THE VOICE MARCH TO APRIL
2018
13 06 23
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De-stress tips
c r e at i v e w r i t i n g
The creative writing scene at Pembroke may not be something we talk about every day. This month, Ellie Burke '20 shares more about the writing community at our school.
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OSCARS recap We've seen a change in the representation at the Academy Awards since 2016, but it took 90 years to get here. Who knows how long it will last?
Pembroke students share their best outlets for staying calm during stressful times.
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F e at u r e : Women's March Delaney Northington '18 explores the history of the women's rights movement, highlighting recent developments from an intersectional lens.
19 Gun Control
Vishal Beeki '18 and Zach Jonas '18 discuss the necessity for legislation that curbs gun violence and deaths in the United States.
T e a c h e r f e at u r e Want to get to know Mr. Baber? Learn more about him before his success at Pembroke Hill.
28 science in tv
Will artificial intelligence rule the world? Lily Edwards '19 and Audrey Lu '20 evaluate the likelihood of the eerie possibilities of technology depicted in sci-fi series, Black Mirror.
Cover by Jane Markley '18
Buzz
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Audrey O'Shaugnessey and Katie Kimball Columnists
Spring in Review Pembroke Hill released our new mission statement: “ Together, cultivating the best in each other, for the benefit of all.” Many Pembroke Hill students participated in the March For Our Lives demonstration at Theis Park on March 24th in support of increased gun control. Kansas University Men’s Basketball Team advanced to Final Four in NCAA tournament, only to take a hard loss to Villanova in the first round of the Final Four. The Upper School Choir competed in the WorldStrides Heritage Festival in Chicago on April 12-15. Lower Schoolers participated in the annual Earth Day “Fun Run” at Loose Park on April 20th. Upper School Thespians performed in the spring musical, Spamalot. The seniors took the victory in the 2018 Color Wars, despite a devastating loss to the juniors in the dodgeball finals.
Astrology Aries: March 21 - April 19th Strengths: Brave, concentrated, self-assured, optimistic, honest, and ardent Weaknesses: impulsive, aggressive, impatient, and prone to mood alteration Monthly Prediction for April: They say April shower bring May flowers, and this month is sure to embody this phrase, Aries. As you approach some cloudy days in a relationship with a peer or loved one, try and be open minded towards criticism when resolving conflicts. Though you may shed (or “shower”) a few tears, flowers of relief and bliss are sure to blossom once you recognize the growth you experience as result of working through a difficult situation. Your month will conclude shining as bright as the sun, so expect to hear some exciting news regarding a personal achievement or loved one.
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What’s the Word? A View From Each Grade on Color Wars
Caroline Salzman Columnist Last year the undefeated senior class graduated, so this year it was anyone’s game. Garrett Kincaid started the week of with a win for the seniors in the assembly obstacle course. Their success was repeated the next day when the seniors took first place in the decorating competition with a hollywood theme. The talent show was on Wednesday where Daniel Bouman played the piano and tied for first. Raphael Prevot also performed magic and placed third. Despite the four way tie on Thursday and the loss in the dodgeball game on Friday, the seniors won Color Wars! Will Powell “was happy to see the seniors come out with the dub.” Although the seniors won this year, Aaron Swartz is “still mad about last year when Harinya and Jake Jones cheated in the dodgeball game.” n
Charlotte Henry Columnist Color wars are an exciting week of competition during which each grade comes together to complete unique challenges and earn points. According to Sophomore Elizabeth Banks, “[color wars] pit each grade together in friendly competition,” but for the underclassmen it is essentially a week of “surrendering ourselves to the senior class.” Unfortunately, the sophomore class has a long history of losses going all the way back to the infamous middle school Fun Day. This year, however, we placed a surprising third despite our past of last place finishes, and it should be interesting to see where we go next year. Regardless of the sophomore struggle, color wars provide a welcome break from the normal high school routine, and they are truly a great way to unite each class in shared competition. n
Jay Mehta Columnist Color Wars -- a battle for (all) ages. Though the terminology has devolved, the week remains an enjoyable diversion on the road to the end of the year and a wonderful way to ring in Spring Break. For years, our class has been aggressively mediocre when it comes to these kinds of competitions, but this year, I am proud to say we came much closer to victory. We won three out of five days in terms of dressing our color, decorated the commons with aplomb, and won the dodgeball tournament, all while juggling junior year! Though we finished second, I have never seen our class come together quite like it did this year. Though the “ice-challenge” was a misadventure and the lipsync contest was a tad long, the week was unusually enjoyable. We have come a long way as a class, and I cannot wait to see what we do next. n
Jackson Chu and Rishabh Gaur Columnists The last week before spring break is always filled with excitement, and an event that makes this time even better are the color wars. This is a competition between the grades to see who can rank up the highest number of points based on certain competitions and how many people in each grade wear a certain color. I am a freshman, and we had to wear the color yellow. The first competition we had was at an assembly where one representative from each grade had to go around on a scooter as fast as they could and then they had to eat two saltines and blow up a balloon with a very dry mouth. David Dercher competed for the freshmen and helped get us a solid third place in the competition. The days went by and there were more opportunities for points but we were pushed into last place. On the last day, Friday, there was a dodgeball tournament. We faced the other grades, but we were decimated in all of them. As expected the freshmen had gotten last, but I think of it as a solid fourth place. n
March+April
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Julia Rosher Head of Photo
A group of students accompanied by faculty representatives Mr. and Mrs. Romick attended the annual World Affairs Challenge (WAC) in Denver to compete for the third year in a row. WAC hopes to get youth involved in creating innovative solutions to some of the worlds biggest current issues. This year Pembroke Hill’s two teams were extremely successful, taking home first and second place.
Spring sports started for the Upper School with boys and girls lacrosse, co-ed track, girls soccer, boys tennis and boys golf. The girls soccer team took on Lee’s Summit and Notre Dame de Sion during the second week of Spring Break while the lacrosse team travelled to Memphis, Tennessee to compete in a tournament. Students enjoyed a relaxing two weeks off for spring break. A group of seniors travelled to Playa del Carmen, Mexico where they enjoyed the beach and sun, while a freshman Charlotte Lawrence ventured all the way to Tokyo, Japan!
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Olivia Sabates Copy Editor Spring is just around the corner for our 2018 fashion season, and it is time to discuss the newest and trendiest wardrobe choices. Spring is a wonderful time to shed the baggage of cold weather (from comfy sweaters to snow boots) and transition into the fluorescent and vibrant colors of the warmer months! It is difficult after a whole season of hibernation to figure out the proper outfits for outside occasions and activity. Here are a few ways to pave the way to summer in style this spring season... This year’s spring fashion trend is all about unusual color. Do not be intimidated by vibrant, bold shades because that is what this season holds. Bright yellow represents the illuminance of spring. Other such colors you will see this season are blush, scarlet, lavender, and silver: a stark contrast from seasons past. In addition to the new trends, white is always a classic spring color that people love to wear following the winter season. White signifies the blooming of flowers and the brightness that spring conveys. Another great example of fashion-forward thinking is to have a statement piece. For example, if one were feeling particularly bold, one could wear a nondescript outfit with a bright jacket or pair of shoes to add that “pop of color.” Another great accessory to add to a simple outfit would be a hat. Whether it is a beret, beanie, fedora, or baseball cap, hats are a great way to spice up an outfit. Additionally, if one is feeling extra lazy, throwing on an everyday jumper creates an effortlessly put-together look. Consequently, prints are very important. Spring is a time to explore and try new patterns and colors. Usually, mixing prints is unexceptable in the fashion world, but I say go for it...the brighter and more bold, the better! Finally, although neck scarves are very 1920s-1960s, they are making a comeback this season. They can take the place of a necklace or a headband while, at the same time, portraying an elegant, formal look. Shoes are an essential accessory when putting together an outfit. When I look at someone, I notice their shoes first and foremost. Personally, I am not a fan of wearing sneakers with nice dresses, but, apparently, the fashion world begs to differ. Surprisingly enough, the outdated dad sneakers are coming into style alongside the indie boot this spring season. Gladiator shoes are another go-to, as they look slightly more formal than your average sandal without sacrificing comfort. Another shoe that has recently been worn are classic flats, which go with practically everything. Finally, and most importantly, everyone needs a pair of sparkle boots. I know many people skepticize how much use one would get out of these shoes, but they are great for a night out: trust me. Enjoy this spring season and try some fashion combinations that are typically out of your element. It’s 2018; time to be a fashion icon!n
Fashion Trends
Creative Writing
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Ellie Burke Copy Editor
I stumbled across my first creative writing scene in the fall of my freshman year, when Mrs. Cain encouraged me to apply for the Young Playwrights’ Roundtable at the Coterie. There, I met a group of around 40 teenager writers from across the Kansas City area, including our own Hunter Julo ‘18 and Sam Keeney ‘19. I was immediately floored not only by the witty one acts, screenplays, and monologues I encountered, but the sheer dedication and enthusiasm with which each member approached their work. As I quickly discovered, Kansas City possesses a serious population of eager, and hdownright prolific young writers. Perhaps unbeknownst to you, Pembroke Hill stocks the same type of imaginative artists -- yet our creative writing community mysteriously sticks to the shadows. Why? High schoolers are merciless. That’s why. The stereotypical high school environment paints itself as a place where feelings are off limits, and the true heroes soldier on with a hardened and proud demeanor. As Hunter Julo ‘18 eloquently puts it, “As a teenager, writing is difficult because there is so much raw emotion at play.” How, then, are kids of our age expected to share these deep, complicated feelings with a crowd? We aren’t. We can’t. Or, at least we think we can’t. Yet another roadblock stalling aspiring young writers is the assumption that creative writing needs to be perfect. In many kids’ minds, unless their piece knocks their audience out of their seats, it is not worth sharing. However, Hunter has always viewed the art form in a different light: for her, one creatively writes not to wow their readers, but to cope with the events -- both good and bad -- of their everyday lives. She explains, “I think people, especially at Pembroke, get caught up in the idea that creative writing is like writing an essay, so it has to sound good and be grammatically correct. In reality, there are no rules, which is why I personally find it so freeing.” Creative writing is not a competitor’s game; rather, it is about processing one’s emotions and ideas in a safe and cathartic fashion. How one chooses to relay these thoughts (whether it be a poem, a diary entry, or simply a series of fragments) is entirely up to oneself. At this point, you are most likely thinking, “I know all this. I like
reading creative writing...I’m just not a writer myself. Besides, I never have to write it in my English classes, so it doesn’t matter anyway.” And, it’s true: everyone at Pembroke Hill appreciates what creative writing is, for we encounter it almost every single day in our curriculum. Over the course of our high school career, we consume innumerable pieces of literature by history’s premier authors. Yet we ourselves rarely take up the torch. We certainly refine our writing style through composing essays, but our analytical skills receive far more attention than our creative whims. Luckily, Mrs. Abernathy (an active writer herself) has worked to bridge this disparity with her new creative writing class for seniors. One of the main reasons Mrs. Abernathy applied for her position at Pembroke was because of the school’s lack of a concrete creative writing program. Similar to Hunter’s perception, Abernathy recognized that fear of mockery and imperfection amongst our student body. Nevertheless, in the trial run of her class last semester, seniors who considered themselves incapable of composing creative pieces found a passion for the art once they actually tried it. It was just like Hunter said: for them, creative writing became a catharsis. Abernathy’s sentiment was as simple as that: “Writers are . . . the boldest and meekest among us--often at the same time. They need a place. I hope I have started to help provide that place here.” A wise woman -- ok, it was Mrs. Abernathy -- once told me, “What it means to be a creative writer---it means one willing to create writing. Quite literally.” As Pembroke Hill develops its first creative writing program, I encourage each and every student to take the leap and give the art form a try. You don’t have to share your work, and your writing certainly doesn’t have to be perfect. All you really need to do is transfer those thoughts bouncing around your head onto a blank piece of paper. Trust me: the rewards are well beyond the price. If you wish to become involved in creative writing at Pembroke Hill, listen for the date of Writer’s Club’s next Open Mic Night at assembly. The officers are Hunter Julo ‘18, Delaney Northington ‘18, Fielding Burnette ‘18, and Ellie Burke ‘20. And, when you reach your senior year, enroll in Mrs. Abernathy’s class! You’ll thank yourself later.n
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KC
CRAWL
Messenger Coffee Co.
1624 Grand Blvd. Kansas City, MO 64018 Emma Knopik Columnist You have probably drank Messenger’s coffee as they source their beans to cafes and restaurants all over the city such as to Crows Coffee, The Filling Station, Hi Hat, and many others. But Messenger Coffee’s recent marriage with Ibis Bakery is your new favorite coffee shop. Located at 17th and Grand in the historic Garment District neighborhood in the Crossroads, the four-story tall brick building offers up each of their levels for seating space. The building, built in 1919, was originally the Breuning Brothers Automobile Company. When one enters the luminous, clean space, they are immediately hit with a comforting smell of a combination of honey and baking bread. Customers can choose from a variety of Ibis’ pastries and breakfast food and coffee and tea drinks from Messenger. Messenger sources fair trade coffee from farmers in Guatemala, Ethiopia, and El Salvador and roasts it all in small batches. The name Messenger aligns with the company’s notion that they are the merely the messengers of the coffee; the coffee’s unique flavor sells itself. Ibis Bakery offers classic staples like almond croissants, but they also offer unique treats such as a chocolate champagne tart, honey lavender cheesecake, and a jalapeño bacon croissant. As for the aesthetics of Messenger, the entire building is light filled with plants scattered all around. The floor is covered in satisfying black and white tiling and the walls are all white with silver metal accents- creating a modern feel that is unexpected in the historic building. The first floor is bustling with the bakery to the right and the counter (usually with a bit of lineso be prepared to wait five to ten minutes) to the left. The second floor is a bit more quiet, with lots of open tables to read the morning paper with your coffee and croissant. One can also view the coffee being roasted on the second floor. The third floor has a few tables and then the fourth floor features a rooftop deck with an expansive view of the surrounding Crossroads. The rooftop is a wonderful outdoor space to enjoy coffee with a group of friends around the fireplace. I would not describe Messenger as a cozy coffee shop, as it is usually pretty busy- although it is incredibly spacious. While in Messenger, one has a sense that everything is going on all around them. It is a great space to gather with family or friends for breakfast as it is always filled with a happy hum of people and bread baking. n
- MARCH & APRIL REVIEWS Hunter Julo Head of Design
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Film
When we think of the fantastical creation of Disney World in Orlando, Florida, it is not often that we think about the real people who live around Disney World. The Florida Project captures the relationship between a young mother and her six-year old daughter Moonee living on the outskirts of the Disney parks. While Moonee spends most of the film causing trouble with her friends, trying to pass by the summer in the blazing Florida heat, it is Halley, her mother, who seems to be acting the most childish. As Halley constantly struggles to feed Moonee or pay next month’s rent for their motel room, the people around her question if Moonee could ever have a good life under the protection of her mother. Brooklyn Prince (Monnee) is a young star with a riveting, honest performance that shocked me with every line. For such a young actress, she never failed to capture her role. Through the combination of a great cast, strong direction, and stunning design, The Florida Project captures raw emotion in every frame. I usually have a great appreciation for movie scores, so when The Florida Project didn’t have one, I expected to be bothered by this. Instead, I found a great sense of authenticity in the work, as if I was truly watching the lives of these people pan out in front of me. And, while there is very little magic in Monnee and Halley’s motel room, every frame of bright colors juxtaposes against the heavy storyline and perfectly captures the proximity to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Every moving part came together to create an enchanting film that I believe was underrepresented during this year’s awards season. n
Book
Emma Knopik Columnist
Patti Smith’s memoir Just Kids illustrates Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe’s love for one another. In her writings, Patti describes the unexpected events that push her to move alone to New York City with nothing but her Rock n’ Roll record collection and her love for French poetry. On her first day in the city, Patti accidently walks into Robert’s apartment while looking for her friend, only for Robert to wander into Patti’s workplace, Brentano’s bookstore, a few weeks later. Robert buys Patti’s favorite indigo necklace from the store to which she warns him, “Don’t give it to any girl but me.” Another twist of fate leads Patti to spot Robert while on an uncomfortable date in Tompkins Square Park. She pretends like Robert is her boyfriend to help him escape. From that day forward, the two become inseparble. They move into a tiny apartmwent they fill with their own drawings and musings. The pair spend their days working long hours in bookstores and doing odd jobs, while spending their nights listening to Bob Dylan and reading Rimbaud and Baudelaire’s anthologies. Just Kids is a beautiful memoir that depicts the art movements of the seventies, life at the renowned Chelsea hotel, and an unbreakable bond between two artists. n
Lauren Washington Managing Editor
Music
On his 4th studio album, My Dear Melancholy, The Lauren WeekndWashington returns to his previous, darker roots. The recent collection is reminiscent of the jarring and wistful music from his three previous Managing Editor mixtapes: House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence released in 2011 on his Trilogy compilation album. Released without warning, My Dear Melancholy, features a tracklist of six songs which are short, yet sweet. My Dear Melancholy, is definitely one of those breakup albums where you don’t specifically name names, but everyone knows who you’re talking about on the tracks. Since the Weeknd’s last album, Starboy, he’s had two high profile breakups with Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez. Not saying that this is a good thing for the Weeknd to go through, but he does produce great music when he’s experiencing emotional distress. To start off the album, he opens dramatically with “Call Out My Name,” leaving fans speculating about the lyric, “I almost cut a piece of myself for your life.” Many suspect it was in reference to donating his kidney to Gomez, who received one due to complications with Lupus. Throughout the project, the Weeknd follows up passionately with captivating tracks such as “Try Me,” or “Wasted Times.” If you’re a fan of the Weeknd’s past music, then you’ll certainly appreciate the low-fi sounds he returns to, as he gets very personal with each lyric. n
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PHOTO POLL Where is your favorite place to go to for Spring Break?
Lauren Lee & Claire St. Peter Staff Writers
Jane Markely ‘18 “Costa Rica”
Jordan Winn ‘19 “Tilted Towers”
William St. Peter ‘21 “Belize”
Yakini Kasimu ‘18 “Barbados”
Anya Brandmeyer ‘19 “Santa Monica”
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2018 OSCARS As another year in the cinematic world concludes with the 90th Academy Awards, pundits begin to reflect upon what distinguished this year from all the rest--how has the industry changed? Throughout most of its recent history, Hollywood has been criticized for its supposed liberal bias. But in the past, the Academy Awards have defied Hollywood’s reputation as a speaking podium for the liberal or SJW; like most others, the film industry suffers from the same discrimination--whether that be misogyny, racism, or any other variety--seen throughout the world. But after this year’s 90th Academy Awards, many within and surrounding the industry have sensed a change. The question is: will this change be permanent? In both the 87th and 88th Oscars, none of the twenty nominees in the four acting categories were black; a group so monochromatic had not been selected since 1998. The controversy sparked the #OscarsSoWhite movement, which gained much traction and actually yielded results; in the past two years, ten of the forty nominees were people of color. Similarly, up until recently, the LGBTQ community saw little representation in the film industry; however, the occasional underground “gay movie” (think Maurice and Brokeback Mountain) gradually transformed into several LGBTQ-central films being released each year. From the critical acclaim of Todd Haynes’ Carol to Moonlight winning Best Picture to the vast popularity of this year’s Call Me by Your Name, these films have blazed a trail for LGBTQ members of the film industry, both before and behind the camera. Equally important, however, are the unseen artists--the writers, directors, cinematographers, editors, etc. who work behind the scenes of every film. After only four women before her, at the 90th Academy Awards Greta Gerwig became the fifth woman to ever be nominated for Best Director for her film Lady Bird. Even more groundbreaking (or “glass ceiling breaking”) were the nominations for the film Mudbound; director Dee Rees, an openly lesbian woman, became the first African American woman to be nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, and Rachel Morrison became the first woman to ever be nominated for Best Cinematography. Furthermore, one of the most unexpected moments of the night was when Jordan Peele, the writer and director of the film Get Out, won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, becoming the first African American to receive that award.
Eliza Shaffer Staff Writer
The 90th Academy Awards were full of firsts, trail blazing achievements which return us to the question: will this change be permanent? In all honesty, nothing is set in stone. But we can strive to be representative of all, accepting of everyone, so that someday the issue of discrimination in the film industry is a thing of the past. Some may see representation in Hollywood as a petty issue, concerning only the few directly involved and not nearly as pressing as, say, our current political situation. But, for better or worse, the modern world has become increasingly interested in the stories told through film and television. The young and influential, especially, look to these stories to understand how to conduct themselves in our ever-changing world, and it is for this reason that the film industry must represent and treat all people equally-no matter what race, gender or sexual orientation. So that, hopefully, future generations do the same.n
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Spring Sport Athletes
Jack Ramza Staff Writer
Female Athlete: Julia Rosher ‘18 Everyone envies the person who can lace up their shoes and just start running three plus miles. For senior Julia Rosher ‘18, however, long distance running is the daily norm. Although her bread and butter is cross country in the fall, Rosher transfers her impressive running and stamina in the spring on the track team, where last year, she qualified and placed twelfth in the mile and fifteenth in the 800 at state. In addition to the accolades she racked up last year, she set a personal record for her mile, clocking in at 5.29. Shockingly, this isn’t even the most impressive part of her spring season, as she does not just run track, but she also is a defender on the varsity soccer team. All while accomplishing milestones in track, Rosher also led her soccer team to a state championship run her sophomore year. Single season, two sport athletes are rare in high school, so I asked Rosher about the benefits and disadvantages of playing two physically straining sports at the same time. She stated that although, “each sport trains her for the other in speed and endurance, she does not get the opportunity to spend as much time with the two teams.” Despite the challenge of playing two sports in one season, Rosher is prepared to lead both the soccer and track teams to successful seasons.
Male Athlete: Garrett Kincaid ‘18 Known for performing well at the Tennnis State Championships, the boys team have had a strong tradition of winning that has continued even after the passing of legendary head coach, Dale Eshelbrenner. A key part of the team who has kept this tradition going is senior Garrett Kincaid ‘18, who is projected to play the number one spot for the Raiders this upcoming season. Once a varsity baseball player his first two seasons of high school, Kincaid took his talents to the court, much to the shagrin of second baseman, Tommy Wolfe ‘18. Upon his arrival to the team, Kincaid made a major impact last season, leading the varsity squad to only one duel loss and finishing as a doubles finalist at state. Last but not least, Kincaid helped the team win yet another state championship. When asked about this upcoming season, Kincaid states, “We have a lot of depth on the team this year. Everyone is ready to put in the work to get back to Springfield and compete for our second consecutive state title.” Although this goal may seem like a feat to most high school teams, this goal is the expectation for the Pembroke Hill boys tennis team. n
Payouts and Exploitation: The NCAA’s Big Business of College Basketball
Voice 12 Jacqueline Kincaid Columnist
Will Hobson, a writer for The Washington Post, released an article in 2014 detailing the payment plan for NCAA teams who participate in the March Madness tournament. He wrote that a team would earn a payout of $1.67 million over six years, from the pot, simply called the “basketball fund,” just for qualifying. Monetary amounts increase until the Final Four, at which the NCAA caps payouts at around $8.33 million, or $10 million for schools that played a first round game. The NCAA strongly encourages the winning conference to spread the wealth to their member schools. While big conferences have the ability to share this money to member schools, smaller conferences usually don’t, after covering expenses. In the 2014 tournament, the NCAA kept 40% of the profits and gave the remaining 60% to the schools. Profits totaled $700 million. This year, the pot has grown. The NCAA’s profits will total north of $900 million- around 90% of the organization’s annual revenue. Part of this percentage is constituted by the NCAA’s contract with CBS Sports and Turner Broadcasting, signed in 2010, for $10.8 billion for broadcasting rights, paid over 14 years. In 2016, the network secured broadcasting rights until 2032 for an additional $8.8 billion. While the NCAA faces an extremely lucrative future on the backs of college students, those players remain unpaid. NCAA players for big schools, however, receive more kickbacks than what’s alluded to. As March Madness attracts over 16 million viewers, the statistic makes it hard to remember some of the players on TV were playing high school basketball the year before. There’s no doubt that NCAA basketball is exciting, but a precarious nature of exploitation and bribery of teenagers and their families throughout the recruitment process creates an environment of corrupt business that few up and coming players are equipped to handle. Explosive documents, initially highlighted on Yahoo! Sports, show rows and rows of players and how much money, in thousands, they had received or continued to receive on a payment plan, along with advance payment, travel expenses, entertainment expenses, and more covered by agencies looking to sign the students. The way these players are treated at big basketball schools isn’t conducive to a productive, educational 4 year college experience. Success isn’t measured, for these players, by their GPA or job prospects upon graduation. In reality, it comes down to how many games the team won and how their postseason play went. Some players only make it through their freshman year before declaring for the NBA draft, but, for those players who graduate and won’t go on to play professional basketball, where do they end up? The NCAA has a responsibility to these kids that they aren’t fulfilling- it’s their duty to create a path to success for students post-graduation, as powerhouse programs continue to profit from their students, whose chances at a productive college education and career path are compromised. n Credit: The Washington Post, SBNATION, Investopedia, Yahoo! Sports, IJPR, The Edwardsville Intelligencer, The Bleacher Report, Wikipedia
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STRESS
Rachel Coligan Staff Writer
Every savvy student knows that de-stressing is key to maintaining happiness and productivity. Many students play sports in order to get a break from academics and de-stress every day. However, there are tons of other creative ways to de-stress. In this feature, Pembroke students share their favorite activities that get them de-stressed. Read on for great ideas and inspiration!
Emlen Brown ‘18
How did you get into biking? My dad has been into cycling for the majority of his life (he can still ride 6000 miles a year) and he bought a tagalong bicycle for me when I was 5 so we could go riding together. He’s part of this local cycling group that I basically grew up with, so cycling became my main source of exercise for most of my childhood. What is your favorite thing about biking? It’s one of the few sports that allows you to get places without completely tiring yourself. With road biking (not mountain biking), it’s pretty rare to get sprains, concussions, broken bones, and all the other injuries commonly associated with athletics. Also, if you do a bike tour outside of the city, you can see and feel landscapes that you can easily miss when driving a car. What makes biking a good way to de-stress? It’s similar to going for a stroll, but it allows you to get farther away from whatever’s stressing you. It doesn’t sound like it would make a difference, but being 20-40 miles away from whatever’s giving you a headache makes it seem far away, physically and emotionally. Besides, you’re preoccupied with managing traffic, taking in your surroundings, keeping a decent pace, etc. What’s your advice to a novice biker? First, be safe! In a “car vs. you” collision, 99% of the time you’re going to come out worse than the car. Please follow laws and ride defensively! Second, find a group to ride with. There are several groups doing rides for all experience levels every day in Kansas City, and riding with people is safer, more motivating, and more fun!
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Julia Parkerson ‘18
How did you first get into yoga? I was first introduced to yoga as cross training for ballet. For those first few years the yoga classes were solely with other ballet dancers at different summer programs. The classes were meant to cater to ballerinas so it was mainly a lot of stretching and balancing. It wasn’t until high school when I started going to a conventional yoga studio to build my practice to work on strength and mindfulness.
Kaitlyn Storm ‘19
How did you get into ballet? My mom enrolled me in ballet classes when I was 5 because it was something she enjoyed as a kid. I loved it, and continued dedicating more time to it as I got older.
What is your favorite thing about yoga? My favorite thing about yoga is that I get to exercise and clear my mind at the same time. I always feel very refreshed and relaxed after yoga. It is also fun to see what new things my body can do as I continue my practice.
What is your favorite thing about ballet? My favorite thing about ballet is its consistency. Each day we take class and repeat the same general steps throughout it. The goal in ballet is to perfect one’s movement, and I love trying to achieve that daily through combinations that follow similar structures. Also, I enjoy the process of these steps becoming a performance. While dancing as a character in a ballet, the steps become less of a focus and more of a means to tell a story. The transition from class work to storytelling is an inspirational and exhilarating process.
What makes yoga a good way to de-stress? Yoga combines the mind and body with poses, breathing, and meditation. In yoga you focus your mind on your breath and movements, so for that time you are able to take your mind off of whatever it may be that is causing stress. Many poses also have a calming affect on the body, such as child’s pose or downward dog.
What makes ballet a good way to de-stress? Ballet is really difficult, and requires a lot of focus to be executed correctly. In that way, it allows a person to become totally lost in the moment. I have found that I do not think about homework, tests, or other problems while in the ballet studio. Ballet allows me to forget these stresses while I instead focus on turns and jumps.
What is your advice to someone interested in beginning yoga? Just go for it! Don’t be intimidated and have a positive mindset. Yes, some things will be weird or challenging, but the that’s the way it is with everything so just stick with it! There are also a lot of great YouTube channels that post follow along videos that are made for all levels and can be done everywhere. A lot of studios also offer free weeks of classes, so you can go try them out before spending money on a membership.
What is your advice to someone interested in beginning ballet? For anyone that wants to begin ballet, you should absolutely try it! Although some of us take tons of ballet classes during the week, there are options for taking classes at your leisure, meaning you could take one or two classes a week with absolutely no commitment. Beginner level classes are accepting of all levels of ballet and are a fun way to try this sport/art form. n
Illustrations by Sloane Withers-Marney
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Delaney Northington Contributor
T
he Women’s March is widely regarded as both a catalyst and a symbol for the fourth-wave feminist movement. Finally, millions of women across the United States and beyond have an accessible symbol of solidarity to mobilize for issues that matter to them. However, some have raised the question: what is the Women’s March working for, exactly? Each wave of feminism we have experienced so far has had a specific focal point in terms of women’s issues: suffrage in the first wave, legal equality in the second, and sexual liberation in the third. As we enter the fourth wave, we have to ask ourselves: what are we fighting for, and who are we fighting for? Are all women equally included and uplifted in this new movement? It’s apparent that there are many different issues that we want to tackle in this new wave of feminism; from healthcare to immigration rights to LGBTQ+ issues to racism. An infinite number of topics seem to fall under the umbrella of “women’s issues.” This overlapping of issues is important, reiterated in the adage “women’s rights are human rights, and human rights are women’s rights.” The privileges and disadvantages faced by each individual woman are different, so the issues that matter to each woman are, too. The precedent set by the previous movements, however, is that each movement sets a specific goal, and
achieves that goal by focusing primarily on that—but has this progress been too slow? We don’t have time to spare with our current political issues; with every passing day, we come closer to an ultimatum, whether it is the day DACA expires, more deaths due to insufficient healthcare, or the complete exhaustion of our natural resources. Yet it still feels easier to focus on one issue at a time, instead of working on a massive cluster of topics. Not all political issues can be fixed with one law—instead, there are innumerable laws that will have to be passed to make any sort of positive change. Can we prioritize some issues over others? Who decides what issues matter if each individual woman has a different agenda? Although this movement means something different to each woman, the voices amplified in it are relatively homogenous. Emma Lantz ‘18, a proud feminist, acknowledges that the movement has goals to work on in terms of diverse voices: “The Women’s March is meant to represent the fourth-wave feminist movement, but it’s not as intersectional as it should be; the women that are speaking are usually well-educated, affluent, liberal, white, straight, cis[gender], and able-bodied. It’s great that they’re involved in the movement, but their words aren’t necessarily representative of all women’s struggles.”
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She’s right—we have some serious work to do in including women from different backgrounds. The first three waves of feminism shamefully excluded women that weren’t privileged, and there is a real danger in this, evidenced in the systematic disenfranchisement of women of color in many Southern states and the insufficient laws protecting women with disabilities. We currently face the possibility that the fourth wave will exclude marginalized women, as well. Planned strikes such as “A Day Without a Woman” are easy to participate in for highincome women with steady jobs, but for many low-income women, these strikes can have serious repercussions, as they could be fired from their job or not receive their hourly wages. It’s certainly easy to forget that there are voices other than your own in a political movement, and it’s even easier to only listen to opinions that echo your own—we can self-select what voices we hear, and filter out what makes us uncomfortable or what we have not experienced. Because some women have a significant amount of privilege, yet are still oppressed in a patriarchal society, it can seem difficult to assess different levels of oppression and sit back and listen—others’ oppression will never seem as relevant when you yourself are oppressed. Yet as important as it is to share your story, it’s even more important
to listen. You just might find ways that you can do better. We’ve come a long way since the founding of our country, but we also have a long way to go. It can be empowering to look back and recognize that all of our successes occurred because other women fought and marched for them, yet we have to recognize that these movements were not enough. Is it alright to celebrate our victories while we still have important goals to fulfill? Though our predecessors did great things, many also purposely excluded marginalized women. It can be difficult to process and understand the different layers of the people we revere as heroes of a movement, but just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to understand the complexity of our past and how it affects our future. Truthfully, I don’t know the answers to the questions I’m posing, but I do believe they’re important to consider. No one knows exactly what the best course of action is until it’s tried, and we will never fully understand our impact until it’s written in history books. In the end, I’m a seventeen year-old girl without a clue as to how to make the movement the best that it can be. What I do know, however, is that the one thing we’re not short on is caring, and that if everyone cares enough, we’ll be able to get something done. n
17 Voice
Which Elizabeth is for You? Ira Vats and Catherine Leal Contributors
START What is your favorite TV show? Grey’s Anatomy
Psych
Do you prefer comedy or horror?
Super Friends
Latte
Hot Cocoa
UMBC Twitter guy
What is your preferred outdoor activity? Going to the Beach
Tall Black Coffee
What is your favorite sport to watch?
Herding Backpacking goats outside of my yurt
Ellie Copaken
Horror
What is your Starbucks order?
Who is your pick to win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship? Kansas
Comedy
Fortnite
Lizzie Spaeth
Any game on the Atari 2600
Elizabeth Banks
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How do I deal with getting a rejection from a college, and how do I make a college decision? It’s that time of the year, where the impending doom of May 1st doesn’t seem too far away anymore. All the letters have been received, and the colleges have made their decisions, so it is finally time for us to make ours. But, how? How does one choose a college when it seems like it really is a life-altering decision? What if you didn’t get into the college that you wanted? I’m just going to be honest, you’re not only picking your college, but your college is picking you.You may not have been the right fit for that school and may have not been able to succeed there as well as you could succeed somewhere else. I don’t believe in fate, but I believe in a human’s ability to achieve at a greater capacity than they believed possible. No school can give you that or stop you from doing it. If there is one thing I’ve learned through the college process, it is that the “dream school” is an overdramatized mentality of the college process. While you may truly think that you would only fit into once place, please know that is not the case. In the end, there will be the resources and community at whichever college you end up at to ensure you succeed. So, if you don’t get into your dream school, it doesn’t mean that you can’t achieve your dreams. I’m going to tell you something that most people forget: It doesn’t really matter. This may be an unpopular view on the whole situation, but in the end, it isn’t about the college. It’s about what you do there. Especially at a school like Pembroke, we emphasize prestige and a strong academic record. In reality, schools are what you make of them. And, although I don’t want to sound like a college information session, fit is what really matters. Not the lowest acceptance rate, or #1 ranking on the U.S. News Report College Rankings, but what school you really belong at. And, if it is mid-April and you still don’t feel sure, visit the campus if at all possible. Read about your colleges online and watch YouTube videos of the campus. Really try to get a feel of what it would be like to be there and if you feel like you would fit in. If you can imagine it as a place where you could become the person you want to be, you know you’re at the right place.n
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Have a question you’ve been dying to ask? Email voice@pembrokehill.org and we might answer...
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Illustration by Sloane Withers-Marney
19 Voice
Can we Bear It? Vishal Beeki and Zach Jonas Contributors As disappointing as it may sound, America has a tragic history of failing to act upon mass shootings, allowing for us as a country to experience a cyclical process of grieving, arguing, and failing to enact any change that prevents future gun violence. In order to change this process, the American public must agree on the general trends and statistics in order to encourage lawmakers to form proper and effective gun legislation based on such data to ultimately prevent homicides and mass shootings. We, as Americans, are heading in the right direction in decreasing gun violence. Though this violence has been a longstanding issue in our country, the recent marches, no matter what you believe, prove that Americans have had enough with gun deaths, and we are begging for change. It should be noted that not all change is forward progress, and some may even restrict the rights of gun-owning Americans unnecessarily. Gun research since 1996 has largely been stifled due to the Dickey Amendment which unintentionally or intentionally-you decide--stopped gun research. Thankfully, very recently, Republicans have explicitly stated that the CDC needs to continue its research. With more scientific data in the future, appropriate measures to curb gun violence will come forward. First and foremost, Congress must pass a stronger and stricter background check for those aiming to acquire any firearm. With 28% of all gun-related incidents being homicides, and the United States’ homicide rate per capita at 2.9 per 100,000 people, this is an egregious number considering our population. While federal law does prohibit individuals with violent criminal histories
from purchasing firearms of any sort, these laws do not extend to private sales or gun shows, allowing for individuals with violent criminal records to follow through with these purchases. In a survey of 1613 gun owners published in 2017, over 42% of these individuals admitted to having purchased their firearms without a background check. Online sales only contribute to this problem. A private investigation in 2011 revealed that 62% of online firearm sales were conducted without background checks, and it was reported that some of these individuals who bought these guns “would probably not pass a background check.” Drastic changes at the federal and state level must be made in order to effectively enforce the federal law on background check. The effects background checks have can be seen in Missouri, as the homicide rate increased by 23% when Missouri ended their “permit-to-purchase” law, eliminating the requirement for individuals to show a permit stating they have passed a background check when buying a handgun. However, background checks will not eliminate all gun violence. First, the idea that the mentally ill should be barred from obtaining any sort of firearm is flawed for a couple reasons. What the government could do is ban all of the mentally ill from obtaining a weapon, yes. But, not all mentally ill are violent, and generalizing the mentally ill as prospective perpetrators of violence is wrong. It is true that many mass shooters and murderers have mental illnesses, though we have no way of predicting who will become violent. Although background checks will also have little effect on people who buy their guns illegally, they will help to
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keep guns out of the hands of known violent people. It is inexcusable that a domestic abuser can obtain a firearm. It is a widely circulated, and true, statistic that a woman living in the home of a gun owning domestic abuser has 500% the risk of being killed by the latter. This senseless and avoidable homicide is exactly what background checks will stop. Americans must understand which weapons we must ban and, more importantly, how we must get rid of them. For starters, the notion that we must “ban all guns� (which has been suggested in the past) is impossible, dangerous, and also does not make sense. Some firearms are very necessary for self-defense, and more importantly, for farmers to protect livestock. The guns which we must remove are any assault weapons and the militaristic style semi-automatic weapons not necessary for self-defense and hunting. The 1994 Assault Weapons ban was a progressive step forward in Congress’s attempts to prevent mass shootings and lower the homicide rate, but was filled with flaws and loopholes. First, the ban was never going to have any extreme impact on the homicide rate, as assault rifles were only involved in 2% to 8% of crimes prior to 1994, meaning the majority of crimes were a result of semi-automatic weapons or high capacity magazines. The ban also only applied to 18 different models of assault rifles (both fully and semi-automatic) manufactured after 1994. This ban did not include any assault rifles manufactured before 1994 or models that were very similar (but different enough) than the other 18 models,
meaning that the ban did not prevent Americans using the other 24 million models already in circulation. As expected, the effect of the ban on the homicide rate was inconclusive. While less assault rifles were used in crimes after 1994 and the homicide rate did decrease, it is misleading to say these factors were directly caused by the ban. Critics of a future ban will use the failures of this ban to argue against an assault weapons ban. However, if these loopholes were eliminated, the ban could be a progressive step into preventing future homicides and mass shootings. Another drawback was that only ten years were allowed for research to take place about the ban. With the hundreds of millions of other assault weapons that were in circulation at the time of the ban, the effect of stopping future specific models from being sold on gun violence would be miniscule. Perhaps if more time had been allowed, the ban would have worked. These failures of the ban serve only as a warning. They do not mean that a future ban would also fail. Keeping this in mind could lead to better legislation in the future. n
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Media Contagion
The Overcoverage of School Shootings Gus Erdman Staff Writer
In the past fifteen years, mass shootings in the United States have increased three fold. 124 people have already been slaughtered in 2018 and we are, once again, on track for another year of profound loss. Whether you believe assault rifles should be banned or more armed guards should be in schools, we can all agree that something must be done to end the carnage. Policy proposals from both sides of the aisle are mostly ineffectual and only address the symptoms of the problems rather than its root causes. But what are the root causes of mass shootings, and how can they be eliminated? Criminologists from across the country have identified a psychological phenomena that may be behind many recent mass shootings: the media contagion effect. To sum up the general idea of this pervasive illness, when potential shooters observe the notoriety other shooters receive from the mainstream media, they are emboldened to gain some attention for themselves. Understanding who these mass shooters are and what they really want will help us better analyze their motives. Mass shooters tend to share three traits amongst themselves: extreme depression, social isolation, and pathological narcissism. This deadly combination often pushes mentally unstable individuals to seek revenge against society, dominance over their compatriots, or public recognition. For mass shooters, the only way they can escape their inner demons is to make themselves feel powerful. The scale usually tips from unhealthy yet harmless feelings to violence when at-risk individuals realize that they can attain recognition through mass media coverage. Potential shooters often see
the names and pictures of other shooters on the news and feel inspired to commit “copycat” attacks. So it’s no coincidence that there is a direct correlation regarding two sets of data: hours of media coverage and number of mass shootings. Eliminating mass shootings is a major concern for Republicans and Democrats, even though both sides have different policy recommendations. Currently, at the national and state level, there are many laws being passed to protect the public, especially schools, from mass shootings. To compound the safety measures already being taken, we must also address the media contagion effect. Dr. Jennifer Johnson, from Western New Mexico University, recommends, “If the mass media and social media enthusiasts make a pact to no longer share, reproduce or retweet the names, faces, detailed histories or long-winded statements of killers, we could see a dramatic reduction in mass shootings in one to two years.” Solving the problem of mass shootings in our country is going to require more than just armed guards or assault rifle restrictions. We must address the psychological motivations that are causing mentally ill people to seek violence. Countering the media contagion effect is a great first step; the mainstream media, including CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC should, if they really care about reducing mass shootings, join sites like the Daily Wire and stop using shooters’ names. Mass shootings are a truly complex problem that will require many complex solutions. Just as lawmakers must pass more safety laws, the mainstream media must realize the harms of the media contagion effect and do their part to eliminate it. n
23 Voice
Even bad days usually have a good hour or two. Of course the opposite is also true. 3D Printing class this year has been a predictably good hour, and I look forward to it...like ice cream. Students ask a lot of questions, especially in that particular class. Sometimes the questions are about what we’re making, sometimes they’re just about me. Maybe it’s because I’m new? Or maybe it’s because I have a bad habit of answering.
“Have you ever eaten at Jerusalem Cafe, Mr. Baber?” Yes, lots of times. “What’s your favorite city you’ve lived in?” Uh, I guess, L.A. “Did you ever see any celebrities?” I am convinced I saw Justin Timberlake in a Porsche 911 in the left-turn lane on Olympic Blvd. “What were you like in middle school?” Ugh…
I didn’t like middle school. I know, I know. That’s about as original as loving Star Wars or hating homework, but it’s still true.
It wasn’t torture, but it was a large, public, middle school in Kansas. You weren’t getting out of there without a few unpleasant experiences. It was practically a point of pride. Before middle school, my life had centered around a few friends. The lynchpin of our tiny band was Josh, and he was my very best friend in the whole wide world. We all watched The X-Files, ate nachos, and played a lot of Street Fighter and NBA Jam. We even knew a code to give the players Bill Clinton’s head. Life was good. But it was 1993, Olathe was growing rapidly, and the school board saw fit to build a brand new elementary school practically in Josh’s backyard. We watched its progress from his trampoline with nascent dread. Maybe before it was done, Josh would move and he wouldn’t have to switch schools... Things at home were stable, if a little on the quiet side. I was living with my mom and my new stepdad. My only sister had gone to college a few years before. I saw my dad some weekends, but not as often as I used to. I was getting older, he had a new wife, and they lived on the other side of the State Line. When I did see him, sometimes we’d go visit my grandma, his mother, in hospice care. She was dying in the house where I’d celebrated every Christmas Eve of my life and in which my dad had safely parked me many a weekend night. In fact, the Christmas Eve before, I had given her a glass bell so that she could ring for the nurse. Yes, I was the 13 year old boy who bought his grandma a bell. I know. I know. But she loved the hell out of that bell, and she used it too. Anyway, the new school was built, and Josh was transferred for sixth grade. A year later, he was funnelled to a different middle school and out of my world entirely. Sud-
denly, the 3/4 mile distance between our houses became a vast, uncrossable desert, and 119th Street, an impassable geographic feature of the land. Through sixth grade, my friends and I slowly drifted in inexorably different directions, and eventually I was swept up with my remaining classmates, along with the classes from two other schools, into a forbidding, cinder block fortress of education. Looking back on it, it’s easy to pinpoint the problem. Basically, I made the mistake of scheduling middle school at the exact...same... time...that I first managed to find myself without any actual friends. Rookie mistake. Like the new priest told the young bride and the old widow, “It was an unfortunate double-booking.” The truth is, I had no idea that I was lonely. I was busy and surrounded by people most of the time, and I always did well in school. I had a family that cared about me, and I hardly ever got in trouble. But to survive middle school, it takes more than activities and teachers and parents. You need friends, and I had recently run out. Most days were fine. Sometimes they even served ice cream. You see, there wasn’t an ice cream machine in my middle school. But once in a blue moon, they served these individual ice cream cups. On the menu. This came with your meal. You didn’t have to have money or anything. It was free ice cream. Ice cream days were good days. I enjoyed learning, I was in good classes, and I loved my Chemistry teacher, Mrs. Brown. I liked most of my teachers, in fact. Then again, I never did have trouble getting along with teachers. Still, Mrs. Brown was kind and spoke to me like I was an adult; her room was a haven. Chemistry was a good hour.
Voice 24 Between classes, however, in the crush of the hallway, not even Mrs. Brown could help. In any school, there are liminal spaces where no law exists. You could usually slip through, but there was always the possibility that Donny might sucker punch you in the stomach, if he was having a particularly bad day...or a particularly good one. Best to avoid him. And don’t swim in the pool near Mikey. Once the teacher stepped out for a few minutes, and Mikey heard me say “damn it”. He told me swearing was bad while he held me under for a terrifyingly long time, only finally letting me up when the teacher returned. But then sometimes we’d randomly square dance for two weeks in P.E., and I would be in heaven. Of course, I made sure it wasn’t too obvious. Still, some days just the promise of ice cream or square dancing was enough to get you through. More often than not though, P.E. was a bad hour in my day. The terror of forced locker room time and violent games was a lethal combination. I survived on pre-emptive self-deprecation and wit, though that didn’t always work. When I was especially bad at some game, I’d loudly apologize for my poor skills and blame it on my trainer who really wanted me to save my good play for the pros. Or maybe I’d just tell them that I was holding back to let them shine. That’s just the kind of guy I was. Most of the time, they laughed. But some days, I kept my mouth shut and just tried to pass the ball.
“Mr. Baber, do you ever wish you were famous?” Uhhhh..no? At least, not anymore? I don’t know, like about as much as anyone does? “Are you married?” No. “Do you have a girlfriend?” Haha, no. Pause for follow-up...
In addition to everything else that year, I was starting to realize that I was gay and very quietly panicking. Homosexuality was practically its own color in the vulgar palette of teenage vernacular. There were as many shades of red as there were connotations to the insult “gay” in a 1993 middle school. The fear associated with being gay wasn’t just limited to the schoolyard either, as just over the horizon, AIDS carried off the better part of a generation. At school “gay” was just a dis; on television it was a death sentence. My uncle in San Francisco remembers a month that year when the funerals of people he knew literally outnumbered the days. I honestly think my dad was trying to comfort me when he promised that only gay people got AIDS. And I think he was sincerely baffled when I wasn’t reassured. Not long before, I had watched a young man with my name die of the disease, and he hadn’t even been gay. What possible hope did the homosexual Ryans have?? My church youth group retreats provided some sanctuary, though I also remember going to St. David’s in Topeka one weekend that year and seeing a girl, even younger than I, holding a sign that read “GOD HATES FAGS.” They were protesting the appointment of a gay alderman. We had to go through them to enter the church. That’s a metaphor that stuck with me. But the truth is, this was all just background noise to my seventh-grade self. At the time, my most pressing anxiety on the topic of my inescapable homosexuality was actually my grandmother’s imminent passing. You see, my grandmother was so Catholic, the pope prayed to her. She was so Catholic, she spoke tongues in Latin. She was so Catholic, she could die in front of everybody and smile about it the whole time. She got less and less use out of the bell each day, and it was clearly only a matter of time. While I was sad to lose her, I was even more terrified because I was convinced that once she achieved the omniscience of the afterlife...well...that Grandma would know. I spent most nights that year trying to police my thoughts, dreading the next day, and distracting myself by flipping through stations to catch Radiohead on my plastic alarm clock.
I don’t care it if hurts, I want to have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul.
I determined that if she did indeed die, I would have to stop being gay. As it turned out, she did, and I didn’t.
“Mr. Baber, what was your worst experience in middle school?” I don’t want to answer that. “Why not?” Well.. because...
I had lunch before P.E. It often had a “last meal,” feeling to it. But that day, on the lunch menu, in a space usually left blank, was written: Orange Sherbet. Talk about good signs. Ice cream, even sherbet, hell, especially sherbet, would get me through any P.E. class. I was all ABOUT Orange Sherbet. But I knew you had to snag it because it always ran out. I got my food right away and sat down at the edge of the friend group that least objected to my presence. I ignored the cooling fries and sensibly resolved to eat the ice cream first because it might melt, right? But in my excitement, I saw I’d forgotten a spoon. No problem. I popped out of my seat, bopped over to the utensils, and wasn’t gone more than a minute, before I sat down to see that someone had torn open my ice cream, smashed it up with a used fork, and obviously spit on it.
What the hell am I doing here? And I started to cry. I don’t belong here. And I couldn’t stop. I don’t belong here.
25 Voice
I tried to hold it back, really, but soon I just slid my hands to my face, dropped my head to the table, and tried as much as possible to disappear. People whispered, then tried to help, then gave up. “It’s nothing,” I tried to explain. “It’s really nothing.” The guy who spit in my ice cream even got me a new one and apologized. He looked awful sorry about it. I tried to stop crying, and I tried to tell him that it wasn’t about the ice cream, that I wasn’t even mad
at him, that I didn’t know why I was crying. He seemed dissatisfied with that. It was hard to explain. It’s just...in a bad year, there are probably good months; in a bad month, at least good days. Even bad days have hopefully a few good hours. But once in awhile, you get a bad moment in a bad hour in a bad day in a bad week in a bad month in a bad year. And in those moments, it’s just hard to believe they could ever add up to a good life.
...because it’s embarrassing, I guess? Because it’s sad. “How bad could it be?” I don’t know. Someone spit in my ice cream, and I cried in the lunchroom. “That’s it?” Ha. Yes, that’s it. It was just a bad day, I guess. “Yeah, that happens. So, who’s the most famous person you’ve ever met?”n
Illustration by Sloane Withers-Marney
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The Meat Market
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Middle School: Foreign Language Week Yoahui Zhang Middle School Correspondant
Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth graders stroll through the glass doors getting ready for class or chatting with friends until they suddenly realize, it’s Foreign Language Week! Monday, the week of March 5th, it was Latin day. The task was simple enough: answer a Latin question correctly and you receive a foreign currency. At lunch tell one of the teachers where it was from and how much it’s worth, and you’d get some chocolate coins. On Tuesday, you’d receive a fortune cookie and find a teacher to pronounce your fortune in Chinese, with your prize being a Chinese toy. Come Wednesday, French day, most of us would either text friends or dig through our closets to find a foreign hat. Some wore berets, some wore foreign caps, one even wore a radish hat. Depending on your cultural background, some wore full cultural dress, like a kimono or a wrap skirt. If you did dress up, you received a French question at the door. If answered correctly, and you’d get an eclair. If you wore your outfit until lunch, and you got another one! Thursday was Spanish day. All we had to do that day was wear a shirt with a foreign language on it. Although the eighth graders had an advantage with their language shirts, everyone found a way. At lunch, answer your question correctly and you’d get Jarritos, a Mexican soda. Finally there was Friday, Fun Day. The day most were excited about! Before school, you would visit a foreign language teacher and receive a sticker. Once you do, you’d then go to the library with your phone at the ready. Be prepared to answer a question correctly and receive candy. That was just the beginning! At 8 o’clock we all gathered in Hall Student Center. All the language classes got up on stage and sang their hearts out to the song their teacher chose. French students sang Le Marseillaise, Spanish students sang Cielito Lindo, Eighth grade Latin class rapped about the Battle of Troy, and Chinese students sang Xiao Ping Guo. All throughout the day we were grouped within our grades and taken all around campus competing against other grades in kickball and softball. Then, we participated in carnival games. After the main competitions, a new event was added into Fun Day to raise money for our Make a Wish kid, Harlie. We watched the movie Wonder, and had the opportunity to buy popcorn, candy, chips, and sodas. If you wanted VIP treatment, you could buy a treat seat for $10 a few days in advance. After the movie, all of middle school made their way to Phillips Gym for Bleacher Dances and the Volleyball game. In volleyball, 6th grade took fourth, 7th grade got third, 8th grade placed second, and faculty won. In all around placings, 6th grade placed third, swearing revenge next year, 8th grade placed second, salty of course, and the winners of Fun Day were 7th grade, who will surely have a record to uphold. n
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Science Fiction to Science Reality
Audrey Lu and Lilly Edwards Staff Writers Some of you may have watched Black Mirror, a British science fiction television series highlighting the possible negative outcomes of advancing technology. The episodes all have distinct, separate plot lines and typically have a satirical tone. Because most of the episodes involve societies eerily similar to our own, we decided to look at the possibility of some of the depicted scenarios in our society, especially in terms of cutting-edge technology and its effect on society. WARNING! SPOILERS! The first episode of the newly released season four; "USS Callister," contains a similar opening to Star Trek, though the spaceship and the entire crew are actually a part of a program inside genius programmer Robert Daly’s mind. Undervalued and shy in real life, the programmer utilizes this program to take out his aggression on his coworkers by trapping their consciousness in a game. The horrors of the storyline all result from the use of a Star Treklike digital simulation. Using a small machine, similar to a 3D printer, Daly uses a person’s DNA to create a perfect digital copy of the individual. While this is an entertaining and captivating episode, it is probably entirely impossible. Although in the very, very distant future scientists may be able to create some replica of a human through DNA, there is currently very little evidence to support the claim that human thoughts, experiences, and opinions can be extracted from from their DNA, let alone digitized. And the cliché that dying inside the digitized reality leads to death or incapacitation in real life doesn’t really hold up to scrutiny. Although we may not be able to use DNA to digitize an individual’s consciousness, scientists may be able to develop digital copies of ourselves through other methods. To begin with, there
are already attempts to master unique human mannerisms. The app Replika analyzes how its users text and email and then mimics their manner of speech and idiosyncrasies. In the very near future, a digital copy of a person could take customer service calls or replicate our social media usage. Combine this technology with a 3D printer, and the episode begins to look a bit more realistic. Short answer: the horrors of Robert Daly’s virtual Star Trek hell are possible, but only far after our lifetimes. If we ignore that Nanette Cole, protagonist of the "USS Callister" episode, and the other digitized humans exist and are derived from real people, and focus on the aspect of self-aware artificial intelligence, the episode is plausible. As of now, AI does not “understand” or “know” things as we do. What’s incredible about the USS Callister AI is that it is aware of the existence of its real counterparts and that human life is considered more valuable than its own. The main reason we are so far away from developing sentient AI (in addition to the hesitancy to create AI because they could take over the world) is that AI lacks human common sense and morals: many engineers are attempting to program a commonly understood truth into their AI, yet this truth comes along with many biases, which may cause faulty AI. Despite this seemingly dangerous future, there is no need to concern yourself about rampant AI; it is possible that may never occur, or will occur well into the future. And though the possibility of our lives playing out like Robert Daly and Nanette Cole’s is quite slim, we should continue to heed the warning from the show’s creators: technology may improve our lives, but it all comes with a hidden cost. n
Crossword: Vines
Across 4. I don’t care that you broke your _____ 5. Two bros sittin in a ______ 6. It is _____ my dudes, aaahhh 7. More like hurricane ______ 8. What’s nine plus ten? 9. I coulda dropped my ______ 11. Back at it again with the ______ 14. Look at all those ______
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Down 1. Oh my god I love ____, ____ is my life 2. So you just gonna bring me a ______ gift on my ________ to my ________ party on my _______ with a _____ gift 3. Hi, welcome to ______ 6. Officer, I got one question for you 10. I smell like _____ 12. It’s an ______. Thanks. 13. He needs some _____
Letter from the
Editors
Dear Readers,
What a time it’s been! Being your editors has truly been such a gift, and the culmination of a long journey for us both. We couldn’t be more proud of how the Voice has evolved under our leadership, especially with the dedication and support of our wonderful staff. From commissioning student artists to design covers to featuring a variety of relevant and entertaining content, it was our ultimate goal to uphold the integrity of the publication, the Pembroke community, and journalism as a whole. We intentionally directed the publication to be a forum for conversation about the current events in our diverse world. It was incredible to see firsthand the power that the Voice has in fostering dialogue by providing readers with an impetus for engaging in discussion. While it is sad that this is our very last issue as Editors, we trust that the Voice will be left in good hands, especially under the expert guidance of our teacher sponsors, Dr. Banion and Dr. Clothier. Many thanks to all the individuals who help make the Voice possible! Sincerely, Bella Barnes & Gina Pepitone
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. The views expressed by the writers are solely their own and do not reflect the sentiments of the editors, nor do they reflect the entirety 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
julia parkerson ‘18. . . started a new viral dance called “schwack the flo.” jay mehta ‘19 . . . recently won the billy michal student leadership award for his dedication to education, service and leadership. daniela rodriguez-chavez ‘19 . . . helped plan the march for our lives and is now planning the midtown kc rally with a group of students for the national school walkout. follow @midtownkcrally on instagram for details. gabe nutter ‘20 . . . threw a no hitter against leavenworth on march 22nd. olivia sabates ‘19 . . . is currently recording an album in los angeles. stay tuned! Editors-in-Chief Bella Barnes and Gina Pepitone Business Manager Graham Boswell
Head of Design Hunter Julo
Copy Editors Ellie Burke Charlotte Henry Paolo Laskero Olivia Sabates Zandy Swartzman
Managing Editors Catie Franano Lily Jiang Jacqueline Kincaid Baylor McCrary Lauren Washington
Head of Photo Julia Rosher Staff Writers Rachel Colligan Gus Erdman Lauren Lee Ellie Miller Jack Ramza Claire St. Peter
Designers Ellie Burke Comic Middle School Rachel Colligan Jane Markley Coordinator Fatemeh Farassati Jacqueline Kincaid Catie Franano Louisa Gear Podcast Illustrator Jane Markley Jay Mehta Sloane Withers-Marney Zhory May Mariel Pepitone Columnists Anonymous-”Dear Voice of Reason...” Jackson Chu & Rishabh Gaur, Charlotte Henry, Jay Mehta, Caroline Salzman – “What’s the Word?” Jaqueline Kincaid- “Kickin’ It with Kincaid” Katie Kimball & Audrey O’Shaughnessey – “Buzz” Emma Knopik –”KC Crawl” Faculty Sponsors Dr. Kim Banion and Dr. Matthew Clothier