Issue 8, Volume 108 by The Stuyvesant Spectator

The Spectator

“The Pulse of the Student Body”

The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper

Features

Featuring the New Electives

From The History of Intelligence to Guitar Appreciation and The Physics of Video Production, Stuyvesant has begun offering these exciting electives for the 20172018 fall and spring semesters. see page 2

Volume 108  No. 8

A&E

The Original Twenty-One Pilots, A Deeply Buried Secret Sophmore Grace Goldstein reviews the Stuyvesant Theater Community’s winter drama, a moving performance of “All My Sons,” by Arthur Miller. see page 12

January 19, 2018

NEWSBEAT Four senior students from Stuyvesant are Regeneron-

STS semifinalists: Tiffany Chen’s project “The Cost of

Students from the computer science department participated in the Zero Robotics High

School Competition 2017 in their International Space Station Programming Challenge and placed first overall.

Freshman Liam Kronman’s first song, “A Village Ballad,” written and performed by him, with some assistance from a former classmate, was published last week on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

German Pop Duo DieLochis Performs at Stuyvesant By Nusheen Ghaemi and Sasha Spajic The Murray Kahn Theatre was buzzing with activity and anticipation. The seats were filled, and the stage was outfitted with platforms, on which stood a drum set, a keyboard, a DJ booth, and a guitar stand. On either side of the stage were banners promoting the Goethe-Institut, a non-profit German cultural association, and plastered on the back wall was a promotional poster for the German pop duo, DieLochis, that performed on Monday, December 4. The duo is comprised of 18year-old twin brothers Roman and Heiko Lochmann. For the past few weeks they had been touring schools around the United States with the Goethe-Institut as part of their “Schools: Partners for the Future (PASCH)” initiative. The Goethe Institut promotes the education of German language and culture and presents contemporary German culture, such as DieLochis, to the world. Roman and Heiko Lochmann have been amassing an enormous social media following since starting their YouTube channel six and a half years ago, at age 12. They have nearly 2.5 million YouTube subscribers, a combined total of 2.8 million Instagram followers, and their most popular video currently stands at 22 million views. “Music is and was a big passion our entire life. We [had] already [written] many songs, [played] a lot of music, and we [asked] our teacher if we [could] play at the school event so we [could] be on stage. So, it started very early [on] in our life,” Roman Lochmann said. The duo is widely known in

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Germany: their album made number one on the German billboard charts and and they have a trending hashtag #zwilling, which means “#twin.” However, they admitted to having difficulties performing in the United States. “In Germany, most people know who we are. It’s another experience to play in a country, [where] no one knows who we are, no one knows our songs and stuff. It’s just crazy,” Roman Lochmann said. The concert began with opening remarks from Principal Eric Contreras, a representative from the Goethe-Institut, and a representative from the German consulate in New York City. The brothers then ran on stage, spending the next few hours dancing, jumping, and interacting with their

band. Throughout the concert they tried their best to pump up the crowd, encouraging people to put their phones away, stand up, dance, and have fun. Though they were not entirely successful, with some students staying seated, the brothers managed to get the majority of the audience moving. While their music is in German, English is the twins’ second l language, and so in between sets they professed their love for New York and explained the meanings of some of the songs, often talking about universal themes like friendship, heartbreak, and coming of age. “When you feel the music, you don’t have to understand the language to have un,” Roman Lochmann said. “The main language of music [is] emo

WORLDBEAT President Trump sparked outrage when he allegedly questioned the need to accept immigrants from “sh**hole countries” instead of taking more im-

migrants from countries like Norway. Trump was being briefed on a bipartisan proposal to protect immigrants from Haiti and some African nations. Though Trump later denied making those comments, politicians across the country and around the world have called on him to apologize for the racially charged remarks.

The Trump administration intends to deport 200,000 El Salvadorans who were given temporary protected status after earthquakes crippled their country in 2001. Tens of thousands of Haitians and Nigerians also lost their protected status.

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to revive the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program. The ruling comes at a time when Democrats

and Republicans are struggling to come to a consensus on legislation protecting 800,000 illegal immigrants and border security. A breakdown in negotiations could lead to a government shutdown.

Large

anti-government protests have broken out in Iran with at least 23 people dead and thousands

arrested. The demonstrations, which don’t seem to have any organized leader, are calling attention to a weak economy and slow political reforms. In response, thousands of government supporters have staged counter-rallies.

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency accidentally sent out an alert to the state’s residents warning them of an incoming ballistic missile. The alert caused widespread panic and raised fears of a North Korean attack. The technical error was not addressed for 38 minutes.

tions,” Heiko Lochmann said. In spite of language barriers, most students responded positively to the performance. “I expected the students to be sitting while two strangers sang at us, but it was actually much more interactive and amazing. It was what I expected an actual concert to be like instead of a showcase or performance,” junior Hanah Jun said. The administration is hopeful that similar events can be scheduled soon. “We’re becoming a PASCH school. I think we will [also] be working closer with the Goethe-Institut in the future. They have a lot of interesting programs to offer,” German and French teacher Rebecca Lindemulder said.

Staff Editorial: Toward a Transparent Student Union

In an interview with The Spectator last spring, Student Union (SU) President Tahseen Chowdhury said, “Every SU in the past and every platform that you’ve seen in the past always have specific ideas, and we lack that, and that’s good.” But the SU’s failure to communicate specific goals, or sometimes even to communicate at all, has only caused it to seem out-oftouch—there is an SU hotline, for instance, but Stuyvesant does not allow students to make phone calls in school. This is not to say the SU is superfluous. It has had some continued on page 4

Photo Courtesy of the Goethe Insitut

Living: Using Machine Learning Algorithms to Predict Gentrifying Neighborhoods in New York City,” Jenny Gao’s “Quantifying the Impact of Nitrogen Use on Photosynthetic Rates by Live Imaging,” Benedict Ho’s “Characterization of N-Myc Downstream Targets in Novel Patient-Derived Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer Organoid,” and Julian Rubinfien’s “Amplification of Human Telomeric DNA Sequences in Outer Space via Polymerase Chain Reaction and Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification.”

stuyspec.com

The Spectator ● January 19, 2018

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Features

Zoe Oppenheimer / The Spectator

Featuring the New Electives

By Zoe Davis, Laura Ilioaei, Zoe Oppenheimer, Amanda Peng, Tasfia Rahman and Claire Tempelman Filming the world through the perspective of a moving bicycle; learning the secrets of the IC, CIA, and NSA; transcribing music from one instrument onto the guitar. At Stuy, there is an elective for almost anything you can think of. This year, new electives have been created, and each one of them is bound to fill students with a sense of newfound appreciation.

The Physics of Video Production

Informally, The Physics of Video Production class is also known as “Introduction To Screen Studies.” Though it is taught by physics teacher Thomas Miner, the class does not revolve entirely around physics. Rather, it studies how physics is a part of film history and film theory, delving into everything from the smartphones of the present to the cinema screens of the past. At first glance, it may seem odd that a physics teacher would create a class about film, as physics and film seem unrelated. For Miner, however, this interest in film isn’t random. In college, he also majored in Film Studies. After he accepted

a teaching position at Stuyvesant, Miner jumped at the opportunity to teach a class that was oriented toward his passion for film. Students view film material—from short films to animations, and everything in between—and then create film projects of their own. “I want students to become better practitioners of creating content. I think everyone is in charge of writing and producing [his or her] own films; essentially, if you think about Snapchat, or Instagram, or any kind of social media, we’re all basically the stars of our own films,” Miner explained. In order to discover what aspects of film theory everyday observations reveal, the class often has group discussions. “We were talking about how the camera sees differently, how it has this alien perspective on us, on the world, and how his camera could see the world spinning,” Miner said. “A student had a film where he attached his phone to a bicycle wheel and it was just a beautiful whirlwind of colors and shapes.” Miner’s passion for film helps students understand the importance of the moving image and encourages them to think outside the box. “This idea of assembling images that create meaning in the mind of the viewer—the essence of

cinema is this montage of two images together. The collision of these two images creates an idea in the head of the viewer; that idea in and of itself is cinema,” Miner said.

History of Intelligence

After taking parental leave, Kerry Trainor has returned to Stuyvesant to teach his History of Intelligence elective during the spring semester. “I believe that, whenever possible, teachers should strive to teach content they are passionate about. I have always been fascinated and interested in the history of intelligence,” said Trainor in an e-mail interview. Trainor wrote his Master Thesis on Congressional Oversight of the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). It was while researching his thesis that Trainor noticed the number of college-level courses on the US Intelligence Community (IC) and later the lack thereof at Stuyvesant. This inspired him to create this elective. “I worked with several historians of Intelligence and Security Studies who helped me put it together. I then went through the process of getting it approved and was honored when our administration gave me the green light on it. I am very grateful to [Assistant Principal of Social Studies Jennifer] Suri, [former Principal Jie] Zhang, and the rest of the Cabinet,” Trainor said.

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The Spectator ● january 19, 2018

Editorials STAFF EDITORIAL

The Spectator

Toward a Transparent Student Union continued from page 1

had some successes, such as providing stuy.edu e-mail addresses, attempting to enforce a homework policy, and setting up the printing station. But for every achievement, there are multiple failed or useless projects: promising and not delivering a locker trading system for the fall of 2017; not reliably helping clubs make their own websites through StuyClubPub.org; inability to enforce allowing students in early from their lunch periods; and the disappearance of bathroom hooks, to name a few. Some ventures, like opening up the fifth floor balcony, seem both unattainable and arbitrarily chosen. Similarly, the freshmen and sophomore caucuses devote most of their energies towards planning grade dances like Semi-Formal, despite these events not being met with similar enthusiasm from the student body. SU members often argue that their accomplishments are backstage, such as haggling with administration over student autonomy or organizing SING! logistics. Even if the SU is incredibly productive “behindthe-scenes,” the fact that their primary functions are nearly invisible—not advertised to, or understood by, most students— indicates a lack of dialogue with their constituents. Students receive few updates on what their student officials are doing. Though SU e-mails are constant, these are almost always weekly schedules or reminders about school events, rather than providing insight on SU projects or requests for student input. The SU has attempted to establish communication through other means, namely Facebook posts and video updates. Besides being difficult to access for students who are not regular Facebook users (which particularly hurts freshmen who may not be accustomed to Stuyvesant’s Facebook-heavy culture), these posts also do not provide significant information about the SU’s work, but rather list upcoming events. Another issue with the SU’s communication is its size. The SU has been aggressively expanding, and now has approximately 250 members. Many new positions have been formed, such as the Director of Music and Supplies in the Freshman Caucus, and the SU has stated that they want to increase the number of task forces to handle new problems and projects. These new titles are part of a push to make the SU more inclusive, but they have instead created bureaucratic bloat. This attempt at inclusion through creating hundreds of positions is an ineffective solution that leaves the rest of the student body isolated. Indeed, the SU is often seen as an exclusive club, disconnected from non-SU member peers and operating within their own social circle. Oversizing also leads to inefficiency. The current SU fails to reap the benefits of specialized lower offices. Mobility be-

tween different departments is high, leaving many officers unacquainted with their duties. The lower offices often redirect student concerns to higher offices anyway. Students needing assistance then become unsure as to whom they should approach. Redundant and vague positions such as the freshman caucus’s multiple chiefs of staff and advisors only add to the confusion. Lower offices are also difficult to locate on the websites of the various caucuses. Many important pages, such as the “task forces” menu button on the SU website and the advisory council page of the sophomore caucus, do not open up or do not have content. Chowdhury and SU Vice President Alexa Valentino’s platform states, “Task forces are designed to be started rapidly to ensure that we take on any good ideas.” But the near invisibility of these task forces—names, officers, guidelines, or mission statements are nowhere to be found—makes it

The result of increased engagement with students would be more clearly defined goals, with a larger support-base, that the SU could dedicate its energies toward.

difficult to contact them with problems or to know what they have accomplished. Another of the Student Union’s biggest tasks is managing over $100,000 and dispersing that among clubs and publications. But the page for budget information on their website directs students to a Google document from last school year, with Niels Graham, an alumnus, as the listed contact. The updated “Clubs and Pubs Rules and Regulations” sheet specifies that clubs must complete “appropriate paperwork available at the SU website,” and that the SU only appropriates funds at certain times throughout the year. Neither the dates nor the form are readily available online. As a result of this lack of transparency, when the SU accomplishes something (or fails to), students don’t always know; when students are told the SU has accomplished something, they rarely know how or why. The SU should redefine its role to be the intermediary between students and the administration. As the most direct link between the two, the SU should

be the main advocate for student needs. In this capacity, the SU can focus its energies on incorporating student opinions. Before pursuing large-scale undertakings, the SU should poll the student body. This could be as simple as a Google form with a paragraph proposing a change, a one-to-five rating scale, and a space for additional comments. The survey’s results should be made public so that students know what the SU will be doing, and on what basis. Similarly, occasional surveys could also be used to poll student opinion on current SU endeavors, in order to see whether continuing them is a good investment of resources. Better advertising SU cabinet meetings, or holding town halls, would also provide nonSU members with a forum to listen to and question the leaders of the student body, as well as provide their own recommendations. The result of increased engagement with students would be more clearly defined goals, with a larger support-base, that the SU could dedicate its energies toward. Revitalizing the “task force dedicated to speaking to you,” which was established in the 2016-17 school year, would also improve communication. This task force is supposed to consist of a group of SU members who walk around the school to discern student opinions. Having them be more active (they only interview about five students per month, according to an SU official) and public about their findings would give the student body more confidence in the SU, and allow students to gain consensus through e-mail, form, or social media from the limited number of students such a task force can reach out to. Improved communication can be readily facilitated by consolidating the SU’s bureaucracy. Eliminating unnecessary officials, and clearly delineating which students are responsible for which jobs, would establish a much more navigable chain of command. This streamlining would need to be supplemented with an up-to-date website, or some other place with easily available information about the SU (such as physical postings in the school). Clearly explaining who to contact in specific scenarios would go a long way toward establishing confidence and conversation with the student body, without requiring much time or energy on the part of the SU. Having some form of government is vital to the student body: it provides an outlet for complaints, a channel to the administration, and a way to organize and actualize the student body’s desires. Many of the SU’s current projects fulfill these responsibilities; however, there are many more from which students are kept in the dark. The first step for the SU to become an effective intermediary is greater transparency.

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A Note to Our Readers: The Spectator will now accept unsolicited Op-Ed pieces written by outside students, faculty, and alumni. These columns, if selected, will be published in The Spectator’s Opinions section. Recommended length is 700 words. Articles should address school related topics or items of student interest. Columns can be e-mailed to opinions@stuyspec.com.

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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 voices@stuyspec.com, or email us with any questions or concerns you have.

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Opinions

Catherine Yu / The Spectator

Preserving a Free and Open Web

By DARIUS JANKAUSKAS

It’s been a long day at school, and you sit down to binge watch another season of your favorite show on Netflix. However, instead of that bright red logo welcoming you into bliss, you’re met instead with a loading screen blocking you from your beloved series. In 2014, Comcast customers had their Netflix access slowed down after Netflix wouldn’t pay Comcast for continued highspeed content delivery. Netflix eventually backed down, paying Comcast for infrastructure used to speed up Netflix service. However, in 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) stepped in to protect all content providers’ rights with net neutrality. Net neutrality is the principle that internet service providers (ISPs) should provide equal access to all websites by delivering them to consumers without preferential treatment or blocking. This principle has ensured that individuals, small businesses, and large corporations have equal footing to best serve consumers. However, the FCC’s vote on December 14 to abolish net neutrality now threatens small businesses, corporations, and internet consumers. The Internet has created new opportunities and driven growth for small businesses. Online technologies have allowed small businesses to market, hire, and sell without middlemen directly to consumers, increasing profits. Many small businesses are looking to fur-

ther expand their online presences. According to the National Small Business Association, over a quarter of small firms are looking to increase their profits by conducting more operations online in 2017. Net neutrality has created this opportunity by leveling the playing field between small businesses and large corporations. The end of net neutrality is set to give larger companies a considerable edge by allowing them to pay for faster speeds. According to a research division of Google, consumers are more than 53 percent likely to give up on waiting for content to load after only three seconds, meaning that putting websites in “slow lanes” can deal crushing blows to businesses that cannot afford prioritization. With the passage of net neutrality,

ential treatment if it weren’t for net neutrality regulations. Verizon has already unveiled a mobile data cap exemption service for businesses, and other ISPs are sure to follow. Allowing ISPs to grant artificial advantages to established players creates barriers to entry that entrepreneurs and small businesses cannot afford, drastically limiting the diversity of content the Internet has to offer. Net neutrality has also prevented ISPs from abusing their positions in pushing their own services and interests. For example, from 2011 to 2013, Google’s mobile payment app, Google Wallet, was blocked by AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, who had stakes in the rival payment app Softcard. ISPs now own a plethora of their own competing services like Hulu and

allowing incumbent services to charge higher prices. The greatest danger posed to individuals, however, is the threat to free speech. For example, Facebook’s Free Basics offers free access to a select few sponsored apps in developing countries, including the Bing search engine and Facebook itself. This trains consumers to use a limited number of services, even if they later switch to more full-featured internet plans, and limits free expression to only what sponsored sites allow. For these reasons, India instated net neutrality policies, banning Free Basics. A more chilling example occured in 2004 when Canadian telecom Telus blocked a website supporting a labor strike against the company. ISPs cannot be trusted to uphold the

This gutting of the free and fair Internet ultimately harms consumers, who now need to choose between using their favorite services at the cost of slower speeds and higher prices or switching to alternatives preferred by ISPs.

ISPs have quietly abandoned their promises not to create fast and slow lanes, opening small businesses to these competitive disadvantages. Data cap exemptions, which allow usage of certain websites not to be counted against consumers’ monthly data limits, are another advantage ISPs are looking to offer. Freedom to Tinker reported that after a promotion in South Africa exempted WhatsApp from mobile data usage caps, its usage tripled, likely at the expense of other messaging apps. In an FCC hearing in 2013, Verizon counsel Helgi Walker told the commission that Verizon would be pursuing these forms of prefer-

DirecTV that compete with private alternatives like Netflix and YouTube. Repealing net neutrality puts the free market competition of the Internet at risk in favor of a select few services operated by major telecom companies. This gutting of the free and fair Internet ultimately harms consumers, who now need to choose between using their favorite services at the cost of slower speeds and higher prices or switching to alternatives preferred by ISPs. By compelling consumers to use services supplied by the largest companies, ISPs will create an environment in which entrepreneurs cannot afford to compete, stifling innovation and

free speech when their interests conflict with that of the Internet community. Repealing net neutrality allows ISPs to filter the Internet, striking a death blow to the freedom we now enjoy: the freedom to view, post, and share whatever and whenever we like, from memes to political activism to almost anything imaginable. Opponents of net neutrality, chiefly telecom officials and lobbyists, argue that Title II, a legal mechanism originally intended for phone companies which was repurposed to implement net neutrality, poses considerable regulatory burden on ISPs, stifling investment in expanding Internet access. To

support his deregulatory policies, Ajit Pai, the FCC commissioner, cited one study claiming investments in new infrastructure by the twelve largest ISPs were down five percent over the last two years. However, ISPs’ shareholder reports paint a different picture. In December 2015, AT&T told shareholders that it would deploy more fiber-optic cable in 2016 than 2015 and that its future business prospects were not affected by Title II. Similarly, December 2016 reports by Comcast and Charter admitted that Title II fears had been overblown, and the new regulations hadn’t hurt business. Repealing net neutrality fixes a nonexistent problem to the detriment of all but a few telecom companies. The American public has the power to challenge this repeal by calling and emailing their elected representatives to push for legislation mandating net neutrality. Republicans have proposed a plan that would ban website blocking, but otherwise repeals net neutrality and thus is similarly damaging to the Internet. Democrats are pushing to reinstate net neutrality in full, but Republican opposition leaves it unlikely to be passed. In the absence of legislative action, the last recourse for the public is to take the issue to the courts. Public agencies like the FCC must have factual reasons for policy changes, and Ajit Pai’s overregulation argument doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. In addition, the FCC is required to hold a public commenting period for proposed regulatory changes, but commenting on net neutrality repeal suffered from millions of fake comments which the FCC refused to investigate, and required commenting on limitations to local regulations was not held. In light of these irregularities, states’ attorneys general from Washington to Idaho to New York are planning to sue the FCC over the botched repeal process. The courts need to step in and strike down the repeal of net neutrality to protect the entire Internet ecosystem from collapse.

Reforming Republicans By ARTEM ILYANOK

The result of the 2016 presidential election shook the world. Donald Trump, a businessman with no previous political experience, was elected to the most powerful position on the planet. Trump spent a

as an opponent. The presidency would force him to find a way to unite Americans, even those he had estranged. His largest political challenge would be uniting the Republican establishment, much of which he had alienated, behind his agenda. Trump’s victory was meant

Republicans cannot rely on creative district drawing and convenient demographics to carry them to victory.

large portion of his campaign disparaging anyone he viewed

to herald the start of a new era for the Republican party. Party

orthodoxy meant little to the temperamental political novice. He railed against free trade, abandoned traditional political rhetoric, and aggressively attacked Republicans for their perceived inaction on the issue of illegal immigration. While Trump was not the ideal presidential candidate, Republicans hoped that his unabashed aggression and their new majority in all three houses of government, which they have not possessed since 1928, would aid the party. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan spoke for many when he said that the conflicts between Trump and the Republican party were “over and done with” and that the party was ready to work with the newly elected president. Yet, as the cliché goes, expectations are a far cry from reality. In 2017, the Republican party has floundered. It has flattered to deceive, failing to make good on its promise to reform

healthcare, losing a senate seat in Alabama due to its decision to run Roy Moore as a candidate, and finding itself mired in petty scandals and the shadow of the Russia investigation. The attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare was an enormous letdown to the party’s base and a failure of leadership. It was not only poorly planned, but poorly executed, perhaps epitomizing the GOP’s year. Attempting to push through legislation, which according to a Quinnipiac University poll had a 20 percent approval rating, was never going to go well. But the way the bill met its fate was even more damaging. The bitter debate that occurred between conservative and moderate Republicans exposed ideological chasms between center and hard right factions within the party. The bill being defeated, brought back, defeated, brought back, and dramatically defeated for the final time was

politically detrimental. Politico, Quinnipiac, and the Economist conducted polls in the aftermath which found Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s approval rating in his home state of Kentucky to be as low as 15 percent, significantly lower than the 21 percent it had been at the start of the year. An SSRS poll found that fewer than three in 10 Americans hold a favorable view of the Republican party. This number is down 13 percent from March. In fact, this is the lowest number since SSRS polling began in 1992. Even a majority of Republican voters believe that their party leaders in Congress are taking the party in the “wrong direction.” Poor messaging, failed policy proposals, and the scandal-ridden Trump administration have tarnished the Republican party’s image. continued on page 8

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Opinions WHAT’S ON YOUR NOSE? Often written in between the lines of the grade breakdown on the syllabus is the liberty some teachers reserve to include intangibles, such as participation, engagement, or, in some cases, good old-fashioned brown-nosing. Opinions writers went out to determine the nature of kissing up at Stuyvesant, to find out how teachers respond to it (spoiler alert: a number refused or were reluctant to discuss it at all), and to consider their own stances.

MENG PING TU, BIOLOGY AND NEUROBIOLOGY

ROBERT SANDLER, U.S. HISTORY

Personally, I prefer students to just write me a thank-you card if they really want to say anything. I feel bad about students spending money to buy any sort of presents for a teacher, and I just don’t think it’s necessary because my philosophy is that you all give yourselves a grade. I’m here to guide you to learn and to achieve your learning goals for this particular class, but how much you want to do is up to you. The maximum is a little thank-you card. I think that’s the best. The best and best is if you make your own thank-you card with crayons and paper. I post that—I tape it on my fridge because I think that, to me, is heart.

If a kid says hello to me in the hallway, do I think they’re sucking up? I’d say they’re just saying hi. They want me to know who they are, which makes sense; I would do the same thing if I was in their shoes. I think giving somebody a card and saying something nice if they appreciate your passion for teaching or they give you something small like a little token—I don’t see it as a big deal. I think of it as the kids are just trying to express their gratitude. I give my own children’s teachers little tokens—small, inexpensive gifts—and write them cards. I’ve never once said to my peer or colleague, “Look at this kid, trying to get a good grade by doing this.” Because it won’t work with me anyway, it’s all based on how they participate, their test scores, so I don’t think about it that much because it never really factors in. If I have a kid after class stay and ask questions, they seem like they’re genuinely interested. Like, is there some part of them that thinks they’re calculating, oh, so this might help them increase their grade? Yeah, that might be part of the calculus, but like, that’s fine, I think that all of our behaviors have multiple motivations behind them.

LAUREN STUZIN, ENGLISH I don’t think I’ve noticed that it’s a problem. I think, first of all, that there’s a distinction to be made between wanting to be professional in class and wanting to make a good impression and being respectful to a teacher versus trying to mask some negative part of your performance in class. Some students may be nice to teachers to compensate for something […] I think students and teachers alike know that this is a thing that could happen in schools, it could happen anywhere, but I haven’t noticed it being an issue.

BARBARA GARBER, HEALTH I think it’s very hard to tell the difference between “kissing up” and genuinely being kind to the teacher. In most cases, students who participate often show that they’re engaged in the class rather than trying to show off or “kiss up.” In terms of gift giving, if a student gives me a gift, that shows me that they were willing to spend money and time on me, rather than trying to get a grade boost. In my class, I grade based on the work they do and how well they perform on projects, tests, and homework, as well as their engagement in class. I don’t grade based on favoritism or who gets me what gift. Therefore, “kissing up,” even if it does exist in my class, doesn’t affect how I grade because my grades are based on the effort the student puts into my class.

ERIC FERENCZ, ENGLISH In my opinion, “kissing up” is when a student uses compliments or kindness to manipulate a teacher into giving him/her favorable treatment, particularly if the student is attempting to compensate for some sort of academic shortcoming. I imagine that buckling down and working hard takes much more effort than flattery or affectation. Me? I’m much more interested in my students’ professional characteristics. Come to class on time. Try to participate once a day. Share with your peers. Hand in your work on time, and if you’re going to be late, ask for an extension four days in advance.

ERIC GROSSMAN, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF ENGLISH JULIE SHEINMAN, ENGLISH

My sense is that most of the teachers I know are fully capable of appreciating a thoughtful gift, but not letting it have anything to do with their grading practice. In the end, the intent behind giving a gift doesn’t really matter, because it doesn’t have anything to do with it. I tend to always think the best of my students—and not just concerning presents. Ultimately, a grade in class is about the work and the effort that you’ve put into it, and I have students that I’ve thought the world of who’ve done terribly in my classes, because as much as I liked them, they didn’t hand in work. But those are separate things.

The problem with students who are trying to use gifts to get an advantage in terms of grading in the form of a curve for the following marking period, for example, is much greater during the first semester around the holiday season, rather than at the end of the year. This is due to most grades being submitted and done with towards the beginning of June at the end of the year, so the chances of a gift affecting a grade is minimal. I think that most students are being kind and genuine when giving presents and I believe teachers should accept the presents as a sign of care and gratitude, but only if they know it will not affect their grading. I myself had to reject a gift card a student gave me since I knew it was something that had a lot of value and could possibly affect my grading. Annie He / The Spectator

EMILIO NIEVES, ENGLISH If “kissing up to teachers” happens at Stuyvesant, it does so on such a small scale that it’s not even worth writing a story about. I think it is a hasty generalization (a logical fallacy!) to assert that “Stuyvesant students, in general, are very good at kissing up to teachers.” This statement contradicts my experiences at Stuyvesant (17 years), where I have encountered students who are highly motivated to succeed, students who are so appreciative of my efforts that they have given me countless thank-you cards after the course or when they graduate (I have two boxes full in my closet that I can show you), students who walk me out of the classroom and continue the class discussions because they are genuinely intellectually intrigued, and students who consistently utter, “Hi Mr. Nieves!” when they see me on the escalator, in the hallways, or while passing my classroom while I am teaching. So, if hypothetically a handful of students practice the art of “kissing up to teachers,” then it doesn’t reflect badly on the student body; it reflects badly only on those students who do so. Another problem I have with this is that “kissing up to teachers” can only be successful if the teacher allows it to affect his or her judgment. So saying that Stuyvesant students, “in general, are very good at kissing up to teachers,” implies that Stuyvesant teachers are gullible, naive, or lacking in moral compass. This is insulting to the caring, hardworking, and honest colleagues that I have the privilege of working with as well as contrary to what I have experienced. So though there may be attempts at “kissing up to teachers,” I doubt these attempts are successful. Student ingratiation is never a good thing in academia. My view is that if a student is smart enough to devote his time and energy to practice “kissing up to teachers,” then they are smart enough to dedicate that time and energy to figuring out the idiosyncrasies of each teacher and adjusting his academic performance accordingly.

REBECCA LINDENMULDER, FRENCH AND GERMAN If a student is kissing up to a teacher, it seems to me that he/she is not sincere in the willingness to be helpful, respectful or interested in the material being taught. The teacher may benefit from the cooperativeness and help of the student in question, but in essence, I think we should try to be sincere in our interactions with others and not act in a certain way purely for personal gain. The intention the student has in how they act out their kissing up may also very well be irrelevant—if the student is kissing up in the form of engagement in class, then their engagement nonetheless merits inclusion in a college recommendation. The actions of the student, although maybe more praiseworthy when not done with only the intent of personal gain, are to be included in any case, as they show the student’s level of engagement in their studies. To say their kissing up in the form of engagement will guarantee acceptance into a better college would be misleading—I think a variety of factors come into play there.

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Opinions WHAT’S ON YOUR NOSE? EMILY HUR, JUNIOR continued from page 6

ANNE RHEE, FRESHMAN I feel that it is very important to recognize the different levels of attention or appreciation given to a teacher in order to really define what “kissing up” is. On one side, I do believe that flattery, or even constant appreciation shown to a teacher, is often wrong, since it is a waste of time to flatter a teacher rather than work hard and get good grades. From my personal experience, I have seen many students try hard to get their teachers’ attentions, but every student has different ways of expressing this. It is not only about the way this attention is shown, but also why the students “kiss up.” Because of the constant reason of “college applications” or a “recommendation” to justify why they try to experience a better relationship with their teacher, I feel that you must create this relationship in other ways. Students and teachers should get along because they have common interests or [because] they become friends, rather than [by] buying their attentions with presents or generic compliments. Not only is the foundation for this type of friendship stronger, but [it is] also guaranteed to be genuine and last longer.

In the end, all Stuyvesant students are striving for the same goal: good grades. While some may fulfill this dream, others will fall short. Abandoning integrity in favor of pursuing a higher grade may be inherently wrong, but ultimately, it’s a tradition that may follow many of us into the workplace. We resort to kissing up as a grade-boosting tactic and use hasty excuses to justify it, and we convince ourselves it’s the competitive atmosphere and even deceive ourselves by maintaining that we’re “just being nice.” But in the end, brownnosing can facilitate a harsher, more cutthroat environment at school. While this practice certainly shouldn’t be condoned, it shouldn’t be persecuted, and [it] is up to the volition of individual students. Ultimately, teachers and the administration should use their own discretion and not allow gifts to cloud their judgments, while students should also prioritize merit and honesty over trying to gain an edge over others.

BRYAN MONGE SERRANO, SOPHOMORE These occurrences show that brown-nosing is a big pandemic in our school community, but I believe that this issue should be and has been handled by teachers responsibly. Teachers should be responsible and reasonable with gifts [and] not [let] them interfere with their grading. If the teacher is unfair and irresponsible with gift giving, this encourages an environment where some students are punished simply for not having money. Teachers are the people who mainly affect the brown-nosing culture since they are the ones receiving the gifts. They must be fair to all students by making clear guidelines of what gifts they will accept and having students blindly give them gifts, so they still know who gave them gifts, but not which gift so as to minimize a change in their grading. Teachers must also be responsible and accept gifts with open arms after they have submitted their finals grades since this also promotes a fair environment where students do not feel cheated, since everyone was graded with the same criteria and with minimal outside factors affecting their grade.

MIA GINDIS, SOPHOMORE

JONELA MALOLLARI, JUNIOR Kissing up to teachers as a substitute for working for your grade is desperate at best and pitiful at worst. Stuyvesant may not be perfect, but the whole point of the grading system is that your grades are supposed to reflect the amount of effort you put into a class and your progress in your understanding of the material. It’s not supposed to illustrate how well you can win someone’s favor. I get that there’s often a very real sense of desperation behind a poor grade that makes students resort to things, however minor or inconsequential, that they would usually consider beneath them. But for success to mean anything, you have to take what you get whether you earned it positively or negatively. A number isn’t worth your integrity. As for teachers who blatantly buy into and encourage favoritism in their classroom, why would you lower yourself to their level? Some students claim that sucking up is necessary to improve their college applications, but this argument is flimsy. Whether the points a student scores from brownnosing are negligible or significant, if you’re doing well in most of your classes, you don’t need to depend on manipulative tactics, and good grades are usually indicative of a strong work ethic regardless. If you’re generally an excellent student but happen to end up with an unfair teacher, the grade that teacher gives you will stand out as an obvious outlier. Students who rely on ingratiation as a crutch are more likely to have a poor work ethic anyway, and if you’re doing poorly in most of your classes, brown-nosing isn’t going to remedy that. Even if it did, so what? Maybe this is overly idealistic, but high school and college are temporary; the type of person you are and the decisions you make are infinitely more important.

I’ve always made the effort to give my teachers gifts over the holidays. There was never any ulterior motive—I simply wanted to show my gratitude for their ability to deal with me for an entire semester. Regardless, the distinction between genuine kindness and a kid who’s just looking for a curve next marking period shouldn’t need to be made, because either way, a present shouldn’t affect anything. There have even been instances of teachers returning to students gifts they deemed too expensive. Teachers should always accept the gift; it just shouldn’t change their minds grading-wise. Handing a gift back almost exclusively shows that it would.

ANGELA WONG, FRESHMAN Why does going the extra mile in school, such as by participating in class, complimenting teachers, or giving gifts around the holidays, have such a negative connotation? When the mindset behind flattery is to receive a curved grade, the line is drawn between putting in enthusiasm and being fake. When one’s intentions are self-interested, such flattery loses its true meaning and instead becomes “kissing up.” The easiest way to distinguish between deceitful and genuine intentions is by asking, “If I knew my grade would not be altered by my flattering actions, would I still do them?”

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ANTA NOOR, JUNIOR Ever since elementary school, I have given small gifts to teachers during the holiday season as a token of my appreciation. I know many of my friends do the same to show gratitude toward the teacher. I personally think that gift giving is not “kissing up” to a teacher, and it’s more of a friendly notion towards the teacher than an academic one. However, I believe “kissing up” or brown-nosing does exist and is acceptable when it comes to unfair teachers. Some of my friends and I have had teachers who show clear favoritism to some students over others, and give grades based on how much they like the student. I think it’s okay to “kiss up” to a teacher if the student knows it will give them a higher grade, because that’s just how the teacher is. It might not seem right, but in the overall outlook, “kissing up” happens in our daily lives a lot because we can gain from it. All in all, I believe “kissing up” is acceptable when it’s directly correlated to the grade the teacher will give you, and if it isn’t, then there’s no need for it.

MAIA BRYDON, JUNIOR I haven’t really given presents to my teachers since elementary school, and this Christmas was nerve-wracking because it seemed like everyone else was. But in all honesty, I think a lot of the gift-giving and “forced interest” students do is not really done with an ulterior motive (or at least not a conscious one). I admit that a lot of the people who constantly go to talk to teachers after class do seem really obnoxious, but being Stuyvesant students, I think a lot of us actually do that out of genuine interest in what we’re asking about. As for gift-giving, I know that at least some people do that out of honest appreciation and courtesy, nothing else. I believe a lot of people subconsciously give gifts in part because they believe it will gain them favor, but I think that’s definitely not the only reason for it. Even if I understand the motive to kiss up to more unfair teachers, there are never teachers who are unfair to the extent that students are forced to sacrifice their integrity for a grade. But there are certainly teachers who play favorites more than others, which is where it seems students get caught up in brown- nosing. To most Stuyvesant students, I would say, getting a higher grade certainly matters more than your integrity. Especially if it’s just little things, like saying goodbye to a teacher every day, it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, even if you are giving up your integrity to a certain extent. This mindset extends a lot further than just high school, too—kids suck up to their parents to get what they want, and people in many industries suck up to their bosses to look better. It’s just how a lot of people tend to react when they want something—they try to gain favor through little things, little things that they don’t consider all that morally wrong.

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Opinions WHAT’S ON YOUR NOSE? ADAM OUBAITA, JUNIOR

continued from page 7

JESSY MEI, SOPHOMORE Is it really moral to justify and normalize this culture of being untrue to one’s abilities and personality to gain favor with a teacher? Though the intent may be shallow, hopes of achieving academic success can push students out of their comfort zones to participate or seek help in subjects they struggle in, developing their knowledge and understanding of the topic, pushing them to learn and strive for success. However, when those hopes become too ambitious and students wander out of the academic field into the field of achieving personal bias from teachers, hardworking students become punished for their honesty and academic effort. In the case where a strong work ethic and integrity [don’t] suffice to succeed or do well in class, the line becomes blurred, but in most cases, there are always alternative steps to better one’s grade. Ultimately, it is up to us how we proceed in our four years at Stuyvesant, but when it comes to gifts, it is always best to keep it simple and handwritten, because even the most expensive gifts won’t carry our grade, but the things we will remember once we graduate are the teachers who gave us the opportunity to learn and thrive.

A highly competitive atmosphere such as Stuyvesant is a breeding ground for kissing up. People are always concerned with their grades and always want to improve them, so certain people resort to brown- nosing. While I personally believe in actually doing work instead of hoping for a curve, I can’t blame students for trying to heighten their grade through artificial means. However, it is important to note that not everyone has a devious scheme to brown-nose their teachers. There is a sharp distinction between kissing up and being friendly with teachers. When the holiday seasons come along, I write letters to my teachers and impactful people in Stuy expressing my gratitude for the education they provide, the help they offer, and the time they spend. And when writing these letters, I am not expecting my average to rise all of a sudden. Plenty of friends have also given gifts to teachers as a sign of gratitude.

Reforming Republicans continued from page 5

It is abundantly clear that the Republican party needs to do some serious soul-searching if it is to have a political future. The Republican party should start its reform by assessing the strength of its voter base. Despite holding the majority in the House of Representatives, Republicans lost the popular vote. President Trump also lost the popular vote by a far greater margin. Republicans won largely due to gerrymandered districts, and the fact that Democratic voters tend to live in urban areas which Democratic

candidates win overwhelmingly, whereas Republican voters are more spread out.

But Republicans cannot rely on creative district drawing and convenient demographics if they want to achieve any tangible legislative change. The party needs a new message that can attract alienated voters both within and outside the party. An important demographic which Republicans should strive to integrate into the party is the millennial generation. Millennials overwhelmingly back Democratic candidates, with the Pew Research Center finding that over 54 percent of millennials are Democratic. 2016 was the first election in a long time in which Baby Boomers and older generations did not cast the major-

ity of the vote. The millennial vote will only continue to gain importance, as its size and turnout are both projected to increase, and winning elections without millennials will only get more difficult. To attract the millennial vote, Republicans need to rebrand their party and present themselves in a new light. Many young voters are drawn to the Democratic party by its proposals concerning economic equality and social welfare. Republicans need to respond by becoming empathetic and presenting themselves as “compassionate conservatives.” They need to show that more government is not the solution to issues such

as healthcare. They need to listen to arguments about the ridiculous amount of student debt and overwhelming drug prices. They need to learn to understand the struggles faced by younger American generations and show that they, the Republican party, have the answers. By acknowledging the existence of man-made climate change, working to reduce skyrocketing tuition costs, and presenting more thoughtful anti-poverty policies, Republicans can attract the votes of millennials, poor Americans, and the highly educated, demographics which are currently overwhelmingly Democratic. Rather than molding itself in the model

of the overzealous, angry, and blustery Steve Bannon, the Republican party needs to make itself more appealing to these moderate Democrats and Independents. The tax plan that was recently passed represents a step in the right direction in terms of enacting policy that directly helps a vast majority of Americans. However, there is still plenty of work to be done if Republicans want to reform the way they are seen by the American public. As the political time bomb that is the 2018 midterms draws nearer, it is imperative that this reform begins now. It’s time to change the Grand Old Party.

Chloe Delfau/ The Spectator

Choking on Coal

By JOSHUA WEINER

Every morning before dawn, a line of trucks begins to form outside of a city. Stretching for miles on a two-lane road, these trucks inch ever so slowly into a brown haze that obscures everything around for miles. This is the reality every day in Linfen, a city in central China. Once known as

formed from a city of natural beauty to one of the most polluted cities in the world over a few short decades due to excessive coal mining. The United States and the rest of the world are turning their focus to the Asia-Pacific region as it quickly becomes the home of the most dynamic economies in the world. President Donald Trump himself recently returned from a 12-day trip to Asia. Instead of focusing on renewable energy, Trump appealed to world leaders to invest in the American fossil fuel sectors to push exports all over the world. But in countries like Indonesia and China, this shift back to fossil fuels comes at a great risk to populations which have been devastated by the environmental impacts of oil and coal. Examples of this backwards slide include Vietnam, which announced it is reverting to coal production after failed ventures into renewable

Now, lives are being held at risk over the the Trump administration’s agenda to skirt a reported $33 billion in cost of coal regulations.

“the Modern Fruit and Flower Town,” Linfen has been trans-

energies. Japan, too, is moving ahead with plans to close down all of its nuclear reactors

and replace them with coal plants. But to examine how the United States can have an impact on this, it is critical to

the environment than economic good. That’s because a strong coal industry damages the health of thousands

ers in recent years, focusing on restoring coal leaves miners unprepared for a changing economy. The principal

Investing in coal mining leaves coal miners overlooked for critical job training as the renewable energy sector inevitably takes over, giving them an ultimatum on their employment. consider why countries are choosing to shift back to fossil fuels. In Japan, the choice comes down to whether or not they should spend $36 billion on United States solar technology, or build cheaper coal plants. When Trump and Congress choose coal over subsidizing the growing renewable energy industry, they drive up the cost of renewable energy around the world, and the people of Japan and Vietnam suffer because of it. Under the Trump administration, several factors look to benefit the coal industry greatly. With his dismantlement of the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan (CPP), which invests U.S. money in renewable energy, Trump is also stripping away the environmental restrictions, enabling coal production to ramp up in the United States. Though the repealing of the Clean Power Plan will marginally restore coal’s place in the United States, this action will do more harm to

of Americans, while providing economic benefit to almost no one. The CPP, had it been preserved, would have prevented 1,500 to 3,600 premature deaths per year among Americans, according to the EPA. Now, lives are being held at risk over the the Trump administration’s agenda to skirt a reported $33 billion in cost of coal regulations. Furthermore, the U.S. Energy and Information Agency predicts coal will only regain one percent of its lost market share with the repeal of the CPP, underscoring the waste of such an action. But the biggest issue with the Trump administration’s shift back to coal is the actual oversight of the industry. With the repeal of Obama-era regulations and subsequent government oversight, the coal industry is ripe for environmental and human catastrophes. Putting aside the many mine accidents and health risks associated with coal min-

concern for Trump should be employment for Americans in general, irrespective of the industry. Since 1990, renewable energy has seen over 1200% growth in size as it produces larger and larger shares of consumed energy. Investing in coal mining leaves coal miners overlooked for critical job training as the renewable energy sector inevitably takes over, giving them an ultimatum on their employment. Though it is the poster child for pollution, China is not the only country which suffers from the harms of fossil fuel use. In America, cities such as Los Angeles are routinely choked with smog, causing thousands of premature deaths every year. And with Trump now at the helm of the world’s largest economy, slowly but surely the world is beginning to slide back towards the waiting embrace of the coal industry, with great damage to people both here in America, and abroad.

The Spectator ● January 19, 2018

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Opinions

Joan Xiao / The Spectator

The Issue with Sanctuary Cities

By MIA GINDIS

Almost two years ago in San Francisco, Kate Steinle was walking with her father and a family friend when she was shot and killed by illegal immigrant Jose Zarate. Zarate, Steinle’s murderer, had been released from jail only three months after the shooting, despite being requested by federal authorities to be detained for deportation long beforehand. The trial finally took place a month ago, with a shocking verdict: Zarate walked away charged with solely the possession of a firearm and involuntary manslaughter, as opposed to first or second degree murder. His defense team had argued that Zarate found the gun along the pier, and it “just fired,” a story that the jury bought entirely. Despite his extensive rap sheet, proof that the gun was stolen, and the prosecution’s assurances that the shots were deliberate, Zarate was officially acquitted. This incident has since reignited the controversy over America’s immigration policy: particularly the issue with sanctuary cities. True to their moniker, these safe havens for illegal aliens limit how much local law enforcement can comply with federal immigration authorities. San Francisco, for example, passed an ordinance in 1989 which prohibits city employees from complying with I.C.E. workers unless absolutely mandated by law. Many cities across the U.S., such as Newark, East Orange, and Jersey City, have since followed suit, and despite outrage

from many right-wing politicians, they

have stubbornly kept their compliance with I.C.E. agents minimal. Jose Zarate was one of many undocumented immigrants taking advantage of the policy in sanctuary cities. However, his circumstance isn’t unique. A 2005 study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) examined the cases of over 55,000 illegal immigrants incarcerated in federal, state or local prisons. It was found that roughly half of them were previously convicted of a felony, a fifth had been arrested for drug offenses, and they had been arrested an average of seven times each. A more recent 2011 GAO report details more of a similar trend. The criminal histories of about 251,000 illegal immigrants showed they committed close to three million criminal offenses. Though these numbers are smaller than that of incarcerated naturalized-citizens, they outweigh the latter disproportionately. According to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the violent crime rate in sanctuary cities exceeds that of non-sanctuary cities. This discrepancy can be chalked up to such a leniency toward the law that encourages residents to silently accept this excessive restraint of justice. People who are already prone to breaking the law are essentially told there are little to no repercussions, and it’s their statuses as illegal immigrants that allow them to embrace such a culture. Repeated offenders also tend to put a strain on law enforcement, forsaking both their lives and the extent to which they can exercise authority. After multiple

Sarah Chen / The Spectator

repeat offenses, the danger of keeping these people within society is pervasive, and the options police are given to deal with the issue are lacking. In lieu of deportation (which the

es an immigration enforcement strategy of which the President disapproves.” But cutting funding isn’t the only way for the Trump administration to get sanctuary cities to help with

combating America’s immigration policy, and sensible restrictions must be placed regarding their unwillingness to cooperate with the federal law. Prosecutors should not be allowed

Meanwhile, the persecutions assurances that the shots were deliberate fell on deaf ears, and Zarate was officially acquitted.

crimes of many of these illegal immigrants are more than deserving of), police and law enforcement officials are forced to waste resources and manpower on the same criminals time and time again. Not only does this jeopardize the safety of residents of sanctuary cities, it also imposes costs they shouldn’t have to bear. The incarceration of illegal aliens alone (according to the same study) costs about $1.6 billion annually from fiscal years 2005 to 2009, and this number is only continuing to rise. These same tax dollars ought to be properly put to use for residents who paid them, but are instead forced to be used toward services for people who aren’t entitled to them in the first place. Steinle’s murder sheds light on some of these complications, motivating Congress to pen “Kate’s Law,” a piece of legislation that increases the penalties for deported persons who return to the U.S. and get caught. While the House managed to pass this legislation, a federal judge has recently blocked President Trump’s executive order to deny funding to sanctuary cities, deeming it unconstitutional. The judge even went as far as to say, “Fede r a l

funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction choos-

the deportation of illegal immigrants who’ve proved incompetent at complying with American standards. Several counties defy even the bare minimum amount of cooperation with the law, such as instructing police to never ask for someone’s immigration status or even setting up defense funds for illegal immigrants paid for through taxes.

to drop criminal charges against undocumented immigrants for risk of deportation, and extremely limited government assistance should be given to individuals who exhibit no regard for the law over and over again. Allowing sanctuary cities to continue existing in the U.S. as they do now only breeds this innate

The verdict of Zarate’s case emphasizes failures not only in the obstruction of justice, but also in the foundation of some of these very cities.

These sorts of actions tip-toe across the line between “lawful” and “unlawful” far too often. Enabling them to persist only solidifies a dangerous sentiment, allowing cities to persistently

evade policies. And though Trump’s actions were certainly misguided, his administration had valid intentions. Sanctuary cities are an outdated way of

disrespect for the law. The verdict of Zarate’s case emphasizes failures not only in the obstruction of justice, but also in the foundation of some of these very cities. Steinle’s fate has managed to shed a national spotlight on the recklessness of their approach toward illegal aliens who don’t uphold the law. It needs to be made clear that America won’t stand for it any longer.

The Spectator ● January 19, 2018

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Arts and Entertainment Film By Jacqueline Thom Chewbacca dies! Just kidding. Taking place immediately after “The Force Awakens” (2015), “The Last Jedi” is the latest film in the new Star Wars trilogy. Its huge success comes with being the most feminist Star Wars movie to date, while addressing key social themes like maturity and gender roles. “The Last Jedi” does miss a few chances for better character development, but it remains enjoyable for old and new fans alike. Being a long-time fan of the franchise himself, director Rian Johnson’s approach to the movie draws much from the previous Star Wars films, with the large-scale space dogfights and lightsaber duels that have made Star Wars so iconic and instantly recognizable. The film opens up featuring the last of a torn Resistance, led by a warwary General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), who reprises her role in the grand finale through a heavy-hitting performance. Between documenting the Resistance’s attempts to escape impending First Order wrath, Johnson takes plenty of time to further explore the relationship between Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Rey (Daisy Ridley), and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Viewers get to watch as Rey tries to convince Luke to train her while we learn about the final downfall of the Jedi. Rey’s determination in trying to persuade Luke and her lack of hesitation when she has the chance to help Kylo become good again add to Rey’s personality. She also sets the distinction between Kylo Ren and Ben Solo, with Kylo being a demonous conduit for the Dark Side that kills mercilessly and Ben being the son of Han and Leia, who lost his way because

Film By LILY YAN “Thor: Ragnarok” had a lot to prove as the finale of the Thor trilogy. The first two movies, though well-received, were unsuccessful in dazzling their viewers and are not recognized as popular fan-favorites. “Thor: Ragnarok” was Marvel’s last chance in defining Thor movies as a memorable, spectacular superhero trilogy instead of a collection of three decent movies. To do this, it had to be bold and thrilling, and its plot both complex and of a scale large enough to be fitting for a movie named after the end of the world in Norse mythology. The film, directed by Taika Waititi, revolves around Thor (Chris Hemsworth), god of thunder, and his quest to stop his older sister and goddess of death, Hela (Cate Blanchett), from conquering his kingdom Asgard and the universe. Along the way, he is captured and held captive in Sakaar by the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), who forces him to participate in his gladiatorial contest. There, Thor collaborates with his stepbrother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), his new friend Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and his old fellow Avenger Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), or the Hulk, to escape Sakaar and defeat Hela. The greatest aspect of “Thor:

The Galaxy Far, Far Away Continues to Excite no one seemed to care about him and his achievements as a young adult. Luke is also forced to finally address his role in Ben Solo’s younger life. Through this, we learn that even a Jedi Master like Luke is not unsusceptible to emotions that control how we act, often wrongly. This display of emotion is present in many other key characters on screen. Men being emotionally vulnerable is no stranger to the Star Wars universe; It was first seen in Anakin S k y walker and is n o w seen in almost all the m a l e main characters in the new trilogy. However, Star Wars is also now turning its attention to strengthening female characters. General Organa has more of a speaking role and remains feisty and composed despite personal loss. Rey chooses to see the good in others and rarely gives up unless she has to. The First Order’s Captain Phasma is a symbol of power and discipline in her shining anti-blaster armor. It’s so important that such a farreaching franchise continues addressing gender roles, when most films overlook female and

male empowerment. Tied into this is Johnson’s biggest message in “The Last Jedi,” stated blatantly by Ben when he makes a plea for Rey to join him: “Just let go.” It’s seen plaintively throughout the film, when Luke tries letting go of his Jedi origins because of shame of having failed to keep Ben from the Dark

Carrie Ou / The Spectator

Side. Rey has to let go of her obsession with who her parents are so that it doesn’t affect her behavior and bring her more pain. Finn’s exchange with his former First Order mentor is his final goodbye to the Empire’s teachings. In contrast, various other characters experience a plethora of negative emotions because they can’t let go of

shame or regretful actions. But being the longest Star Wars film to date, it could have easily shed a half hour or used it to explain other issues. Johnson spends too long delving into older Star Wars lore, which Luke seems to brood over constantly and discusses sparingly with Rey. And while Kylo Ren becomes a very complex villain, Captain Phasma, an already powerful nonForce user, has as much of a role as she did in the previous film, which isn’t much. I would also have loved to see more of Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran), the newest addition to the cast. Rose already displayed her pragmatism, observational a b i l ity, and quick wit, but her unlikely rise to heroism would have been all the more engaging with more character development. However, not all of the two and a half hours is confusing or negative. Besides recreating the incredibly iconic Star Wars opening theme, film composer John Williams’ music is heard throughout. Unlike earlier episodes, his compositions are heard more frequently and closely reflect what is happen-

ing in the movie, like when the brass and percussion start weaving between the higher and lower octaves whenever the power of the Dark Side is on full display. Williams’s film score also does well to arouse the audience’s adrenaline whenever another exciting battle ensues, while being equally able to leave viewers troubled when characters experience loss or pain. Viewers are also given the chance to examine characters more intimately with close-ups and medium shots that catch slight changes in facial expression. In scenes like Rey and Ben’s confrontation with the Supreme Leader, the camera captures Rey’s intense fear and sudden doubt in Ben’s goodness. Though his face barely changes, we can see the inner struggle between Ben and Kylo before he reaches a decision. We also can’t help but enjoy the qualities of a modern “space Western” as Star Wars has been so affectionately deemed. Having blurred the lines between distinctly good and evil, a final Star Wars feel is returned in a classic Light Side versus Dark Side standoff. The First Order’s vast array of firepower is on full display, while the evervigilant Resistance retains its never-ending hope in the face of doom. And then Luke Skywalker comes. “The Last Jedi” has been met with great success and it’s not a wonder why. Director Rian Johnson has been able to create a film wholly original while keeping the classicality of Star Wars. Even with the introduction of so many new characters and ideas, the film isn’t rushed and continues to tell a beautifully woven story that takes place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

Thunder, Death, and Weird Jokes Ragnarok” is its cast. The actors manage to add depth to characters that are generally portrayed as one-dimensional. Hemsworth chooses to emphasize Thor’s vulnerability that results from his dependence on his magic hammer, Mjolnir, to feel worthy, instead of focusing on his tough side. This emphasis lets Hemsworth portray Thor’s character growth in becoming a leader who is confident enough to step up to protect the people of Asgard more effectively. Hiddleston manages to keep Loki’s status as the most complex and interesting villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He constantly switches Loki’s demeanor from friendly to devious and back, almost as if he is choosing to convey Loki as two different characters: a teammate and a foe. This creates confusion, among the viewers as well as the characters within the film, regarding his true nature. The juxtaposition of the Grandmaster’s jokester personality and malice, shown through his willingness to force innocents to fight to the death for entertainment, is hard to pull off. Nevertheless, Goldblum depicts the Grandmaster as humorous, but not too campy—dangerous, but not too one-note. Thompson’s combination of Brunnhilde’s grief over the loss of her

fellow Valkyrie and strength as a female lead gives her character a lot of unexpected depth. Yet, despite its flashy action scenes, stellar cast performances, and vivid cinematography reminiscent of retro sci-fi fantasy, “Ragnarok” feels less like a superhero film and more like a comedy. Its comedic moments never fail in getting a laugh out of the viewer and arguably makes “Thor: Ragnarok” the most fun movie of the Marvel franchise. One such example of a comedic moment is the use of the “get help” strategy, where Thor rushes in frantically while supporting a supposedly injured Loki, yelling “Get help! Please! My brother’s dying!” before throwing Loki to bowl over a group of enemy guards. Despite the serious discussion about their relationship as brothers preceding this moment, the very fact that Thor chooses to throw his brother, and the contrast of Loki’s humiliation and Thor’s jubilation that follows, come together to form a scene that is impossible not to find at least somewhat amusing. Waititi uses other formulas similar to this throughout the film in order to guarantee that viewers find humor in scenes he designates to be comical. But the extremity of this comedic tone causes all attempts

of seriousness to fall flat. Korg (Taika Waititi), an ally Thor made on Sakaar, represents one aspect of the film’s biggest flaw. Korg’s only purpose in the movie is to provide comic relief. Aside from that, he has no character development and does not do much to influence the plot. The fact that a character like Korg, whose role is purely to serve as comic relief, is a main character of the film only further serves to make the jocularity of the film so great that it cancels out all the film’s solemnity. Another aspect of this flaw is Waititi’s habit to follow any moment with potential to have a great emotional impact with humor. The viewer sees this with Bruce Banner’s decision to sacrifice his very identity in order to let the Hulk take over and help the people in ways Banner cannot in the final battle. Ruffalo does an excellent job showing Banner’s inner conflict of his fear of the Hulk taking permanent control of his being and his feelings of duty as a former Avenger. However, Waititi chooses to turn his final decision into a punchline by having him initially fail to transform, which causes Banner to crashland onto the bridge in front of two armies. The resulting secondhand embarrassment the viewer experiences creates

hilarity, which takes away the gravity behind Banner’s preceding determination and gives it less of an emotional impact on the viewer. Thor’s decision to initiate Ragnarok in order to summon Surtur, the only being that could defeat Hela, even though this meant the land of Asgard would be destroyed, could also have had greater weight. Thor’s claim that “Asgard is not a place, it’s a people” is meant to justify his willingness to give up the well-being of the land in favor of the well-being of that land’s people. Yet after leaving Asgard to be destroyed by Surtur, Korg mentions that he had accidentally stepped on his best friend Miek, which would have been considered a much more serious concern had he not said it so nonchalantly. When Miek wakes up a few seconds after he says this, Korg exclaims, “Oh, wait! Miek’s alive!” with a much too delighted tone regarding the circumstances. Waititi’s attempt to lighten the mood right after the most destructive event of the film is the most prominent example of how “Thor: Ragnarok” is unwilling to darken its tone by any amount, even if darkening the tone could have elevated its status from a simple comedy to an outstanding superhero movie.

The Spectator ● January 19, 2018

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Arts and Entertainment Film

There is More Than What Meets the Eye in “The Greatest Showman” hours that

By Emma Linderman Fans said goodbye to the Barnum and Bailey Circus, otherwise known as “The Greatest Show On Earth,” in May of 2017. The production met its end after a drawnout battle with animal rights activists and a drop in popularity after the removal of elephants from the performances. While its end was highly publicized, most were unaware of the circus’ initial path to success. Conveniently, this story has integrated itself into popular culture through the film, “The Greatest Showman,” which was released in December of 2017 and directed by Michael Gracey. The movie-musical opens to a vibrant scene in a circus tent filled with a diverse group of entertainers performing stunts that include—but are definitely not limited to—stilt walking, horseback riding, and trapeze artistry. The crowd surrounding them shouts with excitement as the camera zeroes in on a man dressed in a bright red jacket and top hat standing

Taylor Choi / The Spectator

follow tell the story of the circus and Barn u m’s rise to popularity and are, of course, jam-packed with uplifting and enthusiastic musical numbers. It’s undeniable that “The Greatest Showman” is a visually stunning film. Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey’s use of sweeping camera angles and intense close-ups pairs well with the elaborate, richly-colored costumes. A notable outfit was a luminescent white ball gown worn by European singer Jenny Lind (Rebecca Ferguson). The pure white of the dress fits well with the context of the film, as it is worn when Barnum realizes the recognition Lind could bring him and consequently pays less attention to his more eccentrically talented performers.

In reality, Barnum’s path to success was most likely less heroic and bordered on exploitative.

in the center of the frenzy. The man is clearly supposed to be P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman), who most of us know as the founder of the famed Barnum and Bailey Circus. The two

However, what takes away from the film’s appeal are the overlooked and problematic aspects of Barnum himself. The movie portrays the circus as a celebration of differences.

Barnum takes on the role of a benevolent revolutionary who breaks social norms by offering a place for the outcasts. In reality, Barnum’s path to success was most likely less selfless and bordered on exploitative. The film’s glorification of Barnum is demonstrated in its depiction of Charles Stratton (Sam H u m phrey), a little person enlisted by Barnum to perf o r m in the circus under the stage name General Tom Thumb. The movie portrays Stratton as a young adult who is insecure about his stature until Barnum teaches him to celebrate his uniqueness. In reality, Stratton was four years old at the time of his employment, but it was stated to the public that he was 11. For performances, Barnum had Stratton smoke cigars and drink wine, which drastically differs from the heroic general character Barnum embodies in the film. While I had my doubts about the way Barnum was depicted on screen, I was pleased to see the portrayal of an interracial relationship between Barnum’s right-hand-man Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron) and trapeze artist Anne Wheeler (Zendaya). Though they are primarily known for their Disney-related successes, Zendaya and Efron do not disappoint in this feature film. Both actors step up to the plate and deliver emotionally impressive performances and highlight their striking voices in various songs. The pair sing an inspiring duet titled, “Rewrite the Stars,” and over the course of the movie, communicate the message that love goes beyond racial boundaries. I was excited to finally see a movie featuring an interracial couple, though I noticed that “The Greatest Showman” could have made more of an effort in terms of race and representation. Barnum has a diverse cast of circus performers, but he and his business partner Carlyle are both portrayed by white actors which, in a way, pushes the performers into the background and makes Wheeler and Carlyle’s relationship seem more like a plot device. Wheeler’s brother, W.D. (Yahya Abdul-Mateen), appears infrequently in the film and has very

few lines of dialogue. His lack of prominence does make me wonder if Wheeler’s romance with Carlyle is only incorpo-

ingly modern twist. Its composers, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, have already gained recognition from their work on

It’s undeniable that “The Greatest Showman” is a visually stunning film.

rated to make the movie seem more aware. While its casting is progressive, it is slightly disheartening to see that every person of color in the film is a part of Barnum’s cast of “oddities.” Though its racial inconsistencies are hard to overlook, “The Greatest Showman” does fulfill its ultimate purpose, which is to be a crowd pleaser. The backbone of the film is its score, filled with heartfelt lyrics and catchy melodies. Though the film is set in the 1800s, the soundtrack has a mostly pop feel, which

Lauren Mei / The Spectator

gives the movie a refresh-

“Dear Evan Hansen,” the Tonywinning musical, and “La La Land,” the 2016 box-office hit. The well-written music is also complementary to the cast’s powerful voices, notably that of Keala Seattle, who plays bearded lady Lettie Lutz. Seattle, an actress primarily known for her roles on stage, has a powerful presence on film that makes itself known during “This Is Me,” a dynamic ballad about selfacceptance. Another impressive performance was given by Michelle Williams, who draws viewers in as Charity Hallett, Barnum’s free-spirited yet strong-willed wife. Williams’s acting is believable and mature and leaves viewers rooting for her character as she questions Barnum’s devotion to her. Over the course of the film, Hugh Jackman proves himself a perfect fit for the lead role of P.T. Barnum, delivering a performance that leaves audiences both rooting for his character, while also questioning his judgement. With his impressive background in musical theater, notably the role of Jean Valjean in the film adaptation of “Les Misérables,” it is clear that Jackman is in his element in every scene in the film. If there is one thing that audiences are sure to take away from “The Greatest Showman,” it would indisputably be the film’s message of embracing differences and celebrating them. The movie is well-meaning and family-friendly, but upon closer examination, there are several obvious discrepancies. Especially in light of Barnum and Bailey’s recent downfall, a nod to the circus’ controversial past could help acknowledge the flaws that were part of the production, as well as touch on their continued presence throughout history. The film is sure to entertain, but with its questionable representation and glossed over evidence, it is certainly more likeable when viewed through a rose-tinted lens.

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The Spectator ● January 19, 2018

Arts and Entertainment

The Original Twenty-One By Grace Goldstein The Stuyvesant Theater Community’s production of Arthur Miller’s classic play, “All My Sons,” directed by senior Mika Simoncelli, sophomore Emily Rubinstein, and freshman Clara Yuste, opens on Joe Keller (senior Alex Whittington) sitting in a lawn chair, reading the newspaper in front of a blue house with yellow windows, a simple white fence, and flowers on the windowsill. The picture-perfect suburban house conjures up the familiarity of the American Dream. But we soon discover that the people inside that house, two parents, their son, and the fiancée of their son who went missing in the war, are anything but serene. They’re each broken, keeping secrets that they’re either too ashamed of or too disturbed by to tell even those who are closest to them. Joe’s son Larry, a pilot in the war, has been missing for three years, leaving behind a broken family and distraught fiancée. Joe has to suffer through the consequences of the choices he made in order to keep his business running and to make money for his family, even if those choices mean he is re-

sponsible for the deaths of 21 pilots, and that somehow, his son could have been one of them. From the opening moment, Whittington remains brilliantly committed to his role as Joe, an aging suburban businessman with a dark secret. Sophomore Zeynep Bromberg is lively and honest as Joe’s wife, Kate Keller. Kate refuses to believe that Larry is dead, because she knows that if he is, it’s Joe’s fault, and she’s incapable of accepting the fact that a father can kill his own son. Between a series of small panic attacks and a lot of social manipulation, Kate struggles to prevent Larry’s beautiful fiancée Ann Deever (sophomore Victoria Wong) from marrying her living son Chris (senior Garrett Hall), knowing that their marriage would force her to accept the unthinkable. Kate grasps at Larry’s memory from the people around her, even believing her neighbor Frank Lubey’s (senior Travis Tyson) “horoscope” for Larry proves that he must still be alive somewhere. Bromberg reveals Kate’s pain when she says, of other mothers like her, “They don’t say it on the radio, but I’m sure that in the dark of night they’re

still waiting for their sons.” The play’s heavy-handed moralizing provides the thread of the plot. While Kate believes Larry must be alive because it’s immoral for a father to have killed his own son, Joe justifies his actions and lies with his own moral compass, saying that nothing in the world is bigger or more important than the relationship between father and son. Therefore, nothing should compromise his relationship with Chris. Chris, meanwhile, clearly thinks it wrong to disrespect or distance oneself from one’s parents, but right to marry someone that you love, regardless of the circumstances. That idea goes head-to-head with Kate’s belief that a fiancée should wait for her fiancé unconditionally if he goes missing, and that she should certainly not marry his brother. The supporting roles did their part to give the heavy storyline life and energy. Beginning with her funny, energetic entrance as eight-year-old Bert, sophomore Sara Stebbins provided comedic relief. An added laugh came when Ann commented that Frank was losing his hair, because Travis Tyson, with his voluminous head of

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Page 13

Arts and Entertainment

Pilots, A Deeply Buried Secret hair, was playing the part. Hall and Wong’s chemistry as Chris and Ann, who become engaged during the play without Kate’s knowledge or Joe’s enthusiasm, provided a framework for most of the scenes, and their kiss drew a substantial reaction from the audience. The direction skillfully brought to light the recognizable story of young love amid the backdrop of a serious setting. The cast glided effortlessly through the minor sound inconsistencies typical of student productions, displaying true professionalism. The four neighbors, often emerging from opposite sides of the stage throughout the play, added to the almost eerie American dream illusion. On one side of the house, Sue Bayliss (freshman Mimi Gillies) agonizes over her husband’s (sophomore Michael Dekhtyar) desire to sacrifice his career as a doctor to devote his life to scientific research. Much like her neighbor Kate, she shifts abruptly from the typical well-mannered suburban housewife to someone frighteningly controlling and manipulative. Her unbridled desperation to keep her hus-

band Jim in a financially stable career at the cost of his dreams, and the fact that she is willing to force Ann to make Chris leave town in order to prevent him from inspiring Jim too much suggest that she, like Joe, harbors a greedy obsession with money and success. Adding to the grim undertone of the play is the tree stump placed to one side of the Kellers’ lawn. It is, we find out early on in the play, all that remains of a tree planted in Larry’s memory. It blew down in a storm the previous night—the very night that Ann came to visit. Kate sees that as a cosmic sign that Larry is still out there somewhere, alive and trying to come home. The stump spurs her determination to keep any of her friends and family members from forgetting about Larry or treating him as dead. She slips into a sort of mania, constantly directing thinly-veiled insults and tests at Annie, to Chris’s annoyance. The idea of an ordinary man accidentally killing his own son by shipping out defective plane parts is surreal. Yet the way it destroys the lives of a bunch of ordinary people feels all too real and haunting,

even today. Chris, the dreamer craving true love and inspiration, learns to be practical. The sweet, innocent housewife, starts losing her mind. The man who killed 21 innocent young men wove a web of lies among the people closest to him and put his business partner in prison, all to live an ideal, stable life alongside his family. The man who deludes himself into thinking that he was innocent—that his remarkably selfish actions were justified—walks only feet away from his wife, son, and twice soon-to-be daughterin-law and puts a bullet in his own head. “All My Sons” is a challenging play to take on. It deals with grave themes and tackles profound ideas surrounding the innate evil in humanity through subtle interactions between characters. Only actors who have committed themselves to their parts, and to the story itself, can do the play justice, and STC successfully tackled the challenges of this material, building an engaging, moving performance.

Photos by Mika Simoncelli

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The Spectator ● January 19, 2018

The Spectator â&#x2014;? January 19, 2018

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From the Archives

This article is from the November 22, 1996 issue of The Spectator

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This article is from the November 22, 1996 issue of The Spectator

The Spectator ● January 19, 2018

Page 16

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

Greater Stuyvesant Empire Proclaimed By William Huang The electrified atmosphere in the theater was palpable as senior and Student Union (SU) chancellor Tahseen Chowdhury walked on stage to address the Stuyvesant body. As he walked toward the podium surrounded by a roost of 500 SU officers, the entire crowd rose in unison to salute him. It was the one year anniversary of Chowdhury’s rise to absolute power. To honor this occasion, Chowdhury officially proclaimed the birth of a Stuyvesant Empire. This proclamation has been a long time coming. Chowdhury’s lust for power was too great for the walls of Stuyvesant to hold. Chowdhury installed swaths of high-ranking SU officers as puppet rulers in all of the other

specialized high schools—easily dominating their sheer numbers. Chowdhury’s rise began at a time of great strife and internal struggle in Stuyvesant. Rampant corruption and political inertia within the SU led to disastrous mismanagement of a few dances. The disenchanted student body turned to Chowdhury. During his junior year, Chowdhury held rallies in the senior atrium where he gave captivating speeches. His supporters demanded access to the student lounge, and in the process, he organized it. As a result of his initial goodwill, Chowdhury was unanimously granted full power, which he used to proclaim himself supreme chancellor. Chowdhury purged the SU of its former members and replaced them

with his hundreds of supporters. He formed a secret police monitoring other class cutters and drug users. Social studies teacher Matt Polazzo wholeheartedly agreed with his policies, citing the importance of social contract theory in regulating the unruly Stuyvesant community. Order had finally been restored, but Chowdhury knew that he could not maintain support for long with his repressive policies. He knew that for his regime to survive, he would have to expand. Using a staged incident in which a group of Brooklyn Tech students beat up a Stuyvesant freshman as casus belli, Chowdhury declared war on Brooklyn Technical High School. He quickly drafted an army with the entire freshman class and invaded the enemy school.

Death of a Senior By Benedict Ho

on a flat surface, like a textbook. Eyes could not be analyzed due to excessive swelling of eye bags.

Autopsy Report Description: A body was found under a stack of papers on December 31, 2017. External Examination: The body is that of a male in his young adulthood. It is suspected that the decedent is a senior at Stuyvesant High School. The body weighs 153 pounds, measuring 71 inches from crown to sole. The residual hair on scalp is black with spots missing from sides. It seems like the decedent’s hair was torn out. The skin of the body exhibits wrinkles characteristic of someone in his late 30s during a midlife crisis. Decedent’s nose is abnormally flattened. Further analysis indicates this is not due to blunt trauma but due to prolonged sleeping

Clothing: The decedent is wearing a faux Supreme Box Logo. The printed text reads, “Stuylin’.” Blood has stained the box logo to a darker shade of red. Multiple coffee stains can be found on the decedent’s clothing. Examination of the pristine Adidas Yeezy Boost shoes reveals that the decedent most likely tried to safeguard his shoes. Description of Injury: The wounds are located on the left side of the chest, 14 inches below the top of the head and three inches from the side of the body. The wounds are deep cuts created by a smooth edge. The wounds measure a tenth of an inch deep. This corresponds

with the length and shape of the college brochures found at the crime scene. The decedent also exhibits bruising and broken ribs. At the crime scene, the victim was found buried beneath piles of A4 copy paper. Many of these sheets had titles like “Why I Love Your University.” Conclusion This is a fatal wound associated with excessive bleeding as a result of multiple cut wounds. It also seems that the decedent suffered from crushed ribs before death. It is likely that he was flipping through too many college brochures in a sleep-deprived state. He accidentally cut himself with the papers and was buried by his college applications, unable to call for help.

Humor Editors Flabbergasted as Writers Actually Decided to Write By Mihad Khondker The Humor Department of The Spectator is known for being a very lacking department, both in content and, ironically, humor. The number of articles it publishes every issue hovers slightly above the number of Stuyvesant students who get more than ten hours of sleep per week, which reached a record low this winter due to rumors of harsher anticheating policies. Therefore, it was not a surprise when junior and Humor editor Kerwin Chen became dumbfounded as the department writers decided to actually write articles. “I just couldn’t believe my

eyes as I logged onto my [Humor Department] e-mail,” said Chen. “People were actually signing up to write articles! Previously, the only person who wrote was [senior and Humor editor] Michael Xu, sometimes under the pen names ‘Benedict Ho’ or ‘Angelique Charles-Davis’ to make it seem like our department was functional, but I saw so many new names like ‘Tony Moh’ and ‘Victor Kuang’ that I knew it couldn’t be all Michael because he’s been too busy working on his Harvard app to write eight humor articles.” Xu also commented on this surprising phenomenon. “I thought The Great Laszlo was

playing a prank on us and writing articles, but a quick look at the low writing quality after the articles were written immediately ruled out that possibility. We are entering a new era; an era where we can finally surpass the longloved Sports Department and reach the top of the Spec ladder, where the Opinions Department resides.” When asked about adjusting to the new editing load, neither Humor editor was fazed. “It doesn’t matter if we have one or 20 articles,” Chen said. “I don’t even bother editing [the articles] anymore. No one reads the Humor section anyway.”

The students of Brooklyn Tech were brought back to Stuyvesant to be used as personal servants of the student body. Chowdhury justified his actions to the Stuyvesant community by demonstrating that with the help of servants, they would be able to delegate their work, allowing students to go to sleep on time, pass all their exams, and commit to a hundred extracurricular activities at the same time. Chowdhury then passed a rule forbidding teachers to question their students’ appearances, allowing the slaves to take exams for their masters. “What am I doing wrong? Why aren’t my students failing? And why do my students look so different when they come in to take my monster exams?” mathematics teacher Glen Chew said

in exasperation. Chew has been forced to reverse the MIT curve: 90s have been converted to 81s, 80s to 64s, and so on. Student extracurriculars have been ever successful with the introduction of servants. “We’ve never had this many people attend our events before! I can write on my college app that I’ve made this club explode,” junior and Red Cross leader Jerry Ye pointed out. The debate team has had to rent out an entire flotilla of school buses to serve the surge of debaters. “I can finally be at a debate tournament and a Red Cross event at the same time. Our supreme chancellor is quite the miracle worker,” junior David Vinokur quipped.

“Administration Enforces Sleep”

By Victor Kuang

just dock half a point off their overall average if they sleep for Despite the recent 10-day less than eight hours. That would break, students were returning to scare them silly. Eventually, we’ll school feeling drowsy. With over have well-rested and energetic 98.7 percent of students sleeping students for the first time in in class, many teachers got fed Stuyvesant’s history. It’s perfect!” up and were left unable to teach Despite mandating all students to get a healthy amount of sleep, their classes. “I’ve literally never seen any- this did not have the desired efthing like this,” geometry teacher fect that the administration had initially hoped David Peng said. for. The policy “When I randomhas had no ly wake somelasting effect one up, it’s like thus far due to they’ve forgotten the difficulty what a proof is. of enforcing it This has gotten and was quickso out of hand ly met by negathat I had to tive feedback reteach them from students what a triangle and teachers is.” alike. Seeing the “Not only administrahave my tion’s growing grades sufdesperation to fered, but solve this probit’s basically lem, freshman impossible Emma Tong to get eight came up with a hours of plan that she believed would benefit Sunjung Bok / The Spectator sleep considering the amount of time that thousands of stuwe spend on Facebook,” sophodents in Stuyvesant. A few days later, Tong decided more Ruby Huang said. to talk to Principal Eric Contreras “I have no idea what the staff was about her plan. Though skeptical doing when it implemented this at first, Contreras grew increas- policy,” Algebra 2 teacher Aziz ingly interested in the plan ove- Jumash said. “The kids are supposed to cry over their impostime. “It’s actually quite genius, sible homework every night, not you know,” Contreras remarked. sleep.” Though the policy continues “All we have to do is enforce eight hours of sleep a night, and all of to get all sorts of negative feedour problems will be solved. The back, the administration will students will love us for giving continue attempting to enforce them so much sleep, and the sleep until every Stuyvesant stuschool can finally resume the dent can function in class again. plan of brainwashing them. We’ll

Pool Freezes Over and Traps Several Freshmen By Tony Moh The pool froze over following a stressful week of blizzards and several mishaps with a recent chemistry lab involving liquid nitrogen, trapping several freshmen in swim gym. Teachers have responded with outrage, demanding that an emergency rescue squad be sent in to recover the frozen bodies. One anonymous teacher was even willing to vio-

late department rules and offer the frozen freshmen makeup tests once rescued.Though the rescue team was armed with ice picks, chainsaws, and an industrial-grade jackhammer, the rescuers’ efforts only managed to create an inch-deep crack in the pool. After seeing their failed attempts, the biology faculty members decided to take matters into their own hands by pouring out their scalding hot

mugs of coffee onto the ice. With the combined forces of the rescue squad and about 16 propane tanks’ worth of coffee, a single pair of moldy swim trunks jammed in the water filter was successfully freed from the ice. The subsequent shortage of coffee put the teachers in a terrible mood for the rest of the day; extensive examinations on the effects of caffeine withdrawal on the human body

were given. Sophomore Steve Wang took this opportunity to improve his floor hockey skills for gym class. “This ice is perfect for practice,” Wang declared. “It’s exactly the same hardness as the gym floor, so I get to go through the same experience of falling on my face as I do in gym, except with even more numbing pain from the cold!” While the pool remains frozen at the time of this article’s

publication, another rescue attempt is projected to take place in early February. Now armed with the school’s supply of Bunsen burners, the team expects their next rescue to be a successful one. Until then, the freshmen are expected to survive off dank memes viewed through a giant projector above the pool.

The Spectator ● January 19, 2018

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

Celestial Messages

By Laura Ilioaei The Earth will always house everyone’s troubles. While it’s important to remain grounded in order to deal with our issues rationally, we can still stare agape at the sky and seek warning from what’s written in the stars:

Capricorn

Even when you feel less than the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT), there’s no excuse for a capricious attitude. A few (capri)corny jokes could ease your moody disposition and your stony heart.

Aquarius

You’re an air sign, not an airhead. You’ll never let anyone rain on your parade, so why do you bear water in your arms?

Pisces

The world is your oyster this year, but please ensure that you have honest intentions. Are you hiding any tricks behind your gills? You’ve been exceptionally fishy lately.

Aries

Peter Jin / The Spectator

Ram into 2018 in all its fiery glory. Don’t let anyone pull the wool over your eyes. Especially if people are challenging your leader(sheep) abilities.

Taurus

Take the bull by the horns! You will need to leave the herd one day. A new opportunity is no bullfight, so don’t be afraid to charge right in.

Gemini

You’re capable of letting your dreams and your reality go on a (twin)ning spree. However, Gem, you’ll never accomplish that if you pose as a fraud.

Cancer

Something will get you feeling awfully crabby this month. There’s no need to retreat into your shell and quietly wallow in your misery about it, though.

Leo

Dishonesty was never your forte; don’t be a copycat and sacrifice your integrity. Study what puts your pride into question, whether it be a person or that academic subject you’ve been putting off.

Aries: Ram into 2018 in all its fiery glory. Don’t let anyone pull the wool over your eyes. Especially if people are challenging your leader(sheep) abilities.

Virgo

You’re the zodiac’s maiden, but you’re no damsel-in-distress. An epiphany of your own is brewing. Pay no mind to any exclamations of “(Virg)NO” coming from those behind (or under) you.

Libra

If sarcasm was an art, you’d be Beethoven. Leave it to your contemporaries to determine whether they should listen to you when it’s time to face the music. It shouldn’t be a problem when the scales are tipped in your favour.

Scorpio

You emerge from beneath the surface with venomous intention. Your words are a lethal sting, but your actions are even more potent: drag whomever triggers you down into your underworld.

Sagittarius

Archer, you just might hit the bullseye with whatever you are currently pursuing. The only way you’ll fail is if you shoot for the wrong objective. But even then, serendipity will find a way to reach you and give you a second shot toward your goal.

Snooping in the Lab Gone Wrong: Students Find Santa’s Reindeer Hidden Away By Ziyun Zhang and Chris Brown The biology department has seemingly gotten bored of frogs and moved on to new victims. Last week, several students, including sophomore Richard Kim, began exploring the lab rooms. The students picked the lock to a room using a paperclip and entered for purely innocent reasons. Upon first glance, everything seemed ordinary. After a careful search involving the throwing of boxes, they found a package labeled “FRAGILE— LIVE ANIMAL.” What they found inside was absolutely shocking. “I couldn’t believe my eyes,” said Kim. “I thought it was just one of the many whale speci-

mens the department keeps stowed away, until I noticed that signature red nose. It was Rudolph!” The other students confirmed that the biology department had in fact, managed to get their hands on one of Santa’s precious reindeer and performed a dissection. The reason for the biology department’s possession of this famous animal is unknown, b u t some s t u dents think

they know the answer. “It all makes sense now,” Kim said. “Obviously, Santa can’t d e -

Kristin Lin / The Spectator

liver any of his presents without them.It was all a plot to make sure we would s p e n d our entire break writing 2 5 0 0 w o r d essays about the mating patterns of Cucumis Sativus instead of be-

ing festive and opening Christmas presents. As for the dissection, that’s just the biology department being the biology department.” The students had a funeral for the poor reindeer, burning a pyre in Battery Park. However, the occurrence only begs the question of what else the biology department has in store. According to Kim, it is hypothesized that the department could even kidnap Santa Claus or genetically manufacture a Grinch. The biology department will be under scrutiny during the following weeks by the Student Union, which has realized their Christmas tree and future celebrations may fall under threat.

The Spectator ● January 19, 2017

Page 18

Sports Boys’ Swimming

Anna Yuan/ The Spectator

Despite Challenges, Pirates Dominate Early On

By ARIEL GLAZMAN Sophomore Kai Yamamoto stepped up to his lane. He sprung off the starting block, already ahead of his competitors. It was a routine two laps for Yamamoto, who finished four seconds ahead of his teammate, freshman Karl Chen, and almost 10 seconds ahead of the fourth place competitor from James Monroe Campus. Yamamoto’s success in the 100-yard butterfly was one of many from Stuyvesant’s boys’ varsity swimming &

diving team, the Pirates, who extended a lengthy streak of regular season victories with a decisive 52-38 win over Campus on January 10. These kinds of victories are nothing new for the Pirates, who have commanded the Bronx/ Manhattan League for years now, with the last three seasons providing a combined regular season record of 23-0. Their divisional dominance also spills into their playoff performances: a championship run coming last year and losses in the cham-

pionship rounds the two years before that. Both of these losses were to the Brooklyn Technical High School Engineers, which has resulted in a developing rivalry between the two teams. Many of the swimmers who were on the team two or three years ago are eager to once again compete with their rivals. “I remember losing to Brooklyn Tech my freshman year and how hard it was for the seniors to lose four times in a row. After that the whole team, even the rookies, [has] been extremely

motivated. And while we still have this rivalry with Brooklyn Tech, we are confident we can [and] will win the championship this year,” junior Axel Tolpina said. This motivation has clearly paid off, as demonstrated by last year’s championship. The Pirates hope to defend their title this year, but they have to compensate for the missing talent of last year’s seniors. This year, there are only five seniors and 13 underclassmen. Nonetheless, the team has faith in many of its underclassmen. Freshman Osmond Wan and Yamamoto have been very consistent this season, placing first or second in almost every event they’ve swam in, including the 100-yard freestyle and the 200-yard individual medley. “All of our new recruits this year have an overall great work ethic, which shows in their performance during practices and at meets. Yamamoto continues to put out fast times and win his events in our dual meets,” senior and co-captain Derek Tran said. The upperclassmen core has also remained very solid, with co-captain seniors Derek Tran and Leon Lai as well as junior Nicholas Wen placing first in almost every event they’ve swam in this season, from the 200yard individual medley to the 100-yard butterfly. Another obstacle has been a coaching change. Coach Sil-

vana Choy took over the role of former girls and boys swimming coach Peter Bologna, as a result of his new position as Stuyvesant’s Athletic Director. This was a very sudden and unexpected adjustment for the Pirates, who have seen deep playoff runs year after year thanks to former coach Bologna. “The biggest change [has been] our new head coach, Coach Choy. She took the position without prior knowledge about our swimmers, and we also did not know what to expect heading into this season. Throughout the first few weeks, we had to earn each other’s trust and respect. She definitely runs things differently than former Coach Bologna, but they are both equally committed to this team. Even during this transition, we’ve still been able to remain a tight-knit community, and we fully trust Coach Choy,” Tran said. A coaching transition is always something that can be a major factor in a team’s success, but the Pirates have stayed true to their dominance over the Bronx/Manhattan League under Coach Choy. So far, the Pirates have once again maintained an undefeated regular season record of 6-0 and look to clinch back-to-back championships by relying on their strong upperclassmen core and rapidly developing underclassmen roster.

The Spectator ● January 19, 2017

Page 19

Sports Girls’ Basketball

NFL

The NFL Schedule: A Giant Rubik’s Cube By KEVIN MITCHELL

By DIMITRIY LEKSANOV When I spoke to senior and co-captain Shannon Lau of the Stuyvesant Phoenix girls’ basketball team back in December, she exuded an infectious hope. “I truly think we have what it takes to reclaim first in our division,” said Lau, as she meticulously detailed the steps that the team planned to take after falling out of first place in the Manhattan A South Division for the first time in three years. Lau sold me on her optimism, citing improvements like head coach Vincent Miller’s new free throw regimen, involving 20-30 freethrows per practice and sprints after missed ones. It seemed as though the Phoenix had put in place an aggressive plan to rectify their woes at the stripe that had plagued them so severely a year ago. Unfortunately, 10 games in, the Phoenix’s season has not treated them kindly. Even with a decisive 67-55 victory against Bayard Rustin Educational Complex, the Phoenix have already matched last season’s loss total (five) and have not improved very much at all at the free throw line. Last year, just five players shot over 50 percent on free throws (Lau, senior and co-captain Delaney Demark and juniors Maya Zabari, Ally Archer, and Ruby Gary). Of the five, though, only Lau and Archer received what could be considered substantial reps. This year, that figure is even lower. Zabari and Gary are no longer on the team, and only two players (Lau and junior guard Britni Canale) are shooting

Zoe Oppenheimer/ The Spectator

Imagine a Rubik’s cube. When it’s mixed up, it’s difficult to solve for the average person. Now, imagine that certain squares are locked in place, but other squares are meant to coincide with different parts of the cube. The NFL schedule is exactly this: a giant Rubik’s cube with fixed pieces. Two of the people responsible for creating this schedule are Howard Katz, NFL Senior Vice President of Broadcasting and Media, and Michael North, Senior Director of Broadcasting. I recently sat down and spoke with them about how they make the NFL schedule, a technology and math problem that might stump even the best Stuy student. Katz and North begin their work on the schedule in January, while the previous NFL season is still going on. It’s a long and arduous process. “There are over 700 trillion possible schedules out there. We’re looking for a needle in a haystack, but the first thing to do is to see if we can find the right haystack,” Katz said. He and North use a program which relies on a network of more than 200 computers worldwide. This program has tens of billions of variables, including nearly every possible change that could be made to a schedule. “It’s a combination of math, science, and human input,” Katz said. “[We] know the 256 matchups the day the [previous] regular season ends,” North said. For each team, this includes six games against the three other teams in their division (one home and one away), four games against teams from a division in the American Football Conference (AFC), four games against teams from a division in the National Football Conference (NFC), and two games against teams in their conference, which are chosen based on the previous year’s regular season record. The NFL uses a set of 30,000 rules, each with a certain number of points attached to them, to determine the usability of their schedule. These rules have points assigned to them, from 1 point (barely consequential) to 999 points (absolutely cannot be broken). One major issue with matchups is that they have to fit within a team’s stadium blocks, the days when it is available. “The first

thing we do is take all the stadium blocks and put those onto the board to show when you can’t play a game at a stadium,” Katz said. These blocks can range from baseball games (in places like Oakland and Philadelphia), the Chicago Marathon, or even NASCAR. Another issue is balancing the schedule between being teamfriendly and TV-friendly. “Somewhere between these two extremes, we’re looking for the right shade of gray instead of black or white,” North said. “It’s not even about satisfying [the teams and the networks], it’s about disappointing them, hopefully equally and hopefully not that much.” That is, finding the best possible balance between giving the teams enough rest and making sure the best games get on TV. “Our job is to make sure that those must-see matchups get into must-see windows,” North said. These must-see windows are the primetime games and the 4:15 - 4:30 games on Sunday. The teams that get into these windows the most are usually the Cowboys, Packers, Patriots, and Steelers, as they have the largest national followings. To do so, the NFL employs two methods: flex games and crossflexing. Flex games are games late in the season that can have their time changed a week in advance, and cross-flexing is switching games between Fox and CBS to ensure that more of the country sees a big game. This usually occurs when a team that was not expected to be good at the beginning of the season becomes a team of national relevance. A recent example was the Los Angeles (LA) Rams. “No one saw the LA Rams coming,” Katz said. This is what led to the recent cross-flex of the week, moving the 12 Saints-Rams game from 1:00 PM ET on Fox to 4:15 PM ET on CBS. Not surprisingly, technology has been a game changer in how the NFL is scheduled nowadays. “We’re more sophisticated than we’ve ever been before and our clubs are too,” Katz said. “We’re looking at things we would have never thought about because technology allows us to do that now.” But, even with today’s technology, complex math and human touch are still necessary to solve the Rubik’s Cube’s tens of billions of variables, 256 matchups, 30,000 rules, and over 700 trillion possible solutions that make up the NFL’s regular season schedule.

Can Phoenix Rise Again After a Rough Start?

Phoenix slow start could be attributed to something deeper—for instance, a lack of a dominating rebounding presence. In the 2016-2017 season, the Phoenix were defined by a frontcourt that dominated the glass. Archer, at center, and junior power forward Talia Kirshenbaum combined for nearly 20 rebounds each game. But Kirshenbaum missed the first eight games of this season while she was at the Mountain School, hurting the team’s rebounding prowess. Archer’s production has increased (12.2 rebounds per game), and the team has enjoyed an unprecedented breakout performance by sophomore Eve Wening, who raised her rebounding numbers by nearly five rebounds per game from a

“Everyone on the team is driven to dominate” —Delaney Demark, senior and co-captain over 50 percent on free throws. Considering that Canale has only shot four total free throws, Lau is the only player with free throw shooting success over an extensive span. Not everyone on the team, however, sees free throw shooting as being as pernicious as it may seem. “As a whole, free throw shooting isn’t a very prominent issue, but we could always do better,” Demark said. The team has lost all five games by more than five points, suggesting that the

season ago, but they have not matched last year’s totals. Kirshenbaum returned to the team in mid-January in thunderous fashion. Albeit in a minuscule sample size, she has averaged 14 rebounds per game, the highest by any Phoenix over the past four years. It has had a profound impact on the rest of the team, which has been markedly more competitive as of late. The dominant 67-55 win came against a respectable Bayard Rustin team which has hovered

around .500 all season, and the 5448 loss to Graphics Campus came against a high-powered, 9-2 team whose only losses came at the hands of 10-2 Millennium High School and undefeated Lab Museum United. Furthermore, according to Demark, the loss to Graphics Campus might have been close enough for free throw shooting to have played a role: “In Monday’s game against Graphics, free throw shooting did prove to be a bit of an issue, but that’s really the only instance this season in which this significantly impacted the outcome of the game,” Demark said. It’s safe to say that Kirshenbaum’s return has been felt by everyone on Stuyvesant’s roster. “What Talia’s doing on this team is crazy,” Lau said. Ultimately, Kirshenbaum’s return could be what revitalizes the Phoenix back into championship contention. The three-headed monster of Kirshenbaum and Archer both potentially putting up double-digit rebounds and Wening coming off the wing with countless more could be a fearsome mismatch going forward, and this could spark a streak of success into February. “I’m confident that we can bring this perseverance across the remainder of the season,” Lau said. In the end, though, only time will tell how dramatic such a turnaround will be. In the next seven games, the Phoenix play just two teams with winning records: Millennium High School and Seward Park Campus. If they can sweep the other five games, they should cruise into the playoffs. However, if they slip up, it could spell a low seed in the playoffs, and perhaps an early ticket home.

Boys’ Basketball

Rebels Are Down To The Wire Again By ARIEL MELENDEZ With two seconds remaining in a suspenseful game against Washington Irving High School and the deficit of just three points, all eyes were on senior Nicholas Kim. Kim had the hot hand from behind the arc, having scored 12 of his 18 points from three-point range, and a three was what the Runnin’ Rebels, Stuyvesant’s boys’ basketball team, needed. Tension in the gym started to build as the Rebels broke their huddle, where coach and guidance counselor Paul Goldsman had drawn up an inbound play in an attempt to get a good look at the basket and send the game into overtime. The scheme worked: as senior Sean Chung looked frantically for the first open teammate he could find, he sent a pass to Kim, as their coach had designed. Despite his wide open opportunity, Kim could not continue his success from beyond the arc; he bobbled Chung’s pass and was unable to get a good shot off, ending the Rebels’ hopes for a thrilling victory. The team

was handed its second straight loss by a final score of 46-41 and dropped to 1-7 on the season. The game was close out of the gate. Even as the Rebels’ seasonlong turnover struggles continued, Irving was missing its shots and senior Nicola Manfredi kept them in the game, scoring all seven of his points in the first quarter. “We didn’t move the ball well enough against Irving. However, I think we showed heart by staying in the game when they were physically larger than us,” Manfredi said. This was reflected as the turnovers spilled into the second quarter for the Rebels and they fell into an eight-point hole, but a strong finish spearheaded by Kim—who had begun to heat up from long range—cut the deficit to just four to end the quarter. In the third quarter, some strong half-court defense thanks to a shift in strategy by Goldsman helped cut the opponents’ lead to two for some time and keep the Rebels in the game. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to capitalize, as they struggled to convert on the turnovers their strong de-

fense created. Inevitably, turnovers came back to bite them again in conjunction with poor transition defense as the opposition took advantage of plentiful fast breaks. By the end of the quarter, Irving’s lead was at just six points thanks to some weak free throw shooting on its part. The fourth quarter is where things really started to get interesting. Initially, Irving looked as if it was going to run away with the game as the team extended their lead to double digits. However, with time dwindling, a Rebel run spurred by strong three-point shooting from Kim sliced the lead down to three. Despite the shift in momentum, the Rebels were not able to close out the game. The team finished the eventful month of December with a 1-5 record. The Rebels enjoyed a convincing 18-point away victory against the Norman Thomas Tigers on December 19. Conversely, the team suffered a demoralizing away loss at the hands of a strong Seward Park Campus Bears team. Statistically, they have been too concentrated thus far this

season. In terms of scoring, Manfredi and Kim led the way with 9.6 and 9.5 points per game, respectively, both placing within the top 15 scorers in the division. Aside from senior Michael Gillow, no other Rebel is averaging more than 4.5 points per game. Similarly, Gillow’s 2.9 assists per game led the team and placed him at 12th in the division, but no other Rebel makes an appearance on the leaderboard like senior Sean Chung, junior Ricky Zou, and Manfredi do in the 20-30 range, averaging just 1.3, 1.1 and one assist, respectively. The Rebels have struggled with ball movement, and as they work on it, they are likely to see increases in the assist numbers and distribution of scoring. While the rebounding numbers are better distributed among four players with rebounding totals between 20 and 30, the Rebels are not well represented on the division leaderboard in that statistic. The Rebels hope to play more consistently in the five games they have remaining in the month of January.

As playoff berth begins to slip out of reach, the team is working to improve each game. “Our goal is still to make playoffs even though it’s a much harder task at this point,” Manfredi said. The Rebels have shown that they can compete with enough of their opposition to make a run for the playoffs. Often, the deficits in their 9-12 point losses were created almost entirely in one quarter while the Rebels played at par or better than the opposition during the rest of the game. If they improve on their ball movement and protection, they can close out games and finish the season strong despite the hole that they’ve dug themselves into. Goldsman is similarly optimistic. “I have seen significant improvements in some of our players and I hope it ultimately leads Stuyvesant to garnering some more victories,” he said. “We have played in many close games, and I believe that if we protect the ball better and make our free throws, those three-point loses can easily became five-point victories.”

The Spectator ● January 19, 2017

THE SPECTATOR SPORTS

Girls’ Track

By YUKAI LIU

Page 20

Greyducks Hope to Become More Consistent

Stuyvesant’s indoor girls’ track team, the Greyducks, traveled to Armory Track on December 27 to compete in the PSAL Holiday Classic. Refreshed from the holidays and the break, the team was determined to succeed at the meet after their rocky and inconsistent start to the season. In their first two meets, the team had struggled but got back on track with a solid showing at the Day of Distance on December 23. The team’s placement was erratic again, performing well in some events but struggling in others.

There were many bright spots for the team, particularly in the varsity events. Senior Daria Shifrina finished fifth out of 14 participants in the high jump with a height of 4 feet, 8 inches and sixth out of 28 participants in the triple jump with a distance of 32 feet, 5 inches. Sophomore Tina Zheng finished 10th out of 33 participants in the weight throw with a distance of 27 feet, 11.5 inches. The Greyducks had a solid showing from their field team and are hoping that will continue as the season progresses. In the track portion of the meet, juniors Bernice Chen (8:42:25), Kayla Lew (8:51:36),

and Jeanette Cheung (8:55:51) finished third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, out of 20 participants in the 1500-meter racewalk, and junior Clara Mohri finished in second (10:56:58) out of 17 runners in the 3000-meter run. This strong junior class will look to help lead the team both this season and next. However, the Greyducks finished in the middle of the pack in events like the 1000-meter run and the 300-meter dash. The team also did not compete in any of the relays. “The season is off to a decent start. We’ve already had several athletes qualify for the PSAL Championships, but

Tiffany Yu/ The Spectator

The Peglegs Looking to Make Comeback

With an aggressive return, junior and co-captain Allison Eng ended her third round against her opponent from Tottenville High School. It was the girls’ varsity table tennis team’s first match since losing to Millennium High School. The Peglegs ended up winning 4-1 against Tottenville High School in spite of a loss during first doubles. In singles matches, all three starters, junior and cocaptain Katherine Lee, Eng, and sophomore Kasey Chan, had a rocky start, maintaining a marginal lead in their first respective games. However, in the following rounds after they’d warmed up, it became clear that nerves were responsible for their initial slip up. Instead of leading by only four points, it was by up to eight points for all three players. Lee, Eng, and Chan all won decisively, three games to none. In

gering 36 of the 46 athletes on the official roster are underclassmen. This inexperience also creates an atmosphere of competitiveness. “We are starting to ramp up the work. We are excited to work to beat our personal records, as well as trying to run good races and potentially qualify for City’s [championships],” freshman Julianne Yotov said. The Greyducks are looking to become more consistent and reach their top form going into the second half of the season as the Borough and City Championships draw even closer.

Boys’ Table Tennis

Girls’ Table Tennis

By SUSAN LIN

we’ve also had a lot of injuries and health issues that have hampered us,” coach Carl DiSarno said. Mohri has qualified for the 1500-meter run and the 3000-meter run, Shifrina has qualified for the triple jump, and Chen has qualified for the 1500-meter racewalk. The team will look to send as many members as possible to compete and represent Stuyvesant in the Championships. “We’re also a very young team, with lots of freshmen and sophomores, so we’re also still figuring out what everyone is good at,” DiSarno said. A stag-

doubles, despite the Peglegs’ best efforts, they lost one out of their two matches, partly due to the fact that one of their starters was absent that day. “Some matches were a breeze but parts of our team need to do better in terms of giving away less points due to simple mistakes,” Eng said. The team was recovering from a loss before winter break to Millennium High School, the current reigning champion of the Division I League. It was their second time being beat 5-0, so team spirit was at an all-time low. Their record after their game against Tottenville is 8-2, and they are currently second place in their League. A player’s attitude and mindset going into a game is often the determining factor when the teams are evenly matched and just as important even if they aren’t. Coach Eric Wisotsky believes that the reason for their defeat stems from a lack of self-

confidence and team morale. “The girls tend to get nervous even though they’re good enough to beat them. Skill-wise, they’re at the same level,” Wisotsky said. A look at game statistics of the Peglegs and Millennium match shows that the teams were fairly on par with each other with Eng losing 3-2 and a doubles duo of freshman Alyssa Yoo and Divya Chanani also losing 3-2. Other than Millennium, no team so far this season has been able to seriously contend with the Peglegs for a spot in playoffs. “We still hope to make it far into the season into semifinals, and hopefully top 4, like last year. [It] hasn’t been as bad as we thought it would be without the seniors,” Eng said. The captains have worked hard thus far to maintain a similar record to that of last year’s despite the enormous gap the seniors of last year have left. The team is looking to build themselves up again, so that even if they aren’t victorious this season, they will be next year. With the amount of sheer potential in the majority underclassmen and continuous drilling, the Peglegs hope to become an even more formidable force in PSAL and restore their title as champions. Especially now that the players have access to more newly purchased tables, bought in order for Stuyvesant to host the City Championships, they’ll be able to practice more. “While we might not beat Millennium this year because it requires multiple team members getting better in little time, our team [still] has years to improve,” Eng said.

Titans Lose First Game in Four Years By ALLISON ENG and FRANKLIN LIOU After some extremely competitive back-and-forth rallies, first singles and senior Alvin Chen was winning 2-1. It was match point, during which Chen could win the whole match and give his team the much soughtafter win. While the ball was in midair, he took a step back and wound up his arm and swung his hardest, hitting the ball with extreme speed. However, his opponent from Brooklyn Technical High School, Gabriel Riskevich hit the ball twice as fast. Riskevich came back to win the game and the next one, winning the entire match, 3 games to Chen’s 2. The Stuyvesant Titans, the boys’ table tennis team, has lost one game in the last five years to Brooklyn Technical Engineers, their all-time rivals. Before their last game on January 9, they had an ongoing win streak that spanned over 60 games, which is the majority of coach Bernard Feigenbaum’s entire career with the team. At the end of their regular season, the Titans placed first in the Central Division, consisting of teams in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, with a record of 11-1. They shut out every team other than the Engineers (5-0)

effortlessly. The team has won all its scheduled matches this season. Senior and captain Isaac Rose Berman and his doubles partner, senior Nicholas Pustilnik, have won all of their matches this season, along with second singles junior Mark Amstislavskiy. Because Stuyvesant and Brooklyn Technical High School are so evenly matched, it just takes a few points to change the direction of the score. “We need either first singles or second doubles to win [against Brooklyn Tech]. Alvin came close [to Riskevich] in first singles, [and] it gave me confidence [that] Alvin could win [his game] in cities,” coach Feigenbaum said. The Titans will likely face Brooklyn Tech again in the final round of the playoffs, as they are the two best teams in the PSAL. The Titans have overcome a lot to reach where they are today: they started a new season without the core three, Alston Wang (‘17), William Yao (‘17) and Eric Amstislavskiy (‘17), a group of seniors who led the team to four consecutive trophies. They’ve hit a rough bump with their most recent regular season game, but still have high hopes for a fifth consecutive championship. One regular season loss does not make or break a season.

Girls’ Gymnastics

Felines Pounce on Successful Season By LUMI WESTERLUND The Felines, Stuyvesant’s girls’ varsity gymnastics team, are maintaining a strong season, despite the loss of valuable players who graduated last year. They currently hold a fourth place

the team’s longtime rival, with a final score of 99.3-102.6. The Felines also lost to Bronx Science at their divisional meet with a total score of 103.3, putting them in second place behind Bronx Science’s score of 115.97. Despite losing several key

“Because the first meet was only about a month and week after the season started, it would be asking too much for any newer girls or less experienced girls to be ready for a competition,” Coach Vasken Choubaralian said. As the season continued,

“I’m really proud of what we’ve gotten to and achieved so far in the year, and I’m looking forward to a successful and progressive rest of the the season.” —Lee-Ann Rushlow, junior and co-captain standing in the Bronx/Manhattan division, one that they held last year as well, missing third place by less than a point. The team has won all but one meet to the Bronx High School of Science,

seniors who graduated last year, the team has remained on its feet. In their first meet of the season, the lineup was composed predominantly of returning junior and senior athletes, other than freshman Naomi Khanna.

however, newer gymnasts have been participating in events as well. “We’re really lucky to have experienced freshmen Naomi Khanna and Anya Zorin and junior Leah Rosenthal join the team to make up for the three

[graduated] seniors,” senior and co-captain Annie Lee said. “Coach Choubaralian always wants to give less experienced girls a chance to compete.” With Khanna as a strong allaround player and Rosenthal and Zorin obtaining between sevens in the balance beam and vaulting events respectively, the team is using its new members to its advantage and helping to prepare them for next year when some of the strongest players, like senior Anna Pacheco and Lee, graduate. The team is practicing on fixing more minor errors, where they tend to lose a lot of points. “We’re working on really perfecting all our routines because in gymnastics, we get deducted for the smallest details like flexed feet and bent legs,” Lee said. While almost all of the Felines have been participating in multiple events at different meets this season, nearing the end, the team is going to be relying on the returning members.

“As we near the finals, my veterans and my experienced gymnasts will be competing, especially in the finals,” Coach Choubaralian said. The team hopes to maintain its current fourth place position in the city. While replacing the Bronx High School of Science in third place has always been the team’s goal, it will require a major comeback after the initial loss of more than 12 points to Science. However, they haven’t lost hope and still have several remaining meets. “I’m really proud of what we’ve gotten to and achieved so far in the year, and I’m looking forward to a successful and progressive rest of the the season,” junior and co-captain Lee-Ann Rushlow said. With Science having had success in their season thus far, the Felines have their work cut out for them if they hope to catch any teams in front of them in the division.