Issue 1, Volume 108

The Spectator The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper Opinions

A&E

Yaa Gyasi Explores Lineage in “Homegoing”

Arts and Entertainment editor William Lohier delivers an eloquent review of “Homegoing,” a novel that explores the legacy of slavery in the United States and on Africa’s Gold Coast.

Greater Than Grenfell The Grenfell Fire reveals disturbing socioeconomic imbalances and is a failure on the government’s part. Senior Raniyan Zaman analyzes the implications of the tragedy. see page 12

see page 17

Volume 108 No. 1

“The Pulse of the Student Body”

September 11, 2017

stuyspec.com

Tahseen Chowdhury on Campaigning for State Senate

“Share Your Story: The Legacy of 9/11” Pages 6-7

Student Union (SU) President Tahseen Chowdhury has always been a force to be reckoned with— confidently swaggering down the hallway as if he owns the place.

And, to the Stuyvesant student body, he very well may.

Though Chowdhury is part of a “dynasty” of students who worked their way up the political ladder, going from Freshman Caucus president to SU president, he has always fought against becoming another cog in the wheel of SU inefficiency.

“Two or three years ago, we were going down a route where the SU would be bankrupt by the middle of my senior year if I hadn’t stepped in and stabilized the budget,” he said. Since Chowdhury first became involved with school politics in the seventh grade, he has always sought to take concrete action.

This year, Chowdhury decided to take his political activism to the next level. He will be running for the position of State Senate for District 13, which is comprised of Jackson Heights, Corona, and East Elmhurst, in the 2018 election. As a state senator, Chowdhury would be responsible for writing, proposing, and voting on new legislation.

With these opportunities, Chowdhury believes that he will be able to positively impact not only his district, but also the entire state of New York. “I love sitting in a law library and finding ways to implement new ideas within the structures that exist. I believe I’ll be able to take ideas and turn them into bills that’ll benefit the community as a whole,” he said in an e-mail interview. “I also genuinely believe I’m a good candidate because of my lack of experience. I’m a fresh face in New York politics.”

He will be running against incumbent Senator Jose Peralta, who Chowdhury believes didn’t actually follow through with the promises made in his platform. In particular, Chowdhury is dissatisfied with the senator’s choice to align himself with the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), a group of eight senators. He labels the IDC as a

Courtesy of Sam Brimberg

Klaire Geller / The Spectator

By Anne George, Laura llioaei, and Jerry Ye

wolf in sheep’s clothing— ready to use the “Democrat” label to gain votes all the while obstructing the passage of progressive policies in the state senate.

Chowdhury’s disdain toward the IDC began to develop as he worked alongside Senator and member of the IDC Jesse Hamilton in 2016. “[Hamilton and I] wanted to propose and pass a piece of legislation that would reconstruct the panel [that decides on] educational policy. I felt that students should have the ability to advocate for what they want to see in the Department of Education,” Chowdhury said.

Despite his attempt at empowering New York’s student body, he was shut out and ignored. Hamilton’s contact with him ceased altogether afterward.

Once Donald Trump was elected and Peralta had been accepted into the IDC, Chowdhury immediately began to think about what could be done.“It was really unsettling to me because the IDC was literally empowering Republicans in a way that the Republicans really shouldn’t be empowered,” he said.

Therefore, Chowdhury’s platform features a progressive outlook on issues ranging from affordable housing and safe streets to a legal defense fund for undocumented immigrants and “desegregation” in public schools. It highlights a comprehensive educational policy with an emphasis on student representation. One of Chowdhury’s proposed legislations even gives students the right to vote on the panel for educational reform.

He also proposes numerous

changes that he believes would benefit the environment, such as a plastic bag tax and the creation of a task force dedicated to installing bike racks. Additionally, he hopes to bolster affordable health care and protect senior citizens by regulating nurse-to-patient ratios.

“New York is one of the most progressive states,” Chowdhury said. “If someone is going to think ‘progressive,’ they should think ‘New York.’ If someone is going to think ‘democratic’ they should think ‘New York.’”

Not only does Chowdhury believe he knows more about his community than Peralta does, but he also believes that he’s just as qualified of a candidate in other aspects. “[My experiences at Stuyvesant will] play a major role in actual politics because I understand how people operate,” he said. “I can sit down and think about the administration’s perspective. I can also think about the students’ perspective and find a point where both perspectives meet. I’m sure I’ll be able to do this at the state level as well.”

Presently, Chowdhury’s campaigning has not officially started.

However, he has been focusing on preparation for when his campaigning officially begins in March 2018. Being present on social media, engaging with his community about various issues, and fundraising is Chowdhury’s current priority.

He has made attending anti-IDC and progressive rallies with fellow continued on page 2

Jeremy Rynders Replaces Randi Damesek as Assistant Principal of Organization

By Wen Shan Jiang and George Shey with additional reporting by Shameek Rakshit Former Assistant Principal (AP) of Organization Randi Damesek recently accepted a position as AP of Organization at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. Jeremy Rynders, former AP of Organization at Bronx Leadership Academy II High School, has been appointed as the Interim Acting AP of Organization.

As an AP of Organization, Damesek was responsible for managing almost every aspect of the school, such as allocating the budget and scheduling Advanced Placement exams and Regents exams. “[Damesek] is a master of operations,” Principal Eric Contreras said. “The type of organization needed to keep such a complex in-

stitution running require[s] a time commitment second to none, an intelligence second to none, business savvy, and organizational savvy, and she brought all that talent to pair at Stuyvesant.”

Ms. Damesek declined to comment for this article.

To find a replacement for Damesek, Contreras reached out to a few colleagues. “[Rynders] was highly recommended by trusted colleagues, including [Damesek],” Contreras said.

Contreras values Rynders’ experience and understanding of Stuyvesant culture and believes these qualities made him stand out from the other candidates. “He has six years of experience doing operations, so he knows all the systems, from [human resources] to budget,” Contreras said. “I felt that he scripted in his [application] letter

some of the larger understanding of the student body [such as] the reference of the desire to go to the moon, and we have many students here [with] equivalent ambitions [...] to do something bigger than themselves. And he understood that unique part of Stuyvesant.”

Rynders feels honored to be selected as the new AP of Organization and is eager for the school year to start. “Stuyvesant is a place where the sky’s the limit when it comes to what students will achieve, and I’m excited to be a part of that,” he said.

At the same time, Rynders is also aware of the challenges he will have to face. “Stuyvesant is a large and dynamic school that demands someone be able to consider the needs of a great number of competing priorities,” Rynders said.

“I hope to be a school leader that

people will see as responsive, resourceful, and fair.”

During this upcoming school year, Rynders hopes to build a relationship with the students, staff, and parents. “I believe those relationships are essential to the effective execution of my duties, but I acknowledge that [it] is no small task with a student body of 3,500 young people,” he said.

Rynders has yet to go through the Chancellor’s Regulation C-30 —a process that regulates the selection of APs—to be appointed as a permanent AP of Organization. “I had the option to bring in Rynders immediately [with] a C-30, but I choose to not [to] in the absence of all [the administrators]. I like to hear everyone else’s voice and opinion,” Contreras said.

Later this year, Contreras will issue a post for the permanent AP

of Organization position. Candidates like Rynders will be able to apply and will have to go through the C-30 process, which includes an interview with the School Leadership Team—a council of student, parent, and faculty representatives.

Contreras does not expect the change in administration to affect the student body. “[People] come and go, but one constant is the brilliance of our students, and that’s what makes Stuy a very special place. The work of adults will always be significant, but our defining piece is how we support the brilliant hardworking ambition of our student body. And that is what is most important, regardless of who’s name is to that title,” Contreras said.

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 2

News National Genes in Space Competition Won by Sophomore Elizabeth Reizis

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and NASA

WORLDBEAT Violence erupted between white nationalists and counter-pro-

at a rally against the removal of a Confederate statue in Charlottesville, Virginia. One man was charged with murder after he drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters and killed Heather Hayes. testers

President Donald Trump was widely criticized for blaming both sides for the violence.

Hurricane Harvey became the first major hurricane to hit the United States since 2005 after it made landfall in Texas. Harvey caused unprecedented flooding in the Houston metropolitan area and East Texas, which killed at least 60 people. Damage from the storm is expected to cost at least $70 billion, making Harvey the third-costliest Atlantic hurricane in history.

Courtesy of Elizabeth Reizis

Tensions between North Korea and the United States escalated over the summer following a series of nuclear tests and missile launches by the former. North Korea threatened to strike Guam after

President Trump promised to respond to the regime’s aggression with “fire and fury.” In turn, the United States has been exploring military responses and further sanctions.

The Senate failed to repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act on Friday, July 28. John McCain unexpectedly joined fellow Republican senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski against the proposal to protest the partisan nature of the repeal process.

The Trump administration was beset with staff resignations and infighting over the summer. Embattled White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned after Anthony Scaramucci was named White House Communications Director. General John Kelly replaced Reince Priebus, who was accused of press leaks, as Chief of Staff. Kelly fired Scaramucci in just 10 days after he launched a rant against Chief Strategist Steve Bannon. Bannon later resigned as

By Sarah Osman and Jessica Wu Sophomore Elizabeth Reizis’ experiment on the effects of microgravity on immune system cell differentiation tied for first place in the National Genes in Space competition, which concluded on June 20. Reizis shared the first place

Finalists presented their ideas at the ISS Research and Development Conference in Washington, D.C., during mid-July. “As a usually shy person, the thought of presenting in front of a large audience and a panel of judges seemed absolutely terrifying. When I walked into the presentation room, I could feel my laser pointer shaking in my

a result of tensions with other officials.

President Trump issued a pardon for Joe Arpaio, the controversial

sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona. Arpaio, known for his harsh treatment of undocumented immigrants, defied a court order against his practice of racially profiling Latinos. Trump’s pardon, which was issued unusually early in his presidency, was criticized by politicians from both parties and civil rights activists.

For the first time in nearly a century, large sections of the United States witnessed a total solar eclipse on Monday, August 11. The next total eclipse in the United States is expected to occur in 2024.

Tahseen Chowdhury on Campaigning for State Senate continued from page 1

position with Sophia Chen from Lakeside, Washington, and both experiments will be performed on board the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2018.

Reizis’ victory marks the second year in a row a Stuyvesant student has won the competition.

Senior Julian Rubinfien won first place in the 2016 Genes in Space competition, focusing on the adverse effects a change in telomere lengths have on aging.

Genes in Space, a competition for students in grades seven to 12, asks students to come up with an experimental proposal in which they attempt to address a challenge in space travel. In their proposals, students are required to show proper usage and understanding of polymerase chain reactions. They are then expected to use the ISS as the test site for the proposal.

Reizis’ proposal went through a rigorous selection process beginning in April of this year and ending in May with the announcement of 25 awardees. Among these was Stuyvesant senior Kai Hin Lui, who received an honorable mention. Reizis was then named one of five finalists and met with a Ph.D. mentor from Harvard to refine her proposal.

hands. But, when I started talking

Courtesy of Elizabeth Reizis

student volunteers a common ritual. “We go to rallies to talk to people and figure out what people think about and care about. I’m always excited about people caring about these issues,” he said.

In fact, this grassroots type campaigning was inspired by that of former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.“One of the things Bernie Sanders told us was that we have to make sure that young people are running for office in their home states and home districts because we have to make sure that we are rising and resisting anywhere and everywhere we can,” he said.

Despite often being criticized for running before he’s even had the ability to vote, Chowdhury firmly maintains that no one is ever too young to get involved. “I’ve always been someone who likes to do things people might argue I’m a little too young for, whether that be starting a nonprofit, running a business, or running for office,” he said in an e-mail interview. “If you want to get active, just do it.

It really is scary to put yourself out

there, but it’s also most important that you advocate for your community.”

While most seniors are bombarded by the stress of the college application process and look forward to second semester as a time to blow off some steam, Chowdhury’s 2017-2018 school year will look quite different. “The election is after my senior year, but the campaign will take up the bulk of my second term. I’m excited for second term because this is a challenge that I think I can tackle. I’m limited to applying to colleges in NYC but that’s something I’m completely fine with. New York is a great place and I’m ready to make sure that we make it better,” he said.

Chowdhury would like to thank the Stuyvesant community for rooting for him when he announced his candidacy. “I like to take everything I learn and apply it to the SU, so if anything, this campaign will allow me to improve my work within the SU. I don’t think there’s any way for it to negatively affect me,” he said.”Without a doubt, I would not be able to hold this together without the support I have from the community.”

“When I walked into the presentation room, I could feel my laser pointer shaking in my hands, but when I started talking about the idea that I had worked on for so long, I realized that there was no need to overthink.”

—Elizabeth Reizis, sophomore

about the idea that I had worked on for so long, I realized that there was no need to overthink,” she said.

Reizis’ proposal addresses immunodeficiencies astronauts face during and after space travel. She designed her experiment to focus on the effect microgravity has on T-cell development. T-cells are a type of white blood cell that help defend the body from pathogens.

They are able to recognize cancerous, infected, and foreign cells by use of protein receptors on their cell membranes.

To make a variety of T-cell receptors, different segments of DNA are cut out and switched around.

The resulting DNA is a T-cell Receptor Excision Circle (TREC), circular strands of DNA formed from cut-out parts of a long strand of DNA of a developing T-cell.

“My objective is to study the rate of T-cell development by measuring the number of [TRECs] in the astronauts’ blood,” Reizis said.

The maturation of a T-cell will usually result in the production of only one TREC. By measuring the amount of TRECs in the blood, Reizis plans to find the rate of Tcell development in space.

Reizis and Rubinfien’s success in the competition has opened doors for them in the field. “I have had the chance to network and discuss future plans with many scientists all over, many of whom were very willing to assist me in finding internships and labs in their own or other fields,” Reizis said. “I’m incredibly grateful for all the possibilities that this competition has brought me.”

Both Reizis and Rubinfien credit honors biology teacher Jessica Quenzer for pushing them to apply for the competition and for helping them edit and refine their proposals. “After reading about the past winners and researching the current issues surrounding spaceflight, I was eager to write up my own draft of ideas,” Reizis said.

“Ms. Quenzer encouraged our whole class to apply, and I decided that it was not an opportunity I wanted to miss and quickly sent in my research proposal.”

Quenzer hopes to continue this winning streak by continuing to encourage students to enter the Genes in Space competition.

She plans to make the Genes in Space proposal a mandatory assignment.

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 3

News Stuyvesant’s Summer of 2017

By ANNE GEORGE, MATTEO WONG, KATIE WU, and Blythe Zadrozny Summer isn’t a time for winding down for many Stuyvesant students. Instead, it’s filled with numerous activities, ranging from interning with NASA to exploring the Galapagos Islands. We wanted to find out what Stuyvesant students have been up to this summer.

Note: All optional answers have been omitted in correlations. All results reflect the experiences of the responders, rather than the entirety of the Stuyvesant population.

Did you travel outside of the U.S.?

What did you do over the summer?

75.50%

47.20%

64.29 percent of Asians who traveled outside of the U.S. went to Asia, compared to 8.75 percent of Caucasians.

48.30%

45.20%

Of the Caucasians who traveled outside of the U.S., 56.6 percent went to Europe, while only 18.37 percent of Asians did so.

37.50% 38.50% 31.80% 23.00%

26%

25.60%

5.30%

18.80%

18.20%

15.10%

48.9 percent of mixed race

4.90%

students traveled outside of the U.S., more than any other ethnicity.

4.70%

College Visit

College Program FRESHMAN

Internship

SOPHOMORE

JUNIOR

Job

SENIOR

What are your fields of interest?

55.60% 50%

41.14%

40%

37.80%

36.82% 34.20%

29.96% 27%

25%

25% 20%

18.18% 15.40% 12.50% 12.64% 11.11%

12% 9.09%

9.03%

25%

24.44% 18.18%

0%

STEM

Humanities ASIANS

CAUCASIANS

Art

AFRICAN AMERICANS

HISPANIC/LATINO

On a scale of 1 to 5, how much would you say you enjoyed your summer?

1.7%

7.5%

32.3%

47.0%

11.5%

1 Least

2

3

4

5 Max

MIDDLE EASTERN

MIXED RACE

“I had my first legitimate date-like experience in a long time. I mean, it wasn’t even dating as I figured out, but eh, better than nothing.”

“I was walking down to the nearest train station when it spontaneously erupted into flames. At which point, I turned around and asked myself why I even bother trying to use the MTA anymore. RIP 145th Street station.”

Did you travel within the U.S.?

Where did you travel to?

69.71%

Of the responders who traveled within the U.S., 53.47 percent stayed in the Northeast, while only 7.39 percent visited the Midwest.

Outdoors

72.30% 64.44%

50.36%

50.00%

45.71%

43.75%

48.90% 38.89%

31.25%

54.5 percent of African Americans who traveled within the U.S. visited the Southeast.

17.69%

Inside the U.S. continued on page 4

18.20%

Outside the U.S.

ASIANS

CAUCASIANS

AFRICAN AMERICANS

HISPANIC/LATINO

MIDDLE EASTERN

MIXED RACE

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 4

News Stuyvesant’s Summer of 2017 continued from page 3

Did you participate in any sort of formal summer program, class, or activity?

“[I drove] for 10 hours to Raybun County, Atlanta, to photograph the solar eclipse in its totality. The way the bright blue sky just turned into a darkness [was] breathtaking. It isn’t like nighttime —it was something else, like out of a movie. It was almost like the sky and all the light on Earth turned off for a moment. The eclipse has forever changed the way I’ll feel about space and nature and simply knowing that millions of people from across the country were watching and enjoying the same moment in time has been my favorite part of 2017. It felt like everyone could take a moment to forget about everything—politics, work, life—and could just enjoy nature. Just that day, it felt like our country was perhaps the most united it’s been for a while.”

55.6 percent of Middle Eastern students reported their summer plans were STEM related, more than any other ethnicity.

“My birthday was celebrated so many times this year because I’m here in Egypt visiting my family.

I’ve had so many people come over and celebrate with me. It’s a lot more than I usually do.

I usually have a party with my parents, uncle, and sisters, but now, since I’m here in Egypt, it’s with cousins, aunts from both sides, and second cousins. It feels good getting this many presents and people remembering my birthday.”

50.5 percent of juniors partook in a school prep program for standardized testing, compared to 7 percent of seniors.

“Exploring the breathtaking Bay Area of California offered an immersive experience that combined the best of a pastoral escape to the country and the electrifying excitement of venturing through a new city.

From the Golden Gate Bridge to Lombard Street, my dazzling journeys strung together countless moments blissful and awe-inspiring alike.”

Among Asian responders, 66.43 percent did not attend a school prep program.

What did you participate in during the summer?

70.86%

45.50% 37.50%

33.57% 27.55% 21.14%

25% 7.40% 9.09%

13.33%

16.67%

22.29% 21.48%

20%

Prep

AFRICAN AMERICANS

Have you read this summer?

Internship HISPANIC/LATINO

5.56%

Job

MIDDLE EASTERN

MIXED RACE

“On the last day of volunteering at P.S. 126 with Mr. Angel Colon, many kids were a little crestfallen about the end of camp. A kid named Owen even cried because he was going to miss his favorite peer leader, Sonia Tan (now a sophomore).”

Not at all — 15.2% Yes, more than I would during the school year — 39.4%

26.67%

25% 9.09%

5.56%

College Program CAUCASIANS

25.45%

18.75%

9.09%

5.56%

ASIANS

26.67%

Yes, less than I would during the school year — 45.5%

Do you feel that you are productive during the summer?

Yes, more than I am during the school year — 11.1%

No, not at all — 26.8% Yes, about as productive as I am during the school year — 32.4%

“I went to the Running School, which is a week long running camp. This was my first summer in a high school cabin, and it was really hard! I’m excited to prepare for next year.”

Yes, but less than I am during the school year — 29.7%

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

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Features

The Spectator â—? September 11, 2017

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 7

Features Share Your Story: The Legacy of 9/11

Klaire Geller / The Spectator

By Anne George and Matteo Wong

Sixteen years ago, today, a tragedy struck the United States, and had an especially large impact on New York City and Stuyvesant. Since our 9/11 Magazine was published, The Spectator has written countless pieces in commemoration. Today, we want to let your stories do the telling.

Responses have been condensed and edited for clarity.

Anonymous, Sophomore

Julian Giordano, Freshman

Don’t remember where [or] when, but I saw this thing where it said whenever [the clock] hits 9:11, the person would stay silent and contemplate for a moment. That’s about as much of a connection you can get from me. I think about it, but I have no strong emotions about it like my mother and father do. Where they are from, Muslims aren’t thought of very kindly, to put it nicely. Especially now, when the country is dealing with some problems involving Muslims, it just makes this gap a bit bigger. I have not been raised with suspicion against certain groups and [have not] been so close to a terrorist attack myself, but I do understand one thing: it has changed everything. So, I guess it isn’t history, but I can’t say I think about it often.

I definitely feel like there is a divide between the generation that experienced 9/11 (even if they weren’t actually in New York to see it) and the generation that was born in the years afterward.

Whenever [I try to] have rational arguments about the Iraq War, my elders are always able to say, ‘Well you weren’t there. You didn’t know what it was like.’ It’s an emotionally charged event, and those who didn’t live through [it] lose the ethos to be able to discuss it with those who did.

William Hong, Senior My dad was a police officer and helped clean up the debris after the attacks. Every year, on 9/11, he reminds me of the many NYPD and FDNY responders who passed away, and it makes me appreciate having my father still with me today.

Fariya Farah, Sophomore

Eric Shau, Sophomore

As a Muslim, I believe that it has shaped people’s perception of me unfairly. They may not be as kind or may expect something different of me just based on my faith. They may expect me to be aggressive or menacing. They view me as a threat. And, as a Muslim woman, they may expect me to be passive. The problem is with all of this. None of these things are true.

I believe his response was justified. Too little action and the American people would complain of ‘Bush the Pacifist.’ Too much, well, you can never have too much action against a war that truly affects the American people. We achieved great influence over the Middle East, having such a large military presence in Afghanistan and Iraq. Also, it set the platform for the dismantling of ISIL, which is crumbling as we speak.

Camille Sadoff, Sophomore

Eve Wening, Sophomore

In many ways it united us, even though we don’t feel very united at the moment. We also know what terrorists are capable of and want to do. In another way, it created a lot of tension toward the Muslim community that is shaping current political stances.

Bush’s response [to 9/11] was ill-formed and misdirected and created more hate in and out of the United States. There was absolutely no reason for the United States to attack Iraq; Iraq was a fall-guy for Saudi Arabia, the country from which the terrorists actually came. George W. was settling a personal vendetta between his father and Iraq.

Meril Mousoom, Freshman [If 9/11 had not happened], Trump would not have gotten elected. People have always been scared of the relative unknown, and Trump capitalized on that fear.

Anonymous, Junior I hear insulting remarks every day when I used to wear the hijab and the jokes revolving around me involved 9/11 and Al Qaeda. I responded with laughter, of course. Now I don’t wear it for personal reasons, but some of it is because of those remarks.

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 8

Features David Peng: Transition From Student to Teacher

By Max Mah

ing part of the Stuy experience,” he lamented. He is content to notice the more performanceoriented plays today, which display the various stage talents and visual arts of the students, versus the more storyline-based shows during his time.

Peng also got his first taste of teaching through extracurriculars when he assisted his friends with calculus concepts at AIS tutoring during his junior year.

He pursued math and was proud to complete the rigorous honors math sequence; Peng was in the BC Calculus course while his friends were in the AB course.

to an absence of jobs. The one thing Peng continued to do every summer was return to New York and do TA work. When he graduated from college, he had teaching to fall back on.

Before coming back to Stuyvesant, Peng taught at the Law and City school, as well as a non-profit school in Queens. Peng says it’s a weird feeling being back at Stuyvesant, especially addressing some of his former teachers by their first names instead of ‘Mr.’ or ‘Ms.’ With his return, Mr. Peng has observed some changes around the school. For one, he has been

something I really hope students understand. It’s not about how many extracurriculars they do, it’s about the quality of the type of work that they want to do.”

“SING! was totally around when I was at Stuy,” Peng said with a smile. He fondly described the context of 2006 SING! during his senior year. “There was this curse, that after a certain even number of years, the seniors would always lose. The last three times the seniors lost was in intervals of eight years. During my year, we had to break this curse.

It was very, very close, but we won.”

Looking back, Peng really appreciated the energy that SING! brought to Stuyvesant. “It really brought school spirit to a school which could be really demoralizing,” he said. Only taking a minor role in the tech department during senior year, Peng regrets not having been more involved in SING!. “I feel like I missed out, and I really try to encourage students to get involved in SING! because it’s a really big, amaz-

While his peers were having difficulty with some of the concepts, Peng understood the material and could convey it well. This gave Peng the boost to look into tutoring and teaching. That summer he took part in the Summer Youth Education Program (SYEP), during which he was paid by the city to mentor little kids in a day camp. He also did teacher’s assistant (TA) work for his old SHSAT prep center. This paved the way for his interest in teaching.

Peng attended Carnegie Mellon for his undergraduate education, where he majored in finance.

When he entered in 2007, the business industry was booming.

“When I was at Carnegie Mellon, there was talk of graduating with a business degree, signing with a company, making a $20,000 bonus, and making $70,000 right off the start,” Peng reflected. “It was a hype that really never materialized.”

This was largely because of a major recession from the Global Financial crisis of 2008; Peng graduated in 2010. The crash led

happy to see an increase in the number of guidance counselors in the school. “Back when I was in school, we only had around three. If you had issues or was overwhelmed with stress, there really wasn’t anyone to talk to. The mindset was like, ‘What do you expect? This is Stuy. Suck it up,’” he said. “Now, there are so many options for students to reach out to when they need help.”

Peng has also noticed a shift in the types of courses offered at Stuy, in addition to a decrease in Stuy’s number of rigorous courses. “A lot of classes are being phased out because the teachers who taught them are no longer here,” Peng said. “[Social Studies teacher George] Kennedy retired last year, and his popular Wall Street class is no longer offered. [Chemistry teacher] Dr. [Zhen Chuan] Li retired, and they took away higher level chemistry courses he brought to the table.

Dr. Li was here when I was a student and really set the bar high in the chemistry department.”

Peng’s experiences as a

ZhenHong Chen / The Spectator

“Oh my God, I just failed the Peng test,” someone whispers in the hall, his face gaunt with fear.

Almost every Thursday, geometry teacher David Peng’s students are put on trial. At the end of the period, students funnel out of the third floor halls; commotion erupts as students scatter nervously out of the classroom with worry written all over their faces.

At Stuyvesant, Peng is notorious for his difficult geometry class. While he isn’t fully aware of the tough, hardcore reputation he has amongst his students, Peng admits that he strives to push and prepare students to the best of his ability.

As an alumnus of 2006, Peng can certainly relate to the joys, struggles, and pressures that Stuyvesant students face.

Peng admits that he was not the best student, but rather was very average with a strong interest in math. “In middle school, I performed on a high level. I was on the math team and did well in scholastic competitions. Once I got to Stuy, I felt others were ahead of me [and] much smarter and much more hardworking than me,” Peng described.

During his two years teaching at Stuyvesant, Peng has observed students facing the same difficult transition that he made. “Kids realize that this isn’t a walk in the park. This is Stuy,” Peng said.

“Students have this moment of realization that they need to get their act together. Some students realize that right away, for some of them it takes one exam, for some it takes the whole semester, and some still have not realized it yet!”

Peng’s parents valued education and made it their goal to make sure their son got into Stuyvesant. “It was not easy for my parents to afford test prep, especially since we came from humble beginnings,” Peng said.

“Looking back, I really appreciate their sacrifices.”

Once he got into Stuyvesant, Mr. Peng noticed that his parents backed off. The mindset was that Peng’s parents knew that he was set on a good path to get a great education and make a great career for himself. “[At] Stuy, most of the pressure came from myself [because of ] a drive to succeed.

This carried over in college. Everything came from within.”

Peng believes students are pushed through test prep. Prep helps kids who can test well but are not necessarily the best students. Once these kids get into Stuyvesant, many tend to stop working hard; they are there because their parents pushed them to get in. Peng observes that this doesn’t mix well in Stuyvesant’s competitive environment. “This serves as an important message to the student body, especially the incoming freshmen. Be at Stuyvesant because you want to be; the journey doesn’t stop once you get in. The journey is about the hard work and the opportunities you take at Stuyvesant once you get in,” he said.

He also remarked on the tunnel vision students tend to have regarding colleges and their futures. “It really doesn’t matter what school you go to, what college. I know people who graduated from Ivys and are really regretting their jobs. They aren’t happy. I also have friends who went local and are now happy and prosperous,” Peng said. “It doesn’t matter where you go. At Stuy, you have more opportunities to get to where you want to go and people should make the most out of this.”

In terms of extracurriculars, Peng was very involved in Red Cross. Initially, he pursued it because it would look good on his college application. Over time, he found that he really enjoyed it. He paddled for the Red Cross dragon boat team and noted it as a highlight of his high school career.

Peng was also on the Ultimate Frisbee team during his senior year, but couldn’t play for most of the season due to an injury.

“I wasn’t someone who tried to take on as many extracurriculars as possible, but wanted to do the ones I was really interested in,” Peng reflected. “This is

Stuyvesant student have had a huge impact on his approach to teaching. He aims to improve upon the teaching methods he observed during his time at Stuyvesant. To do this, he actively implements new strategies in his teaching style to prepare students and accommodate their needs.

Peng encourages group-centered teaching and collaborative problem-solving. These were emphasized in his graduate program as the best methods of getting students to have balanced interactions. They help students feel more comfortable with addressing their lack of understanding with their peers and teachers.

Different students understand things at different times. Students can interact and help each other get a firm grasp on the material in class, while Peng had to go back after a more ‘lecture-based’ class to consult with his teacher when he had difficulty.

In the end, Peng wants to make sure that students are well prepared for the Geometry Regents. With the implementation of the Common Core, the regents now requires students to think critically, surpassing surface-level thinking. Peng says this change was immediately noticeable when average scores dropped significantly. “I feel that, especially at a school as reputable as Stuy, this shouldn’t happen,” Peng said. “These types of hard, complicated thinking-based questions are needed throughout the year for preparation.”

As a result, Peng relies on rigorous testing to determine whether students truly understand concepts. As a student, Peng always found Stuy’s exams to be tough. “I’m really lucky to be teaching [a fifth of the] freshman class. I want to make them understand [that] it just gets harder,” Peng said. “I can really emphasize to students that they need to develop strong study and work habits, as these really carry over.”

Peng also ensures that his students have adequate resources. He gives outlines for exams and offers services such as office hours and after-school help.

“Students have really taken advantage of this, and [I] have seen their averages go up. I’m really glad to see this because it must be working,” Peng said.

Peng really feels that his experiences at Stuyvesant have shaped him into the man he is today and have taught him many valuable life skills. “The last two years have been really hectic for me. I got married, had a kid, am teaching in a new school, staying very late, and taking masters classes. All of these [life events] would be very overwhelming,” Peng said. “Stuy taught me time management, it taught me [how] to prioritize, and that I really can’t skim out the quality of my work. I [learned the importance of] putting the effort into all the facets of what I do. At Stuy, I had to multitask and had to stay on top of everything. This carries over throughout college, and you will see the difference.

Within the competitive nature of college, you have to be on top of things. Coming from Stuy, you get this advantage. These carry over to life as well. You really don’t see it as a student in high school. But, those experiences and habits carry over.”

Peng has high hopes for his son, Derek. Though Derek is only 15 months old, Peng is already sending him to classes. “My wife and I will support him in anything he is interested in and wants to pursue. We won’t force him into a corner,” Peng said.

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

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The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 10

Editorials Staff Editorial

Reframing Affirmative Action at Stuyvesant “Any concerns I have are somehow invalidated because I am both Black and Latino,” senior Eugene Thomas said. “Every single time I’ve ever discussed college, I’ve been told, ‘You’re gonna get in wherever you want. Let’s face it: you’re black!’ like it’s some proverbial golden ticket into the top universities.”

Affirmative Action is a divisive practice that is often perceived to benefit Black and Latino students at the expense of White and Asian students during the college admissions process. As demonstrated by Thomas’s comment, many people, Stuyvesant students included, erroneously see Affirmative Action as a race-based quota that acts as a gateway for Black and Latino students simply by virtue of skin color and regardless of qualification.

But this isn’t a “Black versus Asian” dilemma — it’s not a zero-sum game, and a successful black student is not a rival but a deserving peer. Affirmative Action is meant to counter historical forms of discrimination, and regardless of whether the Supreme Court strikes down Affirmative Action, universities like Harvard will continue to strive to represent the best version of America, and that means diversity.

T he H istory

of

A ffirmative A ction

In reality, Affirmative Action has a much less specific definition than race-based quotas in admissions. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 10925, requiring government contractors and employers to take “affirmative action” to ensure that applicants and employees were not discriminated against based upon their “race, creed, color, or national origin.” President Lyndon B. Johnson then added gender as a clause. The order was implemented to curb prejudice and discrimination against any individual American.

Affirmative Action historically helped Asian immigrants who were poor and non-English speakers.

From 1981 to 1996, the percentage of bachelor’s degrees earned by Asian Americans grew from 2 to 5.5 percent, which is significantly faster than their population growth, per the US Census Bureau.

Opponents of affirmative action have always held that the policy discriminates against white Americans. Edward Blum, an anti-affirmative action activist, sued the University of Texas at Austin for disfavoring white applicants in 2009. Last year, in a 4-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the university and emphasized the importance of diversity in education.

The decision was controversial, and Justice Alito wrote in a dissenting opinion that it would hurt Asian Americans. Blum has used Alito’s dissent to co-opt Asian Americans into his white nationalist agenda, and is suing Harvard University for discriminating against Asian American applicants. Stuyvesant and three other high schools with large Asian American populations have been subpoenaed for the lawsuit.

“C olorblind Policies Make

a

C olorblind World”

Many Stuyvesant students would describe the SHSAT as the “ultimate equalizer,” giving everyone an equal chance to have a quality education and thus find economic success. Through colorblind testing, the SHSAT is supposedly a step toward a colorblind society.

Thousands of Asian Americans accepted into elite high schools based on a colorblind exam want to believe that colorblind policies work and that these should be adopted by the college admissions process. The notion that so-called colorblind admissions policies are actually products of systemic oppression might appear to invalidate the accomplishments of Stuyvesant students and be detrimental to the school’s large Asian American population.

Colorblind education policies are, however, a myopic approach to inequality that continue to play host to systemic racism, such as redlining and white flight, which has resulted in massive failures and what the DOE describes as “modern-day segregation.”

The logic of race neutrality leaves segments of the Stuyvesant community complicit in a white nationalist agenda: “If Asian Americans found success without race-based assistance, Black and Latinos should be able to do so without Affirmative Action.”

But Affirmative Action is ultimately about creating a diverse student body. Many Asian cultures place a heavy emphasis on examinations and view them as objective measurements of achievement.

Even if exams could be truly objective, Harvard doesn’t really care, and doesn’t want a student body comprised of competent test takers; there are simply too many other traits, including talent, individuality, and even background, that can’t be quantified by standardized testing.

It is also important to note that homogenizing Asian Americans into a single group is a ploy by Edward Blum and a white nationalist agenda. While Chinese, Korean, and Indian Americans have educational success, many Southeast Asian immigrants, including Hmong, Cambodian, and Laotian Americans, drop out of high school at rates approaching 40 percent, per The New York Times. Don’t get caught up in the rhetoric of an “Asian America,” because Affirmative Action also provides aid for many Asian immigrants.

White nationalists don’t want a meritocracy when it doesn’t benefit them — though they support colorblind admissions at Harvard, they are heavily opposed to them in California, where Affirmative Action is banned. According to the New York Times, they have called the Asian American student population “the hordes of Asians.” Edward Blum is not looking out for Asian Americans—he has systematically brought several pieces of key civil rights legislation, such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, before the Supreme Court to have them struck down, which has disenfranchised many Asian immigrants.

A ffirmative A ction

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A Note to Our Readers: The Spectator will now accept unsolicited Op-Ed pieces written by outside students, faculty, and alumni. These columns, if selected, will be published in The Spectator’s Opinions section. Recommended length is 700 words.

Articles should address school related topics or items of student interest. Columns can be e-mailed to opinions@stuyspec.com.

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Write a letter to the editor and e-mail it to opinions@stuyspec.com or drop it in The Spectator box in the second-floor mail room.

Women

Often, the fight for women’s suffrage came at the cost of equal rights legislation for African Americans. In fact, women’s suffrage advocates Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony refused to support the 15th Amendment, aligning instead with racist Southerners who argued that women’s votes could be used to offset those of African Americans.

And what’s horrific is that this isn’t just an isolated incident. Time and time again, women are willing to tear down racial minorities in order to further their own success.

Today, may women argue against race-based affirmative action policies. “Many times, students fixate on race instead of the fact that many females benefit from affirmative action in STEM fields,” senior Sammie Paul said. Helping women in STEM is undoubtedly important, but is not mutually exclusive with helping minorities.

In general, many polls have shown that a much larger portion of Americans support gender-based affirmative action than those who support race-based affirmative action, proving that most Americans do not understand that both types of affirmative action come from the same executive order.

I n C onclusion The backlash against Affirmative Action reveals a clear misunderstanding of the purpose of the practice. Colleges are tasked with creating a student body that is capable of thriving and accepting students who have something to add to the university and the experiences of other students.

Affirmative Action not only seeks to give all students a fair chance at top universities, but it takes into account the different obstacles students of various races and backgrounds must overcome.

Senior Anna Pacheco, who was the only Latina in her predominantly Asian prep school, recounts her prep teacher always telling her that she didn’t have to try as hard in tests since she was Puerto Rican.

Let this be clear: students don’t get in “just because they’re black/Hispanic/women.” While it is true that colleges want a diverse student body, that diversity does not only mean race. The diversity they are looking for includes other factors such as location, intended majors, and types of extracurriculars. And increased diversity can have positive effects, both socially and academically, such as exposing students to different ideals and ways of thinking, as well as helping to improve both short and long term race relations.

VOICES Would you like to share a personal narrative with the school? Whether it’s an essay you’ve written for class, or a piece you’ve been working on by yourself, if it’s in first-person and it is nonfiction it could get published in The Spectator’s issue-ly Voices column!

Send your stories into opinions@stuyspec.com, or email us with any questions or concerns you have.

F o r t he

Rec o r d

• An article in Issue 15 on the Concerned Stuyvesant Alumni reported that there are 350,000 Stuyvesant alumni. There are approximately 35,000.

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 11

Opinions Still No Cellphones?

By mia gindis The late bell rings in unison with a buzzing in your pocket as you tread past the second-floor scanners. You glance discreetly at your cellphone, only to find the pressing alert is a mere Facebook notification. The relief, however, is short-lived as a teacher materializes in the periphery of your vision. After an awkward exchange and a disapproving frown, your electronic is on its way to the dean’s office.

Getting cheated by the cellphone policy is an unofficial rite of passage for every Stuyvesant student. In an elite school that boasts some of the best computer science and technology classes in the nation, the administration’s approach toward electronics remains surprisingly obsolete.

The newest NYCDOE cellphone policy, which came into effect in March 2015, permitted the usage of “cellphones and other electronic devices [in] the building.” But, backlash from a prior cheating scandal forced Stuyvesant to prolong its draconian cellphone policy. The hotly debated policy, endorsed by a majority of the Stuyvesant administration as well as Mayor Bloomberg, was an attempt to crack down on cheating at a time when it was prevalent at

Stuyvesant.

Years later, current students are subject to the same ineffectual policy. A recent study by the Pew Research Center finds that even in schools that ban electronics entirely, up to 58

better at hiding it.

Instead of continuing to enforce this policy, it’s time for the administration to start vouching for a more positive alternative. Other specialized high schools, such as Brooklyn Tech

Klaire Geller / The Spectator

percent of students continue to use phones, an insubstantial decrease from 71 percent in schools with no such restrictions. Between the clean slates and multiple offenders, no one truly stops using their cellphones in school; they just get

and Staten Island Tech, have begun integrating cell phones into their curricula. Students are encouraged to download software that allows easy access to art programs, spreadsheets, and dictionaries, as well as to use cellphones as a medium

for research and internet access when no other electronics are available. Teaching students how to use cellphones productively encourages participation and even saves money. The National Education Association dubbed cellphones “cost effective for schools.”

Similarly, about 73 percent of teachers agree that cellphones serve as helpful learning aids.

Use of these technologies in classrooms can motivate disengaged students, improving their relationship with the administration. Instead of a hostile environment in which students feel a lack of trust from teachers forced to follow the regulations set by the cellphone policy, a more relaxed atmosphere is fostered.

The strict regulations of the cellphone policy are enforced through a two-strike system.

A first offense requires the student to wait until after 10th period to retrieve their phone.

For students who are involved in extracurricular activities or have lengthy commutes, this can produce an inconvenient deviation to an already packed schedule.

A second offense demands that the student’s legal guardian retrieve the device. This works to unfairly punish the wrong person, causing interruptions

in a busy work-life and unnecessary trips for legal guardians who reside far from the school.

When a guardian is unavailable, the student is forced to commute without a phone.

Anything (being lost, extended train delays, a mugging) that transpires in the period of time their cellphone remains at school may have been easily defused by its presence. According to NBC News, up to 85 percent of students felt safer with a cellphone on their person. It’s a liability to essentially “disarm” students, as well as to deprive them of their peace of mind.

A better replacement for the current cellphone policy is a three-strike system, in which the harsher punishment of a guardian retrieving the device would only be necessary after three confiscations. Similarly, requiring a parent to be aware their child got their phone confiscated and having their consent to return it rather than their physical presence would be a step in the right direction.

Stuyvesant upholds an impressive reputation, but the cellphone policy hinders the sort of progress that sets apart our school from the rest. Antiquated policies that exist for the sake of trying to mend a oncetarnished reputation need to be revoked, the sooner the better.

Tracy Chang / The Spectator

The Heart of Compassionate Medicine

By jane rhee The British High Court ordered the immediate removal of eleven-month-old Charlie Gard from mechanical ventilation this past July. At the time of his death, he could not hear or open his eyes without assistance, could not breathe on his own, had heart and kidney failure, and suffered chronic seizures.

Charlie was diagnosed with Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syndrome (MDDS) when he was two months old. MDDS is an extremely rare genetic disorder caused by a mutation in the gene that codes for the RRM2B protein. A dysfunctional form of this protein inevitably leads to muscle weakness, organ failure, and death.

The United States National Library of Medicine has only 15 other recorded cases of MDDS caused by the RRM2B mutation, none of which have been successfully treated. Earlier last year, Dr. Michio Hirano, the head neurologist at the Division of Neuromuscular Disorders at Columbia University Medical Center, set out to change that.

Hirano reached out to the medical team at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London

(GOSH), where Charlie was being treated, to discuss his experimental nucleoside treatment.

He believed it held a “theoretical possibility” of improving Charlie’s condition. However, an MRI revealed severe infantile epileptic encephalopathy—brain damage so severe that Hirano’s treatment, which would deal mainly with muscle atrophy, would prove futile.

As a result, GOSH began discussing the termination of Charlie’s life support and placing him in palliative care because there was such a limited chance that Hirano’s treatment would improve his quality of life. His doctors believed they were acting in Charlie’s best interest. His parents, however, felt it was their right to provide the treatment for their son.

In the U.K., disagreements between hospitals and parents are taken to the courts, where the court is expected to objectively determine whether or not continuing (or receiving) a treatment is in the child’s best interest. Both the English High Court and the European Court of Human Rights backed GOSH’s stance, and Charlie was taken off mechanical ventilation a week before his first birthday.

While in the U.S., it is ultimately up to the parents of children to decide whether or not they want to seek special permission to test these premature treatments; in the U.K., this decision is left up to the hospitals and courts. In fact, immediately following the European Court of Human Right’s decision, Charlie’s life support was set to be taken away on a date and time set by the hospital, not by his parents.

The long battle between England’s legal system and the hospital against Charlie’s parents raises questions concerning the rights and responsibilities of parents in determining medical

treatment for their terminally ill children and the extent to which the government should get involved in these choices.

The type of medical treatment Charlie would have received is also known as compassionate medicine, which is the administration of drugs or treatments not approved by the FDA. It is used as a last resort on patients who have essentially run out of options. But hospitals

away the freedom of a patient to choose his or her medical options. The law essentially makes ethical decisions based on medical conjecture.

In an attempt to use public support to sway his doctors, Charlie’s parents raised over $2,000,000 on their GoFundMe online fundraiser, received support from President Trump and Pope Francis, and obtained an invitation from the New York

Mandy Mai / The Spectator

have reservations about resorting to compassionate medicine because of the extreme risks it runs.

This makes the balance of power between the parents and the hospital an especially difficult one to strike; while a system which gives power to the parents often pressures doctors to perform treatments that they feel are a misdirected use of resources, a system like the one that Charlie’s parents claim condemned their son to death takes

Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center to evaluate Charlie and carry out the experimental treatment, either in New York or in London.

Despite this popular support, the British government was able to block Charlie from receiving treatment in New York. Though Charlie’s condition at the time made it more than likely that nucleosome transfer wouldn’t make a difference in his life, his parents should have had the

right to accept treatments even with a limited chance of success, given a few provisions. One is that parents should understand and accept the fact that compassionate medicine is nearly synonymous with risk. Doctors must take on the task of informing them about all exhaustible options so that the parents can make rational decisions.

Following that, the government should be kept as a third party with limited involvement in order to allow it to focus on streamlining the official drug approval process while also bypassing the socialized medicine argument. Compassionate medicine should not find itself dependent on public funds.

Unfortunately, all of the support Charlie received online also reveals how compassionate medicine’s projected legacy has been pushed and pulled to fit political agendas. Republicans such as House Speaker Paul Ryan are attempting to use Charlie’s stories in order to dismantle the Obama administration’s healthcare system. Ryan recently tweeted, “Health care should be between patients and doctors. Government has no place in the life or death business.” Vice President Mike Pence attributed his death to “all the talk on the left.” Yet note that ultimately, it wasn’t the British government that condemned Charlie to die, but the combined efforts and professional advice of the doctors and the hospitals that treated him.

Using him as a poster boy against government involvement in healthcare purposefully discounts the nuances of his story. The crux of Charlie’s story and the heart of medicine as a whole does not have to do with the morals of public healthcare.

It has to do with parents and the law being able to reach a common ground and the definition of a child’s best interest.

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 12

Opinions Trumping Science: Trump’s War against Reality

By Ying Zi Mei and Artem Ilyanok During his campaign season, President Donald Trump claimed that climate change was a Chinese hoax. He demanded “no more massive injections” in an unfounded critique of vaccines. He went as far as to describe reports denying a link between vaccines and autism as “fudged up.” Unsurprisingly, Trump and his administration have changed the role the federal government plays in science, and in the process have altered one of the most important partnerships in the modern world.

One of the evident ways the Trump administration has damaged this relationship is through the implementation of policies that contradict the scientific consensus. For instance, this past June, Trump announced his decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement, which was widely condemned by the scientific community. This pivotal decision will slow the U.S.’s transition toward renewable energy, have diplomatic repercussions that come with abandoning an international agreement, and result in economic costs in the long term.

Indicative of Trump’s indifference toward the opinions of the scientific community, this decision disregarded the overwhelming amount of evidence that humans are a primary cause of climate change and failed to consider the arguments of 800 earth science and energy experts across 46 states who penned an open letter to the president asking that he change his climate policy.

A less publicized but still important example of the Trump administration’s disregard of science is Environment Protection Agency (EPA) director Scott Pruitt’s refusal to ban the pesti-

cide chlorpyrifos. In doing so, he rejected the EPA’s conclusion that it leaves unsafe levels of residue on crops and has severe neurological effects on developing children.

Refusing to accept scientific fact appears to be a trend in the Trump administration. The president is also known to support the existence of a link be-

(USDA), the Trump administration told the USDA to “stop using terms” like “climate change,” “greenhouse gases,” and other phrases that imply human cause, and to instead use terms such as “weather extremes” to communicate with farmers. Such terms take away all sense of human responsibility for today’s environmental issues and promote

many endangered species that live on them. It has also removed mentions of Obama’s Climate Action Plan and promises of UN climate reform on federal websites.

In addition to the EPA, the Departments of Energy, Interior, and State have also been sued for censorship in their records.

Even more directly, Trump has

tween vaccines and autism, saying as recently as three years ago, “I am being proven right about massive vaccinations—the doctors lied.” Such comments misinform and unnecessarily alarm the public, the opposite of what the government-science relationship is intended to do.

Not only has Trump created an environment in which baseless claims wield more power than ones accepted by the scientific community, he has also distanced people from their impact on the environment. According to a series of e-mails with the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Christine Jegarl / The Spectator

non-intervention, countering acts to increase awareness of such issues.

Moreover, the Trump administration has been suppressing scientific progress by withholding information regarding meetings behind scientific decisions and minimizing press interaction instead of emphasizing transparency. In fact, the EPA has been sued in order for it to comply with the law and publicly release records of meetings regarding the Clean Water Act, which would impact acres of wetlands in the U.S. and the

cut federal funding from major organizations such as NASA and the National Institute of Health.

For instance, NASA’s Earth Science budget will drop by 11 percent, losing more than $217 million in funding. Similarly, the EPA will have its lowest budget of the past 40 years, losing 30 percent of all funding. Other programs dedicated to research and disease prevention, such as the National Cancer Institute and the Institute of Health, will lose up to $6 billion in funds.

While those with political power should be making evidence-based claims and

supporting scientific progress, Trump’s blatant attempts to stir up hysteria over baseless facts reflect an inappropriate relationship he and his administration currently hold with the country. Ideally, there should be a balance of power between government and science, with continuous support and growth in each of them.

This ideal relationship existed during Obama’s presidency.

In Obama’s eight years of presidency, he and his administration proposed new programs for energy and climate change, selected renowned scientists to lead his programs, enforced regulations to preserve the environment, worked with a Republican-dominated Congress to fund new research, and promoted the importance of science in both the present and for future generations.

In contrast, Trump’s administration emphasizes the strained state of the relationship between government and science.

As government and science both strive to better the lives of the people, it is imperative that they cooperate rather than compete.

Scientific facts are an objective and reliable metric for the validity of an idea or theory. As an institution that is held to the highest standards of honesty and reliability, it is the government’s duty to support its scientists, not undermine them.

The government should support scientists working on projects too large for the private sector, such as combating climate change or developing space travel. At the same time, it should make sure science remains ethical through regulations prohibiting practices such as human cloning. Through such cooperation, the government can create an environment that promotes scientific development and creates a more informed public and a brighter future for humanity.

Greater Than Grenfell

By Raniyan Zaman Three years ago, brothers Mohammed Alhajali and Omar Alhajali fled Syria. Though the journey was dangerous, they escaped to the U.K., became university students, and successfully began new lives. But everything changed on the night of June 14, when a refrigerator caught fire inside Behailu Kebede’s fourth-floor apartment at the Grenfell Tower.

The fire spread more rapidly than anyone had anticipated, leaping up the building’s exterior and engulfing it in a matter of minutes. The Alhajalis tried to escape from the 14th floor together, but were separated

in the tower’s single stairwell.

While Omar eventually found his way out, Mohammed did not.

Mohammed Alhajali became the first of at least 80 people pronounced dead in the Grenfell Tower fire. Though the fire took place months ago, the official death toll is expected to be announced in 2018, and will likely have three figures.

The tragedy of this fire, however, doesn’t solely lie in the death count, or in how long the building burned (about 60 hours), but in the way that this fire was completely preventable. Simply put, Grenfell Tower was a death trap where simple changes could have saved numerous lives.

The building lacked fire escapes, alarms, and sprinklers.

According to survivor accounts, its single staircase turned out to be catastrophically crowded during the fire. In addition, the building’s recently-installed insulation and cladding contained flammable materials— elements that played a key role in spreading the fire to the building’s other floors.

Some of the reasons why such obvious safety hazards were overlooked seem to revolve around who the residents of Grenfell Tower—and their neighbors—were. Grenfell Tower is located in Kensington, an

extremely wealthy neighborhood with one of Britain’s largest wealth gaps. In fact, the majority of the building’s residents were low-income—according to Vox, many of them were immigrants and refugees from Syria (like the Alhajalis), Sudan, and Eritrea. Grenfell Tower is considered social housing,

gentrified as local councils— namely, the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organization—attempted to attract wealthier folk and cover up Kensington’s poorer areas.

Grenfell Tower underwent various renovations as part of the management’s efforts to disguise the area’s poverty and

basic safety needs of the poorer residents in the area in an effort to attract wealthier ones, even though Grenfell Tower’s tenants repeatedly filed complaints and attempted to draw the issue to the management’s attention.

Accompanying this neglect is the implication that the lives of minorities and the poor hold

“The tragedy of this fire, however, doesn’t solely lie in the death count, or in how long the building burned, but in the way this fire was completely preventable.”

meaning that the rent is legally supposed to be kept at an affordable price for low-income residents.

Over time, however, some of the units in Grenfell Tower were rented at more expensive rates as a money-hungry management willingly turned a blind eye in the hopes of profiting. For the same reason, the surrounding area became increasingly

appeal to rich prospective tenants. One of these renovations was a seemingly innocuous yet highly flammable version of exterior cladding (a material that covered Grenfell Tower in a shell in order to beautify it), and the rest is history.

Perhaps the most disturbing part of the entire incident is the way the local management willingly overlooked the

less value relative to the lives of the privileged. To hold social housing to a lower standard counters the mission of social housing entirely, which is to provide a safe and secure home for the disadvantaged and those in dire financial circumstances. continued on page 13

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 13

Opinions

Courtesy of Emily Hur

A Discussion on Discussion

By EMILY HUR Areas like New York City and Silicon Valley have long been acknowledged as places that lean politically left, a culture that remains pervasive both at school and in the workplace. But recently, James Damore, a former engineer at Google, released an internal memo in an act of rebellion that challenged these ideas of liberalism and equality.

Following the implementation of a diversity program at Google intended to help the company fight bias in the workplace, Damore voices his thoughts in a memo titled “Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber.” In it, he

for “neuroticism,” which “may contribute to the higher levels of anxiety women report on Googlegeist and to the lower number of women in high stress jobs.”

And, since they generally have an interest in “people rather than things,” he suggests that they may be better suited for jobs in “social or artistic areas,” especially since he claims women have a higher level of “agreeableness” that makes them unsuited for leadership positions.

Many of his coworkers were quick to condemn him for sexism and promoting harmful gender stereotypes, including the CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai. Others, however, sent him personal messages applauding his bravery for opening up discussion. They claimed they were afraid to openly show support because of political discrimination. In our current political climate, many Americans, including our own president, have spoken out about feeling suffocated by political correctness, which they argue shames dissenters into silence.

But this so-called “political suffocation” should by no means be used as justification to promote ideas that are blatantly sexist and foster harmful stereotypes.

Damore did succeed in bring-

made in closing the gender gap.

For instance, despite Damore’s simplistic view of the neuroticism of women, personality traits are qualitative, meaning any data gathered from research conducted by psychologists can be interpreted in hundreds of ways. Even David Schmitt, the director of the study cited by Damore in his memo, has voiced disagreement with Damore’s analysis, saying, “It is unclear to me that this sex difference would play a role in success within the Google workplace.”

This is not an isolated event, but part of a long trend in which men reinforce age-old gender stereotypes that allow this bias to persevere. For instance, in 2005, Larry Summers, the former president of Harvard, gave a statement crediting the shortage of successful women in science to a lack of an “innate ability” to perform as well as men in certain academic disciplines. Similarly, in 2015, Michael Moritz from Sequoia Capital gave a statement in an interview saying he would consider hiring more women in the future, but he didn’t want to “lower the standards” of the company.

As a country, we’ve spent decades trying to reverse a history of oppression. Yet it’s clear that this prejudice hasn’t been

“The tragedy of this fire, however, doesn’t solely lie in the death count, or in how long the building burned, but in the way this fire was completely preventable.”

outlines inherent differences between men and women, suggesting that women have a propensity for lower stress jobs because of their genetic predisposition

ing attention to his ideas. Yet he was not successful in proving his own claims because he shared erroneous information that threatened to reverse strides

erased, merely evolved. Many people have gone from believing that women are incapable of joining the workforce to thinking that they’re incapable of holding

senior positions because their supposedly more caring nature makes them better suited for

simply wants to stimulate discussion—it’s an issue of a Google employee who decided to imma-

Mandy Mai / The Spectator

jobs like teaching. Sexism still lingers, and the many incidents involving insensitive comments made by men expressing their outdated opinions serve to reinforce these ideas.

Many people take advantage of online forums to express controversial opinions, even illegitimate ones with no scientific backing. Similarly, Google allows its employees to engage in discussion through internal messages. However, Damore argues that “Google’s left bias has created a politically correct monoculture that maintains its hold by shaming dissenters into silence.”

The problem at hand actually goes beyond Google’s political agenda. This isn’t an issue of silencing conservatives or shunning the ideas of someone who

turely attack women and their role in the tech industry. Though Google decided to fire Damore for “advancing harmful gender stereotypes” and rightly chose to prioritize their female employees, the impact of his memo will be felt for years to come.

Damore’s baseless conclusions, which have been drawn by multiple men in the past, will only serve to increase hostility in the workplace and increase the wage gap. His ideas are discouraging to women trying to pursue a career in the STEM field, and they have no scientific backing.

Ultimately, open discussion is essential for honest and intelligent discourse. But honesty and intelligence stem from being informed and having tact, something that is much harder to come by.

Greater Than Grenfell continued from page 12

There are steps that must be taken to prevent a needless disaster of this nature from occurring again. The most immediately obvious one is that Britain should ban flammable cladding on tall buildings, like the United States and several other countries have already. Cladding wasn’t already banned chiefly because business-friendly politicians in Britain have long campaigned to free businesses from the weight of safety regulations.

The British government must now prioritize the basic safety needs of its citizens over big business, beginning by inspecting other buildings for the kind of cladding that spurred this fire’s growth and removing it when found.

More importantly, in addition to providing stronger government oversight of businesses and housing management, the British government should fully dedicate itself to ensuring that all former residents of Grenfell Tower are able to come forward for treatment and help without repercussions. Though Prime

Minister Theresa May initially promised that anyone affected by the tragedy would receive

tion status, she later went back on her word and stated that anyone coming forward for help

Doing background checks puts undocumented immigrants at risk of deportation and

Kristin Lin / The Spectator

government support (i.e. accommodation and healthcare) with no regard to their immigra-

would be subject to normal immigration rules.

will likely discourage them from coming forward to receive the attention they need. This is not

the time to be performing immigration checks; the least May can do is guarantee that everyone, regardless of immigration status, receives the necessary care.

It is beyond tragic that a catastrophe of this nature is needed to reveal the disastrous consequences that gentrification can have. The Grenfell Action Group warned that only a catastrophic fire would convince the management to finally take fire safety regulations seriously last November, yet no one listened until the building was engulfed in flames.

Grenfell’s tragedy holds a striking similarity to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. Both are chilling evidence of corporations that prioritize profit over citizens, workers, and residents, and of a government that blatantly neglects those at the bottom of society. Investigations into the causes of the Grenfell Fire, as well as whether the local management can be charged with corporate manslaughter, are still underway. We can only hope that they will bring about rightful and long-awaited change.

Page 14

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Arts and Entertainment

Film

By Thomas Chen It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…a woman?

Indeed, “Wonder Woman” retells the origin story of Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), the princess of the Amazons, who is one of the secluded female warriors created by the Greek god Zeus. But when American pilot and spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) is rescued

by Diana and reveals the chaos of World War I to the Amazons, Diana decides to go with him to put an end to the global conflict by detecting and killing the god of war, Ares, who she believes to be responsible for the war.

Though the premise of the movie seems to be a typical “hero beats villain in epic fighting scene and saves the day” plotline (especially similar to superhero-war film and origin story “Captain America: The First Avenger”), “Wonder Woman” distinguishes itself by focusing on exploring Diana’s character instead of constant, action-packed fighting.

From the very start of the movie, Diana is depicted as thirsty for action, wanting to train like other Amazons and defend the world. However, upon entering grim, devastated Europe, she sees the horrific casualties of World War I with her own eyes.

And with villains such as General

A Wonder of a Feminist Ludendorff (Danny Huston), a bloodthirsty patriot determined to defend his country, and Dr. Maru (Elena Anaya), a brilliant yet sadistic chemist attempting to create new, devastating chemical weapons in order to win the war, Diana’s ideal views of mankind begin to falter. As she witnesses the brutality that humans are willing to subject each other to in their desire to succeed, she questions whether humanity is worth protecting.

Of course, that isn’t to say that “Wonder Wo m a n” is completely barren of action. One scene, for instance, depicts Diana refusing to listen to Steve’s cynical mindset and crossing No Man’s Land alone, while deflecting enemy bullets and bombs. As she charges forward unyieldingly, the Allied soldiers begin to follow her lead and step out of their trench, fighting the German troops. It’s breathtaking to watch the vibrant Diana, sur-

Live Performance

By Sarah Kim For decades, Hans Zimmer spent most of his time hunched over in a dark, windowless room.

One of Hollywood’s most prolific and highly esteemed film composers, the Oscar-winning 59-year-old has arranged the iconic soundtracks for some 133 movies—from cinema staples, such as “The Lion King” (1994) and “Rain Man” (1988), to more recent box office hits in the likes of “The Dark Knight” (2008) and “Interstellar” (2014).

He had consigned himself to the quiet life in studio recording rooms until a conversation with The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr and pop musician Pharrell Williams—both of whom Zimmer had collaborated with— made him think twice.

“At one point or another, all these musicians [I’ve worked with] said, ‘You have to stop hiding behind a screen. You owe it to an audience to get out on stage and look them in the eye,’” Zimmer said in an interview with the Chicago Sun Times. “I thought, if not now, when?”

His wildly successful European tour in 2016 prompted an invitation to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in the United States in April the following year, and this success generated enough demand to launch a North-American leg of his tour.

Among the final shows on his tour were two phenomenal nights (July 25 and 26) in New York’s Radio City Music Hall.

The stage was brightly lit and tightly packed—at least 50 musicians of varied nationalities and ages filled their own niche on the risers—with the choir lined across the top level, the orchestra and band in the center, and three full drumsets scattered throughout. The vocalists and soloists, along with Zimmer, were planted at the lowest level.

rounded by a landscape of grays and blues, stand up to an army of men and lead her allies to victory.

It is moments such as the iconic No Man’s Land scene that contribute to Wonder Woman’s title as a feminist icon. Throughout the film, Diana is told

Taylor Choi/ The Spectator

what she can or cannot do as a woman by countless men. However, she ignores the standard societal expectations of women that she has no place in fighting and that she should simply wear pretty dresses for men to gaze at.

She continues to wear her own armor, barge into private military meetings, and triumph over soldiers because that is what will help others. Even though men may call her naive or tell her she cares too much about others, Diana’s determination and empathy make her Wonder Woman and lead her to defy them.

In fact, despite Diana and Steve’s constant bickering, their somewhat reluctant alliance eventually grows into a charming romance; Diana still remains firm in her ideals and decisions, even if Steve disapproves.

One instance portraying this consists of Steve trying to stop Diana from killing Ludendorff, who worries

about her hastiness, to which she responds, “What I do is not up to you.” This line truly embodies Wonder Woman’s feminism, as it shows how Diana does not need a man in order for her to be a hero—she just needs to stay true to herself.

But Diana isn’t the only one empowering other women— Patty Jenkins, the director of “Wonder Woman” and the first female director of an American studio superhero movie, has achieved many records, including “Wonder Woman” becoming the highest grossing film directed by a woman (grossing over $797 million worldwide) and the DC Extended Universe’s most critically successful film (competing against other films such as “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Suicide Squad”).

Meanwhile, in 2016, women comprised just seven percent of all directors of the top 250 domestic grossing films. Perhaps Jenkins’s accomplishments with “Wonder Woman” will be the start of more women obtaining opportunities in the filmmaking industry.

With the success of “Wonder Woman” and an upcoming sequel, hopefully, Diana Prince will inspire other women to be proud of their gender for a lifetime.

Hans Zimmer in NYC: A Creative Take on Live Cinematic Orchestra

Dressed in a purple-tinted vest and plain white shirt with polo shoes, Zimmer took his place at the piano in the center of the stage, smiling brightly.

Throughout the night, he rotated among the organ, acoustic and electric guitar, piano, and banjo, often in mid-song, without glancing at a single sheet of music.

He wasn’t another orchestra conductor in an uptight suit with his back to the audience, but a musician enjoying the camaraderie of a family—he just happened to have written the scores.

The show opened confidently, with cheerful, crowd-pleasing pieces and all of the instrumentalists of his musical team playing as a mellifluous whole. Seamlessly, the band transitioned into the high-energy Crimson Angels medley. The volume intensified and white strobe lights started flashing, building up to an incredible five-minute, three-man drum solo that shook the walls of Radio City.

As if the thunderous applause were his cue, Hans Zimmer hopped to the edge of the stage with his arms stretched widely, warmly greeting New York City with his German accent. He kicked off his introductions with accolades for the drummers, drawing another round of applause, and raving about New York’s delicious pizza.

The crowd went wild with the sudden appearance of Lebohang Morake, the original South African vocalist of the “Lion King” soundtrack, from the right wing of the stage, belting the opening verse to “The Circle of Life.”

No introductions were necessary; this had been the soundtrack of our childhoods, and Zimmer didn’t miss a beat. He had changed into a simple black t-shirt and hugged the vocalist warmly, joking about how he was much better off singing than ruining cars at the car wash he had

been working at before landing the recording gig.

The “Pirates of the Caribbean” medley, starring electric cellist Tina Guo and violinists Molly Rogers and Leah Zeger, was one of the highlights of the evening. Passion sobered with playfulness radiated from each stroke of their bows. The cellist began with a classical sound and

fast lick.

Not a single movie scene appeared on the screen; in fact, the number of movies Zimmer named could be counted on one hand.

His goal was not to link the music to the movie, but to the musicians. We always pay more attention to the film than to its soundtrack, and Zimmer flipped

it should feel as if we’re stretching our arms out, and we’re reaching across the Atlantic and embracing the loved ones left behind,” he said.

We had done nothing but listen and applaud in our seats all evening, but Zimmer made us feel like we were an essential part of something meaningful.

“When all is said and done

“When all is said and done and we’ve filled the highest high rises and we’ve built the fastest machines, there’s still going to be room for somebody to tell you a story or somebody to write you a piece of music.” —Hans Zimmer

quickly layered the pieces with electronic textures, demonstrating Zimmer’s uncanny knack for integrating the orchestral sound with newer technology.

Surprises were a common theme in Zimmer’s concert: the night was a glissando of rapid crescendo followed by sudden decrescendo, sharp classical accompanying heavy rock.

Post-intermission, the legendary Guthrie Govan and Johnny Marr stepped up to the plate with their thumping bass and screeching electric guitar on full blast for the “Wonder Woman” theme, marking the climax of the show.

The visuals peaked as well: above the stage, the LED screen, which had previously displayed nondescript lines and shapes with simple color schemes, began churning out psychedelic spirals, and the lights, manned

by Marc Brickman (Pink Floyd’s famed lighting director), flickered in an almost unbelievably

the script. He gave his scores legs of their own, and the audience had the freedom to project uniquely personal emotions and memories onto his music.

Perhaps the most enduring part of Zimmer’s concert was not his music, but his stories. Rambling into several intimate, and often humorous, anecdotes on the quirks of composing for Hollywood, he lowered himself from the pedestal of an ‘untouchable’ deity of film music by making himself relatable.

Before the ethereal organ sounds of “Interstellar” rounded off the set list, Hans Zimmer vulnerably shared about “Aurora,” his touching musical tribute to the lives lost in a Colorado movie theater shooting during a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises.”

“I had one word: devastated.

And all day, I was thinking about the victims and how a word is just not enough...[“Aurora” is] a piece of music that uses no words, but

and we’ve filled the highest high rises and we’ve built the fastest machines, there’s still going to be room for somebody to tell you a story or somebody to write you a piece of music,” he once said.

Hans Zimmer bid goodnight to New York and left the stage, only to reappear to a roaring audience for the encore: “Inception.”

The final piece of the evening was played on a dark stage, reminiscent of the studio room that Hans Zimmer had briefly left behind in order to perform. With a single spotlight on him, the film composer sat alone at the piano for the heartbreaking final chords of “Time”—the only moment he played without the rest of his band and orchestra.

He high-fived every single person on stage, dramatically air-high-fived the audience, then disappeared into the dark shadows backstage before the applause had even ended.

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 15

Arts and Entertainment

Theater

By Thomas Chen “Anastasia” opens on a familiar, intimate scene. A young girl with hairbows and a delicate white nightgown sits with her grandmother, who is leaving for Paris.

Her grandmother lovingly offers the girl a music box to remember her by. The gentle and much-loved melody “Once Upon A December,” begins to play as snow falls gently around them, sweeping viewers up in a stunning adventure of love, mystery, and self-discovery.

The adventure follows Anya, a young woman scraping by in revolutionist Russia, who has no memory of the past and is anxious to learn who she is. Anya is convinced by two con men, Dmitry and Vlad, that she is the lost Romanov princess Anastasia because, unknown to her, they need

“Anastasia”: A Stunning Story of Self-Discovery cares for Anya while determined to ensure that none of the Romanovs remain alive. Though based off of the 1956 and 1997 films about the princess Anastasia, “Anastasia” the musical is a grown-up, grittier version, combining old favorites and striking new songs to deliver a poignant performance.

One of the most memorable new additions is a sweetly intimate duet between Anya (Christy Altomare) and Dmitry (Derek Klena) called “In A Crowd Of Thousands.”

As Dmitry and Anya attempt to recreate their shared past, the chemistry between them becomes clear as the song turns unexpectedly emotional.

The reprise of the classic “Journey to the Past,” nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1998, was well done. With her killer vocals, Altomare delivers

[Tresnjak] plays with the time period and setting, revolutionist Russia, to add the underlying sinister threat of the Communist regime and the realities of those who live under it.

someone to play the part in order to collect a generous reward from Anastasia’s desolate grandmother, the Empress Dowager of France.

Gleb, a communist officer loyal to the new regime, befriends and

Film

By Lily Yan

Christine Jegarl / The Spectator

Imagine how you’d feel if a high-ranking executive of a wellknown corporation, such as Apple, noticed your talent and promised to get in touch with you in the near future. Then, imagine your disappointment if that official were to cut off communication with you altogether.

If you’ve managed to do this, you have captured the exact feelings of Peter Parker in “SpiderMan: Homecoming.”

“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” directed by Jon Watts, revolves around Peter Parker (played by Tom Holland), a 15-year-old high school student, trying to prevent Vulture (played by Michael Keaton) from dealing dangerous weapons involving alien technology in order to prove himself worthy of becoming an Avenger.

It is hard to imagine how a second reboot of the Spider-Man franchise could stand out from its predecessors in any way. However, in the first “Spider-Man” trilogy directed by Sam Raimi, Peter Parker is depicted as a photographer who

on the hopeful, passionate solo about Anya’s dreams for the future, serving as a striking Act One Finale.

The cast of “Anastasia” skillfully depicts engaging characters.

Throughout the show, Altomare shines as a frightened but resilient Anya. Her strength lies in portraying Anya as a truly multidimensional heroine who fights off a group of drunk men in one scene and dreams of a family in the next. Dmitry is very much her equal—Klena skillfully showcases a gentle side to the cocky and cynical Dmitry.

Ramin Karimloo aptly plays Gleb, the sympathetic villain, humanizing him through Gleb’s internal conflict. Gleb, ordered to finish what his father started and kill the royal family, grapples with his legacy, his orders, and his burgeoning love for Anya. Through emotional solos such as “The Neva Flows,” Karimloo adds incredible depth to the loyal but kind communist officer.

John Bolton’s Vlad and Caroline O’Connor’s Lily, the Dowager Empress’s bright and dramatic lady-in-waiting, add some much needed lightness to the story.

Their scandalous but sweet affair is full of funny moments—Vlad does squats while they kiss and their secret signal is obvious. Mary Beth Peil is perfect as the long-suffering Empress Dowager. In a setting both magical and undeniably real, the characters are genuine and imperfectly human.

Visual effects bring Anya’s world to life. A particularly striking moment is the projection of enormous ghost-like figures that twirl across the stage during Anya’s memories of a grand ball, creating a faraway, dream-like feel. Photorealistic backgrounds pull viewers into the scene during Dmitry’s solo “My Petersburg,” in which he fondly reminisces growing up on the streets. A stunning, sunset-

lit St. Petersburg rises gloriously above him and Anya.

The costumes, done by Linda Cho, tiptoe along the delicate line between historical and modern and reveal the characters’ transformations, particularly Anya’s, without the need for a single word. Dressed initially in a burlap sack-like jacket and a dowdy skirt, Anya is hard to imagine as more than the clumsy, frightened streetsweeper. The moment Anya appears in a stunning, floorlength, deep blue ball gown and white opera

gloves, there is something different about her—she is now regal and elegant, perhaps even a princess.

Though “Anastasia” closely mirrors the 1997 animation, direct o r Darko Tr e s n j a k has strayed from the fantastical plot of the film to convey a darker, more realistic story. He plays with the time period and setting, revolutionist Russia, to add the underlying sinister threat of the Communist regime and the realities of those who live under it.

Conflicted communist leader Gleb is a new invention, replacing the green, undead wizard Rasputin and his swarm of demons chasing Anya. The complexity of Gleb’s character and loyalties intensify the conflict, abandoning simple concepts of good and bad for murkier waters. Subtle moments such as a gunshot quickly brushed off a truck and song lyrics such as “We stand behind our leaders/We stand in line for bread” quietly reveal the unpleasant truths of Communist Russia.

“Anastasia” is magical without containing any magic, setting the universal question: “Who am I?” against a dark historical backdrop.

In Anya’s journey, we can see ourselves a n d learn to not be afraid to figure out who we are.

Christine Jegarl / The Spectator

Spider-Man: How A High School Setting Brings The Franchise to its Peak had just graduated high school. In “The Amazing Spider-Man” series directed by Marc Webb, Peter Parker is portrayed as a high school student. “Spider-Man: Homecoming” manages to stand out from not just the previous Spider-Man movies, but also movies of the superhero genre, by focusing on Spider-Man as a high school sophomore.

For example, unlike in the first “Spider-Man” trilogy where Spider-Man is granted the power of organic webbing, in this version, Parker secretly creates his own web fluid in chemistry class and hides it beneath his locker. In addition, when Parker finds out that Vulture is in Maryland thanks to his secretly implanted tracker, he makes a last-minute decision to accompany the decathlon team to its national academic tournament in Washington, D.C. The movie ties in aspects of Parker’s second life with his school life so well that it makes it seem as though Spider-Man cannot exist without his counterpart role as a high school student.

In “Captain America: Civil War,” Parker is taken out on his

first Avengers-related fight by Tony Stark, CEO of Stark Industries, leaving Peter with a thirst for more missions, a theme that “Spider-Man: Homecoming” expands upon. Throughout the film, Parker repeatedly attempts to prove himself to Stark by ending Vulture’s arms trafficking business. His need to show he is more than just someone trying to protect his neighborhood is a reflection of how a majority of teenagers believe they are more than just “children.”

Many teenagers attempt to make their own life choices in order to be more independent and to show their maturity. Peter is not an exception, making many rash decisions to put his job as a superhero first, stating, “I am so far beyond high school right now.”

He quits band, hangs out with his best friend Ned (played by Jacob Batalon) less frequently, refuses to participate in the national academic decathlon tournament with his team before finding out about Vulture’s location, and even skips class—all in order to commit more time to combatting criminals as Spider-Man.

The most prominent example of this kind of decision-making is in regards to his suit. In order to keep Stark from shutting down his quest to defeat Vulture, Parker disables his suit’s tracking device and shuts down the suit’s “Training

changing the age of a main character cannot possibly affect the quality of a movie to such a large degree; but in this case, changing the age impacts the movie by making it more appealing to its audience.

His need to show he is more than just a “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” is a reflection of how a majority of teenagers believe they are more than just “children.”

Wheels Protocol,” which had previously prevented him from using its more advanced features, such as shooting different kinds of webs and enhancing hearing and sight.

Trying to unlock features he was not prepared for at his skill level caused him to be at a constant loss during the action sequence that followed and ultimately lead to Vulture escaping and Parker being stuck in a storage vault.

However, the reckless mistakes he makes to validate his role as a superhero make his maturing all the more gratifying. After apprehending Vulture, Parker realizes he does not need to be an Avenger in order to be a good superhero.

Thus, at the end of the movie, when he turns down Stark’s offer to become a member of the Avengers, Peter truly illustrates how much he has grown. By no longer feeling the need to prove he is capable of fighting crime on a larger scale, Peter overcomes one obstacle on the long road to maturity, creating a satisfying ending.

One may argue that simply

The scenario used at the beginning of the article shouldn’t have been too hard to visualize. Many high school students, especially those in competitive schools like Stuyvesant, will go through or have already gone through the struggle of trying to get themselves noticed by high-status officials, whether it be through research papers or project ideas. So when Parker tries to get his efforts and talents noticed by Stark in attempt after attempt, the majority of the audience—who are either high school students or have been in high school—will be able to empathize with Parker, creating a larger emotional payoff for Parker’s eventual success in proving himself.

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” is vastly different from the preceding films of the franchise. By weaving the experience of a high school student into the storyline of a savior of Queens, it creates its own unique charm and leaves a greater impact on its audience through its relatability.

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 16

Arts and Entertainment Teens and Ballet : A Work In Progress

Insights: Culture

By Paulina Klubok Sitting down in a plush velvet seat in the upper rows of Lincoln Center, I resigned myself to two hours of confusion and boredom.

The possibility that I could enjoy the ensuing ballet seemed remote at best. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The ballet, “Whipped Cream,” was a joyous but intense adventure of a boy trying to evade an evil, giant, doll-like bobble-head doctor set against the backdrop of a whimsical candyland. To my great surprise, “Whipped C re a m” hooked m e from the getg o with its elements of humor, stun-

shared my opinion—they knew they didn’t like ballet because it was “boring,” but didn’t really know why.

Ballets aren’t a part of teen culture the way o t h e r theater forms l i k e plays or musicals are. We play songs from m u sicals on repeat even without watching the show

surely absorbing show culture as part of their education.

Ballet, on the other hand, is not seen as relevant to children and is therefore ne-

ning choreography, and magical costumes that seemed to come alive t o

Christine Jegarl / The Spectator

Strauss’s music.

Though I had taken ballet for several years as a child and appreciated the difficulty of the dance, before watching “Whipped Cream,” I had dismissed ballet as an incomprehensible art form accessible only to old, rich people in ballgowns and tuxedos. My friends

Music

By Nusheen Ghaemi Jay Z’s new music video opens on a very familiar set…“Friends”?

But where’s the music? Where’s Jay Z? This might be what you’re thinking as you watch the short film “Moonlight,” part of a series of new music videos for Jay Z’s most recent album, “4:44.” In them, Jay Z diverges from the usual music video style, doing more than just lip syncing to the song. In fact, Jay Z himself doesn’t appear in a number of them.

With some creativity and poignant storytelling, each video is memorable in its own way. “4:44” itself is a deeply personal album exploring themes of marriage, infidelity, and race, and the music videos expand on these ideas through the specific images and stories Jay Z chooses to tell.

In the album, Jay Z exposes a very real, vulnerable side of himself to the public, as Beyoncé had done with the drop of “Lemonade,” and the music videos perpetuate that quality. “Lemonade” made waves by exposing Jay Z’s infidelity and being very public with such a private matter. “4:44” has been hailed as his response to this album, and in it, Jay Z apologizes for his actions, revealing new details such as Beyoncé’s miscar-

are fairly cheap—ballet tickets for students can be bought for as little as $20 or $30 while Broadway tickets routinely go for hundreds of dollars. This phenomenon stems in part from a lack of exposure to ballet. Elementary school children put on yearly plays and musicals,slowlybut

(“Hamilton,” anyone?), but we’d be hard-pressed to name more than two ballets and their composers.

This is dismal in New York City, which offers a world of options: Lincoln Center, New York City Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre, and many more. Tickets, compared to other forms of entertainment,

glected.

“The only time I was exposed to a classical ballet was [in] Music Appreciation class,” junior Jennifer Lee commented.

“We know [ballets] exist, but they’re just not mainstream with most kids.”

Lack of exposure only accounts for part of the problem— even those who dance ballet as teens don’t watch it. “Only the girls who are serious about ballet watch [ballets], and just for famous ballerinas,” Masha Yepishkina, 16, added. “For them, it’s like going to see your favorite artist at a concert, but most people, like me, don’t know ballerinas.” Yepishkina, who has four years of experience at Brighton

Important strides have been made: Misty Copeland became the first black principal dancer at the American Ballet Theater in 2015. Her performances drew large crowds, diverse in age and race.

Ballet Theater, thinks ballet’s lack of popularity lies with the perceptions that surround it.

“I think that a lot of the reason teens aren’t into ballet is because it’s seen as an art form that excludes them,” Haley Henderson suggested. She is 15 and has been practicing ballet on and off for 10 years. Henderson feels that teenagers don’t see themselves and their values represented in the traditionalism and strictness of ballet. There is little diversity in ballet—ballet dancers are typically white with slim, perfectly proportioned bodies and long limbs. However, important strides have been made: Misty Copeland became the first black principal dancer at the American Ballet Theater in 2015. Her performances drew large crowds, diverse in age and race.

Along with representation, teenagers are also more attracted to ballets with flashy dynamic action, loud sounds, strange characters, frightening plot twists, and scandalous love triangles. It is not a coincidence that “Whipped Cream,” which featured all of these elements, attracted a significantly younger audience. This need for drama comes from a shortened attention span in our digital age.

A Microsoft Corp. study found that today, people, particularly younger generations, lose concentration after eight seconds, as opposed to 12 seconds in the year 2000. Classical ballets, characterized by murky, often confusing plotlines and classical music, clash with our desire for quick and easy consumption of information. Songs and dances become popular because they are simple and catchy, while ballet requires thought from the viewer that teenagers often aren’t willing to provide.

Yet in ballet’s complexity lies its value, and teenage interest in and appreciation of ballet are essential to its preservation. The way to attract teens to ballet is for ballet to tiptoe along the thin line between art and entertainment, integrating the beauty and simplicity of ballet with teen values of rebellion and uniqueness. Teenagers need to see themselves reflected in ballet through more dynamic ballets and more diverse dancers. They also need to learn to connect with ballet early on, a job that falls on parents and educators. Schools need to expand their arts curriculum: school trips should include ballets as well as plays. As for teens, go see a ballet some time—you might be surprised.

Jay Z Tackles The Music Video As a Cinematic Masterpiece riages and his rough childhood in which he shot his own brother.

What stands out about the videos is that they could work as stand-alone pieces—not just as supplements to the songs.

In fact, the video for “Moonlight” only plays part of the actual song, with most of the time being filled by a reenactment of a “Friends” episode with an all black cast and a commentary on diversity in media and cultural appropriation. Suddenly, a phone rings and someone asks, “Hey, can we take five?” The bubble is burst as the camera pans behind the scenes of the set. Ross, played by Jerrod Carmichael, goes offstage and asks his friend, Hannibal Buress, who is watching the filming, what he thinks of the concept. He gets the reply, “Trash.”

After this comment, Carmichael goes back to filming and becomes distracted, staring off into space. Carmichael tells Buress that he feels what he is doing is subverting mainstream media and making a positive statement, when in reality the concept of a black “Friends” is just imitating Caucasian media, not subverting anything. As the show continues, he is led offstage by Rachel, played

by Issa Rae, to a bench. The video ends with Carmichael staring up at the Moonlight.

Additionally, the song lyrics speak about the infamous accident at the 2017 Oscars when “La La Land” was announced as the Best Film winner, even though Moonlight actually won, saying “We stuck in ‘La La Land,’ even when we win we gon’ lose.” Jay Z is commenting on Caucasian, mainstream media overshadowing the success of African Americans in media. If you look closely at the cover art for the video, typed backward and upside down, it says, “Success is never enough.”

The most popular music video, “The Story of O.J.,” plays on historical, racist Disney cartoon depictions of African Americans from the mid-20th century. Jay Z also plays on the stereotypes about black culture, including an image of him as a made-up character, Jaybo, eating a large slice of watermelon. He depicts lines of Ku Klux Klan members coming off a factory conveyor belt and even a scene of slaves being auctioned off. These images and the cartoon style reference the country’s troubled past and even the present.

In statements about financial success as an African American, he advises listeners, “You [want to] know what’s more important than throwing away money at a strip club? Credit.” Later, he adds, “Financial freedom [is] my only

hope.”

Despite this advice, the hook of the song seems to send the message that in America, no matter your status, you will still be regarded as the same: “still n***a.”

Tying together all these small references to America’s past and the plight of African Americans is not unlike Beyoncé’s use of images of black women throughout history in “Lemonade.”

In “Bam,” Jay Z and his collaborator Damian Marley walk around Trenchtown, Jamaica. Trenchtown is the iconic birthplace of reggae and was home to many of the genre’s most important artists, including Marley’s father, Bob Marley. Marley and Jay Z’s narration cut into the song here and there to drop notes of wisdom about music and the rich history of reggae.

In the beginning, Jay Z says, “The prophets in the beginning were musicians, the poets, the writers, and that’s what we’ve been tasked with in this life.”

As the video plays, it pans to aerial views of the town, kids playing in the streets, mothers and their children, Marley and Hov in the studio, street artists making their own reggae music, and even a feature by Sister Nancy. The artist responsible for the iconic song “Bam Bam” shows up in the studio freestyling a version of the

song and speaking to its timeless legacy.

These intimate moments relate to one theme of the video: people. Jay Z comments, “I feel like when I go to Africa, I’m with my people. I love people. Period.”

These shots, transitions or cuts are perfectly timed to the music and beat. The video makes the audience really appreciate small cinematic details, such as when Jay Z says, “We’re all vessels, right? We’re whistles; the wind goes through us and we make the noise,” followed by a shot of trees with the subtle sound of wind rushing through.

Watching artists of different generations sitting around and discussing their music as it relates to their culture, family, and ancestry conveys a message about the power and importance of music.

Not the usual flashy music videos, these videos embody a recent trend for artists to take music videos as a real opportunity for compelling, cinematic storytelling. Kendrick Lamar’s “HUMBLE” and Beyoncé’s entire film “Lemonade” are just a few examples in the recent past of the use of a music video as a visual medium not just to accompany a song, but to enhance its meaning and to make its own statement.

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 17

Arts and Entertainment Literature

By William Lohier I have always told myself that I will never attempt to research my family history. For me, the daunt-

Yaa Gyasi Explores Lineage in “Homegoing” chapters comes from Gyasi’s description of slavery through Esi’s daughter, Ness. Ness, who endures the hauntingly grotesque horrors of slavery, is stolen from

tween chapters is what lends the novel both breadth and depth.

Gyasi continuously ponders the meaning of fire and water, hashing and rehashing the weight

“‘Homegoing’ is a grand and painful push both forward and back. It is the struggle toward a home that may not even exist and the exploration of the roots and history that have been forcibly excised.”

ing task of unwinding and accepting what I might find on Ancestry. com seems too painful or too frustrating to even attempt. Half of my family comes from Korea, the other from Haiti. While my Korean grandparents are relatively sure of their lineage for generations, my Haitian lineage is far less certain.

My dad tells me my grandfather was a mélange truly representative of the makeup of most people of Caribbean descent. My grandmother, he says, is likely almost entirely of West African descent. However, other than stories, vague accounts of relatives, and faded photographs, I have no record of my ancestors, who they were, what they did, when and whether they were slaves, and when or whether they engaged in the slave trade.

In her debut novel “Homegoing,” author Yaa Gyasi, a 26year-old Stanford graduate born in Ghana and raised in Alabama, explores this complex skein of lineage and history with slavery that all descendants of Africa’s Gold and Ivory coast carry with them.

While slavery’s complicated legacy is ever present in the Americas, evident both in our culture and through the oppression and inequality that still exist today, often overlooked in the U.S. is the legacy of slavery in Africa’s Gold Coast. Gyasi’s panoramic work intertwines and juxtaposes these two histories and cultures in an attempt to codify the long-lasting effects of the slave trade for both those who were captured and sold and those who stayed behind.

A tremendous undertaking, “Homegoing” follows seven generations of descendants of two ethnically Akan half-sisters in what is now Ghana. Born in the mid-18th century, they are unaware of each other’s existence. Effia, married to a white official and cursed by a fire on the night of her birth that, like slavery, “burned, up and through, unconcerned with the wreckage it left behind,” lives a life of general comfort in Cape Coast Castle, oblivious to the horrors occurring in the dungeons beneath her feet.

Her half sister Esi is captured and held in the dungeons of the same castle with “so many other bodies…that they all had to lie, stomach down, so that women can be stacked on top of them” and is referred to as “cargo” by Effia’s husband. Raped by an unnamed white man, Esi is inspected, packaged, and shipped across the Atlantic.

The story of their progeny takes the shape of vignettes, with the story of each generation occupying a single chapter, linked into a cohesive and compelling narrative by both familial ties and motifs.

Perhaps one of the most moving and heartbreakingly human

her mother and estranged from her roots and language as her mother is given “five lashes for every Twi word Ness spoke” while growing up. Her strength is evident as she carries the weight of scars “shaped like a m a n hugging her from b e h i n d with his arms hanging around her neck.”

T h i s narrative of American slavery is heightened and expanded by its imprint on Effia’s descend a n t s .

It strips identity from Quey, her son, a slaver whose light skin and broken Twi lead children to ask if he’s a white man. It returns humanity to James, her grandson, who marries a woman who refuses to shake his hand because he belongs to an ethnic group known to be slavers.

J a m e s muses, “If the girl could not shake his hand, t h e n surely she could not touch her own,” because “everyone is a part of this. Asante, Fante, Ga. British, Dutch, and American.”

Dialogue like this be-

they carry throughout generations. Fires in the night reappear in permutations to haunt descendants generations later: in the nightmares of a great-greatgranddaughter for whom fire represents the trauma passed down through generations on the face of her son and in the fears of his children. A young man fears the water that once brought his ancestors over the Atlantic.

Water and Fire, two stones, one passed down through generations, one lost after the first, represent the lineages we remember and those we lose through apathy or strife. Names gain meaning as children for generations only know their parents by name.

Gyasi depends heavily on symbols and motifs such as these to give structure to the massiveness of her work.

Of course, the format of interconnected short story-like glimpses into generations has drawbacks. Each chapter needs an exposition, a cast of characters to populate it, and inevitably, some characters are more convincing than others. Especially through Esi’s descendants in America, it is clear Gyasi bites off a little more than she can chew as she attempts to codify the African American experience from slavery to Jim Crow, to the great migration, to the Harlem renaissance, to the modern day. While these characters have sparkling moments of humanity and depth, they sometimes come across as conglomerations of the black experience of the time: important, but lacking depth or direction.

H, for instance, arrested for nothing and forced to work in a mine, is a dimen-

Christine Jegarl / The Spectator

sionless manifestation of statesanctioned slavery after abolition. Willie, a gospel singer who moves North during the Great Migration, and her husband, who abandons her after realizing he can pass as white, are little more than tropes attempting to capture the black experience of their time period. Their son, a heroin addict in the ‘60s is an expansion of a remark made earlier in the book by James, lamenting that slavery will never end because the oppressors “would just trade one type of shackle for another, trade physical ones that wrapped around wrists and ankles for invisible ones that wrapped around the mind.”

Gyasi’s narrative prowess truly shines through the winding trajectory of Effia’s descendants in Ghana. The freedom from an archetypal storyline gives way to an at times joyful, quirky, and overwhelmingly human story. Episodes of surprising vibrancy reveal life in characters, from a kneeling mother reunited with her son who knows she is crying “by the wetness of his feet” to a housekeeper whose smile, once she realizes she can speak her native language with her employer, allows him to see “into her throat, her gut, the home of her very soul.”

Gyasi’s prose is by no means breathtaking, but as she embarks on this epic endeavor, these moments of humanity and startling clarity are the ones that stand out.

A stunning debut novel, “Homegoing” is confirmation that Gyasi has much to say as well as room to grow and add depth to her prose.

“Homegoing” is a grand and painful push both forward and back. It is the struggle toward a home that may not even exist and the exploration of the roots and history that have been forcibly excised. Gyasi records and unpacks the power of truth, generational trauma, and most of all, lineage. Just as with a family, one chapter, one story, cannot exist when not surrounded by others, each supporting and engaging in dialogue with the rest.

As the Akan proverb preluding her novel states, “The family is like the forest: if you are outside it is dense; if you are inside you see that each tree has its own position.”

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The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Arts and Entertainment Insights: Culture

By Shray Tripathi

Theater

By Chelsea Cheung Cozily nestled in the bustling streets of Times Square, the Imperial Theater was a world unto itself as an eager audience was introduced to rapturous, 19th century Russia. Written by Leo Tolstoy, “War and Peace” (1869) took on a new life in the Broadway musical, “Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812.”

The two hour and 30 minute long production illustrated the decadent affair between the young and wide-eyed Natasha Rostova (played by Denee Benton) and the handsome, though already married, Anatole (played by Lucas Steele) as she waited for her beloved fiance, Prince Andrey (played by Nicholas Belton), to return home from war.

Interestingly quirky and brilliant, “The Great Comet” was declared Broadway’s “next ‘Hamilton’”—both similar in their aim of depicting dense, historical novels as well as their ever-rising rate of success. 12 Tony nominations, the most of any production in 2017, were a confirmation of this success.

tographers. While the woman was likely paying her respects to 9-11 victims, and the man was boldly protesting a cause he cared about, white flashes were going off in their faces, and photographers were pushing and squeezing past each other to capture these subjects from the best angle. Journalists and photographers try their hardest to tell us only the stories that we would find most interesting; in Stanton’s words, “that’s just good business.”

Stanton explains that, because our media revolves so frequently around the “interesting” stories, we are often left with warped reflections of reality.

Gruesome and shocking stories of crime, violence, and danger make headlines nearly every day.

When we are flooded with images of the most extreme elements of our society, we begin to perceive our world as a much more dangerous, dark, and hopeless place than it actually is.

When we turn on the news, we hear about gang violence, robberies, and murders, but not about the local grandmother that takes dance classes and works at a soup kitchen, or about the homosexual teenager that feels like they can never fit in.

While mainstream news sources don’t feel the need to cover such seemingly simplistic and personal stories, HONY compensates for exactly that—one post at a time.

I believe that this is what has brought HONY to worldwide fame: its ability to invoke the deeply human emotion of empathy. It’s undoubtedly important to know about a country on the verge of nuclear war, or about the brutality that Syrian children face daily. But I’ve happily been scrolling through thousands of HONY’s portraits for the exact same reason that feel-good websites such as “22 Words” and “Huffpost Good News” are trending everywhere: without even noticing it, I’ve become tired of all the sensationalism and disharmony that I see in the media.

Think back to one of HONY’s portraits from April, with a caption about a Colombian boy who wants to be an archaeologist and hunt for “dinosaur eggs and Egyptians.” Think back to a portrait caption from 2013, in which a woman is told by her dying husband, “take the love you have for me and spread it around.” Think of the portrait about a boy who seized the perfect moment during a movie to ask his crush out on a date. Whether these stories are heart-warming or poignant, they aren’t covered by the news.

They should be.

In the midst of political and international strife, it’s more important now than ever that we begin to understand and accept the stories of those all around the world. Stanton’s work is, for us, a raw and effortless way to find meaning and relatability in other people’s lives. It’s time we make more human connection.

Whether it be through HONY’s long captions, the images themselves, or the thousands of Facebook comments that follow each post, there is always a message that can be extracted, or some sort of connection we can make. Through words and pictures about others, we’re getting to know these people, we’re feeling emotions that they’ve felt, and we’re learning from their lives—how things they’ve done or gone through can be lessons and shared experiences for us.

HONY isn’t just an outlet for entertainment or a pastime; I, for one, hope that it ends up being the future of journalism. The news nowadays tells us about one domestic and foreign disaster after the next, but I hope that more news sources begin to tell us the truly “good” stories: stories from which we can understand that our world is not doomed to hell, and that if we have conflicts that we need to resolve, we must do so by making human connections and coming together—not by viewing the rest of our world through a lens of separation.

Insights: Culture

What “Basic” Really Means

Minseo Kim / The Spectator

In the last few weeks of summer vacation, I spent hours digging through the website “Humans of New York.” Also known as HONY, this world-famous photoblog was launched by a man named Brandon Stanton who began his project in 2010 with an organic passion for photography and a vision that he could document the life of nearly every single person in New York City. His plan was simple: he would walk the streets, camera in hand, and shoot portraits of complete strangers, wherever he chose.

Today, with shots of over 10,000 people—not just from New York, but from countries across the world—Stanton’s work has become an impressive scrapbook of stories: honest and realistic snapshots of strangers’ lives. Stanton doesn’t photograph people that are famous, but this is what makes HONY so unique. The point of his blog isn’t to give you photos of celebrities or popular events, but to provide authentic and powerful insight into the lives of genuine people.

In Stanton’s 2012 TED Talk, he explains his reasons for creating the blog. He describes his earlier days of being a photojournalist, in which he would take photos at crowded events, full of professional photographers and many media-company representatives. He was quick to notice a pattern in their behavior. Rather than being dispersed equally throughout the scene, photographers would be “fighting for the exact same photographs,” or in other words, surrounding only those in the crowd that stood out.

If you’ve seen a picture of a grief-stricken woman standing in beautiful solitude at the 9-11 memorial, or a picture of a man dressed in a creepy Paul Krugman costume at the “Occupy Wall Street” protests, Stanton can assure you that the moments depicted in these photos were in fact a circus of pho-

Humans of New York: Lessons for the World

By Grace Goldstein One day during my freshman year, my friends and I had a couple of hours to kill before SING! rehearsal. We took the subway to SoHo, and after 20 minutes of confused zig-zagging through the streets and arguing with both Google Maps and each other, we ran through the door of the popular store Brandy Melville only to find ourselves underwhelmed by the racks of dull, pink t-shirts. We spent about 10 seconds inside, and left shaking our heads and complaining about how basic every clothing item we’d seen was.

By “basic,” of course, we meant bland, boring, unoriginal. We also meant mainstream and popular.

It’s a simple as this—“basic” is an insult intended to shame people for their likes and interests. It’s an accusation that we use to scare and mold each other into someone who we deem acceptable. It’s as if one day, all anyone wanted was to follow current trends and imitate celebrities, and the next, we were living in fear of anything that could prompt our friends and peers to call us basic.

Maybe it’s time to stop.

“Basic” is typically used to describe specific elements of arts and culture: restaurants, coffee shops, clothing brands and items, music, movies and television shows, hairstyles, and makeup. But it’s also used as an insult to describe

people who like those things.

It’s easy to ignore the dangerous connotations of the term “basic,” because in most cases, we don’t sound malicious when we use it, but people, especially teenagers, use the term “basic” to pressure and alter each other. We’ve all done it: Retaken a selfie, avoided a brand of makeup, or walked out of a clothing store from an internalized fear of being basic.

At least, that’s what it’s like if you’re a girl. Basic is typically directed towards conventional feminine clothing and behavior and is often used by girls as a mean accusation to invalidate their female peers. Labelling makeup, popular feminine clothing, and other girloriented culture “basic” fuels the old stereotypes that girls are simple, all alike, and not to be taken seriously. So the label has more destructive potential than one might realize without giving it real consideration.

We all have the power to shape one another. Forcing the “basic” label on each other, targeting girls for having mainstream feminine interests, and using popular culture to shame our peers isn’t the best way to do that. Instead, we should guide each other toward a mix of mainstream and individual interests that complete our identities and help us build confidence, and if that means letting your friends make “basic” choices, let them.

The Legacy that “Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812” Left Behind Yet, the production came to a screeching halt with its final performance on September 3rd, with controversial casting marking the end of an incredibly successful four year run.The end ultimately began in late July, when a financial scare prompted the show’s creator, Dave Malloy, to replace the actor of Pierre, Okieriete “Oak” Onaodowan, an African American best known for playing a supporting role in Hamilton, with Mandy Patinkin, a well-known, white actor who had starred in the famous 1987 “The Princess Bride.”

Only a few weeks prior was Onaodowan chosen to replace the original actor, Josh Groban.

Yet a month into the show’s run with Onaodowan, ticket sales dropped to $900,000 a week, which contrasted to the $1.2 million a week that Groban had brought when he played Pierre.

In a panicked effort to boost publicity and ticket sales, Malloy called in Patinkin to step in the role, in the hopes that the revered name would help sell the show.

The announcement un-

leashed a wave of angry protests on social media, as many defended Onaodowan and bluntly pointed out the racism that was involved in the casting replacement. Soon afterwards, Patinkin

bacle leaving neither Patinkin nor Onaodowan to play Pierre, Malloy was left to take on the responsibility to play Pierre for the last three weeks of its run.

Though racial discrimina-

to play the characters. Having had made great strides in giving minorities a larger platform, the decision to replace Onaodowan ultimately led the show to retrogress to a state where white peo-

...one can only wish for “The Great Comet” to return to Broadway soon and to have learned from its mistakes.

declined the offer, possibly afraid that in accepting it, he would elicit an even more vehement response on social media.

Subsequently, Onaodowan announced on Instagram that his last performance would be on August 13th and that he would not be returning due to the second-rate treatment he received as a black actor. With the de-

tion is, unfortunately, not an uncommon occurrence in the entertainment industry, the producers’ decisions in this case proved to be an incongruous one; the show had received high praise for its diversity, especially with African American actress Denee Benton playing the lead role in a script that doesn’t necessarily warrant people of color

ple are evidently valued more.

But despite this debacle being an ingrained part of the show’s brief history, it should be made clear that the controversy should not define “The Great Comet”’s legacy. Even if it was not one that could be easily forcontinued on page 19

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 19

Arts and Entertainment

Theater continued from page 18

given, nor forgotten, by many, the casting choice was a mistake. If one could disregard the controversy, even momentarily, it would be agreed upon that “The Great Comet” was an unforgettable Broadway masterpiece, having had done unprecedented things that delightfully deviated from the traditions in Broadway theater.

For one, its score is unlike any other, as it is difficult to pinpoint one specific genre. Critics have instead characterized the score as an “electro-pop opera,” and as it suggests, it was a mesh of electronic-dance music, folk music, opera and pop. This combination of old and modern genres livened the story with an interesting twist.

The stage poses as another one of the show’s groundbreaking elements. Instead of making the actors and audience two discrete entities with a traditional

The Legacy that “Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812” Left Behind stage, the set is designed so that there are bits and pieces of stage around the room, intertwining the actors, audience, and band together. The ensemble covered every part of the theater, and they had no qualms with interacting with the audience, inviting them to be part of the story and making them the butt of a multitude of jokes.

Another facet that must not be overlooked was its grandiose lighting. Elaborate golden chandeliers and light bulbs, hung against the backdrop of sweeping red velvet curtains, embodied the formidable explosion of comets. The light playfully followed along to every song while casting a romantic aura over the room. Even the table stand lamps present in every row of seats played a part of the elaborate light repertoire.

From its breathtaking lighting, to the meticulously crafted costumes, to the myriad of exuberant dancing scenes that would erupt the theater into a

delightful chaos, it is no doubt that “The Great Comet” excels in many categories. Yet, arguably the most memorable facet that Broadway will take away was the profound portrayal of its story.

“The Great Comet” was able to take a trite plot line that has been used in a plethora of other stories over centuries of literature and allow the audience to see more than the superficiality of a treacherous affair between a beautiful princess and an alluring man.

Instead, we learn to recognize the grueling dilemma that young Natasha is burdened with and how one decision has the devastating capacity to ultimately to ruin her and her family. We see the great extent of the genuine compassion and worry that one can have for another human being in Natasha’s cousin and closest friend, Sonya (played by Ingrid Michaelson), as she emotionally dedicates herself to protecting Natasha from disgracing her name. We

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meet Pierre, an old, wealthy aristocrat who is unhappily married and cannot find a substantial reason to exist but still is able to muster compassion in his heart for a heartbroken friend.

“The Great Comet” culminates in a climactic ending: the falling of the comet itself. The show doesn’t make a contrived effort to present an emerging hero from a fog nor a glossy ending to a tumultuous affair.

There is only complication and uncertainty. Pierre sings one last song—a haunting and poignant aria narrating the fall of the comet. But instead of panic or despair of the destruction that will soon befall them, he joyfully accepts the fate ahead. While listening to the aria, one may even draw a semblance between the show and the comet in one of its lyrics: both were unforgettable forces that travelled “with inexpressible speed through immeasurable space,” only for them to “suddenly have stopped… like an arrow piercing the earth.”

No doubt in mind, “The Great Comet” was nothing short of rapturous, exquisite, funny, and imbued with an enthralling decadence at its core. But the sincere and heartfelt moments were what allowed the show to rise up above most others to become a truly indelible mark in Broadway history. This is not to assert that this racial issue is far less important than its brilliant facets or that it can be forgotten or glossed over. But there is no denying that it is indeed a pity that this was to happen―a pity that the show ended and a pity that we are once again reminded that as a society, we are still far from reaching racial equality in the entertainment industry.

But even despite the issue, one can only wish for “The Great Comet” to return to Broadway soon and to have learned from its mistakes. And hopefully, the rest of Broadway can learn too, the good, as well as the bad.

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 20

Humor These articles are works of fiction. All quotes are libel and slander.

Dear Incoming Class of 2021…We Don’t Really Have Advice!

By Daniel Knopf With every new school year comes a new wave of extremely helpful posts in the “Dear Incoming Class of 2021...We Have Advice!” Facebook group. As the incoming freshmen excitedly pack their wheelie bags full of thicc three-ring binders, veteran Stuyvesant students search their brains for prime advice to give.

The freshmen have been bombarded with extremely useful advice such as “Stuy sucks, transfer out” and “hey guys, join the slime club.” While 99 percent of the posts in the Class of 2021 group are completely necessary and not at all redundant, every once in a while, some rising sophomore makes a totally hilar-

“Whenever I’m feeling depressed about college apps, I go into the 2021 advice group and make a post about the cross country team to cheer myself up.”

—Amy Ren, senior

ious joke about bringing a tent to Camp Stuy.

Another type of post that is common in the Facebook group is advertisements for sports teams.

“Whenever I’m feeling depressed about college apps, I go into the 2021 advice group and make a post about the cross country team to cheer myself up,” senior Amy Ren said. “I mean, I can only write seven Common App drafts a day before feeling like I’m a failure, amiright?”

Nevertheless, freshmen often ask questions on how to join sports teams or other clubs. “I know there have been 13 other posts about the swimming team, but I have a rare psychological disorder that prevents me from scrolling down,” freshman Leo Yuan said. “It’s called being a little s***.”

For some upperclassmen, the incoming class group is not seen so much as a helpful tool for freshmen, but as a source of fun.

“When I see a naive and innocent post by a hopeful freshman, I can’t help but tear it apart and laugh,” sophomore Eugene Seo said. “One time I saw this girl ask ‘how do I make friends at Stuy,’ so I commented ‘you don’t HA GOT EM AYY LMAO WHOMST IS THIS SCRUB’ along with a picture of the freshman’s head as a fidget spinner. Then, I gave myself a high five every time someone liked my comment.”

Another popular question found in the advice group is: “What type of school supplies should I buy?” In response, several upperclassmen have answered with “just continually mooch paper and pencils off your classmates until they eventually shun you.”

What Type of Stuy Student Are You?

By Marie Ivantechenko and Alexandra Wen

Type A: The Extra One “Isn’t our final project due today?”

“Can you have your parents ALSO call? I’m trying to avoid taking the Spanish final.”

Strengths: Getting kicked out of a classroom for arguing with the teacher for half of the period (and not understanding why they got kicked out).

Weaknesses: Believing they’re the Earth from previous geocentric models, waiting until the day before to ask for study guides Likes: Arguing with teachers for .1 of a point back on an exam, saying there were train delays... every day, bragging about how many APs they have Dislikes: Teachers who don’t curve, assistant principals who don’t let them switch teachers, when participation doesn’t count until the final grade Description: You take the r out of pretty.

Type B: The Scholar “We had homework?!”

“You think YOU didn’t sleep enough? I got exactly two minutes of sleep during passing today.”

Strengths: Complaining about how hard their course-load is, writing a 10-page paper the same period it’s due Weaknesses: Showing up to school eight periods late, cutting a class to study for a different class Likes: Suddenly gaining a photographic memory two hours before finals, comparing the amount of sleep they got with other students, black coffee Dislikes: Teachers who lower the

An Obituary for My New Year’s Resolutions

By Gabrielle Umanova Dearest Summer, Finally freed from the chains of academic hell, the hallways of Stuyvesant High School, I was ready to begin a beautiful 10week romance under your blistering sun. But alas, as I prepare myself for inevitably re-entering those Doors of Doom, Death, and Despair, I must come to terms with our impending separation.

Allow me to anticipate my onsetting mental breakdown by recounting our time together, so I can proceed to waste what little time I have left wallowing in selfpity and an endless barrage of memes.

I will admit I cannot remember much about our first week together, as I spent 95 percent of it asleep. The highly concentrated cocktail of stress and crippling depression that I had been consuming over the last 10 months resulted in quite the hangover.

However, by the time week two rolled around, I began to have a slow recovery. I was invigorated by a rare motivation to make positive life changes, such as finally getting off the couch.

Unfortunately, it turns out that exercising feels like hell, so that plan was quickly scrapped.

I then decided to be productive for once in my life. I spent a solid 35.827 seconds thinking about how I should really start studying for the year ahead. With your love by my side, I confident-

ly ordered a Barron’s book that still sits peacefully undisturbed on my desk and has peeked out my window for a record-breaking three milliseconds.

Alas, like any relationship, we went through our ups and downs.

We had our disagreements, like that time you scorched my face off and I spent a solid week more burnt than Trump’s eyes after the eclipse. Despite it all, my undying devotion to you does not change, and I am again reaching a nearcatatonic state at the thought of leaving you.

Maybe the most heartbreaking aspect of our separation is that it obligates me to face the workload I have been desperately avoiding. It appears that the high temperatures did nothing to reverse my sluggish, apathetic nature, so I accomplished a grand total of zero tasks over the course of vacation. As a result, as I move into the abusive rebound that is The Fall, I still have to memorize all of the information inside my AP prep books, figure out what this “SAT” thing is (Sweat, Agony, Tears?), purchase an IKEA book shelf which can store my 23 million pages of AP Euro review sheets and 91 Crash Course volumes, adopt and register a bear as a support animal in order to survive junior year, construct a stroller (cage?) for said bear to bring it to school, acquire a piloting license so that I can fly away from my problems, build a timetravel machine so that I can pre-

vent that one time I tripped on stage at my elementary school graduation from happening, write a letter to Dreamworks demanding an explanation as to why Artie wasn’t given more screen time in Shrek the Third, master kung-fu, and become a legendary painter tutored by the one and only Bob Ross (through my time-travel machine, of course).

Normally, I would blame not getting anything done on my tendency to procrastinate and avoid any sense of responsibility like the Black Death. However, this time around, I am blaming you—I was seduced by your warm beaches and sunny frolicworthy green fields, forgetting all of my worries. I think you really might be a bad influence.

Honestly, I’m finding it a little hard to not be bitter about your fear of commitment. I mean, can’t you stay year round? Instead, it feels our time together passed by quicker than Scaramucci’s stay in the White House. But, like all good things, our relationship too is nearing its end. Don’t worry about me; I’ve already planned out coping with our break-up by ugly-crying and consuming alarming quantities of ice cream during the first week of school.

So now, I’ll set you free and say good-bye, marking June 26 on my calendar for when I shall see you again.

Always yours,

Gaby

grades of students that sleep in class, when the deadline can’t be extended by two months, milk and sugar Description: When walking down the hallways, stay alert!

Someone may throw a handle at you so you can get a grip.

Type C: The Common Man “Hey, can you tell me what was on the test?”

“I’ll do the math homework if you do the history homework.”

Strengths: Restating what their classmates said and passing it off as their original response, being able to suddenly go from a 65 to a 98 Weaknesses: Questions that ask “please explain how you got your answer,” choosing to drink more coffee instead of sleeping more Likes: Extra credit assignments, teachers that drop the lowest grade, substitute teachers that give no work Dislikes: Test prep books that are more than $10, self-studying for a class, when a teacher asks, “I don’t know, CAN you?”

Description: Throwing shade takes some creativity, but luckily for you, writing words “in your own voice” won’t take any.

Type D: The “I Should Have Transferred To My Zone School” “What do you mean you can’t curve my 67 to a 98?”

“Who’s willing to do my final project? Will pay $$$$” Strengths: Being a humor editor, saying they have depression instead of admitting they’re lazy Weaknesses: Lack of human decency, spamming Facebook Likes: When neither homework nor participation majorly factor into a grade, boasting about

their would-have-been impressive 105 average at a different school Dislikes: Being one point away from passing an exam, when school cuts into their League time, when their friends won’t pull through with the final project Description: We get it, you’re a games “journalist” and you’re livid about bugs in the latest update of League. On the bright side, YouTube pays $5 per thousand views!

“DId YoU dO tHe HoMEwoRk?” Type F: The Cutter “If I stop showing up now, I’ll still pass.”

“DId YoU dO tHe HoMEwoRk?” Strengths: Being a meme, knowing all the shady places near Stuy Weaknesses: Showing up to school, turning in attendance forms Likes: Pineapple pizza, passing a class without any effort, saying “One like and I’ll show up to school” Dislikes: Getting tagged by friends on attendance-related posts, teachers that give grades based o attendance Description: You’re in school so rarely that your teachers throw a party every time you show up.

Congrats to you for setting a new record for minimum amount of classes you need to show up to in order to pass.

Stuyvesant Incoming Class: A Closer Look

By Gilvir Gill Café Amore, a pizzeria between Greenwich and West Broadway on Chambers Street, has seen a 300 percent increase in patrons, corresponding to a trend seen by other usually unfashionable establishments such as Terry’s, the fifth floor cafeteria, and BMCC students selling candy to jumpstart their music career.

These new customers have been described as young teenagers, aged 13-14, with large JanSport backpacks, anime character profile pictures on Facebook, and an obsession with the online video game and salt mine “League of Legends.” They can be found in the sixth floor library, asking upperclassmen for the Wi-Fi password, or in the stairways making their way to the newly constructed 12th floor pool. They are the Stuyvesant Incoming Class of 2021, and they’re ready to take Stuyvesant by storm.

These new students come from all over the city and represent dozens of different countries, five different boroughs; they have a shared belief that they will be graduating as valedictorian, getting eight hours of sleep every night, and

going to Harvard, while seeing their fellow 800 classmates as giant nerds.

One such student is freshman Noa Morris. Unlike the thousands of sophomores and upperclassmen at Stuyvesant High School, Morris was legitimately enthusiastic to be featured here in The Spectator.

Morris was found waiting in line at Terry’s, which she chose as her deli of choice over Gourmet Market, commonly dubbed “Fake Terry’s.” “The last thing I would want is something fake, whether it be a deli, clothing, or friends,” said Morris, while sporting a fake Obey hat and Supreme x Stuyvesant Student Union hoodie licensed solely by Student Union President Tahseen Chowdhury as an attempt to raise funds for his state senate campaign.

In her free time, Morris actively enjoys using the library computers to browse Reddit and post about what extracurriculars will help her get into college while a struggling junior desperately needs to finish his English pap e r.

The aspiring student plans to g ra d u a t e a year in advance, but is currently struggling due to a failing grade in swim gym.

Suzy B. Ae / The Spectator

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

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The Spectator â—? September 11, 2017

Photo Essay Summer Daze

By Mika Simoncelli, Anna Yuan, Emily Siew, Tiffany Yu, and Vivian Cribb

The Spectator ● September 11, 2017

Page 23

Sports NBA

2017-2018 NBA Preseason Power Rankings

By Jooahn Sur and Sean Stanton The 2017 NBA offseason was one of the most eventful in recent memory. The Western Conference became much stronger, while the Eastern Conference suffered. Superstar Chris Paul was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Houston Rockets. Free agent Gordon Hayward decided to sign with the Boston Celtics. The Chicago Bulls traded star Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired star Paul George. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Celtics swapped starting point guards. The new outlook of many teams after the offseason has dramatically changed the hierarchy of the league.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1. Golden State Warriors

This offseason, the Warriors proved that the rich just keep getting richer. After beating the Cavaliers in the Finals 4-1, the defending champions enter the 2017-2018 season as heavy favorites to win the Finals again. They maintained their current roster by resigning superstars Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, and capable role players Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston. They also added Nick Young and Omri Casspi to bolster their bench behind their loaded starting lineup of Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Durant, and center Zaza Pachulia.

2. Houston Rockets

The Rockets now have the best backcourt in the league, made up of Chris Paul and 2017 MVP runner-up James Harden. While the rest of their starting lineup may not be full of standout players, the Rockets’ depth at all positions will allow them to challenge the Warriors in the Western Conference.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

MVP winner Russell Westbrook finally found some help after the Thunder traded for all-star Paul George. While the two will be able to bring the Thunder far into the playoffs, they may not be able to handle teams like the Rockets and Warriors because the other players in the lineup are not good enough to help them go farther.

4. San Antonio Spurs

Unlike many teams in the Western Conference, the Spurs had a relatively quiet offseason. Their only addition was Rudy Gay, who is coming back from major achilles surgery.

This lineup was enough to make the 2016-2017 Western Conference Finals, but the West is now much stronger and this aging roster will have a tough time competing.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

While the Timberwolves were one of the worst teams in the league last year, they are now one of the best. The acquisitions of all-star Jimmy Butler and Jeff Teague will help superstar Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins lead the ‘Wolves to the playoffs for the first time in 14 years. Not only is their starting lineup filled with stars, but their bench is solid enough to help the team go deep into the playoffs.

6. Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers traded superstar Chris Paul to the Rockets but acquired Danilo Gallinari from the Denver Nuggets. While losing Paul hurts, Gallinari and the strong frontcourt of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan will lead an otherwise average roster to the playoffs.

7. Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets traded Danilo Gallinari to the Clippers this summer, but acquired Paul Millsap through the same trade. The Nuggets also have a strong bench which ranked eighth in points scored last year and will play a large role in their playoff push in a strong Western Conference. Millsap, along with frontcourt partner Nikola Jokic, will lead the Nuggets to the playoffs for the first time in five years.

8. Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers must lean heavily on a backcourt of all-star snub Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, who averaged 50.0 points per game (PPG) together. The Blazers also have a good young center in Jusuf Nurkic, who will help carry a roster of average and belowaverage players.

9. New Orleans Pelicans

After signing Rajon Rondo, the Pelicans finally have a respectable backcourt of Rondo and Jrue Holiday. The Pelicans will pair that backcourt with the best frontcourt in the league of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, who averaged a combined 55.0 PPG last season. While this team looks good enough to make the playoffs on paper, a lack of chemistry between Davis and Cousins may negatively affect their play on the court.

10. Memphis Grizzlies

After losing Zach Randolph and Vince Carter, the Grizzlies have a big hole at the power forward position and scoring off the bench. While they do have great leaders in all-star Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, the Grizzlies will have a hard time making the playoffs in a loaded Western Conference.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

After losing to the Warriors in the Finals, the Cavaliers tried to form a roster this offseason that would be able to defeat the Warriors in future matchups. Complicating matters, Kyrie Irving demanded a trade from the team, resulting in the biggest blockbuster of the summer: Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and a 2018 first round draft pick. However, Thomas and superstar LeBron James will still lead the Cavaliers to a fourth straight NBA Finals appearance.

2. Boston Celtics

The Celtics had one of the busiest offseasons this summer and only four players remain from last year’s roster. The team acquired Kyrie Irving (from the Cleveland Cavaliers) and Gordon Hayward (via free agency), while trading Isaiah Thomas (to the Cavaliers), Avery Bradley (to the Detroit Pistons) and Jae Crowder (to the Cavaliers). The Celtics are better than they were last year, as they now sport a starting lineup of Irving, Jaylen Brown, Hayward, Marcus Morris and Al Horford. After losing to the Cavaliers last year in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics will try to take the next step and advance to the NBA Finals.

3. Toronto Raptors

Led by an all-star backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, the Raptors hope to make the Eastern Conference Finals. With the acquisition of CJ Miles, the Raptors improved their starting lineup, which now consists of Lowry, DeRozan, Miles, Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas. While the Raptors have a shot of making the Conference Finals, their lackluster bench may hold them back.

4. Washington Wizards

With a young core of John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter Jr., the Wizards are hoping to finally get past the second round of the playoffs. This is definitely a possibility this season, as all three will look to take the next step forward. However, an injury-prone Beal and a weak frontcourt may lead to their downfall.

5. Milwaukee Bucks

With blossoming superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo leading this young team, the Bucks are improving every season. Their starting lineup, made up of 2017 Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, Khris Middleton, Jabari Parker, Antetokounmpo and Greg Monroe, is formidable. This starting lineup and deep bench have potential to be perennial powerhouse in the East.

6. Miami Heat

This season, potential all-star Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic, and Dion Waiters look to lead the Heat to the playoffs. Dragic and Waiters are skilled offensive players and Whiteside is one of the best rim protectors in the league. Along with this strong core, the Heat added Kelly Olynyk to the bench that already ranked fifth in scoring last year. This bench will help relieve the core of some of the scoring burden and will push the Heat back to the playoffs.

7. Charlotte Hornets

After acquiring Dwight Howard and drafting Malik Monk, the Hornets are in a good position to make the playoffs this year. In desperate need of a solid rebounder, Howard and his 12.7 rebounds per game will help the team. Monk will also bring good scoring off the bench, a necessity as they ranked 19th in scoring.

8. Detroit Pistons

The Pistons traded Marcus Morris to the Celtics for Avery Bradley this offseason. This move counteracts the hole of not re-signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Jon Leuer is capable of replacing Morris. Bradley also brings much needed defense compliment to the defensive-liability Reggie Jackson. Matching those two with Andre Drummond will make this team good enough to sneak into the playoffs.

9. Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers have one of the best young cores in the league, made up of Markelle Fultz, Ben Simmons, Dario Saric and Joel Embiid. They have a great shot at making the playoffs, but the team is young and injury-prone, making it hard to expect much this coming year.

10. New York Knicks

Now that the Phil Jackson era is finally over, budding superstar Kristaps Porzingis will look to lead the Knicks to the playoffs amidst trade rumors surrounding Carmelo Anthony.

However, the Knicks will not be able to make the playoffs because there is not enough talent on the team to support Porzingis and Anthony.

Boys’ Soccer

Peglegs Lace Up for Upcoming Season

By Allison Eng, Lumi Westerlund, and Lee-Ann Rushlow

Gillow agreed, reflecting on improvements that can be made from prior years and their playing.

“I think the most improvement is needed on offense and possession of the ball in particular,” Gillow said. “In recent years, our offense has struggled at times to score, but I think we’ve learned as [a] unit what works and what doesn’t going forward.”

The team’s first game this year is against Julia Richman Education Complex (JREC) on September 10. Last year, the team fared well against JREC, winning both of the season meets. The Peglegs have learned from their weaknesses last year, becoming more comfortable as a team and working toward a better playoff outcome.

Tomas Engquist / The Spectator

The end of summer means the beginning of a new season for Stuyvesant’s boys’ soccer team, the Peglegs. Each year, boys from all grades attend tryouts in the hopes of earning a spot on the coveted team, which competes in the PSAL Manhattan A1 division.

At the end of last year’s soccer season, the Peglegs were ranked third in their division, with a record of eight wins to four losses.

The team was the 21st seed in the playoffs, and the Peglegs played their first playoff game against the 12th seed, Staten Island Tech (SIT). Unfortunately, their playoff

run was ended by a 4-0 loss to SIT. Though the team lost six important seniors this year, it still has a strong starting lineup, composed of many returning players alongside some younger faces.

“I’ve played with some of the players for four years now, and I know exactly how to play with them,” senior and co-captain Michael Gillow said.

The team has prioritized specific skills for the coming year. “We need to improve on keeping the ball once we get out of our half and our offense in general. We tend to get a bit sloppy in the final third of the field, but I’m confident we can solidify this by the beginning of the season,” senior and co-captain Caleb Smith-Salzburg said.

September 11, 2017

Page 24

The Spectator SpoRts Girls’ Soccer

Allison Eng / The Spectator

Mimbas Striking for More

By Perry Wang and Simon Carmody

The Stuyvesant girls’ soccer team, the Mimbas, is looking to build off of a successful previous season and make another playoff appearance. Coming off a 6-5 record, a fourth

place finish, and a first round playoff elimination, members of the team are still upbeat, believing that a solid core infused with new talent will carry them farther into the postseason than previous years.

This year will present several new obstacles for the team,

such as adjusting to the higher level of competition in their new Manhattan A2 division and replacing the production of their three graduated seniors. Nevertheless, the girls are excited to make a name for themselves in an unfamiliar division. Senior and co-captain

Charlotte Ruhl believes that this new division will bring more adversity, but remains steadfast that the team will adapt and that their skill set will shine.

Ruhl’s co-captain, senior Saloni Majmudar, agrees. “It’s definitely the most well-rounded and experienced team we’ve had in the past four years,” she said. The team has players in every grade for the first time in recent memory and the talent has allowed for a more competitive environment in practices.

The loss of the seniors, including second-highest goal scorer on the team Brigit Bacon-Blaber (‘17), will no doubt sting, but both captains believe that their players are ready and are more than capable of stepping up. “Although we lost three seniors, I think the team is even stronger this year,” Ruhl said. Sophomore Selene Kaehny, Stuyvesant’s leading goal-scorer from last year, will hopefully contribute to making the next step.

Likewise, Majmudar commented that the team will miss the constant positive energy of the seniors. However, the new talent has reassured her that they will have a successful sea-

son. They have taken steps to prepare for the new competition during practice and have confidence that the adjustments will bear fruit out on the field.

“We’ve been working a lot on building cohesion through game-like situations and scrimmages,” Majmudar said.

The team is planning to scrimmage LaGuardia High School before its first league game, and this will provide a level of competition and experience that cannot be found in practice. “We do a lot of scrimmaging to not only become better players, but to build a better team dynamic,” Ruhl said.

Team cohesion and the ability to work as a unit will play an important part in how competitive the Mimbas are going to be in a tougher division. Though it will no doubt be an uphill climb, the team is eager to get back on the field and make another run for the playoffs. Led

by Majmudar and Ruhl, the Mimbas will hopefully kick off another successful season followed by a deep postseason run on September 7 against Baruch College Campus High School.

NFL

Your Guide to the 2017 NFL Season

By Max Onderdonk There was no chance anyone could beat the Seattle Seahawks in 2014. They were coming off a blowout Super Bowl win and were only getting better with experience. Yet the Patriots knocked them off in Super Bowl XLIV. There was no team near the New England Patriots in 2015.

Everyone thought they were too good for the rest of the league. Yet the Panthers became the alpha dogs, going 15-1, and the Pats didn’t even make it to the Super Bowl, losing to the eventual champions, the Denver Broncos.

Then, one year later, the Carolina Panthers were the alpha dogs. Everyone put their money on the top defense led by reigning MVP Cam Newton. Who could stop them?

Well, it turns out everyone could. They went 6-10 while the Deflategate-hampered Pats blew through the competition on their way to a Super Bowl victory.

And here we are today: the Pats sit as defending champs and alpha dogs and are overwhelmingly favored to win it all. So before we go on and crown them repeat champions, let’s remember history and consider there’s always someone waiting to knock off the preseason favorite.

Going into the season, the Patriots added some star players, wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore, so as far as repeats go, things look good. However, they lost running back LeGarrette Blount, and Tom Brady has hit the age of 40, so

Full Predictions

there are signs of decay in Foxborough. Outside of them in the AFC East, the Dolphins are good, but not great, the Bills aren’t worth talking about, and the Jets would be lucky to win three games.

The Steelers are an interesting challenger, but their defense is vulnerable, and Belichick knows this team too well to lose to them in the playoffs.

The Titans are the exciting team in the South; they come off a fringe-playoff season and head into 2017 with a second-place schedule with a young improving quarterback, Marcus Mariota, and a proven running back, DeMarco Murray. Still, this team isn’t developed enough to challenge the Patriots in crunch time.

Next, we move on to the Raiders in the West (the Chiefs are too conservative, the Chargers are old/hurt, the Broncos are closer to top five pick than a division title), who could have challenged New England last year had quarterback Derek Carr not suffered a season-ending injury before the playoffs. With Marshawn Lynch out of retirement to go to Oakland’s backfield, things are looking up for them.

With the Colts hampered, the Ravens and Bengals hampered, and a transitioning Broncos offense, the Chiefs should be able to sneak into the playoffs in a Wild Card spot, but they aren’t a real threat to the Patriots.

In the NFC, the Giants and Cowboys each make a strong case for the top spot in the East.

The Giants added some firepower with wide receiver Brandon

Marshall, making the trip from the other locker room to join the successful team in New Meadows. Dallas’s young star quarterback, Dak Prescott, has a year more of experience, but the loss of cornerback Brandon Carr and safety Barry Church will hamper their secondary, making it tough for them to repeat their 2016 success. The Giants have the edge in this division.

Speaking of the Packers, they didn’t get much better. They probably will barely use tight end Martellus Bennett, who they added this offseason, and their defense is still a bit of a mess.

But they have arguably the most talented quarterback in history, Aaron Rodgers, so they’ll win their division and contend nonetheless.

In the South, the Falcons are coming off a surprise breakout season, but now they’ve lost offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, and they still lack defensive talent. The Panthers, on the other hand, drafted running back Christian McCaffrey out of Stanford, and they still possess one of the best defenses in the league, as well as former MVP quarterback Cam Newton. They won’t go 15-1 like they did in 2015, but a bounce back is in order and so is a Super Bowl hangover for Atlanta. Edge goes to Carolina.

The Seahawks will win the West, but it won’t be pretty behind an unstable offensive line and offensive weapons. The rest of this division is either old or terrible, so even with Seattle’s struggles, this appears to be a safe bet.

Wild Card Round

Divisional Round

Steelers def. Chiefs Titans def. Dolphins

Patriots def. Titans Steelers def. Raiders

Seahawks def. Cowboys Panthers def. Falcons

Seahawks def. Giants Packers def. Panthers

So now things look something like this:

AFC: 1. New England Patriots 2. Oakland Raiders 3. Pittsburgh Steelers 4. Tennessee Titans 5. Miami Dolphins 6. Kansas City Chiefs

NFC: 1. New York Giants 2. Green Bay Packers 3. Carolina Panthers 4. Seattle Seahawks 5. Dallas Cowboys 6. Atlanta Falcons The Patriots are just better than every team in the AFC by a lot. They’re going to another Super Bowl.

The NFC will be much more interesting as the Giants are an unintimidating #1 seed, and the conference powerhouse Seahawks fizzle a bit to the #4 seed.

The Seahawks versus the Cowboys should make for an interesting first round, but the Seahawks should prevail as the Cowboys lack a strong pass rush and have a very weak secondary, and the Seahawks haven’t lost a home playoff game in the Russell Wilson era (5-0). The Panthers and Falcons will feature no love lost as these two division foes go at it. Carolina should be able to win with home field advantage and

a powerful defense that Atlanta will struggle against without Kyle Shanahan on the Falcons’s sideline.

From that point, I’ll pick against Eli Manning any day (he won’t become elite a third time), especially against a defense that will pressure him a lot and lock down his top targets. Seattle’s offensive line may be spotty, but the Giants’s lack of linebacker talent will allow Russell Wilson to scramble and dump down all day. On the other side of the NFC, Aaron Rodgers should catch fire as usual in the playoffs and blow past both the Panthers and Seahawks, as he’ll be playing in the comfy freezing temperatures of Lambeau Field.

Then, on to the Super Bowl!

Brady versus Rodgers is the marquee matchup of a lifetime, and this Super Bowl won’t disappoint. While Rodgers is the superior talent, at the end of the day, the superior roster and personnel will prevail as New England’s weapons on offense, playmakers on defense, and masterminds on the sideline will prove to be too much for Rodgers to carry the team any longer.

So, remember when I said we shouldn’t just write off everyone else and pick the repeat? This is one of those special cases. The last team to repeat was the Patriots back in the 2004 season, and now Brady and Belichick will do it again, earning their sixth ring and further cementing themselves as the best quarterback and coach of all time.

Conference Championship

Super Bowl

Patriots def. Steelers Packers def. Seahawks

Patriots def. Packers, 31-27