December 2017

The

BOLT

Instagram: @shspublications

Sydney McCord

Twitter: @shspubs

December 2017 Volume 18, Issue 4 lightningboltonline.com Sage Hill School 20402 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast, CA 92657

Snapchat: shspublications

A New SHIP Sets Sail

The Sage Hill Internship Program (SHIP) provides students from all grades with the skills to develop a unique resume and have the opportunity to apply for internships in several different fields of work. This school year, SHIP has become a credit course, meaning in addition to possibly being hired for a rewarding internship, participators will also receive credit on their transcript. “[This year] we have really cultivated the different steps and workshops so that [students] would be successful when it came time to apply for an internship,” said Bethany Pitassi, Assistant Director for Global Outreach.

“We know we are setting them up for success.”

To receive credit from the Sage Hill Internship Program, students must attend four workshops, each lasting an hour and a half, to brainstorm proper resume writing and interview techniques.

With the inclusion of these mandatory sessions, SHIP hopes to set the bar higher for students to earn internships in competitive fields.

“I did SHIP last year,” said junior Hannah Romeo.

“I liked it because I was able to experience what it was like to be a doctor in the real life medical field.”

The internships that SHIP offers include but are not limited to professional fields such as business and medicine.

“The internships are in a wide variety of fields. My goal is just to keep diversifying the list,” said Pitassi.

“We’re working on getting

Courtesy Photo

SAGEYNESS TAKES ON GOOGLEYNESS A group of Sage Hill students participate in a summer Google workshop. more internships in more creative fields… There will be something for everyone.”

The list of internships is made available to students when they complete the entire SHIP course. From there, they have the ability to apply to whichever ones pique their interest.

In comparison to the program from last year, many students seem to be excited about being able to receive more direct feedback and assistance from the in-person workshops.

“The changes to the program are going to really improve everything about SHIP,” said junior Alice Warden. “They have really made

the process easier and more efficient for students to learn an incredibly important skill.”

Furthermore, students from all grades are enthusiastic about beginning to immerse themselves in real world environments and gaining experiences that they can get nowhere else.

“I’m looking forward to completing SHIP,” freshman Ali Ansari said. “It seems like a great opportunity to get rewarding internships.”

While the main purpose of SHIP is to help students get hired for internships, simply completing the course has its benefits as well.

“Participating in the

program is helpful because it collects and gathers [a student’s] resume together, which is something they’ll need in life and in the college application process,” said Pitassi. “Some of the workshops are about professionalism and that helps too.

These are really life skills, not just internship skills.”

It may be difficult to focus on these real life skills, as in the past year, Sage students took 836 combined AP tests in 28 subject areas, and finding time to add another course to the load may seem daunting. In total, however, SHIP should take only seven to eight hours to complete and the payoff is

much more rewarding than a score on a scale from one to five.

“What I like about the program is that they provide their students with resources that give us an insight to the real world,” said sophomore Alicia Theologides Rodriguez. “I’m looking forward to SHIP because it will teach me things I might not learn anywhere else.”

The Sage Hill Internship Program is available in Canvas for any student that wishes to participate. Just a few short lessons and workshops can provide once in a lifetime opportunities that better a student’s summer plans and future as well.

FALL

“

SPORTS

FLIK food can be described as volatile at best.”

– Chenghao Mao

Editorial, Page 2

News, Page 3

”

Our Teams Have Game Community, Page 4

Good Ol’ Times Polina Mogilevsky

Features, Page 6

Opinion, Page 8

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The Bolt December 2017 Sage Hill School

In the United States, a person is sexually abused every 98 seconds.

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, sexual assault refers to sexual contact or behavior without explicit consent of the victim.

Many people believe that sexual assault only refers to rape; however, it can take many different forms. Rape, attempted rape, undesired touching or fondling, or forcing a victim to perform different sexual acts all fall under the category of sexual assault.

RAINN reports that seven out of 10 acts of sexual assault are committed by someone known by the victim, causing victims to blame themselves for behaving in a way that encouraged the perpetrator. In these and other cases, what is most important yet difficult for victims to remember is that they are never to blame for the actions of the perpetrator.

Americans only began talking about sexual assault 26 years ago, when law professor Anita Hill testified about what Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court candidate, had done to her when she worked for him. Hill’s testimony invigorated women throughout the country, as it was the first time a woman publically spoke out about what so many suffer from in the workplace.

Over the years, different efforts to prevent sexual assault have been made, with the most significant being Senate Bill 947.

In 2014, Governor Jerry Brown of California signed SB-947, which requires a person engaging in sexual activity to receive affirmative consent. Known as the “Yes Means Yes” law, the measure outlines that silence or lack of protest does not translate to consent.

Someone who is asleep, unconscious or incapacitated by drugs, alcohol or medication can not give affirmative consent.

Editorial

This piece of legislation was a massive step for California, helping to draw a clear line of what consent really is and why it is important. Although it will not end rape culture, it will help hold perpetrators responsible for their actions.

In recent months, women in the entertainment business have started speaking up about being sexually assaulted by powerful men in the industry who have power over their career. This has surged all new discussions about rape culture in the United States, discussing how it has played a massive role in the entertainment industry for decades.

The #MeToo campaign has

been an easy way for men and women both in and out of the entertainment industry to open up about being sexually assaulted, with thousands of people posting the hashtag all over social media.

This movement, which aims to encourage empowerment through empathy, will hopefully play a massive role in helping to eliminate sexual assault, because a major aspect of safety and prevention is encouraging victims to speak up.

Whether it is because of embarrassment, fear that they are responsible or reluctance to re-live the situation, many victims stay quiet about what happened to them. However, in order to make a

real change in our culture, people need to speak up about their experiences to try and stop the next person from being sexually assaulted.

Additionally, RAINN reports that 54 percent of sexual assault victims are between the ages of 18 and 34.

As young professionals entering the workforce soon, our generation needs to be aware of the clear threats in our society and ready to act appropriately and effectively when we come across a precarious situation.

Our generation has the power to end this acceptance of sexual assault in our society–we just need act on it.

THE BOLT

T

he Bolt, published seven times a year, is a student newspaper and serves the public forum at Sage Hill School. Its content - news, editorial, opinion, and feature - is protected by Education Code 48907, the state student rights law and the California Constitution which guarantees all citizens the right of freedom of speech and of the press. The Bolt accepts signed letters to the editor from members of the Sage Hill Community which may be posted as comments to our website, lightningboltonline.com, or addressed to editor-in-chief Hannah Woodworth and put in her mailbox on campus. These letters may not exceed 150 words or they will be edited for inclusion.

Editors-in-Chief Daniel Fishman (Online), Richard Horn (Online), Michelle Hung (Bolt), Niva Razin (Storm), Hannah Woodworth (Bolt) Editorial Board Jonathan Chance, Karli Davis, Amanda Duong, Genesis Gonzalez, Madison Harrison-Weiner, Sarah Kim, Jenny King, Trevor Klein, Isabella Mora Adviser Kelly Parker

Yuna Baek Halah Biviji Lily Button Ashwin Chona Nico Collins Miranda deBruyne Jo Farkas Jacob Gibbs Genesis Gonzalez Linda Hachim

Lily Humphrey Alexis Kelly Valentina Lin Sydney McCord Polina Mogilevsky Monis Mohiuddin Rown Oliphant Cammi Phillips Haley Rosmann Alicia Theoligides-Rodriguez

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News

The Bolt December 2017 Sage Hill School

WHAT’S GOOD AT THE CAFÉ Jonathan Chance

Attempting to Meet Student Expectations

After a full year as Sage’s food provider, the Sage Hill Café (better known as FLIK) has been challenged with gaining overall student satisfaction.

More than 200 participants recently participated in a student-wide survey, and 62 percent of those respondents reported being unsatisfied with the Sage Hill Café as the school’s food provider. Of that percentage, more than half of the students cited a specific issue found in a meal purchased from the café.

Many students mentioned finding tinfoil, hair or other foreign objects in their meals, and others simply said they do not enjoy the food that the café provides, whether it be its flavor, appearance or portion.

“FLIK food can be described as volatile at best,” junior Chenghao Mao said. “It is at times acceptable frozen food, but is at other times over- or under-seasoned, raw or overcooked and dry.”

At first glance, these results may cause great concern and could some students to question whether they should even purchase food from the Sage

CAMMI PHILLIPS | The Bolt

LOOKING TO SNACK Students grab some food at the Sage Hill Café.

Hill Café, but the survey results may not tell the whole story.

One of the main concerns many students have with the Sage Hill Café is the quality of the food.

Senior Chef Manager Barbara Stoner and Chef Laura both stressed the importance of “improving and maintaining food quality, as well as listening to community feedback.”

“The issues students find in their meals are rarely reported to us and therefore extremely difficult to correct,” Stoner said.

The few times feedback has been provided, via comment cards or conversations with Sage Hill Café staff, the issue has almost always been corrected immediately.

For example, when tinfoil was found in multiple meals

earlier this year, Chef Laura was able to determine that the tinfoil was from the covering on a particular warming tray, making this an isolated issue.

Additionally, the “What I Really Want” board allows students to suggest food and drinks that they would like to purchase at the Sage Hill Café. With additions like this and the café’s new food focus group, with meet-

ings occurring periodically, the chefs hope to receive honest feedback and find new ways to enhance their service.

Beyond food quality, 94 percent of survey participants found the café’s pricing to be too expensive.

One change made this year to address this problem was the creation of a new system to determine fair prices. Last year, there was a set price of $6.50 for all meals, whereas this year the price per each meal is determined by the cost of food to produce that specific meal. As a result, the café rarely makes a profit on the meals they provide and usually have to make money on items like snacks and drinks.

Monthly subsidies from the school are provided to the Sage Hill Café, which may come as a surprise to many students who often see the café as a very profitable business.

Despite student concerns and criticism, 84 percent of survey participants rated the Sage Hill Cafe’s customer service to be good or very good.

“Everyday the people at FLIK bring an energetic and passionate attitude to the community ” sophomore Ezugo Ononye said.

Growing Hair for a Fantastic Cause A look into Sage’s Movember Experience Alexis Kelly If you’ve seen anyone on campus sporting an unusual beard or mustache this November, here’s why: Sage Hill students and faculty are giving back to the community through the Movember Foundation, which aims to raise awareness about men’s health issues.

Spearheaded by senior Miles Wilson, president, and David Pulitzer, science teacher, the Movember movement is taking the Sage campus by storm.

“The community is receiving Movember really well,” Wilson said. “Every day that we’ve set up for donations we’ve received 30 to 40 dollars.”

Movember is an annual worldwide event in which men grow facial hair to raise money for philanthropic organizations, which Wilson has adapted for the Sage community.

“I tried to make it more fun by letting students donate to whoever can grow the best beard,” Wilson said.

Pulitzer, one of the newer teachers on campus, brought the idea for Movember to Sage.

“Mr. Pulitzer had done the program at his school in the past,” Wilson said. “It was something that was really influential to him and he saw that it worked well on high school campuses.”

GOING FOR THE WIN Teacher Brian McMahon rocks full facial hair as part of Sage’s Movember.

Since its kickoff at the beginning of November, Wilson and the other participants have raised nearly 200 dollars for a myriad of charitable causes.

“I am donating to the American Alzheimer’s Foundation,” Wilson said. “That has a special

connection for me because in my family there’s a trend of Alzheimer’s.”

Sage Hill faculty members are making sure to jump on board as well.

“Alzheimer’s is an issue that has resonated with Jon

Poffenberger as well, so he’s partnered with me on that,” Wilson said. “Some other participants are Mr. Pulitzer, who is competing for Prostate Cancer Awareness, Calvin Brown who is going for the American Cancer Association and Mr. McMahon,

Courtesy Photo

whose cause relates to cancer treatment in children’s hospitals.”

Movember has been a slam dunk at Sage Hill this November, and can be expected to become another one of the school’s popular annual traditions.

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Comm

The Bolt December 2017 Sage Hill School

Our Season

Tennis Team on Fire Polina Mogilevsky The girls’ varsity tennis team trained hard all season but ended up losing to University High School in the first round of Division 1 CIF’s.

One of the team’s greatest accomplishments was winning League for the third year in a row.

Junior Michelle Hung, who has been on varsity since her freshman year, said, “ I have [won league] every year I have been [at Sage], so it was nice to continue with that strong record.”

The girls have been refining their skills all season, which includes exercises such as poaching, which means being really aggressive at the net.

“You have to be really aggressive,” Hung said.

“The team had a great dynamic,” Coach Cierra Gaytan said.

The girls’ skills were pushed this year as they were matched against the tough opponent University High School, which went on to the second round. The team did not fulfill their main goal, which was to make it to the second round of the tournament, but Gaytan has high hopes for next year. “[The loss] showed the girls what it takes to get to the next level. It just shows the caliber, ” Gaytan said.

Despite the team’s CIF loss, Hung and senior Nicole Condas won the Academy league Championship in doubles and progressed to the fourth CIF Individuals, the first players from Sage to do so.

The team will be doing more training year-round as opposed to just during one season to get them prepared for CIF next year.

Lily Button

Lightning-Fast Season

After a season of intense training and competition, Sage’s varsity cross-country teams ran lightning-fast to qualify for the Division 5 CIF Championships, held in Riverside.

Senior co-captains Brooklyn Button and Ashton Carroll led the Varsity girls’ team to a second place finish in their heat at the Nov. 11 CIF Prelims and a third place finish at the Nov. 18 Finals. This guaranteed them a spot at the Nov. 25 State Championships in Fresno, where the “speedy seven” had a fierce finish of eighth.

“It’s fun to see how we have grown closer as a team…the girls are so supportive of one another,” Button said.

Button had an impressive season, setting a school record of 17:46 for 3 miles.

Juniors Luke Nataupsky and Kylen Patel, the top male runners, ran neck-and-neck all season, with personal records of 16:12 and 16:28, respectively.

Boys’ co-captains Nataupsky and senior Calvin Brown led their team to finish eighth in their heat at the CIF Prelims and seventeenth at the Finals.

Through intensive training, nutrition tips and motivation, coaches Nate Miller, Teryn Bentley, Kristen Shiraki and Brian Slaughter supported their runners every step of the way. “[We] set individual and team goals, so the students [knew] what they were capable of doing in workouts and races,” said Miller, the head coach.

Miller also mentioned the students ran anywhere from 15 to 50 miles per week.

Clearly, the teams’ dedication to the sport paid off.

Attack the Moment Halah Biviji The boys’ varsity football team finished an impressive season with six wins and only one loss, qualifying for CIF playoffs.

Coach BJ Crabtree attributes the amazing season to the improvements made to the team’s tackling by implementing the “Hawk” tackle, which is based on rugby, as seen in the game against Calvary Chapel Downey, which Crabtree called a “bigger, stronger, older team.”

“This was our best game of tackling and executing great offensive plays in tight situations, and we ended up getting the victory, 35-34,” Crabtree said.

However, ultimately the team lost in the first round of playoffs to Mojave High School.

“We just didn’t rise to the occasion physically,” Crabtree said. “We will continue to use that game as motivation, but also to learn from. We need to use this off season to get stronger in the weight room.”

One of the biggest challenges faced this year was that the team was predominantly made up of freshmen.

“Having all the incoming freshmen adjust to the style of playing was a challenge, but a lot of them stepped up to the plate,” senior captain William Leong said.

The team is optimistic for the future because of the number of strong freshmen on the team.

“Our freshmen class is really strong, with 12 players, led by Griffin Lewis, Griffin Rhoads, Christian Moyano, and Victor Malzahn, along with many more who will have their turn to shine soon enough,” Crabtree said. “We are set up for a bright future.”

munity

The Bolt December 2017 Sage Hill School

n in a Flash

5

Swinging to CIF Richard Horn The girls’ varsity golf team had an impressive season, finishing league with an undefeated record of 12-0.

“This is our first time winning league and being undefeated champions, so it was really memorable,” senior captain Mary Shin said. “I was just really proud of all the people on my team because we all played really well and we just had good teamwork because we had a lot more bonding this year,” While golf is typically seen as an individual sport, both Shin and Assistant Coach Kerwin Walters point to better team cohesion as a leading factor in the team’s success.

“We really push the bonding aspect of it, we really push them to be a team-oriented group,” Walters said. “When you are on a team you have to build, practice, work and have your identity as part of the team,” Unfortunately, the team did not advance to the second round of team CIF. While the team as a group did not progress in CIF, three players Ashleigh Park sophomore, Jennifer Cai sophomore and Mary Shin senior progressed from the first round of CIF individuals at Dan Miller Golf Course in Anaheim to River Ridge Golf Course in Oxnard.

From the second round two players, Shin and Park advanced to Canyon Crest Golf Course in Riverside. Only Park moved onto state finals from Canyon Crest at Poppy Hills golf course in Monterey CA where she shot a score of 79 which tied her for 24th place.

Photos By Dave Siegmund

First League Championship!

Jacob Gibbs After one of its most successful seasons yet, the water polo team made it to the second round of CIF playoffs. The first round of CIF playoffs that took place at Sage on Oct. 31 ended with a colossal win against Glendora High School with a 15-7 victory.

“The school spirit was really there … there was a lot of support for the boys’ team, since it was the first CIF water polo game to take place on campus,” said sophomore Brielle Janavs, who watched the game.

Although the outcome of the second game was not what they wanted, as they lost 7-4 against Rio Mesa High School, it was the first season that the team won the league championship.

“We put up a good fight in the second round of CIF, but we are always looking to do better, and it would’ve been nicer to have a longer run in CIF,” sophomore Zachary Decker said.

The spirit in this season was one that they believed helped them win as many matches as they did.

“There is something special about this team and the connections we have with the members that we will miss,” Decker said.

The Aquatics Center, recently opened in April, made practices much more convenient for all the members.

“It let us have morning practices and more flexible afternoon practices, which no doubt helped our performance this year,” Decker said.

League Champs and More!

Karli Davis The girls’ varsity volleyball team finished league with an undefeated streak of 12-0, and successfully took the title of Academy League Champions. From there, they competed in three CIF games, but got knocked out by La Salle High School during the semifinals. The team continued to compete in State Playoffs and made it to the regional semifinals, where Sierra Canyon High School unfortunately brought Sage’s long and successful season to an end.

Coach Dan Thomasson led the team through this triumphant season, and said this is one he will never forget.

“It’s been a very good season this year with so many seniors on the team because they have so much motivation,” Thomason said. “Jade Blevins, Kayla Gratzer and Carissa Long have taken big leadership this year.”

It is senior captain Jade Blevins’ last year on the team. She has been a prominent leader since her freshman year and is very happy with the results of this season.

“My favorite part of my whole Sage Hill volleyball experience was my freshman year. Winning CIF was pretty amazing, and I looked up to the girls on that team so much,” Blevins said. “I hope that I can be as inspirational to my teammates as they were to me.”

Thomassen said that this year Crean Lutheran, whom they faced in both league and state playoffs, proved to be their toughest opponent.

“The hardest game against Crean was in their home court,” Thomasen said.

“They pulled out everything they had like slow depressing music when we were warming up. It wasn’t our best match, but we were smart and did what we had to do.

Winning this game was what won us the league title.”

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Features THE HEART OF OUR CULTURE

The Bolt December 2017 Sage Hill School

‘[Town Meeting] provides an inclusive space for all opinions, all voices, all talents, all strengths and all people to be able to say what they want to say’ Michelle Hung

Kelly Parker | The Bolt The Sage community participates in an all-school group hug in September.

Think back to your second day as a freshman at Sage.

The first day was a blur, you’re new to the school, nervous, perhaps? Then, you found the safety of your advisory group and were shuffled onto the freshman steps of Town Square, the sun in your eyes, overwhelmed by the sound of a loud gong silencing the chatter around you.

Town Meeting. A uniquely Sage tradition that has been in place since the school’s founding, this weekly gathering lies at the heart of our culture as a school. But have you ever wondered where it came from?

“I love Town Meeting,” Patricia Merz, head of school, said.

Merz, who has been with the school for 11 years, spoke to the importance of Town

GOOD OL’ TIMES

Generations come together during Grandparents Day Polina Mogilevsky Grandparents Day is a time-honored tradition in the Sage Hill community that introduces the grandparents of students to the Sage Hill experience. So far, it has been well received and the attendees were excited to learn about the Sage difference.

“It helps grandparents survey the young school and gives them a chance to experience a day in the life,” Margaret Calhoun, Advancement Database Manager said.

Grandparents took an optional tour of the campus, and were treated to a morning of student performances and teacher demonstrations before having lunch with their grand-

children.

“It gives the grandparents a chance to see where their grandkids go to school and get a feel for their experience; it’s a chance to get to know the school,” Marika McCall, Associate Director of Events and Capital Campaigns, who organized the event, said.

Sedhi Keyhani-Rofgha, the grandmother of sophomore Amin Sajjadian, has been coming to the event for two years and said she really enjoyed “the facilities, the dancing and the music.”

“The facilities are getting much better,” she said. “I think the best thing is that I see that my grandson is happy,” she said.

Alan Block, the grandfather

Anika Arora enjoys lunch and socializes with grandparents on Nov. 21.

of sophomore Ripley Newman and her older brother, Casey Newman (’17), has been coming to the event for six years with his wife, Anne, and has no intentions of missing the next two years.

Like Keyhani-Rofgha, Alan Block said that “one of [his] favorite parts was the dancing,” but he also really enjoyed the food; it “was the best [he’s] had in all the years.”

“The program was really well done and much more balanced this year,” Anne Block said.

Julia Polakoff, Parent Ambassador Chair, said she loved “seeing the grandparents coming and seeing how the children learn and the special experience they have.”

Courtesy Rick Davitt

Meeting in her heart and to the school’s culture as a whole.

“Since day one, Town Meeting has been a commitment for the entire community,” Merz said. “It provides an inclusive space for all opinions, all voices, all talents, all strengths and all people to be able to say what they want to say.”

Since newer students may be hesitant to speak and perform in front of their community, one aspect of Town Meeting involves upperclassmen playing leading roles in upholding this school tradition.

“Town Meeting is when we introduce the underclassmen, and even prospective students, to the school culture,” Merz said.

“The majority of the student shadow days and parent coffees are on Mondays so they can see how amazing Town Meeting is.”

In fact, Town Meeting is completely student-run, with little to no supervision or restriction from faculty.

“The student leaders set the tone,” Merz said. “I have to ask to put my name on the whiteboard; that’s my role.”

It is solely up to Student Council to structure Town Meeting from year to year, and introduce fun events such as class competitions to bring the community closer together.

“My favorite thing [about Town Meeting] is class competitions, because I think that it

bonds the grades together as a community,” junior Hannah Romeo said.

The Town Meeting we know and love today may surprise graduates from five or ten years ago. When the school was first founded, Town Meetings were held on both Mondays and Thursdays. The gong was a class gift from a few years back, and the Miles Manifesto didn’t exist until, of course, senior Miles Wilson thought of it.

Other Town Meeting traditions range from the serious: spreading awareness of tragic events and reading personal poetry – to the silly: class competitions and all-school hugs – to the despised-by-almost-everyone: senior of the day (which started out as a fun idea but degenerated quickly).

“I remember [from my first Town Meeting] everyone going in the middle of Town Square for a school-wide hug,” senior Stephanie Beder said, laughing.

Though Town Meeting traditions come and go, its essence remains the same.

“Town Meeting is a chance for students to take a risk, to stand up and stand out, but to also feel safe and supported,” Merz said.

“You may be the most amazing violinist or you may just be starting. You get up there and share what you want to share.”

Answers available at lightningboltonline.com.

Arts

The Bolt December 2017 Sage Hill School

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Life is Too Short To Not Attend a Dance Show ‘You Never Know How Much Work Goes Into a Show Until You’re an Integral Part of It.’ Karli Davis This year, the fall dance collective showcased a series of incredibly moving and beautiful pieces all relating to the theme of Proverbs.

All of the upperclassmen were given a dance to choreograph, allowing them to express their individuality and creativity.

“This show was different than any of the past shows I’ve been in because this was my first time choreographing a dance for it,” junior Nia Parks said. “It can be stressful sometimes having full control over a dance because you have to figure out the story behind the dance, figure out the music, what the dancers are going to wear, what props they are going to use, and who gets to play certain parts in the piece, but in the end everything works out fine.”

Junior Erica Roque choreographed a dance entitled “Live for Today for Tomorrow May Never

Come.” She chose this proverb as the theme for her dance because she has realized that life is too short to take for granted.

“Choreographing was honestly the best experience of my life,” Roque said. “I was so scared to see if the pictures in my head would actually work on stage, but it did and seeing my piece come to life was so rewarding.”

Senior Elise Newen has been a dancer her whole life, but only decided to join Synergy this year.

The dance show has been one of the most fulfilling moments of her senior year so far.

“I had never had the opportunity to choreograph my own piece before joining Synergy, so this has been a learning experience,” Newen said.

“You never know how much work goes into a show until you’re an integral part of it, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to work and dance with such amazing dancers.”

The Synergy Dance Team performs Nov. 17.

Mostly Sacred, All Spectacular

‘We Sing Songs in Different Languages About Different Religions...We Have Songs All Across the Board.’

LINDA HACHIM | The Bolt

Choral music students rehearse with teacher Megan Eddy.

Alexis Kelly Students and families can expect a stellar show from the Mostly Sacred Choral Concert on Dec. 8.

All of the choirs have been working hard to prepare under the leadership of Megan Eddy, choir director.

“There’s something for every-

one, that’s for sure,” Eddy said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the kids rise to the occasion and have a good time.”

Audience members can count on an outstanding and meticulously practiced performance from every choir.

“The barbershop groups are

always popular,” Eddy said. “I also am really proud of my treble choir this year. They’re closing the concert with a piece called ‘Rise Up’ that’s very applicable in this country.”

A valuable addition to this year’s show is Toni Helms, the new piano accompanist.

“She brings a whole new energy to the department. I’m excited to see what she can do on concert night,” Eddy said.

Although most songs in the show have religious undertones, junior Lia Darmer, member of Concert Choir, said she is proud of the diversity in the set list.

“We sing songs in different languages about different religions.

We have songs in Latin, we have a Buddhist chant, we have songs all across the board, which is often not what people expect,” Darmer said.

Anyone looking for a night of excellent music the should look no further than the Black Box, where the Mostly Sacred Choral Concert is sure to blow the audience away.

‘Come Together’ For a Night of Music ‘We All have Been Working Hard By Pushing Our Limits So the Outcome Will Be Splendid.’

Yuna Baek On Dec.1, the string, wind and guitar ensembles will perform holiday classics and more at the fall instrumental music concert, “Come Together.”

“To prepare for the upcoming show, we have been rehearsing and exploring a variety of music through the semester,” Brent Dodson, instrumental music teacher, said.

“Once we got to know one another, I was able to choose a music so that it is interesting for my students,” Dodson said.

“We also critiqued the performances that we listened to,to improve and add depth to what we do.”

Some important advice that Dodson gives the musicians is to listen.

“There’s so much meaning to music and musical sounds that carry a lot of emotions. Our job as instrumental musicians is to try to discover how to bring music to life,” Dodson said.

“I am looking forward to the team’s overall effort to the performance. I feel like we are pretty ready because of how Dr. Dodson has been preparing us,” senior and cello player Maya Byrd said.

Sophomore Stephanie Yang, cello player, said she is excited to hear her fellow musicians try out new techniques.

“I am looking forward to listening other ensembles like

guitar and wind play as well,” Yang said. “Playing an instrument isn’t just about getting the concepts and techniques but it is also about showing your presence in emotional expression and rhythmic sounds.”

Sophomore Shreya Chitoori, trumpet player, is also excited about the show.

“We all have been working hard by pushing our limits so the outcome will be splendid,” Chitoori said.

“In the wind ensemble, we bond and get to share thoughts and ideas regarding the music we hear.”

The instrumental music concert will be held in the Black Box Theater at 7 p.m.

The Bolt

MADISON’S MOVIE REVIEW

The Florida Project (2017) Madison Harris-Weiner In Disney World’s backyard, among cheap motels, outlet souvenir stores and abandoned lots, single mother Halley and her six-year-old daughter Moonee take up barely-legal residency in the not-at-all Disney affiliated Magic Castle Motel. The whimsical architecture and bold colors of this Florida strip serve as a dream playground for Moonee and the rest of the resident children as they play their carefree and unsupervised summer days away. Moonee has the run of the town while her mom, but a child herself, wastes the days away in the pay-per-night room turned home.

The Florida Project is a slice-of-life vignette which writer/director Sean Baker stuffs to bursting with raw energy, making the film live and breathe with the fragile nature of complicated human emotions.

The Florida Project is confined mostly to the motel and some of the surrounding area but Baker’s dynamic use of location, as he films cleverly against painted walls and among the tiered levels of the motel, artistically frames each shot. Baker’s crafts a colorful and spirited visual atmosphere which echoes the themes of childhood in his equally well-crafted narrative.

Baker also has an acute focus on the characters of his story. There’s Halley, the blame-it-on-the-world mother whose flippant attitude seeps into and poisons every part of her life. There’s Bobby, the steadfast and dedicated motel manager whose heart of gold and kind patience shine through his firm exterior. And of course there’s the kids, Moonee, Jancey, and Scooty

whom Baker allows to be breathtakingly real. The cast, made up of new faces aside from Willem Dafoe, delivers beautifully authentic performances, allowing the story to unfold in such an organic way that it feels like a documentary, never intrusive but nevertheless like we are a fly on the wall in someones real life.

The Florida Project brilliantly portrays the nuanced quirks and joyful moments of childhood which still prevail despite the sad realities of Halley’s life. Halley and Moonee have fun, they’re sweet together, but the fact is that Halley never grew up herself and her bitter, entitled and immature outlook on life will one day be passed on to Moonee. This is already evident in the kids’ insolence towards adults which can only be laughed aside as childish antics for so long.

The film succeeds because it never takes on an agenda nor begs for sympathy for a mother whose own attitude and choices only worsen her already desperate situation. But the film’s misstep is never putting enough weight on the consequences that will sooner rather than later land on Moonee who, through luck of the draw, was given this life.

With Halley already dipping into illegal enterprises how will Moonee rise above her mother’s plight?

The final scene closes the film with a radiant moment whose dreamy nature doesn’t ring as true as the rest of the film. It’s a scene too magical to be true, suggesting that everything is going to be OK. The reality however, is that the childhood innocence which Baker paints so perfectly is but a bubble waiting to burst and the only way to live with that is to escape into a fantasy.

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The Bolt December 2017 Sage Hill School

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A Compassionate Holiday Season A Vegan’s Commentary on Those Turkey Feasts Miranda deBrunye The holiday season is typically accompanied by feelings of warmth and joy as families come together and share traditions. It is viewed as a time of peace and comfort, as families reunite through their traditions and beliefs.

However, there is a darker aspect to this holiday season and some traditions. When families come together, they typically do so with a large meal like turkey or chicken. These edible traditions, now synonymous with Thanksgiving and Christmas, take their toll on the environment and have a disastrous impact on many lives.

Three hundred million turkeys are killed each year, the majority for seemingly joyous holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

These turkeys are hatched in large incubators, isolated from their mothers and separated from their siblings. After some time, the mature turkeys are moved to large, windowless sheds that they share with thousands of other turkeys, where they are unable to move and are treated

inhumanely by workers. Finally, after a life of suffering and unethical treatment, they are sent to slaughterhouses where they are brutally killed for food.

This slaughtering of farm animals is not isolated to the holiday season.

According to Occupy for Animals, over 56 billion farm animals are killed annually for food, with about 3,000 dying each second in slaughterhouses around the world.

Raising animals for meat contributes to climate change and water waste, as well as deforestation.

However, few people are willing to change their diets, so most people overlook this problem. Raising livestock for consumption wastes about 2,400 gallons for just one pound of beef. This much water can take up over 50 bathtubs! In the U.S. alone, half of our water is used to raise livestock. More water is used to produce one pound of meat than a single person uses for showering in six months.

In a study conducted by PETA, they discovered that for every meal with meat, about 55 square feet of rainforest are torn down. In addition, every six seconds, an acre of land is cut down for cattle farming

alone. Over 90 percent of deforested land in the Amazon has been cut down for animal agriculture. This land could be conserved if we were to eat the vegetables and grains grown for the animals, rather than feeding it to them.

Livestock production is the leading source of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, the three most potent greenhouse gases. The greenhouse gasses given off by meat production greatly contribute to global warming, a disastrous issue responsible for endangering about 700 different animal species.

The United Nations says that a global shift towards a vegan diet would be most effective in changing the most disastrous effects of climate change.

Before adopting a plant-based diet, I too ate meat and dairy on some occasions. I have fond memories of my family eating turkey on Thanksgiving, but I was not then aware of the inhumane treatment that slaughterhouse animals undergo to feed the US population.

I found it very difficult to suddenly adopt an entirely vegan diet. I was a vegetarian for 10 years before slowly transi-

tioning to veganism. As a vegetarian, I did not think I could live without ice cream, cheese and butter, but I adapted quickly as I learned more about the unethical treatment of animals. I realized I could no longer contribute to the meat and dairy industry.

I have had an entirely plant-based diet for just over a year now and I have honestly never felt better. I feel like I have more energy and am contributing to a more compassionate, sustainable future.

It might seem hard to make a difference, but even the smallest dietary changes can make an impact. Reducing your meat consumption to one meal a day can help, as can adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet just one day a week.

There are amazing food blogs with plantbased recipes that are simple to make and incredible replacements for meats, butter, cheese and even ice cream.

It easy to reduce your meat and dairy consumption: even a small amount can make a difference. There are countless environmental and ethical benefits and you can help improve the world we live in.