The Lion's Roar 31-5 by The Lion's Roar

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Volume 31, Issue 5 140 Brandeis Road Newton Centre, MA 02459

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper · Newton, MA · Established 1984 · January 9, 2015

AP English class alters traditional term assignment

BOSTON

REACTS

Andrea Lirio & Nicole Yu Features Reporter, Features Editor

photo by Nathaniel Bolter

Demonstrators protesting police brutality in the wake of the grand jury decisions in Ferguson, Mo. and New York City march through Boston on Dec. 13. Several South students participated in the protest, which began at the State House and was stopped by police en route to the Suffolk County Jail. For more on race relations and South’s response to the decisions, see pages 12-14.

The feature writing assignment in the AP English Language (AP Lang) class is not just another school assignment for junior Talia Vicars — it is allowing her to explore a possible future career. “I might be interested in doing something with film when I grow up, and it has always interested me,” she said.“I wanted to [follow] someone who is an artist or is trying to become an artist later in life.” This full-term assignment requires students to shadow a person and document their observations in a features piece focused on a unique aspect of the person. “The idea is you are capturing something about that person. It is not a biography,” AP Lang teacher Alexander Kaplan said. “It is just a moment or a personality trait, so for many years we called it a personality profile.” In past years, AP Lang students have each followed a freshman at South; this year, however, teachers have changed the assignment. Students can now follow whomever they choose. The new project allows students to have much more freedom to look into their interests and go beyond the school, senior Frances Cooke said. “We are able to broaden our horizons and kind of explore our interests that we may not have been able to in the past,” she said. “For example, I know someone that is interested in reviewing a police officer, which is not something that you would be able to do if you were just stalking a freshman.” AP LANG, 18

NPS redistricts to address crowding, poor facilities Nathaniel Bolter Sr. News Editor

In an effort to remedy overcrowding and subpar buildings, the Newton Public Schools (NPS) has begun the process of redistricting elementary schools. The decision comes in conjunction with the city’s plans to either rebuild or renovate Angier, Zervas and Cabot Elementary Schools as a response to growing enrollment and deteriorating facilities. According to Superintendent David Fleishman, the new facilities for the three schools will have higher capacities for student

enrollment, forcing the city to shift district boundaries accordingly. Fleishman announced the changes at the Dec. 15 School Committee meeting and sent out a letter to Newton parents on the same day explaining the logistics of this process. Although the redistricting will primarily affect the districts of the three schools being renovated, Fleishman said, the process will have implications for other districts as well. “Sometimes, when you move one line, that impacts other [districts]. … What I would say is that most homes in Newton

will remain in the districts they’re in,” Fleishman said. “Everything will be done to keep students in their current schools. So most likely the students we talk about are future Newton Public School students — not current.” Fleishman said that the redistricting plans will also try to be sensitive to the “North-South split,” meaning that homes in districts feeding into a certain high school will likely continue to feed into that high school. A group of city officials called the Student Assignment Working Committee will determine these potential redistricting plans

over the course of the 2014-15 academic year. The committee will then submit the plans for a period of public input and later to the School Committee for a final vote. Fleishman said he hopes that this vote will take place at the end of the 201415 academic year, as Angier will be rebuilt by January, 2016 and Zervas by September, 2017. A renovated Cabot is set to open in January, 2018. “That’s pretty quickly, and we want to make sure it’s an inclusive process, and we’re going to communicate a lot,” Fleishman said. “But we almost have no choice because we are literally out of elementary space.”

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Signs of suicide Program Some students have opted for free blocks instead of attending the suicide prevention program.

the field Trip craze

South discusses the value of field trips in light of the large number of trips this year.

A year in review

The Roar looks back on the 2014 sports seasons in a compilation of noteable moments.

NEWS 2 GLOBAL UPDATE 5 EDITORIALS 6 OPINIONS 9 CENTERFOLD 12 FEATURES 15 SPORTS 20

page 2|January 9, 2015|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

NEWS

Students opt out of SOS PRogram

New curriculum in AP Comparitive Government

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NEWS@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 5

SOUTH

SPOTS Information on school events compiled by Roar Editors

Composer’s Concert t The event will take place on Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Seasholes Auditorium. t Symphonic band, orchestra, madrigals, chorale, vocal ensemble and wind ensemble will perform.

NEWTON INSPIRES t Its goal is to increase community support and provide private funding for innovation and challenging programs for Newton Public Schools. t The presentation and discussion will take place on Jan. 21 at 6 p.m.

WinterFEST t The jazz concert will be on Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. in the Seasholes Auditorium. t The jazz ensemble, lab jazz, improv and combo groups will perform.

W.A.I. Funny t The improvisational comedy performances will take place on Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Seasholes Auditorium. t The event’s purpose is to raise awareness about the water crisis. All proceeds from ticket sales will go to water.org.

North principal to leave Newton Carter Howe & Hans Wang News Contributor, News Reporter

After serving as North’s principal for the past eight years, Jennifer Price has accepted an offer to become North Andover’s next superintendent. Price applied to several superintendent positions this fall and was selected as a finalist in Waltham, Winchester and North Andover. North Andover offered her the job on Dec. 15, and Price accepted two days later. “As I hope you know, I love Newton North and have been honored to serve as principal for the last eight-and-a-half years,” Price wrote in letter to the North community. “Yet, I have reached a point in my career where it makes sense for me to think about leading a district.” Price’s achievements at North include her efforts to close the achievement gap and help every student succeed. Price developed the Dover Legacy Scholars Program, an honors curriculum for African-American students, as well as Transitioning Together, a mentoring program for students who are the first generation in their families to at-

photo courtesy of the North Andover Citizen

North Principal Jennifer Price will assume the role of North Andover’s superintendent next year.

tend college. Superintendent David Fleishman said he is confident that Price will make a great superintendent. “She’s focused, she’s very determined, she thinks about what’s best for students [and] she appreciates the importance of building

a positive culture,” he said. Although Price has already accepted the position, she will not assume her new duties until July 1 of next year. “She’s a great educator,” Principal Joel Stembridge said. “Whoever gets to work with [Price] will be very fortunate.”

Freshman Caleb Fried agreed and added that even when he purchased a bus pass, he did not receive it. “Having a bus pass itself is not even a guaranteed thing,” he said. “[Also], a lot of the time students like to go over to their friends’ houses, or go somewhere else in Newton after school, but they aren’t able to, because there are too many people on that bus and they’re kicked off because they don’t have a bus pass.” Regina Moody, the Transportation Director of Newton Public Schools, said that students who do not buy bus passes can cause problems for school staff. “Students riding without a pass do not directly hurt a school, but can cause unnecessary crowding issues, creating more work for staff who then need to take the extra time to filter those students out and notify their families of the bus pass requirement and advise as to how they can acquire a pass,” she said. According to Miller, students need an

incentive to buy a bus pass. “An improvement that could be made could be having someone check bus passes to make sure people pay for the bus,” she said. Junior Alex Huang said that bus passes should be checked more often to combat overcrowding on buses. “I take a bus that gets really crowded because it goes to Newton Center on Fridays and on days before big holidays and breaks,. It’s really hard for people [who] take those buses to use [them], because everyone’s standing on those days, so I think bus passes should be checked more frequently, especially on those days that are busy,” he said. Moody, however, said that the staff cannot spare more time to frequently check passes.“Given that school staff has many different responsibilities, I believe they are checking passes regularly and as often as they can,” she said. Fried suggested that funds for buses should come from a source other than revenue from bus passes. “I think that the money to pay the bus drivers and the bus company should come partly out of something else, because I don’t think that the bus passes need to be established,” he said. Huang said that Newton’s size should allow for free transportation to schools. “I definitely think it should be provided without a fee, because the size of Newton is massive. Even though there are two high schools, each high school has to cover a lot of distance, and it’s a pretty pricey fee,” he said. Moody agreed that free transportation would be ideal, but said that the bus passes are implemented in an effort to decrease the amount of the school budget that goes to the cost of buses. “I think it would be wonderful if all students could receive free transportation to school; however, understand the School Committee’s decision to charge a fee for the bus ... help defray the cost,” she said.

Students find bus passes ineffective David Li & Carina Ramos Sr. News Editor, News Contributor

Students who take the bus are required to pay a fee of $310 each year for a bus pass, although not all students who ride the bus pay the fee. The Newton Public Schools (NPS) have a multimillion-dollar contract with a bus company. The contract is primarily paid for by the NPS’s yearly budget, but fees from bus passes pay for 20 percent of the cost, leading to less money from the budget being used to pay for buses. Instead, the money is used to pay for the general NPS budget throughout Newton schools, including South. According to freshman Abigail Miller, students are not inclined to purchase bus passes. “I don’t think many of the kids who ride the bus have bus passes because passes are never checked, so they don’t feel like they need them,” she said.

Each bus pass costs $310

512 South students have purchased bus passes

Bus passes pay for 20% of NPS’s contract with Eastern Bus Company

The legal maximum number of students per bus

Source of Information: Regina Moody, Transportation Director

infographic by David Li

january 9, 2015|page 3

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|NEWS

Hitting the ground running Peter Klapes

Senate President

south SEnate Update

Skipping Out on SOS

photo by Max Baker

As some opt for free blocks instead of participating in SOS, students question whether the suicide prevention program is being taken seriously Bhavik Nagda News Editor

Despite general support for the Signs of Suicide program from students and staff, the program has met a lack of seriousness, as some students choose to opt out of the program in favor of a free block. Implemented last May, SOS is part of Newton’s response to last year’s three suicides. The program lasts one class period and features informational videos and a discussion, followed by an optional depression screening. Seniors and juniors have already participated in the program, and sophomores and freshmen will have done so by March. It is not mandatory for students to participate in the program. The sign-up forms allow students to opt out and skip the class period in which the program is presented. While this option is necessary to ensure students’ emotional safety, some say it has been misused as a means of getting a free block. In a Jan. 5 survey of 99 juniors and seniors, 45 percent of those surveyed said they knew of students who opted out to get a free block. “I think it’s pretty disgraceful of students for [skipping],” senior Jasper Primack said. “Many people are unaware of the nature of how signs of suicide start. I think for people to skip out on the little exposure they might

have to this is really quite shocking and really disrespects the memory of everyone who is lost.” Junior Sasha Badov was not as offended by students skipping. “I’ve heard of people skipping,” she said. “Obviously they shouldn’t skip, but I don’t think there’s anything really useful that they would miss by skipping.” English teacher Joseph Golding, however, said that choosing to opt out of the

Most students are thinking, ‘We should just get free blocks and go.’ This is such a self-serving, self-centered motive.” - Joseph Golding, English teacher program is inexcusable. “I think the motives behind students skipping out on SOS are unjust. Most students are thinking ‘We should just get free blocks and go.’ This is such a self-serving, self-centered motive,” Golding said. “‘I would like a free block.’ That is where the thought starts.” Even some students who attended the program thought about it through a distorted lens, according to junior Ken Garber.

“I think some people only wanted the video because it would skip some school time, take time from learning,” he said. Many students felt that it was the video itself that detracted from the program’s gravity. Senior Ahaana Singh said the video seemed “cheesy, with bad acting,” which she said diminished its impact. “These hypothetical situations don’t give you a real grasp on what is happening,” she said. “It’s only when you experience it firsthand ... when you realize what we’ve gone through this past year and feel the weight of what can happen.” Primack agreed, adding that the program could be improved. “I think the video is too corny, and because of that corniness, a lot of students are just turned off from it right away,” he said. “So while the video is incredibly useful and fairly valuable to the school community, I think it could undergo a few revisions to make it more appealing to students.” Director of guidance Shelly Borg, the program coordinator, hoped that students would disregard the poor acting and limited cultural relevance. “It’s helpful to overlook the acting to focus on the message and information available to students by watching the video and participating in the discussion afterwards,” Borg said in an email.

photos by Max Baker

A junior history class watches a presentation of the SOS program last November. Some students have chosen to opt out of the program.

his past semester, the South Senate has been busy continuing its commitment to improving the student experience at South. The Student Advocacy Committee, which was established last year, has hit the ground running. The committee comprises four Senators, one representing each class, and was formed to address the concerns of individual students — ones that could not adequately be addressed by legislation. In the last few weeks, we have also conducted surveys in randomly selected advisories. An idea that we have been discussing in the Senate — one that seems to be popular among the student body — is the addition of electives offered by the core curriculum departments like English, history and the world languages. A Senate resolution, passed unanimously on the Dec. 11, stated the Senate’s hope that South offer more classes that would afford students an opportunity to pursue a subject area out of mere academic curiosity. These electives would run on a varying schedule (maybe twice a week for a half or full year) and could include areas of study such as philosophy or psychology (which would be open to students in all grades, rather than just seniors). Be on the lookout for a continuation of our recent survey, which will be distributed through our Facebook page. Finally, this year’s Senate leadership is currently in the incipient stages of compiling a handbook that we hope will serve as a useful tool, especially for freshmen and new students. The handbook will contain a wealth of information, including what the student government offers, how to join clubs and what kinds of academic offerings there are here at South. During last year’s session, the Senate worked to enhance our internal foundation. We passed several amendments to our Constitution — including one that reduced the number of Senators from eight to six per grade — we held press conferences and we intensified the role of the Senate leadership through our Executive Reorganization Act. This year, it has been our goal to use that establishment as a foundation for a student government that is driven by the direct needs and concerns of our community. We have reached out to our administration, faculty, parents, clubs and students to determine how the Senate can be of most service. Please be sure to visit our bulletin board, located directly across from the entrance to the library. Along with current events from the Senate, you will also find posted a form marked “Student Advocacy Committee Concern.” If you have an issue that you feel the Senate could help you with, please complete one of these forms and bring it to the lecture hall during any Thursday J block. But for us to serve you, I, on behalf of the Senate, kindly request your participation in this two-way relationship. Visit our bulletin board and “like” our Facebook page. We look forward to hearing your ideas and seeing you on Thursday afternoons in the lecture hall.

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News|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Comp. Gov. promotes student input in AP class Rachel Gu & Ange Lu News Contributors

Watching the British “House of Cards” and engaging in a Chinese labor negotiation may sound like a strange weekend, but in fact, both are part of history teacher Jamie Rinaldi’s AP Comparative Government (Comp. Gov.) class, which has implemented a new class format to promote creativity and student engagement in the world of strictly regimented AP curriculums. Comp. Gov., whose curriculum focuses on case studies of six different governments, is uniquely suited to accommodate this approach, Rinaldi said. Whereas most other schools teach Comp. Gov. as a half-year course, South offers it as a full-year class, giving teachers more freedom to shape the curriculum. This year, Rinaldi has seized that opportunity. “What I’ve tried to do this year is, once we’ve covered the textbook chapter and the core central components, I then go to the students and ask, ‘What should we do from here? What would you like to do? What are you interested in learning more about for the second half of the unit?’” Rinaldi said. Student input in the curriculum has taken it in unconventional directions, senior Sophia Autor said. For the second half of the United Kingdom unit, the class watched the British “House of Cards” television series and gave presentations comparing the show to real issues in British politics; as part of the China unit, the class simulated labor negotiations between Chinese factory managers and their workers. “I think that the projects we do are some pretty unique ones that more people are more enthusiastic about because we got to help pick something ... and it wasn’t just assigned,” she said. Once the class has covered the required material, students will begin work on a larger

photo by Max Baker

Typically a half-year course, the full-year AP Comp. Gov. class allots time for more student creativity and input in the curriculum. project intended to put the course material to senior year everyone is in college so they stop excited about and curious about the world,” practical use. The class has not yet decided the putting effort into [class]. ... He tries to cre- history department head Jennifer Morill said, exact details of the project, but Rinaldi said ate a system where people have motivation “And if kids are motivated from this class to that he intends for the project to give back to actually do work and research and learn see speakers on the weekend, then I’m more to the community in some way. about stuff even when they’re already in col- excited about that then them getting a five The idea for this sort of project is not his lege,” senior Ben Shteinfeld said. on the AP.” own, Rinadi said. The inspiration for the idea Autor said the class succeeded in inSenior Luke Shapiro agreed the class came from history teacher Michael Kozuch, spring interest that transcends the classroom, will leave a lasting impact beyond the AP whose Global Sustainability class spent the recalling how a group of students got together exam. “I think the way that Mr. Rinaldi runs second half of last year building the Green to attend a talk by economist Francis Fuku- the course is the most effective way for a Trail, while most other classes were in the yama, whose essay they had read in class, at history class like this,” he said. “To not only midst of slump. the Harvard Book Store. teach the students the essential information “[Rinaldi] realizes that second half of “You want students to leave South for the AP, but to apply that broadly.”

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THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|NEWS

A Glimpse of the Globe Information compiled by Roar editors from CNN, The Economist, BBC, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, Twitter and the rest of the Internet.

OPEC: what is actually happening? News This year’s precipitous decline in oil prices has brought record lows to gas stations across the U.S., but on the international stage, the decline tells a different story — one of turmoil and the struggle for hegemony in the new oil market. The pivotal character in this story is the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), as it — and its member countries — tries to figure out its new role in the market it dominated for decades. OPEC began when Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Venezuela — all top oil-producers — convened in Baghdad in 1960 with the purpose of forming a cartel. Up until then, the price of oil had largely been determined by Western companies. The producers themselves were left subject to wild swings in oil prices that could devastate their economies, which depended almost exclusively on oil exports. The organization would

coordinate to reduce competition and control prices, protecting the interests of its member countries. Today, OPEC has 12 member countries, controlling approximately one-third of the world’s oil production, and from 2011 until June of 2014, the price per barrel of Brent crude, a global benchmark for oil prices, remained comfortably above $100. In the last six months, however, prices fell by more than 50 percent. As The Roar went to press, a barrel was going for $50.78. Outwardly, the decline is a simple matter of supply and demand, oil overproduction and decreased oil demand. Both the supply and demand, however, are inextricably linked to the fracking boom in the U.S., which has both contributed to the global supply of oil and made the U.S. less inclined to import OPEC oil. With the U.S. market narrowing, OPEC members have been forced to compete for the markets in Europe and Asia,

where economic malaise has also led to decreased demand. Usually, such a steep decline would impel OPEC to step in, but at a Nov. 27 meeting, OPEC — and its leading producer, Saudi Arabia — decided not to cut production. This decision may seem self-defeating — as low oil prices most hurt the oil-producers — but it makes sense in the context of the U.S.’s rise. Saudi Arabia is engaging in a “price war,” betting that if oil prices decrease enough, investment in the U.S. oil companies will cease to be profitable, and U.S. production will slow. But while Saudi Arabia and its allies may have deep enough pockets to sustain this “price war,” other OPEC members, like Venezuela, Iran and Algeria, will be hard-pressed to balance their budgets. Russia, though a nonmember, is also heavily oildependent and requires oil prices of at least $100 a barrel; some

predict that continued economic woes will make Russia turn to an even more belligerent foreign policy to distract its citizens. This “price war” notwithstanding, Saudi Arabia has other reasons to refuse production cuts. Saudi Arabia is essentially the only OPEC member with the capacity to actually cut production. If it were to do so and fail to raise prices — as it did in 2008 when oil prices plummeted from $140 to $35 — it will have ceded part of its market share to its rivals for no reason. Moreover, the U.S. might decide to up production to compensate for a Saudi cut anyway, rendering a cut meaningless. The biggest lesson from all this may be that, as U.S. influence grows, OPEC simply does not have the power over the market it once did. With demand expected to remain meager and OPEC eschewing action, the slump will likely continue into 2015, and the battle for hegemony will rage on.

An Overview:

The issue: As a result of diminished global demand for oil and the boom in U.S. shale oil fracking, oil prices have fallen by more than half since June, 2014. The response: Engaging in a “price war” with the U.S., OPEC has refused to cut production to slow the decline even as several of its member countries face dire financial situations.

Reuters

nonsensical news: New Year’s Eve No-Show

While protesters in Boston used New Year’s Eve to demonstrate against police brutality, in Rome, it was the police who were protesting. Eighty-three percent of the city’s municipal police called in sick on Dec. 31. The 835 officers, out of 1,000 who were scheduled for duty that night, cited many reasons for their absences, some claiming they were sick and others saying they were going to donate blood. The mass desertion forced the city of approximately 3 million to find substitute officers to watch over the New Year’s Eve revelers instead. The mayor called the action a “betrayal,” and the commander of the police force said the desertion was “unjustified” and the officers were “trying to jeopardize

this week

Amid animosity toward Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York City police officers arrested 56 percent fewer people in the week of Dec. 29 than they did in the same period last year. Summonses and traffic tickets also drastically declined. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas moved to join the International Criminal Court on Jan. 2, a day after the United Nations voted not to recognize Palestinian statehood. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the 1979 Constitution allows for major economic and social issues to be decided by nationwide referendum rather than by Parliament, which is dominated by hard-liners. Arguing that they are hindering progress in peace talks over eastern Ukraine, French President François Hollande declared his opposition to sanctions against Russia and President Valdimir Putin.

Fun and informational.

Putin Paraphernalia

the security of the citizens.” The move comes as the police union remains in a standoff with the city over officer pay and working practices. A union leader said that the New Year’s Eve noshow was the beginning of a “crescendo of protests” that may culminate in a strike.

The Independent

Having already conquered shirtless horseback riding, Vladimir Putin’s public relations machine has turned its sights to the world of fashion. A Moscow man has founded a fashion label dedicated to producing clothing and accessories bearing images of the Russian president’s face. The label — called “Putinversteher,” meaning “a Putin sympathizer” in German — launched with a $144 silver ring, prominently embossed with Putin’s face. Designer Gleb Krainik, a pro-Kremlin activist, said that the label’s purpose is to “make it easier for the world to understand Russia,” which he said is often portrayed negatively in the media. He said he hopes that the brand expands beyond Russia into the West and noted that one-quarter of the first 100

Deutsche Welle

rings were sold to customers outside of Russia. The label already has one happy customer in Russian Sergei Maksimov. “I’d love to be just like Vladimir Putin,” Maksimov said. “I don’t mean I want to be president or a secret agent — I admire him as a person. He’s very manly and strong. He’s a man who keeps his word. Putin is my role model.”

page 6|January 9, 2015|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Editorials Editorials@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 5

S ’ T A he C

W O ME

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

Frozen: South Edition School officials initially closed off hallways when the pipes full of hot water broke and began to flood the school this week. After the water rapidly froze in the cold temperature, however, a group of innovative students established an unofficial school ice skating pond. “We decided to create a place where everyone can have fun without leaving the building,” sophomore Elsa Olaf said. School officials initially opposed the use of the frozen puddle as an ice skating rink, but that all changed once Vice Principal Candice Winemann taped plastic knives from the cafeteria to the bottom of her shoes. “I was cooped up in my office for so long, so when I heard about the pond, I had to check it out. I didn’t have my ice skates on me, so I had to get creative,” she said. The athletic department also announced that hockey practices will now be held in the hallway pond to cut transportation time.

Pre-slump Struggles With just a week left until the end of the first semester, seniors are struggling to maintain their grades and remain focused before senior slump begins. “I’m struggling to motivate myself much more than usual, especially since I know that in a week, I won’t be getting out of bed before C block,” senior Keathen Estenburg said. Students are taking extreme measures to boost their second term grades before the end of the quarter. Senior Serene Lively was caught trying to bribe her AP Psychology teacher Jess Angle with Kanye West tickets to bump her grade from a C to an A minus. “I thought it’d be something she could enjoy with her two sons,” she said. “Really, it was just a generous gesture, I promise.”

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Maia fefer weclomes the new year in style pAGE 8

Cultural biases still prevalent at South, even when unintentional People, depending on their own race and upbringing, are subconsciously biased toward certain races. Racism still exists in our society, and it certainly exists in the microcosm of South. Newton is often lauded as a wonderfully welcoming place. The high population of educated individuals, the liberal slant of the schools’ curricula and the plethora of financial resources at our disposal do indeed create an overall atmosphere of acceptance and open-mindedness. We are concerned with being as politically correct as possible, and for the most part, we uphold this standard. There are, however, still instances of racism in Newton and at South. Casual cultural appropriation is present in clothing, and racial slurs are often tossed around jokingly. While people rarely mean to offend, the things they do and say to trivialize certain aspects of other cultures can hurt. At South, one problem with race relations is that there exists a sizeable racial divide. People typically tend to relate to others within their culture. Often, we lack the common ground to connect to people of other cultures,

the common ground that forms the foundation of many close friendships. In the past several years, various clubs focused on promoting cultural awareness have both been created and been disbanded. In theory, clubs based on race and culture are good for the school environment. Students can attend meetings to learn aspects of other people’s lives that they would not

the intention of fostering racism, but they unwittingly can. These kind of clubs, however, are a product of grander tendencies. They would not exist if we as a community did not have a racial divide. Even on The Roar, we have very few staff members who are not of white or Asian descent. Although we do not intentionally support this racial demographic, members of the paper usually join due to the

Although people rarely mean to offend, the things they do and say to trivialize certain aspects of cultures can hurt. normally be able to experience. Unfortunately, this outcome is often idealistic. Clubs like the Asian Student Organization (ASO) and the South Asian Student Association (SASA) have the best of intentions to promote cultural unity. Although many adults expect all cultural clubs to provide students with educational opportunities, this vision is fairly idealistic. The intention of culturally and racially oriented clubs is to promote an environment where students can socialize with other from similar backgrounds. Students within these spheres often have the tendency to stick together. Clubs are never created with

presence of their friends, and their friends are often of the same race. As hard as we try to include names and faces of all backgrounds — racial, social and others — we often fail to do so because the names that come to mind when thinking of people to interview are those of people we know relatively well. Ultimately, racism need not be intentional to be harmful. Promoting cultural unity at South requires an active effort perhaps even beyond our current comfort zones. Through this active choice to be diverse, students can promote a more welcoming and accepting community.

Editorial Policy The Lion’s Roar, founded in 1984, is the student newspaper of Newton South High School, acting as a public forum for student views and attitudes. The Lion’s Roar’s right to freedom of expression is protected by the Massachusetts Student Free Expression Law (Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 71, Section 82). All content decisions are made by student editors, and the content of The Lion’s Roar in no way reflects the official policy of Newton South, its faculty, or its administration. Editorials are the official opinion of The Lion’s Roar, while opinions and letters are the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Lion’s Roar. The Lion’s Roar reserves the right to edit all submitted content, to reject advertising copy for resubmission of new copy that is deemed acceptable by student editors, and to make decisions regarding the submission of letters to the editors, which are welcomed. The 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 The 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.

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Monday J Block, Room 1201 photography

Trivia Crack Mania Students are failing to show up for classes because of the crippling schoolwide obsession with the popular quiz app Trivia Crack. Despite their absences, some students have begun to challenge their teachers from home. “I challenged my English teacher Mr. Leese yesterday, and he somehow managed to beat me before I even got to the second round,” senior Konny Jirshenbaum said. “So rude.”

Editor criticizes prejudices toward female teens

WRITING

Hone your writing skills by joining one of our five sections and working with our editors.

Learn new techniques by shooting at school events and sports games.

Graphics

Draw illustrations to supplement articles.

January 9, 2015|page 7

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|DESK

THE Editor examines society’s unfair EDITOR’S derision of teenage girls’ interests DESK Parisa Siddiqui Editor-in-Chief

Our interests are vital to us as humans, especially at this turbulent time in our lives. Many people are passionate about the music they listen to, about the books they read, about the instruments or sports they play, about dancing, singing, even watching TV for hours on end. And for the most part, other people are okay with this. They respect each others’ hobbies. But when it comes to the pursuits commonly labeled as “meant for teenage girls,” the derision begins to stream in, permeating public consciousness. Why is it that the things that capture the interest of teenage girls are subject to diatribes? Is it because girls are often fickle and sensitive at this age? Is it due to those female fans who follow every male musical act popular with our demographic, screaming and crying and begging for one of the boys to sign their chests? Probably. There are so many generalizations people make. If you think about it, when boys who follow sports can rattle off minute details about their favorite athletes, spend hours watching a game or discuss fantasy football with their friends, it is considered “normal” (of course, assuming all male sports fans do these things or that all boys like

sports are also unfair generalizations, but that is a topic for another time). When a girl discusses her favorite band, TV show or book series with the same fervor, she is written off as a “crazy fangirl.” But in both instances, that interest makes someone happy, and it keeps them from being lost in the negativity that surrounds us on a daily basis. I myself have been accused by my peers of having little patience for quite a few of the things that the stereotypical teenage girl is interested in, but that does not mean that I do not respect them. A lot of girls express their passions and opinions in subdued ways, because they are afraid they will be labeled as “basic” or one of those other stickers we like to put on females. People will go on about how much they hate a certain show, movie or band not based on its actual quality, but based on the fact that this show, movie, band or whatever else is popular among teenage girls. Admittedly, there are plenty of girls who fit the stereotype of fanatical group-

ies, mobbing indefensible musicians and profusely Tweeting at celebrities to beg for a follow. Those girls, however, are in no way reflective of the entire fanbase of an artist or of this demographic as a whole. Not everything is about looks and hormones when you are a teenager, no matter what you like. Young girls are just like young boys and even a lot of adults out there. They are struggling to find a niche, they often get emotionally attached, their pastimes can change at the drop of a hat. But that does not invalidate their opinions and interests. Teenage girls have the capability to be smart, creative, caring, assertive, resilient, mature and genuine. Some want to challenge societal norms, and some want to just fit in. Even more likely, some are just doing their own thing and pursuing what they genuinely like. School, expectations and the toils of getting older have sucked this sense of

“[Teenage girls] are struggling to find a niche, [and] they often get emotionally attached ... But that does not invalidate their opinions and interests.”

wonderment and optimism out of me, but the teenage years are quite a time to be alive. There is so much room for horrible, depressing things to happen, but there is also room for exploration, both of the self and of the world and its ever-expanding plethora of offerings. With technology, the world is more open to us than ever. This is the time to live with abandon. This is the time when our parents are the ones who have to worry about filing the taxes and paying the mortgage, when a chapter of a book read in class can make a difference in our day, when the thought that the future is a blank page is heartstoppingly terrifying, yet also comforting and freeing. Let us love what we love now. Just because we are young and female doesn’t mean people can devalue what we like and make us feel like our opinions and interests should not be expressed. I get a bad rap from people I know for often being pessimistic and angry, but my interest in music has buoyed me through the turmoils and pains of adolescence. It is what I turn to in times of need, and it drowns out the people who scoff at me. So stop telling kids — not just girls — to pull their heads up and fret about anything and everything. There’s not a lot of time left for us, so we may as well enjoy it.

Volume 31

The Lion’s Roar

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper 140 Brandeis Road Newton, MA 02459 srstaff@thelionsroar.com

Editors-in-Chief

Hyunnew Choi Parisa Siddiqui

Managing Editors

Sasha Kuznetsov Carly Meisel

Business and Production

Chief Copy Editor

Faith Bergman Julia Mount

Darren Trementozzi

Section Editors Sr. News Editors Nathaniel Bolter Bella Ehrlich David Li News editor Bhavik Nagda

Sr. Centerfold Editors Sophia Fisher Veronica Podolny

Graphics Manager Sophie Galowitz

Sr. Sports Editors Sr. Features Editors

Helen Haskin David Kim Jack McElduff

Amelia Stern Nicole Yu

SR. OPINIONS EDITORs

Maia Fefer Shelley Friedland Features editors

Advisers

Ashley Elpern Brian Baron Paul Estin Ryan Normandin

Ariel Neumann Ben Rabin

Photo Managers Katie Asch Max Baker Alexa Rhynd

page 8|January 9, 2015

Fun page|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM Columns, rows and squares Each take a digit, falling Between one and nine.

ROSSWORD

bad haiku by Tony Vashevko & Rob Hass puzzles courtesy of sudokuoftheday.com

EASY: 9

7 5

5 8 1

5 3

1 2

6 5

7 8

9 6

1 7

8 6

6 9

1 5

11 13 15 19

CHALLENGING: 6

8 3

6 9

DOWN:

19 22

24 28

covers 1. Fleck 13. Funeral 2. Cain’s brother vehicle 3. Live-in staff 14. Computer 4. Portray correspondence 5. Space 17. Voice type 6. Woe! 19. Relaxed 7. Wheel rim 22. Buck’s mate

Crossword courtesy of youplay.com

ACROSS:

1. Mummy & ... 5. Ingest 8. Woodwind instrument 9. Unite formally 10. Office casuals 11. Saloon counter 12. Welcoming garland 13. Watering tube 15. Spiral pin 16. Dull (finish) 18. Part of circle 20. Boxer, Muhammad ... 21. Wide 23. Tingle 24. Song for one 25. The L of LA Law 26. Enchantress, ... fatale

Embarrassing Roar Staff Photo of the Month:

Fefer is ready for the new year.

page 9|january 9, 2015|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

opinions

Why school lunches should be competitive

Sophomore advocates for Immigration Reform

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opinions@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 5

Perspectives:

Should foods containing Genetically Modified Organisms be labeled?

graphic by Anjali Shankar

absolutely not

absolutely BY Wilson Chen

eople need to know what they’re eating. Often, people choose a hormone-free diet for health and safety reasons, but it is difficult to tell which foods have been genetically engineered. Legally, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) do not have to be labeled in stores; this has to change. GMOs should be labeled so that people can make informed decisions about their food. GMOs are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered to produce organisms that carry unnatural traits, such as greater body mass in animals and preservative qualities in vegetables. Whether or not GMOs are safe has not yet been scientifically proven. The United States Department of Agriculture and the World Health Organization say GMOs are unlikely to pose health risks due to strict safety assessments, but these assessments may prove to be not so strict in the future. Developing countries may want to catch up with leading countries like the U.S. and Britain and start producing GMOs, but may not be able to strictly enforce proper safety rules. Due to this uncertainty, Americans should have all the facts to decide whether or not to risk eating foods containing GMOs. Regardless of the health risks, GMOs should be labeled to inform the customer of the differences between the

GMO and the non-GMO. For example, an AquaAdvantage salmon that has a growth hormone added to its DNA to allow it to fully mature faster is different from a regular salmon. If an AquAdvantage salmon found its way to a river or the ocean, it might compete with and dominate the natural salmon species. Consumers should be given access to these facts before they choose products. Some people argue that GMO labeling may scare consumers away from buying certain foods. They cite an occurrence in Europe, where the amount of GMO products declined since the introduction of labeling. The negative attention of the press, however, was to blame for this. The British press alone published 700 articles about GMOs in February 1999 after the publication of Jeffrey Smith’s book “Seeds of Deception.” The U.S. today is different from Europe in the 1990s, and both pro-GMO and anti-GMO arguments have received national attention. Environmental risks must also be considered. GMOs are generally similar to their unaltered counterparts, but are better at surviving. If a GMO plant found its way outside of a farm, it could spell disaster for the ecosystem. It’s important to consider carefully before buying products containing GMOs. We can’t do that if GMOs aren’t labeled.

By anders boberg

he so-called “Right to Know GMO” campaign flooding the nation’s legislatures with calls to force companies to label foods containing GMOs argues that labeling will allow consumers to make better and more informed decisions. This is false. Contrary to the premise of bizarrely mutated “frankenfoods,” which many people imagine whenever GMOs are mentioned, the World Health Organization, United States Department of Agriculture and the European Union are all in consensus that GMOs are identical to conventionally grown food. Humans have been playing God for centuries. By selecting the plants or animals with traits most useful to humans, farmers transformed the genetic makeup of various organisms throughout history. In the past 20 years, scientists have modernized this process. Some proponents of labeling argue that, like nutrition facts, GMO labels would become useful tools for consumers. Nutrition facts, however, offer consumers unbiased and specific sets of information. Saying something “contains GMOs” is more convoluted. Genetic modification can encompass anything from modifying rice to produce vitamin A to engineering a potato to glow when it is dehydrated. Therefore, consumers do not gain useful knowledge from knowing whether or not

a product is genetically modified; rather they are forced to indiscriminately judge a broad range of possibilities. In the European Union, foods containing GMOs quickly became extremely rare after GMO labeling was introduced in 1997. Fearing consumer backlash, producers completely cut GMOs out of their products. If America follows a similar path as Europe, the stigma surrounding GMO food will not aid consumer choice, but rather it will force retailers to cut GMOs out and thus make the choice for these consumers. This is exactly the opposite of what labeling is meant to do in the first place. Although the current system may be flawed, at least it offers consumers a choice. The “USDA Certified Organic” label guarantees that a product is GMO free, thus operating as a de facto “nonGMO” label. Consumers deserve to have a choice when considering products. They deserve to be informed while making that choice. Labeling GMOs promotes generalizations and emphasizes stigmas surrounding modification; labeling would therefore cause GMOs to fall out of use, thus eliminates the consumers’ choice of whether or not they eat GMOs. So, if you support the right of a consumer to an informed decision in the supermarket, advocate against GMO labeling.

page 10|January 9, 2015

Keep The Redskins’ Name

opinions|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

BY Bryan Hysenaj

The Washington Redskins, an NFL football team, has been criticized for its name in recent decades. While some naive advocates of so-called “anti-racism” argue that the team’s name is culturally insensitive, these social justice warriors are simply serving their own goals and are just trying to instill their radical agenda in the American mindset. The Redskins should keep their name. First, it is not offensive. While it is true that the term has had extremely racist connotations in the past, such cases are both obsolete and irrelevant. The fact of the matter is that hardly anyone uses “redskin” as an racial epithet in modern times. In fact, according to the online magazine Slate.com, the term had a relatively innocent origin. “European settlers in the 18th century seem to have adopted the term from Native Americans, who used ‘red skin’ to describe themselves, and it was generally a descriptor, not an insult,” Ives Goddard, a linguist studying at the Smithsonian, said. Advocates for the team’s name change still cite cultural insensitivity as their main issue. If the Redskins’ name is deemed offensive, however, one

could make the argument that any sports team’s name is offensive. “The Boston Celtics” could be insensitive to Irish immigrants; “The New England Patriots” could be insensitive to Americans who are not particularly patriotic. “The New York Yankees” could be offensive to neo-Confederates. “The Minnesota Vikings” can be construed as offensive to Swedish and Norwegian immigrants;“The Seattle Seahawks” could be insensitive to environmentalists. The bottom line is, any name can be seen as offensive to some group, but this does not mean that teams should keep transforming their titles until every possible ethnicity or ideology is satisfied. In addition to all of this, many Native Americans are not even offended by the team’s name. According to U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, who supports changing the name, a majority of Native Americans are indifferent toward this issue. In fact, according to Jewell’s own account of conversations with tribal leaders, many Native Americans are passionately supportive of the name and see it as a beacon of cultural pride. A prominent example of

this is can be found in the town of Anadarko, OK., the “Indian Capital of the Nation.” Anadarko, according to Radio Host and columnist Dennis Prager, has a movie theater called “The Redskins Theatre.” It is frequently visited by members of all racial groups. A recent article in the Washington Post profiled Red Mesa High School in Arizona, whose football team is named “The Redskins.” The school, located on a Navajo reservation and sporting a student population that is almost entirely Native American, staunchly supports the national team’s right to keep their name. While anyone is welcome to object to the name, the Washington Redskins is a privately owned football team, meaning that the team owner’s opinion is the only one that matters. Daniel Snyder, the Redskins’ current owner, has every right to name his team whatever he wishes. While it is debateable whether it is moral to give his team such a name, it is not debateable that the U. S. is a free country whose laws allow him to do so. Perhaps most importantly, a vast majority of Virginians and Washingtonians — the Redskins’

fanbase — wish to preserve the name. A team’s name exists to reflect on and to serve the team’s supporters, not national interest groups. According to Public Policy Polling, a North Carolina-based polling company, over 70 percent of Virginians support keeping the name versus the 21 percent who favor changing it. According to ESPN polling, 71 percent of all Americans want the Redskins to keep their name. All of this evidence clearly states that a vast majority of Americans of all racial and ethnic groups are generally unopposed to the Redskins’ name, yet this has not stopped some officials from literally bullying the team into changing its name. Senate majority leader Harry Reid upbraided the team’s name on the Senate floor. The National Patent Office has declared the team’s logo to be officially racist and has therefore sanctioned the printing of Redskins merchandise. These actions are not only misguided, but also they further illustrate the hypersensitivity many people have to something like this, which should not actually be a big deal. Such devoted attention to a mere football team by politi-

cians and governmental organizations is unacceptable, as the nation has much larger problems and important issues in need of tackling, such as income inequality, foreign policy and climate change, to name a few. Valuable time and resources should not be allocated for convincing a football team to change its name. The Redskins have been a professional football team for almost 85 years. For the overwhelming majority of this time, the team’s name was virtually not an issue. This begs the question: “Why have people not been offended by the name until recently?” Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, there are still many people who are offended by the Redskins’ name. No critic would deny the sincerity of their claims, and, all things considered, they are most likely noble in their motives. An entire franchise does not deserve to drastically change its name just because a few people are slightly offended. By keeping their name, the Washington Redskins can show the nation that they not only respect their fans, but also the wishes of the entire country. They must not bow to pressure.

How To Fix School Lunches By Micah Golomb-Leavitt & Josh Metelitsa

Have you ever bitten into one of those chicken patties the cafeteria sells? They tasted kind of like salted rubber, right? These $3.50 meals might taste good when you are hungry, but more often than not they are unhealthy and poorly flavored; moreover, they are not sufficient meals for hard-working, growing students. Although the cafeteria does provide students with healthy, nutritious options — such as the salads, fruit cups and sandwiches that make up the “Premium Panini Stand” — the benefits of these choices are canceled out by additives such as high-calorie dressing and whipped cream. In addition, the quality of the other items offered is subpar. As a result, students choose unhealthy foods, such as the nachos. These selections can lead to sluggish attitudes and poor eating habits, eventually engendering a less healthy society. Thus, South should prioritize the improvement of school lunches. Perhaps, the school could begin by looking into alternative food companies aside from Whitsons Culinary Group in an effort to seek cheaper,

healthier and tastier food. This method would be particularly effective because competition encourages companies to improve the quality of products to outperform other groups. This idea is exemplified by the Col-

lege Board’s recent decision to alter the SAT test for 2016. The College Board used to have a monopoly over all standardized tests required for college admissions, but the ACT has now become a popular option for

graphic by Sophie Galowitz

many students. In order to remain competitive, the College Board announced a series of changes to its test in order to make the tests simpler and more straightforward, much like the ACT. Competition results in more options and better products. The same thing would happen here if the cafeteria allowed multiple companies to compete for students’ money. If another company, such as Revolution Foods, for example, were to compete on a regular basis with Whitsons, the latter would be forced to improve its food quality and price to reach a level that is significantly more desirable to students. Buying lunch every day for a week adds up to $17.50. On top of that, some students buy $2 breakfasts in the cafeteria each morning because they have to catch the bus early. That totals up to $27.50 a week. This unreasonable cost seems just as problematic as the health concerns that arise from poor food selections. School lunches need to be improved; the best way to do this is to implement a competitive environment in South’s cafeteria.

January 9, 2015|page 11

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|opinions

UPGRADE The Need for Immigration Reform

9 New Year’s resolutions Chinese New Year Snow days Senior slump “Almost Maine” TV shows coming back Post-Christmas sales “Mean Girls” is coming to Netflix Valentine’s Day soon

DOWNGRADE

Rejection letters Application deadlines Regular decision wait begins Shoveling snow Mid-year exams No vacations until February Holiday weight gain Crowded gyms

BY Aidan Bassett

For the past few election cycles, the controversial issue of immigration reform has repeatedly risen to the forefront of national debate. While both Democrats and Republicans have said at various times that “securing our borders” is a high priority, Congress has yet to bring cohesive leadership together behind legislation to actually enact reform. President Obama recently announced that he will take executive action by offering legal amnesty to the children of illegal immigrants in the U.S. Politicians from both chambers of Congress have voiced their opposition to any such actions, which they view as autocratic, overstepping the scope of the President’s powers. In reality, though, such executive action by the President is certainly within his authority, and meaningful reforms like this are the proper use of that authority. Although immigration is a notoriously complex issue, it comes down to an exceptionally simple question: Would you prefer

to deport the primarily Hispanic population of illegal immigrants or incorporate these individuals and their families into America as welcomed, legitimate citizens? Citizenship and naturalization are at the heart of this national debate, and they must be understood from a variety of perspectives. Immigration reform involves contentious topics like businesses taking advantage of undocumented workers, the fate of children born to illegal immigrants and border security, to name just a few. In light of such complexity, it seems logical that a polarized Congress would struggle to reach a consensus on as potent an issue as this; furthermore, race relations in America have long been abysmal and have recently taken an even more prominent place on the national stage, making this issue even more thorny. As is always the case with immigration, much of the topic’s potency stems from its perception. In the text of a proposed Senate bill co-sponsored by noteworthy names like Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY),

Marco Rubio (R-FL) and John McCain (R-AZ), the word “alien” was used 206 times, whereas the word “family” appeared only 46. Even this simple language identifies how the issue is processed in Washington, DC, for the elected officials there largely see immigration as a matter of national security and economics, rather than over 11 million different personal stories of strife. In this particular piece of legislation, the focus was squarely on logistics and law enforcement, with little new policy on optimizing the process of receiving new immigrants or dealing with those already present. Perhaps the most valuable thing to know about immigrants in the U.S., who are disproportionately Mexican, is that they largely come to join their families living here. Furthermore, the census and prison reports show that immigrants do not have higher rates of drug use, gang participation or violent crime than the rest of the American populace.

The jobs they hold tend to be lower-wage manual labor jobs that are statistically undesirable for the average American. Immigrants pose no threat to the strength of our national identity, and welcoming them will only reinforce our capacity to understand and engage the world around us. It is abundantly clear that people will never cease to come to the U.S., and it is our national obligation to accept those who seek freedom and opportunity. Our government must accomplish immigration reform to truly welcome the millions seeking a brighter future in this nation, and we must be far more open to immigrants, for they have always been a intrinsic quality of our national identity. We must realize that pluralism is an American tradition enshrined in our Constitution, and that it is our responsibility to ensure that we preserve such values in every aspect of our society.

“The Interview” BY Parisa Siddiqui

Judging from the international mess that was about to ensue upon the release of this movie. I was expecting a whole lot more. In the weeks preceding the release of “The Interview,” there was a lot of fear regarding North Korea’s response to the film, which stars perennial team Seth Rogen and James Franco as journalists tasked with assassinating Kim Jong-Un, the supreme leader of North Korea. Once the pair finds out he is a fan of their celebrity gossip news show, they jump at the opportunity to interview him to boost their credibility. Before they depart, however, the CIA recruits them to stealthily kill Kim Jong-Un. Once the journalists reach Pyongyang, they encounter a slew of potentially (comically) dangerous situations. After being greeted with the dubious facade of a well-functioning country, they unearth the ugly truth about North Korea. Once Sony was sufficiently pressured by Guardians of Peace to cancel the release of this film, the company was criticized by just about everyone, including President Obama. The film was made available for YouTube rental late December, as well as for limited release in certain theaters. The movie was supposedly re-edited to be less offensive to North Korea, but that did not make it completely devoid of racist and sexist material. I did not hate it, but I was not remotely entertained. Rogen and Franco are often derided for their crass humor. Sometimes this works in their favor, and sometimes it does not. In this case, Franco’s character’s self-absorbed persona was meant to counteract the straight-laced CIA agent (Lizzy Caplan), but instead was almost unbearably ignorant. The plot was undeniably far-fetched, and “The Interview” relied far too heavily on toilet

“The Interview”

Dave Skylark (Franco) and Aaron Rapaport (Rogen) await orders from agent Lacey (Caplan).

humor, which made it feel trite and unfunny. According to “The New Yorker,” however, the filmmakers got a considerable amount right about North Korea and its methods of spreading propaganda. Scenes like the one in which Franco’s character is amazed by the large grocery stores in a country that fails to feed much of its populace seem mildly funny on the surface, but apparently are rooted in fact. North Korea wants to give off the image of security and prosperity to the rest of the world, which is also why the journalists are provided with elaborate living arrangements once they reach the dictator’s home. Kim Jong-Un (played by Randall Park) is played as a demure, affable man who is itching to get out from under his late father’s shadow. His friendship with Franco’s airheaded

character makes him seem almost nonthreatening, hardly the image that most foreigners have of him. The North Koreans in the film see him as a kind of supernatural deity, too important and powerful to fulfill basic needs like urination. All in all, it is hard to see what all the fuss was about. Yes, “The Interview” mocked North Korean culture and Kim, but it was nothing vastly game-changing or morally corrupt. If it weren’t for the buzz that it amassed before its release and the actual threat of danger to the U.S., the movie would be regarded as just another forgettable stoner comedy with an international setting. But for all its flaws, it was researched and nuanced in its portrayal of North Korean life. Just not enough to cause an international incident.

By Veronica Podolny The Roar investigates racial biases and divides within the South community and Newton at large

nly 40 percent of Americans, according to a December 2014 poll by “The Wall Street Journal,” believe that the U.S. has good race relations. The last time this sentiment was as low was 20 years ago. History teacher Robert Parlin said Newton can be shielded from this reality. “I think people from Newton often congratulate themselves on living in a very accepting, tolerant, generally safe place. And that is pretty much true,” he said. “I do think that sometimes we can be a little too self-congratulatory and not recognize that issues do exist here even at South. … We’re certainly not a school where you never hear racist or homophobic or sexist comments.” Although some believe that racial prejudice is not an issue in Newton, students and staff said they have noticed both race-based discrimination and judgments at South, as well as a disparity in educational achievement among different racial groups, commonly known as the achievement gap. Many agreed that the route to changing these trends lies in a greater understanding as a community through targeted programs for education, as well as open discussion, which could improve racial attitudes and dynamics. Senior Sydni Cubia said she has felt targeted by misguided preconceptions since she enrolled in Newton Public Schools in third grade. “I’ve had to fight and advocate for a lot of the challenging courses that I’m in,” she said. “[A lot of] teachers assume that students of color, especially AfricanAmericans, don’t try hard on their work or don’t put in that kind of effort, and I’ve definitely had to prove myself to a lot of my teachers.”

Cubia is sometimes one of the few black students in her higher-leveled classes. She said this has often led her to feel uncomfortable and lose desire to participate. Additionally, she said her peers tend to make biased assumptions based on her class choices. “I’ve had some students … ask me ‘Oh, you must be a genius. You’re super smart if you take these classes.’ They’re not really questioning why other white kids are in the class,” she said. Junior Noosha Aliabadi said implicit racial biases are prevalent even though many attempt to deny their existence. “I think it’s important that we consciously put in an effort to get over these stereotypical barriers, however, I think [they are] still very much there. And I think sometimes we make an effort and it kind of just seems fake,” she said. Senior Najiye Honça added that the refusal to accept the presence of pretensions adds to the issue as a whole. “Part of the problem is that in Newton, a lot of the time people think, ‘Newton is such an accepting place’ and ‘We’re past these problems,’ but that ... slows down the progress that we could be making on racial biases that people have,” she said. “Once people recognize that they have them they’ll begin to go away.” Honça also said that there is a solution for the stereotypes that come with racial barriers: open discussions. “I think from freshman to junior year there isn’t really a lot of opportunity for [conversation in classes], because in history we’ll talk about [the past] but we don’t really get up to the modern era where we talk about these issues between races now,” she said. “I think a way to improve that would be to put that into the curriculum somehow and have those

race in america 37% of Americans are of color*

conversations even from an earlier age.” Some students have already tried to spur discussion at South. The club Students for Political Action (SPA) held a schoolwide discussion about race on Dec. 12 over the course of three lunches. Around 70 students came to talk about race relations and to share personal experiences of being stereotyped or profiled. Aliabadi, a member of SPA, said she was pleased with the way the discussion went and feels that many were able to learn from it. “I think we really got at the heart of an issue ... We talked a lot about race and what we thought race was about at South. I think what was nice is that we did have

“Students from South are going to go out into the world, and deal with a diverse world and if they bring with them prejudices that limit their ability to make connections with people, I think that can be devastating for their opportunities,” he said. “So I think it’s very important that students both approach the world with an understanding attitude and are open to hearing from different points of view as they struggle to make their way through the world.” Some said that socioeconomic disparities among racial groups exacerbate tensions by feeding stereotypes. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2013, the median black household income is

We shouldn’t be able to walk into a classroom and have a pretty good idea what level the classroom is based on the color of the students who are there. - Mary Eich, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning some diversity, and we did have black students speaking about their experiences at South,” she said. “I think that was most interesting for me because it definitely brought out a perspective that I haven’t seen,” Honça said this discussion was both productive and especially important in light of recent events. “The conversation that we had with the club [SPA] ... wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the Ferguson and the Staten Island [instances of racially-fuelled police brutality]. They’re bringing these conversations to the foreground of our school, and people are realizing that these things need to be talked about,” she said. Parlin agreed that it is necessary for students to learn to accept and talk about diversity early on.

40% of americans believe that the U.S. has good race relations

* people of color are people who identify as african American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino/Latina, and/or Native American/Alaska Native.

$34,598 compared with the median white household income of $58,270. Additionally, the black poverty rate is almost triple the white rate — 27.2 percent compared to 9.6 percent, respectively. Sophomore Gethin Binns said he thinks these disparities account for many racial biases. “I think that definitely across the United States as a whole and the Western culture as a whole there is an inherent xenophobia, … which I believe is primarily rooted in socioeconomic biases,” he said. “There are essentially two different parallel cultures being run here.” Parlin added that South has an inherent imbalance among levels of education, which socioeconomic factors can influence. “One of the things we talk about in

race at south

[the senior Race, Class and Gender course] is white privilege and how much that creates an unlevel playing field from the start, if you have a privileged background — whether that’s because you came from a wealthy family of went through really good schools — there is an unlevel playing field,” he said. “I do think that we have to recognize that ... it’s not a level playing field; we’re trying to make up for that with special programs or extra help for students who struggle … So I do think socioeconomic factors here in Newton very much create an imbalance in opportunity.” This skewed opportunity for different groups can create what is known as the achievement gap. According to Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Mary Eich, the achievement gap in the context of race is defined as a disparity in performance between students among various racial groups. In 2014, 52 percent of all students participating in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) in Newton scored in the advanced category in mathematics. Of all Asian students taking the test, 67 percent scored advanced — the largest portion of any subgroup. Additionally, 53 percent of white students scored in the advanced category while 33 percent of Hispanic/Latino/Latina and 17 percent of black students scored the same. These results, according to Honca, stem from varying opportunities available for different students at South. “That’s pretty evident in the achievement gap. I mean, obviously the students of color aren’t any less intelligent than any other students, but they are still not in a lot of higher level classes,” she said. “I think just that demonstrates that it’s not

completely equal at South,” she said. “A lot of the time people don’t recognize that we have that issue.” The causes of the achievement gap, however, are not always so clear, according to Eich. “I think the causes in general are very tied up with questions of inequality across our whole society. It’s hard to separate that,” she said. Aliabadi said that parents can play a role in determining the opportunities to which their child has access. “At the elementary school level, students are often pushed by their parents to get ahead or do stuff like that, but there are a lot of kids for various reasons whose parents can’t do that. So they are already at the moment behind. So by the time they get to South, they’re not at the same place at other students,” she said. Programs have been installed to provide support to students, such as the Calculus Project which aims to get black and Latino/a students to higher level math classes. The history department has similarly been pushing students in Advanced College Preparatory history classes to switch to honors or Advanced Placement and provide them with extra support. So far, the students in the history program have not only been successful in their higher level history classes, but have also seen an increase in achievement in the rest of their classes. The goal, according to Eich, is to have equal achievement among all racial groups. “We shouldn’t be able to walk into a classroom and have a pretty good idea what level the classroom is based on the color of the students who are there,” she said.

ON Jan. 5, The Roar conducted a survey of 106 students

35% of South students are of color*

7.5 % said that race relation s in the u.s. are good , 55% believe are neutral and 40.5 % believe they are bad

source of information: Newton public schools, u.s. census bureau, wall street journal infographic by Veronica Podolny

centerfold|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

page 14|January 9, 2014

REACTING TO POLICE BRUTALITY The grand jury decisions to not indict Darren Wilson and Daniel Pantaleo spark discussions about the nature of race and social activism By Sophia Fisher Public Domain

t’s 9:30 on a Monday night and senior Gabriella Sinclair is enveloped in utter silence, said that his students were receptive to the conversation. though not in the typical setting of doing homework or relaxing on the couch. She is “People definitely wanted to talk about it,” he said. “School can’t exist outside of lying in the middle of the road in Boston. Along with hundreds of other protestors, the static reality that we present to you. It has to exist within the world, and there are Sinclair was blocking traffic flow to the area. “It [was] dead silence … and that was very countless opportunities to bring school to the world, and I don’t think that we do that startling,” she said. “It’s not the typical image of a protest.” very often too often.” Sinclair attended two Boston marches protesting the grand jury decisions to not inSinclair, who said she was “horrified” upon learning of the decisions to not indict dict Darren Wilson, the police officer who killed unarmed the officers, believes that few South students have done teenager Michael Brown on Aug. 9. These nationwide proenough to take a stand. tests, galvanized by groups such as Black Lives Matter, have “Obviously we live in quite the wealthy community, consisted of marches and “die-ins,” where protesters silently and I don’t think people dedicate enough time to helping lie on the ground for several minutes and block traffic. others. ... I saw a lot of people saying they were horrified, I was horrifed. I saw The decisions to not indict Wilson and Daniel Pantaleo, but I think the amount of people who actually responded a lot of people saying who killed Eric Garner by chokehold in July, and the ensuin a way other than saying ‘this was bad’ was minimal,” ing protests have sparked classroom discussions at South she said. they were horrified, but about the role of social activism in raising awareness and According to Ross, the nonviolent protests demI think the amount of effecting social change. onstrate that peaceful methods can be effective to bring Senior Tyler Ross said he was not surprised to hear about change. “They went overboard with some of the people who actually rethe grand juries’ decisions. “It’s something that happens in protests and burning down buildings, but the peaceful sponded in a way other the black community a lot, and it’s really disappointing and protests, I believe, [are] the right way to go about making sad to see that happen so much. It’s the reality of an Africana change in the United States,” he said. than saying ‘this was American male in the United States,” he said. He added, however, that the path to genuine bad’ was minimal. The club Students for Political Action held a comchange is not a short or easy one. “People have stereomunity discussion on race in the community and the U.S. types and ways they see the African-American commuduring lunch blocks on Dec. 12. Students and faculty exnity,” he said, “and if it hasn’t been changed thus far, it’s - Gabriella Sinclair, Class of 2015 pressed their differing opinions on the lack of indictments, going to take a really big push for it to be changed.” analyzed racial tensions at South and in the U.S. and shared “There is a huge problem with racial inequality in personal stories of racial profiling or bias. the United States ... you can even see within the halls of Sophomore Katie Collins, who believes that both our own school,” Davison agreed. “I think [the protests] previously mentioned officers should have been indicted, said she attended the discussion are overall helpful.” after her history teacher mentioned it in class. But violence or lack of focus could weaken the protests, he said. “I worry that In addition to attending organized events, Collins said many people at South spoke they’re either going to be like Occupy Wall Street, where they’re kind of amorphous to their friends about the decisions not to indict, which in turn started some class conversa- and they don’t really have a direction, or ... that they’re going to be more violent than tions. “[The classroom conversation] was really informative just to get an understanding productive,” he said. of what had happened,” she said, “and it brought in my understanding of not just each Despite these worries, Davison said he has become aware that the recent events individual case but also the police forces and racism.” are pivotal. “This is … a significant moment in American history. And I can choose to History teacher Corey Davison, who discussed the decisions in all of his classes, participate in it.”

What is your opinion on the decisions to not indict in the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases? “It’s been going on too frequently — one after another, one after another. … We need to put a stop to it. There’s always going to be racism in this community, but it’s not right.” - Gianna McGee-Pickett, Class of 2016

“In the Eric Garner case ... I think [Pantaleo] should have gotten some kind of punishment. ... Michael Brown [was] doing something wrong, but [Wilson] should have been ... not indicted, but punished.” - Troy Manditch, Class of 2017

page 15|JANUARY 9, 2015|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

FEATURES

Common app reveals one accepted student

Jampol retires from south after 34 years

AGE 16

pAGE 17

FEATURES@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 5

Beyond The Classroom

Field trips offer students unique opportunities to absorb school material, but can disturb their schedules

By Karin Aslop and Amelia Stern

hen world language department head Suzanne Murphy-Ferguson visited China on South’s exchange program, she witnessed one of her students undergo a dramatic change. “I watched [the student] lead us on an excursion around the city, and at the end of the day, he said, ‘alright folks, you’re on your own now.’ And I just watched him disappear into this massive crowd, and get onto the bus — and he was just going home,” she said. “It just struck me that this student who had been so timid and so unsure of himself … was navigating life on his own.” Although not all students travel on South programs, Murphy-Ferugson said the transformation she saw is also commonplace on day-long field trip. According to Murphy-Ferguson, field trips allow students to gain a new perspective on classroom material. “[Students] can really step outside the world [they’re] now in, and feel like [they] can actually transport [themselves] to a certain place and a certain time,” she said. Spanish teacher Ricardo Gessa agreed that field trips have a positive academic graphic by Annalisa Flynn

impact on students. “If academic activity is to build a hypothesis, field trips come to play as experience to interact with unexpected situations. They shape students’ perspectives on issues; therefore, they are enriching venues,” he said. Part of learning outside the classroom is experiencing the interactive nature of field trips, junior Eli Braginsky said. “[Field trips are] more hands-on because you can, instead of just learning about it in the textbook, you can really see how they lived and you can really experience history more,” he said. Senior Ariel Ervin, who recently went on the Wood’s Hole field trip with her marine biology class, agreed with Braginsky. “It was much better than going to class because it was hands-on,” she said. “We bought some of the specimens for the Science Help Center aquarium and talked to scientists.” Not all field trips, however, are as pertient to classroom material, according to junior Kayla Freedman, who recently went on a field trip to the John F. Kennedy Library with her Global history class. “It wasn’t related to class, but it was eye-opening, because [it was linked to] the recent elections. We met with a bunch of schools with people’s opinions on Coakley versus Baker, and I learned a lot surrounding the recent elections,” she said. While junior Daniel Cohen said that field trips may not be essential to the learning experience, he agreed that they do in fact enrich the curriculum. “It might have been more productive learning in the classroom, [but] I think the field trip reinforces concepts that you learn in class … [and] it’s nice to see what you’re learning about,” he said. Murphy-Ferguson, however, said

that it can be difficult for teachers to thoughtfully plan a worthwhile and educational trip. “[Field trips are] an administrative burden for the teachers to really gather all of this material,” she said. “You are really planning what’s the end goal and how you are going to give them that experience [whether it is a] four month [trip] in China [or] a visit to the Goya exhibit at the MFA.” Although field trips offer unique and meaningful opportunities to learn outside the classroom, students and staff said they can also cause unnecessary stress, instigating discusssion about their need and value. While most field trips are relevant to the subject participating, participation can cause students to lose valuable time in their other classes, Cohen said. “I definitely can see how missing even one day could be difficult, but … there were kids in our class who didn’t go,” he said. “As long as it’s okay for [students] not to go, I think a field trip is worth it.” Junior Sydney Kaster agreed that field trip attendance involves consideration regarding schoolwork. “If I don’t have to make up work, then field trips are nice because I have the opportunity to learn outside the classroom,” she said. Since, especially for advanced classes, making up missed work is challenging, Spanish teacher Maureen Maher said that students must decide whether going on a field trip is an appropriate choice. “I do think that field trips are wonderful things, but … you have to be reasonable about how you plan them and how often you can go on one,” she said. Although Murphy-Ferguson recognized Maher’s concerns, she said the benefits of field trips ultimately outweigh the potential consequences. “Will you make up every little bit of lost class time? No, but you’ll fill in the gaps, and what you have gained gives you such an experience that it’s worth the tradeoff,” she said.

South’s “Interstellar” NewPort Mansion Broad Institute Kennedy Library BsO Rehearsal t Junior Global t Band and Orchestra Recent se- AP US History Biotechnology current events nior physics Gilded DNA a program Field open rehearsal relativity Age manipulation about elections ser- t spoke with scientists t advocated Andris Nelson Trips special effects vants’ lifestyle t Ryan Normandin’s and t Michael Kozuch’s Brandon Schmidt’s

class

t studying the

t studying

t analyzed the movie’s

t Jessica Silverman’s senior

class

t studying

t learned about the

in the field of genetics

classes

t studying

t participated in

for their own political policies

classes

t went to a Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) t saw the BSO’s new conductor

page 16|January 9, 2015

THE

features|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

COMMON APPLICATION

The Roar follows four seniors with different interests as they navigate through the college application process and will reveal their identities and college plans as they make their decisions By Shelley Friedland

eo* has been accepted to University of Oregon, Elon University, University of Delaware and University of Vermont (UVM). “I feel great. It’s really nice to just be so lucky,” he said. “It’s more than just the application. They have a logarithm. If you end up getting into a lot of places, it’s exciting.” University of Oregon and University of Delaware have also offered him merit scholarships. Leo, however, has yet to make a decision, as he is still waiting to hear from Miami University in Ohio, University of Maryland and Vanderbilt University. “I’m kind of anxiously awaiting [to hear back from Miamo of Ohio] because I could probably walk onto their team,” he said. “All the schools that I applied to were well within my grade and score range, except maybe Maryland. Vanderbilt was kind of one that was way out there, so I worked hard on the app, but I’m not expecting to get in there.” Leo said that although UVM was not initially at the top of his list, he is more excited about his acceptance after speaking with the coach. “I have another [athletics] option, which takes the pressure off, too, especially because it’s close to home,” he said.

lizabeth* is applying to Boston University, MassArt, Montserrat College of Art, Savannah College of Art and Design, University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and possibly Rhode Island School of Design. She did not apply anywhere early. “I just felt like [applying early] would be way more stressful and that it wasn’t really necessary for me,” she said. According to Elizabeth, putting her portfolio together and tough decisionmaking has contibuted to a challenging and time-consuming process. “I’ve spent a lot of time photographing my work and trying to make sure it looks presentable,” she said. “It’s really difficult to determine which pieces to use.” Although applying to art schools entails various challenges, Elizabeth said the process has been rewarding. “It’s so difficult to get everything together and make sure you have what each school is looking for, but at the same time when you put the portfolio together you really are able to look back and realize that this is your strongest work,” she said. “It’s kind of neat to get it all together and look back at what you’ve done, and then send it off somewhere.”

enior Haley Eagle, previously referred to as “Andrea,” has been accepted Early Decision to her top choice, Washington University in St. Louis (WashU). “I’m really happy, and I’m really relieved. Now that it’s been a little while, it’s sunk in more,” she said. “I’m excited for my friends who are getting into college now, because I don’t have to have that stress anymore.” Eagle said she was expecting a rejection from WashU and had planned to apply to The George Washington University (GW) by their second Early Decision deadline. “I really, really, really thought I wasn’t going to get in. … I just knew I was going to be rejected,” she said. “I didn’t even care anymore. I stopped talking about going there and just started thinking about GW and other schools, but then I got in, so you really just don’t know what’s going to happen.” According to Eagle, the process was ultimately worth it. “[This process has been] the most terrible, stressful, horrible months of my life leading up to the best moment of my life,” she said. “I’m just looking forward to having a fun senior year.”

graphics by David Gorelik

regory* was accepted to University of Chicago and Case Western Reserve University. He was deferred by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He said that his acceptance to University of Chicago has relieved some of his stress. “I was not entirely sure whether I was going to get in, so I’m happy I did,” he said. “It also means I don’t have to apply to as many places, which is a lot less work for me, which is nice.” Gregory is also applying to Harvard University and Yale University. He has completed the Common Application and is working on the supplements. Gregory said that he feels more comfortable having been accepted to one of his schools. “I can just kind of relax now, and it will be okay even if I don’t get in anywhere else,” he said. He said he is happy with his decision to apply early to MIT and University of Chicago. “[It] ended up working really well for me. If I had just applied to my first choice at the time, which was MIT, I would have been deferred, and I would have had to apply to a billion places,” he said. “I think it was a good call to go early.” *names have been changed to protect students’ identities

Class Office promotes community and spirit Nighat Ansari, Adam Baker & Emily Belt Features Reporters

Every Wednesday J Block, freshman class president Sam Linder meets with his fellow class officers to organize events and activities for his grade. Linder said he originally took on this responsibility to make an impact at South. “I was on class office at Brown, my middle school,” he said. “I was president one of those years. ... It was something I wanted to do [at South] because I like having a big voice and influence on the school.” In each grade, a team of students elected by their peers assume the responsibility of planning class events and fundraisers. While these class officers are

responsible for a large range of services that require a significant amount of time and dedication, students said that there are a number a misconceptions about class office. According to freshman senator Hannah Phan, class office is in charge of encouraging school spirit, while Senate is responsible for amending school policies. “[Senate and class office] contribute equally to the school in different ways, but nothing really overlaps in our jobs,” she said. According to senior Zoe Israel, quite a large number of students are unaware of the distinct responsibilities of each group. “I used to think class office was responsible for bringing changes to student life and that they should be doing more,” she said. “But now, I know their job is school spirit and big events, and they fulfill

that role well.” Senior class president Jae Lee said that the class office does more than just organizing events for the grade. He said that class officers also attempt to make students feel less stressed. Freshman class office advisor Catherine Hammond agreed that class officers’ main role is to serve as leaders that address the issues of the larger community. “[Class officers are] about responsibility … leadership … [learning] how to connect people and how to motivate themselves and their peers,” she said. Fostering a sense of community, however, is often difficult, according to junior class president Noa Leiter, who said that apathy toward class spirit is widespread. “It can be frustrating because a lot

of kids don’t care … In the past, we’ve lost money on many events,” she said. Nevertheless, freshman Amanda Smith said she appreciates the efforts that her grade’s class office makes to represent her opinions and ideas. “It’s especially nice to have [student class officers] planning the fun activities because they actually know what we like, while adults usually don’t know,” she said. Despite the stress some class officers face, Hammond said they all are invested in making school a memorable experience for students. “[Class officers] are incredibly dedicated to do the job they’ve been elected to do,” she said. “Nothing they said in their campaign speeches was just to win the campaign. They truly want to make their promises happen,” she said.

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Features

Farewell, Jamps

As English teacher Bob Jampol retires, he explores his career and legacy at South

LOOKING BACK 1981

year Jampol began working at South

number of years Jampol organized the Spelling Bee

2010 - 2011

years Jampol recieved the Outstanding Teacher of the Year award

1100

approximate number of students at South during Jampol’s first year

Dear South community: Where do I begin? I guess I should tell you how I got here. After earning a BA, MA and teaching certificate, I was offered a teaching post in 1972 at Woodrow Wilson High School in Middletown, Conn. I wasn’t ready; I needed to do more living. Thus, my wife and I moved to California, where I flirted with teaching, tried community organizing and picked up Spanish. When we moved back east in the early 80s, she had become a lawyer, and soon I was hired to teach at South. At the time, I thought to myself that I would never find a better position in education. Here I could teach a range of students, from the struggling to the gifted. Here the community took learning seriously; here I could work with gifted colleagues with decades of experience. I gave it my all, determined not to fail for lack of effort. After six years of getting pink-slipped each spring because of declining enrollment, and then rehired each summer, my position finally became secure. Now, after 34 wonderful and fulfilling years, I am finally graduating. It might have made more sense to retire last June with my beloved seniors. Still, I enjoyed the challenge this fall of teaching sophomores for the first time since 1987. I will miss sharing “Crime and Punishment” and “The Great Gatsby” and “Macbeth” with my juniors. My students have been kind to me this year, and I am glad to have gotten to know them. I must thank all of my present and former colleagues at South for not banging on the walls when my students and I sang “Turkey in the Straw” and “Loch Lomond” on the eve of holidays. Thanks also for sharing your lives with me, and vice versa, in the Wheeler and Goldrick faculty lounges. Thanks to my department heads and the rest of the administration for tolerating my impatience at meetings and staff days; you gave me support and allowed me to carry forth my ministry in my quirky way. Thanks most of all to my students. You are the ones who had to decode my illegible hieroglyphics on your papers; to listen to my goofy jokes and pretend to laugh. You are the ones who joined in our celebrations and sang along with me. Though it may not always have seemed so, all that I did stemmed from a sense of love: love of literature, love of language, love of learning and love of my students. I wish all of you the best. - Jamps P.S. I will still be coaching girls’ tennis this spring.

infographic by Veronica Podolny

Even in just two terms, I’ve learned a lot from him, and I think my writing has definitely improved a lot. He’s taught us all how to omit needless words. ... I’m lucky to be in his last class. - Alex Christensen, Class of 2016 photo by Mikayla Kass

We’re losing some of our history. We’re losing a great musician. We’re losing a great colleague. We’re losing someone who was never shy with voicing his opinion on things. ... It’s a loss for us certainly. - Brian Baron, English Department Head photo by Alexa Rhynd

I think ... the years of experience working here have obviously shaped him to be this amazing English teacher. ... I think that South is really going to miss him, and I know my class is really going to miss him a lot. - Hadas Nahar, Class of 2016 photo by Alexa Rhynd

information compiled by Alex Dobin & Gabby Taslitsky

January 9, 2015|page 17

Relationships: The Long-Distance Thing

EDITOR’S NOTE: Every issue, The Roar publishes a different anonymous student’s perspective on relationships. The views expressed in the “Relationships Column” do not reflect the official views of The Lion’s Roar, nor are they intended as a guide or source of advice for others. Relationships in high school are hard. Everyone is busy, everyone is young and everyone around you wants to be involved. Finding the time to have anything serious can be extremely challenging. Many people have been turning to hookups instead of serious relationships, and if that’s what you want, have fun, but that has never been right for me. With a hookup, you miss out on the indescribable feeling of knowing someone cares about you so much to want to tell the world. But how can you hold on to that when you’re not together? Seniors, as you plan to move all across the country for college or anything else you’re planning on doing next year, what will happen to your significant other? Odds are, they won’t be in the same place as you. Many people will try to tell you that at any age, long-distance relationships are doomed to fail. Someone will get bored. Someone will stop caring. Someone will cheat. But the reality is it all comes down to how much you care to try. This fall, my boyfriend started college … in Greece. Now, to be fair, it was only for one semester. Going into this, I was one of those people who thought a long-distance relationship could not work, especially this young. I actually tried to break things up, telling him we could start again when he got back. But on the Monday his plane left, sitting in math class after having said my last goodbye during a free block, I did all I could do not to cry. After a week of messaging, trying to pretend I was fine with being “just friends” while he was gone, I realized that I still wanted the label of being in a relationship. The idea of him being with anyone else, especially any of the insanely hot Greek girls I imagined would be in every bar he could legally go to, sucked. So I told him that. The next three months were tough. I won’t lie and say that a long-distance relationship is easy just because you both care enough to try. That being said, it was better than the alternative. Look at it this way: Do you want to think about the people your significant other could be getting with because you didn’t want to put in the effort to try to stay together? And to the people thinking, “How would they know if you cheat?” or viseversa, you would know if you cheated. If you truly care about someone, that guilt will eat you alive. And to the other side of the question, if you can’t trust them while you’re apart, you have bigger problems in your relationship, since trust is the foundation of a strong connection. So seniors, don’t let your relationship fall apart due to the fear of having to be apart soon. If you want to be with someone, be with that person. As Peter Pan said, “All it takes is faith and trust. Oh! And just a little bit of pixie dust.” You may not have pixie dust, but I think you can do without it.

page 18|January 9, 2015

features|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Senior juggles competitive debate and school Mona Baloch & Ilana Zeldin

Features Reporters

f the 180 school days each year, many students expect to miss a few due to family vacations or illness. Due to his vigorous schedule as a member of the U.S. National Debate Team, senior Jasper Primack finds himself excused from as many as four days of school a month. In a highly competitive process, the National Speech and Debate Association annually selects 12 students to compete on the U.S. National Debate Team in debate tournaments across the world. Primack said that while participating in such a competitive team is rewarding, the time commitment is challenging, given the intensive training and global competitions. “This is not the ideal arrangement by any means, and I’ve certainly struggled with managing this,” he said. “I can only miss a certain number of days of school or else I won’t be able to graduate and receive my diploma.” Primack’s family members said they have noticed the intense debate schedule taking a toll on the amount of time Primack has for schoolwork. “Jasper is a bright student, and he takes his school work very seriously, but there just isn’t enough time to do everything,” Richard Primack, Primack’s father, said. “It’s such a demanding schedule for the U.S. Debate team that he sometimes doesn’t have the time to devote to his studies in the way that other students do.” Primack’s courseload, however, caters to his busy lifestyle, according to Jordan Kraus, who teaches Primack’s honors neurobiology class. She said her class, along with many of his other honors classes, is tailored to independent students who excel in selfdiscipline, like Primack. “If you are an independent learner

in an honors class, to go on the debates. ... He has a lot of you don’t really need demands at this time,” Richard a teacher to spoonfeed said. you every single morsel,” Kraus said that Primack’s she said. “My guess about Jasper dedication to speech and debate [is] that he’s somebody who’s has likely required sacrifices in really good at that time manageother areas of his life. ment stuff because, if he wasn’t, “I think Jasper’s made he couldn’t be performing some choices in terms of his academically at this level.” speech commitments and I think In addition to competthat’s really cool, but [they come] ing on the U.S. Debate Team, at a cost,” she said. Primack’s other extracurricular According to South activities Speech and include Debate cocoach Lisa captaincy Honeyman, of South’s Primack’s Speech absences and Dehave caused bate Team a noticeable and cochange on the presidency of team the Massachu“Jasper setts Speech has got a baland Debate ancing act. … League StuIt has made ranks 5th nationally in Exdent Advisory it harder for temporaneous Speaking Board. him to be Accord[at the team] ing to Richas often as ranked 1st nationally in Exard, Primack’s he would involvement otherwise,” temporaneous Speaking in in debate has she said. “He’s Sept. and Oct. 2014 added more not here to work to his coordinate already timeas much, has 11 teammates on the consuming and that has National Debate Team schedule. meant that “It’s a some of our real chalyounger team lenge for members has participated in him to do have had to speech for 4 years his schoolstep up and work, to help out prepare in a bigger for the role than graphic by Sophie Galowitz & Charlotte Osborn debates, they would

Senior Jasper Primack...

have otherwise have done.” Junior Winson Ye, Primack’s teammate, said that Primack’s absences have affected other speech members, specifically in his signature event — extemporaneous speaking. “We don’t get his guidance for our speeches anymore, and that is unfortunate because he has really good advice,” he said. Primack’s absences, however, have not been in vain, Honeyman said. “Jasper has a pretty extraordinary opportunity, and he’s making the most of it,” she said. “Not everybody in high school has the opportunity to work with people from all over the country closely.” According to Richard, Primack’s commitment to speech and debate is a key part of his success. “He really wanted to be the best possible speech and debater that he could be,” he said. “He has ability in this. Many people have ability in things, but it’s truly the combination of ability and hard work that often leads to accomplishments.” Ye agreed, but said that he has noticed the downsides to Primack’s commitment to the national team. “I think that’s the worst part of that experience — missing so much school,” he said. “He has to go home earlier instead of staying longer for practices because he has to finish the homework and write the essays and practice for U.S. Debate Team.” Primack said that despite the challenges he faces balancing travel and school, he does not regret his decision to join the national team. “If I had to look back on it and join the team again, I definitely would. This is an experience that doesn’t come along very often. It’s basically like joining the olympic team for debate,” he said. “I would say though, and caution anyone who attempts to miss this amount of school — it’s not easy. It is inconvenient, and I have suffered a little because of it, but I think that’s worth it.”

AP Lang embraces changes in term assignment AP LANG, from 1

anyone, and you do not have to leave the school. You do not have to reach out to multiple people and try and [make] interpersonal connections,” she said. Although the new project is a bit more complicated, Lee said the change has been educational. “In terms of learning, [the new project is] more beneficial because we will be able to attain much broader perspectives, because we won’t just be analyzing what a

how much we collaborate [and to] see the teacher perspective,” she said. While Cooke recognized the benefits of shadowing a teacher, she said that the opportunity to explore outside of the school is a particularly appealing aspect of this project. “If you are following around someone outside of school and someone that is not affiliated with the school then you really just get the experience of being a

Once Vicars follows her student at MassArt college, she said she hopes to According to Kaplan, the assignhave a better understanding of the risks ment was changed for this very reason. involved with choosing art as a career. “[The project] worked well for a “Art is a field that people go into certain set of students, but it did not for kind of with some reservations, because others, and that was because, we think, it is hard to get a job in the art industry,” that some students were not pursuing she said. “I think that students who are what they were interested in,” he said. studying art or majoring in art probably As with most new assignments, there have the same kind of reservations, and are some areas for improvement, according it would be interesting to see what they to biology teacher Molly think about, and if they Widrick, who was recently it.” [The new project is] more beneficial because we will be able to attain much are risking profiled by a student. Although the “I think they should broader perspectives, because we won’t just be analyzing what a life of a project will be turned in have more guidelines as to a grade, Kaplan said freshman is like, but rather what the life of other people out there are like. for what they should be doing, he hopes students will go like what should she be doing beyond the basics of the as- Jae Lee, Class of 2015 while I am teaching,” she said. signment and find enthusiWhile the new project allows for journalist and not a student who is doing a asm in doing so. life of a freshman is like, but rather what more creativity, the project has also beproject,” she said. the life of other people out there are like,” “I look forward to reading profiles come more difficult to complete, senior Jae he said. After following a homeschooled when students sort of let go of the fact that Lee said. student for his project, Lee said the assign- they are writing for a class, and really are Widrick agreed that the student “I know there is a lot of difficulty ment helped dispel some stereotypes. following her learned a lot about teacher’s trying to portray what they saw, because with other students trying to contact their “There is sometimes the perceplives. that happens for some students,” he said. people,” he said. “In the end, I was able to tion that homeschooled kids are lazy, but “[Having] been a freshman, [the “They turn themselves over to what they work out a time, … but it is harder than students] kind of already know the student I found out that contrary to what some of are writing.” just following around a freshman at your those people think this kid is pretty diliperspective, so I think it is nice to see a For Cooke, the takeaway is more own school.” gent,” he said. “[Following a homeschooled general. “We are following around an adult teacher’s perspective. I think many stuVicars agreed that the new project dents think, ‘Oh [teachers] only teach four student] meant to see what perceptions are who we can kind of look forward to folcan pose logistical complications. actually reflected in reality and what are blocks a day so the rest of the time they lowing in their footsteps and being in the “A freshman, you can just pick not.” are not doing anything.’ She got to realize same place,” she said.

January 9, 2015|page 19

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Features

Amanda Wang is ...

Every issue, The Roar randomly selects a student and explores what makes him or her unique.

Skating Through Life [herself] to work on,” she said. “Sometimes The alarm clock blares at 4:50 a.m. you need to exercise to combat unhappiOut of bed by 5 a.m. and on the ice by 5:30 ness, so skating is good. It is an outlet to a.m., junior and competitive ice skater release all the pressure inside.” Amanda Wang begins her typical day. Skating has also taught Amanda many Six days a week, this is Amanda’s routine. Stress from school or home life rarely keeps applicable life lessons, Song said. “She is not going to land every single her from getting to her ice-dance practices. While skating started off as a hobby jump. .... You just have to try and try again for six-year-old Amanda, she soon joined a and know that your work will eventually synchronized skating team and later switched pay off,” he said. “You have to trust … [and] to ice dance, a form of ice skating that incor- be confident going out on the ice … [that] you are going to perform as best you can.” porates elements of dance choreography. Junior Hannah Cai agreed with Song These new teams were competitive and eventually led Amanda to start training and said that Amanda has learned perseverwith a private coach in seventh grade. In ance and self trust. “[Skating] teaches her about disci2011, she won the US synchronized skating pline and … believing in yourself because championships. you have to do all Despite balancthose crazy jumps. I ing school work and 11 hours on the ice each “[Skating] teaches her about guess it taught her to have faith in herself,” week, Amanda said discipline and ... believing in she said. “When you she has always enjoyed yourself because you have fall, you have to get skating and even grew to value the morning to do all those crazy jumps. back up.” Cai added that practices. I guess it taught her to have Amanda has learned “[Skating] allows faith in herself. When you fall, to apply these lessons me to express myself. to her academic purIt is a time where I can you have to get back up.” suits and interests. be happy, if I am sad,” - Hannah Cai, Class of 2016 “[In art], she she said. “I really like gets really excited the feeling of [skating in the morning] now, because it makes me about new projects. … She is always ready more awake, and I feel like I did one thing to start working,” she said. “She is really interested and she always has ideas. [Even if] good that day.” she doesn’t like [a project] or thinks it is bad According to Lina Takaoka, a fellow skater at Amanda’s ice skating rink, Amanda [later on], … she just continues and tries to see if she can make it better.” is passionate about the sport. Even when disappointments arise, “She has been doing it for a really long time, so it just kind of becomes part of your Pan said that nothing can keep Amanda down for long. life. In my opinion, there is no way she can “She has a humorous side. … If she not care about it,” Takaoka said. has a bad or ugly day, she can use her huAccording to junior Alex Song, mor to make herself feel better,” Pan said. Amanda’s dedication is a distinguising feaSong also said that Amanda is always ture of her personality. positive. “She is very determined and com“In general, she is just a really sweet mitted to what she does, especially as a person. She is nice to everyone. She is smilskater,” he said. “She has that work ethic, and I really think that it is a deep part of her ing all the time,” he said. “I think she is a genuinely nice person ... It is naturally who character.” she is.” This mindset characterizes her ideolAmanda’s passion for skating is what ogy regarding any work, Amanda said. fuels her determination and approaches to “If I don’t finish, then I will feel like that I will have spent so much time on noth- life and work, according to Song. “Skating is the thing she loves. You ing,” she said. have to love what you do, … [and] obviAccording to Stella Pan, Amanda’s ously she [finds] enjoyment in it,” he said. mother, skating is much more than just a “How she is able to [balance it] and why she hobby to Amanda; it also provides her with is able to wake up in the morning is because an outlet for negative emotions. she … loves it. She is that good at skating “[Skating] is more life balance [for Amanda], because [she has] another part of for a reason.”

By Bella Ehrlich and Maia Fefer photo courtesy of Amanda Wang

A national level skater, Amanda Wang discusses her appreciation for the sport and its lessons

Amanda’s Inspirations

Michelle Kwan

Meryl Davis & Charlie White

Ice Princess

Public Domain

page 20|january 9, 2015|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

SPORTS

2014 year review of south sports

basketball: cultural icon of america

pAGE 22

pAGE 23

sports@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 5

icingvictories

Junior hockey player Thomas Tresca continues to play an integral role on the team after last year’s successful season By Sam Rosenblatt & Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff photo by Chloe Miller

Tresca and the Lions made it to the Division 3 North finals against Wayland (above) last year and hope to advance farther this season with winger Tresca as a major scoring threat.

n a sunny evening in March or a freezing weekend in early December, junior Thomas Tresca is likely to be lacing up his skates at the nearest hockey rink — his backyard. While many kids have easy access to basketball hoops or swimming pools just outside of their homes, Tresca has a fullyfunctional hockey rink, which helps him practice year-round, as he prepares for the start of hockey season. His father, Steven Tresca, began constructing the rink when Tresca was just starting to learn the ins and outs of the sport. In his backyard, Tresca was able to grow and develop his love for the game. “I was five years old, and getting on that rink was my first time being on the ice,” Tresca said. “I would skate like three times a week, and, ever since then, I’ve always loved to play hockey.” The opportunity to consistently practice at home fostered Tresca’s work ethic and dedication to the sport, junior Andrew Wales said. “His work ethic is bar none,” Wales, Tresca’s longterm teammate, said. “He has a rink in his backyard that I know he skates on almost everyday.” Tresca, the team’s winger on the first line, is very committed and works hard to set an example for the other players, according to South boys hockey coach Chris Ryberg. In his two full seasons of high school hockey, Tresca has only missed a single practice. “He’s always there on time, early if

he needs to be,” Ryberg said. “Obviously, getting a penalty shot, and I scored to he’s never missed a game.” end up tying the game,” Tresca said. Last year, Tresca scored his first “After that I started to find my scoring goal of the season in a match against touch.” Lowell. Later, he went on to amass 50 According to teammates and points as a sophomore, earning many coaches, Tresca is known for his levelaccolades along the way, including Bosheadedness, which keeps him poised in ton.com’s Player of the Week award and clutch situations. All-Star for the Merrimack Valley/Dual “He can see the play developCounty League. ing and knows where to be at the right Along with Wales, Tresca was also moments. It’s a huge plus playing with named co-MVP of the Lions, but when [Tresca] on the ice because you know asked about the biggest highlights of the he will almost always be open,” Wales previous season, Trsaid. “He rarely does esca recalled mainly something wrong, team achievements. “He’s kind of the go-to guy. He whether it’s a game “Making the or a practice.” tournament and does what needs to get done. During having that deep You need a goal, he’s there. You the stretch run of run was really a need a big hit, he’s there.” last season, Wales special thing,” he credited a portion said. “The other of the Lions’ success was going on that - Matt Aviles, Class of 2016 to Tresca’s overall 10 game unbeaten chemistry with the streak — that’s what other players on the really pushed us ice. towards the playoffs last year.” “I think he fits in very nicely as a After starting the season at 1-5-1 first line winger who works hard,” Wales through seven games, the Lions caught said. “[He] has a goal scorer’s touch that fire, winning 14 of their last 16 games he adds to the game.” and easily qualifying for the playoffs. Other team members agreed that Individually, Tresca said he Tresca’s play helps the team dynamic. considers his score against Lowell to “He’s kind of the go-to guy; he have particularly developed his personal does what needs to get done,” junior skills and allowed him to help guide his goalie Matt Aviles said. “You need a goal team on their hot streak. — he’s there. You need a big hit — he’s “[That goal against Lowell] really there.” turned my season around. I ended up According to teammates, however,

Tresca’s distinguishing characteristic is his natural leadership. “He definitely is a leader, but he portrays his leadership differently: quietly, and by example,” Wales said. “I know a lot of underclassmen look up to him because of his skill level and hard work. Senior Chris Olsson agreed with Wales, citing Tresca’s progress a testament to his hard work over his hockey career. “He works hard every day in practice. He’s a very versatile player, good hands, good skating,” he said. “He’s improved a lot over the last few years. He’s a leader on the team and works hard for everyone on the team.” Despite his talents, Tresca continues to better his skills in his free time, Wales said. “I know he spent a lot of time in the offseason working on strength and conditioning and making his diet healthier.” Aviles agreed that Tresca is sure to adequately prepare and fulfill his responsibilities. “He just knows his job, and does it,” Aviles said. Beyond his high school hockey career, Tresca is considering taking his skills to the next level, as he enters the college recruitment process that South students encounter every year. “I think he can play hockey at the next level and that’s very difficult, in this day and age, to play at that level,” Ryberg said. “But if he wants it and he’s committed enough, it’s certainly attainable.”

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Sports

Whitings share track experiences

January 9, 2015|page 21

Basketball’s Appeal

Brendan Duggan sports columnist

DUGGAN’s corner

photo by Bailey Kroner

Senior Matia Whiting and freshman Noah Whiting motivate one another as siblings to continually train harder for indoor track. ing. willing to push yourself, and that extra Noah Shelton Behind each runner is a distinct 20 minutes of sleep make no difference,” Sports Reporter routine that they said allows them to she said. “So now I just try to stay pretty succeed at races. Noah said his routine Several sibling tandems at South calm, just eating a banana and listening is simple, but proven to be effective. “I compete not only in the same athletic to music.” always lay out my uniform the night program, but also on the same team. Noah said that he is influenced by before,” he said. “Then I just drink lots Senior Matia Whiting and her brother, older teammates to succeed. “The other of water and eat a peanut butter and jelly freshman Noah Whiting, both members runners expect a lot after you run a fast sandwich a couple of hours before the of the indoor track team, are making an time for a freshman,” he said. race.” impression in their time as a sibling duo. Although each has distinct rouMatia also used to follow a strict Matia is one of four captains and tines and motivations, the two said that in her last year of track before graduating routine. “[I made sure I got] at least nine being on the same team has influenced hours of sleep, [ate] a banana and some to attend Middlebury College in the fall. their attitudes toward running. “I’m She started running in sixth grade, Cheez-Its two hours before [and drank] definitely motivated by the fact that he three water bottles and a bottle of Gatobut joining the team was not originally looks up to me,” Matia said. “Running on rade during the day to stay hydrated,” she her idea. “I started running … because the same team as him has pushed me to said. “But in the last few years, I’ve found my mom pressured me into doing a run every workout harder because I want the less I prepare and stress, the better I sport, and all my friends were [runto set a good example.” run. Often my best races are the ones in ning],” she said. Noah agreed that running with which I’m sleep deprived and overcomNoah started hot out the gates Matia has motivated him as well. pensating and pushing myself harder.” in his first few weeks as a high school “I feel like she has set a high Matia added that sleep does not runner, finishing the one-mile time trial standard that I have to live up to as her have a huge effect on her performance. in 5:12, a time usually seen in outdoor brother,” he said. “I do feel pressure to “How well you run is how hard you’re runners who typically have more trainrun as well as she does.”

Noah Whiting Class of 2018

Matia Whiting Class of 2015

I’ve never really been a big track kid, but my sister motivates me to get up and run harder even on vacations.

I no longer skip my Sunday long runs, which I started my junior year, to set a good example for Noah.

“Basketball is my favorite sport. I like the way they dribble up and down the court.” Bow Wow knew what was up back in 2002 when he starred in “Like Mike,” a classic basketball movie. Although a lot has changed since then, one thing certainly hasn’t: Basketball is still one of America’s favorite games. Invented in Springfield, Mass., basketball remains popular among both the youth and the professional leagues. Basketball is dynamic. While watching NBA or college games, you never know when someone is going to throw down a monster dunk or block the ball into the stands. Players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant are some of the world’s best athletes; they are capable of making highlight reels on a nightly basis. College basketball is just as popular for a few reasons. First, college players actually play defense, making the game more competitive and tense. The second — and most pivotal to the sport’s success — is March Madness. To end the NCAA season, 64 teams play in a huge tournament for the national championship, as countless Americans fill out brackets with hopes for the perfect bracket. The chance of filling out a perfect bracket is one in 128 billion — in simpler terms, you would have a better chance of winning the lottery or catching two foul balls at a baseball game. This is why Cinderella stories emerge and “upsets” happen daily as the two-and-a-half weeks of “madness” ensue. Additionally, basketball movies are some of the best around, including “Space Jam,” “Semi-Pro,” “Coach Carter” (my personal favorite), “Glory Road” and more. Scenes like Adam Sandler playing one-on-one to recruit football players in “The Longest Yard” are humorous yet action-packed. Some of these movies are instant classics, and others will emerge as legendary later on. Basketball is an international sport, but as Americans, we have the opportunity to see the greatest players in the world within the country. The U.S. Men’s Basketball team has won the Olympic gold several times since NBA players were finally allowed to compete in 1992. An HIV-infected Magic Johnson shared the court with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in ’92, helping to make up the famed “Dream Team,” while also promoting respect toward HIV patients. This gold-medal showing by Americans proved that basketball can break barriers. As the winter season goes on, I want to make sure students at South support as many teams as possible. If you haven’t gone to a basketball game in a while, I highly suggest you come watch a game. Some may argue that baseball or football is America’s pastime, but I believe basketball is the most entertaining game to watch. You never know which players will emerge as the game’s MVP, and you can always expect some spectacular plays to be made. Most importantly, basketball has the power to bring people together and allows individuals to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

page 22|January 9, 2015

Q&A

sports|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Ferguson Decision: Its Impact

WITH

GEOFF GRAY

Senior captain Geoff Gray, headed to Emerson College on a basketball scholarship, discusses his outlook on both this season and his future

by Noah shelton & Nathan Elbaum

By Jack McElduff

What are your expectations for the season?

GG: The main goal right now is to get a home tournament game. For that to happen, we probably have to win 14 or 15 of our 21 games, and we think that’s very doable. We want to win the DCL again. Cambridge is moving in, and it’s one of the best teams in the state, but we still feel like we can pull it off. Those are our two main goals as of now.

What are some of the roles you play as a captain?

GG: As a captain, it’s kind of a double role for me, because I’m also the point guard. As a point guard, I have to make sure everyone’s in position, and that’s what the captain would do anyways. I have been a point guard all my life, so I have been calling plays and making sure everyone knows what to do, everyone knows the plays and everyone’s focused before the game. That’s what I’ve been paying attention to the most this year.

How has Coach Killilea influenced you as a player?

pare.] So [this year,] I made sure to shoot every day. The last eight months, I didn’t shoot only a few days. I wanted to become the best shooter I could be, because that’s one of the most important aspects. I [also] knew my defense had to get better, so I laid off the lifting a little bit and I made sure to get quicker so I could be better on the defensive end.

What was playing at the Garden like last year?

GG: That experience was amazing — it was kind of surreal. Newton North played a great game, and they beat us handily. But it didn’t take away from the fact that it was still surreal to play at the Garden, and we were all grateful for it. We’re grateful for getting another shot to play them again at the Garden this year, and it won’t turn out the same way as it did last year.

What are your plans for your college career?

GG: [I am playing] at Emerson College next year. I’m re-

photo by Katie Asch

ally excited because I know that it’s in the city, there’s a lot to do there; it’s in a very good league. The coaching staff is also one of the main reasons why I decided to go there — those guys know what they’re doing. They have connections, and they know people that could help my future. It’s a pretty good academic school overall, too.

How do you want to be remebered after leaving South?

GG: I just want to be the best teammate and the best player that I can be so we can win as many games as possible and make this season my most memorable season yet. We have [expectations to] be the best team South has seen in the past decade, and I think that is very accomplishable as long as everyone works hard and doesn’t let down. I want to be remembered for making sure everyone does their job and make sure they do everything they can to accomplish that, so we can have the best three months of our lives.

GG: He’s been very important. When I met him my freshman year, he had high expectations for me because he knew I worked hard, and he knew I could be good, so he’s always been pushing me. He makes sure, every year I’ve played, to never let down the day before a game, go as hard as we usually do, don’t play down to people. He makes sure he gets the best out of his players, and gets all the toughness he can get out of them.

What skill have you worked on this offseason?

GG: This offseason, I worked on my shot a lot. Last year, my preseason was bumpy [because] I missed some time. So I didn’t have that much time to [pre-

photo courtesy of Geoff Gray

Gray has been South’s point guard for three years and has committed to Emerson College.

ollowing the decisions to not indict the officers involved in the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, professional athletes have used their fame to demonstrate their opposition to the decisions. The players of St. Louis Rams walked onto the field displaying the “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” gesture being used by protesters around the country. Despite an apology request from the St. Louis police, the Rams organization refused to counter their players’ actions, and the NFL chose not to punish the players. The Washington Redskins’ defensive tackle Chris Baker also demonstrated similar sentiments after his sack on the Rams’ quarterback Shaun Hill. Baker decided to celebrate by showing the “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” gesture, confirming via Twitter that he too was speaking out about Michael Brown’s death. The Brooklyn Nets’ partial owner Jay-Z posed for a picture with Kevin Garnett and three teammates, each wearing “I Can’t Breathe” shirts and using their fame to move their protest beyond sports. NBA commissioner Adam Silver responded by refusing to fine the players, even though the shirts violated contract agreements with Adidas concerning pregame attire. Silver stated that although he would prefer that the players keep these agreements, he respects their desire to voice their opinions. The Cleveland Browns’ wide receiver Andrew Hawkins wore a shirt asking for justice for Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old who was fatally shot by police while carrying a fake gun. Hawkins spoke for over six minutes to the press, arguing that justice is a right to which every American is entitled. The Cleveland Police Union president demanded an apology for the actions of Hawkins, but the Cleveland Browns organization has not released a statement of apology and will likely refrain from doing so. The actions of these athletes are what make the entertainment industry worth watching. They show that athletes care about what is going on in the world around them. Athletes are showing their fans that it is good to have an opinion on what happens, and that it is important to speak out when you think something is wrong. They are humanizing themselves by showing that, although they make millions of dollars, they are not above the life of anyone else. This recent showing of public opinion by athletes has shown the American public that they care about more than just their sport and personal successes — something we believe to be incredibly important and admirable. Because professional athletes are constantly scrutinized for each one of their actions, it is necessary for them to carry themselves in a good manner. None of the aforementioned organizations have issued apologies, and this is a positive step forward for the sports world after last year’s struggles in public relations.

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|sports

year in review The Roar looks back at South’s sports highlights from 2014

WINTER Despite a disappointing loss, the boys basketball team took on rival North at the legendary TD Garden.

After a 17year drought, the boys hockey team made the playoffs, finishing the season 15-7-1. photo courtesy of Alex Kriritsy

photo by Chloe Miller

The girls gymnastics team came in fourth place in the state and went undefeated during the regular season.

photo courtesy of Camilla Hernandez

South started the school year with a new athletic director, Patricia Gonzalez. The department has since implemented various new programs.

photo courtesy of Yuriko Fukumura

photo courtesy of Brendan Duggan

The golf team qualified for the state tournament, finishing the regular season with a record of over .500.

– Junior Quarterback Austin Burton after a win over Acton-Boxborough

“It’s the best thing ever. Everyone makes an effort to hang out outside of swimming, and that really makes a big difference.” – Sophomore Madison Hofert on the swimming team’s camaraderie

“Not only do you get to learn how to become a leader, but when you win, you feel like you’ve accomplished something, and it feels good to make kids happy.” – Junior Matt Lee on the merits of coaching youth basketball

photo by Adam Verga

photo courtesy of Regulus

“[The game] was kind of a statement game. We haven’t gotten a lot of respect in the [Dual County League] for a bunch of years, and I feel like we opened a lot of eyes of our critics or even people in our school.”

– Senior school spirit columnist Brendan Duggan

After years of long playoff runs, the boys volleyball team won the Massachusetts State Championship for the first time.

FALL

BEST SPORTS QUOTATIONS OF 2014

“Take advantage of what’s available to you. To you it may seem like just a regular night out watching the game with your friends, but to someone who is actually on the court, it is a lot more than that.”

Spring Four track team members, Yuriko Fukumura, Liza Hochberg, Calene Lazare and Lizzie Walkes, attended nationals in North Carolina.

January 9, 2015|page 23

photo courtesy by Maggie DiMarco

After beating Acton-Boxborough for the first time in 25 years, the football team made it to the playoffs.

Thank you to all athletes, coaches and fans who made all of the above possible. Congratulations!

“[It’s] a lot of work and time and frustration, but as soon as you get out on the [water] on race day, it’s all worth it. You know that everything you’ve been working for and all those things you had to miss [were worth it].” – Senior Meaghan McDonald on the reward ing feelings of rowing