March MArk, 2012 by Betsy Sergeant Snow

Menlo-Atherton High School Volume II Issue III

Club Starz

Can’t stop till you get enough. Find out what you can’t get enough of on:

page 22

Post Potter Depression

We want Dumble-more!

page 13

Unheatlhy 111 Moments and Reasons to Celebrate Everyday

This list has 111 moments and reasons that contribute to making life sweet.

page 36

Hi, I’m A Foreigner

Words from the frontlines of Sweden

page 19

Police vs. Studentss

Student and Police go head to head.

page 30

Editor-in-Chief: Haley McCabe Art Editor: Maria Ikonomou Managing Editor: Max Goldenstein Content Editor: Jeff LaPlante Layout Editor: Nicky Hug Photography Editor: Suzie McMurtry Social Manager: Anna Luke Staff:

the MArk

Peter Berquist Samantha Bloom Sasha Borbrowicz Julie Caldas Leland Callahan Joanne Cho Anna de Benedictis Peter Freschi Fiona Gutierrez-Dewar Helmi Henkin James Hoffman Megan Kilduff Simone King Lindy LaPlante Riley Lico Charlotte McMillan JP Nash Katherine Nealis Stephanie Sabatini Miari Scott Lauren Smith Cayla Stillman Quinn Sweetnam Amy Taeaotui Alexandra Vlassova-Kudrevatykh Lawson Joos Jason Heinen Filip Grehn Advisor: Betsy Snow

Cover Art: Max Goldenstein Photography: Vanessa Wijaya 2

celebration issue

March 2012

13 Post-Potter Depression 19 Hi, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Foreign 22 Club Starz 30 Police vs. Students 36 111 Moments and Reasons to Celebrate Everyday

creative 8 Cartoons 20 Photo Spread 28 Cool Is Where Groovy Left Off - Fashion Spread

32 Photo/Art Spread feature

10 Helium Shortage 18 Will You Go to Prom With Me?

42 New School Slaps 44 Last Minute Looks fun 12 Word Play 27 A Pickup Line For Every Occasion

38 How to Avoid Talking

to People Without Being Rude

the MArk

table of contents

cover

the MArk

March 2012

AIN’T NO PARTY LIK

IKE AN M-A PARTY

the MArk

Maria Ikonomou and Lauren Smith ÂŠ

March 2012

Act V, Period 4, Prompt 6, Waiting for the Bell -Jack Donahue

the MArk

If only this essay could have been written hereafter There would have been time for such a prompt then. Tomorrow or tomorrow but not today, For fourth period creeps in this petty pace until lunch And all our yesterdays have lighted smarter people The way to an “A”. Hurry up damn clock! My essay’s but a walking shadow, compared to others which strut Across the page and are read no more Mine is an essay, written by an idiot, Full of passive voice, Meaning nothing.

Almost But Not Quite - Mao Mei Sonkin

Just at the start of the race I almost lost everything I twirled like a ballerina, My toes hopping like rabbits My body ﬂying through the air Fingers screaming for someone to hear them The fresh air was disappearing As the birds mocked me Singing songs of love and long life The parents sat engrossed in their conversation Playing out a silent movie I too played out a silent movie It was a war In which I was the only ﬁghter I cried and wailed Shooting off missiles Only to have the gun powder Smack me in the face Insulting my attempts to get the attention I desperately needed Far across the way A red blob bobbed In my blurry vision Un-aware of his friend Help! Help! help Me! The words were lost like buried treasure Except no one was looking for something that wasn’t lost

SPLASH Saved A silent movie, gaining its voice, suddenly howling with commotion My lungs bonded with air again Settling an agreement to be best friends I could now keep on walking, jogging or running The race of life

the MArk

Gurgling, gasping, gagging, gritting I sank

March 2012

Michael and and Michael Maria make make Maria cartoons. cartoons.

Michael thinks. Maria draws. Sometimes offensive.

Nobody likes Wednesdays, so to help you get over the weekly hump, Michael and Maria make cartoons. We hope to lighten your mood and make getting through the week just a little bit easier.

the MArk

michaelandmaria.tumblr.com

the MArk

Complimentary Goods Margaret Ringler Marker and Digital Illustration

March 2012

Helium Shortage by Charlotte McMillan

Balloons have always been a standard decoration at every party, from baby showers to birthdays to goodbye parties. They are the ultimate symbol of fun and games, but these floating plastic embellishments may not be around for long. Yes, the rumors are true. The earth is running out of helium. We will be clean out of the gas in 25-30 years. This affects more than the party industry, since hospitals use it to cool down their MRI scanners, anti-terrorist associations use it for their radiation monitors, and NASA uses it to buffer their toxic rocket fuel. It is a nonrenewable muchneeded resource, and unfortunately helium can only be made by stars, the closest being the sun, or by the natural decay of radioactive terrestrial rock.

the MArk

Is this the fault of global warming, pollution, or overpopulation? No. Researchers say that the blame falls solely on the United States. Congress passed Helium Privatization Act passed in 1996, declaring that the US National Helium Reserve, which was the biggest store of helium in the entire world, must sell all their helium by 2015, never mind the market price. This flooded the world market, and helium became far too cheap. Even though the helium storage is not completely empty, the market is overflowing and the distribution cannot be reversed. Experts say that the ordinary single balloon should cost about $100, due to the rarity of the gas.

But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lose hope yet! After the United States runs out of helium, our government will most likely import the gas from competing countries such as (surprise!), China and India. After the inevitable demise of the gas on earth, experts say that some helium may have been carried from the sun to the moon. And after that? Mercury and Venus are loaded with the vital gas, but transporting it may become problematic. So the next time you let go of a balloon and watch it float away, remember that those few ounces of helium are gone from the world forever.

A D P

Asha Holi Danielle Walsh Photography

Cultural Celebrations by Joanne Cho Away from the birthday celebrations, there are events that originate from different cultures, celebrated by students here at M-A. A popular Hindi celebration called Holi, also known as the festival of colors, marks the end of winter and the beginning of the spring season. It celebrates the vitality and bright colors that come with spring. At this festival, hundreds of people throw different colored powders at friends, family, and strangers alike. According to sophomore Danielle Walsh, Holi is an event she and her friends look forward to every year because of its fun atmosphere with “a lot of dancing, music, food, and people yelling ‘Happy Holi!’” Despite the popular assumption that parties usually revolve around one’s birthday, there are are range of celebrations that orginate from different cultures, celebrating different things. Whether it is a small gettogether, a big sweet sixteen, or a powder-throwing celebration, the M-A community’s calendar consists of a variety of diverse celebrations that are equally significant 11 and enjoyable for all.

the MArk

There is a wide variety of parties and celebrations for people of all different cultures celebrated here at M-A. From typical “sweet sixteen” parties to the Bar Mitzvah celebration, such events spark excitement in people of all ages, worldwide. Within the M-A community, there are many students who take part in these different celebrations. A vast majority of the M-A student body attends the typical birthday party, sweet sixteen, or rave which have been granted the general label of a “party”. However, there are many other types of celebrations that have more meaning than merely getting together with friends. Quinceñeras and Bar Mitzvahs are examples of significant celebrations in teenagers’ lives because they “represent a really big milestone” for individuals, according to M-A sophomore, Lisanne Horwitz, who shares the details of the Bat Mitzvah she had in March a few years back. Lisanne remembers “look[ing] forward to it forever,” because it was the day she would “officially be a teenager.”

March 2012 March 2012

Definition

Word Play

Party [parh-tee] noun 1. A social gathering, as in invited guests at a private home, for conversation, refreshments, entertainment, etc. 2. A group gathered for a special purpose or task 3. A detachment, squad, or detail of troops assigned to perform some particular mission or service 4. A group of persons with common purposes or opinions who support one side of a dispute, question, debate 5. A group of persons with common political opinions and purposes organized for gaining political inﬂuence and governmental control and for directing government policy 6. A person or, usually, two or more persons together patronizing a restaurant, attending a social or cultural function, etc.

A Brief History

Party. We encounter the word daily in a multitude of contexts. The connotations are diverse, centering paradoxically on either bringing people together or driving them apart. The word has evolved over time to encompass a wide array of usages, some of them running towards the undigniﬁed and absurd.

by Samantha Bloom

Associations

Know Nothing Party: Yes, it was a real party, and they actually knew something but didn’t care to share Socialist Party: They knew how to share Communist Party: Revolution was a common party favor Green Party: It’s not easy being green, ask Kermit or Ralph Nader Nazi Party: Not everyone was invited Prohibition Party: They partied hard Tea Party: You can invite four year old girls or maybe Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich and get a different kind of tea party started

The word “party” originated in 12th century France from the word partie meaning “a part, a party,” or “literally, that which is divided.” Use of the word to reference political divisions began in about 1300. The use of party to describe a social gathering ﬁrst emerged in 1716 in the context of people gathering together for a given purpose, though the ancient Latin root provided the seed for this common usage, as it meant “to share.” Its usage as a verb dates back to 1922 and the common phrase “the party is over” was ﬁrst used in 1937. Creative syntax continued to spread, notably with the inception of the expression “party pooper” in 1951. Today the word is a common colloquialism, appearing in casual language and colorful slang.

the MArk

Curated Synonyms

Why head out to a plain-vanilla party when you can attend a....blowout, carousal, coffee klatch, do, fete, function, gala, movable feast, riot, shindig, soiree, splurge, spree, rave or kick-back? They hardly ever serve bad birthday cake.

Instead of joining a conventional party, how about something a bit more exotic such as a…bloc, cabal, coali11 tion, confederacy, coterie, faction, junta, ring, union, bevy, cluster, corps, covey, menagerie, outﬁt, troop. Why should camaraderie be comprehensible?

Hunting Party: Don’t invite Dick Cheney Slumber Party: Someone always cries War Party: Oxymoron Cocktail Party: It’s always Happy Hour somewhere Pity Party: Ice cream straight out of the carton

Postpotter Depression (PPD):

Post-

The Potter Party Has Ended

Depression Background: It has been over six months now since the release of the ﬁnal Harry Potter movie last July 15th, marking the close to the Potter wizarding era. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II was released on the premise “It all ends here.” and this statement sent a ripple of havoc pulsing through the universe of wizardry. Only natural for sorrow to overwhelm those people whose childhoods were founded on such a series, the extent of the depression has escaladed into a state of despair.

Early Warning Signs: It is difﬁcult to discern who truly has post-potter depression. While the sudden outbursts of potter related jokes in the classroom or work place now are accepted as the norm, these could be the signs of a developing unhealthy dependency on Harry Potter that can later develop into PPD. Those well versed in Potter jargon and trivia are at highest risk for developing PPD.

the MArk

Without the anticipation and excitement for the release of either another book or movie no reasons to congregate, celebrate, and discuss the series exist. Without bubbling butterbeer to gulp, horrific horcruxes to hunt, or transfiguration charms to test on toads, avid fans find themselves wandering aimlessly throughout the land of literature. Fans have resorted to reading the series for the twentieth time, reading the books from back to front to maintain interest. This prolonged condition of utter hopelessness, a lack of faith in the series, and dwindling belief in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and its wondrous enchantment, has come to be diagnosed as a condition by the name of post-potter depression (PPD). While some manage to maintain mental stability during the ending of a monumental era, PPD victims respond in extreme injurious manners. The disease, far more widespread than people know, is largely prevalent among teens and young adults who grew up during the era of Potter. Statistics reveal that two out of every three muggles between fourteen and twenty-five years of age are afflicted with this epidemic of depression. Without the preoccupation of this splendiferous series the world falls ever closer to chaos and the mental stability of youth is greatly endangered. Would it be excessive to insinuate apocalypse?

March 2012

the MArk

Symptoms: The symptoms of post-potter depression are similar to those of other depressions. In addition to a general sorrowful mood and withdrawal from daily interests those afflicted with the disease may exhibit the following symptoms: (feel free to check off those that apply to you personally) � Agitation or irritability � Sudden outbursts of offensive curses (including: avada kedavra, crucio, sectum sempra, imperio, or the extreme morsmordre) � An inexplicable craving for acid pops (most likely reflective of their bitter moods) � Feelings of worthlessness or guilt � Feeling withdrawn or unconnected with the muggle world � A physical dependence or addiction to felix felices, without which one cannot function � Speaking solely in Parsletongue (often accompanied by the dragging of a pet snake around by a dog leash and cat collar) � Muttering of indistinguishable incantations under one’s breath � Carrying around of wand-like holly branches � Lack of pleasure or interest in most muggle activities (particularly those involving balls that can’t fly) � Loss of concentration or energy � Weight gain often to the degree exhibited by Dudley Dursley � Problems performing patronuses and many other simple spells � Constant anxiety and fear of spontaneous Death Eater and/or Voldemort related attacks � Thoughts of death or suicide � Tapping of brick walls in an apparent pattern � Trouble sleeping and nightmares involving flashes of green light � Thoughts of torching their entire collection of the series (Although these feelings are scary, they are almost never acted upon. Still one should notify their doctor immediately should they experience these considerations) � Cases have also been documented of people, particularly middle aged men, sitting beneath their covers holding sticks and chanting lumos repeatedly, refusing to leave the hideouts despite desperate pleas by family members � Many snapped broomsticks have been found in dumpsters as well � Stray dogs have even been found wearing pillowcases with tea cozies strapped to their heads (this may explain the recent outbreak of dog-nappings plaguing the Peninsula) � Plumbers have received an unprecedented increase in calls regarding toilets clogged with various plants and pulverized beetle antennae strangely reminiscent of attempted potion brewing � Poison control centers have also reported numerous cases of people ingesting homebrewed liquid concoctions. (Upon examination scientists discovered many black hairs, strips of 11leather cow hide, and lumps of apparent purple potatoes in the brew, researches of the disease attribute these cases to

Polyjuice Potion attempts) � Attacks in dark alleyways by cloaked and/or hooded figures have spiked in the last several months as well * If one develops thoughts that are not based in reality, has lapses in memory, or starts hearing or seeing things others cannot, he or she should seek medical attention immediately. (It has been known for PPD victims to suffer from experiences such as Ginny’s in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) Diagnosis: Essentially anyone experiencing the above symptoms may have a case of PPD. Whether or not the case is extreme enough for medical hospitalization depends on the severity of outbursts and whether or not the person poses a risk to themselves or others. Screening questionnaires may help detect whether or not someone is afflicted with PPD. (See medical physicians for a proper diagnosis.) Treatments/Prevention: People who find themselves to be experiencing any of the symptoms of post-potter depression should take immediate steps to get help before more extreme reactions occur. Many outlets now exist for fans not ready to let the series vanish beneath a cloak of invisibility. Below are some potential forms of relief for PPD victims or preventative measures for those who find themselves to be at risk of developing PPD: � Don’t hide your feelings. � Ask your partner, family, and friends for help. � Visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida. � Join a PPD support group. � Host monthly Harry Potter movie marathons. � Don’t attempt to stop reading or enjoying the series cold turkey. � Download the Harry Potter audio books onto your ipod

Expectations (prognosis): No known duration for PPD has yet been determined as it is a relatively new condition. If left untreated, PPD is believed

to be able to remain a life long condition. If the disease worsens eventual death by hallucination in which one believes oneself to be flying on a broomstick presents a potential risk. Remember don’t be afraid to seek help immediately if you feel overwhelmed and are afraid that you may develop PPD, chances are you are not alone and your fears are not unfounded. What can you do to help minimize the effects of PPD on your school and community? � If you attend a four-year institution suggest naming each grade after a different Hogwarts house (we recommend freshmen as Hufflepuff, sophomores as Slytherin, juniors as Ravenclaw, and seniors as Gryffindor) � Start a Quidditch team at your school to provide an outlet for those Potter deprived fans. � Hold an annual school banquet and feed on pumpkin juice, treacle tart, cauldron cakes, butterbeer, rock cakes, and licorice snaps. � Decorate the school like the holidays at Hogwarts each December. � Hold Harry Potter themed spirit days and dress up like your favorite characters. � Have drama students at your school organize a reenactment of Harry Potter in the auditorium. � Start a DA or Harry Potter Fan Club at your school or workplace.

Butterbeer Recipe: (compliments of the

foodnetwork.com) 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cup butterscotch topping 2 tablespoons whipped butter, room temperature 1 1/2 cups vanilla cream soda -or check out foodgawker.com for countless alternate butterbeer inspired The world as a whole is struggling through the ending of this recipes Harry Potter era. Those born within the last two decades are

particularly susceptible to PPD seeing as they comprise the Harry Potter generation and do not recall life without this literary phenomenon. Regardless, loyal Harry Potter followers ought not despair; while the series may have come to a close the story will live on forever. As the generation of the Harry Potter era we shall forever celebrate this series. 11 the MArk

� Explore mugglenet.com, the-leaky-cauldron.org, or insider. pottermore.com for an endless supply of Potter fun. � Don’t try to do too much, or to be perfect, it’s a difficult period in your life. � Make time to go out, visit friends, or pet your cat Crookshanks. � Rest as much as you can. � Sip butterbeer while taking a warm bath tub with magical assorted bubbles (avoid bringing gold eggs into the water) � Draw Maurarder Maps on napkins in restaurants while waiting for your food. � Always carry a small beaded bag in your pocket filled with emergency nosebleed nougat. � Seek medical attention and ask your doctor or nurse for a referral to a mental health therapist. (St. Mungo’s is known for its outstanding PPD practitioners.) � Watch “Harry Potter Puppet Pals: Snape’s Diary” on youtube for a routine pick-me-up. � If you are diagnosed with a severe case of PPD, you may need to be observed closely for at least 6 months to prevent any irrational outbursts or impersonations of Dumbledore and/or Hermione. � There are several types of antidepressant medications that may be administered to patients including Skele-gro, Bubotuber pus, Pepperup potion, and finally Bezoars may be administered only to PPD victims who have fallen into a Potter related violent epileptic episode. � It has been advised that certain PPD patients routinely draw a lightening shaped scar on their forehead and wear round spectacles twice a week for the duration of two hours as a form of therapeutic relaxation.

by Fiona Gutierrez-Dewar

www.SarcasticDictionary.com/Menlo-Atherton

PAC (Pupil Access Cancelled) (noun)

Menlo -Atherton Bathrooms

A 30 million dollar building disguised as a student Performing Art Center but is actually used for everything except student interaction

(noun)

The most private of places on the MenloAtherton campus. Known for their cleanliness and fully stocked/undamaged facilities. The sweet smell emanating from them will leave a smile on your face for the rest of the day

Summer Reading (noun)

Facebook (noun)

A site found on the internet which focuses on taking valuable time and making it disappear

Rally

Or assigned reading over summer, usually completed only when on a plane or otherwise completed through the convenient website known as Spark Notes.

(noun)

A Menlo-Atherton tradition which induces migraines, hot sweats, ringing in the ears, and in some cases excessive vomiting or an extreme case of immaturity producing multiple condom balloon-like symptoms

SSR Supposedly Silent Reading (noun)

College Application (noun)

the MArk

A realization that oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s academic career from grades K through 12 is in credibly insignificant

The time between second period and the beginning of third period which is mainly used for the following: eating, sleeping, talking, ignoring school announcements, finishing homework that was not done at home, actually looking at the posters that are hung in the teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room, etc.

by Anna Luke

Teacher

Celebrity look alikes Ms. Jacobs

Bryce Dallas Howard

Ms. Budde

Katie Holmes

Stephan Colbert

Have you noticed, M-A teachers leading double lives? They may not act like them, but they sure could be related.

the MArk

Mr. Roisen

http://www.desktopwallpaper.org/wallpaper/American-Flag/ http://www.graphicshunt.com/images/stephen_colbert-9312.htm http://www.askmen.com/celebs/men/entertainment_250/258_stephen_colbert.html http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2010/03/is_katie_holmes_pregnant.php

March 2012

Will you go to prom with me?

Prom is here! You wanna ask this girl in your Economics class to prom, but you just aren’t creative enough to come up with a good idea by yourself. Well, fear no longer! Here are ﬁve, foolproof ways to ask that girl you like to prom:

By Julie Caldas

Put Me Back Together: Use a big poster paper and write on it “Will you go to prom with me?” and then cut it into pieces and tell him to put it back together.

Get a clue: Send your date on a scavenger hunt. Have some clues lead to different places to ask your date to prom. At the end of the hunt have some friends there help you hold up a banner saying, “Will you go to prom with me?”

“ Just ask the girl straight up and pay for her ticket.” --Itzel Gutierrez

Breakfast?: Get a box of honey comb cereal and place it where she will see it and say “honey comb your hair because we are going to prom.”

the MArk

hings o do t ing h w s “Guy tic like br k roman ses and as r u o o r y u f o yo front t so n i u s o y u ts is j 11 paren ee cute.” --Nicole L

“I was asked to prom in the cutest way. I had a boquet of balloons and attached was a note and a needle. So I started to pop the balloons. A note fell to the ground saying, “Will you go to prom with me?” --Lindsay Lattin

M-A Leadership team drew this chalk outline to make it easier for you. Can you find it on campus?

What Time Is It?: Get a sticky note and put it on a clock and say “I hope its not to late, but will you be my date?”

Do you want to play tennis?: For the guys: Fill their car/locker with tennis balls and say “Sorry I didn’t have the balls to ask you to prom, but will you go with me?”

“If a g to pro irl asked m m like h , I would e er to a straig sk me h send t up and n p me.” eople to as ot k --Orla ndo G odine z

Hi, I’m Foreign by Filip Grehn

(Hej, jag är utländsk)

nce I sat down all alone in the airplane I still hadn’t realized what I was about to do. It felt like my family was still close around me, but as minutes passed by, I could feel we were moving further and further away from each other. People asked me hundreds of times before the departure if I was ready for this huge change. I wasn’t nervous at all about leaving. I wasn’t even sad when I left. Probably because I had no idea what I was about to do. I left everything; my family, friends and the area where I’ve lived my whole life, to go to an unknown country, where I didn’t know anyone, not even the people that I was going to stay with. I entered U.S. soil for the first time in my life and it wasn’t until then that I realized that this really was happening. I started to look around at all the people and they all looked more unfamiliar than the people I usually saw every day. I met the family that I was going to live with the next six months, which may seem hard but it really wasn’t. You may think that the cultural difference would be huge if you travel during a whole day, but Sweden and California are surprisingly similar to each other when it comes to culture and living. The biggest difference for me in the beginning was getting used to not living with my family and having to understand that my friends

PHOTOGRAPHY Suzie McMurtry

in Sweden were only reachable through the Internet. I had to start from scratch and find new friends. It was very hard in the beginning. I felt different and it was hard to try to get away from being “the exchange student”. I didn’t want to stick out too much from the crowd. Style, social interaction, and of course language made it hard to fit in. I didn’t want to be seen as a foreigner. I wanted to be an American, but I don’t think many people realized that that’s was what I wanted. Although it was hard in the beginning to meet friends I somehow didn’t feel alone. I had people around me all the time and it felt like I got a lot of attention, both from students and teachers. In the classroom I was the one to ask about things in Europe and since I didn’t know much about anything here, the teachers had to make sure that I understood. Students were also interested about my life in Sweden and I enjoyed sharing my experiences. Seven months has passed since I started my journey and I’m starting to realize how hard it is going to be to leave everything another time. Of course I’m excited to come home and see my family and friends again but I know that leaving the life here is going to be extremely hard. Therefore I tell myself that I one day will come back, not just for a vacation but to continue living the life I started during this year.

ARE YOU SEEING

? e l b Dou

the MArk

Is that Elijah Wood? No, that’s Mr. Senigaglia!

http://www.buddytv.com/elijah-wood.aspx

Hey! Wait is that Syndrome? Oops,11 thats actually Mr. Columbe.

the MArk 22

PHOTOGRAPHY Anna McDermott

the MArk

CLUB STaRZ

March 2012

Perhaps I am just a mainstream loser but I recall this club being referred to as “Club Ice.” Either way, most every person has had some sort of experience with this chaotic place. Be it their friends telling them about the “smokin’” girls they met there or actually experiencing the club in person, everyone knows this club is a major beast to contend with.

by Max Goldenstein

Step 1: Step 3: Bring your school ID and twenty dollars. Yeah, twenty whole dollars. Because if you don’t have either that over-steroided high school drop-out will drop-kick you the hell out of the club no questions asked. But why the ID? Well, Club Starz likes to limit the amount of 22 year olds that sneak in with fakes to grind with 14 year olds, so you should probably prove your innocence at the door.

Hydrate yourself well. There is no “getting warm” at Club Starz; you merely develop a body coat of sweat upon entrance. And I know what you are thinking, “I’ll just go and get a water from behind the counter.” Well unless you like $5 Red Bull, you are s*** out of luck. It may give you wings, but those wings can’t support you when you pass out underneath a sea of stomping feet.

Step 2: Step 4:

the MArk

Bring a friend. Going to Club Starz alone is like Chris Brown singing on a track with Rihanna, it’s just awkward. And do not kid yourself that going alone will still be fun. “There are lots of people there, I will make friends!” Well unless you have six-pack abs or cleavage to spare, you will be white noise amongst the gyrating hips of teenage hormones. Bring a friend so 22 you can have someone to complain about how crappy of a time you are having.

Be safe. Ladies this one is for you. I know you are the safest person and would never let anything happen to you (which is why you left your house with a shirt that reveals enough cleavage to make the Grand Canyon blush). But guess what!? There are creeps out there! So don’t get too attached to anyone, make friends but don’t “ﬂirt” by sharing addresses and social security numbers. You’re out to have fun, not develop a stalker.

Step 5:

Find other ways to have fun. Club Starz is cool but do not devote your life to the club. There is so much to do and while it is fun to feel like you are twenty-one once in awhile, try to act your age. You are young, so maybe go a Saturday night without caking on the make-up or wearing multiple push up bras (for the ladies) and ﬂexing all night or trying to pick up on women who are only interested in you because the room is darkly lit (guys). Be young, go to the movies, go for a walk, or experience genuine fun before you grow up and realize being an adult sucks. Everything in moderation.

the MArk

March 2012

“Something In The Water” Vanessa Wijaya Water Color

the MArk

the MArk

March 2012

the MArk

COOL

the MArk

is where

PHOTOGRAPHY Suzie McMurtry

the MArk

GROOVY

left off.

by Simone King Cayla Stillman

March 2012

Police

the MArk

Students

Here at M-A students of all ages will eventually experience mass amounts of stress during the week. Whether it’s from homework, teachers or problems in one’s very own social life. A common gateway to stress relief among students during the weekend is to get together with friends and maybe even meet some new people. Basically, students just want to party. A frequent occurrence at high school parties is the presence of alcohol or other illegal substances for minors. With the Menlo Park/Atherton police on the look out for illegal activity, high school students have recently become more susceptible to getting caught by the police on accounts of underage drinking. Although one would expect that the Menlo-Atherton High School population would contain large amounts of hatred towards the police force, a more common feeling is that the police are just wasting their time. Junior, Cassie Stansberry, explains how ineffective it is when the police attempt to break up high school parties, “All they do usually, is they just kick everybody out, and then we [the students] just try and find another party. It’s not really being stopped, because the only person who gets in trouble is the person who threw the party.” While many others agreed, Junior, Gabriela Nighan, believed a large problem was that it was putting a

Versus “It’s not really being stopped, because the only person who gets in trouble is the person who threw the party”

“It should be more parent responsibility than police”

strain on the relationship between the Police and the younger generation, “I think they make the situation worse at times. When they shut down parties it creates an enemy relationship between us and them.” Although very few students have yet to experience an encounter with the police at a high school party, it has made a mark on those who have. One Senior who wished to remain anonymous described the confrontation as “scary” as she recalled it as an extremely uncomfortable experience. Sophomore, Rachel Fosnaugh, shared her experience with the police by saying “It was chaotic [and that] they dealt with it by getting everybody in trouble.” When asked if she felt that the police interference was necessary she expressed that “[she] think[s] it should be more parent responsibility than police” which is a commonly expressed opinion on the issue from many different viewpoints. Despite the constant conflict between the police and teenagers, it the police’s duty to put the welfare of students first. Although students may feel that it is unnecessary they must both have mutual respect for each other because, students will continue to party and the police with continue to interfere. 33

From The Law

The MArk: How high of a priority are high school parties in terms of other local issues? Costa: With the prevalence of school parties, and the fact there are frequently other crimes committed in and around them, they are more and more of a priority for local law enforcement. Through the use of social media sites, such as Twitter, Facebook, etc, the information on high school parties are spread much faster over a much larger audience. It is much more difficult to keep a small gathering quiet without tens or even hundreds of unrelated, uninvolved and usually unknown teens and young adults from hearing about it and eventually showing up. Once individuals who have little or no familiarity with the original partythrower arrive there can frequently be a rise in illegal activity. The obvious noise complaints and underage drinking crimes have now given way to vandalism, assaults, weapons violations and sex crimes. The MArk: In a month (roughly) how many parties are shut down? Costa: I was unable to locate any statistics on parties. Since many parties start as noise or parking complaints, it would be difficult to track. The definition of â&#x20AC;&#x153;partyâ&#x20AC;? is also problematic from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. A group of five or six high school friends in a hot tub when the parents are gone is clearly not the same as a few hundred drunken partiers vandalizing neighboring homes and vehicles. It is difficult to classify both as a party. Statistics are generally kept on crime report charges list in a crime report, not the original call for service. Also, there is a monthto-month variability of such incidents. January would be a much less likely month for party related calls for service as compared to May or June during prom and graduation seasons.

by Cayla Stillman Simone King

The MArk: What are parties normally shut down for?

The MArk: What are the consequences for having alcohol or drugs at a party?

Costa: Parties can be shut down for a variety of reasons. It can range anywhere from noise or traffic complaints, vandalism, under-age drinking and use of illegal substances to fighting, weapons charges, shootings and death. With the prevalence of gangs and drugs you are never quite sure what you are being called to when there is a report of a large party. These calls are increasingly more dangerous for responding officers.

Costa: Depending upon the substance and amount found it can range from an infraction to a felony. If you are under the legal drinking age you cannot have any amount of alcohol in your system or possess any alcoholic substance. If you are above the legal drinking age but provide or furnish alcohol to anyone who is underage that is punishable as a misdemeanor. Also of concern, are civil penalties that can result from direct or indirect responsibility for throwing a party, having a party thrown at your residence or injuries and/or death resulting from legal or illegal activities at your party. If an under-age person drinks alcohol at your party, then gets into an accident, you can be held civilly responsible for their actions. Even if the person was of legal drinking age, if you allow someone to leave your party after they have had alcohol and get into an accident you can again be held responsible. With the society as litigious as it is, more and more lawyers are trying to find a way to mitigate their clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsibility and point the finger at anyone else involved. The ramifications for a simple teen party are anything but simple any more. Even wrongful death cases have been made because someone has died as a result of gang-related shootings at a party that has just gotten out of hand. Besides all of these criminal and civil issues is the fact that binge drinking and illicit drug use is a huge risk for teens and young adults which can cause serious injury and death by participating. Drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter charges also can result. Many young people fail to face the real possibility that living with the results of drinking can cause. Could you get up every morning and face yourself in the mirror knowing you hit a minivan with a family, killing a child inside or taking away one or both of their parents? Eventually you will get out of prison but how do you live with it. If one of your friends gets high at your party and dies, that does not just affect them but you as well. Can you live with the consequences?

The MArk: What does shutting down a party entail? Costa: Shutting down a party can be as simple as a deputy or two knocking on the door, checking for illegal activity and having the occupants lower the noise level to disbanding the party and making sure individuals who do not reside there leave the premises. If possible, contact with the home owner is achieved so they know what is going on. This is not possible in all cases so a follow-up by a patrol deputy should occur until contact is made. For large scale parties, or where illegal activities are found, a larger level of police response is necessary. Mutual aid has been called for parties with numbers in the hundreds and where the need for a controlled substance trained canine unit is requested. For parties that have gone to violent extremes the use of larger numbers of police personnel are required for the safety of both citizens as well as law enforcement staff. Depending on the jurisdiction, departments may require all subjects to be identified and document the identities of all attendees. For crimes of violence or any resulting in injuries crime scene photos or larger scale drug possession (including sales), evidence technicians and video tapes are all possibilities used to document the area and complete the

the MArk

Here at the MArk, we interviewed Julie Costa (law enforcement) to further understand the consequences and point of view of underage drinking and teenage involvement in parties.

March 2012 March 2012

F F M

the MArk MArk the

Water Fernando Henriquez Photography

33 2

CD Charlotte McMillan Photography

Untitled Stefany Maldonado Photography

the MArk

Fall Leaves Fiona Gutierrez-Dewar MEDIUM

33 3

March 2012

the MArk

March 2012

33 Letters and Feathers Alike Maria IIkonomou Pen

One Thing After Another...

by Lindy LaPlante

the MArk

Beep, beep, beep. The ring of my alarm sounds like a siren in my ear. It’s 6:30 AM, and it’s time to wake up for school. Just. One. More. Minute. Okay, I’m up. It’s 8:25?! Where did the time go? I saved some homework to do this morning, and school starts at 8:45. I desperately run into my bathroom to brush my teeth, and accidentally mistaken my soap for toothpaste. Who does that? Yuck! I recover quickly and hurry downstairs to grab some breakfast. There is no food, only a bit of coffee left in the pot. I heat some up; I can see the hot steam rising from the mug, comforting me on this cold morning. I take my first sip and burn my tongue. It’s not worth finishing now, so I decide to pour it down the drain. I run back up to my room, get ready for school, and in only ten minutes I am out the door. Despite the minor setbacks, today should be a good day. I am on Oak Grove, feeling like I have a chance to make it to school on time, and suddenly, my car stops without warning. Out of gas. I get out my phone to call for help and… 2% battery, not enough to make a call. Cars in all directions are honking their horns and yelling at me, and I cannot do anything about it. The second bell is going to ring in two minutes, so everyone is already in a rush behind me. This is a nightmare. Finally I get into class twenty minutes late, and I sit behind my best friend. She turns around and says with a smirk, “Nice hair.” Apparently it was obvious that I didn’t brush it, thanks. “Ok class! Today we are going to take a pop quiz on chapters 1-3 in the reading. It’s based on the homework questions so it should be really easy.” Has this teacher ever given us a pop quiz? No. Of course today though, the day that I was going to do the reading and homework before school, but I slept through my alarm. Twenty impossible questions later, the bell rings, and soon another; now I walk to my third period class, which means it is time for SSR. This is a time where I can sleep and collect myself, a time to prepare for the rest of the day. Beep. In two minutes, we will be practicing a lockdown drill in case of an emergency. When your teacher says so, please quietly get under your desk and remain silent until the bell. Beep. So here I am, crammed in a tiny space for ten minutes, the top of my head brushing against the old gum stuck under my desk. On top of it all, I’m wearing the tightest jeans I own. Awesome. Minutes felt like hours, but I finally made it to lunch. I sit with a group of friends; they are talking about a party that was this weekend, which I was not invited to. I discreetly escape into the library to get caught up on homework, and the bell rings after ten minutes. Fifth and sixth period consist of an impossible math quiz and an endless lecture in history. Finally, it is 3:15 and I am done with the worst school day of my life. I walk over to the tennis courts for practice, and decide to put my dreadful day behind me and have a good time. After the second ball I hit, my strings break. I guess I was taking out my egregious day on my racket. Practice is over for me. At last it is time to go home; maybe my family can cheer me up. I open the door to my house, and note on the floor says, “Dad and I are out tonight. Don’t wait up! XOXO, Mom.” Well at least I get some love today. I saunter into my room to do some homework, and I decide to document this atrocious day for my journalism assignment. Alright, I better save this just in case my computer cras-

March 2012 2012 March

111 Moments and Reasons to C You may be going through a rough patch in your life right now, or maybe you’re just having a bad day. However, This list has 111 moments and reasons (in no particular order) that contribute to making life sweet.

1. Reading the MArk

21. Dessert 22. Winning a game

2. Arts and Crafts

23. Eating food

3. Popsicle stick jokes

24. Holidays

4. Good news

25. Listening to music

5. Junk food 6. Watching TV shows from your childhood 7. Temporary Tattoos

27. Using big words

8. Winning a rafﬂe

28. Quenching thirst

9. Recycling

10. The way your pet is always happy to see you 11. Traveling abroad 12. Folding a piece of perfectly

paper

13. Road trips 14. Stargazing 15. Emoticons

16. Living in California 17. Silly String

the MArk

18. Watching the sunset/sunrise

26. Getting a good grade on a hard test or assignment

19. Cake

20. Drawing a perfectly straight line

29. Having a good hair day 30. Sleep 31. Playing/being able to play a musical instrument 32. Making up with someone after a ﬁght

33. When your favorite song comes on the radio/your iPod 34. Pizza 35. Sitting/swinging on a swingset 36. Baby animals

37. Beating your high score in a video game

38. Having your favorite food for lunch/dinner 39. Going to amusement parks 40. Reading a good book 41. Kittens 42. Achieving a goal 43. Popsicles 44. Rainbows 45. Weekends 46. Putting on your makeup (perfectly)

47. Getting into your dream school 48. A room with a view 49. Freshly baked cookies 50. Singing in the shower 51. Taking a good picture 52. Getting to know a new friend 53. Being warm 54. Puzzles

55. The cool side of the pillow 56. Duct tape

Celebrate Every Day

by Helmi Henkin

there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and this sadness you are feeling will not last forever.

58. Picking your outﬁt for the day

77. Card games

78. Hanging out with friends

59. Finally understanding a math problem, and getting the right answer

79. Winning an argument

60. Cool fonts

81. Video games

61. Having an organized binder

82. Drawing the second eye as well as you drew the ﬁrst

62. Board games

63. Seeing a shooting star

80. Getting cheered on

83. Trampolines 84. Tying the perfect bow

64. Finding money in your pocket

85. Being in a relationship

65. Playing in the snow

86. Marshmallows

66. Nice-smelling ﬂowers

87. Getting points for your team in sports

67. Friendship bracelets 68. Extra sleep on block days

69. Being single 70. Rain 71. Climbing trees 72. Telling a joke and everyone laughs 73. Hopes and dreams 74. Having someone appreciate you 75. Going to the beach 76. Hot chocolate

88. Discovering a new place in your town

95. Watching or playing sports 96. Bubbles 97. The end of sixth period 98. Finishing homework in class 99. Getting complimented

100. Being alive 101. Palindromes 102. Venting to your best friend 103. Puppies 104. Sunshine

105. Finding out your crush likes you 106. Reading comics 107. Finishing an essay

89. Having snack in class

108. Finishing an assignment before anyone else in your class

90. Watching a good movie

109. Having no homework

91. Getting something in the mail

110. Painting your nails

111. Hugs

92. When your favorite sports team wins 93. Finding shapes in the clouds 94. Going to the Farmer’s Market

the MArk

57. Surprises

PHOTOGRAPHY Vanessa Wijaya

the MArk

March 2012

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Man with Glassesâ&#x20AC;? Stefany Maldonado Digital Art

The Last of Sentences It is hard to write when all the sentences of the world Are slipping away like water down a shower drain. They are used up, flashing out of existence like fireflies, Picked from the air by childlike authors And stuffed into jam jars Or delicately pinned like butterflies behind panes of glass. Soon there will be no more left, And there will be nothing to say. We will be reduced to quoting passages For the rest of our earthly lives Talking in exaggerated voices to show The words are not our own Or curling our fingers into quotation marks At the end of every witty retort. I can feel the last of them with me now, The dregs, like silt at the bottom of the tub Unwieldy, wild things that resist attempts to tame And spiral out of control, taking up whole pages and books It was once said that a monkey Banging on a typewriter for eternity Would eventually produce the works of Shakespeare (and perfect them) We are the monkeys, The typewriters smoking beneath our fingertips Pounding out every combination of words And all the gibberish in between And we have nothing less than eternity to do our work But now it is come to a close As I lasso that final beast and cage him for all to see: (Just remember the © symbol when you use it) “She split the tangerine so that the lurid insides Glowed an effervescent orange And the ravens with haggard, stale feathers Behold the death of a Language

by Gavin Rea

the MArk

Dove in for the kill”

Old School

March 2012

Party Slaps

by Eseta Faasisila

1.) MC Hammer - «Can't Touch This» 2.) Montell Jordan - «This is How We Do it» 3.) Tag Team - “Whoomp There it is» 4.) Sir Mix-A-Lot - «Baby Got Back» 5.)Vanilla Ice - «Ice Ice Baby» 6.) Salt N Pepa - «Push it» 7.) The Notorious B.I.G. - “Hypnotize” 8.) 2Pac - “California Love” 9.) caMEO - «CANDY» 10,) R.Kelly - «Ignition Remix» 11.) Next - “Too Close” 12.) Rick James - «Mary Jane» 13.) Beastie Boy - “Brass Monkey” 14.) TLC - «No Scrubs» 15.) ODB - «Baby I Got Your Money» 16.) Paperboy - “The Ditty” 17.) Run DMC - “It’s Tricky” 18.) LL Cool J - “Going Back to Cali” 19.) Mariah Carey - “Fantasy”

the MArk

20.) Shaggy - “It Wasn’t Me”

“Old school music had more feeling, and more meaning in the songs and they told real stories. They also reﬂected on the meaning of life and taught a lot of lessons.” – Niesha Ford, Junior

Livin’ Life Miari Scott and Nancy Johnson Photogrpahy and Digital Art

“When I think old school, I think of a grown people in a garage dancing. My deﬁnition of old school is soul and funk. The music back then is better because they give real meaning in 44 the songs. My favorite old school artist is Marvin Gaye.” –Mark Johnson, Senior

New School

Party Slaps by Miari Scott

1.) Beyonce – “Party” 2.) Big Sean – <<Dance>> 3.) Wiz khalifa – “Roll Up”

“The ﬁrst thing I think of when I think of old school music is Salt N Pepa.” –Naki Fehoko, Senior

4.) Nicki minaj – <<Donk remix>> 5.) Lil wayne – “She Will” 6.) Miley cyrus – <<Party in the U.S.A.>> 7.) Drake – “Motto” 8.) Katy perry – <<Hot n’ Cold>>

“When I think of old school, I think “back in the day” and that they have real life meanings. I really think it’s better than today’s music and they should bring it back.” –Tiala Latu Kupu, Senior

9.) Chris brown- “Strip” 10.) Rihanna – <<Rude Boy>> 11.) Willow smith – “Whip My Hair” 12.) Trey songz- <<Say Ahh>> 13.) Usher – “OMG” 14.) Brittny spears – <<Oops>> 15.) Love rance – “Swaggin All Day” 16.) Waka ﬂocka – <<No Hands>> 17.) Hot boys – “Hot Girl” 18.) Dj webstar – <<Chicken Noodle Soup>> 19.) J.Cole – “Work Out” 20.) Party BS & Two Days Straight <<DJ Dibella Party Mash-Up>>-

“Old school music reminds me of the good times we use to have back in the day. The music was better because it didn’t bring a lot of negativity and didn’t put woman down in their songs. I don’t have a favorite old school artists, I love all music.” –Sam (Security Aid) “When I hear old school music the ﬁrst thing that comes to mind is The Temptations. My deﬁnition of old school music is someone knowledgeable and I think the music back then is better than today’s.” –Will Hobson (Security Aid)

the MArk

Hot girl, wasup wit’ it and let’s get it, are all new slang that we learn from new music. The new music era is focused more on the bling, style, and sex, giving it a young generation appeal. New artists like Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean, and Jay Z understand that they have a younger crowd of listeners. Mrs. Todd, leadership advisor, expresses, “That new music changed a lot since I was in high school. There is a lot more sexual content and maybe I’m just getting older!” The music of today seems to pollute young people minds with sexual activity, drugs,44 and violence. But also the music of today makes the young listeners happy and makes parties “cracking”. We have to go with flow of time to keep up with what is new. There is constant change and we have to keep up with it.

March 2012

Last Minute Looks

Girls Look in 20-25 minutes flat!

by Alexandra Vlassova

There is an hour before the huge party at that popular guy’s house and you already pushed out the idea of going because no one invited you and going alone is completely out of the question. You change into your sweats and try to block the jealousy creeping up on you since all your friends are going but, it’s not working. You are ready for another boring Friday which will fade into an even more boring weekend. All of a sudden your phone rings. You get invited to go to the party! With 30 minutes to get dressed and look your best, you start to freak out. Calm Down! Here are some tips on how to get your kick ass look within 15-20 minutes.

Ladies:

1. Take a 5 minutes shower.

No not 10. You do not have time for that! Brush your teeth while you are in there! Do not get your hair wet unless you have a hair dryer. If you leave your hair damp it will poof and no one wants to look like they just rolled out of bed. Take 2-3 minutes for this.

the MArk

Either put some hairspray in your hair or dampen your hands and put a quater size amount of mousse on them and run your hands through your hair. Brush it out and there you’re done. “I take a three minute shower and put hair spray or gel in my hair after blow drying it,” says Virginia Magna. “This way I do not have to have it perfectly dry because the hair spray will absorb the water and keep it from pooﬁng.” If you do not want to take a shower put your hair up in a bun or a loose braid. “When44 ever I didn’t have time to do my hair I just put it in a bun

and worry more about my outﬁt. No one will notice your hair not being done if you have a cute outﬁt.” claimed Ana Valverde.

Next, get dressed. You need something laid back but not so laid back that you look like you did not plan on going tonight. Skinny jeans and a graphic tee with some cute words or picture do the job well. If you like to show yourself off, go ahead and be daring. Wear shorts but stick to a t-shirt because otherwise you will look like an attention seeker. “[For an outﬁt] something laid back but not too laid back or revealing.” Rubi Guzman advises. Also don’t spend too much time on accerssories. There is no need for them. Depending on the party, choose your shoes wisely! You do not want to have to be stuck on heels when everyone else is in sandals or ﬂats.

4. Next, make up. This is different

for everyone, but you must make sure you have at least mascara and perhaps a little bit of cover

Do not cakeface! Guys hate that!

up or blush.

For people with darker eyes: Must do’s are mascara, and either a dark brown or black eyeliner. This will make your eyes pop. Someone with lighter eyes: Mascara is also a must do but maybe a brown or blue eyeliner instead of a dramatic black. Another look good trick is to put a little bit of white eye shadow in the corners of your eyes and brush it out on to your eyelid a bit and a little under eye. “[This] will eliminate any looks of bags under your eyes and gives your eyes a pop which is really attractive.” Lindsay Lattin advises.

Lastly, go look in a mirror and rerun your outﬁt. Look at yourself from all angles to make sure nothing is wrong and you don’t have a stain somewhere. Do not forget your phone and to smile. No one likes someone who is always serious. Take a few deep breathes, smile and enjoy yourself and have a good time.

Phtography by Alexandra Vlassova

Its an hour before the big party at a buddy’s house. The whole week you worried about asking your crush to the party and now you fear it is too late. You change into sweats and your old hoodie and stretch out on your couch. You try to focus on the TV in front of you but your crush’s face just keeps popping into your head. The idea of how amazing they would look tonight and how much fun you would have pokes at your senses. What if you are blowing off a great time just because you are too shy to call and ask? Thirty minutes left before the party. You pick up your phone, giving up on the battle against your mind and dial their number. They pick up and you freeze. Their voice sounds so cute. You build up the courage and ask them to go to the party with you. They agree and now you have 30 minutes to get ready. Dont flip out. This is what you have to do: Gentlemen: 1. Boys. You get off easier than girls. “I shower, brush my teeth and change my clothes. That’s pretty much it,” admits Samson Dark. This is what you need to do: Jump in the shower and take a quick shower, about 5 minutes is allowed for this. Brush your teeth while you are in there so you do not have to waste time after. 2. Once you are done with your shower, dry off and do your hair. Take 2-3 minutes for this. Style it according to your liking. For a guy with long hair, make sure that your hair is at least brushed if you do not like to style it. Otherwise your hair looks careless and that is not attractive to girls. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CUTE AND CARELESS! 3.After that go and pick an outfit out. Don’t spend all your time on this. But definitely, do not stay in what you wear at school in for the par-

ty. That just shows carelessness. “I take a quick shower and spend more time on my clothes.” Says Max Aguilar. Allow yourselves about 5-10 minutes for your outﬁt and shoes. Some party ideas would be a t-shirt with some print on it or just a solid colored shirt with a jacket. If you really do not have anything that you feel good in, put on any color tee and wear a black or white jacket over. Those two colors will match anything. Try to keep your shoes to being the same or a similar coloring to your shirt and jacket. Again, black and white will match anything so those are always an option. 4. Lastly, smile and do not freak out over how you look. You will look good if you smile and act conﬁdent. Do not be cocky though! Girls hate that! Smile and think of things to talk about with your date and something fun to say and most importantly, have fun!

COULD THESE TEACHERS HAVE

eC lebritiLyES? DOUB Maggie Gyllenhaal

Kaley Cuoco

Mrs. Stuart

Ms. Green-Heffern

the MArk

Boys look in 20-25 minutes flat!

Ms. Oliver

Hilary Swank

the MArk

The MArk

the MArk

The MArk, a feature magazine published by the students in Menlo-Atherton High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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. Send all letters to themamark@gmail.com