Issue I

S

PAGE 16-17

Georgia O’Keeffe U.S.Olympic at Tate Modern embarrassments

Many higher level elective and AP courses suffer from gender imbalance. Students discuss the implications on both their learning and future carrier choices.

A review of the Tate Modern Georgia O’Keeffe exhibition and the importance of her life as an artist who challenged the status quo of a woman’s role in society.

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte and women’s national soccer team player Hope Solo’s controversial behavior in Rio de Janiero leave the U.S. disgraced.

EDITORIAL

PAGE 12-13

Families and teachers discuss the implications of Brexit, what lead to the disunion, and how jobs within Great Britain will be impacted.

The Standard’s Editorial board seeks a reform of the broken clubs system.

Brexit leaves the Fixing a broken clubs system U.K. uncertain

the Standard

Gender divide in some classes

PAGE 20

PAGE 3

News 2-4 | Opinions 6-10 | Features 11-16 | Culture 17-20 | Sports 21-24

REACHING NEW FRONTIERS

After two years of construction and £23 million, a new pool, fitness center, multipurpose room and makerspace redefine the future of the school

Cameron Campili | News Editor Sourna Daneshvar, Jr. | Lead News Editor September/October 2016 | Volume 42, Issue I The American School in London | One Waverley Place | London NW8 0NP U.K. | standard.asl.org

•••

Page 2

News SOURNA DANESHVAR, JR. LEAD NEWS EDITOR

Question 1: Before ASL

Q2: Favorite Movie

Q3: Biggest Fear

Q4: Favorite App

SOURNA DANESHVAR, JR. LEAD NEWS EDITOR

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Brexit New Facilities

New Teachers

Duncan Pringle

HS Social Studies Teacher

Answer 1: I finished university in 1995. I was the first family member to go to university. After that, I applied for a job in Rome and took a position in a school there. My first job in Rome I taught Economics and Western Civilizations. Then I applied for Athletics Director and took that position. I did that for five years and I was teaching full-time as well. Then, I was in charge of service learning and then Assistant Head of a school. Last semester a very part-time position opened and now a full-time position opened up.

Shrita Gajendragadkar

Brad Moore

HS Social Studies Teacher

HS Science Teacher

Answer 1: I have been teaching high school for 10 years in a couple of different schools. My background is archeology, so I used to excavate in Athens, Greece. I’ve taken my art history classes to Greece and Italy several times and I’ve also studied in India, doing ancient language courses.

Answer 1: I graduated high school in suburban Cleveland and studied for six years at the University of Akron. I worked at NASA Lewis - it’s now called John Glenn - as a materials engineer for three years. I taught at Washington State for three years.

I spent a semester in Mexico tutoring for other people and went back again many years later, working a full summer as a bartender at Senor Frog’s in Cancun, Mexico. I spent the last two years teaching Grade 8 at Highland Middle School in Washington. Before that I was at ACS Cobham for two years.

Answer 1: Originally, I’m from New Jersey. Prior to ASL, I worked at the American School of Doha for five years. I spent a year before that working at Carnegie Mellon University’s campus in Doha. I worked in Beijing for a few years; before that I worked in Kuwait for a few years and before that I spent a few years in Japan.

A2: Godfather comes to mind.

Maybe Godfather Part II.

A2: A recent enjoyable movie, it’s not even movie, was Stranger Things and it feels like a movie even though it’s not. There’s something very nostalgic and cute about it.

A3: The world that we’re leaving for you guys. Our inability to face that reality about the environment that’s what scares me the most.

A3: Short-term, immediate fears are things like not being ready for class. Long-term fears are not taking advantage enough of the world around us.

A3: Not having an opportunity to learn. I really dig finding out new things and new experiences and putting them in context and if I didn’t have that opportunity I would be scared.

A3: Being locked in a washroom on a train in China.

A4: NPRNews. That’s what I listen to when I run.

A4: Right now I would have to say WhatsApp just because it is keeping me in touch with people.

A4: Google Maps is used more than anything. Sadly Pokemon Go, Fallout and The Simpsons are the three buttons that get pushed most.

A4: Quizlet PHOTOS 1, 3 AND 4 BY JAGGER BOUSSUGE. PHOTO 2

BY STEPHANIE BRENDSEL

Worldwide in brief

Poland abortion bill

A citizens’ initiative in Poland collected over 450,000 signatures to tighten abortion control, which led to a parliamentary debate. Under the proposed legislation abortion would have been illegal except when threatening the life of the pregnant woman. Protestors gathered on Polish streets on October 3 in response to the considered bill.

Parliament voted against the bill with 352 votes to 58 on October 6.

Currently, Poland allows abortion through 12 weeks of pregnancy.

LEAD FEATURES EDITOR

Hurricane Matthew

Nobel Peace Prize

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos won the Nobel Peace Prize on October 7 for his efforts to end the Colombian civil unrest. Since the 1960s, Colombia has been in a civil war against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and more than 220,000 people have been killed, according CNN. Santos attempted a peace treaty but it was rejected in a Colombian referendum.

A2:Depends on the mood: Philadelphia.

A3: Cinema Paradiso.

MICHAELA TOWFIGHI

Hurricane Matthew hit Florida’s Atlantic coast on October 7. The storm, which is the strongest hurricane in the United States in a decade, is projected to continue onto Georgia and South Carolina.

Matthew left about 600,000 people without power. It also caused more than 2.5 million people to evacuate their homes along the coast in all three states. President Obama declared a state of emergency in all three states on October 6, as wind was projected to reach 100 mph and 12 inches of rainfall. Prior to Florida, the storm hit the Caribbean, and was the cause for at least 300 deaths in Haiti.

Kim Inge

MS/HS EAL Teacher

Syria

The city of Aleppo, once the largest city in Syria, was bombed for four consecutive days by the Syrian and Russian Government beginning on September 22. Since the civil war began five years ago, the UN estimates over 400,000 deaths. In response to a U.S. air-strike, which killed 62 Syrian troops the U.S. suspended peace talks with the Russian government. Last month, the U.S. and Russian agreed on a cease-fire which has been disregarded.

•••

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Page 3

News

Britain’s out, the future is uncertain On June 23, 33,551,983 U.K. citizens voted on the fate of Great Britian’s membership in the European Union

48.1% THE VOTE 51.9% Remain

SOURNA DANESHVAR, JR.

LEAD NEWS EDITOR TYLER SKOW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

F

irst Sunderland, then Manchester and hours later it was confirmed. After 43 years as a member of the European Union, on June 23, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union.

The following week, now dubbed as “Brexit”, Ben Shields (’17), an intern at parliament over the summer, observed the disarray unfold on the floor as they discussed the prospect of Article 50 reaching the floor. “There were Lords saying ‘I don’t care about democracy in this case, I will not destroy my country with this vote.’”

In the days following the decision, Shields noticed an unprecedented helplessness among the Lords. “They couldn’t do anything, but they were thinking on what they could do,” he said. “Everyone had questions that nobody had answers to.”

Like Shields, Ayla Mahmood (’17) was working the day of Brexit and watched the chaos unfold first hand.

how the situation [in the world] is and many are obviously against immigration and refugees,” Mahmood said.

Shields, a U.K. citizen as well, disagreed with the Brexit vote in part because of the implications to immigration. “We live in a world of cooperation and these antiquated ideas of borders and individual cultures don’t always need to conflict with making the world a better place... and it’s so sad to just see people divide it now on xenophobic lines,” he said.

Social Studies Teacher Todd Pavel sees the Brexit vote reflect a range of social and political issues across the UK. “I think it definitely highlighted the socio-economic disparities that are alive and well between people who live in London and people who live elsewhere,” Pavel said. “Parts of northern England in particular have been left behind with the benefits of globalization that London has enjoyed.”

Economic

Co-Head of Financial Institutions Group Europe at Goldman Sachs and ASL parent, Todd Leland sees the further maintanence and independence of the pound as

“I felt cheated on. Being underage and unable to vote, a lot of 16 and 17 year olds are much more educated and aware than many of the [older voters] and so that’s why I went to protest.”

Ayla Mahmood (’17) Dismayed by the vote, Mahmood protested the decision in front of parliament. “I felt cheated on. Being underage and unable to vote, a lot of 16 and 17 years olds are much more educated and aware than many of the [older voters] and so that’s why I went to protest,” Mahmood said.

Mahmood believes lots of young people did “not bother voting” because polls suggested the U.K. would remain in the EU. She also believes a lack of tolerance facilitated the outcome. “Lots of leave voters don’t really realize

a possible economic benefit for the U.K. Long-term, Leland doesn’t believe the division caused by the vote will remain. “I have a core belief that the world is getting smaller and that trade is a powerful instrument of connectivity between countries,” Leland said. “I don’t see this vote and this decision changing that at all because I don’t believe you can overcome the desire of people to have greater exchange, interaction and greater connectivity irrespective of policies.”

However, Leland feels the deci-

Leave

Ayla Mahmood (’17) participated in an anti-Brexit protest on June 28, 2016 in front of the Houses of Parliament.

PHOTO BY DYLAN MARTINEZ sion leaves global markets vulnerable as companies grow unsure of investment and personnel decisions. “Uncertainty is not good for markets. Uncertainty slows down decisions,” Leland said. “When you pull back from decisions that slows down an economy, and in a world that already had a question mark on economic growth this was a significant decision that has brought further uncertainties into the economy.”

Maria Pinelli, Senior Partner at Ernst & Young and ASL parent, echoed Leland’s claim. Prior The age divide

73%

18-24

Remain

65+

Remain

40%

27%

Leave

60%

Leave

to the vote, Pinelli was working on 30 transactions, but when the vote finalized, all 30 ceased. “We definitely saw a slowdown in capital investment, whether it was through mergers and acquisitions or in investments in people and real estate,” she said.

Economists at Goldman Sachs

and elsewhere have seen economic growth stall and predict Brexit will halt productivity into the immediate future. “It’s always difficult to know what growth we would have had, but I think that until we have greater clarity and resolution it’ll hold back growth,” Leland said.

While the shock of Brexit may now be settling in for the average voter, the economy is unlikely to acclimate any time soon. “In January [Parliament] is likely to invoke Article 50, which starts the two year negotiation process, so I would say we are looking at two plus full years of uncertainty and that’s a long time to be uncertain,” Pinelli said.

However, Pinelli also sees possible economic benifits to the vote.

Pinelli thinks companies that import products will likley prosper.

Pavel also believes Brexit may not necessarily be detrimental. “I think Britain will always occupy a very important place economically, as strong, meaty world economy.

Culturally, I think the U.K remains a very powerful force internationally,” he said.

The future

Aside from the economics of the secession, Pavel sees philosophical benefits of the EU that the U.K. relinquished. “I value what the EU stands for, which is cooperation, which is consensus building, which is putting common values and interest before sometimes narrow-minded nationalistic concerns because that is important to me,” he said.

Pinelli predicts the Brexit vote will particularly impact youth living in the U.K. “If you are in the U.K. and it remains uncertain, one thing is for sure, there are several other countries lining up to entice you,” she said. “I would say, simply put, the world is your oyster, you can be anywhere you want right now.”

Pavel believes the U.K. may just be the beginning. “I am afraid that it is going to start to tear it apart a little bit, just because of the precedent that it sets.

I know there are people in France, Italy and elsewhere in the EU who want to have a similar vote of exiting the EU.”

•••

Page 4

News

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

New frontiers, new facilities

This summer marked the end of the New Frontiers construction project with various major additions to the campus Cameron Campili | News Editor The new school year brought numerous changes to campus with the conclusion of the New Frontiers Construction project. Exemplifying the greatest expansion of campus is a pool, a renovated fitness center and an arts building among others.

In 2010, Head of School Coreen Hester and the Board of Trustees recognised a need to maximize space on campus in addition to growing an endowment for socio-economic diversity. Associate Director of Advancement for Research Devra Flynn ascertains that the entire community contributed to the Construction through volunteering and fundraising. The community raised in excess of £23 million with “minimal” corporate and foundation support.

Similar to Flynn, Associate Director of Advancement for Communication Wendy Robinson appreciates the significant community involvement, though believes the improvements stemmed from a clear need for additional space. “It took a whole community to do it,” Robinson said. “It was the right project so that’s why we got such support.”

Monday

Director of Operations Jim Heynderickx on use of the pool more accessible to swimmers such as herself. “I feel like it should be easier because although the pool has other benefits besides the swim team it was in truth created for the swim team. Even though the swim team might not have as much access to the pool we should,” she said.

Aquatics and Fitness Center Manager Keith Mainstone will keep the pool open as late as 10 p.m. starting November 28. From November, use of the pool outside of swimming on weekday mornings will require a membership costing £20 for students. Swimming

Friday

Sunday

9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

8 a..m. - 3 p.m

3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Fitness Center open.

Will be used by athletics.

Fitness Center open.

Will be used by athletics.

3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

6 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Saturday

Pool and Fitness Center open.

Pool and Fitness Center reserved for PE classes. No individual student use.

Pool open for lessons.

activities other than swimming. Mainstone hopes water polo, synchronized swimming and other water related games will be available as a part of the membership.

With a host of new activities available more staff is needed. Specifically with lifeguarding, Mainstone hopes to employ students as part-time staff. Mainstone anticipates that students would work part-time shifts, normally lasting four hours.

Currently, the pool is reserved for the ASL community, but this may change.

“ASL comes first and what we found right

6:30 a..m. - 8 a.m

Pool and Fitness Center reserved for PE classes. No individual student use.

Pool open for athletics, lessons and clubs.

lessons or other classes will require an additional fee.

A fee for parents and other community members will be announced on October 16.

Additional pool availability will include

“Obviously the academic and athletic programs come first.”

i

8 a..m. - 3 p.m

The 25 meter pool is divided in half with one shallow end only a meter deep and a deeper end of two meters. Regardless of the shallow depth swimming competitions will be held.

Although the pool will host various community-based clubs, classes and lessons “obviously the academic and athletic programs come first,” Director of Operations Jim Heynderickx said.

In order to use the pool for any activity, a lifeguard must be present. Assistant Aquatics and Fitness Center Manager Beth Malin cites safety concerns as the main reason for the policy. “It’s about making sure that they maintain safety at all times, so making sure there is no access to the pool except for when there is a lifeguard on duty to provide supervision,” Malin said.

Throughout the school week from 6:308 a.m. the pool is available for student and faculty use. During the day PE classes will occupy the pool. From 4-6 p.m. a swimming specialist company called Swimstars conducts lessons for members of the community. Swimstars also holds lessons on

Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, the schedule is subject to change with fluctuating demand for the pool and the start of the competitive swim season.

Ally Larson (’19) wishes the pool was

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

6:30 a..m. - 8 a.m Pool and Fitness Center open.

Aquatics Center

Sourna Daneshvar, Jr. | Lead News Editor

Pool open for athletics, lessons and clubs.

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Pool open for lessons.

Pool open for lessons

Pool open for lessons

•••

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Page 5

News

The MILL

£20

ASL students

£137

Harbor club

£97

Swiss Cottage Leisure Center

£70

Virgin Fitness

600

Planning started in

2007 Charow realizes the gym can’t be open at all times, but wants greater availability for student use. “We need to come to a compromise to use it when it’s convenient for students, but we obviously can’t have it open all the time,” he said.

days of construction

£23

Million Pounds

Though the Fitness Center awaits equipment such as racks for squatting and bench press, Charow wishes there were more free weights as he feels it is “very geared towards cardio equipment,” he said.

Despite his qualms about the Fitness

meters

removed from underground to build pool complex

are feet ava u q s

14% more

Center, Charow appreciates the New Frontiers building project. “Overall, the school did a great job with the construction,” he said.

Heynderickx hopes the new facilities help the entire community for years to come. “I think the goal was to try and benefit all three divisions as much as possible and not have something that was only going to serve high school students or only going to serve one or two divisions.”

Security update: WILLIAM BRUMETTE STAFF WRITER

Fitness Center faculty and staff before school from 6:30-8 a.m. During the day P.E uses the space with the exception of a lunch time availability for students. After school, the Fitness Center is used by athletics.

A staff member must supervise the Fitness Center for students use. With new additions to the Fitness Centers staff in the coming weeks, more time will become available for general use after school.

Specified student workout programs will also become available with the arrival of incoming staff.

In order to use the Fitness Center all faculty and staff must complete an induction, which outlines use of the equipment and rules of the gym. The induction includes a basic medical questionnaire.

David Charow (’17) feels it is “ridiculous” that the Fitness Center is not open during free periods for students. He feels it should be open throughout the day from 6:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. “The flexibility to use the Fitness Center when I want is very important,” he said.

10000 cubic

ble ila

The Make Innovate Learn Lab (MILL) in the new Middle School Science wing was created as a “problem-solving space” for all classes, divisions and subjects with MakerSpace Co-Teacher Colin McCarty as the main supervisor.

Tools in the lab include multiple 3D printers, laser cutters and bandsaws.

Equipment such as a vinyl cutter, CAT tools and sowing machines will be added.

The lab also holds numerous whiteboards, tables and windows that can be written on.

Among those using the space will be the robotics team, but they will not be the sole group. “This is not just a robot space. Robotics will be happening here, but this isn’t owned by the robotics team or anything robotics, it’s a K-12 design, problem-solving and thinking space,” McCarty said.

With greater student understanding of the space, McCarty hopes its niche in the school evolves. “My vision is that it’s not just open during the school day. This is a space that should be open on the weekends for a family to come in and work on a project together. So, It becomes more of a community hub than just a classroom” he said.

Ideally, for McCarty, the space would be open to more than just the ASL community. “I think this would be a great place for the neighbourhood, people in London to come and do things, make the world a better place,” McCarty said.

Currently, the Fitness Center is open to

Membership cost

Mor e

now, is that all swim lessons are being filled by the ASL community, so there’s no reason to go outside the ASL community if we’re filling the availability from what we’re offering already,” Heynderickx said.

“If a year from now only half the slots are filled or there’s a lot of open space, I think it would become a discussion because it would be nice to make good use of the pool.”

Above: After two years of construction the new pool opened at the beggining of the school year. A lifeguard must be present to use the pool. Bottom: To maintain operations of the pool there is a plant room next to the pool that holds numerous balance tanks.

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE BRENDSEL

New doors have been introduced at Waverly Place. Instead of two automatic doors, there is now only one automatic door, with another door requiring a button to push open. This system will remain throughout the day, however during busy periods such as before school and after school the non-automatic doors will stay open in order to reduce inconvience and foot traffic.

At the end of last school year, ASL conducted a security review including the Security Team and outside security consultants. The security advisor concluded that among other ways to improve security, the Loudoun and Waverley entrances were not robust enough.

The doors were implemented to prevent someone from rushing into the school, which could have been done easily with the previous system of two automatic doors.

•••

Page 6

Opinions

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Women in the work world SFDB point and counterpoint

Clubs need stronger leadership

CARTOON BY STELLA JORGENSEN

Clubs provide the perfect opportunity for students to explore interests outside of athletics and the classroom. However, the system for clubs is flawed. Students and faculty must work together to reform the current attitude towards as well as procedure for clubs.

The success of any organization or club stems from it’s leadership. Leaders of successful clubs were driven throughout the year to accomplish their goals and motivated other club members to do the same. Failing clubs, which, unfortunately, accounts for the majority of clubs offered in the past, lacked the leadership that is necessary to organize their club and work towards their purpose.

In order for a club to be established in the first place, the current leaders should present a viable way to pass leadership onto younger students in the future. Many clubs only last a year or two because juniors and seniors start them, but don’t focus on the lasting legacy of a club. For clubs that are based on charity organizations, it’s difficult to reach a goal or make a significant change in just one year. If students are really focused on making that change, they should

care enough to ensure the club will continue to run after they leave ASL. Another crucial aspect of successful clubs and their leaders is passion for the club. Too many founders wish to start a club merely for the right to say they did so. As a result of the constant pressure derived from college applications in the High School environment, too many clubs have originated for the sole purpose of improving one’s resumé instead of working towards the actual purpose of the club.

This saturation of inactive clubs creates a difficult environment for students looking to join a club. Under the current circumstances, it remains just as hard for students to join a genuinely active club as it is to be a productive member within one. Students often are left confused by what clubs actually work consistently to achieve their goals and others that serve only to improve one’s university prospects.

At their core, clubs serve to provide students with an opportunity to pursue interests outside of the classroom, and manifest themselves in many different clubs. Many clubs at our school serve to support charity organizations, a motive that is very sound.

Editorial However, when students are creating clubs left and right, they will inevitably have fewer members and a less-established structure. If a student has a great idea and a way to make a change, instead of going through the administrational tasks of creating a club and working to find members, the student should join a pre-existing club. Thus, they can focus on getting their ideas heard and making the change they want to see with the help of an already established organization.

The new club fair should alleviate some of the confusion surrounding clubs. Compared to the previous assemblies, where upwards of 40 clubs described themselves in a terse and vague manner, students should be able to obtain a greater understanding of the purpose of each club as well as their dedication. As a result, the club fair will allow students to find clubs they care about and will contribute to.

A more regimented system for operating clubs is desperately needed. Along with the club fair, a form in order to lead a club

Standard

proves a step in the right direction, but the form itself fails to match the detail and commitment necessary for running a club.

It’s a simple form that still allows most even those who don’t intend to maintain a club throughout the year to start one. Clubs should also be required to meet more than once a month. The requirements to operate a club should be matched with similar intensity to start a club. In turn, this will increase the accountability of club founders as well as the quality of clubs overall.

Throughout the year clubs must be monitored by their advisers so that if they wish to return the following year there is a clear understanding of how they will continue if they succeeded and how they would change if the club proved inconsistent and unsuccessful.

Clubs can provide immense value to student life and the community. Greater leadership among the student body as well as changes to the clubs procedure would improve the quality of clubs overall.

the TYLER SKOW Editor-in-Chief MARTHA COLLINS Deputy Editor-in-Chief SOURNA DANESHVAR, JR. Lead News Editor CAMERON CAMPILI News Editor SOPHIE ASHLEY Opinions Editor MICHAELA TOWFIGHI Lead Features Editor ANANYA PRAKASH Features Editor QUINN WHITMAN Features Editor OLIVIA ABRAMS Culture Editor ALEXANDRA GERS Culture Editor JONATHAN SHEVES Sports Editor ANKIT MEHRA Online Director STEPHANIE BRENDSEL Online/Photo Editor CHRISTINA LEONARD Online Editor SHANNON MILLER Adviser CARTOONISTS Stella Jorgensen STAFF WRITERS Maya Ariburnu Will Brummette

Martha Duff Anastasia Ruimy STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Jagger Boussuge Jordan Koski

MISSION STATEMENT The Standard staff and adviser are dedicated to creating a collaborative, open forum that cultivates productive dialogue within the School community by publishing exemplary student news media according to the strictest standards of journalistic integrity.

CONTENT The Standard covers news related, but not limited, to the School community. Issues-driven coverage that aims to explore ideas, themes, concepts, trends and recent developments beyond the campus that are relevant to members of the community are also included.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send submissions to the journalism lab, room Y-201, or to the_standard@asl.org. These must adhere to the same set of ethical guidelines that all staff content is held to, and will only be published at the discretion of the editorial board and the adviser. The Standard retains the right to edit letters for length and AP/Standard style. All letters must be signed in order to be considered for publication.

EDITORIALS Articles published without a byline and presented in the same location issue-to-issue represent the majority opinion of the editorial board. They are unsigned.

COMMENTARIES Articles with a byline and a photo of the author in the Opinions section of the newspaper are opinions articles. They represent the view of the writer only, and not necessarily the staff of the newspaper or any other

individual or group in the community.

ENGAGEMENT WITH READERSHIP The Standard encourages all readers to submit their thoughts through letters to the editor, guest columns, online comments, and story ideas. Contact the appropriate section editor(s) for submissions.

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•••

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Page 7

Opinions Women in the work world

STEPHANIE BRENDSEL stephanie_brendsel@asl.org

“

Lose the mindset that one test or subject grade determines whether you will be able to make a carreer out of it.

This summer, I walked down the aisle of the trading floor for my WorkX internship, overwhelmed as I looked left and right to see many people occupied by their multiple flickering computer screens.

While the bustle around the trading floor was exhilarating, I could not help but notice that something was missing: a female presence. My male mentor explained that although the female opinion is valued, it is lacking because most women do not choose banking for a career.

There were two other high school interns – both boys. The three of us went to different desks to learn about specific roles within the bank. Although we went into the internship knowing the same amount about banking, I found myself quieter than I was normally, while the two boys always spoke with confidence, leading me to doubt my

own knowledge and capability.

I remembered a conversation I had with Director of College Counseling Patty Strohm. I told Strohm I was not planning to pursue AP Physics II the following year because I recently received a poor test grade in AP Physics I. She told me that was the worst reason not to pursue a subject. Strohm explained that historically, females are more likely to accept failure than men are.

In general, I have seen my female classmates take their grades more personally early in their lives. When they see males remain confident in quantitative classes, females mistakenly conclude they should not pursue careers in mathematics or science.

I see this reflected repeatedly in my own experiences. More often than not, my male peers seem to shake off a bad test more easily than my female peers. I believe

females are intimidated when we perform badly in one subject.

As a result, we often give up and pursue alternative subjects.

Observing the lack of women on the trading floor made me wonder if the theory applied here as well. Although women are as capable as men, we are not as present in some industries perhaps because we are more critical of ourselves.

When I went to lunch with a female colleague of my mentor, she told me how a woman needs confidence in the banking industry. Although she is very successful in the field, she recognized that as a female she could never be off her game when it came to speaking with investors.

One byproduct of industries with this gender imbalance is a lack of diversity in opinion.

An experiment conducted by Kellogg at Northwestern University proved that diversity in

Progress Report BREAKFAST

PRINTING

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FITNESS CENTER

PHOTOS 1, 2, 4, 5, AND 6 BY SOPHIE ASHLEY; PHOTO 3 BY TYLER SKOW

1

2

3

4

5

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The Editorial Board of 1.

The Standard gives the school its first 2. report of the 2016-17 school year. 3.

New Breakfast: (A) Yum. Shoutout to Sergio.

Ankit Mehra New Printers: (C-) Pretty sure last minute printing would be dead even if I actually downloaded the system. Sophie Ashley £10 IDs: (A) There is no greater scandal in this school than the cost of a new ID. I demand to see where the money is going. #showmethemoney Tyler Skow

the workplace improves performance not only because of the new ideas being brought in, but because the group now also has to process these ideas more carefully. When there is an increase of discussion, the information is processed more carefully and better ideas are developed.

Therefore, I ecourage my female peers not give up on quantitative courses. The classes are meant to be more challenging, but still can be just as interesting. Lose the mindset that one test or subject grade determines whether you will be able to make a career out of it. Although I did not end up pursuing AP Physics II this year, I took it as an opportunity to explore another quantitative course, AP Economics.

Trying economics has opened a door to possibilities that I want to explore further, and I hope this inspires others to keep these doors open for yourself to.

4.

iOS 10: (D) How do I undo it? Olivia Abrams

5.

Fitness Center: (C) Ski ergs? Really? We don’t have a cross country ski team. How about getting some practical equipment. Also it would be nice to be able to use the gym sometime besides 6:30 in the morning. #whereisandy. Martha Collins

6.

Pre-arranged Absence Forms: (D) There could not be a more annoying paper just to say “See haiku”.

Sourna Daneshvar Jr. Post Scriptum: McGowan for third party rep?

•••

Page 8

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Opinions

Why leavers got it wrong

ISHAAN RAHMAN

ishaan_rahman@asl.org

“

The Office for National Statistics stated that these areas have suffered from almost three decades of economic decline since globalization and the breakdown of trade unions. Unemployment reached almost 8 percent in these areas – the highest in England. The Leave campaign took immediate advantage of this issue and told voters that their jobs and schools were being taken by immigrants from the EU, and that leaving would cut off immigration.

However, in contrast to what the Leave campaign suggested, immigration has not posed an issue to employment in areas outside of London. The BBC Documentary “Brexit: The Battle for Britain” stated that the North and the Midlands were

among areas least affected by immigration, with immigrants making up a miniscule 1.5 percent of the population.

Nationally, immigrants make up almost 13 percent of the U.K.’s population.

However, to many Northerners, the vote was about something more than immigration stats. To many, London’s rapidly advancing economy seemed to leave them rest of the UK behind. However, this was also untrue. In fact, a large portion of tax money generated in London goes to subsidize other parts of the country. According to a Daily Mail article written in February 2012, 25 percent of London tax revenue was used to support the North of the country. In addition, according to the Mir-

Buzz

ror, the EU itself sent a total of £492 million of aid money to the north of England; that amounts to one free meal per family every year. These numbers also exclude investment from individual nations and private charity. In reality, the North benefits from EU funding more than any other part of the UK. The Leave Campaign sold mostly lies to the working class people. By exposing these lies, public opinion may shift in favor of staying in the EU. Speaking after the vote, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said, “We have the right to change our mind on Brexit”, stating that Britain could rejoin the EU if public opinion changes, which based on these facts, I believe it will.

The

What is the reality of the claims that the Leave campaign made?

On June 23 the U.K. made a historical, yet controversial, vote to leave the European Union (EU). A cornerstone of people said that they voted to leave because of immigration or simply because they felt left behind

by London’s rapidly advancing economy. These claims resonated with the working class in formerly industrial regions. But what is the reality of the claims that the Leave campaign made?

The leave vote was popular in places like North England and the Midlands. According to the BBC, over 55 percent of people in the North voted to leave, and in the Midlands it reached almost 60 percent. The BBC also said that in smaller cities such as Sunderland the vote was over 70 percent to leave.

THE DATA

THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WITH OPINIONS EDITOR SOPHIE ASHLEY

16.4% Donald Trump

23% Other

11.8% Ted Cruz 15.1% Marco Rubio

33.6% John Kasich

Prior to the selection of the party’s nominee, who was your preferred Republican candidate?

%O

8.6 r

the 38.4% Hillary Clinton

53% Bernie Sanders

DATA TAKEN FROM A SURVEY OF 170 STUDENTS CONDUCTED BY THE STANDARD.

Prior to the selection of the party’s nominee, who was your preferred Democratic candidate?

THE VOICES

“As a woman, I could not understand or imagine why any woman would vote for [Donald Trump].”

Maddie Kolaja (’18) “While some of the third party candidates have better qualities, the bigger problem is defeating the opposition that is Trump.”

Calvin Bohner (‘17) “I think it’s sad this is how our country is portrayed. America has lost a lot of respect.”

Kate Farrell (‘18) Martha Duff contributed to reporting.

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

•••

Page 9

Opinions

Learning applicable skills SOPHIE ASHLEY

sophie_ashley@asl.org

“

While ASL will teach me how to lead Harkness discussions and speak Spanish sin Google translate, I’ll graduate without knowing the value of money.

As a college preparatory school, the focus of our learning is centered mostly around core academic subjects. The aim of our education is to prepare students for the rigor and intensity of university.

Although ASL excels in preparing students for college, I believe that this attitude towards education can create a tunnel view that excludes the subjects we can’t be tested on.

While ASL will teach me how to lead Harkness discussions and speak Spanish sin Google translate, I’ll graduate without knowing the value of money.

In the Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) survey conducted by the administration taken by 2015’s High School students, the vast majority of students chose “very little to some” for the amount the school contributes to their

ability to apply school-based knowledge to everyday life as well as their understanding of why what they learn in school will be important in life after school.

I understand that our curriculum is not tailored to prepare us for the daily tasks in adult life. But I argue that some of the topics we talk about in advisory are no more useful to us than a home economics or financial literacy unit would be.

Handling personal finances is something that every one of us will have to do as adults. If we learned how to handle money earlier, it would cause less stress when we encounter problems later on in life. The more questions we have answered now, the less we’ll have when there are fewer people around that are willing to help.

Currently, a finance-based

math elective is being formulated. Nothing has been finalized, but the class would probably focus on turning students into financially literate consumers who understand saving, budgeting and being generally smart with money.

However, I know many students would struggle to find space in their schedules for an additional class. Because of this, I am proposing a short portion of advisory time be devoted to skills related to home economics and finance.

I’m not proposing that we be taught everything we’ll need to know once we’re out of school.

I can handle simple adult daily tasks on my own. I know how to cook uncomplicated meals and do my own laundry, as they’re things I’ve already had to do for myself. I completely agree that these topics should not be

taught in a college prep environment.

However, I know that I do not have a realistic understanding of the complications of adult life, especially concerning money. These topics are harder for our parents to teach us without taking the time to sit down and really explain them all. When I buy a meal or a new shirt, I do not comprehend how hard I would have had to work in order to make the money to pay for it. I do not understand how to handle consumer credit or debt management, nor do I know how to budget money for food or maintain a good credit score.

In dedicating a short portion of our advisory sessions to topics like these, ASL would not only be preparing us for college, but for life after university as well.

Letter to the Class of 2020

MARTHA DUFF

martha_duff@asl.org

“

For you to become comfortable in new situations, you have to expand your horizons.

Welcome to the High School.

Although initially daunting, you will soon grow to enjoy your time here.

The turnover from the comfortable Grade 8 pod, to the long and crowded hallways of top orange are fast paced and even stressful. It may seem like locating your World Civilizations I class is the challenge of the day, but I guarantee, that feeling of confusion will soon disperse.

High School is an opportunity to find yourself, your capabilities and your real friends.

After one short year spent in the High School, I am not the expert nor do I know the formula for a successful high school experience. However, I did find the following to be true.

As I walked into my freshman French class on the first day and saw sophomores, juniors and even seniors sitting along the rows of desks, I was petrified. Not knowing what

my “correct” place was, I sat myself in the back row, far away from possible interaction with anyone else. This soon began to affect my grades and work in this class, and I quickly realized that I had to make a change.

As second quarter began, I moved myself to the front of the class, changed my attitude and began to expand my comfort zone. When I was put in group situations with students outside of my grade, I began to realize there was actually nothing to be afraid of – it wasn’t bad at all. They were quite similar to me, and simply tried to succeed in the class and learn new material just like I was.

My point is that to become comfortable in new situations, you have to expand your horizons. Trying new classes, joining clubs and even something as simple as meeting an upperclassman is essential to expanding your comfort zone.

As Student Council President

Ariadne Letrou-Papamarkakis (’17) stated in her address to the school, trying new things, exploring different interests and becoming truly involved in ASL are all necessary for the ideal high school experience.

Academics-wise, advice like completing your homework the day it is assigned and seeking help from teachers when needed is vital to success. However, socially, there is just as much institutional knowledge.

In the 2015-2016 High School yearbook, Sojourner, the graduating seniors wrote an article giving advice to the Freshmen, named ‘Dear freshmen,’.

It featured phrases such as “Try not to crowd the freshman hallway,” to “Don’t be afraid to be yourself and stand out,”.

These two pieces of advice are true. These are examples of the things that are the hardest but most rewarding Freshman year.

Freshmen being treated differently from the upperclass-

man is stereotyped in the media through movies, television shows, and more. ASL is no exception to these norms. Although, after experiencing a freshman year at ASL, I want you to know that it is definitely less intense than what I had been told before starting High School.

Social advice such as “be yourself ” is also important to remember. That’s how you’ll find the subjects, extracurriculars and groups that you enjoy.

As most incoming freshmen feel nervous about high school, it is important to remember that it is full of opportunities.

Opportunities to meet new people, to overcome fears, to join clubs, and to succeed in your classes.

High school only lasts for four years, and it is important to make them count. By being yourself, doing what you like and trying new things, you will succeed in doing so.

•••

Page 10

Opinions

ALEXANDRA GERS alexandra_gers@asl.org

Point

The mutual understandings between students enables the SFDB to suggest fair punishments for their peers.

When my peers walk into the room and stand in front of the Student Faculty Disciplinary Board (SFDB), I feel a number of things: Sympathy, empathy and disbelief.

I won’t lie to you, being a member of the SFBD also gives me a sense of power. However, I also am able to understand people who come in front of the SFDB, as we are all High School students.

I believe that having your peers, the people your grade elected, making the suggestion for your punishment is one of the greatest gifts you could have been given during this process, as nine times out of ten, we understand.

I strongly believe that the SFDB is one

“

Being on SFDB has allowed me to see that students have the perspective that is necessary to explain to the administration why you deserve another shot. of the most unique things about ASL. Not many schools allow students to make recommendations on their peer’s punishments because of the belief that students are not qualified to decide what happens when the school’s respective Code of Conduct has been violated.

However, being on SFDB has allowed me to see that students have the perspective that is necessary to explain to the administration why you deserve another shot.

When discussing plagiarism or cheating, we can vouch for your character and explain your work ethic. We can empathize with the feelings that an overbearing workload can cause.

This is because we most likely share your workload. Even if it’s not the workload for that specific class, at least one board member will be from your grade level and share similar courses. At least one board member certainly knows enough about you that they would trust your ability to take this second chance and prove that you are deserving of it.

It’s not to say that plagiarism is the only offense that comes in front of the board. As Director of Student Life James Perry mentioned in the Code of Conduct assembly, plagiarism and cheating cases are only half of the offenses that were discussed last school year. There are behavioral cases as well, which I believe the board made the right decisions in making the suggestion to close campus or even suspend the students.

It is harder for administrators to get what being a high school student at ASL is like. They don’t understand the academic and social stresses that are currently prevalent in our school’s culture, and while teachers do empathize with students, they can’t fully appreciate the hours of work which accumulate. But as your fellow students, we can, and we understand the result-driven pressure that can often be felt at ASL. If anyone understands your situation, it’s us.

There were 19 cases that went before the SFDB last year, 7 of which were behavioral and 12 of which were academic.

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Counterpoint Students are too immature and biased to fairly suggest the punishments of other students.

The Student Faculty Displinary Board (SFDB) is an organization that is at the heart of ASL’s core values, namely because it is an organization that has been at the forefront of enforcing ASL’s Code of Conduct.

Each year students elect members from their respective grade who come together to enforce this code. The board, which consists of 10 students plus two faculty members, makes judgements on disciplinary cases and recommends resulting punishments to the administration.

I feel the SFDB is problematic for three reasons. Firstly, there is a huge risk of confidential information about a student’s disciplinary violation becoming public. Secondly, students on the board might have prior judgements about the students that are appearing before the board. Finally, teenagers often aren’t mature enough to handle such important decisions.

The first problem with this system is that confidential information about a student’s disciplinary violation is shared with 10 students, increasing the risk that this information could be revealed to a larger number of students. Furthermore, students who have been in front of the board and given thoughtful explanations for their actions might find it awkward to see one of the board members walking in the hallway; I would imagine this is an unsettling feeling.

The SFDB fails to take into account the fact that some of its board members might not be impartial towards the students that have been brought in front of the board.

What happens if someone, or many people on the board, don’t like you regardless of your disciplinary violation? Well, sadly, there is simply nothing you can do. You must accept that the judgment the board gives will be biased, and even fueled by a misguided sense of justice. It is also scary to think that something like this could actually happen. Unlike in the United States, where as a defendant, your lawyer can vet the people on your jury, and hopefully remove those most prejudiced against you, the SFDB does not allow this kind of screening, therefore increasing the risk of a biased judgement.

Another issue with this board is that teenagers are simply too subjective, and we often make irrational and impulsive

WILLIAM BRUMMETTE william_brummette@asl.org

decisions. For example, what if one student, who is about to go in front of the board for a cheating violation, accidentally bumps into another student, who is currently a member on the board and does not apologize. The next day during the session, the student on the board grills the student who bumped into him and makes a specific effort to make his time before the board unpleasant. This is exactly the problem. Regardless of how mature the people on the board are, they are still too young to determine other students’ punishments.

I believe the way to make the SFDB more fair and balanced is by changing its structure and the way it handles disciplinary ac-

“

Regardless of how mature the people on the board are, they are still too young to determine students’ punishments. tions. Students should be able to ask the administration for certain members of the SFDB to not take part in their session and instead their place could be taken by a faculty member. Also, sitting SFDB members should take the initiative to take themselves off of certain cases if they feel they aren’t able to make a fair judgement because of either bias towards or against a certain individual going before the board. Hopefully, the student going in front of the board will feel more comfortable answering questions about what he or she has done and receive a more impartial punishment.

The SFDB is flawed and needs to be changed or eradicated. There are serious issues with maturity and potential awkward situations that arise when students are brought to the board. The administration should have another look at how the SFDB functions.

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

•••

Gender Divide Summer Hiking

Page 11

Features

Henry Kiem (’17) and Malcolm Tisdale (’18) took the knowledge they had gained in their math and science classes and applied it to a summer project: Building a drone.

Martha Collins | Deputy Editor-in-Chief PHOTOS COURTESY OF MALCOLM TISDALE ntarctic researchers devote their lives to researching colonies of animals in exremely isolated locations. For instance, one group of oceanographers that focuses on penguin and puffin research is only able to interact with these colonies twice a year due to the movement of the ice sheets. The region is not incredibly remote but the researchers have to use a large ice-breaking ship and raise funding in order to conduct the necessary research.

When watching a documentry on this research, Henry Kiem (’17) began to think of possible alternative approaches. He decided that a cheaper, more efficient way to reach the area would be by using an autonomous flying vehicle: A drone.

This inspired Kiem to build a drone, embarking on the project alongside Malcolm Tisdale (’18).

The two met last year through robotics, instantly becoming friends due to a shared interests. “We both do robotics, and there’s no flying in that. We both really wanted to learn about aerodynamics, so we decided to build something that flies” Kiem said.

The first step in their dronebuilding process was to identify the specific problem they wanted to solve. While it was the Antarctic oceanographers who had introduced Kiem to the idea of building a drone, but Kiem and Tisdale weren’t going to build one tailored to that sole purpose.

Their brainstorming for the purpose of the drone ranged from a drone that would clean the windows of the Burj Khalifa, to one that could help agricultural workers by spreading pesticides more efficiently.

The two ultimately decided on a drone that would be adept to conduct marine biology and oceanography research. In order to do so, they needed to have access to a body of water during the planning and initial construction phases, so they worked

“If you want to study mechanical engineering and you want to build things, there’s no better preparation for that than just going out and building things on your own.”

Henry Kiem (’17) for a month in Camden, Maine at Tisdale’s summer house.

The second step was understanding exactly what oceanographers and marine biologists do. This consisted of Kiem and Tisdale going out alone on a motorboat in Maine, collecting water samples and then conducting tests on the water to obtain measurements.

Kiem feels that it was one of because “it wasn’t guided by an- ings from this summer. Along his favorite aspects of the entire yone else, it was our own initia- with computer-programmed process. “It was so interesting to tive,” Tisdale said. prototypes, the report will help structure our own experiment, Kiem echos Tisdale’s state- them present to companies for to approach something without ment. “If you want to study me- funding. a sheet that just gives you the chanical engineering and you They work almost everysteps,” he said. want to build things, there’s no day after school for two or Then came the third step, better preparation for that than three hours, using the newly emulating the marine biology just going out and building built Make Innovate Learn Lab sampling process again, but things on your own,” he said.

(MILL). this time by designing a drone If they recieve funding by the Aerospace engineering is a that could do it for them. field that Kiem and Tisdale are beginning of winter, they will They ordered tools and parts both interested in pursuing in then begin working towards from Amazon, watched count- the future. building the final product, hopless YouTube videos and read Currently, Tisdale and Kiem ing to complete it before Kiem scientific reports on building are working on writing a scientif- goes off to college next fall. drones. Over the course of the ic report about their research and However, that won’t be the end month they built three proto- f i n d of Tisdale and Kiem’s projects. types; Tisdale and Kiem wanted “I’m surprised what to get an idea of the building we could accomplish process before they design their and I’m even more final drone. surprised that this is In order to build their finjust high school. It ished drone, Kiem and Tisdale seems to me that this will need to get funding from is such a big deal, but an outside company. They selfin the grand scheme of funded their work this summer, things it’s really not,” but cannot continue to do so goTisdale said. “And we ing forward due to the high cost have school going on, but of necessary materials and comafter college or during puter programs. “Until we get college anything is posfunding, we won’t be building sible.” anything substantial,” Kiem said.

Tisdale had been accepted into a summer engineering course at the University of Pennsylvania before committing to work with Kiem. However, he From Left: Henry Kiem (’17) handles a piece of foam, the base material decided that building for the drone prototypes they built this summer. Malcolm Tisdale (’18) something of his own tests water samples in order to understand the role of marine biologists. was a better choice, Tisdale connects circuits inside of the drone body.

ThGe e

nder e d i div

Martha Collins | Deputy Editor-in-Chief Tyler Skow | Editor-in-Chief

Many professional fields are deemed gender-specific by society. Similarly, many ASL classes are dominated by a single gender. A look into these classes, the reasoning behind the gender divide and the repercussions of it.

W

hen Jordi Albanell (’17) sat in his AP Economics class for the first time, something was missing. At first this “missing” element wasn’t apparent, but after several laughing fits engulfed the class Albanell realized the source of amusement: The class consisted of 13 males and no females.

Since then one female student has joined the class, but the subject, with three sections this year, remains notably unbalanced with 35 males and 15 females enrolled.

Albanell, who is interested in becoming an engineer, observes similar trends over

a wide breadth of the subjects he is taking.

In his AP Calculus BC class there are two females and 15 males, and in his AP Physics C consists of two females and 12 males.

While Albanell’s schedule represents an extreme instance of the gender divide within the High School, the separation is hardly a new phenomenon. For the past three years the AP Economics course has been made up of 70 percent male students.

Abby Ball (’17) has experienced the gender disparity in many of her high-level math and science courses as well. Her AP Calculus BC class only has five females in it, and both AP

Physics C and Advanced Math Seminar have four. Although the gender divide is “glaringly obvious” to Ball, it has not discouraged her from taking these advanced courses. “I definitely had reservations in taking AP Physics C and Advanced Math [Seminar]. I’d never really considered gender to be a reason why I wouldn’t want to take the class,” she said.

Ball attributes her hesitations to “selfdoubt in that I didn’t want to be the dumbest kid in the class.”

Although Ball doesn’t feel that males are smarter than females, she does feel that more females are interested in humanities. “When

“I’m not necessarily worried by anything because I know, as I’m learning from my classes now, us girls we can hold our own. We can do the math problems and get As in the classes we want to, even if they are dominated by males” -Abby Ball (’17)

break down in

325 Boy 272 Gir

597 Tota

I think about math it makes so much mor sense to me than analyzing a poem. I don really know why it’s less like that for othe girls,” she said. “I think maybe it just start from a confidence thing from when you’r younger.”

Inevitably, female dominated courses als exist too a similar degree of severity. Of th 49 students enrolled in AP Psychology, 36 ar girls Caoimhe Mesch (’18) is currently takin AP Psychology and is experiencing having dominantly female class. “Personally, I don notice the atmosphere being different i comparison to my gender balanced classes she said.

However, Mesch feels that having a fe male majority class may lead to missing ou on certain male perspectives. “I think it’s im portant to be able to hear a variety of ideas i class from all genders and with a class that imbalanced students could be missing ou on new opinions,” she said.

Assistant Principal Karen Bonthrone be lieves that the balance of gender impacts stu dents’ behaviors in the class as well. “If yo have that imbalance, boys dominate the con versation, they dominate the teacher, the don’t mean to do it, it’s just that is part o [their] nature especially for the certain gen der divide at teenage levels,” Bonthrone said “[Males] are often very enthusiastic, and rea ly want to talk about these subjects and tha can make a girl think, that this is not a plac for her.”

However, Ball has never felt that the gen der divide has impacted her learning expe rience negatively. “In physics we’re ther to do physics and I’m not going to not as questions or not do physics because I’m sur rounded by guys,” she said.

Ball believes that “to be in a male domina ed class you have to be quite confident an realize that you’re all there to learn. It’s O if you make mistakes, and honestly that’s i any class, not just male-dominated classes.

In university Ball is planning to study sc ence, perhaps focusing on engineering. Sh isn’t concerned about the possibility of bein in male dominated classes once again whe she gets to college. “I’m not necessarily wor ried by anything because I know, as I’m learn ing from my classes now, us girls we can hol our own. We can do the math problems an get As in the classes we want to, even if the

n all ap classes

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are dominated by males,” she said.

Having spent much of her life in male dominated fields while studying at Cambridge University, Bonthron can attest to the difficulty but importance of pursuing her passion. “I was very confident that I was good at math and science, but for many girls that’s the problem. They are more than capable of doing math and science, but when they see those imbalances, often they feel they just are not confident enough,” She said.

Albanell recognizes the same gender divide in the professional world as well. “If [I am] just learning in a male dominated class then when I go into the real world and work in some engineering company or something, I just don’t expect any girls because what I am [experiencing] here,” he said. However, he feels that “it’s time to change” the stereotype that economics, engineering and other historically male-dominated fields are reserved exclusively for men.

Mesch also acknowledges the notion of gendered professions. “It is hard to ignore that some subject fields historically are for male or female only,” she said. “From the way the media portrays females in certain careers it is easy to get the sense that the media considers certain subjects are for men.” Although gender bias in careers is prevalent in the professional world, Mesch believes that ASL is “making all students feel like they can take whatever class regardless of their gender.”

Ball already sees improvement in the professional realm. “I think it’s great that women are breaking down barriers in that field and that there’s more prevalence of women becoming engineers and doing what was once considered male-dominated or only appropriate for males.”

While gender division is not the administration’s “highest priority”, they are considering how to make classes more accessible to everyone. “When we hire we obviously want the best teachers at the end of the day, but we do at least consider when we are interviewing, we try and have a pool to make sure that we have representation,” Bonthrone said.

“In my own experience I have often been the only female physical science teacher on a teaching team and I have been working with only men and I have never had a problem with that, but I am sure it does send a message to students.”

AP Studio Art

7:3

25 boys to 7 girls AP calculus bc The ratio of boys to girls in AP Economics 35 boys, 15 girls

83% Boys in AP Physics C 19 boys, 4 girls

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PHOTOS BY MARTHA COLLINS

•••

Page 14

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Features

What makes us happy?

A smile or a laugh is contagious and has the ability to travel around the room spreading happiness from person to person. According to the Framingham Heart Study, which spanned over 20 years, it is evident that social connections and networks with people can increase positive energy.

G

rade 10 Dean Rodney Yeoh believes his life is driven by the pursuit of happiness. “In a very selfish way, what makes me happy is seeing what I’m doing is causing happiness.” Yeoh said. “To be able to say, ‘hey, you caused that person to be happy, you caused that person to forget about despair and sorrow, for a day’.”

Yeoh recognizes that his life would be different if he didn’t make an effort to maintain a respect for his surroundings and be thankful for his life. “When

Ananya Prakash | Features Editor

people are not happy, they don’t appreciate things around them.

If you don’t appreciate things around you, it’s time wasted,” Yeoh said.

In order to remind himself to be grateful, Yeoh remembers his background of being born in Malaysia, getting scholarships to the best international school in India and college in Boston before arriving in London. He also believes that it’s important to acknowldge his privilege in comparision to

the poverty prevalent in many parts of the world. “I always try to put things into perspective about how lucky and privileged I am.”

Despite reminding himself of this, Yeoh believes that there is a root cause of why it’s not always easy to be happy. “When we are unwilling to let go of things, that’s when we’re unhappy. When we’re clinging on to memories, clinging onto our desires,” Yeoh said.

A

you’re not happy, there’s no point in having all that stuff.”

Apart from family and reading, participating in robotics, a team building activity, makes Kyprios happy. “It’s my passion...

It’s something I’m good at, and it’s fun, it’s always fun,” Kyprios said.

Furthermore, a study done at Harvard by a neuroscientist suggests that happiness is correlated to achievement and motivation in the classAlexander Kyprios room. Kyprios agrees and believes that not being in a good mood or unhappy about something can impact his work. “If you’re unhappy, if you’re thinking about something that’s taking a lot of your time, then you won’t be learning,” Kyprios said.

lexander Kyprios (’19) believes that nothing has value if you are unhappy.

“If you’re not happy, there’s really not that much you’ve got,” Kyprios said. “You can have a lot, but if

When we’re in the future and in the past, we’re missing the beauty of the moment High school and middle school Health Teacher Bambi Thompson

S

eeing her students succeed is what makes PE Teacher Gwenndolyn Williams the happiest. “I enjoy seeing them improve when they say or they think they can’t do something,” Williams said.

“It just gives me a good feeling, like if I was a part of that or I’ve encouraged them to do that and they’ve taken on board what I’ve said and they haven’t given up.”

This shows the potential happiness has to transcend beyond a person and to others.

Williams further believes that no matter how bad the situation, something good can always result and help her grow. “There’s a dark side but there’s always a bright side. You’ve got to enjoy your life and being happy is part of it,” Williams said.

T

Gwenndolyn Williams PHOTO BY JAGGER BOUSSAGE The effects of Williams’ mood impacts her work and life beyond just the feeling of contentment.

“Being happy or being positive

helps me to maintain my wellbeing and helps me achieve the goals I set for myself and my students,” she said.

he list of what makes High School and Middle School Health Teacher Bambi Thompson happy is almost never-ending. “Family, friends, sunshine, delicious food, fuzzy socks, my students, exercise, particularly yoga and running, the ocean, animals, I can keep going,” Thompson said. “It’s really about that appreciation.”

Much like the research done at Framingham Heart about happiness spreading through human relationships and increasing in the presence of cheerful people, Thompson has a similar idea as to why making soical connections benefit her. She believes that family and friends make her happy specifically because of “that really

human connection, where you’re understanding each other, you’re sharing the time [and] you’re sharing the space.”

Thompson agrees with Yeoh that in order to maintain an appreciation of things around, one should not hold onto the past.

“I would say that when you’re in the moment, you’re really living.

When we’re in the future and in the past, we’re missing that the beauty of the moment.”

However, Thompson understands that apart from acknowledging the present, the biggest step towards being happy is to be appreciative of herself. “I think it’s really important to realize that we need to be well with ourselves first so that we can be our best for others,” Thompson said.

•••

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Page 15

Features

A thousand lakes in forty two days Six weeks of hiking and canoeing, solely in the wilderness: This is how Ryan Nealis (’17) spent his summer.

Tyler Skow | Editor-In-Chief

I

t’s one thing to feel a sense of nostalgia for a city or town you know like the back of your

was recommended to the program by a friend, but had still never attempted anything quite

hand. It’s an altogether different emotion to develop wistfulness for a single sound. For Ryan Nealis (’17), that is not just wood or crackling coals. “You actually hear the gas being released, the chemical reaction happening, just because there is no other sound around,” Nealis said.

When Nealis’ mother picked him up at the end of his trip in Temagami, Canada, a sleepy town 11 hours north of Toronto, they mocked the remoteness of his pick up location. Nealis laughed, not with his mother, but at her. “They thought we were in the middle of nowhere, but actually I was like, ‘you have no idea there is still cell reception here’.”

Nealis returned to Canada this summer for the second consecutive year to embark upon a six-week canoe trip. Nealis is outfitted and guided by a group called Wabun, an organization founded in the 1930s to protect children from the evils of urbanization. The first time Nealis made the long drive up to Wabun the fear of leaving civilization for 42 days certainly weighed heavily on his mind.

As an Eagle Scout, Nealis has always loved the outdoors, and

like it.

All the while Nealis knew he

success of his first trip, his fear h a d all but evaporated. “[The] second time I was only excited to test myself physically, mentally and spiritually as well as test my leadership skills,” he said.

Throughout the entirety of the trip Nealis traveled an imposing 1000 miles across the scattered lakes, rivers and waterways in Northern Canada.

The nature of the trip was strenuous.

Currents and portages (the process of carrying one’s boat from one body of water to the other), made navigating the water a task only for the

“It makes you appreciate what we as a society have done to make our lives easier, but it also makes you realize what we are doing to destroy everything that is out there.”

RYAN NEALIS (’17) “had an opportunity to really explore what I was made of.”

On his second journey, perhaps as a testament to the

strong- willed. “We like to measure the amount of canoeing we do in hours traveled. So roughly 8 to 9 [hours], sometimes 10 a day,” Nealis said.

B o t h times, his journey began on Windigo Lake, a site that holds sentimental value for Nealis, because he has come to appreciate the surrounding

environment and native communities.

During the course of the trip Nealis and the rest of his group

to run it, and so we are just in this mindset of, ‘where would the people who used to live here go?’” He said.

had to change waterways, a job he described as “the change over.” A burdensome challenge that included 32 portages, 12 of which were over 2.5 miles, amounting to a total of seven days of hard labor.

It was also at this point in the journey that Nealis recognized some of the subtleties of his surroundings. “The key thing to remember with this crossover is it was the native highway thousands of years ago, so there were some trails, but they were not marked, so we had no idea where they were. And when we found some old native trails they were butchered from deadfall,” he said.

A major part of the trip for Nealis was not just surviving in the wild, but appreciating the native communities bound to the territory. Nealis felt as if he was retracing the steps of the native community, Nishigandha, who predated his group by several centuries. “[We went] to these communities, and these people have been living up there for thousands of years. One time we got off a trail, and we were going over this cross over and all of the sudden we came up on this rapid and we decided not

Nealis also found a serenity in the absence of people. Often times he realized that there were locations that had been untouched by man. “We are bushing campsites, and it was like, ‘this is sick, no one has ever been here before’.”

With up close and personal encounters with black bears and paying homage to the native communities, Nealis struggles to identify any single highlight, however he certainly recalls a few testing moments.

After paddling for seven hours the conditions prohibited any further advancement.

Falling behind schedule was not an option for Nealis and his group, so as soon as the weather let up they would break camp and return to the water. “The wind died at 3 a.m., and that’s when we started paddling. The sun was just rising in the background… I couldn’t believe it,” Nealis said.

Going six weeks without seeing a building made coming back to London a challenging adjustment. “It makes you appreciate what we as a society have done to make our lives easier, but it also makes you realize what we are doing to destroy everything that is out there.”

Photos taken during Ryan Nealis’ (‘17) hiking trip.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RYAN NEALIS

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Page 16

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Features

Life of

an Intern Students discuss their experiences at summer WorkX internships

A

Martha Collins | Deputy Editor-in-Chief

nshika Singh (’18) always imagines herself working in the medicine or business professions when she’s older. Yet, when looking for possible Work Experience (WorkX) placements she wanted to find something completely different in order to experience a range of fields. “I decided to do something outside of my comfort zone,” she said.

Singh worked for two companies through WorkX: General Mills (GM) and Motion Picture Company (MPC). At GM she worked for Häagen Dazs in their social media department, and at MPC she worked in their special effects department, seeing how the likes of Pirates of the Caribbean and The Jungle Book were created.

In contrast, Valentina Hogenhuis (’18) applied for an internship that directly related to her current interests: Playing the flute and working with children. She worked at the London Music Masters (LMM), a non-profit organization focusing on teaching classical music to London primary school students.

Hogenhuis split her time between writing teacher plans for music programs at the LMM head offices and visiting schools to help with running the music workshops. Her internship wasn’t easy, as “the people at LMM were very dedicated and passionate about their job, so they expected a lot.”

Nicolas LeMaire (’17) had a different experience at his WorkX placement, as he didn’t find his internship at Barclays to be hard work. LeMaire’s week-long internship in the global markets sector involved shadowing at different trading floor desks and watching stocks

and the market throughout the day.

“We didn’t do anything for the company. I don’t think that was the purpose of the internship. It was more about exposure,” he said.

Singh had a similar experience at MPC; she recalls that “we just shadowed, we didn’t really speak or do anything, we just watched them do things.”

However at GM, Singh was tasked to compare the social media presence of Häagen Dazs to those of two competitors: Ben & Jerry’s and Magnum. At the end of the two weeks, Singh presented her findings to five managers. “It was pretty intimidating to present,” she said, but felt she gained research and presentation skills through doing so.

Singh’s overall experience as an intern taught her to be patient.

At the Häagen Dazs office, she didn’t want to bother employees with questions when it was clear they were working. “I had this feeling that ‘I don’t want to bug you because I’m an intern’,” she said.

“There’s still that wall between intern and the employer.”

LeMaire also felt the barrier between an intern and an employee at Barclays. “It was clear that sometimes they really just didn’t want us there. It was very busy for them and having to teach us about what they do wasn’t ideal,” he said.

If LeMaire could change one thing about his Barclays internship, he would have altered it so all five interns weren’t moving together from desk to desk. “It wouldn’t overwhelm the people at the bank so they could just talk to us and we’d personally have better chances to interact with them and pick their brains,” he said.

Singh would have made changes to the structure of her MPC experience, as she felt that the job description that was presented to her before she started didn’t parallel with what she actually ended up doing. One day she had the job of being a “runner”: Picking up various foods and drinks for employees from all over Soho.

Although she didn’t expect to be doing the job, she feels it was good to experience. “It’s not like all of us are going to start from the top, we’re going to start from the bottom,” Singh said. “A lot of [employees] told us that they started at running, and they reached office level.”

For all three, the summer internship helped them to focus their plans for the future.

Through the shadowing experience, LeMaire learned what “desks” and sectors of the global markets he preferred and would want to focus on professionally.

The highlight of his experience was being able to meet with the Managing Director. “He was the most applicable to our lives right now,” he said. “He was more focused on the specifics of running a business or how you interact – institutional knowledge.”

Hogenhuis sees herself having a career in the third sector.

“LMM used music to facilitate social change, which is something that many people undervalue,” she said. “It is the kind of job where if you are passionate about it, the work aligns with your values and you enjoy what you are doing, you can change someone’s life because you are interacting with kids one on one every day.”

WorkX BY THE NUMBERS

112 STUDENTS 76 employers

145 placements

30% Grade 10 55% Grade 11 15% Grade 12 37/112 had more than one placement Above: Valentina Hogenhuis (’18) taught classical music to London primary schools through her summer internship at London Music Master (LMM). PHOTO BY VALENTINA HOGENHUIS (’18)

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

•••

Page 17

Student Style Watch Georgia O’Keeffe Review

Culture

Documenting Change Exploring the effects of documentaries on ASL students and how they shaped their views on specific topics Alexandra Gers | Culture Editor

A

s the credits for The Hunting Ground rolled across his screen, Henry Petrillo (’18) felt an immediate sense of anger. The film highlights sexual assault and rape in the U.S., mentioning schools such as Harvard, Stanford and Notre Dame universities. “These are some of the best schools in the world and there’s another side to them that you don’t see,” he said.

Although Petrillo felt anger and disbelief, he was also happy that he was now aware of the cases and felt the need to share the documentary with others. Petrillo is motivated to remain informed about the issues surrounding sexual assult because of watching the documentary. He also remains educated on the topic of sexual assault in schools through various Facebook mediums such as Vox or .Mic. Not only does Petrillo actively seek information and news about how to combat rape and sexual assault in general, he also wants to bring it closer to ASL. Petrillo hopes to achieve this by making it a topic of conversation in ASL’s clubs, specifically in the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA), which he is the co-president of. “[I want] to reduce the stigma that only wom-

en get raped, while creating a safe space for people [to discuss this],” he said.

Similarly to Petrillo, Mary Sarfas (’17) was inspired by the documentary Girl Rising, a film about education inequality for young girls around the world.

“A lot of girls have this idea about the fashion world being this sort of Mecca. But because documentaries are about getting beneath the surface, the shine gets sort of tinted.”

Ruba Nadar (’17) Sarfas plans to start a Girl Rising club at ASL, as she believes this topic is incredibly important and a cause that deserves to be discussed.

“It made me want to take action,” Sarfas said, “I’m trying to see if I can get the club started and hopefully play [the film] here.”

Sarfas claims that having the film focus on specific girls and their fight for education in their countries was extremely moving, as often you hear very similar stories about the current status of education for women. However, Girl Rising’s ability to bring you “face to face with a case” was very powerful.

While some students believe that documentaries bring attention to issues that need to be addressed through clubs in our school, other students, such as Ruba Nadar (’17) do not.

Nadar did not feel compelled to bring the topic of Blackfish, a documentary about animal cruelty in SeaWorld, to ASL, as she believes documentaries frequently spark a “superficial” emotional repsonse.

However, Nadar was also in a state of disbelief and shock, finding the documentary moving. “I went to SeaWorld when I was 3 or 4, [but] seeing what actually happens, seeing what had been concealed for so long was just incredible. I didn’t expect it.”

Nadar, who watches documentaries frequently, found Blackfish to be “honest” yet slightly “melodramatic.” However, Nadar believes that this was necessary in order to grab people’s attention. “It was very strong the way it was put together,” she said.

While Nadar found Blackfish to be an important film, she also watches documentaries curated to her interests, such as fashion. “A lot of girls have this idea about the fashion world being this sort of Mecca. But because documentaries are about getting beneath the surface, the shine gets sort of tinted,” Nadar said.

Through watching fashion themed documentaries, such as The September Issue, about the inner workings of American Vogue, and Dior and I, about the creation of couture collections, Nadar

found that these films are about “reality vs expectations.” Throughout each film they made her “realize [people of fashion] are real people.” “[The fashion world] could not be more different from how I perceived it growing up and it just got less desirable,” Nadar claims.

Documentaries are a vehicle of change that can change people’s opinion, promote activism and spark conversation.

Petrillo believes that documentaries “make people understand the severity” of otherwise less known pressing social and political isues, encouraging viewers to raise awareness and potentially take action.

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Page 18

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Culture

ASL STYLE WATCH Olivia Abrams | Culture Editor

St

Exploring the growing popularity of certain fashion trends in the High School

L

iving in one of the fashion capitals of the world, students draw inspiration from the emerging trends around them. Although divided by grade and gender, there is a similarity in how students choose to express their styles.

Popping up in many stores like Topshop, Urban Outfitters and Zara Ayla Mahmood (’17) first noticed the trend of bomber jackets at the start of last year. Owning one herself, Mahmood likes to pair her bomber jacket with ripped jeans and her velcro Stan Smiths.

“I can practically wear [it] during any season,” she said. Flipping through magazines and window shopping is how Mahmood finds inspiration. “It’s hard to pinpoint one specific style because I like to mix it up,” she said.

Just like Mahmood, Justin Hoyt (’18) considers his olive green bomber jacket to be a staple in his closet. Hoyt likes to use his bomber jacket as an add on to his outfit, layering with graphic T-shirts underneath.

Looking to singers like Kanye West for inspiration, Hoyt would describe his style as very “streetwear oriented.”

After finding interest in the

online communities of fashion, Ben Hewett (’17) began to notice the trend of graphic T-shirts about a year ago. “I really like neutral tones,” Hewett said. Appreciating color schemes such as “tans, olives and beiges,” Hewett likes to keep his style simple and understated.

Also a fan of graphic T-shirts, Eliza Blakemore (’18) gravitates towards items of clothing that stand out to her, such as bright colors and unique fabrics. “I like things that add detail to an outfit,” Blakemore said.

More recently, Blakemore has noticed velvet as a trend as she believes “it adds texture to [her] outfit.” Blakemore likes to pair her blue velvet boots with jeans and an oversized sweater. Similarly, Mahmood loves velvet regardless of “whether it is a top, jacket or an accessory.”

Walking through the High School, Hoyt noticed Adidas Stan Smith sneakers becoming increasingly popular as well. “Not even just in the High School, walking down the street you are bound to find someone wearing Adidas

an

Superstars or Stan Smiths,” Hoyt said.

Juan Orive (’19), who has been wearing his Stan Smiths for about a year, has also watched the popularity of these sneakers grow.

Describing his personal style as simple, Orive keeps it casual with a denim jacket and the occasional baseball hat. “I’m not a lot about big logos,” he said.

Though there are many patterns of dress seen throughout the halls, Orive believes that “there [are] people whose style stands out very clearly amongst the High School community.”

Gr

Sm i

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Bo

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mb

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Ja

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ap

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ts

PHOTOS BY OLIVIA ABRAMS

•••

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Page 19

Culture

´ Pokemon Go

Ananya Prakash | Features Editor • Quinn Whitman | Features Editor

Katrine Westgaard (’19)

Favorite Pokemon: “Pikachu just because that’s what everybody knows” Level

“This is going to be really depressing just for everyone involved, but...I think I’m on level 2.”

Team

N/A “My friends and I have talked about forming a team. So we’re going to get somebody from each continent and rule the world.”

Reason to play

“I don’t really like anything about [Pokémon Go]...but I think that it brings back part of people’s lives that were really important to them and part of their childhood that was really fun. Like when I think of Pokémon, I think of my brother...I just remember when we were younger, in first grade, Pokémon was so cool and it was such a huge part of my life..[my brother] would train me to become this master Pokémon player.”

Favorite Poké Stop

W

ith over an estimated one million downloads, Pokémon Go is a smartphone game that utilizes the player’s camera as well as current location to find and capture Pokémons in the nearby vicinity. It was one of the most played games of the summer.

In the game, as more Pokémon are caught, the player’s level increases. Players can enter a Pokémon “gym” at level five where they battle other player’s Pokémons after choosing to join one of three teams: Mystic, Valor or Instinct. The final objective of Pokémon Go is to find as many Pokémon as possible, “gotta catch ‘em all.” Unsurprisingly, the game dominated conversation in the ASL community and itspopularity influenced many to play.

Omar Ben-Gacem (’20)

Zoe Rose (’18)

Favorite Pokémon

“I have a lot of favorite pokémons but [it’s]probably Piplup because he was my first ever Pokémon, [also] ditto because his face is great”

Level

“I’m only on level 10 because I haven’t gotten to play it recently.”

Team

Instinct

Reason to play

“I like Pokémon Go because it’s basically everything I’ve ever wanted since I was like five and I got the first Pokémon game because you get to see the pokémon in real life. You walk around, it makes you move and you feel like you’re actually in the world and it’s really cool, great for escaping reality.”

Favorite Poké Stop

” I found one at an airport behind this guy’s trailer, the weirdest Poké Stop I’ve found, very odd.”

“A gallery in Norway.”

Isabel Rosen (’19)

Maurizio Costa (’19)

Favorite Pokémon Squirtle

Level Favorite Pokémon

“Easily Koffing, he’s the best Pokémon by far...I just liked him as a kid because I played the original games.”

Level 19

Team

“Valor all the way, all the other teams are honestly just trash compared to Valor.”

Reason to play

“I like how everybody can play it and you kind of need to go outside and play it … it just lets a lot of people that usually wouldn’t go outside on a daily basis to just go outside.”

Favorite Poké Stop Former cloister

9

Team Mystic

Reason to play:

“I like how Pokémon Go works from everything and you don't really have to be actively involved.”

Favorite Poké Stop Mary Shelley’s house, Chester Square

Favorite Pokémon Snorlax

Level 10

Team

Instinct

Reason to play

“I like that I get to interact with the world in a new way. I get to learn new things from the Poké stops around me, and it makes me exercise more because of all the things you can explore.”

Favorite Poké Stop Two Chairmen Public House

PHOTOS BY JAGGER BOUSSAGE AND STEPHANIE BRENDSEL

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Page 20

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Culture

Photo left: A photo of O’Keeffe taken by her husband Alfred Stieglitz, which was featured in the exbition. Photo background: Georgia O’Keeffe’s painting Oriental Poppies, which was also featured in the exhibition.

PHOTO LEFT FROM FLICKR.COM/CLARITY, PHOTO RIGHT FROM WIKIMEDIA,

A Century of O’Keeffe A review of the Tate Modern’s Georgia O’Keeffe exhibition, running until October 30, 2016

W

alking into the Tate Modern, I expected to be met with walls plastered with bright flowers.

Instead, the first room had low lighting and dull sketches. I anticipated the abstract and bright Georgia O’Keeffe pieces that most know, but came across the beginning of her work as an artist, stripped to its simplest form.

The exhibition lies on one floor, beginning with her first pieces and ending with her last, chronicling her life’s work. The first room mimicks the conditions of the art exhibition in which she debuted as an artist in 1916. I discovered that the layout and architecture of the Tate’s exhibition is almost identical to the layout of her debut, and now, a 100 years later, the Tate’s exhibition marks a century of the revered O’Keeffe.

Her early charcoal sketches lacked the grace and color I usually associate with O’Keeffe, however, one of the more prominent quotes that stuck with me explained

Alexandra Gers | Culture Editor her desire to “not use any other color until it was impossible to do what I wanted in black and white.”

Moving from her home state of Texas to New York marked a transformative period in O’Keeffe’s work. This was evident in the rooms and art that followed. She began to explore a more abstract medium, focusing on the use of synaesthesia, the production of one sense inspired by another. O’Keeffe translated ounds of cows grazing into swirls of color and the smell of fresh fruit expressed as a collection of shapes.

O’Keeffe’s ability to take something as simple as a New York City building and reduce it to a collection of colors was aweinspiring for me, as I had never seen anything like it. This process remained constant throughout all of her work.

The exhibition not only focuses on the art O’Keeffe created, but also the people she attracted and collaborated with, including photographers Alfred Stieglitz, who would

later become O’Keeffe’s husband, and photographer Ansel Adams. O’Keeffe, Stieglitz, Adams and their circle embodied an era of cultural progression and optimism

O’Keeffe’s work represented the beginning of prominent modernist female artists; She was the first of her kind in America, and O’Keeffe’s work represented the beginning of prominent, modernist female artists; she was the first of her kind.

As I progressed through the exhibition, time seemed to advance with me. O’Keeffe’s work adapts and changes and the still lifes associated with O’Keeffe as an artist appeare in abundance.

One of the main reasons I believe the Tate decided to feature O’Keeffe’s work is not only because she was an incredible artist, but also because of the stigmatization of her work. The floral paintings which O’Keeffe is known for were so often dismissed as erotica, no matter how frequently O’Keeffe refuted those claims. It was her refusal to be pinned down as a sexual cliché that really emphasized her as a feminist artist .

My personal favorite of the collection is the last painting of the exhibition. Sky Above the Clouds III is a simple panoramic view of the sky from an airplane, but to me it resembled a frozen lake. As with most of O’Keeffe’s work, it was easy for the viewer to see something different in each brushstroke and color choice, which is what I believe makes her so inspirational. I agree wholly with O’Keeffe’s statement, “Men put me down as the best woman painter, I think I’m one of the best painters.”

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

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Page 21

Sports

SPORTS COMMENTARY

Kaepernick Highlights America’s Problems

ANKIT MEHRA ONLINE DIRECTOR

There’s a difference between leading a National Football League (NFL) team and leading a nation forward; Colin Kaepernick is that difference.

Every corner we turn as a nation, a new opinion arises about the various social issues that consume the U.S.. One of the issues dominating headlines most recently is that of Black Lives Matter movements. Within those movements, pop culture has played a large role, with artists, athletes and various other non-political figures voicing their opinions. Most recently, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been front and center, pushing the boundaries of civil rights in general.

Kaepernick expressed his concern about the current civil rights issues in America when he knelt during the national anthem before a preseason NFL

game, and continued this by kneeling during the national anthem of games during Week 1 and 2 of the NFL season.

Thus far, his decision has been met with controversy. In response to Kaepernick, the protest has spread and encompassed

“

An athlete’s role extends past the sport they play in the generation we live in right now.” a multitude of NFL players in the opening week of games as well as Megan Rapinoe of the United States Women’s Soccer Team and various high school athletes.

Beyond the realm of sports, rappers J. Cole and Trey Songz wore Kaepernick jerseys during recent concerts while President Barack

Obama has shown support for Kaepernick: “I think he cares about some real, legitimate issues that have to be talked about.

If nothing else, he’s generated more conversation about issues that have to be talked about,” he said.

Financially, it’s clear that people are in support of Kaepernick and his message. Prior to taking a stand, Kaepernick had the 20th highest selling jersey on the 49ers. By September 8, he had the highest selling jersey in the NFL. Proceeds of sales are being donated “back to communities,” Kaepernick said.

While many have supported the backup quarterback’s endeavors, there has been hostility coming from other parties. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson said, “I understand and respect the cause ... but I love the flag,” demonstrating the split opinion this action has raised.

Living in a time where highly publicized cases of civil rights,

such as those of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner, injustice has become a talking point in the race discussions that have spread across America.

Much of what has been thrown against Kaepernick surrounds showing respect for the troops that have given their lives fighting for America. People fail to acknowledge that the flag also represents the freedoms that troops have fought for all these years.

Speaking on ESPN’s Mike & Mike, Former NFL cornerback and coach Herm Edwards relayed a story of his father, who served in the military, who told him “you have the freedom to speak, you have the freedom to ask questions, you can ask people why... I put my life on the line for you to do that [ask why]” and that is exactly what Kaepernick has done.

While met with animosity, Kaepernick has brought issues that have encompassed media

discussions into the public eye, something that should be commended.

Published author and former army veteran Charles Clymer tweeted “Don’t use my service-or that of any veteran - to justify the silencing of black Americans.

Not on my watch. #VeteransForKaepernick.” That tweet is one of thousands featured under the hashtag #VeteransForKaepernick, showing the support Kaepernick has garnered from military personnel.

An athlete’s role extends past the sport they play in the generation we live in right now. Growing up, kids don’t look to politicians to be heroes, they look to musicians, artists, athletes and other, more relatable, figures. Kaepernick is raising awareness for a topic that needs to be discussed, and I commend him for that - we need to talk about it, and it takes figures such as Kaepernick to continuously bring it into the public eye.

SPORTS COMMENTARY

U.S. Olympic Embarrassments

MARTHA COLLINS DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

At the beginning of each year, we are reminded in an assembly that we represent ASL wherever we go. On Alternatives, we are told that we are representing America as we travel to foreign destinations. Athletes are reminded that when they travel to other countries to compete, they are representing their school and London.

We are always representing something bigger than just ourselves. Our actions have implications on things larger than our own reputations.

Apparently, both Ryan Lochte and Hope Solo didn’t listen much in high school, because they obviously failed to learn these lessons.

Firstly, I want to make it clear that I respect Lochte’s athletic abilities. Every four years I am always in awe of just how fast, strong and dedicated all Olympians are.

It takes a rare breed to be able to

train at the level that these athletes do. Yet, just because I acknowledge that Lochte is one of the best swimmers in the world, doesn’t mean that I have even one ounce of respect for him as a person.

We shouldn’t let ourselves get blinded by athletes’ celebrity status and ignore the lack of morality in their decisions and the farreaching influence that they have.

Lochte’s entire Olympic controversy began with a small fib he told his mother, who subsequently leaked the story to the press. Sure, Lochte may not have known that his mother was going to speak to the media, but that serves as no excuse.

This incident showed just how far-reaching of an impact the actions of athletes have. The moment a high profile athlete from arguably the most powerful nation in the world has a story that claims that Rio de Janiero is dangerous for visitors, most of the media outlets around the globe begin to

print stories about it. Yes, Rio does have issues regarding safety, making Lochte’s false story even more detrimental.

Lochte’s lie was eventually uncovered, and, as a result, he lost many sponsorships and he’s been suspended from professional swimming for 10 months (but has still been able to score a spot on Dancing with the Stars).

However, this was not before the whole world believed that Rio ended up being a city where athletes who travel there to win gold medals come home with their possessions robbed from them at gunpoint.

World class athletes, especially American professional athletes, have huge media presences. Another such figure is USWNT goalkeeper, Hope Solo.

As a soccer player myself, I’ve always looked up to the U.S. Women’s National Team. Many of my teammates and I were even lucky enough to witness their gold med-

al match during the London 2012 Olympics.

Yes, it was disappointing that the team didn’t perform nearly as well as they should have this summer. All athletes have the right to be disappointed. However, Hope Solo took her anger to an entirely new level. She posted a tweet after the match calling the Swedish team that beat them “a bunch of cowards.”

From a young age I was taught the importance of basic human respect, a lesson that goes hand-inhand with sportsmanship.

Oftentimes athletes get riled up in the moment and do something on the pitch or the field that they regret later. However, Solo’s reaction to her loss was completely unacceptable. There are thousands of young girls looking up to Solo, and she is teaching them that it’s OK to lash out when you lose.

Exceptional talent and sheer ability is by no means a free pass for athletes to act without respect

Hope Solo trains for the US Women’s National Team ahead of a game against Canada in 2011.

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA and self-awareness. It’s appalling to me that many of the great American success stories from the Olympics were shaded by the cowardly actions of Lochte and Solo.

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Page 22

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Sports

Continuing the Legacy Growing up in a family of avid Rugby players, Russell Cornelius (’20) had no choice but to become the family’s next athletic talent Cameron Campili | News Editor Russell Cornelius (’20) has been absorbed in the world of rugby ever since he was a young boy. Following in his brother and father’s footsteps - both played rugby at ASL - Cornelius was introduced to the sport at a young age, and started playing competitively in Grade 5.

“My dad played rugby when he was in high school at ASL and he’s talked to me about rugby ever since I was little a boy,” he said. “We always watched the rugby games and passed the ball around, but I only started playing rugby competitively in fifth grade.”

Rugby teams. “After my experiences from last year, I thought we weren’t going to have a team, but when I saw the numbers for the practices I got excited, it’s actually really good,” Cornelius said.

Playing for several youth clubs before starting to play for ASL, Cornelius commenced his journey to academy level whilst playing for Hammersmith and Fulham, a county team made up of the best players that area.

H&F has helped shape Cornelius into the player he is today. He credits the club in helping him reach the levels he aspired to

“Although I practice quite a bit with the Wasps, it’s still good to play with the ASL team because of my family.

There’s a lot of pride in playing for the team.”

with my brother on varsity.

Cornelius is the only freshman on ASL’s varsity rugby team, although age has never acted as a barrier to achieve his goals. “For Wasps Academy we play for the year up instead of playing for the under 15’s,” Cornelius said.

“Although I practice quite a bit with the Wasps, it’s still good to play with the ASL team because with my dad playing for the Pirates, there’s a lot of pride in playing for them,” Cornelius said.

Looking at the season to come for both the Wasps and the Pirates, Cornelius has set some goals for himself and the team.

“For ASL I just want to do my best and I want to progress the team as it’s more about practicing the fundamentals and then a goal overall is to continue with the academy and someday maybe even go pro.”

Russell Cornelius (‘20) Cornelius will be playing in his first year on the school’s varsity rugby team. This year a huge gap has been left in ASL’s rugby team in the wake of 14 senior rugby players graduating earlier this year. However, Cornelius hopes that his generation of Rugby players might be able to fill this gap. “It is going to be hard to fill the gap the seniors left because they were such a hugely significant generation and it’s hard bringing in new players,” he said. “However, I was able to get a bunch of boys to play from freshman year and more are joining us in the winter season so I’m excited about what’s to come.”

Although the amount of players trying out for the rugby team looked like a major concern at the start of the season, it seems the rugby program will be able to fill both JV and varsity

reach, and claims that he didn’t start to take rugby seriously until joining the team.

Cornelius currently plays for the Wasps Academy, who currently play in the Aviva Premiership. He obtained a spot on the academy through enduring a tough developmental program. “My club team, the Ealing Trailfinders, put me forward to a camp of excellence which helped me get onto the Wasps Academy,” Cornelius said.

Around 100 kids were submitted to each of the three developmental programs; then that number was cut down to 30 for each camp, but only 14 players collectively were chosen to play for Wasps Academy.

Although much of Cornelius’ time is taken up by Wasps training, playing for ASL’s pirates is a dream come true for Cornelius.

“I am looking forward to playing

Top photo: Martin (’86), Russell (’20) and Ryleigh (’18) line up in their Rugby team uniforms.

Bottom photo: Russell (’20) beats the opposition down the wing during his time for Ealing Rugby Football Club. PHOTOS BY DANIELLE CORNELIUS.

THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

SPORTS COMMENTARY

MICHAELA TOWFIGHI LEAD FEATURES EDITOR There is no denying that the female American Olympians dominated in Rio this summer. Collectively these women won 61 medals this summer, contributing to the U.S.’s highest overall scoring total of 121 medals. If the women were their own country, they would have placed fourth overall in the medal count.

These female athletes are exemplary at their respective sports.

They are the best in their fields, and this success is aided by the incredible opportunity they have been presented with to create a professional career out of sports.

Throughout history, women have often been oppressed and treated as subordinate to men. Female athletes were often looked at as anomalies. In 1972, the U.S. government opened a new door for female athletes. Title IX helped to counter this archaic mentality.

Title IX prohibits exclusion from any educational or recreational program on the basis of gender. This was a turning point for the U.S., and something all countries should mimic to increase opportunities for all women. Since the implementation of Title IX, the number of female varsity athletes in high school jumped from 295,000 in 1971 to over 2.8 million

JONATHAN SHEVES SPORTS EDITOR

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Get Girls in the Game

Soccer Without Borders take on the U16 Nicaraguan national team. PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAELA TOWFIGHI in 2001, according to the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education. Women of that era embraced this new encouragement and support in sport, and took the opportunity and ran with it.

Sport is a powerful tool worldwide, as something that facilitates friendship, fitness, camaraderie and companionship for women.

This summer I traveled to Granada, Nicaragua with a program called Soccer Without Borders. The program’s mission is built on the basis of using sport as a vehicle for positive change. Three times during the week we gathered on a small dirt field with the girls and played.

With the bare necessities, we created something incredibly powerful: Sheer happiness for everyone involved.

For girls in Nicaragua, soccer provides them with an outlet to

exercise and socialize, and its importance could not have been more explicit. Sports are a good thing, so why not encourage it? However, it is easier said than done in Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. These girls are motivated, driven and talented. Yet, they are restricted by gender expectations within their culture.

In Nicaragua, the expectation for girls differs vastly from boys.

Many girls are required to forgo education, let alone recreational sport, to support their families.

During my time there I lived with a local family with two daughters and a son. The 15-year-old daughter attended school every night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and was expected to clean and cook at home in the earlier part of her day. Meanwhile the boys enjoyed a more typical

school day, and spent their evenings playing soccer outside with other neighborhood boys. And sadly, this was a common theme for many families in Granada.

If Nicaragua, along with all other countries, presented girls with the opportunity Title IX facilitates in the U.S., the result would be incredible. Sports empower girls and create a unique camaraderie. It’s encouraging and entitling.

In the U.S., female athletes serve as role models to young girls. U.S. Women’s National Team forward Alex Morgan inspires young soccer players, while other girls fawn over the chance to meet U.S. olympic gymnast Aly Raisman. Girls in Nicaragua can have this impact also, if the country supported their athletic endeavors.

Female leaders have overcome leaps and bounds to earn their

well deserved respect and achievements. We have come too far to abide by the stereotypical gender roles of women as homemakers and care takers, while men achieve greatness. Although it has been eradicated in many cultures, gender equality needs to be a universal understanding.

When you provide women with the encouragement and resources, incredible things happen. My time in Nicaragua only heightened my sense of the significance of what Title IX does and the urgency for other countries to adopt the same legislation. These girls don’t need a multi-million dollar stadium to play, only the support and acceptance of their families and country.

If you let a boy kick a soccer ball, let a girl do the same. Equal opportunity is essential, and it will create role models for future generations.

FALL SEASON PROJECTIONS

Varsity Boys Soccer

ISST Goal: “We definitely aim to qualify for the semifinals and after that we know that everything can happen,” Varsity Boys Soccer Coach Yul Mizzuoli said.

Group to watch: “The team plays a very fluid and passing style which is extremely pleasing to the eye and everyone is involved in a team where teamwork surpasses everything and where the total value of the team is much more than the sum of its parts,” he said.

Varsity Girls Soccer

•••

ISST Goal: “To win it for the third time in a row of course, especially considering we are hosting the ISST’s this fall. We have a team with loads of experience and

togetherness which is very important,” Varsity Girls Assistant Coach Pranay Dhanani said.

General News: “We have home advantage for ISSTs and want to make it count so the home support is extra important.” he said.

around to experience two gold medal finals so I think they are going to bring a lot of fire to the season. We also have quite a few new players so it will be interesting to see who will step up as an integral part of the ISST team,” she said.

ISST Goal: “After the success of the last two seasons, our goal is to continue to improve as a team and ultimately bring back a medal from ISSTs - preferably gold!. We also have a lot of graduating seniors, so another goal is to train our younger girls to step up once they are gone,” Varsity Girls Volleyball Assistant Coach Lisa Arrate said.

Group to watch: “I think our senior group is definitely going to come into the season with a strong desire to repeat last year’s ISST victory. We have three players that have been on the team since freshman year and 6 who have been

Seasonal Goal: “So the goal for this season is to make my players reach their maximum potential, which will come as a result of hard work during the training sessions, ” Varsity Boys Volleyball Coach Yiannis Petroudis said.

News: “There is always room for improvement. We missed some important players from last season we got some new, so we need to work on the chemistry in the court at this moment,” he said.

Varsity Girls Volleyball

Varsity Boys Volleyball

Varsity Girls Field Hockey

ISST Finish: “At Field Hockey, we set the bar very high. Our

goal for ISSTs this year is to represent the school like warriors and have trained harder than any other competing teams. If at the end of the season, every individual can reflect and say ‘I gave hockey everything,’ then we will call it a success,” Varsity Girls Field Hockey Coach Simon Capper said.

Group to watch: This year we are thankful to have several dedicated and skilled individuals return to the team; these include Jackie Dishner (’17) and Sissel Anderson (’18) our captains; Martha Duff (’19) , the Roy Keane of FH, and Megan O’Brien (’19) the one-women brick wall. This year we also have several newcomers picking hockey up like ducks to water which include Anna Heinrich (’20) and Allegra Albanese (’20), sister of the renowned Mimi. After losing 8 starters last year, we are very much in the rebuilding process,” he said.

Varsity Crew

ISST Goal: Crew Coach Stuart Heap is predicting “Four A finals and two medals” for this year’s season.

Group to Watch: “Group to watch is the senior girls who will be hoping for a success in their final National Schools regatta, either in a quad or in a four,” he said.

Varsity Cross Country

ISST Goal: “Our goal, as always, is to do the best we can possibly do. We feel really positive about our program this year as the new runners who have come in have certainly bolstered the program,” Varsity Cross Country Assistant Coach Grant Hiller said.

News: “We’ve just come back from Frankfurt, which is where ISSTs are this year. This gave our runners a chance to see and experience the course, which will hopefully lead to us placing this year.

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THE STANDARD | September/October 2016

Cornelius Rugby Legacy Olympic Sports Commentary

From left to right: varsity rugby player Oliver Wilson (’17), varsity boys volleyball player Dylan Erdei(’19), varsity field hockey player Jackie Dishner (’17), varsity girls soccer player Mia Holtze (’18), varsity girls cross country runner Katie Stone (’20), varsity boys cross country runner John Castello (’18), varsity boys soccer player Zayn Daniels (’18) and varsity girls volleyball player Olivia Scott (’17).

Photos by Stephanie Brendsel