theOctagon
Sacramento Country Day School
www.scdsoctagon.com
VOL. XXXIX, NO. 3
November 24, 2015
New head of school considers changing high-school schedule By Marigot Fackenthal Opinion Editor
of school, is already formulating plans for the school’s
ulty,’ and what that told me was the school had a sense
Freshmen Bella Mathisen and Heidi Johnson and sophomore Evann Rudek sprint to class to avoid the pouring rain on Nov. 9. (Photo by Adam Ketchum)
Campus preps for El Niño rains
ally changed the pace of our students’ days in a positive
Meteorologists predict it to be strongest season in 18 years By Chardonnay Needler Reporter
Y
ou’ve probably heard the predictions of what some
you an inch here, an inch a few days later over a long period of
ready for the deluge? prepared? “Be wary and pay attention about what is going on from one
However, he said, because olders students have more complicated lives, an emotional counselor for those divisions should “do triage” with emotional issues and then connect students with professionals in the com
need and budget must be further assessed before he can o can but doesn’t always give us a very wet winter,”
See Thomsen, page 10
o,” Holman See Rain, page 10
Alumni, French teacher lament terrorist attacks By Manson Tung Editor-in-Chief
remember strolling down those streets, visiting cafes in the same neighborhood the same canal those restaurants are
tion ricocheted across the city from a lively soccer game in the Stade de
has put the nation under a state of emergency, closed land borders and increased security both within the city
He said the 10th and
“Mostly, it’s because parents are con tricts popular with the bobo, a shortened form of bourgeois boheme, or
and going to concerts have become a
city, and those areas are really popular See Paris, page 10
Head of school Stephen Repsher (right) briefs future head of school Lee Thomsen during Thomsen’s visit on Nov. 20. (Photo by Adam Ketchum)
2 Feature
The Octagon
November 24, 2015
Seasonal Affective Disorder causes loneliness, depression
Students lack motivation during darker seasons By Sahej Claire Reporter
J “It’s hard to do homework when it’s dark. I like working when it’s lighter outside” —Nico Burns, sophomore
“I seclude myself. I don’t feel like talking to anyone; social interaction is an effort.” —Maryjane Garcia, junior
In an Octagon poll, 32 of 126 students said that they experience symptoms relating to SAD. Wintertime can bring with it depression, fatigue and social isolation. (Photo illustration by Adam Ketchum)
Thank you to our sponsors for keeping us in the black The Barajas Family The Bowlus Family The Christian Family The Claire Family The Dahmani Family The Fackenthal Family The Fineberg-Chiu Family The Hansen Family The Judd Family The Longoria Family The Mathisen Family The Naify Family The Needler Family The Scott Family The Tung Family The Wolkov Family The Zhang Family
November 24, 2015
The Octagon
News
3
New WiFi policies unpopular among students Some say that newly blocked websites didn’t improve speed of Internet By Mac Scott Reporter
I
t’s the beginning of a long period for teacher Patricia Fels’s AP English class, and the students are excitedly settling into their seats. Fels is showing them a live performance of “All My
She presses the play button, and a loading bubble appears. Ten minutes later, the play is still loading. After wasting half an hour of class trying to get the play to start, she gives up and jumps to what she had planned for the next day. This sort of problem is very common at SCDS. According
However, Tom Wroten, director of technology, said he’s un aware of the students’ complaints. In fact, just three weeks ago, he added a second Internet minimizing outages.
said. takes over,” Wroten said.
ing to the network every day are the cause of the low speeds.
increase in speed.
is blocked. (Photo by Adam Dean)
blocked sites. In the same poll, 77 percent of students said they’re unhap py with the number of blocked sites at the school, which in creased just a month ago, and they’re doing something about it.
em st ’s ol d
websites on a server, has blocked many more sites than be fore, including student favor ites Twitter and Snap u s e r d a s chat. eve e y “Sometimes I ou ss th scho a want to go on
b loc k ly e w bsites ? e
Hav to e y b ne y w
p
on and
blocked,” a junior said. “So I just use a VPN to go through A VPN is a virtual private network that masks the real IP In a VPNs. While the hope that the speed will increase soon doesn’t look optimistic, Wroten said that he was more positive about the possibility of unblocking more sites. Wroten said he has been communicating with faculty with The reason for the blocked sites, according to Wroten, is
Khan it’s
gories which should be blocked. Categories included obvious terms, like “Adult and Pornography” and “Nudity,” as well as surprising ones, like “Fashion and Beauty,” “Motor Vehicles,” and “News and Media.” Other choices were simply confusing: “Legal,” “Peer to Peer,” “Bot Nets” and “Dynamically Generated Content.” Wroten was adamant that student feedback would be taken seriously by the administration, but he has not seen all of the feed back yet. Survey results were unavailable at press time. “If there is a student voice for change, it needs to come across my desk,” Wroten said.
Modem Based on 127 surveys distributed on Nov. 10.
Colorful ‘Cellular Relaxation’ baskets distributed to faculty to curb cheating By Alexa Mathisen Reporter After multiple suspected cheating incidents, some at the start of class.
with having a phone in your pocket because ultimately I want people to pay attention in class,” Whited said. Nellis started using the baskets because she was given one by Wells. She said the basket has become something fun for her students to play with. “The freshmen put their phones in there for ‘vaca tion’ and even cover them with a Kleenex for shade and relaxation,” Nellis said. “I don’t even make them put them in there except on test days, but they like to
orings of palm trees and sunsets, were designed and created by Gabriella Foster, assistant to the head of high school, and labeled “Cellular Relaxation.” They She is planning on using the basket only on exam are located either by the door or on the teacher’s desk. days like Bell, but will change to The basket idea came from every day if cellphone use be Brooke Wells, head of high school. “The freshmen put their comes a problem in her class, she Teachers who use the baskets reg phones in (the basket) for said. ularly are English teacher Ron Bell, science teacher Kellie Whited and ‘vacation.’ ” ing the baskets was Nov. 23, and history teacher Sue Nellis. —Sue Nellis, teacher students were required to either Bell says he was guided into using put their phones in the basket or the baskets by the administration, following concerns over cheating in his classes. “I want to see a movement of more and more teach John Hansen, a student in Bell’s English 11 class, ers using baskets on exam days to ensure no possible thinks the baskets are a good precaution, but said cell cheating on cellphones,” Bell said. phones aren’t really an issue, at least in his class. Whited uses the baskets not only on exam days but Junior Elizabeth Brownridge agrees. also during every class period, test or not. “I think they are a good idea, but most teachers “I wanted to take away the temptation that comes
4Sports
The Octagon
November 24, 2015
Revenge is sweet as boys win section championship
By Jake Longoria Reporter
““We started working as one unit. We were just meshing as a team.” -Aidan Cunningham, junior
Sophomore Theo Kaufman (right) awaits a pass from junior Jesus Galindo-Sanchez. (Photo by Kevin Huang)
A Change of Seasons
CIF decision may weaken soccer, basketball teams
By Zoë Bowlus Online Editor-in-Chief
T Sophomore Jayce McCain grabs a rebound against Valley Christian. McCain was the third leading scorer on both the basketball and soccer teams with 15.5 points per game and seven goals. (Photo by David Ryan)
Sophomore B.J. Askew dribbles up the pitch in the section championship game against Sacramento Waldorf. Askew was an all-league player in both soccer and basketball his freshman year. (Photo by Kevin Huang)
“I did everything I could to try to garner enough votes to shoot it down.” —Matt Vargo, athletic director
See Soccer,
November 24, 2015
Sports
The Octagon
5
Benvenuti Gym receives long-awaited makeover
Lighter, more comfortable plastic bleachers may bolster attendance at home games By Madison Judd Editor-in-Chief
have had to be shifted to the west side of the gym to accom
T
he Benvenuti Gymnasium is getting a major facelift. First the wooden bleachers were extracted on
ing curtains were taken down the same week that the bleach ers were removed.
the gym needed work when he became headmaster 13 years ago.
bleachers will also be more comfortable because individual seats will be contoured, and the bleachers will be lighter and
gym. This includes lightening the col “But the gym was always on the
ceiling tiles, buying new curtains to di
—Stephen Repsher, head of school
system to lift the curtains out of the way
because the school was focusing on
and Grounds Committee of the Board of Trustees determined that remodeling the gym was a need for the school, and the the changes.
A worker strips layer after layer of lacquer and paint said they were shocked by the light color of the original (Photo by Adam Ketchum)
would have meant that the basketball and volleyball court
Varsity volleyball league champs go down fighting in semi-finals By Sonja Hansen
“There is a good combination of girls who are committed to doing a lot outside of
Business Manager The varsity volleyball team became league
minute. Nevertheless, the girls came out strong.
successful because the majority of girls com “It was a great way to end my last varsity
easy teams during their league season, they team errors, such as being out of rotation and
endurance through in the girls moving all the time. they also ran more com
“The end of the season was
and losing the second set, their heads and tried
—Kyra Petersen, sophomore
more control to take back the ball went back and forth for the majority of
all the way because they are all very talented
(Photo by Kevin Huang)
Sports Boosters’ Athletes of the Month Jayce McCain Jayce McCain is a very versatile player with a high soccer IQ. “He does things you do not even see unless you know the game,” coach Matt Vargo said. McCain scored a goal and had an assist in the section championship game.
The Varsity Volleyball team 2015 SMAL Champions “We win as a team, and we lose as a team.” We’re proud of you. —Coaches Sarah Song and Jason Kreps The Cavs became league champs
Athletes of the Month are chosen by the athletic department on behalf of the Sports Boosters.
6
Centerpoint
The Octagon
October 27, 2015
7
Child Tycoons: Young, Restless Teen entrepreneurs are taking on currency, soap and games
T
hink you have to earn an MBA to make it in business? Think again. These Country Day students are reimagining what it means to be a businessperson, building holdings, brands and enterprises in virtual currency, cosmetic products and online gaming...and they don’t even have high-school diplomas yet.
By Manson Tung Bitcoin On a cold autumn afternoon, senior Keaton Ochoa throws his backpack down next to his desktop computer. While other students are homework, Ochoa methodically logs onto his Bit coin account through multiple encoded email and desktop logins. Ochoa groans. The price of Bitcoin has plum meted during the school day, so the value of his “I’m way more stressed out from Bitcoin than I am from school,” Ochoa said. “It’s kind of like taking the SAT. They’re both equally rough.” his AP Microeconom ics book and works on his homework. But as he’s drawing a sup he puts down his pen cil. The price of Bitcoin has suddenly jumped, and Ochoa is taking positions to cash in. Pushing his books aside, he makes several trades. A few moments later, Ochoa is back at his
Ochoa doesn’t trade Bitcoin just in his free time. He began his Bitcoin journey in 2012, when he was only 13 years old. “This random guy wrote online how he was making thousands of dollars, and I then I did more research,” Ochoa said. “My parents didn’t real ly do any research. So they were still skeptical and au tomatically thought it was a scam. However, I kept bad gering them, so they eventual ly cracked and let me get into the business.” Because of federal bank re strictions, Ochoa’s business is tied to his father’s bank account. According to Ochoa, running his company will be easier once holdings. Aside from that, Ochoa said his parents haven’t taken an active role in his company.
“They were actually an obstacle to me getting into Bitcoin, because they thought it was a scam,” Ochoa said. Once Ochoa began, he found a virtual currency community and began building his business on two fronts: computer mining and trading. Bitcoin is “mined” using a special computer system, and Ochoa discovered how to make the He soon started sell ing computer designs and arrangements to adult investors. “I was worried about how they would feel do ing business with a teenager, so I didn’t meet my cli ents in person, and I only communicated via phone and email,” Ochoa said. “My deep voice also made it easier to fool them into thinking I was over 18.” But while Ochoa’s computer busi ness was similar to other tradi tional businesses, he didn’t limit himself to just build ing systems for others. He found Bitcoin’s unique cur rency properties applicable
Bath Bombs Senior Aidan Galati has also created her own en
are typically sold as a subset of soaps; however, un water and have no cleaning properties. Galati said she got the idea to build her company after discover ing harsh chemicals
were some of the ingredi ents of the Lush bath bombs she was using. “Even though the company adver tised that they were all natural, I found there were harsh preservatives and colorings,” she said. “They even stained my bathtub.” After doing research on line, Galati discovered that bath bombs weren’t complicat ed to make. She spent the summer
“I wanted to make bath bombs that boys felt comfortable using,” uses tradition ally masculine essential oils and darker col
part.” Ochoa no longer builds computer systems for clients because he said Bitcoin has matured to the point where
themed
3 a.m.” While Ochoa won’t re veal how much money he has made, his initial invest he has rationalized his Bitcoin invest ment philosophy. “Even if I lose it all, I put so little money into it really good learning experience,” he said.
bath
crafting them in small batches, I could tailor make it to my client’s
mining. Ochoa’s trading career started later than his mining en terprise, and his mining
is worldwide, it never clos
“I think it’s because everyone is so into their own activity, and they love to have new people to talk to about their favorite hobby,” Galati said. Galati stressed the importance of building pro ductive relationships in the community, and added that one of her suppliers has become a major ad vertiser for her.
Galati had some advice for future student en trepreneurs. “I honestly think that you have to love what you are doing and making,” Galati said. “Also, remember to use all your social media, es pecially when you’re starting out, because retweets can mean free advertising. You reach a lot more people than you think.” Galati’s bath bombs can be ordered at www.etsy. com/shop/TheBombDtCom.
FDC Blue #1 and Green #3
trading. “Obviously the goal is to buy low and sell high,” Ochoa said. “This form of Bitcoin is the
money. Now Ochoa’s invest ment venture often keeps him up late at night. “The other night, I didn’t have homework,” Ochoa said. “But the price was super vol
week, with an average production run time of an hour per batch. While researching how to make bath bombs, Galati said she discovered a whole
Galati said that her two biggest ob stacles to building her company so far have been creating her Etsy account and discovering her own special product blends. vendors use to showcase, market and sell their wares on a global scale. According to Galati, Etsy requires producers to have the ability to ship products around the world, so she had to determine global shipping rates and packaging costs. Galati’s father, Scott, hasn’t played a major role in building her business.
Minecraft It isn’t just seniors who are getting involved with business. Sophomore Cameron Collins, who
depending on the ingredients, while the average
price point. and have no preservatives, giving them a shorter
Galati creates her bath bombs at home once a
“I think entrepreneurship runs in the blood, as I’m an entrepreneur and so is Aidan’s uncle,” her father said. “But aside from encouraging her to sell her prod ucts, I haven’t done much for Aidan’s business.” stantly telling him about product ideas. “She used to always say ‘Why isn’t someone making this product that does x, y and z?’ I would always tell her, ‘Why don’t you do it yourself?’ and
his site and creating advertisements that run on Google Ads and Youtube. “I think making sure the ads look nice and pol suming part of the job,” he said.
Collins began his server this summer in Spain after realizing that his favorite video game could become a standalone business.
Galati didn’t originally plan on making a business. Rather, she gave away her initial product. However, when one of Galati’s friends posted an image of the bath bomb on social media, she began re ceiving requests for her product. entiate her product compared to market leader Lush’s are cost and chemicals.
“Beyond linking up our bank accounts and es tablishing a PayPal account, I am really in control of my business,” Collins said. Collins prefers to use PayPal instead of tradi tional banking services, as there are fewer restric tions and limitations placed on youth accounts. Youth accounts at traditional banks have with drawal restrictions. Furthermore, the presence of an adult guardian is typically needed for major transactions. According to Collins, youth accounts on PayPal have unlimited access, unlike traditional banking platforms. Collins estimates that he spends over an hour a
Minecraft servers are holding hubs where play ers from around the world group together to play and socialize on a singular platform, regardless of Internet connection location. Some servers, such as one called Mineplex, can host over 12,000 play ers at once. Collins bought his server, which now hosts the Like Galati and Ochoa, Collins’s parents are not deeply involved with his business.
a day, Collins estimates. He said he doesn’t know of anyone else in the Minecraft server industry who is close to his age. Collins said he has made from Enchant edPVP. The payments come from his clients who buy ranks on his server. He can’t determine how many users his server has hosted in total as the system he uses doesn’t track that information. Collins said he has picked up one important business lesson along the way: “Don’t spend or promise money you don’t have.” Like Ochoa, Collins looks forward to turning 18. “I can’t wait to become a legal adult, but not for all the traditional reasons,” he said. “I can’t wait to company.”
Top, senior Keaton Ochoa studies for an AP Microeconomics test and desktop computer setup lets him place positions on one screen and track data on the other. (Photo by Ochoa) Above, senior Aidan Galati measures an essential oil, the ingredient that gives her bath bombs their scent, prior to mixing it with epsom salts. (Photo by Manson Tung)
6
Centerpoint
The Octagon
October 27, 2015
7
Child Tycoons: Young, Restless Teen entrepreneurs are taking on currency, soap and games
T
hink you have to earn an MBA to make it in business? Think again. These Country Day students are reimagining what it means to be a businessperson, building holdings, brands and enterprises in virtual currency, cosmetic products and online gaming...and they don’t even have high-school diplomas yet.
By Manson Tung Bitcoin On a cold autumn afternoon, senior Keaton Ochoa throws his backpack down next to his desktop computer. While other students are homework, Ochoa methodically logs onto his Bit coin account through multiple encoded email and desktop logins. Ochoa groans. The price of Bitcoin has plum meted during the school day, so the value of his “I’m way more stressed out from Bitcoin than I am from school,” Ochoa said. “It’s kind of like taking the SAT. They’re both equally rough.” his AP Microeconom ics book and works on his homework. But as he’s drawing a sup he puts down his pen cil. The price of Bitcoin has suddenly jumped, and Ochoa is taking positions to cash in. Pushing his books aside, he makes several trades. A few moments later, Ochoa is back at his
Ochoa doesn’t trade Bitcoin just in his free time. He began his Bitcoin journey in 2012, when he was only 13 years old. “This random guy wrote online how he was making thousands of dollars, and I then I did more research,” Ochoa said. “My parents didn’t real ly do any research. So they were still skeptical and au tomatically thought it was a scam. However, I kept bad gering them, so they eventual ly cracked and let me get into the business.” Because of federal bank re strictions, Ochoa’s business is tied to his father’s bank account. According to Ochoa, running his company will be easier once holdings. Aside from that, Ochoa said his parents haven’t taken an active role in his company.
“They were actually an obstacle to me getting into Bitcoin, because they thought it was a scam,” Ochoa said. Once Ochoa began, he found a virtual currency community and began building his business on two fronts: computer mining and trading. Bitcoin is “mined” using a special computer system, and Ochoa discovered how to make the He soon started sell ing computer designs and arrangements to adult investors. “I was worried about how they would feel do ing business with a teenager, so I didn’t meet my cli ents in person, and I only communicated via phone and email,” Ochoa said. “My deep voice also made it easier to fool them into thinking I was over 18.” But while Ochoa’s computer busi ness was similar to other tradi tional businesses, he didn’t limit himself to just build ing systems for others. He found Bitcoin’s unique cur rency properties applicable
Bath Bombs Senior Aidan Galati has also created her own en
are typically sold as a subset of soaps; however, un water and have no cleaning properties. Galati said she got the idea to build her company after discover ing harsh chemicals
were some of the ingredi ents of the Lush bath bombs she was using. “Even though the company adver tised that they were all natural, I found there were harsh preservatives and colorings,” she said. “They even stained my bathtub.” After doing research on line, Galati discovered that bath bombs weren’t complicat ed to make. She spent the summer
“I wanted to make bath bombs that boys felt comfortable using,” uses tradition ally masculine essential oils and darker col
part.” Ochoa no longer builds computer systems for clients because he said Bitcoin has matured to the point where
themed
3 a.m.” While Ochoa won’t re veal how much money he has made, his initial invest he has rationalized his Bitcoin invest ment philosophy. “Even if I lose it all, I put so little money into it really good learning experience,” he said.
bath
crafting them in small batches, I could tailor make it to my client’s
mining. Ochoa’s trading career started later than his mining en terprise, and his mining
is worldwide, it never clos
“I think it’s because everyone is so into their own activity, and they love to have new people to talk to about their favorite hobby,” Galati said. Galati stressed the importance of building pro ductive relationships in the community, and added that one of her suppliers has become a major ad vertiser for her.
Galati had some advice for future student en trepreneurs. “I honestly think that you have to love what you are doing and making,” Galati said. “Also, remember to use all your social media, es pecially when you’re starting out, because retweets can mean free advertising. You reach a lot more people than you think.” Galati’s bath bombs can be ordered at www.etsy. com/shop/TheBombDtCom.
FDC Blue #1 and Green #3
trading. “Obviously the goal is to buy low and sell high,” Ochoa said. “This form of Bitcoin is the
money. Now Ochoa’s invest ment venture often keeps him up late at night. “The other night, I didn’t have homework,” Ochoa said. “But the price was super vol
week, with an average production run time of an hour per batch. While researching how to make bath bombs, Galati said she discovered a whole
Galati said that her two biggest ob stacles to building her company so far have been creating her Etsy account and discovering her own special product blends. vendors use to showcase, market and sell their wares on a global scale. According to Galati, Etsy requires producers to have the ability to ship products around the world, so she had to determine global shipping rates and packaging costs. Galati’s father, Scott, hasn’t played a major role in building her business.
Minecraft It isn’t just seniors who are getting involved with business. Sophomore Cameron Collins, who
depending on the ingredients, while the average
price point. and have no preservatives, giving them a shorter
Galati creates her bath bombs at home once a
“I think entrepreneurship runs in the blood, as I’m an entrepreneur and so is Aidan’s uncle,” her father said. “But aside from encouraging her to sell her prod ucts, I haven’t done much for Aidan’s business.” stantly telling him about product ideas. “She used to always say ‘Why isn’t someone making this product that does x, y and z?’ I would always tell her, ‘Why don’t you do it yourself?’ and
his site and creating advertisements that run on Google Ads and Youtube. “I think making sure the ads look nice and pol suming part of the job,” he said.
Collins began his server this summer in Spain after realizing that his favorite video game could become a standalone business.
Galati didn’t originally plan on making a business. Rather, she gave away her initial product. However, when one of Galati’s friends posted an image of the bath bomb on social media, she began re ceiving requests for her product. entiate her product compared to market leader Lush’s are cost and chemicals.
“Beyond linking up our bank accounts and es tablishing a PayPal account, I am really in control of my business,” Collins said. Collins prefers to use PayPal instead of tradi tional banking services, as there are fewer restric tions and limitations placed on youth accounts. Youth accounts at traditional banks have with drawal restrictions. Furthermore, the presence of an adult guardian is typically needed for major transactions. According to Collins, youth accounts on PayPal have unlimited access, unlike traditional banking platforms. Collins estimates that he spends over an hour a
Minecraft servers are holding hubs where play ers from around the world group together to play and socialize on a singular platform, regardless of Internet connection location. Some servers, such as one called Mineplex, can host over 12,000 play ers at once. Collins bought his server, which now hosts the Like Galati and Ochoa, Collins’s parents are not deeply involved with his business.
a day, Collins estimates. He said he doesn’t know of anyone else in the Minecraft server industry who is close to his age. Collins said he has made from Enchant edPVP. The payments come from his clients who buy ranks on his server. He can’t determine how many users his server has hosted in total as the system he uses doesn’t track that information. Collins said he has picked up one important business lesson along the way: “Don’t spend or promise money you don’t have.” Like Ochoa, Collins looks forward to turning 18. “I can’t wait to become a legal adult, but not for all the traditional reasons,” he said. “I can’t wait to company.”
Top, senior Keaton Ochoa studies for an AP Microeconomics test and desktop computer setup lets him place positions on one screen and track data on the other. (Photo by Ochoa) Above, senior Aidan Galati measures an essential oil, the ingredient that gives her bath bombs their scent, prior to mixing it with epsom salts. (Photo by Manson Tung)
8 Editorial
The Octagon
November 24, 2015
“Firewall” by Jake Sands
My Angle By Nicole Wolkov
Despite popular belief, I’m not an exchange student On our way home from a road trip, my family stopped in a small town in Southern California to stretch our legs and eat lunch. We walked into the town’s visitor center, where I began looking at the brochures lining the walls. “Oh, hello there!” a loud, crisp voice said behind me. “Are you enjoying your exchange program in America?” Naturally, I looked very confused, and this confu sion sparked her next question.
EDITORIAL: Mr. Wroten, unblock these The Octagon is a school publication, run and read by SCDS students. It includes an online edition and is present on several social media platforms, allowing students worldwide access to campus news. Ironically, the one place that denies students this access is Sacramento Country Day School. As with most school Wi-Fi networks, Country Day’s of trouble. Recently, due to a change in Internet service providers, even more sites were added to the long list of blocked URLs. The reduced access reopened the familiar question: “Why are all my favorite websites blocked on the school Wi-Fi?” In response, we’d like to make a case for the unblocking of a few sites. Let’s start by thinking about this from the tech department’s perspective. There are two good reasons for blocking sites: excessive bandwidth (data capacity) and lack of academic value. Considering the ubiquitous student complaints regarding the school’s Internet speed, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that certain sites are blocked due to the bandwidth they consume. Sites such as YouTube, Snapchat and Spotify require the sending and receiving of However, according to an Octagon poll, 44 percent of high-school students use a VPN (virtual private netin order to view blocked sites. In other words, bandwidth-eating sites like YouTube are being accessed over student Wi-Fi every day. Considering that these sites are already, though illicitly, being accessed on a regular basis and have not had
the Editors-in-Chief Madison Judd Manson Tung
Online Editor-in-Chief Zoë Bowlus
Reporters
Annya Dahmani
Jake Sands
Madison Judd
Opinion Editor Marigot Fackenthal
Sports Editor Zoë Bowlus
Copy Editor Amelia Fineberg
News Editor
Social Media Editor Page Editors
Adam Dean Amelia Fineberg Annya Dahmani Katia Dahmani Madison Judd
examples of the useful and academic videos YouTube has to offer. Twitter, one of the recently blocked sites, is also a valuable source of information. Currently, Twitter is the fastest, most quickly updated news outlet - important issues are tweeted about on Twitter before reporters have the chance to formally lay down information on traditional news sites. Thus Twitter is an integral part of staying connected with the outside world. On top of that, school organizations use Twitter to keep students updated on campus events. The Octagon’s tweets remind students what time Friday night’s game is, where to go on Back-to-School night and which colors to wear during Spirit Week - all of which currently can’t be accessed by students at school.
Manson Tung Marigot Fackenthal Sonja Hansen Ulises Barajas
Manson Tung
Sonja Hansen
Feature Editor
it is questionable. YouTube, aside from being the host of the world’s largest collection of cat videos, is a valuable learning resource that is often used as a supplement to in-class teaching. Khan Academy blackboard explanations,
Octagon
Alexa Mathisen Allison Zhang Ben Miner Chardonnay Needler Grace Naify Jack Christian Jake Longoria Mac Scott Mohini Rye Nicole Wolkov Quin LaComb Sahej Claire
Business Manager
a catastrophic effect on the school’s Internet, it seems reasonable to request the unblocking of sites that are blocked solely due to bandwidth. tally prevent students from browsing data-heavy sites, it may act as a deterrent. Perhaps if the deterrent were lifted, many more students would browse sites they hadn’t previously visited at school, thereby further slowing the Wi-Fi. But if so, the sites in question could simply be re-blocked, and no harm would have come of trying. The other reason for blocking sites is lack of academ-
Graphic Artist
Photographers Adam Ketchum Kevin Huang Ethan Hockridge
Adviser
Patricia Fels
The Octagon is published eight times a year by high-school journalism students of Sacramento Country Day School, 2636 Latham Drive, Sacramento, Calif. 95864. Phone: (916) 481-8811, ext. 347. The online Octagon (www.scdsoctagon.com) is updated daily.
Orchids
&
Onions
clearly. “Uhhh… yeah.” I responded, dumbfounded. I looked incredulously over at my parents, who shrugged, and made “I don’t know what just hap pened” sort of looks.
These are questions that I’ve been asked multiple times because I bear no resemblance to my parents. Some kids don’t have the same eye or hair color as their parents, and I’m one of them. On top of that, I’m not the same race either. But I don’t identify with my ethnicity, since I spent only 10 months in China before I was adopted. It’s not that my parents haven’t tried to teach me about my homeland. They read me Chinese folk tales
Of course, strangers don’t know that. After overcoming my original shock, I nonchalant ly tell them the simple truth: I’m adopted, and these lovely white folks are my parents. Although I’ve been asked similar questions many times, I’m still surprised, especially considering the diversity of Sacramento and California.
It’s obvious to me that I am my parents’ daughter because of the way we joke together, even in public. A favorite pastime of my father’s and mine is em barrassing my mother by dancing and singing in gro
havior. So next time you equate race and family, please think of all the possibilities of our relationship. Per haps they’re my aunt and uncle, some family friends or maybe even my parents. Or if you can’t wrap your head around that, feel free After all, by the time I was 11 months old, I was al ready babbling about Mom, Dad and our dog Watson.
O
rchids to. . . all the students who came to cheer on the boys’ soccer and girls’ volleyball teams during playoffs. The student sections were great for team morale.
O
nions to. . . the stocker of the gym’s vending machines, which are rarely full or working. Students have to bother Erica in the front office to purchase soda.
O
rchids to. . . the middle-school garden elective for gathering leaves around school. No one likes stepping in them, so thank you for keeping our campus clean.
nions to. . . Mather Sports Complex for not having a regulation volleyball court for the girls’ semi-final game. Due to traffic, the trip to McClellan took 45 minutes!
O
Opinion
The Octagon
November 24, 2015
9
Bobalicious: close ‘secret’ sites offer popular drink
Looking for something new and exotic? Try mysterious black balls in a sweet, milky tea By Alexa Mathisen
of course, the signature thick straw, large enough to suck up the boba, which is about a
Reporter
B
ubble tea, boba tea, or tapioca pearl tea: whatever you like to call it, I am sure you’ve heard of the Taiwanese
Despite the drink’s Asian origin, it has be come a serious trend in the United States, with shops popping up all over Northern Cal
The shake tasted almost exactly like a reg ular milk tea, although it was much colder,
great, refreshing alternative to a milkshake or ice cream on a hot summer day and plan My second stop was Pho Saigon Bay, anoth
waiter, she informed me that they didn’t have These “secret” boba stops are perfect for
service, speed of service, Through Internet search es, I narrowed my taste tests to three restaurants and compared them to one
To clarify, milk tea is either green or black tea with milk added, while Thai tea is strong ly brewed Ceylon tea sweetened with con
“These “secret” boba stops are perfect for an after-school snack.”
I started at Pho Bac Hoa Viet, a small Viet namese restaurant, about 15 minutes away
So I ordered Thai tea, and they made it right in front of me! A bowl of homemade tapioca balls was sitting on the bar, and, sure enough, the waitress scooped some out of the
Seniors Adam Ketchum and Elinor Hilton sample boba tea from Boiling Avenue, a new Asian-fusion/Taiwanese restaurant. (Photo by Madison Judd)
got to put the added boba I ordered on my receipt, they gladly gave both my mom and Even though the restaurant was very crowded, I was immediately greeted by a host
Although the tea had a wonderful taste
ly is known for its extensive beverage menu
al milk tea with boba in house; however, they had milkshakes to which tapioca pearls could
er boba I’ve ever had, much less thick and
multiple options to customize drinks: the percentage of sweet
However, if you are a fan of Thai tea, this is
tapioca pearls to add to
vors; and the boba were very small and had
To see how these drinks stacked up against
“If a Latina, Caucasian girl without an exotic culinary palate enjoys this treat, you will too.”
minutes with whipped cream, a cherry and,
milk tea with boba didn’t live up to my newfound creamy or sweet as the teas at Boiling Avenue and Pho Bac Hoa Viet, and even
any orders ahead of me or dinner to serve, the boba tea, ordered matcha green tea with tapi
Thus these secret places are actually a Don’t make the drive out to a mainstream
creamy and sweet, the temperature of the liq If a Latina, Caucasian girl without an ex
Anatomy of a Boba Tea Signature thick straw Heat-sealed plastic lid
Taro-flavored milk tea
Chewy tapioca balls (boba)
Bubble tea, aka boba tea or tapioca pearl tea, is a Taiwanese tea drink to which chewy tapioca balls (boba) or fruit jellies are added. (Graphic by Mohini Rye)
10 Remainder
The Octagon
November 24, 2015
Soccer: Change in playing seasons Rain: Drainage means more classes missed by athletes system improved people playing on it with cleats, it’s just in terms of attendance,” Vargo said. Daylight and weather pose other dismissals, which mean less time spent in class. In addition, it will be much colder during the winter months. “I’ve played in some soccer games when it’s freezing, and it’s not fun,” said ridge. “It’s fun to play in the rain sometimes, but the game totally changes because the ball moves quicker,” Brown ridge said.
And of course, winter weather is more severe in Northern California.
go said.
“Girls are going to have more options to participate in athletics in the spring.” —Matt Vargo, athletic director
p.m. in January than it is in October,” Vargo said. winter season. “We won’t have to deal Brown brought up another point: the
ball. Brown said she hasn’t played any of the sports available for girls in the
in past 8 years said. “We never know what is going to hit us. out gutters. We’re doing that constantly.”
“We’ve managed to do it here even with girls’ soccer, two mid
to endure the cold as well. “It’s a lot
pate in athletics in the spring,” he said.
a lacrosse team,” Var go said. And at some other schools, this change in seasons is threat ening the soccer pro
grams altogether. support basketball more than soccer, ac cording to Vargo. “We have enough soccer players and basketball players to carry both pro grams,” he said. But that’s not the case for schools
nis. But she said she’s still disappointed that soccer won’t be in the spring, be cause she likes having more than just homework to do after school. Brownridge, too, said she’d try tennis, but was disappointed by the switch. “I liked having soccer in the spring,” she said, because it “spread out all the sports I wanted to do.”
cently been redone, there was no need to upgrade or add drainage this past summer. Instead, some major renovations were made to the
ing, wrapping around the music, art, and Breakthrough rooms, Holman said. “The whole back side of the art room, the side of the music room and all the way to the new Breakthrough of penetrating to the inside of the building,” he said.
But there’s a new opportunity surfac ing. ball, which would be a club sport, as it The soccer season switch prompted this new interest. now it seems like there’s a huge void in the fall, especially for male athletes.” In fact, Vargo was recently inter
sized puddles on campus. man said, “the drainage system was so bad that these massive puddles would form. That got so big that ducks would go into them and swim around!” Yet the ponds weren’t all so serene.
the emphasis of the story was more on the safety of tackle football.
cant pond in front of the MP room. It must have been 25 feet across and one foot deep.” According to Holman, ponding can occur for several reasons, the most common being clogged drains caused by leaves and debris obstructing the drainage systems. Of course, he pointed out, the large population of trees on campus causes upkeep to be a constant issue.
Paris: Laskey reflects on stadium security
“When I started here, the drainage system was so bad...these massive puddles would form.” —Jay Holman, director of the physical plant
with the game situations if it’s raining,” she said. up. It’s not turf. If it’s wet and you have
ing basketball, Vargo said. Vargo did point out that this change “The one positive is that girls are going to have more options to partici
about not letting the attacks change their views or actions, because that is precisely the aim of the terrorists.”
Hebdo, the location of the January shooting,” Day said. Day said that Parisians are still recovering from the Charlie Hebdo attack, but that this attack is even more threatening. “Charlie Hebdo was an atrocity, but the people attacked were also satirical cartoonists with a pen chant for provocative topics like depicting the prophet Mohammed,” he said.
side of which three suicide bombers blew them selves up after they couldn’t gain access to the soc cer match inside. “When my husband and I went to see pre vious matches, we would often comment to each other about how simple the secu rity system seemed and how frightening “This recent attack it would be if anything terrible ever hap pened while in attendance at a game,” France’s September “When we were in Paris, the city was at a high terrorism threat level due to the Charlie Hebdo newspaper.”
- this is 11th.” —Richard Day, teacher
tember 11th.” Day added that the victims of the re “These people who were killed, they weren’t in the public eye,” he said. “They were innocent Parisians going about their business, and if anything, it
criminately without concern for whether the people they at tack are targets or not.
fast and hard, it could overwhelm the city’s capacities to drain water from this neighborhood.”
ground.”
plained that there are some pumps on campus if water buildup became bad.
be dry wall getting wet and stained or carpet or tiles pop
attended a show at the Bataclan theater.
Thomsen: Prospective head of school aims for new internships, better conservation, technology Building a program that connects students with internships through the school is another of Thomsen’s ideas. An internship program would accom
City, Utah, Thomsen said he is very fa miliar with conservation methods. As California’s drought continues, he said
would be to connect students with pro fessional opportunities in places such as businesses, hospitals and universities, and the second would be to market the school. “We want to put Country Day’s best assets into the community,” Thomsen said. “When students are working in internships, they will encounter people who may or may not be familiar with
campus. Thomsen’s school has participat ed in an event called the “Green Cup Challenge,” which is a friendly compe tition among a number of independent schools. The goal is to cut down on as many resources as possible during the month of January. Thomsen said that having a similar
ence the Country Day students and say, ‘Wow, these kids are amazing.’ ”
students and faculty to reduce their waste.
pumps on campus that can be used to pump away any
that has been designed to have a gold
Another area Thomsen hopes to bal ance is the school’s use of technology. “The best schools have a balance of what has traditionally been successful teaching and new teaching,” he said. “When technology is used properly, it almost becomes invisible. “You want to use technology when it’s the right tool for the job, and not when you’re using it just for the sake of using it.” Thomsen said that Country Day’s equal commitment to the arts, athletics and academics is one of the school’s best traits, unlike at many other independent schools where athletics and arts “fall a distant second and third. “While I was at Country Day, I got the feeling that that wasn’t true,” he said. “Those three pieces are very valuable to Country Day students, and it’s im portant to me because it felt very gen uine.”
Also, Holman gave his assurance that no matter what time of day or what day it is, they will be there to clean it up. “My crew and I are on campus from seven in the morn ing until midnight,” Holman said. “If it’s bad, even if I’m at home, I’ll drive here and make sure that everything’s
there is an emergency alert system he can turn to. After following day, he would activate the emergency alert call system. This would notify all the parents and teachers that school has been cancelled for inclement weather.
“There is one problem area right outside the locker the pipes that we think came from the newly construct out.” “If we get a storm that makes a roof leak,” Holman said, “or if a drain clogs and causes damage, then we just work on repairing it. “The rain? We need it.” That’s true for not just the school but the whole state of California.
November 24, 2015
Community
The Octagon
11
What’s in Mental Focus? Lemon oil is stim ulating and has antiviral prop erties, according to the National Holistic Aroma therapy Associa website. Limo nene, the main ingredient in lemon oil, gives it its citrusy scent
Lemon
(Photo by Adam Ketchum)
Shake, pour, snort, repeat Sophomores find new use for oil blend By Amelia Fineberg Copy Editor
S
ophomore Nicholas No started us ing a product called “Mental Focus,” produced by Now Foods, in Septem ber after a friend living in New Jersey bought some from a Chinese man selling it on the side of the road. Since then, however, No has kept himself sup
permint oil and wintergreen oil are some of the mental fog and improve concentration. It’s intended as an aromatherapy blend, usable throughout a room. However, that’s not how Country Day sopho mores, like No, have been using it. Instead, they’ve been putting a few drops of liquid on the back of their hands and inhaling it. Surprisingly, several of the students who have taken it this way admitted they had no idea what the ingredients were. “It’s probably not the smartest idea to snort something when you have no idea what’s in it,”
couldn’t be that bad.” Kaufman took Mental Fo cus on the night of Home coming, along with several of his friends, including Ed wards, before playing in the soccer game, but said that it only made his face cold, pro viding none of the promised boost in focus.
Mental Focus, but she declined after smelling it. “Oh, it was horrible,” she said. “It was a little strong for me.” Everyone else who has snorted it said they got it from No, but No said that he couldn’t remem
Aromatherapy is a fairly common practice, though it is less common for people to expect it to work. However, most people say that the scent of lavender is calming and the scent of mint is refreshing, for instance. While aromatherapy has been gaining atten tion as an alternative treatment, there is insuf cording to the University of Maryland Medical School website. The website also states that essential oils should never be taken by mouth without the ad vice of a specially trained professional. It says nothing about the dangers of inhaling oils into the lungs, however. Essential oils can cause irritation when ap plied directly to the skin, according to the Na tional Association of Holistic
ing peppermint oil, one of the ingredients of Mental Focus membranes, leading to drying or heating of the mouth, eyes and nose. According to aromather
website, the main concern is that the students are putting undiluted oils directly on their skin.
a habit. So when I take it I know I’m ready to fence. “I focus on that instead of other things, like being nervous.” Kaufman said he does not experience the in creased focus that No reported.
and there are no base oils, so that can cause sev eral things to happen,” she said. “Lemon oil can cause photosensitivity, so if they put it on their hand and they’re outside eating lunch in the sun, it could cause burning, blistering even from that.” She also mentioned that Now Foods’ prod ucts, since they’re not organic, could contain especially in the citrus oils.
ing cold water, but on your entire face,” Kaufman said.
make a drop of rose essential oil, for instance,” she said. “So when you have pesticides on that, it comes right through the oil and could cause a reaction.”
Edwards asked. Sophomore Yasmin Gupta has taken Mental Focus only a couple of times; she said that, while
applying them to skin, perhaps with almond oil or olive oil. The only other concern, she said, was the pos
under the weather. “When I don’t feel too well, it helps a little bit to get through the day,” she said.
Wintergreen
that it was one of his friends through fencing who lives in New Jersey. When asked if he was aware that Mental Fo cus was not intended to be inhaled, No sent a
“It’s probably not the smartest idea to snort something when you have no idea what’s in it.” —Miles Edwards, sophomore
So why use it? And how did anyone come up with the idea of snorting it, anyway? No said that he uses Mental Focus to prepare for fencing matches.
Wintergreen oil’s main ingredient, methyl salicylate, is useful as a pain killer in products like Bengay. It is also used to at tract male orchid bees, who collect the chemical to make pheremones.
ing one or one that could develop from overus ing Mental Focus. scent would probably be “uplifting and clarify ing.”
Rosemary Peppermint oil is useful as a pain killer and to dispel nausea. Menthol, the main ingre dient, is common in lip balms, cough medicines, itch creams and decongestants due to its well known
Rosemary oil is useful for respira tory issues, accord ing to NAHA’s website. Camphor, one of the main ingredients of dried rosemary leaves, has culi nary, medicinal and religious uses, and can be used as an embalming
Peppermint
12 Feature
November 24, 2015
The Octagon
50 YEARS AND COUNTING By Marigot Fackenthal
When did the Ancil Hoffman picnic start? Who was the
2014
$300,000+
8
amount raised over seven years of the “Last Cavalier Standing” auction
hours it took Modulux to assemble the school’s original 10 classrooms and administration buildings
1992
SEPTEMBER 4, 1964 “DAY 1”
For the first 20 years of highschool graduation, some seniors received “gold cups” (plastic coffee cups painted gold).
1972
9 months
shortest headmaster term
first high-school graduation
$23,300 9th grade tuition
Henry Magnuson
13.5 years
longest headmaster term Clayton J. Tidey To raise money for Breakthrough, teachers Brooke Wells, Dan Ahlstrom and Bob Ratcliff embarked on a sponsored bike ride from Oregon to Idaho on July 2, 2007.
500
miles biked
10
1986
12
today
$600
1970s
9th grade tuition
in 1964
students enrolled in 1964
1965
In the late 1960s, the school was deep in a seemingly impossible financial crisis. But an unexpected hero swooped in and saved the school - Kool-Aid! The Perkins Foundation, which invented Kool-Aid, offered a $90,000 donation that pulled the school out of trouble.
days
$80,000+
amount raised by alumna Lara Kong through her “On Broadway at SCDS” Breakthrough fundraising project
12,125
dollars raised
NEUKOM HALL
Also known as the Snack Shack, Neukom Hall opened in 1979 and sold snacks and beverages for 12 years.
1965
The Snack Shack money pouch is still used for small change today!