THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE AND TECH || ALEXANDRIA, VA
TJTODAY
MARCH 13, 2018 || VOL 3 ISSUE 6 || www.tjtoday.org
THE MAGAZINE
6560 BRADDOCK RD. ALEXANDRIA, VA 22312
from
STEM to
STAND UP Alumna Aparna Nancherla traces her passion for comedy back to Jefferson
14
KEEPTING IN TOUCH
Debate tournaments are an unlikely place for friendships
26
SATIRE
What, if anything, to make of recent headlines in the news
30
PHOTO // Robyn Von Swank
BOOK REVIEW
Review of the read for Dr. Bonitatibus' book club
CONTENTS EDITORIAL BOARD Ankit Agrawal Katherine Du Angel Kim Adithi Ramakrishnan
Uzma Rentia Avni Singh Christine Zhao
06 Aparna Nancherla Jefferson alumna and comedian talks about her experiences after graduating from Jefferson Photo courtesy of Aparna Nancherla
SECTION EDITORS MiJin Cho Alex Howe
Sabria Kazmi
BROADCAST EXECUTIVE Alexa Nguonly
Lynn Nguyen
STAFF REPORTERS Roja Ayyadurai Rena Cai Ashley Huang Sneha Joisha Tanya Kurnootala Irina Lee Grace Mak
Forrest Meng Anushka Molugu Sean Nguyen Clay Reppert Sadhana Suri Prerak Thakkar
ADVISER
1
Erinn Harris 1. Holding a microphone, Jefferson alumna and comedian Aparna Nancherla performs stand-up comedy. Image from her website. 2 Wearing a letter jacket, junior Walker Haynes leans on a wall. The jacket and its attached varsity letter shows Haynes’s commitment to athletics. 3. In becoming a teacher, Ashley Jones explores the French academic setting and builds confidence within the endeavor.
3
2
News
Sci-Tech
Opinion
04 Voter Registration
16 Ashley Jones
24 Why Protest?
Seniors register to vote
Chemistry teacher discusses her change from introvert to teacher
In the wake of the Parkland shooting, how effective is student activism?
In-Depth 10
Eve Fairbanks
Q and A with Jefferson alumna on her views of Jefferson
Sports
Entertainment
20 Letterman Jackets
28 Global Pop Music
Jefferson students reintroduce 1950’s fashionwear
Jefferson students listen to music from around the world
tjTODAY is the official newsmagazine of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology published by the journalism staff. The staff is deeply committed to a code of journalistic ethics that demands the exercise of accuracy, good judgment and impartiality. The content of tjTODAY is determined by the editorial board. Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of the staff of tjTODAY, but not necessarily the opinions of individual editors.
NEWS || MARCH 13, 2018 03
1
DR. RAJAT GARG LECTURES ON CARDIOLOGY Alex Howe|| NEWS EDITOR
I
n order to help students learn about being a doctor, Medical Society invited interventional cardiologist Rajat Garg during eighth period on Feb. 28 to discuss what equipment he uses when working and how he became a doctor.
“Being able to hold real medical equipment was amazing,” Nalamalapu said. “Since they were old, I could play around with them and see how they worked. Because of that, I think I was able to better learn about medicine.”
Garg works locally as a doctor for Virginia Heart, an association of cardiologists which work at local hospitals. Garg was contacted mainly due to his experience as a cardiologist, as well as his background as a Jefferson alumnus. “I thought it would be really interesting to get him, and he’s a TJ alumni, so he had a connection to this school,” Bazaz said. It was a really good opportunity to get someone who had access to such equipment to come to the school and give a talk” Garg’s experience as a student helped Medical Society members better understand his lecture.
Garg also brought with him a powerpoint containing videos of arteries and an ultrasound of the heart. “One aspect that he also had that was interesting was he had access to videos of the beating heart so it was really interactive for the members,” Bazaz said. “They didn’t have to sit and hear someone talk to them for half an hour, and they could actually visualise what he was saying.” 1. Pointing to the board, Garg shows Medical Society students an ultrasound of a heart. The use of an ultrasound allows both the doctors and the students to see the heart beat, and shading provides important information to the doctor. 2. Holding a diagnostic catheter, Garg explains how to do percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Garg’s use of equipment during his lecture helped students understand the procedures being explained.
“Knowing Dr. Garg was a former TJ student was great because I think he was able to tailor his lecture towards us and show us some really cool procedures in interventional cardiology,” senior and Medical Society member Rithvik Nalamalapu said.
Garg brought with him learning aids, in the form of old medical equipment which was actually used in a hospital.
Students found the equipment to be rather helpful, as they do not get to see it very often.
“I was really surprised and impressed by it,” Bazaz said. “He did go over his TJ story, but that wasn’t the bulk of it, because that was just him talking, and giving details. But he really focused on the videos and the equipment, which I think we had taken a previous survey of our club, and that’s what people were more interested in, the stuff that they could get their hands on, the stuff that they’ll be dealing with if they potentially become doctors.”
NEWS
I REGISTERED County Election Officers help Jefferson seniors register to vote Prerak Thakkar || STAFF WRITER
I
n order to help students with the voting registration process, the AP Government teachers organized a registration opportunity on Monday, March 5. The registration took place during class for seniors and during lunch and JLC for eligible underclassmen. “It begins with Mr. Zack, who invites [registration officials] to come in and register our students who have recently turned eighteen or will be turning eighteen soon,” AP Government teacher Teresa Hamrick said. “He’s like the liaison, and he invites them in, sets it all up, and makes it happen.” The actual process of registering consisted primarily of filling out a registration form. “We just had to fill out a simple form with our name, social security number, and address,” senior Harriet Khang said. “And we were basically ready to go.” The experience was meant to inform students about the voting process and help them get registered to vote; the election officers who came to get the seniors registered spent some time explaining the voting process. “Because of their age, many of [the students] will be off at college next year in the bigger elections,” Hamrick said. “So they spent time focusing on absentee
ballots, early voting, and to really be able to have a voice, even when you’re not in town.”
18 and 35) have the lowest voter turnout of any other age group. Having officers come to the school to educate students and help them According to 2016 analysis of statistics register to vote could help increase the overall from the U.S. Census Bureau by the Pew Research Center, young people (between ages voter turnout.
NEWS || MARCH 13, 2018 05
1. Fairfax Office of Elections employee William Lewers passes out voter registration forms to seniors. The forms ask for your name, address, birthday, and social security number. 2 . Filling out a form, a student registers to vote in the library. While seniors registered in their AP Government classes, underclassmen who were already eighteen also had the opportunity to register during lunch and JLC. 3. Lewers explains the requirements to vote in Virginia. To vote, you need to be 18 years old by election day and be a US citizen.
“[County registration officials] spent a little bit of time on that [promoting involvement],” Hamrick said. “They did spend time educating and trying to hit home what would be really important to our students if they would be away at school next year.” As many Jefferson students are busy with schoolwork and extracurriculars, the in-school registration opportunity provided a way to get registering to vote out of the way while at school. “I think it’s a really great opportunity. These kids do tend to have a lot on their plate, and because of that, as they’re prioritizing, things like Driver’s License [and Voting Registration] falls further down on the list of things,” Hamrick said. “Having an opportunity to knock that out in a venue like this where they’re already here is great.” Khang also thought the in-school registration provided a good opportunity. “I think this was really helpful,” Khang
said. “I don’t think a lot of seniors would have gone through the trouble of actually going somewhere and registering to vote so spending time in AP Gov class gave a lot of seniors to opportunity to be registered voters. I know you can register to be a voter at the DMV when you go get your license, but for a lot of students, we are too young for that or don’t have the time to get our licenses until after we turn 18.” Hamrick believes that her students are interested enough in the current political climate to have found some time to complete their voter registration, even if it had to be outside of school. “I will say that at least my students are very aware of the political climate right now, so I do feel as if they would have found a way to register because they are highly interested in the goings on in our country,” Hamrick said. “And I think they do want to have a voice, so I think this was just one way to make things easier.”
IN-DEPTH
aparna nancherla PHOTO // Q. Ledbetter
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People Right Now. Nancherla traces her initial passion for comedy back to a tenth grade Shakespeare reenactment.
Alumna Aparna Nancherla left these words behind as her “Anytime we had a presentation of any kind, I would senior aphorism when she graduated in 2000. Four years at a gravitate towards doing stuff on the funnier side,” Nancherla STEM-centered school left her certain she wanted to pursue a said. “I think that first piqued my interest in performing career in the humanities. comedy.” “There is such a focus on science that if you aren’t as interested in it, you learn that pretty quickly,” Nancherla said. “You’re like, ‘I appreciate this for what it is but it’s probably not what I want to do full-time.’” Today, she is an acclaimed comedian. She’s performed on Conan, released a debut comedy album titled “Just Putting it Out There” and co-hosted podcasts such as the Blue Woman Group. Rolling Stone named her one of the 50 Funniest
As high school progressed, Nancherla became more interested in comedy and humor writing, but wasn’t sure how to make a career out of it. One year, when home for the summer from Amherst College, Nancherla attended an open mic in the area with friends and tried stand-up there on a whim. “I waited until the last possible week before I was back to school and tried it out for the first time. It went better
IN-DEPTH PHOTOS // Techniques
2.
1.
“It’s okay to not do what everyone else is doing but be willing to push yourself, too, and not always be in your comfort zone.” Aparna Nancherla
than I expected,” Nancherla said. “That’s what was initially the tipping point for me; I think if it hadn’t gone as well, I wouldn’t have continued pursuing it.” After graduating from Amherst, she moved back to Virginia and began building her comedy career. She took improv classes at Washington Improv Theater in D.C. and performed standup three or four times a week. In 2007, NBC selected her for their talent search and flew her to Los Angeles, where she performed for members of the comedy industry. “At that point, I was working a day job at a trade magazine, because it seemed like a more viable career option where I could keep writing,” Nancherla said. “[The NBC talent search] might have been the first opportunity I got where I thought, ‘Maybe this is something I can make into a career that’s not just a hobby or something I do outside of work.’”
see her in...
However, Nancherla does feel like this perception has changed over time - particularly with the abundance of social media outlets available to give diverse comedians a voice.
Comedy Central’s “Corporate,” in which she plays an H.R. Representative in this cynical workplace series
“There is an increase in platforms that you can use to make content and put yourself out there, so it has increased the opportunities for people of color and people from more marginalized communities,” Nancherla said. “Now, I feel like people are more open to [diverse life experiences in comedy].” Nancherla takes more of an insideout approach when writing her comedy. She tends not to talk about her race during her sets, as it feels forced for her to do so. “I live so much in my head that all my comedy stems from there,” Nancherla said. “[My race] isn’t what I directly lead with in my own identity, so it wouldn’t feel authentic to write about it just for the sake of writing about it.”
As an Indian-American comedian, Nancherla experienced challenges regarding the perception of a typical comedian in the industry. “If you’re a straight white guy, I think that is generally what people think a comedian might look or sound like, or the type of experience they’re used to hearing about,” Nancherla said. “If
you’re not, you sometimes have more of a hurdle for people to understand what you’re doing.”
Netflix’s “Bojack Horseman,” in which she plays the alleged daughter of the titular character.
Some of Nancherla’s comedy stems not from her racial background, but from her experiences with mental health. Nancherla struggles with depression and anxiety, and has described anxiety as “an edgy improv
IN-DEPTH || MARCH 13, 2018 09 4. 1. Nancherla’s yearbook photo from senior year. 2. Participating in the Namaste-sponsored portion of the Lunar New Year, Nancherla performs Kuchipudi, a classical Indian dance.
3.
3. Standing on the far right in the third right, Nancherla poses with the track team. 4. Sitting on the far left in the first row, Nancherla poses with the Women’s track team, who placed first in the state.
group in your brain” onstage. Initially, the stigma surrounding mental health prevented her from fully understanding her condition.
through something tough that’s not as concrete, it can be hard for certain generations to understand,” Nancherla said. “Mental health is a serious thing and requires its own care and attention: resources of therapy or medication or just someone to talk to about it. Just giving it its own breathing room is a really valuable thing.”
“It took me a long time to even name that what I was feeling was depression,” Nancherla said. “I didn’t know that my brain had anything wrong with it. It just seemed like, ‘This is how everyone’s brain is; I just need to suck it up.’” After diagnosis, Nancherla began writing her experiences into her comedy sets by chance. The audience’s positive reaction motivated her to continue doing so. “The first time I started talking about [depression and anxiety], I had been struggling with a particularly bad depressive rut and I just started writing about it because I thought, ‘this is all that’s consuming my brain right now,’” Nancherla said. “I initially wasn’t sure if I had anything to add to the conversation, but I tried it onstage and it resonated with people in a way I wasn’t expecting.” Nancherla hopes that students and individuals dealing with mental illness are able to access resources that will give them the support and treatment they need. “I think a lot of times, if you’re going
Nancherla advises upcoming comedians to get started, keep at it and take risks. “Crashing,” in which she has a recurring role as a stand-up in this HBO comedy of which Judd Apatow serves as a producer
“Master of None,” in which she has a small, but memorable role as an “Overwatch”-loving, Ramen blogger.
“Everyone’s [comedy journey] looks a little different,” Nancherla said. “It’s okay to not do what everyone else is doing but be willing to push yourself, too, and not always be in your comfort zone.” Looking ahead, Nancherla hopes to continue doing stand-up. She currently stars on the show “Corporate,” appearing on Comedy Central, and wants to create a show of her own in the future. “More long-term, I would like to develop a show where I get to be a part of the creative process from the ground-up; to write something more geared towards my sensibility and point of view,” Nancherla said. “I have been lucky in that the past few years have been good for me, so hopefully [I get to] continue on the path that I’m on right now.” Photos courtesy of imdb
IN-DEPTH
ANorFALLACY either
Katherine Du || ONLINE EDITOR-INCHIEF
“
I
Alum Eve Fairbanks describes the benefits of STEM to science and humanities-based thinkers and defines success in later life
f we understand TJ’s purpose as both to mint STEM leaders *and* people who feel that science and math aren’t niche, nerdy things but central planks of knowledge invaluable for any field and any life a human can live, then the arguments for diversity make perfect sense -- for allowing TJ to work its magic for a variety of people who can then demonstrate to their incredibly varied communities how thrilling, and how important, math and science are,” Fairbanks posted on Facebook on Feb. 4.
whatever one field an individual aims to study.
ON THE JOURNEY THROUGH JEFFERSON When Fairbanks studied at Jefferson, she felt the school was not as intensely focused on STEM. Instead, it was an institution recognized to challenge students and foster a greater diversity in interests. She credits students’ diverse passions and activities during her time at Jefferson in helping to reduce competition amongst STEM-oriented peers. The political science bachelors-degree holder believes that having strong non-scientific extracurriculars, such as choir and track and field, provided students the opportunity to delve into areas they were not particularly specialized or well-versed in.
2001 Jefferson alum Eve Fairbanks’s perspective on Jefferson, influenced by her four years studying at the magnet school and the experience she garnered afterwards as a Yale undergraduate and current journalist, encouraged her to voice her thoughts in the TJHSST Alumni Facebook group about actively admitting a “The fact that we had some people oriented less towards STEM study body with diverse interests. She demonstrates how the STEM actually took the pressure off the high STEM achievers, and gave knowledge she’s accumulated from Jefferson has linked with and them role models for what was interesting in other pursuits, like enriched her humanities-dominated work, emphasizing that studying journalism, photography, and musical theatre,” Fairbanks said. science encourages a way of thinking that is beneficial in a wide In order to cultivate variation in thinking that is still rooted in math variety of non-STEM fields as well; it is beneficial to all and blind to
dedicated twenty years to honing skills for certain career paths, only to find their fields had altered so much by the time they were ready to enter them that their work was essentially for nothing,” Fairbanks said. “The most successful people I know today are usually the ones who did not have a strong idea of what they wanted to be ‘when they grew up,’ nor a strong academic focus in high school.”
IN-DEPTH || MARCH 13, 2018 11
BREAKING DOWN
“DOWN AND ACROSS,” alumni Arvin Ahmadi’s recently published novel
ON FREE TIME & FUN MEMORIES Fairbanks always devotes time to explore, both by herself and with friends. While in high school, she would allocate three hours to a jumble of personal activities, from playing music and messaging friends to filling out online quizzes and playing the video game Civilization II. Four hours of her Thursday nights were spent relaxing and joking together with ten friends at a McLean Starbucks or the Haycock Elementary School playground. From left to right: 1. During eighth period, junior Luc Sequeira works on his art piece. 2. Senior William Sun works out a complex mathematical equation, filled with integrals and derivations, as a part of the Physics Team eighth period. 3. Senior Gopika Rajanikanth edits a spread for the 2017-2018 yearbook. 4. Transferring slime mold from a petri dish to a microcentrifuge tube, senior Alex Lewis works on his project in DNA Science 2. 5. While working in his English class, senior Tony Owusu focuses intently on his reading of the play “Arcadia” by Tom Stoppard.
PHOTOS // Ankit Agrawal
“These are not only my most vivid high school memories, they are the ones that helped me form lasting relationships, made me more adventurous, and created a well of observations that has informed my creativity,” Fairbanks said. “Of our ‘Starbucks group,’ two received perfect scores on their SATs. Two went to Stanford, two to Carnegie Mellon. One is now a high level employee at Google, two are software engineers, two are successful lawyers, one is a groundbreaking video game designer, and one is a political organizer -- all essentially without studying at all for an entire weeknight every week.”
and science, Fairbanks thinks Jefferson should admit applicants who demonstrate unusual curiosity and will bring unique perspectives to the school. Instead of heavily weighing test scores or aptitude for learning, Fairbanks would Aside from shaping her writing career search for people who can think creatively and -- she has published pieces in The New York Times Magazine, The New differently. Republic, Foreign Policy and a book on “I’d rather look for people who can talk about post-apartheid South Africa titled “The questions: what do they wonder about? What Inheritors” -- Fairbanks continues to don’t they yet understand? What mysteries prioritize free time. The Fulbright scholar intrigue them?” Fairbanks said. enjoys sailing, reading, spending time with Self-discovery, identifying desires and sources her boyfriend, and cooking. of happiness, as well as developing soft skills “You have your entire life to work really are much more valuable in life than a mindset hard. The time we all have to explore, to powered by achievement or accomplishment, play, and to love is actually more limited,” according to Fairbanks. She contemplates Fairbanks said. “Do you think you could that high school and college are more like a give up an entire weeknight every week marathon than a sprint, requiring growth and just to hang out with your friends, for no an understanding of oneself that is far more particular purpose? If your answer is no, complex than tangible awards. you--and TJ--have something to worry “I know lawyers and academics who
about.”
”Down and Across” loosely mirrors some of Ahmadi’s own sense of loss and discovery throughout his life. When he was 16, he briefly ran away from his parents to D.C. before returning home. He’d tried and quit multiple projects while growing up, in a winding path that led him to Columbia University. Channeling these experiences, including his time on tjTODAY, Ahmadi spent most of his senior year writing “Down and Across,” a book about 16-year-old IranianAmerican Scott Ferdowsi who encounters crossword puzzles, bartenders, and a bold college student named Fiora Buchanan on his quest for success.
Photos courtesy of Ahmadi and GoodReads || Information from Christine Zhao
ADS
ADS || MARCH 13, 2018 13
IN-DEPTH
ACQUAINTING THROUGH
DEBATING School rivalries transcend friendsip Forrest Meng and Sean Nguyen || STAFF WRITERS
Senior Ankit Agrawal (left) poses for a photo alongside students from across the country attending the 2016 Georgetown Debate Seminar (GDS) at Georgetown University. At the three-week long seminar, Agrawal and other registered students lived on campus, attended multiple daily lectures about policy debate, and participated in group activities that brought the students together. Agrawal continues to stay in contact with students from GDS through social media.
W
friendships.
hen junior Atharv Gupta participated in his first high school Model United Nations (MUN) conference, he expected a competition: not to form some of his closest
been a great [experience],” sophomore Nathan Ma said. One of the most important aspects of the public speaking debates is the interactions students have with other students during tournaments and conferences.
“A lot of my best friends right now are through MUN and especially “We meet a lot of people from other schools. You build some in the Northern Virginia area,” Gupta said. “As I have done more friendships, especially when you go against them in a competition, and MUN, I have realized how important it is just to be a personable you understand them,” freshman Alexander Talamonti said. person.” For many debaters from Jefferson, the exposure to other students Participating in a public speaking club like MUN has introduced from different schools and backgrounds widened their view of Gupta to students in the area and connected him to new people and schools around the nation. Freshman Jason He felt that participating relationships. in debate allowed him to better understand the situation of students “A lot of MUN is based on making actual friendships and in other areas. collaborating with other people, rather than just arguing against “Many people are very different from TJ [students],” He said. them,” Gupta said. “People from different schools have more talent in different aspects; Jefferson offers various types of debate and public speaking, including Model United Nations (MUN), public forum, policy and congressional. Many students arrived at Jefferson with prior debating experience in hand. “I’ve been doing MUN since middle school. I actually started in seventh grade so I’ve been doing it for four years now. It’s honestly
some people have less resources than us, but others are more focused...than us,”
Interactions with students from across the country allow students to form connections through public speaking. In MUN, students work together to formulate resolutions for major global issues as well as demonstrate their skill in public speaking, diplomacy and leadership.
PHOTO // Zulekha Tasneem
IN-DEPTH || MARCH 8, 2018 15
Seniors Gulnaz Sayed (top left photo, third from right) and Zulekha Tasneem (top left photo, right) attended a debate camp together during the summer of 2016.
“The biggest thing is since you are competing in these large conferences with lots of people in each committee, and these people are from across [the world], you do end up forming really strong bonds with who you work with,” junior Atharv Gupta said.“Not just because you are in contact with them for four days, but just because when you’re put into that high stress environment of actually discussing major global issues … it really brings the best out of you and in that you walk out of the experience not only with more skills, but a better experience overall.” Many of the connections students make through tournaments and conferences can lead to lasting friendships through their debate career, including ones with upperclassmen. “During our [Public Forum] competitions, we met this one group who were juniors from another school and we became friends now, where we meet with them every competition,” freshman Yana Patel said. Many students create lasting relationships between others they’ve met in debate activities, even if they may be located far away from the metropolitan area. “I went to this debate summer camp in Washington DC and there were people from California. I can talk to those people in tournaments, even if we come from different places, because we recognize each other. Since debate is such an important aspect
of our lives, there is this infrastructure in debate where everyone knows each other,” junior policy debater Timothy Duong said. Students are able to become very close to the members in their respective debate communities. Junior Rishabh Krishnan had built friendships in debate that helped him get the upper edge in tournaments. “I made a few friends at Walt Whitman High School in Maryland a year ago, and I’ve always been able to ask them whenever I need responses to a certain argument, or want to have a practice round,” Krishnan said. “At tournaments as well, it can also help with scouting. For example, if a TJ debater is facing someone in round three, and one of my friends has faced that person in round 1, I can ask them what arguments the person used.” School rivalry at highly competitive debate environments can turn close friends into intense orators. Most debaters, however, are only adversaries on the podium; they return to being acquaintances outside of the conference room. “Our two other rivalry high schools are McLean and Langley, and all of the delegates from these three all have really good connections with one another since we see them time and time again, compete all the time. Even though there’s a professional rivalry, everyone’s ultimately friends with each other,” Gupta said.
SCI-TECH
CHALLENGING MY COMFORT ZONE
From a French university to the Jefferson lab tables, Ashley Jones explores the boundaries of her comfort zone in her direction of becoming a chemistry teacher.
Ashley Jones From the graduating class of 1991 to her 14 years as a Chemistry teacher, Ashley Jones marks her 18th year at TJ this year. In her role as a mentor in guiding students across academic challenges, Jones has formed her own philosophy that focuses on assisting others toward their goals. “Success is linked to helping other people feel valued and empowered and like they’re moving toward their goals. I think those were the reasons why teaching appealed to me,” Jones said. “A lot of people in my life had done that for me, both family members and former teachers. I don’t think any one of us has reached the summit that we could reach at any given time; this is a continuous journey where you figure out what your weaknesses are and what your strengths are and hope to build on the strengths and manage the areas in which you are weak.”
PHOTO // MiJin Cho
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MiJin Cho || SCI-TECH EDITOR
itting two green plastic pears together in a colliding motion, Ashley Jones holds the attention of her chemistry students as she demonstrates how electron pairs repel. As Jones moves her arms in broad gestures and speaks in a commanding voice, she can’t help but think back to an earlier time in her life when it wasn’t always so easy to for her project her thoughts and ideas. In fact, she characterizes herself as an introvert who has overcome her inhibitions during her transition to teaching. “I came to TJ when the school was in its third year and brand new,” Jones said. “I thought that TJ would be a place to get a strong academic foundation, … but I had not had the type of exposure to or love for science that a lot of students here have.” Scientific Curiosity
SCI-TECH || MARCH 13, 2018 17 in a sense that was difficult for me,” Jones said. After heading off to France in 1995, she attended university courses in an audit situation. Everyday life forced her to function in an environment where total comfort was impossible. “Being shy but then put on the spot, there was no way that you could to get through these situations without being vulnerable. It builds your confidence when you see that you have not often even done these things in your first language and now you’re having to manage in another language and context,” Jones said. During her time in France, Jones developed confidence and assertiveness-- not only in the classroom setting, but also within her character-developing process.
“Every experience that a teacher has outside of what he or she is Enrolled in the 1991 graduating class of Jefferson, Jones presenting in class has the ability to impact how the person delivers experienced the first full exposure to scientific and technological stylistically,” Jones said. interests, finding a new passion for biology and chemistry. New Perspective as a New Teacher “I ended up really liking biology as a freshmen, which set me Jones took the lessons she learned in France to Cornell, where she on the road to chemistry,” Jones said. “Chemistry to me is a beautiful marriage between the qualitative and the quantitative. graduated with a degree in Chemistry and made her way back to Jefferson in 2004 to pursue her teaching career in the place that had once initiated There was just so much logic in it. You can describe in her love of learning. a qualitative way how chemicals reacted but also say quantitatively that moles of a and b get moles of c. I found “I was attracted to teaching at TJ by the notion of how motivated the that really intriguing.” students are,” Jones said. “People who are alumni here have a poignant While she moved forward with her interest in chemistry, she was unable to articulate her ideas and thoughts due to her shyness. “I was painfully shy,” Jones said. “I was scared as a young person of giving oral presentations and was not the type of individual to raise her hand in class or just volunteer. Teachers would have to draw things out of me. I came across as somebody who was interested but strikingly introverted.” Jones’ love of chemistry outweighed her introversion as a student. She thrived in understanding complex concepts that she could share with others, and began to lean her career pathway towards becoming a teacher.
appreciation for what the students are facing because we faced that too.”
Jones’ position as a teacher varied vastly from her previous role as a student. After years of amassing a depth of knowledge regarding her subject, Jones sought to bring out the passion in students who reflect her own reserve as a student. “I’m often so touched to see students who remind me of my younger self-- naturally quiet, but responsive if you seek them out,” Jones said. “I feel like seeking people out is not a comfortable role for me but advisers did that for me when they were my mentors and that’s part of what I see myself attempting.” In the same way, she hopes to challenge students in their academic endeavors that ultimately lead to development of self-reliance and resilience in a subject.
“Teaching is a venue where I can learn more chemistry “Students here are increasingly facing aspects of discomfort when they which I personally enjoy, but larger than that, it’s an hit walls they hadn’t encountered before,” she said. “You’re going to hit a opportunity to try to enthuse students about a subject wall at some point. There’s something within you that can be developed and about learning as an endeavor,” Jones said. through internal struggle. It’s not always comfortable but ultimately it informs the way that you manage your life.” Out of Her Comfort Zone Seeking a major in chemistry and a minor in mathematics, Jones forged her way from TJ to William and Mary toward an educational path. During her final year of undergraduate school, she made the decision to study abroad in France for a year.
In placing an academic challenge in front of her students, Jones reflects on the how her role as a teacher has influenced her former introvert toward the dynamic, energetic teacher she is now.
“Teaching as a career has caused me to become less introverted,” Jones said. “Teaching is fundamentally a human endeavor, no matter what you are teaching. Teaching to me is an enriching context in which to relate “Learning a language [was an] academic challenge to people and see them as humans and hopefully have them see me as which appealed to me; living abroad and attending human.” university would take me out of my comfort zone
To read to full article, please visit tjTODAY.org
SCI-TECH
Setting the Record 3
Captain Shreyan Jaiswal discusses the initial passions and strategy behind setting the world record for three years in a row PHOTO // Tanya Kurnootala
1 1. During a Rubiks Cube meeting, freshman Stephen Huan practices solving a cube. 2. Next to freshman Justin Choi and freshman Richik Halder, the co-president of the Club, junior Justin Gou solves cubes with accuracy and speed. “The clu,b is a great place for people with similar interests to hangout and the team is close and a lot of fun to be a part of,” said Guo. 3. The Rubiks Cube breaks world record time at the competition with the time of 49 seconds. From left to right: Justin Gou, Shreyan Jaiswal, Justin Choi, Erick Tian, William Yao, Ms. Conklin, Andrew Nam, Ajit Kadaveru, Ray Bai, and Roger Zeng.
I
2
Tanya Kurnootala || STAFF WRITER
t’s a simple club with simple goals: to solve cubes and have fun. And set world records. Three years in a row.
Once again, Jefferson’s Rubik’s Cube club has set the world record at the You Can Do the Rubik’s Cube competition for solving 25 cubes among eight people in 49 seconds.
“Not many other schools have as many strong speedcubers, so it’s hard for them to even form a team, let alone get the times we’re able to manage,” Jaiswal said. Cubers at Jefferson have been constantly improving upon their natural talent to better the team as a whole.
Senior and team captain Shreyan Jaiswal has been on the team since “Individuals have gotten faster over the years. I was decidedly the his freshman year, but first discovered his passion for cubing before fastest solver two years ago with a ten-second average, but that’s no longer the case,” Jaiswal said. attending Jefferson, during eighth grade. Having members with such reliable times allowed the team to focus “I learned how to solve a cube casually, realizing along the way that on consistency during practices leading up to the competition. there was a warm community and a ton of resources online about
solving it as fast as possible,” Jaiswal said. “Ever since then, I’ve just “Since all of us were already good at solving cubes from being kept pushing my average solve time down, making some great friends speedcubers in our own time, we only needed five or so lunch along the way.” practices to get to the level we were,” Jaiswal said. “We came up with a relatively simple strategy for coordinating between the eight of us, Solving a Rubik’s cube is a multidimensional skill, requiring quick but besides that we just did a bunch of repetitions of the event until thinking. we were pretty consistent as a team.” “It’s a blend of ingenuity and tactility. On one hand, there’s the With this year being the last one with the club, Jaiswal plans to element of coming up with the fastest and most efficient solutions all continue cubing in the future, joking that even losing a hand would on the fly. At the same time, you have to do that while moving your not stop him from pursuing the activity. fingers at five, ten, sometimes fifteen turns per second,” Jaiswal said. “[I will continue after high school] unless I lose a hand, but then I To Jaiswal, cubing at Jefferson has its advantages in terms of would probably get into one-handed solving, because that’s an official strategy and ability to compete at larger team events. WCA (World Cube Association) event,” Jaiswal said.
SCI-TECH || MARCH 13, 2018 19
SPORTS
IT’S ALL IN THE
ETTER, AN
Letterman jackets make a reappearance at Jefferson
Alex Howe, Angel Kim, and Christine Zhao || STAFF WRITERS
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iverdale”? “The Breakfast Club”? “Mean Girls”? All have come to be classic narratives of high school life, with characters often seen wearing jackets with leather sleeves and a large letter patched onto the front. Letterman jackets are typically purchased after students receive a varsity letter, usually from school sports teams, but also from a number of other extracurricular activities. However, at current-day Jefferson, letterman jackets are a less common sight. Junior Walker Haynes is one of Jefferson’s jacket owners. He purchased his jacket in Jan. 2018, after earning a varsity letter in football. “I thought it would just be for decorative purposes, but surprisingly, it’s pretty well insulating,” Haynes said. “There are probably better jackets to keep warm, but it serves its purpose.” Jefferson sold Letterman jackets in the past. The jackets are now available at Burke Sporting Goods, which helps students find the right fit and sew patches, including letters and years the students participiated in the activity, on. According to Haynes, reaction to the jackets has mainly been surprise. “There are students who wonder when I will stop wearing it,” Haynes said. “I do go days without wearing this. Mostly, [reactions are] just surprise, because a lot of students and teachers weren’t aware that TJ had Letterman jackets.” Math teachers Michael Auerbach and Marianne Razzino graduated from Jefferson in 1995 and 1998, respectively. Just over 20 years ago, it was customary for students to purchase jackets, despite not
Wear durin letter sport varsi Walking down the hallway, junior Walker Haynes dons his Letterman jacket. The back of the jacket shows that Walker participated in sports teams at Jefferson. “Traditionally, you have your name and class year on your left breast, and on the back, something indicating your school, Erskine said.
e
e
SPORTS || MARCH 13, 2018 20 regularly wearing them to school.
earn a letterman jacket to impress Sandy Olsson.
“A lot of people got letter jackets back in the day,” Razzino said. “It was a big deal to go to the cafeteria and try them on, and make sure you had the right size and everything, but I don’t remember us specifically wearing them all the time so I didn’t realize that less people got them nowadays.”
The jackets started to disappear in the early 2000s. For Auerbach, coming back to Jefferson as a teacher in 2006, the difference was apparent.
Letter jackets are a quintessentially American tradition that started in 1891, when the Harvard baseball team began regularly wearing letterman sweaters to indicate who was in and who was out. If a player sat on the bench all season, they were forced to return the jacket at the end of the season.
“When I came back [to teach], one of the first things I noticed was that nobody wears them anymore,” Auerbach said.
“To me, it shows my commitment. To be a varsity athlete at TJ, you need to commit a lot of time and effort into it.”
Gradually, letterman sweaters spread and became a staple fashion piece in high schools across the country. Eventually, sweaters developed into jackets and were institutionalized by classic high school movies such as “Grease,” a movie set in the 1950s, in which the male lead, Danny Zuko tries out baseball, wrestling, and track to
While the exact cause for their disappearance is up for speculation, athletic trainer Heather Murphy thinks that their disappearance had more to do with the ins and outs of fashion trends.
“Maybe it’s because the old people had jackets, but you did see it kind of going away in the 2000s,” Murphy said. “I remember starting here at TJ and I saw a lot of letterman jackets, and then you just stopped seeing them. I started in the fall of ‘01.”
-Junior Walker Haynes
The jackets helped unite the students in an era before more cluboriented spiritwear became popular. “I think they were a way to express school spirit,” Auerbach said. “This was also a time before you could get spirit packs from every class and every club, and sports teams were starting to have their own jackets, but that was really just starting out. So if you wanted a TJ jacket, that was the only one. Now there’s just so much different TJ stuff, like every club, the Rubik’s Cube has t shirts, so for every club you’re in, you can have a jacket but only 10 or 20 kids will have as opposed to a thousand kids have.” The jackets remind their owners of the hard work and sacrifices made into participating in sports at Jefferson. “To me, it shows my commitment,” Haynes said. “To be a varsity athlete at TJ, you need to commit a lot of time and effort into it. There’s obviously a lot of work going in to studying for TJ, so it becomes a lot harder to be a varsity athlete here than at other schools because you have to keep your grades up, and at other schools, it’s a bit easier to do that. At TJ, it’s a lot harder to keep your grades up and be an athlete at the same time. For me, it’s a lot more strenuous during sports seasons to keep my grades up than during nonsports seasons.” While letterman jackets are seeing a slight recent reappearance, with students including Haynes and Erskine, other students find other ways to remember their efforts in athletics.
Wearing his letterman jacket, senior John Erskine shows his commitment to football during his academic career. “When you first complete a season on varsity, you get your letter and a pin that corresponds to your sport,” Erskine said. “If you play more than one sport at the varsity level, you get a pin for each of the sports you play. If you get [another] varsity letter, you get a bar for each additional letter that you already have the pin for.”
“I’ve seen some people sow them [varsity letters] on their training bags and other equipment,” senior and jacket owner John Erskine said. “Others hold on to them and don’t do anything with them. Very few end up making them into Letterman jackets.”
SPORTS
aMOMENTOUS
MARCH
Annual March Madness national tournament set to begin on Mar. 13 Sneha Joisha || STAFF WRITER
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weat trickles down players’ faces, hearts pound rapidly, and eyes focus on the still ball as hearts set themselves on becoming national champions. As for the basketball fan eagerly watching the game to start, she makes sure that she is all ready for the tournament. Filled out bracket? Check. Snacks and drinks nearby? Check. Friends and family to watch the tournament with? Check.
Midwest, and South. In each region, there are 16 teams. Each team starts matched up against another, and they play a regular basketball game and the winner goes on. The tournament is singleelimination, so there’s no consolation bracket or second chance games. The games are held at the school of the higher seeded team, until the Final Four, where all the games are played at a neutral location in San Antonio, Texas [for this year].”
Fans can also be involved with March Madness tournaments by Ever since the National Collegiate Association, also known as NCAA, created March Madness in 1939, many basketball fans have filling brackets out to predict which teams could possibly win or been watching March Madness tournaments and predicting which lose. teams would win, especially in the tournament from March 13 to “The Division I teams are ranked, and then compete to win April 2. the title,” junior Aaron Wadhwa said. “For those who create their own bracket for how they believe the [tournament] will end, it is March Madness is one of the largest basketball tournaments of a competition to receive the most points possible. The bracket the year and is more popular among viewers. It also has its own specific set of rules and requirements aside from normal basketball must be submitted before the games begin, and then participants games. Selection Sunday, wherein teams are chosen to fill a bracket, receive points for choosing correct winners. The participant with the greatest amount of points at the end of the tournament is the took place on March 11. winner.” “March Madness is the playoffs for NCAA Division One college Despite already being popular from the beginning, the buzz basketball,” senior Noah Barnes said. “[68] teams are selected and placed in a bracket, with seedings based off of each team’s season. surrounding March Madness has only continued its popularity There are four regions from which teams are selected: East, West, amongst fans to increase. “Popularity has grown exponentially over the years,” Pemble said. “Today, the tournament has become a worldwide phenomenon as millions watch each game.” With the upcoming tournament, the NCAA predicts to have a large spectator turnout as more people become involved with March Madness and try to figure out which team will win. “I’m very curious to see what happens this year,” Pemble said. “I don’t see any team that seems like an obvious favorite right now as it seems like each team has a large weakness. Many of the top defensive teams struggle to score or lack a dominant scorer such as Virginia. Other schools that are top notch offensive teams have trouble on the defensive side of the ball. Duke is arguably the most talented team in the nation, but even they lack the experience that is so important in big moments.” Holding up the March Madness logo, junior William Pemble explains where March Madness games are held and how the popularity of the tournament has changed. Like many other basketball fans, Pemble is interested in seeing how the tournament will play out and which team will claim the national title.
SPORTS || MARCH 13, 2018 23
What Are the Odds? March Madness fans predict winning and losing teams using brackets. Sneha Joisha || STAFF WRITER
Ever wonder who experiences the most stress during March Madness tournaments? The players definitely have it bad. But the basketball fans glued to their television screens give the athletes a run for their money. With 68 college basketball teams competing relentlessly for the national title, fans enthusiastically create brackets to predict which team will have the honor of winning the famed tournament. But what are brackets? They look simple to some yet complicated to others. Brackets consist of multiple horizontal lines on either of the two sides on a sheet of paper and three boxes in the center. “Basically, [it shows] the progression because it’s a big tournament and so it’s single-elimination and so you start with 68 teams, and you eventually end up with two teams, which is in the middle, so that’s the final match for the title,” junior Ellen Chen said. Brackets are used in various sports, including football and soccer. People fill out the lines and boxes to see if they can figure out which teams will win and lose. “People around the country like creating brackets where they determine who they think is going to win each round,” Chen said. “They essentially do that for each game, and people like comparing their brackets with their friends to see whose bracket is most accurate.”
When creating brackets, viewers have some personal tips and tricks that make it easier and more accurate for them to predict which teams will move on to the next game. “I’ve always chosen Duke to win it all because I’m a huge Duke fan,” Chen said. “It’s not the best trick because upsets happen quite often, so predicting is kind of hard, but generally, I base my knowledge off of the games that I’ve watched when I know about the teams, and if there’s a team that I’m not really sure about, then I usually go for the top seed between the two.” When sharing their filled-out brackets with others, it is exciting for fans to see if their brackets matched the order of winning and losing teams. “When you predict an upset, it’s small, but I remember there’ve been times where I was like, ‘Okay, I’m not sure, but I’m going to choose this team,’ even though they’re a bit of a lower seed, but when they actually win, and everyone else is like, ‘Oh my god, what?’” Chen said. “But you predicted it, and you’re like, ‘Oh, yes. I knew it.’ [It’s] just a good feeling.”
Try it yourself!
People can fill out their brackets for March Madness tournaments using multiple methods.
“You can print them online and fill them out, but there’s also online websites where the website is designed so you can select your teams, so I use that,” Chen said. “[There is] this specific website that everyone uses; I’m pretty sure it’s the NCAA [that runs it].”
Join our bracket competition! Visit tjtoday.org for instructions
Deadline: Mar. 15
OPINION
LEAD EDITORIAL
THERE MIGHT NOT BE ONE “RIGHT ANSWER,” BUT IT’S TIME TO SHARE YOURS
D
walkouts in solidarity with Douglas and in hopes of ouglas is a school filled with thousands of leaders… leaders who take action the right way. legislative reform. But as we speak to administration about planning a walkout of our own, or brainstorming Leaders who will rebuild the world ideas of student activism, it’s important to examine that failed us.” student protest under a more critical lens so that we “You have the right to walk out in protest. Your make sure our impact is the right one. school may punish you but no more than any other Since we live in such close proximity to Washington absence. Don’t let your school silence your right to free D.C., we may feel more closely connected to the speech.” political process. Staying politically active is a key way “We the People can rise above immense hate. We to let legislators know what our generation thinks, converse with those who disagree with us. We claim to particularly since Congress is only a Metro ride away. live by amendments but understand that restrictions Our young voices are the future, and it’s important to can and should be made. Best of all, we’ve created a direct them towards Capitol Hill. new hope for succeeding generations.” Activism can manifest in the form of student These quotes, calling for large-scale national change, walkouts, like the ones being orchestrated across the stem from the tweets of Marjory Stoneman Douglas nation. It can appear as posters, speeches, and tweets, High School students Cameron Kasky, Sarah Chadwick as the students from Parkland and countless schools and Jaclyn Corin in the wake of the shooting at their have shown. Most importantly, it exists as a persistent school on Feb. 14. The deaths of 17 students, teachers desire to push forward, despite adversity, in favor and coaches mobilized these students in the fight for of concrete change. At the end of the day, we can stricter gun control. only step out of the school building or go on strike for so long. The goal of speaking out is not just to Parkland students’ fight extends beyond Florida alone. Across the country, students are planning school raise awareness - the students at Parkland want actual legislation to come from their relentless protests.
OPINION || MARCH 13, 2018 25
PHOTO // Sabria Kazmi
But as we post furiously on social media and link hands with friends in support of the walkout, it is important not to lose our empathy in our fight for activism.
understanding, where those who don’t necessarily agree do understand why we speak up. If we can do this, then any protest we conduct resonates with a much larger volume.
It isn’t wrong to directly target legislators in favor of making change, but it is to alienate students who choose not to participate. Change is all about compromise, and the first step to that is meeting students with opposing views halfway. At the end of the day, we don’t just want to overturn the system: we want to create a community of
The Supreme Court case “Tinker v. Des Moines” defines our First Amendment right to free speech from the First Amendment when it comes to acts of protest at school. Since we have this right, we can and should use it to speak up for those whose voices are being silenced -- but only if we keep ourselves from silencing those of our
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
The “Tinker v. Des Moines” case and how it affects you Have you ever felt passionately about something? Enough that you decided to wear clothes that represented your beliefs? Mary Beth Tinker did. In 1965, ten years into the Vietnam War, Tinker wanted to show her disapproval for the war by wearing a black armband to school. The result: she and three other students who joined her were suspended. This may seem a little odd. Nowadays we assume we have the right to express whatever political views we may have at school. What we often forget is how some of our student rights came into place. It took four years of court trials for Tinker to bring her case to the Supreme Court. She fought for students
to be allowed to express themselves, and the court ruled in a 7-2 vote that “Student’s don’t shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gates.” The victory still impacts us today, guaranteeing, for the most part, that students will have their constitutional rights. Tinker was a student, just like you and me. She did not let the threat of getting in trouble at school stop her from voicing her opinion. No matter what your political views are, no matter what it is you believe in, Tinker is an example of the impact you can make when you stand up for what you think is right.
OPINION
“NOTHING COULD POSSIBLY SURPRISE ME AT THIS POINT,” SAID LOCAL JEFFERSON STUDENT WHO IS ABOUT TO BE ASTONISHED BY SEVEN DIFFERENT NEWS HEADLINES TODAY
“SCHOOL MARCHES”
A Satire Sadhana Suri and Christine Zhao || STAFF WRITER, EDITOR
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ocal Jefferson student shrugs while telling reporters that there’s nothing that could possibly happen from here on out that could ever catch him off-guard. “If this were, say, 2016, I’d be surprised. But I’m used to it now,” local Jefferson student said, not knowing that he is about to open the latest local web newsletter on his phone in an hour and be startled by each increasingly flabbergasting piece of news published. “I mean, it’s not like things could get any worse, right?” Unfortunately, the interview was cut off at this point as the Jefferson student’s clothes promptly caught on fire. If we had more time to talk to the student, we could’ve told him that there would be several news stories that would be particularly
shocking to both he and other readers at TJ. Just this past month, for instance, students were told that legislators would wait for “more facts” on the Florida school shooting in order to do absolutely nothing. Congress also declared its intent to “wait” before “jumping to conclusions” over gun control and instead consider Nicholas Cruz’s religious habits, mental health concerns, and the flavor of the McDonald’s McFlurry he purchases every week
OPINION || MARCH 18, 2018 27
this point,” Florida Senator Marco Rubio said as he rolls in fistfulls of cash yelling “Moneeey!!!”, reportedly building a paper bill fort using the $3.3 million he’s received from the National Rifle Association’s PACs alone. Students were likewise impressed by the news of Trump’s proposed military parade, varying in costs anywhere from $10 million to $30 million. “I feel really secure knowing that our new administration is being so transparent about their leanings toward an authoritarian regime,” senior Jun Tarashi said.
“GUNS IN SCHOOLS” CARTOONS // Anna Zhang On the afternoon of Feb.14, 2018, 17 people were killed and fourteen more were hospitalized at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., making this one of the world’s deadliest deadliest school massacres and the seventh firearm attack during school hours to have happened in 2018 thus far, according to CNN’s fact-checker. Survivors, students’ family members, and citizens nationwide criticized the response from policymakers, demanding stricter gun control measures. Since the shooting, survivors and other students have organized several rallies and movements, including the Never Again MSD group and the March for our Lives nationwide student demonstration that will take place on March 24. On April 20, the anniversary of the Columbine High School Massacre, all-day demonstrations and walkouts are planned by both teachers and students in schools across the nation.
(causing a constant brain freeze that many argue is the true cause of the shooting). Students excitedly reported their ideas for future active-shooter drills, in which children would lock their doors, turn off their classroom’s lights, and take out their phones to Tweet at their local lawmakers to beg for gun control legislation. “The struggle up to this point is that most of the [gun control] proposals offered up until this point would not have prevented [Florida’s] tragedies, or any ones up until
North Kor — no, the United States — plans to develop a peacetime arsenal, as lawmakers enriched by NRA funds are struggling to keep the money flowing in with thoughts and prayers while millions of angry Americans are yelling at them to “do their job.” This inner struggle between being enormously wealthy and being an empathetic person has reportedly taken a great toll on our lawmakers’ well-being, leading legislators to seek comfort with Russian therapists, instead. As news headlines jumped from subject to subject, including crowds of women asking for controversial favors such as “being treated with some basic human decency” and young adults consuming laundry detergent pods without stopping to use some common sense, both the local Jefferson student and other students in the community finally decided that they’d had enough. “We can’t take it anymore,” senior Zahin Faruque said. “Please, just stop. Put an end to all of this already; I’m so tired.” However, sources confirmed on deep background that deep down, they knew that it was not going to stop now or even anytime soon.
ENTERTAINMENT
NOTES HEARD
‘ROUND THE
WORLD
EXPLORING POP CULTURES BEYOND MAINSTREAM AMERICA Irina Lee and Grace Mak || STAFF WRITERS
“내 피 땀 눈물 내 마지막 춤을 다 가져가 가”
F
MY BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS MY LAST DANCE TAKE IT ALL
or sophomore Aashni Man, these words were the window into a world of Korean pop she had never known. As a child in a Hindi family, she grew up listening to Bollywood tunes alongside several generations of her family. Little did she know that an accidental stumble onto a music video would spur a longlasting addiction for a completely different world of idols and shows. “I didn’t really like [K-pop] at the time, but then I just saw [a video], then I was like ‘Woah, their dancing is good, their singing is good, their visuals are good, so what’s not to like?’”
2.
Sophomore Aarushi Tripathy’s love for K-pop goes beyond performances and concerts, which she feels can be found across many global pop cultures. Instead, she enjoys the feeling of a more personal connection to the idols themselves. “Apart from just being a band that you just listen to, they also have a bunch of different platforms where they show things like funny videos of themselves or they show the behindthe-scenes of things that they’re doing, so you can kind of connect with [bands] and laugh with them,” Tripathy said. The meaning of the individual songs also attracted her attention and filled a gap left by mainstream American pop music. “[Popular American songs] I hear on the radio usually 1. Dua Lipa performs in Los Angeles on March 15, 2017. Creative Commons photo courtesy of Justin Higuchi. 2. BTS recieves an award at the Golden DIsk Awards on Jan. 14 2017. Creative Commons photo courtesy of Ajeong Jm. 3. Shreya Ghoshal performs in Toronto on Sept. 16, 2012. Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr user ransirimal.
1.
ENTERTAINMENT || MARCH 13, 2018
just talk about love or superficial things. The thing that K-Pop does, especially BTS, they really incorporate social issues,” Tripathy said. “In Korea, mental health is kind of taboo, but BTS talks about it in their songs and that’s something really unique, and it makes me want to listen to [their songs] more because they have an actual meaning.”
her love of global music stems more from a personal cultural connection.
Although these songs are primarily in Korean, Tripathy believes their messages still shine through to international fans despite the language barrier.
One such example is shoushiwu, or “hand gesture dance,” in which people put together videos of them performing a miniature dance with their hands in time to music.
“Who cares if it’s a different language if it sounds great, honestly,” Tripathy
3.
“I am Chinese, so I can actually understand the lyrics sometimes and then I know some of the singers. The thing is, some stuff you need to know the language to find it,” Zhang said, “A lot of the things I watch in Chinese, it’s not like there’s an English name for it.”
“If you looked it up, you probably [could find it], but no one would think to look up ‘hand gesture dances’ because it’s not really [part of your culture],” Zhang said. Sophomore Medha Gupta finds similar pleasure in listening to music that connects her to her Indian background.
said. “You can look up the meanings of the songs and figure it out, but you don’t have to understand it right away to enjoy it. I don’t even understand half the lyrics at first in American pop too sometimes because they’re talking so fast, and I have no idea what they’re even saying.” For sophomore Lilian Zhang, however,
3.
“Bollywood music still appeals to me even after all these years because of the emotional connection I have with it,” Gupta said. “I think it reminds me of memories from my childhood which makes me really happy. It’s my own personal culture which makes me feel so connected to my heritage. It’s partly because of Bollywood music that I am extremely fluent in Hindi and am so knowledgeable about India.” Each piece of music has carries direct links to other parts of Indian culture, such as scenes from various movies.
“I think other types of pop are more party music and try to appeal to the public. The difference with Bollywood music is that each song is associated with a different scene of a movie,” Gupta said, “This means that each song connects with an emotion and conveys a message to the listener. This emotional connection to the song makes me want to listen to Bollywood and that’s partly why I prefer it to other mainstream music.” At the end of the day, distinctions between pop from different parts of the world enhance the experience of listening to music from around the world. Whether it be American pop, Bollywood, or Korean pop, each contribute to the growing diversity of our world. “There are so many different types of pop from around the world, and each of them have their own unique aspect that appeals to different people,” Manroa said. “That’s why branching out to new music from different regions of the world is so cool because it allows you to explore all these unique aspects, as well as bond with people from across the globe in the process.”
AN INTERNATIONAL PLAYLIST China: Full Name - aMEI, Little Big Us - JJ Lin Colombia: Casate Conmigo - Silvestre Dangond x Nicky Jam India: Palat - Sajid-Wajid & Arijit Sing, Ghoomar - Shreya Ghoshal Japan: Candy Pop - TWICE, Sazanka - SEKAI NO OWARI Korea: Blood, Sweat, and Tears - BTS, Love Scenario - iKON, Bad Boy - Red Velvet Puerto Rico: Echame La Culpa - Luis Fonsi & Demi Lovato UK: New Rules - Dua Lipa, Perfect - Ed Sheeran
ENTERTAINMENT
A BOOK FOR PARENTS... R A REVIEW OF THE BOOK READ FOR PRINCIPAL’S BOOK CLUB, “HOW TO RAISE AN ADULT: BREAK FREE OF THE OVERPARENTING TRAP AND PREPARE YOUR KID FOR SUCCESS” Dr. Bonitatibus leads a discussion on “How to Raise an Adult” in the library while attending parents listen on Feb. 3. There were a total of four meetings throughout Feb. photo from tjptsa.org
Roja Ayyadurai || STAFF WRITER
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iger parenting. College pressure. Pampering parents.This year, Dr. Bonitatibus has decided to start a principal’s book club that meets weekly and discusses these very issues. It is open to parents to discuss any concerns they may have while simultaneously reading a book. February’s book was “How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare your Kid for Success” by Julie Lythcott-Haims. The title pretty much sums up the book: it was an uninteresting parenting book. However, the author, Julie Lythcott-Haims, did bring up interesting and significant points. She discussed the mental effects of pressuring your kids and
ENTERTAINMENT || MARCH 13, 2018
. READ BY A STUDENT over-influencing their decisions, as well as how parents of this generation tend to “baby” their kids. More and more kids are becoming reliant on their parents for most or almost all of their problems. They don’t know how to solve problems for themselves. Lythcott-Haims also addresses how college pressure is almost always overwhelming and, in many cases, results in drug-abuse or cheating. The book is separated into four parts: What We’re Doing Now, Why We Must Stop Overparenting, Another Way, and Daring to Parent Differently. The first part is a brief history discussing basic parenting techniques of each generation and how it differs, followed by the negative effects The front cover of “How to Raise an Adult” by of current parenting Lythcott-Haims. strategies. Part three photo from julielythcotthaims.com discusses the positives of this new way of parenting. parenting in more “hands-off ” way Lythcott-Haims stresses the and allowing your child to be more importance of not raising your independent and part four includes child solely focused on academic or specific ways to be a better parent. extracurricular success, but with the Overall, the book was well-written, goal of raising them to be thriving as it included specific anecdotes of adults. With an increasing number the author as well as interviews and of teens and young adults who don’t stories of other families interested in
even know how take care of themselves at the most basic level without the help of their parents, developing parenting techniques are extremely necessary and pertinent. While it was odd reading this book from a student standpoint, I found the book to be pretty insightful. The book discusses how in present time, people find it strange to see children walking or biking alone without parental supervision. Interestingly, seeing children in these situations reminded me of the topics discussed in the novel. With its indepth analysis of parenting strategies, I feel like I know what is really going on when I see a screaming child in a store or a 6th grader stressed about what college they are going to. Despite how uninteresting I personally found the topic of this book, I think that Julie Lythcott-Haims is a talented writer who skillfully weaved words to create “How to Raise an Adult.” I would recommend this book to anyone interested in psychology, new and old parents, teachers, and people that are passionate about the problems of modern society and education.
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A lot of people are very afraid of pitbulls, so IT IS NICE TO BE ABLE TO OPEN PEOPLE UP. They’re really friendly and sweet, and a lot of the aggression is taught and not just innate behavior. Therapy Dog Handler Bridget Callahan
PHOTO // Alexa Nguonly REPORTING // Alexa Nguonly
I get to be spoiled all day long. If I could get all this attention all day, I WOULD BE IN MY GLORY. Three-year-old pitbull boxer mix Finn It reminds us all that no matter what we’re dealing with right now or no matter how stressful it is today, it is not going to be like this tomorrow. When I am really stressed out and something happy happens for like five minutes, IT REMINDS ME THAT LIFE ISN’T ALWAYS GOING TO BE BAD. You can tell the dogs are happy to be there and want to help you. Freshman Gurleen Kaur Take care of yourself. If the dog’s handlers knew that the dogs were getting too stimulated, they would need to take a step back and make sure the dogs were not getting too tired. In the same way, we need to MAKE SURE WE DON’T OVERWORK OURSELVES or else just like the dogs, we’ll get burnt out. Senior Sachin Jain
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ON DOG FINN THERAPY
|| WHAT I VE LEARNED