THE BISHOP’S SCHOOL | | OCTOBER
THE
Tower SECTION TITLE GOES HERE Author
ISSUE 02 MMXVII
IN THIS ISSUE
NEW SCHEDULE • GADSDEN FLAG IN SENIOR REC ROOM NEW ASBC & PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM • STUDENT ART DUNGEON PROFILE
Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower
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the details
“Melting,” Flora (Yue) Chen (‘18)
COLOPHON
The Tower was printed by Streeter Printing Company in Mira Mesa, CA. For this issue’s layout, the Staff used Adobe InDesign, Adobe CC (CS9), and Photoshop CC (CS9) to arrange photographs and graphics. We printed and distributed 700 copies of Issue 02 to the Bishop’s community. Typefaces included Garamond Premier on our cover, Mrs Eaves for our headlines & covers, and Minion Pro for our body text. Issue 02 and previous issues of The Tower are available on issuu.com.
PHILOSOPHY
The Tower is a student-run publication at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, CA. Writers and editors work together to enhance the Bishop’s community and evoke meaningful conversation through the collection and distribution of news and other information. The Tower aims to educate The Bishop’s community about issues that pertain to the experience of young adults. Sections of The Tower include Academic News, School Culture, Sports News, Arts News, Beyond, Opinion, and The Bell.
POLICY
All materials featured in The Tower are student-generated, from the Bishop’s community, or both. All articles connect to the Bishop’s community even when covering an international or domestic story, issue, or event. The Tower works with the administration by communicating about sensitive topics to ensure the safety of Bishop’s students and to confirm all topics are approached in an appropriate manner. The Tower accepts anonymous quotes when the privacy of the individual is a concern.
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Cover Art: “The Morphing Unconciousness” To learn more about the above artwork and the cover, visit pages 26-27, covering student artist, Flora (Yue) Chen.
Colophon Philosophy Policy
CONTACT
The Bishop’s School 7607 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037 Email: thetower.tbs@gmail.com Website: thetoweronline.squarespace. com Facebook: tbsTower Instagram: tbs_tower
CONTRIBUTORS Editor-in-Chief: Emma Oliver Graphics Editors: David Brewer, Sara Michael Copy Editors: Amy Carlyle, Annie Zeigler Sports Editor: Collin Douglas Managing Editor: Isabelle Kenagy Online Editor: Collin Douglas Staff Writers: Alyssa Huynh, Harper
from the editor
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everal times before this issue went to print, teachers and students approached me, asking, what will the Tower’s next theme be? I’d answer something like: we don’t really have a theme this issue, just a collection of timely, eclectic articles. No large multi-article feature, that is—if you remember our last year’s Teaching and Learning or Gender features. Yet, despite my answer to the aforementioned teachers and students, the articles of Issue 02 embrace a commonality that the staff writers and editors did not plan or predict. Through the early stages of Issue 02—pitching ideas in scribbled, colorful bullets on our whiteboard or editing premature, first drafts—our theme became buried beneath the hustle towards deadlines. But once we printed the first, messy and error-ridden PDF of the magazine, and the elusive “theme” had undeniably surfaced; a multitude of voices, in one way or another, appeared on each page. Indeed, this October issue of The Tower seemed to develop a theme of its own: voice. Voice and expression. We begin with the cover, a self-portrait of featured student-artist Flora Chen (‘18), who, through art, expresses her creative drive and fascination with science. And from there, various voices emerged. Staff Writer Alyssa Huynh (‘20), through her article addressing accessibility on campus, gives voice to all those who have or will navigate the Bishop’s campus handicapped. Managing Editor Isabelle Kenagy (‘19) sheds light on ASBC and Peer Support’s call to embrace their onus of student leadership. Copy Editor Annie Zeigler (‘18) explores the debate within the senior class regarding political symbology and its prevalence in the rec room. Staff Writer Olive Ralph (‘19), in her profile of the Dungeon, offers a closer look at Bishop’s-elected voices of school spirit. And, finally, Staff Writer Harper White (‘21) reaches far beyond Bishop’s, all the way to Florida, where she uncovers the voices of those affected by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey. These are just a few of the articles that, in some way, emanate voice from different sectors within and beyond the Bishop’s community; there are more. Keep in mind what voices you may be listening to while reading our October issue.
White, Maya Minagawa, Olivia Ralph Faculty Advisor: Ms. Laine Remignanti Consultant: Ms. Amy Allen
Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower
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6. 8. 17. 28. 32. 34.
ACADEMIC NEWS A NEW START - AMY CARLYLE
CULTURE
NEW STAFF & FACULTY QUICK FACTS THE FIRST LEVEL'S THE LIMIT - ALYSSA HUYNH SENIORS TREAD NOT-SO-LIGHTLY - ANNIE ZEIGLER AGENTS OF CHANGE - ISABELLE KENAGY PREPARE YOUR PROPOSALS - SARA MICHAEL
SPORTS
THE KNIGHTS’ KRYPTONITE - COLLIN DOUGLAS THE MAGNIFICENT SIX - OLIVIA RALPH HIDDEN IN THE DARK OF KNIGHT - MAYA MINAGAWA FALL SPORTS SPREAD
ARTS
WHEN TWO WORLDS COLLIDE - EMMA OLIVER IT WAS ALL YELLOW - EMMA OLIVER
BEYOND
THE DAMAGE DONE - HARPER WHITE
THE BELL
TOP 10 MOST TRIGGERING THINGS AT BISHOP'S
ACADEMIC A NEW START Amy Carlyle
How do students feel about the newest schedule rendition?
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orty percent of American teens admit to falling asleep during school, claims the United States National Library of Medicine. Bishop’s new seven-day schedule intends to help students stress less and sleep more, and boasts fewer class meetings per day as well as an 8:15 a.m. start time. Has it met Bishopians’ high expectations within these first few weeks of the year, or is the new schedule less miraculous than anticipated? While students living in La Jolla or closer to school might gain around 40 extra minutes of sleep in the morning, commuting students have to start factoring into their plans the rush-hour traffic they previously avoided. Keona Lee (‘19) said, “I still have to wake up at the same time because of how much traffic we hit.” Student drivers must now also deal with decreased parking spot availability, causing many to arrive at school earlier and attempt to find a spot closer by. Still, others feel the later start presents a greater opportunity for success. Many students seem to find that the later start allows more time for sleep, which improves their performance at school. “Getting more sleep has made me feel healthier and more alert,” said CJ Delfino (‘18). Sydney Gerlach (‘20) wrote, “Because I have a more consistent schedule and no longer have to get up at 5:30 a.m., I can actually manage my time and give more focus to each class.” According to a survey sent to the 531 upper school students, 81.4% believe they are gaining more sleep due to the schedule change. “I think the schedule change was really smart,” said Miles McIner-
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PC: Amy Carlyle (‘20)
Students are less rushed due to the longer club lunches, another feature in the new schedule.
ney (‘20). “I have been able to get an extra whole hour of sleep, which means that I am better rested and less stressed in general. I feel like the school did a good job in removing some of the times where excessive time was wasted.” In creating this later start, Bishop’s is following the results of research conducted by numerous organizations, including the Center for Disease Control, all claiming that a later school start time helps students function more efficiently in class. While most age groups have circadian rhythms that allow them to fall asleep earlier and wake up earlier, adolescents operate on a different rhythm, making it easiest — and healthiest — for them to fall asleep at 11 p.m., and easiest to wake at 8 a.m., according to the National Sleep Foundation.
Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower
The new schedule is also closer to those of schools such as Pacific Ridge, which starts at 8 a.m., and La Jolla Country Day, which begins at 8 a.m. with the exception of 9 a.m. late starts on Day 7 of their rotating schedule. The same research influencing Bishop’s new schedule has also fueled a statewide push for later school start times. Senator Anthony Portantino created SB-328, a statewide bill requiring schools to begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The bill, supported by the California Federation of Teachers, Stanford University School of Medicine, and numerous children’s hospitals, was passed on September 7, 2017, and will take effect no later than July 1, 2020. In addition to the daily late start, students are also benefitting from
ACADEMIC Academic Schedule 2017-2018 A
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Advisory 8:15-8:20
Advisory 8:15-8:20
Advisory 8:15-8:20
Advisory 8:15-8:20
Advisory 8:15-8:20
Advisory 8:15-8:20
Advisory 8:15-8:20
Period 1 8:20-9:30
Period 5 8:20-9:30
Period 2 8:20-9:30
Period 6 8:20-9:30
Period 3 8:20-9:30
Period 7 8:20-9:30
Period 4 8:20-9:30
MS Milk Break 9:30-9:45
6-7 Chapel 9:35-10:00 US Period 2 9:30-10:40
MS Period 2 9:45-10:55
MS Milk Break 10:00-10:15 8 Chapel 10:15-10:40
US Enrichment 9:35-10:00 US Enrichment 10:00-10:25 US Milk Break 10:25-10:40
MS Milk Break 9:30-9:45
MS Milk Break 9:30-9:45
US Period 3 9:30-10:40 MS Period 3 9:45-10:55
MS Enrichment 10:15-10:40
Period 6 10:40-11:50 Period 3 10:55-12:05
US Period 4 12:05-1:15 MS Period 7 12:35-1:45
Period X 1:55-2:55
Office Hours 2:55-3:20
US Milk Break 10:00-10:15 10 Chapel 10:15-10:40
US Period 4 9:30-10:40 MS Period 4 9:45-10:55
MS Lunch 12:05-12:45
US Club Lunch 1:00-1:45
MS Period 5 12:45-1:55
Office Hours 2:55-3:20
US Period 5 12:05-1:15 MS Period 1 12:35-1:45
Period X 1:55-2:55
Office Hours 2:55-3:20
11 Chapel 9:35-10:00
MS Milk Break 9:30-9:45
US Milk Break 10:00-10:15 12 Chapel 10:15-10:40
US Period 5 9:30-10:40 MS Period 5 9:45-10:55
US Milk Break 10:40-10:55 Period 1 10:40-11:50
Period 5 10:55-12:05
MS Club Lunch 11:50-12:35
US Lunch 1:15-1:55
MS Enrichment 9:45-10:15 MS Enrichment 10:15-10:40
Period 7 10:40-11:50
US Period 7 11:50-1:00
Period 1 1:45-2:55
MS Milk Break 9:30-9:45
US Milk Break 10:40-10:55
Period 4 10:55-12:05
MS Club Lunch 11:50-12:35
US Lunch 1:15-1:55
MS Milk Break 9:30-9:45
US Period 1 11:50-1:00
MS Lunch 12:05-12:45
US Club Lunch 1:00-1:45
MS Period 6 12:45-1:55
Period 2 1:45-2:55
Office Hours 2:55-3:20
Period 6 10:55-12:05
MS Club Lunch 11:50-12:35 US Period 6 12:05-1:15 MS Period 2 12:35-1:45 US Lunch 1:15-1:55
Period X 1:55-2:55
Office Hours 2:55-3:20
US Period 2 11:50-1:00
MS Lunch 12:05-12:45
US Club Lunch 1:00-1:45
MS Period 7 12:45-1:55
Period 3 1:45-2:55
Office Hours 2:55-3:20
US Period 7 12:05-1:15
US Lunch 1:15-1:55
Period X 1:55-2:55
Office Hours 2:55-3:20
PC: Bishops.com
MS Period 4 12:45-1:55
9 Chapel 9:35-10:00
US Milk Break 10:40-10:55
US Milk Break 10:40-10:55
MS Lunch 12:05-12:45
MS Enrichment 9:45-10:15
It also provides students with special, extended club lunches and adjusted teacher office hours.
a more proportional schedule. Bri Delatorre (‘19) said, “I have less homework to do each night due to the smaller number of classes the next day, which is super helpful with the workload that comes as a part of junior year.” Raquel Aguirre (‘21) responded, “I think it is a massive improvement from the previous schedule; I get to sleep more than an hour longer, the homework load isn’t nearly as bad, and the days feel shorter so I am less bored in class.” However, while students gain the benefits of a balanced schedule, another problem seems to arise; students find that teachers are assigning more work, since they have more time to complete it. “I think some teachers are finding loopholes by assigning us more homework because ‘we have two days to finish it’. However, this is only be-
cause our classes are spaced out more, so I think it’s kind of unfair,” answered Charlotte Mack (‘19). Helen Banta (‘21) feels similarly: “Homework should be regulated more, so that if you play a sport, you have more time to do something other than homework and practice after school.” In addition, school now ends at 2:55 p.m. rather than 2:45 p.m., and despite the high percent of students gaining more sleep as result of the new schedule, only 56.5% of upper schoolers feel they have more time to engage in interests unrelated to school. “I think things were better before. I would sacrifice less sleep in order to get out earlier,” answered Nikita Krishnan (‘18) in the survey. Some say the change affects their extracurricular pursuits and travel time. “The later end time makes it very
Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower
difficult to get to my extracurricular activities on time. I think the end time could be changed back to 2:45 p.m. and enrichment periods could be condensed or eliminated on some days to allow for an earlier end time,” responded Carina Freundt (‘20). Big changes have come to Bishop’s for the 2017-18 school year, and so far the reviews are mixed. While many students celebrate the new adjustments — one student rated it a “thumbs-up emoji” — others would like to revert to the old schedule, or create a new one entirely. The school has had two major schedule changes in the last two years; will this schedule last longer than its predecessor?
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Q&A with the Faculty & S Alex Cabral: Computer Science Favorite movie: The Nightmare Before Christmas Favorite meal: Breakfast
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Bill Kingsbury: Theatre Favorite city: Boston Ideal superpower: Ability to freeze time
Lani Keller: Science Favorite TV show: Game of Thrones Favorite song: “Sweet Caroline”
Ben Lah: College Counseling Favorite Dessert: Mango and sticky rice Favorite TV Show: Adam Ruins Everything
Laine Remignanti: English Favorite dessert: Carrot cake Favorite movie: Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Jim Jordan: Science Favorite thing to do when not teaching: Swim Favorite sports team: Padres
Brian Gervase: Mathematics Favorite city: Chicago Favorite thing to do when not teaching: Soccer and guitar
e New Staff Janice Murabayashi: Dean of Studies
Gregg Luna: Language, Spanish Loves: Korean food and “a good bowl of Favorite Color: Purple ice cream” Favorite Band: Queen Fun Fact: Her dog speaks Japanese
Nancy Rosas: History Favorite TV show: Parks and Recreation Favorite song: Anything by Beyoncé
Lauren Ghishan: Admissions Favorite movie: You’ve Got Mail Ideal superpower: Flying
Ricky Fayne: English Favorite TV show: Atypical Favorite sports team: University of Tennessee football
Rikke Sommer: Language, French Favorite musician: Prince Favorite dessert: Crème brûlée
Sara White: Educational Technology Favorite TV show: Seinfeld Favorite meal: A home-cooked Spanish meal
Jennifer Melaragno: Mathematics Favorite TV show: Orange is the New Black Ideal superpower: Flying
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CULTURE THE FIRST LEVEL’S THE LIMIT Alyssa Huynh
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PC: Alyssa Huynh (‘20)
he Bishop’s campus, in addition to being very aesthetically pleasing for Instagram photos, is a historic landmark. Many of the buildings’ facades remain untouched by renovation, excluding periodic paint touch ups. The authentic interiors still hold the same steep, concrete stairs that the first Bishop’s students once climbed; today, these structures, while beautiful and historically significant, pose a problem for the disabled and handicapped. We are all susceptible to injuries. For students like Aidan Canino (‘20)—who used crutches for six weeks after breaking his foot A student walks up the stairs of Bentham using crutches. while playing volleyball—navigating the campus with an injury does not pose a significant problem. Other students were not so lucky. Marley Meyer (‘19) broke her ankle when she stepped in a gopher hole while playing soccer in middle school. Soon after, she broke her other ankle while travelling down the Cummins’ stairs on crutches during a fire drill. All of Marley’s teachers migrated from their classrooms to more accessible locations, such as the lower library classroom, for the eight weeks she spent in a wheelchair. “On average, I see about one To prevent further hassle for students like leg or foot injury a day, but most Aidan and Marley, the school staff is working hard just require some rest and ice, and they are back on to make second-story buildings more accessible. Still, their feet again in no time,” said School Nurse Ms. Susie Fournier. Regarding more serious injuries, Head of renovating 100-year-old structures is no simple task. Upper School Mr. Brian Ogden said, “When the school In an effort to comply with the Americans with Disbecomes aware of an accessibility issue, Ms. Fourni- abilities Act (ADA), Chief Operating and Financial er and other members of our student services work Officer Ms. Lenore Fraga and Director of Facilities Mr. closely with administration and teachers to either al- Brian Williams have been searching for ways to modter facilities to improve accessibility or relocate spaces ernize the buildings. This includes creating a means to accommodate the needs of the student.” According for disabled students to reach any upper or lower levto Ms. Fournier, she accommodates seven to eight in- els. jured students a year.
“WE EXPECT THAT THE REMAIN-
ING BUILDINGS ON CAMPUS WILL BE BROUGHT UP TO CURRENT ADA STANDARDS WHEN THEY ARE REMODELED.”
- BRIAN WILLIAMS
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Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower
CULTURE When asked about the legality of having only three out of eight buildings disability-accessible, Mr. Williams said, “The buildings that do not have accessibility are historic buildings and are exempt from mandated improvements until the building is upgraded.” The buildings exempt from ADA policy are Bentham, Cummins, Scripps, and Gilman. Although not required, Bishop’s is currently involved in a two-year strategic process to remodel the campus. This has involved the board of trustees, faculty and staff, administration, and several surveys and meetings. Ellen Browning Scripps (EBS), the first completed renovation, is a model for the future projects because
it provided an elevator for unanimous accessibility. Mr. Williams commented on the progress: “We expect that the remaining buildings on campus will be brought up to current ADA standards when they are remodeled, or possibly sooner if the school is financially able.” The factors for refurbishment include cost, time, and regulations. The Bishop’s School acknowledges the necessity of accessibility to non-ground-level floors and has been working on a plan to comply with both regulations from ADA and the state address and the needs of its students. The school is now biding its time until the long-overdue plan is possible to achieve.
Photo courtesy of the Bishop’s School
A photo of the first building on The Bishop’s School campus: Scripps Hall, taken in 1910.
Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower
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CULTURE AGENTS OF CHANGE Isabelle Kenagy
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emember Jeff Small? It’s okay if you don’t. He spoke at an .all-school assembly about his work at Dreamworks Animation. Unfortunately, many students seemed to have forgotten the speech in their rush to milk break, or to Calculus and APUSH tests. Remember Jeff Bucholtz? Chances are, you probably do. He gave an engaging and entertaining, yet serious talk where he dissected song lyrics and other popular media messages in order to explain the rape culture that persists in our society. His delivery and his lasting message resonated with many students. Peer Support and Associated Student Body Council (ASBC) want to make sure that message stays with students and continues to influence the community. This past September, Mr. Bucholtz returned to lead a workshop at the eleventh grade retreat about cultivating healthy and respectful relationships among one’s peers. Now, Mr. Bucholtz has joined Bishop’s Guidance Counselor Ms. Megan Broderick (‘98), to teach a program designed to help ASBC and Peer Support become, as Mr. Bucholtz believes, the catalysts for positive change. Mr. Bucholtz and Ms. Broderick have organized a Bishop’s faculty-led curriculum centered around bullying, connections between bullying and sexual harassment, gender stereotypes, and labels. In the group’s first meeting, ASBC and Peer Support were tasked with cutting out magazine pieces that they felt enforced harmful gender stereotypes; then, they attached the pieces onto a bulletin board to illustrate how media influences gender expectations. The program meets in the Manchester Board Room every G day during period X, with speakers including English teacher Ms. Cresence Birder (‘07), English teacher Ms. Michelle Shea, Ms. Broderick, and Chair of the Religion and Ethics Department and ASBC Advisor Dr. Regina Ballard. These talks may take on the form of group activities like the magazine assignment, video presentations, or group discussions.
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“AS MUCH AS PEER SUPPORT AND ASBC ARE STUDENT LEADERS AND ARE ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY CAN ALWAYS DO MORE.” - MS. BRODERICK
Ms. Broderick proposed to bring Mr. Bucholtz back to provide a sort of training for ASBC and Peer Support, to remind the community of the pro-safety ideals taught by Mr. Bucholtz in his various assemblies and talks at Bishop’s. “We are injecting formalized teaching about how to become a good person on this group of students, and we hope that this can extend to the rest of the community,” said Ms. Broderick. As ASBC president Clarke Eastman-Pinto (‘18) affirmed, “[The program] generally embraces the same ideas as Mr. Bucholtz’s assembly with some more leadership and personal tips mixed in. We talk a lot about community and our roles within this community.” The training is currently open to only ASBC and Peer Support members, but both groups intend to share their new knowledge with the school throughout the year, by means of bringing in speakers, discussions, and advisory activities. Clarke said, “Peer Support and ASBC want to learn how to help the community take advantage of the ideas from these speakers and turn what these speakers have to say into lasting change.” So far, ASBC and Peer Support members find the program valuable and think it will provide positive results. As Peer Support member Ali Collins (‘19) said, “It is really
Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower
CULTURE PC: Bishops.com
(Right) Jeff Bucholtz speaks to the eleventh grade during their class retreat at the Bahia Resort.
nice that both ASBC and Peer Support are collaborating on this. I think both groups will be able to build off of each other and create visible results.” Going forward, ASBC and Peer Support are hoping to develop a stronger bond as a group and integrate more members of the community. As Clarke said, “There is a lot of participation with the students and so we are trying to get to know each other so we can be at a place where we are comfortable sharing our life experiences.” Additionally, the program hopes to develop, as Ms. Broderick described it, a list of “common scenarios you’ll
encounter” that Acting Workshop will perform to the larger community. Ultimately, the goal is to instill an initiative for change within Bishop’s students. Speakers come and go, their messages often with them, but this year, ASBC and Peer Support want to change that. As Peer Support leader Kelsey Chodorow (‘18) said, “[Peer Support and ASBC] hope to take what we learn and apply it to our everyday lives until it creates sort of a domino effect.”
Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower
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CULTURE SENIORS TREAD NOT-SO-LIGHTLY Annie Zeigler
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ith its bright yellow background, coiled rattlesnake, and all-caps motto, “Don’t Tread on Me,” the Gadsden flag is certainly eye catching. At four by five and a half feet on the back wall, the piece is one of the first things seniors and visitors see when entering the rec room through the front windows. Seniors began painting the rec room this summer, new images appearing on the walls every week. The Gadsden flag was one of the first pieces to appear, brewing conflict months before school began. The flag’s origin dates back to mid-18th century America, a period during which colonists directed their efforts to combat English tyranny. Benjamin Franklin, in a sarcastic moment, joked that Americans should send snakes to England in exchange for the criminals that England sent to America. The image inspired Franklin to create the “Join, or Die” political cartoon, a diced snake labeled with the abbreviations of each colony that signified America’s unity against the British. Christopher Gadsden, a leader of the Charleston Sons of Liberty and soldier in the Continental Army, designed the Gadsden flag in 1775 during the revolution. His motives behind creating the flag centered on American independence. Around 1880, the US Navy began using a red and white striped version of the flag, attaching a patch to the arm of their uniforms and flying it at the helm of warships. For the Naval Academy’s 2014 football game versus the Military Academy, Navy midshipmen sported custom uniforms adorned with Gadsden flag logos. Alt-right groups have altered the flag’s intention, shifting its emphasis away from individual rights, and towards white superiority. In August, white supremacists gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, to protest the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue from the city square. Many of these protesters waved the Gadsden flag. The flag’s diverse background has brought the rec room painting to question, with a handful of seniors uncomfortable with its presence. As a result, Mr. David
Thompson, Bishop’s Director of Diversity and Community Life, planned a class meeting to talk about the flag during the first week of school. During the meeting, Mr. Thompson gave a brief history of the flag, then opened up the meeting for discussion, which consisted mostly of back-and-forth between pro-flag students and anti-flag students. “At the time [of the protest], the second most Googled photo of the Gadsden flag was it next to a Confederate flag and a Nazi flag. I recognize that it is highly unlikely that this is the reason why it was painted, however these are the reasons why people had questions,” said Mr. Thompson. Even though the flag was finished before the protest, its purpose became much more complicated as a result of it. Two seniors, Adam Lynn and another student who prefers to remain anonymous, painted the flag. During the class meeting, the painters spoke to their intent behind it: maintaining its original, patriotic message. “It means integrity and honor,” said the anonymous painter. “A lot of its symbolism is actually close to what a Bishop’s student should stand for, according to our fundamental standard.” On the other side of the argument, CJ Delfino (‘18) and other seniors think that the flag’s meaning has been distorted past the point of being appropriate for the rec room. “Think of the swastika: originally, it comes from an Indian symbol of prosperity, but in the absence of a definitively peaceful reclamation, people will obviously assign it to a Nazi context,” CJ said. “The Gadsden flag out of context, in the rec room, is perfectly visible through the windows and can be construed as anything
“AT THE TIME [OF THE PROTEST], THE SECOND MOST GOOGLED PHOTO OF THE GADSDEN FLAG PLACED IT NEXT TO A CONFEDERATE AND NAZI FLAG.” - MR. THOMPSON
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Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower
CULTURE a middle schooler, a college interviewer, or a tour group can think up. I personally don’t want something turned into a hate symbol to represent my school.” The painters spent around two weeks creating the project, perfecting the rattlesnake’s pattern. Objections were not explicitly expressed to Mr. Thompson un-
think the class discussion was somewhat helpful but I do think for some people voicing their opinions in front of the whole grade might be hard, so I think we should’ve had a more personal discussion,” said the anonymous painter. Mr. Thompson agrees with the lack of conversation, both dealing with the flag and in general: “If we get
PC: Annie Zeigler (‘18) Seniors Layne Faltinsky, Clarke Eastman-Pinto, and Matt Buckley talk and do homework in the senior rec room.
til the day before school began, after the flag had been completed, which made coming to a solution even more difficult. That solution, according to Mr. Thompson, is most focused on “[creating] closure on this conversation so that those invested in the art know that they are heard. We are working together to make sure that is faced, regardless of anything else.” All parties involved wish there had been a more intimate, fluid conversation about the entire ordeal. “I
to a place where we can hear each other and understand where our opinions are formed, then I hope we can be better as a community communicating about topics we have various opinions about.” While still up for discussion and a source of inner-grade tension, the flag will stay up in the rec room, accompanied by a permanent explanation of its intended message.
Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower
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CULTURE PREPARE YOUR PROPOSALS Sara Michael
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round this time of year, Insta- football game. Bishop’s equivalent of gram feeds fill with photos of a homecoming game is Bish Bowl, an cheesy, multicolored, poster annual tradition during which the enboard homecoming proposals, yet for tire school watches a Knights football years there were no Bishop’s proposals game, and partakes in spirit activities and no homecoming. and friendly competitions. This year, it Last spring, Bishop’s an- will take place on November 3, the day nounced that homecoming will be before the homecoming dance. Domiadded to the existing list of Bishop’s dances—Winter Formal, Rady’s, and Prom—and will take place on November 4. Ale Aguirre (‘17) proposed this idea last year, but due to scheduling issues, homecoming could not be held until this year. Ale explained, “I am friends with a lot of people outside of Bishop’s; [homecoming] is an integral part of their experiences in high school, so I found myself constantly wondering why we didn’t have a homecoming.” Isabelle Wisco (‘18) and WHEN: Novemeber 4 Bianca Serbin (‘18), chairs of the (the day after Bish-bowl) dance committee, decided to take the proposal into their own WHERE: Manchester Board Room hands. They described the process of getting the dance sched- ATTIRE: Similar to that of Winter uled: “We liked the November Formal date initially because it corresponds with alumni weekend, THEME: Under the Stars which would mean we could have a true homecoming with alumni attending the game.” After that, the approval process for homecoming was pretty nic Haley (‘19), a lineman on the footstraightforward. Isabelle and Bianca ball team, said the Bish Bowl game is said, “We met with Mr. Beamer a few “so great because all the teachers and more times and presented preliminary students gather together, which inideas and plans, and he decided it creases school spirit and helps me play would be a cool idea! He liked that we better.” could combine it with Bish Bowl and Isabelle and Bianca further really promote school spirit.” elaborated on their vision for increas Historically, most home- ing school spirit: “We hope that people coming dances follow a homecoming from all grades will attend the game
on Friday, and that people from across the Upper School will come to the dance on Saturday.” In order to increase the enthusiasm, they even suggested creating a community Snapchat story for the best homecoming proposals with a prize of free dance tickets. Generally, students are very excited about homecoming. Leah Parsons (‘19) explained, “Homecoming is always portrayed in movies and TV shows as the stereotypical epitome of high school. Because of this, it was something that I always looked forward to when I was younger, so I’m really happy that it’s happening at Bishop’s this year.” Many students especially liked the idea of a fun activity amidst a stressful first semester. Cam Ezeir (‘19) said, “I’m excited about the lively attitude it will bring out in people during a tough school year.” The change in schedule this year means that Winter Formal, which usually takes place in December, will be pushed to January; homecoming will be the first high school dance of the year. This year, instead of passively scrolling through Pinterest or Instagram for homecoming ideas, students will get to create their own cheesy, kaleidoscope-colored proposals.
HOMECOMING WILL BE THE FIRST HIGH SCHOOL DANCE OF THE YEAR.
DETAILS
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Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower
Photo courtesey of Wyatt Charette (‘18)
SPORTS
The four Knights football captains march towards the coin toss versus Henry High School. Issue 02 •Patrick October 2017 • The Tower
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SPORTS
CRAMPS: THE KNIGHTS’ KRYPTONITE Collin Douglas
P
“CRAMPS CAN BE THE MOST PAINFUL THING ON PLANET EARTH” - WYATT CHARETTE
icture this: a So why were so many group of strapBishop’s players sideping young lined at once? Do they men, chiseled mussimply not drink enough cles bulging through water on gameday? shoulder pads, dripSeems unlikely. Could ping with sweat, lining the Hilltopper student a gridiron, prepared section have poisoned for the next down. the water? I would not Then picture this: the put it past them, but also same group, lying on unlikely. the ground, writh The issue most ing in pain, as Jason, likely originates from our trainer, runs from a problem that many player to player and Bishop’s teams face: holds their calves in a size. The Knights footflexed position. ball team is known for “Cramps can being short-handed, be the most painful winning CIF last year thing on planet Earth,” with only 25 students on said Wyatt Charrette their roster. How does (‘18), and they hurt that program compare everyone from a high to Grossmont? Beyond school football playthe 64 players in their er to Lebron James in varsity lineup, they have Game 1 of the 2014 roughly 130 total playNBA Finals. Cramps, a ers in their program, colloquial term for an about the same size as involuntary spasmodan upper school grade ic contraction, have at Bishop’s. One might plagued the Knights respond and say, “But, football team this Collin, only 11 players season. At one point are on the field at once. in their first game Clay Witmeyer, #56, played on the defensive line against El Cajon Everybody knows that.” on September 25th That would be correct, Christian during the 2016 CIF championship game. against Grossmont but the minutes and High School, four players tossed and turned on their consecutive downs add up when it comes to a player’s enbacks, praying for their misery to end. durance. When you play both sides of the ball, there is not When muscles become fatigued during high-in- much time to refuel mid-game. tensity workouts, cramps take over. A lack of water, elec- Kicker, punter, linebacker, and wide receiver trolytes, and sodium only increases the chances of these Garth Erdossy (‘18) said, “When people are playing ofmuscular spasms. Heat, as it does get quite hot under fense, defense, and special teams,” as Garth does, “it’s those pads, can also play a large part in speeding up dehy- pretty easy to become dehydrated throughout the course dration. In game 1 of the 2014 NBA Finals, the air condi- of a game,” and henceforth your chances of cramps drationing in the AT&T Center broke, and Lebron James had matically increase. to be carried off of the court after becoming overwhelmed Despite the fatigue, and despite the cramps, the with cramps. Knights can not only compete with these gargantuan pro-
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Photos courtesy of Clay Witmeyer
SPORTS
From left to right: Wyatt Charette (‘18), Edward Cramer (‘18), Justin Woodley (‘17), Clay Witmeyer (‘18), and Daniel Anderson (‘17) as Bishop’s (in white) won against El Cajon Christian in the CIF Finals with a roster of 25. grams, but return from far away places (like El Cajon and San Juan Capistrano) victorious. Grossmont High School’s football program is consistently one of the top rankers in Division 1, and last season competed in the Open Division playoffs, yet we began our season this year with a check in the win column. “Steroids,” Garth replied sarcastically when asked about the best solution to cramps going forward. While hopefully the football team’s in-game stamina will increase as their season progresses, cramps and fatigue are something to which every Bishop’s athlete can relate. Baseball
players look down the bench during a game and realize that if somebody gets injured, they will be playing with two outfielders. A basketball coach asks for a sub midway through a spring league game, and is greeted by a row of empty seats behind him. Regardless of always being the underdog, at least according to numbers, there is still quite a bit of hardware in Eva May’s gymnasium lobby.
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SPORTS THE MAGNIFICENT SIX Olivia Ralph
O
ne school, two possible outcomes, three big games a week, four thrilling sports, five different cheers and six handsome men who lead the Dungeon. This year, the Dungeon is determined to “change the culture and get people excited about going to games,” according to member Collin Douglas (‘18). He, along with seniors Andy Semo, Chris Lee, Garth Erdossy, Matt Buckley, and Scotty Latimer are ready to cheer on Bishop’s athletes and reshape the sports atmosphere. The Dungeon is a traditional group at Bishop’s made up of select seniors who are chosen for their enthusiasm and passion for sports. They are in charge of leading cheers and informing the school about upcoming Bishop’s athletic and arts events.
This year’s Dungeon is ready improve school spirit. In fact, the seniors are already enhancing the Dungeon and motivating fellow classmates to help change the atmosphere at games. “When it comes to making games more fun, everyone has to buy into that. It starts with us leading by example and getting crazy and not really caring if we are embarassing ourselves, just being a little wild and getting everyone else on board,” said Collin. The Dungeon has already stepped up their game this year with hilarious posts on Instagram, which advertise for games and incentivize students to attend them. Matt has been hard at work, as he describes it, “heading social media as well as working on merch designs.” The Dungeon has been handing out Dungeon themed T-shirts at school announcements and sports
“EVER SINCE EIGHTH GRADE
I’VE WANTED TO CARRY ON THE AWESOME [DUNGEON] TRADITION”
PC: Olivia Ralph (‘19)
- MATT BUCKLEY
Dungeon members sit together outside the rec room: Matt Buckley (‘18), Chris Lee (‘18), Scotty Latimire (‘18), Collin Douglas (‘18), Garth Erdossy (‘18), and Andy Semo (‘18).
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SPORTS games to encourage students to come and freshman year seeing guys like Jack his own words, “the looks,” and who out and support their classmates. Kimmel (‘15), Liam Gaarder-Feingold knows what Chris and Garth do… but At the Varsity Girls (‘15), Matt Cappetta (‘15), and all those they all work together to hype up the Volleyball game against La Jolla High on September 13th, the Dungeon led the crowd in various cheers, bringing intense energy to the crowd. “The Dungeon not only makes the games entertaining but their constant cheering motivates me to kill it out on the court,” said volleyball player Brooke Buchner (‘20). The energy and intensity the Dungeon brings helps to create a more supportive environment. “When we played La Jolla High [September 12th] in water polo, the Dungeon did not stop cheering us on even when we were losing. I don’t think we would’ve won the game without that enthusiasm from the crowd,” said Ford Eldredge (‘19). While Andy Members Matt, Andy, and Scotty wear beach-themed gear at a Girls Varsity Volleyball game alongside other Bishopians. is in it for “the babes” and Chris says the best part of the Dungeon is that “all the legendary seniors head the Dungeon, crowd. They have definitely raised the girls want us,” other members are deter- I’ve wanted to carry on the awesome bar for expectations of a Dungeon. mined to take the Dungeon to a whole tradition,” said Matt. “Everyone should go follow the new level and make their mark on cam- Each member has his own role: Dungeon instagram, @bishopsdunpus while incorporating concepts from Matt is the social media man, Andy geon, because you won’t regret it!” said past Dungeon members. “I am a man does the announcements, Scotty leads Matt. As any member of the Dungeon of tradition, and ever since eighth grade every cheer at the games, Collin is, in would say, we run LJ!
“I DON’T THINK WE WOULD’VE WON THE GAME WITHOUT THE ENTHUSIASM FROM THE CROWD” - FORD ELDREDGE
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Photo couresey of Ms. Audrey Buchner. couresey to Ms. Buchner.
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SPORTS
HIDDEN IN THE DARK OF KNIGHT
PC: Dr. Michael Shiue
Maya Minagawa
Mia performing her second place Guan Dao routine in Costa Rica this summer.
O
ften times it’s hard to see what isn’t right in front of us. Here at Bishop’s, sports like volleyball, football, and waterpolo exist in the spotlight, with constant updates at announcements, class meetings, and advisory alike. But many of us may not realize that a myriad of Bishop’s students pursue sports beyond those offered at Bishop’s, and at elite levels. Here’s a chance to get to know more about a few of them.
known as forms or Taolu. She began in elementary school, taking classes after school, and quickly became a talented fighter, competing for the first time in fifth grade. This summer she competed for her first time on an international scale, representing the United States. Mia was up against competitors from all over the world at the second Pan American Kungfu & Taijiquan Championships in Costa Rica. She ended up placing second in Guan Dao (broadsword) and third in Eagle Fist. She will continue to represent the US at the second World Kung Fu Championships in China this November.
MIA SHIUE (‘20): KUNG FU Mia has been on the US National Traditional Wushu Team representing America for Kung Fu for over two years. She specializes in choreographed Kung Fu routines, otherwise
JAMIE XIAO (‘20): SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING Jamie found synchronized swimming to be the perfect sport for her in eighth grade as it combined her
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background in swimming (she swam from age three to around age ten) and love for dance. She eventually quit swimming and dancing outside of school to put more effort into synchronized swimming. “I just thought, ‘Okay, well water and dance; that’s kind of like synchronized swimming.’” Last year, she also stopped dancing outside of school to make time to practice more. As it turns out, the choice to try it was a good one; this past summer, she competed at the Junior Olympics in Riverside, California, placing tenth with her team nationally. In the process of qualifying, most of her free time was spent learning how to deal with the summer heat. The rest was spent forming unbreakable bonds with her teammates.
SPORTS PC: Dr. Kelly Parsons (‘88).
Leah diving at at the University of California, San Diego training pool last spring.
“[DIVING IS] KIND OF LIKE GYMNASTICS, HOW THERE’S THE FEAR FACTOR. I FEEL LIKE THAT’S NOT LIKE OTHER SPORTS.” - LEAH PARSONS LEAH PARSONS (‘19): DIVING Leah never really planned to become a diver. She started gymnastics at age four, and continued until she developed a stress fracture in her back and decided it wasn’t the sport for her. After a friend asked if she wanted to try diving, she discovered a new sport that she excelled at. She said, “It’s kind
of like gymnastics, how there’s the fear factor. I feel like that’s not like other sports.” Now, she spends most of her time diving off the one and three meter springboards. She has dived all over the country, including the Olympic training center in Tijuana, Mexico, and hopes to continue the sport throughout college.
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ERIC ZHANG (‘20): FENCING A school project in sixth grade and a free trial for newcomers introduced Eric to the world of fencing. Nowadays, he competes nationally on a regular basis, traveling everywhere from Anaheim to Milwaukee. “Every month they have a large national competition, and this one’s [in Anaheim], but usually to compete in one you’d have to fly to the middle of nowhere.” Said competitions consist of small matches with other competitors followed by an elimination. In the future, his goal is just to keep working and improving to reach as high a level as he can. You won’t hear it blasted at announcements or read off the bulletin in advisory, but some of our Bishop’s athletes are making major waves in their sports every single day.
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TITLE GOES HERE Author
Brooke Buchner (‘20) spikes the ball during a game against La Jolla High. Photo couresey of Ms. Audrey Buchner. couresey to Ms. Buchner.
Photo courtesy of Garth Erdossy (‘18)
Garth Erdossy (‘18) kicks off the ball versus Mission Bay, where the Knights won 60-0. 24
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Photo Courtesy of Bianca Serbin (‘18)
Lila Browne (‘20) hustles for a 50/50 ball during a winning game against the La Jolla Country Day School Torreys.
TITLE GOES HERE Author
FALL SPORTS Chris Lee (‘18) calls for the ball in the Boys Varsity Water Polo team’s close loss to Cathedral.
PC: Maya Minagawa
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ARTS
WHEN TWO WORLDS COLLIDE Emma Oliver
“Disintegration and Decompostion”
T
here is something about the Manchester Library stairs that is unlike any other part of the school; it is expressionistic, it is fluid, it is colorful. And it is always an embodiment of the artistic talent roaming the Bishop’s campus. In 2014, Chair of the Visual Arts Department Ms. Elizabeth Wepsic brought student art exhibitions to the library for the first time, featuring now alumni artists Evers Pund (‘16) and Dane Alexander (‘16). Since then, a myriad of senior artists and photographers alike have exhibited their work in the library.
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“The Universe Inside Us”
The space is meant to be somewhat of an inspiration to developing artists, encouraging each to find his or her artistic voice. “There is an expression used amongst art educators called ‘Cookie Cutter Art.’ Our challenge is to provide examples and teach techniques while encouraging creative expression and personal vision in art,” said Ms. Wepsic of the student exhibitions. “These exhibitions demonstrate that no two art students are alike; everyone makes art differently and always there is a cohesive quality to an artist’s body of art.”
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The first artist to adorn the library stairs with her artwork this year, Flora (Yue) Chen completed AP Studio Art during her sophomore year, and has since then continued proliferating her unique multi-medium pieces. Flora describes her work as the culminatoin of two cenrtal elements in her life: art and science. As Ms. Wepsic said, “Flora’s work spans across a variety of media and yet remains very much [her own] style. I think it is wonderful to see a visual representation of a student’s internal mind and spirit. You get to know the person through their art.”
ARTS Q & A w ith digital designer and painter Flora Chen When did you start doing art? I started drawing in second grade because I loved anime— anime indeed— and I had a friend who also drew, so we would meet and draw together almost everyday. Then drawing just became my habit.
What kind of thoughts or feelings do you hope your pieces evoke in their viewers? Since most of my art works are not related to emotions, I don’t think they will evoke much deep and profound emotions except “why is this person so nerdy.” But I would really appreciate if someone knows and is interested in the subject and references I used in my paintings.
What is your favorite medium to work with? I love doing digital paintings because I can make changes and cool effects easily.
FLORA DESCRIBES HER WORK
What do you think about when you are creating your work? I usually think about the meaning and symbolisms in my work. Once I have a general idea of what this painting will look like, I will start adjusting the elements based on the meaning behind this painting as I draw.
ELEMENTS IN HER LIFE:
AS THE CULMINATION OF TWO CENTRAL ART AND SCIENCE
What does your art mean to you? Art is a form of expression to me; most of the time I think in images rather than in words. I use it to show not really my emotions but rather the ideas or concepts I’m interested in, such as science, philosophy, mythologies, etc. What does your creative process look like? Usually after I decide on the subject of my piece, I will explore it and research for references that are related. Then I will sketch and plan the composition on paper. When I’m satisfied with the sketch, I start painting either on the canvas or on my laptop.
Is there a uniting theme or message that you would like your art to communicate? I think the overall theme of my works in this exhibition is science, which is not really a message but just a nerdy spirit. I hope my works would provide a new way to look at science as something interesting and beautiful rather than a bunch of incomprehensible and obscure symbols and theorems.
How do you choose the subject of each painting? The subjects of my paintings are usually related to the topics I like. So either I hear about an interesting idea that I want to paint, or I do research on the topics and then pick a concept for my paintings.
How did you select the pieces for “The Gravitational Wave” the exhibit? Most of the pieces in the library are my recent works, and I How has your style changed over the years? selected a few more science-related pieces from my work last My style changes from minimalistic to realistic during these year. three years, and the color scheme of my paintings shifts from bright and saturated to rather grayish and muted. It is a slow process, but when I compare my works from three years ago with my recent works, their difference is obvious.
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ARTS
IT WAS ALL YELLOW Emma Oliver
Y
ellow at Bish Bowl. Yellow on spirit days. Yellow class sweatshirts. Yellow tablecloths during their senior dinner. And last, yellow in the rec room. Since middle school, the Class of 2018 has bore the color yellow with herculean unflappability, despite rumors that their rec room would look like a yellow mess of caution signs and taxicabs. Turns out, no one painted caution signs, and there’s only one small taxi above the entryway. As Senior Arts Representative, Sarah Barrett (‘18) reflected, “I was pleasantly surprised at how amazing it turned out, and how people from different friend groups all contributed to make the rec room [this] environment.” The Class of 2018 seemed to have embraced their class color, and created a stand-out rec room while doing so. Here are just a few of the stand-out pieces that adorn the walls of the rec room.
“I KNOW NOT ALL THAT MAY BE COMING, BUT BE IT WHAT IT WILL, I’LL GO TO IT LAUGHING.” - HERMAN MELVILLE PAC-MAN
It was fitting that Evan Peng, School Arts Representative, painted seven pieces in the room. The Pac-Man board is just one of them. Painted on what was originally a bulletin board, the large painting closely resembles a real video game screen. “This is my absolute favorite out of all the ones I did,” said Evan. “I came up with the idea just thinking about how I could utilize the existing border from the bulletin board buried under the layers of paint, and then was going through all things yellow in my head, and I came up with Pac-Man. My favorite little detail is that under High Score it says 20180 (scores are always in tens in Pac-Man).”
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ARTS
MR. MULGREW TRIBUTE
Advisor, teacher, and father to Duncan Mulgrew (‘18), Mr. Robert Mulgrew, former Head of the English Department, touched the lives of students and teachers at Bishop’s. So, as a celebration of Mr. Mulgrew’s life and his contributions to the school, the Class of 2017 last year painted a whale in his honor— the whale from Moby Dick, Mr. Mulgrew’s favorite book. Evan continued this tribute, re-painting the whale over the summer. “Mr. Mulgrew taught me in 10th grade, so this piece is especially meaningful to me,” explained Evan. “I only made different stylistic choices, while keeping the two main components [of the original painting]: a white whale… and a quote from Moby Dick, ‘I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I’ll go to it laughing.’ Hopefully, the following classes will continue this tribute.”
LA LA LAND
Perhaps the biggest piece in the rec room, an artistic take on the 2016 American musical La La Land, the painting dominates the entire east-side wall. The wall depicts a starry night Los Angeles night from the film, each star signed by a member of the Class of 2018. While Evan introduced the prospect of a La La Landthemed piece, Xixi Shi (‘18) and Valerie Fan (‘18) helped to paint the entire wall— a daunting project. “I had this idea since before summer started, but kept putting it off because I knew it would be a challenge,” said Evan. “I finally figured I should start it, but then promptly realized my painting skills were nowhere near adequate, and so roped Xixi Shi into the job.”
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ARTS Continued: Art in the Senior Rec Room “‘U UP?’ TEXT MESSAGE”
Another class favorite, the “U up” text message is placed among other iPhone-themed paintings: the smirking face, a yellow heart, and the fire emojis. “I didn’t really plan on painting the text message,” explained artist Isabelle Wisco (‘18). “Going in that day, I wanted to work on the emojis in the corner. Once I finished those, I noticed there was an awkward space left that I needed to fill––of course, too big for one emoji and too small for two. So, by association, I felt a text bubble would be the next best image. My creative mind, naturally influenced by memes, thought of ‘u up?’ I went through with the idea and underneath it put ‘Read 6/8/18’ which is the date we graduate. It came out more clever than I expected.” The small blue iMessage bubble evoked many laughs from the senior class on the first day of school.
ALBUM COVERS
Nestled in the corner of the rec room next to the ping pong table, rests a diverse collection of yellow album covers—including Aminé’s “Caroline,” Hamilton’s soundtrack, Jack Johnson’s “In Between Dreams,” and Wiz Khalifa’s “Black and Yellow.” As Jordan Howard (‘18), who painted the Jack Johnson cover, said, “A group of us seniors thought to create a corner with music album covers within the yellow theme because of the importance of music to the rec room. I decided on these two particular designs not only because of my personal love for Jack Johnson’s music… but also because I knew how much my classmates share the same interests. I wanted these pieces to be easily recognizable so that they could add to the positive mood of the room.”
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ARTS Continued: Art in the Senior Rec Room
ENDLESS SUMMER
On the west-side of the room, a large, bright pink and orange sunset is painted, into which black silhouettes of surfers walk. It is the popularized cover of the 1966 The Endless Summer surf movie. Painted by Andy Semo (‘18) and Ellie Lunsford (‘18), the painting sits in an ever-inundated area of the rec room: above the ping pong table. Andy came up with the idea at the beginning of summer: “It was a typical summer night and I was watching The Endless Summer and it hit me. It fits our class because San Diego is a never-ending summer.”
SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE CLASS OF 2018 HAS BORE THE COLOR YELLOW WITH HERCULEAN UNFLAPPABILITY. . .
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GUDETAMA
Perhaps the class favorite, the Gudetama character takes up but a small window frame in the room, but many seniors celebrate the piece as an “iconic” representation of the senior class: “the Gudetama character, made by the same company that made Hello Kitty, really embodies [feelings of] ‘senioritis’ mixed with college application process anxiety. So, perfect for the Rec Room,” said artist Evan. For information regarding the Gadsden Flag art piece, visit Anne Ziegler’s (‘18) article on page 12.
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BEYOND THE DAMAGE DONE Harper White
O
ver 30 hurricanes in under 20 years. Yes, it’s fair to say that America is no stranger to tropical storms. But with the arrival of two category four hurricanes in the timespan of a few week—hurricanes Harvey and Irma— it’s time to look at what’s really been happening and why. On August 13th, the first signs of the disaster that would become Hurricane Harvey were spotted off the African coast. By August 26th, it reached
Save The Children, an organization currently aiding families in the wake of Irma and Harvey. Despite all the assistance, people are still trying to solve the main question: why? Why are all these disasters hitting now, all within days of each other? It seems everyone is asking this question; everyone is searching for something to blame for the damage. But the answer is far more complex and far less satisfying than most people would assume; as of now, no one really knows why this is happening.
“catastrophic.” Ms. Caffrey fortunately lives in an area that wasn’t hit quite so hard by Irma. As she explained,“When there are the resources to build strong structures, edifices can sustain the hurricane force winds. There is a stark contrast between cities in Florida and Caribbean islands when it comes to how they can weather a storm like Irma.” While most scientists are at a loss to explain why our weather is so catastrophic at a time when it typically shouldn’t be, it is interesting to note
THE REAL ANSWER IS FAR MORE COMPLEX AND FAR LESS SATISFYING THAN MOST PEOPLE WOULD ASSUME; AS OF NOW, NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. Texas, making its way to Houston, killing 70 plus people and causing an estimated $80 billion in property damage and recompense fees. While Harvey wasn’t the first hurricane to strike near America in 2017, it was the first category four hurricane this year. The effects of Harvey still hadn’t finished before Hurricane Irma, a class five, swept throughout Florida, killing the power and causing $50 billion of destruction. Many Americans have rushed to the aid of those affected. Organizations such as the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been doing all they can to help. Bishop’s, too, is doing their part to help the victims. Just this Wednesday, Director of Service Learning Mrs. Jackie Gomez orchestrated a bake sale at lunchtime with assistance from the student body, the proceeds going to
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Technically speaking, hurricanes are caused by a complex weather cycle called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). This refers to the changes in temperature in the ocean. There are two parts to ENSO—El Niño and La Niña. El Niño is described as the “cold phase” while La Niña is the “warm phase,” the phase in which most hurricanes are formed. Therefore, it is baffling to discover that the equatorial Pacific is not in a La Niña at the moment. Rather the climate is in the middle of the cycle, which would normally result in very mild weather throughout the year. Despite being in the middle of the swing cycle, we have already had two massive-scale hurricanes. And the damage has been, in the words of Ms. Binney Caffrey, former Academic Dean of Studies at Bishop’s and current Head of School at the Pine School in Florida,
Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower
that 2005 was also a middle year, when a large selection of category four and five hurricanes occurred, including Katrina, Emily, and Dennis. As scary as the thought of living the disastrous times of 2005 all over again is, it is important to bear in mind that people are taking action to help those affected throughout the country. “We’re just trying to raise as much money as we can,” said Mrs. Gomez at the bake sale. She recommends that students “find a non-profit that identifies with a cause they want to support for the relief.”
BEYOND
The Aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma
Photo courtesy of Trevor Thompson.
Hurricane relief volunteer Trevor Thompson photographed some of the destruction in Florida.
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THE BELL TOP TEN
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1.
When someone sneezes in the upper silent library
2.
When someone paints something in the senior rec room that doesn’t go with your personal aesthetic
3.
When the G-Wagon and BMW box you in your parking spot in the garage
4.
When your mom doesn’t let you bring your pony to Blessing of the Animals
5.
When there’s a patch of brown grass on the quad
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SECTION TITLE GOES HERE
MOST TRIGGERING THINGS AT BISHOPS Author
6.
When there’s ravioli at lunch and you get the sauce on your white polo
7.
When you have a bottom locker
8.
When you have to dodge students with rolling backpacks
9.
When someone you don’t like asks you to prom
10.
When you show up late to chapel and have to face the “walk of shame”
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SECTION TITLE GOES HERE Author
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Issue 02 • October 2017 • The Tower