November 2013 by The Highland Fling

HIGHLAND

FLI N G

NOVEMBER 2013

THE INSIDE news Pot for Tots p. 2

feature Meet the New Student Teachers! p. 6 opinion Dress Code p. 9 arts Fast and Furious 6: A Future Classic? p. 10 sports Protect Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself p. 12

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AMERICAN?

Amita Shukla

iss America is high school redux—some of the country’s prettiest women compete for scholarships to any school they want (no, it’s not all about just being pretty). Like high school, there is a lot of drama, a lot of eye rolling, and a lot more focus on looks than anyone really wants to admit. Most of the commentaries on Nina Davuluri, Miss America 2014, sound suspiciously similar to what one might read on the bathroom stalls in high school. Social media raged against Indians, Muslims, and other “untrue Americans” as soon as Davuluri’s victory was announced. A video on USA Today featured horrific tweets calling her “Miss 7-11” and “Miss Al Qaeda.” Coming so close to the 9-11 anniversary, her crowning was considered by some as a second slap in the face to the country. Not willing to stop there, people accused her of stealing the crown from other, “more American” contestants. The favored contestant by most of those dissenters was Miss Kansas (Theresa Vail), a blonde, blue-eyed hunter and military member. These are allegedly more “American” activities and traits than attending medical school, Davuluri’s dream. Miss Vail is the archetypical “American,” which is not necessarily a bad thing—but her “American” is far from the only. No matter how good Davuluri may be in any other respect (she studied cognitive science at University of Michigan), the one thing people focus on is how she is not “pretty” enough or “American” enough to hold her title. When asked what makes us American, most Americans ironically cite our cultural diversity. In light of that, does it really make sense

for people to want only a white woman as the face of our country? Nina Davuluri is a woman who wants to be a doctor, who has been academically successful, and who is articulate and confident. This is the kind of role model America’s women need, even if she does not sport beach-blonde waves. We say we are so proud to be American, but what does that really mean? The mudslingers seek to uphold tradition and to uphold a standard. And yes, Miss America may have started as an all-white competition. But voting and owning land in America used to be all white too. Miss America was all white for its first 35 years, and it was not until 1984 (63 years after the pageant started) that a nonwhite woman won the crown. The mudslingers cling to a racist, closed-minded, and outdated standard. Davuluri agrees, “I’ve always viewed Miss America as the girl next door, and the girl next door is evolving as diversity in America evolves. She’s not who she was 10 years ago, and she’s not going to be the same person come 10 years down the road.” The Miss America pageant is one of the most famous beauty pageants, and it is not going away anytime soon, however outdated it may seem to some. Conceptually, it is a good idea—offer a smart, beautiful woman a chance at fame. But the way we see Miss America is a vestige of a time gone by, and we need to change it. We all need to take a long, hard look at what it means to be American, and what we think it means to be beautiful. The problem lies not in Nina Davuluri, but in the people criticizing her. Can we all just agree that the winner of this beauty pageant is actually (gasp) beautiful?

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SCHOOL CLOSED

WALK THE PARK

VETERANS DAY

November 7-8

November 7

November 11

END OF FIRST MARKING PERIOD

DRAMA DEPARTMENT PRODUCTION OF “PLAY ON!”

HANUKKAH

November 14

November 21-23

November 27-December 5

DECA MAKE-A-WISH WALK

MS/HS ORCHESTRA CONCERT

THANKSGIVING

November 22

December 4

November 28

RUTGERS MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE

HIGH SCHOOL BAND CONCERT

BLACK FRIDAY

December 6-8

December 10

November 29

NJ Gun Buyback Program H

Esder Chong

ow many guns are owned by the citizens in New Jersey? The correct answer is a lot. To prevent another Newtown incident, a gun buyback program, was instituted to purchase firearms from the citizens in New Jersey. In return for the guns, there will be a monetary compensation. Higher rewards will be given for firearms of higher value and danger level. On average, a gun returner is paid $250 per gun. More than $900,000 has been issued for the citizens returning their guns. The goal of this program is clear—to reduce the amount of armed weapons owned by citizens. When this program was enforced, hundreds of civilians turned in all types of firearms. Within only 2 days, about 1,700 firearms were collected.

Firearms in New Jersey were responsible for up to 71% of all murders that occur. In 2011, 269 people in New Jersey were killed due to guns. Now with all these guns returned, will there be a greater guarantee of safety in this state than before? Shaina Resnick, ‘15, stated, “Well, I think that the money spent to bring guns back into the government’s hands will not go at waste. I definitely see positive changes on gun violence in the future.” Sarah Liebau, ‘16, shares, “I think it might help reduce it a little but it’s not going to ‘take away’ guns from the people who shouldn’t have them because if someone has a gun and intends to harm people with it, then they are not going to get rid of it for some money.” With mixed feelings and thoughts about this program, one question is left to be uncovered as time passes—is the slight possibility of decreased gun violence worth $900,000?

FULLY LOADED New Jersey takes measures to reduce gun violence.

Pot for Tots W

Avantika Yellapantula

hen asked whether they would support a bill that grants access to medical use of marijuana in New Jersey, a Highland Park High school sophomore exclaimed, “Definitely! Yes, yes, yes!” Luckily for them, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie agrees. Governor Christie recently signed into law a bill that gives sick children better access to medical marijuana. New Jersey is one of the few states in eastern United States that legalized the use of medical marijuana to help children with chronic illnesses. Christie agreed to approve the bill weeks after saying that he would do so if the state legislature agreed to the revisions. These revisions to the bill are aptly called “pot for tots” as the program only allows qualified children to consume in its edible forms such as tablets, capsules, drops or syrups. According to Reuters, Christie, a 51-yearold Republican seeking a second term as Governor, got his way, saying he was pleased that the legislature accepted his recommendations so that suffering children could get the necessary treatment. The legalization of medical marijuana in New Jersey was a vigorous political battle. The bill was originally proposed after Brian and Meghan Wilson, residents of Scotch Plains, NJ, started a campaign to seek a possible lifesaving treatment for their 2-year-old daughter Vivian, who was suffering from Dravet Syndrome, a particular form of severe epilepsy that reportedly responds to a certain type of medicinal marijuana. In August, Christie vetoed the original bill and indicated that it would only become law if medical marijuana would only be administered for minors and only if a physician or psychiatrist gave their approval for such treatment. It sat on the Governor’s desk for about two months. On August 14, Brian Wilson, wearing a shirt

THE HIGHLAND FLING, NOVEMBER 2013

that read “Vivian Wilson’s Dad,” and a group of about 150 people showed up at the Governor’s campaign stop, urging the governor to sign the bill. Wilson publicly confronted the Governor to persuade him about permitting medical marijuana pleading Christie, “Please don’t let my daughter die.” But, some parents may have other ideas. When asked the same question as the high school sophomore, a Highland Park parent had a slightly negative opinion on the issue. “I don’t think it’s a solution; it’s just a way to alleviate pain and if there is another option I think they should use something else because marijuana is addictive. Also I think people might take advantage of it by claiming they have strong pains just to get more marijuana.” This type of conflict between two opposing sides would place much pressure on the Governor regarding the topic. Nonetheless, there was sufficient precedence for approval of the law. Already, about 18 states in the country had some form of medical marijuana program to deal with such illnesses. According to Ken Wolski, chief executive officer of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey, there was lot of pressure on the Governor to corner him into a favorable decision. Advocates of medical marijuana contend that the bill is highly restrictive in many ways. It only permits qualified children to consume edible forms of marijuana. Also, the law requires that the treatment be approved by a minimum of two doctors, including a pediatrician. Cindy Kleiner, 47, of Wantage Township, says she is unable to manage chronic pain, which she gained as a result of two car accidents. Kleiner finds taking an FDA-approved synthetic form of THC called Marinolis ineffective and has been eagerly

anticipating the law allowing the use of medical marijuana to pass. She adds that whether it is supplied through a pipe or baked into a cookie is for the doctors and the patients to determine. This becomes critical, especially for throat and lung cancer patients, who cannot smoke the medicine. With very few doctors participating in the program, these tight measures make it very difficult for parents seeking to enroll their kids in the program. There is also a proposal to set up a database tracking patients’ progress and side effects from marijuana use, based on reports from doctors and operators of alternative treatment centers that dispense the medicinal marijuana. The new law seems to focus more on the fear that it will feed more recreational users than patients. According to Chris Goldstein, a board member for the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey, a large part of these restrictions created by the Department of Health and Senior Services arise not from science but from politics. There is evidence of changing public perceptions of medical marijuana use all over America. Several states are passing laws to decriminalize marijuana or allow for medical marijuana use. The shift in general acceptance reflects how voters feel about relaxing marijuana laws in the United States, especially with regard to its medicinal use. In New Jersey, Governor Christie deserves some credit for this law that would have prohibited the use of medical marijuana for cases such as Vivian’s. Politically, it was a challenging and complicated issue for the Governor. It speaks well for Christie that he took the public opinion in count when considering this decision. The Governor said that, “This new law will help sick kids access the program while also keeping in place appropriate safeguards.”

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A Whole New Phone and a Whole “New Phone”

Jisu Jeong

nless you have been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you have probably heard about Apple’s two latest phones, the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C. They were released together on September 20, setting the record as the first time that Apple debuted more than one iPhone in the same year. But don’t get too excited, because although Apple certainly made it look like both phones were brandspanking new, one of them certainly is not. As many may have noticed, the iPhone 5C,

from the front, looks strikingly similar to the iPhone 5; the home button, screen size, and other aspects of the phone are identical to those of the iPhone 5. In fact, the iPhone 5C resembles its predecessor so much that one might be tricked into thinking that it is no different from the iPhone 5. However, it isn’t. The 5C is simply the iPhone 5 wearing a new set of clothing—plastic coating that comes in five colors (orange, blue, green, white, and yellow). True, the front-facing camera was slightly improved, and same with the battery life. It also comes with iOS 7, is cheaper ($99), and

FAMILY PHOTO Three generations of iPhones (from left to right, the 5, 5C, and 5S) pose for a family portrait in front of a dictionary.

the antenna has been changed to function better in other countries. However, the iPhone 5C is actually nothing more than a less expensive, more colorful, and more plastic iPhone 5 with iOS 7.

Moreover, the iPhone 5S has a new, faster, and more powerful processor. The iPhone 5S costs $199 with most contracts and comes in silver, gold, and gray metallic designs equipped with iOS 7.

On the other hand, the iPhone 5S contains enough differences from the iPhone 5 to be considered a brand new cellular device. Although the size of the screen remained the same and the back of the phone looks almost identical to that of its older counterpart, several internal and external features have been changed and added. For example, the fingerprint scanner, one of the more notable features, was newly implemented. Furthermore, the familiar home button has been swapped with a flat fingerprint scanner (which still functions as the home button) that allows users to just use their finger to unlock the phone. However, the fingerprint scanner does have a downside—if you restart your iPhone or leave it inactive for 48 hours, the phone will not allow you to use your finger to unlock the phone but will instead ask you to type in your passcode. Another feature that has been added is the motion-sensing chip. The chip allows the phone to act as a pedometer and has already been taken advantage of by fitness/health apps. Another aspect of the phone that has been improved from the previous version is the camera. The iPhone 5S’s camera is better at countering shaky hands, can record videos in slow motion, and can take pictures in burst mode. These improvements, combined with the tweaked LED light that now adjusts the color of its flashes to the environment and greater photo, make those selfies and videos of some guy eating twenty slices of pizza in one minute easier to capture, and the end product more aesthetically pleasing.

When interviewed, several students voiced their opinions on Apple and its most recent phones. Senior Alex Liu commented, “The iPhone 5S is much better than the iPhone 5, but the iPhone 5C is worse.” “They’re running out of ideas,” he added. Sophomore Ethan Hagin similarly said, “I think that the little changes are not enough to constitute it as a new product.” He believed Apple was overrated. Another sophomore, William John, noted, “The 5C is terrible; it’s just a cheaper version of the iPhone 5.” About the iPhone 5S, he said, “The 5S is just the iPhone 5 with a fingerprint scanner.” Sophomore Mateo Juliani criticized the fingerprint scanner feature, saying, “Apple was careless in adding the fingerprint scanner because now people can easily hack it. I saw a video where a cat unlocked it.” From both the comments of the interviewees and the dearth of changes in its two latest phones, it is obvious that Apple is running out of ideas; more and more, its products seem to be renamed previous versions with small tweaks, advertised as completely novel and necessary to keep up with the trend. But it’s not just Apple; it seems that almost everything in today’s society is yelling at us, “I’m this much newer and this much better than my previous version,” and luring us in. Still, Apple needs to recognize that the iPhone 5C is not a new phone, no matter how much glossy plastic and bright, colorful paint the company adds to it.

Advantageous Apps Sarah Cheng

very minute, 100 hours of video are uploaded on YouTube, 290 thousand statuses are updated on Facebook, 120 thousand tweets are posted on Twitter, and 1,350 photos are shared on Instagram. With the pervasive presence of social media in daily life, it is no wonder that some of this technology has seeped into the education system. Various school districts across the nation have eliminated textbooks from their curriculum, replacing them with iPads, where they can access course material through ebooks and lessen the burden of a heavy backpack. But until the Board of Education wins the Mega Millions, Highland Park will have to enjoy the benefits of modern technology on a smaller scale. In recent years, many teachers within the high school have incorporated online resources into their classrooms. The entire Language Arts department worships Turnitin.com, where students electronically upload their assignments. However, this website is exceptional in that it also cross-examines the submitted material with other scholarly articles to check for plagiarism, saving English teachers from the tedious task. This website also features an app for teachers to access their Turnitin data wherever they want. A student in Ms. Marionni’s class comments that the website is very easily accessible and effortless to use. However, it requires every student to create an account, which could be a wearisome process.

Another manner in which teachers utilize computers is through cloud storage services like Dropbox and Google Drive. Both feature apps that allow users to access all documents from any device. Ms. Stephen uploads PowerPoints of lessons covered in class, so if anyone is lost, they can just log on to Dropbox and review the material. For every student who joins Dropbox through her referral, Ms. Stephen gets more storage space to post even more files

for her classes. What a scientific method of approach! Meagan Hoffman, a junior in her AP Chemistry class, comments “The PowerPoints are helpful since I miss her class a lot. However, I wouldn’t rely just on them to make up a missed lesson because a lot more material is covered in the actual class than 15 slides of a PowerPoint.” Ms. Maharana uses Google Drive in a similar fashion. Students who are added

to the group can see the files she shares and get email notices for new alerts. In addition, Ms. Maharana posts homework assignments via the Google group, saving time and being environmentally friendly all in one go. Thomas Li, a sophomore, says that getting homework via the Internet may be inconvenient for some students who may not have constant access to a computer. However, since not many have that problem, he says it is a great resource because it saves a lot of paper. Lastly, perhaps the most prevalent app used by students and teachers is Edmodo. com. Introduced by Mr. Gold, this is now the preferred method of communication for many teachers, like Ms. Wilson, Ms. Barca, Ms. Feng, Mr. Harper, Mr. Broadfoot, and more. Rahmate Islam, a junior, says it is very helpful when an entire assignment gets posted on Edmodo because she can refer back to the instructions and know exactly when and where to submit the assignment. Since Ms. Wilson and Mr. Gold are also the advisors for the Model UN club, this program is also used to coordinate activities between the 70 or so members of the group. Overall, it is very useful in getting the word around.

IN HER ELEMENT Science teacher Ms. Stephen shows off her brandnew iPhone, her favorite invention since the microscope.

Well, there you have it. As much as students hate it when teachers try to use teenage lingo, it seems acceptable when they connect with us in another form of common language—technology. Whether it is Turnitin, Dropbox, Google Drive, or Edmodo, every online resource helps establish a bridge in the teacher-student relationship outside the classroom. NOVEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

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Fallin’ for Autumn Recipes Jana Choi

Ingredients:

During this time of year, seasonal pumpkin flavors can be found in ice creams, donuts, coffees—basically any other grocery store food item located on grocery store shelves. The autumn favorite is abundant when the weather cools and the leaves change color, with spices like cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg making regular appearances. To get a taste of this delicious fall staple in a pinch, try a microwave mug cake. By combining just a few ingredients and nuking for 2 minutes, you’ll have a warm, healthy, and delicious pumpkin treat!

1/3 cup oatmeal or flour

Autumn Pumpkin Mug Cake

Directions:

Prep time: 1 minute

1. Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe mug

Cook time: 2 minutes

2. Microwave for 2 minutes or until set

1 large egg 2 tbsp pumpkin (canned purée or fresh) 1 tbsp sweetener (honey, stevia, or brown sugar) 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 cup milk

3. Enjoy! Max Broggi-Sumner These Marshmallow hats may have a Thanksgiving theme, but can be served at any time of the year! Makes 24 “Hats.” Serves 3-4 people.

Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats

Directions:

Prep time: 15-20 minutes

1. Set cookies on baking pan covered in wax. Make sure there is room between each one.

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients: 24 marshmallows 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips

2. Heat chocolate chips in microwave until melted (About a minute). 3. Stick a toothpick into a marshmallow, and dip it in chocolate. Then place it on a cookie. Use the other toothpick to remove the first toothpick. Repeat on all 24 “hats.”

24 chocolate-shortbread cookies

4. After the chocolate sets, make a little square buckle on each hat using icing.

1 Tube of yellow frosting

5. Serve and make sure everyone gets one!

2 toothpicks (don’t eat)

Sarah Liebau Tzatziki sauce is a Mediterranean sauce, specifically Greek; however, it is used in many regions. It is known for its tangy yogurt-y flavor and is delicious on bread, meat, salads—just about anything. The sauce is also very good for your health! Tzatziki Sauce Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 0 minutes

Directions: 1. Place 2 cups of plain low fat yogurt (Greek or regular-both work) in a medium bowl and set aside. 2. Dice ½ of a medium sized red onion and put it in the yogurt. Take about a third of a cucumber and peel it and remove the seed insides, and dice as well, adding to yogurt. 3. Add fresh cut dill to taste (in my opinion, the more, the better) and cut a lemon in half (using both halves), remove seeds, and squeeze into the yogurt mixture. 4. Add salt and pepper to taste. For a more intense, spicier flavor, add 2 cloves of crushed or chopped garlic.

Meet Our Student Chefs

Name: Jana Choi Grade: 11 Favorite Food: Oatmeal THE HIGHLAND FLING, NOVEMBER 2013

Name: Max Broggi-Sumner Grade: 9 Favorite Food: Cookies

Name: Sarah Liebau Grade: 10 Favorite Food: Meatballs

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First Quarter Check-Ups S

Tia Wangli

chool has started and it is time to do some checkups on each grade level. Starting from the youngest of the bunch, we chose to interview Michael Choi, a freshman. Everyone mentions how high school is a drastic change from middle school, but Michael does not agree. He believes that there is no serious change. However, he does enjoy the fact that he can finally choose his own electives. On the topic of school events and freshman year in general, Michael and sophomore Ananya Singh hold opposing opinions. Michael is not particularly interested in any

extracurricular high school events, not even Spirit Week, one of the high school’s more competitive contests. In contrast, based on his own experiences as a freshman, Ananya is pretty excited for the remaining three years of high school. He would like to see some changes made in the school though, such as a more lenient technology policy. For the sophomores, this is the first year they are allowed to take AP classes. Ananya is currently taking AP Psychology, and he does not seem to feel any serious pressure from the class. In fact, he is not even worried about the AP exam at the end of the year. On the other hand, junior Becca Chant, who is taking a variety of AP classes, including AP Physics and AP Calculus

AB, feels pretty nervous. Becca mentions how she would like to organize a study group for tests in those classes. Despite her nervousness, she believes that, “Highland Park does a good job of prepping students for the exam.” In regards to SATs, Becca has taken the initiative to go out and buy an SAT book to study from. She does state that everyone needs to calm down a bit and stop panicking about the SATs. Now we have reached the veterans of the school, the seniors. Has senioritis taken over their life yet? Jimmy Tu explains, “I’ve had senioritis since freshman year.” He offers some advice about college applications and choosing a college; however, his advice should probably be taken with

a grain of salt. For college applications, Jimmy says, “Do it last minute. Don’t deal with the stress and you won’t have stress,” and as for choosing a college, Jimmy is planning on going to, “whichever school gives me money and is the easiest to get into.” A typical response from a senior afflicted with senioritis. First quarter seems to be going reasonably smooth for all grade levels. The freshmen are adjusting well to high school and the other three grades are doing a good job juggling homework, classes, and extracurricular activities. Hopefully, all of us will continue to do well throughout the school year!

EARLY ON-SET SENIORITIS Student artist Dawn Park, ‘16, displays the eternal struggle between short-term gratification and long-term success.

The Nine Weirdest Scholarships O Shana Oshinskie

h, fall—the leaves are changing, Halloween is around the corner, and seniors nationwide are beginning to panic because college applications are due right around the corner. On top of the stress of getting into a college, the rising cost of tuition adds another layer of pressure. However, have no fear—hundreds of thousands of scholarships are available, ranging from topics such as the zombie apocalypse to ice cream, and you may be eligible to win thousands of dollars from them!

1. The Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship Instead of taking notes in class, have you been daydreaming about the possibility of a zombie apocalypse? If so, this scholarship is for you. Write the best 250-word essay about your plan for the zombie apocalypse, and a $1,500 scholarship could be yours!

2. Tall Clubs International Scholarship Are you tall? You could qualify for the Tall Clubs International Scholarship, which rewards $1,000 for the best essay on what being tall means to you.

3. American Fire Sprinkler Association Scholarship Program Are you fascinated by Fire Sprinklers? If so, you might benefit from this grant. All you need to do is download and print out a provided essay on sprinklers, then read it while you answer questions to an online quiz. All entries will be weighed against each other, and if you stack up well you could score $2,000 dollars towards higher education! 4. National Marbles Tournament Scholarship Are you an accomplished mibster (fan of marbles)? If so, head over to Wildwood, New Jersey, for the annual Marbles Tournament, where you could win a scholarship of up to $2,000 dollars. 5. The Kor Memorial Scholarship Are you interested in studying a language? Do you know Klingon? The Kor Memorial Scholarship awards $500 to inspire

students to creatively study the language.

6. Flavor of the Month Scholarship The only things you need for this scholarship are an interest in ice cream and introspective skills. Just describe why any flavor of ice cream describes your personality and be entered for a chance to win $1,500 dollars!

Paying for college may be tough, but you can lighten the load considerably by applying for scholarships—either from the list above, or elsewhere. There are countless more and one will surely be a perfect match for you. Happy hunting!

7. Top Ten List Scholarship For any David Letterman fans, this scholarship will surely please. All you have to do is compose the best list of ten reasons why you deserve a scholarship, and $1,500 will be headed your way. 8. Society of Vacuum Coaters Foundation Scholarship If you have a passion for coating vacuum cleaners and wish to pursue this as a career, apply now. $2,500 is awarded to the winner and you may reapply even if you have already won! 9. Michigan Llama Association Scholarship If your parent works for the Michigan Llama association, go ahead and apply for this scholarship! The amount awarded is unspecified, but there are no other requirements!

NOVEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

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Mr. Lee

Ms. Cambridge

Mr. Davenport

New Student Teachers at Highland Park High School

Olivia Bridges

ot only has this school year brought in new students, some fresh faces have also appeared in the faculty. For this month’s issue, the Fling interviewed three student teachers working in different departments. Through a global citizenship program partnered with Rutgers University, they are working in our school to get a feel for teaching in a high school environment. Mr. Lee works with Mr. Ruckdeschel in the math department. Ms. Cambridge works with Mrs. Barca and Ms. Krubski in the English department. Mr. Davenport works with Ms. Wilson in the history department. Where did you go to school and what was your major? Mr. Lee I went to Rutgers, and majored in mathematics and minored in psychology. Currently, I am enrolled in the 5-year master’s education program. Ms. Cambridge I went to Rutgers for my undergrad in English. Currently, I am in the master’s program for education. Mr. Davenport I went to Rutgers for my undergraduate years, and I was a history major.

Were you ever unsure of what you wanted to be? Mr. Lee I was always pretty sure that I wanted to go into the math field. Ms. Cambridge I actually had thought about majoring in psychology, but I took one class and it was too science oriented for me. Mr. Davenport I originally was going to major in psychology, and then I found out that I needed a master’s degree for an entry level position and I just got really tired of it. By freshman year I had changed to history, and I stayed with that for the rest of college.

What do you do as a student teacher? Mr. Lee I recently picked up teaching two pre-calculus honors sections as well as one pre-calculus course. I’m still just helping out in the other two classes [math support and pre-college mathematics with Mr. Ruck], answering questions and such, but I do plan on picking up all the classes before my time is up here in December. Ms. Cambridge Professional laptop cart pusher is one of them! I copy a lot of papers and design lesson plans, like any other teacher. It’s a lot to learn because it’s hard being a teacher and a student at the same time, but again I’m really enjoying it. Mr. Davenport Right now we kind of co-teach. Ms. Wilson hasn’t given me too many grading responsibilities just yet, but I will be taking over her world history class and her US history classes completely, and I’ll have 100% responsibility.

How do you like Highland Park? Mr. Lee In the beginning, I wasn’t used to a smaller school as well as block scheduling, but after a few weeks I’ve come to really appreciate the faculty and students that I’ve met so far. I believe the tight knit community I sense here within the school is very strong. Ms. Cambridge I’ve been really enjoying it. It’s definitely a different experience because of the school size and the fact that everyone knows each other. You kind of feel at a disadvantage when you first come in because everyone knows everyone’s name, regardless of grade or department. Everyone’s really interested and invested in others, which is great, but for me it’s really hard to learn all five hundred people’s names and personalities at the same time!

What do you want to teach?

Mr. Davenport It’s good! The school set up is a little confusing. It’s very strangely organized, but after I got used to finding my way around I began to really like the department that I work in. I like the student climate with the huge focus on debate and awareness; I think that’s excellent. The teacher’s lounge isn’t as toxic as some of the others that I’ve been in before.

Mr. Lee I’m pretty comfortable with any mathematical subject, but I prefer to teach upper level math courses such as calculus.

Any favorite moments so far?

Ms. Cambridge High School English, but I have also thought about going to get my PhD to teach at a college level. Right now I really enjoy teaching high school. Mr. Davenport For better or worse, I will take any high school job I can get, which may involve me teaching finance like Mr. Gold, or justice and law like Ms. Wilson. You are really at the whim of your employer.

THE HIGHLAND FLING, NOVEMBER 2013

Mr. Lee I visit the Ping-Pong club weekly and love playing against students as well as some teachers. I was very active with the club at Rutgers and it just is really nice to see student interest in one of my favorite sports. Ms. Cambridge I came in the first day when the teachers all had to come in and report at the school. I was super eager—a little too eager. I think that I freaked Mrs. Barca out a little. I had all my bulletin board supplies in colors that matched her board’s colors. I had planned everything out, and I was going to make this wonderful bulletin board. But I had not realized how hard it is to make a bulletin board. The paper I had gotten only covered half

of the board. Just imagine Mrs. Barca’s first impression of her student teacher, who is just like this really eager, but totally lost person, trying to make the paper stretch, and having to tell her, we’ll just try again tomorrow. Mr. Davenport I don’t think too much yet, but I am really enjoying getting to know all my students, and to kind of joke around with them comfortably. So, I’m sure there will be some soon.

Have you been to any of the restaurants or shops in Highland Park? Do you have a favorite? Mr. Lee Midori has pretty amazing sushi for its price! Also, you can’t forget about Highland Pizza and Tastee Sub Shop. Ms. Cambridge I actually live here. I just got married and I moved here from New Brunswick with my husband. Some of my favorite restaurants are Teté, a Peruvian place with great chicken empanadas, and the Korean restaurant that just opened up that I went to for date night. It was the Korean New Years and it was crazy. The food was so good. Our waiter was telling us how he eats live octopus on the weekends; it’s a legit place. Mr. Davenport I haven’t been to a lot of the restaurants per se. The Dish Cafe I know is really popular. My favorite place to eat in Highland Park is a place called the Better World Café, which is inside of the Reformed Church. I volunteered there a lot during the summer before last. That place is excellent. I really like that place.

Do you have any words of advice for Highland Park students, based on your own high school experience? Mr. Lee Do your best to be active in school! Colleges don’t just look for SAT scores. Grades are not everything. Extracurricular activities show how well rounded you are as a person, so get out and do something amazing today! Ms. Cambridge In retrospect, thinking back to high school, I really want to pull some students aside and tell them to start thinking about what makes them happy and to just go for it. If someone had seriously sat me down and said, “Listen, follow what makes you happy and do that really well.” If I had heard that in high school, I feel like it would have been a lot easier to figure out whom I was and what I wanted to do in college. Do what makes you happy, and try to find a way to make a job out of it and start going in that direction instead of wandering around. Mr. Davenport There are two things that I have to say, and one is that I am teacher now, and as a student I never challenged myself by taking any AP classes or anything. I say, pile it on. If you have credits going into college, it makes it so much easier, and you’ll be able to pick classes faster. Don’t try to skate by, and especially to my students, I expect a lot from you and it’s going to be hard. So, try hard.

feature

Gay Marriage: A Dialogue Oscar

lee

(left) & Gabe Trevor (right)

On Friday, October 18, the New Jersey Supreme Court ended Governor Chris Christie’s same-sex marriage blockade. Three days later, on Monday, October 21, Christie dropped his legal opposition, making New Jersey the 14th state to legalize gay marriage. Oscar Lee and Gabe Trevor had a back-and-forth regarding the news. #typical Marriage is an inherently conservative and privileged institution. Gay marriage only further privileges an already privileged people. Look at the people who most financially benefit from marriage—people like Edith Windsor, people who have assets, benefits to share—not low income queers or (disproportionately) queers of color. Gay marriage does nothing to change the dominant power structure; rather, it perpetuates it, under the sheen of “social justice.” Also, gay rights ≠ gay marriage. I agree with your sentiment, but marriage equality is going to lead to more push for anti-discrimination legislation in the long run. I want anti-discrimination legislation passed, but the momentum and financial backing isn’t there right now. tbh legislation doesn’t stop discrimination Better to have legislation than not. I understand there are cultural and societal things going and discrimination still exists on a massive scale, but it’s not like the government can start FCC regulations for quotas of well-written queer characters in network sitcoms. This is what’s in the government’s power, and the momentum is leading to progress. *progress for cis white people Agreed, but societal change takes a while. There isn’t full societal support for cis white gays, or even cis interracial couples. It’s not as if trans individuals are going to suddenly be accepted by mainstream culture, but that’s going to happen with the current streams of progress.

Arguments for gay marriage are classist and racist. They play into this notion of gay respectability—that gay people are wholesome, moral people--people “just like you.” The entire foundation on which the gay marriage movement rests is completely counter to progress or inclusion. It’s not about including queer people—it’s about including “normal people” and only cis white people fit under that banner of normalcy. What about everyone else?

More Than Just a Week of Competition Jana Choi

n line with Highland Park High School tradition, Spirit Week 2013 brought out the competitive nature in under and upperclassmen alike. With dress-up days, the pep rally, and Spirit Halls dominating the talk of the school, the classes of 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 fought hard for the owl of victory. But underlying the competitive nature of the class rivalry, a new theme of “Highland Park Pride” emerged to take place next to class devotion and the desire to win. Mr. Gold, who took charge of advising Student Congress this year, chose “Park Pride” as the overall theme of Spirit Week 2013 in order to shift the focus of the beloved HPHS institution from merely competitive sport, to a celebration of our school and our students’ achievements.

Tasked with the challenge of embodying an element of Highland Park High School into hallway decorations, students had to think more deeply about their plan of action – how do you represent academics, services, arts, and sports fully enough to fill the length of an entire hallway? Yet, each grade stepped up to the plate. Every hallway reminded students of the accomplishments of HPHS and why we should have school spirit. Though a departure from Spirit Hall themes of the past, “Park Pride” gave another dimension to

Spirit Week. Each obstacle overcome, each funny moment, and each victory was made even more memorable by the reminder that though we’re a small school, we have huge pride. Not every class can say that they took first place for Spirit Week 2013, but it was definitely not for lack of trying. Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors put all of their efforts into dressing up, winning the Pep Rally, and creating the best Spirit Hall. Those triumphant moments – from putting the final touches on hallways, to winning the tug of war – are what make Spirit Week great. When you cheer so loud that you go home with a voice of sandpaper and the left-over adrenaline from yelling at the Pep Rally still courses through your veins, you know that you did Spirit Hall right. At the end of the day, the students of our school are what make Spirit week an unforgettable experience. Our show of Highland Park pride and spirit outshone all Spirit Weeks of the past, and it should persist throughout the year. Congratulations to the Seniors for their beautifully constructed first place Spirit Hall and their overall Spirit Week win!

ALL’S FAIR IN SPIRIT WEEK AND TUG-OF-WAR The freshman class, ‘17, tries their hardest during the pep rally’s Tug-of-War event.

NOVEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

opinion

Codes of Oppression

Elena Weissmann

distinctly remember the day I was humiliated because of the length of my shorts. It was early in the morning, right before the homeroom bell was about to ring, and I was hurrying down the freshman hallway. Suddenly, a teacher who I did not know looked me up and down and barked, “Where are your pants?” It was more than just a question—it was an insult, a cry that was meant to draw the attention of everyone around me. Utterly shocked and embarrassed, I did not answer and just kept walking. I had never before felt so ashamed for wearing a pair of shorts. That moment would happen again and again. A teacher would pick out some violation—a stray tank top strap, shorts that were one-inch too short—and make me stand in front of the entire class, placing my hands on my legs and seeing if my fingertips reached the hem. These moments, seemingly insignificant, brought me endless shame—not because I actually believed wearing shorts made me immodest, but because the teacher, every time, seemed to insinuate that I was doing it all for the attention. But it was the opposite—I only violated the dress code for practical reasons. Maybe I would wear a pair of exercise pants, because I was hot after gym, or a tank top, because our school does not provide air-conditioning and it seems silly to sit through 90° weather wearing a sweater. Somehow, clothes that would pass for normal in a park or at a restaurant were wanton and provocative in a school setting. Depending on who you ask, the dress code is in place for different reasons, but usually the same one is repeated: so that the “other students” do not get distracted by one’s dress. If a pair of legs is actually distracting the students, then we have more serious problems. The dress code implies that it is the girl’s fault for the distraction, it is the girl’s fault that her body is being visually consumed. But why should we change the way we dress so that “other students” can focus better? Why should we be put to blame for getting ogled at? And why are we humiliating young women in front of their peers because they want to wear a weather-appropriate pair of shorts? A teacher with whom I was discussing this issue brought up a good point: the dress code should

be in place because school should be a formal setting where students dress nicely—like the work-place. And I do not necessarily disagree; I am all for keeping things classy. But the problem is that students wear sweatshirts, ripped-jeans, and dirty t-shirts all the time. Unfortunately, the teacher’s dream to make school a “formal setting” will never be realized—teenagers are teenagers. They do not dress like adults quite yet, and for a reason. In the meantime, why should girls be banned from wearing tank tops, but boys be allowed to wear sweatpants and muscle tees? Clearly, the school finds a problem more in the exposed skin of young teenage girls than the formality of their dress. During Spirit Week (“Hippie/Hipster Day”), Ana Miletic, a senior, was wearing a longsleeve flannel shirt and shorts with tights underneath when she was called down by a school administrator in the middle of class to go change. Her outfit was conservative, decent, and not at all provocative, yet it was deemed a “violation” due to the length of her shorts. Not only was her education interrupted, but her outfit was practically ruined when she had to wear a pair of gym sweatpants for the rest of the day. How’s that for school spirit?

Dress for Success Elisha Eanes

could potentially conceal a weapon.

or those in Highland Park High School who are annoyed that we are not allowed to wear hats, sandals, short shorts, etc. in school: imagine if there weren’t a dress code.

It is considered a privilege to be allowed to express ourselves through what we wear. How can people get an idea of who we are when we are wearing a starched navy blue polo and khakis? We take advantage of our lax dress code by seeking to break the boundaries of fashion. We have a right to do that, but in the process, we do not have the right to endanger ourselves with inadequate protection or make others feel uncomfortable when they see the color of our undergarments.

What would stop us from coming to school in bathing suits and flipflops? Who could say anything to someone who shrouds their face with a hat or a hoodie, or someone who wears pants so baggy that it couldn’t be determined if they were hiding a weapon or not? Think about it—all our little agenda is asking is to dress appropriately, not wear revealing or controversial clothing, and not wear clothing that

“We have the right to express ourselves through what we wear,” says the voice of reason. Yeah, so don’t push it.

“I just felt that it was unfair how I was being scrutinized and in a way judged for wearing something of equivalent length to other students—students who got away with those outfits simply because ‘they haven’t been caught yet,’” Ana says. If my peers and I were not constantly humiliated by teachers for violating the dress code, and if we did not have to sweat our way through September and June classes, perhaps I would be more forgiving. But in the meantime, I refuse to accept a rule—or an implementation of a rule— that upsets me, embarrasses me, and makes me physically uncomfortable. Girls should feel safe and secure at HPHS—not ashamed and offended. I do not necessarily support a complete overhaul of the dress code rule, but I do ask for teachers to be more understanding and discreet when implementing the rule. And I do ask teachers to be a little more lenient about the dress code during Spirit Week and the spring and summer months. Being forced into jeans and t-shirts, forced into boiling rooms without air conditioning, does not at all create a positive learning environment, and almost certainly merits an exception to the dress code.

PANTS ARE TOO MAINSTREAM Senior Ana Miletic, ‘14, was humiliated and forced to change her shorts on Hippies and Hipsters day.

Many Faces, Few Voices

Oscar Lee

ommunity service is one of the most important tenets of DECA and this year, DECA has chosen to partner with the Covenant House of New Jersey to help teens from across the state. The Covenant House empowers and provides for homeless, runaway, and atrisk youth. It’s the largest and most important nonprofit of its kind in New Jersey, providing food, shelter, clothing, medical care, educational and vocational services, counseling, legal services, life skills, education, recreation, aftercare, pastoral care, drug abuse treatment, prevention support—the list goes on and on.

HPHS PROVIDES HOMES FOR HUNDREDS DECA sold paper houses to raise money for New Jersey’s Covenant House, a safe place for homeless and runaway youth.

THE HIGHLAND FLING, NOVEMBER 2013

In New Jersey, 70% of the kids living on the streets have a history of physical or sexual abuse. 81% have lost someone in their immediate family to death. The Covenant House helps almost 3,500 of those youth every year. Last year, it provided over 44,000 nights of shelter

and served over 167,000 meals. What separates the Covenant House from other organizations is its focus on teens and on breaking the cycle of homelessness with life skills training and educational support. This innovative approach directly tackles the roots of poverty. Last year, we were able to raise thousands of dollars for victims of Hurricane Sandy. This year, help lend your support to the Covenant House of New Jersey and make an even bigger difference in the community. How to help? Support Highland Park DECA’s Teens 4 Teens campaign. Buy a house from any current DECA member for only $1. Help spread awareness about teen homelessness and the Covenant House’s work. Volunteer at the Covenant House or another local organization. The possibilities are endless. What’s not endless is youth homelessness. We can make a difference. You can make a difference.

opinion On the Government Shutdown

NO LIE Eli Liebell-McLean

The Shutdown Is Worth It

ome of you might be disappointed with our government’s current state of affairs. I know a lot of people think John Boehner is living up to his name, but when I am confronted with the amount of liberal anger directed at our noble lawmakers for putting us through this so-called ordeal, I am disappointed in the vision of my peers. As a nation, we have to realize that Congress has given us the greatest gift of all: a chance for America to rediscover what it means to be America. Basically, it’s the equivalent of Frosty the Snowman discovering the meaning of Christmas. Sure, we’re facing a potential crisis for our defense industry, what with an inability to continue government inspections which will send progress grinding to a halt, but what if we return to that whole rough tough guerilla war thing we had going in the 1700s? How much bureaucracy does it really take to load a musket? And as for bayonets—heck, what could possibly go wrong? Really, I blame the complexity and innovativeness of our military technology. This would never have happened if we still wrapped our feet in ripped cloth instead of shoes. Actually, let’s take it a step further. I’ve always loved interpreting the Constitution exactly as our Founding Fathers wrote it, so why not throw our hats over the wall and go full immersion? I’m talking one hundred percent local agrarian economies. After all, who can trust food you don’t grow yourself when food safety testing is shut down? Now, you never have to leave—and certainly not on an airplane, since more than a third of commercial flights are down at the moment. And as a senior looking for colleges that offer small class sizes, I am really excited about the cut to subsidized loans for college students. National Parks? They need to take a step back and re-embrace the true side of nature by shutting down; plus, it means a nice, relaxing break for tourism-reliant communities. After all, they’re only losing thirty million dollars per day. I sure wish I could be a furloughed worker right now. Not only do they get a lovely vacation, but they also get to experience the truest form of American citizenship: independence. Let’s see if they can independently pay their rent without that useless salary, so tainted by the plague of Obamacare. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, John Boehner. You taught me to be an American again, and all it took was compromising the spirit of compromise and giving in to an outrageous faction of radicals intent on destroying the legislative process, my hope for a bipartisan and peaceful future, and the last remnants of confidence in the US Congress.

Gabe Trevor

epublicans control one house of one branch of government. Meanwhile, Democrats control the Senate with a meager majority, Democrats received one million more overall votes in the 2012 House elections than Republicans, and our Democratic president, Obama, was re-elected with a four point majority by running on the Affordable Care Act. Clearly, President Obama and the Democrats have the public’s mandate to run the nation; only because of rampant gerrymandering are they not in control of both houses of Congress. In fact, if the clean continuing resolution bill were put up in the House, it would pass with bipartisan support. This shutdown is not President Obama’s fault, nor is it Harry Reid’s or Nancy Pelosi’s fault. In this case, Speaker of the House John Boehner and the Tea Party Caucus are to blame. Boehner feels beholden to the extremist minority faction of his party, which is dragging their feet about a bill that was passed three years ago. The Affordable Care Act was already challenged in the conservative Supreme Court and deemed constitutional, and the Republican-controlled House has already tried—and failed—to repeal it 46 times. Surprisingly, the individual mandate implemented by the bill was proposed by the conservative Heritage Foundation in the early 1990s as an alternative to the Single Payer healthcare system like the one seen in nearly every other developed country. The Republican’s candidate in 2012, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, signed into law a bill that introduced practically the same plan for his state. To act outraged at legislation which is already a major compromise for many progressives, and that was championed by conservatives before a black president made it his signature legislation, is intellectually deceitful and downright hypocritical. Republicans say that they want to negotiate the government shutdown. But thus far, all they have proposed are ideas that weaken the President’s signature domestic accomplishment. As this point, do they really expect Democrats to compromise on a bill that was already passed, already (unsuccessfully) challenged, and already in effect as of October 1st? John Boehner should do the right thing and abandon his attack on Obamacare. Let the clean continuing resolution bill go to the floor, let it pass, and let needed reform commence in an environment where brinksmanship isn’t the norm. Some say this would lose him the speakership come 2014—but he’s already had a disastrous speakership, and he’s certainly not getting elected president. Moderate Republicans don’t like his leadership, Tea Party Republicans don’t like his compromises, and Democrats don’t like his obstinance. If he leads the charge to reform Obamacare in a responsible fashion, it’s true—he could lose the speakership. But he would give his term as Speaker of the House a signature accomplishment—a signature accomplishment worthy of a President.

2D or Not 2D

Max Broggi-Sumner

intendo has been creating handheld game systems like GameBoy, DS, and 3DS for years. But none have been met with as much controversy as the new 2DS. For those who do not know, the 2DS is the 3DS but without the 3D gaming, hence 2DS. The release of the 2DS gaming system has been perceived as a step backwards, but upon further reflection, a case can be made for 2DS. Obviously the 2DS was not made for 3DS owners. If you do not own a 3DS, a 2DS is a good choice to play 3DS games, as the 2DS is cheaper. The 2DS is a good choice for budget conscience parents purchasing video games for younger children. Four to six year olds want to play video games and Nintendo wants to establish brand loyalty at a young age.

editor-in-chief Oscar Lee layout editor Zoe Temple business manager Maddie Hehir head photographer Zoe Temple online editor Elena Weissmann news editor Sarah Cheng feature editor Jana Choi opinion editor Maddie Hehir sports editor Olivia Draper arts editor Elena Weissmann advisor Brett Roche

Many Highland Park students have thoughts on the new 2DS. One commented, “I like the 2DS, despite the fact that it can’t be closed. If you’re from a family that doesn’t have as much money as they’d like to; or if you’re our age but need to buy game systems from their low paying jobs, the 2DS will save you a decent amount of money.” While another student countered saying, “I don’t really like the 2DS. It only saves about $40, and you can’t just pause the game by closing it. The time spent making the 2DS could have been spent making more games for the 3DS or Wii U.” Nintendo knew what they were doing when the made the 2DS, as it establishes brand loyalty in children and is profitable. If you do not have a 3DS, a 2DS is a good choice unless you truly value playing in 3D.

writers Eli Liebell-McLean, Gabe Trevor, Shana Oshinskie, Tia Wangli, Amita Shukla, Max Broggi-Sumner, Olivia Bridges, Avantika Yellapantala, Elisha Eanes, Esder Chong, Jisu Jeong, Sarah Liebau, Warren Yee, Miranda Safir illustrators & photographers Joon Ko, Miranda Safir, Camryn Kozachek, Amita Shukla, Dawn Park

the official newspaper of highland park high school highland park, new jersey 08904 . thehighlandfling@gmail.com . hpfling.tumblr.com . facebook.com/hpfling . @hpfling NOVEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

arts

Don’t Forget the Classics W

Maddie Hehir

hile 2013 proved to have its highs and lows, one serious low was the quality of movies released this year. For some unknown reason, writers couldn’t seem to think of one original plot, and so we were stuck with an endless array of prequels and sequels: Oz the Great and Powerful, Insidious: Chapter 2, Iron Man 3. And why do they keep making Chucky movies? At this point, Chucky’s already gotten married and had a baby. What more can there be in Curse of Chucky? To say the least, the lack of creativity in the film industry this year was quite disappointing. While I do have high hopes for 2014, why not skip seeing an overpriced, mediocre movie and watch a classic instead? This year, the film industry was graced with the film The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia. Unless you enjoy tasteless, clichéd horror movies, instead try the classic Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho. You know what’s scarier than ghosts in Connecticut? The Bates Motel. This classic film focuses on a woman running

away from crime and ending up at a motel run by a young man and his murderous old mother. This film may be in black and white and use chocolate syrup for blood, but it skillfully plays on the viewer psychologically. Additionally, the acting in the film is superb; Anthony Perkins shines as Norman Bates. If horror’s not your style, why not try a classic romantic comedy? Travel back to the 1940’s with A Philadelphia Story. Love triangles are extremely popular in today’s books and movies—Jacob or Edward? Peeta or Gale? Brace yourself because A Philadelphia Story actually coined the term love triangle when it premiered in 1940. The film centers on a socialite whose wedding plans are derailed when her ex-husband and nosy journalist come to town. This all-star cast includes Katherine Hepburn, James Steward, and Carey Grant. The acting is perfect, the script is hilarious, and the 1940s are funnier than you would think.

it is technically a Christmas movie, but the message is for everyone. Jimmy Stewart stars as George Bailey, a man whose life didn’t turn out as he had envisioned. But an angel arrives on Christmas Eve to show him just how meaningful and wonderful his life really is. This is a great movie to watch with family members or younger siblings because of its timeless and universal themes. While 2013 wasn’t bad for all movies, I’m pretty sure Fast and Furious Six (because five wasn’t enough) won’t make it onto a “100 Classic Movies Of All Time” list. So stay in next Friday night and save yourself the trouble of wasting eleven dollars and two hours of your life. Turn on a classic film instead—because sometimes movies really are scarier, funnier, and better in black and white.

Looking for a feel-good piece? It doesn’t get better than It’s a Wonderful Life. Yes,

The Well Dressed and Unknown I

Zoe Temple

n honor of college applications stress and in celebration of my seventeenth birthday, I decided to attend two concerts in the same week: Daughter, on October 5, and The Naked and Famous, on October 11. My friend Haley and I have deliberated and have returned with our remarks:

CROWD Daughter Our fellow concertgoers were mostly friendly, but we encountered a few passive-aggressive tweeters and booty bumpers. We saw many beards, glasses, and doc Maarten boots.

OPENING BAND Daughter Bear’s Den. Haley found the band “unexpectedly amazing.” The band incorporated a captivating mix of folk, blues, and rock ‘n’ roll, creating a very similar sound to Mumford & Sons. Percussion, acoustic and electric guitars, and a banjo were all played masterfully by the band, which featured three bearded hipster-men with cute accents and a lot of enthusiasm. It was clear that the band was having fun, and their positive attitudes were infectious!

The Naked and Famous The Colourist. The band was composed of three men wearing button-downs and skinny pants and a female drummer. I loved the way the band made use of both a male and female singer; in some songs, only one sang the lead, and in others, the boy and girl interacted in the lyrics conversationally, like a calland-repeat. The band was really upbeat— the crowd was jumping and clapping and seemed to really enjoy the show. The combination of guitars, a bass, keyboards, and a drum set gave the band a unique spin on a common set of instruments.

STAGE PRESENCE Daughter The lead singer, Elena, was soft- The Naked and Famous The Naked and spoken but gracious. The crowd responded Famous interacted a lot with the crowd— with numerous shouts of “You’re adorable!” the two leads in the band talked a lot and encouraged the fans to sing along. The band seemed very emotionally involved in each song.

The Naked and Famous For the second concert, we were surrounded by exceptionally friendly individuals, including a father-daughter duo (hey, we’ve all been there!)—with the sole exception of a group of intoxicated girls behind us.

ATMOSPHERICS Daughter The band used lighting to their advantage to accent their music, incorporating a lot of blue, red, and white spotlights for an angelic, naive effect.

The Naked and Famous The band utilized a lot of light and color, especially flashing lights during the more electronic parts of songs and an interesting usage of disco balls. At times, the band even employed a little smoke machine.

HIGHLIGHTS Daughter For me, the highlight of the show was the encore. Daughter returned to the stage to play their cover of “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk, my absolute favorite version of the song (though I do love the original!). Haley’s highlight was “talking to Nellie and David, just because they’re so funny”—two other crowd-mates we met, bonding over a mutual distaste for another rude audience member.

The Naked and Famous Although the band didn’t play my favorite song off of their new album, they played all the old favorites. My favorite parts were the fast-paced songs that warranted an explosive array of lights and colors. Haley’s favorite part was “when they played ‘Young Blood’... I love how when they started playing ‘Young Blood,’ they stopped everything, and then BAM! Everything started at once. It was so climactic.”

A CONCERT TWO REMEMBER Senior Zoe Temple, ‘14, spent two evenings at Terminal 5 in New York City. Pictured above are Bear’s Den (left) and the Naked and Famous (right).

THE HIGHLAND FLING, NOVEMBER 2013

arts

Internet Killed the Television Star

Oscar Lee

millennial culture. “The Slope” examines the lives of two “superficial, homophobic lesbians,” tackling issues like gender and sexuality. “Jack in a Box” and “The Untitled Webseries That Morgan Evans Is Doing” are small projects powered by big writers, each concentrating on the intense struggles of everyday life, transcending what would otherwise be considered mumblecore. “I Miss Drugs” scrutinizes the process of aging, of losing “one’s edge,” of yuppiedom’s dark beauty. The melancholy distilled into each minute-long nibble nudges at some uncomfortable questions of modern domesticity.

he most innovative television programming of our generation is not even on television—it’s on the interwebs. Free from the threat of network censors and corporate stipulations, many auteurs have channeled their artistic proclivities into so-called web series. In the past, this would have been unheard of due to financial constraints, b u t crowd-funding platforms like Kickstarter have changed the landscape, subsidizing projects from all corners of the web. Some of the weirdest, most distinctive characters have emerged as a result—“The Most Popular Girls in School” characterizes one extreme of this phenomenon. The hilarious Barbieand expletive-filled show follows the travails of the Overland Park High School cheer squad— its armless new girls, part-time models, and third runnerups for Prom Queen. “GAYLE” provides a similar dose of heightened reality, with its unhinged suburban mom, while “Chloe” features Drew Droege in pitch-perfect Chloe Sevigny drag. “The Nekci Menij Show” focuses on Nicki Minaj and other pop goddesses. It functions as both a critique and love note to the absurdities of stan culture. Elaine Carroll, in “Very Mary Kate,” constructs an entire universe of characters from one Mary Kate (and sometimes Ashley) impression. In terms of narrative excellence, web series also hold more promise than established media. Consider the typical running times of your favorite shows—comedies are 25 minutes and dramas are 45 minutes. But who decided that? Novels don’t last a set amount of pages, so why should

television? The set lengths can even inhibit planned tension and surprise, like when I spot red herrings when watching Law and Order: SVU (Only 10 minutes have passed so far. No way Olivia caught the real rapist that quickly. I bet he has diplomatic immunity. How else will they fill the next 35 minutes?) The lack of real time or creative restraints allows for output that would never be shown on television, output that does not reflect the mainstream—a breath of fresh air, in short. More than anything, web series refuse categorization, much like the Internet itself. If anyone is to blame for the recent boom in web series, it has to be Issa Rae. Her “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” is one of the most successful examples, leading to deals with HBO and Simon & Schuster. Adam Goldman hopes to do the same, with “The Outs” and “Whatever This Is,” both exceptional examinations of

When describing “High Maintenance,” the show easily reads as just another stoner comedy—“It’s about a drug dealer and his weird clients”—but it is so much more than that. Rather, the initial premise enables the series to subtly explore the various New York neuroses. Art is supposed to challenge the way we think. (Or at least that’s what I believe.) And if it’s by that measure evaluations should be based on, then “F to 4th” passes with flying colors. It’s the most honest portrayal of sexuality I’ve seen since A Shot at Love II with Tila Tequila. The program probes issues like assimilation and social constructs through the lens of an aging lesbian in an achingly authentic manner. Much like how independent cinema and art house flicks offer an alternative to bigscreen blockbusters, web series offer an alternative to the brooding antiheroes and tortured geniuses of traditional television. Move aside Don Draper—here comes Rachel Tice.

ENTERTAINMENT ROUND-UP live

albums Out Now Arcade Fire - Reflektor

James Blake

cinema Out Now

Nosaj Thing

All Is Lost

Katy Perry - Prism

November 7, 7:00 p.m.

Blue Is the Warmest Color

Poliça - Shulamith

Terminal 5

First Cousin Once Removed

Sky Ferreira - Night Time, My Time

New York, NY $35

Kill Your Darlings 12 Years a Slave

November 5

Titus Andronicus Lucero

November 22

Avril Lavigne - Avril Lavigne

The Menzingers

M.I.A. - Matangi

November 8, 7:00 p.m.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Terminal 5

Nebraska

November 11

New York, NY $25

Lady Gaga - ARTPOP My Bloody Valentine

December 6 Inside Llweyn Davis

December 3

November 11, 8:00 pm

Britney Spears - Britney Jean

New York, NY

December 13

$70-$118

American Hustle

Hammerstein Ballroom

December 10

Jagwar Ma

R. Kelly - Black Panties

December 3, 8:00 p.m.

December 18

The Bowery Ballroom

Her

New York, NY $15 NOVEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

sports PLAYER PROFILE Name: Estephany Reyes Grade: 12 Sport: Cheerleading Oscar Lee Yes, cheerleading is a sport, as Estephany would be the first one to attest, and it is something to be taken seriously. As captain this year, the senior hopes to lead her team to new heights. When did you first start cheerleading? Estephany Reyes I joined my junior year, but only because my friends forced me to. Basically, I joined to join. I started to enjoy and understand it towards the end of football season, as I became more involved and met new people. What do you do as a cheerleader? Estephany Reyes I’m a flyer… So I fly. I jump in the air. As captain, I help lead the team by telling girls what they’re supposed to do. This year, I’m trying to push the girls to try new things and be better. I want everyone to do stuff they’ve never done before. How was the camp you attended this summer?

Name: Farhan Rozaidi Grade: 10 Sport: Soccer couple other schools. I was the only one there from Highland Park. While there, we learned new stunts, new cheers, and there was this helpful jump class. The camp taught us about teamwork, how to be very loud, and how we don’t need a big team to look amazing. How is the current team at Highland Park? Estephany Reyes The team is mostly freshmen, but there are actually very good—like very good. It was very surprising (but nice) to see how dedicated they are to the team. I was also very surprised to see how much prior experience they already had. They love to cheer and love to challenge themselves, which is really great to see. What do you have to say to people who don’t take cheerleading seriously? Estephany Reyes Don’t. Don’t make fun of us because you don’t know what we do and who we are. Most of our flaws are because of the size, and we succeed in spite of it. And our team is getting better every year. It’s not as easy as it looks.

Estephany Reyes This August, I attended UCA Camp. There were people from Edison, Plainfield, East Brunswick, and a

Warren Yee How did you become the goalie you are today? Are there any people who you would want to thank? Farhan Rozaidi Well, I became the goalie I am today through perseverance and motivation. I love playing as a goalie—being the person who the whole team relies on to save the shots, as well as command the team. I would thank all my coaches, because without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. How do you feel about being a starting goalie in only your second year of high school? Farhan Rozaidi I feel accomplished, because it’s great knowing that all of my hard work paid off, but I’m not done yet, I’ve still got years ahead of me. How do you think you and the team are doing as the season is progressing? Farhan Rozaidi I think as the season is progressing, my strengths and weaknesses become more obvious, and it helps me by understanding what I need to work on to be better goalie, so overall I believe that I’m improving. I believe that as a whole,

we are doing well—constantly learning about ourselves and each other, improving both individually and as a team. What are your goals for the season? Farhan Rozaidi For the season, I’d like to do the best I can as a goalie, and ultimately win states. Do you have any role models in professional soccer? Farhan Rozaidi Personally, I look up to Iker Casillas. He works wonders in the goal. His reaction time can’t be matched, and his decisions in goal are world class. He is no doubt the best goalie in the world. Watching him play made me want to play goalie, and he taught me how to make better choices in goal, while inspiring me to do my best. What advice would you give younger goalies that aspire to be in the same position as you? Farhan Rozaidi I’m in no way in the best position, but I guess my advice to younger goalies would be to keep training and not stop—quitting isn’t an option. As a great man once said, “Pain is temporary, pride is forever.”

BRING IT ON Estephany Reyes, ‘14, has assumed the role of lead cheerleader on Highland Park’s cheerleading squad after attending a cheer camp this summer.

BEND IT LIKE FARHAN Farhan Rozaidi, ‘16, is playing as Highland Park’s starting varsity goalie as only a sophomore.

Break a Leg: The Demise of High School Athletes

Olivia Draper

lthough high school athletes appear to be fit and healthy throughout their sports seasons, the injuries that many endure over months of training cause these youthful traits to quickly fade. Every year, millions of teenagers participate in high school sports and experience approximately the same injury rate as professional athletes. The key difference in how injuries affect high school athletes and how they affect professional athletes involves the concept of growth. While taking part in their beloved sport, high school athletes are still undergoing uneven growth, where the bones grow first and inevitably begin to strain the tendons and muscles;

THE HIGHLAND FLING, NOVEMBER 2013

the straining of tight ligaments makes high school athletes more susceptible to muscle, tendon, and growth plate injuries. The majority of these injuries return to haunt these high school athletes in adulthood, the most common form being arthritis. Even though we are only a few months into the school year, you can already walk down the hallway and spot the limping football, soccer, and tennis players. But fear not, fellow Highland Parkers, there are many remedies that will save you from future joint pains and regret. The majority of preventative techniques are often simple, yet overlooked. For instance, just warming up and cooling down before and after all physical activities, which allows oxygen to be de-

livered to your muscles, makes your body more flexible and adjusted to the workout. Stretching is generally among most warmups and cool-downs because it loosens your muscles as well. Another technique is to create a rotating workout schedule that concentrates on specific muscles on different days, which will strengthen a variety of muscles without overworking them. Properly warming up, cooling down, and creating a reasonable workout schedule show your muscles that they are more than just a one-night stand. Sports apparel is also much more important than many care to admit. When it comes to injuries in high school sports, many athletes have inadequate equipment that

carries the potential to destroy their high school sports’ careers. One of the most common examples is found in shoes; once an athletic shoe becomes too worn-in, the support it initially offered no longer exists. Without this support, problems located in arches, ankles, and knees can quickly arise. Support from your sports attire could save you from an injury, so listen up fellow athletes: buy new cleats, find the right-sized shin guards, or fix that break in your shoulder pads! Without a doubt, it is worth it!