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Northview High School Volume 13 路 issue 5 路 January 2015
Northview theatre sports
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Charlie hebdo and freedom of speech
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ARTISTS OF NORTHVIEW P.16
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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 illustration: Lucy Qiu
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
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table of
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2 masthead 5 Editor’s Letter 8 news 12 sports 16 cover story 16 features 23 opinions 25 STAFF EDITORIAL 26 FACEOFF 28 staff columns
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Tiffany Xu/STAFF
articles 8 Nicholas Manning wins writing contest / TARUN RAMESH 10 Bill Reese takes long term substitute role / JUSTIN LEUNG 11 Susan Walker joins staff as new assistant principal / MEGAN CISTULLI 12 Basketball update / CHAD JOHNSON and JUSTIN WESTBROOK 15 Cassandra Cronin fences into Junior Olympics / RYAN DAIGLE 16 COVER STORY: Highlighting Northview’s artist community / TANISA MAHALINGAM, SALLY PAN and CONNIE XIAO 22 Theatre Sports celebrates ten year anniversary / SHELBY BRADLEY 23 The false empowerment of Sadie Hawkins / SNEHA GUBBALA 25 Staff editorial / STAFF 26 Face-off: Does freedom of speech justify all actions? / NANCY COLEMAN and RAMEEN FORGHANI 28 Music column / EASHAA VELAMURI 29 Fashion column / CONNIE XU 31 Comments / ANDREW TEODORESCU
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The Bad-chelor
very Monday night at 8/7c, thousands of viewers across the country anxiously gather around their television screens with anticipation. Popcorn is popped. Predictions are made. And for the next two hours, America is caught in a trance created by The Bachelor. It truly is the most romantic story of all time. What else could a girl possibly dream of, besides dating a home-grown Iowa farmer with unrealistic biceps while 29 other women viciously compete for his love? Swoon. The Bachelor has generated an entirely new set of mandatory romantic standards. First, the male counterpart in question must have no flaws. He must also work out, shirtless, every day, while a pristine coating of glistening perspiration perfectly covers the curves and crevices created by his muscles. Next, in the process of courting the female counterpart, dates must be entirely unique and spontaneous. A private concert by a Grammy-winning recording artist, perhaps, or rappelling off of the side of a skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles. Finally and most importantly, affection should only be expressed by the presentation of a single rose at a cordial Rose Ceremony--preferably while a fellow bachelorette, roseless, crumbles in tears of insecurity and heartbreak as she watches her made-for-TV true love slip through her fingers. The real draw to the show is not the Bachelor himself, however--it’s the bachelorettes. Nothing quite compares to 30 women drinking their feelings at a cocktail party while not-so-inconspicuously judging the physical appearance of their competitors. No, not all love stories can be as idealistic as those told upon the pre-moistened stone pathway leading inside the “Bachelor Mansion.” Until 10 PM on Monday
nights, women can suspend their mundane reality and sink into the fantasy that ABC provides. I have to admit, the thought is appealing. 30 hand-picked eligible bachelors vying for my affection--what’s not to love? But the next day, nothing is left but a snarky Perez Hilton article and a dramatic promo for the upcoming episode. At first glance, the popularity of the show is inexplicable. The premise is unrealistic; the situations are absurd. And yet, week after week, women still tune in to find out who Chris Soules will pick to continue on his semi-polygamous journey with and who he will send packing. The Bachelor paints love as a flawless fairy tale, complete with a magical night in the “Fantasy Suite” and a storybook marriage proposal on Insert-Perfect-TropicalIsland-No-One-Has-Heard-Of-Here. In reality, most of the engagements crash before they can even get off the ground. The last bachelorette, Andi, broke it off with her beau of choice just days after her reject Chris began his own season. The relationships bred by the Bachelor franchise simply cannot survive outside of the sheltered mansion life. The over-eager, desperate contenders come on the show, spend a few weeks cut off from the outside world, go on remarkably surreal dates in places like the aforementioned Insert-Perfect-TropicalIsland-No-One-Has-Heard-Of-Here, only to be released into society with no clue how to function as a regular couple. For the past 13 years, viewers across America have settled into their couches to watch what they perceive to be the perfect fantasy. Bachelor after Bachelorette after Bachelor, the reality is becoming more clear - maybe the fantasy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Nancy Coleman, Managing Editor
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Hui Lin/STAFF
Freedom in Medium Senior Lucy Qiu sits among a selection of her artwork, some on more than just canvases, as she explores what else can be turned into art.
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NEWS
A MAN OF HIS WORD Nicholas Manning wins Georgetown high school writing competition TARUN RAMESH, Staff Writer
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unior Nicholas manning won the tenth annual George- Georgetown essay fell perfectly concerning solutions to world town Georgia High school writing competition sponsored issues,” Kohanim said. by Georgetown University and was rewarded with a $1,250 Kohanim often uses writing competitions to complement her teaching as a basis to give students the opportunities that they scholarship first place award. “I was really excited. I didn’t think I won” Manning said. would normally not have dreamt of entering. The writing topic was based off of a similar 2012 topic where “I have never entered a writing contest before... I never thought the students took the place of the United Nations Secretary gen- I could have won. Ms. Kohanim urged me and my classmates on eral and after being given a grant of $37,000,000 were asked to and somehow I won,” Manning said. solve an important dilemma facing the international community The competition gives a potential reward for the students who currently. The essays would then be graded based on creativ- put in more effort and the chance of a cash prize. Georgetown hosted a gala for the top twenty contestants. ity and potential solvency of the stuNorthview Juniors both among the top dents’ plans. “Students’ works are twenty. “Mosquitoes (related deaths) kill exponentially better “Students’ works are exponenover a million people year round tially better when they have comand severely impact countries where when they have community munity involvement,” Kohanim said. disease is rampant,” Manning said. involvement.” Involvement can help many stuHe proposed a program centered on - Jordan Kohanim dents become better writers and help the possibility of genetically engihim or her discover hidden talents neered mosquitoes to better combat the pathogenic carrying parasites. The program would change through contests. the way mosquitoes reacted to human blood. Instead of being a “This is an indicator of how strong our academics here in stimulant the human blood would cause a massive allergic reac- Northview are,” Kohanim said. By introducing writing competitions into her curriculum Kohanim hopes to create a change in tion within the parasite killing it. Language Arts teacher Jordan Kohanim has used a multitude the community and help her students grow as writers. “More teachers should implement contests into the classof writing contests to aid her american Literature curriculum. “We have to have class projects... (The student) have to have room although it invites competition; it can bring out the best in a problem-solution essay that’s part of the curriculum. The students,” Kohanim said.
Jordan Kohanim/SPECIAL
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Left: Nicholas Manning receives first place award from Georgetown writing competition judge.
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NEWS
REESE MAKES A MARK Former teacher Bill Reese returns to the classroom to take over as a long-term substitute Hui Lin/STAFF
JUSTIN LEUNG, Staff Writer
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ill Reese, the new permanent substitute to replace Government “Sometimes, I have a difficult time following lesson plans because I teacher Kelly Nguyen, previously taught for thirty-two years at do not know the subject. Students here are good, but some of them just Milton High school. He was inspired to teach when he realized do not want to do the work,” Reese said. that he felt passionate towards history. A permanent substitute teacher tends to leave an uneasy feeling in stu “I was always good in history both in high school and college. I ma- dents because they look to their teachers for information. In the students’ jored in history, and found when I was student teaching, that I like work- minds, there was no certainty that a replacement teacher would arrive soon. ing with young people. And, I like the subject,” Reese said. “I was surprised to know that Ms. Nguyen wasn’t going to be our While his days as a teacher ended, Reese did not decide to leave teacher and we found out on the first day of the semester. And everybody teaching forever. was wondering who was going to be our “When I retired, I wanted to I was always good in history both in teacher and if he was going to be our perhave something to do. Somebody manent teacher,” Yan said. high school and college. I majored called me up one day and asked me Students have sat through Reese’s inif I were interested in a long term in history, and found when I was stustruction since the first day of the semessubstitute job and so I took that for and the uneasy feeling in the students dent teaching, that I like working with ter, almost a semester. And after that, I has diminished. For Reese’s situation, stuwas called for various different jobs,” young people. And, I like the subject. dents notice what sets Reese apart from Reese said. other teachers that they have had. Though Reese was called in to teach - BILL REESE “He actually teaches us. But, other the students until the replacement teacher teachers will just ask us to read the book arrived, his experience in teaching and fondness for history made his job and they say that we will just know it” freshman Cynthia Park said. as a permanent substitute easier. Reese’s position as the permanent substitute ended Jan. 14, when “I think he is a good teacher because he stands in front of the class Christopher James who started teaching on Jan.16. and will actually talk to us about vocabulary or about the chapter. And, he “Subs can get paid more if they are a long term sub, but even for that, also explains each powerpoint slide,” freshman Larry Yan said. Mr. Reese didn’t get long term sub pay. He would have to have been here At times, students struggle with substitute teachers who are not famil- for twenty consecutive days. It was good of him to continue working. iar with the subject; however, it is different for Reese. And, the reason why is that he’s a retired teacher, that’s what he loves and “I taught government so I’m pretty familiar with the subject,” he said. why he is still subbing right now,” assistant principal Robert Hunter said. When the substitute instructor is knowledgeable in the subject, the Reese’s familiarity with government convinced the administration that substitute is able to interact with the class. Since many substitutes are not he was the substitute to staff as a permanent sub and his passion for strong in the subject, they experience problems when giving instruction. teaching has left a lasting impression on the students he taught.
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NEWS
Walker steps in
Nabila Khan/STAFF
Susan Walker joins staff as new assistant principal MEGAN CISTULLI, Staff Writer
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n Jan. 5, Northview welcomed new assistant principal Susan Walker. After attending Emory University for her undergraduate and Georgia State University for her master’s degree, Walker worked for Fulton County as a school governance facilitator, where she helped schools transition into the charter system. Though new to Northview, Walker has already formed a strong opinion of the school and its community. “I love it. The people are wonderful. There are great students and great staff. It is a fun place to be,” Walker said. She feels she does not know enough yet about the school to make judgments about changing anything in particular. “The one thing that I have seen that I would like to change is for students to be more energetic and say good morning because in the mornings I always stand in the bus area and open the door and greet students and very rarely do students greet me back,” she said. While she has nothing specific, she has overall goals as to what direction the school could go. “My only goal is to try and make something really good even better and really look if there are opportunities that our students don’t have access to yet that would make their education better. So my goal would be to identify the things that we may be missing that we could bring to enhance all the great things we already have for our students
here,” she said. In her previous role with the county, she was able to work with Northview in its transition to a charter system, and she felt impressed with what she saw at the school. “When this opportunity came available I thought it would be a great place for me to start out with my role as an assistant principal,” Walker said. Though Walker just joined staff, the other faculty already connected with her and received her in a positive manner. “I’ve only had one or two interactions with her,but she seems to be really sweet and she seems to be a good addition to the team, and I am glad that she is here,” language arts teacher Meredith Meaders said. “There is a lot to like here, but I wonder if our students could be more involved in extracurricular activities whether it be sports or the arts because we have such a smart hardworking student body that I do wonder if it would relieve some of the stress and help students have a more well-rounded educational experience if they could get a little more into sports or clubs or arts,” she said. She still has a lot to learn. She believes after this semester she will be settled in to the school system. After she really feels comfortable and really knows what is going on, Walker will then start to make changes and try to better the school accordingly.
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SPORTS
SHOOTING FOR THE STARS Lady Titans heat up for the singleelimination region tournament JUSTIN WESTBROOK, Staff Writer
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he Lady Titans came into this season with new challenges: a new head coach and the daunting task of moving to AAAAAA. Had the Lady Titans stayed in AAAAA there is no doubt that they would have been a force to be reckoned with in a rather weak region. “Moving up to 6A was hard but exciting at the same time. Even though we are playing harder teams, we are playing people that we know and are friends with,” senior Brittany Neser said. While one could talk about what could have been, the Lady Titans must divert their focus to the current situation. The Lady Titans are currently 6-12 on the season and 2-9 in the region. “We hit a really big rough patch in the middle of the season right after the Thanksgiving tournament losing seven in a row,” Yarbrough said . It was not until the Christmas tournament, where the Lady Titans went 2-1, that things started to turn around. “We are getting better looks and getting better shots,” Yarbrough said, when asked what changes he saw in his team after the Christmas tournament. Since the Christmas tournament, the Northview girls varsity basketball program has gone 4-3 and 2-2 in region play. The Lady Titans need to keep playing well and winning the close games in region play to position themselves favorably for the region tournament. While everyone makes it to the playoffs in girls varsity basketball, region play is crucial in determining the team’s seeding, and thus, the strength of the schedule, in the single-elimination tournament. The push to make it out of the bottom four teams, and
Record
6-12
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Hui Lin/ STAFF Senior Lindsey Moon drives hard to the basket in an early-season game against Mountainview.
get a first round bye, won’t come easy as their next four games are against three of the top four teams in the region. A daunting stretch of the schedule will not make their path to the playoffs any easier, but hot shooting and good defense will help the Lady Titans overcome these obstacles.
REMAINING 2015 GAMES 2/3 at Chattahoochee 2/6 At ALPHARETTA
SPORTS
GROWING PAINS Titans look to overcome an oppressive losing streak after losing key players over winter break Hui Lin/ STAFF
CHAD JOHNSON, Staff Writer
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teve Bombard has been a basketball coach for 19 years. He spent two years coaching at the Howard School, four years coaching at Milton High School and 13 years coaching at Northview High School. Bombard is known for his loud coaching style from the sidelines and for his ability to throw and break clipboards in heated and competitive moments. This season has been extremely challenging for Bombard. His two star players from last season graduated and his roster has been spiraling since. The team had 15 players heading into the first game of the season. However, since then, the team lost several valuable players that enhanced their physicality, athleticism, and play on the court. Over winter break, Malcolm Conn and Earnest Gunn, standout defensive players on the football team, unexpectedly moved back to Selma, Alabama. Starter DJ Pearson, a top ranked dual threat quarterback committed to play football at Arkansas State University, had hip surgery to correct a nagging issue. Jair Anderson, also an all-around athlete who started to play basketball after the conclusion of the football season, quit the team. Now with the season surpassing the halfway point, the boys varsity roster only has 11 names remaining. Inquiring as to how he was adjusting with the constant roster changes, Bombard said, “Work with what you’ve got. You try to run things that match the personnel. So right now we are running our third different offense. We went to a passing cut offense to a double post offense and now we’re running a motion offense. Matching it to all the personnel.” Having multiple roster changes has definitely hurt the boys varsity basketball program, resulting in a 2-18 losing record. The boys are also in 9th place in the GHSA Region 6-AAAAAA standings with a 2-11 re-
cord in the region. Region six consists of local teams such as Alpharetta, Lambert, Johns Creek, Centennial, Chattahoochee, South Forsyth, West Forsyth, North Forsyth and Habersham Central. Habersham Central is the only team that is ranked lower than Northview in the region at 10th place with a 1-12 record. The Alpharetta Raiders lead the region with a perfect 13-0 in-conference record. Northview currently has the longest losing streak in the region with nine losses in a row. This does not bode well for the rest of the season, as rough sailing seems to on course for the Titans. As the Titans will most likely not win a playoff game in the ‘14’15 season, they can begin to look forward to a brighter future for next season. Looking for leadership to carry the torch into next season, the coaching staff doesn’t need to look any farther than star player Justin Brown. Brown is the leading scorer for the team, and possibly the best part of the story, he is only a freshman. Here to stay for three more years, Brown looks forward to working with the younger players on the team and improving himself. Brown said, “I’m practicing every day and trying to get better as a player and a leader.” Although this season has not been a memorable first impression for Brown, he is very positive about the future and is not letting this losing season take a toll on his outlook. “I think we can get better from it. We have a young team so we will keep getting better and get ready for next year and have a better record,” said Brown. As the Titans playoff experience will most likely fare poorly, it will be interesting to see if an experienced coach such as Bombard can turn the season around and end it on a good note or if the Titans will let the roster changes get the best of them and continue the losing streak.
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SPORTS
GOING FOR THE GOLD Cassandra Cronin heads into the Junior Olympics with hopes of success RYAN DAIGLE, Staff Writer
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Tiffany Xu/STAFF Cronin preps herself before practice.
assandra Cronin, a talented fencer and senior at Northview High School, recently qualified to represent herself at a national level in the Junior Olympics, set to be held in Richmond, Virginia this February. “I’m extremely grateful that I was given the opportunity to go to the Junior Olympics and even the chance to be able to join the Northview fencing team.” Cronin said. Cronin first stumbled upon fencing the summer before her junior year. It was introduced to her by her twin brother Nick Cronin, who had heard from friends that there was a fencing club at Northview and decided to check it out. Cronin quickly grew to love the sport for the outlet that it provided her and the friends that it introduced her to. “When I first started fencing I did it for fun and didn’t really have any ambitions to compete, it was just something I enjoyed,” Cronin said. Her desire and ability to compete has certainly spiked since then. She is currently ranked second in the Georgia High School Fencing League, and has earned a medal in every high school tournament that she has competed in (this includes three gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal). She is a two time Junior Olympian, placed third in the 2015 Junior Olympics Qualifier, and also placed third in the 2015 Daughtry Cup in St. Louis, Missouri, which earned her an E15 ranking. She qualified for the Junior Olympics by joining the Olympic Fencers Club and participating in the Junior Olympics Qualifiers held in Atlanta, where the first, second, and third place fencers qualified for the Junior Olympics. Cronin placed third in this tournament, earning herself a spot in the prestigious National Competition. “I am extremely nervous because there are so many amazing fencers from all over the United States and they all have worked really hard to get there. No matter what happens, although I am really nervous, I am also really excited because it’s a great experience to improve and a huge accomplishment,” Cronin said. In order to achieve the status she currently lays claim to, she practices three times a week in addition to the practices for the Northview team. “I first realized I had a future in fencing at the end of my junior year, when I attended a week long camp at my club. That’s when I thought if I work hard and continue to practice I could be really good at this,” Cronin said. She finds inspiration to work hard and compete in her martial arts grandmaster Ajarn Surachai Sirisute, who came to the United States with barely anything and built up an entire martial arts association by himself. “[He] inspires me to keep pushing, never give up, and [reminds me] that there really isn’t ever a good enough excuse to give up,” Cronin said.
Cronin salutes her opponent at fencing practice after school.
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FEATURES
TANISA MAHALINGAM, SALLY PAN, and CONNIE XIAO, Staff Writers
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S H A D E S of SUCCESS Though Northview students are known for their academic prowess, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, art still has its place amongst the student body. Today, artists are more in demand than ever; the graphic design, architecture, and fashion industries, among many others, depend upon the artist’s touch. These three Northview students—Lucy Qiu, Sara Park, and Mishelle Kim— have chosen to pursue art as their future professions.
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LUCY QIU // 1 2 S
enior Lucy Qiu took up art at a young age, starting lessons at Sunny Fine Art School when she was only four years old. For the majority of her life, however, art was not her one passion. “Lucy’s been good at a lot of different things, like rowing and cello,” senior Nivedita Prasad said. Qiu made Allstate for cello in middle school and was in the Northview chamber orchestra during her freshman and sophomore years. She rowed varsity for the Atlanta Junior Rowing Association throughout high school and competed at regional tournaments. Her talents began to converge on art in her sophomore year, when she switched from her first art school to a new teacher, ChinCheng Hung, a professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design. “I’m more of a conceptual artist, and [my old teachers] were more about painting trees and still lifes. I want to go forward with my art, instead of sticking with those past eras of traditional art. I’m being more creative now,” Qiu said. The change in direction piqued her interest in art, and she approached Jeannette Clawson, the AP Studio Art teacher, to ask for a recommendation for the Governor’s Honors Program (GHP). “Usually, students who have not had [high school] art classes are not qualified, because they do not have a good understanding of the quality level of work that is expected for GHP,” Clawson said. “But when Lucy came, she already had pieces that were AP quality.” Qiu qualified as a state finalist, and she attended GHP in the summer before her junior year. There, she was exposed to many different styles of art. When the school year started, she again spoke with Clawson. This time, she asked to join the AP Studio Art class. An orchestra student up until that point, she had not taken any of the art prerequisite classes and needed special permission to be exempted. “We usually turn people away, because we think they’re not ready, but Lucy is the first person, since I’ve been teaching at this school, who had the portfolio to take AP,” Clawson said. “She proved that she had learned everything which she would have learned here.” With her technical skills honed to a high caliber, Qiu moved on to developing her own artistic voice, her own style. “It’s very figurative, very emotional. Her work doesn’t look like anyone’s in this entire room,” Claw-
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son said, gesturing to the AP Studio class. “It’s very unique. It’s her own interpretation.” Qiu’s preferred medium is paint. Before every project, she prepares extensively; most of the time is spent researching, taking notes on her subjects, and writing in her journal. In total, she dedicates an average of four to five hours a day planning and creating her work. In the rest of her waking hours, Qiu observes the world around her, constantly searching for the inspiration for her next piece. “She’s very dedicated,” senior Jenny Zhao said. “She’s stayed up until 4 a.m. working on her art pieces.” Qiu enjoys portraiture and draws inspiration from the people around her. Seniors Matthew Reny and Andy Zou are among those who have been asked to model for her one of her works. Recently, however, Qiu has moved away from the traditional cotton canvas; her current project has her painting on the bodies of willing volunteers and capturing the image in a photograph before it washes away. The piece will be included in her AP Studio Art portfolio. Always looking to expand her artistic horizons, Qiu has applied to various art schools. She has been accepted into the Savannah College of Art and Design as well as the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and awaits the decision from the Rhode Island School of Design. She hopes to study painting, but also holds an interest in sculpture and textiles. Qiu’s parents, especially her mother, support her dreams of becoming an artist. “Lucy always surprises and moves me with her talented artworks. Her special sensitivity and creativity, along with her deep passion, unique vision and brave mind in art make me believe that she will have a bright and successful future being an artist,” Qiu’s mother said. Her father is a little more skeptical. “He wants me to have a backup plan,” Qiu said. “I might double major in something like design, something to fall back on in case the whole painting thing doesn’t work out.” For Qiu, however, the future remains unobscured. “I want to be living in a big city, with a giant studio and huge glass windows to let in a lot of natural light. I want to be displaying in galleries and selling art.” Her teachers, friends, family, and even her father believe that she will achieve what she has set out to do. “Lucy’s talent in art and strong will and perseverance in pursuing her goal will allow her to become a successful artist, despite the uncertain nature of the path,” he said.
SARA PARK // 1 1 J
unior Sara Park has made her mark at Northview as a prominent art student, and she plans to continue her art education at college and hopefully fulfill her dreams by becoming a graphic designer. In the past few years, Sara Park has become a nationally recognized award-winning artist, has taken several rigorous art classes at Northview (including Advanced Placement Two-Dimensional Art), and has started a beauty and fashion channel on YouTube. Park is also currently in the running to be a 2015 GHP Visual Arts major. Park became involved with art in early middle school. She began at the Johns Creek Arts Center, but eventually switched to learning through private lessons. Her passion flourished as she grew. Park enjoys exploring different types of media within her work. She created one of her most popular art pieces by using a giant wood panel and painted canvases with other incorporated media such as plastic and wood. “I made ladders out of wood and stuck them onto the panel. My whole piece was based on a tree house. It gave a feeling of a tree house except it was completely exaggerated,” Park said. She later received a National Scholastic Gold Award for this piece, accepting the award at Carnegie Hall in New York City last summer. Another artistic venture for Sara in her 20142015 school year is the application process for the Governor’s Honors Program (GHP), an educational summer program for gift- OLIVIA ed Georgia high school students. As a junior, Sara feels pressured in her last eligible year to apply to GHP. “The process is extremely long and it freaks me out at times because I don’t know if I’m gonna make it. But I’m so grateful that I did make it past regionals for GHP. So the first part of the process is doing an online application and turning in some things, then getting handwritten recommendation letters from teachers, and lastly having interviews with Georgia art teachers. So we had to go to different schools, where we brought our portfolios and explained each of the pieces to the teachers. It was so scary… I was sweating but I tried to not to show it and focused on being outgoing,” Park said. After receiving the email confirming that she made it past the regional level and on to the state interview, she is now working on the next part of the process: her final interview in February. Jeannette Clawson, Park’s current art teacher at Northview and the National Art Honor Society sponsor, nominated Park for GHP. Although Clawson is still getting to know Park as an artist, certain aspects and qualities of her artwork stood out to her as a good candidate for the program.
“She creates a lot of work outside of the class. Sara is really into fashion design and she even sews some of her own clothes. She’s very driven and loves the arts; she’s loved it since she was a child and she thinks outside the box. I think she’s not afraid to take risks, plus she’s a great researcher. She’s very talented at taking assignments and putting her own twist on it. Something about her personality is that she’s a great investigator and definitely not afraid to be bold,” Clawson said. Park credits some of her success to surrounding and immersing herself in inspiration. In her free time, she enjoys going on blogs and looking at pictures. “A lot of times when I’m doing random things, I’ll think of certain ideas. And of course, we’re always seeing stuff so we’re going to get inspiration from somewhere. Nothing is 100% original all the time, that’s just impossible,” she said.
It’s a pity for people to assume that the art field is a road to starvation. Instead, art is architecture, graphic design, industrial design, apparel, photography, and film. PARK
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Tiffany Xu/STAFF
Junior Sara Park works on a new project in the art room.
Park is particularly inspired by Mexican painter Frida Kahlo because of her dedication to creating artwork even when she was suffering from severe injuries related to a bus accident. “I saw a picture recently. [Kahlo] was in this wheelchair and she has a brace on her back. She has a mirror to the left of her. Even when she was sick, she would be propped up on her wheelchair and paint portraits of herself,” she said. After graduation, Park hopes to attend college to become a graphic designer. She likes the field because it is so broad and therefore has a diverse range of careers and opportunities. “I don’t want to be constrained to one thing. When I was younger, like around freshman year, I really wanted to pursue a career in fashion. But as I got older, I realized that fashion was such a narrow path for me. I like art in general so I don’t want to waste time in college by majoring in one specific topic and possibly ending up not liking that in the future,” Park said. Park’s top schools include the Rhode Island School of Design, Parsons The New School for Design, and Pratt Institute. Art runs in the family--Olivia Park, Sara’s older sister, is a student at the Rhode Island School of Design. “Sara is a refreshing mix of old and new,” Olivia said. “She is always on top of her game when it comes to researching new trends and experimenting with fads. However, her sense is rooted in old-charm, most evident in her art and aesthetic taste.”
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The Parks’ family dynamic influenced both girls’ dedication. “Our family has extremely high standards. We're hard to impress. To many people, awards and acceptances to special programs and elite schools are elements that measure ‘accomplishments,’ many of which Sara has qualified for,” Olivia said. “I think our family looks at the bigger picture. We look at her work for what it is. There must be a progression and progression is time plus effort.” As her sister, Olivia has seen Sara blossom from a beginner into a full-fledged artist. “I have seen her grow by noticing her follow the same steps I took each year of high school. AP Art, private art lessons, Scholastic Art & Writing, GHP, etc. The best resources to be taken advantage of are obvious and we're both driven to use our senses to reach for every one of those opportunities in our own ways. It's hard work, but neither of us would do it if we didn't want to. Our parents don't pressure us to do things very much. It's great to see Sara progressing through self-motivation,” she said. Olivia’s greatest hope is for her sister to find her niche in the future and pursues her artistic dream. “I hope for Sara to find what she really loves to do as an artist, creator, and/or designer, fearlessly and doubtlessly. If Sara finds her deepest curiosities and interests, she will never be bored. This is what I call a successful life,” she said.
MISHELLE KIM // 1 1 J
unior Mishelle Kim, who is currently working on her college portfolio for Calarts and her AP Art concentration pieces, is an aspiring artist with the potential to impact the art industry. A member of National Art Honor Society, Kim was a Visual Arts major in the 2014 Georgia Governor’s Honors Program and has won numerous Scholastic Art awards. Kim started taking art lessons at a young age, but it was during the summer before her freshman year that she fully realized her passion for art and her desire to pursue it as a professional career. “I think it was the Studio Ghibli animation films,” Kim said. “It was a more of a gradual realization about how much these movies affected my childhood and how happy they made me. I wanted to do the same.” This inspiration derived from Studio Ghibli’s Japanese animation films, responsible for high quality animations like “My Neighbor Totoro,” has played a minor role in motivating Kim to choose an artistic career. Kim specializes mainly in fine arts, cartoons, and illustrations and is currently honing in on animation, her chosen profession in art. Intent on pursuing art after high school, she hopes to one day work for an animation company such as Disney, Pixar, or Dreamworks, where she will be able to use her talent to create major animation films. Kim finds inspiration for her creations in the world around her, often observing other artist’s websites and various artworks for new insight into different styles. “I get influenced by mainly other artists. I see them and the art they make and feel pressured to make art too to keep up,” Kim said. Kim’s AP Studio Art teacher, Jeannette Clawson, points to Kim’s patience and her meticulous attention to line work and patternment, which have allowed her to obtain several awards. “She is so driven that she was able to secure a spot in a highly competitive Governor’s Honors Program for the summer of her sophomore year, which is usually unheard of in art,” Clawson said. Kim also attributes some of her success and love for art to her out-of-school studio teacher, Jun Park. “I’ve never seen her yell or be angry at anyone,” Kim said. “I think mainly because she encouraged me to try my best and even if my best wasn’t good enough, she still let me try by myself and grow that way.” According to Clawson, Kim’s dedication to taking private art lessons for the past six years reflects her commitment. Ella Chang and Janet Eunjeoung Lee, two of Kim’s friends who have at-
tended the same art school with her for over four years, have noticed the originality of her work and her exclusive style. Both of them fully support her decision to go into art as a career, and recognize her potential to succeed. “As an artist, I think Mishelle has very creative and unique ideas that are different from other people, and she’s not afraid to say what she wants to draw or paint. She definitely has her own voice,” Lee said. “She adds so much detail to all her pieces that they attract you so much and cannot take your eyes off of them,” Chang said. “ I think she would be successful in art and her future career as a cartoonist or working in that field of art.” While animations may seem simple and appear to require little detail, in reality each cartoon is created with line work that calls for extensive time and effort. “You have to have sensitivity that comes over time from the doing of artwork. To be confident in line work is really important when it comes to animation,” Clawson said. “Think about Charlie Brown, Peanuts; when you look at those designs, there are very simple lines, circles, dash marks. But no one can create them with the same handwriting as Charles Schulz, and that comes with confidence over time. I think Mishelle has that from her years of being an artist.” Kim’s ability to depict the story behind a work of art also contributes to her artistic prowess. “What’s special about her artwork is that she tries to portray a lot of different themes all in her own style. We do art critics in our art studio and I can sense that she’s not discouraged to tell her friends her ideas, even when some people say that it’s creepy in some way,” Lee said. “ I think that’s what makes her and her artworks so special, since she’s not afraid to approach many different themes for art.” As any artist would, Kim has her good days and her bad days, and has encountered several obstacles on her path to artistic success. “I love watching her pieces getting better and better each time she works on them,” Chang said. “And even though she goes through struggles of it, she still manages to finish it amazingly.” Kim has also overcome conflicts with her parents, who previously disapproved of her desire to follow an artistic path in the future. “My parents originally were against the idea, but when they saw how adamant I was on the decision they knew they wouldn’t be able to change my mind,” Kim said. Kim’s friends and art teachers have faith that she will overcome the prevalent stereotype of the starving artist. “That shouldn’t matter as long as that person’s doing what they enjoy and love,” Lee said.
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FEATURES
A DECADE OF FUNNY
Theatre Sports celebrates its tenth anniversary SHELBY BRADLEY, Staff Writer
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heatre Sports, Northview’s annual improv show that donates all of its proceeds to charity, celebrates its tenth anniversary this year with its show Theatre Sports X: A Decade of Funny. The idea of Theatre Sports came from the Improv Club’s Presidents Monica Cressy and Joey Martinez who approached Elizabeth Lake, a Language arts teacher and theater director, and Paul McClain, the drama teacher, with the request to create an improv show. The school, at the time, already had other theatrical shows but the presidents of the Improv Club wanted a separate show so that their club could show off their talents in front of the whole school.
“Improv is so amazing when you’re doing it with somebody who you trust. You know that what ever happens in the scene its going to be great because that person will be there for you and you’ll be there for him or her.” - Elizabeth Lake Theatre Sports is traditionally a competition between two different teams who compete to be the funniest in different improv games. Besides the addition of an MC after theatre sports first year, not much has changed about the structure of the show. Every year, Theatre Sports has different team themes like Nickelodeon vs Cartoon Network or this years theme A Decade of Funny. Since the show is an improv show, Theatre Sports does change every year due to the on the spot nature of improv since the cast makes up lines as they go. Many of the games that the two teams play from year to year stay the same although new ones and old ones may be added or taken out. Each year the teams competing change although people from previous shows come back; fresh faces always appear. “I am so excited for it. I have so many ideas. A show can’t go on without a good host like the Ellen show would not be the Ellen show without Ellen” junior Mary Kate Korbish, this year’s Master of Ceremonies, said. “So I’m really excited to see how people react to me […] if there’s not a good MC, there is nothing for the audience to grab onto at the beginning of the show.” The teams this year consist of team captain Gal Moskovitch, who has been in Theatre sports for four years now, and his team Paris Martini, Carson Matte, Robby Scott, Michael Tate and Ania Thomas-Lambry, the only freshman in Theatre Sports this year; team Captain Nancy Coleman and her team Simon Assaf, Duncan Meskell, Cain Gantt, Kelli Cercone, and Danielle Kang, and Mary Kate Korbish as the MC.
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Above, Top: Seniors Nancy Coleman and Danielle Kang participate in a game of Freeze. Above, Lower: Junior Kelli Cercone and freshman Ania Thomas-Lambry rehearse before the final show.
“I am really happy that I got the chance to make Theatre Sports. There were a lot of people that could have made it but didn’t; so I’m really excited that he did chose me. I often feel like I’m inferior to the rest of them when preforming. I feel like maybe I didn’t do to good or maybe I could done better with this,” freshman Ania Thomas-Lambry said. “They all tell me the same thing you may be a freshman but you made it for a reason. So that just makes me happy, to know that I deserve my spot and I wasn’t just thrown in.” Theatre Sports donates all of its proceeds to Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS who helps people that have AIDS. The program provides essential services such as financial aid for food, rent, medical expenses, insurance, group support, counselling, and more. Broadway Care focuses more on helping those who have this illness cope with it instead of on research to find a cure. The Northview drama department raised over $1100 during the show. “I think it is just when you do a scene and it works really well and everyone is laughing and really into it,” senior Gal Moskovitch said. “That is the epitome of why I do it because it’s really fun.”
OPINIONS
will you go to sadie with me? Sadie Hawkins is masked by a veil of false empowerment
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SNEHA GUBBALA, Features Editor
he Sadie Hawkins dance: the day the Earth stands still, pigs take to the sky, and at last a girl can ask a boy to the dance! Smashing the patriarchy one “punny” proposal poster at a time, Sadie Hawkins shines on as the pinnacle of pseudo-feminism. Firstly, a little background. Sadie Hawkins originated as a character from the 1938 comic strip L’il Abner, a conventionally unattractive and unmarried woman. Desperate, her father organized a race between his daughter and the unmarried men in town. Whomever Hawkins captured had to marry her. Thus, the Sadie Hawkins Day dance was born. Sadie Hawkins was put into place to empower women by breaking the patriarchal tradition of men asking women to dances. And it works! For one night. One. Out of 365. One night of girls having the freedom to ask out anyone they please without seeming too “forward.” Afterwards, it is time to hang up those gloves of autonomy and replace them for the dainty evening gloves of proper ladies who are meant to wait passively to be pursued by chivalrous men. Specifically designating a singular day to allowing women to take initiative in their relationships implies that otherwise this role
must be filled by the men. The idea of women asking men is presented as novel and absurd, enforcing the expectation of men taking the dominant role in the relationship. While the idea of women courting men may have been worthy of pearl-clutching and knicker-twisting in the 1930s, to make such an extravagant affair out of Sadie Hawkins in 2015 actually becomes demeaning to women. It suggests that women cannot take an active role in relationships or dating outside of this one special day. It suggests that the idea of girls asking out guys is so ludicrous to the point that a specific day must be allocated in order for them to be allowed to take initiative of asking someone else out. In addition, Sadie Hawkins results in the exclusion of many members of the LGBTQA+ community as those who do not identify as heterosexual or within the gender binary as either male or female are kept from being able to fully participate. Sadie Hawkins is constantly advertised as a “girls ask boys dance!”, only cementing the concept that such dances are for straight, cisgendered couples only. Though some may see Sadie Hawkins as the next feminist movement, it only sets progress back to the era where it first originated.
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OPINIONS
s t a f f
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e d i t o r i a l
The search for acceptance
hen a 17-year-old teenager leaves behind a suicide note pleading for the world to “fix society,” its people should be listening and willing to do just that. The heartbreaking suicide of transgender girl Leelah Alcorn brought international attention to transgender people’s struggles with bigotry. Alcorn posted a suicide note to the blogging platform Tumblr, detailing her painful life as a transgender teenager living in a conservative household. In Alcorn’s note, she described her parents’ reaction after she came out as transgender. They revoked her privileges to technology and access to social media, pulled her from her public school to be homeschooled, and sent her to multiple Christian therapists who attempted to convince her that she was selfish for denying the gender she had been given by God. Leelah Alcorn is not the only person to have suffered in a harmful household; this is the sort of abusive behavior that many transgender teens with unsupportive families have to face. Isolation from peers, denial of sex reassignment therapy, and use of conversion therapy only worsen life for those teenagers who already have to endure the transphobic and transmisogynistic discrimination of the world. “I thought, ‘this is a recipe for suicide,’” Annie Davis, a neighbor of Alcorn’s, said to People magazine. Suicide is the single largest cause of death amongst transgender people, and the probability of suicide is even greater for transgender youth who do not receive the care and support that they need. According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and National Center for Transgender Equality, approximately 41% of transgender individuals attempt suicide, which overwhelmingly surpasses the 4.6% of the population of the entire United States. The Family Acceptance Project conducted a study and concluded that LGBTQA+ adolescents who experience rejec-
tion from their families are more than eight times as likely to attempt suicide compared to the youths who receive acceptance from their families. To reduce the prevalence of depression and suicidal ideation in the transgender community, it is crucial to provide trans individuals the rights that protect them from abuse and discrimination. “The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren’t treated the way I was, they’re treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights. Gender needs to be taught about in schools, the earlier the better.” Leelah Alcorn wrote in her suicide letter. “My death needs to mean something.” A few days after Leelah Alcorn’s suicide became public, a petition was created on the White House website and attracted widespread support. The petition proposed the enactment of Leelah’s Law, which would make the practice of LGBTQA+ conversion therapy illegal. Conversion therapy’s attempt to “brainwash or reverse any child’s gender identity or sexual orientation,” the petition says, is “seriously unethical.” Though policies for the rights of transgender people are necessary, it is also vital that people realize their duty to protect and support their trans friends and family members to make society as safe and comforting as possible for transgender individuals, especially transgender adolescents. “We loved him unconditionally… I loved my son,” Carla Alcorn, mother of Leelah Alcorn, said in an interview with CNN. In an email to local news station WCPO, Doug Alcorn, father of Leelah Alcorn, said, “We love our son, Joshua, very much and are devastated by his death.” The Alcorns may have loved their son, but they did not love their daughter. For that reason, Leelah Alcorn is not with us today. And if families continue to show their transgender children the same hostility that Alcorn’s parents did, then we will continue to lose transgender youths to suicide.
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FACE -OFF Is there a limit to freedom of speech?
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NANCY COLEMAN, Managing Editor
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YES:
s Americans, we pride ourselves on our democratic ideals and universal rights of expression. Freedom of speech is one our most prized values; however, just because we have the right to say something does not mean we necessarily should. This freedom as protected by law is a necessity. Our right to speak freely is considered inalienable in the United States and many democratic nations. In some countries, journalists are beaten or severely punished for reporting what they see. A lack of this freedom would lead to nationwide protests and tyranny. And although we are able to express ourselves freely, there is an unspoken line drawn between what is socially acceptable to say and what is deemed as offensive. Last month, Sony’s film The Interview centered on a talk show host and his producer as they journeyed across the world to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un. After Sony was hacked and North Korea repeatedly threatened the United States, many large movie theater chains refused to screen the film, prompting Sony to call off its widespread release. Many saw this cancellation as a mistake—including President Obama—and the movie was later released online. The Interview incident incited a defiant response from Hollywood, and rightfully so: we should not have to take orders on what we say and how we say it from other countries. In retrospect, however, the production of the film should never have gotten off the ground. Assassinating a world leader, no matter how oppressive he may be, is disrespectful and trivializing towards the situation at hand. Once the release of the film was cancelled, many seemed to disregard the plot
RAMEEN FORGHANI, Sports Editor
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OPINIONS
of the movie in the first place. The subsequent events overshadowed the movie itself. If any country, North Korea or otherwise, attempted to make a film about assassinating the leader of the United States of America, our country would probably be pretty angry, too. More recently, the fight for free speech has shifted to France. The editors, writers, and cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo in Paris have become symbols of free speech around the world since terrorists invaded their offices and killed twelve people in retaliation to their offensive satirical cartoons regarding Islam. The attacks on freedom of expression sparked international outrage, prompting world leaders to band together in protest and cries of “Je Suis Charlie” to be heard across the globe. The events in Paris were tragic and unacceptable. However, since the attacks, these satirists have become martyrs without regard to the content of their publication. Satirists walk a fine line between humor and hatred—more often than not, Charlie Hebdo crossed that line. This absolutely does not, by any means, justify the horrors they experienced, but there is also something to be said for the publication of offensive cartoons in the first place. Freedom of speech should be limited by our own judgment on what is right or wrong to say, rather than a legislative constraint. We need to police ourselves on what we say and how we say it. The first amendment is a right and a privilege, not an excuse for saying anything regardless of hurting or offending others.
NO:
he fundamental basis of international press in democratic countries rests on the ability to print free of censorship or fear of terrorist retaliation. The media is the primary means by which the general public obtains their information. In this fashion, the media serves a key role in our everyday lives. People rely on the media to inform them, and as such, the media holds an influential position in forming the opinions and deciding the actions of the people. It is for this reason that the media cannot be swayed, nor can they submit to pressure from the public, radicalist groups, or government officials to remain politically correct and taint the news that they provide. Charlie Hebdo is a French satirical magazine which specializes in satirizing religion, among other things. The latest comic which sparked outrage among Muslims and non-Muslims alike featured a picture of Muhammed, the Islamic prophet, in a demoralizing scene. We did not see only violent action or radicalist retaliation; rather, there was fairly widespread condemnation from across the country. Just as it is the right of the press to print this comic, it is the right of the people to protest it. And while their protests should be heard, they
should not be considered in the decision to publish certain content. Should media outlets choose to tailor their delivery to appease everyone, the world will go dark and ignorant. It is quite impossible to appease a majority, much less everyone in the world. The suggestion of holding inflammatory material from printing is wrong. Just because a minority does not like something does not mean that the majority should not have access to it. When these media outlets submit to peer pressure and change the filter by which their news is provided, there is now only one, omnipotent source relaying knowledge. In late December, Sony made headlines with their film The Interview by cancelling the movie’s release after controversy regarding its subject matter. The movie focused on the assassination of the North Korean dictator, a topic that was not taken lightly in North Korea. Americans were outraged by Sony’s decision, and rightfully so. No other country should be able to influence our freedoms in the United States, especially the freedom of speech. Infringing the freedom of speech would be catastrophic: all of the news in the world will come from the same skewed perspective. Sticks and stone may break bones, but words will never hurt.
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MUSIC EASHAA VELAMURI, Media Columnist
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ia recently released her music video for the song Elastic Heart. In two weeks it has garnered 70 million views. The song is part of a trilogy of video that includes the her mega-hit Chandelier. This video features Maddie Ziegler, the same dancer from the Chandelier music video as well as Shia Labeouf. The video has been heavily criticized for having pedophilic elements as Labeouf is 28 and Ziegler is 12. However, Sia apologized for any misunderstanding and said that represented her own self-warring states. The themes of the song—strength and resiliency—are represented through the interpretive dance. Sia is known for performing with her back to the audience as dancers perform to maintain artistic integrity.
K Monkey Puzzle Record/ SPECIAL
MUSIC VIDEO
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icki Minaj released her third album Pinkprint, two years since releasing Capitol/SPECIAL Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The album is a good combination of ballads like “All Things Go” and “I Lied” and uptempo rap like mega-hit “Anaconda” and “Only.” For this album, Minaj has improved her singing voice. The album features the artists: Ariana Grande, Beyonce, Drake, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Jeremih, and Skylar Grey. The album leaked early in December before its release. The album is an emotional account of her love life; she wrote many of her songs about her exboyfriend. The emotion shines through on tracks like “Bed of Lies. ”Minaj shows a different musical side in her slow songs but still keeps the notes of unadulterated pop.
Young Money/ SPECIAL
ALBUM
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anye West released his song “Only One” featuring Paul McCartney on New Year’s Eve, his first official single since his hit album Yeezus (2013). The song is different from West’s songs in that he sings even though his voice is autotuned. The lyrics are supposed to be from his mother, Donda, singing to him from the afterlife. He said that his “Mom was singing to me, and through me to my daughter.”
SOUNDTRACK
Kanye West/ SPECIAL
SINGLE
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n anticipation of the Fifty Shades of Grey movie, the company has begun releasing singles from the soundtrack. The first single released was “Earned It” by the Weeknd. The most recent song that was released was “Love Me Like You Do” by Ellie Goulding. The upbeat pop song has the same vibes of her previous songs “Burn” and “Lights”. The songs features repetitive verses and synthesized instrumentals.
THROWBACK 01.
January 15, 1965- The Rolling Stones release their second UK album after the huge success of their first album Genre: rock and roll, rhythm and blues
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January 5, 1973 - Aerosmith releases their first eponymous album Aerosmith Genre: blues rock, hard rock
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January 3, 1987- Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Genre: R&B, Soul, Jazz
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January 12,1999- Britney Spears releases her debut album ...Baby One More Time, which would go on to sell 23 million copies. Genre: Pop
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January 10, 2006- The High School Musical soundtrack is released and becomes the best selling album of the year. Genre: Pop
FASHION A
s we enter the coldest weeks of the year, late winter prompts heavier fabrics. Canvas, raw denim, suede, chunky knits, and leather keep us warm in subfreezing temperatures. Layering is especially important during these windy weeks. In addition, this weather allows for thicker pant fabrics than fall. To incorporate unique fabrics into an everyday wardrobe, capitalize on this season’s weather by experimenting with wool or velvet pieces.
CONNIE XU, Design Editor
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02. 01. H&M JACKET, THRIFTED VELVET SHIRT, THRIFTED NECKLACE // 02. J. CREW JACKET, BANANA REPUBLIC SHIRT, A.P.C. 03. THRIFTED JACKET, THRIFTED SWEATER, MADEWELL JEANS // 04. LIFE/AFTER/DENIM SWEATER, A.P.C. RAW JEANS, NIKE BLAZER SNEAKERS // 05. LL BEAN SHIRT, THRIFTED BLAZER, H&M TROUSERS, THRIFTED BOOTS // 06. J. CREW JACKET, EXPRESS T-SHIRT, C.P.O. PROVISIONS WOOL TROUSERS, MOSSON BRICKE LEATHER SNEAKERS JEANS, SUEDE J. CREW BOOTS //
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Comments: #Goals
The day my life changed for the better, then changed again a week later ANDREW TEODORESCU, Columnist
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ust hours before the turn of the new year―an intrinsically revitalizing event―I realize, not so uncommonly, that I have not made any resolutions for 2015. So, I text a few friends for ideas. The results are disgustingly mediocre: “exercise every day,” “start a diet plan,” “please delete my contact information.” None of these goals fascinate me in an extraordinary way. In 2015, I want a challenge. I want a grind. Naturally, my next step is to consult the Internet for some ground breaking advice. Without much hesitation, my fingers manage to fumble “new year resolutions” into the search bar almost as fast as Google finds 285 million results for my passionate quest. After clicking around for just seconds, I find it. The unearthly task with the potential to ruin my entire year but, at the same time, challenge me to think and act less efficiently. These bolded words sitting at number 19 on a Buzzfeed list―”deactivate all social media accounts”―could come to dictate my life for the rest of the year. I begin to take a sort of boasted pride in this noble plight. I spend the first week of January preparing for the transformative experience. I can’t just deactivate all my accounts at once. Without any warning, my friends and not-so-much-friends would think I’ve evaporated into thin air. After several “good-bye” status updates, tweets, and final pictures, I felt that I was ready to disconnect. One year, or now, 51 weeks of complete blankness. An escape from reality. A trip away from home. I start off with ease. There is a sense of deserved honor that comes with the decision to make one’s life significantly more difficult than it has to be. As the first few days fly by, my intuition tells me that my decision is a great one. I kept each interesting article or catchy song or motivational quote that I came upon―the things that
I would usually tweet instantly―and categorized them to be posted at a later time. I quickly come upon the realization that this year will be my practice run for 2016. Next year, after 51 weeks of collecting impressive content, I will release it all on my social media accounts. If I time each tweet, each status update, each picture post just right, I will rack up likes, favorites shares, by the hundreds. I will become a social media rockstar. After this profound realization, I become somewhat of a recluse. I stay in my room for hours at a time, archiving content that would have been perfect to share with all my not-so-much -friends. But the larger my archive grows, the more tempted I am to release it. I tweak at the thought of the amount of social media love I would get with all my drafted content. Many nights I stay up fantasizing about my social media rockstar life. At last, I break my shady promise with myself and let my lack of self-control get the best of me as usual. I reactivate all my accounts, log on, and wreak havoc on all my not-so-much-friends. I pump out all my drafted tweets and statuses at blazing fast speeds, acquiring a few unfollowers and lost friends along the way. The favorites and likes that I receive are dramatically below my projections yet just enough to keep my addiction alive. Feeling weak, I return to the Buzzfeed page where I found my original inspiration for the resolution. It’s only mid-January; I can abandon ship right now and pick an entirely different resolution. I scroll back down to number 19. Right below it, the bolded words next to number 20 read, “do everything in moderation.” Lame. How is that even a resolution? That’s just common sense. Continuing my search, I scroll down to the end of the list, number 34: “wait until next year to make new year’s resolutions.” I think I’ve found my challenge.
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 assistants
32 | opinions
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