Volume 14, Issue 7 by The Roundtable

The student-run publication of Stuart Hall High School | 1715 Octavia Street, San Francisco, CA 94109

Volume 14, Issue 7 | Thursday, May 21, 2020

Educators tackle promoting civil discourse

Seniors uncertain about fall semester

Nik Chupkin

Design Editor

n a time of an increasingly polarized electorate, many teachers are taking on the challenge of presenting multiple viewpoints and promoting reasoned political discourse. “I’m always asking the kids to doubt,” history teacher Karen Fry said, “not only what they’re reading, but to doubt what I’m saying and come up with their own opinions and arguments.” Some students say they come into the classroom wanting to learn about current events objectively. “Students should be aware of what’s going on in the world without necessarily having a political commentary attached to that information,” senior Neo Kounalakis said. “There can often be a certain bias towards how certain information is presented and received in the classroom. Students say they can become uncomfortable when teachers show favor toward a political side. “My political views are very different from the majority of people in the community,” junior Monty Buesnel said. “I feel as if I can cause members in our community to see me in a different way, a way I don’t want to be portrayed in.” Some teachers say they combat students feeling excluded for their views by emphasizing reasoning for an opinion, rather than the opinion itself. “I repeatedly tell my classes that I'm not concerned with their conclusions,” history teacher Jason Konik said. “Rather than focus on conclusions and their consequences, I ask students to focus on their process and the evidence they used.” Political continues on 2

Nik Chupkin & Will Burns | Photoillustration TRYING TIMES As the school year comes to an end virtually, seniors say they wonder if they will be able to attend college physically. Some universities have already made plans to continue large classes online, while others are formulating possible responses to a second wave of COVID-19.

Community leaders conduct traditions virtually, attempt to comfort graduating class

Owen Akel

Reporter

s the school year approaches its end amid COVID-19 shelter-inplace-orders, Stuart Hall administrators are attempting to carry out senior traditions while maintaining social distancing measures, but uncertainty still looms in the seniors’ futures. “I’m very sorry that they’re going to be experiencing these things in a different way,” Head of School Tony Farrell said about annual senior traditions. “We also hope that the experience they can have is one that will be meaningful and memorable.” Seniors got together via Zoom for their annual retreat from the comfort of their homes rather than in the Santa Cruz Mountains on May 7. During the retreat, seniors listened to a webinar from Lisa Damour, a best-selling author and psychologist specializing in the development of teenage girls, who spoke about navigating the

end of senior year during the coronavirus pandemic. “Certainly we weren’t up among redwood trees or some beautiful hillside,” Farrell said. “You go to trees and you go to beautiful environments, and it’s a retreat from the ordinary. Unfortunately for our students, they were only around their ordinary.” Poet David Whyte, who is a leader in the field of conversational leadership, also led a workshop about embracing uncertainty in the future. Convent & Stuart Hall mailed seniors packages with items to help them create a space for reflection despite the class not physically being together at a retreat center. “We sent every senior a blanket, a journal and a tea light, all to help them create a space for themselves,” Farrell said. “It’s a challenge to try to recreate retreat experiences. I felt very affirmed by their work that they are ready to make this next step.”

Although final plans for the seniors receiving their diplomas was not available at press time, it is unlikely the San Francisco Health Department will allow a large-scale graduation at the Pine/Octavia Campus. “Obviously I’m disappointed about not having a traditional graduation,” Ryan Darwin said, “but knowing Stuart Hall, I’m confident that whatever we do will be special.” Darwin, along with other seniors, said he is still unsure about how his freshman year at college will unfold. “With every day and every new story that comes out, I start to think about backup plans a little more,” Darwin said about attending the University of Washington in the fall. “Seattle was hit pretty hard and expects another wave. I need to be realistic and think about other options for next year.” Henry Sears also said he is worried about his freshman year being postponed or conducted

online. “I’m going to be attending the Dual BA Program Between Columbia University and Sciences Po,” Sears, who will be going to school in Paris, said. “I’m really nervous that college might not start in person in the fall. I would have to contend with a big time difference, unless I could get a visa and move.” Lance Tam, who plans to attend the University of British Columbia, says he is fairly certain what his college classes will look like during the fall semester. “My bigger lectures are going to be online,” Tam said, “but smaller classes are still going to be in person, just with social distancing measures enacted.” Tam says he is trying to stay optimistic despite beginning some of his classes online. “I’ve come to learn to have an open mind,” Tam said, “and accept that events like this do happen, and change is necessary to brave through it.”

Shelter-in-place reminders

Gathering with anyone outside living unit is prohibited

Use of outdoor recreational areas like gyms and dog parks is prohibited

Shopping malls, theaters and other entertainment venues are closed

Gathering with those outside living unit is permitted for essential activities

Some outdoor activities, like skating, hiking, golf and fishing are allowed

Restaurants and cafes are open for takeout and delivery services only

Source: San Francisco Department of Public Health

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED The Roundtable Stuart Hall High School Schools of the Sacred Heart San Francisco 2222 Broadway San Francisco, CA 94115

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit #9313 San Francisco, CA

Features

The Roundtable | May 21, 2020

Senior athlete trains for Olympics Figure skater continues practicing for 2022 Winter Games despite pandemic

Sartaj Rajpal

Senior Reporter

egardless of whether or not he has access to a rink, U.S. men’s figure skater Dinh Tran is continuing to train in hopes of competing in the 2022 Winter Olympics. In order to stay in shape, Tran says he spends about an hour every day cross-training before he does technical skating exercises — all without getting shaved ice on his skates. “I currently do almost a full hour of conditioning, stretching, stamina work, and I also train for hard core exercises to assist with my on-ice jumping and spinning,” Tran said. “I then spend a great deal of time thinking through my detailed specifics and I then do my two full competitive programs run-throughs off-ice in their entirety.” Like most athletes with dreams of competing in the Olympics, Dinh’s skating career began at a very young age. “When I was about 4 years old, my older brothers were already skating,” Tran said. “I used to stand by the doorway and watch them skate. It looked super fun, and I wanted to be just like them.” Tran says a coach noticed

him and helped him begin his skating journey. “After he was done with his lesson, he came to me and asked me if I wanted to skate,” Tran said. “I agreed, and I worked with him for about 12 years.” Dee Goldstein, Dinh’s current coach, says that he is one of the most amazing athletes she’s ever worked with. “Dinh’s adaptability, dedication and conscientiousness are some of the factors that make him great,” Goldstein said. “He has risen to the occasion and skated with determination.” Due to the shelter-in-place order that is currently in effect until at least May 31, athletes like Tran are finding ways to maintain their rigorous training schedule at home. “Dinh is absolutely amazing,” Goldstein said. “He is so great to coach because he is willing to do anything that you guide him to do. He’s been doing off-ice jumping; he’s been doing conditioning; he’s been doing flexibility work. I give him a long list every day, and he’s been amazing; he videos it.” Even though Tran is used to practicing every day, he says that he’s had to adapt to his new training schedule. Since skating

Kelly Canaan | With Permission

FOR THE WIN Senior athlete Dinh Tran performs in the 2020 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships where he took eighth place. Tran’s performance was live streamed to the community in the Columbus Room in 2019, when he took second place in the U.S. Junior Championships.

rinks are non-essential, shelter in place prevents him from going there to train. “For me, it has been a total redirection of training during these difficult times,” he said. “Training under the new coronavirus restrictions has definitely proved to be a challenge to keep my on-ice skills honed and progressing consistently without the use of blades, skates and frozen water.” Goldstein says that Tran’s office training will prove useful in

competitions, where competitors do not have a lot of time to warm up on the ice before the competition begins. “When you go over internationally, like when we were in Poland, they don’t give you a lot of ice time,” she said. Tran videos his practice, and Goldstein reviews all of his training. “Almost this entire off-ice ‘new Covid training program’ is documented on video and then gets transmitted to my coach

Students encouraged to reason through opinions

Club expands to virtual platforms Breakfast tutorials engage community

Will Burns

Reporter

orning meals between friends and fundraisers featuring breakfast items have evolved into media posts with cooking during sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. “When quarantine began we realized we couldn’t continue to raise money,” Breakfast Club member Owen O’Dell said. “We decided to focus on the community by giving them new and delicious recipes to try with the whole family.” Each of the club’s social media accounts has a specific purpose and upload schedule. The Instagram page is centered around smaller updates and photos of student-created breakfasts, while the YouTube channel has less frequent cooking tutorials ranging six to 15 minutes. “The YouTube channel is the way that we get our recipes out to people,” O’Dell said. “Our Instagram shows how the community is staying creative and healthy during quarantine. Anyone can submit their breakfast photos and they’ll get a shoutout.”

Convent Operations Officer Caroline Thompson advised the club to stay engaged with the school community during the shelter-in-place order via online platforms, according to junior Jake Falconer. “[Thompson] suggested that the breakfast club send out weekly recipes to the school,” Falconer said. “Inspired by her suggestion, I decided to take the idea one step further and create cooking videos on YouTube.” Although the Breakfast Club moved to online platforms because of school closure, club leaders say they will continue their YouTube channel and Instagram page even after campus reopens. “We are planning to carry this YouTube channel until we graduate, where we might pass it on to future club members,” junior Zach Rodriguez said. “Everyone working on this project is now a rising senior, so our fall schedule is going to be busy.” Rodriguez says that although club members may be occupied with senior year work, they will find ways to consistently update their online platforms.

daily," Tran said, "and then all the suggestions and corrections are fully addressed and focused upon the very next day." Tran says he enjoys skating because of everything his commitment to the sport has taught him. “I love skating because of the competitive nature of the sport,” Tran said. “I enjoy setting and achieving goals. I appreciate the opportunity to meet new people at competitions, and they often become lifelong friends.”

Educators from 2

Peyton Falconer | YouTube screen capture

COOKING CLASS Junior Jake Falconer adds scrambled eggs to his morning burrito in the Breakfast Club’s May 8 video tutorial. The club started making weekly YouTube videos after campus closed in March.

“We plan to film episodes during the summer so that we have some content to upload during the fall semester,” Rodriguez said. “The second semester, however, we should start uploading high-quality videos more frequently.” The club plans to resume its

bake sales and breakfast-making initiatives when possible, in addition to its current plans of creating online content. “For the next two weeks we’ll be taking a small upload break,” Rodriguez said, “but we’ll be back soon with fresh edits and new dishes.”

Some teachers separate facts from biases by withholding their opinions from students. “I always act as a referee between student opinions,” history teacher Michael Buckley said. “I never reveal my own opinion about political issues in the classroom.” Teachers who do present their perspectives say they do so out of respect for their students and try to keep them separate from the facts. “If I want them to give me the respect and say, ‘I want you to share your opinion,’” Fry said, “then I feel like if they ask me my opinion, I have to give them that same respect to an extent.” Even with the current heated political climate in the United States, Buckley, who is also the Chair of Community Life, says he encourages respect among students and teachers. “I’ve had a couple of different opportunities to talk to kids about how to be productive in putting forward political opinions,” Buckley said. “It’s hard to actually have a discussion with a real human being who almost certainly has a nuance in their perspective.”

Op-Ed

The Roundtable | May 21, 2020

Staff Editorial

Teachers should show political neutrality

Teens need to think for themselves in preparation for voting

eachers and students must adhere to Sacred Heart Goals by aiming to promote political neutrality in the school community so that students have the freedom to develop their own political opinions as they become of age to vote. Goal two states, “Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to a deep respect for intellectual values.” This respect extends to learning about the political landscape so that they are prepared to vote in the near future. By age 15, adolescents are able to develop their own political opinions, according to Rachel Miller, author of the book “Adolescent Political Development.” By age 18, the largest difference is that young adults possess more information. Miller's research illustrates that teen and young adult years are pivotal times for the development of political thought. This crucial point in intellectual development makes it easy to influence adolescents' opinions. Students may face a dilemma. All people naturally have a tendency to propagate their views. This phenomenon extends to teachers, since it is very difficult for people to separate their biases from facts. Thirty-five percent of Democrats and 59% of Republicans say their college professors were left-leaning in the classroom,

“It depends on the context of the class. In history, it’s helpful to have different viewpoints." — Henk Veld, 12

“Teachers can influence political opportunities, but students should decide what they believe." — Lance Tam, 12

Robin Tsai | The Roundtable

according to a 2017 study by the CATO institute. Fewer than 20% of both Democrats and Republicans reported viewing their college professors as “balanced.” If political bias exists within college classrooms, it is reasonable to assume that this bias is also present in high schools. It is imperative that high school students, who are in a crucial stage in the development of their political beliefs,

hold their own opinions rather than the opinions of their teachers. Teachers should admit their political biases and create an environment for students to discuss and develop their viewpoints without fear of academic or social consequences, which would allow students to recognize political partisanship from their educators and call it out. Students also have an obli-

gation to create a brave space for their fellow peers so that everyone can voice and adapt their opinions based on which arguments seem most logical. By teachers admitting their biases in the classroom, students’ political beliefs can be a result of their own independent thought, allowing adolescents to prepare themselves for influencing the future of their country by voting.

"It can be really important to one's argument to have a teacher express their political opinion."

— DJ Hawkins-Collins, 10

Owen’s Opinion

COVID-19 related mental health issues need to be addressed Owen Murray Editor-in-Chief

egislation may require the public to protect itself from COVID-19 with masks in public spaces, but teens are unprepared for a more pervading medical threat: mental health problems. Up to 30% of high schoolers suffer from depression regularly, according to the Davenee Foundation. Recent COVID-19 lockdowns have caused 56% of Americans to experience new mental health issues, the Kaiser Family Foundation reports. That means that up to 56% more teens could be dealing with depression or anxiety right now, which evidently has a correlation with the COVID-19 pandemic. Social isolation, a fundamental aspect of sheltering in place, can cause depression, according to Mayo Clinic. An increase in mental health issues could also be related to the economic hardships that families of non-essen-

"Teachers should encourage students to think about the opinion for themselves." — Aidan Villasenor, 11

Teens face pervading mental health crisis during prolonged social isolation @shhs_roundtable

tial workers are enduring. Data from professionals isn’t needed to reveal the obvious — being labeled “non-essential” in itself can elicit a decrease in self-esteem. While media coverage of the COVID-19 crisis has been extensive, the new mental health crisis has received underwhelming consideration from both authorities and the press. A simple search of the phrase “COVID-19 update” on Google reveals dozens of real time pandemic trackers that offer data on the virus’ death rate and infection count. A search for the phrase “mental health during coronavirus” first generates warnings pertaining to the symptoms of the virus itself, and not to the depression and anxiety it causes. Over 1.5 million people in the United States have contracted coronavirus, according to the CDC. Over 165 million Ameri-

cans have depression or anxiety caused by current government lockdowns, according to the Kaiser study. Media coverage of a crisis should be determined by how pervading that crisis is. Outlets that cover the virus should be paying more attention to the pervading mental health crisis and less attention to COVID-19. More information from the media about the spike could specifically help teens, the most socially active demographic in the United States and the highest risk demographic for developing mental health problems during a lockdown. Furthermore, if depression and anxiety related to coronavirus reactions are infecting 120 times as many people as the virus itself, we need to ask ourselves if the measures we are taking to manage the virus are doing more harm than good. Only time will tell whether

we took the proper measures in response to COVID-19, but there are at least two probable outcomes from our current approach. Maybe our lockdowns will be successful at managing the most infectious virus of the 21st century, or maybe they will create the worst mental health epidemic in American history. Regardless of what happens, there are a few things that we can do to both prevent COVID-19 and manage mental health issues. Exercise and sleep help boost the immune system and improve individual well-being, according to WebMD. Similarly, hanging out with friends via virtual platforms like Zoom and FaceTime could decrease the spread of the virus and lessen the chances of feeling depressed. Above all, simply being aware of both pandemics and their symptoms will allow all of us to stay safer, healthier and happier.

@shhs_roundtable

Staff Owen Murray | Editor-in-Chief Sartaj Rajpal | Senior Reporter Nik Chupkin | Design & Web Editor Owen Akel | Reporter Will Burns | Reporter Henry Murray | Reporter Robin Tsai | Cartoonist Tracy Anne Sena, CJE | Adviser Stuart Hall High School Schools of the Sacred Heart San Francisco School Address 1715 Octavia St. San Francisco, CA 94109 Mailing Address 2222 Broadway San Francisco, CA 94115 Contact the Staff roundtable@sacredsf.org 415.292.3161 Unsigned pieces are the opinion of the editorial staff. Reviews and personal columns are the opinions of the individual author and are not necessarily those of Stuart Hall High School or Schools of the Sacred Heart San Francisco. Corrections and letters may be addressed to the editors at roundtable@sacredsf.org.

Sports

The Roundtable | May 21, 2020

Athletes engage with sports during social isolation Coaches host workout sessions, speaker series

Henry Murray

Reporter

lthough the coronavirus pandemic ended spring sports prematurely, coaches and athletics trainers have offered students resources so that athletes could continue their development and try to maintain a positive mindset about the future of Stuart Hall athletics. Especially impacted by the cancellation of the season were the seniors, who say they hoped for one last season of playing on a high school team before discontinuing athletics in college. “I am devastated that I cannot play my last season on the tennis team,” captain Nick Lutz said. “It is especially hard because we had a really solid group of players this year and had a good chance to make it to the league playoffs.” To help student athletes cope with the situation, Head of Athletics Dana Kuwahara used her connections with collegiate athletes to host a virtual speaker series. “I reached out to some of my former athletes to see how they were, and got the idea to connect them with our students here,” Kuwahara said. “The thought behind this series was that our

students could hear from college students about their experience in dealing with this situation we are all currently in.” There have been a total of four sessions with 13 different athletes who spoke uniquely to the athletic predicament of freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. “The first session was tailored for the seniors who lost their final season, Kuwahara said. “The collegiate athletes shared similar emotions with our students and provided lessons of hope, perseverance and growth in situations that are out of our control.” Positive mental guidance is not the only action the athletics department has taken during this time. Strength and conditioning coach Barclay Spring has offered multiple pathways for students to maintain their physical health and wellness through exercise on virtual platforms. “I think staying active during this time is the most important thing you can do,” Barclay said. “Exercising frequently helps every part of your mind and body function better. Hormone production, brain activity, sleep and food consumption all naturally improve when we have a vigorous daily exercise practice.”

Barclay teaches 14 Zoom classes per week that do not require weights or fitness equipment, while also making daily workout videos that he sends to the entire student body and posts on YouTube. Many fall athletes are using Spring’s workouts as a way to prepare for the upcoming fall season in hopes that athletics will resume. “I’m trying to get the football team to regularly attend Coach Barclay’s Zoom meetings after school to stay physically active and prepare for the season,” Max Banks, rising captain and starting quarterback, said. “It has helped me fill the void of not having a spring sport and makes me feel good after sitting down all day.” After the spring sports season was canceled, Kuwahara sent an email to the entire student body encouraging them during shelter-in-place. “One of the greatest gifts sports can offer is perseverance,” Kuwahara said. “There are many times in competition where situations are out of our control. We take these moments to regroup, take a breath, make adjustments, move forward and find ways to overcome.”

Ben Cross | With Permission

STAYING IN SHAPE Junior Noah Cross jump ropes as part of his daily workout routine. With athletics cancelled and gyms closed, many students began exercising at home to maintain their physical health.

Barclay Spring | YouTube screen capture

VIRTUAL WORKOUTS Strength and conditioning coach Barclay Spring demonstrates how to do single-arm burpees in his May 8 video tutorial. Spring started making videos when the sports season was suspended in March and has continued to regularly post workouts throughout the shelter-in-place order.

Is sheltering in place affecting your physical or mental health?

"It's much harder to stay in shape. I've been having to find new ways to work out." — Andrew Williams, 9

"It's a lot less convenient not being able to go outside and hang out with friends. —Jaylen Chu, 11

"I have been keeping in touch with friends and that has made it much better." — Miles Raneri, 11

"I have felt a lot more cooped up. I have been spending more time with my family." — Sebastian Green, 10

"I can't go out and exercise, and I haven't seen my friends in over three months." — Jack Tarantino, 9

Senior athletes commit to schools Students to continue sports after graduation

Nik Chupkin

Design Editor

ven though senior athletes were not able to finish their final high school seasons due to the COVID-19 induced campus closure, some will continue their athletic careers after graduating later this month. Senior Tomas Wolber signed to attend Linfield College in Oregon, where he says he hopes to fulfill his childhood dreams. “I decided to go to Linfield because it’s a great opportunity for me educationally and in basketball,” Wolber said. “I’ve dreamed of playing in college since I was a little kid. It’s hard to imagine my life without it.” Although Linfield College

recruited Wolber for its competitive team, that does not ensure that he will play in games. “It is possible I’ll be able to play,” Wolber said, “but I’ll need to work really hard to earn my spot.” Not all senior athletes are going to college in the 2020-21 academic year. “I decided to go to Kimball Union because it was the best fit for me basketball-wise,” senior Kyle Jasper said. “They need a point guard, and I fit right in with their play style.” Kimball Union is a private boarding school in New Hampshire, where Jasper says he will spend a year working to accomplish his athletic goals before

moving on to college. “It gives me another opportunity to play basketball at a high level and prove myself to college coaches,” Jasper said. “Every time I go back on the court and play on the competitive level, it makes life a lot more fun.” Athletics Director Charles Johnson advises athletes to keep focused on their goals as they move on from high school. “You have to be very disciplined and you have to stay on top of your work,” Johnson said. “You really have to desire to do it. Those things charge me way more than the wins or losses. With high school rapidly approaching its end, some student

Bay City Basketball | With Permission

MOVING ON Senior Tomas Wolber gets ready to drive to the basket at Stuart Hall's home game against University High School on Jan. 14. Wolber committed to Linfield College's team in late April.

athletes say they want to pursue their athletic aspirations through college and beyond. “I hope to pursue a job that is

connected to basketball,” Wolber said. “I want to be successful at the next level, in college and in my professional life.”