Dancers Make Real ‘Impact’ at Fall Dance Show
Sage Hill’s Honors Dance Program members dance the night away at their fall show, “IMPACT,” on Nov. 22, 2024.
By Nate Yoo
The Fall Dance Show, recently held in the Kazu Fukuda Black Box Theater, was a resounding spectacle of dance, music, and artistic performance.
The two-day run in November, was the culmination of hard work over three months from both the dancers and choreographers. It was a captivating and interesting performance based on the theme of “Impact.”
“I feel really honored to be able to perform to the Sage Hill community and others. I get to bond with my friends a lot through the dances and I’m just really excited for everyone to see our amazing show,” sophomore Clara Attlesey said.
According to the show’s webpage, the show aimed to “explore the people, ideas, and communities that shape us as individuals and inspire us to be forces of change in this world.”
The dancers involved with the show were primarily from Honors Dance Ensemble and Honors Dance IV, the highest level dance classes. Creative Director Sydney Smith and Dance teacher Taleen Shrikian guided students through the production.
The evening began with a performance titled “Grown Women” which focused on the empowerment of women, specifically women of color, through dance. This theme was constant throughout the show. A memorable performance
was “Petals” where water released from the ceiling was used as a visual effect that contrasted with the dancers. The genre of music and dance on display was wide-ranging, all the way from Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA” to a piano piece composed by senior Emily Chen. The performance ended with a group dance of Honors Dance Ensemble and Dance IV, in a fun and upbeat choreography.
To prepare for the show, students invested “a lot of time and commitment not only into their dances but also to their intentions,” Smith said. Most of the dance routines were choreographed by the students themselves.
“They have been putting in a lot of
effort and work, they have blocks throughout the day, but Honors Dance Ensemble works through X block as well so they work sometimes over three hours a day to get through this work,” Smith said.
The preparation ramped up during tech week where dancers would rehearse sometimes as late as 8 p.m. Both dance classes have been preparing since August to show through dance how they impact their community and society.
Sage Hill’s Dance Program members are looking forward to their next show in the Spring, which will include students from all Dance classes.
Jenny Li | The Bolt
Abortion Access is Critical to Human Rights in America
The Bolt Editorial Board
Women’s rights and civil rights advocates are becoming more vocal in their concerns as the Trump administration plans to follow the Project 2025 playbook, which aims to drastically limit abortion access nationwide. This could include an attempt to reverse the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, which is a key medication used to induce abortions, and impose a ban on the U.S. Postal Service from mailing any abortion medications, equipment, or materials. These proposed actions threaten reproductive rights and restrict access to abortions for millions of women, putting their safety and health at risk.
The debate regarding abortion is one of the most divisive and debated topics in American society. However, underlying every conversation is the key principle of individuals’ right, specifically women, to make their own decisions about their bodies. Defending access to abortion is essential, both as a matter of personal liberty and public health.
The choice to continue or terminate a pregnancy is an extremely personal one, and every woman should have the right to make this decision based on their circumstances and values. Forcing women to carry unwanted pregnancies strips them of control over their own lives and also discounts any factors influencing potential decisions–finances, health risks, personal goals, and readiness to take this step. Lawmakers and judges are not fit to determine what the best thing to do is for each individual.
Restricting access to abortion doesn’t remove the need for it, but instead makes this procedure more dangerous. Women often turn to unsafe or illegal methods to carry out abortions, putting their own lives at severe risk. Annually, 42 million women with unexpected pregnancies worldwide choose abortion, according to the National Institutes
of Health. Of these, 20 million are unsafe and about 68,000 women die annually due to unsafe abortion. Forcing women to bear children as a punishment or consequence for promiscuity is ridiculous. In fact, according to researchers at the Tulane School of Health and Tropical Medicine, there has been a 7% increase in maternal mortality rates in abortion-restrictive states since the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The life of an unborn child shouldn’t come at the cost of, or even take precedence over, their mother’s, especially if the pregnancy was unwanted in the first place.
Furthermore, abortion access is seen as a key component of gender equality. The power to make these decisions about reproduction impacts a woman’s autonomy, her ability to fully engage in society and can limit financial prosperity. When women are denied this right, they are forced into situations that can have lasting effects on their lives. For instance, educational pursuits and career progression can be hindered or disrupted. With no control over reproductive choices, women do not have the agency to plan for their own futures. Reproductive rights are vital to creating and maintaining an equitable society and promoting women’s empowerment.
Those criticizing abortion believe that it is morally wrong and violates life’s devotion. Anti-abortion supporters argue that the fetus is a person upon conception, and will eventually develop into a functional human being. However, moral views and concepts are subject to and vary across numerous religions, cultures, or even individual beliefs. Supporting an abortion ban on the basis of religion also goes against our country’s fundamental tenet: the separation of church and state. Being religious and against abortion is your choice. If you end up in a rough spot due to an unexpected pregnancy, refusing to abort your child
out of principle is your choice. But you shouldn’t be allowed to make that choice for another person who isn’t of your religion, doesn’t share your religious principles, and doesn’t view birth the same way. Abortion bans take away another person’s right to healthcare and life.
The concept of “caring more about the birth than the child” by pro-lifers is also a recurring theme we’ve observed throughout history. The current adoption and welfare system fails children in numerous ways. According to government statistics, roughly a quarter of young adults who have experienced the foster care system attempt suicide, at three times the rate of someone who did not. They also have lower standardized testing scores and rates of graduation. Those who aged out of the foster care system report 50% lower earnings and 20% lower employment rates. Is this really the system we want for children? Even if they aren’t adopted, many are left with mothers who were forced to sacrifice everything to give birth, only to see these children as a burden derailing their lives. Banning abortion and forcing women to give birth to an unwanted child, more often than not, punishes both the child and the mother in our current system.
Furthermore, the authenticity of pro-life policies must be questioned, when an objective analysis of legislative outcomes in states with restrictive abortion policies demonstrates consistently lower investments in critical child development areas, including healthcare, education and poverty reduction programs.
States that severely restrict abortion also consistently underfund education, according to federal watchdogs. Nearly all abortion-banning states are in the bottom half of education spending, with only North Dakota and Wisconsin as exceptions. The 10 states with the lowest
education budgets include five that now limit reproductive rights, while all top 10 states spending the most on education also protect abortion access.
Abortion-restricting states also offer fewer protections for working parents. None of these states mandate paid parental leave, in contrast to 14 pro-choice states that do. Similarly, workers earn less in abortion-banning states: 13 of the 20 states that only maintain the federal minimum wage are abortion-restrictive, while all states with minimum wages above $12 per hour are pro-choice. Beyond lacking paid parental leave and maintaining lower wages, only four of 17 abortion-banning states offer refundable Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs) to help low-income parents, compared to 23 of 34 pro-choice states. Essentially, these pro-life states compel childbirth without providing meaningful economic support for new parents. States with strict pro-life legislation often implement budget cuts to social services that directly impact child welfare. This creates a paradoxical–if not hypocritical–situation where legislative emphasis on birth is not matched by equivalent support for children’s subsequent quality of life afterward. Why do pro-life policies care more about unborn children than the children who already live and suffer in the current foster care system or the parents who must take care of them? In practice, the system in anti-abortion states fails its citizens both morally and materially.
The ongoing fight for abortion rights is more than just support of legalizing a medical procedure– it ensures that every woman has the ability to live a life with freedom and the right to choose. We must work to protect access to safe abortions and for each woman to have the liberty to make decisions without worrying about restrictions or external judgment for generations to come.
Editor’s Note: The Bolt invited students across campus for an interview on an opposing viewpoint to the pro-abortion stance taken in the Editorial but did not receive any responses.
THE BOLT
Editors-in-Chief
The Bolt 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. Opinions expressed do not represent the views or beliefs of Sage Hill School and its administration. The Bolt accepts signed letters to the editors from members of the Sage Hill community which may be posted as comments at lightningboltonline.com, or addressed to Editors-in-Chief Ava Eimani, Grace Yan and Arya Rawal and put in their mailboxes on campus. These letters may not exceed 150 words or they will be edited for inclusion.
Ava Eimani (Bolt), Grace Yan (Bolt) & Arya Rawal (Online)
Editorial Board
Maya Desai, Ceyda Shamsai, Taite Nicholson, Katelyn Yeh, Jesse Lew, Mirabelle Jiang, Madeleine Carroll and Jenny Li
Writers
Jonathan Yan, Nate Yoo, Doyoung Lee, Isabella Huang, Eleanor Wang, Leonardo Lin, Kenzie Chang
Photographers and Artists
Amy Choi, Jenny Li, Tina Tahbaz, and Nathan Tang
Adviser Daniel Langhorne
AAPI GrouP ShowS L ove ThrouGh Food
By Kenzie Chang
On Nov. 19, Sage Hill kicked off the third Sage Center Day of the year with the Asian American Pacific Islander affinity group presentation. More commonly referred to as AAPI, students introduced their idea of “Showing Love Through Food” in their presentation on how food can enrich the connection to their culture.
Featuring comfort soups, nostalgic rice dishes, and commonly binged snacks, the short video that the AAPI created compiled many of the members’ favorite foods and how they brought their own families closer to each other and their heritage.
In one clip, senior Ethan White and his family came together to learn how to make their grandmother’s kimchi, a commonly eaten vegetable side dish in Korea. White explained how each recipe was special as kimchi recipes differed with every family, and how his grandmother was the only person who knew how to make their family recipe.
When asked what food means to her in connection with her culture, senior Haley Li said, “It’s like a service, my grandma cooks for our family so whenever we cook together it’s how she expresses her love for us.”
Annalise Miyashiro, associate director of college counsel-
ing and advisor to the AAPI affinity group, shared that part of her grandmother’s affection towards her growing up was consistently checking that her grandmother consistently asked, “Have you eaten? Are you eating enough?” Miyashiro described that her grandmother, who had been impaired by blindness, showed her love by taking out her family to dim sum and making sure they were well nourished.
“To me, the beautiful thing about food as a love language is that it can connect so many people, but also be incredibly personal to each family,” Miyashiro said. “While there are cultural traditions we may share, each family may have a certain dish that reminds them of home or a special recipe that is passed down for generations.”
Following the video on food in culture, senior Dory Ding performed “Fighting With The Hurricane” on the Guzheng, an ancient Chinese instrument. Ding said she has been playing the instrument since the age of five, and her performance left the Sage Hill student body in awe after such a beautiful piece.
The presentation wrapped up with the AAPI affinity group “showing their love” by sharing common Asian snacks such as rice cakes, Hello Panda, and hard Korean candies with Sage Hill students and faculty.
oPInIon: SPAce coLonIz ATIon IS PoSSIbLe ,
hum A nIT y cA n ’ T A FFord To deLAy IT
By Jonathan Yan
It is 2050, and a man sits on a passenger spacecraft bound for a new city on Mars. As the countdown reaches zero, he looks out the window, watching the other ships take off around him, and his own begins to lift off the ground. Rocket boosters produce a thundering roar, shaking the ground as they emit bright, powerful flames that erupt into plumes of smoke. Slowly, at first, the spaceships break free from the bonds of gravity as they speed upwards into the infinite expanse of space. He watches as the Earth gets smaller and smaller, wondering what his new life on Mars will be like.
This mission to expand human civilization to other celestial bodies is not just fueled by a passion for adventure and discovery. With the rising problems of global warming and depletion of natural resources, it is necessary for us to expand to other planets to save the human species from possible extinction. According to The Guardian, “Earth’s population will be forced to colonize two planets within 50 years if natural resources continue to be exploited at the current
rate.” If we do not continue working towards the colonization of other planets, humanity’s existence will be extinguished with the resources on our planet.
Since humans first left Earth’s atmosphere, engineers and terrestrial researchers have discovered and invented technology for the exploration of our universe and colonization of other planets. For example, NASA’s inflatable heat shield makes it far more feasible to land larger objects on Mars as it takes up less spacecraft space and is still very effective when entering the atmosphere. However, there are still many hurdles that we need to overcome. Humanity needs to develop essential technologies like sustainable life support systems, effective radiation protection, and effective transportation methods at a feasible cost in order to build a future civilization on other celestial bodies. Currently, engineers and scientists are working hard to make these breakthroughs through new innovations in technology and knowledge about our universe.
For example, NASA is also working to bring space colonization into reality through
its Artemis missions. NASA’s Artemis missions aim to bring humans back to the moon to learn how to live and work on other celestial bodies to prepare humans for future missions to Mars. NASA is working on the Artemis II test flight, which will be the first crewed-mission under the Artemis campaign and plans to send astronauts on a 10-day mission around the moon. This endeavor is tentatively scheduled for September 2025. The Artemis III mission would send the first humans to explore the region near the South Pole of the moon, and Artemis IV will debut humanity’s first lunar base.
The International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project by China and Russia, much like the Artemis missions of NASA, also aims to construct experimental research facilities on the surface or orbit of the moon. In June, a Chinese spacecraft returned to Earth carrying a sample of the lunar surface collected from the far side of the moon - a first for humanity. This mission contributed to the Chinese goal of finding a suitable site for the ILRS.
The ILRS and the Artemis missions have similar goals and
could potentially have competing strategic interests. The efficiency of interplanetary transportation has recently seen a lot of development, with private companies such as SpaceX leading the way.
“By making space access more affordable and frequent, reusable rockets could enable a wave of new commercial space activities and exploration,” according to the Space Economy Institute.
With the economic barrier preventing commercial space travel, reusable rockets bring humanity one step closer to ensuring its survival through the colonization of other planets.
On Oct. 13, SpaceX launched its fifth test flight of Starship, using Ship 30 and Booster 12. Upon the booster’s reentry, it activated its rockets to slow the descent until a pair of mechanical arms dubbed “chopsticks” caught the booster in midair. After reentry, Ship 30 landed accurately in the Indian Ocean. With the booster’s successful return, SpaceX has demonstrated impressive progress toward creating a reusable rocket that could drastically reduce the cost of space travel.
The work that SpaceX has done is bringing us closer to Musk’s goal of having a self-sustaining city on Mars that is able to support one million people. Beyond SpaceX, smaller companies such as the Long Beachbased Rocket Lab, are also working on reusable rockets. Their rockets deploy a parachute and are caught by helicopters, differing from how SpaceX’s rockets return back to Earth.
“If you think about the future of humanity, it’s going to fundamentally bifurcate in two directions, all life as we know it. Either it’s going to become multiplanetary, or it’s going to be confined to one planet, until some eventual extinction event,” SpaceX founder Elon Musk said. Musk illustrates that all of these companies are working towards creating reusable rockets because they are necessary to save the future of humanity.
With all of the innovations and developments in technology and our understanding of the universe, I believe that our species will be able to expand onto other planets and avoid the extinction of humanity and our planet.
Jenny Li | The Bolt
Senior Naomi Tran introduced the Asian American Pacific Islander affinity group at the Sage Center Day Assembly on Nov. 20.
By Leo Lin
Boys’ BasketB all R aises standa Rd of Play
The Varsity Boys’ Basketball Team is looking to improve on their early quarterfinal exit in last year’s CIF-SS playoffs. In their home opener against Valley Christian High School, the Lightning claimed a 47-40 win, bringing their season record to 4-2.
The team also took a 62-49 win against Calvary Chapel on Nov. 23 and is looking to continue their form.
The team underwent some significant changes this past year, graduating seniors Johnny Mayhew, Darian Hanjan, Brayden Brien, Antao Hu, and Sergio Maggette, son of Corey Maggette, former NBA player who played for the LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors. With those veterans gone, Head Coach D’Cean Bryant notes how returning players will need to take on bigger responsibilities. Last year’s juniors, for example, will now need to step up and fill in the roles of the seniors who left.
If losing last year’s seniors did not change the team enough, Head Coach D’Cean Bryant notes how the Varsity Boys’ Basketball team is “adapting to new talent” with sophomore Timi Akomolafe, freshman Tolu Akomolafe and senior Dillan Shah joining the team. With six of this year’s 14 players being newcomers, the Lightning are looking to quickly adjust
to a big change in their roster.
Senior Co-Captain Jackson Cryst said the team’s culture has changed a lot in recent months,
“We’re a lot more cohesive this year,” he said. “We play better team basketball and get into our offense better.”
Ahead of the upcoming season, Bryant notes how “one of the biggest goals we’re looking to improve is to realize that we’re constantly learning…everybody wants to win a lot of basketball games, and there is a standard that comes with that.”
While every team has days when they can play well, great teams replicate their level of play every game. The team cannot lose their focus on a bad day and must always play at the highest level possible.
Bryant highlights the philosophy that as long as the team improves each practice, the results will come later.
“Of course, you want to be a league champion, but you also want to make sure you are getting better each day. We want to be process driven not goal driven,” he said.
Bryant emphasizes the team’s “standard” and strives to elevate each practice to that level. Players should learn to love the process just as much, if not more than winning games, he added.
Boys’ soccer Gears Up For season
By Taite Nicholson
The Varsity Boys’ Soccer Team triumphed 4-1 over Ocean View High School, kicking off their season with an impressive win for their season’s first official game on Dec. 2. With a spirited Sage Hill cheer team on Ramer Field, the Lightning celebrated their victory as Head Coach Raphael Alves engaged with players and chatted with parents.
Since the start of the winter sport season, Boys’ Soccer has been laying the groundwork for the demanding contests they are set to face this year. Alves reflected on the growth of the team over the past three years, particularly in terms of recruitment and participation. Despite this progress, he acknowledged that the team is still younger compared to many of their league rivals.
“On Varsity, we have one senior, a few juniors, and mostly sophomores and freshmen. The JV team is even younger,” Alves said. Sage Hill, as part of the Pacific Coast League, plays against public schools with nearly six times the amount of students.
“We tend to dominate most of the games with the ball and everything but physically we start getting tired,” Alves said.
“With the ability to rotate players that the other teams have, their physical advantage ends up overpowering us almost every game,” he said. This issue of stamina is a key concern for the team, which will require efficiency and direction in order to remain competitive throughout the season.
Junior left winger Sascha Pirghibi shared his thoughts on the team’s challenges and potential for success.
“Since Sage is one of the smallest schools in our league, we have the least amount of players. We will most likely have difficulty with players getting tired by the end of the season,” Sascha said. Yet, he remains optimistic about the team’s prospects.
“All teams will pose a challenge to us, but I believe we can be successful.” In order to compensate for their player deficit, Alves is specifically working to build connections on the field.
By building a complex system of players to unite the team during games, Alves hopes to help his athletes collectively improve and collaborate. This focus on developing a cohesive system is essential considering the physical support that other teams have from their sizable benches.
Additionally, the team incorporates sprinting drills in practice to improve endurance and fitness. Alves wishes to refine the team’s understanding of the “game model,” which refers to each of the players position and actions on the field during every phase of the game.
“It’s just the way we play, you know, like the phases of the game when they do have the ball, when they dont have the ball, when they lose the ball, little things like that,” Alves said.
He emphasized how consistent training has already presented improvement in the players’ performance.
By fine tuning their understanding of the game, drilling to improve physical fitness, and building systems of players on the field, Boys’ Soccer positions themselves positively to face some of the largest teams in the area.
Junior Constantin Zerzera (10) steals the ball from Ocean View on Dec. 2.
Tina Tahbaz | The Bolt
Tina Tahbaz | The Bolt
Sophomore Timi Akomolafe (5) flies toward the net against Valley Christian on Dec. 3.
Fall Senior athleteS Commit to Play College Ball
By Katelyn Yeh
On Nov. 13, two seniors signed their commitment letters to play their respective sports in college. Dylan Rosmann committed to play Men’s water polo at University of California, Irvine (UCI), while Jackson Cryst signed his commitment to play volleyball at Cal State University, Long Beach (CSULB)
Rosmann first started playing water polo his freshman year, four years ago. His interest in aquatic sports started as a swimmer five years prior to his
arrival at Sage Hill and the skills he developed during his years as a swimmer made him an indispensable part of the team, even as a freshman.
Although water polo started out as just a sport for him, Rosmann soon came to appreciate the camaraderie that he didn’t enjoy as a swimmer. Furthermore, the rapidness and intensity of the game allowed him to push himself, letting him channel his outside stresses into the game, providing him an escape. These different factors inspired him to
push himself and test his limits, and his hard work paid off with his recruitment to UCI.
As UCI’s water polo team is a D1 program, Rosmann is excited to play at a higher level. He hopes to challenge himself, further setting and reaching new goals.
While he has been training intensively for the past four years for water polo, Rosmann never imagined that he would be playing it in college.
In contrast, Cryst has known that he wanted to pursue colle-
giate volleyball at Long Beach for a while. He has played volleyball for six years but has been involved in the volleyball world for a long time because his dad also played for Cal State Long Beach volleyball team.
“If you ask any of my friends from when I first started playing, I told everyone I was going to play volleyball at Long Beach State,” Cryst said.
Cryst had to make the decision to either play volleyball or basketball in college, and he ultimately decided to pursue
Meet the FreshMan Co-Chairs For the Class oF 2028
By Eleanor Wang Freshman
Co-chairs Tony Lin and Ruby Wang were elected by their classmates following a two-week election earlier this semester.
A deep slate of freshmen applicants were invited to deliver their speeches to the Class of 2028 on Sept. 27. The election results were announced Sept. 30.
The main responsibility of the co-chairs in the Constitution of the Student Council is as described: “The Co-chairs will, to the best of their ability, represent the opinions and desires of their class…and will organize their grade for events such as pep rallies, bonfires, etc.”
Ruby stated that these responsibilities would allow her to express her own vision.
“I am a person who really loves having fun and being high spirited, so I thought that I would also love things like cheering up our grade and winning pep rally, and that is also the part I was the most looking forward to when running for co-chair,” she said.
Tony shared similar sentiments.
“I wanted to make a grade
more like a big friend group, where people would feel comfortable communicating their wants to us,” Tony said.
As the freshmen navigate their first year of high school, a large support system built through the efforts of the cochairs would benefit the overall satisfaction of the student body,” he added.
“Responsibility [was the most important quality for co-chairs], because the grade depends on them if they wish to express what they exactly want in the school and grade level,” Tony said.
The Class of 2028’s first pep rally on Oct. 25 put the freshmen class to test. The grade finished in second place, with judging standards taking the grade-level chants, videos, and game scores into consideration. For the weeks before the pep rally, the co-chairs and the members of the grade worked together on posters and videos after school.
“Everyone seemed really excited,” Ruby said. “We weren’t really sure what was going to happen since it was our first time organizing it… but we were happy with the result!”
volleyball because it’s always evolving, and genuinely has fun playing.
Cryst states that he still loves basketball, but he often found himself dreading specific drills such as running lines or learning plays, which he never felt toward volleyball, even with the early practices and long film sessions.
CSULB has been Cryst’s dream since childhood, and he is excited to follow his dad’s legacy and create his own.
Photo courtesy of Ruby Wang
Tony Lin and Ruby Wang at Pep Rally.
Courtesy of Sage Hill School
Senior Dylan Rosmann signs letter commiting to UC Irvine Men’s Water Polo.
Courtesy of Sage Hill School
Senior Jackson Cryst committed to Cal State Long Beach Men’s Volleyball.
COMMUNITY
Sage
CLUB SPOTLIGHT: STRUMMING THE STRINGS OF A DREAM
By Ava Eimani
Junior Jonathan Yan recently started a chapter of the DreamCatchers Foundation at Sage Hill School, with the goal of fulfilling dreams for hospice patients. The club’s mission is to connect with hospice centers and run activities to bring positivity to the end of people’s lives.
“I decided to start this club at Sage because I realized that it is a difficult time for our dreamers and their families as they close in on the end of their lives, so I wanted to make a difference by bringing some joy into their waning lives,” Club President and Founder Jonathan Yan said.
On Oct. 5, Jonathan and the fellow DreamCatcher members traveled to Ivy Park at Palo Verdes to fulfill a special dream, their first one since the club’s inception. A hospice patient at Ivy Park is a huge fan of classic rock and blues music. Her late husband was a musician and composer, and she loved being able to listen to his music, Jonathan said. The DreamCatcher club made it their mission to fund a private rock band performance.
Junior and Club Vice President Nathan Dagger said his favorite aspect of DreamCatchers is how members get the opportunity to build meaningful connections with the hospice patients.
“It is a great feeling to see how a small act of kindness can bring a smile to someone’s face, and it is really heartwarming to create bonds and fulfill dreams of the hospice patients,” Nathan said.
Over 1.7 million Americans entered hospice care for one day or more in 2022, according to the National Alliance for Care at Home.
Cover Up Orange County, a local rock band, came to Ivy Rock to perform a private show for this hospice patient to bring her dream into reality. Employees and other residents also enjoyed the music.
“The most rewarding aspect of our work is seeing hospice patients having such a good time and smiling all through the experience,” Junior and Club Vice President Kareem Abousaif said.
SAGE HILL BIDS FAREWELL TO SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
By Doyoung Lee
Substitute teacher Helen Wagner waved goodbye to students as she completed her four-month task of teaching AP Chemistry on Nov. 18. After Chemistry Teacher and Science Department Chair Anie Robinson went on maternity leave at the beginning of the school year, Wagner stepped in to teach the class.
Wagner first started her career working as an analytical chemist evaluating artificial sweetener sucralose for Johnson & Johnson. Later, she accepted a job at Campbell Soup Co., where she managed and performed necessary tests in compliance with new regulations on nutritional facts.
As Wagner’s children got older and started attending junior high, she wanted to take a job that allowed her more flexibility.
“I had my kids and family and you don’t get a whole lot of time off when you work in that industry,” she said.
Since then, she earned her teaching credentials at California State University, Fullerton and has taught for 22 years. Over this extensive teaching career, Wagner said she has never been a part of a community like Sage Hill.
“The students here are amazing, dedicated, kind, and very welcoming. I feel like the environment here is almost like a community college, where they trust students to show up and engage with the class,” she said.
Wagner’s dedication and enthusiasm for teaching were evident in her lectures, where she always came prepared with extra resources and new ways to explain difficult topics.
“After I switched to AP Chemistry almost a month into the school year, I was extremely
OPINION: “IT’S G ONNA BE GREAT!”
behind. However, Mrs. Wagner always stayed after school to answer my questions and gave me resources to help me catch up,” sophomore Linda Liu said. Linda also mentioned a highlight of the class was when Wagner set up a self-carving pumpkin experiment. In front of festive students, Wagner set up reactions with calcium carbide inside a pumpkin to explode parts of its shell out.
While Wagner was sad to leave her students, she looked forward to trips with her husband planned. Next year, the couple plans on walking the Camino in Portugal, a 165-mile journey from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Afterward, they plan to spend a month in Scotland.
As Robinson steps back into the classroom and continues teaching, Sage Hill will miss Wagner’s cheerful personality and dedication to her students.
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Yan
The DreamCatchers Club coordinated show by a band, Cover Up Orange County, for hospice patients living at Ivy Park at Palo Verdes on Oct. 5.
Maya Desai | The Bolt Long-term Substitute Chemistry Teacher Helen Wagner.
Illustration by Nathan Tang
Arts & Entertainment
Game R eview: Two SpideR-men in m a Rvel ’ S
“SpideR-m an 2” Soa R acRoSS an expanded
By Jonathan Yan
“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” is an open-world game developed by Insomniac Games that follows the story of two of Marvel’s Spiderman characters, Miles Morales and Peter Parker. This game is a sequel to “Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered” and “Spider-Man: Miles Morales.” Peter, voiced by Yuri Lowenthal, is the original Spider-Man who must work together with Miles, voiced by Nadji Jeter, to first stop Kraven the Hunter and then, later on, Venom. All the while, Miles struggles to show his real self on his college application while Peter contemplates passing on Spider-Man’s mantle to Miles.
The game’s map is almost twice as big as its predecessors, adding Queens and Brooklyn to the familiar Manhattan from the previous game. In the game, you can travel from Manhattan to parts of Queens and Brooklyn.
But you may be wondering, if there is such a drastic increase in the size of the map, shouldn’t there be a way to travel quicker? That is precisely why, with the addition of this game to the series, Insomniac Games added web wings and an unlockable quick travel method for each district of New York.
During my play-through of the game, I really enjoyed using the web wings to soar through small gaps between buildings and travel quickly through wind tunnels. The combination of webwings and the traditional web-swinging adds variety to the game’s traversal, making it more enjoyable. The fast travel method is also very smooth, as there is practically no delay, and the transitions are flawless, the camera zooming in on Spider-Man already swinging in the new area.
The freedom in this game is not only in the movement but
poeTRY coR neR : ink and inSpiR aTion
By Maya Desai
Welcome to the third edition of our poetry corner. Today, we will display the power of diction in a piece of writing and how, in certain writing styles, authors must carefully structure verses to tell a story from different angles.
PALINDROMIC POEMS
Palindromic poems, which are sometimes called reversal poems, are poems that can be read front to back and back to front. These poems tell two separate stories in the same verses, lines, and structure, which makes them a difficult style to write. Typically, these poems are centered around a specific theme and have two opposing perspectives on the topic based on the direction in which they are read. Palindromic poems can also be done with line-byline symmetry, which means the line can be repeated front to back. For example, words such as “racecar” or phrases such as “was it a car or a cat I saw” can be read the same from front to back.
Authors choose to use palindromic poems to emphasize the poem’s message and bring readers’ attention to different perspectives on a singular topic. These poems speak to the duality of a theme, and authors find the balance between creativity, correct structures, and clarity.
also in your ability to choose your objective. From playing a side quest to investing in the main story or simply exploring and enjoying the view of New York, Spider-Man 2 is truly the definition of an open-world game. On the other side of the spectrum, the combat has been vastly improved with a new focus
on unlockable special abilities for both Miles and Peter. Whether you are playing as the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, stopping a robbery, or saving the whole world as an Avenger, I really enjoyed that there is a challenge in every fight to keep you on your toes. Even though the combat, story, and traversal are all very fun on their own, I think that the combination of the two makes this game a true masterpiece. I believe that this game is worth playing for anyone who is interested in action-adventure, openworld superhero games.
EXCERPT FROM “FREEDOM”
We are chained in ropes of fear
So do not try to tell me that
You and I are free
Stuck in a cage of oppression
At the end of a long day, we are not
The beauty of our choice
Only the darkness beneath our feet just released
In piles of long gilded gold thread
I stand,
No action matters more than when
I understand
I do not have to stare at the mirror in disbelief
Watching my freedom reflect into me
(now read bottom to top)
Courtesy of Shadow642 | Creative Commons
Student MuSicianS H ar Monize at Fall concert
By Isabella Huang
Sage Hill’s instrumental music program presented its fall concert, “Musical Portraits,” showcasing performances by the Wind Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, and String Orchestra on Nov. 15.
The concert featured diverse pieces across various genres, including adaptations of folk music from Cajun and Peruvian cultures, classic instrumental works, and orchestral suites inspired by Baroque and Renaissance period music.
“This concert exposed me to music I would not have thought to play otherwise,” Sophomore violinist Maxwell Lee said. While he typically practices Classical pieces, the String Ensemble allows Maxwell to experiment with works from different genres and musical periods.
Act I of the show spotlighted the Wind Ensemble and included a performance of Movements 1 and 2 from Cajun Folk Songs, highlighting Cajun folk song culture in a composition by Frank Ticheli. In Act II, the Guitar Ensemble performed Albatross, an instrumental piece by rock band Fleetwood Mac that topped the UK Singles chart in 1969. The String Orchestra opened Act III with a string arrangement of lute pieces by various composers, ending the concert on a serene note with a performance of All The Things, by Brian Balmages.
Senior pianist Chloe Kwon highlighted her appreciation for the wide scope of musical arrangements.
“I really liked being a part of a huge group and seeing how the different contrasts in colors came together in harmony,” Chloe said.
This year’s orchestra structure posed an additional challenge for musicians, as the program was divided into two blocks. The orchestra had to use time during conferences, X Block, and after school to rehearse as a whole ensemble. Despite the logistical hurdles, the instrumental groups took advantage of their limited time to deliver a pol-
String Ensemble members play at the Instrumental Music Concert,
ished performance. String ensemble senior and concertmaster Carl Jiang credited the orchestra’s success to the dedication of its members.
“I think we did amazing,” Carl said. “Everyone took responsibility, and we sounded like one.” Sophomore violinist Chelsea Chen highlighted how each member’s responsibilities made for a more enjoyable concert and stated, “It was a big lesson on the importance of teamwork, and just how much
progress can be made from hard work.”
Despite the seemingly daunting prospect of playing in front of a large live audience, the musicians expressed satisfaction with their performance and the excitement the showcase brought.
Sophomore guitarist Aarya Shah added that being immersed in the music allowed him to focus on staying grounded and connecting with the piece to overcome any nerves.
“If you just feel the pulse of the music it’s going to be good,” Aarya said.
Carl is hopeful as the instrumental program prepares for its Winter and Spring concerts in the future.
“The experience was a lot more fun and the players made my job a lot easier. I am thankful for them and I believe we can become better and better,” he said.
upperclaSSMen oFFer FreSHMen a dvice on Final exa MS
“Do practice problems to test for what you don’t know. Quizlet is a good resource to find practice.”
- Senior Katelyn Gan
“Start studying early, and don’t cram anything. Make study guides so that you can ask teachers questions about content you need help with during review days.”
- Junior Aurora Li
“Prioritize the classes you need to study for most and don’t procrastinate, especially on those ones.”
- Senior Sophia Zhou
“You don’t need to worry about finals too much. They are usually not as hard as you think they’ll be.”
-Junior Zaydin Lateef
“At the end of the day, what you learned in a class is going to be more important than what you got on a single test”
- Senior Mark Schofer
Tina Tahbaz | The Bolt
“Musical Portraits,” on Nov. 15.
Reporting & Photos by Arya Rawal