December Editorial

December 2018 • Estd. 1892 • Vol. 126 #4 • Published Monthly • www.ihstattler.com Ithaca High School, 1401 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 • FREE

Contention and Change at November Board Meeting Page 5

Editorial

How You Can Take Advantage of School Resources

IMAGE FROM UNSPLASH

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s college application deadlines approach, seniors scramble to finish their college essays. Many are turning to the Reading and Writing Lab for help. It may seem surprising, but some seniors are just discovering this resource. It is not the only additional academic support Ithaca High School offers students. IHS has support labs in math, science and social studies as well. Many students view Ithaca as a school with excellent academics, teachers, and resources for students, yet sometimes these resources go unnoticed.

The next step is for students to take initiative for their learning and utilize the resources they are offered.

Most students have used Student Services at some point but are still unaware of the many different services they provide. Some of which include scheduling, but also lesser-known services such as counseling. This year, big changes have been implemented. As Mrs. Scavuzzo, a School Social Worker states, “For the first time this year, School Counselors, School Psychologists, and School Social Workers are all located within Student Services. It is our hope that with this change students will have easier access to mental health support when they need it.” She encourages students to utilize these resources: any student can make appointments with Mrs. Sgrecci. If 2

you have questions, need help or mental health support, Student Services is a resource you can and should take advantage of.

Students visit the library to eat lunch, get books or use the computer labs for class projects, but the library offers many more resources. This year the library has a new resource called Sora. Sora is an online platform where students can access e-books and audiobooks.

All you have to do is go to the IHS library website and click on the Sora link to access it.

You can even use the Sora app on your phone by downloading the app. Another exciting new offering is two digital audio production workstations with Reason Software. These stations will allow students to explore music and production independently. Mr. Heurich, a school librarian, encourages students to utilize the library’s new resources “We’re excited about all the new services and offerings to the school community this year and love student ideas and feedback.” These new offerings are in addition to ongoing help with student research via online databases. The librarians are here to help you whether it is with research or finding a book so don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Another important resource available to students is the Reading and Writing Lab. Students can come for help with an english paper, college essay, homework assignment, to get

help studying for a test and more. The Reading and Writing Lab is open to everyone yet an “I don’t need help mentality” prevents many students from taking advantage of this resource.

The teachers at the Reading and Writing Lab are working to combat this stigma by emphasizing that everyone needs help with their writing, and seeking help is an important skill to learn. Furthermore, it will prepare students for college, where they will need to take a greater initiative for their own success.

A lesser-known resource available to students is the Math Help Room. For the first time this year, the Math Help Room is located in one room for every period in an effort to make it more accessible to students. Additionally, the Math Help Room offers drop-in help due to a scheduling issue with AIS labs.

At some point, a switch will be made and the schedules of students with AIS labs will be fixed. Until then, the Math Help Room will be available for drop-in students. Mr. Drix, a math AIS teacher claims that “Some students are reluctant to be signed up for AIS. I’ve had students who were struggling and this made all the difference in the world. It’s a much more relaxed experience and you get more one-onone experience. I encourage students who are recommended to AIS to go ahead and do it, CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

Editorial

Useful Information Staff 2018 – 2019 Editor-in-Chief

Vaynu Kadiyali ’19 editor@ihstattler.com

News Editor

Student Services Location: Student services, next to the main office, across from Mr. Trumble’s Office Open: All periods

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Isaiah Gutman ’19 opinion@ihstattler.com

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Reading and Writing Lab Location: GK101, on your left as you walk into K building Open: All periods, Afterschool Math Help Room Location: K22 Open: All periods excluding 7th

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COVER IMAGE FROM UNSPLASH The Tattler is the monthly student-run newspaper of Ithaca High School. All currently-enrolled students at Ithaca High School are welcome to submit writing and photographs. As an open forum, The Tattler invites opinion submissions and letters to the editor from all community members. Email submissions to editor@ihstattler.com or mail letters to: The Tattler 1401 North Cayuga Street Ithaca, NY 14850 Send submissions by December 5th to be included in the January issue. The Tattler reserves the right to edit all submissions. All articles, columns, and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of editorial staff.

To read The Tattler online, visit our website at www.ihstattler.com.

at least give it a try.” If you have a math question and your teacher doesn’t have any free periods that match with yours, drop by and get help.

The Science Help Room started around seven years ago with the intention of helping students finish lab requirements to be able to take the regents. About five years ago it switched to a one-room format, similar to the other help rooms. Currently, the Science Help Room is open periods 3-8th, and it will likely expand to include before and after school hours as the year progresses. The Science Help Room has always been available for drop-ins, so if you need help in any of your science classes, don’t hesitate to stop by D13.

You can come to the Social Studies Help room for essay preparation, test corrections, homework help, or to study for a test. Mrs. DeCicco emphasizes that “The Social Studies Lab is a welcoming, safe, and quiet space for students to catch up on work and or enhance their current knowledge. Oftentimes students will come a couple of times and then never stop coming.” The Social Studies help room is student-driven and available for drop-ins, meaning you can come in with whatever you need help with and receive assistance.

A common theme in each of the help rooms and in Student Services is the consolidation into one central room or location. This shift occurred under the leadership of Principal Jarett Powers when each content area received its own support room. The creation of content rooms was an effort to make help rooms more accessible to students.

Further advertising of the help rooms and other school resources will work to increase their accessibility. Teachers should continually remind students that the help rooms are an available resource. This can be done by offering students extra credit to bring in an assignment to a help room. An incentive like this can introduce students to the resource, and encourage them to use it in the future.

Teachers can advertise these resources extensively, but it is still up to students to use them. A stigma around asking for help and going to help rooms still exists. The only way to combat this stigma is to use the help rooms and encourage your friends to use them as well. Gradually the stigma around going for help will be lessened. You’re going to have to ask for help continually throughout your life, so swallow your pride and start now. You’ll learn a lifelong skill, and improve your reading, writing, math, science and social studies skills.

You may or may not have known about these offerings or maybe you have been hesitant to use them in the past. Regardless, these resources are here for you to use. If you are struggling in a class, don’t wait until you’re failing to get help. Use your free periods, lunch period, before or after school to take responsibility for your learning. We are fortunate enough to go to a school that offers students a wide variety of academic and social support networks, it’s up to you to take advantage of them.

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News

What Happened?

The Midterms Debriefed

By CHLOE MOORE

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ovember 6 marked the end of single-party control in Washington, with Democrats gaining a net 40 seats in the House of Representatives. The Democratic Congress-elect is now the most diverse in history, with over 100 women elected to Congress. These game-changing women include the first Native American women elected, Sharice Davids (a lesbian martial artist who attended Cornell) and Deb Haaland.

Also elected were the first Muslim women in Congress, Ilhan Omar (the first refugee and the first woman to wear a headscarf in Congress) and Rashida Tlaib. In New York’s 14th District, 29 year old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was elected, becoming the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.

In New York’s 23rd District, home to Ithaca, Democrat Tracy Mitrano lost to Republican incumbent Tom Reed. In Tompkins County, Derek Osborne ousted incumbent Ken Lansing and also defeated Josh Brokaw in the race for sheriff. In the neighboring 22nd Congressional District, Democrat Anthony Brindisi, a former state assemblyman, defeated Republican incumbent Claudia Tenney by just over 4,000 votes. Brindisi campaigned as an independent Democrat, but he told The Tattler on November 5 that his message was “one of bipartisanship, not nonpartisanship,” and that he is willing to “reach across the aisle as long it will benefit the people of Upstate New York.” He is also part of a group of first-time Congresspeople-elect whose first goal is campaign finance reform and getting special-interest money out of politics. His victory was not officially called until a full week after Election Night, as the race was one of the closest in 4

the country.

Democrats were less successful in the elections for the US Senate. Incumbents Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) were ousted, and liberal hopeful Beto O’Rourke lost to incumbent Ted Cruz (R) in Texas. Bill Nelson (D) also lost to Rick Scott, the Republican Governor of Florida, in the Senate race. Several notable Republican Senators will also be gone come January—Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Orrin Hatch (RUT), and Bob Corker (R-TN) are all retiring.

Flake will be replaced by Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat who defeated Martha McSally in a close race whose victor was not clear until after Election Night. Sinema’s victory was significant as she will be the first openly bisexual senator in US history. In New York, Kirsten Gillibrand held onto her seat easily, barely campaigning and never debating her opponent, Chele Farley.

In Governor’s races, results were mixed.

Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, succeeded in her bid to become Michigan’s next governor, defeating Bill Schuette. However, Democrats saw upsetting losses in the Florida and Georgia gubernatorial races. Andrew Gillum (D) lost to Ron DeSantis (R) in Florida. He conceded the week after Election Night when it was clear he did not have the votes. He was the victim of racist robocalls linked to DeSantis’ campaign, and while he lost, his race garnered national attention, and he is likely to continue to be prominent in Democratic politics.

In Georgia, Democrat Stacey Abrams ran a bold campaign as an unabashedly progressive black woman against Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp. She ended her bid late as well, saying clearly that she was “not conceding,” because to concede would be to

acknowledge that something fair happened. In response to alleged voter suppression tactics, Abrams has started and initiative called Fair Fight Georgia, a nonprofit that will work to reform election laws.

While Senate results were painful for Democrats, the midterms constituted a “blue wave” in the House, where Democrats won more votes than any party in a midterm election in US history. The new Congress will not be sworn in until early January, but when that happens, a shift in control of the house could be a sign for change. However, the midterms being over means the 2020 presidential election is now on the horizon, with both parties now having to decide what path to take in the race for the nation’s highest office.

News

Contention and Change at November Board Meeting

By VAYNU KADIYALI

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he ICSD Board of Education (BoE) meetings in November were some of the most intense and significant of the school year, with a sizeable audience at the November 27 meeting. The topics discussed and policies voted upon have the potential to have a significant effect on students across the district, as well as the fiscal future of the district.

The November 27 meeting was one of the more contentious in recent memory. In the public comments period, former IHS English teacher Eileen Bach was the first of several speakers to talk about the effects of a change in health care coverage for certain ICSD-payroll retirees. Two years ago, the Board made a decision to switch the healthcare plans of retirees from their former supplier, Blue Cross Blue Shield, to The Hartford. This move, made for fiscal reasons, was initially not a forced transition for all retirees—they were given the option to stay on their former plans for an increased premium, and over 60 of the 600-plus ICSD pensioners receiving health insurance decided to stay with this service.

That said, earlier this the year, the BoE proposed a policy mandating that the retirees who held out during the change switch to The Hartford’s plan. During Ms. Bach’s comments, she noted that many retirees who switched to The Harford’s plan have had problems with customer service. Another former IHS teacher noted that the district’s Blue Cross Blue Shield coverage for retirees was a primary factor in his decision to continue teaching in the ICSD despite its non-competitive salaries. The comments period became very emotional—one teacher prefaced her remarks by noting that she was “speaking to [the board’s] integrity.”

This teacher noted that many former teachers were willing to pay extra in copays and premiums to maintain their healthcare, and were miffed by their coverage being suddenly switched.

About an hour after the comments period, the board had a chance to speak about the issue before voting on the measure to move

forward with the plan to switch the remaining retirees to The Hartford’s plan. Board Member Bradley Grainger was first to speak, and he was very blunt in defending the measure— he emphasized the board’s responsibility to taxpayers, and noted that The Hartford costs less even to retirees than the previous plan while providing all of the required benefits.

Board Member Moira Lang, a retired ICSD teacher who switched to The Hartford’s plan two years ago, spoke about her positive experiences on the new plan, and noted that she would support the measure as a result of her fiduciary responsibility to the board. She cited a drastic figure—by switching the roughly 60 retirees to The Hartford’s plan, the district will save nearly 100 thousand dollars a month.

In the end, this measure passed with six votes for and two abstentions. Both abstaining voters cited the board’s missteps that led up to this decision, and weighed the financial benefits against the violation of trust that this switch represents.

Another significant agenda item in the November 27th meeting was a presentation on secondary-level curriculum development. IHS Associate Principal Carlan Gray gave the presentation, a part of her goal to see curriculum changes at IHS. This year, as a part of this initiative, the district has given teachers funding to redesign a current course or to create a new

one in middle or high schools in the district.

IHS will be offering these new courses beginning in the 2019-20 school year, and next year, will offer funding again for new course redesigns. One of the proposed courses is Principles of Robotics, which would offer students the chance to learn robotics without participating in an afterschool activity.

Finally, when discussing subcommittee assignments, the Board announced that it would be hosting a series of public meetings about the district’s upcoming capital funds project. The project, in which the district will sell bonds worth nearly $100 million, will fund a series of infrastructure improvements around the district. Students are encouraged to attend to have their voice heard about changes needed in district buildings, and the meetings will take place on December 13 at the Southside Community Center and on Jan 17 at Boynton Middle School from 5:30-6:30 PM. It’s certain that the topics discussed at the November 27th meeting will continue to impact board meetings over the next few months. While the Board believes it has the legal right to switch the plans of the retirees, if any discrepancies are found in the fine print of the contracts, the district may face litigation. Similarly, the effects of the curriculum development plans will be seen very soon in the school district.

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Opinion

Letter to the Editor Note: This letter was written in response to the article “Elite Discrimination” (October 2018)

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hen I fill out my college applications, I’m not worried about discrimination.

When I choose my next academic home, I’m looking for a place that looks like America—not a population that looks like me.

Unlike many Asian-American families, mine has been rooted in the American school system for several generations. My maternal great-grandmother was born in the United States and my maternal grandmother was a first-generation college student. My parents were born in the United States and attended American universities. Back then, universities were nearly all white.

It’s strange, but the concept of affirmative action may have benefited my parents.

It’s different now. Asians are atop most economic measurements in the United States. We have the highest rate of home ownership, high school graduation, college graduation, and per capita income of any racial group.

That leaves Latinx, African-American, and Native American populations with objectively higher social and economic hurdles than our current Asian-American population. While a student

from one of these groups is raising their siblings, I’m in a saxophone lesson. When one of these students is working to supplement their family’s income, I’m studying for a calculus test. Raising a family and working at Subway are hidden responsibilities that won’t show up on a college application. And while these responsibilities aren’t exclusive to these three racial groups, it’s a fact that Asian-American students are faced with them less.

As racist as it seems, it may be true that we are a more academically and socially homogeneous group than the rest of the population. It’s possible that Asian academic culture emphasizes test scores over community connections, GPA over academic enjoyment, and a sweeping list of extracurriculars over our own sanity. It’s true that we have an academic support group—friends and family who are pushing us to take the AMC12 or the SAT just one more time.

Then we read that Asians could compose 43% of Harvard’s graduating class if admissions were based on only academic indices! But can’t Harvard fill a graduating class several times with only high school valedictorians? Where’s the public outrage? A community of valedictorians just isn’t stimulating. I want to engage with students

who raised their siblings, led their community, or worked odd jobs to help their families. I want to hear what underrepresented minorities have to say about our society, government, and institutions.

Even if our profile is only a dozen pages long, it at least contains recommendation letters, personal essays, and supplementary information.

Academic statistics are an incomplete gauge of college compatibility. Academic measurements don’t talk about engagement with the community, familial leadership roles, or unique perceptions of the world as an underrepresented minority.

I’ll bring it back to the author’s final eloquent point, “People should not feel uneasy about checking the respective ‘race’ box on the application, for everyone should feel proud of who they are.”

As I checked the box last week, I remembered what makes America beautiful. It’s in our diversity, acceptance, and love for broad social, geographic, and economic perspectives. And above all, Harvard or not, any university we attend will teach us more than we can know.

Tilden Chao Class of 2019

In Partial Defense of Lecture-Style Classes

By JINHO PARK

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ome of the most frequent complaints I hear about classroom life go something along the lines of this: “Lectures are uninteresting.” As a fellow student, I have no trouble sympathizing with these spontaneous yet unjustified fits of annoyance. The truth is that lectures can seem less than engaging; the act of listening to the drawl of an instructor and taking occasional notes has prompted many of my unfocused spells during school. The rationale behind lecture hatred boils down to a singular argument: lectures aren’t engaging.

To some extent, I agree. A generic topic, a lecture without ample amounts of humor, a lack of enthusiasm from both students and teachers; these are some of the many issues which can derail any lecture. Consistent repetition of these issues is likely what results in the conclusion that lectures aren’t engaging. With the numerous possible issues regarding the lecture, we now look for the alternative. But what is the alternative to a lecture-style classroom? And most importantly, is that alternative better than the lecture system itself?

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In past years, the most popularized alternative has been what is often cited as a “flipped classroom.” Already implemented in several courses at IHS, the concept behind a flipped classroom is simple. In it, one ideally learns the lecture material at a comfortable pace through online lectures and proceeds to apply their knowledge through a multitude of tasks in the classroom setting. In essence, flipped classrooms intend to allow for students to absorb material at a customized pace, engage in deeper applications of concepts, and review with greater ease than ever before.

However, I am not entirely sold on this concept. Flipped classrooms decrease incentive to participate in class since the bulk of the material is learned at home. Flipped classrooms also support a single-stream explanation of a certain concept; teachers are not able to give spontaneous explanations for individual students, in contrast to lectures. Finally, flipped classrooms detract from a group learning experience. Working at home can only be individualistic, eradicating peer review, an essential part of the learning process.

In sharp contrast, lectures dodge these issues altogether. Lectures require avid participation for clarification of issues. Lectures can provide a va-

riety of different explanations with spontaneous adaptations from the lecturer. Collaboration and group discussion during lectures can make them a peer-learning experience, too; students frequently engage amongst themselves to explain concepts that a less fortunate classmate does not understand.

However, they are not perfect, as no system can hope to be. Lectures are simply the best system out of the lot, but their flaws are what makes them require such constant attention; no individual can inspire the success of the overall lesson.

This is precisely the reason why even the most enthusiastic teacher cannot teach a class with lethargic students.

To ensure a favorable outcome, there must be a two-sided effort. The student must strive to understand and question the ideas presented by the teacher, and in turn, the teacher must provide ample explanation and expand upon the basics with their reservoirs of knowledge. It is truly a group effort. Thus, as students, it is our duty not to escape the classroom environment through bathroom breaks and daydreams, but to buckle down and find it within ourselves to creatively partake in the class effort.

Opinion

Reflection on Pittsburgh Shooting

By KARUNA PRASAD

“Love. That’s why I did it. Love as an action is more powerful than words, and love in the face of evil gives others hope. It demonstrates humanity. It reaffirms why we’re all here. The meaning of life is to give meaning to life, and love is the ultimate force that connects all living beings…”

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­— Ari Mahler

ri Mahler, Pittsburgh resident, nurse, and incidentally the son of a rabbi, was the caretaker for Robert D. Bowers, the man who massacred eleven and wounded seven at The Tree of Life Synagogue in the predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Squirrel Hill on October 27. Mr. Mahler describes that only a few hours before he was assigned his new patient, he had been praying that his parents were not among the victims targeted at their place of worship. The words above, which were posted on his Facebook page a week later, are his. There is one thing all commentators in the media and politics seem to agree upon: we appear to be a country deeply divided, as we are split in roughly two sections by ideology and/or political partisanship. But Ari’s words imply a different and far simpler truth: that there are those that love more and those that love far, far less. As of this date, his post has been shared more than 175,000 times. Just about a week after the Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting came, the Thousand Oaks Bar Shooting happened. This was of course only a few days after the Florida Pipe Bomber mailings of October.

We clearly live in a period where hate crimes are on the rise. The statistics relating to anti-Semitism are startling: The Anti-Defamation League reports a hike of 57 percent in 2017, the largest rise in a single year since 1979. A study from early last year by historians in the U.K. establish that “a new generation of internet-based [holocaust] deniers are on the rise,” most of them limited to right-wing or alt-right groups around the world, but mixed with even those with left-leaning beliefs that are anti-Zionist or anti-Israeli. Robert D. Bowers is living in an environment that gave him a large internet audience for his hateful words.

This new generation of haters are groups that believe that at least part of their ideology is supported by the executive branch of our government. As a result of this story, most of us were introduced for the first time to Gab, a website that proclaims itself as a “free-speech” social media platform, but is the chosen venue for anti-Semites and other hate groups to proclaim their hatred. It’s only one among many digital destinations of its kind.

Coinciding with hate crimes is the rise of mass shootings. Aren’t all mass shootings acts of hate? To put this in perspective, let’s consider the definition of both. The FBI defines hate crimes on its website as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.” However, it states, “Hate itself is not a crime—and the FBI is mindful of protecting freedom of speech and other civil liberties.”

Mass shootings, on the other hand, include crimes that involve four or more people and exclude familicide, home intrusion murders and gang violence. So, mass shootings may include bias-based hate crimes, but also incidents that involve perpetrators that suffer from mental health issues. Now let’s list all the issues that must be considered in this awful equation of violence: the rise of hate groups (that includes the rise of racial, religious, and/ or sexual-orientation biases among others), the political divide over gun control, and the lack of sufficient attention to mental illness.

Attached to this is the spread of false information and conspiracy theories, fueling both hate and fear that has a firm grip on all three items listed above, and powerful lobbies such as that of the National Rifle Association that have a lot of money to spend to defend their position, drowning the voice of democracy in the process.

I was among the group of people that walked out of my classroom in March this year to protest gun violence. I did not do this only because a brave group of teenagers in Florida reminded me that I could be an activist too, or I wanted people to stop using guns, but because like them, I was extremely afraid that some people were using guns, so easily available, for all the wrong reasons. I was suddenly reading about AR-15 type weapons that normal citizens may easily possess in some states far

more easily than in others. Most of us remember being huddled in our classrooms not too long ago waiting for a lock-down to end. Our new reality must force us to do more, which at the very least involves knowing more, and carefully considering our sources for doing so.

Let’s ask how and why and where hate groups exist. Let’s find new tools our generation can use to prevent the spread of false information.

Let’s trust our fact-check websites and be sure they are in fact ones we may continue to trust.

Let’s put our faith in research and science to always understand ‘why.’ Ask hunters why they hunt and about the joy it brings them without judging them beforehand. Ask whether our representatives are worried about the masssale of weapons. Let’s find out more about The Second Amendment—let’s refer to the arguments posted by Supreme Court justices on both sides in landmark cases so we understand that there are two sides, even at the Supreme Court level, seeing differently on how this constitutional law is understood. Let our opinions be informed by truth. If we do so, we may return eventually to Ari’s message of love.

There are fundraisers now to assist with victims from the recent shootings. Please consider going to those websites to help the victims financially, or learning more about them so that we may more deeply understand the impact these events have on individuals and their families. From the Wikipedia page of the Pittsburgh shooting: “Numerous fundraising efforts were launched to assist with medical bills and counseling for survivors of the shooting, burial of the victims, and repairs to the synagogue. As of November 1, a GoFundMe campaign initiated by an Iranian graduate student in Washington, D.C., had exceeded $1 million in donations. Muslim groups opened a LaunchGood crowdfunding campaign to help pay for the burial of the victims and survivors’ medical bills, with the funds to be distributed by the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh. As of November 1, that campaign had drawn more than $225,000 in contributions. The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh had raised more than $205,000 by October 29; donations to that organization will be matched by the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh Foundation.

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Features

From the Archives:

Excerpts from the Tattler Issues of Yesteryear

By AURORA WULFF

There is a small handful of people at IHS who know about a very small, very pink room at the very end of the E-wing. Although small and unassuming, this room is the deepest one can go into the chronicles of IHS. In that room, there are four average-looking filing cabinets that contain annals of IHS Tattler history, dating back 126 years. Here follows a selection.

Read more online at https://tattlerarchive.wordpress.com/ Note: The current Tattler does not necessarily endorse the opinions published in historical Tattlers.

December 1927 THE YEAR Was there ever such a day?

Winter lays his gentle hand, Silent, stretching still and white, Over all the slumbering land, Fluttering down like Autumn’s ashes, Covering Summer’s saddened grasses.

Never yet was night like this: April comes with silver moon, Lying like a maiden’s kiss On the stream that far too soonIt houses now the tragic loonWill pave the golden road for June Day like this could never come To a world not steeped in June.

In the fields the wild bees hum, Soft the whispering breezes croonSweet and mellow, gold and rose, Fair from its dawn until its close.

Saw you ever such a day?

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All the world is in a flame, Gold and russet, scarlet grayNature’s self is clothed again In a cloak of living fire For vanished Summer’s funeral pyre.

All the season flitting past, Each one lovelier than the last!

JOURNEY I saw the clouds their billows fold Of melting, sun-bequeathed gold Around the mountains looming far Above the plains and meadow-star.

Eager I rose in my desire To grasp their flaming flowers of fire Tramped a weary score of miles, Clambering the rugged files.

But as I neared, the treasures paled, No lights around the mountain sailed, Naught but a cold and dampened sod Marked the spot where beauty trod.

Features

December, 1942

Christmas Will Be Different This Year Christmas will be celebrated a different way this year in American homes! True the traditional evergreen will undoubtedly occupy its usual place in the living room, but the turkey will be a few pounds lighter to enable service men to enjoy it too. There will be fewer elaborate gifts, and war bonds will occupy a prominent place beneath a gaily decorated tree. Holiday festivities midst traditional holly, tinsel and mistletoe will bring forth numerous uniform clad men, granted 24 hour leave from the monotony and tension of army routine. Battle and strife are temporarily forgotten for no one speaks of the fight for freedom existing everywhere on the globe.

But as we see the vacant chair at the table we are silent in proud recognition, of a brother fighting at Guadalcanal as Marine, or the neighbor who flies with the R.A.F. We are remembering darkened homes across the world seeing starving families huddle together against the threat of roaring planes overhead. These saddened families find no escape from this brutal reality for Christmas Eve offers not release. But within us, we are confident, as we hear church bells echo reassuringly through the quiet of the snow-clad valley promising an eternal peace, destined to calm a shattered world.

December 1967

A Christmas Message From outside the warmth of our humble office we hear the icy tinkle of bells and see the bright blinking lights-red, white, blue, and purple and yellow and green and aquamarine- and we know that the happy good-will days of cheer and love for us and our friends are with us once again.

We wish you a merry Christmas and a resolute New Year!

How soothing it must be to stare into a dazzling tree and forget for a day or two the ugly headlines that force visions of carnage and burnt flesh and crawling cockroaches before our squinted eyes. These have no place at a feast. Neither does a guilty conscience. By and by we’ll toast our last toast and pop our last balloon and get through the next year convinced but uncommitted, sustained by the comforting hope that Christmas will soon come again. It will come again. Before long, man’s ancient wish will come true, and we will all be at peace; a restful, dreamless sleep, the revelry ended.

God rest ye merry, gentlemen!

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Features

Hall Monitor

By VALERIE CHEN

What is your favorite movie to watch during the holidays?

Aidan Campbell ‘19: “Die Hard. Die Hard is the best Christmas movie ever made.”

Sarah Karnes ‘19 and Hope Karnes ‘21: Sarah: “The Polar Express.”

Hope: “Duh.” Sarah: “Duh.” 10

Sabine Zentner ‘23: “Favorite movie to watch during the holidays . . . I say, um . . .

Home Alone.”

Jeremy Russell ‘20: “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer... because it’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

Features

David Cheng ‘19: “What’s the one with the dogs . . . it’s a Disney movie . . . The Search for Santa Paws.”

Ana Machidon ‘23: “Elf!”

Arthur Santelli ‘20: “It’s more of a show, I watch Dog with a Blog year round.”

Roxy Coluccio and Sydney Malone ‘19: Roxy: “I like A Christmas Story, it’s got a lot of good references that you can make around the year, like “I can’t put my arms down!””

Sydney: “I have a good memory of Grandma Got Run over by a Reindeer, I can’t really remember the story but I remember I enjoyed it.”

Roxy: “It’s about a grandma getting run over by a reindeer.”

11

Elected Officials That You Should Know

By Anna Westwig

Brief Introduction Even though most high schoolers are unable to vote, it’s still important to know what’s going on and what people have been elected to office. Because if you can’t cast your vote at the polls, you can protest and contact your representatives to follow your ideals and do what you think is right. While there are many elected offices on the town, city, and county level, this only covers the federal and state elected officials that apply to Ithaca.

President: Donald Trump The President of the United States is the head of the federal executive branch. The POTUS has the responsibility of appointing officers in all branches and concluding treaties with foreign powers. The POTUS also has the ability to sign or veto federal legislation and grant pardons. The current president is Donald Trump, a member of the Republican Party, whose term will end in 2020. Trump repealed regulations intended to address climate change and withdrew from the Paris Agreement. Trump also issued an executive order denying entry into the U.S. to citizens of certain countries, and withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement. Trump ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and enacted tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

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Vice President: Mike Pence The Vice President is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the federal government. They are the first in the line of presidential succession. The Vice President is also an officer in the legislative branch, as President of the Senate. In this capacity, the Vice President presides over Senate deliberations, but may only vote to break a tie. Mike Pence is a member of the Republican Party and a staunch conservative on both social and fiscal areas. He opposes abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and Medicare, and wants to limit federal spending. He ran on a ticket with Donald Trump and his current term will end in 2020.

202-456-1414

U.S. Senators: Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand No matter the population, every state gets two senators that serve for six-year terms in the Senate. The senior senator, Chuck Schumer (elected in 1999), and the junior, Kirsten Gillibrand (elected in 2009) are both members of the Democratic Party. Chuck Schumer supports net neutrality, is pro-choice, is considered a ‘champion’ of college tuition tax credits, and has worked to ban carcinogens from consumer products. Kirsten Gillibrand is outspoken on issues of sexual assault in the military and in general and has shifted from a more conservative stance on gun control from her time in the House to a more liberal one in the Senate. She supported Obamacare, same-sex marriage, and was the first US senator to support abolishing I.C.E. Her term will end in 2019, and Schumer’s will end in 2023.

Schumer Gillibrand

(202) 224-6542 (202) 224-4451

House (23rd District): Tom Reed New York has 27 Congressional districts, and Ithaca is within the 23rd. The House of Representatives comprises one half of the legislative branch at the federal level (the other half being the Senate). Representatives’ duties include the passage of federal legislation, which, if approved by the Senate, is sent to the POTUS. The house can initiate all revenue-related bills and impeach federal officers. Republican Tom Reed retained his position in the November election and his current term will be over in 2020. He votes in line with POTUS, Donald Trump, 96.6 percent of the time according to FiveThirtyEight. He voted to repeal Obamacare and is pro-life.

Governor: Andrew Cuomo The Governor of New York State serves as the head of the executive branch of the state and their responsibilities include enforcing state laws, approving or vetoing bills passed by the legislative department of the state and to convene the state legislature. They are also, in cases excluding treason and impeachment, authorized to grant pardons. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, defeated the Republican challenger, Marc Molinaro, to retain his position of eight years and will be up for reelection in 2022. He is pro-choice and pushed for legalizing 9-month abortions and wants to prosecute 16- and 17-year-olds as juveniles. He also wants to cut taxes for small businesses and criminalize synthetic marijuana and designer drugs, but decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. Additionally, he wants to increase commitment towards green energy.

(518)-474-8390

Lieutenant Governor: Kathy Hochul The Lieutenant Governor runs on a ticket with the Governor and is the second-highest ranking official on the state level. Their obligations are to serve as President of the State Senate, and as acting governor if necessary. Democrat Kathy Hochul, has served as Lieutenant Governor since 2015. She spearheaded Cuomo’s Enough is Enough movement to combat sexual assault, is pro-choice, and supported same-sex marriage. She pushed to increase the debt limit from 14.3 trillion dollars to 16.7 trillion and signed the Non-Discrimination Act of 2011.

(518)-474-8390

Comptroller: Thomas DiNapoli The duties of the New York State Comptroller include auditing government operations and operating the state’s retirement system, the New York State Common Retirement Fund. They also administer the state’s 16.7-billion-dollar payrolls, manage and issue state debt, and review state contracts. Thomas DiNapoli is a member of the Democratic Party. As a former member of the NYS assembly, he was pro-choice, ranked 13% by the NRA on his gun rights stance (meaning he is most likely in support of gun control), and supports LGBTQ+ rights.

Attorney General: Letitia James The Attorney General advises the executive branch of state government and defends actions and proceedings on behalf of the state. They are in charge of law enforcement. The Attorney General acts independently of the Governor of New York. Letitia James defeated Keith Wofford and broke both gender and racial barriers in the process. James vowed to continue her office’s scrutiny of the president. James is a strong advocate for criminal justice reform and led the push for police body-worn cameras in the NYPD. She will be up for reelection in 2022.

Assemblywoman: The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. There are 150 seats in the Assembly, one for each of the 150 districts. Barbara Lifton is the assemblywoman for the 125th district, which includes the whole of Tompkins County, as well as Cortland and Virgil.

Senator: Tom O’Mara In the upper branch of the legislation, each district gets one senator to serve in the Senate at the state level. Tom O’Mara is a Republican who voted against the Marriage Equality Act of 2011, is pro-life, does not support the legalization of recreational marijuana but supports legalization of medical marijuana, supports capital punishment, and does not support gun-control laws. On fiscal matters, he does not support a further increase of NYS’s minimum wage, and supports lowering state taxes and increasing government spending as a form of promoting economic growth. He will be up for reelection in 2020.

Film Museum to Come to Stewart Park

By Vaynu Kadiyali

O

n October 18, New York State Senator Tom O’Mara attended an event in Ithaca celebrating a $450 thousand grant from the state government that will fund the construction of a museum at Stewart Park.

The museum will be housed in the building that once was home to the Wharton Studio, a silent film production studio. The museum will celebrate the role that Ithaca and the Finger Lakes region played in the development and production of silent films. At one point, Ithaca was the heart of the silent movie industry—filming on Cayuga Lake was commonplace, and many action scenes were filmed in gorges around town.

The Wharton Studio, which was active in Ithaca from 1914 to 1919, was one of the giants of the silent movie industry. Formed by Theodore and Leopold Wharton, two brothers who came across Ithaca and Cornell when 14

visiting family in Upstate New York, the studio filmed almost 30 films during its time in Ithaca. Ithaca’s gorges were the perfect setting for stunts in movies produced by the Wharton brothers—the museum’s website notes that one of their most famous stunts featured a trolley car falling off the Stewart Avenue bridge and landing into Fall Creek. Ithaca’s role as a center of production of early airplanes was another asset that the community provided to the Wharton brothers. The airplane manufacturer Thomas-Morse had several of its S4-C models featured in later Wharton Studio films.

The nightly train between Ithaca and New York City brought the most famous actors of the 1910s to the Wharton brothers’ studio.

Actors like Lionel Barrymore, who went on to star in It’s a Wonderful Life, and Pearl White, who was dominant in the silent film industry, stayed for long periods of time while acting in Wharton Studio productions.

Around 1917, the Wharton Studio lost the backing of one of its major financial investors, marking the start of their demise. The brothers took out loans to film the studio’s final movies in Ithaca, and in 1919, they filmed their final movie as they underwent foreclosure proceedings. In the same time period, many silent film studios relocated to California to be able to film year-round.

Although the Wharton Studio Museum is currently under construction, their website, whartonstudiomuseum.org, contains many articles, videos, and links that further describe the history of the silent film industry in Ithaca.

The studio’s history will also be represented in exhibits housed in the Tompkins Center for History and Culture, a museum opening on the Commons in early 2019.

Features

Celebration for the Turkeys

IMAGE FROM FARM SANCUARY

By EVELYN SCHREINER

O

n November 17 and 18, the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY held its annual “Celebration for the Turkeys.” The goal of the event was to show appreciation for the turkeys on Thanksgiving, rather than eating them. The main event was a well-prepared banquet made especially for the turkeys, including foods such as pumpkin pie, squash, kale, and cranberries, which younger children could feed them. The dishes were laid out on turkey-sized tables, on which the tur-

keys could easily hop up to dig in. After the banquet for the turkeys, the Farm Sanctuary hosted a vegan banquet for the visitors with special guest speakers, including Gene Baur, the founder of Farm Sanctuary. Guests could also “adopt” a turkey beforehand by donating money to a turkey of their choice at the sanctuary.

Farm Sanctuary is an organization that rescues thousands of animals from factory farms and helps to educate people about vegan living. They value compassion and positive interactions towards all animals, human or other-

wise. The idea behind the Celebration for the Turkeys is to raise awareness for these values.

Over 46 million turkeys are killed each year for our Thanksgiving meals, often in extremely poor and abusive conditions. The turkeys that are celebrated each year at the Farm Sanctuary have previously been rescued from these unfortunate environments. So next year, think about creating an alternative to the classic Thanksgiving picture and giving the turkeys their own Thanksgiving feast.

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Arts

Five Songs that Should Be on Everyone’s Holiday Playlist

By CHARLES ANDRULIS

“The Twelve Days of Christmas”: Straight No Chaser

A funny, upbeat, and wacky tune, this song will have you laughing over the course of its three minutes. Performed by the a capella group Straight No Chaser from Indiana University, the song, based off of a 1968 arrangement, incorporates many different songs from both classic and contemporary Christmas albums, relatively speaking, as the song itself is now twenty years old.

“Jingle Bells”: Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald injects a vivid, bright enthusiasm into this piece about a sleigh ride, convincing listeners that nothing matters more than the moment and the horses. A tune often repeated and covered throughout the years, Fitzgerald’s interpretation is by far the superior version.

“You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”: Thurl Ravenscroft This song is a classic, and no Christmas gathering is complete without it. It is funny, charming, and catchy, and possesses that little something extra that turns a good song into a great one. Written by Dr. Seuss, the song was originally performed by Thurl Ravenscroft, whose voice brings the song together.

“Carol of The Bells,”: Trans-Siberian Orchestra

An amazing instrumental piece, this song takes a Christmas classic and turns the rock and roll factor way up. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, already famous for its ¨rockifying¨ of classical pieces, outdoes itself on this tune. Keeping the original sound of the carol while simultaneously crafting a rock ballad matched by few is an incredible feat.

“I’ll Be Home For Christmas”: Frank Sinatra

The best version of this song by far, Frank Sinatra performs with a depth and poise not found in other tracks. In his hands, this song comes to life as a timeless ballad of longing for family and home.

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Illustration by Joseph Yoon

Arts

Doctor Who and Femininity

By KATIE LIN

T

he makers of the popular British TV show Doctor Who announced on July 16, 2017 that the show’s main character, the Doctor, would be portrayed by a woman, Jodie Whittaker, in its new Season 11.

This was an incredible surprise to the show’s huge fan base—the show, which dates back to 1963 with a new, rebooted series that started in 2005, has never had a male Doctor since its conception.

Whittaker, known for her work in the drama series Broadchurch, had her Doctor Who debut on October 7, 2018. The episode was the series’ most-watched launch in 10 years, with around 8.2 million viewers.

When the announcement was made, many fans came forward with their own opinions and thoughts. The vast majority of the fan base loved the idea of a female Doctor, admiring Whittaker as a feminist icon who was improving gender equality. Some wondered why it had taken so long for Doctor Who to make this change, as the show has been slowly introducing diverse characters over the years.

In contrast, another school of thought includes other viewers and Whittaker herself, who believe that viewers are thinking about this change in the wrong way. In Season 1 of the 2005 reboot, Doctor Who introduced Jack Harkness, the first openly non-heterosexual character on the show. In Season 7 in 2012, viewers met Clara Oswald, the show’s first bisexual character, and in Season 10 (2017), Bill Potts, the show’s first gay, working-class person of color appeared. Fans are left to wonder why the show took so long to finally have a female character take the lead. In an interview, Whittaker said the show had discussed a female Doctor before, saying, “This happened before all the [#MeToo] revelations within the industry. It feels timely because we’re at a moment where we’re being heard, and that’s only a good thing. We are sitting in the cinemas and

seeing versions of ourselves onscreen and in places of power, which is exciting and about time. It’s 2018, we’re all ready for it—it’s not such an unusual thing to see a female Doctor.”

The timing was finally right. It felt like having a female Doctor would be an incredible cherry-on-top for the groundbreaking movement, hopefully sparking more people to feel empowered and speak their minds because of the inspiring representation on screen. Perhaps if the debut had been timed too early, Whittaker’s accomplishment wouldn’t have been as impactful, because people wouldn’t have been ready to see a character speaking out. But the timing of the decision was perfect as people were ready to see changes, and they were keen to see concrete examples of gender equality on television.

Conversely, a belief also exists within the community that Doctor Who’s creators had merely been putting off a female Doctor because they were afraid. A writer on one website argues, “A white, male protagonist adhering to classical heroic ideals is point zero; the character everyone understands and from whom no one recoils. If you lose only five viewers by giving him one unexpected trait... they are viewers you need not have lost.” There is the possibility that the show was afraid that too much change too fast would result in a loss of viewers and money, and that the writers continued to put off such a drastic change and instead built the change up over several years to “ease” viewers into a female Doctor. We all know that when drastic changes happen in any TV show, fans tend to have conflicting views.

The show’s developers could have been scared over losing too many followers, so took they their time developing the story and the new characters.

Whittaker herself believes that this change is being interpreted the wrong way. In the same interview, Whittaker stated, “I’ve been in stuff before where there’s been a female director and it’s like, ‘I think she was just a direc-

tor,’ or describing someone as a ‘female writer’ instead of just a writer. It’s often given to us as this nice little packaged statement ... the truth of the scene is my experience, and my truth, but that doesn’t mean it disconnects from anyone else’s truth.” Whittaker doesn’t want the viewers to focus on her sex and miss the bigger point, which is how she portrays the character. Whittaker wants to bring her own experiences into the character, without ignoring the different direction the show is taking and the intrigue that is being introduced by focusing entirely on the different sex.

Whittaker also said, “It’s about being an icon for everyone, which is what the Doctor has always been. Doctor Who has always had a fanbase that is very diverse, with male and female fans of all ages . . . The wonderful thing about this role is that the people that you’re regenerating into look like you could live next door to them... It’s very ordinary bodies with an extraordinary alien inside, and that’s what’s appealing about it: it’s an icon for all.” Whittaker says that while her portrayal of the Doctor is about showing women that their abilities are endless, it is also to show people of all genders and abilities that they are extraordinary. The point of the Doctor is that they can inspire anyone, as they take different forms, but are always extraordinary on the inside.

When Doctor Who introduced their first female Doctor in the show’s history, the fandom wasn’t afraid to speak their thoughts. Despite the varied theories, Whittaker and the show’s creators want viewers enjoy the new experiences that Whittaker brings to the storyline and character. After all, the Doctor is an inspirational icon for everyone. Even if Whittaker doesn’t want the new season to revolve around her gender, Doctor Who’s change is an exciting, historic event that viewers, including myself, are inspired by, and Whittaker’s new definition of the role means that we all eagerly await each new episode.

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Arts

The Crimes of Grindelwald: A Mostly Spoiler-Free Review

By EVELYN SCHREINER

O

n Friday, November 16, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald was released in theatres after a two-year long wait, and everyone was very excited. Here is my personal, mostly spoiler-free take on the new movie and what it may mean for the next three to come. The only spoilers here are the ones shown in the trailer.

Let’s start with the positive, shall we? The Crimes of Grindelwald must first be appreciated for its wonderful characters and special effects.

Commended by fans for his performance as Newt Scamander in the first movie, Eddie Redmayne continues to knock it out of the park. His portrayal of the awkward magizoologist still remains a key highlight of the newest movie, from his developing relationships with other characters to his interactions with magical beasts. He was almost flawless throughout.

I love the idea that he is a sensitive male character in a leading role, helping to install the fact that not all heroes are considered heroic for the same reasons. Newt encompasses the idea of being caring and compassionate as a way to make a difference in the world, instead of a battle-hardened warrior who must fight with weapons alone.

Additionally, new fantastic beasts were revealed, appearing well-designed, original, and capturing of the hearts of fans. Most notable was the Zouwu, a giant cat-like creature of Chinese origins, which had many humorous and sweet moments on screen. The adorable nifflers also played a role in the movie, much to the delight of many, including me. Furthermore, the movie featured many great acting moments, and not just from Eddie Redmayne.

The reveal that Jude Law would be playing a younger Albus Dumbledore was wrought with heavy expectations for a much-beloved character. However, I found his performance to 18

be wonderful and thought that he managed to capture the wise, strange, and sometimes mischievous professor in a way that was not only entertaining, but insightful. We were also introduced to many new characters who have a lot of potential in movies to come.

Sadly, The Crimes of Grindelwald was not all happiness and rainbows. In fact, its ratings ended up making it the least liked Harry Potter movie out of the previous nine. Before I saw it, I wondered extensively on why this might be, as I thought the first film showed much promise for an entertaining and beloved franchise despite the controversy that surrounded it. I got my answer much sooner than I expected.

The Crimes of Grindelwald suffered from the plot-points of its own story. It felt as if countless details and background stories were being compressed together to make a rather confusing and disjointed experience. This made it hard to follow the storyline and to understand what characters were doing (or why they were even there in the first place). The movie also featured many plot-twists and major reveals that should have made everybody gasp in astonishment, but instead seemed to fall short. This was either because the plot was too scattered to have a significant and meaningful change, or because the reveals did not seem to relate in any way to the other. One particular reveal at the end could have been really impactful, but came across as abrupt, and inspired more of a “so what?” reaction.

In addition, some newly added characters had a lot of potential for fascinating story-arcs and real interest from fans. Despite this, many of the new, or even main characters, took a step back and had so few lines in the movie that little attachment could be felt for them. Overall, the movie was trying too hard to set things up for the next one. Most of the plot introduced characters or future storylines without actually

resolving or building upon them, leaving the audience disappointed or confused. This left me wondering how about the effects of this plot on the third movie in the franchise, given the fact that fans’ expectations will be higher than ever.

Furthermore, the decision to cast Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald may have not been the best choice. Originally, it was discouraged by the fan community due to emerging details of his actions within his personal life.

Many were also convinced that Colin Farrell, the actor who played Percival Graves in the first movie, would do a much better and original performance as the lead villain. While I found Depp’s performance to be good in The Crimes of Grindelwald, I would have to agree mostly with this statement. Depp managed to add flair to his character and performed well, but I feel that another actor could have played the role much better. I think that giving a lesser known and much less wealthy actor a chance to shine would have created a more open and unique atmosphere to the series, much like the case of Eddie Redmayne or Ezra Miller (who plays Credence).

So, before you go and see The Crimes of Grindelwald in theatres, prepare yourself for the fact that it is not perfect. It has flaws and plot-holes, along with some confusion on the way, but then again, what movie doesn’t? Don’t put down your wands or broomsticks and give up hope yet, because who knows what magic could happen in the future. The movie still has a lot to offer in terms of familiar characters and their stories, as well as entertaining moments, special effects, and wonderfully made creatures. Anyways, many franchises have a movie or an episode where there is a lot of introduction to work with so that the next one can be even better. Perhaps we should forgive J.K. Rowling for doing the same.

Sports

Movie Review: Free Solo

Alex has become the first climber to free solo Yosemite’s 3,000-foot El Capitan wall

By CHLOE MOORE

A

lex Honnold was already a distinguished American climber before he climbed the 3,200 vertical feet of granite that is El Capitan in Yosemite National Park alone and without a rope. He holds the record for the fastest ascent of the Yosemite Triple Crown, an 18-hour and 50-minute route that includes Mount Watkins, The Nose, and the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome. 90 percent of that route was completed without a rope. Honnold is the author of a book, Alone on the Wall, and the founder of the Honnold Foundation, which seeks to bring sustainable energy, namely solar, to developing countries.

With acclaimed climber Tommy Caldwell, he holds the record for the fastest ascent of The Nose of El Capitan, at 1 hour, 58 minutes, and 7 seconds, a feat he accomplished on June 6th of this year. He has climbed around the world, both with a rope and free soloing, including in Borneo, Mexico, Patagonia, and Chad. He is only 33 years old.

Honnold was the subject of the biopic Free Solo, directed by climber-filmmaker Jimmy Chin. The film focused on his preparation

for and successful completion of the first free solo (a climb using no rope or safety gear) of El Capitan, which he accomplished on June 3, 2017, in 3 hours and 56 minutes. Honnold trained for over a year in Morocco, China, Europe, and the United States before attempting this climb. Only a small group of people were aware of his intent. Among them was his girlfriend Sanni McCandless, who is also featured in the film. McCandless is not herself a rock climber by nature, and this difference is something that is explored in their film. However, she has since founded the first Outwild festival, to celebrate the outdoors. Honnold, of course, was in attendance.

Alex Honnold is not impulsive; he does not take extreme risks purely for the thrill. A National Geographic review of the movie by Mark Synnott explained this, saying, “It wasn’t an act of recklessness but of the kind of planning worthy of a moon landing. It wasn’t an act of selfishness but an extraordinary gift to everyone who believes that the limit of human achievement is far from being reached. It wasn’t a useless stunt but a reminder that utility alone is a poor way to measure the grandeur of one man’s spirit.”

IMAGE PROVIDED In the film, Honnold is awkward but endearing, and more than anything, he is honest.

He gives everything that he has to the climb, but he also exposes parts of his soul; not least by undergoing several brain scans that determine his amygdala, the part of the brain that feels fear, essentially does not work. He also explores his childhood, and his trouble with personal obligations, since his whole life revolves around climbing. This honesty is described by Synnot, who writes, “In a world of B.S. artists—and in a country ruled by one— Honnold is modeling something else, a kind of radical truthfulness.”

Honnold was a climbing star before Free Solo, and his ascension to the rank of “greatest free solo climber” is a symbol of hope, grace, and respect. Honnold proved what the human body is capable of, and beyond that, the grace with which he conducts himself and the respect that he holds for the natural world should serve as a model for how one should move through the world. Free Solo is a cinematic masterpiece, and a brilliant depiction of one incredible man.

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Sports/Literary

An Interview With a Soccer Referee

By ASHA DUHAN

B

esides being on a sports team, students at IHS contribute in various ways to the athletic community. One such way is refereeing a sport.

Students can become soccer referees by completing certain courses and taking tests. I recently sat down with soccer referee Max Petrov to discuss his profession and how he contributes to the soccer community.

Asha Duhan ‘19: Why did you become a soccer referee?

Max Petrov ‘19: There are a few reasons why I became a soccer referee. One reason was that I was in need of a job, and wanted my job to be interesting.

Every time I referee a soccer game is different, and this brings me a lot of enjoyment. Also, soccer is easily my favorite sport, and as I am unable to play it at a high level, I still wanted to be involved in it.

AD: What is your job as a referee?

MP: As a soccer referee, I am responsible for knowing and enforcing the complex rules of the game during a match, and making sure everything goes well. However, above all, I am responsible for the safety of all of the players.

AD: What was the process for becoming a soccer referee?

MP: The process of becoming a soccer referee was fairly simple. There are certain classes you have to attend, and certain tests that you have to pass, and as long as you have done that, you can become a referee. However, going up the ranks of soccer referees is complicated and hard, and takes many many years.

AD: What are the benefits and cons of being a soccer referee?

MP: For every person, there are different pros and cons of being a soccer referee. For me, the main pro is that I am able to be involved in the game I love, and to perhaps pursue this as almost a full time job one day. There is honestly only one con for me of this job, and that is the questionable attitude of the spectators at some games. Although this doesn’t happen every game, occasionally, spectators will yell out angrily at you, and nobody enjoys getting yelled at.

AD: How does refereeing help you feel connected to soccer?

MP: As a soccer referee, I am involved in the soccer community of Ithaca as I get to personally know many of the players that I referee, and talk with the various coaches of the teams. This allows me to feel just as connected to soccer as any player on the field.

AD: How has refereeing affected you as a person?

MP: If there is one thing that soccer refereeing has taught me, it is patience.

There are numerous episodes in every game where I have to exercise patience, such as when I have to tell a coach to stop complaining, or when I have to convince a player to calm down. This is a very useful skill in life, as by using patience, most obstacles in your life can be overcome.

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Sometimes

By Reflected Glory Sometimes I dare to look up into Ebony pools of passion and sorrow to match my own Your gaze strikes a match in my throat And your warm voice blows on the coals I choke on the ashes when you’re gone They burn my mouth and blacken my lips Until you return and the flame is rekindled You’re my escape But it’s you I need to escape from Sometimes I catch your face with my gaze The slopes of your cheeks and your jaw Are the architecture of heaven itself If I could get lost in the marble pillars of your mind Believe me I would never escape

Toxic Boy

By Reflected Glory Every last drop of your honey-gold voice Intoxicates me I willingly drink from your poisoned goblet Let me draw the sweet venom from your lips And give me a reason to be afraid of you Tell me secrets that will turn my hatred to your face Tell me secrets that will turn my nightmares into daydreams Tell me everything I don’t want to know And everything I do

You Are My Springtime

By Reflected Glory Flowers and sunlight have nothing on you Daisies bloom only to have you recognize their petals The sun shines so I can see your face And when I do, my smile Is stronger than any ray Tell me everything I don’t want to know And everything I do

Literary

Borders

Petrichor

By Eleanor Randl

By Sanfoka McLaurin

Their fractured stories Sprawl out Into constellations Shattered chairs And beds And bones

The first time I realized my connection with the Earth The rain fell fast as I held my breath and slowed as I let my emotions leave my body in a mix of carbon and oxygen The sadness in my heart The joy that sparked in my fingertips The pride I felt in my bones

Slivers In the black of night Dust to dust Stars to stars They hope the universe Is more forgiving There are no borders Up in space Life is boundless More gentle In between The craters of the moon There are no lines drawn No walls built With too many edges Tic tac toe They play in the dirt Practicing Making good Of bleeding feet Men bundled to women Up there No one will pry Their brother’s pudgy fingers Grasping They can live Amongst the stars

Winter Snowflakes

In the absence of thunder and lightning The rain feels lonely She tells me this by placing droplets on the concrete beside me I promise to walk with her on days that are like this She thanks me by singing me melodies that resemble gold, only lyrical In the presence of thunder and lightning these melodies become lullabies A sweet smell stays behind after rain stops falling It has faded and since been forgotten In the absence of rain I feel lonely I try to tell her this But she no longer walks with me

i found a face in a cardboard box

By Abigail Glickman i found a face in a cardboard box it was printed in grays and blacks and browns its mouth was [perhaps open] and its eyes were looking [for words?] i found words, too [a love? letter] on its underside april 4, 1983 “The above is NOT a self portrait.”

By Zachary Foley Winter snowflakes sent adrift A cool wind gives them lift Like crystals, they glitter in the light Otherwise, they are all white Snowflakes create a land of snow They set the cold world aglow

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Literary

December Haiku Contest

Winner: December is Here

This is a Senryu

By Leland Xu Eating animals Is unethical. We should Eat humans instead.

Snow

Before Dawn

By Kyeson Bradley

By Evelyn Schreiner

Frosty wintertime A little dreamy snow falls Hitting the flower

Bright, endless starscape Against the inky backdrop The waning moon glows

Mistakes

Winter is Coming

By Cadence Habict

By Yoonsuh Kim

Haikus are pretty bad, oops I think I messed it up, I suck at these

Ithaca winters Will there be snow days this year?

We’ll wait and see then.

The Return to the Womb “Theory”

Downpour

First Snow

By Rowan Catterall

By Emily Herman

Cat watches the rain Pitter-patter on the roof Pondering its fall

Final leaves fall down Snow glitters in the moonlight The stars twinkling

By Zachary Foley Chilly breeze in air Snowflakes clinging to my hair December is here

22

By Leland Xu Thanatos, death drive Send me back into the womb Sigmund Freud was right

Penultimate

Sad Fishy

What You Want

By Cadence Habicht My fish won’t eat much Maybe he has depression Fish get sad like us

Easy

By Vicky Lu You think I’m easy A pushover; all smiles Move aside—I’m not.

By Vicky Lu Ask for opinions; Ideas, think it over Then do what you want

Nothing Matters

Golden Hour

British Invasion

By Sam Sachs

By Reflected Glory

By Sam Sachs

I’m a speck of dust Nothing that I do matters It’s all a big lie

My boy is honey The sun wishes for his blaze He’s glowing embers

We’re under attack The Brits are taking over Bloody hell we’re dead

Yacht Wars

The ‘Y’ is Silent

By Sam Sachs

By Vicky Lu

I have sixteen yachts I create a mega yacht My yacht will beat yours

My name is Vicky Lu Yes, that’s just five syllables The ‘y’ is silent

Sudoku 1

8 7

2

5

6

5

8

3

3 5

2

8

8

6

3

7

7

4

1

9 4

3

7

1 7

7

6 5

6 5

3

9

9 7 6

8

November Solution 4

8

9

6

3

5

7

1

2

6

3

7

2

4

1

9

5

8

2

5

1

8

9

7

3

6

4

7

2

6

1

5

4

8

3

9

1

4

3

9

8

6

5

2

7

5

9

8

7

2

3

6

4

1

9

1

2

3

6

8

4

7

5

3

7

4

5

1

9

2

8

6

8

6

5

4

7

2

1

9

3 23

Back Page

The Signs as the Twelve Days of Christmas

By SOPHIE WRAY

Sagittarius (Nov 22 Dec 21): A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19):

Leo (Jul 23 - Aug 22):

The Coolness Spectrum

Nine Ladies Dancing

Five Golden Rings

Cool Winter Break

Capricorn (Dec 22 Jan 19): Two Turtle Doves

Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20):

Virgo (Aug 23 - Sep 22):

IHS Winter Concerts

Ten Lords a-Leaping

Six Geese a-Laying

More snowdays

Hot chocolate

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18):

Gemini (May 21 - June 20): Seven Swans a-Swimming

Three French Hens

Libra (Sep 23 - Oct 22): Eleven Pipers Piping

Snow

Ice

Eggnog

Cancer (June 21 - Jul 22): Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20): Four Calling Birds

Eight Maids a-Milking

Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21):

Twelve Drummers Drumming

2 hour delays

Shoveling

College deadlines

Uncool