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■ Thought it was a rumor?
Walk into your favorite restaurant with secrets known only to fanatical foodies.
Page 10
New school year brings new daily schedule
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NICHOLAS FONG
By Cooper Logan
happened,” assistant principal of student support HE COMPLETION OF the turf football services Michael Yi said. “They didn’t expect the field has been delayed due to water drainage details of drainage there, so now they are leveling issues, pushing the projected completion for the second time.” Effective drainage is necessary to maintain the date to early October. To properly construct a synthetic turf field, a lay- field and keep it usable in wet conditions. “In order er of baserock is compacted, then fibers and gran- to lay the surface, there has to be good drainage ules are laid on top to make up the field, according so rainwater doesn’t sit in a puddle and ruin the field over time,” assistant to San Francisco Unified principal of administration School District project manReller said. “The delay ager Joel Cadiz. If the baThe delay is frustrat- Ellen is frustrating now, but the serock is improperly mixed ing now, but the field field wouldn’t be good in the or compacted, then the ” water will not drain propwouldn’t be good in longInrun. addition, a field witherly. To ensure a quality turf out proper drainage would field, tests are conducted to the long run.” be unusable for long periods guarantee proper drainage capacity; the football field ELLEN RELLER, after a heavy downpour. “If tests indicated poor drainassistant principal of adminstration the field floods, it will be useless for the team until all age. “A polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe is inserted into the baserock, and the of the water evaporates,” Cadiz said. To fix the drainage problems, the construction water is supposed to drain one inch every three minutes, but the school’s field was only draining half company has decided to remove 20 by 20 foot secan inch in three minutes, on average,” Cadiz said. tions around the areas that failed the test, replacA contributing factor to the problem is the ing them with new baserock. “The baserock was age of the football field. The Eucalyptus campus probably over compacted,” Cadiz said. “If the new was opened in fall 1962, and records of the sports 20 by 20 sections go well, we will be able to stay area have been lost. This led to complications with on schedule.” To account for any unforeseen problems, the planning for drainage since the underlying material used in the original installation of the field is completion date has been proposed for Sept. uncertain. “No one has the exact history of the 29. “To be safe, I would say the field should be See TURF on Page 4 records, so some unexpected things may have
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Hacking away
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Class of ’15 one of largest classes
By Melinda Leung
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The new synthetic turf football field remains incomplete due to water drainage issues. The completion date, which was originally set for last summer, has been pushed back to early October.
■ World traveller digests history of South America country while fending off wildlife over the summer
Opinion
black horn-rimmed glasses and read this before it gets... mainstream.
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HIS YEAR THE school has implemented a new daily schedule in response to negative reactions and reports of high stress levels associated with last year’s longer schedule, which had been adopted after a state audit in 2009-2010. School now begins at 7:35 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m., with the school day 23 minutes shorter than it was last year. Mods now begin and end in increments of five minutes and areeasier to remember than they were last year. In balancing the new schedule, passing periods have been shortened from eight to five minutes, swing mods have been increased from eight to ten minutes and registry is now 15 minutes everyday, five minutes longer than last year. Assistant principal of student support services Michael Yi submitted the new schedule to the district for approval at the end of last semester. Over the summer, the district gave its preliminary approval for the current schedule with the understanding that it would announce its final decision within the first two weeks of September, according to Yi. The main factor in the district’s final assessment of the schedule will be the number of students enrolled in classes during the first and last blocks of the school day, according to Yi. The calculations that went into designing the schedule were very complicated, and the plan required a lot of negotiation with the district, Yi said. The new schedule is the result of balancing state requirements with the educational need and well-being of the school community. The 2009 state audit informed the school that the schedule didn’t meet the state requirements for instructional minutes, essentially time students spend See SCHEDULE on Page 4
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■ Boy criticizes cancellation of page program and the loss of teenage political opportunities ■ Ten years after 9/11, staff and students discuss lasting effects of event on the country
■ Quick, grab your pair of
By Elijah Alperin
■ Boys’ soccer starts off season 2-0, squash Wash Eagles 6-1
Columns
Hipster youth in revolt
Football field renewal delayed by setbacks
■ School hit with acts of vandalism in recent weeks ■ Protests blow up text message inboxes and Facebook newsfeeds around the globe
Sports
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Spotlight
Lowell High School, Cardinal Edition, Vol. 216 No. 1, September 9, 2011, www.thelowell.org
Lowell The
In the news In the news
Classified food information
PHOTO COURTESY OF TOM BLEECKER
A man at the Civic Center BART Station on Aug. 15 expresses his views on the protests (see story on page 5).
HE CLASS OF 2015 is the largest among other freshmen classes of recent years, forcing the administration to add three classes to accommodate the additional students, along with two classes to take the load off of sophomores. According to the headcount done on Aug. 31, there are 691 freshmen enrolled at the school, 21 more than the already larger class projected at 670, according to assistant principal of student support services Michael Yi. This year, a total of approximately 2,581 students are presently enrolled; along with the class of ’15, there are 653 sophomores, 602 juniors and 635 seniors. “This is good for the school,” principal Andrew Ishibashi said. “More students means that the school receives more money.” The master schedule required adjustments adding two Physical Education 1
and one Spanish 1 class for 9th graders. Additionally, one PE 3 classes was added for the 10th graders while one College and Career mixed grade 10th-12th class was created to lower the elective’s class size. The additional classes were formed on Aug. 18, three days after the first day of school, according to Yi. “We formed the new classes after the first three days because the school is not allowed to drop any incoming freshmen students out of school unless they don’t show up for three consecutive days after the first day of school,” Yi said. “After, we can begin forming classes for the extra students.” According to Yi, the Spanish 1 class was added not only to alleviate elective class size, but also as sign-ups for Spanish 1 classes were more popular this year because the enrollment of Latino students increased. Four years ago, Latino students See FRESHMEN on Page 4
2 NEWS
September 9, 2011
NEWSBRIEFS
Adminstrator wins scholarship
An educator from Argentina will be visiting next month as part of a prestigious foreign exchange program in which an assistant principal from the school is participating. Assistant principal of curriculum Holly Giles was accepted into the 2011-2012 Argentina Administrator Exchange Program, which is sponsored by the Fulbright Scholar Program. From Oct. 15 to Nov. 3, Giles will have the opportunity to show Lowell’s unique educational system to Argentine teacher Silvia Bonomi. In the next stage of the program, Giles will spend three weeks, beginning on June 17, shadowing Bonomi in her school in Argentina. Giles expressed excitement at the chance to learn more about cultural differences in educational practices across the world. “I am looking most forward to see the Argentine culture and understand different ways children from Argentina learn,” Giles said. “I have a passion for the education system and motivating children to learn, and I think this program will expose me to different techniques of teaching.” A number of other teachers at the school have taken part in Fulbright Scholar exchanges. Math teacher Laura Telep switched places with Indian math teacher Tarun Seth for one semester last year (See “Teacher returns from India,” The Lowell, Jan. 2011) and Economics teacher James Spellicy has taught in several countries over the years through the program. Fulbright trips and shadow programs are funded by the U.S. government. — Jeffrey Wong
New technology introduced This year the school introduced new technological resources for teachers to use in the classroom, with both online and hardware opportunities. Throughout the district, teachers are now able to access YouTube and other blocked websites by entering a specified username and password in the San Francisco Unified School District block notice, according to Technology Committee chair and chemistry teacher Bryan Marten. Access to YouTube will allow teachers to show videos helpful to their curriculum, including scientific experiments that may be too dangerous to demonstrate in class. “I wanted to show two chemicals which blow up when put together, chemicals which I am not allowed to use in class,” Marten said. “In the past I had to use a software that would allow me to download videos onto my hard drive, but it did not always work. It is nice to have the new system if it is more reliable.” English teacher Jennifer Moffitt explained how she will incorporate YouTube into her daily curriculum. “There are a lot of interesting clips of poets reading their works,” she said. “I also teach Comedy and Satire so it would be nice to show comedians performing.” Advanced Placement Psychology teacher Adam Michels is a fan of the new system. “It grabs students’ attention and gives them something to visualize,” he said. “You also have to be careful about what you show and how reliable the source is.” However, there has been an increase in the number of pop-up notifications that may be for blocked ads on the page, according to Marten. “There is a certain annoyance because the district used to just block the ads and I didn’t care. Now the district appears to be using pop-ups to ask permission to load the ads on a page,” he said. Students believe that the district should un-block YouTube for their use because the service could be useful for homework. “When students need to have a visual aid for their projects they could post their video onto YouTube or play a video already on YouTube,” sophomore Walter Cardillo said. The school has also acquired 16 new mobile multimedia carts equipped with projectors, DVD/ VCR players and speakers. The $100,000 grant for the technological updates was requested by Marten in fall 2010 and provided by the Parent Teacher Student Association. Marten and the Technology Committee used the money to buy the multimedia carts, as well as seven sets of I>clickers, which are clickers that students use, Jeopardy-style, to answer questions on the board. — Kai Matsumoto-Hines
Pranks occur across the campus By Cooper Logan
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uring the first weekend of school, several areas around campus were graffitied and courtyard tables were moved to the roof, and a week later, a toilet was cemented in the courtyard. The case is currently being carefully scrutinized by the school staff. “It was an act of vandalism against the school and it is under investigation by the administration,” assistant principal of administration Ellen Reller said. The clean-up cost of the pranks used funding that could have gone to other school needs. “The district paid a worker a few hours, which is money we can’t spend on other productive things,” Reller said. “This type of thing is funny to the kids, but I would love it if they felt more pride and didn’t come and damage the school.” The administration is conducting a joint investigation of the toilet and graffiti. “It could have been one or two groups of people,” dean Ray Cordoba said. “It takes more than one person to move the things used for the pranks, so it was probably done in a group.” To discover possible suspects, the administration is checking for circulating rumors. “People tend to boast about it, but the problem is making sure they’re not just saying it,” Cordoba said. If caught, the students involved will be punished under district rules. “Basically, tagging is an offense that can result in fines, fees, suspension or possible expulsion and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Cordoba said. According to the 2010-2011 SFUSD Student and Parent/Guardian Handbook, the parents will be held legally and monetarily accountable for their child’s actions: “the parent or guardian of any minor who willfully cuts, defaces, or otherwise injures in any way any property belonging to a school shall be liable for all damages so caused by the minor,” according to California Education Code section 48904. The administration is taking the situation seriously in order to ensure that such events will not be repeated and the culprits will learn a lesson for the future, according to Cordoba. “If we don’t take care of this, it will go on and on and it will happen again and again,” he said. A student who would only speak on the condition of anonymity claimed to
courtesy of aidan fruth-lembi
On Aug. 25, a district repairman demolishes the toilet cemented in the courtyard.
have been involved in the planning of the toilet prank, including the procurement of materials, but not with helping on the installation. The student stated that the prank was done partly to continue the senior custom, regardless of the impact on the school. “I think we just did it because it’s a tradition every year, without thinking about the sacrifice,” the student said. A second student, who would speak with The Lowell only on the condition of anonymity, claimed responsibility for the toilet, but not for the graffiti or the tables. The student stated the toilet was installed as a unique and humorous senior prank. “I thought it would be an instant classic, plus serve a second function as a chair for the student body,” the source said. Cement was used to ensure that the toilet, which the second student said “was all I had available so I used what I had at hand,” would stay in place longer, according to the source. The bathroom fixture remained in the courtyard from Aug. 22 until Aug. 25, when a district employee broke it up and removed the debris. The second student expressed no intention to
commit another prank, stating that “I got what I wanted,” adding, “I think I learned that it was really risky to do.” The first incident of the rash of pranks was the multiple “2012” tags on the math wing, science building, and in the courtyard, discovered the morning of Aug. 13 when Michael Yi, assistant principal of student support services, came to the school to do scheduling tasks. Also, the courtyard tables were discovered on the roof above the beanery the same day the graffiti was found. That day, workers from the district removed the tables, according to Cordoba. Math teacher Laura Telep and her family volunteered to paint over the graffiti on the math wing on that same day, two days before the first day of school. Telep did not think the incident was characteristic of Lowell students. “This type of thing doesn’t generally happen at Lowell — people really like the campus,” Telep said. “The students at Lowell are a smart group and it’s a pity they couldn’t find a better way to show their school spirit.”
Brothers win green design competition
By Ian James
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wo students won a green design competition held in Paris last July. Senior Timothy Werby and junior Nicholas Werby made up one of the eight winning teams in the Electricity of France sustainable design challenge, in which competitors came up with efficient solutions to every day problems. Their final design will be on display in the EDF pavilion during the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, which will be held in London. The goal of the brothers’ project was to provide a reliable source of water for farmers who live in poverty in arid environments, such as the Andes mountain range in Peru, according to Nicholas Werby. The crop-watering device is a shallow plate roughly 40 centimeters in diameter constructed with a material (to be determined) that is designed to retain coolness. Attached to the bottom is a thin 1-meter tube that would run into the ground. In places with fluctuating temperatures, water forms as
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The D.R.I.P.S. design uses evapotranspiration to water crops.
dew during the night and then evaporates during the daytime, according to Nicholas Werby. The Werby’s model, which has been named the Deep Root Irrigation Precipitation System (D.R.I.P.S.), conserves the water by drawing the dewdrops down the tube into the soil and using it for the crops. The project went through four rounds before the finals in Paris. After a preliminary round, the more serious contenders were given two months to create a detailed design and explain the background information for their idea. In the last three-month hurdle before the final, they made a video describing their project. The Werby brothers were the only finalists currently in high school, as the rest were graduate students or professors. The Werbys felt confident about their work. “Our idea was quite good, we knew that if we weren’t judged by our age we could be there,” Nicholas Werby said. ”We thought our idea was really something, and when we got to the finals it was clear the judges thought so, too.” There were 31 projects in total, submitted by eight different schools. Finalists presented videos and posters on their designs in the Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine, which is an architectural museum, according to the competition website, (http://design.edf.com). The projects were judged on their videos, presentations and posters by a panel of nine judges. There were several other notable winners, according to the competition website. Three French students from the Parisian school ENSCI created a model city with bike-sharing programs and energy collected through metro turnstiles. The Werby brothers will continue to work on their design. “I feel what we need to do first is to make sure this project reaches the height of its potential, then we can go from there.”
September 9, 2011
The Lowell
CAMPUS
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF MAJENTA STRONGHEART
Junior Majenta Strongheart has been baking specialty cakes for friends and family since she started teaching herself last fall, demonstrating delicious creativity.
Student bakes cakes and makes dough By KT Kelly
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VERYONE KNOWS the nonsensical saying, “you can’t have your cake and eat it, too,” but what about admire it, too? With creative ingenuity and artistic talent, one student is able to create cakes with unexpected shapes and detailed designs. Last fall, junior Majenta Strongheart was inspired by TV shows to become a self-taught baker. “I used to just bake cakes and then frost them for my friends’ birthdays,” Strongheart said. “I guess that’s when it all started. Those were really simple, but then I watched shows like Cake Boss and Ace of Cakes that really inspired me. I was like, ‘I can do that!’” Not only are Strongheart’s cakes well-received for the taste, but they also utilize tasteful and clever designs. “I’m less into the baking and more into the decorating,” Strongheart said. “It’s satisfying to see the reaction of the person I’m giving it to. I like the final product, especially if it turned out the way I imagine it would not.”
This beauty comes at a price though, and Strongheart sometimes pays for it with a lack of sleep. “I’m kind of a perfectionist so I always want to make the cakes detailed, but I have to keep it simple to save myself time,” she said. In her estimation, it takes her around five to six hours to bake and decorate a cake. Her creations are custom-designed for every occasion. Strongheart has made cakes with themes ranging from Star Trek, a yellow birthday cake shaped like the Star Trek logo and the receiver’s age in Star Trek uniforms, to the San Jose Sharks hockey team, a white cookies-and-cream rectangular cake with the Shark’s logo. She makes her own fondant, an icing-like substance used to sculpt pastries, from scratch and frosts the cake with it. At one point, she created an Ugly Doll cake, and even made little Ugly Doll cupcakes to accompany it. Because she carries her cakes around school in large containers, it would be hard for her not to attract attention from her peers. “I’ve made a few cakes with her, and they take so long to bake, but they turn out like works of art,” junior Kara
Scherer said. “She makes it look so effortless.” Though she bakes mainly for friends’ birthdays, Strongheart is beginning to take paid orders in a price range of $25-$35. Her first order is from Zeum, where Strongheart has an internship. “Since they are reopening, they’re having me bake a cake for the membership party,” she said. Strongheart regards baking a cake for the Zeum as a huge step in developing more advanced techniques. “I’m sort of nervous because it’ll be my first time doing a multi-tier cake, so I’m going to have to research that a little structure-wise. The tallest cake I’ve ever made was one foot and this cake will be three tiers, each six inches tall, so it’s going to be pretty big.” Strongheart plans to carry her creative cooking into the future. “I hope to go to New York for design school,” Strongheart said. “Maybe I’ll get a bachelor’s or a master’s in design. I do enjoy architecture though I don’t think I could do it because I don’t really like math. I’m happy to be taking architecture to learn more about technical drawing because that is a big part of design.” As are three-tiered cakes.
Teacher’s grading policy discourages mediocrity ND YOU THOUGHT YOU could skate by with that C. An economics teacher instituted a new grading policy that limits the marks students can earn on any assignment, test and final grade to As, Bs and Fs. Economics teacher Alexander Schwarz instituted the innovative policy in hopes it would help students gain a better understanding of the material. “I asked myself, ‘What do I want out of my students? And does my grading policy reflect that?’” Schwarz said. “I realized the grades I assigned don’t always reflect what someone got out of my class.” So far, the new grading policy is only being used in Schwarz’s two economics classes. “I chose it for my regular economics class be-
cause it’s only one semester,” Schwarz said. “So if I like it but it needs tweaking, I can perfect it more quickly.” Students are allowed to make up or re-do work for full credit in his class at any time in the semester. “If any student gets below B level (on any assignment or test), they can work until they get it right,” Schwarz said. Students agree with the unusual system. “It’s not like he wants to give people an F, it’s that he wants everyone to learn,” senior Adrienne Pearce said. “It makes people work harder. If you have the normal grading scale, people think, ‘Oh, I’m getting a C now, I’m passing.’ But now kids strive to do better.” Most have faith in the purpose behind the policy change. “He knows what he’s doing,” senior Benjamin Fischer said. “He’s not going
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CHRIS LEE
Freshman Jeske Dioquino tries different methods to get a fellow Glee Club member to laugh in a creative game of “Honey, I Love You”.
Lowell to design and implement fair assessment policies, so I did not have to consult anyone,” Schwarz said. “As a matter of course, however, Ms. Giles and Ms. Kwong-Ballard have each received a copy of my syllabus, and would be free to ask questions about my policies.” Although his policy is new, Schwarz’s attitude remains the same. “I have, over the course of my career, always endeavored to be as open as possible to new ideas, to experiment with new methods in order to improve students’ learning and performance in my class,” Schwarz said. “If, in the end, the policy proves unworkable, I will change it.”
New club brings ‘Gleeks’ together
By Deidre Foley
CHRIS LEE
to let anyone fail.” Schwarz drew inspiration from the Redmond Proficiency Academy, a high school in Oregon specializing in individualized education, where a close friend of his currently teaches. It runs the entire school on a similar grading system. “I adapted it to Lowell’s needs,” Schwarz said. Presently, Schwarz is fine tuning the procedures of the plan. “In theory they could put off all assignments and makeup tests until the last day,” Schwarz said. “But I don’t think they’ll do that.” Schwarz researched if his policy meets district standards. “To the best of my knowledge, my policy fits within the State’s Education Code, and Mr. Ishibashi places what I believe to be a well-deserved trust in the faculty of
curriculum
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By Adriana Millar
O YOU, AS A “GLEEK” ever tune in to the hit television series Glee and dance in the privacy of your living room to fabulous numbers like Defying Gravity or Don’t Stop Believing? Well, now there is a way to fulfill your dream of being the next Rachel Berry. Juniors Angel Khuu and Julie Lam cofounded the Glee Club this semester, enlisting choir teacher Jason Chan as the sponsor. Much like the Glee Club in the series, they plan to unite all music lovers and dancers. “We made this club because we love to sing and dance,” Lam said. The club welcomes students with and without musical experience. “We try to inspire those who have talent,” Khuu said. “However, nobody needs talent to join. We are all here to learn and improve.” Members won’t watch reruns of the television show, she added. “It is not really a fan club.” Because it accepts people of all musical skill levels, Glee Club is a place to jam with
your fellow gleeks, no matter if you are a beginner or a pro. “Not only do we want to sing, dance and have fun, but we also have the desire to teach each other how to choreograph or even play instruments,” Khuu said. “Our plan is to vote on a song we all like and possibly make covers or play together, similar to what the show Glee does.” Who couldn’t blame them for showing off their soon-to-be-impressive skills in performances? “We plan to perform as a group for each other, or even do solos for the entire group,” Khuu said. “We might look for places outside of school to perform, too, like for the elderly or in hotels. We might perform for Winterfaire if we can!” Although it is not a fan club, as stated on the club’s posters, that is still part of the reason some students attended. “I love to sing and dance, and I’ve always wanted to join since I saw Glee on T.V., since it’s got an interesting storyline and they make good mus i c ,” sophomore Selena Saad said.
clubs
“I wanted to make new friends. I had fun and I’m probably going to go back.” Glee Club is also a good place to relax after a day of learning. “My friend said she was starting the club and I wanted to support her,” junior Natalie Yap said. “The chance to sing without worrying about being bad was great, and it’s an open atmosphere. The games were really involving because we got to move around after a day of sitting in school.” Almost all of the students at Glee Club have a passion for singing. “I’ve always loved singing and dancing, so I thought it’d be a fun thing to do after school,” junior Nicholas Bourgault said. “It was nice to meet new people who also liked performing, and the games were fun, too. One of them was ‘Honey, I love you,’. It’s fun because you have to try not to laugh and you have to be extroverted.” Swing by Room 70 on Thursdays at 3:40 p.m. and discover your musical bent with Glee Club.
4 NEWS
September 9, 2011
Lowell High School
More students, Turf field delays fall rally more class sections formed From FRESHMEN on Page 1 made up approximately 7 percent of the incoming group. This year, 11.2 percent of the incoming freshmen are Latino. Since more classes were added, many students experienced schedule changes and teachers were switched around. “I used to have Ms. Taylor-Ray as my gym teacher for Mods 1-2 but they switched my teacher to Mr. Prutz during the same mods,” freshman Eli Bennett said. “It was not a big adjustment and both teachers seemed really good, but I didn’t understand why the school switched teachers.” The increase in the number of freshmen was not a plan by the district to distribute the same amount of students in each of the high schools, according to Ishibashi. The increase was due to a higher percentage of families accepting their Lowell admittance notifications. There were no changes in the entrance exam or the acceptance policy, and the same number of students were admitted this year as in previous years according to Ishibashi. “I think more students accepted to enter Lowell this year, because in this bad economy, it is possible that many families cannot afford to pay the high tuition of private schools,” he said. Some feel that the great numbers of students affects the Lowell community as a whole. “Everyone is affected by this, one way or the other,” French and Chinese teacher Nahleen Pang said. “Because the class is more crowded, it is more difficult for the students to learn. It is harder for teachers to pinpoint many of the students’ problems. It’s important for students to build a good foundation and progress in unison when they are learning. Otherwise, the students who are having comprehension problems will be left further and further behind with the progression of each lesson.” Next spring, the Lowell admissions committee will decide whether or not to adjust next year’s freshmen class size in response to the increase, according to Ishibashi.
From TURF on Page 1 completed by the beginning of October, but it could be sooner,” principal Andrew Ishibashi said. While the football team awaits the completion of their brand new field, they are practicing on the soccer field alongside the soccer team. “There’s not really enough space for the JV to share with the varsity and soccer,” sophomore JV quarterback and tight end Josef Mueller said. “It’s pretty inconvenient.” It is uncertain whether the field will be ready in time for the Fall Rally dur-
ing Spirit Week. “The field is supposed to be finished before Spirit Week, but we can’t be sure,” Yi said. “There is no other place to do the rally if it isn’t finished in time, so the date will have to change.” The athletic overhaul consists of three phases: the renovations of the football field is Phase 1, the track is Phase 2 and the multipurpose field is Phase 3. The new multipurpose field will replace the current soccer field and contain a soccer field and a softball diamond, according to athletic director
Robert Ray. “Phase 1, the football field, was picked because they didn’t have enough money for Phase 3, the soccer field, which costs more,” Ray said. So far, it is uncertain whether the drainage issue will cost the district extra money. “It was probably the contractor’s fault, but they think they did it right,” Cadiz said. “We don’t know the dollar amount until we can determine whether it was the contractor’s fault.” Once the district allots funding to the project, the next phases of the overhaul will begin.
New schedule based on SBC poll results from last spring From SCHEDULE on Page 1 while supervised by certificated staff. In response, a committee including Yi, staff and students developed several schedules. Principal Andrew Ishibashi chose one that maintained the modular schedule but extended the day from 7:30 a.m. to 3:48 p.m. Last spring, identifying the schedule as a source of student stress, Student Body Council held a survey for students and staff to vote on their favorite plans among six schedule proposals devised by various faculty and SBC members. The 7:30 to 3:48 schedule received a two percent student approval rating and a one percent staff approval rating in the survey, while both students and staff favored a schedule called Resource Revisited, a plan designed to preserve free mods and end at 3:30 p.m. The results of both the schedule survey and another SBC survey on student stress prompted the administration to reexamine the schedule. “If students were so stressed, we wanted to see if we could maximize our support to students while still keeping in mind the instructional minute require-
ments of the state,” Yi said. The current schedule preserves A-code classes, as in the Resource Revisited plan, and reverts to the original 7:30 to 3:30 school day. Ishibashi said that the feedback regarding this year’s schedule has been positive. “I’ve heard nothing but good things and I’ve received a lot of ‘thank you’s from both students and staff,” he said. SBC treasurer senior Karen Lei also said she is satisfied with the change and is happy with SBC’s role in initiating it. “I’m really glad the SBC spoke up against the old schedule,” she said. “I find the new schedule much less stressful.” One of the largest complaints about last year’s schedule was the length of the day and the time that school ended — 3:48 p.m. — leaving many students hard-pressed to make it to after-school activities on time. Sophomore swimmer Anand Bat-Erdene, who has swim practice at Sava pool at 4 p.m., is one of the students who is happier with the new schedule. “School ends earlier now, so I won’t be late for swimming practice anymore,” he said. “Last year I was getting there at 4:20 p.m.” A VERSION OF THE STORY FIRST APPEARED ON THELOWELL.ORG
September 9, 2011
The Lowell
NEWS
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RAVING RIOTS By Yelena Gankin and Eva Morgenstein In a society in which Facebook alone claims to have over 600 million users. the function of social networking has expanded from simply keeping in touch with friends to being a tool for political change. It can be used to help a citizery stay informed and communicate plans for impacting problems; never have both aspects been more evident than the August BART stoppages in the Bay Area and the multi-day riots that rocked the London area in mid-August. BART
London
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6 NEWS
September 9, 2011
Lowell High School
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Puck (played by alum Sean Finerty,) wakes up Lysander (played by alum Marcelo Pereira) after mistakenly giving him the love potion (Left). Alum Andrew Vose enunciates dramatically (Right).
School alumni put on Shakespeare production By Deidre Foley
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floor covered with crunchy fall leaves and a room lit by light bulbs hanging from the ceiling set the stage for an alumni theater troupe’s production of a Shakespeare classic this summer. Bathwater Productions, a theater group founded in 2003 by five alumni (plus one alumnus of School of the Arts and of Saint Ignatius), performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream from Aug. 4-6, 11-13 and 18-20. The ensemble featured eight alumni. Director Anne Marie Bookwalter, a Lowell alumna and daughter of drama teacher Teresa Bookwalter, chose to present the play in the black-box Steve Silver Theater where the small space helps incorporate the audience into the performance. The simple set design, with the fall leaves on the ground, light bulbs from the ceiling and no backdrop allowed the audience on the three sides of the theater to feel like they are in the scene themselves, with actors often entering and exiting from exits behind the seats. In performance scene, Moonshine’s dog, played by actress Sarah Kingon’s dog Louis Pepper, jumped on
the lap of an unsuspecting playgoer. The theater department gave the second Lowell Theater Alumni Award to alumnus Andrew Vose (class of 2006) during the performance on Aug. 12. “He spent many hours helping direct the fall plays,” said Teresa Bookwalter, who chose Vose for the award for his support of the theater in an astounding fashion. “He also coached actors for the Ohlone competition and the Shakespeare monologue competition. He has a talent for working with young people.” After directing The Green Bird, a commedia dell ’arte at the Steve Silver last year Anne Marie Bookwalter chose A Midsummer Night’s Dream because Shakespeare is her favorite playwright. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of my favorites because of the element of magic, the balance of comedy and violence, and because it so beautifully ties up at the end.” A Midsummer Night’s Dream follows the intertwining storylines of four Athenians involved in a love web, the king and queen of the fairies, and six manual laborers who plan to put on a play for a wedding.
One city, one book
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courtesy of www.maryroach.net , photographer david paul morris
A version of The Story FIRST APPEARED on thelowell.org
Connectedu replaces Naviance By Grace Sun
Mary Roach, author of Packing for Mars, a nonfiction book on the preparation behind our space travel, is coming to Lowell to discuss her books in an assembly on Tuesday, Sept. 27 during Mods 3-5. The school will host a reception following the assembly in the Meyer library. Besides wholeclass participation, individual students are welcome to come to the event.
Special to their production of the play, Bathwater incorporates circus movements and always keeps the actors involved, performing various percussion instruments, triangle and singing live, when off-stage. “We only work with live sound effects and music,” Anne Marie Bookwalter said. “It keeps the ensemble invested in the story, even when they’re not in the scene. Everyone is supporting everyone at every moment. It’s a Bathwater thing.” Bathwater performed at Lowell because the troupe likes to connect to its roots, according to Anne Marie Bookwalter. Eight members of the ensemble are alumni, including actors Lesley Benedict (class of 2003), Sean Finerty (2006), Sarah Kingon (2005), Andrew Vose (2006), Shannon Sullivan (2010), stage manager Jack Hamm (2011) and costumer Vanessa Yee (2006). “People feel food is best if locally grown and rooted. We feel the same way about art because when we produce art, we want to stay rooted in who we are and communicate what we want to give,” she said.
he school is using a new online college guidance and career planning tool for students and parents beginning this fall. After piloting ConnectEdu at three San Francisco Unified School District schools last year, this fall, prompted by the positive response, the district implemented it in all SFUSD high schools. Sponsored by two educational non-profit organizations, the San Francisco Education Fund and the National Academy Foundation, also an educational non-profit organization, the school’s Parent Teacher Student Association no longer has to fund the previous program Naviance, which cost $1,640 for last year. Naviance’s service for Lowell terminated on Thursday, Sept. 8. Like Naviance, ConnectEdu features the expected college information, financial aid and career exploration. In addition, ConnectEdu also offers an “Applications” section allowing students to request transcripts and letters of recommendation online, as well as a “My Portfolio” section where students can view progress reports, grade point averages, Advanced Placement exam scores and SAT Reasoning and ACT scores. “I think ConnectEdu is a great website and tool for students,” counselor Candace Boran said. “It’s very user friendly and easy to navigate. You don’t need to be tech savvy to become use the site.” Students are beginning to take advantage of the site’s
multiple applications. “I like that my grades and scores are already uploaded so I don’t have to manually input them,” senior Nick Webb said. While the contrasting features of ConnectEdu draw attention, other students critique its defects. “There are lots of bugs in the site and pages take awhile to load,” senior David Guo said. Additionally, some students find the transition a hassle. “I had already gotten used to and entered my information onto Naviance, but now I have to work with ConnectEdu,” senior Serina Gee said. Traditionally, only juniors and seniors were notified by counselors to utilize Naviance, but now underclassmen and parents can also sign up and reap the benefits of ConnectEdu’s resources. Instructions to sign up for an account are on the School Loop homepage (https:// lhs-sfusd-ca.schoolloop.com). Although Lowell doesn’t rank its students, a glitch initially caused a rankings page to appear on the website, according to Boran. The figures shown on the site were inaccurate as the site ranked each student out of the entire student body, not among each grade. The transfer will not result in lost records for tracking the school’s data. Counselors are transferring Naviance data to ConnectEdu, such as test scores and college admissions statistics from previous years, according to counselor Jeffrey Yang.
September 9, 2011
The Lowell
NEWS
7
Setting sail for America’s Cup By Mara Woods-Robinson
Illustrations by
“I started sailing two years ago because I love the water. We are like a family and the boats are mostly a reason to get together. Nobody knows bow from stern when they join so we all teach each other. I basically just love the boats and
“What I like most about sailing is that it’s not a sport that requires immense physical strength but rather mental dexterity and tactical thinking because it’s the wind that powers your boat, not your body.” — Deedee Pearce, senior former member of Treasure Island Sailing
the girls I am with.” — Mira Kelly-Fair, junior
an Tong
Hoi Leung and Vivi
“Sailing with the Golden Gate Yacht Club has been an amazing experience. Not only did I learn to sail, but it’s also a great group of people to sail with. We have lots of fun at practice and even more at regattas.” — Nate Kindler-Balmy, senior member of the Golden Gate Yacht Club
member of Sea Scouts
Architect designs Reporter has windswept win sailboat ride epiphany on trainer boat
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n June 2, four studentS were given a ride on Shadow, one of the fastest catamaran sailboats on the San Francisco Bay, as a reward for producing winning designs in an architecture competition. Students submitted designs for a hypothetical America’s Cup Youth Pavilion for a contest connected to the upcoming 34th America’s Cup, an international sailing competition that will be held in San Francisco in 2013. The Architecture Foundation of San Francisco’s 2011 High School Design Competition winners were class of 2011 alumni Cole Skaggs, Sean Gowin and Matthew Lew, and Academy of the Arts and Sciences alumnus Mohammad Eid. To celebrate their accomplishment and to publicize the race, they were offered a ride on Shadow by America’s Cup Organizing Committee cofounder Peter Stoneberg, the owner of the catamaran. The America’s Cup has been held since 1851, but this will be San Francisco’s first time hosting the regatta. The Golden Gate Yacht Club, a San Francisco yacht club, won in 2010 and will be the defending champions in 2013. The event is highly anticipated within the Bay Area sailing community, and is expected to boost the local economy by $1 billion, according to an August 12 article in the San Francisco Chronicle (www.sfgate.com). However, some concerns have been raised over the potential environmental hazards the race will pose to marine life in the Bay. “I hope that the event organizers, city planners and Port of San Francisco take into consideration all the life forms that inhabit the SF Bay,” the president of the Protect the Bay Club junior Sean FitzHoward said. “Everything from juvenile fish to harbor porpoises live in the Bay. The America’s Cup must be planned in a way that the impact on these animals will be kept to a minimum.”
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hen I was invited to climb on board the architecture competition winners’ victory lap around the Bay on the boat Shadow, I didn’t know the first thing about sailing. I was just covering a story — albeit an unusual one. I arrived at the St. Francis Yacht Club vaguely excited but hardly knowing what to expect. The sky was blue and the sun was shining — remarkably mild weather for sailing in San Francisco. At the docks a motorboat picked us up — the four architecture competition winners, a few of their parents and siblings, a handful of people from the yacht club and myself. As we maneuvered out of the harbor, we passed the Golden Gate Yacht Club and a beautiful replica of the schooner America, winner of the first ever America’s Cup in 1851. The five of us going on the catamaran — class of 2011 alumni Cole Skaggs, Sean Gowin and Matthew Lew; Academy of Arts and Sciences graduate Mohammad Eid and myself — donned brightly colored life jackets and waterproof coveralls known as “foul-weather gear” to keep the water and wind out as much as possible. We pulled up alongside Shadow, two sleek silver hulls capped by a huge flag-like sail, and carefully hopped aboard one by one. Shadow is a strong, modern-looking catamaran, manned by a crew of professional sailors under the leadership of owner Peter Stoneberg, Vice Commodore of the St. Francis Yacht Club. According to Stoneberg, it was built in 1988 to be used as a training boat for the
America’s Cup, and was one of the first catamarans built with carbon fiber hulls. It is comprised almost entirely of a tight, sturdy rope net stretched across two parallel 40-foot long hulls. A single mast towered 68 feet into the air, with an attached sail that extended down the length of the entire boat, which has reached speeds up to 33 knots. Before long, we were zig-zagging across the Bay toward the Golden Gate Bridge, maximizing the potential of the wind’s power as we built up speed. It was a choppier ride than I expected — the boat often bounded several feet into the air, causing splashes of water to frequently drench us through the netting, and the wind whipped my hair furiously. The crew attributed the fierce winds to the principle of “true and apparent wind,” a fundamental of sailing: when a boat is moving, the force of the apparent wind — the wind felt due to the boat’s motion — piles on top of the force of the true wind, allowing it to sail increasingly faster and faster. I watched this practical application of physics as we sped across the water at a top speed. With every crash and splash of the water against the boat, I felt at once liberated by and helpless against the forces of nature. As Gowin described, “We were really at the mercy of the wind.” When we eventually returned to shore, I was thoroughly drenched but still exhilarated. Skaggs described the ride as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience,” and I agree; when else will I ever get to sail on a vessel as mighty as Shadow? My interest in sailing is piqued, and I now look forward to seeing the 34th America’s Cup in 2013.
photo courtesy of chris ray
8 PROFILES
September 9, 2011
Lowell High School
Pottery fan’s coming home to continue legacy By Adriana Millar
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lthough her office walls are still bare, the new assistant principal of administration Ellen Reller has already begun nesting into her new job. After teaching in San Jose for the past three years, Reller describes coming to Lowell, “like coming home.” After working at Lowell from 2005 to 2008 as a math teacher, dean and administrator to fill in for an assistant principal on maternity leave, Reller accepted a job as assistant principal, in charge of Student Activities at Lynbrook High School in San Jose. Working at Lynbrook was very similar to Lowell. “It’s very academic like Lowell,” Reller said. “I was very busy.” Coming back to Lowell has warranted little changes in the atmosphere for Reller. “Everything’s changed, but nothing’s different,” Reller said. Reller is happy to be back in the city. “Driving for two hours everyday was a lot more taxing than I realized,” Reller said. “Now that I live 10 minutes away, I feel more a part of San Francisco.” Although she has lived in California since age three, Reller, an avid traveler, resided in Asia for three years in her late 20s working as an English teacher. She spent most of her time in Shizuoka, Japan where her independence served her well. “I’ve been traveling by myself to Europe to visit family since I was 16,” Reller said. “I think my background helped me be comfortable traveling alone. I grew up with three brothers and played sports, so I felt safe, and I had confidence.” Inspired by her longtime love of pottery, particularly Japanese artists such as Hamada, Reller also became a potter’s apprentice. “In Japan, a lot of craftspeople trade sons between villages to introduce and learn new styles,” Reller said. “My potter’s son was in another village, and there was no exchange son, so I arrived at the perfect time.” Reller’s infatuation with ceramic creations stemmed from her college days, where she majored in Italian Lit,
Students Office Knitting
Ellen Reller works the ceramics wheel whilst training under her mentor during sojourn in Japan.
and double minored in studio art and archaeology at California State University, Sacramento. She became a partner of a pottery studio in San Francisco called Pottery Seven in 2002. “It is my fantasy life to run a pottery studio when I retire,” Reller said. “Three of the partners were retired teachers, so they kind of planted the seed.” Unfortunately, Pottery Seven closed three years ago. Reller kept her creativity in shape by taking up knitting. “I consider myself on a pottery sabbatical,” she said. Now back at Lowell, Reller hopes to build stronger bonds with students. “I was very involved in student government,” she said. “I loved high school in high school.” However, Reller never quite created personal ties with the administration of her
Courtesy of Ellen Reller
Sacramento high school. “I didn’t remember any administrator’s names,” she said. With a fresh mindset, Reller intends to get to know her students better. “It’s hard as an administrator to make a connection with students,” Reller said. “That’s why I like how Lowell has created a small community [of students and faculty] out of a large high school.” In time, Reller plans to decorate her walls and personalize the space. “At Lynbrook, I coordinated with the art teacher to have student work line my walls,” Reller said. “Maybe I could do something like that here.” For now, Reller is content with her nest, as she has a longer to-do list than her lack of decoration. “My biggest struggle is deciding what to do,” Reller said, “since there are so many cool things to do.”
Diverse paths lead to shared love of counseling By Eva Morgenstein
Innovative counselor happy to help
“I
can’t believe the line never ends,” new counselor Adrienne Smith jokes about the queue snaking out of her office. “I need a revolving door.” Despite this, or maybe because of it, Smith relishes her new home in the Lowell community. For her, the students are the best part, especially when they solicit her advice and guidance, with which she strives to go above and beyond. A fresh face to the counseling office, Smith is ready to rumble. Having sent in her resume four years ago for the position, her chance finally came after former counselor Jeffery David moved away from the district. With her degree in elementary teaching from San Francisco State University and Master’s in counseling from University of La Verne, Smith’s diverse knowledge and experience will benefit the Lowell community. Education and counseling have always resonated with Smith; for the past eight years, she worked both as a counselor and as dean of Everett Middle School, taught at Glen Park Elementary, and served as a counselor at International Studies Academy. Smith aims to give students the counseling she missed in high school. “My high school counselor never called me in and guided me about college,” she said. Indeed, Smith understands the obstacles many students must go through. She put herself through college by working in the University of California, San Francisco food service. While in college, Smith was forced to place her education on hold to save up more money to continue. Motivated by encouragement from her father, Smith saved enough money to return to school within a year. Despite the monetary setback, Smith enjoyed working in the UC-San Francisco food
service. Rather than just completing her job’s mandatory duties, Smith delighted in creating a cheerful atmosphere. “I was responsible for the right food and portions, but when I went to deliver it I would stop and ask, ‘How are you doing today?’” she said. “It really brightened patients’ days.” Smith dedicates herself to helping students overcome their own hurdles and gain an education. “I want to catch 11th and 12th graders who have lost their way or are distraught about their path,” she said. “I want to help reestablish them to be their best academic self.” A lover of languages, Smith has taken courses in Spanish, Braille, American Sign Language and American Shorthand, an abbreviated form of writing. She hopes to someday receive her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish so she can teach a Spanish class. Smith looks to the future with optimism. “I hope to stay long term,” she said. “I like the academic student atmosphere and the opportunities (such as teacher trips to Nicaragua) offered to counselors and teachers.” Indeed, Smith has already begun to go above and beyond with her caring nature, built from her own pathway.
Aconsejar a estudiantes
World traveler pays Lowell a long-term visit With knacks for cooking and travel, new counselor Candace Boran welcomes her students with a smile and an environment that celebrates the world. Upon entering her office, students get a global glimpse from the many post cards depicting a motley of cultures on her bulletin board. Boran, one of Lowell’s new counselors, is a Los Banos native and graduate of University of California, Davis, where she majored in Human Development, going on to earn her Masters in counseling psychology at the University of San Francisco. Previously, she worked at Thurgood Marshall and Galileo High Schools as a college
Nicholas Fong
counselor. She appreciates Lowell’s setup of having each counselor load include 9-12 grade registries. “I absolutely love counseling,” she said. “The job has definitely been much busier here, but I feel like it’s good to get to know students before they’re seniors. That way, we are able to build a relationship and know which schools would be the best fit for each student.” Boran has already begun reaching out to students. “I’ve been doing one-on-one meetings with students about college, which is what I was doing in the past at Thurgood and Galileo,” she said. Boran is looking forward to talking to Lowell’s community. “My first goal is getting to know students and staff. I like being able to go to the Vicci Center and get to know college volunteers,” she said. “I also want to get familiar with colleges not as well known in California to help students look at a wider range of colleges.” Even in her downtime during vacations, Boran makes a splash with her travels. Last summer, Boran took a language trip to Mexico where she learned how to cook the native cuisine while building her Spanish. Her favorite dish to cook there was Pozole Verde, a Mexican chicken soup with hominy, which are similar to large corn kernels. With a taste not only for exotic foods but
also adventure, Boran tries to travel every summer. Nonetheless, she also enjoys the pleasures of working at Lowell and living in San Francisco. Always keeping her culinary skills sharp, Boran enjoys making meals utilizing everything in her fridge, like stir-fries and her personal favorite dish, an albacore tuna salad. With a positive, go-getter attitude, Boran radiates enthusiasm as she nestles into her new scene. “Lowell’s students are amazing, all very polite and motivated to work hard and do their best.” Lowell is lucky to have her — that is, when she’s not traveling the globe.
Note this! Buy more tuna
9 ADVERTISEMENT
September 9, 2011
Lowell High School
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Top Secret! S P TO
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ILLU STR ATI ON SB YV IVIA NT ON G
REPORTER SEEKS TO UNCOVER FOOD SECRETS.
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ore special than the elusive Krabby Patty formula, these “off-menu” items offer a unique twist to standard dishes. They require a “you get what you ask for” attitude, including a possible additional charge.The next time you visit one of these fast-food chains, try one of these little-known pleasures. Feel free to order in a hushed voice, but expect unwanted attention if you show up in a ski mask.
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IKE’S PLACE
ne ordinary day during lunch, Ike Shedhadeh was experimenting with his own little creation. He called it the Backstabber. He was in pure ecstasy with every bite of his grilled-to-perfection marinated chicken, crunchy artichoke hearts, creamy Caesar dressing and provolone cheese sandwich. Envious, his coworkers and friends asked him to make them lunches, too, bringing on the start of secret menu items. At first Shedhadeh used these innovative sandwiches as promotional items that would disappear after a month, but once customers were intrigued, Shedhadeh decided to put them on the secret menu so they were always available for people. “I like having these items mainly because the number of sandwiches can overwhelm customers,” Shedhadeh said. “Secret menu items are also a good way to make people feel special because only a few people know about it.” You can gain access to this largess when you create an “Ike’s Place” account online (ilikeikesplace.com) and accumulate enough points, by typing in the code of their review card each time they buy a sandwich, writing your own sandwich review, following “Ike’s Place” on Twitter and Facebook, and/ or answering random yet fun questions. Vegan Reuben: Vegans, are you tired of tofu? Nonvegans, want to try a tangy sandwich, or just want to try something new? Then order the Vegan Reuben. Concocted of tasty vegan turkey, freshly made vegan coleslaw, creamy dressing, soy cheese and any requested vegetable condiments, anyone, even non-vegans, will be satisfied. I tried it and found this choice flavorful yet unique, which I attribute to its vegan cheesy sauce. 49ers: You don’t need to be as tough as a 49er to take on this spicy sandwich. Consisting of tender chicken, sweet honey mustard, mildly spicy buffalo wing sauce, cheddar spicy sauce and requested vegetable condiments, this sandwich is definitely the meal to keep you as fired-up as a high-scoring National Football League (NFL) player. I found that it tasted like Costco chicken wings — a compliment!
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JAMBA JUICE
ard-core Jamba Juicers not only know every ingredient in a Caribbean Passion smoothie, but can also recite the catchy names of thirty-plus smoothies off the secret menu. These recipes are kept hidden for a reason, however. Blended with more sorbet, sherbet and juice than real fruit, the calorie count of these smoothies would scare off any health-conscious customer. “These are ‘secret smoothies’ because they contain more sugar and I don’t think they are as healthy as standard Jamba Juice menu items,” a shift manager who chose to remain anonymous said. “It’s nice for smoothies to have a little edge and taste a little different than usual, though.” While creative Jamba Juice workers sometimes try to concoct winning smoothie recipes, only the tastiest ones make the secret menu. Some popular favorites: White Gummy : Bored of Strawberries Wild and looking for something sweeter? White Gummy Bear blends a rainbow of lime, pineapple, orange, and raspberry sherbets with frozen mango, giving you that sugar ride off into the sunset. Fruity Pebbles: This mouth-watering smoothie beats anything you’d find in your cupboard. Containing soymilk and orange and pineapple sherbet, plus blueberries and raspberries, the Fruity Pebbles smoothie gives a cool twist and extra tang, a take-off on the classic cereal. Strawberry Shortcake: Ever had cake in a shake? Try Strawberry Shortcake, which contains strawberries, soymilk and pineapple juice, liquefied with vanilla frozen yogurt and pineapple sherbet. The simple creaminess of this blend will leave you wanting dessert before dinner!
Note: For a complete list, search “Jamba Juice secret menu items” online for the titles of over 30 tasty treats. Watch out for inappropriate or just plain silly names such as “Dirty Orgasm” and “Hello Jesus,” which are seemingly made up by online pranksters, according to the shift manager.
Thank You, PLEASE COME AGAIN! -THE LOWELL “SPOTLIGHT”
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IN-N-OUT
ith a menu that’s remained unchanged since the 1950s, frequent customers of In-N-Out may find the meal options too limited. In fact, rebellious customers created In-N-Out’s secret menu. “Customers actually thought of these items themselves and word just spread,” an employee in the In-NOut customer services office said. This sudden demand for eccentric eats encouraged president Mark Taylor to expand the company’s shopping list for additional ingredients. Animal-Style Burger: Upgrade your DoubleDouble by topping it with In-N-Out’s famous animal sauce and grilled onions. Animal-style burgers feature an extra smothering of their Thousand Island dressing with chopped pickles added for extra zest. Grilled onions give this monster sandwich a gourmet touch. Animal-Style Fries: “These are super cheesy but taste so good,” junior Enders Ng said as he gobbled another forkful. “It’s pure bliss in your mouth.” Heaped with melted cheese and grilled onions, these fries are best eaten with a multitude of napkins. Protein Style: Watching those carbs? You can enjoy the same burger with the same condiments, but without the bun! Swap the bread for fresh lettuce to help hold your juicy burger together. Grilled Cheese: Being a meat-oriented restaurant, but wanting to accommodate vegetarians, In-N-Out decided to also offer this classic. If non-meat-eaters want more than just fries for lunch, the grilled cheese makes for the perfect compromise. Everything’s there except the beef!
Note: The availability of secret menu items varies depending on location.
September 9, 2011
Teachers delve into an assortment of exotic and de-stressing activities.
Lowell High School September 9, 2011
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Page 11
Boys soccer tramples Eagles after rocky start By Kai Matsumoto-Hines
Lowell practice to train with their club NERGIZED BY last year’s undefeated champi- teams. Tired bodies are more prone to onship season, the Cardinal boys’ varsity soccer injury. We want to keep our players safe team kicked off their season opener on Aug. 25, and on the field. We expect to incorporate this into the girls’ season as well.” seeming to need to acclimate. They allowed True dedication is what allows the Washington Eagles to gain a 0-1 lead in the team to be so strong. “I try my the first half. However, Lowell brought it best to make it to club soccer but back in the second half and finished with school soccer is always a priority,” a 6-1 victory. sophomore midfielder Will SlotThe ominous start proved to be a minor terback said. speed bump for the boys. “We were nervous at Estebez is looking forward to supthe beginning because we were down a goal, but after the second half the coach motivated us,” freshman porting the team in competitive m at c h e s t o midfielder Tim Eilers said. take home the Eilers along with freshchampionman midfielder Luis Hership title once nandez are two of five again. “I don’t freshmen who have been expect we’ll be selected to play on the undefeated,” championship team. “I’m Estebez said. used to playing with people Other schools see Lowell as my age and now I can learn a major competitor in the AAA more from the seniors,” league. “They are a really good freshman midfielder Luis team and they are a playoff team, Hernandez said. but we are definitely going to Coach Marcos Estebez LUIS HERNANDEZ, beat them this year,” senior explained the challenge of freshman midfielder Eagles defender being recruited onto the team as freshman. “Schools like S.I. and S.H. have fresh- and goalie Mohamed Algahin said. The team has high hopes for the men, JV and Varsity soccer programs. Public schools only have Varsity. Lack of money, practice fields, and season in order to get to the eligibility issues are several of the reasons. As a result, championships. “We are gowe end up cutting about 30 freshmen each year and ing to keep up the good work carry a Varsity squad, which is much larger than most and keep the team chemistry — 27 this year, as opposed to most having 18 players,” flowing,” junior stopper Zach Estebez said. “Trying to develop players in this system Weisenburger said. The team is also working on getting is very difficult. Also, freshmen are at a huge disadvan- to the championships with the new players. “So far we tage coming in to a Varsity-only program because they have been working to get our chemistry back,” senior are competing against players who can be five years midfielder Cameron Basaing, who is also a journalist for The Lowell, said. “Last year our chemistry helped us win older. That’s a huge difference!” Estebez is instituting an innovative perk — he is our championship. Last year we tried a formation that going to give players every Friday off to allow them confuses the opponent and we are planning to work on to recharge and come back ready to defeat their op- that again this year.” Come cheer on the boys at 3:45 p.m. next Tuesday ponents. “One of the things we’ve changed this year is giving our players time off,” he said. “Three quarters of at Feibusch field as they take on the San Francisco Inour roster plays club soccer. Some of them rush from ternational Huskies.
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“ I’m used to playing
with people my age and now I can learn more from the seniors.”
Senior Center Midfielder Max Pollard defends against a Washington opponent. Gavin li
High-flying, thrill-seeking athletes break out in spirit By Grace Sun
G
ET READY for an Athletic Spirit League like you’ve never seen before at sports games to come. Although comprised of separate teams, the school’s three spirit groups are unifying through their unprecedented joint practices.
Cheer
Chris lee
Senior Kendrick Kwok and his fellow letter members ready earth-quaking stomps for their upcoming performance at the Spirit Rally.
Aiming to reach as high, or even higher than their toss stunts, Cheer is starting the season on a positive note in preparation for the competition at nationals. This past summer, the girls attended cheer camp at the University of California, Berkeley; there, they not only practiced new cheers, dances and elite stunts, but also won two trophies to place second in the Cheer section and seven blue superior ribbons. “During camp we had competitions with other cheer teams,” senior flyer and co-captain Ashley Chan said. “For the ribbons, we went through multiple evaluations for cheers, dances and a routine.” To add an edge to their stunts, the girls will focus more on tumbling, especially backhandsprings as they prepare to compete in the San Francisco Academic Athletic Association competitions and in nationals at Anaheim in
March, which is sponsored by the United Spirit Association. According to Chan, during past years the team had trouble consistently nailing back-handsprings. However, with their new stunting mats, the girls see promise for improvement. “We compete in a division where most of the other teams incorporate lots of tumbling,” Chan said. “It’s hard for us to go up against those kinds of teams when their tumbling skills are so advanced compared to ours.” The girls have also been fund-raising with multiple car washes and bake sales for nationals’ expenses. “We were not able to compete at nationals last year due to not being able to raise enough money,” senior main base Emerald Jonez said. “However, we had won a National Cheer Association title from 2010, which we are aiming to take again this year.” Without a doubt, Cheer anticipates an auspicious season, cheering at home and afar. “Performing at rallies and games are always fun for us. It really shows how spirited we can be, and it’s even better when we see the rest of the school having fun too,” Chan said. “I expect Lowell Varsity Cheer to be a strong, solid team.” Pump up your spirit for Cheer’s next performance at the Battle of the Birds at Kezar Stadium the football field on Sept. 30. See ASL on Page 12
12 SPORTS
September 9, 2011
Lowell High School
Battling allies
Spirit leaders accept only perfection in their routines
sports opinion
From ASL on Page 11
Senior Letter
Brace yourselves for an earthquake coming your way, not a geological one, but seven fierce steppers jolting the crowd with routines never before felt. Adding new flavor to their choreography, Senior Letter, a school urban step team comprised only of seniors, plans to stand out with bigger and stronger moves while giving the audience a glimpse of each of their personalities. “We each have our own creative mind and with that being said, we plan to display our personalities through our stepping,” co-captain Marybelle Tolentino said. “We plan on standing out by bringing something new each time we perform, something the crowd has never seen. We’re ready to blow everyone’s brains out with our ‘spicy routines’.” Already the steppers have received positive feedback. “We tried some tribal movements and we got a great response,” Alexis Yup said. Debuting at freshman orientation, Senior Letter left the crowd craving more. Prepared to perform more than squads from previous years, Tolentino warns the school to “expect them where they’re least expected.” Member Kendrick Kwok explained the team’s goal as expressed through their motto: ‘Fierce but approachable, but mostly fierce.’ “When choreographing our dance, we each bring our own idea and then mesh it all together,” Kwok said. “Our plan is to really stand out from past years while keeping up Senior Letter’s reputation.” Get ready for that fierceness at the Battle of the Birds at Kezar Stadium the football field on Sept. 30.
Song
Recognizable for their signature line kick — with arms entwined, leaning shoulder-to-shoulder and thrusting legs into the air — the Song girls leap over all obstacles as they strive to reach nationals. Ready to make an impact, the girls aim to polish their technique while incorporating choreography inspired by past routines. According to junior co-captain Mila Feldman, the girls work on perfecting their turns, piques, leaps and chenes — salsa style turns — in preparation for school cheers and their nationals routine, to perform at Anaheim in the spring. Unlike Cheer, Song is a “pom” team oriented more on dance moves, thus focusing more on pom-pom and jazz movements. At Anaheim, they will compete through the Universal Dance Association as a dance team. Priming their moves during summer, varsity and junior varisty Song had joint practices at the UDA dance camp in the University of California, Davis. “Davis was boot camp,” junior co-captain Adriana Miller (who is an assistant editor for The Lowell) said. “We danced nonstop for ten hours everyday. ” Even without a professional coach, the Song girls found support from a friend in the school community. “Now that we have a sponsor, the school secretary Tiffany Adams, we’ll hopefully be able to have more practices, since we’ll have someone with us after school,” Miller said. Shimmy up to Song’s next performance at the Battle of the Birds at Kezar Stadium the football field on Sept. 30.
Vivian tong
Frosh team expects strong season
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By Elazar Chertow EADY TO HIT the competition as hard as a volleyball, the girls’ JV volleyball team is coming off of last years undefeated, practically perfect season, and they’re ready to kick-start their new campaign. With experienced veterans returning to the team, including sophomore defender Katie Hwang and sophomore center hitter Jaela Caston, as well as a handful of talented freshmen on the squad, Lowell will be tough to beat. In addition, new varsity head coach Steven Wesley has got the JV girls pumped up and excited to win — hoping to bring home the city championship once more. Wesley has brought an enthusiasm to the squad, while still focusing on the fundamentals that are key to the game. According to Hwang, “Coach Steven not only builds a strong foundation of skills, but also tries to integrate new skills into practice.” Wesley, with his prior experience with the team, due to coaching the girls team two years ago, as well as JV coach Ron Palarca’s refreshing attitude, projects to be a strong one-two punch. “Coach Wesley and I are going to work together to refine skills and prepare the girls for the season,” said Palarca. The girls seem to be equally excited to play under both coaches. “Coach Steven is a great teacher, but when I have a question, or need some help, I talk to Coach Ron. He acts as a leader and as a friend,” sophomore setter Viviane Nguyen said. With 16 players on the squad, and only six starters, finding playing time for some may be a problem. Of the 16 players, 11 are freshmen; although outnumbered, the veterans have no concerns about playing on a team dominated by freshman players. “We’re going to work together to win no matter what, and besides, they’re all really cool,” Nguyen said. On Aug. 30, the JV girls played their first pre-season game against Head Royce. As usual, the Cardinals had little difficulty ousting their opponent, winning their final game 15-3. Following such a solid opening performance, the team is eager to begin the season, but despite happy faces and high fives all around, if the girls expect to bring home the city title again, there is much work to be done. The girls have daily practice from five to seven, but that’s not the whole story. From four to
Jeremy varon
Sophomore setter Viviane Nguyen sends ball tumbling down to opposing side.
five, the girls have a mandatory “study hall,” in which they are required to do homework together for an hour, which not only improves their grades, but also their friendships. With morale spiking high this early in the season, only great things can be expected from the Cardinals. Come cheer on your JV girls volleyball team at 4 p.m. on Sept. 27 at International Studies Academy as they face the Cobras.
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The Lowell
September 9, 2011
SPORTS
13
Cardinals bring down Devils 3-0 at University High School
all photos by nicholas fong
Clockwise: (Top Left) Senior setter Vivian Lei and varsity teammates celebrate their victory. (Above) Senior middle Bailey Armstrong tips the ball over to the opposing side. (Bottom Right) Junior defense specialist Krystal Karanugan reaches to deliver the ball to Devil players. (Bottom Middle) Sophomore setter Gianna Braganza looks to pound the ball to start the game. (Bottom Left) Senior setter Vivan Lei prepares to set the ball to opponents. (Left)Senior middle Danielle Menikheim rejoices in scoring a point.
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Do your teachers have superhero alter egos after they go home from school? Maybe not, but some teachers participate in exotic sports outside of their school life. Many Physical Education teachers have one sport in particular that they feel passionate about, and other teachers do athletic activities in their free time as well. From sailing in the bay to riding camels in China, often teachers have active interests that inspire their teaching, take stress out of their rigorous professions, and can surprise you.
Pe teacher swims with sharks during summer, too
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ince his childhood, athletic director Robert Ray has been interested in a variety of sports, from the ordinary to the unexpected. These sports, from golf and softball to surfing and scuba diving, still occupy his free time and vacations. As for unique physical activities, Ray tries activities such as scuba (an acronym for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) diving. Ray’s interest in scuba diving originated from his interest in surfing, which he has been doing for 20 years, and still enjoys. “Sometimes when I was on a surf board I would look down and see what was in the water,” Ray said. “I have seen many seals hanging around in the surf with the surfers.” In addition to catching waves on the surface, Ray has acquired skills in the art of underwater exploration. “I
learned diving in Monterey about twelve years ago,” he said. “Our first dive was in Hawai’i.” Ray goes scuba diving every summer because he enjoys exploring the alternate world and vibrant life under the surface of the ocean. Ray chooses his scuba diving sites by the creatures in the ecosystem there. “We like to see larger animals,” he said. Last summer, Ray went scuba diving in the Galapagos Islands where he witnessed numerous natural sights. “We saw hammerhead sharks, reef sharks, white tip sharks, whale sharks, turtles, eagle rays, sea lions and dolphins,” Ray said. His view was that the experience was dangerous but it was worth it. “It was as good as it gets!” Ray also enjoys traveling to the different scuba diving sites. “It takes me to places around the world that I would
PHOTO COURTESY of ROBERT RAY
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not otherwise visit,” he said. This summer, Ray went scuba diving with his wife, P.E. teacher Sascha Taylor-Ray in the world’s second largest reef, located to the east of Guatemala. “We scuba dive every summer, this summer we went to an island off of Belize,” he said. “It was fantastic, the water was really warm.” Although Ray cannot teach scuba diving in his Physical Education classes, he does incorporate it: he suggests scuba diving to students as an activity to try when they no longer need to take P.E. During inclement weather, Ray shows a movie on compass and map reading, an essential skill to scuba diving, as Global Positioning Systems cannot be used in the sport. So if you’re ever scuba diving in the tropics, you may bump into Ray, a teacher amidst a school of fish.
Lowell staff explores worlds outside the classroom, release stress in the San Francisco Bay and does yoga with a group of other teachers. On her vacations, Innis travels with swimming in mind. “This summer I went to Cape Cod, because there I can swim in the ocean or in beautiful, clear freshwater lakes,” she said. She prefers natural spots while on exotic vacations, but YMCA pools will have to do on school days. In addition, she does yoga at school. “About five teachers meet once a week after school,” she said. “We meditate, relax, and get away from the stresses of work. I believe it really keeps a person young.” Because of their new berth near AT&T Park, Innis and her husband, math teacher Laurence Warshaw, hope to go sailing in their 22-foot Daysailer in the bay more often. Innis uses these activities as an opportunity to escape from the rigors of teaching. “Teachers tend to think of their students all the time,” she said. “What to do, what
lessons to teach, it can take over your life. It’s good to have other activities where you can mellow out.” Social studies teacher Stephanie Bellville also has a strong interest in yoga. “I used to teach yoga, but I stopped about a year and a half ago because I did not have time to teach both yoga and school,” she said. Bellville still incorporates yoga into her classes because she believes that these meditative exercises help with the stresses of Lowell, especially as the students’ heavy backpacks scrunch up their shoulders. “We do yoga at the beginning of class every Friday to get rid of stress and open up the shoulders.” Many teachers use athleticism as an outlet for stress and as motivation for interesting activities in their classes. Even if teachers don’t wear capes and spandex, they use their exciting extracurriculars to become superheroes to their students. PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL YI
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dditional educators use athleticism as an escape from the stresses of teaching. After summer school at Lowell ended in June, assistant principal of student support services Michael Yi spent four weeks in China. During his trip, he saw cave paintings that were thousands of years old, traveled Marco Polo’s Silk Road, went white-water rafting and saw the Great Wall of China. “After that, I rode the bus to Dunhuang, where there are enormous sand dunes, like mountains,” Yi said. “I rode half way up on the camels, but it was a rough ride. At the top, you sit on your butt and sled down in the sand.” Yi’s trips help him to relax and relieve the stress of the school year. “When I’m on a trip I try to forget about school and relax — unless people e-mail me with urgent issues,” Yi said. English teacher Cathy Innis swims almost daily, sails
From the office to the desert: Assistant principal Michael Yi rides camelback through Dunhuang, China.
The Lowell
September 9, 2011
COLUMNS
15
SUBLIME SUMMER Discovering new delights in a nanoscale world By Grace Sun
U
nlike Plankton’s eye, used to annihilate cities, I used lasers to create. For four fulfilling weeks this summer, I worked alongside graduate student mentors in an engineering lab at the University of California, Berkeley, creating new materials and uncovering their properties. As if Lowell weren’t enough, I had found myself craving more science, but in an electrifyingly different environment, and so I was accepted into the Berkeley Nanosciences and Nanoengineering Institute Summer High-School Apprenticeship Research Program. Working in labs has a reward; the epiphany — when you realize what you learned at school actually does have something to do with real life. Those puzzling magnet theories from physics and agonizing phase diagrams from chemistry prove their worth. Walking into the lab for the first time, I entered a foreign dimension. Bizarre machines looking like tragic metal sea urchins sat snugly on their turf — after learning how each functions, my mind short-circuited from the complexity. Wires and chains dangled from above like lush vines, and the rhythmic hum of background machines was occasionally disturbed by a high screech of helium gas being released. Of course, I stayed safe with complete lab attire — hair cap, knee-long lab coat, shoe covers, nitrile gloves and safety goggles — fashioned to make any chemistry teacher proud. Soon the lab became a second home and the graduate students the big brothers and sisters I never had. My world zoomed in by nine fold from working in a lab focused on nanoscale science. I came into the lab practically clueless, a high school student who has learned only 10-9 meters of all the possible scientific knowledge. I remember after reading my research protocol for the first time, I nearly drowned in the alien vocabulary. But after my mentors trained me, guiding me through different instruments and a new set of measurement units, I caught on. Soon enough, I maneuvered professional tweezers as comfortably as chopsticks, and imaged samples like a pro. In the lab my job depended on my essential tool, a laser so colossal it took up a whole room. While I spent most of my time frantically flipping switches on the laser or hunched before my laptop screen scrutinizing data spreadsheets and images, I cherished the moments following my mentor around or
Vivian Tong
tuning in to the latest, and quite humorous, lab debates. I was especially proud that I left a lasting mark by building a laser shield using huge power tools, the opposite of their usual nanoscale. Along the way, I picked up essential skills that can only be learned in a real work environment. Even after those four weeks of the internship, I couldn’t resist the lab’s temptation and decided to continue working for the rest of summer. I gained a stronger work ethic and sense of responsibility, especially since the results I conjured would very possibly one day be referenced for future research. Of course, I didn’t work myself like a machine the whole time there. I took the liberty of exploring the Berkeley campus. Every morning, though I trekked up a tedious hill while carrying a backbreaking-pack, I couldn’t help but feel giddy from finding myself among college students. Late most afternoons, I snuck out to a nearby coffee shop for the daily Americano, and as I stood in line I would secretly compare college life to high school life. Now, during the moments when nothing succeeds in holding my attention, my mind wanders back to the lab. And I reminisce those moments of euphoria when I finally saw that rectangular data graph, the fruit of my effort. Someday, I’ll get the chance to say, “Did you know I helped develop the technology behind that super snazzy and energy-efficient laptop?”
Girl shares wonders of salubrious eats By Eva Morgenstein
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um! Brown rice and seaweed!” cries an acquaintance, bragging about how great it is to be vegan. People who lecture bother me, especially if they assume their way is the only way. Naturally, I was surprised when I became the lecturer in my new job as the kitchen manager for a youth garden and food education program. Despite this, I learned how to do my job without hypocrisy, refraining from preaching while educating nonetheless. At first I was doubtful when I interviewed for Summer Sprouts, a program for middle school students held between Urban Sprouts and Garden for the Environment on 7th Avenue and Lawton. Upon receiving my acceptance into the program, I was surprised and apprehensive. Was I, too, going to become one of those prostelytizers who told others what not to eat?
Luckily for me, my job working with middle school students with more confidence in my food knowledge. did not involve lectures about why they shouldn’t eat meat. My In addition to educating campers about food, gardenmuch more satisfactory duties included delegating kitchen ing and consumption, we did a few workshops concerning tasks, overseeing meal preparation, prepping food, leading environmental justice. My favorite was called “The Brown workshops and games and showing kids how to harvest their Bag Activity” in which groups were given bags of supplies and a list of things to make with paper. The own food. Instead of lecturing, I shared how delicious fruits and veggies could be, especampers soon discovered that while some groups had all the needed materials, other cially when picked right from our garden or groups lacked supplies. Through this lesson, other sustainable farms in the city, such as kids saw how certain communities have the Alemany Farms and the Hayes Valley Farm. resources, and hence the ability, to reach out The kids were much more enthusiastic about kale and chard in their salad when they got and complete tasks, while others must manage with far fewer materials. I was fascinated to clip and mix by themselves. What I had thought might turn out to be a position full by this artistic take on society’s injustice and further amazed by the middle schoolers’ of lectures and a my-way-is-the-right-way insightful views during the discussion. My mindset became an opportunity to show work at Garden for the Environment not only middle school kids the tastiness of foods that taught kids how fun food can be, but also they used to toss to the dog. Initially, when we had just started harillustrated in-depth ideas concerning social food justice and environmental injustice. vesting greens for a lunch side salad, a boy frowned. “I don’t like eating salad,” he told me frankly. “It’s At the end of the program, I was sad to leave. Teaching gross.” I was still doubtful of my ability to educate about healthy and cooking at Urban Sprouts opened new doors for involvement eating despite the garden inspiration, but I shared my passion in community outreach, and I am now a Nutrition Outreach for all salads large and small, saying Worker who teaches about locally grown fruits and vegetables and food justice. “How cool to see where our salad comes from — go ahead and pick a leaf!” I shared my passion Little did I know that when I first stumbled Helped by a tasty mustard and honey into their office in Hayes Valley, I would for all salads large and find a reason to try to enact change. Even salad dressing, he devoured his salad come lunchtime and accepted my though overbearing lectures about glutensmall.” free lifestyles still bother me, I now know explanation of the nutrition. Knowing that I could influence kids to try new the friendly way to educate — with a smile and a handful of chard. delectable garden treats, I stepped out
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Grace Sun
16 Columns
September 9, 2011
Lowell High School
Profound journey inspires ‘one less ignorant American’
By Mara Woods Robinson
in downtown areas. Propaganda supporting he humid, Nicaraguan sun Daniel Ortega, the president, and the FSLN beat down on my back as I kicked (El Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional), about desperately. My heart raced, the political party in control in Nicaragua, is pumping adrenaline through my veins and plastered everywhere. Meals have little variI screamed out a string of words we would ety: our standard breakfast, lunch and dinner never print in this paper. The tiny, vicious beast consisted of rice and beans (called gallo pinto clawed at my calf, ripping through my jeans when mixed together), a meat entree, fried until I was finally able to shake it off. Even as I plantains and fruit juice. Hot water, Internet limped away frantically, half in shock, I could access, and even electricity are not to be taken hardly believe what had happened. Attacked… for granted, as I learned firsthand from daily cold showers, inconvenient by a monkey! trips to Internet cafes, and Needless to say, the frequent blackouts, yet the whole fiasco gave me an resources we did have might excellent answer to the tebe considered a privilege by dious question, “What did many impoverished Nicayou do this summer?” Yet, raguans. looking back on it a month The poverty was the most and a half and five rabies painfully obvious difference shots later, the excitement of all. One day, we visited of my monkey mishap a destitute neighborhood pales in comparison to the and host families allowed overall experience of three us into their homes for a few unforgettable weeks spent hours. These homes were in Estelí, Nicaragua. I went to Nicaragua with 22 other students patchwork little shacks, with dirt floors, metal in a fairly awesome non-profit program called roofs and walls made of pieced-together scraps Global Glimpse, which strives to “expand the of wood. My host family had seven people, yet global perspective of tomorrow’s leaders” their house only had two rooms, a makeshift (www.globalglimpse.org). They partner with open-fire stove and one bed. The shoeless high schools to achieve that goal by taking children ran through thick mud and crawled students abroad to learn about the developing under barbed wire fences to retrieve balls. But world and build leadership through commu- despite their poor living situation, the family nity service. Arriving at San Francisco Inter- told us they were grateful of what they did have: national Airport on a typical foggy night for their own house and each other. That day, the day we connected with the my unfortunate redhost families, I beeye to Managua, the gan to put everything capital of Nicaragua, The poverty was the in perspective. The all I knew was that of what I was my life was about to most painfully obvious concept seeing wasn’t new to change for the better, me; I’d seen extreme but I couldn’t even difference of all.” p over ty b efore in begin to imagine documentaries. But how. Upon arrival, I was shocked by how differ- now the nameless little children were before ent life in Nicaragua is from my own. Nature me, staring at me with their big, curious eyes, is everywhere — striking mountains covered nameless no more. I finally understood just in velvety green foliage provide a beautiful how real it is. That sense of understanding was the most backdrop for the city of Estelí. Buildings are covered in bright murals, have flat metal roofs valuable lesson I took back from Nicaragua. (which make a thunderous noise when it rains) In those three short weeks we hiked beautiand seldom stand taller than two stories, even ful mountains and bodysurfed a raging river,
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talked to an ex-Sandinista fighter from the 1979 revolution, planned and executed our own community service project and, of course, encountered a monkey. I met amazing people, Nicaraguan and American alike, and began friendships that I will cherish. Above all, I learned so much — about politics in Nicaragua; about the questionable measures Daniel Ortega and the FSLN have taken to stay in
power; about the United States’ interventionist past with the Contra war in the 1980s; about the ongoing struggle for women’s rights in an effort to eradicate widespread machismo (chauvinism). The term “developing world” now has a distinctive meaning and nitty-gritty details, good and bad. I am one less false assumption, one less ignorant American, and for that I am truly grateful.
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Illustration courtesy of Grace Sun
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The Lowell
September 9, 2011
OPINION
When congressmen use pagers, not pages, youth lose out on invaluable political experience
By Elazar Chertow
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ALL ILLUSTRATIONS BY VIVIAN TONG
HILE HIGH SCHOOLERS across the country learn about filibusters and checks and balances from textbooks, for 200 years a small group of lucky teenagers has learned about our government through hands-on experience. For one semester to a full year, seventy 16-18 year olds have served with honor as pages in the House of Representatives. But, as of August 31, teens will no longer have this opportunity due to budget cuts in Washington, D.C. The U.S House of Representatives Page Program gave high schoolers the opportunity to play a small, but nevertheless crucial role in communication within the legislative halls as congressional pages — interns who d e l i v e r messages, answer phones, and call up representatives to the floor. In fact, the congressional page program groomed many important
politicians, diplomats and entrepreneurs, from Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft to KJ Estudillo, class of 2011. The elimination of the annual five-million-dollar congressional page program was to help alleviate our nation’s fourteen-trillion-dollar debt, according to House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. In a joint press statement released on August 8, Boehner and Pelosi stated that cutting the program “is necessary due to the prohibitive cost of the program and advances in technology that have rendered most page-provided services no longer essential to the smooth functioning of the House.” Although budget constraints are a legitimate concern in these financially strained times, the termination of the congressional page program deprives politically-intrigued teenagers of an invaluable opportunity to experience the workings of government firsthand. Worse, the diminishing of political knowledge among young people is a current concern, and the dissolution of the page program is just another reason why people not old enough to vote will be detached from Washington. A 2010 study conducted by the National Assessment of Education Progress showed that no more than 25 percent of American fourth, eighth, and twelfth graders have proficient knowledge of civics; shockingly, a mere five percent of high school seniors can describe the system of checks and balances regarding a president’s power (nces.ed.gov). The nation benefits from engaged citizens who are crucial to a smooth-running democracy, yet only one in 20 teenagers reads a newspaper, according to Reuters, a global news agency (uk.reuters.com). Congress should recognize the page program as an opportunity to regenerate our youth’s interest in politics. Even if pages aren’t directly involved in the decisionmaking processes of politics, the experience of working in the House of Representatives is exciting. Duties have varied with the times; in the 1820s, pages’ responsibilities included monitoring the fireplaces and bringing mint juleps to the politicians. Who wouldn’t want to play bartender in the nation’s Capitol building? Despite the wide range of tasks that pages perform, including raising the flag atop the Capitol building, and waking up representatives for an early morning vote, according to Boehner and Pelosi, the “traditional mission of the Page Program has diminished.” Now, in Congress, instead of a page delivering messages from one representative to the next, this job can be performed by a computer or a smart phone. Indeed, technology has come a long way since pages were first employed in Congress, and perhaps it is more efficient to send messages electronically than to hand deliver them, but youth can still gain valuable knowledge by having a role connected to our nation’s movers and shakers. Instead of dissolving the program permanently, the program should simply be reformed to make the pages more useful. Besides, most people agree that a teen is more tech-
17
savvy than the average adult; the page program should harness this expertise so that politicians can learn a thing or two about how to best maximize technology. Also, the presence of young people in Congress serves as a subtle reminder to politicians of the importance of America’s youth, after all, our representatives represent everyone, not only those old enough to vote. The presence of young people can also have a positive effect on the atmosphere, “…if you have to treat the page decently, then members feel more inclined to be civil to each other” Former House historian Raymond Smock said in an Aug. 8 Washington Post article (www.washingtonpost.com). Since the time that our nation was founded, each year only seventy lucky high schoolers were chosen to be congressional pages, hence, the termination of the program may seem irrelevant to most teens. However, the decision has greater symbolic repercussions. It is discouraging for youth to feel shut out of the political process in this country, one founded upon the principles of democracy. While the U.S House of Representatives Page Program has been eliminated due to budget constraints, for centuries, in actuality, the experience of being a page was priceless.
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18 EDITORIAL
September 9, 2011
Lowell High School
EDITORIALS UC faculty raises are inappropriate in current economic climate
I
N THIS BAD ECONOMY, your family may need extra help paying for the phone plan — especially all your text messages. However, your eyes have been on the iPhone. You contemplate paying for the family phone plan, but you ignore your conscience and use your “allowance reserve” to purchase the iPhone instead. The University of California made a similar error in judgment. UC officials are saying the UC system is experiencing its worst financial crisis in its history. Employee layoff and furlough days are increasing, while enrollment numbers and financial aid are decreasing. Across the UC campuses budget cuts have already cut back on student resources, such as counseling, library hours and even classes. Despite the fiscal crisis, UC president Mark Yudof, in an Aug. 17 letter to university chancellors, announced that some faculty and selected staff groups will receive merit pay raises out of a reserve set aside by UC regents. All faculty members and staff not represented in unions who earn less than $200,000 a year will be able to receive merit raises up to 3 percent. In the Aug. 18 City Town Information Education Channel article, UC spokesman Steve Montiel stated that $140 million will be distributed across the UC system. Although we acknowledge and appreciate these educators’ hard work, we criticize several factors of the UC system’s decision to raise faculty salaries at a time of state budget cuts and rising tuition rates. The UC system’s priority should be its students, especially in times of fiscal distress. If the UC system can find funds for a faculty pay raise, then why can it not maintain needed student resources as well? We understand the rationale behind the raise;― it is a means of compensating faculty for the last four years without a raise. In Yudof’s letter, he stated, “Another purpose is to demonstrate to non-represented staff members that we understand and appreciate how hard they have worked, through difficult times...” We also recognize the importance of rewarding educators and keeping salaries competitive enough to attract high-achieving professors. However, the UC system has spent money in a way that seems unfair amidst escalating tuition costs. According to a San Francisco Chronicle article on Aug. 27, the UC system spent $8 million more to pay overtime workers in 2010 than in 2009, even though 2,300 more employees were added to the payroll. The higher staff numbers are not translating to maintaining course offerings. Until public education is funded fully, the primary use for funds should be student needs. This expenditure fiasco comes at a time when tuition is sky-high. In-state UC undergraduates will pay 18.3 percent ―more in tuition and fees this year. After additional required fees are added to tuition, some UC students are sure to find it more difficult to graduate. Many students have used the UC’s as a more affordable option over private colleges. If the increase in tuition continues, the UC’s may soon outstrip the tuition of a private college. If the UC board used the money more appropriately, the universities could keep many of the programs lost to budget cuts. Perhaps the money for the pay raise should be used for both student resources and faculty needs. Half could go to fund raises while the other half could fund programs and resources for students. That way, not only will the students be satisfied, the staff will be too. The UC used their money to buy the wrong thing. It should have used the resource funds to lessen the cost of tuition, thus removing a burden from the shoulders of the students. With basic education going begging, spending money on pay raises is like buying the iPhone without purchasing a phone plan. And without the plan, how can one call for help in our economic hurricane?
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
hoi leung
Senior questions counselor vacation schedule
Student criticizes no-cellphone policy in hallways
Dear editor, My counselor is going to be out of contact for at least a week amidst the time of college applications, a time when one needs their counselor the most. I don’t think counselors should be allowed to take time off during this time period because a lot of students are counting on them to get into a college. Even if they do go on vacation, they should at least give a means of contact instead of telling us to wait until they come back because they won’t be checking their email. There could be urgent matters that must be dealt with during that specific time when our counselor is unavailable, leaving us students at a unfavorable position in the eyes of our desired colleges. Name withheld upon request
Dear editor, If we are seen with a cell phone in school, it will be confiscated. But cell phones are vital forms of communication. I understand why they are prohibited in classrooms, but using them in the hallways is a different story. What if there is an emergency at my house? Passing periods are my free time, and I can do with them what I like. Texting especially, which makes little to no noise, should be allowed in the hallways, at least during passing periods. Students most often are texting during school to coordinate after-school activities, etc. This is not something that they should be punished for. So why not just make the security guards’ jobs a little easier and allow phones in the halls? — Jillian Doherty Photo Editor Chris Lee Photographers Nicholas Fong, Gavin Li, Jeremy Varon Art Editor Vivian Tong Illustrator Hoi Leung Business Managers Martin Costa, Rachel Hsu, Sophie
Editors-in-Chief Caitriona Smyth • Nancy Wu Yosha Huang • Natasha Khan Web Editors-in-Chief Content Olivia Pollak Technology Aaron Pramana
News Amy Char, Yosha Huang, Natasha Khan, Caitriona Smyth Sports Joseph Fiorello, Nancy Wu Features Jenna Fiorello Columns Adriana Millar, Grace Sun Opinion Olivia Pollak, Michelle Wan Reporters Elijah Alperin, Elazar Chertow, Jenna Rose Fiorello, Deidre Foley, Yelena Gankin, Henry Hammel, Ian James, KT Kelly, Melinda Leung, Cooper Logan, Kai Matsumoto-Hines, Adriana Millar, Cecily Montgomery, Eva Morgenstein, Grace Sun, Jeffrey Wong, Mara Woods-Robinson Web Staff Elijah Alperin, Monica Castro, Nicholas Fong, Chris Lee, Gavin Li, Jason Lo
Solomon
Accounting Grace Sun
Print Sharn Matusek Web Samuel Williams
Advisers
Published every four weeks by the journalism classes of Lowell High School, Room S108, 1101 Eucalyptus Drive, San Francisco, CA 94132 Phone: (415) 759-2730 Internet: thelowellads@yahoo.com; http://www. thelowell.org. All contents copyright Lowell High School journalism classes. All rights reserved. The Lowell and The Lowell on the Web strive to inform the public and to use their opinion sections as open forums for debate. All unsigned editorials are the opinions of the staff. The Lowell welcomes comments on school-related issues from students, faculty and community members. Send letters to lowellopinion@gmail. com. Letters must be signed. Names will be withheld upon request. We reserve the right to edit letters before publication. 2011 NSPA Online Pacemaker 2009 NSPA First Class Honors 2007 NSPA All-American 2007 NSPA Online Pacemaker
2007 CSPA Gold Crown 2006 NSPA Pacemaker 2006 NSPA All-American 2005 CSPA Gold Crown
Over-enrollment in school drains resources, hinders education
H
AVE YOU NOTICED the extraordinarily cramped hallways? Has it ever taken you an entire passing period to go up one flight of stairs? Yes, the school has always been “overused,” but this year the crowded conditions have been intensified by an unusually large freshmen class. Although the demand for Lowell is quite high, the capacity of the school is not expanding, and the size of this year’s freshmen class is untenable. For years most classes have hovered in the range of 625-670 students. This year’s freshmen class, however, is significantly larger: 691, according to the Aug. 31 headcount. The school has neither the room nor the resources for a class of 690-plus students. In fact, to manage the extra bodies, the school had to provide three additional ninth grade classes (two P.E. 1 and one Spanish 1), see [Melinda’s news headline], page 1 in this issue. While the school should attempt to
accommodate as many applicants as possible, over-crowding can have a negative impact on the school’s learning environment. Even with the additional classes, the school’s average class size is about 31-32 students; P.E. has an average of 36.8. “Students get less individual attention,” ninth-grade English teacher Tim Lamarre said. “There is too much work to grade, which results in an inevitable reduction of assignments and a more economical number of comments on papers.” California has recognized the value of smaller classes. The 1996 Morgan-Hart Class Size Reduction Act enabled schools to reduce class sizes in selected grade levels and specific middle and high school curriculum areas: English and Math. “Average class size for the school year ... can be no more than 20:1 per certificated teacher and no more than 22 pupils enrolled in any ... class,” according to the California Department of Education (www. cde.ca.gov). Unfortunately the school’s
class sizes in ninth-grade English have risen dramatically in the last three years — by 50 percent. Also, with more students in the hallways, physical over-crowding is a huge issue. Compounded by the fact that passing periods this year are five minutes instead of eight, congested hallways are problematic for students who have a long walk from one class to the next. The main building, on a campus that did not yet have the science building but already housed “temporary” bungalows, was opened in 1962-63 with an original capacity of 1,800 students. Now the campus overflows with almost 50 percent more than that. Even with the addition of the science building, in 2003, the school should only have about 2,100 students. The school has no way of guaranteeing how many students will commit to the first day of school; the district handles admission. “Every year the Educational Placement Center sends out about 750-800
plus admission letters, including this year,” Yi said, explaining that attrition is expected to lower the number of acceptances — and incoming students. He added, “unlike private schools, public schools like Lowell do not require a deposit for admitted students. Students and parents do not have to inform us of their decision whether they are really going to attend Lowell or not.” According to Yi, the school learned of the large size of the freshmen class only after conducting the three-day count. Instead of “overbooking” students like an airline, the school should accept a consistent class size, such as 600 freshmen. The school should have a waiting list from which it can accept students to fill the spots left by people who declined its offer. Lowell’s aged campus is handling more students it was built to hold; the district should assign more students to alternate high schools and not allow the number of incoming students to be a gamble. We are losing the bet.
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SK YOUR OLDER family members what they were doing when they found out about the space shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990 or the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing — they remember. Ask students in a Lowell High School hallway what they were doing when they found out about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 — ten years later, we still remember and are grappling with its impact. That sunny Tuesday morning, my father woke me up to tell me that the Twin Towers had fallen. Not fully awake and only six years old, his words did not register until I heard my mother’s frantic questions as she phoned my aunt in Manhattan, happy to hear that my aunt was fine. For our generation, our childhood can be divided into two time periods: pre-Sept. 11 and post-Sept. 11. Unfortunately, the tragedy and our nation’s reaction has influenced America’s youth to be ignorant and paranoid. I’m unable to recall most of my first grade year, but what I remember most clearly is how society incorrectly taught me that the following three terms are always related: “terrorist,” “hijab” and “Middle Eastern.” Society concluded that these terms, along with a few others like “Muslim,” were to blame for Sept. 11. As the U.S. was thrown into an unexpected “war against terrorism” in 2001, many politicians and citizens turned to profiling and cultural bias, although some clear-headed people tried to keep a voice of reason. Americans have made scapegoats out of people who fit their perceptions — or worse, their stereotypes — of Middle Eastern people. A Sept. 28, 2001 report, “American Backlash: Terrorists Bring War Home in More Ways than One” by the South Asian American Leaders of Tomorrow (www. saalt.org) stated that in the week directly after the Sept. 11 attacks, the U.S. media reported 645 incidents of bias against “Americans perceived to be of Middle Eastern descent.” Islamophobia thrived in the U.S. after the terrorist attacks. In “FBI sees leap in anti-Muslim hate crimes” published on Nov. 26, 2002 in the San Francisco Chronicle, a 2001 FBI report is cited, reporting that hate crimes against Muslims jumped a staggering 1,600 percent in 2001 merely because of their name, clothes, skin color or religion, holding them responsible for al-Qaeda’s actions. Sadly, this bias has been embraced by some youth while others, often Muslim youth and progressive youth, reject the backlash. These prejudices follow a false application of a logic rule I learned in Geometry Honors: Modus ponen
— if p, then q. “If America thinks you are from the Middle East, then you are a terrorist.” Many U.S. citizens and impressionable youth believed — or, even worse, continue to believe — in this “false logic.” As I began sixth grade in 2006, a new era in airport security travel began. Suddenly, the Transportation Security Administration was telling us that we could only have three ounces or less of liquids or gels in our carryon luggage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
F",&5"#4/&1#5%&'&$)++0=4)&/01'1$)+&%'..)-&$"& #1H&Teens have been growing up with the nation’s explosion of American patriotism, with both positive and negative flip sides. After the attack, it was nearly impossible to go somewhere without spotting a U.S. flag on display, screaming, “Well, al-Qaeda, you hijacked four airplanes and killed around 3,000 innocent civilians. But you know what? We’re the United States of America. We’re going to stick together as a nation and make it through this.” Yet, with all this talk about standing together, America ironically targeted its own citizens and committed hate crimes against them. Just last year, 68 percent of Americans opposed the construction of a mosque two blocks away from Ground Zero because they considered it disrespectful to the victims’ family and friends. @)-&:)'+1&4'$)+;&,)& >#1$&-)()+&9"+*)$&,%'$& %'..)-)/&"-&A).$6&LL;& -)()+&9"+*)$&$%)&$%"#3 1'-/1&"9&0--"5)-$&40()1&
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HOW TO BE A HIPSTER
Want to be a hipster? Well, it turns out you can’t. While hipsters deliberately avoid labels, their unorthodox lifestyles get them labeled instead. Want to be called a hipster? Then study these steps, exert the attitude, but please — don’t try so hard. By Deidre Foley and KT Kelly
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After you obtain your awesome film camera, develop your photos, then upload them so the world can see your artsy photography. To share with your hipster friends, create a Tumblr blogging account or an online Flickr photostream. If you have followed these four easy steps, then cool! Try not to act surprised the first time someone calls you a hipster!
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“My definition of a hipster is someone who doesn’t like and doesn’t follow the latest trends, to show how they can think independently.” – Rebecca Hughes, sophomore
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A proper hipster owns a closet full of clothes that once belonged to their grandparents. The basic haircut for a hipster usually consists of long layers and bangs swept to the side. Alternatively, you can get a more radical look by dying your hair bright colors or partially shaving your hair like the artist Cassie Ventura. To save time and money, dip-dye your hair in Kool-Aid instead of the salon. Next, flaunt the right apparel. Large glasses, especially vintage and/or fake ones, are a must. Oversized sweaters, extremely skinny jeans, Doc Martens, flannel and/ or plaid button-ups, and flowing tops with vintage prints are a major part of the hipster affcionado. Find almost all of your clothes at a thrift store, where most “A hipster is pretentious, acknowledging hipsters shop and where “everything old is new again,” said Alex that they do not follow the mainstream Rigaud, a friend of the owner of Minxy Boutique, a thrift shop culture, thus creating their own mainstream in the Mission. For lazy hipsters who can’t handle rummaging culture.” – Blaire Kearney, senior through thrift stores, Urban Outfitters or online shopping websites such as Modcloth (www.modcloth.com) offer an acceptable alternative to achieve hipster swag. “Someone who has taken the ‘indie’ lifestyle to the
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STEP TWO: Get the STYLE.
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“Someone who likes things because they are ironic, not because they actually like it. They have a cynical view on life and scoff at the world.” – Natalie Girshman, senior
hipster is an old hippie.” – Hans Evans, math teacher
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Hipsters generally do not listen to mainstream bands like Lady Gaga or Eminem, unless they want to be ironic. To enjoy “hipster” music, search for bands that no one has ever heard of, such as Mike Got Spiked. And if Mike Got Spiked ever does gain popularity, you can say, “Oh, I know that band. I liked them before they were “A cool.”
extreme. Everything vintage, everything out of the ordinary and everything that was cool from a different era, they wear now.” – Karissa Tom, senior
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STEP THREE: Listen to the MUSIC.
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Since hipsters are the early-adopters of new music, fashion and ideals, they pioneer the latest cultural trends. Yet hipsters actually started off as a group who admired, and hence wanted to emulate, another culture. Americans coined the term “hipster” in the 1940s, when racial segregation was still prominent in the United States. It refers to the progressive middle-class white youth who sought the lifestyle of the predominately black jazz musicians they worshipped. In his 1957 essay, The White Negro, American writer Norman Mailer describes hipsters as people who aim to “divorce themselves from society, to exist without roots, to set out on that uncharted journey into the rebellious imperatives of the self.” This definition is the foundation of their culture today. Although their habits differ from hipsters of the 40s, their attitudes do not.
Firstly you need exude the vibe that, well, you just don’t care. Unkempt hair or a bed-head look? Great. Next, educate yourself by reading the paper or listening to National Public Radio in order to form opinions about society. Try inserting impressive words like “pulchritudinous” (“pulchritudinous” sounds like an insult but actually describes someone with “great physical beauty or appeal”) into sentences to sound intellectual. If you don’t know erudite diction, coin a new phrase like “nix out,” which means, “to eliminate or get rid of ”. Most importantly, practice denial. If someone asks if you are a hipster, say “no.” A true hipster always refutes their hipster status.
As vintage-enthusiasts, hipsters require cameras (film, not digital) for their photography. Dig around the garage or search through a thrift store to score a camera from way back when (as in the ‘90s or earlier). Another easy way to get a camera, although it may be more costly, is to purchase one from an online source, such as Lomography (www.lomography.com). Sadly for those on a budget, old film costs more for that genuine retro look. Or, if equipped with a smart phone, install applications such as Vignette and Retro Camera to enhance your digital photos.
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THE ORIGINS OF THE HIPSTER
STEP FOUR: Post PHOTOGRAPHY on a BLOG.
HOW TO BE A HIPSTER: STEP ONE: Adopt the ATTITUDE.
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hat do you call an individual with thick-rimmed glasses, skinny jeans and a nebula printed on their crop top? That’s right, you have just seen a hipster. Hipsters, or 14 to 20-something-year olds who value unconventional thinking, witty attitudes and an “effortlessly cool” clothing style, all share a common mission: to avoid labels and being labeled. This goal proves insufficient, however, because almost all hipsters dress and act in a very similar way, enabling you to identify a flock when you see them on the street. And the flocks are increasing. Hipsters are taking over the world as we know it. One cannot go anywhere without running into someone blasting an underground band from their iPod or updating their blogs with phones so old, it’s hard to believe they can receive Internet access at all. Our society seems influenced, if not conquered, by hipsters, the ruling cultural class. Where do we find hipsters? These free spirits concentrate in big cities like Chicago, New York City, and, you guessed it, San Francisco. Basically, hipsters live in cities rampant with their lifestyle accessories, thriving in urban areas laced with bike lanes, stocked with organic food and brimming with vintage thrift stores.
The Lowell Backpage
September 9, 2011