The Mark Menlo-Atherton High School 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton, CA Volume IV, Issue III MARCH 2014
MARCH 2014 Photography Blanca Vina
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High school is our last step before adulthood. It is a strange crossroads; a final place to learn, shape, and form before entering the real world. In this issue, we look at taking the next step, our first step into adulthood. For many students, this new undertaking includes college; we discuss choosing a school, acceptance, and how these institutions are perceived, but we also look alternative tra jectories. Taking a critical look at these components of early adulthood will help us prepare for life after high school, because, as a young man in literature once said, “the beginning is in the end.� We invite you to open our magazine and your minds, and explore with us. Sincerely, The MArk Staff
STAFF
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EDITORIAL BOARD
Volume IV, ISSUE III March 2014
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Gabe Cohen FRANCESCA GILLES Megan Kilduff
CREATIVE EDITOR JOANNE CHO
MANAGING EDITORS LINDY LAPLANTE CAYLA STILLMAN
SUBMISSIONS EDITOR SARA SOLOMON
NEWS GPA Pressure 6 Jesse Jackson 8-9 Al Gore 12-13 A bond for future bears 14 Grading Disparity 15 Glorifying crime 18 AFfLUenza 42
SPORTS EDITOR BRETT MORIARTY
WRITING STAFF Sami Andrew Alex Argente Sofia Bergmann Sarah Dairiki Matt DeTrempe LisSette EspinoZa Tara Fahimi Marta Fatica Alexa Finn Eliza Fitz Elena Fox Nina Fox Jonah Guenther-Schmidt Amir Heidari Ben Hickman Molly Kearnan Amirteymour Moazami Ivana Petani Nico Plume Sarah Reichow Ian Robinson-Lambert Liz Sommer Sabina Vitale Kristen Walsh Katie Webb Katie Weiner
Adviser: Betsy Snow
A&E Senior Pranks 14 dating advice from teachers 16 dessert for dummies 17 Backpack Diversity 20 Prom? 21 illegitimate happiness advice 41 What the Fluc? 44
On the cover 26 Introduction 27 History of Affirmative Action 30 Affirmative action in action 29 college rank 30 kleeman’s killin’ it 31 Stress. pressure. future. 32-33 #Classof2014 34 College is not your only option
Columns 19 M-A Contagion 22 #PersianLife 23 Stop It!
Sports Opinion High school is not a musical 35 stoner stereotypes 36-37 Not enough homeowork 38 Harpy, bossy, domineering women 39
43 March Madness 45 Lacrosse Sports preview
SUBMISSIONS 2-3 introduction 7 Black and white 10-11 Black and White 46-47 closing
Cover Cayla Stillman Cover Artwork Contributors:
Jak Tedesco, Ryan Cole,Erin Goode, Ydalise Jacob, Kailen Kershner, Gillian Ferrer, Esteban Figueroa, Amara Trabosh, Amir Moazami, Kyle Bryan, Havens Ratchye, Katrina Wijaya, Alex Jin, Mike Mainiero, Zoe Hafter-Manza, Gloria Cuevas, Cayla Stillman, Alex Thayer, Jonah Guenther-Schmidt, Bella Lopez, Jackie Lopez, Jesus Ortega, Elana Schulman, Kindle Van Linge, Tanya Lazaro, Michelle Tu, Jasmine Ibarra, Veronica Bliss, Daniel Chaiken, Brian Coggins, Angela Florez, Sophie Frank, Daniel Garcia, Robbie Gordan, Grant Johnson, Aaron Katzman, Katie Kelly, Juan Lopez, Jeremy Manuel, Joseph Martin, Julia Moreton, Angel Ortiz, Erin Perrine, Morgan Smith-Boeck, Sally Stevens, Ina Franke
Freedom or Intolerance? Arizona governor Jan Brewer’s veto of the bill dubbed “anti-gay” that would allow businesses to refuse service to homosexuals based on sexual orientation alone has created waves for the LGBT community. The bill was submitted for approval under the guise of protecting religious liberties of small business owners, yet the greater issue lies in the intolerance that is rampant in certain states, political leanings aside. The First Amendment protects religious liberties and freedom of expression; however, it is utterly inexcusable for the Constitution to be used as a weapon to infringe upon the rights of specific groups. However many proponents of anti-gay legislature may say that gays and lesbians encroach upon their rights, it is undeniable that this demonstrates a fundamental issue that lies at
the core of our society. The LGBT rights movement is compared to the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s for a reason; in both instances, there are certain groups who believe that their comfort and their rights are more important than those of others that points to a larger issue than just partisanship. The media minimizes the issue of intolerance as one purely created by the political system, yet the fact that there are people who live in the United States, a nation founded upon the principles of natural rights guaranteed to every citizen, who believe that some people are less deserving or entitled to natural rights is astounding. It’s more than an issue that can be solved through legislation; entrenched ideologies do not change through the use of force.
HIGH MARK – LOW MARK by Simone King &
Seussical the Musical was a hit for people of all ages.
Seniors hear back from colleges.
Al Gore and Rev. Jesse Jackson visit M-A.
Varsity boys basketball goes to CCS.
Not getting asked to prom.
Peter Freschi
New app for ordering food FLUC yeah!
by The Editorial Board
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GPA: he majority of this article comes from my own personal experiences thus far in junior year; the rest comes from reputable news sources on the topic. I don’t pretend to speak for all the juniors or seniors at M-A, and there are obviously a plethora of different opinions. With that in mind, here is my personal view on GPA pressure in relation to applying for college. Silicon Valley is one of the absolute most competitive areas in the country. This is probably not news to anyone. The wealth of school and career opportunities in the area, combined with the presence of enormously successful companies such as Google and Facebook, has created a unique, constant sense of profound academic pressure on both students and adults. This pressure is especially apparent in high school students on the cusp of applying to college. When students are still sophomores or freshmen (or in some cases, even still in middle school), they’re told that junior year is the single most important year of high school, even more so than senior year when the application process actually takes place. They’re also told that it’s the most difficult. It’s usually the year that students start taking more advanced classes, it’s one of the main years that colleges examine, and it’s usually a prime year for students to start taking jobs or start doing more serious extracurriculars. This creates pressure well before the year even starts, especially with the challenging classes at M-A where high grades can be extremely difficult to attain. In my opinion, the largest source of stress in junior year is the GPA - some students believe if they don’t get what they regard as “the right grades,” there’s no chance they’re going to college. I’m not stereotyping or generalizing when I say this, I’m drawing from my own experience. Even before junior year started, I was getting anxious. There were a number of new academic challenges that I would have to face in junior year that I knew next to nothing about. SATs! PSATs! ACTs! And most of all, my grades.
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UNDER PRESSURE High school students all over Silicon Valley are under constant pressure to get the best grades possible. But is the outcome worth all the stress?
In freshman and sophomore years, I didn’t feel like I had to worry as much about my grades because colleges probably wouldn’t look at them. But as soon as junior year started, a new level of pressure was added - colleges that I wanted to go to could see possibly every single academic thing that I would do as a junior, and later as a senior. If I got a bad grade, colleges might see it. If I failed a test, colleges might see it. I was terrified that every move I made would be scrutinized by colleges and factored into their admission decision. This worry started to snowball into serious stress, stress that hadn’t been present for the past two years. Every time I got a bad grade, every time I felt unconfident about a test or quiz, I thought about college and how my chances of admission were going to be affected.
“I was terrified that every move I made would be scrutinized by colleges.” Some recent studies about college acceptance trends have shown that this stress may be unwarranted or at least somewhat unnecessary. Certain colleges are starting to decrease the value they put on high school GPA, for a number of reasons. According to an article in USA Today*, high school GPA has been called “meaningless” and “artificial” by admissions directors across the country, and the Princeton Review’s 2013 guidebook stopped showing average HS GPA for over 49 schools - including extremely competitive schools like Cornell, Yale, and Brown - because the schools refused to release the information. This at least suggests that high school GPA might not be quite as intrinsically important as students are led to believe, although it is far from a concrete fact. Many schools firmly maintain that GPA is not an accurate measure of a student’s skill because class difficulty differs between high schools - an
by Ian Robinson-Lambert A in a class in California will be different from an A in a class in New York which will be different from an A in a class in Hawaii, although the letter grade and the name of the class remain the same across the board. Another possible reason why some colleges have stopped releasing their freshman class’ average GPA is because of the increased competition and pressure it puts on students. Some students are able to get a 4.5 GPA because they come from an easier high school… other students from more difficult schools see this and immediately lose any hope of attending the college because they don’t feel they can go up against someone with such high grades. All in all, it is difficult for applicants to judge their competition because they are all coming from different schools and backgrounds. GPA is highly subjective, probably the most subjective of the entire application process, which is likely a major factor as to why so many colleges are starting to lower the value they put on it. This, of course, doesn’t mean that the GPA is unimportant or not to be cared about by applicants. I’m definitely not saying that grades aren’t important, or that they should be disregarded just because certain colleges put less of a premium on them. Grades are still an essential part of the college application, and students should still strive to get the best grades possible. But these studies have shown that the often obsessive reliance that juniors put on grades might be an unnecessary source of stress and pressure. The GPA is rarely the deciding factor in colleges’ admission decisions, unless it skews enormously from their average. There are dozens, maybe even hundreds, of factors that colleges take into account when assessing an applicant - interviews, recommendations, test scores, and more, in addition to grades. Putting an unnecessary amount of stress into thinking about grades may improve them slightly, but it won’t be beneficial in the long run. * USA Today article: “Grades Pointless? Some colleges don’t care about GPA” by Mary Beth Marklein, February 28, 2013
Drawing Jayana Patel
Jesse Jackson: ENcouraging a new Generation by Molly Kearnan “Dr. King would like to be here now,” remarked civil rights leader Jesse Jackson as he looked out at the multiracial audience filling Menlo-Atherton’s Performing Arts Center. Sporting an M-A hoodie and pumping his fist, Jackson entered the stage to an overwhelming sound of clapping and whistling. Instead of delivering a monotonous speech on teenage responsibility that would be expected of an older figure speaking at a high school, Jackson rallied the students with an effective ‘call and response’ method that had the audience on their feet. Rev. Jackson summed up the main theme of his speech by saying that “we must learn to live together as brothers and sisters and not die apart as fools.” As the surprisingly silent student audience listened attentively, he advised them to accomplish this by reaching across the divisions that society had long ago put in place. Whether these divisions are language, race, or economic standing, he made it clear that one should be constantly striving to transcend them. Although he acknowledged the drastic decrease on the limitations that had
been placed upon minorities during the days he and Martin Luther King, Jr. were fighting for their rights, Jackson emphasized that the fight is not over yet. The reverend mentioned that with the recent passing of the Super Bowl, it is important to remember that it would not be possible had it not been for the civil rights movement. Without it, “blacks and whites could not have played together and they could not have sat together in the stands.” These strategic anecdotes helped the audience relate to the significance of accepting others. Jackson’s background as an orator was evident in his unique ability to connect with an auditorium full of teenagers. He reached out to the students again, stating that teenagers are, “too old to be a kid, too young to be an adult.” Succinctly put, it is a “twilight zone.” He wrapped up his speech by shaking the hands of every student in the front row and then silently raising his fist as the audience gave him a standing ovation. The students then filed out of the building with the words of the reverend fresh on their minds, “you are not our future, you are our right now.”
"We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters, and not die apart as fools."
"NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DO LESS THAN THEIR BEST."
"You are not our future. You are our right now."
"We cannot survive apart." "do your best and God will take care of the rest."
Photography Betsy Snow
Photography Blanca Vina
Photography Jackie Lopez
Photography Evan Reed
Photography Melissa Murphy
Last Winter I Gave Myself My Heart by Stella Fors
Felt like my heart the organ itself was being twisted and gripped by my own hand so every breath was l a b o r e d and everything in my body, all the blood vessels cells tissues, pulsing with my heart Trying to get everything to work, under the sick, twisted conditions. But in reality I wasn’t Physically gripping my heart, my mind was gripping me. twisting my vision so that I saw the bad for the good and the good for the bad I was a grey cloud oating. too light to touch the ground, too light to get attached too heavy for freedom too heavy to let myself laugh --when it mattered-too heavy to soar into The Sky and meet my dreams among the planets. I was just too heavy for myself.
Al Gore VISIT
Al Gore's
words rang through the Menlo-Atherton Performing Arts Center, as he spoke to AP Environmental Science students on February 27th. Gore’s sense of urgency and responsibility was apparent as he said, “We need to put a price on carbon in markets and we need to put a political price on denial.” Gore addressed the matter of climate change, or as he calls it, a “climate crisis-- because it is a crisis.” He discussed the rising heat of the world, which causes sea levels to rise, and prompts natural disasters, and storms around the world. Gore explained that higher air temperature heats up the ocean’s surface, thus altering the water cycle, which, too, leads to disaster. The rationalization of this “climate crisis” was timely, as many conservatives have been using the especially cold winter this year as evidence that cli12 mate change is in fact a myth. However,
Gore’s description of the water cycle provided backing that largely disproves this theory. Moreover, Gore expanded the usually off-putting discussion of climate change to encompass the “good news.” He described recent storms, which, although devastating, drew more people’s attention to the changes in our environment. With this increased attention, Gore explained, comes movement toward progress. Awareness of climate change is resulting in the invention of new, beneficial technology. The recent development of the photovoltaic panel, Gore cited, may lead to a decrease in reliance on coal-burning electricity over the next few years. When asked how policy makers in pursuit of clean energy should address developing countries, Gore argued an interesting theory. Just as the cell phone market reached the developing world in mass while the landline lagged behind, Gore outlined how he believes green
technology will follow suit. Once the technology has been further perfected, the developing world will utilize green appliances, in pursuit of high efficiency on a more individualized level. Although countries such as China are en route to surpass the U.S. economically, when questioned if there should be a leading country in the battle against climate change, Gore called on patriotism, and stated that while the United States may be surpassed economically, as a nation, we are the most united, and most fit to lead the campaign. It was therefore the responsibility of citizens to unite in favor of environmental conservation, and to stop harboring against it. Gore claimed that although it is tempting to find ways around doing anything, “we really have to do this-- and yes, we can do it.” He thoroughly answered the remaining questions, left Menlo-Atherton students with signed copies of his new book, and a better understanding of the climate crisis.
by Gabe Cohen
NEW TECHNOLOGY BRINGS A HINT OF THE FUTURE
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we need to put a politcal price on denial.
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Photography Betsy Snow
Clockwise from top left: Al Gore poses with students; Gore speaks from the podium of the PAC; Students below watch a livestream of Rev. Jesse Jackson; A student’s signed copy of Gore’s The Future, donated by Ted Schlein.
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by Nico Plume
lthough only a selected audience viewed the recent assemblies featuring Rev. Jesse Jackson and Al Gore, Mr. Giambruno’s recent implementation of live video streaming enabled the rest of school to watch these assemblies. As Mr. Giambruno notes, “Live streaming is expensive. You’d have to drop a lot of dough.” Yet lucky for us, highschoolcube.com provides free streaming to any high school that wants to use it. Accompanied by an app, highschoolcube allowed Mr. Giambruno to stream the Jackson appearance from his iPhone, which he taped to the wall, because he had been given little notice that he would be allowed to stream it. Mr. G. now has a tripod for his iPhone, which will provide a more stable camera for live streaming occurrences. As long as there is WiFi present, Mr. G will be able to stream anything. This new development in broadcasting will allow our school as a whole to watch assemblies, even if there is not enough room to watch in person. As Mr. Giambruno remarked, on the day of the Jesse Jackson streaming, “the school practically stopped,” as everyone was watching the stream. Look forward to Mr. Giambruno’s experimentation with highschoolcube, and possibly HD quality in the near future.
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MARCh 2014 A&E
Senior Pranks by Ben Hickman and Jonah Günther-Schmidt
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hroughout the years, senior pranks have been an important part of M-A culture. These pranks can be split into three categories, the bad, good and the best… Senior pranks can turn nasty when they hurt other people. Some pranks attempt to target a certain group of people, but end up creating damage that is not worth the fun. In one instance, Pride Hall was filled with thousands of cups of water. The result was that the M-A staff spent the entire day cleaning it up. The people who engineered the prank never intended to mess with the custodians but it ended up being an annoyance more than anything else. In short, when planning a senior pranks make sure that it does not affect people too negatively. The good senior pranks those that require effort, planning, and end up with the desired results. One of the best examples is the prank in wich students students switched Ms. Strub’s and Mr.Florio’s rooms. They took every item out of each room and completely switched them around. We’re talking every desk, every painting, and every plant was exchanged from each room by the students. They also took pictures of the rooms before hand to make sure that the reactions were accurate. This prank was successful because it did not harm anyone, as even Mr. Florio believed it was “genius.” To plan a good senior prank, make sure that it does not negatively affect too many people and that it is creative and clever. Now for the best senior pranks. For example, one of the best pranks happened back in 2009, when a group of students inputted every phone number from the directory into a spreadsheet. They then hired an Israeli company to call every phone within an M-A student’s household and leave a message that school had been cancelled. This prank was executed exactly as planned and reached the desired audience. Another one of the best pranks was when Mr. Florio’s door was completely covered over as though it was part of the wall. Mr. Florio was so fooled that he thought Ms. Martinelli’s classroom was his own. One of the culprit’s fathers is a construction worker who helped the door look exactly like the wall. Mr. Florio had no idea what happened and was completely fooled. These were the best pranks because they required the most amount of planning and were the most clever.
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NEWS
G N I D A R G Y T I R A P DIS by Eliza Fitz
Every teacher at M-A has a particular system of grading that he or she believes is the most accurate way of assessing a student’s mastery. The discretion to assign grades according to that system is a key protection that the teachers’ union contract provides. Some teachers place more value on effort than mastery of material, while others seek to assess only academic achievement. Neither style is inherently a fairer or more accurate approach to judging a student, nor more beneficial for a student’s future academic career; rather it’s the inconsistency in methods of assessment that is most problematic to students. There are such discrepancies in the grading habits of teachers that a student’s transcript in high school can be more significantly affected by the random computer assignment to a particular teacher than by the mastery of common course concepts. For example, a student in regular US History, could have nearly a 40 percent chance of failing the class or only a 14 percent chance of failing, depending on the teacher they were assigned. While this disparity may be explained by factors other than the teacher, the evidence suggests that the influence of teachers is significant. At first glance, these and similar statistics for other courses regarding the disparity of the grade distributions among teachers of the same course seems startling. Some of this variation, though, may be explained by additional factors and not solely by the subjectivity of the teacher. One of these factors may be related to the timing of the class period. For example, as Teacher A explained, “grade distribution…can be a little bit skewed. If (a teacher) teaches one class of thirty kids, and that class happens to be the same period as AP Euro, that’s a lot of hard-working kids that would probably get A’s that aren’t going to be in that class.” Also, the grade level of the students is a key determinant of the grade distribution. For example, Teacher B gives very few Fs, and along with his personal grading philosophy, he explained that because he has seniors, “if someone is going to make it through all four years of high school, comes to senior year and makes it that far, it’s a fool who would let them-
selves fail.” These factors along with teacher assignment also affect a class’s grade distribution. A central difference among the M-A faculty’s views is the effort versus mastery grading approach. Some teachers grade purely on the quality of the work, rewarding excellence but allowing hard work to go wholly unrewarded if the work is not to par. Others adopt an effort-based system, which, while not as much rewarding academic superiority, rewards hard work. “Who am I to take a piece of writing that you wrote, and give you a certain score out of 100 that determines your future?” Teacher B elaborated. The trouble lay not in the definition of mastery, but the definition of failure and the disparity among teachers as to what these definitions should be. A teacher with a notoriously tough reputation revealed that, while stingy with his As, he would not fail a student “so long as they are putting forth effort.” Another teacher shared that he “has expectations that students are able to meet if they are willing to work hard.” This recognition of effort was the principal difference among the teachers interviewed. It’s the effort-based rubric that distinguishes the true Fs of disengagement from the Fs produced by hardworking students in need of extra help. The failures that result from the latter circumstance are what exacerbate the socioeconomic divide by favoring students with the most tutors or the district with best middle schools. These are the failures that send not just hardworking, but bright, capable students down a career path limited by a high school diploma. These are the failures that could be avoided with an approach that recognizes qualities such as hard work and honest effort. A grading system that is more universal reflects both mastery of material and engagement in learning, would level the playing field for all students at M-A and reduce the effects of random assignments of students. That would go a long way toward all students feeling like they had the same odds of success. “If you want that diploma, you have to work hard. That’s the sort of system we need to have in place.” --Teacher B 15
MARCh 2014 A&E “What comes to mind when I walk around the school and I see students I know with other students I know, my first response is ‘what is she doing with him?’” -DeCurtins
“No.” -Wong
DATING ADVICE FROM TEACHERS
“My wife is a chemistry teacher.. if you crack the car windows you will prevent condensation from developing on the windows.” -Mr. Caryotakis 16
“If you ask a girl to dance and she says no, say, ‘no, I said, you look fat in those pants.’”-Trent
“Teen romances are usually.. sloppy and unsatisfying.. ?” -Wellington
“Never date a drummer in a band because.. the lead singer is in love with himself, the rhythm guitarist is probably the one you want, and the drummer in fact is macking on every girl in the room and he will cheat on you.” -Strub
A&E
Desserts for Dummies Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies What You’ll Need
-2 1/4 cups all-purpose our -1 tsp baking soda -1 tsp salt -1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened -3/4 cup granulated sugar -3/4 cup packed brown sugar -1 tsp vanilla extract -2 large eggs -2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Dummy Tip: This recipe makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies. Adjust the recipe to how many you want. What to Do
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 2. Mix all of your wet ingredients in one bowl, and all of your dry ingredients in a seperate bowl. Then combine them together. 3. Scoop heaping tablespoons of the dough on a parchement paper lined cookie sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown on the outside. 4. Indulge in your chocolate creation!
Microwave Brownie
Did you recreate either of these delicious recipes? Post a picture of your masterpiece on Instagram and tag @themamark, we would love to see how it turns out! 17
MARCh 2014 A&E
GLORIFYING CRIME? “Media has the power to brainwash the youth if parental guidance is missing.” As a society we are transitioning into more of a liberal age where restrictions on certain things are becoming more lenient. Therefore, it has caused children and adults to accept anything and they will have an opinion only when something goes wrong. Violent video games and action movies are glorifying gun crime to the youth in the United States. These forms of entertainment glorify prostitution, rape, murder, drug-dealing and stealing, which are all wrongful acts according to the law. Children have easy access to adult video games and movies, which corrupts their mindset and causes them to act in an unethical way that contributes to the crime rate of this country. Human beings learn by repetition and if video games and movies are filled with action it will teach our youth that violence is okay after spending time utilizing these applications. Children tend to have minds that absorbs anything they experience, which could eventually manipulate or hurt them if they make the wrong decisions. Situations like this occur because of the lack of parental mentorship and regulation of what their children are doing. Video games should be used as tools to educate children through enjoyment. While puzzles and sudoku can enhance one’s problem-solving skills and mental agility, but lack the appeal and face-paced entertainment of video games. Video game companies are beginning to notice the success of crime-focused games, so they develop and put out more games that glorify violence in society. The lifestyle glorified in these games can blur morality and encourage the acceptance of violence, especially among children. For example, an eight year old boy in Louisiana who intentionally killed his caregiver, Marie Smothers, 87, because he was playing the violent game called Grand Theft Auto and thought it was okay to act in such a manner. Grand Theft Auto is rated “M”, which means anyone who wants to buy this game has to be seventeen years old or above, but in practice, parents don’t often limit their underage children from playing these games. This shows a lack of parental responsibility.
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Movies also tend to glorify the use of drugs, gangs, criminals and violence. Over the past few years, the amount of violence in the content of the film has significantly increased. According to Al Jazeera journalist “It found that violence in films has doubled since 1950 and that gun violence in PG-13 movies has more than tripled since 1985” (Kilpatrick). Once more violence is shown that generates excitement for the viewer, which increases demand and movies make more money. Action movies are frequently showcasing nightlife, wealth and cars that tend to intrigue and be appealing for many children. In nature, human beings are very vulnerable if they lack experience. For example, the recent Hollywood hit, The Wolf of Wall Street, glorifies greed, graphic nudity, inadequate language, drugs, and fraud, which are all against the law. Teenagers such as Mathew Gichane-Bell have said that films like The Wolf of Wall Street inspired him to become a financier because he was amazed with the lavish lifestyles and beautiful women but want to eliminate the use of drugs and criminal activity. Another movie that influenced violence on someones life was the Matrix. Josh Cooke, 19 years old, from Oakton, Virginia shot and killed his mother and father because he thought he was Keanu Reeves who was the star actor in the Matrix. He also had some mental instability. Parents need to improve their mentorship by regulating the games and movies their children have access to. The lack of parental mentorship is resulting in violence and criminal acts that are occurring all over the United States. If parents do not monitor their children more carefully these children will do anything they wish because they do not what is right or what is wrong. Game developers are not the ones to blame because they are creating engaging video games for their audience obeying the laws but children tend to get there hands on these items regardless.
by Amirteymour Moazami
A&E
by Cayla Stillman and Lindy LaPlante
Seni ritis
As second semester seniors, we have begun to experience symptoms of senioritis, which may parallel the characteristics of senior citizens. In a way, our glory days are over. We are no longer rambunctious, youthful freshmen. It is suddenly hard for us to relate to the new generation of incoming freshmen; we’re baffled by the popularity of middle schoolers and underclassmen, who somehow get over three hundred likes on Facebook, Instagram, and other social networking sites. The times are changing and we are unable to keep up with the progression of the coming generation. For instance, why is Hannah Montana twerking? How is it possible that this best of both worlds star has suddenly taken on a different persona of licking sledge hammers? We consider ourselves to be modern and comfortable with the new trends, however, when we see our childhood idol dressed promiscuously on a wrecking ball, we begin to question this. We have accepted the reality that we are becoming increasingly like senior citizens within the high school setting. We have begun to prioritize sleep and screen time over jobs and school work. It’s inevitable; suddenly we have become more forgetful, forgetting homework assignments and scheduled tests. We now take many more drugs than we did in our younger years, both prescription and not-so-prescription. We also have discovered a newfound mindset that you only live once, so why not? Why not skip school regularly to restore mental health, why not boycott a few dozen homework assignments? Somehow we feel as though life ends after high school, so as seniors, we can do what we want. As we begin to think about leaving for college, we have this common perception that we are entering into a new, unfamiliar world. We have this idea that soon we will leave our childhood homes, friends, and families, forever. All of us seniors will be, for the most part, scattered across the country, so as a class we begin to say our goodbyes as if these are our last moments with each other. So we’re checking out; see ya later alligator (that’s still in right?)
Juni ritis
M-A Contagion
Everyone knows about the dreaded Senioritis because of the frequency of cases among the M-A student body; however, a lot less emphasis is placed on its sister-disease, Junioritis. Junioritis is caused by an overwhelming workload and intense academic pressure and presents itself with the same symptoms as Senioritis: laziness, dreaminess, and lethargy. As juniors are confronted with unbelievable amounts of stress induced by college ambitions, AP courses, and SAT preparation, they begin to question the meaning of all of the stress they willingly submit to. Many decide to stop being stressed and instead turn to a life of procrastination and idleness to avoid dealing with the root of their stress. The key difference between Senioritis and Junioritis, however, is that Seniors are at a point in their life where they can afford to be languid and inactive as they have finished SAT testing, have done all they can to be accepted to college, and can now relax in basically all of their classes as their grades this semester will make little to no difference for their futures. Juniors, on the other hand, are at the peak of their high school careers, where grades matter the most, and College Applications are right around the corner. Despite all of this motivation, by mid-second semester, most juniors are feeling just as unmotivated as a second semester senior. This may be partially due to a feeling of helplessness caused by extreme academic smothering. Although I understand the difficulty of this as I myself have been affected by the outbreak of Junioritis, I urge my fellow Juniors to get some help and power through this dreadful disease. Don’t worry, less than a year until we too can lay around idly and enjoy the end of our high school career.
by Sabina Vitale 19
MARCh 2014 A&E
on our t h g i e Bac W e ks h T
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ome say never judge a book by its cover. But what about backpacks? M-A is known for its diversity, but have we ever thought that maybe the way we carry our essentials shows more about ourselves as well? Here at M-A, students can show their interests, favorite activities, and overall personalities through their backpacks. Whether they conform with the masses through a traditional North Face, or decide to express themselves with a neon yellow satchel full of sentimental keychains, M-A has diversity on a level much deeper than just the color of the students attending. We can express ourselves here at school whether it be through the clothes we put on our backs or what we put on our backs in general. Backpacks can tell stories that portray peoples’ lives and what they have encountered through the years. Keychains tell stories of adventures in various places we have traveled; ribbons portray personalities and how we strive to step out of the crowd. Even the way we carry our backpacks, whether we one-strap it, two-strap it, or don’t strap it at all, can tell just how much we care about where we are. It is in that moment when you misplace your backpack, thinking it’s lost forever, that you realize how important that one bulk of space is to your existence. The backpack carries all of the things that make up our student entity and who we are as people outside of school. In a time where it’s hard to find yourself amongst the pressures to fit in, even the smallest things like what we carry our books in can show more about us than what we can say out loud.
by Elena Fox 20
Prom?
A&E
To Prom, or not to Prom: that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer The dancing and pictures of awkward teenagers, Or to take arms against a sea of gyrating chiffon And by opposing, end it?
Many juniors and seniors feel pressured to attend Prom simply because it has become a rite of passage for the American teen. However, this event is not everyone’s cup o’ tea (especially freshmen and sophomores). If you plan on skipping the eventere, here are a couple of alternatives to spend your time more wisely if you so choose.
Hang out with your cat. Dance in your underwear. Go on Netflix and have a How I Met Your Mother marathon. For boys: appreciate the fact that you didn’t have to pick out a corsage or think of a fancy promposal. For girls: Enjoy NOT wearing heels. No bleeding feet today, no ma’am. Go to the aquarium and party with the jellyfish. Make it rain with all the money you didn’t spend on Prom. Have an Anti-Prom rager. Find out how many people hate conformity as much as you do. by Nina Fox
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MARCH 2014 COLUMN
#PersianLife
by Tara Fahimi An 18 and a half hour plane ride from California to Iran is the only thing that separates the two worlds that I live in. I’m about 200 percent Persian. It is a culture enriched by of oily rice, nose jobs, and overdone makeup. Shopping, food, and parties are just a few of the customs that my family enjoys as a part of our lives. Basically, we live for extravagance. On a more traditional note however, Persian kids are expected to respect their elders, spend lots of time with their families, and become successful professionals, preferably doctors or lawyers. Elder respect is probably the most important aspect of non-shopping Persian culture, which is why I just have to love my Nani’s (grandma) constant nosy comments, presented, of course, with a very heavy Persian accent. “Tara, don’t vorry we vill get you de nose job soon, and find you de good husband,” “Tara, vhy is ehschool so hard for you? Vhen I vas in ehschool I vas de straight-A eh-student,” “Tara vhy are you not cooking for de whole family?” and “Tara vhy does your hair look bad today?” are just a few examples of an average one-sided conversation with my Nani. When I try to ask her to calm down and 22 let me live my life she explodes
with a “Tara vy are you fereeking out? I did-ent say anyting bad to you!” Even though my Nani can be demanding, I love her and appreciate my heritage every day. My friends know about my Persian culture, but the one aspect they really appreciate is the food that they are greeted with at my house, a favorite dish being yummy Persian “hamburgers” called cutlets. “The only reason I hang out with Tara is because of her Persian grandmother and the delicious food she makes, especially cutlets!” says one of my best friends Theresa Siri. As offensive as that is, I’m happy that that my friends are so supportive and accepting of my culture. even though this acceptance is based around food. Probably the weirdest thing about my culture is that most Persians live on PST. PST is short for Persian Standard Time, which runs about an hour and a half later than everyone else’s clocks. For example, when going to a Persian party, if the start time is 7:00pm then the polite thing to do is to show up at 8:30pm. We take being “fashionably late” pretty seriously Even though I am so far away from my origins, I still feel my culture surrounding me. There are lots of Persians in the Bay Area, who participate in events to keep their culture alive. My family and I make an effort to keep my culture in my life, and to share it with others. My friends are all so interested in and amused by my culture (the food), so next time you feel embarrassed by your heritage, just remember that everyone has roots and you should not feel ashamed of sharing them!
COLUMN
! t I p o t S
Have you ever been annoyed by a classmate tapping their foot incessently or clicking their pen seemingly right in your ear? Well before you throw your desk over in a fit of rage, it is important to understand that some people may actually learn better through these rhythmic tendencies. It’s called kinesthetic learning and can help students interpret new concepts and ideas that they would otherwise have trouble grasping. Kinesthetic learners generally learn better by doing, as opposed to sitting in a class and listening to a lecture, but that doesn’t always justify their actions. While kinesthetic learning may most likely be the cause of auditory annoyances in the classroom, there are a couple of other possibilities that should be considered. Hyperactive twitches, for example, might
occur as a result of prolonged sitting or simply one’s boredom. Running in the halls and disrupting class to do a couple of workouts can get you in a great deal of trouble, so it makes sense for a student to want to exert this built up energy by vigorously tapping their foot. Another possibility is if the individual has a nervous twitch. Whether a student is anxiously completing an assignment during SSR or struggling to construct a thesis for their essay, the tapping of one’s foot or clicking of his or her pen is completely unwarranted. The fact of the matter is that each student in the class feels a varying level of stress and by demonstrating your own trepidation, you are not only acting selfishly, but you are being a huge annoyance.
by Alex Argenté
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Spring Fever
Photography Nina Fox
MARCH 2014
COVER
E T R F G R A A D U E ATIO N F IL
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COVER
A History of Affirmative Action: College Admissions Regents of University of California v. Bakke
Gratz v. Bollinger & Grutter v. Bollinger
1965
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs Excecutive Order 11246
2013
1996 1974
Where do we go from here?
2003
Hopwood v. University of Texas Law School
Fisher v. University Texas
by Amir Heidari
A
ffirmative action is a well-known term for many high school students as they apply to colleges. In the realm of college admissions, affirmative action refers to policies that universities use in order to provide equal access to higher education for minorities. These policies include taking into account a candidates race as factor in the admission process. The earliest tracks of such policies date back to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Opponents of affirmative action have challenged these policies in courts, as they believe it is representative of reverse racism. The term “affirmative action” first appeared in an executive order President Kennedy signed in 1961 in order to crack down on discriminatory hiring policies. In 1965, President Johnson followed up by issuing another executive order, which was designed to increase the number of minorities in the work force. Following the order, universities began to employ similar policies in order to increase the number of minority students. Some universities began to use quotas in order to increase minority students. These policies were tested for the first time during the 1977 Supreme Court Case, Regents of University of California v. Bakke. In the case, Allan Bakke, a candidate at the UC Davis’s Medical school who had been rejected while minorities with lower test scores had been admitted, argued that the school’s affirmative action policies were a violation of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection clause. In a 5-4 ruling, the court ruled that while the use of racial quotas in the admissions process was unconstitutional, the use of race
as a factor in the admissions process was constitutional as they served to a diverse student body. The 1977 ruling was deemed invalid in the 1996 5th Circuit court case, Hopwood v. University of Texas Law School. While the Supreme Court recognized diversity as beneficial for the academic environment, this time, the court rejected that notion and argued “educational diversity is not recognized as a compelling state interest”. Thus, the court struck down the school’s affirmative action policies. The Supreme Court let the ruling stand. Two Supreme Court decisions in 2003, Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger, became arguably the most important decisions regarding affirmative action sine the Bakke case. In the former case, the Supreme Court ruled that University of Michigan admission’s point system in which candidates were awarded more points for being a minority was unconstitutional. However, in the latter case, the court held up University of Michigan Law School’s affirmative action policies. More Recently, the court ruled in Fisher v. University of Texas (2013) that universities could use race as factor in admissions so long as they have proved that there are no “race-neutral” alternatives. The issue is contentious topic for debate today throughout the country. Many contend that the nation has moved beyond such institutions while others point to the disproportionate number of minorities who have low socioeconomic eonomic statues. 27
MARCH 2014
COVER
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN ACTION by Joanne Cho and Ivana Petani
T
he past few months, the talk of the senior class has revolved around college, college, and more college. With an increasing number of students applying to four year colleges and universities, comes increasing stress for those enduring the much-dreaded application process. For many, the four years students spend toiling away in high school to pad their transcripts is all for the sake of getting into their “dream college.” Although it is not the goal for everyone, college is something that most high school students strive for, and it is arguably the most important ambition students have in their high school career.
process, it is allowed to be one of many factors looked at on college applications. But what purpose does the knowledge of an applicant’s race serve in their admission to a college? While colleges argue they want to maintain a varied level of racial diversity, is the process of affirmative action necessary to ensure this? Public colleges and universities are not allowed to use affirmative action yet they still manage to have diverse campuses; take UC Berkeley for example, twenty-five years ago its student demographic was eighty percent white and today it is forty-five percent. Ms. Kleeman adds that in the admissions process “California public schools use other factors such as socioeconomic diversity or diversity of experience to ensure that without being able to use affirmative action based on race that they will still have a very mixed and interesting class”.
“I think colleges are deeply invested in every kind of diversity.”
The pressure of getting into a desired college can be overwhelmingly consuming and cause many to question whether or not they did all that they possibly could in terms of course load, standardized tests, and extracurricular activities to ensure their ticket to the college of their dreams. As if all of that was not stressful enough to worry about, many are also left to wonder how their applications stack up to the other tens of thousands of applications that are vying for admission. And on top of that, the lurking factor of affirmative action is completely out of the applicants’ control. No one outside of the admissions board at each college truly knows how great a factor this plays in the admission process. However, the fact that it exists and has been an issue that has been repeatedly battled in court makes it daunting for many students as it can seem as though each race is viewed with different criteria. Many find themselves worrying that their race could potentially be an inhibiting factor in their admission. Senior Samuel Calvert feels affirmative action can be considered “a legally enforced form of discrimination.” While race is not legally allowed to be the only factor considered in the college admission 28
However affirmative action is not as menacing as many people perceive it to be. As Ms. Kleeman puts it, “I think colleges are deeply invested in every kind of diversity: socioeconomic, geographic, political, religious, language, experience, gender, sometimes even age diversity. I do not think colleges have a phony commitment to diversity but rather a very genuine and real commitment to it. And I think sometimes parents and students don’t get it; they believe some students are taking places that “belong” to others. Even when colleges use affirmative action, that’s not what is happening.” While sometimes it can appear as though affirmative action decreases the chances of acceptance for certain people and works in the favor of others, that is not the case. Colleges are simply trying to do their best to create the most diverse and interesting campus that they can.
COVER
COLLEGE RANK by Katie Weiner
M
ost M-A students grow up within a few miles of one of the most prestigious universities in the world, and this can often lead to countless unique and interesting opportunities. However, for many young people it also fosters unrealistic perceptions regarding what a “good” school is. We as a community place immense value on college acceptance and being admitted to a competitive, prestigious school. While this attitude can encourage healthy competition and a desire to succeed, it can also lead to unrealistic expectations about what schools are worthy of consideration. Entering the college application process with ideas of what colleges appeal to you is to be expected, however it is important that students keep an open mind and have the ability to look at schools measuring not how impressive acceptance would be but instead whether or not the school is a good fit for you. Prestigious, exclusive universities should be looked at in the same way as any other school-- the decision to apply or enroll must be motivated by the belief that the school would be somewhere you could be happy instead of that you ought to apply because it’s “the best.” According to M-A graduate and junior at Kenyon College, “I would never recommend that someone go to a so-called big name school without really feeling like they fit there, and I promise it’s not because I’m secretly a bitter hag who could never hack it at an Ivy.” Choosing a university is a personal process, and what’s right for one person may be entirely wrong for the next. Defining your success by other people’s standards leads to choices that set you up for unhappiness. The right school is out there for every person, as long as they enter the application process with an open mind rather than being held back by flawed perceptions of what a “good” school is.
Photo courtesy of Cindy Folker
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MARCH 2014
COVER M-A College Advisor 19 years of experience Counselor That Changes lives Guidance and Admission 2014 Assembly Distinguised Service Award Winner
Kleeman’s Killin’ It by Alexa Finn
As you walk into the Career Center, you immediately notice the tables piled high with papers and the large desk with computers and everything ever imaginable relating to college. There is a quiet murmur that gradually intensifies into a loud conversation as students talk about colleges, applications, and majors, so that they can reach their desired career. You see Ms. Kleeman, Menlo-Atherton’s college advisor, sitting at her desk with a smile on her face as she tells you to come on in. The 19-year veteran college advisor is not only one of the best in the western United States, but one of the top advisors in the country as a whole. Ms. Kleeman is here for everything a student would need to know about college and help with the actual application process. She advises hundreds of kids with college applications and reads countless emails each day throughout the school year. But what is it about Ms. Kleeman that makes her such a good advisor? I walked through the same door hundreds of other students have before me to find out for myself. At M-A, anything a student needs help on for college goes through Ms. Kleeman. In our conversation, she stated: “I love working here and I have been offered private school jobs, but it only takes me a few seconds to decline.” 92-96 percent of M-A graduates go on to college. This means that the majority of M-A students will at one point see Ms. Kleeman for help or advice during their college process. She reviews and edits over 200 students’ essays and applications each year. Ms. Kleeman wants students to understand that “applications do not have to be stressful, and the college process can actually be fun!” What many students in the application process do not always understand is that colleges would not 30 ask for anything impossible for the level of a high school stu-
dent; they are usually reasonable with their requests. Ms. Kleeman also emphasizes that “many students are focused on getting into the twenty most selective colleges, when they might not be a correct fit or they might not be able to get into the college. I will get into an argument with a student if they are not open to looking at more schools.” Not only does Ms. Kleeman try to alleviate a student’s stress by crafting realistic college plans, she also tries to lessen the stress caused by family pressure. Ms. Kleeman stated, “not only can the kids get anxious, but the parents can as well.” She understands that the students are not always the whole problem, as their parents are often trying to push them to succeed; although this is done because parents are trying to help their child, it sometimes intensifies the problem instead. Her overall goal is to make a student’s life as stress-free as possible. With all of this experience and knowledge, it is no surprise that this past year Ms. Kleeman was honored with two prestigious awards. She received a western regional award as well as a national award. One award she received was the 2014 Guidance and Admission Assembly Distinguished Service Award for the Western Regional Office of the College Board. Ms. Kleeman received the award earlier this year for directly contributing to the students and having proven her ability as a leader. The Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) group named Ms. Kleeman one of the “Counselors That Change Lives” for 2014. The CTCL is made up of 40 schools nationwide that travel around the country and put on college fairs. Seven counselors were named “Counselors That Change Lives” this past year; most were from private schools. In her usual humble way Ms. Kleeman said, “I am so honored to be receiving these awards and I am still in shock from the honor.”
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stress. pressure. future. As the years fly by, many high school students feel extreme pressure to apply and be accepted to the top-ranked universities. The competitiveness in relation to college is skyrocketing, and some students nowadays feel pressured to apply only to the “top” colleges in order to meet parents’, family members’, and even their own expectations. Only a decade ago, students had more flexibility to choose which universities they felt comfortable applying to, and the amount of bragging and celebrating acceptances was significantly less. But because of both the societal and peer pressures on some students today, they feel it is a requirement to apply to higher-ranked colleges, taking away the freedom that students crave. The tension continues to build today because of societal pressures, both from parents and the community. Although it is ultimately up to the student which schools they want to apply and commit to, they feel the weight on their shoulders based on the pressure that each community places on those who are accepted and rejected. “Pressure could come from anyone. It varies. The more successful the people around you, the more pressure there is, in my opinion,” states junior Erin Perrine. Although people are usually their own worst critics, a community can work together to push a student to make specific decisions in relation to college. Perrine concurs, stating, “In a lot of communities you’ll see disappointment if a student doesn’t make Ivy League for example, but in others it’s a triumph just to get into college.” This pressure often builds up so much so that a student feels like their right to choose what colleges to apply to are being restricted, leading to them applying to the highest-ranked colleges, such as Princeton or
Yale, in order to meet that high level of expectation. The students who walk around the halls in a daze need to be introduced back into reality. The truth is that college rankings do not matter. Each student is unique; each has his own opinion as to what colleges they want to apply and be accepted to. “The college that is number one for you could be number 650 for someone else,” states Ms. Kleeman, furthering the point of how ranking is, in a way, pointless. “Choosing a college should be based on fit, and fit cannot be ranked. I do not believe that educational institutions can be ranked, either.” One college that is ranked three or four places above another probably only has the smallest difference in its curriculum, and students are taking that small difference way too seriously. Seniors applying to colleges this year also have varying opinions in relation to whether they apply based on how highly a school is ranked. Senior Sarah Hoover claims that rankings “can be a useful tool in figuring out the academic merit of a school,” something that is crucial during the application process, but she believes that no one “should base college decisions solely on rankings.” This is true, as choosing and rejecting schools based solely on rank ultimately affects both a student’s future and happiness at that school. The overall message is that choosing a college should be based on how each student sees fit. Students should not give into social pressure and stress about fitting into one college—there are always other ones! Whether a student commits to a college ranked 100th while another chooses the number one college should not affect others’ plans. Rather, they should think about what they truly want from a school, and find the college that best fits their own needs.
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2014 Acceptances/Rejections
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Past Year Rankings Log in by Sarah Dairiki
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#Classof2014: Imagine going to the mailbox and finding yet another thin envelope, containing only a single sheet saying, “We regret to inform you but…” This was your last chance, the only college you had left to hear back from. Now, you have no college to go to next year...unless you feel like faking it. After graduating from high school in Southern California, 18-year-old Azia Kim left her home and headed off to her freshman year of college. While her family and friends believed she had been accepted and chosen to attend Stanford University, she actually faked her way onto campus, staying in other students’ dorm rooms and taking classes she wasn’t actually enrolled in. Rather than admit to friends and family that she had not been accepted into the prestigious university, she felt pressured into pretending that she had, rather than face the shame of being rejected. For eight months, Kim pretended to be a Stanford student, fooling not only her Stanford peers, but her family and friends back home as well. Although she was unable to be reached for comment after being outed in early 2008, it was widely speculated that this was the result of intense pressure to succeed, which ultimately made her feel forced into pretending to be a success. With the rise of social media and our generation’s obsession with it, it has become increasingly difficult not to compare oneself to others, especially when others’ achievements are constantly being thrown in our faces. Come April, almost every high schooler’s Facebook newsfeed will be filled with countless exclamation points, “We’re pleased to inform you…”s, and #ClassOf2018s. Instagram will be clogged with pictures of acceptance letters welcoming high school seniors into colleges and universities throughout the country. Although students are being denied from schools concurrently, there will be few mentions of rejection and few pictures of the letters informing students they are on wait lists. Rather, posts celebrating people’s accomplishments and successes will dominate social media.
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What They Think: Reflections from M-A Graduates
This phenomenon of only showing the positive and hiding anything deemed less desirable is not just limited to college acceptances; it is spread throughout all aspects of life. You rarely see posts on social media discussing someone’s failures. Instead, most sites are filled with pictures of the exciting things people did over winter break, or the amazing athletic feat they have just accomplished. By only posting the positive aspects of one’s life, others are given an unfair, and ultimately unachievable, standard that they feel they must reach in order to be respected. If their news feeds are filled with only college acceptances, they feel that they too must post about their acceptances, and hide the fact that they were rejected from several other schools. However, in doing so, they are only furthering the pressure-inducing cycle. Menlo-Atherton college advisor Alice Kleeman believes that “comparing oneself to others is one of the main sources of stress.” Despite the large presence of social media in high schoolers’ lives, she says that people “don’t have to make everything public,” as many things, including college selections, are “very personal decision[s].” One M-A graduate, who only posted her final college decision on Facebook, says her decision not to share all of her acceptances was ultimately because she felt “like the college admissions process was somewhat personal.” Furthermore, she concurred that posting on social media only increases the pressure on others to succeed, adding that her lack of posting was influenced by her feeling that “there is already so much anxiety and stress about the college process” and she therefore “didn’t want to add to it for anyone.” Other graduates felt the same way, eventually posting their final decisions, but only to avoid having the same conversation about their future with countless relatives. Many even found the constant posts from their peers about acceptances to be both “annoying” and “obnoxious” actions that only served to make others feel bad about themselves.
I felt like what I was hearing from college was my business and not the public’s. I feel like the right way to celebrate would be to tell your close friends, not [to] tell your whole Facebook friend group.
Acceptances and rejections [are] personal. Posting about acceptances on social media feeds into the hypercompetitive atmosphere that surrounds college admissions.
- Ross Dairiki, ‘13
- Tyler Finn, ‘13
COVER
What will you post?
Rejection Walls by Katie Webb
Despite the negative side to posting only the positives, many disagree with the view that acceptances should be kept to oneself or that only basic details should be provided to avoid constant questioning. Rather than seeing posts about acceptances as bragging that will cause others to feel that they are failing if they cannot match such achievements, they feel it is just a form of celebration. After spending an entire semester, and likely their winter break, working on a college application, it feels great to receive positive feedback four months later. The posting of an acceptance is not seen as showing off, but rather as celebrating that hours of hard work were worth it. They view posting an acceptance letter as an equivalent to posting about a successful athletic competition or a birthday. For some, a post on Facebook is the end of the college admissions process, as their success is now both on paper and on the internet for all to see. The debate ultimately comes down to whether or not posting only the positive aspects of one’s life should be accepted or frowned upon, whether social media can be merely a celebration of your accomplishments or should be a more accurate portrayal of the ups and downs we all face. Although one can argue that people should be able to post whatever they want on social media, it is important to be aware of the effects that these posts will have on others; what you may see as an insignificant celebratory post, another may view as a reminder of what they have been unable to achieve. Ultimately, when it comes to posting college acceptances, Kleeman acknowledges that “people are going to [post acceptances]” but hopes that they “bring the same level of thoughtfulness about what to post on social media as they would in person.”
To counter the excessive posting of acceptances, some schools have instituted “rejection walls,” a specific place on campus where students tape up rejection letters and bond over their shared disappointment. However, some feel that despite the positive intentions, they still have a negative effect; people feel forced to post their letters, and thus are forced to reveal what colleges they applied to. Rather than being a communal experience, it can turn into a competition as people use the wall to brag about what colleges they applied to. Ms. Kleeman believes that “neither [good news nor bad news] needs to be broadcast publicly and indiscriminately to people students might not even know,” and adds that “If M-A decided to post a wall of rejection letters, I would pack up and quit.” Rejection walls also create a sharp divide within a school between students that are college-bound and those that are not. It is very clear who has the ability to post letters on the wall, and who doesn’t. The wall creates a divide even amongst just the college-bound students, as it reveals what caliber of schools different people are applying to. Being rejected from an Ivy League school is viewed very differently from being rejected from a state school, which ultimately leads to a negative environment in which people have to be worried about not only getting into college, but what everyone else will think of the schools they applied to.
Posting about an acceptance to a college on Facebook does nothing but contribute to what is already a stressful process. Save the Facebook post for that happy (and more important) day in April when you decide where you’ll be spending your next four years.
I didn’t want to be judged, whether in a good or a bad way. I didn’t want the colleges that I got into to define who I was going to be or the type of life I wanted to other people. They wouldn’t have let me come to my own decision.
- Nicholas O’Farrell, ‘13
- Vanessa Wijaya, ‘13
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MARCH 2014
COVER
college is not your only option by Liz Sommer
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“Where do you want to go to college?” This is the question many high school students will hear from countless relatives, friends, and even strangers as they apply to college. As going to college has become more and more common, it has become an expectation, rather than an option for many high school students. Students often plunge into the college application process without ever considering if they should go to college now, or even at all. There is often an assumption that if a high school student has the skills to get into college and can afford to go, that the student must go. The problem with this mindset is that it takes away an opportunity for high schoolers to follow their passions instead of what they are merely expected to do after high school. Of course, there are benefits to going to college. A college education can be invaluable through what students learn both in classes and on campus. Students learn important skills and lessons from their peers and experiences at college. A college education can give students skills and the degree they need to get jobs they want, or to get into graduate school. College is a place where people make lifelong friends. Students can move away from home, but still live in a supportive environment. College students can follow their passions in college, or find new ones, be it school, sports, music, art, or something else. In spite of all this, college isn’t for everyone. It is risky for students to apply and to commit to colleges blindly, without really considering the significance of making the decision to go. Nationwide, less than 60% of first time college students graduate in six years. In 2013, the average amount debt per college graduate was nearly $30,000. Going to college is not the only way to become successful. In 2012, 53% of recent college graduates in the U.S. were either unemployed, or were working jobs that did not require bachelor’s degrees. As more and more
people go to college, there is a shortage of skilled labor. Jobs that require training, but not a college degree, can have high salaries. However, they are becoming less popular. The pursuit of passion, rather than the pursuit of wealth, or of meeting expectations can be more rewarding. Of course, going to to college can be a pursuit of passion. If you can find passion in college, great. If you can’t, it may time to consider other options, especially if you dislike school. If we only see two possible paths ahead of us: go to school or work at McDonalds, we are not really looking at all of our options. We have more than one option for what to do after high school. Students take gap years before college where they travel, work, and or do community service. After high school, people can learn trades that they are passionate about, training to become a pilot, a hairdresser, a chef, an electrician, a plumber, etc. High school graduates can get jobs,start businesses, or go to college. Contrary to what some of our families may tell us, college is an option, not an obligation. If we can take time to consider all of our options and to evaluate what it is that we want to do, we create an opportunity to find happiness and passion in what we choose to pursue, whether it is in college or somewhere else. If we go to college, we should do it because we want to. I’m not saying you shouldn’t go to college. If you have the opportunity to go, you should probably go. If you already hate school, don’t feel ready for college, or have a passion you would rather pursue outside of school, college might not be the best choice for you. If you don’t know what you want to do, that’s okay too. Though decisions about college are important, they are not the only decisions we will ever make. Of course college isn’t for everyone. That doesn’t mean it isn’t for you. Just take a moment and ask yourself: “is college for me?”
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Opinion
High School is NOT a musical MYTH: “Mean Girls” BUSTED: Since M-A’s student population is so large, it is impossible to distinguish one single clique that makes people drop to their knees in jealousy.
MYTH: Jocks are bullies BUSTED: Although the big leather jackets may be intimidating, it is very rare to find a football player shoving a kid inside a locker.
MYTH: “The Misfits” BUSTED: There are so many different types of people and groups at M-A that there aren’t specific groups considered “weirdos” or “outcasts.”
E
yes glued to the screen, your jaw drops as your eight year-old mind prepares to sit through a classic high school movie. You dance along to Grease, memorize songs from High School Musical, and fear the vicious personalities in Mean Girls. As a child, high school appears to be some big, magical place where you make countless friends, a few enemies, and find your high-school sweetheart. But where do all these expectations go once you step foot onto M-A? Walking onto the MenloAtherton campus on your first day of freshman year, you shove through crowds of people in Pride Hall not knowing a single face in the crowd. You come to realize that the perfect high school experience is only a juvenile fantasy you kept dearly until this very day, where all the myths about this amazing place are busted. High school is not a musical, you don’t get to go shopping after school everyday and no, you will most likely not date the captain of the football team. The truth of the matter is that high school is a jungle. No matter what grade you are in, you will always feel stressed and pressured to work harder, and be more and more mature. Senior Lauren Nathan is nearly finished with her high school days and shares that “despite the fact that it was really hard at times to finish all my assignments and get enough sleep and worry about college apps and everything else going on, you kind of build a family with your close friends and even your class as a whole, and I look back and I realize how much I’ve grown and learned, and how I evolve with my classmates
during those four years. It really is unique for everyone.” Along with that, M-A is a very large school with many expectations, and gives individuals a chance to find themselves and make strong friendships. Faith Dunn, a freshman at Menlo-Atherton says that “although my expectations were not nearly as close to how big the school really is, everyone is still so kind and accepting and I was surprised at what an encouraging environment it is.” Classic high school stereotypes lead you to expect something of an illusion of what high school will be like. People may not sing and dance through the hallways, but you might find a fellow classmate strumming on a ukulele. Maybe some leadership students will be hanging posters while your friend is munching on student-store-bought fruit snacks walking across the infamous M-A Green. Reality hits you in a surprising way; although it’s not quite like the movies, it is still an exceptional experience. You find yourself memorizing history terms at lunch in the library with your friends and although stressed, you are still enjoying yourself. As a whole, when you think about what you imagined high school to be like, besides all the hard tests and sleepless nights, you see that the unique experience M-A has to offer will teach you lessons you would never have expected to learn, that stick with you forever preparing you for the endless challenges ahead.
MYTH: Cheerleaders and Football players BUSTED: there is not much to it, but it is extremely rare to see a cheerleading uniform and a varsity jacket interlocked strutting through the halls of M-A.
by Sofia Bergmann
35
March 2014 Opinion
STONER By Marta Fatica
When students at M-A talk about drugs, there is a high chance that the drug will be marijuana. Although medical marijuana is legal in California, the recreational use of it has not yet been legalized. However, there is a significant portion of M-A students who participate in smoking marijuana. Jane* explains that she began smoking marijuana after her friends started. Moving here from the East Coast, Jane commented that Menlo-Atherton is actually less tolerant than where she comes from, stating that “There’s a lot more judgement if you do, and also more if you don’t.” Katie, who does not smoke but has friends who do, thinks that among her friend group, smokers are “generally...accepted, it’s taken as very normal.” John reiterated Katie’s sentiments, saying that he and his friends try not to judge people on their smoking habits. Regardless of whether they believe M-A is an accepting community, all three believe that there are stereo-
types prevalent around school about those who smoke. Jane, who admits that she smoked more in her old town than here, states that the word “stoner” alone has its own connotation. To her, “the stereotype of a stoner is [definitely] white and normally male” and that stereotypes tend to differ based on race and gender. Generally, the stereotype she hears most about is that of the unmotivated smoker, who is “laid back and always hungry”. Katie echoes these views, mentioning that “huge potheads” tend to receive less respect because people view them as unmotivated and lazy. However, all three are quick to mention that not everyone fits into the “mold” of a smoker. “A lot of my close friends smoke and get straight A’s” mentioned John; he does concede, however, that some people he knows have gotten “a little lost in it”. In general, while there are stereotypes about smokers, the prevailing attitude at M-A tends to be indifferent towards the issue of marijuana use.
*All names have been changed.
Statistics:
4.3 Americans Abuse marijuana* 36.4% of 12th graders use marijuana **
*According to the Califronia department of HEalth **Study performed by University of Michigan
36
Stere types
Opinion
In spirit of the controversy over the legalization of Marajuana in both Colorado and Washingtion, I thought it would be fun to playfully imagine the various types of weed smokers that might exist among us. Enjoy :) by Kristen Walsh
The Wake and Bakes / The Bedtime Bowls The stoners who are found smoking weed the moment they wake up and the moment they go to bed.
Probably find them: in a bed or on a couch.
Sh*t they’d say: “ I had two bowls for breakfast, neither of them was cereal.”. “Looks like it’s just Mary and I tonght”
The Stoffenders (The defensive stoners) They are constantly defending their need for marijuana and advocating the potential benefits OF SMOKING IT.
Probably find them: Grouping together at a party, glaring and attempting to hide their weed.
Sh*t they’d say: “Marijuana is herbal man.” “It is not a drug, it is a flower.”
The Social Stoners
The Stonerds
only seen smoking weed at a party or kickback.
( The nerd stoners) The ones staying up all night playing videogames or seen acing a test when baked.
Probably find them:
Probably find them:
At a party or Ditching school with a group of freinds.
Sh*t they’d say: “A friend with weed, is a friend indeed.” “Let’s get high!”
The Wannabe Stoner The ones WHO ThiNK IT IS “COOL TO SMOKE” AND HAVE NO CLUE ON WHAT THEY ARE DOING, THOUGH THEY PRETND they DO.
Probably find them: buying a bag of Oregino from a 15 year old.
Sh*t they’d say: “Omg are my eyes red?” “Wait, what’s a bong?”
Playing videogames or working on the computer.
Sh*t they’d say: “Do you wanna watch Star Wars?” “Dude where are my glasses? Oh nevermind i’m wearing them.”
The Weed Connoisseur Stoners who know of every strain and only smoke what they believe is the best.
Probably find them: At a Medicinal marijuana dispensary or dealing.
Sh*t they’d say:
“Oh I got some Sour Diesel and OG Skywalker man “ “just look at the soft green coloer and all the 37 tri-combs”
March 2014 Opinion
Not Enough Homework by Nico Plume 3:15. The bell rings. School is over. Time to go home and do what I’ve been longing to do all day. But first I have to battle my way through the parking lot and the traffic all the way home. Finally I arrive home. I shout a terse “Hi” to my mom before escaping to my room. At last. I can do my homework. The one aspect of school that I look forward to everyday, counting down the minutes until I can begin toiling hours upon hours upon my homework. Not only is it fun and enjoyable, but homework also holds a profound effect on my schoolwork: doing the same type of problem over and over even when I understood the topic after the first problem truly cements the skill into my brain. Or at least until I am allowed to repeat the process the next night. On most nights I finish my homework the same day that I started it, around 11:30 or 12. Yet after I finish, I am at a lack of what to do. My friends are either engaged in work or asleep, so there is no one I can talk to. Going to bed myself is out of the question, I have established throughout the years that getting a full 3 hours of sleep is plenty for me; I can function fully and properly the next day without wasting my time sleeping. Often in order to spend my time usefully, I’ll redo homework assignments or read ahead, but recently I have encountered a problem: there’s no more text to work ahead on. I am now at a loss of what to do: I have already learned all the material in the curricula for every class. I only wish my teachers would assign more homework. Then I could spend my time wisely staying up until 4 a.m. doing tasks that will truly improve my education, such as repeating the same type of problem over and over and over. Yet parents and teachers seem to think that this lack of sleep that I run into is going to hinder my performance, but I disagree. I have been able to handle it so far, along with playing a year-round sport, and so why would I be unable to handle it in the future? Personally, I find that the main objection that is raised in relation to me doing homework all night is that others, both professional and social, do not believe that I get enough sleep a night. My doctor has explained to me 38
that a person my age, 16 years old, needs 9 hours and 15 minutes of sleep per night. Per night! When my doctor first told me this, I thought that she had said “per week,” and I was hesitant to tell her that I did not fulfill these requirements. But then she spoke up and I understood that she had said “per night.” Ha. Like that’s ever going to happen. I attempted to hide this fact from her, but she eventually weeded it out of me. After she figured out that I suffer from a “lack of sleep” (I still disagree), she then proceeded to tell me the drawbacks of sleep deprivation. I found this lecture to be quite interesting, yet not very relevant to my life. She explained that a lack of sleep causes a hindrance to one’s ability to learn; but I’m personally having a very hard time coming up with anyone at M-A who encounters difficulty whilst studying and memorizing as a result of sleep deprivation. But then again, I already knew this fact, and used it as a defense for why I was getting enough sleep: I do not encounter problems in my learning. In an attempt to convince me of her argument, my doctor then explained that sleep deprivation has many drawbacks: it makes one more vulnerable to acne; it can cause one to consume unhealthy foods, leading to weight gain; and it can lead to illness. However, I find that I suffer from none of the above, thus it was very hard for me to listen to my doctor seriously for she obviously had no real knowledge or authority on the topic. After thinking about this encounter further, I determined that because my doctor had no idea what she was talking about in relation to sleep, then neither would anyone else. Therefore, I am committed to maintaining my (light) workload and persisting to stay up until 4 am working ahead. For now I have been reduced to creating my own practice problems. And thus my afternoon goes: working on homework to my life’s content. Yet I do allow myself to indulge: most nights I work on my homework with a bag of candy, my favorite is M&Ms, until 4 a.m., at which time I get ready for bed, making sure to wipe my face with antiacne swabs to keep the pimples at bay, and climb into bed, waiting for the time when I can begin my homework again.
Opinion
t i r a e H Let’s s e i d a L e h t r o f by Francesca Gilles
I
n the classroom and in the workplace, women have made astounding progress throughout the last century. Within a period of one hundred years, women went from being exclusively domestic to comprising 47 percent of the total U.S. Labor force. However, constant roadblocks have prevented women from coming as far as they should have, and continued stereotypes, biased media, and just plain sexism are the reasons. Though women account for 60 percent of all bachelor’s degrees awarded in the United States, they still make, on average, less than 70 percent of a man’s salary at the same job. Is this because women are less competent workers? Of course not. It results from a long history of boys’ clubs and exclusion, of stigmas and stereotypes. Even now, women are marginalized by certain men who believe that their only worth lies in their physiques. Frankly, the fact that Hillary Clinton even made it to the primaries in 2008 was a miracle; the Mother Jones profile, published in the same year and entitled “Harpy Hero Heretic: Hillary” demonstrates the disrespectful, almost disdainful view of the former First Lady. Women in politics especially have to create domineering, intimidating images of themselves in order to survive the constant red tape, yet this makes them seem unappealing to voters and leaves them subject to media ridicule. Does anyone actually care or even know about Laura Bush’s initiatives to promote education, such as the National Anthem Project and National Book Festival? Of course not. She is known only as the wife of a president commonly thought of as stupid.
Despite the backwards nature of our political system and media, popular broadcasting has made some changes for the better. Comedienne Tina Fey has become an idol for countless teenagers and young women as an image of the perfect woman: a combination of intelligence, style, and down-to-earthedness. In fact, the “quirky,” nerdy girl has become an increasingly popular ideal over the traditional image of the blond, supermodel-esque bombshell with no personality to speak of. The days of The Hills and Gossip Girl have passed, and self-proclaimed nerds and girlsnext-door have come to replace the Blair Waldorfs and Lauren Conrads. It’s progress for sure; idealizing apparent intelligence over superficiality leads to a more informed generation of girls with higher self-esteem and more ambition. However, it’s possible that these strong female figures are being undermined by the continued presence of negative press that female politicians and prominent career women receive. Powerful women are slapped with derogatory labels for demonstrating qualities that are prized when attached to male figures. It’s not the role models that are failing the modern teen; it’s the knowledge that if we should choose to enter into the public arena, we have two options: to be an icon, or a target. Do females face such abuse because of fear that women are “taking over?” If it is, that’s completely uncalled for; women are joining men at the helm and a “takeover” is both unlikely and implausible. But even if it were plausible, would that really be such a bad thing? 39
“Powerful women are slapped with derogatory labels for demonstrating qualities that are prized when attached to male figures.”
Photography Nina Fox
40
A&E
Illegitimate Happiness Advice by Molly Kearnan
“Happiness is my heart fluttering because I know something good is about to happen.”
“Happiness is getting a DoubleDouble from In N’ Out.”
“Happiness is the hot guy in my Spanish class asking me a question.”
N
o matter the definition in the dictionary, happiness means something different to everyone; your experiences and the people that surround you that shape your own personal definition. You can not simply research “how to be happy” and hope that Google will give you the answer. Nor can I sit here and write you a handy guide telling you to “drink green tea” and “tell your family you love them.” Happiness is up to you. In theory, you could try these things, but they won’t necessarily help you: happiness is not “one size fits all.” You have to figure out what makes you happy and then, to the best of your ability, you do it. The secret, allusive key to being happy is, infact, wanting to be happy. “For the majority of my freshman year I was in a really bad place. It wasn’t until I realized that the world wasn’t against me and that I had control over my own life that I started to feel better,” admits a M-A student that wishes to remain anonymous. You cannot expect happiness to fall into your lap, you have to go out and achieve it. It may not happen immediately but it is something that you should constantly be striving for. An unfortunate tendency of teenagers is the romanticizing of depression. On popular social media sites such as Tumblr or Instagram, it is easy to find posts glorifying the “dark beauty” of self harm. We make it seem as if it is somehow desirable to be broken and lost. Depression is not tragically beautiful; it is purely tragic. So it is important that teenagers as a whole move away from this mindset and instead concentrate on finding, and then maintaining, happiness. If you do not know where to start, I suggest learning to, amidst all the stress that comes with high school, cherish the little things in your day that make you smile, even if it is only for a second (please refer to list).
Appreciate...
“Happiness is ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams.”
“Happiness is accepting life for what is rather than what you think it should be.”
1. When your Euro test gets canceled. 2. When that cute guy in your class finally remembers your name. 3. When you hit 100 likes on your facebook profile picture. 4. When you win the race of you in shorts vs the golf cart. 5. When you go to bed before the sun rises. 6. When your friend (or even someone you’ve never talked to before but hey, if they have gum, they’re automatically your new best friend) has gum. 7. When you hear the words “You don’t need to write this down.” 8. When you actually like the song playing during a hall sweep. 41
MARCH 2014 NEWS
Affluenza E
by Lissette Espinoza
than Couch, a Texas teen, drove under the influence of stolen alcohol, and valium; he had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit. Couch was driving his father’s company Ford pickup with several passengers when he crashed into four pedestrians. Couch was driving approximately 70 miles-per-hour in a 40-miles-per-hour zone and ended their lives; the crash also paralyzed one of his own passengers who can now only communicate through blinking. At Couch’s trial, a psychologist declared that he suffered from “affluenza,” a disorder in which the wealthy lose sight of their behavior and overlook the consequences of their actions. Instead of a sentence of 20 years for manslaughter, Judge Jean Boyd ruled ten years of probation with rehabilitative treatment. This leniency has moved California’s legislature to propose a bill that would prohibit “affluenza” from being used as a defense in trials because, as California Assemblyman Mike Gatto says, “it doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that the relatively lenient sentence … will lead attorneys to see this [as] something to use in their overall tool box.” The argument we see for Couch’s sentence is this: if the obstacle is wealth, it can be overcome; yet someone who is not well-off but who faces the same charges would not receive any mercy in trial. The judge’s sentence dismantles the severity of the case, creating a wider gap between the affluent and the middle- and low-income classes with this inane method of treatment for a wealthy teen’s reckless actions. What lurks behind this sentence is not an epidemic; it is constant. To see news like this is discouraging with regard to the history of our nation and people’s struggle for fairness and justice. This trial is horrific; essentially, this teen’s parents are being fined for the deaths of those four pedestrians and the paralysis of another by paying for their son’s rehab. Once in 2012, Judge Boyd sentenced a black teen to ten years in juvenile detention after killing a young boy with one punch. Judge Boyd had pushed for rehab for this teen as well, but no facilities would take the teen. Couch, however, has parents who can afford the $500,000 stay at California’s luxurious Newport Academy rehabilitative center which specializes in equine-assisted psychotherapy, clients can enjoy nature walks and also has chef-prepared meals. Facilities have less incentive to take violent offenders unless money is introduced, which appropriates the circumstances for both situations the way the judge has. Though the black teen’s actions were arguably more violent because of his intent to harm, Couch’s behavior--stealing alcohol, driving with a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit, valium in his system, speeding--was criminal recklessness. This decision is a disillusioned form of compassion for the teen in an attempt to rehabilitate a young man with good treatment. So Ethan Couch gets to go to summer camp for his crimes because there is nothing more important than his sobering up, thanks to his family’s ability to hire a psychologist to examine him and argue he was a sinking ship in a sea of money. The teen could have spent three years in juvenile detention and transferred into an adult prison for the next 17 years. 42
Couch will be learning from his mistakes at a fun rehab center for wealthy teens and their problems with coming to terms with reality. Where doctors will help these teens cope with their frivolousness stemmed from the ideals of teenhood: rebellion, living freely, being outspoken, and always standing on the edge. A living in which that is corrupt and robs people more than they think they have earned. A philosophy accepted by many, yet one that can be widely interpreted based on a person’s foundation is: if life isn’t being enjoyed then it really isn’t living. This is a philosophy in which the wealthy could tailor like a new suit to fit their needs in perfect hedonist harmony. And in a way, Ethan Couch is a glimpse of the children of the powerful 1% who has ability to change everything with his wealthy. This attitude is prevalent among the affluent student body regarding education. Those who are in advanced classes don’t all have a higher appreciation for the subject. It is obvious that the quality of the teaching or the lack of interest in the actual subject is not a deal breaker for taking a college course when students are copying each other’s homework, when they scramble nonsense for assignments, and complain about “harder” exams that would call for extra studying (like actually having to study). In the Silicon Valley the aloof style is major, because the merit is in the individual, at least that’s the statement people are making when they arrive in their pj’s and college sweaters. But the whining is incessant. A shallow battle often by those dressed for bed when they discover their grade is on a cusp, two points away from an “A.” The egos of students at M-A have been cushioned with de-stress mantras of classroom assignments when all students oppose a quote quiz on its difficulty and argue that it damages the self-esteem. Self-esteem at M-A is enriched when accelerated students get the grades they want without having to strain themselves, without putting out genuine effort. I reflect that we, as students, as a culture, have lost our spiritual integrity. Our spirit is the resilience for our integral being, our essence that provides us the focus and capacity for our self-expression. “Soul” and “spirit,” I find, are interchangeable, and to consider the quality of our living under these terms will allow us to uncover traits, habits, passions that deserve more thought and consideration, as they lead to the immediate--instantaneous reactions and emotions and the issues we recognize first and what we consider to affect the quality of our lives. To allow ourselves to learn about themselves will reveal to us the ways we learn and how we communicate. Right now, I find students’ interest in learning is lacking, memorizing seems to be the only custom, and ultimately M-A’s intellectual climate is neck-and-neck with this drought--dispassionate and impersonal is what one might call the modern student’s approach to learning at school. This narrow perception is defiant of a person’s integrity; it fails to acknowledge that each individual’s experience does have real value and an affect on all of us. The idea that rules may have a history and a greater importance in our lives discredits any decent approach to learning and attaining integral knowledge when every subject seems to shrink in schools into nothing, that pools only into an “A” and a 4.0 GPA.
A&E
What the Fluc? by Gabe Cohen Look in the office on any given day during lunch; you’ll see a number of the tan burlap bags, but they are not from parents. The newly founded food delivery service, Fluc enables customers to order and receive food from a plethora of restaurants in their area. Founded in 2012 by Australian born Tim Davis, Fluc is a service widely utilized around the community, however, it seems that students have grown particularly fond. Craving a Chipotle burrito after your APUSH test? Maybe Cream during AP Lit? Fluc is the company for you. Junior Hannah Grossman explains “Fluc is easily the best invention since Angry Birds.” However, if you wish to order food from the hours of 1:45 P.M. through 5 P.M., you are out of luck, as Fluc does not deliver during this period. Hannah’s excitement is reflective of many other Menlo-Atherton students, as well as other students at neighboring schools. While the service has been disallowed on the Sacred Heart campus, as of now, Fluc is still an acceptable means of lunch service here at M-A, so enjoy it while you can.
\’flük\ or \’flək\? 43
MARCH 2014 sports MArch MAdness
Let
Let The
The Madness
Madness
Let
Let The
The Begin 2014 The Let
The Madness
Let
Madness The
The Let March Madness, the tournament every college basketball player dreams of, is right around the corner. It is “the tournament of champions,” a wild experience almost as nationally recognized as the Super Bowl. But what is it that makes everyone so “mad”? Men and women of all ages sit down at a computer or with a group of friends and devise, strategize, bet, and try to predict the outcome and create the perfect bracket that will lead to a year of bragging rights among friends, gloating at school or work, and maybe even some extra cash in their pockets. Why is March Madness so popular? According to Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated Magazine, it is because “It is the largest national single-elimination competition anywhere in the world.” One buzzer beater or Cinderella miracle can make or break a season. An entire season of training can be gone in a blink of an eye. All the other major sporting competitions with the exception of football, are decided by a long series that drags on for multiple days, often a best of 5 or 7 games. Ratings go up for the Super Bowl or Game 7 of the World Series because spectators want to watch people battle for a championship in one game. A single game to decide who wins and who goes home will grab the attention of spectators. There is that moment of uncertainty where anything can happen and one team could just be better on that particular day. No second chances. No redemption. Get Ready for 44 the Madness!
Let
General Rules: Never pick a 16th seed to win a game Rationalize the fact that you actually knew that this team was going to win Always look at Obama’s Draft before deciding anything (as our president he should know something) Do not put all number 1 seeds in the Final Four Pick the teams you have heard of to go the farthest (Duke, Syracuse, Florida, Louisville, etc.) Do not solely abide by the seedings when filling out your bracket Be aware that a 12 seed almost always upsets a 5 seed in the first round. by Sami Andrew
Lacrosse Sports PReview
sports
by Brett Moriarty and Matt DeTrempe
Boys Lacrosse
Girls Lacrosse
Key Returners: Duncan McGinnis, Jake Barry, Cole Key Returners: Samantha Shaffer Petersen, Morgan Corona
Gardiner,
Cathrine
Key Newcomers: Kevin Jaggers
Key Newcomers: Coach Middlemann
Team Goals: Win league for the 3rd straight year.
Team Goals: Establish a good program, Win league.
2013 record: 14-8
2013 record: 6-13-1
The boys varsity lacrosse team the past two years have done something that very few teams can do once: win the SCVAL title for lacrosse. However, these previous teams also had massive amounts of talented seniors both years that are now gone, so the question on everybody’s minds comes back this year again: How will the team fare this year? Senior Jake Barry has optimistic hopes. “I think that these last two years have really given us this reputation of being one of the best teams in the bay, and thats a good thing. It gives us a target on our backs to make sure we keep playing at that championship level, and if we do that, there’s no reason we can’t have a three-peat”. When asked how the incoming players from the lower level junior varsity team will fare, Barry was positive. “We have a lot of talent coming into the program as a whole. Kevin Jaggers, a freshman, is one of the fastest and hardest-hitting kids in the league, and can throw the ball pretty well. Junior Holden Kardos also has a lot of promise for the future”. The bears have their work cut out for them, with a tough league schedule, including games against Sacred Heart Prep, Menlo, and Palo Alto. However, “should the team play to their potential”, says Barry, “there should be no obstacle we can’t overcome”.
The girls lacrosse team underwent a complete overhaul in the offeseason, bringing in an experienced coach in coach Juliet Middlemann, as well as losing well over half of their squad from last year. However, the lady bears still maintain an air of optimism for the season. Senior Samantha Gardiner gave us her praises for some of the younger players on the team. “Freshmen Emma Easton and Grace Tully are really pulling our offense together, and Isabel Regonini is one of the fastest players on the team”. Gardiner also told us about how some of the older players are starting to step up. “Junior Captain Morgan Corona is really taking the reigns and leading our team at the midfield position. Junior Cathrine Petersen is also an amazing midfielder”. When asked about the new coach and how she has affected the team, Gardiner again had nothing but good things to say. “Coach Middlemann is extremely experienced, and has taught us an extremely large amount about the game in just a small amount of time. I’m glad to have her coaching us”. Under Coach Juliet Middleman, the lady bears already have a huge win against rival school Wodside, with a final score of 15-1. Hopefully, the new program can help the lady bears can exemplify these praises on the field this year.
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The MArk, a feature magazine published by the students in MenloAtherton High School’s Journalism class, is an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its readership. The MArk is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost. The staff welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy, and obscenity. Submissions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of all M-A students or the staff of The MArk. Send all submissions to submittothemark@gmail.com.
Photography Blanca Vina
# themamark @themamark themarkjourn@gmail.com. submittothemark@gmail.com