The MArk

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May 2013

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12 11 1 4-5 Introduction Page 2 10 6-7 Freshman Advice Column 3 Problems 8-9 9Solutions to Your M-A 10 Talking Sports With Dave Flemming 8 4 11 Submission 12 Pride: 7Or Lack Thereof...

5 6 13 Too Cute 14-17 Breaking the Cycle 18-19 Rape Culture 12 20-21 I Feel 11 So Gross 1 22-2310Sports Section and 2 Help Wanted 24-25 See For Yourself...

26 Let’s 9 Do the Time Warp 3 27 Time of Our Lives 28-298Quotes By You 4 30-31 Overcoming Inequity 7 5 32 Sunset Celebration Weekend 6 33 Bears in the Kitchen 34 The M-A Rifle Club 12 35-36 Submissions 11 1 37 M-Arkstagram 10 2 38 Submission 39 Jesus 9 3 40-43 Senior Farewell 44-458Submissions 4 46-47 Closing Page 7 5 6

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OUTGOING 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

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Incoming Editorial Staff

Contributors Gabe Cohen Nimsi Garcia Francesca Gilles Helmi Henkin 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 Megan Wiebe

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.

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Joanne Cho Cayla Stillman Megan Kilduff Lindy LaPlante

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The youth of every generation sees themselves as risk takers...

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Magazine Clippings Crowded Vivian Qiu, 12th

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We are no exception. From our perspective, we are the boundary pushers, constantly entering new realms of innovation, plunging into the future. It is evident in every aspect of our lifestyles. It is in our clothing: everyday shorter, more transparent, and brighter. Yet this new level of risqué will soon seem as tame as the flapper dresses of the twenties and the lowslung bell-bottoms of the sixties. We see it in our music: techno, dubstep, and other electronic genres have erupted. Yet it will become as widely accepted as the once profligate rock and roll of fifties. It is in our technology: iPhones, laptops, drones. It will all be left behind, as distant a memory as Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone, typewriters, and muskets. This presents us with the question of how our generation will actually be regarded in retrospect. The May issue of The MArk explores the overarching themes and discontinuities in our culture.

Approach each article as a shard of the mosaic that is our generation, each fragment representing only a small part of the whole.

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May 2013

Freshman Advice Column because you need it!

written and illustrated by Nimsi Garcia

Seniors’ Parting Advice Hello, freshmen! For this issue, as it is my last, all the seniors on The MArk staff are wishing you farewell with some advice for your remaining years here at Menlo-Atherton.

After June 6, 2013, you will no longer be freshmen! It is an exciting thought, I know. However, this means that now your teachers will hold you to higher standards, academically and socially. I hope that what we have to say can help you out in your upcoming years.

Staying stress-free is key to enjoying high school; however, that doesn’t mean you should be lazy. Taking easy classes is an obvious way to avoid stress, but challenging yourself can also be enjoyable and it does not always have to be impossible to get through. AP and AS classes sound terrifying, but in order to really know what it is like, you have to try it out for yourself. By that, I do not mean signing up for the class and then dropping it after the first day because it sounds difficult or the teacher looks scary; instead, stick to it and give the class your best effort.

This does not mean you have to take every possible AP or AS class that you can and stress yourself out too much. It just means challenging yourself to improve and trying new things.

There are electives for a reason: to have fun and be creative.

There are many great classes that you can take such as art, drawing/painting, guitar, choir, photography, journalism, food and nutrition, woodshop, etc.

You also have to remember that your first few years can greatly affect your GPA. Despite what many people say, do not slack off and depend on your last years to catch up. It becomes very stressful and you end up doing more work than necessary. I let my grades slip freshman and sophomore years and ended up having to pay for it later on. Fortunately, I did not have much to make up. Nevertheless, just keep your grades up and do your best. In the end, it will have been worth it and you will be very glad that you did not slack off to begin with.Your GPA will reflect all the hard work you did.

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If you ask any senior what is one thing that they regret most, they’ll probably tell you that they wished they had been more involved. When a lot of people start high school they think that being involved in the school activities is “lame.” That is not true; being involved can be a lot of fun. You get to meet so many people with diverse backgrounds; you also make many new friends along the way. Just like you shouldn’t be afraid of 6 academics, you shouldn’t fear socializing. It is not a bad thing

as long as you do not ignore your grades just to be with your friends. Have fun with both! A great way to get involved and have fun is by joining clubs. Our school has a wide variety of them, all suited to different things people enjoy. There are three simple steps for this: find one you like, join it, and enjoy it.

Ultimately, it is a balancing act. What I have learned from my years here at Menlo-Atherton is that you can’t always control everything. There will be times when you get stressed out, maybe a little depressed, or, conversely, when you are having the best time of your life. Learn to balance everything. Don’t be so uptight, but don’t stop caring about everything either. It is a hard concept to grasp, but you will make it. And once you reach your last year, during those last few days, you will find yourself looking back. Don’t make it a regretful remembrance; make it a joyous one.

Don’t overload yourself with a bunch of classes that you might not even need. Moderation is key.

“I hate to say it, but your GPA in your first few years of high school will determine how it All turns out.” –Suzie McMurtry “Keep your grades up!” –Alexis MagaNa

Don’t be scared of classes that seem hard.

“Work hard! It’s easier to get good grades freshman and sophomore years and it’ll give your GPA a boost.” –Olivia Solomon “Make new friends, don’t stay in your bubble.” –Anna de Benedictis “Don’t be so stressed out and shy, [high school is] a welcoming place if you just branch out and be yourself” –Fiona G. Dewar

“Get into clubs! ...Go to sports games, and support your classmates!” –Anna de Benedictis “Enjoy [your] high school experience and take it as an opportunity to learn and grow.” –Samantha Bloom

Balance

“Pushing yourself to get involved and takIng hard classes can seem intimidating, but... the satisfaction that will arise from applying yourself to challenges is sweet” -Fiona G. Dewar “Really try hard your first few years and challenge yourself.” –Peter Siegler “Challenge yourself.” -Lauren Smith

“Avoid getting caught wearing booty shorts.”

-Erendira Parra

Watch out for those booty shorts

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“Take electives that you enjoy! They’re supposed to be a good part of your day. Not a hassle... Take classes that [you] can handle.” –Simone King

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May 2013

Solutions To Your M-A Problems

Tired of coming into contact with exotic, tropical diseases in the M-A bathrooms?

Protect yourself in our state-of-the-art, bathroom-proof hazmat suits!

Now in Fuschia

by Olivia Solomon, Peter Siegler & Suzie McMurtry

Boost your grades in those tough classes with our extra credit coupons!

Sick of listening to your substitute teachers drone on for block periods at a time? Not

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an issue anymore! Try our new noise-

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cancelling headphones to block out that unwanted sound.

Hey, Seniors! Still figuring out what to wear to grad night? Worried about overheating under the hot summer moon? Not to worry! Slip on our new M-A-themed nipple tassels (inspired by the graduation caps) and stay cool all night.

New!

Whenever you feel yourself getting off-track, just whip out your trusty, industrial-strength horse-blinders!

Perfect for those stimulating lectures.

Admins spot your shorty-shorts?

Just pull the emergency modesty (or should we say “monastery”) tab and be cloaked in a nice habit! Now you’ve got enough clothes on to satisfy this secular institution!

Photography Suzie McMurtry

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Also comes in Monk variety

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TALKING with SPORTS

May 2013

The MArk was fortunate enough to catch up with Dave Flemming, now beginning his tenth full season as a broadcaster with the San Francisco Giants. In addition to his duties with the Giants, Dave currently serves as the radio voice of Stanford Football. He also works extensively as a play-by-play broadcaster for both ESPN and ESPN radio, covering college basketball, college football, and the NBA. The MArk: When did you know that you wanted to pursue broadcasting as a career?

Dave Flemming: I didn’t know until I was well into my time in college that I’d try to make broadcasting my career.

Until then it was a hobby. But I was getting better at it, people were giving me some positive feedback, and I loved doing it. So I decided I was going to try.

The MArk: What kind of preparation, either in school or professionally, did you pursue to improve your chances of getting into broadcasting?

Flemming: The biggest factor in being a good broadcaster is doing as many broadcasts as possible - it requires a lot of repetition. So as a student I called as many games as possible. I missed out on studying abroad, for example, so I didn’t miss a season of broadcasting. I also believe that learning to be a better reader and writer helped me.

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The MArk: What advice do you have to young people who are considering a career in broadcasting, either in front of or behind the camera?

Flemming: Two things - you have to do as much of the work as possible, so you can go from being terrible at it (as all of us are when we start) to improving. Cannot replicate that hands-on experience. I also tell people you cannot get into the business for glamour. The first jobs any of us have in broadcasting are the opposite of glamorous.

The MArk: Many people are familiar with your work with the Giants, Stanford and ESPN. Can you tell us about some of your work as you started your career, and maybe some of the not-so-glamorous aspects, locations or experiences?

Flemming: My first professional job was to call games for the Visalia Oaks. I was the broadcaster, and also the team’s Assistant General Manager. I vacuumed the clubhouses, painted the ballpark, changed kegs in the concession stands in between innings, and even washed the player laundry in a pinch. And I did it all for very little money, while riding buses around the California League and staying in dirty hotels. I loved it, but was happy to move on.

The MArk: What have been highlights of your career as a 11 broadcaster?

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Flemming: Many moments stand out. But calling the final out of a World Series with the Giants was a thrill, and something most broadcasters never experience. At Stanford, I called the huge upset at USC in 2007 that shocked the sports world, but I enjoyed Stanford’s win at USC in 2011 even more. One of the best games I have ever seen.

This season I got to work at a few Laker games for ESPN. I’ve always appreciated Kobe Bryant, but I called a couple of incredible performances by him that were really fun to watch.

The MArk: Have you had a favorite athlete to interview or be around?

Flemming: Many that I have enjoyed immensely. I loved a Stanford basketball player when I was a student named Brevin Knight, he was an incredible competitor and a very funny guy. He helped whip me into shape as a young broadcaster. Kirk Rueter was a Giants pitcher I am still friends with - just a super nice guy and great sports fan. And the two guys who are so alike who I love covering because they are just so impressive are Andrew Luck and Buster Posey.

Talented, hard working, great teammates - the ultimate star athletes.

The MArk: On the professional level, do you spend a lot of personal time with the Giants players, coaches or staff, either at home or on the road?

Flemming: Sure. For one, I couldn’t avoid them even if I wanted to! We are on the plane together, in the hotel together. I talk to our manager Bruce Bochy and the coaches every day. They are great with giving me information, teaching me about the game, talking about what is going on in the sport.

I get along well with the players, but usually give them their space.

The MArk: What is a typical day like for you and the other broadcasters when you are away on a long baseball road trip?

Flemming: I try to sleep in a bit on the road - we have long, late nights in my job, and part of doing the job well is being rested. So I catch up on sleep on the road. I usually will get up and have a cup of coffee and some breakfast while reading the newspapers and some websites I like to visit - that’s the beginning of my preparation every day - just reading about what’s happening. We broadcasters may meet for lunch, or I might play golf once a week on the road or something. I try to exercise for a bit, and then we head to the ballpark around 4 pm for a night game. Oh, I’ll also take a nap if the nighttime sleep just wasn’t enough!

For you avid Flemming fans, we hope that this article gave you more insight into his career as a journalist.

Nostalgic Anonymous

Charcoal Faces Becca Milman, 12th

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nostalgic for when i looked forward to you. someone near, dear, warm, and close. and now i train my eyes on a future distant, fuzzy, and far. what’s so wrenchingyou, your light, your warmth. in the grayness of now.

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May 2013

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P R I D E

OR LACK THEREOF...

by Gabe Cohen “M-A! U Know! M-A! U Know!” The rally MCs so desperately scream to the student body, jammed into the bleachers. For the next 30 seconds, the false sense of school spirit echoes throughout the campus as the students ecstatically shout our grammatically incorrect and, honestly, befuddling cheer. I sit and think to myself as an inflated, lubricated condom hits me in the face, Honestly, who came up with this chant? Could we not create anything slightly more clever or captivating? And if we must keep it, why can’t we at least spell out the “U”? Maybe I am part of the problem, but instead of pointing fingers, let’s delve into the exciting world that is Menlo-Atherton P.R.I.D.E. The spirit week at M-A consists of several alluring dress-up days and activities. For instance one of the biggest turn-outs annually is Twin Day, which always features an awe-inspiring group of roughly 6to 8 pairs of BFFs flaunting their love for one another. Another big-hitter is Pajama Day. Seeing as all that one must do is roll out of bed and arrive at school, this highly anticipated day tends to pull in a staggering 20 to 30 participants. This lack of spirited morale is not at all aided by the leadership’s choice of colors for our class color day.

First place goes to the sophomore’s color, black. I don’t want to speak for the entire grade, but I feel fairly confident to say that the vast majority of us agree that black is not only a symbol of death, but an utterly horrible spirit color. Is it too much to ask for a blue or green? Hell, I’ll even take orange. It is hard enough already to rally up a group of unmotivated, lethargic 16 year olds, and the color black really isn’t helping. Equally sad, in a seemingly last ditch effort, our leadership program has instituted a weekly “M-A Bear Wear Day” in hopes of possibly catching a student unintentionally wearing his or her M-A sweatshirt.

With the exception of poor class color choice, I do not think that the leadership committee is to blame. The real culprit here is us, the student body. I do not even think the reason that no one at our school seems to give a damn about spirit is any individual’s fault. Instead, I think it comes down to the fact that the general populace has become comfortable with the idea that there simply is no school pride at M-A, and no one can do anything about it. But this is our chance fellow Bears! Let us together create a newly awakened and galvanized student body! Or not, but seriously can we get a new cheer?

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by Fiona Gutierrez-Dewar

Who couldn’t use a dose of cuteness to brighten up their day? M-A senior, Edna Lawry, couldn’t, that’s who.

She was checked into the Palo Alto Medical Foundation’s emergency ward yesterday at 10 pm for intense asthmatic convulsions due to uncontrollable giggling after watching two straight hours of Animal Planet’s Too Cute: Live Kitten Cam. Her violent episode was brought about according to Lawry after sitting through two straight hours of Animal Planet’s new greatest series Too Cute. This series premiered a little over a year ago and since that fateful April 30th, students and teachers alike have been melting into puddles of unproductive ooing and awing. The series features adorable footage of puppy and kitten litters in their first few weeks of life, but also features such exotic critters as hedgehogs, sloths, and a rare goat. The consequences however of such potent cuteness can no longer be tolerated.

Before airing, each episode opens with a warning that, “the following program contains material that is just too cute. Viewer discretion is advised.” This warning however is not sufficient precaution to the devastation this innocent little program has caused. Sophomore Cabe Gohen was reduced to simpering giggles when he watched Pipsqueak taking his first few feline steps.

M-A American Government teacher Miane Dartinelli noted a general diminishment in attentiveness of students to relevant current events since watching this type of mindless television. This habit of watching meaningless cuteness has become a mainstream, acceptable American past time.

Allowing one’s brains to relax and enjoy positive carefree adorableness is just plain inexcusable when an endless supply of violent kidnappings and murders are available for enriching student perspectives’ on the world.

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With the popularity of this show comes a responsibility. The concern over health risks involved in bingewatching this TV series are growing among physicians who say Lawry’s case is not the first. Particularly for the young and elderly, it just isn’t safe to have such adorable images broadcasted at such unmitigated concentrations. Whether the doctors can cure Lawry’s unstoppable giggling has yet to be determined.

Yet M-A students who find solace in the tiny yips of Porkchop and Jacques, continue to stand by the series. “It gets me through the day, knowing I can go home and curl up to watch Munchkin dance and play with Nugget. In fact some seniors have recognized an increase in their metabolic rate and reduction of unpleasant premenstrual symptoms when sticking to a regiment of watching Too Cute at least five days a week.

However, the “oooos” and “awwwws” that result from watching Too Cute have repeatedly been registered as offensive by neighbors, and police have been called on to disrupt viewing sessions due to the noise of squealing teenagers. A parent claimed, “It makes me uncomfortable that he watches this show. What ever happened to Game of Thrones or Law and Order: Special Victims Unit; shows I understand. These furry little animals are just inappropriate material for testosterone filled teens to be watching.”

Nonetheless between coughs and giggles, it was made out that Lawry will not stop watching this program. “If they [cough cough] stop us from watching [cough cough] Too Cute [cough cough] there is going to be [cough cough] a revolution.”

No words better display the power this program has had on students, and surely getting between a teenage girl and her kittens would put enforcement in an ugly predicament.

Photo courtesy of Lauren Smith

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Has locker room hazing gone too far?

Boys will be boys, but does that mean they can’t be held accoutnable for their actions? The MArk explores the culture of hyper-masculinity on sports teams, and its effects on the psyches of 11 the players.

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An Allegory of Hyper-Masculinity

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ne day at the park, several boys were playing tag. It was all in good fun, until one started pushing the others when he tagged them, saying that it was all “a part of the fun.” Consequently, the object of the game changed; the boys now were simply trying to inflict as much pain as possible, and the receivers had to pretend like it didn’t hurt so that they wouldn’t be bullied.

As the days at the park progressed, the game became increasingly violent. Mitch and Luke’s persecution of their counterparts escalated, concentrating on Dave and Gary. Dave and Gary accepted this as a part of playing with the group, but their tolerance of the pain didn’t stop them from feeling hurt and betrayed by their teammates. After a couple of days of this, Gary was pushed to the ground so hard that he fractured his wrist, but he pretended that he tripped on the way home from the park to avoid the verbal abuse that Mitch and Luke would surely dole out if he recounted the real story. Being included in the boys’ game was important to him, and he knew that name-calling, or worse, would be in order should he complain. Gary licked his wounds and tried to forget the incident.

With Gary’s absence, the game continued its warpath to violence beyond normal boyish mischief. A few days later, Dave felt sick, but he went to the park anyway. Luke and Mitch were feeling particularly rambunctious, and knocked him down repeatedly, bruising both his knee and his ego. Dave had had enough; he went to the crossing guard and complained about the boys’ violent game. The crossing guard intervened, and he banned Mitch and Luke from the park for a couple of days.

Dave felt better that the game of tag had lost the edge of aggression, and the involvement of the crossing guard should have been the end of the scruples between the boys. But the other boys started mocking him, saying that he wasn’t man enough to take the pain. Even some of the older boys, who had no connection to the fight, began to take the sides of Luke and Mitch. Dave felt betrayed by his teammates; he had thought that their friendship could withstand more than petty shenanigans. Yet when Luke and Mitch returned to the park, the game resumed as it was before. The boys thought that it was all in good fun; getting pushed around was an integral part of their masculinity. But they refused to acknowledge how much damage their game had inflicted upon Dave, Gary, and countless other boys at the park.

by Francesca Gilles

May 2013

a Coach WEIGHs IN Laura Duran, one of M-A’s guidance counselors and the girls’ junior varsity water polo coach, provided her opinion on the subject of hazing perpetrators and victims:

If a victim of hazing came to you to complain, how would you respond?

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“I would be saddened to hear if one of my students had suffered from hazing. School is tough enough without being verbally or physically assaulted. Locker room antics are concerning because they occur in a place designed for changing, and it is much more intimate than, say, the middle of the green. If it is a sports-related incident, there are typically more than two athletes around while the harassment is happening.

Standing by and watching while the harassment is happening is a silent endorsement of the behavior.”

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Too Far W

hen people think of high school athletes, stereotypical images of über masculine jocks taunting the “nerdy” kids often flood the mind.

To those who actively participate in a high school sport, the welcoming environment M-A athletics fosters debunks this trite vision of a high school experience.

Some athletes, however, aren’t quite as lucky.

Thanks to the media and popular culture’s endorsement of hypermasculinity among teenage boys, locker-room hazing is as prevalent at M-A as any other school.

As a swimmer, I can attest to the fact that the whole team becomes rather comfortable with one another, seeing as we spend two hours or more together wearing only polyester nylon five days per week.

Consequently, some students find amusement in pushing the boundaries of what is appropriate swim behavior and become offensive and invasive. One athlete came forward upon deciding that sack tapping, or the hitting of a teammate’s testicles, harmed his team experience; in his words, he felt “really uncomfortable” among his teammates.

This athlete worried that he would face judgment from girls on his team, his classmates, and even close friends after he came forward about the sack tapping incident. This is

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one example of many incidences that show our culture’s ignorance towards hyper-masculinity; we see behaviors like sack tapping as funny or amusing, while in reality, they damage the psyches of students and athletes. These types of pranks, though they seem innocent, jump from fun to harassment in mere seconds, and it only takes one incident to tip the balance.

Lockerroom pranks are a rather unsavory hallmark of sports culture; familiarity between teammates and the contact nature of the sports create a comfortable venue for mischief. However, one athlete, after two consecutive days of victimization by two of his teammates, told his assistant coach that he had had enough. The coaches responded immediately by involving the administration and imposed punishment on the perpetrators. Nevertheless, when interviewed, the victim told The MArk that this incident was not the first of its kind, and would probably not be the last. A year ago, one water polo player allegedly introduced a very dangerous, underwater pastime known as “Anaconda Squeezes.”

According to the victim, “Anaconda Squeezes” are when “one player holds another underwater until the perpetrators decided that they’d had enough.”

In spite of coach intervention that ended the Anaconda Squeezes, sack tapping became prevalent because “it was a little more subtle, but still rewarding for [the perpetrators],” the victim stated. “[The perpetrators] usually

Our culture sees hypermasculine behaviors like sack tapping as funny or amusing, while in reality, they damage the psyches of students and athletes.

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The rest of the team didn’t want me to turn the perpetrators in, but i felt like someone had to put a stop to the bullying.

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Gibbons, the victim, “didn’t know how to stop it,” which ended in the demise of half of his external male genitalia. At M-A however, one athlete knew how to “stop it” and involved the coaches and the administration for the good of his team.

Boys, especially in high school, seem to have an obsession with their genitals. Of course, generalizations do not encompass everyone, but sports teams especially breed the hyper-masculine tendencies described in high school movie clichés. The extent to which certain athletes went to emasculate their teammates may come as a surprise. It is plausible that their own insecurities caused them to push the boundaries of the “acceptable” locker room hazing. However, insecurity about masculinity is not an excuse to emasculate teammates. The victim said that the sack tappers used him as “a scapegoat for their problems.” This testimonial points to the fact that locker-room hazing holds connotations that go beyond the excuse of “boys will be boys.”

The issue of locker-room hazing extends beyond the jurisdiction of sports teams. Boundaries seem to melt when school ends and sports practice begins; the fear of administrative consequences fades away and people believe that they are invincible. Our society almost encourages these expressions of masculinity, which is a scary thought. To combat this, we must resolve to move forward from these ridiculous regulations of what defines manhood, and what is expected of “real” men.

In short, the perpetrators took the punishment that fit their crime, but the victim recieved a more lasting penalty that irrevocably changed his relationship with his team.

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Disclaimer: The MArk makes an effort to present the MenloAtherton student body with objective reporting. In this story, we honored individuals’ choices not to comment.

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sack tapped me about once a week, but they started to increase the frequency, and one time they did it two days in a row.” Though the sack tapping ceased, the abuse didn’t come to an end. “[The perpetrators] would throw tennis balls [at me], and verbally abuse me… the rest of the team didn’t want me to turn them in, but I basically felt like someone had to put a stop to the bullying.”

Although the victim received justice for the emotional and physical stresses that the perpetrators inflicted upon him, the rest of the team, and some non-athletic classmates felt differently.

“When the coach confronted the entire team about the issue, and people questioned the absence of the perpetrators, my teammates called out my name because they knew that I had something to do with the absenteeism.” In the following days, the victim faced increasing amounts of persecution from other team members, none of which were directly involved with the incident. “I heard one guy tell his girlfriend that he had no problem with me until I ‘snitched’ on one of the perpetrators, and now he had to stick up for his ‘other homie.’” In short, the perpetrators took the punishment that fit their crime, but the victim received a more lasting penalty that irrevocably changed his relationship with his team.

Although the participants in the incident maintain that their victimization of this swimmer was all in good fun, and that the victim was simply too weak to withstand the pain of a smack in the testicles, such a violation can have physiological consequences beyond the fleeting pain that it inflicts.

In 2010, a 14-year-old boy from Minnesota, who was a victim of repeated sack tapping, lost one of his testicles to the hands of his amused counterparts. According to the report, David

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Culture

by Olivia Solomon

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(*Disclaimer: This article is written from the perspective of a female on the topic of sexual assault at the fault of male aggressors. I acknowledge the reverse, with men as the victims of sexual violence, and hold it to the same degree of scrutiny and disgust. It is not the focus of the article but I recognize the severity of it 11 all the same.)

“inWe’which ve built a society it is no longer shocking for victims of sexual assault to commit suicide, where girls and women are afraid to speak up about their assault

While these major crimes feel far away, there have been publicized cases close to home as well. In late August, fifteen year-old Audrie Pott of Saratoga survived sexual battery after passing out at a friend’s house. Her aggressors were charged with distribution of child pornography after they took crude photos of her while she was unconscious. She killed herself eight days after the assault. I find the fact that these women were assaulted and harassed for being victims absolutely appalling and enraging. I find the fact that these crimes occurred amongst high school students even more so.

It’s time for some introspection. The truth is, we are all to blame for creating this culture where we tolerate, excuse, and turn a blind eye on sexual violence: rape culture. We’ve built a society in which it is no longer shocking for victims of sexual assault to commit suicide, where girls and women are afraid to speak up about their assault in fear of being called a slut or accused of lying, and where friends victim-blame friends. We’ve built a society where young male athletes are protected by their coaches if they rape or sexually harass. We’ve built a society in which

kids who see an unconscious girl being raped at a party do not attempt to stop it but instead take pictures and send text messages. We’ve built a society in which women cannot act recklessly and get drunk without worrying about being taken advantage of. We’ve built a society in which the boundaries of consent have become grey. We’re all guilty of establishing and fanning the fires of rape culture.

In all honesty though, I cannot pinpoint the exact reason why we’ve arrived at this point in our culture. Do we blame the men for standing idly by as their friends commit acts of sexual violence? Do we blame the women for slut-shaming their friends? Or perhaps can we find fault in the parents, teachers, religious leaders, and administrators who didn’t teach the young people that rape is bad? Or maybe we can hold the media accountable for creating oversexualized, rape-condoning content?

There’s no easy answer to this. It’s a complex combination of all factors of our environment that produces rapists and aggressors. And while it is a multifaceted phenomenon, there’s no doubt that the process begins in adolescence (and at times even earlier.) Let me divulge my own hypothesis on a certain contributing factor.

“Doforwestanding blame the men idly

by as their friends commit acts of sexual violence? Do we blame the women for slut-shaming their friends?

“

R A P E

I

n the past two months alone, headlines of teenage sexual violence have surged in the media.

In the Steubenville case, two high school football players, Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond, were found guilty of raping and assaulting a female peer at a party. Early in April, Rehtaeh Parsons, who was gang-raped by four boys seventeen months prior, was driven to commit suicide after relentless bullying and major depression.

“

May 2013

A portion of the issue of sexual violence is rooted in the distortedness of female sexuality and image as a whole.

These skewed views of the female body are instilled upon young students inadvertently by, among many other things, dress code regulations. (Okay, okaythis isn’t about to be some backhanded attack on the Menlo-Atherton adminis-

naturally sexual aggressors incapable of controlling themselves

“

If the Menlo-Atherton community truly wants to create a safe, productive, and “distraction-free” learning environment for both genders,** it should teach students to respect each other’s bodies instead of trying to cover them up. And most importantly, it should teach students to respect each other no matter what their peers happen to be wearing. Enforcing stringent dress code policies is ineffective in the sense that it teaches young men that there are certain situations in which they have to respect women’s bodies and circumstances under which they don’t. What’s most alarming is that it teaches them that if they ever happen to violate a woman’s body, they won’t be held completely responsible: the blame will be placed on the woman for her choice to wear a short dress, bare cleavage, or for her decision to consume alcohol, walk home alone from a party, or any other “violation.” (And for the record, no woman wants to be raped. No one will ever “ask for it.” There is no excuse for sexual assault.) The blame is placed on a girl for distracting boys with her body at school just as sexual assault is often seen as the fault of the woman. There’s no difference. We’re demonstrating to our boys that we don’t hold them responsible for focusing on their schooling, treating women as equals, and controlling their sexual impulses. I wish I lived in a world that gave young men more credit than that.

But I digress.

If there is one thing I hope you take from my feminist rant, it’s that

“Whether it’s assaulting others with our words, our actions, our body parts, or any other form of attack, what’s the common denominator that makes us exert ourselves over each other?

So here’s the question I’ll leave you with- when did we become so desensitized to disrespect? Have we always had this mindset in which we completely disregard the sanctity of another human being’s body, mind, and safety at the expense of our own passing impulses? Instead of a rape culture, maybe we’ve created a culture of assault. Whether it’s assaulting others with our words, our actions, our body parts, or any other form of attack, what’s the common denominator that makes us exert ourselves over each other? There’s something deeper than rape and sexual violence at large here. It’s a cultural need to feel power-

ful over each other. To put our personal needs and feelings before those of our peers. I can’t be the only one who thinks that this phenomenon, fueled by narcissism and a world that appeases the individual, is exhausting. Now I’m not necessarily encouraging that we all join hands and sing Kumbaya, but for god’s sake, would it really kill us to show a little respect towards each other? Answer me that, folks. *Or any other gender or gender-nonconforming people. I use a hypothetical heterosexual example because it is the common argument given by school administrators enforcing dress code. **Again, I generalize. No offense intended to those who do not conform to a specific gender.

Know the Facts: - Every 2 minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted -1 in 4 girls will be sexually assaulted by the age of 18 -93% of juvenile sexual assault victims knew their attacker

Terms Reference: “sexual assault”: a statutory offense that causes another person to engage in an unwanted sexual act by force or threat “rape”: the unlawful compelling of a person through physical force or duress to have sexual intercourse. “culture”: the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular group “slut-shame”: the implication that if a woman has sex that traditional society disapproves of, she should feel guilty and inferior sources: lighthousehelp.org, dictionary.com, abstractnonsense.com,

the MArk

“It assumes men are

you should do everything in your power to combat rape and sexual harassment of any kind because there’s absolutely no excuse for it. It is vile, cowardly, and inexcusable. As I researched for this topic, I read countless case descriptions and articles about girls my age surviving acts of sexual assault. Most disturbing were the actions of the witnesses of the crimes - those who watched as unconscious girls were passed from boy to boy, those who joked about urinating on and humiliating girls who were passed out, and those who sent pictures and videos of the non-consensual events.

There is nothing more disgusting to me (and I hope to you as well) than these acts of hateful inhumanity. Do not be a bystander and do not be a participant.

Rape culture discredits the word of victims. Rape culture slutshames. It assumes men are naturally sexual aggressors incapable of controlling themselves. It blurs the boundaries of consent. Rape culture kills.

“

tration for cracking down on our own dress code policies. Just hear me out.)

Most dress code policies are based upon the notion that certain female body parts, when revealed, pose a distraction to the opposite sex.* Schools are sending a harmful message to girls: if men are “distracted” by your body, it’s your fault.

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I FEEL SO GROSS...

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May 2013

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A little thing on some thoughts on the Menlo -Atherton experience from the perspective of an anonymous homeless student.

It’s spooky…

To not really know one’s own status in life in any way... To not really know what is to come in the near future. There is such little control.

Hope seems to go up and down and, just as every other factor of life, clings on its constant dependence of support and charity. Low marks in school, little to no energy for work, and a bond to a legal guardian, there seems to be no bright future for the young homeless student of Menlo-Atherton. And it’s scary…

For a school filled with so many bright, blooming young minds heading in a wonderful direction, I and many fellow students I have had the pleasure of meeting, have absorbed this vision. A vision of a hopeful future. One where one can be fed all the information they long to know, to one day do whatever it is they desire to base a career off of. And it’s sad… Knowledge of reality causes a lot of pain. Depression fogs the mind and distracts from academics. Now one cannot depend on their grades for fantastic success. Depression pulls forth the energy of the young body, and instead leaves it with an aching pain all over. Now one cannot commit to a wonderful career. Continuing in higher education is a high point. It will be the obstacle to reach. Any education. Any hope for something better.

Getting a job is a high point. Keeping a job will be a tortuous duty. But it is necessary.

And it’s tiring... But it is necessary. There is no pillow to fall back on. You have no bed, no room, nothing to call your own and nothing you have truly earned. Given all the amenities from an unknown public as if you were a stray child. It would be silly to keep a sense of pride. It would be silly to expect a rest.

One needs to stay on their toes, finding more and more resources to guide them. And it’s stupid... Apathy can easily consume any one of them. It has already consumed me. Once passioned by the pursuit of knowledge and the idea of a bright future, I attended high-level classes, taking any challenge headed towards me. I dreamed of silly careers and lifestyles.

I romanticized the future. I absorbed the information given to me, for it was my love.

And so it remains. I consume knowledge and information, though failing basic level classes.

I yearn to learn more, but am too lazy to show any effort of my trials. I do not care for accrediting my knowledge. I do not care for certifying my intelligence. It is too late. I am a missed opportunity for a better life. I now embrace my reality. I do not care. I believe the future will not be bright for one such as

Illustrations by Stefany Maldonado

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me, but it’s ok. I’ll be fine. And it’s strange...

An almost disorienting feeling flows through my body. I am treated like a sick child. I have the responsibility of an adult. I must take action and plan my entering into adulthood. There is no option for vacation. There is no luxury of knowledge of what is to come in the near future, of knowing of one’s path in the next few months. I am not a victim. I do not want sympathy. I do not want pity. I simply want to get things done. I have gotten bitter over my past. I have gotten sad over my present. I have gotten scared over my future. I am a mess. I am scared. There is little left to do but work. I cannot be open about many things. I am embarrassed of the status of my life and of the position I am in.

I no longer attend many classes. I want to hide. I want to distract myself whenever possible. I do not like to believe that I have faced very much, though I am treated as such. I am told I am strong and that I have the ability to do great things, both of which I do not believe, though I would never admit it to strangers or superiors. I have noticed I have put up a front. One which exaggerates my unreasonable needs and silly observations. I suppose it’s because I do not want to be taken seriously. Nor do I want any weakness or depression to show. To the public, my needs are junk food and entertainment. In reality, I think I hunger most basic human needs.

My mind cycles through patterns of selfishness, self-loathing and apathy. It’s unreasonable to constantly feel so critical of one’s self. I know this. But I do it anyway. Comparing people is foolish. I know this. But I compare myself to my peers constantly.

I... do feel lesser than people. I still do not know whether this comes from my experiences in life and poor position, but it is obviously a factor.

Everyone is so lovely. Everyone is so young and wonderful and open and naive and new. They have not yet reached their mental and emotional capacity.

They have been preparing themselves their entire lives for an unknown future. Ready to bloom into an even lovelier being. I am so happy for them. And it’s spooky... I know other students in my position. They seem to struggle with the same problems I have seen in myself. They still search for a way to cope.

They still look for the answer, the reason for their emotional distress. They are hopeless and they are upset. Nothing seems to have gone their way and they seem to believe that it will never go their way.

They are lost in their environment and they know they will be lost in any environment. Simple things seem to take so much effort. It’s so strange. It’s so frustrating to face. That so many doors are open to young people but so little energy inside them.

Maybe one day there will be hope for the misfortunate youth.

This isn’t a victimization. This is a mess of thoughts shared by myself and fellow students going through similar experiences.

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May 2013

Increased turnout in boys lacrosse tryouts

PHOTOGRAPHY John Boyle

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Spring is arguably the most popular sports season because of all the sports to choose from. Kids grow up playing multiple sports throughout elementary school and middle school, but once they reach high school they have to choose one sport per season. Growing up, the majority of boys play baseball (or at least t-ball), basketball, and soccer. The MArk decided to meet with a couple members of the Menlo-Atherton boys lacrosse team to find out about the sudden increase in the attendance at lacrosse games and the increase of players in the lacrosse program at M-A and in the Bay Area in general.

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When asked why people are choosing to play lacrosse over other spring sports such as baseball, badminton, and swimming, senior Chris Scherm responded, “I think that it is the only really physical spring sport and it relates to sports like football and hockey which are also both very physically demanding sports.” He also stated that people are attending more games because “lacrosse is the most entertaining sport to watch in the spring sport season.” Junior Spiro Papadakis expressed how much it helps the team when people show up to the games, saying “I think that it makes a huge difference when people show up to our games. I feel like we play better and it makes the games more meaningful.”

M-A’s lacrosse team hasn’t let their school down, and are now back-to-back league championship winners.

by Brett Moriarty

Are you at your physical best?

Or is it even possible?

Every academic year, the students at MenloAtherton High School that are enrolled in a Physical Education (PE) class are required to partake in the Physical Fitness Test. As the exam approaches, students can prepare for it in two ways; they can maintain a healthy daily fitness routine to assure that they will pass the test with flying colors and reveal their inner olympian to their fellow classmates; or they can spend their days coming up with numerous ways of avoiding the test, whether it be hiding in the bathroom or spraining their own ankle. No matter which approach is taken, the Physical Fitness Test is unavoidable.

The fitness test, as many have experienced, consists of a mile run, a push-up test, a sit-up test, a sit and reach, a trunk lift, and a body mass index (BMI) evaluation.

Students are allowed to fail one of the individual testsand still pass the Physical Fitness Test; however,this means that if a person fails the BMI evaluation, then they must pass every other physical test. The BMI evaluation has always been a topic of controversy among students and some PE teachers. Based on this standard, if Person 1 is under or overweight for their height, and Person 2 has an acceptable BMI, and both Person 1 and 2 fail the push up test, Person 1 is required to retake the PE class, while Person 2 passes the class. This creates an issue because the test becomes baised towards students with acceptable BMIs. Those who are not within the acceptable percentile for BMI will likely have a hard time passing other physical fitness tests as it is; unlike their peers, they do not have the cushion of being able to fail another test.

The object of the physical fitness test is to encourage a healthy lifestyle among students. However, using BMI as a test that could bar a person’s passing PE seems to be a discriminatory policy. Perhaps the fitness test needs to be redesigned so that it can be more equitable to people of all body types, while still encouraging students to be athletic and healthy.

by Simone King

HELP WANTED Looking for something to do with your summer?

Well look no further, your answer is here.

Jobs:

Today’s modern athlete is always looking for an “edge” to set them ahead of the competition. This “edge” comes in various forms, whether it is illegal steroid use, or good, clean hard work. For the past two decades, the use of creatine supplements has grown to be very popular among both bodybuilders and athletes alike.

Creatine is a natural chemical found in the body, most comonly found in muscles. When creatine enters the body it stimulates ATP, which transfers energy from one cell to another. Once this has been done, ATP is turned into ADP, which renders it useless to the body. But when creatine is in motion, it converts ADP back to ATP, giving the body greater endurance, allowing for a better workout.

In order to learn how this product has influenced MenloAtherton High School, The MArk interviewed some of its students. Among those interviewed, all were using these products for athletic purposes and thus their name’s have not been included. The “main point is to reach an ideal mass in a quick amount of time” and to “gain muscle and lose fat.”

Within one week, all of them said they saw their “strength and endurance improve.” Even at a high price tag ranging from 40-60 dollars per 2 pound tub, these students claim investing in “your performance is worth it.” These athletes believe that products that include creatine, are the key to “help an athlete achieve the unachievable,” as it allows the average athlete to reach their maximum potential.

However not everyone is on board for supporting creatine.

One student mentioned that while taking the supplement one must “drink a lot of water, because it can ruin your liver.”

Another student felt that it is “like taking illegal steroids” and provides an unfair advantage, and “should be banned from high school athletics.” Users replies to this sentiment were that “it’s fine [because] anybody can get a hold of them,” making it equitable. However, there are other less controversial ways to get bigger, like “drinking chocolate milk.” If anything, it “drives me to work harder to prove I can perform just as well without these products.”

by Josef Nevigato

Volunteer: Many places need volunteers. There are opportunities at The Boys and Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, The Humane Society, The Hiller Aviation Museum, churches, and hospitals. If you are looking for a volunteer opportunity that is off the beaten path, you have a few options. Kiwanis, an international coeducational service club, offers a variety of volunteering opportunities in a group setting. There is a chapter located in Redwood City. Another way to find job opportunities is to go to a volunteer search engine, such as volunteermatch.org. Here you can type in your location and interests and the website generates opportunities for you. If you do not wish to volunteer in a group, do not have access to a computer, or would prefer to talk to someone about volunteering, visit Mr. Gradiska in the Career Center. While not lucritive, volunteering in your community or as part of an international group can be just as rewarding a summer activity as a paid job.

Activities: In the Bay Area there is plenty to do but a tight budget can be limiting. You may be thinking, ‘I am a teenager and do not have money to spend on activities.’ If that is the case I have the perfect thing for you, it is called sf.fun.cheap.com. On this site, you can look up events for the day or in the near future that are inexpensive or even free. On the day of the event, drive up or take the train to the city. If you cannot find anything fun to do on that site, there are many other great resources you can use like Groupon.com that offer activities in the Bay Area. This way your summer will never be boring.

by Megan Wiebe

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Get big or go home!

When you are under age 15, your job options are very limited. There is always neighborhood work like babysitting, lawn mowing, gardening, or car washing. At 15 and under, you can work a maximum of eight hours a day, 40 hours a week, and six days a week. When you become 16 a whole new world opens up. With a permit, you can get low-level jobs at places like grocery stores or fast food restaurants. According to Mr. Gradiska, the most common job for teenagers is working at a fast food restaurant and the second most common job is coaching or tutoring. Mr. Gradiska also says if you are looking for a fun job, do something that appeals to you in fields that you are interested in.

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Illustration 2013 MArk Staff Stefany Maldonado

Wow, the MARK really flourished with these seniors.

What will we do once they graduate?

I will miss Lauren’s innovative inDesign layouts and Suzie’s funny and poignant photo spreads. Olivia and Peter make me laugh out loud with their silly stories that add levity to each issue. Our in-house photographer, Jack, was indispensible.

Erendira and Nimsi took on new topics, and hey, did you know they made an awardwinning video?

Alexis brought thoughtfulness to each issue while Maro had us in stitches every other second.

Sam saved our sanity with her attention to detail and ability to direct the big picture, while Fiona finessed the tensions of the issue as well as class politics to keep everything functioning. Simone used her savvy to solidify our slick magazine, and Anna urged us all to be better each issue. I really love who we are, even if we have an identity crisis.

You’ve made your mark, staff of 2013, not only in our class, but in our hearts.

Best Wishes!

May 2013

Let’s Do the Time Warp

A time capsule is something a contemporary society leaves for future generations to remember them by. In early iterations, the idea was to bury objects and artifacts that captured the trends of an era. Anything from socks to sheet music.

Our era seems more disconnected than those of the past, but that might be because we do not have the luxury of hindsight and we are bombarded with images and words vastly more than prior generations. As time passes, our ideas of what other epochs were like become oversimplified. The 20s have been reduced to flappers and the Lost Generation, the 30s to the Great Depression and FDR, the 40s to World War II and the post-war boom. When we conjure up the 50s we get poodle skirts and greasers, while the 60s yield an improbable mix of the Cold War and tie-dye and the 70s are synonymous with disco and OPEC. But these images do not provide a complete embodiment of their times.

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How would we even begin to encapsulate the characteristics of our diverse time, much less reduce them to particular objects? Is this going to be remembered as the social media renaissance? The era of political gridlock? The age of serial violence? We hardly stop and think about how the current time will be recorded in the history books because we are so busy living. Which will be our identifying traits when the competing factors are sifted through the backward-looking lens of history?

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Social media is a defining trend of our generation. Everything from saying happy birthday, to asking homework questions or trumpeting our break-ups is done via social networking. However, our online profiles are never a complete picture because we curate experiences and present artificial happiness and perfection. It is a world full of smiling, air brushed faces and casual, yet coveted, validation. It stokes neuroses: uncontrolled clicking and feelings of rejection when we do not receive the sought after attention. However, it also allows worthy causes to gain support platforms of unprecedented scope and diversity. Regardless of its net effect, our dependence upon social media certainly sets us apart from previous generations. It is that we use it which defines us, more than how.

Political gridlock plagues us. Whether the issue is gun control or the Fiscal Cliff, our lawmakers generate more hype than progress. It is all about partisan squabbling rather than meaningful social change. Despite the horrifying atrocities related to gun violence and the bipartisan support for universal background checks, Congress has been paralyzed, refusing to take any progressive action on the issue. The story is the same with the Fiscal Cliff: the divisions within Congress have allowed our country to plunge into financial disarray. The positive thing to come out of this political paralysis is that it is so outrageous that it has inspired vigilante organizations such as change.org. This and other sites circumvent the bureaucracy and put direct pressure on lawmakers. This “taking of matters into our own hands” behavior in reaction to the bipartisan political standstill has become characteristic of our generation.

Large scale violence has become so typical of our time that there is a real danger of people becoming desensitized to its horror. When we were in our formative years, the Twin Towers fell. Since then, Aurora, Newtown and countless other incidents in between have been all too common. The news of horrible events forms a formidable contrast to the curated happiness of social media. We no longer have tangible enemies; before it was us against the Soviets, us against the Germans, us against them. We now live in a globalized society that is borderless. It has made us all somewhat numb as we bounce from one tragedy to the next, never allowing the full extent of it to sink it, much like scrolling through a newsfeed and allowing our eyes to passively glaze over endless posts. But it has also highlighted the compassion and support we are capable of showing, as seen in Boston after the bombing on April 15th of this year.

These big themes only provide a limited definition of who we are. They do not account for individuals nor do they incorporate all that we draw from the past. History builds upon itself—one decade transitions to another but not all the elements change. In any given time, people are attracted to the quaint because it connects them to their past. In a world of Big Data, the retro concept of a time capsule is itself an antiquated notion, but we use it as a metaphor to define what we are now.

by Samantha Bloom

Time of Our Lives Shiny objects and shallow mantras, let’s face it, we specialize in them. So, I thought I’d take a break from YouTube-ing videos of preternaturally foul-mouthed tykes while posting an “lms for truth is/ good night post/anything to not do my homework,”—and they say multitasking doesn’t work—and be productive. In no particular order, I give you, the stuff of our lives—our time capsule.

3

Ear Buds: the reason why ten years from now we will all be deaf and shouting.

Texting Translation Guide: It’s not gibberish. How else can one express sincere and elevated states of emotion besides “OMG ROFL.” It’s the height of eloquence.

4 5 6

Snap Chat Selfies: so they can see how pretty we all are. And you thought they just went away…

Recording of the Who’s “My Generation”: not because it is actually part of our musical era (for all you hipsters, ignore this, and keep on pretending it is and that you discovered it), but it sets the tone nicely nonetheless.

Vinyl Records: because we discovered those too.

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A Cat: a live one won’t work. It will suffocate in the capsule and that borders on animal cruelty (“I can haz air, pleaz,” am I right?). Perhaps taxidermy? Mummification is always fun and it shows how random and eclectic we are.

8 9

An iPhone: shattered screen included.

Hyper-masculine Skinny Jeans: don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, you look good.

10

A Book: before they leave us forever.

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Helicopter Mom: equipped with cell phone, grating voice and fast whirring blades optimal for overbearing parenting. Apparently, she can survive anything…

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Frozen Yogurt: with a pound of brownie crumbs, what could go wrong?

the MArk

1 2

An Angry Bird: and maybe throw in a green pig too.

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by Samantha Bloom

QUOTES

What made your year? Or perhaps what didn’t make your year? What was something that you will always remember? What sums up your year at M-A?

“Orbit gum—the only thing keeping me alive in class.”

-Mele Moimoi “I will always remember

By June 6th, one academic year will have passed. Some say that time flies, but by the time the final bell rings on June 6th, you will have spent 178 days, about 1,120 hours, 67,200 minutes, and 4,032,000 seconds in class at M-A this 2012-2013 school year.

From massive amount of time that we spend at M-A, by the time we actually leave, what do we take away?

Whether you focus on the little things or look at the big picture, what really made this 2012-2013 year special or important to you?

“Block day, late starts, the Fashion Show and when Ms. Otsuka’s class did their that’s the Invisible Man performances on the Green.”

“We broke good stuff.”

-Niesha Ford a piñata at -Danielle M-A.” Balestra -Gabby Vazquez

“I got to take a pee in the urinal adjacent to where Mr. Whitnah was peeing.

That was pretty fun.”

-Aditya Sinha

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“Met new people.”

“Beating -Rosa Chevez Menlo in PALs to put an end to their 19“My friends bought year winning streak was a great way to end my last me In-N-Out today.” season on the water polo -Darya Rostami team.”

-Michael Hohl “A girl— a cute one.”

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-Juan Hernandez

“How awesome the swim team did at PALs.” -Mr. Longyear

“Something that I will always remember in a bad way is that Ms. Osborn got sick and couldn’t finish the end of the year. She was one of my favorite teachers and we all really really miss her.”

-Talbott Paulsen

“The food did not make our year.”

-Gregorio Sanchez, Chicken Nugget, Selena Valencia

BY YOU

by Anna de Benedictis & Ally Ostrow

“Junior year is not only the year that is chalk full of subject tests, SATs and AP’s, but its also a year that I truly started to figure out who I was. For any sophomores or juniors, the dreaded junior year even without all the “My trip to Italy during endless work that everyone fixates on is still December break. I stressful. My parents said to me, that this hadn’t been there is the year that everyone will look at, so during Christmas and you must exceed your limits to become New Years before. It successful. They are right, yet I am 17 and that responsibility is really what was refreshing to see the makes junior year junior year.” holiday festivities through -Dylan Esperance a different lens.”

“Ms. Meloy.”

- Ms. Caryotakis

-Sabina Vitale

“‘Lean On Me’ by “That time the hand actually worked.”

Bill Withers sums dryers -Hanna Berggren up my year.”

“Stress.”

-Healey -Sophi Bock Montague-Alamin “Being able to get weird with my best dogs is really the highlight of my year.”

-Harrsion Holland- “When I got my acceptance letter to McCowan DePaul, my dream “The people who are real.”

- Daniela Orgeta

school.”

-Rebekah Collins

“Where’s the party?”

-Kendall Peters “The Spring Rally was cool because the seniors started dancing.”

-Sarai Ortega

“The video project that I did with my Spanish IV class.”

-Ms. Miller

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“Being co-class president in Calonje with 4 other people.”

-Cameron Malloy

“I loved the Fashion Show and how everyone was able to go up there and have his or her moment.”

-Aiza Alvi

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May 2013

Overcoming Inequity

by Megan Kilduff and Gianna Prainito In 2011, The MArk staff member, Maria Ikonomou, investigated and reported on socioeconomic backgrounds, feeder schools, and their role in creating racially segregated classrooms across M-A. In this issue, junior Megan Kilduff and sophomore Gianna Prainito revisit the topic.

Something is wrong.

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We are one of the most vibrant schools in the state.

Menlo-Atherton is a California Distinguished School with a minority enrollment of 59%. The student body represents people from all walks of life, with different backgrounds, different cultures, different interests, and different futures. Our Academic Performance Index (API) score is a 724, just shy of the state’s goal of 800 on a 1000 point scale. About 31% of students are considered “economically disadvantaged” and are receiving support in the form of free and reduced-priced lunches from the school, and our AP participant passing rate is at 95%.* These are all things to be proud of. But M-A is lacking something: educational equity.

Between classes, one cannot deny the diversity of our school’s student body; between each bell our hallways are flooded with human variety. But once Pride Hall empties out and the school quiets down again, that beautiful multiplicity is replaced by a sort of eerie uniformity. The types of students seen in AS and AP classes are not the same types of students seen in the regular-level classes of the same subject. The differences between these students are more tangible than simple variance of motivation and academic talent; in such a multicultural school, classes are socioeconomically homogenous.

This problem is not the fault of the administration, teachers, or students themselves, and it isn’t just a problem at Menlo-Atherton. Nationwide, there is a gap in the quality of 33 education of the “socially advantaged” and the rest of the pop-

ulation. The peninsula, like most parts of America, is made up of neighborhoods of varying prosperity. Historically, and today largely due to economics, groups of certain affluence and cultures tend to reside in specific areas. Because schools are funded by local taxes, schools in more affluent areas receive large amounts of funding, while schools in less-advantaged neighborhoods are often underfunded. These schools aren’t inherently inferior, they simply cannot afford the same stellar educational tools and resources other schools can.

Students who reside in affluent areas and attend their well-funded, local schools have the opportunity to utilize these resources and create strong educational foundations to build on and use to excel in high school. They almost always move on to higher education. Students from less affluent areas who attend primary schools that receive less funding aren’t exposed to the same academic opportunities early on. As many interviewed Menlo-Atherton teachers, as well as teachers and scholars across the nation, have noted, the lack of a complete primary education impedes the academic success of students later on. Kevin Coulombe, a science teacher who teaches a range of students, from Conceptual Physics to Astronomy, explained, “a lot of these kids get tracked down into the less rigorous classes… because they don’t have the skills necessary already. And I think that’s one of the downfalls of high school; by the time students [reach high school], there is already such a gap between performance levels of kids.”

So we are not the only community facing educational imbalance. But that does not mean that any part of our school should acknowledge this inequality as appropriate, inevitable, or acceptable.

After sitting down with students and teachers to hear their thoughts on the subject, we learned students are divided in opinion about whether or not these socioeconomi-

Photography Jack Boyle, 12th

cally separated classes are fair. Teachers helped to explain that M-A has made significant progress in integrating certain classes, but there is still a long way to go.

Sophomore Naomi Baer, a Hillview Middle School alumna mentioned, “M-A is 40% Hispanic. Why are there only two Latinos in any of my classes?” Another interviewed student, who wished to remain anonymous, elaborated on feeling out of place in “white-washed” advanced classes. She stated, “I do believe I have [to face] a bigger challenge than my other classmates, such as interacting with other people that I didn’t grow up with.”

AP Calculus and Integrated Math teacher, Jerry Brodkey noted about the homogeneity of classes and inequality of students’ primary education saying, “I do see it as a problem, I see it as a very difficult problem. If it were a simple problem, we would have found simple solutions, because we have been aware of this problem. It’s not just a problem at Menlo-Atherton; it’s a big problem.”

After hearing that some AP students naively believe that the current state of undiversified classes are fair and based entirely on student merit and motivation, Mr. Brodkey kindly shed light on the teachers’ perspectives. He explained that his Integrated Math students often haven’t been exposed to the same advantages that some of his AP Calculus students have, that they’ve often had a “rougher path through the educational system” than their Calculus counterparts, who often go on to be “the success stories of the American education system.” He went on to inform us that as a teacher, he believed students who may seem underperforming, or are from generally underrepresented groups, are equally worthy of exposure to a great education. He said, “The idea is they are still people and deserve every opportunity. When you see a boy or girl, in whatever class, you want the best for them.”

The administration and teachers have been working to integrate classes for quite some time. Many support programs, including AVID and summer bridge programs help to

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reinforce the academic strengths of students while building on others. They have also launched campaigns sending teachers on visits to feeder schools, so they understand the varying types of primary education their students are receiving.

Mr. Brodkey has noticed that significant progress has been made in the diversifying of classes based on rigor. He noted, “I have been at M-A since 1983; I think there is more diversity in those upper-level classes then there used to be, but it’s still not where we want to be.”

The school is already working toward making students’ educational experiences more equitable, but there are obvious points that need reinforcement. English and Art History teacher, Liane Strub noted, “All of these little steps are like Band-aids, and it needs to be systemic, it needs to be the whole district, it needs to be a recognition that kids come to us from specific districts with a deficit in terms of their skills.

What do we need to do to remedy that? It might be extensive bridge programs in the summer, or every kid who is reading below grade level has a support class for their English and history classes, or it might be having an advisory period.”

What’s lacking in today’s education system is equal access and opportunity.

Teachers and the administration are dedicated to making positive changes in our community, but it is not only their responsibility; we as students must demand continuous effort be made to aid feeder schools, to aid students with less-than-satisfactory educational backgrounds, and to aid those who have less academic resources. Then we can hope to diversify advanced classes and become an equitable school.

As Mr. Brodkey encouraged, “That’s where people like yourselves had better be impatient and demand changes.”

They are still people and deserve every opportunity.

*Exact statistics as reported by the California state government to usnews.com

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CELEBRATION WEEKEND

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uring the usual conversation each Monday about the past weekend’s activities, it’s not uncommon to hear “Menlo Park is soooooo boring.” Perhaps this is because few students are aware of Sunset Magazine’s Celebration Weekend, a cherished community event that will take place the first weekend in June. Sunset Celebration Weekend is an annual event at Sunset Publishing Corporation, located at 80 Willow Road in Menlo Park. Sunset is a west coast lifestyle magazine that strives to illustrate the joys of living in California. Despite its proximity to the school, minimal Menlo-Atherton students are aware of the presence of a magazine publishing corporation in Menlo Park. The Celebration Weekend is a perfect time to explore the inspirations for Sunset magazine while sampling and learning about up-and-coming west coast brands. Behind the crowds of cars and pedestrians passing by Willow Road, there are a wide variety of promotional booths that extend about a mile into the neighborhood. Among the favorite attractions are live bands, rock-climbing walls, live cooking demonstrations, art projects, food trucks, and food testing stations.* In addition to the wide variety of booths, there will be a new design project highlighted for the first time at the upcoming Celebration Weekend. A part of a Sunset-owned building will be partitioned off into sections. A group of young, emerging designers will each take on the design of one designated section of the building. For example, a single planner may be in charge of a section designated to the kitchen. Each room will not only be stylish and chic, but will represent a “vintage” issue of Sunset magazine while providing publicity for a group of novice

by Ally Ostrow designers. Brianne McElhiney, Assistant Programs Manager describes the project as being similar to an Ikea setup with open showrooms for the public to view each unique design. The goal, she explains, is to give design ideas that visually represent past issues of Sunset.

There is a wide variety of events suitable for any age group at the event. McElhiney mentions that the Off-the-Grid program often draws many high school students and families, as it has consistently been one of the most popular aspects of the celebration. This program features a large grouping of distinctive food trucks that cater the community event. The food samples given out by the booths are also popular, she says.

Students of M-A also share the company’s enjoyment of the annual Sunset Celebration Weekend. Many M-A students associate the Sunset Celebration Weekend with their childhood. While the celebration has changed over the years, all of the attendees continue to enjoy the event. Katrina Wijaya shares, “Some of my favorite childhood memories are from the festival. It definitely brings the community together and the crowd is always so lively. Out of the years I have attended, I would have to say that Guy Fieri’s demonstrations (a restaurateur and chef on the Food Network) and making leis have been my favorite aspect of the Celebration Weekend.”

Tickets are currently on sale online on the Sunset Celebration Weekend website. The fair is open from 10am to 5pm both Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2. General admission is 18 dollars. Experience Menlo Park culture through an entertaining weekend of speakers, samplings, and demonstrations. *To view a full list of exhibitors for this coming year and to purchase tickets, visit www.sunset.com

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE CUPCAKES: 2 large eggs 1/3 cup of milk 1/4 cups water 1 cup of sugar 1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 4 cups of strawberries powdered sugar 1 pint of heavy whipping cream lemon curd 1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

2. Whisk butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and mix until completely combined.

3. Pour 2 cups of strawberries into blender to create a purée. Pour the purée into the butter and sugar mixture, and blend until smooth.

4. Combine the two mixtures together and add milk.

5. Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ of the way up. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 18-25 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from tray.

6. Remove the cupcakes from the tin, remove the center of the cupcake, and fill each cupcake with lemon curd.

7. Make the strawberry puree as you did in step 3 of the cake recipe.

8. Using a wire whisk or a mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until very soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar to taste.

9. Add the puree, and whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Serve on cupcakes!

10. Frost with strawberry whipped cream, garnish with sliced strawberries, and enjoy!

YIELD: 12 cupcakes

bears in the

kitchen SUMMER TOMATO BRUSCHETTA 3 ripe tomatoes 1 bunch fresh basil 1 baguette 1 clove garlic, peeled 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar olive oil salt and pepper, to taste 1.Set the oven to broil. Boil a pot of water and submerge the tomatoes for 1 minute or until the skins are loose.

2. Remove tomatoes from the water and peel the skins from them.

3. Dice the peeled tomatoes and pluck several leaves of basil from the bunch and roughly chop.

4. Mix the tomatoes, basil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a bowl; set aside.

5. Meanwhile, slice the baguette on the bias into 12 pieces.

6. Drizzle with olive oil and broil until golden brown.

7. Rub the bread with the garlic clove and top with the tomato mixture.

8. Enjoy!

by Joan

ne Cho

, Franc

esca Gil

les & M

egan W

iebe

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The M-A Rifle Club In 1967, it was not unusual to have a rifle club on the Menlo-Atherton campus.

Suprisingly, this club did not meet to discuss current issues involving gun control laws.

Instead, the Menlo-Atherton Rifle Club “met weekly to learn firearm safety and correct shooting technique.” In the 60s, there was a more relaxed view towards the use of guns.

Now in 2013, such a club at M-A would most likely be banned due to the political standstill revolving around gun control. Recent mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut and at the movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado have caused gun control to be a contentious issue. People are more wary because of these events and many see banning guns, rather than teaching firearm safety, as the solution. Having the ability to learn firearm safety and correct shooting technique in a safe, controlled environment would be beneficial for young adults aspiring to have an occupation involving guns. However, it would be highly controversial and potentially dangerous to have a rifle club on campus. Gun control has become highly politicized; it is now a microcosm for the debate on constitutional, inalienable rights.

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Pictured in Menlo-Atherton High School’s 1967 yearbook

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Disclaimer: this is not an opinion piece and is meant only to point out the existence of the club and spark discussion.

by Lauren Smith and Suzie McMurtry

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Mixed Media Shadow of a Doubt Vanessa Wijaya, 12th

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Mixed Media Flower Collage Sarah Scoffone, 10th

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And many more...

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1,000,000 loves themamark Follow us! You can also submit work via Instagram by tagging your post with #themamark!

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Graphite Bicycle Study Vivian Qiu, 12th

JESUS (PRIMO)

by Lauren Smith, Suzie McMurtry, and Marino Santos

The MArk: Do you still compete in marathons?

I still compete in short distance marathons, mostly five or ten kilometer runs. But as soon as my hip heals, I’ll be able to run 105 miles a week again.

The MArk: Where did you grow up?

I came to the United States when I was 17 years old. I dropped out of high school in Mexico and I came to the United States and went to Cañada College to learn English.

Then I found a job in Half Moon Bay. I lived over there for seventeen years. I liked living in Half Moon Bay. It’s good for training because it’s near the ocean and the sand makes my legs stronger.

The MArk: How many languages do you speak?

I speak four languages: Tagalog, Ilukano, Portuguese, and English.

I learned these languages because I worked with people who spoke them. In Half Moon Bay, I was in charge of a company of about 40 people, and almost all of them only spoke Tecalo (they were from the Philippines.) I also want to try to learn French.

The MArk: When we asked about the languages you spoke you said you speak four languages, but you did not mention Spanish.

Why? I did not mention Spanish because you guys know I’m Spanish speaking. So I speak the four languages plus Spanish.

Photography Jesus Suzie McMurtry, 12th

The MArk: Have you made close bonds with students at M-A? I have known some students since they have been little babies because I worked in the elementary school in Woodside, so I have known them since kindergarten. I knew them for four years there and then another four here at M-A. The MArk: Are there any fun facts that you would like us to know about you?

I enjoy seeing you guys here and helping you guys, and I understand you guys are seniors and I’m going to miss you guys… I’m going to cry. Don’t leave me you guys! Promise me you will come back and visit.

The MArk: Why did you choose to work at M-A? I chose to work at M-A because M-A is a great place to work. It is special to work here because all of the students respect me, and I respect them.

The MArk: Do the student and faculty understand the hard work you do for them?

Yes, they know how hard I work.

Even one of the students signed up to help me as a volunteer. He works with me every morning.

The MArk: Where did you learn your tricks? **laughter** At M-A of course!

The MArk: Did someone teach you or did you teach yourself?

No! I just make them up.

The MArk: So you weren’t on any competitive teams?

No. The MArk: How much has M-A changed in the 11 years you have worked here?

M-A has changed a lot. Now we have nice new classrooms and nice computers. Each year, better students come from other schools to enjoy M-A.

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The MArk: Tell us about your running career.

I used to run 100 miles a week, but ten years ago, I hurt my hip, so I started running 50 miles a week. I need to be a good runner and be in good shape. In order to run 26.2 miles [a marathon], I have to train by running 105 miles a week

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Graduating Editors PHOTOGRAPHY Suzie McMurtry

Samantha Bloom Copy Editor

SUZANNA MCMURtry photo editor

Lauren Smith Creative editor

Anna de benedictis managing editor

Fiona Dewar executive editor

Simone king indesign specialist

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It has been a pleasure and a privilege to write and copy-edit for this magazine (alright maybe the copy-editing in the wee hours wasn’t categorically a pleasure, but I digress). The MArk is a unique publication--it highlights the diverse interests and talents of the M-A student body. The array of opinions and backgrounds that coexist on our campus is what makes 8 our school so stimulating. It has been such an enriching experience to curate and publish writing and images that represent the best of M-A. 7 I am extraordinarily grateful for the camaraderie among The MArk staff. We are students from different grade levels and different interest groups. Yet, the atmosphere of creativity and freedom of expression brings us all together in a supportive environment; it cannot be replicated in any other class. When we all contribute, we come up with a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Learning to collaborate this way around a common goal is a powerful and all too rare mode of education.

I know I will carry it with me.

On to “lessons learned” (because as a not-even-eighteen-year-old, I am of course qualified to pontificate): 11 1. There will always be another typo. Always. Even after the tenth go ‘round.

2. If you have to work late, have food and friends around. Or a dog. Dogs talk less and keep your feet warm.

10 3. When in doubt, quote The Sound of Music. It’s a crowd-pleaser.

With that I’ll take my own advice, “Adieu, Adieu, to you and you and you…”

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-Samantha Bloom

Nostalgia is starting to set in. While I indeed have reached a point of restlessness where I cannot bare to spend another year here, there is no denying the walls of this campus hold millions of memories. Therefore, the thought of forever abandoning this past existence is sad and almost incomprehensible. I’d like to believe a bit of sentimentality is probably afflicting us all.

I feel a strong connection with everyone here. Regardless of who we are, we share an experience such that if we met in the future outside of school, this common background would make us inherently understand each other. Being an M-A student has shaped us all in a unique way and after moving on from school we will grow more aware of this influence.

All the classic high school and graduation movies feature funny pranks before the end of the year and now suddenly I have reached this quintessential stage of life.

And honestly what I am regretting most is not having done more hilarious things, while protected by the excuse that I am a high schooler and therefore entitled to immaturity.

So for all you with years left, take advantage of this time. Pull a Ferris Bueller.

Nothing scares me more than leaving things behind; parting from precious memories and places that hold such immeasurable importance. All I can conclude with is that M-A better have some reunions because at least for the time being I think that I’d like to have all of us together again. Suddenly as I contemplate my last few days at M-A, my life becomes the ending song of the Breakfast Club, and the reality of this finality is too intense for me to even fully comprehend. So it has arrived at the time when rather than reflecting back and feeling sad, I must find excitement and distraction in imagining what the future will entail.

-FIona Gutierrez-Dewar

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With this being my thirteenth and final magazine I’ve worked on as a member of The MArk 11 staff, it is bittersweet for this to be coming to an end. I joined Journalism my sophomore year and have 10 been part of the staff ever since. This year as a senior, I was named Creative Editor and I have been in charge of the overall visual aspect of the magazine. Graphic design is one of my passions and because of my experiences in Journalism, I am now considering pursuing it as a potential career. With graduation only a few weeks away, I anxiously 9 await leaving for college. This fall, I will be studying at the University of Southern California and wish to continue my studies in graphic design and digital arts while attending. I am truly grateful for my time on the staff, and I hope that the future members of the MArk appreciate and take advantage of the number of opportunities that the class has to 8 offer.

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I am not a writer. I am not really an artist, or even a particularly strong leader. But I do like to take photos, occasionally draw and write my opinion. Through The MArk, which could be called a liberal arts publication, I have been able to strengthen my confidence in each of these areas. As I look back on it, The MArk has been a backdrop for most of my time at M-A. It was there in my sophomore year to encourage and transform my love of photography, there in my junior year to give me a more recreational yet academic activity to distract me from my studies, and here my senior year to give me a sense of leadership and importance in displaying Menlo-Atherton students’ creativity (which never fails to blow me away). I, like Lauren, have been on The MArk staff for thirteen issues. While my contributions for each one have varied, I do not think I could choose a favorite11 one. Each year it is a treat to work with a new set of imaginative and productive brains and this year is certainly no exception.

10 As each of our settings change, I have no doubt that this outgoing editorial staff will continue to utilize the skills we have all attained here working on this publication. Next fall I will be attending Colorado College in Colorado Springs where I hope to

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explore all my vocational options that may or may not diverge from the creative design path.

On behalf of all of The MArk staff and M-A student body, I want to thank the M-A Foundation for the Future, the PTA and the Administration for, since the beginning of this magazine five years ago, giving students this rare opportunity to channel 4 our creativity and varied opinions with almost no limits and absolutely no advertisements.

PS: a personal message to The MArk: It’s been real.

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-SUZANNA mcmurtry

This is not just a farewell for the seniors: it is a transition for each person at M-A into their next stage. Freshman change to sophomores, sophomores to juniors, and junior to seniors. And those of us that are seniors move on to adulthood; we move on to college, trade schools, jobs, families, and beyond.

1 Now that my high school experience is coming to a close, I can comfortably say that I’m done, drained, spent, all used up. But The MArk will never be done; it will go on and evolve through the many new minds of students. Four 2 years ago, The MArk was in its infancy, truly a freshman with a new name and a long way to go, but looking forward to making that progress. The goal was showing off the student body through art and writing.

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PHOTOGRAPHY Jack Boyle

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-anna De benedictis

When I first thought of joining The MArk staff my junior year to fulfill my CTE credit, I was very hesitant. I knew I was committing myself to an elective that would require a substantial amount of hard work and responsibility, but the moment that I entered the class, I knew I had made the right decision. Being involved in this magazine, I have built relationships with my classmates stronger than I could have ever imagined, and uncovered my love for design. I learned that there’s more to journalism than simply putting words on a page and making it look pretty. As I am now planning to study design in college, I have The MArk, and my amazing fellow staff members to thank for that. My high school experience at M-A wouldn’t be the same without this class, and without the amazing opportunity to be involved in this magazine, I never would have discovered my interest in design, or made the unforgettable friendships that I did.

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The MArk continued this into its sophomore year ambitiously producing five issues rather than the previous three. Still finding it’s footing, The MArk’s junior year was upon it and finally finding the cozy four issue pacing, The MArk was working hard. Now The MArk’s senior year is wrapping up and it’s heading on to new horizons—innovative design themes, different content, new staff.

I’d like to recognize that each issue, each staff, each year, The MArk is building off of the work of the previous dedicated students. All the artwork submitted, all the readers, teacher cooperation and feedback, and all the editors strengthen The MArk’s mission of promoting free speech, and reflecting the views of the student body.

This year, The MArk contributors tackled Confessions of an M-A Latina, the new AP Environmental Science course, the 2012 presidential election, recipes, the LGBT struggle between the tux and the drape, all sorts of freshman advice, scores of teacher interviews, macarons, twins, humans of M-A, Legally Blonde, student athletes, and more (Check out tinyurl.com/themamark with our past issues)!

One of my favorite parts of this year was working one on one with everybody on staff. I learned more about Indesign, Illustrator and the other software programs we use by working with others and learning by doing. The amount of humor mixed with support that I felt in I-2 this year was immense. I look forward to seeing how next year’s seniors and the rest of the returning staff continue The MArk’s journey. You guys made my senior year that much more hectic and wonderful.

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Watercolor Mountains Vanessa Wijaya, 12th

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Photography Flowers Elisabeth Holliday, 10th

Watercolor Blue Faces Becca Milman, 12th

Photography Untitled Sarah Scoffone, 10th

A New Beginning My life has reached a soaring height Joy has my emotions leaping As if a white fulfilling light Entered the cave in which I was sleeping Rainbows and unicorns are in the plains Roaming the lands once laden with stone In tender embrace, we transcend our pains Evenings are no longer spent alone Now we are doves in playful flight Meandering through a sky so bright And if Fate’s the wind, and we are feathers You and I will float together

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Photography Buggy Nina Fox, 10th

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Thanks for reading this issue of The MArk. We hope you have a wonderful summer and do not despair, we will be back with another issue before you know it. In the meantime, keep doodling, photographing, painting, writing and, more importantly, making your MArk by submitting. Our email, submittothemark@gmail.com, accepts rolling submissions. Be sure to include your grade level, title and medium of the work.

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