THE VOICE VOLUME XXXII | SEPTEMBER 2015
do you really have a choice?
PG. 16
10-11
Musicians of the Issue
Paris Internship
This month we interviewed Spencer Thut ‘16 and Aidan Adler ‘16 as our musicians of the issue.
This summer Lizzie Whitney (a graduated senior) went to Paris after she won the ICB Europe internship. She wrote about her experience for us in this issue
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Q&A This month’s “Question and Answer” is with Mr. Romick and Mr. Richardson. Here’s everything you wanted to know (and more) from these teachers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 29
26-27
“Dam Straight” with Dameron Calvin and Hobbes Alice Rowland ‘16 and James Parkerson ‘16 debate whether or not Donald Trump will win the Republican nomination. Even though they do not agree on whether or not he will win, they both do a good job of highlighting his... outlandish personality.
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Dylan Dameron ‘16 takes us into a world in which the Force is strong, and he poses the question: could that world be this one>
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buzz [Upcoming Events]
Pembroke Hill
CONCERTS October 1- Glass Animals @ The Midland
Pembroke Hill Fall Play - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
October 17- KC Up and Coming Music Festival @ Knuckleheads October 20- Passion Pit @ The Midland
- Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24
October 23 - Chvrches @ Uptown Theater Friday October 23- Stevie Wonder @ Sprint Center October 25- MisterWives @ The Midland Homecoming Football Game - against University Academy - October 2 Homecoming Dance - October 3 - in Centennial Hall Football Senior Night - against Pius - October 16
OTHER EVENTS Chiefs Home Games -October 11 vs Chicago Bears -October 25 vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Rennaissance Festival - Saturdays and Sundays until October 18th plus Columbus Day “The Beast” and “The Edge of Hell” - open October 1
Kansas City
PHS in Review: September Elizabeth Shulman Managing Editor
Students kicked off the school year with the annual club fair on the quad. Upperclassmen set up booths and baked treats for each of the clubs, allowing freshmen to learn about everything from Science Olympiad to Thespians.
Junior and senior Link Crew members put on a backto-school mixer for the freshmen, giving those new to the Pembroke Hill upper school a great opportunity to get to know each other.
Upper school Thespians starred in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on September 14th. A full-length musical that was almost entirely studentproduced, this year’s Thespian Showcase was both heartwarming and hilarious for all who saw it.
This year’s annual barbecue was a success! Students, parents, teachers, and alums enjoyed the opportunity to come together over hot dogs and hamburgers. Raiders spent the day honoring the faculties and securities member Ray Hawks, who recently retired after twenty-eight years at Pembroke Hill. Lastly, the Raider football team closed out the evening with a 24-7 win against Ruskin High School. n
Davis Brooks Managing Editor
Advice Column: Upperclassmen to Freshmen
What’s the toughest class on campus? -Kyle Bergersen ‘19
Is it cool to wave to my brother in the hallways? -Gracie Beaham ‘19
AP Physics -Trent Cartmell ‘16
No. Just kidding, It’s cool
What are the good dance moves to break out at Homecoming? -Declan O’Leary ‘19
Which teacher should I be afraid of? -Jay Mehta ‘19
Hit the Quan and Stanky Leg, but also get some slow dances in there -Alex Hrinya ‘17
McGee -Everyone
Can a girl ask a guy to Homecoming? -Sienna Doering ‘19 and Kate Stokes ‘19
Of course! -Veronica Loskutova ‘16
-Pearker Beaham ‘16
Where’s the best place for freshmen to hang out in the school? - Catie Franano ‘19
Science Hallway -Jake Jones ‘17
Do you have less homework as a senior? -Quinn Brandmeyer ‘19
Is it okay for a freshman to ask a senior to homecoming? -Nathan Barewin ‘19
Is this question a joke? -Ben Wang ‘16
If the freshman is cute! -Ellison Rooney ‘16
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Where Does Our Food Go? Laura Hibschman and Shannon Fang Senior Designer and Managing Editor You’ve noticed it before – food from yesterday’s hot lunch is in today’s soup, salads, or wraps. Pembroke’s cafeteria staff and management utilize the “three R’s” (reduce, reuse, recycle) on a daily basis, and they are now leaning toward a bigger variety of healthier options and a stronger focus on freshness. Joe Kilishek, Head of Food Services, was in the army for twentythree years and has run over fifty operations in both hospitals and KCMO school districts. Now at Pembroke, he has innovative plans for the future of the school food service.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Food waste is a growing issue in the United States; generating even more waste than paper or plastic, food now tops the list as the greatest source of waste. According to Harvest Public Media, thirty-five million tons of food was wasted in 2012. Unused food does not always need to be thrown away; food is reusable for up to forty-eight hours, and the practice of redistributing it drastically reduces the amount of waste. The food you notice being reused is not something to scorn at – it is a common practice in waste-reduction. “We try to be innovative and creative, so we make changes in our recipes,” says Kilishek, noting the use of leftover peppers from the salad bar being incorporated into the food. Kilishek also mentioned the lack of plastic and paper in lunchroom: “If you notice, we don’t use any paper, except for the napkins.” The cafeteria stopped purchasing paper products, which has cut down on the expenses required to buy them, as well as the amount of garbage. Large food orders come in every Wednes-
day, and fresh produce comes in every morning. Determining the exact amount of each food item to order is an important task: it must be enough to feed everyone on campus, but not too much that food is being wasted. To calculate this, Kilishek states: “We base it off of our production record. The chef here has a production record, my salad person has production record to follow, and the deli person has a production record to follow.” For example, the new sandwiches in the commons during this first blue week fed about 160 people. The next blue week, more sandwiches were prepared because more people knew about them, and more options were prepared, such as a vegetarian sandwich. A possible future for the cafeteria is a compost program, which can reduce the volume of garbage disposal. Composting is the natural breaking down or decomposition of organic material, lessening the amount of waste in land disposals.
What’s Next? In addition to the school’s waste-conservation efforts, Kilishek states that what makes Pembroke distinct from other food programs is how fresh the food is: “If you go in the back right now and look, it’s all fresh...We have nothing in a can.” During his time here, he has overseen both minor and significant changes to the cafeteria. Some changes are small, yet effective; the walls were painted white to brighten the area and make it more welcoming, there are more cups by the water, and the TV will be moved to a place where everyone can see it. He has also initiated a program that features a different fruit every month, such as the recent focus on peaches: One week has peach slices, the next has peach smoothies.
The goal of this program is to provide a wider variety of fruit for the staff and students. Sydney Woods ‘17 reflects, “The peaches seemed a little under ripened, but the grapes were delicious. I’m really glad that the school has branched out from simply apples, oranges, and bananas.” On display, you will see tomatoes decorated with little bales of hay. This is a result of the Farm to School Program, which showcases products from local producers. Not only is it a chance to view what is being lo-
cally grown in the Kansas and Missouri areas, but it also adds a new level to school lunch. The cafeteria is no longer a place of mediocre food and crowded tables; it combines fresh produce with local culture. These changes all work toward a common goal set by the cafeteria staff, which is for “each and every student and faculty to have a ‘Great Dining Experience.’” n
Did you know? SMARTER LUNCHROOM STRATEGIES such as how foods are named and where they are places in the cafeteria can facilitate healthy choices and increase fruit and vegetable consumption by
UP TO 70%. OVER 96% of food waste
that could be composted ends up in landfills and incinerators.
1.3 BILLION TONS (1/3)
of all edible food procuded worldwide is wasted or lost each year.
What About That New Gym? Rachel Colligan Contributor Every Pembroke Hill athlete wants to know...is this new gym happening or not? The simple answer is yes, but not any time soon. When asked if the new gym is officially in the works, both Mike Hill, Upper School Principal, and Don Earnest, Athletic Director, were reluctant to say yes. However, a new gym is definitely next on the list of campus improvements. Mr. Hill explained that many school improvements are necessary because the Upper School campus was originally an all-boys school with around 500 students, but now is home to over 700 students, with both boys’ and girls’ sports teams. The school has already made many improvements, including the new Middle School, built in 2000. A larger Hall Student Center and (yay!) a new gym are up next. As Earnest explained, building a new gym is very important to Pembroke Hill so that students’ athletic experiences match their academic ones. Students enjoy beautiful classrooms and state-of-the-art arts facilities, so now it’s time they get the same treatment when they play sports. “Especially in the winter time, all the athletic teams can barely get by in our current facilities, so a new gym would greatly improve the athletic experience,” explains Earnest.
Ideally, this new gym could also be used by the entire Pembroke Hill community. As Mr. Hill envisions, “This will be great for our community.” With more space and amenities, the facility would allow not only students, but also parents and alumni to take advantage of all it has to offer. So where is the school in the process of building the gym? Both Mr. Hill And Mr. Earnest reported that they are in the process of gauging community support for the project because, of course, a project like building a new gym depends on fundraising. The concept has been pitched to the Board of Trustees, and an architect has met with various directors and coaches to discuss the school’s needs in the new facility. However, the project is still in its infant stages and a timeline is yet to be determined. Even though a new gym at Pembroke Hill is nothing more than a concept, it’s still fun to imagine what the facility will look like. It will stand where Pierson Gym is right now and will be handicap accessible, unlike Pierson. Possible amenities include larger locker rooms, improved weight rooms, two regulation floors, yoga and dance studios, and an indoor track. The bottom line? We won’t be seeing this new gym in our time. But get excited, because it will be great when it happens. n
POSSIBLE FEATURES New Locker Rooms: Both boys and girls teams would have ample space to change into athletic wear close to the stadium, track, and gym floors. Improved Weight Room: Teams and students would have more space and machines to use for their strength and conditioning workouts. Indoor Track: “This is really important so that when there is inclement weather, our teams can still get a jog in.” -Mr. Hill Yoga, Meditation, and Dance Rooms: To give all exercisers proper space. 2 Floors in 1 Gym: “They will be able to be converted between basketball and volleyball floors and will be fit for competition, so we can host tournaments and districts.” - Mr. Earnest. Another perk? A third floor means more space, which means less late practices!
phs stereotypes
Cormac Chester Head of Digital Imagine you live in a world where money grows on trees. But the trees only grow in certain areas, like on hills, and only certain people are allowed to pick from the trees. In Money Trees, Kendrick Lamar raps, “A silver spoon I know you come from... That’s a lifestyle we never knew.” Mr. Lamar is suggesting that certain people who have practically endless pockets (i.e. live around money trees) have a very different lifestyle to those without silver spoons. To people of Kansas City, The Pembroke Hill School represents upper class life that is unattainable to most. At least, the stereotype suggests that. I remember meeting a few people who were from the KC area (specifically, Olathe) when I went to a debate camp in Austin, Texas. They seemed nice, but they were also a little hesitant to talk to me and my debate partner. I soon found out from a mutual friend at the camp that they viewed my partner and I as members of a very wealthy society that spend hundred dollar bills like quarters – in other words, like the untouchable elite. It was ironic because their parents, like
Illustrations by Olive Honan
ours, had to shell out a good deal of money for the debate camp, which put us in a relatively similar financial boat. It wasn’t necessarily what we wore or how we acted that separated us, but rather the name of our school. The Olathe perspective is not the only important point of view in this situation. From Shawnee Mission East, the local public high school, one student, who wished to remain anonymous, agreed with the sentiment of the debaters from Olathe. “Pembroke kids are their own breed of species,” the student said. “They’re hard to relate to in a sense that they live in their own bubble and not too often [sic] experience other things. A lot of them just follow in their parents footsteps and do whatever they’re told. ” Inheritance money, as the East student suggests, is more significant at Pembroke than at other schools. Many kids live the “good life,” as Kanye West might say, not having to really worry about financial stresses that accompany the majority of
other people in the world. Yet not all East students exist to isolate Pembroke. Hope Hess, a junior at the public school, says that she doesn’t have any issues with PHS. “We are two schools, in two states, and in two different leagues. I like the people I know from the school. I’ve never had the bad impression that a lot of East makes you think.” So perhaps a large reason people feel a bubble exists between Pembroke and themselves is that there is a literal divide. State lines, while not as relevant in Kansas City compared to other states, still do play a role. However, an economic divide does indeed exist. Why does Pembroke have the ivory tusk reputation? Well, PHS is a private, college preparatory school that emphasizes exclusive Ivy League schools for the college search. Its expensive tuition eliminates a majority of students who may wish to attend. The founders of the school intended for it to be like this – appealing to a small percentage of the population who were (and still are) willing to bring out the big bucks. The legend of the money trees is real, yet the hills are short, and can often be climbed. n
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MUSICIANS of phs: q&a with aidan adler and spencer thut Bella Barnes and Kennedy Coleman Staff Writer and Contributor Getting their beginnings slamming on a Rock Band drumset and pressing five colored buttons on a Guitar Hero guitar, Pembroke Hill students Aidan Adler ‘16 and Spencer Thut ‘16 have grown into dedicated musicians with real musical opportunities. Adler, who plays the guitar, performs in a band at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church as well as in bands with other high schoolers in a program called School of Rock. He’s also played at the Nelson-Atkins as part of the musical accompaniment to a local puppet show. Thut, who sings, plays bass, guitar, drums, piano, and ukulele, is a member of the band Wingnut, plays in the Pembroke Hill band, and was the musical director of the school’s one-act musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” He plans to record an EP over Janterm with fellow Pembroke Hill student, Evan Peterson ‘16. These opportunities are just the beginning, as Adler and Thut plan to pursue music for a lifetime. n
Voice: What was your first exposure to music? Has it always been a part of your life? Aidan Adler: I played Guitar Hero. I was 9, well actual guitar, but I started playing Guitar Hero earlier than that. I was like, “Hey, this is fun.” Spencer Thut: Yeah, that was [the] same thing for me, but in 8th grade. I was a late starter. I started playing Rock Band with Evan [Peterson] and then I tried real instruments.
V: What were your influences musically? AA: My parents aren’t very into classic rock stuff, even though they grew up during the 70s. They listen to like Billy Joel, Elton John… My influences come mainly through my guitar teacher Brian, who I’ve been taking [lessons] from since I was 9. He’s a big classic rock guy, so I play mostly that. I’m a big Stevie Ray Vaughan fan. Any guitar player likes Hendrix. And then I’ve been into Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. ST: For me, it was definitely a bit more singer-songwriter. Elvis Costello, and The Beatles growing up. Because my dad likes them.
V: Has your influences changed what music you guys play yourselves? ST: Definitely. In Middle School I got really into super angsty grunge. And I still listen to that, but now it’s kind of landed somewhere between the two. And I like to think that if, when I do make music or write, it’s somewhere between the heaviness of later rock, but also kind of the light-hearted feeling of like The Beatles and The Who.
V: Music recommendations? Favorite albums of all time? V: What kind of music opportunities are you pursuing? ST: I’m ‘musical director,’ which really means I’m coordinating all the music stuff and helping people learn music occasionally. I’m playing bass in the band, like I do in the orchestra when it’s time for the big musical. I’ve done that for the last two years, and I’m going to do it again this year. Other than that, I’ve got a band named Wingnut with Evan Peterson ‘16. AA: I play down at this black church on 40th and Troost, which is so fun. It’s called Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church. They get really into it. They go for like three hours long. I started through [School of Rock] and I had a couple of bands, but they all went off to college.
V: Do you think you’ll pursue music as a career? ST: That’s a big question. For me personally, the goal is to make a living making music… I really like audio engineering, and I’d be happy being a producer or something. But if I could be a touring musician and make a living off of that, then that’s a good life. AA: I’m in the same boat. Really whatever I can do. Make money and play music... Go to college and do music, and also learn other stuff.
AA: Slow Blues by Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Made-Up Mind by Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Stranger by Billy Joel, Crest of a Knave by Jethro Tull, and some Marvin Gaye or a Stevie Wonder album. ST: I’ll say...Beatles. Is Beatles too obvious? Billy Joel is great too. Rubber Soul by The Beatles, D’Angelo’s Black Messiah, Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin IV. And Queens of the Stone Age.
V: What does music mean to you in your specific lives as teenage boys at Pembroke Hill? ST: I’m going to steal this one from Dr. Clothier… [Dr. Clothier] was talking about an essay where [the author] says there’s music on three levels. There’s the sensuous, where there’s that X-Factor, and you don’t know what it is, but it hits your brain, and makes your hips move. I think that music, for whatever biological reason does something to us. There’s the emotional, where it’s like you relate to it. And you know for kids our age, that’s super easy to say because we’re all balls of hormones and emotion and whatever. Also I think there’s the musical, the intellectual. For nerds like me, when I listen to a song, I like to dissect it. I like to think about what’s going on, like “Oh that’s a cool guitar part,” or “That’s an interesting drum fell.” For me, I think Dr. Clothier’s explanation, which he took from that essay, makes a lot of sense to me. AA: I like this BB King quote: “Music is the universal language. I don’t speak French, but Lucille does.” That’s his guitar, Lucille. Music connects everybody. n
Photo Credits to Aidan Adler and Spencer Thut
Q&A Mr. Richardson V: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Mr. Richardson: Right now I would go to California. I love California, maybe San Francisco. First thing that came to mind. V: What is the best book you’ve ever read? Mr. Richardson: The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay V: What is your favorite part about teaching? Mr. Richardson: Interacting with students. V: What is your favorite band? Mr. Richardson: The Grateful Dead V: What is your opinion on the zombie apocalypse? Mr. Richardson: Hope it doesn’t happen.
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V: Have you always lived in Kansas City? Mr. Richardson: I have not. I’m from Colorado, and right before this I lived in Kentucky. I lived in Zambia for a year right after college, I lived in New Hampshire for a couple years... I’ve been all over the map. V: What brought you to Pembroke Hill? Mr. Richardson: I married a girl from Kansas City--this was last year--and we knew we wanted to live here or Colorado, places we have roots. So that’s the big picture. But I think its reputation is what really caught my eye and I heard a lot of really great things about. So I was fortunate that right when we moved back, a job opened up. All good fortune. V: Have you always planned to become a teacher? If so, did you expect to teach high schoolers? Mr. Richardson: Yes. Well, for as long as I can remember, since at least the beginning of college, I knew I wanted to teach and coach the high school level.
V: If you had three words to describe yourself, what would they be? Mr. Richardson: Wow, let’s see... Happy, Brazilian, soccer.
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V: What author would you want to host a dinner party with? Mr. Romick: Adam Gopnik. Because he is extremely precise with language, and he writes about food. Therefore, I assume that he would devote quite a lot of care and attention to the meal, thus leaving me more time to socialize with guests. V: Is there anything you wish would come back into fashion? Mr. Romick: The ascott. V: Do you collect anything? Mr. Romick: Bizarre friends and enriching experiences. V: Favorite part about Kansas City/Favorite place? Mr. Romick: The River Market V: What song would you sing at Karaoke night? Mr. Romick: Born to Run, The Boss
Natalie Dameron and Lindsay Luchinsky Staff Writers
V: If you could join any band (past or present) which would you join? Mr. Romick: I reject the conventions of this question and, instead, propose a band from the future...Wyld Stallyns! Mic drop. V: Celebrity crush? Mr. Romick: MÊlanie Laurent. If she were to ever show the slightest interest in me, Mrs. Romick and I would be forced to have a very awkward conversation. V: What is the best gift you have ever been given? Mr. Romick: Either a taxidermied bat that hangs above my mantle or the alligator claw that sits upon my desk. V: If you could only eat one meal/food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Mr. Romick: Foie gras d’oie et Sauternes.
V: What three items would you take with you to a deserted island?
Mr. Romick: A fullyloaded kindle, a fishing spear, and Mrs. Romick.
Mr. Romick
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A Summer in Paris Lizzie Whitney Alum Everyone expects Paris to be beautiful. And it is, truly and deeply, but not in the way they expect. Of course, modelesque people grace the Métro, flower boxes brighten busy streets, and the Eiffel Tower looms above as a constant reminder that this is real, you’re in Paris. But the true appeal is complex, without name and almost ineffable. Deeper than the tourist’s ideal, there is an undercurrent of something else that requires some patience to perceive. The City of Light is not always so; it can be a serious and somber place, black as the Seine at night and twinged with a delightful decadence. You can smell it under a summer storm, see it in the time-touched facade of the Louvre, hear it in the verses of Baudelaire. This something is the real beauty, the magic, if you will, of Paris. It is the reason we return, year after year, the reason we walk along the Rue de Rivoli despite the busloads of tourists, the reason we love the city even better under the cover of
rain than in the sunshine. I came to Paris this summer with grand expectations. I expected to become less a child, more an adult; living alone forces such development and allows a certain degree of self-creation. Knowing this, I wanted the postcard-like picture of my life here to come to fruition, just as it had in my head. I would work during the day, naturally, and probably edit some papers, much as my predecessors had, without much else to say about it. In my own time, however, I intended to truly thrive. I would read as much as I could, sitting at a café and drinking something very French--preferably café au lait, but we’d have to wait and see. These moments would serve as studies for my writings, on which I would work during my own time, furiously in my apartment, furtively on the Metro, or faithfully on a park bench somewhere, surrounded by pigeons. I would go to museums when I wanted to, so as to take in as much culture as I could. And of course, I would grow from the experience; living alone forces such things along
at a nice pace. It was meant to be a summer of relative solitude, meant for enjoying the intellectual side of a city that still appreciates such things as government-subsidized literature and free museum access for those in need. And like a Parisian able to see and enjoy in passing all the little, typically Parisian things, I did these things: I saw beautiful Métro riders, flowers on the Boulevard Saint Germain, the Seine at sunset; I read in cafés and wrote on park benches; the casual and expected Parisian beauty offered itself up, and I accepted. But what I’ll remember most clearly, most dearly, are the moments I became more independent and more myself--that is to say, the adult version of myself I don’t yet entirely know. I know I’ll recall happily the time I trekked across the unfamiliar streets of the Sixteenth to the Palais de Tokyo one Wednesday night; the time I argued with a French postal worker who wouldn’t let me have my package simply because it was addressed to Lizzie, not Elizabeth; and the
with Lizzie Whitney
many times I sat down with a book and an empty stomach to test my theory that the best brasseries in Paris are the ones with old tiled floors. At work, as in my private life, I decided to make similar strides toward that adult independence I so wanted to achieve. The first step: to conquer my fear of speaking on the telephone, particularly in French. One of my main tasks at the office has been to call students who have forgotten to take a test or respond to an email. The first day of calls, I tried to find any way to delay speaking on the phone--filing papers, going through the student’s contact info twice, just to be sure, dialing slowly. After a few days of such inanity, though, I found I liked calling students. It was challenging to listen to all those accents, flying through
the phone wires at varying speeds and with many different degrees of mumblyness, but I was improving my French, and it gave me a chance to talk to people while still working at my desk. My other trouble at work came from my worries about professional hierarchy. My first day, I didn’t want to bother anyone with any questions. Though very welcoming, everyone else seemed so busy, and I was sure I would only get in their way. Slowly, I grew more comfortable in the office as I talked more with my colleagues over lunch or when someone had something interesting to say from their desk. We had plenty of conversations about the differences between British, Canadian, and American language and culture: among other things, syntax and candy both vary slightly between the countries.
I can’t quite list all the things I’ve learned or name all the ways I’ve changed. I didn’t write a novel, I didn’t cultivate my perfect life here, and I didn’t just edit papers at the office and run off to my daily evening adventure. Like the city itself, life here has been more complex than my initial idea suggested. There have been challenges I hadn’t foreseen and rewards I couldn’t have anticipated, and though I’m not sure I can point to any specific part of my life and say it’s been altered by this month, there is some ineffable element I feel is newly discovered. Maybe it’s well-nourished selfconfidence, or a certain new knowledge, or the stirrings of my adult self starting to awaken. Whatever it is, I know I have Mr. Wrobley, ICB, and Paris to thank. n
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“Just Say Yes” Mikayla Ferguson and Bella Foote Columnists
if a boy asks you, don’t say no. Whenever Homecoming season rolls around, we always flashback to our freshman year. We were all nervously chatting, as freshman do, and waiting to be released from our grade-wide meeting. A group of senior girls and a few female teachers came into the room and told all of the boys they were excused, but they asked us girls to remain. The subject of Homecoming was then brought up, and the room filled with nervous anticipation. The conversation began with a senior girl saying, “So, the Homecoming dance is coming up, and I’m sure you’re all super excited for it. Lots of you will get asked by boys, and they will all be really putting themselves out there when they ask you, so be nice.” A female teacher added something along the lines of, “You don’t want to destroy the boy’s confidence by declining his offer.” And, finally, someone bluntly said, “Basically, if a boy asks you, don’t say no.” The room quieted. We all knew that in most circumstances, you
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say yes to the request. However, to be told directly by young women who we look up to and admire that we could not say no to a boy was shocking. Sensing the tension in the room, one senior leader tried to add “I mean obviously if you’re not comfortable you can say no, but then you can’t really say yes to anyone else. It would be rude to still attend the dance.” The meeting was ended by a few more statements along the lines of “just say yes,” and we were all sent on our way. In today’s society, there are standards placed on women that are simply not placed on men. This “just say yes” mentality can be applied to a variety of situations, from simple things like accepting a boy’s Homecoming proposal to more intimate scenarios. Recently, a story hit the news about an elite preparatory school in New Hampshire and its long standing tradition called “The Senior Salute.” The Senior Salute is when a group of senior boys make a list of underclassmen girls and then at-
tempt to get those girls to sleep with them. The girls are expected to consent, and this tradition is allowed to continue. There are many other examples of this type of behavior, and it is perpetuated by the idea of “just saying yes.” However, keep in mind, it is not necessarily the male population applying this pressure, but often times other women. So, to return to our freshman year flashback, being told by fellow females that we had no choice, really, but to say yes was astonishing. Before writing this article, we decided it was important to investigate our community’s opinion on whether or not someone has the right to decline another’s invitation. The responses we got differed greatly. We began with the freshman grade: Most said that they believed they had the right to say no if they felt uncomfortable or didn’t know the person. Sophomores had similar views. One sophomore expanded further on the topic, claiming that by supporting the “always say yes rule,” we were continuing a long-standing patriarchal tradition. When we turned to the junior and senior
You don’t want to destroy the boy’s confidence by declining his offer.
grades, the responses changed. Many juniors believed it was wrong to say no. When we asked a junior boy his opinion, he said. “Of course they should say yes;” however, when we asked him why he felt this way, his answer was “because they should.” One individual pointed out that “if girls are allowed to say no, then boys should have the same right when WPA comes up,” which is entirely true. A senior girl said to us “you should always say yes, because the boy probably tried hard to make that sign.” Interestingly enough, when we approached a group of senior boys and asked them the same questions, many did not agree with the others replies, and believed the girls had a choice. These responses do not reflect the entirety of any grade, nor do they determine whether any grade is correct or incorrect in their beliefs. The responses we received from the freshman and sophomores seemed to be of thoughtfulness and almost vague detachment, whereas the responses from the juniors and (some) seniors seemed to come from a place of emotion. Reflecting on why this could be, we recalled the infamous scene from freshman year. That gathering of girls is not the only instance where we had been scared into thinking we were required to say yes to a Homecoming date. In freshman year, a girl said no to a Homecoming invite and, hours later, was berated by senior girls in her afterschool sport because of her choice. Another girl who had declined an invitation was ignored by friends and told by upperclassmen on her sports team that saying no was “never okay.” The reason this culture exists at Pembroke is due to the prevalence of what we call “decline debasing,” which is when individuals decline an invite to a dance and are then shamed for making their own choice. The majority of this shaming takes place in sports and clubs, and seems to be carried out by upperclassmen girls trying to “help” their un-
derclassmen. N o w , to be clear, there are many reasons why one should not refuse a homecoming offer, and many people gave us valid reasons why. Essentially, it boiled down to two main arguments, the first being that asking another individual to a dance takes quite a bit of courage, especially during freshman year. Rejection, whether it be from a boy or a girl, will often times crush someone’s confidence, especially if the reason you are rejected comes down to petty reasons such as popularity. The second reason, pointed out by one individual, is that “dances are social events where you have the opportunity to get to know new people. If someone that you typically don’t talk to asks you to a dance, by all means go with them and learn something about them.” And while Homecoming is a great event that allows for the expansion (and creation) of friendship, it is important for students to understand that individuals have the right to say no - the reasons to accept an invite for Homecoming never supercede an individual’s autonomous decision of accepting or denying. Understanding this is vital to success and self-respect, and it will lead to a change in the present standards we are living in.n
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UnBiased Opinions with Clay Lundgren ‘17 Marvel’s 2016-2017 schedule: Too much of a good thing? If you’re even somewhat of a movie-goer, it is more than likely that you’ve noticed the over-abundance of Marvel superhero movies over the past two years. It is also more than likely that you--much like myself-have thoroughly enjoyed the vast majority of them. However, there were definitely some standouts that didn’t have the same flare as the others. You could blame this, in part, on the fact that many of them were directed and/or written by different people. The underlying theme that led to the bad films versus the good ones, however, was whether they were made to promote The Avengers films or not. For example, both of the Captain America films are pretty blatant trailers for The Avengers. Aside from Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier getting a little more critical acclaim, it is pretty plain to see that both films suffer from being lesser children to a greater parent. The parent is The Avengers line of films and if said child-films don’t perfectly set up the plot points for the upcoming Avengers film, then they haven’t done their duty. These films sacrifice opportunity for themselves in order to promote their parents. The two Thor movies both suffer from this same curse. Yet, there are movies with hope. The Iron Man movies are so much more successful due to their individuality. Even though the third movie in the series came after the first Avengers, director Jon Favreau still allowed himself a nearly blank canvas. Guardians of the Galaxy was another Marvel film with so much individuality and fantastic execution. It is also an example of a Marvel film that is able to seamlessly implant some of the characters and arcs necessary for the Marvel universe whilst still upholding its artistic integrity. Even with these overwhelming successes, however, it is hard to overlook the blemishes in Marvel’s otherwise fantastic lineup.
But why then do we still go to, and (for the most part) enjoy them all so much? It’s because even the ones that are bad are essential to see in order to fully enjoy The Avengers movies. If you care about the universe at all then you want to go and see these spin-offs (because, let’s face it: that’s what they are) because you want the full experience. All of this is why the upcoming Marvel schedule for the next few years has its major up’s, and its major down’s. You have your incredibly promising titles like a new start in Doctor Strange (a somewhat lesser-known comic book character) starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and a much-awaited sequel in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 in 2016 and 2017, respectively. However, there is also a third Captain America movie slated for 2016 and three new spin-offs in Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and Inhumans (all three comic-book adaptations) slated for 2017-18. Are you overwhelmed yet? Not only will this new ‘Cap’ movie inevitably suffer from Avengersitis (I’m calling it that now; deal with it), but there is an insane amount of Marvel movies slated. Avengers 3 is being split into two parts! That’s NINE movies over the next three and a half years. That’s an unbelievable production schedule. The moral of the story is that due to Marvel’s success with The Avengers series, we now have an insane amount of both spin-offs and new-comers alike. So, due to all of this, I simply encourage you to take each new Marvel trailer of the next couple of years with a grain of salt. Don’t walk into each movie expecting a Guardians of the Galaxy or an Iron Man 2. It’s just unrealistic. Will they all be enjoyable? Probably. Should we see all of them? Probably not. Will we? Heck yeah; I love superheros. n
FOOD FIGHT El Patron
Southwest Blvd. Mickey Ferguson Columnist El Patron is an authentic Mexican restaurant located on Southwest Boulevard. I really enjoyed this restaurant, and the prices were average. The restaurant itself is very cool, with large intricate paintings on the walls. However, it is a little cramped near the bar because there are not a lot of tables available. The chips were the runof-the-mill chips: nothing great, nothing terrible. They were very crunchy, which is always a plus when it comes to chips. The salsa was paste style, and tasted like your average salsa consisting of tomato paste and maybe some herbs. Don’t get me wrong, this combo was good, but it just didn’t stand out. Chips and Salsa: 3.5/5. The Enchiladas de Mole were TO DIE FOR. Like, “Wow.” I got them with chicken, and the chicken was not only moist, but also really flavorful. I could eat it on its own and still love it.
VS.
The corn tortilla was thick and had a very distinct corn taste, which I liked. The mole sauce was the icing on the cake. The mole was extremely flavorful, with the most poignant flavors being the rich chocolate and the dried chili peppers. I would eat this everyday if I could. It could be a lit-
Chuy’s The Plaza
Chuy’s is a chain restaurant on the Plaza that serves Tex-Mex. Overall, it’s a pretty good restaurant for a decent price. With pictures of dogs and brightly colored walls, the atmosphere is fun and funky. An interesting aspect is they cook all their tortillas in house, so you can
half the size of a regular chip, but in reality I just ate twice as many chips as normal, so it evened out. The salsa was pico de gallo style and almost tasted bubbly because it was so fresh. The light chips with the fresh salsa was a very united combo. Their chips and salsa are my favorite of all time, which is saying something because I eat a lot of Mexican food. Chips and Salsa: 5/5.
tle l e s s sweet, but that is not really an issue for me! Overall, these enchiladas were phenomenal. Enchiladas de Mole: 5/5.
watch the procedure. The chips were amazing. I especially enjoyed the fact that every chip was very thin and light, but still extremely crunchy. This made me feel like I was being sort of healthy because these chips were about
The Deluxe Chicken Enchilada with Deluxe Tomatillo Sauce was pretty good, but the chicken was a little bland. The flour tortilla was very soft, and I could tell that it was handmade. The sauce was very thick. I enjoy traditional tomatillo sauce, but this sauce was not my favorite because it was a mixture of tomatillo sauce and sour cream. It was really heavy and not as enjoyable. I thought the enchilada was good, but not the greatest I’ve ever tasted. Deluxe Enchilada: 3/5. n
Winner! Loser... Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Overall Rating: 8/10 19
Pembroke Hill: Gina Pepitone and Delaney Northington Copy Editor and Contributor Mr. Lips has four tattoos. On his forearm, he has two separate tattoos spelling out David and Joseph, the names of his father and grandfather. He considers these tattoos to be memorials in their name. Mr. Lips also has a tattoo of a red dinosaur on the inside of his wrist. He got it with his wife and friend. This tattoo covers up an older one of his tattoos, which was just a square of dark skin that had scarred. His final tattoo is on his upper arm. It’s like an ouroboros but with a hammer and a light bulb. This particular tattoo was done by his high school best friend. It symbolizes his interest in tools and carpentry, which was Mr. Lips’ father’s profession. In addition, the light bulb is a symbol of ideas and creativity.
Mickey Ferguson ‘16 has two tattoos. Her first one she got with her mom on her 18th birthday. It is on her ribcage in white ink, and it is of a sun and moon. “My mom and I have alway loved [the design] for years so we decided to get it together!” exclaims Mickey. Her second tattoo is of a small moon on the inside of her left ankle. Mickey got this tattoo while in Texas this summer: “I got the tattoo by myself, which was really scary, but I was super proud afterwards!” To her, the moon symbolizes her independence and individuality.
Mrs. Van Zanten has 2 tattoos: one on her stomach and another on her ankle. The one on her stomach is of a sun and a moon symbolizing the two sides of people, much like yin and yang. Her second tattoo is of a chain of flowers around her her ankle. She got this tattoo in her early twenties, but Mrs. Van Zanten does not like it because she feels as though it doesn’t represent who she is as a person anymore. Her advice to those who do want tattoos is wait until they are old enough to be comfortable making such a permanent decision. She is also interested in getting more meaningful tattoos in the future.
INKED Kevin Ward ‘16 has one tattoo, a recent tattoo of the Tree of Life on his upper chest. The tattoo has a special significance to him because it represents him “beating the odds.” He got this tattoo because, when he was very young, he stopped breathing many times; however, each time, he survived, although it was likely that he would not, and he is so proud to be alive today that he got this tattoo.
Mrs. Ramey has a tattoo on her ankle of three flying birds. To her, it has layers of meaning. She got the tattoo about 10 years ago with two of her best friends, and Mrs. Ramey has no regrets. The reason she picked this particular tattoo is because it represents Eadweard Muybridge, a photographer that was an expert of studying animals in motion. The birds also represent the idea of freedom.
Mr. McGee, a proud alum of Columbia University, has a lion’s head, the mascot of his alma mater, on his arm. “It was the most un-Ivy League thing I could think of doing,” says McGee, who got his tattoo while he was a freshman in college. It was partially inspired by an older friend’s tattoo of a panther’s head, and partly by his father’s tattoos In fact, Mr. McGee considers his tattoo a sort of tribute to his father. As for the location, he intentionally got it at a place where his work clothes can hide it; he understands the stigma often associated with inked professionals. However, he has no regrets. In fact, he confessed that he doesn’t think about his tattoo very much, mostly just when people bring it up. He does have one warning to those who are planning to get ink: make sure the sanitary conditions of the parlor aren’t at all relaxed. n
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The Voice Podcast Take a listen to the our new monthly podcast for exclusive content, brought to you by Spencer Thut ‘16. Soundcloud.com/PHSVoice
A Fresh Prespective Questions: Jacuqeline Kincaid Staff Writer Answers: Pallavi Jonnalagadda & Kaitlyn Storm Staff Witers Jonnalagada, who’s been at PHS since 6th grade, and Storm, a new student to PHS, discuss their opinions on the first few weeks of high school as freshman. V- Is there anything you regret doing so far?
V- What’s the biggest change from middle school to high school?
PJ- Not really... There’s not much to regret this early in the school year, and I have no intentions of doing anything I should ever regret. I’m very mindful of doing the right thing.
PJ- Lunch. The lunches go way later than in the middle school, and they change every day from early to late lunch, depending on what class you have, which makes it hard to know which lunch to go to, unlike the Middle School, where your advisory has late or early lunch for the whole semester.
KS- Yes! On the first day of school, I thought a senior was a freshman and I went up and said hello. Luckily she gave me a weird look and I realized something was wrong before I did anything too embarrassing!
KS- Everything is different! Class sizes are so much smaller here (by about 15 people)! Also, the same group of kids was in my class for every subject, so it was strange coming to high school and realizing I am the only person on my particular schedule. But the biggest change overall has been the rotating schedule and the late start on Wednesdays!
V- Is there something you wish you knew before high school started? PJ- I wish I knew about the transition times being so short. It’s so hurried from class to class.
V- What are you most apprehensive about in the coming years of high school?
KS- The school prepared us very well for what we would encounter in high school, but I wish I would have known that being late to class on the first day because you got lost is okay and not too much of an issue.
PJ- Time management, mostly--juggling between all my schoolwork and extracurriculars.
V- Is high school what you expected?
KS- Getting all of my schoolwork completed on time and of course the ACTs and SATs.
PJ- Definitely. We’ve had orientations, tours, Q&A sessions, and anything you could possibly imagine. It’s been a pretty seamless transition from middle to high school.
V- Now that you know about clubs after the recent Club Fair, will you be more involved or less involved in extracurriculars? PJ- Definitely more involved-- there are so many interesting clubs that I want to be a part of: Alliance Française, Latin Club, The Voice, and so many more.
KS- Yes and no. Before I knew I was coming to Pembroke, I expected high school to be huge, have a lot of homework, and strict teachers. Once I found out I was accepted into Pembroke, I still expected a huge load of homework and strict teachers, but dropped the idea that high school would be a big, scary place. Now, I know that I was right about the homework but wrong about the teachers.
KS- Much more involved--I don’t know which clubs to choose!! n
with
Pallavi Jonnalagada &
Kaitlyn Storm
Movie Review: The End of ThE Tour Paola Laskero Staff Writer Over the summer, my sister came into my room and had me listen to a commencement speech by David Foster Wallace titled “This is Water.” It begins with a story about two young fish swimming, when an an older fish passes them and says, “How’s the water?” They nod politely and after the old fish has swam past them one of the young fish says to the other, “What the hell is water?” David Foster Wallace is far more eloquent in his speech, but the basic idea that he conveys is about learning to be more aware and to think past our default settings. It is a beautifully written speech that truly delves into the mind and forces the listener to think deeply about the world. It is that very ability to make you think that makes David Foster Wallace so fascinating. Now, a fact of my life is that I love movies. I watch so many movie trailers that I often forget about the specifics of each trailer, so it was not until much later that I recognized that the new Jason Segel movie, The End of the Tour, was in fact about this same David Foster Wallace. I immediately became more interested in the film because of the intriguing ideas set forth by the man that it was based on. Wallace is the kind of engaging man that, as soon as you come across him, you find yourself compelled to research him, and what you will find fills your mind with wonder and a hint of obsession. The movie follows the journey of Rolling Stone interviewer David Lipsky as he travels with Wallace on the final days of Wallace’s book tour for his most famous book, Infinite Jest. The movie shines during the dialogue between Wallace and Lipsky, and presents analytical questions about the way that we are perceived and the way we perceive ourselves, as well as strong themes about what it means to be intelligent and what it means to be human. Above all of the other things that this movie does well: it makes you think. The performances of the two leads: Jesse Eisenberg as David Lipsky. In his role as David Foster Wallace and Jason Segel as Wallace. In Segel’s first role breaking away from his strong comedy background, he delivers a stellar performance as the depressed author/genius, though there were times when Segel failed to disappear completely into the role. While not Academy Award-worthy, Segel was certainly believable. This movie is not for everyone. If you need a plot driven thriller with lots of action and explosions, then this is not the film for you. However, if you want a film full of rich discussion and compelling ideas about the intricacies of life, you won’t want to miss this one. The tagline of the film is “Imagine the greatest conversation you’ve ever had.” That is what this movie does: it shows you one spectacular conversation. n
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Literature Review: Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Kate Kramer Staff Writer Finding time to read during the school year with all the homework, sports, and extracurricular activities a typical student partakes in can be difficult. While school is is a priority, it’s also important to find time to relax by watching a TV show or, better yet, reading a book. However, sometimes there simply is just not enough time in the day to finish a full novel. That’s why short stories can be the perfect solution to this problem.
One author well known for his distinguished short stories is Kurt Vonnegut. His stories are engaging and complex; however, almost all of them are less than twenty or so pages and easy to get through. One of his most well known tales is “Harrison Bergeron,” a science fiction satirical narrative. The setting is a harsh dystopian world that takes the phrase ‘everyone should be equal’ to a whole new level.
What really makes “Harrison Bergeron” stand out is Vonnegut’s caustic tone, which showcases his critical views of equality. Instead of clearly stating his opinion, he creates an overly sarcastic and exaggerated story line that is that exact opposite of what Vonnegut truly believes. The method he chose to display his point of view is very unusual, but it makes the story an interesting read. “Harrison Bergeron” is highly recommended to anyone who loves to read books but lacks the time to do so. n
Foals’ latest album, What Went Down, opens with an organ chord akin to the entrance of a vampire in a ‘50s movie. The eponymous first track launches
Alec Mitchell Staff Writer
n w o D ent
W t a h W
s l a o F
the album with an aggressive explosion, with lead singer Yannis Philippakis shouting, “When I see a man, I see a lion” to pounding drums and vibrant guitar. The rest of What Went Down becomes progressively slower and more pensive; “A Knife In The Ocean” brings gradual and soulful closure. With this album, Foals demonstrate a firm command not only of more mainstream, party-style rock (see “Mountain At My Gates”) but also of more eclectic, contemplative work, reminiscent of alt-J’s An Awesome Wave. Unlike altJ, however, Foals takes a few chances in avant garde style in the album, notable examples being an odd menagerie of sounds at the very end of the album and a strange space-age guitar in “Snake Oil.” Overall, What Went Down is an enjoyable listen, at times richly ruminant, but which offers a dearth of spontaneity and stops short of fully captivating the listener. n
Music Reviews
B
eirut is a band that combines a variety of different instruments to create a unique, catchy, and upbeat style best classified as indie folk world music. Founded by band leader and Santa Fe, New Mexico native Zach Condon, Beirut takes their name from the Lebanese city and Condon’s fascination with “its trouble as well as its beauty” (NPR Interview). At the age of seventeen, Condon dropped out of high school with dreams of seeing Europe and being in a band inspired by world and jazz music. The band Condon formed would find success with the video of release of “Elephant Gun” which achieved an impressive thirteen million views on YouTube. The band’s new album No, No, No was recently released on September 11, 2015, and its title reflects on a period of four years when Condon decided he needed a break from making music. In a seemingly “never-ending tour” where he ended up being “hospitalized in Sydney,” Condon has made a comeback and claims to have “reinvented” himself and his music. No, No, No is similar to Beirut’s previous albums like Riptide.The new album is much more simple. The everpresent piano tends to the boring. Even the lyrics of the title track are simple to the point of lacking creativity. While the creation of the album took place during a dark and tumultous time in Condon’s personal life, including a soul-searching trip to Turkey, the resultant songs don’t reflect the complexity of that search. Instead, they tend toward the simple and repetitious, as in “No, No, No’s” chhiming chorus: “Don’t know the first thing about who you are.” Condon’s attempts at self-rediscovery don’t seem to lead anywhere but to the same repetitive statement of confusion.. Other critics have touched upon these same criticisms. Christian Hecht, from the Cavalier Daily of the University of Virginia complains that the new album is “pleasant but lacks energy” and has a “much simpler sound.” Yet the harmonies and worldly instruments make up for the occasionally dull songs and simple themes. Although I did not enjoy the album as much as Riptide, I still liked the album. Like Beirut, Lebanon, there is both a sense of trouble and beauty in No, No, No. The album does reach out to the listener because of its earnest personal voice and the interesting sound of the varied instrumentation. No, No, No isn’t a complete disappointment, and is worth a listen, and ultimately provides a picture of an artist in transition. n
No, N
o, No
Beiru t Isabella Way Staff Writer
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Alice Rowland There is a god emerging among the Grand Ole’ Party. He is a beacon of traditional white sexism, elitism, and racism that shines forth from the “moderate” ideals of Scott Walker, Rand Paul, and Ben Carson. He has an iridescent shine of Velveeta surrounding him as he invites children onto his helicopters. He coasts down escalators with unparalleled ease while a plagiarized Neil Young song echoes in the background. He has the true eloquence of the finest word vomit of any public figure, and he has the innate ability to never apologize or recant. To the white, evangelical, and fearful voter, Donald Trump is a voice of unvarnished honesty in a time when politicians seem out-of-touch and fake. And that is exactly why Donald Trump could possibly be the next president of the United States. If you ask most conservatives, they
will renounce Trump as a member of their Grand Ole’ Party and even, god forbid, call him a Democrat! However, in their effort to separate from the toxic black hole that is Trump, conservatives are convincing themselves they are different from him. Ultimately, they could not be more similar. Trump appeals to the average voter because he is the only one of the sixteen candidates that speaks to the true workings of the Republican party: namely, the need to scapegoat the “others” - Mexicans, Jews, women - for changes in society that white men no longer control. His dumb arrogance gives him the ability to cast blame on issues that the other candidates lack. Although criticized, his proposal for a wall separating Mexico and the United States is just the idiotic extreme of his contemporaries’ equally conservative and racist ideas for immigra-
tion reform. However, no matter who is chosen for the GOP Presidential Nomination, liberals have to understand what they are dealing with here. For the largest group of candidates in American history, none of the Republican nominees is better than Trump. At least he has the stupidity to speak his mind, and he gives us an accurate representation of the supposedly “modern” conservative party. From Carson, to Rubio, to Jindal, to Cruz, they will all bring the same elitism, racism, and sexism no matter the candidate because they need an “other” to explain their diminished social power. And even though some could be better than others, I mean come on everyone, somebody’s doing the raping! n
James Parkerson Well, I had thought by this time that Mr. Trump would fade into oblivion. Nope. The Donald’s quest to make America great again is still going strong, and the guy just keeps on “winning.” But...why? He’s decimating the rest of the GOP field with those double-digit poll leads and his sharp tongue, but Donnie Boy’s not even a true Republican. Mr. Trump has been on each side of basically every major political issue, but he expects us to believe that he’s a conservative? C’mon, guys. Let’s face it. The claim that he’s really a Republican is about as real as that “thing” on his head he calls hair. I have no idea what he would do in the Oval Office besides construct the blueprint for the Great Wall of China...erg…the wall covering the Mexican-American border. Even though I’m not a big fan of The Donald, I get why he’s captivating Americans. I keep on hearing and reading about how The Trumpster resonates with the people. Yeah, we’re angry. Yeah, we’re tired of the
lack of government transparency. Most importantly, we’re tired of The Establishment. Everyday Americans are out there busting their humps for Old Man Jenkins while career politicians are doing their absolute best to convince them that they’re just like them; they’re just your everyday American. But it’s not working. Sorry, Hillary, I still don’t want to vote for you even though you love Snapchat and Chipotle. I think it says a lot about our current distrust toward politicians when Americans feel like they can identify more closely with multi-billionaire Donald Trump than they can with Marco Rubio and his humble beginnings as the child of Cuban immigrants. Let’s not forget that our government is supposed to be run by the people, for the people. There’s a reason our constitution starts with “We the People” and not “We the Politicians.” So, even though I hate to admit it, The Donald’s success thus far is a win for democracy. He proves that the
party’s elite and big money donors are no longer in control; the power truly rests with the people, as our Founders intended. Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina fall into the same boat as Trump as non-politicians, and they too are rising in the polls. With the current success of non-politicians in the GOP race, I think Mr. Kanye West has reason to be optimistic about his 2020 presidential campaign. #yeezy2020. Honestly, I don’t think Trump will win the Republican nomination (or at least I hope he won’t), but he’s definitely changing the game. The Donald’s ushering in a new era of American politics. We want to elect people, not politicians. It’s as simple as that. We want a leader who we can trust and who can unify the nation. And I think I’m talking for all Americans here, not just Republicans. I don’t think The Trumpster can be that man or woman, but I really hope we find whoever it is before next November. n
“Dam” Straight with Dylan Dameron
Words of Wisdom from Dylan Dameron ‘16
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who try to move objects with their minds and those who lie about it. Words like “the Force,” “Jedi,” and “lightsaber” are known by people who haven’t even seen a movie in the Star Wars franchise, and that’s just the beginning of how widespread Star Wars knowledge is. So, with the idea of there being a “Force,” what if this idea were a reality? What if we really could move objects with our minds? Well, for that to happen, we’d need to have midi-chlorians. Midi-chlorians are intelligent microscopic organisms that exist within everything; they’re the reason the Force can exist. Those who possess the ability to manipulate objects are “Force sensitive,” meaning they have high midichlorian levels in their bloodstream. They can tap into this massive, omnipresent energy field, which gives them the ability to manipulate objects. Of course, this idea of a real-life Force is pure science fiction, but could something like this be possible? For years, strange videos have popped up across
the internet showing people starting fires with their minds or moving objects across the room. Could these be signs of something beyond us? Could there exist a power that is capable of being harnessed by certain individuals? Who knows. And that’s when the concept of religion comes into play. Religions in modern day society are kind of all over the place. There are fanatics, non-practicing believers, and those in between. So, it is entirely possible for people to believe in something similar to, if not exactly the same as, the Force. Part of the Force’s philosophy is actually fairly understandable and acceptable: that there exists beings who tie all of us together. This binding force (get it?) brings everyone together because it helps us understand that we are made of the same thing. Maybe, just maybe, one day I’ll get that long yearned visit by a Jedi Knight, and he will take me to the Secret Jedi Academy where I will train my force abilities and become a Jedi Master. n
Arizona Trading Company Christine Zheng Columnist Arizona Trading Company, better known simply as ATC, is where good vibes are paired with buy-sell-trade clothing to create a one of a kind store. Located at 209 Westport Rd, Kansas City, Missouri 64111, ATC is not only prosperous because of the type of business it runs, but also because of the wide variety of people who come in and out of there, creating an eclectic atmosphere that cannot be missed. As we walked in, we were immediately welcomed by the staff and overwhelmed (in the best of ways) by the unique assortment of clothing, jewelry, and shoes situated in racks, hung on the walls, and displayed on the counter. As Coco Chanel stated, fashion is impermanent, but style is timeless. ATC embodies that. We talked to one of the staff Venus, who’s been working at ATC for over a decade, to get a better sense of the diversity ATC has to offer. Q: How do you decide what kind of clothing you choose to buy? A: We have collectively 25 years of experience of buying clothes, so a lot of it depends on the area of town. With that, it depends usually on the season, what’s trending, but really, it’s all about style. We have a good mix of new and contemporary clothes as well as vintage pieces. Q: Do you feel like people in Kansas City have a certain style they gravitate towards based on what you’ve bought and sold here at ATC? A: Well our demographic is all over the place, with ages ranging from 14-60 buying and selling, so we see so many different walks of life and so many different styles so we don’t have one specific targeted style
Location:
209 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO
for our shop. With the wide range of people that come here, it shows how style isn’t purely justified by one single “look,” but by an assortment of them. And in this area too, we get a lot of eclectic and creative people. Q: You said that your demographic has a lot of people who are shopping on a budget. What’s your usual price range for the pieces you sell? A: We generally price everything between $3.50 to $20, and we go higher on exceptional items, like in the winter time with leather jackets and stuff. For the most part, everything is between that price range, and I would say even then that most of what we sell is between $4 to $13.50 Q: Being in Westport, what do you think is the most unique thing about being located here and allows you to do what maybe you couldn’t be able to do anywhere else in Kansas City? A: I can’t really think of an answer for that just because it’s changed so much in the last 18 years we’ve been here, so we’ve seen a lot of vintage stores come and go, but right now it’s cool because there is a lot of vintage in this area but also record stores and Bunkers. Q: So then what’s allowed ATC to last this long compared to other shops around here? A: Because it’s a buy-sell-trade business. So people are always wanting to get rid of their stuff, people are always wanting to get new stuff, so it’s that and also we try to treat our customers the way we want to be treated. We try to keep high, positive energy here
and we want people to come back. I always think it’s win-win, like people are always wanting to get rid of things and buy things on a budget. Q: You said you’ve been working here for many years. What makes working at ATC continuously fun and exciting? A: I would say a lot of it has to do with the customers and also the employees are always pretty amazing. Everyday is different, new clothes coming in and out, it’s fun to see what people would like to get rid of, what they would like to buy. And it’s awesome when people say something like “I have a costume party to go to, what do I wear?” and you can see they’re kinda stepping out of their element. Also, the vintage pieces people will bring in to sell. Vintage rock shirts, any vintage items are always just amazing, it’s pretty crazy how some people dispose of it so easily when there’s so much history in these pieces. It’s not just a shirt or dress from Forever 21, but seeing these vintage pieces, I always think “this is so amazing!” As we continued to look around, very much in awe of the one-of-a kind pieces, we overheard a customer say: “I didn’t even expect to come in, I just got drawn here.” So, as you can see, ATC is the kind of shop you can’t miss. The lively people, the friendliness of the staff, the symbiotic business ran between the customers and the employees, and just the overall magnetic, vibrant atmosphere of the shop throughout makes for a worthwhile experience. n
30 The bottom photo, unlike the top, holds: Boston Cartee ‘16 with Donald Trump’s face, the helmet underneath Griffin Culp ‘16 has disappeared, the helmet of Inkoo Kang ‘16 has one fewer stripe, the hair of Travis Sedlock ‘17 has changed color, the jersey number of Michael Keane ‘16 is now 88, and three stripes are missing from the jersey of Ben Wang ‘16
Find six differences between the photos. Answers, upside down, are below.
Puzzles
Find the Differences
Crossword
Across
Down
4. The Chiefs suffered a disappointing loss to this team during their second game of the season 8. PHS’s student body president Tripp Dearborn is known for wearing this popular clothing brand 9. This rapper announced his candidacy for president in 2020 10. PHS Raiders won against _______ at this year’s Back-toSchool BBQ football game 11. The official Pembroke Hill Twitter handle 13. This major company recently changed its classic logo to a sans serif font 14. Trendy private taxi or rideshare accessible by mobile app 15. The Nelson is feautruing this French artist in this year’s ‘Sunday in the Park’ 16. Last name of One Direction member and father-to-be 17. The current Bishop of Rome is Pope _______ 19. This year’s One-Act musical: The 25th Annual ______ ______ Spelling Bee 20. The queen of MLA format 23. Alum Lizzie Whitney ‘15 had an internship with this company 26. First name of this year’s AFS student from Belgium
1. This Republican candidate believes Obama is a Muslim and vaccines cause autism 2. Juniors go to this charitable organization every September 3. This faculty member has a Columbia University flag in his office 5. Teacher whose favorite book is The Power of One 6. This senior recently earned all possible 137 Boy Scout badges 7. Most recent color of Mrs. Abernathy’s hair 12. Who is Australia’s new prime minister, replacing Tony Abbott 18. Name of beloved PHS security guard who retired earlier this year 21. Last name of the dynamic duo of the English department 22. ‘______, what’s good?’ - Nicki Minaj, VMAs 2015 24. The Voice’s new faculty sponsor is Dr. _______ 25. First name of this year’s AFS sudent from Indonesia
31
Letter from the
Editors
The first month of school seemed to whiz by, and many of us students have the concept of “a fresh start” on our minds. A new year brings new classes, new teachers, new clubs, and new friends; we charge head-first into the unknown as we prepare to tackle anything the new year sends our way, for change is welcomed with open arms. As we dive into a new era of The Voice, you might ask, “What makes this new volume different?” What will define this year’s Voice? Those of you veteran Voice readers will know that last year, our publication received a monumental facelift; the old-school newspaper became a slick and shiny magazine. But like all postop patients, we needed some time to get used to our new cosmetic. That transition period is over. This year will be the year we embrace it. So-long are the humdrum news-broadcast articles. So-long are the obligatory, tedious annual re-caps of the same events. This year we embrace the creative liberation being a magazine gives us. So what should you expect? Expect more opinions. Expect more depth, more breadth. Expect more provocative material, and of course, expect more voice. We are lucky enough to be part of a community where tightknit is an understatement, which is why we are so excited for the year’s coming content shifts. Within our intimate school environment, breaking news becomes old news in the blink of an eye. We aim to minimize any form of redundancy to allow the fresh editorials and student viewpoints to take center stage. In essence, this year we shake off any previous notion of a traditional newspaper; we become a magazine not only by the standards of glossy pages but also by the publication of richer, more satisfying material. With the many months ahead of us, we know we will give you much to look forward to. Thanks for sticking with us. Sincerely, Elizabeth and Megan
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 pertaining 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
grace green ‘18.... has over 20,000 loops on vine. john rosher ‘16... has earned every single scout badge, including learning to play the bugle. the difference in height between the tallest football player and the shortest player on the team... is over 1 foot. The weight difference between the heaviest and lightest player is nearly 200 pounds. the pembroke hill facebook page... is up to 3,000 likes. preston fleenor ‘15... finished second in his first SEC golf tournament, competing for the Missouri Tigers. olivia sabates ‘19... released her new single, Unstoppable, and music video to itunes this month. saurabh goel ‘16... was named a National AP Scholar. Editors-in-Chief Elizabeth Gerson and Megan She Senior Designer Laura Hibschman Copy Editors Emily Cohen Christine Zheng Gina Pepitone Head of Digital Cormac Chester Photographers Bella Barnes Mickey Ferguson Illustrator Olive Honan
Managing Editors Davis Brooks Shaina Desai Shannon Fang Gunjan Gaur Saurabh Goel Elizabeth Shulman Designers Shaina Desai Shannon Fang Olive Honan Lauren Washington
Staff Writers Bella Barnes Sarah Chamberlain Natalie Dameron Shaina Desai Mickey Ferguson Bella Foote Pallavi Jonnalagadda Jaqueline Kincaid Kate Kramer Lindsay Luchinsky Ellie Miller Will Park Gina Pepitone Daniel Stark Lauren Washington Christine Zheng
Columnists Clay Lundgren – “Biased Opinions with Clay” Olive Honan and Maggie Burke– “The Buzz” Christine Zheng & Sarah Chamberlain –”KC Crawl” James Parkerson and Alice Rowland – “Calvin and Hobbes” Dylan Dameron – “‘Dam’ Straight” Mickey Ferguson “Food Fight” Faculty Sponsors Dr. Matt Clothier and Dr. Kim Banion