the two that I look up to the most just because they are both insane runners and super talented. What did you bring to your leadership role this year? I was super personable with the whole team. I really put in an effort to get to know everybody, [including] the freshmen that I would never see, people on junior varsity, people that aren’t the fastest. I put in a lot of effort to be friendly to everyone and get to know them. I also run the track Instagram [@hwtrackandfield] as well. I put in a lot of effort to make good posts and represent evWhat’s your relationship like with your coach? I think we all get along really well. Coach Ivory [Roosevelt] was new last year, but we’ve gotten really close this year. I think our relationship is special because I had never really talked to him until this year, and him and I talk about track. He became my friend super quickly. He went out of his way to give me special instructions on what to do with injuries and workouts. He really helped guide me. What advice would you give to incoming freshmen? Don’t skip practice. Put in the work. Track is a difficult sport because it isn’t one people consider to be fun, but if you put in the work, it pays off in the long run. Stick with it. Do you have a motto? I take everything with a positive attitude. I’ve had a lot of injuries throughout my high school career. This past Saturday [May 19], since it was my last race, my motto was ‘carry me off the track on a stretcher.’ That’s how hard I wanted to go. What are some hardships you had to overcome? Freshman to sophomore year, I grew a lot, which was unusual for a girl to have a growth spurt that late. I had a lot of injuries related to that for a year. So that was something I had to get over, the pain and the fact that I wasn’t running very fast. But I just tried to stay positive, and I love running, so I stuck with it because of that. What impact do you hope to leave on the team? I hope that @hwtrackandfield carries on in my name on Instagram. I hope that people in the future make an effort to get closer on the team. The team is so big that we need more team bonding.

Stats

00:59.23 400 Meters 2:17.87 800 Meters 4:02.98 4x400 Relay PAVAN TAUH/CHRONICLE

PLAYING FROM PLAYLIST

High School, Bye School

CLASS OF 2018

Graduation Seniors

05:30

-06:08

ILLUSTRATIONS BY NICOLE KIM SAM KO ILLUSTRATION BYAND ANNA GONG

E2 Senior Supplement

The Chronicle

Discover: Class of 2018

May 30, 2018

The senior staff members on Chronicle reflect on their experiences at Harvard-Westlake in their final columns.

Same places, same faces By Josie Abugov On our walk from the senior lot to our classes, Nicole Kim told me that she sometimes feels like she can see the quad from decades ago. Far away, it is eerily the same. During an English class presentation, Sakura Price discussed the poem, “Last Year at Marienbad” and what Nicole said about the quad reminded me of a line, “Even memories one forgets linger in the space in which they occurred” in the context of spaces that generated memories for me. A few months ago I left my car keys in Weiler during second period Chronicle but didn’t realize until I was in the senior lot late after school and had to angrily trek across a near-empty campus. As I walked down the stairs toward the parking lot, I remembered Jarett Malouf frequently walking me to the

same parking lot throughout sophomore year, where I got picked up before I could drive. Walking down the Chalmers stairs at 5 p.m. felt exactly like sophomore year again. There’s no other way to describe my experience in Weiler 106, the features room, during junior year other than a vortex. I, alongside the other features juniors, spent hours seated at Dell desktops, our eyes glued to the images we photoshopped and the pages we spent editing. During April layout last year, I remember spending hours pixel-by-pixel adjusting the color of a photo of a Juul, from a darker gray to a more acceptable slightly lighter gray. After the Juul was finally the right color, I went to the Weiler bathroom, looked in the mirror and legitimately thought I looked like I had died a few hours earlier. Today, during layout, I looked in the same

NOA SCHWARTZ/CHRONICLE

WHO RUNS THE WORLD: Editor-in-Chief Josie Abugov ’18, Managing Editor Maddy Daum ’18 and Presentation Editor Nicole Kim ’18 pose together becaue no one else would be in a picture with Daum. bathroom mirror, and though I appeared decidedly less dead than last year, the subtle bags under my eyes instantly brought me back to junior year. If I think deeply about the upper school campus, it’s easy to connect a specific place to

a distinct memory. The silent study is a black hole of sophomore year academic anxiety. The drama lab reminds me of the choir program’s spring Cabaret. I’ve been in the Rugby hallways and down the Chalmers stairs countless times,

and yet I still attach certain moments with each of these locations. I can’t help but imagine what memories from high school will reemerge for future me as I walk onto the upper school campus for the first time in years.

Meet me in the bathroom stall (I deserve it all) By Maddy Daum

NOA SCHWARTZ/CHRONICLE

THREESOME: Executive Editor Elly Choi ’18, News Section Head Emory Kim ’18 and Managing Editor Maddy Daum ’18 collapse to the floor after a long day of singlehandedly finishing the paper.

Dear journal: reflecting back By Nicole Kim

I often feel aphasic. You’d think that, after six years of writing English essays, term papers and newspaper articles, expressing my ideas would get a little bit easier. But to be honest, every assignment—whether it be a 500-word column like this one, or the straightforward but existential “Tell me about yourself”—feels daunting. I know the gist of what I want to say, and I’m usually pretty confident that it’s something worth saying. It feels as though there’s something lost in translation, in the streamlining of my thoughts into 12-point Times New Roman. I have a tendency to clutter a sentence with too many words, stringing together clause after clause. In an attempt to cure my bouts of aphasia, I started writing in a journal at the beginning of second semester. I

wanted to become more comfortable with the act of writing indiscriminately and to better understand my patterns of thinking. I write down jokes, rages and bits from overheard conversations. I write down lyrics and passages that catch my attention. I write down epiphanies and trivial observations. It’s a journal that I write in for hours, of everything I notice, feel, think. But, writing doesn’t feel any easier. If my writing shows no improvement, is it any more than an exercise in narcissism? Is it presumptuous to assume that the unfiltered present—the people that I meet and the places that I go to—is worth documenting? In truth, my observations, even those that seem trivial, are a glimpse into how I understand my surroundings. Different people make sense of the world in different ways. I have a friend who sees the

world as a series of story arcs, of narratives begging to be told. Another identifies deeply with Gatsby: he glamorizes the extent of life’s possibilities. We learned in chemistry that the universe is governed by entropy, a tendency toward greater disorder; in spite of science, I believe that things fall into place on their own, if I give it enough time. I recently read a copy of John Gaure’s play “Six Degrees of Separation.” In the preface, Guare said, “Don’t throw anything you’ve written away—cut brutally when you’re working, but keep everything because this is the great fact. We are all strangers to ourselves.” He’s half-right; we start off as strangers to ourselves. But, in writing all that we’ve thought and keeping all that we’ve written, we get to know who we are—our jokes, rages, lyrics, epiphanies.

There is one place on this campus that has done more for me than any other. The Chalmers bathroom. Not the one near the math classrooms, but the one right next to the lounge. The one where you walk in and get hit by the strange double door system and see what seems like any normal high school girls bathroom. Dingy lighting, an unflattering mirror and gossiping students. This might seem like a weird place to be noting, considering the fact that it’s a bathroom and what goes on in the bathroom is nothing any respectable girl should be writing about. But here I am, writing about it. Except, for me, this bathroom defined a lot of my high school experience. It was a place where I cried, talked, hid and laughed more than I ever had. After receiving a straight up 53 percent on a chem honors test, I knew exactly what to do. Sprint to the Chalmers bathroom. I stood in a stall and cried while texting one of my best friends, Emory Kim. She ran inside and did the unthinkable. Crawled under that disgusting stall to comfort me. At the time, I was just grateful for the support. But it was here that I realized how important my friendships are and how lucky I was to meet the people I did at Harvard-Westlake. After getting a junior year internship, I ran to this bathroom to call my mom and scream excitedly because I didn’t want anyone to hear. I went on and on about how my

photography class gave me the interest and the resources to apply for it in the first place. How if it hadn’t been for the visual arts elective requirement, I might not be pursuing something I was passionate about. After every dean meeting, I went to the bathroom with my friend to freak out about the looming college process. Each reminder about taking the SAT and submitting applications brought us back to talk about our difficulties in the privacy of the Chalmers bathroom. Despite all the stress, we found solace in confiding in each other. It helped me recognize that no matter how difficult the school seemed and no matter how impossible it felt, it would work out. After every third period class, I asked Eun Seo (Elly) to come to the bathroom with me (girls only travel to the bathroom in packs). We talked about everything that had happened and laughed about our embarrassing moments. Even though we were overwhelmed with the pressure, taking a second to stop and catch up made my day exponentially better. It was only five minutes but it made me feel like I could handle everything. Every time I cried, laughed and talked in this bathroom I gained another sense of what my identity was becoming at Harvard-Westlake. I don’t know what I’m going to do in college without that unnecessary second door.

May 30, 2018

hwchronicle.com

Senior Supplement E3

Don’t make me leave! By Danielle Spitz

I’ve never been good at writing about myself. Personal writing has always felt so trivial when I know there are so many more compelling and important stories to be told. But as I’m sitting down to write my very last piece for the Chronicle, I couldn’t be more excited to pour my heart out. Throughout my time at Harvard-Westlake, I’ve developed my own voice and the confidence to share that voice with conviction. When thinking about what guided me to this kind of personal growth, I couldn’t possibly pick one singular explanation. So I dedicate this column to all of the different people, activities and other factors from the past six years that have shaped me into the person I am today. My friends: First and foremost, I want to thank my friends for making the past four years the best of my life. With their unconditional love and support, they all showed me that I shouldn’t ever have to be anything but my true self. Their generosity and kindness inspired me on a daily basis to be the best version of myself that I could possibly be, and through all the laughs and tears, they proved to me time and time again that they always had my back. My teachers: Class to me was never just about memorizing facts and regurgitating them on a test, and that’s because my teachers taught me the value of learning. Their passion and desire to see their students succeed motivated me to pour myself into my work like they committed themselves to theirs. They saw me as an individual with my own potential and my own abilities, not just another kid to define by a letter grade, and I am forever grateful for

the time and energy they dedicated to helping me thrive. The curriculum: It’s no coincidence that the word ‘rigorous’ is the most commonly-used adjective to describe the Harvard-Westlake curriculum. Simply put, my classes were really difficult. But I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The curriculum pushed me when I didn’t think I could be pushed any further, and while it undoubtedly caused me hours of stress and robbed me of much-needed sleep, I know for certain that I am stronger because of it. My parents: Without them, none of this would be possible. I am lucky enough to have parents who gave me the opportunity to attend a place like Harvard-Westlake and the support I needed to get through it. They were proud of me as long as I was trying my best—even when I thought my best wasn’t good enough. The Chronicle: I found a home inside the walls of Weiler. It’s where I discovered my passion, it’s where I made some of my most meaningful friendships and it’s where I learned the most about who I am and who I want to become. Working on the Chronicle gave me a sense of purpose, knowing that I was contributing to something that was much bigger than myself. My experience on staff was the most demanding, rewarding and by far the most memorable one of my high school career. Looking back on all of my hard work that got me to where I am today, it’s easy to think of high school as just a pathway to college and everything that might follow. But for all the reasons that I listed above, it is so much more. Harvard-Westlake will always hold a special place in my heart. I would do it all over again if I could.

MADDY DAUM/CHRONICLE

SO MUCH LOVE : Editor-in-Chief Danielle Spitz ’18 and Managing Editors Noa Schwartz ’18 and Alena Rubin ’18 demonstrate the “face squeeze.” The three are self-proclaimed colleagues and best friends.

Home is wherever I’m with you By Noa Schwartz

I got home from my first day at Harvard-Westlake and immediately rushed to my room to document the moment with Photo Booth selfies. Clearly, I was, and still am, an absolute dork. In that moment, my confidence was through the roof. An hour later, though, I was sobbing. To clarify, absolutely nothing bad happened to me that day. The tears came after I remembered my experience buying lunch in the cafeteria. I tried and failed to create something resembling the lunches my mom lovingly packed me for all of elementary school. Bottom line: I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by the cafeteria, overwhelmed by my classes, overwhelmed by the older kids and overwhelmed by the thought of my fleeting youth (sadly, not a joke). I went to bed that night not knowing how I would ever come to find my place in such a strange environment. Luckily for me, that fear has been progressively eradicated every day since.

I will gladly tell anyone who asks how much I love HW. Coming here every day has opened my world on an extreme scale, in ways both obvious and subtle. I chose to attend HW with the understanding that I’d be an average-sized fish in a gigantic pond. My cheesy metaphor has proven to be true–I am surrounded by extraordinary people. HW is often thought of as a cold, competitive place with little sense of community. I most definitely have not loved every second of my time here, but in my case, this reputation could not be further from the truth. The people I’ve met and connected with here comprise the best community I could have ever asked for. Every student has a passion, which is inspiring beyond belief. Contrary to popular opinion, your classmates genuinely want to see you succeed. As I often say to each concerned parent that approaches me, everyone individually is doing something really hard, but we’re all going through it together and boosting each other up in the process.

For most people, high school serves as the jumping off point for figuring out who they are and who they want to be. I’m no different. However, not many people can say that they found “their people” in high school–people who understand and care about them on a fundamental level. I can. I probably sound incredibly naive, and I’m sure I’ll meet friends who change my life just as much in the future. But for now, the best friends I made here are my favorite people in the world. I could not feel any luckier to have grown up surrounded by people who are so intelligent, driven, hilarious and caring. Reflecting on the fact that HW was initially the place I felt least comfortable is beyond bizarre. As I’m getting ready to graduate, I can say with confidence that there is no place I feel more comfortable or supported. I’ve challenged myself, I’ve grown as a person and I’m extremely proud. While I’m definitely ready to leave, I wouldn’t change anything about my experience here for the world.

Routines I’ll never get sick of By Alena Rubin

NOA SCHWARTZ/CHRONICLE

CURLY GURLS: Editors-in-Chief Danielle Spitz ’18 and Josie Abugov ’18 show off their trademark curly hair and famous sense of humor. Not pictured: their similarly trademark cabooses.

I’ve been thinking a lot about routines recently. The ones I keep, the ones I’ve grown out of and why they exist at all. I’m a person that likes routine. By ‘likes’ I mean ‘is obsessed with’. And I guess my routines are my way of grasping for some control in a world that can be disorderly and confusing. The big one could hit any day now, but if I wash my face with Glossier’s milk jelly cleanser at the same time every night, I guess I’ll be ok. And it makes sense that I’ve been hyperaware of my routines now. Big changes are in store, and that means I’ll soon be letting go of my current habits. That’s why I wanted to devote this column to remembering the routines I built for myself in high school, because leaving them behind is bittersweet, but it feels right to let them live here, in the pages of a publication that’s been home to me the past three years. My drive to school has always felt, in a weird way,

sacred to me. Yes, I’ve complained about my 50-minute commute, but I’ve always quietly enjoyed having time to myself each morning. Sometimes, the drive would be meditative; I’d put on music and let my mind wander. Or, often, I’d put on a podcast (How I Built This, Pod Save America or The Daily) and let my brain chew on something interesting before starting my day. Other routines I was less conscious I had developed. The other day I went up the stairs to the library and noticed that I instinctively took my seat in the cubicle by the back-door, the one I walked through each morning to get to Gov class. For some reason, that was my favorite spot to sit in in the whole library. And sometimes, spotted light would filter through the leaves outside onto my open planner. My most important routines weren’t the ones I developed for myself, but the ones I shared with others in my life – with friends, going to Alfred during break; stacking

our phones at dinner; eating breakfast in sweatpants on Sundays; driving everyone in Tuna; off campus lunches with Kyra. I’ll remember spending the weekend here, in Weiler–sleeping at Danielle’s; writing the editorial with Anthony and Maddy; eating ungodly amounts of Skinny Pop; making fun of Noa for being a GCCDME; starting Pano with Nicole. I used to meet with Axe before every test (…first semester) and talk back to Mr. Klein whenever I had the chance. Even for all its stairs, I’m going to sorely miss this place. My routines molded perfectly to the curves and nooks in the walls of Weiler and Rugby, and I guess that’s a sign that I felt safe here. As much as I wish I could follow these same routines forever, I know as I’m letting go of these them, I’m making room for new ones. And the beauty of it is that I don’t know exactly what they’ll be. Even in a world that can be disorderly and confusing, I guess, I can be okay with that.

E4 SENIOR SUPPLEMENT

THE CHRONICLE

MAY 30, 2018

Julia Cosgrove Columbia University Madison Daum Northwestern University Claire Dennis University of Chicago

Queued: Seniors press play on their futures beyond Harvard-Westlake. Josie Abugov Harvard College

Brandon Brown University of Oregon

Eli Adler University of Pennsylvania

Michelle Burns University of Arizona

Miles Agus Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Addison Button Indiana University

Andrew Ahn New York University David Ahn Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Oliver Akhtarzad University of Michigan (Ross) Iman Akram Wellesley College London Alexander San Francisco State University

Diego Calderon University of Arizona Aileen Cano Columbia University Lila Cardillo Pomona College Brigid Cawley Tufts University Uriah Celaya Pitzer College Kelly Chang Pitzer College

Daria Arzy Georgetown University

Benjamin Chasalow Emory University

Diego Ayala Princeton University

Jocelyn Chen University of Southern California

Jacqueline Ayestas Southern Methodist University

Myria Chen Columbia University (Science Research Fellow)

Mycah Dottin University of Nevada Las Vegas Liam Douglas University of Southern California (Annenberg) Justin Eitner Declined to State Aubrey Elwes Bennington College Marie Eric Johns Hopkins University Isabelle Eshraghi Barnard College Oceania Eshraghi University of Pennsylvania Dylan Faulcon Cornell University Kylin Feng University of California, Berkeley

Davis Ford Southern Methodist University

Ayanna Frey University of Pennsylvania

Josie Baker University of St. Andrews

Adele Chi Barnard College

Jordan Barkin Harvard College

Eun Seo (Elly) Choi University of Chicago

Allen Gan University of Pennsylvania (School of Engineering)

Ellis Becker University of Wisconson-Madison

Gina Choi Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Jordan Bedikian University of Texas-Austin (Liberal Arts Honors)

Natalie Choi University of Chicago

Charlotte Bell Georgetown University

Gisele Chu University of Southern California

Abner Benitez Could Not Be Reached

Jack Cohen Kenyon College

Gabi Berchtold Cornell University

Jacob Cohn Pomona College

Batia Blank Grinnell College

Quintin Concoff University of Texas at Austin

Natalie Blut Indiana University

Charley Connon Indiana University (Wells Scholarship)

Jack Borris Georgetown University (McDonough) Anneliese Breidsprecher Gap Year (Vanderbilt 2023)

Sarah Conway Kenyon College Strauss Cooperstein Declined to State Michael Corrin DePaul University

The Most Played: Roughly one in ﬁve seniors will attend one of these ﬁve colleges or universities in the fall.

Claire Keller Brigham Young University

Dean Gordon Amherst College

Timothy Kihiczak Swarthmore College

Will Granger Colgate University

Carolyn Kim Williams College

Soﬁa Guillen University of St. Andrews

Emory Kim University of Chicago

Karina Guo Cornell University

Katie Kim Colgate University

Josue Gutierrez Wesleyan University

Nicole Kim University of Pennsylvania

Elizabeth Haker University of Washington

Princie Kim Northwestern University

Owen Hallinan Colgate University

Yusuke Kimura Stevens Institute of Technology

Eleanor Halloran University of California, Berkeley

Alexander Klein University of Texas at Austin

Shauna Hannani University of California, Berkeley

Andrew Klein Southern Methodist University

John Harbour III New York University

Jakob Klein Emerson College (Screenwriting) Ethan Knight Emory University

Maya Hinkin The University of Edinburgh

Caroline Koloff University of California, Los Angeles (Engineering)

Melanie Hirsch Vanderbilt University

Calvin Koo Claremont McKenna College

Andrew Hong Emory University

Tyler Kornguth University of Southern California

Alexa Frandzel Emory University

JP Cherry American University of Paris

Anna Gong Harvard College

Max Hernand University of Michigan

Loren Franck Loyola Marymount University

Nicole Bahar Boston University (College of Communication)

Evan Keare University of Michigan (Engineering)

Isabella Hedley Darmouth College

Grady Flaherty Gonzaga University Charles Flippen Amherst College

Maya Golob University of Southern California

Henry Garvey The College of William and Mary Sidney Gathrid University of California, Santa Barbara Michael Gaven University of Colorado Boulder Harry Gestetner Tulane University Simon Gilbert Claremont McKenna College Thomas Glover Cornell University Jonathan Goldberg Rochester Institute of Technology Jared Goldman University of Southern California Zachary Goldstein Case Western Reserve University (Engineering)

Brittany Hong University of California, Los Angeles

Kiannah Kossari Emory University

Abigail Howell Boston College

Alexander Kravec Miami University of Ohio

Angel Hoyang Harvard College

Janie Kreshek Tulane University

Darren Huang Colgate University

Natalie Kroh Berklee College of Music

Reid Hudgins University of Georgia

Samuel Krutonog University of Southern California

Neil Iken University of Michigan

Kristin Kuwada Emory University

Cameron Jones United States Military Academy

Matteo Lauto Georgetown University

Taylor Jones Columbia University

Paul Leclerc Williams College

Lena Kadogawa Santa Monica College

Erin Lee Tufts University

Calvin Kaleel Yale College

Sarah Lee Northwestern University (School of Communication)

Gabe Kaplan Brown University Benjamin Kater Syracuse University Brooke Kawana University of Southern California (Marshall)

Marcus Leher University of Southern California Alexander Lennon Washington University in St. Louis Daniel Lesh Carnegie Mellon University

17 17

14 13

USC

NYU

MAY 30, 2018

HWCHRONICLE.COM

Nicholas Locke-Henderson Boston University Kelly Lopez University of Pennsylvania (SEAS)

Daniel Angel Varela Connecticut College

Wilder Short Bowdoin College

Stephanie Vartany Brown University

Javier Solis New York University

Katherine von Mende Tulane University

Noah Somer University of Southern California

Ashley Waco University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

Chloe Spain Washington University in St. Louis

Andres Walker Emory University

Emma Spencer Amherst College

Dylan Wan New York University (Liberal Studies)

Danielle Spitz Northwestern University (Medill)

Matthew Wang Columbia University

Chase Rosenblatt University of Southern California

Tyler Staggs Stanford University

Michael Wang New York University

Ashley Starr University of Michigan

William Roskin Tulane University

Mia Stent Santa Clara University

Warren Wang University of California, Berkeley

Jaclyn Rothman Pepperdine University

Bridget Stokdyk Brown University

Alena Rubin Northwestern University (Medill)

Boden Stringer Georgetown University (Walsh)

Jayda Ruffus-Milner Pepperdine University

Will Sturgeon Kenyon College

Jayla Ruffus-Milner Pepperdine University

Blair Sullivan Tulane University

Eden Sanderson University of Wisconsin-Madison

Zachary Swartz Washington University in St. Louis

Nevin Sanitsky University of Southern California (Marshall)

Catherine Szeto New York University

Adin Ring Yale College

Pria Pant University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

Jonah Ring Swarthmore College Axel Rivera de Léon Stanford University

Aaron Park University of Notre Dame

Jacob Robbins University of Pennsylvania

Christine Park New York University

Eddie Rodriguez University of Miami

Christopher Park Emory University

Kitty Luo University of Chicago

Mason Rodriguez Harvard College

Jiwon Park Vanderbilt University

Benjamin Major Northwestern University

Paul Rodriguez University of Virginia

Tommy Park Washington University in St. Louis

Máté Major Occidental College

Kyra Rosen Washington University in St. Louis

Louis Peng New York University

Keller Maloney Princeton University

Tali Perluss Scripps College

Jarett Malouf Yale College

Gabriel Peter Northeastern University (Engineering)

JP Maniscalco New York University

Jack Peterson Southern Methodist University

Noah Martin University of Michigan Sam McCabe Colgate University

Benjamin Pimstone Kenyon College

Kinly McCaffrey Southwestern University

Dillon Plageman Vanderbilt University

Austin McNab Amherst College

Nicholas Plummer New York University

Jadene Meyer Gap Year

Ariana Miles Washington University in St. Louis

Arianna Shooshani Barnard College

Indu Pandey Harvard College

Vivian Lu University of Chicago

Lara Mikhail University of Virginia

Amy Vanderschans Boston College

David Rich University of California, Los Angeles

Zohar Levy Stanford University Alexander Liang University of Chicago

Borna Shoa University of Michigan

Esther Ollivier Columbia University/ Sciences Po Dual BA

Sophia Levy Barnard College

Simon Pompan University of Richmond Brandon Porter University of Pennsylvania

Max Mingst Harvey Mudd College Elena Montoya Union College Stanley Morris Middlebury College Angie Navarro Scripps College Anthony Navarro University of California, Santa Cruz Denise Navarro Harvard College Jake Neuman Elon University Jonty Nobbs Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) Tarin North Colgate University Marc Novicoff Dartmouth College Ryan O’Donnell DePaul University Amanda Offor Cornell University

10 10 UPenn

Aileen Prajogi Indiana University (Kelley)

Nathan Schoenberg Chapman University

Sakura Price Princeton University

Kate Schrage Cornell University

Sacha Pritzker Dartmouth College

Robert Schreck Duke University

Sean Quinn University of Colorado Boulder

Noa Schwartz University of California, Berkeley

Samantha Radlovic New York University

Tiber Seireeni Columbia University (SEAS)

Ben Ramirez Cornell University

Emma Sesar Tulane University

Chester Ranger University of Michigan

SENIOR SUPPLEMENT E5

Hana Takei Brown University Claire Tan Johns Hopkins University Nicholas Tatham Syracuse University Pavan Tauh University of Texas at Dallas Abigail Thomas University of Southern California Eli Timoner University of Chicago Gray Toomey University of Southern California

Dorjee Wangdi Skidmore College Chance Washburn Southern Methodist University Charlotte Weinman Boston University Anthony Weinraub Harvard College Dino Weinstock Gap Year Savannah Weinstock Vassar College Isabel Wiatt Rice University Emmeline Wolf Swarthmore College Ashlee Wong Northwestern University Thompson Wu New York University Matthew Yam Tulane University Sean Yang Indiana University (Kelley) Jeremy Yariv Washington University in St. Louis Ari Yaron Elon University

Jaimie Rao Harvard College

Nicholas Settlemayer New York University (Stern)

Taylor Redmond New York University

Thomas Settlemayer Declined to State

Alyse Tran Johns Hopkins University

Samantha Yoon Washington University in St. Louis

Isabella Reiff United States Military Academy

Michelle Seung Columbia University

Jordan Tuchin University of Southern California

Adam Yu University of Southern California

Sammy Tufeld University of Michigan

Ori Zur Northwestern University (Bienen)

Jack Shane Bowdoin College

Mia Reilly Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Joyce Shin Barnard College

Alexander Reiner University of Miami

Denise Shkurovich Duke University

9 Harvard

Lex Torrington Emerson College

Caleb Ullendorff Washington University in St. Louis

Alexa Zuriff University of Southern California

9 WashU

*Speciﬁed schools or programs are noted in parentheses. Based on colleges reported to the Chronicle. GRAPHICS BY KITTY LUO

E6 Senior Supplement

The Chronicle

May 30, 2018

High School 7th: Bar-Mitzvah Bangers Playlist includes: I Love It by Icona Pop, Gangnam Style by PSY, Thrift Shop by Macklemore Excited, nervous and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, we entered the vortex of frantic and dramatic tweenagers that is middle school. Ah, the big leagues. Harvard-Westlake was known at each of our elementary schools as the epitome of elitism and prestige, and we took this reputation in stride. It all began at the pool party, where we eagerly exchanged hellos and phone numbers, silently praying the coolest of the bunch would Call [us] Maybe. Rolling up on that first day after meeting our temporary best friends at Fast Start, we felt Good as Hell. Elementary school had been easy as 1, 2, 3, but we soon realized that all that talk about “TiMe MaNaGeMeNt” was actually serious—we weren’t the sharpest tools in the shed. Right about then was when “Teenager Posts” became the most relevant memes to exist. With Bar/ Bat Mitzvah season in full swing and weekend homework suddenly expected, it felt as though Beyonce’s “Upgrade U” was written about us. Primadonna and innocent as ever, we were just beginning to find our place.

8th: ~angsty vibes~ Playlist includes: Royals by Lorde, Basic Space by the XX, I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift The in-between. After getting our bearings but before school actually got hard. What does that mean? Drama. “It started with a whisper, and that was when I kissed her…” More like awkwardly put my arm around her, hoping someone would dare her to kiss me on the cheek. Eighth grade was spent making frenemies and gossiping on the floors of the now non-existent Reynolds Hall. Cliques formed and then unformed, new Queen Bees wielding power over the Horn Commons every other week. As the year crept to an end, immature tweenagers grew into White Teeth Teens, ready for the all the challenges we anticipated high school would bring.

9th: Life’s a Fiesta Playlist includes: Wet Dreamz by J. Cole, Drop the Game by Flume, Wasted by Tiesto Shuttling to the 818 for our sports practices, our first high school parties and obviously spitting bars on Rapchat were the Sign of the (ninth grade) Times. Many of us were living our Best Life, comfortable with our course load and social status, which was only supplemented by around 80 new faces in our grade. After four days of bug bites, mud and canoes on the Colorado River, we returned to N. Faring Road with what we thought was all that Power, although in retrospect, we definitely thought we were cooler than we actually were. Librarians telling us to take our snacks out of the library was met with a strong “G.O.M.D.” We were undoubtedly On Top of the World for most of ninth grade, but as the year came to a close, we realized that our time as the Teen Idles of the Middle School was coming to an end. Ninth grade was marked by our Teen Spirit and invincible attitudes, but we would need to Shape Up for what would come next.

WRITTEN BY JOSIE ABUGOV AND NOA SCHWARTZ

Playlist includes: SWE Beatles, Count on Me

The dog days were fin a close, we collectivel applications. During fi line and conversation looming college proce we did it together—a Taylor Swift, Back to D fire?! Awesome. Well p ers were devastated li and we were feeeeelin fun became top priorit social activity, it’s saf heard from colleges, a but it was alright. Now Closing Time. It’s posi country and the world

May 30, 2018

hwchronicle.com

Senior Supplement E7

ool Wrapped

11th: Ode to the Grind Playlist includes: Ivy by Frank Ocean, Smoke Break by Chance the Rapper, LOVE. by Kendrick Lamar

Scan for the ultimate high school playlist (try scanning in Snapchat)

12th: High School, Bye School

cludes: SWEET by BROCKHAMPTON, We Are Young by fun., I Like It by Cardi B, In My Life by the ount on Me by Bruno Mars, Lift Yourself by Kanye West, Last to Leave by Louis the Child

s were finally over…or so we thought. First semester was a blur. As summer came to collectively mentally prepared for The Climb ahead—some of us already knee-deep in . During first quarter, each day presented a new challenge: each assignment, deadversation felt weighted with significance. We were simultaneously hyper-aware of the ege process, yet entirely clueless about what the hell we were doing. It was rough, but gether—a Bitter Sweet Symphony of miserable community, if you will. Now, to quote , Back to December. What a month. Early Decision notifications and a massive brushme. Well played, universe. Some of us received long-anticipated good news, while othvastated like the land east of the 405. Suddenly—a new dawn, a new day, a new light, e feeeeeling gooood. It was second semester. Our worries and cares dissipated, and top priority. Between Coachella weekend, Senior Ditch Day and an overall increase in ty, it’s safe to say we were Young, Wild & Free. Not to mention the fact that everyone colleges, and it was finally acceptable to wear college apparel. We were showin’ off, right. Now, with retreat and Graduation (Friends Forever) right around the corner, it’s e. It’s positively absurd to think that six years have gone by. Soon we’ll be all over the the world, coming out of our cages and (hopefully) doing just fine...

The Edge of Seventeen. What a time to be alive, or at least to try Staying Alive. We had all heard junior year horror stories and were faced with the same questions: Is it as bad as they say? And at Harvard-Westlake? I can’t even imagine. We all smiled politely and said the workload was manageable, but it really was that bad. Standardized testing became the bane of our existence, as we spent each weekend either doing homework or taking practice tests. Everything felt like everything. To further quote the lyrical genius that is Lauryn Hill, “Who made these rules? We’re so confused, easily led astray.” At the end of the day, however, nothing was more rewarding than finishing junior year. Our hard work tangibly paid off, as we achieved one academic conquest after another. Above all, our shared struggles brought our grade closer. We entered senior year as a united front, ready to combat the cutthroat ~college process~ together.

10th: Overstressed and Underdressed Playlist includes: FML by Kanye West, One Dance by Drake, Jordan Belfort by Wes Walker I know way too many people here right now that I didn’t know last year...who the f*** are y’all? Admit it. That’s what you were thinking too. A new campus, three more years of high school, and the journey was far from Over. The best description of sophomore year: All Falls Down. Transitioning was overwhelming to say the least. Academically, expectations were higher than ever before. A five page English paper?! Blasphemy. The climb from Weiler to Feldman Horn?! Death. The new campus also brought changes to our social lives, as did the newfound independence that came with driving. When we didn’t want to be somewhere, we had the freedom to just Shut Up and Drive. As sophomore year came to a close, the college process became less of a Dark Twisted Fantasy and more of a distant reality. Still, we had no idea what was about to hit us. The ride was just beginning.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANNA GONG

E8 Senior Supplement

The road less navigable By Kitty Luo

Am I a bad driver? Personally, I would say that I’m a wonderful driver; so far, I’ve mostly only hit inanimate objects. Yet for some unfathomable reason, I have earned a reputation as a notoriously poor operator of vehicles. A friend’s recent comparison of my car to a “death machine” forces me to consider that there may be a ring of truth to my unfortunate label. The truth is, every day, I arduously skid down the knotted twists and turns of Coldwater Canyon with extreme difficulty. Only when I reach the bottom of the hill do my muscles relax. A mere few hours later, however, I must once again face the plight of maneuvering my way back up, blood pressure rising steadily the entire way home. At least twice a day, the uneven hillside dirt fades away to become the glowing, neon lights of the Rainbow Road; my black SUV shrinks into a compact cartoon racecar, and I, little Mario clad in red and blue, frantically grapple the steering wheel, lurching side to side in a desperate attempt to avoid tumbling off the slippery edge. In the mornings, it was the winding yellow brick road, leading me to the Emerald City with all of the world’s knowledge stored within those

DME #pride

shining automated security gates. In the evenings, it was my country road, taking me home to the place where I belong, a path back to my family lined with streetlights at its crooked sides. It didn’t matter if I was heading North to school or South to go home, I was never lost on Coldwater. High school was like an odyssey for me, a long and taxing journey, taking me to peaks I had never imagined possible, but also casting me down at times, forcing me to learn how to stand back up when it seemed like everything had gone wrong. But whether it was my stairway to heaven or my descent into the underworld, it was always the same winding road that led me there. From the island dwellings of Gods to monsters’ gaping jaws to the safety of his home port, Odysseus had the ever-churning sea to propel him forward. I had Coldwater Canyon. For the rest of my life, I’ll always remember that meandering canyon road, the green glow of a stoplight in midnight fog and the crunch of crumbling pebbles beneath my wheels. Most of all, I’ll remember the destination at the end of the route, the place where I met my friends, where I discovered jazz, where I became a journalist, where I laughed and cried and learned.

The Chronicle

NOA SCHWARTZ/CHRONICLE

PD-NAY: Loving boyfriend and Managing Editor Anthony Weinraub ’18 tries to steal a kiss from DME counterpart Eli Adler ’18, but he is not having it. Presentations Editor Kitty Luo ’18 supervises.

Losing teeth, gaining wisdom

By Claire Keller

With two bottles of prescription pain medication and a half pint of ice cream by my side, I held an ice pack to my swollen face as I struggled to decide what my last column for The Chronicle would be about. I hardly realized that the pathetic scene I had set for myself perfectly embodied the one trait I can honestly say Harvard-Westlake has instilled in all of its students: resilience. In the grand scheme of things, attempting to write this article only a few hours after having my wisdom teeth removed may not seem like that impressive of an endeavor. However, reflecting on the

By Eli Adler

No three words strike more fear into the heart of Chronicle staffers than “Digital Managing Editor.” When the two of us walk into the room, the juniors and sophomores cower. OK, so that isn’t exactly the reputation we carry. Maybe people don’t exactly understand what my position actually entails, but I like to tell myself that I can assign sophomores and juniors to pages and articles. Having spent the last nine months dutifully fulfilling my numerous responsibilities, though, I can confidently say that my position is not a joke. Not only did I try to do my part to make the paper the best it could be, but more importantly, it changed me as a person. Coming from the sports section, M-Team felt like a different world. I had to work in Weiler 108 (the news room) instead of Weiler 104 (the sports room), which meant no more college football during layout. I ventured for the first time into Weiler 108, having no friends except for my next-door neighbor, Maddy. Even though my old Chronicle friends were only two doors down, they felt like a world away. The cleanliness, the orderliness and the dearth of noise scared me. These people didn’t seem like people who would be my friends. I really didn’t think that my position

DANIELLE SPITZ/CHRONICLE

PEACE OUT: Managing Editors Alena Rubin ’18 and Noa Schwartz ’18 pretend that Anthony Weinraub ’18 like-likes them. would shape me as a human being and that the best parts of my senior year would be related to Chronicle. Wow, was I wrong. If there was no Digital Managing Editor, I wouldn’t have gone on the Dallas trip. I wouldn’t have met my fearless partner in crime and fellow Digital Managing Editor. I wouldn’t have met Anthony, the person who has had the single biggest impact on me. I wouldn’t be so confident voicing what I believe in. I wouldn’t be so comfortable with myself and my relationships. As my senior year comes to a close, I’ve begun to reflect on what has made this year so special. For me, it’s the

May 30, 2018

people. It’s the people who have supported me when I needed it the most, and the people who have been with me at my best and at my worst. And a lot of these people came from M-Team. From friendships I never expected. From people with whom I never thought I would have long conversations in the middle of the night. I remain eternally grateful to Danielle and Josie for believing in me and my journalistic capabilities when I don’t think I even did. Sure, I may not get to write a lot of the editorial an sure. Sure, I don’t usually get to sign off on pages. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

last three years I’ve spent at the Upper School, there is a clear pattern established in my own life, as well as in the lives of those around me. My peers, friends and fellow journalists embody resilience. Resilience is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. While our grade has been called mediocre and average, our ability to overcome hardship is far from ordinary. From incredible sports injury recoveries to improving mental health awareness, the Class of 2018 gets up when they are knocked down. We’ve grown up in a world of helicopter parenting, with our lives practically planned out until the minute we leave home for college. Generations

before us criticize our dependence on our families, predicting a future of failure when we enter “the real world”. Harvard-Westlake students will almost certainly outperform this expectation. As challenging as the last three years have been, HW has prepared us to tackle obstacles in the future with confidence. While the incredible teachers, amazing opportunities and hardworking peers contribute to much of our potential, they are not the reason this class can succeed. It is their confidence, their determination and their resiliency that make success so imminent. They can because they think they can.

By Anthony Weinraub

first noticed them. We’ve been friends ever since. News of the shorts quickly spread. They became my defining feature. With friends came a change in my personality. As most people who even vaguely know who I am now, I was intensely anti-social for the longest time. But the shorts provided an outlet into the world of friends, beyond staying at home and watching Downton Abbey. And for that, I’m eternally grateful for those silly little nine-inch-long stripes. Grateful because thanks to them, I’ve had the best three years of my life. Grateful for the late-night frozen yogurt runs and mukbangs with Noa and Alena and Emory. Grateful for the fact that I joined Chronicle because of the friends the shorts gave me. And Chronicle gave me Maddy, the best editorial writer I know; and Josie, the person with whom I’m thrilled to spend the next four years with; and Eli, the distant family friend whom I knew from afar and never wanted to spend time with until the journalism trip to Dallas proved that I was wrong. So while I know this column may seem like a long-winded paean to a fairly ordinary pair of shorts, they helped ground me, gave me a community of friends (and a boyfriend!) I wouldn’t trade for the world. So thank you, Boden, for holding a Black Friday sale and encouraging my little ninth grade self to take a risk.

Call me by Antoine Believe it or not, I’ve never written a Chronicle opinion piece, despite being the Opinion Editor for our illustrious middle school magazine, The Spectrum, and the writer of the nationally-acclaimed “Leaning Left” column. I don’t know exactly what’s changed (except for switching out the sweat shorts for chinos), but here goes nothing. Funnily enough, it was those sweat shorts that had a bigger impact on my high school experience than any other piece of clothing I’ve worn. I had multiple pairs of those $20 Mini Boden shorts, in more colors than I’d like to admit. While my personal favorite was the blue and white pair with a bright waistband, the green and blue pair featured heavily in my repertoire. For all of middle school, I tried desperately to appear as generic as could be in order to blend in. The sweats were the exception in their bright colors that practically screamed for attention. And guess what: I didn’t die. The sky didn’t fall. And even more shocking to me: people liked the shorts! What a thought! In middle school, I was envious of the people who surrounded themselves with friends and attention because the side effect of my fear of attention was a lack of meaningful relationships. The shorts brought me the attention I always wanted. It was in Spectrum that my favorite EICs Noa and Danielle

May 30, 2018

Teacher’s pet By Elly Choi

During the hardest times at Harvard-Westlake, small moments with my best friends would get me through the day. In seventh grade, when I received my first 56 percent on an Algebra I test, my coolest best friend who rode a tri-hawk consoled me. In eighth grade, when I was struggling with history class and I received my first 100 percent in World Civilizations, my most supportive best friend made sure the whole class knew. My freshman year, my best friend who introduced me to journalism would feed me Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizza and let me make memes of him. And with the transition to the Upper School came even more friendships. I was probably the worst Computer Science A student to ever walk the Chalmers halls but my plaid-loving best friend coached me through loops and iterations. I traveled to North Carolina with my best-dressed and most socially aware best friend to discuss the most prominent ethical issues.

hwchronicle.com

Executive Editor Elly Choi values relationships with friends and teachers.

In my junior year, I started off the day with my worst class—AP Physics. I had no idea what was ever going on, but my jokes and heinous labs with my oatmeal-loving, sarcastic best friend got me through the day. And finally, my last year at Harvard-Westlake, I met my strictest yet sweetest best friend who stuck with me every day for over two hours in a row. I’m going to be honest, I did not choose these friends. Rather, I was assigned to be in their classes. I am forever grateful for the people who have shaped me into the person I am today. Mr. Pavich, I will never forget the day you let me have a pass on getting a parent signature. I will always remember your words to strive to be the best I can possibly be. Mr. Newhart, you never gave up on me and always made time for me. While receiving that 100 percent may not have single-handedly changed my future, I am forever grateful to you for the lessons I learned. Mr. Chae, you made my first steps into journalism the best they could possible be.

I would not have become the Executive Editor of the Chronicle without you. Mr. Weis, or as I like to say “Kweis,” you somehow always enthusiastically taught me the same lesson over and over again. I will genuinely miss our elbow bumps when walking across the second floor of Chalmers. Dr. Mamigonian, three years with you in Ethics Bowl and two years with you in English is simply not enough. I have grown so much as a writer and critical thinker. I will never forget our talks and I promise to come visit the future Ethics Bowl teams. Dr. V, or Yanni, or Laurel if you will, I will miss your sarcastic humor. I promise to come back so that I can stress out with you. Mr. Nealis, you never fail to answer my questions that have already been asked and roast me for eating sweets all day. While I am grateful to have known you, I wish I had known you for much, much longer. Be best friends with your teachers. It’s the best decision I ever made.

Senior Supplement E9

#FoodForThought By Emory Kim

At every restaurant, dinners are split into two. The clank of dishes on tables sets off a dichotomy between those who want to publicize the moment and those who want to savor it. Half of restaurant-goers scramble to grab phones from back pockets, bags and laps while the other half snatch up the closest utensils at hand. I belong to the latter group and so do my friends. We, bound by our common appreciation, relish the moment, the symphony of flavors and textures colliding with our longing taste buds. It is a satisfaction so complex that it could never be replicated through a series of pixels. Wasting time trying to get perfect lighting for Instagram or Snapchat as a piping hot plate of paella sits waiting to be tasted confounds us. Our meals are marked by a centerpiece of piled iPhones. Ever since eighth grade, we have made a tradition of stacking our phones aside. The honor of covering the check is bestowed upon whomever is the first to touch a phone. To this day, no one is itching to take part in cellular activities at the cost of the check (particularly on a high school budget). Our dining experience is not viewed through devices; instead, it is reflected off of our blank, black screens. The first bite of a meal is critical and cannot be distracted. It is a review for not only the consumer but also for surrounding diners. With full mouths, our only sources of communication are our ears, eyes and utensils. We catch each other’s reactions in real time, rather than

through star ratings on Yelp. (For some dishes, five stars simply do not do justice.) The scraping of forks and knives form a rhythm; the speed of the beat indicates the level of our eagerness, and for that first bite, the tempo of chewing denotes how long we want this fleeting moment of food and food only - to last. I am one to work rapidly, cutting and skewering, a feat that could not be accomplished with a device in hand. Each second counts for my voracious appetite. But then, the first bite enters my mouth and time stops. With each consecutive spoonful, the ambient noises grow. Someone speaks. Our conversation crescendos in volume and topics. The silence had united us and now our discussions are as strong as ever. Meals become a medium through which our heterogeneous group comes together, discusses our differences, and absorbs this shared experience. We become a little family of our own. As we leave Harvard-Westlake, the occasional friend request or comment might pop up in the notifications tab of our phones or laptops. However, this is an inadequate method of perpetuating the legacy of our friendships and acquaintances. Rather, we should be fulfilled through spiritual experiences, classrooms and, of course, the dining table. Biologically, dining is a necessity for life. But for us, it should be a means of combining bonding and satisfaction, transcending technology’s constraints.

Ending with a bang

NOA SCHWARTZ/CHRONICLE

FEATURED ONE LAST TIME: Features editors Kate Schrage ’18 and Kristin Kuwada ’18 smile

through the pain of putting together the B section. The two brought Chips, our mascott, into the Chron fam.

The struggle is real but worth it By Kate Schrage

Harvard-Westlake is hard. We all know that. Impressive academics, time consuming extracurriculars and competitive social lives are arguably the selling points of the school but also the reason why many students groan to arrive on campus every morning. And while it’s easy to reflect on these difficulties in vain, Harvard-Westlake has raised me to be exactly the type of person I’ve always wanted to be—someone who finds positivity and knowledge in all of life’s curveballs. And with that identity, I’d like to give my journalistic equivalent of an ode to the struggles that I’ve encountered and why. First off, it’s tough doing poorly in a class or having a weakness in a subject. So while it’s easy to hate the moments spent in a classroom that seems to bring

out the worst out in us, I’m grateful to Harvard-Westlake for preparing me for the reality that success is not imminent. I’m grateful that I won’t be thrown into a shark tank when freshman fall rolls around in a few months, and I’m stuck scratching my head in a required biology course that I can’t seem to crack. Now, here’s to the teachers who really pushed me. And I mean really, really pushed me. As a mere seventh grader, I’d always thought that relentless solicitation for answers and input from teachers was a way for them to bring me down. But since then, I’ve come to understand that teachers who were hard on me or asked more of me than I expected only saw more potential in me than even I saw in myself. So I am incredibly thankful for all of those teachers who stopped at nothing, even my claims of defeat, to

make sure I knew my capabilities, and taught me that tough love is just that—love. And finally, I’d like to express my gratitude for all the mistakes that have been made by both myself and all of my peers. We all have had our triumphs and victories, but we’ve also all been victims and inflictors of pain. I used to look bitterly upon the bumps in the HW road, but I’m proud to say that, here, I’ve had the opportunity to mature and grow stronger from each mistake. I’ve learned the powerful tool of forgiving myself and others and of finding the balance between looking forward while also understanding how to prevent those mistakes from happening again. Harvard-Westlake has made me—us — stronger. I never thought I’d say it, but hats off to you, Harvard-Westlake. Here’s to the struggles.

By Ellis Becker and Gabi Berchtold

Neither of us really want to write this. Not because we don’t enjoy writing anymore, but because this article means that we need to be at school to work on it even though neither of us really need to be here. AP Exams have finished. Dozens of classrooms are abandoned. Neither of us have seen a single other senior in weeks. Even some of the teachers have gone into hiding. We float in limbo between school and graduation, attempting to waste the time that stretches between us and June 8. The system is broken. Seniors who have made it their goal to do the least amount of work possible now crave the idea of having something to do. We look enviously at snapchats from our friends at other schools who get to use this period to work on senior projects. Instead of being able to use our own time in the same productive way, we are chained to school by few classes. Seniors should end the year with a bang rather than a whimper. Instead of living

a half-life at school, with few to no real classes left, seniors should be able to take full advantage of the weeks before graduation. It would be extremely beneficial to us soon-to-be graduates to end all classes after the AP testing period to do something with real-life applications. Instead of doing nothing for five hours a day, we should have senior seminars in which we learn things that will actually help us in the future. Instead of just one day focused on the transitions from high school to beyond, we could have weeks dedicated to making life after high school as easy as possible. Rather than showing up at school for a few periods, we should be able to spend the whole day working at an internship or job. Instead of spacing out in class, we could be using our minds effectively and working on a project to honor our time at Harvard-Westlake. Whether it be an art project or research project, doing something we’re passionate about will energize the senior class and help us end our time at this school with a bang.

E10 Senior Supplement

HW: how to survive

The Chronicle

More than just paper clips By Brittany Hong

By Isabelle Eshragi

If I had warned my sixth grade self about my least favorite Harvard-Westlake experiences, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here writing this column. If I knew about the lack of sleep, the competitiveness and the stress, I would have opted out of the experience entirely. However, despite how difficult some aspects of life as a Harvard-Westlake student have been, I’m grateful for it all, and eventually you will be too. You will make friends, and lose some too. The “social jump” from the Middle School to the Upper School is difficult, but it comes at a perfect time. You are standing at a crossroads and should consider who is holding you back from your goals and dreams, who is supporting you as you go forward and who you are becoming. You will never regret procrastination more than when you have to make the trek from Upper Saint Michael’s to Chalmers after less than four hours of sleep. I wouldn’t

May 30, 2018

NOA SCHWARTZ/CHRONICLE

SARAH LEE-VING AARON: A&E Section Head Sarah Lee ’18 turns to put bunny ears on “Sports Section Head” Aaron “The Boss” Park ’18. Park tried to woo Slee for three years. recommend procrastination to any Harvard-Westlake student, but I know from experience that it takes a few all-nighters for people to try better time management. You will eventually figure out where you need to go. If the college process taught me anything, it is that the most important part is finding a school that is a good fit for you. Keep in mind that your happiness for four years of your future is incredibly important. As we make the journey

from middle schooler to high schooler to adult in the college world, what unifies us is the Harvard-Westlake experience. We have all been through the highs and lows together. So if you ever find yourself wondering, “Was Harvard-Westlake worth all of the trouble?” think about how those struggles have shaped who you are, and how you wouldn’t be the person you are today without them, and maybe you will see just how much this school has taught you.

Packing my backpack and stepping outside of my front door, I imagined the beautiful campuses that I would be walking across for the next six years of my life. I was the most excited anyone could be, and I was confident that my enthusiasm would never vanish. About thirty minutes into the first class, I felt the excited butterflies gradually disappear and turn into feelings intimidation from the syllabus, the literal stacks of homework and the outspoken, intelligent peers sitting next to me. Pasta saved me. As soon as I stepped into the cafeteria, I felt the warmth of the food and realized that maybe I can survive in this new environment. With the small bowl of pasta in my hands, I proudly took out my shiny student ID card from my pocket and purchased my first meal at Harvard-Westlake and exited the cafeteria, smiling. Eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh grade passed. Right now, I am a second-semester senior, attempting to write this column. As I am sitting in my bed with ice cream in one hand, I’m recalling my first day at this school. Currently, I realize that my exit from the cafeteria is the extent of what I remem-

ber from that day. However, I know that Harvard-Westlake has shaped me in a special way. Little by little, I faced the intimidation and used that to grow into who I am today. I challenged myself to join the school publication, and was not only able to be part of the wonderful Chronicle staff, but also to express my opinion through writing. I challenged myself to take difficult classes and even run for prefect council a grand total of three times, which I do not regret at all. I have been nominated by the senior class as “least changed since 7th grade.” Yes, I do look exactly the same. However, I have grown as a student, friend, and peer, and I must mention that I have grown at least five inches tall. Placing down my backpack at the end of my first day here seems just like yesterday. However, my last day at this school is just around the corner. I am thankful for everything that this school has given me and I truly believe that our senior class has linked together into a great Class of 2018. So before I type another cheesy remark, I will end with something that only the senior class will understand. Combine the first letters of each paragraph of this article.

“DO IT FOR HER”

By Sarah Lee

DANIELLE SPITZ/CHRONICLE

CHIPPIN’ IN: Lee, Kristin Kuwada ’18 and Kate Schrage ’18 pose next to the Features fish, Chips. In doing so, they willfully trespassed on Business and Ads Manager Jiwon Park’s ’18 property.

Making small talk, memories By Kristin Kuwada

I was sitting outside of Chipotle the other day next to my best friend and across from an older man who claimed that he could physically see the colors of our aura. He interrupted us to introduce himself, admitting to listening in on our conversation about the future. We had been talking about our career goals and thoughts on having kids and getting married. You know, one of those existential talks that you often have with your best friend. So there we were, sitting with this guy claiming that he had died three times. He told us about the visions he had when his heart stopped, explaining how he saw heaven and heard God.

We ended up asking him various questions about reincarnation, dreaming, soulmates, and déjà vu, and after 40 minutes had passed, we found ourselves completely engulfed in conversation. It wasn’t that we believed everything that he said or were converted to his way of thinking, but it was refreshing to hear a different perspective. As he was leaving, he mentioned that he was a bestselling author of many inspirational books as well as a chiropractor, and left us with his final words, “your aura isn’t pink anymore, it’s yellow, it’s always changing”. I looked back at my friend, and we laughed together for a long time, thinking about how crazy we must have sounded talking so intently to a complete stranger in public. But then I thought about

how much I enjoyed having conversations like that, ones that were spontaneous and had a lasting impact on how I thought about life and the world around me. One of the greatest things about going to Harvard-Westlake is that you become accustomed to talking to new people and acclimated to hearing so many different opinions. I definitely carried that lesson into my personal life and often have the best conversations with strangers that I meet in foreign countries and in random restaurants. Going through high school made me more afraid of becoming short-sided than of taking risks and expanding my beliefs. That’s the beauty in keeping your door open, so that new people, maybe even a kindred soul, will surprise you from time to time.

In Episode 116 of “The Simpsons,” new financial stresses force Homer Simpson to return to work at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant under his greedy boss, Mr. Burns. Upon Homer’s return, Burns installs a placard above Homer’s desk, reminding him that there is no escape from his menial work. “DON’T FORGET: YOU’RE HERE FOREVER,” it reads. When I was a gullible seventh grader, I was so desperate to have some semblance of an identity, I threw myself into situations without thinking about the consequences. That ultimately ended with me trapped in a toxic state of being used, manipulated, threatened, thrown away, picked up again and thrust back into the same sad cycle by someone I loved. Through pure luck, I escaped from that situation when eighth grade ended. Still, living with that stain on my life hasn’t been easy. Sometimes it’s discouraging knowing that my time at Harvard-Westlake has been practically synonymous with time spent living through or recovering from trauma. There have been times where my memories crept up on me in the middle of my schoolwork to tell me to give up because all I’ll ever be is a victim. There have been times where I’ve felt like I really was “here forever.” The thing is, when Homer was faced with Burns’ bullying, he didn’t let it hold him down. Placing photos of

his daughter Maggie on the placard, he reminded himself of what was truly important in life, using that as motivation. “DO IT FOR HER.” I can’t call Homer Simpson a role model, but I’ve learned something important from Episode 116. Whenever I want to just stop trying, I remember my younger self from before any of this happened. What did she want to get out of my time at Harvard-Westlake? What kind of person did she want to become? When I think of the person I once was, I remember that I’d always wanted to be a teacher’s pet. I never earned that reputation, but my teachers have always been important to me. My teachers are the reason I’ve never given up. So, to every teacher I’ve had over the past six years: thank you. Thank you for being the reason I’ve made myself stay at this school even when the going got tough. Thank you for being the exact type of people I know my young self would hate to have disappointed. Without my teachers, I don’t think I would have been able to understand why I should not only stay in, but try to succeed in such a high-pressure environment. It’s because of them that I was able to realize why I do this in the first place. I don’t do it to look good. I don’t do it to get recognition. I don’t do it for the sake of a certain number at the bottom of my transcript. I do it for myself. I do it for her.

May 30, 2018

hwchronicle.com

Senior Supplement E11

Here’s to my teachers By Matthew Yam

NOA SCHWARTZ/CHRONICLE

WHO IS ELLY CHOI: “Managing Editor” Eli Adler ’18, “Sports Section Head” Matthew Yam ’18, Executive Editor Ellis Becker ’18 and Park scheme Executive Editor Elly Choi ’18. Adler can’t smile.

DANIELLE SPITZ/CHRONICLE

WORKING HARD OR HARDLY WORKING: Big Red Editors-in-Chief Ellis Becker ’18 and Matthew Yam ’18 research up-and-coming athletes for their D4-5 spread. Several hours go into this section.

Holding out for a hero By Aaron Park

Thank you, Zombieland. For the less educated among you, Ruben Fleischer’s 2009 zombie-apocalypse comedy is the greatest film of the modern era. In Zombieland, Jesse Eisenberg plays a character who’s survived the apocalypse by living by a set of rules. At the end of the movie, he changes one of these rules, “don’t be a hero,” to “be a hero,” so that he can go save Emma Stone from a horde of evil zombies. He saves the girl, and they all live happily ever after. That movie has had a profound impact on my life in a couple of ways since I saw it last summer. First of all, it introduced me to the gener-

ational talent that is Emma Stone, greatest actress of our generation. But it also taught me that sometimes we need to take risks to live our lives to the fullest and realize who we can be. Harvard-Westlake is a big place. Yes, physically big (thanks, Upper School stairs), but I’m referring more to the opportunities available to students here. Just on campus, we have 24 athletic programs. This year was a year of a few firsts for me. My play-byplay debut for HWTV was the football season opener against Birmingham. I acted for the first time in the Playwrights Festival. I’m not sure whether I’ll ever be a professional announcer or actor. But I know

that the experiences I’ve had have been worthwhile all on their own. I learned things about myself that I’d never have otherwise known. Life is short. And, as big as it might be, so is Harvard-Westlake, at least in the temporal sense. We’re only here for six years. Then, it’s off to college and real life and everything that entails. So here’s my proposition: try something new this coming year. Could be anytime, whether that’s over the summer, first semester or even the month before school ends. Could be a new sport, or asking someone new on a date or maybe even stand-up comedy. Be a hero.

Thank Yu, Harvard-Westlake

By Adam Yu

Fifteen years from now, as I look back at my time here, I will remember all of the opportunities that Harvard-Westlake afforded me. From all of the people I met to all of the new things I got to try, Harvard-Westlake allowed me to forge an identity for myself. The first time I ever stepped foot on Harvard-Westlake’s campus, I was a nervous sixth grade applicant trying my very best to impress in my interview. After 20 minutes of giving what I thought were good answers, I thought to myself, “This is definitely where I want to be.” I remember waking up super early on my first day

of seventh grade. It wasn’t because I had a long drive; it was just the feeling of being excited to start Harvard-Westlake. From learning the tuba to playing on the football team, I used my first year at Harvard-Westlake to learn as much as I could. When I began as a staff member on the Spectrum in ninth grade, I wasn’t sure I even liked journalism. The long hours spent interviewing and writing, followed by even longer hours at layout, left me uncertain about whether I wanted to continue as a journalist. However, seeing other members of the community react with elation every time a new issue arrived made me want to remain on staff. Arriving at the Upper

School and being one of the youngest students on campus once again was intimidating. But by the time eleventh grade rolled around, I felt the most prepared I had ever felt. And as my senior year began, I was both nervous and excited. Even so, it ended up being my favorite year. After keeping my foot all the way pressed down on the gas during the first semester, I had the chance to relax a little bit and try new things outside of school in the second semester. In the end, Harvard-Westlake helped shape me into the person I am today; the person who wants to try everything and learn as much as possible. For that, I say, “Thank you, Harvard-Westlake.”

In the next few weeks, we’ll all be celebrated for the accomplishment of getting through Harvard-Westlake and praised for all our hard work. Before I indulge in my own awesomeness, I have to acknowledge the people who have taught me and lifted me up. The people I have to thank are not only teachers by profession but also by how they live life. It’s not always easy for me to show my appreciation to the people I love, but here’s my attempt. Mom, thank you for signing me up for the ISEE and taking me out of Clairbourn and away from my friends, so I could wake up at 5:30 every morning to ride the bus to Harvard-Westlake. Dad, thank you for waking up even earlier than me every morning, so you could make me breakfast and send me off with a smile. Ms. Cardillo, thank you for always being willing to put everything aside to gas me up whenever I barged into your office to complain about a fight I got into with a teacher. Or to tell you that I slept through my AP Calc exam. Or that I didn’t start an essay until the day it was due. Or that I don’t want to be a paleontologist, despite how persistent you are about that. Speaking of Calc, Mr. Kochar. Thanks for always being here. Literally. Do you ever go home? Even though I didn’t come in to see you nearly as much as I maybe should have, I always felt a sense of security on campus because I knew that if I needed you, chances are, you’ll be there. I’m going to start watching The Big

Bang Theory so that I’ll be able to get your references. Ms. Brown! I miss you! Thank you for helping me learn about myself when I felt like I knew nothing. Mr. Levin, thank you for always making time to drop some wisdom on me. Evan, thanks for being my shoulder of choice to cry on and for giving me more than I could ever give you. Mr. Grier, your boundless energy and constant understanding day after day still stand out as some of the things I remember best from my sleep-deprived days at the middle school. Dr. Nassar, thank you for being the nicest person I’ve known at Harvard-Westlake. Eli, thank you for rolling me in Orlando. Kit, thank you for upholding the Jordan name. *Whips* Wakeen, thank you for never making me sal de la clase. Ellis, thank you for always reading my writing and giving me honest feedback, especially when it’s trash. Gray-thanks for being the one guy on campus who understands southern slang and the Memphis roots. Kelly, thanks for caring for me, listening to me, and singing with me on the ride home. One day, we’ll try Pagliacci’s. Sports, thank you for being my second family. I should have known when I began writing this that many people who I love would be short-changed thanks to the nature of articles and word limits. And I’m sorry for that. But if you’ve ever made me smile or shared a laugh with me, know that you’ve made my life better in many different ways. So thank you.

Don’t fock it up

By Jiwon Park

Try blending in with the Southern California elite fresh off the boat from Korea. Adjusting to America was tough and if I were to survive here, I’d first have to find a way to belong. Middle school had some minor advantages: students were not as competitive, I was fine wearing the same clothes everyday and everyone knew each other. Then, it came time to attend Harvard-Westlake, a unique campus culture that encourages independence. There was no common lunch period, study hall or weekly schedule. Naturally, people with similar interests bonded, and I had to actively search for a place to belong. The first new thing that I tried was joining the freshman field hockey team. With this decision, I encountered a slew of academic challenges because of the commitment that came with being on the team. Some days, I missed half of my classes, and my time management was a disaster. I sucked at field hockey and blending into this pre-existing tightly knit group. None of this helped my confidence

at all, but I stuck with it. By staying on the team, I learned to expect and embrace challenges and face them at my own pace. After a year, as I scrapped my way onto JV, rigid scheduling norms almost forced me to quit. But I managed to find a way to stay on the team, and my coach bumped me up to Varsity. This transition taught me that after the darkest nights come the brightest mornings. After four years of field hockey, our team walked away with the California state championship. Among all the other members of the Varsity team, I was one of the last seniors to join, and therefore, one of the worst. However, I believe my personal growth was just as important as the number on the scoreboard. I learned to focus on the things that my teammates did for me, instead of all the struggles and conflicts I faced. So in college, whenever I encounter a challenge, I will not immediately jump to a conclusion that the environment around me sucks, because I realized that the world changes with the way you think about it.

E12 SENIOR SUPPLEMENT

MAY 30, 2018

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1. Claire Keller, Emory Kim, Elly Choi and Maddy Daum 2. Matthew Yam and Pria Pant 3. Oliver Akhtarzad, Sam McCabe and Zach Swartz 4. Kitty Luo and Gray Toomey 5. Maya Golob, Caty Szeto, Natalie Blut and Nicole Kim 6. Nick Plummer, DJ Lesh, Anthony Weinraub, Blair Sullivan, Eli Adler, Jack Borris and Jonathan Damico 7. Mia Reilly, Kate Schrage and Jacqueline Ayestas 8. Alena Rubin, Noa Schwartz, Josie Abugov and Danielle Spitz