December 2021 Issue

Harvard-Westlake • Studio City • Volume 31 • Issue 4 • December 15, 2021 • hwchronicle.com

School engages in ALICE protocol during drill Community

By Claire Conner and Natalie Cosgrove

Following several school shooting threats throughout various Los Angeles high schools, students participated in an active shooter drill Dec. 10. Palisades Charter High School (PCHS), Santa Monica High School (Samohi), Buena Park High School, Hamilton High School and Hollywood High School were among dozens of schools across the country to experience copycat threats after the Nov. 30 shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan.

According to reports made to the school by parents and students, the events in early December raised new concerns about schools’ communication protocols for online threats. PCHS principal Pam Magee emailed families after online threats led hundreds of students to evacuate its campus Dec. 6. The email stated that one PCHS student posted their plans to commit an

active shooting under the name of another student on social media. The student later confessed to fabricating the threat.

March For Our Lives (MFOL) California Director and PCHS student Maya Deganyar said she and other students in the Palisades MFOL chapter attempted to fill gaps in communication from the school regarding the threat and campus safety.

“We even made an announcement to the entire school on the loudspeaker,” Deganyar said.

“Our principal kind of just [said], ‘You guys can help in whatever way you can.’ There was zero communication going on from our administration.”

President Rick Commons said he believes if a similar event took place at the school, the administration would act quickly and send regular updates.

“I think if there were some kind of threat made on social media, we would become aware of it very quickly,” Commons said.

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According to Education Week, there have been 20 school shootings since the beginning of August 2021, all of which resulted in either injury or death.

should be getting the booster shot because they are interacting more frequently with others,” Snitman said. “Everyone who is eligible should be getting the booster shot, not only to protect yourself but also your family and those you go to school with.”

Los Angeles County reported its fifth case of the new variant of COVID-19, Omicron, first reported in late November in South Africa, caused by community transmission Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Snitman said there is no proven information on whether the booster is effective in preventing infection from the Omicron variant, but she said it is still necessary for people to protect against other aspects of COVID-19.

“Currently, there is no concrete data on the booster efficacy against Omicron,” Snitman said.

“However, Omicron is not the only variant out there. The Delta variant is very much a threat.”

DEAFinitely Dope founder Matt Maxey and brand representative Martise Colson shared their experiences as members of the deaf community and described their work as American Sign Language (ASL) music interpreters via Zoom during a Community Flex Time on Dec. 7.

Maxey said he founded DEAFinitely Dope in 2014 to provide support to people with hearing loss. DEAFinitely Dope posts videos with ASL translations of current songs. Maxey said the organization primarily focuses on underground hip-hop, and he said their work has attracted attention from Chance the Rapper, GQ, ABC News and more.

During the assembly, Maxey verbally translated Colson’s ASL on occasion, while other times Maxey and Colson engaged in simultaneous communication, a process in which they spoke and signed at the same time.

Colson said he first realized how deafness made him different than his peers when he started attending elementary school.

“Because my parents are also deaf, I grew up never using my voice,” Colson said. “I remember signing as I was walking down the hall. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy. ‘What, you can’t hear?

You talk kind of different. What are you doing with your hands?’

And I told them that I’m deaf.”

Maxey said DEAFinitely Dope is a way for the deaf community to gain visibility, and he said it bridges the gap between those who can and cannot hear.

“I’m just trying to see how I fit in,” Maxey said. “I understand that I have a hearing loss and I use ASL, but I also [have the ability to] talk. [Hearing and deaf people] are the same but also not the same. And Music can [often] unite us.”

• Continued on A3

• Continued on hwchronicle.com

D1

According to an interview published in NPR with an ALICE Training Institute representative, roughly one quarter of U.S. school districts use Alice training.

COVID-19 booster vaccine clinic held for students and faculty over 18 amid spread in Omicron variant The school will host a COVID-19 vaccine booster clinic in partnership with Elements Pharmacy for those over the age of 18, offering both the Moderna and Pfizer boosters Dec. 16.

Students over the age of 18 are eligible for the booster clinic if the allotted time has passed since their last vaccine dose: They must be at least two months past their single dose of Johnson & Johnson or at least six months past their last dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna shot to be eligible for the booster clinic, according to an email sent by the Community Health Office on Dec. 6.

Although the school currently only recommends that eligible students receive the booster, President Rick Commons said the school has not yet determined whether or not to mandate the COVID-19 booster shot.

“We have not decided to mandate the booster,” Commons said.

DEAFintely Dope speakers address the school about interpreting music in ASL.

By Natasha Speiss

ILLUSTRATIONS BY SOPHIA EVANS

By Sandra Koretz

hosts ASL interpreters

“We think it’s helpful for individ- contribute to lower hospitalizaual and community health, so we tion rates and a healthier immune are encouraging it and making it response to COVID-19. available and convenient, which “I believe that the booster will has been appreciated by families decrease hospitalizations,” Lee and employees. At this point, said. “A fully vaccinated person we have not decided to mandate has a much more robust immune the booster. It’s possible that we response and is able to fight the vimight require the booster if sci- rus more effectively. While it may ence suggests that it is not prevent infection, a really effective way it allows a person to of preventing covid get through the illness from taking hold in our with much less severe community and affectsymptoms. Therefore, ing individuals, I could the need for hospitalsee us requiring it, just ization goes way down. like we require vaccines Over time, however, in other areas.” the effectiveness of the white’s Although the U.S. vaccine diminishes and Rick Food and Drug Adthe booster will rev up Commons ministration approved the immune system to the booster for 16its previous levels.” and 17-year-olds Dec. 9, the Chief Operating Officer at school’s booster clinic is limited QueensCare Health Center Mato 18-year-olds. rina Snitman said receiving the Providence Holy Cross Med- booster vaccine is important to ical Center Anesthesiology protect the general health of stuMedical Director Brian Lee said dents’ peers and their families. receiving the booster shot will “As schools reopen, students

IN THIS ISSUE

A6 YoungArt Honors: One sophomore, two juniors and three seniors won various titles from the YoungArts Foundation.

A11

B3

C1

A Focus on Finance: Financial literacy education is crucial in preparing students for managing their futures.

Social Media Surplus: Students reflect on the impacts of several social media accounts oriented toward the school community.

Mourning Abloh: Pioneering Off-White creator Virgil Abloh died Nov. 28 from cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare form of cancer.

A Manager’s Mark: Team managers share their perspectives about their roles working on various sports squads.

The Chronicle

A2 News

Dec. 15, 2021

School runs campus active shooter drill • Continued from A1

“I think that students, parents accessible place so it is easy to unor community members who derstand and find, and they need become aware of a social media to update it constantly.” situation will let us know right Amid the surge in school away, so I don’t fear that it would shootings and online threats, be out there and we wouldn’t Benjamin Ham ’23 said he apknow about it,” Commons said. preciates the protection provid“Once we know about it, we’re ed by the school’s mental health going to immediately put togeth- and security resources. er a team of people to evaluate “[The school] has so many rewhether there’s risk and if there’s sources when it comes to preventrisk, we’ll act conservatively in ing an occurrence like [the school the interest of student safety.” shooting] in Michigan from hapPCHS student and MFOL pening,” Ham said. “I know a big State Expansions Co-Direc- part of this situation is mental tor Madeline health and havGlenn said ing the feeling of We want most of the being included information for the student, [students] to be students reso for those kinds comfortable enough to ceived about of resources, we come up to us and tell us the threat was have people like when something is wrong.” [Upper School spread in group chats and on Counselor Mi—Jim Crawford chelle Bracken] social media Head of Security and [Head of platforms. An email sent by Peer Support and Samohi’s adInterdisciplinary ministration to parents said the Studies & Independent Research threat to their campus was posted Teacher Tina McGraw ’01]. Even on Snapchat, which the school as a new ninth-grader and then discovered after being notified going into Zoom school, I feel by a parent. really welcome and safe at school Glenn said she hopes schools with faculty and security, despite will adapt to the increasing num- the news.” ber of online shooting threats by Head of Security Jim Crawconsistently providing and up- ford said he believes constant dating accurate information that communication between the seis made available to students, par- curity staff and the school coments and teachers. munity helps maintain safety.

“It’s really difficult to control “A good security [team] is social media and what students [one] where our students and our are saying online,” Glenn said. faculty know our guards, know “Instead of working on punish- who they are and why we’re ing students who were posting here—that’s important,” Craw[comments about threats] on so- ford said. “We want [students] to cial media or telling students they be comfortable enough to come need to look harder for credible up to us and tell us when someinformation, schools need to pro- thing is wrong.” vide the true information in an • Continued on hwchronicle.com

“

ALEX HAHN/CHRONICLE

FESTIVE FRIENDS: Rohan Mehta ’23 and Alejandro Lombard ’23 pose in front of the Christmas tree on the Quad. Prefect Council placed presents under the tree for winners of the “Rick on the Commons” contest.

Prefects plan winter festivities

By Alex Hahn

In the lead-up to the school’s winter break, Prefect Council organized WinterFest, a twoweek-long celebration Dec. 6 to Dec. 17.

During the first week of WinterFest, Prefect Council assigned each school day a different theme: Flannel Day, Winter Accessories Day, Ugly Sweater Day and Anything but a Backpack Day. Throughout the week, Prefect Council also held special activities such as the Elf on the Shelf-inspired “Rick on the Commons” competition, in which participants searched campus for a doll designed to look like President Rick Commons.

Winners Joey Schoenberg ’22, Jo Grody ’22, Illi Kreiz ’24 and Kaelyn Choi ’22 won randomly selected gift cards to either Amazon, Starbucks or Erewhon.

The second week of WinterFest is an extended Pajama Day;

students are encouraged to wear nighttime attire through the full school week.

Throughout the remainder of WinterFest, students will have the opportunity to purchase Candy Cane Grams to be sent to a friend or faculty member. Additionally, students will sell their homemade, winter-themed artisanal goods in the Winter Market, open Dec. 16-17.

Senior Prefect Joy Ho ’22 said Prefect Council aimed to foster holiday cheer through the themed activities.

“This is often a very stressful time for students with lots of assessments and assignments,” Ho said. “WinterFest, along with its many special events, is designed to help bring our community closer and relieve the academic-related pressure that many students are feeling.”

Idalis McZeal ’23 said WinterFest provided her with entertainment in an otherwise work-

heavy week. “[WinterFest] was really fun to participate in,” McZeal said. “It was funny to see everyone’s takes on the different themes, especially Ugly Sweater Day. WinterFest definitely helped me get my mind off of school-related stress.”

Out of all the dress-up themes, McZeal said Winter Accessories Day was her favorite.

“I feel it was relatively easy to find clothes to wear that day,” McZeal said. “I also really liked [Winter Accessories Day] because it gave me the opportunity to wear gloves, scarves and other clothing that we in Los Angeles don’t get to wear [too] often.”

Ceerous LeSage ’23 said he enjoyed participating in the “Rick on the Commons” competition.

“Even though I didn’t end up finding [the doll], it was fun to go around campus searching in places I’d never been before,” LeSage said.

Midterm week altered

By Will Sherwood

SANDRA KORETZ/CHRONICLE

STUDY BUDDIES: While the school has done away with the midyear assessment week it used in previous years, some students still have to study for cumulative assessments before or after break for certain courses.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, students spent the week leading up to winter break taking formal midterm assessments in Taper Gymnasium for their core classes. Nearly two years later, following the introduction of 75-minute periods, the school has eliminated mid-year assessment week, giving teachers the ability to choose when and whether or not to administer a cumulative mid-year exam.

Head of Upper School Beth Slattery said even prior to the pandemic, the school began to question the value of the scheduled midterm week.

“Lots of our teachers were articulating that in their class, they didn’t feel the need to do something cumulative, so why [should they] put kids through that if [they] don’t actually think it has pedagogical value?” Slattery said. “Then last year, with COVID-19, it certainly didn’t seem like a great idea to be having kids doing a cumulative assessment on Zoom. We were trying to find ways to make last year more manageable at a time when kids were really struggling.”

This year, Slattery said the school hopes to make the weeks surrounding winter break less of a burden on students.

“With the new schedule, you don’t need to have a week where you set aside two-hour blocks of time, because you now have 75-minute [periods],” Slattery said. “If teachers really want to do that, they can, but we found that not very many classes felt the need to do that. Let’s try and make sure that people can actually get a break. I think everybody’s just trying to kind of downplay them because we don’t think that they’re as necessary anymore.”

Sophomore Prefect Glory Ho ’24 said she has only one official midterm, but she still finds the weeks leading up to winter break to be stressful.

“I’m taking [Advanced Placement] Latin, so the workload is pretty heavy and mostly memorization,” Ho said. “I still have regular tests from all my classes this coming week, so it’s hard to find time to study.”

Derek Wilairat, who teaches Ho’s AP Latin class, said having a midterm is necessary to keep students prepared and prevent them from falling behind for the official AP exam in May. “We decided to have a midterm in AP Latin because of the particular nature of the class,” Wilairat said. “The midterm is a kind of practice run for the AP exam, and reviewing for the midterm helps us progress.”

Dec. 15, 2021

hwchronicle.com/news

News A3

Boosters approved for teens

• Continued from A1

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF CORY PORTER

ALL SUITED UP: A group of delegates on the school’s Model United Nations Team pose for a picture during the first day of the Los Angeles Invitational Model United Nations conference. Team members won awards like Best Delegate and Outstanding Delegate for their performance at the event.

Delegates win awards while at annual Los Angeles Invitational Model UN conference

By Jackson Meyer

Model United Nations (MUN) team members participated in the Los Angeles Invitational Model United Nations (LAIMUN) conference at Mira Costa High School on Dec. 4. Participants from a number of schools took the role of delegates from different countries and conducted mock diplomatic debates on real world and hypothetical issues.

At the competition, Mina Lavapies ’24 won a Novice Commendation, Tanya Anand ’24 received a Novice Commendation, Stephen Purdum ’22 earned Outstanding Delegate, Cory Porter ’22 won Best Delegate and Jackson Tanner ’24 was honored with Best Delegate.

Anand, who represented the Czech Republic at the tournament, said she enjoyed discussing her country’s geopolitical issues, but found other topics, such women’s rights and equality, to be particularly challenging.

“I loved being able to come up with solutions for refugees and terrorism as the Czech Republic because the nation has some really strong laws and values regarding those topics,” Anand said. “However, when in a social committee, there is a lot of discussion around women and equality, which is not one of the Czech Republic’s main focuses. Coming up for solutions on that topic was a challenge.”

Cory Porter ’22 said she enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with her teammates, which

she normally is not able to do at MUN events.

“The last conference was really fun because I was able to collaborate with another [Harvard-Westlake] student who was in my committee,” Porter said. “It’s not often that we are able to have more than one [teammate] in a given committee so that was definitely a very special experience.”

New team member Lily Stamboulli ’24 said although she was confused at first, she quickly learned how to properly compete at the tournament.

“Since this was my first conference, a lot of stuff was unclear to my partner, [Danielle Leibzon ’24], and I, who represented Canada,” Stamboulli said. “However, as the conference progressed, we

began to understand how MUN actually worked.”

MUN team Faculty Advisor and Upper School History Teacher Sandra Brasda said LAIMUN is a particularly hard tournament because Mira Costa High School is generally very successful at the local MUN conferences they compete in.

“Mira Costa has an academic program for MUN, so their students have been doing [it] since they were in middle school,” Brasda said. “It’s an academic class, so the students were getting graded on it. They’ve been preparing all year for this conference, so the level of competition and the level of expertise that they bring to this conference is very high. It’s cutthroat competition.”

“People need to get booster shots to keep up COVID-19 protection and not to spread the illness to others around them,” Snitman said.

Commons said the school will continue to enforce a mask mandate, but he said he hopes that the mandate will no longer be necessary for the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year.

“With the Omicron variant, people are becoming concerned again and we can expect that our masks will continue to stay on for at least the winter season,” Commons said. “I would love to see masks come off in classrooms in the spring, but I am not overly optimistic about that.”

Although Alex Mogollon ’22 said he is not planning to get the COVID-19 booster on campus, he said he is grateful the school has the resources to partner with Elements Pharmacy to provide the booster shot to students who might need it.

“I’m glad that the school is hosting a clinic in partnership with another pharmacy, and I think it makes the whole process for getting a booster much easier for students and teachers,” Mogollon said. “I’m also glad that we are fortunate enough to be able to partner with pharmacies especially since a lot of other schools and families don’t have the same access to vaccines that we do.”

Ayva Magna ’22 said the school’s partnership with Elements Pharmacy makes it more convenient for students to get vaccinated. She said it will allow people to get vaccinated without disrupting their schedules.

“I think [the clinic is] going to make it much easier for students especially if they weren’t making it a priority to get the booster right away,” Magna said.

Students help maintain ecosystem

By Tate Sheehy

presentation concluded.

Ellingson said he hopes atEnvironmental Club students tendees recognize the importance and Advanced Placement (AP) of the plants in their area.

“I think it’s important for resEnvironmental Science students removed invasive weeds and idents of [Los Angeles] to gain planted native California plants some personal appreciation for with Friends of the Los Angeles how valuable green and relatively River (FoLAR) and the Califor- natural spaces with the city can nia Native Plant Society in the be for our communities,” ElSepulveda Basin on Dec. 11. lingson said.

Environmental Club co-leadThe community service event er Chloe Appel ’23 said occurred after FoLAR she wants people in atDirector of Education tendance to understand Dennis Mabasa gave the number of environa presentation to stumental benefits that dents about environcome from maintainmental careers Nov. 29. ing healthy ecosystems.

The community ser“I hope that comvice event served as an munity members who opportunity for stugo to FoLAR events dents to learn about white’s take away the undertheir city’s environment Maya standing about how in-depth and complete Mathur ’22 reestablishing the presseveral hours worth of their annual 12-hour community ence of native plants around [Los Angeles] can be incredibly benservice requirement.

Mabasa provided insight on eficial, not only for the environthe environmental science field ment and the plants and animals and hosted a Q&A session with we live with but also for us,” Apstudents. Students had the op- pel said. “I hope that seeing how tion to go inside the River Rover, easy and fun it can be to help which is a mobile interactive ex- our community helps motivate hibit curated by FoLAR, after the students to continue doing more

community service as well.”

Appel said working with professional organizations greatly helps the effort to restore California native plants and species to their natural habitats.

“I think that partnering with FoLAR and the California Native Plant Society makes the event always run very smoothly since there are so many people who are there to help you with anything you need,” Appel said. “We can cover way more ground with all of the different people, making it much easier to see big results in such a short period of time.”

Environmental Club co-leader Maya Mathur ‘22 said Mabasa’s path to where they are today helped her realize that an environmental career can be achieved without a background that many people view as necessary.

“I already knew I was interested in an environmental career, but I think [Mabasa’s presentation] made me realize that [careers in the environmental field] are more accessible,” Mathur said. “It is possible to have an environmental career and not necessarily major in environmental science in college.”

TATE SHEEHY/CHRONICLE

EAGER ENVIRONMENTALIST: George Wodell, a volunteer at the California Native Plant Society, explains how to pull invasive weeds.

A4 News

The Chronicle

Executive presents to Venture

Dec. 15, 2021

By Natalie Cosgrove

HW Venture hosted Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MOJO Benjamin Sherwood ’81 (Assistant News Section Editor Will ’23) to speak with students in the Drama Lab on Dec. 12.

MOJO is a sports app intended to make coaching easier on parents according to Sherwood.

Sherwood is the former President of Disney ABC Television Group and the former President of ABC News. He has written multiple books including, “The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud,” and, “The Survivors Club.” Sherwood attended Harvard University before attending the University of Oxford as a Rhodes scholar.

HW Venture co-leader Sophia Rascoff ’23 said she felt Sherwood was an influential speaker because of his career experience across a variety of fields that include television, literature, and technology.

“The most interesting part of his talk was just how unique his background is,” Rascoff said.

“He has worked across the entire scale, from companies with only a few people to thousands of people, and this unique experience is what makes him such a powerful advisor and speaker.”

WILL SHERWOOD/CHRONICLE

CAPTIVATING CAREER: Ben Sherwood ’81 (Assistant News Section Editor Will ’23) spoke to HW Venture about his career path during Conference Time on Thursday. Sherwood is currently the CEO and co-founder of MOJO, a youth sports app meant to make coaching easier for parents.

Wilson Federman ’24 said hearing from an alumn such as Sherwood inspire him because it makes his own success feel more possible and tangible.

“Hearing from an accomplished entrepreneur that walked the same halls as I do now was inspiring and opened my eyes to the perspective that I had not encountered before,” Federman said. “To be able to learn from

someone with so much experience has helped me to appreciate all the resources I have at [the school] that will help me to reach that same potential.”

Sherwood said his best advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs is to keep their passions at the forefront of their minds. He also encouraged the audience to live curiously.

“The common denominator

JFA holds monthly Shabbat dinner

By Davis Marks

The Jewish Families Alliance (JFA) hosted its third teen Friday night Shabbat dinner Dec. 10. In addition to Shabbat dinners, JFA hosts a variety of other events to provide Jewish students and families with a community that allows them to connect with Jewish heritage and culture as well as with each other, according to JFA co-leader Gabe Glassman ’22.

After arriving, members gathered at the table to recite prayers over the candles, grape juice and challah before dining on an assorted potluck.

Glassman said hosting Shabbat dinners are a meaningful way for the group to continue to connect. He said he also enjoys being able to have fun with people he has not been able to get to know through other activities.

“I think it’s important for us to continue having Shabbat dinners consistently so we can get closer together as a group,” Glassman said. “Also, these dinners are very fun, and it is always amazing to have new people come out and enjoy dinner with us.”

After JFA members finished dining, they held a white elephant gift exchange. This ex-

change is similar to Secret Santa, but instead of purchasing individualized gifts for eachother, players choose a gift from a pile on their turn that can be stolen later on by a different person.

Zach Berg ’22 attended the event and said he feels the Shabbat dinners are an opportunity to celebrate Jewish culture. He says he has been eager to go in order to feel more connected to his family heritage.

“I think it’s important that there’s a space where we can all gather once a month and just partake in the traditions that we share,” Berg said. “I person-

[between these situations] is the thing that I wish for all of you more than anything, thinking about the next years ahead,” Sherwood said. “[In the case of] when you get to choose the things you are most passionate about, the things you love the most or you’re most curious about, you can never go wrong.”

Junior Prefect Yoshimi Kimura ’23 said she was happy HW

“

Venture was able to make someone with Sherwood’s career experience accessible to share his knowledge with students. “[His] engagement and willingness to engage with students truly made the experience worthwhile, and I’m grateful towards Venture for providing students like me these unique opportunities to learn that we might not get anywhere else,” Kimura said.

I think it’s important that there’s a space where we can all gather once a month and just partake in the traditions that we share.”

— Zach Berg ’22 Shabbat Attendee

ally attend because I have never been super religious in the past and feel it is necessary to connect deeper with my heritage.”

Sam Volokh ’22 attended the dinner and said he finds Shabbat dinners to be a great way to spend time with the people he shares traits in common with whom he otherwise would not spend as

white’s

much time with.

“I thought that the Shabbat dinner was great,” Volokh said.

“It’s always really fun to be with a group of people who I might not be very close to, but who I truly do have a lot in common with, and I think that [Shabbat] dinners such as this one are great ways to do so.”

GSA hosts event with gender expert

By Iona Lee

ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER

Senior Director for Professional Development at Gender Spectrum Joel Baum spoke in a Zoom webinar hosted by the HW Parents Association (HWPA) and HW Pride after school Dec. 6.

Gender Spectrum is a consulting company that meets with educators, parents, leaders and others to help create inclusive environents for all genders, according to its website.

Baum opened a discussion around gender diversity by speaking about the prominence of stereotypes in society. Baum said while gender is very individualistic, it is also a very broad topic because it affects everyone in society.

“Many of the systems, policies and informal interactions often occur with assumptions about an individual’s gender and typically operate from a binary view of gender as strictly biological and

static,” said Baum. “This has huge implications on how individuals are treated regardless of their gender, and many of the limited notions of masculinity and femininity associated with a binary model create harm and distress for many people of all genders.”

HW Pride member and parent Phil Mercado (Blue Mercado-Quinn ’23), who helped arrange the event, said he was eager to have Baum speak to the school community after Baum had presented to to a number of other schools in Los Angeles.

“Gender Spectrum usually doesn’t interface with families but rather they do a number of programs for those involved in education,” said Mercado. “I reached out to them after speaking to Crossroads and Viewpoint and told [Gender Spectrum] that we really wanted to hear this program and we would include not only parents and students but faculty and staff. That convinced

them to agree to do this program with us.”

HW Pride member and parent Vanessa Herman (Simone Herman ’23) said she found the event to be educational becuause it presented new ideas and trends to people who might not be familiar with them.

“Despite being a member of the LGBTQ community myself, I am still learning about the expansiveness of gender,” said Herman. “Terms like nonbinary weren’t common when I was a teenager and the lives and experiences of transgender people were not commonly talked about.

[Baum] recognized that some in the audience were somewhat new to the topic and presented a program in which the experiences of trans people and their families were treated with warmth, dignity and respect. It gave me a lot to think about and I hope it will help me better support the trans people in my life.”

Dec. 15, 2021

hwchronicle.com/news

News A5

Class hosts friend of Bob Dole

By Natalie Cosgrove and Jackson Mayer

KRISTE AN/CHRONICLE

SEASON’S GREETINGS: On the Quad, Simon Lee ’23 and Cosette Shamonki ’23 prepare a Christmas tree. Toys for the Community Council donation drive lie under the tree. All of the gifts will go to the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) for children who experienced domestic abuse.

Community Council hosts holiday toy drive

By Kriste An

Community Council is partnering with the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) to host a toy drive on campus Nov. 29 to Dec. 17. Students are encouraged to donate new and unused toys for children who have or are suffering domestic abuse and sexual assault.

Founded in 1984, VIP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault. The organization aims to guide and protect victims and their families by tutoring students and children in the program, providing professional mentoring and gathering donations.

Community Council member Mac Bailey ’23 said the group’s partnership with the VIP is especially meaningful given

the large increase in domestic violence incidents over the course of the pandemic.

“We decided to partner with the Violence Intervention Program [upon learning that] one of our members had a connection with [the program],” Bailey said.

“The rest of us [were supportive of their cause], and we believed it was especially important to support this particular organization, given the rise of domestic violence over the pandemic.

Our goal is to collect as many toys as possible and to provide students with an opportunity to give back to the community.”

Counselor and Interdisciplinary Studies and Independent Research Teacher Michelle Bracken said the toy drive and its partnership with the VIP is representative of Community Council’s goal to provide stu-

dents with an opportunity to give back to the people of the Los Angeles community. “[This year], Community Council hopes to bring awareness to how students can help others in need,” Bracken said.

“By sponsoring a toy drive, Community Council is providing [students with] an opportunity to donate toys to children who may not get anything [during the holidays].

Hopefully, students are able to participate in a small way and contribute to the kids [who are] involved with the VIP.” Mia Patel ’24 said she appreciates that Community Council is working with VIP, giving her an opportunity to support a cause she cares deeply for.

“I am excited to hear that Community Council is bringing a toy drive to campus,” Pa-

tel said. “Domestic violence has always been an important issue to me, and I am glad that Community Council, as well as the rest of the student body, will be supporting victims who have suffered immeasurably.”

Phoebe Hsu ’24 said she looks forward to contributing to the toy drive and of giving back to the greater community.

She said she is especially excited given the success of previous school-sanctioned drives.

“I am excited to give back to the community through my contribution to the drive,” Hsu said. “I enjoyed giving to the Thanksgiving Drive that Community Council planned a couple [of ] weeks back, and I am thrilled to be able to continue my service to the greater community through the [Community Council] toy drive.”

Upper school history teacher Peter Sheehy (Print Managing Editor Will Sheehy ’22, Tate Sheehy ’24) hosted Marc Adelman, friend to the late Kansas Senator Bob Dole, Dec. 6.

Dole was a Senate Republican Leader and served in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was the Republican Presidential nominee in 1996. Adelman spent time working for the Dole Foundation before Dole passed away.

Olivia Feldman ’22 said she enjoyed hearing about Adelman’s thoughts on politics.

“It was interesting to learn about Dole’s impact on politics and how he changed congressional methods of policymaking,” Feldman said. “Adelman had great insights about today’s political landscape and polarization.”

Paris Little ’22 said she felt Adelman’s proximity to Dole and his family made his presentation more personal.

“It was interesting to hear from Mr. Adelman because he had a personal connection to the Dole family, so we got to hear a perspective that we wouldn’t have heard [otherwise] had we been having a conversation just between the members of our class.”

Sheehy said he brought Adelman because Dole is relevant to the class’s recent exploration of the functions of Congress.

“Since Marc works for the Dole Foundation and had spent time with the Doles just before Bob Dole died, I thought it would be interesting for him to talk about his career as a way of examining how Congress used to function,” Sheehy said.

Club gives to APCH

By Averie Perrin

AVERIE PERRIN/CHRONICLE

THUMBS UP: Bear Boxes Club Leaders Julianna Ross ’22 and Aden Juda ’22 smile for a photo next to the bins for their donation drive. The club partnered with A Place Called Home (APCH), a nonprofit organization.

Bear Boxes Club hosted a donation drive Dec. 6-10 in support of A Place Called Home (APCH), which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families in South Central Los Angeles recover from generational poverty.

Founded in 1993, APCH aims to provide young people in underserved communities with a safe and nurturing environment by improving their economic and living conditions, according to its mission statement. Through donations of goods and services, the organization allocates over $1.25 million of food, clothing and household items into the Los Angeles community each year, according to the APCH website.

The donation drive collected new and used books, blankets, boxed and canned food items and hygiene products. Participating students earned an hour of community service credit in exchange for donating 10 items.

Bear Boxes Club Leader Julianna Ross ’22 said the approaching holiday season inspired her to start the drive. “[I was] motivated to start this drive [because] the holidays [were] coming up, and it’s important to inspire good deeds,” Ross said.

“Children, in particular, should be entitled to carefree childhoods and holidays, [and it is important we] provide them with the necessities they need.”

Ross said she wanted to encourage others to give back and provide underserved communities with the supplies they need.

“It [was] exciting to have students participate and collaborate in the drive or even just publicize it,” Ross said.

Ethan Joei ’22, a member of the Bear Boxes Club, said he donated to the drive to support the greater Los Angeles community.

“I want to help those less fortunate than myself and impact the community in a positive way,” Joei said. “Helping in these drives is a great way to spend time with my friends while giving back.”

Sophie Shabani ’24, who participated in organizing and holding the drive, said she appreciates Bear Boxes for the aid it provides.

“I like that [Bear Boxes club] reaches out to numerous foundations instead of focusing on one because it helps spread our resources to many different groups in need,” Shabani said. “It’s nice to be able to have a collaborative role in designing and organizing and to help spread the word about the cause.”

A6 News

By Chloe Park Six students won Finalist, Merit, and Honorable Mention titles in the National YoungArts Foundation’s annual competition for the 2021-2022 school year.

The annual YoungArts Competition recognizes artists 15 to 17-years-old in the visual, literary and performing arts fields and provides creative support and opportunities for their professional development. Merit and Honorable Mention winners are invited to regional programs, while the Finalists are invited to participate in the virtual National YoungArts Week, where they take master classes and participate in evaluations in person, with opportunities to receive financial awards of up to $10,000.

This year, Raisa Effress ’23 and Ian Kim ’24 won Finalist titles in the Photography category, Grace Kosten ’22 and Ayden Chi ’22 won Merit award titles in Photography, Aiko Offner ’23 won an Honorable Mention title in Creative Nonfiction and Casey Weisman ’22 won a Composition Merit title.

Effress said the YoungArts application process was a valuable learning experience because of the program’s meticulous feedback and evaluation process.

“Of all the visual art competitions [and] programs I’ve participated in, YoungArts is definitely one of my favorites to submit to because it inspires me to hone my craft,” Effress said in an email.

“Having YoungArts in mind as I worked on my series this year, made me more considerate of every detail. Because they care so much about their own program, it makes it all the more rewarding to submit to YoungArts.”

Visual Arts Teacher and Visual Arts Department Head Joe Medina said he recommends students submit works to YoungArts because it allows them to begin a process of artistic self-discovery.

“Sure, the prizes are really great,

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and it’s a perk to have YoungArts on your senior academic resume considering many universities are familiar with the organization,” Medina said. “But personally, I like that it requires students to dig deep, be their authentic selves and really think about why they are making this specific body of work. The creative practice is like anything else. If you want to get good at it, you have to put in the work and hours. It’s not this gift from heaven that falls in your lap.”

YoungArts offers a variety of opportunities for winners such as residencies, observations and performances with peers across 10 disciplines to improve on their craft with internationally recognized leaders in their fields.

Visual Arts Teacher Alexandra Pacheco-Garcia said she appreciates that the program allows artists to connect with each other.

“YoungArts provides an opportunity to bond with other like-minded artistic peers around the country in numerous mediums, which I can guarantee has been transformational for artists who participate in the competition,” Pacheco-Garcia said.

Though the process was extensive, Offner said she enjoyed creating her submission.

“It was honestly kind of nice to go through the process of assembling my work and looking at it through a critical lens,” Offner said. “I feel so lucky to have been listed among so many talented people, and I hope to use this as motivation to keep working on my writing.”

Weisman said YoungArts allowed him to step out of his musical comfort zone and helped him to grow.

“I’ve always been musically minded, and composition was a way to be a creator and a musician at the same time,” Weisman said. “This year, I just wanted to put myself out there and show people this thing I made that I was so proud of.”

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF IAN KIM

Dec. 15, 2021

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF RAISA EFFRESS

Dec. 15, 2021

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News A7

Gumroad founder speaks

By Grace Coleman

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ALEJANDRO LOMBARD

MAGIC IN THE MAKING: During the filming of his short film, which is called “A Second Chance,” Alejandro Lombard ’23 oversees a vehicle collision scene in which two actors lie on the ground, playing dead. Lombard and the rest of his team shot and edited the short film over the course of four weeks.

Junior holds on-campus screening for his original short film titled ‘A Second Chance’

By Davis Marks

Alejandro Lombard ’23 hosted a school-wide community screening of his original film “A Second Chance” in Ahmanson Lecture Hall Thursday.

Lombard said the film primarily focuses on the experiences of struggling teenagers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My film, A Second Chance, centers on two lonely souls in need of connection in the midst of the pandemic told through the lens of a teenage love story,” Lombard said.

Lombard also said he felt the screening was a success and that he was grateful for the opportunity to share his passion for filmmaking with his friends, classmates and faculty.

“The screening went really well,” Lombard said. “There was a good turnout, and it had a really good reception. I was just super excited to show my film to my peers and share this side of myself which I feel I haven’t re-

ally shared these past two years at [the school].”

Lombard, who started attending the school in ninth grade, previously attended Millikan Middle School, where he created over 15 short films and won awards at national and international film festivals.

After coming to Harvard-Westlake, Lombard said he was unable to dedicate as much time to filmmaking. However, Lombard found an opportunity to create another film over the summer: he wrote a script in a couple of weeks, began pre-production in late summer and finished shooting in September.

Lombard said the screening and the community’s support proved educational, as he said they helped him refine his film.

“It is always useful to see how an audience responds, as there are always things that you see when you’re watching your film in front of a large audience that you don’t pick up on when you’re editing,” Lombard said. “I

definitely learned a lot from the screening, and I think that my film needs one more pass in post [production] before it’s ready to go onto the festival circuit.”

Visual Arts Teacher Reb Limerick, who teaches Lombard in her Video Art III class, said they were excited when Lombard told her that he was creating an original film. Limerick said they let him use the school’s filming equipment and that they were impressed with Lombard’s film, as well as his dedication in serving in various production roles.

“I was so impressed by [Lombard’s] film ‘A Second Chance,’” Limerick said. “The cinematography was beautiful, the editing was meticulous and the narrative was open-ended and thought-provoking,” Limerick said. “Mainly, though, I was wowed by Alejandro’s initiative to write, cast, direct, film and edit this film all in his own time.”

Westflix co-director Sam Pokress ’22 attended the screening, and he said it was great to

see the finished film after hearing about it from Lombard.

“I decided to attend the screening because [Lombard] is a good friend of mine,” Pokress said. “I was really excited to finally see the finished project during the screening after months of hearing about it. I thought the film was beautifully shot, with great lighting and effects. Additionally, [Alejandro] played with the camera’s focus a lot which gave the film a super unique look.”

Limerick emphasized that because of the amount of dedication student artists put into their work, getting to showcase it is a valuable experience.

“Student artists put so much time, effort and love into their creative work, [so] it can feel disappointing and hollow to just post it online and see the view count go up,” Limerick said. “It’s gratifying and important for any filmmaker to experience their work on a big screen in a dark theater with quality sound and an audience reaction.”

Gumroad CEO and founder Sahil Lavingia spoke with Blockchain Club about his experiences as an entrepreneur over Zoom on Dec. 10. Gumroad has been uniquely self-expanding since its founding in 2011, according to Lavingia. The company’s digital marketplace is designed to enable different creators to monetize their products.

With nearly 100,000 sellers online and products ranging from custom emojis to personalized blog posts, the company provides various ways for their customers to use the platform, presenting a distinct business model. Lavingia said Gumroad is working toward a decision regarding the non-fungible tokens (NFT), turning to Twitter to gauge public opinion on the new technology. Each NFT is completely unique, which allows owners to buy and sell digital items through the blockchain, according to Time.

One of the most distinctive differences between cryptocurrency and NFT is its use in online trade. Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin are exchangeable, whereas each NFT’s particular code represents specific products that are not. Like Gumroad, both have come out fairly recently and have original business models.

“It’s important to develop and be developing new things that put you at a creative advantage; having distinctiveness in [your] products is the key togood innovation,” Lavinigna said.

Keira Morrell ’24 said she enjoyed hearing Lavingia’s life story and of his journey to building such a successful business.

“How far he has come as an entrepreneur was fascinating, and I think he did a great job today, “ Morrell said.

• Continued on hwchronicle.com

Prefect Council organizes school Capture the Flag tournament

By Lucas Cohen-d’Arbeloff

Prefect Council hosted a Capture the Flag tournament, in which students participated in scheduled matches during break and lunch from Dec. 2-7. Teams ran across Ted Slavin Field to steal the other side’s flag while avoiding being tagged and held in “jail.”

Players were able to free those in jail by tagging only one of their teammates, as long as each of them was physically touching. If successful, both the jailed and the jailbreaker earned a “free walk” back to their respective side.

Out of the 10 teams that partook in the tournament, Kent’s Cadets won the tournament after defeating Team Diversity in the final match Dec. 7. The ROWMCO team was disqualified Dec. 6 after Prefect referees ruled they did not play enough offense and solely defended their own flag, which effectively and unfairly forced a stalemate.

Sophomore Prefect Nyla Shelton ’24 said she felt grateful for the event’s high turnout, as well as the encouragement students provided to their peers.

“There’s been a lot of support for Capture the Flag, which I’m happy about,” Shelton said. “People sit on the bleachers and watch [their friends], which is really fun, and I think they’re having a great time.”

Shelton said Prefect Council planned the Capture the Flag tournament after the success of several prior athletic contests, which she said have helped uplift students’ spirits during assessment-filled school weeks.

“Previously, we held the dodgeball tournament and spikeball tournament, and we received a lot of positive feedback,” Shelton said. “So we just wanted to continue an exciting thing for people to do during breaks and lunchtimes. I think [these events boost] school spirit.”

Team Diversity member Oli-

ver Wyman ’22 said while he is glad he participated in the tournament, he regrets not putting forth his full effort, which ultimately resulted in his team’s loss.

“I wasn’t totally enthused about Capture the Flag, especially after [the tournament’s] conclusion,” Wyman said. “I appreciate our [Prefects] trying to create games within a fun atmosphere at school, although I feel like it could have been done better as my head wasn’t fully into the games I played in.”

Casey Weisman ’22, a spectator of the Capture the Flag games, said he felt the tournament was a good opportunity for students to socialize before winter break.

“The Capture the Flag tournament was a great way for the [the school] community to come together, and I think it’s something that we need in these uncertain times,” Weisman said. “I was so happy for Kent’s Cadets for winning because I’d been rooting for them at each of their matches.”

ALLEGRA DRAGO/CHRONICLE

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: Jack Kelman ’23 races around the field, dodging through the opposition as he attempts to receive a flag handoff.

A8 News

Crossword Creativity

ACROSS: 1. Elton isn’t an astronaut 8. , and 11. Row, row row your boat 12. Spoil 13. Start one for college 16. You’re the salt to my...

19. Debater of personalities 20. Credit where credit’s due 21. Santa’s gardening tool

Dec. 15, 2021

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22. Mind your p’s and q’s 28. NYC transpo authority 30. On the Depop hunt, abbr.

31. Dali descriptor 32. Just ok 33. Out of body projection 35. Get that Baggins 37. Electric, sometimes 39. African nation sounds similar to an American Girl

41. Red and sesame all over 42. And I’ll call you by mine, for short 45. I like my drinks cold 47. Spa eyes 49. Kristoff ’s compadre 51. On the other hand...

52. To drink quickly 53. Go Gaga for grande 55. Lewd, misspelled

Adison Gamradt ’23 creates an assorted crossword puzzle for Issue IV. Try to seek out all things music, pop culture and more.

57. Obtain 58. Mother Beloved 61. Prohibit 62. Throw 65. In India, you can either have some of the bread or...

66. Solo sidekick species 67. Right to remain silent while watching Hamilton • Solutions on hwchronicle.com

DOWN: 1. Taylor Lautner’s imprintee 2. -Dictory 3. Two before Gamma 4. To do this is human 5. Chicken-making General 6. Yuh 7. Negation, to be untied 9. Half of Musk offspring 10. Exploring, bilingual child 14. Atop 15. Mop the 16. Winner, but at what cost 17. She’s gonna kill you, if you don’t beat her to it 18. You can drink this water 20. Birdy’s blue in Brazil 23. Preceding the season 24. Not Constantinople 25. Narnia’s cat 26. Italian gold 27. The real shady 29. Undead siblings or dating 34. Love in Naples 36. Disorder involving ticking 38. Credit union of second largest greatest lake 40. She simps, son 43. Bo, not peep 44. Yang and Grey’s words of affection, acronym 47. Science of the screen, abbr.

48. Online publishing 50. Meghan’s name, sign and number 51. Breakfast from the coop 53. Sith’s soul 54. Horse’s noise, scrambled 56. Beaver’s cuss word 59. Professor’s subservient 60. Mystery, ends in -gma 63. Oceanobservatories.org 64. Package, abbr.

66. Olympia, in a state of abbreviation

Opinion The Chronicle • Dec. 15, 2021

Studio City • Vol. 31 • Issue 4 • Dec. 15, 2021 • hwchronicle.com

Editors-in-Chief: Tessa Augsberger, Milla Ben-Ezra Print Managing Editors: Julian Andreone, Caitlin Muñoz, Will Sheehy

editorial

Presentation Managing Editors: Kate Burry, Ava Fattahi, Mimi Landes, Melody Tang Digital Managing Editors: Amelia Scharff, Katharine Steers Executive Editors: Quincey Dern, Sydney Fener, Sophia Musante News Editors: Sandra Koretz, Josh Silbermann Assistant News Editors: Lucas Cohen-d'Arbeloff, Natalie Cosgrove, Alex Hahn, Will Sherwood, Natasha Speiss Opinion Editors: Caroline Jacoby, Sarah Mittleman Assistant Opinion Editors: Claire Conner, Daphne Davies, James Hess Features Editors: Mia Feizbakhsh, Alec Rosenthal Assistant Features Editors: Fallon Dern, Allegra Drago, Lily Lee, Harry Tarses, Emmy Zhang A&E Editor: Keira Jameson Assistant A&E Editors: Becca Berlin, Georgia Goldberg, Jina Jeon, Vasilia Yordanova Sports Editors: Justin Goldstein, Maxine Zuriff Assistant Sports Editors: Danny Johnson, Paul Kurgan, Andrew Park, Leo Saperstein, Charlie Seymour Multimedia Editors: Julian Andreone, Ava Fattahi Photography Editor: Sandra Koretz Broadcast Producers: Chad Bacon, Zach Berg, Jack Coleman, William Moon, Mikey Schwartz Business Managers: Kate Burry, Justin Goldstein Assistant Broadcast Editors: Andre Birotte, Hunter Bridgett, Bill Coleman, Aaron Milburn, Jack Limor, Rayaan Rao, Audrey Yang Engagement Editors: Liam Razmjoo, Ryan Razmjoo Art Director: Alexa Druyanoff Freelance Writer: Davis Marks Freelance Artist: Sophia Evans Layout Assistants and Staff Writers: Kriste An, Jaden Bobb, Grace Coleman, Dylan Graff, Abigail Hailu, Iona Lee, Nathalie Leung, Jackson Mayer, Christopher Mo, Chloe Park, Grant Park, Averie Perrin, Tate Sheehy, Jackson Tanner, Ella Yadegar Advisors: Jim Burns, Max Tash Layout Assistant: Alexis Arinsburg Publication Information: Founded in 1990, The Chronicle is the Harvard-Westlake Upper School’s student-led newspaper. Now in its 31st year, The Chronicle strives to report stories accurately and fairly and to uphold its legacy of journalistic integrity. The newspaper is published eight times per year and distributed to students, parents, faculty and staff. The paper is affiliated with two upper school magazines, Big Red and Panorama. We are members of the California Newspaper Publishers Association and the Private School Journalism Association.

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF

Cool Off the College Celebrations

Shrieks echo across the Quad as a huddle of seniors frantically check their phones, praying for good news—another college has released its early decision results. Within 20 minutes, the next round of college-based congratulations pops up on Instagram story after Instagram story, each post adorned with a loving message.

As the number of "East-coast bound!" shout-outs increases and photos of smiling seniors clad in college sweatshirts fill our feeds, the news grows inescapable. We find ourselves bombarded with positive updates about our classmates' futures. But on the other side of the cheers is the quiet disappointment of those denied from the same college. Although we may only mean to uplift and support our classmates, we damage our relationships and hurt our peers by sharing early acceptances online.

With such high numbers of students applying to the same competitive colleges—most of which boast low acceptance rates—the admissions process is undeniably becoming more and more competitive. Even in the early decision or early action pools, which generally increase an applicant’s chances, rejection rates are still high. We all know that more than half of our peers will be disappointed by the results of this first round of decisions. Early decisions separate those who enjoy the relief of knowing where they are headed next year and those who must wait several months for more clarity.

This year, the senior class grade is dealing with another stressor: the pandemic. Though we are all back in in-person school this year, the effects of lockdown and online school remain. Whether the struggle began with the transition to Zoom learning or the transition back into the classroom, every one of us has felt the impacts of the pandemic on our schoolwork and extracurriculars. The fear that COVID-19 will negatively affect college admissions is widespread. Perhaps the pandemic has also altered the way we behave: We may feel that the exciting news we share is private, but now that we are back on campus, it will spread quicker and more widely. It is easy to get caught up in a moment of joy, but we must remember that it is incredibly insensitive to boast about acceptances, especially given the added challenges our peers

may be facing.

Publicly discussing college decisions right now only perpetuates the unhealthy obsession with college admissions and fosters competition. Realistically, we will not be defined by the college we attend, but the idea that attending a certain college is the only viable path to success is very prevalent at the school. We view college admissions as a reflection of our own intelligence, so rejection is generally regarded as a personal failure. In the school’s environment, which is highly focused on college admissions, we often become overwhelmed with anxiety even by the prospect of a decision. And once college acceptances become public information, the desire to compare ourselves to our classmates is impossible to avoid.

We fall into a trap of wondering why one classmate was accepted when another similarly qualified student was rejected.

We may wonder, "Are they better than us? Are they smarter?

Are they more worthy?"

There are many ways to congratulate friends during this first round of college acceptances without posting on social media: Personally reaching out to them is much more authentic and genuine. At best, posting early decisions is superficial, and at worst, it hurts other students who have just received painful news. Early decisions are a private matter, and there is no reason to reveal them on the internet.

Those of us who are admitted into schools this month will have every right to celebrate our accomplishments; however, it is more respectful to keep that pride and excitement among our families and friends in the meantime. Broadcasting that news publicly during a period of time so rife with tension is not only unnecessary but harmful.

Each time we share decisions, we have no way of knowing who we are hurting—but whether it’s a close friend or a stranger, we have a responsibility to be considerate when discussing such a sensitive topic. As seniors, we should be mature enough to lead with kindness and compassion for each other. This winter, we should try to set an example of sensitivity and uplift each other in genuine ways. We cannot wait to celebrate each other's accomplishments in May, but we must hold off until everyone's decisions are finalized.

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A10 Opinion

The Chronicle

Dec. 15, 2021

An agenda adjustment

By Claire Conner

O

ur school has always been an impetus for change. From former Governor Gray Davis ’60 to Sally Ride ’68, our alumni have guided major policies and shattered cosmic glass ceilings; from achieving thousands of outreach hours to serving on numerous political campaigns, our students have generated remarkable progress at the local and national level; and from International Relations to Unconventional Leadership, our rich curriculum has inspired generations of analysts and innovators.

The school's classes are at the center of our school's forwardthinking environment. Thoughtprovoking essay topics, challenging physics tests and creative elective projects push students to the limits of their imaginations and abilities, giving them the necessary skills to help solve the world's biggest problems.

Our classroom pursuits are the engines that drive us forward, turning our intellectual fuel into a rapid, powerful movement.

However, no engine can run efficiently without repairs. To make the most of the school's plentiful course offerings, students must have flexible schedules that accommodate their changing interests, time commitments and abilities. Otherwise, their course schedule—one of the most significant and demanding parts of their academic life—can hinder development rather than encourage it.

If a student realizes that a full-year elective no longer complements their interests, they should have the option to stop taking it at the end of the first semester and add another semester elective to take for the rest of the year. Instead of one full-year grade appearing on their academic transcript, they would receive two semester credits: one for the first semester of their original elective and another for the second-semester elective they added.

Sometimes, difficult or unpleasant courses are a requisite for growth and the development of grit. The wide scope of our school’s core curriculum ensures that students will learn to cope with unwanted challenges and begin to appreciate many subjects that are outside of their comfort zones Electives do not need to present the same challenges as core classes. They are spaces in which students can explore their passions by taking the hard-earned life and study skills from the

core curriculum and applying them to the fields of study they find most exciting and intriguing. So why are students taking full-year electives subjected to the same schedule rigidity in these classes as they are in the core curriculum?

Our school gives students an abundance of opportunities to discover new interests outside of the classroom. They might attend a few meetings at a new academic club or learn about a fascinating topic connected to one of their favorite courses; or they could have an inspiring conversation with a peer or pick up an influential book from the library. No matter how students discover a new interest, they should have the option to pursue it in the classroom to see if it is something they would like to continue studying in their future academic life.

Students can lose interest in a subject just as easily as they can stumble upon a new interest or passion. Maybe, after a few tests and projects, they realize that an elective is not as enjoyable as they had hoped it would be. It might require a certain type of writing, thinking or application that they find tedious. It may take too much time away from other classes.

Upon finding themselves in either or both of these situations, a student should be able to leave a class for one that is a better fit. The benefits of this opportunity are far greater than allowing students to pursue their passions and maintain a balanced schedule throughout high school; the increased flexibility and importance of decisions in college and adult life demand that young adults be able to make prudent choices and respond to challenges proactively.

It can take a while for a student to realize that part of their schedule is not enjoyable, so giving them the agency to shape their schedule around their changing needs would prepare them to do the same as adults.

This suggested change of scheduling rules does not lack exceptions: a major shift in course demand in the middle of the year would create problems related to class capacities and available teachers. Students may not be able to switch into their first choice of elective or even their second, but keeping the door open to these possibilities has the potential to significantly improve the comfort levels of many students • Continued at hwchronicle.com

International Relations

Astronomy

Shakespeare and Our World Design and Data Structures

Directed Study: Greek

Organic Chemistry

Directed Study: The Pandemic

Mass Entertainment in America

ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER

ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER

Put the merit in meritocracy

By James Hess

A

s a country defined today by social achievement and democratic values, meritocracy seems like an obvious ideal to strive for.

A social structure that rewards people for their talents and efforts appears unquestionably moral, a way for us to unite our nation's values and make sure the most accomplished of us triumph. In our ideal world, those who win the meritocratic game succeed purely because of their combined ability and dedication––they studied for the test and received a perfect score, practiced for the sport and excelled in it or performed the most impressive act for the biggest audience and thrived on the stage.

We use these cultural cliches in movies, books and songs to define our society. In media pieces that use tropes like the "American dream" and rags-toriches story, we see the ideal of meritocracy lived out through individuals. We attach tradition and identity through these images to an otherwise strictly political system, one that has no intrinsic usefulness or value to us. Meritocracy, in this sense, becomes unique to our country and history.

And yet, despite its moral ideal and cultural weight, questions about the implementation of meritocracy still remain. In his 2019 book “The Meritocracy Trap,” Yale Law School Professor Daniel Markovits strips away all positive presumptions about the system and argues firmly against its application.

A society that rewards people based only on their abilities, he says, produces unhappiness in everyone who participates. Losers in the meritocratic competition face instability in a country riddled with wealth inequality, while winners––doctors, lawyers, academics, investment bankers and the like––confine themselves to lives of difficult and specialized labor. Worse still, according to Markovits's book, cultural hubs that once served a unique purpose, including high schools and colleges, now represent only zero-sum games in which participants compete against each other for reputation. Instead of fulfilling its egalitarian ideal, Markovits argues, meritocracy makes America an unequal and pressure-filled place.

Whatever their economic truth for the entire country,

these words should make us stop and think about our own lives. We attend a school notorious for its workload, pressure and achievement, one that fits perfectly into both our meritocratic ideal and Markovits’s contradictory theory. In our admissions offices, classrooms and athletic facilities, we see the results of the competition playing out. Students come to the school with exceptional standardized test scores, take especially difficult course loads from the beginning of ninth grade and continue them throughout their four years. Weekdays are spent doing homework and studying, while weekends and breaks are consumed by tutoring, independent research and extracurricular activities. In conversations with peers, we offhandedly mention our poor sleep schedules and homework loads to talk about our efforts without outright bragging about them: phrases like "I'm so tired" and "I didn't sleep a minute last night" become synonymous with hard work and dedication.

Through our combined efforts and talents, the school we attend lives up to the American meritocratic ideal: a place filled with driven learners and teachers working together toward success. As Markovits remarked to Yale Law School graduates in his 2015 commencement address, "You do almost whatever is necessary to produce, to continue to distinguish yourselves, to learn, to shine."

As a result of our dedication, we enjoy the resources of a school that receives generous donations from loyal parents and alumni, and we benefit enormously from the company of committed students and teachers. We have the opportunities, mentors and test scores to set us up for success in the future by remaining highly competitive in college admissions and other national contests. However, the means by which we achieve these ends also create our biggest problems: Students work long hours to the detriment of their happiness and health, view fellow peers as competition for the highest grades and most prestigious extracurricular positions. From this philosophy, the school gains its reputation in the minds of others as an unforgiving pressure-cooker, a place that cares less about its

students' mental wellbeing and more about their achievements.

More importantly for our futures, though, the excesses of meritocracy make us sacrifice real academic achievement–– the kind of organic curiosity that defines the “joyful pursuit of excellence” in our mission statement––for a cheap substitute in social recognition.

Instead of seeking our genuine interests, we burden ourselves with classes, activities and projects we take only for the approval of others. We then turn around and use their complicated names to sound impressive in conversations, to show off our schedule to parents and to meet a perceived Advanced Placement and Honors quota.

In these moments, we relegate the school and all of its endless resources to a list of boxes that must be checked off––ones we only care about because they further our meritocratic interests. According to Markovits's commencement address, "Such a life proceeds under a pervasive shadow. At its worst, it squanders the capacity to set and pursue authentically embraced, intrinsically valuable goals. Even at its best, this life involves deep alienation."

As members of a uniquely privileged community, we owe it to ourselves to consider the argument made in "The Meritocracy Trap" and its consequences. Part of our lives must include the work, pressure and competition that our system demands, but we must also take into account the excesses of meritocracy in all of their different forms. Thinking of both the system’s ideal and real-life implementation, we should step back and evaluate whether the classes, activities and projects we choose for ourselves add anything truly valuable to our lives. If we realize that we participate in them only for meritocratic standing, we must replace them with subjects we are truly interested in. These measures will allow us to live up to educational ideals far more important to our growth than sheer social achievement, and in turn make us better and more well-rounded people.

Only when we do this will our school become what it should be: a place with endless resources used by students for natural and creative learning.

hwchronicle.com/opinion

Dec. 15, 2021

Prevent future financial failure

By Daphne Davies

B

y the time we throw our caps in the air at graduation after four years of a rigorous high school curriculum, we will know about everything from static electricity to the Protestant Reformation.

While I feel fortunate to graduate with knowledge on niche topics, I know the material my classes teach will not help me with arguably the most integral aspect of my adult life: personal finance. Our school’s curriculum is missing a vital study, failing to teach its students how to be financially literate and economically independent adults.

According to the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA), Americans correctly answered, on average, only 50% of the questions on the 2021 TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index, which assesses financial literacy among adults living in the U.S. This low rate is clearly linked to a widespread lack of financial education—only 21 states require high school students to complete a personal finance course in order to graduate, according to the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE).

California is not one of these states. This issue requires a systemic response: Completion of

a financial literacy course should be a graduation requirement in public schools nationwide. More American teenagers are enrolled in public school than private, and public school graduates have historically been less likely to attend a four-year college or have access to stable financial support, according to the Council for American Private Education. Although a requisite personal finance course for public schools would be ideal, it would require time and bipartisan cooperation to become reality.

We can recognize the benefits of personal finance education within independent private schools without negating the importance of teaching financial literacy in public schools.

Our school prepares us well for standardized testing, higher education and future careers.

From Linear Algebra to Advanced Placement (AP) Studio Art, hundreds of classes suit the interests of every student on campus. But before expanding its course catalog any further, the school must address its lack of personal finance education, a common educational need that links all students. While the school offers myriad statistics and economics courses that cover production, inflation and

Opinion A11

HW VOICES

Should the school offer mandatory personal finance education?

unemployment, these courses are optional and do not cover the practical aspects of managing individual income. Whether we become actors, anesthesiologists or architects, we will need to know how to buy a car, pay our rent and credit card balance, take out a loan, save, budget and invest. We will need to know how to finance our lives.

Just as financial literacy is a lifelong concern, its teaching should span students’ entire educational careers. Incremental financial instruction from seventh through 12th grade would prove more comprehensive than a single-semester course taught during an already busy junior or senior year. To accommodate the current schedule at the middle and upper school, financial literacy could become part of the Life Lab or Class Meeting curriculum, which are already designated periods for learning about our world and future. Personal finance would smoothly integrate into the range of topics already discussed.

Ultimately, whatever form the school’s financial literacy education could take, its benefits are necessary and clear. The school sets us up for success–– we just need to be taught how to fund it.

Yes: 77.02% No: 22.98%

When should the course be offered?

Class Meeting: 70.1% Its own class: 20.77% After school: 4.15% Other: 4.98%

Do you feel prepared to be a financially independent adult?

Yes: 26.72% No: 73.28%

Do you know how to monitor a credit score?

Yes: 20.56% No: 79.44% *248 students polled IL

ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER

Prioritize representative redistricting

By Lucas Cohen-d'Arbeloff

W

ith the 2020 U.S. census results finalized, the legislative redistricting process is unfolding. State legislators and commissioners toil behind closed doors to polish congressional maps that will ration political power into districts for years to come. However, as states release their plans, a common theme is emerging: State maps are filled with oddly-shaped, snakelike districts.

Thin strips extend for miles, rendering states almost unrecognizable. The culprit here is gerrymandering: the practice of manipulating district maps for partisan gain. Gerrymandering is an epidemic that is corroding American democracy.

One gerrymandering tactic used during this redistricting cycle is “cracking”—dividing a compact group of homogenous voters into multiple districts and thus diluting their voting power.

North Carolina’s approved map serves as a good example: By breaking up heavily Democratic Greensboro, Republicans will hold at least 10 of 14 Congressional districts in a

state where President Joe Biden won nearly 49% of the vote.

Democrats in Illinois are poised to win a whopping 14 of 17 districts through an elaborate, serpent-esque gerrymander after Biden only won about 58% of the vote in 2020.

Although this tactic is not new, it still poses a direct threat to popular government, since whoever is currently in power is able to maintain control for decades by packing voters into nonsensical districts. Because of gerrymandering, voters cannot choose politicians—politicians choose voters. With each census, political parties become increasingly entrenched in state governments. As congressional races become less competitive and more “safe” seats are drawn, disenfranchised voters may grow

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A Chronicle Assistant News Editor argues that the consequences of gerrymandering threaten to corrupt and weaken voter representation and democracy. complacent and could be less likely to participate.

Gerrymandering is a more immediate threat than many citizens realize. If currently approved maps remain across the country, Republicans have enough seats to take back the House of Representatives in 2022 solely through gerrymandered safe seats. They do not need to flip any seats currently held by Democrats to gain control; these manipulated district maps will do the work for them.

The state of our federal government, including who will serve as Speaker of the House and will control committees, is quietly being pried from voters' hands.

The only way forward is for citizens to recognize gerrymandering as the attack on democracy that it truly is and pressure state governments to draw maps fairly. Several states, such as California and Colorado, use nonpartisan commissions to draw

maps rather than legislatures or governors. States could also automate the redistricting process or restrict efficiency gaps, which are numerical measures of how much a map benefits one party or the other.

In the meantime, communities should challenge doctored maps in the legal system. This avenue has been successful in the past; for example, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out a gerrymandered map in 2018, leading to more fair results in that year’s midterm elections and giving Republicans and Democrats an equal number of seats. The catastrophic impact of gerrymandering cannot be overstated. Americans are slowly being cheated out of their voting power. Until gerrymandering is viewed as more than a procedural problem in politics, our democracy will continue to backslide at the hands of power-hungry politicians.

ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER

Community The Chronicle • Dec. 15, 2021

DAVIS MARKS/CHRONICLE

TASTY TOCAYA: The new location of Tocaya Organica, a health-oriented Mexican chain restaurant, opened to customers Dec. 7. Dishes include tacos, bowls, quesadillas and burritos.

DAVIS MARKS/CHRONICLE

SPORTSMEN’S SUGARFISH: Patrons stand outside sushi restaurant SUGARFISH to witness its grand opening Dec. 9, chatting as they wait in line to try the Japanese cuisine.

Restaurants open locations at Sportsmen’s Lodge

By Davis Marks

Restaurants Tocaya Modern Mexican and SUGARFISH opened near campus at The Shops at Sportmen’s Lodge complex Dec. 7 and Dec. 9, respectively.

To celebrate its opening day, Tocaya Modern Mexican, which serves salads, tacos, burritos, bowls and quesadillas, offered free food, drawing in students for lunch and after-school snacks.

Charlotte Newman ’24 said she is excited that Tocaya Modern Mexican opened a new location close to school, and she said shelooks forward to frequenting it.

“I love Tocaya [Modern Mexican],” Newman said. “The decor in the restaurants is always super pretty and welcoming, so I’m really excited to visit the new location. The food is healthy, and it is

a really great addition to the food scene around our campus. Hopefully, this opens the door to me eating their tortilla soup after a long school day.”

SUGARFISH, a sushi restaurant that exclusively serves traditional sushi dishes, opened its new location during The Shops at Sportsmen’s Lodge opening ceremony Dec. 9. SUGARFISH previously had a Studio City location further from the school but relocated to the Shops at Sportsmen’s Lodge for more seating space.

Savannah Shaub ’23 said SUGARFISH is her favorite restaurant and she is excited about SUGARFISH moving closer to the school alongside various new restaurants and shops.

“I am definitely excited for SUGARFISH to open so close to school,” Shaub said. “It’s undoubt-

edly my favorite lunch or dinner spot. I usually go [to SUGARFISH] in Brentwood but now that it’s so close to campus, it definitely tempts me to go more, and I likely will with friends. I am so obsessed with all the shops at the new [The Shops at Sportsmen’s Lodge], and I am beyond excited to try all the new good food.”

The two restaurants join supermarket Erewhon, hair coloring bar Madison Reed, wellness center Mydetox and activewear stores Vuori and Free People Movement, as new storefronts opening at The Shops at Sportsmen’s Lodge throughout November and early December.

Camryn Williams ’22 said the new restaurants and shops at Sportsmen’s Lodge have provided an opportunity to escape from the stress of senior year and enjoy time with her friends.

“

[Tocaya’s] food is healthy, and it is a really great addition to the food scene around our campus. Hopefully, this opens the door to me eating their tortilla soup after a long school day.”

—Charlotte Newman ’24 white’s

“I love the new shopping center on Ventura Boulevard,” Williams said. “Senior year has felt incredibly stressful, and I think that having the privilege to leave campus with my friends and grab food down the street is a good opportunity for us to catch up with one another.”

Other restaurants expected to open at The Shops at Sportsmen’s

Lodge include HiHo Cheeseburger, which exclusively serves 100% Wagyu beef, UOVO, a pasta restaurant serving traditional pasta dishes and Roberta’s Pizza.

Sophia Lindus ’22 used her senior privileges to get lunch at Tocaya Modern Mexican following its opening and said she is excited about the new shops and restaurants opening close to school.

Rising crime places strain on community

By Lucas Cohen-d’Arbeloff

After a series of high-profile crimes in Los Angeles (LA) during recent months, some community members said they are taking precautions and remaining alert.

During a Nov. 1 crime briefing, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said homicides are up 17% this year compared to 2020 and up 49% when compared to 2019.

Some local news stations, like KTLA and ABC7, also reported on robberies and smashand-grab break-ins, including an armed robbery at a Pacific Palisades holiday party Dec. 3 and the theft of more than $100,000 worth of jewelry at a hotel in downtown LA on Dec. 4.

Another crime attracting public attention is the fatal shooting of philanthropist Jacqueline Avant during a Beverly Hills home invasion Dec. 1, according to the Los Angeles Times. Beverly Hills resident Kian Chen ’23 said this incident made him more aware of the risks he faces navigating daily life.

“It makes me feel a little bit

scared,” Chen said. “I’ve always and April were the lowest with felt somewhat comfortable in about 84 in the lowest month. my area and to hear that all these Of course, after the [pandemic] crimes are happening with peo- reopening, the number of Part ple being followed when they’re I crimes has gone up, but we’re driving home, getting killed or still really low. We’re below the getting held at gunpoint, it is re- averages, which is a good thing.” ally frightening. I could be comSherman Oaks resident and ing home from a friend’s house The Buckley School parent Lisa or from school, even, and fall Holiday said an unknown indivictim to [one of these vidual broke into her violent attacks].” car and stole many of Nearly 18,000 U.S. her family’s personal law enforcement agenbelongings Dec. 7. cies measure statistics “My husband accifor serious crimes, like dentally left [the car homicide, rape or robdoor] open, and the bery, using the term next morning, a lot of “Part I” under the Unimy daughter’s school form Crime Reporting stuff was splayed out white’s program. West Hollyon the street,” Holiday Maddie wood Sheriff’s Station said. “They took our Morrison ’22 Lieutenant William registration, which is Moulder said in his experience, a little scary because now they current Part I crime is not ex- know where we live. They took ceeding normal levels but may the insurance card, and they appear much higher when com- took some of her clothes and pared with crime levels during makeup that were stored in the pandemic lockdowns. side of the compartment. Noth“Usually during a month, ing like this has ever happened there are anywhere from 180 to in the 20 years we’ve lived at 220 Part I crimes that occur,” this address.”

Moulder said. “Last year, March Studio City resident Maddie

Morrison ’22 said many of her neighbors have been disturbed by the presence of crime in nearby residential areas.

“Although I haven’t experienced any crime myself, I know that people living in Studio City are particularly on edge recently,” Morrison said. “People in Studio City tend to assume that their neighborhoods are especially safe or protected because they’re primarily residential, but I think the past couple of weeks [have] been a reminder to be careful and take care of themselves, their houses and their kids as well.”

Hancock Park resident Nicole Lee ’23 said there is little citizens can do to stamp out the root causes of crime, as the issue is strongly influenced by poverty.

She said public safety is largely in the hands of law enforcement and elected leaders.

“It’s just that people have all sorts [of ] different motives,” Lee said. “They don’t commit crimes just for the thrill of it, you know? It’s because they need something, and we can’t really get rid of that need.”

ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER

Features The Chronicle • Dec. 15, 2021

Students and faculty share the effects of sleep deprivation on their daily schedules.

Students currently studying abroad adapt to living in new cultural environments.

During the holiday season, students reflect on the meaning of religion and its year-round presence through the chapel and chaplain at the school.

By Fallon Dern

By Allegra Drago

Though she said sleep deprivation harms her day-to-day wellbeing, Camryn Williams ’22 said she is not the only one subject to exhaustion. Every day, Williams said she enters classrooms filled with tired eyes and listens to teachers joke about their caffeine reliances. She said her exhaustion has not made her an anomaly in the school system but rather one of many people who are experiencing the same sleep situation.

“I think every single day, [being tired is] the main conversation starter,” Williams said.

“People will walk up to you and say, ‘Oh, I’m so tired’ or ‘I barely slept last night.’ That’s pretty much been all of my conversations at school with both friends and anyone in my classes.”

Williams said the process of college applications creates stress and sleepless nights for herself and many other seniors, but she said this teaches her to function with less rest.

“Unfortunately, I don’t get a lot of sleep due to being a first-semester senior,” Williams said. “It fluctuates. Sometimes I make sure that I get eight hours of sleep, but other times it’s pretty bad. I’ll have slept for four or five hours and be very tired at school. That’s when I feel like I’m not as productive in my classes and when I’m only thinking about getting through the day.”

Williams said while she often feels tired at school, she is grateful for how teachers have been more lenient to her and other seniors during the first semester this year. She said teachers recognize the unique stressors seniors face and offer them more compassion and opportunities to unwind.

“I think teachers can see how much we are struggling with college applications,” Williams said. “I’ve had different assignments that have given us a little bit more of a break or time to relax in class. I think [teachers] very empathetic and I am appreciative of the teachers that have made seniors’ lives easier. However, I think [this empathy] can apply to other students across the board. Other grades and even teachers need breaks too.”

As a bleary-eyed Casey Ross ’23 steps off a train, she stares at a loading Google Maps screen. The display illuminates her face, but she finds herself with no cellular service. It is 2:12 a.m., and three of her peers stand alone beside her in this Naples train station.

Faced with a language barrier and no available taxis, they made their attempt to arrive at their hotel 2 miles away.

Ross is currently studying abroad in Viterbo, Italy, fulfilling a year-long program with School Year Abroad (SYA) as she continues her junior year at an SYA-affiliated school while developing language skills in Italian. After taking the Intermediate-Advanced Italian Directed Study course taught by World Languages Teacher Simona Ghirlanda last year, Ross said being immersed in Italian culture has allowed her to gain a new perspective on the language, in real time.

Ross said she tried to familiarize herself with what to expect while abroad by speaking to Ghirlanda, a native Italian. Ghirlanda said she finds many students do not have the same positive cultural experience abroad as Ross because they do not adopt Ross’s open mindset before embarking upon their respective programs.

“I think I equipped [Ross] to go there with humility, having an open mind and thinking that [Italians] are different [from Americans],” Ghirlanda said.

“They like different things, they eat different things, they speak different dialects. [Ross] will have to be flexible, and I think that’s why she’s having a good experience. She went there knowing that she would not be culturally similar to them. [Ross] is there as a student, not a tourist.”

Ghirlanda said in her Intermediate-Advanced Italian Directed Study course, she teaches how cuisine and Italian dialects vary regionally throughout Italy.

“In the class, we talked about [Italian] cuisine, [specifically], about how you can’t have a pizza made in the South and expect it to taste the same as [a pizza] that would be made in Milan,” Ghirlanda said. “I told [Ross] to be ready to eat a lot of pasta daily and not expect to have a large variety of foods to choose from.”

• Continued on B7

By Harry Tarses In 1914, Saint Saviour’s Chapel was constructed on the corner of Western Avenue and Venice Boulevard at Harvard School for Boys. Twenty-three years later, it was taken down and moved to Studio City along with the institution it was originally built for. The building was named a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in the 1960s, and for the next three decades, it served as the religious meeting place for the boys of the episcopal school. Even after Harvard School merged with the secular Westlake School for Girls and the newly formed Harvard-Westlake School became a secular institution, the chapel remained standing on what is now the upper school campus.

Despite its use as a space for choral performances and weekly prayer services, Natalie Chan ’23 said she finds it hard to make time to visit the chapel.

“I’m just too busy and stressed [to go to the chapel],”Chan said.

“I have to go to library every day to do homework.”

Chan said although she is un-

able to go to chapel because of the pressures of her daily life, she still tries to make time to find a religious outlet.

“I go to church every Sunday, which I feel fulfills the connection I need,” Chan said. “I have a priest [who] I have been close with since I was little, who offers me guidance in religion.”

Chan said, as a student who considers herself religious, Catholicism has acted as a consistent support system throughout her life.

“I really was able to connect with [my faith] through my experiences in quarantine,” Chan said.

“I felt like I saw a lot of people struggling with [the COVID-19 pandemic], but personally I feel like there was this extra guidance for me, like God was watching out for me.”

Reverend Anne Gardner, who joined the school as Chaplain in 2020, said her role at the school is entirely independent of its secularity, and she is prepared to serve any and all students as a spiritual advisor.

“The religious affiliation [of the school], or lack thereof, is not a concern,” Gardner said in

an email. “The chaplaincy offers opportunities for care and conversation no matter what the perspective or affiliation of the student. I am here for those in the community, in whatever capacity they may desire.”

Chan said the Reverend is a valuable resource to the school.

“We need a person who is more informed on the religious standpoint of things,” Chan said.

“While the school is a secular community, it also tries to be diverse and inclusive, and I feel that providing some sort of a person of religious authority is really good for that.”

Gardner said working in a community with religious viewpoints different from her own is interesting because it inspires her to reflect on her own faith.

“I find ministering in spaces of such diversity and perspective to be my vocational calling,” Gardner said. “Partly because of my own personal curiosity in the viewpoints of others, [religious,] spiritual and otherwise, and partly because I enjoy working and interacting with an age group that is often absent from traditional religious institutions.”

• Continued on B8

• Continued on B2 ILLUSTRATIONS BY ADISON GAMRADT

B2 Features

Dec. 15, 2021

The Chronicle

Adventures Abroad

Students abroad share their experiences immersing to new cultures while continuing school curriculum in foreign countries.

es, and she is eager to spend time with her when she returns from Zaragoza, Spain.

Ross said growing accustomed to Viter“[Graber] is always running ahead of bo’s cuisine was not as she initially antici- us keeping the pace,” Yang said. “[Graber pated, but she said studying the language and I] have made plans to hang out when and cuisine has helped immerse herself she returns. I was a new ninth grader into the country’s culture. and [Graber] introduced me to her “I eat more pasta than I had expected friends through the [school’s track but a lot less pizza than expected,” Ross and field] program.” said. “The region of Italy I’m in doesn’t Graber said she and her host famuse a lot of salt and typically has unsalted ily enjoy spending time together and bread. The cultural aspects of Italy that I watching Spanish television. Host famlearned from the directed study [course] ilies can include an individual adult, a helped me integrate into the culture fast- married couple or a family with children, er because I had a clearer idea of what I according to SYA. Graber lives with her would be dealing with,” Ross said. “As a host mother and father. result, I am able to form connections more “[My host parents easily without such a big [language] barand I] always watch a rier which makes me simulgame show together taneously connect to and called ‘Pasapalabra,’” with the culture.”

Graber said. “We Ross said she has also watch [‘Monchanged her daily routine ey Heist’] in Spanto adjust to Italy’s cultural ish, which I had norms, and has better acwatched in English climated to the pace of the when it first aired” country’s routine.

“We alternate “I wake up around 6:30 between Italian [a.m.], walk to a local cofand American fee shop, and get a capmovies [bepuccino to start my day cause] switchbefore school,” Ross said. ing the oppo“I have school in an old site subtitles little building where I [allows] me take English, math, histo further detory and Italian courses. velop my linI’ll usually end up havguistic skills,” ing free periods during Ross said. the school day where I Ross said she can leave school and goes home to go do work at a cafe, spend time with grab a gelato, or go her host family to a friend’s house after climbing. while we have a free She said living period together.” with her host Ross said the family allows her SYA program alto experience the lots four after familial aspect of school hours in Pr Italian culture and inted w ith perm students’ weekly the importance of ission o f Casey schedules for free time to Ross Italian cuisine. participate in extracurricular activities.

“When I return “I found a climbing gym [in Viterbo] home, I hang out with my host which is amazing because that is one of my family for a little while [or] go upstairs to hobbies back in the U.S.,” Ross said. “I en- study, but that gets interrupted by insanejoy being able to climb [in Italy] because I ly long and delicious dinners every night,” have been able to bond with others over a Ross said. “I’m not complaining, though. shared interest.”

I think my host mom cooks an amazing Similarly, Ella Graber ’24, who is en- lasagna. It’s totally insane. I mean, I’ve had rolled in the SYA program in Zaragoza, lasagna before, but I never really liked it Spain, said she has been able to continue until I got here and tried hers.” to run track and field at a track she freIn an interview conducted in Italian, quents from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. several times Ross’s host sister Elena Sofia Barelli said a week. being part of the SYA host family program “I miss being able to compete [in track allows her to meet new friends while learnand field] with my peers back in the U.S., ing American traditions and culture. but I’m super lucky to be able to continue “I pick up new habits when I’m around my sport here in Zaragoza,” Graber said. [my host sister],” Barelli said. “[At school] Helen Yang ’24 said she became friends my friends are always impressed when I with Graber through the school’s track know certain American slang phrases [I and field program. She said Graber was a learn from my host siblings], like ‘coolio.’” natural leader during their sports practicBarelli said she plans on coming to the • Continued from B1

Casey an

d Amici

Italia

“

a bit of an experience,” Graber said. “People are much more direct when they speak and when exI am able to form pressing themselves. My connections easily host family, peers and without such a big people I meet daily are more open about their [language] barrier which lives which have helped makes me connect with me develop deeper conthe culture. nections with them.”

Graber said she thought participating in a Spanish immersion program would not be challenging after completing Spanish III in ninth grade.

However, she said when she initially met her host family, the language and dialect barrier was greater than she had anticipated.

“When I first arrived [in Zaragoza,] I was very confident that my speaking abilities were going to be enough for my host family to have conversations with me, but U.S. either to vacation or to study abroad for the first week I was there, they couldn’t in a program like Ross’s SYA program. understand a word I said,” Graber said.

“I’ve seen how beneficial [the SYA] pro- “However, with living immersed in anothgram is in terms of allowing students to er language, language acquisition is almost interact with a new culture and language,” effortless and your speaking abilities imBarelli said. “I hope one day I can come prove very quickly.” visit [Ross] in America and have a similar experience to the one she’s had.”

Barelli said she feels that Ross has become part of her family, and she said she enjoys spending time with Ross whether it be in Viterbo at their home or in town center. “[Ross] is like a second sister,” Barelli said. “She always makes me smile and happy in every situation. Everyone should have [someone like Ross] in their life.”

Graber said she experiences cultural differences at her host home and around Zaragoza that surprise her on a day-to-day basis. She said despite these differences, people have been willing to help her feel at home in Spain and learn about the country’s culture.

“The first day I got to Spain, my host family yelled at me for taking my shoes off when I entered the house, which was Printed

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ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF

Dec. 15, 2021

hwchronicle.com/features

Features B3

Members of the community reflect on the effects of various schoolrelated Instagram accounts

By Lily Lee As Casey Weisman ’22 scrolled through his Instagram feed in August 2020, a post from the student-run Instagram account @hwconfessions popped onto his screen.

Weisman said the content of the post targeted him and made sexual and sexual orientation-related comments.

In response,

Weisman said he founded the Instagram account @hw.compliments about one week after @hwconfessions’ first post.

“I thought it was so funny because it was an obviously homophobic person trying to get a rise out of me,” Weisman said. “I was laughing because this person was pathetic. I didn’t want to give them the response they wanted, so I was laughing and commenting on the post joking about it. After that, more people started [commenting in support of me].”

Zoe Shin ’23 said accounts like @hwconfessions can result in a loss of trust between members of the school community.

“I believe that these types of accounts are bad as they demonstrate a belief that the exchange of verbal abuse of students for profit off of sparked drama is a just and reasonable one,” Shin said. “I believe that being posted on @hwconfessions could result in a student’s loss of trust in other members of the school community.”

Although Weisman said the post initially made him feel uncomfortable, he said he now tries to see the attention in an optimistic way.

“It made me feel weird because they were targeting me,

but it also made me feel cool because it is cool to think that you are getting such a reaction out of people just by existing and to know that you are making people talk,” Weisman said.

When @hwconfessions posted mes-

sages objectifying girls at the school, posts students’ parking mishaps. She Weisman said he felt the account was said she finds the account entertaining. becoming an even more serious is“I think [@hw.parking] is so funny, sue. Weisman said @hw.compliments and people love to look at it and joke became a platform meant to encour- around about the people they know,” age students to be kind to their peers. Griswold said. “ Although [the “My friend and I ran this account account] pokes fun at peotogether because we saw how toxic ple to some extent, none of @hwconfessions was getting,” Weis- it is of a malicious nature.” man said. “A lot of their comments were Out of 248 students polled, offensive and a lot of people were get- 87.1% said they have heard of ting hurt. We wanted to detract from similar social media accounts some of that toxicity, so we had the oriented toward the school’s stuidea to create a compliments account dent population. Of 247 where everyone could send positivity respondents, 62.35% of and get their own moment in the sun.” students then said they Weisman said he stopped post- follow these accounts. ing in September 2020 because of @Hw.parking acdeclining submissions, but he said count manager Jasper* the account played an inspiration- said in an Instagram dial role in the school community. rect message that the ac“I felt like I was uplifting peo- count makes students more ple and spreading joy, Weis- accountable while simulman said. “It was self-fulfilling.” taneously motivating them Weisman said running the account al- to improve their parking skills. lowed him to gain insight into the school “I think the account is something that community and that he wanted it to pro- provides some laughs and also kind of vide support for anyone who might be go- encourages people to think twice before ing through an experience similar to his. they park between two spots,” Jasper said.

“Know that you have a communiJasper said they inherited the acty behind count from you [that is] a member ready to back of the Class @overheard_hw you,” Weisof 2020. account manager man said.

“It was ac“We had a tually created whole group around four We entertain students of people ralyears ago by and help provide a break from school’s lied against Tyler Cox the @hwcon’20 and has hyper-stressful environment while fessions peobeen passed providing deep, insightful commentary ple and it was down a couabout how oblivious our classmates are uplifting to ple of times,” see because Jasper said. to the real world.” it made me “The account feel included is somewhat [in the comanonymous m u n i t y ] .” so people Margaret Piatos ’23 said @hwcon- don’t bug me about posting them.” fessions has the potential to negaGrace Kosten ’22 said she foltively affect students’ mental health. lows @hw.parking and thinks “[The @hwconfessions account] is its posts are amusing. Kosten quite different than funny accounts be- said she thinks the accounts cause someone is being publicly called promote a culture of acceptout for the followers to see,” Piatos said. ing imperfection on campus.

“I think it could af“Not everyone finds befect someone[’s men- ing featured funny, but 99% tal health] because of their content seems to not the post might not be made maliciously,” Kosten be able to be taken said. “[The accounts] give some down, and within lighthearted humor and dilute seconds a lot of people the need to always be perfect.” are viewing something @Overheard_hw account potentially harm- manager Tatum* said the acful or embarrassing.” count is inspired by the social Piatos, who said media accounts @overheard_la she was featured on with 1.6 million followers and @ @ h w. c o m p l i - overheardnewyork with 1.5 milments, said she be- lion followers on Instagram. They lieves the account said @overheard_hw posts quotes aims to show pos- that students overhear other students itive recognition saying at school, and they said they want to members of the to keep the account anonymous. They school community. said they often have to pretend to be “Someone wrote some- unaware of the account manager’s identhing nice about me tity during conversations with peers. on @hw.compliments “I think remaining anonymous has when I was first new been one of the biggest challenges [of to [the school], and it running the account] ,” Tatum said in an felt good to know someone knows Instagram DM. “I’ve ended up having who I am and thinks that I was good lots of conversations with different peoat something even though we hav- ple during which they’d talk about the en’t fully met in person,” Piatos said. account, and I’d have to act all unknowAnother student who contribut- ing, which isn’t accurate, obviously.” ed to an account, Skyler Griswold ’24 Tatum said they did not create said she took a photo of her brother’s the account but rather took it over poor parking job and sent the picture at the beginning of the year. They to the Instagram account @hw.park- said the quotes featured demonstrate ing, which has over 700 followers and the students’ lack of perspective.

“We entertain students and help provide a break from school’s hyper-stressful environment while providing deep, insightful commentary about how oblivious our classmates are to the real world,” Tatum said.

Tatum said they noticed that the account helps bring students together and sparks comedic moments

between students.

“The posts are pretty absurd and show how insanely out of touch [the student body] is,” Tatum said. “Students [here] are a specific breed of person.

In our posts [students ask], ‘Who’s [applying Early Decision]?’ or, ‘Is Duke [University] a respectable school?’ Duke is obviously respectable. It’s an amazing school.

Only a person [who goes to school here] would ask if Duke, of all schools, is a respectable school. I think everyone at the school is entertained by the fact that the student body is like that.”

Head of Communications and Strategic Initiatives Ari Engelberg ’89 said he has heard of these accounts, but he said the school does not supervise them.

“We encourage students who post or comment to social media feeds, regardless of whether they are private or public, associated with [the school] or otherwise, to use good judgment and to follow the rules for responsible use of technology that are outlined in the [Student and Parent]

Handbook,” Engelberg said.

Emma Miller ’23 said the student account owners should realize the responsibility they hold from running these accounts.

“Even though some of the accounts are meant to be funny, it is important for the students that make the accounts to be aware of the power that they hold and how quickly they can shift from meaningless jokes to cyberbullying,” Miller said. *Names have been changed illustrations by sophia evans

The Chronicle Dec. 15,

B4 Features

Thirty years after its founding, community members share their experiences and memories of the Peer Support program.

By Fallon Dern and Alex Hahn

then] that they loved it,” McGraw said. “I am sad that I wasn’t able to have the student experience in Peer It is 6:30 p.m. in Chalmers 305. Support now that I get to see how speWith their backs pressed against cial it is from my adult point of view.” flipped-over desks, 14 students are Peer Support has since expanded seated facing each other. Unopened and adopted a leadership program in boxes of Animal Crackers and Lays which four coordinators supervise 26 potato chips are piled in the center of senior leaders and 26 junior trainees. the room alongside a stack of the stu- The coordinators, leaders and trainees dents’ silenced Nokia flip phones. It is are split into 11 groups with roughly 1991, and the first-ever Peer 30 students in each. CoordinaSupport has begun. When tors are responsible for delthe clock strikes 8 p.m., egating groups and hanthe cookies, chips and dling any issues between awkward tension will group members, while have all disappeared. leaders and trainees run The 2021-2022 school Monday night group year marks the 30th anmeetings.

According niversary of Peer Supto Coordinator Milo port, a program that Kiddugavu ’22, there began as an interare about 650 group personal counseling members this school white’s program and graduyear–roughly 70% Milo ally evolved into the of the entire upper Kiddugavu ’22 largest club on campus. school student body.

In a 1991 interview Kiddugavu said he is with The Chronicle, then amazed by the changes withDirector of Counseling Louise Ma- in Peer Support since its foundcatee said Peer Support strives to ing and feels honored to be a part create an open space to foster empa- of such a positive community. thy and genuine communication.

“I think it is so awesome to hear “With Peer Support, we’re trying how different [Peer Support] has beto achieve two things,” Macatee said. come since it first began,” Kiddugavu “First, we are giving people a chance said. “I truly believe that Peer Support to share what’s going on in their lives, distinguishes the interconnectedness to talk about concerns or issues. We’re of our school from many others. In also trying to teach people how to bringing different backgrounds and have more meaningful relationships perspectives together with the intenby learning how to listen, share and tion of supporting each other for who develop their interpersonal skills.” we are, I feel as though we are able to Former Peer Support leader Mela- establish a more safe and united atmonie Banders ’92 said the program’s or- sphere that really allows ganization is designed to initiate open people to flourish, communication between students. as they know “[Peer Support hosts] small groups they have peodesigned to create an atmosphere ple who will where students can open up and talk about the world,” Banders said.

Current Peer Support Program Head Tina McGraw ’01 said she regrets having not joined Peer Support while attending the school as a student.

“In the late 90s it was a smaller program than it is now, but I heard from classmates who attended [back

have their back no matter what.” ness her former leaders gave her.

Coordinator Prentiss Corbin “Peer Support 1000% improved ’22 echoed Kiddugavu’s expe- my experience being a new sophorience and said she admires the more,” Corbin said. “My [former] consistent effort the program has leaders also really took me under their put forward to support students. wing and always checked in on me or “I think Peer Support has really said ‘Hi’ to me on the quad, which aimed to create a safe place for students made me feel a sense of belonging as well as forge deeper connections in in a relatively new environment. I the school community, and I hope have definitely tried to carry that on it continues to do so,” Corbin said. with the sophomores in my group.”

Kiddugavu and Corbin Olivia Suddleson ’24, a memwork alongside Coordiber of Corbin’s group, said nator Estee Eidinger she sees her group as a safe ’22 and Michael Lapin and welcoming community. ’22 to lead the program, “I am very lucky to bringing a different perhave a great group with spective to the team, as amazing leaders and a fun both Kiddugavu and mix of people,” Suddleson Corbin were new tenth said. “[The program] has graders.

Kiddugavu opened doors to so many said upon entrance into new friendships and creatthe school, interacted an environment that white’s ing with both upperfeels secure and judgPrentiss classmen and other ment-free. The flexibility Corbin ’22 sophomores through of the program makes Peer Support providit feel like there is zero ed him a community pressure, which helps to make he otherwise may not have found. the club itself more comfortable.”

“I feel like learning about my new Josh Barnavon ’24 said he was classmates and their personal lives surprised by how much he enbrought a whole new element to my joys being a part of his group. experience that really allowed me to “My experience in Peer Support has get to know the community and not be been amazing,” Barnavon said. “When afraid to put myself out there,” Kiddu- I first heard about the club, I was skepgavu said. “Additionally, knowing the tical of how a group of strangers could upperclassmen made the campus less develop such a high level of trust and daunting as a sophomore. They gave confidentiality [with] each other. I me the confidence to try new clubs and now see there’s no age or grade level opportunities our school boasts that I divide among the group, and everyone may have never tried, all of which have is treated with the same amount of shaped me to the person I am now.” respect. The club has been especially Corbin shared a similar expe- beneficial for me as a sophomore berience, and said as a Coordina- cause I was able to meet new friends tor and group leader she tries to that I never would have met otherwise. welcome sophomores and treat As a sophomore on a new campus, it them with the same kind- also made me feel much more included in the upper school community.”

Barnovan said he was initially doubtful of the high praise Peer Support received. Trainee Audrey Yang ’23 said these suspicions are not uncommon in the school community and she had similar feelings before joining the program.

“I had heard a lot about Peer Sup-

2021 hwchronicle.com/features

port from upper school students and how it was an amazing club that everyone should join,” Yang said. “Beyond that, however, everyone in Peer Support was very secretive about what the club was actually about, so when I first joined, I was excited but also rather nervous because I didn’t know anyone else who was in the club and I had no idea whether I would enjoy it.”

Yang said the privacy of Peer Support is tied to a popular phrase associated with the program: “Big C.” This “C”refers to confidentiality, and the requirement for group members to keep everything private, from serious shares to lighthearted games. Kiddugavu said in a 700-person program, those who break the rule are often caught, spoken to by the leaders or coordinators and expelled from the program. Yang said the respect for and importance placed upon confidentiality kept her coming back to her group every Monday night.

“I was in a fantastic group sophomore year, and I ended up looking forward to Monday night meetings every week,” Yang said. “My leaders were so dedicated and compassionate, and I developed a very close relationship with my group. I went from being unsure and hesitant about joining Peer Support to really loving both the purpose of the program and the people I got to know.”

Now Yang leads a group with Assistant Features Editor Harry Tarses ’23, Sophia Haynes ’22, Alex Shane ’22 and Cory Porter ’22. Yang said the pro-

Features B5

gram has helped her social intelligence On the other hand, group member and ability to interact with new people. Andre Birotte ’23 said he feels content “Being a trainee has definitely re- with the current state of Peer Support. quired me to step outside of my com“I think the club is great as it is and fort zone at times,” Yang said. “At first, isn’t in need of any urgent change,” I was extremely nervous about having Birotte said. “[It] is run and orgato speak in front of an entire group of nized very well from my experience; people, many of whom I don’t know. the emphasis leaders put on confidenHowever, I realized that the main rea- tiality makes the space feel extremely son I was in [Peer safe as intended.”

Support] was to When rehelp others by flecting on Peer listening with Support’s hisattentiveness and tory and legacy, [Peer Support] is responding with former Coordireally about students empathy.

This nator Spencer forming friendships mindset took away Sherman ’21 said the pressure of he is proud to across grades and having to be the have been a part social groups. ‘perfect leader’ of the program and encouras a member, —Tina McGraw ’01 aged me to be trainee and coSchool Psychologist genuine and speak ordinator. Sherfrom my heart.” man said Peer Though group Support serves member Gabria unique role el Levin ’23 said he largely agrees in the community and is a prowith the positive sentiment that sur- gram catered to students’ mental rounds Peer Support, he said the health and emotional well-being club still has room for improvement. rather than rigid activities or goals.

“All issues and topics are allowed to “Peer Support serves as a rock for be discussed in Peer Support, which is a lot of people,” Sherman said. “It’s a awesome,” Levin said. “However, there place to fully decompress and relieve are many situations which, in my opin- yourself of the stress from the week, ion, require professional help. I think month or year. If you’re a part of it, you it would be beneficial for the program know it’s an entire community withto make [getting professional help] in the school. It doesn’t merely break less intimidating and provide a direct barriers between grades. It and accessible way to receive it.” helps form lifelong con-

“

nections with people both older and younger than yourself, people whose lives could be vastly different from your own. It’s easy for me to say that Peer Support changed me for the better.”

Sherman said his experience perfectly aligns with McGraw’s definition of Peer Support’s legacy: Peer Support’s impact on students’ relationships and their perspectives on vulnerability.

“The program’s legacy is held in the memory of all of those who went through it,” McGraw said. “It is a legacy of human connection, empathy and growth. It is really about students forming friendships and deeper connections across grades and social groups. It is impossible to measure the impact that it has had on individuals and the community as a whole, but I have had many students tell me that being in Peer Support was their most meaningful experience at the school.”

Kiddugavu said he knows Peer Support will continue to be a staple of the school community. He said he hopes students in the future will keep working to create the best environment possible, as they have for the past 30 years.

“The 30th anniversary of Peer Support means a lot to me, as I have been given the chance to be a part of something bigger than myself,” Kiddugavu said. “Going forward, I want Peer Support to continue on the path that it has been on for these 30 years, only getting better and better as [graduating] classes introduce new ideas and change it for the better.”

ILLUSTRATION BY FALLON DERN AND SOPHIA MUSANTE

The Chronicle

B6 Features

Dec. 15, 2021

Fading Faith Students share their holiday traditions and reflect on how their modern celebrations of Christmas have strayed from its religious origins.

By Emmy Zhang On Christmas Eve, Goldie Grube ’23 said she casts aside her usual attire of sweatpants and graphic t-shirts in favor of a formal black dress for Christmas mass. Every year, she and her family attend St. James Catholic Church, where congregants sing Christmas carols and listen to sermons to commemorate the religious aspects of the holiday. When she returns home, Grube said her sense of holiday spirit shifts: She puts on reindeer pajamas and waits in excitement for morning to come, and she says the religious meaning of Christmas drifts from focus. Grube and her four brothers wake up on Christmas Day to the smell of their mother’s homemade eggnog.

She said they eagerly jump out of their bedrooms, flying down the stairs to surround their Christmas tree Grube said she recognizes that Christmas has both a religious and cultural nature because she is exposed to different forms of holiday celebrations.

“Besides going to mass, my family has developed traditions that have nothing to do with religion,” Grube said. “I think for many people the appeal of Christmas has expanded from being a religious [observance] at church to a fun time where families enjoy and create their own unique celebrations, that are both religious and non-religious.”

Avery Kim ’23 said her family’s Christmas celebration is rooted in religion. She said they attend Christmas services, where the entire congregation gathers to share a meal to celebrate the Christmas spirit of love and community after the mass.

“On Christmas Day, we go to church, where we watch a religious skit about Adam and Eve called ‘The Fall,’” Kim said. “We call this ‘The Gospel Message,’ which talks about the fall of humankind and the rise of Jesus Christ. Then, we all enjoy a potluck where people bring dishes from home. For me, being together with all of our friends symbolizes the warmth of Christmas.”

Although Kim said she attends church with her family every Christmas and knows the biblical story of Jesus’s birth, she said Christmas celebrations, including her own, often celebrate characters such as Santa Claus culturally rather than religiously.

“When my siblings and I were young, we would bake cookies for Santa and stay up on Christmas Eve to wait for him to come and eat them,” Kim said. “One year, my uncle even dressed up as Santa to surprise us. Even though Santa Claus is clearly not part of the biblical story, he is still an important symbol of Christmas for me and for many other kids around the world.”

The secularization of Christmas began in 1870, when former President Grant made it an official federal holiday in an effort to unite the northern and southern regions of the United States during the Reconstruction period after the Civil War, according to Time Magazine.

The religious emphasis on Christmas has dwindled among younger generations, according to a 2017

study by the Pew Research Center, with They add to the holiday season and pro32% of millennials viewing Christmas as vide Christmas stories and warm feelings a religious holiday while 44% of them that everyone can embrace.”

Christmas has gained widespread acview it as a cultural celebration.

Grube said emphasis on the religious ceptance among people of all religions, aspect of Christmas continues to decline with 81% of non-Christians in the United States celefor younger people brating the holiday, in society today. according to a 2017 “I think there’s a Pew Research Cengeneral move away ter survey, For infrom religion withstance, Raisa Effress in our generation, ’23, who said she is and subsequently, Jewish, said she and there’s been a move her family have emaway from celebratbraced Christmas ing Christmas only traditions such as in a religious way,” hanging stockings Grube said. “I don’t and baking Christthink it takes away mas cookies. Effress from the spiritual said since Hanukand religious meankah often falls close ing of the holiday. In white’s to Christmas, she fact, my family and Goldie Grube ’23 and her family can I go to church on enjoy aspects of Christmas Eve, but it’s a joyful time for people of all religious both holidays.

“Last year, I made a Christmas tree and cultural backgrounds. [Christmas is] a day about giving and spending time that included Hanukkah and Christmas symbols,” Effress said. “We hung with family.”

Samuel Hines ’24 said the entertain- dreidels, candy canes and angels. We also ment industry heavily contributes to had a Secret Santa where we each secretly the secularization of Christmas among bought gifts for friends and family. I love youth, as he said modern films and songs the uplifting and happy spirit of both of omit the religious aspects of the holiday the holidays.”

Unlike Effress, Shoshie Bernstein ’22, and usually only depict secular symbols who is also Jewish, said she does not celeand themes.

“Popular holiday songs like ‘All I brate even the cultural aspects of ChristWant for Christmas is You’ [by Mariah mas. Bernstein said she and her family Carey] and movies like ‘Home Alone’ are always celebrates Hannukah during the played everywhere during the Christmas holiday season.

“I’m Jewish, and my mom is a rabbi, season,” Hines said. “TV shows almost always show people opening and ex- so I’ve never really felt a connection to changing presents, decorating the tree Christmas, but I do connect to Hannuand putting up lights, but they don’t kah,” Bernstein said. “I’ve never felt exusually contain any religious referenc- cluded in any way when I see Christmas es, which might explain why fewer and decorations. It is just not part of my relifewer young people link Christmas to its gious background.”

Kim said notices that Americans obreligious meaning and story.”

Marissa Lee ’22 said she does not serve Christmas in different ways but perceive the commercialization or the acknowledges the holiday’s universal sigsecularization of Christmas a damaging nificance as an expression of love.

“The non-religious aspect of Christforce but rather as factors that enhance mas shouldn’t be seen as hurting the the holiday spirit.

“Buying Christmas decorations and religious meaning presents is a fun part of the celebration, of Christmas,” Kim and characters like the Grinch and Frosty said. “People can the Snowman help create the festive spirit make their own of Christmas that everyone loves,” Lee Christmas stories. said. “I don’t think they have a negative influence or take away from the religious aspect of Christmas.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY SYDNEY FENER

Dec. 15, 2021

hwchronicle.com/features

Features B7

Members of the community discuss their experiences with sleep deprivation and its negative impact on their lives. and I have trouble starting work right when I get home,” Pennell said. “Also, English Teacher Stephen Thomp- I’ll have extracurriculars after school son said on top of creating and and after [I’m done], I’ll just [stay] grading assignments, his responsi- awake. I typically go to bed at 1 a.m., bilities as a parent worsen his sleep and I’m [comfortable] with that time. cycle. Thompson, a father of three I’ll just know that as long as I can get young children, said he and his [my homework] done before class, wife rarely sleep for long stretch- I don’t need to start it until later.” es because their kids often wake Pennell said this deficit negatively them up in the middle of the night. impacts his psyche and how he feels in “I don’t sleep enough, by a long social, academic and athletic settings. shot,” Thompson said. “I have “If I go to bed really late, I three kids and the two can definitely feel a differyoungest have [my wife ence waking up,” Pennell and me] up multisaid. “It’s harder to force ple times a night myself to get up, but I and up pretty early. generally feel it more This certainly makes towards the aftermy work less efnoon. During the fective and my last class of the day, emotions considI could very easily erably more frayed. fall asleep. Then, if In terms of physical I have something white’s health, I no longer to do after school, Camryn exercise because I I feel like I’m a Williams ’23 am not able to sleep zombie. That kind of long enough in one [bothers me] knowing, stretch for my muscles in soccer for example, I may not be to properly recover, and since I car- performing to my highest ability bery children around all the time such cause I’m not getting enough sleep.” recovery failure has led to injury.”

Pennell said different teachers ofThompson said he believes he ten assign work on the same days, and and his students face similar is- the nights where his work piles up presues with school-related stress, but vent him from consistently resting. he said parenting-related stress is “I could manage my time better, uniquely detrimental to his nights. but that’s kind of a lot to ask for busy “Grading takes time, and because teenagers,” Pennell said. “Luckily, I have kids who demand a lot [out] most teachers are very understanding of me, I have to take time from my when it comes to this topic. If you sleep schedule to grade,” Thompson were to ask for an extension [on an said. “I imagine it is similar to stu- assignment], I think most teachers dents juggling multiple commit- would let you. For me, communicaments and losing sleep over it, but tion between different teachers from I don’t think soccer will wake you different subjects would help because up at 3 a.m. [like my children do].” on some nights I’ll have literally Varsity soccer player Harry Pen- half an hour of work. Then, other nell ’23 said both his sport and his nights we’ll have something like an schoolwork prevent him from going essay or a test to study for. That’s to bed at a reasonable time. How- when I find myself getting the least ever, Pennell said his late bedtime is amount of sleep, just on those terrible not caused by his extreme workload nights where [work] all builds up.” but rather by his procrastination.

While Pennell said he procras“I tend to procrastinate on my tinates starting his homework, Edwork until later in ward Kim ’23 said he struggles to the day, complete work quickly. Kim said his pacing and inability to work for the long stretches of time large assignments cause him to be in bed after midnight nearly every night.

“I’m really tired at school, especially [when I’m in class] at the end of the day and on days when I have my harder classes,” Kim said. “I have so much trouble paying attention during those classes. I have no energy by then. Honestly, even if I did sleep for a good amount of time, I • Continued from B1

know I’ll have the same problems because I always have trouble focusing.

I don’t know if that’s just me, but I’m pretty sure some people can relate.”

Stella Glazer ’23 said her experiences with academic pressure, mental health issues and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) contribute to her inconsistent sleep cycle.

“I struggle with insomnia but I also have anxiety and ADHD,” Glazer said. “I have this problem where I can’t focus on my homework, so it takes me forever to get it all done, and I end up being able to go to sleep at around 2 a.m. in the morning. I also have a really hard time falling asleep because of my anxiety.

I can’t shut my brain off if I’m just laying in darkness. I have to watch television to be able to fall asleep.”

Glazer said her sleep schedule has no effect on her attention span but said she often feels depleted and exhausted during the day.

“I personally think that my body has gotten used to getting barely any sleep,” Glazer said.

“I feel like I’d feel the same whether I get four hours or 12.

I do think that it affects my behavior, though, because I never have any energy and I’m [always] running on nothing. I have to really push myself to get through the day.”

Glazer said while a few of her friends are able to maintain stable sleep cycles, she views sleep deprivation as a common problem throughout the school community.

“I know some people at school [who] go to sleep super early, which is shocking to me,” Glazer said.

“While I don’t think [sleep deprivation is] necessarily a universal thing, it’s definitely something that way too many students and teachers struggle with. I think your individual skills 100% play a role in sleep deprivation because someone who has the ability to finish all their work in one sitting totally would have an advantage over someone who, for example, struggles with mental health problems that affect their motivation, attention span or energy levels.”

Video Art Teacher Reb Limerick said they view sleep as essential to their health. Limerick said they aim

for eight hours of sleep per night, but they said their routine depends on their workload and personal responsibilities. Limerick said, given how greatly their quality of sleep impacts them, they often prioritize rest over the amount of work they complete.

“I physically can’t handle caffeine and I’m not a napper, so I have to rely on my nighttime sleep and my hydration and nourishment choices to sustain my energy each day,” Limerick said. “If I’m running on less than seven hours of sleep, I find myself not as well equipped to handle stressful situations or solve complex problems in an improvisational manner.

I really try to prioritize my nightly sleep over finishing my never-ending to-do list, because I know how vital rest is to my mental well-being.”

In reference to their to-do list and work routine, Limerick said they find themself overwhelmed by how much they have to manage.

“I consider myself a highly productive person, and yet I always feel like my to-do list is devouring me,” Limerick said.

“The school asks a lot of us, kids and adults alike, and it is often empowering to rise to the challenge and surprise ourselves with what we’re capable of achieving, but [it] can also be overwhelming and unhealthy. [My friend gifted me a pin] that says, ‘You are doing enough’ in rainbow text, but I honestly feel like I am doing too much. [They are] all things I love, but [are] too many good things [to manage] for my own good.”

Limerick said their situation is not uncommon at the school. When speaking with students, they said they empathize with the exhaustion and stressors their students say they feel.

“When my students tell me that they’re running on one to three hours of sleep, I feel so awful for them,” Limerick said. “I remember pulling all-nighters to write essays in the college lounge with dormmates, which was essentially a toxic bonding experience. I don’t think it’s healthy for teens to stay up until morning doing homework. I am seeking a more balanced life, and I wish this for my students as well.”

ILLUSTRATIONS BY FALLON DERN AND ADISON GAMRADT

B8 Features

The Chronicle

Dec. 15, 2020

Students discuss the importance of spirituality at a secular institution and the community’s relationship with the chaplaincy.

• Continued from B1

religious enough that I “For those who are not religious or would not go into a chapel.”

Kashper said despite her religious affilspiritual, the opportunity to increase their religious literacy (not conversion, iations and hesitancy to visit the school’s chapel, the Reverend just education) reserves students beyond mains,” Gardner said.

It’s important for their own religions.

Gardner said she appreciates the community students who consider Kashper, who acted in the outside of the religious themselves religious school’s fall play “J.B.,” said when Gardner spoke realm and said she ento have a place for with the cast about many joys the opportunity she has as Chaplain to [spirituality] on campus. universal themes of religion she was able to gain a bring a positive energy —Simon Lee ’23 much deeper connection to the school every day . with the source material.

“The students of “[The cast] had a dis[the school] are a talented, compelling and fascinating cussion with Reverend Gardner regarding group,” Gardner said. “Whatever I do, the [Old Testament] story of Job because whether in front of the collected group we were performing a modern retelling of or during private one-on-one conver- it,” Kashper said. “When the Reverend sations, is done in hopes that it will shared her perspective it helped me to make [students’ experiences] a bit more have such a better understanding of inspired and a bit more supported.” my role, and of the play in general.”

Kashper said the Reverend’s inAlthough Gardner said she welcomes interfaith diversity, Ava Tran ’22, who sights into the story’s themes helped is Buddhist, said she doesn’t feel the her realize Gardner’s unique in spirituality, Reverend or school reflect her beliefs. expertise “There’s practically no mention- even beyond her own faith.

“We talked about the stoing or representation of Buddhism, especially Southeast Asian Bud- ry’s morals, which are importdhism at [the school],” Tran said. ant to all people, religious or Tran said her attitude toward the not,” Kashper said. “Morals school’s policy extends to the chapel itself. are what make our world “I’ve never been to the chapel be- run, so it’s not cause I‘ve never had an event or gath- just about beering there that I’ve seen necessary for me to attend,” Tran said. “I’ve never really expressed my religion at school.”

Like Tran, Izzy Kashper ’24 said she is uncomfortable going to the chapel and using its chaplain for spiritual guidance because she is Jewish.

“As a Jew I would not pray in a church,” Kashper said.

“I am

“

ing spiritual. That’s something that the “I think we’ve lost many of those traReverend has a lot of knowl- ditions, which is sad because I think it edge about, knowledge brings people together and gives us a sense that very few of self.” others have.”

Kashper said, beyond its Kashper said communal aspects, religion her peers are connects with both educanot religiously tion and community service. experienced, “I’ve always been taught which reeducation is very important, sults in loss along with serving the commuof identity. nity,” Kashper said. “The Old “In this Testament and the New Testagenerament both have those values, so white’s tion, I think that having the chapel Izzy Kashper there here instills those tradition’24 are al values that are necessary.” ver y Simon Lee ’23 said he feels few people more comfortable with the school’s secuwho prac- lar support systems than its spiritual ones. tice an or“As someone who’s not on the g a n i z e d best terms with his religion, if I ever religion,” sought some kind of emotional solace, K a s hp er I would turn to [Upper School Couns a i d . selor Michelle Bracken] or the [Upper School Counseling Department] instead of going to the chapel,” Lee said.

Lee said, whether religious or not, d having access to a faith oriented emotional outlet is useful for students.

“It’s important for students who consider themselves religious to have a place for spirituality on campus,” Lee said. “Just because we have a chaplain or a chapel doesn’t mean that the school itself is affiliating with any one religion. It is free to anyone who needs it.”

Lee said religion can shape personal and institutional values. “[Having a spiritual presence is] an alternative [to emotional counseling] , especially for people who have not been brought up in a religious institution,” Lee said. “It provides a foundational set of moral principles that can change your perspective.

Religion can bring that especially to a secular institution.”

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF AND ADISON GAMRADT

Arts &Entertainment The Chronicle • Dec. 15, 2021

Student fashion and art enthusiasts reflect on designer Virgil Abloh’s impact on style, popular culture and social justice after his passing.

F OF DR UY AN A EX AL Y SB ON AT I

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where his parents were born, and in 2017, he designed uniforms for a French soccer team and later invited the players to an Off-White fashion show. Abloh also funded several park facilities for children in his home city of Chicago and engaged in various other service projects worldwide.

White said she was deeply saddened when she learned of Abloh’s passing, not simply because she liked his clothing brand but also because she admires his social justice work and his dedication to honoring his upbringing.

“The fact that he grew up with immigrant parents in Chicago and came from nothing [yet became] the first Black creative director of [Louis Vuitton] shows his importance in the fashion world,” White said.

White said Abloh’s impact on underprivileged communities is his greatest achievement and the most significant aspect of his legacy. “[Abloh] has inspired and will continue to inspire so many people including kids like himself that grew up in the same conditions and have the same dreams,” White said.

“In a society that doesn’t support the dreams of Black youth, [Abloh] showed them inspiration for a better future.”

TR

[Abloh influenced] the [on Dec. 2-4], there was a music I listen to, the way large installation dedicatI dress and which sports ed to Abloh.”

I follow.”

Jessica Thompson ’23 Arakelian said Abloh’s said Abloh’s impact on work will cement him as the recent merging of art one of the most influen- and fashion is significant. tial designers and artists “[Abloh] is such an in history. important figure in fash“Being the first [Black] ion because of his incorartistic director for Louis poration of culture, arVuitton marked a great chitecture and music into turning point in the his designs and because history of fashion,” Ar- he fused his own identity akelian said. “The com- into his work. [In these fortability in [Abloh’s] ways] he changed people’s clothing also drew me typical perception of fashtowards his pieces.” ion,” Thompson said.

Visual Arts Teacher Thompson said she Conor Thompson said admires Abloh’s activism Abloh’s work blurred the and his involvement in lines between art and social justice work. fashion, which he said “[Abloh] used his platwas partly because Abloh form to inspire young drew inpeople spiration to think from the outside [Abloh] used Dadaist the box his platform to inspire art moveand adment of young people to think v o c a t e the early for sysoutside the box and 20th temic advocate for systemic century. change,” “VirThompchange.” gil cited son said.

—Jessica Thompson ’23 “[Abloh] [Dadaist] Marcel will be Duchamp an influence remembered as someone on his fashion designs, who was not afraid to presumably because of take on change and [a deDuchamp’s infamous signer] who broke bounduse of the readymade aries, and he will forever and his embrace of ap- be an inspiration to the propriation,” Thomp- Black community.” son said. “The [fashion Abloh dedicated much and art] worlds are often of his time to serving unconflated, and art seems derprivileged communimore and more to be pro- ties, according to Vogue. duced on a fashion sched- He helped build skateule with rotating seasons, parks in Ghana, corporate spectacles and the country gala events. For example, at Art Basel Miami

LU S

the Year Award in 2017 to being named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People As she opened InIn The World in 2018, stagram on a gloomy according to The Sunday morning, Ally Washington Post.

White ’22 stumbled Following his passupon a post from deing, Louis Vuitton held signer brand Louis Vuita fashion show in Miton captioned, “Rest In ami on Nov. 30. The Peace V.” She scrolled show was origithrough dozens nally intendof comments ed to display from various the company’s celebrities, each spring-summer with a signature 2022 collection pair of quobut then betation marks came a celebrasurrounding tion dedicated nearly all of to Abloh. their messages.

Miles MisWhite said czynski ’23 she became white’s said he first beincreasingly Ally White ’22 came interested uneasy, and she in Abloh’s crescoured the internet searching for the ation of the original Offidentity of the person White and Nike collabowho went by “V.” She ration sneakers in 2017.

“I think he was such said her heart sank when she discovered that “V” an important figure in the was in fact an idol of hers: fashion world because he Fashion designer and en- really formed a bridge between streetwear and high treprenuer Virgil Abloh.

Abloh passed away fashion,” Misczynski said. from a rare form of can- “I not only fell in love cer known as cardiac an- with the design [of the giosarcoma Nov. 28. He Nike collaboration] itself but also I became both was 41.

Abloh created luxury inspired and motivated streetwear brand Off- by Virgil’s story. His inWhite and was the first fluence in the world will Black artistic director of not only be left in the Louis Vuitton menswear. realm of fashion but also Abloh used signature in the realms of music quotation marks and and architecture.”

Christopher Arakelian black and white stripes throughout his designs ’23 said Abloh influenced for Off-White. Abloh’s his lifestyle and impacted work earned him ac- many people.

“To put it shortly, colades ranging from a Grammy Award in 2012 [Abloh] was a fashion for his direction on Kanye icon,” Arakelian said.

West and Jay-Z’s collab- “Well known by numerorative album “Watch ous rappers, basketball The Throne,” to GQ’s players and celebrities, International Designer of his impact reached many.

IL

By Mimi Landes and Vasilia Yordanova

C2 Arts & Entertainment

The Chronicle

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Dec. 15, 2021

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Artists on campus share their insights on the value of abstract art and whether it needs to be realistic or deep to be meaningful.

By Jina Jeon

“While ‘weird’ figures and designs might confuse [the Busy at work on her next viewer], they are essential in collage, Lena Bagley ’22 cut out conveying certain messages,” grayscale photographs and past- Bagley said. “I think abstract ed them onto her canvas. Paint- art’s greatest feature is that it brushes dried in the sink, the invites the viewer to come up room smelled of acrylic paint with their own interpretation of and linoleum block prints cov- the subject. With abstract art, I don’t feel compelled to find one ered the table in front of her.

Bagley said she hopes to specific message.”

Upper School Visual Arts make art that is more than just visually appealing. She said cre- Teacher Conor Thompson said ating abstract art allows her to it is easy to overlook abstraction form work that can be interpret- because it appears simple at first glance. He said 20th-century ed in various ways.

“With mixed media and ab- painter Piet Mondrian created stract art, the art can mean what- work that appeared simple but ever I want it to,” Bagley said. “I had a deeper meaning.

“When I first saw a Mondrimight see something completely different than the person next to an painting in a book I thought, me, but that doesn’t invalidate ‘It’s pretty, but it’s just a bunch of lines and squares,’” Thompeither of our perspectives.”

Bagley said abstract art is son said. “What I didn’t realize often dismissed by the general is that he had a subtle and sophisticated feeling for public because it desurface, texture and viates from traditional paint application.” art styles, but she said Thompson said she believes abstracyoung people are nattion plays a unique urally fascinated by and equally important nonrealistic art. He role in the art world said he introduces the as conventional art art style to his students forms do. to help them break the “I think the reason white’s limits of what art is expeople think of abSadye pected to be. stract art as ‘easy’ is beLackman ’22 “I think children cause it doesn’t require understand abstract as much technical skill as other mediums,” Bagley said. art intuitively,” Thompson said.

“However, abstract and uncon- “It’s not until we reach early ad-

ILLUSTRATION BY DIEGO CASTELLANOS

ventional art can be just as complex as traditional forms even if it doesn’t require the same level of training or time.”

Bagley said unconventional art’s value lies in the manner in which it is open to interpretation. As a result, Bagley said viewers should be open-minded about abstraction.

olescence that we begin to question it, and I think that happens almost universally. It’s very rare for my students to embrace it.

I try to frame abstraction for them in terms of music, which is inherently abstract.”

Upper School Ceramics and Visual Arts Teacher Gustavo Godoy said abstract art frames

familiar situations in a new way.

He said abstract artists challenge the meaning of art as a whole and the forms it can take.

ILLUSTRATION BY SADYE LACKMAN

“Abstract art can appear random, but I think it is very specific and not easy at all,” Godoy said. “Each mark or color choice matters. When artists like Helen Frankenthaler, Jackson Pollock or Mark Rothko made gestural, washy or drippy paintings in the 1940s and 50s. They were questioning what art was. They were exploring the meaning of paint on canvas in its purest form.”

Multimedia artist Sadye Lackman ’22 said abstract art is valuable because artists can use abstraction to express emotions that cannot otherwise be represented in realistic artwork.

“Hyper-realism doesn’t always allow you to express all of the emotions that you want to put into a piece,” Lackman said. “The point of abstract art is that it is non-representational.

After the invention of the camera, artists realized the point of art wasn’t only to represent the world as realistically as possible.”

Realism artist Page Clancy ’22 said she strives to improve her technical skills by creating art without a deeper meaning in mind. She said through this project she questions the idea that art must have a profound meaning to be considered purposeful and said the meaning of art depends on the emotions it evokes within the person that is examining it.

“People are motivated to find value in art that inspires them or shows them what’s possible,” Clancy said. “Valuable art resonates with people and makes them feel an emotional connection, such as a painting that reminds them of how they

feel when they experience an- technical skill and abstraction ger, fear or a specific moment in are not mutually exclusive and their life. That art could provide although abstract art may apcomfort or inspiration.” pear simple at first glance, the Clancy said it is difficult to effort that is required to make form a solid definition of art abstraction cannot be dismissed. and the value of art may be “I believe that many works influenced by cultural factors. that seem easy to make are far Specifically, she said the Dada more difficult than anticipatmovement, which originated ed,” Castellanos said. “Mondriduring World War I to depict an’s hard-edge abstract works, the horrors of warfare, illustrates for example, are often cited as this idea. easy to make, but preventing oil “Good art is hard to define,” paint from blending to create Clancy said. “A lot of modern the hard, precise lines would in art does not [require a lot of fact be extremely difficult.” technical skill] but is historiThompson said he encouragcally and culturally significant, es students to explore different such as works from the Dada methods of artistic expression. movement. Even if a work of art He said students should avoid does not display the technical limiting themselves to traditionskill of the artist, expressing an al or popular forms of art. idea from a historical period can “For students, the experience make it meaningful to me.” of creation can be profound and Abstrat artist Diego Castel- exhilarating,” Thompson said. lanos ’23 said “Making visual he uses abstract art requires a techniques in different part of “People are his work, drawour brains and ing inspiration motivated to find value enhances learnfrom both exacross the in art that inspires them ing pressionist and board. I want or shows them what’s textile artists. to encourage Castellanos my students to possible.” said artwork be open to ab—Page Clancy ’22 stract art and is too diverse and multifactake it into eted to be deconsideration.” fined simply by the technical Clancy said it is easy to judge skill that is required to make it. nonrealistic art because of how “The difficulty of a work’s different it is from traditional creation isn’t directly associated art forms. She said people who with its value,” Castellanos said. scrutinize abstract art fail to un“Abstract art should be judged in derstand it on a deeper level. its own terms rather than on its “[People who denounce] ability to imitate the real world. abstract art movements don’t It can attempt to depict non-vi- necessarily know enough about sual elements of the world such them to criticize them,” Clanas emotions or even visual ele- cy said. “Some might say that ments of the real world, but it modern and contemporary doesn’t need to.” works that sell for [high prices] Castellanos said abstract art look like a six-year-old could do may require more skill than it. I think that’s biased and it’s a viewers initially assume. He said bad way to caricature art.”

“

ILLUSTRATION BY LENA BAGLEY

Dec. 15, 2021

Arts & Entertainment C3

The Chronicle

Students reflect on whether media in the holiday romantic comedy genre has made progress in representation and inclusivity.

By Georgia Goldberg Scrolling through the ‘New & Popular’ section on Netflix, Samuel Hines ’24 said he stumbled upon “Single All the Way,” a new holiday romantic comedy about a biracial gay couple. Looking at more of the latest holidays films, he noticed more racial and sexual orientation diversity.

“I see many people of color playing very large roles in these romantic comedies, and I think we have come a long way,” Hines said. “I think there’s a lot more diversity on screen, especially in these holiday romantic comedies.”

Last year, Forbes called 2020 the Hallmark channel’s “most diverse year yet” following its latest release of holiday films.

Ava Weinrot ’23 said the genre’s latest steps towards inclusivity don’t have much of an impact, though, because the newer films receive far less attention than the older films.

“The most diversity that I see in these rom-coms is in the newer ones that come out on Netflix,” Weinrot said.

“No one really watches those, though because they look so terrible. All the classic ones that everyone knows and loves have no diversity.”

Grace Hudson ’23 said the diversity in these movies often feels forced. She said it feels as though networks and streaming services include underrepresented groups for the sole purpose of appearing more inclusive.

“I think in recent years there has been more diversity but not enough,” Hudson said. “When they do

have diversity, it just feels like they’re checking boxes off a list.

It feels very insincere, like the diverse character’s only role is to be diverse.”

Similarly, Ofek Levy ’23 said queer people and people of color seem to be given leading roles in order to meet diversity quotas rather than to offer genuine representation for marginalized groups of people.

“I feel like the romantic comedies that have diverse casts don’t necessarily have diverse storylines,” Levy said. “It’s the same old movie, just a different person in the role. It really makes me wonder, ‘Are holiday romcoms even the right place to share underr e p r e s e nt e d stories at all?’”

Levy said he does not want to

see an increase in Hanukkah movies because he believes the representation would feel disingenuous to Jewish people.

“I personally don’t really want to see Jewish representation in holiday romantic comedies,” Levy said. “I would rather see it in more meaningful movies.

Holidays that I see as more important to my Jewish identity are not a part of media as often as Hanukkah is.”

On the other hand, Chloe Appel ’23 said as a Jewish person, she would appreciate more Jewish representation in holiday films.

“I like holiday rom-coms, but I think they are kind of repeating the same storyline,” Appel said. “I feel like more Jewish holiday movies would help negate this repetition, and it would be good to see more Jewish stories being told.”

Mia Karathanasis ’22 said these films may lack diversity, but they still effectively draw in audiences of different groups of people.

“You can have a ridiculous love story that can apply to almost any group of people and all cultures and identities,” Karathanasis said. “I think that’s partly what makes the genre so relatable and appealing to everyone.”

Karathanasis said as stream-

ing platforms release more and more holiday inspired movies, storylines are bound to repeat; however, she said the repetition is part of the genre’s appeal.

“I think these [storylines] might be overdone, but I don’t think that means they’re not still entertaining and enjoyable,” Karathanasis said. “People still love them and watch them for a reason, even if they’re completely ridiculous to a certain extent.”

Similarly, Hudson said the consistent recycling of storylines is not necessarily detrimental to the genre.

“I absolutely love holiday rom-coms, but I think they’ve just become so predictable,” Hudson said. “I feel like I’ve seen the exact same story in five different movies, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still love each and every one.”

Karathanasis said she always enjoys these movies because watching them with her friends and family excites her for the holiday season.

“These types of happy-go-lucky rom-coms [are] all about getting together and being grateful for what you have,” Karathanasis said. “I think that’s always important, even if it’s presented in a pretty surface-level way, because that’s what the holidays are all about.”

Chronicle staff share their favorite holiday songs. Scan the code at the bottom of the page to listen to the Spotify playlist.

“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”

By Barenaked Ladies

“This song is a modern, yet grounded approach to a timeless classic. It’s full of beautiful harmonies and vocal techniques. It has a wonderful folksy tune, and yet, it still does pretty straightforward justice to a song we all know and love.”

- Harry Tarses ’23

“All I Want for Christmas Is You”

By Mariah Carey

“This is the most classic song of the holiday season. The high notes ascend me to heaven.”

- Ava Fattahi ’22

“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”

By Brenda Lee

“A Christmas song that brings back childhood memories you never had.”

- Mia Feizbakhsh ’22

“Oh, Hanukkah”

By Mordkhe Rivesman

“It reminds me of my Jewish heritage and my Israeli grandfather.”

- Justin Goldstein ’22

“Mistletoe”

By Justin Bieber

“Best Justin Bieber song.”

- Mimi Landes ’22

“Mean Girls - Jingle Bell Rock”

By Geek Music

“My favorite holiday song is ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ covered by the Mean Girls because that movie was a trainwreck, and it shaped nearly every part of my being, except for the white part and the whole bullying thing. Yuck.”

- Fallon Dern ’23

“Santa, Can’t You Hear Me”

By Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande “I don’t like Kelly or Ariana, but together? Love it.”

- Becca Berlin ’23

“Underneath the Tree”

By Kelly Clarkson

“I love it because it’s a fun, upbeat song that always gets me in a festive mood for the holidays.”

- Claire Conner ’23

“River”

By Joni Mitchell

“It’s a song that makes me feel cozy, and Joni Mitchell will always be known as the epitome of good music.”

- Alec Rosenthal ’22

“Succession (Main Title Theme)”

By Nicholas Britell

“It’s my favorite show, and the song slays literally.”

- Melody Tang ’22

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas”

By Bing Crosby

“I’m a big Christmas guy and a big Bing Crosby guy, so this song always puts me in a great mood.

My mom has always played the ‘White Christmas’ album, so my love for this song and the rest of the album is deeply engrained in my brain.”

- Leo Saperstein ’23

“Here Comes Santa Claus”

By Pentatinix

“Participating in school acapella, I enjoy listening to it, especially during the holidays.”

- Allegra Drago ’23

“Turkey Lurkey Time”

By Promises, Promises Cast

“Although ‘Glee’ portrayed it as a Thanksgiving song, it celebrates Christmas with hilarious fun. I especially love the personification of the turkey.”

- Lucas Cohen-d’Arbeloff ’23

“A Very She & Him Christmas”

By She & Him

“Every song from this album offers a decidedly understated, simple spin on classic Christmas songs. M. Ward softly underscores Zooey Deschanel’s rich tone for a beautifully matched pair.”

- Daphne Davies ’23

“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”

By Andy Williams

“Isn’t that the song from ‘Home Alone’?”

- Vasilia Yordanova ’23

“Christmas”

By Olivia Holt

“Obviously, this is better than the original. I listen to it every morning during December.”

- Keira Jameson ’22

“Santa Tell Me”

By Ariana Grande

“Even though I’m Jewish and I celebrate Hanukkah, I listen to that song every year.”

- Natalie Cosgrove ’23

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF AND SYDNEY FENER

C4 Arts & Entertainment

Dancers present showcase

The Chronicle

Dec. 15, 2021

By Ella Yadegar

Advanced Dance I students performed a collection of student-choreographed dance routines in the 2021 Winter Dance Showcase on Dec. 9.

The first of the two performance groups opened the showcase by dancing to “Save Your Tears” by The Weeknd. Group leader Izzy Kashper ’24 said she enjoyed the opportunity to lead her fellow dancers through the choreographic process.

“As the leader of the dance, I had to cut and edit formations,” Kashper said. “I also had to make sure everybody was on the same page. The way we choreographed this was very collaborative, and the show itself was almost entirely student-choreographed.”

Dancer Alex Grosfeld ’24 said she is proud of the hard work her group put into the dance and was pleased with their performance in the showcase.

“We had to really collaborate with each other and form everyone’s ideas into one,” Grosfeld said. “It was a very enjoyable experience but was also a challenge as well. It felt really great to be back in the studio together and working together in person.”

Layla Payman ’23 said her favorite aspect of the performance was getting the chance to dance in front of a live audience.

“Back in 2020 when our shows got canceled [because of COVID-19], I was pretty dispirited,” Payman wrote in an email.

“I’m so happy that this year we [had] the opportunity to perform on stage again at the Winter Showcase. Everyone has worked really hard on their pieces and [I was] really excited to see it all come together.”

The concert concluded with a performance choreographed by Upper School Performing Arts Teacher Queala Clancy.

• Continued on hwchronicle.com

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF GRACE BELGRADER

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Grace Belgrader ’23 directs her friends on campus while collecting footage for her surrealist short film. The footage was shot on black and white Super8 film according to the guidelines of the Video Art II assignment and can be viewed in the Feldman-Horn gallery.

Short film exhibition opens on campus

By Becca Berlin

Video Art II students presented 30 surrealist short films during an impromptu gallery exhibition in Feldman-Horn Gallery on Dec. 14. The event, open through Dec. 17, features backto-back screenings of the student films and installations of various costumes and props included in the films.

Visual Arts Teacher Reb Limerick said although they originally did not plan to hold a student exhibition before winter break, an unexpected schedule opening inspired them to display their students’ short films in the weeklong event. “[Visual Arts Teacher Brannon Rockwell-Charland] and I noticed a gap in the gallery schedule and decided to take advantage of it to organize a one-week showcase of our students’ work,” Limerick said. “We were so proud of their work and

wanted to share it with the larger school community.”

Limerick said they instructed students to cut down nine minutes of footage from three rolls of film to create a short film in hopes that their students would find inspiration from the surrealist films screened in class. “[The student films] were inspired by surrealist films such as Maya Deren’s ‘Meshes of the Afternoon’ and Nuotama Bodomo’s ‘AFRONAUTS’,” Limerick said.

“Once the analog film was developed and digitally scanned at Pro8mm in Burbank, each student edited their own one to two minute surrealist film. [They then] crafted an accompanying soundscape by recording and arranging a mix of foley [the reproduction of everyday sounds in filmmaking] ,ambient, instruments and human voices.”

Max Thompson ’23 said he used footage from his Peer Support retreat in his film to repli-

cate the various emotions conveyed by the song used in his short film.

“I was inspired by the song I used, ‘YKWIM’ by Yot Club, which has a lot of eerie undertones that I wanted to replicate by layering shadows and interesting visuals,” Thompson said. “I got home from my retreat with a lot of different ideas on what I wanted to do, so actually just making it all come together was pretty easy.”

Thompson said he loved the opportunity to showcase his film.

“We always get to share our pieces with the rest of our class, but I am so excited for my friends and family to be able to see what [I] and my peers have been creating,” Thompson said. “It makes me feel like a real, professional artist with a place to show off my work, which is super fun”.

Visual artist Grace Belgrader ’23 said she enjoyed creating foley for the first time.

“I asked a friend to play the piano for me, and we [also] used common objects to make sound effects,” Belgrader said. “It was an enjoyable process and project, and I’m excited for everybody else to see what we worked on.”

Visual artist Rohan Mehta ’23 said he found inspiration for his film while looking through the footage he collected.

“I just wanted to take all of the collective clips and see what came to me,” Mehta said. “I started looking at the clips as soon as they came out to get some inspiration and started editing.”

Limerick said they are glad the exhibit allowed students a chance to present their art to the school community and their friends and family.

“The most important aspect of any event that features student artwork is the opportunity for artists to be celebrated by their community,” Limerick said.

• Continued on hwchronicle.com

Choir sings in winter concert

By Averie Perrin and Kriste An

The Upper School Performing Arts Department hosted its 2021 Winter Choral Concert, featuring performances from Bel Canto, Wolverine Chorus, Chamber Singers and Jazz Singers, in Rugby Auditorium on Dec. 10.

Students performed a collection of 25 pieces, including “March of the Kings,” “Dona Nobis Pacem,” “At the Round Earth’s Imagined Corners,” “Falling Leaves,” “Peace Peace,” “I Got Rhythm” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.” The concert included several performances from soloists Rhea Madhogarhia ’22, Rohan Madhogarhia ’22, Isaac Tiu ’24 and Amanda Korris ’22.

Performing Arts teacher Zanaida Robles directed the concert and said she appreciated the opportunity to perform in-person and receive live feedback.

“I was excited to watch [all the performances] come together and especially to perform them in-person,” Robles said. “Even

though I was the conductor, my goal was to make way for the students [and] facilitate their performances. It was intensely gratifying to be able to share our performances with others.”

Like Robles, Bel Canto singer Zoe Roth ’24 said she enjoyed performing before a live audience, especially following a year of virtual performances.

“It felt great to perform in-person again,” Roth said. “There was a certain feeling to being onstage that an online concert could not replicate, especially when all the choirs sang together. It felt great to be a part of a larger community of individuals who love to perform as much as I do.”

Chamber Singers member Patrick Yeh ’23 said he enjoys performing for the community with his choir.

“As musicians, when all our hard work comes to fruition and everything clicks into place, everything just feels really serene,” Yeh said. “I also just love performing with the choir community and all my close friends in Chamber Singers.”

Yeh said he was impressed with his peers’ abilities to overcome setbacks in their preparations for the performance.

“We have been prepping for a few months at this point,” Yeh said. “It has been hard working out all the logistics to really get time and space in Rugby [Auditorium] to practice the full show multiple times. Despite that, we had most of our music down and we sounded pretty good.”

Chamber Singers member Terence Mathews ’23 said he enjoyed performing with his friends despite the challenges of scheduling the event.

“It was really exciting to be in-person again, especially in front of a large crowd,” Mathews said. “Preparing for the in-person concert was much easier than preparing for one online because we were able to hear each other and communicate with each other more authentically. Though it was difficult trying to schedule a concert in-person, [which is] not something we have to worry about performing on Zoom.”

• Continued on hwchronicle.com

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF GEORGIA GREEN

SINGING HIS HEART OUT: Chamber Singers member Terence Mathews ’23 performs for his family and the larger school community.

Sports The Chronicle • Dec. 15, 2021

A MANAGERS WORLD: THE SIDELINE STORY AVA FATTAHI/CHRONICLE

MANAGING MASTERS: Sports Section Editor Maxine Zuriff ’22 and News Section Editor Josh Silbermann ’22 are two of the boys basketball team’s managers. Zuriff and Silbermann fulfill their managerial duties by recording the statistics of each player, controlling the scoreboard, resetting the shot clock during games and helping the program’s coaches set up practices drills.

By Charlie Seymour and Leo Saperstein Manu Markman ’23 spent his freshman year perched atop the school bleachers, recording footage of the boys JV Soccer games for the team to review in practices.

One year later, Markman stepped onto the field for the first time—no longer as the team’s manager but as a midfielder in a game against Palos Verdes High School on March 12.

Over the course of the pandemic, Markman made the transition from JV boys soccer team manager to midfielder. He said his experience as the team’s manager eased his switch to playing on the field. “[The switch] was sort of natural,” Markman said. “The team manager role familiarized me with the vibe on the soccer team and helped me have a seamless transition into playing.”

Markman’s involvement in the boys soccer program began as manager his freshman year, when he said he was cut from the roster. Markman said he signed up to be the team’s manager in hopes of positively impacting the boys soccer team. He said the importance of the sport in his childhood led him to continue to want to be a part of the program.

“I’m from Argentina, and I was raised in an atmosphere where you had to play either soccer or rugby,” Markman said. “I really liked soccer, and growing up, it was a really big part of my life.”

Markman said in order to become a team manager, students must sign up for the position when completing their course selections in the spring and then reach out to the coach of the team they are interested in managing in August of the following

year. The student and coach then set up a schedule and establish the student’s managerial duties for the team’s entire season.

In addition to spending time with the soccer team and familiarizing himself with its dynamic, Markman said his position as manager allowed him to appreciate the traditionally overlooked aspects of athletics.

“Being a team manager challenged me to open my mind,” Markman said. “[Team managing] challenged me in that it made me appreciate the background work that occurs in professional sports teams and, even on a more macroscopic level, in every sector of our economy because it makes you think about the importance of the people in the background who also contribute to a cause.”

While Markman shifted from the role of team manager to player, Stella Glazer ’23 made the opposite transition, quitting girls basketball during the pandemic to manage the Varsity team instead. Glazer said although she decided to stop playing, she wanted to remain involved in the program.

“I quit because I needed to prioritize my mental health, and playing on the team was such a big commitment,” Glazer said.

“As much as I loved it, I just did not have enough time for self-care. After I stopped playing, I still really wanted to continue to be a part of the team, so I decided to come back as a manager because I really love watching basketball, and I love all the girls on the team.”

Glazer said her longstanding relationship with Girls Basketball Program Head Melissa Hearlihy helps her take on an involved role in aiding the team’s players and coaching staff.

“Being that I used to be coached by [Hearlihy], we’ve always had great com-

munication,” Glazer said. “The best thing to do is just to be overly communicative and always keep her up to date, so if I have to miss a game, I let her know right away.

Other than that, [the responsibilities are] mostly just talking about game times and technical things.”

Glazer said her managerial duties require her to attend every game and tally each player’s statistics.

“My obligations are to go to all games that I’m able to attend, and I record teams’ [statistics], like personal points, fouls [and] rebounds,” Glazer said. “The most fulfilling part is being able to help out all the coaches and take a load off their back by recording [statistics] for them so that they’re able to focus on coaching.”

Hearlihy said Glazer has integrated cohesively with the players, becoming an important part of the team as a manager and lightening Hearlihy’s workload as a coach. “[Glazer] is part of a pilot program for home games where she keeps the game stats on an iPad that feeds to the live stream broadcasters and will produce stats at the end of the first half and game,” Hearlihy said. “Knowing that I have someone to [record stats] on away games is a huge help.”

Because Glazer previously played on both the middle school and JV girls basketball teams, Hearlihy said she was excited to keep Glazer as a part of the program.

“She is someone who you hope to see every day because she makes you smile,” Hearhily said. “[Glazer is] always very helpful and does whatever you need. I knew she would be great to have back in the program. [Glazer] is friendly with the juniors whom she played with as a freshman as well as [the team’s] two seniors.

They are all friends.”

Glazer said while she misses playing with her former teammates, she enjoys being able to connect with the players through her role as team manager.

“When I’m watching the games, I definitely do miss it, but I really enjoy being the manager too,” Glazer said. “I mostly just let [the players] do their thing and help them out with whatever they need, whether that means refilling someone’s water or keeping an inhaler safe.”

While Glazer turned to managing to prioritize her mental health, Savannah Walske ’22 said she became the team manager of the Varsity girls tennis team after a wrist injury prevented her from playing this season. As a manager, Walske’s obligations included setting up the scoreboard and recording the team’s lineup, statistics and game results. Walske said she was able to better manage the program because of the connections she built as a former member of the team.

“The team manager position allowed me to still cheer on my teammates from the sidelines while also making an impact on this year’s tennis team,” Walske said. “I really treasured being able to connect with the current tennis team even though I was not able to play tennis [on the school’s team] this year.”

Walske said managing the team allowed her to gain a newfound perspective beyond her experiences as a player.

“I had the chance to connect with players I had not yet met during my time as team manager for the tennis team, although not as much as if I had been an active player on the team,” Walske said. “Although I didn’t have to do anything [too] challenging, there were, at times, a lot of things I had to keep track of at once.”

D2 Sports

The Chronicle

Dec. 15, 2021

Sports in Short Guard Cam Thrower ’22 leads team to early success

By Jaden Bobb Cam Thrower ’22 was named Most Valuable Player of the Marantha Rose City Tournament after the boys basketball team went undefeated in the tournament.

Thrower scored 17 points against Village Christian High School and 22 points against Cajon High School, leading the team to the tournament win.

Thrower said his teammates have contributed to his individual success and confidence this season.

“Playing with my teammates is always a joy, and they make me better everyday,” Thrower said.

“Because of my teammates trusting in me, it has allowed me to play my games with less pressure.”

LEO SAPERSTEIN/CHRONICLE

Sonny Heyes ’22 commits to the University of Chicago

By Dylan Graff Sonny Heyes ’22 announced his commitment to play football at the University of Chicago.

Heyes said the university's culture led him to want to attend the school.

“Ever since a Zoom with a [school alumnus] and current University of Chicago student, in which they described the [university's] culture of open intellectual discourse and students’ willingness to entertain any subject, I knew the University of Chicago was the place I wanted to be,” Heyes said.

Heyes said Defensive Line Coach Eddie Kelly guided him throughout the recruitment process.

“Going into the recruitment process, I was clueless on how to start," Heyes said. "Kelly taught me how to make a convincing highlight tape, operate a Twitter account and reach out to coaches.

I am very fortunate to have a mentor like Kelly to guide and encourage me."

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Attacker Jasmine Tang ’24 looks back at Girls Water Polo Program Head Jennifer Jamison during a drill at team practice Dec. 9. Tang and the squad are preparing to play their first league match of the season against Marymount High School on Jan. 6.

Girls water polo team loses to Newport Harbor High School after winning in season opener

By Charlie Seymour After finishing the 2020-2021 season with a Mission League record of 2-0 and overall record of 6-3, the girls water polo team started the season with a 1-1 record. The squad defeated Dos Pueblos High School 14-8 on Nov. 20 and lost to Newport Harbor High School 22-5 on Dec. 11. The matches marked the team’s first competitive games under new Girls Water Polo Program Head Jennifer Jamison, who previously served as assistant coach for Brown University’s womens water polo program.

The girls water polo team remains the defending CIF Southern Section Division II champion from its 2019-2020

season, as the team’s 2020-2021 playoffs were canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Team Captain and goalie Lena Bagley ’22 said while it took the team some time to adjust to Jamison’s style of play, players were able to adapt in time for their first matches.

"There was definitely an adjustment period in preseason with our new coach, but this fall we went to a lot of tournaments which really helped our team learn to play with her," Bagley said. "[Jamison] brings a different perspective to the team. [Her] experience is also a great asset, as she’s worked with both college and high school programs."

While boys water polo has 19 members on its varsity team, the

girls water polo program is made up of 13 players in total. Utility Savannah Shaub ’23 said the team’s size has had both positive and negative impacts on the program’s ability to find success.

“Our close knit, intimate dynamic means we all work together really well, for we all individually play a large role on the team and contribute a lot,” Shaub said. “That said, having a small team is equally a challenge, because we all have to step up, and there is less room for error.

This season, we are all going to grind hard to be the best teammates and athletes we can be, not only for ourselves but [also] for each other.”

Utility Amber Nowaczek ’24 believes the intimacy of the team

allows its members to play more fluidly with each other, but she said the team still still needs to find a more cohesive style of play.

“One of the team’s strengths is [its] chemistry, since we have known each other for so long,” Nowaczek said. “We care about one another and maintain positivity through both our victories and losses. However, I believe that we must continue to work hard in practice and discover our style of play to be as successful as possible and reach our full potential.”

The team will play its next match against Laguna Beach High School on Dec. 22 and its first league match of the season versus Marymount High School on Jan. 6.

Squad stays undefeated in tournament

By Paul Kurgan and Leo Saperstein

JUSTIN GOLDSTEIN/CHRONICLE

MAKING PLAYS: Guard Cubin Molzen ’22 looks across the court at his teammates during a preaseason practice in Taper Gym on Nov. 10.

The boys basketball team won first place in the Marantha Rose City Tournament on Dec. 4. The team finished with an overall record of 4-0 at the tournament, moving its overall season record to 8-0.

The squad won its first game of the tournament 73-46 against Palisades High School on Nov. 29. The team played Providence High School on Dec. 1, defeating the Pioneers 60-51. Although they trailed the Pioneers 14-18 after the first quarter, the squad led in the second and third quarters, outscoring Providence High School by margins of seven and 11 points, respectively.

The team played South Pasadena High School on Dec. 3 and won 78-42. Small forward Santiago Hernandez ’23 said the team’s consistent intensity during practices contributed to their success during games. "[As a team, we have been very] competitive,” Hernandez said. “We continue to make each other better at every practice, hold each player accountable and encourage them to play their best.”

The team also secured a 79-57 win against Cajon High School in the tournament on Dec. 4.

Point guard Trent Perry ’24 said together, we are incredibly hard to the squad’s success this season beat. I love my guys, and I know stems from a strong bond among that we all want to continue our teammates and coaches. three-year Mission League title “Our brotherhood [between] run, and we understand what it players [and] coaches is what has takes to do that." [led] us to success,” Perry said.

Russell said Basketball “The amount of love we have for Program Head David Rebibo each other is immeasurable.” pushes players to play their best, Perry and teammate Brady especially when facing adversity.

Dunlap ’23 were selected as All“Rebibo holds an expectation Tournament players for us that he won’t during the Marantha drop because he knows Rose Tournament. who we can and will Perry said he was be,” Russell said. “In grateful to share his tough times and rough accomplishment with patches, he finds ways his teammate. to bring the best out of “For me, being the guys and make sure named [an] Allwe are locked in."

Tournament [player] is Rebibo said while white’s a blessing,” Perry said. injuries prevented the Dahnte “They could’ve picked team from playing Russell ’22 any one of us because together early in the that’s how much of an impact season, he expects to see playoff everyone has. I’m just happy I success after the squad builds was chosen.” strong chemistry.

In its first two games of “The more time we get the season, the squad defeated together, the better we will be Verbium Dei High School and and the more connected we University High School on Nov. will find ourselves,” Rebibo 15 in the St. Monica Showcase. said. “Regardless of talent, Team captain and point guard [our goal is to be] a cohesive Dahnte Russell ’22 said he has group, [which] genuinely cares ambitious goals for the team. and appreciates one another’s "I am looking forward to successes. We believe that when shocking the world," Russell said. that happens, the league titles, "I feel that this team is special CIF titles and state titles will and when we piece everything take care of themselves.”

Dec. 15, 2021

hwchronicle.com/sports

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The school’s League of Legends players analyze the competitive esports community at the upper school.

The school’s team competes in a CIF-equivalent league called PlayVS, which hosts high school esports across nearly half of the country. PlayVS has both a fall and spring season, which coincides with the school’s two semesters.

The most qualified players can earn college scholarships for their esports play. Nick Shapoff ’21 was recruited to the University of

By Danny Johnson Wisconsin–Madison for his play last year.

Every Tuesday at 4 p.m., Justin Lee ’22 has played for the lights go out in classroom the League of Legends team for Munger 202. Laptops, headsets, two years. He said competing in mouses and keyboards are scatmatches has gradually become tered across the room while the League of Legends team prepares easier over the course of his time for its next match, a virtual battle with the team.

“At the start of my time with against its opponents.

League of Legends is a multi- the team, getting matches up and player online battle arena game running didn’t always go that created by Riot Games, a game smoothly,” Lee said. “Now, since development company co-found- we have much more experience ed by alumnus Brandon Beck ’00. with the matchmaking system, The game consists of two teams of it goes much more smoothly. We five players battling in player ver- usually convene 15 to 30 minsus player combat. Each team de- utes before the match start time to get set up and fends its half discuss team of the SumI appreciated being strategies. We moner’s Rift map. The able to take an activity that bring our own computers and ten players is normally just a past time usually our own choose one for me and making it a mice. To start of the 157 playable competitive event that I got the match, the five players from characters, to do with my friends each school join or champions, all —Justin Lee ’22 a custom lobby so that each team with unique is able to play abilities and differing styles of play. During a each other. Playing the match is match, champions become more actually really cool. Not only do powerful by collecting experience you know everyone that you’re points, earning gold and purchas- playing with, but you’re able to ing items to help them defeat the communicate with them in peropposing team. A team wins by son, which is a new and unique destroying towers on its way to experience.”

Lee said he is grateful to be the enemy base and taking out the enemy’s “Nexus,” a large crys- able to participate in esports at talline structure located within school, an opportunity not yet available at most schools. the base.

“I enjoyed being able to play my favorite video game for [the school,]” Lee said. “Specifically, I appreciated being able to take an activity that’s normally just a pastime for me and making it a

“

competitive event that I got to do with some of my closest friends.”

Team captain Peter Shen ’22 said he has been playing League of Legends for six years, with his individual rank peaking at Gold I, placing him in the top 15% of the global player base in terms of skill. This year, he is organizing competition for the ranked Platinum I in team, of which he has been a League of Legends, placing him in the top 4% of players worldwide. member since sophomore year.

For the spring season, the team Kim said he considered joining is welcoming many new faces due the team last year but ultimately to the busy schedules of the fall decided against it because he said season team members. Shen said he would rather play individually that the roster turnover could or with friends rather than in a serve to benefit the team in its more formal team setting.

“Personally, I prefer just playmatches against other schools. ing with friends,” Kim said. “I “It’s natural for old players to leave and new players to come play video games for fun, so I in because everyone has different think playing in an organized schedules so not everyone has the school competition would add a time to play during every season,” certain amount of stress and presShen said. “I’m excited to see how sure that would take away from the second-semester team per- the experience of gameplay.”

Lyon Park ’23 said that he forms, and I hope that even after has played League of I graduate, the [League Legends on and off for of Legends team] will about five years, would continue to go strong.” have liked to join the Wyatt Anand ’23 said team if his schedule had he played on the League permitted. “Although of Legends team during I really enjoy playing his sophomore year and [League of Legends], said he really enjoyed joining the team would his experience on the be too much of a time white’s League of Legends team. commitment,” Park “I played on the team Ryan said.

“Since I play golf, during the fall season Kim ’23 I have practice daily, so of my pandemic-altered even though I would sophomore year, and it was perfect,” Anand said. “I wasn’t able to love to have a chance to play more practice my normal sport of track video games, I wouldn’t be able to and field, which gave me a lot of fit it into my schedule.

The team recently finished its extra time to explore my other inseason with an overall record of terests. We were all already stuck 12-2.

The squad will return to indoors, so the team was a great way for me to socialize and main- compete for a PlayVS champitain a level of structure to my onship in its upcoming spring schedule during a time where I season with a restructured roster had more free time than I could after winter break. handle back then.”

Ryan Kim ’23 said he has played League of Legends recreationally for four years, and he said it has played a major role in his life. Kim was most recently

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The Chronicle

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Winter Season Girls Soccer vs. Flower Mound High School (texas)

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hwchronicle.com/sports

Dec. 15, 2021

Squad to perform new dances

By Andrew Park The spirit squad is performing new cheers and dances at football and basketball games this year.

New spirit squad member Keira Chang ’25 said she enjoys supporting the football team at away games, where the spirit squad is able to spend time traveling together as a team.

“It is great to support our teams [especially] when they are playing away games,” Chang said.

“Traveling on the bus to support the football team was memorable for me because it is important to show support and cheer them on when opposing fans are trying to discourage our sports teams.”

Kai Harleston ’24 said establishing close connections between teammates over quarantine was difficult because practices were mainly held over Zoom.

“Without face-to-face interaction, I found it hard to build chemistry [among] my teammates especially because I was new to cheer,” Harleston said.

“Although the seniors last year still did a great job of making everyone feel included, I think that

ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA EVANS

JUSTIN GOLDSTEIN/CHRONICLE

CHEER FOR CHEER SQUAD: Co-captains Eloise Dupee ’22 and Cory Porter ’22 clap their hands and perform while dancing on the field during a football game with the rest of their spirit squad performers. The game is one of the firsts that the cheer squad performed at since last year. being in person has helped us significantly in understanding each other’s tendencies [while we are] working together.”

Harleston also said she feels fortunate the team is able to attend more athletic events than they did last year. She said she loves cheering so getting to be on the field as opposed to in her room is very special.

“Now that [COVID-19] re-

strictions are [decreasing], we are able to attend more games and showcase our support for the teams,” Harleston said. “I really enjoy being on the field cheering, so this new school year has been very enjoyable for me.”

Fiona Kim ’24 said she always hoped to join the spirit squad and is glad to finally be a part of the team, especially now that they are in person.

“Dancing has been a passion of mine since a young age,” Kim said. “I have seen the spirit squad at football games ever since I came to the school in seventh grade, and I knew once I got to the Upper School, it was definitely an activity I wanted to join and become a part of.”

Kim said she is proud of the team’s closeness and is excited to continue performing with her

teammates this year.

“I am so happy with how close the team already is this early in the season,” Kim said. “Performing with my teammates is super fun and rewarding because we put so much time and effort into learning and practicing these dances, and it is exciting to hear the loud cheers and excitement from students and parents in the stand or bleachers when we perform.”

Boys soccer wins three consecutive games after team’s early-season loss

By Leo Saperstein

coaches who have lined this boys soccer program up for a lot of The boys soccer team defeat- success in the future.” ed Crossroads High School 3-1, After its initial loss, FederCulver City High School 3-0 man said the win against Crossand Beverly Hills High School roads High School allowed the 1-0 Dec. 6, Dec. 8 and Dec. 10, team to rebuild confidence as respectively, after losing their they prepared for the rest of the first game of the season to Palos soccer season.

Verdes High School 0-2 Dec. 3.

“It felt great to come back afThe squad finished the 2020- ter a loss and earn a big 3-1 win 2021 season with an 8-7-2 over- over Crossroads [High School], all record and an 8-3-1 record in especially considering that we league play, losing to Downey tied them the previous year,” FeHigh School in the first round of derman said. “I think this win was the CIF Southern Section Divi- big for our confidence [as a team] sion I playoffs. and we’re going to continue this In its premomentum as season, the we get ready for What excites me team lost to an extremely most about this team is the busy upcoming Cathedral of Los Angeles schedule.” energy, competitiveness High School Having only and cohesiveness [we] on Nov. 17 ever reached the have exhibited in these first and defeated first round of two games.”

Animo High CIF playoffs, School on —JT Federman ’24 striker Jaydon Nov. 23.

Faal ’22 said he Team captain thinks the playJT Federman ’24 said the team’s ers’ thorough conditioning this early matches and practices make preseason will allow the team to him optimistic for the success of advance through the 2021-2022 the team and the season ahead.

CIF playoffs.

“What excites me most about “The goal for this year is to this team is the energy, competi- win [the league championship] tiveness and cohesiveness [we] and have a great run in CIF [playhave exhibited in these first two offs], ideally winning it,” Faal [scrimmages],” Federman said. said. “Most of our team members “These are qualities that I believe are seniors, and for our last year good teams need to succeed. Our we’re really focused on ending the team is also full of extremely accolade drought the [boys soccer talented players, ranging from program] has [experienced].” seniors to freshman, along with Faal said the loss against Palos a great group of experienced Verdes High School encouraged

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LEO SAPERSTEIN/CHRONICLE

KICKIN’ IT: Milo Kiddugavu ’22 receives the ball at the boys soccer game against Crossroads High School, where the team won 3-0.

the team to make adjustments such as applying heavy pressure to opposing defenses. Faal said the team’s changes in strategy and attitude helped the team win the past three games.

The loss against [Palos Verdes High School] was [definitely] unfortunate, but we played really well, so everyone had a chip on their shoulder [because they had] to make sure that didn’t happen again,” Faal said in an email. “We pressed [the team’s] hard and took advantage of their mistakes; we also did a great job of transitioning back on [defense] to stop their [counter attacks].”

Boys Soccer Program Head Michael Erush said the team’s upperclassmen have displayed strong leadership skills.

“The upperclassmen are leading by example, taking underclassmen under their wings and showing [them] what it takes to be successful at the high school level,” Erush said. “They’ve made sure the kids know what it takes [by]showing up on time, making sure they work hard at practice and challenging them on the field when it’s about competing at practice.”

Erush said the team’s full effort in games and practices has contributed to the squad’s development this season.

“The boys are getting stronger, fitter and faster,” Erush said. “[We have a goal of ] getting one percent better every day we show up to our soccer field.”

Erush said.

Dec. 15, 2021

hwchronicle.com/sports

Girls basketball team starts its season with a winning record to get quick layups,” McNeely said. “Compared to last season After starting the season with when the team was very good and a 9-4 record, the girls basketball successful, we have improved a team is moving forward to lot on boxing out our opponents league play, building off of last and getting offensive boards.” season’s 21-4 overall record.

Guard Casey Landecker ’23 Guard Kamari McNeely ’24 said the team will work to develsaid the team’s chemistry has op its areas of weakness and will improved significantly since the continue to make improvements beginning of the season. from last season and previous “We started off a bit slow and games in order to win. unorganized,” McNeely said.

“Some goals for the rest of “As of now, I think we are finally the season are to execute plays used to playing [basketball] well and take care of the ball with each other, and it on offense,” Landecker shows with every game said. “We can also do a we play.” better job of being in McNeely said the the right position on team is training in defense.” order to achieve goals Guard Jordyn they set for themselves Call ’23 said the key white’s before the beginning to the team’s growth Jordyn of the season. is developing its Call ’23 “Our main goal chemistry. has always been to win every “I think our major goals for game we compete in,” McNeely the season are to grow as a team, said. “In addition to that goal, learn each other’s strengths and we also aim to box out every utilize them on the court,” Call possession and to successfully said. “Everyone on our team has run our plays.” something they’re good at and McNeely said the team is because we’re just starting out making significant progress on playing together. I think our the court and said she is excited goal is to learn to use everyone’s for the rest of the season. strengths to our advantage. I “Our team has definitely think another big goal is to be improved on running the court extremely competitive and bring

By Andrew Park

SANDRA KORETZ/CHRONICLE

TIME TO PRACTICE: Guard Casey Landecker ’23 works to improve her skills during practice as the team prepares for their next game Dec. 17.

Wrestling team loses its season opener match

By Paul Kurgan

The wrestling team began its 2021-2022 season with a dual meet at Palisades High School on Nov. 17 and the Sparta Kick-Off Tournament at South Torrance High School and the Triton Scramble Girls Tournament at Pacifica High School on Nov. 20.

Wrestler Cutter East ’24 said the team struggled to adjust to the competitive format due to its lack of experience. Although the team lost 6-66 in the Palisades tournament, East said the team remains very motivated to win.

“So far we have been continuing to drill the basics as our team is still relatively young and new to wrestling,” East said.

“As we become more skilled in these areas, we will have a much more sound team and will be able to move onto more niche moves.”

The team amassed individual points for pins, takedowns, escapes and exposures while competing individually at the Sparta Kick Off Tournament.

East, who placed seventh overall out of 24 competitors at the tournament, said he was pleased with the team’s progression and he expects the team to be successsful in the future.

“Although the [Palisades] dual meet did not go as planned, I believe this is only due to how new each member of the team is to wrestling,” East said. “Our whole team has plenty of potential to grow in order to become an

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a lot of energy to all of our games this season.”

With two months left in the season, Call said she is excited for the team to showcase the progress they have made while playing in offense.

“I’d say our season has been off to a good start even though our record isn’t where we’d like it to be at the moment,” Call said.

“This year, I think our team has gotten better at running our offense and getting out early in transition. We have a lot of fast players on the team who can finish [plays] well under pressure, so we try to run the floor as best as we can to get a lot of transition layups.”

Forward Vita Saffari ’22 said she believes the team’s experience earned from playing games in the preseason aided the team in its season.

“I think just playing a very large number of preseason games has allowed for us as a team to feel more confident going in to the [rest of the] season,” Saffari said. “With every game and every practice, we become more and more of a unit.”

The girls basketball team will play their next game against Granada Hills Charter High School on Dec. 17.

[athletic] threat as a school, and I look forward to seeing how our determination [will have the capacity to] pay off as a team.”

Meanwhile, Skylar Whitley ’23, the first girl wrestler in school history, placed second overall at the Triton Scramble Girls Tournament. Whitley said her performance reflected her dedication to the sport over the past year.

“I’d say that a lot of my success comes from consistent, hard work,” Whitley said. “It’s also important to not get hung up over losses, to take them in stride, listen to what your coaches have to say and make a change so you’ll get the result you want next time.”

Whitley said she hopes to encourage more girls to join the team in the future.

“I feel like being a girl doesn’t affect my relationship with the team, but it does mean that often I’m going to a different tournament than everyone else,” Whitley said. “I do hope that if I can do well this season, I could inspire other girls to join the team.

Girls and guys do wrestle a little differently, and I’d love to be able to train with another girl.”

Team Captain Isaac Weiner ’23 said tweaking small moves and being diligent in practice will help the team reach better tournament results in the future.

“Going into the rest of the season, the team needs to improve PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ISAAC WIENER on our intensity and learn more FIGHTING FOR VICTORY: As his opponent fights to stay on his feet, boys wrestler Cutter East ’24 tries to pin down his oppenment at the Sparta Kick-Off Tournament at South Torrance High School on Nov. 20. technique,” Weiner said.

The Chronicle

D8 Sports

Dec. 15, 2021

WOLVERINES ONLY

BY M

NATALIE ANTIN

y mother recently reminded me of a time, many years ago, when I played five games for five different teams in five sports all on the same day. I’ve always loved sports– softball, baseball, basketball, lacrosse and soccer.

I played as many sports as time permitted, while my parents sorted out the scheduling conflicts and chauffeured me to games and practices. I changed from one uniform to the next in the back seat of the car. I was eight years old when my mom didn’t sign me up for soccer in order to free up some nonsports time. I was disappointed, but she told me it was for the best. What I told her next has stuck with me since: “Mom, all sports are good, but some are better than others.” The other sports gradually fell away over the years, and since ninth grade, I have dedicated myself to just one: softball.

Softball makes me as happy as I’ve ever been but also has the ability to make me as frustrated as I’ve ever been. On the many weekends I wake up in the dark for a tournament in another city, county or state, I wonder whether softball is really worth all of the hassle. That thought always fades because I cannot imagine what would lead me to give it up now. Nothing compares to how I feel spending an entire day “on the dirt.” Softball is an outlet for me to shed life’s stresses and focus on something simple and enjoyable.

When I tell people I play softball, they inevitably ask what position I play. I play five—unusual for a softball player halfway through high school. I love being versatile and would happily play every position on the field, but as a left-hander, a few spots are off-limits to me. I also love being a versatile hitter. I can approach an at-bat in many ways: swing for power, swing for contact, drop a bunt or even approach a pitch as a “slapper” if the situation calls for it. Would it be easier to concentrate on one

or two positions or one particular aspect of myself as a hitter? Probably. Would it take some of the fun out of playing? Absolutely.

Here at school, I play catcher. I learned as an eight grader on the middle school team that I might be the only true catcher in the program until graduation, and this remains the case in my junior year. Playing softball at the school has sometimes been frustrating, having to adjust to three different program heads and adapting to softball during COVID-19. But I’ve taken away some important and positive lessons from the last few years.

The varsity team's interim head coach during my freshman year eventually became one of my club coaches and remains my hitting coach. She has been so helpful in developing my skills and is a great resource for me as I prepare to play in college. Coach Leesa Harris took over the program last year and has helped me understand that some things in softball are beyond my control, both inside and outside the white lines. Coach Harris has also helped me focus on what I can do to help my less experienced teammates and to better channel the competitiveness I bring from my club softball experience. While the last couple of years has been a challenge for the school’s softball team, our preseason workouts make me hopeful about this year’s team and the upcoming spring season.

Softball has been at the heart of some of my favorite moments and my most frustrating moments.

It has allowed me to meet some of my best friends and occasionally taught me to cope with people and personalities I did not particularly like. Club softball also helped me get through the darkest days of COVID-19. When almost everything indoors was closed and school was 100% virtual, my club softball team kept going, finding open parks in Ventura or Orange County where we could practice or

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF KYRA GOLDSTEIN

pick up “underground friendlies.” Many weekends we would travel to Arizona or Nevada, where it was still possible to play tournaments. My team would wear masks on the field, and we would socially distance on lawn chairs instead of crowding into the dugout. But we kept going. We practiced, we played and we persevered. It felt like a life-saver, and it taught me resilience. Softball has helped me grow up.

Softball is a sport where great players don't make it to base around half of the time. Learning to cope with that requires mental toughness and emotional resilience. I think this also drew me to the school’s great upper school Peer Support program, where I’m a peer support group leader trainee this year. Mental and emotional health in sports, like mental and emotional health in school and life, is vital to our well-being and personal happiness.

A couple of months ago my club coach gave our team an assignment: Write a “Dear Softball” letter. This task felt nearly impossible. There is so much I love about the game: the camaraderie of the dugout, mobbing a teammate who has just hit a home run, ending an inning by throwing out a base runner, driving in important runs in a big game, listening to a coach's last-minute advice before a crucial at-bat or discussing with the coach and pitcher what to throw to the other team’s best hitter. I spent over two hours on this letter only to learn the assignment wasn’t meant to take nearly so long. But I’ve experienced a large range of emotions playing softball, and it was hard for me to describe them in one or two short paragraphs. I have experienced game-winning hits, frustrating strikeouts and long slogs back from injury. I did my best to write all of that in my letter. As I read it back to myself, I came to understand, to see and to feel in that moment, just how much softball means to me.