November 2018

The

BOLT

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November 2018 Volume 19, Issue 3 lightningboltonline.com Sage Hill School 20402 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast, CA 92657

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Follow the Leader

A Look into Sage Hill’s Student Council President, Grant Sheen

Sydney McCord When you think of the word “leader,” what characteristics come to mind?

Driven. Selfless. Confident. Motivating.

These attributes, along with many more, perfectly describe Grant Sheen, Sage Hill’s Student Council President.

Since his freshman year, Sheen has been an active member of “StuCo” and the Sage community as a whole. He first served as freshman co-chair, then as secretary-treasurer during his junior year.

At the end of the 2017-2018 school year, Sheen was elected president.

Now, only after one quarter of his senior year completed, Sheen has already begun to leave his mark as president.

“This year has been really great experience,” Sheen said. “I’m really lucky to have such a great student council working with me. They’re always enthusiastic and have great ideas. It couldn’t happen without them.”

This year, Sheen has prided himself on truly enhancing the students’ experience at Sage in an entirely unique way.

“Instead of just recycling old ideas, I want to start something new, [and] create new traditions at Sage,” Sheen said. “The idea is just to challenge the status-quo just doing things the hard way and doing something new.”

Sheen’s mission was evident at this year’s fall pep rally, where new games, such as giant volleyball and hungry-hungry hippos excited students. Additionally, the “drive in cinema” homecoming dance theme resonated phenomenally with the student body.

In combination with Sheen’s desire to liven up Sage events and student activities, he also makes sure the Student Council team behind him is motivated and excited about their duties.

“Grant is always looking to have a positive effect on the community in anyway he can,” Vice President Darius ShayanSmith said. “His motivation and enthusiasm is unparalleled, and his kindness reflects on every student at Sage. I love my boy, Grant.”

When asked what inspires him to lead with such exceptional charisma and unwavering dedication, Sheen’s answer was simple.

“I looked to Matt Aghaian and Miles

“

“I’m really lucky to have such a great student council working with me. They’re always enthusiastic and have great ideas.

It couldn’t happen without them.”

Wilson,” Sheen said. Aghaian was Sage’s Student Council President for the class of 2016, and Miles Wilson held the same position for the class of 2018. “They’re great leaders, [and] those two people really inspired me. So I wanted to follow in their footsteps.”

When not leading the community, Sheen can be found engaging in a variety of different activities.

“I like going to the beach and hanging out with friends,” Sheen said. “Fencing is also a big part of my life.”

Recently, Sheen also created a thought recognition software that aids Alzheimer’s patients in communicating basic needs clearly without using speech. “[The software] classifies wireless brain wave data and wireless brain wave recordings,” Sheen said. “It will process [the data] and then they get classified into the thoughts.”

“In my local senior center, it is a big problem that you can’t understand what the Alzheimer’s patients are saying, just because it’s so hard for them to convey their thoughts. So, I wanted to help,” he said.

Through Sheen’s service to his greater community along with his dedication to Sage, one can clearly see his selfless nature and giving personality.

“When I leave Sage, I want people to remember me for being a good member in the community, helping other people

and putting others before myself,” Sheen said. “As president, that’s what I’m doing, really. It’s helping other people through planning these events. We’re planning events for the community, so as long as I’m remembered for doing that.”

Being a member of the senior class of 2019 has definitely positively influenced Sheen’s leadership style. He described the whole class as, “amazing!”

“The seniors are some of the smartest people I’ve ever met. Everyone is very

connected, so I think that would be the one thing that I want future classes to remember about us.”

It is evident that Sheen possesses all of the qualities of a fantastic leader.

He tremendously enhances the culture of Sage Hill, as students and faculty can agree.

“I’ve always just loved being a part of Sage,” Sheen said. And, it is clear that the Sage community loves that Sheen is a part of it too.

FALL

I love taking photos as they prove to make the models feel more confident in themselves.

- Linda Hachim

Editorial, Page 2

Cammi Phillips | The Bolt Grant Sheen, Student Council President, is excelling in his new role and has already excited students with refreshing and unique ideas.

News, Page 3

”

SPORTS

Football Champions Fall Sports, Page 4

Features, Page 6

Opinion, Page 8

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The Bolt November 2018 Sage Hill School

Editorial

A Letter to Seniors...

Seniors, it is that time of the year. Yes, we are talking about college application season. It is a time characterized by stress and excitement and every emotion in between. For the past year, we have spent our Saturday mornings at ACTs, our weekends on college tours and our free time meticulously writing supplemental essays – all to “get into college.”

We know how easy it is to get caught up in the heat of admissions, so the Senior Editorial Board compiled a few things to keep in mind as we navigate this complex process.

Reminder #1: As Sage students, we are already in pretty good shape for college. For the past four years, we have received a college preparatory education tailored to foster an easy transition from high school to college.

Reminder #2: Look to your friends for support. In stressful, competitive times, we often forget that our friends, who seem to be competing with us, are actually there for us.

Reminder #3: Conversely, be there for your friends. For some of us, the college application process may not be a big deal, but for others it is all-consuming. We need to keep an eye out for our friends, because we know how they usually are, and will be able to notice if something is wrong. We never know how people are handling the stress of the process internally,

and need to support those who are close to us in any way we think will help.

Reminder #4: Don’t think of this process as a competition.

Instead, think of it as showcasing your strengths to new community of people.

Reminder #5: Try to have a sense of humor. Let’s be honest, the college application process is blown completely out of proportion. We are

wrapped up in a culture where we feel obligated to months of test prep, college touring trips around the country, and applying to 10+ universities. Having a sense of humor about the whole thing helps keep everything in perspective, and even allows us to laugh at ourselves and the overall absurdity of the process.

Reminder #6: Trust the process; remember that every-

thing happens for a reason!

We have all worked so hard and will end up where we are supposed to be in the end.

We hope you consider some of these reminders and tips, and wish you all success in this process. Don’t worry, it should be over soon!

Now go take a break and binge some Netflix. You deserve 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 Halah Biviji (Storm), Daniel Fishman (Online), Madison Harris-Weiner (Bolt), Sarah Kim (Storm), Hannah Woodworth (Bolt) Editorial Board Lily Button, Miranda deBruyne, Karli Davis, Alexis Kelly, Trevor Klein, Sydney McCord, Cammi Phillips, Alicia Theoglides-Rodriguez Adviser Kelly Parker

Yuna Baek Jonathan Chance Riya Chaturvedi Ashwin Chona Courtney Davis Jacob Gibbs Isabel Gomez Ian Grimm Riya Gupta Linda Hachim Lily Humphrey

Adam Hung Sanjana Khurana Julia Kwon Valentina Lin Hana Mariappa Kate Mlouk Polina Mogilevsky Isabella Mora Anisha Punia Natalie Rosenberg Max Tu

News

The Bolt November 2018 Sage Hill School

3

New Publication Adds Flare Flare Magazine Reinvents Fashion and Lifestyle on Campus

Flare magazine co-founders, Linda Hachim and Darcy Chung, are excited and currently preparing for their upcoming fall photo shoot.

Polina Mogilevsky Calling all fashionistas! There is a new publication and it’s making waves in the community.

Meet Flare magazine – the one-stop shop to everything fashion, beauty and culture-related for the aspiring Sage fashionista. Created by juniors Linda Hachim and Chung, this publication is the first of its kind on campus.

“I became interested in fashion from

reading magazines,” Hachim said.

Inspired by Seventeen magazine as well as “late 90s and early 2000s looks”, Hachim hopes to combine the different eras of fashion to create a disntinctive look to Flare magazine.

Co-editor-in-chief Darcy Chung gets her inspiration from “Anna Wintour and Vogue magazine,” she said.

Hachim is also a photographer for the student newspaper The Bolt and intends to use her skills for the production of Flare.

“I love taking photos as they prove to make the models feel more confident in themselves,” Hachim said.

In addition to fashion and beauty, Flare will also focus on helping students feel more confident in their own skin, as well as cover important events happening outside the Sage community, such as the #MeToo movement.

“Teenage girls have the ability to do anything, and that’s something we say but don’t necessarily [practice],” Chung said. “We [teenage girls] have opinions

Cammi Phillips | The Bolt

and things to offer to our community and the world, and we want Flare to showcase that.”

“We are also going to be writing pieces that deal with judgement, such as why girls are more likely to get ‘dress coded’ than boys,” Chung said.

While the first print issue of Flare will be released closer to spring, readers can expect a blog to go online shortly, with monthly stories and events, and can follow Flare magazine on Instagram @ flaremag.sagehill.

‘The Best Tournament Ever’ Sage Hill Hosts its First International Debate Tournament Ashwin Chona

Alicia Theologides Rodriguez | The Bolt

Alex Christiano, Maya Jaffee, Ava Asmani, and Jeffrey Gao (left to right) spent weeks coming to school early and staying at school late in order to prepare.

On October 19 and 20, the Sage Hill debate team hosted the Sage Hill World Schools Debate Tournament. The tournament featured eight teams from Sage, Canada, and other parts of California.

“It was our first tournament that we hosted at Sage and overall, it went really well. Some teams are saying it was one of the best they have ever attended,” senior Luca White Matthews said.

“Generally speaking though, it ran on time, all of our judges were very qualified, and all the topics were really well balanced.”

For White-Matthews and the debate team, the flawless execution of the tournament served as a testament to their hard work. For over a year, the debate team spent countless hours planning this tournament. “[The tournament] was really fun and went better than we expected. There were a lot of good teams [in the tournament], and we learned a lot

[from each other]” senior Alex Christiano said. “It was also really nice to have the training that we had.”

Helping out with the tournament was Swish Goswami and his brother, Veenu Goswami, who both provided feedback to every team and helped out with the coaching process.

“We started [the tournament with a demo round on the gaming economy in the Loft. It was packed, so it was cool to see that kind of support from the community,” White-Matthews said. “[The tournament] ended with Alex Christiano, Ava Asmani, Maya Jaffe and Jeffrey Gao winning the final round against a school from Claremont.”

Inspired by the success of the first ever debate tournament at Sage Hill, the debate team hopes to host another debate tournament at Sage Hill next year. Although a core group of seniors graduate, including Maya Jaffe, Alex Christiano, and Luca White-Matthews, they plan to make debate tournaments at Sage Hill a tradition.

4

Fall S

The Bolt November 2018 Sage Hill School

Yuna Baek

Girls’ Tennis

The Sage Hill girls’ varsity tennis team won many matches this season and worked hard as a team to accomplish their goal of becoming the San Joaquin League champions.

“Now that we have won league, our next goal is to win CIF,” senior captain Hannah Herin said.

The team was able to accomplish such goals because of the continuation of good sportsmanship as well as with the addition of many players.

“One of our biggest accomplishments this year has been growing as a team with a lot of new varsity players,” senior Morgan Mann said.

The team dominated in games against St. Margaret’s, Webb and Fairmont.

While playing Newport Harbor, the match came down to the games, which Sage Hill won.

“I have learned to have better sportsmanship and to respect everyone despite being on different teams,” junior Madison Dao said. “[Tennis] brings everyone together into an environment where we can all relax and have fun.”

The team faced many challenges but were able to overcome them through hard work during practice and team bonding off the court.

“We lost a lot of seniors last year and so this year we had a lot of new players so adjusting was difficult. However, we did a lot of team bonding and the team really came together,” Herin said.

The team will continue to support each other, and the girls are looking forward to a successful end of the season.

Alicia Theologides Rodriguez | The Bolt

Senior Miranda deBruyne and junior Karina Grover have had a successful season, winning the San Joaquin League individuals title for doubles.

GIRLS’ GOLF

Photo Courtesy of Dave Siegmund

The girls’ golf team won the league championship for the third year in a row, under the leadership of Head Coach Bruce Loman.

The girls’ varsity golf team won the San Joaquin League championship this year, which marks the team’s third league championship in a row.

The team was undefeated in league play, 6-0.

The team came together for this victory.

“I love our team...we all work together really well [and] we all love each other.

There’s no drama at all. You’ll find us having fun and supporting each other,” said junior Ashley Park.

Juniors Jennifer Cai placed third and Park placed fifth out of 140 golfers in the Oct. 24 CIF Individual Regional Tournament at Western Hills Golf Course.

Their placement earned them a spot at the Individual Championship & SCGA Qualifying Tournament on Nov. 1 at the River Ridge Golf Club, Vineyard Course in

Oxnard. “[I] focused on playing solidly...just trying to shoot a solid score...as long as you get to play the next round, that’s enough,” Cai said.

The golfers practiced four times a week to get stay in competition shape.

“This individual competition isn’t a matter of winning, but it’s a matter of... shooting a score that will get you into the next stage...and staying in the competition,” said Park.

Overall the season has been a great experience for the girls.

“Everyone’s trying to do their best... and we’re just having fun in the process,” Cai said.

The team most recently came in 7th place at the Oct. 29 CIF Team Championship at Los Serranos Country Club.

-- Bolt staff reports

very rewarding and exciting experience to win for every single player, regardless of whether some people played or not.”

After dominating in league, the team is now looking forward to carry on their

season into CIF playoffs.

“We hope to play to our full potential and win the championships because we are definitely capable.” ShayanSmith said.

Football

Karli Davis The boys’ varsity football team made Sage Hill history this season by winning the school’s first league championship in the sport. Senior captains Darius ShayanSmith, Nick Karahalios, John Bush and Michael Sherlock led the team on and off the field through their tough practices and team bonding.

“The season started out with a lot of open spots and uncertainty,” ShayanSmith said. “During the summer the captains took time to figure things out and decide who we were going to be as a team.”

The team’s strong relationship set them apart from their opponents and carried them through all the highs and lows of every game.

“We always have lunch together the day before each game and we also have pregame dinner as a team,” ShayanSmith said. “We have fun hanging out with each other and this is why we have such strong chemistry on the field.”

One of the most intense games the team encountered this season was against Avalon, in which they managed to

pull of an 18-14 win in the last play of the game.

“I knew Avalon didn’t respect us and they just expected us to back down right away,” Shayansmith said. “It was a

Natalie Rosenberg | The Bolt

The football team practices to preapre for the CIF playoffs after having a perfect 9-0 season.

Sports Ian Grimm

The Bolt November 2018 Sage Hill School

Cross Country

Nike and Adidas shoes pound the track on an October afternoon as the cross-country team warms up for another two-hour practice running the hills around Sage.

Cross country has a passionate energy that connects its members, from the first warm-ups to the last lap.

“If there’s another race with Sage people going on, everyone lines up by the finish line and starts chanting their names,” junior Kate Miller said. “We start pounding our fists and screaming and just encouraging everyone, even while they’re in pain”.

Sage’s team is also highly competitive in the state. Right now, both the girls’ team, ranked 6th in league, and the boys’ team, ranked 8th in league, are heading to CIF playoffs, where they will compete against the best schools in Orange County for the county championship. Sage has won 6 CIF Cross Country playoffs thus

far, and the team is angling to add to that number.

A big reason why people join cross country is the inclusive nature of running.

Because so much of the sport is simply showing up for practices and building endurance day after day, it’s a very egalitarian environment for all the people on the team. One of the only co-ed sports at Sage, cross country pushes freshmen on JV and seniors to practice and work out together as one team.

“It’s very rare that all levels and all genders of a sport practice together,” Nate Miller said, “but that’s how it works in cross country.”

This sentiment is echoed all the way down to the attitudes team members exude at their competitions. The sport itself is an equalizer, as running is just about who works the hardest on the track.

But the real appeal of cross country can be simpler “Everybody says they ‘can’t run’, but nobody can’t run,” senior captain Luke Nataupsky said.

5

Natalie Rosenberg | The Bolt

The boys’ and girls’ cross country team warms up at their daily practice by running laps around the track.

Water Polo

Alicia Theologides Rodriguez | The Bolt

Sophomore Sarah Fischer aims for a goal during water polo practice this season.

After winning Sage Hill’s first-ever league championship in water polo last year, this year the team went freelance and was not a part of any league in CIF. But with an 11-11 record, the team was able to secure a spot in the first round of the CIF playoffs on October 30.

“This was a very unique season for our water polo team since we moved up from CIF-SS Division 5 to Division 4. But we did not have a league, so we competed as a freelance team,” said Head Coach Pavle Filipovic.

When the school moved into the Western Athletic Conference this year, water polo came along, but unfortunately, there is no league for water polo in the Western Athletic Conference,” said Catie Chase, assistant athletic director.

The team’s schedule this season was very challenging as they played many competitive teams ranging from Division 2 to Division 5, Filipovic said.

“Despite dealing with some injuries throughout the season, I think this was a

very good season for our team, where the team was growing and improving from game to game while searching for its own identity and adjusting to the new system and style of play,” Filipovic said. “We had many players who got a chance to compete at the varsity level for their first time, so that was a great learning experience.”

Sophomore Sarah Fischer played her second season as the only girl on the boys’ team.

“Water polo was a very fun experience...especially as the only girl on the boys’ team,” sophomore Sarah Fischer said. “This year as a team I think we improved a lot, and it’s super cool that we were able to make it to the playoffs.”

A player on the team also made school history.

“I broke the all-time scoring record for the school, with 112 goals,” senior Adam Watson said. “I hope to further pursue this sport in college because it keeps me in shape and is enjoyable.”

-- Bolt staff reports

Girls’ Volleyball

Riya Gupta and Sanjana Khurana Posters showing school spirit were plastered all over the gym walls for the first round of CIFs on October 18 for the girls’ varsity volleyball team.

The students dressed in “Storm” attire and attended the game to cheer on the team.

The crowd went wild with each dig, set, and kill. Senior captains Amiyah De’Long, Sydnee Francis, and Lauren Langdale led Sage Hill as they defeated Mission Viejo 3-1.

This landed them a spot in the second round of CIFs against Culver City on October 20.

Although they lost to Culver City 3-0, the girls are proud of their great effort they showcased this season.

“There have definitely been some ups and downs, but overall this has been my favorite season with the girls,” Francis

said. “I’ve played for the team for the last four years and this was the best team I have played for at Sage.”

Francis’ leadership guided the team throughout the season. She said she hopes her volleyball career will continue after high school.

De’Long, one of the team’s starting outside hitters, also played on the team for the last four years and she plans to play Division 1 volleyball for Stony Brook University in New York next year.

Langdale played with Sage Hill Lightning for the last three years as the defensive specialist and libero. “[Langdale] picks up on all of the little things that are crucial for the team’s success,” Head Coach Dan Thomassen said.

The team is sad to see these seniors move on from high school but glad to see them pursuing their goals. The team, coaches and all of Sage look forward to another great season next year.

Photo Courtesy of Dave Siegmund

The Sage Hill girls’ volleyball team celebrates a win against St. Margaret’s on October 9.

Features 6 HOOP, HOOP, HURRAY The Bolt November 2018 Sage Hill School

Kate Mlouk Trying to keep one hula hoop around your waist can be challenging, but Haley Rovner has mastered the art of hula hoop dancing, which can involve spinning over four hoops around her hands, arms, feet, and legs all at once! A feat in concentration, rhythm, multi-tasking, and coordination, Haley’s performances are incredible to watch.

Haley has shared her talents with the Sage Hill community on several occasions, showcasing her awe-inspiring talent at town meetings. One of her best and craziest memories, Haley has even performed at the Nobel Peace Prize concert for a live audience of over 10,000 people, plus millions of viewers watching the program televised or on YouTube.

Haley was inspired to pick up the art at age three after an unsuccessful hula hooping competition at a birthday party.

“I became determined to learn how to do it around my waist so I could show my friends later on. I became really passionate about it and went to a competition at the Discovery Science Center and won, and while I was there, I saw some people doing tricks so I started learning them on Youtube,” Rovner said.

Soon after Haley realized her love for the art, she began attending workshops and got an instructor. After becoming addicted to the feeling of accomplishment and excitement, it became an important part of her daily life.

As a high school student, there is nothing more valuable than time. Haley devotes countless hours to her art, spending anywhere up to three hours per day practicing.

She is a part of Le Petit Cirque, an all-youth professional cirque company that is based in Los Angeles.

Haley’s involvement and passion doesn’t end there.

She is also a certified instructor through the company Hoopnotica, and has been hired to teach formal hooping classes at events. In her spare time, she’s even taught some of her friends how to hula hoop.

The hula hooping community has also played a large role in Haley’s experiences. She often draws inspiration from those who share her enjoyment for hula hoop dancing.

“The feedback I get back from my friends, family, and the audiences I perform for just push me to keep going more,” Rovner said.

Hula hoop dancing has been a tremendous part of Haley’s life, providing her with an escape to another place in which she can relax fully.

When asked about how she plans to incorporate her hula hoop dancing into her future, Haley is certain that

Annie Tang | The Bolt

Senior Haley Rovner has performed all around the world but her favorite performance was the one in Oslo, Norway for the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 2017. they will always be a special part of her life, whether she decides to pursue it through a circus club in college or not. Although it’s not her main focus, it has always been a dream of Haley’s to be a part of Cirque du Soleil.

“My main goal is to just keep getting better and pushing myself to learn new tricks for my own sense of accomplishment and the joy I take from doing it”, Rovner said.

Haley’s perseverance and her deep passion for hula hooping is an inspiration to many. Through sharing her talent at school, she has been able to impact many of her friends and classmates’ lives.

“Watching Haley’s performances grow has been like magic spreading throughout so many lives. Her hooping skills open hearts in a way I have seldom seen, and it

reminds me to keep an open heart throughout my life … Every show still [inspires] a childlike wonder in me,” senior Isabelle Meegan said.

She perfectly sums up the experience that comes along with watching Haley’s hula hoop performances when she says that they are like magic. Isabelle isn’t the only one who has been impacted by Haley’s beautiful performances, though.

“Her dedication to her craft is a constant inspiration.

From Norway to Town Square, Haley’s passion has led her everywhere and I couldn’t be more proud of her,” senior Karishma Raghuram said.

Sage Hill is so lucky to have someone as talented and hardworking as Haley, and we are all extremely excited to see what she does next with her performances!

Fall Musical Turns the Black Box Pink ‘Legally Blonde is the most fun I’ve ever had in a show because it is so relatable ...’

Miranda deBruyne Three times a year, students of the Studio captivate their audience and transport them to unique locations, away from everyday responsibilities. Last year, it became a flower shop with a dark twist in Little Shop of Horrors, but this year it will become the Harvard Law campus for Legally Blonde: The Musical.

The cast and crew of the upcoming musical have been hard at work preparing for their performances.

“This musical is the hardest show I have ever done. It is really vocally and physically demanding because there are a lot of dance numbers and tough songs,” said senior Peyton Webb (who plays the lead, Elle Woods).

“However, Legally Blonde is the most fun I’ve ever had in a show because it is so relatable to our age group” Webb said.

Senior Nadia Akbari echoed this thought.

“This musical is a lot of work and is probably the most difficult one I’ve done. There is so much that has been going in to every part of the production.”

“The singing is more complicated, the dancing is more intense, and the production is just so big that it requires a lot of dedication.” “[The hardest part] by far [has been] learning all the music.

There are so many different parts within each song and there are so many songs that it can be difficult to keep track of everything,” Akbari said.

“The first few weeks of rehearsal were much harder because there was so much we had to learn,” Akbari said.

Despite the challenges, the cast has really enjoyed their time perfecting their performances.

“I really love the big dance numbers such as ‘What You Want,’

‘Bend and Snap,’ and ‘Whipped Into Shape,’” Webb said.

“My favorite part [of the show] would probably be the Legally Blonde Remix because it’s just so much dancing and singing, and it’s incredibly fun to perform. It’s also such a point of unity in the show and it really brings together a variety of characters who you never thought would be friends,” Akbari said.

Webb paralleled Akbari’s description of the close-knit cast, saying “[they have] been so supportive and that has really helped me learn that I am capable of doing this and going out of my comfort zone.”

“I think [the audience] will really enjoy how fun and entertaining the show is. It’s not only an incredibly fun show to perform, but it’s also so fun to watch,” Akbari said.

This musical is not only fun to watch, but addresses a variety of important topics as

Natalie Rosenberg | The Bolt

The hard-working Legally Blonde cast looks forward to one of Sage’s best musicals yet. well. “There are a lot of important messages that the musical tries to convey and I think it’s important to pay really close attention to the lyrics in the song and every word that is said on stage because it is there for a reason,” Akbari said.

The musical runs from Nov.

1 through Nov 3.

There is a 7 p.m. show each day and a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Nov 3.

“Be sure to come and support your classmates! We have all put a lot of work into this show and would love to have everyone come see it,” Webb said.

Opinion

The Bolt November 2018 Sage Hill School

7

Do it for the Vine

Why Vine Was The Most Influential Platform Of Our Generation Sydney McCord The year is 2013. Your mom just picked you up from middle school and the last thing you want to do is start your pre-algebra homework.

You pull out your pink iPhone 5c and log into Vine.

Your friend just revined a 6-second video of a boy knocking down a sign at Krispy Kreme while doing several consecutive backflips. You laugh as the video’s play loops continue to rise. “What would I do without this app?” you think.

Vine was created by Dom Hoffman and Colin Kroll in June 2012 and became available for download on IOS and Android in January of 2013 after it was acquired by Twitter for 30 million dollars.

The app gave creators, dubbed Viners, the ability to post creative six-second looping videos. These videos were oftentimes skits to make their viewers laugh or short musical performances.

On October 27, 2016, however, with over 200 million active users, Twitter decided to shut down Vine. Generation- Z, or those born between 1995 and 2010, were Vine’s primary demographic, and therefore those most affected by its rise and fall.

In my opinion, the death of Vine was, and still is, one

of the biggest losses of culture Gen-Z has ever experienced.

Everyone from musicians, such as Shawn Mendes, and YouTube personalities, such as Jake and Logan Paul and Cody Ko, started to build a following on Vine. The app provided creators with the opportunity to grow a fanbase and eventually branch out into other mediums of art and creation.

Without Vine, many of the YouTubers and other social media influencers we know and love today would not be in the same position.

Take Shawn Mendes, for example. He began posting Vines in 2013 and, by 2014, after gaining millions of followers, he was signed to Island Records where he recorded his first E.P. He later began touring with other social media stars on “Magcon,” and winning a Teen Choice Award in the same year.

Now, although Mendes is definitely a rare case of musical talent, without Vine as a platform, he would have been lost in the shuffle of millions of long YouTube videos showcasing other teenagers with his same dream.

Instead, by tapping into such a unique market on Vine, Mendes was able to capitalize on an extremely new opportunity.

While Mendes’ rise to fame - similar to that of other

MADISON’S MOVIE REVIEW

A Star is Born (2018)

Madison Harris-Weiner

Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) is a rockstar in every sense of the word. He’s got the long hair and the charm, the gritty voice and the heavy rock songs. He also, however, has demons — lots of them — and a drinking problem from trying to wash them away. His life has been a constant search for approval but not even all the sold out venus in the world can bring him happiness.

We’ve certainly seen Maine and his troubled celebrity type before, and not only in the three original versions of A Star is Born. But never have we seen him with this much depth, truth or pain. This human quality, that thrives in the film’s every moment despite fame and spectacle, is just one of the reasons why not one moment of this, the fourth incarnation of A Star is Born, feels expected.

Maine meets aspiring singer Ally (Lady Gaga) in a bar. She’s singing and he’s, well, drinking, but their connection is immediate with an energy that feels comfortable and certain, like an old secret between them. She’s the girl who isn’t fooled by his celebrity and he’s the first guy who’s looked past her appearance, past, even, her firecracker voice, to really see her.

From here, things move quickly but Cooper (who also directed) has a good grasp on pacing and knows when to move things along to get a sweeping sense of life as well as when to focus in on a single moment in time.

There is an undeniable fairytale element to being swept away by a rockstar and an exhilarating, larger-than-life whirlwind to their love but Cooper makes sure to never lose the film in this. He keeps it grounded, letting music numbers and emotional montages dazzle but always bringing it back to the human condition, for better or worse.

As Jack’s drinking spirals and Ally’s fame begins to eclipse his, the film begins to uncover its deeper life questions. It explores jealousy, addiction, capacity for change, our innate fascination with celebrity and the extreme highs and rotten lows of stardom. Some of these find resolutions, others don’t, but it never promises a

former mainstream Viners such as Nash Grier, Cameron Dallas and Lele Pons - could not have been done without the app’s one-of-a-kind format, to me the real magic in Vine came from much smaller creators. Truth be told, I never enjoyed Vines made by mainstream viners, but rather the one-off Vines, created by people who had little to no following are the ones I return to today.

Additionally, Viners such as Josh and Lucas Ovalle, Zachary Piona, and Casey Frey who boasted hundreds of thousands of followers each, created the content and community that essentially made Vine into the short lived masterpiece that it was.

In January of 2017 after Vine’s demise, Twitter created a Vine archive where all the Vines from public channels are still visible. Over 33 million Vine compilations made by Vine fans also exist on YouTube, showcasing some select favorites.

In conclusion, aside from being quoted daily, Vine provided Gen-Zers with an unexplored creative outlet that we grasped and made our own.

Without Vine, “meme culture” as we know it today would be severely lacking in content and relatability.

And although Vine may no longer be operational, I truly believe that without its existence the world as we know it would not be the same, especially for Generation-Z.

happy ending which is possibly why it rings so true and why this fourth remake of an old story has been so welcomed.

Cooper shatters any preconceptions from the three past versions. He gives ample space for Ally and Jack to figure out who they are in a way that suggests that they’re real people making real discovery of each other, of themselves, of their mistakes and of their love. They have room to find their path, to triumph but also to stumble along the way; to bounce back from mistakes but sometimes live with the consequences.

Kris Kristofferson was the last person to play Maine (although the character went by a different name in the 1976 Barbra Streisand-staring version) but there is really no comparison between him and Cooper. Cooper finds empathy and pure intentions where Kristofferson found only unattractive self-destruction; Cooper finds likability where Kristofferson came up empty.

Cooper is also able to take two mega-celebrities (Gaga and himself) and make them new people whom we get the pleasure of meeting for, it feels like, the first time.

Gaga, especially is able to step away from her own decade of pop-icon status and immerse herself fully into the role of someone just finding their own. She is a force, and not only with her voice: the Ally she creates is confident but appealingly humble, assertive but kind, and wildly authentic.

As for production, the film needs few frills because the world it creates is so nuanced and lifelike. Take the imperfections in conversations, for example, or the subtleties in a stare. DP Matthew Libatique’s cinematography guides the story along with an invisible hand that lets the music take center stage. Heavy rock riffs like in “Black Eyes” mix with soaring ballads like “I’ll Never Love Again” to create a soundtrack that is able to stand on its own.

It is a rather bold move to carry a film into a new century and remake it for the fourth time. There’s certainly high pressure to find something new to say when you’re also co-writing, starring, directing and singing. Bradley Cooper not only found something new to say but he found something new to feel. Each moment, each line and each emotion stays so true to human emotion and is placed with so much purpose and meaning that it is the farthest thing from ‘just another remake’.

For the sake of avoiding all the cliche comparisons of how ‘a star was born in Cooper’ (although one certainly was) there seems to be only one fit thing to say: Mr. Cooper, welcome to the director’s chair.

8

The Bolt November 2018 Sage Hill School

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College Admissions are Racist Why Affirmative Action Undermines the Process of Getting Into College

Trevor Klein

Affirmative action in the college admissions process is racist. It

discriminates against students solely because of their background regardless of the merit of their applications.

In the heat of college application season, college admissions practices directly affect the seniors and will affect every Sage Hill student when their time comes.

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy laid the foundation for affirmative action through executive order 10925. He issued this mandate to fight against discrimination in the workplace. According to the University of California, Irvine, he said that “affirmative action” was necessary to ensure that minorities were not discriminated against.

Thus, the concept of affirmative action was started to fight discrimination rather than to aid it. But modern affirmative action goes totally against Kennedy’s spirit and is racist because it uses race as the basis to treat groups differently.

Affirmative action favors certain groups like African Americans and Latinos and subordinates Caucasians and Asians because of generalized notions of privilege. Instead of providing minorities with equal treatment, it favors them and blatantly discriminates against other groups.

Now, you may be questioning the fact that colleges actually discriminate based on race, but the numbers say otherwise. According to a Princeton University study, at highly competitive private institutions, Asian students with a 1550 on the SAT (out of 1600) have the same chance of admissions as white students with a 1410, Hispanic students with a 1230, and African American students with an 1100.

A group of Asian-American applicants rejected by Harvard are currently suing the university. They claim that the Harvard personal rating scale, which helps admissions officers rank students ability outside the classroom, discriminates against Asians.

According to the New York Times, Harvard conducted an internal study in 2014 and found that the university did discriminate against Asians, but they never published the findings or took any measures to change their process.

Supporters of affirmative action argue that it helps level the playing field since African American and Hispanics often have less opportunities than other students. However, the problem with that type of thinking is that Asian and white students who excel must not be penalized for using the opportunities given to them. Admissions offices should be focused on accepting the individuals most

“Labeling certain races as ‘underprivileged’ and holding them to lower standards across the board is just wrong.” prepared to excel at their institution.

The other problem with that thinking is that the color of one’s skin is not the only barrier to opportunity in America anymore. A Stanford University study found that socioeconomic status is the primary cause of the achievement gaps between races.

Since African Americans and Latinos often come from less affluent backgrounds, they are more likely subjected to these factors.

Now, I do believe that students who may have lower GPAs and test scores because of the situation they were born into should share these experiences in their college application.

For example, if a student from a low-income family works a part-time job to support their family, then they have less time to study and can only afford to take the SAT once. This will result in the quantitative portion of their application to not be fully representative of their true merit. Thus, students of all ethnicities should share the story of their struggles that may have impacted their performance

on their college applications, and admissions offices should take that into consideration.

However, offices must carefully weigh how much the students’ other commitments have impacted their test scores and GPA in each case because each case is different and some students from low-income families may have many opportunities.

Labeling certain races as “underprivileged” and holding them to lower standards across the board is just wrong. Admission should rather be based on the merit of each student’s application rather than the color of their skin.

Affirmative action has strayed far from what JFK intended it to be as it encourages discrimination and unequal treatment in modern America.

Affirmative action was challenged in 2016 in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin as the case decided whether race-conscious admissions should be allowed at the university. During a hearing regarding the case, the late Justice Antonin Scalia made the point that the group of students labeled “underprivileged minority” students who are admitted to schools that they would not be admitted to if they were white or Asian, are actually disadvantaged because they are less likely to succeed in an environment that there merit could not carry their application.

Now, don’t get me wrong; there are many minority students

who deserve to be at top universities based on merit. However, as shown in the earlier statistics, some racial groups are explicitly favored.

Scalia’s point is that when a student gains admission to a university on the basis of affirmative action rather than merit, nobody wins because the deserving student is rejected and the less-qualified, admitted student may be overwhelmed in the highly academic environment.

Democrats called Scalia racist for these remarks, but they are not racist at all. He is actually fighting against the racism of affirmative action.

A few years ago, students across the country protested affirmative action through “affirmative action bake sales.” At these protests, students sold baked goods at different prices based on race, charging asians the most and African Americans and Hispanics the least. The point is to show how outrageous affirmative action truly is because it is clearly racist to price discriminate in this manner.

Many colleges already read applications need-blind, and they should also read them race-blind. That would eliminate affirmative actions and generalizations about different ethnic groups.

Only the merit of applicants, including the experiences and challenges faced by them, would be considered. That would remove racism and allow colleges to evaluate students on a case-by-case basis.