the
essenger
Northview High School Volume 13 · issue 4 · DECEMBER 2014
senior northview athletes commit to colleges
LESBIAN GAY BISEXUAL TRANSGENDER QUESTIONING ASEXUAL
P. 1 0
Cover Story: Is northview a safe place for LGBTQ A+ students?
P. 1 6
T he messenger’s annual H oliday gift guide
+
P. 2 6
| the messenger | 1
masthead Email: nhsmessenger@gmail.com Phone: (770) 497-3828 ext. 176 Website: nhsmessenger.com Address: 10625 Parsons Road, Johns Creek, GA 30097 PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION 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. LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Messenger staff welcomes letters to the editors but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, libel, obscenity, and invasion of privacy. ADVERTISING The Messenger publishes advertisements with signed contracts provided that they are deemed appropriate by the staff for the intended audience. For more information about advertising with The Messenger, please contact the business manager, Meredith Keisler, and assistant business manager, Tarun Ramesh, at nhsmessenger@ gmail.com. IN THIS ISSUE Cover design: Jessica Ma
EDITORS-In-CHIEF Marri Kang Jessica Ma MANAGING EDITOR Nancy Coleman NEWS EDITOR Rachel Williams SPORTS EDITORS Maggie Brenan Rameen Forghani FEATURES EDITOR Sneha Gubbala OPINIONS EDITOR Andrew Teodorescu PHOTO EDITOR Hui Lin DESIGN EDITOR Connie Xu ONLINE EDITOR Bryan Liang COPY EDITOR Maggie Xia BUSINESS MANAGER Meredith Keisler ASST. BUSINESS MANAGER Tarun Ramesh STAFF WRITERS Shelby Bradley Tommy Bui Manasa Chimpiri Megan Cistulli Sophia Choi Ryan Daigle Milika Dhru Chad Johnson Annie Kong Jooeun Lee Justin Leung Tanisa Mahalingam Austin Meng Lindsey Moon Sally Pan Caroline Pennington Sumit Sohani Parnia Vaghef Eashaa Velamuri Justin Westbrook Sabrina Wilson Connie Xiao PHOTOGRAPHERS Nabila Khan Brittney Neser Tiffany Xu
2|
table of
contents
2 masthead 5 Editor’s Letter 8 news 10 sports 16 cover story 22 OPINIONS 22 FACE-OFF 24 STAFF EDITORIAL 28 staff columns
12 10
Hui Lin/STAFF
articles 8 Teachers take Safe Space training / MEGAN CISTULLI 9 Northview launches No Place for Hate program / SHELBY BRADLEY 10 Senior athletes commit to colleges / MAGGIE BRENAN and RYAN DAIGLE 12 Basketball preview / LINDSEY MOON and JUSTIN WESTBROOK 14 Wrestling preview / CHAD JOHNSON 15 Varsity Swim and Dive seniors commit to colleges / CHAD JOHNSON 16 COVER STORY: Is Northview a safe space for LGBTQA+ teens? / SNEHA GUBBALA and CONNIE XIAO 22 Face-off: Should teachers openly discuss their personal lives in class? / JUSTIN LEUNG and PARNIA VAGHEF 24 Staff editorial / STAFF 26 Holiday gift guide / ANNIE KONG and PARNIA VAGHEF 28 Music column / EASHAA VELAMURI 29 Fashion column / CONNIE XU 31 Comments / ANDREW TEODORESCU
| the messenger | 3
4|
+ l e t t e r
S
f r o m
t h e
e d i t o r
The importance of visibility
exuality and gender are topics often forgotten. Mentions of them are often shooed out of a conversation to make room for things more entertaining or less controversial. Mere mentions of the words “lesbian,” “bisexual,” “transgender,” and so on are enough to cause hushed voices and claims of “I’d rather not talk about this.” Even large scale media representation of marginalized sexualities and gender identities suffers in its scarcity. And for those unaware of the effects of this problem, it may seem barely important enough to be considered a nuisance. But visibility is a key part to accepting differences and integrating the people of the LGBTQA+ community into society. For kids growing up in a society steeped in heteronormativity, the lack of representation of people like them leads to the idea that they are not normal, or flawed because of who they are. Some will go decades without realizing that there is a word for who they are or that there are others like them and - in a world already so vast and confusing - this lack of identity can have major consequences on a person’s well being. Often times it instills a feeling of inferiority because, according to society, people like them are not worth the attention. Instead, they burn themselves out trying to follow the footsteps of others unlike them. They find themselves unable to pass through the same doors of opportunity because their keys didn’t fit and no one had bothered to make an entrance for them in the first place. Furthermore, only certain groups of the LGBTQA+ acronym will have the luxury to see themselves in the media. And even then what little rep-
resentation they do get will likely come saturated in stereotypes to make them more palatable to the American appetite which, arguably, is even worse than having no representation at all. Such characters that appear in television, movies, and other forms of media often have their identities reduced into the butt of the joke. Their mere existence is a reason to dehumanize them into nothing more than a punchline. It is for these reasons that The Messenger staff has decided to dedicate this issue towards the visibility of the LGBTQA+ community. We may not have the power of big name companies or TV stations, but we hope to serve those that our writing can reach. We have reached out to those in our community in hopes that we may be able to amplify their voices and provide a platform to further discuss these problems rather than turning a blind eye to it. Yet, some may still see this as shoving the concept down their throat. Or perhaps an underhanded scheme to push support towards a certain political party. To those people, I have this to say: the existence of the LGBTQA+ community is not a topic to be debated. As a member of the community myself, I can say that I am sick of being treated as some sort of cog in a machine, or being treated like I’m just a tool in someone else’s agenda, or being treated like my presence alone is something to be repulsed by. It is unethical to force us to hide ourselves so that others may be comfortable in a world already tailored to serve them. We should not have to fight to exist. We have a right to be human.
Marri Kang, Editor-in-Chief
| the messenger | 5
Hui Lin/STAFF
6|
THE AGGRESSOR Senior Tai Lum goes head to head against a wrestler from St.Francis High School in a heated match.
+
NEWS
building a safer
SPACE
Northview teachers take part in Safe Space Training MEGAN CISTULLI, Staff Writer
S
afe Space Training, which teachers received over the past summer, intends to create a community of teachers supporting all students. The program, sprouted from the No Place for Hate initiative taken on by Northview this year, aims to help students struggling with everyday problems. “Sometimes there are things bigger than the normal day-in, dayout school aspects of life, and people forget about how much else is going on in an individual’s life whether it be a teacher or student,” Ashley Ulrich, one of the teachers who received the training, said. For example, if students are having trouble at home with their parents, they can talk to any teacher with the “Safe Space” sticker on the outside of their door, which indicates to students that the classroom is a safe place for them to talk to the teacher. “The school only has a certain number of counselors, and you only get one counselor that you can talk to as your personal counselor. But the school has so many teachers that it’s a way that I could talk to someone and not feel rushed, and I feel like I have their attention,” freshman Mackenna Estrada said about the program. This program allows students to talk to their teachers about their issues, not just the counselors. The training educated all teachers on the types of students coming into their class in order to accommodate different perspectives in their classrooms and create a safe space for all people. “The training mainly focused on making sure the staff is aware of the needs and important details of the different groups in the community at large and that they have access to safe spaces where they can speak, stand, and be themselves and have someone they can trust,” said Ulrich. After the training was given to the teachers, they chose whether or not to place a sticker in their room.
8 | NEWS
“All the teachers came to our training during pre-planning before school started. They all have a sticker on their door that says ‘Safe Space,’ and if students see that safe space sticker, they should know that they can to them about anything that is going on in their life. They can know that they will not be judged in that room,” counselor Laura Ashby, the head director of Safe Space Training at Northview, said. This year is the first year of Safe Space at Northview, and already it has made an impact on the students. “It makes me feel more secure and comfortable [...] it gives you a great way to talk to someone with any problems,” Estrada said. While the majority of Northview’s teachers received the training during pre-planning at the beginning of the school year, several teachers have joined the staff since then. “There will be professional development throughout the year to introduce new teachers into the program as well,” Ashby said. By instating this program, Northview joins a global movement sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). GLSEN also sponsors school events like the Day of Silence. “I think this helps students realize that there are teachers that have open doors where students can come to talk to them,” Ashby said. “It is important for students to be able to have more than just the counselors to talk to.” With a diverse school comes diverse students, teachers, and staff. With the institution of this new program, students can talk to one of their teachers safely and without judgement. In a school with as much stress as Northview, students may not always have time to speak with counselors about their problems, but programs like Safe Space allow all people to talk about their problems knowing that they are in a safe space.
+
NEWS
Blocking out bullying Northview’s new committee strives to make the school a more open environment SHELBY BRADLEY, Staff Writer
N
o Place For Hate, a nation-wide school program that promotes acceptance and an end to bullying, has established itself at Northview. Counselor Laura Ashby decided to reopen No Place For Hate, a nationwide program at Northview after she heard about it during a conference she attended the fall of 2012. “I knew that this would be a great program to implement in our school. We also had parents asking for us to implement a bullying and cyberbullying program, so this ended up working out great,” Ashby said. The committee, made up of students, teachers, and parents working together, focuses on improving the school and creating a place that makes everyone feel welcome. “Well, I was nominated by one of my teachers to serve on the committee and I thought it would be a good idea,” senior Harsha Sridhar, one of the students on the community, said. “It is easy for us to say as a school we don’t have any bullying here, but I think it is important to investigate further and to raise awareness of this very, very cruel activity.” “The initiative is designed to rally the entire school around the No Place For Hate intends to make students aware about the damage goal of creating a welcoming community committed to stopping all their words can cause. forms of bias and bullying. No Place For Hate provides a unique “I know sometimes I feel emotionally affected when people say things framework to incorporate new and existing programs with one conto me. I know a lot of people do not think about other people’s feelings sistent message,” Ashby said. “No Place For Hate can help your when it is a joke but I think we do need to create awareness that sometimes school foster a culture of respect and create a safe, bully-free learnwhat you say does really matter to the other person and it does affect them,” ing environment for students at all grade levels.” junior Ashianna Jetha, another student No Place For Hate started the year on the committee, said. “I think we off by introducing the teachers to the need to watch how we treat people be- the underlying theme of everything that Safe School Coalition Training; traincause at the end of the day we are all happens within our school is to respect each ing them, during preplanning, to stop we should all be there for each other.” bullying and be more accepting of other. we want to make sure that everyone The program intends to im- feels accepted into the northview family. we everyone. The program also sponprove the school’s social atmo- want to create the best learning environment sored a No Place For Hate week for sphere until bullying becomes a the whole school. Students watched a that we can and we believe this program can thing of the past. No Place For documentary on cyber bullying called Hate hopes that if enough schools help with that . Submit, signed a pledge during their - laura ashby begin to help move their students math classes promising to put a stop to bullying, and had the opportunity away from verbal or physical bullying that it will send a message to other schools to do the same. to watch another documentary on called Race to Nowhere. In October, No “[With] a greater understanding of the diversity that we have here Place For Hate hosted the Stomp Out Bullying Day, a national holiday that at Northview […], I think we tend to feel sometimes we have moved promotes putting an end to bullying. Northview students performed in the on and prejudice does not exist and [that] women equality is here and cafeteria during lunch to show their support. Later on in October, they also it is not. There is still so much work to do,” said Tania Pope, one of promoted “Hey Day” encouraging people to say hello to someone new. Along with all of that No Place For Hate supports other administration and the teachers helping with No Place For Hate. Many of Northview’s clubs already deal with helping others; some clubs activities like community nights, and international night. of those that deal directly with helping improve the school to be a more “ It may take us a year or two before we can see the impact.” princiaccepting environment include Black History Committee, Gay Straight pal Brian Downey said, “[...] So we are happy to roll that out and happy to push that because we certainly believe in those ideals.” Alliance, Talk Girl Effect, and Titan to Titan.
“
NEWS | the messenger | 9
SPORTS
College Signings
Seven Northview student-athletes have officially committed to college
.01 Rameen Forghani/ STAFF
.02
.03 Rameen Forghani/STAFF
.04
.05 Maggie Brenan/ STAFF
.06
Maggie Brenan/ STAFF
.07 Maggie Brenan/STAFF
10 | SPORTS
Rameen Forghani/ STAFF
Maggie Brenan/STAFF
MAGGIE BRENAN, Sports Editor RYAN DAIGLE, Staff Writer
T H E AT H LE T E S : PRINCE .01 KELSEY U NI V ERS I TY O F P ENN SY LVA NI A Kelsey Prince, a Northview High School senior, committed to the University of Pennsylvania. Prince has swam for Northview for four years and is a three year letterman. She was named the most valuable swimmer in 2012 and 2013, a Georgia State Meet Finalist in 2011, 2012, and 2013, a NISCA All-American in 2013, Georgia High School All-State in 2013, and is the school record holder for the 100 Fly, 200 I’M, and the 200 Medley Relay. Seated with Prince are her parents Greg and Karen. Behind her from the left to right is Colin Maloney, Principal Downey, and Northview Swim and Dive coach Raymond Brown.
KNOX AUERBACH .02 U NI V E R S I T Y O F A L A B A M A Knox Auerbach, a Northview High School senior, committed to the University of Alabama. Auerbach has swam for Northview for four years and is a three year letterman. He was named to the USA swimming national junior team (top 6 18&U in each event across the USA), list of the top 30 recruits in the USA class of 2015, and had the number 6 all time performance (15-16 year old boys) in the 100m freestyle. He is the Northview record holder in 200/400 Freestyle relays, and was a team captain junior and senior year. He was the top recruit in the state of Georgia for 2015. Seated with Auerbach are his parents Susan and Sean and his two brothers Cam and Cade. Behind him seated from left to right is Northview Swim and Dive Coach Colin Maloney, Principal Downey, and Northview Swim and Dive coach Raymond Brown.
.03 EMILY YANG D A V I D S ON C OLLEGE
Emily Yang, a Northview High School senior, committed to Davidson College. Yang has swam for Northview for four years and is a three year letterman. She was named a Scholastic All American in 2013 and 2014, a NCSA Junior National Swim Championship finalist in 2014, a Georgia State Meet Championship Finalist in 2012 and 2013, and the most valuable swimmer in 2013. Seated with Yang are her parents Quanhe Yang and Li Yan Wang. Behind her seated from left to right is Northview Swim and Dive Coach Colin Maloney, Principal Downey, and Northview Swim and Dive coach Raymond Brown.
LIESL ENGELBRECHT K ENNE SAW S TAT E U NI V E RS I TY
.04
Liesl Engelbrecht, a Northview High School senior, signed to Kennesaw State University for women’s volleyball. Engelbrecht has been a member of the Northview varsity team since freshman year, and in 2014 was named the Area 6-AAAAAA Offensive Player of the Year. Seated with Engelbrecht are her parents, Corene and Andries. Behind her, from left to right, is Northview Athletic Director Chad Davenport, Engelbrecht’s sisters Alexis and Melissa, and Northview Principal Brian Downey.
KALLISH .05 JESSIE R a d f o r d u n i v e rs i t y Jessie Kallish, a Northview High School senior, signed to Radford University to play women’s lacrosse. Kallish has played lacrosse at Northview for 4 years, and has spent all 4 years on the varsity team. Seated with Kallish are her parents, Scott and Rochelle. Behind her, from left to right, is athletic director Chad Davenport, Northview’s Varsity Women’s Lacrosse Coach, Kristin Wakely, Jessie’s sister Lyndsey, middle school coach Patrick O’Connell, and Northview Principal Brian Downey.
ESTHER YI .06 U n i v ers ity o f pi k ev i lle Esther Yi, a Northview High School senior, signed to University Of Pikeville for Women’s Lacrosse. Yi has been a member of the Northview varsity team since last year. Seated with Yi is Northview’s Varsity Women’s Lacrosse Coach, Kristin Wakely, and middle school coach Patrick O’Connell. Behind her, from left to right, are Northview Athletic Director Chad Davenport and Northview Principal Brian Downey.
.07 TORI JOSSELSON Converse college
Tori Josselson, a Northview High School senior, signed to Converse College to play women’s lacrosse. Josselson has played lacrosse at Northview since freshman year, and lettered all four years. Seated with Josselson are her parents, Brian and Rochelle. Behind her, from left to right, is Northview’s Varsity Women’s Lacrosse Coach, Kristin Wakely, Athletic Director Chad Davenport, Josselson’s Grandparents, Jerry and Harriet, her sister Emily, middle school coach Patrick O’Connell, and Northview Principal Brian Downey.
SPORTS | the messenger | 11
SPORTS
BASKETBALL
PREVIEW JUSTIN WESTBROOK, Staff Writer
T
Hui Lin/STAFF
GIRLS
12 | SPORTS
he Lady Titans are looking to move on from a sub-par 20132014 campaign, and are doing so with one big change that occurred in the offseason- a new head coach. Chris Yarbrough took the head coaching position at the close of last season. Yarbrough, who was an assistant coach for the Lady Titans last year, took the head coaching position in late May following Mike Martin’s resignation. During the preseason, Yarbrough focused on the changes that he believed needed to be made. “We needed to run a more consistent offense, find better ways to play defense, and hold the players accountable,” said Yarbrough. A new standard was set for the Lady Titans as far as being on time to practice and also keeping in shape. Yarbrough is doing this by making the players run more as a team if a player is late to practice and also running more as a whole for conditioning purposes. Last season, the Lady Titans had a record of 11-15 overall, with 9 wins and 6 losses in the region. While they didn’t accomplish what they were hoping to statistically, the team was left with many positives with which to work. For instance, The Titans only lost one player, a graduating senior, and have all 5 of their starters returning. The Titans will have multiple returning seniors who they will look to this year, and will rely especially on three year starter Hannah Babadele, who put up some great numbers last year: 10 points per game, 2 blocks per game, 5 rebounds per game, and 1 steal per game. Yarbrough has high praise for Babadele and her contributions to the team on and off the court. “She has been a great leader for us,” said Yarbrough. Babadele returned positive sentiments towards Yarbrough, and is excited about his head coaching position. “I feel like the team will be more organized and we will be more serious [under Coach Yarbrough],”said Babadele. Another standout player the Titans will look to is sophomore Shannon Titus, who started every game as a freshman. She is building off a standout season last year during which she averaged 7 points per game, 5 rebounds per game, 2 blocks per game and 2 steals per game. Yarbrough sees Titus as a threat on the court. “She is immensely talented and extremely quick,” said Yarbrough. This quickness will be extremely helpful for the Titans on the court, and the team often relies on her to step up at the end of the game. “It is nerve wracking but I’m willing to do it for the team,” said Titus.
LINDSEY MOON, Staff Writer
T
Tiffany Xu/STAFF
BOYS Above: Freshman Kyler McMichael goes for the basket in the last few minutes of the game. Left: Sophomore Shannon Titus jumps past Mountainview’s defense and shoots, bringing the score up two points.
he six seniors on the boys’ basketball team, Aris Briggs, Keith Chi, Aaron Thompson, Malcom Conn, Earnest Gunn, and DJ Pearson, have come together as upperclassmen to lead the younger players and help them develop their skills in order to become a stronger team. Although three of the seniors are new to the program, they have become a tremendous asset for the team. “At the start of the season, we had skill, but we lacked size. When the football players came in, our size increased by like 400 percent, so I think that they will make a huge difference,” senior Aris Briggs said. Senior Aaron Thompson recognizes the advantages that the three new senior members, Gunn, Conn, and Pearson, have brought to the team. “I think they’re going to make a big difference. We lacked size before, and they bring a new edge, real energy that we need, so I think that they will make a big difference,” Thompson said. The team hopes to advance to the state playoffs this year. “Most of my goals are team oriented. I really want to see us make the state playoffs. I’ve been playing varsity since sophomore year. We’ve always been right there, but fallen short,” said Thompson. Briggs has set a personal goal for himself as well. “I want to win, but I also want to drop a few double-double’s.” said Briggs. Thompson believes that the team has potential to succeed this season. “As a team, we have a lot of athletic players, and I think we can use that for a run and gun situation and score points of off fast breaks,” said Thompson. This season began with a rough start, as the Northview team played against many skilled opponents. The seniors, however, have learned to cooperate and communicate smoothly. After the first few games, the players have begun to understand what playing as a team means. Despite their athletic prowess, the team members struggled with passing at the start of the season. As the season has progressed, the players have discovered each other’s strengths and weaknesses and improved significantly. The season is guaranteed to continue until the region tournament in February. The boys are hopeful that the region tournament will not be the end of their season, and they hope to play in the state playoffs.
REMAINING 2014-2015 GAMES 12/27 12/29 12/30 1/3 1/6 1/9 1/13
Grayson Holiday Tournament Grayson Holiday Tournament Grayson Holiday Tournament Chattahoochee Alpharetta at Centennial Johns Creek
1/16 1/20 1/23 1/27 1/30 2/3 2/6
at Lambert West Forsyth North Forsyth at South Forsyth Habersham Central at Chattahoochee at Alpharetta
SPORTS | the messenger | 13
SPORTS
THE MIGHTY, MIGHTY TITANS
Northview’s wrestling team heads into the season with a talented team and high hopes for success
Hui Lin/STAFF
MAGGIE BRENAN, Sports Editor
T
he Northview Titans are poised to appear as a dominant physical force in the wrestling world in the 2015 season. With impressive returning wrestlers and some promising young talent, Head Coach Bob Biondich is hopeful to repeat and even increase the success the team has had in the past few years. “I would say the last three years, we have sent probably four or five kids to state, which is a lot for us, and we have had at least had one or two medalists, which is a lot for us. [Sending multiple kids to state] is very hard for us since a lot of wrestlers wrestle year round and are really good, and most of our wrestlers don’t wrestle year round, but are multiple sport athletes. So it’s really good for us to have some state contenders,” Biondich said. Senior Nick Hattings is one of the wrestlers who hopes to make a return trip to state this year. “My goal is to actually win state. That’s my goal, but we’ve gotten up to 6-AAAAAA and it’s gotten a little tougher,” Hattings said. As for all of the Northview athletic teams, the wrestling team is presented with a fresh challenge in the move up to the AAAAAA classification. Although according to Biondich, the move will not affect the team that drastically. “It’s about the same, because it seems that most of the smaller schools only play a few sports, like wrestling, football, and basketball, so most of those kids only play those sports. So when you get up into 6-AAAAAA, there’s more of the bigger schools with more sports, so then the kids are spread out more. So really moving up a classification isn’t going to be any harder for us than 5-AAAAA this year,” Biondich said. Hattings sees the difficulty of the classification as varying between weight classes, which is where the challenge lies for the Titans. In addition,
14 | SPORTS
due to many new wrestlers, the team is still coming into its own. “They look promising. There’s a lot of beginners, but they all look like they have a lot of potential, and are learning really quickly,” Hattings said. Another wrestler who the Titans will rely on this year is senior Tai Lum. With last year being his first year back wrestling, he understands the amount work and dedication it requires to make it to the post season. His motivation to succeed this season includes finishing with a losing record last season, and being eliminated from the post season in regionals. “I knew that I needed to put extra time in during the summer to become more successful senior year. I trained at a club all summer long and I attended some camps to improve my technique,” Lum said. Lum is also excited for the future of the wrestling team in the hands of the newer and younger wrestlers. Going from little success in the post season his junior year to starting as a captain at the beginning of his senior season, he knows how important dedication and hard work are when you are lacking experience. “I have trained equally as hard if not harder to catch up to those people and become the best wrestler I can. It’s a matter of how much time you are willing to put in and I dedicate a lot of mine to wrestling,” Lum said. He sees this same drive and ambition in the younger team members, in addition to talent. “I think they all have great potential. I am really excited for them because they all work really hard, are eager to learn and want to win. I think making it to state would be a stretch, but look for them to become very successful in the future,” Lum said. With strong senior leadership and young talent, the Northview Wrestling team is sure to impress in the upcoming season.
SPORTS
T
Greg and Karen Prince/SPECIAL
Susan and Sean Auerbach/SPECIAL
Diving in Northview’s swim and dive team features a dynamic duo CHAD JOHNSON, Staff Writer
he Northview High School Swim and Dive team looks to build on their successes from last year and continue to send swimmers to state and come home with medalists. This year, the team is headlined by two returning seniors, both of whom have signed with colleges to swim on a sports scholarship. Knox Auerbach and Kelsey Prince are both accomplished fouryear swimmers for Northview, each having achieved the All-American status in their high school careers. Now, they are poised to take their talents to the next stage of competition, competing against other distinguished swimmers at prestigious colleges renowned for their swimming and diving programs. In November, Prince committed to swim at the collegiate level with the University of Pennsylvania. Auerbach signed with the University of Alabama. However, their love for swimming did not originate within the walls of Northview High School during their four years. They both had an early start, competitively swimming since they were in elementary school. For Auerbach, he started competing at a high level ten years ago at the age of seven. As for Prince, she started swimming when she was six years old. Once they started their high school athletic careers, however, they both excelled in the water, and quickly fell onto the radar of national teams and college scouts alike. Auerbach has achieved All-American status for the past three years while swimming for the Titans. As a freshman, he was an All-American for a relay, but was an All-American for individual events sophomore and junior year. “I hit a stride the end of sophomore year. That’s when it all kicked off,” Auerbach said. At the end of Auerbach’s sophomore year he finally qualified for junior national meets and at the end of his junior year he made the USA Junior National team. After he qualified for junior national meets, he began to take the sport even more seriously, and started working out to improve his strength and speed. “I have put on about fifteen pounds of muscle since I started working out,” Auerbach said. The national team that Auerbach qualified for is composed of the top six swimmers in the entire country for each event. At the time of making the team, Auerbach was only 16 years old and had to compete against swimmers that were two years older than him. Similarly, Prince was an All-American last year and is striving to be one again this year. However, she, like many other Northview student athletes, see the move up to 6-AAAAAA this year as yet another obstacle she must overcome to continue her winning ways. Looking past the added hurdle the team must overcome, Prince believes that there are several swimmers who have the potential to score points for the team at state. Prince and Auerbach both feel the team has an added element of camaraderie that their year-round swim teams don’t have. “We are all just like really close with each other. It’s easy to see swimming as an individual sport, but I feel like we all do a good job making it feel like a team sport,” said Prince. Both swimmers are excited to kick off the season and look forward to seeing the younger swimmers progress and the team compete at the state meet.
Above, Lower: Senior Knox Auerbach walks up to the starting block in preparation for his event. Above, Top: Senior Kelsey Prince takes her mark on the starting block during one of her events.
SPORTS | the messenger | 15
16 | SPORTS
FEATURES
HOWdoes NORTHVIEW STACKUP? +
Some of the United States has made strides in LGBTQA+ equality and rights. Much of the country, however, has not. Where does Northview fall? SNEHA GUBBALA, Features Editor, TARUN RAMESH, Staff Writer, CONNIE XIAO, Staff Writer
FEATURES | the messenger | 17
States with Enumerated Anti-Bullying Laws
States with enumerated anti-bullying laws designed to protect students based on sexual orientation and gender identity States that do not have enumerated anti-bullying laws
n the United States, the largely liberal-biased media can make it seem that widespread acceptance of the LGBTQA+ community is now a reality. The students of Northview High School, a generally progressive institution, also like to believe that they do not discriminate against anyone, but rather support people of all walks of life. Across the country, however, LGBTQA+ continue to be subject to physical and verbal abuse. How do we, the Northview community, measure up to the status quo? Throughout the United States, many high profile individuals have stepped forth as proud members of the LGBTQA+ community, bringing the traditionally silenced and spurned community into unprecedented visibility. Ellen DeGeneres, openly lesbian, attracts an average of three million viewers per segment for her highly successful daytime talk show. Tim Cook, who recently confirmed he was gay, heads the Apple company, the most valuable brand in the world. While the LGBTQA+ community may be increasingly accepted in the country, it is still slighted by the law. 29 states do not cover sexual orientation or sexual identity in their laws against workplace discrimina-
I
18 | FEATURES
tion, making it legal to fire someone based on his or her sexual preference. A proposed federal law, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would explicitly protect the LGBTQA+ community against such treatment, has been reviewed in Congress nearly every year since 1994 but has never been passed. Anti-gay laws continue to be passed. In April 2014, Mississippi approved a law that would allow businesses to refuse to serve gay customers. The state condones such discrimination under the guise of protecting religious liberties. Many bakeries, photography companies, and other establishments that recently withheld service, on the basis of religious principles, were eventually found to have violated state nondiscrimination laws; in Mississippi, however, the end result may now be different. LGBTQA+ members may also be discriminated against in public schools. No federal mandate against bullying exists, and 33 states do not include LGBTQA+ members in their own anti-bullying laws. Of those states, eight forbid schools from discussing LGBTQA+ issues in a positive manner, if at all, and two states proscribe gay students from being protected by any law. The states that do have anti-bullying laws,
Atlanta-based nonprofit corporation Mission is to take homeless LGBTQA+ youths to age 26 off the street and transition them into more permanent housing. 678-856-7825
LOST N FOUND YOUTH National support, education and advocacy organization for LGBTQA+ people, their families, friends and allies. 678-561-7354
THE TREVOR PROJECT 1-866-488-7386
RESOURCES for LGBTQA+ YOUTH
P-FLAG however, take any form of discrimination very seriously. “When there is some sort of discrimination that takes place along sexual identity, then it is something that is not just dealt with in the school. It’s actually then passed along to the school board, and it can ultimately be taken to court,” Northview counselor, Allyson Carvell, said. Carvell had worked in New Jersey public schools, where, under the Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying (HIB) law, such forms of discrimination are explicitly defined and prohibited. The state created the HIB law after the suicide of Tyler Clementi, a gay Rutgers University student who jumped to his death after his roommate surreptitiously recorded and publicized a tryst between Clementi and his partner. To help prevent future incidents, any instance of bullying is reported to the police, and appropriate action is taken. Like most states in the South, Georgia does not have state-wide laws that permit same-sex marriage or protect the LGBTQA+ community against work discrimination. However, a few counties and cities, such as Fulton County and the state capital of Atlanta, do offer domestic partner benefits and include sexual orientation and/or gender identity in their anti-employment discrimination ordinances. The city of Atlanta has the third highest population per capita of LGBTQA+ people in the country, with 12.8% of people identifying themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Since 1971, Atlanta has hosted the annual Atlanta Pride parade, one of the oldest LGBT pride parades in the United States, which in 2007 included over 200,000 participants. Many of the city’s LGBTQA+ residents immigrated from other states, where they may not have been welcome. Because of this, Atlanta has earned its appellation of the “gay capital of the South.”
STAND UP FOR KIDS 1-888-365-4543 Mission is to end the cycle of youth homelessness throughout the United States.
In the suburbs of Atlanta, LGBTQA+ visibility is at a high. Sage Lovell, a junior at George Walton Comprehensive High School in Marietta, made history this fall when she became the first transgender public school student in Georgia to be elected onto the homecoming court. Lovell was chosen along with three others girls out of the 50 or so nominated. “I’m so flattered to be representing my school, to be able to just represent my entire junior class,” Lovell said. However, not all communities are so accepting. A 2013 survey conducted by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) revealed that the overwhelming majority of LGBTQA+ students in Georgia faced discrimination from their peers. 80 percent faced verbal abuse because of their sexual orientation, and 50 percent experienced physical harassment. 90 percent of students regularly heard homophobic remarks around the school, and 27 percent even heard such discriminatory declarations from the school staff. Most of the students who were bullied, however, never reported any of the instances to counselors or family members. 80 percent of the students also did not have a Gay-Straight Alliance at their school, where they could receive support from their colleagues. This is especially worrisome, since discussion is critical to understanding a topic subject to prejudice and negative stereotyping. “Increasing access to accurate and positive information about LGBT people, history and events and inclusive policies can improve school climate for all students,” Joseph G. Kosciw, GLSEN’s research and strategy Officer.
FEATURES | the messenger | 19
SURVEY RESULTS HETEROSEXUAL STUDENTS
LGBTQA+ STUDENTS
86.28% 13.84% SAFETY RATING 1 - 10 2 - 0.95% 8 - 27.80%
VIEWED DISCRIMINATION?
3 - 2.15% 1 - 2.74% 4 - 3.22%
80 NO 70 YES 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
LGBTQA+ STUDENTS
600 NO
7 - 15.39% 10 - 17.54%
9 - 15.16%
5 - 10.02% 6 - 4.89%
500
400
300
200
100
0
20 | FEATURES
HETEROSEXUAL STUDENTS
YES
orthview, renowned for its culturally and racially diverse student body, is seen as fairly progressive in matters regarding race by its student body. International Night, Black History Month, and various cultural clubs all serve to embrace the rich cultural interweaving of the school. However, when it comes to issues regarding the LGBTQA+ community, a hush tends to fall over the student body, pregnant with the tension of the unknown and the unfamiliar. In a survey of 838 students from grades 9-12, approximately 86% identified as heterosexual, while 14% identified as members of the LGBTQA+ community. Among the 14% was freshman Amanda Waller who is openly pansexual. Pansexuality refers to the sexual attraction to people of any gender. “I feel like generally Northview likes to pretend it’s incredibly progressive and in some ways it is. We have a large LGBTQA+ population and a popular Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), but the average student knows incredibly little about the topic,” Waller said. “They know the general terms like gay, lesbian, straight, and bisexual, but they know very little about what they may imply or any of the others.” Waller was introduced to the community through her sisters, who are also openly pansexual. Although she is religious and was afraid of how her sexual orientation would affect her spirituality, she researched homosexuality and the Bible and came to a stark realization. “There was nothing in the bible that prevented homosexuality… I was more comfortable and it let me feel more at ease with myself,” Waller said. Unfortunately, Waller feels that Northview does not provide a safe enough environment to the LGBTQA+ community. On a scale of one through ten regarding safety, with ten as the highest, Waller gave Northview a four. “It’s four because in the hallways between classes you can hear guys yell at each other not to be gay, and that’s considered normal,” Waller said. She has noticed the commonplace occurrence of sexual slurs shouted across Northview’s hallways. “At Northview it’s an incredibly casual thing that your best friend could say to you, and you’d shrug it off. The slow nature of the danger at Northview makes it a trillion times worse in my opinion,” Waller said. Counselor Laura Ashby, however, spoke of the vast differences between the tolerance and progressiveness of Northview versus that of schools in Texas, where Ashby worked prior to coming to Northview. “In Texas, it was not talked about at all. It was completely different from working in Northview, where we do have a GSA, and we do at least talk about the topic and these students’ lives,” Ashby said. “I don’t think it’s a hushed situation, and that’s how I felt at some of my previous schools. I love the fact that it’s more open here at Northview, and we’re just able to talk about it and bring awareness to it.” In 2013, then junior Sam Yi and sophomore Jakob Anderson founded Northview’s first Gay-Straight Alliance, a club which promotes a peaceful community and coexistence between groups of varying sexual orientation, sponsored by English teacher Elizabeth Lake and chorus director Brian Clements. The GSA has played an active role in bringing recognition to the sexual minority at Northview. However, Waller believes that the GSA can help make Northview more progressive by helping to educate the student body. “Doing something, like a video on the morning announcements about different sexualities and genders, or even just having a day in our English classes where the GSA does a presentation about different sexualities and genders, can help bring recognition,” Waller said.
N
“
The lack of knowledge on the topic creates rigid gender walls that have led to tension between groups of various sexual orientations. Discussions over sexuality, although initially controversial, could help alleviate tensions between various factions. “The controversy in my opinion is totally worth it. If it were to educate even fifty more people… it would create a domino effect that would change everything,” Waller said. The one obstacle to such discussions is the possibility of many community members not being open to discussing the topic. “I don’t know if we live in a society today that is as open to sexual diversity… parents and families, individuals, feel that that is something that should only be discussed at home, and that school is not an appropriate forum for that,” counselor Allyson Carvell said. “We need to be very respectful of that perspective as well, whether we agree with it or not.” Northview’s GSA plans to initiate a “GSA Week” in the spring leading up to National Day of Silence on April 17, 2014 in correspondence with the counseling department. Day of Silence, founded in 1996, is a student-led national event “that brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools,” according to the official Day of Silence website. The 2014 Day of Silence was the second Day of Silence event officially sponsored by the GSA. Northview’s GSA plans to center the event around educating the public on issues regarding sexuality and gen-Laura Ashby der identity. Multiple initiatives, in addition to GSA Week and including No Place for Hate and Cyberally, have the counseling department partnering with a variety of sources. The first initiative began before the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year when Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) sent representatives to Northview to help educate the Staff about LGBTQA+ students. PFLAG strives to create a world in which all diversity is celebrated, and all people are respected and valued. “We were trained in what it actually means to be transgender, and we as a staff became more educated on the resources that are available to our students, how we can make a welcome space, what some of the challenges are for this population,” Carvell said. The cooperation between the school and PFLAG was a part of the Safe Schools Coalition, whose goal is to create a space for all students to feel protected. “Across the board, we want to make sure that everyone has the rights to all education that they want, you have to have a safe environment so … they can learn and become whoever they want to become in the future,” Ashby said. Another initiative sponsored through the counseling department is the Cyberally program, which aims to bring awareness to online bullying based on sexual orientation. “With social media being as huge as it is, that’s where a lot of bullying can happen just because it’s anonymous and not face to face, and people can feel more free to [use] language with hateful words,” Ashby said. All of the initiatives taken by the faculty to combat discrimination have resulted in a safer environment for LGBTQA+ students than exists in most parts of the country. Such measures, that at the very least grant them the basic human rights and protection deserved by all, are the first steps to dispelling the prejudices and misconceptions that have long plagued the LGBTQA+ community. With time, the perception of a truly progressive society, constructed by a liberal media, can become a reality.
I love the fact that it’s more open here at Northview, and we’re just able to talk about it and bring awareness to it.
”
FEATURES | the messenger | 21
+
FACE - OFF Shoul d teache rs openl y discuss thei r pe rsonal lives in class?
22 | OPINIONS
YES:
OPINIONS
JUSTIN LEUNG, Staff Writer
A
s there is diversity in the student population, there is also a need for free expression of individualism in teachers. A common reason for students and teachers to hide their personal stories is that their personal preferences are judged by society. Teachers, especially those that are a part of the LGBTQA+ community, should be encouraged to talk about their personal life. Because students idolize their teachers to an extent, the instructors need to feed students stories to show how comfortable they are with sexual orientation; however, the teacher is not explicitly educating the students about the LGBTQA+ community or bringing biased opinions to the classroom. Stories are used for self-expression and for aid in understanding situations or circumstances. By doing so, teachers are able to make the students more comfortable with the topic by normalizing it. Instructors need to use stories that are able to challenge the minds of students and allow them to reflect. The method of self expression is efficient for teachers to use since it draws the attention of students. Education does not call attention to social injustices as often as it should, so a large majority of the students do not treat inequality as a problem for our nation. The students are either not exposed enough to the information, not comfortable talking about it, or a combination of the two. Without feelings toward the LGBTQA+ community at ease, students will remain ignorant of the social issues at large. It is then the teacher’s duty
to educate and to help allow awareness spread, without explicitly teaching the students any opinions to gain support. For those who claim that personal stories are not beneficial for learning practices, effective teaching results from varied methods. Personal stories extend learning and cover the topics outside of the classroom. Without stories, students grow tired of repetitive instructions. In every class, there is always one student who finds the class boring. Since the topic of the LGBTQA+ community is not as widely discussed in class, the teachers have the potential of recapturing the attention of their students. Teachers certainly have their right of choice when it comes to storytelling, especially when they decide to make the environment more exciting. Depending on the content, stories can be captivating and have significant meaning that teachers can connect with their lessons. Their lessons can educate students on a topic pertaining to the curriculum as well as a social issue. As adults and role models for students to depend upon, teachers have roles no different than the responsibilities of parents. Instructors of the LGBTQA+ community have stories that contain experience to enrich lives of the newer generations, making students more aware and more comfortable on the topic of LGBTQA+ community. When the understanding of social differences between students and teachers improves, the instructor have an easier time with teaching, effectively.
NO: PARNIA VAGHEF, Staff Writer
T
eachers should feel free to share their personal information with students―outside of the classroom. The classroom setting is a professional environment that is only meant for one purpose: learning. Our students are in school to receive an education, not to waste time on trivial things, like discussing personal lives, when that time could be put towards furthering their education. The curriculum does not include knowing or discussing their sexual orientation, or any other aspect of their personal lives for that matter, so it serves no purpose in the classroom. Students already have trouble staying focused and paying attention during class, and discussions about sexuality will only further the distractions. The role of a teacher expands further than simply teaching their students, but rather upholding a voice of authority while being a role model for the students. When teachers talk about their personal lives, they automatically level themselves with the students, hence deteriorating their position of authority. It is important for teachers to act like adults, and not attempt to be “one of the kids” to relate to the students more. While it is important for students to construct a comfortable and healthy relationship with their teachers, there is a line at which the interaction becomes unprofessional and therefore unfit for school. The demarcation
of these boundaries help the teachers define what position they want to take in relation to their students, and realize what their limitations are. Along with this, being open about one’s sexual orientation is known to be an uncomfortable subject of discussion, especially with adolescents who might not respond to the news in an appropriate manner. Not everyone is open-minded and willing enough to accept a concept that might be different from those of their own beliefs, and may result in a harsh backlash for various reasons. When speaking about something personal like sexuality or any other personal information with the students, the teachers need to be aware of the potential negative reaction the students may have towards the stories. This question seems to stem from homophobia, but in all actuality a teacher’s sexual orientation is simply irrelevant to their performance as an educator. Bringing up their sexuality along with other personal aspects of their lives during class is a private matter that is unprofessional, off topic, and a waste of time. In the end, whether they are in the LGBTQA+ community or not, teachers should only have to be focused on performing their job to the best of their abilities, just like any job would do, and sexual preference has no bearing on that.
OPINIONS | the messenger | 23
OPINIONS
s t a f f
A
e d i t o r i a l
Breathing room
s the transgender movement breaks into the mainstream, defining different genders’ rights and privileges can be difficult—even for transgender people. The October 15, 2014 issue of the New York Times Magazine featured transgender men—people who identify as male but were assigned female at birth—who attend Wellesley College, an all-women’s school. Many transgender men apply to women’s colleges because they believe that the schools will be a good place to tackle personal issues regarding gender identity; others apply because they personally would feel safer. While there is nothing wrong with gender-questioning people applying to women’s colleges seeking a sense of gender identity, the harm is done when people who are accepted into these schools come out as male expecting the school to change to accommodate their own needs. Many transmasculine students of other women’s colleges feel deprived by the female-focused environment; as a result, they attempt to shift the focus from empowerment of women to solidarity of all genders. In Wellesley, trans male students have encouraged other students to replace the word “sisterhood” with “siblinghood” in campus-related conversation. However, trans men must
24 | OPINIONS
remember that they are not the victims when they feel uncomfortable in a female-oriented setting. Because of their gender identity, they often overlook the fact that, by identifying as male, they are benefiting from male privilege. Trans men are more accommodated to than women our in our patriarchal society off-campus. By attending colleges specifically meant for women, trans men are impeding on the safe spaces meant to protect women in a society that otherwise disadvantages women. Should they feel distressed by the fact that they are not the focus of the school, trans men should transfer to gender-inclusive colleges; if that is not an option because of financial, emotional, or other reasons, they should understand that women’s colleges are for women and are in no way obligated to cater to the needs of their male students. More and more previously female-exclusive colleges have adopted coeducation to let students of all genders attend since the mid-20th century, making safe spaces for women even more difficult to find. However, that is in no way a green light for the remaining to adopt coeducation for the sake of pseudo-gender equality. Women’s colleges are for women, not for men. Nothing will change that; not, at least, until women are offered the same opportunities and rights available to men.
+
OPINIONS | the messenger | 25
HOLIDAY
GIFT GUIDE BRYAN LIANG, Staff Writer
FRESH LIP TREATMENT Keep your lips healthy, soft, and colorful this December! The Sugar Ruby Tinted Lip Treatment works as a great lip balm while silmultaneously giving a nice red tint. The Sugar Shine lip treatment included in the set moisturizes and adds a glossy finish to the color. Retail: $18
OCULUS RIFT Experience a video game like never before! The Oculus Rift is one of the first sets to deliver immersive, virtual reality, allowing you to explore a 3D world with just the tilt of your head. Retail: $350
MOTO 360
Keep up with the latest tech! The Moto 360 features a stylish, minimalist frame, and allows you to respond to notifications without touching your phone. It’s also your fitness buddy: sporting a pedometer, heart rate monitor, and exercise apps. Retail: $360
FUJIFILM INSTAX
Want to fulfill your polaroid needs? The Fujifilm Instax is one of the cheapest and reliable polaroid cameras on the market. Stripped down to the bare essentials, the Instax churns out mean polaroids to give to friends and hang on walls. MSRP: $75
PHOTIVE CYREN SPEAKER Jam out to your favorite holiday songs with this steal on Amazon. Under 50 bucks, these Bluetooth speakers feature rich dynamic sound and its long battery life. Throw it in a bag and take it anywhere. Retail: $45
MUSIC+ EASHAA VELAMURI, Staff Writer
T
o keep with the issue’s theme of LGBTQA+ visibility, this month’s column will focus solely on artists in the music industry who are open in the LGBTQA+ community.
I
t has been over two years since Frank Ocean released his debut album Channel Orange. On November 28th, Ocean released a new track “Memrise” on his Tumblr page. The song is less than two minutes long, which is short compared to several of his older songs including “Pyramids” which is 13 minutes long. The song features a long intro and then progresses into processed vocals over electric piano. Ocean goes back to crooning in the next verse but maintains the piano. Though the song is short, it offers the first look at his much anticipated second album.
Billboard/ SPECIAL
SONG
E
Capitol/SPECIAL
FEATURED ARTIST
M
ary Lambert, best known for singing the chorus in Macklemore’s song “Same Love,” released her debut studio album Heart On My Sleeve in October this year. The album is a reflection of herself. The majority of the album is made up of ballads like “When You Sleep” and “Sum of Our Parts.” There are also a few pop melodies including “So Far Away,” “Chasing the Moon,” and her hit single “Secrets.” “Secrets,” obviously the most pop-influenced song on the album, serves as Lambert’s introduction of her open identity to both the music industry and fans alike. In her music video for “Secrets,” Mary Lambert sings unapologetically about herself and what she perceives as her faults. The song is like her own autobiography while also promoting self-love for her fans. One of the most interesting songs on the album is her cover of Rick Springfield’s famous eighties love song “Jessie’s Girl.” She put a twist on the song when she decided to not change the pronouns of the song, showing her confidence in her sexuality and herself.
28 | OPINIONS
arlier this year in June, Sam Smith released his album In the Lonely Hour. Before Smith released the album, he made the decision to come out publicly. He said he did not want to come out after the album came out because “people probably would’ve thought [he] was lying just to sell records, which wasn’t the case.” The album surpassed expectations by dominating the charts with ballads “Stay with Me” and “I’m Not the Only One.” The album, however, is not only ballads but also features pop tracks with falsetto and synthdriven songs like “Money on Mind,” “Restart,” and “Latch.”
S
hortly after country singer Ty Herndon came out that he was gay, country singer Billy Gilman came out on an announcement in a YouTube video. Herndon said that he was not ashamed of being gay but rather ashamed because he is coming out in a “genre, in an industry that is ashamed of me for being me.” In 2000, at the age of 12, he was the youngest artist to ever have a Top 40 hit on the country singles chart. In July, he released his single “Say You Will.”
Capitol/SPECIAL
ALBUM
Lost in Translation/ SPECIAL
COUNTRY
FASHION A Connie Xu, DESIGN EDITOR
lthough underestimated, black and white is the most classic, polished, and versatile color scheme. By limiting the choice of colors, it lends itself the experimentation of texture, pattern, and cut. It is especially prominent in the winter because layering allows for the unusual, yet effortless, interaction of an eclectic array of pieces. Regardless of the intended style or degree of formality, the monochrome aesthetic is accessible and perfectly adaptable to any occasion.
03.
01.
06. 04. 02.
05. 01. CHAPS VEST, OLD NAVY TEE, A.P.C. JEANS, NIKE SNEAKERS // 02. THRIFTED TURTLENECK, H&M SKIRT, THRIFTED BOOTS // 03. BANANA REPUBLIC SWEATER, OLD NAVY TROUSERS, OLD NAVY LOAFERS // 04. NAUTICA SWEATER, A.P.C. JEANS, NEW BALANCE SNEAKERS // 05. J.CREW BOMBER, J.CREW SHIRT, A.P.C. JEANS, VANS SNEAKERS // 06. THRIFTED JACKET, ZARA TOP, H&M TROUSERS
OPINIONS | the messenger | 29
the
essenger
Visit nhsmessenger.com for daily updates: humans of northview student life student of the week athlete of the month photo of the week and more
Like us on Facebook Humans of Northview
30 | OPINIONS
follow us on twitter
@nhsmessenger
Comments: exploring the data mine The constant influx of new data pressures the application of statistics in areas that cannot be quantified ANDREW TEODORESCU, Columnist
I
n a consumerist world obsessed with numerical data―the number of Facebook friends an average person has, the most popular political hashtags on Twitter, the trends of Black Friday sales at clothing stores over the years―it is no surprise that data scientists represent one of the hottest careers in the world right now. With an ever-culminating heap of data that constantly needs to be interpreted from raw numbers to facts with actual significance, data scientists are at a seemingly endless demand. However, these new ways of accumulating data are progressively becoming more specialized, trivial, and often intrusive. Our internet providers, search engines, emails, and social media websites currently track enough of our individual online activity to know our interests, hobbies, favorite television shows, bank account passwords, and just about every other private or public quality about our personal lives. Businesses can order research on just about anything that already has or desperately needs data―from conducting customer satisfaction surveys to finding the geographical hot spots of their product sales. When businesses we’ve never heard of know vastly more about us than our best friends do, we need to reevaluate our motives for intense data mining. Perhaps one of the most prospective fields of data use, aside from business, is education. Especially in America, where teachers and schools must create effective learning environments on such limited budgets, data regarding educational efficiency is always in demand. If statistics show that Comic Sans is the font most conducive to learning, schools will print all their papers in Comic Sans. If statistics show that students retain more information by using interactive boards rather than traditional whiteboards, then schools will invest in interactive boards. If statistics show that YouTube is the single best instruction tool, then schools will begin to push the use of YouTube on a regular basis in classrooms. People, especially those desperately seeking reform, listen to statistical data because it is factual proof rather than speculation. However, teaching is not a computational science. Teaching, especially the interaction between teacher and student, is not able to be predicted by any instance of success in a controlled data sample. Professionally known as Educational Data Mining (EDM) or Learning Analytics (LA), the interpretation of data in education tends to reduce teaching tactics into linear arguments. Although EDM has served greatly to benefit the field of education, most
notably by pushing the use of interactive technology into the classroom, it often complicates the role of the teacher in the classroom. The problem lies in the very nature of teaching itself. Teaching is an art unlike any other. The success of a teacher falls not only upon his understanding of the material and ability to reciprocate that in defined patterns, but skill of engaging his audience, unique each period of each class of each year. When researchers conduct educational uncontrolled educational studies at Acme High School, they are only generating data for students at Acme High School. The application of this specific data becomes irrelevant as soon as other schools attempt to replicate the results of Acme High School. Although obvious, major trends, such as the use of interactive technology and the incorporation of YouTube into modern curricula, can be identified through EDM, it is best for schools to modify the smaller details based on meta trends. The single largest mistake in the entire field of data sciences is the assumption that the results of a survey, even a large one, are extensive enough to blanket over all cases. Not all communities are the same. Not all schools are the same. Most importantly, not all students are the same. Just because Acme High School students show evidence of performing better on tests printed on light pink paper with Comic Sans size 12 font does not mean that any other school’s students will benefit as well. Data mining, full of useful potential, should be a continued practice at schools around the nation as long as the focus is local. The applications and changes employed by large scale data mining mechanize our culture. The music industry conducts research to create pop stars based on the trends of recent top hits; however, by giving the public “what they want,” record labels stunt growth and progression in the industry. Similarly, niche EDM studies often tell us that the correction of seemingly arbitrary “problems,” like florescent lighting in classrooms or the tidiness of school restrooms, is all that is needed to “fix” our failing education system. When data mining becomes this specialized, it is as if we are attempting to watch a movie by only paying attention to one pixel on the television screen. If we want our culture, our education, our businesses to progress and develop, we need to step away from computational, calculated, exact representations of data and learn from the natural path of trial and error.
OPINIONS | the messenger | 31
For the best teachers, the best learning environment, and the best results CLASSES OFFERED
Math and English classes for all levels Intensive SAT, PSAT, and ACT classes Competition math classes (AMC, AIME, ARML, etc.) Remote live class session available (new)
PROGRAM BENEFITS
CONTACT US (404) 388-6303
10475 Medlock Bridge Rd, Suite 505 Johns Creek, GA 30097 Email us at teacher@alltopschool.com
Multimedia, high-tech, interactive teaching environment Instant feedback, dynamic online homework system Over 500 students enrolled in program Strategies and tactics proven to increase test-taking skills High rates of winning top three places in the last several years’ national competitions, including AMC 10/12 and Mathcounts. High rates of perfect scores on the SAT.
TEACHER PROFILES Math teacher: Main instructor Dr. Chen, Math Ph.D. Five years of experience as university professor in China China Mathematics Olympiad coach Over 15 years of experience teaching math in the U.S.
English teachers: Honors and AP Language Arts teachers from local high-ranking high schools
NOW HIRING English teachers and teaching assistance
Visit AlltopSchool.com