Winged Post Vol 13 No 8

FEATURES, page 6

Triefenbach retires after over 12 years

COLLEGE, pages 9-12

SPORTS, page 18

Senior shoutouts and college map

Top spring athletes

Winged Post Friday, May 18, 2012

THE HARKER UPPER SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER, VOL. 13, NO.8

500 SARATOGA AVE. SAN JOSE, CA 95129

English summer reading policy reformed samantha hoffman & apoorva rangan chief in training & reporter

Summer reading will no longer be a Crime and Punishment that consists of a few predetermined books, and the stress level in English classes will be Light in August as the English department enters a Brave New World of more summer reading choices.

Additionally, while students will still be assessed on the literature that they read, the evaluation will be pushed back from the beginning of the year to later in the first quarter. According to Department Chair Marc Hufnagl, the assessment would no longer count for five percent of the semester grade, instead becom-

ing part of the cumulative average.

Only sophomores, juniors, and seniors in English electives will be impacted by this change. Incoming freshmen and AP English Literature students will still have to read required texts.

“Since the books are in the [AP English] curriculum, I think it’s important that we read them over the summer,” Payal Modi (11) said. “I think that [the teachers] know what we’ll be able to handle on our own, and they can guide us too after we get back.”

Hufnagl said that the inspiration for the new policies stemmed from teachers’ observations of previous years’ summer reading experiences.

“We want to encourage students to acquire a

love of reading and [a] want to read rather than being required to,” he said. “Hopefully [this will] also reduce the stigma of walking into your English class and immediately being faced with an assessment.”

English teacher Alexandra Rosenboom is especially appreciative of the “free will” that students now have under the new curriculum.

“Reading should be a process that invites a student to feel more imaginative and excited about the characters that they’re going to be spending time with,” Rosenboom said.

The English Department will hold a meeting at the start of next year to determine how to assess students fairly on the different texts.

Valedictorian and Salutatorian named Students prepare end of year speeches

Her speech, she said, will touch upon the theme of “embrac[ing] what you’re intrinsically motivated to do, and to stop yourself from falling victim to prizes and contests and whatever else you might be motivated by.”

Likewise, Michelle is also eager

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editor in chief

This year’s valedictorian and salutatorian are seniors Ramya Rangan and Michelle Deng, respectively. Ramya will address the class of 2012 at graduation, while Michelle will address the juniors and seniors at the annual Baccalaureate ceremony two days prior.

The honors are determined based on grade point average alone: the valedictorian has the highest four-year GPA of the graduating class, and the salutatorian has the second-highest GPA. Ramya is looking forward to the honor of addressing her peers.

“You don’t really ever get another chance to just tell the class about what you think. It’s a great opportunity to just share your ideas and hopefully inspire people,” Ramya said.

”

Ramya Rangan (12), valedictorian

SENIORS Ramya Rangan and Michelle Deng are this year’s valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively. Ramya will speak at Graduation, and to address her fellow students at the Michelle will give a speech at Baccalaureate. less formal Baccalaureate.

English teacher Jason Berry. rent work includes the Mars Explora“I’m so grateful for the chance As always, the valedictorian’s tion Rover project and the Mars Exto speak at Baccalaureate. It’s such an address will be followed by Head of ploration Laboratory. exciting time—seniors, on the verge of School Christopher Nikoloff ’s speech, Baccalaureate will take place on graduating, gather for one of the last in which he imparts advice upon the campus Thursday, May 24, and the times ever to pass the torch to the ju- soon-to-be graduates to carry on to Class of 2012 Graduation Ceremony niors,” said Michelle. the next chapter of their life. Further- will take place on Saturday, May 26 at Furthermore, the senior class had more, this year’s keynote speaker is Dr. 9 a.m. at the Saratoga Mountain Winthe privilege of choosing their faculty Vandana Tompkins, a member of the ery. speaker for Baccalaureate; they elected Technical Staff at NASA whose cur-

Drowsy nominated AWARDS: for Stage Top Honors samantha hoffman chief in training

On May 14, the cast of The Drowsy Chaperone received 11 nominations in various categories in San Jose Stage Company’s 2012 Bay Area High School Musical Theatre Stage Top Honors Awards, joining performing arts departments from 16 other schools around the Bay Area.

The cast as a whole was nominated for Best Show and Best Ensemble. Five students also received individual nominations: Cristina Jerney (11) for Best Featured Performer for her role as Trix the Aviatrix, Lauren Pinzas (12) for Best Supporting Actress for her role as The Drowsy Chaperone, Govinda Dasu (12) for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Adolpho, Noel Witcosky (12) for Best Leading Actress for her role as Janet Van de Graff, and Tristan Killeen (12) for Best Leading Actor for his role as Man in Chair.

“I was extremely shocked,” Noel said. “I had no idea that I would be nominated because [...] usually it’s really, really competitive, and I knew a lot of people who were also nominated for it.”

In addition to student nominations, Performing Arts director Laura Lang-Ree and teacher Catherine Snider were nominated for the Direction and Musical Direction categories, respectively.

Upper School Technical Director Brian Larsen received a nomination in the Sound Design category,

PRESTIGE PORTRAITS

priyanka mody

You don’t really ever get another chance to just tell the class what you think.

and Katie O’Bryon was nominated for her Choreography work.

According to Snider, four judges go to every school under consideration and critique all aspects of one of their showings, ranging from the show’s technical components to the audience mem-

“

It’ll be fun to put [the show] back on its feet.

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Cristina Jerney (11) bers’ experience. Then, the evaluations from all of the schools are compiled and deliberated, eventually resulting in five to six nominees for each of the 18 categories.

In the past three years, performers from the Upper School have also been nominated for previous shows Pippin, in 2011, and Les Misérables, in 2010.

“It really doesn’t matter if we win or not,” Snider said. “It’s a fun process, [but] our success is already finished. We rehearsed and put on a fabulous show that we all feel really good about. We certainly don’t do musicals to participate in the competition.”

AWARDS, page 3

Annual athletic awards The 2011-12 Upper School Athletics Award Ceremony will be held today at 6 p.m. in the Upper School gym. As announced in an email from Upper School Athletic Director Dan Molin, those who decide to attend will receive a free t-shirt and food. Those who have qualified for awards have been notified prior to the event, and will receive their awards during the ceremony. Awards being given out include Super Eagle Award, Eagle Award, Iron Eagle Award, Director’s Award, and Athletes of the Year.

GOA partnership in works As multimedia approaches to teaching become more pervasive, schools are implementing online resources at the high school level in order to better prepare students for higher education. The Upper School is pursuing a partnership with Global Online Academy (GOA) to create a similar environment in the upcoming school year. Students will be offered the opportunity to expand their learning experience to a more diverse approach by incorporating an online environment for their classes, such as those used in some colleges.

The goal of this project is to help broaden their exposure to perspectives around the world. As members of the administration finalize details, an in depth article will be posted on TALONWP.com.

Senior trip starts Sunday

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the

Today marks the senior class’ last official day of high school. To celebrate their success, the class of 2012 will depart for the annual senior trip to Laguna Beach on Sunday, spending about four days partaking in final advisory and class bonding activities. The seniors will also receive their yearbooks the day they arrive.

National Economics Challenge Team travels to compete at Finals in New York City michelle deng

asst. editor in chief This weekend, Max Isenberg (12), Ramya Rangan (12), Albert Wu (12), and Warren Zhang (11) will compete in the National Finals of the 12th annual National Economics Challenge in New York City.

Sponsored by the Council for Economics Education (CEE), the National Economics Challenge comprises two divisions. The Upper School team is competing in the Adam Smith division of the competition, intended for stu- ECONOMICS Warren Zhang (11) prepares for the National Economic Chaldents who are taking or have taken Ad- lenge with teammates Max Isenberg (12) and Ramya Rangan (12) and advivanced Placement, honors, or other ad- sor Samuel Lepler. Albert Wu (12), not pictured, will also competing. vanced high school economics courses; the other division, called David Ricardo, This round will be streamed live on the ler is confident that the team will peris designed for introductory economics CEE’s Facebook page, and the results form well.

“I think we have a brilliant team. students. This year, only eight teams— will determine the identity of the 2012 National Champion team.

Th ey work hard, and they know when four from each division—made it to the Th e Economics Challenge also they really need to put their nose to the National Finals. comprises two prior competitions—an grindstone. […] Combining last year Accompanied by team advisor and initial open round, wherein one team and this year, they spent a lot of time,” Economics teacher Samuel Lepler, the from each participating state advances, he said.

“I’m really, really, really proud four students depart today for New York. followed by the National Semi-Finals, that we’re in the top four in the nation— On Saturday, the team will take the used to select the four fi nalists in each and that we have a legit chance of being Qualifying Round of the competition, division. number one.” consisting of multiple-choice questions This is the second year in a row that However, the competition is not all in diverse realms of economics, includthe Upper School has made it to the Fiwork and no play: the trip itself is alling microeconomics, macroeconomics, nals; last year, Max and Ramya traveled expenses paid, and scheduled into the international economics, and current to New York City, and Albert was inweekend are dinner at an Upper West economic events. Following these writvolved in earlier rounds as well.

All four Side restaurant, free time to explore, ten portions, they will participate in a team members took AP Macro and Miand, last but not least, an evening boat Critical Thinking Round, during which croeconomics last year. cruise around the city. they will devise and present a solution to Given the experience and industry Programming concludes with a a given real-world economic problem to of the students—through the past few breakfast with the CEE board on Mona panel of judges. weeks, they have been reviewing the AP day morning, after which Warren and The two top-scoring teams from curriculum, reading up on supplemenLepler will depart.

Th e three seniors will the Qualifying and Critical Thinking tal material, doing extra problems, and leave the previous night to join the rest Rounds will advance to the final Quiz practicing for the buzzer rounds—Lepof their class at Laguna Beach.

Bowl Round on Sunday at 3 p.m. EST.

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Senior awarded arts scholarship Freshman Physics to George Washington University Students take annual trip to Great America today meena chetty & allison sun

MERCEDES CHIEN - WINGED POST ARCHIVES

“I [would say that] I’m mostly a modern dancer, but that also includes more of a conTALONWP managing editor & editor temporary side,” she said. “I’m also really active Senior Andrée Beals was awarded the in contact improvisation, which is not really a Presidential Scholar in the Arts scholarship set kind of movement, but it’s more like you go at George Washington University (GWU), to classes–or jams as they call them–and just where she will study dance this coming fall. dance.”

GWU honored five students with the Practices during performance seasons, award this year, which provides each person which are more rigorous, range from four to with a $60,000 scholarship over four years. five hours six days a week depending on show In addition, the program allows scholars to schedules. In the summer, she trains four days work individually with faculty at the university, a week for three hours each day. showcase their work with various performancDuring the summer before es, and prepare for a career in the arts. sophomore year, h o w e v e r, “Andrée’s intelligence is what Andrée suffered a hip makes her stand out. She will never aci n - jury and had cept something she does not understand to undergo surgery. She without question,” said her coach, Brian refers to the incident as Fisher-Paulson. the point when she realized dancing was something that she wanted to pursue in-depth in the future because her S h e found out DANCE doctor informed about the dance and art pro- Andrée Beals her that she was gram at GWU via the Inter- (12) said she lucky to be net, which stood out to her was extremely able to walk because it provided a scholar- grateful to receive after wards.

George Washington ship opportunity and did not University’s PresidenAfter being require a live audition.

T warned that S tial Scholar in the PO ED G “There were a lot of great Arts scholarship. she may not be N I EW TH dancers and a lot of people She has danced able to dance again, O T IAL EC from different schools that since the age P Andrée was determined to S of three. were really prestigious. I was quicken the pace of her recovery so grateful that I [was chosen and returned to the dance floor in Nofor the award],” she said. vember of that same year.

Andrée described “I just really wanted to dance, so I pushed herself as a “big mover” my recovery to probably like half the time I and first started dancneeded to do just to get back on stage,” she said. ing at the age of three when her mom signed In addition to performing, Andrée has her up for dance classes as a way to channel choreographed dances including two major her energy. By middle school, dancing became group pieces as well as her senior solo. She finds more than just a hobby for her. choreography much more complicated because “Andrée’s passion pushed her to research she has to consider other people’s bodies and and find schools where she could improve. I styles of movement rather than her own, while [...] attended recitals all the while, wondering performance allows for more freedom. how the talent I saw growing before me blos“[Choreography] was [about] what works somed,” her mother, Sylvia Rankin, said. with all of them together, [and] if they were As practices grew increasingly intense, going to do unison, what works with individual Andrée began to explore various dance styles people,” she said. “It was hard but it’s intensely including hip-hop, jazz, and tap dancing before gratifying.” focusing solely on modern dance and ballet in After years of dancing, Andrée has come high school. She wanted to follow a commer- to view dance as “freedom of movement” rather cial route when she was younger but has decid- than a restricted and stylized coordination of ed to turn down offers to tour internationally steps. in order to attend GWU.

WHIRLING During last year’s Physics Day at Great America, some students enjoyed the Celebration Swings. Today, this year’s freshmen can do the same, as well as analyze the physics of the rides.

riya godbole & felix wu reporters Today, the freshman class and a handful of other Upper School students are going on a field trip to California’s Great America to apply the skills they have learned in physics on analyzing roller coaster dynamics.

Known as “Physics Day”, the trip has been organized by the Physics department for 13 years and takes place annually on May 18.

“

It’s good for students to have an opportunity to actually apply their knowledge in a setting outside the classroom.

”

Dr. Mark Brada, physics teacher Physics teacher Chris Spenner thinks that the trip is an important tradition for freshmen.

“It has kind of become the freshman trip, since we take the whole class. And it’s been fun every year,” he said. “I think the students enjoy it too, so it works out pretty well.”

Fundraising against cancer

Students to walk in Relay for Life

TRISHA JANI - WINGED POST

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May 18, 2012

LIFE Sophomore Sahithya Prakash places flyers for the Relay for Life fundraiser around campus.

Around 25 students from the Upper School will participate in the event from May 19 to 20.

trisha jani & vasudha rengarajan reporters

On May 19 and 20, about 25 Upper School students plan to participate in the Relay for Life fundraiser at Cuesta Park in Mountain View. Held by the American Cancer Society (ACS), the event will last for 24 hours and raise money for cancer research.

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People with different experiences with cancer can become unified as a community by participating in this event.

Kenneth Zhang (10)

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According to the Relay for Life website, the fundraiser began in Tacoma, Washington, in 1985, when Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon, personally raised money for the fight against cancer by running over 83 miles. Since then, the ACS has held relay events in over 5,000 communities around the nation to raise funds and awareness.

Every hour of the event, participants will walk around the park. Each round has a different theme, including Hawaiian, robot, and crazy hair. Several other activities at the event will allow participants to celebrate those who

have battled cancer, as well as raise awareness about the disease throughout the community.

Mary Liu (10) and Sahithya Prakash (10) are administering the event for the Upper School. According to Sahithya, as team captains, their job is to fundraise and recruit about 15 people to participate in the event. However, because it is their first time taking part in this event, they have decided to only recruit people.

Mary was first encouraged to sign up for Relay for Life at a volunteer fair she attended.

She started the project and later asked Sahithya to help her. Sahithya said the event reminded her of the Middle School Cancer Walk, so she was excited to support a similar cause for the Upper School.

Sahithya acknowledges that many students may be busy because finals are just around the corner but thinks that students should still take advantage of the event.

“It is really good to encourage people because this is a really great event for cancer awareness, and to honor all the cancer victims and all those who have survived cancer,” Sahithya said.

Mary hopes for the event to be a “bonding event between friends.”

Kenneth Zhang (10), who had heard about the event before, plans on attending because he thinks it will support an important cause.

“People with different experiences with cancer can become unified as a community by participating in this event,” he said.

The event starts at 10 a.m. and continues for 24 hours until the next morning.

The event is organized by Great America, and many schools from around the country will be admitted to the amusement park on the day, along with their chaperones. The freshmen will make calculations on the velocity, acceleration, and forces exerted on the rides through various experiments.

According to physics teacher Lisa Radice, the trip has not changed much since its inception 13 years ago.

Leena Kim (9) believes the excursion will be “a good way for us to relax and get our mind off of the upcoming finals,” she said.

According to the Great America website, the event is “[a day] where the amusement park is turned into the world’s largest classroom.”

Physics teacher and trip organizer Dr. Mark Brada believes the trip allows students to use their understanding of physics beyond school.

“I think it’s good for students to have an opportunity to actually apply their knowledge in a setting outside the classroom,” he said.

Although the primary purpose of the trip is to encourage students to apply the physics skills they have learned throughout the year, the outing is also meant to be a relaxing day for them to hang out with their friends and enjoy the rides.

A handful of sophomores and upperclassmen who take freshman physics class will also go on the excursion. Participating students will be excused from their classes on the day of the trip and will be accompanied by 10 teacher chaperones, some of whom are physics teachers.

3 Congressman Honda (D-CA) holds social media event May 18, 2012 the Winged Post

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pavitra rengarajan & allison kiang At the Upper School on Sunday, May 6, Congressman Mike Honda (DCA) and his Student Advisory Council (SAC) held a conference about social networking, cyber bullying, and cyber crime.

Students from schools around the Bay Area attended the event, called “What’s Your Status?” Some went as an opportunity to receive extra credit, while others went to listen to guest speakers, including Secret Service agent Dan Schott, Facebook employee Krista Kobeski, and Egyptian activist Ameera Naguib.

“The turnout was okay considering it was right before AP [exams], but it was the only time the congressman could make [the event],” said Dylan Qian (12), the current representative for the Upper School.

The conference began with the viewing of a video from “Take This Lollipop” to show the ease of access to private information using Facebook; the video was used to illustrate the potential dangers of the site.

“You never know who’s on the other side, looking at your profile,” said Ritika Pai, a SAC representative from Presentation High School.

An activity involving the game of “Telephone” followed in order to demonstrate how distortions to information might occur while being relayed to others; Honda participated as well.

The SAC also presented their study titled “The Influence of Social Networking on High School Students.”

To investigate some users’ tendency to friend someone they do not know on

PAVITRA RENGARAJAN - WINGED POST

features editor & reporter

SOCIAL MEDIA (Dominant photo) Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) speaks at the “What’s Your Status?” conference on social networking, cyber bullying, and cyber crime at the Upper School on May 6. (Inset) Dylan Qian (12) and another member of Honda’s Student Advisory Council speak as well; the Council helped Honda organize the event.

Facebook, they created a fake Facebook profile under the name of Nicole Hastings, added pictures, friends, and status updates in order to make her seem like a credible person, and then proceeded to friend others on Facebook. Over 60 percent of the people they “friended” accepted the friend request from Nicole Hastings, according to the study report released during the conference.

Afterwards, Schott talked about his career working for the Secret Service, protecting U.S. presidents and other visiting heads of state including Queen Elizabeth and Muammar Gaddafi. Schott also discussed the agency’s Safe School initiative, in which the agency used techniques to study assassins and applied them to study school shooters.

“I thought that the Secret Service agent was the most interesting speaker,” Jacqui Villarreal (9) said. “Although what he talked about wasn’t quite relevant to social media of our generation, it was interesting to learn about how the Secret Service works.”

During the Q&A session, when asked about accessing websites that would be cause for government probing, Schott declined to comment.

Kobeski, an associate on the policy communications team at Facebook, discussed the website’s measures to protect privacy with three steps: reporting the issues, educating users, and engaging in partnerships.

Facebook utilizes a social reporting system to have users flag content; the website also holds a number of pag-

John Near and Mitra Family Scholars

Research grant awardees notified today aditi ashok & dora tzeng sports editor & reporter Today, the History and Social Sciences Department will inform the awardees for the John Near Scholar Research Grants in United States History and the Mitra Family Scholar Research Grants in World History, Social Science, and the Humanities for the 2012-2013 school year. A public announcement will be made to the school at a later date.

The program began three years ago with the John Near endowment; later, the Mitra family decided to provide support as well. For example, if a scholar wanted to buy books or travel for research, the grant would cover the costs. Only rising seniors with recommendations from their history teachers are eligible to apply.

This past year’s scholars were seniors Max Isenberg, Sarah Howells, Cole Manaster, and Dwight Payne.

Cole grew interested in the Vietnam War after taking AP U.S. History as a junior and decided to study this time period.

“I [applied] last year

because I saw it as a perfect opportunity to delve deeper into the history of the Vietnam War,” he said.

His final paper was titled “The Changing Dynamic of Unconventional Warfare: The U.S. Special Forces in Vietnam and their Impact on Modern War.”

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Students who are ready to really dive [deep] into a subject [can] have that kind of discovery experience.

”

Donna Gilbert, History and Social Science Department Chair

Similarly, Sarah decided to apply for a grant because it seemed like a challenge, and she wanted to expand her knowledge of history.

“The most rewarding part of being a scholar has been pretty surprising: it wasn’t finishing the paper, but it’s in having the knowledge that I’m capable of completing something like this,” she said. “I’m pretty proud of myself because I did not think I could handle it.”

According to Department Chair Donna Gilbert, the research program has already grown two or three-fold, with more students as well as teachers

Performing Arts

CONTINUED FROM FRONT In honor of their nomination for Best Show, Chorus, and Ensemble, the cast will be performing at the Red Carpet Recognition Night Gala along with other nominated casts.

Tristan and Noel will also perform with the other nominees for Best Leading Actor and Actress. According to Snider, the cast must do several things to prepare for their performances.

“They don’t provide a band, so we have to get our band back and make a recording,” she said. “We have to figure out how to costume them, and we have to figure out how to rehearse them, so it’s a huge deal.”

Many members of the cast, like Govinda, are look-

ing forward to performing.

“I’m really excited about getting back into the Drowsy for a little bit more,” he said.

Cristina agreed, saying, “It’ll be fun to put it back on its feet.”

As nominees in the Best Leading Actor and Actress categories, respectively, Tristan and Noel must also compile resumés and headshots and prepare a song to perform.

The winners will be announced at the Top Awards Gala at the California Theatre in San Jose on June 4 at 7 p.m. If either Tristan or Noel wins, they will continue on to the National Music Theater Awards, also known as “The Jimmy Awards” in New York City later that month.

es and a safety center to educate users about web privacy and security.

To counteract bullying, the site has partnered with Stop Bullying: Speak Up, which targets bullying awareness and prevention.

“If you see someone being bullied, stand up for them, and be supportive of someone who might need your help,” she said. “Use technology to your advantage; you will see all the wonderful things that will happen if you use Facebook responsibly.”

Subsequently, the SAC introduced Naguib, who used social media to participate in the uprising against former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

Naguib was invited to a Facebook group that called for an end to the Mubarak regime and showed posts of

Sophomore Sameer Vij TiECon: spearheads youth forum allison kiang reporter

getting involved.

While mentors guide the students through the research process, the scholars organize their research and provide their own unique structure for the paper.

“This kind of relationship is also a way to move beyond introductory survey level courses, which is generally what happens in history departments in high schools; you don’t get to go into depth,” Gilbert said. “This allows students who are ready to really dive [deep] into a subject to have that kind of discovery experience.”

History teacher Carol Zink, a first-time mentor this past year, expected more interaction during the process, but she thinks the program is helpful because it provides experience for students’ future academic careers.

“I honestly don’t know how students at Harker find the time for this; it mystifies me,” Zink said. “I really admire [the kids] who [put] themselves through this process.”

As the research grant program continues to expand, Gilbert hopes for a wider variety of topics and the possibility of co-mentors.

controversial media about the protest.

“Thanks to Facebook and Twitter, the world was watching everything that happened to Egypt together. Now for the first time in history, someone could participate in a revolution without actually being [there],” she said.

“The power of knowledge about an issue has never been so important to the world.”

Finally, Honda took the stage to give a few words about the SAC. “My staff knew that I was interested in young people, and they also knew that I was interested in getting high school students [and] young adults involved in the political process,” he said. “The only thing we could think of was to engage them and invite them to be a part of our office.”

He addressed the need to be aware of technology, echoing the sentiments of the panelists who spoke earlier.

“Technology is agnostic. It is pure,” he said. “Who handles, who deals […] with technology is key.”

Tech Club President Prag Batra (12) thought that the conference as a whole was informative.

“It was nice to get three very different perspectives and have them all tie in to the theme of social networking and privacy online,” he said.

Honda has said that “ideally,” two students from every school within his congressional district would be represented on the SAC; the committee was formed to “involve young adults in the political process.” Currently, according to the congressman’s office, the application process for next year is undergoing changes; applications may be released either within the next few weeks or in the fall, as in past years.

Self-proclaimed “the largest professional conference for entrepreneurs,” tomorrow’s TiECon 2012 at the Santa Clara Convention Center will run a youth forum spearheaded by Sameer Vij (10).

Targeted towards students from middle school to college, the TiEYouth Forum comprises of two sessions beginning at 2:00 p.m. The first panel, “Inspiring Young Entrepreneurs,” will feature entrepreneurs from companies nationwide, including Vinod Khosla, co-founder of Sun Microsystems and keynote speaker at the Research Symposium and Kevin Surace, founder of Serious Energy and speaker at the TEDx event hosted at the Upper School last October.

After meeting a member of the organization last June, Sameer began to formulate a business plan. He then pitched the idea to TiE itself at organization headquarters and followed up by creating a team of six people to help him carry out his idea. He continues to revise and present his plans monthly.

“I started the entrepreneurship club, and [I thought] these talks would be interesting for kids,” he said. “Their

whole mission for all of these talks is to get people to start this stuff, so if you target kids, it makes a lot more sense, because they’re the future.”

Sameer and his team contacted several venture capitalists by email in order to set up the speaker lineup.

His sister, Sarina Vij (11), has helped market the event through Facebook, emails, and flyers.

She will also serve as hostess for the second section of the youth panel, while Sameer introduces the first session.

Sameer hopes that the event will be an “inspiration” to youth; he himself aspires to “start something” and perhaps become a venture capitalist in the future. “[We are] targeting kids that don’t know [how to start], or aren’t inspired yet with ideas, [or] who just want to learn about it and maybe start something one day,” he said.

Tickets for the TiEYouth Forum are available for $20, which includes admission to the conference and expo.

TiECon stands for “Talent, Ideas, and Enterprise Conference”; the nonprofit was originally called “The Indus Entrepreneurs” in honor of its Indian founders. Today, TiECon has expanded to more than 14 countries with 57 chapters, as said on its website.

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editor in chief It’s not easy being in a position of leadership—managing a group as the president of a club, holding an office of student government, leading a sports team as captain, role modeling as an upperclassman, or even being an older sibling. You face the constant scrutiny and critique of your peers and classmates, and often, a truth becomes replaced by some mangled, misinformed, one-sided perspective that is passed down through the grapevine.

I’ve been caught in the middle of such a situation, where the rumors and speculations left me defenseless and vulnerable. To endure the criticism from the closest of friends hurts, and there is no euphemism that can cover up the feelings

POST-AP:

of frustration and defeat that I have felt. My support group, the people whom I believed I could turn to in any situation, good, bad or ugly, seemed to shrink in size. Friendships that had taken years to cultivate were broken in a matter of days.

On the other hand, I was fortunate to have even a few people to whom I could turn, and that’s all I needed. Just a few to understand, listen to, and trust me. Internalization of these pent up feelings works only to a certain extent, but everyone has his or her breaking point, and I felt like mine was approaching fast.

I felt every possible emotion; words that shouldn’t have been said, were said. My reaction was one of a 17 year-old: it was built upon sentiment. All throughout school, we are taught to make decisions and have plans set in mind; but in reality, we can’t predict how to react until we are actually caught in the middle. In that moment, all we have are ourselves and our brains operating on pure adrenaline and trying to process everything at once. It’s not very effective in solving anything, but a

New senior attendance policy appreciated for wrong reasons

“Welcome! You will be very well-prepared for the AP exam by the end of this year, but remember–the class is not about the test.

It is about exploring the subject.”

Many of us were welcomed into Advanced Placement classes with similar sentiments, but the new post-AP policy for seniors seems to convey a contradictory message.

EDITORIAL THE OFFICIAL OPINION OF THE WINGED POST For those out of the loop, according to the new policy, seniors are not required to attend AP classes after the exam unless their teachers mandate their presence. Our administration passed the policy with the most benevolent of intentions—to give seniors more time to study for their other exams and to enjoy themselves outside of class. In Head of Upper School Butch Keller’s words, it is a “privilege” accorded to the seniors.

And on a visceral level, those of us who are seniors do appreciate the extra time, whether to socialize and relish being the top dogs on campus or to work when things get busy … such as when newspapers are about to be published. And those of us who aren’t seniors jealously watch them seem free.

Yet, we’ve heard time and time again that we’re there to deepen our understanding of the subject and to develop study and research skills broader than the class itself, not to pass exams and score high grades. Our Mission Statement even states: “We achieve academic excellence through the development of intellectual curiosity, personal accountability, and love of learning.”

But by releasing seniors after AP exams, the policy seems to officially condone “senioritis,” which the school tries to combat for much of the second semester. Far worse, it recognizes AP exams as the endpoint of the year. It says that after AP exams, there is nothing that students can or should pursue.

The policy also leaves seniors with so many free periods that they hardly need to show up to school at all on certain days. Combined with senior privileges and being excused

on the

DL

daniela lapidous opinion editor

The photos. So, so many photos that I’ve taken since I received a camera for my 16th birthday, all neatly lined up and dated in individual folders on my laptop. They’re even color-coded: the ones on Facebook, the ones I printed into an occasional hipster album.

They are the more than 10,000 reasons for me to completely freak out before I move across the country in the fall.

At the most inopportune moments, like smack in the middle of a test, I wonder: how on Earth am I supposed to narrow down this immense photo collection to something like the top 50? What am I going to paper my dorm room walls with? How much will I forget?

The question is not completely about photos but rather, what is “the point” of all of the wonderful experiences I have had if I’m not going to remember them?

response composed without much thought is often the case.

In an environment where the proliferation of ideas spreads only faster through the Internet, I was bombarded by frequent reminders of such polarized thoughts. I found it hard to reconcile my feelings of being a student leader with those of being just a normal teenager.

Of course, time helps heal and salvage the remnants of a broken friendship, but for one to completely forget, forgive, and move on is difficult from all sides. There is no black or white, right or wrong.

And when the lines blur, conflict and misunderstandings are almost inevitable.

I never imagined high school would have so many bumps along the way. Being here since kindergarten, I’ve only known this one community all my life. But stepping on to the Upper School campus was like entering an entirely different world. The petty cliques disappear, labels and stereotypes become inconsequential, the work intensifies, and the freedom that we had been

from class on exam days, attendance levels have become alarmingly spotty. So in their last few days of high school ever, seniors infeel listless and sit at picnic tables wondering, “What are we supposed to do?”

Well, we could still be in class learning ... and yet still relax, de-stress, and enjoy ourselves, just as the school had hoped.

You see, there is no better time than the post-AP period to actually live up to our Mission Statement. Let’s be real—in this society, points and AP exams do carry disproportionate weight. The main goal of most students is to get high grades and score well on the exam, and teachers structure their curricula around the official CollegeBoard syllabi, leaving little room for creative projects or real-world applications of subject matter.

But now, there’s nothing in the way— so it’s the time to watch relevant films, to do spontaneous video projects, or to take a class walk in the sun, discussing the ecology of the campus. Now is the time to enjoy learning.

To prevent class from detracting from seniors’ enjoyment of their leisure, we propose that gradebooks for AP classes should be informally closed on the day of the exam, and it’s probably best if activities be restricted to class periods. This way, after the exam, students can finally enjoy the subject without the pressure of worrying about at-home assignments or points, and teachers would not need to hound students for work.

Academics aside, we can simply cherish our last few days as a class, beside peers with whom we speak little outside the classroom but who have become our companions nonetheless. And on the last day of class, we can say goodbye together.

In some AP classes, the teachers have mandated attendance and pursued something along the lines of our suggested path, but with the option of not having class lurking in the background, the taint of obligation makes it easy to miss the loveliness of the last few days.

Of course, now the examination weeks are over, and our impact on this year goes little past reflection. We have appreciated our administration’s kindness towards seniors, and we have definitely treasured our time bonding with friends in spare time. It is now up to the rising seniors, teachers, and administration to start planning out their legacy for next year.

It honestly saddens me to picture this inevitable future scene, which I predict happens to everyone at some point: I will be living in some apartment and doing my dishes. I will be feeling horrible about my day, grumbling about my job, my husband, and the color of the sky–and I will not be remembering the sunny drives down Highway 280 with my friends.

I won’t be remembering the heaven that is salted caramel ice cream from San Francisco or the exact starriness of the night skies above my summer camp. I definitely won’t remember even half of the inside jokes I have with my friends or a final exam score that made me proud. Terrible.

In fact, I sometimes think I’ve convinced myself that memorializing my life from birth until now will ensure that I can be happy forever.

All I would have to do in moments of suburban despair is go through my old Instagram feed, my Tumblr, my photo albums, or even my journal, and I would smile. Simple time travel.

I didn’t even fully understand that that was my thought process until I was writing this column

“

deprived of suddenly seems to glisten at every corner.

With that newfound freedom, I realized that choices aren’t easy to make. Sometimes, people lose sight of the emotional expense that results from all the little day-to-day decisions. But each action is deliberate; each resolution is defining.

The steps I took to shape my high school experience, and ultimately my entire personality, were intentional. I had the freedom to choose what I want to remember about others, and what I want others to remember about me. I have to decide what I am going to leave behind.

I’ve fallen and picked myself back up countless times. The falls don’t make us weaker, but rather the resilience that we can find inside makes us stronger.

I have cried, laughed, made mistakes, and questioned myself along the way. And there really is nothing I would trade for the past few years—the ups and downs, the worsts and bests—it’s all part of the experience.

talk around campus

What are you looking forward to this summer?

”

meena chetty

TALONWP managing editor “Tennis, because I like playing tennis, so I really want to improve on that. Plus, I’m looking forward to the courses I’m taking in the summer so next year I can focus a little bit better.”

- Chirag Aswani (9)

“I’m excited to go to camp and play tennis like every year and meet new people. I’m [also] excited to go to Italy, just for vacation.”

- Katia Mironova (10)

“I’m doing a pre-collegiate program at Berkeley so I’m going to do some engineering courses. What I’m looking forward to probably is most likely learning about what I want to do in the future.”

- Nikhil Agrawal (11) “This summer, I’m just most looking forward to enjoying my last summer before I’m a college student, and I just want to make the most of it and appreciate those last few months.”

- Joshua Beavin (12)

out (shh, don’t tell anyone). When I write that preserving my present happiness will be able to sustain me indefinitely, the idea sounds completely ridiculous—because it is.

Instead of obsessively documenting, I need to give myself the permission to forget. Not to forget the feeling, but the details. I need to accept my past for what it was and just know, deep in my heart, that I was straight-up, overall happy. That’s what matters in the end, right? The details worth remembering will be remembered, and the rest will be replaced with new days.

I will have new moments of beauty and bittersweetness and wonder: looking at a New York skyline, failing my first college exam, my first snow. Never having instantcapture-worthy moments again— now that would be depressing.

In remembering the emotion rather than the specifics, I will be able to strive for that feeling of joy, of youth, of everything cliché and good and imitate it through different avenues.

This applies not only to photos but to the people in them. Naturally, we will keep in touch with the handful who mean the most to us.

“I am going on a road trip to Yellowstone, which I cannot wait for. We’re going to rent a convertible and stay in an old lodge.”

- Meredith Cranston, Librarian As for everyone else? I will remember how much fun I had with them, and I will find myself making friends with people who carry elements of their personalities, without even realizing it. I cannot keep everyone in my pocket, as much as I will inevitably cry over this very fact at Laguna Beach this weekend— can’t lie.

The bottom line is that even if pictures documenting my every happy moment and everyone I loved hung on my walls, that wouldn’t mean I could get that time or those people back. I’m here, now, and I will be where I will be. Looking back could bring a smile to my face, but putting the past aside and looking around will do the same. It’s okay to let go.

When all is said and done, my dorm next year will still be plastered with memorabilia and photos. But they’ll probably be a more random selection than I anticipated—representative but not hyperanalyzed.

My plans to spend hours combing through each of my photos have changed into just soaking in what I can, with my camera (and tendency to cling to the past) mostly out of the picture.

Harker Students: Words of Wisdom

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2. Study hard and get good grades.

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6

May 18, 2012 the Winged Post

features

“I’ll miss everybody. And that’s ... the end.”- Fred Triefenbach

Retiring teacher reflects on his long career patrick yang tech editor “It’s been a fantastic 12-and-a-half years ... I’ll miss everybody. And that’s ... the end,” the man concluded, tears, sentiments, and memories breaking up the final sentences of his thoughts.

Thus Fred Triefenbach, Assistant Director of Instructional Technology, gave closure to the interview, ending his reminiscence of his long career. For 12 and a half years, Triefenbach has been working at this school, and this one will be his last.

Triefenbach’s work at our school has spanned about a third of his teaching career: he has been a teacher in some capacity for 34 years. He said he had known he wanted to be a teacher since seventh grade. Two of his teachers influenced him particularly: Trief-

“

The students are great. I just hope they realize what they have here.

It’s a great opportunity for them.

Fred Triefenbach

”

enbach named Barbara Holland and Gila Riley, his high school biology and business education teachers respectively, as two of his inspirations for pursuing teaching in general and his undergraduate major in business education.

“I just always wanted to be a teacher. I enjoyed school, and I still enjoy school,” Triefenbach said.

Triefenbach said.

As for what he will miss the most about this school after retiring, though, Triefenbach named without hesitation his current advisory, whom he has been with for their freshman and sophomore years.

“I’m really going to miss them.

We’re really a very tight knit group, and I think—no, I know—they’d say the same,” Triefenbach said. “That’s probably my favorite memory here.”

Even in retirement, Triefenbach said he hopes to be a teacher. He already envisions—after his move down to Palm Springs—working at the local retirement home to teach people ADVISORY Some of Triefenbach’s fondest memories are of his time with his advisory. He will be retiring next year, after havthere how to use computers to stay in ing worked at this school for 12 and a half years. touch with loved ones, or teaching a Indeed, Triefenbach became a sition. He started in the middle of the called “Computing Across the Curric- programming class at the community teacher, and his passion for helping stu- 1999-2000 school year, around the time ulum.” Both were “applications” cours- center on the side. Of course, he also dents grow became intricately linked when the high school had just started. es, which meant that rather than teach- has other plans, such as picking up his to technology. When the first Apple “February 14—it was Valentine’s ing true computer science, Triefenbach topical stamp collection again. computers came out in the late 70s or Day,” Triefenbach said, remembering taught students how to use computers It is this passion and dedication early 80s, Triefenbach bought one out his first day at our school. “And it was for classwork and other practical situ- for teaching that drive Triefenbach’s of personal curiosity. But it fascinated also Community Service Day. Back ations. parting words of sorts to the school. him so much that he appealed to the then, 12 and a half years ago, everybody He compared the curriculum from He has advice for the students which district of the Chicago school, where [in the student body] went on commu- back then to the current computer sci- he believes would help the community he was teaching, to start a program- nity service.” ence course list: students have a multi- continue to flourish. ming curriculum.

Triefenbach has witnessed big tude of options from Digital World to “It seems like a lot of people are “I went to the district administra- changes in every aspect of the school Advanced Topics in Computer Science, stressed out. Teachers and students. I tion, and I said ‘I think we need to let since his arrival, but the biggest change and he is still amazed at how the num- think there’s too much going on, which the kids know what programming is all he recalls is in a specific part of the stu- ber of students signing up for computer is great, but I feel like the students alabout,’” Triefenbach said. dent community. science courses continues to grow. most feel they have to be involved in After taking a summer course “The facilities have changed [...]

Triefenbach also created the everything. I would like to see things at the Illinois Institute of Technol- quite a bit. The student body has grown yearly workshop that the school runs calm down a little bit,” Triefenbach ogy, he would be a programming and larger as they added the new grade lev- in the summer to provide low-cost said. computer science teacher for years to els. But I’ve seen the biggest change technological teaching methods to less In the end, though, Triefenbach come. And to point out the evolution in student government,” Triefenbach privileged schools from the area. In ad- is optimistic about what he says is the of technology throughout his years as a said. “They’re doing more all the time, dition, he suggested the green screen greatest place he has ever worked. teacher, Triefenbach reminisced about school meetings are getting better all room in Nichols Hall, and he has ad“The students are great. I just hope the first programming class he taught: the time. It’s going to be sort of hard to vised the Tech Club. they realize what they have here, which code written in an old programming improve on, I think; they’ve just been At the same time, though, Trief- I don’t think a lot of them do. It’s a great language called FORTRAN on punch doing a great job.” enbach remembers the old days fond- opportunity for them—I never had this cards, which had to be painstakingly Of course, Triefenbach also played ly. He now teaches no more than 30 opportunity,” Triefenbach said. sent to a computer center for results. an integral role in the expansion of the students a year, when in his first years Triefenbach’s legacy towards the Many years later, Triefenbach school’s technology programs. When every student in the school passed school, its technology departments, and moved to California looking for a he started teaching, the entirety of through his required computer science its students is ultimately multifaceted. teaching job, and after submitting his the computer science curriculum was class. name to a private school teacher search a semester course known as “Intro to “I don’t really know all the stuprogram, this school offered him a po- Computers”, soon replaced by a course dents anymore, and I miss that part,”

May 18, 2012 the Winged Post

Features

Three seniors to take gap year before college asst. editor in chief Once again, fall rolls around… but what’s that? No massive papers?

No late-night study sessions? No friendly shouts to peers in class hallways, no club meetings, no football games? For the first time in thirteen years, no school?

While almost all their peers plan to depart for college in the fall, seniors Dylan Qian, Sankalp Raju, and Aditya Sastry are opting instead to take a gap year off from formal education.

Both Dylan and Sankalp expressed intents to use the coming year to explore and hone their interests while keeping future majors and careers in mind.

Dylan, who will enter New York University in the fall of 2013, says he is interested in business but does not know in which area he would most like to focus on since the field is “so varied.”

He believes that a gap year could be a prime opportunity to “really find out what [he] wanted to do without school in the way.” Hypot h e t i c a l l y, he said, he could explore different jobs, and if he found a particular attraction or aversion to a job, he could learn which courses to take and which to avoid in college.

H e plans to get involved in one of the political campaigns for the upcom-

ing elections this fall, as well as look for a part-time job or internship, probably in marketing.

Sankalp similarly hopes to consider different interests, particularly those he feels he has not adequately explored during high school.

“I definitely found a passion for physics in high school, and I took like every single physics course and a lot of math and science courses offered here,” he said. “That’s something which I don’t regret […] but before I commit to that in college, I wanted to make sure I’m making the right decision,” he said.

As such, throughout his gap year, he plans to take a variety of humanities, theater, and film courses during the day at a local community college; he has already enrolled in a few courses for this summer.

In addition to taking classes, Sankalp also will work part-time as a marketing director for a start-up called Flipgigs, which launched only a few weeks ago. The company, in

ALL PHOTOS WINGED POST

michelle deng

SENIORS Aditya Sastry, Dylan Qian, and Sankalp Raju have opted to delay their college education and take a gap year to pursue a variety of activities.

Sankalp’s words, is like a “Craigslist for students”—it aims to connect students with relevant job openings, such as academic or musical tutoring and sports coaching jobs.

Working and studying in the daytime, at night Sankalp will switch gears and perform stand-up comedy at clubs in Pleasanton and San Francisco. He has already done so a couple of times.

“I’m bad—but not so bad I’m getting booed offstage,” he said with a laugh. “That’s the thing that keeps me going.”

Sankalp’s desire to explore such diverse realms did stem in part from his college choice. He will attend the University of Chicago, which in his words has a “pretty big core” and requires students to spend “significant amounts of time” pursuing their majors—thus reducing opportunity for free exploration.

“I want to make sure when I’m choosing my major I’m completely committed, and I’m not hesitant in what I’m doing,” he said.

Unlike the other two students, Aditya said he simply “wanted some time off to actually get something done before college.” He plans to apply again to colleges next fall.

After considering jobs in a variety of locations, he decided to take a marketing position at Indian conglomerate Alchemist Group, which, according to its website, focuses in diverse areas, including restaurants, retail, agriculture, infrastructure, and hospitality.

Aditya will primarily be conducting market research for the restaurant and hospitality divisions of the company.

“They’re opening restaurants all over India, so they need to look for properties all over India, and as such I’ll have to travel to different parts to do research,” he said. “I’ll go to physical markets—malls and such—and survey retail property.”

So less than two weeks after graduation, he will move to an apartment in Delhi, India, where he will live alone throughout the coming year.

He said that his job would probably be his priority in the “foreseeable future” but may consider traveling for a couple of months, perhaps on an iceclimbing trip in Switzerland.

Gap years being a more unconventional route, the three students needed their parents’ backing for their plans.

Dylan did not find much problem obtaining parental support. According to his mother, Xuan Wang, when he first proposed his idea, she wondered what he would do during the gap year, but several days later, he told her his job-seeking and electionvolunteering plans.

“We agreed it is not a bad idea and decided to support him,” Wang said.

However, when Sankalp first vaguely proposed taking a gap year in October, his parents “completely shut the idea down,” and it took longer for him to convince them otherwise, he said.

His mother, Ramesh Shankar, said that because Sankalp initially lacked a concrete plan for the year, she and his father were worried that he was simply reacting to the stress of the application process and felt he was “not prepared” for such a decision.

Determined to show that he was serious about pursuing a gap year, Sankalp then drafted a detailed plan; he discussed it more fully with his parents after he received word of his acceptance from the University of Chicago in April.

“It was a big decision for us as a family. But this time, when he came to us, he was much more prepared,” Shankar said. “He talked to [college counselor] Mr. Lum Lung; he talked to [advisor] Mr. Daren. He had done his homework and come up with the different options for what he was going to do during his gap year.”

After lengthier discussion about logistics and finance of the gap year, Sankalp’s family came to a consensus.

“As much as I want to say it was my decision to take the gap year, my parents had a huge role in deciding the best way to approach this,” Sankalp said. “I’m living with them for another year. They’re paying for this gap year.

They need to be just as happy with it as I am; otherwise, it’s just not fair.”

A variety of different paths to college are available: most students take the conventional route and enter college in fall, but some are spring admits, and a few, like Aditya, Dylan, and Sankalp, take gap years.

Senior Gift

7

ASB’s future plans nikhil dilip & kacey fang

TALONWP editor & reporter As the current school year is drawing to a close and preparations for next year are already being made, the new Associated Student Body (ASB) has been collaborating on future plans for the school.

Juniors Raghav Sehtia, Maverick McNealy, David Lindars, and Kevin Lin won the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, respectively.

The newly elected ASB has officially convened once with Head of Upper School Butch Keller and Upper School Dean of Students Kevin Williamson to discuss matters such as the current policy of allowing T-shirts during AP testing. The officers are primarily focusing on preparing the matriculation skit for next year, and Raghav is working on a speech to present at the eighth grade promotion. While ASB took a hiatus due to AP testing, the council still held unofficial meetings to discuss the agenda for the last school meeting of the year and to talk about ideas for continuing projects.

“I think that I have a lot of new ideas that I want to put in place in this school,” Maverick said. “As a student council, we can accomplish so much more than you would think if we really dedicate ourselves to it.“ In addition to input from ASB, many suggestions arise from the student body. Due to the heat that can build up in Shah Hall, some juniors requested for shades or blinds to be put up over the windows. Other ideas for next year include installing more outlets and introducing an electronic snack system.

“We don’t really come up with [the ideas]; it’s just what students tell us,” Raghav said.

However, the officers say student participation remains an issue.

“The biggest challenge for being an ASB officer would be getting people involved and getting the word out that things are happening,” David said.

Freshmen Helen Wu and Agata Sorotokin feel that while not many people are aware of ASB’s efforts, it is not necessary for the council to increase attempts at making their work known.

“All we know is the projects that they put out and the class meetings,” Helen said. “Part of the reason that we don’t know is probably our fault because their meetings are public, and nobody goes to them.”

The last school meeting of this school year, run by the new ASB, will be held on May 29. A meeting date with the current ASB council to discuss ongoing projects is still being determined.

New baby boy

welcomes 18th grandchild Class of 2012 reveals the gifts they will donate to the school Manigo alyssa amick the whole point of it. It’s to give back to the community that once gave to you.”

Allison Vaughan, Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship, agrees.

“It’s a way for your class to remember, for you to make your mark physically on the campus,” she said.

“You make your mark in lots of other ways, but this is a physical reminder to be left here for your class.”

David Dominguez (12) thinks that the senior gift is definitely key to the 2012 legacy.

“Not only does it benefit future classes like the new benches will, but when alumni of 2012 come back to Harker, it will be cool to point out that we, the class of 2012, donated something to the school,” he said. “And it’s important for everyone to participate because it honestly would not be complete without everyone’s donation.”

LEGACY The campus map at the front loading zone was a gift from the Class of 2009. Senior gifts are differentiated by a plaque with the class year engraved.

reporter At 5:27 a.m. on May 3, Emily Manigo welcomed another grandchild into her life. The baby boy is named Fernando Alexander Ortíz III. Manigo has worked for eight years directing traffic in the parking lots, a job she loves.

On most school days, she will be working at the parking lot’s busiest times, directing student, parent, and faculty drivers and ensuring that drivers and pedestrians make it through safely.

“My favorite part about working here is directing the traffic in the morning to get everybody in and out safely, and just [being] friends with everybody here,” Manigo said.

Fernando is Manigo’s 18th grandchild, but the large number is not uncommon for her family. She was the fifth of nine children and raised six of her own as a single parent.

“I came from a big family myself,” Manigo said. “I love it. I just love children. Children are our future, and that’s wonderful.”

Her grandchildren range from the youngest, now 13 days old, to the oldest, who will turn 16 next fall.

“My favorite thing to do with my grandchildren is to spend time with them, loving them, playing games with them, and doing whatever they want to do,” Manigo said. “I love talking with

SPECIAL TO THE WINGED POST

ED POST

It is so much more than just an object. It represents the legacy that the Senior Class leaves on this campus. It serves as a symbol of gratitude and respect to all those who have contributed to the success of the seniors. It is a way to leave a lasting mark on the Upper School community. It is the senior gift.

In the past, graduating classes have contributed to the cost of gifts ranging from the John Near Resource Center (class of 2010) to the flagpoles on Davis Field (class of 2011). This year the seniors have chosen to fund the purchase of two benches outside Main Hall, one in honor of current teachers and the other in honor of English teacher Sharron Mittelstet.

They will also pay for the base for a bronze statue of two eagles that will soon be on campus. Left over funds will go towards the endowment.

“I think the eagle base will work, and it’s something that won’t get ruined very easily, so that was a pretty economical decision,” Lauren Pinzás (12) said. “I think it’s important to participate because this school has given us so much education-wise that it’s fitting to give back and leave a unique mark representing all of us.”

One of the main goals of the senior class for their gift is getting the

CHIEN - WING

lifestyle editor

entire class to participate in donations, which, hypothetically, would make them the first class in Upper School history to do so.

“It’s just something that we leave so that generations look back and remember us. A lot of it is for us too, so when we come back to visit, we can see ourselves and our presence still on campus,” senior class treasurer William Chang said.

William works with Director of Alumni Relations MaryEllis Deacon as a representative of the senior class to coordinate donations and gift ideas.

As of May 16, the seniors have reached a partipation rate of 83 percent.

“Things come and go, various things change, but there’s one way you can leave your mark and help those classes in front of you,” Deacon said.

“This class has chosen a very unique way of paying it forward, so the fact that t h e y realize that, accept that, a n d want to do that [...] i s MERCEDES

sanjana baldwa

them and just spending a lot of time with them.”

The excitement of being a grandmother has yet to wear off for Manigo, however.

“Some people don’t want to be called Grandmother, but I just love it,” Manigo said. “I’ve been loving it from the first one until now, number 18. I think it’s the most wonderful name on Earth [because] your name gets carried on with all these kids.

In a grandmotherly fashion, Manigo has some advice for her grandchildren as they grow up.

She said, “Listen to your parents at all times, stay in school, get a good education, and love. Love everybody.”

FAMILY Emily Manigo welcomed her 18th grandchild, Fernando Alexander Ortiz III, about a week and a half before Mothers’ Day.

8

Global

May 18, 2012 the Winged Post

Higher education options for students

global journalism project

As the final year of high school rolls around, students all around the world are considering their higher education and the paths they will pursue in their future careers. While some students choose to follow the ordinary track of a university education, others explore focused, vocational specialty programs or even gap years.

Different countries have unique programs for students to study further, such as the Australian Qualifications Network’s 10 levels of education. By collaborating with sister school Saint Stephen’s College in Australia, The Winged Post hopes to present different perspectives on higher education options for students around the globe.

The articles below are a part of a continuing collaboration between The Winged Post and several other international schools in which an article topic is agreed upon and written about. Each school writes and edits its own article, which is then published as received in our publication. Stories and views expressed below are those from contributing schools and are not necessarily those of The Winged Post.

The Winged Post

Saint Stephen’s College

shilpa nataraj

reporter

global editor

Trystan Bass, who will graduate at the end of this year with a high school certificate as well as a Certificate 3 in Media, is glad he made his decision. “It allows me to already have a qualification in a field I am interested in straight after graduation from high school.”

Some high school graduates, however, are choosing to avoid any tertiary education pathway for the moment and are focusing on their own personal development.

Elorie McNicol, who will also graduate at the end of this year, is taking a year off to work and save money. “Hopefully, at the end of the year, I’ll be prepared for university and be ready to move out. A lot of people change their mind about what they want to do at university, so I think a year to figure myself out will be good. I could have a lot of growing up to do in that time.”

Although their credentials may be different, all high school graduates are simply looking for the best way to kick-start their careers. For some, a certificate or gap year is the best way to do that.

Future Australian employers have much to look forward to.

KACEY FANG - WINGED POST

Young Australians have an endless supply of opportunities when it comes to higher education pathways after their high school graduation. This year, members of Saint Stephen’s College’s graduating class are entering or are already involved in university study, the completion of specialised certificates, and gap years.

The Australian Qualifications Network outlines the ten levels of education recognised in Australia, and the benefits of each. The lowest level is a Certificate 1, and the highest is a Doctorial Degree. Comparatively, a high school certificate, received at the completion of high school in Australia, ranks just below a Certificate 1.

Leona Kolaric, who will graduate at the end of this year, has chosen to go to university. “In Croatia, where I am from, not having a degree indicates that you are not worth anything. Also, to be a doctor, which is want I eventually want to do, you really need one.”

Apart from the more traditional options of completing an undergraduate degree at a university, such as a Bachelors degree, many young Australians are now turning to alternative tertiary pathways.

Maya Lummus, an old scholar who graduated from Saint Stephen’s last year, is glad that she went straight to university, but concedes it is not for everyone. “My friends know a lot of people who started university straight away, got sick of it, dropped out and now don’t want to go back.”

In situations like these, specialised certificates can be very beneficial. Usually completed in a shorter period of time than an undergraduate degree, they offer students, upon successful completion, varying degrees of practical and theoretical experience in their chosen field. Furthermore, they can be combined with conventional high school studies which makes them more achievable and accessible for high school students.

Bidding farewell to high school, seniors will be venturing into a new chapter of their lives this fall: college.

Though this seven-letter word may induce stress and anxiety for high school students, some see it as an opportunity to explore one’s interests and work towards a career.

Traditionally, the majority of students in the United States pursue the four-year track of acquiring an undergraduate degree. At most colleges, the undergraduate education is based on a broad liberal arts curriculum that allows students to explore course offerings in an array of departments. Melody Huang (12), for example, will continue her music at UC Berkeley in addition to her other studies.

“I think that the lack of pre-professional emphasis at a majority of the universities encourages students to further develop their interests and participate in activities outside of academics,” she said. “Many of the schools also put a significant amount of resources into their extracurricular programs to attract applicants who have special talents.”

A few students deviate from the ordinary path by applying to focused, vocational specialty programs.

An aspiring doctor, Jaya Chandra (12) will be attending an eight-year medical program at Saint Louis University in Missouri, where she will earn a MD degree at the end of her college career.

“I think it’s great that colleges in the United States offer these medical programs, because it makes things a little bit easier for students who are really motivated and sure about what they want to do,” she said.

During the college application process, Jaya applied to several schools with similar programs, as medical schools in the United States are highly selective. Medical schools require students to have high scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and a high grade-point-average among other criteria in order to be accepted.

Tariq Jahshan (12) will complete a five-year architecture program at the University of Southern California (USC), where he will receive a Bachelor of Architecture, a professional degree accredited by the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB).

“In choosing a school, I had to take into ac-

KACEY FANG - WINGED POST

anneke meehl

count not only which school would give me a better education, but also which would allow me to experiment and transcend the often strict limitations of a pre-professional program,” he said. “I found that at USC, I would be trained by industry professionals and spend a rigorous yet engaging five years tuning my design abilities.”

In addition to medical and architecture programs, certain colleges in the United States have accelerated law programs that can allow students to earn a JD degree without having the stress of applying to law schools.

“I think having a college education is always important in that when you want to have a job after college, they always want to see that you graduated from college,” Leon Chin (9) said.

Before students can select a college in the United States, though, they have to apply and take the SAT, a standardized test for college admissions, in addition to SAT Subject Tests and Advanced Placement (AP) exams to demonstrate scholastic aptitude.

College counseling typically starts in the second semester of junior year, and during each class, students learn about various topics about the college admissions process, such as how to prepare for an interview and how to write effective essays. Periodically, students meet with their assigned counselors one-on-one to discuss where to apply, for feedback on essays, and so forth.

“I think college counseling is helpful to get you started on figuring out your different preferences [for what you look for in a college],” Wendy Shwe (11) said.

As the seniors prepare for their graduation, the juniors are well underway with their college applications. The Common Application, which high school students in the United States use to complete a majority of their college applications, will go live on August 1.

Study abroad: Indica Sur to explore Japan with selective program news editor Junior Indica Sur has been selected as one of 32 American high school students for the 2012 Japanese Exchange and Teaching Memorial Invitation Program ( JET-MIP), an allexpense-paid educational visit to Japan.

Indica is the first student from the Upper School to be chosen for JETMIP. The program is sponsored by the Japan Foundation in coordination with the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the Japan Foundation website, JET-MIP was created in 2011 to honor “two beloved American teachers of English who lost their lives in the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011: Taylor Anderson (Ishinomaki, Miyagi) and Montgomery Dickson (Rikuzen-Takata, Iwate).”

The trip will take place from July 8 to 26 this year and offers American high school students a deeper connection with Japanese language and culture, from classes in Japanese language,

introductions to traditional culture, field trips to areas including Kyoto, Osaka and Tohoku area, and a homestay in Osaka.

For her application, Indica wrote an essay, took the National Japanese Exam, and participated in a Skype interview, among other requirements.

Only one student per high school can apply for the program each year. AP Japanese teacher Keiko Irino assisted her student throughout the process and wrote Indica’s recommendation. Irino, who periodically sends her students information about contests and competitions relevant to Japanese language and culture, encouraged Indica to apply for the program.

“I’m hoping [Indica] can learn about the current Japan as well as Japanese traditional cultures, pop culture, and really deeply understand the country culture and the people,” Irino said. “[When she comes back, she can] share her experience with other students at Harker so that other students will have some interest in Japan and her experience, and more students will apply next

year.”

After receiving news of her selection, Indica said she kept a level head and tempered her excitement, just in case the opportunity was too good to be true.

“I signed up for the Harker Japan trip both times that it’s been canceled,”

“

I’m hoping [Indica] can learn about the current Japan as well as Japanese culture.

Japanese teacher Keiko Irino

”

she said. “I [didn’t] want to get too excited and have [a trip] be canceled again.” The JET-MIP program will be Indica’s first visit to Japan as well as her

first trip abroad without her parents.

Indica’s childhood best friend fostered her early interest in Japanese culture.

“I grew up celebrat- ing [ Japanese holi- d a y s such as] Children’s Day, and [my friend’s] mom [made] bentos for us,” Indica said. “That’s why I started taking [ Japanese class] and I really liked it after that too.”

Indica is currently secretary of the Japanese National Honor Society and a member of Japan Club.

When asked about Indica, Irino praised her student’s talent in Japanese language study and friendly personality. In addition, Irino described Indica as modest and respectful, which she said are c o r e values of Japanese culture.

WILLIAM CHANG - WINGED POST

william chang

hey there,2012 2012 !

From: Ms. Siraganian & Mr. Berry To: Berry’s and Siraganian’s Advisories Congratulations and best wishes!

We are so proud of our family. Always remember that Kracha is watching!

Love, Papa Bear and Mama Siraganian

From: Doc To: Class of 2012

From: Varsity Dance To: Kirsten, Margaret, and Sarika From skirt day, to fake eyelashes, to pumpkin carving, to dancing in the rain at Homecoming, this year has been an amazing adventure. You girls always manage to put smiles on our faces and we will miss you so much next year. Please go do great things with your lives but never forget your little high school dance buddies. And of course, never stop dancing! WE LOVE YOU.

Cherish your memorie and seek out more of of these friendships.

From: Laya Indukuri To: Shreya Indukuri Shreya!

Thanks for being the best sister ever! Even though we’ve only started getting along last year, you are one hell... of a person ;) and I don’t know how I’m going to survive the rest of high school and the parents without you. I hope you have a great time at college because Dartmouth is so lucky to have you! I’ll miss you so much and I love you to pieces!

Love, Lyle

From: Ms. Nace To: Guys’ Gig: Alex Najib Tzeng, Sebastian Hersch

Each of you have broug voices to Guys’ Gig. Th to hearing of your colleg your sharing some arran you Guys!

From: Ms. Rosenboom To: The Mattrasenboom

I am truly going to miss e next year! I am so proud o to hear about all the adve With admiration and love Ms. Rosenboom

From: Aditi Ashok and Ishan Taneja To: Chun Man Chow Translation: Your every breath, every action, every expression, till the end, I will still love you.

Thanks for being such a great friend, Dan. Good luck at Cal next year!

From: Nathan Dalal To: Nicole Dalal

From: The Wheeler Family To: Ms. Wheeler

Hey Nicole, I look up to you everyday for advice and inspiration. You are a dynamic duo of personality and wit.

You make me work harder to achieve my goals.

We have an incredibly close bond; make sure that you come back home and visit me as much as possible. I think I speak for everyone when I say your talent and charisma will be missed. Love u.

Julie The Real Deal Wheeler. Words cannot explain how much you have meant to us these past four years. We’ve always looked forward to Thursdays because of you; you’ve brought us together like a family. We hate that we won’t get to hear your snort every week, but don’t worry. You can’t get rid of us that easily.

We love you and thanks for everything!

From: Mr. Fisico To: The Fisico Advisor

Hey Guys…I am alread best! Take care and go Let us have a karaoke Lol…

From: Sean, Suraj, Avi, Ian, and Alex To: Govinda Dasu May the Prag be with you.

From: Mariam Sulakia To: Sona Sulakian

From: Ms. Nace To: Cantilena 2011-12: Lucy Xu, Rachelle Koch, Tina Crnko, Bridget Nixon, Katie Marcus Reker This year’s Cantilena has been one of the highlights of my musical life! You have shown that dedication and commitment, trust and kindness, truthfulness and openness are essential to creating art of the highest caliber! Thank you! With much love!

From: Honor Council To: Nicole Dalal and Priyanka Mody Thank you to our seniors for being such wonderful leaders on the council. We’ll miss you, and good luck in college!

Dear Sona, You are the best older s college will be amazing with you about which which cereal to buy, a You’re like a best frien one part of my childh be lost. We’ve gone t and I’ll always have th No matter what I do, yo Thank you for everythi Love, Mariam

!

{

shoutouts to our graduating class

}

From: Sarah Bean & Vivian Isenberg To: Ananth Subramaniam Dear Ananth, Thank you for being an amazing senior. You never fail to make us laugh. Your effortless ability to produce random jokes is a gift we truly admire. We’ll miss you lots. Have an amazing time in college!

—ANANymous

es of moments like these, these moments and more

bi, Charles Levine, Derek her, Christophe Pellissier

ght your unique gifts and hank-you! I look forward ge a cappella groups and ngements (hint hint!) Love

Advisory

each and every one of you of all of you and can’t wait entures that await you. e,

From: Erika Olsen To: Gerilyn Olsen Dear Ger, hope you have a lot of fun at college but I’m going to miss you like crazy! You are the greatest sister ever but also my bestest friend in the entire world. Ever since 7th grade we have been super close and I loved being dance-buddies, and car-buddies, and sharing-clothes-buddies. I love you and I’ll miss you a lot but we will always be best friends forever, even from miles away.

From: Arjun Ashok To: Aditi Ashok Hi Deets! Have fun at Tufts! You are an awesome sister, and you deserve it after working so hard throughout your life. I know this sounds lame but whatever! You’re still awesome, and you’re the best (or one of the best) sister someone could have. Even with the times I tortured you or you tortured me when younger, I’ll still miss you when you’re in college. ): But I guess that’s it. Bye! P.S. Sorry this is lame.

Journalism studs! You’re such superstars, and we will miss you so much. Keep being the hardworking, dedicated reporters that you are! Stay fab.

From: Priyanka Sharma To: Aditi Ashok To the most amazing co sports editor ever, Thank you for keeping me sane this entire year. I could not have asked for a better person to work with. Whether it was giving me advice, laughing at my bad jokes, or staying up late making up stories with me, we have truly become the greatest of friends. Even though we will be on opposite coasts next year, our craziness will never cease to exist. Love you lots! DJSKAB

dy missing you! You are the ood luck! e five years from now, okay?

sister and I hope your time in g. I’m going to miss fighting TV show we should watch, and who took whose things. nd I can’t get rid of and the hood that I know can never through so much together, hose memories to treasure. ou’ll always be there for me. ing.

Thank you for an absolutely amazing year! Your passion for music and exceptional leadership have really inspired each one of us. We will never forget the precious memories we’ve shared with you, especially in London, and we wish all of you the best of luck in college!

From: Michelle Lo, Priyanka Mody, and Jennie Xu To: Journalism 2011-2012

ry

an

From: Upper School Orchestra To: Orchestra Seniors

In the Louvre -- Journalism Trip, Summer 2011

From: Pauline Paskali To: Jun Hee Lee and Devin Nguyen Congratulations to Jun Hee Lee and Devin Nguyen! Thank you for your tireless contributions to the Harker community, including your video work for the Honor Council and your stunning slideshow celebration of Ms. Mittelstet’s life.

Your filming and editing talents have touched many hearts.

Wishing you wonderful adventures in college, both on and off film!

From: Ms. Nace To: 2012 Advisory: Akshay Jagadeesh, Chat Malladi, Chun Man Chow, Fred Enea, Gerilyn Olsen, Kushal Ranjan, Rohan Bopardikar, Simy Bhagat, Sonya Chalaka Thank you for teaching me so much these past four years! You all are going to “rock the world.”

The old way of doing things in the world has ended with you! Celebrate!

With love.

From: The Crew To: Saagar Sarin The raft for you will always be waiting.

From: Dr. Pauline Paskali, Dr. Mark Brada, Kelly Horan To: Nicole Dalal and Priyanka Mody We celebrate Nicole Dalal and Priyanka Mody, our graduating senior members of the Honor Council.

Thank you for your leadership, your compassion, and your unstinting service to the Harker community.

Wishing you many honorable adventures in college!

Congratulations!

Summer Fashion emily lin & monica thukral

F

rom relaxing by the pool to rocking out at a music festival, the following eight summer fashion trends will allow you to look cool yet feel comfortable at the same time.

These trends will give your wardrobe a laid-back feel with a fresh flair, and many take a modern twist on an older style. In addition, they can be worn casually or dressed up for a night out.

With outfit inspiration from student models and examples of clothing pieces that incorporate these trends, experiment and find your own unique style this summer season.

TO VIEW THIS PAGE IN COLOR: Use this QR Code or go to http://www.talonwp. com/2012/05/lifestyle/ summer-fashion-trends/ The lace trend, which is making a comeback this summer season, adds elegance to any outfit.

Pair lace with leather to create the perfect blend of girly and edgy, or try out lace shorts with delicate blouses for more formal occasions. “[Lace is] very feminine [and] very sophisticated, [and] it’s always, always in,” Nordstrom sales associate Karine Vartanian said.

Lace shirts and tank tops from last summer are reappearing with a new twist, in pastel hues like mint green and coral.

Lace

collars

Asymmetrical The asymmetrical or “high-low” trend can be incorporated into a variety of wardrobe pieces. This new spin on dresses and skirts features a cropped front and a longer back, which can elongate a petite figure.

“We have a lot of dresses in [the asymmetrical] style that are very popular. Mixing it up [with] prints and color blocking is in as well,” Nordstrom sales associate Heather Wells said.

Similarly, asymmetrical tops are longer on the sides but shorter in the middle and can be paired with a casual pair of jeans or a dressier pant.

boho

HighWaistedBot Bottoms This summer season, the high waisted trend is bringing back the retro flair of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

“A lot of people are wearing high waisted shorts and crop

tops,” Patricia Huang (11) said.

“Fashion goes in cycles, so things come back from the past.”

Forever 21 sales associate Ana Arango has observed that denim high waisted shorts are becoming increasingly popular this summer.

For a laid-back look, throw on a pair of denim high waisted shorts with your favorite tee and sneakers.

For dressier occasions, wear a breezy high waisted skirt with an elegant blouse and ballet flats.

In a patterned maxi Patricia Huang (11) BOHEMIAN dress, Patricia Huang (11) exhibits

Bold Colors An an unexpected twist to a typical male outfit, bold hues such as orange and pink will bring summer to life.

“The more vibrant colors are just wonderful for summer [and] are very much on trend for women and for men,” J.Crew personal shopper George Wicke said.

Incorporate this trend into your wardrobe by wearing a neon polo or vibrant shoes.

BOLD COLORS Max Isenberg (12) sports a vivid pink polo with tan colored shorts, looking vibrant and bright. This is a perfect outfit for a casual summer day.

the Bohemian trend. The turquoise belt adds a splash of unexpected color, and the braided hippie headband portrays her laid-back look.

Nautical Want to look like a member of an exclusive yacht club in the Hamptons? Sport the nautical trend.

“Nautical is a summer tradition [that] will never go out of fashion,” J. Crew personal shopper George

high waist

NAUTICAL With a grey shirt and tan shorts, Kilian Burke (10) displays the nautical summer trend. The light color scheme represents this style, and his bare feet enhance the outfit’s carefree summer feel.

bold nautical

Max Isenberg (12)

Shenel Ekici (10)

HIGH-WAISTED BOTTOMS With a high waisted, flowy purple skirt, Shenel Ekici (10) displays a key summer trend. By donning a cream polka dot blouse, plays up the 60’s style. she

Wicke said.

Pick up some aviators and striped polos, and add the colors red, navy, white, and tan into your wardrobe. Boat shoes, such as Sperry’s, will top off your nautical look.

Kilian Burke (10)

ASYMMETRICAL Sahiti Avula (9), in a beige “highlow” top and jeans, demonstrates a casual way to pull off the asymmetrical trend.

This look is put together and sophisticated but wearable at the same time.

asymmetrical Sahiti Avula (9)

Bohemian

sales manager Brittany Lapus said.

Take the trend a step further by adding a daisy chain in your hair to look like a true flower child.

blouses in chiffon and silk fabrics give any outfit a polished feel.

“Collared shirts [are] more for formal event[s].

Tuck them into a pair of trousers and a pair of stilettos, and you have a very sophisticated look,” Nordstrom sales associate Shabo Wassie said.

“Peter Pan collars” or rounded collars have also been appearing this summer and can be played off with mint green, one of the season’s trendiest colors.

Sona Sulakian (12)

lace

Perfect for summer concerts and music festivals, the bohemian trend will give your wardrobe an effortless feel and “free spirit” style with its earthy fabrics and tribal prints. Incorporate some hippie flair with fringed tops, flowy maxi dresses, smocked blouses, and ethnic patterns.

“Everyone can pull off [the Bohemian trend]. Maxi dresses and skirts are going to be part of that, [as well as] big chunky jewelry [with] a blousy top,” Nordstrom

Collars

COLLARS Sona Sulakian (12) wears a blue and white pinstripe collared shirt with jeans and leather sandals. This preppy look is a perfect way to incorporate the collar trend into your summer wardrobe.

Alicia Clark (10)

LACE Alicia Clark (10) pairs a white lace dress with brown cowboy boots.

This outfit is an effortless way to look girly while maintaining an earthy vibe.

the Winged Post

Collars are popping up all over this summer, both in clothing and simply as accessories.

The collar necklace is great for adding a geometric embellishment to a dress or top. Collared

reporters

13

May 18, 2012

White/Off-white Keep cool and look cool under the sun’s rays by the beach or the pool with light colored clothing.

“Summer classic styles never go out of fashion, especially crisp white because it’s so cool and so comfortable,” J. Crew personal shopper George Wicke said.

White shirts in WHITE/OFF-WHITE Alan particular are Soetikno (11) incorporates the gaining white color trend with his crisp button-down shirt. Wearing his popularity. collared shirt with blue jeans makes his outfit more casual and perfect for the summer.

white

Alan Soetikno (11)

ALL GRAPHICS AND DESIGN BY KEVIN LIN -- THE WINGED POST ALL PHOTOS BY EMILY LIN, KEVIN LIN, ALLISON SUN, AND MONICA THUKRAL-- THE WINGED POST

Lifestyle Places to go for a unique summer adventure

the Winged Post

jackie jin & darian edvalson

A

HOW-TO

managing editor [Picture this infomercial lead in black-and-white.] Are you tired of the same old same old? Do you need something exciting in your life so you can get up in the morning?

[Cue color] Then try the old switcha-roo. Now introducing – drum roll please – Lin’s Final Lesson: How to Switch It Up. Evaluation. First make sure that you are indeed tired of what you are doing. Whether it be arduous classes, boring jobs, or generally unhappy situations, ask yourself the following questions: Have you consciously thought about switching to something new? Are the people that you work with unpleasant? Do you grumble about waking up and having to go through your day? Is whatever you are doing unfulfilling?

If you answered “yes” to any of them, well then . . . you’re reading in the right place.

Affirmation. Are you sure you’re unhappy with what you have right now? Think about it seriously for some time. Take a weekend, sit down with some nice tea or coffee in nature or something inspiring, and just think. Maybe turn on the radio to the jazz channel or listen to a soundtrack of waves rolling on the beach. But don’t go about trying to induce an epiphany. It should come naturally.

When making decisions, make sure that you are logically thinking.

I’m talking about making choices while in a calm state of being. Don’t make decisions while mad, stressed, excited, etc. Those choices may be rash, leaving you thinking shortly after, “What did I just do,” while I’ll be here saying, “I told you so.”

Also, try making a cost-benefit analysis graph, T-chart style. That’s right, I’m bringing out the big gun techniques. List out the benefits of changing on one side and the losses of changing on the other, and compare.

Search-ation. Look for your potential place to move onto. For students, it may be moving to a new class. Perhaps you’re breezing through a class with flying colors, or maybe you’re stressing out every day, crying in another. In any case, it’s time to move on and pick a class more suited to your skillset. Though you might want to challenge yourself in a harder class, if you’re losing a good amount of sleep and growing white hairs, reconsider.

Notification. After making the big change, take time to reflect on your old situation. Think about the positive skills and experiences that you have attained in the old situation, and appreciate. Perhaps you could apply your skills and lessons learned to your new situation.

Gratification. Now it’s time to pack up and leave. Thank everyone that’s helped you during the process. Remember that in your new situation, people may not be accustomed to your personality and that you shouldn’t take too much liberties. You now have a clean, new slate wherever you are going. Use it wisely.

There ends my last tip advice of my column. All eight issues. Maybe I should turn this into a book or something with pictures and text.

Maybe a theme too. I wish I could end with something witty or something inspirational or epiphanic (big word, I know right). But I don’t know how. Remember to keep life fun. And also random. That was a haiku.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

The 18-day California State Fair in Sacramento takes place from July 12 to 29 and it’s focus is on having fun celebrating The Golden State. Though it originated as an agricultural exposition in 1854, the fair now hosts a little more than cattle.

The 2012 theme, “Fun That Moves You,” indicates what is to come.

This year, there is something for everyone: carnival rides and games for traditionalists, a “Kid’s Park” for young siblings, wine tasting for parents, and much more. The fair is even host to a few less-than-conventional events, including a freestyle motocross and a stilt circus.

For those with a competitive spirit, the California State Fair includes competitions for all ages, ranging from art to culinary to coffee making. The less prize-inclined can enjoy the festivities from a spectator’s perspective, watching vendors compete to win the honors of best cheese, livestock, wine, and beer.

If an exploration of California’s history sounds appealing (or if junk food, fireworks, and a ferris wheel seem exciting), the California State Fair takes place four hours away from Saratoga, California. All information can be found on the official fair website at www.bigfun.org.

Spanning nearly 1,200 square miles, Yosemite offers something for nearly every form of outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking, rockclimbing, photography, horseback riding, and fishing are only a handful of the options available to summer visitors.

ADVENTURES NEAR Furthermore, while areas of the park can be shut down due to SCHOOL A way to fill up weather concerns throughout fall or winter, all areas of Yosemite are the countless hours of free time is by going on vacation accessible by early June. Visitors seeking to view Yosemite’s many to Yosemite and Sacramento, waterfalls will find peak runoff by May or June, though they both within 200 miles of school. tend to dry by August.

First-time visitors may be interested in learning more about the park’s history through a bus or guided tour. Those interested in community service can join the drop-in Habitat Protectors of Yosemite volunteer program, aimed at helping resource management at Yosemite by removing invasive speThough lazy lounging is a staple cies and cleaning up. of the summer, active vacationers may be More information about tour interested in “The World’s Oldest Triathlon.” programs, weather, and visiting can However, Eppie’s Great Race comes with a twist: be found at the official National participants forgo the Speedo in favor of a pair of Parks website, www.nps.gov/ NIA paddles, as the final stretch is completed with kayaking CALIFOR STATE OF yose. instead of swimming.

This race, created in 1974 by restaurateur Eppie Johnson, is famous for being the largest single day kayaking race in the United States.

It takes place in Sacramento on July 21 and comprises a 5.82-mile run, 12.5-mile bike ride, and 6.35-mile paddle. For younger participants, a less intensive two-mile run and 5.5-mile bike ride are offered in the “Kid’s Duathlon.”

Though the complete race covers a little under 25 miles, amateur competitors can find a training schedule and information on training programs on the race’s official website, www. eppiesgreatrace.org.

SPECIAL TO THE WINGED POST

A tribute to mothers in the community

Faculty and staff share their thoughts on Mother’s Day T

A

H

N

Y

K

Wh at di d y ou do t o c el ebrat e Mo t h er’s Day? Nicole Hall, Assistant to Upper School Dean of Students: “Mostly, I clean the house for [my mom] and do all of her chores. She likes to have trinkets and little necklaces and things she can hold on to, so I do my best to find them for her.”

MaryEllis Deacon, Director of Alumni Relations: “My mom is not big on the traditional flowers [and] cards. […] We just don’t do it. There are a lot of us, and we are all over the country, so we try to make it personal to relate to her.”

Susan Smith, Library Director: “This year, I was lucky enough that both my kids were here and I went out to breakfast with them and my husband.”

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Wh at di d y our ki d s do f or y ou?

shannon su & sheridan tobin reporters

Wh at doe s Mo t h er’s Day m e an t o y ou?

Lori Villarreal, Administrative Assistant to Upper School Head: “It’s a day to recognize the person who took care of you in your life growing up.”

Smriti Koodanjeri, Chemistry teacher: “Not much actually, where I come from, we don’t celebrate Mother’s Day, so it is something that is cute.”

Allyson Montana, History teacher: “It’s my first Mother’s Day so I still think of Mother’s Day as to honor my mom [and] all the stuff [she] has done for me.”

Jeanette Fernandez, Math teacher: “For me, my kids just try to make it special for myself, so they try not to fight; that’s a big deal because they are six and nine.”

Shaun Jahshan, Chinese teacher: “When the kids were little, it was sweet because the teachers would make them do projects and bring them home. It’s nice—I can appreciate it a little more than usual. I like sleeping in and getting fed breakfast in bed.”

Jane Keller, Math Teacher: “We show appreciation in our family all the time; we don’t wait for a certain holiday. [...] So when it comes time for Mother’s Day, [...] I don’t look for much from my kids.”

Media: Six “can’t miss” releases for this summer sarah bean, juhi gupta, & sindhu ravuri reporters

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Release Date: June 22 • Starring: Benjamin Walker, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jimmi Simpson • Not Rated

20TH CENTURY FOX

kevin lin

For most, the approaching summer means long days, warm nights, and, perhaps most noticeably, a sudden influx of free time. Whether you want to get away from home or spend some quality time with friends, a road trip can be the ideal start-of-summer activity. Hit the road to explore these destinations and events, all within 200 miles (a little under four hours of driving) of home sweet home.

This uniquely historical fantasy film, based on the novel with the same name by Seth Grahame-Smith, is accentuated by dramatic 3D effects and hyperbolic plot twists and follows Lincoln on his quest as a vampire hunter; his goal is to avenge his mother’s death and kill as many vampires as possible. It is directed by Timur Bekmambetov.

Dark Knight Rises

Release Date: 7/20 • Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Juno Temple • PG-13

WARNER BROS

SWITCHING IT UP

TALONWP editor in chief & TALONWP editor

This movie follows Batman eight years after the death of District Attorney Harvey Dent as he deals with both the Gotham City Police Department and Bane’s attempts to destroy the city. Featuring both seemingly innocuous conversations and intense fight scenes, The Dark Knight Rises is a must-see in the coming summer vacation.

When In Rome

Release Date: 6/22 • Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Allen, Ellen Page, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni • R

SONY CLASSICS

BUSINESS COLUMN:

Starring renowned actors and actresses, and Woody Allen himself, the film features dialogue in both Italian and English, along with a range of shots displaying Rome’s distinct atmosphere and four different stories of people in Italy—whether they be residents, visitors, Americans, or Italians.

Baby Daddy

Premiere Date: 6/20 Airs: Wednesday @ 8:30 PM • ABC Family

According to ABC Family, Ben adds a new member to his family when an ex-girlfriend delivers an unprecedented surprise: a baby girl. He could not raise the baby without the assistance of his mother, brother Danny, best friend, as well as female neighbor. What Ben does not know is that neighbor has romantic feelings for him.

ABC FAMILY

lessons

Perception

Premiere Date: 7/09 Airs: Monday @ 10:00 PM • TNT

This drama centers on the story of Dr. Daniel Pierce, an extremely talented neuroscientist. Due to his intellectual prowess, he is hired by the FBI to help solve numerous mysteries. However, his job becomes increasingly difficult due to the constant psychological hurdles that his severe case of paranoid schizophrenia causes.

TNT

LIN’S

Duets

Premiere Date: 5/24 Airs: Thursday @ 8 PM • aBC

On ABC’s new show, music icons Jennifer Nettles, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Robin Thicke will scour America for yet-to-be discovered singers that will blow audiences away. After their search is complete, they will each choose just two singers to take under their wing, mentor, and sing with each week.

ABC

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May 18, 2012

15 in the bay

May 18, 2012 Lifestyle the Winged Post Looks for less: Review of thrift stores less than 15 minutes away nayeon kim & sarah bean managing editor & reporter

NAYEON KIM - WINGED POST

According to storeowner Monisha Murray, when buying products for the shop, she chooses only highquality items that match the character of her store. Her selectiveness is one of the best aspects of the shop; it creates an even and focused feel to the entire place that is appealing to anyone, even if the store does not cater to one’s personal style. Interesting modern artworks, including graffiti-style pieces, decorate the walls and add to the store’s distinct atmosphere.

Overall, Black and Brown displays a mix of modern and vintage, and is one of the most stylish thrift stores around school, for both men’s and women’s clothing.

buys items from customers looking to sell, the dealers also obtain merchandise through town trips, estate sales, and the Internet.

Although not ideal for shopping everyday clothes, Moon Zooom is the finest place near school to buy unique yet still affordable costumes for Decades Dressup Day, an era-themed birthday party, or Halloween.

Even without a specific occasion, Moon Zooom is absolutely worth a visit with friends on a dull afternoon to look through racks of strange antique clothing and have fun trying some on.

We l c o m e Happy Dragon Thrift Shop to the land of 245 We st Main St, Los Gat os grandma’s sweaters and shoulder pads. Happy Dragon Thrift Shop is the perfect place to find a vintage sweater, or some old blouses, but it is not necessarily the best for fashionistas, unlike the other thrift stores reviewed.

The atmosphere is welcoming and the prices are very low—for example, most tops are merely three dollars—but it would be rare to find many high school

Out of all the thrift shops re1959 We st San Carlos St, San Jos e viewed, Crossroads Trading Co. is undoubtedly the most clean, spacious, and well-arranged store. All of its items, including clothes, shoes, and accessories, are labeled with either a blue price tag, which marks new merchandise, or a white tag representing recycled ones. A sign on each rack describes the type of items displayed at the specific area, while most of the clothes are assembled by color.

may & june 2012 Los Gatos Food Fest

From the street, the Bl a ck an d Brown shop looks tiny and stuffy, 850 The Alameda, San Jose but surprisingly enough, behind the doors the place is long, open, airy, and exceptionally well organized. A vintage-loving modern day shopper would be in heaven as soon as the doors to the store open.

Black and Brown buys and sells modern clothes, accessories, and shoes, as well as vintage fashion wear from the 1920s to the 1990s. The products are not cheap as they are priced similarly to those on clearance at an average store in the mall.

may

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5:00 PM - 9:00 PM La Hacienda Inn Hotel varying The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery San Jose 6:15 PM Hilton San Jose Downtown $65.95 The 34th Annual San Francisco Carnival

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10:00 AM Harrison Street, SF

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$30+ Golden Gate Bridge 75th Anniversary Fireworks Cruise 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM Blue and Gold Fleet, SF $50-60 Wild West Weekend

NAYEON KIM - WINGED POST

From 70s go-go Moon Zooom 1630 We st San Carlos St, San Jos e boots to neon pettiskirts to Elvis Presley-style leather jackets, Moon Zooom has it all. Not just an ordinary thrift store, this shop boasts stacks and stacks full of eccentric retro-themed fashion items that may be difficult to find in such great variety elsewhere.

The merchandise, including clothing, shoes, jewelry, hats, and even wigs, is generally pricier than those at the other shops reviewed. Employee Nick emphasizes that Moon Zooom is more of a vintage collectibles shop than a cheap, thrifty store. While the shop

Cros s roa d s Tra ding Co.

The following four thrift stores, situated less than 15 minutes away from school, offer a variety of fashion wear from discounted brand-name products to trendy everyday wear to retro costumes.

students spending their weekends shopping here.

Happy Dragon Thrift Shop not only sells clothes but also carries books and household items, many of which are inexpensive and still in great condition. The store feels slightly cluttered, but if one was willing to spend a significant amount of time looking through the racks, there is a good chance of stumbling across a hidden gem.

Inconveniently, the weekend hours of the store are very short: it is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and closed on Sundays.

An even more appealing aspect of Crossroads is its high-quality name brand and designer clothes sold at a highly discounted price. For example, a Juicy Couture jacket is priced at $15, Jeffrey Campbell shoes at $75, and black Miu Miu heels at $115.

According to employee Caitlin Petrilla, the store focuses on collecting and buying “really current, trendy, modern items.” With the diversity and freshness of its merchandise, Crossroads Trading Co. is a wonderful place to shop for everyday fashion wear.

NAYEON KIM - WINGED POST

NAYEON KIM - WINGED POST

Though many often associate dark lighting, grimy floors, and heaps of unusable junk with thrift stores, such scenes do not reflect all second-hand shops. Some are just as well-kept and inviting as stores seen in the mall yet provide inexpensive, highquality items.

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by Chance Fashion 8:00 PM X Studio, Milpitas FREE NAMIWalk SF 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM Golden Gate Park, SF FREE

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Silicon Valley Duck Race 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM Vasona Lake County Park $5-100

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Millionaire Mind Intensive 7:00 AM The Wyndham Hotel FREE The 58th Annual North Beach Festival 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM North Beach FREE Nickelback with Bush, Seether, and My Darkest Days 6:00 PM HP Pavilion $62-102

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tech

May 18, 2012 the Winged Post

Q&A with venture capitalist Carl Amdahl patrick yang

tech editor Carl Amdahl is a General Partner at Doll Capital Management, a venture capital firm managing over $2 billion.

He holds an undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley in Computer Science. Amdahl co-founded his first company, Magnuson Computer, in 1977, and has since helped build several other startups, such as Trilogy Systems and SandForce, from the ground up. The Winged Post talked to Amdahl to glean some of his nearly 40 years of experience.

investing. I think it’s a great way to work with people as opposed to being locked into just the technical specifics of a job.

“

If you aren’t good at harnessing the power of people, you will not have a successful startup.

WP: What would you say are the best aspects of a tech industry job?

CA: Technology is a very broad field, and there are many career paths one can take through it. The beauty of a tech career is that you can start by focusing on the technical specifics – being an engineer, doing the bits and bytes – and you can progress up into management o r

Carl Amdahl

”

WP: What was your biggest flop?

CA: I’d say the biggest failure, in terms of a startup, was Trilogy, my second startup. In that time, in the 1980s, mainframes were still big business. That allowed us to build a capital base of $200 million in 1983 dollars. We went after “wafer-scale technology,” silicon chips that are roughly 3 inches on edge, about 50 times bigger than today’s typical chips. There was enormous complexity in it, but it enabled you to build a large scale computer with unprecedented performance and cost efficiency. Unfortunately, I would say at that point in time our dreams or aspirations were beyond what we could

PATRIC K

YANG -

WINGE

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The Winged Post: How’d you get started in tech?

Carl Amdahl: My interest in technology started from when I was a little kid.

My father is Gene Amdahl; he was the principal architect of IBM’s mainframe product line, t h e

System/360. As a result, I had an interest in tech, as I would listen to what he was doing and meet the interesting people he was involved with. I actually learned computer programming as part of a miniature research project IBM did when I was in 5th or 6th grade.

That was in about 1965. After that, I was involved in a number of companies as an intern while I was going to college. From there my career took off.

actually do. We had to push the state of the art on too many different fronts simultaneously. In retrospect, I think we should have scoped the project down, made progress on that, and then taken on more risk. I think it was a very hard-learned lesson; we could have been very successful. I think the key thing is you have to pick your battles.

You have to figure out where the biggest core, central technical leap you can make, is.

WP: What are some lessons you think can be learned from the above?

CA: Number one is to pick your risks carefully. Know what your risks are, focus on the maximum value, but I think number two is to focus on the people. I think people play an undervalued role. Often when we think of technology, we think of breakthroughs and we think of complexity. But behind all of that is a team of people.

Getting the coordination of those people, getting their goals and interests aligned, is important. To me, there’s a lot more about people in the world of technology than the public really understands. If you aren’t good at harnessing the power of people, you will not have a successful startup. It takes a team. Managing and inspiring that team is the core of technology business, and probably of every business.

Read more TALONWP.com.

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Students and staff alike work New charging standard to actively reduce paper waste Electric car makers team up

mercedes chien & nikhil dilip

MERCEDES CHIEN - WINGED POST

photo editor & TALONWP lead In hopes of saving the environment, you buy an electric car to lower your carbon footprint; yet, the lengthy charge times and various charging ports prove to be cumbersome. As a result, eight automobile manufacturers have standardized charging systems that will allow most of their electric vehicles to charge completely within 20 minutes.

Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche, and Volkswagen conducted live demonstrations of the product during the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium from May 6 to May 9.

According to a General Motors press release, the first vehicles to use this single-port charging system will be available for purchase ear l y

next year in the U.S. Customers will be able to charge their vehicles faster.

Moreover, they will be able to use the same charging stations, since the new system is easy to adopt. The automakers hope that the system will be standardized throughout the world, and General Motors estimates that vehicles with this charging system will be available in Europe in 2017.

Current electric vehicle owners are eager to use the charging system so that they can charge their car wherever they go. Debate teacher Greg Achten owns an electric car and believes that the charging system will be beneficial to electric car owners.

“Right now, I can’t think of any disadvantages. In the same way that all gasoline cars use the same type of gasoline, having all electric cars use the same type of charging station would be great,” he said.

In a statement, Ford said that the system will make it easier for all electric vehicle customers to charge their cars, and it will simplify charging infrastructure.

While the first compatible electric vehicles will be available early next year, customers can purchase the charging units later this year.

will chang & sonia sidhu

news editor & reporter The Upper School technology department is aiming to reduce the paper and resource waste as a result of excessive printing.

“There is a general agreement [among the faculty] to the idea that there is unnecessary waste [as] many print jobs are produced and never picked up,” Daniel Hudkins, Director of Instructional Technology said.

The Brilliant Organizers for Student Sustainability (BOSS) club is also concerned with the amount of paper waste and believes that students should monitor their printing.

Upper School Electronic Resources Librarian Andrew Carlos agreed that students often fail to pick up documents that they print or reprint documents. He proposed monitoring printing in order to make students think twice before printing unnecessarily.

“Although limiting printing may not be answer at this time, printing should definitely be monitored,” he said. “If the problem continues, the school might consider some sort of limit.”

The Upper School is considering implementing a program known as PaperCut which would monitor and limit printing.

In an email response, Hudkins stated that the plan will begin with an arbitrary limit to test the waters;

he hopes that the results from the test will allow the school to still set a very high printing quota. When asked about his thoughts on potential student complaints due to the limitation, Hudkins maintained that printing on campus is “more of a privilege than a right.”

“This inconvenience is a trade off to avoid the inconvenience of having to remember to print before you come to school,” he said.

However, some students believe that printing at school should not be limited and is a right that students are entitled to.

“We should be able to print how many pages we want [if it is] for a school assignment,” Joy Li (11) said.

Other students believe that publicizing the severity of the problem will help students control their printing more. Instead of setting a quota from the start, Elizabeth Teng (10) thinks that the school should raise more awareness on the issue of over printing.

“Teachers should tell students how serious the issue is and hopefully [...] students [will be] smart enough to not waste paper,” she said.

Though no quota has been implemented at this time, the school may ask the students and faculty to add printers using PaperCut in the future to prevent waste.

Windows 8: Radically new interface is sleek pavitra rengarajan

features editor For those PC-users who are looking for a more aesthetically pleasing interface, Microsoft has the answer: Windows 8.

Although the upcoming version of Windows contains several changes, the most significant is the new Metro interface. The new operating system has a home screen that has different tiles or panels, with each

representing a dif- ferent application.

The “Start” menu has been replaced with a sidebar with various different icons, one of them being the “Start” button, which leads to the new “Start” menu. Other icons, fondly called “charms” by Microsoft, include Search, Share, Devices, and Settings buttons.

CEO Steve Ballmer gave a speech in Tokyo, highlighting some key defining elements of Windows 8.

“We have a brand new user interface. We’ve added touch, and ink, and

speech,” he said. “And […] there’s a whole lot more coming.”

The aforementioned panels themselves relay information well; for example, the user can see the weather within the tiles without having to click on the weather application. In many ways, although the new home screen takes some getting used to, it proves to be more convenient and easy to use than the Start menu.

Another interesting element of the new touch interface is that users can view two applications at the same time, effectively multitasking by snapping one into place next to an already running application.

Even without a touch screen, Windows 8’s features remain just as useful.

Windows 8 comes with its own App Store as well. Apart from the more fundamental apps such as Maps, Calendar, Music, and People, there are other games such as Solitaire and pinball games. Though there are not many apps, they are developing and perform well for critical functions, including

photos, video, and messaging.

There are also two new means of authentication, a four-digit PIN password as on an iPhone, as well as a picture password which lets users enter by making three gestures - circles, taps, lines, etc. - on a picture. Although initially the system has difficulties recognizing the gestures, after a few times users are let in.

Windows 8 also has stronger security systems in place by checking at

boot time that only trusted programs have loaded and including full antivirus protection.

Microsoft seems to be breaking from its past traditions such as the beloved Start menu and moving towards a more modern interface. Ultimately, both Windows 7 and Windows 8 serve similar functions, although Windows 8 is more sleek, convenient, uncluttered, and aesthetically pleasing.

Patrick Ponders

about

A TECH REFLECTION patrick yang tech editor

Even now, with the year almost at a close, when our advisor Chris Daren reads my columns, he still asks me the same question he did at the start of the year. It’s a problem I still have to tackle every time I talk about tech, not just in my columns.

“Will the average person want to read this?”

This question, in very few words, summarizes the biggest impact that being Tech Editor has had on my personal view of the technology industry. I have a fair amount of experience with technology in its many forms. But over the course of the year, I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter how much I know about this gadget or that program if I can’t communicate my knowledge to the people who need it.

For me, the difficulty is a matter of perspective. As someone who has loved both technology and mathematics from a very young age, I’m naturally inclined to think of a gadget in terms of arcane numbers: how fast is its processor? How much memory does it have? How many megapixels are its camera? However, throughout the course of the year, I’ve learned that while these numbers can track the growth of technology, they’re meaningless to the average consumer. Really, the topics I’ve come to focus on (and ask my reporters to focus on) are questions such as: is a gadget easy to use? Does it browse the web quickly? Would I buy one as a gift for my mom?

Naturally, this transition has not been easy. Several of my potential column ideas were rejected straight out for being too much like “research essays,” as my first column idea was described. But reflecting on my column, ultimately it was for the better. By the end, I gained a better understanding of how the average person views the technology world. It’s enlightening, like seeing the Earth from space.

This new (and in my opinion, more useful) perspective definitely isn’t limited to journalism, either. As I continue to pursue a career in the tech industry, I think it will be vital to always keep in mind whether innovations are really meaningful in the hands of the everyday user.

In fact, this habit I’ve gained from tech journalism – to seat myself in someone else’s point of view – is a valuable life skill.

On the flip side, though, I also challenge any readers of my column who don’t consider themselves “techies” to try and learn something new about a gadget you use today.

Much of the technology we see isn’t made for its creators. It’s made for so-called “non-techies.” Because of this, I hope to see the line between “techie” and “non-techie” blur and fade. In my opinion, only when the minds of the inventor and user are synchronized – when each understands the other’s issues and wants – is technology successful and groundbreaking.

The blurring of the line is happening already, and we’re actually in the best position to accelerate this change. Here we are, a young generation of critical thinkers tied inseparably to our Silicon Valley technology roots. In the coming years (some of us this year), we’ll disperse across the world and soak up ideas from new people and environments.

For all of you, regardless of whether you end up in a tech industry, I sincerely wish to see you gain from new perspectives.

To end, I’d like to thank anyone who has been following Patrick Ponders. From the beginnings, winding around several tech topics and perspectives, this column has been a journey. It’s been incredible writing for you.

tech

Tech Club develops new application Project aims to match students’ unused parking spots with students in need of one shilpa nataraj

global editor Among the flurry of posts that appear on Facebook’s news feed, once in a while, the following question appears: “Can I have someone’s parking spot tomorrow?”

To better manage parking spaces on campus, Tech Club has recently launched parking.harker.org, a web application that allows student drivers to either request or loan out parking spots.

After registering an account on parking.harker.org, student drivers without parking spots can make a request by inputting a day when they need a spot, while those with parking spots can make their spots available on days when they are not using them. If the request and availability match, the web application notifies the student via e-mail that the request has been fulfilled. “[The web application] is a great piece of innovation to fulfill a need,” said Greg Lawson, Assistant Head of School - Student Affairs. “It’s important to utilize every spot each day, and this application really allows that to happen. We understand the difficulty of having to park off campus, and particularly in the second semester, when more students get their licenses, students are on trips, and seniors have college visits, this application would be of a tremendous benefit.”

Lawson mentioned that for the upcoming year, students may be required to register an account on parking.harker.org as a part of the application for a parking space. Additionally,

an incentive program, such as monthly gift card giveaways, will be in place to maximize the number of students who make their spots available.

“I’m really happy about the way [the application] turned out, and it seems to have a lot of potential,” said Prag Batra (12), Tech Club President and Project Manager. “It’s a finished product in that it works, but we’re calling it a ‘beta,’ because there are a lot more features that we want to add in. As people keep testing the application this year, we’re going to add in those features, roll them out, and see how people respond to them.”

“

[It’s] a great idea, but it seems like more people are requesting spots than offering spots.

”

Tiphaine Delepine (11)

According to Prag, the project began about a year ago when he heard that ASB was looking for a system to manage parking spaces. Prag then became interested in the idea and decided to develop it further with Tech Club. Rohit Sanbhadti (12) was the Chief Programmer, and other students, such as Rishabh Jain (9) and Pranav Batra (10), contributed code as well.

“I was interested because it’s a programming project, and it had to do with databases and other such things that I was also doing for robotics at the time. I thought it would be fun to do more of that,” Rohit said.

The application was written in the programming languages PHP and MySQL, and Rohit estimates that the total coding time took about a month and a half. Because there were times when he and the team

were busy, there were hiatuses in the developing of the application, and it was released later than expected.

Throughout the process, Tech Club communicated and worked with ASB, and they showed ASB and Student Council their progress at certain milestones for feedback.

“I was really intrigued when I was shown the parking spaces application, because it was a simple and efficient process to solve what seems to be an issue with the upperclassmen,” said Sahithya Prakash, Sophomore Class Vice President. “With student council feedback, the application definitely has grown.”

According to Rohit, there are currently about 30 to 35 registered users, with only a small portion that is actively making requests or loaning out spots.

“I think the parking spaces application is a great idea, but it seems like more people are requesting spots than offering spots,” user Tiphaine Delepine (11) said. “The application has a lot of potential, but I think more people will have to participate for it to work.”

The club has made a school meeting announcement but hopes to further publicize the application via Facebook, the Daily Bulletin, and word of mouth. According to Prag, improvements in progress include developing a way to be able to delete a request and creating a mechanism when requests are unfulfilled to send an e-mail to all drivers with spots asking if they would be willing to make their spot available on that day.

“The Tech Club has done a fantastic job developing multiple apps which are very beneficial to Harker, both now and in the future,” Tech Club advisor Fred Triefenbach said. “I have been their sponsor, but I give all the credit to the members of the club for what they have accomplished.”

Next year, Divyahans Gupta (10) will lead the project, and the club’s goal is to have more users and an improved version of the application ready to go this fall.

May 18, 2012 the Winged Post

Automatic conversion of HD videos

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YouTube supports 3D videos apoorva rangan

from the traditional overlapped frames to simply crossing their eyes. reporter Though the number of 3D videos Audiences no longer have to go on YouTube has grown, freshman Gato the theater to get their 3D fix, now briela Gupta finds the service irrelevant that videos in 3D are more plentiful for most of her YouTube uses. than ever thanks to YouTube’s automatic “Th e stuff that I watch on Youconversion technology.

Tube is mostly music, lyrics, and short YouTube began automatically videos that probably aren’t better in converting all HD videos to 3D last 3D,” she said. month, in addition to allowing users Although Abhinav Khanna (12) to adjust previously uploaded videos to thinks that creating 3D videos with3D. out a specialized camera is innovative, The conversion process has been he dislikes the necessity of 3D glasses, used over 100,000 times in the past nine which he does not own. months, when YouTube first released “It’s pretty annoying to have to the beta version of the 3D-conversion wear glasses,” Abhinav said. “Sometechnology, according to the company’s times, you walk out of the blog. Since that time, theater feeling dizzy bethe company has recause of the red-blue fined the algorithm overlap.” by using frames from Abhinav believes 3D videos already that the 3D induson the site, accordtry will only become ing to YouTube truly accessible when employee Chen glasses are no longer Wu, who worked a requirement for the on developing viewing experience the program’s and that currently, 3D algorithm. is unnecessarily “gim“ We micky.” also parGraphic Deallel the sign teacher J w h o l e Gaston agrees process, with Abhinav, meaning and also doubts KACEY FANG - WINGED POST that after t h e lasting potential of 3D techone video is uploaded, we break a video nology. in chunks […] to make the conver“I think YouTube is just going sion process much faster,” she said in a along with a fad,” Gaston said. “It’s not phone interview with the Winged Post. going to make the videos more interBy making the process automatic esting.

If you look at the most exciting for HD videos, Wu says that YouTube and interesting videos, they were shot will expand the 3D audience and “make with people’s handheld smart phones.” videos more interesting.”

According to Wu, however, YouAccording to YouTube’s blog, the Tube has received “very positive” retechnology creates a “depth frame” for sponse from its 3D audience who has each segment of the video, an outline commented on forums. that details how deep each aspect of the Even though most students asked image should be. generally discredit the technology, the On 1080p videos uploaded after sheer explosion of converted YouTube April 5, users can click a button to the videos suggests that the demand for 3D left of the gear icon at the bottom of a videos is strong. video and then specify their preferred method of 3D video viewing, ranging

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Sports

May 18, 2012 the Winged Post

Isabelle Connell (11)

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sabelle Connell (11) has placed well at many meets throughout the season, has qualified for the Central Coast Section (CCS) meet, and has been named April’s co-female athlete of the month.

At the Serra High Top 7 meet on April 14, she placed first in the 400 meters and earned her personal best in the 200 meters, during which she placed sonia sidhu & sheridan tobin second, too. reporters Later in the season, she improved on both of these times during the league finals meet. She came in first in the 200 meters with a time of 25.01 seconds. Additionally, she placed second in the 400 meters with a time of 58.83 seconds, a personal record.

In order to maintain her skills, she trains with strength and conditioning coach Ron Forbes off-season. Izzy started training with Forbes in January and has been coming in during her free periods and after school.

“Izzy is a year round track athlete [...] it’s her sport,” head coach Brian Dougall said. “When she comes in, she’s ready and prepared to go.”

Her positive energy greatly im- ATHLETES OF THE MONTH Isabelle Connell (11), Katie Siegel (12), and Kevin Cali (11) are April’s Athletes of the Month. Isapacts her teammates. She is able to mo- belle, Katie and Kevin received recognition for demonstrating excellence in track and field, swimming, and baseball, respectively. tivate them while remaining focused seconds. Her 100 butterfly time was and 100 butterfly specifically.

Katie Siegel (12) on her own races.

55.47 seconds.

According to her coaches, this “[She] gets everyone going for enior Katie Siegel finished her She was also a member of both year, instead of focusing mainly on meets and cheers for everyone even if last high school swim season as the 11th place 200 medley relay team technique, she has stepped up her menher race is […] two seconds later,” RaMost Valuable Player (MVP) swimming backstroke and a part of the tal game. gini Bhattacharya (11) said. “Track is of the Varsity girls’ team and as First 14th place 400 freestyle relay.

“Mentally, she’s a lot more mature. her thing, and obviously it isn’t that way Team All-League.

According to her teammates and [...] She’s been much better with her for everyone on the team, but she still Katie placed second in the Cen- coaches, her love for the sport contrib- second swims,” assistant Coach Stekeeps stuff fun.” tral Coast Section (CCS) finals on May ute to her success. phen Hurko said. “[She is] not settling Dougall is optimistic about Isa- 12 for the 100 backstroke and third in “She is really enthusiastic about for what she did in prelims or trials and belle’s performance at tomorrow’s CCS the 100 butterfly. In both events, Katie swimming,” co-captain Lucy Cheng just trying to go out there and be better meet. got one of the highest time standards (12) said. “She trains really hard [...] and stronger and faster.”

He said, “She might grow some for high school swimmers.

Katie’s work ethic and dedication and I think she deserves what she has.” wings and smash through the time she In the 100 backstroke, Katie had Throughout her high school swim to swimming has led to her impressive has, and maybe she’ll move to states.” a time of 55.76 seconds, improving on career, Katie has been swimming year- finishes which helped the girls’ swim her CCS preliminaries time of 57.98 round to improve in the 100 backstroke team place third in the league this year.

Kevin Cali (11)

K

ATHLETES OF THE

WINGED POST ARCHIVES

JOURNALISM ARCHIVES

NAYEON KIM - WINGED POST

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evin Cali (11), Co-Most Valuable Player (MVP), demonstrates his dedication to the game and also earned a spot on the First Team All-League.

With 80 strikeouts as a pitcher, Kevin leads the West Bay Athletic League (WBAL).

Highlights of his season include the game against Gunderson High School on April 9 when he only allowed the opposing team to get 2 hits and the game against Pinewood High School on May 4 when he pitched 10 strikeouts.

Aside from pitching, he has hit three home runs and driven in 41 runs, he also stole 16 bases in the season as he constantly tried to help the team even when he was not batting.

According to his coach, Kevin brings intensity to the team, which helps his teammates stay aggressive during games. “[His] biggest strengths are his drive and desire to always get better, his love of the game, and his competitiveness that he plays each game with,” head coach CJ Cali said.

Other players notice his commitment to the team and attribute his success to the time he spends practicing.

“His hard work and dedication not only help him succeed but also help the team get ahead and be more unified,” teammate David Dominguez (12) said.

Kevin was a leader on the team, constantly encouraging the boys before games and helping the coaches organize the team.

“The coaching staff looks to Kevin to provide leadership to his teammates through his toughness, competitiveness, and love for the game,” Cali said.

Kevin plans to continue playing during his senior year and in college.

CCS update: Teams and individuals advance through playoffs rahul jayaraman & manthra panchapakesan This year, several students qualified for Central Coast Section (CCS) in spring sports, and some progressed far. The swim team placed high at the CCS championships; the boys golf team produced a CCS finalist; Varsity boys tennis had a doubles pair qualify, and five athletes qualified from track and field.

Track & Field After competing in league finals at Westmoor High on April 12, five Upper School athletes qualified for CCS in track and field.

The qualifying students are Michael Chen (11), Isabelle Connell (11), Sumit Minocha (11), Tyler Yeats (11), and Corey Gonzales (9). In order to qualify, they had to place in the top two or three in their respective event.

The track and field team has placed high this season, with the Varsity boys ranking fourth in their league of nine schools, Varsity girls ranking fifth in their league of twelve schools, and the Junior Varsity team placing first in their league of nine schools. The qualifiers now look forward to CCS as their next big event.

Isabelle Connell, who placed in the 200 meter and 400 meter events in the track and field League Championships, has been qualifying for track and field since her freshman year.

“It’s exciting, but then it’s also a little nerve-wracking, because you want all your hard work to pay off,” she said.

These qualifying students will compete in the CCS semi-finals tomorrow.

Swimming Eleven members of the Upper School swim team competed in the CCS championships on May 11 and May 12 at the Santa Clara International Swim Center. The boys placed ninth, and the girls tied for 16th out of the 79 schools that entered the meet.

“

We had a lot of JV swimmers scoring at leagues as Varsity swimmers.

Ron Usher

”

The qualifying swimmers were Manon Audebert (10), Lucy Cheng (12), Amie Chien (11), Aaron Huang (9), Kevin Khojasteh (12), Rachelle Koch (12), Kimberly Ma (10), Daryl Neubieser (12), Craig Neubieser (9), Katie Siegel (12), and Tiffany Wong

(12). In order to qualify, swimmers had to make a specific time listed on the CCS website for their respective events.

The Upper School earned top ten finishes in the Boys 200 Medley Relay, Boys 200 IM, Boys 100 Breast, Girls 100 Back, and Girls 100 Fly events.

Head Coach Ron Usher was impressed by the way the season had unfolded. He was especially happy about placing third at the West Bay Athletic League (WBAL) Finals.

“Overall, we swam really well at leagues. [...] We had a lot of JV swimmers scoring at leagues as Varsity swimmers. That was really cool,” he said.

Usher advises other swimmers who aspire to qualify for CCS to swim year round, play water polo, lift weights, participate in Coach Forbes’ program and stay active as an athlete.

Boys Golf Although the boys golf team did not make CCS as a team, Maverick McNealy (11) and Shrish Dwivedi (9) qualified as individuals.

Both competed in the semifinals at Rancho Canada Golf Course in Carmel on May 8 and May 9. Maverick advanced CCSPRINTING Sections DIGITALto&the OFFSET Championships on May 15.

Maverick has qualified for CCS

Overall Records

Wins

7

0

Losses

Ties

7 Wins

Lacrosse

10 Wins

finals in both his freshman and sophomore years, but he has not competed at the Northern California Championships up to this point. He hoped to change that this year.

“I really want to qualify for NorCals, and see how I stack up against the best in the state,” Maverick said.

“I feel like I have matured as a player, been able to fight back from bad positions, and am a much better player because of it.”

At the finals, Maverick placed 22nd and did not make it to NorCals.

Boys Tennis Doubles pair Derek Tzeng (12) and Christopher Chang (11) quali-

Golf

Tennis

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SWIMMING Using a kick board, Rachelle Koch (12) swims laps in the pool to practice and improve for the meets. Swimming was one of four spring sports to have athletes qualify for Central Coast Section (CCS).

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14 Wins

9

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11 Wins

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10

2

Losses

Ties

9 Wins

The swim teams competed in the CCS Championships and had many top ten finishes, including in the Boys 200 Medley Relay, Boys 200 IM, Boys 100 Breast, Girls 100 Back, and Girls 100 Fly events.

Track and Field

Baseball

Softball

fied for individual CCS, but withdrew from the CCS Individual Championships.

The boys varsity tennis team reached the first round of CCS, held at Palo Alto High School. The team won four out of eighteen matches they played, eliminating them from advancing further.

Boys and girls Varsity Tennis Coach Craig Pasqua advises students to “deal with any adverse situations promptly and make sure you and the team all have the same goals and enjoy working with each other.”

Swimming

Volleyball

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0

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Ties

SONIA SIDHU - WINGED POST

reporters

The JV Boys team won League Championships. Individuals qualifying for CCS trials are Michael Chen (11), Isabelle Connell (11), Sumit Minocha (11), Tyler Yeats (11), and Corey Gonzales (9).

May 18, 2012 the Winged Post

sports

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Athletics: Four students will continue competing at collegiate level priyanka sharma & mercedes chien sports editor & photo editor

Daryl Neubieser

Kevin Khojasteh

Katie Siegel

Derek Tzeng

Academics and athletics. That’s what separates these athletes from others; they excel in both. Four seniors, who have all been recognized for their achievements in their respective sports, will be competing at the collegiate level next fall.

Katie Siegel: Having only begun swimming competitively in high school, Katie Siegel will become a member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Beavers girls’ swimming team.

Katie began swimming on the recreational level in fifth grade and has had a passion for it ever since. She currently swims at the Santa Clara Swim Club, which has around ten practices per week.

Some athletes struggle to balance their time between academics and sports; however, Katie says she does not find it “that terrible.” She notes that the only challenge is not being able to schedule all of her other extracurricular activities after school due to practice.

Before committing to MIT, a Division III school, Katie considered other Ivy League universities. However, the time commitment at a Division I school is significantly greater than that of a Division III school, prompting her to choose the latter.

“I’m not going to college to swim; I’m going to college to learn,” she said.

When asked whether she has ever considered quitting, Katie stated that she may have had time to pursue other passions, but admits that she would have “probably driven [herself ] crazy” with the other activities.

Daryl Neubieser: Since increasing his commitment to the sport in eighth grade, Daryl Neubieser will continue swimming at MIT also.

Daryl felt that he always knew he was going to pursue swimming past high school.

“It’s fun, I like it, [and] it’s a good way to

meet people and make friends,” he said. “It was never really a decision; I was just going to [continue swimming at the collegiate level].”

He chose to swim at MIT because the school and its swim program appealed to him.

“A lot of colleges I applied to were ones that I could swim at, and I got a really good impression of the school when I met the coach there and also when I went on a recruiting trip, so that influenced my decision,” Daryl said.

For Daryl, swimming at the Upper School has been a positive experience. In particular, he felt that Central Coast Section (CCS) was “always [his] best short course meet.”

As for his aspirations beyond the collegiate level, Daryl hopes to have at least one Olympic trials cut for 2016.

Kevin Khojasteh: Kevin Khojasteh, like Daryl, hopes that after four years of successful swimming competitions in

Sports highlights

college, the 2016 Summer Olympics can become reality.

Kevin just recently committed to the University of Southern California’s (USC) swim team.

“When I started high school, I started to break records, compete at nationals, and it’s always kind of a dream in the swimming world to swim in college,” Kevin said.

As part of his decision process, Kevin knew he wanted to stay in California for college. Although he applied to many schools on the East Coast, choosing the right school depended on multiple factors.

“I definitely want to go to a school that has a good education, but also I want to be really close to the team,” he said. “I want to go to a school with a high-level swim program and swim team, something that really fits me, so I can take it as far as I can.”

Kevin believes in taking everything “one step at a time.” He has multiple goals set for swimming

in college, such as competing in the NCAA and in the Pac-12, but anything beyond those competitions depends on his performances.

“It really depends on how I do, but I really have a little eye on 2016 after four years of college training because I’m going to be a senior in college and I’ll be 22, which is a peak for anyone athletically,” Kevin said.

He is expecting to compete in Nationals this year as well as the Olympic Trials in late June. Ultimately, he just “wants to improve,” but states that after his college training, “anything can happen.”

Looking back at the past four years in the Upper School’s swim team, Kevin stated that he had a great experience.

“Swimming overall is just something I love to do,” he said. “I love my team, I love the sport, I love training, I love racing. It’s a sacrifice but there’s nothing I’d do to go back and change it. I loved every moment of it.”

Derek Tzeng: Collegiate athletes are not only limited to swimmers. Derek Tzeng, a three-year Tennis Varsity team member, will continue his tennis endeavors at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).

Derek chose CMU for its well-known engineering program, planning to study computer science as his major.

He started playing tennis when he was eight years old, with his father as his coach. Even though his family is actively involved in his athletics, they never pressured him to continue playing, even when Derek was forced out of the sport for a couple of months due to a knee injury.

“Tennis takes up a lot of time on the weekends since I used to do a lot of tournaments and I would travel all over the place,” he said. “But I managed it pretty well.”

Instead of looking at tennis as time-consuming, Derek considers “just going out [on the court and] playing in the sun” a good “stress reliever.”

Looking forward to meeting new people, he is excited to be on a new team and befriend athletes from all over the country.

Forbes runs summer workout program

Photos of the recent spring season recap memorable moments jason chu & samar malik reporters

1. SOFTBALL During an away game against Castilleja High School on April 17, Ashley Del Alto (11) adjusts her grip on her bat before taking a swing, altering her footing and stance as the ball flies toward her. Ashley was deemed an Athlete of the Month in March for her softball prowess and effort.

FORBES Alana Shamlou (10) and Daniza Rodriguez (11) work out with Ron Forbes after school. Many athletes condition to stay in shape off-season.

emily chu & mariam sulakian reporters

3. LACROSSE Wendy Shwe (11) attempts to steal the ball from an opposing team member as she sprints past the 30 yard line. The girls played their second game of the season against Pioneer High School, and were unfortunately defeated.

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EMILY CHU - WINGED POST

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JASON CHU - WINGED POST

4. SWIMMING Sporting the Harker swim cap and goggles, Lucy Cheng (12) competes in the 100 breaststroke. At CCS, Lucy and her 200 medley relay team placed 11th.

MERCEDES CHIEN - WINGED POST

ADITI ASHOK - WINGED POST

2. BASEBALL Seniors (from left to right) Akhil Prakash, David Dominguez, Noah Levy, and Nathan Hoffman stand with their roses after the game. The four players were honored during their Senior Night for their performance on the team for the past few years during a game with Cupertino High School.

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EMILY CHU - WINGED POST

As the year draws to a close, so does the spring sport season. Here are some highlights of athletes who took part in lacrosse, golf, volleyball, tennis, track and field, softball, baseball and swimming.

This summer, Ron Forbes’s Sports Performance workout program will include changes aimed to exposing the program to a wider range of participants.

The program, formerly known as Eagle Iron, features a variety of drills that intend to improve athletes’ technical skills and enhance their mobility in the process.

“For our fall sports, it acts as our preseason training. For the rest of our sports, it’s an opportunity to improve their skills, speed, agility, fitness, balance and strategy during [the] off-season,” Forbes said.

There will be two workout sessions from June 18 to 29 and from July 9 to August 3, and the workouts take place every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on Davis Field from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Changes to the program include opening up the workout to students outside of the school as well as implementing a fee. The 95-dollar fee is added this year mainly to offer the workout to people outside of the school as well as gain exposure to the program. “[The fee] is enough so that students feel like they [are] committing to something but not enough so that it is prohibitive,” Forbes said.

Kevin Su (9) also supports the inclusion of the weekly payments.

“It’s a good idea to have a fee because it allows the program to improve, so the equipment and environment can be bettered as well,” he said.

Students from past years, such as Asia Howard (12), have mostly expressed positive feedback about the program.

“I hate working out by myself. Eagle

Iron was perfect because I had multiple coaches to push me and a lot of people to talk with,” Asia said.

Alan Guo (9), who was one of the approximately 45 students who participated last year, thought that the program was “a great opportunity to become stronger for the soccer season.” He felt that the program met his expectations by making him faster, and in the process, he learned some exercises he could do at home as well. However, he felt there were still more improvements that could be made.

“The program could have specialized exercises for certain sports besides football if enough people from a team show up,” he said.

Although the school’s program is one way for students to work out over summer, some people choose to use their local gyms instead.

“Going to local gyms is good for people who want to keep at their own pace, or for people who don’t play a [team] sport and want to keep fit, ” Neda Ghaffarian (12) said.

Many of the basics of the workouts will remain the same this year; drill and equipment are constantly being improved as Forbes aims to make the program more efficient for athletes.

“We do a dynamic warm-up that improves mobility and flexibility and range of motion through the hips. Our dynamic warm-up is something that I put together through the last 15 to 20 years,” Forbes said.

“There’s basic movement skills that we work on during the summer on our general athleticism.”

Students who plan to incorporate the program into their summer should contact Forbes regarding their participation.

Welcome Class of 2012 to the harker alumni association!

Congratulations!

- MaryEllis Deacon DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

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