The Lion's Roar 40-1

By Grace Sousa & John Timko

Graphic by Adrienne Lirio

March in Review

by Irene González de las Casas

Each student has so much potential to impact the community based on things that they want to change.

Wasan Rafat Class of '23

Second Civics Day

On March 23, the High School Democrats of America and American Civil Liberties Union chapters hosted Civics Day for the rst time since the spring of 2019. During each period of the school day, di erent panels of community leaders, teachers, students and professionals discussed civic engagement opportunities in professional practice, local government, non-pro t work and local activism.

Petiton presented to the NSC

Micheal Cumin Parent via public statement

On March 28, Newton’s School Committee held a public hearing at North to discuss a petition proposed by parents. is petition called for an Academic Principles Advisory Committee composed of ve petitioners, who would recommend alterations to the Newton Public School’s Mission Statement, curriculums and classroom instruction. During the nearly six-hour hearing, over 90 residents shared their opinions with the committee. e petition was unanimously rejected.

e whole point of Civics Day is to make students understand that their voice matters and that they can be engaged in the process

Michael Kozuch History teacher, HSDA advisor

Health Emergency Ends

On March 15, Governor Maura Healy announced that the COVID public health emergency will end on May 11. is coincides with President Biden’s Jan. 30 announcement of the end of the federal public health emergency. In addition, Executive State Department employees will no longer be required to be fully vaccinated, as a decision is based on the belief that we now have tools to keep COVID at bay.

photo courtesy of the Boston Globe

anks to the hard work of our healthcare providers, we’ve made important progress in the ght against COVID-19.

Maura Healy Governor via public statement

ree years on from the start of the pandemic, we are now in a very di erent place. We can now incorporate the tools to manage this virus into our standing response

Kate Walsh Secretary of Health and Human Services via public statement

photo by Ines Koci

photo by Emily Schwartz

Everybody here wants the same thing, which is we want to meet our children where they are and enable them to become the best versions of themselves. I think we are doing that.

Marcia Okun History teacher via public hearing

NPS has to better engage with families and address its overall approach towards education. is should be uncontroversial.

graphics by Emily Cheng

On Feb. 7, Newton’s School Committee unanimously selected Anna Nolin as the new superintendent of Newton Public Schools (NPS). After serving 12 years as superintendent, David Fleishman announced his departure from NPS on April 7, 2022.

Since then, the School Committee has had 10 months to ll the position for the 2023-24 school year, hiring Kathleen Smith as interim superintendent for the 2022-23 school year while conducting a search for a permanent replacement.

Smith served as interim public school superintendent four times: in the Salem Public Schools, Weymouth Public Schools, Dover-Sherborn Public Schools and now NPS. Smith said that she enjoys being an interim and working with others.

“I call [being an interim] an adventure because I have been able to meet people that I really wouldn't have met previous to this,” she said. “I've worked really closely with elected o cials and school committee members, I've gotten to know my central sta and principals and most importantly, I have really enjoyed when I have had opportunities to meet students throughout the state.”

On Nov. 5, 2022, the Superintendent Search Committee, composed of NPS sta , administrators and Newton community members, held its rst meeting. After reviewing all applications, the committee selected three semi nalists for interviews.

Of the three candidates, Nolin, the current Natick Public Schools superintendent, was chosen. In addition to her role in Natick Public Schools, she currently serves as a professor at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College and has experience as an interim and assistant principal in the Natick.

Ultimately, Nolin said that she was chosen because she met the leadership pro le NPS wanted.

“ ey told me that they were looking for someone who could be a really strong communicator and champion for the needs of the new schools,” she said. “ at is what I proved that I could do through those public interviews. I

Anna Nolin

Appointed as New Superintendent

As interim superintendent Kathy Smith steps down, the community welcomes Anna Nolin and her goals for the future of NPS

By Forest Lanciloti, Kiril Zhdanov and Andrew Feinberg

could connect quickly, and communicate clearly with energy and care. For that reason, I think what they want and what I can provide are a good match.”

NPS is currently ranked ninth on the list of Massachusetts public schools, but Nolin said that one of her goals is to climb to the top.

“[NPS] will be the best school system anywhere in this nation. at is what I want: number one in the number one state for education,” she said.

Ward Eight School Committee member Cove Davis said that the process of hiring a superintendent was more meaningful than just nding someone to ll the position.

“It was a chance to hire a new superintendent, but also to have an opportunity to talk to the whole community,” she said.

Davis said the superintendent search committee sent out a survey to the Newton community asking what values, communication

skills and leadership type they wanted in their next superintendent.

“Some people got interviewed, like School Committee members, principals, central o ce,” she said.“Initial focus groups and surveys formed this leadership pro le that we came up with, based on feedback from the community about what was important to them.”

Ward ree School Committee member Anping Shen said that the survey’s results were very helpful in the search.

“[ ere were] a lot of common themes like vision and values, teaching and learning, community engagement and management. ey all think these are very important qualities for the future leader,” he said. “With these survey results … in our mind, we could make our determination to see which candidate hit our preferred leadership pro le best.”

Junior and student representative on the search committee Phoebe Anthony said that

the survey enabled di erent voices to be heard around the community.

“Because the survey was so broad and available to anyone who could take it, it pretty much covered all the di erent communities and di erent identities.”

Smith said that as the budget continues to be a major issue for the district, she hopes matters will improve in the future.

“I am concerned about the present state of the budget, but I am very hopeful that we will nd our way forward with a sustainable budget and build it back over time.”

Despite concerns, Smith said she is condent in both the district and Nolin’s ability to improve NPS.

“Looking back, it's been a challenge, but I've had people by my side all the way. I feel you've had great collaboration and wonderful teams here, and I'm very hopeful for Dr. Nolin in the future.”

graphic by Adrienne Lirio

photo contributed by Anna Nolin

Newton Votes in Special Election

Voters approved Questions Two and Three, while Question One was rejected.

By Irene González de las Casas, Justin Liu & Olivia Middien

On March 14, Newton residents voted in a special election on an override proposal put forth by the City of Newton. By approving an override, the community can assess taxes in excess of the automatic annual 2.5 percent increase: this money would be allocated toward city services.

Included on the ballot were three questions regarding city funding.

Question One proposed an additional $9,175,000 in real estate and personal property taxes to be accessed and used for school funding, park building, road repaving, tree planting and funding elderly service programs—the main benefactor being Newton Public Schools. Ultimately, Question One was rejected with 53 percent of voters voting against the proposal.

Questions Two and ree proposed temporary tax increases to obtain the $5.8 million needed to renovate the Countryside and Franklin Elementary Schools. Both questions were approved with 52 and 53 percent of the vote, respectively.

In previous overrides passed in 2002 and 2013, voter turnout ranged from 57 percent to 32 percent, respectively. is year, 34 percent of Newton’s registered voters cast their ballots.

Senior Jaesuh Lee said that voter turnout was not as high as he’d hoped since the questions addressed issues important to Newton.

“I was personally a little disappointed by the lack of people participating,” he said. “It's very important to speak your opinion on important issues, especially ones that are concerning really critical problems like rebuilding elementary schools and repaving roads.”

Students at South worked to increase voter turnout by handing out informational yers, setting up voter registration tables and

broadcasting the election on social media. Senior William Lock said that many South students registered to vote as a result of the e orts of other students.

from South would have never known there was a bill.”

Senior Marisa MacDonald, who helped publicize the election, said she was

“ ere are a lot of health issues in this room that aren't going to be xed since Question One didn’t pass.”

In a newsletter to the Newton community addressing override results, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said that building two new elementary schools will foster a superior educational setting.

“I can proudly say we will be building two new elementary schools, Countryside and Franklin,” she said. “I am excited for the students who will have better learning environments at these two great new facilities. ese new schools are long overdue and will be terri c additions to our city and the Newton Public Schools.”

Meanwhile, Principal Tamara Stras said she is concerned about the negative impacts on Newton schools a er voters rejected Question One. If rati ed, the question would have provided NPS with an additional $4.5 million.

“I am disappointed that the override question did not pass because it directly impacts Newton South,” she said. “Every principal in this district is doing the best that they can and ghting for their school.”

South Stage manager and theater teacher Paige Perkinson said she is worried about how the results may a ect teachers’ positions.

“ e result will be teachers losing jobs, even though enrollment is going up across the district,” she said. “I don't know how they will allocate the cutbacks, but it's very alarming, being an art teacher.”

“Not many people feel like they can bene t from an override, especially with the many people in private schools,” he said, “If it weren't for the e ort made by South students to publicize the override, most voters

motivated by her concern about supply shortages in classrooms.

“ e ceramics room is going to be underfunded. We ran out of clay last year in March, so I’m scared for this year,” she said.

Former city councilor and Ligerbots coach Greer Tan Swinston said high citizen participation in government decisions is crucial.

“We as citizens should all be politicians,” he said. “ at's the whole point of American democracy, we need to care about what's going on, all the time.”

graphics by Denise Chan

We treat national politics like dark magic — as if uttering a particular president's name will break us all out in warts. Yet, we are bombarded with information, gossip and opinions regarding this particular president from seemingly every direction except school.

Last week, this particular president was indicted, and then charged, with 34 counts of business fraud. He is involved in numerous other criminal investigations.

He continues to make history: the rst president to be elected without public service experience, the rst president to be impeached twice and now the rst president to be indicted on criminal charges.

Yet, we rarely talk about him in school or beyond. We cannot ignore the massive orange balloon that has been hanging over our heads for nearly eight years.

Former President Donald Trump makes headlines and trends on social media every week for something new.

Last week, it was the indictment: a callback to a six-year-old scandal.

e investigation that led to Trump’s indictment began before he became president. e charges are related to a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s then-personal attorney, Michael Cohen, to adult lm actress Stormy Daniels.

e payment was made just weeks before the 2016 presidential election with the purpose

of silencing Daniels from going public about her a air with Trump.

Despite this historic occurrence, very few classes discussed the event or its signi cance. We treat Trump with such delicacy — we’ve made him so untouchable — that we can no longer hold him accountable.

In school, we have gotten nothing but silencerown silent. Outside of school, we have been overwhelmed with information coming from all sides in an increasingly polarized climate.

Pundits engaged in screaming matches on cable television, politicians and activists duking it out on Twitter, and through it all, continuous news noti cations of new and increasingly shocking White House a airs.

During the tumultuous four years of his presidency, the news has gotten faster and angrier.

A Trump news cycle looks like this: Trump or his political allies do something horrible. e public is outraged. Trump or his political allies do something worse. e old thing is forgotten, and the public is outraged about the new thing.

e fast-paced and depressing nature of politics and current events shuts out many young people. However, those who choose to stay informed are left dazed and confused, without a clear way to digest what they see

and hear.

Seemingly, ongoing criminal charges would make a candidate unelectable; meanwhile, Trump’s newest campaign fund has seen an increase in donations. Circumstances we believed would shut down voters are instead fueling them.

After the Jan. 6th insurrection, some worry that Trump’s lies about elections and due process will inspire more violence.

e hullabaloo surrounding Trump is confusing and scary. Without a space to understand the situation and process our feelings, we are left to marinate in them, letting them eat away at us.

ese unsavory feelings have been with us for years. As we’ve grown up during Trump’s presidency, we’ve become numb to inappropriate presidential behavior. Scandal after scandal has been swept under the rug.

Given the commotion surrounding Trump, it’s hard to remember that it hasn’t always been like this. Trump constantly oneupping himself has raised the bar for what is newsworthy, for what we care about.

With this high bar, we let a lot slip under the radar. Wrongdoings do not have repercussions — they simply disappear.

For our generation, politics seems oversimpli ed. e Trump administration made a mockery of the government: soap-opera drama

paired with action-movie destruction.

Address the big orange elephant in the room Volume XL

In comparison, the Biden administration is calm, or in Trump’s world, boring. e lack of scandal in the White House, and the abundance of it at Mar-a-Lago, means the media focuses on Trump once again.

A constant spotlight on Trump’s o enses and the limited consequences he faces creates a sense of despair.

We are looking at politics in a much more cynical way: we ask ourselves, “How’s he going to get away with it this time?”

e media has a ne line to walk: Trump (and his campaign) thrives in the limelight, yet he evades accountability if not exposed. It’s a catch-22. How do we raise awareness without giving him attention?

e answer lies in educating the youth. Being able to synthesize current events is a skill — one that we cannot currently realize in school.

A safe space in school would allow us to stay informed, process emotions and cut through media fog. Discussing politics among peers and being equipped with the knowledge of both sides of an argument creates responsible citizens.

Whether we like it or not, politics drive our future. e ability to understand it empowers us to grab the steering wheel and navigate toward normalcy and integrity.

e Lion’s Roar

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper

140 Brandeis Road Newton, MA 02459 srsta @thelionsroar.com

Editors-in-Chief

Bella Ishanyan

Emma Zhang

Managing Editors

Grace Dempsey

Risha Sinha

Section Editors

Editorial Policy

e 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.

e 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 e Lion’s Roar in no way re ects the o cial policy of Newton South, its faculty, or its administration.

Editorials are the o cial opinion of e Lion’s Roar, while opinions and letters are the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily re ect the opinion of e Lion’s Roar. e 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.

e Lion’s Roar is printed by Seacoast Newspapers and published every four weeks by Newton South students. All funding comes from advertisers and subscriptions.

In-school distribution of e Lion’s Roar is free, but each copy of the paper shall cost one dollar for each copy more than ten (10) that is taken by any individual or by many individuals on behalf of a single individual. Violation of this policy shall constitute theft.

e Lion's Roar reserves the right to publish all content on its website (nshslionsroar.com), social media channels and online viewer, Issuu.

News

Andrew Feinberg

Irene González de las Casas

Opinions

Eden Levitt-Horne

Jacob Lewis

Jenny Lee

Alex Zakuta Centerfold

Features

Alyssa Chen

Ava Ransbotham

eo Younkin

Photo Manager

Evan Ng

Business Manager

Zach Rhein

Grace Sousa

John Timko

Graphics Managers

Denise Chan

Lynn Kim

Adrienne Lirio

Faculty Advisor

Ashley Chapman

Angela Tao

Sports

Joey Giragos

Julia Lee

Sarah Schwartz

Social Media Managers

Levin Brenner

Yana Kane

Going with the flow LETTER

from the EDITORS

Bella Ishanyan Editor-in-Chief

One, two, three, four, one two, three, four…

“If you don’t count out loud, you’re never going to be able to get it right. You aren’t going to stand a chance during competition next month.”

“One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four….” I slurrily muttered to the ticking of the metronome, but in vain — my ngers tangled up among one another as they frantically tried to match the speed of my counting. I struck an incorrect chord and quickly dropped my hands to my lap in surrender, avoiding my piano teacher’s disappointment stricken gaze.

“What are you doing? Do you think you can stop playing whenever you want?” she said as she grabbed my hands and aggressively threw them back onto the keys. “You need to get it perfect.”

I tried again, but the key fell at on every other measure as I focused on tempo and neglected the accuracy of the notes. Despite my e orts to hold it in, one, two tears fell from my eyes and landed on the white ivories of the Steinway.

I’ve played piano my whole life, and not once did I ever feel that my ngers could embody the graceful dance that was classical music. No. Rather, my ngers simply moved from key to key in an undigni ed sprawl that

felt more like a crew of novice square dancers, merely attempting to make their way across the barn oor.

And so I made it my mission to embody that grace.

Even years after I quit competitive piano, I can still hear the tick, tick, ticking of the metronome, reminding me that there is always a new note to be played, always something that needs to be done. e world will continue to spin, and in order to succeed, I must perfect my means of matching its speed.

I let myself mature under the guise that by learning to control every element of my life, I would be able to methodically set myself up for success. Anything within reach was susceptible to my incessant scrutiny: the result of a constant search to organize my life within measures and around mistakes, the ledger lines con ning any opportunity for exibility.

However, the older I have grown, the harder it's gotten to maintain a steady rhythm. Life’s persistent demands pull me to and fro, ruining my perfectly crafted sequence of events.

I have learned to satiate my ever-growing desire for control with whiteboards and calendars, but oftentimes the only rhythm I have been able to nd in my life is the tempo with which I bounce my knee.

And so I dishearteningly conclude this desk, not to enthusiastically announce leaping progress toward retiring my obsession, but to instead utilize this opportunity to synthesize my thoughts on the matter. Ironic, isn’t it?

Emma Zhang

Editor-in-Chief

On the drive up to Canada, my parents announced we were taking a surprise detour to Niagara Falls; like any sane nine-year-old, I broke down in tears.

It wasn’t about the destination, of course, but rather the fact that the trip was utterly spontaneous. As the designated family vacation planner for as long as I could remember, I couldn’t fathom how we could enjoy the trip without my time-stamped itineraries and trusty spreadsheets.

But this excursion wasn’t a podcast episode I could amp up to two-times speed, nor was it a “yes, and” improvisation game I could opt out of every drama class. Just like the currents of the falls, I had to go with the ow. us, what was supposed to be a joyous weekend getaway became two of the most stressful days of my life. Trudging along the weathered boardwalk in a plastic yellow poncho, I cupped my hands to catch the falling mist, droplets of water at the mercy of gravity.

It was only when my ngertips began to prune from the moisture that I unclamped my hands to let go of my mini pool. As the water dribbled out, the familiar boxy arrays of my Google calendar swirled out of my hands and through the gaps in the planks, tumbling into the murky depths of Lake Ontario.

For someone who can’t swim, I’ve always had an unusual fascination with water: liquid is

the only state of matter with a de nite volume but no xed shape. It wasn’t until I stopped attempting to mold bricks of water to t into the Jenga stack of my life that I accepted the Laws of Entropy, inevitable disorder shattering the geometric control I had chased my entire life.

Some things, like family vacations, simply cannot be checked o like a mere task. e more I tried to inorganically control every aspect of my life, the more exponentially taxing it was on myself and those around me.

I’ve since learned to make peace with the Laws of Entropy rather than running from it: it is the natural tendency of things to lose order.

Years later, there is a lot more on my mind than meticulously planned Niagara Falls vacations, and my to-do lists go far beyond the task of organizing gummy bears by color. It’s safe to say my parents have never tried to surprise me with a spontaneous vacation again, and I still reign as the o cial family trip planner.

Yet, if I’ve learned anything from Niagara Falls, it’s that I will never be able to catch all the water in the world with my own bare hands.

I accepted the Laws of Entropy, inevitable disorder shattering the geometric control I had chased my entire life.

OPINIONS

SHOULD BOOKS BE CENSORED? YES

NO

Books can be extremely contentious, but even more contentious is the idea of censoring books widely accessible to the public. What often goes overlooked is the multiple messages prevalent in practically every book. As someone who has adored books for as long as I can remember, I personally love picking out the various messages stories have to o er.

By altering books, the fundamental elements of the books can be conserved without the threat of problematic content.

Parental worry is one of the main factors that results in books being banned. A survey of 1,000 parents in the UK conducted by online bookseller e Book People found that one-third of them do not read their children scary stories in an e ort to reduce exposure to inappropriate content.

Yet, how secure would these parents feel if they knew that their children could be reading worse material in the library? Editing books provides an extraordinary solution: parents can choose when and where to introduce their children to topics they feel could be potentially harmful.

By editing books, schools and parents reach a golden compromise: the children would be able to read what they desire, and parents wouldn’t worry about exposing their children to disturbing content such as racism, sexism, and bad role models. Many parents prefer to introduce their children to topics they don’t approve of on their own terms—altering lit erature would give them the freedom to do so.

e books that should be edited are outdated and carry harmful messages. In the past, major issues like sexism and racism were more prevalent, and children reading these books could easily absorb harmful stereotypes which have the capacity to shape their worldviews.

Now, more attention is called to these issues, and they are taught about in schools where students can learn about them in a controlled environment.

Unfortunately, many beloved works of children’s literature also have some unpleasant themes. Altering these books would accomplish the best of both worlds: children and adults alike could learn about and treasure these historical books while also not teaching their kids that some of the problematic themes present are acceptable in today’s world.

For example, the classic Peter Pan is beloved by many; however, it is extremely problematic in its por trayal Native Americans. Many parents would not want their children to read racist content, but many would still like their children to experience the same stories they had in their youth.

If literature could be altered for children to read, children could still read the story of Peter Pan, which has melted readers’ hearts for

By Charlotte Klingman

decades, while not being prone to the outdated and o ensive messages about Native Americans embedded in the text. is might seem like an unprecedented stride for our society, but it’s already been done: for example, Hugh Lofting’s Dr. Dolittle was revised to exclude passages with racist material.

Editing books does not discard the entire message, yet it still enables the books to reach more readers in a safe way. I would like to live in a world where we can raise newer generations with equitable morals while keeping the reverence of the past’s timeless stories.

Although some may be skeptical at rst, editing books is one of the most e cient ways to honor history’s stories while not compromising

In 212 BC, Chinese emperor Shih Huang

Ti burned every book in his kingdom in one of the oldest book bannings in history. Later, the Romans, Catholics, Americans and most modern societies had their turn to ban books too.

Needless to say, throughout history, book censorship has had its fair share of moments. Whether a book is considered “too saucy” by King James I, or simply “unsuited for any age group” in America today, there are many unwarranted reasons why books are censored.

No matter what book it is, there is always an audience mature enough to read it. us, censorship isn’t necessary.

Hitler’s famous manifesto Mein Kampf

By Elad Levy

Banned books, when allowed to reach the public’s eyes like they were meant to, can also heal a wounded soul.

Reading about pain gives a person a greater understanding of life. It makes them more emotionally intelligent and sympathetic and it makes them more prepared to face pain in the real world.

It is essential to cope with pain and trauma by re ecting and talking about it. By exposing people to their vices and giving them a character they can relate to, books aid them in embracing their pain.

To understand why books might be altered, let’s look at the worst-case scenario: a book drives someone to kill. Mark David Chapman, who killed John Lennon, was reade Catcher in the Rye at the crime scene

Many people drew the conclusion that the book inspired the murder. As such, it only seems logical that outrageous and dangerous books should be banned for everyone, right?

Not all desirable experiences have to be good. Most revered books aren’t sad. Tense or hateful literature will not have much of an effect on an emotionally stable person, nor will it lead them to do awful things.

e same is relatively true of the mentally unstable. However, they are a slightly di erent story. Chapman had schizophrenia. e Catcher in the Rye didn’t make him kill — he was already in an unstable state.

Along the same vein, books with racist, sexist or otherwise problematic messaging don’t necessarily make someone racist or sexist. We should trust readers to read critically and separate the worthwhile takeaways from the unsavory ones.

Even if a book deemed inappropriate enough to be banned puts improper ideas in the heads of readers, the cost of banning the book must be considered.

By providing comprehensive education and resources to combat the problematic themes in the book, we can allow people to re ect on the themes without discarding them altogether.

When we are able to identify problematic themes in books, we become more aware of how these tropes impact the world outside of literature. Increased child support should be prioritized over decreased intellectual capacity. Perhaps even increased parental education on mental illnesses should be prioritized over emotional deprivation.

Books don’t have to be censored, it’s people who need to be understood.

Oscars Recap

Everything Everywhere All At Once dominated the awards circuit,

By Emily Wang

Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth.” ese were the viral words uttered by Will Smith at last year's Oscars after delivering the slap heard ‘round the world.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this year’s Oscars following last year’s incident. Luckily, the Academy did not disappoint. Whether it was captivating musical performances, poignant acceptance speeches or awkward cultural references, the 2023 Oscars had it all. Most importantly, the award show marked an incredible step forward for minorities in the lm industry.

e major standout was a performance of “Naatu Naatu” from the Indian blockbuster RRR. Its energetic dance battle and colorful costumes transported viewers into the world of Tollywood, Telugu cinema.

Ruth E. Carter received her second Oscar for her costume design work on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, making her the rst Black woman to win multiple Oscars.

Everything Everywhere All At Once, which revolves around middle-aged Chinese immigrant Evelyn and her relationship with her family, was the center of the night. e movie took home seven wins for Best Picture, Actress, Director, Original Screenplay, Film Editing, Supporting Actress and Supporting Actor.

Both Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu were nominated for Best Supporting Actress for their roles in Everything Everywhere

All At Once. To my surprise and dismay, Curtis, who only played a minor role, took home the title instead of Hsu.

Although Curtis’ acting was not shoddy, her limited screen time and one-dimensional character de nitely did not warrant her win, especially considering that Hsu’s performance outshined her in every way.

Hsu’s depiction of a depressed and queer immigrant daughter struggling to gain her parent’s understanding and acceptance was

Anonymous

I got into college. I still don’t believe it. Everything could’ve, should’ve and would’ve gone the other way.

I was rejected from my Early Decision school. A months-long spiral in which I questioned everything about myself ensued. Lots of tears were shed.

en, three months later, my grades and extracurriculars and demographics the same, I was accepted to schools thought by some to be more selective. I was rejected and waitlisted from many more, including those supposedly easier to get into.

It’s a crapshoot, this college admissions process we dream about and dread. I wouldn’t be the rst to point out its randomness, which also is ironic — disturbing yet simultaneously comforting.

all too real. I am unafraid to admit that Hsu was the reason I ugly-cried at multiple points in the movie; although she was snubbed of the award, she still delivered an Oscar-winning performance in my heart. I hope that her role as Joy will be her stepping stone for even greater performances.

Additionally, the story of Ke Huy Quan, who won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Evelyn’s husband in the same lm, tugged at the heartstrings of all who were watching.

During his acceptance speech, he said, “my journey started on a boat. I spent a year in a refugee camp … somehow I ended up on Hollywood’s biggest stage!” e fact that a young struggling immigrant could grow up and deliver an Oscar-winning performance is a true dark horse story.

After two decades of struggling to nd a role after acting in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Quan made a huge comeback and described his achievement as the American dream. What made the night even more special was the Indiana Jones reunion between Quan and Harrison Ford .

In addition, Michelle Yeoh, Quan’s costar in Everything Everywhere All At Once, became the rst Asian woman to win Best Actress. To say her multi-faceted portrayal of Evelyn did the character justice would be a total understatement.

Yeoh’s claim to fame was in martial arts lms where she became known for doing her own stunt work despite receiving no formal training. Everything Everywhere All At Once was the perfect opportunity for Yeoh to demonstrate her knack for kung-fu, which she still retains after more than 20 years.

Through the television screen, Yeoh encouraged the dreams of young Asian Americans watching. While holding up her statuette, Yeoh said, “for all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibility. is is proof that dreams do come true.” As an Asian American myself, her historic win made me feel incredibly proud.

Yeoh’s character transcends that of a stereotypical tiger mom. Beyond her hard exterior, Evelyn shows a deeply vulnerable and complex side in

the movie that many lmmakers choose to ignore while writing an Asian character. Her role showed the world that we don’t want to be con ned to the “token Asian.” Asian characters’ personalities shouldn’t be reduced to a single trope. e population of Asian Americans is not a monolith — each has their own unique experiences.

While it is wonderful that many talented individuals are nally recognized for their accomplishments and Hollywood is more diverse than ever, frankly, it is about time. Voices from a variety of backgrounds deserve to be heard.

is year’s Academy Awards hopefully marked the beginning of progress for both the Oscars and Hollywood. I look forward to an even better and brighter future for lm.

What’s so brutal about this nearly sixmonth-long undertaking is that we start to believe that we have control over where we end up. After four years in the hyper-collegefocused pressure cooker that is South, we’re convinced that getting into a school validates our e orts, our merit and even who we’ve become as a person.

In reality, however, whether we advance past the rst round of admissions “reading” may have more to do with whether the personal statement, in which we tried so hard to portray our “true selves,” strikes a chord with the admissions o cer.

Whether they get through our supplemental essays may not depend on the creative take on the topic we chose, but instead on factors beyond our control — perhaps they didn’t eat breakfast that morning and skimmed the rest of the le before heading to lunch.

ese are humans on the other side of this process who are fallible; something is bound to get lost or misinterpreted, especially as they read an increasingly insane number of applications each year.

You also can’t predict who you’re compared against by the committee at the next round. Consider a group of great candidates they’ve identi ed — all with great test scores, excellent grades, and impressive extracurriculars. is is where we’re told we need the “it” factor, the extra-impressive insight or experience, something that makes us stand out.

But it’s impossible to know what they will want at that moment. ese decisions come down to the “I already have a sports captain, so I don’t need another” sort of thinking or simply the committee’s overall hopes for the chemistry of the class. It’s impossible to know the pro les of everyone else who applies.

Sure, this randomness sucks because it doesn’t value the persona we’ve cultivated to re ect our proudest elements; we’re essentially selling ourselves to these schools without knowing what they need to buy. To me, this reality actually o ers some relief.

When I came to understand that the admissions decision depended more on the judgment of overworked humans, probably high on ca eine, trying to shape their idea of a perfectly balanced class, than my individual pro le, I believed in myself the most.

I realized that my potential and all I would add to a college campus depends not on how admissions o cers see or rate it, but on what I know I’ve developed over the past four years, as I’ve grown into an adult.

And that, more than the validation or ego that this college process can boost, is what I’ve clung to and realized: ese colleges aren’t the prize for us; we are for them.

and the Oscars were no exception.

"My journey started on a boat. I spent a year in a refugee camp...somehow I ended up on Hollywood's biggest stage!"

Ke Huy Quan

Each issue, the Roar releases a column on the college process written by a senior By

For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibility.

Michelle Yeoh

The Willow Project: A ticking 'carbon bomb'

By Madeline Mechanic

Today, the United States faces one of its most severe environmental threats: the ticking ‘carbon bomb’ known as the Willow Project, the largest oil extraction project ever proposed on US land. Led by ConocoPhillips Company, the project will take place on Alaska’s North Slope in the National Petroleum Reserve, a 23 million-acre wilderness holding up to 600 million barrels of oil.

e project aims to generate jobs and revenue for the region as well as provide the U.S. with a reliable domestic source of energy.

Despite sounding promising on paper, the Willow Project has received widespread backlash from climate activists, who have banded together to take action against the venture. More than one million letters have been written to the White House in protest. Petitions have been shared across various platforms, accumulating millions of signatures.

e erce internet resistance to Willow lulled me, and many others, into a false sense of security. Surely President Joe Biden wouldn’t risk losing voters and support a project that faced this much controversy. Surely, he wouldn’t betray his promise to protect the environment, a cornerstone of his campaign.

On March 13, Biden did what politicians do best: he broke his promise and lit the fuse on the ‘carbon bomb’.

e only saving grace was that Willow had been scaled back: only three- fths of the drilling sights were approved, reducing the size of the project by around 40 percent and eliminating the need for 11 miles of road, 20 miles of pipelines and 133 acres of gravel.

Biden claims to have done all that he could to pacify both the public and the company behind Willow. Outright rejecting the Willow Project would have been impossible for the administration without facing legal action from ConocoPhillips.

However, the threat of legal action is nothing compared to the threat the Willow Project poses to our world. e site of the Willow Project houses hundreds of thousands of animals, along with several Indigenous communities who have resided in the Western Arctic for thousands of years.

Oil and gas development risks the health and survival of Alaska’s inhabitants. Long-term consequences threaten food security, public health and the vibrant wildlife of the Arctic.

On a larger scale, the Willow Project has

the potential to set back the progress made by the Biden administration. e Bureau of Land Management has estimated that Willow would emit more climate pollution annually than over 99.7 percent of all single-point sources in the country, totaling to around 280 million metric tons of climate pollution to the atmosphere over the next 30 years.

at’s equivalent to the emissions of 66 coal power plants or adding 2 million gaspowered cars to the roads.

e legal future for the Willow Project is uncertain. We can cross our ngers for its abolition, but it is in the hands of environmental organizations. Over the past few weeks, they have been working to request an injunction from the courts. If granted, an injunction could temporarily halt the project, giving environmentalists time to construct a more permanent solution.

When it comes to what actions we can take, we’re not lawyers or politicians: we’re

teenagers. Nevertheless, we can take active steps to reduce our own energy consumption and live more sustainable lives.

Past e ects of climate change are irreversible and future e ects are inevitable. In the present, there’s not much we can do but our own part.

Even so, if there’s anything the Willow Project has shown about activism, it’s yet another example of a common trend throughout history: that millions of people across the globe can rally behind a common cause. e thousands of petitions and millions of letters might not have defused this ‘carbon bomb’ yet, but environmental organizations still stand strong and our support is nevertheless progress. e light at the end of the tunnel is still within reach. e Willow Project, despite its huge rami cations, has shed light on the good in the world: it has demonstrated the drive and passion of our generation, our care for the natural world and our determination to make a change.

Newton Centre slice review: A pizza my mind

By Jenna Kriensky

Bill’s, which has gained a reputation as the iconic pizza party spot at the end of the soccer season, has its own take on the Italian classic. O ering both red and white pizzas on many crust options, including gluten-free, Bill’s impressive 18-inch pies clocked in at $17.99.

In agreement with its industrial-sized slices, the pizza was quite heavy — not the best meal if you’re hoping to engage in any movement afterward. e crust was a highlight with a breadstick-esque crunch; however, the pizza lacked my preferred abundance of tomato sauce and instead was quite oily. Over the inadequate sauce quantity, the cheese was tough, ripping instead of providing a satisfying stretch.

Jinny’s serves their pizzas red in a Valoriani oven at 700 degrees. is pizzeria o ers only small 12-inch pies, and a Margherita costs $16 (which, when sized up to an 18-inch large, costs about $36 according to Roar calculations). ey o er 14 pizzas and 18 topping options on their website, as well as a custom vegan crust. Vegan cheese, however, is currently unavailable.

e slices, while petite, exploded in avor. e cheese was incredibly rich and lling, and the crust was soft and pu y while still providing a crunchy snap with each bite. e tomato sauce was a tad salty, though, and the thicker crust piled with red sauce and fatty cheese was a bit too heavy for my tastes.

Town Pizza dishes out an incredible selection with its six regular pizzas, 10 gourmet varieties and up to three topping options. At $14.99 for an enormous 19-inch cheese, this joint o ers an amazing bargain — perfect for a fun outing with friends.

Each slice possessed the perfect degree of greasy cheesiness, which was quite the guilty indulgence. At the base was the classic New York-style thin crust. e sauce was a delightful middle ground between chunky and creamy, and the crust had a satisfying crunch while still being exible. Even at an approachable price, the avor marriage of the crust, sauce and cheese exceeded my expectations.

Sweet Tomatoes truly is sweet, with a caring owner who treats customers like close friends. A large 18-inch pizza cost $19.95. eir website boasts a whopping 17 specialty pizzas, and they o er vegan cheese at all locations and two types of gluten-free crust.

The pizza itself is tantalizing, with chunky tomato sauce and a thin, crispy crust. While the structural integrity of each slice is slightly wobbly (you should plan to have a few napkins at your disposal), everything piled on top is a utopia for the tastebuds. e warm cheese stretches into thread-thin strings, and the avors of each individual ingredient work together in wondrous harmony.

photo courtesy of CNN Politics

photos by Bella Ishanyan

BILL'S

PIZZERIA — 3/5

Past e ects of climate change are irreversible and future e ects are inevitable. In the present, there’s not much we can do but our own part.

Climate activists gather outside the White House to protest the Willow Project.

Jinny'S PIZZERIA — 2.5/5 Town Pizza — 3/5

Sweet Tomatoes — 4.5/5

CAMPUS CHATTER

During April break, I was able to rewatch Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer. I hope to go out with friends more often instead staying home cooped up in my room watching anime.

The Roar asked.. How are you spending your spring break?

Selena Gomez

Barbie Movie on the way

Following @nshslionsroar

Spring Cleaning

I'm literally doing nothing. Absolutely nothing. Like, I'm just staying home. Oh, wait! I'm going to Six Flags! It's my first time!

Last year, we flew to Montana to go skiing. When we landed, they said they left the ski bags behind. We waited three days for them to come. The one day we got to ski, my mom fell and broke her clavicle.

Progressively warmer weather

Glossier Boston

Trump Indictment

Bella Ishanyan Editor-in-Chief

I'm going to ROME with the Latin program where I will spend ten days among ancient Roman ruins, overpriced gelato and renaissance genitalia.

Editor

Roadtrip! We're going to Washington D.C. first, then we're spending the rest of the week in Virginia Beach. It won't be hot enough to swim in ocean, so I'm upset.

Emma Zhang Editor-in-Chief

I'm going to Puerto Rico with mi familia. I'm not a warm-weather girlie, but I'm looking forward to to putting my español skills to use.

Lunch in the courtyard <3

STAFF SAYS... DOWNGRADE

Risha Sinha Managing Editor

I will attempt to learn to drive. If I am not in school after break, check the next issue of Roar for my obituary.

Hailey Bieber

Nasal Spray

Frigid Mornings, Scorching

A ernoons

Allergies

Unsuccessful Date Searches

John Timko Centerfold Editor

I'm going to London. I will visit museams and watch a football [soccer] game. Come on, you Spurs!

Editor

I'm going thrifting for the remaining costumes for South Stage's 9 to 5 production. It's the 2nd week of May — be there or be square!

AP Exam Season Starting

College Rejection

Letters

Sleep Deprivation

Ava Andrade class of '26

Thomas Kinney class of '25

Russell Lee class of '23

Grace Dempsey Managing

Grace Sousa Centerfold

t 3:45 p.m., the last bell rings, and nally leave to go home. Many don’t arrive home until after 4 p.m., or even later for those who play sports or are part of a club. If they want to get eight hours of sleep at night, students are left with at best seven waking hours by the time they get home — time they have to divide between homework and family responsibilities. is ceaseless cycle leaves minimal time on weekdays for students to even consider working.

Yet, junior Timothy Trotman found a way to manage a busy schedule and still make money by owning his own business. By fusing his interest in both sports and photography, he engineered an enterprise that fueled both

“I always liked taking pictures, and I have played sports since I was a baby, so I combined the two,” he said. “I started taking pictures of my friends playing sports and then it became

After honing his talents in the visual arts, Trotman was able to charge people for his services. By then, he realized that his hobby could become something more: a business.

He now runs the Instagram account @ producedbytimmy where he showcases original highlight videos and sports photos for both high school and D1 college athletes within the

For emerging young entrepreneurs, the diligence it takes to start a business and the nancial freedom often goes

From societal pressure to self-doubt, becoming an entrepreneur is a massive undertaking. Starting a business requires initiative and creativity; however, the reward – a sense of nancial and personal independence – gives students a bridge into adult life.

Breaking the

Along with allotting time within a demanding academic schedule, entrepreneurship requires repairing the xed mindset that holds many students back from pushing themselves out of their comfort zone.

Often, students

worry that they are not capable enough to put their ideas into action. ey undervalue their ideas and feel less inclined to take risks in fear that the world will focus only on the aws in their undertakings.

Turning an idea into a project requires ambition, but history teacher Michael Kozuch said that it's easy for students to let doubt creep in.

“[Students] feel like their voice doesn't matter, they can't make a di erence, [or that] no one is going to listen to a young person, and we need to pop that bubble,” he said. “Time and time again, young people have made a di erence.”

Trotman said he faced similar fears pertaining to how others would judge him when he began his business.

“With a bunch of other people in the same industry, I was nervous about getting business or being seen as someone else who was just hopping on the wave,” he said.

Overcoming his initial hesitation, Trotman said he ended up ignoring what other people thought of him to pursue his passions.

“If you have a dream, that is your dream, and other’s opinions aren’t going to help you achieve that dream,” he said.

For small business owners to be successful, they must have con dence in their capabilities and recognize their ideas as worthwhile. By making their product accessible to the public, entrepreneurs are vulnerable to judgment; however, they must take the rst step to gain con dence in their work and decisions. Kozuch said that over time, that con dence will come naturally.

“Even if you don't have con dence, fake it until you have it,” he said. “Doing [uncomfortable things] will bring that con dence.”

While starting a business, especially at a young age, it's easy to rely completely on the support of parents and adults, but English teacher Deborah Bernhard said that taking action is the only way to build the con dence and maturity that is vital for entrepreneurship.

“Knowing what you need to do, asking for help and getting what you need is hard,” she said. “I’m guilty of that too. It's easier to let things happen than to make things happen.”

Being an entrepreneur requires teens to navigate their own paths and learn new skills along the way. Senior and co-owner of Student Landscape Sam Klein said the potential bene ts of starting a business outweigh the initial nerves of getting started.

As student-led students

By Grace Sousa & John Timko

Graphic by Adrienne Lirio

he has made enough pro t to start buying his own equipment, but his parents still try to interfere out of a protective instinct.

“Sometimes my dad will try to tell me what to do or how I need to be spending my money, and while I appreciate the help, sometimes it gets to be too much,” he said. “Sometimes I wish he would let me gure it out on my own.”

According to relationship coach Shika akur’s 2023 article, “How To Deal With A Controlling Parent In Adulthood”, constantly trying to help your child can become overbearing parenting.

e sense of con dence stemming from experience extends to other areas: whether it be taking initiative socially, politically or academically, young entrepreneurs have learned how to turn a concept into a reality and use their unique creative ideas to help others.

Klein’s business has also started a community service program that provides lawn-care for people who are not able-bodied.

Klein isn't the only entrepreneur whose business has impacted the community; with many high schoolers beginning their own businesses ventures, teens are creating change all across the country.

“When you think you can’t. at’s just in your mind sometimes,” he said. “We can do hard things.”

Klein said that he’s been able to take away important life lessons from his experience starting Student Landscape.

“If I want to make something happen, I have to be the one to make that idea into an action,” he said.

Workplace Creativity

“It can be anxiety provoking to think you could make a decent investment and get no return,” he said. “However, not taking that rst step could cause you to miss out on a load of future opportunities.”

Klein said he used his ultimate goal of providing quality land services while improving local communities to motivate himself to take the rst step.

“At rst, I struggled to nd my voice and clients,” he said. “It took me to nd what my mission was and tell people what I had to o er that gave me a sense of place.”

Financial Independence

e success of students’ small businesses has not just given them more money; they’ve also become socially and nancially independent. Although independence looks di erent for everyone, it plays a key role in each entrepreneur's daily life.

“Independence means having the ability to express myself through my content, without having due dates or a criteria,” Trotman said.

With the freedom to work on his own schedule, Klein said that he learned valuable lessons unique to business owners.

“Being a small business owner has de nitely developed a greater understanding of being independent,” he said.“I am also learning lessons with money at a young age, which I'm de nitely grateful for because it will give me a head start on handling money when I’m older.”

Although nancial independence is a critical part of life, it can cause friction between parents and children when parents see the need to step in and provide assistance. Sophomore Gavin Sousa, the owner of GAS clothing, said

“Parents’ constant meddling into children’s decisions and a airs can push them away. Even though controlling parents say things with good intention, it often comes across as nagging and authoritative,” she said.“Taking care of their nances can be signs of parents controlling their children’s lives. While they have their concerns for children, controlling them can create a stressful condition for them later.”

In order to ease family tensions, Sousa said it is crucial for him to have conversations with his parents about regaining authority.

“I try to keep my business to myself as much as possible because if I let my dad get too involved it takes the fun out of running a business,” he said. “I try to tell him that if I need help I will ask.”

e results of a 2022 survey from Junior Achievement USA conducted by Ed Grocholski showed a rise in likelihood of teen entrepreneurship rather than conventional employment.

“Approximately 60 percent of teenagers are more interested in someday starting their own business instead of working a traditional job.”

High schoolers are proving to break the historical standard of undertaking a conventional employment path. ey are writing their own blueprint and deciding how they want to manage their business and their life.

With a fresh blueprint comes fresh possibilities; the emerging generation is o ering the world a new perspective.

Living Your Own Life Practicing Initiative

By starting their own business ventures, South’s entrepreneurs have developed life skills that teach them how to navigate not only their careers but personal life as well.

According to the 2018 article “Your Child’s Self-Esteem” approved by child psychologist D’Arcy Lyness, con dence is crucial in every aspect of a child’s life.

“Self-esteem helps kids cope with mistakes. It helps kids try again, even if they fail at rst,” she said.“As a result, self-esteem helps kids do better at school, at home and with friends”

With independence and con dence, South’s entrepreneurs are able to use what they’ve learned through their experiences within other areas of their life. Klein said that he has learned skills that are useful for life after high school.

“I get to learn a lot about the operational side of business which gives me a lot of experience for college,” he said.

Overcoming the mental challenges that comes with starting a business is just the tip of the iceberg; being your own boss demands selfaccountability. As an entrepreneur, developing ambition and drive are incredibly important and valuable to running an e cient and successful business.

Junior Neil Giesser, a videographer who runs the Instagram account @shotsbygeez, said that ghting through the human habits of letting yourself take a break or avoiding tasks that demand hard work isn’t an option as a teen entrepreneur.

“Without a boss, it can be very easy to slack o or not work,” he said. “You must be able to push past those feelings and do what needs to be done.”

Kozuch said that it's easy to let the work pile up and get overwhelmed, so it's crucial for young business owners to maintain belief in themselves.

Older generations stress the importance of choosing a job that you enjoy doing, but that remains di cult for teens to put into practice. South’s entrepreneurs have discovered the value of using their own creative ideas to develop a job that they love.

By linking his business with creative expression, Sousa’s clothing brand brings him joy because it allows him to creatively explore something he is passionate about. He said that his favorite thing about having his own business is creating something meaningful.

“I enjoy creating things for people and seeing people wearing my clothes,” he said. “It’s cool seeing my imagination come to life” e ability to combine their interests into their work lives makes student’s jobs another part of life that they look forward to, rather than a dreaded future.

Art teacher Amy Nichols said that creativity can lead to a greater sense of independence and con dence.

“Students who tend to interpret assignments for themselves instead of following a set series of steps without thinking take on leadership roles,” she said.

Although teen entrepreneurship may seem to be just a way to avoid a mundane, traditional career path, South’s entrepreneurs have shown that it can be a way for teens to pursue their interests in an impactful way. rough South’s entrepreneurs' e orts to improve their nancial state, their small businesses have improved the lives of others. eir ambition and leadership are creating change felt throughout the community.

In this particular time in history, Kozuch said that young people taking initiative is as important as ever.

“We are in an initiative time period, and I am hoping that continues because we have some big challenges that we need to address,” he said. “When the people lead, leaders will follow.”

If you have a dream, that is your dream, and other’s opinions aren’t going to help you achieve that dream

Timothy Trotman class of '24

student-led entrepreneurship increases across the country, South students tackle the emotional and societal challenges it yields

Expanding bandwidths

Talented staff members performing at the annual Faculty Variety Show share a bond that goes beyond South's stage

By Ava Ransbotham & Paige Taylor

From a secret harmonica passion to bands formed in college, South teachers nd a break from teaching and grading through music for one night every year.

Returning for the rst time since 2020, the annual Faculty Variety Show is an opportunity for teachers and other members of South’s sta to showcase musical skills to students in an energetic night of entertainment.

English teacher Dana Arnaboldi said that although she doesn’t have many years of experience, music is a very in uential part of life.

“Whenever there's music around, I'm happier,” she said. “I actually took a leave from teaching last year and I started taking guitar lessons and I joined a band for that.”

Alongside English teacher Eliza Tyack, science teacher

Whenever there's music around, I'm

Dana Arnaboldi English teacher

Sleepyhead

Derek Van Beever, history teacher Rachael McNally, junior Cate Mahoney and senior Niamh O’Rourke, Arnaboldi is a member of Emperor of Mice, one of the bands that performed at the show.

Arnaboldi’s husband thought of the intriguing name 20 years ago but it has been rejected by many family members since then.

“For this one-time faculty variety show, I thought I would take that name,” Arnaboldi said. “ is band is more of a faculty variety show band and is not necessarily an existing [band]”.

Two months ago, Arnaboldi asked some of her closest friends at South if they’d like to form a band. One of those people is history teacher Rachael McNally, who also plays the drums in the band Sleepyhead.

McNally’s husband and fourth-grade teacher at Zervas Elementary Christopher O'Rourke is also a member of Sleepyhead and said the band has debuted many new songs at the variety show.

“We have actually played many songs for the rst time ever at faculty variety shows,” he said. “We're keeping tradition alive.”

McNally said her musical journey began by learning to play a set of drums she found in the basement while attending New York University (NYU).

“ e summer between my junior and senior year I said, ‘I'm going to learn how to play drums or bass’,” she said. “We would move them from my room to the music room in the basement every time we had to practice. at was the fall of 1989, and we have been in this band ever since.”

e name Sleepyhead also has origins at NYU, as McNally was taking a nap while they were supposed to be at band practice.

“It was time to practice and so [O'Rourke] and Mike, who was the rst bass player, came to get me and I was so asleep and they were shaking me and I was slowly waking up and then the rst play bass player, Mike, said, ‘we should just call the band Sleepyhead.’”

McNally isn’t the only teacher to have a long musical history. English teacher David Weintraub was part of three acts throughout the show, one of them being the Gene Machine, comprised of history teacher Kyle Stark, history teacher Eugene Stein, English teacher Alan Reinstein and English teacher David Weintraub.

Weintraub said that Stein, the guitarist who got the band together, inspired the name.

Sleepyhead

“Gene Stein is a really humble, quiet person who'd never amplify himself,” he said. “But he's such a monster guitar player. He's on a whole other level of guitar talent that this school has never seen before. He's so amazing that he needed to be in the title of the [band].”

e Gene Machine’s harmonica player and singer, Reinstein, said his favorite part of the band is the dynamic between its members.

“ ey're really good musicians, so that's fun, and it puts some pressure on me, but I feel good with what I can do,“ he said. “ e practices are [a mix of] fun and serious.”

Weintraub said that many of the band members already knew each other before forming the band, but being a part of e Gene Machine allowed them to further strengthen their bonds.

"We were friends before and that's why the rapport is so natural. It's not forced,” he said. “We've had a lot of time to grow together, through thick and thin, and that bond, that trust, allows the music to be more fun, more authentic.”

For Weintraub, the best part of being in a band is that moment when everything comes together. Even though the band is hard work, the work is all worth it in the end.

“You realize, not only is this fun to hang out with friends, but [the music is] also good,” he said. “And that moment, which only comes after a lot of work, [is] de nitely the thing that justi es it.”

David Weintraub English teacher

happpier.

photos by Tony Fan

We've had a lot of time to grow together, through thick and thin, and that bond, that trust, allows the music to be more fun, more authentic.

Emperor of Mice

e Gene Machine

In the Stick of It: An Expressive Medium

Eli Scharf Features Contributor

Four students share the colorful stories splashed across their laptops

Over the years, freshman Josh Freedman has accumulated an astounding 200 stickers. For him, stickers are a way to connect with his loved ones.

Freedman said he especially loves stickers from national parks because they remind him of hiking with his family.

Beyond physical places, Freedman's stickers have emotional connections. His favorite sticker is one that his sibling gave to him the day that they went o to college.

“I don't put it on anything because I don't want to waste it.”

Sophomore Navaa Malihi’s fondness for stickers began in her freshman year and is expressed through all 26 of them covering her laptop.

Malihi said she uses stickers to share her love for media, but not just any sticker makes the cut.

“I value some kind of signi cance,” she said.“I'm not going to put on a sticker just because I think it's pretty or because I think it looks nice.”

Malihi said she doesn’t see a reason not to use stickers.

“[You could leave] your laptops dry and plain, but there's so much potential in that one small space."

From store labels to the NASA logo, freshman Boston Bulis’ laptop is adorned with all kinds of stickers.

Bulis said he likes to use stickers not only to express himself, but also to prompt conversation.

“You can share your interests, show who you are, and maybe tell a bit of a story about,” he said.

Bulis said stickers can have a deeper social importance, but can also be more simple.

“Stickers are de nitely up there in non-direct ways to start conversations,” he said. “Overall they’re a nice, colorful way to light up your day.”

e stickers on senior Pearl Berzin’s laptop display the diversity of her passions, including skiing and Taylor Swift.

ey are also a way for her to express values, like gender equality. She said one of her most important stickers is a quote from Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

She continued with the story of another sticker about gender equality. e sticker shows a woman cooking, but says, “Let’s cause a stir”.

“When you look at it, it's kind of aesthetic and cute. It was subtle, but also important and representative and true to me,” she said.

1 in 2000: Karen Kinel, "costume connoisseur"

Alyssa Chen Features Editor

Whether she’s incorporating her dogs’ names into word problems or fully committing to a Halloween costume by painting herself green, mathematics teacher Karen Kinel has created a name for herself over the last 20 years while teaching freshmen, sophomores

“She values teaching students how to derive formulas and methods of solving problems as opposed to just giving the method [outright] and telling the students to gure it out,” he said. “I'm glad that she does that because that's something I really value as well.”

Longtime colleague of Kinel’s and DaVinci mathematics teacher Hayley Donati said Kinel’s enthusiasm for teaching mathematics

problems in the courses that she teaches really make you think, and knowing that these are problems we should be challenging our students with and holding them to high standards has helped me,” she said. “ ere have actually been some problems [where I go] ‘oh, that's a cool way to solve that.’”

Since she was in high school, Kinel’s passion for teaching mathematics exists alongside her love for dressing in vibrant clothing and jewelry. Kinel said that she has used styling as a means of self-expression throughout her day-to-day life.

“[Fashion is] just a way of being an individual and showing my personality that I might not be able to do otherwise in front of a classroom, or just in life,” she said. “I actually make a lot of my own jewelry to make sure everything matches. Rings, earrings, about 80 percent of the jewelry I wear, I made myself.”

Abu Amara said that Kinel’s lively out ts were a surprise every time he walked into class

ts] were beautiful. ey were an inspiration. You would walk into class and erent, color coordinated, t on every day, and you never knew what to expect,” he said. “Some days it'd be bright yellow, some days it’d be bright green,

Donati said that Kinel’s shoe collection is impressive both in quantity and in organization, as the shoes are separated by style and recorded in a meticulous, yet brilliant system.

“She loves shoes. She tries not to repeat shoes that she wears to work, and she has them organized and categorized. It's like a real life

‘Clueless’ reference, with Cher’s digital closet,” Donati said.

“She's logged [and numbered] which shoes are in which boxes. She has pictures [of the shoes] on her iPad… and then she nds the picture she wants and it tells her which box the shoes are in.”

Sophomore class o cer Clio McAneny said that Kinel’s dedication to matching with the themes for spirit days has been greatly motivating and reassuring.

“Being a class o cer, I look for people that have the spirit during Spirit Weeks, [and] when I see her I'm like, ‘wow, someone actually saw our post [and] someone actually listened to it,’” she said. “I really appreciate her for that.”

Sophomore Noah Huckman, a student in Kinel’s sophomore honors mathematics class, said that her creative out ts transform the class atmosphere.

“When she's sitting over there in the corner, dressed as a dragon, the environment in the room is de nitely much lighter.”

Photo by Bella Ishanyan, graphic by Lynn Kim

You would walk into class and she'd have on some di erent, color coordinated, beautiful out t on every day, and you never knew what to expect.

Udaii Abu Amara class of '25

photo by Evan Ng

photo contributed by Navaa Malihi

Creating C elebrations

Class officers plan highly-anticipated events to close out the year with a bang

By Andrew Lindsay, Feiya Wang & eo Younkin

Springtime is an exciting time for students and teachers alike. As the school year begins to wane, the yearlong e orts made by each grade's class o cers to plan exciting, end-of-year events begin to come to fruition.

is year, the freshman class o cers are planning their class’ dance, "Under the Stars." Freshman vice president Owen Butler said the theme had a variety of romantic undertones.

“We're really trying to go for a spacey, a little bit romantic kind of thing, like you're just sitting under the stars with a lover,” he said.

blacklight they rented.

When it came to the planning process, class o cer Clio McAneny said that the Parent-Teacher-Student Organization (PTSO) played a big role in helping to make the event possible.

“We set up a [form through] SignUpGenius every year for our dances where parents and the PTSO can sign up to bring stu . Last year, almost all of our decorations were supplied by the PTSO which was really helpful,” she said.“If they don't donate enough for what we need, we buy it ourselves with the money we’ve raised from previous events.”

Sophomore vice president Chloe Hu said that a lot of logistical details had to be taken into account while nalizing the details for the dance.

“We had to think about the di erent events that we wanted to do, and we looked into di erent photo booths, food and decoration,” she said. “We have LED lights, and we're also trying to add di erent fairy lights.”

is year, the junior class’ annual semiformal dance is being held at the Boston Marriott hotel in May. Junior class president Kevin Yang said that the class o cers chose the venue because of its ideal location and amenities.

ing, that was large and also close enough to Newton,” he said. “We found that the Newton Marriott right by the Charles was just a perfect location. It has a great view of the river. It's really spacious inside, it was well furnished and it's extremely close to most of the students who go to South.”

Yang said that the event’s Red Carpet theme was chosen to give attendees some exibility in their attire.

“If you look at the celebrities who go on the red carpet, there's a variety of dresses and suits that they wear,” he said.“Likewise, we also wanted something that was a little professional, so we didn't want to go for [something like] a beach theme.”

Junior class advisor Sarah Maillet said that class advisors play an important role in outreach to other adults involved in the process.

“We reach out to the PTSO when we need [to] or when we're asking something of them, or if we're asking something of the custodians, the sta , the faculty at large,” she said. “[We help the o cers] organize their thoughts in their thought process so that they can plan the best event possible.”

Considered an iconic part of the high school experience, attending prom has been something that many seniors have

been looking forward to since the day they rst arrived at South.

is year’s prom will be hosted at the Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel in Boston. Senior class president Tom Shimoni said that the theme for the event, “A Night in Paris,” had been inspired by an iconic French landmark, the Palace of Versailles.

“We couldn't do [a Red Carpet theme], because last year they used that theme. So, we thought, ‘Let’s go for a night in Paris,’” he said.

When it comes to planning an event, Butler said that the rst step is to have an openended conversation about its desired outcome.

“[First we have] a preliminary meeting. Basically, we just sit down and think,‘Okay, what do we want out of this?’” he said. “ are a few meetings after that that are more like, ‘We need to gure out the logistics. What are we going to call it? How are we going to advertise it?’”

Funding is always a chal lenge when it comes to planning a big event. While it’s been a tradi tion for the freshman class to go on an end-of-year cruise in years past, freshman class president Harvey Chen said that with the budget they have, it isn’t an option this year.

“We wanted to go on the cruise originally, but it was just too expensive,” he said. “We didn't have enough fundraising and we gured out if we save money this year, for the next few years we [will have more elaborate dances].”

On the other hand, the sophomore class o cers decided to take their end-of-year event in a di erent direction.

Light Bash,” was organized around the

“We wanted a venue that was friendly, that had good light -

Senior class advisor Patrick Jordan Quern said that while class o cers are mostly independent, he provided support to them throughout the planning process.

“In meetings, we're [mostly] there for support as advisors,” he said. “[We do] anything that needs contracts…venues, food, music, lights, donations, whenever there needs to be an adult signature.”

Shimoni said that the most challenging aspect of the planning process was narrowing down his vision for the dance.

“ e hardest part is [that] we have so many ideas we want to have at the event, but there's only so much money that we can invest,” he said. “And so we just have to prioritize what we really want.”

Quern said that his favorite part of the planning process is getting to see the ideas students come up with.

“All of the classes also meet during the same block, so you get to overhear what other people are doing,” he said. “It's interesting to see all the creative ideas. We feed o of each other.”

“Black

We wanted a venue that was friendly, that had good lighting, that was large and also close enough to Newton.

Kevin Yang class of '24, president

e hardest part is [that] we have so many ideas we want to have at the event, but there's only so much money that we can invest.

Tom Shimoni class of '23, president

Core Values

Alan Reinstein

English Teacher

I’m Glad I Met Gunard Hans

Sometimes the gifts of a relationship swell beyond your partner or friend and over into the friend of your partner, or the partner of your friend, or the partner of the friend of your partner, or… you get it. Some people make you so glad you found your way to them — that person for me was Gunard Hans, the husband of my college girlfriend’s mother’s cousin. Gunard, Irene and their adult sons Karl and Peter lived in Madison, Wisconsin where my girlfriend Ingrid grew up and where we both were freshmen at the University of Wisconsin. I remember Gunard for two majestic qualities, and I want to tell you about him.

One, he could listen. First, know this: listening in his home was a Herculean feat because Irene was a swirl of nervous energy who expressed herself through unrelenting, over-the-speed-limit chatter. Ingrid described it as “speed-talking,” a quirky mannerism that was matched with just the right partner, capable of listening well.

To watch Gunard listen to Irene was to see patience and love in their purest forms, and whether this listening to his wife was driven by sympathy for her nervous condition or by an earnest interest in her thoughts is of no matter to me. I know what I saw: gentle, loving and patient attention given to another human being, the platonic ideal of listening.

Gunard’s gift was being able to free himself into the moment where listening was the appropriate thing to do. On the other hand, if speaking were the thing to do, he would have spoken. He seemed able to set aside all other ambitions in order to be fully present with his wife, a gift to her, of course, but also a gift to himself — and as an observer, to me.

Something else Gunard did during the short time that I knew him was that he comforted. Near the end of my junior year, he was diagnosed with brain cancer, and we all visited him at the university hospital right after his nal surgery, not long before he would return home to pass away. We all went to the hospital together — Irene, Karl, Peter, Ingrid and I — to comfort Gunard after the surgery, and yet, from his bed, he was consoling us, mollifying us with encouragement. I remember how obvious this odd reversal was to me, how fully natural and right it seemed.

I was on the outside, of course, the boyfriend, but I had wedged my way into this family over three years, and so I also was a bene ciary of Gunard’s goodness — his greatness. He held his wife’s and sons’ hands and told them not to worry: he assured them that he was feeling well, and it would all would be okay. It wasn’t, of course, and yet it was.

ere’s no way to know how you will respond to the darkest moments of life until they’re right there: you hope that you’ll be your best self, not so you can be remembered as a benevolent and courageous person, like Gunard Hans, but so your best self will be an agent for what the room needs most. If that means comforting others, then that’s it. If it means letting the comfort and love of others into you, then that’s it. To pay attention to what is needed seems to be among the many lessons I learned from Gunard Hans.

Sometimes the gifts of a relationship swell far beyond your partner or friend, and you’re so glad that you found your way there. I’m so glad that I found Gunard Hans.

Asian Night Spotlight

The 20th annual Asian Night highlights the talents and cultures of our diverse Asian community

By Laura Feng, Ira Singh & eo Younkin

Whether it’s spotlighting an exhibition of traditional Chinese martial arts or an energy- lled K-pop dance performance, Asian Night has been a beloved tradition at South for 20 years.

Featuring performances highlighting both traditional and modern cultures, dance, music and martial arts, Asian Night is entirely student-run.

e event is organized by o cers from the Asian Student Organization (ASO), South Asian Student Association (SASA) and Middle Eastern, South West Asian, and North African (MESWANA) Coalition.

Each year, all proceeds from the event go to an AAPI charity. is year, the money raised from the ticket sales and the stu ed animal ra e went to the Syria Relief Fund.

ASO junior o cer and junior Ethan Cheng said that he loves working with ASO on events like Asian Night and having an impact on South’s Asian community.

“For as long as I've been at South, some of my biggest Asian role models have been on ASO leadership,” Cheng said. “As I'm rounding out my time at South, it's nice to give back a little.”

With all the moving pieces, the planning process can be a heavy weight on the shoulders of the ASO o cers and student performers

you celebrate these people's culture and you get to learn a lot about them too,” she said.

Lim said Asian Night is also an opportunity for Asian students to spend time with and relate to people with similar backgrounds and experiences.

“Asian Night is a safe space for Asians,” she said.“It's supposed to be somewhere where we can truly express ourselves without being afraid [that] someone's going to judge us for performing a K-pop song or singing a Chinese song. ”

Co-president and founder of MESWANA Coalition Taban Malihi said that the shared experience of Asian Night is what makes it so special.

“In terms of bringing all these groups together and creating this collective experience for the whole school community, I feel like we don't tend to have a lot of experiences [like these] over the course of a normal school year,” she said. “Having Asian Night is a really good outlet for that.”

Chemistry teacher and club advisor for ASO and SASA Marianne McChesney has overseen almost all of the 20 Asian Nights that South has held. She said that she’s always looked forward to seeing students’ talents revealed onstage.

“It provides a really nice opportunity for them to show a side of themselves that maybe they don't get to in their day-to-day classes, or even just in other situations,” she said.

Asian community feels seen and appreciated.

“[Asian Night] brings people from all di erent kinds of Asian backgrounds together, and it also gives us a sense to look forward to something,” Ganesh said. “I nd that if we do celebrate something Asian, it’s very East-Asian, so Asian Night is a day where especially South Asians feel like they belong in this community.”

With all the hardships that AsianAmericans face, Cheng said he feels that Asian Night is a much-needed event, as it fosters unity and supports Asian students.

“ e idea that you can just sign up for something and showcase your talents in front of a bunch of di erent people who are there to support you [is] especially needed in recent years with the crazy [stu ] that's been happening with Asian people,” he said. “Having that support base is important.”

Malihi said that she hopes e orts to promote inclusivity will continue to be made.

“It's important to continually keep up the e orts at inclusivity not only now, but in the long future,” she said. “I hope we can bring in other groups that could also bene t from and really contribute to a more inclusive Asian experience.”

involved. ASO senior o cer and junior Hannah Lim said that the organization of Asian Night was demanding, but it was worthwhile.

“It's a lot, to say the least, but I feel like throughout the process, we learned a lot about each other and what works out and what doesn't work out for future years,” Lim said. “It's been pretty hectic, but it's worth it,”

Freshman Alyssa Xia, who performed a traditional Chinese dance said that she felt nervous in anticipation of her performance.

“It's a lot of pressure to deliver, but I'm happy to do it,” she said. “It's a good way to show o what we're proud of.”

K-pop club leader and senior Jisun Yoon said that the event is a prime opportunity for non-Asian students to learn about and experience Asian culture.

“[Asian Night] shines a spotlight [on] the minorities in our school, and it's a day where

“A lot of comments I've gotten from sta members that have attended Asian Night for the rst time are that they didn't realize their student was so into dance or so into music because it's just not something that might get expressed in the regular school day.”

Over the course of 20 Asian Nights, the event itself has evolved and changed since the initial production. However, McChesney said that one element has remained the same every year.

“What the students choose to do is always di erent year to year, but what has stayed the same is the pride and joy that they take in connecting with their various cultures and then sharing it with the audience,” she said.

Co-president of SASA, leader of its Zamaana dance group and senior Janani Ganesh said she feels that one of the main purposes of Asian Night is to ensure that every group of the

Ganesh said she hopes that Asian Night is a place where people of all Asian backgrounds can freely celebrate their culture.

“I hope that people feel more connected to their roots and connected to their culture because that's not something that we celebrate a lot here,” she said. “ ere's an inequality in what cultures we do celebrate, and I hope that Asian Night gives everybody who identi es as Asian a purpose and something to look forward to in the year.”

Xia performs "Blue Orchid Dancing in the Rain"

photos by Evan Ng

ASO o cers open the night with a dance to song"Butter" by k-pop group BTS

[Asian Night] brings people from all di erent Asian backgrounds together.

Janani Ganesh class of '23

PINNING THE COMPETITION

By Joey Giragos & Matteo Lee

This year's wrestling team was special. After nishing 13 to four and bagging their rst Dual County League (DCL) championship, this team is widely acknowledged as the best wrestling team in school history.

Led by Captains Dylan Kadish, Tyler Kadish, and Vasilli Syssoev, who ranked 3rd, 4th, and 5th in the state in their respective weight classes, the team was able to make a deep run into the postseason.

Although many members of the team had lots of independent success this season, as shown by Tyler Kadish’s 100th win, Senior Vasilli Syssoev said that team chemistry was the biggest factor in their accomplishments this year.

“It was the best we've had throughout the four years I've been on the team,” he said. “ e things that we did outside of the gym brought us closer together.”

Bonding through team dinners and hangouts outside of practice, Dylan said that the high level of unity allowed the team to

fully focus on their task and take their game to the next level.

“Everyone was striving for the same goal, we were all on the same page, and we just wanted to win everything this year,” he said.

Much of South’s success this season was also attributed to their all-time high level of effort. Incoming captain and junior Freya Munshi said that freshmen new to wrestling stayed persistent through the long learning process , and seniors led by example while continuing to keep themselves motivated.

“We had a lot of underclassmen, [particularly] freshmen, and everyone's really enthusiastic and really willing to put in the work,” she said.

e team's e ort was not only self-driven, but also pushed by coaches. Incoming captain and Sophomore Alex Rhein said that South’s success this season would not have been possible without guidance from DCL coach of the year Alan Rotatori and assistant coach Tomi Uyehara.

“ e coaching sta kicked o and picked

up where they left o from last year, and that contributed a lot to [the team’s success] this year,” Rhein said.

With a lineup consisting of ve seniors this past year, two of them being captains, Munshi and Rhein will be replacing Tyler Kadish and Syssoev. However, despite the inevitable pressure of leading a team, Munshi said that she isn’t concerned about next year.

“We're going to do just as well next year, if not better,” she said. “I'm con dent that the other underclassmen, who are going to be lling in those varsity slots, will do just as well.”

Everyone on the team this year remaining will be a year older and have more experience at the varsity level, Rhein said.

“I want to get involved however I can and be seen as someone who is approachable and can lead the way for the new kids,” he said.

Rotatori said this welcoming attitude for next year is especially important because many of the leaders did the same this year.

“Even though we had some elite wrestlers, they were looking to help the younger

wrestlers improve and become a valuable piece of the team.”

If this past winter season has changed one thing, it’s put South wrestling back on the map. For a sport that has lacked recognition in the past few years, this year of victory will hopefully inspire a new generation of wrestlers at South. ey may have to get used to the smell of Gym B after a long tournament, but Mr. Kadish’s signature post-meet butter chicken makes it all worth it.

Everyone was striving for the same goal, we were all on the same page, and we just wanted to win everything this year.

Tyler Kadish class of '23

photos by Augustine Vu

Student Sports Photographers

Sam McFarland Sports Contributor

Whether it be packing the stadium on a Friday night or lling the bleachers in the eld house, students show their school spirit by bringing enthusiasm to every game.

Although many sports events were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, games are now gaining the attention they used to.

Evidenced by the recent uptick of sports images in Instagram feeds, there has been a noticeable and seemingly inexplicable increase in student sports photography postpandemic.

Senior Eleanor Bacon said that the main reason she takes photos of sports is because she is an athlete herself and has an appreciation for games in general.

"I just love watching sports in general,” she said. “I'm a swimmer myself, and I like going to all of the games and supporting the school.”

Sports photography is a great vessel for students looking to get involved in the sports media world; taking pictures of a sport that you love can help you see the game through

Headline

a whole new lens.

But what would students interested in sports photography need to do to get in on the action? It might be less than you think. Next game, get by the eld with whatever equipment you have and experiment!

South also o ers a variety of photography classes that can hone your skills, and even the New Media classes can give you some exposure to the world of lm.

Aspiring sports photographers don’t have to look far.

SCAN TO SEE MORE PHOTOS ←

Ops bylines sample text By

When pro athlete role models fall short for his behavior.

First Last

Owen Halberstadt Sports Contributor

Remember to always match your body text up with the blue guidelines! Do not put text on the last line of the column!!!

I hopped o the plane at L.AX, with a dream and my cardigan. Welcome to the land of fame excess (woah). Am I gonna t in? Jumped in the cab, here I am for the rst time, look to my right, and I see the Hollywood sign. is is all so crazy! Everybody seems so famous!

Whether it’s wanting the newest LeBron’s or seeing your favorite athlete appear in TV commercials, big-named athletes nd a place in your everyday life. e in uence athletes have can inspire in a positive way, but when that athlete ips the switch and sets an example of unethical or unhealthy behavior, it makes you question your morals.

mal punishment, this incident brings questions to the role athletes play and the impact both their nega tive and positive actions have on fans across the world.

My tummy's turnin' and I'm feelin' kinda home sick. Too much pressure and I'm nervous – at's when the taxi man turned on the radio, and a Jay-Z song was on! And a Jay-Z song was on. And a Jay-Z song was on.

In his fourth season in the league, Ja Morant is currently one of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA’s) brightest stars.

e Memphis Grizzlies’ point guard has taken the league by storm and entranced fans with his high- ying dunks and spectacular no-look passes. Arenas throughout the league are lled with Morant’s number 12 jerseys, the sixth most popular jersey sold this season.

So I put my hands up, they're playing my song, the butter ies y away. I'm noddin' my head like, yeah. Movin' my hips like, yeah. I got my hands up, they're playing my song, they know I'm gonna be okay. Yeah, it's a party in the U.S.A. Yeah, it's a party in the U.S.A.

At just 23 years old, Morant joined elite company as he became the 23rd player in NBA history to receive his own signature shoe with Nike. Morant has gained a signi cant following with young fans across the league — videos of young fans crying in joy and disbelief as Morant gifts them his worn Ja 1’s have gone viral on social media.

Young players across the country have embraced Morant’s swagger and con dence by celebrating after drilling threes and not shying away from trash talk.

Morant has recently been under re for ashing a gun in a strip club after a March 3 loss to the Denver Nuggets. He received an eightgame suspension for his actions and issued an apology, in which he took full responsibility

sponsibility and negligence for his career sets a bad image to children on what hard work and being a respon sible adult really means. When kids see an adult who has worked to be come one of the NBA’s best basketball players risk it all by being reck less, it diminishes all it has taken for Morant to reach the level he is now on and shines a bad light on the NBA as a whole.

burgh Steelers fan, An tonio Brown was one of my favorite players growing up. Since I was nine, I sported Brown’s jersey at all times and watched him kill de fenses and dominate the National Football

However, my admiration for him ipped over as Brown began to assault women, punch his team’s general manager and became such a toxic individual in the locker room that no team wanted to keep him. It was hard to see one of my favorite players in the league tarnish his reputation and set a bad example for fans everywhere. A lifelong football fan, I have been watching JJ Watt since I was young. While he is best known for his five year dominance in

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the NFL, at the height of his career, he was still able to spend a lot of time doing what was right.

e formidable defensive lineman raised $37 million to help people in his Houston community recover from the detrimental e ects of Hurricane Harvey. His work in the community

set a great example for me and millions of others and has inspired me to start volunteering and helping those in need.

While it is common to strive to follow in the footsteps of our favorite athletes, it's important to be mindful of the fact that our idealizations of these celebrities may be faulty and that there is a human behind the fame. Following both Antonio Brown and JJ Watt as a fan, I idolized their every move.

While Morant, Brown and Watt have dominated with their style of play, the di erence in how they carried themselves impacted me signi cantly. While on the eld, play is how athletes grab the eye of young fans; however, it’s how they act o of it that makes the biggest impact.

Boston's own: C's and B's keep winning

First Last Position Position

By Mitchell Lookner

Remember to always match your body text up with the blue guidelines! Do not put text on the last line of the column!!!

Losing to the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals in six games, the Boston Celtics ended last season in heartbreaking fashion.

I hopped o the plane at L.AX, with a dream and my cardigan. Welcome to the land of fame excess (woah). Am I gonna t in? Jumped in the cab, here I am for the rst time, look to my right, and I see the Hollywood sign. is is all so crazy! Everybody seems so famous!

Entering the 2022-23 season, the Celtics started o hot, at one point having an 18-4 record. Superstar Jayson Tatum averaged 30.3 points per game while his counterpart Jaylen Brown averaged 26.6, both seem destined for an All-NBA selection. is achievement is a recognition of a top player in the game.

My tummy's turnin' and I'm feelin' kinda home sick. Too much pressure and I'm nervous – at's when the taxi man turned on the radio, and a Jay-Z song was on! And a Jay-Z song was on. And a Jay-Z song was on.

However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing the whole way. Jayson Tatum has not been his true self since the All-Star break, and his teammates haven’t been quick to pick up the slack. ese recurring lapses have been a disturbing theme, but the team always seems to put the pieces together to get themselves out of a slump.

So I put my hands up, they're playing my song, the butter ies y away. I'm noddin' my head like, yeah. Movin' my hips like, yeah. I got my hands up, they're playing my song, they know I'm gonna be okay. Yeah, it's a party in the U.S.A. Yeah, it's a party in the U.S.A.

A dictator of their play, head coach Joe Mazzulla, was selected to the All-Star team in February as one of the two coaches chosen, the other being Michael Malone. Yet, when asked about the selection, Mazzulla did not seem attached to the glory of this accomplishment, and remained focused on the big picture of championship back to Boston. e Celtics are a win-now team, a refreshing change after coming up short in recent years.

Witness to these struggles, Marcus Smart has been a key contributor upon setting foot on the court. His impact on the game may not always show on the stat sheet, but as the former defensive player of the year and always the rst on the ground diving after a loose ball, he receives love from his fans for his hustle.

Despite heavy competition, the Celtics have been atop the Eastern Conference for the majority of the season. While shooting the most threes out of any team, the Celtics are seventh in three-point percentage as the three-ball has been a key to their success.

e strong Eastern Conference will not provide an easy path for the Celtics this upcoming playo s. Mazzulla and his squad must resolve these problems quickly in order to knock championship.

The Bos ton Bruins are similar to the Celtics in that they have bounced back af ter a disappointing loss in last season’s playoffs. However, unlike their brothers in green, they are making history in doing so.

The Bruins reached 50 wins faster

than any team in National Hockey League (NHL) history this season, reaching the milestone in just 64 games. e Bruins have fallen short in years past: despite making the playo s nine out of the last 11 seasons, they’ve lost in the Stanley Cup Final twice.

eir success in 2023 is mainly due to impact players such as David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron, who have 52, 20 and 27 goals this season, respectively. eir goalkeeping has been immaculate as well— their best goalie, Linus Ullmark, is leading the NHL in save percentage. In addition to his excellent work behind the net, Ullmark became the 13th goalkeeper to score a goalie goal, one of the rarest feats in NHL history. Their second goalie hasn’t missed a beat either.

Jeremy Swayman, a 24-yearold from Arkansas, is seventh in save percentage and has been a pleasant surprise on a team full of surprises. A fun

e Boston Bruins are similar to the Celtics in that they have bounced back after a disappointing loss in last season’s playo s. However, unlike their brothers in green, they are making history in doing so.

tradition the Bruins have started is the goalie hug. After each win, the goalies, Ullmark and Swayman, will raise their hands up and bear hug each other in celebration.

Five players on the Bruins are among the top ten in holding “plus minus”, a stat that determines how well your team does when you’re on the ice. Similarly, just like Mazzulla of the Celtics, Bruins head coach Jim Motgomery was selected to coach the All-Star team. ey’re the second-best in the league at putting the puck in the net, scoring 3.68 goals per game.

e Celtics and Bruins have combined for a record of 102-34 in their seasons. is success in a sports town, especially in a single arena, is astonishing, and will surely leave Boston sports fans excited for the teams’ upcoming postseasons.

graphic by Denise Chan

graphic by Lynn Kim

It was hard to see one of my favorite players in the league tarnish his reputation as he set a bad example for fans everywhere.

a day in the life of the speediest man alive.

Fair Funding?

Are sports teams funded equally at South?

A look into how funding decisions are made.

By Olivia Whitaker and Sarah Schwartz

8:40 am wake up

TUESDAY

9:00 am school

South o ers 55 unique sports teams, each with their own talents. However, the high quantity of teams makes it difcult to ensure each program receives the same amount of funding. Brought up by coaches and student-athletes alike, the funding disparity between sports is a concern that must be addressed transparently.

2:35 pm (Lion block) chess club

Robby is the president of chess club, where they play tournaments and teach new players the game.

3:45 pm track!

e team starts by going on a run, then does core and stretches. Robby's favorite route is running to the Chestnut Hill Reservoir and back to school.

6:00 pm dinner

6:30 pm

Ligerbots is year, Robby is president of content and works on robot reveal videos. He also has a youtube!

@thebigrobbyzhang

e wrestling team, which won the Dual County League (DCLs) this past season, has had multiple new additions to their equipment in the past year, including a new matlight and new singlets. Next year, they are set to invest in new warm-up jackets.

Wrestling coach and wellness teacher Alan Rotatori said that there is a cycle for new uniforms that every team goes through before any other monetary needs are considered.

“When it’s your turn, you're allowed to purchase new uniforms, and then you trickle down [to other needs],” he said.

Athletics Director Patricia Gonzalez said many factors are considered when trying to decide what to spend money on, and that they try to do it in a way that makes it equal for all the programs.

“We're very careful with the money we spend and we spread them in ways that [are] fair and as equitable as we can,” she said.

Rotatori said that the Athletic Department is extremely supportive when he asks for equipment that will further the wrestling team's development.

“ e Athletic Department supports us, funding-wise, whenever we make any decisions in order to improve the program,” he said. “I don't ask for excessive stu , but when I ask for something we need, [the Athletic Department] can do that.”

batting cages allow balls to be hit with a front toss as opposed to side toss, which is more e and softball player Hannah Schwager feels more fund ing would be bene her team’s performance.

9:00 pm debate zooms

If it's tournament season, he will do some prep calls!

10:00 pm homework :( 12:00 am sleep! (on a good night)

“[Bownet tees and batting cages] can boost our performance, but that alone is very expensive [which] our funds could not cover,” she said. “It makes it really hard for us to invest in equipment to make our program stronger.” is year, the Nordic ski team had around 50 people. ese were numbers that hadn’t been seen before on the team, and the group used this energy to place second in the state tournament. Senior and captain Ben Modiano said that despite their accomplishments, the Nordic team is underappreciated.

“We deserve the funding that a team of 50 people deserves,” he said.“We're a prominent team and so [we] deserve some support from the school.”

Whether it’s through a bake sale, car wash or some other event, there are many ways for teams to fundraise that can bene t each team with items such as new jackets and equipment.

Gonzalez said that the extra equipment some sports teams receive gives people a notion that certain teams get more funding than others, when in reality the money comes from the individual team’s fundraising.

“[ e Athletic Department] only provides needs, other things that don't have to do with needs come from fundraising,” she said. e perception is that people see certain teams having things, and they think it comes from the budget. It comes from fundraising.”

Booster Club President Teri Ginsburg said that teams raising extra money through fundraisers is extremely important in the bigger picture.

“Extra funding de nitely can add value to the whole program and to teams specically,” she said.

way to get the team engaged,” he said. e Booster Club recently implemented a resource called a “Team Fund” which allows coaches to directly ask the Booster Club for equipment. Ginsburg said this is an important opportunity for many teams to directly address additional needs.

“We now have a very speci c fund that allows the teams to come to us to request boosters funding for things that are speci c to their team,” she said.

However, there are some things that fundraising cannot help with. Girls and boys volleyball coach Lucas Co een said one thing that could be improved with more funding is safety, for any sport.

“ e big thing that could improve with some funding for infrastructure improvement at the high school for any sport would be safety,” he said. “[ e volleyball poles in the gym] are pretty dangerous to play around because if you land on them, you can hurt yourself. We had someone break their leg this past year, landing on one.”

Nordic ski coach Je Riklin has coached for 12 seasons and only recently learned what the team’s budget was. Riklin said having transparent information about the amount of funding accessible to him is important.

“Once I found out what the budget was, I certainly can a ord $1,000 to hire an instructor,” he said. “We needed an instructor because we had 20 new kids this year who'd never skied before.”

e amount of funding a team gets can have long-lasting e ects on a student-athlete. Rotatori said that funding goes beyond just sports teams; funding can also help guide student-athletes to playing more in the future.

“We're not talking about just life here itself. Funding programs help kids get to the point where they can extend [their athletic career in the future],” he said. “It’s really important keep that perspective here at school.”

photo by Justin Levy

graphics by Adrienne Lirio and Denise Chan

graphic by Adrienne Lirio

CROSS W ORD PUZZLE

DOWN

1) Name of Ms. McNally’s band, or an apt description of your peers in rst period.

2) e rst name of this actor, grammy-winner and possible Taylor Swift ex.

4) What do you call a can opener that doesn't work? A ____ opener.

5) Last name of the man who killed John Lennon (and our beloved advisor!)

7) Why did the tomato turn red? Because it saw the salad _____!

9) Our new superintendent!

13) Often forgotten rainbow color; name of hotel considered for family shelter.

Get Yo Puzzle On!

ACROSS

3) e wrestling teams’s favorite post-meet dish

6) South grad, comedian, Ryan from e O ce

8) the speediest man alive.

10) Which question of the override did not pass?

11) Aleksander Xhoja played at this jazz musician’s eponymous festival in the Big Apple.

12) Fanciest location on our Newton Centre pizza crawl — check it out @nshslionsroar!

14) Chef in Ratatouille; popular pasta shape

15) Greta Gerwig’s newest movie has this tagline: “She’s everything. He’s just ___.”

16) “ e name’s . James ____.”

ANSWERS

Sleepyheads, Joe, ButterChicken, Cant, Chapman, Novak, Dressing, RobbyZhang, AnnaNolin, One, Mingus, Jinnys, Indigo, Linguini, Ken, Bond

This Issue, The Lion's Roar WasReal .

Who says Zoom meetings can't be fun?

cupcake graphics by Sophiya Jacobs

Sophomores (above) looking cute at paste-up! Senior Sta (left) meet-cute. Irene, eo and Alex (below) are locked in.

Senior Sta (left, above) slaying send-up. Risha and Emma (right) enjoy a slice, while Julia, Grace and Jenny stare longingly.

John (above) looking sassy. Jacob (below) looks concerned. Julia's super intimidating sta interview (top right).

Above, the rest of Sr Sta reacts to Bella's driving.

Risha (above) is your new sleep paralysis demon. Alex (right) is looking cute

Levin and Risha got hats. Who wore it better? Follow @nshslionsroar

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