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PeP R ally SPa R kS School SPiR it, WelcomeS acceP ted StudentS
The grade level teams are ready to compete in a three-legged race at the spring Pep Rally on March 4.
By Taite Nicholson
Green, blue, red, and orange streamers cascaded down from the ceiling of the Ueberroth Gymnasium on March 4. As the Sage Hill Jazz Band set a welcoming ambiance, the student community, along with new prospective students, situated themselves along the bleachers in their respective grade-level sections. The Accepted Students Day Pep Rally, featuring colorful spirit attire and high enthusiasm, welcomed the accepted applicants for the Class of 2029.
Accepted students glimpsed the variety of community events at Pep Rally through performances by Synergy Dance Ensemble and the Six C’s acapella group, relay competitions between grades, and class music videos
filmed and edited by grade-level co-chairs. For weeks before the event, grade-level co-chairs collaborated with their classes to produce high-quality music videos featuring songs from classics such as Dancing Queen by ABBA to modern hits like Bandit by Don Toliver. Head of School Patricia Merz, Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs Dr. Matt Balossi and Dean of School Life Dominic Campeau announced the Juniors as the winners of the Pep Rally. The Junior music video incorporated songs inspired by each decade from the 1970s-2020s and included both student and faculty participation.
Junior Co-Chair William Chen described the creative thought behind the winning music video and the collaboration between students.
“I would like to thank everyone that
participated in the music video, especially Vivi [Ta], Katelyn [Yeh], and Russell [Qian]. Without them, the music video would not exist. It was incredible to see how everyone brought something unique to the table, whether it was filming ideas, editing skills, or just pure enthusiasm,” William said.
Following Pep Rally, Student Council President Fiori Lee and Vice President Ella Wong announced Spirit Week themes including Beach vs. Ski Day, Mismatched Shoe Day, and Pajama Day. This uproar of Sage Hill spirit coincided with the Lightning Girls Soccer team’s win in the first round of the CIF Regional State Championship and the Lightning Boys Basketball CIF Southern Section wins. Pep Rally and Sage Hill Spirit Week helped raise morale as students be-
gin preparation for AP season and commence their last semester of the 2024-2025 school year, supporting Sage’s athletic teams and encouraging healthy grade-level competition.
“The purpose of a pep rally is to build school spirit, create unity, and boost pride among students. For prospective students, it offers a glimpse into our school’s vibrant culture and hopefully persuades them to attend Sage in the future,” William said.
With high spirits, impressive athletic performances by Sage Hill teams, and the excitement of newly accepted applicants, Sage Hill students are set to finish the year strong.
Tina Tahbaz | The Bolt
By Amy Choi
With the school year nearing its end, tension rises at Sage Hill as many students begin pushing last-minute efforts. The third quarter was filled with activities and responsibilities such as the summer program and leadership application deadlines, competitions, sports and increased rigor in academic classes.
Multiple students told The Bolt that the intensified tempo takes a toll on students. Based on numerous interviews, the most stressed groups seemed to be in the following order: juniors, sophomores, freshmen, and, lastly, seniors, but none are free from the burden of sleep deprivation or tiredness.
“I’m stressed over different things like grades and schoolwork, which I think is pretty typical of a student [at Sage Hill],” Junior Vera Yang said.
Many people, regardless of grade level, expressed concerns about schoolwork. They have also stated that, although they understood the rigor of their classes and teachers better, the second semester carries a heavier amount of assignments and assessments, making it harder to maintain grades.
“I do feel stressed… Definitely more so in second [semester] since I have more pressure to improve and maintain my performances in my classes,” Sophomore Sienna Burnette said.
However, grades are not the only concern for students at Sage Hill. Students only get busier as the year progresses, and balance becomes a greater challenge for most people.
“I took on more leadership opportunities and ex-
tracurricular activities [in the second semester],” said Burnette, “I also don’t have an injury anymore, so I’ve luckily been able to run and dance again.”
“We are committed to identifying ways to alleviate academic pressure and support student well-being. We continue to examine how school culture, policies, structures, and outside factors impact students, and we will use this work to inform future improvements.
Sage Hill administrators established the Balance in Academic Culture Committee in September 2024 to generate ideas and recommendations from faculty and staff. This panel is co-chaired by the Assistant Head of School for Academics and Dean of School Life.
“We are committed to identifying ways to alleviate academic pressure and support student well-being,” Dean of School Life Dominic Campeau said. “We continue to examine how school culture, policies, structures, and outside factors impact students, and we will use this work to inform future improvements.”
Students said balancing academics and extracurriculars continues to be challenge.
“I had to worry about making sure I have all my assignments in on time while keeping up with extracurricular commitments. I barely had time to practice my instrument,” Junior Angela Lin said.
Some Sage Hill students shared that they’re coping with mental and physical fatigue amid various commitments. Most seniors interviewed by The Bolt have stated that their stress levels have been much lower during the second semester compared to the
first two quarters but exhaustion remains.
“My sleep schedule is not the best right now, and there are one or two subjects that are stressing me out a bit,” Senior Vihaan Jacob said. “But definitely the first semester I was more stressed…I don’t feel nearly as much stress as last semester.”
Students’ shared experiences all point to one thing in common: everyone is busy. Despite this, the reports of anxiety levels from the different grades are drastically different, and it seems that the core factor of this variety pertains to one thing.
“I think one of the reasons anxiety increases is because of… the AP,…the grade, and the college,” Spanish teacher Diego Izurieta said, “versus the learning.”
Throughout multiple interviews, especially with juniors, a large reason for stress was not only the physical toll of doing work but also thinking about college applications. Feeling physical fatigue is normal and usually lasts a week or two at most, according to Harvard Health. But research published by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) shows that mental fatigue is something that consists over prolonged periods of time while decreasing the efficiency of cognitive performance.
It is common to see a stressed or anxious student on Sage Hill’s campus, but it is difficult to find those who describes themselves as balanced, Izurieta said.
“It’s all about the balance. It’s all about the learning,” he said.
ChatGPT Competitor’s Rise is Good News Mid-Semester Fatigue Lingers, Students Say
By Nate Yoo
A seemingly unknown model, DeepSeek R1, entered the fiercely competitive AI space on Jan. 10. Its launch immediately sparked shock and surprise throughout the global tech community, as the model quickly demonstrated performance on par with established frontier models, including OpenAI’s flagship o1 reasoning model, the most advanced model until the release of DeepSeek. Even more surprisingly, it was produced by a Chinese company. Previously, the United States had set export controls on the most computationally powerful and advanced Nvidia Graphical Processing Units, specialized computer chips used to train the premier Large Language Models. This meant that while American AI labs such as Anthropic, OpenAI, Meta and Google had access to a vast pool of computing power, foreign labs didn’t have those same luxuries, experts said. Deepseek challenged these perceptions surrounding America’s domination over AI platforms. Immediately, panic spread across the American tech industry, exemplified by over a trillion dollars in market capitalization being wiped out in a day. There was an almost unanimous consensus that DeepSeek was a dangerous technology, acting as an existential threat to the future of Ameri -
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.
can AI. Critics highlighted the potential for Chinese propaganda powered by AI, national security concerns and the invasion of Americans’ privacy as dangerous aspects of DeepSeek.
DeepSeeks’ most significant impact transcended any technological or financial response. Instead, American competitors’ reactions proved to be the most critical shift. It was compared to the launch of Sputnik, another instance where American technological superiority was challenged. Sputnik was the first human satellite to reach orbit that the Soviet Union launched. It triggered the space race and initiated a nationwide effort to win that race. Similarly, this moment triggered a reaction to maintain that dominance. DeepSeek provided a much-needed wake-up call that we should celebrate.
The first way the U.S. responded was through a massive increase in investment. Stargate was officially announced 11 days after the release of DeepSeek. The new venture is a $500 billion investment in building infrastructure for AI over the next four years. This shift will allow AI models to become more advanced, affordable and accessible, further democratizing this critical technology. By removing the current paywalls that gatekeep the most capable models, more Americans can try
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Editors-in-Chief
these models for themselves.
On the research side of this technology, DeepSeek claims that they can train a model with only about $6 million of computing power. Astonishingly, comparative models are estimated to cost up to $100 million. By open-sourcing their research, they allowed other companies insight into their techniques. These innovations are expected to reduce AI’s energy consumption, lightening the technologies’ impact on climate change.
DeepSeek’s novel architecture and training methods allowed them to offer their best-performing model at a fraction of the cost of other companies. This meant that all users, regardless of a subscription, could use these models without limit. Whether in reaction to DeepSeek or by pure coincidence, 13 days after R1’s launch, OpenAI announced that they would offer their newest reasoning model to free tier users. Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, released its frontier model a month later, arguably becoming the top model, according to various benchmarks.
Although many see DeepSeek as adversarial product or untrustworthy, beyond that shallow view, it is evident that the true impact of this alarming technology is how we respond to it.
Ava Eimani (Bolt), Grace Yan (Bolt) & Arya Rawal (Online)
Editorial Board
Maya Desai, Ceyda Shamsai, Taite Nicholson, Katelyn Yeh, Jesse Lew, Madeleine Carroll and Jenny Li
Writers Jonathan Yan, Nate Yoo, Doyoung Lee, Isabella Huang, Leo Lin, Kenzie Chang, Maria Neemuchwala, Lucas Luo, Nathan Tang, Grace Ma, Amy Choi, Elisa Xu and Ella Wang.
Photographers
Amy Choi, Jenny Li, Sonali Muthusamy, Tina Tahbaz and Nathan Tang
Adviser Daniel Langhorne
By Lucas Luo
A panel of public health leaders shared their career experience and encouraged over 100 students to explore educational pathways at a Sage Hill Internship Program event on Feb. 11.
Orange County Health Care Officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong and Dr. Elizabeth Cauffman, UC Irvine professor of psychological science, education and law, spoke about how they’ve dedicated their lives to positively influencing youth criminal justice and public health.
“Keep your mind open and your curiosity alive-every step of your life, even the unexpected ones, can lead you to your purpose,” Dr. Chinsio-Kwong said.
Dr. Chinsio-Kwong’s success in public health was originally rooted in her interest in being an athletic trainer. In her early college years, Dr. Chinsio-Kwong used to love taking care of athletes and making sure they were physically comfortable for their games. Following in her father’s footsteps, she decided to pursue medical school and served in the U.S. Navy as a family medicine resident at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton.
Dr. Chinsio-Kwong said that she finds joy in seeing her patients carrying their life pain-
SHiP career PaneL HoStS PuBLic Hea LtH LeaderS
free and physically robust. Since she stepped into the top role at the Orange County Health Care Agency, Dr. Chinsio-Kwong spends less time interacting with individual patients and focuses on overseeing public health for over three million residents of Orange County. Her average workday includes Zoom calls with state and county health leaders, communicating her agency’s functions to the public and high-level management of Orange County’s public health clinics.
One of Dr. Chinsio-Kwong’s most notable works was her creation of digital vaccine records in California. The record ensures that vaccines are equitably and efficiently distributed during pandemics. Dr. Chinsio-Kwong advocated and prepared the Orange County community on how to face outbreaks like COVID-19.
She emphasized the importance of having an open mind and exploring various career paths, highlighting how she was personally driven by curiosity and a willingness to learn. Dr. Chinsio-Kwong’s openness enabled her to discover her interest in healthcare.
Dr. Cauffman, a professor at the UC Irvine School of Social Ecology at UC Irvine, shared
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UC
professor
about finding her calling to provide the nation’s youth with a fair juvenile justice court and used her research in adolescent brain development and decision-making as a way to achieve her goal. Among other areas of
interest, Cauffman advocates for building separate jail units for adults 18 to 25 years old as one strategy to protect the nation’s youth and prevent recidivism. Cauffman believes in offering second chances for youths who
made mistakes and move on and create positive change in their lives.
The panelists encouraged students to be bold in trying out careers through internships and other opportunities.
Security at Sage goeS Beyond L ockS and a L armS
By Jonathan Yan
Students at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin were just finishing up their classes around 11 a.m. when a 15-year-old shooter opened fire in a classroom on Dec. 16. After the shooting, Madison Police Department reported at least three people dead, including the shooter, and six people were injured. The school did not have any metal detectors or school resource officers. This incident is just one of the 83 school shootings that took place in the United States in 2024, CNN reports. Since the pandemic in 2020, school shootings have spiked back up with 80 shootings in 2022 and 82 shootings in 2023.
With the number of school shootings and security concerns on the rise again, schools across the nation are increasing investment in campus security.
The Campus Safety Team at Sage Hill School is on watch around the clock to address emergencies and help keep the campus safe. The security team employs both security officers and technology, along with a comprehensive system of prevention and response to potential dangers, Safety and Security Manager Adam Patterson said.
“When a community feels safe, it often is,” Patterson said. “Communities that feel safe stem from inclusive and cohesive en-
vironments, where we care and respect one another.”
Among the security-focused technology in place at Sage Hill is the emergency communications application, Titan HST. Push notifications and text messages sent through Titan play a crucial role by allowing community members to report emergencies so the safety team can pinpoint their location and respond faster.
“It allows the community to communicate an immediate need to Sage Hill. This two-way messaging is important for both prevention and response capabilities,” Patterson said.
The security team also carries handheld radios capable of connecting directly with first responders in emergencies. Radios allow the security team to stay in touch during daily operations and also communicate directly with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s county-wide communications center in a regional state of emergency.
“If there was ever a natural disaster and cell phones are not working, and then the Internet’s out, and the power’s down, even if everything stops working, we still have the ability to communicate effectively, and that’s a pretty huge capability,” Patterson said.
In addition to the technology, the different skill sets that each member of the team is able to bring and their ability to use these skills together through
collaboration and teamwork is a major factor in their success.
All members of the safety team are trained in life-saving skills such as basic life support, emergency oxygen administration, CPR and how to stop life-threatening bleeding. Some team members bring unique skills and experience gained from working in law enforcement or the U.S. military. Even with their current knowledge, members of the security team are constantly learning by being involved in
professional networks that keep them up to speed and trained on new evolving topics
Other key roles include assisting with traffic control during peak drop-off and pick-up times, patrolling the campus, staffing the booth at Sage Hill’s main gate, school emergency preparedness, supporting the school nurse in taking care of medical emergencies and facilitating evacuations. These duties of the security team make students feel welcome and secure.
“When I drive up to school, and I see the security guards waving at me, I feel very safe,” Junior Arman Hamidi said.
The most essential school safety tool is still the relationships built on campus every day, Patteron said.
“People who have a strong sense of community, and respect for one another, have a stronger sense of safety, and that’s one of the more important safety measures at Sage Hill,” he said.
Nathan Tang | The Bolt
Irvine
Dr. Elizabeth Cauffman, County Health Officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong and Junior Isaac Alegria lead the SHIP Career Panel on Feb. 11.
Sonali Muthusamy | The Bolt
(From left) Campus safety team members Phil Barnum, Adam Patterson, Daniel Garcia and Jocelyn Rodriguez at Sage Hill’s main entrance.
Sage Hill School
Sports
New BaseBall Field spurs excitemeNt
By Jonathan Yan
The Varsity Boys’ Baseball team played its first game on the new baseball field against Pacifica Christian on Feb. 28. Parents and visitors watched on the edge of their seats from the outlook above the field, as the players pitched, swung and ran. Though the Lightning endured a 1-4 loss, both players and audience enjoyed the features of the new field.
Sage Hill’s refreshed baseball field is blanketed in new artificial turf, which removed bad hops and made the game a lot more predictable, players said. New stadium lights allow for playing at night, giving the Lightning a more flexible schedule and more options for practices or games. Additionally, a video scoreboard allows for a more dynamic scorekeeping experience and the flexibility to change what is projected.
Senior Dylan Dolotta hyped improved playing conditions for the Lightning.
“The turf is good and it plays pretty soft,” Dolotta said. “The sliding is definitely nicer and there’s no bad hops. There’s super low maintenance and no need to drag it. It’s also really nice because, whenever it rains, we can play the same day, or the next day.”
This new facility is part of Sage Hill’s recent focus on improving athletics at the school. The Lightning’s baseball field will
play a major role in helping boost future basebal recruitment, Head Coach Brandon Trinkwon said.
“Moving forward, it’ll open us up to a broader pool of players that would wanna come and play at the school,” Trinkwon said. “I think you would come here, see the field and not really have a lot of reasons why you wouldn’t want to play here.”
Trinkwon also reflected on where the quality of this field stands when compared with the fields he has experienced throughout his own playing career.
“There were not many high school programs that had the facilities that we have now, so it’s really awesome to have one of the top end facilities in the area. Even with my career through college, minors, even playing some big league games, this is one of the better facilities,” Trinkwon said.
Although new features such as stadium seating and new batting cages are still under construction with expected completion by the summer, community members already very excited about the new field.
The Lightning were expected to play at home against Portola High School on March 21.
For the Future Girls’ l acrosse pushes throuGh challeNGes, a ims For success
By Elisa Xu
The Girls’ Lacrosse team began their season with an away game against Chawick on Feb. 25. This initial contest ended with a 10-10 tie.
The Lightning held a 3-3-1 season record as of The Bolt ’s print deadline.
With the team still trying to find its rhythm as the season begins, their main goals are learning how to play together and building strong connections on and off the field.
The game against Chadwick was a marker for the girls’ progress and determination, especially with the younger players stepping up. “The freshmen scored lots of goals,” Co-Captain Haley Li said. The team’s growth was put on display, and they performed brilliantly despite the pre-game nerves.
“Everyone worked so hard and pushed through until the very end,” Girls’ Lacrosse Head Coach Kelsey Turchi said.
Ava Herin, a Sage Hill alumna and former Lightning lacrosse player, has witnessed firsthand how much the team has progressed, especially its increasing confidence and sense of spirit.
“It is awesome to see new underclassmen joining the team, as well as the upperclassmen who I used to play with,” she said.
She also highlighted the team’s welcoming atmosphere.
“It is wonderful to see how Sage Hill players are so eager to encourage their new teammates and grow together as a team, rather than individuals,” she said.
A major focus of the season is making smart decisions on the field and embracing teamwork. The team is a blend of experienced and new players, and the coaches have stressed the importance of learning from each other to improve.
“We have a wonderful mix of girls on the team, all with different levels of lacrosse experience, so it is important for everyone to have opportunities to learn more about the sport from each other on and off the field,” Turchi said.
Team bonding has also played a significant role in shaping the team. The captain emphasizes the importance of building relationships outside of practices and games. “One goal for the team is to bond with each other more,” Haley said.
Tina Tahbaz | The Bolt Freshman Maria Neemuchwala goes head to head against Capo Valley in a home game on Feb. 27.
Jonathan Yan | The Bolt Lightning baseball played the first game on its new field against Pacifica Christian on Feb. 28.
The Bolt March 2025
Sage Hill School
CLUB SPOTLIGHT: R ed CROSS CLUB HeLPS
A LLev IATe CRITICAL BLOOd SHORTAGeS A f TeR L.A. fIR eS
By Doyoung Lee
In the wake of the recent wildfires that devastated Southern California in January, hospitals faced a critical shortage of blood, plasma, and platelet supplies. Amidst the mass evacuations of L.A. residents, nonprofit humanitarian organizations like the American Red Cross were forced to cancel over 12,000 life-saving donations.
Hoping to alleviate this shortage, the Sage Hill Red Cross Club hosted a blood drive in the Lipman Family Lobby on Feb. 11. Club members blew past their goal for the community to donate 23 units of blood, with one unit (400 mL) from each donor, drawing 35 units of blood over the day.
“Our team put in a lot of effort in preparation for the blood drive like promoting the event online and in-person, managing funds, crafting donor bags, and more. I took on the lead of crafting the donor bags which included a handwritten note, pen, gift card, and Hershey’s Kisses in the spirit of Valentine’s Day,” said Margie Gao, outreach manager for the Red Cross Club.
On the day of the event, student volunteers registered and supported donors attended by American Red Cross staffers.
This event was also successful in drawing in 11 first-time donors, a reflection of the club’s dedication and hard work in promoting the event.
“Many teachers I had worked with in my old school in Pasadena evacuated and their houses burned down, so I just wanted to help them and their communities,” Math teacher Dinh Nguyen said.
Beyond blood drives, the club supports other fundraisers throughout the year like the Inaugural Head for the Cure 5K for brain tumor research and pin sales for measles and rubella research.
These efforts were recognized by the Orange County Red Cross Chapter on March 15, where the Sage Hill Red Cross Club was awarded Club of the Month in recognition of its blood drive and involvement in prior fundraisers. Margie also won Member of the Month for her leadership on the blood drive.
“It’s great to know that my positive contributions are making a difference to not only the Red Cross Club at Sage but also OC. Many members from other schools attended the event, and hopefully our actions inspire other clubs to organize blood drives too,” Margie said.
STUdeNT SPOTLIGHT: GA me , SeT, m ATCH!
10TH
GRA de TeNNIS STAR SHINeS
By Leo Lin
Sophomore tennis phenomenon Alex Croitoru transferred to Sage Hill School last fall after attending ICL Academy. Alex is among the top 10 sophomore tennis players in California and in the top 30 nationally, making him a valuable 5-star recruit. He carries an impressive 11 UTR in singles and 10.6 UTR in doubles.
“I transferred to Sage Hill because I wanted to try a new environment and more opportunities to grow academically. Prior to Sage, I was homeschooled, so I just wanted to try something new,” Alex said.
Alex’s love for tennis was greatly influenced by his family’s connection to the game. His uncle’s passion for the sport inspired him to pick up a racket.
“I started playing casually with my cousin just for fun, but over time, I began to enjoy it more and wanted to improve,” Alex said.
His love for the sport grew until it became a big part of his life. While most top tennis players start very young around four to five years old, Croitoru started relatively late for tennis players at seven years old.
“The biggest part that got me to where I am is practicing every day. Over time, my dedication and hard work helped me get better,” Alex said.
Alex notes that reaching the milestone of an 11 UTR is one of his most memorable achievements, along with some big wins in tournaments. He recently made the Level 4 division semifinals at the 67th Long Beach Junior Open.
Another reason Alex moved to Sage Hill was because of his friend and teammate, sophomore tennis player Alex Park. Alex is a four-star recruit with an impressive 10.38 UTR. He currently ranks 115th nationally and 33rd in California for sophomore tennis players. Both 10th grad-
ers train at Veylix Tennis, where they quickly became friends.
Looking ahead, Alex’s goal for the near future is to play Division 1 college tennis, which is possible due to his ranking. According to NCSA College Recruiting, approximately the top 100 players of each class get recruited to play at a D1 university. Alex’s national ranking in the top 30 of his age group puts him well within that range. His ultimate goal is to play professional tennis.
“Tennis is a big part of my life, and I hope to keep playing competitively for as long as possible,” he said.
Croitoru and Park are expected to spearhead the Boys’ Tennis team’s hopes for a CIF Division 1 Championship this season.
Jenny Li | The Bolt
Junior Alia Lalvani gives blood during the Red Cross Club blood donation event on Feb. 11
Photo courtesy of Sage Hill Athletics Sophomore Alex Croitoru
Sage Hill School
Community
M ath Field day: a Battle oF Brains and ingenuity
By Nathan Tang
Over 110 students from seven Southern California middle schools competed at Sage Hill for Math Field Day on Feb. 15. The competition tested many different aspects of the students’ mathematical and STEM skills, ranging from mental math to engineering events, and even a test of the students’ critical thinking.
Math Field Day was brought back by Mathematics Department Chair Dr. Drew Ishii and Math teacher Rena Dear after a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic and the event has become increasingly competitive.
The students started in the Argyros Family Lecture Hall for the mental math sections, where they were tasked with challenging questions they had to solve in a short amount of time. After the mental math section, proctors led teams of students to their respective rooms for the algebra section, where they were tested on their foundation of different algebraic topics. The brain teasers section that followed tested the students’ critical thinking ability and how well they dealt with unfamiliar and strange situations. That section included puzzles that required the students to think outside the box, including turning the page upside down.
Students were then given a break before beginning the geometry and number theory section that required them to be proficient in understanding how and why mathematical concepts work. Many students found this section to be the hardest part since it touched on many of the topics that they will encounter at a much higher
level of mathematics. Others also expressed their gratitude for an opportunity to expand their mathematical knowledge.
After another break, students started on the engineering event. The engineering event challenged the students to build a tower as high as they could with only spaghetti and fettuccine. They were allowed to break the pasta but would get a point deduction if they traded in a broken pasta for a new one. This feature introduced a new dimension to the thought process of the students, where they had to think about the risks and rewards of breaking the pasta. The students came up with many different creative, ingenious, and innovative tower designs. Some teams opted for the more stable approach by using sound structures in the form of triangles, whereas others tried to build a tower straight up with few supports.
The engineering event was followed by lunch, where the students prepared themselves for the countdown event. Each school chose one student from their 6th grade and one student from their 7th or 8th grade to compete in a round-robin style competition, where the question would be read out to the students and the first one to press a buzzer got a chance to answer the question. The competition was fierce within the different schools, with many close calls and exciting moments.
Finally, the Sage Hill Math Field Day Team announced the winners for each section and the winners of the overall competition. However, the contest for 1st place was intense during
this event.
Math Field Day Team’s captain, Senior Dory Ding, this competition was successful and exciting.
“Even though Mathcounts happened on the same day, we still had
[a] good amount of participants. The event was smooth, and everyone had fun at the engineering challenge,” Dory said.
teacher spotlight : geoMetry, Jeopardy and giving Back - derek carlson h as done it a ll
By Kenzie Chang Math teacher Derek
Carlson has had numerous career identities in his lifetime.
From a computer programmer in Hartford to a Geometry wizard at Sage Hill and Deerfield Academy, Carlson has always had a passion for mathematics.
“I gravitated toward things that came naturally to me,” Carlson said. During his childhood, he disliked the more artistic subjects like history and English. Carlson now enjoys general knowledge. This can be noted in his “random facts of the day” included in his classroom and makes him an eligible candidate for game shows like Jeopardy.
Growing up, Carlson lived all over the nation. He was born in Seattle before moving to small towns in Montana and Northern California. Carlson’s first taste of a big city was when he attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As an undergraduate student he majored in Mathematics and Applied Science with a specialization in computers. Those who have been in Carlson’s classroom know his love for the Bruins, which is reflected in his appreciation for
the school’s great education and location in a big city.
After completing his education, Carlson followed his wife to Massachusetts as he worked in the private sector as a computer programmer. Although he enjoyed living in Hartford, Carlson found himself dissatisfied with corporate life and chose the more fulfilling path of teaching.
“I felt like I was doing good, I had many opportunities to do other things, but I liked the idea that I am making a difference in the world by helping others,” he said.
Carlson’s passion for trying to make the world a better place motivated him to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, an organization that builds and provides housing for those less fortunate.
Carlson encourages students to find their own way to help make a difference in the world and experience the indescribable feeling of having a positive impact in the lives of others.
“When you see just how much you change someone’s life, how can you not try to help more?” Carlson said.
Linda Liu | The Bolt
Middle schoolers participating in Math Field Day on February 15, 2025.
Sonali Muthusamy | The Bolt Math Department teacher, Mr. Carlson.
By Ella Wang
Arts & Entertainment
R eview: K endR icK L ama R ’ s supeR-pRofound
During the most recent Super Bowl hosted in New Orleans on Feb. 9, rapper Kendrick Lamar performed 10 songs during the halftime show. The show featured Samuel L. Jackson, SZA and Serena Williams. Lamar’s creatively executed performance attracted positive attention from both football and non-football fans, being the most watched Super Bowl performance of all time with 133.5 million viewers.
The performance opens with Lamar crouching on a black Buick, stating that “the Revolution’s about to be televised”. This line is a reference to Gil-Scott Heron’s 1971 poem, “The Revolution will not Be Televised”. The poem essentially stated that the media usually does not portray racism so less people will be informed and be encouraged to speak out on it.
By stating the opposite of the title, Lamar is expressing that he will break against this negative norm with the rest of his performance.
As the music progressed, dancers dressed in red, white and blue rushed out of the car. This was not the only instance where the colors of the American flag were incorporated in the performance. African-American Actor Samuel L. Jackson wore an Uncle Sam costume. Yet in this performance, he is referred to as “Uncle Tom”. This refers to black Americans who turn on fellow black Americans in order to enforce the white-established status quo. He plays the role of the “antagonist” in the show, accusing the dancers of having stereotypically black qualities, saying that they were “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto”.
Another example of red,
white, and blue being incorporated is when the dancers, who were all African-American, stood in the formation of the American flag while Lamar stood in the middle, parting the dancers into two groups. The visual represented America’s past and addressed that it was built on the backs of black slaves, and represented what Lamar viewed as the divisive present state of America.
Although Lamar’s performance was mainly about the African-American identity, it gained traction online for the performance of his hit song “Not Like Us”. During the performance, the crowd can be heard cheering along with Lamar on the lyrics, “a minor”, which called out fellow rapper Drake on his alleged attraction to underage girls. Lamar’s bold attitude on pointing out problems in both the country and other rappers resulted in
Math Department
JESSE LEW
his performance generating 80 million social media engagement and 183,000 posts on twitter. The Super Bowl has always been a fantastic opportunity for artists and performers to make a cultural impact and express their
talent. By incorporating unique ideas and creative elements of performance in his show, Kendrick Lamar has managed to do just that.
By Maya Desai
Welcome to the fifth edition of our poetry corner. Today, we will explore a type of poetry common in Japan and similar to the haiku format. We will demonstrate how to use a precise number of syllables to create a story or talk about a certain theme or idea.
TANKA POEMS
Tanka poems are written in the format of five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables, seven syllables, and seven syllables. Many people know this type of poetry as an extended haiku. Tanka poems developed during the Japanese Imperialistic Era as contests between nobles and ways for couples to express their love for each other. Typically, authors use the first three lines to examine a subject and the last two lines to express a personal response. Tanka poems are written in free verse and related to a topic such as love or nature.
Some famous novels that use tanka poems include The Tale of Genji, which people consider to be the first novel to exist, and Man’yōshū, which is a collection of Japanese tanka poems. The poem below imitates a tanka poem as it follows the syllable structure and speaks to nature, one of the main themes of these poems. Tanka poems extend haikus beyond basic structure to
add more detail and emotional features.
When read out loud, as seen with this poem, tanka poems are simple and short but add detail to express fleeting moments and capture beautiful imagery.
EXCERPT FROM “BEAST”
Won’t
Courtesy of Creative Commons
The Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
School
R eimagined ’ s sustainable style R etuR ns to Runway
By Grace Ma
The Reimagined Upcycling Club hosted its third annual sustainable fashion show on Feb. 14 in the Kazu Fukuda Black Box Theater, which showcased the club’s upcycled designs. Months of work led up to the show, which highlighted the harmful environmental impacts of fast fashion.
The energy was at a high as students and families filed into the Studio. Conversation and laughter rang in the space minutes before the start of the show. A video recap of the year thenplayed, highlighting photos of club meetings and fashion projects. As the video ended, Reimagined co-presidents Anna Yang and Lauren Stoney entered the stage and introduced the organization, which has upcycled 600 gallons of clothing since its founding in 2022.
The theme was “Threads of Love,” a celebration of the hearts that beat behind fashion, Anna said. Reimagined spotlights the humanity forgotten within the industry by putting the culture, identity and community of fashion at center stage. The show took the audience on a trip around the world, exploring fashion trends in New York, Paris, London, Tokyo and Los Angeles.
Music echoed around the theater as each destination flashed on the screen. The show started with the theme of New York. This section featured knee-high boots, halter tops, jean skirts and jackets with dye patterns. Models wearing outfits inspired by Paris then came down the runway, sporting polka dot designs, florals and skirts. London showcased looks with collared white shirts, stripes and leather jackets. Tokyo unveiled a variety of creative designs that utilized spray paint and embroidery. Lastly, Los Ange -
“The venue was pretty good, but the music, in my opinion, was not so good. Because it was all club music, it wasn’t as hyped as I hoped. But in general, it was pretty great.”
-Senior Tony Tan
les brought vintage style flared jeans with lace tank tops and leopard print.
“What was most special to me was seeing how much Reimagined has touched the entire community. It hit me when Lauren and I made the speech in front of the full house of the audience that sat in the room, waiting to hear what we had to say and what we had to show.” Anna said.
Natalia Trevino Amaro, a sustainable fashion designer and social media influ-
encer, shared about how she explored sewing in high school and now produces a sustainable clothing brand with handmade, customized styles. As a former avid fast fashion shopper, Amaro studied what she describes as the wasteful and destructive reality of the fashion industry. She noted that cities like New York typically adhere to “micro trends” while places like Paris or Milan have a more classic, timeless fashion.
Amaro emphasized that fast fashion
2025 winteR FoR mal R eviews
“One thing I enjoyed was the location; I thought it was really cool. One thing I would have changed was the security because when me and my friends had to leave, we had to get walked to a restaurant. I understand why, but it was a little strange.”
- Sophomore Addison Knight
“I really liked the Wofo theme, and the decorations were really cool.”
-Sophomore Nandika Bansal
“Wofo was pretty fun, I liked the desserts they gave us.”
-Freshman Blake Nguyen
is erasing culture by discarding traditional techniques and creating an environment of impatience. Consumers can create change by being mindful of where they shop and continuing to learn, innovate and support organizations fighting for a better industry, she said.
“Starting Reimagined [in] my sophomore year, seeing what it’s become, and experiencing the community come together literally in one thread of love is something I will never forget,” Anna said.
By Mika He
“Wofo this year was fun! I liked the change of location to the arts lobby and the fake money on the floor. Shoutout to Haley and Cordelia for planning it.”
- Senior Noah Jimenez
“I think this year’s Winter Formal was very unique. The venue was really great. The lower floor was just the dance floor, but the upper floor had a different theme around a casino. I thought that was really unique and interesting. I hope next year they elevate winter formal to become an even more fun experience.”
-Junior King Oung
Grace Yan | The Bolt
Reimagined members clap as club co-founder Anna Yang and model Junior Teresa Zuo hug after the Reimagined Sustainable Fashion Show on Feb. 14