Octagon 2017-18 Issue 4

THE

OCTAGON

Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Sacramento, CA Permit No. 1668

VOL. 41 NO. 4 • Sacramento Country Day School • 2636 Latham Drive, Sacramento • March 6, 2018

Alumna joins growing number of women running for office

BY ANNA FRANKEL Tepring Piquado, ’97, who attended SCDS in grades 7-12 and taught math and science courses from 2001-04, is running for an empty seat in California’s 54th Assembly District. The special election will be held on Tuesday, April 3.

Q: Where did you get your unusual name?

A: I was named after a Vulcan woman named T’Pring who was betrothed to Spock on the original “Star Trek.” I like to think that because of my name I am influenced by logic and reason.

Q: What is it like being a woman running for office right now?

A: As a computer science major and then (going) on to get my doctorate in neuroscience, I’ve been in (a) position where I’ve been one of a few, or the only, woman or minority in a classroom or in a business meeting, and I’ve been marginalized.

(But) I’ve grown up, and I’ve been able to assert myself, use my voice and not let myself be bullied.

So while I think there are real problems (for) female leaders, female colleagues and female students, I believe I have the background experience, expertise and confidence to stand up to anyone that is misbehaving.

Q: Did you participate in student government at Country Day? A: I was our student representative in ninth, 10th and 11th grades. I ran for student-body president, but I didn’t get it.

Q: Have you always known you wanted to run for political office?

A: I don’t think I really thought that I was going to be politically active, although I did go to Georgetown (University), which has a long history of amazing political figures.

I really started being interested in that kind of public service when I was a science fellow. I earned my doctorate in neuroscience, and I had the opportunity to apply for a position called a Science and Technology Fellow at the state Capitol.

It was there that I started to understand the way that a public policy researcher or (having) a research background could really influence the legislative process.

So I finished that year, and then I went

PIQUADO page 3 >>

KREPS TO THE RESCUE Middle school physical education teacher Jason Kreps assists senior Jake Longoria after he dislocated his shoulder twice in the Feb. 16 playoff basketball game against Forest Lake Christian School. Longoria had to leave the game after the first quarter. Assessing and treating sports injuries are some of many jobs that a school nurse could provide. PHOTO BY JACQUELINE CHAO

Illness, injuries spark talk of school nurse

BY LARKIN BARNARD-BAHN

S

ince its founding in 1964, the school has never had an official school nurse. Do we need one?

Sophomore Bri Davies, who has missed 68 classes this year because of illness, thinks we do. She said that it is strange that SCDS doesn’t have a registered school nurse when most schools, such as Jesuit High School and Rio Americano High School, do.

Junior Leo Eisner de Eisenhof, co-president of the Pre-Med Club, feels the same way.

He said that when he transferred to Country Day from The Village School in Houston, Texas, this school year, he was “extremely” surprised that the school didn’t have an official nurse.

“I asked (chemistry teacher Victoria Conner) within one of my first days, ‘Where’s your (school) nurse?’” Eisner said.

Assuming it was illegal for a school to not have an official nurse, Eisner said he looked it up but found that it wasn’t.

Nevertheless he said the school needs

one. gency situations. Formerly a Wilderness “I don’t think I could’ve gone through First Responder and a CPR/AED/First Reelementary school without a nurse,” Eisner sponder instructor, Crabb is BLS and CPR trained and will take a Wilderness Emersaid.

“Because of recess, I got scratched up, gency Medical Technician course in June. and (there was) a bunch of blood. At the But even with these certifications, Crabb sandbox, someone threw said he and Wilson cannot coma bunch of sand in my pletely cover the job.

I don’t think eye, and the school nurse “When we think of school nurshelped clean it out.”

I could’ve es, we think (of ) bandages, therHowever, administra- gone through mometers, ice packs and over-thetive assistant Erica Wilcounter medicine,” Crabb said. “All son, who is trained in elementary school of these examples are already covcardiopulmonary resus- without a nurse.” ered on campus without a nurse. citation (CPR) and Ba“(However), a nurse provides —Leo Eisner de sic Life Support (BLS), things we don’t (immediately) Eisenhof think of - for example, preventasaid that she fulfills all the duties of a school tive screening, immunization, renurse. ferrals and interventions.” “(I do) anything (from) Band-Aids to Nurses are important for children who wrapping ankles to taking care of bee stings don’t have access to healthcare options, so and anything you would normally go to have SCDS isn’t in need of an official school taken care (of ),” Wilson said. nurse, according to Crabb.

“I say to parents all the time (that) I’m the “Our demographics don’t include those school nurse. Because it’s really true.” most at risk,” Crabb said.

Wilson also said that middle school history teacher Bill Crabb can help in emerNURSE page 3 >>

AP Studio teacher brings in professional artist to scout potential mural locations

BY JACK CHRISTIAN

COLOR Muralist Franceska Gamez painted abstract heads and a body in one of her murals. AP Studio Art teacher Andy Cunningham brought Gamez to school to give students advice on the possible new mural. PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF FRANCESKA GAMEZ

“Where’s all the color?” Sacramento muralist Franceska Gamez asked while walking the high school grounds with the AP Studio Art students on Jan. 12.

“There is something very therapeutic to the aspect of color,” she said.

Gamez is not the only one who has noticed that the Country Day campus lacks color and vibrancy.

The AP Studio Art students, led by senior Lea Gorny, are currently in the process of proposing multiple new murals to the administration for approval.

These mural proposals are in direct response to head of school Lee

Thomsen’s unilateral decision to dio Art students and head of high paint over three student murals in school Brooke Wells toured the camAugust of last year. pus to discuss potential mural locaTo help with this tions. process, AP Studio Art One location they teacher Andy Cundiscussed was the There is ningham brought in wall behind the physsomething Gamez to give the stuical education office, dents advice, as Cun- very therapeutic to where the mural by ningham said he has Lenora Yerkes, ’99, the aspect of color.” never done anything was painted over.

—Franceska Gamez like this before.

Gamez said she “My role is simply liked this location beas a conduit for comcause of the verticality munication and to of the wall and because provide access to people, like Fran- the mural could be viewed by both ceska, (who are) able to come in and middle and high school students. help ease the nerves of a budding “The only problem would be muralist,” Cunningham said.

MURAL page 4 >> During Gamez’s visit, the AP Stu-

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News • March 6, 2018

THANK YOU! The junior class, with 83 percent class participation, was rewarded with Pinkberry frozen yogurt on Jan. 26 as a thank you from the Annual Fund team, which they enjoyed after the lower and middle school winners in

The Octagon

the M.P. Room. There were four flavors - original, chocolate, pomegranate and orange - but the chocolate flavor ran out before the juniors arrived. PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF AMY WELLS

Annual Fund donations increase 20% but fall short of ambitious 100% goal

ing the day, which was to include donations, were “area of greatest winter activities and free food for the need” (determined by school), tuistudents, starting with a school-wide tion assistance, faculty support and eaching 88.6 percent participancake breakfast. The students were professional development, performpation, the Annual Fund this also promised an early dismissal on ing and visual arts, innovation and year has had the most success Snow Day. technology, and athletics and physical in school history, according According to Woolf, the school education. to recent statistics provided by new had planned to have an ASE proWoolf also said she plans to condirector of advancement Carolyn gram available for the families that tinue what has been done in the past Woolf. preferred picking up their children at and send out an Annual Fund “ImThe Annual Fund is a donation the usual hours. pact Report,” showing how donations fundraiser run by the school every “We (were) trying were used in the previous year. year to suppleto make the campaign In addition, the school is planning ment its budget fun,” Woolf said. “It’s a thank-you event honoring those We (were) and to finance like a marketing cam- who participated in the fund at Open the school. trying to make paign for the Annual House (Thursday, May 3), but they’re Participation Fund.” unsure yet of what the event will be. the campaign fun.

It’s like increased 20 perBecause the 100 Although the entire school did not cent from last a marketing campaign for percent goal was not reach its 100 percent goal, many indiyear’s 68 percent. the Annual Fund.” reached, students in- vidual classes reached the goal.

The changes to The kindergarten, third, fourth and —Carolyn Woolf stead received a pajathe program in ma day on Feb. 16. fifth grade classes all reached 100 recent years are The Annual Fund percent participation. In the high in part due to the team chose to do a school, the highest participation was change in leadership, with the intro- pajama day because it was one of the in the junior class, with 83 percent. duction of Woolf who worked with original elements of the Snow Day, In the middle school, the sixth grade director of communications Julie Thomsen said. class participated the most, with 98 Nelson, Annual Fund director Amy To plan for future fund campaigns, percent.

Wells, the rest of the administration the annual fund team sent out polls These five classes were awarded and the Board of Trustees to improve to all families before publishing the free Pinkberry frozen yogurt. school-wide participation.

2017-18 AnnuThe Annual Fund The program was also headed by al Fund Report. team plans on continuAnnual Fund parent co-chairs Eliz- However, only ing these kinds of incenMaybe next abeth Monasa and Ethan Jackson, 63 families retives next year. both parents of lower and middle sponded. Of the “Maybe next year the year the goal school students. three non-do- will be around 90 or 95 goal will be around 90 This year, the Annual Fund team nors in this or 95 percent (participapushed for 100 percent participation group, two an- percent (participation).” tion),” Woolf said. by offering a “Snow Day” on Feb. 16 swered that they She and the team also —Woolf to students if they met the goal. Do- did not donate want to include parents nating was also encouraged through a because they as much as possible.

“100 Days of Giving” campaign. The were unsure of According to Woolf, campaign encouraged families to do- how the fund would be used. the school will host a free barbecue nate in the 100 days leading up to the To help address that concern, with beer and wine for the school Snow Day. Woolf said she introduced Annual parents; however the date is not yet Snow Day was promoted in a vid- Fund designations this year, so fam- finalized.

“We love when our parents get eo sent to parents, featuring head of ilies could choose from six categories involved at the grade levels,” Woolf school Lee Thomsen and assistant where their money will go.

These categories, in order of most said. head of school Tucker Foehl, explain-

BY MEHDI LACOMBE

R

The Octagon

March 6, 2018 • News

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Piquado: Former teacher wants to be voice for others (continued from page 1) to RAND Corporation, (which) focuses on research and analysis for public policy decision makers. That really started my career aspiration to become an official and serve in that capacity.

Q: What makes you a good person for the job?

A: I’m a neuroscientist, and I work on a variety of topics. My research has been figuring out ways to help first responders and veterans, as well as to help students obtain degrees in higher education.

I’ve focused on improving (the) lives of individuals. I push for factbased policies (rather than) wasting taxpayers’ money on outdated systems.

Also, before my work as a scientist and policy researcher, I was a teacher at Country Day, and I also taught (in the Los Angeles area) at Renaissance Academy Charter School.

I know that what will make me good at the Capitol is having first-

hand experience of what families, students and parents are dealing with.

That (also) translates to the opportunity I have to give back to communities and families in the Los Angeles area that are dealing with underperforming schools and to think about solutions to offer families better choices to access quality schools and to help underrepresented minorities and women (get) higher degrees, especially in the STEM field.

And I have a focus on service. My grandparents were in the Air Force, my dad was a teacher, my grandma was a preschool teacher and my husband is a Long Beach police sergeant, so I know from first-hand experience that we need to do more to keep our neighborhoods safe and to reduce break-ins and crimes.

Q: Do you have a favorite book?

A: “Liars, Lovers and Heroes: What the New Brain Science Reveals About How We Become Who We Are.” It is a great book that tells about the brain and (the) world that makes us who we are. After reading (it), I

SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS Tepring Piquado, ’97, gave a speech at the March For Science in Los Angeles on Earth Day on April 22. If elected, Piquado said she will push for fact-based policies rather than waste taxpayers’ money. PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF PIQUADO

started my path toward becoming a neuroscientist.

Q: Do you have any hobbies?

A: I am a distance runner with 10 half-marathons in 2016. I have fin-

Nurse: Physical education teacher steps down from ‘first call’ position (continued from page 1) Eisner disagrees and said many students are on scholarship and get medical tests less often.

And a Feb. 13 Octagon poll of 105 high school students suggests that he is correct.

Most (66 percent) said they had general physical exams once a year (11 percent said they have them multiple times a year, and 10 percent said they have them every two years).

But 11 percent said they rarely have them, and 2 percent said they have never had one.

Moreover, Eisner said he has never had an auditory (hearing) test outside of school.

The Village School administered vision and auditory tests twice a year for the students in grades K-12, a model he thinks Country Day should follow.

In the poll, 35 percent said they rarely had auditory tests, and 14 percent said they have never had one.

Annual vision tests were more common; 16 percent said they rarely had eyesight tests, and 2 percent said they have never had one.

But junior Emily Hayes, co-president of the Pre-Med Club and Emergency Medical Responder certified, said that semiannual visual and auditory tests aren’t necessary.

“People usually get them when they need them, not preventatively,” Hayes said. “It’s not like heart attack screening where if you don’t do it, something really bad could happen.

ished four full marathons.

Q: Were any of your Country Day classes particularly memorable?

A: My Latin class with (teacher Jane) Batarseh. My favorite part was walk-

to take the place of a school nurse, Myers said.

In order to make it a full-time job, Myers suggested a health and safety class for the lower or middle school.

“That’s part of the curriculum in a lot of schools,” Myers said. “You teach the kids about “We have glasses, we have hearing aids, and brushing their teeth (and) how to clean wounds. you can’t really do anything preventatively if you “That way it’s kind of twofold: you have the find something wrong.” education going on, but you also have someone These exams should be decided on by fami- on campus who, if you need them, they’re there.” lies and their physicians, according to physical These health classes could also include leseducation teacher Michelle Myers, who filled sons on body image.

Wilson’s caregiving position for about 25 years.

“More than half of girls age 6 to 8 indicate If Myers or other teachers are concerned about their ideal bodies are thinner than their current a student’s sight or hearing, they request that body,” according to Common Sense Media. It the student be tested, Myers said. also reports that one-fourth of children have diAlthough Myers still helps injured students, eted in some way by the time they’re 7. she said she started to step down a year ago A senior girl said that poor body image confrom the position she named the “first call.” tinues to plague lower school students as it did Since she plans to retire in a few years, she when she was in lower school. didn’t want to pay to renew “It’s surprising that little kids her certifications and told the have this unhealthy obsession with school she wouldn’t be the “first It’s really their body,” she said. “It’s important call,” so Wilson and Crabb to be conscious of being healthy and hard for have stepped up to the role. being strong, but they’re focused on “It’s really hard for me to me to turn the kids whether you’re skinny or not.” turn the kids away, but it’s a lot away, but it’s a lot (of This obsession can start at age (of work),” Myers said.

8 and only worsens in middle and work). ” The “first call” position isn’t a high school, she said.

—Michelle Myers paid one, according to Myers, Although counselor Pat Reynwhich is something she said olds teaches lessons on health and the school should consider. body image to middle school stuHowever, Myers said that it would be beneficial dents, there are no such classes for lower school to the students, as well as the school, to have an students, head of lower school Christy Vail said. official nurse who was always on hand. Since it Body image is addressed during the students’ would be their primary job, they would be able puberty talk in fifth grade because these issues to instantly be there for an emergency. typically arise during puberty, according to Vail.

Many instances each year would be worthy of “But woven all through (SCDS’s) social (and) a nurse, Myers said, including emotional learning that we do in lower school bone fractures, fainting and is being kind to others (and) yourself (and) not illness. making comments on another person based on Although Myers is trained the way they look,” Vail said. in sports medicine, she can’t If lower school students express concern over diagnose illnesses. their appearance, teachers use that moment to “Obviously, someone who teach their students about body image issues, has advanced nursing skills according to Vail. and EMT (training is) going The senior said that catching self-deprecating to be able to do things that behavior early is better than waiting until midsome of us can’t,” Myers said. dle or high school, when students may already Qualified parents who are be anorexic or bulimic. minimally practicing could “Just having expert advice on how you get volunteer a few times a week kids to be more comfortable and more confi-

HELPING HAND Spanish teacher Patricia Portillo puts a Band-Aid from her classroom’s medicine kit on junior Yelin Mao’s hand after school on March 1.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JACQUELINE CHAO

ing-and-learning days. Ms. B let us walk around the outside field as she gave us a lesson. It was a nice change of pace. I still think that impressed upon me the importance of having a healthy mind and body.

dent (is) better because I don’t know what to tell them,” she said.

Teaching parents how to respond to children’s comments would help, too, because parents often don’t know how to, she said.

“There’s no easy way to say ‘No, you’re not fat’ and ‘It’s OK if you were fat,’” she said. “It’s not an easy discussion, so sometimes parents will just (say) ‘No, you’re not, and don’t even think about that ever again.’”

Head of school Lee Thomsen said that a qualified parent could be the school nurse, although there may be a question of liability.

But even if the school could find that volunteer, Thomsen said he wouldn’t know where to put the nurse’s office.

“Unfortunately we don’t really have a space (for someone throwing up),” Thomsen said.

“There was a time last year (when) we had someone who we had to quarantine into a conference room because they were pretty sick and miserable. That’s about the only space we really have that’s out of the way.”

In fact, a closet behind Wilson’s desk held a bed for sick students, but around 10 years ago it was converted into a storage closet, she said.

When junior Gabi Alvarado came down with several symptoms, including chest pain, difficulty breathing and shivers, she lay on the sofa in the main office with Wilson attending her.

Alvarado said that Wilson did everything that could’ve helped her.

“Erica (Wilson) and I are friends, so it was nice to have her there,” she said.

But when sophomore Emme Bogetich became sick, she waited on the benches outside the main office for her mom. Bogetich said that there should be a designated place for sick students to wait indoors.

“A lot of people go into the main office, so having the sick students wait there would spread illnesses quicker,” Bogetich said.

Along with lack of space for a school nurse, the budget may not allow for one either.

“Having one is kind of a luxury,” Thomsen said. “If you can afford it, and you have space, it’s obviously a great, wonderful resource to have because then people who aren’t necessarily medical professionals are helping to take care of sick kids.

“But given the restrictions of budget and space, it’s hard to do.”

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News • March 6, 2018

The Octagon

BRUSHED BUTTERFLY Muralist Franceska Gamez teamed with Shaun Burner to paint “Envisioning Transformation,” a representation of Sacramento’s evolution. Gamez visited Country Day to talk to AP Studio Art students about the positive effects of a mural on the school. PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF GAMEZ

BY JACK CHRISTIAN

Mural: Students say replacing now-empty walls with new art would highlight diversity (continued from page 1)

students and parents.

The only problem is the texture. painting the mural,” Gamez said.

“I’m skeptical because of the pan“You would either have to use a eling,” junior AP Studio Art student lift or build scaffolding to be able to Sophie Naylor said. reach all parts of the wall.”

“But if we could cover it up with The original mural reached only plywood, I think this wall is the best halfway up the wall. Gamez said that option.” a lift can hold up to three people.

Many students said this meeting The group decided that a lift would and walkthrough with Gamez was a be better, as scaffolding would block a step in the right direction. However, full view of the mural as it was being some still expressed concern with the administration. worked on.

“There is no valid argument against Gamez suggested that students also use a projector to project an im- not having a mural,” Naylor said. age of the mural at night on the wall, “It is restrictive to prevent people allowing the artists to easily trace an from expressing themselves through outline of the mural. art.”

A second location the group Some students, like Naylor, are looked at was the wall of the Frank worried Thomsen doesn’t want anScience Center facing the middle other student mural after he ordered school portables. three of them removed in August.

Gamez liked this location since the “After we came back, and the mupotential painting area is shoulder rals were painted over, the whole (AP height and has easy access.

Studio Art) class was upset,” Gorny “What’s rad about this location said. is you could have your entire class “We started to think that we working on the mural at once,” Ga- should get the opportunity to create mez said. one now too.”

However, she was worried about Junior AP Studio Art student Tori the “wall’s rough stucco texture” as Van Vleck added that she doesn’t thick rollers would need to be used. “understand why color and vibrancy Gorny, though, said she didn’t like aren’t inviting.” this location as she was worried that “People at this school celebrate bethere was not enough foot traffic for ing different, so I don’t know why we a mural to get the appreciation it de- can’t display that,” she said. serves.

Thomsen said in Gamez also suggestan Octagon article My feeling ed using spray paint. (“Community has mixed reactions to Cunningham liked is we are school’s painting over this idea but noted trying to show our 21-year-old mural,” that none of his stuAug. 28) that the mudents have experience physical campus in rals were painted over with spray paint. Ga- the best possible because they were mez quickly offered to light. And I currently weatherworn and “did teach the class to use it.

The group then like the clean look of not show the school in the best light.” moved on to the high the gym wall.”

The students also school quad, where —Lee Thomsen were worried that the they discussed addinew mural was gotional locations. ing to be limited to a Nobody was excited about the wall on the side of small, less public location.

Rm. 3 (teacher Patricia Fels’s room) When Gorny attended a meeting that faces Rm. 4 (teacher Sue Nellis’s with Thomsen in December, she said room) or the wall on the side of Rm. 8 that he implied that the wall next to (teacher Jane Batarseh’s room) facing the gym entrance wasn’t an option the lockers because murals in these anymore. locations would not be seen by many “He made it seem like we would people. really have to reach to convince the However, the students said they administration that we could have a liked the idea of painting multiple mural there,” she said. small murals on the panels between “The administration believes that the windows of the high school the bigger wall is too public, so a mubuilding (Rms. 4-8) as many students ral there would make certain families could create their own designs. feel like their child couldn’t fit in here The final wall of the walkthrough because of their child’s lack of artistic was by far everyone’s favorite. ability.”

This is the wall located on the back Thomsen, on the other hand, said side of the high school office facing that he was open to a mural in any lothe parking lot. cation, but the administration needs This wall would allow multiple to see and discuss potential ideas first.

“My feeling is we are trying to people to work on a very large mural at one time. The mural would also be show our physical campus in the best visible at all times of the day to both possible light,” Thomsen said.

ways of learning,” Gamez said.

“Some people learn visually, others learn audibly and some learn physically.

“It is the responsibility of the school to allow their students to learn “And I currently like the clean look in whatever way fits them best.” of the gym wall.”

Cunningham said that allowing However, Gorny sees those walls as students to paint a mural shows that “blank and empty.”

“The community could be much their artistic skills are valued.

“It allows the student to leave a more open and vibrant with a large, mark on the school, and even the colorful mural,” she said. school to leave a mark on the stu“A pop of color could also make people feel more open toward our art dent,” he said.

“I think it also helps other students program.” to watch it happen.

Gamez also disagreed with Thom“Painting a mural is such a big and sen’s point of view. slow process that it allows students “Shying away from that wall prohibits so much growth and accep- to see the creativity happen in bits as they visit it and revisit it.” tance for the arts,” Gamez said.

Cunningham’s original idea was “Being young and having inspiranot to paint simply one mural. The tion, the more color and space you have, the more you can spark creativ- AP Studio Art students aspire to paint multiple murals throughout the ity.” campus.

Van Vleck agreed But these murals with Gamez.

It is rewon’t last forever. To “I don’t think peoallow many to reap the strictive to ple should be afraid of benefits of creating a what we are going to prevent people from mural, Cunningham do,” Van Vleck said. expressing themproposed that every “We are not going year one mural be to put up anything that selves through art.” painted over and a new will be offensive.”

—Franceska Gamez one put up in its place.

Gamez added that This concept would it is important for an allow a multitude of educational establishment to highlight diversity, especially high school students to experience creating and painting a mural. in the arts.

Gorny said she wants to develop Gorny agreed, but said there is simple murals with strong messages a lack of diversity in terms of art at that many in the community can reCountry Day. Gorny said that the arts don’t get late to.

“I also really like figures,” Gorny the same funding, support or attensaid.

“I want to involve them as well tion as sports in the high school. because they speak to the viewer in a “Something they push in lower school is art, but in high school, they very powerful way.”

Once the students have finalized mainly push sports,” she said.

Gamez added that because the ad- their designs, a number of adminisministration is not full of artists, the trators will review their ideas and lostudents need to break down their cations, Thomsen said.

Many in the school community are ideas and proposals for them.

To help with this problem, Gamez happily awaiting more school art. suggested that the students photo“I can understand certain areas shop the possible designs on the pro- being clean and looking more professpective walls to allow the adminis- sional,” Nellis said. tration to get a feel for the mural.

“But for a school, especially a Gamez also talked about the im- school that values art, we should have pact painting a mural can have on in- our art on display. dividual students and the community.

“New murals would be quite wel“We all know people have different come.”

POSING WITH THE PAST Former student Meg Grieve and juniors Bella Mathisen and Chloé Collinwood, then sophomores, stand in front of the former mural during Spirit Week last year. PHOTO BY JACQUELINE CHAO

Atlanta high school’s murals demonstrate creativity, boost community spirit

G BY JACK CHRISTIAN Perhaps a school in Georgia can serve as inspiration for Country Day’s art students Grady High School in Atlanta has allowed its art students to paint murals on the school’s courtyard walls every year since 2004.

According to an article in the Southern (“Student civic walls enhance school character,” Dec. 18), Grady High School’s student newspaper, this mural idea began when Grady’s art teacher, John Brandhorst, became concerned with the blank look of the school.

“It was one more blank concrete wall in the midst of a very beige school,” Brandhorst said.

And now the Southern reports that the murals have had a positive impact on both the school community and the individual artists.

“Seeing people actually making the murals makes me appreciate the art more,” Grady sophomore Nadia McGlynn said.

“I get to see the work that went into it and how long it took. It also reminds me that this is a creative school. It boosts my school spirit.”

The article also states that due to the murals’ public location and large sizes, student artists feel more connected to them than to smaller paintings created in art class.

“Students express appreciation for the murals by using them as background for Instagram photos,” Grady reporters Alex Opsahl and Ellie Werthman wrote in the article.

“They sometimes pause as they walk between classes to survey the murals and ponder their meanings.”

Grady High muralist Zoe White said, “In the classroom, it’s a lot of being told what to do. You have a set goal of what you want to make.

“On the wall, your mind goes anywhere and you can do whatever you want.

“I never thought I could do a big mural. Painting the mural shows me that if you know what you intend to do and do it step-by-step, you can accomplish anything.”

The Octagon

March 6, 2018 • Sports

Coach praises coed soccer’s hard-fought games against Buckingham, Leroy Greene

BY HÉLOÏSE SCHEP

T

he soccer team had a 2-5-3 record in league. Their overall record was 3-7-4.

Best game (per co-coach Matt Vargo): It’s a tie between the game we tied against Buckingham Charter High School ( Jan. 23, 2-2) and the game we played against Leroy Greene Academy (Feb. 1, 0-2).

Buckingham is a really good team, and we shocked them. It sent a message to the rest of the teams that every game we played would be a fight.

Many players were missing against Leroy Greene, so the (remaining) players really stepped up.

Most notable game (per Vargo): Our last game against Cristo Rey. Even though we lost, (1-2), it (was notable) because Cristo Rey was

the defending section champion.

We were really proud of (nearly tying).

Coach’s comment (per Vargo): We improved throughout the season. The one thing that stood out, and (what) every team compliments us on, was our effort.

We (fought) for every loose ball, and every player that stepped on the field really gave it their all.

We did have (some challenges).

The flu bug hit us at the end (of the season), but we had enough players that when someone went down, someone else stepped up to replace (them), and our effort never wavered.

Player’s perspective (per junior Brandy Riziki): This season, we had to really work on our communication skills. Some people barely talked on the field.

Still, we had great passes and worked well together. We pushed

5

Sports Boosters’ Athletes of the Month Basketball

Yasmin Gupta ON THE RUN Juniors Lia Kaufman and Jack Christian chase a Cristo Rey player dribbling the ball on Feb. 14. PHOTO BY SHIMIN ZHANG

through so many games even though some teams were super-aggressive, some teams were very intense, (and) some fields were gigantic.

We had players get injured and refs made bad calls, but we never gave up and made it through every

game.

MVP: Sophomore Sandor Pelle scored three goals, even though he played a limited number of games. Pelle will not be returning next season because he moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, in February.

Yasmin was the fourth leading scorer in California Division VI, and in Sacramento Metropolitan Athletic League she is the top leading scorer. She will grow beyond the points on the board. She has not given up and fought to get the opportunity to play in college. Yasmin is constantly growing as a leader of the team and has been a big part of the basketball program this year.

Senior appreciates freshmen’s dedication, improvement during morning practices

BY ELISE SOMMERHAUG The varsity boys’ basketball team played finsihed their season 8-4. Their overall record was 16-5.

The team made playoffs seeded fifth but lost 4250 to 12th-seeded Forest Lake Christian School on Feb. 16.

Assistant coach’s comment (per Miles Edwards): I was very impressed with our improvement on teamwork, communication and effort.

This season in particular, I increased my basketball knowledge by listening to Anc (coach David Ancrum) and the team. I really strengthened my relationship with the team members and my friends.

Player’s perspective (per senior Reggie

Fan): (The freshmen and I) became closer and gained chemistry as the season went on making it easier (for us on the court). (We) still need to improve on rebounding and defense, especially because our team is small in size.

I wasn’t excited to play with freshmen but as the season went on, I saw them grow and (saw us) grow closer to each other and now I’m happy they played. I was surprised at how many people on the team came early to morning practice and on weekends. It showed (their commitment to the team).

The group of seniors made this season special because it was gonna be the last time we all played together.

Top scorer: Fan: 17.3 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game and 1.5 steals per game.

Cole Johnson He’s a ferocious rebounder, very unselfish, and a great team defender. He’s gotten much more aggressive, taking a leadership role, offensively and verbally. His biggest achievement is the ability to make the right play at the right time.

DEEP CONCENTRATION Sophomore Jackson Crawford drives for a layup while a player from Western Sierra Collegiate Academy tries to block him on Dec. 5. PHOTO BY JACQUELINE CHAO

Soccer

Multiple injuries, illnesses, young players create challenging season for girls’ basketball

BY BRYCE LONGORIA The girls’ basketball team finished their season with an 8-12 record overall, 5-7 in league.

SHOOT FOR THE STARS Junior Heidi Johnson attempts a field goal during an El Dorado Adventist game.

Johnson had 16.9 points per game, the second highest in league. PHOTO BY JACQUELINE CHAO

Coach’s comment (per Latonia Pitts): This was a very talented team, and due to injuries and illnesses, we were unable to reach our (full) potential this season. I wish we could have made playoffs. It would have been good for this year’s seniors. (Not only do) the girls grow during the season, but so do I, and it was a pleasure coaching all 14 young ladies.

Player’s perspective (per senior Esme Bruce-Romo): It was tough playing with (younger) players (at the end of the season), but it is good for (them) to have more playing time to prepare for next season.

Player’s perspective (per senior captain Yasmin Gupta): (The season) didn’t go as planned, and unfortunately a lot of people (including myself ) got injured and we missed playoffs.

(But) we had a lot of team chemistry and had fun.

Player’s perspective (per Procida): I am most proud of my consistency and the progress the team has made. (Freshman) Colin (Usrey) and (senior) Nina (Dym) have done

really well, and I am really proud of (sophomore) Bri (Davies) and (junior) Nate ( Jakobs) for doing so well in their first racing season.

The new addition of having two races on one day means you have to stay really consistent and focused on your racing.

Theo Kaufman Theo had a strained quad but has led the team through his effort and experience. He has shown great leadership and tremendous heart playing through his pain this season.

Paid for by our generous Sports Boosters.

For information, please see SCDS homepage under the Quicklink “Parents.”

mm

Team captain junior Luca Procida placed second in Central Division I for boys’ skiing on Feb. 2 at the Auburn Ski Club.

The team’s next meet is the California Nevada Interscholastic Ski and Snowboard Federation State Championships at Mammoth Mountain on Monday through Thursday, March 5-8.

Coach’s comment (per coach Jason Kreps): The most challenging thing this season has been the lack of snow. Team members have had a lack of practice and mountain time.

Lia is skillful and determined. She has really stepped up her game, creating problems for opposing defenses and also having flexibility in where she is put on the field.

Top player: Gupta: 22.9 points per game, 9 rebounds per game and 5.2 steals per game.

New racers, complicated schedules, lack of snow cause problems when practicing for upcoming championships in central California

BY LARKIN BARNARD-BAHN

Lia Kaufman

6

Centerpoint

The Oc

Chipotlevs.Pieology

If you want your food fast, but fast food isn’t your cup of tea, head over to Pieology (UV) or Chipotle (LP) for less-than-authentic (but still tasty) takes on Italian and Mexican cuisine.

Like Chipotle, at Pieology your food is made by an employee as you order and pick your toppings.

Pieology offers three crust options, including gluten-free; seven sauce options, including house red and fiery buffalo; five cheese options; seven meat options, which include spicy chicken and Canadian bacon; and finally 16 veggies, such as pineapple and Kalamata olives.

I ordered an individual pizza with pesto, mozzarella, corn, pine-

Chipotle

5

different proteins

four

two-minute service time

types of salsa

Pieolog y

10- minute

service time

vegetable options

16

seven meat topping choices

apple and tomatoes. For someone who has never been part of the “pizza is the best food ever” movement, my mindset of the Italian pie was about to be redirected.

Soaking into the fluffy yet firm dough, which was covered in gooey cheese, the pesto was truly a masterpiece made in foodology heaven. And it was worth the $8.49.

Not to mention, the next time I go, I might try the red sauce and add gorgonzola, in an attempt to find my perfect pizza masterpiece.

Chipotle is simpler and less flavorful, yet cheaper and more filling. I would still rather go to Chipotle because I’ve mastered my burrito combination there (light

black beans, heavy rice, sour cream, pico de gallo, cheese, guacamole and lettuce). But I’m sure that after a while I will find my perfect Pieology pizza, too.

And I haven’t even mentioned wait time yet.

Both restaurants pride themselves on speed - cooking a pizza or preparing a burrito in 10 minutes or less makes both worthy of the praise.

Even though Pieology is a little more expensive and slower, I guarantee after one taste you’ll want to go back. Just don’t forget about Chipotle.

“COLORFUL” Sophomore Jackson Margolis’s pizza from Pieology is a vibrant collage of green (spinach), red (grape tomatoes) and yellow (pineapple).

PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF MARGOLIS

Pinkberryvs.Menchie’s If you’re in the mood for ice cream but are trying to avoid the fat, head over to Menchie’s (UV) or Pinkberry (LP) for a silky, refreshing treat. That being said, not all frozen yogurt shops are created equally.

Menchie’s is a childlike swirl of sweet toppings, fun flavor names (such as Milk Chocolate Mania) and tasty, freshly made waffle cones.

Though its dairy-free flavors, Dole Pineapple and Mango Sorbet, are somewhat bland, other flavors (like Banana Pudding and Peanut Butter Brownie) are sure to send you on a sugar-filled ride to your childhood.

On the other hand, Pinkberry,

with its luxurious interior design, is targeted toward teenagers and adults. It has smoother, more natural-tasting yogurt but at a price.

Though Pinkberry’s yogurt might be more flavorful, especially the Coconut Milk Coconut and Pinkbee’s Chocolate, the fact that the employees create your order takes the fun out of the do-ityourself experience that Menchie’s captures perfectly.

All that being said, Yo Yo Yogurt (2580 Fair Oaks Blvd.) is still the best in town.

See scdsoctagon. com for reviews of Sacramento’s top yogurt joints.

Pinkberry

Menchie’s

6

T W ELV E

different f lavors

$ 4.95

medium yogurt

twentyseven toppings

flavor options

topping choices

50

53 ¢

per ounce

Loehmann’sPl Twopopular O shopping centersgo headtohead

ver the past month, I visited seven restaurants and food shops in the newly remodeled UV at 458 Howe Ave. and seven similar restaurants in Loehmann’s Plaza (LP) at 2577 Fair Oaks Blvd. I then compared each restaurant from the UV with the place most similar to it in LP.

“MEH” The chocolate yogurt from Menchie’s was described as only “adequate.” PHOTO BY JACKSON MARGOLIS

All reviews by Jackson Margolis

Smashburgervs.TheOrganicCoup

Though the speed of the system and taste of the food was revolutionary in 1955, the quality at McDonald’s is so low that consumers have begun to turn to other fastfood type restaurants, such as The Organic Coup (UV) and Smashburger (LP), which have both better food and better atmospheres.

I’m not recommending fast food, but if you’ve worked up a sweat at the local Zumba studio and want to reward yourself with tangy chicken and melt-in-yourmouth tater tots, go to the Coup.

I ordered the garlic chicken and tot combo, which was a flavorful

snack - that is, until I looked at my receipt. Written in ink was “$8.11.”

For that much I can get a more filling Chipotle burrito or two Big Macs. Fast food should mean low-quality food for a low price.

The Organic Coup is of a higher quality than most fast food restaurants, but it’s not two to three times better, as the price indicates.

Now if you think I’m being negative about a restaurant that claims to be overthrowing traditional fast food in a coup, at least it was much better than Smashburger.

Look, I no longer eat beef, but before I cut it out, I tried their “innovatively” named signature burger, the Smashburger.

The burger was a slab of

mystery meat, and the bread was about as flavorful as white snow.

The tomato and lettuce were adequate but not nearly as fresh as In-N-Out Burger’s. Not to mention the grease dripping from the burger not only tasted unpleasant but also made my palms sticky.

If you enjoy In-N-Out’s simple yet exquisite hamburger, the Smashburger isn’t your cup of tea.

The hamburger gave me the perception that the restaurant has replaced all of In-N-Out’s fresh and pungent ingredients with dull and over-fried ones.

So save yourself the trouble, and don’t indulge in fast food. Or if you must, choose somewhere cheap. LP and the UV aren’t for fast food.

“SO-SO” Left: The garlic chicken and tot combo from the Coup was tasty but overpriced. Right: Sophomore Jackson Margolis wasn’t impressed by the “slab of mystery meat” from Smashburger. PHOTOS BY JACQUELINE CHAO

With new places to eat in the University Village (now called “the UV”), Loehmann’s Plaza, which has been the

Smashburger

The Coup

most popu for Countr might be in healthy com Over the underwent ovation, ac website, wh corporatio and restaur ization of t the additio local metal In additi gives the U pealing op

March 6, 2018

ctagon

“YUM” Poke Noke received the highest praise and the best score - five stars out of five - of all the restaurants. PHOTO BY JACQUELINE CHAO

Plaza TheUV VS.

ular shopping center ry Day students, n store for a little mpetition. e last year, the UV t a $15 million renccording to the UV’s hich involved the inon of 14 more stores rants, the modernthe landscape and on of outdoor art by l artist Jagged Edge. ion, the new patio UV a much more appen-air dining space.

Though the patio is useful only during the warmer months, the community feeling that it creates makes the UV seem more like a local shopping center than a large outdoor mall.

That said, since LP will always have the advantage of being closer to the school, the UV needs to be noticeably better to attract students.

And though Poke Noke and Pieology are solid restaurants, they are not dramatically better than the restaurants in

Loehmann’s.

Though the parking is a bear at LP, the UV’s fewer spaces and enclosed landscaping make it even more challenging.

I understand that the UV is trying to make a center where people will stay in the patio area and eat and enjoy the space for several hours, but this idea is not what students are looking for.

The beauty of LP is that you can grab a bite and spend more time parking your car than waiting for your food.

BeachHutDelivs.JimmyJohn’s My dad always tells me that when he was a kid, he wished that instead of a McDonald’s or a Burger King on every corner, there were chain sandwich shops.

Well, for my dad and many others, Beach Hut Deli (LP) and Jimmy John’s Sandwiches (UV) are their wish come true.

If you’re in a hurry, head over to Jimmy’s, but if you want a sandwich with fresher-tasting ingredients, such as crisp lettuce and creamy avocado, Beach Hut is the place.

Along with set meat and veggie sandwiches on both of the restaurants’ menus, at both places you can also choose to create your own, which is what I did. For both sandwiches, I chose provolone, tomato,

Beach Hut Deli

lettuce, avocado and light mayo on a slightly toasted French roll.

I enjoyed my sandwich more at Beach Hut, because the ingredients tasted fresher and there was a lot more of them. But I don’t think of sandwiches as a “sit-down” meal kind of food, so I will probably head over to Jimmy’s more frequently for their almost-as-good sandwiches that are made much more rapidly.

Although both restaurants’ claims to gourmet status are somewhat of a stretch, Jimmy’s and Beach Hut still have high-end sandwiches that are better than almost any sandwich you would make for yourself at home because of the selection of ingredients.

Jimmy John’s

7

BentoBoxvs.PokeNoke Until I tried Poke Noke, sushi was my favorite food.

Its simple yet deep flavor has always baffled and intrigued my taste buds.

Poke is just a better version of sushi, and Poke Noke is one of the fastest, yet finest, Japanese restaurants in town.

My $12 bowl was a combination of wonton chips, rice, spicy mayonnaise, avocado, salmon and “masago” (fish eggs).

These simple ingredients formed a mouth-watering, Hawaiian-influenced sushi bowl.

Poke Noke, the highlight of the UV, is arguably the best restaurant in either of the plazas.

I wish I could say the same about LP’s sad attempt at a Japanese restaurant: Bento Box.

Bento is much slower and has an ugly interior design; the fake and dirty plants and ceramic owl reflect the quality of the food.

Just look at the Adventure Roll ($15.95) - it contains everything that is wrong with American Japanese food.

To begin with, it’s completely soaked in their “special sauce,” a combination of mayonnaise and something spicy like sriracha. And that sauce isn’t used for flavor but as a way to cover up the other unsatisfying elements, such as overfried shrimp, what I’m assuming is imitation crab, and more cream cheese than fits on a bagel.

Bento is also more expensive, so if you really have a hankering for sushi, have it in a bowl with fresher ingredients at Poke.

Poke Noke

Bento Box

SEVEN protein options sixteen

topping choices

4

types of bases offered

46

different sushi rolls

“MUSHY” The Adventure Roll, which is Bento Box’s most expensive, is saucy - not in a good way - and “contains everything that is wrong with American Japanese food.”

PHOTO BY JACQUELINE CHAO

JambaJuicevs.Pearls

Though the many textures of the UV’s Pearls’ icies look complex and flavorful compared to the boring old fruit smoothies at LP’s Jamba Juice, Jamba still wins out in terms of flavor.

At Pearls I ordered a Strawberry Lychee icy with boba, which was basically a frozen artificial smoothie with little chewy balls of honey tapioca at the bottom, and after the first sip, I couldn’t believe that I had waited so long before trying this sweet delicacy.

But about a third of the way through the drink, the sweetness and the boba stuck in my straw began to seem bland, something that the fresh-tasting Peach Perfection at Jamba never does.

Unlike my icy, Peach Perfection had so many flavors going on that it was almost impossible to grow bored with it midway through.

Jamba Juice isn’t revolutionary, but its not-too-sweet yet not-toohealthy-tasting smoothies will continue to bring people to the chain’s blender-filled shops - until people realize how cheap and easy it is to make their own smoothies.

I do recommend trying boba in a smoothie at Pearls, but I predict Jamba will eventually catch on and add boba to its own menu, creating more interesting Asian-influenced smoothies.

Jamba Juice

$ 5.39 classic smoothies

for medium (24-ounce)

twentysix signature drinks

$

4.69

for small (16-ounce) classic smoothies

Pearls $3.50 icy

for an

drinks are

18-20 OUNCES extra toppings 50 ¢ each

“PEACHY” Left: The Peach Perfection from Jamba Juice is a blend of peaches, mangoes and strawberries. Right: “Chewy balls of honey tapioca” distinguish Pearls’ icy from the typical Jamba Juice smoothie.

PHOTOS BY JACQUELINE CHAO AND JACKSON MARGOLIS

8

Opinion • March 6, 2018

OCTAGON STAFF

The Octagon

“We lose” by Mohini Rye

My Angle

PRINT EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Annya Dahmani Katia Dahmani Sonja Hansen

By Jackson Margolis

ONLINE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Sahej Claire Chardonnay Needler

Layering is as corrupt as embezzlement

DESIGN CHIEFS Mohini Rye Allison Zhang BUSINESS MANAGER Larkin Barnard-Bahn NEWS EDITOR Jack Christian FEATURE EDITOR Mohini Rye OPINION EDITOR Allison Zhang PRINT SPORTS EDITOR Jake Longoria ONLINE SPORTS EDITOR Bryce Longoria SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Bri Davies PHOTO EDITOR Jacqueline Chao MULTIMEDIA EDITORS Jake Longoria Harrison Moon Bryce Longoria, assistant David Situ, assistant PAGE EDITORS Jack Christian Annya Dahmani Katia Dahmani Anna Frankel Sonja Hansen Mehdi Lacombe Jackson Margolis Mohini Rye Héloïse Schep Allison Zhang

C

REPORTERS Keshav Anand Sarina Rye Kristine Schmitz Spencer Scott Elise Sommerhaug Ming Zhu GRAPHIC ARTISTS Jacqueline Chao Mohini Rye PHOTOGRAPHERS Jacqueline Chao Shimin Zhang ADVISER Patricia Fels The OcTagOn is sacramenTO cOunTry Day’s high schOOl newspaper. iTs purpOse is TO prOviDe a reliable sOurce Of infOrmaTiOn On evenTs cOncerning The high schOOl in Or-

Der TO infOrm anD enTerTain The enTire schOOl cOmmuniTy.

The

sTaff sTrives

fOr accuracy anD freeDOm frOm bias in iTs sTOries.

significanT

will be nOTeD anD cOrrecTeD.

The OcTagOn

errOrs

shall publish maTerial

ThaT The sTaff Deems in The besT inTeresT Of The schOOl cOmmuniTy.

The

sTaff

recOgnizes The impOrTance Of having accuraTe anD reliable infOrmaTiOn in OrDer TO be well infOrmeD anD On which TO base DecisiOns anD OpiniOns.

The OcTagOn

will publish all Timely

anD relevanT news, subjecT TO The excepTiOns:

fOllOwing

ObsceniTy;

slanDerOus Or libelOus maTerial; ma-

Terial cOnTrary TO The besT inTeresTs Of The schOOl cOmmuniTy, as juDgeD

by The newspaper sTaff anD aDviser.

eDiTOrials

shall be apprOveD by The

eDiTOrial bOarD.

cOlumns/cOmmen-

Taries shall be labeleD as such anD represenT The OpiniOn Of The auThOr Only.

in

The inTeresT Of represenTing all

pOinTs Of view, leTTers TO The eDiTOr

shall be publisheD, space permiTTing, unless OTherwise requesTeD by The auThOr.

all

leTTers musT be signeD

anD cOnfOrm TO The abOve resTricTiOns On publisheD maTerial.

EDITORIAL: School nurse would educate, handle breakout illnesses

The sTaff

reTains The righT TO make changes in grammar anD puncTuaTiOn anD TO

abriDge leTTers fOr space cOnsiDeraTiOns.

ountry Day prides itself on being “Sacramento’s first and finest pre-K through 12 independent school.” But there’s one way in which many public schools have the edge on us: school nurses.

Because the school doesn’t have an official nurse, administrative assistant Erica Wilson and middle school history teacher Bill Crabb have taken on the role previously held by physical education teacher Michelle Myers.

But while Wilson, who is trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and Basic Life Support, has been extremely helpful to sick or injured students (from applying “BandAids to wrapping ankles to taking care of bee stings”), she can’t fulfill all the duties of a full-time school nurse.

First, a nurse could teach classes. We already have sex education and drug and alcohol talks integrated into our middle and high school curricula, but what about nutrition, disease prevention and general health?

When more than half of girls and about a third of boys from 6 to 8 years old say their ideal bodies are thinner than their current ones (according to Common Sense Media), body image is a topic a nurse could

address to younger students.

On top of that, there are illnesses that no one on campus is trained to diagnose, which may result in sending students home unnecessarily. Doing so burdens both students, who miss classwork, and sometimes parents, who might have to come pick up their child.

For example, the flu outbreak that preceded the mid-winter break, when nearly 30 percent of high school students were absent (and many classes were cancelled) might have been less severe with a trained nurse on campus.

A study published in The Journal of School Nursing in 2008, determined that only 5 percent of students seen by a school nurse were sent home, whereas 18 percent were sent home when seen by untrained staff. The nurse assessed and treated the students, thus preventing unnecessary absences.

And while we do have faculty members qualified to deal with sick students, they don’t have nearly as much training and experience as a registered nurse.

Furthermore, Wilson, Crabb and Myers, all of whom are capable of assuming the role of a nurse, have other responsibilities. When Myers had the

first call position, her classes were often interrupted, so she had to leave her students unattended while she inspected an injury.

A full-time nurse wouldn’t have to worry about administrative work, planning a history lesson or teaching a PE class.

Obviously, there are two main obstacles in getting a nurse: space and money.

In regard to the latter, as Myers suggested, a few qualified parents might volunteer, sharing responsibilities.

Even if the nurse/nurses worked only part time, students and faculty would still benefit from having the support system in place.

And there’s a space problem that needs to be solved since we can’t always resort to quarantining sick students in a conference room.

Nurse or no nurse, students are going to get sick at school; they shouldn’t have to be supervised by a teacher, thus putting the teacher’s health at risk as well.

A little over two years ago, the Octagon asked for a counselor to help students deal with stress. Even though the budget posed an issue at the time, the school hired guidance counselor Pat Reynolds.

So now how about a nurse?

CAMPUSCORNER Do you think that the school should have a nurse?

“Yes, it would make it easier for people getting Band-Aids, Advil and stuff like that. We should have one person who is just a nurse and not (a teacher), just like at my old public schools. The nurse could patch us up or give us something to make us (feel better). It could be helpful to have one.”

“School nurses are usually really useful for people who don’t have health care, but most of the people here probably do. But (he/she) could be used (for) precautionary reasons. If we had had a nurse (during flu season), she probably would have sent a lot of people home and maybe less would have gotten sick.”

HAYDEN BOERSMA, FRESHMAN

BELLA MATHISEN, JUNIOR

Whether asking the Starbucks barista to take the granola out of the yogurt parfait or the Beach Hut Deli employee to remove the onions and the mustard from a tuna sandwich, I am always given a look of confusion, as if my fairly simple request goes against the worker’s instinct.

Why? If you’re a picky eater like me, I’m sure you’ve thought, “Why is it so hard for them to just take out the pickles?”

Or “Why do they need to talk to their manager and three other employees just to substitute cabbage for lettuce?”

Well, after almost 16 years, I’ve realized that the dilemma of the employee isn’t the employee’s fault; it’s actually the entire food industry’s.

And here’s why.

Through commercials and advertising, food companies have continuously put the message inside the public’s head that the more layers and condiments in a dish, the better.

This mentality encourages consumers to spend an extra buck for four meats in their taco instead of three when, in actuality, layering is the perfect example of Hemingway’s motto: less is more.

And by planting untruthful seeds in the eater’s head and systematically setting up their menus, restaurants expect that some extra revenue will come from the unnecessary layers that consumers add to their gyros or tacos.

So if you’re frustrated over a worker’s inability to remove something as simple as peppers from your pizza, blame Round Table, not Marsha.

But companies like Smashburger that are scamming the hungry citizen into spending extra money on unnecessary added layers aren’t the only offenders. Look at Taco Bell.

As long as you don’t view it as Mexican food, Taco Bell’s food isn’t really all that bad. But the problem starts every time they come out with something such as the “Beefy 5-Layer Burrito” or the “7-Layer Burrito.”

And since I’m sure you’re dying to know, the “7-Layer Burrito” has beans, cilantro rice, quasi-tomato, lettuce, avocado water (guacamole), a threecheese blend and last but not least, reduced-fat sour cream.

Each added layer of tomatoes or “guacamole” lessens the overall flavor, throwing the consumer into a flavor-confused frenzy.

But companies have convinced people that the larger the number before the word “layer,” the better the food.

Think about it. Would you rather get a four-layer burrito or an eight-layer burrito?

When I was in sixth grade, middle school teacher Edward Bolman referred to Taco Bell as Taco Smell, and I didn’t fully appreciate it until I associated the insulting phrase with the restaurant’s unnecessary layering.

And the problem isn’t confined to fast-food Mexican cuisine.

Though some foods (like burgers) need a few layers, once the bacon, onion rings and barbecue sauce start piling up, it becomes impossible to find the original “burger” flavor.

Plus, for each layer added, it becomes harder and harder to keep the burger’s insides from gushing out.

And if you’re saying, “This kid doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

The flavor becomes more complex for each added layer,” then I’ve got the perfect answer for you: caviar.

The Octagon

March 6, 2018 • Feature

Well, my first birthday went a little like this...

9

Typical American first birthdays follow a basic routine: the baby smashes some cake on their face, giggles gleefully and waddles off. However, for followers of Hinduism, a child’s first birthday is a chance to host a lavish birthday party during which the main event often involves inducting their child into the religion to ensure a blissful life. These are the stories of how three Indian students celebrated turning 1 year old. ALL STORIES BY SONJA HANSEN

‘My father carried me to the top of a summit’

T

he family’s two-car garage was packed his shoulders. Anand said that parents carry to the gills with relatives and friends in their babies in this particular way instead of February of 2004, for freshman Keshav in their arms because the paths leading to the Anand’s (Dec. 9) first birthday party. temple are so narrow and congested. Also, the Also in attendance were seven of Anand’s massive crowds make it dangerous for a todfamily members, who had traveled all the dler to waddle around on the floor, according way from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, (a state in to Anand. southern India) for his birth and returned for Once inside, visitors view the shrine for his birthday party. (They did the same when what feels like only a few seconds, Anand said.

Anand’s little sister was born.)

In Hindu temples at least one statue of Vishnu, “There was a ton of Indian people that came one of the principal gods responsible for the just to witness (my sister and me) coming into creation of life in Hinduism, is located off to the world,” Anand said, laughing. the side. The main focus is on the shrine Anand’s first birthday party had dedicated to another god in the center been planned two months in advance of the room. At Venkateswara Temby his mother, Vasudha, father, Anand ple, the shrine is dedicated to a form Chellam, and grandmother, Kamala, of Vishnu. because, according to Anand, a big Anand said that visitors pray, place first birthday party is a family remoney or flowers on the shrine and quirement. then receive an offering from a careA few weeks before the taker on their way out. The offerparty, Anand and his family, ing, or “prasad,” is a food that is who are practiceaten by worshiping Hindus, had pers following gone to India prayer. At Ven“(HINDUS) PIERCE BABIES’ EARS TO GET to visit Venkateswara TemRID OF THE BAD OMENS AND GIVE THE kateswara Temple, the “prasad” is BABY A GOOD, HAPPY LIFE.” ple in Tirupati. laddu, a sweet ball —KESHAV ANAND The Hindu temof dough with caple is located at shews, raisins or Venkatadri, one spices. of the seven peaks of the Seshachalam Hills.

“You have to take the offering because it’s Anand said that his father carried him the from the gods,” Anand said. “You gave to the entire distance (5.6 miles) to the summit. gods, so now the gods are giving to you.”

Anand’s mother, grandparents and other famiThis concludes a baby’s first prayer, which ly members also made the four-hour climb.

Anand said is a big deal.

At the summit stands the world’s most-visAfter exiting the temple, one of the temple’s ited Hindu temple, which receives 50,000- caretakers shaved Anand’s head for the first 100,000 visitors daily. There’s also a neighbor- time (“mundan”) and pierced his ears with a hood for the temple’s caretakers. needle (“karna vedha”).

Visitors line up outside of the temple and “There was probably a lot of crying then!” wait for a few hours before entering, according Anand said. “But (Hindus) pierce babies’ ears to Anand who has visited the temple six times. to get rid of the bad omens and give the baby a When Anand visited that first time, his good, happy life.” father placed him upright on his back like a The hair from the “mundan” is donated to backpack and tightly held Anand’s hands on the god of the city where the first haircut took

‘A priest told me to throw a coconut in the river’ Unlike other Hindus, freshman Om Sharma ( June 25) didn’t have his ears pierced to mark his first birthday and erase bad omens because his parents didn’t want to. Instead Sharma said that the Hindu ritual known as “puja” was performed at his first birthday party.

“Puja,” which is usually a feature of milestone celebrations or festivals, is not required for Hinduism and can be performed at home or at a temple.

Sharma said that the three-hourlong ritual is still performed every year on his exact birthdate by the same Hindu priest. Sharma’s parents, brother (seventh grader Shivom) and extended family attend the ritual at their house.

place. Because Anand was in the city of Tirupati at the time, his hair was donated to the native god Lord Venkateswara.

“My grandma Usha Padmanadhan said both rituals are a form of surrendering to God, thus praying to take care of the baby and the family,” Anand said.

Anand’s next visit to Venkateswara Temple was for his little sister’s “mundan” and “karna vedha.” But, according to Anand, repeatedly visiting is not essential for Hindus.

And neither is the trip that Anand’s parents took to India several months before Anand was born. On this trip in 2002, the couple climbed Vaishno Devi, a steep mountain that Anand hiked with his uncle last summer. Anand said that at the summit, his parents prayed to the goddess Shakti that their child would be successful and happy.

Anand said that if he were to ever have children, he would probably continue these traditions.

“I don’t want to get my grandparents mad!” he said, laughing.

Anand said that there are hundreds of similar Indian traditions and rules unique to families and regions, but the reasoning behind some customs has now been lost.

“There (are) really strict rules for Indians, like you can’t cut your hair on Tuesdays or Fridays,” Anand said. “There’s no explanation behind it. Our family just won’t (cut our hair on Tuesdays or Fridays)!”

CELEBRATE Above: Freshman Keshav Anand’s father Chellam holds Anand after he had his head shaved for his birthday. Right: Anand received loads of presents at his first birthday party in February. But his party wasn’t on his birthday (Dec. 9) since he was in India for six weeks. PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF ANAND

into the fire. Later he asks Sharma to mix some fruits and pour the mixture, along with handfuls of cashews and almonds, into the fire. This food makes up an offering that Sharma gives to a specific Hindu god. The god that Sharma prays to depends on which quality (such as wisdom or strength) he wants.

Sharma said that Shivom and his cousins under-

“It’s my birthday, and I’m sitting through a three-hour ritual,” Sharma said. “It’s not really the thing I want to do, but I’ll do it!”

After the priest lights a fire in a fireplace, he recites long, complicated prayers that can go on for 10 minutes at a time. Sharma said that he has no idea what these “PEOPLE ASKED WHAT I prayers mean since WAS DOING, AND IT WAS they are in HinEMBARRASSING.” di, but he knows —OM SHARMA they’re for good luck and prosperity in the coming year.

After a while, go the ritual as well, but he has never the priest takes a break, hands Shar- attended a birthday “puja” for an adult. ma some oil and asks him to pour it Once a Hindu becomes a teenager,

the priest asks them six weeks after their birthday to perform a special task to ensure that the good luck from the “puja” sticks around. Making sure that the blessing from the ritual stays is important particularly for teenagers because they are transitioning from children to adults, according to Sharma.

“The priest came to my house and told me to throw a coconut in the American River,” Sharma said. “So I did. Is that legal?”

After turning 13 last year, Sharma was instructed to go to a river and feed its fish with coconuts to help the environment. Sharma said that priests assign this task to many people for good luck, but he is unsure of where the inspiration for this ritual came from.

Before chucking each coconut, Sharma closed his eyes and prayed. He did this every week for a couple months. Sharma said that when

the coconut’s shell breaks down, the fish can eat the meat inside. But joggers, bikers and dog walkers along the American River didn’t know that.

“People asked what I was doing, and it was embarrassing,” he said.

Since Sharma was not given a special task following his 14th birthday, he said that he doesn’t know if he will be given a task for his upcoming 15th birthday.

Sharma first underwent “puja” at his first birthday party, which was surrounded by much fanfare.

Of the 150 partygoers at Sharma’s first birthday party, about half had traveled from India. The party was held in a rented banquet hall in Fairfield and included Indian music, dancing and food, such as naan, curry and vegetables and a huge cake.

Guests also participated in karaoke, a popular activity at Indian get-togethers, according to Sharma.

‘I said prayers in front of a religious fire’

LIGHT IT UP Sophomore Anu Krishnan’s mother Priya helps Krishnan slice her first birthday cake while a lamp burns on the side. Hindus light lamps instead of blowing candles. PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF KRISHNAN

Sophomore Anu Krishnan (April 29) said that her parents performed the ritual “Ayush Homam” with the help of a Hindu priest on her first birthday to bless Krishnan and give her health and longevity.

During the ritual, Krishnan’s parents, as well as the priest, said prayers in Sanskrit in front of a small fire. Intermittently rice, ghee (clarified butter) and small sticks were offered to the gods by placing them in the fire.

Because of the offerings and prayers, the gods in turn will bless the child.

While some Hindus participate in this ritual on every birthday, Krishnan’s family does not.

Even so, for generations members of Krishnan’s family (including her parents, grandparents and brother Arvind, ’17) have performed “Ayush Homam” on their first birthdays.

Krishnan said that besides immediate family members and close family friends, all the family elders were invited to the ceremony to bless her.

The religious fire ritual

took place in the morning and, after two or three hours, was followed by a traditional Southern Indian lunch and reception. In the evening more guests arrived and cake was served.

Instead of blowing out candles on the cake, Krishnan lit a lamp with the help of her parents as the guests sang the Sanskrit and English versions of “Happy Birthday.” Krishnan said that light symbolizes knowledge.

“(SOPHOMORE ANU) KRISHNAN LIT A LAMP WITH THE HELP OF HER PARENTS AS THE GUESTS SANG THE SANSKRIT AND ENGLISH VERSIONS OF ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY.’”

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Feature • March 6, 2018

The Octagon

Who impacts students’ views most?

Poll shows parents, family members much more influential than high school teachers

BY SAHEJ CLAIRE

people was always very important,” Con“DEFINITELY” 2% ner said.

“My mother is a Democrat and my n “Politics,” a work of political philosophy, Aristotfather is a Republican, and I would hear “SOMEWHAT” le said that man is a “political animal,” indicating them talk about politics (all the time). that humans derive their identity and character 23% I saw different perspectives, and I think from being involved in their communities. (The that helped me develop my ideas.”

“NO” word “politics” comes from the word for a Greek city Latin teacher Jane Batarseh also said a state, “polis.”) This story is the second in a series of four family member - her daughter Amanda covering political issues in the classroom. helped her define her ideas.

“My daughter is more radical than I am, Humans are particularly stubborn when it but I remember feeling the same way as comes to political beliefs. she when I became aware of my feelings So though there may be concern about teachBased on a Feb. 27 Octagon about my own self as a woman in a man’s world,” YE ers influencing students’ political views, a study INI R H Batarseh said. poll of 107 students published in “Scientific Reports” by Jonas Kaplan, MO “My daughter changed my viewpoints about a assistant professor of psychology at the Universilot of things and gave me the vocabulary to deal ty of Southern California, suggests that students with (them). are more likely to change their minds about nearly “There was nobody in my life (before) who said, anything else - that Ben Franklin was a great in‘You are a citizen of the world, and you need to 1% DIDN’T ANSWER ventor, for example - instead of politics. have a vocabulary to address injustices. You are not This may be surprising, as we live in a cyberspace alone, nor should you ignore situations just beera of fake news, memes and a barrage of informacause you feel that there’s something wrong, but tion, in which teens make snap judgments. you don’t know how to talk about it.’”

But Kaplan’s study shows that the parts of our Some teachers also cited college professors and brain believed to correlate with self-identity and “DEFINITELY” life experiences that exposed them to new political negative emotions are activated when our ideologiideas. cal beliefs are challenged - meaning Former history teacher Danthat challenge can be viewed as a iel Neukom said his Political personal insult we respond to with (Forming Science I teaching assistant at built-in defense mechanisms.

Stanford University, Jane Friedyour own The first and most effective of “SOMEWHAT” man, whom he met in 1968, was opinions) is what it these, Kaplan said, is to simply one such “eye-opener.” avoid information that will chal- means to be educated.”

Friedman was a member of “NO” lenge our beliefs.

Students for a Democratic So—Jane Bauman “In a lot of ways, the online sysciety (SDS), an activist movetems we interact with - Facebook ment that represented the New and Twitter - make it very easy (for Left and was known for its pous) to isolate ourselves (like that),” sition against the Vietnam War. Kaplan said. “They’re designed to give us exactly “(SDS) didn’t advocate violence like the Weathwhat we want and to get rid of what we don’t. You College was also eye-opening for history teach- sentation. ermen did, which was the offshoot - the more ‘terhave to go out of your way to encounter informaer Sue Nellis, who attended Whittier College in “If I went on a rant about how much I love or rorist’ organization - but they were quite radical,” tion that challenges you.”

Southern California from 1973-77. hate Trump, the kids who have opposite views are Neukom said.

We also have a toolbox of cognitive mechanisms Nellis said that, at the time, ethnic studies pro- not going to come to my side because I’m their Friedman would lead section discussions from a we use to defend ourselves, Kaplan said. This ingrams were being introduced as college courses, teacher,” she said. “radical, left-wing” perspective, Neukom said. cludes trying to attach a credible source to inforand she took as many of them as she could.

“In fact, I may offend them. And that would “(Friedman) was a big advocate of questioning mation, questioning the veracity of information “That began to shape my views on race, white make them pull away from me instead of developthe government, the conservative traditions of the and going into our memory to find counterarguprivilege and the kinds of things I hadn’t really ing (our) relationship.

U.S., big business, capitalism and the Vietnam ments. thought about while I was in high school,” said “I don’t think I could persuade them in class to War,” he said. “(We try) to shore up our existing beliefs and Nellis, who attended an all-white public high believe what I believe. They already have their own “I wouldn’t say she convinced me of those exmake ourselves feel better about what we already school in a Los Angeles suburb. beliefs, and their parents have a huge influence.” treme positions, but I certainly realized that there believe,” he said. “(The ethnic studies courses) were really On the other hand, Karl Grubaugh, teacher and are a lot of questions to ask, and what had been That strengthening of the initial belief is called eye-opening for me,” she said. “Some of it was cer- journalism adviser at Granite Bay High School, considered ‘normal’ maybe shouldn’t be.” the backfire effect, Kaplan said. And because we tainly political, but it was just (so) new. I had some said he’s fine with students knowing where he Friedman’s viewpoint was one Neukom hadn’t get better at regulating our emotions as we get oldblack friends in college, and I did not know until lands on political issues such as gun regulations. seen even though he had grown up in the Bay Area er, defensive reactions seen in teens can be even they told me that, periodically, the Ku Klux Klan Grubaugh has a Twitter account that both curand attended a public high school. (He also spent a stronger than those seen in adults. would put hate literature into their mailboxes. rent and former students follow, and he said he year at Menlo College, a “somewhat conservative” Kaplan explained that the initial formation of “I just didn’t know any of that existed.” uses it to “throw out the occasional little remark.” school, before transferring to Stanford.) our political beliefs arises from a desire to connect English teacher Jane Bauman was prompted to On Feb. 21, Grubaugh tweeted, “Told my stu“There were many more opinions (at Stanford) with other people. think more deeply in high school by someone oth- dents today that I’d take as many bullets for them than I had been exposed to before,” he said.

“It feels good to share our beliefs with others er than her parents - a minister. as I could in an active shooter incident. And I “And (this) was during the increasingly worrying and have a common worldview,” Kaplan said.

Bauman was around 12 when she met Bob would … But didn’t know that’s what I was signing time of the Vietnam War. Hundreds of thousands And this may be why our family members influMoon, the minister at St. Mark’s United Method- up for 35 years ago.” of American troops were being sent there, and as a ence our political ideas. ist Church, and she said Moon spoke against the The tweet was retweeted 22 times and had 164 college student, you wondered if you might be next In a Feb. 27 poll of 107 high school students, 77 Vietnam War frequently in his sermons. likes, and Grubaugh said a lot of those were by when you lost your student deferment.” percent said parents or other family members in“He was a dissident voice in a time of political both current and former students.

Neukom added that a professor at the Univerfluenced their political views. Only 25 percent said conservatism “Is there a political bent to that comment? sity of Chicago, high school teachers also influenced their views. in the U.S.,” Absolutely,” he said. “I’ve never been shy about where he atAnd their teachers feel much the same way.

Bauman said. thoughtfully sharing my point of view. I’m okay tended graduate I’ve never been shy about thoughtfully Of 10 teachers interviewed, seven said their po“He was a with students being able to see where I’m at on school in 1972sharing my point of view. I’m okay with litical views were most influenced by their parents very persua- Twitter, responding if they choose to, liking if they 73, also contribor another family member. And all 10 said that sive, logical, choose to and retweeting if they choose to.” uted to his polit- students being able to see where I’m at on Twitter.” high school teachers had no influence. passionate Grubaugh said he thinks being open on social ical growth.

—Karl Grubaugh pacifist, and I media has actually improved the relationships he After English teacher Jason Hinojosa’s parents “Ms. (Maridivorced when he was 12, his grandfather became admired him has with his students. lyn) Hammersley a “surrogate dad,” he said. for a long “They get to see that I’m not (an) automaton; was the first ‘Ms.’ “He was primarily the one who educated me on time. He showed me that you have to think deeply. I’m not just a teacher,” he said.

I ever knew,” Neukom said. “She was a real pistol. (all) things political and philosophical,” Hinojosa You have to be active. You have to question what’s “Students get to see (my) humanity. Because Here was a woman who was really practicing the said. “My grandfather spent more time talking to going on.

(I) do have things to say. There are issues (I) care modern view of women’s rights, women’s liberation me about (political) things than probably any other “(Forming your own opinions) is what it means about. It allows there to be a relationship that’s not and advocating for equality. person.” to be educated.” just about journalism or economics but about our “It was the first time I got to know someone Hinojosa attributed part of his grandfather’s inTeachers help students build an argument for common journey. fluence to all the time he spent with him as well as who had a more broad-minded, feminist view of their point of view and point out the strengths and “We’re all on this journey of life - trying to the world.” to their family relationship. weaknesses of their argument, Bauman said. make sense of it and trying to figure out how we Neukom said Friedman and Hammersley “has“It’s the hours on the clock, (and it’s) the trust But even if high school teachers don’t politically love people better and how we treat others with factor,” he said. “You can trust a teacher, but they’re tened” his worldview by opening his mind and influence their students, English teacher Kathryn respect.” making him question things earlier than he oth- LaComb pointed out that there are other reasons not family, and they’re not permanent.”

And depending on the issue, Bauman said she Chemistry teacher Victoria Conner also said erwise would have. for a teacher to hide their personal political views. might be just as open.

“That’s what a dynamic individual does,” he said. her political ideas were influenced by family.

LaComb said she believes her students would “Because our goal is to create a safe learning “My parents felt that experiencing different “That’s what a revolutionary person does. And both respect her less if they knew her political views - environment, there are some issues that teachers things, different cultures and different groups of of them, in my life, were somewhat revolutionary.” though, she clarified, it would depend on her pre- might have to take a stand on,” Bauman said.

I

Have any teachers in the high school influenced your political views?

CB

Y

74%

parents (or other

G R A PH I

Have your

28%

family members)

influenced your political views?

A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS FOR KEEPING US IN THE BLACK!

49%

23%

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The Octagon

March 6, 2018 •Feature

Musical Teachers

11

Many high school teachers have hidden musical talents. In the first of a twopart series, teachers reveal their “note-able” musical backgrounds.

All stories by Héloïse Schep

Rap’s where it’s at for Whited and Jacobsen

T

SINGING DUO Teachers Kellie Whited and Patricia Jacobsen perform a roast for Keegan Crain, ’15. The roast was to the tune of the song “My Boyfriend’s Back.” PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF AMY WELLS

he high school faculty members’ annual whereas Whited takes notes more frequently roast or toast skits for graduating se- in the second half of the year, when she knows niors are all memorable - but the singing whom she will perform a skit about. protein boxes or Eminem spinoffs that Both Jacobsen and Whited said one of their science teacher Kellie Whited and dean of stu- favorite skits was their rap battle in 2016 for dent life Patricia Jacobsen perform often take then seniors Serajh Esmail and Jag Lally. the cake.

In that skit, they were dressed as giant boxes Jacobsen’s musical performances began in of protein powder and pretended to be Esmail 2006-07, when she first signed up to do skits. and Lally, who were obsessed with fitness, sellShe didn’t know what to perform, she said, ing protein powder in college. so she asked former head of high school Sue “We had (Esmail and Lally) convinced we Nellis for advice. Nellis told weren’t doing their skit,” Whited Jacobsen to try a rap, as Jasaid. cobsen often listened to rap “They were the very last (stuYou have music. dents) to get their skit, so they a limited Jacobsen rapped that year were sweating the whole time, for Amir Seyal, ’07, with number of words, and and then we came out in these much success; since then, she’s you get to have more huge boxes. performed musical skits from “It was so much fun!” fun with them.” raps to pop songs and even the Jacobsen said her favorite —Kellie Whited thing about the skits is when evCountry Day fight song.

Whited said she prefers erything comes together. songs because they’re easier.

For example, she wanted to “You have a limited number of words, and perform a version of Soulja Boy’s “Crank That you get to have more fun with them,” she said.

(Soulja Boy)” for a skit for Avi Bhullar, ’17, but Jacobsen agreed. her notes on Bhullar would not work with the “(Physics teacher Glenn) Mangold can do a song’s rhythm. Jacobsen tried other songs, but whole skit where he’s just talking, and it’s funny, they wouldn’t work either. but I’m not that creative,” she said.

When she finally found one that did - the Whited said she and Jacobsen often collab- Country Day fight song - it was amazing, Jaorate because they work well together and have cobsen said. similar ideas.

“When I’m on a roll, and it’s all coming toThey prepare for their skits by keeping track gether, it’s awesome because I can get (the skit) of students’ quirks, repeated phrases and behav- to really mean something to the student,” she ior. Jacobsen takes notes throughout the year, said.

Guitarist Monsieur Day conquers stage fright by taking off his glasses

BE HUMBLE Teacher Glenn Mangold performs a grad skit for Johann Diaz, ’16, explaining how to be modest. PHOTO USED

BY PERMISSION OF AMY WELLS

Physics teacher sang Gregorian chants in high school choir When he was in high school, science teacher Glenn Mangold was part of the school choir, an “ensemble” singing group and a barbershop quartet. He sang bass in each group and also played saxophone and clarinet in the school band.

Mangold sang from seventh to 12th grade. He has not continued singing, he said, except during the senior roasts and toasts.

His high school choir was an optional class taught every day by the school’s music teacher. Mangold said there were about 60 to 100 students in the class. They performed three times a year.

“I joined (the class) because I liked music,” he said. “I enjoyed being in it with my friends, (and) the teacher was very good.”

Mangold also liked the diverse works students sang. The songs covered a wide range of time periods, such as Gregorian chants and Chinese choral music.

His favorite songs were the pieces that he sang by Bach.

Mangold said he was never taunted for singing, as it was very common back then for boys to sing. In fact, he said, there were almost as many boys in his choir as girls.

French teacher Richard Day plays both Day said his favorite thing about playing For example, Day said, in late September the guitar and the harmonica. The harmon- is when he gets in “the zone,” a point where he and a group of musicians played songs ica, he said, was the first inhe is so concentrated that “it from the ’60s for two Summer of Love Fesstrument he ever played; he feels like the music is flowing tivals in Davis (one at the Odd Fellows Hall began learning when he was through (me).” and one at the Sudwerk Dock Store), where Everybody 13.

“It’s just the greatest feeling. the audience enjoyed the concert immensely. knew the Day chose the harmonica It’s almost like you’re on an“Everybody knew the songs, and they songs, and they were other planet,” he said. because of his affection for were up dancing,” he said. “It was a blast!” blues, which his brother in- up dancing. It was a He also appreciates it when But Day doesn’t love everything about troduced him to. the audience reacts well to playing. For instance, said he suffers from blast.”

“In blues, one of the most his performance, especially stage fright when playing the guitar, often —Richard Day because he often plays just not wearing glasses during his performances popular instruments is the harmonica, so my brother “background music.” so he can’t see the audience. started playing it,” he said.

“Then I started copying him.”

However, when Day was a senior in high school, his music taste shifted from blues to jazz, motivating him to take up the guitar, he said.

Day said he took one guitar lesson in his twenties and, in more recent years, some lessons from guitarists Steve Homan and Charlie Baty.

He began playing live music when he moved to Davis in the fall of 1987, Day said; the first band he played with was a blues band called the Rudiments.

After that, he played for a few years with Dave and the Generators, which was founded by one of Day’s close friends, Dave Nachmanoff.

Furthermore, Day occasionally joins Hardwater, a rock, blues and folk band that plays both cover tunes and their own music.

He also currently plays with Kindred Spirits, which Day said focuses both on folk and “world music,” such as African songs.

Besides performing in bands, Day said he also gets invited to play at shows as a sit-in because he knows many Davis musicians.

At school, Day was a member of the faculty jazz band, founded by band teacher Bob Ratcliff, and also of Ratcliff ’s 10-piece jazz band, the Bob Ratcliff Little Big Band.

“I’m not a formally trained musician, so I PLAYING THE BLUES Teacher Richard Day performs with the band Hardwater at the Peregrine School Fiesta in Capay, California. PHOTO USED BY PERMISSION OF DAY was learning a lot,” Day said.

12

Backpage • March 6, 2018

The Octagon

The whole kit and kaboodle on For in-class review teachers orchestrate showdowns with online game; friendly competition makes students forget to use their ‘inside voices’

A

classroom of kids raising their voices and paying close attention to their phones doesn’t sound like a class that’s doing anything productive, right?

BY SPENCER SCOTT Under normal circumstances, this classroom would seem in complete chaos.

However, not in this case - and it’s all because of a website called Kahoot!.

Kahoot! - originally created in a partnership between Norwegian-based game company Mobitroll, and the Norwegian University of Technology and Sciences - is an online quiz game. Game participants enter a lobby created by a leader (the teacher) and answer questions that pop up on the leader’s screen using their own electronic devices.

The game is designed to engage students with a multiple-choice quiz, in which the quickest correct answer wins. It offers thousands of quizzes, ranging from math to history and even celebrity trivia.

At Country Day several teachers use Kahoot! to engage students in their own subjects.

One is Chris Kuipers, AP European History and eighth grade United States History teacher.

“I think it is an effective tool in basic content review,” Kuipers said. “The kids seem to respond really well to the competitive aspect.

“As a teacher I love that it is free; probably the only downside is that the connectivity can be a little bit glitchy at times.”

He said he more often uses it in his AP Euro class, which has only four students.

The class is normally quite competitive in a healthy way, unlike his eighth grade class.

His middle schoolers can have a “different vibe.”

“It can either get a little bit too competitive or (it) can get kids (to not be) as engaged, or give up,” he said.

Kuipers also said that eighth graders focus on winning the game rather than the review.

“Either students become too focused on answering as quickly as possible or on the fun names that they make,” Kuipers said.

“I’m not always sure that the real virtue of using it as (a) review (tool) comes through.”

But this isn’t the way his AP class treats Kahoot!. Senior Nico Burns describes these games as “intense.”

“If you miss a question, it’s a pretty big deal,” Burns said. “The middle of each game is the most intense because that’s when the leader emerges. (Senior) Katia (Dahmani) usually comes out on top, but the games always end up being close.”

Kuipers said that at the AP level, it is valuable to use Kahoot! for two reasons.

The first is that the AP test has a multiple choice section, and Kahoot! is perfect practice for that. The second is that the students are in general more mature and treat it as a way to learn. Burns agreed and

said that it is an incentive to prepare days before an exam.

Oddly enough, however, Kuipers has noticed that the student who normally comes in last in Kahoot! has the highest grade on tests.

“It may be that the student is learning a lot from Kahoot!, but I think it speaks more to the fact that Kahoot! puts such an emphasis on the timing, and you get more points for answering quickly,” Kuipers said.

“Kahoot! is one tool, and I think it’s really good for that fun, fast-paced kind of jumping in (to answer questions). But as something to replicate a thoughtful quiz with, that’s not what it is.”

Elissa Thomas, who teaches computer science and geometry, uses the game too.

“It’s just a really fun way to go over content that we’ve covered in class but also get instant feedback,” she said.

Thomas said that Kahoot! is a good indicator of how well her students are grasping concepts.

An example is the question “Which of the theorems prove these triangles are congruent?”

Below is a picture of two triangles and four answers: “side-angle-side theorem,” “angle-side-angle theorem,” “hypotenuse leg theorem” or “not congruent.”

While Thomas likes the game’s teaching aspect, sophomore Chris Wilson (who took geometry last year) likes the competitive aspect.

“It gives people a reason - other than to learn - to pay attention,” he said.

Thomas said she has seen a mix of reactions, such as yelling to dancing in their seats from happiness or dismay.

Senior Miles Edwards echoed these observation and said that his classmates in AP Computer Science A “are extremely competitive, cheer and yell.”

Like Thomas, chemistry teacher Victoria Conner has used the game for review but in a slightly different way.

She has students make up their own questions and provide four possible answers.

“It was useful because not only did the students have to write a reasonable chemistry question and provide a correct answer, but they also had to come up with a few plausible incorrect answers, which required them to actually understand the concept as well as how the concept could be misconstrued,” she said.

Conner said that she also likes the user friendliness of Kahoot! and the fun aspects of usernames.

“I like that students can have a little fun with their usernames and how excited students get when the question that they made comes on the screen,” she said.

Dahmani said that her AP Euro class selects usernames that relate to the time period they’re studying. For example, during their unit on the French Revolution, Dahmani’s name was “Marat,” a French revolutionary of the era, her sister senior Annya was “Antoinette,” and junior Mehdi Lacombe was “Louis XVI.”

How many high school teachers use Kahoot!?

3

4

5

6

Which is junior Luca Procida’s preferred Kahoot! username?

LeBron

SkierBoy

LucaJim

LucaGoPro

How many points does a player receive if they answer within 0.5 seconds?

10

50

100

1,000

How long does a player have to answer a question?

10 seconds

15 seconds

30 seconds

Leader decides

Answers:

ALL

BY ICS H P GRA

SEN AN H A J SON

3. 1000 4. Leader decides

3

2

1. 4 2. LucaJim

1