Apr. Messenger 2014

the

northview high school 路 Volume 12 路 issue 8

essenger

DA NC E JENNY ZHAO, BALLET & TRADITIOAL CHINESE DANCE

LYDIA LIM, LYRICAL HIP HOP

AKSHAYA, VIJAYKUMA, BHARATANATYAM DANCE

LEILANI TIAN, BALLET, CONTEMPORARY, TRADITIONAL CHINESE DANCE

JOELLE GILL, JAZZ, TAP, THEATRE, BALLET

PATRICK LU, BREAKDANCING

SARIKA SACHDEVA, BHARATANATYAM DANCE

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[masthead] Editor-in-Chief: Sam Quinn Managing Editor: Nancy Coleman News Editor: Meredith McBee Sports Editor: Noah Gray Features Editor: Marri Kang Opinions Editor: Rachel Williams Photo Editor: Hui Lin Business Manager: Meredith Keisler Faculty Adviser: Chris Yarbrough Staff Writers: Shelby Bradley, milika dhru, Andrew Gottlieb, Sneha Gubbala, Meredith Keisler, Nabila Khan, Bryan Liang, Hui Lin, Jessica Ma, Lindsey Moon, Brittney Neser, Annie Pennington, Nik Radtke, Tarun Ramesh, Hend Rasheed, Ryan Siatkowski, Andrew Teodorescu, Maggie Xia, Sophia Choi, Tiffany Xu, Connie Xu Cover Design: connie xu Email: nhsmessenger@gmail.com Phone: (770) 497-3828 ext. 176 Website: nhsmessenger.com Address: 10625 Parsons Road, Johns Creek, GA 30097 The Messenger is a student publication published for and distributed to students, faculty, staff, and the Northview community to promote readership of the students ’ current events and issues. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire staff or those of Northview High School, its students, faculty, staff, or administration. Content is controlled and edited by staff editors, with a high-priority on celebrating the achievements of its readers as well as events occurring within the circulation. The staff will publish only legally protected speech, adhering to the legal definitions of libel, obscenity, and the invasion of privacy.

Photo credits in this issue : page 6: nabila khan / staff page 9: tiffany xu / staff Page 10: lisa matsumura & Hui lin / staff page 11: hui lin / staff page 13: hui lin / staff page 14: brittney neser / staff page 15: valimont photography / special page 16: tiffany xu / staff page 17: hui lin / staff page 19: hui lin / staff & valimont photography / special page 20&21: yanping shi / staff page 23: hui lin / staff page 30: vogue.co.uk, phil oh, and adam katz sinding / special

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table of

[ contents ]

2 masthead 5 editor’s letter 6 news 9 sports 15 cover story 22 features 25 opinions 27 staff editorial 28 face-off 30 staff columns

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[articles] 6 extended learning opportunities make up for lost school days /annie pennington 7 NEw neighborhoods may affect northview / andrew teodorescu 9 varsity boys tennis heads to region tournament/andrew gottlieb 10 northview's athletes sign with colleges / lindsey moon 12 project darasani travels to africa / milika dhru 13 taekwondo black belt Ruth mendez competes in national competition to represent usa /sneha gubbala 15 Cover story: the messenger explores the dance scene at northview/ marri kang, maggie xia, bryan liang, shelby bradley, and jessica ma 22 Carina claassen climbs her way to the top / maggie xia 25 cancelled grad bash causes uproar among seniors / ryan siatkowski 27 staff ed /the messenger staff 28 face-off: is trivia app quizup educational or a waste of time? / Sophia choi and nancy coleman 30 media and fashion columns /ryan siatkowski and connie xu 31 comments / andrew teodorescu

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Summer program for SAT English reading and writing Monday, June 9 through Friday, June 27 Monday, June 30 through Friday, July 18 Afternoon class: 1:30 to 4:30 PM Evening class: 6:30 to 9:30 PM

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Supervisor: Dr. Cheng Doctorate in English, Emory University Member of Modern Language Association A professional English teacher with 20 years of college English teaching experience and 10+ years of SAT English tutoring experience 9810 Medlock Bridge Road Johns Creek, GA 30097 Building A, Suite 203

- Read critically and contextually - Write clear, effective and accurate English - Achieve unity, coherence and clarity in essay writing

Phone: (770) 667-3863 or (678) 480-8696

Email: zcheng@bellsouth.net

letter from

EDITOR that’s pretty clever... or not

the

In which I try to warn you against “sounding clever,” by trying to sound clever SAM QUINN, Editor-in-Chief

T

here is a problem in the philosophy of science called the problem of induction, which essentially holds that inductive reasoning— reasoning based on experiential observation and extrapolation thereon—is at best a poor justification for science. Because it is wholly dependent on the very premises which it seeks to explain, inductive reasoning, proponents argue, cannot be the satisfying a priori rationalization that science needs to validate itself.

I had originally intended to construct some rehashed argument against the legitimacy of scientific realism—the idea that science describes a world that is epistemologically and ontologically independent from our perceptions—and at the same time introduce the controversial ideas of Quantum Bayesianism, but then I realized I don’t understand half of the words I just wrote.

That’s not entirely true. I could tell you that epistemology is the study of knowledge, and that ontology concerns itself with the nature of “being” and “existence,” whatever that means. But at the end of the day, have I actually said anything new? No, of course not. The real problem is not that I don’t understand it, it’s that I’m not adding anything to the conversation. My words would be, by necessity, empty at a fundamental level.

It’s kind of like the problem of induction: if the only source of knowledge to inform my commentary is the same source upon which I’m commenting, how valid are my commentaries, really?

This itself raises some pretty disconcerting questions, challenging our conceptions of originality and creativity and gnawing at the core of what we call “truth.”

Let’s say a bigshot author writes some philosophical novel about God and religion. Notwithstanding the fact that Dostoyevsky might have written basically the same book 130 years previous, the work is nevertheless heralded as a supreme triumph in literary fiction and lauded for its refreshing spin on age-old questions.

Now let’s say that some pretentious teenager makes a similar argument in inkhorn terms (I bet he uses words like “inkhorn”). His affectation might be highlighted and criticized to no end by the same people who would praise the same argument in an alternate form.

Maybe that’s the keyword: alternate. It’s no secret that the secret to anything is execution. An argument might be effective in one manifestation—expressed with elegance, eloquence, wit, and tact, building upon itself insofar as it ought to build upon itself—while in another form it falls flat, with its points—rife with as much potential as they might have had—the victims of their own verbal impotence.

But if the argument itself and the core ideas contained therein are common to both forms—that of the author and that of the teenager—then the originality that was the hallmark of the better form is rendered null, because the teenager with access to the internet was able to formulate his own concurrent (albeit poor) interpretation.

What, then, of truth? We call things “true” if they agree with what we’ve been told, or if they are the consequences of deductive reasoning. In practice, however, induction often supersedes deduction because it is simply the natural inclination of the human mind. I don’t form syllogistic trains of propositional logic in my head every time I consider a situation; I merely do what my gut tells me to do.

But if “what we’ve been told” is the historical equivalent of yesterday’s hearsay, I would argue that the writer’s words, which, if they are eloquent or radical enough, become part of the Western canon, are no “truer” than those of the teenage layman.

As one iteration of the aphorism somewhat ironically goes, everything has been said before. But that’s not really the point. The point, rather bluntly expressed, is that it’s futile to contrive wit because everything has been said before.

And by “contrive wit,” I mean “try to sound clever.” I’m certainly guilty of it, and it’s most likely the predominant design which had impelled me to the Wikipedia page for Quantum Bayesianism (see?). It’s not that I think my discourses on such things wouldn’t have a profound impact on the academic realm of modern ontology, it’s just that—wait a minute—yeah, that’s pretty much spot on.

It’s the season of college acceptances and beaming faces looking toward the horizon and toward that future of first impressions, frat parties, job interviews, and the like. There will be people, I’m sure (actually, I’m not sure, I’m just using my inductive reasoning skills), who will try to impress with overt grandiloquence, or as TV Tropes puts it, “sesquipedalian loquaciousness.”

Don’t become one of those people. In my worldview, there is a difference—a clear difference, which I think is fairly discernible—between “acting the part” and being genuine, even if one of those entails the use of big words while the other does not. Those terms, like so much of what I’ve said, are the ill-defined bane of semantics. But I tell you with certainty, inasmuch as I understand “certainty,” that if your goal is “sounding smart,” stop. It’s not only futile, but misguided. If your real goal is self-improvement, make that your goal, and avoid degrading yourself with the insulting affront that is superficiality.

With the soapbox now happily placed aside, and with my dinnertime speech complete, I must admit with piercing irony that I’m not sure I really believe everything I’ve written, particularly the part about the author and the teenager, and the truths or lack thereof which we can extract from our world. This was entirely hypothetical—and perhaps that was its downfall—but I am so often reminded of the pundits’ assertions when I examine those of less qualified people. I’d like to think that it’s mere regurgitation on the part of the layman, but in a Bayesian sense, I can never be sure. And who knows where those teenagers will be thirty years from now. Maybe they’ll be writing books.

Sam Quinn, Editor-in-Chief the messenger | 5

NEWS

extended learning opportunities Katie Ferguson, 10, takes a practice test to prepare for her AP exam.

Administration gives students a chance to prepare for the End-of-Course Tests

A

ANNIE PENNINGTON, Staff Writer

fter the week of snow, Fulton County missed over 20 hours of instructional time. Teachers decided to take the situation upon themselves and offer extra help for students who needed practice before End-of-Course Tests (EOCTs) and Advanced Placement (AP) exams.

“Fulton County realized they needed to do something to support the students that needed extra time to practice for state tests,” said literature teacher Ashley Ulrich. Six of the Language Arts teachers gave up their afternoons and weekends to help the students make up for the lost snow days. The majority of the weekend sessions were for AP exams and most after-school opportunities were for EOCTs. In the sessions, teachers helped students go over what the tests look like, test-taking tips, practice tests, supplemental review work, and extra questions and passages to take home. The National English Honor Society helped facilitate the extended learning and also answered questions and gave test taking tips.

“Turnout has been good, especially for the AP practice test days & ninth [grade] test preparations,” said Ulrich. Many students took full advantage of the extra learning opportunities.

“This is the first AP class I’ve ever taken, so I want to make sure I’m

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completely prepared. Since the opportunity is given to me, I don’t want to refuse it,” said sophomore Paige O’Neal. The younger students or first-time AP students were more likely to participate so they would pass without a worry.

“Even though it’s on a Saturday, I’m still willing to give up part of my weekend to do better in the long run,” said O’Neal.

The March 14th teacher workday was changed to instructional time due to the lost time. Also the CRCT testing window was pushed back, giving students and teachers an additional four days to prepare. “We looked to our school leaders, parents and community for their input on how to make up the missed days,” said Superintendent Robert Avossa. Luckily, the rest of the school year was not affected and high school graduation dates are not changed. Schools are required under state law to have class 180 days each school year, but have been able to cancel up to four of those class days without state approval. Fulton County missed six days due to snow and inclement weather.

As the year progresses, students are studying more and more preparing for the end of year tests. The high standards of Northview are set to make sure students do their best. The extended learning opportunities have given students a chance to make sure they were on track to pass EOCTs and AP tests.

“I’m still willing to give up part of my weekend to do better in the long run.”

- Paige O’Neal

News

the fate of rogers bridge road New neighborhood development can affect Northview commuters

A

ANDREW TEODORESCU, Staff Writer

request by the Rogers Family Partnership may bring a new neighborhood to Johns Creek by 2020. ter reapplying for a second consideration of rezoning, Rogers was only In the final months of 2013, Michael M. Rogers sent a letter deferred rather than denied. of intent to the Johns Creek Planning and Zoning Commission The letter of deferral, sent on Feb. 28 2014, stated that the “reprethat requested the rezoning of 104 acres of land owned by the sentatives of the Shakerag Homeowners Association… have indicated Rogers Family Partnership on Rogers Bridge Road. This letter proposed that they would like more time to review, understand and comment on the construction of a neighborhood consisting of three subdivisions the Rogers rezoning request.” The course of action has fallen out of the that planned for completion by 2020. After the city originally denied hands of the city and into the hands of the Shakerag residents, who will Rogers’ application on Dec. 6, the Rogers Family Partnership has since be most impacted by the construction of this proposed neighborhood. reapplied for approval of their rezoning request. If approved, their pro- According to estimates submitted by the Rogers Family Partnership, posed construction for a residential neighborhood will most likely begin the projected overall impacts on the community will be relatively sigwithin the next year. nificant. Northview High School would Since 1839, the Rogers family has receive about 100 new students by 2020.

Along with countless other owned 310 acres of land surrounding Bell “While [the development] may put Road, Rogers Circle, and Rogers Bride us over capacity based on current enrequirements, these homes Road. The declared reason behind this rollment, I do not believe it will have a must be single-family detached rezoning is that the Rogers Family Partlasting impact of overcrowding in the developments with two or nership purchased a 32-acre tract of land future,” said Northview Principal Paul near Rogers Circle because it holds hisBrannon. three-car garages and with a torical significance to the Rogers family.

This residential area will add over total square footage between “In order to facilitate the purchase 2,600 new daily car trips on Rogers and preservation of this 32-acre tract, Bridge Road and increase the traffic vol2,000 and 4,000. we are forced to sell a portion of our ume on surrounding roads—McGinnis property and accordingly are seeking to Ferry, Bell Road, and Rogers Circle—by rezone and develop the northernmost an average of 300 new daily car trips for 104.38 acres of our property on Rogers each road.

Bridge Road,” said Rogers in his letter To protest Rogers’ rezoning request, of intent. concerned residents of the Shakerag The original site plan of the applicacommunity created the Bell Road Cotion, code-named RZ-14-006 and RZalition. This coalition has taken several 14-007 by the Planning Commission, approaches to stop the advance of this proposes three subdivisions of the new case any further by sending mass-emails, neighborhood with a total of 273 new hiring an attorney to represent Shakerag, homes. Along with countless other reand attending city zoning meetings. quirements, these homes must be single “I’m not happy with the way that [the family detached developments with two Rogers Family Partnership] originally or three-car garages and with a total introduced the development. They did square footage between 2,000 and 4,000. not publicly show all of the information These are classified as “million-dollar homes” and, by the end of pro- about the new development to Shakerag residents at first. They recently jected construction in 2020, these homes will likely be over a million put up informative posters on Rogers Bridge Road but before that, it was dollars each. difficult for [Shakerag residents] to find all of the details,” said Shakerag The essential point of Rogers’ request is for the 104 acres of pro- resident Robert Badircu. posed land to be rezoned from its current AG-1 (Agricultural) status to As the 60-day deferral from the city is coming to a close, Shakerag resia CUP (Community Unit Plan) status. The city originally denied Rogers’ dents and the Rogers Family Partnership are apprehensive of what come first request for the construction of a residential area because it is a vio- next. The Planning Commission is scheduled to respond to the rezoning lation of city law to use agricultural land to create residential housing.. request once again on May 6, 2014 while the mayor and City Council are The final and most concrete reason for the application’s rejection was scheduled to respond on May 19, 2014. Since the Community Developbecause it allows the Rogers family to have an “economically viable use ment Department suggested for the request to be approved, it is not unof land while not substantially advancing legitimate state interests.” Af- likely that the request will be approved this time around.

These are classified as “million-dollar homes” and, by the end of projected construction in 2020, these homes will likely be over a million dollars each.

news | the messenger | 7

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KINGS OF THE COURT

SPORTS

Men’s Varsity tennis team heads into the state tournament after winning the region

ANDREW GOTTLIEB, Staff Writer

T

hrough their strong efforts, each men’s Varsity tennis player has boosted Northview to an undefeated 10-0 regular season in region play. The Titans are now currently in the state tournament after having a successful season and winning the region tournament.

Despite its strong start, the team still has to stay sharp, according to head coach Tracey Ramage.

“I do not want them going into the region tournament being like this is a piece of cake, because sometimes you can get a little bit of a false sense of security. That might be a problem with the freshmen. When we get into state, it gets a lot harder.

I hope they don’t think everything is going to be easy, because it is definitely not easy,” said Ramage.

The Titans made it all the way to the semifinals in last year’s state playoffs before losing to Stars Mills High School. Already this season, Northview has avenged last season’s only regular season loss against Pope with a 4-1 victory. It marked a turning point for the team this year.

“Probably the most impressive match this season was against Pope, because they are the defending region champions,” said junior Josh Solvin.

Ramage was looking forward to a rematch against Pope this year in the region tournament,and the Titans were able to win again, this time claiming the championship with a 3-1 margin.

“We are very excited for heading into the region tournament undefeated. I was hoping it came down to us and Pope again,” said Ramage.

Although the Varsity tennis team went undefeated in the region, they did not achieve the same status in the overall standings. They went 13-3 overall with losses coming to rival neighboring high schools Chattahoochee, Johns Creek, and Lambert. However, the Titans did have an impressive victory against Alpharetta High School, who won last year’s AAAAAA tournament.

This year, seniors Avi Singh and Ashwin Ragde stepped up and were highly noticed all-around. Singh and Ragde finished the regular season 12-3 and 4-0, respectively.

“Avi and Ashwin have been great. I’m really going to miss them. They have both shown leadership to the team and created a lot of spirit which made it fun this year,” said Ramage.

Ragde has really enjoyed his last season at Northview as the Titans are heading to the state tournament once again.

“I remember being a freshman looking up to the seniors and how they sort of brought the maturity to the team. Now that I’m a senior, it’s cool to take up that role as a mentor, and just keep guys level and get them pumped up for their matches,” said Ragde.

According to Ramage, the five freshmen on Varsity have led to Northview’s great success. Their experience before joining the Titan program has pushed the returning players.

“When they go out and play, they are very serious and not like typical freshmen.

They are very mature,” said Ramage.

Ragde would like the freshmen to be like Singh and himself throughout their high school career.

“I hope that we can set an example that they can look back on and pass down that same experience,” added Ragde.

The team has had some tough goals to overcome this year. “We are undefeated in the region, and hopefully will be undefeated in the region tournament and win.

I’m hoping we win the state championship,” said Slovin.

Top: Avi Singh hitting the ball with his forehand swing.

Bottom: Ashwin Radge playing at the net in a double’s match.

sports | the messenger | 9

college

Three Northview Varsity-lettering seniors have committed to college on sports scholarships

signings

by lindsey moon

~ Visit nhsmessenger.com for more college signings stories and information ~

jordan salvador S

enior Jordan Salvador has dedicated her life to soccer, and her hard work has paid off with a commitment to play at the University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG) as a center defender in January.

"The majority of what I've accomplished has come through hard work at practice, sometimes three-a-days, and gaining experience through coaches and playing," she said.

Salvador has given countless hours to practice and tournaments in order to achieve her goal of playing in college. "It has been my dream ever since I was five to play in college," Salvador said. She has regularly woken up early in the morning for fitness workouts, and she has sacrificed many hours of her life to the sport she loves.

Jordan is not the only Salvador on the team. Sophomore Haley Salvador, Jordan's younger sister, plays keeper for the team. Haley admires her sister in many ways.

"I look up to her in everything I do. She excels in almost everything she does, so it makes me set my standards higher too," Haley said. "Family plays a big role [in our lives] because of the way my parents raised us, accepting people

10 | sports

and putting others first. She still shows the things my parents taught us in her everyday life and it has helped her become a better person."

Jordan looks forward to attending UNCG in the fall. Jordan said, "I chose UNCG for the people. When I went, I already knew they had an incredible soccer team, and you're not supposed to commit based on the coaches, so for me, it was really a matter of feeling accepted and liking my teammates."

Jordan hopes to bring something new to UNCG’s soccer program. "I really want to make an impact on the team." Her hopes for college are high, but her future looks bright.

As she move on, Jordan will not forget her experiences at Northview. "My favorite memory was the Harrison game from my sophomore year which we won in PK's [penalty kicks] to take us to the state championship game. We had two fan buses drive almost an hour to support us." She will miss her friends that cheered her throughout her high school career, and she wants to thank them for all the support they have given her.

Through her years of soccer, Jordan has created many memories and plans on making many more. "I can't imagine my life without soccer, so I'm just excited I don't have to give it up yet."

David Ehmen D

avid Ehmen will be continuing his education at Wofford College next fall with a baseball scholarship to play at the Division I school; however, his road to a scholarship wasn’t always easy.

It took hours of practice to improve his pitching and his skill overall as a player. “It was a lot of hard work because I was not always best on the team. But I kept going up a level and level each year. Eventually I got to a point where I was on a really good team over the summer; I had some really good coaching and teachers that really helped me. It really improved my game to get to a point to get that scholarship,” said Ehmen.

“David has a work ethic second to none. I know for a fact that nobody will ever outwork him even when he is around other DI [Division I] players,” said Coach Aaron Wilkens.

“He’s a hard worker,” said teammate DJ Pearson. “He takes everything seriously. He just works to be the best he can be.”

“The only way you know you can give 100% effort is if you give 100% effort off the field,” said Ehmen.

Ehmen’s hard work has paid off. As a captain this season, Ehmen led the team well. “He leads by example,” said Pearson.

“David is a great leader because he leads both vocally and through his play,” said Wilkens. “He brings a great intensity to the team and rallies players to put forth full effort.” Ehmen gives encouraging speeches before every game and motivates the team with his dedication to the sport.

In regards to Ehmen’s future, Wilkens said, “Ehmen, never change who you are. Your hard work has paid off and will continue to as long as you remain passionate in life.”

connor redmond

C

onnor Redmond is a four-year letter winner in lacrosse and has started as the varsity goalie since his sophomore year.

He committed to Salisbury University and will play lacrosse there next spring.

When asked how he became the player he is today, he said, “It is a combination of practice and coaching. [However,] there is not any one individual to make a difference] in my playing. Usually, it is modeled in their examples and seeing how hard they work. I try to replicate that.”

His hard work in his early years of lacrosse and his coachable personality paid off when he reached high school when he made the varsity team.

“He was so good that he skipped freshman and JV and went straight to varsity,” said Coach Kevin McCall. “[Redmond] is a quiet leader. He leads through his actions, and the guys really respond to it,” said McCall.

“Connor has been a leader on the team since his sophomore year.

As a goalie, he naturally has to possess leadership to be successful. He is really a coach on the field to his teammates,” said former lacrosse coach Raymond Brown.

To Redmond, McCall would like to say, “Remember who you are, and where you came from. Stay on the path you’re on.”

sports | the messenger | 11

IT’S TIME FOR

AFRICA Project Darasani aims to improve education in Tanzania and develop a solutution to global poverty

“It is difficult to describe how meaningful the experience is. Everyone who goes there comes back with a drive to make a difference and help the kids there.”

MILIKA DHRU, Staff Writer

F

or one week this summer, students from Northview High School will have the opportunity to travel to Arusha, Tanzania to deliver educational supplies and funds directly to the rural villages of Arusha.

Members of the club aim to promote education throughout these villages and develop a long-term solution to poverty. Project Darasani, a Northview club and Georgia-based non-profit organization, was established by sophomore Saloni Sharma, who was inspired to create an association that enabled underprivileged children to receive an education and provided them with sufficient school supplies after her visit to Tanzania last summer with her family.

“The level of poverty in schools and of the children was so much greater than I had anticipated; when you go to places like that you realize how lucky you are. We are all blessed to be living in a place like Johns Creek, but we should all take the time to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves,” said Sharma. “I just felt that we need to do something and the idea of Project Darasani was born.”

As president, Sharma provides information regarding the volunteer opportunities of Project Darasani, coordinates and answers questions about the itinerary of the trip, and collaborates with the volunteers in Arusha to organize details of the school visits and other events the club participates in overseas. “I am really looking forward to going back and interacting with the kids that we are helping. They are really sweet and make everything we do so worthwhile. These kids are the ones the club is helping, so it’s amazing to be able to know them personally,” said Sharma.

Funds will be distributed among school-aged children in local primary schools in Arusha. “I saw kids that were eight or nine years old who were not enrolled in schools because they didn’t have money to pay school fees or buy school uniforms,” Sharma added. The supplies and monetary support collected determines whether or not the Tanzanian children will receive an education. Thus far, Project Darasani has enabled 16 children to go to primary school who would not have been able to do so otherwise.

The club has collected around $5,000 for their cause overall and has transferred $1,500, which has allowed many of the children to begin their schooling already. Sophomore Stuti Rao is the treasurer of Project Darasani, and although she will not be traveling to Africa this summer, she played a significant role in the club’s development and remains heav-

12 | sports

ily involved in its activities. “As this is a new club, we weren’t too sure what to expect this year. While we could have done many things better, the amount of money we have raised to help make a difference in these kids’ lives really makes me feel happy and proud of our achievements.

I’m definitely happy to be a part of this club and I hope to do a much better job next year,” said Rao. “We will be spending 3-4 days at local schools to teach English to younger kids, visit local primary schools (grades one to seven) that we are supporting, distribute the school supplies we will be carrying with us, and also do some fun projects such as help refinish chalkboards in local high schools. We also plan to go on a wildlife safari for one or two days before coming back,” she added.

Sharma believes the experience will have a lifelong impact on the students that are traveling and volunteering in Africa. “It is difficult to describe how meaningful the experience is. Everyone who goes there comes back with a drive to make a difference and help the kids there.

For the people in Tanzania, they get to see that there are people on the other side of the world who really care about helping the kids in their country get an education, which is the first step in getting out of poverty,” said Sharma. “When the Northview students come back, they will be able to share their experiences with others and will be more involved in the club, which increases the overall passion in each of the member’s drive to help.”

Along with the trip to Tanzania this summer, Project Darasani will be participating in a variety of activities to achieve their goal of helping to end global poverty and providing education to children around the world.

The 2014-2015 school year will begin with a drive sponsored by Project Darasani to collect school supplies that will be sent to Tanzania; the club will also arrange for guest speakers who are familiar with Tanzania’s culture and education system to provide information to Northview students.

“We are also looking to make the overseas trip an annual event so that each year students have the opportunity to volunteer at local schools and meet the kids we are helping,” said Sharma. By donating time, school supplies, or monetary support, members of the local community can get involved with Project Darasani. “We would like for everyone in our community to know the importance of the mission of Project Darasani and know that their contribution will go a long way to sending children to school,” she added.

THE

KARATE

TAEKWONDO KID Northview student competes in national Taekwondo competition SNEHA GUBBALA, Staff Writer

W

hile perhaps not quite as well known as Mr. Miyagi’s Daniel of The Karate Kid, sophomore Ruth Mendez proved to be just as talented in the finals of the Amateur Athletic Union Taekwondo National Championships. The participants placed in the top four of the championships continue on to be invited to compete in the AAU National Team Trials later that year, where the first place competitors will be inducted into the program’s Junior Team, made up of ages 15 through 17.

Beginning her path through Taekwondo at the young age of six, Mendez fought hard to earn her current second-degree black belt. “I would have to test for a belt… I would have to learn forms, and be able to do all of them, then I would have to do board breaking, and last but not least sparring” said Mendez.

Member of Team Victory, coached by Brad Carter, Mendez saw a variety of different, and often unusual, training techniques. Coupled with running and fighting, the team would travel to different states to fight different types of people. More notably, the team is required to workout in sweaters and sweatpants so as to feel less uncomfortable when the time comes to fight in the full sparring gear, as is required during tournaments.

“I think the most difficult part of the sport is, giving up everything else for training. Some days may be rough but you have to keep going,” said Mendez. “Some days, you’ll feel like everybody is just beating you up but that can’t stop you. It is a tough mental game.”According to Mendez, the tough mental and physical regimen of the sport is part of building the discipline required for both training and for life.

Mendez’s commitment to the sport saw a few obstacles throughout her journey. With an injured and weakened ankle, her refusal to give up led to an injury involving the other. The second injury led to the realization that it was time for a short break. Mendez proceeded to sit out for eight months and engage in physical therapy, so as to achieve the quickest recovery. “I have felt like quitting, but the sport itself, it has become

part of my life. It’s just weird to not do it. I love getting to meet new people and hearing about why they got into the sport” she said.

In early July of 2013, Mendez saw the culmination of her years of practice. Participating in the AAU Taekwondo National Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Mendez competed against several other girls from across the nation in the feather weight class (101-107.8 lbs) and sparred against one other competitor.

“I had never been so nervous in my life before. It was such a big event. I trained every day. It was pretty much, school, training and sleeping. That was it. I felt really prepared, like I could conquer anything,” said Mendez. “When I beat her, I was in the top four, but for the next match I bowed out, which means not to fight, in order to avoid an injury before my next tournament.”

Although she did not achieve a treasured place amongst the competitors for the AAU National Team Trials, Mendez still saw the experience as a significant development in her Taekwondo career. “ I think failure is what keeps me going. The fact that I can’t do something right, only makes me want to keep going more.”

Mendez seeks to use this experience to her advantage in the future, hoping to make the Junior Team in the coming year. As for the longterm, her goals are not as clear. “I’m not sure where I see myself as an athlete because it’s just a small sport and it’s also a dying sport...We’ll see how it goes but I do plan on having my own team when I’m older,” she said.

Taekwondo, often cited for helping athletes build integrity, perseverance, and self-control, assisted Mendez significantly in handling her own personal fears.

“It has helped me with…learning that [fear] is all mental. Recently, there have been some changes, and change is tough for everybody, but I’ve learned not to worry when it gets tough because Taekwondo is like a roller coaster. One day you’re up and one day you’re down...I suppose that’s how life works as well.”

sports | the messenger | 13

features

DANCE MOTION THE

ART

OF

ABOVE: Joelle Gill demonstrates her flexibility LEFT: Gill performs in Northview Theatre Company’s most recent musical production FAR LEFT: Lydia Lim performs in her first ever theatrical dance experience

T H E A T R E MARRI KANG, Features Editor

T

he theatre department’s latest musical, Damn Yankees, featured two of Northview’s dancers to help out with the production. Sophomores Joelle Gill and Lydia Lim worked with the actors to teach them the dance moves and assist them when they needed help.

Gill had experience prior to working on the musical, so learning the new material was not a challenge. “The dancing wasn’t difficult, but it was fun to do,” she said. Currently attending Susan Chamber’s School of Theatre, Gill has been dancing for 13 years.

At the age of two, her mother began putting her in dance lessons.

Though she had not decided to do so herself, dancing became an important factor in Gill’s life.

“It’s probably one of the most important aspects of my life because I’ve been doing it for so long and I’m committed to it,” she said.

One of her dance instructors, Mallory Baxley, has noted this level of commitment throughout the two years that she has taught Gill.

“I always know that she will handle situations with a positive outlook no matter what challenges are thrown her way. Joelle is always extremely driven and committed to improving,” said Baxley. “She is curious about understanding new concepts and is always asking questions in order to help her make new discoveries about herself as a dancer.”

Gill currently hopes to dance professionally in the future.“I kind of want

16 | cover story

to do contemporary dance when I’m older but also musical theatre,” she said.

Likewise, the musical’s other featured dancer, Lydia Lim, came up with dance as the answer for her future. The idea came to her as she contemplated what she wanted to do as she got older.

“I started thinking about maybe some things I was good at and I was like, well dance interests me, so one day I just tried it and it just became something I really loved. I just felt connection,” she said.

She currently dances with Dienasty Crew with fellow team member Lauren Clough. “Lydia is our secret weapon. She walks up all innocent and sweet and everyone’s all “oh I can take her” and then she destroys them!” said Clough. The two have danced together for about three years and watched her make the transition to where she is today. “Lydia used to be so shy. She wouldn’t even finish a freestyle if people were watching,” she said. “Now she’s down for every performance we throw at her. She’ll freestyle whenever we ask her. I’ve enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell.”

Though their backgrounds are quite different, both Gill and Lim enjoyed their time working on the musical.

“It was really fun and I made a lot of friends. I really like theatre,” said Gill. Lim held similar sentiments.

“It was actually really fun,” she said. “I got to become friends with a lot of new people and I love them so much.”

B - B O Y S MAGGIE XIA, Staff Writer

T

wo-time consecutive winner of the Northview Talent Show, Quake Crew brings the popular dancing style of break dancing to the school’s diverse dancing community.

Originally comprised of seven members, juniors Ryan Kil, Justin Kwon, Patrick Luu, and Jack Li, and sophomores Jeff Paik, Caleb Joung, and Ashley Tan, the only member who does not attend Northview, the group formed in 2011.

“One of my best friends showed me how to do a move one day; it took me a week or so to get it, and after practicing I got hooked,” said Luu. A few months later, others became interested, and junior Andrew Jang and sophomore Shion Kitamura completed the now nine member crew.

The crew started out as just a group of friends who always hung out to dance and have fun. On Fridays after school, they would all gather at Luu’s house, practicing, sometimes spending months to learn a breakdancing move.

“We weren’t titled ‘Quake Crew’ from the start; it was just a group of friends dancing with one purpose and that was to just dance,” said Kwon. The crew’s title came about when the group started toying around with the idea to establish a crew, and the name ‘Quake’ had a nice ring to it. They kept the name in mind, and a few months later, made it their official crew name.

“WE’RE FAMILY ALL TOGETHER, AND FAMILY ALWAYS FORGIVES.” - Justin Kwon Though busy with school and individual extracurriculars, the crew members still meet at least once a week, usually on Fridays and the occasional Saturday, either at a crew member’s house or at the nearby gym. Finding the perfect location is difficult. “There’s too many of us and there’s not enough space, good flooring, and also a safe place to practice,” said Luu. The fact that one member of the crew attends a different school does not stop them from meeting up. “ It’s hard to practice at times but we always find a way to meet up altogether and learn,” said Kitamura.

Their practice has certainly paid off.

Quake Crew is the two time 1st place winner of the annual Northview Talent Show, out competing many other talented groups. In preparation for their performances, the crew must first find the perfect music and then choreograph the accompanying moves. “We pick the music based on how hype it is; b-boys need fast pace songs to dance to,” said Kwon, “All of the members performing sit together and throw out songs, and we pick the ones we like. For the choreography, we usually start off with an idea, and all members throw in ideas after that and we build off of it,” said Kitamura.

Quake Crew is extremely happy and pleasantly surprised to have won the talent show a second year in a row. “Winning the talent show twice in a row was an unbelievable experience. Even if it seems like a minor event to some people, to us its a way to show what we can do, and how much fun we can have with the crowd and the crew,” said Kwon. “It was really unexpected, really. We had all agreed that being in the Top 3 was something to hope for, but no one thought we would win again,” said Paik. The group has no intentions of settling with their current and past wins. “We are aiming to win the talent show for the third time in a row,” said Luu. The crew members spend a lot of time together practicing, and have gradually become like family to each other. As with any family, there are always ups and downs. “As any other brothers and friends do, we all had our fights here and there, major ones and minor ones. But in the end, everyone in Quake Crew knows that we’re family all together, and family always forgives,” said Kwon.

Quake crew has high hopes for the future. “A goal that we all share is to make Quake a name that will be recognized by Northview’s students for not only the time that the members are students here, but for many more years to follow,” said Paik. “As all high school friends would, we will definitely stay in contact; breakdancing though, seems to be a legacy that we will leave behind.”

LEFT: (clockwise from bottom left): Jack Li, Ryan Kil, Caleb Joung, Justin Kwon, Jeff Paik, and Patrick Luu sport their crew T-shirts BELOW: Jack Li demonstrating a head stand

cover story | the messenger | 17

BHARATANATYAM SHELBY BRADLEY, Staff Writer

I

nstead of sleeping in until noon during the summer, Seniors Sarika Sachdeva and Akshaya Vijaykumar practice different dance techniques to improve their skill in their traditional style Indian dance.

Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance that originated from southern India, focuses on geometric forms, balance, expression, and precision. This form of dance generally tells a story through arm gestures and movements.

Bharatanatyam also has many different techniques like Natya which focuses on gestures, Nritta which focuses on elements that are repeated and rhythmic, Nritya which is a combination of both Natya and Nritta, and Abhinaya which has more emphasis on expression. Music plays an important role in Bharatanatyam not only by adding to the overall mood of the per-

ram a year and a half before it happened, when she was a sophomore. She spent those 18 months reviewing her dances and improving her technique, making sure to pay close attention to detail in perfecting her movements. To prepare, she danced on average 10 to 15 hours a week and during the summer of she would go to a camp eight hours a day to practice. “I have been waiting for it for a long, long time so [...] I was excited. I was not nervous because [...]

I prepared so, so much [and] I had a group of girls who were with me. We all graduated together so we kind of went through it together. It was a nice experience,” said Sachdeva.

Sachdeva has been dancing for ten years. “My favorite thing is it is an escape; it is a release. I don’t have to worry about anything, so when I dance

“it is an escape; it is a release. I don’t have to worry about anything, so when I dance I can just become a different person—like a different part of myself and not worry about anything else.” - Sarika Sachdeva formance, but also by helping the dancer stick to the rhythm of the dance.

“You learn one dance a year and then towards the end of the years after you learn the required dance you go back and review all of your dances,” said Sachdeva. “Then you teach other classes […] and after that our dance teacher tells us when we are ready to graduate, and we spend a year preparing for that.” As part of their graduation, students prepare for and perform a two to three hour long dance called an Arangetram. This graduation dance show cases all of the student’s hard work and training and proves he or she is a mature dancer.

Sachdeva started her dancing career when her uncle approached her and asked if she would perform a dance at his wedding. To prepare Sachdeva sat in front of her TV watching and mimicking the dances she saw. After hearing relatives’ suggestions to place Sachdeva in a dance class, her mother did so; Sachdeva has been dancing ever since.

“It got a little bit difficult in the past few years because dance became a larger time investment,” said Sachdeva. “It was a little bit of a challenge but I think I was finally able to kind of balance.”

Sachdeva received permission to perform her Aranget-

18 | cover story

I can just become a different person—like a different part of myself and not worry about anything else,” said Sachdeva. “I would love to teach dance classes, but I’m not actively pursuing it as a career. I do plan on continuing on a dance team in college and helping around the studio for performance and classes whenever get the chance.”

Vijaykumar decided to begin dancing after being inspired from dances she watched being performed on TV, or in movies. By watching these dances, she gained a new appreciation for music and beats, as it made her feel relaxed and immersed in a different world.“I like how I can express myself through dancing, and the movements and everything help me relax and I can just show who I am to the audience,” said Vijaykumar.

Vijaykumar, who is training for her upcoming Arangetram, feels nervous about the performance. “I am currently preparing for [...] basically my graduation and it is to show and prove that the dancer is qualified enough to be a professional dancer, be able to teach or open her own school […]. I will be dancing on stage as a solo performance for two hours with live orchestra to show and prove that I am a complete dancer,” said Vijaykumar.

Vijaykumar, who at the age of three began to learn dance, finds time in her schedule for school work and dancing. “It has not been hard, since I started at a very young age. The dance I do is a Indian classical dance and I also do Bollywood and hip hop. So I started learning Indian classical when I was three, so as I progressed I was able to balance time and work it into my schedule so it isn’t hard,” said Vijaykumar.

Although their dance educations are coming to an end, their passion for the art form will stay with them long past their graduations. “I don’t think that [dancing] would be something I’d do as my main job but maybe later in the future,” said Vijaykumar.

Right: Akhshaya Vijaykumar strikes the pose of the stance, Prenkhana Top Right: Sarika Sachdeva performs at her graduation dance, Arangetram Far Right: Sarika Sachdeva displays her ability to show Abhinaya (emotion) through dance

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B A L L E T

MAGGIE XIA, Staff Writer

B

allet, a form of dance that originated from the early Renaissance courts of Italy, has since become a popular, highly technical style of dance well-known throughout the world. Jenny Zhao, junior, and Leilani Tian, freshmen, are among the few students at Northview High School who study classical ballet.

“Ballet has a strict technique and form that must be followed in every step,” said Zhao. “However, ballet also allows the dancer to be creative and express themselves with their upper body. Ballet is the perfect combination between discipline and expression, sour and sweet.”

Zhao was exposed to dancing when she was nine years old. Although uninterested at first, Zhao became intrigued after watching her friends take ballet classes at an afterschool program.

“It started to get pretty lonely so I decided to sit in the front of the dance studio and watch a ballet class,” said Zhao. “After doing this for a few weeks, I started to like dance and finally begged my mother to sign me up for dance class.”

Zhao currently attends the Atlanta Professional Dance Academy with her friends, who have been greatly supportive--they bond at competitions and rehearsals, often practicing countless hours a week.

“All of us are like sisters,” said Zhao. “Even though sometimes we may argue, in the end we are a family, joined by the same common passion in dance.”

Dancing with her friends taught Zhao the concepts of discipline and teamwork. Ballet requires the dancers to perform intricate choreography that demands a harmony and joint effort of all the dancers.

“By being part of a team, you are signing an imaginary contract that says you are willing to give up anything for the team,” said Zhao. “That the team comes before yourself. I have learned that teamwork is more powerful than anything any one person can do. Power really is in numbers.”

Freshman Leilani Tian also dances classical ballet. When she was six, Tian reluctantly began taking dance classes after her mother signed her up. At the time, Tian wanted to quit classes, but her mother insisted on giving dance a try.

20 | cover story

“I still remember when I first started I was the youngest in the class and I was so scared that my mom had to sit there with me,” said Tian.

“I cried every class for no reason and my teacher had even suggested to my mom that I wait a little before starting again... It wasn’t until I was nine years old that I had really developed a passion for dance,” said Tian.

“After that, dance had become more and more part of my life.”

Due to its precise and technical nature, ballet is very demanding on the dancer. There were several moments in Tian’s dancing career where she considered dropping dance altogether, but her mother helped pull her through her moments of defeat.

“She has helped me in countless ways such as by encouraging me, taking care of my costumes, being my companion, hugging me every time before I compete, and having conversations about dance and life in general. She has helped me in every way become a better dancer and a better person.”

“I really just wanted to quit,” said Tian. “However, because my mom was there to support me and I told myself that I couldn’t quit, I went on stage again, performed my heart out, and it was worth it.”

“Although ballet is extremely difficult physically, perhaps the toughest part is coping mentally, said Tian. “If you don’t have the passion, the drive, to push through, you will never improve. But after all these experiences in dance, I am so much stronger, mature, and confident in myself.”

In addition, dance has taught Tian to work hard to achieve, to cooperate with other dancers, to endure hardships, to be disciplined, and to accept fate.

“Without dance, I would not be the person I am today and I am so thankful that I have found something that I love,” said Tian.

“Even though I’ve received several achievements in the past, I think that it doesn’t really matter if I place in a competition or not, said Tian. “What really matters is what I win from preparing for the competitions and the whole experience of everything. Competitions are a huge motivation for me and they are what drive my improvement.”

Although ballet may not be their future career, Zhao and Tian are still planning to continue dancing after high school. Ballet will continue to shape their lives even outside the studio. Ballet provides an environment of family and teamwork, one of the many reasons why people begin classical ballet.

OPINION M A L E B A L L E T DANCERS JESSICA MA, Staff Writer

B

LEFT: Jenny Zhao lands a leap during a performance of Coppelia.

TOP: Leilani Tian performs an arabesque during an excerpt from Don Quixote.

BOTTOM: Tian leaps during the same performance.

allet is pink tights and tutus, slippers and ribbons. Ballet is stretching and sashaying, twirling and leaping.

Ballet is for girls.

At least, that is what a large portion of Americans seems to think. That misconception, unfortunately, has left an entire demographic of male ballet dancers isolated, underrated, and mistreated. In fact, Americans have associated ballet so closely with femininity that, to this day, there is still no English counterpart for the French term danseur, which describes a male ballet dancer. There is no such thing as a “ballerino.”

The New York City Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre – two of America’s largest and most prestigious ballet companies – currently have female majorities among their dancers, but that in itself may result from the social stigma against danseurs.

The typical American upbringing implicitly discourages boys from dancing from a young age and nudges them towards more conventional physical activities instead; therefore, companies hire fewer men than women because they have a smaller pool to choose from. It certainly doesn’t help that the modern media spews images of sports-playing, testosterone-exuding, muscleflexing men and advertises them as embodiments of ideal masculinity. The danger of being labeled as “girly” can easily deter males from pursuing ballet as a career.

In Bess Kargman’s award-winning documentary, First Position, Jules Fogarty discusses how his peers at a previous school used to tease him for dancing. As a result, he keeps his hobby a secret from friends at his current school. Due to the common association of ballet with women, men in tights have become oddities in American society, often encounter the unspoken assumption that they are all gay and face the resulting discrimination. Stereotypes of male ballet dancers rely on blatant homophobia in addition to a mistaken tendency to tie effeminacy to homosexuality.

Ironically, the stereotyping of danseurs is most prevalent in the very country that claims to be one of the most diverse and tolerant places in the world. While both male and female Russian dancers have achieved a status equivalent to that of celebrities in their country, pop culture and narrow gender roles prevent the same from happening in the United States.

Art should never be gender-exclusive. The general American perception of ballet, however, is moving in that direction.

The masculine side of ballet deserves just as much recognition and respect as its feminine counterpart, and when danseurs receive that respect, maybe Americans will finally coin an English word for male ballet dancers.

cover story | the messenger | 21

Competitive climber Carina Claassen pushes the limits in pursuit of her goals

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MAGGIE XIA, Staff Writer

arina Claassen has worked tirelessly to become a nationally ranked rock climber; her hard work has allowed her to reach new heights.

Her passion for rock climbing began soon after the nearby Lifetime Fitness first opened, as each time her father went to work out, he would always bring her to the climbing wall. “I immediately fell in love with the sport and joined the climbing team there. Little did I know that this marked the beginning of such a great chapter of my life,” said Claassen.

She has continued from that point on, working hard and striving to do better with each climb. “What has marked my progression in climbing is my continuous expansion of what I believe to be the limit of my ability,” said Claassen. She is motivated to improve and keep on training; she continues to push herself, to expand her skills past what she believes to be her limit. “Surprising yourself by doing something you had never thought you would be able to do, especially in that same moment, marks the best feeling in the world - discovering that your ability is limitless,” said Claassen. “At nationals two summers ago; on my semifinals route, I truly pushed myself beyond what I thought was possible and that year, I qualified for the US team for the first time, overshooting my dreams by a long shot. I couldn’t sleep that night with excitement and pride.”

Pushing herself to improve and practicing tirelessly does not come without some drawbacks. Claassen has endured various injuries, from torn ligaments to broken bones.

The injuries not only affected her physically, but also affected her mentally, her motivation to keep going. “It is difficult to deal with such hindrances when they restrain you to such a great extent from working towards your goal and you have to powerlessly sit on the outside, watching your goal distance itself further and further out of your reach,” said Claassen. The tremendous support she receives from the climbing community helps her to stay motivated. “Everyone there, including strangers, is extremely supportive and pushes me to succeed every time I get on the wall.” The climbing community’s warmth and receptiveness has always fascinated Claassen. “Everyone always offered beta(climbing jargon for advice) to strangers to finish routes they were struggling on. This open approach to strangers surprised me at first but it’s grown to be one of the things I love most about the sport of rock climbing,” said Claassen.

In a recent competition in March, Claassen attended the American Bouldering Series Open National Competition. As this year would be the final year that she could still compete in the Youth Series, her desire to win was strong. However, an injury caused unexpected setbacks. A month before, she suffered a bad fall and fractured her ankle, leaving her with crutches and a boot on her left leg for a month. Claassen was devastated, but her motivation kept her going. She ended up performing relatively well at Nationals, but the injury kept her from achieving her

initial goal. She decided to not let the disappointment get to her, and focus on the positive. “I just had to remember to that my results from that one competition did not reflect my overall performance as a climber, and could not let them bring me down. This competition won’t matter for long, as I have so many more competitions and events ahead of me in my climbing career,” said Claassen.

Claassen did not let such injuries get in her way. Her hard work has paid off numerous times. She has qualified for the US national rock climbing team two times, giving her the opportunity to advance into the world competitions. The only problem: Claassen is not a US citizen, and thus is not allowed to represent the United States at the world competition. However, she plans to attain her US citizenship in a few years, and hopes to finally represent the United States at the world championships.

She had plans to potentially attend the Olympics in the future, but after careful deliberation, decided that it was not going to be a realistic pursuit, as rock climbing is not currently an Olympic sport.

Both Claassen’s family and friends support her endeavors. Her parents attend every one of her competitions to provide her with moral support. Her brother, Christoph, acknowledges the time and hard work that she puts into the sport. “She goes climbing almost every single day of the week. She enjoys it a lot, so she likes our support,” said Christoph. Claassen’s friends find her attitude and work ethic inspiring. “Carina’s extremely determined. Climbing’s very important to her and she loves every minute of it. I think she’s become so accomplished at it just because it’s something she loves doing,” said senior Kate Finn. “Carina puts a lot of time and effort into everything she does. She’s very independent and she gets everything and anything done without making a big deal about it. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like her. She’s very funny, smart, compassionate and really kind of crazy. And she’s also one of the most humble people I know, especially for how accomplished she is,” said senior Samar Abdelmageed.

After many years of balancing academics and rock climbing, Claassen has learned manage her time in order to avoid sleep deprivation. “The drive to my climbing gym is long; so three days of the week, I do not get home until about 9. So of course that conflicts with my homework, but I have learned to manage my time well so that I complete most homework on weekends and am therefore able to sleep at reasonable hours during the week,” said Claassen. She certainly has been able to balance the time spent on rock climbing and school work. She was a Junior Marshall and is planning on attending the Honors Program at the Georgia Institute of Technology next year.

Claassen does not plan on quitting rock climbing in the future. “It isn’t merely an activity I’m participating in to exercise, but a lifestyle I adopted a long time ago when I decided to become a full-time athlete,” said Claassen.

“Surprising yourself by doing something you had never thought you would be able to do, especially in that same moment, marks the best feeling in the world - discovering that your ability is limitless.”

- Carina Claassen

22 | features

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2/20/14 4:41 PM

oh, you weren’t

hoping to go to

grad bash, were you? sorry about that.

Fulton County schools sets precedent that ends hope for famous senior trip

M

ryan siatkowski, Staff Writer

any class of 2014 seniors, like in years past, planned but approximately 93,800 Fulton County students. This field trip was to make the overnight trip to Universal Studios in canceled for seniors throughout the county and for future seniors. Why Orlando for the field trip every high school student this year? After all the previous year what make this one special? dreams about. Grad Bash gives the seniors the chance To be fair to Fulton County, they do have several reasons for to remember their senior year in a fun way. Unfortunately, this year is canceling the trip. First of all, this trip does not support learning or different. Fulton County decided to cancel Grad Bash for the entire other activities related to school. It is simply a chance for seniors to make a few more memories. Also, it takes place county. This would not be too concerning if they had a serious problem with attending the event.

“This is one of the last on a weekend which requires teacher chaperones to attend a weekend trip. Lastly, it can be unsafe.

However, they simply decided this year was the things I’ll get to do Most of the time students enjoy the trip safely, but time to start enforcing the policy. When asked there are students from other schools there whose about the decision, Area Superintendent Dr. Will with my senior class actions cannot be accounted for. These reasons Rumbaugh responded, “We have a School Board before graduating and may be good enough for Fulton County to prohibit policy (IFBC) that governs field trips in Fulton it makes me extremely the trip, but there are trips similar to Grad Bash County Schools. While the school district is eager that have not been canceled. The yearly visit to Six to sponsor trips that involve curricular-related upset that you have Flags Over Georgia by AP Calculus students and activities, competitions, or athletic events, it taken that away from FBLA members is very similar to Grad Bash. They cannot be the sponsor of a field trip that does not both take place at amusement parks and offer the fall into these categories.” Basically, he is telling us” - Natalie Muniz same amount of educational contribution. Each the hardworking seniors of Northview and other Fulton County Schools that you are not allowed to attend Grad Bash park has its fair share of unpredictable visitors that could cause a danger because a rule that went years without enforcement needs to start being to students. However, since Grad Bash is an overnight trip it seems more likely to have been cut. Either way Fulton County has not entirely enforced this year.

The circumstances that prohibit this event seem at the very least explained their full concern with the famous field trip. unfair. The students like the ones found at Northview are rarely seen Fulton county schools fully deserve to attend this trip. It is a simple at other Fulton County schools. Northview students make the school graduation gift that has been offered to all seniors of previous years. Even what it is. If any school deserves the privilege of attending this trip, it is some parents of Northview’s seniors had the opportunity to attend a Northview. Many of this schools’ hardworking students watched as the similar trip. Grad Bash does not even interrupt learning, unlike the Close senior classes before them experienced the legend that is Grad Bash, and Up trip to Washington D.C. which causes students to miss several days of after three years of toil this dream is rejected because a the rule needs school. It is too late to change Fulton County’s mind, but it is unfortunate to start being enforced. This also affects not only Northview students, that the great class of 2014 is missing out on a tradition.

opinions | the messenger | 25

staff editorial

W

hen kids are young, cussing is a sacred, special act that both impresses and shocks their classmates. Being told not to say something that is dubbed as a “bad word” is a sparkling invitation for children to say exactly what they are not supposed to say. So while the Ban Bossy campaign has good intentions, the movement will never take off.

Ban Bossy, created by Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, aims to eradicate the word “bossy” from schools and society. Sandberg and her organization claim that the word has a negative effect on young girls.

While boys are encouraged to be prominent leaders, girls who attempt to take on leadership roles hesitate in fear of being labeled as bossy. According to Sandberg, erasing the word from students’ vocabularies will end this fear and promote strong leadership skills in young girls.

Ban Bossy has gained plenty of popularity and media attention. Famous faces who support the campaign and well-known partnering organizations like Girl Scouts of the USA, Pantene, BBYO, and Teach for America among others help give Ban Bossy credibility.

With a legitimate female boss at the helm, the organization is definitely credible. The final goal of the movement is ideal; however, Sandberg’s proposed solution to the problem is completely off. Banning “bossy” will not get rid of the word—on the contrary, the ban will make it more dangerously appealing to young kids.

The word itself is not the root of the problem. Girls shy away from leadership positions because they want others to like them. They are much more concerned with what people think of them, and this selfconsciousness will automatically cause girls to do what they think is socially acceptable rather than take the lead in a classroom or workplace environment.

Part of this could be attributed to being called “bossy,” but the word is still only a contributing factor of the issue. The best way to instill a passion for leadership in young girls is simply to encourage them to lead.

Ban Bossy has some redeeming qualities. They have numerous resources on their website to help girls become leaders, in addition to similar resources for parents, teachers, and troop leaders. Their partnering organizations and celebrity support (Beyoncé, Condoleezza Rice, Jennifer Garner, and Jane Lynch included) set the campaign on a path to success. The only real downfalls are its name and primary goal.

Eradicating one word will not fix an entire problem. It could possibly make it worse.

Ban Bossy’s main intention is muddled by their attempt to ban the word. If Sandberg had stuck to her original mission, the movement could have been successful. Now, it is nothing more than a lost opportunity for a worthy cause.

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QuizUp With over 450 topics and counting, trivia app QuizUp has taken Northview—and the world—by storm. The game connects players to Facebook, giving users the opportunity to challenge their friends in rapid-fire rounds about categories ranging from General Knowledge to Celebrities to Shakespeare to Pro-Wrestling. It is easy to go into a trivia-induced trance and play for hours, but the wide range of topics lets players educate themselves at the same time.

Do QuizUp’s educational benefits outweigh its distracting nature?

28 | opinions

YES

Nancy Coleman Managing Editor

T

eaching high school students about anything not required in school is a rare feat. Unless we have a quiz coming up or the SAT to study for, learning about the world outside of calculus or biology is a luxury we cannot afford.

Our time and motivation—and consequently, our knowledge—is limited.

QuizUp revolutionizes the way students can learn. It gives education a makeover by disguising new facts as a fun, social game. Players subconsciously soak up more and more knowledge about a variety of categories. It takes away the drudging reluctance associated with studying for school and replaces it with a desire to learn.

The competitive nature of the app motivates students to play game after game in order to reach a higher level than their friends. This repetition continuously drills information into players’ heads that they normally would not remember or care about. Challenging a friend in Shakespeare strips away the stereotypical boredom surrounding the playwright’s work and instead encourages students to discover each and every detail about his plays.

QuizUp even offers topics considered educational by Northview standards: US History, Music Theory, Math, Spanish, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Psychology, and European History are all classes offered at Northview. Playing trivia in these categories can

Sophia Choi Staff Writer

I

n this new age of technology at our fingertips, our attention span has embarrassingly decreased. The National Center for Biotechnology Information reports that the average attention span in 2000 was twelve seconds. In 2013, it was eight seconds, even shorter than the goldfish’s nine seconds. People are becoming more easily distracted, and a wave of trendy apps is not helping.

QuizUp is meant to be competitive. The motivation to keep playing is not to learn and memorize interesting facts, but to earn the most points and win against friends. For the sake of leveling up and a cheap victory, players will deliberately choose easy categories such as their favorite television series or the level of math that encompasses the curriculum of approximately the first two years of elementary school.

Even if somebody does decide to become the best in a difficult category, the time it requires to memorize all of the questions and their answers would be better spent taking notes on new material or reinforcing learned information. Additionally, because QuizUp encourages answering questions as quickly as possible, the players who play repeatedly for the best score end up instead memorizing the answer’s shape instead of its meaning. A student may stay up all night to reach level 100 in

be a helpful study tool, letting students review for a test and have fun at the same time.

Granted, not every topic is very educational. Answering hundreds of questions about the Harry Potter movies or Percy Jackson books is hardly seen as a redeeming experience to put on a college resume. The great thing about QuizUp, however, is that it can expand intelligence, not limit it. One Direction trivia might not boost a GPA, but learning more about the world and its seemingly frivolous boy bands boosts one’s awareness of the things around them. There is no such thing as having too much knowledge, even if that knowledge seems insignificant.

Some categories give players the opportunity to learn about things in different ways. A new Earth From Above category sponsored by Google Maps quizzes users on what locations are shown in a birds-eye view satellite photo. Most people would not spend time exploring various places for fun on Google Earth, but this gives players the chance to learn about these locations.

Spending abhorrent amounts of time on QuizUp can be dangerous--the game can be pretty addictive. Answering all of those trivia questions can, however, educate users on various topics, making the time supposedly wasted on QuizUp worthwhile in the long run.

NO World War II trivia, but he will in turn earn a C on his World History test. The players read the first few words of the question, recognize and recall what it is asking, and select the answer using memory of its shape: how many letters it has, what letter it starts with, what other words it looks like. If players were asked to answer questions pertaining to their frequented categories, slightly reworded, but were not given four choices to choose from, it would be difficult for them to fully comprehend what the question is asking and what the answer to it is.

Players may dedicate hours of their lives to difficult QuizUp topics, even topics covered in school. Still, the questions asked on QuizUp, as numerous as they may be, simply do not provide any educational value beyond memorizing factoids every once in a while. QuizUp, because it is not an educational tool, does nothing to ensure that the player fully understands the “flow” of the topic--he will most likely not have a firm grasp on the overarching concepts and themes of these broad categories. Although QuizUp may expand our knowledge beyond what is taught in the classroom, we must ask ourselves whether we would prioritize reinforcing and perfecting our knowledge in Doctor Who or in our school curriculum.

opinions | the messenger | 29

COLUMNS

MEDIA

RYAN SIATKOWSKI, Staff Writer

R.I.P. Cable

T

echnology is constantly changing and that is what keeps the best technology emerging. In this Darwinist world, every computer, smartphone, and social network has its lifespan. Some last for years, some last a week, but the point is any device or service that is successful will always be phased out by the next cutting edge product. This is certainly the case for cable and satellite television.

Cable has dominated the home entertainment industry for decades.

The idea that one can have access to shows, movies, and news twenty-four hours a day changed the world. Even with on demand and recording services, cable television providers cannot compete with the vast and virtually unlimited amount of data that is accessible on the internet. However, the internet alone is not enough to cause the decline in television subscribers that has been occurring. This is where streaming services come into play.

The question, “Do you have Netflix?” has become more than just small talk. The answer to this simple question tells so much about a person’s daily activities. Having a streaming service such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime gives the viewer an entirely new entertainment experience.

Netflix lets subscribers access thousands of movies and entire TV series.

Hulu gives the ability to watch new episodes days after they come out.

This not only changes where people get their entertainment, but how they watch it as well.

Binge watching or Netflix marathons make it possible to watch television shows episode after episode. Viewers endlessly take advantage of the massive library. The hours and hours of content on streaming services blow cable’s 800 channels out of the water. This is due to several reasons.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Time Warner Cable lost 833,000 customers last year, and 532,000 the year before. This may be attributed to more than just the services. Comcast’s starting price for digital television is $44.99, and this price usually increases after a couple months which adds up on the bill. Netflix’s standard price is $7.99 monthly for streaming and another $7.99 for disc service. With this price difference, cable providers cannot compete. Statistics prove that consumers are “cutting the cable cord” more than ever.

Cable and satellite companies are not entirely to blame for these steady declines in revenue. Products like Google’s Chromecast and Apple TV that facilitate streaming to televisions are becoming more affordable and offering more features. Now that these libraries are available in the living room the combination of convenience and variety makes streaming the most logical option.

Although the declines are not that noticeable, they give an insight into the future of cable and satellite TV providers. It probably will not happen overnight, but the disappearance of these companies might happen in decades to come. Every piece of technology has its prime, but it must also have its death in order to make room for the most innovative thing.

In Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address, he said, “Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.”

30 | opinions

FASHION

CONNIE XU, Staff Writer

S

ydney Fashion Week revealed all the unique, colorful, and urban street style that the Aussies had to offer. The streets were crowded with bold and colorful patterns, and many were certainly not afraid to break the norm. It offered a preview to the summer’s fashions as well as inspiration to be more daring, which can clearly work sometimes.

2 1 3

comments: seeing the bigger picture Every student knows Einstein, Edison, and Eisenhower, but what about Emerson, Eggleston, and Eugene?

S

ANDREW TEODORESCU, Columnist culpture. Ceramics. Fundamentals of Theatre. Music Appreciation. AP Studio Art. AP Drawing Portfolio.

Contrary to popular belief, high schools offer their fair share of art classes. But how common is it for people to have heard of—let alone take—one or two of these classes? I’ve definitely never heard of a student showing any desire to take AP 2-D Design Portfolio.

It is not uncommon for a student to excel in high school without taking a single art class for four years. Art is simply not a priority in our current education system. It is highly likely that art could be dying out of the American public school curricular pool. And from a statistical standpoint, it makes sense.

In 2012, the average income for people with majors in Liberal Arts was approximately $43,100. Logistically, the arts contribute nearly nothing to human productivity and advancement; they are a means of expression, not production.

Many parents encourage their children to major in one of the STEM fields: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—because they are high-pay careers. There is certainly something satisfying about producing work that contributes actual advancement towards these fields, but it is not enough. Without our Van Goghs and Mozarts and Twains, how can the human race be described in different time periods? George Orwell’s 1984 can surely tell more about the future direction of communism than any bland World War II or Cold War peace treaty ever could.

If students do not learn about the importance art at school, most will not go out of their way to learn about it alone. Art is a moving, growing, loud part of our society and, by ignoring it in school, art is bound to deteriorate in the future. Students should be taught the significance of art in relation to its time period and its lasting effect on society.

In countries where art education in high school is mandatory— namely Japan, Hungary, and the Netherlands—math and science test scores tend to be higher. Understanding art not only inspires students to pursue an artistic hobby, but it shapes students into more creative, outgoing, and confident people.

Thanks to my AP World History class, I know that the ancient Mesopotamians built ziggurats to praise their gods and that war poster propaganda was prominent starting in the early 20th century. The problem with this dull knowledge is that I cannot name a specific example of either of these. They are merely facts with empty meaning. Art cannot effectively be taught in a social studies class, a world language class, or even a language arts class. It is too broad of a topic to only focus on one medium or time period for a few minutes in class per day. In the same way that technological advancements are collective—as in, one advancement may have led to another one—art is, too. Yes, that does mean that Kanye West’s work is in some way, intentional or not, influenced by Beethoven.

In a perfect world, it is likely that the United States public education system would make art education mandatory.

Maybe there are budget problems. Maybe a school’s budget should be more focused on STEM classes. Maybe priorities should be made in accordance to budget issues. Or maybe they should not. Art education as a whole should be reconsidered for American students. Ideally, it should be viewed at the same level as core classes.

In elementary school, art was a fun class that involved fingerpainting and talking to friends. Once we hit middle school, art became the boring connection class that nobody wanted to end up with. As an elective in high school, almost nobody wants to take art classes because they do little to impress prospective colleges.

Knowing how to calculate the derivative of a function, or understanding the definition of a meniscus, or even recognizing formal writing structure are all arbitrary skills. Without art, students do not have the opportunities to be intellectuals; they are just scholars. Art essentially gives humanity a personality. Our current generation is not culturally different from the generations of the late 1600s because we have cars and planes; we are different because we listen to rap music and enjoy looking at shiny, weirdly shaped 3-D structures known as “modern art.”

opinions | the messenger | 31

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