THE VOICE
VOLUME XXXVIII | February/March 2017
The College Checklist: q Attend a private high school q Pad résumé q Choose prestigious university q Guaranteed success
The Voice: Feb/March
Table of Contents 15
Hi hat coffee
Read about Pembroke’s favorite little coffee shop in this month’s KC Crawl
Women’s march Read about the Women’s March on Washington and the involvement of our students.
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College Features Public or Private? Do private or public institutions provide a better educational background?
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15
Prestige Do acceptance rates matter? If a school is better ranked, is it also a better education? Read about the importance, or lack of, prestige at colleges.
Resumes
Is it bad to do extracurriculars solely as resume boosters?
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14 aRTS VS. STEM
Is one more important than the other? Read the evaluation of their benefits in the education stystem.
buzz [Valentine’s Day]
About 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year. This makes it the second largest seasonal card sending time of the year. In Victorian times it was considered bad luck to sign a Valentine’s Day card. 15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.
Based on retail statistics, about 3% of pet owners will give Valentine’s Day gifts to their pets.
Teachers will receive the most Valentine's Day cards, followed by children, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets.
There are enough candy hearts made each year to stretch from Valentine, Arizona to Rome, Italy, and back again. The number of these candy hearts produced is approximately 8 billion.
There are 119 single men—never married, widowed or divorced—in their 20s for every 100 single women of the same age.
X O X O X O
Many believe the X symbol became synonymous with the kiss in medieval times. People who couldn't write their names signed in front of a witness with an X. The X was then kissed to show their sincerity.
X O X O X O
3
Student Life
What’s the Word?
A View From Each Grade on: Color Clash Charlotte Henry Columnist Color Clash is an exciting week of competition between the high school grades. However, many freshman recognize that the real race for first place was between the juniors and seniors. Fortunately, this realization did not deter our participation entirely, although our grade is not exactly known for its competitive spirit. In fact, no one could forget middle school, and how we successfully managed to lose Fun Day every single year. We even lost in eighth grade, and it was clearly rigged for us to win. Apparently, we are just really bad at bleacher dances. In our defense, the freshman performance in Color Clash actually came as quite a surprise to many. Few expected anyone to pull together a yellow outfit, and our dedicated group of decorators exceeded all expectations, filling the third floor lounge with yellow posters, party decorations, and balloons. So despite an undeniably rough history, we may someday pull off a first place finish.
Caroline Salzman Columnist The juniors were a little blue after the conclusion to this year’s Color Clash. The week started off strong with juniors Matthew Berkley, Aaron Swartz, and Charlie Fromm taking the W at the Trivia Contest. With a mediocre performance in decorating, the Junior class came in second. Rapheal Prevot and The Hold Up (Tommy Wolfe, Ethan Angrist, Garrett Kincaid, and Graham Boswell) performed in the talent show, and with a second place finish the juniors were just behind the seniors. It all came down to the final event of the week, dodgeball. Yakini Kasimu was disappointed with the results, saying that he “had a garbage performance.” He believes Color Wars should end with a game of flag football instead. Aaron Swartz was also upset about the outcome saying that “the dodgeball game was rigged.” Despite the let down of this year’s Color Clash, Caroline O’Keefe is optimistic about next year saying, “We haven’t lost all four years yet!” She warns everyone to “prepare for the 2018 takeover next year!”
Jay Mehta Columnist Color Clash is a long-standing tradition in the high school, and for good reason. It’s the only week in the year when seniority means little to nothing, and every grade competes on equal terms. This year, we sophomores lost with great dedication. We placed last in all but the dodgeball game, in which we placed third. Owing to the fact that our delegation for the Jeopardy game was not chosen until the game began, and that our decorations were, generously put, problematic, our mostly camo-clad grade did an excellent, even impressive, job at losing. However, regardless of the final tally, it really was a fun week, and I am still proud of our grade as a whole. I also want to congratulate the senior class on a Color Clash well clashed. I just can’t decide whether or not we sophomores ought to lean in and go 0 for 4.
Alex Hrinya Columnist Whenever The Voice assigns me a new topic for “What’s the Word,” the first thing that always comes to my mind is who am I going to subtly call out in my article. When the topic of this issue was “Color Clash,” I initially had difficulty mustering up the name of someone who needs to be addressed in a clandestine way. There were so many names going through my head, that I couldn’t pin the label on one specific person. Then, the morning after the Seniors yet again won Color Clash, an idea dawned on me: all the names of people worthy of being called out in my article hail from the Junior class. As a collective grade, it appears the Juniors excel at finishing second in just about everything they do. In the most recent rankings of the grades at Pembroke Hill’s upper school, the Junior class finished either second or third, never last, nor first in anything. While the Seniors excel in categories ranging from intelligence to athletic abilities, the Junior class always seems to be just a hair behind the Seniors when it comes to the final rankings. I asked “Junior Priest,” aka Connor Jordan-Hyde ‘18, to tell me why this is. He believes this to be the case because “the junior class has no established leaders at the helm.” If Ramza is the guy everyone looks to for six seconds of entertainment, then they have an issue. All I’m saying, in the end, is all the Juniors have to do is get a little bit better at everything. Once they do this, then they may be able to finish first for once. Only time will tell.
Feature 4
The Meaning of the Women’s March: Equality, Liberty, and Justice
Bella Barnes and Gina Pepitone Managing editors
On January 21, the day after President Trump was sworn into office, millions of people across the nation rallied together, participating in what was known to be the Women’s March. This protest allowed many citizens to peacefully come together and advocate for policies concerning human rights, including immigration and healthcare reform; women’s, workers’ and LGBTQ+ rights; and religious freedom/tolerance. The march was first intended to be in Washington, D.C. with the goal of showing the new administration in the White House that women’s rights are human rights. The idea of a peaceful protest, however, spread across the globe, and as a result, according to officials who organized the march, 673 reported marches took place worldwide.
Specifically, in Kansas City, there was a march on Washington Square Park where an estimated 10,000 people turned out for the event. There were representative speakers that addressed different issues and concerns. Liz Konecny ’18 noted the sense of unity inspired by the protest: “The march brings together so many different people, it unites different political views, and advocates for women’s rights everywhere.”
This coordinated protest not only was a way to send a message to the new President, but also to fortify communities and encourage democratic involvement. Emma Knopik ’18 commented, “It was empowering to see all types of people, including men and transgender people, together for one cause at the Women’s March. I loved the sense of community, especially after the tense inauguration.” Even though the march is long over, people everywhere are still encouraged to speak up and maintain a voice in their communities. This march is only the start towards advocating and ensuring human rights. And by assuming a more active role in your community, whether that be attending protests or writing to local representatives, you are making a difference by advocating for equality and demanding liberty and justice for all. n
“This coordinated protest not only was a way to send a message to the new President, but also to fortify communities and encourage democratic involvement.”
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Student Life
Months in Review: February and March SHORT STAY:
Upper School students hosted AFS students living in Kansas and Missouri over a four day period. The exchange students shadowed their hosts during school hours and participated in weekend activities, including a PHS basketball game, Winstead’s, ice skating at Crown Center, and a pizza party.
Color Clash: Pembroke Hill seniors won this year’s Color Clash, a week of competitions between the upper school grades. The contests included decorating a portion of the school, karaoke, a talent show, and a dodgeball game. The final points were seniors wiht 740pts; juniors with 680pts; sophomores with 360 pts; freshmen with 340pts.
Photo Credit: Kathy Williams-Griffin.
Student Life 6
WPA Dance: The 2017 Women Pay All dance was held in the Lower School’s Cafeteria. The theme was “It’s All Fun and Games,” with decorations including extravagant lighting, glow necklaces and rings, and a room featuring a popcorn machine, and multiple retro video game stations where students could take a break from dancing.
Winter Sports: Pembroke Hill’s winter sports season has been extremely successful! The girls’ swim team took third place in the Independent League Championships, which is their best finish yet, and Caroline Salzman ‘18 placed 8th in the 50m and 13th in the 100m freestyle. The boys’ varsity basketball team won the Pleasant Hill Tournament, the first PHS tournament victory in 15 years. The girls dance team has also had a great season, with Maggie Burke ‘17 placing first in her solo at the William Jewell Dance Competition on Sunday. In addition, George Embry ‘19 and Daniel Duffy ‘17 both qualified for state in wrestling.
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Middle School
Middle School Spotlight: After School Clubs Ava Sweeney Middle School Staff Writer In the Pembroke Hill Middle School, there are multiple after school clubs offered. These include: Art Club, Gaming Club, Book Club, Language Club, Film Club, and many more. One of the most popular groups is Creative Writing Club. CWC offers many activities for its members, including a group pass-around story, where each writer adds onto the narrative and sharing of individual work. The club sponsor is English teacher, Mrs. Blankenship, who decided to form the club because she loves writing and giving kids the opportunity to write and create with each other: “I enjoy creative writing because of the magical worlds that you can bring to life from inside your head.”
One of the students, Sydney Siegel ‘22, says that she joined this club because “I like writing because you get to create things, situations, and people that aren’t there.” She is currently working on a screenplay. Another student in the club, Lydia McReynolds ‘23, is currently working on an online book. Lydia commented, “I like writing because it opens up a whole new world for me.” The club is so popular that Mrs. Blankenship is creating a new elective next year that is solely focused on creative writing. Be sure to check it out! n
Feature 8
The Hypocrisy of Christian Support for Trump’s Executive Order Derrick Kagwanja Contributor “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). The fundamental teachings of Christ, spanning from his proclamation of the beatitudes to his emphasis on the welcoming of outsiders, has been utterly ignored by those who lend their support to President Trump’s Immigration Ban. How can the strictest interpreters of Christian philosophy, namely within the Evangelical community, place their support behind an executive order that proves itself so egregious to the basis of Christian fellowship? Such unabashed hypocrisy is an affront to the very teachings of Christ, a man whose closest followers originated from the margins of society. Jesus chose these people because they were the ones that needed his help the most, as are the immigrants who flock to our shores everyday in search of a new life. The hypocrisy stems not from the supporters of the ban, but from the manuscript of the executive order. President Trump posits the intention of his order is to “prevent the admission of foreign nationals who intend to exploit United States immigration laws,” but cites one of the intentions for the flight of the immigrants as being invalid -- “deteriorating conditions in certain countries due to war, strife, disaster, and civil
The seven countries included in President Trump’s Executive order.
unrest increase the likelihood that terrorists will use any means possible to enter the United States” (Executive Order: Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States, Sect. 1). One must question the merit of President Trump’s statements if we consider the “civil unrest” he speaks of is, in most cases, caused by the terrorists themselves. Therefore, it is not a real reason for them to flee their home country. He must keep in mind that these people had lives of their own in countries which they were, and still are, proud to call home. These immigrants must, due to the unstable conditions in their home country, turn to the United States for a new beginning, away from the strife inflicted upon them by continual violence and destruction. “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself”’ (Galatians 5:14). The promise of heavenly benefit is sown in the love for one’s neighbor. Trump’s compre-
hensive ban of our earthly neighbors comes in direct conflict with the divine teaching of the Lord-“I hereby proclaim that the entry of foreign nationals of Syria as refugees is detrimental to the interests of the United States and thus suspend any such entry until such time as I have determined that sufficient changes have been made to the United States Refugee Program to ensure that admission of Syrian refugees is consistent with the national interest” (Executive Order: Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States, Sect. 5c.). Paul’s call for the followers of Christ to usher in those from different walks of life is not merely a suggestion; it is the basis of Christian modes of thought. Jesus’s miracles of healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and making the lame man apt again are all physical demonstrations of neighborly love. American Christians must understand that the United States is not simply a beacon of hope for immigrant families; for some, it is a last resort. Families just like the ones raised on American soil are forced to undergo suffering in the vetting process that sometimes outweighs the stress of the conditions that they are fleeing in the first place. It is paramount to keep reminding ourselves as a Christian body that the real importance of Jesus’s teachings lie in our actions, rather than a strict adherence to biblical theory. In order to re-ensure the consecration of the Word within our actions, we must remind ourselves of its divinity, a task which Northern Antebellum writer William Ellery Channing did in his piece on the freeing of slaves, Abolitionism-“If human affairs are controlled, as we believe, by Almighty Rectitude and Impartial Goodness, then to hope for happiness from wrongdoing is as insane as to seek health and prosperity by rebelling against the laws of nature, by sowing your seed on the ocean, or making poison our common food. There is but one unfailing good; and that is, fidelity to the Everlasting Law written on the heart, and rewritten and republished in God’s Word” (Channing Introduction). Willful wrongdoing, in this case, is the unwavering support of the exclusionary policies of the current administration by American Christians. I must reach back once more, invoking Frederick Douglass in his open criticism of Southern Christianity in his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass-- “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Douglass 104). If we truly adhere to the commandment of loving our neighbors as ourselves, we must not let ourselves become become mannequin Christians: simply providing a facade of our supposed values, but in actuality, ignoring them completely. Avoiding this hypocrisy is simply learning to embrace and mirror the humanity of Jesus Christ, acknowledging his love and service to the outsiders of the world, rendering us, his disciples, closer to the throne of heaven. n
9 Student
Life
Debate Spotlight:
Zandy Swartzman and Dasha Mcdonald Contributors Out of the many extracurriculars offered at Pembroke Hill, debate is often recognized as one of the most prosperous. In fact, Pembroke’s squad is ranked in the top 4% in the nation. Despite the program’s overwhelming success, many students remain uninformed about the debate program. With districts coming up soon, the Voice decided to interview two very successful seniors who are looking to qualify for State this year. District-bound Matthew Styslinger and Olivia Lesley share their thoughts on the program that they’ve been a part of throughout their entire high school careers. Matthew Styslinger participates in two distinguished events. For debate, he and his partner Marko Jovanovic ‘17 participate in Public Forum Debate (PFD). In PFD, a monthly topic is argued. There is both a pro and con side to this resolution, and Styslinger and Jovanovic must be prepared to take either side. Styslinger has been very successful in PFD, qualifying for State both sophomore and junior year. When asked what made him so successful in debate, he answered: “I focus on the real impacts of the arguments I make. For example, if I’m arguing against US intervention in Latin America, I try to humanize the argument by talking about the impacts on the personal lives of people in that region instead of focusing on statistics.” For his speech event, Styslinger participates in International Extemporaneous Speaking (IX), in
which he has ranked very highly at Nationals the past two years. IX involves writing and memorizing a seven minute speech in only thirty minutes on international current events. Now, Styslinger hopes to continue his legacy at Nationals. Olivia Lesley engages in Lincoln Douglas debate, where she is seated first on the team, with a win/loss record of 25-8. Lincoln Douglas (LD) is an individual debate in which each person chooses a value and argues its morality, which is heavily focused on logic, ethical values, and philosophy. When asked about LD, Lesley states: “Out of the many different types of speech and debates I’ve participated in, I’d have to say that LD is my favorite because I can argue philosophy and theory without having to focus on facts. It is what has exposed me to new information and ideas the most.” Lesley also takes part in Informative Oratory, an individual event in which each participant gives a memorized ten minute speech informing their judge about an interesting and unique topic. This year she hopes to take her informative speech to Nationals. When asked about how she competes so successfully in debate, she responds: “If you don’t believe in what you are saying, no one else will. This is key to most public speaking and is always what I say to debaters who are nervous.” But what have Styslinger and Lesley’s four years of Pembroke Hill Debate done
for them? Styslinger explains that he has learned a lot from the program, stating: “The ability to publicly speak and convey new ideas to people is something that will always be relevant, and even now I can see the benefits of debate whenever I have to do presentations for school. Debate helps me to realize which arguments are worth fighting for and which ones are lost causes, which is a skill that can be used in both the business and relationship worlds.” Lesley answers this question similarly: “Debate has helped me improve in so many ways. Many people just think it helps with public speaking, but it has helped me with research, critical thinking, argumentation, and understanding theory.” While there are myriad benefits of debate, it certainly has its negatives as well. Styslinger states: “While debate teaches you how to construct an argument and support it with evidence properly, it does not teach you whether or not to get into an argument in the first place. People who do debate do become more argumentative and combative, which can be great if you're trying to change minds or raise awareness, but it can also land you in hot water with parents and teachers.” He continues: “With that being said, however, I believe the benefits of debate still far outweigh the negatives. Being informed about the world around you and spreading that knowledge to others is always good, but sometimes it's better to keep arguments to yourself.”
“The ability to publicly speak and convey new ideas to people is something that will always be relevant”
Student Life 10
Matthew Styslinger and Olivia Lesley ‘17
V: Would you recommend debate to up and coming ninth graders? MS: Yes. Pursuing visual or theater arts is rewarding if you enjoy those kind of activities, but for those who don’t quite know what they want to do in high school, debate is a great place to start. Even if someone doesn’t continue debate past Freshman year, I guarantee that he or she will greatly improve his or her speaking skills which can only be beneficial. V: What is your favorite type of debate/speech? MS: My favorite type of debate is extemporaneous debate. The topic of the debate is announced to competitors thirty minutes before the first round is scheduled to start, so you and your teammates have to quickly work to assemble Pro and Con cases. The debates are often trainwrecks that are decided entirely on who has the most pre-existing knowledge of the topic, but it’s awesome if you have an edge on your opponent and can clobber him or her. V: Do you have any tips on how to be a successful debater? MS: Focus on the real impacts of the arguments you make. For example, if you’re arguing against US intervention in Latin America, try to humanize the argument by talking about the impacts on the personal lives of people in that region instead of focusing on statistics.
V: How would you describe the Pembroke Hill Debate Program? OL: Some people are very competitive and others not so much. For me, I’ve bonded a lot with people who compete in the same events I do and although we are very aggressive in debate rounds we still encourage each other.
V: How time consuming has debate been? MS: During the height of the debate season in February/March, the workload can be overwhelming at times. However, Mr. Smith consistently assigns work that is meant to help you as a debater rather than fill your time, so the assignments feel meaningful and relevant.
V: What’s your favorite aspect of debate? OL: I like learning about topics or issues I have never heard of or thought about before. Debate has exposed me to a breadth of information and ideas which have greatly improved my understanding of the world.
V: What is your fondest memory of debate? MS: My favorite debate memory is the overnight trip we took to Neosho, Missouri last year. While the tournament itself was grueling at times, hearing Charles Li laughing at Shrek vines was more than enough to propel me through the day.
V: Why did you join debate? OL: In fifth grade, there was a small debate after school program and my sister was a freshman in highschool doing debate. When I told her I wanted to do debate, she sat me down and had me watch a documentary on debate and explained what it was like. Ever since then, I’ve been very committed to debate. V: What have you learned throughout your 4 years of debate? OL: If you don’t believe in what you are saying, no one else will. This is key to most public speaking and is always what I say to debaters who are nervous. The best piece of advice I ever received though was: “the only way the last round can influence your next one is if you let it” this is what has kept me going even when I haven’t succeeded.
The College Process: What is important to consider for Pembroke students? Pages 12-16
Arts vs. Stem:
Feature 12
Should one area be emphasized more than the other?
Paolo Laskero Staff Writer The world is changing and evolving with every day that passalso many positive aspects to a STEM degree, such as specialized es. As we high school students embark on the college process and learning and greater immediate job opportunities. In an increaseffectively into the rest of our lives, the decisions we make on ingly technological world, STEM fields are gaining more and more what to study are heavily influenced by the changing world that popularity for a variety of reasons. One such reason is rising tuiwe are entering. For decades, degrees in liberal arts dominated tion costs and student loan debts. Another is the general concepthe world of higher education, but in recent years there has been tion that a STEM degree leads to a higher paying job. a shift in the value of STEM degrees. For those who don’t even However, the value in a liberal arts education comes from real want to begin thinking about world application. The liberal arts college until the last possible versus STEM debate is largely an moment and have no idea “The liberal arts versus STEM debate is large- arbitrary one because the sort of what I am even talking about criteria that a person uses to dewhen I refer to liberal arts ver- ly an arbitrary one because the criteria that a termine educational preferences sus STEM, allow me to clar- person uses to determine educational prefer- is based on individual belief that ify that a liberal arts degree will vary based on the way that ences is based on individual belief” would be in a subject such as each person derives value. literature, history, philosophy, Some argue that the debate is and social sciences. STEM suba result of a false dichotomy, and jects include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. the two different classifications of learning fields should not be A liberal arts education is not geared as much toward training separated so definitively as opposites. Liberal arts backgrounds for a specific career. Rather, it is generally focused on developing can be extremely beneficial toward achieving a STEM degree. For employable skills through broad study in a variety of liberal arts example, the idea of adding arts to STEM programs, or STEAM, subjects. The skills that an arts education targets include: effective has been gaining momentum recently. However, the conundrum communication, the ability to think for oneself, and the capacity of the idea of STEAM is how to incorporate arts into a STEM profor lifelong learning among many others. gram in an authentic way that retains the identity and purpose of In his famous Kenyon College commencement speech “This is the program. Some people argue that the “A” of STEAM should Water,” author David Foster Wallace discusses the validity of the be included in all versions of STEM programs because creativity cliché that a liberal arts education is about “teaching you how to and the arts are essential to success in STEM fields. Ultimately, the think.” The value of an arts education lies in teaching the skills choice of liberal arts versus STEM is not a clear cut decision, and that are essential to being a human being. However, there are which is superior truly depends on the criteria of the candidate. n
Percent of students who believe STEM subjects should...
Absolutely
be emphasized more
11.1% than arts and humanities
mainly
mainly not
Absolutely Not
be emphasized more
be emphasized more
31.3%
31.9%
25.7%
than arts and humanities
than arts and humanities
than arts and humanities
be emphasized more
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Feature
Ethan Starr Contributor
Sanctuary Campuses: A Growing Trend
Yale University, Stanford University, and Middlebury College: what do these schools have in common, besides incoming freshmen from the Pembroke class of 2017? Each of these schools has joined the growing league of so-called “sanctuary campuses,” or colleges with policies of noncompliance towards immigration authorities. Absent of a warrant from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE), the 28 self-proclaimed sanctuary campuses have universally agreed policies of withholding student information, including documentation status, as well as refusing to involve campus security in any possible investigation of immigrant students. What reasons do these colleges cite for resistance to federal laws? Is their opposition to ICE justified and necessary for the protection of their students? One must first consider that these measures have been fashioned thus far for mainly hypothetical situations. Under the Obama administration, undocumented Americans were encouraged to pursue a
both Johnson and Shawnee Counties have pursued such policies on the orders of the sheriff’s offices. Similar to sanctuary cities, the conceivable punishment of any college campus’ refusal to comply with immigration officials is likely to prove difficult for legislators on state and national levels. Attorney General Sessions, along with several other administration officials, have repeatedly suggested a freeze of federal funding to any sanctuary city. Such an action seems unlikely on a national scale, considering most federal dollars in urban areas perform constructive services that are both uncontroversial and unrelated to immigration. Punitive measures against universities shielding undocumented students have so far arisen only in Alabama, whose House of Representatives voted to withhold funds in early February. Unlike the concept of sanctuary cities, college campuses have not appeared in court to defend their positions, but the previous “benign neglect” of the Obama administration toward noncompliance with immigration authorities no
Map of universities and colleges in support of sanctuary campuses
higher education, even receiving in-state scholarships in many parts of the country. Having registered with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, young, undocumented students within the US could apply for work permits and student visas. These protections enabled many of the 65,000 undocumented high school graduates each year to openly engage in the pursuit of a higher education within the country they had come to know. The majority of these “Dreamers,” as the DACA-protected young people are called, came to the US illegally at a very young age, where they were often not conscious of the decision. Yet recent developments have strained the already limited level of trust between undocumented Americans and the immigration authorities, to whom many Dreamers willingly provided their personal information. In addition to the election of President Trump and his wall-building agenda, recent weeks have also seen the confirmation of border-hawk Jeff Sessions as Attorney General and the continued presence of Kansas’ own Kris Kobach in Washington as an advisor on immigration policy. All three have vocally opposed the open defiance of the nation’s two hundred sanctuary cities towards federal immigration law and ICE. These cities provide the inspiration and the precedent for their similar campus movements with actions like refusal to detain undocumented people without probable cause. While no local cities in the Metro area have adopted such measures,
longer protects the renegade policies of municipalities or universities. The sanctuary campus movement has been ushered into the national spotlight due to an increasing number of student protests across the nation. At schools like East Los Angeles University, with an estimated 5,000 undocumented students out of 30,000 total, student activism on the subject began only days after President Trump’s inauguration. Fear remains in the lives of unknown numbers of undocumented college students across the nation, many of whom have only ever known home to be the United States. As Americans witnessed the first large-scale instance of raids and detainments of the new administration, with many illegal immigrants detained without having possessed a criminal record. Undocumented college students now face the grim reality of their limited legal protections, while possessing only limited abilities to make their voices heard within a campus environment. Recent college protests will not be the last of college-centric activism toward immigration policies, nor will they encompass only the statuses of undocumented students. As Pembroke students venture to colleges across the country in the coming autumn, they will be confronted by students of an array of nationalities that feel threatened in our nation. Mexican, Somali, Iranian; documented or undocumented; immigrant or refugee; to many of Pembroke’s incoming college students, they will be known simply as friends. n
Private vs. Public:
How does type of high school affect college admissions?
Rachael Colligan and Olivia Sabates Staff Writer and Contributor
Feature 14
Pembroke Hill is credited for its stellar academics, diligent students, and connections with several top colleges. Between academics, extracurricular activities, and sports, students graduate with extensive resumes to send to colleges. The college admissions process is quite strenuous and time consuming and, to top it all off, there is the possibility of rejection. Many students who endure the academic rigor of Pembroke and the stress of the college admissions process wonder: Is attending Pembroke advantageous when applying to their dream school? Since the current generation is exceedingly concerned with elevating their résumé and receiving the highest GPA possible, the deviation between one application to another is slim to none. Consequently, many students hope that attending Pembroke Hill will give them an advantage in the elusive admissions process. According to a recent survey of the student body, a resounding 82% believe that students attending a private school have an advantage over those attending a public school in the admissions process. In many aspects, this is true, as quality private schools such as Pembroke Hill employ full-time college counselors, who become invaluable guides and advocates in the admissions process. Furthermore, being surrounded by other high-achieving peers encourages students to have high expectations for themselves (95% of private school students go on the four-year college, as opposed to 50% at public schools). Yet private school students should also be aware that more is expected of them, such as SAT subject tests and stellar recommendations, because they have had the advantage of a private education. However, Pembroke Hill is not just any private school: It is one of the best. College counselor Mr. Medlock affirms that college admissions representatives recognize the school, saying Pembroke Hill has “a hard-earned reputation by decades of Pembroke graduates.” Although he also admits that Pembroke Hill students are expected to be more accomplished, this is not difficult when surrounded by the dedicated faculty and numerous benefits of a first-rate school. In the end, the reputation and noted academics of Pembroke go a long way, setting up hard-working Pembroke students for success in the long run. n
Q. Given two equal students, do you think the one attending a private school would have an advantage in college admissions over the one attending a public school?
82.2% Yes
17.8% No
15
Feature
Is a College’s Prestige Important? Hunter Julo Managing Editor Every year, U.S. World News & World Report releases a list of America’s best colleges and universities, one frequented by both college officials and applying students. There is no doubt that people value the acceptance of a top noted university to one of a name that does not hold the same standard. But, to what end? Does the selectivity of a college truly mean the college will provide a better education and, transitively, a better life? At Pembroke, we are no stranger to this topic. Whether it is student or parent-driven is individually based, but there are plenty of people who feel pressured to attend some school, get some job, or go down some set path in life. If we don’t do this, we might as well drop out and commit to working for minimum wage for the rest of our lives...or at least this is the type of drastic thinking adopted by our community. But if we don’t go to that one college, will this actually happen? College rankings are based on the most miniscule details of what a college truly is, but we let this idea encapsulate how good or bad a school is. It is somewhat believed that if a school has a lower acceptance rate, it must be an overall better institution because it is more selective. In actuality, schools will lure in potential applicants they do not plan to accept in order to lower the percentage of people they let in. The boatload of emails we receive after the PSAT? That’s what they’re all about. Colleges want us to apply so they can make their 14% turn into an 11%, making their school
seem more desired. We all buy into this, because getting into Harvard is seen as more impressive than getting into a state school. But, why? Yes, it is harder to get in there, but college is not about going to a school with the lowest acceptance rate. We should be congratulating people for their accomplishment of going somewhere to further their experience of finding themselves. I can shakily say that if I got accepted to Harvard (hah, not happening) and got accepted to a small liberal arts school with less of a known name, I would chose the smaller school if I wanted to go there. In a poll conducted by The Voice, it found that on a scale of 1-5 (where 1 is no influence and 5 is major infleunce), about 42% of students answered 4 or 5, indicating that prestige has an impact on their college decisions. 35% of students were in the middle, while only 33% do not take into account prestige. College is four years long, and four years is too long to decide upon spending it in order to please someone else. A more selective school does not mean that it is the place a person will strive the most. As much as I hate hearing about fit during every college visit I go on, that is what it is all about. An acceptance rate or list of an alumni does not mean the education is what a person needs. It has never been about the school, but the person you are when you are there, and the person you have set yourself up to be when you are leaving. A school’s history doesn’t write your future. Only you can do that. n
“The idea of prestige is based on background in my opinion. Coming to Pembroke, I realized people care more about a fancy, intellectual college than where they will feel comfortable and thrive. I think it mirrors the idea with money that a lot of people have here: they have it all. Going to college is one is the main mile markers in life that will show people you have it all based solely on an acceptance to a certain college.” -Anonymous PHS Student
“Doing It For the Resume”
Feature 16
Examining whether padding your resume is harmful or helpful Ellie Burke and Catherine Dema Contributor and Staff Writer “...And, anyway, it looks great on your college résumé.” Whether strolling through Club Fair in the fall, visiting a debate tournament in February, or discussing summer plans at the end of a year, students continually hear this sentiment. Often, they dismiss it, thinking themselves incapable of shallowness. Nonetheless, they pass the same advice down when their time as seniors comes. Our school is driven by one overshadowing purpose: getting students into college. And, what is the single key that can unlock any university? Our applications, of course. Thus, while most people acknowledge that the concept of padding their resume is probably unethical, very few make the choice to forgo this increasingly common practice. Why? Probably because it works. From the perspective of college admissions, padded resumes look very similar to resumes of exceptional students who are involved in activities about which they are passionate. In fact, these applications often outshine those in which students follow their hearts because that path often tethers them to a single activity. Consequently, these students seem uninvolved in their school. And, what about a kid who truly cares about everything (and, therefore, does just that)? To colleges, they seem flighty...even if that impression is far from the truth. So, what can students do but “play the game” of college admissions? Criticisms about this attitude are prevalent, holding students to a higher moral standard and dismissing these students as doing unnecessary work. If the work done solely for a resume is all for naught, are colleges lying when they say they expect var-
ied activities and students who aren’t just bookies? As evidenced by each graduating senior class, it becomes hard to differentiate between exceptional students who earn top grades and test scores. Very few colleges want a campus made up of students who have only ever studied, because those students may not be passionate about anything in particular; they may not contribute anything special to the school. Schools get to know you through your activities and essays. If you make yourself more appealing by displaying some interesting activity, you likely have a higher chance of getting accepted to a top school. When you are raised with the specific goal of going to the most prestigious college possible, you do what is required to get in. Padding a resume by doing certain extracurriculars solely for the result of getting into college certainly seems deceitful, especially if a student’s connection to a certain activity is exaggerated beyond their true feelings. However, when you choose to sell your soul for the app, are you still selling your soul if you find you love what that activity in which you become involved? What happens when you actually gain a fantastic experience from an activity you only participated in to make yourself look more impressive? If there is no difference in the outcome, the motivation should not matter in the end. As long as you see the value and enjoyment in your extracurricular, should you still be treated as if you never really cared about it? No. Despite the fact that you may have begun that activity for the “wrong” reason, padding your resume still encouraged you to push yourself out of your comfort zone and ironically discover a new passion.
A Few
None
Half Many All
2.1%
9.2% 4.5%
46.5% 38.7%
“How many extracurricular activities did you start only to boost your resume?”
That said, happy coincidences like these do not usually occur in the resume-building world. If you hate science, joining Science Olympiad to look good for college is not the best idea. Therefore, you should in no way engage in an activity solely because it will help build your resume -- you must always make sure that you will be able to express at least some interest in whatever you will be doing. (Note: this tip becomes particularly essential when the feeling the push of parents.) According to Ms. Stevens, one of Pembroke’s five college counselors, universities want to actually catch a glimpse of the real you -- not the version that you believe will attract their eye. So, if given the choice between sticking with what you really like or an activity you can barely tolerate, choose the former...and bless yourself with some extra free time. Every Pembroke student knows you could use it. Besides simply allowing yourself to breathe, staying away from that one bonus club can also benefit your fellow classmates. Caroline Salzman ‘18 and Rebecca Kessler ‘18 stated, “It’s really annoying [when people do things just to boost their resume] because people do things without being interested in them and claim to do more than they actually do, and I don’t think it helps.” Oh, yes, they do exist: that perfect storm of a resume-builder and a complete, utter slacker. And, just when they think they can slip into the back of the club photo, thus beefing up their upcoming Yale interview without lifting a finger, they should know: we see you and if it was up to us, we wouldn’t give you the satisfaction. As Spencer Schmid, ‘17, put it: “If you’re going to [pad your resume], do [each activity] to the best of your abilities. Don’t let the result of your actions suffer because you choose to get involved in something you don’t care about.” Trust us, if you do this, you will be more respected and appreciated by colleges and students alike. Although we may tell ourselves time and time again that we are giving up our night “just for the experience,” it is perfectly okay to acknowledge that some activities are just resume builders. No matter how hard we may try, every student secretly cares about getting into college. After all, it is an accomplishment that can get one a long way in modern-day America. However, despite the passions that may be introduced to us, we must make sure to always insulate in moderation. n
Baylor McCrary and Sophie Utz Business Manager and Contributor
PHOTO POLL:
Bennie Dai ‘18:
Crush: Tom Hiddleston Date: Asgard
Kathryn Miyawaki ‘17:
Crush: Young Jack Nicholson Date: Anywhere but the Overlook Hotel
Caroline Fromm ‘20 Crush: Brendon Urie Date: 21 Pilots concert
Graham Cranshaw ‘18 Crush: Rihanna Date: Massachusetts
Student Life 18
Who is your celebrity crush and where would you take him/her on a date?
Karoline Park ‘19
Crush: Chris Evans Date: California Pizza Kitchen
Stella Kahl ‘19 Crush: Bernie Sanders Date: To get sushi
Austin Tang ‘19
Gregory Bortnick ‘17 Crush: Olivia Sabates Date: Tita’s Kitchenette
Crush: Samuel L. Jackson Date: Cinetopia to see Kingsmen
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& =√
Written by Mr. Griffiths
Mathematics Euclid alone has looked on Beauty bare. Let all who prate of Beauty hold their peace, And lay them prone upon the earth and cease To ponder on themselves, the while they stare At nothing, intricately drawn nowhere In shapes of shifting lineage; let geese Gabble and hiss, but heroes seek release From dusty bondage into luminous air. O blinding hour, O holy, terrible day, When first the shaft into his vision shone Of light anatomized! Euclid alone Has looked on Beauty bare. Fortunate they Who, though once only and then but far away, Have heard her massive sandal set on stone.
Beauty
The above sonnet is “Euclid Alone has looked on Beauty bare” written by Edna St. Vincent Millay and published in 1922. To many mathematicians and scientists, Millay’s words have captured a sense of the underlying aesthetics in mathematics. When I was approached to write an article for The Voice, the role of mathematics and beauty in my life seemed like an appropriate topic. I should start with a disclaimer: I consider writing to be a difficult endeavor. My apologies to the English department for admitting this, but writing has never been an enjoyable activity for me. Even now as I write, I wish I could be having a conversation instead of painstakingly trying to craft each sentence into an intelligible transfer of ideas. While I am unsure of my ever-changing use of tenses, extraneous commas, and fragmented or rambling sentence structure, I have faith that the dutiful staff of The Voice will correct the majority of my blunders. To the readers of The Voice, I hope you decide to stay with me through any errors that slip past the editors, and the lack of elegant phrasing. To begin, what is mathematics? Defining mathematics can be tricky. There have been many definitions over time and not everyone agrees on what should be included in mathematics. Many of the definitions given to mathematics involve quantity, structure, space, and change. I view mathematics as the study of patterns. The mathematician searches for common patterns and draws conclusions from them. Sometimes those conclusions are useful, other times they are not. To help describe the patterns that mathematicians observe, we developed an array of tools for deeper understanding including: counting, measurement, and calculation. Those who study math usually fall into one of two catego-
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ries: the applied mathematician or the pure mathematician. Those who wish to deepen the knowledge of specific phenomenon in our world are usually interested in applied mathematics. These people include scientists, engineers, computer analysts, and financiers. Those who wish to gain an understanding of relationships in an abstract sense without a specific goal in mind are typically the pure mathematicians. These people tend to study a special area of mathematics that include topics like algebra, number theory, topology, probability, and statistics. I enjoy pure mathematics more than applied mathematics. I favor pure mathematics because I like games. I enjoy riddles, puzzles, and considering hypothetical situations solely for the purpose of extrapolating kernels of truth. In a way, pure mathematics are the greatest game in the world, and one you can play entirely in your mind. The game is simple: You define the rules, and from those rules you look for patterns. In mathematics you are only limited by your imagination. Mathematics transcends the physical world. Try going in your backyard tonight and find a wild three in its natural habitat. You might find examples of three-ness: three trees, three dogs, three annoying younger siblings; but you won’t find any true threes in nature because three is an abstract idea. It only exists in our minds. Now, it just so happens that three is a very useful concept, and it is used throughout the world as a means of describing quantity. As such, it almost seems as real to us as the clothes on our backs, and indeed we probably favor its abstract patterns more than many of the tangible objects in the world. Mathematics’ abstract nature is a philosophical matter and its beauty is found in the patterns it weaves. G.H. Hardy said it well, “A mathematician, like a painter or poet, is a maker of patterns. If his patterns are more permanent than theirs, it is because they are
Columns 20 made with ideas.” I mentioned that pure mathematicians do not give much thought to the application of their studies. This apathetic view of the practicality of the mathematics should not be confused with lack of usefulness. Often the ideas of pure mathematics find their usefulness in the most creative and unexpected ways. For example, the complex number (or imaginary number, i), which seems to be the bane of so many young algebra students, owes its discovery to mathematicians that didn’t seem to care much for its perceived lack of usefulness. They saw the patterns that could be made with this new number system much like the inclusion of fractions many years before. Many in the mathematical world thought of the i as useless (as zero, negative numbers, and irrationals in years past). Some 200 years later that “useless” number, i, would become one of the most important numbers in math, describing all sorts of events such as fluid flow, electrical circuits, resonance, and quantum mechanics to name a few. It would be difficult to find any aspect of life void of mathematics. The detection of pattern is at the core of our ability to navigate the world. Perhaps you don’t agree to the definition of mathematics as the study of pattern. Should the definition of mathematics involve formulas and symbolic logic? Even then, it would be hard to deny that our knowledge of almost any subject is greatly improved by mathematics. Math is all around us. To help understand the interconnectedness of mathematics, I often ask students to consider the following analogy. Imagine you are standing on top of a mountain in the early morning overlooking a fog covered valley. Occasionally, the peak of a mountain pierces the thick blanket of fog and you are able to glimpse it through the veil. Each peak that juts through the canopy appears to be its own solitary mountain. However, as the fog dissipates in the afternoon sun, you start to see that all of the peaks you thought were separate mountains are actually all part of the same mountain range. In much the same way, the mathematical concepts that students learn in school are not as disjointed and separate as typically believed. Rather, mathematics is an intricate web of interconnected concepts and ideas. Education gives us the power to burn away the fog and see the true ways in which the patterns are formed. Why do we teach mathematics in school? I believe its inclusion in the educational system is two-fold and similar to the schools of thought in pure and applied mathematics. First, there is beauty in mathematics. Math is one of the greatest
achievements of human thought and should be appreciated as surely as the greatest works of art. Second, mathematics has a tendency to be quite useful. How will the next generations of doctors, engineers, and scientists be ready for the advancing world without a solid understanding of the rules that we use to describe it? I became an educator to help people become well-rounded critical thinkers. I want students to be able to critique any given problem and cut to the core of the issue. I believe that when more people in our society can apply critical thinking skills, we all benefit. With this in mind, the study of mathematics is an excellent avenue for training your mind to think clearer, more efficiently, and to solve problems. The axiomatic systems from which math is built is a wonderful way to train your brain to arrive at valid conclusions based on reason alone. Mathematics’ rigorous definitions, unrelenting logic, and ingeniously constructed arguments have built a foundation that has lasted thousands of years. The systems of mathematics are so steeped in critical thinking that truths found in the mathematics of the ancient Greeks are as valid today as they were 2500 years ago. That kind of lasting power is a testament to its strength. Furthermore, mathematics teaches students the importance of precise and technical language as well as the fortitude required to push through complex abstract reasoning (just ask the Differential Equation students who use an entire page of work per problem). In today’s world, critical thinking is a necessary skill for success. I don’t think we are quite on the path to Idiocracy yet, but we seem to be on cruise control too often. In the face of overwhelming information on all sides of an issue, we need a way to sift through the information in an efficient manner. We cannot throw up our hands and give up in the face of adversity. In a world designed to confuse and mislead you with fake news, alternative facts, and purposely distorted statistics, it will take the critical thinkers to break through the fog. We need to understand that words matter, and their implications can sometimes have unexpected and far-reaching effects. There are numerous ways to become a well-rounded, critical thinker. I happen to feel that mathematics is perfectly suited for the task at hand. The realization that math is everywhere defines my everyday thinking. The patterns in the world are connected in ways we might not realize. I have personally experienced concepts coming together in awe-inspiring ways. It has been described by some mathema- ticians as being touched by the divine. Those are the moments that hooked me. It is an intoxicating experience. It feels like I am part of something bigger than myself, shared a moment with an eternal truth, or glimpsed Beauty bare.
“Math is one of the greatest achievements of human thought and should be appreciated as surely as the greatest works of art.”
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Hihat 5012 State Line Rd, Westwood Hills, KS 66205
Bella Barnes and Roxanne Reasco Columnists We went to Hi Hat, Pembroke’s favorite coffee shop to talk to barista Hanna about what it’s like working in the small coffee shop, and the community that has been built around it! V: How long have you worked here? How has the place changed since you started? H: I’ve worked here a bit over three years. It’s a really nice job to have while you’re in school! It’s really flexible. It doesn’t change very often (laughs). We’ve been open for 18 years, and our owner and his family have had the place the entire time. I love the family, they are really sweet. The menu changes a bit, but for the most part that’s it! Last year, we started making our own syrups: lavender honey and a few other flavors, so that’s been really exciting. V: How long did it take for you to learn how to make all of the drinks and master how to make each? H: It doesn’t happen immediately, but it’s really not too challenging, and once you give it a few weeks to get the recipes memorized, you get it down. A lot of it is intuitive, and over time you figure it out. It doesn’t take too long. Speed takes the longest, but for the new hires it only takes them a couple months to be where we are. V: How does the size of Hi Hat affect your work environment? H: It really depends on the type of place
you’re working at. The intimacy of the staff definitely. We’re really fortunate that we get along so well. I love my coworkers! V: Did you hear about the job initially from them? H: I was originally a customer here, and I knew I needed another job, and over time I became friends with the owner, and by luck I got a job here, and it’s been really nice. V: What’s your favorite thing about working here? H: I love my coworkers, they’re amazing. V: What kind of customers do you usually get? H: As employees we’re all pretty close, and we’ve built a lot of nice relationships with customers. A lot of the customers have met each other from going here, so we’ve definitely built a small community which has a family-feel to it. There are a lot of regulars who you see everyday which is really nice. Mostly people who live in the neighborhood. Most of them come in on their way to work in the mornings, a lot of them work at KU, the law offices on the Plaza, and about 3-3:30 is Pembroke time (laughs). Mostly
middle school kids, but a few high schoolers too. V: How do the seasons affect business? H: Well, sometimes I think it’s nicer in the summer because we have more outdoor seating, so everyone hangs out. We’re also a bit busier in the afternoons. We have really pretty flowers and new syrups in the summer, so it’s great. V: What’s it like working here especially during the election season and overhearing people’s conversations? H: It’s a mixed bag. We don’t talk about politics here for obvious reasons. It’s a tender time for people. We hear all different opinions, but we can’t join in, you know? I think it’s more or less not an issue, usually customers are pretty quiet when they’re talking about their beliefs. Sometimes it’s more intense and you just look at them and sort of mask whatever your reaction is. V: If Hi Hat was a music genre, what would it be? H: That’s a good question! I think that would be different for everyone, but we listen to a lot of jazz, so I think that probably characterizes it well.
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DAM
STRAIGHT
WITH NATALIE DAMERON With so much focus on numbers and statistics throughout the college admissions process, it is hard to see how your personality can shine through. Recommendation letters and personal essays can help to communicate more about yourself. However, I have found that the most personal aspect of the process is what most people often fear: the interview. I have discovered that interviews intimidate even the most outgoing and confident of applicants. Although I am still playing the waiting game, I am a survivor of the first half of the college process, and I would like to offer my advice to you in two parts. Be yourself, and tell a story. In reference to the first half of my advice, I suggest you simply stay true to who you are. The interviewer is always rooting for you to succeed, so the best thing you can do is just act naturally. One of my favorite parts of high school has been the small conversations that occur in the halls or in a classroom while waiting for class to begin. These conversations, although rather short and abrupt, occur between anyone and everyone. Two people who may not usually interact, suddenly are conversing out of pure coincidence and convenience. It helps to calm nerves for college interviews by thinking of them as one of
these conversations. You may not know the other person that well, but that is what makes it all the more interesting. I would also advise you to tell a story. Through each interview I have experienced, I have learned a lot about the school. However, I have also met some amazing people and learned that everyone has a story to tell. At one interview, we began with discussing the climate of northern California and ended with telling stories about bugs flying into ears. At the next interview we began on the topic of geometry and ended with an in depth discussion of the characters from The Godfather. Each interviewer has given me new advice for the college experience as well as insight to all of life’s situations. No matter the specific college discussed, I’ve always found that telling stories was what taught me the most. Pembroke allows you to make connections with people you’ve known your whole life, or the majority of your life. These interviews have displayed the vast array of personalities that exist outside of our small community. I am excited for college because of the many potential connections and relationships. I am looking forward to the people I am going to meet, and the stories I will hear. n
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Where we stand:
Wil Rowland Columnist We live in a very interesting time. Not only is there more political division than ever in history, but every day the definition of the truth is changing. In this crazy world, controversy is commonplace, and nearly every government issue is debated endlessly. Although you will find no shortage of people complaining about “congress” or bureaucratic incompetence, this period could be the first time that some previously ignored issues receive the debate they merit. Betsy DeVos is Trump’s official nominee for secretary of education, who, while being one of his only selections that have governmental experience, seems to have even less knowledge about the public school system than any other official in Washington. DeVos’ platform is based on creating more charter schools and increasing the student’s school choice. A system based on vouchers, DeVos plan would divert tax money away from public school funding to vouchers, which students could use to go to a for-profit school. Very similarly to the U.S prison system the words “for-profit” do not signify great things. Although, on the surface her plan would allow kids
2017.01.29 Oppose Betsy DeVos Protest, Washington, DC
previously unable to attend private school to do so, the voucher systems in place have no accountability measures. So families often end up signing away their children’s rights, only to end up in a school without the proper resources to educate. In DeVos’ home state of Michigan, where she has successfully applied programs like these, the charter schools she promotes are running behind. Not only is the entire state lagging behind the rest of the nation, but the charter schools she promotes score worse than traditional public schools. DeVos is a true outsider, just as Trump says he wants, but in all of her years rejecting the system and being a true American renegade, she has picked up no knowledge of the existing public schooling system. At her nomination hearing, she demonstrated little to no knowledge on federal education law, which although allowed for some great comedy is considerably less funny as she has now been elected to the position. There is undoubtedly humor to me in Trump’s selection of DeVos, as the only difference between them is that one can lie about doing a job they are vastly unqualified for and the other cannot. However, the
education is too fundamental to the country to still be funny. For over a century, a key ideal of America has been that education should be given to all regardless of social status, wealth or disability.
“Families often end up signing away their children’s rights, only to end up in a school without the proper resources to educate.” With the appointing of DeVos as Secretary of Education, the rights of the lowerclass and the disabled to education is in danger. The voucher system, while fully protective against grizzly attacks, does not protect those with special needs. Charter schools never meet all the needs of a disabled student and do not allow students who cannot pay the full tuition covered by the voucher. If the Trump administration follows DeVos’ plan and promotes charter, private, and for-profit schools on a voucher system, they would be pushing down the lower classes while still taxing the American people. n
No on I-1240 (Charter School) Lawn Sign, U-District, Seattle WA
Columns 24
Should the US be creating more charter schools? Grace Parkerson Columnist When you go to a school like Pembroke, it’s hard to say that you don’t value education. Pembroke offers a fantastic education - but not all schools are like Pembroke. In fact, most schools are nowhere close to us. The truth is, the American public education system is failing millions of children across the nation. The solution? Charter schools. Charter schools, which are publicly funded independent schools, offer the best hope for improving education in America. Not every city needs charter schools; the Shawnee Mission Schools and Blue Valley Schools offer great public education. Charter schools are created out of necessity, typically in inner cities without decent public schools. In these cities, charter schools provide a better education - that’s a fact. Let’s take a state like Michigan for example. The public school system in Detroit is famously bad. The graduation rate for Detroit Public Schools is 64.7%. The 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress tests also showed that just 4% of Detroit public school eighth graders are proficient in math, and 7% are proficient in reading. The charter schools in Detroit, on the other hand, have proven to provide significantly better education and show higher test scores. Out of the top 25 schools in Detroit, 18 are charter schools. 79% of charter schools in Detroit
perform above the Detroit Public School average. Charter schools provide a better education than public schools without the high cost of a private school.
“Every child in America deserves a good education. But the government has not been successful in establishing good public schools in every part of the United States.” Charter schools also allow for better teaching and fewer regulations. Labor unions in schools are a major hindrance to public education. Not only are taxpayers paying money to support tenured teachers, the labor union laws allow for unfit teachers to continue to educate the youth of America. Even offenses of sexual harassment and cheating while grading Regent exams have only led to suspension for some teachers. Labor unions and teacher strikes have also interfered with student education in many instances. In Detroit, in January of 2016, 88 of the district’s 100 schools were forced to close due to a city-wide teacher “sick-out.” 44,790 students were forced to miss class that day. The lack of teacher unions in Charter schools has been a contributing factor to their success.
Where The Students Stand:
Charter schools have proven to have better test scores and an overall better education. It gives students and parents the choice for an improved education process, and there is no extra cost to these schools. So, what’s the problem? A popular argument against charter schools is the that the schools create inequality. It is true - charter schools provide a much better education than the failing public schools in many cities. But inequality in education already exists. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong about making an effort to bridge the gap between these failing public schools and costly private schools. Because almost all parents would rather their children in a charter school than a failing public school, not every student who wants to attend a charter school is able to - but that doesn’t mean we should take away a better education for those who are able to attend a charter school. If we can provide a better education for 2.5 million students across the US, I think that we are taking a step in the right direction. Every child in America deserves a good education. But the government has not been successful in establishing good public schools in every part of the United States. Charter schools have begun to solve that problem, and they should be able to continue opening more schools in areas that lack a decent education. n
Metro Charter School: Students line up before school starts
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Columns
Unbiased Opinions with Clay Lundgren ‘17 The CollegeBoard’s Monopoly on the Selection Process Having finally finished the college application process, I can say the following with incredible certainty: It is the worst, most taxing process anyone will partake in during their high school career. However, amongst the many aspects of this process with which I take umbridge, none are worse than the CollegeBoard. Throughout this particular installment of Biased Opinions, I hope to explain to you why they are so nefarious and why a serious change is necessary for our college selection process in order to make it more approachable, especially to low-income families. The first overarching issue is that of the AP exams. Not even mentioning the ~$90 fee for each test, these Advanced Placement exams have sapped any semblance of life from many high school courses. The CollegeBoard provides a curriculum which must be followed for each course. If you are a teacher of an AP course, you must, as the common phrase goes: “teach to the test.” This strips the teachers of multitudinous aspects of creativity which they could have in planning their classes. I have taken nine total AP courses throughout my high school career and I cannot tell you how many times teachers of mine have said something to the effect of: “I would like to expand upon this topic, but it’s not on the AP; so we have to move on.” There simply is not enough time in the year to go in-depth with the topics which the teachers want us to know and also learn all of the topics which the CollegeBoard needs us to know. And, even in a world where students do not care about the college credit received from the exams, having good AP scores on your college apps is a huge plus. On that note, it is virtually impossible to avoid the CollegeBoard should you want to get into college. The CollegeBoard controls the PSAT, the SAT, the SAT Subject Tests, AP Exams, and the CSS Financial Aid Profile (a supplement to the FAFSA which many private universities require). You must pay for all of these things. You might think that you would not have to pay for the CSS Profile, as it is for financial aid. You would be wrong. Taking any of these tests costs money and sending any of these schools your scores costs money each time you wish to do so. I have done the math. By the end of this process, I will have taken 9 AP Exams, 7 Subject Tests, sent several of those Subject Tests to many different schools, and sent 5 CSS Profiles. What does that tally up to? Nearly $1,200. I am the fourth student in my family to go through this process. Probably the most annoying part about this is that CollegeBoard still treats me like garbage. There was an incident in which I
required strenuous support on a Subject Test sitting registration, and they could not have been more rude and less helpful. If you had spent $1,200 by yourself at a restaurant over the span of just a few months, the owners of the restaurant would treat you like a god. The CollegeBoard could care less about any of its patrons. They are going to make ludicrous amounts of money off of you regardless, because there is no alternative. The ACT is the only other option, and even that is not enough should you want to get into your average reach university. Now imagine that you are a part of a low-income family, or that you are the first person in your family to apply to college. You attend a school with no college counseling and you do not have the money to pay for this exorbitant amount of CollegeBoard products. There are some ways to get fee waivers for certain CollegeBoard items, but these options are not advertised. If you discover the opportunity, it is still a complete labyrinth to fill out all of these fee waivers and get all of the fees actually waived. The CollegeBoard is almost single-handedly barring low-income students, no matter how bright, from attending a college of their choice. Many bright students encounter this process and do not have the tools at hand in order to conquer it--so they are discouraged. The CollegeBoard also has a program called IDOC which some smaller private unversities require. You have to provide W2’s and tax returns for yourself, custodial, and non-custodial parents alike. It is invariably strenuous, difficult to orchestrate, and would be nearly impossible if you are told nothing about it, or if you do not have access to all of your parents’ records exceedingly readily. Hopefully at this point you see how unbelievably nefarious this corporation is. They do not actually care about anyone taking their tests or sending them. All they care about is maintaining their so-called “non-for-profit” status whilst still grossing nearly a billion dollars each year. I will not act like the CollegeBoard is the only issue with this process. Everything you have to do is cryptic and difficult. Across application fees, taking the ACT twice, all of the CollegeBoard fees, arts supplements, ACT tutoring, SAT Subject Test books, sending scores, and other miscellaneous fees, my family and I have spent an immeasurable amount. Well, actually, it is measurable. I know the number, and it is high. This system needs to change and it needs to change now. Change will not occur amongst low-income students and their attendance rate to universities if we do not shift this process from the money laundering, labyrinthian monster that it is today. Do not even get me started on the price of tuition at contemporary American universities. n
This Month in History
In another stunning example of American racial enlightenment, we can use February 6th to commemorate the Founding of Liberia in 1820. As the free black population of the United States grew larger, groups like the American Colonization Society sought to rectify centuries of racial oppression once and for all by sending freed slaves and their descendents back to Africa, a continent that the vast majority of these new “Africans” had never seen in their lives. Of course, after selecting a suitably arbitrary shred of land on the West Coast of Africa, the newly resettled black population was finally able to achieve the American dream of showing up unannounced on boats and terrorizing whatever native population happened to be present. Unsurprisingly, the new Americo-Liberian elite was about as successful at establishing a prosperous democracy as I would be if I were deported to Europe with all the other white people, and Liberia would remain a shining example of the pinnacle of 1800s social progress into the modern era. The Liberian flag
A few days later, February 15th marks the anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989. After intervening in 1978 to support a communist coup in the country, the Soviets remained bogged down in a decade of guerilla warfare with Mujahideen armed by the CIA. After investing millions of dollars and thousands of casualties in an ill-advised military quagmire, Mikhail Gorbachev realized that he was in fact not a member of the Bush family and decided to withdraw. The failed invasion of Afghanistan would prove to be the death knell for the Soviet regime, which would soon collapse under the squabbling of liberal and hardline factions within the Communist party. While the United States was more than eager to inflict a “Soviet Vietnam” on their ideological foes, their financial support for chipper young idealists like one Mr. Bin Laden would eventually prove to be a poor decision. Throughout all of this, the population of Afghanistan was thrilled to play a part in building a socialist utopia/liberal democracy/islamic state at the behest of whatever idiot foreigner happened to have the most tanks in Kabul at the moment.
Feb/March
Max Keeney Columnist As I contemplate the end of my reign as history columnist in a few short months, I feel much the same as my spirit-animal, Mikhail Gorbachev, must have felt as he watched the Soviet Union collapse around him: nostalgic, melancholic, and absolutely furious at Boris Yeltsin. Here at The Voice, I’ve been given an unequalled opportunity to pass off juvenile drivel as decent history, and for that I must thank my loyal readership/militia. Hopefully, with your continued support, we can finally cement my legacy as this publication’s most shameful non-Alex Hrinya author. Between electoral upsets across North America and Europe, political strife in the Middle East, and the inexplicable and disconcerting continued existence of Kyrgyzstan, it’s clear that the times we live in are no less historic than those Gorbachev faced in the late nineties. Now, I’m certainly not suggesting that my tenure as history columnist is of comparable historical importance, but I don’t think it would be out of place to at least request a terrifying Saddam Hussein-esque statue of myself. With that out of the way, I humbly offer you my best attempt at shredding whatever dignity the month of February once possessed. Later on, on February 11th 1929, Benito Mussolini signed the Lateran Pacts with Pope Pius XI. Longtime readers will remember my deep and abiding love for Mussolini, whose patented mix of incompetence, yelling and lunacy is seemingly tailor-made to give history writers easy mocking-fodder (Fun fact: Benito Mussolini ate nothing but crackers and milk for an entire year after convincing himself that this was normal behaviour for a human being.) Mussolini’s agreement with the papacy marks one of the rare successes of his government, which finally accomplished the decades-long goal of Italian nationalists to establish the Italian capital at Rome. Since the defeat of papal armies at the hands of Italian soldiers in 1870, the status of the papacy’s claim to temporal sovereignty was unresolved. In the Lateran Pacts, Italy recognized Catholicism as its official state religion and established the border between the Vatican city-state and Italian Rome. Of course, as any Pope since can tell you, the job just isn’t as fun anymore without a private army.
The St. Louis arch, the gateway to the west.
On February 15th, we can all mourn the dark day in human history when St. Louis was founded in 1764. Despite being named after a French king canonized for failing at two consecutive crusades, St. Louis is somehow even more disappointing than you would assume. The city was founded by French fur traders as a small frontier settlement used to ship animal skins to New Orleans, a period still renowned as the height of St. Louis’ cultural and economic relevancy. St. Louis was ceded to Spain with the rest of the Louisiana territory following France’s defeat in the SevenYears-War, but was quickly returned after only three years when the Spanish realized that literally anywhere on earth was less depressing. Eventually, the city was purchased by the United States, where it has settled into a comfortable routine of pointing slack-jawed at their arch while remaining blissfully unaware of the fact that the rest of Missouri just wishes it would snap off and crash into Illinois.
And that’s all for this month. Stay tuned for next month’s Benito-Mussolini-Memorial-Column honoring the birthday of the most surreally absurd man-child in history. n
Eliza Shaffer Contributor As some may know, the Oscars are held at the end of this month. For this film review I’m going to talk about a movie which most probably haven't heard of: 20th Century Women. This film is set in Santa Barbara in 1979, and follows a tenacious single mother, Dorothea (Annette Bening), as she raises her teenage son Jamie. Dorothea enlists the assistance of one of her tenants, Abbie (Greta Gerwig), a free spirited photographer with bright red hair, and Jamie’s best friend, Julie (Elle Fanning), in the task of helping him become a man. Throughout the film, the audience is placed in Dorothea’s shoes as she struggles to come to terms with the fact that she will not be able to see Jamie as a person, out in the world and enjoying life,
Movie Review: twentieth century women but only as her son. The film is enriched by stellar performances all around, but particularly those of Annette Bening and Greta Gerwig; with a cigarette perpetually resting in her hand, Dorothea becomes a woman with whom we can all empathize, despite her imperfections. If you have seen director Mike Mills’ previous film, Beginners, you are aware that his style of filmmaking is quirky and creative, and he is able to skillfully construct realistic, flawed, and overwhelmingly human characters. That’s what I love about him. So, if you can, I highly recommend giving this one a watch, even if it is not receiving as much of the publicity that it rightfully deserves. n
ALbum Review: Culture Hip Hop, as much as it pains us to say, is a copycat genre of music. Whenever a new flow or style of beat becomes a hit, most artists will unfortunately try to mimic this style in order to boost their reputation and maintain relevancy, as Drake recently did with XXXTENTACION. Staying true to one’s original sound is a very difficult thing to do in today’s music world. There is one outlier, however, and this happens to be the most popular group in Hip Hop: The Migos. The Atlanta trio of Offset, Takeoff & Quavo have taken the trap world by storm with their newest album “Culture.” Let’s be honest, most of the songs on their 2015 album “Yung Rich Nation” were trash, and in order to maintain relevancy in the fast moving world of Hip Hop, Migos needed to restablish their collective magic. This lead to hits like “Versace” and “Bando”. Suffice it to say, Migos has done exactly Anna Shulman and Lily Jiang Contributor and Copy Editor
this with “Culture”. Not only is this album the culmination of trap music at its finest, but The Migos build off of their impeccable chemistry by creating an album that matches their fast-paced lifestyle in nature. Honestly, there are only two bad songs on this album, and tracks like “Brown Paper Bag” and “Slippery” illustrate the group at it’s peak, with bar after bar flowing as well as syrup on pancakes. Couple that with fantastic music videos for “Tshirt” and, our alltime personal favorite, “Call Casting”, and a blue-chip album is born. Any group who travels to Nigeria to shoot a video deserves a whole lot of credit and respect from the fans and critics. Sadly, this album might become too popular. Chances are it will go mainstream in a matter of months, and people will call themselves “Migos fans” without a true understanding of, or appreciation for, trap music. But this doesn’t take away from the beauty of Culture. Migos
Alex Hrinya and Jake Jones Contributors puts a huge emphasis on production here, and the quality of sound acts as the glue that brings together this long-awaited and revolutionary album. n
book review: Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card, is a classic science fiction novel. It is centered around a young boy named Ender, who lives in a futuristic society threatened by aliens. Ender is chosen as Earth’s only hope in a war against the extraterrestrial species. Recognized for his intelligence and natural affinity for battle strategy, Ender excels when he is put through Battle School with other children to become one of Earth’s next military commanders. While he is initially underestimated due to his exceptionally young age, Ender continues to advance, ultimately earning a position at the top of the school’s rankings. But, along the way, isolation forces him to learn harsh lessons of self-sufficiency and independence. At the cost of friendships and his own
Ender’s Game
happiness, the Battle School shapes Ender into the perfect military officer to combat Earth’s threat of alien invasion. Even though both of us had already read the book, we decided that it was a good time to reread Ender’s Game, as we had already forgotten a good chunk of the plot. The author, Orson Scott Card, takes science fiction to a whole new level with an original story about friendship, family, and what it means to be human. We both think that Ender’s Game is an amazing book and would recommend it to everyone, even those who have already read the book before. We discovered that, with a second read-through, we were able to glean details about the story that we hadn’t noticed before. n
Personality Quiz Which security guard are you?
Natalie Dameron and Lindsay Luchinsky Columnist and Contributor
Q: What is your favorite animal?
Q: What is your favorite hobby? A) Working at my church B) Drawing C) Gaming
A) A dog B) A lion C) A falcon
Q: What is your favorite type of candy? A) Snickers B) Chocolate C) Reese’s
Q: If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? A) Pizza B) Hamburgers C) Fried Chicken
If you answered mostly A’s, you’re most like security guard Ray Hawks!
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? A) Carribean Islands B) Spain C) New Zealand
If you answered mostly B’s, you’re most like security guard Mike Johnson!
If you answered mostly C’s, you’re most like security guard Devin Arnold!
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Drawing the Line
By Sam Hrabko
Crossword
ACROSS 2. History teacher that has been in a college class with Gorsuch 3. Name of senior band that performed in the talent show, the ______ Chili Peppers 6. WPA: ______ Pay All 7. Grammy Awards host 8. Brandon Washington ‘17 will be playing soccer at ______ 9. Lady GaGa used these automated flying machines in her Super Bowl performance 10. Serena Jackson beat this person in the Australian open 11. Actress who played Sean Spicer in SNL 12. Senator that was silenced during Jeff Sessions’ hearing 13. The English department visited the ____ Denver School
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DOWN 1. Area in the commons designated for relaxation 4. Estimated ______ thousand showed up at KC’s Women’s March 5. Massacre that Kellyanne Conway claimed to have occurred 6. Famous PGA golfer who graduated from Pembroke 12. Over 300 beached ______ have died in New Zealand
Letter from the
Editors
Dear readers,
As seniors are about to receive their acceptance and rejection letters, as juniors are beginning to embark on the perilous journey of college applications, and as Pembroke is now starting the college process earlier, we wanted to address the issues within the college process. At Pembroke, the looming nature of getting into your top college is present from the first day you walk into the upper school. What clubs should I join? What sports should I participate in? What grades do I need? There is pressure to not only do everything but also to be the best at everything. There is pressure to get into prestigious colleges. As we students and parents approach the process, it is important to understand the nuances associated with applying to college. It is also important to consider why you participate in certain activitiy or whether you want to attend a certain college for its name or fit. We hope that our student body takes these issues into consideration, no matter which part of the process they are in. We would also like to note the flags on the front cover are not intended to promote or discourage any colleges or universities. They were chosen based upon color scheme and taken from the college counseling office. Shannon Fang & Davis Brooks
The Voice Podcast By Jay Mehta
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THE VOICE
The Official News Publication of the Pembroke Hill School The Voice is published monthly by the students of the Pembroke Hill School during the academic year to inform the Pembroke Hill Community about pertinent events and news. The paper is an open forum, distributed to the students, faculty, parents, alumni, and other members of the Pembroke Hill community. All decisions concerning grammar, layout, content, and photography are made solely by the editors themselves. As an open forum, The Voice encourages its readers to submit Letters to the Editors. The editors reserve the right to not publish letters. The Voice also accepts advertising and like articles. The editors reserve the right to not publish advertisements. Like us on Facebook at The Pembroke Hill Voice and follow us on Twitter at PHSVoice. Find us online at issuu.com/PHSVoice. The Voice is YOUR publication. Please read responsibly.
whispers
news blurbs from around school
the boys basketball team . . . won a tournament for the first time in 15 years bella barnes ‘18, ellie burke ‘20 . . . wrote original short skits that was performed at the living room theatre 68 upper school art students . . . received regional scholastic art awards beka leuschen ‘17 . . . sold 127 boxes of girl scout cookies in one week janna withrow ‘18 . . . triple broke in debate three times this year South Asia Club is partnering with the American Himalayan Foundation to bring their project, STOP Girl Trafficking, to the Pembroke Hill Community. For $100, the AHF will send a girl in the Himalayan region of Nepal to school to combat human trafficking. To donate, please contact a S.E. Asia Club Officer or Ms. Jones (jjones@pembrokehill.org). Editors-in-Chief Davis Brooks and Shannon Fang
Senior Designer Olive Honan Head of Digital Lauren Washington Photographers Bella Barnes Illustrator Olive Honan
Managing Editors Bella Barnes Hunter Julo Gina Pepitone Isabella Way
Copy Editors Lily Jiang Jacqueline Kincaid Grace Lattan Catherine Franano
Designers Gina Peptione Bella Barnes Hunter Julo Multimedia Editor Jay Mehta
Middle School Coordinator Jacqueline Kincaid
Staff Writers Maggie Burke Paolo Laskero Kaitlyn Storm Ellie Ruland Rachel Colligan
Business Manager Baylor McCrary
Columnists Clay Lundgren – “Biased Opinions with Clay” Olive Honan – “The Buzz” Bella Barnes and Roxanne Reasco –”KC Crawl” Grace Parkerson and Wil Rowland – “Where We Stand” Natalie Dameron – “‘Dam’ Straight” Max Keeney – “This Month in History” Charlotte Henry, Jay Mehta, Caroline Salzman, Alex Hrinya – “What’s the Word” Faculty Sponsors Dr. Matt Clothier and Dr. Kim Banion