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Volume 34, Issue 1 140 Brandeis Road Newton Centre, MA 02459

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper · Newton, MA · Established 1984 · June 8, 2017

SENIOR SALUTE Speaker series gift from the Class of 2017 brings veterans and public servants to South

Sophie Lu & Thomas Patti Sr. News Editor, Managing Editor

For junior Kimia Tabatabaei, a comprehensive high school education transcends Punnett squares and parabolas. Students should graduate, she said, equipped to actively and immediately contribute to their surrounding communities.

“Going to school should be more than just learning what you learn in math class or in science, for example,” she said.

“It should be about how to be a better citizen, how to become a more active member of a community. So I take whatever opportunity I can to try to make our school environment a more holistic place for learning.”

With the aim of informing South students about the different ways they can serve both locally and nationally, Tabatabaei joined seniors Bhavik Nagda and Midori Sangiolo and senior class advisor Corey Davison to plan an event featuring several speakers who have opted for careers of service and sacrifice.

A gift from the graduating Class of 2017, the May 15 Serving America Day gave students the opportunity to hear directly from individuals on the front lines of local and national government and defense. Among the speakers were local veterans, South alum and Boston City Council candidate Dominique Williams, Massachusetts State Representative Kay Khan, Acting U.S. Attorney William Weinreb and U.S. Representative Joe graphic by Celine Yung

SERVING AMERICA, 4

Despite youth, students search for voice in society Rachel Gu & Kimia Tabatabaei Sr. Centerfold Editors

Student activism has consistently provided a vehicle for social change, from Chicago Public Schools students’ 1963 boycott of racially inequitable resources to recent political demonstrations by Boston students. Young people’s opinions and actions, however, are often trivialized by older generations, according to senior Marcus Williams.

“When you get into politics and the science movement, older people … assume that you have no idea what you’re saying,” he said. “Civil Rights and other such movements came from college campuses. … You have to take young people more seriously because at the end of the day, we are the future.”

“It is my vision to deliver a world where the potential of each young person is fulfilled,” Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund Babatunde Osotimehin wrote in The Atlantic in 2012. “For

this to be achieved, we must first address the widespread misconception that young people shouldn’t have a say when it comes to dealing with the world’s problems.”

“Historically, a lot of movements of social change have … included younger people as a source of motivation and mobilization,” history teacher Corey Davison said.

Learning about students effecting change in American history this year has been “powerful,” junior Elizabeth Szanton said.

“History mobilizes change because

it reminds us that change has happened in the past,” she said. “Therefore, it must be possible.”

Szanton said her political involvement grew during the 2016 presidential election when she realized that she needed to speak up.

“In the early part of the election, I really wasn’t involved at all,” Szanton said. “But it was this sudden feeling that being apolitical no longer felt acceptable to me. I think that VOICE, 13

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Education rally

Rally for Public Education in Boston voices concerns over the future of public schooling.

2

Science Team Success Science Team members seek more recognition after qualifying for nationals.

15

Boys Volleyball

The volleyball team’s strong regular season record vaults them into the playoffs.

21

NEWS 2 EDITORIALS 6 OPINIONS 8 CENTERFOLD 12 FEATURES 15 FUn page 19 SPORTS 20

NEWS page 2|June 8, 2017|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

news@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 34, ISSUE 1

this month in

review New Vice Principal Current math department head Steven Rattendi will act as Vice Principal next year while current Vice Principal Candice Beerman takes a maternity leave. Beermann plans to return as Vice Principal next year. Math teacher Divya Shannon will replace Rattendi as math department head.

Envirothon Science Team placed second at the May 18 Massachusetts Envirothon, an environmental science competition. Students competed in handson competitions called “ecostations,” the four “ecostations” being soil, forestry, water and wildlife.

The Science Team gave a presentation on sustainable agriculture in Newton, talking about the Newton South Farm and the Newton Community Farm.

Educators, students support public education Sophie Lu

need to find a way to get young people more engaged in issues ... because the future beSr. News Editor longs to young people and students,” he said.

Educators, students and activists “Public education affects nearly all students, gathered on the Boston Common for the ... so it was a little disheartening to see mostly Rally for Public Education on May 20. The teachers [at the rally].” rally provided a platform for speakers of “At the end of the day, it’s our future varied backgrounds to discuss how they and our children’s future that we’re advocating have benefited from public education, while for in public education because most of our organizations encouraged attendees to supparents are done with high school,” freshman port proposed legislation and to learn about Amit Fudin agreed. advocacy organizations.

According to sophomore Daphne According to history teacher Jamie Frantzis, education consists of more than Rinaldi, the rally addressed alarming comjust textbook learning. ments from the federal government.

“Education ... sets [students] up for “Defenders of public education felt the real world,” she said. “They have to be that they had won a tremendous victory by prepared, and they have to be able to face winning the ballot referendum on charter problems whether it is personal problems schools , … but now we face some of the most or world problems.” significant threats from the federal governActivists have created detailed plans ment that we’ve seen in our life times,” Rinaldi to generate revenue and to pressure the state said. “This rally is a way to ... inaugurate a government to enact these plans, Rinaldi real movement to defend public education said. He noted the Fair Tax Amendment, against the threats that we will face in the which would raise the income tax for people coming years.” who earn more than $1 million a year, as a Alex Zhitnik, a Cambridge Public potential source of funds. The amendment Schools teacher who attended the rally, will be voted on in 2018. expressed concern “We’re trying to Public school is the cornerstone of a democracy that actually put pressure on our specifically about the effort to privatize makes that possible and so the Rally for Public Education is ask- politicians to recognize education. these solutions,” he said.

“I’m very con- ing folks to really think about if we fully invest in our schools, “We’re also letting them cerned about how know that if they do not what would they look like? on the state and act on it, we will bring Kelly Henderson, English teacher federal level there is them to the voters and an effort to privatize public schools. [Public folks to really think about if we fully invest we’ll settle it there.” schools] are a public good and something in our schools, what would they look like?”

Contacting local and state governments that everyone pays into,” he said. “Everyone Henderson said. is another way to voice your opinion, junior should benefit from it equally. There should “They could be places of artistic inquiry Mike Ryter said. not be profit off of schools.”

“A great way to support public educaand endeavors. They can be places of learning Massachusetts College of Art and and growth and excitement and learning and tion would be to get involved with a parent Design librarian Katie Riel added that the community, but there are forces now that student teacher organization ... involved in a government must allocate appropriate would prefer that they be places of testing, school district,” he said. “Another great way funding to schools and address the laws of punishment and data collection.” is to support candidates locally, at the state standardized testing.

Executive Director of the Public Higher level and then at the federal level [who] will A focus on standardized testing can Education Network of Massachusetts (PHE- prioritize funding quality public education be counterproductive senior Caitlin Con- NOM) Zac Bears said that the rally strived and programs that promote good public nell said. education for every single student.” to help the next generation.

“Standardized testing is a really niche According to Sullivan, many at the rally “We just want to energize people and skill, and it doesn’t really translate into the present a positive agenda to make our public were hopeful for the future. real world,” she said. “There are so many dif- schools and colleges even better for students “It was definitely a really positive enviferent types of intelligences. To put so much and young people,” he said. ronment despite the economic crisis public emphasis and importance on that one is just The crowd at the rally was mainly com- education is about to go through,” he said. a waste of time.” posed of educators and adults. University of “There was a lot of hope. There was a lot of The Massachusetts Teachers Associa- Massachusetts student Timmy Sullivan called rejoicing and a lot of celebrating for all that tion (MTA) provided solutions to combat for more involvement from young people. people are doing to preserve the funding that funding issues in public schools, according “As a college student, I think that we does go to public education in Massachusetts.” to English teacher Kelly Henderson.

“The MTA ... has a legislative slate that we have endorsed that says: we need less testing, we need more funding [and] we need to pass what we’re calling the millionaire’s tax, which would give us huge revenue for education and for infrastructure,” she said.

To some attendees, the danger of poor public school education affects more than just students and teachers.

“Public education is linked to our democracy and liberty and justice for all, which is being trampled on,” Westwood Public Schools teacher Mari Walkowicz said.

“We absolutely cannot let that happen, so I hope that our voices will be heard … for all American citizens who care about each other.”

Andover Public Schools teacher Matthew Bach agreed.

“That’s the main message of this rally,” he said. “If you want a democracy to exist, you have to educate the public, and it has to be free, fair, adequate and open to everybody.”

“Public school is the cornerstone of a democracy that actually makes that possible, and so the Rally for Public Education is asking

MasterChef Teacher Music teacher Jason Wang is on the newest season of Masterchef, which premiered May 31. Wang will compete against other competitors for the title of Masterchef.

As of June 5, Wang made it through the first elimination round.

People from different school districts congregated on the Boston Common on May 20 to show support for statewide public education.

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|News

june 8, 2017|page 3

Rally for Public Education Photos by Netta Dror

Teachers, students and their families enjoyed free food and musical performances by local student groups as they carried signs protesting recent developments in education policy.

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News|THELIONsROAR.com|THE LION’S ROAR

South welcomes Serving America Day speakers SERVING AMERICA, from 1

Kennedy III. “The goal of the speaker series was to inspire students and to show them that there are students from Newton South and there are people in the community who end up being very, very successful,” Nagda, the senior class president, said.

According to Davison, the planning group began reaching out to prominent local figures and South alumni earlier in the year. When a number of local politicians accepted the invitation, a theme of public service emerged. As a result, Davison and history department head Jennifer Morrill coordinated a presentation from local veterans for the same day.

“I’m so glad that we did it,” Morrill said.

“I think history involves studying wars, and we think about those wars in an abstract, distant way at times, but of course men and women put their lives at risk to defend this country, and I think it’s really important to acknowledge that — to think about what their experience is like.”

Veteran Paul Pasquarosa, who helped schedule and organize the event, said students today struggle to grasp the significance of military service.

“We don’t think kids in Newton are getting a good enough taste of the sacrifice by veterans and the military,” he said.

“We wanted to introduce some pomp and circumstance and let them hear directly from veterans some of the things that are meaningful to them and hopefully have an impact on some students — at the very least, have a realization of what service to America means.”

Four veterans from American Legion

Post 440 in Newton addressed students in the auditorium, Pasquarosa said, before senior Jeremiah Miller was presented a citation for his pending enlistment to the U.S. Marine Corps following graduation. Other veterans gave American flags to students in the hallways and displayed a table with one vacant chair to honor soldiers killed in Vietnam.

“There were many men and women who did not return from these conflicts and paid the ultimate price,” Morrill said of the display. “I think the idea is that we’re not just acknowledging the men and women who survived, but the men and women who didn’t come back, and so it was a moving way to think about that like the empty seat at the table.”

The speaker series continued the next block with speakers Kennedy, Williams and

as these issues have stagnated at the hands of a divided and uninspired government.

“This extraordinary list of challenges that you put forth — we’re not going solve them as a society unless you push us to,” he said. “And if we don’t solve them? Guess what. It becomes your problem. Because your next generation’s coming up, and you’ll have to deal with the world as you find it because your elected representative and your folks at the community level have decided that these problems are too hard for them to actually solve.”

Williams, who graduated from South in 2003, said she became inspired to serve her community as a sophomore in the school’s Close Up program, which involved volunteer work at a Boston City Counselor’s office before a trip to Washington, D.C. Since

“The overarching theme for me in public service has been that I wanted to learn: I wanted to be a lifelong learner, I wanted to learn through experiences, I wanted to talk to people,” Dominique Williams, Boston City Council Candidate Khan. Kennedy opened by asking students to call out issues that mattered most to them.

The major question for South, he said, was how to fit time into their hectic lives to actively seek solutions to these issues.

“Because you’re high school students, … you have a full-on class schedule, you’ve got families, you’ve got extracurriculars, you’re trying to get into college, you’ve got jobs, you’ve got plenty of things that you need to be doing,” he said. “How do you find the time to address [these issues]?”

According to Kennedy, the responsibility of reversing national and global injustices now rests on the new generation of students,

then, she said, she has prioritized forming personal relationships with citizens who are unsure of how to advocate for themselves against government wrongdoing.

“The overarching theme for me in public service has been that I wanted to learn.

I wanted to be a lifelong learner, I wanted to learn through experiences, I wanted to talk to people,” she said. “I hope that I’ve also inspired you all to do the same. … The more we start to engage on a basic human level, the better off we’ll be when we’re talking about politics, too.”

Sophomore Max Plottel, who attended the blocks featuring Kennedy, Williams,

Khan and Weinreb, said he appreciated the chance to hear from local figures at the top of their fields.

“It was really exciting to have these intelligent and really successful and accomplished people come into this school and pass all of their knowledge and their stories and their experience to students,” he said.

This speaker series reflects the Class of 2017’s dedication to improving the experiences of South students by offering a glimpse of life beyond high school, Davison added.

“My ideal vision of this school is one that not only empowers students to succeed in classrooms and to succeed in clubs and on athletic fields, but also one that encourages students to do things like this — to create things that connect the school to the outside community [and] empower students without the structure of a club or the goal of competition or a grade to realize something to it’s full potential and to do so for the benefit of the community,” he said While the school administration used to fund and organize speaker series at South, Nagda said, budget cuts have prevented them from doing so in recent years, leaving the tasks of inviting speakers and covering expenses to any interested students. In taking up this responsibility, Nagda said he hoped the senior class would make a strong statement about their commitment to enduring excellence in the school community.

“We’re hoping to leave lasting legacies behind, and we want our grade to really have a lasting positive impact on the school,” he said. “I hope and I know that many of my peers hope that when we come back in 15 or 20 years, these events that our grade has started will continue into the future. That’s one of my main hopes leaving South.”

photo by Netta Dror

Junior Kimia Tabatabei, Rep. Kay Kahn, Dominique Williams, senior Bhavik Nagda and history teacher Corey Davison sit on a panel on youth interest in public service.

photo by Denise Mazzola

Local veterans from Post 440 hand out miniature American flags to South students.

Q&A with Jeremiah Miller Q A Q A Q A Q A

South senior joining the U.S. Marine Corps

Why did you decide to join the military after high school?

It took me a while, and I was like ... am I even ready for college life? ... I really wanted to play a sport in college, so I checked out some schools like Sacred Heart University.

They gave me some offers, but it just didn’t work out. It just wasn’t what I was looking for, so what’s the next best option, and I was like, let’s try out the military. I get paid to do everything that I do, and if I agree to stay anything longer, I’m pretty much set for life. My kids go to school for free, like I’m thinking about the future and where I want to be.

What are you most excited about?

They really focus on fitness a lot, so they really want you to be at your best, and I think that it’s going to help me be at my best. ... Hopefully they give me some good job opportunities after I’m done, and I can hopefully join the FBI because that’s where I’m aiming for.

What are you most nervous about?

When you go to basic training, everybody fails. ... It’s made to make you fail because they want to see if you can face adversity. They want to see who’s going to give up and who’s not going to give up.

Thoughts regarding Serving America Day?

It was good. [The veterans] gave [students] enough information, but I felt as though they could have used that opportunity to get some of the underclassmen to be like .... ‘This is what you need to do and if you want to be the best you can be, then do this,’ and so on and so forth so [that] nothing pops up in front of you and you’re like, “I didn’t know this was going to happen.’

June 8, 2017|page 5

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|News

Contract negotiations for custodians continue Sebastian Tsao Sr. News Editor

Hu added that outsourcing is disadvantageous for the custodians at South.

“The problem with [outsourcing] is that these workers won’t get the benefits that the current custodians do and will be making sure that the current custodians won’t have a job anymore, which doesn’t make any sense because they have dedicated their whole lives to this, and the school is usually pretty clean,” Hu said.

Anderson-Krim, however noted that competition for custodial jobs is important because it could possibly lead to more efficient custodial work and a generally better outcome for the quality of school cleaning.

“I think saying that they’re being out-

some South teachers and students have been wearing pins to express their opposition to outsourcing.

NPSCA vice president and South custodian Ernie Peltier said that the unity and the support of the custodians is currently very strong.

“Although it is unfortunate that the custodians have to deal with this kind of stress right now, I also think there is some greatness that is coming out of the situation,” he said. “Never before have I seen this many teachers and students come together to help a janitorial cause. Usually we do all the behindthe-scenes work, and now we’re finally getting some recognition for what we do.”

The Newton Public Schools Custodians’ Association (NPSCA) and the School Committee have not yet agreed on a new contract for the custodians, with the issue of outsourcing preventing the two sides from reaching an agreement.

According to junior Benjamin Anderson-Krim, “Disagreement persists over removing a non-competition contract clause preventing outsourcing. If the clause were to be removed in the immediate future, some custodial workers could be replaced with contract employees making lower wages,” he said.

They do a lot of work for the student body and the school commuSouth custodian Mike Kelly said that while the School Committee might nity, and sometimes their tiring work goes unnoticed, but it shouldn’t believe outsourcing would save money in anymore. the future, contract labor is definetely not the correct answer.

Hannah Phan, Class of 2018 “A lot of different school systems who did privatization for a couple years found that sourced is a bit hyperbolic,” he said “For custodians to see the people who eventually, it simply doesn’t work,” he said.

“Personally, I am against this anti- they clean up after stick up for them and kind “They keep saying it’s going to save a lot of competition clause because when we have of tell them, ‘We’re here for you,’ I think that’s money, but it really won’t when it comes to competition, it ultimately results in a better kind of cool,” junior Victoria Huang said. the long run.” outcome , … [For example, we can] see which Hu said while the NPSCA can negotiate “It seems like the school is focusing on custodians are the better custodians that with the School Committee, South students cutting cost overall and not on the people would be willing to work for the best price.” and Newton parents must protest in order who have worked so hard for Newton Public As contract negotiations between the for the custodians to be protected.

Schools,” sophomore David Hu said.

NPSCA and the School Committee continue, “Ultimately, I think that the student

population and corresponding parents will have to step up their support in some manner so that these janitors are not left out, because many of them are significant in our community, and I don’t want them to be out of a job and struggling to live out their lives eveyday,” he said.

Junior Hannah Phan said she has heard both sides of the argument regarding whether or not to outsource custodians, and believes the current custodians play an integral role at South.

“These people are a big part of our school. The custodial staff, we see them every day all around the school,” she said. “They’re always around here. They’re a constant, just like the faculty. They shouldn’t be outsourced because that takes away from the connections that the current custodial staff has formed with us and our school over the past several years.”

Senior James Rao agreed that outsourcing the custodians would hurt the South community.

“These custodians know so much about our school,” he said. “If we brought in people who didn’t know about the school, I feel like not only would the cleaning itself be less efficient, but I also feel that it would hurt the culture and togetherness of Newton South, which is something we pride ourselves with everyday.”

1S1Q: How can students make a difference?

Hope Zhu, Sophie Goodman & Peri Barest News Reporter, Sr. News Editor, News Reporter

English department head Brian Baron announced on May 16 the question students will explore for this year’s One School, One Question (1S1Q): How can I make a difference?

The book choices are “Coach” by Michael Lewis, “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, “Charlie Mike” by Joe Klein, “I Am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai and “No Impact Man” by Colin Beavan. Baron said each offers a unique answer to the 1S1Q focus question.

According to librarian Jennifer Dimmick, a committee of librarians, teachers and students voluteered to participate in the selection of this year’s 1S1Q options. The committee decided on an overarching question, suggested titles and voted on the books that they felt best answered the question.

“We had our first meetings in the weeks right after the election when we thought the country was really divided,” Baron said.

“There was a lot of thought of, ... ‘How do we engage in the process of making this country into something more like what we want it to look like?’”

Sophomore Lily Boschin, a member of the selection committee, said she considered all of the characters in each and every book.

“I was just thinking about books where people who, in the beginning, possibly seem to not have that much power — like the victims of whatever happened in society,” she said. “Then, they change and make a difference.”

The keynote speaker for this year’s 1S1Q event will be Adam Foss, former prosecutor and assisstant district attorney.

photo by Netta Dror

In a March 2016 TED talk, Foss explored the possibilities of improving the justice system.

History teacher Robert Parlin said he is excited for Foss’ speech.

“I think he’s going to be the best speaker we’ve ever had in terms of really engaging students,” he said. “As a prosecutor, you would think he would come in and just be all law and order. Instead, he’s talking about compassion for people.”

This year marks South’s second 1S1Q after switching over from One School, One Book.

“We wanted to give more kids an opportunity to pick something that they were really engaged in,” Baron said.

Freshman Coco Lheritier said she likes the choice that 1S1Q offers.

“It allows people to choose a book that they find more interesting,” she said. “I know

I would not have wanted to read some of the books on there, and I was able to choose one that I actually really enjoyed. Overall, I think it is a really good idea” Some students, however, may prefer having one book that the entire school reads, according to librarian Katherine Steiger.

“Some people think the idea of having an all-school read is that you always have something you can talk to a person about because at least you always have a single book in common,” she said.

Junior Ellan Suder said students can have more meaningful discussions after reading the same book.

“With One School, One Book, you can get deeper into one book because everyone’s read the same thing,” she said. “But also, if it is a bad book then no one’s really going to want to read the book, and they will not be happy overall”

While last year’s selection committee chose the topic, power in American democracy, due to its relevance during the presidential election, the new committee chose this year’s question because it is already at the forefront of students’ minds, Baron said.

“That’s a question that young people just, in general, ask,” he said. “ I think you’re trying to figure out, ‘What am I going to be as an adult, how can I do something that’s going to make a difference in the world around me?

I think it’s particularly relevant now.”

“Especially in high school is a time where most kids or a lot of kids are getting involved in things probably more deeply than they have in the past,” Steiger said.

“Sometimes I think we feel like we can’t make a [significant] change because we’re just one person, so exploring ideas of how you can make a change is empowering to both students and teachers.”

EDITORIALS page 6|June 8, 2017|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

editorials@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 34, ISSUE 1

the CAT’S

MEOW All the news that’s fit to print ... and then some!

Teacher Assassins This year, teachers have decided to play “Teacher Assassins,” a spinoff of the senior tradition.

“I heard my seniors talking about it, and I got jealous,” science teacher Eck Sited said. “I brought the idea up during a faculty meeting, and many other teachers were on board.”

When playing “Senior Assassins,” seniors are assigned another senior whom they must shoot with a water gun to advance to the next round.

Teachers are playing with the same rule.

“I did research during my prep blocks and found the best water gun available,” Sited said.

While the three senior finalists win money, the three teacher finalists will claim the ultimate prize: not having to attend the last day of school for teachers on June 26.

History teacher Comp Itishun said he’d take out any colleague to win the prize.

“I have to win,” he said. “I need to get out of this hellhole ASAP.”

Class Office Woes Six out of the 10 junior class office candidates received zero votes, so only four juniors currently hold positions in class office.

Principal Stole Jembridge said that this was a very unique situation.

“This has never happened before,” he said. “I don’t know what to do from here.”

Junior class office faculty adviser Pavao Foster said they will hold one more election with only the six remaining candidates.

This election will be during advisories on June 13.

The two candidates with the most votes from this pool will be the fifth and sixth class officers.

AP Class Finals Starting this year, teachers of AP classes will administer finals during finals week.

“The score you receive on your final will count for 10 to 20 percent of your final grade for the class,” Principal Stole Jembridge said in an email to the parents.

Junior Lay Zee, who takes AP U.S. History, said that she was outraged by the news.

“I did not think I would have to take a real final,” she said. “I did not even study for the AP test because it wouldn’t count for my grade — now I need to review the entire year.”

Serving America Day: a valuable opportunity for students to learn

Serving America Day provided an eye-opening opportunity for South students and faculty to hear from figures in public service.

Teachers fearing an interruption in their curriculum may have been hesitant to bring their classes to the Serving America Day, but listening to the speakers was worth missing one class period.

While the information presented at Serving America Day may not be tested in school, students still learned crucial lessons from the speakers. The presentations gave students the chance to learn about life outside of South.

Learning about how to participate in public service at a young age is an important topic not traditionally taught in classrooms.

Serving America Day encouraged students to think about their impact on the community beyond high school.

The speakers asked students to evaluate their personal obliga-

tions to serve the country and advocate for issues they care about.

One of the blocks featured veterans who spoke about their time overseas — experiences students seldom hear, giving students another example of how to participate in public service. South does not talk about military service, instead falling into the expectation that

after leaving high school. Students saw someone who had been in their position years before and had transformed what she learned into a career in public service.

Despite the Day of Service’s opportunities to learn, some students still used their phones, napped and, in general, failed to pay attention, giving a negative representation of

Learning about how to participate in public service at a young age is an important topic not traditionally taught in classrooms. students attend college after graduating.

Additionally, inviting Joe Kennedy III to talk to students helped show students that the congressman who represents them in Washington, D.C. cares about what students think needs to be changed.

Dominique Williams’s presence also gave students an example of what a South student could do

South.

The South community could benefit from inviting more speakers to share their experiences with students, faculty and staff. Students should learn about different parts of life that are not addressed in school, especially because they are the future of the workforce. Exposure to different experiences helps students decide what they hope to do in the future.

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Editorial Policy

The Lion’s Roar, founded in 1984, is the student newspaper of Newton South High School, acting as a public forum for student views and attitudes.

The Lion’s Roar’s right to freedom of expression is protected by the Massachusetts Student Free Expression Law (Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch.

71, Section 82). All content decisions are made by student editors, and the content of The Lion’s Roar in no way reflects the official policy of Newton South, its faculty or its administration. Editorials are the official opinion of The Lion’s Roar, while opinions and letters are the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Lion’s Roar. The Lion’s Roar reserves the right to edit all submitted content, to reject advertising copy for resubmission of new copy that is deemed acceptable by student editors and to make decisions regarding the submission of letters to the editors, which are welcomed.

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June 8, 2017|page 7

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|DESK

Not being the kid who recites EDITOR’S prose and reads classics for fun DESK from the

Carina Ramos

race for college acceptance, taking courses on microeconomics and researching species of jellyfish I’ve never even heard of.

With summer right around the corI don’t resent that I’ll spend my ner, I’m more tempted than ever to throw summer working, swimming and hiking my grades to the wind and divide my time instead of studying, deriving and solving. between the beach and my bed. After eight I definitely could have opted to do those months of procrastinating, eventually things if I so chose. What I resent is that I working and slowly dying, there’s somedon’t want to do those things. I’ve always thing distinctly enticing about checking wished I was among the kids who wanted out a few weeks early. to learn all the time, who read classics in With the onset of summer comes the their spare time and who hated reality TV, bittersweet graduation of one of my best social media and everything else I know friends, the culmination of a year’s worth distracts me from what matters. of academics into one hellish week and I understand that life isn’t always the sinking realization that I need to start about getting ahead, but it’s easy to forget thinking about where I’ll be headed a year that when everyone else seems to think it from now. is. The challenge with finals is balancing Junior year is universally infamous none of them fall under any college’s “what Though this may seem backwards, the need to study with the need to sleep — for its overwhelming workload, but for me, we’re looking for” list. Why don’t colleges it’s during the summer months that I feel if you ask me, rest is best. the worst part of being a junior was the care that I’ve ridden every rollercoaster at worst about my future prospects. For me, Now that our seniors are graduating ominous cloud of college-related obligaSix Flags? Don’t they want students who summer is a time to stop working so hard and we’ve published our first official issue tions constantly looming in the back of my aren’t afraid to take a risk? What about and taking myself so seriously, enjoy the of Volume 34, I’m forced to come to terms mind. The standardized tests themselves surviving three full days on only ice cream? weather, spend time with friends and with the end of the craziness that was were unpleasant and disheartening, but Dear College of My Dreams: I’ve heard family and live a little. In theory, it’s a time Volume 33. I gained a lot of life experience, not fatal. There’s no worse feeling, however, consistency and commitment are the keys to do what I want, free from pressure to became yet more anal about grammar and than knowing that I actively lower my to success! further my education or strengthen my cried laughing about things that simply chances of scoring well by refusing to study I could recite all two hours and 22 resume between June and September. weren’t funny. I’m looking forward to the for them — and that’s exactly how I’ve felt minutes of Hamilton — or sing the names Ideally, everyone around me would remainder of Volume 34, but I’m so thankall year. of the 45 presidents in order — to anyone also spend those 10 free weeks relaxing ful I had the opportunity to work alongside I guess people define what they who cares to listen, so maybe my memory both physically and mentally; what kills the seniors last volume and wouldn’t trade “should” be doing at any given moment by will get me somewhere? I’ve heard colleges me is that while I take time to recharge and the experience for anything; through it analyzing their personal goals, and while want students who are flexible — I can put rest up for the upcoming academic year, all, V33 gave me a mentor, role model and getting into college is definitely among my foot behind my head if that’s what you my classmates are busy getting ahead in the lifeline through my junior year.

Editor-in-Chief

mine, I’ve developed a strange bitterness toward that goal’s unrelenting grip on my life. I hate that I’ve come to believe I should constantly seek and seize opportunities to “strengthen my holistic application” — after all, that application should represent me and my interests, and unfortunately, those interests don’t include devouring Barron’s prep books and losing sleep to memorize vocab words from Don Quixote.

When I examine my list of accomplishments and qualifications, I realize that

mean? All these things add up to make me who I am, and I’ve realized not all efforts need to “pay off ” in the end.

I don’t want to sacrifice the parts of my life that I love for an acceptance letter, and I shouldn’t feel like I have to. To be honest, I kind of already have. Not everyone sells their soul to the college process; some people’s genuine interests just happen to construct the perfect application. I’ve had trouble coming to terms with the fact that mine don’t.

Some people’s genuine interests just happen to construct the perfect application. I’ve had trouble coming to terms with the fact that mine don’t.

Volume XXXIV The Lion’s Roar Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper 140 Brandeis Road Newton, MA 02459 srstaff@thelionsroar.com

Editors-in-Chief Carina Ramos

Michelle Cheng

Managing Editors Thomas Patti

Celine Yung

Section Editors Opinions

Features

Aviva Gershman Dina Zeldin

Centerfold

News Sophie Lu Sebastian Tsao Sophie Goodman

Kimia Tabatabaei Rachel Gu

Content Manager

Business Manager

Faculty Advisers

Gaby Smith

Sports

Catherine Granfield Dorra Guermazi

Graphics Managers Eunice Kim Ellen Deng

Cam Miller Ilan Rotberg Eu Ro Wang

Emily Belt

Ashley Chapman Ryan Normandin

Photo Managers Netta Dror Adam Baker

Local Government Correspondent Michael Ryter

OPINIONS page 8|jUNE 8, 2017|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

opinions@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 34, ISSUE 1

perspectives: WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT: STRONG ACADEMICS OR DYNAMIC EXTRACURRICULARS? graphic by Ellen Deng

ACADEMICS JAVID KASRAIE As high school students, most of us are faced with two big questions: Will we go to college? And if so, how will we get into the college of our dreams? The process of getting into college, however, is daunting and difficult.

With top schools accepting only a small fraction of their large, outstanding applicant pool, students try to set themselves apart to gain an advantage over the applicants sitting next to them. Often, this consists of putting all of their effort into extracurricular activities. High schools have created an atmosphere where grades don’t matter as much as before, based on the belief that colleges mainly focus on extracurricular activities, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, extracurricular activities were ranked as the fifth most important factor when admitting students, while GPA and grades in college preparatory classes were ranked as the most important factor. A student’s grades can help colleges determine how well they believe a student will perform at their schools. Also, when colleges look at a student’s SAT or ACT scores, they use your grades and GPA to ensure that your academic performance is consistent.

A student’s extracurricular commitments can take away from time spent on school activities. On average, children ages six to 17 spend 10 hours a week on extracurriculars.

Many clubs, such as Speech and Debate and Model UN require at least one weekly meeting during or after J-block and require you to attend tournaments or conferences. When students, participate in five clubs after school, for example, they have much less time to study for tests or prepare for school the next day, which could negatively impact their academic performances. In addition, even if students sign up for several clubs in high school,

statistics show that once students enter college, they drop most, if not all of the extracurriculars they were doing in high school due to scheduling conflicts and the intense time commitments that extracurriculars require.

Anybody can join a club or participate in several extracurriculars, but not everyone can maintain good grades throughout their entire high school career.

In addition, when being considered by the admissions office, a strong list of extracurriculars is worthless if it’s not backed up by good grades.

Michelle Hernandez, a former admissions director at Dartmouth University, said that if a student is getting C’s in their classes but is the president of four or five clubs, admissions offices will not accept them because they won’t be sure that the student will perform well at college.

Focusing on academic achievement is more valuable than extracurriculars because when pursuing a career, information learned from courses in that field is important in helping you reach your goals, whereas lessons learned from extracurriculars might only help you in some fields that are not relevant to your future.

Good academic performance helps you get into good schools and thus pushes you toward your future goals. Extracurriculars alone do not show colleges your strengths and weaknesses. In many cases, they don’t even show your interests.

Several former admissions directors have proven that colleges, especially larger and more competitive ones, primarily focus on a student’s grades and GPA when deciding whether or not the student will be accepted.

While extracurriculars are certainly an important factor in the college acceptance process, it is a mistake for students to place a stronger emphasis on their extracurriculars than on their academic achievement.

Good academic performance helps you get into good schools and thus pushes you toward your future goals.

EXTRACURRICULARS SAVANNAH MACERO According to almost every adult I have met, life beyond high school is immensely different from life in high school.

In high school, your future relies heavily on your standardized-test-taking skills, the number of AP classes you take, your GPA and many other statistics that the US education system manifests. In real-life situations, however, the ability to memorize all of the properties of a circle will not be useful in overcoming many obstacles.

Instead, real-life situations require communication skills, patience, tolerance and active listening — abilities we learn through extracurricular activities.

For example, math team both hones academic ability and teaches cooperation and teamwork, neither of which are taught in regular classroom settings. The camaraderie of sports teams also teaches virtues like loyalty and trust. Players learn that all team members have jobs and that they have to work their hardest to fulfill their duties to the team. On the contrary, the typical classroom setting at South is competitive, pitting students against each other to outdo one another, which does not foster healthy cooperation.

Furthermore, although students learn about specific fields of knowledge in academic classes, extracurriculars provide an opportunity to apply that knowledge to real life situations. Robotics team members apply their physics and math skills to creating functional machines, which is a viable option for a future career and is good preparation for life outside of high school.

The Speech and Debate team encourages members to use their understanding of historical events to argue an opinion on current events and teaches students to take a stand on their beliefs, allowing advanced students to explore their abilities without being confined by an assigned curriculum.

Extracurriculars can help students

discover their passions, a feat that academic classes rarely accomplish; students learn not to equate success with straight A’s.

From a young age, I felt pressure from my community, as well as myself, to excel in my core classes; the first time I did poorly on an English paper in seventh grade, I cried in the bathroom at school and avoided telling my parents for a week before finally showing them my paper — and crying again. In my freshman honors math class, I received a 55% on a test and had a panic attack in the 2000s bathroom.

I beat myself up over grades that didn’t matter, creating an unnecessary, unhealthy amount of stress from which I gained nothing.

Last year, I auditioned for a prestigious ballet summer intensive that I really wanted to get into. Since I was from a smaller studio, I never knew what it felt like to be the worst dancer in the room.

Receiving that rejection email, though it made my throat close up and my heart drop into my stomach, taught me that failure is a part of life. I ended up benefiting more from this failure than the F in math because it concerned something I was passionate about, and it resonated with me personally rather than causing unnecessary stress. I ended up attending a summer intensive at a smaller ballet school, but I feel that I improved more than I ever would have at the larger school that I had originally hoped to attend. I am passionate about dancing; I look forward to my dance classes after school, and I have learned valuable lessons like proper class etiquette, respect for my teachers, and most importantly, how to be a woman.

Dance taught me to be confident in my body and to cherish my identity as a female. I have learned important life lessons and skills through my extracurriculars, making them far more beneficial to my skill set beyond high school than any class I could take.

Extracurriculars can help students discover their passions, a feat that academic classes rarely accomplish.

june 8, 2017|page 9

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|opinions

Locked up

The United States comprises only five percent of the world’s total population, but harbors 25 percent of the world’s incarcerated or imprisoned population.

American mass incarceration disproportionately targets minorities, specifically African Americans and Latinos, who are put behind bars at alarming rates compared to whites. On the surface, the advent of the War on Drugs and the prominence of privately-owned and operated prisons appear responsible, and they certainly are partly to blame.

Dig a little deeper, however, and you will find the unnerving drivers of the 700-percent increase in the US prison population over the last 40 years: government complicity and racial prejudice.

Despite its appearance as an entirely noble cause, the War on Drugs has been steeped in racism since its inception. In 1971, President Richard Nixon launched a crusade against drugs and drug users, pushing mandatory sentencing measures for offenders and expanding the power of federal drug enforcement agencies.

However, he had ulterior motives: John Ehrlichman, a top Nixon aide, later confessed that the War on Drugs wasn’t what it appeared to be, stating that “the Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people.” At the time, these two demographics (the antiwar left included hippies) were notorious for using drugs such as LSD, heroin and marijuana.

The Nixon administration couldn’t directly criminalize membership of either group.

Instead, when Nixon and his administration created the drug ‘schedule’ system, they made marijuana, widely used by both groups, and heroin, which plagued black communities at the time, Schedule I drugs, which carry the heaviest prison sentences and fines.

Although the hippie movement has come and gone, Nixon-era legislation regarding marijuana and heroin use continues to rip apart black communities.

The crack epidemic of the 1980s and early 1990s only augmented the problems facing these neighborhoods.

Instead of offering help to those who need it most, the War on Drugs vilifies and categorizes both those who are addicted and casual users of softer drugs like marijuana. The use of many addictive drugs carries a mandatory sentence, putting users behind bars instead of in a program, for example, that would help them break their damaging habits.

The other huge factor that contributes to mass incarceration and continues to gut American society is the for-profit prison system. While it exists elsewhere, prison profiteering is not nearly as potent, damaging and profitable as it is in the United States.

Companies like the GEO Group and the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) cash in at the expense of inmates who would be much better served in a drug rehabilitation facility. Such a system of making money off of others’ imprisonment is unethical and inhumane.

More concerning, however, is the government’s inability or unwillingness to solve this problem as a result of the private prison lobby. Although it is lower-profile than the big pharma, gun and oil lobbies, the insidious private prison lobby still holds significant power. The GEO Group, in

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Mass incarceration continues to rip apart American communities

particular, has been involved in suspect political operations.

According to the Washington Post, during U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s time as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, the state government awarded GEO a contract for a $110 million prison­­— shortly after Rubio hired one of their former trustees as a financial consultant.

Moreover, the climate created by private correctional institutions opened the door for the Kids For Cash scandal, in which two Pennsylvania judges received $2.6 million in kickbacks for sending more kids to juvenile detention with extended sentences. This scandal is incredibly disconcerting because it shows public officials’ willingness to compromise citizens’ freedom for their own personal gain.

Although the CCA’s official website states that they don’t lobby for policies that directly affect “the basis for or duration of an individual’s incarceration or detention,” they come as close as possible to doing this by donating to politicians who support draconian legislation like Arizona’s immigration law, which requires police to put anyone who can’t show proof that they entered the country legally behind bars.

In fact, CCA’s pitch to investors included the fact that there was “high recidivism,” meaning inmates have a high likelihood of committing a second offence.

When these criminals are convicted again, they return to prisons, keeping cells and coffers full.

It is a business founded on stripping away the liberty and opportunity of tens of thousands and one that unfairly targets immigrants.

Imprisoning Americans has turned into a multi-billion dollar industry that has devastated American society ever since the beginning of the War on Drugs over 45 years ago. It hurts America by stripping away opportunities for people to create lives for themselves after prison, and in turn fills the overflowing pockets of the wealthy.

As long as mass incarceration continues to perpetuate injustices against the nations minorities, we must ask ourselves: Are we really the land of equality and opportunity that we claim to be?

737

of every 100,000 people in the United States is behind bars, the highest rate of any nation.

By Cam Miller

1 in 3

black men will be incarcerated at some point in their lifetime

1 in 6

Hispanic men will be incarcerated at some point in their lifetime

1 in 17

white men will be incarcerated at some point in their lifetime Infographic data from Public Radio International and The Sentencing Project

page 10|June 8, 2017

Opinions|THELIONsROAR.com|THE LION’S ROAR

Dispelling Myths of Economic Systems By benjamin anderson-krim “I believe that the free enterprise system is the greatest engine of prosperity the world’s ever known.” Contrary to what you might immediately assume, this statement does not belong to a major conservative figure like Ronald Reagan or Milton Friedman. Rather, they are the words of our 44th president, Barack Obama, a leader of liberalism and progressivism in our country.

Despite Americans’ preconceptions of what it means to be on the left or the right of the political spectrum, the American public still fails to understand the actual economic implications of different ideologies. This past election has made this very clear.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is perhaps the candidate most widely discussed for his radical views about the American economic system. He called himself a “democratic socialist,” arguing that the federal government must adopt new regulations and taxes to restrict the economic power of businesses and achieve a larger redistribution of wealth. He pointed to the examples set by Scandinavian countries like Denmark.

Denmark, however, is not a democratically socialist country. In fact, Denmark Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen flatly rebuffed Sanders’s assessment of Scandanavian economics: “I know that some people in the U.S. associate the Nordic model with some sort of socialism. Therefore I would like to make one thing clear. Denmark

is far from a socialist planned economy.

Denmark is a market economy.”

To be clear, it might be useful to define a few terms. A socialist economy is one in which the government, alone, is responsible for producing and distributing goods to its citizens. In contrast, a capitalist or market economy is one in which individuals and private businesses own the means of production, and goods are distributed through exchange in markets between buyers and sellers. A “democratically socialist” country is simply one that becomes socialist through the democratic pro-

graphic by Anna Zhang

cess rather than through a revolution or coup. In reality, Sanders advocates for a more radical version of an ideology known in Europe as social democratism, which advocates for tempering a free market economy with some level of income redistribution and government oversight of businesses.

The countries that Americans associate with socialism are far from it. The Index of Economic Freedom, which tracks how countries’ economic and political systems affect the ability of individuals to make, use and save money, strongly refutes America’s notions regarding Europe’s economic philoso-

phies.

According to the Index, the United States is the 17th most economically free nation, while Canada places a full ten rankings ahead. Denmark is right behind the United States in 18th, but beats the United States in areas such as business freedom, from regulation to investment freedom. All of the Scandinavian countries rank in the top 25 of the

180 nations on the list.

While differences in political and economic terms like this may seem trivial, they are anything but. A Gallup poll found that 69 percent of millennials are willing to vote for a socialist presidential candidate, even though only 32 percent said they wanted “an economy managed by the government.”

I have seen how this can affect conversations in my own life. On multiple occasions, a friend of mine has expressed his desire to see America become more socialist, to which I am taken aback; I question how they could ever support an economic system that has been used to oppress the citizens of countries like Cuba and Venezuela.

In his mind, however, he is merely saying the United States should follow a more Canadian or European model for the economy. It is crucial to ensure that we have a similar understanding of the definitions and correct usage of words to have a rational and productive discussion about the American economy. If we forgo this type of open communication, we will only continue to see the politics of anger precede the politics of pragmatism.

Considering the Effects of Instructor Bias by ilan rotberg The education system occupies the paramount role of molding students into mature young men and women. An ideal that many schools have valued for centuries is that of always exposing students to new and exciting ideas and acting as a forum to project viewpoints of all kinds with the goal of furthering the intellectual curiosity of young people.

In my time as a high school student thus far, I have been shocked and saddened to find that today’s education does not parallel this ideal.

It is worth mentioning that teachers and professors deserve students’ utmost respect for their hard work and unique positions as role models in our society.

However, it is equally pertinent to promote the actuality of administrative bias in schools.

In Newton, it’s no secret that politics

40%

of American millenials believe the goverment should censor “offensive” speech Infographic data from the Pew Research Center

are extremely imbalanced. Rarely does one hear a dissenting opinion amid the chorus of left-leaning voices that dominates the student body and faculty. Yet, this political polarization pertains not only to our city, but to the whole field of academia.

A study published by Econ Journal Watch that surveyed over 3,000 professors from leading institutions around the country found that liberal professors outnumber their conservative counterparts at a staggering ratio of nearly 12 to one.

While there’s nothing wrong with profes-

their lessons, causing some students to feel hesitant to express their own political views. When teachers have a monopoly on political discourse within an entire institution, it’s highly unlikely that intellectual diversity can thrive.

At South, there have been cases in which individuals have felt that teachers abuse their power in an attempt to shut down opposing viewpoints, and many more of these cases likely go unreported.

When expressing her opinion, Sofia* said she found herself at a loss for words

The aforementioned study added in their analysis that “people interested in ideological diversity or concerned about the errors of leftist outlooks — including students, parents, donors and taxpayers — might find our results deeply troubling.”

Teachers should aim to be society’s most open-minded individuals, the leaders whom students can trust with their unique points of view.

When Hector* tried to share an unpopular opinion in his sophomore speech, he said his teacher tried to belittle his outlook.

“I felt that solely because my opinions were different, I was subjected to more judgment than if I had written my speech on something on the other side of the political spectrum,” he said.

Again, teachers are critical for the when the teacher confronted her simply on well-being and education of our society the premise of her political views. and must be appreciated as such. But it “I was singled out because of my is disappointing to have to cope with the opinions,” she said. “I tried to explain that reality that these roles can very easily be we could have conflicting views and that abused. was okay, but my teacher persisted that Students’ right to free expression their political views were correct and all shouldn’t only be upheld, but encouraged. others were wrong. Having no other opIf South truly wants to foster an academic tion, I had to simply agree with them and community that promotes truth, integrity silence my ideas.” and growth, it must adhere to its duty of When seeking dialogue, students making all viewpoints welcome. should never feel that their unpopular voices deserve less acknowledgement than *Names changed to protect students’ the rest. identities.

When teachers have a monopoly on political discourse within an entire institution, it’s highly unlikely that intellectual diversity can thrive. sors having their own political opinions, their viewpoints can often adversely affect students. The toll of this imbalance on students as they formulate their own views can be detrimental.

Oftentimes, diversity is cited as a source of celebration: gender diversity, racial diversity, age diversity, etc. However, the education system is failing to provide perhaps the most important form of diversity. Our schools seriously lack intellectual diversity, and its absence has serious consequences.

Instructors’ biases can carry into

campus chatter June 8, 2017|page 11

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|opinions

UPGRADE

9 Two months without school

The Lion’s Roar asked ...

What are you looking forward to this summer?

Graduation

“I can’t wait to no longer be in high school, and I’m so excited to go to college. I’ll have more free time and be able to just relax.”

Short-sleeve weather

- Lizzie Wojciechowska, Class of 2017

Sleeping in Summer cookouts Return of “House Of Cards”

“I’m really excited for the Common Application and crippling panic.”

- Lee Ding, Class of 2018

Summer camps

“I’m most looking forward to going on vacation with my family. Also, not having school and not having to stress about it will be a big relief.”

Mr. Wang on MasterChef Wonder Woman

9

DOWNGRADE

- Laura Dammann, Class of 2019

“I’m really looking forward to going to camp this summer because it’s my last year.”

- Nick Whitman, Class of 2020

photos by AJ Kret

Restaurant Review: Tupelo by allie riklin

Finals Celtics’ playoff loss Final farewell to seniors Climate change Rainy weather Summer reading Allergies Mosquitoes No air conditioning in school

In a society where trendy brunch pictures fill up your Instagram feed, Tupelo Restaurant on Cambridge Street in Cambridge creates a perfect atmosphere for both your cameras and your tastebuds.

Tupelo is a small neighborhood joint that specializes in “comfort food with a Southern twist” and has been labeled as “the best place to get your New Orleans favorites outside of Louisiana.”

Since its opening in 2009, Tupelo has won numerous awards and has even been reviewed by Guy Fieri on 'Diners, DriveIns & Dives' (The restaurant now has his signature painted on the wall above the door). It didn't take long for me to understand why.

When you first walk into Tupelo, you instantly know that food quality is their priority. Chalkboards featuring the day's specials cover the walls, and the enticing smell of fried chicken from the kitchen wafts toward your nose.

The menu offers a wide selection that can appeal to the masses. From fried alligator for the adventurous, to slices of homemade pie and ice cream for the nostalgics, you’re bound to find something new and delicious to snap a picture of and enjoy.

One of the restaurant’s most famous dishes is the fried chicken and waffles, a well known Southern classic that typically eludes the New England culinary scene.

When ordered, your plate is filled with two perfectly fried pieces of chicken, a Belgian waffle served with bourbon maple syrup and a spiced whipped cream. I have always been a fan of waffles, so I was eager to experiment with a new take on my favorite dish. I was certainly not disappointed.

The fried chicken was fresh out of the fryer and piping-hot, yet still golden brown, crispy and tossed with a hint of cajun seasoning. The Belgian waffle was graciously covered in powdered sugar, and the bourbon maple syrup tied everything together, perfectly complimenting the meal. To top it all off, the spiced whipped cream enhanced the experience by cooling my tongue from the chicken’s mildly-heated seasoning.

The general feel of the joint made the meal all the better. The intimate atmosphere and warm smiles from the waitresses dressed in mom jeans truly capture a new take on Southern hospitality and home cooking.

Such an in-depth menu and an overall good experience leaves me with only one question: What should I order next?

photos courtesy of Allie Riklin

Voices of the Future Young activists receive varied responses from older generations

By Rachel Gu and Kimia Tabatabaei Continued from page 1

you do. The person who’s not respecting [that] idea is actually hindering themself because they are closing being apolitical is a privilege because it means that themselves off [from] a greater understanding of the politics don’t affect you that much or don’t get in your world they live in.” way. … It’s the responsibility of the people who have Ignoring young people can lead to a lack of that privilege to be apolitical to actually reject that diversity in opinions, Williams said. and fight for those who don’t have that privilege.”

“If you’re not listening to younger people, The 2016 election was also a turning point for you’re not achieving the full arch of how people are senior Noah Weisskopf, who said that hearing Bernie affected by [an issue].”

Sanders’s bottom-up ideology inspired him to effect Change must start somewhere, according to change as a young adult.

Osotimehin, and young people must feel empowered “[Sanders] telling people that change comes in order for that change to happen. from the ground up as opposed to top down “We need to ask ourselves,” he wote, “How definitely inspired me and made me realize that that can we — UN agencies, governments, the private was a thing that I could do,” he said. sector, NGOs [and] academia — empower youth to Weisskopf, who canvasses for political change, drive social progress … through new and innovative said that although the process can be tedious and its projects?” results ambiguous, the prospect of improving lives Szanton said taking action is important because motivates him to continue. it will inspire others to do so as well.

“I don’t know how much effect I have directly “It can be overwhelming to be faced with an on things, but there’s the idea of going out [and] issue and let that be a just cause for inaction, or think, speaking to people who are then going to speak to ‘There’s nothing I can do, so why try?’” she said. other people,” he said. “The ripple effect is a huge “That’s the most dangerous thing because if we have means of creating change.” a nation full of people believing that, then of course Senior Jessie Shiner, president of South’s Aware nothing’s going to change.” and FEM clubs, said her young age motivates her to Davison said that the optimism that naturally take action. comes from young age can be beneficial for any “I am going to be the next generation, so if I movement.

If I don’t start speaking up now, don’t start speaking up now, there’s not going to be “Sometimes, idealism and naïveté can be a good there’s not going to be a voice for a voice for this generation until we’re adults,” she thing because if you’re willing to imagine the ideal said. “It’s silly to only start progress when you think you’re willing to go for the ideal, then you might this generation until we’re adults. It’s and it’s going to work. We start advocacy in times of at least get close to it,” he said. “There are plenty of silly to only start progress when you movements like nonviolent resistance movements hopelessness, and that’s how change is made and how we get out of periods of hopelessness.” where you stick to an ideal, and then because you’re think it’s going to work.

Involvement and activism take place not only not willing to violate that ideal because you’re young on a national scale, but also at South, according to and you’re idealistic, then you might actually have a Jessie Shiner, Class of 2017 freshman Jack Hegarty. successful nonviolent movement.”

Hegarty, a member of South Senate, said active Some students, however, said they have felt that According to Deloitte’s report, approximately student participation in the school community invites their age stimulated adult’s interest in what they had 75 percent of millennials are involved in a charity or people with different perspectives to help cause to say. “good cause,” and 84 percent feel it is their duty to relevant policy change.

Weisskopf added that adults often reach out improve the world.

“Since we are a student-run government, it’s to young people because they are interested in what “Young people tend to believe that it’s all so much easier for us to listen to the students and for future generations care about. going to work out in the end,” Pew Research Center them to relate to us and for us to relate to them,” he “In my experience, the older a person gets, Executive Vice President Paul Taylor said. “What’s said. the more they can appreciate the view of a younger remarkable is that they continue to believe that in the Another member of South Senate, freshman person,” he said. “[I’ve noticed that] when I go up to face of a bad economy that has hit them even harder Kyla Fraser, said the student-run government somebody’s door and I see they’re in their 70s or 80s. than other groups. If anything, the optimism gap provides an active voice for the student body. “They … Maybe it’s nostalgia of being [my] age and wanting between young people and old people has gotten even can push along what the students want to be fixed,” to do something like that.” wider.” she said. “They can move along the process.”

Szanton acknowledged the importance of While young people might feel like adults are Outside of student government, young adults listening to every person’s opinion, including young not listening, Shiner said, they must continue to apply the same fervor for change to larger movements people’s. advocate for the issues they care about. on a national scale.

“The devaluing of anyone’s opinion is silly and “The only thing you can do is speak louder and Junior Bennett Walkes promotes climate change shortsighted and pointless, especially with young push harder,” she said. “If you want to form a strong awareness for the environmental movement, in which people,” she said. activist culture, you have to fight at all stages of life.” he said he has encountered ageism.

Weisskopf said different experiences contribute Szanton said that valuing young people’s “I’ve definitely run into people who have to diverse perspectives, which help cultivate a more opinions is crucial in empowering the next been saying, ‘If you grew up when I did, then you’d comprehensive understanding of top national and generation, which will soon be responsible for understand,’ or telling me that I haven’t had enough global issues. making these important decisions itself. experience to fully understand the topic,” he said.

“Everybody grows up in a different reality, and “If every time we raise our voice to speak about “[It] was kind of frustrating that they dismissed me everybody grows up with different experiences, so something, we’re silenced, then that’s a really big based on my age.” for each individual person, there can certainly be deterrent from speaking out about things [for which] According to a Deloitte report of almost a right and a wrong.” he said. “But to talk generally the actual adults are making decisions,” she said. “So, 8,000 people born between 1980 and 1999 across 30 and say that there’s a right and a wrong, I think, is in order to have civically engaged adults in the future, countries, 38 percent of young participants doubt ignoring the idea that people have different lives than we have to listen to the opinions of children.” graphic by Isabella Xie

whether they can exert a significant level of influence because their actions might be discounted rather than appreciated.

Weiskopf said that while canvassing, he has noticed adults underestimating the youths’ ability to comprehend complex issues. “[It] isn’t necessarily people not taking what I have to say, but people assuming that I’m not going to say it,” he said. “From what I can tell from their facial expression, they were expecting maybe a 40or 50-year-old to tell them that thing, so I think in some ways, I definitely see that shock factor. And I’m sure, to some extent, that makes them inherently less capable of taking in information that I’m saying because they weren’t expecting to take it in.”

Having experienced similar ageism, Williams said that adults generally become more receptive to his opinions when he talks about facts or about personal experiences, leading to constructive conversations.

Young people, Davison said, can bring new perspectives to an issue. “[Young people] come to an issue afresh, whereas an older person … may have just not considered something because it falls so far outside of the way that they’ve been thinking,” he said.

page 14|June 8, 2017

centerfold|THELIONsROAR.com|THE LION’S ROAR

The Ripple Effect

Speaking to those with different viewpoints or experiences is the key to sparking positive change

By Noah Weisskopf

Most people who have had a Facebook account since November have probably seen a post by one of their friends that asks for any and all Trump supporters to unfriend them.

It’s nice to live in a bubble where everyone agrees and people’s ideas aren’t challenged.

If everyone in society could agree with everyone else, legislation would pass almost immediately after being introduced, and the government would work like a well-oiled machine, functioning cohesively to benefit all people at the same time. Unfortunately, not everyone in society agrees with everyone else, and putting yourself in a position in which the only opinions and ideas you see are identical to your own is harmful to yourself, those around you and the society in which you live.

Nowadays, within American society and culture, there seems to be the perception that one political ideology or opinion is correct, and every contradicting ideology or opinion is, therefore, incorrect. This notion is inherently flawed. The beauty of individuality is that everyone grows up with different experiences and lives in a reality that is slightly different from the realities of those around them, making each person’s political ideologies correct for their own reality.

Here’s an example: I believe that the world needs to transition to a system that operates on 100 percent renewable energy. I also live in a reality in which there would be virtually no immediate effect on my life if the coal mining sector were to

shut down overnight – except that the world may not explode in the near future.

But there’s also someone who lives in West Virginia and relies on their job in the coal industry to pay their rent and provide for their children. In their reality, the immediate effect of transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy would be the loss of their job and the inability to provide housing for their family, pay for food or raise their children.

If I operated under the assumption that a transition to renewable energy was the “correct” political ideology for the entire world – not just myself – then I would be directly endangering the livelihood of that person in West Virginia and the 50,300 other people who, according to the Washington Post, are still employees in the coal industry.

Remaining with the same example, I could push forward a plan that would get rid of the coal sector, and if it passed, one would think that I would benefit. The complicated aspect of everyone living with different realities

is that, in a world where one action can spark a ripple effect, each person’s realities are deeply intertwined. If my renewable energy plan were to go into effect, the person who lives in West Virginia and all others like them might be forced into poverty or homelessness, which would have an economic impact that might eventually touch my own life.

This is not an argument against safe zones or advocating for your own ideas. If anything, safe zones and united advocacy require all of us to recognize the fundamental importance of considering other people’s differing realities when trying to advocate for constructive change. Safe zones and united advocacy require an understanding that people are different and that they might hold beliefs that challenge everything you stand for. Accepting this fact can be difficult, to say the least, and if ever that makes anyone feel unsafe, then by all means there should be a place in which they can escape that feeling of insecurity and feel comforted by people with whom they can agree.

However, if it gets to a point where

you don’t acknowledge the other person’s perspective, then the problem you are trying to tackle will instead continue to grow. In terms of advocating for your own ideas, the entire premise of what I’m suggesting is that the world is most effective when everyone advocates for their own ideas while also listening to ideas of others.

It’s never easy to speak with someone who might have opinions that fundamentally challenge everything you stand for, but those difficult conversations are essential if we, as the younger generation, wish to bridge the divides that are currently tearing our country apart. I’d like to propose that the next time you do try and have one of these difficult conversations with a person whose realities are completely unlike your own, remember to approach the discussion by acknowledging that everyone’s experiences are different and that you can only speak for yourself.

Maybe that single conversation will have the power to change the other person’s mind. Then that person might go out and speak to their friend, who will then speak with someone else and so on and so on.

Before you know it, your initial conversation has started a ripple effect, which is a huge means of creating change.

So instead of unfriending your Trump-supporting, gun-toting, Planned Parenthood-defunding uncle, sit down and have a conversation with him about why he thinks what he thinks, and you, your uncle and the world will be better off.

graphic by Isabella Xie

FEATURES page 15|June 8, 2017|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

FEATURES@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 34, ISSUE 1

nvISIble success Science Team calls for recognition after a nationals-qualifying season

D

By Jessica Altman, Zoe Golub and Maggie Kenslea

espite major disparities between South’s Science Team and its counterpart from Acton-Boxborough (AB), the two teams have remained close competitors for years.

“It’s always them first, us second. They’re extremely competitive. They also have a lot of money, while we’re mostly funded off of bake sales,” sophomore Alice Zilberberg said. “They’re our rival, so it was nice to finally beat them.”

On March 8, the Science Team competed at the state Science Olympiad competition where they placed second.

An AB teacher, however, informed South’s team of AB’s alleged cheating on May 16, qualifying South’s varsity team for nationals, according to Zilberberg. The team was unable to attend the national competition in Ohio because of a lack of preparation, time and funding.

Freshman and next year's captain Amy Xiao said the team does not receive the recognition it deserves from the South community, despite its recent accomplishments.

“We always hear about the sports teams and ‘They scored these goals' and 'They had a game this weekend,’ but we barely ever hear things about Science Team and the things we do,” she said.

According to junior captain Caleb Fried, students and faculty should recognize academic teams like Science Team.

“I feel like the general sentiment should be that you are doing the same thing, whether it be for the Science Team or for sports — you are representing your school, [and] you are increasing school spirit,” he said. “It is a way for students to get involved.”

To get more students involved in future years, Fried said he hopes Science Team’s close-knit community will entice incoming freshman team members.

“Freshman year, I had a lot of friends who were seniors and juniors [on Science Team] who could tell me a lot about what life at South was like,” he said. “It was a really great community to have and fall back on.”

Sophomore Isabel MacGinnitie said the team’s relaxed environment attracted her to its meetings.

“I knew that there were a lot of people who did it who were pretty nice people,” she said. “There is no competition with each other.”

New members both add to to the welcoming community and contribute to the team’s academic success,

MacGinnitie added. “[Freshman] have helped us do well at events,” shesaid. “One of our freshman got three medals.”

Senior and captain Neil Hooker said Science Team’s camaraderie and teamwork greatly influences the team's success.

“I think a lot of [our success] comes down to not necessarily how well-prepared individuals are, but how the team is really able to work together,” he said.

Although Science Team has improved many members' experience at South, a lack of funds narrows the opportunities available, which can be frustrating, Hooker said, posing many challenges.

“I think the team in general has a pretty strong work ethic, but it can be frustrating for people on the team if we’re doing things like qualifying for nationals, but not getting any recognition or any sort of funding,” he said.

Regardless, Science Team members continue to motivate each other and work toward achieving their goals, Xiao said.

“What pushes me to continue is not recognition [from] the rest of the school, but by simply relying on everyone else on the team,” she said. “We, as a team, as a whole, want to do better, and that is what pushes us to work — ­ not what other parts of the school think of us.”

Alex Cao and Julianna Huang examine chemical samples.

photos courtesy of Neil Hooker and Caleb Fried

Jonathan Edelman, Matthew Yao, Neil Hooker, Grace Yao, and Alice Zilberberg compete at MIT Trivia Night.

From Left: Chemistry teacher Alan Crosby, Kyle Hooker, Alice Zilberberg, Isabel MacGinnitie, Bhairavi Chang, Grace Yao, John Barbone, Alex Cao, Ellen Deng, Jonathan Edelman, Neil Hooker, Jonathan Lee, Timothy Lee, Caleb Fried, Evan Zhang, Jason Crowley, Biology teacher Jordan Kraus, Jiaming Liu, Thomas Garrison and Amy Xiao stand together after placing second in the state Science Olympiad competition on March 8.

page 16|June 8, 2017

Features|THELIONsROAR.com|THE LION’S ROAR

Summer Livin’ Five South teachers describe their summer plans

By Aviva Gershman and Dina Zeldin

T

photos by Adam Baker and Netta Dror

his summer, history teacher Corey Davison will embark on a three weeklong solo trip to 11 cities and nine countries across Europe.

“I’ve been to Spain and Portugal and to Paris. I’ve spent a lot of time in Berlin and in Prague.

I went to former Yugoslavia a few years ago, but I haven’t really been to the in-between,” he said.

Davison said he will be staying in hostels during his trip.

“Even though hostels can get a reputation of being the kind of place where you probably won’t get any sleep because there will be people partying all night, I would love to meet other people,” he said.

When planning his trip, he said he chose cities that were “must-sees,” tourist-friendly and relevant to the 9th and 10th grade curriculum.

“Really big cities are much easier to travel to because you can count on them ... being accessible to foreigners,” he said. “It just felt like [they were] both the best places for me to go if I wanted to see the world and if I wanted to improve my teaching.”

Davison said he wants to have stories from his adventures to tell his students.

“Something that I really like about travelling is talking to my students about history and telling them what it’s like to have actually been there,” he said.

W

photo courtesy of Marla Weiner

orried about travelling overseas, Spanish teacher Marla Weiner decided to vacation domestically.

“I felt like there are so many wonderful things in the country that I haven’t seen,” she said.

Weiner said she plans to travel to Colorado to spend time with relatives.

“My husband and I plan to go to Colorado as a starting place,” she said. “My sister will be there, and her husband [will be there].”

While in Colorado, Weiner said she will hike and spend time in national parks with her family. “[My husband and I] are going to some of the national parks and canyons,” she said. “We love hiking, so we are going to spend our time travelling [and staying in] AirBnBs.” Weiner said for her, summer is not only a time to travel, but also to relax after the school year. “[I am] also resting, not being here and just rejuvenating,” she said.

“I

’ve covered just about every state in the West,” guidance counselor Aaron Lewis said of his past summer vacation plans.

For the past twelve years, Lewis has road-tripped through the West Coast.

Lewis, however, has different plans for this summer.

“We’ll be spending most our summer just hanging out with the baby and getting used to being parents,” he said.

Lewis and his wife Nicole will have their first child near the end of June.

“It’s so hard to plan because you don’t know when [the baby is] coming,” he said.

So far, Lewis said they have prepared a nursery with gifts from friends and family.

“We really want to fit the baby into our lifestyles as best we can,” he said.

In future years, Lewis said he hopes to return to his typically galavant summers.

“I

’m trying to make this a creative summer,” Spanish teacher Maureen Maher said. “I used to be a graphic designer, so for me, this is going back to my roots.”

In addition to spending a week on the Cape with her family, Maher will be taking various summer surface design classes.

“The summer is really a luxury for me to be able to clear my mind and to do especially the kind of creative projects that take a lot of setup, like dyeing or printmaking,” she said.

Although Maher said she struggles finding time during the school year to do art, she often brings her creative background into class.

“I do feel comfortable talking about art, so I like to integrate it into my classes,” she said.

Maher has taken paper and fabric pattern classes before.

She added that summer is an important time for teachers and other professionals.

“I think teachers shouldn’t be the only ones to have a nice chunk of time to be able to do other things,” she said.

M

ath teacher Sam Kadish said he hopes to apply some of the geometry he teaches to a project over the summer.

“I promised my kids that I would help them build a treehouse this summer,” he said.

In past summers, Kadish said he has always entertained a home-improvement project, from furniture restorations to a patio area renovation.

“That’s perfect for me: outdoors and working on something with my hands,” he said. “It helps me refresh and come back for the next school year.”

Kadish said he learned these skills from watching instructional videos online. “[You can] learn anything by just watching YouTube videos,” he said. “I think it’s part of math and teaching. It’s a different kind of problem solving. It’s not necessarily as abstract.”

In addition to the treehouse project, Kadish said he also hopes to get his kids involved in the treehouse construction while they are not at summer camp.

“People talk about teachers being underpaid … the summer off is a huge part of the compensation,” he said. “Teachers, especially at South, work really hard.

I think they should have more recognition for that, regardless of the summers.”

graphics by Amy Xiao

June 8, 2017|page 17

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Features

• Washed Up At the Surf

Serving the Surf ’s first cleanup sparks conversation about South’s contribution to pollution

By Dina Zeldin

B

alloon ribbons, a decapitated seal, tampon applicators, cigarette lighters, a lobster trap, plastic spoons and a blade-less butcher knife: while these objects may seem both unsightly and unrelated, they are only a few of the miscellaneous objects that members of Serving the Surf, an ocean conservation club, encountered at their first beach cleanup.

On May 20, Serving the Surf members drove to Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown, where the students scoured the beach for debris and heaped their trash into a large pile. Sophomores Maia Madison and Naomi Liftman founded the club in the spring of 2016 after realizing students’ lack of awareness of environmental issues facing the ocean.

“I found things that I could only describe as the makings of a Transformer,” freshman Claire Olson said.

Students picked up trash along the beach in an effort to lessen the pollu-

While South has made steps toward environmental friendliness, there are still ways to improve, according to science teacher Alex Kraus.

“One of the biggest ways in which we are environmentally friendly is [through our] history of harnessing solar energy, and this year, that was expanded dramatically with the major installations in the parking lot,” he said.

Kraus noted that eliminating plastic bottles at teacher meetings could be an effective step toward reducing plastic waste.

“I see no reason why … we couldn’t just have large refillable water bottles and large dispensers of tap water,” he said.

“We have recycling bins around the school, but I see a lot of people don’t use them,” Liftman said.

In an effort to minimize the school’s eco-footprint, the club plans to sell reusable water bottles to fundraise bigger projects and decrease the school’s plastic waste.

“I think taking small steps in your

A truck transported the trash Serving the Surf members collected to nearby dumpsters.

I’m hoping my generation can be the one to hopefully stop global warming and even reverse some of its effects.

Naomi Liftman, Class of 2019 tion caused by haphazard littering. While doing so, they reflected upon their own contributions to the problem.

“Not only are we endangering people and sea life; we are also ruining this beautiful beach,” sophomore Jasmin Rotem said. “It’s kind of depressing.”

“It makes me angry, and it’s really frustrating, but it’s good to know that even cleaning up just one beach can make a difference,” Olson added.

The beach cleanup marks an important step toward the club’s goal of helping to preserve the ocean, according to sophomore Mirea Klee.

“This beach cleanup was one of the biggest things that we’ve been talking about for the majority of the year,” she said. “I believe very strongly in protecting our planet and our oceans, and this is a simple way to do that.”

“I think being aware of it, and just doing your part to not be wasteful, is important,” Cape Cod National Seashore park ranger Russ Hughes said.

Hughes worked with Serving the Surf members at the beach and coordinated their clean up.

“There’s a lot of fun that can be had at the beach, but be aware of your surroundings and clean up after yourselves,” he said.

Madison added that delaying climate change begins with the ocean.

“There are other problems with pollution and climate change … like ocean acidification and coral bleaching,” she said. “Those are things that we want to learn more about and teach people about because … the ocean is a big part of climate change, too. It’s absorbing the majority of the carbon that we put into the atmosphere.”

community is a great way to make a difference,” Olson added.

“If you see litter on the side of the road, just pick it up and throw it away.”

“I’m hoping that my generation can be the one to hopefully stop global warming and even reverse some of its effects,” Liftman said.

“It is a big issue. It’s one that is never ending. Every tide cycle, there’s something new that has washed up,” Hughes said. “Being aware of it and just doing your part to not be wasteful is the most important [thing].”

Naomi Liftman listens to a park ranger.

Maxine Philips and Langston Lee stand with a park ranger before the cleanup.

Margot Madison weilds a detached buoy.

photos courtesy of Jon Madison

Jasmin Rotem, Naomi Liftman, Claire Olson, Maxine Philips, Maia Madison, Langston Lee, Chris Jang, Josh Palmer, Emily Palmer

page 18|JUNE 8, 2017

THE

Features|THELionsRoar.com|THE LION’S ROAR

COMMONAPPLICATION

The Roar reveals the final two students who The Common Application followed throughout the 2016-2017 school year.

By Celine Yung

M

photo courtesy of Regulus

arcus Williams, previously known as “Rufus,” chose Bowdoin College over Cornell University, citing Bowdoin’s intimacy as the deciding factor.

“I got to meet the president of the university and the dean when I first went up there,” he said. “They definitely showed a lot of care for who I was, versus when I went to Cornell, where it was a very different situation.”

Additionally, Marcus said Bowdoin’s emphasis on diversity and Cornell’s lack thereof affirmed his decision.

“Bowdoin showed so much care for its diverse students, whereas Cornell only had Diversity Day,” he said. “It just didn’t feel like they were looking out for minority students and making them feel comfortable at the school.”

While Marcus said he is excited to take advantage of the wide variety of classes that Bowdoin offers, he added that he is concerned about Bowdoin’s high writing standards.

“Bowdoin is known for being harsh about writing, and it’s very different from high school,” he said. “It’s going to be hard to have to learn a different way of writing.”

Reflecting on his college application process, Marcus said not to underestimate the importance of deadlines and organization.

T

photo by Netta Dror

homas Materday, previously known as “Nate,” decided to attend the University of Massachusetts at Amherst for his freshmen year before transferring to Cornell University for his sophomore year.

He said he chose Cornell over the University of Pennsylvania because he preferred the campus environment of Ithaca.

At Cornell, Thomas said he hopes to study science.

“I’m looking forward to generally exploring what I want to do in college,” he said.

“I would like to explore what Cornell has to offer in terms of sciences, and I want to see if it can guide me toward a science that I’ll like better than others.”

Thomas’s main goal for his freshman year at UMass Amherst, he said, is to adjust to living away from home.

“A few of my friends are going there, so I figure I spend a year there with some people I know before heading off to a place that’s a lot farther [away],” he said.

Although he will arrive at Cornell a year later than his peers, Thomas said he is not too worried about the adjustment.

“The fact that Cornell accepted me means that they think that some part of me is qualified enough to be there, so I’m trying not to give into any personal fears of mine.”

A letter from Setti Warren to South graduates Congratulations to Newton South High School graduates of the Class of 2017. This is truly a significant moment in your lives, and I hope you will take a minute to appreciate all you have done to get yourselves here and everyone who helped you along the way.

I’d like to share some words with you to reflect on my time serving as mayor of Newton that I also shared with the Newton community earlier this year.

When I arrived home from my yearlong deployment in Iraq as a Navy Intelligence Specialist in the fall of 2008, my wife Tassy and I together made the final decision that I would run for mayor of the city where I grew up. My family’s commitment to public service and my love of this city and desire to see it meet its full potential led me into the race for mayor at the time.

When I took office in 2010, I knew that we needed a bold vision of a city government that transformed how we govern and that met the needs of all of citizens in a new, 21st-century, ever-changing economic, social, cultural and political environment. I believe that the reason for our success over the last seven years is because of my approach to governance from day one around three principles: 1. Putting in place strong fiscal discipline and accounting for each taxpayer dollar spent so we were not being wasteful with money, but efficient. Expenditures for my administration have been based on outcomes for people both now and decades from now.

2. Not being afraid to make tough fiscal and policy decisions based on achieving the best outcome for individuals

and families to live up to their full potentials in Newton — these decisions must be made with directness, honesty and transparency.

3. Listening and bringing people together to solve difficult challenges by identifying the common good and working towards that end with an eye towards the future.

These principles are based on my lifelong commitment to public service, inspired by my family, my nine years in the armed services and my love of this city.

By prioritizing fixing the city’s

inequality and a lack of opportunity for people of all walks of life, ages and backgrounds to have the chance to stay here as they hit retirement age or to start a life here, like my family did over 40 years ago.

To address income inequality and promote my initiative of “Economic Growth for All” requires more than education and job opportunities with wages that allow workers to be financially sustainable.

In October 2016, Boston College President Father William Leahy and I announced a historic partnership on my evidence- and research-based policy to in-

As you embark onto the next phase of your lives, you have the opportunity to build on the strong foundation you have received from the talented and dedicated teachers, administrators, and staff of the Newton Public Schools.

Setti Warren, Mayor of Newton finances and employing sound fiscal management and strategies, we have completely turned the city’s finances around and eliminated the deficit we inherited, creating a strong financial foundation for the other work that we needed to do to keep Newton the special place it is for generations to come.

We’ve been able to foster thriving business communities like The Street in Chestnut Hill and the N2 Innovation District, renovate aging school buildings and fire stations, pave crumbling roads, add teachers to classrooms and police to our excellent force and invest in projects to reduce our carbon footprint.

At the same time as we were making these vital investments, I saw a growing divide developing in our city: economic

crease economic opportunity and address income inequality in Newton. Transportation, housing, well-paying jobs and a vibrant business community are all pieces of our Economic Growth for All initiative.

I have also prioritized investing in young people through the high school internship program — which places students from both high schools with businesses and non-profits in the city for summer internships — and by reformatting the Youth Commission so that students are commissioners and not adults, giving the youth of Newton a real voice.

I’m also exceptionally proud of the work we’ve done to ensure that Newton is a welcoming city for all people – no matter their identities or backgrounds.

When I was a high school student,

forward-looking Mayor Ted Mann called on me to help heal the wounds of racial division at Newton North after a racial incident. That meeting we had in the mayor’s office demonstrated to me what being mayor was really about.

I answered his call then and I make the same call to you now. My advice to the Class of 2017 is really a call to action: answer the call of public service. Give back to your community. Work together and understand different perspectives. By working together to bridge those divides, you can make a real difference in our society.

Although I’m a Newton North graduate, I’ve had many good memories at Newton South during my time as mayor.

One that comes to mind is the celebrity basketball game we hosted in 2012 to raise money for our Veterans Center. As a veteran myself, it was great to see our community and celebrities turn out for an event like this. I also always look forward to when I get to come to Newton South and address the graduating class at graduation. It is always an honor to speak on what is sure to be one of the most exciting days of students’ young lives.

As you embark onto the next phase of your lives, you have the opportunity to build on the strong foundation you have received from the talented and dedicated teachers, administrators and staff of the Newton Public Schools. We all take great pride in our school system here in Newton, and I urge you to embrace your next steps with confidence, knowing you are prepared with all the tools for success.

Congratulations again, and best of luck in all your future endeavors.

June 8, 2017|page 19

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|fun page

bffls & bad puns COREY SAMUELS sr. fun editor

Post Graduation Rubric

Well, you did it. You’ve finished high school. All of that hard work, those long nights and that pesky senior reflection paper are behind you now, and the “real world” is a tassel flip away. We, as your teachers, could not be more proud of you ... and yet, to be honest, we’re also a little worried. That reflection paper should not have been as much of a challenge as it was. That math rap should not have been a thinly veiled ripoff of a 2010 Trey Songz hit. That marine bio test should not have made you cry twice in one day. If we’re expecting you to fix global warming, reestablish faith in our democratic system and disrupt the coconut water industry, our final gift to you must be the comfortable tool of setting expectations and measuring outcomes: the ever-familiar rubric.

Feel free to cut this out and use it to guide you through the rest of your life.

Category

Approaching Expectations You know the difference between nickels, dimes, quarters and dollars.

You can count.

Finance

Romance Social Relationships

You’re on Tinder.

Meets Expectations Most days out of the week, you have more than $20 in your checking account.

Your gracious mom still offers gas money, though.

You’re on Tinder AND Bumble.

Exceeds Expectations IRA.

You have an IRA AND a ROTH

You’ve tricked the city of Newton into building a new soccer stadium. With lights. And you’re not paying a single penny for it.

Your partner, regardless of your sexual orientation, is Emma Watson.

You’re still close with your high school BFFs.

You’ve stopped calling these people your “BFFs,” even though they’re your BFFs.

You get dinner with Mr. Lee and Mr. Davison on the reg; you call them “Sam” and “Corey.”

Professionals

You’re thinking of learning to cook, maybe?

Cereal is getting monotonous.

You put in an audition tape for MasterChef that accentuates how you conduct a symphony on a plate and in an opera house.

You’ve won MasterChef by arranging scallops in three distinct ways, with explosive flavors and expressive plating, all in one dish. Bravissimo.

Family

Your call log records seven missed calls from your mother. Seven. Smh.

You remember to call home every other week and welcome the hour-long FaceTime sessions for Mother’s Day.

Intellectual Vitality

Your primary source of news is swiping through sponsored Snap Stories.

You post snarky comments on the backward statuses your forgotten high school friends post on Facebook, often referring to a headline you scrolled past on Twitter.

Emotional Wellness

:|

:)

And, for future reference, the answer henceforth to the question “will this be on the test?”

Will always be a loud, pronounced “no.”

Overheard at SOUTH Yes, we heard you say that.

Talented junior girl: “I was so impressed with myself — I hit my head on my towel rack this morning!”

Hopeful English Teacher: “Name an American mystery writer.”

Cultured sophomore girl: “Sherlock Holmes.”

Nervous freshman boy: “I’m always scared the flyers on the wall will give my eye a paper cut.”

You live at home. Hi mom!

Your lengthy email correspondences with Jamie Rinaldi have been collected and lightly edited for publication by Harper’s.

:D

SPORTS page 20|June 8, 2017|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Sports@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 34, ISSUE 1

the

R0aR A ardS

In a year of school-wide success, some players, coaches and teams stood out from the crowd

Captain of the Year:

Gal Fudim

Senior Gal Fudim captained over 170 runners during the boys cross country, indoor track and outdoor track seasons. He was named a DCL All-Star and a runner- up for the DCL Sportsmanship Award for his cross country season. The team placed fourth at the DCL Championships during both track seasons.

Fudim said that although being a track captain was rewarding, he faced occasional difficulty.

“You have to draw the line between being friends and being a leader sometimes. Often they merge together, but sometimes you have to cut it,” he said. “It’s also tough to get the team motivated sometimes. ... It was tough for me and my co-captains to get the boys hyped, but we’ve done a good job keeping the team in line.”

Female Athlete of the Year: In the indoor track season, Fudim broke his perVeronica Burton sonal record by two seconds in the 1000-meter race and set a school record for the 600-meter race with a time of In her third year on the varsity girls basketball team, 1:25.94. During outdoor track, he broke two minutes in junior Veronica Burton continued to lead and excel, scor- the 800-meter race, which he said had been a goal of his since freshman year. ing her thousandth point and averaging 20.8 points, 10 “I feel like I’ve had an accomplished career,” Fudim rebounds, 5.7 assists, 3.6 steals and 2.2 blocks per game. said.

“I don’t have any regrets.”

For the third consecutive year, Burton won the Dual County League MVP award. She was also named to the Boston Globe All-Scholastic Super Team, the Boston Team of the Year: Herald All-Scholastic Dream Team and the USA Today Girls Soccer All-USA Massachusetts Girls Basketball First Team.

Though the team was ranked sixth, South upset Coming off its first DCL Championship in program crosstown rival and third-ranked Newton North 59-45 history this year, the girls soccer team proved itself as one with a 30-point, 14-rebound and 6-assist performance by of South’s best and most improved teams.

Burton. Braintree defeated South in the next game, the The team went undefeated in the first 17 regular MIAA Division 1 South Sectional semifinals. season games and ended the season with a 14-1-3 record.

While Burton has not committed to play in college In an overtime thriller decided by penalty kicks, yet, she already has several offers from Division I schools sixth-seeded South was defeated by eleventh-seeded For now, though, Burton said she will focus on South’s Needham in the MIAA tournament. success.

According to head coach Doug McCarthy, the team “I hope we can go further in the tournament [next broke several school records, including fewest losses in a year] and do the best we can, and hopefully beat teams we season, most wins in a season, longest undefeated streak struggled beating this year,” she said. in a season, most goals scored in a season, fewest goals allowed in a season and largest goal differential in a season.

Eight players were named DCL All-Stars.

By Jake Freudberg, Catherine Granfield and Brendan Locke

Breakthrough Athlete of the Year:

Lucy Jenks

While starting as a wide forward and center midfielder for the DCL-winning girls soccer team, freshman Lucy Jenks scored seven goals and was named to the DCL Second-Team.

Later, on the indoor track team, she competed individually in the 300-meter, 600-meter, 1,000-meter and mile events.

Jenks also ran the 4x800 with junior Emily Bulczynski and seniors Katie Collins and Clare Martin.

They won at the MIAA Division 1 Championships on Feb. 18 with a time of 9:28.86. At the same meet, Jenks won the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:57.73.

On March 11, she competed in the 4xmile at New Balance Nationals Indoor with Bulczynski, Collins and junior Caroline Barry. They finished ninth with a time of 20:59.40.

The following day, Jenks ran the freshman mile at Nationals. She ran 5:02.69, breaking her previous personal record and finishing third.

According to Jenks, the meet’s location at the New Balance Track and Field Center in New York city made Nationals a memorable experience.

Jenks said that she hopes to continue her success in both soccer and track. “[I want to] keep winning, have a winning season, maybe win DCL All-Stars again and keep scoring goals,” she said.

Coach of the Year:

Steve McChesney

Sportsman of the Year:

Sarah King

As a girls basketball and tennis captain, senior Sarah King demonstrated superb sportsmanship. According to girls tennis coach Bob Jampol, she treats both teammates and opponents with respect.

“Whether she’s competing against her own teammates or against another school, she’s always a great sport,” he said. “She does it purely, and she doesn’t get into any situations with other players.”

Jampol said King inspires her teammates to reciprocate her kindness and sportsmanship.

“She’s just a wonderful person who will never take the match personally or compromise her values to win,” he said. “Any of her opponents have a high regard for her.”

This year, head coach Steve McChesney led the girls cross country and indoor and outdoor track teams to unparalleled success.

According to track captain Katie Collins, McChesney takes a unifying approach to coaching that helps the team bond and succeed.

“A lot of people view running as an individual sport, but he loves to focus on the team aspect and being a family,” she said.

Earlier this year, girls cross country almost went undefeated. Although they suffered one loss to Lincoln Sudbury, they ended the season with a DCL championship.

During the season, McChesney also won his thousandth victory as a coach, and both indoor and outdoor track went undefeated on their way to DCL crowns.

Indoor won the state champoinship and placed second at the MIAA Eastern Division I championship.

Collins said that McChesney’s encouragement is critical to team success.

“He’s always super supportive,” she said. “Even when you’re not believing in yourself, he believes in you.”

Male Athlete of the Year:

Sasha Hoban

Sasha Hoban captained both the football and boys basketball teams in his senior year.

Initially a tight end, Hoban took over as a quarterback in the absence of former quarterback Austin Burton.

Hoban will play in the Massachusetts All-Star Shriner football game before playing football at Yale next fall.

“Not a lot of kids from South have made that, and not a lot of kids from Newton have made that,” coach Ted Dalicandro said. “It’s a huge accomplishment, seeing that South is not known for its football.”

On the basketball court this season, Hoban posted 242 points, 32 assists and 174 rebounds. Under his captainship, the team qualified for the state tournament and finished with a 13-9 record.

Hoban is one of just four male athletes in South history to have played varsity basketball all four years. The team has played in the state tournament each season. “[Hoban is] not just a great athlete or an intelligent person, ... but he’s also just the best human being I’ve ever coached, in terms of being humble, being a good kid and doing the right thing,” Dalicandro said. “It’s a pleasure to coach somebody with such great characteristics.”

June 8, 2017|page 21

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|SPorts

Boys volleyball team qualifies for playoffs

Kevin Granfield Sports Reporter

Following several competitive seasons, the boys volleyball team once again qualified for the post-season tournament, and defeated Greater New Bedford in the South Sectional semi-final on June 1.

Senior Quinn Meurer said the team rebounded quickly after starting the season with a 3-0 loss to North Quincy.

“We have had some big tournaments with 25-25 teams,” he said. “We came in second in two of them, which is pretty impressive.”

“The team has really been pushing the limits in terms of really just how good we can get,” junior Ariel Fine said.

“There have been multiple displays of a lot of good, hard work and a lot of good play throughout the season.”

According to senior Jeremiah Miller, the success of the team comes from players’ experience and resilience.

“We adapt to adversity really well.

We have a lot of good players. We have [senior] Noah Kopf, a great captain and great player. We have [senior] Krish Maypole, who is a great setter. He has been [playing] for a long time, so he knows what he is doing on the court,” he said.

“Everybody brings something else to the table.”

Meurer said that head coach Todd Elwell’s empasis on constant growth contributes to the program’s sucess.

“One of Coach Elwell’s big stresses is about being mindful. When you practice, you should always be mindful, trying to improve and not just going through the motions,” he said. “[You should think about] what you can do to get better and

photos by Netta Dror

South defeats Wayland with a 3-0 sweep on May 17, bringing their final record to 17-2. how you can apply that to game situations.”

“When all the guys on the team have the same mindset and everyone is just doing their job, it contributes to the greater cause, which is winning,” junior David Patkin said.

Senior captain Krish Maypole added that the seniority of the team gives them more flexibility to hone specific techniques.

“We show up to practice every day and focus a lot on getting better and

recognizing what we need to improve,” he said. “This year, because we have been playing together so long — this year is pretty senior-heavy — we have been able to focus on more skills like blocking.”

The team’s consistency and chemistry will take them far into playoffs, according to Patkin.

“We are a great team, not only good players by ourselves, but when we come together we are even better,” he said. “As long as we just keep our heads and play as well as we can, we can win the state title.”

South athletes vie for athletic scholarships Dorra Guermazi & Jennifer Wang

Sr. Sports Editor, Sports Reporter For South athletes, gaining athletic scholarships to college requires them to excel both in their sports and in the classroom. Student-athletes at South find this process daunting and complicated.

Senior Noah Gans, who is playing soccer for Brandeis Univeristy, said that the college recruitment process is difficult for prospective athletes and college coaches. “[The process is] almost like a game,” he said. “The coaches are playing a game where they want to find their best team, so they don’t really care about you as a person, and they’re just finessing the system in order to get the best team.”

According to Princeton track and cross country runner Clare Martin, an athlete can only receive a scholarship by demonstrating both athletic ability and dedication to the sport.

“The first factor that determines whether you receive an athletic scholarship is your skill level in the sport, and you have to be one of the top [athletes] in your state,” she said. “You have to put yourself out there and attend a lot of state-level and region-wide national competitions.”

Senior volleyball player Andrew Bryan, who is attending Champlain col-

lege, agreed that athletes must promote themselves on different teams, like his older sister did before receiving her volleyball scholarship.

“She advertised herself a lot. She played on club teams,” he said. “Through [the club team], she was able to get recognized by Colleges.”

Martin added that strong academic performance gives some athletes an advantage.

“Besides the athletic component, you of course need to show that you have adequate grades and test scores that would qualify you to succeed in this school,” she said. “Having that athletic pull does help differentiate you in the college admission process.”

Although scholarships are difficult to attain, senior volleyball captain Noah Kopf, who elected not to pursue collegiate athletics at Yale University, said he believed that South students have an easier time getting scholarships than students from other schools.

“Because of the great education that South has to offer compared to other public schools, South students who are good at sports are very recruitable,” Kopf said.

“They typically don’t have any academic concerns at most of the colleges that will recruit them. That’s an asset of being an athlete at South: [we get] both a good athletic experience and a great academic experience.”

Junior volleyball captain Ella Kim, however, said that South athletes do not have an advantage over other schools due to South’s uncompetitive athletic reputation.

“Athletically, it’s harder for a South student to get looked at by a D1 school just because of where we are in Massachusetts,” she said. “[Other] schools know where we are in terms of experience.”

Gans’ participation in a club team outside of school, he said, made his scholarship much easier to obtain.

“There is little to no recruiting for soccer done in public schools,” he said. “[In Massachusetts], most of the really good players play club, so college coaches aren’t going to focus most of their time on going to high school games.”

Senior Katie Collins, who is running for Massachusetts Institute of Technology, added that members of South’s track and cross country teams are more likely to receive a scholarship than athletes who play other sports.

“We have had good kids in the past, and track is different because you have to run a certain time, and that is your time,” she said. “I know D1 schools who don’t really take public school kids, but may take some in track.”

According to Kim, scholarships mean more than just financial assistance: applying to a school with a scholarship can help integrate a student athlete into the

college community.

“If a student has a scholarship, that would make them more known,” she said. “If they are good at the sport, it will spread.” “[With a scholarship], you automatically have a place in the school community,” Kopf added. “You have a community of teammates, a coach and a general support system once you get there. There’s structure and a purpose.”

Martin, however, noted that having a scholarship adds pressure for athletes to continue pursuing their sports.

“For the really big D1 schools that are very competitive in their sports, college coaches expect you to keep on performing at a high level every single year. If you get injured, or if you start plateauing, then you could lose your athletic scholarship for that year,” she said. “If you are on an athletic scholarship, you will feel this added pressure of having to satisfy the demands of your coach, and maybe that might distract you from your school work.”

Regardless, the potential pressures and risks should not defer South athletes from pursuing a scholarship, Martin added.

“If you’re really passionate in your sports,” she said, “then you should try to go as far as you can.”

Additional reporting by Izzy Klein

page 22|June 8, 2017

Stealing Second:

Sports|THELIONsROAR.com|THE LION’S ROAR

Pay to Play Offseason AAU programs damage sportsmanship and camaraderie for school teams

Ki m i ce

Every Saturday afternoon, after South baseball practice ends at 1 p.m., the 14U and 10U Triple Crown Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) baseball teams take over both our field and the neighboring softball field. Beyond subjecting us to torn-up fields on Mondays, the AAU programs’ pay-to-play structure causes greater issues for school-team baseball players.

Let us be clear off the bat: we are not criticizing how Triple Crown, specifically, runs its program. Rather, we want to shed some light on how different aspects of AAU sports can negatively impact individual players, high school teams and the AAU teams themselves.

Before we start, let us give a little background. The AAU governs almost all non-school affiliated amateur sports. Most players will play for their high schools during the season and an AAU team during the offseason to stay in game mode. Players can switch between these programs every year to find the program that fits them the best (read: gives them the most playing time).

Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) rules stipulate that players who are part of their school teams cannot miss high school games for AAU commitments. The AAU summer season, however, starts before the school season ends.

In terms of off-season baseball, AAU is not the only option; the Babe Ruth League offers an alternative for 13-15 year-olds, and the Twilite League does the same for 16-21 year-olds. High school players also have the opportunity to try out for an American Legion team in Newton.

Another disclaimer: while Nathan has never played AAU baseball, Noah has played for many AAU programs over the past six years. In addition, our South teammates play for a multitude of summer programs, from Nokona to Triple Crown to EvoShield Canes.

So with our AAU experience and exposure in mind, let’s delve into our critique.

The first main problem we see with the system is the fact that it makes players egocentric instead of team-centric.

This should not be a radical claim; logically, if you can leave a team that’s not playing you for a team that would, you would leave, since the primary reason for playing AAU baseball is to get more playing time.

Thus, the AAU system is conducive to players acting purely in their own self-interest.

To justify their flights, players often say they hope to be noticed, and they cannot do so while sitting on a bench. While they’re not wrong, players should care about the team, not just about getting themselves noticed.

AAU experience also detrimentally affects high school baseball. This year specifically — though we have seen this trend in past

by Eu n

Sports Columnists

seasons — freshmen came into South baseball acting like they owned the place. They expected they would receive the world because they’re used to getting playing time.

Unlike in AAU, players cannot prioritize personal playing time while they play for South.

Anytime you wear a team’s uniform, you need to remember what that uniform represents. Playing for a school team is an honor; you represent your teammates, your school and your city. New players need to realize this and play with this in mind.

In order to play well on varsity, freshmen need to develop camaraderie with their freshman-team teammates before rising through the ranks together. If all the players play for themselves, the team cannot succeed. On an AAU team where players only care about playing time, selfish playing is the norm, but because a school team’s success is measured by its playoff run, we need players who uphold the collective team identity.

At the time we write this, varsity baseball is 4-6. Ca-

gra ph ic

Nathan Elbaum & Noah Shelton

maraderie is still a big problem. One reason for this is our previous coach, and another reason is that many of our players play AAU as well. We need a culture shift within our program and within baseball in general to promote teamwork over personal stats.

The second issue with AAU is that non-stop playing injures players. Over the past three years, South has been felled by injuries, some unpreventable freak accidents, but the majority are overuse injuries from throwing a baseball all year. If an AAU team implements a workout regimen to strengthen arms and legs, it will help the players. But in order to ensure the workouts’ effectiveness, players should not be allowed to pick up baseballs.

Arm soreness comes from the overuse of arms. The succinctness of the high school baseball season causes some of this, but I (Nathan) have never had an arm injury, while many South and AAU players have missed multiple consecutive games due to shoulder stiffness. Stronger arms are keys to next-level success, but players should also take breaks and take care of themselves. They cannot play at the next level if their arms no longer move correctly, and the MLB’s rush of Tommy John surgeries confirmed that arm care has been overlooked. Everyone in the baseball universe must understand the importance of arm care so that no player will have his career needlessly cut short.

While AAU teams can give players more opportunities, like elite tournaments or invitation-only baseball camps, a lot of the programs sell fake dreams. Newton has fostered various programs that brag about all of their older players committing to collegiate baseball, but in reality, most are going to small Division II schools that they could have been accepted to without six years of $3,000 programs.

Although some AAU teams seem to promise college baseball stardom, not every little leaguer will attend a top 25 NCAA baseball program. In the United States alone, 2.6 million kids play Little League every year, and each Division I baseball program can carry 35 players at most. That means that 2.6 million kids will be competing for 875 roster spots.

If each kid had an equal opportunity (which they obviously do not due to lurking variables), then each kid would have a .03% chance of playing for a top 25 NCAA team. This calculation, however, is fraught with errors, as it excludes the players who play Cal Ripken baseball or any other independent baseball league.

AAU programs are essentially cash cows. With each team carrying 20 kids at $3,000 a piece, each team brings in an easy $60,000. Yes, the coaches have to get paid, but two players’ salaries usually cover one coach. That means each team brings in $54,000.

AAU baseball can turn good players into great players, but it neglects other players, almost entirely stripping them of their talent. No program is perfect for every player, so each player must find the right fit for himself and then roll with the program.

June 8, 2017|page 23

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|SPorts

Coach’s Corner The Roar’s Catherine Granfield asked boys lacrosse coach David McCallum for a season recap

David McCallum boys lacrosse coach

Q A Q A Q A

What was the highlight of the season?

The highlight is [that] they’re all getting along and they like each other.

They are all on the same page, whereas years before, we were a little bit bigger, and we definitely had some bigger personalities that didn’t really help out. But they’re all growing and learning from each other, so that’s probably the highlight.

What is the team’s biggest strength?

They’ve got some great attitudes. They’re working hard outside of practice right now. When we played those bigger teams, [they beat us] in the offseason, but in-season, they’re there.

What was the team’s biggest challenge?

[Players] are the ones that have to be there for each other and pick each other up. It’s tough for lacrosse [because] lacrosse is one of those sports where you have to be at a higher level. You have to be able to throw left [handed] and right [handed], so you need stick skills. Then, unlike girls lacrosse, our sport has hitting. So you need to be able to take a hit and give a hit.

South Scoreboard

***All information is as of 11:30 p.m. on Monday, June 5, 2017***

Team

Next Game/ Meet

Record (W/L/T)

Baseball

N/A

4-16

Boys Lacrosse Girls Lacrosse Boys Track

N/A

11-7

N/A N/A

11-9 4-2

Girls Track

N/A

7-0

Softball

N/A

6-13

Girls Tennis

N/A

15-1

Boys Tennis Boys Volleyball

N/A TBD

5-10 17-2

Down, Not Out COURTNEY PAPPAS sports contributor

Floating column EDITOR’S NOTE: Every issue, The Roar publishes a different athlete’s perspective from his or her position on a sports team.

Contact srstaff@thelionsroar.com if you are interested in writing this column.

I’ve played softball for five years. At the start of this season, I looked forward to playing as a senior captain for my final year at South.

Our varsity team was skilled and determined to play our hardest. As one of just two captains, our new coach asked me to take on more responsibilities to get the season underway.

The season started out successfully with a win against Waltham in our first game. It was the perfect way to start the season, and we were excited for more.

While warming up against Wayland before our second game, I headed to the outfield to catch my teammates’ warm-up hits.

A ball was falling to my right. As an outfielder, I try to go for every ball that I think I can possibly catch, so I hustled to dive for it.

Unfortunately, that dive took me out of most of the season. Wayland had recently aerated their field, and my ring and pinky fingers had managed to land in one of the holes, fracturing my long bone.

Doctors told me that I couldn’t play sports during the four-to-six-week healing process. I was pissed, realizing I would never get to play again in my last season.

I took on a manager position, helping the coaches with the team. I made sure practices and games ran smoothly, and luckily, the girls worked very hard each practice, easily handling our team’s transition to a new coach.

As a manager, I was able to see the coaches’ thinking process behind every tough descicion, including who made the lineup.

As a captain, I continued to make sure the girls were ready for each game, and I was constantly aware of the game situation.

It was painful to watch all of my teammates play each game while I sat on the bench. Every now and then, I would hear a girl talking about her playing time.

Since I was forced to sit 90 percent of the season, I learned that I should appreciate any playing time I get.

About one week ago, I was cleared to start practicing again. I wasn’t able, however, to jump right back into the games without limitations.

Before each game and practice, I needed P.J., South’s athletic trainer, to tape my hand. For batting, I wore a small glove to help lessen any vibrations. I also had to retrain my hand to throw, grip a bat and swing.

Some days, my hand would feel completely fine, but on others, I would throw, and it would hurt again. Even though I was cleared, I wasn’t fully healed.

As a captain, however, my job remained consistent. I made sure the girls were focused on softball during every game and practice because softball is all about teamwork.