January 2016

The January 2016 lightningboltonline.com

BOLT

20402 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast, CA 92657 www.issuu.com/shsbolt @theboltonline

Volume 16, Issue 5 www.facebook.com/sagehillschool

Striking a Chord

By Namita Prakash

16prakashn.publications@gmail.com

Konnie Krislock

Tech Week Jitters. Costume designer Michael Fitzpatrick conducts last minute fittings for sophomore Meaghan Condas, lead actress playing Elizabeth Bennett, on the elaborate Pride and Prejudice set during “tech” week.Tech week rehearsals take place in the Black Box at the Studio at Sage Hill in the week leading up to the opening performance. Cast and crew dedicate more hours than usual in order to drive the production towards perfection.

Starting tonight at 7 p.m., the school will put on its production of Pride and Prejudice in the Black Box Theater in the Studio at Sage Hill. The cast will have four performances, with two other shows Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and a Saturday matinee beginning at 2 p.m.

Directed by Mary Robinson, theater teacher and producer of community programming, the play promises to strike a chord in each audience member’s life.

“The world in which Jane Austen lived is so strikingly different from the way we live now, it will be very fun for the audience to experience,” said senior Maru Sefami, assistant director to Robinson.

The production features sophomore Meghan Condas, a young, but promising individual as Elizabeth Bennett, the lead.

“During the acting process, I began to realize how much I related to Elizabeth’s problems, whether that is general social insecurity or often feeling embarrassed about my family, two problems that many young adults encounter today,” Condas stated.

Senior Tamara Tsubota, stage manager, offered a unique window into the production’s evolution through the rehearsal phase.

“It’s an amazing experience to watch the actors take risks and experiment. It’s incredible to watch an actor become another person and discover their thoughts and interests,” Tsubota said.

The play features 19th century clothing and an intricate set. The actors will don British accents for the performances to give the audience an authentic experience.

“The way the show runs, the set and storyline move through time together and keep the audience wanting more throughout the entire show,” Sefami said.

Pride and Prejudice possesses a unique connection to the student body through the school’s academic curriculum.

Seniors in British Literature English studied the novel during the first semester.

“I am always looking for opportunities to collaborate and intertwine academic curriculum with our arts programming.

I met with the English Department last Spring to discuss which novels are taught because I wanted to see if there was a strong adaptation of one for the stage,” Robinson said. “After many conversations and considerations, Pride and Prejudice became the obvious choice.”

The selection has been a popular one among the cast and crew who are excited to share their production of Austen’s iconic work in the coming week.

“Pride and Prejudice is so unique because it truly is a timeless piece of literature,” Condas said. “The novel was written over 200 years ago but it still remains relevant to a 21st century audience!”

2

STAFF EDITORIAL

Turning the Tide?

A Harvard Graduate School of Education Report Attempts to Revolutionize the College Admission Process

As high schoolers battle achievement pressure and sleep deprivation throughout an arduous four-year journey to glimpse their reflections in a golden lamp, pretty disappointing is the genie who grants fewer than 10 percent of wishes.

But as of Jan. 20, the merciful demigods of elite university admissions have issued an official decree.

Penned by Richard Weissbourd of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, “Turning the Tide: Inspiring Concern for Others and the Common Good through College Admissions” outlines a plan to deemphasize perfection in Advanced Placement grades, standardized test scores and abundant extracurricular involvement, a pursuit to which the class of 2016 and their predecessors loyally devoted their youth.

Now, in the opinion of Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University and approximately 80 other colleges, high school students should re-evaluate their priorities and redirect their efforts.

Such an ideological shift may change the disturbing, totally unforeseeable outcome of a recent survey, finding that only 22 percent of 10,000 middle and high school students value “caring for others” over “high individual achievement.”

“Colleges spend a huge sum each year sending signals that in-

fluence the behavior of millions of students,” Weissbourd said. “Why not rethink those signals to reshape that behavior?”

Apparently a modern B.F. Skin-

mote quality over quantity in accelerated courses and community service, consider family and community responsibilities to a greater extent and proliferate the idea that

ner, Weissbourd recommends that college admission officers make the SAT and ACT optional, pro-

students should look for their best possible fit in a college.

“Too often, today’s culture

16saroyank.publications@gmail.com

•

sends young people messages that emphasize personal success rather than concern for others and the common good,” Weissbourd said.

“Admissions deans are stepping up collectively to underscore the importance of meaningful engagement in communities and greater equity for economically diverse students.”

To level the playing field for students struggling to enroll in a single AP course. To reduce the anxiety, depression and substance abuse common among privileged students expected to take all 20 APs offered by their school. Perchance to turn the prospect of college into a glittering beacon on the horizon, rather than a circle of teenagers in an outdoor arena told, “May the odds be ever in your favor.”

All valiant efforts, but Weissbourd has no right to merely drop his mic and walk off stage victoriously, fist-pumping and heel-clicking all the way to his car.

Unlikely that a well-intended report could end each high school student’s subconscious perception that he or she is the United States locked in an arms race of credentialing against Soviet Russia, the collective student body of his or her grade level. Only the inevitable mutually assured destruction can.

In the meantime, we high school students should add “caring for others” to our to-do lists. In a list of infinitely many tasks, what’s one more, really?

16prakashn.publications@gmail.com

publications staff EICs: Namita Prakash, Kristin Saroyan Adviser: Konnie Krislock Executive Editors: Stephanie Min, Claire Lin, Celine Wang, Vale Lewis, Tommy Lee, Amanda Ong Commentary and Opinion Editor: Claire Dwyer Associate Commentary and Opinion Editor: Julia Dupuis Design Editor: Jackie Nam Associate Design Editor: Lynn Fong Underclass Editor: Christina Acevedo Assignment Editors: Catharine Malzahn, Lauren Fishman Lifestyle Editor: Jaime Dailey

Photo Editor: Kandis McGee Associate Photo Editor: Sahar Emtiaz Assistant-to-the-Adviser: Genesis Gonzalez Sports Editors: Steven Du, Brett Super Senior Editor: Tess Hezlep Copy Writers: Jenny Wang, Niva Razin, Madison Harris-Weiner, Farooq Ansari, Sarah Kim, Michelle Huang, Jake Eckel Designers: Dana Shan, Emma Ruck Online Blogger: Luc Levine Photographers: Sahar Emtiaz, Lauren Hausman, Madison Nadelman, Krystal Gallegos

ACADEMIC TEAMS

3

Robo-Men

By Brett Super

17superb.publications@gmail.com Believe it or not, there is an announcement each Monday morning delivered with more excitement, passion and gusto than any other announcement. Here is the best part: I am not talking about the trumpeting roar of “ATHLETICS!” I am talking about the Robotics Team whose members bolt onto the turf of Town Square sometimes hoisting a flag, sometimes sporting smiles but always speaking with excitement.

Recently, the Robotics Team scored a second place in the Inspire Award and a first in the Rockwell Collins Innovate Award.

This is not the team’s first time with the Inspire Award; senior Buck Bukaty fondly recalled the day they won it the first time: “It was the day before the season’s first robotics competition, and my team was running into unexpected mechanical difficulties,” he said. “Having incorporated some last-minute, best-we-can-do redesigns, we had nearly lost hope for success as our first match started. A full day of hectic teamwork and strategic improvisation later, we walked away with a first place Inspire Award as bouts of incredulous laughter swept through our team.”

Turning that day around “through determination and ingenuity” was one of the most rewarding experiences of his high school career, Bukaty said, and “exemplifies why I would choose robotics as my one activity to keep doing.”

Currently the Robotics Team is working on their robot for the First Robotics Competition (FRC). For this competition the robot has to lift up a door like mechanism among many other tasks.

The team has six weeks to design and build a robot and the members are currently in their second week of production.

The team usually works on the robot from 5-7 p.m. Monday through Friday. That is not all; they also work during X-blocks.

“We put a lot of work into this. We spend a lot of time here,” junior Cole Dunlap said.

That may seem like a large chunk of time, but it is a necessary toll on the road to becoming champions. Not only do they have to build the robot but they also work on how and where their robot will get points.

Theo Evers, a junior on the robotics team, explained just how much preparation is needed.

“We have spent the past week figuring out where we can get the most points—figuring out just designing an entire game strategy, and now we are working on how to fit all that into the space that we have and with the certain tools and such that we are provided.”

But the challenge is what makes robotics enjoyable for Evers.

“I like the challenges. I like that we are given this one problem and we have a fair bit of time to solve this, but I like that it is a challenge that no one person could manage to do all by themselves—without spending a year on it. It is something that forces teamwork in a useful way—not teamwork to say we have worked together—it’s teamwork because we can’t do it alone.”

Dunlap prefers the competitions, claiming, “Competitions are fantastic.

They are a rollercoaster.”

DANA SHAN

SAHAR EMTIAZ

Modern Machines The most unique piece of software the Robotics Team uses is its 3D printer (top).

Gearing Up For The Big One Dylan Kanne and Dylan Jamner (middle) collaborate on The Big One in preparation for the First Robotics Competition (FRC).

Captain Hook’s Pieces Eamon Niknafs and Daniel Gamini (left) work on a competitive robot, Captain Hook.

To contact robotics team members: www.sagehillrobotics.com

SAHAR EMTIAZ

4

Krave Kobe Burger

Overall: Mediocre Price: $$ Value: $ It is already a shame that Krave Kobe Burger replaced the beloved Pomodoro’s. The least the new management could do is provide a decent meal for a fair price. However, they have failed miserably. The frozen burgers they serve are burned to a undesirable crisp and covered with a layer of ash. Their dry and flakey buns soak in a bucket of grease, clamping together an abomination that can barely pass as food. For all this, they charge you outrageous prices justified by their “kobe beef” gimmick. I would not recommend this establishment to anyone.

LIFESTYLE

Foo

Mustard Cafe

Overall: Good Price: $$ Value: $$$ Perfect for breakfast, lunch or an afternoon snack, Mustard Cafe embodies the essence of a classy European cafe situated on the southern coast of France. Their unique house blend and cappuccinos provide a nice break from the ubiquitous Starbucks coffee, while their delicious sandwiches sourced from local vegetable farms serve as an excellent meal. Their all-day breakfast full of delicacies such as omelet with fresh parsley, tarragon, chives and chervil and eggs benedict complete their menu with a touch of simple elegance. “Mustard’s chicken pesto tastes like victory.”

Cha For Tea

Overall: Good Price: $ Value: $$ Much like the pilgrims who flocked to Griddhraj Parvat in search of enlightenment, the disciples of Zarubin frequent Cha For Tea to further their understanding of the natural world.

Complemented by fountains of nectar and ambrosia, it serves as a perfect setting for textbooks and study guides. Even for the less erudite, Cha is a welcoming cafe that serves crunchy and lightly seasoned popcorn chicken alongside a wide assortment of teas. Not surprisingly, it is a popular location for students and teachers alike.

In-N-Out Burger

Overall: Superior Price: $ Value: $$$$$ Across the continent and far in the east, horns Across the continent and far in the East, horns and drums sounded in a tumultuous uproar.

Plowshares were decreed to be forged into steel PHOTOS FROM YELP, GEN KOREAN BBQ HOUSE, MUSTARD CAFE AND STEVEN DU

od

LIFESTYLE

5

swords, announcing a great war which stank of envy. Those fast casual restaurants coveted the western lands but could never master the acme of the In-N-Out burger. They came and saw the glory for themselves and wilted away before its light. No one could compare to its grandeur for the burger sat on a throne above all others.

British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay even said, “In-N-Out burgers were extraordinary. I was so bad, I sat in the restaurant, had my double cheeseburger then minutes later I drove back ‘round and got the same thing again to take away.”

Blaze Pizza

Overall: Excellent Price: $ Value: $$$ Blaze is the Subway of pizza. Its kitchen staff creates personal and custom works of art on oven-fired dough reinforced with a myriad of options including seven sauces, seven cheeses, 17 vegetables and eight meats. Consequently, the restaurant is packed with patrons lining out the doors and around the corner, despite its issues with cleanliness. Its queue is only rivaled

by In-N-Out, a glorious achievement indeed.

Fashion Island Food Court

Overall: Good Price: $-$$ Value: $$ Located only 9 minutes from Sage Hill, Fashion Island provides a large variety of different fast food restaurants inside the Atrium Food Court.

They include Chick fil A, Wahoo’s Fish Tacos, Stone Oven Grill, Taco Bell, Subway, Panda Express, Five Guys and more. “I like the Fashion Island food court because I like the options and the fact that it is so close to school.”

Gen Korean BBQ House

Overall: Superior Price: $$$ Value: $$$$ Although far from Sage, Gen is one of the best all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue locations in all of Orange County. Enjoying its mouthwatering and large selection of quality meats and side dishes is a great way to celebrate with friends after a triumphant game or final exam. Your meal could include stews, premium cuts of steak, marinated meats, fresh calamari, kimchi, rice cakes, vegetables, pork loin and more. On top of variety, the food and service is of much higher quality than other barbecue houses.

However, be prepared for an hour’s wait or longer. The food is that good. If you have a large enough party, you could reserve a table ahead of time to skip the line.

6

OPINION

Only

Common

Sense

On Dec. 2, in San Bernadino CA, 14 people were killed and 17 were wounded attending an office party when a gunman opened fire….

On July 16, 2015, in Chattanooga TN, a 24-year-old man opened fire on a military recruiting facility, killing six individuals including four U.S. Marines….

On June 17, 2015, in Charleston SC, a 21-year-old man opened fire on a prayer meeting in a Charleston church and killed 9 individuals, stating that he wanted to start a “race war….”

And that doesn’t even begin to complete the list of the horrific mass shootings of 2015 which consist of, among other atrocities, young men shooting and killing their entire families. People were massacred not on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan but at home in their backyards, their kitchens, their places of work.

They were killed by family members they trusted, peers they listened to, individuals they allowed into their sacred places of worship as well as in their places of carefree leisure like movie theaters and shopping malls.

For countless individuals, their trust was violated and they lost their lives in the bargain. These were not soldiers or police officers or firefighters who died.

While a loss of any of them is a great tragedy, death is an occupational hazard of defending and protecting our nation.

Those dead from mass shootings were average citizens, civilian innocents, children and adults who were rushed to hospitals as their bodies slowly died years before such deaths were warranted.

And for what? Our nation prays for them. As we do for every tragedy. We pray, and we give thanks for all the good that we have in our own lives. We think of the memory of the person, we post on Facebook about how GUN VIOLENCE STOPS NOW GUYS COME ON

LIKE THIS POST IF YOU AGREE. And then 5,000 people like the post.

Yet the NRA rests easy. And the

which has neglected his mental health for want of sufficient funds, will kill everyone there?

Why shouldn’t we think that is

government of the United States seems reluctant to accept what President Obama suggests: more comprehensive background checks, a ban on assault weapons, a greater access to mental health care and coverage for such care on health insurance plans.

But why? What is wrong with keeping our streets safer, watching our children go to school without fear that perhaps a gunman, armed with ammo and a penal system

going to happen, based on where our country seems to be going today?

“I think we should prevent people who commit crimes from getting guns. You wouldn’t give someone who just killed a person a gun, it’s common sense,” freshman Nicole Dai said.

It does seem like it would be common sense, doesn’t it? And critics will say that crazy people will just obtain guns anyway, that

they will obtain illegal guns, that gun violence isn’t the fault of the gun itself, it is the shooter.

And that is fine and good. But it still doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be putting people through background checks, that we shouldn’t be taking some assault weapons out of circulation.

The Second Amendment itself was written in a time in the history of the United States when the average citizen might have to take up arms in a militia at any point.

The right to bear arms was a necessary right to protect our national sovereignty. Now it is a right the arms industry is using to justify the ridiculous sale of guns to just about anyone.

“We need personal profiles of people who buy guns and stricter purchasing laws. We need to start by examining particular states like Texas and their record for selling guns,” junior Jenny Wang said.

Of course we do. It is only common sense. It is also our duty as Americans to protect our constitutional rights. But we have a greater duty as a nation which is built to protect the people and to defend their lives. Above all, we are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It’s a little hard to go for the pursuit of happiness when we are rotting in our graves.

By Claire Dwyer

16dwyerc.publications@gmail.com

SPORTS

7

Rain or Shine Girls’ Soccer Plays On

By Genesis Gonzalez

18gonzalezg.publications@gmail.com Girls’ varsity soccer, tied for second place in Academy League with Crean Lutheran, beat Oxford Academy for the second time this season, 5-0, Tuesday evening and will meet St. Margaret’s tomorrow at 5 p.m. on Ramer Field.

The last time they played Oxford Academy they had a blast while warming up in the rain, a eventually beating the Patriots 2-1 with the weather posing a challenge.

“The most memorable moment of that game was when I scored my first goal.”

She was excited to finally feel like a part of the team,” said freshman Nia Parks.

Though it was a rough and challenging game the girls had many memorable moments.

“The team played really well together.

We communicated with each other and made great passes that set us up for goal,” said Parks who feels as though the team is growing together and creating a close bond.

Parks was not excited to play in the difficult conditions.

“I was not looking forward to playing in these situations (rainy, cold, mud…).

Sometimes the rain can be distracting in a way but luckily it only drizzled in the beginning,” said Parks. The team powered through the disagreeable conditions and finished the game with the upper hand.

“One of the main obstacles was we had to maneuver around were these huge puddles of water and mud the rain had just caused,” said Parks.

Parks felt happy to win and score her first goal. “I just couldn’t help but feel happy that we were playing so well together. Everything is fun when you’re winning!” said Nia Parks.

Sophomore Kate Briggs thought that the team had a great learning experience with its game over Oxford Academy.

“The good side was that we got to adjust and play a different style than we are used to. Overall, I think that our game

Welcome to Their Field of Dreams. Ramer Field has been home to a variety of weather condtions for the girls’ soccer team members who face Academy League rivals St. Margaret’s tomorrow at 5 p.m. against Oxford was a huge learning experience for the team,” Briggs said.

She said it is a lot more challenging to play in the rain because of the muddy fields and swampy puddles. “Some love it, some hate it. Personally, I don’t like it because the ball skips on the grass pretty fast, and that is not what I am used to.”

Contrary to what Parks thinks, Briggs believes that they “could have played better as a team during this game. Obviously due to the conditions of the field it made it challenging to work together and to keep control of the ball.”

Despite all the challenges, Briggs witnessed a memorable moment “when Taylor Magliarditi assisted her sister Lexi [Magliarditi] for one of the goals during the game. I think that just proved the fact that those girls can work together really well,” Briggs said.

Captain Janis Jin agreed about all the fun and bonding they have created as a team.

“I think my favorite moment of the game was when Rachael Jaffe was dribbling and tripped and fell and got drenched in mud,” Jin recalled.

At the end of the day they all had fun in the rain and Jin said “each game we’re getting better and playing more as a unit, which is something that we’re really proud of.”

(Also contributing to this article was staff writer Luc Levine.)

Challenging Oxford Girls’ varsity soccer captain and four year starter, Lauren Thunen, aims the ball away from an Oxford Academy defender towards the goal.

Second Win Against Patriots. Girls’ varsity soccer player Rachael Jaffe beats an Oxford Academy player to the ball in a race down Ramer Field, Tuesday evening. The Lightning beat Oxford Academy 5-0 for their second win this season against the Patriots.

8

BACKPAGE

You are Privileged­–But Read On Before Taking Offense

By Julia Dupuis

17dupuisj.publications@gmail.com We have been carrying something with us our entire lives. It is unearned, unmasked and often invisible. With it, you gain societal benefits and advantages that are readily available, even if you are not aware of it.

You are privileged.

Now, before you get defensive, please consider this: privilege does not mean you are a bad person, or have had everything handed to you, or have not faced challenges or struggles.

Privilege just means there are some challenges or struggles you will not experience because of who you are. It makes your life easier in certain ways, but it’s something you would barely notice unless it were taken away—or unless it never applied to you in the first place.

Recognizing privilege can be difficult.

It is always easier to notice the impact left by oppression or disadvantages that you experience personally.

Take a moment and consider the ways in which you are disadvantaged: How is your identity regarded by society? Are you a person of color? Does your sexuality fall under LGBTQ+? Are you disabled?

Are you a woman? Do you have a mental illness or learning disability? What is your

socio-economic status?

Society disenfranchises many of the people who belong to these social groups.

This is known as oppression.

What about everyone else? What about the people that society empowers at the expense of the oppressed? The ones known as privileged.

Privileged people are more likely to benefit from power systems that exist in our society. For example, they are more likely to control politics, enjoy economic success or have a strong influence over the media.

There are certain disadvantages that privilege can help you avoid, such as threat of violence on the basis of your identity or facing microaggressions in day to day interaction. For example, in a patriarchal society, women do not have institutional power. In a white dominated culture, people of color do not have institutional power. And so on.

There is no reversal of privilege. A woman will not have privilege based on her gender because she does not hold institutional power. Even if a woman is discriminatory towards individuals of a different gender, she still does not benefit from societal power structures that are in place to disenfranchise women.

Along the same line, there is no reverse racism or reverse sexism. Prejudice exists in all forms, but in order for there to be a lack of privilege, there must be a lack

of institutional power.

It is very easy to get defensive when someone mentions your privilege. Senior Erika Garcia points out that “in order to recognize privilege you have to put yourself in the shoes of other people who are going through different situations, and this has a tendency to make people uncomfortable.”

Pointing out that there are benefits bestowed upon you by society without your consent or knowledge can often feel like a personal attack. It can feel like someone is saying you haven’t worked hard enough or endured any challenges.

This is not what privilege means.

You can be privileged and have a difficult life. Privilege does not negate the difficulties in your life, but rather points out that your experiences may have been easier than others.

When you are accustomed to privilege, equality can feel like oppression. It is easy to take a defensive point of view, because acknowledgement of privilege is inherently uncomfortable.

Understanding your privilege should hurt. It should be painful. You will see ugly things about yourself that you never expected to see. It should involve altering your behavior in ways that you may not want.

We cannot simply be aware of our privilege; we must understand how it works, and what it does to our human-

ity. “People have to realize the systemic privilege they have,” says junior Jack Reader. “They have to be aware in order to understand.”

From the moment you were born, you have been socialized with toxic ideals that tell you that you are superior. That you are worth more than people who lack your specific privilege. That you are a better person.

These messages are not necessarily blatant, nor are the result of your conscious effort to absorb them. We are socialized every day of our entire lives by an overwhelming number of messages that creep inside of us, subtly shaping who we are and how we view those around us.

Privilege erodes our ability to connect with our peers. It undermines our natural empathy and diminishes our humanity.

Resocializing yourself is not easy.

Declaring yourself aware of your privilege is not enough. You cannot overcome your own privilege without a serious effort.

Listen to people who experience oppression. Learn about how you can work in solidarity with oppressed groups. Join communities in order to support those you have privilege over. Teach others about their own privilege.

And above all, understand that your privilege exists. Realize why your voice is valued in our society and use this knowledge to lift up the voices of those who are not heard.