Issue 4, Volume 108

Trapped

SPOOKYBEAT

By GABY UMANOVA and BENEDICT HO

A SOPHOMORE realized that they were a freshman just three months ago.

ADMINISTRATION doubled the capacThe

ity of the Wi-Fi network to 24 connections.

A SENIOR costumed up with an elite college’s sweatshirt.

Your only FRIEND has suddenly stopped complaining to you.

The SU has created 30 more fonts and emojis for their next newsletter.

When you awaken from your daily history class nap, you notice that things are a little off. Instead of waking up to the rush of students at the loud buzz of the end bell, there is a peculiar darkness and silence. You are alone. It is dark outside. The light above your head gives its last flicker and dies.

You haphazardly make your way out of the dark classroom using your phone flashlight. You feel an arm make a grab at the phone, and a voice whispers in your ear, “No phones in school hallways. ID please.” It is the late night ghost of Assistant Principal of Security, Health, and Physical Education, Brian Moran.

Mr. Moran snatches your phone, but you chase after him.

On the way down to the auditorium, you are suddenly caught within a stampede of students.

They look like zombies, with severely pronounced eye bags and sluggish movements. They are all wearing shirts with monsters on them—looking down, you find that you don one too. You see the procession of parents and children walking into the building; you lose sight of Mr. Moran in the crowd.

Mr. Moran suddenly taps your shoulder and blindly assigns you to a tour group. You start giving the group members the tour spiel.

Their faces are blank. One child is frothing at the mouth. Another’s parent is demanding a day-by-day recount of your entire Stuyvesant career. A little goblin is inquiring if he can participate in a swim meet and a debate tournament at the same time. By the time you finish your tour, the school is deserted.

Troll Living Under Tribeca Bridge Reemerges

By VED PATEL With backpacks that weigh several times their own weight, members of the class of 2021 stampede across the Tribeca Bridge every morning at 7:59 a.m. Multiple freshmen have also been witnessed attempting to roll suitcases full of textbooks down the bridge.

This extravagance by the freshman class normally ends by the end of October, but has yet to happen. As such, a mysterious figure appeared in front of the stairs to the bridge, barring all from entering on October 29.

This figure, who declared himself to be Lord Grendall Troll, claimed to live under the Tribeca Bridge.

“For decades, I have kept my silence but after the immense and prolonged ruckus caused by the incessant little munchkin devils, I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands,” Troll said. “To have to look over at Yeezys hanging over the roof of the bridge was abominable, but this was the final straw.”

Troll has imposed many limitations on the items allowed on

stuyspec.com

October 31, 2017

V o l u m e 1 0 8 N o . 4

the bridge. Any backpacks that cannot fit into a locker shall be immediately emptied and its contents thrown into the Hudson River. When questioned about the effects of large binders and five section notebooks on the ecosystem in the Hudson, Troll replied succintly: “Everything in that river is dead.”

Any textbooks found will be immediately donated to the Borough of Manhattan Community College. Furthermore, any student who brings a rolling backpack will be redirected to John F. Kennedy airport.

Backpack restrictions are just the tip of the iceberg on Troll’s new rules for bridge usage. He has imposed new restrictions on the elevator by limiting its usage to couples or soon-to-be couples.

Seniors have welcomed Troll, cheering him on for finally instituting well-needed changes for the bridge. They have pushed Troll to create divided walkways reserved for seniors, crossing tolls for underclassmen, and venue fees for freshman Student Union campaigns.

Exhausted, you readily accept that you will lose all of your Snapchat streaks. You start making your way out, only to be stopped by an oddly pale child. “Hellllllooo, can you pleaszszse show me the ssschool?” he asks in a creepy falsetto and latches onto your hand. A weird goo secretes from his hand onto you.

You are trapped.

You start the tour with the pool, thinking you could try to remove the suspicious goo from your Superstar sweatpants. The side door is unlocked, revealing dimmed lights and the stench of chlorine.

You hear a splash and feel water land by your feet, and when you reflexively turn around, the pale boy is not there anymore. You are relieved.

Running out of the pool, you hear a thunderous splash in the water that startles you. Slipping in a puddle, you fall into the pool. “Hello, fishy fishy,” the reemerged pale boy bellows.

This time you notice them: mermaids in the pool water. They have gray cracked scales with yellowing, crooked teeth and narrowed eyes.

You rush out of the pool with unprecedented speed.

As you reach the half floor, you notice a dozen robed figures chanting and slowly moving in a circle. A quick peek at the center reveals a plain cup of coffee surrounded by energy drinks.

You continue running up the stairs. On the second floor, you see

at

Stuy

super-seniors lounging around the senior bar. You quickly run past their ghostly callings that were tempting you to join them.

Running blindly up the West stairs, you find yourself on the

Catherine Joh/ The Spectator

fifth floor, in front of the teacher’s lounge. Pounding music and strobing lights pour out: the APs are throwing a rave. You see your guidance counselor and your favorite AP. “Thank god,” you sigh and run to them, hoping to find some answers. But they brush you off: “Program changes are… next

year. Come back later.”

Continuing on your journey back to the second floor, you find yourself on the third floor, where all the teachers have gathered to discuss their evil machinations.

The departments have created their ultimate weapon: a complete week of testing. The physical education department proposes a 97-minute racing examination on the same day as the biology department’s 20-page in-class essay on photosynthesis, and everyone enthusiastically votes in favor.

Now you really must escape. You dash down to the bridge exit, only to find that it is locked up. You resort to psychological tactics and rush into the library with some spoiled milk from the cafeteria. You grab as many textbooks as you can as the mummified librarians moan in horror.

“The Precalculus book gets it if you do not open the gate,” you declare. A horrified gasp reverberates.

“Now, if you all would let me out of this godforsaken school, I’ll leave the book in its previous disastrously-worn condition in the Chambers Street station. Understand?”

They all nod in agreement.

With fearful vigilance, you make your way to the safety of the station.

“God,” you breathe out, as the doors of the 2 train gently shut behind you, leaving the textbook on the other side. “What a nightmare.”

T e a c h e r H a l l o w e e n C o st u m e s

By ANGÉLIQUE CHARLES-DAVIS We have been anticipating this moment since November 1…of last year. But even though we’re hyped up on pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin flavored candles, and pumpkin flavored pencils, many of us are at a loss for how to dress up for Halloween. What we do know is that we are unnaturally attached to school.

It follows, then, that our Halloween costumes pay homage to the very subjects of our undying admiration and never-ending respect: teachers. Here is a Stuy student’s guide to dressing up as his or her absolute favorite people.

Ms. Dunkel:

The student is to enter school brandishing a loudspeaker, which is to be used to enthusiastically declare everything that he or she finds mildly interesting, ranging from Hammurabi’s code to the fact that saying ‘postulata’ three times quickly sounds really cool. At varying points throughout the day, the student is also to shamelessly break into song because he or she did— let us not forget—major in drama at LaGuardia. All of this is to be done from within the comfort of a large shawl.

Dr. Markova:

Aiming, essentially, for a sporty prison guard, the student should come prepared with a harsh accent designed to melt the soul, an ag-

gressively short haircut, and a whistle. The student’s main job is to be omnipresent and to scream “Dorsiflexion!” at unsuspecting students as they walk down the hall.

do and non-confrontational khakis.

Throughout the day, the student is to somehow inject strong profanity into describing spinning harddrives.

Mr. Sterr:

Ms. Hill:

To dress up like Mr. Sterr is an exercise in keeping one’s face completely motionless for an entire day. Looking out from a red beard that somehow turns into brown hair, the student may not let his or her eyes waver or show any signs of being even slightly interested in mathematics. The voice, however, is a different story and can sound as irritated as it wants about the fact that the house burned down or that one is not a prime number for God’s sake, without altering how little the face seems to care.

Ms. Rosenthal:

The student is to be outfitted in a tracksuit, non-negotiably. Weather, mood, or change in schedule pose no threats to the assigned outfit. On this day the student should be enthralled with anything and everything to do with philosophy and thought, because, after all, physical education is the most important kind of education.

Mr. Brooks:

To properly emulate Mr. Brooks, the student must be wearing funky suspenders. The funkier, the better.

The student’s goal here is a nicely aged Einstein and is achieved through a poofy marshmallow hair-

As a student dressed up like Ms. Hill, one may find that he or she scares him/herself. The student will be the first to make the bob look completely terrifying and will appear as if he or she has spent days volcano surfing while juggling flaming knives, rather than teaching freshmen bio. But it will be no big deal because the student will also go around telling stories of how he or she has broken almost every bone, burned him/herself on every Bunsen burner, and burned his or her eyes on every last drop of hydrochloric acid in the lab.

Ms. Dwyer:

Ms. Dwyer’s overall getup should not be too far off from the everyday student’s wardrobe because Ms. Dwyer is In Touch With The Youth.

The student will most likely sport a mason jar filled with herby grass stuff grown in an urban garden.

The student will wear boots that are cool enough to not be comfortable, especially on the walk home across the Brooklyn Bridge to a walk-up studio apartment. The student will wear jeans that are Quirky and Different and a shirt that is Vintage, Trendy, and Fun.

Page 2

The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

Humor S c i e n t i sts D i s c o v e r C a ff e i n i t i s

By MARIE IVANTECHENKO and ALEXANDRA WEN Every year at the start of September, a horde of zombies begins the daily trek down Chambers Street. Though it is quite easy to confuse these creatures with the walkers from “The Walking Dead” (2012-2017), they’re actually Stuyvesant students suffering from a serious and infectious affliction known as Caffeinitis.

In an attempt to counteract the epidemic, the administration has released an official notice describing Caffeinitis in full. The school also has plans to install a detector to scan a student’s breath for any traces of pumpkin spice.

“We can’t give the New York Post another headline about Stuyvesant being full of rising addicts,” principal Eric Contreras said.

Caffeinitis: A Breakdown Common include:

causes of

Caffeinitis

Watching goats screaming parodies of Taylor Swift songs until 4:00 a.m., despite ● having four tests, five presentations, and a college interview to prepare for

● Double Star Challenges Typically, a diagnosis of Caffeinitis is given if the victim does three or more of the following:

Compares fluid ounces to ● hours of sleep —e.g., 16 fluid ounces becomes 8 hours of “sleep” Has different quotas for dif-

● ferent stores —e.g., requiring oneself to buy at least

3.1415926 lattes from Starbucks and 10.9999 from Pret Uses up a cafe’s supply of

● buy 10, get one free cards

Eats a breakfast of boiled

● water mixed with a bottle of caffeine pills

Caffeinitis

sufferers often experience the following complications:

Getting

every

question

● wrong on a test because of “bubbling accidents”

Buying another latte because

● “it’s just one more cup”

Seeing voices and hearing

● colors

hopping, and ● Stomping, skipping around the school Klaire Geller/ The Spectator

Out

of

Sight: Spooky Spaces

By LAURA ILIOAEI, PAULINA KLUBOK, and SOPHIE WATWOOD

1. Third Floor:

On the third floor, a forbidden entrance to the upper level of the auditorium is a gateway to purgatory. On the rare occasion that the door is left unlocked, the occasional unfortunate student wanders in. It’s an escapist’s paradise, but a moment too long in there is said to lead to entrapment.

Strange, unearthly sounds reverberate throughout the auditorium, and by the time you attempt to escape, the theater spotlight shines on you. By that point, it is too late.

You have become the latest muse of STC’s newest tragedy. The shrill screams of students are heard, but there’s no saving you now.

Darting toward the Hudson staircase only amps up the spookiness. Students often report large clouds of opaque, white smoke billowing throughout the staircase, odd, skunk-like scents, and eerie moaning spiraling throughout the wing.

An anonymous administrator reported, “There’s a lot of groaning and moaning in there, like over and over. I don’t know how many ghosts were in there...maybe one, two, or even three or four! And they got louder and louder! And then they just stopped! After two minutes!”

Whether the moaning is a result of a cult of underclassmen fervently mourning their averages in various satanic rituals or an amateur attempt at a seance makes no difference in provoking fear within all who dare to traverse upon the Hudson steps.

3. Any of the “Designated Collection Rooms”:

Affectionately called the “Designated Death Rooms” by their users, the “Designated Collection Rooms” are assigned rooms on each floor where all the handicapped students and teachers gather during fire drills and mock evacuations, singing “Kumbaya” in preparation for their fiery deaths.

“In the event of an emergency, the fire department knows where to go to get those students, and they’re more safe than the rest of the rooms—they even have windows that open wide enough that the fire department could get in,” Principal Contreras commented. “Students can get out from the windows too— California king-sized memory foam mattresses will automatically deploy from the sidewalk to break their fall from the higher stories.”

However, the ghosts dwelling in the designated collection rooms speak to the administration’s preposterous cover-up. “Why, if we just used the elevators, we wouldn’t be trapped here for eternity,” they moaned in creepy unison. “Also, when will that weird chick with the dyed hair be off crutches?”

4. First Floor Alcove:

Tucked away in the depths of the first floor, this alcove is separated from the rest of the airy first floor by a set of steep stairs. Here lies the dimly-lit graveyard of the vivacious souls of students. This is the temple to the scholarly way of life. Sleepdeprived students give a final glance over their 68-page study guides before finally nodding off.

One does not simply accidently end up here: this is a sacred place.

Venture here only if you are fully prepared to sell your soul to Stuyvesant—forever.

A d m i n i st r a t i o n C r e a t e s “No Dap Zones”

By GILVIR GILL The Writing Center has been moved from the library to room 615F, following a joint decision by Principal Eric Contreras, Assistant Principal of English Eric Grossman, the English department, and the librarians.

The decision to relocate the Writing Center was made to make the library a quieter place to study.

“It was tricky to have two separate entities running in the same space when different rules apply to each,” said English teacher Holly Schechter, who runs the writing center.

Room 615F is located just down the hall from the library and is adjacent to Grossman’s office. The room used to serve as a storage closet that was only accessible through the neighboring room 615E, but has since had a proper doorway cut out, connecting it to the hall. However,

the new writing center still needs a door and some refurbishment.

Many students and teachers believe that this change is beneficial.

“The change of location will hopefully bring more students in because there will be no more confusion related to waiting on the library line,” student editor and junior Julia Arancio said.

Schechter agreed, and said, “Having our own space is a giant step forward for the Writing Center.

It legitimizes the important work we are doing.”

The Writing Center will remain open from fourth to eighth period and will have student teachers and volunteers working alongside Schechter. “We have a strong team of five student teachers and twenty students, selected by application, who devote their free time to helping other students with their writing,” Schechter said.

Katherine Lwin/ The Spectator

2. Hudson Staircase:

Seniors Forget About Halloween

By KENNY LIN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31ST. On what would most likely be the spookiest day of the year, ghouls, zombies, and scariest of all, Former Assistant Principal of Family Affairs and Student Engagement and Current Assistant Principal of Safety, Security, Student Affairs, Health, and Physical Education Brian Moran roamed the streets of Tribeca.

However, despite the particularly frightening transformation of Stuyvesant High School’s student body, one group was distinctly normal. After a long week of desperate procrastination and sleepless nights full of League of Legends, the seniors were suffering from symptoms of first stage senioritis. Unfortunately, their horrors had just begun; they had less than 24 hours to complete their college applications or else they would die.

After receiving his daily fix of caffeine from the breakfast cart, senior Anthony Guan blinked, confused by the mob of supernatural creatures and cats in front of him. “Oh no, I knew I should have kept going to church,” Guan whispered, his face white as he stared into the back of the Devil.

“Hold up, I need some more coffee,” he decided. The stimulatory drug, however, did little to clear Guan’s fears of the sudden invasion by supernatural creatures, which, unbeknownst to him, were being repeated in the minds of every senior heading to school that morning.

Seniors all around the school had forgotten about Halloween after being so swamped with work, and were consequently frightened for their lives. “I walked into AP Gov an-and Ms. Siegel had turned into Bloody Mary! She grinned at me with bloodstained teeth and I was out of that room immediately,” a se-

trying to bring them back to class, they were sprayed with garlic cloves and fountain water, and thrust upon with crosses, all generously donated by the Stuyvesant Anti-Vampire Club. Senior Adam Abbas converted a NERF gun that he bravely confiscated from Moran into a pencil stake shooter, but never used it since

“I tried to see my guidance counselor, but she had become an incarnation of Satan too!” nior cried hysterically. “I tried to see my guidance counselor, but she had become an incarnation of Satan too!” The entire day was filled with screams and shouts of terror as seniors seeked refuge from the deadly monsters now plaguing the school. Because all their teachers had been replaced with monsters, they took the situation as a valid excuse to cut.

“I wonder where the real Polazzo went,” voiced a worried senior. “That beardless man must’ve kidnapped him and took his place!”

The security guards tried to instill order, but had, for the first year ever, decided to forgo their traditional uniforms to do a group vampire costume. Every time they chased down a senior,

he had barricaded himself in the Robotics room anyway.

The underclassmen, though confused, took advantage of the situation by frightening seniors to the point of utter terror, only releasing them after extracting confidential school secrets, such as the location of the 11th floor pool. The administration, however, was not happy with the occurrence. Principal Eric Contreras, dressed as the “It” clown, expressed his frustration: “I thought clowns were supposed to be funny, so why is everyone running away from me?” The attendance office was especially annoyed after receiving 800 class excuse notices the following morning, citing “a demonic invasion of the supernatural.”

The Spectator The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper

OPINIONS

FEATURES

Clowns: Friend or Foe?

Blast From the Past: 2016 Costumes

Opinions editors Jane Rhee clashes with fellow editor Eliza Spinna and junior Adam Oubaita in a classic debate over whether clowns are evil monstrosities or misunderstood entertainers.

From Mermaid Man to The Wall, Halloween doesn’t get quirkier than this! Sophomore Julia Chu reminds us of the best 2016 Stuyloween costumes.

see page 11

Volume 108 No. 4

NEWSBEAT Sophomore Elizabeth Doss has been accepted into the Urban Research Project at Mount Sinai Hospital to work on her biodiversity project at one of their labs.

Stuyvesant computer science students Twenty-four

have been chosen to take after-school classes at TwoSigma, a data analysis financial company.

Claire De La Roche was accepted to Thorton Tomasetti’s Day of Discovery, a program inFreshman

tended to expose girls to engineering and architecture.

It will take place on Monday, October 9.

The Stuyvesant Speech Team competed at the New York City Invitational on Friday, October 13. Junior Emily Xu won fourth place in the Original Oratory division and junior William Lohier won fourth place in the Program Oral Interpretation division.

see page

5

October 31, 2017

First Student Elected as SLT Chair

By CHLOE DOUMAR and AMANDA PENG Senior Jack Cruse has been elected the 2017-2018 co-chair of the the School Leadership Team (SLT). He is the first student to ever serve in this position. Social studies teacher Linda Weissman is Cruse’s co-chair. Cruse already serves as Student Union (SU) representative for the SLT. The SLT is comprised of parent representatives from each grade, administrators, and a student representative, who gather monthly to discuss issues at Stuyvesant and propose changes. This year, because of the resignation of former chair and senior parent representative Julie Brown, the chair position was open. “Normally other teachers or parents will take [the position] on because it is a lot of work. This year, I put my name in the ring,” Cruse said.

The chair is chosen by the SLT members by vote. “[At] the first meeting, they hold open elections, in which someone can nominate themselves or someone else, and you have a vote on it,” Cruse said.

The chairs of the SLT set the agendas and take minutes for each meeting. “I help decide what is going to be talked about

“The Pulse of the Student Body”

at meetings and meet with [Principal Eric] Contreras,” Cruse said.

“I think once we have it down to a rhythm, [there] won’t be that much added to the regular SLT duties.”

As SU representative, Cruse gives students a voice in SLT meetings. Cruse, with the assistance of his alternate junior Joshua Weiner, meets with caucuses to discuss changes desired by students and presents them to the SLT. Cruse believes that having a student hold the role of chair will bring more issues to attention. “Students want to talk about certain issues, such as PSAL frees, or how last year we wanted to come back in earlier when it was really cold, but it would be hard to get them on the agenda,” he said. “If there is ever a really pressing issue for the school, I can modify [the agenda].”

Many students are pleased about Cruse’s new position. “I think it’s great [Cruse] is the cochair of the SLT. Students should [be more involved] because we are the ones who are actually being affected by all of the changes,” junior Lauren Ng said.

Cruse is excited about this new challenge. “I just hope that this will help change Stuy and make it better for students,” he said.

stuyspec.com

Language Department Hosts Stuyvesant’s First Oktoberfest

By ALEXIA LEONG and MAI RACHLEVSKY The Stuyvesant foreign language department celebrated Oktoberfest by hosting an event in its honor on Thursday, October 16. Oktoberfest, a Bavarian festival, runs from mid-September to the beginning of October. It is one of the world’s largest folk festivals and gives visitors the opportunity to eat traditional food while enjoying numerous activities.

Stuyvesant’s Oktoberfest celebration, which was held in the cafeteria, strived to showcase German culture. German and Bavarian flags were hung up.

“There was German music playing in the hallway all day long.

There were German songs, poetry, and videos. There was lots and lots of German food,” Assistant Principal of World Languages Dr. Ernest Oliveri said.

German teacher Rebecca Lindemulder was in charge of planning and organizing the event.

“We wanted to give the German students a chance to experience a bit of German culture first-hand and participate in a long-standing Bavarian tradition,” Lindemulder said in an e-mail interview. “We wanted to open it up to all students in order to educate our fellow students on the festival and

also give everyone the chance to experience German culture and Gemütlichkeit, the concept of coziness, contentedness, comfort, and relaxation, and enjoying a good, fun time with friends with food and drink, all together.”

Many German students also helped prepare for the event by making decorations and cooking food. “At Oktoberfest we had Bratwurst, Chicken Schnitzel, Frikadellen, Kaesespaetzle (something close to a German version of mac and cheese), potato pancakes, sauerkraut, potato salad, apple cake, and a few other things,” Lindemulder said.

Dr. Oliveri and Lindemulder were generally pleased with the enthusiasm students showed at the event. “Everyone was having a good time and there were many people there,” Dr. Oliveri said. They are planning to continue holding it in coming years.

The foreign language department has plans to have many more cultural events. Some of the upcoming events include “Día de los Muertos” on November 1 and 2, a performance by the German band “Die Lochis” on December 4, and Japan Day on May 3. “[The goal is] to bring more culture and exposure to the students of Stuyvesant,” Dr. Oliveri said.

Caribbean Catastrophes Unite Stuyvesant

By GEORGE SHEY Students and faculty came together to hold a two weeklong fundraiser to provide aid for Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, following the recent natural disasters that occurred there.

The fundraiser began on Wednesday, October 4, and ended on Friday, October 20.

dreds of people. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands were devastated by Hurricane Maria, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, in the same month. One month later, many of these areas are still facing a humanitarian crisis.

The fundraiser started as a collaborative effort between SPARK, Spectrum, Stuyvesant Key Club, the world languages

“Initially, we weren’t sure how much money we would collect, but the Stuyvesant population proved to be generous and active citizens in the global community” — Vishwaa Sofat, Sophomore Caucus President

In September, Mexico was struck by an 8.2 magnitude earthquake and a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, killing hun-

department, and the Sophomore and Senior Caucuses.

The Senior Caucus spearheaded the effort with SPARK

Coordinator Angel Colon and Spanish teachers Pasqua Rocchio and Anna Montserrat and approached the Sophomore Caucus and individual clubs to involve more students. “We were very supportive of the idea, as was the entire [Student Union (SU)], and so the drive became a co-effort,” Sophomore Caucus President Vishwaa Sofat said in an e-mail interview.

Volunteers collected cash donations and basic supplies from students on the second floor. The flags of Puerto Rico and Mexico and posters advertising the drive were set up throughout the school. Blurbs about the fundraiser were also included in the newsletters sent out by Parent Coordinator Dina Ingram and the SU. Many other clubs and organizations collaborated to help the fundraiser, as well.

Spectrum sold stickers and pins to raise awareness for the LGBTQ+ community, and donated all proceeds to the drive. ASPIRA, Stuyvesant’s Hispanic culture club, donated all profits from their Hispanic Heritage Month Dinner to the cause.

The Sophomore and Senior Caucuses will send the

money to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),

fected areas and distributed.

The Sophomore Caucus

“After seeing how successful this fundraiser was we have more confidence moving forward, and hopefully, Stuyvesant can continue to help those in need across the world.” —Eve Wening, Sophomore Caucus Vice President which will then be used to help rebuild impacted communities. “UNICEF is known for their humanitarian emergency aid. They have projects set up [in the] areas of disaster to make sure affected families have the resources, especially water and hygiene support,” Sophomore Caucus Vice President Eve Wening said.

Key Club is working simultaneously with New York and Puerto Rican partnerships to see that the physical goods are shipped to the af-

hopes to use this experience for future fundraisers. “Initially, we weren’t sure how much money we would collect, but the Stuyvesant population proved to be generous and active citizens in the global community,” Sofat said.

“After seeing how successful this fundraiser was we have more confidence moving forward, and hopefully, Stuyvesant can continue to help those in need across the world,” Wening said.

Page 4

The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

News From the Archives

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and NASA

WORLDBEAT More than 60 women in Hollywood have accused film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault and

rape. In response, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revoked Weinstein’s membership, and the Los Angeles Police Department has launched an investigation.

A group of Islamic State insurgents ambushed and killed three American soldiers in Niger. The Penta-

gon launched an investigation into the mission to discover what the soldiers were doing in such a remote location and why they were overwhelmed. President

Donald Trump

was criticized for waiting 12 days to address the attack and for his response to the families

of the victims.

A series of wildfires in Northern California have killed at least 42 people and burned more than 200,000 acres of land. The fires, some of the deadliest in California’s

history, have forced thousands of people to evacuate.

Though California was declared drought-free in April for the first time in six years, wildfires are common in the state.

President Trump announced that he will not certify the nuclear deal with Iran passed by former President

Obama. Trump claims that Iran is not complying with the deal, despite consensus among his cabinet officials and international agencies that the deal is successfully preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

The decision allows Congress to impose new sanctions on Iran.

After multiple failed attempts by Republicans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) over the summer, a bipartisan health care bill has been introduced to Congress. The bill, written by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Patty Murray (D-WA) extends government subsidies to healthcare providers and gives states more flexibility over mandates. The proposal is expected to face opposition from conservative House Republicans.

The Islamic State’s (IS) capital, Raqqa, was captured

by Syrian forces supported by the United States on

Tuesday, October 17. A four-month offensive ended three years of IS rule in the city. Although IS still controls large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, the terrorist organization has faced a string of defeats over the past year.

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The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

Page 5

Features Blast From the Past: 2016 Costumes

By Julia Chu

Stranger Things

up

Senior Daniel Knopf as Will Senior Michela Marchini as Eleven

Junior Taylor Choi as Russell Junior Maryann Foley as Carl Fredricksen

“[Senior Michela Marchini] just called me one day and was like, ‘Hey, we should do Stranger Things for Halloween,’” senior Daniel Knopf smiled as he recalled last year’s Stuyloween when his girlfriend told him that they should dress up as Will and Eleven from Stranger Things.

The couple was really into the hit Netflix series at the time. They originally wanted to do the whole cast with their friends, but everyone else bailed.

As a result, the costumes ended up being a couple’s look.

Knopf and Marchini went on a shopping adventure together to make their costumes. “I did a lot of Amazon shopping with my mom and thrift shopping with Daniel for the costumes,” Marchini said. “We bought all the pieces separately and tried to piece them all together.”

Though the costumes were pieced together, Marchini and Knopf did their best to imitate the ‘80s look. Marchini even went as far as drawing Eleven’s nosebleed and brought in an Eggo pancake box. Her mom, who is rather artistically talented, helped in the making of some of the props in the costumes, like the radio Knopf was holding.

The couple received a lot of compliments from their friends and even random people on the street. Last year was the first year Marchini and Knopf dressed up together, since they started dating a month after Halloween the previous year.

Courtesy of The Student Union

Courtesy of The Student Union

Every year on Stuyloween, students pull their weird selves out from the huge piles of homework they were buried under and dress up to celebrate the Halloween spirit. Here are some notable costumes from last year.

Mermaid Man (from Spongebob) Sophomore Ayham Alnasser

Courtesy of The Student Union

Despite his parents’ saying that Halloween is “Satan’s birthday,” sophomore Ayham Alnasser insists on dressing up for Halloween every year. Normally, he goes for the cheapest costume he can find at Rite Aid. However, last year, he decided to try something more out of his comfort zone.

“It was my freshman year, so I wanted to make a name for myself,” Alnasser explained. “So for the most comedic purpose, to get more kids to ‘vibe’ with me, and because Spongebob is overdone, I chose to be the Mermaid Man.” Since he couldn’t find someone to be Barnacleboy, Alnasser went solo. He spent well over five hours stitching the costume himself. He preplanned the costume in his head and used Youtube tutorials like “How to Sew” and “How to Choose Correct Materials.” Overall, it cost around 30 to 40 dollars.

Looking back to the day of Stuyloween, Alnasser revealed that he did not get much reaction from people, despite wearing a bright orange tight suit.

Nonetheless, he did receive great reactions on his Facebook post online, where he discussed his costume.

Alnasser also participated in the annual Halloween costume contest that the Student Union hosts and won in the “Best Overall Costume” category.

Not only did he manage to continue his tradition of dressing up for Halloween each year, but he also received a $15 Chipotle gift card.

Dressing up for Halloween has always been a tradition for junior Taylor Choi and junior Maryann Foley. They chose Up. Both of them are fans of Disney, and they were looking for an iconic duo to dress up as, so the characters of the heartwarming movie, Up, seemed perfect.

Though this was the first time Choi made her own costume, she expressed that though the process was a bit time consuming, it did not require much skill. She spent about two hours making the sash out of brown felt she got from Michaels the night before Stuyloween. It was a tedious process because she had to print and cut out 20 different badges and glue them on the sash individually.

Foley went through a similar process as Choi. However, unlike Choi, Foley actually had experience making her own costumes. As for last year’s costume, she just used clothes from her closet, with the exception of the bowtie, which she borrowed from a friend. To imitate the grape soda pin Mr. Fredricksen has in the movie, she painted an old bottle cap. Lastly, to construct the house, she simply cut balloon shapes out of construction paper and glued them to a cardboard. Foley even surprised Choi on the day of Stuyloween by bringing in a dog balloon, which represented the Golden Retriever, Dug, that Russell owns.

Yet, even with the “dog“ beside her, many people could not figure out which character Choi was dressed up as and mistook her as a girl scout. On the other hand, Foley’s costume was much more obvious. People recognized it immediately and liked it very much.

These compliments came at a cost. “There were just a lot of times that I had to awkwardly maneuver through crowds,” Foley said. “I once got stuck in a doorway because I forgot that I had the house on my back.”

Trump’s Wall

Courtesy of The Student Union

Junior Elisey Goland When junior Elisey Goland walked into his chemistry class with a “Trump Make my Hair Great Again!” cardboard sign hanging on his neck, he received mixed reactions from people. “Some people thought I was promoting the wall and got mad. Others thought I was against the wall and got mad,” Goland explained. “But most people found it humorous.”

Though it was only a week from the election, making a political statement was never Goland’s intent. He just thought it would be fun to be the Wall. “A friend of mine said he was going as Trump,” he said. “So naturally, I decided to be the Wall.”

He only spent around half an hour on his costume with supplies he bought from a local 99 cents store. Still, the “Wall” successfully showcased Goland’s satirical humor. Things like “Hola Trump” and “Made in China Trump Inc.” were written over the brick-red cardboard that he painted. To make it more realistic, Goland even drew cracks on it with a black marker.

Dressing up for Halloween is something Goland really enjoys doing with his friends. He came in as an error message, “costume not found,” and Bender from Futurama in previous years.

Page 6

The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

Features

lain).

They usually create the costumes the weekend before Halloween—not too early and not

should understand that I’m a person, and I think humanizing the teacher is good for students in the same way I would like to

Courtesy of Mike Zamansky

With gaping, circular mouths, fist-sized eyeballs, and draping robes, the Computer Science department transformed into multicolored martians: Sesame Street’s very-own “Yip-Yips.”

Last year, the department came together to bring these fascinating characters to life, shopping together and actually creating the costumes afterschool. “We stayed at school until 8 p.m. There was a lot of felt. And a lot of hot glue strings in the office,” Computer Science Coordinator JonAlf Dyrland-Weaver recalled.

While these costumes may have been a little more avantgarde than usual, dressing up as a department is a longstanding tradition. In 2014, the year of the office-supply superheroes, Dyrland-Weaver was a stapler, Topher Brown Mykolyk was a ruler, Yulia Genkina was an eraser, and Samuel Konstantinovich was the “unspecified” villain (after all, even officesupply superheroes need a vil-

too late. “Last year was the first year where there was a mass constructing of the costumes.

We had glue guns and scissors and things,” Dyrland-Weaver said.

The original idea to dress up together was developed by former Computer Science Coordinator Michael Zamansky who began dressing up for Halloween even before DyrlandWeaver was a student here. “I believe his goal was generally to have the students understand a bit of his personality—to get to know their teacher in a different light,” Dyrland-Weaver explained.

Having a teacher wear a fun costume would be a way for the students to get to know the teacher in a different light. “It’s good for students to understand a little bit of who I am. We’re in a room together for 40 minutes for five days of every week. We see each other a lot! In order to have a good educational experience, it’s important that I understand that our students are people who are not just doing computer science. They

humanize the students so that I know them better,” DyrlandWeaver said.

Before this tradition was established, only Zamansky put on a costume for Halloween.

One year, he dressed up as Bob Ross, painting during his classes. In fact, one of the paintings he made still hangs in room 307.

Another year, he came as Homer Simpson. “He was yellow. He came in with a white polo shirt, blue pants, yellow body, with the right amount of stubble and a shaved head,” described Dyrland-Weaver, remembering the costume from when he was a student in Zamansky’s class at Stuyvesant.

“I knew Zamansky was goofy, so I wasn’t surprised, but it was very funny. He taught the entire class as Homer, which was also great.”

When Dyrland-Weaver came back to Stuyvesant as a teacher, he was asked to be a part of the new Stuyloween tradition. “Since I was a former student of Zamansky’s, he basically told me that my job as a computer science teacher was contingent upon me joining him in the Halloween tradition,” he said.

Throughout the years, as the Computer Science department grew, there were more and more teachers participating and donning a costume. Despite Zamansky leaving Stuyvesant in 2015, Dyrland-Weaver and his colleagues decided to continue the tradition.

Genkina, who very recently left Stuyvesant, had been a part of the costume tradition. “She was a wonderful addition to our crew, and she was thrilled [about] the costume tradition.

Honestly, if we didn’t have one, I bet she would’ve started it,” Dyrland-Weaver said. “I’ve actually told her she should come back here on Halloween. She did not immediately reject the idea.”

One of Dyrland-Weaver’s favorite costumes includes when he and Zamansky took the costume of infomercial personalities; Dyrland-Weaver was Vince Offer (the Shamwow/Slapchop guy), and Zamansky was Billy Mays (the OxiClean guy). “We tried to sell our students the products. We also came up with products of our own,” DyrlandWeaver said. One of them was the Grade-Gone™, which was

basically just white-out for a really bad grade on a test. The Advanced Grade-Gone™, had a red pen taped to it, so that you could put a new grade on.

“It was just a lot of fun. There are videos of these online,” Dyrland-Weaver noted.

A costume that involved extensive preparation was when Dyrland-Weaver and Zamansky decided to dress up as the Blues brothers. “We watched YouTube videos and learned the song and the dance,” DyrlandWeaver said. “Doing a song and dance for every period of the day was exhausting, though.”

The longest part of the process is figuring out what the theme will be. “Being Stuyvesant people, we procrastinate,

Dyrland-Weaver said. However, there is one unspoken rule that everyone obeys: no repeats. No matter what costume they decide to put on, there shall never be a repeat of a costume done in a previous year.

Usually, they just e-mail ideas to each other and stay after school to discuss ideas further. This process is very secretive: anyone outside of the computer science department will not know what the theme is until the day of. “We can’t talk about what we do to people who overhear,” Dyrland-Weaver joked.

“No comment,” DyrlandWeaver insisted when I asked what exactly they would dress up as this year.

and then it’s October, and it’s like, what are we going to do?

Eventually, we do figure it out,” Dyrland-Weaver said.

For ideas and themes, the department decides on an idea that would interest everyone. “The stupider the better,”

“I am not sure that I am at liberty to discuss the details of this clandestine organization,” Brown Mykolyk added.

Courtesy of Mike Zamansky

By Senjuti Gayen

Courtesy of Mike Zamansky

Of Computers and Costumes

The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

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The Spectator ● September 31, 2017

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Editorials Staff Editorial

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Should you go trick-or-treating?

The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper

“The Pulse of the Student Body”

E DITOR S

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Kerry Garfinkel We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity and length. © 2017 The Spectator All rights reserved by the creators. * Managing Board

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

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

Do you want to reflect on an article?

Or speak your mind?

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

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

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

The Spectator ● September 31, 2017

Page 9

Opinions Trumping the Tax System

By Mia Gindis and Artsiom Ilyanok

both the American government and the American consumer, as they both suffer the effects of reduced investment, job availability, and economic growth.

A high corporate tax rate also incentivizes companies to store their earnings overseas in order to avoid heavy taxation. A study by the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that “untaxed foreign earnings of American companies totaled approximately $2.6 trillion in 2015.” The same study found that if a corporate tax cut were offered to these companies on the condition that they returned this cash back to the U.S., $663 billion would be reinvested into job growth and business expansion in the United States.

Not only will the proposed reform stimulate American corporations to stay wholly American, but it will provide some much needed relief to small businesses. A recent survey by CNBC indicated that the number one concern for business owners is their taxes; a whopping 42 percent believed that a tax break as large as the one offered could have a tremendously positive impact on the small business economy.

Currently, mom-and-pop shops across the U.S. pay a rate

This does not suggest that the poor doesn’t pay their fair share, but rather that the pervasive idea that the wealthy are somehow the winners of our country’s tax system is erroneous.

26 percent of their income. This is in stark contrast to the bottom 50 percent of earners, who pay six percent of total taxes at an average rate of four percent. This

When a company relocates overseas, the economy loses the jobs, growth, and investment potential the company possesses.

This is a lose-lose situation for

from 15 to 40 percent of their individual income rates. The repeal of Bush-era tax cuts left businesses reeling at added expenses in a crippled economy.

The newest tax reform would offer a uniform 15 percent tax rate regardless of their affiliations, such as partnerships, sole proprietors, or freelancers. This tax reform leaves millions of small business owners with a larger profit and additional revenue that could be used to reinvest into the company.

Opponents claim tax cuts would reduce funding toward essential government programs surrounding public health, medical research, climate change, etc. However, less money doesn’t mean these programs will become obsolete. For each one, there’s almost always a political backer willing to advocate for the program’s necessity to the national government and fight to keep it viable, even with reduced funding. The Heritage Foundation finds that there are somewhere from 79 to 140 federal programs currently fighting to reduce poverty, each with overlapping incentives.

For instance, historian Allen J. Matusow of Rice University

wrote that Medicare and Medicaid have done considerably little to benefit the quality of living for the elderly (one of their main objectives), serving instead to raise health care costs for taxpayers. With an annual price tag of about $600-900 billion on their own, Trump’s intention is to eliminate spending where it’s wasteful, not vital.

American ideals boast diligence, entrepreneurship, and a sort of blind aspiration that’s produced some of the most brilliant minds in history. However, this enormous capacity for innovation is often limited by a single materialistic thing: money. Tax cuts are essential for this competitive economy to combat the relocation of American corporations and stimulate the rise of small businesses, the crux of our national pride. The public is done vouching for an exhausted agenda: they need to see some real tax cuts, real soon.

Our Changing Climate: Is Now the Time?

By Jessy Mei Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico as a category four hurricane, with winds over 155 mph, leaving 100 percent of the island without power on September 20th. These winds, rainfall, and heat were translated into a mix of waste-water, floodwaters, and trash in the streets, surgical operations performed in sweltering 95 degree weather, and a lack of waterborne-disease-free water.

As the third strongest storm to ever hit US territory, Maria has done some irreparable damage.

This has not been exclusive to one hurricane—over the course of this summer, the world has fallen victim to some of the worst major natural disasters in history.

The intensity of these hurricanes can be accredited to climate change, as NASA finds a global temperature rise, warming oceans, glacial retreat, and extreme events correlate with the recent influx of carbon emissions from industrialization. These effects of climate change are also

contributing factors to extreme events, such as hurricanes, typhoons, and floods. According to the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, higher temperatures from the global temperature rise account for increased moisture in the air. For every degree Celsius increase, the percentage of moisture in the air increases by seven percent. Though this may seem like an insignificant digit, in the context that 2016 was the hottest recorded year in history, with eight months breaking records of the highest temperatures, the seven percent increase may suddenly become a 14 percent spike. It has been recorded that the waters of the Gulf of Mexico have increased 1.5 degrees from 1980—these subtle changes may be the culprits behind this year’s raging hurricane season. Just a 0.5 increase in temperature could result in a catastrophic hurricane, fed by the increased moisture in the atmosphere.

Climate change correlates with the onset of amplified natural disasters—however, skeptics of climate change have deemed

even mentioning it as a cause as “insensitive” and “tasteless,” raising the question of the appropriateness of discussing climate change in light of all that

and rescue-based and based on spreading awareness, not political views. However, that is not to say that climate change should altogether be censored from

such disasters would be to reconsider rebuilding infrastructure and energy sources near bodies of water or coastal plains or other regions severely damaged by

Just remember that there will be no America, let alone business, in a world ravaged by preventable natural disasters.

has been going on recently. But if we’re not going to mention it now, when?

In such a time of distress, it does seem relatively inappropriate to start finger-wagging— coverage should indeed be aid

news networks. In fact, despite this being heavily opinionated and political news, this plight needs to be addressed immediately, as it is an imminent danger to our world.

The most natural response to

the hurricanes and floodwaters.

However, such a response is only a short-term solution. continued on page 10

Karen Lai / The Spectator

Imagine if the average American had an additional $652 a year to spend as he or she wished. For many people, this extra money would go a long way. Now consider that this money would not come at anyone’s financial expense. While this may sound too good to be true, this figure is the average amount the Trump administration’s tax plan would save families in the 95th percentile of income earners and below.

The Trump administration has billed this proposed tax cut as the “largest tax reform” in U.S. history. The plan has come under sharp criticism from politicians and constituents claiming the tax cuts disproportionately favor the rich. Despite these criticisms, the Trump administration’s tax plan would benefit people and businesses across the economic ladder.

Many liberal politicians have dismissed the tax cuts, claiming that they give the rich an undeserved break. However, the idea that the “rich don’t pay their fair share” is a myth. The top 10 percent of earners was responsible for 45 percent of all taxes on income, paying an average rate of

does not suggest that the poor don’t pay their fair share, but rather that the pervasive idea that the wealthy are somehow the winners of our country’s tax system is erroneous. Therefore, the Trump administration’s 4.6 percent tax cut for individuals making over $418,000 a year will not unfairly skew the tax system towards the rich, but rather provide the rich with tax relief that will encourage them to reinvest into society, and in the process benefit people across the economic ladder.

The single most influential change to tax policy is the reduction of the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to either 15 or 20 percent. While this may seem to be a handout to large multinational corporations, upon closer rumination it is anything but that. The U.S.’s corporate tax rate of 35 percent is the third highest in the world. The most obvious consequence of this high rate is that it encourages companies to relocate overseas.

For example, Johnson Controls, a company worth $23 billion, moved its headquarters from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Ireland in 2016. It cited the fact that the move would save the company about $150 million in U.S. taxes annually as its reason.

Page 10

The Spectator ● September 31, 2017

Opinions Our Changing Climate: Is Now the Time? continued from page 9

In reality, we must acknowledge the root of the issue and call for effective reform by cutting carbon emissions and establishing precautionary measures to reduce the damage next time, as per the Paris Agreement.

By failing to do so, we are placing ourselves in the path of impending doom.

The current administration is going out of its way to evade the discussion of climate change, whether or not it is in the context of the recent hurricanes. In April, the EPA removed mention of climate change from its official website, and it is planning to repeal carbon dioxide emission regulations. Trump is also in the midst of repealing the Clean Power Plan, an emblem of the reform Obama had pushed for in his presidency. Others, such as Governor Rick Scott of Florida, have evaded the term so much that in order to pass cer-

tain bills or acknowledge certain discoveries, scientists must have “climate change”-free proposals or findings for him. At this point, the scientific community is sub-

customizable political tool.

It shouldn’t be this way. In a period of indifference, these hurricanes are finally gaining

ing may have an effect on them.

They may finally become the victims, and that makes all the difference. Now, discussing the potential causes of recent hurri-

Alex Lin / The Spectator

ject to the power of the politician rather than the scientific method. Science has become a

attention, warning skeptics that the truth they’ve been censor-

canes is no less appropriate than discussing issues on gun control after a shooting—rather, it will

never be more appropriate.

In order to address and face the consequences of these natural disasters, we must prioritize understanding and addressing the scientific causes behind them to educate the public, call for reform, and potentially prevent future instances. Without increased awareness in the public regarding their direct impact on the environment, this subject may never come to see the light of day, and it will become forgotten.

In light of Donald Trump’s rejection of all ideas “climate change” related, this is also a huge opportunity for scientists to finally take a stance and use current events in the world as evidence to further support the existence of climate change.

The President has no issue with calling out issues related to immigration because it does not hurt big American business. Just remember that there will be no America, let alone business, in a world ravaged by preventable natural disasters.

School Counselors and Students: A Necessary Therapy Session

By Anta Noor and Rohan Ahammed At first glance, school counselors have a very straightforward goal: to offer academic and emotional support to their students during high school.

This includes handling course requests, writing the Secondary School Recommendation (SSR) for colleges, and checking up on their students’ mental states and home situations. School counselor Undine Guthrie summarizes this, saying, “The guidance office is a place where you can go to get tons of information to help you achieve whatever you need to accomplish.”

Yet the counseling department at Stuyvesant might not fully support all students. Only 41 percent of Stuyvesant students surveyed reported that their school counselor was helpful in terms of emotional support.

This is despite the counseling department’s attempts at being more proactive and encouraging their students to come to them for guidance. For instance, counselors have mandatory meetings with their respective homerooms or meetings with small groups of students during freshman year. The problem is that these mandatory meetings with school counselors are usu-

ing office implemented a “buddy system,” which allows students to visit a different school counselor and talk to them if their school counselor is unavailable at the time.

The “buddy system,” however, overlooks the connection and familiarity all students should ideally have with their school counselors. The system is problematic for some students because they may be uncomfortable to talk about their personal and academic matters with another adult, especially one that they do not have a personal connection with. Junior Maya Furusho notes, “ I feel like it’s not the same when you talk to a school counselor that’s not your own.” This becomes an issue when a student has a personal issue and needs counseling, but does not feel comfortable talking to a school counselor.

In light of some of these shortcomings with a program that has the potential to help so many students, it’s clear that the counseling department needs to implement more concrete and uniform measures in order to help students feel more comfortable around school counselors. All freshmen should have at least one mandatory one-on-one meeting scheduled with their school counselor. An individual

currently used by the college office, for making appointments with school counselors. This would make it easier for students to find a time to visit their own school counselors because school counselors can easily post and notify students when

meeting can ensure that school counselors have a chance to break the ice with freshmen and check on their transition from middle school to high school.

Past that first individual meeting, the counseling department should implement an online system, similar to the one

can’t be seen and a lot of people think that we’re just doing nothing and sitting in front of a computer when in fact I can say with 100 percent certainty that that is not the case.”

Students must realize that

At first glance, school counselors have a very straightforward goal: to offer academic and emotional support to their students during high school.

they are available in their office during school hours every day of the week online. Students would be able to schedule appointments based on their school counselor’s availability and provide their reason for visiting.

This system would be convenient for both students and school counselors. Compared to

Students must realize that school counselors do a lot of “behind the scenes” work.

ally not individualized, instead addressing a freshman homeroom or a group of students as a whole.

Besides these prearranged meetings, counselors also face the issue of not always being physically in their office. In order to remedy this, the counsel-

ing appointments.

Once students arrive for their scheduled meeting, counselors should also take the initiative of making their offices a welcoming place. When asked about factors that deterred her from getting closer with her

the current e-mail based system, an online system would be able to clearly indicate when school counselors will not be busy during the week. This would give foresight to school counselors about why students want to visit and holds school counselors accountable for creating and keep-

school counselor, Junior Camilla Cheng commented, “Sometimes my school counselor has people [upperclassmen] hanging around his room and I get nervous [...] I don’t know how to approach him.” School counselors need to be able to adapt for shyer students and make themselves more approachable.

In order to make themselves more approachable, school counselors need to make sure that their offices are inviting by asking upperclassmen to hang out outside their offices in the counseling suite. This prevents upperclassmen from deterring students to visit their school counselors, which should be done in private.

But ultimately, when it comes to improving the effectiveness of Stuyvesant’s guidance program, a part of the responsibility falls on the students’ shoulders.

About 28 percent of surveyed Stuyvesant students reported that they visited another school counselor because they claimed that they knew their school counselor was unhelpful or had previous bad experiences with their school counselor. School counselor Paul Goldsman notes in an interview, “A lot of the things we do are intangible and

school counselors do a lot of “behind the scenes” work, such as organizing the freshman seminars implemented this year by the counseling department as a way to help freshmen with their transition into Stuy. It’s imperative that they are as open as they can be with their students about what they can do to make sure that their students can get all the information they need or want.

Underclassmen especially should take advantage of the new Big Sib program this year, which requires Big Sibs to meet with their Little Sibs’ counselor and offer helpful information on individual students to the school counselor and encourage students to visit their school counselor more often.

The guidance system is far from perfect. But as Assistant Principal of Pupil Personnel Services Casey Pedrick noted in an interview, “We [school counselors] would really love it if the students could come in and introduce themselves to their school counselor. You can just come and say hi or come and talk to us and ask us and it can be positive, negative, a crisis, a high five, or a hug.”

The Spectator ● September 31, 2017

Page 11

Opinions Point-Counterpoint: Clowns and Society “It” is Nothing to Be Afraid Of “It” Has a Point

By Eliza Spinna and Adam Oubaita After 25 years of clowning, the Big Apple Circus’s “Grandma” clown was admitted to the Clown Hall of Fame in 2002. Barry Lubin, Grandma’s creator, designed a unique and dynamic character whose trademark stunt was headstanding on whoopee cushions, a highly advanced acrobatic feat. The Big Apple Circus estimates that in his 25 seasons with the show, Grandma made more than nine million people laugh.

However, modern-day clowns do more than just entertain—they’re altruistic. Ronald McDonald, a character created in 1963, is known for his philanthropic work as the mascot of the Ronald McDonald Foundation.

While McDonald has enjoyed a reputation as a national icon, the majority of clowns have been viciously defamed in recent years. In an attempt to undermine a competing form of entertainment, Hollywood has appropriated clown-related imagery to scare viewers into a fear of circuses. The portrayal of clowns in Batman (1966) and Funhouse (1987) may have placed the nail in the coffin for American circuses, putting thousands of clowns out of work. In the recently released horror film, “It,” Pennywise the Dancing Clown terrorizes the children of a suburban town, taking the shape of their worst fears and biting

However, clowns, without scary makeup and special effects, are awkward, non-threatening, and even lovable.

off their limbs. Special effects, lighting, and makeup combine to make Pennywise terrifying: he has three rows of teeth, a bizarre Scottish accent, and a maniacal smile.

Clowns without scary makeup and special effects are oafish, non-threatening, and even lovable. They’re endearingly awkward, and their stylish wigs make a timeless fashion statement.

Their trademark big feet make them prone to clumsiness; Pennywise isn’t an accurate representation of the broader

By JANE RHEE I used to laugh at coulrophobics. The fear of Stephen King’s impish, sharptoothed, demon of an entertainer in the movie “It,” which terrorized the children of Derry by transforming into their worst fears and systematically tearing off their limbs, seemed unfounded. After all, clowns are real, regular people. And clowns are not supposed to be scary.

But a survey conducted earlier this

Carrie Ou / The Spectator

clown community because he’s fast and agile, making him far more threatening than the average clown. The iconic big red nose produces squeaking noises, making interaction with clowns a multisensory experience.

While clowns may take on mischievous personas during performances, there is a distinct difference between rascal behavior and homicidal tendencies. Clowns have only ever wanted to bring joy to young children and adults.

Their portrayal in the media as fearsome killers has contributed to an ailing clown industry and the fall of a oncebeloved icon.

year by Vox Media and Morning Consult revealed that Americans are more afraid of clowns than terrorist attacks, a family member dying, the collapse of the economy, climate change, or dying themselves. Two out of three Americans want police or government intervention to investigate clown scares. The Ringling Brothers Circus, coined the “Greatest Show on Earth,” hosted its last performance this year. But somehow, a lighthearted entertainer, created to cater to children and the glittery aura of the circus, has come to strike more fear into the hearts of Americans than the Taliban.

Clowns can be traced back all the

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way to 2500 B.C., when Pygmy clowns catered to Egyptian pharaohs. Imperial China, Ancient Rome, and medieval Europe all saw their version of these unpredictable, hyperbolically happy comedians.

But this perpetually happy nature is easily conceived as something much more devious. Clowns must paint on their wide smiles every morning, fixing their grinning countenance whether or not they feel that way. And as humans who are inclined to judge a person’s character and trustworthiness based on their facial expressions and actions, the clown is shifty and untrustworthy, a plastic man. Their laughter is chilling because it seems out of place in a situation that doesn’t require laughter; Stephen King’s clown Pennywise is scary because he is hiding in a storm drain with a shining red balloon instead parading around the fairgrounds.

The fact that clowns are humans, and that they are very real, is another strike against them. Unlike ghosts or aliens, which are blatantly figures of the imagination without any scientific backing or solid evidence, clowns exist and blend in as unremarkable characters. The image of the corrupted clown, steered toward evil because of mistreatment or unresolved anger, can (and arguably does) happen every single day. An enemy that walks among you and has unsupervised access to your children is justifiably frightening.

This fear of clowns has also led to mass hysteria and “copycats” that harnessed fear in order to receive attention.

Remember, for instance, John Wayne Gacy Jr., who raped, tortured, and killed at least thirty-three young men in Illinois between 1972 and 1978. He operated under the persona of Pogo the Clown, who had pointed tips for his mouth (instead of the standard, kid-friendly rounded tips), and was called the Killer Clown as he painted jarring self-portraits of himself as Pogo in prison before he was executed through lethal injection. The clown sightings in South Carolina last year, which included a group of teenagers luring children into the woods, are just another example of people taking advantage of this fear.

But know that the fact that many clown “sightings” are orchestrated pranks does not detract from the tangible fear that Americans have of clowns; on the contrary, it only serves to stand as an example of the self-realization of the unnerving nature of these wide-eyed, grinning entertainers.

The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

Page 12

Arts and Entertainment The Life of Kylie is Killing Reality TV

Television

By CHEYANNE LAWRENCE

Film

surprising a boy named Albert as his date for prom. Kylie says missing her own prom made her “really sad” and unfollowed her friends because she “just couldn’t stand to see” the pictures from prom.

Kylie introduces a number of characters she calls friends, who the audience does not care about at all. The most interesting thing about most of them is their names.

For example, her hair stylist, Tokyo, is good at styling hair. The fact that her “closest” friends are her employees and the absence of any truly dynamic characters makes for a drab cast.

Kylie also doesn’t play her usual role of reality TV diva when left to her own devices. Her expressions are blank and disinterested for most of the show, contrasting sharply with her jubilant Instagram videos in the transitions.

While she does attempt to open up, Kylie’s revelations on the show are neither distinctive nor unexpected. When discussing Kylie, W magazine wrote, “How much can you really learn about a person through 12,000+ tweets, 5,000+ Instagram posts, and the most-viewed Snapchat story in the world?” The answer is just about everything. For example, Kylie reveals makeup is her only passion and that she hadn’t realized it until she launched her multi-million dollar makeup line.

She attempts to garner pity with lines like “I can’t relate to a lot of

Coulrophobia Be Damned

By EMMA LINDERMAN and JACQUELINE THOM “Do you need to be a virgin to see this [expletive deleted] clown?!” is one of many wisecracks in the highly anticipated film remake of Stephen King’s chilling novel. Directed by Andy Muschietti, “It” is an adaptation of the first chapter of King’s book of the same name, which follows a gang of ‘80s kids from the small town of Derry, Maine, as they hunt for a mysterious, terrifying, soul-eating creature that has been kidnapping children.

The film is innovative in its ability to combine just the right amount of jump scares with a dose of pubescent humor, along with a curious exploitation of fear. Nobody is safe from Pennywise, the immortal, blood-curdling, psychopathic jester. “It” contains all the qualities of a standard horror film interspersed with classic elements of ‘80s nostalgia.

Pennywise, played by Bill Skarsgård, emerges every 27 years to terrorize children and feeds on their fear by wolfing down their souls. The focus of the film is Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher), a shy, stuttering boy on a quest to find his little brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott), who is kidnapped by the murderous clown.

Bill blames himself and enlists his misfit friends, Stanley (Wyatt Oleff), Richie (Finn Wolfhard), and Eddie (Jack Dylan Grazer).

On their journey, they meet Beverly (Sophia Lillis), Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor), and Mike (Chosen Jacobs), and are deemed the “Losers’ Club” by the neighborhood bullies. The group confronts Pennywise several times and discovers his horrifying shapeshifting abilities. Along with his ability to rotate his body parts in a very unhuman-like way, the clown’s head constantly morphs into that of each child’s nightmare.

The clown transforms into a misshapen woman from a painting Stanley walks past in fear at the synagogue and, similarly, becomes a leper to terrorize hypochondriac Eddie on his way home.

The movie seamlessly integrates its characters’ fears into the

storyline and gives each character a purpose. Some of the characters’ fears are so subtly presented that they aren’t noticeable until Pennywise embraces those fears and exploits them. Oftentimes, the most candid or tranquil moments were the ones that gave each character more backstory, such as when Mike refuses to kill lambs at his family’s farm. It doesn’t seem important at first, but the scene later becomes evidence of Mike’s fear of death and slaughter. Beverly stands out as the gutsy lone girl in the group and exudes an aura of self-confidence, but is haunted by her period and her abusive father. Eddie constantly rattles off his worries about contamination at a breakneck p a c e, while

Israt Islam/ The Spectator

Richie continually digresses from the topic at hand with wisecracks and innuendos.

Of course, the ever-present villain in the film is the killer clown and its appearances throughout the plot instill terror in both the gang and the audience. Cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung’s mastery of the camera is effective in making Pennywise’s screen time terrifying. Chung sweeps from frame to frame with angles that emphasize the film’s contrasting themes of terror and mellowness, including one particularly terrifying fisheyed close-up of Pennywise get-

ting ready to bite Eddie’s head off.

Chung succeeds in making Pennywise’s appearances so random and wholly unexpected that the audience members are left falling off of their chairs in dread of the clown’s next arrival. There were many times when I covered my eyes in panic, as if that could protect me.

Keeping time with Chung is composer Benjamin Wallfish’s rich orchestral melodies and sinister nursery rhymes that punctuate the more frightening aspects of the film but also highlight moments of fun and resolution. Morbid tunes play as Ben flips through a book about Old Derry’s dark past, finally crescendoing into a fast-paced and urgent refrain that follows Ben as he runs from a headless victim of Pennywise’s attacks. The sharp jump in the music as the corpse appeared caused the entire crowd in the theatre to suck in its breath.

The orchestra swells as the movie finally fades out to show the group of children reflecting on their assault of Pennywise later in the film.

In addition to the film’s ability to scare viewers, “It” also breaks standard horror film expectations. Instead of back-to-back jump scares, the movie utilizes its characters’ young ages to bring a nostalgic humor from the days when bad puberty jokes were common. Despite the dangers Pennywise poses, the kids still enjoy their summer fun and even find time for a wild rock battle with the neighborhood bully, accompanied with appropriate heavy metal music. The film even goes so far as to be meta, like when Richie is wowed

by Bill not stuttering once during an impromptu speech.

Though Richie’s sex jokes are sometimes a bit much, the movie tries to be unconventional by mixing the scary and the funny.

While “It” may not be the scariest movie out there, it is definitely capable of making audiences both laugh and cover their eyes in terror. The film balances themes of friendship and loyalty with recurring gore and suspense, creating a product that is as thrilling as anticipated, but also lets viewers root for the protagonists as they embark on their heroic journey. As most of us know, fear can’t be overcome overnight, so we hope to see more from the “Losers’ Club” in the future.

Anika Hashem/ The Spectator

Though reality TV has gained a reputation as “trash TV” over the years, many fail to realize that classic shows like “Survivor” and “America’s Got Talent” are also classified as reality TV. Reality TV is an art form in its own right. The idea is to portray real emotions from relatable and lively individuals in an artificial setting, while following a storyline that is fictional enough to be fascinating but real enough to seem genuine. Creating a successful reality TV show requires almost as much, if not more, thought than a fictional TV show, which has the crutch of being fictional. Reality TV is burdened with the task of portraying a reality that isn’t real without being discernibly fake for the entertainment of viewers in a world where there is so much competition for viewers’ attention.

After appearing on “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” for 10 years, Kylie Jenner is reality TV royalty. It wasn’t a surprise when she came forth with her own show, “The Life of Kylie.” Kylie’s aim in starring on this show was to show the other side of her and to differentiate herself from other social media influencers and reality TV stars.

The content of the show alternates between more structured interviews of Kylie where she is facing the camera and being asked questions such as “Do you want

kids?”—to which she duly responds “I do”—and more typical reality TV scenes with her lounging around and hanging out with friends. The transitions between scenes are filled with pictures from Kylie’s social media feeds, including lots of bikini photos. These bright poolside photos with Kylie beaming and laughing with friends feel out of place when juxtaposed with the sober tone of her interviews. Including these visuals also cheapens the production quality of the show because it feels like a 30-minute Snapchat with better camera quality rather than a professional reality show.

Reality TV thrives on the audience being involved, whether it is allowing the audience to call in and vote for contestants like on “American Idol” or the presence of conflict and petty drama that viewers can become immersed in.

However, because of a lack of any real conflict, the show is drawn out. Kylie and I were both bored most of the time. To increase viewership, “The Life of Kylie” is planning to add cameos from Kim Kardashian West, subsequently relying on the Kardashian family instead of Kylie standing on her own. The Kardashian family has made an empire out of its reality TV show, so Kylie was trained by the best, yet her show still falls short.

As stated before, the storyline is barely present. Most of the first two episodes are centered around Kylie

people. I do feel like an outcast,” but it doesn’t feel genuine and it’s hard to feel bad for the girl who has it all.

Despite the show’s numerous flaws, there are actual lessons that can be learned from it. It becomes glaringly obvious between the transitions filled with Kylie posing in her bikini beaming, and the actual content of the episode, that real life and social media are vastly different, even for someone as affluent and popular as Kylie.

Music

In producing “The Life of Kylie,” Kylie and her team grossly underestimated the fact that reality TV is an art form in its own right. All the major elements of a good story or TV show also apply to reality TV shows, but they were all neglected. Turning on a camera and posing is for Snapchat and does not belong on TV. Just being Kylie Jenner may get her headlines at the blink of an eye, but it won’t get her show good ratings.

From Disney to Twerking to “Younger Now”

Christine Jegarl/ The Spectator

By THOMAS CHEN Over the past decade, Miley Cyrus has gone through drastic changes, from her innocent teenage “Hannah Montana” days to her controversial, wrecking ballswinging “Bangerz” era. With her sixth studio album, “Younger Now,” released on September 29, 2017, Cyrus has returned to her countrypop roots in order to reveal a more mature and honest side of her.

The title track exemplifies Cyrus’s journey in search of her identity. Beginning with a simple country tune on the guitar and the lyrics, “Feels like I’ve just woke up / Like all this time I’ve been asleep / Even though it’s not who I am / I’m not afraid of who I used to be,” the autobiographical song describes how Cyrus’s past identities have helped shape herself and how she embraces her growth. It’s a much more raw self-reflection compared to some of her past songs, such as “Bang Me Box” from “Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz,” a song purely about lesbian sex, or “Do My Thang” from “Bangerz,” an admittedly catchy song in which Cyrus declares her nonchalance towards the public’s opinions on her.

Though not as powerful as some of Cyrus’s past songs like

“The Climb,” “Malibu,” the album’s lead single, is a simple love song dedicated to Cyrus’s fiance, Liam Hemsworth. With just Cyrus’s breezy vocals accompanied by a mid-paced guitar melody, “Malibu” is an innocent, refreshing break from her bolder past of hip-hop and psychedelic songs. As she recalls her memories in Malibu with Hemsworth, her affection for him sounds clear and genuine.

Love is a powerful theme in Cyrus’s album. Possibly one of the album’s most emotional songs, “She’s Not Him,” depicts Cyrus’s love triangle. Accompanied by gentle strings, she displays her masterful lyricism, singing, “Even though we’ve gone to outer space / Still no way you can take his place.” In a highpitched, yet soft voice, she regretfully laments that despite her infatuation with her female lover, speculated to be model Stella Maxwell, who Cyrus dated for a brief period of time, Maxwell could never match her true love, Hemsworth.

While much of the album is rooted in mellow beats and depicts an overall image of a more placid Cyrus, some of the defiant spunk from her more provocative days resurfaces throughout the album. She snarls, “And it’s time for this queen to go and find another throne / When I give it up, I give it all,” in the feisty break-up song “Love Somebody,” and, “It’s getting late, I’m starting to obsess / You got me crying and looking like a mess,” in the infectious rock-based “Thinkin’,” in which Cyrus displays her paranoia and obsession over a lover.

The album does have its weaker moments, such as “I Would Die For You,” a sweet, tender love ballad that disappoints with its somewhat cheesy and melodramatic lyrics. In addition, “Rainbowland,” a more uplifting, catchy tune featuring Cyrus’s godmother and icon Dolly Parton simply seems unmemorable in comparison to the other intimate tracks.

However, Cyrus has truly shown her versatility and surprised the public with a much more vulnerable side with “Younger Now.” Let’s just hope she doesn’t revert back to the nudity and sledgehammers.

The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

playlist

Creep

it

Arts and Entertainment Real Calendar S p 0 0 k y E v e n ts

Once upon a time, on one of the spookiest days of the year, the A&E editors were trapped in a graveyard.

None of them knew how they got there. Eliana had been singing while rolling around on the floor, Sophie had been partying with middle school friends, William had been playing DragonVale, and Karen was just about to buy her first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the year. They all glanced at each other with mild alarm. They had been in some crazy situations together, but this was by far the spookiest yet. Eliana began to sing opera nervously and Karen imagined how aesthetic her Pumpkin Spice Latte would have looked on her Snapchat story. In the distance, a hazy shape appeared. Sophie’s palms started sweating. It got closer and closer. William started to cry a little. Finally, Sophie was able to make out some features: dark hair, long, sharp teeth dripping blood, and an immaculate, finely pressed suit.

“Oh God it’s Nick Li!” she said. William started to scream.

“Why is he wearing a suit?” Eliana asked.

As Nick Li closed in, hungry for blood and leadership positions, Karen thought about what a shame it was that there wasn’t a spooky playlist to set the tone for their final moments. She quickly gathered some leaves from the ground, snapped a picture because they were so aesthetic, pulled out her multicolored Muji pens, and set about assembling 13 of the most terrifying songs into one last spooky playlist.

Kanye West

Tiny Tim

“Monster” Rap

“Tiptoe Through the Tulips” Americana

Andrew Rannells

My Chemical Romance

“Spooky Mormon Hell Dream” Book of Mormon Soundtrack

“Mama” Alternative

Gyorgi Ligeti

Arnold Schoenburg

“Volumina for Organ” Classical

“Sechs Kleine Klavierstücke” Classical

Metallica

Kid Cudi ft. Travis Scott

“Enter Sandman” Heavy Metal

“Baptized in Fire” Rap

Mike Oldfield

“Tubular Bells” Progressive Rock

New Taylor Swift (the old

one is dead) “Look What You Made Me Do” Pop

Michael Jackson “Thriller” Pop

The Depths

Bruno Coulais

“Trap for the Mices” Coraline Soundtrack

“Of Mice and Men” Heavy Metal Wenny Liu/ The Spectator

By AIMA ANWAR At a time when television was considered a lesser form of cinematic expression, David Lynch’s murder mystery, “Twin Peaks,” completely revolutionized the concept of a daytime American TV show. Lynch established that the small screen was an equivalent art medium to the big screen, an absurd notion at the time due

Ongoing New York Haunted Hayride Randall’s Island 7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze Van Cortlandt Manor Select Dates and Times

Blood Manor 123 Varick Street New York, NY 10013 Select Dates and Times

October 31, 2017 Scarecrows & Pumpkins New York Botanical Garden

Astronomy Live: Spooky Astronomy American Museum of Natural History 7:00 p.m.

Village Halloween Parade 6th Avenue from Spring Street to 16th Street 7:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

A Harry Potter Theme Halloween Party 605 W 48th Street New York, NY 9:00 p.m.

Lynchian Surrealism and The Birth of The Legacy of “Twin Peaks”

Anika Hashem/ The Spectator

Television

to the perception of television shows as senseless distractions for bored housewives.

Though the series only aired for two seasons after its debut in 1990, it quickly gained a massive cult following, partially because it left so many questions unanswered that viewers began theorizing about hidden messages and motives. However, as any Lynch fan knows, trying

Page 13

to explain the workings of his unique imagination is futile. It is better to simply enjoy its eccentricity and become immersed in Lynch’s surreal, phantasmagoric style.

The show returned for a longoverdue final season 25 years later this May and was just as impactful the second time around.

Despite the changes made from the old “Twin Peaks” to the recent installment, the show has remained true to its origins in terms of its legacy and what it represents.

Inspired by the film noir of the mid-20th century, Lynch established himself as a pioneer in the world of filmmaking with cult-classic movies such as “Eraserhead” (1977), “The Elephant Man” (1980), and “Blue Velvet” (1986). He gained a reputation for directing chilling, unconventional, and offbeat movies characterized by dreamlike visuals and sporadic use of eerie sound effects. In “Eraserhead,” Lynch depicts a deformed, alienlike infant who makes a distorted mewling noise that sounds terribly similar to a crying baby, yet contains a level of artificiality.

There is never a silent moment in his films; a humming or buzzing background noise produces the perpetual feeling of discomfort that is vital to the Lynchian ambience.

Lynch’s decision to turn to television and create “Twin Peaks” with Mark Frost set a precedent for other legendary filmmakers, like Martin Scorsese, to do the same. His willingness to enter the humble world of TV after several big screen successes conveyed that television could be just as prestigious and artistic as cinema.

At first glance, “Twin Peaks” is a typical small-town murder mystery in which a beautiful

a

Genre:

teenage girl dies, and the police begin an investigation to discover the identity of her killer. However, Twin Peaks is no ordinary town. A dark shadow looms over it, and it’s not just from the prostitution rings and drug cartels.

An evil entity known as Bob has escaped from a part of the spirit world called the Black Lodge to wreak havoc on its residents, who are no strangers to supernatural forces themselves: one character’s soul becomes trapped in a doorknob, and another’s wooden log gives her accurate premonitions of the future. Bob is a physical manifestation of humanity’s darkest dreams and desires, a theme that is prevalent throughout Lynch’s work.

The characters in the show act in chilling mannerisms that imply a sense of otherworldliness. Even Agent Dale Cooper, protagonist and fan-favorite FBI agent, is a robotic and emotionally void character who is so socially inept that he talks to an invisible “Diane” through a recording device.

Once, when Cooper is shot and wounded in his hotel room, room service comes in with a glass of milk and oddly neglects the obvious fact that he is bleeding out and dying. This classic Lynchian scene is drawn out in virtual silence between the two characters as the bellhop proceeds to give him his bill and a thumbs-up. Cooper doesn’t seem bothered by his peculiar behavior, nor is he particularly concerned for his own safety.

From its freakish characters to Cooper’s iconic line “Damn good coffee,” the series has attained a classic status in the entertainment industry, which has made its 2017 return all the more anticipated.

During the show’s 25-year

hiatus, the world changed in a myriad of ways, with the most profound change being technology. Lynch’s style also evolved with time, slowly incorporating the theme of the digital age into his work. There are moments in each episode of the return in which the camera whirs and shakes for a split second. The special effects and CGI in the show are substandard as well.

This is a deliberate effort by Lynch to amplify the artificiality and otherworldliness of the world of “Twin Peaks.”

We are used to seeing science fiction and fantasy TV shows with realistic CGI, and by rejecting this norm, Lynch draws attention to the surrealism of his creation. He was able to keep the original ideas behind “Twin Peaks” intact, but he also accounted for the modernization that occurred in television technology. Lynch’s ability to capture both sides of the spectrum is a testament to his directorial expertise.

The essence of “Twin Peaks” is not in the individual characters and plot of the show, as is the case for most shows, but in its abstract peculiarity and uniqueness that have been preserved for a quarter-century.

Without David Lynch’s masterpiece, shows like “American Horror Story” (2011-present), “Bates Motel” (2013-2017), and “The X-Files” (1993-present) would never have been created.

His creative genius was ahead of its time and paved the way for the onset of the golden age of American television. “Twin Peaks” is not just a series; it is a concept, an experience, and a dream. Though the show itself seems to be at a definitive end, its legacy will live on for a very long time.

The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

Page 14

Arts and Entertainment C I F Fashion o st u m e

deas

or the

Spooky Teens Of Halloween ‘17

By GRACE GOLDSTEIN If you’re looking for an attention-grabbing costume this Halloween, but are too busy with homework or college apps to worry about making something intricate, try something simple, cool, and contemporary with this 2017 costume inspiration.

Costume 1: Te Fiti From “Moana”

Costume 2: Look What You Made Me Do

If you love Disney’s “Moana” (2016) but are still wondering “who you are” this Halloween, dress up as the island goddess Te Fiti!

Here’s what you’ll need:

● A long green dress ● Green makeup or face paint ● Anything else you can wear that’s green ● A flower crown ● Any jewelry that’s green or has flowers on it adds to

the effect of the costume. You can also draw flowers onto your arms, or do anything else that makes you look more like an island deity.

● Finally, the heart—the bright green oval with a spiral

Suzy B. Ae/ The Spectator

engraved in it that is the source of Te Fiti’s powers. Considering that this is the hardest part of this costume to make, and is extremely tiny in comparison to Te Fiti in the film, you can skip this if you want. However, if you want the full costume, pick up some bright green Sculpey (or another brand of easy-to-use clay). Take some of your clay and mold it into a small oval.

Then, take something with a thin point and carve a spiral onto the surface of your heart. To incorporate this into the costume, I suggest poking a hole through the heart, putting a chain or string through it, and wearing it as a necklace.

If you’re a fan of Taylor Swift’s new song, or you just listened to it once, ironically, try this twist on the traditional zombie Halloween costume.

Darken the area around your eyes as much as you can. Use

● dark eye shadow, dark eyeliner, dark face paint, and anything you have that could be perceived as “edgy.”

For the rest of the makeup, any zombie/Halloween makeup

● works. Draw as many fake scars, blemishes, and wrinkles on your face and arms as you can.

Suzy B. Ae/ The Spectator

●

For a fun couple’s costume, ask a significant other or one of your friends to dress up as Te Fiti’s dark, evil counterpart, Te Ka!

Georgie: ● A yellow raincoat with a hood or matching hat

● Optional: wear a blonde wig.

Costume 4: PSAT “NO CHANGE”

Costume 3: Georgie and Pennywise Here’s a costume that’s *actually* scary: the iconic duo from the horror film and novel “IT.” What you need to float too:

● Wear a long, light blue or white dress or nightgown.

If you can make PSAT memes for Twitter and Snapchat, why not just make one of them into your Halloween costume, too? This costume is for students who chose the “NO CHANGE” options a few too many times on the test and want to make something funny with minimal money or effort spent in the process.

Here’s what to do: Buy a plain white t-shirt and a black sharp-

● ie.

● Rain boots

You’re writing a typical PSAT multiple-

● A paper boat

● choice question, so start by writing a

Pennywise:

● Write the question: “What should I be for

question number in the top left.

Halloween?”

● Clown makeup ● A red wig/clown wig

●

● White clothing with ruffles Optional: glue red

● Fill in the bubble next to “NO CHANGE” with

● pom-poms to your

your sharpie.

shirt for buttons!

● A red balloon Suzy B. Ae/ The Spectator

Everyone with a career in an artistic field has a wildly different story to tell. From having doting parents to finding a passion later in life, there are many ways artists can find success with their interests. Particularly in New York City, the high school an artist attends can have a huge effect on his or her pursuit of a career in a creative field.

Whether the student is enrolled in an arts-focused school like LaGuardia or a school like Stuyvesant that emphasizes math and science, every aspiring artist’s profession and outlook is influenced by their high school years.

One of the most important

If you want it to look a little more like an actual PSAT question, you can always write letters inSuzy B. Ae/ The Spectator ● stead of bubbles, and circle the letter next to “NO CHANGE.” You can also add “PSAT 2017” or the College Board insignia somewhere on the shirt to make clear what it means.

Artists in the Making

Insights: Culture

By EMMA LINDERMAN

For the responses beneath it, write an empty bubble next to each of the following: “A Male Born In the 1400s Who Died In His Early Thirties, Likely Due To A Battlefield Wound,” “Old-timey, summer-fresh, off-the-vine tomatoes,” “Little Bits and Bobs,” “NO CHANGE.”

parts of achieving success in an artistic career is practice. Statistics prove that at least 10,000 hours of practice are needed to master any skill. In his book, “Outliers,” Malcolm Gladwell examines a study done on violinists at the elite Academy of Music in Berlin. Gladwell finds that “by the age of 20, the elite performers had totaled 10,000 hours of practice” without relying on talent at all. In fact, Gladwell later writes that “once a top musician has enough ability to get into a top music school, the thing that distinguishes one performer from another is how hard he or she works.”

“I know that I’ve been drawing all my life,” sophomore Anaïs Real says. She attributes her success to

her many hours of practice. “I started to properly learn how to draw on my own when I was 10,” she continues. Real’s hard work pays off: she recalls that the proudest moments of her artistic career were winning Gold and Silver keys in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

Real also takes inspiration from her mother, who is an artist as well.

Even though art is an important aspect of her daily life, Real isn’t so sure about a career in the field.

Leaning towards creating art as a stress-free hobby, she says, “Being an artist is extremely difficult, and while I love it, it’s not exactly something I want to have to do in order to get paid.” With money and picky commissioners thrown into the

mix,Real worries about successfully gaining an audience for her work. “Career-wise, it’s always the money. There are very finicky people who commission art, and it can be hard to please them. I don’t want to do art for some random guy; I want to do art for me,” she adds. Real’s logic makes sense.

Many artists do struggle for money when starting their careers, and it’s impossible to please everyone.

As for her school’s influence, Real doesn’t feel that Stuyvesant’s STEM-focused environment has a significant impact on her artrelated aspirations. “Despite [...] attending Stuyvesant, a place notorious for the sciences and maths, I would like to take art classes in

college,” she says. “It probably wouldn’t be a major, but I’d enjoy it as additional classes, if they are available.” Stuyvesant, she says, isn’t a huge influence on her career choice. “I’ve always been more interested in zoology as a career, if I’ll be honest,” Real finishes.

Some Stuyvesant students do struggle to balance a heavy workload with their creative interests. “What does stress me out from time to time is balancing my work with schoolwork for the next seven years,” said Stuyvesant sophomore Grace Goldstein, who is interested in writing musicals. continued on page 15

The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

Page 15

Arts and Entertainment Artists in the Making

Insights: Culture continued from page 14 “Sometimes I’m afraid that neither will be the best that they can be, because I’m spreading myself too thin doing both.” Goldstein has a point: with hours of homework, it can be hard to find time to devote to preparing for an already demanding job.

Goldstein, however, is not discouraged by Stuyvesant’s emphasis on math and science. “Contrary to popular belief, Stuy is a great place for creators, performers, and artists,” she claims. “I’ve met some other writers and songwriters at Stuyvesant, and a few of my friends even want to write musicals, which has definitely made me more excited than ever about my career path.” With organizations like STC and SING!, it is possible for Stuyvesant students to find a creative outlet within a strenuous academic environment.

Goldstein also draws inspiration from other successful works of theater, particularly “Rent,” a ‘90s rock musical written by the late composer Jonathan Larson.

Goldstein reveals that in telling the story of a group of East Village artists in the midst of the AIDS crisis, “Rent” “reminds [her] of the strength, power, and camaraderie that comes from New Yorkers in the art world.” The production’s score and dialogue inspire Goldstein’s own works. “I want to be able to write like that,” she concludes.

At school, Goldstein is comfortable associating with people who share similar interests. “It’s [...] important to be around people who are passionate about the same things as you,” she observes.

“Those are the people you’ll want to work with as an adult.”

For some teens, practice is made easier with the help of a school that puts an emphasis on

the arts. LaGuardia sophomore and aspiring singer Jeanne Bransbourg admits, “[since] I sing at school along with many others, it really encourages my passion and helps me get better and feel more comfortable singing.” With a secure group of fellow singers to commiserate and rehearse with, it does make sense that Bransbourg is pushed by her peers to achieve her goals.

Along with school, an artist’s family can be a deciding factor when it comes to the pursuit of a more creative path, especially during his or her time in high school.

We’ve all heard stories of desperate and controlling stage parents that live vicariously through the success of their child. Coming from a musical family, Bransbourg is aware of the benefits of an artistic background, but she doesn’t feel pressured by her parents. Rather than being pushed to get into LaGuar-

dia’s voice program, Bransbourg felt encouraged by her parents to look into many different high schools. “They support me and help me if I need it,” she explains.

Unfortunately, one of the reasons so many teens are deterred from having a career in the arts is the daunting odds of finding enough success to make a living.

“It’s very hard to pursue a career in the arts because only one in a lot of people actually make it,” continues Bransbourg, as she talks about the stresses of her chosen path. The “starving artist” trope exists for a reason, partially because of how many hopeful creatives find themselves working toy jobs to pay the bills as they begin to search for opportunities in their preferred profession.

On the contrary, Hunter College sophomore Emma Larson reveals that “it often bums [her] out that [Hunter] doesn’t offer as many

opportunities to kids wanting to pursue art as opposed to, say, music or [theater].” However, she does find time to draw in her art school’s art class and cartoon club. Her school’s limited options don’t stop her from creating. “My own personal motivation and enjoyment of illustration is what really pushes me to work on my art,” says Larson, explaining how she improves her art without the help of her school.

When trying to improve and gain attention, many aspiring artists also take to heart the advice they hear from professionals.

“Don’t worry about getting things perfect,” Real says as she recalls meaningful tips she’s been given.

“To keep my options open and to work very very hard,” Bransbourg adds. In the end, most artists find success by staying true to what they know is right for them. “Just draw what [you] love,” Larson says, “because somebody out there loves it

ART Happy Haunting

By THE ART DEPARTMENT

Taylor Choi/ The Spectator

Nikita Borisov/ The Spectator

Fareeha Tabassum/ The Spectator

Rachel Zhang/ The Spectator

Annie He/ The Spectator

Lynne Wang The Spectator

Tony Chen/ The Spectator

Lauren Mei/ The Spectator

Page 16

The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

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The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

Page 17

Sports NFL

Football’s CTE Crisis

By JEREMY RUBIN

February 5, 2012. Super Bowl XLVI. Third quarter. Tom Brady, New England Patriots’ star quarterback, drops back to pass, scanning the field before firing a tight spiral to his 6’1”, 245-pound tight end Aaron Hernandez. He catches it at the seven yard line and muscles his way into the end zone to increase his team’s lead to 17-9. He dances in the end zone, raising his arms to the roaring crowd. Even though the Patriots ended up losing the game, Hernandez goes for eight

nandez, and while he was not a good person, there is more to this case than meets the eye.

Yes, Hernandez murdered in cold blood. Yes, he deserved life in prison for the atrocities he committed. However, it recently has come to light that Hernandez was suffering from Stage 3 Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). This is the most severe case ever seen in a person at such a young age.

Because of this, the Hernandez family is suing the Patriots and the league, citing that they knew the risks for Hernandez but still kept them

Going head to head with 300-pound linebackers every week, five months out of the year unsurprisingly takes its toll on the brain. catches and 67 yards and inks a five-year, $40 million extension with the Patriots that offseason.

Five years later, Aaron Hernandez was found hanging from his bedsheets in SouzaBaranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster, MA. He was two years into a life sentence without parole for the first degree murder of Odin Lloyd. To the world, he is a cautionary tale— one of a young player who let fame get to his head and killed someone in cold blood over a trivial issue. Besides the murder of Lloyd, Hernandez was also accused, but acquitted, in the murders of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. All of this paints a bleak picture of Her-

from him. The case will no doubt remain in the legal system for the foreseeable future, but besides Hernandez, there have been and will be many others with a CTE diagnosis.

Posing a major threat to the National Football League (NFL), this CTE problem needs to be addressed and corralled before it brings the NFL down.

A complete reform of the sport is neither needed nor wanted, but more studies about what specifically causes CTE, along with more player awareness programs and increased neurological checks, would go a long way to quench players’ fears and potentially save the sport.

CTE is a degenerative brain

Girls’ Golf

him. However, after numerous cases and a 2017 study from the Journal of the American Medical Association that found 110 of the 111 former players’ brains studied had CTE, the NFL was forced to change its tune.

To keep players’ families from suing the NFL, it reached a $1 billion plus concussion settlement in 2013 that pays out upwards of $5 million to each family for a variety of injuries post-football. A CTE-related death is worth $4 million under the current agreement.

However, even after this influx of data on CTE was introduced, the NFL did nothing to restructure the settlement and increase the payout. Financial compensation to players’ families can only come after years of which suffering players and their loved ones had to cope with the disease. Pain should be worth more than $4 million.

Another issue for the NFL is the growing number of current players that are retiring before the age of 35 to preserve their mental capacities to live longer and healthier lives. Chris Borland (age 24), A.J. Tarpley (Age 23), and D’Brickashaw Ferguson (age 32) all hung up the cleats before they were forced out, citing heightened awareness of the risks posed in the NFL as factors. If more well-known players continue to retire at young ages, the NFL may lose billions in revenue.

These new, high profile dropouts have pushed the NFL to change rules to limit high-impact collisions, mostnotably being the move of touchbacks from the 20-yard

line to 25. This makes teams less likely to return kickoffs and collide with each other after gaining 50 feet or more of momentum, thereby limiting some of the more brutal headon hits in the sport. This rule change, among others, is a start for the NFL. While it is impossible to eradicate head injuries in such a high-contact sport, the league can take steps like this to limit the most direct hits.

The Hernandez case is the most sensational one yet. He was one of the most recent players to have been in the league, so his play is still fresh in people’s minds. However, as more studies come out proving other players’ brain issues, and I’m positive they will, the fans will begin to turn on the NFL as their childhood stars slowly go out both mentally and physically.

To prevent this from happening, the NFL needs to get in front of the issue by openly discussing it and funding research to prevent such severe damage.

I’m not advocating for a complete overhaul of the NFL. Much like millions of other Americans, my Sundays are spent switching from game to game and checking my fantasy lineups. To change the basic rules of the sport would be a travesty. However, this CTE issue is not going away, and more steps need to be taken to limit its place in football.

Studies that attempt to decipher which types of hits lead to a higher CTE risk and compare the general population’s risk of CTE to that of a football player’s will go a long way in minimizing this problem.

Boys’ Badminton

Birdies Look to Playoffs After Another Undefeated Season

By JARED ASCH The Birdies, Stuyvesant’s varsity girls’ golf team, continued their undefeated streak after beating the Brooklyn Technical Engineers 5-0 on October 20. All five of the team’s starters shot well, outscoring the Engineers by 12 holes overall, with three of the team’s match victories coming at a margin of three holes or more.

The Birdies’ strong play landed them at the top of their division with an 8-0 record, three games ahead of James Madison High School. For the past four years, the team has succeeded in the Brooklyn A Division.

Last year, the Birdies performed similarly in the regular season, maintaining an undefeated season, but they failed to capitalize in the playoffs, losing to Staten Island Technical High School (2-3) in the second round. “We knew we definitely could have advanced to semifinals last year, so we were pretty disappointed,” sophomore Charlotte Yee said.

Though the playoff bracket is not completely set, the Bird-

disorder that is characterized by a buildup of the Tau protein, which slowly kills brain cells.

It takes thousands of hits and enough of them, concussive or otherwise, to cause CTE. This makes football players especially susceptible: going head to head with 300-pound linebackers every week, five months out of the year unsurprisingly takes its toll on the brain.

However, one of the main reasons this remains an issue is that it can only be diagnosed post-mortem. Symptoms such as memory loss, social impairment, and eventually dementia or depression can often be a symptom, but nothing definitive can be done prior to death.

For a while, the NFL avoided this issue. It wouldn’t bring it up or admit that there is a link between football and degenerative brain issues. Even after players such as Junior Seau, a 12-time Pro Bowler, committed suicide in 2012, or Lou Creekmur, eight-time Pro Bowler, had autopsies that proved he had CTE, the NFL didn’t budge, stating that it would wait on more concrete studies.

The league went as far as to dismiss findings that the Golden-Globe nominated movie “Concussion” (2015) portrayed.

It reflects on the work of Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian pathologist who found that former NFL player Mike Webster’s brain was severely damaged. He went on to conduct studies on other NFL players and found similar results. When he attempted to present his findings to Commissioner Roger Goodell, the league refused to even listen to

ies will likely have a bye in the first round of the playoffs, but they might face a familiar opponent in the second round.

In addition to the team playoffs, the top players in the PSAL are selected to compete in the individual competition.

Last year, Stuyvesant sent four golfers to the individual championships, but they didn’t manage to chart on the top spots.

This year, senior Lucy Liu is the only one on the team attending the much smaller individual competition, and she will look to learn from her experience last year. However, winning in the individual competition will be tough due to strong competition from Hunter High School golfers.

The team has enjoyed this success because of coach Emilio Nieves. Golf is not as popular for students coming into Stuyvesant, so many of the players of the Birdies had to be taught the basics. “He really tried to diagnose what is wrong with my swing and helped me improve a lot,” Park said.

Boys Badminton Look Forward to Post-Season

By BRANDON RIM

With a 5-0 win over Martin Luther King Jr. High School (MLK), Stuyvesant’s boys’ badminton team continued its dominant three game stretch.

The team won a combined 10-0 in the previous two games against High School of Fashion Industries and Dr. Susan S. Mckinney School of Art. Led by a strong senior class, the team has been lights-out this season, currently second in its division at 7-2 behind Brooklyn Technical High School, who is at 9-0. The entire starting lineup, except for the second doubles team, is made up of seniors who have been on the team for at least a year and already know the drill.

They understand the game and have learned the right mindset in order to be successful. “[We] initially just try to go out there and do our best to win both doubles and win in the singles matches,” senior Alexander Lu said. By taking each game match by match, the team doesn’t get caught up in the overall picture and only focuses on each moment individually. This mindset allows

the players to exert all their energy on the current play and to not worry about past matches.

On the sidelines before the MLK match, senior and captain Steve Wong stood firm and tall, using his racquet to practice his stroke. This purpose was twofold: to make sure he was ready

as he and Lu won their first set 21-0 and came out victorious in the remaining sets, gaining a point for Stuyvesant.

Coach Marvin Autry believes the experience of the seniors has played a big role in the team’s success. “Our starters know where they stand and are fo-

“I tried instilling a sense of uneasiness into those inexperienced players by showing them how aggressive and prepared I was.”

—Steve Wong, senior for the game and also to gain a competitive edge by scaring his opponents. “Many of the opposing players were inexperienced and [...] I tried instilling a sense of uneasiness into those inexperienced players by showing them how aggressive and prepared I was,” Wong said.

Stepping into his doubles match against MLK with Lu, Wong winded up his racquet, ricocheting the shuttlecock over the net as the opposing players failed to answer. Evidently, this scare tactic worked,

cused and poised because they know themselves better than anyone else,” Autry said. Most of the players independently prepare on the side before their actual match and at practice to understand what they need to improve upon or know what skills they have confidence in.

This team believes it can succeed this post-season. The past three years have all led to second-round exits in the playoffs, so hopefully this can be the year the team breaks through.

The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

Page 18

Sports NFL

Is DeShone Kizer Due to Be Another Cleveland Bust?

By DIMITRIY LEKSANOV

Every time the Cleveland Browns start a new quarterback, it seems to cause waves of overwhelming euphoria, followed quickly by crippling disappointment. Since being reintroduced to the National Football League (NFL) in 1999, the Browns have not found an answer at the position. From Tim Couch and Brady Quinn to college standout Johnny Manziel and Washington castoff Robert Griffin III, when it comes to quarterbacks, nothing has worked for the Browns.

Through four games so far, this season looks to have been much of the same. With bottom-of-the-barrel totals in completion percentage (52 percent), passer rating (47.8), and touchdown-to-interception (TD:INT) ratio (3:11), rookie DeShone Kizer looks the part of another Cleveland bust.

To make matters worse, fellow rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson, whom the Browns had an opportunity to draft, has gone on a tear over his last four starts for the Houston Texans, leading all quarterbacks in rushing yards per game while going 3-2 as a starter (as opposed to 0-6 in Kizer’s case).

Furthermore, whileWatson’s position as the Texans’ starter has gone unquestioned since he took over, Kizer’s grip on the Browns’ starting job seems to be coated in Vaseline. Over the course of the Browns’ 0-7 start, Kizer has been benched numerous times and for two different backup quarterbacks.

Against the New York Jets, Kizer was pulled at the start of the second half for Kevin Hogan in a desperate, vain attempt to escape with a close win. Then, after the Browns lost that game, 17-14, Hogan was given the start the following week in a loss to the Texans. After Hogan’s threeinterception debacle, Kizer was given the start against the Tennessee Titans, but was again pulled just after halftime after throwing two revolting interceptions, this time for Cody Kessler. With Kessler now expected to start next week against the Vikings, 2017 looks like another lost season of ghastly quar-

terback plays for the Browns.

However, considering that the supporting cast that Kizer has to work with is subpar and that the Browns’ head coach, Hue Jackson, has been quite austere with young quarterbacks in the past, the outlook for Kizer and the Browns may not be as grim as it seems.

Kizer has fallen victim to two key factors: inadequate support from his wide receivers and an overzealous head coach. The first of these has not only been the most obvious but also the most egregious.

The Browns have been plagued with underperforming wide receivers all year, with no worse offender than this offseason’s marquee free agent pickup, Kenny Britt. Last season,

slightly short, it was still certainly catchable, but Britt let it through his paws, forcing the Browns to settle for (and miss) a long field goal attempt. Later, in the second quarter, with the Browns within 20 yards of Cincinnati’s end zone, Kizer hit Britt squarely in the chest, but Britt allowed it to ricochet off and up for an easy interception, putting another demoralizing end to a potential touchdown drive.

Of course, not all of the blame can be put on Britt.

Other members of the receiving corps—running back Isaiah Crowell, for example—dropped their own fair share of passes, and, more importantly, Kizer’s own flaws cannot be ignored.

There is much to like about Kizer: he has a hefty throwing arm,

To make matters worse, the Browns’ head coach and offensive coordinator Jackson has insisted on emphasizing an offensive scheme that plays away from the strengths of his receiving corps, which has only further exposed Kizer’s struggles.

Seeing Kizer’s arm strength, patience against pressure, and ability to use fakes to manipulate defenders downfield, Jackson established a deep passing-heavy offensive scheme.

The problem with this approach is that the Browns’ wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends are not conducive to such an offense, especially with Corey Coleman, the Browns’ most explosive option, out with an injury. Britt is simply not fast enough to be a threat

Every time the Cleveland Browns start a new quarterback, it seems to cause waves of overwhelming euphoria, followed quickly by crippling disappointment.

Britt experienced a breakout for the Los Angeles Rams despite putrid quarterback play from Case Keenum and Jared Goff.

Britt eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career and showcased a consistent ability to get open for first downs, stay balanced, and make plays after the catch. This led to a four-year, $32.5 million contract from the Browns and an expectation that Britt would be not only a reliable target, but also a veteran mentor for youngsters Corey Coleman, Ricardo Louis, and Kasen Williams. So far, however, Britt has been all but that.

Britt’s hands and routerunning have been inconsistent all season, but they were especially poor Week 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals. To put it bluntly, Britt cost the Browns two separate drives. Early in the first quarter, with the Browns on the Bengals’ 30-yard line and the potential to capitalize on a fumble by quarterback Andy Dalton, Britt had a prime opportunity to convert a long third down on a comeback route.

Though Kizer’s pass was

his so-called “football intelligence” is extremely high, and he is adept at avoiding pressure from pass rushers and fluidly reestablishing his throwing mechanics on the move. However, he has one notable deficiency: his accuracy. Simply put, Kizer’s ball placement is poor to all levels of the field. While he can somewhat make up for it with his arm strength, it becomes an issue when so many of his passes are slightly off the mark.

This is especially problematic for the Browns. Wide receivers, after all, are not machines. They will catch most passes thrown to them, but will also naturally drop a fair share.

With an inaccurate quarterback like Kizer, the drop rate will only go up since the receivers do not know where to expect the ball and then are forced to contort their bodies like the artistes of Cirque du Soleil to even attempt a catch. With a receiving corps as young as Cleveland’s, this is exacerbated by poor technique and a lack of football instincts. Hence, Kizer and his receivers only make each other look worse than they truly are.

downfield, and Ricardo Louis and Kasen Williams, while supremely athletic, are too raw to actually gain consistent separation and are still unrefined in terms of seeing and tracking the ball and securing catches.

Furthermore, Jackson has almost completely abandoned the running game, despite having two capable running backs in Duke Johnson Jr. and Isaiah Crowell to work with. Crowell, supposedly the Browns’ lead running back, has averaged just 13 carries a game this season, a far cry from the typical workload of a feature back (Jordan Howard of the Chicago Bears, for instance), which normally hovers around 20 touches a game. Johnson, meanwhile, has gone full games without running the ball.

This is unfortunate to see since the Browns’ offense is young and has the potential to be one to feel excited about.

However, for the Browns’ offense and Kizer to be successful, there must be two drastic measures taken. First, the Browns need to become more devoted to the run. Crowell is

a gritty, powerful runner that enjoyed his first 1,000-yard season a year ago and is more than capable of carrying the Browns’ torch. Johnson, meanwhile, is a quicker option with receiving abilities to boot and can serve as a perfect complement. If the Browns had established the run against teams with weak linebackers, such as the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3, they could have had at least one win.

The next move would be to focus more on intermediate passing and play-action fakes.

Play-action is when the quarterback fakes handing the ball to a running back, thereby drawing the defense out of position, and then proceeds to pass against a shifted, discombobulated defense. However, this can only happen with a strong run game; otherwise, defenders would not fall for the fake. With play-action implemented, the Browns could then integrate players like Britt, who thrives on intermediate curls and crossing routes, and big tight ends, like David Njoku and Seth DeValve, into a timing-based, quick-hitting offense that allows Kizer to use his strong arm to hit tight windows.

If that happens, then the horrid statistics that Kizer has put up week to week should begin to level off. As bad as Kizer has been, he has not been as bad as his 3:11 TD:INT ratio may indicate. In the modern NFL, such a figure is almost unheard of: the only quarterback last season to play in all 16 games and finish with more interceptions than touchdowns was Brock Osweiler, who was actually cut by the Browns this preseason.

If the problems in Kizer’s surrounding personnel can be mitigated, he should finally start to look like an acceptable NFL quarterback. From there, his future would depend on his growth. Kizer’s skill set is similar to that of Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who has built a Hall of Fame career out of extending plays and throwing deep. If Kizer improves his ball placement, allowing his receivers a better chance at the ball, we could see much of the same. However, if he stays inconsistent, he will remain in the doldrums of mediocrity.

Boys’ Fencing

Boys’ Fencing Remain Undefeated

By JEREMY RUBIN and JOOAHN SUR

Senior and co-captain of the boys’ fencing team, Max Chan, faced off against one of Long Island City’s top fencers. Chan evaded his opponent’s attacks while landing multiple back flicks, which involved bending the blade to touch the opponent. The team prevailed with a 90-30 victory.

Currently gunning for the 16th straight undefeated season, each Stuyvesant fencer has recorded five touches and allowed only two Long Island City fencers to reach five, limiting most to one to two touches.

Stuyvesant sits at the top of its division after winning the first four games of the season.

“We’ve fenced a few games so far and have been winning by huge margins, like 90-15, 90-18, etc,” Chan said. An opponent has yet to come within 50 points of Stuyvesant, another testament to the team’s dominance.

These victories are not unexpected to the members of the team. “Our practices are some of the most rigorous you’ll find, both mentally and physically. Fencing really is a combination of both physical and mental dexterity. That’s why it’s sometimes referred to as ‘Physical Chess,’” Chan said.

Practices are where teams gain the mindset and technique to compete in games, and their practices have been guiding the team to this undefeated season.

Coach Joel Winston’s mentoring attitude for the members of his team have helped them all flourish this season.

“He helps us a lot with improving our fencing, but apart from that, he’s also very encouraging and helps us grow closer as a team,” senior and co-captain Jerome Freudenberg said.

Beside the Stuyvesant practices, another key reason for this high level of play is the amount of time the starters are putting into the sport. “A lot of

our fencers fence outside of school during the off-season so we have a considerable advantage. We have a more dedicated team than most others,” Freudenberg said. These include all six starters: Chan, Freudenberg, senior and cocaptain Thompson Hui, seniors Eric Zhang and Benny He, and sophomore Tazman Libson.

These six have a combined 47-2 record so far this year. By fencing outside of Stuyvesant, the players compete more often than other players on opposing teams. “Normally, schools have just one or two good fencers who fence at club and who carry the whole team, but this

year we have a whole starting lineup of them,” Chan said.

At 4-0 and coming off 15 undefeated regular seasons, the fencing team has high hopes for the rest of its season. Led by a strong senior class, an undefeated record is definitely a possibility for the team. Even beyond the regular season, the team definitely has the ability to go deep into the playoffs and possibly win a championship. “Of course, everything just comes down to that one day,” Chan said. “But I trust my team, my co-captains, and I am confident we can succeed at playoffs this year.”

The Spectator ● October 31, 2017

Page 19

Sports If Athletes Wore Halloween Costumes, What Would They Be?

By RAY JONES

Noah Syndergaard - Thor

Directed by Damien Chazelle, “La La Land” has received 14 nominations at this year’s Academy Awards, tying it with “Titanic” and “All About Eve” for the most nominations for a single film. It stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in a tale of love between two struggling artists. Gosling plays a down-in-the-dumps musician who longs to pursue his passion for jazz and Stone plays an aspiring actress who’s trying to make it big. They meet and their stories intertwine in a dramatic and music-filled tale set in Los Angeles.

Steph Curry - Assassin

Able to hit a shot from what seems like anywhere on the court, the 4-time all-star is regarded as perhaps the greatest NBA shooter of all time. Curry holds the record for most 3-pointers in one season, and repeatedly sends daggers through the hearts of opposing players, coaches, and fans.

Serena Williams - Wonder Woman

Few athletes have successfully dominated their sports to the extent that Williams has. She won the most Grand Slam titles of anyone (man or woman) in the Open Era. At the age of 36, she continues to beat opponents with superhero-like ease, winning the Australian Open earlier this year.

Lionel Messi - Magician

Even at the ripe old age of 30, Messi is still one of the most technically gifted soccer players on the planet. In 2016, he was once again La Liga’s top goalscorer, scoring 37 goals in just 34 appearances.

Tim Tebow - Priest

Known for his outspoken Christian faith, NFL star turned Minor League Baseball player Tim Tebow has preached at schools and villages in the Philippines. In the United States, he has shared his Christian beliefs in many prisons and schools.

Aaron Judge - Judge

While he posses few Judge-like qualities, Yankee’s breakout star and 2017 MLB Home Run Derby winner sure has a name fit for the Supreme Court.

Girls’ Volleyball

The Vixen Vex in First Home Game

By SUSAN LIN

The atmosphere of the crowded third floor gym surged as junior Alexandra Archer approached for a middle hit. She slammed the ball down mercilessly, refusing to ease up despite the otherwise relaxed game between Stuyvesant’s girls’ varsity volleyball team and Bard High School of Early College’s volleyball team.

The other players had a similar mindset, making few, if any, errors throughout the game and taking advantage of every free ball over and every opportunity for a hit or a bump.

“There wasn’t too much I

could evaluate them on, other than maybe serving and a few free passes, which they did well,” coach Vasken Choubaralian said. Indeed, key players like senior, co-captain, and outside hitter Ziqi Guo, senior and opposite hitter Zilin Guo, and senior, co-captain, and libero Kristina Kim had serving streaks of nine, seven, and seven, respectively. The scores were devastating for the other team, with the Vixens dominating 25-6 and 25-10.

The team this year is mostly unchanged because most of the starting players last year are seniors this year. However, a notable exception is fresh-

man and middle hitter Anaïs Delfau, whose sister was last year’s captain Chloe Delfau.

Both Ziqi Guo and Choubaralian believe that the team’s chemistry this year is stronger. “The traditional view of a varsity team is that the seniors or juniors get to start because of experience.

However, our starting freshman has the same, if not more, experience than some of the current juniors or seniors. In the end, coach tries to put the best lineup out there regardless of your grade,” Ziqi Guo said. Coach Chourbaralian and Assistant Coach Pan have demonstrated this mentality

in their experimentation and flexibility with the lineup, allowing many of the more inexperienced players to come in as substitutes when the Vixens had a strong lead.

A straight two-set win for the Vixens’ first home game speaks to a promising season for them, and if last year was anything of an indication, they’re a strong prospect for playoffs, as well as the top seed of the Manhattan A League.

However, in the past, once the Vixens defeated schools in Manhattan in the playoffs, they struggled and had to end their season disappointingly early. Ziqi hopes

that additional scrimmages, the heightened team bond, and the practice in improving passing will remedy this issue. “I see a lot of potential in our team, and as long as we play together like a team, we will be able to play our best every game,” she said. “[Being PSAL Champions] will probably be a distant goal of mine. A more realistic goal would be semifinals, at least,” Choubaralian said. “We still need to work on backrow passing, service reception, and improving my setter a little bit. [With that], I think we’ll be quite unstoppable.”

October 31, 2017

Page 20

THE SPECTATOR SPORTS Boys’ Soccer

Girls’ Soccer

Peglegs Finishing Off a Strong Season

By ALLISON ENG, LUMI WESTERLUND and LEE-ANN RUSHLOW

The Peglegs, Stuyvesant’s boys’ varsity soccer team, have earned themselves a spot in the playoffs. Approaching the end of their season with just one game left, the Peglegs are looking to end strong. This is their most successful season in years, currently sitting in second place with 21 points, just behind their long time rival Martin Luther King Jr. High School (MLK), with 27 points.

They have been nearly unbeatable these past few months, with a record of seven wins and two losses in their PSAL Manhattan A1 division.

“With an eighth win and an 8-2 finish, we are hoping for a high seed in the playoffs,” Coach Vincent Miller said.

Though the Peglegs have had a total of three postponed games this season, it has not stopped them from using each game as an opportunity to improve. “We’ve gotten better at being more aggressive and taking shots since the beginning of the season,” senior and co-captain Caleb Smith-Salzberg said.

This is reflected in the team’s stats with the number of shots on goal in their most recent game doubling that of the number of shots in the match that started their season. Their shots peaked mid-season, reaching a

total of 18 in one game against Washington Irving High School.

In their last game against Frederick Douglass Academy, the team showed resilience and a diversity of talent. At the end of the first half, the game was tied at two. This continued until the end of time, so the match went into overtime, a sudden death round. The Peglegs were able to finish off the game with a 3-2 win. This game showed the ability of many teammates to finish. Three goals were scored by three different people: juniors Jeffrey Shen and Robert Nava, along with sophomore Jeremy Moller. The development of these younger players have been crucial this year and will improve the team in the future.

As they continue to improve at both games and practice, the team reflects on how to do better. “Our strengths are definitely our defense and ability to counterattack. I think our possession has definitely improved. While it’s not quite as much of a strength as I would like, we have shown the ability to dominate a game by possessing the ball,” senior and co-captain Michael Gillow said.

Hopefully, the team can improve on their possession time.

As the playoffs approach, the Peglegs are looking to go as far as possible and, ideally, beat their main opponent, Martin Luther King Junior High School, if the opportunity aris-

es. They have not lost hope despite their 4-0 loss in their first game against MLK, followed by a 5-0 loss to them later in the season. “We held MLK scoreless for 39 minutes, but [we] allowed them to score two in the final few minutes of the half. We have to remain focused and capitalize better on our chances. We also need to have a better response if MLK scores, so we don’t let them get into a rhythm,” said Smith-Salzberg, referring to their second game.

It is clear that this team has the ability and skills to handle tougher teams such as MLK, but it is simply a matter of consistently playing hard.

“I feel [that] if we play a third game against MLK, we will give them everything we have and play very hard to the final minute,” Coach Miller said.

Though the team will most likely not face MLK in the playoffs, they have high hopes that their improvement will produce positive results as they face new teams outside of their division for the first time. “The team has played with a great amount of grit and toughness [...] and an attitude that [they] can beat anyone in the city,” Miller said.

As the Peglegs finish up the final stretch of their season with numerous victories, it is clear that they can go far in the playoffs. They just need to become more focused and capitalize on the opportunities they get.

Mimbas Making Magic in Overtime

By SIMON CARMODY and PERRY WANG

The Mimbas, Stuyvesant’s girls’ soccer team, clinched a playoff berth with a 4-2 victory against LaGuardia High School.

The team needed to win two of the last three games to make the playoffs and did so.The team also beat its rival, Lab Museum United, 4-3 in overtime two days prior to the LaGuardia game.

The win against Lab Museum United was not only crucial for the playoffs, but was also payback because the Mimbas had lost to them 3-2 in overtime earlier this season. The second game did not start well for them, falling behind 3-1 early.

However, once the second half started, they quickly scored two goals, tying the game. When they entered overtime, Lab Museum United picked up the physicality, and in the last 30 seconds, the refs called a direct free kick, which sophomore Selene Kaehny drilled into the goal. “When my shot went right over the keeper’s head I was in shock. [I’m] not going to lie: I started crying a little bit because the entire team ran over to me and started hugging and screaming,” she said.

The wins against Lab Museum United and LaGuardia High School showcased the Mimbas strength of the underclassmen on the team, since they scored

seven of the eight goals during this two game stretch. Kaehny scored three, sophomore Eve Wening scored two, and freshman Aki Yamaguchi scored two.

Furthermore, sophomore goalie Emory Walsh has stepped up and been a tremendous player for the team, saving 26 shots over the past two games.

The Mimbas had many cancelled games due to weather, and they used that time wisely.

“We stayed really focused during the time that we had off and just kept practicing really hard,” senior and co-captain Saloni Majmudar said. They also used this time to bond and become more close-knit than before.

“We use this time not only to become better soccer players, but [to become] better teammates because individuals don’t win games, teams do,” senior and co-captain Charlotte Ruhl said.

The Mimbas are excited and ready for the playoffs, and they could not be coming at a better time. Since September 19, the team has gone 5-1 and hopes to continue the hot streak into the playoffs. Last year, the team finished with a similar record and lost in the first round in the playoffs, but the team believes it can go further than it has before. “[In] the past two games, our skill level as a team has just skyrocketed. I’ve never seen us play like this before.” Kaehny said.

Football

Peglegs’ Tough Season Continues With Blowout Loss

By DIMITRIY LEKSANOV

When a team starts a season with four consecutive losses, optimism can be hard to come by. However, for senior running back and captain of the Stuyvesant Peglegs varsity football team Perry Wang, there was still an upside to the team’s 5512 loss to Bayside High School.

Though the Peglegs struggled, Wang is sure that they remained mentally tough.

“The whole Bayside game gave us some optimism for our Beach Channel game. We never gave up and really came together as a unit,” he said.

As improbable as this may seem, considering that the blowout loss dropped the Peglegs to a 0-4 start for a second consecutive season, the team’s performance actually reflected Wang’s sentiment: They improved as the game progressed.

After being outscored 35-0 in the first half—the third time this season that the Peglegs have been shut out in the first two quarters—the team fought back, adding two passing touchdowns and holding Bayside scoreless in the third quarter.

Furthermore, the Peglegs stayed true to their strength, which, according to Wang, is their passing game. Aside from an interception, senior quarterback Rigneyla Rigneyla was

spectacular, completing 10 of 13 passes for two touchdowns as Stuyvesant outgained Bayside in the passing game with 175 yards to Bayside’s 102.

With the following week’s opponent, Beach Channel Educational Campus, having posted a high of just 63 yards through the first four games, Rigneyla’s aerial prowess had the potential to pose a serious advantage.

This game, on October 8, resulted in another Peglegs loss, but proved that Wang’s confidence was not unfounded. They only lost by 10 points, the narrowest of any game thus far this season.

They have also showed a significant defensive improvement. After giving up 127 total points over the previous three weeks, the Peglegs held Beach Channel to just 16 and shut them out through three of the four quarters. This is especially impressive considering that Rigneyla threw two interceptions in this game, meaning that Beach Channel started their drives with good field position on multiple occasions.

Of course, the Peglegs had their fair share of struggles, too. For one, Rigneyla was not as sharp as he had normally been. Completing just seven of 25 passes for just 75 yards, a touchdown, and the two interceptions, it marked the first time this season that

Rigneyla turned the ball over twice and also failed to complete even half of his passes.

Additionally, Rigneyla’s completion percentage in this game (28 percent) was his lowest of the first five games.

This is not to say that Peglegs have regressed defensively.

In fact, many of the team’s defensive newcomers—namely Joshel Xiedeng, Ian Sulley, and Daniel Chernov—are playing well. Against Beach Channel,

diametrically opposed to what one would have expected after the stout defensive performance against Beach Channel.

Though the Peglegs again demonstrated an ability to finish strong, scoring the entirety

“The whole Bayside game gave us some optimism for our Beach Channel game. We never gave up and really came together as a unit.” —Perry Wang, senior and captain

This is not to put all the blame on the quarterback, though: the Peglegs came up short in many other areas. For example, though Stuyvesant contained Beach Channel’s passing game well, giving up just four completions for 38 yards, the Peglegs were not nearly as dominant against the run.

Both of the touchdowns that Beach Channel scored came on the ground, and the Peglegs gave up over 100 rushing yards for the fifth consecutive game.

This speaks to their lack of size in the defensive line, something that Wang described as being one of Stuyvesant’s weaknesses before the season. “We might not physically match up against every team,” he said.

these three defensive linemen combined for a total of 10 tackles, two tackles for a loss, and a sack, with Wang himself also adding a sack of his own from the linebacker position.

However, it just isn’t enough against teams with larger offensive linemen. This was the case last season too when the Peglegs gave up 196 rushing yards to a more sizeable George Washington team en route to a 36-20 loss, and it was likely also the case against Beach Channel.

The Peglegs’ most recent game, however—aptly played on Friday, October 13—featured far fewer potential positive takeaways from a glance.

In a 54-14 loss to Eagle Academy, Stuyvesant’s play was

of their 14 points in the second half, it was a dismal game overall, particularly on defense.

They were dominated in the run game, giving up 358 rushing yards, including 235 on 13 carries by Eagle Academy’s Gary Newman. On top of that, the Peglegs gave up their highest passing total of the season, 85 yards.

There does not seem to be just one thing for the Peglegs to do in order to turn their season around. Rather, it will take improvements in all facets of their game for them to get a win in their remaining games.

However, in a division as difficult as theirs, if they keep the positive attitude Wang and others have shown thus far, the future looks good for the team.