[proof] palo alto high school winter 2015
about Published twice a year, [proof] is Palo Alto High School’s fine arts magazine. Our production strives to cover all aspects and mediums of art, featuring student talents in addition to local and national artists. Our mission is to showcase student artwork, local events, and educate others in the arts, promoting creative thinking in the minds of our readers.
editors-in-chief
editors
advisor
Danielle Bisbee Nicole Berry Siggi Bengston
Arts: Tara Madhav and Flora Yu Design: Mischa Nee Gallery: Serina Nguyen and Aidan Maese-Czeropski Spotlight: Aiva Petriceks
Margo Wixsom Photography Instructor Palo Alto High School mwixsom@pausd.org
staff Alicia Kao Angelina Wang Ahana Ganguly Annika Behal Chelsea Cheng
Claire Lin Emma Cockerell Georgia Nichoson Jessica Lok Kaitlyn Khoe
Maya Wilson Maddie Lee Natalie Ho Sabrina Martin Sarah Dorosin
Soumya Jhaveri Tristan Wang Zage Strassberg - Phillips
from the editors Hello, readers! Thank you for supporting [proof]’s first issue of the 2015-2016 school year. This is the second year that we will publish both semesters and we’re excited for you to see the progress that we’ve made. We began the year on an exciting note after finding out that we were Columbia Scholastic Press Association Crown Award finalists for both issues last year and we couldn’t be happier. This is the largest staff that [proof] has ever had and we’re forever thankful for all we were able to do this semester with their help. We have incorporated articles regarding art in the Palo Alto community. Read about several talented student artists in the community, various art forms outside of the usual realm that we showcase, and creative writing. The gallery showcases all of the incredible talent of your fellow classmates. We hope you enjoy our magazine and we look forward to next semester.
thank you We would like to thank Paly ASB and various other organizations around campus for their ongoing support. Thank you to the students and faculty for their thoughtful contributions to our magazine. Thank you to the journalism department and all those who made the Media Arts Center possible; we’re so lucky to have such incredible resources to create [proof]. Lastly, this publication wouldn’t exist without the guidance of Margo Wixsom, thank you so much for everything!
contact Email your art and writing submissions to proof.paly@gmail.com to be featured in next semester’s gallery , or ask us any questions you may have about joining our staff. Our past issues can be seen on http://issuu.com/proofpaly.
Looking Down on the Marbles Kathrin Pramstaller
Spotlight 5 Student Activism 7 Student Animator 9 Mrs. Filppu 11 Apps for Selling Clothes 13 Winter Fashion 15 Lyfe Kitchen 17 The Arts 19 The Odyssey 21 Band 22 Architecture 23 Dance 25 Reading Recommendations 27 Gallery 29
Cover Photo Serenity Emma Cockerell Bonded Rachel Farn
[spotlight]
Canyon Amelia Hancock
SPOTLIGHT
STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT!
Teens use photography to spread a message Tara Madhav
MY VOICE MATTERS: The “My Voice Matters” campaign was started by a group of Gunn students — Michelle Zhang, Amy Chen and Chloe Chang Sørensen. to address their dissatisfaction with administration changes that the student body did not support, including the removal of academic classes during zero period. “Time and time, again the subject was avoided and we were kind of heading nowhere,” says Gunn junior Juan Santos, cofounder of My Voice Matters. “So a couple of friends and I formed the social media campaign to spread the message that our voices matter and the administration has to listen.” My Voice Matters takes pictures of students with their hands over their mouths, and the hands say “My Voice Matters.” They use Facebook to post their photos, and find that photography (and social media) gives them a way to spread their message easily and efficiently. “I just think photography gives people the opportunity to easily participate, it’s very easy to spread on social media, and lots of people are more willing to be a part of the campaign because of both it’s message and the chance to see themselves spreading it,” Santos says.
“A couple of friends and I formed the social media campaign to spread the message that our voices matter and the administration has to listen.” [7]
ACTIVISM
“I think that photography is pretty much a universal language.”
PALY PERSPECTIVES: Paly Perspectives was started by junior Timothy Liu after being inspired by “Humans of New York” and other photo blogs that take pictures of ordinary people and publish their stories. For Liu, starting the blog was an extension of his love for photography, as well as a way to share different people’s views on life. “I thought it’d be a neat idea to spread my photos so that other people in my community can see them and try to capture people’s stories and perspectives on current issues,” Liu says. Liu has enjoyed the impact that Paly Perspectives has had on the community. “I’ve also gotten a lot of positive feedback about my page and one of my favorite moments I had this year was when someone came up to me and said, ‘I love your page so much! I always look forward to seeing it everyday.’” Additionally, like Santos, he has seen the benefit of using photography and social media for his efforts. “I think that photography is pretty much a universal language,” Liu says. “It’s something that anyone can look at and really take something away from, and I don’t think that just words can capture certain emotions or moments the same way that photos can.”
Check out My Voice Matters and Paly Perspectives on Facebook! photography by Amy Chen, Chloe Chang Sørenson, Juan Santos, Michelle Zhang and Timothy Liu
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SPOTLIGHT
ANIMATOR: SKYLER FORDEN Flora Yu Skyler Forden is a senior at Palo Alto High School whose main passion is visual arts. Through various digital platforms such as Photoshop and Adobe Flash, Skyler creates paintings and animations that reveal a profound scope and complexity of human emotions, as well as commentary on controversial social topics. Q: When did you first start drawing? A: I have been drawing ever since I was a baby, really — that’s kind of how everyone is. But I really started taking it seriously around the time of sixth or seventh grade. During that time, my only grandparent that I was close to — who was very supportive of my art — passed away. That became the start of my career as an artist. I began to put a lot more time into art, and looked at other people’s art in a more sophisticated manner in order to analyze it. Q: How did that lead into animation? A: I got a Nintendo DS around the same time I got into art, and on the DS was a small animation program called Footnote Studio. It’s not very advanced at all, but what kept me going was that there was a community on there that I could connect to, since they were all around my age and had similar interests. After that website shut down, I moved onto DeviantArt. I also got myself a tablet, started making digital paintings and used Adobe Flash, which is a pretty solid animation program. I started making actual projects on there like music videos and shorts, as well as designing characters and writing stories. Q: What do you want to express through your works? A: There are several things I want to express to art. I’m a very emotional person, so a lot of my pieces tend to be about how I’m feeling at the moment. If I’m struggling with something, I might end up doing a darker piece, and I really pour my heart into that piece because it’s hard for me to cry and talk to other people about certain things. I feel like art is my main way to pour out those emotions, so when I get the chance, I make a snapshot of my current emotions. As for messages, since I am transgender, a lot of my stories are based on general oppressions surrounding minorities. Right now I’m working on several stories, and one of them is inspired by a traumatic childhood so it explores topics like PTSD [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder] and depression.
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SKYLER FORDEN Q: How long does it typically take you to finish one artwork? A: When it comes to my digital pieces, they are less complicated compared to my animations since they’re stills, but because of that I end up pouring more time into them to focus on details. Usually, stills take about at least 5 hours because I really work hard to make sure I’m satisfied before I publish them online. For animations, they’re a lot more difficult to complete, which is why I have a lot of scrap animations. I once made a project that was a minute and a half long, and that took half a year to finish. Since I’m a student, I have to balance schoolwork and art homework to make time for animating. Q: How do you know when a piece is finished? A: To me there are two definitions of whether something is finished: whether you are satisfied with it or not, or just being finished in general. Sometimes if I create a piece and I’m not satisfied with it, I might start over with it even though it appears finished, because it isn’t finished in my eyes. Q: What do you aspire to do? A: I aspire to become a director so I’ll be able to express my stories through my own TV shows, movies, and whatnot, and of course have my own crew to help animate them.
All art by Skyler Forden [10]
SPOTLIGHT
LUCY FILPPU REDISCOVERING CREATIVIT Mischa Nee
11
a.m. — Lucy Filppu sits in a coffee shop in Chelsea, New York working on another short story for her graduate class at New York University (NYU). Later that day she goes into work at a law firm: $15 an hour, dinner and a ride home, the perfect job for her bohemian lifestyle in the 1980s — but she ended it for a corporate career. “I got sick of being broke,” Filppu, now a Palo Alto High School English teacher, recalled. “A lot of my friends were making money, and I felt like I was living like a pauper.” After five years of dedicating herself to this fictional writing by day, working at night and living among a community of artists in New York, Filppu decided to trade it in for the security of business digests and quarterly reports. Wall Street suited her extroverted side, and she found it easy to quickly be consumed by the corporate world that allowed for making a stable living. After working on Wall Street, at 33 years old Filppu got married, started a family and moved to the Bay Area. It took over a decade for Filppu to return to her passion for creative writing that began with a short story class her senior year at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Despite writing for her high school newspaper, Filppu had been previously unable to pursue the talent for the language arts she discovered early on. “I started writing when I was a kid and it was the thing I could do, I knew it,” Filppu shares warmly. At UCLA she was mentored by Thomas Keneally, author of “Schindler’s List,” and found her niche in the writers and theater kids on North Campus. Filppu remained apart of this community of artists at NYU, where she attended graduate school. “My parents said ‘your grandfather’s trust will pay for NYU but everything else
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“
THIS IS MY
SHADOW SELF
is on you,’ and that’s hard,” Filppu said. “So I had to get a job and be hungry, and it was all great for me at the time.” In recent years, Filppu has rejoined this community of writers after receiving inspiration from Henry M. Gunn High School English teacher Tarn Wilson who published her memoir, “The Slow Farm,” in 2014. “I always felt like if you were going to teach the language arts, you should be a practitioner,” Filppu said. Filppu became apart of a writing group of other teachers a few years ago and has since followed Julia Cameron’s advice in “The Artist’s Way,” to write for 10 to 15 minutes every day. Over the past summer Filppu vowed to write five poems — the form of creative expression she has gravitated towards recently. When the current school year started with Kevin Sharp’s departure, she added Analysis of the Writer’s Craft to her teaching schedule, which already included Comedy Literature and Communications — both classes created at Paly by Filppu. “Writer’s Craft is what I want to retire on,” Filppu declared. “This is my shadow self.” It is this shadow self that Filppu is working to fully realize in upcoming years. “To take it to the next level and refine, pick things out and work on them, and send them out for submission and get rejected, that’s the next level of writing and I haven’t gotten there,” Filppu said. “But my vision as a teacher is I could. This is a flexible job. I would love to take my writing life seriously again.”
ITY
LUCY FILPPU
THE CAREGIVER Lucy Filppu
Fourteen pills we are told. Fourteen is the minimum. We are told, from the high Diocese medical establishment, that we must be vigilant. We are told anticoagulants and betablockers are mandatory, that vicodin must be kept out of reach. We are told to count, to cut, measure and record. I watch you bow and supplicate. I say fourteen pills is too much for your body. I say I hope the red pill kills something awful in you, or makes your blood flow like a teenager or makes you remember to use your walker. We are told to use the breakfast, lunch and dinner plastic pill sorter, your new jewelry box. I take a peek inside and ask about the little pink pill. It looks like balled
up taffy I say. Candy you chuckle, tin breath. You crane forward and ask what the blue pill does. I mispronounce something from the doctor’s list, our pharmacy of grief. We are told to cut the last pill in half, that the dime shaped white one causes addiction. I rub your back, chilled rice paper skin rolling beneath my fingertips, easing itself as I submit to your lemon scented motherhood. When did my hands grow peppered like yours? When did I become aware of your tiny wrists? When did the knots of my anger about us loosen into a soft ribbon of silk? We lie in bed together, whispering about that one trout we bambozzled in the Sierra, about the Santa Monica wave that ravaged us in brine and terror. Vanilla jacaranda sweetens the room. I remember the sound of my father watering the lawn. We are told timetables and estimations. We are told expenses and options. We are told you never know and count your blessings. Your breath drags, rain-touched and heavy, percolating, washing, gurgling syncopation. Envelope me in your rhythm, take me to the place where larks soar in evening song, where purple jasmine whistles and forgiveness feels unnecessary. I drop fourteen pills into the cubbyholes of tomorrow’s medical meal plan. Doctor’s orders.
photography by Danielle Bisbee
art by Mischa Nee [12]
SECONDHAND
SPOTLIGHT
Have extra clothes lying around? Looking to fill up your closet without emptying your wallet? Secondhand clothing apps are on the rise, and for good reason. Here’s a guide to three of the best ones out there.
THE WINNER: POSHMARK Poshmark’s main focus is on reselling branded clothing and lists the original price of an item next to the seller’s so users can see how much they’re saving. It also places a heavy emphasis on the social network aspect of the app; the layout is similar to that of Instagram, and users can share others’ posts. The design is a little clunky, but it’s fairly intuitive after a while. When signing up, users are required to select at least three favorite brands. Its search function is advanced and allows browsing and filtering items in others’ “closets” by brand, color, category, condition, size and price. Because it’s so popular, searches can yield varied results, making it easy for users to find items they like. However, it can be difficult for a new seller to get off the ground. Poshmark also hosts themed “parties,” live shopping events where users buy, sell and share listings in real time. Users can either buy an item at its listed price or click the “offer” button, which requires potential buyers to offer their own prices. Offers are binding and payment will be processed if the seller accepts. Items can also be added to “bundles,” which means the seller will package items together and the customer only has to pay for shipping once. Poshmark takes 20 percent off of the money made from a sale, but it does save sellers some money by sending free shipping labels.
photography by Ahana Ganguly
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D CLOTHING APPS
APPS
DEPOP
Ahana Ganguly
One of the best things about Depop is the friendly community. Because it’s not very popular, sales depend on friendly buyer-seller relationships. It’s not uncommon for sellers to include friendly notes or throw in freebies with shipments. For the same reason, bartering through private chat is accepted and often encouraged, and it’s also much easier for beginners’ shops to thrive. The social aspect of the app works well; users can follow others and buy directly from their feeds. It’s easy to customize feeds with preferred styles. Viewing others’ likes is easy and helps shoppers get a better sense of sellers’ styles. The search function is basic, so it’s difficult to find specific items. However, it does allow sorting by category, size, price and location, which can help narrow searches down. Depop takes 10 percent off of the money a seller makes from a sale, which is quite low considering other platforms in the market. The design, though not outstanding, is simple and fairly easy to navigate.
THREADFLIP Threadflip feels much more like an authentic store than a secondhand shop. The design is unified, simple and easy to navigate. However, the search function is somewhat disappointing, only allowing sorting by price, category and brand. Threadflip takes a lot of control out of sellers’ hands, which means a lot less work. It offers sellers the option to send in items for free so that they can shoot and list accepted items professionally. It takes 20 percent off the items sold. They are quite selective with the items they allow users to sell, providing sellers with a list of accepted brands. Items that aren’t satisfactory can be sent back or donated to Goodwill. Threadflip also ensures buyer protection, which means a buyer can return any falsely advertised item at no cost.
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SPOTLIGHT Checkmate
This is basically the same outfit which just shows what a staple leggings are this season.
WINTER
PacSun sweatshirt, Brandy Melville leggings, BP. booties.
California winter 70’s dreaming
Since I didn’t have over the knee boots, a huge trend this winter, I decided to fake the look using black knee high socks paired with black booties. Brandy Melville skirt, turtleneck, jewelry, Target socks, Stuart Weitzman booties.
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Let’s be honest, winter in California does not exist, so this is my cropped sweater, no jacket look. You could really liven up any dull outfit with a bright colored scarf. PacSun sweater, Brandy Melville leggings, BP. booties, Gap scarf, J. Crew necklace.
FASHION
Serina Nguyen and Angelina Wang
FASHION New classic
Because we’ve all seen Taylor Swift in this outfit like a million times. Merona top; Forever 21 skirt; DV by Dolce Vita oxfords; J.Crew necklace.
Think pink
When you wear a blazer and feel like you know what you’re doing. And then realize you’ve spent way too much of your lunch budget (think over $20) at Paris Baguette. Silence + Noise blazer, BP. top, necklace; American Eagle jeans; DV by Dolce Vita oxfords.
It’s all Greek to me
You can hear me coming from miles away, but that’s okay because I’m normal height in these heeled booties. Sanctuary jacket; Brandy Melville sweate;, Forever 21 skirt; BP. booties; PacSun necklace.
photography by Serina Nguyen Angelina Wang [16}
SPOTLIGHT
LYFE KITCHEN REVIEW Emma Cockerell The healthy-eating industry has experienced rapid expansion in the last few years as acaí bowls have become Instagram-worthy and healthy green juices have started to fill supermarket aisles. Once a seemingly out-there choice of dietary style, healthy eating is becoming increasingly inviting and mainstream, and LYFE Kitchen fits perfectly into this quickly expanding healthy fast-food niche. Founded in 2011 by former executives of the McDonald’s corporation, LYFE Kitchen aims to provide good, healthy food at low costs, all the while promoting sustainability and working with local charities. Its sleek and professional website boasts the mantra “Eat Good, Do Good, Feel Good,” and offers a wealth of information on the restaurant’s “LYFE Story.” Created by Oprah’s former personal chef, Art Smith, the menu is free of high-fructose corn syrup, butter or cream, trans fats, MSG and preservatives — and, according to the Palo Alto location manager, everything is 600 calories or less. Palo Alto’s LYFE Kitchen, located at 167 Hamilton Avenue, opened in October 2011. Occupying the first floor of a modern three-story building on Hamilton Avenue, LYFE Kitchen offers ample outdoor dining, complete with both cushioned sofa-chairs and edgy bright-orange metal chairs. The sidewalk generously offers space for bicycle parking, and two small trees provide some scenery for outdoor-diners . A short wheelchair-accessible ramp leads into the restaurant, which is open and airy, allowing plenty of natural light to filter through from the outdoor dining portion. Because LYFE Kitchen is popular among Palo Alto locals, it is typically quite busy, especially around lunch and dinner time. However, the line to the cash register moves quickly, and an entire meal can take as little as half an hour. When in line, customers can take a nicely bound paper menu, which includes vegetarian and gluten free options, and peruse the many categories: Lyfe waters, shareables and flatbreads, among others. During a recent visit, the meal started off with baked sweet potato fries ($2.99). Unlike most fries, these were not heavily baked and crispy. The insides of the fries were soft and supple, and I could still feel the texture of the sweet potato as it was before the outside was
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LYFE KITCHEN
fried. A small wooden bowl of ketchup sat to the side for those who desired it, and seasoning, which was sprinkled on the fries, added a strong, flavorful kick. The barbeque chicken flatbread ($8.99) was the first main dish to arrive at our table. Melted mozzarella cheese, still warm and gooey from the heat of the oven, oozed atop chunks of grilled chicken and slices of onion roasted to perfection. The barbeque sauce was smoky and piquant, and did not overpower the taste of the cilantro and sweet corn. The flatbread itself was a little too thin for my taste, and the edges a bit too burnt, but the taste was outstanding. The sweet corn chowder ($3.99) was the next to arrive. Two decorative leaves of cilantro sat in the middle of the soup. However, when it had cooled slightly, the true flavor emerged, giving me a more positive impression of the soup. Chunks of potato, carrot, and celery floated throughout the thick chowder, though they weren’t large or numerous enough to take away from the soup itself. Cashew cream gave the soup an exotic undertone without being too overpowering. Unlike some chowders, this one wasn’t thick with added flour and cream, but instead was the consistency of soup that had been made from scratch, almost like an old family recipe. The last to arrive, the quinoa crunch bowl ($8.99) was by far the best dish. The presentation was beautiful, with a forest of fresh arugula sitting atop wholesome quinoa tabbouleh. An ample serving of light green edamame hummus sat to the side. Although I was skeptical of this at first, my negative expectations were disproven at first bite. Lighter than normal hummus, the edamame hummus was playful and refreshing, and completely exceeded my expectations. Artfully sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and avocado were fine additions to the quinoa, and combined just the right amount of chipotle vinaigrette, satisfied my taste buds immensely. Overall, the customer service was as exceptional as the food, and the waiters who delivered the food to our table were extremely attentive to our needs, making for a pleasant dining experience. With perfectly-sized portions, an endearing company ethos, and the epitome of good-tasting healthy food, LYFE Kitchen has much potential to become America’s next big healthy fast-food chain.
photography by Emma Cockerell
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[the arts]
Library Lindsay North
THE ARTS
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
THE ODYSSEY Jessica Lok
Early this November, Palo Alto High School’s theater department performed The Odyssey for parents, friends, and students. The show was previewed on November 5th for middle schoolers and was performed on November 6th, 7th, 8th, 12th, and 13th. The Odyssey was originally a series of epic poems from the 8th century B.C. in Ancient Greece by Homer. Although the stories were originally an oral tradition, they were later transcribed into text. The story is thought to be the second oldest surviving piece of Western literature. It follows Odysseus and his journey home to Ithaca after the fall of Troy during the Trojan War. Similar to many other Ancient Greek and Latin texts, these stories were translated in the 1960s by Robert Fitzgerald for use in our modern society. The play itself was written by Mary Zimmerman, based on Fitzgerald’s translation. On opening night and the following performances, student actors impressed audiences with their professionalism and composure. The set and costume design, by senior Clare Kemmerer, were outstanding and it was clear that everyone involved had put in a lot of time and devotion to every aspect of the play. Palo Alto High School’s theater performances are always incredible, but what is even more impressive is the sheer amount of work that is put into each one. Actors dedicate about 160 hours to auditions, rehearsals, and performances over a period of 11 weeks, with additional time spent memorizing lines and doing research for the plays on their own. The backstage crew is also responsible for many hours of work, much of which goes unappreciated. Joelle Dong, the assistance director, helped theater teather, Kathleen Woods, manage the actors and crew and gave advice to help support her vision of the story.
photography by Jessica Lok
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THEATER AND BAND
PALY BAND Tara Madhav
The night of October 23rd rolls around, and the homecoming football game is in full swing. There are many new additions to this edition of Friday night football — the half-time senior dance, the gleaming floats still sitting out on the track, a sizeable portion of the audience decked out in camo. And there are also mainstays, elements of the game that never change beyond the sport itself. The kitchen is still there, making food for all with a handful of dollars to spare; the cheer and dance team, getting the home audience’s spirits’ up even as the scoreboard difference slips further in favor of the opposing team, is still relentless chanting away; and the Paly Viking Pep Band still does their traditional halftime show. “The pride and joy of the Vikings,” as Mr. Hall enthusiastically calls the crowd of band students over the loudspeaker, are an essential part of any Paly football game. In addition to the half-time performance, they provide musical accompaniment for every touchdown with a rousing fight song. They have an entire set of bleachers reserved just for their ranks. And they perform a halftime show with stamina and power, led by the mainstay Mr. Willner. For the homecoming game, they perform, among other tunes, “Uptown Funk,” and members of the audience are up and dancing. Whether they are nodding their heads to the beat or simply watching the band players do their thing, it’s obvious that the band commands a presence with their large sound and enthusiastic music. What better way to cap off spirit week than with both new and old traditions? The band doesn’t just play at pep bands, however. During 2nd period, they can be found practicing their musical arrangements in the spacious band room (or 1st period for freshmen). The band also performs at Paly band concerts,
including those held at Jordan Middle Concert. Band offers an opportunity for accomplished band players; last semester, 8 students made it into Santa Clara County Honor Band. Members can also audition for the California State Honor Band, which holds two rehearsals and then a larger concert with those who gain admission to the prestigious ensemble. Finally, there is the California Musical Educator’s Association Festival, where students can compete for levels of recognition in their technique and musical ability, the highest level being “Superior.” Overall, the band is both an important part of Paly culture and a skilled musical unit. “I really like band because it is an opportunity for a bunch of people who really enjoy music together and to just better themselves at their art,” says Kimberly Markevitch, member of the Paly pep band. “It’s also a great opportunity for those who want to go further to get experience in a big group rather than just private lessons.”
photography courtesy of Yasmin Correa and the Paly Pep Band
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THE ARTS
THE NEW AND THE OLD Aidan Maese-Czeropski As a major city in Silicon Valley, Palo Alto is home to countless high-tech companies and industries. This love of technology is apparent in Palo Alto’s architecture: Many elegant, high-rise buildings loom over the city scape. However, adjacent Stanford University and other historic houses dot Palo Alto with early 1900s architecture. Proof Magazine takes a look at the contrast between technology and history, apparent in our city’s architecture.
Palo Alto Circle Squeezed near the downtown and Alma Street, Palo Alto Circle boasts a modern design and acts as an entrance to the bustling downtown. Joseph Bellomo Architects created the building, which encompasses a sleek layout to epitomize Palo Alto’s urban feel. The building is also environmentally friendly as it was created using reused materials and utilizes steel mesh to allow for shade on summer days. Finally, a roof garden and beautiful stainless steel windows ensures that Palo Alto Circle is a charming sight. Mitchell Park Community Center A relatively common site for many high schoolers, the Mitchell Park Community Center underwent major renovations which were finalized last year. Constructed with numerous environmental features, the library and community center house a wall created partly with plants as well as beautiful glass panels acting as ceilings and walls. The center is one of many state of the art buildings which are springing up in Palo Alto.
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ARCHITECTURE
TB Downing House A historic house on Cowper Street, the TB Downing House was created in 1894 for a city council member. A “Queen Anne” style building, the house features a conical tower and is bathed in decorative shingle work. The House is a prime example of Victorian architecture in Palo Alto, and incorporates elegant designs and historical styles. In addition the TB Downing House has been a part of the National Register of Historic Places since 1973 and thus is one of the most significant locations in Palo Alto.
Palo Alto Methodist Church Standing in Palo Alto since 1896, the Palo Alto Methodist Church features Romanesque styles--medieval Europe architecture characterized by semi-circular arches. Undergoing renovations in the eighteen years after 1896, the church now includes a bell tower. The church’s countless stain glass windows and grandiose ceiling reflect a completely different era in our history.
photography by Aidan MaeseCzeropski [24]
THE ARTS
Dance is a second home to thousands of people across the globe teaching technique useful in achieving a prima ballerina status, as well as skills that are useful throughout your entire life. Michael Lowe, the artistic director of the Menlowe Ballet Company, explains to his students the importance of incorporating ideas learned in class into the real world, “No matter what [jobs] you decide to go into,” Lowe says, “you have a background of experience of being disciplined.” He strongly believes that dance class is not solely taken for learning beautiful technique, becoming more flexible, or mastering choreography, but that the art of dance includes life lessons full of “good practice of focus and discipline at a young age that stays with you for a long time.” Lowe’s strong, passionate commitment to dance lead to the next chapter of his life - not only as a humble student of dance or as a confident director of a self-built company, but also a teacher for a new generation of young people yearning to dance.
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MENLOWE
DANCE
BALLET Alicia Kao, Sarah Dorosin, Natalie Ho, Zage Strassberg - Phillips, Georgia Nichoson
Along with Lowe’s strong viewpoints of the importance of the values taught during ballet class, he also shares his opinions on the artform itself. Lowe believes that “dance can never be truly mastered by an individual. The dancer is always a student to the artform”. When asked ‘What is the most important thing a dancer should keep in mind?’- Lowe’s response was a single word, “Integrity.” In Lowe’s view, integrity means having strong principles to not dance for superficial awards like medals or ribbons, but to dance with genuine sincerity and love. Lowe hopes that people “are dancing for something that fulfills them inside, and that inside their soul it makes them feel good; and hopefully it is a quest for them to be an artist”. Two Paly students trained by Lowe gave their own thoughts on how dance has affected their lives. Rachel Farn (‘16) fell in love with dance in sixth grade. Since then, the art form has played a major role in her life. Farn states, “The moment I knew I wanted to pursue dance seriously was when I was invited to my studio’s competition team in eighth grade”. Though Farn only started taking classical ballet, she later explored jazz, lyrical, and contemporary ballet, which she grew to love as well. Michelle Li (‘16) has lived and breathed dance for the majority of her life. She has gone through countless hours of learning choreography, doing her hair and makeup, and then smiling proudly on stage. From classical ballet to jazz, and all of the classes Li has taken at Menlo Park Academy of Dance, she shares the values she has personally learned that will be helpful in the future. Li voices her opinion that “There is a lot of time management and prioritization involved and also learning to work as a group, teamwork, cooperation, collaboration, working friends, and also working with teachers too”. All of these merits are used not only by dancers, but also by students in regular classrooms, between co-workers, and especially other athletes. Moreover, Li believes that dance is not just a pastime, but that “it is like a mixture between art and a sport, it is a performing art but it is really athletic and … think[s] that [it] lends a lot of freedom - creative freedom to do a lot with dance”. Some people view it as an art form. For others, they consider it a sport. It can be seen as another home, where people can freely express their emotions. However, in its purest form, dancing is simply a way of life.
photography by Nicole Berry [26]
THE ARTS
READINGS RECOMMENDATIONS Soumya Jhaveri and Maya Wilson
-FANTASY-
Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins This is a good read for people who like fantasy, super powers, surprising love and comedy. Written like realistic fiction and without a lot of world building, it is perfect for even people who don’t like fantasy. The protagonist, Harper, receives special powers such super strength. Travel together with Harper to experience a magical new life in this action filled book. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin In a mysterious love story, a girl wakes up in a hospital room not remembering how she got there. She attempts to fit the pieces together of why she is there, and wants an explanation of why she was the only one who wasn’t harmed from the crash. Despite her best efforts, she is unable to solve the mystery, but soon finds herself falling rapidly in love. The book is full of beautiful writing and a gripping plot, and flawlessly combines romance with elements of fantasy and science fiction, as well as an overarching theme of self-identity. With a hefty number of pages, this book can seem daunting, but is actually a fantastic read. Romance, history, and fantasy are all blended together into a magical book.
-SCIENCE FICTION-
The Martian by Andy Weir While The Martian isn’t a young adult novel, it’s one of the most highly acclaimed science fiction novels. Despite its reputation, the writing is not too complex, and contains a unique, yet scientifically accurate, perspective about space travel and life in space. It has plenty of humor, but is also a very touching read. If you enjoy survival books full of intensity and humor, then you will love The Martian. The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski Kestrel is the daughter of a general who runs a vast empire, expected to either join the army or get married, but she has other ideas. She runs into a slave being auction named Arin and buys him without thinking about the consequences. She soon finds out the Arin is a very special human being, and dark secrets are revealed. With gorgeous writing and complex layered topics such as politics and war strategies, Marie Rutkoski’s The Winner’s Curse brilliantly combines romance between two incredibly smart heroes and fantastic world-building to create the first book of a trilogy.
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-ROMANCE-
The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things by Ann Aguirre Sage Czinski is trying to cover up her past by aiming to be perfect. But when she falls for Shane Cavendish, her perfectly crafteed cover begins to fall apart. A great story for all fans of romance, The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things is well paced and has an interesting plot line. It also deals with important issues that all teenagers will be able to connect to, and some more extreme ones that most have not experienced. Overall, this is a great story about the power of love to heal and allow us to move on. Emmy and Oliver by Robin Benway Emmy and Oliver are best friends. They did everything together until Oliver got kidnapped by his father. When Oliver finally is able to escape, Emmy hopes that their relationship could be the same as it had been before the incident, but it just isn’t. As they try to figure out their relationship, they discover that they are both different and wonder if they will ever be able to have the relationship that they had intended for. This coming of age romance has two gripping characters that are sure to make an unforgettable story. This is a beautiful book about the power of love, friendship, and family. Although it deals with some complex topics, the book delivers the topics in an easily digestible way, and is a moving read. Highly recommended!
BOOKS
-REALISTIC FICTION-
Me and Earl and The Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews This may be the funniest book I have ever read. It deals with cancer quite the opposite way that John Green’s The Fault in our Stars does and is a hilarious, sometimes satirical read. The plot line isn’t very strong, but the interesting formatting and narration style enhance the reading experience. I am Princess X by Cherie Priest This book follows the story of two best friends, Libby and May, and their comic, Princess X. When Libby dies in a car crash, May thinks Princess X is gone forever. But one day, Princess X starts appearing all over the streets of Seattle. That could mean only one thing - Libby is still alive. This is a gripping story about the power of friendship and imagination, and one that I really enjoyed. The book is dotted with comics, making it an easy, quick read. If you’re looking for a realistic fiction read without the romance, this book is for you! Wonder by R.J. Palacio This book is about a boy named August who is born with a facial abnormality. Inside, he feels like a totally normal ten year old boy, but outside he looks far from normal. This is his story about finding his way in a school full of kids who may judge him, but some courage and a few new friends may just show everyone who August really is. I really loved this book because it made me feel like I was alongside August in every situation that came along. It is told in his perspective, and it is very eye opening to see how some people feel when they are silenced. This easy and great read will make you wonder what else R.J. Palacio has written. photography by
Creative Commons Soumya Jhaveri
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[gallery]
Untitled Yoonjung Cho
GALLERY
There is No Response
Tristan Wang
What’s the point in this Rife and fleeting bliss? You could pen a million verses You could sing a thousand rhymes You’ll still be hampered by your senses Would this grail of tears suffice?
Face with smile adorned Hearts are choked with scorn There’s no cheer in truth or wisdom So you turn to fawning lies In the end you’re just a victim Of your very own device
Times with hands to hold Times when you’re alone In the evening you’re the victor By night you are the prey What comes knocking at your chamber But that long-forsaken fray?
Teach you how to steer Apart from grief and fear And you ask them for condolence But what are they to lend? We’re all lost to the sprightly moment Pain is just around the bend
There was no intent There was but offense All in your head, blood wasn’t shed So why are your garments stained with red? Lying in bed, triumph has fled Dreading the bleakness that looms ahead The pain, that there’s no lasting grace In the choices made in haste
There is no repose There is but remorse All in your mind, none at your side Laden with pride and your heart’s divide How must you hide, what must you try? Beaten, you weep in the fading light By dawn, you thrive by your disguise But by dusk, it’s your demise
*** *** This is not the end Just a murky trend How must you fend, how must you mend? How can you stand in a callous land? Cut the suspense, spare the pretense You are drowning in swift descent To have, that which you dearly sought You must know who you are not
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Untitled James Poe
STUDENT ARTWORK
Promposal Karen Kuo Anon had been counting for months the days to the high school prom. He had bought his tuxedo at Rafael Tailors--a black one with a silk jacket, shot through with silver threads--and a crisp, white collared shirt to go underneath. He’d begged his father to buy him a new one instead of making him borrow the old brown tux made of tweed. After all, this was his last prom-- senior year--and it provided the last opportunity to ask for Lia’s hand. She was the girl of his dreams, and she had been ever since eighth grade. His father declined, so it had cost him five weeks of lunch money. He had filled his stomach with scraps of his friends’ lunches and stolen croutons from the cafeteria salad bar. Last week he’d mustered up his courage and asked Ben, who knew everyone, for Lia’s cell phone number. He planned to call and ask her in public over the school’s morning announcements, a romantic surprise that would make everyone swoon at his love finally being declared. Ben had been rushing on his way to Physics class and rattled off the number like Nicki Minaj, and bit carelessly too, thought Anon. But he decided to trust Ben, who had more redeeming qualities than faults. On the day of the asking, he found himself reviewing what he would say over and over in his head. Stocky, young cameramen and fruit-scented reporters flooded the area around the greenscreen, kids playing dress-up in adult professions. “And that’s the weather for today, Mountain Lions. Now for our prom askings, on the air. Today’s hopeful bachelor will be...Anon Gabel!” chirped a blond reporter. She giggled as a cameraman made a face at her. “It’s your turn!” the guy next to Anon hissed at him. Someone pushed him on, and he found himself blinking in the bright camera lights. Three large insect eyes pointed at him from different angles.
“Um…” He fumbled for his phone and pulled up the number Ben had given him. Fingers shaking, he pressed the green circle to call. A girl’s voice, sweet and sounding surprised, answered. “Anon?” “Hello. Um, hey.” He looked into the insect eye directly in front of him. It felt strange talking to someone he couldn’t see, but who he knew could see him. “So, listen. I’ve liked you, a lot, ever since eighth grade, and you have a really amazing smile, and...I would really be honored if you would go to prom with me this year?” The question hung in the air for a split second. “Yeah. Yes!” the voice on the other end said. It sounded like Lia was smiling, and he could picture her holding her phone to her ear, bashfully playing with a strand of her hair. “Alright. Thank you. Thanks.” He grinned at his shoes and hung up. A reporter stepped into his place to take over, and he grinned all the way to History class with his head in the clouds. He couldn’t wait to see Lia there. As he opened the door and stepped from concrete hall to linoleum floor, the class looked up. Several faces broke out into grins, and a few people oohed. Lia was smiling at him brilliantly, her eyes crinkled up so that her lashes gathered into a dark fringe. He headed eagerly towards her, reaching out his arms for an embrace and closing his eyes. When they met, the golden girl of his dreams whispered into his ear, “That was so sweet of you.” He was smiling, giddy with joy, when he realized that Lia was still sitting. Confused, he looked at the girl in his arms. It was Ella. “You looked so nervous up there. Good thing you dialed the right number, Anon, because Ella’s number differs from mine by one digit,” said Lia.
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GALLERY
Inner Workings of Come sit down with me, darling, while your drink’s still warm. Don’t roll your eyes and whine to me when you grimace at the taste of cold, bitter coffee against your tongue, because I told you. The longer you dawdle, the more people pass by. We’re missing our chance! Look at that woman by the lamp post; I could’ve told you about her last failed relationship or how she loves Mozart. That little boy with the yellow balloon; you could’ve told me how that’s his third – and last – one, because his mother is tired of him letting the string go and watching it rise into the heavens like it’s not just a piece of colorful plastic filled with hot air. There, that’s better. Watch the people with me, I know how it relaxes you. Don’t point; I’ve told you numerous times that it’s rude. The art of people watching is one of discretion and imagination. Use your mind and your eyes only. That man in grey outside the window. Him. Uptight businessman. Failing company, failing marriage. Permanent stick up his ass; look at the lines on his face. Why do you shake your head at me like that? [It’s always about lives in shambles with your stories], you inform me. Fine, then, it’s your turn. Pick someone and get on with it. You deliberate, your eyes training hard outside, and you nod in that direction. [You see those two boys over there?] you say. [They love each other so much. No, not just best friends, though they are. They’re in love with one another.] You’ve always been a bit fanciful in your stories. [You don’t see it?] you insist. [Take another look. Don’t you see the way his eyes linger a little too long on the other’s face when he talks, a little too full of ardor, a little too intense? The way their hands are intertwined isn’t platonic, the way their knuckles are blanched from squeezing tightly, like they are afraid someone will pull them apart. Come closer to me, there’s a better view from this angle, and let me tell you a story about them.] — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1. They would have met in a café like this one, perhaps in the early evening. One of the boys would have spotted the other at the bar and struck up a conversation in which they talked about cars and books and girls, and how neither of them liked them all too much. Too public the place would’ve been, so the first boy took the other’s hand – though not obviously – and led him outside, into the alleyway where they were clouded with shadow by the silent bricks that loomed over them like a mother bird in her nest. The first boy grabbed the other by his shirt collar, pulled him close, and showed him exactly how much he didn’t like girls, while the walls whispered their secret into the unforgiving night. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 2. All it took was the wrong place, wrong time, and their world collapsed in on itself. Furious screaming, violent sobbing, shrieks of, “Abomination! Disgrace! Devil!” Stones were never thrown, but their skin absorbed their loathing like brittle earth, thirsty for water during a drought. They may as well have been boulders. Words of love from the holy book would have bled with hate as they were pelted inexhaustibly at the two, sinking their teeth into the boys’ blackened, mottled hearts. Still they survived, and their skin became thicker, but their love grew to be a hard kind of love, a seasoned veteran to the hatred.
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C
STUDENT ARTWORK
Coffee Drinkers Maddie Lee 3. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — That day came inevitably, where twenty minutes behind a dumpster, bruised ribs, and a blackened eye changed everything. Reckless boys out for a good time thought it would be funny to teach one of their local faggots what they thought of him. His partner would have seethed with rage at his wrecked state, gently cupping his face, his arms, his shoulders. Anywhere he could touch, just to make sure that he was still there. “Are they right?” “About?” “Are we as bad as they say?” Fingers would’ve tightened around his wrists, almost insistently. “You know my answer.” “God wouldn’t do this to us unless we were sinning – ” “They could never make us a tragic thing.” A pause. Then a whisper. “Stick together, and when the time comes, we’ll leave together.” Hesitation. Then, imperceptibly, a nod. 4. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — They took the beatings in stride from then on, always silent, always impenetrable to the public eye. But in the night they nursed their pain and tended to their wounds by firelight; over time they learned to rely on each other like they could no one else. The boys grew to be men, starting a future together far away from this place. But during their bleakest moments, they reached for each other’s hands, reassured by another warm presence, and they pressed onwards towards salvation. 5. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Neither of them could tell you exactly when their old life ended and when a new one began. It might have been the moment when one of them was finally able to call himself employed. They celebrated that night, sharing a milkshake at a McDonald’s on the street corner. It could have also been the moment their apartment lease was finalized, or when their new circle of friends told them that they already knew, and they loved them nonetheless. It was times like these that they thought, just maybe, they’d be alright. That’s rubbish, I tell you. The profundity of love you hold for strangers always surprises me. How did you reach a conclusion like that? [Small gestures, stolen glances,] you say sincerely. [But it’s nothing like our story.] And how true that is. Think of all the times when it felt like nothing mattered, when we wondered how those razors would look lodged in our throats, when the whole world was crushing us like bugs beneath the heel of its shoe. Think of those times and everything we’ve endured and I wonder, without you there, if I would’ve come out alive at all. How lucky I am to have you.
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GALLERY
Tango Études Min Young Kim
Water in Motion Elin Stakeberg
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untiled 37 Gabriela Rossner
STUDENT ARTWORK
Tripe Cyclops Matt O’Reilly
Seeing Color Anna Shimoda France Avanika Narayan
Untitled Kaitlyn Khoe
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GALLERY
Untitled Vivian Wu
I’m Tired Jocelyn Khosla
Still Life Karen Bowman
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STUDENT ARTWORK
Mark Matteo Leva
The Cat of Istanbul Aidan Maese-Czeropski
Birds of Prey Nicole Keegan
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GALLERY
El Capuchino Sabrina Martin
Street Lamps Ivy Li
Broken Viewer Simone Shaw
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STUDENT ARTWORK
Untitled James Poe
Pearl Tea Maya Kandell
Untitled Portia Barrientos
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GALLERY
Untitled Angelina Wang
Assuage Bella Triolo
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Mont-Saint Michel Alicia Kao
Lost in Detail Jonathan Stoschek
STUDENT ARTWORK
Pink Car Natalie Ho
La Tour Isabel Nichoson
Falling Priya Misner
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GALLERY
Power Danny Hammerson
Untitled Claire Lin Untitled Portia Barrientos
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STUDENT ARTWORK
Untitled Serina Nguyen
Fish and Weeds Bryant William Field
Graduation Linnea Carlstrom
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GALLERY
gatsby’s summer Tara Madhav I find that moments in life are thrust upon the backs of the skinniest days bones and meat and mountains of unrested yawns born on the forgotten meat of the valley of ashes telluride’s slopes slipping down the diamond path the stage of the dock’s light i was searching for a path through the forest the chipped streets of burnt jungle crumbling red with reincarnation with no way back into the suns mischievous ways the meeting of death and dunes breaking bread at the last supper in the same way the rushing, rotating axis of shadows playing kaleidoscope the eyes like a ravenous dog slaving over a throbbing world of caustic yellow and new york blues dissolving to clear white when swimming down into the lake. the boats on a drowsy curve split into mirror odysseys along against the current the past a herculean ulysses born back into the palm of olympus.w
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Untitled Amy Luo
Untitled Alemayu Kassa
STUDENT ARTWORK
flute à champagne Chelsea Cheng it’s all gold, darling chandeliers, pillars, ball gown hems across the floor glitter dusting bare shoulders painted over fluttering lids effervescent wine— it’s all gold! and we’re drunk wonderfully, fashionably drunk a haze of aureate delirium care for a champagne? the waiter is a blur, a flash of smile, black of tuxedo seamless curves and angles slender, vitreous stem i hold as i would a thornless rose ebullient chatters, clinks of glass drifting atop notes wrung from violins in some corner
Untitled Claire Kokontis
it’s all gold— a scream, rills of champagne on marble floors, hisses beneath stilettos, washing over shattered glass a gentleman holds a broken flute crimson blossoms on another’s forehead crystal shards in chestnut hair i danced with both of them (i think) but now the music has stopped no, no—let it stay gold
Breaking Barriers Sophia Xu
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