March Full Color

HOW TWEET IT IS

ELECTIVE PROCEDURES

FON 2014 INCREASES OFFERINGS

An exploration of THHS’s relationship with the social media platform as it becomes more common for students to share their thoughts in 140-character bursts.

After numerous letters from students, The Classic looks into why there seem to be fewer humanities electives, particularly given the amount of classes offered by the science and math departments.

With over half of the school participating in FON, Townsend Harris continued its annual tradition of holding a cultural dance festival. This year’s FON saw numerous changes that made the performance another memorable one.

> FEATURES PAGE 6

the

March/April 2014 - Volume 30 No. 7

CLASSIC > SPECIAL FEATURE PAGE 10

> ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PAGE 16

Townsend Harris High School at Queens College

THE CLASSIC

All bands likely to meet next year, despite divided opinions Suswana Chowdhury and Katherine Maradiaga EDITORS-IN-CHIEF A SURVEY CONDUCTED on a sample of the faculty shows that if a new vote were to be held on the bell schedule, 60 percent would vote for some form of last year’s schedule, while the remaining 40 percent would vote to keep the current one.

According to Principal Anthony Barbetta, there are no plans to change the bell schedule at this point in time, though a “few minutes may be added to each band to make sure all students meet the DOE requirements of seating time.”

The extension of bands will come as good news to advocates for the previous schedule, as most maintain that the bands are far too short and hinder student learning.

Art teacher Margherita Wischerth says the “time constraint does not allow [for students] to fully engage in the art activity or to have an extended practice of a skill.”

For band teacher Peter Lustig, practicing is also a problem because after “setting and warming up, and leaving time to pack up, there is not enough rehearsal time left.” Mr. Lustig, however, would prefer to keep this year’s schedule because “it is too disruptive to keep changing.”

English teacher Christine Duffy had a block schedule at her former school with 69-minute periods that met three times a week. Ms. Duffy did not indicate a preference, but finds 40 minutes to be “too short to do a variety of activities and go

in-depth on a topic.”

“It makes it harder to do group work because there is limited time [and it is also] harder to have engaging ‘do nows’ because I have to move the lesson along,” she added.

AP of Humanities Rafal Olechowski agrees, commenting that he “feels our students are capable of really sophisticated thinking and most of our teachers are eager to make it possible, [but] the time is too short to bite into the really real things in the lesson.”

However, many of the same teachers agree that having all bands meet every day allows for continuity with classes, while also making it easier to schedule tests.

This is the main argument for teachers who would vote to keep this year’s schedule.

Math teacher Magda Frankowski commented that “I have more flexibility when planning my tests, and it gives me more time to review before the Regents Exam.”

Principal Barbetta agrees that “testing is easier with the current schedule.” He added, “It’s [also] difficult to plan lessons when the classes meet on different days.”

After a year, students have adjusted to the new bell schedule but still find the previous schedule to be more appealing.

Sherin Shibu, sophomore, who created posters last year in protest of the changes said she’s “getting used to all bands meeting.” She added, “that doesn’t necessarily mean that I don’t miss the older schedule and that I wouldn’t welcome a change back to the older schedule.”

Junior Kirandeep Kaur feels “the new

www.thhsclassic.com

Remembering Lynne Greenfield Assistant Principal of Humanities Page 2 homework and testing policies have made the work load manageable” but still prefers the block schedule.

“Those additional mintues make a

huge difference. It is difficult to give a full lesson in 40 minutes, especially when discussions are held.”

College Board reverts to a 1600-point scale for the SAT, makes writing optional Kseniya Davydova STAFF WRITER THE COLLEGE BOARD recently announced that it is revamping its test format to more closely match that of the high school curriculum and making it similar to its competitor, the ACT. According to The New York Times, the SAT, once the most common college placement exam, had 1.7 million test takers in 2012, as opposed to the ACT’s 1.8 million.

David Coleman, the College Board president, was instrumental in the creation of the Common Core standards that are taking over NYC public schools. He came to the SAT board in 2012, immediately expressed dissatisfaction with the current exam, and proposed changes. He states that basing the test off of the high school curriculum will give low-income students more of an advantage because they are typically unable to afford extensive

test prep courses.

Senior Mateusz Bruszewski agrees, stating, “It will be easier and less stressful, but will also cause more competition between students. Students will not have to worry about memorizing vocabulary or writing an essay.”

The revamped SAT will last three hours as opposed to the original four and will return to the 1600-point scale. A proponent of the old test, senior Rafal Chudzik states, “Long tests build endurance and shortening the exams are not beneficial for students when colleges put emphasis on testing.”

The optional essay section of the test will be an extra fifty minutes. Unlike the previous essay which asked for an opinion on an ambiguous quote or idea, this essay will be document-based, requiring evidence and the author’s stylistic elements to prove a point.

With the college admissions competition, guidance counselor

Sara Skoda said, “I would still advise all of my students to take the essay because it will not hurt and give students an advantage.”

The math section will focus on a specific set of topics from the high school math curriculum, such as real world problem solving, data analysis, and algebra.

Calculators will not be allowed for some sections. This does not discourage freshman Anson Wu, who stated, “It should be easy. I mean, I think it’s just basic math.”

Coleman’s reason for the change is that, “We are not interested in students just picking an answer but justifying their answers.”

Some say the test will get harder, while others believe that it will get easier. Guidance counselor Adrienne Nasser believes that “the new test will be better for students because it will be similar to the ACT, in which students tend to score higher.”

The SAT does not plan to add a science section to its exam, but the similarities between the

Photo by Asia Acevedo

Out with the old, in with the new.

two tests are evident.

There will no longer be a guessing penalty, a science passage will be incorporated into every reading section, and lastly, students will get to choose whether they want to write an essay.

Aside from that, Coleman

proposed to radically alter the vocabulary portion of the reading sections.

These will include more common words that are used in college courses, and infamous SAT words such as “munificence,” “obstreperous,” and “pulchritude” will become a rarity.

2 March/April 2014

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NEWS/FEATURES

(Left) Lynne Greenfield, a former AP of Humanities known for her innovative ideas and supportive disposition, was a mentor for her colleagues. Photo courtesy of the Crimson & Gold.

(Right) Ms. Greenfield spent time in her retirement with many of her colleagues from Townsend Harris. Photo courtesy of Dr. Steinmann.

Lynne Greenfield: A Legacy of Creativity Stephanie Geier NEWS EDITOR

O N F E B RUA RY 2 8 , Ly n n e Greenfield, who was THHS’s Assistant Principal of Humanities from 1991-2002, passed away. Though she left THHS in 2002, she is still renowned among faculty for her dedication to fostering a love of humanities in the school, as well as her personal relationships with many current and former teachers.

Ms. Greenfield came to THHS in 1988 as an experienced English teacher, and became AP of Humanities in 1991.

After leaving THHS, she continued to teach English at Lehman College.

“Lynne Greenfield (Lynne with an ‘e’ she would always say), although not a member of the founding faculty, quickly became as one,” said former science teacher Odile Garcia.

Former principal of THHS Malcolm Largmann explained his decision to choose Ms. Greenfield as AP of Humanities.

“Ms. Greenfield was selected as supervisor of the humanities department not only because of her fine classroom performance, but because she represented the enduring spirit of Townsend Harris High School,” he said. “She had it all—great personal charm, sparkling intelligence, great creative thinking, compassion for colleagues and students, and a unique sense of fun. These are the qualities that defined her leadership of the humanities department.”

Ms. Greenfield made several contributions to the humanities department during her time here. “[Ms. Greenfield] knew that a young school, which we were when we

re-opened in 1984, needed traditions and she helped mold them,” said former English teacher Debra Michlewitz, who described Ms. Greenfield as a “tornado of creativity and energy.”

One major tradition Ms. Greenfield helped establish was the Election Simulation, which was started in 1996 when a former teacher suggested the idea to her. She then set up various meetings between teachers from THHS and Queens College to form the Election Simulation.

“She was very progressive and open to new ideas,” said Social Studies teacher Chris Hackney, who also played a part in forming the Election Simulation.

She also helped foster the connections between THHS and Queens College to develop opportunities for seniors on campus.

S o c i a l S t ud ie s t e acher L i nd a Steinmann recalled that Ms. Greenfield “had wonderful ideas about how to make [Founders’ Day] relevant.”

Ms. Greenfield started the “Founders’ Day Challenge,” which she was inspired to start after a student sang a Billy Joel song as they were moving into the new building. She then formalized and turned this into a contest among all English classes in which students created skits, song parodies, top ten lists, and other acts with the winning entries to be performed on Founders’ Day. Although it is not strictly followed as a contest anymore, the vestiges of her idea are still evident through the humorous skit and songs performed at the ceremony.

“I, for one, will never forget the hilarious spoofs of our school that left the audience roaring with laughter. While the contest is no longer held, the tradition

of humorous performances on Founder’s Day is part of Ms. Greenfield’s legacy,” said former English teacher Ilsa Cowen.

Another contribution Ms. Greenfield made to the humanities department was the addition of lessons on writing a college essay to all junior English classes.

English teacher Judy Biener said that although this would mean a lot more work for Ms. Greenfield and the other English teachers, Ms. Greenfield did it because she thought it would be best for the students.

“During my junior year, I wrote my college essay in her class and she worked with me on draft after draft until we were both happy with it,” said Ilana Golin, ‘96.

“She had a lot of wonderful ideas about courses and projects for students,” added Dr. Steinmann.

Ms. Greenfield, spurred by her love of New York City and its diversity, heavily emphasized interdisciplinary education in the school and tried to connect various departments to create a more enriching experience. For example, she united two teachers to collaborate on an English/Art elective, and also started the elective “The Big Apple,” in which students visited various places in NYC and wrote about them afterwards. In her “Native Voices” elective, students made documentaries about their family heritages. She also aligned what students were learning in English classes with their history lessons.

“She encouraged experimentation and was all for interdisciplinary projects,” said Ms. Cowen. “When I wanted to collaborate with teachers in the science department on joint projects for our Writing Process and biology classes, she was all for it.”

Ms. Greenfield was also known for

organizing ambitious freshman trips—her inspiration was Homer’s Odyssey. On one trip, freshmen visited a Hindu temple in Flushing, a restaurant in Chinatown, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art all in one day to explore characteristics of various civilizations and cultures.

Dr. Largmann also explained another reason he chose Ms. Greenfield to be AP of Humanities: “She had a wonderful ability to identify new, young teachers who thrived under her guidance.”

The first person Ms. Greenfield hired was Humanities teacher Raquel Chung, who came to THHS from teaching at a middle school. “[Ms. Greenfield] was in a sense my mentor. She taught me how to adapt and work with high school students,” she recalled.

Ms. Chung adds that as a new teacher, she “would approach a lesson with [Ms. Greenfield] in mind.”

Many other teachers also looked up to Ms. Greenfield for inspiration.

“She always had a better understanding of characters than I did,” said English teacher Judy Biener.

Ms. Biener recalled how she and her students had always classified “Zeena” from Ethan Frome as a bad person. Ms. Greenfield, however, saw a good side to Zeena and told Ms. Biener this, permanently reforming how Ms. Biener taught the book to her class.

Ms. Biener also recalls how, during a time when Ms. Greenfield was still a teacher, Ms. Greenfield invited her over for dinner to give her pointers on teaching.

From the beginning, Ms. Greenfield was dedicated to perfecting the school to her best ability. > NEWS PAGE 7

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Professor Lucia Lermond remembered

Hye Mi Jeon

STAFF WRITER

ON FEBRUARY 15, THHS lost not only a humanities seminar professor, but also an incredible writer and a veteran scholar of the humanities.

Lucia L er mond g raduated from Queens College and returned in 1985 to teach philosophy, religion, and feminist theory. During her thirty years of teaching, Professor Lermond became an indispensable member of the humanities department at THHS and Queens College.

“Professor Lermond was instrumental in developing the Seminar, its curriculum, its methods, its standards. She was a brilliant philosophy teacher.

She added female authors to the curriculum several years ago, when it became clear that it was too male-centered,” said English teacher Judy Biener, who worked with Professor Lermond for ten years.

Professor Lermond had also received awards for some of her work on philosophy.

Professor Lermond was also

an avid philanthropist who had a significant impact on her students. “ She was an exuberant and opinionated teacher who approached literature from a perspective that most people did not,” said senior Ravena Rampersaud. “She challenged her class by causing us to think outside of the obvious.

Personally, I found her to be a kind and helpful teacher whose personal one-on-one meetings helped my writing significantly.”

Professor Lermond’s passion for philosophy was particularly evident through her lectures on the classical Greek philosophers Plato and Socrates.

“She lectured very well, for many years, [and with] the seniors I recall that she never used notes; she moved about the stage in complete command of the material and of her audience,” Ms. Biener said.

Arthur Shippee, a Humanities Professor at Queens College who worked closely with Professor Lermond, explained what made her teaching method unique.

“She personified the true

spirit of the program: a dedication to the text, read in disciplined and imaginative ways, and to analysis that was rigorous and thought out. A creativity grounded in the evidence reveals the most about texts, for reading is a dialogue marked by engagement and discernment.”

According to her former students, Professor Lermond always put their needs first and took the extra initiative to help them improve their writing.

“One time for one of my humanities essays that she wasn’t even supposed to grade, she told me she would help me with it and we set up an appointment,” said senior David Heifitz.

“I didn’t even expect her to have printed it from my safe assign account and make corrections and notes all over the paper before our appointment.

Not only did she correct my mistakes, but she took her time to actually teach me what I did wrong and how to improve on it, which I feel is pretty rare for most teachers nowadays.”

Those who personally knew Professor Lermond expressed her

Photo courtesy of Crimson & Gold

Professor Lermond shared her passion for the humanities with students for many years.

vibrant, distinctive, and caring characteristics.

Rafal Olechowski, Assistant Principal of the Humanities and a colleague of Professor L er mond, recounted, “She always had this supermarket bag with her. It was one of these recyclable bags. It had a picture of a radish and I said, ‘Oh what a nice bag,’ and she bought it for me the next time she saw me.”

Alumna competes on College Jeopardy!

Yelena Dzhanova STAFF WRITER

LAURIE BECKOFF, who graduated from THHS in 2012 as salutatorian, appeared on the Jeopardy! College Championship on February 11. Over a two-week span, fifteen college contestants competed for the chance to secure a spot in the Tournament of Champions. The University of Chicago sophomore came in second place.

Her reasons for entering the College Championship go back to her childhood.

“I’ve watched Jeopardy! my entire life, always turning it on and playing along when my family sat down to dinner. It’s always been a dream of mine to be on, and I auditioned for the Teen Tournament three times, so trying for College was attempt number four,” said Laurie.

Classical Language teacher Marianthe Colakis, a former contestant herself, said that she tried out for Jeopardy! for the same reason. She wanted to see the extent to which her knowledge could be tested.

Laurie stated that being on the show was one of the proudest moments of her life. She was excited to meet the other contestants from colleges all over the country. Laurie praised host Alex Trebek, claiming that he was professional and accommodating. “Alex Trebek is a great guy. We didn’t get to talk to him all that much, but he’s very welcoming and I never realized until hearing him live just how good he is at his job. He has a fantastic voice and rarely misspeaks, and makes it all seem so easy.”

Former English teacher Caroline Cross also appeared on Jeopardy!/ Her episode was taped in November of 2003, and it aired three months after. Unlike Laurie, Ms. Cross made it clear that she and Alex Trebek did not get off on the right foot. She thought that Trebek came off as abrasive and catty.

According to Ms. Cross, during the introduction session after the first round, Trebek

Photo courtesy of Laurie Beckoff

To commemorate Professor L uc i a L e r mo nd t h e Q C Philosophy Department has established the annual Lucia Lermond Memorial Award available to philisophy students.

As a teacher, an author, and a philosopher, Lucia Lermond made a powerful mark in the humanities.

Math team looks to return Zhi Lin STAFF WRITER

Laurie with Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek.

went to each contestant to get to know them better, as is traditional on the show. Ms. Cross, however, felt that Trebek was more interested in talking about himself.

“A lex Trebek is a limelight hog,” she said. “He has to find a way to (at best) put his own personal details on someone else’s moment in the sun, and (at worst) he hijacks people’s stories. I talked about how Les Mis meant so much to me that I even learned French because of it, and Alex wound up talking about how he was golfing with his buddy Colm Wilkinson and there was talk of a movie. He’s very smug.”

Similarly to Ms. Cross, Dr. Colakis thought that Alex Trebek came off as a little abrasive. “If a contestant doesn’t pronounce a foreign word or phrase just so, he just has to re-say it the right way.” Regardless, she added that it was a pleasure to see him answer questions professionally and patiently. “Two days in a row, people asked him about Will Ferrell’s impersonation of him. He must be so sick of answering that question! But each time, he did so as if it were the first time ever.”

Ms. Cross also described a moment

in which Trebek heavily debated that her answer was incorrect because of her pronunciation.

“One of the ‘answers’ was ‘This word for bullfighter comes from the Spanish word for bull.’ So I rang in and said ‘What is toreador?’ and Alex said ‘Yes—wait no’ and stopped play. When the judges told him toreador was prounounced correctly he appealed to this group of Mexican tourists in the audience, saying, ‘I’m right, aren’t I? I’m right.’ As if being right is the most important thing in the world!”

Among Laurie’s time spent there, she also encountered a few challenges.

Describing the game as “surreal,” she mentioned that a contestant has to get used to the buzzer before being able to click it instinctively.

She also said the game goes by much faster than perceived on television, and you have to be quick to use wit and buried knowledge to your advantage.

“It was always exciting to get an answer right on a wild guess, or have that moment of revelation when the answer comes to you that you couldn’t think of initially,” she said.

FOR THE 2014-2015 school year, math teacher Stephen Mazza will offer “Advanced Topics in Mathematics,” a new elective exploring college-level math topics that are still comprehensible to students who have only taken Algebra and Geometry. Through the class, he hopes to revive the math team, which was lost when the math department lost a math teacher to budget cuts three years ago.

“The class will kind of be half math team, half college class,” said Dr. Mazza. “We will still have time to do the various contests and prepare for them, but with a full five-days-a-week class we will have some time to explore higher levels of mathematics that students would otherwise not see until college.”

Dr. Mazza encourages any students with a strong average and passion for math to join.

“I am trying to make something new and exciting at THHS,” said Dr. Mazza.“I plan on running a very interesting class that will open students’ minds to the vast array of mathematics that is out there.”

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Mr. Sangiorgi honored in library ceremony Michelle Gan

SPORTS EDITOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM The Fund for the City of New York honored chemistry teacher Thomas Sangiorgi with the Sloan Award for his excellence in teaching science and inspiring students. Having already been recognized at Cooper Union during the citywide awards ceremony, the THHS community was now able to congratulate him for being one of the seven recipients of the math and science award.

Mr. Sangiorgi is the second teacher presented with this award, following biology teacher Katherine Cooper, who received it in 2009. “There are literally thousands of teachers out there and we have the privilege of getting it again,” noted Principal Anthony Barbetta. Dr. Mary McCormick, President of the Fund for the City of New York, commented on the fact that THHS has received the Sloan Award twice since the award’s inception five years ago: “It stands to reason that if we could go to another school for the second time, it ought to be Townsend Harris.”

Students, teachers, and other distinguished guests gathered in the library to hear a vast collusion of speakers praise Mr. Sangiorgi for his hard work and dedication to his students. Assistant Principal of Math, Science, and Technology Susan

Brustein served as mistress of ceremonies, welcoming each speaker to the podium, including Mr. Sangiorgi’s former student teacher and current physics teacher Joel Heitman, former student and current Science Olympiad communications secretary, senior Alessandra Taboada, New York State Assemblywoman and THHS alumna Nily Rozic, and CUNY Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Ruth Stark.

Various guests spoke about Mr. Sangiorgi’s uniqueness and individuality, emphasizing his various demonstrations of chemistry in action that set him apart from other science teachers. Mr. Heitman stated, “He makes the science fun, makes it come alive, and brings it to you.” Alessandra recounted some of Sangiorgi’s memorable escapades in the classroom, including setting water on fire, letting his students throw foam balls at him, and setting off the fire alarms by burning gummy bears.

But more than offering a fun interpretation of formulas and the periodic table, Mr. Sangiorgi compels his students to push themselves to their limit, and think beyond the classroom. Alessandra spoke about how Mr. Sangiorgi reminded her that “success is not something that’s handed to you.” She likened him to a father figure, saying, “Through all of high school, he has protected and looked after me, reminding me and other students

QC counseling available for all Noreen Mohsin

STAFF WRITER

THHS has recently added a “new arm of the Guidance Department” with a program referred to as “Queens College Peer Support Services.” With these services, students can freely go to the Guidance Conference Room (room 312) during their lunch bands on any Wednesday of the school year to discuss problems and manage their stress.

The QC Peer Support Services are a way for students to meet with current QC college students and mentors to discuss personal concerns, graduation issues, college worries, and more. Students will also be given presentations on important topics such as cyber bullying, body image, and healthy relationships. A social worker will also be available to talk to students from time to time.

Assistant Principal Veronica York, who collaborated with Queens College to bring the program to Townsend Harris, thought of the idea when she realized the need for peer counseling services. In an interview, she stated, “It’s always easier to talk to people who understand what you are going through, so I thought talking to college students that are already on campus was a great idea.” With this in mind, she met with the head of the Peer Support Services at Queens College as well as current guidance counselors, and the program was added to Townsend Harris.

Guidance counselor Justine Singer shared her thoughts on the program. “[The QC Peer Support Services] are a great idea,” Ms. Singer says. “It’s necessary for students to have someone they can be able to talk to, a constant that will always be there, and QC Services provide just that.”

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Mr. Sangiorgi receiving recognition at the THHS library.

to constantly learn from our mistakes, never dwell on a bad situation, and when in doubt, to use science to answer any questions you had.” All the chairs in the library were filled by students, past and present, perhaps demonstrating the lasting impact Mr. Sangiorgi has left on his students’ lives.

Dr. Stark, who first met Mr. Sangiorgi when they both judged a competition together, mentioned that her admiration for Mr. Sangiorgi stems from “his ability

to get kids involved who didn’t want to, or were reluctant, and to keep them coming back until they loved it.”

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Mr. Sangiorgi described the awe he felt at how much distinction he was receiving from the THHS community as well as those outside of it, saying, “I’m overwhelmed by this experience because it’s never me, it’s always about the students.”

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March/April 2014

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6 March/April 2014

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How tweet it is: Harrisites take to Twitter

Photo by Leanne Gonzalez

Three seniors demonstrate their craft on a slow day.

Amanda Ruggieri (@amandahlouise)

STAFF WRITER

“OH MY GOSH, I am so going to tweet that!”

This phrase is becoming commonplace in the THHS vernacular as more students get active on the social media platform Twitter.

Public relations manager of the SU board, junior Yash Sharma, is not new to the social media game.

“I find that social media is a quick and simple way to spread the word out on school events and news. Almost everybody in school is on some type of network, and everybody is friends with somebody who is on these networks,” Yash explains.

THHS students are not strangers to Wafels & Dinges, a business that has built itself up via social media. They are constantly tweeting about locations and ways to get free dinges. Wafels & Dinges (@ waffletruck) has 35.3K followers and relies heavily on Twitter to create revenue for their carts and cafes throughout the city.

Besides promotional purposes, the students of THHS use the network for personal thoughts as well. Twitter is beginning to trump Facebook as students’ go-to social media outlet.

Sen ior Jam ie Pfei f fer (@xol i ljamieox321) says, “I use Twitter so much more than Facebook because it’s easier to make silly posts and all of my friends frequently use Twitter now to update everyone about their lives, so Twitter is how I keep up with the world.”

However, Twitter can become distracting, with social updates that some choose to stop using it all together.

Freshman Mehrose Ahmad says, “I was a frequent Twitter user, but I deactivated it because it was too distracting. I also only used Twitter to stalk my favorite celebrities.”

Twitter has established itself as a unique and more accepting microblogging network. Users feel more comfortable posting to Twitter than to other social media sites.

Sophomore Angelina Liu (@a_liunatic) remarks, “I basically just rant or post frivolous silly things that I feel would bother people if I posted it on anything

else. I think Twitter has already become a typical social media outlet, but it’s a little different in the sense that people post whatever is on their mind.”

Senior Karan Chachlani (@karanc96) explains his thoughts on the flexibility of Twitter, saying, “I think it allows more freedom to post whatever you want. I tweet a lot during the day, and it’s much better than updating your Facebook status like 10 times a day.”

Senior Briana Draguca (@ImBrianaa) began using Twitter in seventh grade with a few friends, but now many of her friends at THHS use the site. Briana notes that Twitter “took a while to erupt in its popularity, but I think it’s because Facebook had so much more to offer than Twitter.

Now Twitter’s simplicity is becoming more appealing.”

“Some people are starting to use Facebook like Twitter with their multiple status updates, and that’s what annoys me about Facebook lately,” junior Sarah Elhachimi adds.

The Classic (@cravetheclave) has also started using Twitter to share news with the student body and other Twitter users who choose to follow.

Users have the ability to tweet whatever their hearts desire, but there is a 140-character limit placed on each tweet.

While some believe the restriction is necessary, others want to be able to get their idea across using more than 140 characters.

Sophomore Em maly Guitier rez (@0hemgee) feels that “the character limit is horrible. Everytime I try to tweet something long, I pass my character limit and then just decide not to post the tweet because I’m too lazy to make my post shorter.”

But just like any other website on the internet, there is never guaranteed staying power. Myspace came and went, and Facebook is starting to lose its user base, so it is hard to predict what will happen to Twitter. THHS users feel that Twitter isn’t just a fad and that it will be around for a while.

Senior Caitlin Ortiz (@caitortizz) says, “I’m sure it could last because a lot of celebrities use it. If people want to follow them and see what they’re up to, they can.”

The THHS Feed Tweets from around the school:

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Senior places 20th at National Brain Bee Sherin Shibu STAFF WRITER ON M A RCH 14 -15, senior Hetince Zhao competed at the National Brain Bee at the University of Maryland, where she placed twentieth. She qualified for the national competition after placing first at the Regional Brain Bee that took place on February 1.

The format of the questions and the competition in general differed greatly from the regional bee. The first section was neuroanatomy, where she and the other contestants were given preserved brains with pins in different parts; the parts pinned were the parts that were to be named. Hetince received a 21/24 on that section and a perfect score on the patient diagnosis section, where she had to diagnose the malady of the actor playing the “patient” based on three yes or no questions. She also performed well on the multiple choice part of the competition, the Magnetic

Resound Imaging (MRI) section (that showed black-and-white images of the brain with arrows pointing to the parts she had to identify), and the oral section (which was similar to the regional competition). Although the neurohistology section stumped her, overall she performed well on a national scale.

The regional Brain Bee was conducted on February 1 at Columbia University. Hetince was supposed to take part in last year’s Brain Bee, but due to Hurricane Sandy, it was cancelled. She started extensively studying for this year’s bee since January 2014, and studied well from the books assigned for the competition: Neuroscience: Science of the Brain and Brain Facts.

At the regional competition, Hetince made it through all ten rounds without missing a single question, receiving the $500 first place prize.

She described the national bee as “more expansive and diverse,”

especially among the people she met.

“The most interesting part of studying neuroscience,” Hetince said, “is studying neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The mechanisms and relatability of those diseases to everyday life make learning about them fascinating.”

Science teacher Shi Bing Shen, who participated in a Brain Bee herself, mentored Hetince throughout the Brain Bee experience.

“Ms. Shen was my inspiration,” Hetince said. “She was always available to answer any of my questions whenever I needed it.”

Hetince fondly remembers, “At the national competition, during the intermission before the finalist round, when other teams were in their hotel rooms studying, Ms. Shen took me out to eat. She helped me calm down when I was stressed the most, and I’ll always be grateful to her for her thoughtfulness.”

Photo courtesy of Shi Bing Shen

Hetince stands with her certificate after competing at the National Brain Bee at the University of Maryland.

Faculty pay tribute to a colleague, friend CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 Dr. Steinmann recalls that when THHS was relocated to the current building in 1995, Ms. Greenfield was “crazed” about the auditorium. Ms. Chung, however, recalls Ms. Greenfield’s dislike of the auditorium seats and how she tried to fix them.

“She was so concerned that people wouldn’t enjoy what they saw because of the discomfort of the seats,” Ms. Chung said, laughing.

B ecause of th is concer n, M s.

Greenfield purchased ostentatiously yellow, personalized THHS cushions for the auditorium seats. The cushions were eventually sold as a fundraiser for the humanities department.

According to Dr. Steinmann, upon moving into the building the auditorium’s sound system was also less than satisfactory. “[Ms. Greenfield] bugged people at the Board of Education to get it fixed,” she said.

Another instance of her dedication to perfection occurred when she gathered a group of volunteers to repair the once decrepit Harold, the tin can dinosaur built

by THHS’s Society for the Preservation of the Earth club.

Ms. Garcia recalls another example of Ms. Greenfield’s meticulous dedication.

“ When the large Peace Dove installed in the front Hall by Amnesty International—made of paper feathers with a signed “contract” on them by every school member confirming his/her respect and tolerance for others—began to deteriorate, she helped re-install it with a black background at another location,” added Ms. Garcia.

During her time at THHS, Ms. Greenfield also came up with the idea of Vocabulary Month and the THHS Writer’s Manual.

In addition to being an innovative AP, Ms. Greenfield was an inspirational teacher.

“I clearly remember her teaching us that words have specific meanings, and you can’t just stick whatever word you want in a sentence and hope for the best,” said Ilana. “She used to say that strong writing is about finding the right word to convey specific meaning. It’s a lesson I draw on all the time.”

She adds that she read many of her favorite books while in Ms. Greenfield’s class.

“She instilled in me a love of literature that I continue to carry with me,” she said.

Ms. Greenfield also had a great sense of humor, which Ms. Biener said made

work more enjoyable.

“You must know...in addition that Lynne made absolutely the best chocolate cake any chocolate lover could imagine,” recalls former librarian Valerie Billy. “My mouth waters just thinking about it.”

Whenever it was a teacher’s birthday, Ms. Greenfield would make a huge, triple chocolate cake. In addition, when a teacher had a baby, she would knit them various items; she also formed the Knitting Club.

Sheila Orner, former A ssistant Principal of Guidance, sums up Ms. Greenfield’s contributions that “set the standard of excellence for a Humanities program.”

“Under her leadership, the humanities department and its programs were one of the finest in the city... As a result THHS had the finest newspaper, literary magazine, debate team and drama club to name a few.”

Upon retiring, Ms. Greenfield expressed her love for THHS when she told The Classic: “What I will miss most about my job here is teaching and laughing with the kids every day.”

After retiring, Ms. Greenfield continued to channel her creativity and ambition into living life to the fullest, always doing challenging things that people of

her age might avoid, such as hiking in the Himalayas.

“As she had hoped, her retirement meant she had a lot more time for reading, theater, opera, hiking on fabulous trips all around the world, and friends,” said Ms. Cowen.

She especially maintained her inseparable, personal relationship with Dr. Steinmann. The pair traveled to places such as London, China, Turkey, France, and more recently, Uzbekistan, in addition to spending every summer in Vermont together.

“She was the kind of person we all strived to be,” said Dr. Steinmann.

Ms. Biener agrees, calling Ms. Greenfield “a good model for how to live life.”

Dr. Largmann expressed gratitude for Ms. Greenfield’s contributions and emphasized their importance for students, saying, “To the current and future students of Townsend Harris High School: Remember, the success of the school is the reflection of educators like Lynne Greenfield.”

8 March/April 2014

THE CLASSIC

THE CLASSIC

March/April 2014

9

THE CLASSIC ARCHIVES BY KARI IOCOLANO

HANDS: A PHOTO ESSAY

BY ASIA ACEVEDO The great philosopher Immanuel Kant once said, “The hand is the visible part of the brain.”

For centuries, people all over the world have decorated their bodies with intricate drawings and hand tattoos that hold particular symbolic value. Ancient people, like the Pazyryk tribe of Russia, would tattoo their hands to symbolize social or political status.

In today’s high schools, people aren’t exactly tattooing their hands, but they sure are decorating their limbs with little reminders and detailed doodles in a much more temporary manner.

This photo essay explores the culture behind students’ practice of taking pens to their hands as a medium of expression. That seemingly meaningless scrawl or abstract design you see on a fellow classmate’s hand can actually reveal a lot about them, as Kant points out. All you have to do is look closely.

THIS MONTH IN THHS HISTORY...

THE BOYS OF 1998 SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE GENDER RATIO Some guys laugh heartily at the question, others squirm. A few are thrown back into deep thought, while there are those that simply walk away mumbling, “No comment.” The question that stirred such reaction is, ‘Has coming to Townsend Harris changed your attitude toward girls?”

“I used to be intimidated by them,” confesses Ivan Borodin.

“Now, I’m more confident.” Ivan best summed up the popular opinion that constantly having to cope with Harris’ 3:1 girl to boy ratio gives boys a crash course in dealing with girls.

Part of this ability to get along is due to the fact that, “You have no choice,” as Eddie Ocampo put it. The abundance of females has consequently caused a dearth of guys at school. Many of them overcome their shyness out of a basic need for friendship.

Once strong bonds of fellowship are formed, more serious relationships are sure to follow. Elliot Roman found that these are also easier to handle. “They’re moody,” he brooded, “but you begin to understand the moods and the different emotions after a while... I get along with my mother better!” he said, smiling.

Jeff Smith pondered the question for a few days before arriving at an answer with which he felt comfortable. He explained that some of his best friends are girls at Harris. “I’ve grown to respect them. I’ve learned that they’re independent and can take care of themselves.”

Such a situation can go to the extent of changing a person’s ethical as well as personal views. “My opinions have changed ...from sexist to supportive of ERA,” Jeff begins this statement cautiously, but as he continued, he grew more confident with his words.

Corey Ackerman believes that his ideas haven’t changed any more than they would have in another school. He and Alec Pollack share the opinion that changes in attitude are due simply to maturity.

There may be truth in what’s said about too much of a good thing. George Eliou brought to light the less positive effects of the situation.

“I’m sick of hearing about the ERA!” exclaimed a grimacing George. He went on to say that he does understand the need for it, but having it constantly thrown at him causes antipathy.

Most guys took care in what they let escape their mouths.

One of the more popular reasons for silence was fear for one’s life, “Wait! Don’t quote that. The girls I hang out with will kill me!” This brings to mind that other wise adage, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

By Eileen Gunn, March 1988

This year we will be celebrating thirty years of The Classic. In June, we will be releasing a website that catalogues the archives of the last thirty volumes of our paper. Each month, as junior Kari Iocolano goes through the process of scanning every single edition, she will pull out significant articles from our archives and republish them here. This month, we focus on three articles: one offers a look at another time in which the SATs changed formats, another looks at the opinions of boys about the female-dominated student body of the time, and the last looks at a change in the demerit policy.

1994 SAT CHANGES: SOUND FAMILIAR?

As the calculator-clad juniors file into schools to take their SATs this spring, they may be slightly more confident than they were taking the PSATs last year. Why? The answer is the new and improved SAT.

The new SAT will be focusing on critical thinking and not just measuring how much students have in their heads.

Derek Bole, co-chair of the panel that reviewed the changes, says that the new focus will make for “a more versatile set of tests.” Indeed, the new SATs are a welcome sign of evolution from the typical standardized test.

The major upheaval of the SATs, as well as the PSATs, has included changing its name from Scholastic Aptitude Test to Scholastic Assessment Test. Both the math and verbal sections have been revamped, with impressive results, such as the removal of antonyms and a special grid-in section instead of multiple choice.

In the past, SATs have been criticized as being biased toward wealthy, white males. The SATs were also accused of not being an accurate indicator of how students will do in college, as they are meant to be. For these reasons, the new SAT was created. As Townsend Harris college advisor Paul Vicino says, “They felt that they were making it a more meaningful test that would be more useful to students, rather than just being a gate keeper that decides what colleges they will attend.” And they have succeeded.

The questions have been carefully revised and made more general, in the hopes that they will not cater to one specific group. They are thought-provoking and the 15 seconds more per question will provide for well-thought-out answers.

By Amanda Schoenberg, March 1994

DEMERIT POINTS ARRIVE

Setting policy that affects the entire school community, a committee comprised of faculty and students is revamping the referral system, assigning points to all infractions, and laying the foundation for the school’s honor societies, Arista and Archon, to determine a more equitable admissions process. The committee expects to complete the referral reform before the end of this semester.

The reform has come in response to a plethora of student complaints about the original system. Most grievances have been voiced by students who have received “minor” referrals that have stigmatized their records, ruining their hopes of becoming Arista or Archon inductees.

“I think the reform was a good one,” said sophomore Michael Lawrence. “A minor offense shouldn’t keep you out of honor organizations.”

With the new system in place, each referral will have a point attached to it. For example, a minor infraction such as eating, drinking, and gum-chewing in class will be worth one point. However, a more serious offense would be bringing an unauthorized visitor into the building, worth three points. It is up to Arista and Archon to determine how many points will disqualify a student from entering their societies.

This is in contrast to the previous system in which a single referral, regardless of severity, had no scale for the Arista/Archon senates to weigh individually.

By Seth Cohen, March 1994

10 March/April 2014

Elective Procedures: course offerings and the THHS identity

F

or many students, the school’s elective selection is what determines THHS’s designation as a humanities school.

“I feel that considering that we’re supposedly a humanities school, we have far more opportunities for science and math,” said junior Yougeeta Singh, who signed up for an elective last fall only to find that it had been cut. “I don’t mind the electives but when they cut things that actually interest the students and back up the whole ‘school for humanities’ persona, I don’t like it.”

Junior Raina Salvatore shared similar sentiments upon discovering that AP European History had been cut last year.

“I would like to see some more humanities classes. It’s part of the reason that I came to Townsend Harris. It is a humanities school, and yet the number of classes seems to be shrinking,” she said.

Junior Janaiya Banks feels that the school specifically needs more English electives, saying that a “surplus” of STEM electives “makes it hard for kids who either don’t like them or just aren’t good at science and math to find an elective they could enjoy.”

However, simply adding up the amount of elective classes offered for each department and assuming that one department’s increase in electives indicates a schoolwide shift in focus from humanities to the sciences offers far too simplistic an explanation. The reason for the current humanities electives selection has more to do with DOE budget cuts, a national drive for increased emphasis on the sciences at public schools, and departmental decisions.

L

ooking back, Humanities teacher and Programming Coordinator Raquel Chung said there has been a decrease in teaching availability for English electives over the

years.

“We’ve always offered 3-4 English electives not taught as [an extra] class,” she said.

This year, however, all three English electives that ran (Journalism, Drama, and Literature of the Great War) are taught as extra classes by their respective teachers. There simply aren’t enough English teachers to teach the amount of electives requested.

The reason for this is partly because there is one less English teacher than there used to be, and the school does not have the money to hire a new teacher.

Before replacing Susan Getting as AP of Humanities at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year, Rafal Olechowski was an English teacher who taught five classes.

However, another teacher was never hired to replace him once Ms. Getting retired. According to Mr. Olechowski, if the school had more money, this English teacher could be hired, thus producing room for another five humanities electives.

“Every so often in the history of education there are budget crises,” he said.

The reasoning behind why Mr. Olechowski was never replaced is largely related to the Writing Process elective freshmen are required to take, which the administration, not students, has “elected” to mandate.

Mr. Olechowski adds that “not to count [the WP classes] as electives is fiscally irresponsible.”

Since there are nine Writing Process classes, the school has technically allocated two teachers to run them. Thus, when the DOE reviews the school’s budget and sees that the administration wants a replacement for Mr. Olechowski in order to run more English electives, they don’t give the money because they see that there are already nine Writing Process classes that could potentially be replaced with a variety of electives.

Mr. Olechowski has not dismissed the idea of differentiating the Writing Process elective, saying that replacing Writing Process with different writing electives for students to choose from is “always in the back corner of [his] mind.”

“I’ve been saving it as a silver bullet during times when we have no more [English] electives, which is just about now,” said Mr. Olechowski.

If this change was made, each elective would still be writing intensive (for ex-

I

March/April 2014

11

A Special Feature by Stephanie Geier

n recent editions of The Classic, two student letters to the editor began a conversation about the nature of Townsend Harris as a “humanities school.” In December’s “THHS is really a STEM school,” junior Ravenna Chunasamy argued that the school’s current course offerings suggest that Townsend Harris has lost too many humanities, art, and music courses for it to be considered a humanities school. In January’s “Science is Humanities,” junior Yarim Lee argued that contrary to it being on the upswing, “science is not fully respected in our school.”

The receipt of these letters led to a great deal of discussion amongst the editorial staff of The Classic, and we decided to explore Ravenna’s contention that the humanities offerings at THHS lagged significantly behind those offered by the science and mathematics department.

It quickly became clear that at the center of this issue is the question of electives, a topic that has more to do with school business and politics than many might expect. ample, one elective could be “Fantasy Writing Process,” while others could focus on topics like detective fiction) with the skills being the same for each class. He theorizes that the same could be done for the senior Humanities seminar. For example, one seminar elective could focus on themes such as war, so students would not be limited to taking “cookie-cutter” Humanities courses.

Mr. Olechowski adds that THHS technically lacks an additional teacher because of the administrative positions filled

by English teachers—another contributing factor.

“Our department is very active in all kinds of administrative roles,” said Mr. Olechowski.

When a teacher takes up an administrative position, he or she is required to teach less than five classes due to this added responsibility. Out of the ten total English teachers, three currently hold administrative positions. Two of these positons relate to programming and one is related to the United Federation of Teachers. So normally those three teachers would be required to teach 15 classes collectively, but because of their added responsibilities they are required to collectively teach 10, thus reducing the amount of electives that can be regularly scheduled, (unless those teachers choose to take on an extra class--and they often do, ensuring more classes).

Despite these budgetary dilemmas, Mr. Olechowski commented, “You have to play a good game with the cards you’re given and we’re playing an excellent game.”

T

here are different factors that have led to the increased diversity of science electives over the years.

THHS’s science curriculum used to consist only of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, and a non-AP Psychology course. Over the years, however, the Science department gradually added different kinds of electives to replace the Earth Science course and thus increase options for students, while still maintaining the same number of teachers.

“The reason we have a differentiated program in science is because we understand that in a school where science is not the focus, we need to capture the interests of all students,” explained Assistant Principal of Math and Science Susan Brustein.

There are 44 English classes and 37 science classes this year.

So although there are seven more Humanities classes than Science classes, there are more Science electives than Humanities electives because the Science department chose to offer more classes in different ways. Mr. Olechowski explains another factor in

electives: “More students come here with more preloaded math and science courses,” he said.

Because more students are taking the Integrated Algebra and Living Environment Regents classes in middle school, more STEM electives are then needed because students are required to take three years of math and science at THHS. So when students see more STEM electives in the guide, it does not necessarily mean that there are more STEM classes than

humanities classes, it means that students have more choice in determining their “required” yearly science course. If most students in AP Psychology, for instance, are taking the course as their junior year science class then that course is not their elective, even if it is listed as one.

Often, student interest drives how the science department organizes its course offerings.

For example, according to Ms. Brustein, the Forensics elective was added because students requested it. At one point, there were so many students who wanted to take it, that there were two forensics classes running. Additionally, the robotics elective was a student-requested spinoff from the Science Olympiad team.

Although Mr. Olechowski said some students have come to him asking whether certain English electives were running, he feels that “The science department seems to have a lot more students interested in STEM courses.”

The science department currently has eight science teachers, with physics teacher John Tsai running three physics classes because he is the school’s Technology Coordinator. This year, the science department lost five classes, including the Biomedical Ethics and Anatomy and Physiology electives, since science teacher Katherine Cooper has been on leave.

“The total number of teachers in the department is not as large as that of humanities, which shows the humanities focus in the school,” said Ms. Brustein.

She adds that many of the science electives are only offered once per year for a single semester.

Despite being labeled a humanities school,

Art by Christina Wang

many students end up favoring science courses.

Guidance counselor Adrienne Nasser, who came to THHS from working at Bronx High School of Science, said that based on conversations she’s had with students, interest in science versus that of humanities is similar at THHS to that of a STEM-oriented school like Bronx Science. However, she noted that there were students interested in the humanities at Bronx Science as well.

“It surprised me because I thought students were going to be more interested in the humanities [at THHS],” she said. Knowing that colleges like to see a well-rounded education, she said she wonders whether students would choose humanities electives if there were

more.

Though some Harrisites mourn the loss of humanities electives, many would far prefer an increase in science offerings.

“I think most people decide to pile on the math and science courses because they are crucial in very professional or high demand careers and THHS is missing some very crucial science electives,” said senior Alessandra Taboada.

Sophomore Priya Amin wishes that sophomores taking chemistry had more opportunities for science electives, since many require the Chemistry pre-or co-requisite.

“It’s really annoying because it feels like the only available electives for sophomores are humanities electives,” she said.

“I feel like there aren’t enough science electives and that hinders people who want to major in that department,” said sophomore Tanja Miketic. “It’s unfortunate that our school doesn’t offer AP Chemistry or AP Biology because I would love to take it.”

Junior Neil Chen agrees, and feels that “the school seems to limit itself” in terms of science electives.

Several other students expressed interest in AP Biology and AP Chemistry.

In response to this, Ms. Brustein said that although she’d love to offer these electives and is trying to, there are conflicts with teaching power and running double-period classes.

A

lthough THHS was initially revived in 1984 as a haven for students interested the humanities, it is evident that its identity has evolved. When asked about why they chose to attend THHS, most students said it was because of THHS’s famed reputation and convenient location—not because of its humanities emphasis. Taking all this into account, what is THHS’s modern identity? Like the majority of students, Laurie Beckoff, a graduate from the class of 2012 who is currently pursuing studies in English and History, believes firmly in the school’s humanities identity because of the mandatory humanities courses students must take: “The emphasis on the humanities at THHS is one reason I chose it over Bronx Science and Stuyvesant,” she said.

Junior Stiven Shkembi feels that THHS is currently stuck in a transition phase between retaining a traditional humanities education and moving on to a STEM-based one. “This school is trying to become a science-y school but it is not succeeding,” he said. “THHS tries to do science related things but stays a humanities school because of security reasons.”

Ms. Brustein believes that the real question of THHS’s identity revolves around what it means to receive a humanities education: “From my perspective, a humanities school is one that gives classical Renaissance education, meaning a balanced one.” She adds that THHS’s emphasis on writing and communication shows the humanities emphasis.

“The way science impacts humanities is the other piece of the puzzle,” she said.

Neil feels that, “We’re supposedly a humanities school, but a lot of the prestige comes from the science department.” He classifies THHS as a humanities school with a strong science department.

“The growth of the science department doesn’t need to overshadow the humanities at THHS,” he said. “I’m not an educator, but I suspect cooperation between both will lead to the best education possible.”

Still others feel that the school is decidedly balanced between science and humanities and are glad about this.

“I remember when I was an incoming freshman at THHS, I envisioned four years of language and historical studies, with minimal incorporation of science or mathematics; it was the image I was presented with as an eighth grader when I first heard of THHS, the humanities school,” said junior Anna Kim. “Currently as a junior, I can firmly say two things: one, I was wrong, and two, I am happy that I’m wrong.”

“From my experiences, teachers from both departments demonstrate utmost pride in their courses and may often feel as if one department outdoes the other,” adds Anna.

“I’m content to straddle the fence for that matter.”

12 March/April 2014

THE CLASSIC

OPINION

New quiz policies offer a path to success Abinash Kaur STAFF WRITER

WHEN WORD of the brand new AP US History policy of weekly quizzes reached the juniors of Townsend Harris, some sighed with relief, since teachers decided to tone down their constant demands for the textbook outlines. If used properly, these quizzes can be beneficial and conducive to a higher score on the AP US History Exam in May. When this policy first took effect, I chose not to study. These quizzes seemed like a waste of time, especially since I thought I knew the information from the beginning of the school year pretty well.

I was wrong. After receiving a low grade on the first quiz, I realized that it would be best to study. From that point on, I studied my previous outlines and read the AMSCO book. Without even realizing it, I was indirectly preparing for the AP Exam while improving my grades simultaneously.

Because I was forced to study, I was “tricked” into making a study schedule two months prior to the exam, something I previously thought preposterous.

It also alleviated my worry of having to review in depth for the exam because when exam time comes around, I can just read an overview of the different time periods. Thus, these quizzes have become a reason to make time to study the details.

According to researcher Jeffrey D. Karpicke of Purdue University, retrieval is a key process of learning and should be practiced because all expressions of knowledge involve retrieving information. He recommends using retrievalbased learning techniques in the classroom such as frequent classroom quizzes,

Artwork by Jamie Fung

just like these weekly APUSH quizzes.

By using this method, instead of cramming all the information the night before the AP Exam (most of which you will probably forget by the time of the test), juniors are able to process and review the vast amount of information at their own pace and are able to recall the

material faster. As Mr. O’Malley would say, “Repetition is the branding iron of the intellect!” By repeating and reviewing the material, scoring a 5 is not just a dream.

These weekly quizzes also help serve as wonderful reviews for the juniors by highlighting the areas in which the stu-

dents are particularly strong, as well as pointing out those in which they would benefit from spending more time studying.

Because weekly quizzes are divided up into different time periods, it makes it easier for students to figure out what topics they should further review for the AP Exam. This makes studying more time efficient, since you will be focusing on your weaknesses rather than wasting time studying your strengths.

After all, why review material that you know extensively? So a word to junior Harrisites: pay attention to your quiz results and review topics in which you do not have a great understanding.

For those of you who are still groaning about the quizzes, this is your chance to put time management skills into play and “seize these quizzes” to decrease your AP exam stress, especially if you have more than one AP exam coming up this May. This is a perfect opportunity to stop putting off the necessary studying for the exam and to sit down with the AMSCO book, even if it is just for 20 minutes per day. Sooner or later you will have to study, so why not choose sooner since you have the chance?

Since this is the first time for the APUSH quiz policy, it is still unclear whether or not this policy will be in effect next year. Hopefully, the teachers will decide to keep the policy because it would help the juniors prepare for the AP Exam, just as it is helping now. It make the preparations for the exam less stressful, and overall aids in the task of conquering the AP US History Exam, which is the goal.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

We Dawdle, We Lecture, We’re Pimps, Oh My! I WOULD LIKE to respond to Harry Petsios’ “Paying for points” article that appeared in the January edition of The Classic. The graphic underneath the article depicts the school play as one of the “paying for points” activities, and the article begins with the tantalizing but inaccurate and erroneous assertion that “it has become possible for an after-school (sic) dodgeball game to raise your English average.” I can assure you that, at least in my class, such an idea is absurd.

I direct the annual spring musical, and I teach Advanced Placement and Regents level English. I offer my students ten bonus points for attending the play and writing a review of the production. The review requires students to write approximately five to seven paragraphs on such elements of the production as costumes, music, lighting, sound, technical design and performance. In Mr. Petsios’ piece, he suggests that by offering students extra credit for attending an event, students are being rewarded “for a grade

we didn’t earn.” I think ten points for a theater review is an appropriate exchange, and those points are well earned and well deserved. Mr. Petsios also asserts that he would “work harder in class” if he “sought to add 5%” to his average. I’m not quite sure how Mr. Petsios arrives at his calculations, but, at the risk of diminishing attendance at this year’s school play, I’ll disclose mine: a student’s final grade in my course is based on a system that totals 1,000 points. Ten one-thousandths is one hundredth, or 1%. A student could never earn five points on his or her final grade in my class by attending the play and writing a review.

Mr. Petsios also voices concerns over misperceived injustices towards students who cannot afford tickets or are unable to attend because of other commitments.

Rest assured, Mr.Petsios, any student who cannot afford a ticket to the play is given one gratis, and those who are otherwise engaged are given an alternate assignment if they so desire. This entire

process amounts to a great deal of extra, unpaid work for me; hopefully, though, it gives my student actors what they most deserve—two sold out performances where they can showcase their talents and feed their passions as performers.

Mr. Petsios labels students who participate in this “paying for points” system “uninterested grade seekers.”

For many though, this lack of interest is fleeting. Every year I read play reviews from dozens of students who essentially say, “I initially went for the extra credit, but I had so much fun and I was so entertained! I’ll definitely be back next year!” I completely agree with Mr. Petsios’ notion that students should attend after school events “because they want to see their friends in their finest moments,” but that desire, while optimistic, is unrealistic. Our school is jam packed with activities, and our students lead busy lives. Sometimes, they need other incentives.

The budget for the school play eclipses $11,000.00 annually. SING! and FON

tickets sell quickly and easily because each activity has over one hundred performers.

As a general rule, one can arrive at a base approximation of guaranteed ticket sales by multiplying the number of performers by five. The school play generally has a cast of twenty. We need to sell at least five hundred tickets or our activity cannot continue. It really is that simple.

Mr. Petsios questions the ethics of teachers who utilize a “paying for points” system, and he calls the entire process “little more than academic prostitution.” To judge by Mr. Petsios’ misguided metaphor, teachers are pimps who somehow profit by arranging assignations between prostitues (our event) and johns (our students). Neither my wallet nor my year end performance review is bolstered by my students’ GPA or their attendance at the school play.

Mr. Petsios’ metaphor, though, is more than inaccurate—it’s downright offensive. Mr. Petsios has articulated several provocative anti-teacher sentiments via

The Classic this year, and I applaud him for having the courage to speak his mind and attach his name to his opinions, especially when his classmates sometimes hide behind the safe anonymity afforded by social media.

However, to judge by the last three issues of The Classic, for Mr. Petsios, many members of the THHS faculty are pimps who either talk too much (“certain courses in this school depend far too much on lecture, particularly in the Humanities Dept.”

11/26/13), or dawdle at their desks and do nothing (“Outlines are becoming little more than the idle teacher’s solution for not teaching” 12/4/13).

I have worked at Townsend Harris for eleven years, and I know most of my colleagues’ pedagogical practices well.

I have a markedly different impression of the THHS faculty, and of the exemplary instruction its members provide for our school community every day.

Joseph J. Canzoneri English Teacher

THE CLASSIC

March/April 2014

The Classic

EST. 1984

The Classic is an open forum for the expression of student views. The opinions expressed therein should not be taken to represent those of the administration or faculty, or of the student body as a whole.

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL STAFF

The new SAT is not about making it easier—it’s about business

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Katherine Maradiaga Suswana Chowdhury

T

he College Board recently The mathematics section currently revealed news of its focuses on algebra, geometry, and a impending changes bit of algebra 2. The new and improved to the SAT. Such news brought mathematics section will focus on three about outcries of anger and frustraareas: linear equations, complex equations tion from Townsend Harris stuor functions, and ratios, percentages, dents, namely the juniors. and proportional reasoning.

In 2016, the SAT These areas of math are will revert to a 1600getting particular attenpoint scale, the essay tion because they are often component will be prerequisites for advanced optional, the obscure math in college. In addivocabulary and point tion, calculators will no I mag deduction system will be longer be allowed during cere cou r tes y removed, and the math sectain sections. of ed ucati on-p c om tion will involve more complex The essay and the writor t a l . calculations. For the most part, students ing sections were added to are more focused on the “inequality” of these the SAT in March 2005. The changes rather than the actual changes themselves. new essay will require students to write an essay in While a majority of the complaints against the new which they explain how the author builds an argument SAT have centered around its supposed ease, nothing to persuade an audience. Such a task will be essential could be further from the truth. Students are selec- throughout college, whereas the current essay questively hearing what they want: the test is becoming tions offer little practical value. easier with the removal of the writing section and Students may dislike a lot about the new SAT, but the guess penalty. What students fail to realize is that the one thing they cannot say is that the test is easier. the College Board has to compensate for removing The SAT is being redesigned into a test that can chalan entire section, and that it is doing so by intensify- lenge students to think critically, and we commend ing the rigor of the critical reading and mathematics that change. sections.

However, lost in the conversation of inequality is Previously, the critical reading section was a selec- what is really going on: a business decision. We comtion of literary samples followed by a few questions. plain about the fairness of the current class of students The new evidence-based reading and writing sec- taking a test that the freshmen will never have to take, tions will feature source documents ranging from but we forget that the real trouble comes from the science articles to major historical documents to lit- testing culture that insists upon the importance of the erary samples. In addition to reading things besides College Board’s assessment of us over the assessment of stories and poems, students will have to cite from the the teachers who see us every day. With the ACT on text to support their answer. By forcing students to the rise, the College Board merely wants to stay in the quote from the text, the College Board is attempting game, and the real issue is that education should not be to remove doubts surrounding whether the student caught up in the competition of two entities that have truly understood the question, or if the student simply vested interests in maintaining our country’s obsesgot lucky with a guess. This type of question will also sions with testing as the only means to understand a be prevalent in college, because often it doesn’t matter student’s capabilities. what answer you got, but how you got to the answer.

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NEWS EDITOR Stephanie Geier FEATURES EDITOR Magdalena Grabos OPINION EDITORS Vincent Chu Zach Ooi A&E EDITORS Anna St. Clair Jennifer Walsh COPY EDITORS Laura Caba Evan Mancini

SPORTS EDITORS Bianca Dilan Michelle Gan Daniel Restifo LAYOUT & DESIGN Christina Wang Amanda Yan PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS Asia Acevedo Fran Horowitz ONLINE EDITOR Frankie Nicolazzi ARCHIVIST Kari Iocolano

ADVISOR Brian Sweeney We welcome letters to the editor.

Townsend Harris High School The Classic reserves the 149-11 Melbourne Avenue right to edit letters for Flushing, NY 11367 clarity and concision. thhsclassic@gmail.com

COMING SOON

Look for another edition of The Classic Magazine to arrive in late April.

CONFESSONS ILLUSTRATED Take a look at our new feature: “Confessions llustrated.” Each month we will pick a humorous confession from Townsend Harris’s Facebook hotspot and illustrate. If you have suggestions for which confession you’d like to see illustrated, send your ideas to thhsclassic@gmail.com. We will also accept your submissions, so if you would like to illustrate the confession yourself then send your drawing to the above e-mail with your name.

Confessions that target individuals in a mean-spirited fashion or are otherwise cruel/obscene will not be selected.

14 March/April 2014

THE CLASSIC

OPINION

On clubbing

Homework policy, when done by the books, works

Zion Kim STAFF WRITER

Harry Petsios COLUMNIST

IF YOU EVER take the time to ask club or team members, interns, or volunteers why they chose to partake in that particular activity, you’ll find that at least a few will tell you that they do it because it looks good for college.

It has been drilled into our brains that extracurricular activities are essential to college applications. As a result, we scramble around hunting for the perfect extracurricular activity to participate in. Rather than allowing our interests to lead us to the right activities, we prioritize what will give us an edge when applying for a college. After all, would you choose the vice president of the student union, or the star duelist on a Yu-GiOh team?

The misconception that deceives us all is that colleges are looking for a specific kind of activity in their applicants. We think that certain things, such as a position in student government or a spot on the school debate team, will increase the likelihood of acceptance into a college. But what use is it if we have no interest in student government, or debating? Is it worth going to those board meetings or debate competitions just to sit for hours, staring at the clock, wondering when you’ll be able to go home, just to be able to put something down on your application?

Last winter, while touring the Harvard campus, I had the opportunity to speak to a biology major who initially had no intention of attending Harvard.

Throughout middle school and high school, she was an active member of a citywide orchestra as an accomplished cellist.

She had pursued the position in the orchestra not because she thought it would look good for college, but because she truly loved playing music in the ensemble—it was an integral part of her life that made her who she was. She said that there isn’t that one thing colleges look for in your application that immediately grants you a spot in their program. Your interests and goals, as well as the way you choose to pursue those goals, are what set you apart from other applicants and reveal the truth about who you are.

Interest and passion should be the driving factors behind your decisions of which extracurricular activities to take part in. Extracurriculars are so much more than just ornaments to add to your application to woo colleges—they enrich your high school experience and can set you on the path to determining your potential career options.

High school only happens once, so why spend it doing stuff you don’t like?

THUS FAR, the 2013-2014 academic year has brought numerous changes to the average Harrisite’s routine: from a reorganized bell schedule to increases in lunch prices. Among these changes was the introduction of a new homework policy.

The new policy, implemented in lieu of the adjusted bell schedule, sought to ensure that students wouldn’t be overburdened with work on a nightly basis.

Originally, the previous bell schedule fulfilled the responsibilities of our current homework policy. However, with the reorganization of the bell schedule, the PTA lobbied for a restructuring of the homework policy. In their opinion, the addition of another class and therefore, another assignment, would overwhelm students.

The solution: teachers of each subject can’t assign homework on certain days, which means students have one or two less homework assignments per night.

And now nearly six months after implementation, teachers have abided by the policy regularly and properly, much to the pleasure of students and administrators.

Every day, I experience the lessons of seven distinct subject teachers, ranging from rudimentary fundamentalists to ultramodern “web-teachers.” Regardless of teaching style, however, I always receive a maximum of six homework assignments per day.

In fact, to many teachers, the policy has become second nature.

Questions like “Which day can’t I assign homework?” no longer

The new homework policy helps us avoid easy excuses like this. Image by of WeKnowMemes.com

enter classroom discussions.

Similarly, this transition has been smooth for most students.

Whereas originally, students were at the mercy of their teachers, they now have a “homework ceiling” that teachers cannot overstep.

The withdrawal of one homework assignment from the daily workload brought many benefits for students.

Now, students have time to look beyond the next day’s assignments. Collaterals and tests are no longer put off to the weekends; with the extra time they now have, students can concentrate on these long term projects.

Administrators and teachers alike sometimes under-exaggerate how helpful the policy is. Many teachers sarcastically remark that “One more homework assignment wouldn’t kill

you.” Quite the contrary, it might be the extra book that breaks the student’s back[pack].

Despite the great progress made, students continue to report that some teachers ignore the homework policy. The homework policy, when followed, eases the load students receive; those who do not follow it may do so because they believe it doesn’t make much of a difference, but it does.

One particular issue stands out. A teacher that cannot assign homework on Tuesday might, instead, assign two nights’ worth of work on Monday. By doubling up on the homework on one night, a teacher manages to preserve their schedule at the cost of the students.

Students may be too timid to challenge any infraction, but it does not make such in-

March’s Mystery Staff Member

Every month, the print edition of The Classic will provide you with four clues. Can you guess the identity of the staff member who matches these clues? Submit your guess online at www.thhsclassic.com/contests. We will reveal the identity of the staff member in the January issue.

One thing we can suggest is this: do not make assumptions.

fractions any less frustrating for students. Moreover, this is a schoolwide policy—it is unfair that some teachers follow it and others can choose not to.

Despite the infractions that continue to occur, the homework policy has truly made progress in easing the students’ burden.

While the policy has certainly been successful in the eyes of many students, there are still those who think otherwise. If the administration truly wishes to serve the students as it has, its effort must be full hearted.

Those who disobey the school policy contribute to the cynicism students often have regarding school. Those who follow the school policy instill in students the hope that their voices mean something, and that change within the existing system is possible.

February Revealed

WHO AM I? CLUE #1 I went to Machu Pichu twice.

CLUE #2 I don’t like chocolate.

CLUE #4 CLUE #3 I would rather drive a stick I have an insane number of shift than an automatic car. scarves.

Mr. Gruszecki married his wife, Dr. Gruszecki, at an aquarium, where a ship captain officiated.

THE CLASSIC

A&E

A&E EDITOR

BEFORE THE NAME Ovid reached our ears, reading for fun was a common practice, and the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson subcultures seemed to permeate our middle schools. Townsend Harris encourages students to read closely and think critically, but how many of its students actually take pleasure in reading on their own, and do the heavy workloads lead to a less literate student body?

A recent survey has found that 58% of Harrisites read three or more hours a week.

Those who read regularly cited young adult, fiction and fantasy as their favorite genres.

“I love reading because I constantly find ‘me’ when reading different texts. You become engrossed enough to feel and respond to another of the characters’ emotions,” said freshman Sarah Moon.

Beyond fiction and YA, Harrisites read books from an array of genres. “I read The Stranger by Albert Camus, I’m working on bringing back the school’s philosophy club so I loved the book’s evaluation on the stability of one’s life and the justification of murder,” said freshman Matthew Mandel.

Senior Maya Grozka recommended The Philosophy of Andy Warhol. “I loved it so much,” she said enthusiastically. “It taught me the wide spectrum of many interesting perspectives on life. I found the vision through the artist’s eyes very intriguing, and I was hooked throughout the whole book because [the author] wrote it in such a humorous way.”

Despite the explosion in the popularity of reading e-books on devices such as the Kindle and Nook, as well as the reading apps available on most phones and tablets, e-reading has yet to beat the appeal of the public library. While 29% of students said they purchased books from a bookstore, 32% of surveyed students said that they

got their books on an e-reader, while another 32% go for the good, old-fashioned public library. Senior Demeara Torres pointed out that the idea of free books allures many to the library.

Library and bookstores also have one major advantage over e-readers: they allow for browsing. Usually, 48% of students pick their next reading selection through casual browsing. On the other hand, 28% are usually drawn in by the recommendations of friends and teachers. Despite the fact that only four percent claimed to be influenced by the hype surrounding a book about to be adapted into a movie or television show, when asked which book they would most likely read next, 30% of students chose The Fault in Our Stars

by John Green and 27% picked Divergent

by Veronica Roth in a poll among recent bestsellers. While both books have generated an enormous amount of online hype, so has Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor and Park (7%) as well as Khaled Hosseini’s And the Mountains Echoed (15%), neither of which are currently slated for theatrical adaption.

Is there a correlation? The combined power of the young adult genre and the neces-

Photo by Asia Acevedo

This is, of course, what a high school lobby looks like every day.

sary attention from a film adaption seem to be the sweet point for inciting student curiosity.

Among the 42% of students who don’t read regularly, 72% said they did not have the time. It’s no secret that Harrisites have packed schedules. Along with clubs, teams, and other extracurricular activities, finding time to relax with a book can prove a challenge.

“I don’t read during the school year because I have a lot of work and I can’t get distracted thinking about the plots to books,” commented sophomore Ashley Bolivard.

Even those who read regularly noted that their reading time has been cut into significantly due to their hectic schedules.

Freshman Sarah Gafur stated, “I read on the bus, and that’s if I get a seat. As soon as I get home I’m doing homework or studying. There never seems to be time for it anymore. I can’t justify reading before bed because I really need sleep too.”

So how do some Harrisites squeeze in some face-to-book time in between APUSH outlines and Latin declensions while others do not?

“I think it deals with the amount of passion you hold. There are some things

The Grand Budapest Hotel serves as a welcome retreat Jennifer Walsh A&E EDITOR

IN A WORLD where films seem to be as dark and bitter as New York’s winter weather, it’d be nice to take a vacation to somewhere bright and warm. Fortunately, The Grand Budapest Hotel, indie darling Wes Anderson’s latest film, provides a welcome retreat from gloomy days.

The Grand Budapest Hotel tells the story of Zero Mustafa and M. Gustav, the respective lobby boy and concierge at the titular hotel. The duo goes on a series of adventures just before the outbreak of war in the fictional European nation of Zumbrowka, including an art heist, a prison break, and run-ins with plenty of strange people. It stars Ralph Fiennes and newcomer Tony Revolori, and features plenty of Anderson regulars like Bill Murray, Ed Norton, and Owen Wilson.

The story is original and inspired, the jokes are funny, and the adventure is a joy to watch onscreen. The deadpan humor in the film is brilliant and sophisticated, and Anderson makes even the dirtiest jokes seem like high comedy. There are layers of narration in the film—first we see a girl reading a book called The Grand Buda-

15

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

What are Harrisites reading?

Anna St.Clair

March/April 2014

pest Hotel, then see Tom Wilkonson’s author discussing the book, then Jude Law’s younger author hearing the story from an older Zero, and then Zero living the story himself, the narrator with whom we spend the most time. The film is thoughtfully divided into four parts that are less like separate acts and more like chapters from the book we first see.

Anderson’s intricate detail has a way of making us forget that the star-studded cast is just that—they are truly invested in their characters, making it all the more evident that this film is a labor of love. Budapest has a certain purity because of this. It’s not tainted with commercialism or reality, but allows viewers to be completely absorbed into its world. All of the performances are stellar, but Revolori’s is particularly impressive, holding his own against Hollywood heavyweight Fiennes. The relationship between Gustav and Zero is far from one-sided. Each one genuinely cares about the other, and instead of putting Gustav on a pedestal, Zero sees him as an equal.

Both actors embody their characters well, and it is a pleasure to watch them interact on screen.

Budapest has a fantastic sense of rhythm throughout, thanks to Alexandre

Desplat’s upbeat score. The jazzy beats perfectly match the quirky production design, which is full of Anderson’s signature bright colors and personal, handmade accents. Meticulous attention to detail makes Zumbrowka and its characters seem all the more real. From the documents they carry to the tiniest button on their jackets, to pastries, to paintings, this world and its inhabitants are alive, dimensional and fantastic.

that you can find time for, no matter how busy you may be,” added Sarah Moon.

Other students believe that THHS could make more of an effort to encourage its students to read by their own choice.

“Townsend should have something called DEAR that many NYC schools have. It’s when students for one period just sit in a room and read any book they want,” noted Demeara.

For some students, reading just isn’t something they would do, no matter what their workload. When asked if he would read if he was given less homework and tests, senior Daniel Wuest replied, “Personally and truthfully, I don’t believe so. I would just go on Netflix binges.”

Even students who read regularly felt that staying focused was a challenge: “spending time on the Internet can be a major distraction and holds me back from reading,” observed Matthew.

What was overwhelmingly clear is that the students who read on their own didn’t do so because they wanted to improve their critical reading scores, but because they had a passion for ideas, writing, stories, and characters.

Additional reporting by Jason Lalljee

Artwork by Jenner Chen

Budapest has made it okay to be genuine again, okay to not look inward at pain and fear but instead outward at the crazy, wonderful universe surrounding us. Anderson is a visionary who has created an instant classic. This film must not be missed. Not a second of screen time is wasted—every shot and every line adds something special to the story.

No moment feels small, no character insignificant.

16 March/April 2014

THE CLASSIC

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Remembering Lynne Greenfield Assitant Principal of Humanities Page 2

Changes in FON lead to a successful show Tiffany Lee

STAFF WRITER

ONE OF THE MOST anticipated cultural events of the year, FON, held on Febuary 28 and March 1, was filled with a celebratory ambience and large crowd.

With over half of the school participating in this event, Townsend Harris continued its annual tradition of holding a cultural dance festival. Despite the tradition, this year’s FON saw numerous changes.

This time FON was held at the Townsend Harris auditorium, unlike last year’s performance, which took place at Queens College’s Colden auditorium. Assistant Principal Ellen Fee noted, “FON has always been at Townsend Harris, and the history was to have it in two nights, and we tried doing it at Colden [last year] for more people to attend but actually, by having it two nights [this year], it gave the largest audience.” In fact, she said that “this year we were able to sell 1000 tickets, but last year we only sold 609.”

Principal Anthony Barbetta added, “Many students wanted to perform two nights, and having the performance at Townsend gave the best opportunity to achieve that. Also, it saves money.”

However, junior Maritza Mero noted, “I would rather have FON in Colden because I know many more people

wanted to attend FON but couldn’t due to a lack of seats.

If there were more space, it would have been better.”

With previous FON coordinator Lisa Mars no longer a faculty member at Townsend Harris, Spanish teacher Beatriz Ezquerra has taken over the position.

In response to this change, junior Rahul Chandra said, “I was only able to join two FONs this year because apparently Ms. Ezquerra set a limit. However, I don’t think there was a limit in the past. I was able to join three FONs last year.”

Among the various changes that came with this year’s FON was the addition of new cultural groups, including Polish, Kor-indian, and American.

Daniel Wuest experienced initial difficulty in establishing American FON. He said, “When we first looked into doing this, we asked people to sign a list if they were interested. About 50-60 people signed that list, but when it came time to actually start practice, only 15 people showed up. It was hard to remain optimistic about our performance when we had one-sixth of the performers of other large, elaborate FONs.” Filipino FON leader and junior Emma Noblesala commented on the addition of new FON groups, saying, “I thought that the new cultural groups were a great addition to Festival of Nations. There are a lot of unrepresented nations in our school, Polish FON being one

Photo by Aditya Samaroo

of the largest, so it was nice to see their cultures in the show this year.”

Senior Harry Quinn, emcee of the event, added, “I didn’t know what to expect for FON, because I had never actually gone to one in the past. I regret that now, as being able to introduce the dancers and the cultures they are representing was a transcendental experience.”

“Hosting had the perk of being behind the scenes with the performers,” he continued.

In the past, students have generally participated in FON because it allowed them to embrace their culture and provide time for fun in school.

Emma says, “I participated because when I joined freshman year, I felt so welcomed into the school and I liked being a part of something and meeting new people, and I liked knowing kids my age of the same culture as me. I continue to join FON to make other kids, especially the freshman, feel the same way I did my freshman year.”

Sophomore Kellie Zestinakis said, “FON this year was just really great overall. Everyone did a great job and this tradition at Townsend is definitely one of the best things about it.”

Additional reporting by Sarah Iqbal

For many students at THHS, watching shows and movies online is a favored pastime. We are the Netflix generation, and for those of us who come into school and talk at length about the great shows we’ve spent our online time watching, we are very much a growing ‘Net Clique’ of instant video watchers. Sometimes, however, it’s not easy to dig through the endless programs available online to find something worth your time. “NetCliques” is a column devoted to guiding you to the shows and movies that you might not find on your recommended list.

NetCliques: All we’re saying is give puppets a chance Joanna Wong A&E COLUMNIST THIS MONTH, I thought it would be nice to pay tribute to one of the most underappreciated group of actors in Hollywood. These colorful characters are repeatedly described as being too animated, not relatable enough, and too fuzzy for their own good. I should probably clarify that we’re going to be talking about puppets.

My first recomendation is Magic (1978, available by all and any means necessary), about a struggling magician who uses a

dummy to deal with suppressed emotions.

Finding newfound success as a ventriloquist with a loud and foul-mouthed character named Fats, Corky Withers (Anthony Hopkins) returns home to the Catskills and decides that he wants a relationship with his former high school crush Peggy (Ann-Margret). The only problem with this idea is that Peggy is married and multiple people are standing in their way, so Corky—through his outspoken dummy Fats—begins to kill them one by one until he achieves his goal. The hidden psychotic nature of Corky’s character comes alive with Fats’s

help, and demonstrates the power of the mind and the puppet to showcase emotion otherwise obscured.

No list of puppet films is complete without Little Shop of Horrors (1986, available everywhere, trust me), a dark comedy based off the Broadway musical with the same name. Geeky florist Seymour Krelborn (Rick Moranis) buys an unusual Venus-fly-trap-like plant from a Chinese flower shop and realizes that it can only survive off the taste of human blood. Thriving in the new fame of his plant, Seymour sets off to pursue Audrey (Ellen Greene) while also struggling to

satisfy the bloodthirsty demands of his growing plant, Audrey II (voiced by Levi Stubbs). Audrey II is puppeteered by 20 people and is a total hit.

Before you disregard puppet movies as something to be seen with youngsters, consider all the elements these movies bring to the table. Puppets, no matter how obscure or outrageous, create human connections, outlets for people to express their bottled up emotions and follow through with actions they would otherwise be too scared to do.

THE CLASSIC

March/April 2014

RESTAURANTS

TOWNSEND TRENDS

Get cozy with Korean cuisine

Spring into sportswear

Sabrina Yu

FOOD CRITIC

WITH THE CRAZY, chilly weather we’ve been experiencing lately, what’s better than having some comforting Korean cuisine?

Kimganae is an authentic Korean restaurant located on Union Street in Flushing. It‘s known for its cozy comfort food that brings Seoul to your taste buds for a low price.

Before your entrees arrive, you are served delicious complimentary appetizers. Kimganae gives a small, steamy bowl of hearty fish cake soup and a tiny plate of savory radish kimchi. Despite the small size, you can get free refills of either appetizer.

The first dish I tried was the haemul dukbokki, which is rice cake made with octopus, shrimp, fish cake, cabbage, carrot, scallions, and sesame in special dukbokki sauce. This dish tastes exactly how it looks: spicy. The dukbokki is soft and pillowy, while the octopus tentacles are chewy and flavorful. The shrimp are tender, the cabbage is sweet, and the thick hot sauce is splendidly rich and spicy, while also containing some sweet notes. My only true criticism about this meal was that there wasn’t enough dukbokki; my dish consisted mostly of

Photos by Hallie Wolff

Hallie Wolff Photo courtesy of Sabrina Yu

A delicious roll from Kimganae.

17

cabbage and the dukbokki sauce.

The second dish I tried was the chicken roll, which is chicken breast coated with sesame oil, hot sauce, egg, sweet radish, carrots, and spinach wrapped inside rice and seaweed. This colorful roll is mildly spicy, but the sweet and sour flavor of the radish enhances the taste of the chicken.

Meanwhile, the carrot creates a crunchy texture.

I also ordered the Omelet Rice, fried rice made with ketchup, paprika, ham, onions, peppers, and carrots, covered with an omelet style egg, drizzled with homemade gravy, and garnished with sesame and scallions. Cooked with just the right amount of ketchup, the rice holds a sweet and tangy flavor. On top, the homemade gravy tastes a bit like worcestershire sauce and compliments the omelet perfectly. The dish also comes with corn and a small salad. Just like the dukbokki, this dish is comforting and makes you feel right at home.

Kimganae is a great place for a small get together with friends and family. If you’re looking for a place to get quick, yummy, inexpensive food, this restaurant is perfect.

FASHION CONTRIBUTOR

MARCH HAS ARRIVED, and the weather we’ve all been waiting for is right around the corner. With a taste of spring under our belts, it seems clear that this upgrade in temperature calls for an upgrade in your closet. If a complete renewal of your wardrobe is not possible for the coming season, we have a couple of tricks up our sleeves that will help you put a springtime spin on some of your most trusted pieces.

Unless you’ve somehow made it through the notoriously grueling Townsend Harris physical education without ever buying a pair of running shoes, you’ll be happy to know that sportswear is a big trend for spring.

The sportswear trend, with its emphasis on comfort, convenience, and polished versatility, is the perfect trend for busy high school students. At Harris, we’ve seen this trend manifest itself in the form of funky running shoes (namely Nike’s newest it-shoe, the Roshe Run), slouchy track pants (Adidas, we’re looking at you), and spandex leggings (Lululemon Luon, Victoria’s Secret and TNA in particular).

Sportswear has also showed up on the runway. Kenzo showed bright, printed tennis shoes on its runway, while J. Crew has been advertising the newest trend by

Examples of the new sportswear trend.

mixing the company’s trademark preppy look with athletic pieces such as leather baseball caps, linen varsity jackets, and New Balance sneakers in every hue imaginable. The leaders of the fashion world have confirmed it: when it comes to the sportswearminus-the-sport style, all we can say is, “just do it.”

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Daria Snadowsky Q&A Jennifer Walsh A&E EDITOR

AUTHOR OF the young adult novels Anatomy of a Boyfriend and Anatomy of a Single Girl, Daria Snadowsky,

answered some questions for us.

What inspired you to write Anatomy of a Boyfriend and Anatomy of a Single Girl?

All young couples in school face a serious dilemma: either they can try to stay together and see what happens, or else they can break up and get on with their lives with the faith that they’ll get back together when they’re older if they’re really right for each other. Of course the latter option makes a lot more sense…but if you have good chemistry with someone, it’s difficult to imagine breaking up “proactively” even if the timing is bad. And if couples do choose to break up proactively, they face another decision…do they break up right away, or do they stay together and “have fun” until graduation or some other major life event separates them? And will staying together make breaking up even harder? So I wanted to portray this kind of crossroads in YA novels.

Was it harder to write the first book or the sequel?

Not harder, but it was totally different. With Anatomy of a Boyfriend, my editor requested a major rewrite, but the central story and themes never changed. With Anatomy of a Single Girl, it took forever to come up with the main story and themes, but once I did, the first draft required minimal editing.

What’s your best piece of advice for young writers?

Remember that writing requires a lot of re-writing.

I remember being really bummed when my high school teachers returned my papers dripping with red ink (which today I supposed has been replaced with Microsoft Word track changes). I wish I appreciated then that revision is your best friend. Sometimes you’ll “get it right” in the first draft, but most prose benefits from aggressive editing and some time away.

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey loses potential Anna St. Clair A&E EDITOR

WITH THE OPENING message from Barack Obama, the endearing narration that makes Neil deGrasse Tyson sound like he’s quoting Doctor Who (“you’re made of star stuff”), and enough lens flares to make J.J. Abrams shed a tear, it’s clear the goal of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey is to make science cool again.

The show is a reboot of the 1980 series Cosmos: A Personal Journey, hosted by astrophysicist Carl Sagan.

Sagan’s Cosmos was one of the most widely watched public television programs of all time, and was said to have made Americans care about science for the first time since the moon landing.

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey follows the path of the 1980 version, attempting to not only explain science but reveal its beauty. The show was produced by Ann Druyan, Sagan’s widow, and Seth MacFarlane— yes, Seth MacFarlane, Family-Guy-creator Seth MacFarlane, Oscar-host Seth MacFarlane of “we-sawyour-boobs” musical fame.

Cosmos is presented as science for the layperson, and they really mean the layperson. At times the show seemed better suited for PBS kids. It’s difficult not to groan when Tyson invites us on his spaceship of imagination, which resembles an expensive electric razor. As Tyson narrates the life of Giordano Bruno, a 16th century monk who advocated for Copernicus’s heliocentric theory, we are shown the blocky cartoon adventures of Bruno. In one scene he twirls through a fluffy pastel universe, with the whimsy of a 4-year-old in a tutu, while in another scene he faces off against a band of dastardly inquisitors, complete with thick eyebrows, skinny goatees, and angular faces cast in shadows. These animations would be great on Nickelodeon, but on a show airing at 9pm on a Sunday they are almost insulting. We know Neil, we’re dumb,

but come on, we’re not that dumb.

Nevertheless, the episode’s strength lies in organizing the chaos of the universe in such a way that anyone can understand. The 10-minute piece in which the entire history of time is condensed into one calendar year shows the insignificance of human existence. If all of time is a year, humanity has been alive for just 14 seconds. Unlike the cartoons, the calendar montage illustrates and simplifies without dumbing down. It allows the audience to view the great cosmic events relative to one another, rather than thinking in inconceivable stretches of time.

Cosmos is at its best when it explains exciting science, instead of setting off fireworks around it. The Star Wars score music, the imagination ship, and the childish cartoon make it a great planetarium IMAX movie, but it has the potential to be so much more.

Towards the end Tyson explains that the Earth is in its current state due to asteroids colliding in exactly the right way. If some of these asteroids were to move over an inch, humanity might not exist. Cosmos needs more material like this. While it is true that the show is packed with information, much of it feels uninspired.

As Tyson takes us through our solar system and beyond to discover our cosmic address, he lists names of locations in the universe (virgo supercluster, local group) in a way that is very textbook. Facts that illustrate the beauty and delicacy of the universe make for a much more valuable television show than a documentary painting itself in bombastic music and special effects.

Is this show going to be the big bang in science literacy that Tyson was hoping for? With more in-depth science shows like NOVA available on TV, and the explosion of science-related Youtube channels geared at making science understandable to everyone, the thinking behind Cosmos isn’t new. Regardless, there is potential in Cosmos, and with twelve more episodes to go, I suspect the best is yet to come.

18 March 2014

THE CLASSIC

THE CLASSIC

March 2014

19

SPORTS

Boys tennis serves up a win John O’Neill

SPORTS WRITER

ON MARCH 19, the boys varsity tennis team had their first home match of the season against the Francis Lewis Patriots.

The Hawks battled through the elements, winning four matches to one.

The Hawks came into this match with a 1-0 record. The day started out with a singles match between Harris freshman Maxim Prohorov and Lewis sophomore Amir Azizi. In this battle of underclassmen, Max won the set 8-0. This was only Max’s second career PSAL match, both of Photo by Yash Sharma

Daniel Corona with a backhand smash.

which he won.

In the second of the singles’ matches, the Hawks’ freshman Mitchell Mu debuted his PSAL season against senior Gurjot Singh of the Patriots. Although Gurjot had more years in PSAL, Mitchell pulled through and won the set 8-6.

The Hawks were up two games to none, but still needed one more victory to clinch their second win of the season.

In the third pairing of the day, the Hawks sent out sophomore Daniel Corona against Patriots’ freshman Jeremy Breland.

Daniel won the set 8-5, clinching the victory for the Hawks.

Captain and junior Frankie Nicolazzi was impressed by all the singles players, saying, “Our singles are very strong this year; they have good experience despite them being underclassmen. They have great composure on the court.”

The first doubles team, comprised of senior captain Austin Thai and Frankie, took on the Patriots’ best doubles team.

Frankie and Austin won 8-4, giving the Hawks a 4-0 lead.

Although the Hawks’ second doubles team, junior Romil Parikh and freshman Omar Daoud, lost to their opponents, it did not affect the game’s results.

Romil pinpointed something they needed to improve, saying, “We lost our doubles match because we were unable to hold serve and break during the match.”

Girls tennis off to rough start

Samantha Prevot

Photo by Kari Iocolano

SPORTS WRITER

THE GIRLS tennis team has undergone some inner turmoil. After starting off the season with a new coach, he was dismissed after just one game.

Additionally, they lost their first game against Cardozo High School, 4-1.

The match began badly for THHS, with junior Tiffany Lee, senior cocaptain Isabel Obrusnik, and senior co-captain Ritika Modi being shut out in the three singles matches.

Although they were crushed in the singles, Harris had more success in their doubles matches. Senior co-captain Catherine Vozikis and junior Brianne Futerman won the first doubles match by a decisive score of 10-6. Isabel and freshman Kea Proko unfortunately lost in the second doubles match, but senior Elizabeth Yakubova and Tiffany rebounded by

Junior Tiffany Lee goes in for a forehand.

winning in the last match 5-0.

This was the first and only match for new coach Matthew McMurray, who has since been replaced by former coach Shari Basis.

Athletic director Keith Hanson fired him for losing many of the girls’ medicals, which should be deposited with Mr. Hanson, not held by the coach. But that was only the last straw after other transgressions. According to Catherine, “his drills weren’t efficient and he never wanted to take any

of the team’s advice or input.” The team looks forward to having their long-time coach back.

The team also discussed how they plan to improve. Catherine said, “We tried a different lineup to see how it would go, but after that game we decided to keep the previous positions we’ve had. With possible wins from our veterans, and our freshman first singles player Lianna Weitzman, we have a promising lineup that might win us several games.”

Balancing athletics and academics Kristine Guillaume and Evan Noblesala SPORTS WRITERS

Photo by Kimberly Rodney

20 March/April 2014

THE CLASSIC

SPORTS Badminton and table tennis join the after school offerings Daniel Restifo SPORTS EDITOR

THIS SPRING marks the inauguration of two new PSAL sports: table tennis and badminton for both boys and girls.

THHS will be among twelve schools to have these teams, along with Brooklyn Tech, Bronx Science, and Stuyvesant.

These teams started when the PSAL contacted Athletic Director Keith Hanson a week prior to mid-winter recess about starting the teams. Mr. Hanson then went to Principal A nthony Barbet t a , who approved it.

From there, Mr. Hanson hired four new coaches and purchased the necessary equipment for badminton and table tennis. Although coaches were quickly found, the original boys table tennis coach quit and the position has since been filled. For badminton, THHS owns several racquets, birdies, and nets, which are frequently used during freshman gym.

However, table tennis required more spending. To supplement the one table that PSAL donated to every school, Mr. Hanson bought another two, amounting to about $1,000.

According to Mr. Hanson, the biggest challenge is scheduling. With the addition of four new teams, the limited space that THHS has for athletics will be further stretched.

Most days, the g ymnasium

is populated by the boys volleyball team and the auxiliary gym by the girls fencing team, but concessions will be made.

Table tennis will be practicing in the teachers’ cafeteria, while badminton has started practicing after volleyball. A location for matches is yet to be decided.

Both badminton and table tennis have had their place in THHS. While badminton is played in gym, last year THHS began a table tennis club. The fifteen-member club has thirteen boys and two girls. At the first girls table tennis meeting, about 30 girls showed up. This number, however, was cut in half by the next meeting, according to Social St udies teacher and coach Adam Stonehill, who will not resume his position as assistant girls track coach to start the new team.

President of the table tennis club, sophomore Michael Berchansky, said, “I originally wanted to create a table tennis team when I started the club, but there was no PSAL sport.”

Michael looks forward to the added competition, stating that “playing teams from other schools will be pretty fun.”

Badminton is an Olympic spor t and can be found in most high schools in Long Island . On November 12 , 2013, a Facebook page called “Badminton for NYC PSAL” was created. The page did

not start off with many likes, but it promoted a petition to get badminton to become a PSA L spor t. According to the group, they were able to get petitions signed directly at Bronx Science, Stuyvesant, and THHS while also communicating with PSAL, who claimed to be “working on it.”

There is less precedent for table tennis as a high school sport. Despite also being an Olympic sport, only schools in Minnesota offer it as a team sport and have inter-school competitions.

B a ck i n 2 010 , P S A L Executive Director Donald Douglas told The New York Post that the PSAL wanted to add table tennis as a sport.

Now four years later, the PSAL is scrambling to organize the new programs. Table tennis and badminton have only recently put up pages on the PSAL website and decided upon the divisons for regular season competition. They contain no information so far regarding coaches, players, or schedules.

The twelve schools with teams are spread out across many boroughs, which means that the teams will have to travel great distances to play games.

Mr. Stonehill is prepared to face the challenges that lie ahead but noted that, “Creating a sport in a school will need the entire school community

Photos by Fran Horowitz

The girls table tennis team at practice in the teachers’ cafeteria.

to help.” The teams will have to undoubted ly f und r a i s e through bake sales to pay for new equipment.

It is yet to be determined if Physical Education teachers will reorganize the curriculum to add emphasis on badminton.

T h e n ew t e a m s a r e a

welcome addition to the THHS communit y evident by the outpouring of support that the petition has received. However, their inaugural seasons will not be without incident that will arise from the limited time that the PSAL has allowed for the formation of these teams.

Softball coach Nicole Fountoulis steps up to the plate Natalie Gomez SPORTS WRITER

LAST SEASON the girls varsity softball team finished sixth in their league, Queens A-I, with a record of five wins and eleven losses.

Last year’s head coach Mara Cohen stepped down, and was replaced by junior varsity girls basketball coach Nicole Fountoulis.

Fountoulis’s experience in softball consists of coaching a girls charter school league in the Bronx. She stated, “I coached for four years in the Bronx, and my team won the charter school association. The association is made up of 16 charter school teams across the boroughs and we were able to win it all.”

Along with a different coach, the girls softball team will also compete in a different league this year. Townsend Harris softball, once in the A division, will now be competing in the B division. This division is comprised of seven teams, five of which have been moved from the A division into the B division. Although the team has been moved down, the level of play is still expected to be competitive, with more than half of the current B division teams also being previous A-level teams.

Junior Nicole Gleizer agrees with the PSAL’s decision to move the team to the B division. She

commented, “We were a strong team, but other teams were just stronger than us. Being in the B division will give us a chance to shine, especially with the experience against some tough A division teams.”

According to Fountoulis, her girls are excited about the change, and she expressed great confidence in them, emphasizing that what they need is to have faith in themselves.

“The girls are excited to see what happens this year. They need to believe in themselves, and the rest will take care of itself.”

With all these changes, Fountoulis has spent the pre-season focusing on team chemistry. She stated, “There are a lot of new girls, and I’m trying to get them talking and understanding the sport. We’re all getting to know each other.

As for the old players, we’re working to get the rust off; a lot of them haven’t played since last season.”

Fountoulis has big dreams for this team as well as confidence in their ability to win.

“You can quote me on this: we can go all the way; do well in the play-offs; do well in our division. The girls just have to believe.”

The girls softball team kicked off their season with a win against Maspeth High School on March 17.

NEW COACHES, NEW FACES Girls wrestling: David Rojas Boys tennis: Stuart Raphael Check out thhsclassic.com for their profiles.

Photo by Fran Horowitz

New softball coach Nicole Fountoulis