Vol. 18, Issue 1

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THE MESSENGER VOL 18/ ISS 1 $1

REC. SATIRE: VSCO FASHION VSCO fashion: overrated or underapprec iated?

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INFINITE CAMPUS The ins and outs of Northview’s new grading system

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PROFILE: TJ BROWN Senior TJ B rown recovers from an injury in time for the season

FACE-OFF: SHOULD STUDENTS LETTER FOR ACADEMICS? pg. 24

2019-20

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The Art Issue THE MESSENGER | 1

staff CONTACT US

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

STAFF

(770) 497-3828 nhsmessenger@gmail.com 10625 Parsons Rd Johns Creek, GA 30097 nhsmessenger.org

Mira Sydow Jennifer Xia

Jyanyha Brown Elizabeth Caragher Kristina Carlson Selena DiBiase Dylan Duque Rachel Everett Ripley Simone Kennebrew Siddharth Kolichala Anna Lowrance Suhani Mahajan Reetu Maran Daniel Martinez Nancy Nguyen Grace Nguyen Sean O’Neal Alexis Oladipo Tanner Owens Bedansh Pandey Manasa Premanand Adiva Puttnam Zainab Qadri Isha Rastogi Megan Serfontein Rayyah Shakur Delaney Shear Erin Shin Caleb Smith Anshi Vajpayee

PUBLICATION The Messenger is a student publication published for and distributed to the Northview community. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire staff or those of Northview High School, its students, faculty, staff, or administration. Content is edited and controlled by staff editors. 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 ads 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.

IN THIS ISSUE Cover design: Mira Sydow

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MANAGING EDITOR Alex Perry

COPY EDITOR

Melissa Liu

NEWS EDITOR Grace Peng

SPORTS EDITOR Nikki Skyer

FEATURES EDITOR Meghana Ramineni

OPINIONS EDITOR Noelle Reid

PHOTO EDITOR

Upasna Kotakonda

BUSINESS MANAGER Jennah Sooknanan

ADVISER

Meredith Evans

contents 05

EDITOR’S LETTER JENNIFER XIA

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MONTHLY BRIEFS STAFF

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INFINITE CAMPUS GRACE PENG CALEB SMITH

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ROBOTICS

MELISSA LIU BEDANSH PANDEY

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PROFILE: TJ BROWN NANCY NGUYEN ANSHI VAJPAYEE

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FOOTBALL

TANNER OWENS NIKKI SKYER

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SOFTBALL

SELENA DIBIASE RIPLEY SIMONE KENNEBREW

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NEW TEACHERS RACHEL EVERETT SUHANI MAHAJAN

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STAFF EDITORIAL STAFF

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FACEOFF

SIDDHARTH KOLICHALA RAYYAH SHAKUR

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OP-EDS

ANNA LOWRANCE DANIEL MARTINEZ

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STAFF

REID BETWEEN THE LINES

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ERIN SHIN JENNAH SOOKNANAN

ALEXIS OLADIPO ZAINAB QADRI

SUMMER ART PROJECTS

FOOD REVIEW

NOELLE REID

FASHION

THE MESSENGER | 3

the messenger ONLINE

nhsmessenger@gmail.com

@nhsmessenger

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Like our Facebook page facebook.com/nhsmessenger

@nhsmessenger

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Peppa, what are you doing in my Messenger?

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he center of popular culture has always been a constant revolving door with new entertainment going in and out, some staying longer than others. But what astonishes me is how far a joke can stretch with the help of the Internet. How have the simplest, and honestly stupidest of things, become so widely celebrated that we can’t even hold back a giggle when it is mentioned? Have we really made it to that point?

Take my friend Peppa Pig for example. Peppa is a 4-year-old anthropomorphic pig from England, intended to help parents entertain their children. That is, children around the age of 3 or 4. In a rather astounding and even more hilarious turn, however, Peppa has worked her way into the lives of older generations. More specifically, the likes of teenagers on the social media platform TikTok. The popular memes with Peppa ending up inside unusual places while the vlogger then acts surprised with an annoyingly Peppa-like accent have taken the app by storm.

Along with her family and friends like Susie Sheep and Rebecca Rabbit, we have given this small pink pig, who apparently can only show her side profile, an empire that we continue to

support.

I do, however, commend Miss Peppa for her extreme marketability. Entertainment One, the company that owns the cartoon character, has made billions. The company ultimately took advantage of the millions of fans and produced a collection of marketable items. The toddler pig recently released her first pop album, namely “My First Album” which includes songs like “Bing Bong Zoo,” a song about her school field trip to the zoo along with the sounds of all the animals. It’s quite the headbanger. Along with her album, is her Peppa Pig North American Tour with more than fifty stops in the United States alone. To top it all off, the little pig has her own British television show that receives views from frustrated British adults dealing with Brexit. For these, I call Peppa Pig a miracle. The young character has been in the viral business for over a decade, and she is still running strong.

No, I do not regard the cartoon pop star as meaningless. She is, instead, a smart businesswoman for taking the money out of millions of people’s pockets. So yes, I may in fact love Peppa Pig. All 7-foot-1 of her.

Jennifer Xia, Editor-in-Chief

THE MESSENGER | 5

News in Brief

The Messenger’s monthly digest of events at Northview and around the world

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UPASNA KOTAKONDA, PHOTO EDITOR

t the beginning of May, a heat wave swept across the southeastern United States and still continues throughout Georgia. Although temperatures at this time of year are usually only about 85 Fahrenheit, they have consistently been in the 90s these past few weeks. Sept. 10 temperatures broke records, while Sept. 11 tied. On Sept. 12, afternoon temperatures reached 99 Fahrenheit in Atlanta, making it the first time metro Atlanta temperatures were this high in September since 1941.

Heat waves are dangerous because they can cause heat exhaustion and strokes, especially for athletes who must engage in strenuous outdoor activities for long periods of time. Fulton County recently set up cooling stations for public use and released information on how to prevent combat oppressive heat and humidity.

The heat wave has affected football players, who are wearing less equipment and taking more frequent water breaks during practice, and cross-country runners. Northview’s cross country team has recently had to move inside the school for practice due to the excessive heat.

Brady Beane nears the finish line at the Milton Invitational.

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n Aug. 24, Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 hurricane, hit the Bahamas, causing widespread destruction and covering many areas with debris and water.

The National Emergency Management Association reported 2,500 people missing. With the help of commercial carriers and private pilots, the government has also evacuated 5,500 people to unaffected areas. In early September, the government shared a list of supplies to help residents in need of food and shelter, including tents and mosquito netting. Approximately 75,000 people in the Bahamas require medical attention. An array of international organizations and people have stepped in to assist with recovery efforts, including Mercy Corps, the Salvation Army, Direct Relief, International Medical Corps, Americares, Operation Helping Hands, and US philanthropist Jose Andres. The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also visited. Due to extensive damage of infrastructure, officials have estimated that reconstruction may take several years.

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ver the past five years, a new epidemic has presented itself amongst teenagers, the most vulnerable group of people, targeting and slowly striking them down.

Vaping, nicotine, and THC have now taken a strong grip on our community of teenagers, especially at Northview. Principal Brian Downey and the Fulton County Board of Education are taking up arms and fighting this dilemma with a new tool that may stop teens from vaping at school. THC test strips will be given to all resource officers on school grounds to be used in case anyone is caught with substances. The test strips will work by being immersed into a test tube filled with the substance.

If the color tests positive for THC, then the perpetrator will be punished accordingly. Due to new information and laws regarding possession of THC on school grounds, students who are caught will face severe penalties as possession of THC is a felony in the state of Georgia.

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fter coming off of two mediocre seasons, Northview’s volleyball team is fighting back this year with a winning streak. The number of games won has fluctuated in the past few years, but it seems like the team is making a comeback. During the 2017 fall season, the team won a total of five games and the next year, they only won three. This year has particularly been one of the best so far as they have won all six games out of the 11 this season, already improving from the last two seasons. What has made this year so different?

“The last two seasons were rough for us but they were more of a learning experience rather than focusing on trying to win,” Mekayla Watson said. “Our team bonding has improved so much this year. We all work so well together and are very comfortable playing with each other.”

Watson, a senior this year, is a leader for the team and is motivated to push them to victory. This season they have demonstrated teamwork, dedication, and perseverance. Whether this streak continues or not, the Lady Titans will continue to give it their all.

ZAINAB QADRI, STAFF WRITER

Anastasia Peravalava gets ready to hit the volleyball.

ROBYN BECK, AFP/GETTY IMAGES

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9/12

he third Democratic presidential primary debate took place on Sept.

12. It was hosted by ABC News in Houston. To qualify, candidates had to draw at least 2 percent support in four national or early state polls between June 28 and August 28, receive donations from at least 130,000 unique donors, and have a minimum of 400 donors per state in at least 20 states. Former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Cory Booker, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and entrepreneur Andrew Yang qualified. All the candidates agreed that healthcare coverage needs to be expanded, but they disagreed on whether private healthcare should be eliminated. The candidates also addressed racism, gun control and education, among other issues. The next Democratic debate will be held on Aug. 26.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren faces off with former Vice President Joe Biden.

ISHA RASTOGI, STAFF WRITER

Shanauk Deshmukh, Mackenzie Imberman, and TJ Brown pose at Willstock.

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9/8 9/8

illstock is the Will to Live Foundation’s annual music festival. Students from all over the Johns Creek area come to have a good time and relax with their friends. Activities at the festival include football, frisbee, bean bag tosses, or just talking amongst each other. Live music is also played with a total of 15 music acts this year, ranging from instrumental bands to solo artists. Holyn Trautwein, the youngest daughter of the Trautwein family, who founded the Will to Live Foundation, performed on stage with her guitar for the first time at Willstock. This year Willstock raised $52,000 which is the highest raised so far. There were over 800 people who attended and over 50 volunteers. The goal of the night was to raise awareness for teen suicide, increase education of mental illness, and deliver hope for teens everywhere. It proved to be a very successful night.

THE MESSENGER | 7

Switch on Campus Students and staff adjust to a new grading and attendance system GRACE PENG, NEWS EDITOR CALEB SMITH, STAFF WRITER

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orthview changes every year, regularly making announcements over email and social media and announcing the latest news and newest programs. This year, one of the most substantial changes—especially for the students—is the switch in the record keeping system. For the past few years, the school district has used e-School’s Home Access Center, which has often been plagued with multiple bouts of repairs. The new system, Infinite Campus, was the fruit of over a year of searching, testing and trying numerous different programs.

Fulton County’s contract with HAC was ending, and the school district was already searching as early as 18 months before the new school year began for a possibly cheaper replacement that would be better for teach-

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ers, students, and administrators. As a district decision, individual schools were not allowed a say in the final choice, but multiple teachers and administrators from different schools were invited to test the options for new program and give their opinion, including staff members from Northview. After months of research, experimenting, and debate, the district settled for Infinite Campus.

Infinite Campus is graphically very different from Home Access Center, and in addition, also offers several new features.

For administrators, it has helped much with keeping attendance and records.

“One of the new features I like is the visual for our school attendance is very different. I can pull up a one-page pictures of the entire student body now, whereas with

the old program, I couldn’t,” Principal Brian Downey said.

Teachers are unable to give much say in the switch from HAC to Infinite Campus, but they have also benefited from this new system in a similar way. Despite the adjustments they have had to make and the earliness of the time of the year, most teachers are gradually becoming more accustomed to using it. New features include an attendance alert. In every class, teachers are required to take attendance, but they often become immersed in the instruction of the class. Infinite Campus turns red in the middle of each class, alerting the teachers to the need to record attendance.

For many teachers who have been a part of Fulton County for many years, this is not

NEWS the first time that an educational system has been replaced, as technology and education are both constantly changing.

"I think it’s been a smoother switch because the switch from the old system to Home Access was a big transition, and the systems looked a lot different, but I don’t think HAC is different from Infinite Campus,” said Elizabeth Lake, a language arts teacher who has been at Northview for 15 years.

Many teachers who use Infinite Campus

believe that it does have many new benefits, but one of the most satisfied groups of users happens to be the parents.

“From what I hear, parents love Infinite Campus. It’s easier for them to access, and they see everything, they can do a lot of things - from the parents’ standpoints, they are really pleased with it,” Vivian Elliot, Northview’s the data clerk, said.

Parents are allowed the freedom to create their own accounts, unlike Home Access,

where they were required to record long, complicated passwords. However, despite the parents’ viewpoints, students were not completely satisfied.

"No, I really do not like Infinite Campus. It's really hard to use and we should go back to the old one," sophomore Alana McLaughlin said.

Despite complaints, Northview students, parents, and staff should learn to accept the new system, because it’s not going anywhere.

The registrar then uploads everything to parchment.

All information must be obtained for release, such as the census forms from last year.

Finally, information for all other students are uploaded.

Student Information first uploads everything to senior and juniors to Georgia Future, for scholarships such as HOPE

The data clerk will make everything available to the student information department.

THE MESSENGER | 9

NEWS

Robotics Moves Off Campus Northview’s robotics team moves off campus MELISSA LIU, COPY EDITOR BEDANSH PANDEY, STAFF WRITER

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orthview began as a local high school with very few students, extracurriculars, and staff, but the stagnant school was to become one of the top public high schools in the nation--flooded with motivated students and spurred by innovation and ambition. In the years that followed, one of Northview’s most popular and successful extracurricular emerged--the robotics team.

Recently, though, there has been a major change in the team’s normal function. The primary meeting place of the club has shifted from the trailers to an off-campus location behind Gokul Sweets, one of the first times in school history for such a renowned club to move off-campus. Before the change, the main meeting spot was in the trailers, these were removed as a result of a direct order from the county.

“From 8:30 to 3:30, no one was in there,” Principle Brian Downey said. “So the district rightfully said that’s not a wise use of our money, so once that happened we were out of options.”

In the process of finding a different location, there was even doubt as to whether or not there would even be a robotics team for the following year. In hindsight, the Robotics team has always been a large club with many students to accommodate, but the administration and staff have been very helpful through the entire process.

“After we lost our main room inside the

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school, it was Mr. Downey who tried to relocate us to a different position, and we got the trailer. And then after we lost the trailer, he tried to keep us within the school. He tried to make sure that we were still a club within the school,” says Michelle Heo, president of the Techno Titans. “Mr. Downey is the one person in this school who actually saved our team from collapse.”

Of course, the effect that this change will have on the team’s performance is yet to be seen. Last year, they won the entrepreneurship award at the international level because of the team’s unity and chemistry that has formed as a result of countless hours of practice, but Heo feels that this change will actually improve performance.

“I think we’re gonna go stronger than ever. Now, we can operate under our own wills and I feel like that’s going to make us develop as a team,” Heo said.

Theresa Dixon, a mentor for the Robotics team since 2012, echoes these sentiments.

She sees this as an opportunity of growth for the team and understands the position that the staff at Northview were put in.

“We understand that their hands were tied. When you don’t have space, you don’t have space. But they tried their hardest to help us get through this year and see what we can do in the future,” said Dixon. “We’re a team. We’ve been through obstacles before, we’ll get through it.”

S P O RT S

profile

highlights

TJ B rown, 12 Averaging 16 points/ game

ANSHI VAJPAYEE, STAFF WRITER NANCY NGUYEN, STAFF WRITER

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ne of Northview’s star athletes and former varsity basketball captain, TJ Brown, has been playing basketball since he was 2 and has always been passionate about the sport. He plays point guard and is currently playing varsity basketball for Northview. On June 22, during an NHS summer basketball tournament, Brown came on to the court on a fast break and attempted to do a Euro step, when an offense player dribble in one direction, then swiftly steps in another. When planting his foot to push off to the other side, he felt a snap and immediately hit the ground.

“I didn’t want to look at my knee or anything. People knew exactly what happened and the reactions were crazy,” Brown said.

At first, both Brown and his trainer assumed that it was his meniscus that was injured. He found out two weeks later after getting an MRI, that it was a Grade 3 ACL

tear. It tore in two and could not provide stability to the knee joint.

“When I got hurt, I thought I was going to miss my whole senior season and coaches would not want to message me anymore, because everyone that I talked to before that told me that recovery took 9-twelve months,” Brown said. “I thought I was never going to play, at least organize basketball, ever again.”

The injury took him and those who supported him, through a tough time. He has a great support system of friends and teammates who encouraged him through a time like this.

“The second I found out I reached out to him and I visited him after surgery. I told him I was there for him, but he didn’t really need words for support. He is a go getter and I knew he was going to recover fast,” Travis Buchanan, one of Brown’s closest friends, said.

Brown has had many thoughts regarding whether or not he would be able to play the same as he used to be able to. Both Brown and his team had concerning thoughts of how the team would adapt when one part of the puzzle is missing. While sometimes these thoughts might have overwhelmed him, he tries to stay out of his head and solely focus on the positives.

“When it comes to being able to stay in my head and not overthink, honestly it’s simple, think positive, it’s that simple,” Brown said.

He received surgery on July 17 and has been on the road to recovery since. He recalls the first couple days being especially difficult and tire-

3 Assists/ game

Scouted by D1 and D2 schools

some, a feeling that he was neither prepared for nor expected. What came as a bit of a shock to him ended up being a realization of a long recovery process ahead.

“It was tough, the first day after surgery, my leg was completely numb,” Brown said.

“Three days after, I had to go in for my physical therapy, and I remember trying to stand up. I started bawling crying cause it hurt so bad. I was not prepared for that.”

He is currently an impressive two months ahead of protocol, and he was also able to gain full range of motion in four weeks. He is hoping to be back on the courts around the December to January range. Even though he cannot physically play, he is still heavily involved with his team, coming to every workout and giving them motivational talks.

His motivation and dedication to the basketball team and the sport itself will surely take him far in his basketball career, as he hopes to continue it in his future ahead.

Brown has the diligence and commitment needed for a fast recovery, both physically and emotionally, and although he has had his fair share of ups and downs, his enthusiasm and eagerness to play again has overcome the rest.

ZAINAB QADRI, STAFF WRITER

THE MESSENGER | 11

Wide receiver and sophomore Michael Chiwandire catches a pass.

ZAINAB QADRI, STAFF WRITER

Working Towards Victory Hard work is going to make Northview Football successful

TANNER OWENS, STAFF WRITER NIKKI SKYER, SPORTS EDITOR

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he Northview football team is a group The coaches and players alike, however, do the coaches are putting in their fair share of determined boys who do not let not plan on letting any setbacks bring them of work to help the team. The coaches are adversity stand in the way of them down. committed to guiding Northview’s team in working hard. Going into this season, they The team has put in a lot of hard work the right direction. The boys recognize this are as excited as ever and plan to work to- starting in the morning and waking up ear- passion and are very grateful to have these gether to improve their skills and have the ly and having practice every weekday. They people that are willing to do what it takes in most successful outcome possible. Though come together in difficult times, which in order to come out on top.

Northview’s team is on the smaller side for turn makes them very close on and off the “In all my years of playing, these are the the region, the players are sure that the ex- field and able to work together well. It is re- best coaches I have had, and I mean that. tra work they have decided to put They care so much about us in will be enough to make up for that they sacrifice time with their low numbers.

We don’t lean on one specific person or their families to be with us,” “We have to be more condiYoung said. tioned and disciplined than all the point anybody out because we’re a family This year there are only teams we play in order to be suca few new starters but many and we are better as a team. cessful,” senior Sam Babadele said. players have switched po Coach Danny Young, who sitions or play multiple coaches the linebackers, said the The group has Coach Danny Young positions. goal for this year is to improve on been working together in last year’s record of 5-5 and make an effort to overcome their the playoffs. Northview defense disadvantages and have a was good last year and at the beginning of markable to see how much they really enjoy positive season. The players, coaches, stuthis season, allowing other teams to score 15 being around one another. dents, and staff are very excited for the new points in the first two games included a 60-0 “We don’t lean on one specific person or season. Northview thinks the football team shutout against Lakeside on Aug. 30. Un- point anybody out because we’re a family and can make a deep run into the playoffs. The fortunately, the team suffered a tough loss on we are better as a team,’’ Young said. excitement is spreading through the school, Sept. 6 to North Forsyth with a score 15-14. Not only are they players working hard, but and everyone could not be more ready to see what is in store in the upcoming weeks.

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SPORTS

Haley Dovico stands up to bat ELEANOR VIRAG, SPECIAL

Lady Titan Comeback

Northview’s softball team starts off the season strong RIPLEY SIMONE KENNEBREW, STAFF WRITER SELENA DIBIASE, STAFF WRITER

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fter beginning the season with two losses, five straight wins, and spiraling back to three consecutive losses, the softball team works hard for another win.

During their winning streak, the team took the phrase ‘practice like you play’ to another level. Taking new plays and ideas to the field with hopes of increasing their game, the Lady Titans took their time and focused on one game at a time. With the goal of having a winning season in mind, Coach Andy Alhadeff worked on evolving the team as a whole before the season began during summer practices.

“The biggest difference from this year to last year is the girls’ effort over the summer.

They came in during workouts and put in a lot of effort to improve their game and the results have shown. The girls are doing all that the coaches are asking and they are putting the time and commitment into this team and the game. The biggest challenge to winning is complacency and not just thinking that you can go out and win,” Coach Alhadeff said.

The group summer practices paid off for the Lady Titans. The advantage of knowing their teammates on a more intimate level,

both athletically and personally, helped the team become closer. They were able to learn and grow in their strengths, weaknesses, and as individual players, which increases their game.

“The coaches do a great job of preparing us with off-season workouts and practices in between games. Playing three or four games every week of the season is physically challenging because everyone has to be focused and ready for every game. Winning any game is difficult because we face really good competition day in and day out. The team is focused this year, we want to win and everyone is committed to working hard to improve and win,” senior and captain Madison Brown said.

Suffering from losses from teams such as Chattahoochee and Alpharetta put things into perspective for the Titan Softball players. They have grown as a team and do not let the defeats affect them, rather learning from their mistakes and working to become better. The winning streak boosted the team’s morale and confidence in themselves and one another thanks to better communication within the team.

“The responsibilities [as a captain] have not changed but this year we have been communicating more and trying to be more focused as well and encouraging everyone on the team. The five game win streak has given the team confidence to know that they can compete with teams in our region and play to their best ability. They know that we can win games when we play as a team,” Brown said.

The pressure to win affects the player and the parents. Ms. Kim Brown, Madison Brown’s mother explains how the pressure of a fall sport affects her family and how they bounce back, specifically detailing Madison and her team’s victories and how it is imperative to be organized and encourage your teammates.

“The encouragement the girls provide each other makes them a better team. The softball team’s victories are a result of the hard work that the girls have put in during practice and games. Every game starts a new opportunity, every at-bat is a new opportunity, and every pitch is a new opportunity, the girls have taken those opportunities and turned them into wins,” Ms. Brown said.

THE MESSENGER | 13

New to the ‘View

New teachers arrive at Northview this fall - one a returning memb er, the other from overseas SUHANI MAHAJAN, STAFF WRITER RACHEL EVERETT, STAFF WRITER REEETU MARAN, STAFF WRITER After working at different schools for five years.

Bombard returns to Northview

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fter five years teaching outside of Northview, Lynne Bombard is ready to get back into the swing of things.

Bombard left Northview in 2014 to help create a math program for students heading into high school. With that, her variety of teaching jobs grew.

Previously she had taught in Title I schools and had students who had different living situations than those of Northview, such as 74 percent reduced lunch. A certain empathy has to go with that, which is why Bombard tries her best to connect with students. Every day she welcomes and greets them into the class and as they leave she says goodbye. She also incorporates her personal life into her classes. She tells stories about her family and tries to encourage students to open up about their lives. Connecting with students is important for her so that her students get to know her and feel comfortable asking her for help.

“I build that connection and make sure that when necessary, I have those one on one conversations with students to let them know that someone cares about them if they are not doing well in school or if they are doing well in school. ” Bombard said.

In high school, Bombard was an allaround student. She went to a small Catholic school and became naturally inclined to be on more sports teams. She was on the soccer and basketball teams and also ran track.

Along with this, she was in the school musical and student council.

“I would describe myself as being the outgoing one, getting involved in those different areas,” Bombard said. “I tried a little bit of everything.”

Another important aspect of Bombard’s life is family. Her husband, Steven Bombard, also works in this school in the math department. She and Mr. Bombard met by bumping into each other in the dining hall at Saint Bonaventure, the college they both graduated from.

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When Bombard was previously working at Northview, her classroom was along the same hall as her husband, but this year they are separated. Although many people think the couple sees each other often, they only see each other at lunch and during their planning periods.

“People assume we drive together but we don’t. That’s usually a question a lot of people want to know but we don’t drive together due to our schedules and our children,” Bombard said.

Her son is also a freshman at Northview.

Bombard’s son was always enrolled in schools in the Johns Creek area. Bombard also has two twin girls who are enrolled in Wilson Creek.

Sports are another big thing in her family.

They avidly support the Yankees and they always try to make a trip up to New York to watch a game.

Aside from the people she lives with, the Math department at Northview is basically Bombard’s second family. After coming back to Northview, she feels as though she is coming back to a family. This is because she

knew all the math teachers from her previous years at Northview and because of social opportunities with Mr. Bombard coaching basketball.

Upon coming back to Northview, she noticed new things about the school that were not here when she previously taught.

The stress level that the community is putting on the students has changed along with murals and paintings in the hallways.

“I think the demographics of the student body have changed a little bit and not in a bad way or anything but I notice that,” Bombard said. “I do feel that from the time I was here before and that’s what I appreciate most - not just as a teacher, but as a parent who has a child here.”

High school can be scary, but Bombard gives some important advice to students.

Bombard believes students should be open to any possibility from risk-taking to having a willingness to learn, students should talk to new people and discover themselves during high school.

“I mean enjoy being a kid,” Bombard said. “And don’t have any regrets.”

FEATURES

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Kapur also took into consideration the populations she’d most likely encounter a lot in her future when choosing to take Spanish.

“There’s a lot of Spanish speaking people in this country and I think it’s helpful to know Spanish. And it’s really fun too,” Kapur said.

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risten Lanier recently moved to Johns Creek after living in Madrid for five years. However, the area is not as alien to her as one may expect - she grew up in Cobb County, and got introduced to Spanish through school - something nearly all Spanish takers at Northview High School can relate to.

Lanier studied abroad, spending a semester of her college career in Spain. After she graduated, she returned to Spain to teach - not Spanish but English.

“I lived in Madrid for a total of five years and I taught English to native Spanish speakers,” Lanier said.

Spanish captivated Lanier as a middle schooler when she was first introduced to the language. She recalls being swept away by the beauty of the Spanish culture.

“I fell in love with the culture and the language and it came pretty easy to me—so I just took it from there!” Lanier said.

Lanier recently returned from Madrid during the past summer, and she already misses Spain. Although her family lives close by now, she misses the city life she had grown accustomed to. Lanier wishes there was some way she could have her family close by, but also have the same access to fresh, seasonal, locally grown food she is used to.

Another thing Lanier wishes was more easily accessible in America is the public transportation. She recalls how easy it was to just catch a train and be - quickly - taken to the heart of any major city in Spain she desired to visit.

Lanier’s love for Spain and the Spanish culture is reflected in one of her students Ishita Kapur, a sophomore at Northview.

The idea of communicating in many different ways appeals highly to Kapur, who already speaks three languages besides Spanish.

“I love Spanish because it’s a different form of communication, and I already learned another language when I was in elementary school, and I just like learning different languages—I think it’s interesting,” Kapur said.

connecting with her students in the class and getting to know them.

“I love the kids! [They] crack me up everyday, and I smile everyday, almost all day long,” Lanier said.

Spanish inspired Lanier so much that she teaches Spanish today in the hopes that some of her students find that their joy and future will be found in Spanish just how Lanier found her own.

“I just love teaching kids language because it opens up so many doors - it opened an entire life for me that I wouldn’t have if I didn’t speak Spanish,” Lanier said. “I love to be able to share that, and hopefully, give other students those same opportunities.”

Just get involved in something, because that gets you an automatic group of friends!

Kristen Lanier Connecting with students like Kapur is what brings true joy to Lanier, because as much as she may love Spanish, her love for her job comes from her students. She enjoys

The foreign language department’s newest teacher, joins Northview from Madrid.

REEETU MARAN, STAFF WRITER

THE MESSENGER | 15

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16

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Summer Arts

PLAY

MANASA PREMANAND, STAFF WRITER MEGAN SERFONTEIN, STAFF WRITER MEGHANA RAMINENI, FEATURES EDITOR

SEPT. 2019

THE MESSENGER | 17

Ryan Minter A

mother and son. Possibly one of the strongest relationships one can form. Whether it be through one of love or conflict, the way every individual has a bond with their mother is unique to themselves. Ryan Minter, a senior and aspiring filmmaker, recently created the short film “You’re my son” which highlights this complex yet strong relationship between a mother and son.

As a kid, Minter was always interested in film making, carrying around a camera with him everywhere. Minter mostly taught himself how to edit and go through the process of film making, however received guidance from summer camps at the New York Film

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Academy and Northview’s film class.

Minter made this short film that he could submit to colleges for his portfolio due to his desire to pursue film making, specifically creating this film for the NYU admissions process. The process of writing and creating Minter’s short film spanned over about two and a half months and involved a copious amount of writing, filming, and editing. Minter spent a majority of June and July writing the script for the film, admitting that this was the longest part of the process due to several factors: one of them being writer’s block. He found writing the dialogue to be the most difficult component of his film making process.

“Writing natural dialogue is the worst because if someone says something weird, you pick up on it immediately,” Minter said.

“But just be as natural as possible. Know who your characters are and that’s about it really. Go in whatever direction it wants to go in.”

These challenges, however, did not stop Minter from

finishing his script. Although his writer’s block may have caused him to take longer than usual, Minter found a way to work through it and admits he usually sat in his room with the lights off to help him think.

In addition to this, Minter found that consulting other artists helps him work through any obstacles.

“I love talking to other artists and seeing their views on the world or their views on anything like music,” Minter said. “Especially when they’re really good at what they do.”

As the building block of the entire piece, Minter believes that the writing process is perhaps the most important part. Minter emphasized the writing process of his film as he thought it was integral to creating a quality work of art. He asserts that if the writing of a film is poor, then the film will be poor quality as well.

Following the creation of the script, Minter spent time casting the actors. One of the actors, senior Tessa Ziegler, has been a friend of Ryan’s since eighth grade and has seen him grow as both an artist and an individual.

“Ryan’s film making is so different from everyone else’s, and I’m so happy that he’s found his own style,” Ziegler said.

Being his friend for many years, Ziegler has also seen what Ryan is both inspired and motivated by. Ziegler admits that hearing people’s positive feedback is very motivating for Minter, and that seeing everyone’s reactions to his films helps push him to keep making better stuff. Ziegler knows that Minter’s film making will influence others due to the significant themes behind them.

“Ryan’s film making will make an impact because he has meaningful messages behind

Tessa Ziegler

“

the years. Ever since Minter was a child, he has had a profound interest in film, which his family nurtured. Minter’s mom, Gaylene Minter, remembers him making films with friends in elementary school, which she admits is common; however, when she saw him come home to edit them on Adobe Premier Pro, which he picked up from his sister, she knew he had a talent.

“He’s creative, loving, kind, thoughtful, super-fun, funny, and very hip,” Gaylene Minter said. “Ryan has always been his own person with his own ideas and for the most

BTS

“

his films,” Ziegler said. “His college film has many [both] blatant and hidden messages that are all impactful to those who see it.”

Following this casting process, Minter spent time scoring instruments, filming the movie, and later editing it. Minter, along with his film making, has a diverse musical background, as he knows how to play the guitar, piano, drums, and bass. However, although Minter plays a few instruments, he admits that writing the music was the most difficult part of the process.

“It was essentially just a lot of late nights

Whether it’s political, a documentary, or story-telling, Ryan ... is not afraid to speak his mind.”

Gaylene Minter

of me just staying up playing random chords until I got something I liked,” Minter said.

Minter then filmed during the first two weeks of August and, following that, edited the film in order to meet the deadline.

As an artist, Minter takes inspiration for his films from experiences or stories his friends or family may have had. For this film specifically, Minter used experiences that his friends and loved ones faced.

“I am lucky to have a good relationship with my mom,” Minter said. “I took inspiration from my friends who may not have the same relationship with their mom and kind of made it for them as a tribute.”

Minter’s parents have been supportive of Ryan’s film making, and have seen his deep interest for film making develop over

part, I have loved and supported it. Ryan’s father and I have always loved watching what he has created and have always been ready to see more.”

In the future, Minter would like to pursue film as a career. His very strong passion for film making, as developed throughout the years, is something he sees himself following.

Both Minter and his family hold an optimistic view towards his future as a filmmaker.

“There is no doubt that Ryan will make some impact on this world through film.

Whether it’s political, a documentary, or story telling, Ryan will call a spade a spade and is not afraid to speak his mind,” Gaylene Minter said. “We are so very proud of him and look forward to his bright future.”

Austin Eanes

THE MESSENGER | 19

Cherie Sang F

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or some students, high school is about finding what subject, sport, or hobby may suit them by experimenting with new things and finding what they are passionate about. These students are in the process of learning more about their interests and goals for the future. However, there are those students who come into high school already aware of their passions and further pursue it throughout their four years. Senior Cherie Sang is one of such students; art has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember.

At a young age, she became involved with the arts purely through interest and joined Johns Creek Art Center classes to further develop her skills with guidance. Although Sang’s interest in art developed very early, she was in fourth grade when her love for drawing came to light, and as a result her parents sent her to a private studio where she would continue art for eight years. Sang is grateful to have gotten the opportunity to go to a private studio as it has given her the opportunity to learn different art skills and various techniques. However, she acknowledges that there was not a free art program when she was younger, and as a result, Sang extended that opportunity to children in the Johns Creek community by creating an art program this past summer.

Sang is a Girl Scout working towards getting her Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can get. The qualifications are extensive; a Girl Scout has to do a service project that is more than 100 hours of service in order to be considered, so Sang decided to hold free art classes over the summer to provide other children with the opportunities she was fortunate enough to have as a child.

Sang was inspired by a program that she is involved in called the Young Artists Program, which offers similar classes during the school year, and she wanted to provide a chance for children to practice art over the summer. She taught the classes over the course of six weeks,

typically once a week and two hours long.

Hosted at Johns Creek Books and Gifts, each class taught a different art skill. Even though the classes were only two hours long, the time spent planning for and working on the classes was much greater. Sang would pick out a project a week in advance and order the supplies. Luckily enough, she received some of the supplies as donations from the Ocee Library and the Northview Fine Arts Department. With the supplies, she would arrive to her class location an hour early to set up; teach the class, with the help of the rest of her team and volunteers; and then spend another hour or so cleaning up. The classes were not only enjoyable for the children but also for Sang, as she deeply appreciated the effect her classes had on the children.

“This little kid really loved my classes and he came to every one of them because he was just really into sketching,” Sang said. “In the last lesson he finished his project pretty quickly, then he disappeared to another part of the bookstore for thirty minutes and came back. Turns out he had made a thank you card that said ‘Thank you for doing this program I really loved it’ and then he handed me the card, and it was pretty sweet.”

Through her program, Sang saw her students become more appreciative of art and more proud of their own work. She even saw herself in one of her student’s determination, spirit, and passion for art.

Being a Girl Scout has been a positive experience for Sang. She appreciated learning the Girl Scout values and promise when she was little and has continued to keep them close to her throughout her time at Northview. She believes her Gold Award is a culmination of her growth as a leader in her extracurriculars and community.

Sang is not only a talented artist, but she is also an academically gifted student. She has a strong desire to learn and asks quality questions that demonstrate her passion to have

Seniors Cherie Sang and Chelsea Yuan teach the class.

MIRA SYDOW, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

a deeper understanding of the material. Her teachers regard her as confident, motivated, and a leader inside and outside of the classroom. Raymond Brown, Sang’s former AP US History teacher, values her strength and boldness, and that she tries to outdo herself instead of others. Brown has seen her growth as an artist and individual, and is excited to see what she will be doing in the future.

“She is not afraid to be herself which is just so cool and so refreshing from a student,” Brown said. “She believes in herself and knows her abilities.”

Her art teacher of four years, Jeannette Clawson, has grown to count on Sang’s judgment. Clawson has always borne witness to natural talent that Sang presents, but she has also seen Sang grow as an artist. Clawson remarks that Sang has developed the ability to create stunning portraits that capture a subject’s whole personality so much further than what the art actually shows. Mainly, Clawson has seen Sang grow as leader, even seeing parts of her motivation coming from leadership. As Sang is one of the presidents of National Art Honor Society, Clawson can count on her to lead in a positive and effective way. In class, Clawson has also seen the effects Sang has on her peers with constructive criticism. Sang acts as an active and thoughtful contributor in class and is accepted and welcomed by her peers.

“She has established herself as a valuable peer mentor and member of our student art community,” Ms. Clawson said. “She is really positive, driven, open, and honest with

her peers when she gives positive and negative to their works.”

In addition to her impact on her teachers at school, Sang’s parents have been extremely supportive of her passion for art throughout the years, starting with when they enrolled her in the private studio.

Her mother, Jane Sang, is extremely proud of her for completing her Gold Award Project and regards her daughter as an observant and motivated young lady.

She believes her daughter’s completion of the Gold Award was beneficial as a leadership experience and hopes that her daughter’s passion for art will continue to make an impact on the community around her.

“I’m glad she loves art,” Jane Sang said.

“I hope she keeps her creativity to bring a positive impact to the people and community around her. I just hope she can be the best of herself in the future.”

Even though Sang does not plan on majoring in art when she goes to college, she will always continue creating art. It is a great passion of hers, and she wants to keep it as a hobby for when she grows older.

“I love that art gives me an outlet to pour my creative energy into,” Sang said. “Art is where I found an outlet for myself to express my imagination.”

THE MESSENGER | 21

FEATURES

Beard Papa’s 5215 Town Center Blvd Suite 620, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 (770) - 807 - 0564 *this article is not sponsored by Beard Papa

The original Chocolate Cream Puff from Beard Papa’s classic menu.

ERIN SHIN, STAFF WRITER

The Messenger’s monthly digest

Beard Papa’s

A taste of Japan in Peachtree Corners

ERIN SHIN, STAFF WRITER JENNAH SOOKNANAN, BUSINESS MANAGER

B

eard Papa’s has a very calm and aesthetically pleasing environment, making a small and intimate place for friends and family to gather and enjoy.

At first glance, the yellow walls can be overwhelming, but they are popular with children.

Beard Papa’s opened the Johns Creek franchise in the Peachtree Corners Town Center on May 18 this year. The history of Beard Papa’s cream puffs began in the 1980s when a Japanese baker, Yuji Hirota, invented the idea of the double-layered cream puff.

The very first franchise was opened in the small town of Osaka, Japan in 1999. These cream puffs gained so much popularity that Hirota became known as “Beard Papa,” for

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his long, white, and fluffy beard.

The puffs itself are a perfect combination of a flaky exterior to a creamy custard interior. Shells are available in original, chocolate, cookies & cream, and green tea flavors with your choice of custard filling. However, their menu is not exclusive to cream puffs. There is also a chocolate fondant cake, with a soft and gooey center. Customers can also try mochi ice cream: ice cream wrapped in a layer of rice dough. It is available in mocha, green tea, mango, and vanilla flavors.

Compared to other bakeries and pastry shops in Johns Creek, Beard Papa’s may be pricier. The menu might also seem small at first, but the variety of flavors and combinations is what makes it unique.

After taking your order, the workers behind the counter start to pack the food onto a yellow tray and yellow box with Beard Papa on it. We went soon after they opened, so we were one of the only people in the shop. As we settled down with our cream puffs, custard cream drinks, chocolate fondant cake, and mochi ice creams, the bakery began to get busy. People were filing in and leaving with large boxes of treats.

Beard Papa’s can be just seen as just another pastry place, but considering the story of Yuji Hirota and the vibrant theme of yellow and white, we were satisfied with our experience. For those of you with a sweet tooth, Beard Papa’s may be just the right place for you.

OPINIONS

STAFF EDITORIAL

Homecoming: Divided or United?

A

s the first signs of autumn begin to turn the summer heat into fallen leaves, high schools prepare themselves to initiate their first big event of the year: the Homecoming dance. Class councils nationwide bring out the art supplies and tools in an effort to represent the school spirit that rises up every mid-September, with decorations and designs to show off the artistic ability of the student body. For some schools, this means the collective populous of students banding together to decorate the school with one unifying product. For others - as Northview does - the theme is factioned off by grade, with all four of the parts forming the entire theme in the end. This decision is a missed opportunity.

Northview should use Homecoming decorating as a time to unite the student body under one effort.

For Northview, choosing the Homecoming theme requires two steps: deciding on an overall theme, and ensuring that theme can be divided into four pieces for each grade. This creates an unnecessary hassle for decorating.

Why should we intentionally limit ourselves to this constriction? Why should the theme have four rigid categories to be spread around?

Removing the need for division would allow student creativity to flow more organically. The conception of the theme would be more open and varied than with the constriction. It would allow for one broad category to be explored by the whole body, rather than individual parts.

This broadness provides artistic liberty to the

students, to choose whatever aspect of the theme they would like to explore for their decorations. In addition, many four-part themes are not split equally. These themes follow a trend of a good idea given to the senior class, with the next ideas becoming progressively more difficult to decorate. The hardest is left for the most inexperienced group of members, the freshmen. This is unnecessary. The alternative method would have one single, high quality idea that the council could be excited for - a far better deal for all of the involved grades.

Grade levels of high school are, for the most part, routinely divided. There are some exceptions, certainly - generalist classes like Physical Education, or electives with one period like AV Tech - but a student will find themselves most commonly around their own grade.

Being around those the same age as you makes sense. However, this simultaneously calls out the idea that there isn’t any need to divide the grades further. In the face of constant separation, Homecoming would provide the ideal chance to allow classes to intersect and work together. Students could be organized together into small groups with a variety of knowledge and ability, where strengths could build on one another. The experienced seniors would advise the rising underclassmen, while the newer students would provide a fresh outlook on ideas and decisions. Working in tandem, these diverse students would form a strong unit capable of producing both a cooperative environment and a higher quality output.

THE MESSENGER | 23

faceoff: Should students b e able to letter for

Arts

&

Academics?

24

OPINIONS

YES

SIDDHARTH KOLICHALA, STAFF WRITER

A

letterman jacket is given to those who have displayed commendable commitment, persistence, and industry. Generally, these are given exclusively to athletes who play on a varsity team. When it comes to the eligibility of performance, art, and academic groups for these jackets, however, the question boils down to how they should be perceived and treated.

These groups must be considered high school sports, with regards to money, allocated resources, and promotion. The idea of these groups receiving letterman jackets is usually considered laughable. What is it, that these two focuses have in common that require the exact same customs and practices? The answer is, in fact, many things. Their similarities in tone, spirit, and competition defeat their differences in particular activity.

Performance, art, and academic groups are similar to high school sports in their com-

petitive nature. Just like high school sports, these groups often attend competitive events and participate to win. To keep a successful, respectable record, these groups must make consistent, dedicated efforts. The persistence and discipline required closely rival the efforts made in most high school sports.

Although it is true that high school sports are more demanding physically, this does not necessarily mean they are more demanding as a whole. For instance, many academic groups require effort not only within the group and their meetings, but also at home, chewing through participants’ free time. This type of devotion to an area must be appreciated, and it is wrong to suggest that the efforts of academic groups are less taxing than those of varsity sports programs.

Additionally, in most cases, art, and performance programs are on par with the technical skills required in sports programs.

While sports programs require skills like endurance and strength, art and performance programs require elegance or artistry. Take, for example, drawing. Drawing, most people would say, should not receive the treatment as a varsity sport, because a sport is defined as something that requires physical exertion.

When more closely examining the issue, however, it becomes clear that there is sufficient overlap when it comes to time commitment and dedication to the field. Both an artist and an athlete attend competitive events, and both must display determination and commitment.

This is not to conflate the definitions of varsity sports and those that are traditionally separate from the athletics. The two are very different. Rather, these groups must be treated on the same plane of importance as varsity sports, whose participants exhibit an equal amount of diligence and resolve.

NO RAYYAH SHAKUR, STAFF WRITER

B

reaking most traditions to accept all in the new age is becoming the best way to progress in society, yet one sport tradition should be left alone. Academic, performance, and arts groups should not be able to letter. Letterman jackets have been a sports tradition for more than 150 years. The first letterman jackets, originally sweaters, were created for Harvard University’s baseball team in 1865. Since then, the letterman jacket became popular not only for baseball teams but for most other sports teams.

The jacket is a symbol of societal acknowledgment for the achievements that athletes have achieved for playing on varsity for more than two years. Similar to a trophy, the jacket allows teammates to wear their experience with pride despite their losses. Allowing students to letter from other groups would become problematic. Merging per-

formance, art, and academic students with athletes, since they all have very different skill sets, would undermine the original purpose of the jacket.

Permitting all students who participate in school extracurricular activities to letter, would slowly turn the letterman jacket into a school product rather than reward.

The letterman jacket pushes athletes to play their hardest to obtain it which teaches an important life lesson about audience. Taking that away from athletes, takes away the incentive to continue with a sport. Along with the tainting of their purpose, letterman jackets are unique to sports. Therefore, if other students deem it necessary to receive a jacket, there should be an alternative jacket for them. Each group of students is different and should require different attire. Students of sports, performance, art, and academics should all receive an award, albeit not a jack-

et that wasn’t designed specifically for them.

This would give the students a chance to create their own forms of expressing honor through hard work and dedication.

Awarding everyone despite each student’s time and effort spent on a particular activity defeats the purpose of an award. Letterman jackets are given to a select few who stand out from their peers in sports. Most athletes play their hardest in order to receive it, but without it, who’s to say they would care about the sport without an end result? Similar to other awards in visual arts and academic awards, letterman jackets shouldn’t be given to those who haven’t earned it. Letterman jackets are an athletes’ way of receiving something to take along with them in order to remember the hard work they put in to gain it. Just like athletes, other students should be given a similar reward, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a letterman jacket.

THE MESSENGER | 25

A Point For Adversity How the SAT Adversity Score proves the SAT itself is obsolete DANIEL MARTINEZ, STAFF WRITER

T

he popular notion that universities are caring less and less about standardized test scores with each new admissions cycle is questionable, especially when considering the limited opportunities admissions officers have to numerically compare their applicants. It is simpler and, frankly, more convenient to compare integers than it is to form a comprehensive picture of a student out of the bits and pieces described in their application. The College Board, everyone’s favorite money-making non-profit, is no stranger to this idea. It has already reduced ‘scholastic aptitude’ to a single score and the results of AP exams to a non-descriptive five point scale. Recently, the College Board announced its plans to reduce yet another admissions factor to an easily comparable number with the highly debated SAT Adversity Score, only to discover through public outrage that a single number cannot capture the whole story of a student’s environment.

The College Board’s replacement, called Landscape, thankfully ditches the single score in favor of a dashboard including several community indicators. Six factors, ranging from household structure to college attendance, will paint the picture of ‘adversity’ faced by the student’s community, and each factor will, of course, be represented by an average on a 100-point scale.

That is correct, the College Board ditched a

26

single adversity score in favor of having six total adversity scores. Theoretically, it is true that separating the Adversity Score into six parts would paint a more accurate picture of a student’s environment. Practically, though, each individual aspect of Landscape carries the same problems as its predecessor. A student’s community cannot be visualized by a collection of numbers, and a numerical description of his or her environment is not at all representative of the adversity faced by the individual student.

Landscape scores will be shared by students who reside in the same local community, which is fairly nonsensical considering that not every young adult in the same zip code has faced exactly the same hardships.

More accurately, it is likely that no two students in distinct households carry the same level of adversity in their past and present, and certainly not in the same form. Such is the inherent problem with assigning a number to a concept as abstract as ‘adversity.’

In designing how it would change its presentation of test scores, the College Board clearly looked past this glaring problem and saw the prospect of an additional score to contextualize the SAT. This was undeniably in response to the unending outcry of admissions officers and parents who rightfully point out the unjust nature of the test, which

more properly indicates a student’s access to study materials, often derived from privilege, than it does their innate intelligence. Quite obviously, introducing a separate score to measure the inverse of privilege, adversity, will not fix the flawed nature of the College Board’s flagship examination.

To some extent, Landscape measures the same data as the SAT, resources and privilege, only scaled as multiple scores and measured inversely. It therefore does absolutely nothing to solve the issue besides reveal that the College Board recognizes that the SAT alone is not an accurate indicator of student success.

Recognizing a problem is only the first step in the arduous process of developing a solution, but it appears the College Board is hesitant to step any further. The addition of another flawed measurement will not magically validate the existence of the current one, even if it is as massive a juggernaut as the SAT is. Standardized testing is still, as it always has been, a game of numbers that is incredibly easy to cheat. More numbers are not the solution to this backwards meritocracy, people are. Determining the personal fit of a student based on the complete picture of his/her attributes, personality, and skill set is not a convenient process, but it decidedly resembles ‘meritocracy’ more closely than an Excel spreadsheet of integers ever will.

OPINIONS

Earth’s Lungs The Amazon is burning ANNA LOWRANCE, STAFF WRITER

W

e are poisoning the Earth. We, the most intelligent beings to inhabit an improbable paradise capable of sustaining life. The Earth, a living organism that we do not deserve. The Amazon Rainforest is being burned. It is not burning by mere coincidence, make no mistake. This is not a natural phenomenon, nor is it a new event -- record keeping of forest fires in the Amazon began in 1993. But this is a practice dating back thousands of years.

We are burning the largest rainforest left on the face of the planet, and with it, 6% of breathable air. One in 10 species. ¼ of known medicinal plants. Billions of trees.

And we are destroying one of the Earth’s last natural protections against man-made carbon emissions. The rainforest captures Carbon Dioxide, thereby reducing emissions -- without it, climate change will accelerate.

And with it, the self-inflicted hardship mankind will face: drought and famine and mass extinctions. Rainfall patterns will shift, as the Amazon is responsible for roughly 40% of rain. Life as we know it will cease to exist in the capacity it does today.

Fires in the Amazon Rainforest are largely set in order to clear land for cattle farming. The Brazilian beef industry is facing increasing global demand. As a result, Brazilian farmers need more land for cattle to graze.

The slash-and-burn agricultural technique

is common in this region, and as demand increases, the product of our own consumerism, so does the need to clear land. Fires throughout the rainforest ensue.

To an extent, we can blame politicians rolling back effective environmental protection policies. In particular, Brazil’s current president Jair Bolsonaro. Prior to his election, deforestation was decreasing throughout the region. At a record high in 2010, it decreased significantly over the past eight years, only rising recently as Bolsonaro shifted policies from emphasizing environmental conservation to placing profit and nationalistic ideals above all else. Nationalist sentiments reigning as an excuse for negligence is not a solution. It is revenge. Revenge has no place in a world with a nearing expiration date. Likewise, large corporations are responsible for this continuous tragedy -- money is the root of corruption. But we fuel these industries.

They make money because of our greed. We place value in an otherwise invaluable thing.

We cannot act as separate parts fueled by tainted intentions. This is our global fate -each country, each business, and each individual. We must treat it as such.

We are addicts seeking comfort in convenience, nothing more. Addicted to monetary wealth. Living as though forgoing beef is an unfathomable feat, and turning to a plant-based diet is simply impossible. Living

as though using a reusable water bottle is a great hindrance. Living as though plastic will disappear once it is thrown away. Living as though each piece of paper we use is not the product of great sacrifice. Living as though the clothes we wear are not contributing to anything more than aesthetics. Living as though an individual’s actions do not matter in the grand scheme of salvation -- no one is coming to save us. And if we wish to ensure the fate of the generations to come, we must take action. We cannot wait for someone else. There is no one else. And when the clock runs out, and redemption passes by, we cannot find comfort only in sharing an outdated picture on social media spreading misinformation, nor merely voting for a government official perceived to care about the environment-- we have to live as we vote, and practice what we claim to believe in. We can only find comfort in our own actions.

And if we fail, which perhaps we may, at least the generations to come will not remember us as the generation that inherited a burning Earth, and stoked the flames, but rather as a generation that did not stand by as the planet deteriorated beyond repair.

We must take action. Real action. Recognize that the planet is not a part of us, but rather we are a part of the planet. And as parities, we must live deliberately. Respect what we take, and do not take too much, nor leave too much behind. Please.

THE MESSENGER | 27

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COLUMNS

REID BETWEEN THE LINES

The VSCO girl's plight How the internet's reactions to trends perpetuate sexism

NOELLE REID, OPINIONS EDITOR

F

irst, it was “E-girls,” then “soft-girls” and now “VSCO girls.” Even though each of these niches differ vastly from each other in aesthetic, they all share one thing. No matter what these girls, do, say, or wear, they are harshly scrutinized by their peers and then some, primarily online.

The same tired jokes are made on social media about how these girls are unoriginal and annoying. The jokes simply evolve to fit the time. But do these social media users realize that their jokes are just as unoriginal as the very people they make fun of are? This is not the first time that certain girls with a certain aesthetic were torn to shreds by the internet, however. It’s all very reminiscent of how girls who liked to wear UGGs and drink pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks got coined as “basic.” This could even go back to “valley girls” from the late 20th century and most likely before then when girls were degradingly labeled for showing the littlest bit of interest in something. The comments that these girls receive can be easily distinguished from constructive criticism and categorized as nit-picking that is rooted in sexism. Not to say that every single observation about these girls is meant to come across as misogynistic, it’s simply an unfortunate and nuanced side effect of the modern day discrimination that plagues our society and carries over to

aspects of everyday life. Whenever girls, especially teenage girls, find something that they enjoy or have a particular passion for, they are immediately shot down and questioned about the legitimacy of said passion. It is a constant battle to be taken seriously by peers, especially those that are either adults, men, or both. Girls constantly have to defend their interests, the degree of said interests, or even the nature of the interest they choose to pursue. If girls like things that are associated with femininity, like makeup or the color pink, they are told that they’re ditzy and care too much about the way they look, that they are feeding into a stereotype. But if girls like things that are conventionally ‘male-oriented’, such as video games, they are told that they do not hold a real interest and are just trying to appeal to guys. There is no happy medium.

In this fight to be taken seriously, it is not just an internal battle; it can be a battle between girls. This competition breeds the “I’m not like other girls” stereotype (an internet joke in itself ), in which girls base their entire personality on not fitting into the norm by rejecting their feminity. This battle between girls for the approval from people, usually guys, just to get some sense of internal validation is the epitome of the patriarchy and sexism working behind the scenes. There is

nothing wrong with not fitting into binary gender roles, but when we teach girls to tear down other girls just because of their interests, it becomes an issue. Some girls choose to wear all black or listen to alternative music, and other girls wear makeup and listen to the top 40; both do not deserve to be criticized online.

Even when girls of a certain group speak, every single word is over-analyzed. Coupled with criticism of a group is the tendency to talk down to the girls that belong to it, behavior especially modeled by older men. It almost seems as if patronizing teenage girls is somewhat of a worldwide pastime. Why does this society insist on tearing down teenage girls for being just that? Why does this cycle begin at such a developmental stage in their lives?

There is an expectation that all teens should rush to become adults, especially teenage girls. However, speaking from experience, no one is going to have their whole life figured out by age 17, and we need to stop holding all teens up to this ridiculous expectation. We need to just let teens be teens and come into themselves. If a teenage girl decides to spend $30 on a water bottle to save the environment, just let her figure herself out before you arbitrarily corner her into a group to be publicly mocked.

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COLUMNS

PHOTOS: ZAINAB QADRI, STAFF WRITER

fashion ALEXIS OLADIPO, STAFF WRITER ZAINAB QADRI, STAFF WRITER

“V

SCO girls” are the latest trend to arise from social media. They are characterized by their unique dialect and style of clothing. The term comes from “VSCO,” an app that allows users to share and post photos in a more casual format that does not involve likes and followers. The app has slowly grown into a place where people can draw inspiration for fashion, travel, room decoration, and even food.

The most popular accounts that repost content from other users will more likely than not feature scrunchies, Hydro flasks, quirky shoes, scrunchies, stacked and individualized necklaces, scrunchies, oversized T-shirts, and don’t forget scrunchies.

Your average VSCO girl has her wrists adorned with scrunchies. She will usually have one to match every outfit. Scrunchies have become less practical, as they are used more as accessories rather than something to

tie hair back. Most VSCO girls will also have a mild caffeine addiction or at least pretend to have one. One thing a VSCO wouldn’t be caught dead without is a metal straw or their Hydro Flask because they believe protecting the environment is the most important thing to do.

VSCO girls also have a very intricate and special vocabulary that they often pull from.

Some of the things you might hear a VSCO girl say include “And I oop-,” which can translate to a state of shock, often showing that they are surprised by what happened.

VSCO girls often wear messy buns to feel quirky and cute. To be one, it is also crucial for you to know every TikTok dance by heart and be ready to make one at any given moment. The last component of being a VSCO girl is using SKSKS in almost every sentence to show that you are truly invested.

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