We are all inspired by our peers. We marvel at the creativity, individuality and extraordinary challenges we encounter during our time at M-A. With wonderment we see our peers, despite not knowing them or understanding them. This month we are pleased to bring to you a magazine that focuses on the different types of students seen here at M-A. Inspired by the work of photographer Brandon Stanton in his Humans of New York blog, we bring you our Humans of M-A. The headline article is our photographic representation of the M-A student body. However, our focus extends beyond the pages of this one spread and is naturally integrated in the entirety of this issue. From highlighting portraiture of unique and stylish students on campus, to addressing difficult aspects of student life, to mocking the humorous scenarios that arise on campus, the objective of each story is to celebrate and emphasize the vivacity and breadth of characters and happenings at this school. Reflect on how the articles and submissions presented on the following pages each recognize a different aspect of M-A. There is so much life on our campus that even a 100-page issue of The MArk could not capture every worthy snap shot of activity occurring within the confines of our lot.
Strange? I am strange strange in a strange way the way I do things differently wrong I am strange in such a strange way not in a cool way or in a particularly uncool way not in a bad way or in a particularly good way just off never one extreme or the other never average just strange like a whole separate level of strange a bubble to the side of the spectrum I don’t have a category this doesn’t upset me partially because I don’t especially want one partially because one could argue, who really has a category who really fits into this strange-ometer but at the same time, of course people are grouped together grouped by the same type of strange radiating off them but maybe everyone is his or her own bubble and those bubbles gravitate towards similar ones causing the groups but I, being strange in a strange way, have only found overlaps in my strange with others never anyone similar enough to call “the same” maybe I just haven’t found the right bubble by anonymous
Photography Girl Suzie McMurtry, 12th
M A R K
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March 2013
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STAFF Editorial stafF Lauren Smith Creative Editor Fiona Gutierrez-Dewar Executive Editor Samantha Bloom Copy Editor Suzie McMurtry Photo Editor Anna de Benedictis Managing Editor Simone King InDesign Specialist
Contributors Joanne Cho Gabe Cohen Nimsi Garcia Francesca Gilles Helmi Henkin Megan Kilduff Lindy LaPlante Alexis Magana Stefany Maldonado Amirteymour Moazami Brett Moriarty Josef Nevigato Alyssa Ostrow Erendira Parra Gianna Prainito Maro Santos Gutierrez Peter Siegler Olivia Solomon Sara Solomon Cayla Stillman Megan Wiebe
Adviser
Betsy Snow
The MArk, a feature magazine published by the students in Menlo-Atherton High School’s Journalism class, is an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its readership. The MArk is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost. The staff welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy, and obscenity. Submissions do not necessarily reect the opinions of all M-A students or the staff of The MArk. Send all submissions to submittothemark@gmail.com.
table of contents Learn more about MenloAtherton’s next theatrical production, Legally Blonde the Musical.
Presidential Inauguration See and read about the experiences of the group of M-A students who attended the Washington D.C. CloseUp Trip to the 2013 Inauguration.
Cover Art Humans of M-A Stefany Maldonado
6 SUBMISSION 7 Freshman Advice Column 8 I’m Gonna Pop Some Tags 9 SUBMISSION 10 SUBMISSION & High Mark Low Mark 11 Menlo-Atherton Baseball 12-14 Presidential Inauguration 15 Mr. Coulombe 16 The Common Appliecation 17 PMSed Off 18 Your Year 19 Privacy at M-A: The Ins and Outs of Our Student Rights 20-21 Staff Portraits 22 Teacher Assistants 23 Teacher Superlatives 24-33 Humans of M-A 34 SUBMISSION 35 Divorce: A Student’s Perspective 36 Ads v. Reality 37 Bears in the Kitchen 38-39 Teen Depression 40-41 Legally Blonde 42-43 Kick Start 44-45 College Junkmail 46-47 Closing Page
Humans of M-A Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s blog, Humans of NY, this section highlights the unique students of Menlo-Atherton High School.
Bears in the Kitchen Check out the MArk staff’s latest spring recipe, a yummy Minestrone soup!
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Legally Blonde
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March 2013
Photography Suspended Time Virginia Lane, 11th
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Photography Untitled Megan Kilduff, 11th
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Freshman Advice Column because you need it!
written and illustrated by Nimsi Garcia
Step 1: Be Motivated!
YOU have to be willing to put in time in order to do well in a class. It won’t always be easy, but as long as you keep your head held high and always try hard, you’ll make it through. “You have to be motivated to do well, otherwise it doesn’t matter.” –Ms. Martinelli, Modern European History and Government teacher
Step 2: Learn
In order to study for something, first you need to know what it is you’re studying. That means that when you begin to learn the topic you will be tested on, pay attention during class.
Step 3: Notes
Unless otherwise instructed by your teacher, always take notes, even if they’re not mandatory. If it sounds important, write it down. Notes are also a key part of going back and reviewing for any test.
Step 4: Review
After you take your notes, review them at home the day that you take them, so you get a better understanding from the very beginning. As you review them, highlight important things such as vocabulary, formulas, etc. “Go home and review notes and if there’s something you don’t understand, bring it to school the next day and ask your teacher” –Ms. Besse, Latin teacher
Step 5: Ask Questions
All of the previous things are very useful when it comes to helping you to be prepared for a test, but if you don’t understand what you’re being tested on then the whole process becomes a lot more difficult. Don’t be scared to go up to your teacher and ask them to explain something further if the first time around you didn’t get a good grasp on it. If you’re too shy to do so during class set up an appointment with your teacher.
Step 6: Stay Organized
At one point or another in the year, your backpack becomes full of random papers and old assignments that get thrown away to make room for new items. However, when it comes to reviewing, this can make it difficult for you to be able to go back and look at old notes or assignments. Get binders for your classes with dividers and go back and organize everything at least once a week so it’s in the right place. You can also use folders to store papers in when your backpack gets too full. Getting a notebook for a certain class (and that class only) also helps with staying organized and facilitates the process of going back to review.
Step 7: Flash Cards
Flash cards are probably the best study aid. Whether you use them for vocabulary, formulas or key ideas, they’re great for hitting the main points of the topic you are studying. Make flash cards for everything! Write the name of the word/formula/idea on one side and the answer on the other so that later you can quiz yourself.
Step 8: Study!!!!!
Studying is probably one of the most important parts of getting ready for taking a test. Your teachers usually go on to other topics in a unit and they usually don’t review everything that you’ve learned so far. Therefore, it is up to you to go back when the test date is approaching and refresh your memory. Try not to wait until the day before to study. Quick Study Tips: Read things aloud and try to explain to yourself what you just read. Take your flash cards everywhere and constantly quiz yourself. Reread your notes once or twice. Ask your teacher about things you’re still confused on or need to have explained once more.
Step 9: Mr. Senigaglia-Style Study Session
The weekend of or a few days before the test, plan a study session with your friends and get together at someone’s house. For two to three hours have an intense study session. Go over everything and quiz each other. Then after that gruesome session, go out. Anywhere. Just go out and have some fun. Maybe go to a park or to watch a movie. Anything that can help you to get your mind off of studying and stress over the test. Also, you’ll feel better about your day and won’t be miserable or complain about all the hard work you did that day. If you decide you don’t really want to do that, you should still invite some friends over and have fun while studying and quizzing each other. If you make it stressful and tiresome, you are less likely to end the day well and get a lot done.
Step 10: Relax, Sleep and Eat!
It’s the day before and you’re worried, freaking out, or just plainly angry at the world and your teacher. So just remember to relax. Breathe a little. Most importantly, don’t worry too much because the more you worry the less you’ll sleep and eat. Taking a test while tired and hungry is not enjoyable and can cause you to make careless mistakes.
Step 11: Be confident!
Walk into class sure of yourself. If you’ve done everything you can, then you should be well prepared! Just focus on doing your best and passing that test. :-)
the MArk
Hello, freshman! For this issue, I decided to give a little bit of advice on testing because it is probably one of the most stressful parts of high school.
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March 2013
I’m Gonna Pop Some Tags On a Low Budget? Go Thrifting!
In recent years, thrift shopping has become somewhat of a trend, from old-world penny-pinchers to new age hipsters, it is quite popular. San Francisco has some of the best thrifties you can find, from old books to weird hats to awesome floral print button ups. Go thrift shopping and be one of the coolest cats around.
Great spots:
There is a great Goodwill Store located on Haight Street, where you can buy an entire outfit with twenty dollars. This Goodwill always has sales and always has the best items.
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Buffalo Exchange is less of a thrift store and more of a place to exchange clothing for money or store credit. The clothes are cheaper than a department store, but more expensive than an actual thrift store. You are less likely to find your grandad’s clothes here.
Thrift Shopping Tips Go in with an open mind. This way, you will surely find the most unique clothing items.
Do not smell the clothes; just wash it yourself. Smelling the clothing can discourage you from purchasing anything from the store. If you don’t want to smell like a dusty attic then you should probably wash whatever you buy.
Feeling extra cheap? Go on sale days. Yes, thrift stores have sales! Presidents Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and other holidays we all enjoy are perfect times to thrift because this is when the sales happen.
4. 5.
6.
Manage your time Losing track of time is easy when mindlessly looking through dozens of disorganized racks of clothing, so pace yourself or you might spend your whole day there.
Buy only what you’ll wear there is a tendency to buy things from thrift stores but never wear them. To avoid doing this don’t buy broken items that you will not actually fix.
Have fun and go all out Do not hesitate to buy the ugliest sweater or shirt. Work it!
by Erendira Parra
Photography Puerto de A Coru単a Blanca Vi単a Pati単o, 10th
Photography Caribbean Cabana Nina Fox, 10th
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Photography Untitled Megan Wiebe, 10th
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March 2013
HIGH MARK LOW MARK Sensitivity to fire alarms
How much we love Dounut Club
over time
over time
What M-A needs now how much it needs it
sensitivity
how much love
P B J
Time
Time
Hand Dryers
Photography Rain Josh Gabriel, 11th
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Photography Cherry Blossoms Ally Ostrow, 10th
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Guns
Water Bottle Filling Stations
Better Parking Lot Exit
Menlo-Atherton Baseball Photography Baseball Field Jack Boyle
In 2012, the San Francisco Giants won the World Series and the A’s had a historic season. Despite hundreds of M-A students being “sick” during the Giants parade, there are significantly fewer true baseball fans among us. In 2010 in the first round of CCS, the Menlo-Atherton baseball team was an underdog against number 3 seeded, and top 10 in the state the Saint Francis Lancers. Despite the Lancers having both superior ranking the and home field advantage, M-A emerged victorious in arguably the greatest victory and upset in M-A sports history. Four major sport teams have dedicated fan clubs; yet, America’s favorite past time lacks any true student support. So I have decided to investigate why more students don’t go to the baseball games. When I asked why he hasn’t gone to a baseball game in his first two years at M-A, junior Jake Barry responded that, “Nobody else goes to the games. They are boring and there are no cheerleaders”. When I asked him if he would go if other people attended the games, he responded with, “I would go If my friends went because I know a lot of people on the baseball team and I heard that they are pretty good”. When I asked member of the baseball team, Jordan Long, if people going to the games make a difference in the team’s performance, he said, “It definitely makes a difference when people are cheering the team on and it puts pressure on the other team to make every play.” Mr. Amoroso gives his students five extra credit points for every game they go to. Although a few students are showing up for extra credit, it is disappointing that there has to be an extra credit incentive in order for a kid to show school spirit and go to a baseball game. Baseball gets the short end of the stick being a sport in the spring. School is about to be over and everyone is concerned about grades and doing well on their finals while during other sports seasons there is not as much to worry about. Hopefully the M-A student body will begin to appreciate the baseball program, and willingly choose to attend games in the future without the enticement of extra credit.
What would make people come to games? 1. A 10th man club. 2. Barbeque or snack shack. 3. Bigger stands with more places to sit. 4. Raffles during the game. 5. More shade. by Brett Moriarty
Last Year’s Statistics: Menlo-Atherton 2011-12 JV Baseball Overall: 17-5-1 League: 10-4 Win % .761 Runs For: 148 Runs Against: 75 Menlo-Atherton 20112012 Varsity Baseball Overall: 19-9 League: 9-5
“One More Game” Through Menlo-Atherton baseball history, the team has always met the same fate of doing well in the regular season, only to be squashed by their opponent in the first round of CCS. In his twelve years of coaching, head coach Mike Amoroso has never been able to make it past the adversities of the CCS playoffs. However, it is not only coach Amoroso who has failed to produce a championship team, in the entirety of the Menlo-Atherton baseball program, the team has only made it to the second round twice. Despite usually having a predictable finish to the season, this has not kept Amoroso down. He continuously works his team to their maximum potential with conditioning, and not allowing his players to slack off. If they are not to become CCS champions coach Amoroso’s goal is to turn his players into men by instilling the “blue collar” work ethic, and to at least go further than the first round, inspiring his famous quote “one more game.”
by Josef Nevigato
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Where is everyone?
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March 2013
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Martin Luther King III at the National Day of Service
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PHOTOGRAPHY I See D.C. Suzie McMurtry,12th PHOTOGRAPHY Suzie McMurtry
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ra t gu io u a n In l a i t n e d i s e Pr
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March 2013
Close Up 2013
by Olivia Solomon
Close-Up is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that takes high school students to Washington, D.C. to experience government in action. Over the course of the week-long program, students interact and debate with teens from across the country, visit the Capital’s monuments and governmental buildings, and meet with Congressional delegates. The mission of the organization is to inspire American youth to become politically active and bring the knowledge they gained back to their hometowns. In mid-January, fourteen MenloAtherton students, including myself, were given the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. on the Close-Up program for the presidential inauguration and an extensive political experience. The week was mentally and physically challenging, with little sleep and nightly lessons and debates, but the experience was surreal and one that I know my fellow classmates and I will cherish for the rest of our lives. Mr. Senigaglia, an M-A economics and history teacher, and our chaperone for the trip, wrote about his experience: “Last month I had the privilege of taking a group of students to our nation’s capital to witness Barack Obama’s second inauguration. The word that keeps popping into my head is ‘magical.’ The week was magical. We packed years worth of experience into that short week, met powerful leaders like John McCain and John Kerry, explored and learned about our nation’s most honored landmarks and memorials, participated in a mock-Congress that demonstrated first-hand how challenging it is to pass laws, and witnessed history along with 800,000 other Americans as President Obama took his oath. Not to mention the fact that just being in D.C. in winter was magical! We walked the same hallways where John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Harry Truman, and Lyndon Johnson once walked. We stood in the shadow of the Washington Monument and caught our first glimpses of that elegant little mansion where orders are given, compromises are debated, and decisions are made that shape the world. We braved the cold, swam through a sea of people, survived a red eye flight, hiked for miles across the most powerful city on Earth, and lived to tell the tale of how in 2013 we participated in history. Standing on that national mall, watching Beyonce sing the national anthem (and she really did sing it), I felt truly connected to my country. Not liberal or conservative or democrat or republican, but American. That’s what Close-Up did for me. It reminded me that I am part of something larger than myself, larger than my city or state.
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I am a member of a democracy.”
PHOTOGRAPHY D.C. 11 Suzie McMurtry, 12th, and Maria Fernanda Hernandez Noriega, 12th
coulombe by Maro Santos 1. What has been your biggest accomplishment so far?
My next biggest accomplishment would probably be the first time I hiked Highland Bowl, which is a snowboarding place back home (Aspen, Colorado). To get there, you have to take a chairlift up 3,500 feet and then hike about 1,000 vertical feet before you can get to the runs. So you have got your snowboard on your back and everything. You start to hike at about 11,000 feet, so you make it to over 12,000 feet, which really hard to do, it is about a 60° pitch down, which is extremely steep. People die from avalanches all the time. My dad lost eight friends and I have lost three friends there due to avalanches. I remember the first time, being able to make that hike and get down there; it was something that was just… it truly doesn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of it all but it was so challenging and so hard, especially coming from my childhood, being on crutches for three years and everything like that. Being able to know that I was able to basically rehabilitate my body to a point that I could accomplish this feat that even people that are in an amazing shape can’t do was really eye opening to me. 2. You are open about the fact that you don’t drink or do any drugs, why is that? Part of it has got to do with the fact that I had a very trying and challenging childhood, a lot actually tied to the fact that, both my parents where kind of hippies in the partying scene. So growing up I was experiencing and seeing things that, in my opinion, no child should really need to see. So I made a point of staying away from all of that. 3. Why did you choose to become a teacher? I absolutely love science. I did not like the higher level research and was gifted with an ability to take complex or more complex things and break them up and sequence them in a way that people who normally struggle with that subject are able to comprehend. So it is the natural path where I can still do science but take that ability to a more beneficial arena.
4. How do you feel about the M-A spirit? And why do you have so much spirit? Overall the M-A spirit is very poor, and that frustrates me because we spend the majority of our time at school. It should be a place that you want to be at, and that fact alone has made me want to have more school spirit in the hopes that I can raise the spirit of students and staff around me. 5. We have heard that you have some problems sleeping. Why is this? I had an injury growing up and because of that I was in the hospital for a very long time. While I was in the hospital, they had to put me on life support. All of the extra drugs and everything keeping me alive messed with my development since I was so young, so I no longer naturally release melatonin like normal, which is the natural sleep hormone your brain releases. That is also part of the reason why I have so much energy. Most people have adrenaline and melatonin released at the same time. While my adrenaline is probably at the same level as everybody else’s but my melatonin is so much lower so I always seem a bit more excited and that means that I have constantly more energy. Therefore, I ultimately need prescription melatonin to offset that imbalance. 6. What are your hobbies? Growing up I was a break-dancer. In high school for four years, I had a crew and we practiced twice a week every week and I got really into it. Then when I went to Cal Poly I became the chair of the Hip-Hop Congress. I was the PR-Rep (Public Relations representative). I would actually go around and get sponsorships and everything. I am also a glass blowing instructor. At Cal Poly I taught glass-blowing for four years. I actually became a physicist because I like blowing things up; I like explosions and that whole world. I had a friend that said, “do you want to blow some glass, you are in front of a 200 Fahrenheit torch.” I was like, “Lets do it.” I got really into it, and started teaching how to blow glass and I’m starting to sell my stuff. I also snowboard like crazy. I grew up in a place where my parents had me on skis before I could even walk. They literally put skis on me and held me and kind of steered me down the mountain. So doing that I grew up, and actually Oakley offered me a sponsorship to snowboard professionally for them before I went to college, but I would have had to not go to college. I would have had to be on their competitive circuit so I declined. So I’m really into snowboarding too.
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One of my biggest accomplishments was while I was working at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland). I got very excited about the project and became an expert on the EMCal (Electromagnetic Calorimeter) and the DQM (Data Quality Monitoring) system. Because I became an expert on that, I became the youngest person in the world to run the program for a week. I was in charge of people with Ph.D.s and people that had won a Nobel prize because of how experienced I was personally with the individual detectors in the Hadron Collider.
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March 2013
The Common Appliecation
For Undergraduate Exaggeration
With college admission getting more and more competitive each year, students have been going to drastic new lengths in order to distinguish their application from the thousands of others. Many go out of their way to partake in unique activities that will help them stand out. Students have been flocking to third-world countries in search of reputable volunteer opportunities to add to their resumes, trying to get a leg-up in the college admissions competition. Some take more extreme measures to enhance their applications, often breaking the law and even their own moral codes. In relation to lying on college applications, most people would regard the topic as taboo. However, a surprisingly large number of college applicants lie or exaggerate on their college applications. Ms. Kleeman, the college advisor at Menlo-Atherton High School, provided information on the issue.
Q: What is your position on students lying on college apps?
A: “My general opinion about lying on college apps is exactly the same as my general opinion about lying in any situation. It’s wrong, it’s unethical, it doesn’t feel right to the person who is doing it, and it can cause so many problems!”
Q: Have you ever caught a student lying?
A: “I haven’t caught a student lying, but I have ‘caught’ students exaggerating or misrepresenting, and I have ‘caught’ students who were ready to present writing that wasn’t fully their own and pass it off as their own.”
Q: Why do you think students do it?
A: “Why? I think students do it because they feel pressure to submit the ‘perfect’ college application. How odd, since the ‘perfect’ college application doesn’t exist. But if there were such a thing as a perfect application, it would be one that is completely and entirely authentic— one that no one else could possibly have submitted. That’s what colleges want! And one of the problems with being dishonest on a college application is that if the student is successful in getting the lies past the Office of Admission (which is actually harder to do than you’d think), the student might end up at a college that just isn’t right for him or her, simply by not having presented himself/herself honestly.
Q: Do you think exaggerating on a college application can be constituted as lying as well?
A: “I definitely think exaggerating is the same as lying! If it’s not the truth, it’s a lie. That doesn’t mean that students can’t frame certain situations in different ways, casting a situation in a more positive light, as long as it’s 100% honest.”
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Additional Comments:
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“The biggest reason for students to be honest on a college, scholarship, or financial aid application is not so much that they might be caught in a lie, but because they want to face themselves in the mirror and know they’ve been straightforward, and they want to sleep at night without the anxiety of worrying about a lie. Most people who lie have learned that one lie leads to another, and often there’s a tangled mess that cannot be undone.”
by Peter Siegler
PMSed
OFF
Present Playlist:
A hormonal hyperbole
once at home, Katie indulged in self-pity. She locked her door, opened her computer, and went to the music playlist she’d made especially for occasions like this. It consisted of the most depressing songs she knew: “Fix You” by Coldplay, “Everybody Hurts” by R.E.M. and any song by Christina Perri. By the end of the first song she was sobbing. After the playlist was over, she went on YouTube and watched the Sarah MacLachlan animal cruelty commercial over and over again until she could cry no more. She felt better but was still craving salt and sweets, so she went to the kitchen and rummaged through the pantry. To her disappointment, she found nothing that looked appetizing only celery sticks and yogurt. She screamed and threw a glass she was holding at the ground, watching it shatter and delighting as the shards sprinkled across the hardwood. She collapsed on the ground and started crying once again. At dinner, Katie refused to eat and didn’t say a word at the table, a monthly ritual. After dinner she brushed her teeth, washed her face (a preventative measure for her imminent breakouts) and went to bed early. Except that all night Katie was restless because she was having unmanageable cramps. She thus woke in a worse state the next morning, for it was to start all over again. Only three more days Katie thought. Utter misery.
by Gianna Prainito
Gives You HellThe All-American Rejects Everybody Hurts- R.E.M. Keep Your Head UpAndy Grammer Wanted- Hunter Hayes Not Ready To Make NiceDixie Chicks I Will Survive-Gloria Gaynor Fix You- Coldplay
F@%k You-Lily Allen Bleeding Love-Leona Lewis Mad World-Michael Andrews, Gary Jules So What-P!nk
Wake Me Up When September Ends-Green Day
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T
he alarm sounded. Katie awoke in a maniacal rage, inexplicably craving a chocolate-dipped flank steak wrapped in a chipotle burrito and sprinkled with salty chips. She dragged herself out of bed and went to take a shower. Katie arrived back in her room, glanced in the mirror only to realize she was bloated. She tried in vain to buckle her jeans but to no avail. Frowning she put on her comfiest clothes and ignored her puffy appearance. Once at M-A, she went to her first class, Pre-Calc, and sat quietly in the corner contemplating all the ways that she could escape school and kill all the people she despised (which in her current state consisted of virtually everyone). At brunch, she popped two Advils to curb her unbearable cramps. Spanish class: ‘Cómo se dice odio el mundo?’ Once lunch arrived, she walked over to her friends, trying not to talk for she would only start to yell. The unsatisfying carrots and bland sandwich in her lunch set her off. She stomped to the trashcan while squishing the sandwich between her fingers and threw it away. When her friend, Kelley asked her if she was feeling okay, Katie looked up with a murderous expression on her face, emanating an utter hatred which words simply could not express. Her friends knew exactly what to do: they left her alone. She survived the school day without physically abusing anyone and
Sad Song- Christina Perri
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March 2013
Your Year Teen drivers in California
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and a number of other states are familiar with the infamous, dreaded “year.” California law, as of January 1st, 2006, decreed that for the first year after receiving a driver’s license, a minor is subject to a set of restrictions. Among these, the teen is not legally permitted to drive between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., or have others under the age of 20 as passengers. Although this law was passed with hopes of keeping the roads safer, are they truly preventing teen drivers’ risky behavior that causes accidents? It is not within a policeman or woman’s jurisdiction to pull over a driver, solely because they look to be within the “year” phase, and may therefore be violating either the curfew or the prohibition against driving fellow minors. Since law enforcement cannot make such assumptions, they only cite teen drivers for violating this law in connection with another infraction, such as rolling a stop sign. This makes it significantly easier for a teen to violate these restrictions 11 without fear of getting caught. So this brings us back to the
question, are teens obeying these laws? A sampling of M-A seniors polled on the point suggest that it is exceedingly difficult to find someone who followed these rules to the letter for the first year of their driving endeavors. Some, such as senior Meg Rash, estimated that she waited “probably two weeks” before driving her friends. She is in good company. Out of ten additional Menlo-Atherton seniors asked, a staggering nine waited no more than three months before breaking the rule, with all ten not making it through the full year. Additionally, the high rate of accidents among first year drivers, the “problem” this law seeks to “solve” is merely pushed back to second year drivers, who have high accident rates when these distractions are legally introduced anyway. Despite the risk of first time offenders getting up to a $50 fine and 16 hours of court-ordered community service, the law appears to have little effect on most teen drivers. California’s attempt to set restrictions on young drivers appears not to be taken seriously, and has proven ineffective.
by Gabe Cohen
Privacy at M-A:
The Ins and Outs of Our Student Rights
by Francesca Gilles
As students of M-A, we have restrictions placed upon us. In the Constitution, we are guaranteed several rights, such as the right to due process of law, that we cannot take advantage of on campus. Of course, many of our constitutional rights still apply on campus--freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to assemble (donut club, anyone?)--all have their place in student life, even if the extent of their reach is up for debate. However, following an incident earlier this year involving several expulsions stemming from backpack searches, The MArk staff decided to look a little deeper into the limitations surrounding search and seizure on the M-A campus. In 1985, a case was brought before the United States Supreme Court regarding a search that resulted in the discipline of a student. This case, known as New Jersey vs. T.L.O., is a prime example of the rights students give up while on campus. After caught smoking cigarettes in a bathroom, T.L.O. and her friend were brought to the office, where their purses were searched. In addition to the cigarettes, the school vice principal found drug paraphernalia and evidence implicating T.L.O. in the dealing of marijuana. She was taken to the police station and later convicted, but she appealed, claiming that the evidence against her should not have been used because her Fourth Amendment rights were violated, as the vice principal did not have a warrant to search her bag. The Supreme Court ruled that T.L.O.’s Fourth Amendment rights were not violated, as students should have a lowered expectation of privacy while on campus; the school was protecting the safety of other students by disciplining her. The result of this case demonstrates that we do not hold the same rights on campus as we do on the street where a cop cannot simply search one’s bag without a warrant. However, the goal of searches and seizures are not to make victims out of students; it is to protect the rights and safety of the student body as a whole. In the student planner, M-A’s privacy policy is only about one hundred and fifty words long. This did not
tell us much about the laws relating to privacy; The MArk staff wanted to know more. In order to determine the actual procedure regarding search and seizure, we interviewed Mr. Losekoot, one of the school’s administrative vice principals. One of The MArk’s main concerns regarding searches related to anonymous tips; we wondered what kinds of tips would lead to a search. Mr. Losekoot helped to illuminate this moral and legal gray area: “You have to consider what you are searching for,” Mr. Losekoot stated. “If a student reports that another student has a red shirt in their backpack, is that a reason to go search?” Probably not. This explanation essentially means that anonymous tips are used to protect the safety of the student body, not simply to justify searches to confiscate any suspicious paraphernalia. However, students do not always have the power to protest, especially when locker searches are taken into consideration. When asked if a student would have any rights to protect themselves from a locker or a backpack search, Losekoot replied: “locker [searches] are challenging to protest, because they are ultimately school property...[but with backpack searches] we have to decide whether it becomes a health or safety concern, and whether or not we have to take disciplinary action, or even call the police.” Thus, lockers, as school property, give the administration the right to search them without the permission of the renter, while backpack searches become a bit trickier. If a student censures a search, the authority would have to back down. If this is the case, the police may be involved or more serious disciplinary action could be taken, such as suspension. Searches can be a scary idea at first glance: the school has access to your locker, backpack, or other belongings, even on the basis of an anonymous tip and reasonable suspicion. However, one should not fear the administration; if you do not participate in illegal or dangerous activities on campus, you should have nothing to hide. The real message behind the rules regarding search and seizure on campus is maintaining the safety of the student body.
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Illustrations by Francesca Gilles and Stefany Maldonaldo
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Artists and Mediums
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1. Mr. Whitnah, Mixed Media, Vanessa Wijaya 2. Mr. DeCurtins, Acrylic, Sophia Kivelson 3. Mr. Wellington, Pencil, Mady Berger 4. Mr. Powell, Pencil, Sean McBirney 5. Ms. Beers, Pencil, SoďŹ a Blixt 6. Ms. Otsuka, Mixed Media, Samantha Bloom 7. Ms. Duran, Acrylic, Gaby Nighan 8. Mr. Weiss, Chalk Pastel, Vivian Qiu 9. Mr. Brodkey, Mixed Media, Fiona Gutierrez-Dewar 10. Ms. Ventura, Acrylic, Aliya Hasoon 11. Ms. Kranzler, Mixed Media, Becca Milman 12. Ms. Strub, Mixed Media, Stefany Maldonado
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Staff Portraits
Every year, the Studio and AP Art Studio classes have a tradition of doing a staff portrait project. Each student in the class chooses one staff member to depict in their given style and medium. Can you guess who is who?
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March 2013
The concept of students being in charge of grading and keeping records of their peers’ schoolwork is a controversial matter. Privacy and discretion among students is a common issue when it comes to the topic of “Teacher Assistants,” or “T.A.s,” who have the responsibility of grading assignments and recording grades. But perhaps the reality is that some high school students can be inherently biased and may help their friends with occasional grade boosts, or do the opposite for their so-called enemies. This does not mean that all T.A.s are guilty of this wrongdoing, but how does a student receiving a questionable grade ascertain this information? Traditionally, teachers were the only source for all grades and were solely responsible for inputting them into the grading system. Now, tracing back potential grading errors has become a multilayered task. The notion of students being involved with determining my grades leads me to wonder, who really knows what I get on tests, quizzes, and homework? Aren’t these grades intended to be confidential? It isn’t difficult to imagine that this information might leak out in high school; information travels quickly in the new age of technology through Facebook and Twitter. In order for T.A.s to be effective and maintain confidentiality, there should be a written policy required for all T.A.s in which they expressly agree to terms of confidentiality and the honor code. Also, Teacher Assistants should not be granted access to Infinite Campus to see other students’ grades and should only be permitted to grade assignments for which subjectivity
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is not involved, such as multiple choice tests or quizzes. It is not fair to students who unknow-
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ingly put their hard-work in the hands of their peers with no control of the situation. As an issue of fairness, it is important that school officials place limits on T.A.s, and ensure that privacy and fairness is preserved for all students. by Sara Solomon
TEACHER SUPERLATIVES Trickiest Tester: Ms. Trent
Best Dressed: Ms. Besse
Most Likely to Attend an Athletic Event: Mr. Snow & Mr. Kryger
Most Organized: Mr. Whitnah
Biggest Little Kid: Mr. Stuart
Best Friends: Mr. Wellington & Mr. Amoroso
Best Person to Sit Next to in a Staff Meeting: Ms. Angelone
Staff Clown: Mr. Molieri
Coolest Car: Mr. Rubin & Ms. Rubin
by Megan Kilduff
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Most Likely to be Mistaken for a Student: Mr. Perry
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March 2013
Digital Illustrations The Friends Stefany Maldonado, 11th
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Photography HOMA Anna de Benedictis, Vanessa Wijaya, Fiona Gutierrez-Dewar, Samantha Bloom
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M U H
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March 2013
HONY at M-A: HOMA
The focal point of this issue is inspired by photographer Brandon Stanton and his fantastic photographic blog (on Facebook, Tumblr, www.humansofnewyork.com, etc.), Humans of New York, better known as HONY. To get more insight, The MArk contacted Stanton and per his referral, looked to his bio on his blog as well as a past interview with Bettery Magazine. After three years as a bond trader in Chicago, Stanton moved to New York City in 2010. Stanton recalls that only after two months, he was “living [in New York City] and working full time on Humans of New York.” He began taking unique, artistic portraits of people on the streets, originally intending to create a “photographic census of New York City.” However, the project evolved into something more as Stanton began to include dialogue or stories about his subjects to caption his photos, encapsulating the “diversity, the energy, the randomness, and above all the people,” of New York City. As Stanton reported, “I think HONY is unique because of its storytelling.” Today, over half a million people follow Stanton on Facebook and he is working on publishing two books. Stanton recently teamed up with former Star Trek star and current Facebook sensation, George Takei, to raise money to support victims of Hurricane Sandy as well as with founder of Tumblr, David Karp. He also took a trip to Iran to practice his unique brand of photojournalism, saying he’d “like to apply the HONY brand of storytelling to other cities as well.” Stanton has used his talent to start something fascinating, artful, and productive. His genius is that he highlights the range of people who inhabit one of the world’s most diverse cities in a way that reminds his followers every day that, above all else, we’re all part of the human race. A lot of our interactions with information and images on the web alienate us from one another, but HONY is a far-reaching community builder.
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High schools around the world, though most concentrated in New York, have started their own “Humans of…” pages. At Menlo-Atherton, we are uniquely situated to celebrate our differences—we’re one of the most diverse high schools in the state. Great photography can tell compelling stories, and there are so many of them here at M-A. The MArk 22 is proud to highlight them.
by Samantha Bloom
HUMANS
OF M-A Role of Photography:
Photos. Since the invention of the camera, they’ve played a powerful role in shaping culture and preserving personal and collective memories. Photos that have been widely disseminated are part of a collective consciousness—The Kiss, Napalm Girl, Satellite Photo of the Earth, the World Trade Center, Marilyn Monroe, Mushroom Cloud, Woodstock... The same images flicker across all our minds—the iconic photos. It used to be that photographers, journalists, and editors were the only custodians of visual culture. They took the photos and decided which ones were published. The act of publishing was powerful. But now, with the wide use of Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, people are creating their own iconography. Individuals are the authors of their own stories. Phones have cameras and therefore every moment is a photo opportunity. We are all our own curators and the storytelling is endless. We are looking at images more than we used to; it may even be changing our brain chemistry as we read less and rely more on photo-bytes. Whether we rely upon photographers and editors to feed our perceptions or create our own, photography is imagemaking. Taking a moment and telling a story can be compelling, but it can also be a distortion of reality. By nature, our powers of observation are limited. The human brain subconsciously filters the sensory stimuli it receives, and in the case of the eyes, it perceives only a small visual spectrum of existing light. Photographs further rarify our experience by isolating only what can be seen in the camera’s frame. They are often unreliable by definition, because the complexities and choices that inform the recording and dissemination of the image guarantee that it will not capture the full scope of events.
Photographs create enduring images that shape the way people think and feel and what they remember, however skewed. Once an image is widespread, debunking its origins can only go so far in erasing the perceived meaning.
by Samantha Bloom
the MArk
A moment or event creates the subject matter of photographs; photographs are able to maintain that moment or event’s relevance once it has passed. However, people tend to confabulate, adding details that were not evident when the photograph was taken, creating embellished impressions. When you lurk on a college student’s facebook page you see the good times—parties, hikes and hugs. You don’t see grueling hours spent in the library or homesickness, because nobody photographs or shares that. To our generation, Marilyn Monroe is a curvy blonde in a white dress with a seductive look on her face. To get the loneliness, desperation and alienation that rounds out her story, we’d have to watch a movie or read a book.
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HUMANS HUMANS
March 2013
Seen at Spring Club Rush.
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Seen near the tennis courts.
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* Matching beanies.
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A gift of DNA double helix earrings that would make even Mr. Roisen proud. Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, and Guanine anyone?
** “I run because I like feeling good about myself.”
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*** “Can I hold the tree?”
“The weight of travel on my sleeves. The path to wisdom comes with ease.”
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Dancing dudes.
“Activate your squirrel flaps.”
March 2013
HUMANS Extended Stories: * Wondering why the matching beanies? We did too. These hats were designed by a friend of Geovanu Rodriguez. The company logo he created is called Blackburn and they sell for fifteen dollars. If you keep an eye out you’ll likely spot many students wearing hats of similar style but in varying colors.
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** Students have probably felt the wind whip their hair as senior Sharef Beckman shoots by in the hallway. But running is not all Sharef does; he “started doing parkour freshman year after discovering that [he] really liked running.” He explained “I like to get from point A to point B as fast as possible because walking takes too long.” Sharef had some wise words to share: “Live life fast and sure-footed or else time might just pass you by.”
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Humans’ best friends.
*** Her tiny sweet voice would not leave one thinking she could belt out award winning jazz tunes, but indeed senior Christina Takayama does. That is a different story though, as Takayama is also known for possessing an edgy, offbeat style. She rocks prints, textures, and tights no one else would even dream of putting together, not to mention accessories and funky hair highlights. Her style is inspired by Japanese fashion. She “loves how people there embrace their own uniqueness” and aren’t afraid to diverge from the “normal/safe trends.” When asked where she shops, Christina said “I ABSOLUTELY LOVE SAVERS (a thrift store in downtown Redwood City) and thrifting in general. Since all the clothes at a thrift store are second-hand, it is guaranteed that whatever you buy will be unique and one-of-akind. Plus, since you’re recycling clothes, you’re also helping the environment...and everything is extremely cheap!” Takayama often finds clothing under five dollars. It is impressive to find someone dressing so well for so little. The trench coat she sported on this day is complete with a velvet lined hood and is a treasure from a recent Savers expedition.
Though a picture is worth a thousand words, we decided to make the unique stories behind some of our photographs more explicit. There is always a story beyond what we simply see.
**** You’ve probably seen him practicing in the hallways but his gloving goes beyond a casual pastime. Senior Caleb Cheng is actually the Northern California promoter for the glove company Amazing Lights. Caleb got into gloving a couple years ago when he got into techno and dubstep music and happened upon a video of a professional glover that inspired him. He calls gloving an art form because “you’re dancing along with the music and being creative as well.” Caleb has even competed in gloving competitions down in Southern California where the gloving culture is more prevalent. “The level there is so intense! You think you’re good up here, but down there it’s a whole new world. You seem like an amateur!” Cheng speaks modestly, as he has won first and fourth place in past competitions. All the while as we talked he gloved for us, showing us different tricks, explaining how to conjure, and describing all the possible moves that exist.
by Fiona Gutierrez-Dewar
Pencil Animal Sketches Clara Dewey
OF M-A Interview with Senior Jack Boyle:
The head photographer of The MArk’s perspective and advice on his serious hobby.
The MArk: What does photography mean to you? Jack Boyle: Photography is like an outlet where I can just go and express myself or capture the area I live in. Anything I take a picture of I consider my own artwork. The MArk: What have you accomplished so far with photography? Jack Boyle: I have given many friends portraits that they love, and taken a lot of beautiful scenery pictures of landscapes. The MArk: What inspires your photographs? Jack Boyle: I guess just walking around. I’ll see things that catch my eye. I don’t necessarily go out to shoot looking for one thing in particular. I let it just come to me, or I’ll see it when I’m in the moment. The MArk: What do you aspire to do with your photography? Jack Boyle: I definitely would like to continue photography throughout my life as a serious hobby. I love having a camera around to capture the moments of my life with my friends and family and everything. The MArk: Do you have any advice or insight for aspiring photographers here at M-A? Jack Boyle: It doesn’t matter what kind of camera you have or what gear you have. Don’t feel intimidated by media and just do your own thing. There is no right or wrong with photography. You can make it however you want it to be.
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by Joanne Cho
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HUMANS
March 2013
Jammin’ on the patio.
“Why the African drum?” “I heard we were doing cosine-sine chanting in Pre-calc. I was like, ‘I have to bring my African drum!’”
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**** “Its kind of an art form where you are dancing along with the music . You are being creative.”
Seen on the PAC Patio.
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Tie-dye.
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Project Mayhem, am I right?
“This photo is kinda awkward. I like it.”
“Can I eat my orange?”
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Outfitted by Wasteland.
Hair.
Plaid spotted in the D-wing. Seen at Club Rush.
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March 2013
Truth Is...
Setting autumn sun, Slipping below pastry clouds, On descent, it paints, Each stroke altering the sky, Vanishing beneath the horizon, Bathing our world in night, Promised return to day, Knowing always, another ray by Anonymous
Once upon a time, a more peaceful time, you worried about the in-crowd And attempting to make acquaintances laugh loud. But, as time does pass, the “friends� with the last laughs begin to laugh first because they take disgust in your thirst, your thirst for life beyond the bullsh*t, reality. But the people that meant the most and the best begin to shift with unrest at the moments in your life that were your least greatest and, yet, here you are. Yes, you made it. Still, one question you ask, without a worthy response: How did I finish doing what I loved with my head held high...and all at once? The answer is as simple as speaking your own name but as difficult as thinking construction and designing are one and the same because the truth is...you kept being you, really by Sharef Beckum
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Photography Untitled Maddie Maibach
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Divorce
A Student’s Perspective
illustration by Lauren Smith
judicial declaration dissolving a marriage in whole or in part. However, for the kids who have experienced or are experiencing a divorce right now, this word means so much more. Recently my parents informed me that they were getting a divorce. It was terrifying to realize that everything about my life was going to change. Divorce is a scary thing to face: even though about 41% of first marriages end in divorce, you never think it will happen with your own parents. Until it does. The important thing to remember is to not hold all your feelings inside, according to a therapist from StarVista in the guidance office Rachael Venezia. As she says, “it’s important for kids and teens to have someone whom they trust that they can talk to about what is going on in their lives.” Often times, I ask my friends who have been through a divorce to help me figure out the next step. It is a comfort to know I am not alone and that I have people that I can rely on. The changes that ensue following a divorce are frightening. A common and upsetting accompaniment of divorce is moving. I have lived in the same house since I was
four years old and parting with it is really difficult. But it’s not only leaving the material entity, it’s leaving the atmosphere: my neighbors who I have known forever and the stability which my house represents. However, moving is only one of the many destabilizing aspects of divorce. For Jennifer Black, a sophomore at M-A, her parents’ divorce made her “afraid of losing one of her parents and not being allowed to see one, ever.” Custody is a major issue that comes up with divorce. It creates a lot of tension in households as well. Often, in order to get custody, parents will ask their kids to testify against their ex-spouse, not realizing how difficult it is for the children. Whatever it is that scares you most, whatever gets thrown in your path, the best way to handle these challenges is to talk to a friend or parent about it and not hold it all inside. As time goes on and the changes become less fresh, you and I will feel normal again. Although divorce is scary, hard, and emotional, it is not insurmountable. Even though it creates instability and the changes are confusing, with time, it will become normal and everything will be okay.
by MW
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Divorce, as defined by the dictionary, is a
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March 2013
Ads
Vs. Reality
The MArk staff decided to visit places M-A students go to eat out to decide whether the actual products lived up to the advertisements.
Taco Bell The crunchiness of the taco shell, the crispness of the lettuce, and the savory image of the meat was a complete misrepresentation of the actual product.
Posh Bagel Although the bagel at Posh looked delicious, the absence of the “fluffy” cream cheese as shown in the advertisement, kept Posh Bagel from getting a 5/5.
In-N-Out Burger The colorful and juicy appearance of the burger in the advertisement failed to show the greasiness of the bread and the sogginess of the ingredients in the actual product.
Starbucks Coffee The actual product lived up to the delicious depiction of separated milk and coffee as shown in the advertisement.
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Cold Stone Creamery
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Cold Stone did a great job with incorporating all the ingredients shown in the picture, but did not quite capture the appeal of the fudge and the chocolate chips that makes the advertisement so tantalizing.
by Cayla Stillman
Bears in the Kitchen Hey Bears! Spring has almost arrived! If you have some spare time, try this recipe for minestrone soup submitted by Ms. Klein, our Food and Nutrition teacher. This vegan minestrone soup makes a great snack, lunch, or dinner for a crisp or rainy spring day.
Minestrone (Vegan) Submitted by Ms. Klein Ingredients: Prep time: 20 minutes Start to ďŹ nish: 1 hour Makes: Eight 1 ½ cup servings
Instructions: 1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for only 1 minute. 2. Stir in the stock, zucchini, carrot, potato, green beans, corn, greens, lemon peel, rosemary, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, and pepper. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. 3. Stir in the pasta, tomatoes and their juice, and the beans. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. 4. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and serve hot. NOTE: You may use up to 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil wwleaves if it is available. In this case, omit the dry basil. Add the fresh basil just before serving. You can also add mashed pine nuts.
by Ally Ostrow
the MArk
3 tablespoons olive oil 1 small to medium onion, chopped 4 small to medium cloves garlic (or 3 large), minced or pressed 5 cups vegetable stock and 1 cup water 1 small zucchini, medium diced (1/2 inch dice) 1 carrot, medium diced 1 small potato, medium diced 1 cup green beans (can be frozen; cut into 1 inch pieces or French cut) 1/2 cup corn 1 leaf of greens of your choice (spinach, collard, beet greens, etc.) shredded 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel (fresh or dry) 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves or 3 tablespoons fresh basil if available 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup pasta of your choice (elbow macaroni, orzo, bow ties, small shells, etc.) 1 can (14.5 or 15 oz.) stewed tomatoes and their juice 1 can (14.5 or 15 oz.) garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed 1 can (14.5 or 15 oz.) red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
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March 2013
Teen Depression We look at our peers’ smiles, believing everything is fine and dandy. What we don’t see is the internal war they’re fighting everyday. M-A students were brave enough to share their stories with The MArk.
W
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e all feel a little blue sometimes, but people who have depression know it’s something far more serious than just feeling sad. Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain; therefore, individuals have absolutely no control over it. Depression can be genetic and no one is immune. Statistically, twenty percent of teens will experience depression before they reach adulthood. This means that one in five teens will suffer from depression. Females are twice 33 as likely to suffer from depression than males. The fraction of
teens who receive any sort of treatment or intervention is a measly thirty percent. The remaining seventy percent wrestle with the difficulties of depression alone. There are many triggers for depression. Certain personalities are more vulnerable to depression than others. A person’s environment can also be a cause. If someone is continuously exposed to violence, neglected, or abused they’re more likely to fall victim to depression. Additionally, a medical illness can result in depression. The most important part to keep in mind is that none of these reasons are within the individual’s control.
“The worst thing is feeling stupid for feeling this way.”
M-A student Jane* shared about her struggle with depression with The MArk. Her case was biological, meaning caused by a chemical imbalance. “I’ve had self-harm issues since I was nine years old, so I kind of knew that something wasn’t right with me. I had a lot of other issues too, like obsessive-compulsive habits. I had eating problems when I was in middle school and I think that all of those combined made me think that something was really wrong with me,” recalls Jane. “I was one of the most severe [cases] I had heard of. I actually was hospitalized at a psychiatric hospital in San Francisco freshman year for suicidal issues. I didn’t really talk about it a lot, so I don’t think a lot of people know how severe my case really was,” says Jane. To get treatment, “it was a long process, especially with the doctors and medication. It was really expensive for my parents. I felt kind of bad for them because they had to pay for all of it,” says Jane. “Getting medicated requires that you get tested a bunch, do a lot of blood work, and then while I was hospitalized, they upped my dosage. Then I had some side-effects from one of my medicines, so they had to give me other medicines to counteract that.” The Prozac made her tired all the time and she just wanted to be herself. One of the side-effects of Prozac is suicidal thoughts and this caused complications to her treatment. She reflected, “now that I think about Photography it, getting the right medicine was Brilliance one of the most important steps Lauren Nathan, 11th to my recovery.” It is important to talk to a psychologist or a physician and they will conduct a thorough evaluation. For treatment, anti-depressants can be prescribed to help correct the chemical imbalances. “I’m on quite a few medications. I used to be on 13 pills a day, now I’m just on four. I’m on the anti-depressent Prozac, 60 milligrams. It’s a selective serotonin reuptake inhibiter (SSRI) which just keeps the serotonin in my brain around longer,” says Jane. For mild cases, talk therapy is a good fit. For severe cases of depression, talk therapy and anti-depressants can both be used. Another M-A student, Joe* said, “It was persistent. Depression was something that would make me unmotivated and not want to be around people.” In the winter of his sophomore year, he noticed he was stressing about the future and throughout the next semester it felt more than just the little things. “For a while, I thought I was just an angsty teen,” says Joe. He self-identified his depression in June of that year, saying, “it took me getting drunk and calling my friend for four hours, crying to realize it was more than stress,” Joe said. Joe told his doctor and they decided on therapy once a week or once every two weeks. He didn’t really want to take anti-depressants
if he didn’t have to. “It’s really dependent on your situation but the most helpful was talking to someone consistently,” says Joe. One useful strategy if you’re having a bad day is to just write it down on paper. Getting it out by talking or writing helps. If we see someone depressed, we have a tendency to retreat. However, that might not be the best thing, because often the most important road to recovery starts with support from others. As Jane puts it, “Not a lot of people actually realize it sucks to be sad all the time, like really depressed all the time. It’s an awful feeling.” Sometimes, all someone who’s battling depression wants is to talk. Jane notes that for her she needed her friends to understand that sometimes she’s “not always going to want to go and hang out with people.” She believes it’s important for people with depressed friends to know that they are going to have mood swings. “If you can be by their side the entire time, then that’s going to be really helpful. Just understand that we’re not always going to want to be social.” Not a lot of Joe’s friends know about his battle with depression; only his close friends are aware. Those who have dealt with depression understand it, but others might not get it. “The worst thing is feeling stupid for feeling this way,” says Joe. Friends need to be supportive and not push you into stuff. “The worst thing people can say is ‘just be happy”-it’s like someone cut off your arm and tells you to throw a baseball,” Joe advises. People suffering from depression are going through something many of us can’t begin to comprehend, and it’s frightening, but this is when they need the most support from their loved ones. It’s important to remember that we just need to be available when they need us.
“Not a lot of people actually realize it sucks to be sad all the time, like really depressed. It’s an awful feeling.”
“The worst thing people can say is ‘just be happy’-it’s like someone cut off your arm and tells you to throw a baseball.”
by Alexis Magana
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*Name has been changed
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March 2013
M-A Goes Legally Blonde!
by Helmi Henkin
Oh. My. God. Ohmigod you guys! This spring, the M-A International Thespian Society is staging a production of the critically acclaimed musical, Legally Blonde! The MArk Staff asked people involved in all aspects of the show what they were most excited about.
Techies: Sophie Zalipsky, freshman, run crew: What are you most excited about? I’m really excited to hear the songs! What is your favorite song? “Omigod You Guys” Aliza Katzman freshman, costumes: What are you most excited about? I’m really excited for a lot of things so it’s hard to say! I haven’t really met many of the actors yet so it’ll be interesting to get to know them, and I really enjoy spending time with all the techies (and of course getting work done) so I would say that I’m looking forward to pretty much everything! What is your favorite song? “Gay or European”
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Nicky Ivy, junior, sound: What are you most excited about? I’m excited for the fact that this will be a very complicated production and all the pieces have to fall together properly.
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Henri Wood freshman, lights: What are you most excited about? I’m super excited to learn how to work lights because last show I didn’t do anything important backstage and I’m pretty excited to be useful this time around. What is your favorite song? “Bend and Snap” Elissa Webb, senior, Student Tech Coordinator/rigging: What are you most excited about? This is my last show (and my eighth show) at M-A, so it’s actually a little bit sad for me in some ways. I’m really looking forward to working with my friends, because a lot of them are acting in or doing tech for this show. What is your favorite song? I do not have one (yet).
Sophi Bock, sophomore, stage manager: What is your favorite part about being stage manager? I love theater, and even though I love acting and I love tech, I also love being able to do things that mix leadership with my other skills and hobbies. I love being able to kind of be two things at once and be able to mix my love for theater and my love for leading. I also love how it’s a different dynamic with the cast because I get to know them all better because I interact with them personally. Sometimes when you’re an actor or a techie you only get to know certain actors and techies, but since I’m doing this I’m getting to know everybody an equal amount and I just love everybody in our cast. We have the perfect cast; it’s great. What are you most excited about? I’m really excited for the finale number on the first night, Hell Week, and just to stage manage! I’ve never stage managed before!” What is your favorite song? “So Much Better”
Hanna Berggren, Elle Woods, rgets her makeup done for publicity shots!
Actors: Ariel Sullivan, freshman, Ensemble: What are you most excited about? I’m excited about all of the costumes I get to wear! What is your favorite song? “Chip On My Shoulder” Lea Amzallag, junior, Vivienne Kensington: What are you most excited about? I’m excited about all of our hard work paying off in the end. What is your favorite song? “Positive” Sura Tewolde, senior, Brooke Wyndham: What are you most excited about? I’m excited about performing! What is your favorite song? “Ohmigod You Guys”
The cast of Legally Blonde performed a preview of “Bend and Snap” at the latest rally!
Ginny Gao, freshman, Ensemble: What are you most excited about? I’m excited about singing the songs! What is your favorite song? “Bend and Snap”
Untitled Photography Maggie Asher, 12th
Matthew Schertler, senior, Frat Boy/ Pforzheimer/Aaron Schultz: What are you most excited about? Everything! What is your favorite song? All of them!
Melvin Grande, freshman, Grandmaster Chad/Winthrop/Kyle (UPS Guy): What are you most excited about? I am super excited about the show in general, we are all an outstanding cast, and I’m totally sure that everyone who sees the show will LOVE it. What is your favorite song? My favorite song in the musical is called “Bend and Snap” because it’s entirely dedicated to train a woman how to impress me. The song in general is really catchy!
Eliza Gutierrez Dewar, sophomore, Pilar: What are you most excited for? I’m excited for opening night! What is your favorite song? “Take It Like a Man” Charlie Campbell, freshman, Elle’s Dad/Lowell: What are you most excited about? I’m excited for the performances. Everybody in the cast has been working really hard and it will be our crowning achievement. What is your favorite song? “Bend and Snap”
Hanna Berggren, senior, Elle Woods: What are you most excited about? I’m most excited to work with this amazing cast! What is your favorite song? “What You Want”
Josh Weiner, junior, Emmett Forrest: What are you most excited about? I really enjoy opening night when you’re pumped up on adrenaline and you walk out on stage for your first scene, your heart’s pounding, and then you finally get into character and you calm down and you really solidify yourself onstage and then you just go with it. It’s a great feeling to finally get into your place on stage. What is your favorite song? “Chip On My Shoulder”
The cast of Legally Blonde performed a preview of “Legally Blonde Remix” at Spring Club Rush!
Pit Orchestra Musicians:
Amanda Muir, junior, violin: What are you most excited about? I’m excited to watch the actors perform! What is your favorite song? “Whipped Into Shape” Kendall Lee, sophomore, saxophones: What are you most excited about? I’m most excited about being in the pit and going to the cast parties! What is your favorite song? “Blood in the Water” Nina Fox, sophomore, violinist: What are you most excited about? I’m excited about everything coming together and the show being one magical musical! What is your favorite song? I don’t know yet, I love them all!
Caroline Hodes, sophomore, piccolo/flutist: What are you most excited about? I’m excited about working with the singers. I also have solos in “Omigod You Guys” and “Chip On My Shoulder” that are pretty noticeable. That’s a little scary, but exciting. What is your favorite song? It changes every week, but at the moment I enjoy the lyrics in “Positive.” Ryan Jacquemet, sophomore trombone: What are you most excited about? I’m excited about playing the music! What is your favorite song? “Kyle the Magnificent”
Dates and Times: Friday, March 15 7:30 PM Saturday, March 16 2:00 PM Saturday, March 16 7:30 PM Wednesday, March 20 7:30 PM Thursday, March 21 7:30 PM Friday, March 22 7:30 PM
Alex Kim, freshman, drums: What are you most excited about? I’m excited about being in the pit, since I’ve never done that before! What is your favorite song? “Exit Music”
Ticket Prices: $12 Adults $8 Students/Seniors Group discounts available Purchase tickets at the box office or online at www.thecenteratma.org
the MArk
Blanca Viña Patiño, sophomore, violin: What are you most excited about? Everything! What is your favorite song? “Ireland”
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March 2013
Kick
As current seniors await their letters of acceptance from colleges, certain student athletes are free from such anticipation. Junior Zoe Pacalin and Seniors Ali Spindt and Evan Perkins are among those who have gotten this kick start. What was the overall process like? I started looking at schools earlier than other students because I knew I wanted to play in college. I looked for schools that met both my academic and athletic criteria, which narrowed things down. Then it was a matter of contacting the coaches of the schools I was interested in. I emailed them a player profile to express my interest and hoped that they would watch me play and consider me for their team. NCAA rules, which are hard to navigate, dictate that coaches cannot respond or reach out to you until September 1 of junior year, but since a lot of recruiting happens before that, the player has to reach out. Sometimes a coach will monitor a player’s progress for months or even a year before reaching out and sometimes they will email your coach and have them pass it onto you. After emailing coaches, I would watch practices or games and try to see what classes were like. If you have talked to a coach and gotten an interested response, you may get an offer. An offer sometimes includes a scholarship, but lots of people commit without scholarships. Committing and getting a scholarship are not the same thing, as scholarships often depend on how much money the family has and the team has a finite amount of scholarship money to go around. Once the coach has offered a commit, the ball is in the player’s court. I have a verbal committment right now. Once I apply, if I get in (which, while most people think is guaranteed, it’s not!) I can sign a contract February of my senior year. Then, that would make it a written committment. Zoe Pacalin
Soccer
Did it affect your schoolwork or shift your priorities? If anything, committing has motivated me to do more in school. Now that I know I’m close, it feels more tangible--something I want to protect, versus something just possibly in sight. My priorities have been the same since before I started middle school: school and soccer come first, and when they conflict, I weigh each situation differently.
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How did you decide you wanted to pursue soccer in college? Pursuing soccer in college was an easy decision for me. I’ve never doubted it. Soccer is such a big part of my life that I can’t imagine being happy without it. I love training, I love getting on the field to compete and looking across to the other team and thinking: this is it: your team against my team. We’re here to prove we’ve trained harder and we deserve this more than you. And a little adrenaline rushes down my spine. There’s no other feeling in the world like that of playing for my team, nothing more satisfying, more rewarding. Soccer is a sport I appreciate for how it is played, and because of this, I take pride not just in winning, but in how we win. If I win but I wasn’t playing soccer in the true, pure sense, it’s not a victory in my mind.
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Emily Carlson (Claremont McKenna lacrosse), Laura May (Cal crew), Ali Spindt (UCSB volleyball), Dana Gornick (Cal Poly-SLO soccer), Katelyn Doherty (Bowdoin volleyball), Evan Perkins (Princeton football), and Brian Kelley (Trinity College soccer).
Photography Luis Martinez, 12th
Start by Lindy LaPlante
What was the overall process like? I reached out to a bunch of coaches in the spring to see where I could get interest but the real correspondences began when I started going to camps over the summer. I got a lot of exposure from camps at Stanford and Boston College. Harvard and Yale watched me first and took interest after Stanford; Princeton really took interest in me after the Boston College camp where I was on a renegades team under one of their position coaches. Penn was interested from just seeing film. I kept in contact with all of them throughout the season, updating them with film and stats. After the season ended, many of them came by M-A and that was where I could start telling how interested they really were. The only official visit I took was to Princeton because I knew it would be a good fit for me, so I turned down the roster spot offers and official visits from Harvard and Penn. Did it affect your schoolwork or shift your priorities? Committing early definitely relieved a lot of stress with applications and schoolwork, making it more of a “don't-mess-up” situation than worrying over whether what I was doing was enough to get me in.
Ali Spindt Volleyball What was the overall process like? The UCSB coaches saw me play volleyball and talked to my coach about me, so I contacted them back at the end of sophomore year and then they asked me to come down for an unofficial visit to meet some of the team and tour the school. The coaches don’t usually offer you an unofficial visit but I was lucky and UCSB did! So that’s how I committed. Then once I was committed I went on an official visit and stayed with a girl on the team and went to class with her and I went out at night with the team! Did it affect your schoolwork or shift your priorities? It did not affect my school work that much because I still had to keep above a certain grade point average for UCSB, and then there is my parents, who set a higher GPA goal for me of course, but I have to admit it does take a lot of stress off of me so I am able to focus on training, getting stronger, and getting better. I know for some of my friends on my team who are going to Yale, Columbia and other Ivy League schools, they are allowed only one or two B’s, and C’s are absolutely unacceptable and they have to get a much higher SAT score.
How did you decide you wanted to pursue football in college and what about Princeton specifically grabbed you? Even though I've only played since freshman year, it became such a big part of my life over the past few years. Football is a team sport like no other with a team dynamic and I love that aspect of it. I also love the competition of it because it is on both a team and an individual level. The thing that really got me about Princeton was the way the program is set up around values similar to what made me love M-A football so much. They have a big emphasis on camaraderie and the importance of every person in the organization. Their coaching staff has been there three years now and since they came in, the team has been on the up-and-up. It's going to be their first year with all their recruiting classes and I thought it'd be a great time to get involved in a program headed in a great direction. Also, after meeting the guys and the rest of the staff on my official visit, I knew it was a place I'd be comfortable and was the place I wanted to go.
the MArk
How did you decide you wanted to pursue volleyball in college and what about UCSB specifically grabbed you? I’ve known since 8th grade that I wanted to play volleyball in college just because I love the game so much and playing at the college level will just be so fun! I love the beach and the beach town environment. The academics there are also really great and everyone on the team seems super nice and cool.
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Evan Perkins Football
College Junk Mail
March 2013
by Olivia Solomon & Peter Siegler
Attention Senior Bears! Now that the college application process is over, you’re probably looking for something to do with all that extra time. The MArk staff has come up with creative ways to turn your college junk mail (which you probably have piles of) into something special. Here are some ideas on how to spend your free time and clear the clutter:
Origami
Geisha Fan
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Party Hats
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Paper Doll Chain
Snowakes
Masks
Make It Rain
Cootie-Catcher
Trashketball
Hacky Sack
Revamp Your Shoes
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Confetti!
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