Volume 113 Issue 14

The Spectator

The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper

SCIENCE

OPINIONS

Internet Privacy For Kids

With the rise of family content on Tiktok and YouTube, where is the line drawn for parental exploitation of their children and their compensation?

see page 12

Misophonia: The Ultimate Auditory Ailment

Misophonia is a relatively unknown but common disorder that causes emotional and behavioral distress in response to exposure to trigger sounds, typically those relating to the body. see page 15

In Loving Memory of Arielle Aney (‘20): January 25, 2002–March 23, 2023

By SARAH DIAZ and PHOEBE BUCKWALTER

Stuyvesant alumna Arielle

Justine Aney (‘20), a recordbreaking Public School Athletic League (PSAL) swimmer, lost her fight to colorectal cancer on March 23, 2023. She was 21 years old. Arielle was recently laid to rest following an April 15 funeral service at Christ & St. Stephen’s Church. Her calming presence brought joy to all those who knew her, and she will be greatly missed.

Born on January 25, 2002, Arielle developed a love for swimming at a young age. She began swimming competitively at only seven years old. It was one of her greatest passions, and she spent countless hours pushing herself to her limits in the pool. “[Swimming is] just my thing. When I’m in the pool, I just go as hard as I can and just focus on what I’m doing,”

Arielle said in an August 2020 interview with Spectrum News NY1 after she was named an NY1 Scholar Athlete. “At the end of the day, that’s the only thing I can control.”

Arielle experienced much change throughout her teenage years but maintained her signature kindness and quiet confidence. Her family moved to Singapore while she was in

sixth grade and later moved again to Australia. Through it all, Arielle’s commitment to swimming remained steadfast; she became one with the pool in each of her new homes. Arielle returned to New York City and began attending Stuyvesant as a freshman, where she formed some of her most meaningful and lasting friendships. She became a member of the Stuyvesant Penguins, whilst also competing with the 92Y Flying Dolphins. While Arielle was distinguished on both her school and club teams, she loved the sense of community she found on the Stuyvesant team. “One of my favorite things about swimming [in high school] is the team aspect,” Arielle said. “The best way to make sure a team gets better is to lift everyone up and make sure you’re all working to the same goal. There’s something wonderful about that. I think it makes you work just a little bit harder.” This ideology was one she always emulated. Arielle would volunteer to swim in any event for the good of the team, even if it was outside of her specialty. She was always willing to give her teammates pointers, staying after practice to help them perfect their form. Most importantly, though she contributed greatly to the team’s

wins, she always shifted the attention away from her personal successes and toward their collective achievements.

As a testament to her immense generosity, Arielle also used her swimming experience as a way to give back to the community, volunteering at Elite Pools to coach toddlers and the elderly. This selflessness was felt by all who knew her; whether by lending a listening ear or offering an encouraging grin, Arielle did her best to uplift the people she cared about. She was the type of person who smiled and greeted even those she barely knew—someone who created connections everywhere and with everyone she met.

Arielle also had an extremely impressive swimming career. She was named Stuyvesant “Rookie of the Year” and won “Most Valuable Player” two years in a row. At the end of her Stuyvesant career, Arielle became the co-recipient of the PSAL “Francine Schnarr Memorial Award for Outstanding Senior Swimmer” and was also recruited to swim at Carnegie Mellon University. However, she was diagnosed before she had the chance to compete for Carnegie Mellon and was forced to take medical leave from college shortly afterward.

Along with swimming, Arielle had many other interests. She was an avid artist who enjoyed sketching and drew inspiration from her favorite animes. She was also a prolific pianist, with a strong musical sensibility from a young age. She participated in the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, performing at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. She was a part of her school choirs in both Singapore and Australia and continued to pursue music at Stuyvesant, showcasing her talent in musical performances throughout her high school career. She found travel fascinating and had a love for all things Japanese, from the language to the food to anime. She was also greatly interested in chemistry—AP Chemistry was her favorite Stuyvesant course, and her listed major at Carnegie Mellon was Chemistry. Though she was never able to attend Carnegie Mellon in person, she maintained a fascination with college life, fantasizing about one day returning to campus.

Arielle was undeniably multitalented, and she poured all her energy into the things that brought her joy. However, she remained humble despite her many accomplishments; Arielle’s characteristic modesty and team player spirit memorialize

her as someone who was always trying to shift the spotlight away from herself and onto the people she cared about.

Even throughout her illness, Arielle’s kindhearted nature remained constant. When she became confined to her bed, she spent hours and hours with loved ones, inquiring about their lives with investment and passion that made them feel seen. At a time when everyone was worrying about how she was feeling, it seemed that all she could think about was how they were feeling. Within her swim teams in and outside of Stuyvesant, her schools, and amongst her family and friends, Arielle has left behind a beautiful legacy of kindness. She was a pillar of the Stuyvesant community, and her absence will be felt deeply by all those who knew and loved her.

Arielle’s parents, Christopher and Jenelle Aney, would like to raise awareness among young people about the risks and dangers of Young Onset Colorectal Cancer, a disease that is increasingly prevalent in the United States. They have initiated a charitable foundation in her honor to support research aimed at preventing and curing Young Onset Colorectal Cancer. To donate, please visit https://gofund.me/4994c42d

Courtesy of Derek Tran

Courtesy of Britney Chang

Arielle Justine Aney (‘20): In the Words of Those Who Knew Her

In the challenging process of covering the loss of an integral member of the Stuyvesant community, The Spectator Editorial Board has been humbled by the devastating grief and powerful love for Arielle that we have borne witness to over these past few weeks. No one on the Editorial Board ever had the chance to meet Arielle, but we have been trying our hardest to get to know the incredible young woman that she was from afar. We felt that our coverage of Arielle’s life would be entirely incomplete without the words of those who knew and loved Arielle. From her coaches to closest friends to school acquaintances, Arielle’s unbelievable impact on the members of the Stuyvesant community was—and continues to be—a force of nature, just like Arielle herself.

“I can picture the summer of 2021 so clearly—the rhythmic rustling of the summer wind brushing the trees, the sun shining so strongly that any movement at all was exhausting. We sat together on a white and red checkered picnic blanket watching bikers and runners fight their way up the Central Park Loop’s scariest hill. You sat with your legs bent to the side, resting one arm gently on the ground. Every few minutes, you brushed your shoulder length brown hair out of your face and smiled. I rearranged my [position] constantly, often electing to lay down on the blanket and stare up at the clouds. The clouds made us wonder about shapes—why did I see a hedgehog and you saw a character you had been sketching from Utena? I guess we’ll never know. But we pondered nonetheless. I told you stories about the friends that you missed at swim and about how we started swim tryouts for school in the middle of August with a new coach. I listened to you talk about your family, the anime you were watching, and your remembrances of the Stuy experience. Even as you underwent chemotherapy, you looked forward to everything that was to come and were so grateful for everyone in your life. We watched happily as little kids clung tightly to the tire swing in the nearby park and marveled at the bikers who zoomed up the steep hill across from us. You dug your hands into the grassy lawn, pulling up exactly one blade of grass. We observed it carefully and I watched as you peeled it in half and then let it get blown away by the wind.” —Eliza

Knapp (‘22)

“While we had only shared one class together, I could only remember the brilliant and hardworking and kind student she was. She also inspired others with her talent as a [swimmer]/athlete—I always thought she was so cool and perfect in every way. I am incredibly saddened that the world has lost a special soul, but I know that she is now in a better place.”

—anonymous alum (‘19)

“She had a quiet confidence in herself and others that showed that she truly loved swimming and all the discipline that came with it. She never once complained or let herself get distracted.” —anonymous alum

“Arielle and I are from the same neighborhood, [and] we both went to PS9 for elementary school before reuniting at Stuyvesant. Her loss is felt throughout the whole Upper West Side community. I remember at PS9 wishing I was as smart and confident as she was in elementary school. She always was a kind person, and was so talented and passionate about drawing and animation. Whenever I talked to her, I always felt truly heard. Even though she was unable to attend college in-person, she was always interested in how me and my friends were doing. I miss chatting with her in my group chat with other Stuyvesant alumni about our lives and experiences. I miss her a lot, and she won’t be forgotten.” —Claire

Tempelman

(‘20)

“Arielle, you were one of the kindest, most accepting people I met during my time at Stuy; you never let the pressure cooker of academic stressors provoke you into cruelty. You embodied humanitarianism, as no matter where you were, your salt-of-the-earth nature would make anyone feel at ease, leaving them with a more positive outlook [on] the world. Your creativity was also inspiring. I remembered how you loved to sketch. It’s hard to forget; you were constantly drawing. It was refreshing to see a Stuy student indulge in their creative gifts so freely. I also loved that I was able to practice both my French and Japanese with you, even though I made so many grammar mistakes in 日本語. But you encouraged me, and it’s a cumulation of little things like that that you do for people that creates immense impact over the communities that have had the pleasure of knowing you. Rest in peace, girl! I’m missing you lots.”

—Laura Ilioaei (‘19)

“I first met Arielle in AP Physics, and we shared a locker at the senior bar throughout my senior year. Arielle was a sweet and shy girl [whom] I often relied on for help. I know that she loved swimming and drawing, and she was always eager to show me what she was currently working on. When we graduated I would still see her drawings from time to time on my Instagram page and I was glad knowing that her love for art [hadn’t] changed one bit.

[Though] I only met Arielle my senior year, her influence has undoubtedly had its effects on me and her friends. I’ve seen how amazing and kind [a] person she was and I am filled with regret that I haven’t kept in touch after graduation. It is hard writing about Arielle in the past tense, and it is difficult to process that she’s no longer with us.

“Whenever I think back to my best memories at Stuy, they are from when I was on the Penguins with Arielle. Her kind heart and dedication made us a better team. It was a privilege to share a lane with her.”

—Maddie Wong (‘18)

[Though] I am grieving, I can’t imagine the pain her family is going through. I hope that my words will help people realize that we have lost a remarkable and irreplaceable human being and [that you should] reach out to friends and family whenever you can.” —Alex

Lin (‘20)

“A beautiful soul. May she rest in peace.” —Veronika (‘20)

continued on page 4

“I’ll start with when I first met Arielle, since our first moment with one another really is the perfect representation of our friendship. We were both out-of-state students taking the SHSAT in August and had just left the building after the grueling testing hours. She spotted me from afar, noticing my Gravity Falls T-shirt from a distance, and came up to me [of] her own accord to ask about it. When I first heard her speak, I found her quiet, but her ability to come up to me about my shirt like it was nothing stuck with me, and we proceeded to talk about the kinds of things I normally kept to myself during middle school: our love of cartoons, anime, art and animation, and I realized upon our first meeting that I was never going to meet anyone as knowledgeable of the world of anime as Arielle Aney. We were so caught up in our conversation that I didn’t even catch her name, and as our mothers urged us to end the conversation and go home, I thought that that single moment would be all the knowledge I’d have of her; I mean, what were the chances that we would both get into Stuyvesant? Of course, to my pleasant surprise, I noticed her in my French class on the first day of school, and we gravitated to each other like it was the most natural thing in the world. She introduced to me to all sorts of things, such as animes I had never watched, like Revolutionary Girl Utena and Mob Psycho 100, cool AMVs on YouTube like Lone Digger with Mob Psycho scenes, and even the Love Live Rhythm game, a game at which, to this day, I have yet to catch up to her skill level. We were two peas in a pod, sharing things no one else could match our passion for, and through Arielle I learned just how okay it is to be yourself. She gave me a safe space to rant about all the things I loved, and in turn I was a person she could share all her wonderful knowledge and humorous sketches with, so inspiring with their beauty and detail that they urged me to get better at drawing myself. We would sketch together in French class, and through the years I learned so much from her, both about working hard while making progress one step at a time, as well how to be humble but confident in who I was, something she herself never compromised on. Her talents amazed me, but she never rubbed them in my face. She was strong and beautiful both inside and out, a fantastic swimmer and amazing artist, with an adorable but spot-on accent when she spoke French and the most fascinating questions in biology. Throughout our time at Stuyvesant, she was someone I could always count on to listen to me when I needed an ear, lean on when I needed support, or laugh with when I had no one else who understood. She was one of the most wonderful people I have ever known, and the fact that I got to be a part of her life feels like a brief but beautiful miracle. I am honored to have known her, to have memories with her that at one time seemed so small in the grand scheme of things but now feel like precious jewels on a necklace that I will wear forever. To all the people reading this who knew her, I’m sure you know what I mean when I say this, so may I say one thing more: cherish those memories of her, remember who she was, and learn from the person that she always held herself to be. Her strength, her spirit, her love of life and appreciation for everything around her is something each of us can learn from. So, learn from Arielle Aney. That way, through all of us who strive to be like her a little bit each day, she’ll never be forgotten.”

—Corinne Pita (‘20)

Arielle Aney’s fifth grade yearbook profile

Phoebe Buckwalter / The Spectator

continued from page 2

Arielle Justine Aney (‘20): In the Words of Those Who Knew Her

“I don’t know how to write eulogies. That is an oversimplification. It is not that I’m incapable of writing something resembling remembrance. I’ve been going over how I would write this for days at this point, writing down how it would be outlined, how it would work conceptually. A greeting. The sympathies. The remembering of fond anecdotes, the reassurance that she wouldn’t want us to be sad, that she would want us to live, and a goodbye. The framework for a perfect memorial, existing in my head as I go over it again and again as I try to live my day, go about my classes and exams and conversations with friends. It only exists in my head. I wish now I could put down what I had in my head, something that could be written that eased all grief in whoever saw it. But that’s not possible. It remains in my head. Arielle is still here, when I think of her, every memory remaining in my head as crystal clear as they were the moment they were made. I had first met her when I joined the girl’s swimming and diving team as a freshman, and she was a sophomore. She was one of the first girls there [whose] name I was able to remember; I was never good with names, but the irony of her being a swimmer and having a name that sounded like the Little Mermaid was enough for her to begin to stand out in my eyes. And she never gave a reason not to stand out. She was an incredible swimmer; that was the first thing I noticed. And being with her longer, I saw her incredible art skill; funky little anime guys who would dance around in the margins of her notebooks. And I saw who she was as a person: kind, bright-eyed, enthusiastic about the right things when you got through to her. I remember being at swim meets for the team, and the both of us getting yelled at for goofing around on the slippery deck with something that could only be described as an arm wrestling match, except without the table underneath you to keep you stable. Just you and the other person, going as hard as you possibly could without anything to ground you, without any worries that you might slip and fall and land face-first onto the hard tile, or maybe into the pool and in the way of others racing. I remember talking to her on Messenger, her referencing Avatar: The Last Airbender and joking with friends without a care in the world. I remember chilling out in front of the pool entrance playing some mobile gacha game while she’d ask me how it was going, since all we could do was wait. All we could do was wait. All we could have done was wait. We never would have thought anything like this would be coming, not even four years later. We were supposed to be too young to die. Too young to think about it. We were supposed to be guaranteed happy, healthy lives for the rest of however long our bodies could take it. Apparently, it sometimes wasn’t enough. I looked through Arielle’s social media accounts to try and kickstart this process. Look for some spark of inspiration that could help me write down what I had in my head, every glowing memory that I had of her. I checked my Messenger: it said she had been active only 26 minutes ago. And part of me felt excited, even when I knew better, that it would have just been her parents on her social media account, posting memorials and announcing when the funeral would be. But it felt like she could have still been there, going to college and going on with the rest of what her life could be. It feels the same looking through our DMs on Instagram, and seeing her last message to me. It’s nothing of weight. In fact, it’s almost [comically] trivial. Just me sending a picture of my dogs to her, and her saying that they looked lovely even in their old age. It feels like I could send another message, and she would respond. I know she wouldn’t. But that’s the thing about the [Internet]. It immortalizes her. She lives forever in the digital world, even as I [lie] in bed and I try and figure out how I translate all of this to the analog form, of words that can’t change the fact that she is not here to see them, that she is dead. She is dead. She is dead. I didn’t want to admit those words to myself the moment I heard the news from a friend. She is dead. I wanted her to be alive. I wanted it to be a strange dream that I could wake up from and comment about the dreariness of it before I continued with life. She is dead. I don’t want to be writing a memorial. I don’t want to write a eulogy. I don’t want her to be remembered because I want her to be here instead, I do not want to have to translate her legacy because I wish she was here to continue to leave it, I do not want to mourn for her, I do not want her to be dead. But she is dead. And we must remember her.” —Chrisabella Javier (‘21)

Bachana (‘20)

“Though I went to elementary school with Arielle, I only came to know her in high school at Stuy, when we were always hanging out in the same friend group and took French together. But my favorite memory, which is very distinct in my mind, is spending time with Arielle on Long Island. We stayed over at a friend’s house for a few days one summer, along with another good friend, and one night, the four of us played Cards Against Humanity until very late (at least 1:00 a.m.). At some point, we found a white card that set us cackling: ‘Throwing grapes at a man until he loses touch with reality.’ For some reason, in that moment, that was the funniest thing we had ever seen. We proceeded to match it with every prompt/black card in the deck, and somehow every pairing was hilarious. To this day, that white card is my favorite one, and whenever I play CAH I remember that night and how much fun we had. I think if I take anything from that memory regarding Arielle as a person, it’s that she was great at having fun and goofing around. Her sense of humor was always apparent, and she could always find something funny to laugh about with friends. I will always cherish that memory (and that card).” —Cecilia

“I never really had a proper conversation with her—but she did say hi back on the first day of chem[istry] despite not knowing who I was. And she kept saying hi every class after that. She seemed to be a genuinely kind person and I wish I did get to know her better then.” —anonymous

alum

“Arielle joining the swim team was the best thing that ever happened to us. She was an incredible athlete. She was so strong, and she practiced so hard. She paid attention to every detail so that she could be the best that she could be, and she never took shortcuts. Arielle didn’t know how to give less than 100 percent in everything she did. Being around her motivated everyone to want to do and be better. Her work ethic was truly inspirational. Among her many awards, she was recognized as Rookie of the Year, [as] MVP for the next two seasons, [was] the Francine Schnarr Memorial Award recipient for Outstanding Senior Swimmer in the PSAL, was named a New York 1 Scholar Athlete, and holds three Stuyvesant High School relay records. Arielle was so modest and humble that you would never guess how talented she was. She always tried to deflect attention away from herself and would place the focus on team goals and accomplishments. She always put the team first, even if that meant swimming four events even if they were back-to-back and even if they weren’t her specialties. We relied on her heavily and there was so much pressure on her to win her races in the big meets, but she never complained and always accepted our expectations with grace and humility. Arielle always made time for her team. I can still see her sitting by the edge of lane six after practices, helping her teammates with their starts and turns, and giving them advice on how to swim their races. While soft-spoken, everyone respected what she had to say because of how she conducted herself as an athlete and as a friend. Arielle was someone who always put others ahead of herself. She was someone that you could always count on—really count on. She put everyone around her at ease. She was gentle, and unassuming, and had a calming presence. She was funny without realizing it, and she was really, really kind. What set her apart was her kindness, her compassion, and how much she truly cared about others. Arielle had a reserved presence that commanded respect, but she also had a smile that could light up a room. I will miss her smile very much and I will carry her spirit with me throughout my life. I am so blessed to have been her coach.”

—Silvana Choy, Stuyvesant’s Girls Swimming and Diving Team coach and physical education teacher

“I remember when I met Arielle for the first time [at] swim team tryouts freshman year. She was fast, but not crazy fast. Sophomore year, she was crazy fast. Seeing how hard [she] work[ed] and how much she improved in the span of one year was inspiring to all of us. Even at the most important meets of the season, she would be smiling behind the blocks (though she later confided that she smiles when she’s nervous); Arielle’s optimistic spirit was proof that being positive makes you swim fast. Despite being the fastest person on the team in many events, she was humble and prioritized the team. She would cheer passionately for others and give everyone the biggest high-fives at the end of meets. Her actions as both a role model and a teammate pulled me out of my swimming low sophomore year. Arielle was also very inquisitive and would get excited about the details around her. When we walked into Terry’s, she would [listen] closely to the background music and try to identify it. She would perk up at the sight of a pretty little flower in Battery Park (behind Stuy). Even when she had to take medical leave from college, she was still excited to hear about my classes and asked questions about the research I was doing. I feel warm and fuzzy when I remember her humming to an anime song on the walk to the subway or telling me ‘good job’ with a big smile on her face. Arielle’s graciousness and cheerfulness have left a permanent mark on me and will continue to inspire.”

—Melbourne Tang (‘20)

Arielle Aney’s fifth grade yearbook photo

Courtesy of PS9

Courtesy of Silvana Choy

College Board CEO David Coleman (‘87) Speaks at Stuyvesant

ed materializing.”

reporting

By JUDY NAMKOONG, CHRISTINA WANG, and SHARON ZHOU with additional

by Prapti Biswas

The Junior Caucus, in collaboration with the Stuyvesant administration, hosted a guest speaker event on April 4 featuring Stuyvesant alumnus and College Board CEO David Coleman (‘87) in Lecture Hall B. All students were encouraged to attend the talk, and it had a turnout of around 70 students. The guest speaker event centered around Coleman’s experience at Stuyvesant, his path to becoming the CEO of College Board, and his thoughts on the college admissions process. At the end of the talk, Coleman focused on answering questions that were filtered by the administration and the Junior Caucus, as well as any unfiltered questions that attendees had.

Junior Caucus Co-Directors of Outreach Soham Mukherjee and Monica Lai first reached out to College Board in January. “We directly e-mailed [Mr. Coleman] and hoped for the best,” Mukherjee said in an e-mail interview. “Pretty soon, after a couple Zoom meetings and some e-mails back and forth [with the College Board executive team], the event truly start-

Despite active communication with the College Board executive team, the Junior Caucus experienced difficulties in working out an exact date for the event. “The College Board representative [had] to go over every detail [of the event], but [there was also] the issue of the event [initially] being on a parent-teacher conference day, which we didn’t initially know [about],” Lai said. “So we had to move it back one week and that just skewed everything up with all the planning.”

In addition to the logistical setbacks, one of the primary concerns for the event was the open questionnaire segment at the end of the talk. “Given the fact that some students don’t [look] favorably upon the College Board, the [administration] was involved in case there [were] any controversial questions,” Junior Caucus Co-President Margaret Mikhalevsky said. “[Though] there was a list of pre-approved questions toward the end, what I was worried might happen was that there would be people who attend [and target] David Coleman.”

Another issue that arose on the day of the talk was the location, which students had to switch from the theater to the lecture hall due to the smaller

turnout. “A lot fewer people turned up than we thought, but that was pretty standard for events,” Lai said. “At the last minute, we switched to the lecture hall just because there was the right amount [of people] for the lecture hall.”

Despite the difficulties that came with organizing the event, Mikhalevsky felt that it was beneficial to have Stuyvesant alumni working in the educational sector speak to Stuyvesant students, as it allowed students to gain a new perspective on potential careers. “It was good to see a Stuy alum[nus] working in an academic-related field, because I know a lot of students are determined to go into STEM fields or business fields,” Mikhalevsky said. “A lot of us aren’t really interested in going to the academic sector.”

Mukherjee agrees with this sentiment and also believes that the talk can help redefine the student body’s sentiment toward the College Board. “I think it was valuable for our students to hear his own experiences [throughout] high school and what motivated him to pursue this career leading up to his role at College Board,” Mukherjee said. “It also helped to dismiss some misconceptions that some of our students may have held regarding College Board or col-

lege admissions as a whole.”

Sophomore Jenny Tan also believes the event to have been successful as Coleman provided a different outlook on which areas of school students should prioritize. “Most people heavily emphasize the importance of grades and college, and you would expect the CEO of College Board to do that too, but he went against all of that,” Tan said. “I learned that grades and extracurriculars are not nearly as important to our college applications as we think and that enjoying yourself is much more important.”

Coleman also expressed that the quantity of Advanced Placement (AP) classes should be valued to a lesser extent and even proposed the idea of enforcing a limit to the number of AP classes a student can take. “He said that it is better to take fewer APs, but instead to focus on the types of APs you want to take and really to approach them thoroughly,” sophomore Aeneas Merchant said in an email interview. “He said that in the future, he has been thinking about putting a cap on how many AP courses people can take for this express reason. He mentioned a possible cap of five at the time.”

Students found that the discussion with Coleman has dis-

solved some of their stress in regard to grades and college admissions. “Especially with Stuy being so hyper-focused about grades and APs, his perspective was liberating to some extent,” Merchant said. “I am always going to be worried about my grades, but at least that worry will be a little less from now on.”

As for future events hosted by the Junior Caucus, Lai hopes that communication with the administration can be more efficient. “The one thing that really [complicated] the event was the date. I think that could have easily been avoided had both parties been more communicative,” Lai said.

In reflecting on these logistical issues, Mikhalvesky hopes to use this event as a learning experience to create better, more informative events in the future. “If we do get re-elected, we would like to have more guest speaker events and plan them further in advance,” Mikhalvesky said.

The Junior Caucus has already begun formulating plans regarding potential speaker events. “Outreach is thinking of potentially organizing some sort of research-related speaker panel [and] having researchers from different areas of study come and speak on a diverse range of topics,” Mukherjee said.

Stuyvesant Freshman Caucus Hosts Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt

By LAUREN YANG and MATTHEW HUANG

The Stuyvesant Freshman Caucus hosted an Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt after 10th period on April 3 that took place on the second, third, and fourth floors. The event was open to all freshman students. Participants searched for Easter eggs that event coordinators had hidden by solving various riddles and performing challenges to retrieve them. Participants could also win eggs by deciphering hints for other locations and taking selfies at these spots. For those who did not wish to participate in the hunt, Freshman Caucus Co-Presidents Cayla Chew and Vanna Lei created an egg-painting activity on the fourth floor. Of the 300 eggs bought for this event, 12 were used for painting.

The idea of an Easter egg scavenger hunt was generated by one of Chew and Lei’s campaign managers, freshman Sofia Lawrence, during their campaigning period, but official planning started two weeks before the event. Multiple members of the Freshman Caucus were involved in successfully organizing the event. “I created a planning doc in which we worked out logistics of the event, […] what [participants] of the event would have to do, how prizes would be distributed, and possible hints to use for the eggs,” Freshman Caucus Events Director Lily Wagman said.

In addition to planning the event, organizers packed Easter eggs with a variety of treats on the day of the scavenger hunt. “We filled each egg with a piece of candy, a Jolly Rancher, and a toy. We then stuck numbered stickers on each egg to keep track of how many were being handed out,” Wagman said.

NEWSBEAT

The Spring Choral Concert, featuring the Men’s Chorus, Women’s Chorus, Oratorio Choir, and instrumental ensembles, took place on April 19 in the Murray Kahn Theater.

The Stuyvesant Environmental Club hosted their annual Earth Day Fair alongside other clubs in the cafeteria on April 24.

The Spring Instrumental Concert was held on April 26 in the Murray Kahn Theater, featuring performances by three orchestras.

The annual Stuyvesant College Fair was held on April 27 for junior families to speak with representatives from college institutions.

The Spring Band Concert took place on April 28 in the Murray Kahn Theater, featuring beginner, concert, symphonic, and jazz bands.

On the day of the scavenger hunt, one to two caucus members and/or directors were assigned to a secret “hidden” spot on each of the three floors. There, they waited for passersby to collect their eggs. “I was [...] on the second floor near the balcony, so when people came to me, I gave them puzzles and challenges. Based on how they performed on those, I gave them eggs,” Freshman Caucus Chief of Staff Solomon Binyaminov said.

Challenges included solving riddles, Stuyvesant-based trivia questions, and more. “They gave us a task to do, [like] five pushups or sing us a song, and once your entire team did the task we got eggs,” freshman Sophia Lin said. Participants could also receive eggs by being the first to take pictures at various locations according to hints provided by the caucus.

A competitive aspect was also introduced to the scavenger hunt, where the team who collected the most eggs won a puzzle set. The winning team, composed of freshmen Evelyn Liu, Tony Chen, Colin Lien, Naomi Hsieh, Rachel Wang, and Zody Yen, won by a landslide, gathering a total of 72 eggs. The group that placed second obtained 39 eggs.

While the event was ultimately successful, there were some issues with communication among the organizers. “Since everyone was busy giving out eggs and [had their own] specific job, it was [...] hard to communicate with each other. When someone runs out of eggs, it could take about five to 10 minutes for someone else to bring them new eggs or for people to find out they needed more eggs,” Binyaminov said.

These issues created confusion for participants, who were unsure of the scavenger hunt’s

rules. “I did feel like the event was a bit disorganized, and at first, I didn’t quite understand the instructions of how to find the eggs or take pictures of certain areas to gain eggs either,” Lin said.

Additionally, some attendees found issues with the prizes that were offered. “The prizes for obtaining the most eggs could [have been] better. Instead of a puzzle set, maybe the winning groups [could have won] an electronic device, gift cards, [or] stuffed animals,” freshman Sophie Zhao said.

However, most participants were enthused by their competitive Stuyvesant spirit, which the event brought out. “The competitive aspect made the event more fun because there was this rush to be the first to get the eggs at each location. That competitiveness is what drives Stuyvesant students,” Chin said.

Other participants enjoyed answering riddles and having fun with friends. “My favorite part of the event was running around with my friends to look for the student leaders with eggs. I found it extremely fun to complete the tasks given to us like guessing the riddle, Königsberg bridge problem, and saying biology pickup lines to try to entertain the leaders,” Lin said.

Overall, the scavenger hunt was well-received by its participants, especially due to the social interaction it provided. “My favorite part of this event was taking random selfies at random locations with other people around and asking janitors if they saw any lurking caucus members,” Zhao said. “The activities are funny and you can enjoy them with friends to have a memorable experience. I would rate my overall experience as an eight out of 10 [and]

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and NASA

Republicans have continued to pass bills banning gender-affirming care in a wide variety of states including in Kansas, but have received sustained resistance from a variety of judges and policymakers.

A study published on April 28 found that the Iranian drones deployed in Russia and Ukraine contain vast amounts of stolen Western technology

Mexico’s immigration agency chief was officially charged in a house fire that killed 40 at a migrant center on April 12.

CORRECTIONS BOX

- For Issue 12 “Teachers’ Favorite Albums,” the quote is from former Stuyvesant English teacher Ms. Eunice Kim, NOT Mr. Minkyu Kim.

- Mr. Kim’s favorite album is Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder. “[Stevie Wonder] was my hero growing up.” —Minkyu Kim, English teacher

- For the Issue 12 News article “Stuyvesant Mock Trial Finishes Their Competition Season,” the team actually scored the highest points possible in the second competition, and the loss of advancement was primarily due to the competition’s “differential scoring method.”

would definitely be interested in participating in similar events.”

As the school year nears its end, Chew and Lei aim to ensure that students’ freshman year is a memorable one by beginning organizational plans for other major events. Following the positive

reception of the scavenger hunt, the Freshman Caucus currently has more engaging events in the works. “The [freshman] body has many events [to] look forward to, including the carnival and a freshman dance,” Chew said in an email interview.

StuyPulse 694 Wins First Place At Regionals

By ANDREW LIU and SADAT AHMED

At one of their last regionals before championships, StuyPulse 694 won first place in the New York City Regional Competition, hosted at The Armory in Washington Heights from April 6 to April 8. This was their second win this season, allowing them to compete in the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Robotics World Championship in Houston, Texas, from April 19 to April 22.

This is StuyPulse’s 23rd season competing, making this their 14th world championship appearance. Before competing at the NYC regional, StuyPulse was a finalist for the Midwest regional and won the Second Long Island Regional Competition, which qualified them for world championships.

Before the competition, the team prepared for about six weeks. The work was divided among different departments, with each working on their respective tasks.

“The engineering department used [Computer-Aided Design] to prototype the robot, and then built it using various [tools that the team] ordered or 3D-printed,” junior and software engineering department member Naowal Rahman said. “The software engineering department coded the mechanisms for parts of the robot and tested them.”

The NYC Regional Competi-

tion spanned over the first few days of spring break, with members engaging in a variety of preparatory activities. Members researched the backgrounds of other teams to make sure that they were thoroughly prepared by watching previous matches, taking notes, recording previous statistics and records, and studying their gameplay styles.

“The event consisted of three days,” Rahman said. “The first day was practice matches, which didn’t count but helped teams get a feel for the playing field and driving the robot, as well as the competition they were going to be up against.”

On the second and third days, robotics teams determined alliances, which then competed against each other during playoffs. “The top nine teams each got to pick two other teams to be in their alliance,” Rahman said. “Day three was playoffs—the eight alliances that made it to the playoffs played in a double elimination bracket to see who would be the winner.”

The judging process was based on a system of points assigned to each part of the competition. “[It included] autonomous routines, scoring game pieces, balancing on a platform, etc.,” Rahman said. “Many fouls were also assessed, which [gave] points to the other team.”

Overall, StuyPulse won the majority of two rounds in the finals with a score of 120-112. They won the first match but lost the second match due to a red card in their

alliance. This penalty ultimately disqualified their match score and was an automatic loss. Despite this setback, they tied the next match against Brooklyn Technical High School, Townsend Harris High School, and John F. Kennedy High School, and won the last match by a close margin, allowing the entire team to celebrate in excitement. “The build-up from the four matches in finals made tensions high,” senior and Director of Strategy April Li said. “The anticipation was up and when we won, we were over the moon.”

Because the competition was the final regional, serving as “practice” before the world championships, team veterans and leaders were anxious regarding the team’s performance. “I had to make sure everything was accounted for,” Li said. “As the Director [of Strategy], I felt as if there was a lot of pressure to do well. I knew they were counting on me to help lead us to victory.”

Though the regional competition was extremely successful and enjoyable for members, robotics competitions often prevent students from devoting themselves to their studies. Members are occasionally forced to miss exams and find it difficult to balance schoolwork with their robotics responsibilities. “Many of us had to make up tests, and some with strict teachers even had to take the tests at the competition venue,” Rahman said. “With [regard] to APs, many

students [at competitions] actually studied for those exams, and generally students do their homework for those classes when they’re in the stands and they’re not scouting other robots or working on the robot.”

Many felt that team collaboration was essential for victory in the competition. In the software engineering department, for example, all members contributed to the project by incorporating their aspects of code. “We all worked on different git branches for different features of the robot, and merged all of our code once we had a preliminary draft,” Rahman said.

This competition was a firsttime experience for many StuyPulse members, who truly embraced team spirit as they collaborated with one another in hopes of succeeding. “It was also the first time [that] so many people could attend a regional, since it’s so close to home,” Li said.

Though the team was faced with a red card and academic pressures, members of StuyPulse were very pleased with their first-place win at the regional competition, earned with their hard work and preparation. “I think what contributed most to our team’s success was our preparation,” Li said. “We made sure [that] we could prepare for the worst and had every possibility in mind. We studied the robots to such a degree that we knew what gameplay would lead us to victory.”

Russian Propaganda on Our Doorsteps Voices

By JULIA CHERNOBELSKY

On a typical March afternoon, my friends and I walked out of school. As we squinted into the scorching sunlight, trying to talk over the sound of chirping birds, we recounted our days to one another like we always do. All of a sudden, my friend asked, “Wait, what does that sign say?” We moved closer to the crowd of Stuyvesant and Borough of Manhattan Community College students huddled around two postercovered tables.

“Russia and China are not the enemy, Global Britain is,” one poster read. Photos of Michael Bloomberg, Prince Charles, Klaus Schwab-DAVOS, and Mark Carney were pasted underneath the bolded words. We stared at the posters, completely baffled. Two of those pictured were near strangers to me, and I was confused as to why they were relevant. However, I was even more shocked by the claim that Russia was not the enemy. How could someone in New York, a progressive city, be advertising such false information? As I turned around, I read the second poster. It asserted, “No War With Russia! We need a new system.” This was a complete contradiction of the first poster, which seemed to take a pro-Russia stance. Our curiosity about these strange declarations got the best of us, and we approached the woman handing out flyers at the table.

She introduced herself as Diane Sare, an independent candi-

By ADA GORDON, SABRINA LI, and ANDREW OH

Every day, history is in the making. In the past year alone, there have been countless events all around the world that will have repercussions for years to come. Though COVID-19 is finally easing, the war in Ukraine rages on. In Iran, protestors continue to advocate for the rights of women and girls after the murder of Mahsa Amini, while just last year in America, Roe v. Wade was overturned. Undoubtedly, both cases will continue to play an important role in the future of women’s rights. Despite these urgent global matters, Stuyvesant’s teachers are required to remain “politically neutral” per a regulation of the Chancellor issued on April 29, 2021. As a result, many teachers have to tread the fine line between promoting the inclusivity of all political perspectives in their lesson plans and expressing their political views.

For many students, the classroom serves as a key vessel for political expression and exploration. Debates over current political issues are commonplace in social science and humanities classrooms and can arise in numerous ways. History teacher Svetlana Firdman tries to connect historical themes to current events when creating her lesson plans. “We’re always trying to bridge what has happened in the past with the ways in which it [...] has manifested itself in the present,” Firdman explained. “Nothing happens in a vacuum.” Viewing societal changes and continuities over time can help students understand more about our world today, and how to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

History teacher Mordecai Moore gave an example of how

date affiliated with the LaRouche movement for the 2024 United States Senate race. We asked why the slogans in front of us were sending conflicting messages: was she pro– or anti–war in Ukraine?

Sare’s response was that Vladimir Putin had not done anything wrong. To her, the more than 30,000 war crimes his government has committed against Ukrainians since the invasion over a year ago meant nothing; the fact that over 9,000 women, men, and children have been murdered in Ukraine meant nothing. To her, Putin was just claiming back his land. We could not believe the propaganda we were hearing. Just the week before, my grandmother in Ukraine had been sobbing on the phone to me about how her childhood best friend’s house had been blown up. She told me about the sirens that go off every day, the constant fear of her son being drafted to the war since he is 50 and still eligible, and the cries of hungry and thirsty children. Her hometown was completely destroyed, and most people were forced to evacuate. Her 98-yearold mother was tragically unable to be transported. Through tears, my grandmother and other friends and family in the area left her in Mariupol. For months, there was no possible communication with her. No one knew whether she was alive or dead. Was her home bombed? Was this innocent, loving old lady killed for absolutely no reason by civilian bombings? For my family members, experiencing

these atrocities firsthand, Russia is the enemy.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine has been an independent country. Russia, under Putin’s government, has refused to accept its sovereignty. This issue is especially pertinent in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where the majority of citizens are Russian-speaking. Since Putin feels that the people of these regions are actually Russian citizens, he justifies invading Ukraine by claiming self-defense—and Sare believes him. She says that the millions of videos online of Russian brutality are fabricated, and that the Ukrainian government is attacking its own people to prevent them from seceding and becoming a part of Russia. This view stems from the extreme propaganda that Putin spreads through the Russian media.

In my primarily Soviet community, almost all families watch Channel 1, a Russian channel that usually plays TV dramas and talent competitions. However, it also shows Russian news, which is completely controlled by Putin’s government. During these segments, Ukrainians are constantly mocked and called neo-Nazis. Every day, I watch my parents observe Russian soldiers being awarded for “liberating” Ukrainian villages. The falsification involved in these news programs is so extreme that employees themselves have spoken up about it. Some have released the lists of weekly topics the state allows each media channel to

cover. These include glorified accounts of Russia’s success, despite the sanctions most countries have placed on it to pressure Putin to stop. Additionally, the media is allowed to discuss the “criminal” behavior of Ukranians and give false information in order to downplay the war as much as possible.

Like Sare, Putin supporters and other uneducated individuals believe these lies and help spread them in American communities, such as near workplaces and schools like our own. Though this conflict may just seem like another faraway proxy war, it carries great weight for the future of democracy and the United States. Due to NATO alliances, any further escalation of the conflict could force the U.S. and other allies to become directly involved. This would result in the threat of nuclear warfare. The U.S. must do everything in its power to resolve the conflict as quickly as possible. All Americans must try to help Ukraine, or else Russia will become too powerful. A victory there might solidify Russia as a superpower, fueling Putin’s rampage. He could try gaining back other Russian-speaking territories in Eastern Europe through more violence. This would increase the number of people he is able to manipulate through propaganda, and decrease the amount of resistance he faces. A Russian victory may mean that the country could get away with anything— they have already started to target American citizens.

Recently, Russia crossed an-

The Politics of Political Neutrality

he connects current events to larger themes of history. “We were [studying] LGBTQ [history], and my Do Now started with the parental consent bill, [also known as] the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill,” Moore described. Moore was also able to connect the struggles of the queer community to the recent Florida bill, illustrating the relevance of historical context to understanding contemporary politics.

History teacher Lee Brando believes that covering current events helps students not only learn about the world they live in, but also better understand the historical content they are studying. “[When my lesson plans make modern-day] connections, students can make connections on a personal level with broader themes in the distant and more recent past,” Brando said. Still, Brando emphasized that history doesn’t repeat itself, which they feel is important for students to understand. “We might see patterns that develop over time,” Brando explained. “Certainly there [are] striking similarities, but there [are] also ways in which things are different. And it’s important for students to not just conflate the past and the present.”

History classes aren’t the only ones that can benefit from discussions of current events. English teacher Sophie Oberfield believes that discourse is vital for helping students process the feelings they have about what is going on in the world. “If something upsetting happens in the world, I have a little mini lesson plan I do for writing and thinking and asking questions,” Oberfield described. Though she doesn’t directly teach current events in her Freshman Composition class, she does teach a fictional play—India Pale Ale by Jaclyn

Backhaus—in her Asian American Literature class.

“[It] does relate to processing

anti-Asian violence in a way that I think is artistic and interesting and related to the topic of the class,” Oberfield explained. “It’s the first piece that I’ve taught in the course that really clearly connects to some current events.” In the play, the main character is processing the loss of her father in a shooting similar to that which occurred in a Punjabi-American temple in Wisconsin on August 5, 2012. Oberfield uses this piece to demonstrate the relevance of art as a way to cope with traumatic events and to teach about the recent rise in anti-Asian hate crimes.

The rise in hate crimes, coupled with recent school shootings and a slew of other events, has contributed to a divisive political climate. In the spirit of neutrality, Brando has made a concentrated effort to foster open discussion around contemporary topics. “The idea is to allow students to be exposed to different perspectives, [and] allow space in the classroom for different perspectives and intelligent debate,” Brando explained. However, they acknowledged that it is near impossible for anyone to be completely unbiased. “I cannot give students, you know, five different sources I have to select. I have to excerpt, and in doing that [I am] putting [in my] own bias,” Brando said.

It is also important to recognize that vetted sources may contain bias, even if they form part of a standardized curriculum. “Official” sources such as AP-sanctioned textbooks or College Board Daily Videos are not immune to political leanings. The best way to counteract inevitable biases is to immerse oneself in a diverse range of viewpoints on an issue and look at sources through a critical lens.

Firdman agreed that analyzing multiple perspectives is critical

other line with the March 29 arrest of Evan Gershkovich. Gershkovich is an American reporter for The Wall Street Journal and one of only two Western reporters on Russian soil. He was in Russia legally, reporting in Yekaterinburg, when the Russian police detained him on an espionage charge. This is the first Western reporter arrested for espionage since the Cold War, signaling a huge turning point in U.S.-Russian relations. Though The Wall Street Journal and the U.S. government deny these charges, the Russian authorities rejected Gershkovich’s appeal for release. He is being held as leverage—a bargaining tool for Russia. If Gershkovich is not released soon, Russia will take advantage of America’s inability to fight back. They might take other important figures into custody and use them to force prisoner exchanges. This could lead to dangerous Russian criminals currently detained in the U.S. being swapped to free innocent Americans. The more power Russia receives, the more war and international crimes will be committed. No one will know the real truth if Putin obtains any more media control.

This truth is one faced by my family and millions of other people. The constant fear and suffering that Ukrainians and pro-Ukrainian Russians are put through every day deserves to be recognized. Every day that society allows this propaganda to spread, hundreds of thousands of Ukranians suffer and die.

to keep lessons politically neutral. However, she pointed out that outside of school, it is difficult for students to source from a variety of perspectives without the help of a teacher. Thus, she makes sure to pack her lessons with different viewpoints on every major issue discussed. She also advises her students to view sources critically and with an open mind. “It could be something as simple as trying to recognize [...] your own bias, [or] the series of events or perspectives that have influenced the way that you process a piece of news,” Firdman explained.

Though positions on the place of politics in humanities classrooms vary from teacher to teacher, these subjects serve as the most common academic settings for students’ political exploration. The curricula of history and the language arts frequently overlap with political discourse, emphasizing analytical and personal approaches to current events, history, and the media. STEM-based classrooms, on the other hand, are generally thought to prioritize factual and empirical learning. In mathematics and physical science courses, for example, the focus is directed toward numbers, theories, and experimentation. Still, politics have greater relevance in STEM courses than one might initially expect.

Social studies teacher Matt Polazzo doesn’t teach any STEM classes, but he understands how politics are interwoven with the sciences. “I’m seeing this obviously from the perspective of a government and politics teacher, but I would argue that any science which is relevant to the world today is going to have the dark tentacles of politics entwined within it,” Polazzo explained.

This interconnectedness is especially prominent in environmen-

tal science. Issues such as green policy and industry regulation are relevant both to modern politics and to the AP Environmental Science curriculum, inexorably linking the two. Still, the class takes a more academic approach than policymakers on Capitol Hill.

“The impetus for the [AP Environmental Science] curriculum is to teach environmental science almost exclusively as a science class, where chemistry, biology, [and] physics, as well as the social sciences, get integrated into this body of knowledge so that students have an introductory background [...] in all the different aspects of environmental sciences,” science teacher Jerry Citron said. However, the real-life applications of these concepts concern more than strictly empirical science. “When it comes to the political components of environmental science, there’s a lot of discussion about the laws,” Citron acknowledged.

The importance of politics in certain courses makes it difficult for teachers to address the curriculum in a completely unbiased way. Both the environmentalist movement and climate change have become heavily politicized, and this partisanship permeates through even the most science-based classes, such as AP Environmental Science. “When we talk about these environmental regulations, it’s unfortunate, but it does become somewhat political,” Citron admitted. “There is a party ideology with respect to environmental regulations and laws.” Generally, liberal politicians are associated with instating environmental protection laws, while conservatives tend to oppose these measures.

Interestingly, shifting attitudes

continued on page 9

By HIFZA KALEEM

For the past nine years, school librarian Mary McGregor has been a cornerstone of Stuyvesant’s Boaz R. Weinstein Library, a popular study spot among students. However, her journey to this career was an unanticipated one. Before being employed at Stuyvesant, McGregor worked in advertising and marketing.“My last job before working in education was in the marketing department of Bank of America,” McGregor revealed. She spent close to a decade in the field but soon became discontent with her work. “It just wasn’t driving me, and I found that most days I didn’t feel like going to work,” McGregor said.

Growing up, McGregor was surrounded by adults with similar attitudes toward work. “I know that jobs are jobs and [they’re] a means to pay bills. That’s how most of the jobs were in my family,” McGregor remarked. However, she yearned for something more: “I was too curious to not try something else,” McGregor said. Soon enough, she began volunteering at her local public library in Brooklyn.

Through this experience, McGregor was introduced to a diverse network of librarians from across the city. As she got to know them, McGregor was inspired to learn more about their career journeys. “I met the public librarian that we worked with at that branch, but I also met a digital archivist for the Brooklyn Museum, a cataloging specialist that worked from home and now works at universities, and a school librarian,” McGregor described. “I did not even know that all these jobs existed.”

Above all, McGregor was captivated by the collaborative environment fostered by the librarians. “I really was struck by how smart and interesting they were and how generous they all were with each other, [always] helping each other out and wanting other people to have information,” McGregor said. She was also amazed by how much the library’s welcoming atmosphere contrasted with that of the marketing industry. “The corporate world is kind of competitive. So even though I had to work

Bookmarked Dreams: Mary McGregor

on teams a lot, there was always sort of a sense of like, ‘Who’s getting credit for this work?’, ‘Who’s getting the attention of an executive?’, and ‘Who’s getting promoted?’” McGregor explained.

“[Meanwhile,] in my volunteer work with these librarians, and even as I was applying to graduate school, they were all so willing to help me prepare for my exams, fill out my applications, and pro-

not like reading books and digging into them and thinking about them so deeply.”

Ultimately, McGregor decided to attend graduate school at Syracuse University in order to become a librarian. Due to her corporate background, she anticipated working in a “special library”—a library in a nontraditional setting, such as a medical or law school. However, she soon discovered an opportu-

One challenge in achieving this goal stems from Stuyvesant students’ lack of free time. “When I first started working at Stuyvesant, I remember being disheartened because I would ask students, ‘What do you like to read?’ and they were like, ‘Oh, I don’t have time to read,’” McGregor recalled. In response to this pattern, McGregor and her fellow librarians have developed ways to remind students that reading does exist outside of academic settings.

“We have done little things like the reading challenges that we do every semester and the posters you see in the hallway of what teachers are reading, just to sort of serve as an example that reading is a part of our lives outside of school,” McGregor said.

great that we have the alternative.”

vide recommendations to schools.

I just noticed that the relationship in the library world was very collaborative and supportive, which blew me away.”

McGregor viewed pursuing a career as a librarian as an opportunity to revive her roots in education—she initially studied to become an English teacher, citing her childhood love for reading as a major source of inspiration. “I was always a really, really big reader ever since I was a young kid,” McGregor recounted. “I remember my mom reading to me quite a bit when I was younger.”

However, as this passion crumbled under a demanding university curriculum, McGregor switched majors from English to advertising. “One of the reasons I changed my major is I stopped liking reading when I had to read so much literature for classes. I am sure students can kind of relate because there’s a difference between what you have to read and what you want to read,” McGregor said. “It was not what I thought it was going to feel like because I did

nity to fund her master’s degree by working in education. “[The program] offered a scholarship to anyone who did school library classes and did what is called a practicum, or student teaching, in New York City schools,” McGregor explained.

One of her practicum sites was Stuyvesant, where she met current school librarian Christopher Bowlin. “Bowlin was one of my supervisors, as was a former librarian, [DeLisa] Brown. I learned so much from them, and I obviously loved this school community,” McGregor said. She went on to work at a public elementary school for a year and a half, since Stuyvesant had no permanent positions open. “Then, when Brown retired, Bowlin helped to get me a spot here at Stuyvesant,” McGregor said.

Since then, McGregor has spent the last decade nurturing a passion for reading in Stuyvesant students. “I want to be a person that promotes reading and makes people love reading, and I want to do it honestly,” McGregor said.

Another aspect of Stuyvesant’s library that McGregor hopes students will take advantage of is the diversity of its collection, which boasts a wide range of genres and authors that is continuously increasing in variety. “I think that literature for young people has evolved and expanded over the years, and we work in a city that is really supportive of librarians bringing diverse and high-interest books into libraries,” McGregor said. “I have seen an uptick in the variety and types of authors that are getting the promotion they deserve from publishers and the opportunities to write stories. I just think students have access to more stories than they did before.”

McGregor also explained how remote learning expanded the pool of resources available to students. “We were promoting e-Books and different databases that had access to comics online and audiobooks,” McGregor recalled. “Those are things that we were kind of dipping our toes in before remote learning, but are now a permanent fixture of our collection.” Despite these options, McGregor noted that physical copies remain the most popular among students. “We have really seen that most students prefer print books. They prefer the experience of having a book in their hand,” McGregor said. “A lot of times, students kind of use digital e-books and audiobooks if it’s like the only thing they can get their hands on. So it’s

McGregor finds that working with Stuyvesant students has allowed her to form meaningful connections with young people while they are gaining a stronger sense of their identities. “[Students] are kind of at this point in life where they are figuring out a lot about who they are and what’s important to them. It is really interesting to get to talk to people that are going through that,” McGregor said. “Even though I don’t have a class of students that I see every day and get to know like teachers do, the [student library] monitors are kind of like [my] classes, and it’s a smaller group each period,” McGregor added. “A lot of times, someone will start as a monitor as a freshman and stay through senior year, and we see these immense changes. Sometimes we hear from them after they graduate [about] where they ended up.”

McGregor does sometimes teach full classes, namely in the form of citation and research presentations delivered to humanities classes. McGregor’s role in assisting students has influenced her own understanding of citations. “I am learning new ways to answer tricky citation questions every day, and every year I get a question I haven’t been asked before. The important thing to remember is that the guidance for Chicago, MLA, and APA citations is all linked on the Stuy Library website, so we don’t have to memorize it,” McGregor said. “The goal for the librarians is to provide support and resources for students to do better.”

Apart from providing research resources, the Stuyvesant Library also serves as a refuge for peace, quiet, and a sense of community.

“I am really proud when students tell me they consider the library to be their oasis. All of the librarians strive to make the library a safe, inclusive, and peaceful space. No matter why a student specifically comes to the library, what we offer them is a break,” McGregor said.

“A break from the crowds and fast pace everywhere else in the

continued on page 9

How Lip Gloss Pushed Me Past Victimhood Voices

By MILLIE BELL

In my experience navigating academic settings as a girl, there is one scenario that perfectly encapsulates both the culture and consequences of toxic masculinity: the dreaded group project. Far too many times have I been assigned a group of all males; my fate is often written before I even begin the assignment. The unspoken rule is that I will do the work, under the assumption that my femininity means I will be meek enough to acquiesce to my group members’ implied demands. And I do, not because I am subservient to males, but because it’s simply easier to do the work myself than to beg my partners to contribute. Time and time again, I have been left to do the assignment on my own, waiting in vain for a text back in the unused group chat that I created.

But toxic masculinity pervades far more classroom situations than just group projects. At the beginning of the school year, a few of my female friends and I went to a teacher’s office hours to discuss our classroom participation. However, our conversation quickly

evolved into a broader discussion of our interactions with male students. We discussed a certain type of male student that our teacher had encountered in both her academic and professional careers: overconfident and often brusque in speech and mannerisms. Most detrimentally, he prioritizes speaking over listening, thus causing his female counterparts to fall into a pattern of resigned nonparticipation in the classroom. My friends and I smiled and nodded in agreement as she spoke, each of us recalling classmates who fit that description. Though our teacher acknowledged her frustration with this behavior, she also urged us to take responsibility for our role in facilitating the stereotypes. As she explained, it is dangerous to fall into passivity and compliance.

Most strikingly, she commented that we are not—and cannot be— girls falling victim to life in a man’s world. Our conversation ended with a promise to our teacher to hold strong to our femininity. The five of us took an oath to create active change against this abrasive display of toxic masculinity in our classroom and beyond. I felt a

strong sense of pride when, a few weeks later during a class debate, a male classmate complained to our teacher that I was “too scary to argue with.” She beamed at me and reminded me that it was a compliment.

My teacher’s discussion of the dangers of victimhood reminded me of an early experience I had with toxic masculinity which was unfortunately during a time when I could not counter such stereotypes. I suffered through a brief period of playing competitive chess in elementary school, but despite my incredible distaste for the game, I found myself winning a good number of matches. However, in one of my first tournaments, I was berated by a group of older, tougher, third-grade boys. They approached me to make the bold claim that as a girl, I did not belong in the world of grade school chess. I wish I could say that following their interjection I persisted and became a grandmaster chess player, proving those dumb boys wrong, but I didn’t. In fact, I went home that night, cried to my mom, and quit chess for good. To this day, I regret giving in to their early-

onset misogyny so easily. Consequently, I am now hyper-aware of toxic masculinity, constantly doing my best to prevent its pervasive effects as exemplified by my failed chess career.

In my attempts to avenge my younger self, I found myself taking steps to embody the toughness that I needed all those years ago. In middle school, I often shied away from more stereotypically “feminine” clothing and mannerisms in an attempt to be taken more seriously in my academic endeavors. But, as I came to realize, these efforts were counterintuitive. When I stopped suppressing myself in an attempt to gain respect, I found power in my femininity. This is not to say that it is necessary to lean into those gendered stereotypes or be hyper-feminine, but more so that diluting your personality reduces your confidence, and in effect, reduces your ability to combat challenges to your potential like toxic masculinity.

Earlier this year, as I stepped into a classroom to take the AMC, I was disappointed, but not surprised, to see that the classroom of 35 students was almost exclu-

sively male. Clad in my favorite pink top and dangly hoop earrings, I remember reapplying my lip gloss before beginning my exam. Though I felt all eyes on me, I smiled to myself, imagining the pride that little Millie would have felt at my unabashed confidence.

I urge all readers to be similarly conscious of such behaviors in their lives. This doesn’t mean that you should go around accusing people of misogyny left and right. Though, if you are a man, you should reflect on how your actions are subconsciously influenced by internalized gender roles. If you’re a woman, hold fast to your power in the face of conflict. Remember that prejudice and stereotypes feed off silence and nonconfrontation, and use that information to sustain your confidence. Do not tolerate attempts to silence or undermine you; hold your own in the group project, speak up in class, enter that competition, and wear that dress (if you want to, that is). I leave you with a piece of advice I wish someone had told me sooner: lean into your identity. That is what truly combats the culture of toxic masculinity.

Ms. MsGregor in the Library

Joyti Nath / The Spectator

continued from page 7

toward environmental policy are mirrored by changes in the AP curriculum. “Over the last few years, laws have been less emphasized and the science [has been] more emphasized so that has been a sort of interesting shift, although I think a lot of teachers still teach a lot about environmental regulation and laws,” Citron reflected. “Politics clearly comes into play here.” Environmental law is discussed in more than just science classrooms. “We were learning today in [AP United States History] about the rise of the modern environmental movement,” Moore recounted. He explained that his students observed marked changes in the Republican Party’s stance on environmental laws, from the late

The Politics of Political Neutrality

1960s—when conservative politicians were more open to greener policies—to the Reagan administration, and eventually the 21st century.

The link between politics and a vast array of curricula is clear, so teachers are often challenged by the Department of Education’s enforcement of political neutrality. When asked if it is possible to discuss current events without getting political, Firdman responded, “It depends on the current event, but it’s difficult [to not] at least [touch on] politics.”

Despite the constraints the rule imposes, Oberfield understands why it is in place. “I think students need to not [feel] pressured in any one direction,” Oberfield explained. “I understand the principle, and I don’t want to make any students feel uncomfortable.”

For Polazzo, being politically

neutral aligns with his teaching philosophy. “I don’t state my own political beliefs or ideologies in the class. I know that some teachers do and I certainly would not question their bona fides or what have you,” Polazzo stated. ”But, for me personally, I always feel like it’s not my job to change your political beliefs [or] your political ideals.” Polazzo aims for his classroom to be a place where students are exposed to a multitude of political identities and concepts. In doing so, he hopes to foster an environment where students are free to explore their own beliefs and construct their political compasses. “I do want you to think rigorously about your beliefs and ideals. If you come into my class as a liberal or a leftist, I’m not trying to turn you into a conservative or vice versa, but I do want you to leave with a stronger basis for why you’re a

liberal or a conservative,” Polazzo explained. Though many students and teachers share this sentiment, they understand that complete political neutrality in the classroom is not always a realistic expectation. To some, one solution is to give students context on the information they are being taught. “I do think the presence of bias and politics [in lessons and discussions] should be explicitly recognized by the teacher,” sophomore Collin Liang said in an e-mail interview. Still, Liang does not believe that the need to acknowledge bias should cause teachers to shy away from politics completely; they should simply be conscious of the influence they have on students. “There is a major difference between awareness in a certain view and trying to push for said view,” Liang explained. The adolescent years are fundamental

Bookmarked Dreams: Mary McGregor

continued from page 8

building, a comfortable space to be productive, a chance to quietly catch up with a friend, thousands of books to read for fun, and a lot of little things that make student life less stressful.”

Of course, this can make library closures, such as those that occur for AP exam administration, troubling for students. “Losing [the library’s] resources and peaceful space has a huge impact on students’ well-being, especially at this time of year when they are taking high-stakes tests and work-

By DUNCAN PARK and GULAM MONAWARAH with additional reporting

by Rebecca Bao and Phoebe Buckwalter

Milton Fechter (’38) is a 101-year-old Stuyvesant alumnus living in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The Spectator sat down with him in an interview to discuss Fechter’s Stuyvesant experience, career path, and life at 101.

Though 83 years have passed, Fechter is still nostalgic for and passionate about his time at Stuyvesant. “You could play ball maybe for two hours in the street before some vehicle would come along,” Fechter said. Fechter acknowledges that times were simpler back then as opposed to the hustle and bustle of New Yorkers today. “I went to Stuyvesant and the three years that I spent there from 1935 to 1938 are the happiest years of my life,” Fechter added, noting that the skills he learned there are still valuable today.

Growing up during the Great Depression, Fechter saw the effects of the crisis first-hand. “A dozen eggs were 10 or 12 cents. A roll was one penny. A big tomato was a penny. A cucumber was a penny. A banana was a penny. A penny was money,” said Fechter. However, he notes that, as a teenager, the economic downturn wasn’t at the forefront of his thoughts; rather, the Depression affected his childhood in subtle ways. “There was a [teacher named] Dr. Brody. Dr. Brody was only [there] because of the Depression. He had two PhDs, one in math and one in physics.

ing on research projects and term papers that carry a lot of weight in their grades,” McGregor acknowledged. In fact, when asked what she would do with enough funding to change one major aspect of the library, McGregor said, “We currently have three full-time certified librarians. If we had four librarians full-time, we could staff two librarians all 10 periods of the day, which would allow us to limit seating less often, see more classes for instruction, and better support all students and faculty.”

Fortunately, McGregor and the other librarians ensure that library resources are still available

to students outside of the library. “[We] push into classrooms for research lessons, deliver book requests to students in their classes, and answer research questions by e-mail,” McGregor said. Despite the fulfillment that McGregor’s career as a librarian brings her, she acknowledged that the path she chose was a challenging one—and is certainly not the right choice for everyone. “It’s not easy. I mean, I honestly took a pretty big cut in pay and went into debt to get a master’s degree to change my career. So that decision is not for everybody, and I totally understand that and don’t

pass any judgment,” McGregor said. She simply thinks that her path matches her character. “With everything in my life, I’ve been the kind of person that, if there was something I wanted to do, I would make it happen,” McGregor explained.

McGregor hopes that students keep this message in mind as they find their place in the world: “Wherever you go to school, wherever you work [...] to a certain extent, that experience for you has a lot to do with what you put into it,” she said.

McGregor reflected on the compassionate community of

The Spectator Meets With 101-Year-Old Stuyvesant Alumnus Milton Fechter (‘38)

But during the Depression, he grabbed whatever job he could, you know?” Like Dr. Brody, teachers would work multiple jobs to make ends meet, with some teaching at Stuyvesant by day and at universities by night.

His peers shared similar experiences, as there was little money in circulation at that time. “A girl used to work six days a week in the back of a store as a bookkeeper for $7 a week. That’s [also] why you were able to get such teachers like [Dr.] Brody and others. They were actually college-level instructors with two PhDs, but he stayed with Stuyvesant and did some good work I hear through the years,” Fechter said.

Even at 101 years old, Fechter has an incredible memory and has no problem remembering the names of all the teachers and administrators present back then.

“We had a wonderful principal.

His name was Sinclair Jay Wilson. And if anybody was a perfect gentleman, it was Sinclair Jay Wilson. You could learn manners from [him]––all of us kids from the East Side could always use manners,” Fechter joked.

After graduating from Stuyvesant, Fechter went on to graduate from City College in 1942. “There was no fee, no fee at all,” Fechter said of his alma mater’s program. He claimed that the only admission requirement for his class was a GPA above 90. Unfortunately, City College didn’t turn out to be all he had hoped for. “[The teachers at City College] acted so snotty to us, which they didn’t do at Stuyvesant,” Fechter said. “It’s nice to be

treated nice.”

In 1941, America entered World War II, which Fechter remembers vividly. “I came into the [dean’s] office. There were four men there. One I recognized right

in the development of personal thinking, so how teachers discuss politics can have a significant impact on the way students approach them in the future.

In the polarizing political climate of modern America, it is important to accept that politics will inevitably find their way into our lives. Political neutrality may not always be possible, but no matter what, it is important to recognize the implicit and explicit biases that impact the way we think about current events. The perpetual debate over the effectiveness of political neutrality in the classroom ultimately boils down to whether being politically neutral adds to or detracts from the learning experience. In either case, the ability to recognize and synthesize a variety of perspectives on a topic is an important life skill for everyone, teachers and students alike.

librarians that first inspired her to pursue her true calling. “Honestly, I don’t know if I would have changed careers if I hadn’t had that volunteer experience that made me think of it,” McGregor remarked. It is truly impactful how such compassion had the power to inspire a leap of faith that completely rewrote McGregor’s life. Perhaps it is a testament to the power of human ambition: even if all the signs in one’s life point down a single path, it is possible to forge a new one. All it takes is one stroke of curiosity for the dreams we have hidden away to grow into a fulfilling reality.

began working as a mechanical engineer for the Navy’s shipyards. While the salary wasn’t bad––$52 a week––there was one thing in particular that won him over. “The thing that got me was when the dean of the college said [I] don’t have to take the final exams. That sold me right away because the final exams at City College can give you nervous breakdowns,” Fechter said.

After a year and a half working for the Navy, Fechter moved on to the private sector. “Engineers have to wait for big companies, and since they’re individualists, no one joins a union. [That’s why] they don’t make the type of money that a doctor or lawyer does,” Fechter said. Fechter found a different source of income when his engineering ventures did not turn out to be incredibly profitable. “Yeah, I didn’t make money in engineering. But I made money [from] rebuilding buildings on my own,” Fetcher reflected.

After an eventful career, Fechter has settled down and is enjoying retirement. His house is filled to the brim with books and newspapers, and he describes himself as an avid reader. He also has formed relationships with his neighbors, all of whom describe him as a talkative and kind man.

away. He had been in charge of Pearl Harbor. It was Rear Admiral Yunel,” Fechter said. Being an engineering student, his talents were highly sought after, as the Navy lacked young engineers. Fechter

When asked if he has any advice for current Stuyvesant students, Fechter said, “Don’t be in a hurry [...] Take everything in, and at the same time, build yourself a rounded life outside [of Stuyvesant]. In other words, study hard, develop friendships, play ball, you know, the things like that.”

Courtesy of Phoebe Buckwalter

Arielle Aney and What We Leave Behind

The Spectator has dedicated a portion of this issue to commemorate the life of Arielle Justine Aney (‘20), who recently passed away due to colon cancer. Arielle was a talented swimmer, artist, and musician, but was also so much more. She was selfless and ridiculously brave, strong and fiercely loyal, and an incredible listener, friend, and teammate who continues to inspire all of those who knew her and even those who didn’t. The Spectator wishes to extend our deepest condolences to Arielle’s family and friends. While many of us never had the privilege to meet Arielle, her death is felt by all of us, causing us to reflect on our own relationships with life and the legacies we leave behind, at Stuyvesant and beyond.

At Stuyvesant, it sometimes seems like obtaining high grades, securing stellar college recommendations, and gaining acceptance into prestigious universities can be all-consuming. It can even seem like these are

the primary ways we can distinguish ourselves from our peers.

Arielle’s recent passing calls this attitude toward life into question. In a school this large and rigorous, it is often difficult to feel seen and appreciated as individuals. As we move forward, it is important for us to recognize that there is more to ourselves and others than academic and extracurricular achievements. We hope that our teachers and the administration understand that we are individuals first and foremost, with lives extending beyond the concerns of the classroom. We want to be not only appreciated as pupils but also valued as human beings.

It is the greatest tragedy a school community can suffer when one of its members dies. Few of us knew Arielle, but we all live lives similar to hers. We all see relics of her life interspersed throughout our days. We swim in the same pool that became a part of her. We learn from the same teachers who

The Spectator

The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper

taught her, signs of grief etched into their faces. We occupy the same spaces that she did. We cannot compare our mourning with that of Arielle’s family, but her absence will be felt by all of us. Her loss is a devastating reminder of our own vulnerability. We encourage the Stuyvesant community to acknowledge and respect whatever grief they may feel, giving it the space to manifest itself without assessing whether or not it is valid. All grief is valid. Whether by reading about Arielle’s legacy, reflecting on your own time at Stuyvesant, or appreciating time spent with loved ones just a little bit more, allow yourself to feel the deep sense of loss that has infiltrated our community. Most importantly, we want to take some time to acknowledge our importance to one another—our friends and fellow students. In this period of mourning, we encourage all to appreciate the lives they have as we honor and memorialize someone we lost.

Letter to the Editor

By RAISA ANIQA

Raisa Aniqa is a junior at Stuyvesant.

English class is not just about you. It’s about literary analysis. The personal essays you write are analyses done through the critical lens of your identity. You are the subject matter, yes, but you’re also a tool, and your job is typically to empathize.

While it is nice to see yourself in what you read, English class equips you with an understanding for those who are dissimilar to you, and hopefully an appreciation for craft and the beauty of words. It’s easy to write about characters who are just like you, because you know them the way you know yourself. It’s significantly harder to write about your odyssey with The Odyssey when all you remember is your hatred for Odysseus—but rather than making things up, if you instead write authentically and critically, you’ll see just how worthwhile reading an ancient epic can be, and uncover that it is in fact its relevance that bothers you.

By LENNY METLITSKY

I’m not a socialist. Yet, every day, I’m reminded of the failures of our excessively privatized infrastructure. Our highway and road infrastructure is mostly owned, maintained, and operated by the government, yet our railroads are left to rot in the hands of private companies who prioritize cutting costs and maximizing short-term profits. Democrats and Republicans alike are always discussing

To call The Odyssey outdated is flippant and inaccurate— there is no expiration date on misogyny and hubris. Despite the writer’s claims that “[m]any contemporary novels outwardly denounce the toxic and deplorable stereotypes, prejudice, and oppression that classical novels are filled with[,]” we are currently in no way facing a shortage of Odysseus-esque sigma men, in literature or in reality.

(To say that “they are actually acknowledged and criticized throughout the course of the [contemporary] novel” is too idealistic and general.) Similarly, The Picture of Dorian Gray will remain relevant until the last container of anti-aging cream is all used up, and Romeo and Juliet until human beings absolve themselves of the ability to feel love and hatred. And of these three books, only one is ancient.

An appreciation of classics requires understanding that relatability is more than just a shared racial and sexual identity. It includes mental health struggles, familial tensions, Jungian complexes, and even just the inability to make good

decisions. You can read Bonjour Tristesse and think Cécile is an unlikable brat, but also find that her desire to grow up yet remain her father’s beloved daughter strikes a chord with you. In The Odyssey, instead of Odysseus, you might relate to the women in his life who are reduced to either sexual objects (Nausikaa, Circe, the slave girls) or holy Madonnas (Athena, Penelope). Characters do not have to resemble you to be relatable. An equally rich and purposeful analysis can be made from finding a genuine point of relation between you and a character who is otherwise completely different from you. The purpose of a personal essay is to write authentically, and that can be accomplished by writing about the otherwise mundane, minor, or unconventional.

That being said, if your discontent with classics is in part over a lack of diversity, then allow me to direct you to this list: Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin, Beloved by Toni Morrison, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown, Maurice by

“The Pulse of the Student Body”

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eics@stuyspec.com

E.M. Forster, Their Eyes Were

Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, and so many more. The classics—including many of those taught at Stuyvesant, though perhaps not enough— are diverse. Get out of the habit of thinking they’re not.

Yes, many classics are written by “deceased, European, straight men[,]” but it is dangerous to say this of all classics and plainly ignore monumental works of literature by/about women, people of color, and queer people that have shaped the western literary canon into what it is today. To do so frames marginalized identities as modern concepts when they are anything but. Our identities are far from new, and some of the best classics reflect that.

For English classes to succeed in shaping young minds, diversity must be a priority— not just so students can see more of themselves in what they read, but so they can have

Nationalize Our Railroads

whichever latest lobby-induced subsidy they should implement to “improve” the economy (or line their pockets with), yet the real solution to optimize trade and make it cheaper, more efficient, and less polluting is clear: nationalize our railroads as soon as possible.

The U.S. rail network was one of the most extensive in the world. Currently spanning over 140,000 route miles—or over five and a half times the Earth’s circumference—our railroads

move tens of millions of carloads of goods all across our country. However, our rail network used to be even better, as the current system is not on the right track (pun intended). Rail mileage peaked in 1916, and since then, our railroads have only had fewer and fewer tracks. Following the rise of the automobile and increased spending on car-centric infrastructure, many railroads went bankrupt and abandoned all service and maintenance. Shortly after,

more than 47,000 miles of track were forced to have agonizingly slow speed limits for safety reasons,, as the tracks had become extremely damaged and urgent capital for investment was unavailable. Even with government bailouts, maintenance had been deferred, and the rail intercity freight had fallen by over 60 percent. The direct effect of this decline was the merging of railroads into four companies, each holding monopolies over a certain region of the United

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more compassion for the world around them. It’s a lofty goal that cannot be achieved without looking at the past as we do the present and future. Students must grasp the relevance of the world before it was theirs, and the easiest way to do that is through understanding that there is nothing more relatable than being human, that the essence of our humanity transcends time.

The inclusion of contemporary novels is necessary, but cannot come at the expense of classics. Too often classics are misunderstood as ancient, and thus defunct. But they would not be considered classics if they did not withstand the test of time. They would not still be taught if there wasn’t value to be found in the past.

English class is not just about you—it’s about the world. And the world’s history is just as important as its present.

States: Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), Union Pacific, CSX, and Norfolk Southern. With the formation of regional monopolies, trans-American (don’t tell Ron DeSantis) freight transport lost to trucks on highways, and intercity passenger rail almost certainly lost to the automobile.

Worst of all, the regional continued on page 11

This letter to the editor is written in response to “Classics vs. Contemporaries” by Elma Khan, published in Volume 113 Issue 11.

Biden Is Failing Us, But Can We Speak Out?

By HELEN MANCINI

After the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), many Democrats eagerly nicknamed President Joe Biden the “climate president” in hopes of boosting support and combating the extreme Republican criticism. The purpose of the bill was to help the U.S. reach lower emission targets by economically incentivizing green energy and electric vehicles. Though this seems like progress, it is not nearly enough.

The IRA has had some unintended consequences. Oil and gas companies supported by the IRA’s subsidies are enhancing their refineries to make biofuels, capture and store carbon dioxide, and produce low-emission hydrogen. The oil industry sees these unsustainable alternatives as a way to continue operations despite the worsening climate crisis. However, the IRA inadvertently allows oil companies to put up the facade of climate action—known as “greenwashing”—and seem to achieve netzero targets while continuing to drill and pollute. In particular, carbon capture—the process of taking carbon out of the air and storing it—allows companies to keep their oil usage high while offsetting their carbon dioxide emissions. None of these money-driven solutions can happen at the speed necessary to curb the worst effects of the climate crisis, and they all maintain the

energy sector’s reliance on fossil fuels and the destruction of ecosystems.

The IRA is not the only issue. The Biden administration recently approved Willow, ConocoPhillips’s $7 billion oil and gas drilling project in Alaska, despite native Alaskans’ and activists’ criticism. ConocoPhillips spent $8.7 million in

people across America realized that having a Democrat in office does not ensure climate action. A Change.org petition urging Biden to reject the Willow project has garnered over five million signatures in March and into April. It is clear that people have become aware that Biden is not doing enough, but now a new question arises: is it

young people who elected him. Fifty percent of people ages 18 to 29 voted in the 2020 presidential election. This was an astonishing 11-point increase from 2016 and one of the highest rates of youth electoral participation since the voting age was lowered to 18. Climate change is the foremost issue facing Gen Z, as they will live

Now more than ever, environmentalists and youth voters have the power to push for necessary climate commitments out of Biden and for him to earn his second term.

2022 lobbying the federal government. Though the project has local political support and is framed as beneficial for the region’s economy and infrastructure, support is not unanimous. Nuiqsut tribal officials have been speaking out about the environmental and health effects of the pipeline. This project, as well as the administration’s most recent auction of 73 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico for drilling, completely contradict Biden’s campaign promise of “no more drilling,” and people are getting angry. After Willow’s approval went viral on TikTok, young

the right time to criticize him? With election season coming up, many Americans think that Biden is the only hope of beating Donald Trump if he gets the nomination. However, the situation remains tense as Biden leads Trump in the RealClearPolitics polling average by only 0.8 percent as of March 2023. Biden plans on winning as a moderate, and much of his platform has been built on the idea that he can unify the politically divided nation. But, by toeing this centrist line in order to grab independent and conservative votes, Biden is ignoring the progressives and

with the consequences of climate catastrophe long after the decision-makers of today. With Biden going back on campaign promises and failing to meet the United Nations’s targets for emissions cuts, it is critical that he be held accountable. Yet, with strong Republican opposition already, many fear that criticism from Democrats will deter young people from turning out at the polls in 2024 as they did in 2020. This would be devastating because Trump would ensure no progress on climate change for another four years. Despite this fear, now is the time to push Biden. He still has

Nationalize Our Railroads

continued from page 10

freight rail monopolies of the United States accepted this defeat. Instead of fighting to be more competitive with the state- and federally-funded interstate highway system and its polluting trucks, freight companies such as Union Pacific and Northern-Southern “adapted” to the market in order to maximize short-term profits. They did this by finding a niche: shipping non-urgent bulk goods. The majority of these goods are coal—everyone’s favorite cancer-causing fossil fuel. Not to mention, the coal industry is propped up almost entirely by subsidies, so instead of funding a clean, fast, and efficient rail network, it’s been left to rot in favor of causing respiratory problems in communities and worsening our climate crisis. Another loss is the opportunity for long-term profit. Perhaps if our private railroads were just a little less focused on maximizing quarterly earnings and instead invested in their infrastructure, they would achieve far greater profits in the long term as operating costs lowered.

On top of the various issues that freight transport by rail is facing, it has also decimated our intercity and national passenger rail network. Since private railroads own the tracks and infrastructure, Amtrak, our national passenger rail provider, has to

rent the right to use the tracks at certain times, following a schedule. In an ideal world, this would be an easy way to get some service going. But since private freight rail companies own these tracks, they make life hell for Amtrak. The four major freight railroad monopolies are uncooperative and have been refusing to follow agreedupon schedules, causing mass delays and inconsistent service for Amtrak. Even with sched-

companies have been “singletracking,” where one direction of the track is removed, and removing electrification in order to reduce maintenance costs and maximize profits. Such changes have destroyed functioning infrastructure, resulting in even more delays. To put the final nail in the coffin, such corner-cutting paved the way for a preventable 115,580-gallon spill of toxic chemicals in Ohio.

a year and a half left in office, in which he can make a lot of progress on current climate goals. The Biden administration must push harder to eliminate taxpayer subsidies to fossil fuels companies, pass more regulations on emissions, and cooperate with the international community on achieving net zero by 2040.

These goals cannot be swept under the rug just because of the upcoming election season. Now more than ever, environmentalists and youth voters have the power to push for necessary climate commitments out of Biden and for him to earn his second term. This means attending climate protests, calling Biden out on social media, and even supporting a more progressive candidate for the Democratic nomination. Gen Z understands the severity of the political moment, especially as other problems like gun violence, abortion access, and trans rights face the ballot.

The climate crisis is the most important issue on the global agenda. Instead of making concessions, we need to demand action from our leaders without fear. This moment calls for more activism than ever before. It is time to shift the mindset that all criticism is just anti-Biden. We must push his administration to do better, so we can build up even more engagement for 2024 and create climate progress together.

ules being lined with excessive padding, Amtrak has an embarrassing on-time rate anywhere track is shared with freight rail.

Amtrak even admits this itself, stating, “Freight train interference—a dispatching decision made by a freight railroad to delay an Amtrak passenger train so that their freight trains can operate first—caused 900,000 minutes of delay in 2021.” To make matters worse, some of Amtrak’s long-distance routes have on-time rates of less than seven percent and regularly run days late.

Attempts to sue freight companies have been proven pointless, as freight rail companies deny responsibility. To make matters worse, freight rail

While the United States struggles with its privatized infrastructure, national rail networks have already been a fundamental part of most developed countries. For example, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Japan all have nationalized rail networks, high-speed rail networks, and some of the most interconnected networks. More recently, Britain has made the switch to a nationalized rail network as well. In the past, Margaret Thatcher’s conservative government had begun the process of privatization of many government responsibilities, similar to the United States. However, even with overseeing legislation, something that the U.S. does not have much of

for its railroads, privatizing British rail was a terrible mistake. This mistake ended up costing taxpayers more money in subsidies to uphold company profits in exchange for service even though these services were not delivered to lower-traffic areas. Similar to what happened in the United States, trains began to run less punctually, and only 20 percent of Southern trains arrived on time from April 2015 to March 2016. The worst ser-

solution that works: nationalization.

vice obviously came during the pandemic, when many companies were going bankrupt from the sharp decrease in demand and were struggling to provide even basic service. The British Department of Transport took control of every line, and though nationalization was supposed to be temporary for the pandemic, the overweighing pros and public pressure caused the Minister for Transport to publish a press release, which stated that “rail franchising reaches its terminus as a new railway takes shape” and “[rail franchising] was no longer working.” Britain shares some of the United States’s biggest issues with our privatized rail networks, and they found one

With overwhelming reasons to nationalize our railroads, including the fact that countries whose rail networks we look up to have already done so, the next step for the United States is clear. A nationalized rail network will transform our railroad into generating trillions of dollars in economic growth for the United States. With a well-connected passenger rail network that runs frequently, consistently on time, and without the interference of uncooperative freight rail companies, the United States will be able to take a significant first step in addressing our looming climate crisis by de-incentivizing the use of cars and trucks, the “cancer of America,” for transport. And while Thatcher may roll over in her grave at the thought of not having privatized rail, the incompetence and disregard for effective rail transport by American freight rail companies demands that our railroads must be nationalized. Our country may currently be polarized, but nationalization is an urgent bipartisan issue that will benefit the American people and the American economy for decades to come. After all, if we have a nationalized interstate highway system that is a core part of our gross domestic product, then why shouldn’t our railroads, which are even more efficient infrastructure, be nationalized too?

Yet, every day, I’m reminded of the failures of our excessively privatized infrastructure.

Internet Privacy For Kids

By ELIZABETH KOLBASKO

Recently, a TikTok of a mother showing her 12 children living in an RV went viral. The bunk beds were cramped, and the majority of the comments showed concern for the kids. In fact, the mother’s entire TikTok page was about her kids and their personal lives, which highlights the issue of internet privacy for the kids of influencers and at what point it becomes exploitation. Though the “Facebook mom” meme is quite relatable, a question of morality arises when an influencer mom relies on her children to bring in income for the household.

Oversharing on the internet can lead to psychological issues for children because their formative years are spent with a camera in their faces and a parent eagerly hoping that their video goes viral. A study by the International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews found that when children constantly appear in vlogs, their mental health and growth are affected, predisposing them to depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem due to their growing up with thousands, if not millions, of people watching their personal lives. In the YouTube channel 8 Passengers, which has not posted in over a year, parents Kevin and Ruby vlogged their children. Around the same time they stopped posting, their oldest daughter, Shari Franke, posted on an Instagram story saying, “It is true that I am not in contact with my immediate family, and I do

By KIKYO MAKINO-SILLER

The Helms Amendment, often referred to as the “global gag rule,” was signed into law nearly 50 years ago to prohibit the use of U.S. foreign aid as a means to pay for abortion services. The United States Agency for International Development currently provides $49.26 billion to over 100 different countries, and this amendment prevents a single cent of that money from being spent on abortion services. Even more insidious is the fact that the amendment is enforced in such a way that many countries receiving foreign aid from America are prohibited from using their own federal funds (unrelated to foreign aid) to support abortion services, even if abortion was originally legal in the recipient country. The amendment has been enforced even in the most extreme circumstances, such as in cases where pregnancy bears a life-threatening risk. Of the 48 countries receiving foreign aid from U.S. health programs, only 14 allow abortion if these extreme cir-

not support the extreme beliefs of ConneXions [Ruby’s parenting advice website].” Family vlogging can ruin relationships between parents and children while also harming the children emotionally because of the strain of providing income and entertaining, exploitative content.

In February, Chris McCarty, a student at the University of Washington, presented bill HB 1627, which aims to protect and advocate for children in family vlogs that generate revenue for the household. The bill would require influencer parents to create funds for their children for when they become adults. The law would only go into effect if the video makes at least 10 cents per view and the kids are in at least 30 percent of the content. Not only is compensation a huge problem, but the digital footprint of the children is also something to keep in mind because most of them are so young that they cannot comprehend the lasting impacts that a vlog may have on their life.

This draws an interesting parallel to many child stars of Hollywood, such as Judy Garland and Shirley Temple, who were abused and exploited for money. It echoes the dilemma of child actors in the mid- to late 1900s, many of whose work was uncompensated and stolen by their parents and guardians. In the age of social media, it is much easier for parents to gain attention, and using their children to garner views, whether it be with the shock value of 12 kids in an RV or embarrassing thumb-

nails, is damaging to the child. The Norris Nuts are a family vlogging YouTube channel with over six million subscribers, and their six children are the main focus of their videos. But their clickbait titles and thumbnails—such as “SABRE BROKE DOWN IN THE WILD w/Norris Nuts,” “SHE FAILED & SHAMED THE

their digital footprint. Children’s internet privacy has been a subject of debate for a long time, especially as more parents share their journeys on social media. Some celebrities such as Kylie Jenner and Gigi Hadid, who have spent a lot of their adolescent years in the public eye, have stopped posting their young children’s faces

backlash for exploiting children would be immense. Of course, there are still many cases of emotional and physical abuse in the child acting industry, such as Jennette McCurdy from iCarly, who was abused since she was a child by her mother and a producer from the show. Unfortunately, since YouTubers and TikTokers are independent, there is no way to enforce that their children are only on camera for a certain amount of time or that they are being properly compensated. Furthermore, if a child consents to a video, they could regret it in a couple of years, so emotional exploitation is harder to pin down.

FAMILY ? w/Norris Nuts,” and “SHE WAS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL…”—are examples of dramatizing the children’s lives to the point of exploitation for viewership and money. McCarty says that the personal information shared online by parents leaves out the future of the child, as when they are older, they may feel regret, pressure, or shame from

online or sharing stories at all. But influencers who post their daily lives feel a necessity to include their kids. The Hollywood problem was dealt with, in part because exploitation by the elites is still a huge factor in the industry, by putting in place strict child labor laws for child actors. Now, most large networks like Disney enforce these to a large extent, as the

Ban the Abortion Ban

cumstances are at play.

The conditional attachment of foreign aid makes it so that countries in need of U.S. assistance must forgo their access to abortion, and vice versa. This is problematic in many instances, especially when countries are in dire need of health aid. The

to PEPFAR programs as well. Of the 56 countries receiving aid from PEPFAR and related health programs, eight countries have had to completely outlaw abortion as a result of the Helms Amendment. Such stipulations mean that American foreign aid creates condi-

Barack Obama, reintroduced in 2017 under the jurisdiction of former President Donald Trump, and most recently rescinded once again by current President Joe Biden. A more permanent solution is needed to ban the global gag rule from legislation everywhere. Sena-

Despite all of these obstacles in the way of regulating this content, the best option is McCarty’s bill because it ensures compensation for children if they contribute a substantial amount of money to their parents. Children’s privacy and their consent to the filming and posting of this content is based on educating influencers, parents, and social media consumers on the effects of using children for content. Once a bill that ensures children aren’t getting exploited is put into effect, it will help promote awareness of the dangers of oversharing on the internet while including children in exaggerated, personal content. Social media exposure to young adults and adults has been proven to cause damage to mental health, so for children who are pressured or forced by their parents to interact with it, the socioemotional effects could be exacerbated tenfold.

largest health initiative ever undertaken by a single country is the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

PEPFAR has funded treatment for HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis, saving over 17 million lives in Africa since its launch in 2003, and is still regarded today as one of America’s most auspicious efforts abroad. However, the Helms Amendment applies

tions in recipient countries that decrease accessibility to goods and healthcare. If a country were to attempt to increase abortion access, its PEPFAR aid would no doubt be cut off.

The Helms Amendment has had a tumultuous legislative history: after originally being signed by former President Richard Nixon, it was rescinded in 2009 by former President

tor Cory Booker introduced the Abortion Is Health Care Everywhere Act to the Senate floor on July 29, 2020, which would comprehensively revoke the Helms Amendment. In just two months, it secured over 110 cosponsors in Congress. The act was endorsed by advocates for abortion rights, such as the Center for Reproductive Rights and Planned Parent-

hood Federation of America. After a difficult time making headway in legislative debate, the bill was reintroduced by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky on March 9, 2021, in commemoration of International Women’s Day. The act changes the wording of the amendment and reverses its message: U.S. funding shall be used to provide comprehensive reproductive healthcare services and information, including abortion services, training, and equipment. This simple change in wording could save the lives of many: studies have found that repealing the Helms Amendment comprehensively would lead to roughly 19 million fewer unsafe abortions and 17,000 fewer maternal deaths each year. In times when abortion access within the United States itself is a highly divisive issue, there is no doubt that this bill and others that promote abortion access will have a difficult time being codified into law. However, it is high time that the United States stopped infringing on the rights of vulnerable women abroad once and for all.

Joey Chen / The Spectator

Such stipulations mean that American foreign aid creates conditions in recipient countries that decrease accessibility to goods and healthcare.

SCIENCEBEAT

By ERICA WONG

The weather has been getting warmer, the flowers are blooming, and pollen allergies are rising: spring is finally here! As you lazily soak up the sun, you feel perfectly content … OUCH! A stinging sensation pierces your skin, and you furiously itch your arm. Though you never saw the pesky creature, you are certain you were bitten by a mosquito.

Mosquitoes are ubiquitous, flying insects known for their ability to suck blood from human veins and leave behind red, itchy welts. Moreover, these creatures are the top carriers for some of society’s most potent diseases— such as the West Nile virus, malaria and Zika virus—through transmission of saliva as they extract blood. Mosquitoes cause nearly 2.7 million deaths and 500 million diseases annually, leading to understandable paranoia about these pesky creatures. Many people find relief from these irritating animals during the colder months when the presence of mosquitoes seems to cease entirely. This pattern is no coincidence, as mosquitoes fall into a hibernation-like state in the fall and winter called dia-

pause. However, a recent discovery at Ohio State University has shown that the city lights in urban centers could negatively interfere with diapause in local mosquito populations.

Unlike hibernation, diapause is when mosquitos are in a state of suspended development to prevent the cold from harming their bodies. This process is essential for all types of mosquitoes, as they are cold-blooded, meaning they are unable to regulate their body temperature themselves and rely on the outside environment to do so. Without this process, their bodies would shut down from the shift to colder temperatures, killing off entire populations. During this period of dormancy, mosquitoes stop growing and slow down their metabolisms, which is possible only after they sequester enough additional energy reserves like glucose. These additional energy sources, which take the form of lipids, are then used during diapause to keep the mosquitoes alive for a period of two to three months. This sleep-like protection against the harsh winter is dictated by their circadian rhythms, or 24-hour biological clocks, that determine

when to wake and sleep. Mosquitoes receive cues of seasonal changes like shorter daylight hours, which then directly affect their circadian rhythms’ internal structures. When the cold arrives, the mosquitoes’ circadian systems produce more melatonin, a sleep hormone that forces them into a slumber-like state. Despite this trend, a recent experiment has clarified that seasonal diapause may not create the mosquito-free haven that one would expect.

Dr. Megan Meuti and her team of researchers at Ohio State University discovered that city lights prevent mosquitoes from undergoing diapause. In their experiment, researchers compared the daily activity and nutrient accumulation of mosquitoes in a lab. In the control group, they mimicked the insects’ long days in their active season by using excess lighting. Then, they observed dormant winter conditions, either exposing the mosquitoes to artificial light or natural winter light. Researchers then determined that artificial light reduced the number of water-soluble carbohydrates—an energy reserve that mosquitoes compile for dia-

Winter City Lights, Mosquito Bites Allergies Spring into Existence

pause—acquired. These results indicate that the presence of artificial lighting causes mosquitoes to pause diapause, as their preparatory stage is insufficient to support their immobile state for the entire winter. Normally, in the months leading up to diapause, mosquitos prepare for their hibernation by finding additional energy reserves or protected sites. However, exposure to city lights, such as billboard signs or street lamp lights, makes the skies brighter in the winter. The increased lights confuse the mosquitoes’ natural circadian rhythms in every season. This light pollution disorients the mosquitoes’ physical and mental states, making them think that it is not yet time to prepare for diapause. As they do not collect the energy reserves needed for diapause on time, they are forced to scramble for food––also known as our blood.

Light pollution is a growing problem in the world, with a recent 49 percent increase in large cities due to the rise of electronic billboards and street, car, and public lighting. The implications of light pollution have the potential to be damaging, as it prolongs mosquitoes’ biting season.

Though invisible to the naked eye, infrared lights can be used to detect twisters formed over barren land.

As climate change worsens, the Arctic’s ground thaw allows for the release of toxic substances, destabilizing facilities over many sites.

Increasing temperatures from climate change lead to lower air density, allowing for more runs during baseball games due to the decrease in air resistance.

While it is not reasonable to conclude that we need to stop using artificial light altogether, we can encourage changes in lighting practices in and out of our homes. We can reduce the use of decorative lighting, change artificial lighting out for LED lights, and turn off external lights when they are not needed. When these small steps are implemented on a large scale, they have the potential to decrease light pollution and mosquito bites during the chilly winter months.

By JAYDEN ZHANG

The first beautiful spring morning is upon us. You wake up to beams of sunlight streaming through the window and the overwhelmingly fragrant smell of blossoming buds. Achoo! Uh oh—you can already feel the tickle in your nose and throat: your allergies are back. These allergies have once again arisen from their deep slumber to torment you. The constant urge to scratch your eyes fills your mind from day to night. A pandemic of pollen––a simple substance released by plants during reproduction––has started a vicious campaign to fight against the human population. The odds of obtaining allergies have been shown to vary from person to person. As you go about your day, your mind fixates on gaining insight into your troublesome spring allergies.

Allergies are caused by a malfunction in the immune system that mistakes something harmless for a threat. This immune response has persisted in humans for millennia. Allergists have taken note of genetic susceptibility to allergies, which aligns with generational allergy transmission. Allergies can also develop spontaneously at any point in life through two steps. First, the immune system must come into contact with what it perceives to be a dangerous allergen, causing immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to flood the bloodstream. The immune system works nonstop, leaving the door open to mistakes at the molecular level. IgE antibodies are molecules released during infections to tag them, thus mediating the activation of the immune system. Next, repeated encounters cause the immune system to produce even more allergen-specific IgE antibodies to bind to the alleged threat, producing histamine—a pro-inflammatory chemical that causes the symptoms of aller-

gies—and creating inflammation by increasing blood flow to the affected area. Because of the excessive number of antibodies produced, the second exposure is always far more potent than the first. As a result, symptoms of allergies develop during stage two. The symptoms range from a sore

tion of histamine, a molecule responsible for causing itchiness and congestion. Similarly, corticosteroids suppress the immune system and reduce inflammation by inhibiting the production of genes encoding for inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which play a role in immune cell

it challenging to find a single effective treatment. While a cure could potentially be effective for several specific and linked allergies, it would likely fail to cure others. Our current knowledge of allergies is too insufficient to produce an inclusive cure. Furthermore, it is still standard prac-

is Allergy Shots and Sublingual Immunotherapy. This treatment relies on exposing the immune system to increasing numbers of specific allergens, thus reducing immune sensitivity over time. On the other hand, non-specific therapies like probiotics and antiIgE pharmacotherapy have also shown positive results. Probiotics can lower the risk of developing allergies and reduce symptoms. In one study, the administration of the probiotics Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium reduced the amount of inflammation and immune hyper-reactivity in children. Precision medicine, which is targeted medicine for a specific person, is being used to form a diverse and affordable range of allergy treatments. Lastly, a nonspecific therapy, known as antiIgE pharmacotherapy, inhibits allergen-specific IgE through medication, stopping the immune system’s destructive chain pathways. Omalizumab, an antibody, has been shown to be capable of blocking the IgE pathway, therefore preventing the effects of a strong allergic reaction.

throat to anaphylaxis, a severe reaction to an allergen entailing a complete shutdown of the body systems—constricted airways diminish airflow, and low blood pressure decreases the allocation of oxygen.

Though allergy research has led to several medicinal discoveries, no cure has been developed.

Depending on the severity and categorization of an allergic reaction, treatment through medications or injections can be used to nullify the immune system’s hyperactivity. Antihistamines, for instance, are a class of medications that inhibit the produc-

signaling and migration. Decongestants are used to help shrink the blood vessels that contribute to nasal cavity clogging. A hormone called epinephrine, or adrenaline, is introduced into the bloodstream with an EpiPen to cause an adrenaline spike, which constricts the blood vessels, increases blood pressure, and relaxes the lung muscles in order to open the airway.

Due to successful and extensive allergy research, countless allergy medications line the aisles of drugstores. Yet there are no definitive cures for allergies. The diverse nature of allergies makes

tice to use animals for testing new drugs, posing another barrier; animals have different immune systems than humans, causing discrepancies in responses to clinical drugs. Without extensive testing in humans, it is not possible for a doctor to determine the allergen-specific IgE produced by a patient. In addition, IgE varies from person to person, once again decreasing the likelihood of a singular effective universal treatment.

Despite these obstacles, there has been an increasing number of studies searching for allergy cures. One such potential cure

Thanks to new technologies and research, you might get to enjoy the beauty of spring for once. Waking up to a world without allergies seems unrealistic, but time and resources have been devoted to expansive research. After all, allergy research has many medicinal and scientific prospects, such as a universal allergen or being able to control specific allergens to test new treatments requiring the activation of the immune system. Even so, questions arise regarding the importance of eliminating allergies in a world of other maladies. The next time you dote upon the delicate fragility of spring’s first flowers, remember that they can wreak havoc on your body’s homeostasis. Yet, they are the ones that provide the oxygen you breathe, give the nutrients for survival, and symbolize nature’s beauty.

Lillian Zou / The Spectator

Women in Space: The Sky’s the Limit—or Is It?

By TASHFIA DIHA and AARYA BALAKRISHNAN

In 1962, a young Linda Halpern expressed her interest in becoming an astronaut in a letter to NASA executives. However, NASA rejected her ambitions because of her gender: “We have no present plans to employ women on space flights because of the degree of scientific and flight training, and the physical characteristics, which are required.” Since the beginning of NASA’s program, women have aspired to help mankind extend their reach beyond Earth’s surface. Yet women have been limited by their gender; even the word “mankind” embodies the sexism that has barred capable women like Halpern from contributing to space exploration, subsequently creating a male-dominated aerospace field.

However, looking at the contributions of women in the Artemis missions reveals a remarkable progression toward gender equality in the aerospace industry. NASA’s Artemis missions aim to regularly send human crews on and around the moon from 2022 to 2025. The Artemis program is split into three phases. During Artemis I in 2022, NASA was able to send an uncrewed flight test around the moon. Artemis II, on the other hand, plans to launch the first crewed flight test around the moon. In 2024, NASA will send Commander Rise Wideman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Hammock Koch and Jeremy Hansen for this

10-day test trip around the moon. Lastly, Artemis III will land the first woman on the Moon—a milestone for the historically exclusionary aerospace industry and women in STEM around the globe.

Despite this goal, the NASA space program itself has shown an undeniable gender bias over the years. During the Space Race (1955-1975)—the Cold War competition for space advancement between the United States and the Soviet Union—NASA implemented policies to prevent women from becoming astronauts. For instance, NASA required all potential astronauts to graduate from military test piloting schools, an impossible qualification for women to meet after the Women Airforce Service Pilots organization closed in 1944. NASA was further disincentivized from hiring female astronauts because the Soviet Union had already beaten them to it with cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to go to space.

Women were not allowed in the space program until the late 1970s; as a result, the space program developed, tailoring to the needs of men. For instance, today’s extravehicular mobility units are based on designs of large suits from 40 years ago when all astronauts were male. So when Christina Koch and Anne McClain were getting ready for their all-female spacewalk in April of 2019, they only found one suit fitted for women, and McClain had to be replaced by astronaut Nick Hague. However, in response to

pressure from the media and protests from prominent figures like Hilary Clinton, NASA rescheduled its first all-female space walk with Koch and fellow astronaut Jessica Meir. This recent example displays how historical misogyny continues to delay gender equality in the modern space program.

Twelve of the first astronauts—all of whom were men— set foot on the moon almost 50 years ago through the Apollo program; Artemis II aims to break this pattern by selecting Koch to be the first woman on a lunar mission. Koch is a highly experienced astronaut who served on the International Space Station (ISS) for Expedition 59, 60, and 61. She spent 328 days on the ISS, setting a world record for a woman’s longest time on a spaceflight. During her time on the ISS, she conducted many scientific experiments, from observing how fire combusts in microgravity to monitoring how protein crystals grow in space. The data collected by these experiments will help experts explore the possibility of humans inhabiting space permanently. On the Artemis II mission, she will lead further trials and pave the way for future female-led lunar missions.

Another important woman behind the Artemis missions is Diane Davis, who leads the Gateway Mission Design Integrated Systems. The Gateway is a spaceport designed to support sustained exploration and is the first space station in lunar orbit. Davis is in charge of planning the Gateway’s trajectory, orbit time, fuel supply, altitude control,

and cargo delivery. The Gateway allows for the increased duration of the crew’s experiments, vastly expanding opportunities for human research in space.

Despite the persisting gender gap in space missions, female NASA employees occupy many critical positions on the ground. In late 2022, women comprised 30 percent of the Kennedy Launch Control Center team that sent the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket around the moon and back. At the time of its launch, the SLS was the most powerful rocket in the world. Though a 30 percent female staff is still unsatisfactory, this number is a significant improvement when compared to

that of Apollo 11’s 1969 launch; at the time, JoAnn Morgan was the only woman working in the firing room, where rockets were prepared for the launch.

Koch and Davis’s work may seem like small steps for women in the aerospace industry after decades of inequality, but fostering gender inclusivity on space missions is critical for current and future generations. Increasing female representation fosters a broader diversity of ideas to the missions, encouraging innovation and advancement. After all, the sky should not be the limit for women, and neither should the moon or the rest of the universe that is waiting to be explored.

The Commercial Space Age: Golden or Gilded?

By AAREEB JAMIL

Ever since we first began to understand celestial bodies, the desire to expand beyond our earthly confines has captured the human psyche. In the 20th century, new technology allowed engineers and scientists to move closer to this goal. The world bore witness as the USSR and the United States competed fiercely against each other to develop astronautical innovations, from the 1957 launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite to the 1969 Moon landing by the Apollo 11 crew. Today, a new chapter of space exploration is unfolding: the Commercial Space Age.

Space travel in the 20th century was exclusively conducted by governmental agencies and programs, such as the United States’ NASA and the USSR’s Soviet Space Program. Entrepreneurs have decided that the private sector should try its hand at space exploration. The lack of previous market involvement in the field presents an opportunity for unprecedented profits. Visions of a commercial space future include asteroid mining, space tourism, and space colonization. Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin have already become major players in the aerospace industry and are only growing with time. However, skeptics claim that due to various ethical concerns, the space sector should remain in the hands of the government. The debate among space enthusiasts attempts to answer whether or not the privatization of space is a prudent objective for the future.

The most significant benefit of space privatization is the rapid

expansion of the space sector. Opening space exploration to the market increases the number of teams working on new projects, and competition between companies can expedite development in the field. This contrasts from traditional space exploration, wherein bureaucratic processes often slow down the rate of innovation by governmental agencies. Proponents of commercial space travel also point to risk tolerance as a reason for advancements in the space sector; companies are willing to take more risks than government agencies by integrating new strategies and technologies, which could potentially yield massive profits. Some companies have been very successful in their open-minded approach to risk.

For example, SpaceX already makes up 60 percent of the global commercial launch market and is continuing to develop new spaceflight technologies. Governments avoid extreme risks because they could lead to severe losses. Public space agencies incur harsher backlash because they are more accountable to the people than private corporations are.

Furthermore, allowing private corporations to participate in space exploration takes the pressure off governments. Traditionally, public space agencies have solely been operated by national governments and funded by large sums of tax money. Committing more resources to space travel under this system would require significant changes to national budgets. Public spending is a controversial topic in itself, so this would be unlikely to succeed.

Companies, on the other hand, can make developments in the

space sector without relying entirely on taxpayers. For instance, NASA already uses SpaceX vehicles for their missions and is one of SpaceX’s largest clients. The time and money that SpaceX spends to conduct research and develop new technology are resources that NASA no longer has to expend.

In spite of the positive aspects of space privatization, a thorough analysis of its potential drawbacks must precede further exploration. The costs of privatization are mainly ethical issues. For example, private corporations are often noncompliant with safety protocols. Jeff Bezos, the founder and owner of Blue Origin, has faced criticism for unsatisfactory working conditions at Amazon, another company that he owns. Employees have been injured in accidents at numerous Amazon warehouses, where productivity is emphasized over safety. Such a lack of caution poses a great risk to human life in the space sector, where the slightest vehicle malfunction can result in death. In 1986, the infamous space shuttle Challenger suddenly disintegrated due to equipment failure mid-flight, taking the lives of all seven crew members. The possibility of tragedies like that of Challenger would be exacerbated by corporate negligence, an evident tendency of tycoons like Bezos. The ability of the motive of profit to corrupt astronautical research must be addressed, and the solution is accountability by way of government regulation and oversight by public agencies like NASA. It is necessary to set appropriate industry standards to prevent future disasters while also

allowing innovation to flourish. Ultimately, commercial space exploration is an opportunity that should be pursued with caution. Opening this sector to market forces could enhance human progress while reducing the economic and administrative stress on national governments, but it risks ethical issues including corporate negligence. The best op-

tion moving forward seems to be allowing space privatization while imposing legal regulations upon the private space sector. Space is a frontier that holds tremendous potential, but further exploration requires a nuanced conversation between researchers, policymakers, and private interests in order to ensure a safe future for our species.

ADVERTISMENT

Celeste Hoo / The Spectator

Misophonia: The Ultimate Auditory Ailment

By GARY JIANG

You sit down at the dinner table, ready to enjoy an amazing Friday night feast with all your distant relatives. From the taste of the mashed potatoes to the smell of the clam chowder, everything is perfect, except for one thing: the constant sound of people slurping, chewing, and smacking their lips. You attempt to push through the sounds, but to no avail. You run off to your room and go on the internet to determine the cause of your ailment.

Millions of people report having issues with everyday sounds, even to the point where common noises become intolerable for them. This disorder is called misophonia, and it affects from six to 20 percent of people, though many may not know they have it. Misophonia, which is typically not serious, is marked by an emotional or physiological response to hearing certain sounds. Common trigger sounds range from those of the human body—most notably breathing and chewing—to inanimate sounds such as rubbing styrofoam or nails on a chalkboard. Misophonia is a relatively new, minimally researched condition. It was classified as a medical disorder in 2001 by Dr. Pawel Jastreboff, but is not currently considered a mental disorder. Others consider it to be an obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder.

Certain sounds triggering feelings of annoyance and distress

in one case of misophonia may be completely tolerable for others. Misophonia’s severity varies from person to person depending on numerous factors; it is more common in females than males, and its severity tends to decrease with age. Despite these findings, scientists do not currently have a concrete explanation for these trends. Misophonia usually develops in childhood or adolescence,

symptoms include anger, anxiety, sweating, and an increased heart rate in response to trigger sounds. However, in extremely rare cases of misophonia, behavioral changes can occur. These behavioral changes can include avoiding social interaction—and in turn, avoiding trigger sounds—or a loss of self-control in someone with severe misophonia. Misophonia can be linked to other mental

ger sounds. Some researchers even consider misophonia an effect of OCD, hypothesizing that they can be treated similarly.

The brain’s auditory cortex, which controls hearing, reacts similarly to trigger sounds in those who are affected by misophonia and those who are not. Research has shown that those with misophonia have more neural communications between their motor controls—particularly those in the face region—and the auditory cortex. This makes sense, as misophonia triggers are usually linked to mouth and throat sounds, such as chewing.

motor and visual receptor connections, an overreaction in this system can create overwhelming feelings of distress.

typically after six years of age. It is suspected that misophonia develops through a process known as conditioning, an automatic response when repeated exposure to a stimulus reinforces it and develops a recurring reaction to subsequent stimuli. Though misophonia is relatively common, it is a lifelong condition with no cure. Typical

disorders, specifically obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD), which is characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repeatedly destructive coping behaviors (compulsions). OCD and misophonia are extremely similar, as those with OCD can experience similar symptoms to those of misophonia—obsessions and compulsions in response to trig-

In addition, visual stimuli may also play a role in misophonia, as visual receptors have similar communication patterns with the motor controls of the facial region. This is linked to a condition called misokinesia, where fidgeting and repetitive actions, such as that of someone shaking their legs, can trigger symptoms similar to misophonia. This correlation means that misophonia can be intensified with visual stimuli and can even trigger symptoms in the absence of a sound.

The combination of visual and auditory stimuli can lead to emotional or behavioral distress through the “mirror system.” This is a group of specialized neurons in the human brain that copies the behaviors of the people you are interacting with in order to better understand them. Since those with misophonia have heightened

Despite the lack of a misophonia cure, there are treatments that can be conducted in order to combat its symptoms. One of these is called Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, originally developed to treat a similar disorder called tinnitus that causes an irritating ringing in the ears. This treatment is a form of exposure therapy in which the trigger noise is played in controlled amounts so the person can learn to tolerate it. Treatments for other mental disorders can also be applied to misophonia, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Both of these methods are known as talk therapies in which the patient has individual or group meetings with a mental health professional to limit the effect of their mental disorder on their daily life. Both DBT and CBT seek to reframe a person’s mindset and emotional reaction to trigger sounds.

Misophonia’s obscurity as a disorder is shocking when considering how many people it affects on a daily basis. Though those who do not have the disorder may just think of it as an annoyed reaction to common sounds, further research into misophonia has the potential to determine its connection to other common mental disorders.

Agricultural Innovations for a Greener Future

By JUSTIN LI

Global warming and overpopulation are two of the most pressing issues facing humanity today. The Earth’s climate is rapidly changing due to human activities, leading to rising sea levels, more frequent and severe natural disasters, and the loss of biodiversity. At the same time, the world’s population is expected to reach 10 billion people by 2050, putting immense pressure on the planet’s resources, including food, water, and energy.

The agricultural sector is responsible for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide and methane. Its high usage of land, water, and energy resources leads to deforestation, soil degradation, and water scarcity. Within the sector, the cattle industry is the worst offender. The slaughtering and consumption of cattle is an extremely inefficient method of energy transfer, with 90 percent of energy lost in the form of heat. These environmental concerns lead many to seek alternative diets, such as vegetarianism and veganism. Unlike their meaty counterparts, plants are about 100 times more energy-efficient as they bypass the middleman: primary consumers. While livestock account for 77 percent of global agricultural land, they only produce 18 percent of calories and 37 percent of protein per person. As the population continues to grow, the demand for food will only increase, putting further strain on the agricultural sector and exacerbating these problems. However, hope on the horizon comes in the form of changing the production of food to make it more sustainable, efficient, and clean. Two of the new innovations––plant-based meat alternatives and cellular agricul-

ture––show promising results in reducing the environmental impact of agriculture and bringing humanity closer to a world with zero-net carbon.

Until a few years ago, plantbased meats got a bad reputation for their lackluster taste and unappealing texture. Yet since the emergence of soy protein in meat alternatives in the 1980s, the industry only continues to expand. The introduction of new ingredients—such as peas, wheat, and potatoes—offers consumers options beyond meat. The plant-based industry has experienced tremendous evolution and expansion in recent decades due to the development and research of new techniques that bring these products even closer to the flavor profile of real meat. In 2022, the U.S. retail market for plantbased foods was worth $8 billion, up from $962 million in 2019.

Plant-based companies, such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, have created burger patties using a variety of natural ingredients. Apples, beets, tomatoes, and pomegranate seed extracts are used to give plant-based patties the distinctive red color of meat. Coconut and sunflower oils are added for saturated and unsaturated fats, potatoes for carbohydrates, and yellow peas, lima beans, and mung beans for protein. To hold all the ingredients together, a cellulosebased culinary bind is used. However, the most difficult part of creating plant-based alternatives lies in replicating the unique taste

of meat. Scientists have identified the primary flavour compound in meat—heme proteins—and their extraction methods. Heme is an iron-containing compound found in the root nodules of soybeans. This molecule is responsible for creating the rich-umami flavour of meat through the release of volatile aroma molecules released during the cooking process. Through a combination of genetic enginee- ring and fer-

hot grill, so that environmentally conscious meat-lovers won’t have to sacrifice the experience of eating meat. Large companies are designing these products to ease the transition from largely meatbased diets to plant-based ones. With these developments, plantbased alternatives have become almost indistinguishable from their animal counterparts.

On the other hand, cellular agriculture provides another promising alternative to consuming traditionally farmed animal products. Cellular agriculture involves harvesting small samples of cell lines in controlled laboratory settings. Scientists collect cell samples from live animals, ranging from chikkens to Pacific salmon. The cells are then submerged and grown in hightech cultivation systems that replicate the internal conditions of the corresponding animals. These machines regulate pH, nutrient concentration, and oxygen saturation to ensure efficient growth.

mentation technologies, heme is isolated from soy plants and added to plant-based ingredients to enhance both the color and taste of plant-based meat products.

All of these ingredients come together to form a plant-based patty that is designed to resemble beef. Taste, texture, color, smell, and nutritional value are closely controlled to match that of real meat. These patties even mimic the way beef sizzles on a

Furthermore, transcription factors in a solution cause embryonic stem cells to specialize into muscle tissue and fat. Once the cells grow into a visible mass, they are seeded into scaffolding made from plant-based ingredients and placed back into the cultivators. These plant-based structures guide and physically shape the growth of muscle, connective, and fat tissues into natural shapes and structures. Because these cells can grow almost indefinitely, the cell lines are effectively immortalized. This means that a small sample

of harvested cells can lead to the sustainable cultivation of millions of pounds of meat without harming a single animal. Interestingly, cellular agriculture can also be adapted to seafood. The company Wildtype, for instance, uses this process to create lab-cultivated, sushigrade salmon. Not only does this innovation eliminate the fishing industry’s enormous stress on the ocean’s ecosystem, but it also has upsides for humans; labcultivated salmon contains the same nutritional benefits as wild and farmed salmon without the toxic mercury, microplastics, antibiotics, and other contaminants found in wild fish. Furthermore, it takes only four to six weeks for cells to transform into the final product––10 times faster than the traditional farm-raised method. Likewise, lab-cultivated meat products are much more efficient than traditional farming or fishing practices. In these sterile cultivation systems, nutrients are delivered directly to cells, whose sole purpose is to grow and multiply. This eliminates the energy and resources required for live animals to sustain homeostasis. Energy is not wasted on respiration, growing internal structures such as organs and bone, responding to stimuli, or fighting off infections. By growing only the desirable parts of an animal in a highly efficient manner, labcultivated meat can reduce water usage by 77 percent, greenhouse gas emissions by 96 percent, and land usage by 62 percent.

Lab-cultivated meats give humans much more control over the final product, allowing them to manipulate the growth rate and composition through the use of gene-editing technologies. These innovative processes provide options for a greener world.

Iris Lin / The Spectator

Arts and Entertainment

Music

By TESSA KOLOVARSKY

The highly-anticipated Coachella Arts and Music Festival, held annually in Indio, California, has been the epitome of concert culture for years. Raising eyebrows for its status as an influencer playground riddled with culturally appropriated costumes, it has recently faced a new scandal: the abrupt cancellation of neo soul artist Frank Ocean’s feverishly anticipated performances. After Ocean announced that he would not be performing in week two of Coachella, overnight desert campers, diehard fans, and the entire internet were in total shock. While some understood the musician’s personal reasons for stepping back in week two, others were unimpressed by what they saw as unprofessionalism, even going so far as to label his performance as the “Worst Headliner Performance at Coachella Ever.”

Ocean has always been an elusive anomaly in the music world, eliciting a strong connection with his fans through the raw emotional expression in his songs and his unique transparency as an artist. His music is almost unanimously

Music

By MADELINE HUTCHINSON

Autumn Rhythm epitomizes the great American rock band fantasy: shaggy hair, sunglasses, and brightly colored guitars all contribute to the band’s alluring charm. On the surface, Autumn Rhythm looks like any other teenage garage band with grandiose ambitions of stardom, but unlike most, they seem to be making their way there. The Long Island trio, consisting of lead singer and guitarist Joey, bassist Ethan, and drummer Harris (they go by only their first names to stay modest) has produced two albums that have helped them make a name for themselves in the Brooklyn indie scene. Their debut album, 2022’s Paper Lanterns, was a direct reaction to the pandemic’s social isolation and was surprisingly well rendered for a DIY project recorded in a basement on an iPhone. Their sophomore album, Joy For Tomorrow, represents the evolution of Autumn Rhythm’s technical production while still maintaining their signature fuzzy, distortion-heavy instrumentation.

Despite major transformations in the band’s overall sound and style, Autumn Rhythm remains loyal to authentic portrayals of the teenage experience. The album’s second track, “Recall,” retains the band’s signature abrasiveness, both instrumentally and lyrically, as the band collectively chants, “Say all those things you want to say / I was never gonna listen anyway.”

Jangling guitar riffs capture the listener’s attention and set the tone for the rest of the album, seamlessly transitioning into the next track, “Dragonfly.” This harmonious integration is a display of the band’s ability to devise a well-blended narrative.

The album progresses into a realm of uniformity as repetitive guitar ballads obscure opportunities for differentiation between the hazy tracks. However, the tracks are strikingly dynamic at their core, each offering complex layers of symphonic teenage disarray

Coachella 2023:

Frank Ocean’s Performance Blunder

revered, yet he rarely accepts interviews. He does not often perform live, but when he does, his shows are known for being intimate and modest, fostering a community feel amongst his adoring fans. Ocean’s performance hiatus after the release of his ground-breaking sophomore album, Blonde (2016), has left fans craving his return to concert.

The initial announcement of his headliner status in the Coachella 2020 lineup was widely celebrated; when his performance was postponed for Coachella 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fan anticipation and predictions of the set only grew. Over 125,000 people were expected to attend Coachella each week, with tickets costing over $500 per week. Just a few hours before Ocean’s scheduled performance, it was announced that his set would not be live-streamed on YouTube like other Coachella performances—a

colossal blow to devoted supporters around the world. Furthermore, Ocean entered the packed arena an hour late, leaving his already weary fans confused. It was revealed post-concert that this delay was due to Ocean demanding a

last minute call to scrap the elaborate ice skating performance. The 120 skaters, including some Olympians, were entirely ditched. The $4 million ice rink was ordered to be melted. By the time he arrived, he was already facing social media backlash and was barely visible in front of his sloppily-coordinated set and overbearing video screens. Ocean presented a peculiar set of rave DJ remixes entirely different from the original discography, as well as only a few lip synced original hits. Sources report that the show came to an abrupt halt after only 30 minutes, with Ocean explaining that there was a midnight curfew on Sundays at the festival, and proceeding to casually exit with an indifferent expression post-show.

In response to the media flurry that ensued, it was reported that Ocean pulled out of week two of Coachella due to a supposed leg injury, though he was seen hopping and bopping on stage. His fans are both disappointed and dumbfounded. Was this a publicity stunt—a goodbye to music and fame? Or was it perhaps a genuine blunder caused by performance anxiety? Ocean’s mental health has

been brought into question before due to sudden retreats from the spotlight and enduring grief over the loss of his brother. The theory that his grief deeply affected his performance is a plausible one; in his headline, Ocean noted the significance Coachella held in his relationship with his brother: “My brother and I came to this festival a lot; I felt like I was dragged out here half the time because I hated the dust out here. I always left with a respiratory infection, or what have you. So I would avoid coming, but I would always end up here,” he said. It was clear how triggering this concert was to him, and so the question still remains as to why he didn’t drop out sooner.

Regardless of the personal conflicts that may have contributed to Ocean’s Coachella flop, his loyal fans feel frustrated that they did not get to adequately experience the musician they know and love; no reimbursement was given. Coachella-goers paid a high price in order to see the neo soul legend in action, but instead were met with tasteless deep house and the cancellation of the majestic ice skating performance that should’ve been.

Autumn Rhythm’s “Human Truth”

through loud, complex melodies. A prime example of this is “Fader,” a perfect amalgamation of potent emo-inspired vocals layered over rapid percussion. “Fader” is one of the rare tracks with intelligible lyr-

ing, “Won’t go out cause I’d just go back home / Better to spend the whole day alone / I’m all torn up.” Desperation and introversion have become the norm of the post-pandemic high school experience—

Playlist Training Tunes

By THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DEPARTMENT

It’s cutting season! As the weather gets warmer, we in Arts & Entertainment are getting ready to shed our winter pounds and molt into our toned summer bods. Unfortunately, we can’t get the glistening abs we see on the big screen without hitting the gym every once in a while. So bust out your tank tops, pick up the heaviest weights you can, and hit shuffle on this playlist, curated just for gym rats.

STATS Baby Keem Trap

18 Wheeler Benny the Butcher Coke Rap

plicit shoegaze influence with their modulated guitar riffs and echoing vocals, drawing parallels to My Bloody Valentine’s later albums.

Beyond the purely sonic developments of their enhanced production, Autumn Rhythm’s recognition within the Brooklyn music scene has grown tremendously. In an interview with The Spectator, Joey noted, “The band has become something much bigger to us because in the last year, we’ve really gotten to play out more as a live band and have seen our music connecting us to such a wonderful community.” Autumn Rhythm has had notable performances at DIY music and art venues, such as The Living Gallery, The Church Street School, and The Loft.

Autumn Rhythm’s growing fanbase in the past year has served as a prominent inspiration for Joy For Tomorrow, which is in stark thematic contrast to the introspective loneliness of Paper Lanterns These two albums serve as time markers in the band’s history, as the music deepened in parallel to their journeys. When asked about the album’s focus, Joey explained, “A lot of the songs on the album are about growing up. To me, that means a lot of things—branching out, losing innocence, making new connections with new people, and finding your way.” That sentiment is aptly captured in the record’s closer, “My Human Truth,” a melancholic, guitar-led track that evaporates into a whispering monologue bubbling with the intensity and exhausted energy of teenagehood.

Prison Song System of a Down Hard Rock

Wack Jumper Glockboyz Teejaee & OnFully Trap

Less Speed Chief Keef Drill

Army of Me Björk Experimental Pop

Baby I’m Bleeding JPEGMAFIA Experimental Hip hop

New Choppa Playboi Carti Trap

ics; the lyrics are often obscured by dense instrumentation throughout the rest of the album. The lyrics further encapsulate the dynamism of adolescence with mentions of identity loss and social connectivity. Autumn Rhythm reinforces these themes on “Dragonfly,” sing-

Autumn Rhythm feels it too.

Sonically, Autumn Rhythm delivers the disorganized rawness of ‘90s noise-rock legends like Built to Spill and Swirlies, updated through their clearer vocals and production. Songs like “You Were Alone” and “Hate the Rain” exhibit ex-

Perhaps one of the most consistent aspects of Autumn Rhythm is their genuine amiability toward their community. At every show, the band members are eager to interact with the audience and support fellow up-and-coming artists in the indie scene. You can always find Ethan, Harris, and Joey moshing along in the crowd after their set is over. As their Spotify biography proudly announces, “Autumn Rhythm loves you, and knows you by name.”

Spiral 21 Savage Hip hop

Exhibit A (Transformations) Jay Electronica Hip hop

Carmen Gomez-Villalva / The Spectator

Mother of Modernism: Georgia O’Keeffe Art

By MAEGAN DIEP and GRACE RHEE

Georgia O’Keeffe’s exhibition, To See Takes Time, opened to the public at the Museum of Modern Art early this April. Thousands of visitors flocked to view her glorious works, including immersive paintings, magnificent flower depictions, and her less-publicized monochrome charcoal collection. A pioneer of American modern art, O’Keeffe infuses her works with a unique approach to color and subject matter.

American Modernism was a movement between the late 19th and early 20th centuries emphasizing color, abstraction, and aesthetic. O’Keeffe incorporates multiple characteristics of modernist art in her pieces, most notably in her paintings of nature, which are filled with vibrant colors, abstract subjects, and simple shapes. O’Keeffe broke into the art scene when her abstract New York City paintings were featured in an exhibit by renowned photographer Alfred Stieglitz—O’Keeffe’s future spouse. Her depictions of the city distinguished her through rich

coloration that contrasted with the illuminated windows. This particular collection brought a sense of eccentricity to the familiar, especially for New York viewers. Her work continued to catch the attention of critics, securing her reputation as an artist unafraid of pushing boundaries.

The O’Keeffe exhibition is separated into O’Keeffe’s stylistic eras, featuring different mediums and spanning time periods. The majority of the exhibition focuses on the earlier stages of her career, highlighting her charcoal, graphite, watercolor, and pastel drawings. The drawings employ dance-like strokes to portray physicality and vibration. While her early drawings do not have an objective subject matter or use of color, they are still able to convey emotion. One example of this is Special No. 9 (1915), a charcoal drawing composed of squiggly lines and diagonal rhythmic shading. The line composure and arbitrary weight are intended to convey the sensation of a headache, revealing her incorporation of physicality into her work.

The next part of the exhibition introduces her integration of color.

O’Keeffe is well known for her bold

colors—rich, earthy tones of yellows, greens, blues, and reds. She uses color to tell stories, like in Evening Star (1917), a series of eight watercolor paintings depicting a Texas sunset. O’Keeffe portrays the stages of the sunset in different parts of each painting. The first painting is a traditional landscape portrayal, with simple brush strokes covering the paper. There is very little technique involved, only a sketch with five main colors from top to bottom: light Naples yellow followed by a darker shade, a sliver of coral, and two thin strips of midnight and Prussian blue. The second painting starts to gear toward abstraction; the bottom half has three tense strips of sapphire blue and viridian green, while the top half uses warm shades of red, orange, peach, and yellow circling around a small speck—the evening star. The second and third paintings use singular condensed colors in abstract concentric rings to indicate tension between each part of the landscape. Starting with the fifth painting, each piece is reduced to scarlet red, gold-orange, and royal blue. O’Keeffe tests the containment of each color, indi-

cated by paint collisions resulting in black and gray shades that indicate the nearing end of the sunset. The last painting in the series uses absorbent Japanese paper, which allowed the paint to diffuse and create a soft, fuzzy effect. The series lined up looks like a spectrum, starting off with a serene landscape and transforming to geometric strokes and then weighty collisions of radical colors.

Evidenced by Evening Star, O’Keeffe drew immense inspiration from the lifelong fascination with nature that first arose on her family’s farm. Her environment became a constant subject in her works, influencing paintings of botany, bones, and landscapes. Strikingly, the exhibit displays only a few of her famous flower paintings, such as Red Canna (1923)—a richly saturated painting depicting the intricate folds of petals—and Jimson Weed (1936)— a more moderate portrayal of a few milky white flowers and forest green leaves against a baby blue background. O’Keeffe’s repeated flower symbolism has been subjected to extensive interpretation. Some viewers consider her floral collections as

references to fertility and sexuality, namely due to the detailed interiors (including the stamens and reproductive areas) of the plants. She also conveys themes of femininity through her use of river-like lines, mimicking the soft curvatures of the female silhouette. Her focus on the female form is also found in her landscapes, such as Lake George [formerly Reflection Seascape] (1922) and From the Lake (1924). The compositions allude to the female reproductive system in an aesthetic manner, drawing parallels between human anatomy and the natural world.

As a prominent figure of American Modernism, O’Keeffe was able to establish her impact as one of the first major female artists in a male-dominated art industry. Some found O’Keeffe’s paintings groundbreaking, but others condemned her, with one critic calling her art an “emotional expression of a sexually obsessed woman.” Nevertheless, O’Keeffe was able to successfully distinguish herself by challenging these beliefs and opening up the world of art to both female artists and the abstraction of feminine beauty.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Is Super-fun Film

By SOFIA SEN

The Super Mario Bros. franchise has captivated children and adults alike since 1985. The 2023 film, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, is the newest addition to a long line of remakes and adaptations of the beloved video game. Produced by a partnership between animation studio Illumination and video game company Nintendo, this playful film unites new and old fans alike, bringing Mario to life on the big screen once more.

The film follows Mario after he and his brother, Luigi, are sucked down a pipe and into a magical world. Mario lands in Mushroom Kingdom, where he meets Toad, while Luigi lands in the Dark Land, ruled by the evil Bowser. Bowser vows to either marry Princess Peach, ruler of Mushroom Kingdom, or destroy the land. Mario embarks on an adventure to foil Bows-

Music

By SOFIA THORNLEY

The Phantom of the Opera is one of the most iconic, well-known shows to ever run on Broadway. It epitomizes the spirit of musical theater: in just two and a half hours, the audience is transported to a lush, immersive world of romance and melodrama. The Gothic love story follows the beautiful soprano Christine Daaé and the titular antihero who is enamored with her, the Phantom. The last performance of Phantom on April 16, 2023, marks the end of a 35-year era.

The Phantom of the Opera came to Broadway on January 26, 1988, after first appearing in London’s West End two years prior. Since then, the show has amassed a long list of awards, including seven Tonys, and broken several records for its success. After the 7,486th performance of Phantom in January 2006, it became the longest-running show in Broadway history, surpassing Cats By the final performance, Phantom

er’s evil plans and find Luigi. From the iconic Rainbow Road from the Mario Kart spinoff franchise to Mini Mushrooms, and ?-blocks, the film features many references to the beloved video games, offering a modern take and providing both a nostalgic refuge for old fans and a fantastical introduction into Mario’s world for new ones.

The film features a star-studded cast of celebrities. Chris Pratt’s casting as Mario sent the internet into a frenzy, with some criticizing the studio for not casting an Italian actor.

Pratt also received backlash after the trailer release, as some felt his voice was too different from Charles Martinet’s, the original Mario voice actor. Despite this controversy, fans of the franchise were pleasantly surprised when the film was released on April 5; while Pratt’s voice did disappoint high fan expectations, Jack Black’s menacing voice as Bowser kept audiences on the edge of their seats. In addition to his voice acting,

Black also contributed a humorous and catchy song, titled “Peaches,” to the film’s soundtrack, where he laments his hopeless love for Princess Peach. The song has gained popularity and even been nominated for several awards, adding to the film’s success.

However, the film’s stunning visuals make up for its hit-or-miss castings. Illumination’s signature animation style combines 2D and 3D animation techniques, creating the vibrant and immersive world of the Mushroom Kingdom that brings the characters to life. The color scheme of The Super Mario Bros. Movie is bright and vivid, capturing the childlike wonder of the Mario universe. The attention to detail and animation quality is evident in the film’s various settings, from the Mushroom Kingdom’s lush landscapes to the eerie Dark Lands. Illumination is no stranger to blockbuster animated films, with a repertoire ranging from Minions (2015)

to Sing! (2016) to The Secret Life of Pets (2016). The Super Mario Bros. Movie joins these fan favorites with its bold animation that captures the magic of the Mario franchise.

Interestingly, this was not Nintendo’s first attempt at a Mario adaptation. The 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. movie couldn’t be further from today’s adaptation. The plot follows Mario, Luigi, and Princess Daisy as they fight against the evil Koopa. Like the more recent film, the movie features two “worlds”: one that Mario and his friends are from, and another ruled by Koopa. It has many of the same characters—such as Toad and Yoshi—but took many liberties with the story. The film introduces new characters, like Mario’s girlfriend, Daniella, and Koopa’s girlfriend, Lena. The 1993 version is a much grittier and darker live action movie than the current animated one. After its failure, it seems producers realized it was better to stay closer to

the games.

In only its first week, The Super Mario Bros. Movie became a massive commercial success, raking in $400 million in its first week. While the film received several mediocre reviews from critics, it has a 96 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Considering the film’s success, it seems inevitable that a sequel will be released, as well as potential spin-offs for other Nintendo games. Overall, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a delightful tribute to the beloved video game franchise that has captured the hearts of millions for decades. With its vibrant animation style, thrilling adventure, and charming cast of characters, the film brings to life the nostalgic magic of Mario’s world in a way that’s accessible to both old fans and newcomers alike. It’s a cinematic celebration of the enduring power of video games and the joy they bring to people of all ages.

“Think of Me Fondly”: The Phantom of the Opera Closes After 35 Years

had grossed $1.36 billion and had been performed in front of 20 million people (roughly equivalent to every person in Los Angeles watching it five times). This fame extends beyond New York City and London; Phantom has been played in 45 countries and 17 languages across the globe. Through this ludicrous level of economic success and worldwide superstar status, The Phantom of the Opera set the bar for other musicals in renown and prosperity.

Why, then, did The Phantom of the Opera close? Simply put, it wasn’t making enough money to sustain itself. Box office sales were low, as is expected for long-running productions. Local New Yorkers are unlikely to be drawn to a musical that is the mantlepiece of Broadway, meaning that the majority of its audience were tourists. COVID-19 dealt a severe blow to Phantom when tourism dropped. The entirety of the commercial theater industry faced the consequences of quarantine. Nonetheless, some shows, like Wicked and Hamilton, have managed

to recover from the pandemic more effectively than Phantom, retaining booming success to this day.

Inflation also contributed to the show’s already high production costs, which are extravagant due to the expensive props and costumes, as well as the large array of cast and crew members. Cameron Mackintosh, the joint producer of Phantom, estimated that the weekly cost of putting on the show has risen by $100,000 since pre-pandemic times. This can be attributed to the increasing costs of materials for sets, costumes, and other production elements due to inflation, as well as the rising cost of labor. These factors force productions to raise ticket costs, making it less accessible for potential viewers. Generally, the shows that are currently most likely to prosper are brand new ones with smaller orchestras and casts, unlike The Phantom of the Opera The final performance was an exclusive, invitation-only event for Phantom alumni, notable actors (including Glenn Close and Lin-Manu-

el Miranda), and fans who had won the ticket lottery. Many attended the performance dressed in Phantom of the Opera-inspired costumes. Outside the Majestic Theatre, Phantom of the Opera fans—or “Phans,” as they call themselves—gathered to celebrate their love for the musical. This enduring enthusiasm is reflective of Phantom’s relevancy, even at the end of its run. At the final curtain call, the stagehands who made the production possible were invited onto the stage and met with the audience’s emphatic applause. Even the iconic chandelier, which crashed from the ceiling for the very last time that night, gave a bow.

The Phantom of the Opera existed as somewhat of an oxymoron: theater is known for being an industry that is unstable and ever-changing, but the beloved show remained a constant for decades while the city around it and the world of musical theater evolved. It was a time capsule of ‘80s Broadway, complete with rock-pop and over-thetop histrionics, but it remained

timeless enough to excite fans for years. Despite its ultimate—and inevitable—decline, Phantom has aged well and will likely continue to do so, especially now that it has been laid to rest. However, the fact that it was taken off Broadway holds significance for the music industry as a whole, representing the increasing dangers within a field that is already recognized as economically risky. It is rare for long-lasting hits of the Phantom’s kind, like The Lion King and Chicago, to survive. In the uncertain post-pandemic world, which defeated even The Phantom of the Opera, will these phenomena become even rarer?

Many speculate that The Phantom of Opera will return to Broadway one day in a magnificent revival; Mackintosh himself stated that he believes it will do so at some point. This possibility does not appear to be out of reach, as the celebration of the show in its final days suggests. For now, though, the chandelier will collect dust until it is brought back to life once more.

NYYS: Young Musicians Make History Music

By ZOE BUFF and BRANDON PHILLIPS

Most people in today’s world are familiar with the Grammys, a prestigious music award show that happens once a year. Though it’s primarily connected to pop stars like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, it should also be associated with classical music stars such as Anne-Sophie Mutter and Itzhak Perlman. For the first time in history, a group of teenagers managed to do just that, beating top musicians from all over the world.

The New York Youth Symphony (NYYS) Orchestra was founded in 1963 and is the backbone of the NYYS organization, which has since grown to encompass various other music programs. The ensemble includes students from ages 12 to 22, most of whom are teenagers. “I was doing an NYU summer strings program in the summer of my junior year, and my friend recommended NYYS,” NYYS cellist Noelia Carrasco said in an interview with The Spectator. Currently a cello performance major at NYU, Carrasco has played in the NYYS orchestra for four years.

Clarinetist and Juilliard freshman Joshua Choi believes that the NYYS orchestra program has been essential to helping his career and growth as a classical musician. The orchestra meets every Sunday from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., performing at Carnegie Hall three times a year and with a repertoire including not just classics but also new compositions. Many of the students do not live in New York City, commuting from New Jersey once a week to rehearse. While some of them attend professional music schools—like The Juilliard School—and are considering a career in classical music, others

end up pursuing other paths. “The most special part about NYYS to me is seeing the students grow and achieve amazing things, whether or not they do music [afterward],”

NYYS director Shauna Quill said.

The idea of recording an album was born only after the pandemic hit. During the 2020 to 2021 season, the NYYS orchestra was unable to perform at Carnegie Hall. “We were all sitting at home, separated,” NYYS music director and conductor Michael Repper said. “What we were missing was some sense of unity, so we thought, if we couldn’t

The project was challenging and required extensive communication with recording engineers and producers as well as the solving of complicated math problems about how to socially distance 40 string players in the recording room. “The winds and brass had to be at least 10 feet apart since they couldn’t be masked,” Quill said.

Before recording started, Repper gave the students click tracks to practice with at home, and they sent in recordings of themselves playing for feedback. “We listened to the click track and the strings while we

master the pieces in a way that allowed the groups to play with a consistent style and musical interpretation.”

The album was released on August 8, 2022. “When it finally came out, it felt like [our] baby,” Quill joked.

It topped the billboard charts very quickly, and the directors of NYYS thought it would be worth it to submit the recording to the Grammys—however, they did not expect much from it at the time. “We wanted it to be received very well, get good reviews,” Repper shared. “All of this extra attention that this album [has] gotten was secondary.”

The Grammy award nomination for Best Orchestral Recording was announced in the fall of 2022, surprising everyone in NYYS. Quill remembers that the NYYS staff had been holding a watch party in their offices; when their album was nominated, she practically jumped out of herseat. “It was my most professional-looking moment,“ Quill joked.

Both Carrasco and Choi recalled finding out the news as they were scrolling through Instagram and feeling disbelief. “Just being up for the nomination already meant a lot,” Carrasco said.

floored.”

Back at the DiMenna Center, where the NYYS orchestra regularly rehearsed, the students were watching the Grammys on TV together. When the award was given to NYYS, “everyone just screamed and jumped up,” Carrasco said.

“I think it was an incredible moment for everybody,” NYYS violinist Andrew Park reflected.

Repper revealed that he did not actually prepare an acceptance speech. “What I spoke about was just the message of what we’re trying to do: as professional musicians, we have a responsibility to look out for young people and to try to foster the next generation,” Repper explained. The NYYS album did just that. Aside from granting the NYYS musicians, conductors, and staff their undeniably well-deserved moment of fame and glory, it provided the young musicians with an experience they will never forget. Repper shared that it has been very exciting to see more youth programs take on recording projects, “not necessarily to win a Grammy but because teaching young people how to record is a critical part of preparing them for a career in music.”

perform it, we should record it.”

Repper had planned to perform Florence Price’s piano concerto at Carnegie Hall, so that was one of the first pieces to go on the recording program, along with Valerie Coleman’s “Umoja” (2019), which translates to “unity” in English.

“Umoja” had never been recorded before, and two other pieces on the recording, Price’s “Ethiopian Shadows in America” and Jessie Montgomery’s “Soul Force” had never been recorded by an American orchestra before.

were playing,” Choi said, describing the recording process. “A lot of the time we didn’t know what the other parts sounded like or what the piece sounded like as a whole,” Carrasco said.

NYYS violinist Laura Tillack described the recording process as an unorthodox experience. “As young musicians, we had the opportunity to be a part of a professional recording project and work with top producers like Grammy-award winn[er] Judy Sherman,” Tillack said. “We also had to learn how to

Repper and Quill attended the Grammys with a small group of NYYS staff. “It was a ton of fun,” Repper said. For the Best Orchestral Recording award, NYYS was up against four other world-famous, historical ensembles, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic.

“When they started announcing the other famous names, I thought, there’s just no way, we cannot win this,” Quill recalled. “Ten seconds later, they started saying “Works by… and I was so completely

The success of the NYYS album is a testament to the perseverance and hard work of 70 young musicians who came together during the pandemic because of their passion for making music. They will be playing their next concert at Carnegie Hall in just a few weeks, and they continue to meet every Sunday, approaching orchestral music-making with limitless energy and a collaborative spirit. “As a young musician just starting out in my musical career, the experience of playing in NYYS is something I will always cherish,” Carrasco said.

Music Nightmares Come to Life in Something Is Killing The Children

By MUNEM TAJWAR

Sharing spooky stories around the campfire and binging horror movies at sleepovers are core childhood memories for many. Whether it is Slenderman or the Boogeyman, our nightmares become plagued by the villains of these tales. Most grow out of checking for imaginary monsters under their beds, but what if that fear were realized? Something Is Killing The Children explores the horror of this scenario.

Something Is Killing The Children is a BOOM! Studios comic book series written by James Tynion IV and illustrated by Werther Dell’Edera. The ongoing series released its first book in September of 2019 and recently released its sixth volume. The books have already garnered attention in the literary world, winning three Eisner awards (the comic book industry’s equivalent to an academy award), including two Best Writer awards and an award for Best Continuing Series. Now with a Netflix adaptation in the works, Something Is Killing The Children is on its way to becoming a classic in the comic book horror genre, joining other famed predecessors such as The Walking Dead, Sandman, and Hellblazer The book opens with a boy named James and his three friends, who play a fateful game of truth or dare one night. James asks for a truth and is forced to confess that he saw a monster near the forest. His understandably skeptical friends venture into the ravine to investigate his outlandish claim, but they are brutally murdered. Their murders fuel rumors surrounding child killings in the area; James is later interrogated about this devastating trend. The dangers of this

situation are amplified by the fact that only children can see the monsters—they are the only ones capable of believing in them.The book follows the adults in the town’s efforts to rationalize the killings while warrior-heroine Erica Slaughter teams up with James to hunt down the child-murdering monster. Even with a shocking, seemingly simple

characteristic gore. Their successful collaboration is impressive, especially considering how hard it is to capture a creative vision on a mere 20 pages. Dell’Edera enhances the reading experience with depictions of gruesome injuries and alienesque creature drawings, perfectly translating Tynion’s words into impactful drawings. Readers with sensitive

color scheme, for instance, give her character an aura of intensity that builds plot tension and injects a sense of unease into the panels.

The story’s well-written dialogue and thoughtful character development give readers a sense of personal investment in the plot. Tynion’s writing works harmoniously with Dell’Edera’s bold drawings,

character interactions, drawing rich connections between them in unexpected ways. Through the book’s surface plot surrounding childhood innocence leading to vulnerability to monsters, Tynion brilliantly explores the susceptibility children have to fear and trauma as well as how it shapes their understanding of the world. In the series’s early volumes, the character of James represents the fear and guilt of a kid who carries the weight of three mourning families on his shoulders, while Erica is revealed to have gone through a similar trauma, using the experience as fuel for her anger at the world and for revenge fantasies. The two of them are also products of estrangement, with James feeling separated from his school and Erica feeling isolated from her adoptive family. When the two meet, Tynion manages to beautifully tie together these themes to portray a heartfelt human connection between a lost child and an adult still finding her path. Through the story’s countless twists and turns, the speech bubbles remain just as captivating as the bloody illustrations around them.

horror premise, the book expertly explores the nuances of grief, guilt, and estrangement from the perspectives of those who knew the murder victims.

Many people think of comic books as bright and colorful, but Tynion and Dell’Edera separate themselves from convention, never shying away from the horror genre’s

stomachs may not be able to handle the sheer gore of Dell’Edera’s artwork, which depicts children being decapitated, stabbed, and even torn to shreds. The style has also received high praise for its ability to establish characters’ individuality through unique design elements like signature color palettes. Erica’s glaring green eyes and black-and-white

capturing the deep emotions that lurk within the panels’ spine-chilling imagery. Something Is Killing The Children stands out because while many comics suffer from underdeveloped plots, Tynion pays special attention to the characters’ dialogue, infusing the visual action with deep meaning. He weaves the thread of the naivete of childhood throughout

Something Is Killing The Children is not a book for everyone. Many will see its gore as a glorification of death, despite the book’s harrowing portrayal of the grieving process. The Netflix adaptation in the works has promise, but it is hard to imagine a satisfactory portrayal of the gore, emotion, and otherworldly designs of Dell’Edera’s illustrations working on screen. The series itself, though, is still nowhere near the end of its saga, and is expected to have 75 books in total. Tynion and Dell’Edera have managed to take the horror genre by its reins, and they don’t plan on letting go any time soon.

Lillian Zou / The Spectator

Stacey Chen / The Spectator

Crossword ACROSS

Here’s a teacher-themed crossword! It was supposed to be for Teachers Appreciation Week but I got the dates wrong. Sorry to the teachers not included, there’s a lot of you. - Munem !

1. “Have you _ac_e_ for the MUN confer1.__u_vesant; I’d be worried if you didn’t get this one

4. _c_uli_f_ , AP of World Language and Music department and also a Spanish teacher

8. Mr. Choub___lian, PE Teacher at Stuyvesant, coaches girls gymnastics

9. A form of speedy competition

13. __ __t History, Stuy class that had quite an important test on this issue’s publication day

14. Chemistry teacher who’s sarcastic and apparently groans often (???)

15. First name of Wilson and Hart, last name of Richard and Clide

16. The process of hanging something over a prolonged distance

18. To be concerned

19. Last name of the fictional lead in NBC’s Freaks and Geeks

20. American military’s aquatic vessels

21. One who enjoys sliding down snowy mountains

22. Stoic

24. PE Teacher who taught Health for a single semester last year

26. To have an ____ __, slightly better than another at something

28. Cunning

29. Specific Soccer field position that slides between both sides of the field, but more so on the backend

32. How UK citizens claim they received knowledge, usually

33. What Biden, Trudeau, and Sunak are, in vaguer terms

35. Biology teacher who was once friends with a cannibal

DOWN

1. _c_rlet _n_ght_ , Rutgers University athletes

2. To go from a 6 to an N at 14th

3. Both an english teacher and a mathematics teacher at Stuy

4. New Spanish teacher at Stuy

5. _____ Fools!

6. “To do” in Paris

7. A suffix that appears alongside directions

9. His most recognizable opponent’s son leads a trilogy starring Michael B. Jordan

10. Patiently looks forward to something

11. Cinnamon Toast Crunch

12. The ability and drive to perform

16. Down-Up-Down

17. French teacher at Stuy that recently dyed their hair!

21. “Felt” in Paris

23. Hand-to-Hand Skirmish

25. P_____pa_ Yu, Spec Humor’s most beloved staff member!

27. An embryo in the stage of acquiring an Endoderm, Ectoderm, and Mesoderm

29. Elegant

30. English composer, known for A Mass of Life and A Village Romeo and Juliet

31. Biology teacher at Stuy that really likes bitmojis

34. Goes on a journey through hell, as described by a poem

36. Carelessly add something to a finished product

37. To exert authority

38. Sandwich-like cookies

39. “Us” in Buenos Aires

42. What Splash Mountain and The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland are 45. Chemistry teacher who likes to refer to themselves in the third person 46. Chr___cle, a written account of a real event in the correct sequence

David Coleman Exposed: How He Became the Villain He Is Today

By MICHELLE HUANG and TAMIYYAH SHAFIQ

Oh yes, the College Board. The author behind at least half of the content in our junk folder, the devil on our shoulder whispering at us to take more APs. The College Board that all high school students have an innate hatred for, the College Board that our AP World History class spent an entire Harkness discussion bashing instead of talking about the Silk Road like we were supposed to. A “non-profit” organization?! Ha! More like “for-profit”! But how did this corruption begin? All the DBQs, LEQs, FRQs? The $97 AP tests? It all started with one man named David Coleman…

All evil is learned, and David Coleman is no exception. He wasn’t always the conniving capitalist he is today. A long time ago, in the 1980s, he was one of us: a humble Stuyvesant student. He ate the same questionable cafeteria food, cried over the same physics tests, and graduated with the same psychological scars. He was quiet and remained largely unremarkable, which prompts the question—where did it all go wrong?

It was a regular school day in the 1980s. Coleman was running late to class. Being a typical freshman, he ran down the hallways, bumping into everyone in his attempt to reach class on time. He crashed into a group of juniors talking in the hallway and heard them mutter something under their breath, glaring at him menacingly. “Beg my pardon, but what did you just say?” Coleman snarled in what he hoped was a tough voice. The juniors turned to each other, smirking. “Ur mom,” they replied in unison. Coleman’s face contorted in shock, and the juniors laughed. “How—how dare you! My mother is a good woman! Do not speak of her in such a manner!” One of the juniors raised an eyebrow. “It’s too late to stop me now. I’ve already spoken to your mother on numerous occasions! I’ll have her rizzed up in no time.”

His posse laughed heartily. Another one of the juniors pushed Coleman down, and he fell to the ground, frozen in shock. They mocked him for his ugly ‘80s hairdo, for wearing his gym uniform

Coleman was frightened. How could they say such mean things? What was so wrong with those juniors that made them such monsters? That fear turned to sadness, and that sadness turned to rage.

nightmare? Touching grass? Failing a test? Deodorant?

Failing a test! That’s it! He could administer tests—no, control them. Monopolize them! His new goal: grow up and inflict suf-

in life: to rise to the top of the College Board, manage virtually every major exam that Stuyvesant students would ever face, and ultimately get his revenge on this accursed school.

SEVERAL DECADES LATER

Now, we return to the present day, 2023, when David Coleman’s masterful revenge is in full swing, stronger than ever before. What better way to celebrate than to return to the beginning, celebrating your revenge in its birthplace? He took the Junior Caucus’s foolish invite and traveled back to Stuyvesant one more time. Standing in front of the lecture hall, he watched dejected members of the student body file past him, shoulders weighed down by their schoolwork and the disappointment of their parents. He caught snippets of their conversations as they floated by:

“I had a dream last night and literally saw, like, APUSH timelines and important documents in my sleep. Yeah, I woke up crying. It was rough.”

“Ugh, I bombed my SAT! Do you think if I mug enough people on the subway, I can get enough money to pay for another one?”

“Yo, if I get run over by a truck, I don’t have to take my AP Bio exam. You want to go stand in traffic with me?”

Coleman heard the students’ agony and dozens of more painful stories. He saw the dead eyes of the students staring at him, brimming with tears. He couldn’t help but laugh at them, knowing that he had won.

outside of class, and for being too afraid to do anything as they berated him. Suddenly, the late bell for class rang, and Coleman was shocked into action. He couldn’t be late for class! With newfound freshman strength, he scrambled his way off the ground and ran to class, the laughs of the juniors ringing in his ears.

He would get his revenge on those juniors, and everyone who said anything about his mother! He was filled with a burning hatred for those juniors—no, forget just the juniors, everyone at Stuyvesant— and wracked his mind thinking of ways to get back at that cursed institution. What could he do? What was a Stuyvesant student’s worst

fering upon every single future Stuyvesant student through academic agony. He would become a testing mogul—and not just any testing mogul. He would go for the biggest and baddest test of them all: the SAT. No, the APs! The SATs AND the APs! He would take over the College Board!

Thus, Coleman had a new goal

Thus ends the story of David Coleman, whose reign of terror still dominates Stuyvesant today. As another AP season approaches, we can do nothing to stop the inexorable advancement of tattered dreams and threats of disownment.

*Note to College Board: haha we’re just joking, we promise. Please don’t make us fail our APs—we still love you guys <3

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

The Cult of Heimler

By MIKAYLA LIN

Harry

Styles. Taylor Swift.

BTS. In today’s world, many celebrities have managed to build cult followings: teenage girls willing to sell their souls (or a kidney or two) to get concert tickets, specialized high school principals willing to ignite Twitter wars on behalf of their “Korean Sunshines,” and Spectator writers with entire walls of their rooms covered in life-size portraits. But a new name has been circulating the darkest corners of 4chan— Steve Heimler, an unassuming YouTuber who posts AP History review videos. However, as boring as his subject mat-

ter is, the same cannot be said for his fan base. High schools everywhere are reporting cults operating under the (unconvincing) common guise of a “History Club.” Suspicions first arose when these “clubs” broke a three-person attendance.

An anonymous source confided that the problem was especially out of control at Stuyvesant High School, so The Spectator went undercover.

At first glance, the school seemed pretty normal: kids running on negative sleep, trying to finish their calculus homework on the walk to class. I was beginning to think our source was wrong when

I bumped into junior Noam Pasman. As soon as he heard the word “Heimler,” his eyes lit up and he gushed, “I’d die for him. No literally, I’d rather die than prepare for AP U.S. History without him. Plus, his beard is really hot.”

It turned out that only the first floor maintained some semblance of normalcy. We went up the stairs, and suddenly everywhere we looked there were Heimler T-shirts, fanmade glowsticks, and six-foottall cardboard cutouts. Every conversation in the hallway revolved around him. We overheard someone describing the Unit Three AP Government Review video. Between love-

sick sighs, she excitedly whispered, “His blue orbs stared into my soul. I can’t wait till he drops his reading of the Bill of Rights. The teaser was simply music to my ears.”

Even stranger, at exactly 12:00 p.m., everyone whipped out their phones and stared intently at the screens for the next seven minutes. When I asked what was going on, I was met with aggressive shushes and glares. Afterward, I learned that the best Y/N x Heimler fanfic releases new chapters at noon. It’s rumored that the author is actually Stuyvesant junior Calvin Zhang.

However, as with any good cult, there are still haters.

Following the release of the Mario movie, the number of Italian people going to the hospital for aneurysms has increased by 4000 percent.

The upcoming AP exams have been canceled due to the citywide lice outbreak.

An anonymous senior whispered “Heimler’s the worst” after furtively scanning from left to right. Before he could elaborate, a hoard of students poured out of the library, still holding their Ultimate Review Packets, and descended in a circle around him. When we saw him next, his eyes had glazed over and he was chanting under his breath, “Heimler is my history daddy.”

How to Fix Your Attention Span (Three Easy Steps!)

By VINCENT D'ANGELO

A few months ago, I was in my English class, struggling to stay engaged while my teacher rambled on about poetry or something. I was on the verge of falling asleep when a wonderful idea, the first truly good idea inspired by the thousands of hours I’ve spent on social media, came to mind. I opened the Subway Surfers app on my phone, leaned my phone screen against my notebook, and voilà! It was beautiful. I had one eye on the screen and the other on my teacher. My brain was thrillingly overstimulated, and I felt like I could absorb all the information in the world.

Now, what I’ve described above did indeed transpire, and I’m sure many of you have gone through similar situations. If you have, then unfortunately I’ll have to be a reluctant bearer of bad news: the method above

By FREDA DONG and KAREN CHEN

does not work. To understand why, just ask yourself: how many poetic devices did I really learn from that English class? The answer, you’ll find, is none.

I know how you must be feeling upon this revelation: shocked, hopeless, betrayed, myrmecophilous, or hungry, perhaps. But do not fret, dear reader, for I am here to save you. In the following article, I’ve outlined the steps I took to overcome my addiction to low-quality mobile video games, and if you follow them closely, you might (possibly) get better as well.

Step 1: You Got This

It’s a cruel world we live in. Everyone’s always trying to bring you down and take advantage of you. I mean, look at yourself: what they’ve done to you is horrible. Your goldfish-like attention span is pathetic. But it’s okay, because I’m going to help you, and we’re going to get through this

together. Give yourself a pat on the back for embarking on this treacherous journey.

Step

2: Gouge Out Your Eyes

This is a crucial step. Let me explain: if you’re at a point where you need these mind-numbing playthroughs to get through the day, don’t be ashamed, but you are seriously messed up. I mean, you passed the point of no return eons ago. You need radical change, and you need it fast. Think about it: having no eyes means that you can truly appreciate the physical, material world, unobscured by the various poisons of the virtual space. Some might say that deleting TikTok is the “less damaging” option, but that so-called solution is too easily reversible for my taste. So, I recommend that you grab a fork or a knife (I actually used a spoon, but trust me and don’t use a spoon), lean over your sink, and get to digging. Remember:

pain is just weakness leaving the body. This is good for you. But maybe wait until you finish reading my article.

Step 3: Ritual Non-Human Sacrifice

Next, you must cleanse your polluted body of your bad deeds. I’ve seen that the setup for this step can be done in a couple of ways. You can submerge yourself in seawater all the way up to your neck, or maybe you can draw a pentagram with some blood-red crayon. The fun is in the flexibility! When the setup is done, hold your electronic device against your hip with your left hand and pat your head repeatedly with your right. Have someone near you read this Latin script aloud (not yourself obviously, because you and your eyeless head can’t read anything lol):

“Si haec verba interpretari contigerit, velim tibi optimam fortunam in probationibus Pro-

vectae Placement. Profecto spero te deficere, quod ad collegium ire cupio, et defectus tuus me adiuvat. Dilige, vale.”

Don’t fear the flaming ball that spontaneously appears and engulfs the device in your hand. It’s just part of the experience. And that’s it! If you think about it, this process is really nothing too abnormal, especially when you stop and appreciate the results. You’ll find that you no longer have the urge to busy your mind with foolish filler content. You’ll be able to pay much better attention in class, and that’s not a joke. Seriously, think about it. What else are you gonna do without eyes but listen? Oh, and there is a slight chance that someone might raise concerns while you go through this process. If this happens, say you’re just a kid trying to better yourself. And if they don’t stop bugging you, gouge out their eyes too :D.

Rating AP Exams Based on Their Difficulties

AP English

Any History AP

Since the College Board loves to administer a lot of tests solely to profit from poor, unsuspecting students, we’re giving you a guide on how to pass most of the APs, with what to expect and how to prepare!

AP Art History

It is the most USELESS AP. Seriously, why are you taking it? It’s just the College Board’s secret weapon to see if students have a photographic memory. You can’t even show off your stick figures. 5/10

AP Music Theory

The other most useless AP, but at least now you can live in harmony~ with others. We expect you to be able to play five instruments after this test and impress all your relatives with your rendition of Canon in D. 6/10

Your hand will probably die from writing three essays in two hours on obscure topics, like why Humor is the best department of The Spectator, but the essays are very BS-able and the multiple choice is a rip-off of the SAT. 7/10

Any Foreign Language AP

If you’re a fluent speaker taking this class for a free grade: 0/10. If you’re not a fluent speaker, why are you here? I can’t wait to see your proctor’s reaction when you mix up your vocabulary and say that you like to *BLEEP.* 10/10

AP Psych

Every question will send you on a trip of self-reflection and make you reconsider all your previous life decisions, but hey, at least you get free therapy for your undiagnosed depression! 8/10

Remember that 70 percent of the drama happens due to money, 20 percent due to religion, and 10 percent due to human stupidity. Your 400-page review packet (and the killing of trees) will prepare you for anything! 7/10

AP CS

The 12 hours you spend hunched in front of a computer at a time (mostly playing video games) has finally prepared you for this moment. After this test, you must get a life and touch grass. At least it’s Java and not C++. 20/10

AP Calc

The function f represents the amount of tears a Stuyvesant student sheds during AP season. Using the input x, the amount of coffee a student consumes, and y, the amount of sleep a student gets, find the minimum and maximum

amount of coffee a student can have before they break down. Show your work. 11/10

AP Stats

A class for wannabe math nerds who weren’t good enough for AP Calc. Take the results of the question from AP Calc and find the average amount of breakdowns across Stuy. 8/10

AP Chem

Unfortunately, forces that keep molecules together cannot help you find a date and bond with them. At least now you get to learn a bunch of new pickup lines. Don’t forget your periodic table! 1000/10

AP Bio

Only the smartest will survive and become successful in Ivy Leagues, babies are created ahem via the Hudson staircase, and the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell! 8/10

APES

Climate change is real. Save the turtles! And the freshmen. 5/10

AP Physics

Noooo no no no. It might be better to throw yourself off a cliff at a speed of 150 m/s with a force of 750 N instead of taking the exam. 10000/10

AP HUG

Um, what’s that again? An AP on how hugging works because we’re all starving for attention and validation? In that case, -100/10.

Disclaimer: We are not responsible for any scores or your potential lack of brain cells. Nonetheless, we wish you the best of luck (not that you’ll need it—you’re a Stuy student) and have full confidence you can easily score a five no matter which AP test you’re taking!

By KAVYA GREEN

There seems to be no way to divert the inevitable anxiety of preparing for—and eventually taking—an AP examination. The College Board wants to seem sympathetic and motivational with their daily videos and inspirational e-mails, yet every AP student knows that when the day comes, they’ll just stab us in the back with merciless questions and perplexing diagrams.

Before you panic and start spending all your waking hours—and maybe even sleeping hours—studying, you must know that there is a solution.

You may be thinking, “What? That’s impossible.” It’s not. There is a relatively affordable, somewhat reasonable way to evade this gruesome affair and maybe even the rest of high

By JAI SHAH

Bob knew it was a mistake but Hey, Stuy students! Are you mildly dreading your AP exams? Do you also feel like you might get a score below a five on your exam and thus be disowned by your family and thrown to the wolves? Have you been slacking off this entire year, learned nothing, and now have no idea what any part of the subject involves? Well, have no fear, for we have your Lucky Seven tips to guarantee* a five on your AP exams. *maybe

1. Study for two weeks straight before the test. Sleep is for the weak, while food and showers are government plots to stop you from studying. You know that. Just stay home and study for two

I Can’t Take the AP—I Died

school: fake your own death!

Listen, it may seem like a challenging task, but it’s really not. It might even be more fun than you think! Every death is customizable, so the opportunities are endless! Accident? Homicide? You decide! You can choose everything from the location of your death to the time it occurs.

You could go for something dramatic like murder—you broke up with SZA, or maybe you recycled a Ziploc bag in front of Mr. Citron. If you’re looking for something more flashy, you could travel to a rainforest or visit the section of the zoo with big cats. Just imagine your sniffly, tearyeyed friends being informed that you died “while trying to dap up a tiger.” Even if you aren’t feeling particularly inspired, you could always let ChatGPT write a scenario for you!

It may seem unrealistic, but faking a death isn’t as complicated as you might think. It does involve spending some money, but it’s all worth it in the end. Just remember that the cost of the AP exam is your mental stability and emotional well-being—by comparison, no sum is too large.

You will need to hire a couple of actors to “witness” the death and purchase the equipment required to play out the situation. It might look a little weird if you’re out buying fake blood, appendages, organs, etc., but then again, an awkward conversation might arise if your mom is looking through your search history and sees “human organs $20 or less.” So, if you really want to go on a psycho shopping spree, Party City should cover your deathfaking needs.

The last and most crucial piece is the fake body. You will

need to obtain a life-sized figurine, pillow, or cardboard cutout (don’t pretend you don’t already have one) and tape your face onto it. Be sure to use a bad picture, because it won’t appear believable if you’re trying to look hot while sitting in a casket. Your dead body wouldn’t be biting its lip or gazing seductively at your grieving family members and loved ones. Also, make sure to fold the tape so it’s double-sided and then stick it on the picture. You wouldn’t want messy tape showing.

Anyway, once you have all your death props ready, just set a date and time! Your death can be carried out seamlessly once you plan it properly. After you “die,” you must find a remote location to wait out the AP test. I would also suggest installing cameras to watch everyone at your funeral. You’ll quickly be able to tell if

Seven Ways to Get a Five on the AP Exams

weeks straight, and you’ll know everything that could possibly be on the test. And don’t worry, you’re not hallucinating—trees are supposed to be purple.

2. Replace your blood with coffee.

Like tip one, you can’t fall asleep if you’re wide awake for the entire test. But why stop there? The human body is 60 percent water, but it shouldn’t be too hard to drain it and make it 60 percent coffee. You’ll never have to sleep again. After all, there are absolutely no negative effects of having no water in your body.(citation needed)

3. Scribble all your answers in a made-up language. If they can’t read your work, the test graders might give up and give you full credit on the FRQs, pretending that they ac-

tually read your work! Just remember only to use languages that have no basis in reality, like “French.”

4. Bribe the proctor. The only thing stopping you from taking out your 350-page reference guide is the proctor, so why not just pay them off? It might cost you an arm and a leg, a toaster, a third of your soul, decent coffee, or a Nigerian prince’s bank account, but that’s what you must do to get that five.

5. Hack the College Board website. Everybody knows that the admin password to College Board is “what is my password again,” so why not hack the site and give yourself a five? If you are caught, threaten to leak the hack to the press if you don’t

get a five. Is this permanent? Will this actually give you a five and not jail time? Yes!(citation needed)

6. Challenge your local College Board agent to a duel. As per the 1825 College Board v. The State of Education ruling, if you make it through the eighthour wait time on Customer Support, you can challenge a Customer Service agent to a duel (you get to choose what kind of duel). If you win the duel, they automatically give you a five. But remember, if you lose, they have the legal right to throw you into the Hudson River and force you to swim to Purgatory New Jersey, so be careful!

7. Just know everything. This is the most reliable yet hardest-to-use tip on the list. The trick is to spend the entire

you have real friends. However, even if people seem like they’re bawling over your sudden, premature death, the real cause of their tears will probably just be the wrath of the College Board.

After the AP exam, wait until next year to return to school. People might ask, “Hey, didn’t you die?” but all you have to do is make up an excuse that sounds remotely scientific and deliver it confidently. For example: “My arteries exocytosed molecular toxins into my hypothalamus, causing my heart to restart.” If they don’t believe that (but who wouldn’t?), simply make a weird noise and run away. Hopefully, that freaks them out enough to leave you alone.

That’s it. Simple, right? You won’t ever have to take an AP exam again. Have fun, and remember: FOLD THE TAPE FIRST.

year slowly studying and constantly reviewing the curriculum. Then, memorize it again and practice it. When the AP comes around, you’ll have everything stored in your brain. Oh wait, it’s already AP season. I guess you’re doomed! And that’s about everything you need to know to pass your AP exams. Just remember to stay calm, follow one of these tips on the exam, and don’t get anything below a five, or you will get disowned! Good luck and remember: DON’T PANIC.

Note: I take no responsibility for any blood loss, heart attacks, cold water, learning “French,” debts, bricking of computers, exposure to New Jersey, failures, parental disappointments, or deaths associated with following these tips. Follow at your own risk.

She’s Everything. He’s Just in Her Cult of Personality.

By ESHAAL UBAID

I am a Barbie girl.

You are a Barbie girl. We are all, collectively, Barbie girls. If there’s anything that Greta Gerwig has been teaching us with her bombshell film adaptation of the iconic doll, it’s that we should all aspire to be as glitzy, thoughtless, and charismatic as Barbara Millicent Roberts! Submit to her! Your life would be so much better if you simply unlocked the Barbie energy lost within you, as I have unlocked my own. After all, what are you doing with your life? Wearing LAST SEASON’S clothing? Studying for ONE career only? NOT going to the beach? What color is your Bugatti? I bet it isn’t pink.

All Barbie wants from YOU in exchange for this perfect lifestyle is to follow some simple steps. She can then assure in an authoritarian fashion that she remains the ONE and ONLY trendsetter, the icon, and most importantly, the ONE plastic ideal that everyone loves, DOMINATING the world with her ETHEREAL presence for eternity under the shadow of the Mattel universe. She’ll also offer a complementary pair of heels for your service!

The Barbie life is simple, though atrociously difficult to follow. However, by willingly joining this cult

*ahem* and becoming an inspiring Barbie yourself, you will be able to live a safer and more satisfying life under the watchful eye of the Barbieverse. Ken got there. So will you.

First, you must abandon all thought. All of it. It shouldn’t be that hard, given your last SAT score. You don’t need those critical thinking skills that you’re being brainwashed into developing. What do you gain from questioning the universe? Simply accept all that is given to you, under the presumption that no one will ever try to hurt you. That way, the voice of Barbie can finally make its way into your pretty little head. She’s actually reminding me right now to write that donation check to Mattel that I’ll be sending completely willingly! You mustn’t be chained by ideas, because ideas breed conflict. We aren’t Bratz dolls, people.

Second: pink. Everything. FUSCHIA, ROSE, SHOCKING GLITTERY GOODNESS. You must surround yourself with pink to find yourself in a place of enlightenment, to unlock all of your Barbie goodness. Your clothes, toothbrush, and Chrome browser must all be shrouded in the objectively best color of all time. Now, I can hear your worries: how will we survive in just one hue?

Well, you’ve got options! Dust pink and hot pink are pink all the same. Furthermore, Lord Barbie is merci-

ful. She will allow some white, purple, and sparingly, even baby blue, so long as you style it, hottie! Just never wear green. She will find you if you do. I never did see some of my friends again after St. Patrick’s Day…

Third, find your Ken! Now, Barbie understands that not everyone is looking for love and that not everyone can rizz up a hunk like she did. She won’t demand the impossible. Just pick a friend (after indoctrinating them through steps one and two), a pet, or heck, a dearly beloved rock to be your sidekick for life. Some of you may find yourself becoming a Ken instead of a Barbie. That is perfectly okay! Do not be ashamed that you’re inferior to Barbie in all aspects of your life. It’s a worthy role in the plastic hierarchy that you can adorn in even more thoughtless behavior, tourist shirts, and flip flops. Your primary purpose in Malibu is to support your Barbie unconditionally, ignoring the shell of your old personality’s screaming protests. The real premise of Barbie is to make friends along the way!

Now, these are just the basics that you will need to fulfill your Dreamhouse dreams! Just always remember that Barbie is out there, waiting for you to embrace her rulership, so that you may live a better life by her example. Have a gorg-tastic day! She’ll be waiting.

Athlete of the Issue

By YASHNA PATEL and FREDERIK SCHUTZ

Name: Yusha Aziz

Grade: 12th

Height: 5’11”

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Brown

Date of Birth: March 29, 2005

1. How did you get into cricket? How long have you been playing it?

I used to watch a lot of cricket with my family, started playing actual cricket about five years ago, and joined the Stuyvesant team this year.

2. Explain the game of cricket to someone who has no knowledge of the sport.

The objective of cricket is to have more runs than the enemy team. Cricket is a two-stage sport. There are two teams, where one team has to bowl, which is like pitching in baseball, and the other team is batting. At the beginning of each game, there is a coin toss. Whichever team wins it gets to choose whether to bowl or bat first. After you pick a side, the bowling team has to throw the ball at the enemy team. Behind the batter are three wooden sticks called the wicket, and the objective is to hit the wicket. When you’re bowling, there are 10 fielders who have to catch the ball once the batter hits it and pass it to a person behind the wicket called the wicket-keeper, whose job is to hit the wicket to make the person batting go out. When the ball is in the air and a fielder catches it, the enemy batter is out. The goal of the bowling team is to get the batters out as fast as possible. Now, the way to get a run if you’re batting is that once you hit the ball, you have to run to your “ally” batter on the other side. Every time you cross each other is considered a run. Basically, you want to get all the enemy batters out, and when you’re batting you want to have more runs than the opposite team. There are also a lot of small technicalities, but overall it’s a basic sport, and once you watch a few games, you start understanding it.

3. What position do you play?

Boy’s Volleyball

By EMMA KWAN and AVA QUARLES

In their sixth game of the boys’ varsity volleyball season, the Stuyvesant Beasts faced the High School for Math, Science, and Engineering (HSMSE) at home on Monday, April 17. The Beasts felt confident heading into the game, having handily defeated HSMSE just a few weeks before. Yet after a 25-15 win in the first set, a close second set threatened to mar their perfect record. In an exciting test of stamina, Stuyvesant led 25-24 but needed to win by two. Tensions were high as each team attempted to win two successive points, a back-and-forth battle until the Beasts finally finished off HSMSE, 30-28.

The fortitude exemplified in this game is a defining characteristic of this year’s team. Last year, the Beasts were defeated in the first round of the Manhattan A II playoffs in two close sets by eventual league champions, James Madison. Having won all preceding games in just two sets, the fall was a disap-

What skills/strengths are involved?

I play wicket-keeper. It’s the person [who] sits behind the wicket and makes sure that when your ally bowls at you, you catch the ball. If you don’t catch the ball and it goes behind you, the batter can make a run. So you want to catch the ball, and for that, you have to have good reflexes, and that can be tough when the ball is going 80 miles per hour. You have to be able to catch that and react quickly. But you also have to have good communication

Wicked Wicket

team will fail.

4. Do you have a most memorable/proud moment with the team?

Yes. We’ve only played two games so far this season, but I would have to say our second game. [Though] we had just come out of a loss, [we] weren’t demoralized [and] were still pumped with energy, especially [after] destroying the other team and just celebrating. The cricket team just has a weird tradition where every game, we bring a different condiment—the

5. How has the team changed since the new coach, Ms. Parris, came in?

Coach Parris is making us put in a lot of work. The old coach didn’t really care that much about the sport or the members of the team. Coach Parris definitely takes her time, and the environment is completely different. Now we have scheduled practices. She is also actually contacting PSAL for every small technicality to make sure we have the best experience. For example, in our upcoming game against Lehman, they don’t have enough players, and Coach Parris contacted them to make sure it gets sorted out. Or another example is how last Friday was Eid, but Eid could’ve been on Saturday too, and we had a game plan that day. Instead of accepting it, Coach Parris went and e-mailed everyone saying how [it] is not fair and it has to get changed. Without Coach Parris, we wouldn’t even have a team because no other person wanted to coach the team. She can be strict at times, but everyone loves her because she gets the job done and gets the job done well.

6. Do you have any plans to continue the sport in the future or in college?

Yes, I want to play in college. But if I can’t, I definitely will play for fun. I really love the sport.

7. Do you have any pregame superstitions or rituals?

9. What are the best and worst parts of Cricket?

The worst part is the ball. It’s a hard leather ball. If you don’t catch it properly, or sometimes even if you do catch it properly, your hand will be stinging for the rest of the day or even the next couple of minutes. But the best part of cricket has to be just the simplicity. [Though] there are so many players on the field, it’s not a very complicated game. After you play it, at the end of the day, it’s hit the ball, grab either side, and for the enemy side, it’s hit the wicket. It’s so simple yet so complicated because of how many small things could happen. For example, let’s say you don’t hit the bat, but it hits your leg, and your [leg hits] the wicket. That’s called leg before a wicket, and you’re out.

10. What are your short-term and long-term goals going into the season?

skills with your teammates because every bowler is different, so you have to be able to understand how they’re going to bowl. You also have to be attentive at all times because the fielders can throw the ball at you at any moment. As a wicketkeeper, it’s important to play well because if you don’t, your whole

first game we had ketchup, the second Chipotle ranch—and everyone passes it around and drinks it together, and regardless of whether we win or lose, it just felt like a really good sense of community and something I wish I had more time to be a part of.

I’m the only senior on the team, so I tend to feel like I’m responsible for the team. I always give them pep talks, especially since the majority of our team [is] freshmen, and oftentimes, they get scared of the enemy teams. Pregame I just hype our team up. Also, I am always taking them to the right place. I’m like the sole navigator of the team because this team is always sleeping on the train, and we are going so far away to the fields.

8. What is your jersey number? What made you decide on that number?

My jersey number is 10 because Messi and Neymar are my favorite players. They’re both 10, so I just picked that.

Beasts Ace in Yo Face

pointing end to the Beasts’ flawless season. Now, they are back with fresh jerseys and fresh mindsets, determined to transcend last year’s shortcomings. Led by Coach Vasken Choubaralian and senior co-captains setter Nurdaulet Kaishibayev and outside hitter David Tang, the Beasts are roaring with success.

Loaded with talented players, the Beasts are dominating league statistics. Kaishibayev leads in assists, Tang leads in kills, and sophomore libero Jacob Shinn leads in aces. The Beasts are ranked first in their league, undefeated once again, and have dropped only one set in seven games so far. In addition to the outstanding skill level they exhibit, this year’s Beasts have a fresh spirit. “The energy on the team is much better this year. We’re far more positive, and we have more fun, especially during games,” Choubaralian said. One manifestation of this spirited shift is visible in their new uniforms. Designed by their current captains, the Beasts sport unique, artful jerseys and bright blue shorts spotted with

rubber duckies.

In addition to the pulsating team energy, the captains attribute the team’s success to a killer offense and standout defense rooted in strong passing. “We have a solid defense, probably the best in the city,” Tang said. The strength of their

as a whole. Though their early success has motivated them to work to maintain their winning streak, it is not without sacrifice. Being a Beast is no small commitment; practice is daily and often goes late, and away games can begin as late as 5:30 p.m. At each of their practices, the

Our goal was to win a game, and we’ve already met that goal by winning our first game in four years. Now, we want to make playoffs and have fun. Our team is not as well-funded as other schools’ cricket teams, so we recruit for fun and don’t care about winning too much. We’re already doing better than last year, and we have good players, a good coach, and committed players. We have fun at practices, eat food together, and support each other. Our long-term goal is to maybe win playoffs, but we’ve already achieved our goals and can enjoy playing the game.

Funniest Teammate: Munem

Tajwar

Favorite Professional Cricket

Player: Virat Kohli

Playing on Full or Light Stomach: Light Stomach

Favorite Sports Drink: White

Monster Energy

Favorite Post-Match Snack:

Burger King

Favorite Hobby: Cooking

If You Could Play One Other

Sport: Basketball

Motto to Live By: Just win, or make them lose.

Fun Fact: I haven’t hit anyone with a ball yet.

as digging and setting. Through all of this, Choubaralian highlighted their consistently positive energy on and off the court. “It’s a good time. They joke, it’s lighthearted, even when they’re playing, which is a good thing. It’s just fun to be around this group,” Choubaralian said.

With this in mind, the Beasts have high hopes to exceed last year’s brief playoff appearance. “I would like to get at least a top-10 seed in the city. I think that is easily attainable,” Choubaralian said. And with many freshmen and sophomores on this year’s team, such as statistical king Shinn, the Beasts have set themselves up for future success.

defense comes from the Beasts’ ability to utilize each player’s individual strengths to better the team

team starts with ball control drills before shifting to focus on more specific aspects of the game, such

“As a team, I want to work on building the next generation of volleyball players for the Beasts. Not only are they going to be able to play with us later in the season, but also, they are going to be able to play with themselves, once we’re gone,” Kaishibayev said. The Beasts are more than prepared for an egg-cellent season.

Courtesy of Vincent Pan

Courtesy of Sahara Jamal

The Spectator’s Introduction to the NBA Playoffs

By LEO ROSES

The NBA’s regular season comprises half of a year. Over six months, each of the 30 NBA teams play 82 games. The season is filled with breakout seasons, a thrilling play-in tournament, and awards. This makes for entertaining content on ESPN’s First Take; fans of marginal NBA teams become engaged every other night watching their teams fight for one of the desirable top-six seeds in their conference, and casual fans can always tune in late nights on TNT to watch some of the greatest athletes in the world compete in a sport that has endured throughout three centuries.

However, players such as Kawhi Leonard manage to opt out of 30 games without consequence during the regular season. Dynasties such as the Golden State Warriors are able to slumber their way to the six-seed while allowing extended absences for stars like Andrew Wiggins and even the legendary Steph Curry. Whatever the issue may be, the NBA’s regular season lacks urgency. Yes, borderline playoff and play-in teams such as the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and Oklahoma City Thunder will play their healthy players almost every night and compete in all 82 games. Yet, real contenders such as the Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, and even the Los Angeles Lakers simply do not seem to fully care during the regular season. They sit their star players for a significant part of the season and slip into the standings with no sense of concern.

So, if the regular season is lackadaisical, how does the NBA compensate their fans for spending eight months focusing on the league? Well, the simple answer is one hell of a postseason. The NBA playoffs is a special tournament that manages to answer all of basketball’s questions leading into the season and creates more for decades to come. It is where teams and players leave a lasting legacy on the league and even popular culture. And this year’s

playoffs could very well be two of the greatest months of professional basketball the sport has ever seen.

The excitement and buzz surrounding the NBA playoffs normally waits until round two to build up. However, round one of this year’s playoffs is already raising some significant questions and leaving fans clamoring for basketball every hour of the day.

Normally, the one- vs. eightseed matchup in the first round of the playoffs is boring. And maybe in the West, it will be. However, in the East, an injury in Game 1 suffered by arguably the best player in the league, Giannis Antetokounmpo, has already set up a dramatic series. The Heat and star Jimmy Butler always seem to step up in the playoffs. And after winning Game 1, the Heat have flipped home court advantage, leading to early drama and leaving the previous favorites for the title, the Bucks, on upset watch.

In the West, the Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies is shaping up to be as good as a first round series can be. After star point guard Ja Morant suffered some offcourt problems during the regular season and was suspended by the team toward the end of the year, the Grizzlies have attempted to recondition themselves in time for a long playoff run. The Lakers have turned themselves around after some massive trade deadline acquisitions in time for the playoffs. However, the story revolves around a healthy Anthony Davis and LeBron James. This All-Star duo is 17-5 when playing together in the NBA playoffs. Individually, they are two of the best players in the game, and combined, they are as dominant a duo as exists in the league. After a dramatic end to the regular season, all of a sudden James has found himself with a legitimate shot at a fifth NBA Championship, even as a sevenseed.

The Sacramento Kings vs. Warriors is a similarly exciting series. After a magical season, the Kings and their incredibly highpowered and clutch offense look to challenge the reigning NBA

champions. While on face value, the Warriors would appear to have superior talent, they appear to be disorganized and sloppy, as a Game 2 ejection and suspension from Draymond Green represents. On the other hand, while the Warriors may appear to be the favorites regardless of their lower seed, the year is 2023, and as far as the Kings are concerned, previous decades of misery in Sacramento and bliss in the Bay area do not matter.

In the East, the four-seed Cleveland Cavaliers take on the New York Knicks. The series is electric, as the high-power Cleveland starting lineup enters the raucous Madison Square Garden. This will be a classic battle of star power versus depth, as there is no doubt that the Cavs have an edge on talent, but the Knicks are nine deep with four impactful players off of the bench. While this series does not appear to boast a finals contender, depending on Antetokounmpo’s injury, one of these teams could find themselves making a run deep in the playoffs.

Picking the Western Conference champion feels impossible. The Denver Nuggets have seemed to fall well short of expectations in the playoffs in recent years, and it is a problem that their MVP center plays lackluster defense. The Grizzlies are talented, but Morant’s late season suspension and health have slowed down their momentum heading into the playoffs. The Kings are strong offensively and have incredible chemistry, but it is hard to envision a team with such little playoff experience making a real run into the NBA finals.

After these top three teams separated themselves in the regular season, the lower-seeded teams were all relatively close in record. The Phoenix Suns probably have the best starting lineup in the NBA. However, the Kevin Durant-led team has minimal depth. Though Durant is one of the best players at fitting into a new team, it doesn’t help the Suns’ case that he only played eight games with the team during the regular season. The Clippers

might have what it takes to win a championship. However, as in the previous two years, injuries to Paul George, and now Kawhi Leonard, have plagued the team and made a finals run appear out of reach. The eight-seed Minnesota Timberwolves may have some individual talent, but their poor spacing and chemistry make getting out of the first round a tough task.

The most fascinating team in the West is the Los Angeles Lakers. After it looked like they might not even make the play-in tournament for the first half of the season, an incredible trade deadline with the acquisition of Rui Hachimura, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and D’Angelo Russell––and maybe most importantly, losing Russell Westbrook––has given James and Davis the necessary talent to turn their season around. Now, they enter the playoffs as one of the most threatening seven seeds ever. If Davis and James remain healthy, there is no telling how far they can go.

After looking at the West from top to bottom––with the exception of the Lakers––I’ll do the opposite for the East. The eight-seed Heat should have no business winning anything. However, Butler and Co. are known for stepping it up in the playoffs, and if they can make it past the first round thanks to Antetokounmpo’s injury, they may have a shot to make a real run at the Eastern Conference Championship. The Atlanta Hawks may be fun to watch on some nights, but this team is not built to make a deep playoff run or even win a first round series. The Brooklyn Nets are a nice story, staying afloat after losing two all-time great talents, but they just do not have enough to go anywhere in these playoffs.

Either the Knicks or the Cavs will have to advance, and if they are lucky, they may face the Heat, a series that they have a real chance of winning. However, it is incredibly unlikely that either of these teams will be able to beat the Philadelphia 76ers or the Celtics.

Speaking of the 76ers, Joel Embiid has never made it past the second round of the NBA playoffs, and there is significant urgency for him to do it this year. Rumors surrounding James Harden say that he may depart for his former team the Rockets after this season. Regardless of if these are true or not, Harden himself is not getting any better with age, and this year may be his last season to be an impact player on a championship team.

The Celtics are the reigning Eastern Conference champions and have minimal questions to answer except maybe about their coaching. Likewise, the Bucks won the Eastern Conference two years ago and seem like they could easily win it again. However, Antetokounmpo’s first round injury could ruin their entire postseason before it even started.

My pick for this year’s NBA champions are the Boston Celtics. They have all of the talent they had last year and then some with the addition of Malcolm Brogdon. They are also the team with the least amount of question marks. They are healthy and have playoff experience, thanks to last year’s run to the finals. The only big question is coaching, as Joe Mazzulla needs to prove that he can replicate what Ime Udoka did last year and lead a team to the finals in his first season. However, Mazzulla has been effective in the regular season and seems poised enough to fill Udoka’s shoes. And when the margins are so thin, whichever team has the least amount of flaws could easily be the last team standing.

Regardless of what happens, as a fan of the NBA, I cannot wait to watch NBA playoff basketball over the next two months. The ever-changing narrative of sports is what makes sports leagues and teams so entertaining to follow, and the NBA may be the best example of that. Every year, the league rewrites history and provides heroes, villains, and legends that linger in our minds until the next season starts, and the NBA playoffs is the peak of most of the great American sports stories.

Jimmy Butler’s Thrilling Game Four Performance

By AMIR ELNASHAR

In recent NBA history, the Miami Heat has been one of the most entertaining basketball franchises to watch. In the late 1990s, Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway formed one of the fiercest duos that led the Heat to many postseasons. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh formed a historical NBA team, winning two NBA championships in a row. In the 2020 NBA Bubble, Jimmy Butler spearheaded the Heat’s playoff run to the finals, with his high-scoring performances and unforeseen playmaking abilities grabbing the attention of many NBA fans.

The world witnessed Jimmy

Butler in one of the best playoff basketball performances of all time against the one-seed Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, April 24. Scoring a franchise playoff record of 56 points, Butler led the eight-seed Miami to a 119-114 comeback victory over the top team in the Eastern Conference, placing the Heat in a comfortable 3-1 lead.

Before Jimmy “Buckets” checked into the game in the fourth, the Bucks were confidently up 98-87. As the Miami Heat were slowly catching up with contributions from Caleb Martin and Butler, the change of momentum and sudden pressure on the Bucks was almost palpable at Kaseya Center. Fans erupted and the atmosphere was electric as the Heat

hit back-to-back-to-back shots with no response from the rivals. There was clearly no coming back for former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Butler led the 29-11 run with 18 points and sealed the game with a dazzling step-back shot over Jrue Holiday, promptly announcing “THIS IS MY CITY” multiple times to the crowd.

Butler’s 56-point performance on 67 percent shooting was the fourth-highest scoring performance in NBA playoff history, solidifying him as one of the most clutch performers of the modern NBA. This year, fans have the chance to watch Butler once again put up historic stats and possibly carry the Heat to their second NBA Finals in three years.

NHL

Puck-er Up: Hockey’s Back

By DUNCAN PARK, KAEDEN RUPAREL, and KHUSH WADHWA

Historic comebacks. Riveting overtimes. Impossible upsets. The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs have arrived with a bang. If the intense wild card races that closed the season didn’t give it away, the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs is shaping up to be among the most competitive playoffs in recent memory.

While hockey has always been known for its playoff excitement––the intensity and physicality reach new levels, and the sport’s inherent unpredictability leads to upsets each year––this year has delivered something special. Fans have been treated to unending action in eight enthralling series, with superstars coming to play and whistles being put away. The games have begun, and we are ready.

As the first round comes to a close, let’s look at who remains and who is going home.

Colorado Avalanche (C1) vs. Seattle Kraken (WC1)

Like their predecessors from Vegas, the Seattle Kraken appeared in the playoffs earlier than any expansion franchise. Pitted against last year’s champions, most assumed the series would be a sweep for the Colorado Avalanche. Though they lost key pieces including left winger Gabriel Landeskog and right winger Valeri Nichushkin through the series, the Avs had history on their side. But the Kraken toed the line, taking the Avalanche to seven by scoring first in every game in the series. Heroics from winger Oliver Bjorkstrand and show-stopping play from goaltender Philipp Grubauer sent the Avalanche packing. Though Game 7 had a close scoreline, the Kraken were always a step ahead, and a silent Ball Arena witnessed this young crew head to the second round for the first time in franchise history.

Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Minnesota Wild (C3)

If you want to win the Cup, you have to kill penalties, and the Minnesota Wild failed to do so. They fell in six to the Dallas Stars, allowing nine goals across 24 power plays. Though center Joel Eriksson Ek suited up to play 19 seconds with a broken leg in Game 3, his absence greatly hurt the Wild’s performance. But that’s not to discredit the stars of the Stars, who played brilliantly throughout the series. Stalwart defensive play from Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen and unexpected heroics from center Roope Hintz––who stimulated the Stars offense with twelve points––pushed the Stars over the top. However, this series was won on the back of superstar goaltender Jake Oettinger, whose impressive six-period long shutout streak allowed the Stars to easily cruise past a defeated Wild team.

Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Winnipeg Jets (WC2)

This matchup was pretty much as expected: the Winnipeg Jets got hammered, former second overall pick Jack Eichel got his first postseason goal, and the Vegas Golden Knights moved

on to Round 2. The Knights won this series in five games and were rewarded with six days of muchneeded rest. The Knights had a stellar season, picking up 111 points en route to the top seed in the conference. On the other hand, the Jets barely scraped by, tumbling at the end of the season to land in the second wildcard spot. There wasn’t much to this series, though there was a double-overtime thriller in Game 3 that drew much attention. The Knights will be ready for anything in Round 2, while the Jets will be disappointed in their lackluster performance.

Edmonton Oilers (P2) vs. Los Angeles Kings (P3)

When you have two of the best players in the world––Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl––it’s hard not to win games––at least if your goalie’s stick doesn’t break. In the rematch of last year’s clash that went the distance, the Edmonton Oilers lay victory once again,

point.

Nevertheless, with under a minute to go in Game 7, the Panthers found a way to send the game to overtime thanks to a Brandon Montour slapshot from the hash marks. Then, with 11:25 remaining in the first period of overtime, Carter Verhaeghe ripped one top-shelf on goaltender Jeremy Swayman, sending the Bruins packing and doing what many thought to be impossible just a few weeks before. Swayman wasn’t supposed to be in that situation, filling in for a dreadful Linus Ullmark in Game 6 that shipped seven goals in a 7-5 loss.

It’s hard to put into words how incredible this achievement was from the Panthers, so it’s best to let the statistics do the talking. The Panthers trailed 3-1 in a best-of-seven series, but then went on to win the next three do-or-die games. The Bruins had the best regular season goaldifferential with +128, far above the second-placed team that had

since 2004. This series came down to who wanted it––needed it––most, and that was the Toronto Maple Leafs. Their superstars, who management had believed in from the beginning, came through––Mitch Marner shined with 11 points, while Auston Matthews notched five goals. However, shrewd deadline acquisitions by general manager Kyle Dubas proved invaluable in this series, adding an element of heart to the team that had previously been lacking. With that said, this series would not have been won without Ilya Samsonov, who outplayed his countryman Andrei Vasilevskiy, often regarded as the best goalie come the playoffs.

In a series that delivered riveting comebacks and unending action, the Maple Leafs have finally emerged victorious, riding on the back of their unwavering belief.

Carolina Hurricanes (M1) vs. New York Islanders (WC1)

Since the beginning of the season, the Carolina Hurricanes have been a force to be reckoned with. Their system-first approach has worked beautifully, as general manager Don Waddell has crafted his team to perfectly align with coach Rod Brind’Amour’s approach to the game.

New Jersey Devils (M2) vs. New York Rangers (M3)

This year’s New York Rangers probably could have gone the distance. But before them stood a New Jersey Devils team which, like the 1994-1995 Devils, were a young, up-and-coming squad with much to prove. The Rangers mocked the Devils in the first two games of the series, taking both games at “The Rock” by identical 5-1 scores, powered by clutch performances from goaltender Igor Shesterkin and winger Chris Kreider. But in a pair of scrappy games at Madison Square Garden, the Devils leveled the series with two tight wins to head home with the momentum in hand. And then in Game 5, the Rangers fell silent to Devils winger Erik Haula. Goaltender Akira Schmid only had to make 23 saves, while his Devils put 43 shots and four goals on the Rangers, forcing a must-win at the Garden.

this time defeating the Los Angeles Kings in six games. In what was predicted to be a very even matchup, the Oilers were a goalscoring machine, producing a league-best 325 goals in the regular season, while the Kings were more of a well-rounded team throughout the season.

While McDavid’s contributions were obviously notable––three goals and seven assists in the series––it was Draisaitl that shone brighter throughout, popping in seven goals and dishing four assists. The Oilers would have probably steamrolled the Kings had it not been for some shady goaltending from rookie Stuart Skinner. With a save percentage of .890 and a goals against average of 3.43, it was evident that Skinner struggled in his first playoff series. That being said, the Kings didn’t have much firepower, with stars Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala mustering seven and six points, respectively.

It’s easy to see that this series is becoming a classic, with star forwards and top-tier defensemen lining the sides of both teams. The Oilers are preparing to face the Knights in Round 2, while the Kings will look to strengthen their roster for next year’s almost-certain rematch.

Boston Bruins (A1) vs. Florida Panthers (WC2) This didn’t go to script, did it? The question coming into this series wasn’t if the Boston Bruins would win, but more when they would win. The Bruins came into this match as heavy favorites, breaking the NHL single-season points record and win record, and winning the Presidents Trophy, given to the team with the most points in the regular season. The Florida Panthers, on the other hand, were the huge underdogs, hanging on to the last wildcard spot by a mere one

a mere +67. The Bruins even had home-ice advantage, though that is something that has let teams down this playoffs. The insanity of this achievement can go on forever. This series exemplified why fans love hockey: it’s fast, it’s thrilling, and there’s never such a thing as an underdog in playoff hockey.

Toronto Maple Leafs (A2) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (A3)

Among all the series in the playoffs, none had higher stakes than this one. The Toronto Maple Leafs entered desperate for a taste of playoff success after six straight heartbreaking firstround losses. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning sought to extend possibly the most dominant dynasty in NHL history. Since practically December, fans have been anticipating this heated rematch from last year, where the Lightning emerged victorious in Game 7. Before the puck even dropped, this series was set to be must-watch television.

Each team established their offensive prowess by trading seven-goal feats in the first two games, but both sides brought their best to the remainder of the series. Miraculous comebacks led by Toronto’s top players in both Game 3 and Game 4 saw the Maple Leafs take a 3-1 series lead back home. Though Tampa Bay’s playoff experience allowed them to hang on for a Game 6, the Lightning were outmatched by Toronto’s skill, desperation, and belief.

The Maple Leafs entered Game 6 determined to get the monkey off their back––and, with the help of Auston Matthews and an overtime winner by captain John Tavares, they were able to do so. After years of heartbreak for Maple Leafs fans, they had finally advanced to the second round for the first time

However, amid their best season yet, Carolina soon found themselves riddled with injuries. Max Pacioretty was unable to return from an injury sustained last season, and superstar winger Andrei Svechnikov was ruled out for the playoffs with a torn ACL. Soon into the playoffs, the Hurricanes lost another key forward in Tuevo Teravainen and were left without three of their best forwards.

Meanwhile, the New York Islanders, who have historically struggled offensively, caught arguably the biggest fish in the market in center Bo Horvat. Immediately, Horvat developed chemistry with star forward Mat Barzal, giving many fans hope that the duo would carry their dominance into the playoffs. Both players went ice-cold in the playoffs, each delivering a paltry two points in six games, as the Islanders looked offensively depleted during the series. Unfortunately, New York left Vezinacandidate Ilya Sorokin hanging, but the Russian goaltender still managed to put up a .929 save percentage and a 5.39 GSAx––single-handedly keeping the Islanders in the series.

The Islanders’ shutdown approach stifled the Hurricanes in Games 3 and 5, but the Hurricanes showed that they were still a force to be reckoned with. Carolina center Sebastian Aho silenced any doubt that he was a legitimate superstar, as he put the Hurricanes on his back, driving their offense throughout the series. The Hurricanes’ teamfirst approach allowed them to fill the spots vacated by injuries, and they won crucial games on the backs of clutch goals from depth players like Jesper Fast, Stefan Noesen, and Paul Stastny. The Hurricanes simply outpowered the Islanders in a series that, without Ilya Sorokin, would’ve been over in four games.

At the end of the day, goals win games. The Hurricanes got goals; the Islanders did not.

Yet after Game 6 at the Garden, everything seemed to return to the Rangers, with winger Barclay Goodrow, center Mika Zibanejad, and defenseman Braden Schneider snapping goal streaks to send the series to a deciding Game 7 at the Rock. But in Game 7, Schmid stole the show, once again halting a lethargic Rangers attack as the Devils cruised to their first playoff series win since 2012.

However, for these Devils to survive the second round, they need to find consistency, especially in the net and on the attack. The Rangers were relatively successful in suppressing star forward Jack Hughes, and a dedicated defense awaits him in Carolina. But should these young Devils find discipline and consistency, they could be a dark horse to watch for the rest of the playoffs.

As the climax of hockey nears, these playoffs are set to become even more exciting. Each of the remaining teams is chasing history––most teams have not won the Cup in over 15 years, and some are still searching for their first. If the first round wasn’t compelling enough, the second round is shaping up to be even better.

In the West, the Kraken will seek to surpass history once set by the Golden Knights, while the Stars hope to give their veterans one last shot at glory. The Oilers will hope that their superstars can propel them past the Golden Knights, who are searching for revenge after recent down years.

In the East, the Maple Leafs will hope their good fortune and belief can bring Lord Stanley home for the first time in over 50 years, while the Panthers seek to continue the ever-exciting underdog story. Meanwhile, the Devils and Hurricanes, the two Metropolitan division powerhouses, will meet in a fast-paced, actionfilled series that will test either team’s skill, stamina, and resolve.

Eight worthy candidates, but only one will remain standing. From here onward, the competition will only get stiffer, and the stakes will only get higher. Gear up, hockey fans, as we get one step closer to crowning a new champion.

Eight worthy candidates, but only one will remain standing. From here onward, the competition will only get stiffer, and the stakes will only get higher.

Bad Blood Between Born Rivals

By ANAS AHMED

A rivalry years in the making: two middleweights who’ve made their way to the UFC spotlight, toured the world as young kickboxers, and are now competing at the championship level. Israel “The Last Stylebender,” Adesanya and Alex “Poatan,” Pereira have shared the ring a total of four times, in two different sports. Despite their rivalry being in the limelight at UFC 287, the bad blood between the two had been brewing for over seven years, with no love lost between the two after each of their four fights.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Adesanya moved to Rotorua, New Zealand at the age of 12 and later to Auckland, New Zealand at the age of 21. He would later become the best kickboxer and mixed martial artist Auckland had ever seen. Growing up, he had always been a fan of anime and martial arts, which led him to pursue combat sports and eventually become a 75-4 professional kickboxer. Accumulating such a record took blood, sweat, and tears from Adesanya, a commitment that most of his competitors were unwilling to match in order to defeat him: enter Alex “Poatan” Pereira.

Raised in the favelas of São Paulo, Brazil, Pereira was forced to drop out of school and start working in a local tire shop at the age of 12. By 13, he was a struggling alcoholic hoping that one day, he could afford a motorcycle. In 2009, he began kickboxing to help fight his addiction. By 2016, he established himself as one of Brazil’s most prominent kickboxers, a rank that would grant him the opportunity to fight Adesanya at the Glory of Heroes 1 event in Shenzhen, China. Here, the two middleweights would meet in what would be the beginning of one of the most intense rivalries in MMA history.

Soccer

By SOHAM MUKHERJEE, DUNCAN PARK, and JACK CAO

We’re back with The Spectator’s coverage of the UEFA Champions League, where we’ll break down both semi-final ties and give our predictions for them!

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City

The old guard versus the new guard. History made versus history yet to be found. Manchester City take on Real Madrid in a rematch of last year’s Champions League semifinal. In last year’s edition, City appeared to be heading to Paris, leading 5-3 on aggregate in the second leg until the 90th minute. Rodrygo then turned the tie on its head, scoring two goals in quick succession and forcing extra time. Karim Benzema coolly stepped up and slotted home a penalty to send Madrid to the final. This time around, City will be looking to get revenge for last year’s collapse and move one step closer to securing the club’s first Champions League trophy.

There are so many storylines coming into this tie from City’s perspective, the main one being the rise of Erling Haaland. The Norwegian leads UCL scoring charts with 12 goals and has scored a UCL-record five goals in one match against RB Leipzig in the round of 16. City have developed a reputation for ca-

April 2, 2016: Glory of Heroes 1

In a fight that would spark their heated rivalry, Adesanya and Pereira put on a show at Glory of Heroes 1 in China. Though Adesanya statistically outstruck Pereira, “Poatan,” landed the more accurate shots, followed up with brutal combinations. Ultimately, his pummeling of “The Last Stylebender” led to a unanimous decision for the Brazilian fighter. With the result being seen as a “robbery” by many kickboxing experts and fans, a rematch was set for Glory of Heroes 7, in Pereira’s hometown, São Paulo, Brazil. Adesanya would have an opportunity to redeem himself, but not without Pereira trying to deny him.

March 4, 2017: Glory of Heroes

7 Almost a year removed from their first fight, Adesanya and Pereira faced off again at Glory of Heroes 7 in Brazil. With a hometown advantage, Pereira looked to end Adesanya’s kickboxing career, not leaving it in the hands of the judges. On the opposing side, the Nigerian fighter desired a win to tie up the rivalry, hoping to end his kickboxing career on a good note, with a future in MMA ahead of him. Unfortunately for Adesanya, Pereira came back even stronger than before, with his combos holding more weight than they did in China. After knocking out Adesanya in the third round, Pereira celebrated his victory, taunting his opponent in the process. With their kickboxing rivalry coming to an end, Adesanya took this as a sign to move on to MMA, with Pereira continuing to dominate in kickboxing—but was this truly the end of their rivalry?

November 12, 2022: UFC 281

Shortly after their second kickboxing fight, Adesanya and Pereira went their separate ways, with Adesanya taking up MMA in the UFC. Establishing himself

as one of the UFC’s top middleweight contenders by beating fighters such as Anderson Silva and Kelvin Gastelum, “The Last Stylebender” got his first title shot in late 2019, where he would fight Robert Whittaker in a unification bout to unify the interim belt and the middleweight title. Putting on a clinic through two rounds, Adesanya knocked Whittaker out cold, crowning himself the king of the middleweight division. He would then go on to defend his belt five times, taking down formidable opponents, with his best performances coming against fighters such as Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, and Jared Cannonier.

A common criticism of Adesanya throughout his title run was that he would always fight for points, winning rounds over a prolonged period of time instead of aiming for knockouts. Fans wanted to see the side of Adesanya which he had entered the UFC, but no fighter seemed to bring that out of him; then came Pereira. Pereira (61), who had just started off in the UFC, was given a title shot after just three fights, an opportunity he couldn’t miss out on. Adesanya (23-1), taking offense to this decision, took shots at Pereira, calling him out for being below his level at this point in their careers. “At the end of the day, no one knows who the [EXPLETIVE] he is, and he’s going to be that guy when I’m a world champion, when I’m a legend, he’s going to be at some pub talking some [EXPLETIVE] about, ‘I beat that guy one time,” Adesanya said. Not tolerating this level of disrespect, Pereira trained hard to take down Adesanya, which he once again had the opportunity to do.

In the weeks leading up to the fight, Adesanya was seen as a -230 betting favorite, while Pereira came in as a +190 underdog. Through heated press conferences, many could sense the tension between the two, and it appeared

that the betting odds would not encompass the bad blood between both middleweights. Come fight night in Madison Square Garden, with one of the greatest fight cards of all time, fans couldn’t wait for the main event of UFC 281. Fighting strategically, as he usually does, Adesanya was winning the fight through the first four rounds, but in the final round, Pereira unleashed his brutal combinations and punch power, something that had caught the champion off guard back in their kickboxing days. Seeing Adesanya struggle for once, the crowd erupted; with five minutes left before Adesanya would defend his belt for a sixth time, Pereira unloaded punches, with his shots hitting home, resulting in a TKO victory for the “Poatan.” With Adesanya’s reign over the UFC now coming to an end, the “PerERA,” would begin, leaving fans shocked as the middleweight king had finally been taken down. The rivalry, thoroughly dominated by Pereira, appeared to be over, but a rematch was in sight. Did Adesanya finally find his kryptonite in the UFC?

April 8, 2023: UFC 287

Entering as the challenger for the first time in a long time, Adesanya had much to prove to all his critics and fight fans around the world. Pereira’s “stone hands” proved to be too deadly for Adesanya in their previous fights, and with an 0-3 record against Pereira, Adesanya had the whole fighting world against him. “This is my Eminem moment, my ‘8 Mile’ moment. You get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow, this opportunity comes once in a lifetime, and this is it. This is it for me,” Adesanya said. With their last few press conferences, many words had been said, but the media run for UFC 287 was filled with too much tension, making words futile in the matter. The bad blood between the two fighters would

UCL Semi-Finals Preview

pitulating in big knockout matches, but with Haaland’s prolific form, they may finally add the elusive UCL to their impressive accolades. The semi-final will also be a decisive moment for City Coach Pep Guardiola, whose legacy has become tarnished after his failure to replicate his European success with Barcelona in Manchester and Munich.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid will be chasing down their 15th Champions League title to cement their status as European royalty. As defending champions, Los Blancos have history on their side and have also demonstrated the character to win crucial games. Though not playing up to par domestically, they still have a deep squad with superstars galore.

With Ballon d’Or winner Benzema and speedy winger Vinicius Jr. in the attack, Croatian veteran Luka Modrić manning the midfield, and Yashin Trophy winner Thibaut Courtois in net, this Madrid side is filled to the brim with talent.

Clear all plans on May 9 and May 17; this matchup is a mustwatch. The individual battles across the pitch, as well as the tactical one between Guardiola and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, will make this a competitive battle throughout.

AC Milan vs. Inter Milan

The Milan Derby, a historic fixture that shakes the Serie A landscape every season, is here to de-

light the Champions League. The head-to-head record is on Inter’s side, as they have triumphed 87 times out of the last 235 meetings between the two, while AC Milan have a slightly lesser 79 derby victories. However, history has one thing to say about this matchup: expect the unexpected.

Inter Milan’s 5-3 dismantling of Portuguese side Benfica in the quarter-finals was quite commendable. Their midfield overpowered that of Benfica’s, and their counterattacking system worked wonderfully against the Portuguese defense. However, Inter have disappointed domestically, having only won one of their last five games in Serie A. The team’s league woes are shown in the league table, standing in sixth place and thus reducing the likelihood of their return to the Champions League next year. Whether their shaky form will translate into a poor performance against AC Milan is yet to be seen. Inter will be relying on Lautaro Martinez up top, whose goal won them their last match against AC Milan, as well as a confident showing from their midfield maestro Nicolò Barella.

That being said, AC Milan aren’t faring much better than Inter in Italy. Sitting just above Inter in fifth place by two points, they are essentially in the same boat as the Nerazzurri. However, AC Milan’s form has been much better than Inter’s.

once again boil, leaving the fight to decide who was truly the best middleweight fighter in the world. With a sold-out Kaseya Center in Miami awaiting them, Adesanya and Pereira were ready to put on a show, as they had always done in their previous three fights against each other. After a good first round for “The Last Stylebender,” fans were ready to see “Poatan,” take over the fight, showcasing his knockout power in the coming rounds. To everyone watching from Miami and to fight fans across the world, the second round came as a huge shock. Adesanya had done what no one thought he could: knock out Pereira. As Adesanya was backed into the corner, like he was in their last fight, he decided not to duck away this time, but to counter Pereira’s punches, delivering two straight overhands, an uppercut, and a hammer fist to put Pereira to sleep. Using his opponent’s walkout ritual as a celebration, Adesanya celebrated with the might of a king, as he returned to the top of the middleweight division. Despite taunting Pereira’s son after the fight, Adesanya showed respect to the former champion in their interaction backstage after the fight, showing fans how a true champion makes his return. With their rivalry coming to an end and Pereira eyeing a light heavyweight debut, fans could only imagine what Adesanya has left to prove in the middleweight division. Hopefully, the two cross paths again, in what fans hope could be a double-champion title fight for Adesanya within the next few years. As this story of Adesanya vs. Pereira comes to an end, the next chapter seems to be right around the corner. Until then, the two fighters and the fight world will remember the bad blood between the best middleweights in the world and how it shaped kickboxing and UFC history.

After defeating Serie A leaders Napoli resoundingly in a 4-0 victory earlier this month, the Rossoneri followed up with a 2-1 aggregate victory over the Neapolitans in their quarter-final fixtures. Portuguese winger Rafael Leão has been sensational recently, and Inter Milan will certainly be hoping that he isn’t playing at his best on matchday. With a well-rounded squad boasting both breadth and depth, as well as the perfect mix of experience and young talent on the team, AC Milan have a lot to offer and will be aiming for their eighth Champions League title.

This tie has a different feel to it due to the rich history in the stadium, teams, and competition. The San Siro––the stadium for both legs, as both teams use it as their home stadium––will be buzzing for the full 90 in both legs. AC Milan versus Inter Milan in the UCL semis will be one for the ages.

Writer’s Predictions:

Duncan: Manchester City tie the first leg 0-0 in a snoozefest of a first leg at the Bernabéu. In the return leg, City’s home advantage helps them pull through to the knockouts with a 1-0 victory. As for the Milan derby, it’s hard to say, but I’ll pick AC Milan simply because of their quality across the pitch. Inter isn’t the strongest in my book, and AC Milan have such a strong legacy

in the UCL. The first leg will be a 1-1 nail-biter, and the second will have AC Milan punch their ticket to Istanbul 2-1 on aggregate.

Soham: Madrid will win the first leg 1-0 at home, but City will win the reverse fixture 3-0 at the Etihad, sealing a 3-1 aggregate victory in favor of the English side. On the other hand, AC Milan will win the first leg 2-0 at home and follow it up with another 1-0 victory in the second leg, sealing the tie 3-0 in favor of the Rossoneri.

Jack: Manchester City and Real Madrid will draw 1-1 in the first leg, but the Mancunians will come out victorious in the second leg by winning 1-0 and advance to the final. On the other side of the bracket, AC Milan will win the first leg of their semi-final matchup against rival Inter 1-0. In the second leg, however, Inter Milan will score a goal to tie the semifinal on aggregate. Then, the game will advance to extra time, where the Nerazzurri will score again to advance to the final, 2-1.

With numerous storylines to be told and stars to be born, the Champions League is serving up another classic this year. The world awaits, as these four gargantuan teams face off for a trip to Istanbul.

NBA

The NBA Playoffs: Looking Forward for New York Sports

By JOHN JAY WANG and ARSHAN PERVEZ

After years of disappointing performances from New York basketball teams, playoff basketball is back in the Big Apple. After 82 games, both New York teams have had impressive seasons, as the New York Knicks finished with the fourth seed and the Brooklyn Nets finished with the sixth seed. Playing the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Philadelphia 76ers, respectively, the Knicks and Nets look towards the playoffs, each presented with difficult matchups and significant challenges to overcome.

New York Knicks

Following missing the playoffs last season, the New York Knicks have bounced back to the fifth seed, finishing with a 47-35 record. Their first-round matchup against the fourth seed Cleveland Cavaliers has provided them with a competitive battle. Despite Cleveland being the higher seed, the series had been expected to be a tossup between the teams, as both were lauded throughout the season for their defense and offensive firepower, primarily from Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson and Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. While there is a lot for the Knicks to celebrate with their series win in five games, there are still key issues that cannot be overlooked. The road to the NBA championship will only become more difficult with teams such as the Miami Heat facing them in future rounds, so the Knicks need to capitalize on the momentum they have now.

The Knicks started off the series showcasing Coach Tom Thibodeau’s signature hustleheavy style of play as they outrebounded the Cavaliers 51-38, of which 17 of the Knicks’ were offensive rebounds––enabling continuous second-chance opportunities. This rebound dominance proved crucial near the end of the game, when Knicks point guard Brunson missed a fading midrange shot. Power forward Julius Randle hustled to grab the offensive rebound, forcing the Cavaliers to foul with mere seconds left, down 99-97. “You can’t say enough about the monster rebound Julius made at the end. That was a monster play,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. Thanks to the hustle plays and rebounding made throughout the game, the Knicks were able to secure the win in Game One, 101-97.

In Game Two, Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland led the team in scoring with 32 points on 47 percent from the field and 60 percent from the three-point line. “I watched the film from the first game and seeing some opportunities where I can go get mine and go be aggressive and that’s what I just tried to do,” Garland said. Garland took advantage of mismatches throughout the game, as he frequently called

for screens from Cavaliers bigs Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Garland often sped past the Knicks bigs switching onto him for open pull-up three-point shots. On defense, the Knicks often seemed unsure of who to guard, often double-teaming Mitchell or Garland as they attempted to shoot, leaving key shooters such as guard Caris LeVert open for three-pointers.

The Cavaliers shot 14-33 from three, with LeVert having 24 points off the bench. The Cavaliers, who led the league in defensive rating this season, were able to hold the Knicks to just 36.7 percent from the field and 24.1 percent from three. The lack of coordination on defense by the Knicks and stifling defense by the Cavaliers led the Cavaliers to close Game Two with a 107-90 win.

The Knicks, back home in Madison Square Garden, made full use of home-court advantage. Knicks shooting guard RJ Barrett came alive in this game with 19 points, including three key three-pointers. Barrett, who had been in a slump for the past two games, focused more on his shot selection. Throughout the game, Randle recognized his struggles from the field, and drove to the paint, continuously leaving Barrett open for threes. The Knicks defense overwhelmed the Cavaliers, and Garland struggled this game, shooting 4-21 from the field and 1-7 from three. Garland, among other Cavaliers players, often attempted to get the Cavaliers bigs involved while they posted up in the paint, which the Knicks quickly realized and took advantage of, often double-teaming Allen and Mobley in the paint or intercepting passes for fastbreak layups and dunks. The Knicks executed their game plan perfectly, en route to a dominant 99-79 win.

Coming off their momentum from Game Three, the Knicks hoped to gain another win in Madison Square Garden before leaving for Cleveland. Similar to Game One, the Knicks’ primary strength was rebounding, where they were able to grab 17 offensive rebounds this game, with five players on the Knicks getting five or more rebounds this game. This was partly due to the energy of the Knicks’ bench led by younger players such as forward Obi Toppin. Coach Thibodeau, who noticed the lackluster energy both on offense and defense from Randle in the third quarter, benched him in favor of Toppin, who immediately came into the game determined to make an impact. Toppin’s high vertical and athleticism allowed him to steal rebounds from the fatigued Cavaliers bigs and set himself open for corner threepointers and even an alley-oop from veteran point guard Derrick Rose. “Our rebounding today was big…I was a lot more physical today,” Toppin said. The Cavaliers defense of blitzing Brunson also was stifled by RJ Barrett’s willingness to attack at the rim, leading to posses-

sions where the double teaming of Brunson would lead to open lanes for Barrett to drive for layups. Barrett, who ended the game with 26 points, as well as other players’ contributions on both ends of the court led to a Knicks win, 102-93.

In a decisive Game Five, the Knicks made sure to prevent a repeat of Game Two in Cleveland. Despite Randle suffering a left ankle injury that forced him to miss the second half, the rest of the Knicks more than made up for his absence. Once again, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson and guard Josh Hart dominated the glass, combining for 30 rebounds. Throughout the game, the Knicks bigs proved to be threats on both sides of the court. Whether it was via putback dunks, alley-oop dunks, blocks, or rebounds, Robinson and Knicks backup center Isaiah Hartenstein forced the Cavaliers defense to gravitate toward them, giving guards Jalen Brunson and Immanuel Quickley open lanes to drive or shoot. Due to as dominant a performance as the Knicks have produced thus far, they were able to close out the series in Game Five 106-95.

Brooklyn Nets

After starting the season with a 27-13 record, highlighted by a 12-game winning streak, it seemed that Nets’ fans would get to watch superstars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant play a whole season together. However, Durant would go down with an MCL injury, forcing him to miss many games, and soon after that, Irving would request a trade. After Irving’s blockbuster trade, Durant’s request for a trade followed. Led by a new face of young talent, featuring Mikal Bridges, Nic Claxton, Cam Thomas, and Ben Simmons, the team would finish with a 45-37 record, good enough for the sixth seed in the East that pitted them against the Philadelphia 76ers. Led by a team of MVP candidate Joel Embiid, guard James Harden, and forward Tobias Harris, the matchup was always going to be difficult for the young, inexperienced Nets.

The 76ers started the series with a 121-101 win that saw them take full advantage of the Nets’ inexperience. The 76ers were able to capitalize on the 19 turnovers that the Nets committed––while forcing 14 steals–– and were able to maintain a lead for the entirety of the game. The Sixers would also out-rebound the Nets, leading to more second-chance baskets, a trend that would continue for the entirety of the series. Despite an incredible 30-point- performance from Bridges, the rest of the team struggled offensively. Harden’s 23 point, 13 assist double-double, as well as Embiid’s 26 point game, proved to be too much for the Nets to handle in Game One.

The next game was no different, as the 76ers won again, 96-84. Led by Cameron Johnson’s 28 points and five three-

pointers made, the Nets outscored the Sixers in the first half. To close off the first half, Johnson drove down the right side of the court, and confronted Embiid at the rim with a posterizing dunk, leaving the 76ers home crowd in disbelief. “I don’t remember getting dunked on,” Embiid said after the game. However, Embiid would get back at Johnson. In the fourth quarter, Johnson attempted to finish a drive on Harden, but Embiid disallowed him with a monstrous block, shifting the momentum to favor the Sixers––and the Nets were never able to recover. Twenty point double-doubles from both Embiid and Harris, compounded by Tyrese Maxey’s 33 points, simply overpowered the Nets.

Game three took the series back to Brooklyn, and the Nets’ playoff home opener featured technical fouls and ejections galore, en route to an eventual 102-97 loss. Less than three minutes into the game, Claxton finished an alley-oop, sending Embiid to the floor. Claxton, trying to step over Embiid, was kicked in the groin, sending him to the floor as well. The altercation resulted in a level one flagrant foul on Embiid as well as a technical foul on Claxton. In a separate play in the third quarter, Harden attempted a step-back move on Royce O’Neale, but ended up elbowing O’Neale in the groin––resulting in a level two flagrant foul on Harden, immediately ejecting him from the game. In the fourth quarter, Claxton would get his revenge on Embiid with a massive dunk over the Sixers’ MVP candidate. However, Claxton’s excessive celebration and taunting resulted in a second technical foul, ejecting Claxton from the game. Through all the altercations, Sixers guard Maxey was

able to shine again, dropping a team-high 25 points with five three-pointers and great efficiency. Bridges’s 26 points led the Nets, though he struggled with staying efficient, only making nine shots from the field in 26 shot attempts. The deciding factor of the game came back full circle to Embiid. With the Nets down by two with less than 10 seconds left, Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie drove the ball to the basket. However, he was met by Embiid who blocked the layup and would close out the victory for the Sixers.

After losing Embiid to injury in game three, the 76ers had to resort to their other key players. With 25 points and 12 rebounds, Sixers forward Harris led the way in lieu of their center’s absence. Even without their MVP candidate, the Sixers were able to out-rebound the Nets. For the Nets, the young players again struggled to stay efficient. Despite playing the most minutes on the team, underwhelming performances from both Bridges and Johnson would prove to be too much to make up for. The 76ers would close out the series with a four game sweep of the Nets, winning the final game 96-88.

The Knicks still have a long road ahead of them this playoffs, but there is one thing for certain: they won’t give up. Their hustle and grit throughout the series have brought them to this lead, and they must keep it up to beat this determined Cavaliers team. While the Nets may be eliminated from the 2023 playoffs, there are still bright spots to look forward to for the future, including the promising play from younger players such as Bridges and Johnson.

However, one thing remains clear: playoff basketball in New York is back, and it’s here to stay for years to come.

Girls’ Softball

Rise of the Renegades

By ANAS AHMED and TY ANANT

It’s post-spring break: seniors are finally done with the college process, pollen is getting on everyone’s nerves, and the sun is out again—spring is in full swing, and so is Stuyvesant’s girls’ varsity softball team, the Renegades. Currently, the Renegades are second in the Manhattan AA division, with a 5-3 record. Looking to clinch the division this year, they’ve been working extremely hard this season, starting off with a bang in their first couple of games.

Due to the fact that many seniors left the team after a successful 2021-2022 season, the Renegades’ chances this season were uncertain, especially after being moved up to the AA division. Despite an increase in competition, they’ve managed to put up some spectacular performances through seven games, proving they belong with the big

Boys’ Tennis

By CHRISTOPHER CHOE

The Hitmen, Stuyvesant’s boys’ varsity tennis team, reached the semi-finals last season in a run that broke the expectations of many, marking the first time they’d done so in a decade. However, this run came to an end with their 2-3 loss to Hunter College High School. This year, the Hitmen look to bounce back from their loss to lift the championship.

Coming into the season, the Hitmen had some weak spots to address. Primarily, the team had to create a strong new lineup and replace two key players who had graduated: former seniors James Ly (’22) and Aryaman Goenka (’22). After tough tryouts, new faces were picked to enhance the team. Of these new members, freshman Shangxing Chen caught the eyes of the team. His impressive receiving technique and stability on the court allowed him to take the third singles spot. With a mix of veterans, improved substitutes, and rookies, the Hitmen were ready to take on the season.

After honing their skills and developing chemistry, the Hitmen went into their first game against Eleanor Roosevelt High School ready. Their hard work and practice paid off as the team ended up victorious 4-1 with the winners of their matches giving the opponent less than five sets. However, their next game against the Frederick Douglass Academy Lions turned out to be the complete opposite. The Hitmen’s singles players were outclassed by the Lions. With the opponent delivering welltimed and challenging serves, the second singles match ended in a 2-10 loss. Despite the Lion’s solid lineup, the Hitmen played diligently, as both third singles and first doubles players played close games. Amidst all of the losses, the team’s second doubles players were victorious with a dominant win, giving the opponent only one set.

dogs. However, this was not the case before the season started, with a shaky preseason leading to even more uncertainty for the team. “Preseason began about a month before the season actually started, but opening games are always a time for readjustment,” senior co-captain Marion Rambler said.

Nonetheless, the team won three of their first four games, setting the tone for the rest of the season. The team’s overall composure and performance in these preliminary matches has proven that any preseason expectations were to be exceeded throughout the season. “We hope to finish the season strong with a goal of ten wins and greatly look forward to attending playoffs again,” senior co-captain Jovana Simic said.

This newfound success for the Renegades did not come without hard work; in fact, many games have been won due to the amount of effort the whole team

has put in and, specifically, by some of the team’s underclassmen. Particularly, sophomore pitchers Ava Maddox and Char-

combined six innings, striking out three batters in that time. Additionally, co-captains Venus Wan, Rambler, and Simic have

lotte Sternbach have been pitching consistently all season and have stepped up when the Renegades have needed them this season. In a home game against New Dorp on April 3, they pitched a

led by example on and off the field. They combined for eight of the team’s 19 runs and four of nine RBIs on April 19 at Beacon. Despite the contributions the seniors have made to the team’s

The Hitmen Are Ready for the Playoffs

Regardless of the 1-4 loss, the Hitmen didn’t give up, and they went into the next game against High School of American Studies with a positive mindset. Stuyvesant swept them 5-0, holding the opponent to a mere three sets. However, the obstacles facing the team began to pile up.

The team encountered early injury issues, including their first singles player, sophomore Stanley Hoo, suffering a left wrist injury. This injury prevented him from hitting a two-handed backhand, proving detrimental to his performance. Due to this, the team was forced to make a major switch in the lineup. “He basically turns first singles into a guaranteed loss, into a guaranteed win, or a likely win,” senior and co-captain Alexander Hagiu said when asked about Hoo’s contribution. Without Hoo’s practically guaranteed win in the first singles match for the team, the Hitmen would have to find a different way to remain competitive. However, substitute players freshman Jed Sloan and Maxim Peker both earned their spots in the lineup, showing more consistency and stability on the court. Though they didn’t make the same impact Hoo made, they still persevered and played with all they had, keeping the team competitive in advance of a highly anticipated meeting with Beacon High School.

In addition, the team found themselves battling scheduling issues early on. In a sport like tennis, where the team needs a tennis court to play, there are many difficulties finding and booking courts, which can lead to many postponed games.

“We’re having a lot of scheduling problems, so a lot of people can’t make the matches,” Hagiu said. For example, in a match against Beacon, which was supposed to have been riveting, not many players showed up, forcing a lineup change. In the end, Chen had to play both first and

third singles, losing both along the way. Though this game seemed like a complete wipeout, both of the Hitmen’s doubles teams were victorious, ending the game in a 2-3 loss. This game showed the potential of the doubles teams to change the outlook of a game, even against a top team like Beacon.

Despite the loss, the team fixed their eyes on the next game against the Bronx Science Wolverines. With some of the starters not able to come to the game, the team had to quickly reconfigure their starting lineup. The Hitmen had a shaky start as their first singles player, Sloan, who was filling in for the injured Hoo, lost his game 2-8. The outlook began to improve as the Hitmen’s second singles player, Chen, started dominating the game, leading 2-0. However, this quickly changed when the Wolverines gained momentum, finishing in a 6-8 loss for the Hitmen. After the demoralizing loss, though, senior Angier Lei won the third singles match to keep the game within reach, finishing the singles sets trailing 1-2.

While the lineup was a bit different than before, the players went into the game with hope and confidence to win the game against their first-placed rivals. Surprisingly, the Hitmen’s first doubles team, Alexander Hagiu and Nicholas Oh, won their match 8-6, even though it was their first time playing in an official match together. “Honestly, if I knew he was playing this good, I would’ve immediately chosen him as my doubles partner,” Hagiu said. The team has also gotten much stronger due to the improvement of new members, like Oh, from last year. “[Oh] went from being in exhibition matches to playing almost as good as me. He got so much better,” Hagiu said. With this important win, the game was now 2-2, and the fate of the game came down to the second doubles match. However, this

success, the Renegades’ success thus far was due to their collective team effort and the strong chemistry that characterizes the team. “Our team is well-rounded and reliable,” Wan said. With strong expectations for the rest of the season, the Renegades look forward to continuing their dominance in the PSAL AA division, something not many would have thought possible prior to the season. Additionally, as the season progresses, the team has only been getting better, with the seniors laying the groundwork for the up-and-coming stars of the show. “As captains, we hope to leave the team with a solid foundation to continue winning AA games,” Rambler said. Their story of overcoming the odds and exceeding expectations tells a tale of perseverance and dedication to the sport of softball. This leaves us with the question: what can’t the Renegades achieve when they put in the effort?

lineup wasn’t as dominant, and the Hitmen ended up losing rather anticlimactically—2-3 in the overall score.

Despite the loss, the team still showed their chemistry and teamwork throughout the game. “Something I love about the team is the team chemistry,” junior and co-captain Prescott Jain said. “The long train rides to the Bronx are a great way for us to know each other more.” The chemistry of this team is clear in the way they support and help one another in tough situations. This unity is what allows the team to bounce back from tough losses and maintain success.

In addition to their outstanding chemistry, the Hitmen also boast a fun but intense practice routine. “At the end of practices, we always play fun games like King of the Court and Wave to reward ourselves for

all the hard work we’ve done,” Jain said. While the players need intense training, the work-fun balance is critical, which is why the Hitmen have implemented a system where players can improve while enjoying the sport. This year, the Hitmen are ready to go beyond the wall that stopped them last year and reach the final and lift the championship. The team boasts a powerful squad with a good balance of both veterans and rookies along with lots of team chemistry, as they are determined to finally bring home the winning trophy. “We hope to achieve the same thing we achieved last season, making it all the way to semifinals, then to finals, and hopefully winning the whole thing,” Coach Marvin Autry said. With the team having all the potential to win the championship this year, the Hitmen are up to take on this challenge.

SPORTSBEAT

For the first time since 1994, all five of New York City’s indoor professional sports teams have qualified for their respective postseasons.

Aaron Rodgers leaves the Green Bay Packers to join the New York Jets as their starting quarterback.

Stuyvesant varsity baseball pitcher Iravan Bhattacharyya pitched a no-hitter in a 12-0 win against Cardozo High School.

The NFL draft took place in Kansas City, with notable picks including the Carolina Panthers’ selection of quarterback Bryce Young the Philadelphia Eagles’ selection of defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the Tennessee Titans’ selection of offensive lineman Peter Skoronski, and more.

Lamar Jackson signs a five-year, $260 million contract extension with the Baltimore Ravens, becoming the highest-paid player in NFL history.

Manchester City defeat Premier League leaders Arsenal 4-1, putting their fate in their own hands to clinch their third consecutive Premier League title.

The Toronto Maple Leafs ended a 19-year drought without a playoff series win after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 in the first round.

The New York Knicks defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers to win their first playoff series since the 2012-2013 NBA season, advancing to face the Miami Heat in the second round.

Courtesy of Softball Team

By KHUSH WADHWA, AVA QUARLES, KAEDEN RUPAREL, and DUNCAN PARK

In her four years at Stuyvesant, Arielle Aney left behind an incomparable legacy, reigniting the Stuyvesant’s girls’ varsity swim team, the Penguins, while leaving her mark on everyone she met. Arielle’s swimming dominance was matched only by her genuine, humble character, and her legacy at Stuyvesant will be forever cherished. Since her freshman year at Stuyvesant, Arielle swam competitively in the PSAL and as a member of the Y Flying Dolphins swim team at the 92nd Street Y. Under the wings of Penguins head coach Silvana Choy and YFD head coach Amine Boubsis, Arielle transformed into a star swimmer through her hard work and dedication. She won accolades for her PSAL and YFD performances and brought the Penguins––who were already a historically dominant team––to unprecedented heights. While Arielle was deservedly recognized for her countless achievements, she quickly attributed them to the team as a whole and will be remembered for the unique character she brought to Stuyvesant. She was an inspiration to her teammates, both in and out of the pool, for the unrelenting work ethic and perseverance she brought to every practice and meet. Even with her unparalleled success, Arielle remained incredibly modest and never failed to put her team first. The praise she received from coaches, teammates, and teachers alike extended far beyond the pool. Each recognized the humility and energy that characterized her as an incredible teammate. While undoubtedly an inspiration as a swimmer, her influence extended to all aspects of her life. Join us as we trace her footsteps in a journey that changed the world of Stuyvesant athletics forever. Arielle joined the team in her

Arielle Aney: More Than an Athlete

freshman year but had swam for many years prior, beginning her swimming career at the age of seven. Though moves to Singapore and Australia were a change of pace, swimming followed Arielle everywhere she went. “I swam everywhere I lived. It’s kind of nice that it’s such a universal sport,” Arielle said. Upon her return to New York in 2016, Arielle brought her craft to Stuyvesant. In a freshman year shortened by her club commitments, Arielle consistently finished second or third––in a pool of mostly seniors––in her meets. When Arielle re-joined the team in her sophomore year, she saw immediate success––ending her first full PSAL year by winning Rookie of the Year, her first of many accolades. Swimming for the Y Flying Dolphins always kept her busy, with Arielle competing in nine ranked meets in New York, New Jersey, and even a trip down to North Carolina. Through these meets, Arielle established her dominance, consistently being the Flying Dolphins’ best swimmer and in the top 10 across a variety of events. Though Arielle swam just as well in both national and high school level competitions, she had a strong preference for swimming alongside her fellow Penguins. “One of my favorite things about [high school] swimming is the team aspect. The best way to make sure a team gets better is to lift everyone up and make sure you’re all working [toward] the same goal. There’s something wonderful about that. I think it makes you work just a little bit harder,” Arielle said.

In her final year as a Penguin, Arielle shone as always, placing first in all but four races, the rest of which she placed second. She had numerous achievements that year, from winning Most Valuable Player in the PSAL for a second time, to winning the Francine Schnarr Memorial Award for Outstanding Senior Swimmer, to qualifying for New

York State Championships in the 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 100 freestyle, and 200 freestyle. The team as a whole performed exceptionally well, sending multiple swimmers with Arielle to state championships and winning the PSAL “A” Championship for the third time in a row. During her time as a studentathlete, Arielle sent shockwaves through the swimming and Stuyvesant worlds. Her grit and determination brought her a plethora of awards, but her impact was far more powerful than that. She cared deeply about the team that surrounded her, always staying after practice to help teammates perfect their strokes. She always took the last pick of the available races, choosing to fill whatever role the team needed most. She prioritized her team’s achieve-

ments over her own. Even with the burden of high expectations as both a swimmer and a student, she took those expectations in stride. Her incredible talent led her to be recruited by Carnegie Mellon University, and though her swim career was paused by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and her cancer diagnosis shortly after, Arielle competed until the last stroke. She was an emblem of student-athletes, one that balanced colossal academic workloads with sports practice and games. Arielle was one of us, but also all of us. Her story draws empathy from the thousands of student-athletes that have walked Stuyvesant’s halls. So as her journey concludes, we thank Arielle for gracing Stuyvesant as a swimmer, a student, and most importantly, a friend.

Awards/Achievements:

Francine Schnarr Memorial Award for Outstanding Senior Swimmer in the Public School Athletic League (2019-2020)

Rookie of the Year (2017-2018)

MVP (2018-2019, 2019-2020)

Qualified for NY State Championships (2017-2018, 20182019, 2019-2020)

PSAL “A” Champions (20172018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020)

Spectrum News NY1 Scholar Athlete (2020)

USA Swimming AAA Status for Freestyle

Recruited by Carnegie Mellon University for Swimming and Diving Team

Courtesy of Silvana Choy Courtesy of Damion Reid

Courtesy of Mike Haughton