RT
volume XIV issue IV
the roundtable
volume XX, issue X
of stuart hall high school
May 2015
month year
Literary and Art Edition
Lots inside, including
Poetry Festival 1st place winners A statiscal study - How have iPads affected GPA’s? AND, another installment of Captain Ethics roundtable.sacredsf.org
the round table roundtable
Stuart Hall High School | Schools of the Sacred Heart, San Francisco | Volume XIV, Issue 4 | May 2015
roundtable.sacredsf.org
a forum for students
Table of Contents Private Detective....................................3 Poetry Festival .....................................4-6 How am I White? .......... ..........................7-9 Taint - Chapter 3....................................10 Senior Retreat........................................11 Captain Ethics Special #2..................12-13 Faculty Farewell....................................14 Wrestling.......................................15 iPads and GPA..................................16-17 MLB Uniforms..................................18-19 Summer.............................................19
Scan this QR code or go to http://roundtable.sacredsf.org/ to read the roundtable and school news online!
Front cover prints by Jonathan Forman ‘18 and Gordon Smit ‘18, Back cover photograph includes bookmarks made by VA1 students
Staff and Publication Information
Journal Editor Austin Woo News Editor Stephen Everest incoming Owen Fahy Layout Editor Will Paulsen incoming Nick Hom
Staff Brandon Seltenrich Nick Shkolnikov Nick Hom Zack Hammer Photography William Rodriguez
Jackson Rhodes Gabe O’Brien Sam Cormier Harry Billings Owen Fahy
Faculty Advisors Lori Saltveit Amanda Walker member
stuart hall high school
Corrections the round table goes to great lengths to ensure that all material is accurate, timely, and factual. However, errors sometimes occur. If you notice a factual mistake, please send an e-mail to lori.saltveit@sacredsf.org with “Reader Discovers Error!” in the subject line. the round table | Founded 2005 by Nick Dietz, Corey Linehan, Tom Pardini, Joey Plonsker, Ms. Sarah Slonaker
editor’s corner
by Austin Woo ’15
Just like that, my high school career is over. It seems like yesterday, when I first stepped into The Hall and met a tight-knit community that I would come to know as family. As these last weeks come to an end, a flurry of memories have been resurfacing–from Mr. Marquette dressing as Santa Claus during freshmen CORE, to Morgan Law ‘15 being the first senior to ride the rapids in the American River during the Senior Trip. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the newspaper staff. I had a lot of fun working with Will Paulsen ‘15 constructing the roundtable’s layout. Stephen Everest ‘15, thank you for your dedication to leading the news staff as we transitioned into two divisions within the roundtable. To all the reporters and creative writers, thank you for your dedication and for surviving the bombardment of requests that Mrs. Saltveit, Mrs. Walker, Stephen, and I pelted you guys with. Your endurance will come in handy in the near future. For the rising juniors, keep your grades up and listen to Mr. Guerrero. This next year is going to be hectic and learning to find a balance between fun and getting work done is crucial. To the freshmen and sophomores, take school seriously and think before you act. To the teachers of the Hall, thank for working tirelessly to educate us. I can’t speak for every student but I’ve realized that I haven’t thanked you guys enough. I am grateful for all the help you have given me over the last four years. Thank you. While feeling nostaglic about the growing, life changing experience I have had at SHHS, I am also extremely excited for what lies ahead for me and for all of us. I hope that you guys enjoy our final edition of the roundtable. Best of luck to you all! This is Austin Woo, signing off.
T
Private Detective
written and illustrated by Gabe O’Brien ‘18
A short story
It was an unsolved robbery. The store was cleared out. There was an unknown person responsible and the police had no leads. Meanwhile, Private Detective Sam Jameson was at the end of his rope. He hadn’t had any business for months. This is all until the wealthy conglomerate, Walter Abernathy III, offered him a large sum of money to investigate what was going on with his son. His son had been acting distant for a while and his father was worried. Jameson took the case because he needed the money. He didn’t know the world of trouble he was getting himself into. It was late midnight. Jameson was waiting outside a coffee shop for a lead. The neon from the sign lit up the alleyway. Finally, a man dressed in an overcoat left the coffee shop. The man looked like Ralph Johnson, a possible lead. He started walking in the opposite direction. Jameson jumped on the opportunity. He walked right behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. The man turned around and before Jameson could think, he punched the guy in the face. See, this was because the man was a known member of the mob. Jameson didn’t want to take any chances. He then knelt down to the ground to ask the man questions. “I know about you. You have to answer a
question of mine,” demanded Jameson. “What are you talking about?” asked Johnson. “Johnson, I know you’re spending a lot of time around the Nob Hill area. Are you meeting up with that Abernathy kid. Are you gettin’ him into trouble?” “I’m not Ralph Johnson! What are you talking about?” Suddenly, Jameson realized that this truly was not the man he was looking for. It was a bad mistake. He had to run away before he would be charged with anything. * * * Sam Jameson woke up in the morning and looked at the newspaper. There was another robbery. He sighed but looked back up at the headline. There was apparently a suspect they had apprehended. He turned the page to see the picture. When he saw who it was, he was shocked. It wasn’t Ralph Johnson. It was the missing Walt Abernathy, Jr. and it turned out that he was the man with whom he’d had an altercation the previous evening. He had let the robber slip away. page 3
Poetry Festival
Freshman (overall winner) and sophomore winners One Word by Nick Shkolnikov ‘18 Any word that’s bright, any little word of ours, can make one life brighter with joy. If any little hymn of ours can make the weight lift off someone’s chest, may we ask for help. For us to speak that little word, and take a bit of bitterness from a person. And drop it in some lonely tube. Illustration by Gabe O’Brien ‘18
And send it away.
Life Goes On by Dylan Kelly ‘17 Your past is permanent No matter how much you want it undone Your regrets are indisputable No matter how much you want to run Your remorse eats away at you Becoming impossible to dismiss There’s nothing you can do But feel helpless in your abyss Your past is a book that tells your story Each page written to your call There is a reason for every plot twist, Every climax, every fall
Illustration by Gabe O’Brien ‘18
page 4
Do not get caught in the web of negativity The past is done, gone So pick your head up, look forward Because life goes on
Poetry Festival Junior class winner
Philosopher’s Party [The Eclectic] by Dylan Coe ’16 I fancy myself a philosopher, a polymath, like in antiquity A man of substance, with a mind as full as the stomachs Of affluent Roman rhetors. I am an eclectic. But that makes my mind just as hectic Eclectic. . . hectic For what is the sum or use of a word If it can’t make you heard? As Plato encounters Mozart in the alley of my mind Jung chortles with Caesar, sipping his wine Aristotle hosts a soiree with the material cause of fun But Hemingway wants to omit The result is but an empty pit For what is the use of precept and maxim? If you can’t use it to take action Knowledge makes you free, but it also cripples when you can’t glean anything from a philosopher’s party Eclectic. . . hectic The schools inundate me with knowledge Does it mildew and corrode Or pile up, then implode? The gravity of knowledge is only a burden When options are infinite, the future is uncertain For what use are tools of expression if they only become tools of oppression when life becomes rote, and you can’t even emote? What good is rational thought when feeling is forgot and fun is absent from a philosopher’s party? Eclectic. . . hectic Atop their ivory tower They proclaim “Knowledge is power” But it’s mass is utterly crippling When thoughts are echoing and rippling inside my fragile mind My head is spinning at an impossible rate The brain caves in under it’s own weight and I am rendered blind What use are graphs when you can’t see in front of you? Or languages when you can’t even speak? when everything seems lost in a philosopher’s party. Eclectic. . . hectic Kant preaches his imperative with Archimedes Buddha teaches frugality: Do you even need these? They both drink with Socrates: Don’t mind the poison berries! Faulkner praises his homeland with his Southern drawl Despite my intellectual bustle, I know nothing at all Eclectic. . . hectic The dates, concepts, tenets, names, and their antics Make me all the more frantic When everything starts to collapse in a philosopher’s party I fancy myself a philosopher, a polymath, an eclectic But that only makes my mind all the more hectic
Illustrations by Gabe O’Brien ‘18 page 5
Poetry Festival Senior class winner
Tests by Tyler Ryan ‘15 It’s ironic Words The same words I use Are the same words that limit me They say I have trouble with speech Writing Phonological awareness But I write these words and twist this meaning But I’m still subjected to the underlying cause of my own label I try my hardest But to remain focused is something that has conflicted me See my mind runs so fast I can’t catch it Even if I was a mile ahead Now I can twist these words till I’m no longer alive But I beat the odds I don’t have failure to thrive I thrive because I don’t fail So box me up Define me Make me into a test on paper Tell me I’m not adequate enough That I won’t learn something I work harder than you ever know And through these words I’ll have to show The true meaning of my ability is not one’s own thoughts My true ability can’t be defined How can a few tests and quizzes highlight all of my differences?
Illustration by Gabe O’Brien ‘18 page 6
How am I white? Reflections Junior students were asked in their Ethics course to read Peggy McIntosh’s excerpted article, ‘The Knapsack of White Privilege’ and James Baldwin’s ‘On Being White and Other Lies.’ These are some of their responses to the question: ‘How am I White?’ (or...’How do I aspire to / resist the norm of white-ness’)?”
David Alvarez
T
he idea of whiteness serves as our cultural norm and people in society have to conform with this idea or they will be considered outside our social norm. Many people in society try and morph themselves into an aspect of “whiteness”. In [Peggy McIntosh’s list of] white privilege I chose to talk about number 47 which talks about if I travel alone I will not expect embarrassment or hostility with people I encounter. This is because during my life I have unknowingly shaped myself into many aspects of whiteness. My appearance makes me fit in with my community and I dress the same as other white teens in my neighborhood. I wear a black North Face puffy jacket, khakis, and Nike SB shoes whenever I leave my house which makes me appear “preppy”—or the ideal appearance for whiteness. The “preppy” style is how many teens unknowingly fit the social norm and create an entire style based on whiteness. The neighborhood I live in also suggests privilege because St. Francis Wood is an area with large houses and a “white community”. Many people would not assume I live in St. Francis Wood because of my color and [I] try everything I can to change my appearance so that they do not make assumptions about me. I do not dress as a regular Mexican or Filipino kid, I have changed my appearance to a form of whiteness to fit in with the white children who surround my life. If I walk on the street I do not expect to experience hostility because around white people, I feel safe since I have been surrounded by them my entire life. When white people see me around my neighborhood I want them to see me as an aspect of themselves because of my appearance and therefore they will have no impulse to treat me differently. This ties in well with number 50—I feel welcome and “normal” in public, institutions, and society. Since the very beginning of 1st grade at St.
Brendan’s I have been pushed into a direction to fit the social norm and be transformed into many aspects of whiteness. This has made it harder for me to fit in because I have always been a minority around my peers, which made me want to conform with whiteness and fit in with the other white children so that I would no longer be an outsider. When I was younger, my mother always wanted me to wear nice clothes because it affected her reputation and more importantly my family’s reputation. Whenever my family travels on an airplane my mother always makes me and my sister dress up because in other peoples’ minds I am just another Mexican/Filipino kid whom they assume is poor. My mother is trying to conform me to whiteness and create an ideal child in society to show people at the airport that I am a child of privilege. Ever since I can remember, my dad has always put an enormous importance on education. This has pushed me to succeed in school because in the white society everything is determined by the college you attend. Everything I have done my entire life has led up to the college process and the idea of whiteness has made me form myself into the ideal teenager who thrives in school. I live a very privileged and sheltered life like many kids at Stuart Hall and once we step out of our small bubble, we will soon realize that everyone tries to change themselves into some aspect of whiteness, whether it be in their appearance or the way they act because everyone wants to fit in and no one wants to be an outsider. Everyone in our American society tries to fit the norm of whiteness in their everyday lives in fear of becoming an outsider if they do not conform.
Daniel Im
I
believe that I have spent much of my life aspiring to be white, but I am also self-aware that I can never truly be white when many times I also follow many Asian customs. For all my life, I have carried this impalpable weight on my shoulders—some cumbersome feeling of being “out of place” wherever I go. I assure you, it’s not just my awkward height and bony torso which makes me slightly uncomfortable around my white-friends (though these do often factor in considerably). It’s essentially the fact that I currently inhabit a world of “white-minded” people while also living a life as Asian-American. In an idealistic sense, page 7
you might believe I have absorbed and mastered all the multifaceted aspects and customs of two, wonderously distinct cultures. No. Realistically, I live perpetually in the blurred divide of these two color-nomial worlds, White and Yellow, without a clear distinction of which norms to follow. I’ve never truly identified myself as being White without reminding myself that I am also very much “Asian”, yet often times I cannot feel I recognize myself as “Asian” because I feel uncomfortable and inapposite with the “norms” of my heritage and culture. It’s quite a conundrum, really. I feel that every action I have taken to follow the norm of “whiteness” is simultaneously a form of resisting my “yellowness”, and vice versa. I can attest to this fact, that every AsianAmerican who has grown up in the United States has felt this inner turmoil of feeling inapposite, whether they hang out with “white-folk” or “blackfolk” or “Asian-folk”. As a child, for example, it was my natural inclination to fit in with the others and not attract attention. In the third grade, I became friends with a group of equally-minded boys who enjoyed kickball during recess and reading during class time. But, as the only Asian-kid in my friend group, lunchtime always became a game of “show and tell”. You might find it heartbreaking that someone who wanted so much to fit in with the others, like the third-grade version of me almost bawled when all the other kids at my table laughed at me for eating my bagged lunch with chopsticks. Why I always ate rice for every meal became a matter of question, and the other kids snickered when I would accidentally ask the lunch-monitor for a fork...in Korean. I essentially learned early on that the “norms” of my Eastern culture did not always mesh well with the “standard” of the Western culture. It took me less than a year to learn this lesson, because it was so profound, and I knew at that age immediately which set of norms and which standard I had to follow if I wanted to fit in with the others. The next day, I asked my mother to pack a fork in my bagged lunch and I think even she knew what was happening. I was becoming White. To this day, I eat most of my lunches with a fork and spoon. I speak English as much as possible, and I have not read a book in Korean since the sixth grade. I style my hair to imitate someone cooler looking than me on television, and I wear clothes that I bought at an expensive clothing store, where many of my white-minded friends also shop. I go to one of the most prestigious high-schools in San Francisco, one with an high page 8
percentage of white students and an even higher percentage of “white-minded” students. I hang out with other “white-minded” kids, most of whom cannot speak their native language, which I do not mind. I admire many famous people, most of the whom headline newspapers without being members of my own race. I find it easy to laugh at my race’s stereotypes, even though I know I am inadvertently being laughed at. And often times I believe I have already aspired so much to becoming “white” that much of it has eclipsed the Asian norms that I used to follow. However, there are many instances in which I still follow my Asian customs. When I go home, I talk to my parents in Korean. I will sometimes bow when meeting new people as a sign of respect. It is customary that I bring gifts whenever I enter someone else’s house. Every Korean New Year, I spend time bowing my head to my grandparents and ancestors. I spend many hours every night studying industriously to secure my future. These are some of the examples in which I do not adhere to my “whiteness” but instead follow the norms of my Asian culture. These actions and customs, in my belief, are not simply ways of resisting my “whiteness” but primarily ways of preserving my culture. For many Asians living in the United States, the phenomenon colloquially known as the “Asian-American-Identity Crisis” is something that is unavoidable. I can attest that I have experienced firsthand the feeling of awkwardness and discontent one can feel from not completely belonging in either world, White or Asian. Many times, these two worlds have very conflicting norms and it is difficult to find a sense of belonging when the outlines for when which set of norms is appropriate at what time become blurred. For this, I recognize that no matter how much I aspire to become “white”, I will never truly become “white” unless I also dismiss the norms of my own people.
Anton Kozlov
B
eing a white man has taken on a whole new meaning since the idea of “some lives are less valuable than others” came into play. Almost instantly being white turned into being a successful person, having a family, and receiving smiles from those who walk past you. It has turned into so much more than a skin color. It has turned into the norm for the American culture. Fitting the norm in America is simply a matter of becoming someone who can fit in with the majority and if you do not have the ability to get an education, find a job, start a family, and then support that family, then you are not white. Although I value myself as being someone who attempts to resist the norm, I have been white since the day I was born. My parents immigrated from the Soviet Union as a part of the lower class with no real English-speaking abilities and not really being part of the norm. So they began to work and eventually they were each making six figures a year and preparing to start a family. Their hard work to achieve “whiteness” is what allows me to live in a house and attend Stuart Hall High School. The privilege, as McIntosh writes, that “I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tied in, rather than isolated, out-of-place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance or feared” is played out in this example of what went on with my club hockey team. We had a black player and although he was an incredible player, in others’ eyes he was only incredible for his skin color. The issue was that his skin color was the target of every insult thrown at our team and even though he outplayed most of the other players, he would never be acknowledged as an exceptional player because in the culture of hockey, having black skin is already a major disadvantage—and throw on top of that the fact that my teammate was making fools of the other players. He did not belong. At the end of the day, I went home feeling like a part of the sport and he went home wishing he had chosen another sport. Another “white privilege” I enjoy is that “I will feel welcomed and ‘normal’ in the usual walks of public life, institutional and social” which ties all 50 of the privileges into one statement. It directly relates to the idea of being part of the norm in a culture or in the culture that America wants to emit as being its only one. It all comes down to whether you can be comfortable around other white
people and I am. The sad thing is that I have no choice in whether I want to be part of the norm because I have already been given a golden road towards success by attending a top tier school like Stuart Hall. A large number of my friends live inside mansions in Pacific Heights, making me someone who fits the norm and can successfully participate in society’s necessary functions, such as sticking with consistent work and continuing the Kozlov name through offspring. I am white because I live a life that has specifically designed itself around putting me in a position where I can live the remainder of my life being comfortable and successful.
page 9
Chapter 3
by Zachary Hammer ‘16
Taint
Without thinking, Earn turned and ran. As he shoved through the crowd he could make out Adelwei’s fretful cries for the guard. Earn finally shouldered his way out of the throng and down a back alleyway. He continually glanced over his shoulder, wary of any guards or Adelwei’s piercing gaze. As he drew further and further from the town’s center, the houses became increasingly desolate and bleak. Shutters hung in disrepair from shattered windows, doors were rusting off their hinges, and the houses leaned and sagged in the dust. The boisterous energy of the marketplace had been replaced by the gloom of poverty. Earn had lost himself in the maze of backstreets and twisting alleyways. Despite the absence of any observable soul, he experienced the uneasy feeling of being watched. Eyes seemed to peer at him through the grimy windows or from the shadows of the alleyways. As Earn turned the corner, a figure materialized out of the shadows in front of him, blocking his path. His face obscured by a cloak, the figure stood over a head taller than Earn, whose stature was far from stout. A voice slithered out from the shadow of his cowl, “Taint,” he hissed, “you have wandered a bit too
far from your marble towers and silken bedspreads haven’t you?” The malice was evident in his voice, and his spite stung Earn like a whip. “E-excuse me?” Earn faltered. The stranger scoffed as he drew back his cowl, and as the shadow lifted from his face, his two long, pointed ears emerged. His face was long and pronounced, with dangerously intense eyes and long braided hair. The elf’s expression remained stone cold as Earn stood awestruck. “You’re an elf?” Earn exclaimed. “You seem so surprised, especially for a Taint.” The elf spat out the last word hatefully, and then he paused. “What is your name?” He quickly asked. And when Earn answered, the elf’s expression quickly changed from one of contempt to amazement.
“You really don’t know do you?”
“Don’t know what? What’s going on? Why do you keep calling me Taint?” The elf shook his head, still in disbelief of what was standing before him. “Quickly, come with me,” he said urgently. “You have much to learn.” “I’m not going anywhere with you,” Earn protested, and he turned, intending to head back the way he came”. As he rounded the corner, so too did a score of armor-clad guards. They shouted, and began to run towards him. “I’m afraid you don’t have a choice,” the elf shouted as he seized Earn’s arm, “Quickly now, follow me!”
Illustration by Duncan McDonnell ‘16
Senior Retreat
by Stephen Everest ‘15
The End of a Journey On April 24th, the seniors left after school to travel to the Marin Headlands for their senior retreat. We stayed at a place called Nature Bridge, formerly known as the Headlands Institute. The senior retreat is an experience that has taken almost four years of preparation. Most schools cannot engage in the activities that we do on the retreat, but because our class has gone through so much together including the junior retreat, the difficult and important bonding activities come naturally. I cannot talk specifically about the activities on the retreat, but I can say that after the two days, I developed an even closer bond with my classmates. Even our free time, when we played catch or soccer in the open area, helped to bring our class together. The senior retreat helps to mark the end of a journey. I did not realize until the end of the retreat how much I would miss my friends and brothers next year. My classmates are the guys that I have sat in class with, played on sports teams with, joked around during free periods with, and became a man with. As a class, we have experienced incredible highs along with
some lows, but all of these moments have helped to bring us together as one group. This trip helped to grow this special bond and remind us that, while we will all be going our separate ways very soon, we will all have been a part of this special community and will always be brothers. There is no class that I would rather be a part of than the Stuart Hall class of 2015.
Photos by Ray O’Connor page 11
Captain Ethics Special #2
The Coming of The Condor Presented by Sir Julian Moreno Editing by Madam Amanda Walker Longtime Advisor To The C.E. Saga King Michael Campos Special Guest Star Norman “Norm” Luna
*The last time we saw our hero, he was stopping a vicious assault from transpiring, only to find that he was face to face with a *social dilemma. An issue so real and dangerous, brute strength alone can’t hope to defeat it! Only the minds and hearts of those armed with tolerance and ethics can hope to defeat the immortal villains known as classism and racism!
Images created by Julian Moreno using Sperhero creator at marvel.com
*You obviously remember that little escapade from the last ish right?-Suspicious Julian *If that wasn’t a great recap of our last episode then I don’t know what was! Read on!-Thrilled Julian
*Our first scene opens with our gallant Captain Ethics viewing a rally at New York University from a rooftop not too far away. A large crowd of men and women have formed to protest against progressive politics. C.E. (Amazing. To think that we still live in a time when our love for sports teams and other icons of popular culture are more important than our tolerance of others. White vs black, wealth vs poverty, Gays vs Religion, is there no end to this madness? Take that new law passed in Indiana! It just invites bigotry to plant its seeds of hate. Have we forgotten about those Jim Crow laws already?) *Captain Ethics observes the rally against equality and tolerance down below. His eyes are attentive to make sure no violence breaks out. C.E. (Who am I to judge though? I’m the one with the mental intuition of a genius and the mental capacity that is 6x greater than the average human, and I don’t even know how to solve these social issues that plague our country like a festering sore. However, maybe that’s it...perhaps these issues are not for the individual, but for the society to tackle!) *You know that the man known as Michael Campos got his super mental and physical strength from a green stone that fell from the stars turning him into Captain Ethics right? If not then shame on you!Angered Julian C.E. (I wish I could go down there and speak out against what they’re saying. We all need to be tolerant of each other, no matter what sexual orientation or race we are! But our country allows us to speak freely without persecution and I am just a spectator after all....) *Leading the rally is the proud *Georgina Flores. page 12
*We met her last ish too...FYI-The Julian who promises to stop interrupting. G.F. “Brothers and sisters we must stop this pollution of our great country! The millions of immigrants both legal and illegal poison our job opportunities! The gays and lesbians here taint our children with their boorish displays of indecency! We must back our fellow Americans in Indiana to show that we stand in support! And while my parents are immigrants to this country themselves, at least they are the ones who actually contribute to our society!” *The crowd of about 400 roar in agreement. *As the rally continues Captain Ethics looks down in disbelief as these people support these outrageous ideals. There he watches, searching for the courage within to stand up against injustice. After all his name is Captain Ethics! *But someone beats him to it! Pushing his way through the crowd, a proud man steps forward in front of the mass of people. He wears a tight uniform that highlights his Olympian like build. A chiseled face that demands power and respect looks back at the bigoted Georgina Flores. The image of a great bird is nested on his chest. Man: “ENOUGH! I have heard your statements and listened to your claims. I choose to hear no more! You represent all that is evil in this world. You and your followers! But I am a man who represents all those who disagree with you. I too have followers like you Flores. I too have followers who believe in making our city, our country, our world a better place! Like yours, my parents are not of this country, but they contribute to this country with their kindness and a mindset of equality. I am the son of a proud immigrant family and a proud AMERICAN as well! Some know me as the man named Luna, but to you I am EL CONDOR!” *The man who calls himself The Condor charges at the hate filled Georgina Flores. As he charges at her with eyes searching for truth, those who follow The Condor jump on the crowd of hate! Men and women clash and fight for their ideals of a perfect world. White, Black, Asian, Latino, Middle Eastern, Gay, and Straight people, all fight in the now mass riot! Even our two “muggers” from last ish charge into the fray! *As the chaos behind The Condor intensifies, he rushes forward and grabs hold of Georgina Flores! Before he can think to make another move, a powerful hand grabs his arm and throws him back! It is the hand of Captain Ethics that propels him backward. G.F. “Oh Captain Ethics you’ve saved me again! Finally a symbol for our cause!” C.E. “Believe me lady, I’m not doing this for you and your backwards cause. But I can’t stand by and watch a person strike another, no matter how good his reasons are. Violence won’t solve our issues. Only through ethics, a little diplomacy, and with our humanity can we hope to stop this madness!” *As Captain Ethics looks out to the raging riot, he only sees violence rising. The Condor arches his body forward and is ready to strike back against Captain Ethics, whom he thinks is his enemy. C.E. (What do I do now?!? How can I stop and diffuse this riot when there are too many people? And how do I get the message across to them that fighting isn’t the way? And more importantly, how do I stop this muscle bound hulk from hurting me without using my own fists?!?) *Come back next time readers as we watch our hero return in AND THE GOOD SHALL FALL!!! Captain Ethics and The Condor going head to head, you don’t wanna miss it! Be there!-Julian page 13
Saying Goodbye to Two of Our Finest
by Brandon Seltenrich ‘16
Faculty farewell
Photo by Brandon Seltenrich ‘16
As much of our community is aware, next year we will be without two of our beloved teachers, Ms. Amelia Sitter and Mr. Creighton Helms, who have both discovered different opportunities and are leaving for various reasons. Each of these teachers have contributed significantly to our school and have become large parts of our community, so it deeply saddens us to see them leave. I asked both Ms. Sitter and Mr. Helms similar questions and they had this to say: When I asked how teaching here at the Hall has changed them, Ms. Sitter and Mr. Helms both said that they have formed some of the best relationships they’ll ever have with both colleagues and students, been opened up to new skills because of curricular freedom, and have been inspired as teachers to continue their careers and explore new opportunities. Ms. Sitter recounted some of her favorite memories from here as having the opportunity to collaborate with Ms. Hellstrom in the Voice and Vision curriculum and enjoying the creativity of this year’s junior class (yay!). Mr. Helms recounted his favorite memories here in a thoughtful response: “I do not have a favorite moment, because every great day I had with my guys built upon the previous day, and my love for them is a culmination of those moments. Although, winning three straight fantasy basketball championships (two over John Quinlan, one over Liam Campbell) comes close.” Both Ms. Sitter and Mr. Helms shared with me that their time here was an immeasurable page 14
blessing, but that they both decided to leave because of personal realizations. Mr. Helms came to a mutual decision with his wife that they wanted to raise their newly born daughter in Oregon, a place they both consider home. Mr. Helms is going to continue teaching biology at a large public high school, and also coach in the basketball program. As for Ms. Sitter, through helping her students find their voice, she explained she found hers in the process, and wanted to help young kids at the start of their education find their visions and their places in life. She is going to teach either kindergarten, first, or second grade at Head-Royce next year. When asked what they will miss most after they leave, both teachers said it will most definitely be the relationships and generosity that they experience every day. As put very nicely by Mr. Helms, “I will miss my guys. They are friends, they are family. They have carved a place in my heart and my memories that will be reserved only for them.”
Wrestling
by Austin Woo ‘15
A life changing experience If you asked SHHS students what kind of sports they typically played about three years ago, the main responses would consist of basketball, football, and track and field. This year, however, I have noticed that the term wrestling has popped into that answer. I am proud to say that this change is in large part due to the dedication of Mr. Woodard, our parents’ support, and all the wrestlers’ hard work. When I entered SHHS as a freshmen, I had no intentions of wrestling; I didn’t even know what it was. When I heard that wrestling was a sport at SHHS, I pictured roid-raged teenagers doing body slams. To my surprise, wrestling was everything but that. I remember walking into the Columbus Room for my first wrestling practice. After being rejected by the basketball team, I was embraced by a small group of students that would soon become my family. I particularly remember Alex Asdourian ’12, one of the original wrestlers, telling me about the sport. Although I did not yet speak to the wrestling jargon, Alex’s enthusiasm excited me. The following weeks that ensued were honestly a nightmare. Mr. Woodard tested me with physical conditioning that pushed me beyond what I thought was my limit. I still remember the pushups, cartwheels, forward rolls, backward rolls, and hand springs. Having no background in wrestling, I muddled through those beginning months. It was tough but, in hindsight, worth it. Flashing forward, my senior season felt like a complete bust. Having failed to qualify for NCS my junior year, I trained hard in the off season so that I could end my wrestling career with a bang. Three weeks into the season, I broke my ankle and after I recovered from that, I fractured my elbow. These injuries devastated me. Although I managed to qualify for NCS, I didn’t make it far in the sectional tournament. Despite the disappointment from my final season, there’s a brightside. Wrestling has taught me so much. There’s notion that wrestling is a violent battle that requires brute force and aggression and while that is true on a certain level, there is so much more to the sport. Wrestling is about precision, flow, and grace. Simply having
“muscle” and strength won’t cut it; technique is crucial. Wrestling is also an incredible, mental game. As your body tires out and you struggle to catch your breath, the burn you feel amplifies by ten-fold and you are left with a predicament: should I succumb to the pain and give up or should I endure the intense burn and keep going? Coach Todd, one of the first coaches at The Hall, always said “Never quit.” I took that statement light heartedly until my senior year. As I struggled through my final season, I began to blame my injuries and misfortunes on other people. I had essentially quit and given up. It took me two months to realize that, all though my situation was unfortunate, I couldn’t sit around and point fingers. I was dealt a bad hand and it was up to me to make use of what I still had. Wrestling has been an unforgettable journey. When I look back at my high school career, my time on the wrestling team is something that I am going to remember. Wrestling taught me how to balance fun and work and it taught me some really important life lessons. If I could go back and redo high school, I wouldn’t change my choice of being on the wrestling team. While I know that the sport isn’t for everyone, next winter, walk into the Columbus Room and give the sport a try. You’ll be surprised how awesome it is, and by how much it will change you.
Photo by Genaro Vavuris
page 15
Fall iPads and GPA
Highlights
A study across multiple school years (2011-2014) by Stephen Everest ‘15 and Andrew Veld ‘16 Introduction by Michael Tellini ‘17
Since the beginning of the 1-to-1 iPad program, students, faculty, and parents frequently ponder the question: Does iPad usage increase the GPA of students? Interested in seeing a study to see the effect iPads have had, I went to the AP Statistics class for help. Stephen Everest ‘15 and Andrew Veld ‘16 were selected to assist in the data compilation and to do the analysis. They had already worked on a project in their AP Statistics course with Ms. Peterson and published a version of the following paper. The two of them were incredibly accountable throughout the research, spending hours out of school on their own time to answer the question for our Stuart Hall High School community: What effect have iPads had on GPAs here on Octavia? Through their AP course, they were assigned the task of evaluating data for statistical purposes using one of the many tests assigned to such projects. In this case, they used a 2-Sample T Test. My expectation before consulting with Stephen and Andrew was that iPads would have made students’ GPAs fall due to the added distraction in class. Others expected seeing an increase as it would be easier access textbooks and do research on the internet. The actual answer is rather surprising and took a great deal of time of work to come to. Without further ado, below is a comprehensive report to the extent that the collected data could provide. While the mathematical processes used for this project are best suited to AP Stats students, the reason for doing the study and the conclusion could be interesting to any reader. In this study, we attempted to answer the question of whether use of an iPad altered the average student’s GPA at Stuart Hall in any way. In our study, we took the GPAs from Stuart Hall students from the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years when there were no iPads. We then took the GPAs of Stuart Hall students from the 2013-2014 and the first half of the 2014-2015 school year and compared their averages. We then analyzed the data using a 2-Sample T Test. Our hypotheses are as follows: page 16
Null hypothesis (Original): There is no difference between the average GPA at Stuart Hall High School with iPads versus without iPads using the 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, and the first half of the 2014-15 school years Alternative Hypothesis (One we hope to prove): There is a difference between the average GPA at Stuart Hall High School with iPads versus without iPads using the 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, and the first half of the 2014-15 school years Data Collection: To collect the data, we first reached out to Mrs. Chuakay, who gave us the GPAs for Stuart Hall for the 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, and the first half of the 2014-15 school years. Once we had obtained the GPAs, we sorted the GPAs from the years when iPads were used and the years when iPads were not used into two separate categories. Once we separated the groups, we counted up the number of individuals in each category (577 for iPads, 614 for no iPads). We then used a random number generator in the calculator (randInt 1, 577/614) to obtain 35 GPAs for both the iPad and non-iPad years. The individuals in our categories had already been lined up and numbered previously, so then we matched our random numbers to the individuals in each category. These were the individuals we used for our study. We used a significance value of .05, which means that if our p-value is greater than .05, we can deduce that our alternative hypothesis is false. To reduce bias, we insured that each individual had an equal chance of being selected for his category. Our blocked design for random sampling allowed us to control many confounding variables. Preliminary Analysis: From looking at the summary statistics, we see that the average GPA between years with no iPad and years with iPad use are nearly identical. Although the differences are small, there is a
roundtable.sacredsf.org
difference between the data with and without iPads. students. This study contradicts the belief that Therefore, from what we can tell, we should fail to iPads have a positive effect on Stuart Hall students. reject the null hypothesis, but we must first do the 2-Sample T Test to find out for sure! However, since we failed to reject the null hypothese, we could have made a Type II error. A type II error in this context would conclude that Conditions necessary for statistical test: there is no difference in the average GPA between students (with an iPad versus pre-iPad) of Stuart 1. A random number generator (Random=SRS) was Hall students, but in actuality, there is a difference used. in the average GPA. This could possible lead to the 2. The 10% condition was met because both of our ending of the school’s iPad program, which could sample sizes are less than 10% of the population. hurt students. Specically, 35 students were used in the sample to Some factors that could impact the data satisfy the condition that the sample must be less are that as the years have gone by, our school has than 10% of the population. become more selective and, in theory, has accepted 3. Both sample sizes were greater than 30, so this statistically stronger academic freshman classes. condition is met. Also, the point of having a device like an iPad is to learn in new and innovative ways. The future Statistical Summary: is technology, so having students become more familiar with it is a good thing. Just because GPAs 2-Samp T Test (data from sample population) have not improved with iPads does not mean that Average or mean GPA with iPad= 3.43 the program is a failure. Standard Deviation with iPad= 0.4418 The only way to improve our test would be Student Sample Size= 35 to take a group of students and randomly assign Average or mean GPA with no iPad= 3.47 them to two groups. Then, one group would receive Standard Deviation with no iPad= 0.3695 iPads and one would not. Then, the data would be Student Sample Size= 35 compared at the end of the semester. Testing this program across multiple years does not take into Study Results: account that not all the teachers are the same, different classes are offered, and many other We used a 2-Sample T Test because we needed to factors. determine whether the means of two independent groups differed. Our results were as follows: t= -0.4109 p= 0.68249 degrees of freedom= 65.93 P-value of .682 means that if average of the two samples were truly the same, then there would be a 68.2% chance of obtaining a difference as large or larger solely by chance or due to random sampling error. Conclusion: Since our P-value (.682) is greater than our significant level of .05, we fail to reject the null hypothesis. We do not have convincing evidence that there is a difference in the average GPAs of Stuart Hall students with iPads versus students before iPads! From our study, one can conclude that iPads have not affected the average GPA of Stuart Hall
roundtable.sacredsf.org
page 17
MLB Guide to New Uniforms in 2015 by Harry Billings ‘18
An opinion
One thing often overlooked in the early stages Seattle Mariners of the MLB season are the changes made to the uniforms. Here are some of the new looks for 2015. The Mariners’ new look in the clubhouse deserves a flashy new look on the field. Instead of going really flashy, they picked a new alternate design. New York Mets The Mets have decided that it is time for a change They incorporated the old blue and yellow, back to those iconic home jerseys. You can say goodbye when guys like Dave Henderson and Alvin Davis to the white duds of the miracle Mets. Throwing played. Now that they finally have a lineup that pinstripes on the new design, they also took away has a chance at the pennant, they want to throw it back with a nod at the old attire and win in the old the snowy white of last year. With a beige color colors. The change was much needed, but a whole underneath, they seem to be going for more of a new set of unies would be a welcome sight. The teal warm color that doesn’t contrast as starkly and gray just don’t go well together, and this blue against the electric orange of the lettering. All look provides a more solid and appealing look for in all, the color scheme is more inviting, but the a team with fresh new faces. This uniform change pinstripes seem a little out of place. I think that is quite good, but hopefully it is a sign of more there are enough pinstripes in New York for my changes to come. liking. Grade: B+ Grade: AMinnesota Twins The Twins have finally realized that the pinstripes simply aren’t a good look with their color scheme, but the new gold trim reminds me eerily of the awful old Astros uniforms. There seems to be something missing from these minimalist home jerseys, and the gold is too subtle to really catch the eye.
Photoshopped image by Harry Billings ‘18
roundtable.sacredsf.org
Grade: B-
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pirates obviously haven’t gotten the memo. CAMO NEVER WORKS. No one can pull off camo, but the Pirates have the best rendition yet. That still does not make them good, but it keeps them from earning that dreaded F. Grade: D San Diego Padres Widely regarded as having the most boring duds (literally) in baseball, the Padres have been making small tweaks to the alternate road jerseys for years now. This year, instead of finally making the leap, our buds down in San Diego have brought back the old orange and
San Francisco Giants Being a San Francisco native, I know firsthand the tradition surrounding Orange Fridays. But not being a Giants fan, I can see the merit of the new metallica black jerseys, to be worn on Fridays. Rardless of the hate for the change, the subtle new uniform remains a great design. Black has always been a too often overlooked color in the uniforms of the Giants, and the orange trim is just enough to avoid the “empty” look that many uniforms take on. The new uniform patches with the Golden Gate Bridge are very cool, and honestly, the old orange hurt my eyes. These new alternates top the list. Grade: A Miami Marlins The Marlins really need to figure out how to put their colors into uniforms without triggering many a gag-reflex. These white jerseys aren’t as horrible as the others, but the orange trim is very thin and they are simply boring. The amount of white goes back to that description, “empty”. Not much going on here. Grade: B-
Looking Forward to Summer
by Gabe O’Brien ‘18
With summer around the corner, we begin to think about what we want to do during our break from school. I’m just going to go to Maryland, like I usually do in the summer. I used to live in Baltimore and I still go there every summer. During the summer, it is very hot. It can reach up to 100 degrees. I go to the pool a lot over there. Sometimes we go to the beach. Another way to keep cool in Maryland is something called a sno-ball. It is similar to a sno-cone but it is exclusive to Maryland. You can get all kinds of different flavors. But a lot of other people at Stuart Hall are going on vacations to different locations. For example, round table writer Owen Fahy ‘18 is going to Aspen, Colorado. Instead of enjoying the beaches, he will enjoy the resorts and go hiking on what used to be a ski trail. Matt Jung ‘16, is going to Hawai’i over the summer. Fellow newspaper writer, Sam Cormier ‘18, is going to visit his family in Massachusetts. Will Kahn ‘18 will be attending several baseball camps. And David Alvarez ‘16 is going on a month-long academic retreat to Scotland. I think that every student here is looking forward to summer. If you are sticking around in San Francisco, you can visit Santa Cruz for a mini trip. It has many exciting roller coasters to enjoy. You can have fun on the rides at The Boardwalk and have fun in the water. If you like more thrilling rides, Great America is right off the freeway in Santa Clara. You can take a day-trip to Sausalito or Sonoma. Or you could just appreciate this city, San Francisco, a little more. Even though we have a lot of free time during the summer, do your summer homework!
Illustration by Gabe O’Brien ‘18
roundtable.sacredsf.org
roundtable.sacredsf.org