By Selin Karaoguz and Tess Hezlep senior editor, arts editor
Next Thursday, Oct. 30, the fall play Our Town will open in The Studio at Sage Hill. The play is set in the small town of Grovers Corners, New Hampshire. It is a simple town, but the complex relationships and intricate dynamics between characters craft a beautiful script and convey a powerful message. Sage Hill has set out to do the classic and widespread play with a twist. The show will be performed in the round—a new audience configuration that has never been done in the Black Box theater before. In addition, the set will include
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swings that hang from the grid to symbolize what usually is represented by “Thornton Wilder ladders.” In the play you will see seniors Kian Amini, Bobby Cohen, Lexi Heuser, Jodie Horowitz and Milad Rohani—as well as many other freshman, sophomores and juniors. This entire cast is very excited to share the timeless story from Our Town. “I’m genuinely stoked,” said senior Kian Amini. “Our set is awesome, the cast is phenomenal and we have a director who is truly invested in the outcome of this show. Our Town is a recipe for a great night.” The main characters, who both share a strong gratitude for the simple joys in life, are Emily, played by junior Tess Hezlep and George, played by
sophomore Omead Moini. Progressive and bold stylistic choices like these are meant to create an artistic effect between the viewers and performers. “I want the audience to feel a part of these character’s lives, not separate from them, which often happens when people go to the theater,” said director Tanis Hanson. Hanson furthermore wants people to truly understand Thornton Wilder’s message behind Our Town, “that life is fleeting, and as humans we need to be reminded to stop and appreciate the simple interactions and details in life everyday while we live them.” As the first lines of act one reads, the play is “written by Thornton Wilder, produced by Mary Robinson and directed by Hanson.”
Black Box Theater
date:
Oct. 30 - Nov. 1
price:
$5 students $10 parents
time:
7 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. 2 p.m. Sat.
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OPINION/EDITORIAL staff editorial
November Vote: Out of the ‘Bubble’
We’ve all been accused of it with a joking-but-not-really laugh. We’ve all been silently judged for it with the sideways glance of condemnation. It being the fact that we live and breath, learn and love in the “Sage Bubble” in the “O.C. Bubble” in the “America Bubble.” These social and cultural bubbles, people say, cushion us from a decidedly less wealthy and less educated average reality. And many of us argue—if not for our school then at least for ourselves—that we are informed about current events, care about the world and are grateful for our blessings. But does arguing that we don’t live in society’s bubble make it harder to see the world outside of it? The world’s median annual household income is $9,733 or about $27 per day, according to Gallup in 2013. To put that into perspective, Mexico’s and Venezuela’s medians are slightly above that and Costa Rica’s and Serbia’s medians are slightly below that. Newport Beach’s median annual household income is $112,259, according to CityData.com.
Orange County’s median annual household income is $75,566, according to the Census Bureau. The United States’ median annual household income is $43,585, according to
nistic society, but as American citizens in a much larger world. As citizens of the United States, our responsibility is to be informed. For those eligible that means voting Nov. 4 from 7
Gallup. Despite our belief that only we are enlightened and only we are the exception, the facts are clear. The bubble is not ignorance, the bubble is made of our lives. We are the lucky few in 7 billion. We are exceptions, not as informed individuals in a hedo-
a.m. to 8 p.m. For everyone else that means knowing what’s on the ballot. According to FairVote, only 40 percent of the eligible population vote during midterm elections, which are in between presidential elections. Included on the California ballot this November are the
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gubernatorial seat, seven U.S. House seats, three state Senate seats, seven state Assembly seats and six statewide propositions. For Newport Beach specifically, there are two additional countywide measures and five school board seats. Though these midterm elections are often overlooked, they are an important vehicle for change and community voice. One Newport Beach ballot measure, Measure EE, prohibited the city from installing red light cameras or other automated traffic enforcement systems with a 56.8 percent majority, according to the Orange County Registrar of Voters. It has become increasingly important to understand how the government functions and assert our 15th Amendment right, the right to vote. Government cannot function if it is not accurately represented by the citizens that make it up. Whatever your opinion on Proposition 1, which proposes a $7.12 billion bond for California’s water system, or whether you vote for Newport Beach City Council candidate Tim Brown or Diane Dixon, we urge you to think about each voting possibility, because ignorance should not define politics.
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publications staff Academics Editor: Claire Goul Alumni Editor: Hannah Hong Executive Editors: Namita Prakash, Kristin Saroyan, Amanda Ong, Arts Editor: Tess Hezlep Lifestyle Editor: Bailey Super Stephanie Min Opinion Editor: Ingrid Dickinson Senior Editors: Liz Farkas, Selin Karaoguz Associate Editors: Claire Dwyer, Celine Wang, Jackie Nam Sports Editors: Maddy Abbot, Brittany Murphy Underclass Editor: Lauren Fishman Social Media Coordinator: Tommy Lee Reporters: Elizabeth Alvarez, Liam Murphy, Claire Lin,Vale Lewis, Eliana RodriguezTheologides, Julia Dupuis, Marina Anderson, Christina Acevedo, Steven Du, Donna Afrasiabi, Farooq Ansari, Jo Farkas Graphic Artists: Lynn Fong, Chance Kuehnel Photographers: Kandis McGee, Genesis Gonzalez, Kate Kim, Sahale Greenwood, Chloe Henson, Maddy Nadelman Photo Editor: Kellen Ochi
EICs: Nellie Hamadani, Hawken Miller, Michelle Min
Video Editor: Amelia Tanner
Adviser: Konnie Krislock
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e’ve all heard the lecture; the worst mistake we can make as a generation would be to repeat the mistakes of the past. We nod our heads like we understand, but in reality we couldn’t care less. We listen to the lecture in history class, waiting for the hour and 20 minutes we are required to be there to end, and then we leave the room and do our best to forget about what we’ve learned until we have to get our assignments done. With every moment we don’t make the effort to acknowledge the past in our day-to-day lives, we are negating the work that generations of young people have done before us to get us where we are today. The worst mistake, really, is ignorance. And that doesn’t just mean being bull-headed about what we don’t know. It means not putting in the effort to acknowledge the rights and liberties we as high school students have as citizens of this nation. It means not remembering that in addition to being students, we are also people. That is why it is critically important to remember our right to freedom of speech. In a school like Sage, where we really do have a pretty open community, it is easy to forget that our freedom of speech is actually considered a privilege and not a right. Just eight out of 50 states allow students full first amendment rights, and that federal protection only really extends to students in public schools. Only recently did protection extend to private school students in California under Leonard’s Law, put into effect in 1992 and amended in 2006, allowing students to file civil lawsuits against their institution or school claiming violation of their freedom of speech and having all attorney’s fees covered for the case if won. Of course, we’re probably not going to need to file lawsuits against Sage. Patricia Merz, Sage’s new head of school, is extremely supportive of free expression within the student body, viewing it as a part of the mission of the school. “As an independent school, Sage Hill is not bound by standards set for public schools in the state. This gives us freedom to define our innovative curriculum and teach based on what our amazing faculty determine to be best practices and proven techniques,” she said. Similarly, “Sage Hill School has an
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Amendment The Rights and Liberties of High School Students By Claire Dwyer Associate Editor
Honor Code, authored and primarily administered by students, which we have chosen to govern standards of student behavior. One key component of Honor Code is respect for each member of our community and what our community stands for. This principle is what we ask Sage Hill’s publications to uphold.” Merz said. And that’s great. And we could all certainly get comfortable with that. But what does it mean, really? Since we are not bound by the standards set by public schools, what standards are we bound by? And who
our competent administrators that they will not violate us as people and impose unjust punishments, or undertake unjust disciplinary action against us, for things that we say in town meetings, in open forum in the classroom, on The Bolt Online, in our yearbook Storm or in The Bolt itself. Junior Shelby Rindenau cares deeply about this right we have for freedom of speech and acknowledges the exceptional community we have at Sage which allows students a forum to express themselves. “Freedom of the press is extremely important to me because it is one of
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” -First Amendment sets those standards? It’s time for us as students to ask these questions of our teachers and administrators. Where do we draw the line between what is ok to say in our community and what is not? Because if there’s no line, and we just say ‘do what you think is right’ then doesn’t that give those in positions of authority the power to decide that something we do or say is not right for the community and thus discipline the student? We are putting a huge trust in
the few ways to take a stand against something wrong…I think at Sage we get more freedom of speech than any other school I’ve seen” she said. “I think that we get to express ourselves in every which way in the lines appropriate for school, and that makes us the open community that we are. It’s what makes Sage so special in my mind,” Rindenau said. We need to realize that at Sage, we are the exception. Other students in schools locally and even across the nation do not have our same ability to
speak freely about their views; they do not have town meeting or faculty as supportive and wonderful as we do in our community. The only reason that we have the right to freedom of speech in the community at Sage is that our administration has decided we should because we are such amazing students and probably will not abuse our rights. Merz continues to support a student-teacher-administration dialogue that more students need to take advantage of. “Again, we look to the Honor Code to govern students’ speech at Sage Hill. We encourage respect and do not tolerate speech that is harassing, intolerant or intimidating. If students are not able to abide by Sage Hill’s principles of honor in their speech, I rely on the Honor Committee to determine how best to respond to an abuse of this freedom,” she acknowledged. “I am so impressed by the work of our student leaders, including SAME, Peer Counselors and the Honor Committee in their dedication to peer-topeer education about our community standards,” Merz continued. “In terms of student publications, we have a strong tradition at Sage Hill—which I intend to continue and fully support—of regular meetings between the head of school and editors of our student publications. This is a fantastic opportunity to for me to maintain an open dialogue with students about our school publications,” Merz concluded. And for the most part, we all do live honorably. If there is an encroachment on students’ rights at Sage, it isn’t visible. If there are students abusing their freedom of speech to make their peers feel inferior, their numbers are minute, because that’s just not what we do here. So there’s nothing for us to really fight, because to repeat a common aphorism: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be aware about what’s going on in high schools around the rest of the country. We have a duty as students who are able to exercise most of their First Amendment rights to speak out for other students across the nation who do not, much like philanthropists in our country give voice to the voiceless poor and politically repressed. It’s good to remember that we don’t have to be the most outspoken person to make a difference. Listen in your classes to who is the quietest, to who usually doesn’t contribute to discussions, to people in the community you have never met before and who have never spoken at town meeting. Students deserve to be heard.
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Techno the Cla A Skill Set for the Rest of Your Life By Ingrid Dickinson opinion editor
Although we don’t often think about it, every corner of campus has been permeated by technology. There’s an Apple product in every hallway, an expensive laptop on every desk and some kind of giant-screened Smartphone in every pocket. Learning continues to advance; some assignments are done solely online, and notes are often taken on an iPad, not a blank piece of paper. In fact, I’m not even sure it’s possible to get by at Sage anymore without your own laptop, unless you are open to borrowing the dinosaurs they loan out in the library. Sage is quickly becoming more accepting of technology in the classroom to make sure we stay ahead of the curve. But does technology hurt more than it helps? How mature do we as students have to be to handle the constant temptation of the vast internet right in front of us? “I think it’s both a blessing and a curse,” said junior Annie Iacobelli. “Sometimes kids misuse technology in class, but it’s also very beneficial at the same time.” The regulations around all of this are still pretty open. Limits on technology use in the classroom tend to vary teacher-to-
teacher and student-to-student. Some teachers will lay down specific guidelines, such as no phones in class whatsoever, computers can only be open at certain times, etc. If one of these guidelines is in the syllabus at the beginning of the year, you probably won’t be able to get around it. On the other hand, some teachers seem to create their rules in the moment and based on the situation. This is where the technology on a student-to-student basis comes in. The student who allows himself to be distracted by his phone is probably going to get called out on it. However, if you’re able to handle an occasional text or Snapchat in class without losing focus, your teacher probably won’t mind (at least in my experience). Chris Irwin, dean of academic technology and a physics teacher, explains now he regulates classroom use of technology. “You can just kind of tell. When someone is typing really fast with a huge smile on their face while you’re talking about free body diagrams, it’s probably not because they’re really loving Newton’s Law.” Irwin believes strongly in the Sage philosophy of letting students regulate themselves, at least to an extent. He
understands that each student learns differently and can handle different amounts of responsibility. “If part of what we’re trying to do is give everyone here a skill set that they’re going to be able to use for the rest of their lives—knowledge and intellectual curiosity and problem solving—a good solution is just to try to work with people on an individual basis,” Irwin said. The question that arises from this is how teachers determine which students are mature enough to handle their electronic devices in class, and which are not. Many of the upperclassmen remember hearing the threats that teachers could go online and see exactly what we were looking at though these rumors were never confirmed. Is this kind of surveillance really necessary, or should the campus atmosphere of trust and responsibility be enough to keep students in check? “There are a lot of tools we could be using to monitor stuff in the classroom,” said Nikki Imai, director of library and technology. “There’s everything from knowing exactly what’s on your screen to passing out laptops where you’re locked to one application. Needless to say, we don’t have any of those on campus and I think
Kellen Ochi
Brandishing their technological trophies. In the typical history classroom, students use their computers, whether it is to check canvas or take notes. Technology has a central function in the classroom.
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ology in assroom that’s a cultural choice,” she said. Imai believes that our community is one in which most students are mature enough to handle themselves. “At Sage Hill, if students are true to form, as they have been in the past, constant monitoring shouldn’t be necessary. And from my perspective right now, I don’t think it is.” Junior Brooklyn Boukather holds a similar perspective. “Technology use
is pretty self-regulated here. Sage is challenging enough to the point that if you don’t take notes and pay attention, it’ll be your loss. I’m sure there are some kids that misuse it, but not to the extent that it’s a problem. For the most part students can self-regulate so that they can get their work done and still do other things online if they want,” she said. Sage is all about giving students
the ability to monitor and control their own lives, schedules and work habits. The way technology is regulated fits right into this philosophy. In the end, what you are and aren’t allowed to do as a student often comes down to your own self-control and focus. Using phones, laptops and other electronics in class is a privilege, not a right. Technology can greatly enhance
education, or it can bring you down. Use it wisely. “Whether or not a student is paying attention in class or being distracted by the internet is entirely up to them,” explained senior Kieran Mital. “You don’t see teachers regulating daydreaming or doodling. If a student wants to do well in class, he or she should just focus; neglecting to do so is a personal choice.”
Can We Text our Teachers? By Celine Wang associate editor
Sage Hill School will soon enact a policy that officially prohibits texting between students and teachers. The plan was announced in August during the 2014-15 school year opening meeting for staff by Angela Oliver, director of human resources and business office manager. “We don’t have a written policy [specifically] about student-teacher texting, but we’re talking about having one because we really want our students and faculty to use Canvas and email [to communicate],” Oliver said. “All of us are constantly on our phones, and we put a lot of work into Canvas to promote it.” According to Oliver, the new policy is still being written, and the administration will soon give it to the school’s lawyers to look at. The policy will be implemented in May 2015, as part of the new 2015-16 Student Handbook. In addition to encouraging students and faculty to utilize Canvas to a greater degree, the policy is also intended to curb excessive cellphone use—and to maintain appropriate and safe student-teacher boundaries. In June, a teacher at University High School in Irvine was arrested
for having an inappropriate relationship with a student after the student’s parents discovered suspicious text messages between the two. According to Oliver, concern over situations like this is not the main reason why the administration is drafting the new policy, but it is one factor in this process. “I am your teacher but not your friend,” explained English teacher Joan Alvarez. “I think it’s easy for this boundary to get blurred.” Alvarez sees Sage Hill’s Canvas and email systems as effective tools that are being underused. Other members of the school community agree. Some view Canvas and the email system as providing a safe, regulated buffer between teachers and students. Others say that more formal messages with proper grammar will encourage respect between students and teachers, compared to the more casual interaction of text messaging. “I think that students and teachers should stick to emailing,” said junior Janis Jin. “Texting is unnecessary and kind of crosses the boundary . . . . Maybe it’s convenient for students, but teachers have lives outside
of school and they deserve to have families and personal lives uninterrupted by us!” Those who disagree with the idea of a ban, however, argue that texting between students and teachers can be efficient and productive when used in a professional manner. For instance, students without computers or athletes who play away games, can quickly text teachers their questions and receive prompt responses. Teachers often group-text their advisories to remind someone about snacks, and some also give out their cellphone numbers so that students can contact them with questions and for help with homework. Opponents of the proposed ban find this method of communication more practical and convenient than logging onto Canvas or their school email accounts in order to check messages. “It would seem wise to use any similar medium that allows and encourages a normal and professional relationship between teachers and students,” said Latin teacher Lance Novotny. “Not everyone has the iPhone 6 with the Canvas app and email.” According to a June 2014 TIME
article by Randye Hoder, studentteacher relationships are actually strengthened by texting with the adult acting as a supportive mentor. Hoder wrote that “the easy back-and-forth [of texting] between teachers and students can create important bonds, especially for young people who are in need of extra help.” It is also possible for individual teachers to determine acceptable methods of communication. At Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach, the 2014-15 Student Handbook does not explicitly regulate student-teacher communication. Instead, teachers inform students of their preferences in the class syllabus. At Sage Hill, many students seem willing to change their technology habits to incorporate Canvas and school mail into their phones and computers. Some have already downloaded the Canvas application which allows students to receive notifications about teachers’ messages, assignments and grades. Once the official policy is released next year, this is likely to become the only officially permitted way for students and teachers to communicate electronically.
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ARTS
Barbershop Ensemble By Bailey Super lifestyle editor
Born from the figurative hair trimmings/ashes of Sage’s first Encore barbershop quartet of yore, this year’s Encore choir revamps its predecessor’s traditional four-man model with nearly double the barbers harmonizing in the shop. “This year there were so many strong men with enough enthusiasm about a barbershop ensemble that I seized the opportunity,” explained Arts Department Chair and Choral Director Megan Eddy, the conductor of the Encore ensemble. The choir’s makeup changes each year, its members dependent on interest and Eddy’s artistic vision de l’année. This year, Encore transpired to be the apple pie of American music, the barbershop ensemble. Encore is Sage Hill Singers’ show choir counterpart that lands gigs outside of Sage’s campus and rehearses during Friday lunches and X-Blocks. Past performances include caroling in Corona del Mar, at Crystal Cove’s Tree Lighting ceremony and singing in choral festivals. Encore makes a few cameos at Sage each year as well. The group carols in the acoustically magnificent Le Bon Family Lobby before the choral winter concert each year, and occasionally performs a quick set at Multicultural Fair or one of the biannual choral concerts. Despite this track record, tender carols and sacred hymns are not in Encore’s repertoire this year. Instead, expect a vintage-meets-edgy mélange of time-honored barbershop anthems and foot-tapping rock n’ roll standards.
“Our set features old-fashioned turn of the century barbershop tags— and ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ by Queen,” enthusiastically cited Encore’s double-strong bass section, sophomore Cole Mitchell and junior Gabriel Gamboa. Seven chorally gifted young men comprise Encore’s barbershop septet: the aforementioned Mitchell/Gamboa duo sings bass; juniors Dejongh Henry and Liam Tenney sing baritone; freshman Michael McDermott and sophomore Dylan Jamner sing lead; and the single yet vocally mighty junior Yilan Dai sings tenor. What is the most fun part about being in the ensemble? Singing, of course. “It’s always a really fun time because we get to sing with each other,” gushes Jamner. “Nailing the harmonies is a great feeling,” elaborates Mitchell. Gamboa’s favorite moments are “when all the parts are singing together—that’s the best ever.” Spot-on harmony successes and musically complex dynamic coups are the cherry on top for Henry, as the best part for him is the simple pleasure of “singing a bunch of cool music.” More often than not, choirs must compensate for a sparser male demographic with a larger female section. The year that both Treble choir and Encore consisted only of females is a prime example. However, choir programs for the 2014-2015 season boast quite the opposite. The roughly 50-strong SATB (for the nonmusical: “Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass”—for the musically im-
paired, “co-ed”) Concert Choir boasts more men than women this year. Sage Hill Singers features incredible talent from its manly members, who also represent a refreshing variety of age groups. And, of course, the all-male Encore accentuates the strong male choral presence this year. Despite the male pervasiveness in choir this year, it is wrong to assume a tsunami of musically talented dudes washed up to Sage Hill Singers and Encore auditions separately. Many of the Encore members are Sage Hill Singers, some even members of both plus Concert Choir. Gamboa, one such triple-dresser, admits that the chorally packed schedule makes it difficult to get extra studying in or take a break from the heightened stress level typical of junior year. Concert Choir is D-Block class, but Sage Hill Singers rehearse during every lunch except for Fridays and the occasional X-Block; Encore, again, on Friday lunches and XBlocks. However, easygoing Gamboa puts a positive spin on his time commitments. “It’s easy to know when stuff is if you just go to every lunch and every x-block,” he explained. “There’s going be something happening: either Sage Hill Singers or Encore.” Finally, one of the most prevalent questions about barbershops, second only perhaps to the meaning of the archetypical spinning blue and red-striped column, is why a kind of quartet is named after them. In late 19th-century U.S. society, barbershops were the midpoint between a posh social club, which only
Seven Sing Out. Junior Liam Tenney’s grin evidences the thrill he feels when surrounded by such luscious harmony produced by his fellow encore comrades.
the highbrow socialites could afford, and a saloon, which still carried a potent whiskey-scented stigma at the time. Barbershops were social hubs for John Does and Average Joes, especially in the black community. The shaggy-haired men would pass the time waiting for the barber by singing folk songs or spirituals, or tag along when the barber himself hummed a tune. The ones who could harmonize added their voices, and soon, a new style of four-part unaccompanied style of singing was born. Barbershop music developed and hit its peak in the early 1900s, but the roaring ‘20s drowned out the crooning harmonies Recognized as a legitimate choral style, barbershop multiple-of-four’tets and ensembles flourish both in number across the globe and their characteristic boater hats—invention of Vaudeville, not a traditionally authentic costume. If you wish to see and hear Sage’s own barbershop ensemble perform, a slot in the winter choral concert is not confirmed—however, a gig at an upcoming festival in Sage’s backyard is. On Sat., Nov. 8, the ensemble takes its talents to Cal State Fullerton for the Festival of Men’s Voices. A workshop involving men from many different choirs in Orange County during the day culminates in a public concert at 5 p.m. in the school’s concert hall. “Tell everyone to come and see us,” urged Gamboa. So yes: indeed, come and see Sage’s wonderful barbershop septet.
Namita Prakash
SPORTS
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lighting up the league
Kandis McGee
A Team to Beat
The face of the team. Seniors (from left) Kekai Whitford, Maddy Abbott, Ingrid Dickinson and Halland McKenna have carried the team to a 9-3 record overall and an undefeated record in league.
By Liam Murphy staff writer
It only seems fitting that they go out with a bang. The varsity girls’ volleyball team has experienced incredible success this year. The team has a 9-3 overall record and are undefeated in four Academy League matches. The season’s highlights have included being ranked a top five team in Orange County and a thrilling win over prestigious Mater Dei. The team is led by its three senior captains, Maddy Abbott, Halland McKenna and Kekai Whitford, who have all been part of the school’s varsity team since their freshman year. Last year, the team came one win short of a state finals appearance, losing to Central Valley Christian. The team hopes to build off last year’s experience and reach that goal this year. “I think it really adds fuel to our fire,” said McKenna. “Knowing that we can do this, we were so close to doing this before. Given our season so far, we have this confidence behind us that will allow us to go that far.” The victory would be a crowning achievement for the trio before they head their separate ways. All three captains have committed to their respective colleges, Abbott at University of Michigan, McKenna at Stanford University and Whitford at Loyola Marymount University. Much like how they’re all heading to separate locations, they had different processes regarding their commitments. McKenna and Whitford both committed early to their schools before their senior year began, while Abbott committed in-season.
“For things outside of volleyball, it definitely eased a lot of my worries and things that a lot of people are concerned about for their senior year,” said Whitford, regarding her early commitment. “It gave me a lot more time and energy to focus on the season and making it what we want it
that we’re going to take what we learned here into college, especially college volleyball,” Abbott said. “It’s going to be a challenge, but I think that we all are taking in everything–every little detail–from here, and we’re going to apply it going forward,” added McKenna.
‘It’s going to be a challenge, but I think that we all are taking in everything – every little detail – from here, and we’re going to apply it going forward’ to be.” “I was trying to take it all one step at a time, I wasn’t completely sure that I was going to play [in college],” said Abbott. “I was definitely not 100 percent sure what my plan was going into senior year.” One thing is unanimous though. They will all take valuable lessons from volleyball with them on their respective journeys. “I think we can all definitely agree
They’re going to be looking forward, but they’re also going to be looking back. “I think we all came in as freshmen—we knew we were going to play volleyball—but we had no clue about the types of bonds we were about to make,” McKenna said. “It was [us] three, as freshmen, sophomores, juniors, then we were lucky enough to have [fellow senior Ingrid Dickinson] this year, it really puts into perspec-
tive how lucky we are to play with the girls that we play with because they’re amazing. It’s not just volleyball, it’s in school, at lunch; we’re a family.” Dickinson, the fourth senior on the varsity squad, has thoroughly enjoyed her experience on the team, despite the fact she can sometimes get lost in the hype that surrounds the team’s three captains. “I try to be as big a part of the team as I can be. I’m not planning on going huge places with it, playing in college or anything like that,” Dickinson said, addressing her sometimes under-the-radar status. “I put in as much as I can every day, I do my best to improve myself every day and I do whatever I can in games,” she said. “[Ingrid] sets such a great example for the underclassmen. The way she comes into practices and games every day, her work ethic is really awesome,” said Abbott. “She gives the younger girls someone to look up to.” The team’s success has historically been a great way to drum up school spirit and this year is no exception. The buzz surrounding them has been electric. “The support system that our team has on this campus is pretty incredible,” remarked Abbott about the fan support throughout her four years. “I think at any given time, one of us can run into someone who was at one of our games, or has supported us throughout, and it’s a really awesome feeling to have people behind you and rallying behind us.” Whitford agreed. “We all definitely want to make this a season to remember.”
BACKPAGE
8 THE SHRUB
The Sapphire Monopoly
opinion
The Pressure is On
Steven Du Since the beginnings of time, consumers have fought a war of attrition with producers. While the two sides have differing motives—one desiring affordable prices and the other desiring profitable prices—ultimately, their shared motive of exchanging money for certain goods and services allows them to reach a compromise. With both sides happy, the world moves on. In a monopoly, however, this is definitely not the case. Monopolies allow a single entity to control certain goods or services. Essentially, monopolies have the power to control the price of their goods regardless of their original cost. Ironically, the kids of successful businessmen and women have been forced into a similar situation. Perhaps it is karma. Sapphire, a for-profit company, caters to Sage with the privileges of a monopoly. Students are not allowed to order hot food from other companies. Even fundraisers selling cookies are prohibited. The only alternative is to bring food from home, an inconvenience for many. With the power to control the food supply without restraint, it is not surprising that a “conspiracy theory” revolving around Sapphire’s product quality and price has sprung up. “I think their water costs too much,” junior Jonathon Haley said. “You can buy a pack of water at Pavilion’s for a cheaper price instead.” In response, Danielle Nishikuni, the manager of Sapphire, said, “This is out of our control. Overall, food costs are going up. It costs more now for farms to produce goods. Drought and high water costs are contributing factors.” Others have noticed
changes in their recipes. An anonymous freshman, too self-conscious to use his real name, also commented on the matter. “That’s what I thought. I feel like they changed their chicken tenders to storebought ones that cost a dollar.” “We did change the hotdogs and chicken tenders, because they are nitrate free. We are simply providing healthier options,” said Nishikuni. “The quality is the same.” “I haven’t really noticed anything regarding changes in their recipe,” said junior Andrew Vorrath. “I don’t really care about the food.” Some offered recommendations to Sapphire instead. Junior Chance Kuehnel said, “I think Sapphire should sell their food at a discount after 3 because they have a lot of leftovers no one is gonna buy.” From a more professional standpoint, AP Economics teacher Pete Anderson provided a different perspective. “Actually if people know if there is a sale then they won’t buy it during lunch and will buy it during the sale instead. It is a situation that almost every food vendor has to deal with,” Anderson said. “You are dealing with a perishable item so it is really important to dial in the amount to sell in a particular to prevent leftovers. “For their own business it may make sense for them to sell somewhere else at a cheaper price,” he said. Selling to their normal customers has the unintended consequence of buyers waiting to the end of the day to make a purchase,” Anderson explained. “I haven’t personally got any complaints myself,” Nishikuni said, “they’re eating the food so I assume they are satisfied.”
Lynn Fong
By Julia Dupuis staff writer
In today’s competitive academic world, teenagers living in the United States have much more to face than is often thought. One of the most strenuous and challenging obstacles is high school. Often thought of as one of the most important aspects of an average teen’s academic and social life, it is where many people discover what they want, what they’re good at and sometimes even who they think they are destined to be. But at what cost has this system been created? High school can be considered a great and monumental experience in one’s life. However, our high school years are also a time where students struggle the most. Despite the ever-present challenges of being a growing teenager, the biggest enemy that students face is stress. “I do feel stressed at times,” sophomore Jafeth Orozco admitted. “I sleep about five to six hours a night and I end up doing about four hours of homework a night.” Another anonymous student said, “I feel this immense pressure to do better, and the workload seems to get heavier and heavier as each day goes by. My biggest fear is that I will fail.” Many students today are more afraid of failing than anything else. The pressure of school has made them feel as if they have something to prove. School should be a welcoming environment that encourages learning, and yet the high levels of stress and overwhelming responsibilities are leading some to think of it as a prison. For them, and for many Sage Hill students, school has become a race. Every accelerated or AP class brings them another point to put on their college resumes. Every extracurricular activity, even while sucking away at precious hours already so scarce in a high schooler’s day, brings another achievement to be listed. But what is it all for? We are constantly told that these are meant to be the best years of our lives, but that doesn’t seem to make sense anymore.
We are always reminded to keep our health in mind, to get the right amount of sleep and eat well every day. But with a late night of homework, and an early rise for another day of school, this expectation is becoming more and more difficult to maintain. Education is vital to a young generation, I understand that. But what I don’t understand is why there seems to be such a huge difference between a healthy amount of challenge in order to improve and grow as an individual, and being so stressed about school that your mental health is at stake. In the end we will have a well-educated generation. But in return we will have a generation that has learned that nothing is more important than a number on a page. That our entire lives are boiled down to our performance in classes that do not cater to our mental and emotional stability. I want to be more than just another statistic. At night, I dread going to sleep because
‘I will wonder if all of my struggles and stress at school is ever even going to mean something.’ it brings tomorrow sooner. I know I will have to wake up and face the same routine of monotony. The same classes, hours of homework and a level of anxiety that I know will only grow worse as the year go by. I dread going to sleep because I know I will wake to the blaring sound of my alarm at exactly 6 a.m. to face this inevitable event. And when I wake I will have a split second thought. In that moment, lying exhausted in my bed and staring out into the blackness beyond my window, I will wonder where my life is going. I will wonder if all of my struggles and stress at school is ever going to mean something. For that split second, I will question every choice I have made. My apprehension for the future only grows with each day I live through because I know I have hundreds more to face.