The Lion's Roar 33-4

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Volume 33, Issue 4 140 Brandeis Road Newton Centre, MA 02459

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper · Newton, MA · Established 1984 · December 9, 2016

STANDING TOGETHER South redefines Spirit Week and examines the effects of class rivalries

By Carina Ramos and Ilan Rotberg

D

photo illustration by Bailey Kroner

riven by administrators’ stipulations, South’s Nov. 22 pep rally shifted its focus from celebrating individual classes and encouraging inter-class rivalry to honoring student achievement and uniting the entire student body.

The movement came in response to years of deteriorating student energy, Principal Joel Stembridge said. The administration’s demands met significant resistance, a response that some students said indicates a

disconnect not between classes of students, but between students and administrators.

In light of prevalent division, senior class president Bhavik Nagda said the administration wanted to fulfill its “vision for the school where we, in a sense, try to mitigate inter-class competition … that’s splitting our school apart as opposed to patching it back together … so that everyone feels accepted and everyone feels as though they are members of the school together.”

Inter-class competition, however, builds relationships rather than severing them, junior Benjamin Anderson-Krim said.

“Grade rivalries are a natural part of life in a high school and can help lead to cooperation among members of a grade that may not have been fostered otherwise,” he said.

“These are the people you’re going to be spending all your time with for the next PEP RALLY, 4

Dispute over feminism’s definition hinders progress Emily Belt & Sophie Lu Sr. Centerfold Editors

“Instead of wanting to promote equality, it’s sort of man-hating,” USA Today fellow Omar Mahmood said when asked about the evolution of feminism.

Stigma surrounds the feminist movement, according to Jinna Ziller, a member of Women Against Feminism, an organization that promotes gender equality but rejects the word ‘feminism.’ Ziller added that the

perceived definition of feminism is changing due to views like Mahmood’s.

According to a New York Times poll, 85 percent of Americans support gender equality, but only 18 percent identify as feminists. At South, 98.5 percent of 196 students surveyed said they support gender equality, while 63.6 percent consider themselves feminists.History teacher Jonathan Greiner said these statistics surprised him, for “[Feminism is] just the belief in social, economic and political equality of women,” he said.

Sophomore Bobby Lovett said he understood how some stigmas surrounding feminism arose at South.

“There are a few people who are very outspoken, even at our own school, who cross a line with their beliefs. Instead of looking at the big picture, others target those few people and make it seem like they’re the majority,” Lovett said. “That creates a lot of negative stigma because [guys think feminists] just don’t like [them] for some reason, but it’s not true.”

Senior Jessie Shiner, co-president of South’s Feminist Empowerment Movement (FEM) Club, said that despite changing perceptions, feminism still strives for equal rights among the sexes.

“I don’t think someone can say [they support equal rights and not be a feminist].

That’s saying; I support equal rights without being anti-racism,” she said. “They just go hand in hand, and if you’re someone who FEMINISM, 12

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

METCO turns 50

South students and faculty celebrate the METCO program’s 50th anniversary

2

The island school Senior Sammy Burnham reflects on his semester studying in the Bahamas

15

victory in china

Two students travel to China for a Kung Fu tournament and bring back gold

17

NEWS 2 EDITORIALS 6 OPINIONS 8 CENTERFOLD 12 FEATURES 15 FUn page 19 SPORTS 21

NEWS page 2|December 9, 2016|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

news@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 33, ISSUE 4

this month in

review Question 2 rejected After a debate lasting several months and fueled by millions of dollars, the majority of Massachusetts voters voted “no” on ballot question 2 on Nov. 8. Had it passed, the proposal would have raised the cap on charter schools in the state to allow 12 new schools every year. The proposal, which many faculty expressed opposition to in the weeks before the vote, failed 63 percent to 37 percent. “Although we are disappointed with tonight’s result, the work being done by Massachusetts best-inthe-nation public charter schools continues,” the “yes” campaign said in a public statement on election night.

Warren to step down In a November 10 e-mail to constituents, Newton Mayor Setti Warren announced he will not run for reelection to a third term next year. Warren, first elected in 2009, said he had accomplished his original goals but did not determine future plans. “I haven’t made any decision about what I’m doing,” he told the Newton Tab. “[My wife and I] have to figure out what options we have and what we would look at. That’s what we’re going to be doing over the next several weeks and months.”

South takes first steps to reopen L-Bench Michelle Cheng Sr. News Editor

The administration has begun working with students to reopen the L-Bench, closed in October due to excessive noise and uncleanliness, later compounded by sexual harassment claims.

While administrators have closed the L-Bench in previous years, this year’s suspension is abnormally long, according to Culter dean Josepha Blocker. “I don’t remember us closing it for this long since I have been here,” she said.

Science teacher Molly Widrick, whose classroom is mere feet from the bench, said noise issues often disrupted her class.

“I’ve had my own students before get really frustrated,” she said. “It’s definitely gotten in the way of teaching before, and I’ve had to leave class several times to ask students to please be respectful and be quiet.”

Vice principal Candice Beerman said that while the noise issues result from student behavior at the L-Bench, its location in the school is also responsible.

“Various groups of students congregate in different areas in the school,” she said. “The L bench is in a difficult place in the school because it’s so close to so many classrooms.”

Though the L-Bench remains closed during the day, students can sit there in the morning until 7:40, when Beerman often supervises.

“Right there is the intersection of heavy traffic,” she said. “Especially once we started to hear little tidbits about what might be going on there, I was very curious to see what I could experience for myself.”

Juniors Marco Mercurio, Adam Iskandar, Peter Dakoyannis, Andrew Pratt and Noah Kopp tried to organize a peaceful gathering around the L-Bench on Nov. 15 to protest the closure of the L-Bench and to stand against sexual harassment.

Kopp said that the group hoped to

photo by Bailey Kroner

Sophomore and junior boys gather at the L-Bench on the morning of Nov. 28. unify a seemingly divided grade. “We wanted to come up with something to fix the whole situation because it did seem like it was two groups of people [against each other], but we wanted to make one join together,” he said.

“We thought ... that taking away the L-Bench for a few [people’s] actions was not a reasonable solution in that it would really cause more harm than justice,” Mercurio said.

“We thought that by creating this movement, you could solve that, but it would also protest sexual harassment and show that we don’t stand for it at South.”

Organizers cancelled the protest due to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey being administered in advisories that day and the administration’s organizing meetings about reopening the L-Bench.

Iskandar said that their movement met mixed reactions. “I talked to some girls, and they said that […] they don’t really care about it and they don’t want to talk about the L-Bench,” he said. “The guys were supportive of reopening it, […] but I’m pretty sure some girls are supportive of it too.”

While the gathering was unsuccesful,

Cutler dean Josepha Blocker said it is still up to students to effect change in behavior at the L-Bench.

“The only way things change is if the people involved in them want them to, so I think that’s really dependent on the individuals who sit [at the L-Bench],” she said. “We as a school are not going to allow harassment here, so if we hear about it, we’re going to take action against it.”

Beerman said that closing the L-Bench allowed students and faculty to acknowledge what happens in South’s common areas and move forward.

“I am hopeful that this is actually going to be a step in the right direction for our community [and] that we managed to address some things that needed to be addressed that sort of came out of the woodwork when the L-Bench was closed for another reason,” she said. “I really hope that we can really grow as a community, and show respect for one another and treat each other appropriately.”

Additional reporting by Noy Alon, Carina Ramos and Kimia Tabatabaei

HSST unveils later start time scenarios

Sophie Goodman & Rachel Gu News Contrubutor, News Reporter

After a year and a half of development, the High School Start Time (HSST) working group presented six different start time scenarios at a public forum at Angier Elementary School on Oct. 19.

Depending on the School Committee’s decision, which could come before the end of the 2016-17 school year, high school start times might be delayed by as few as 20 minutes, to 8 a.m., or as many as 80, to 9 a.m. South’s end time, meanwhile, could come 5 minutes earlier, at 3:15 p.m., or as late as 4:15 p.m.

HSST working group member Ellen Gibson said the group considered four primary criteria when compiling research data into the possible scenarios. “We wanted to make sure that we could ensure equity across the board for families … overall improve the health and wellness of the students … make sure that across the board we can get the

majority [and find] balanced solutions that took into consideration different tradeoffs within the district that we might consider,” Gibson said.

According to Principal Joel Stembridge, any later start time presents clear advantages for students. “There are fewer car accidents, … there are fewer athletic injuries because students aren’t as sleepy on the soccer field, … students are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol if they’re sleeping enough, … and grades go up,” he said.

Stembridge’s observations were reflected in surveys the working group conducted during Dec. 2015. Responses to one survey indicated 66% of students agree or strongly agree “high school should start later than it does now,” compared to only 18% of students disagreeing or strongly disagreeing.

Funding poses a challenge for the School Committee, however, because of its status as a nonprofit organization. As Newton renegotiates its school bus contract for the upcoming year, the working group will

have to consider what new costs changes in bus schedules might bring. Were the start or end times of different schools to equalize, for example, the district would need more buses running simultaneously than it does now.

North and South would not necessarily be the only schools affected. Under one scenario, all NPS schools would begin 20 minutes later, and under another, elementary and high school start times would swap.

Any changes would occur in slow increments, Stembridge said. “For example, maybe the first year all they do is move the schools back 20 minutes. Then, maybe the second year, to give everyone time to plan and make adjustments, they change the schedule,” he said.

Stembridge also said he encourages students to examine the options and actively contribute to the decision making process.

“If a district makes a decision that people are not happy with, it will take a lot of work to undo it,” he said. “So, now is the time to look at it and give an opinion.”

december 9, 2016|page 3

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|news

NPS METCO program turns 50 Eu Ro Wang & Hope Zhu

why she brought me to the Newton Public Schools,” he said.

In addition to its educational benefits, junior LJ Pope said that “[METCO is] a welcoming and loving community.”

Khyla described this community as tight-knit and familial, providing students with support found only in the METCO community.

“At the end of the day, we all know how each other feels.” she said. “We’ve all been the only black kid in the classroom or felt ostracized, so we like to build each other up.”

“I’m proud [I’m] from Boston,” Lopez said. “I’m not trying to hide it. I’m out here in Newton and I’m doing well. I don’t think I would have received the same amount of education [without METCO] because with better school districts, [we] have more opportunities to learn.”

Despite the opportunities the METCO

a lot, like [the opportunity to go to] four-year colleges.”

News Contributor, News Reporter Lopez said that METCO counselor The Metropolitan Council for EducaKatani Sumner is an integral resource for tional Opportunity (METCO) is celebrating her students.

50 years of integrating minority students “She just kind of connects all of us from urban schools into suburban educatogether,” Lopez said. “She’s just one more tional systems. Newton has been part of person who you know you can trust and you METCO since its inception in 1966. can talk to about anything with and she’ll Freshman METCO student Amari definitely have a really good answer for you.”

Turner, however, said the program extends Before becoming the METCO counbeyond basic education, providing a comselor at South, Sumner was the METCO munity “like a family” within South’s walls. academic liaison at Weston Public Schools. A The program was founded 50 years ago former METCO student herself, she said that in response to the National Association for her career path stemmed from her experience the Advancement of Colored People’s 1963 with her own counselor. challenge of the all-white Boston School “I have a unique perspective of realizing Committee on issues of racial imbalance in how important it is to have an advocate and schools. With one of the longest-running someone who relates to you,” she said. “Once METCO programs in Massachusetts, NewI became a parent, … I started considering ton enrolls 431 students of the 3,300 placed changing my career so I could be more inin 40 school districts across volved with their educational the state. ” We all love each other and we all want to see experience.

Junior Khyla Turner, who Although Sumner said each other succeed in the METCO program. entered the METCO program working with METCO stuin second grade, said she is dents has been a joy, she also Khyla Turner, Class of 2018 proud to be part of the program. mentioned challenges at South, “[METCO] connects me to people program provides, Amari said, its students including the lack of diversity among faculty. before me. My father ... was a METCO stu- face negative stereotypes.

“I have my own issues,” she said, “not dent. He went to Weston [Public Schools], “I have been a liaison [to] help encour- really having a lot of people that I can relate and his was one of the first buses to go out,” age more people to join the METCO program, to directly and have conversations with she said. “Overall, statewide, we’re a part of and I’ve had a chance to teach Newton kids … them about what it feels like being a person a very, very small community and I like how we’re not all dumb, we’re not all ghetto,” Khyla of color here and the challenges of having it makes it feel special.” said. “I can teach people in the inner-city that students who are by themselves in classes, The 50th anniversary is a milestone for kids out here aren’t all bougie and uptight, feeling isolated and not feeling comfortable Newton’s program in particular, Khyla said. that they’re really cool, and vice versa.” advocating for themselves.”

“I feel like it’s historic because MasSumner was part of one of METCO’s Deloney-Phillips and others, howsachusetts was one of the first states to have ever, cited the bus commute from Boston first elementary school classes, and saidshe a METCO [or] busing program and Newton as a daily obstacle that requires METCO is glad to commemorate a program that she was actually the first public school system students to start the school day earlier than has been involved with for so long. to admit METCO students and it’s been the local students. Lopez also said that the bus “It’s pretty exciting for me because my longest running overall.” environment can be unsafe at times, having class at Lexington, we were the first class to go Sophomore Nayleth Lopez said she witnessed bullying himself. from first grade through 12th grade,” Sumner hopes the program continues to receive the The program’s benefits, however, out- said. “To have been involved for a significant funding it needs to endure and expand. weigh its costs, according to Khyla, who said part of those 50 years, whether as a student “It helps so many kids’ lives,” she said. that she wants others to acknowledge the op- or as a parent, and now as a staff person, I “I hope that … people see that [METCO is] portunities METCO presents for its students. think I have a unique excitement about it.” a necessity.”

Through the everyday difficulties its “A lot of people bash the METCO proSophomore Xavier Deloney-Phillips gram, saying it’s a nuisance to the school and students face, the METCO program remains agreed that Newton teachers truly care about … how it’s just a waste of money,” she said. a supportive community, Khyla said. students’ education.

“At the end of the day, we all love each “It’s not a waste of money. … What they’re “[My mom] really cared about me paying [for] is giving us opportunities and other and we all want to see each other sucgetting the best education, so I think that’s closing the achievement gap and opening up ceed in the METCO program.”

Junior Khyla Turner leads a discussion with METCO students.

Both METCO and Newton students gather together for a photo.

Students gather in METCO counselor Katani Sumner’s office.

photos courtesy of Katani Sumner

METCO seniors Jadon Smith, Lane Ward and Tajea Beauchamp.

Improving Ongoing Projects DANIEL ABDULAH Class of 2018

SOUTH SENATE UPDATE

O

ver the past month, South Senate has both made progress within both its individual committees and district-wide initiatives in conjunction with faculty legislative bodies.

The High School Start Time Workng Group recently took a major step with the construction of multiple feasible plans to delay school start time at both high schools. The School Committee has yet to decide on which plan to implement, but they will likely decide by next year.

Within the Senate, our committees have been working diligently to reach the goals they set last month.

The Grades Committee looked into the possibility of lowering the weight of final exam grades. A single test grade should not merit 20 percent of a student’s final grade if the test discounts that student’s year-long proficiency. This plan will be proposed to the Faculty Council soon.

The Grades Committee has recently focused on grade transparency: when teachers take too long to grade assignments, students sometimes find out their term grades when it’s too late to meet with teachers to discuss them.

Last year, we tried enforcing a Schoology mandate to ensure that students could see their grades at any moment. This year, we’ve proposed a more flexible approach: teachers would keep an up-to-date gradebook and notify students of their predicted grades for a given term at least two weeks before it ends.

The Infrastructure Committee is focusing primarily on expanding internet access within the school and improving it in areas where students frequently report failures.

Recent survey data reports that students studying in the Field House, the 6000s and the 9000s are often unable to connect to the internet and therefore unable to work on online assignments.

The Mental Health Committee has progressed in both assessing the current state of our school’s health curriculum and working to improve it. Survey results indicate that over 60 percent of South students believe that the current state of mental health education at South is inadequate, a troubling statistic considering that 67 percent have a friend or family member with a mental illness and 29 percent have been diagnosed with one themselves.

In order to best respond to this demographic while educating the student body about such an important matter, this committee plans on placing new emphasis on stress management techniques schoolwide.

The Senate would like to thank those who participate in our surveys, as feedback is crucial in assessing our school’s issues, and results can help us convince the administration to address certain issues quickly.

Links to surveys are available on Facebook and around the halls. If you have any ideas to contribute, feel free to mention them in these surveys, directly to a Senator or during a Thursday J block meeting.

page 4|December 9, 2016

news|THELIONsROAR.com|THE LION’S ROAR

do we all stand together? just makes South a really unwelcoming place to a lot of students.” four years,” senior Katherine McGrath added.

Reinstein and Stembridge, however, “I think it’s important to make that bond.” said that South has an abundance of school Discussions between class officers and faculty spirit that simply lies outside typical athleticsfocused on eliminating elements of the pep centered rallying. rally and spirit week that, to some, seemed “You have to look for it in a different more divisive than valuable, history teacher lens,” Reinstein said. “There’s plenty of spirit and senior class adviser Corey Davison said. [in] the amount of people that are involved According to Nagda and junior class in clubs and different groups, … but it’s not officer Adi Shneorson, Stembridge suggested a collective and unified spirit.” cancelling the pep rally completely, telling “I think when people want to define them that if it was to take place at all, the school spirit as simply people yelling and class officers needed to compromise on some clapping and cheering, they sell the school issues. short,” Stembridge You have to look for it in a different lens. ... There’s plenty of spirit said. “A lot of the “[Administrators] always have [in] the amount of people that are involved in clubs and different ways that we show their agenda, and spirit around here groups, ... but it’s not a collective and unified spirit. we always have our are our attention agenda, and they never to important issues, Alan Reinstein, English teacher match up, and so we different days that always have to make concessions,” Nagda to give you something better,” Ledig added. students organize and bring in speakers, the said. “That’s what happened this year.”

While some students acknowledged performances that we have. All of these are “It’s a really hard job as a class officer to Stembridge’s ultimate authority, they said types of school spirit that don’t involve just ... look like the enemy right now, but it has to they questioned the extent of his involvement people in the stands cheering.” come from us because if the administration in student affairs.

Davison concluded that while South is going to say it, no one is going to listen to “There’s so much separation between has the potential to improve school relations, them,” Shneorson said. what the administration declares that needs students must accept that in its core values Administrators and class officers had to be done [and] what the students want,” and areas of interest, South is unlike a stedifferent visions for the pep rally, Nagda McGrath said. reotypical American high school. added, particularly concerning the senior Anderson-Krim agreed that “the “I think that our school can benefit from class’s role in the event. administration is being a bit overly protec- more things like [the pep rally], “I think the seniors came to see [their tive regarding the students [and] school … but the will to run-in at the beginning of the rally] as a traditions.” do them can be reward for being a senior,” Stembridge said.

Stembridge contended that his authorhampered by peo“I wanted to reemphasize that the pep rally ity justified his actions during the planning ple wanting them to is for all of us to be together, to have fun to- process and cited his age and title as causes be an ideal version gether, not that we’re here to recognize one of student resistance to his ideas. of something that they particular class.”

“That’s my job, as the principal, to can’t be.”

Cutler Dean Josepha Blocker agreed, make decisions about what’s safe for our noting that excessive emphasis on seniority school,” he said. can solidify class divisions.

McGrath, however, attributed resis“I think in all schools, seniors are ex- tance to an overall disconnect between cited to be seniors, and I get that piece of it,” students and administrators. she said. “When it starts to take away from “[Stembridge] says that some of the some of the overall school spirit, that’s where it grades and some of the groups of friends gets to be an issue — where it starts to sort of are very disconnected when I feel like he’s erode the fact that we are all Newton South.” the one that’s disconnected,” she said. “He Some seniors, however, still said they doesn’t really know the student body, so opposed Stembridge’s required elimination of it’s hard for me to respect a big executive the run-in, citing a lack of both fairness and decision [from someone from whom] I transparency from administrators. feel so disconnected .”

“Every year, the seniors [run in], and English teacher Alan Reinstein and I feel like everyone is going to be a senior freshman Alex Atalla agreed that even a at one point, and everyone is going to get a morning announcement routine would imchance to do that,” senior Sammy Saada said. prove principal-student communication.

“It was our chance.”

Further, McGrath expressed frus“I think there would have been less tration at limitations on school spirit. backlash if the school’s measures to encour“It’s very common to find a age unity hadn’t come at the cost of some of student that says ‘I hate South,’ not the seniors’ mores,” senior James Rao said. because it’s academically [rigor“In what [Stembridge is] doing, he’s not ous], which it is, but [because] trying to take things away,” history teacher we’re told, ‘Have spirit,’ and evRebecca Ledig said. “He’s trying to create a erything we do to have spirit is more positive culture in the school.” taken away,” she said. “I think it PEP RALLY, from 1

Both Davison and Ledig validated seniors’ concerns, but encouraged them to look beyond their own interests and acknowledge their potential to have a positive influence on the school.

“I can understand how that does not feel fair, … but that doesn’t mean that it’s wrong or that it’s unjust,” Davison said. “The senior class should see themselves as having a unique opportunity to set a new tradition, to recognize an older tradition as [flawed].”

“Maybe with a little time and perspective, kids will realize it’s not about taking something from you. It’s about actually trying

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|News

Photos by Bailey Kroner and Kiana Lee

December 9, 2016|page 5

EDITORIALS page 6|December 9, 2016|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

editorials@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 33, ISSUE 4

the CAT’S

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

Brick pizza oven Goldrick Dean Park Tanks arrived at school Thursday morning to discover a new addition to South’s Wheeler entrance: level with the building’s second story, bricks had been removed from the wall to create a brick pizza oven.

According to junior chef extraordinaire Extruh Sawse, the oven is a fundraising initiative for his club, Future Bowling Leaders of America.

“J block bake sales just haven’t been working,” Sawse said. “We needed something a little extra, something a little spicy, to get the cash rolling in.”

Danks said that while he appreciates the club's creativity, students are not allowed to install their own kitchenware on school property.

"Unfortunately, we will be removing the apparatus within a few days," he said. "In the meantime, it will be reserved for faculty use only — I'm planning on whipping together a large mushroom flatbread during first lunch."

Catcalling closes cafeteria Multiple junior boys have reported incidents of catcalling in the cafeteria, principal Stole Jemdridge announced. The perpetrators, the email claims, are freshmen girls.

“I just no longer feel safe walking in the cafeteria alone,” junior Mus Li said. “I feel they target me because of my gender.”

The email also stated that the girls rated passersby on a scale of one to 10, which junior Man Lee said made him question his good looks.

“Once I heard one of the girls say ‘seven’,” Li said. “What does that mean? Are my arms too small? Am I going to be a seven forever?”

The cafeteria is closed until further notice.

College rejection drills In order to create a safer school environment, the administration has announced the implentation of a new, schoolwide drill: the college rejection drill.

"We will start practicing next week," Newton safety coordinator Prot Ective said. "It has come to our attention that with widespread smartphone use, many students receive their letters during the school day. We want to make sure that everyone knows how to react when they receive bad news."

According to Ective, the drills will require students to rapidly distance themselves from the affected student until a guidance counselor arrives on the scene.

"I'm so excited," freshman Eff Minus said."I love drills because I get to miss class."

Class competition is detrimental, inhibits attempts at unification

One year after the administration cancelled South’s annual powderpuff game, The Roar published an editorial asserting the disadvantages of a student-organized game and expressing hope that the pep rally would fill the game’s role as an opportunity for the school to “promote a more collective sense of school spirit in which students are celebrating one another, as opposed to generating increased rivalry.”

Two years later, students, faculty and administrators have yet to find a balance between school-wide spirit and the individual class pride that often pits classes against one another. More often than not, however, students are mature enough to handle this competition, using it to generate positive energy rather than bitter resentment.

While recent years’ upperclassmen may not have set the best examples, competition between grades does not inherently bring about negativity. Rivalry builds

unity within each class, an important component of a healthy school environment. After all, a typical student interacts primarily with members of his or her own grade on a day-to-day basis.

Furthermore, class unity builds the foundation for schoolwide cooperation, as the four classes cannot unite if each is disunited

week and pep rally is both divisive and dangerous. While much of the hostility seems to vanish by the time students return from Thanksgiving break, nothing justifies harassment, cyber bullying or intimidation, regardless of tradition. Students often resist any and all administrative intervention, but it is administrators' job to stop behavior that causes

Competition surpasses its boundaries when it is based on domination and entitlement, rather than pride and a desire to unify. itself. While administrators had good intentions in encouraging cooperation across grade lines, any motion to develop intra- and interclass relationships must come from genuine student desire to do so.

The dissension surrounding this year’s pep rally, however, required attention, for the animosity between upperclassmen that has come to characterize South’s spirit

discomfort in the South community.

Competition pushes its boundaries when it is based on domination and entitlement, rather than pride and a desire to unify.

Students have shown South that class competition can be detrimental to the school, but if South’s perception of grade rivalry is to change, it’s up to students to establish traditions that project positivity.

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Editorial Policy

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

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

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

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.

DECEMBER 9, 2016|page 7

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|DESK

Everything I’ve learned from 13 EDITOR’S years in the Newton Public Schools DESK from the

Mona Baloch

speak your mind.

In second grade, I started playing basketball. I quickly realized that you I recently filled out a college applica- do, indeed, miss 100 percent of the shots tion that asked me to describe the most you don’t take, but you also might also important lesson I’ve learned during my 13 miss 100 percent of the shots you do take. years of school. It was 2 a.m., and I stared Lesson learned: you never know if you’re at my blinking cursor, tired, hungry and going to get something unless you try. unable to think of a single idea. Sure, I’ve In third grade, I was thrilled at the memorized the quadratic equation and prospect of playing a musical instrument conjugation rules para el pluscuamperfor the first time: the recorder. I was sure fecto, but I was pretty sure these weren’t I’d be a prodigy. As it turned out, I was the lessons the school was looking for.

Troubled by the empty answer box, I compiled a list of the most important lessons I’ve learned in each year of school: In kindergarten, after mastering the art of writing uppercase letters, I composed my first couplet: “I AM GRATE / I NO HOW TO SKATE.” My difficulty more of a flop. Let's just say I won't be creatively summarizing my achievements writing "musically gifted" on my college within a fixed word limit persists when it applications. Lesson learned: not everyone comes to 250-word supplemental college can excel at everything. essays. Lesson learned: aim to regain the In fourth grade, I mastered mulself-confidence of my six-year-old self. tiplication and thought I was a genius In first grade, I landed a role in — until two days later, when we started Countryside’s musical production of Peter division. I realized that as soon as you feel Pan. As a member of the “pajama brigade,” comfortable with one thing, there’s always I knew my performance was integral to something else to learn. It seems like just the show’s success; I didn’t have any lines, last week I was learning fractions using but I showcased my ability to ad lib under magnetic pizza slices, yet somehow I'm pressure with an improvised one (“Pajama faced with derivatives. Lesson learned: pay party!!”). Lesson learned: don’t be afraid to attention because things move quickly.

Editor-in-Chief

In fifth grade, I petitioned my school to place recycle bins on the playground.

After a documentary on the environmental crisis, I was tired of feeling guilty every time I threw away a juicebox. I was shocked when they actually took my suggestion. Lesson learned: you’re never too young to be an activist.

In sixth grade, I went on my firstever college tour. Never mind that it was just my sister walking me through her campus — this was the real deal. It was

Let's just say I won't be writing "musically gifted" on my college applications. Lesson learned: not everyone can excel at everything.

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also the first time I realized that at college, you can eat tater tots for every meal, and nobody tells you not to. Lesson learned: choose a college based on its dining halls.

In seventh grade, I read 2,000 pages of Harry Potter in a week — magical, considering my seventh-grade homework load. Lesson learned: no task is insurmountable with the right amount of dedication (and procrastination).

In eighth grade, I moved on from the pajama brigade and joined the stage crew for Brown’s musical. I dealt with crises ranging from prop malfunctions to

missing stars. This year, when I accidentally lost all of my application work, I channeled those stage crew problem-solving skills to get myself up and running again.

Lesson learned: the show must go on.

In ninth grade, I ripped through four backpacks in the first month of school, under the false impression that I needed to lug around $50 in quarters and all of my textbooks (just in case). By backpack number five, I got the message loud and clear: trying to carry every single item I owned wasn’t feasible. Lesson learned: let go of things that weigh you down.

In 10th grade, I earned my CPR certification after only a few weeks of intense studying and persistent practice on family members at my family's Thanksgiving. Lesson learned: it’s important to learn skills that don't come from a textbook.

In 11th grade, I took the SATs for the first time, ignoring people who ridiculed me for bringing approximately 150 Dixon Ticonderoga number two pencils to the test. In the end, I used only two, but I felt at ease. Lesson learned: do what works for you.

Looking back, I realize just how much seemingly insignificant experiences have prepared me for college and beyond.

I’ve learned a lot of things — except maybe how to start homework before it gets dark, but there's still time for that.

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OPINIONS page 8|december 9, 2016|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

perspectives: Opinions@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 33, ISSUE 4

should masachusetts place passenger restrictions on new drivers? photo illustration by Layla Alvarez

,

it should

it shouldn t

SOPHIE RAVINA

W

hile a driver’s license grants teenagers new freedom, it also introduces safety risks and difficult decisions. The Massachusetts state law prohibits junior operators — licensed teens between the ages of 16 and six months and 18 — from driving any minors outside their families for six months after obtaining their licenses. This law intends to eliminate distractions and keep young drivers focused on the road.

The freedom of driving alone for the first time is thrilling, and state laws that allow new teen drivers to ride with friends may appear more attractive than Massachusetts driving laws. Driving a friend with little experience, however, is a recipe for reckless driving.

In fact, according to the American Automobile Association, the leading cause of teen crashes — responsible for 15 percent of them — is interaction between the passengers before the crash. This form of distraction tops using a cell phone before a crash, which is responsible for 12 percent of teen crashes.

Many teens feel that driving friends or teammates is not a serious threat, but according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) “young drivers tend to overestimate their driving abilities and underestimate the dangers on the road.” Despite what they might think, most teens are unequipped to both handle the distraction of a friend in the passenger seat and maintain focus on the road. Massachusetts is therefore justified in placing passenger restrictions on new drivers.

The National Center for Health Statistics reports that the leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 20 is motor vehicle crashes. Perhaps the high death toll would be lower if all states adopted the six-month driving law that Massachusetts enforces.

Indeed, according to Teen Driver Source, the states that recorded the highest fatality rates per 100,000 teens — 17 to 29.1 deaths — between 2009 and 2010 allow new teen drivers to drive a minor during their first six months with a license.

The only exception is West Virginia, which prohibits teen drivers from driving passengers under 20 within the first six months of being licensed. Massachusetts, by contrast, recorded in the lowest range of fatality rates per 100,000 teens — only 3.9 to 7.2 deaths — in that same period.

Massachusetts must place passenger restrictions on new drivers because crash risk increases with the number of passengers in a car. According to a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2000, the relative risk of death is 1.48 percent for 17-yearold drivers with one passenger, 2.58 percent for those with two passengers, and 3.07 percent for those with three or more passengers.

The authors of the study concluded that this “result supports inclusion of restrictions on carrying passengers in graduated licensing systems for young drivers.”

Teenagers must shoulder many daily pressures, such as grades, college preparation and extracurriculars. Driving a minor before gaining experience only adds to a teenager’s list of pressures. Studies conducted by the IIHS report that 54 percent of teens killed in the passenger seat were in vehicles driven by another teen. Laws in other states that allow anyone to climb in the passenger seat with a relatively new driver put young people’s lives on the line.

Distracted driving can easily put lives at risk and teens are far more likely to get distracted with friends in the car. The Massachusetts law that requires new drivers to wait six months aims to lower the rate of fatal teen accidents; it exists only to benefit, not hurt, young people.

Most teens are unequipped to both handle the distraction of a friend in the passenger seat and maintain focus on the road.

AUDREY CUNNINGHAM

E

arning a driver’s license is an exciting milestone in a teenager’s life.

It means access to faraway places, independence from parents and most importantly, responsibility. The current Massachusetts laws restricting holders of a Junior Operator License (JOL), however, offset many of the perks associated with a driver’s license, unfairly limiting new drivers.

Driving laws in Massachusetts differ from where I got my license. In Wisconsin, I could apply for my permit at 15 and six months, followed by six months of trained instruction.

After that period, I was able to test for my license, which posed one restriction: I was not allowed to drive with more than one minor passenger in the car for nine months. This nine-month “probationary license” would also double the fines of any tickets during that time.

In Massachusetts, teenagers must be at least 16 to apply for a learner’s permit. After six months of trained instruction, they may test for a JOL. This license, however, restricts passengers to driving only family members or other adults for six months, which means that many teenagers cannot drive friends under 18.

To me and many other students I’ve spoken to, this law doesn’t make sense. A peer shared that “not being able to drive with your friends takes away crucial driving experience that is needed to become a safe driver.”

When young drivers don’t get the chance to drive with other minors, they don’t become accustomed to the distractions friends may cause in a car; the Wisconsin law, in contrast, smoothly transitions young drivers into eventually driving multiple friends.

In Massachusetts, however, young drivers do not gain experience with

distraction until they’ve had their license for half a year. Family members may not provide the driver with the same amount of distraction, and thus valuable experience, as a friend might.

A one-minor-passenger restriction can safely transition young drivers to driving with greater distraction. Restricting with whom a new driver may drive decreases distraction potential, which, in turn, reduces the number of accidents committed by new drivers.

According to the Department of Health, the majority of teen accidents occur at night, so accidents are not necessarily passengers’ fault. It would make more sense if Massachusetts driving laws reflected harsher restrictions on night driving as opposed to passengers.

In reality, many junior operators ignore the first-six-months law. The consequence is a 60-day license suspension as well as a $100 fine, and this is only for the first offense.

The infraction also appears on driving records and can be used in a court of law in any future legal altercation. The consequences for benignly driving friends around seem unduly harsh.

Compared to Midwestern states, like Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana, Massachusetts has harsher road laws when it comes to new drivers.

While living in Wisconsin, I learned to manage distractions safely. In gaining experience with driving a minor during the first six months with my license, I was able to resist the temptation to break the law of driving multiple friends under 18, which would not have been the case had I earned my license here.

In conclusion, young Massachusetts drivers are too heavily restricted. Based on my personal experience, I believe new teen drivers should have fewer passenger restrictions.

It would make more sense if Massachusetts driving laws reflected harsher restrictions on night driving.

december 9, 2016|page 9

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|opinions

Caution: Controversy Detected Professed tolerance has led to silenced voices

By Kimia Tabatabaei U.S. government. Bennis has expressed her expert opinions in several articles criticizing the Israeli government and U.S. involvement in the conflict.This incident is unfortunate mainly because students were deprived of the opportunity to learn, from an expert on the topic, about a devastating conflict in Syria that is extremely complex, highly misunderstood and commonly discussed in the mainstream media. This would’ve been an opportunity for the school to discuss the importance of awareness of the world around us and to discuss important current events.

I understand that her viewpoint is one with which some people in Newton might disagree. However, her speech had absolutely nothing to do with the Israel Palestine conflict, and yet because administrators deemed her past comments controversial, she was not permitted to speak at our school.

Director of the Boston branch of the American Civil Liberties Union Sarah Wunsch expressed her disappointment with what happened here at South. She explained to me that in the famous court case of Tinker v. Des Moines (1969), the Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment applies to public schools and that school officials can not censor student expression unless it clearly disrupts the educational process.

The right to freedom of expression includes the freedom to receive or listen to an opinion, whether we agree with it or not. This ruling is essential to guarantee a civil, democratic and tolerant society and as so-

phisticated, educated individuals, we should not be denied the opportunity to to listen to an opposing viewpoint, scrutinize it and form our own opinions. It is not the administration’s prerogative to silence certain voices.

How can any of us be expected to think critically if our school perpetuates a climate of intellectual conformity?

However, among a school’s priorities is managing an academic space in which all students respect one another. Trying to coddle every person’s feeling is both unreasonable and unsustainable. When we leave the overprotective “Newton bubble” and enter the real world, will we remain in a shell of insecurity, fearing the possibility that people will have opinions with which we don’t agree? Or will we rise up, hear the other person out, prepare to engage in thoughtful debate and learn that there are many sides to every story?

I do believe that the administration has created a good balance between freedom and order in our school, as shown by the variety of clubs at South; the administration makes an effort to allow students to express themselves within their own small circles.

School administrators felt that Bennis’ speech would cause controversy and discomfort in our community. Still, according to Wunsch, this fear is not a legitimate reason to prohibit a conversation from happening because controversy does not equate to disruption.

There is no harm in listening to a speaker. There is no danger in thoughtfully debating a topic. There is no threat in respectfully disagreeing with an opinion.

In the Tinker v. Des Moines, the Supreme Court ruled that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate,” which still applies today. By preventing Bennis from speaking, our constitutional rights have been violated. Our rights outlined in the Massachusetts “Right of Students to Freedom of Expression” act have been violated.

I am disappointed in the administration for censoring a magnificent speaker.

I am disappointed because I have grown up thinking that in a vibrant democracy and in an academic environment, criticism of government should be tolerated rather than silenced. Newton is a place where, for the most part, diverse thoughts are encouraged — which is why I have higher standards for us as a community.

Rather than opening our ears to hear other’s opinions, with which we may or may not agree, we have cultivated an environment in which certain voices are devalued and brushed aside.

We must prove to the school that their reservations are ill-founded. We must be open to opportunities that allow us to think critically rather than those that reaffirm our beliefs.

We must show that we have the capacity to listen and to disagree productively.

As citizens of this country and as students in a school that values openmindedness and critical thinking, we should engage in difficult conversations and observe multiple perspectives.

In a time of polarization, it is up to us, as students and as citizens of the “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave,” to be the champions of free speech.

graphic by Isabella Xie

The Latin phrase “Bona mens omnibus patet” — “A good mind is open to all things” — wraps around South’s school seal. For a school that prides itself on an environment of thoughtfulness and tolerance, has South fallen short of its goal?

A dangerous cultural trend has emerged in our school: rather than welcoming the exchange of contrasting opinions and encouraging critical thinking, we have begun to prioritize preventing controversy and sheltering opinions.

On Sept. 21, I asked a South administrator if I could invite Phyllis Bennis to speak to our student body during the school day. As the director of the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, a project focused on steering U.S. policies away from militarism and towards peace, she was invited to discuss the political and refugee crises in Syria and emphasize the importance of student activism in today’s complicated world.

Tufts, Boston College and Brandeis invited Bennis to give the same speech, so she was visiting from Washington D.C. for a brief three-day speaking tour in Massachusetts.

Bennis is considered an expert who has served as an adviser to top United Nations officials, but no South student could hear this prominent intellectual speak.

South did not allow me to invite Bennis for fear of potential backlash from members of our community. Phyllis Bennis was not invited because she firmly believes that the equal human rights of Palestinians and Israelis must be prioritized over political preferences. She believes that now, both one- and two-state solutions should remain on the table, however, any final decision should be made by the two parties themselves and not from the

page 10|december 9, 2016

opinions|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Anti-Science Politics: It’s Not Just the Right by mitch gamburg

In politics, the Right frequently rejects scientific fact. Anti-science positions range from illogical to dangerous: some argue that evolution is only a theory suggested by some scientists, while others purposefully peddle misinformation about contraception and female reproductive care. Still others, of course, disregard climate change and its massive humanitarian threat.

Caught in the fervor surrounding these outrageous claims, people ignore the anti-science opinions of those on the other side of the aisle, whose points of view are almost never discussed. While they may not present arguments as apocalyptic as “climate change is a hoax,” they, too, pose a threat to U.S. citizens’ well-being.

The Left favors three major antiscience opinions, the first of which is resistance to vaccination. Leaders of the movement overwhelmingly lean left, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that states with the greatest vaccine exemptions are heavily blue, while those with the least exemptions are red.

The idea that vaccines cause autism is, however, untrue: no scientific evidence shows that vaccines are harmful, and the only paper ever published suggesting otherwise was entirely fudged. Still, this movement persists and grows, contributing to multiple outbreaks of disease including a measles outbreak in Disneyland in 2015.

Unfortunately, pseudoscientific claims extend to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as well. The Left’s

paranoia about genetically modified crops, stemming from generalized claims of agriculture company Monsanto’s nonexistent threat to our food and health, is entirely unfounded.

Scientific consensus overwhelmingly finds that GMOs have no negative health effects. More importantly, farmers have utilized genetic modification for centuries by breeding crops selectively.

In fact, GMOs are extremely beneficial: genetic modifications can make crops insect and weather resistant to increase crop yields dramatically, making GMOs essential to feeding the growing world population. Vitamin-reinforced rice, or ‘golden rice,’ saves the lives of hundreds of thousands of children with vitamin A deficiency in southeast Asia.

GMOs also contribute to a massive decrease in insecticides. While Monsanto and other GMO corporations’ abusive monetary practices may justify criticism, the genetically modified foods themselves are unequivocally beneficial.

Finally, the Left remains steadfastly opposed to nuclear energy, even though it promises to eliminate greenhouse gases from energy production. The ability to harness nuclear fusion has the potential to provide us with unlimited energy; once unlocked, nuclear energy could solve the world’s energy problems.

Despite this potential, the Left fears the nuclear waste that sometimes accompanies nuclear energy facilities. This waste, however, is significantly less dangerous than the carbon dioxide, carcinogens and

particles that greenhouse gases and fossil fuels contain. Overall, disposing of nuclear waste is easier than any other byproduct of energy production. In a way, the Left stands in its own way in terms of climate change progress.

How did the political atmosphere reach this point?

Both parties adhere to ideologies that tend to dismiss science and facts: the Right sticks to religious scripture and works against big government, whereas the Left prioritizes the safety of people and the environment, while fearing the damage corporations might cause to American society.

In all three examples, the Left believes that profit motive excluding any consideration of humanity drives corporations, deeming them a source of suffering: pharmaceutical corporations produce dangerous substances to cut costs, Monsanto and friends pump dangerous chemicals and DNA into our food and energy corporations spit out dangerous waste to make a quick buck.

The Right certainly deserves criticism for its disbelief in climate change and evolution, but criticism of anti-science beliefs must impartially target the entire political spectrum. The media has left the Left’s anti-science tendencies unexamined and unrefuted.

As a society, we must either stand against any factual inaccuracies that pervade our public discourse or face the consequences when that misinformation impacts public policy.

In 2014, 22 percent of Democrats said parents should be able to decide not to vaccinate their children, compared to 29 percent of Republicans.

In 2014, 56 percent of Democrats said it’s generally unsafe to eat GMOs, compared to 51 percent of Republicans.

In 2014, 62 percent of Democrats opposed building more nuclear power plants to generate electricity, compared to 37 percent of Republicans. infographic by Clare Martin source of information: Pew Research Center

The Ugly Cost of Stress BY lizy szanton

There’s nothing romantic about working past midnight. It’s not cute when your desk is an acceptable substitute for a bed. Newton seems to agree, for the most part, that students are overworked and overstressed. I, like many others, want to blame my teachers for tossing out homework like candy from a parade float, the college process for making high school feel like a long, frenetic rehearsal and the administrators for not staging an intervention when half the students walk around like zombies. But in my heart, I know these statements are hardly fair. A school is made up of students, and ultimately, we decide the culture of our school.

It’s difficult to discuss South’s culture without mentioning grades. I roll my eyes when math teachers whip out their growth mindset surveys at the beginning of the year, but I passionately want to believe that learning matters more than report cards.

If my spongy mind is soaking up the mysteries of the universe, why should I pay attention to the little percentage on Schoology that tries to tell me what kind of student I am? Why do I spend half an hour on a Spanish worksheet at 1 a.m. instead of going to bed? Wouldn’t it be better to have the energy to learn in class than to shuffle through the halls trying to make it through the day?

Sometimes the “get good grades”

track is easier than learning. Maybe if I had my priorities straight, I’d read random Spanish literature instead of doing a meaningless grammar worksheet, or I’d protest or advocate legislation at the statehouse when history class just isn’t fulfilling. But school is draining enough as it is.

The famous psychologist Abraham Maslow constructed a pyramid: at the bottom are the “physiological” needs: food, water, warmth and rest. From there stems the need for safety and security, then love and belonging, then self-esteem. At the top lies self-actualization — ideally, the focus of our education. Maslow theorizes that humans are incapable of focusing on the top of the pyramid until they satisfy all needs below it.

If nearly half of all students come to school se-

verely sleep-deprived, and if many at South feel unsafe in their hallways, can we learn?

Grades can offer a sort of comfort.

An A is a tangible reassurance of effort and intelligence, while “true learning,” if such a thing exists, is uncharted territory most of us can’t bring ourselves to explore at 7:40 a.m. on a Monday morning.

Yet the problem stretches beyond the conflict between learning and grades. Regardless of class level or GPA, many students seem willing to put themselves through a certain degree of suffering. To South, I pose the questions: Whom is it for? And is it worth it?

I have the insistent idea in my mind that suffering is noble or praiseworthy.

Perhaps in the spirit of selfim-

provement, it is. After all, won’t we master the balance of coffee and power naps by 18 and learn the vital skills of maintaining relationships and social media profiles under the pressure of college applications?

Won’t this pain be useful one day? I don’t think so. This frantic culture is dangerous because it teaches us to “deal” with the very things we should be resisting.

High school is not a rehearsal for the real world; it is the real world. Our lives begin not at graduation, but on the day we start making our own choices. High school is a time for experimentation — we have a certain freedom to act like fools and chalk it up to our youth, not yet carrying the responsibility of adults.

Our lives today matter. I want all of us to wake up feeling whole. I want us to lift each other up until our pyramids of needs fill up and brim over. I want us to stop using competitive stress as a sick form of currency.

I am a hypocrite. I think too much about grades, college and honors classes, yearning to channel the illogical need to feel extraordinary into something concrete. I deny my body sleep. But it is time for change. I hope we as students can examine our larger insecurities, think about the life we want to be living and maybe delete the Schoology app while graphic by Josh Finkel we’re at it.

campus chatter december 9, 2016|page 11

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|opinions

UPGRADE

9 Freeform’s 25 days of Christmas

The Lion’s Roar asked...

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

National Cupcake Day on Dec. 15

“I like opening presents with my family.”

- Matthew Gonzalez, Class of 2020

Hanukkah over break

“My favorite tradition is making twice baked potatoes, we always make the same meal every year together.”

- Vanessa Yee, Class of 2019

Eggnog and gingerbread cookies Finally finishing off turkey leftovers

“I guess Christmas ... I just like the atmosphere, everything’s always cheerful.”

- Sheetal Krovi, Class of 2018

Making New Year’s resolutions

“[For Christmas, usually] all of my family comes over.”

Doing Secret Santa in advisory

9

DOWNGRADE

Kanye West’s breakdown Only one week of vacation Fake news on Facebook Overcrowded stores 9 hours of sunlight Heating your car before leaving for school Tests on the day before break

- Jared Goodfriend, Class of 2017

photos by Katherine Armstrong

Sounds of 2016

by Finn o’rourke A Seat at the Table - Solange Knowles

Lemonade - Beyoncé

2016 has been a rough year, plagued with a messy presidential election, countless social problems and the deaths influential musicians.

Through these struggles, however, a few artists managed to produce some of the best music in recent years.

Popular artists experimented with interesting new sounds, our favorite musicians dropped surprise albums and many iconic artists used their fame and influence to address issues facing society. There were an unreal number of amazing albums released this year; I picked five of the best.

The fourth best album is “A Seat at the Table” by R&B singer Solange Knowles. On her third full-length studio album, Knowles sings about the struggle and pride of black women in today’s society.

The background music is simple, but compliments her singing perfectly. In the song “Cranes in the Sky,” Knowles, in singing about the ways she copes with her personal struggles as an African-American woman, raises the topic of injustices not commonly acknowledged, like the physical and mental abuse that black women experience.

The second best album is “Lemonade” by world-renowned R&B and pop singer Beyoncé.

She released her sixth solo album with an accompanying film as a surprise project in late April. Similarly to her sister’s album, “Lemonade” discusses what it’s like to be a black woman in 2016. In songs like “Hold Up,” “Sorry” and “Sandcastles,” she tackles marital issues and reveals her recent relationship difficulties with husband Jay Z. On songs like “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” “Freedom” and “Formation,” Beyoncé’s powerful voice calls for equality and pride.

Teens of Denial - Car Seat Headrest

Skeleton Tree - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

At number five is “Teens of Denial” by Car Seat Headrest, a Seattle-based indie rock band. Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Will Toledo sings about problems facing teens and young adults while playing some of the most memorable indie guitar sounds I’ve heard. In the song “(Joe Gets Kicked Out of School For Using) Drugs With Friends (But Says This Isn’t a Problem)” Toledo empathizes with those who believe getting high will relax them but, who, after using, end up feeling much worse than before. This song is one of many relatable ones that Car Seat Headrest showcases on the album.

A Moon Shaped Pool - Radiohead

The best album of 2016 is by Radiohead, one of few popular modern rock bands that Number three is music legend Nick Cave continues to release good music. Radiohead’s last and the Bad Seeds’ release of one of its most album, “The King of Limbs,” lacked the human emotional albums to date, “Skeleton Tree.” emotion present in their previous releases, but Singer-songwriter Cave has composed countless this album opens with an intense track, “Burn songs about loss, sadness and death, sentiments the Witch, ” in which singer-songwriter Thom he experienced particularly potently last July Yorke discusses today’s harsh political climate. when his 15-year-old son passed away. This Songs like “Identikit, ” “The Numbers” and tragedy occurred during the recording of “Skel“Present Tense” are unlike anything we’ve heard eton Tree” and became an integral part of the before.

“True Love Waits” discusses the growing album; in almost every song, you can feel the disconnect between people. pain and sorrow Cave endured as he sings over As a whole, “A Moon Shaped Pool” is real eerie and melodic synthesizers. In this album, and interesting, qualities that make it the best Cave delivers one of his most beautiful and pasalbum of 2016. sionate vocal performances.

FIGHTING OVER /FEM•I•NISM/ Different interpretations of feminism impact support

By Emily Belt and Sophie Lu Continued from front page supports equal rights you are inherently someone who supports feminism.”

According to Fredric Hayward, founder of Men’s Rights Inc., the definition of feminism is the root of opposition towards the movement.

“My dictionary says that feminism is the advocacy of women for the same social, political and economic rights enjoyed by men. I do support that. But that’s all it says.

It doesn’t say the advocacy for men for the same social, political and economic rights enjoyed by women,” Hayward said. “[That’s why] I define myself as an equalist.”

Founder of FEM Club and ‘15 graduate Hannah Elbaum said that this debate first arose when she founded the club in 2014.

“Several people wanted us to rename the club the gender equality movement instead of FEM. … [We] basically said that is why we need to name it something using feminism because there is this fear of the word,” Elbaum said. “What [they were] talking about and what we were talking about [was] the same thing, but the fear of the word [challenged the movement].”

Junior Aidan Sutherland said he questions the movement’s motives.

“The true definition and how it should be followed is the equality of the sexes,” he said.

The largest stigma surrounding the movement is the concept of feminism’s disempowerment of men, junior Jenna Rubin said.

“Especially at South, many people associate feminism and FEM Club with trying to bring down guys, but that’s not the case,” she said.

Other stigmas surrounding the feminist movement prevail at South specifically, said junior Eitan Joseph.

“There is a stigma that they ... are always finding things to get upset over.

[They] hate men, have multiple tattoos and

piercings and blame the government for why they can’t get a job,” he said.

Greiner explained that some negative perceptions of feminism at South go back over 40 years to the start of the movement’s second wave.

“Starting in the ‘70s, there was this idea that feminism was associated with unfeminine behavior ... feminism meant being angry, aggressive and loud in the anti-marriage grant,” he said. “Feminists became unfairly defined as being against things instead of being for equality. I think when feminism was associated with certain extremes within the movement, it turned into a negative thing.”

[Feminism is] just the belief in social, economic and political equality of women.

Jonathan Greiner, history teacher Feminist activist and Harvard University senior Talia Weisberg said that religion can play a role in vilifying feminism, citing her orthodox Jewish community as an example.

“If you are a feminist [my religious community suggests], you must not be sufficiently religious because if you were actually religious, you would understand that we don’t need feminism, we are better than feminism — that kind of perspective that our allegiance is to the religion, not another group.”

Freshman Maiya Cicmil said feminists should actively destigmatize the movement, especially in the face of religious conflicts and the specific debates that arise at South.

“Sometimes, people just don’t know, so education is important,” Cicmil said. “[For example,] I ask, ‘Do you believe

women should have a choice to be what they want to be?’ and they say, ‘Yeah,’ and I say, ‘Well then you’re a feminist.’”

Junior Sarah Goldstein said that feminism must expand across the gender divide.

“Having more male representatives of feminism [is important because] if you get the guys on board, it’s a much stronger movement,” she said. It’s clear that this [movement] isn’t just for women’s rights, it’s for all rights.”

Though opening the conversation to other genders could endanger safe sharing spaces for women, sophomore Ilana Axelrod-Freed said, it is a necessary step towards equality.

“You want to make [the conversation] safe, but at the same time, you want boys to also feel welcomed and join in on the conversation and be educated and be feminists,” she said.

Former University of Los Angeles Gender Studies professor Hugo Schwyzer added that men do not always realize that feminism benefits everyone.

“If women aren’t equal to men, women will be forced to be dishonest with men in order to survive,” he said. “Women will marry for survival, not love. If women are truly equal, men can feel chosen for who they are and not what they can provide [for] women.”

Weisberg added that celebrities who openly join the movement play an important role in fighting the negative connotations.

“When people like Emma Watson come out and say that they’re a feminist, I think that’s a really useful step,” Weisberg said. “Having someone widely regarded as being really cool and awesome and doing great things say they’re a feminist kind of reclaims that word.”

Now more than ever, South students need to fight for equality, Lovett said.

Continued on next page

photo illustration by Bailey Kroner

page 14|December 9, 2016

CenterFold|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Continued from previous page “With all of the problems that have been happening recently and all of the sexual harassment and sexism, especially at our school, we haven’t acknowledged [gender disparity] until now, and now that we realize it, it’s just one [step] closer to stopping it,” he said.

Cicmil agreed that South classrooms still lack equality.

“Whenever a guy calls out, most times a teacher will [say], ‘Stop calling out,’ and that will be the end of it, but if a girl calls out, she will be penalized a lot more for it,” Cicmil said.

Recently, issues have expanded beyond the classroom, Rubin added.

Last month, the administration dealt with allegations that some boys sitting at the L-Bench were catcalling, rating and harassing girls walking past.

“I think shutting down the L-Bench for the time being is a solution, but it’s not the answer — the perpetrators are finding other places,” Rubin said. “I think the only real way to solve this issue is to educate and explain feminism as the fight for equal rights.

Shiner agreed and added that FEM club has already started to clarify the meaning of feminism.

“Our goal is to empower feminists at South and globally promote a message of accepting intersectional feminism,” she said. “We work to create a more positive dialogue surrounding feminism throughout school.”

Despite FEM club’s efforts, some still said promoting feminism at South is unnecessary. Sophomore Ilya Rudyak explained that the L-Bench poses no

problems.

“I don’t think catcalling is a big deal at all. … It doesn’t put women down,” he said. “American feminism is selfishness and ignorance. There is actual feminism, such as feminism in the Middle East where women get slaughtered every day and are suppressed and equal rights are actually missing there,” he said.

Ziller added that feminism does not represent everyone’s opinions and is therefore unnecessary.

“We don’t need someone claiming to be our voice when we have a voice.

There are a lot of women in society who are very conservative and don’t think along feminist lines, and there are a lot of women who are very liberal, but who think men are the disenfranchised sex.

There are so many types of women, … so not all women are feminists.”

Shiner said she suggests people learn more about the movement before jumping to conclusions.

“I encourage anybody who’s unsure about this whole movement and unsure of how to take a stand to take it upon themselves to learn more about feminism,” Shiner said. “Women’s rights are human rights, and feminism is a human rights issue and something that we should all stand behind.”

Weisberg encouraged students to take action regardless of their view.

“It is good for people to identify with feminists, but at the end of the day, if someone is doing something that I would call feminist and are just making the world a better place [without adopting] the label of feminism, ... I think that’s totally legit and valid,” Weisberg said.

63.6 percent 54.9 percent

98.5 percent

EQUALITY BY THE

NUMBERS

infographic by Emily Belt photo illustrations by Bailey Kroner

of South students support the equality of the sexes

of South students believe the sexes are unequal at school

of South students identify as feminists

FEATURES page 15|December 9, 2016|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

FEATURES@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 33, ISSUE 4

The Island School

Senior Sammy Burnham spent his spring at a hands-on, experiential school in the Bahamas

By Rayna Song, Ella Biggs and Sara Teitleman

W

hile his peers were home studying in snow-covered buildings last year, senior Sammy Burnham was left on a beach for two days with a bagel, a small block of cheese and an orange.

During the second semsester of junior year, Sammy spent 100 days in the Bahamas for a place-based, experiential program called The Island School.

Instead of sitting in class preparing to take the AP U.S. history exam, Sammy said that he had the opportunity to learn in a more hands-on environment.

“There are a lot of different classes like marine ecology, research and anything in the water. You could go scuba diving and look at the reef ecosystems,” he said. “Research was one of my favorite classes because we studied bull sharks. In my group, we tagged sharks and measured where they were and where they went.”

Attending The Island School is a family trend, Sammy’s father Stephen Burnham said. Both of Sammy’s older siblings attended the school during the first semesters of their junior years, but had difficulty returning to regular classes at South.

“I decided to go in the spring and it worked a lot better. I definitely missed stuff course-wise but it wasn’t that big of a deal coming back,” Sammy said.

While attending a school in the Bahamas may sound relaxing, the school pushed the students to work harder and challenge themselves both physically and mentally, Sammy said.

“I can’t really stress the physical stuff enough, because you wake up and you exercise every morning five days a week and then you have to really stick with it. It’s really disciplined,” he said.

In addition to classes, Sammy and his peers were required to run a half marathon, swim for a mile and survive for 48 hours alone on a beach.

“Just staying enthusiastic throughout things was hard. I mean, I didn’t get that homesick in the beginning, [though] a lot of people did,” he said. “It was just hard to push myself.”

Senior Peter Stephens said that the school was a perfect fit for Sammy because of his passion for sailing, swimming and running.

“He’s definitely just very comfortable being himself. He’s very comfortable in a lot of difficult situations,” he said. “He’s a very hard worker. He always strives to do his best. He always wants to be at the top, and he works as hard as he can.”

Senior Malea Gorin added that

Sammy came home with many exciting stories to share.

Sammy’s guidance counselor Donna Segal agreed and added that as an Eagle Scout and professional sailor, the trip allowed him to delve deeper into interests he might not have the opportunity to explore fully at home.

“The program was based on a lot of experiential learning. There was some academical learning, but there was also learning outside of the classroom,” she said.

“Knowing Sammy, that is his sweet spot; that is what he loves to do. He loves to do things outside of the classroom, non-traditional learning.”

Sammy described the program as the best experience of his life, and Segal said that she believes he was able to truly challenge himself.

“I think that the program helped him to further build his skills in terms of his development and his knowledge of outdoor activities and what it is like to be involved in non-traditional academic learning,” she said.

In addition, Sammy became more independent while he was away, senior Marianne Yu said.

“I think that trip fits him perfectly,” she said. “I would not go on a trip like that just because I know I would probably die.

I have no knowledge about survival skills at all. I don’t even know how to start a fire.

I think that is something for him, not for me.”

AP Language and Composition teacher Alexander Kaplan said that Sammy is always a prepared student. He added that more students should push themselves to learn from difficult situations.

“I’m in favor of that, exploring it. I’m interested in seeing how students learn in a variety of different situations,” he said.

“There’s something to be said for academic learning, and there’s something to be said for hands on learning” Though it was a challenging endeavor, Sammy recommended the program for anyone interested in pushing themselves and learning in a different setting.

Sammy said his greatest takeaway was his 48-hour survival task, when he found himself going for walks on the beach often, especially while trying to avoid bugs at night.

He said that during that time he was able to reflect deeply.

“It was a great experience,” he said.

“As soon as I saw the other students afterwards, I was incredibly grateful to not be alone anymore.”

photos courtesy of The Island School and Sammy Burnham

At The Island School, Sammy participated in activities like sailing and scuba diving.

hooked on

page 16|December 9, 2016

Features|THELionsRoar.com|THE LION’S ROAR

schooloGY Schoology extends the classroom but sharpens students’ grade focus

By Jessica Altman, Zoe Golub and Maggie Kenslea

S

ophomore Natalie Boll refreshes her Schoology account at least three times a day. “[I] will be like ‘Oh my gosh, [my grade has] has dropped a percentage,” she said. “Even if it drops half a percent, I just get so stressed and worked up and already think of ways to bring the grade up.”

South integrated Schoology into the Newton Public Schools (NPS) curriculum in 2012 to simplify and improve the outof-classroom experience for both students and teachers, history teacher Rachael McNally said. Increased access to homework assignments, online quizzes and course grades, however, may cause more stress for students than satisfaction.

According to sophomore Jacob Wang, Schoology keeps his school work organized.

“It is really simple and easy to use.

It has everything in the same place, so that finding stuff in every class is the same way,” he said.

Chemistry teacher Teresa Marshall, new to South this year, agreed with Wang about Schoology’s usefulness. “[Schoology] gives me a way to post assignments so that everybody can have access to it immediately, instead of having to always hand out paper copies,” she said. “[I]n my ideal world, every student would have every teacher using Schoology, at least for major assignments so that they really

have a one-stop-shop at home in terms of knowing what big things are due,” McNally said.

Schoology helps both students and teachers as an online extension of class, according to Marshall. However, she added that Schoology can affect a student’s level of engagement when they begin to rely on it more than themselves.

“I hope that [Schoology] helps people keep track of what’s coming up,” she said. “But if I start expecting people to only use Schoology ... some students may miss that there is something coming out, so I think that [Schoology] still needs to be balanced with clear instruction in class.”

Junior Colleen McElduff added that when she misses class Schoology helps her stay on track, but she said that she uses Schoology mainly to analyze her grades and set goals.

“I think a lot of the times, you look at what you have in the class, and then if you have a test coming up, you focus so much on [a grade] you need to get to get

the grade that you want for the term,” she said.

For junior Cameron Quadra, pressure to maintain his grade for college applications elevates his stress levels, and Schoology only heightens that stress.

Constant access to course grades can be extremely detrimental to student self-esteem; in turn interfering with their learning, English teacher Michael Kennedy said.

“There is a negative impact on students who are getting the message that [essentially], they are their grade,” he said.

“They think about teaching and learning in terms of getting grades.”

Kennedy added that Schoology’s constant availability fuels academic insecurities, which often cause them to blow grades out of proportion. “[Students will ask] ‘How am I doing?’ and then the teacher gets to ask ‘Well, how well do you feel that you’re understanding what is going on in class?’” he said. “Sometimes that grade doesn’t

accurately reflect either what the student does know and can do or doesn’t know and cannot do.”

Senior Sarah Alpert agreed with Kennedy and said her habit of frequently checking Schoology builds on her stress.

While the immediacy of Schoology often promotes unwarranted anxiety in students, the lack thereof is equally disconcerting, Boll said.

“Last year, my English teacher didn’t use Schoology, and it was really hard because I didn’t know what my grade was,” she said. “It could’ve been a C or an A, and I didn’t know.”

Kennedy, who is not a Schoology user, said that some of his students appreciate their lack of constant access to grades. He added that he devised a successful alternative for frustrated students.

“I say, ‘Well, come have a conversation with me. Let’s look at my gradebook and let’s look at a guesstimate. Let’s look at the categories, let’s look at the feedback that you already have, ... and then let’s remember what I haven’t had a chance to grade yet,’” he said.

Kennedy added that Schoology is a part of a larger conflict at South between education and technology.

“My concern is that technology is becoming a distraction,” he said. “Are we going to become the school that has lots of technology [but] a distracted student body and a distracted faculty?”

graphic by Rachel Honigsberg

December 9, 2016|page 17

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Features

THE

COMMONAPPLICATION

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

By Celine Yung

N

ate decided to apply Early Decision to Cornell University instead of Brown University. He also applied Early Action to the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Dartmouth College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

The majority of schools Nate is applying to are engineering-based schools.

Accordingly, he said his top choice school is MIT. “I’ve also taken a couple courses [at MIT],” he said. “I like the community they project, [and] there are a lot of opportunities on campus that I would very much like to be involved in.”

For Regular Decision, Nate plans to apply to Tufts University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Early in the application process, Nate said he felt well-prepared due to the amount of application-related work he completed over the summer.

“Now, all I have to do is wait, which is honestly a little bit more difficult than the writing process,” he said.

E

leanor applied Early Decision to Boston University (BU), which she said has always been her top choice.

“Since high school, all I’ve done preparing for college is preparing to go to BU,” she said. “I’ve been doing everything possible to get into BU, such as taking summer courses there and now [applying] Early Decision.”

Eleanor said she had a general set of criteria for the schools she chose to apply to: rank from the US News and World Report, ranking average GPAs and SAT scores, cost and location, which would preferably be in the Northeast.

Aside from BU, Eleanor is also planning to apply to UMass Amherst, North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Binghamton University.

Throughout the application process, Eleanor said that South Stage has been invaluable to her as a de-stressor.

“I do feel like there is [...] too much hype around college apps, and that makes people [...] feel obligated to feel stressed about it.”

R

ufus was accepted Early Action to Tulane University, and said he was overyjoyed at his acceptance email.

“When I first got it, I read it three times over, just to make sure it was what I thought it was,” he said. “I want to see all my other options ... but I’d definitely be very happy going to [Tulane].”

Since Early Action is non-binding, he also applied Early Action to Fordham University, the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and the University of Vermont. Since Rufus has not yet picked a favorite, he said he wants to keep his options open. “[My] grades from first term were good, so I’m hoping they’ll open up more possibilities,” he said.

Rufus said the pressure of balancing college and grades pushed him to perform better than ever academically, though his focus has taken a toll on his social life.

“I lost some of my friends because I wasn’t able to see them at all,” he said. “I’m kind of hoping second term ends quickly, so I can start hanging out with them more often.”

G

graphics by Celine Yung

eorgina applied Early Decision to both the Minerva Schools at Keck Graduate Institute and Barnard College. After being rejected from Minerva, she is waiting to hear from Barnard.

“I got to be the first one on the Wall of Shame, which was great,” she said. “I’m glad that I took the risk because Minerva’s application was so cool and interactive.”

For Regular Decision, Georgina is planning to apply to Tufts University, Sarah Lawrence College, Smith College, Vassar College and Boston University. “In light of the election, it’s really important for me to spend my next four years at a liberal arts institution,” she said.

Although BU is not a small school, Georgina said it is an important option for her because of its financial aid packages.

While Georgina was rejected from one of her top choice schools, she said she is still optimistic. “I feel lucky that I have three dream schools,” she said. “I had Minerva, and now, I have Barnard and Smith.” *Names changed to protect students’ identities

CrammeD Students struggle to balance academic and extracurricular J block commitments

By Libby Jin, Lanie McLeod and Dina Zeldin

W

ith only 40 minutes to split between checking in with teachers, club meetings and preparing for athletic commitments, south students often struggle to prioritize their limited J block time, history teacher Marcia Okun said.

Choosing academics over extracurricular activities, English teacher Samuel Lee added, can be difficult or even detrimental for some students.

“If you look forward to one thing in your day, then I do not want to take that time away from you because that could be a club or a sport that defines you,” he said.

“While you could review vocab or grammar that one extra time, I do not want to be the person that prevents you from being you.”

Okun agreed and said that J block is a good time for activities or quiet work,

photo illustration by Bailey Kroner

providing a break between the school day and homework.

“I have a first-come first-serve sign up for J blocks. When students come and there are already students signed up to meet with me, they can either use the opportunity to do some work, or they can use it as down time,” she said. “In some cases, the down time is the best use of their time. Six-hour days are long, and if [the students] don’t get another time to relax, then they are not going to be productive moving forward.”

For Senior Gethin Binns, meeting with teachers is the best use of his J blocks.

“You can always make up the club work later, and I haven’t actually been in a leadership position before this year, so [academics have] always taken priority for me,” Binns said.

Unlike Binns, freshman Ethan

Zheng said he walks home before J block because he believes he is more productive working at home.

“When I meet with teachers, I spend a lot of time beating around the bush or waiting for other kids to finish before I can actually meet with the teacher,” he said.

With J block at the end of the day, South students are not as productive as they could be, according to history teacher Lily Eng. “Other schools have it middle of the day, but they’re mandatory,” she said. “That would take ... restructuring the schedule.”

Lee said that the High School Start Time Working Group should consider rearranging the structure the school day, to include a period for students to exclusively meet with teachers. This would help him to better reach some students.

“A lot of students who move up a

level or are part of the initiative to close the achievement gap require extra care.

They require more than we can give them in class,” he said. “When I ask to meet with them after class for J blocks, they have to go to sports, or they have to go to work.

We could schedule it where there are no clubs, and students have to meet with teachers. [Moving J block] would be very useful.”

Beyond its role as an academic necessity, Lee also said that J blocks allow him to form relationships with students outside classroom hours.

“I might ask someone to come by J block,” Lee said, “not necessarily because they have work to catch-up on, but because I want to know what is going on in their lives.”

Additional reporting by Noah Shelton

Lee’s Burger Place 216 Sumner St. Newton, MA 02459 Tel. 617 795 2022

December 9, 2016|page 19

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|FUN PAGE

Our One Day of School Spirit

South Crime Watch Editors’ Note: Individuals are presumed guilty until proven innocent.

THEFT Dec. 3, Wheeler Enterance Following the construction of the brick pizza oven, 17 buffalo chicken pizzas and five extra bricks were reported missing.

ILLEGAL TRAFICKING Dec. 6, Brandeis Rd. A group of seniors was seen removing traffic cones from underneath carports in the senior lot. Detectives followed them to Needham, where they were allegedly selling the cones for profit.

IMPERSONATION Dec. 4, Goldrick Lab A gang of eighth graders was caught hacking the school’s network in an attempt to guarantee admission to South next year. They allegedly used Goldrick Dean Park Tanks’s login credentials.

MAIL FRAUD Dec. 7, Waban A senior was reportedly admitted to an an undisclosed Ivy League university after claiming to be “Jesus incarnate” on his Common Application.

VANDALISM Dec. 5, Wall of Shame A senior was found posting acceptance letters on the Wall of Shame, thus degrading the wall’s integrity. “How rude,” a passerby said.

graphic by Sophie Galowitz

Overheard at SOUTH Yes, we heard you say that.

Ruthless teacher: “You think Trump is scary? Wait until you see your next project.”

Health class ditcher: “Pregnancy is the worst STI.” Cafeteria fanatic: “It’s the meatball life. It’s the meatball life!”

Future dermatolagist: “You say ‘sauce’ one more time, and I will slash that pimple off of your neck.”

Congested Romantic: “My heart says ‘yes,’ but my sinuses say ‘no.’”

Adorable Roar Staff Photo of the Month:

Embarrassing Roar Staff Photo of the Month:

Patti shows his tenacious smile and T-rex teeth

Na shows her smoulder as the infamous Tigger.

COREY SAMUELS Sr. Fun Editor

I

BFFLS & Bad Puns

can’t believe it. I can’t freaking believe it. First, they evicted Powder Puff.

Then, they asked us to forgo College Apparel Day. Now this? The Pep Rally?

They wanted to take away the one day we have left, the only event that South has when we can come together and celebrate what distinguishes our school.

They wanted to crush the fun in one of the only spirited events at our school, to remove any sense of joy that comes from standing united with your fellow classmates, cheering on your friends and peers. Perhaps there were other events in years past, when the administration cared about fostering a community that was proud of the school, but nowadays, there simply aren’t any other days — ­ aside from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving — in which the school can unite and celebrate just for the sake of celebrating.

Except, I suppose, for the Fall Classic the senior class hosted on Sunday.

And then, there was the Corn show two days before that. I guess there was the boy’s football game on Thanksgiving Day, too. And, we had a half hour in which the entire school was sanctioned as a stage for musical and theatrical performances for the entire South community — both students and faculty — to participate in and enjoy.

Oh yeah, didn’t our girls soccer team win like, every game this year? But, there were only, like, 10 games here at South almost immediately after school ended. I feel like I’ve heard of the theatre department putting on plays and musicals every once in a while for entire weekends at a time. I think we hosted a playoff game for volleyball, too, this fall.

The boys’ soccer game against North in which we qualified for States was supposedly pretty lit. So was the one under the lights.

Those are just off the top of my head. But if I had to choose one single other day, I suppose I could choose from any of the following dates: December 16. Looks like there’s a ton going on that day. December 20. Tons of winter sports happening. Pretty sure there’s a winter Pops concert somewhere in here. Oh, and doesn’t the entire chorus carol through the school the day before holiday break begins?

Too many dates to name in January.

Basically all of the days in January. The weekend of February 9th - Commedia Dell’Arte Play, whatever that is. Probably some dates in late February or early March for playoffs. March 16, 17 and 18 RENT. Feel like I’ve heard of that one.

Tons of dates in the spring for sports, I’m sure. Whenever Tertulia is...

I think on April 27, 28 and 29, South students get to direct their own plays and musicals. The Faculty Variety Show is somewhere in here.

May 18 - The Shakespeare play.

It’s happening on the 19 and 20 too.The second Passin’ Time should be about here. More spring sports, if I’m a betting person. Obvi not on high school sports.

The Pops concert at the end of the year.

Semi, Prom … Graduation too.

But, come on. I’ve got stuff going on literally every single one of those days.

SPORTS page 20|december 9, 2016|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

sports@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 33, ISSUE 4

Fighting chance Sophomores Jonathan Chen and Sabrina Gee earn gold at World Hung Kuen Competition

By Kevin Granfield and Dorra Guermazi

W

hile many South students traveled out of state to see family over Thanksgiving break, sophomores Jonathan Chen and Sabrina Gee made a much different kind of journey: their Kung Fu talents vaulted them into global recognition at the World Hung Kuen Competition in China.

Chen and Gee, students at Calvin Chin’s Martial Arts Academy, Inc. in Newton Highlands, flew to Hong Kong for the Second Annual World Hung Kuen Competition. Chin’s academy brought home a tournament-high 25 total medals, to which Chen contributed three golds and Gee brought two golds and one silver.

According to chief instructor and owner Calvin Chin, his academy stresses a conventional, centuries-old approach to Kung Fu. “Our mission actually is to promote and preserve traditional Chinese martial arts,” he said. “The parents enrolled them as part of a cultural experience ... that’s been passed down for generations.”

At the tournament, Chen and Gee performed Hung Kuen, a type of Kung Fu in which they have trained for years, before a panel of judges. Despite the unfamiliar conditions under which the two performed, Chen said his intensive training and experience helped him succeed.

“I’ve been competing for a couple years now, so really we have a set form,” Chen said. “It’s a bunch of movements. It’s pretty much choreographed.”

The overseas travel proved to be an exciting and interesting experience, Chen added.

“It was my first time going abroad for a tournament,” he said.

“Beforehand, I’d only done stuff in the U.S.A. — pretty much East Coast, and this was also my first time in China, so it was all a new experience.”

Gee and Chen agreed that

their previous participation at local and national tournaments has helped them outside of the sport, developing their focus and work ethic. Chen attributed this growth to the sport’s repetitive nature.

Freshman Zach Iwatsuki, another student from the academy, agreed that martial arts can benefit both the minds and bodies of its practitioners by teaching not only physical strength, but mental discipline.

Chin said that both Chen and Gee, members of his performance team, pair this determination with experience to excel, even when under pressure.

“They have competed in other events and they do performances outside for cultural events, so they’ve evolved that way,” he said.

“But to go to China and compete on this global level, you just can’t do it your first time around and achieve.

So they’ve built some experience and some confidence and skill throughout the years.”

Senior Rebecca Shaar, who trains at the Martial Arts Academy with Gee and Chen, said that their love for the sport has allowed them to connect with people from all over the country, especially at international competitions.

“I think one of the unique things about it is that in Kung Fu, we really built a community with the people around the country that we’ve met and we all keep in touch,” she said. “Competition is such a great opportunity because when you are exposed to being in an environment with people from other communities, that’s when you really build friendships.” “[Kung Fu] is fun because it’s like a big family,” Iwatsuki added. “You get to meet a lot of new people, especially at tournaments.”

Chen said that one interesting aspect of international competitions is

the diversity in technique among the competitors. He and Gee agreed that they were able to learn more about Kung Fu by observing their fellow participants.

“You get exposed to a more diverse group of styles of martial arts because while it’s Kung Fu, there are different forms, and each individual school has their own sequences,” Gee said. “When you get to see more schools, you get to see more people and learn more about the sport itself.”

Shaar said Gee and Chen’s diligent preparation for the event was the primary reason for their success in Hong Kong.

“I know [Gee and Chen] practiced a lot and they definitely practiced a lot during the summer,” she said. “They were [at the academy] almost every day.”

Chin said through this tournament, Chen and Gee have elevated themselves from national to global prominence within the Kung Fu community.

“Both of these individuals have sort of a passion and have the desire to achieve.”

Jonathan Chen

photos courtesy of World Kung Huen Competition 2016

Sabrina Gee

December 9, 2016|page 21

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|SPorts

Going for Goals Both the girls and boys soccer teams lead historically successful campaigns this fall

Girls Soccer Catherine Granfield & Thomas Patti Sr. Sports Editors

Clinching its first-ever DCL title, the girls soccer team met its greatest success to date this season. Program members said they are content with their historic performance, but hungry to reach new heights next season despite graduating key seniors.

Despite mixed expectations when they entered the season, players and coaches said determination within the program never waned, according to JV girls soccer coach Katie Siciak.

“I think to say they were going to go undefeated through 17 games — I don’t think anyone anticipated that,” she said.

“But we always hope that that’s going to happen.” “[Head coach Doug McCarthy] thought that we could do a lot,” center defender senior Kayla Borer added. “But I don’t think we ever got cocky; we kind of stayed humble and just worked really hard. We never really took for granted our position.”

According to senior captain, midfielder and defender Kaavya Chaparala, the team’s preseason work and hot start gave them the confidence they needed to excel.

“We really made sure to work hard in the beginning of the season,” she

said. “Once we started beating some of the teams that we don’t usually beat, we realized the potential we had. And as the season kept going, we had more momentum and more motivation to try and keep a really good record and try and beat these really big teams. So it kind of snowballed.”

Sophomore left forward and center midfielder Rosie Mcleod added that the team’s positive mindset from the start enabled them to sustain high-level play throughout the season.

“I think we all said, ‘We need to work hard this season. We need to accomplish big things because we know we can,’” she said.

The team’s come-from-behind draw against the historically-dominant LincolnSudbury program on Sept. 16 cemented players’ and coaches’ high hopes, according to Chaparala.

“To see a team that had never faced a first-seed come back from that against such big pressure was really astonishing to me,” she said. “We were good, but I didn’t know that we were that mentally tough, too.”

“It was a confidence builder,” Mcleod said. “I think we were like, ‘if we can do something this amazing, then what can we do with the other half of the season going forward?’”

The team claimed the DCL title on Oct. 25 with a 2-1 home-field victory over Acton-Boxborough.

Boys Soccer Jake Freudberg Sports Reporter

The boys soccer team wrapped up their campaign with a 6-6-6 record to qualify for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) tournament for the first time since 2010.

The Lions began their season with

an early loss, but quickly bounced back to tie Concord-Carlisle 2-2 in South’s annual under-the-lights game on Sept. 27.

After defeating Westford Academy on Oct. 13, South had seven games left in their regular season and needed one win or two ties to qualify for the state tournament.

Qualifying did not come easily, according to junior co-captain and midfielder

photos courtesy of Denebola

Senior Jason Mareskes faces an opponent on Oct. 29, when South qualified for DCLs.

Sophomore Audrey Lavey attacks offensively in the Oct. 18 game vs. Lincoln-Sudbury.

“Winning the DCL outright without having to wait for another team to play,” Chaparala added, “was a huge validation for us.”

“As soon as it ended, we went crazy,” Mcleod said. “It was the best feeling I think I’ve ever had in a soccer game.”

South’s season concluded in the first round of the tournament with a Nov. 6 loss to Needham in penalty kicks, which center midfielder junior Maddy Yorke called a bittersweet end.

“I think everyone was just heartbroken when we lost,” she said. “But at the same time, [we were] so happy because we accomplished so much this season that no [girls] soccer team at South has ever really done before.”

Center midfielder junior Lily Riseberg said that next season could be challenging without captain and starting goalie

senior Sydney Greene.

“It’s definitely gonna be a loss losing [Greene],” she said. “She saved us a lot of times in goal with huge saves.”

Sophomore forward Audrey Lavey agreed, adding that the team will struggle to fill Greene’s position next year.

“We have really good backups,” she said, “but no one’s going to be like her.”

Chaparala, however, said that the loss of key seniors will not irreparably hurt the team.

“They’re going to be losing a lot of upperclassmen,” she said. “But the thing that was special about this team was that everyone on it had the ability to compete on the field whether they were a starter or on the bench.”

“We’ll still be a strong team,” Lavey said. “We’re just going to have to work a little bit harder.”

Alec Szwarcewicz, as the Lions lost two games, followed by a tie against Brookline and another loss.

“We were looking too far ahead — we thought maybe we would be one of the top seeds [in the tournament], and everyone started to get very nervous and started playing really cautiously,” he said.

With two regular season games left, South tied cross-town rival Newton North 1-1, allowing them to qualify for the MIAA tournament for the first time in six years.

“Once we finally got that last point, [there was] just major celebration and an amazing feeling for everyone involved on the team,” Szwarcewicz said.

The team ultimately lost the playoff match to Braintree, ending their campaign.

“It was a tough game,” co-captain and defender senior Peter Stephens said. “We played really well, but with soccer, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and we lost that game.”

Head coach John Conte said that the team’s success this year impressed him.

“We had our bumps, but we definitely developed as a soccer team,” Conte said. “[The team] played well together, they showed improvements from technical and tactical game-related areas.”

Junior wing Owen Kenny added that by utilizing their new motto, “All in, all game, all season,” the team was able to improve

many aspects of play, particularly their offensive attack. “[We] focused on passing the ball quick — like one-or-two touch soccer,” Kenny said. “We also had a lot more goals this year because we had good finishers of the ball and we set up plays well”.

Conte expressed optimistism about next season despite the loss of some key players. “[The team has] potential to the make the tournament every year, and I strongly believe that with the players that I see come through, year after year,” Conte said. “We lose players every year, but I believe that the ranks are always there. It’s just a matter of commitment level, desire, heart [and] teamsmanship.”

Michael Carpenito, the only sophomore on the team, said the program’s future depended on rising underclassmen.

“This year we had a very strong team, and it’s going to be hard to beat that,” Carpenito said. “I feel that in order for us to perform well next year, we need other sophomores to step up. But I really think that they are capable of doing so.”

“I think we are losing some core players next year – Noah Gans, Peter Stephens, Edi Peri, [who] scored most of our goals during the season, but, without them, I think we’ll still be strong” junior wing Natanel Ervin said. “[I have] no doubt we make the tournament [next year].”

page 22|december 9, 2016

What a Difference a Year Makes

Sports|THELIONsROAR.com|THE LION’S ROAR

Girls’ cross country DCL champs

Nathan elbaum & noah shelton

R

STealing second

egardless of how much we follow sports season after sports season, it still amazes us how much change can occur in a single year.

Just look at our own teams here at South: Last year the football team was challenged for the DCL lead and made it to the second round of the playoffs. This year, after losing quarterback Austin Burton and multiple seniors leaders (do the names DeNitto, Barros and Soberanis ring a bell?), they struggled to remain relevant in the competitive league.

The flip side is true as well. The boys soccer team finished fourth in the DCL large at the time of writing, and have challenged perennial winners Acton-Boxborough, Lincoln-Sudbury and ConcordCarlisle.

Despite the volatility of success from football and soccer, we think consistency is even more impressive. The girls soccer team once again dominated opponents, solidifying their state-wide legacy.

Girls volleyball, which has always been a playoff team, had one of the best starts in recent memory, clinching a playoff spot in September, which was a first for any South team in a while.

The Red Sox also showed the power of waiting a season. They were bottom dwellers the past two seasons and gave no indication that this year should be different. After adding David Price and getting the real Rick Porcello back, they showed that they are contenders once again.

On the other hand, there is no better model of consistency than the Patriots.

Even without big names, they managed to start 3-1 (insert 3-1 jokes here). The Celtics underwent their own transformation last year, and all signs point to another great season.

The Bruins need a bounceback season this year. After barely failing to make the playoffs two years in a row, they need a playoff run this year. Questions will remain whether Tuukka Rask can return to his old self or if Brad Marchand can replicate his clutch World Cup goal all season, but fans need to remember that this is a new season and it can go in any direction.

So why does this matter so much?

Why is the change from one season to another relevant before the season starts just as much as it is after or during the season?

This year the South baseball team (of which we are proud members) will have a new head coach for the first time in eight years.

Since 2010, we have consistently had fewer wins each season than the year before. Last year we went 3-17, losing many games that we should have won.

It would be easy to write this season off as a rebuilding year, but please don’t.

More than ever, the baseball team needs fans. We can challenge any team we play, and having people cheering us on will only help our cause.

There is no reason not to show baseball the same love you show football and soccer in the fall, and there is no reason that we cannot return to the winning ways that South should be known for. All it takes is an offseason to make a 180 degree turn.

photo by Joe Sangiolo

Cam Miller

underclassmen were especially strong at all-states, and said she was impressed with how well they ran during the race, despite the course’s difficulty. She noted strong perforThe girls cross country team won DCLs this fall for mances from junior Emily Bulczynski, sophomore Nikta the first time in five years.

Mozhgani and freshmen Addie Marple and Helen Kim. Junior Caroline Barry and senior Katie Collins were “They all really, really stepped up and worked named Boston Globe all-stars this year. together during that race,” she said. “It was just amazing Additionally, hard work, team unity and physito see them all. They all finished within 18 seconds of each cal and mental strength led to their strong performance, other, which was an incredible thing.” junior Emily Bulczynski said.

Senior captain Katie Collins said that the underShe also attributed a large part of the team’s success classmen adapted well to the program, and showed that to coach Steve McChesney, who she said “has been writing they had a lot to offer. workouts for the team that led former teams to success.”

Underclassmen, Sangiolo added, were an asset to the Senior captain Lauren Miller added that McChesney team beyond competitions. helps the team not only by devising workouts, but also by “They’ve really added athletic ability to our team, providing moral support. because they were amazing throughout the season. Not “McChesney is always telling us stories about his just athletically, though; they’ve been really great friends. own experience, and that helps us because we know that It’s been really great to get to know them,” she said. “It’s he’s faced so many of the same challenges that we have,” funny ­— at first, they were really, really shy, and then they she said. just got really comfortable with the team and blossomed McChesney understands running beyond physical throughout the season.” preparation, senior captain Midori Sangiolo said.

McChesney agreed, and cited performances from “Our coach really taught us how to be mentally freshmen Marple and Kim as significant, because of the strong. There’s more to running than just the physical side, speed with which they found success in the program. more than just the workouts and race plans,” she said. “He “[Marple] was a known entity from her time in provided us with strategies and ways to work together middle school. I knew that she could run, and I had a throughout races.” feeling after a couple workouts that she was gonna be a For many runners, Sangiolo said, the season peaked varsity-caliber kid,” McChesney said. when South clinched the DCL title.

After seeing Kim run for the first time this fall, “On paper, we were a really, really good team. We McChesney said that he was impressed with what he saw, had a lot of trouble getting all of our girls on the line at the specifically in her steadiness and positive responses to lastsame time,” she said. “I think that everything just came minute changes. together at DCLs, and all of the hard work that we’ve put “At Eastern Mass., we literally made the decision to in really just showed itself.” not have Clare run and to have Helen run five minutes Miller agreed that DCLs were the high point of the before the gun went off,” McChesney said. Despite this season for her, adding that a strong team effort was an daunting task, he said Kim finished fourth of all South integral factor in their win. runners at the Eastern Massachusetts meet.

“It was kind of when the stars lined up ... almost ...

According to Collins, the team had a bond that .The weather wasn’t great, it was almost hailing, but every- extended beyond the course, a great asset to them during one put in their all and had great races,” she said. meets and practices.

The team took momentum from the DCL meet and She added that there was a good amount of healthy turned it into a strong performance in the final all-state competition among runners, but at the end of the day, meet. Even though they lacked top runner Clare Martin they prioritized the team’s relationships. due to an injury, they still managed to finish fourth. “[The team is] cooperative, competitive and we all “I think after our not-as-great meet at the Eastern want to do well. We all really care about each other. It’s Mass. meet, we really turned around and got fourth, which really an enjoyable team overall,” she said. was really awesome considering we didn’t have Clare, and Miller agreed. that course is really, really tough. All of our girls finished, “It’s definitely close-knit,” she said. “In the locker and that was so exciting to see,” Miller said. “I was there room, when other teams are complaining about the cheering, and it was just really fun. So, the season ended weather or not wanting to run, we’re in the mindset of ‘We really well.” are here to run, that’s what we signed up for’. That’s been Sangiolo added that performances from some of the shown throughout the season.”

Sr. Sports Editor

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|SPorts

Coach’s Corner The Roar’s Cam Miller asked boys wrestling coach Alan Rotatori for a preseason update

Q A Q A Q A

Alan Rotatori Wrestling coach How do you feel about the upcoming season?

I feel really good about it. We have a small group coming back, but we have a really dedicated group of kids coming back. We probably have 12 kids coming back from last year’s team of 24 or so, but those 12 kids have been working hard all off season to get ready. We have some really good leadership in the room, and they’ve been recruiting kids in good academic standing — athletic and good people. So, I think that’s going to add to the team. The outlook is good.

Does this team look similar to last year’s team?

A little bit different makeup. I think it’s the combination of the junior and senior class that’s going to pick up the young kids really quickly. If we’re going to win [DCL] meets, we’re going to need all of our veteran wrestlers to perform well, and we’re going to need some second-year wrestlers to perform like a veteran.

Do you have any specific goals that you’d like this team to meet?

We always try to get ourselves at least in the top three in the league. But I think realistically, being consistent with a full lineup would be a great team goal. Oftentimes, we don’t fill all 14 [weight classes], and it’s sometimes not filling it with who we think are the strongest wrestlers. Individually, we’re looking for [upperclassmen] to do well at those tournaments, place individually and represent the program. We’re always looking for a champion. We always feel like we should be striving to be that person with their hand raised up, center circle, at the end.

South Scoreboard Team

Next Game/ Meet

Boys Basketball

December 16 at A-B

***All information is as of 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 8, 2016***

Record (W/L/T) 0-0

Girls Basketball December 13 at Bedford Boys Swimming December 9 vs Wayland Girls Swimming December 9 vs Wayland Wrestling December 14 vs Wayland

0-0

Boys Gymnastics TBA

0-0

Girls Gymnastics December 20 at Newton North

0-0

Boys Hockey Girls Hockey

December 10 at Wayland December 28 vs Waltham

0-0 0-0

Boys Track

December 16 at A-B

0-0

Girls Track

December 16 at A-B

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

december 9, 2016|page 23

Camaraderie in Nordic Skiing THOMAS BLUM

sports contributor

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

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

I began Nordic skiing on a whim. I was walking down the hall one day when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a poster for what I thought must be some Nordic ski club. There was an informational meeting coming up, so I decided to check it out.

I had only been Nordic skiing a couple of times before then, but I had enjoyed it — on top of that, I didn’t have any plans for the winter sports season. At the meeting, I quickly learned that Nordic ski was not just another club, but a true varsity sport consisting at that point of only eight members. I decided to join — after all, I had nothing to lose, and I figured they could use another body on the team.

My first season started off splendidly. We had our first race on only the second day of the season, as there wasn’t enough snow to ski on before then. I placed forty-first out of 82 skiers in the JV race — not exactly what you’d call a top-notch skiing performance. Despite this somewhat harsh entrance to the sport, I stuck with it and had a fantastic season. By the end of the winter, I had come to enjoy the tranquil, yet intense, nature of competitive skiing.

What stood out to me most was the camaraderie and support amongst our team members and the utter fun of it all. Even though we were few in number, we were rich in team spirit, challenging ourselves and each other to be the best skiers and teammates that we could be.

The Nordic team’s core values in that first season set a precedent for how I would try to lead the team in the following years.

With that in mind and as a captain for the following year, I settled myself on two focuses for the team: expanding to include more members of both genders and maintaining this sense of team unity and support.

By that second year, our team had grown to 12 members, now two girls and 10 boys. We were making progress, both toward our team goals and as individual skiers. As we move into this season, I am proud to say that our team now has 22 members and is almost balanced in gender.

The season ahead looks promising both for our skiing and for the team as a supportive community. The new blood on our team brings exciting potential for improvement as indivuduals and as a team.

More important to me, though, is knowing that the majority of our new members have joined for the exact reasons that I first fell in love with this team: the camaraderie, the fun and the opportunity to push oneself in new ways.

Just as Nordic skiing can be peaceful and tranquil, yet intense and exhausting, our Nordic ski team has a relaxed, welcoming environment that encourages its members to challenge themselves with every stride.

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