Whittier April 2017

The

THEME: SUSTAINABILITY

Whittier Miscellany

Evie Kortanek ’18

SINCE 1884 • WILMINGTON FRIENDS SCHOOL’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER • WILMINGTON, DELAWARE

Wilmington Friends School.

Just mercy event inspires reflection at wfs Diversity plays a pivotal role in the Wilmington Friends Community. Students strive for inclusion and representation through the many clubs that focus on promoting and celebrating the differences found among community members at WFS. The Diversity Committee in particular has taken the task of promoting diversity in our community. An anonymous student remarked, “I find it great that our student body chose to create a student group that is not just focused on the African American community but also focuses on other ethnicities.” The Diversity Committee took the next step by inviting the Wilmington Friends community to read and reflect on the book, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. The committee encouraged people to bring their thoughts on the book to an organized event with a facilitated discussion of its prevalent themes.

In his book, Stevenson, a lawyer, follows multiple cases of people who have been mistreated and misjudged by the US justice system. Stevenson was a young attorney when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, which was a legal practice “devoted to defending the poor, the wrongly condemned, and those without hope.” One of the most striking cases in Just Mercy was that of Walter McMillan, a young man sentenced to die for a murder he did not commit. The case drew

Stevenson into a problem of “race, lies, cover-ups, and corruption, ultimately transforming his understanding of mercy and justice forever.”

Students, faculty, and parents came together to speak about the difficult topics discussed in the book,

not otherwise be confronted with in the bubble of our daily lives. Stevenson’s story is heartening both in the enormity of the crisis he reveals, but also in the assurance that if he can do something to begin changing the system, or at least the conversation, then maybe you can too. I think that by having the Diversity Committee host the event gets at the idea that diversity isn’t just about getting along but involves an understanding of what others are going through and learning from experiences that you haven’t had.” At this event students, parents, and faculty could discuss controversial issues in a safe space.

An anonymous student explained, “I had an amazing time at the Diversity Committee Just Mercy event. I thought that taking time out of the day to speak about such an important topic was amazing, especially in this political climate.” This sentiment was shared by many of the people in attendance.

Following the event, another anonymous attendee commented, “This inspired me...I am amazed Students, parents, and faculty at the Just Mercy Diversity Event. by these students and the such as children in prison, people with mental illness ideas that they churned out. They led this event with in prison, the disproportionate amount of black men confidence and you could truly see that. I enjoyed this in prison, wrongfully committed inmates, and peo- so much and I feel as if I am leaving a different perple on death row. This provided the members of the son and understanding more of the world.” The stucommunity an opportunity to speak about the issues dent-run club intends on holding more of these events prominent in today’s society. Hannah Kushner ’18 that challenge the student body and faculty to think added, “I think it’s important that in these polarizing critically about the role of diversity in the Wilmington times we learn to see other perspectives that we might Friends School community and beyond.

Javier Ergueta

Hareena Houston ’18 News writer

COMMUNITY

our Current schedule is due for an upgrade time that can be used for teachers to collaborate across think of.” This solution, though it may be minimal, rethe Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools in order to sponds to both the need for more instructional hours make a coherent curriculum for students at all grade and for more faculty collaboration time.

I vividly remember the sound of my brother’s cries levels. Michael Benner, Assistant Head of School for As for more long-term solutions to these issues, of outrage coupled with my evil chuckles when he Academics, and a member of the Scheduling Com- there have been no decisions made as of yet. Benner learned that his Spring Break would be cut short next mittee, added, outlined some of the year; the seniors and I will be long gone by the time “A big issue ideas being thrown he loses three days of his precious vacation, but his that the Upper around: “One option is reaction was hardly unique. On the whole, students School faculto change to an eightare upset and want answers. Why us? What did we ty have singled day cycle as opposed to do? Well, kids, I am here to tell you that it’s not you; out is the lack our current seven-day it’s our schedule. It needs to be changed, and this was of IB instrucsystem. Another idea the first of possibly many alterations. was to alter the way we tional time.

The need for change with our current schedule/ Currently, our structure semesters. school year calendar was first identified a few years schedule allots For instance, a school ago during an appreciative inquiry, a formal protocol us less than the in Washington, D.C. which looked at our school system and its members recommended has seven terms, and holistically in order to determine any weak spots. Ad- amount of class classes can last for one ditionally, a PAIS Accreditation visit in the fall of 2015 time to learn term, two terms, three, similarly identified problems with our use of time all the mateetc.” There are many in the schedule/calendar. In light of this, the school rial different systems out required hired a consultant last year to help examine our use of by IB.” there other than this This time, with regards to both the daily schedule and the leads to rushed one, however, and year-long calendar.

Scheduling Commitclasses, stressed Michael Benner, member of the Scheduling Committee.

The Scheduling Committee, made up of represen- students, and a tee’s main objective tatives from every division of our school, identified general dislike when considering difmany key issues that should be addressed. One such of IB classes among the faculty. Upper School faculty ferent options is to remain open-minded and considconcern is the lack of cross-divisional planning time, have also expressed that having only two long blocks erate of every division’s needs.

A main addition that both faculty and students exdoes not allow enough time for deep learning, and they wish there were pressed support for in general and specifically during a Business Meeting discussion is a community block. more ninety minute periods.

The Lower and Middle Schools “Essentially, this is a block of time built into the schedhave also identified division-specif- ule which can be used for club meetings, advisory ic issues they would like to see ad- time, Meeting for Worship, collections, and more,” dressed. Since Lower School houses Benner added.

The editorial staff expressed the same need for a our youngest friends, they need to keep their needs in mind. “This means community block or the like. However, like much of minimizing transitions to and from the student body, they are unhappy about the shortclassrooms,” Benner clarified. “The ening of Spring Break and are vehemently opposed Middle School aged kids are different; to the idea of lengthening the school year. HowevEDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Sarah Gooderham ’17 & Sadie Proud ’17 they can handle transitions, but their er, Coons expressed that, while he would prefer an NEWS EDITORS: Leah Johnson ’18 & Katrina Skibiki ’17 attention spans are still developing, un-lengthened school year, he understands that it is SPORTS EDITORS: Alice Irwin ’18 & Matt Tornek ’17 so for them to have a ninety-minute a logical solution to many of the problems, “especially ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS: Mike Coons ’17 & Abby Kleman ’18 the lack of IB instructional time.” This opinion was class would be inappropriate.”

FEATURES EDITOR: Lindsay Weber ’17 The Whittier editorial staff have shared by many on the staff. We recognize that we also identified their main concerns cannot have our cake and eat it too in this situation, as PHOTO EDITOR: Evie Kortanek ’18 about our current schedule, including does everyone involved in Scheduling Committee and COPY EDITORS: Meggie Flanagan ’17 & Evie Kortanek ’18 not enough IB time, not enough time/ other aspects of this issue. The challenge is finding a WEB EDITOR: Evelyn Wakeley ’17 no good time for clubs to meet, and balance between favorable and necessary scheduling FACULTY ADVISER: Daniel Scott “no recess,” Mike Coons ’18 supplied. changes.

During our conversation, Benner was sure to In opposition to the faculty, editors ENTERTAINMENT STAFF also mentioned their dislike of having stress that the Scheduling Committee has not made Matt Byer ’18 NEWS Allie Fulginiti ’17 two whole doubles each day, espe- any long-term decisions as of now and “there was a Anna Fahey ’20 Olivia Ivins ’20 cially since they are currently back to conscious decision to not change anything about the Zack Horowitz ’17 Emma Landis ’19 Hareena Houston ’18 back. Some expressed a lack of ability schedule for the 2017-2018 academic year.” He also SPORTS Olivia O’Donnell ’18 to focus for an entire ninety minute underlined the fact that this is an ongoing process.

Carlin Beskrone ’19 Nick Urick ’20 John Blackwell ’18 “This is first year we’ve had a Scheduling Committee; period.

FEATURES Connor Miller ’19 we met six times in the fall on an as-needed basis, The Scheduling Committee, after Tess Beardell ’17 Bella Stuccio ’19 lots of discussion, came up with one and our most recent meeting was in April.” HowevIsabel Crowther ’17 COLUMNISTS Lucy Knudsen ’19 immediate change to help start to er, if and when the Committee does decide to change Cecilia Ergueta ’18 Addie Trudel ’19 address two problems. This change, something about the schedule, it will need to be an allMarley Morton ’18 Krystal Xu ’19 much to my brother’s and most school decision so there’s a similar schedule for all dinon-senior’s dismay, was the short- visions. “A relatively standard schedule makes it easier The Whittier Miscellany is published six times during the school year ening of next year’s spring break by to coordinate between the Lower, Middle, and Upper by the upper school journalism staff of Wilmington Friends School, three days. “Instead of the regular schools. This is why we’re taking our time.”

101 School Road, Wilmington, DE 19803. To access the Whittier As much as we would all like a perfect solution to two weeks, students will have the Miscellany online, go to www.wfswhittier.com.

Friday off, a week off, and the follow- magically appear and be put into place for next year, we ing Monday off,” explained Benner. all must accept the complicated nature of this problem Check Whittier Miscellany online for Weekly Updates!

“Teachers will only have off on Fri- and take time to appreciate the many hours of hard day and the following week, because work being put in to solve this issue. In the meantime, The Whittier Miscellany welcomes responses in the form of letters Monday will become a faculty plan- next year’s students can dread their shortened Spring to the articles, editorials, and features of this paper. ning day, offering designated time Break, but they will certainly also appreciate the extra Contact: wfswhittiermiscellany@gmail.com for teachers to work on department class time it gives them so they do not feel as rushed as ‘Like’ Whittier on Facebook at ‘WFS Whittier’! structure and anything else they can the school year winds down.

Evie Kortanek ’18

Sarah Gooderham ’17 Editor-In-Chief

The

Whittier

Miscellany

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April ISSUE 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY

NEWS

Changing times call for changing policies Presidential address before turning to different issues.

On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama was sworn into office, and his liberal views differed significantAs President Trump sends out executive orders and ly from Bush’s conservative stances. Obama marked begins to act on his own new immigration reform, immigration as one of his main concerns, however, people around the world anxiously await the changes during his first two years in office he did not really foto the management of our borders. Throughout the cus his attention on immigration. past fifteen years, the U.S. has seen three presidents Many students at WFS can hardly remember presfrom both parties idents before and their various Obama, and stances on immiZoe Holdgration have all en ‘20 comimpacted the treatmented, “I’m ment of those encurious as to tering the country. how much George W. Bush has really Jr., a Republican, changed over was criticized in the years.” the beginning of his Howe ver, term for not doing Obama’s polanything to imicies inspired prove immigration critics to be status or border concerned control. “It’s scary over his lack how he opted to igof action in Trump speaks to a crowd of supporters at rally. nore that duty in the the first part beginning,” stated Casey Tyler, ’20. After the 9/11 ter- of his term. In 2012, Obama issued an executive order rorist attacks not even a year into his presidency, Bush stating that undocumented young adults brought into was under extreme scrutiny from the public to defend the country could apply for deportation relief and a the American people. A terrified nation cracked down work permit. In 2014, this was further expanded with on airport security and border control, hoping to pre- the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), vent anything similar from happening again. Presi- and set up other programs to help the undocumented dent Bush continued to work towards tougher immi- parents of American-born children. President Obama gration laws, but no drastic changes were made to the also instituted the Dream Act with the aim of helpborder management. In 2007, nearing the end of his ing undocumented children who were brought in as term, former President Bush tried to use his executive young children to apply for green cards and higher powers to change the country’s immigration policies, education in order to pursue a better quality of life. but was denied. He focused on other matters for the President Obama’s compassionate policies are often rest of his presidency. CNN stated that he simply an- credited with the shift in the general view of imminounced, “It didn’t work,” in a deflated tone during a grants in the United States. According to The New flickr.com

Anna Fahey ’20 News writer

York Times, many thought that Obama funneled too much towards his immigration reform and wanted to see a bigger priority on citizens that were already here.

Others worried that Obama was being too lenient with his immigration policies and had increased the chance of allowing dangerous people into the country.

As Obama’s successor, Trump is asked: will the U.S. see a reversal in immigration policies that hearken back to the Bush Presidency or will Trump deliver on the radical promises he made while campaigning?

During the first steps of our country’s new leadership, the whole country is watching either in delight or horror as Trump vows to change much of what former President Obama set in place during the last eight years. Early into his term, President Trump issued the infamous executive order 13769 that blocked entrance into the U.S. from five Middle-Eastern - and predominantly Muslim - countries: Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, and Libya. According to The Washington Times, the ban varied from each country to country for 90-120 days, with Syrian incomers banned indefinitely. Although the ban was overturned by a court official, it set the tone for the next four years of President Trump’s presidency. The President has also vowed to build a wall across the Mexican border to keep out all the, which he termed, “bad people” from Mexico, as well as threatened to force the Mexican government to pay for all the costs of construction. On February 28, 2017, during his address to the congress, Trump delivered plans for a new immigration policy, far more aggressive than Obama’s. He plans to unleash the full potential of our government to find the undocumented immigrants in our country and deport them. The new plan allows for many more expulsions, although Trump also claimed that he was open to working a pathway to citizenship for a select number of undocumented immigrants.

As of now, the country reflects on the past 15 years of immigration policies and waits to see what changes Trump might enact.

election in France continues in Earnest Nick Urick ’20 News writer Now that the US elections have ended, global attention has shifted to Europe. The next couple of months are known as “election season” in Europe, a time where the presidential power is transferred to a new leader in a process similar to the United States. A very controversial election is happening now in France, where several opposing sides are going against each other to win power in the country. As the election season progresses over seas, it’s important to anticipate the impact this will have worldwide.

Alexis Borst ’19 commented, “I’m not someone who usually follows elections. But after the recent election in the United States, I became a little bit interested in the elections around the world. I found the election in France to be most interesting, due to the distinct differences in each of the front-running candidates.”

This year, the three main French candidates for presidency are Benoît Hamon, Francois Fillon, and Marine Le Pen. Hammon, a French politician, and member of the Socialist Party, became the socialist candidate for the 2017 French Presidential Election after defeating Manuel Valls in the second round of the party primaries earlier this year. Due to his extreme ideas, Hamon is considered the far-left politician of the race. In fact, according to The Guardian, Hamon is often referred to as “the French Jeremy Cor-

byn,” which references a British politician who was elected Leader of the Labour Party in 2015. Hamon’s main focuses include employment, welfare, and the labor market. His most noticeable idea is a proposal for a 750 euro-per-month basic income for every citizen over eighteen years old. According to Newsweek, his labor market proposals include fighting for big economy companies to classify freelance workers as employees. Of all candidates, Hamon is most expected to “shake up” France’s democracy.

Competing against Hamon is François Fillon, the economic liberal candidate. Recently, François Fillon won the primary race to become France’s center-right presidential candidate in the next year’s election. Also, According to TIME, Fillon recently beat his boss, Nicolas Sarkozy, in the first round of the primaries, disrupting Sarkozy’s previously prestigious political career. Recently, Fillon has called for an extension to the retirement age. He also seeks to lower the number of benefits provided in jobs, lower the 35-hour work week and cut 600,000 public sector jobs in order to fund tax breaks for companies. This approach is likely to bring protests and strikes, but according to TIME, Fillon says he is ready to battle the union.

His socially conservative views usually evoke support from France’s Catholic Right. According to TIME, Fillon says he stands for Christian family values, voting against same sex marriage, and campaigning against medically-assisted pregnancy for lesbian women.

Clearly, his views are very controversial. Similar to

April ISSUE 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY

our current President, Donald Trump, Fillon also looks to make closer relationships with Russia.

Marine Le Pen is the leader of France’s National Front, and one of the three front runners for the French election. Similar to her opposing candidates, she drew controversy after vowing to cut immigration.

According to The Sun News, she has similar values to the United States President, Donald Trump.

Since taking over the National Front Party, Le Pen has tried to tone down her extreme right wing views, due to the clear outbreaks of the French citizens.

However, Le Pen remains openly opposed to “Islamification” in Europe and believes that French citizenship should either be “inherited or merited”. Her plans are to make it a lot more difficult to become a French citizen and to ban protests supporting illegal immigrants.

Some of her other positions include working to lower taxes, and increasing welfare payments for the working class. During a conversation about the election with Sean Brady ’20, he commented, “Like many other European countries, we are seeing a rise in more conservative views from politicians leading to a rise in more right-leaning candidates running for president.

A lot of this comes from the frustrations the European Union and the responsibility these countries seem to be facing due to the Middle East Crisis.”

These elections are crucial in shaping Europe going forward and reveal concern about the surge in farright leadership. The American public will have to pay close attention going forward.

PAGE 3

Lucy knudsen ’19 features writer With the busy schedules that Friends students have, most prefer convenience over sustainability.

It is often easier to purchase a single use plastic water bottle than to carry around a reusable one or to throw a piece of paper in the trash rather than the recycling bin. However, there is a group of students within the school that are doing their best to change this. This group is called Charity Water and Ecology, clerked by Sarah Gooderham, Lindsay Weber, and Evelyn Wakeley. The club promotes sustainability in the Friends community by raising awareness about water conservation and other ecological issues while supporting eco-friendly charity organizations.

Hannah Blackwell ’20 commented on the club: “By joining Charity Water, I became more aware of the amount of things in my life that I waste.”

Blackwell attended the Charity Water MLK Day GMO workshop, in which she learned about the food system. She remarked on the impact of the club and what she has learned from the workshop: “it promotes awareness of what is in people’s food, and that helped me understand the food system and what I can do to help. I now understand that I can still help change the way things are by choosing to buy food that’s better for the environment”.

Blackwell’s comment on food shows that even small changes can make a big difference on the environment.

The club supports and is named after the charitable organization Charity Water, which creates wells in places without access to clean water. An anonymous student commented on the organization: “The charity promotes sustainability because instead of just giving people water bottles, they actually build wells so that the people can have a lasting water source.” The club formerly raised money for this organization through hot chocolate sales.

Despite having to discontinue hot chocolate sales, the club continues to find new ways to raise money and support this club, such as providing hot chocolate with a suggested donation. This club believes that this continued support is necessary because the issue of lack of access to clean water is an important one.

Stephanie Knudsen is a middle school faculty member at Friends. She believes that sustainability is central to the Quaker testaments and therefore to the school. She stated: “it is a club that supports the school’s values. I like how the members of the club try to raise awareness of sustainability issues.

Sustainability is basically synonymous with stewardship, one of the Quaker SPICES. This shows that the club is important to the school community’s values and is a strong voice in favor of reducing the school’s ecological footprint.

Charity Water and Ecology serves as a reminder for students, faculty, parents, and alumni to be more conscious about waste. These wells do more than just give clean water. They prevent diseases and give people (especially women) more time for education because they do not have to spend nearly as long walking in search of water. The club also raises awareness around the school by creating posters and art,mostly for earth day, which provide meaningful facts. The club promotes sustainability at Friends by raising money and providing useful information for the community.

PAGE 4

seniors’ exciting explorations perience in a field they would not normally go into,” stated Greg Smith ’17. Smith will be working with Special Olympics this May and is eager to do so. AnWith graduation right around the corner, the Wilm- other senior, Remy Davis-Tinnell ’17, will shadow an ington Friends seniors are starting to explore what interior designer to experience how art and business their life could be beyond high school. Every year, the can meet. However, it’s not only the seniors who are seniors of Wilmington Friends School choose an area looking forward to the exploration project. “It’s really of interest to explore, whether it be “a previous pas- exciting! I wish I were a senior because the exploration sion, explore a career path, or investigate a new inter- seems like a really fun learning experience to do beest”, stated Javier Ergueta, IB History Teacher and this fore graduation. It also seems like a good opportunity year’s exploration coordinator, on the senior explora- to try something new,” expressed Ruth Hazzard ’19. tion website. This May, the senior class has proposed Even though Hazzard is a sophomore, she and many many interesting exploration ideas such as shadowing other underclassmen have expressed their excitement an interior designfor their future exploraer, traveling to tions.

Japan, and workIn the past, seniors ing with Special have used the month of Olympics. There May to commit themare many different selves to many interestrequirements that ing Plans of Action. Stuthe seniors need to dents have travelled to fulfill in order for foreign countries such their exploration as Ireland and France to to count towards see the world through their graduation a different global percredit. spective. Some students The purpose of explored different prothe exploration is fessions, including the for seniors to go Seniors prepare for college through the senior exploration project. culinary, medical, or out of their combusiness field to experifort zones and explore the world beyond Wilmington ence what working in that career would be like. There Friends School. All seniors are required to create a have also been seniors who dedicated their time to guiding question that helps them start their journey. expand their knowledge in different hobbies such as Their questions are supposed to state what they plan sewing, ballet, and photography. to do for their exploration. Other requirements are As part of their last WFS experience, with the exfinding a mentor, that cannot be a family member, that ception of final exams, the seniors are ready to comwill supervise the student. The student and mentor will plete their explorations. Spring is a very exciting time create a Plan of Action that the student and mentor for the seniors. With graduation in sight, they are nearcreate together, which entails what they will be doing, ing the end of their high school careers. The explorafilling in the minimum number of hours of activity, tion is a process that can help ready the seniors before and making a ‘Presentation of Learning’ to present at they get their diploma for what their lives will be like in Senior Exploration Night in June. the future, beyond the halls of Friends. By graduation This years seniors are very excited about their ex- in June, the seniors will have expanded their knowlplorations. “(The exploration) helps introduce seniors edge in a desired area, in whatever way they choose, by to new things before they leave. It gives them more ex- completing their exploration process. addie trudel ’19 features writer

sites.duke.edu

ecology at friends

Exploring American Chinese food How come American Chinese food is so different compared to the traditional Chinese cuisine?

American Chinese food has been transformed from “Let’s stop eating fast food. It is not good for you. We the traditional Chinese cuisine, adding a lot of new can have Chinese food for dinner.” Many students dishes to its menu. Many foods are Americanized and teachers see Chinese food as one of their favor- into unhealthy fast food so that it is unrecognizite kinds of food and eat it in a daily basis. One may able to Chinese people. Some stereotypical Chinese wonder - why did Chinese food that you can get from an food start to become so popAmerican Chinese restaurant ular? One of the main reasons can be crab rangoon, sweet is that people think Chinese and sour Chicken, and more. food is healthy and nutritious.

“My favorite foods in ChiThis assumption is generally nese restaurants are the crab correct about traditional Chirangoon and kung pao chicknese cuisine, but not about en, but when I say that to my the American Chinese food, Chinese friends, many of them which is what most people eat say they have never tried those here in the U.S.. Americanized foods before”, commented MiTraditional Chinese food has been “AmeriChinese food is quite different randa Peak ’19. The fortune canized” to suit the tastes of those in the U.S. from the traditional cuisines of cookie is also another interChina. Oftentimes, many American-Chinese dishes esting element within the American Chinese food. are based on fried foods with heavy sauces high in fat, Fortune cookies originated in the 19th century, acsodium, and sugar. All these unhealthy elements of- tually in Japan, where they too had fortunes. Unlike ten lead to obesity, diabetes and other kinds of health issues.

(Continued on Page 5) krystal xu ’19 features writer

applehotels.com

FEATURES

April ISSUE 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY

SpICES TURN SPICY IN CAFÉ DUTY their children to clean while at school. However, when asked to respond to this comment, Sean Cochran ’17 remarked that “cafeteria duty helps students build Every day of a WFS education, students are reminded respect for their surroundings and for one anothof the Quaker Testimonies and their value in our com- er. When people realize that it will be other students munity. These testimonies, referred to as the SPICES, cleaning up after them and that they themselves will are simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, have the duty eventually, it inclines them to make less and stewardship. At each stage in a Friends School of a mess.” education, these concepts are intertwined throughout When asked how cafeteria duty impacts the daily the curriculum. The integration of a traditional edu- experiences of the cafeteria staff, Amy Ferris, director cation (english, math, science, history, and language) of food services, noted that “the café duty program is with moral education (the SPICES), can be seen very important to us as it helps us keep the café clean.” school-wide. From student-led clubs such as Random She further elaborated on Cochran’s point: “it makes Acts of Kindness students cogto Quaker Youth nizant of the Leadership Comfact that if they mittee, there is no leave a mess, shortage of student someone has initiative to upto come along hold these morals. and clean up However, there has after them. been some conThus, students troversy regarding are more likely putting these valto clean up afues into action in ter themselves, the cafeteria. as they know Each school what it was like year, advisowhen they had ry groups from clean up and grades six through trash was left.” twelve are assigned Ferris coma week out of the mented on the Junior students hard at work during cafeteria duty. year to complete value cafeteria their share of “cafeteria duty.” This responsibility re- duty has as an aspect of the Friends experience, as it quires students and their advisors to take the last enhances the significance of the SPICES in our lives. twenty minutes out of their lunch time to clean the While it clearly speaks to the stewardship aspect of cafeteria. Students wipe tables, sweep the floor, and the SPICES, Ferris suggested that it also enhances the stack chairs, then carry on with the rest of their day. In community aspect by saying that she “also enjoys the recent years, there has been a considerable increase in program as it has been a way for [her] to get to know student-opposition to this tradition. In fact, two years the students who don’t buy food everyday. It is also a ago, a student approached the business meeting team chance to talk to the students who are on duty, and to suggest the removal of cafeteria duty as an open hear what they have to say about our program and life forum topic. Framed by the community SPICE, this in general.” discussion was held in the next month’s meeting in While cafeteria duty sometimes faces opposition, it order to survey the viewpoints of the community. To is an integral part of the Friend’s experience because the community’s surprise, one student stood up and it works to promote the Quaker values of stewardship suggested that their parents pay too much money for and community.

Evie Kortanek ’18

tess beardell ’17 features writer

Features (Continued from Page 4) American Chinese fortune cookies, these are darker and slightly bigger. Fortune cookies were first served in the U.S. in San Francisco, at the Golden Gate Park’s Japanese Tea Garden. They were made by a nearby Japanese bakery. Sissi Jian ’18 explained, “I was really surprised by the popularity and culture of fortune cookies in America. I have never seen those cookies before. Where is that cookie coming from?”

Another influential aspect leading to this difference is the ingredients used in the dishes. In general, traditional Chinese dishes use a lot of vegetables, beans and cooked wheat foods as main parts of a dish. As for the cooking skill, many daily dishes are cooked with a variety of simple techniques such as steaming, stir-fry, boiling, etc. Oil and artificial additives are not usually found in a traditional Chinese dish. One example is Duck Blood Vermicelli soup. “I tried the Chinese Vermicelli soup during the China trip. It is really different from the Chinese food I tried in America, but it is also really delicious.

I felt the ingredients in it are heathier compared to what I had in the U.S.,” offered Jesse Parker ’19. On the contrary, American Chinese dishes focus more attention on cooking with meat and sauce in every dish. A lot of American Chinese dishes use artificial sauce, which is mostly where the fat and sugar comes from. Besides using sauce to cook, fried food has also become a huge part in American Chinese food, which is not common in traditional Chinese cuisine.

Although American Chinese food is not as healthy as the traditional Chinese cuisine and it is considered “fake” food by many Chinese, one can not deny its popularity in the U.S. since the flavor was Americanized, accommodating the taste of the people in the U.S. The question is: how can we still stay healthy while enjoying delicious American Chinese food? Luckily, there is a way to achieve this goal and it is not hard to do at all. Making some small changes on your order will directly make one meal a lot more healthier. The important tip here is try to avoid fried and stir-fried. For example, change your fried dumplings into steamed ones and fried rice into white or brown rice.

All in all, American Chinese food, though not typically Chinese, is still delicious and can be considered healthy food as long as one orders the food correctly. With that, how about going out and trying some Chinese food tonight?

word search: april issue edition!

April ISSUE 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY

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Sports

Perk puts in Work: One Thousand Points Later On February 22, Jordan Perkins ’17, a four year varsity player for the Quaker men’s basketball team, scored 23 points against the Conrad Redwolves, ensuring the win and scoring the thousandth point of his high school career. In the perfect cap to the season, Perkins achieved his thousandth point on senior night, surrounded by friends and family. It was not only a great way to cap off an amazing season, but an amazing basketball career at WFS. During this season, Perkins averaged 16 points per game, which is right on par for scoring 1000 points.

Throughout his entire career, he averaged 12.6 points per game. His ability to drive to the basket as well as pull up for the shot off the dribble is intimidating by any stretch. His speed is also useful on both defense and offense. He is also experienced in reading the offender and getting steals, leading to an effective defense.

When he joined the team as a freshman four years ago, he was a positive addition and has proved so ever since.

“I think he’s always been good, but my impression is that the team seems more cohesive now, and his play within reflects that. I think morale feels better. I think that that is a reflection on him and his leadership on the team,” Richard Kittle, Athletic Director, remarked.

Perkins’ usefulness on the team goes beyond pure skill; he served as the central leader on the team. His motivation to get in the gym inspires other members of the team to do the same. He has single handedly improved the work ethic of the Friends basketball program.

“He brings everything [to the team]. Everything from emotion to heart, he doesn’t let you get away with

Aldridge ’18 stated regarding Perkins’ impact on the team.

Perkins was not born with his leadership skills and basketball prowess. He is known for being the first into the gym and the last person out. His inexhaustible work ethic is both admirable and recognized by many.

“I got to know Jordan early, and I got to see him grow over the four years on the team. I watched him go from not getting as many minutes as he deserved freshman year to a consistent scorer that we could rely on in every game. Jordan has also become the heart of the team, someone who motivates the other players. It meant a lot to me to see him reach 1,000 points because I see how hard he works and how much time he puts in,” Ethan Moser ‘17 added. Perkins’ undying effort evidently does not go unnoticed.

Perkins has given Wilmington Friends School four years of hard work and dedication. He has worked tirelessly over his time here to transform not only his personal game, but the game of everyone he plays with. He has worked hard in high school, and hopes to continue to play at the collegiate level. He has sustained Jordan Perkins ’17 celebrates during a game against Tatnall. an extremely high level of play anything. He is a core member of our team. When you over four years, and that is shown by the ball that will think of Friends basketball, you think Jordan Perkins. be displayed in the trophy case, reading ‘Jordan PerHe really is the heart and soul of our team,” Donovan kins 1000.’

Jordan Perkins ;17

Carlin Beskrone ’19 Sports writer

eCO-fRIENDLY sTADIUMS IN tODAY’S woRLD to help the earth. I’m encouraged to hear that groups like the Eagles are taking steps to be more environmentally friendly,” Mary Woodward, Library Media Specialist and Quakerism teacher, stated. In Woodward’s Quakerism class, she stresses the importance of the environment and has her class view a documenta-

In today’s world, people have to be extra cautious about waste. We are quickly discovering that our world does not have the abundance of resources that we previously thought we had. Professional sports, one of the most profitable and exciting businesses, contributes heavily to this problem. They collectively produce millions of pounds of waste and about 35,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year. Since there is so much waste, stadiums have begun efforts to end this by adding solar panels and increasing the number of recycling bins and wind turbines in their stadiums. The Lincoln Financial Field is considered one of the pioneers of sustainable sports stadiums because of their use of solar panels and wind turbines, which power more than six times the amount of energy that is required to run a home game. In total, the stadium has more than 11,000 solar panels and 14 micro wind-turbines.

Clearly, all stadiums should follow their example by also using clean energy to power their entire stadium.

The Montreal Biodome, home to four replicas of ecosystems.

At Wilmington Friends School, most students and faculty members sincerely care about their impact on the environment ry that exposes the myths about plastic material and and want to make positive changes to reduce our car- where it ends up. Surprisingly, there are about 8 milbon footprint. lion metric tons of plastic in the ocean.

“It’s a problem wherever it happens and we need to Many students are deeply fascinated with the educate more people about recycling and other ways Earth’s future and well-being and want it to be a place

PAGE 6

where waste is minimized.

“I think it is great that an American institution like football is promoting environmental friendliness, and I hope that they lead by example for other professional sports teams and the country,” James Tallman ‘19 added. As an Eagles fan, it is an added bonus to know that the team has one of the most environmentally sustaining stadiums in the world.

During the track season, Simon Wakeley ’19 discovered that another school also had solar panels on their campus. “Outside this one stadium during track season, you could see solar panels. I thought it was pretty cool because I thought Friends was the only school who used clean energy, so it’s nice to see other schools doing that too,” Wakeley noted.

It is good to see other schools concerned about the environment the way Wilmington Friends School is, and hopefully in the future, even more schools will become eco-conscious.

Our future will be bright if all other sports stadiums, professional and amateur, will take into account what the Eagles did with their field. If so, millions of pounds of waste could be eliminated, and instead of burning coal for energy, green energy would be used instead. Wilmington Friends School also exhibited its interest in clean energy in the early 2000s when the school invested in 700 solar panels to put on the roofs of the school.

All of these efforts, both big and small, will ultimately help our planet. fr.canoe.ca

cONNOR mILLER ’19 sPORTS writer

April ISSUE 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY

Sports

Celebrating National Athletic Training Month This March, the United States celebrated athletic trainers everywhere. National Athletic Training Month spreads awareness of the endless hours of work that athletic trainers put into making every athlete’s experience the best it can be. Here at Friends, we are incredibly lucky to have one of the best athletic trainers in the state! Devon Adams came to Friends in 2009 and has become a huge part of the Wilmington Friends athletic program and community. Without her, it would certainly be hard to make it through any sports season.

Adams attended Penn State University for her undergraduate degree and the University of Delaware for her Masters Degree. Through college she perfected the art of athletic training, and she put those skills to the test on student athletes at Wilmington Friends.

One thing that everybody admires about Adams is her kind personality. She comes to work everyday with a positive attitude and a big smile. Often she is accompanied by her daughter, Avery, who helps her with taping the athletes.

“Devon’s the best! She helps everyone in the community in a time of need,” Kasey Drane ’18 commented. Every day, Adams sees many different injuries, ranging from broken bones, torn muscles, and bruises, to a small cut. Yet, she treats everyone as well as she

can, and never backs down from any challenge.

“One time I fell and skinned my knees and she cleaned me up. She was very nice about it,” added Izze Rios ’18 about one of her smaller injuries.

ods, lunch, and before practice for relief and guidance.

Often, Adams gets busy trying to single-handedly care for everyone in the Friends community, so the school partners with the University of Delaware to give aspiring athletic trainers a chance to be mentored under Adams for a full semester.

“My shoulder hurt, so I went to Devon. Kevin, her intern, massaged my shoulder because it hurt very badly, but it felt much better afterwards. I came back every day for a week, and now my shoulder feels a lot better!”

Jack Coons ‘18 remarked about the time he spent with Adams and current intern, Kevin.

From a coach’s standpoint, having someone like Adams means having someone to rely on, and someone who can keep the athlete playing their sport without having to deal with the many injuries that happens every day.

“Devon is a devoted trainer and teacher and she always wants what’s best for the kids,” Chamby Zepeda, soccer coach, commented.

Evidently, every coach and student-athlete is incredibly grateful to have someone like Adams. Therefore, be sure to thank all of the athletic trainers for the rest of the year. Trainers’ work is often overlooked, when in reality, the trainer is the most important member of the team.

Evie Kortanek ’18

John Blackwell ’18 Sports Writer

Devon Adams poses with her assisstant.

As a community, we are very fortunate to have Adams. She is fully committed to making Wilmington Friends’ athletes play to the best of their ability through taping, muscle rehabilitation exercises, massages, and many more techniques. It is easy to find an abundance of athletes in her room during free peri-

Grassking the question: Turf or grass?

Astroturf fields are one of the greatest inventions in sports history, but have become subject to controversy among people today. Astroturf is an artificial grass that is made of plastic and used as an alternative to natural grass in sporting fields. Below the plastic grass blades is a layer of crushed rubber, made from used tires; beneath that there is a layer of sand, preventing grass from growing up though the rubber. It was invented to be a convenient replacement for natural grass, and a safer alternative for athletes to play on.

One of the reasons astroturf is so desirable is that it is a safe alternative for athletes; there is a lower risk of injury because it is flat and relatively lumpless, whereas natural grass can be quite irregular. “I like that you don’t have to worry about bumps in the dirt. I understand that for some sports, like lacrosse, you don’t have to worry as much because the ball is in the air. But for soccer it matters because the ball is on the ground a lot,” says Olivia Finizio ’19, soccer player.

Another benefit of astroturf is that it does not require as much water as natural grass does, requiring only small amounts to keep the grass from fraying. There is

also not nearly as much maintenance required as there is for natural grass. “Fertilizer, which can harm the ecosystem, is not needed. Although creating a turf means building over part of the earth, the lack of a need for fertilizer means we can avoid killing any living organisms,” recounts Finizio.

Although there are many pros to astroturf fields, the environmental and medical cons seem to balance them

MRSA, a bacterium that has become resistant to many antibiotics. Also, the sanded underside of the turf makes it nearly impossible to cultivate any grass in that spot again.

“There are pros and cons because the turf field is beautiful, in good condition in all weather, and easy to maintain. It’s consistent [and creates a] fairly soft place for kids to play. I wish there weren’t any negatives with it,” states Mary Woodward, Library Media Specialist.

Despite these negatives, Associate Head for Finance and Operations Bill Baczkowski explains the renovation of the track and field in 2014. “We had a field down there of natural turf and because of the poor soils and expansive rock in the soil we were never able to adequately grow grass,” says Baczkowski.

“The community was [originally] concerned about the rubber, but we had lots of studies presented to us that showed the minute level of carcinogens found in the rubber chips was well below any unacceptable levels.” Baczkowski ensures that the astroturf field at Friends, the Mellor Field, is perfectly safe for students, athletes, and all members of the Wilmington Friends or Alapocas community.

The invention of the astroturf field, though controversial, is a pride of modern technology. While there are many health and environmental concerns in question, there seems to be overwhelming support in favor of astroturf, and we are lucky to have it at Friends.

georgian.edu

Bella stuccio ’19 Sports Writer

Astroturf: do the possible risks outweigh the benifits?

out. Many studies claim that astroturf fields can lead to cancer in those who play on them regularly. Some studies have even shown that players with open wounds on astroturf fields have been exposed to infections, such as

APril Issue 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY

PAGE 7

Founded in 1982, the Discovery Channel has served to educate its viewers on a variety of topics.

True to its name, anyone watching this channel will most likely discover something that they did not know before. Primarily, it is a reality station that offers diverse shows ranging from “Myth Busters,” to “Deadliest Catch,” and the beloved “Shark Week.”

Shows like these are not only entertaining, but extremely informative. However, in the past nine years, the Discovery Channel has seen a decrease in viewership by a few million people. The highest ratings come from people ages 25 to 54, which is a much higher age range than the students at WFS. Since the emergence of Netflix in 1997, teens have had easy access to almost every popular T.V. series. Regardless of the network, a majority of the programs on television are non-informative, with hardly any true reality shows. So what, exactly, are WFS students watching these days?

Some members of the student body prefer informative T.V. to fiction, such as Chris Wallace ’17, who stated, “I prefer informative T.V. to drama, as in non-fiction television. Although I mostly watch Sports Center, I always love watching “Shark Week” and other specials involving animals.” Although, it is still hard to avoid the allure of a dramatic television show. After a long day, people seek the high emotional stimulation as opposed to the intellectual one. However, certain WFS students such as Jake Morris '18 watch shows like “Jeopardy” because he finds the show to be extraordinarily captivating: “I watch Jeopardy every single night it’s on. I like to see how many questions I know the answer to.” “Jeopardy,” a quiz game that ranges topics in all sorts of categories, test contestants’ knowledge skills, utilization of time, and willingness to gamble.

While some prefer the more informative television programs as opposed to dramatic and binge-worthy television series, not every student at WFS feels the same way as these two students do.

Some students prefer fictitious television programs. Sammie Conner ’18 shared, “I prefer drama and comedy T.V. shows because they are much more interesting. You can get attached to characters as opposed to shows where there’s not much interaction between people, and personalities do not show through, like in informative T.V. shows.”

While there are reality T.V. shows that highlight semblances to reality, such as ABC’s “The Bachelor,” this genre of television differs greatly from informative programs, where the purpose is for viewers to learn about a new and interesting topic. Reality television, for the most part, relates to simply watching people’s everyday lives, and information pertaining to these shows is limited to what the viewers can deduce on their own.

Students at WFS seem to have a varying interest in educational television. There are various shows which are exceptionally informative but have a particularly interactive style to their program. For example, shows such as “Shark Tank” can teach viewers a lot about the world of business and entrepreneurship without directly reciting facts. Television shows that hold a subtle approach to education and incorporate a heavy competition aspect seem to be quite successful. Overall, the student body has a range of interests in T.V. and many engage in informative programs.

PAGE 8

my grow and although it is hurting the environment, there are things that can be done to restore any damage that is being done.” To many the environment is a The fast fashion industry is a process in which products constant priority, but it is hard to see the irreversible in the fashion industry are delivered to consumers as effects of fast fashion, such as harmful pollution. Betsy quickly and inexpensively as possible in order to build added, “This isn’t a long term investment, but a short a large market. The fast fashion industry is expanding term solution. However, I believe people, including quickly, with people buying 60 percent more clothes myself, sometimes do what they feel is best at a certain and keeping them half as long as they did 15 years point in time without regard of the future.” The Unitago. Designers are taking advantage of this and turn- ed States’ perpetual economy leaves room for error. ing trends over quickly. In reaction to this, consumers The environment, on the other hand, suffers greatly are purchasing clothes more often to keep up with the due to human negligence, so thinking ahead is pivotal. never ending stream of new styles. This trend affects Following the oil industry, fast fashion manufacturthe environment significantly, because the chemicals ers are the second largest polluter in the United States. used in clothing textiles are being released into the After asking James Rolle, Upper School Chinese teachatmosphere. The cheaper, which he felt is more imer fabrics and materials portant, he stated “That is a that make less expensive very complex question.” The and more common clotheconomy and environment ing items contain harmare two of the most vital eleful chemicals that cause ments that allow America to pollution. Synthetic fibers thrive. After contemplating emit carbon dioxide at this question for a moment much higher rates, polluthe went on, “Our economy ing the environment. On is cyclical. There is nothing the contrary, the econwe can do that will make it omy thrives because of go up forever. Our environthe multitude of jobs that ment is the opposite. All of The fast fashion industry can stimulate the economy, are required to keep up our actions are permanent, but at what cost? with the clothing comunlike the economy. Once pany’s requests. This brings up an interesting eco- the environment endures something that weakens nomic and ethical debate centered around protect- it, it can never “go up” again.” The economy is a short ing our planet, while also stimulating our economy. term element that can excel and fail continuously. The The U.S. economy thrives on consumerism, so when environment, on the other hand, is irreplaceable. Emi people buy more clothing, the stores need more inven- Arai '20 commented, “I like being able to buy cheaptory to keep stock. This allows more jobs to open for er clothes because when it is no longer in fashion I did designers, manufacturers, distributors, etc. Betsy Cep- not spend so much on it.” As a young teenager, it is not parulo, Upper School Global Peace and Justice teach- common to have a steady job, so saving money and er, commented: “For me, it has less to do with either spending it is very tricky business. After a poll, it was the future economy or the environment and more to concluded that 25 freshmen believe that buying more do with how the current economy has dictated my op- expensive clothes less often is inevitably more sustaintions. It seems that we live in a time now when peo- able for the environment than excessively spending ple are saving less and feeling more desperate to make money on fashion. This side of the poll definitely won! ends meet on a daily basis, which necessitates buying Regarding the fast fashion industry, it is up to individcheaper clothing.” She is not the only one who feels this uals and how they want to contribute to the country and way. Edward Micheletti '20 shared, “With regard to the the planet as a whole to make their own decisions. Fast U.S.’s current state, I believe that our economy over- fashion is an underrated topic, which leaves significant rules the environment. Fast fashion helps our econo- questions for our country that must soon be answered.

Olivia Ivins ‘20 entertainment writer

pixabay.com

Maggie Martelli-Raben ‘18 Entertainment writer

fast fashion: what really matters?

staying smart and sane this spring Veale '17 explained, "In terms of my mental health, it really helps me to stop what I’m doing and go for a run or go to practice because then when I come Spring is in the air! However, with the budding flow- back to my work I have a fresh mind and am ready ers and warm weather, spring also brings the stress to focus. Sitting down for twelve hours a day would of preparation for finals and IB Exams. As sumnot be conducive to effecmer nears, it is sometimes tive studying.” While the hard to focus on studying spring sports season is the for exams and maintaining shortest of the school year, grades in classes. While it it can be imperative to helpcan be difficult to remain ing students stay focused mentally stable during this instead of checking out of busy time, it is important their work. to make sure that students It is also important for can finish the school year students to stay organized This is a serene image emulating a student's study session. strong. so that they can focus and One thing that many WFS students do in or- have a healthy mindset going into exams. One der to keep their thoughts in order is play a spring helpful tactic both students and teachers use to resport. Playing a sport gives students two hours after main organized is to make a list of things which a long day at school to unwind, talk to their friends, they need to accomplish, taking it one “to-do” and get some exercise. Having time out of the class- at a time. Sarah O’Brien, Upper School Physics room and away from books is a great way to give students a break from their busy schedules. Simone (Continued on Page 9) ALLIE FULGINITI ‘17 ENTERTAINMENT WRITER

crooked1987.deviantart.com

Entertainment THE APPEAL OF INFORMATIVE T.V. TO WFS STUDENTS

April ISSUE 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY

celebrities and the environment a hinderance if they really don’t know what the subject is, if they’re spreading ignorance. Personally, I’m a lot more influences by a celebrity if they’ve shown someCelebrities are more than faces on a television screen. where else in their life that they’ve actually learned Since audiences see big screen actors and actresses in enough to be somebody to sway opinion.” Clearly cemovies and TV shows so frequently, it is easy to forget lebrities make for excellent spreaders of information; that they are people with vehement opinions and values. however, as Woodward said, they must be knowledgeMany celebrities are dedicated to certain causes, which able about their topic. In the context of environmenthey can effectively raise awareness for by reaching out tal activism, raising awareness with accurate facts is to their abundance of fans and supporters. Recently, important to maintaining the integrity of the cause. some celebrities, such as Academy Award-Winning One of the most respectable instances of celebrities actors, have used their influence to promote environ- using their fame to push an agenda comes with the mental activism, and here at WFS, the topic of climate many stars who try to garner supporters for environchange and pollution resonates with the community. mental activism, a topic which is incredibly significant Such notable names as Leonardo DiCaprio, Ed- in the eyes of the WFS community. Why should peoward Norton, Pierce Brosnan, and Brad Pitt all pro- ple know about climate change and pollution? Arnold mote environmental activism, spreading an important had an answer: “People should know about climate message to a diverse and expansive audience. Nick change and pollution because it has to do with them.

Gauthier ’17 gave his thoughts on the celebrities that The issue of a changing climate is not about saving the use their fame and influence to push an agenda (more wildlife or saving the tropical forests or the biodiversispecifically, raising ty in the wilderawareness about enness, it’s about vironmental issues): saving the hu“Personally, I am all man race.” The for celebrities pushfact that these ing an agenda. When issues affect the you have such a poentire world tent platform it seems is a staggering only logical to me one. He elabothat it be used for israted: “When sues that delve below people overlook the surface of Hollythe fact that wood. Celebrities are severe climate some of the greatest change could influencers of the lead to lower general population, crop yields and Leonardo DiCaprio speaks with John Kerry; DiCaprio is a vocal especially youngless liveable environmental activist. er generations, so land, they are once they hop on board to environmentalism it has overlooking their children’s ability to survive comthe potential to become compelling in the eyes of fortably disappearing. To overlook climate change their following.” He notes the potency of celebrities’ and the growing amount of human pollution is to voices, which is a key element to them being effec- overlook the eventual extinction of the human race.” tive spreaders of information. Although, Gauthier Woodward also agreed with the notion that these also has his concerns: “That being said, what I have issues are of utmost importance. “[Environmental acissue with is celebrities who feign compassion for tivism] is probably one of the most important things. the environment and live otherwise, greatly bur- I think all the different things going on in politics dening the ecosystem with their luxurious lifestyle.” and things like that, to me, don’t matter if we ruin Tim Arnold ’18 also stated that he is in favor of this planet,” she said, “I do understand that a strong celebrities pushing their agendas: “I am in support of economy is more likely to be able to help the environcelebrities using their fame to push an agenda because ment, put in the measures needed and so on. Enviif people see said agenda being pushed in politics, and ronmental activism can’t be achieved totally exclusive by people they may look up to, they will take notice. of the economy.” Gauthier went so far as to layout Exposure to the ideas is the first step in making an some of the steps that need to be taken in order for activist, and that can begin with celebrities elevating the movement to succeed: “I think that the effort put a public issue through their own fame.” Also, he not- forth towards saving the environment and activism ed that, sometimes, assistance from outside forces can will only be fruitful if governments can be persuaded maximize their power. “Celebrities make good faces to changing policy and engineers pursue what some for movement as long as they are backed up by other would consider more noble, lesser paying career paths people in positions of influence that are varying, for outside of corporate industry.” Gauthier states that example a politician or an important business execu- in order for the nation and the world to tackle these tive,” he said, “the support for a movement from multi- issues, major change must occur. However, it is enple sources of varying influence and power allows the tirely possible, and definitely a goal worth pursuing. message to be spread to the greatest percentage of the Here in the Wilmington Friends community, many population, thereby maximizing its influence.” Arnold are in support of celebrities using their fame and fansuggested that the support of outside influences can base to raise awareness for certain causes, the most be extremely beneficial to the impact of the celebrities’ notable of these being environmental activism, which messages. Arnold added, “The indisputable fact that is considered one of the most pressing movements of celebrities reach a large audience makes them an effec- our time. The state of the world is of utmost importive way of spreading information.” Mary Woodward, tance, for nothing else will matter if it is destroyed.

Upper School Library Media Specialist and Quaker- Climate change and pollution have the potential to ism teacher, also shared her opinion: “It depends if inflict devastating damage on the world, and many they’re actually knowledgeable about what’s going on people are obligated to contribute to the cause. Even and/or they’re extremely passionate. I think some- without a wealth of fans and supporters, individual times that can help. Sometimes I think it can be a bit of people are able to contribute in some way. commons.wikimedia.org

Matt byer ’18 ENTERTAINMENT WRITER

April ISSUE 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY

Entertainment (Continued from Page 8) and Chemistry teacher, explained, “It helps keep stress to a minimum and stay on task when you only focus on one thing you have to do. When you try to concentrate on multiple different things you have to get done, it can be hard to complete any of them to your best potential. Take it one thing at a time.” Prioritizing and keeping organized can be the key to success when trying to get everything done this spring.

While the spring season can definitely be a time to get grades up, it may also be the perfect time to start a new series on Netflix to relieve some stress.

Katie Bodycot ‘17 described, “It is the best feeling to watch an episode of your favorite show after your finish all of your homework at night to unwind and have a little fun. Personally, “Grey’s Anatomy” is my favorite show on Netflix. So, if I’m having a rough or stressful night, I will treat myself to an episode of Grey’s.”

Even though students tend to be mentally and physically fried this season, especially after spring break, it is not impossible to keep spirits high and work ethic strong. Whether it is exercising, getting organized, or taking some time to unwind, there are many strategies to staying mentally sane and academically strong this spring season!

spring activities list EMMA LANDIS ’19 ENTERTAINMENT WRITER As the school year transitions into its last interim, spring finally approaches. For those who need a study break after a long winter or simply want to have some fun, this list will provide many ideas for ways to enjoy the spring weather. Many students are looking to feel the warmth of the sun and get outside. Stepping outdoors is the perfect way to get some exercise, soak up some vitamin D, or do something when one is bored.

If someone happens to be looking forward to spring and summer, the following are some fun and warm weather activities that you could try! You can: 1. Go for a jog.

2. Go on a walk with friends.

3. Have a picnic with an assortment of delicious foods.

4. Have a bonfire or BBQ. 5. Explore Alapocas waterfall (right near school).

6. Take a day trip to Rehoboth Beach.

7. Visit a lemonade stand.

8. Practice your favorite spring sport.

9. Plant flowers or make a garden.

10. Go to a park.

However, if none of these ideas sound appealing, get creative! There are a wealth of things to do in the spring that will get one outside and in the sun. If a student has lots of homework or has to study for finals and does not have the time to engage in these activities, try studying outside. Doing homework outside will lets one breathe in the fresh air and help them become more focused. Have fun, and enjoy the spring!

PAGE 9

News

BOmb Threats Shock Jewish Community Zack Horowitz ’17 NEws writer

“It’s a C-4 bomb with a lot of shrapnel, surrounded by a bag...In a short time, a large number of Jews are going to be slaughtered. Their heads are going to [be] blown off from the shrapnel. There’s a lot of shrapnel.

There’s going to be a bloodbath that’s going to take place in a short time. I think I told you enough. I must go.”

The new year did not begin as Jews all over the country anticipated it would. Bomb threats targeted Jewish Community Centers all across the nation, including our very own Siegel JCC in Wilmington Delaware, became the new, devastating norm. No one could have imagined that one day in January would mark the start of hundreds of bomb threats that would, with the simple click of a ‘call’ button on a phone or a ‘send’ button on the computer, emotionally terrify and rattle their beloved JCCs that for so many Jews had always been a place to call home, and a ‘safe zone’ where they could send their kids to preschool, work out, swim, play tennis, pray, and unite as one family in an environment created for the sole purpose of bringing Jews together in an era of great dispersion. So, when bomb threats were being made at their very own JCCs, the discomfort, devastation, and fear were incredible.

When the perpetrator of these vicious threats was finally found and arrested on March 23rd, justice was finally achieved… right? Well, not quite. The Jewish community faced defeat when it expected victory, and saw that the ‘evil’, ‘Jew hating’ person behind the threats was not some anti-semitic white supremacist; he was an Israeli Jew. This news hit close to home at Wilmington Friends School. Jewish student Will Gatti ’17 expressed how he felt when he first heard the religious and national identity of the perpetrator: “I was shocked. The first thoughts that came to mind were, ‘why on earth would a Jew do that? Is he self-loathing? Did he just want to victimize Jews to gain sympathy? I was very confused and had so many questions.” Gatti was not alone in his perplexment.

Ethan Fruchtman ’18, a student involved in the Jewish youth group ‘BBYO’ that meets weekly at the Siegel JCC in Wilmington, commented: “At first I was taken aback. It was saddening to find out that someone of my own faith was threatening violence in not only the Jewish community but locally as well. It especially hurt considering anti-semitism is only growing and this only shines a light on how present it is.” The news was evidently shocking to both Jews and nonJews around the world.

The Torah teaches the Jewish people that every-

thing that happens, no matter how awful it may be, happens for a reason—not for consolation—but for a call to action. The Delaware community took action on Sunday, March 19th, when hundreds from various religious faiths and cultural backgrounds gathered together at the Siegel JCC to stand against hate. Imams, pastors, rabbis, and politicians spoke to the passionate crowd about unifying as a human race regardless of differences and standing up against hate and discrimination no matter who is being attacked.

One memorable moment from the rally was when one of the speakers stated that an attack on one religion is an attack on all religions. An interfaith speaker, Patricia Downing, rector of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Wilmington, stated: “I think we are seeing how interconnected we are and how dependent we are on one another, and how much richer our world is when we have the variety of people and faiths and community leaders and community workers at work doing, striving for justice and peace for all people.”

Although the fact that it was a Jew committing the heinous crimes against the Jewish Community Centers may have potential repercussions on the Jewish community as a whole, the unity rally and the general interfaith support showed the strength of unity that exists between religious communities today and for the future.

Keeping Friends UPdAted on DElaware POlitics Olivia O’Donnell ’18 News writer

In an increasingly uncertain political world filled with surprise candidates and even more shocking elections, decisions to leave unions that have international repercussions, and an increasingly tense international situation, it is easy to feel small and powerless in the little state of Delaware. However, Delaware elected officials have been making an impact in Washington, and in the state itself.

In the past, Delaware has been a blue state in presidential elections, as evidenced when Delaware’s three electoral college votes went to Hillary Clinton this November. However, Delaware is unique amongst the 50 states because, according to BallotPedia, it is one of six Democratic state government trifectas in comparison to the twenty-five Republican trifectas, meaning that Democrats have control of the State Senate, State House of Representatives, and the Governor’s office. Local voting occurred earlier this year and late 2016 for positions in the State Senate, Delaware Department of Justice, Department of Health, and other leadership roles.

Democrat Stephanie Hansen secured the 10th District Senate seat after 58% of the votes were cast in her name, according to Delaware Online. This win ensured her party’s majority control of the Legislature, continuing their 40 year majority. Her opponent, Republican John Marino, claimed that her campaign was unethical, attributing her corruption to the unscrupulous amount of money she raised nationwide: $749,008. However, Hansen called this nationwide attention a cry of the people, declaring: “It was the first chance for voters to rise up with one voice to say we’re bigger than the bullies. It was the first chance for voters to declare with one loud voice that we’re better than the politics of fear and division. What we accomplished together will have implications for our entire state and country, and I think tonight they’re hearing us loud and clear in all corners of this country – and certainly in D.C. and in Dover.” Hansen’s rallying cry inspired thousands and secured her position in the State Senate.

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The Delaware Department of Justice, accused of entrenched discrimination, faces an unwanted reality: a permanent labor secretary does not appear to be in the cards. Governor John Carney, whose workload includes appointing an individual for this position along with the approval of the Senate, states that another priority requires his full attention: “I’m focused on how to put together the best team to address those problems that we’re having in the Department of Labor and the discrimination claims across the government.” As reported by Delaware Online, when asked, Carney refused to disclose the names of any possible nominees for the position, citing the discrimination claims as his main concern.

Delaware’s Department of Health has hired former Majority Leader of the Delaware Senate Patricia Blevins as head of the Office of Animal Welfare, a decision that has resulted in accusations of favoritism. A recent Delaware Online article shared that Republican lawmakers that opposed this act of supposed partiality raised ethical objections in a letter to the state, alluding to Blevins having a special relationship with Public Health Director Karyl Rattay, the hiring authority: “Having such a process in place is to ensure that individuals most suited for a position are selected based solely upon their qualifications and suitability for the position, as opposed to any special relationship that they may have with the hiring authority.” In November 2016, Blevins lost her race for re-election, ending her 26-year run as Senator. However, according to Delaware Online, campaign records show that Rattay, who picked the former Senator as opposed to the 70 other candidates—noting her “skills and experience outshined the other applicants”—donated to Blevin’s 2016 campaign roughly seven months before hiring her. Rattay has denied all accusations of favoritism, yet an unsettling question still lingers: how often does prioritization and misplaced priorities inhibit political decisions?

Student Maddie Malone ’18, in examining this question, divulges, “I personally do not know what goes on behind close doors, but I do believe that politicians make a lot of relationships with people to ensure personal political gain.”

Kasey Drane ’18 shared the same sentiment, noting, “We live in a world where people value their self-interests above what is right. It’s unfortunate—it results in unfair advantages, for one—but it is reality.”

Schoolwork, social media, extracurricular activities, and the like occupy one’s daily life, accounting for the time not spent on updating oneself on current political agendas and topics. However, this year’s presidential election should have reminded the American people to reinvigorate their involvement with these issues, as they not only affect the politicians and newscasters that discuss them but the public as a whole. Americans have the power to change the narrative, but it is only with knowledge that this can be done effectively and efficiently.

News Blurbs Leah JohnSon ’18 News EDitor

Enjoy these soundbites to help catch up on current events!

Scottish Secession Part II? With the chaos surrounding Brexit, Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, is seizing the opportunity to push for another referendum for Scottish Independence. According to the New York Times, Sturgeon, who represents the Scottish Nationalist Party, argues that the majority vote in Scotland to remain in the European Union shows that the UK government does not represent the Scottish people.

Controversy over Americanowned Mine in Indonesia According to the New York Times, protesters in Jakarta, Indonesia gathered around the site of the Freeport-McMoRan’s Grasberg mine. The protesters are furious with the company for destroying the environment. The mine may provide jobs in the province, but it is American owned, meaning it does not benefit the Indonesian economy. Protesters are calling for the operation to the be shut down immediately, but are facing strong resistance.

April ISSUE 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY

Community

Globalization: being Bilingual in a new world Cecilia Ergueta ’18 Columnist Hello. Hola. Bonjour. . Today, being bilingual is more than just knowing another language; it’s gaining access to a whole other world, the implications of which reach from the cultural to the professional spheres. However, growing anti-globalism rhetoric and recent nationalistic policies are enough to make some multi-linguists wary of the unintended offshoots of their privilege.

Scientific studies have shown that in addition to its social benefits, bilingualism has cognitive benefits. In the earlier 20th century, educational authorities discouraged multicultural families from raising their children to be bilingual, citing the fear that the additional language mentally weighed down and distracted the child, hindering her cognitive development. Since then, such claims have not only been debunked, but shown to be the opposite: studies on bilinguals reveal a boost in the brain’s executive function, with improved higher cognitive processes including multi-tasking, problem-solving, focusing, remembering, and planning. Serena Gutsche ’18, who speaks German and Chinese, offered a specific example of how multilingualism helps her learn: “When I’m learning a new language, I have all these connections of previous knowledge I can draw from that make it much easier. I’ve read that those subconscious connections I use help me with other academic subjects too.” In addition, bilinguals consistently see even longer-term benefits, particularly a higher resistance to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.

In an increasingly globalized world, being fluent in multiple languages is a particularly useful skill. Adding a language to a resumé can be helpful for your academic and professional career, as it demonstrates a powerful ability to bridge across different cultures. “As a potential student or employee, being bilingual definitely gives you a competitive edge in our globalized world,” proffered Chamby Zepeda, Spanish teach-

er. While being bilingual can knock off some college language requirements, knowing another language can also be viewed as a real asset to future employers, increasing career opportunities. Arthur Surmont ’17, who speaks Dutch, French, and a smattering of other European languages, emphasized the value of this aspect: “Especially now, in a world where a university education is not a one-step road to a job, bridging language gaps through bilingualism is a crucial asset to reaching top positions wherever you work.” However, many find the chief value of their bilingualism is the accessibility to different cultures and perspectives.

“Being bilingual means you can speak with all kinds of different people coming from different places and share unique stories,” shared Nick Gauthier ’17, who speaks French and some Spanish. “In an increasingly connected world, bilinguals’ unique capacity for interacting with the world through different perspectives allows them to find innovative solutions to social problems,” added Gustavo Silveira ’17, who speaks Portuguese and Chinese. Though translating software may seem to decrease the need for learning the language, bilinguals argue that a lot can be lost in translation: “I often find words in one language for which there is no direct translation in another, which means that I then can’t express myself fully,” remarked Gauthier. In some cases, bilinguals hold an advantage in areas of study that don’t bother to translate important terms: “I find a lot of German terms in biology, which are obviously much easier for me to integrate into my understanding than for my classmates,” exemplified Gutsche.

Despite the significant value of bilingualism, recent events bode a rising reaction against bilingualism and the global thinking it often represents. At a personal level, some Friends students cited instances in which they have felt uncomfortable speaking a foreign language, though more out of discomfort than safety: “It’s sometimes awkward for me to bring up my foreign identity, because people immediately attribute assumed superiority and pretentiousness to what is actually one of the most important parts of who I am,”

proffered Gauthier. Just in researching for this article, I found that googling “flight passengers kicked out for speaking foreign language” produces dozens of isolated instances in which passengers were detained from flying after a fellow passenger simply heard them speaking another language. “Though I am in a position of luxury not to feel continuously threatened, I am nervous on behalf of Latin and Arab Americans when their bilingualism, which is one of their great advantages, is being turned against them,” commented Silveira.

Of course, the most recent example that comes to mind is President Trump’s executive order on immigration in January, which prohibited certain immigrants and refugees from entering the country. Consequently, the temporary travel ban struck fear into the hearts of legitimate visa-holders or dual citizens abroad, when the State Department announced the following: “Those nationals or dual nationals holding valid immigrant or nonimmigrant visas will not be permitted to enter the United States during this period.” Though not all those with ties to other countries were affected, the order’s sweeping effect and particularly the unsettling confusion that followed caused significant stress to many multinational citizens who called America home. “I recognize the intentions behind Trump’s order, and why so many believe such actions are necessary,” remarked Zepeda, “but now, anyone that is a second- or first- generation immigrant will have an initial feeling of exclusion. People like me will be thinking, ‘even though I’m bilingual, that still means half of me is Spanish-speaking,’ like it’s something to be scared or ashamed of- and that’s not right.”

Most blatantly, readers may remember instances throughout President Trump’s campaign trail in which he made clear what he thought of bilinguals: In September 2016, Trump backed Sarah Palin, who called out Jeb Bush for speaking Spanish to Mexican voters, demanding that all people in the USA should

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drinking water in schools: Thirsty for good health There are eight main reasons why soda is the apple of our eye, the first being the simple fact that it’s tasty.

In fact, it’s delicious, hence how much people drink To be blunt, children and adolescents are just not it. The second reason is that it’s everywhere. What is drinking enough water. Instead of reaching for the one kind of drink you’re guaranteed to see at any that nice ole’ glass of H20, we’re opting for sugary fast-food chain, vending machine, and grocery store? beverages such as sodas, sports and energy drinks, You guessed it -- soda! Soda is practically unavoidable milks, coffees, and fruit-flawith how much it’s advervored drinks with added sugtised and available. Convears. Even though water has nience is the third reason proven health benefits, we soda is so addictive: quick still are more likely to drink and easy is always appealthe 300 calorie soda. Why ing. Billions of dollars go is that? Specifically for kids into promotion and adverspending a huge percentage tising, the fourth reason. of their day at school, it’s not Habit, the cheap price, the like access to drinking water need to ‘quench thirst,’ and is not available or denied -caffeine addiction are the ensuring that safe drinking last four reasons people water is available in school/ Emma Landis ’18 is one of many students at Friends drink soda over water. daycare settings is actually who carry reusable water bottles around at school, Over half of teens are a fundamental public health with the goal of staying hydrated throuought the day. not getting adequate hymeasure. So why are kids not dration, CBS News reporttaking advantage of the water that they are given? ed. Researchers say this statistic is worrisome because And also, what effect does water have on our aca- not having that right amount of hydration can actudemic performance? ally have serious effects on not only a child’s physical Through campaigns lead by anti-obesity advo- health, but their mental health as well. “There’s a lot of cates, efforts have been made to educate the public research out there to suggest that even mild levels of that soda and other sugary drinks, such as fruit juice dehydration are enough to impact cognitive functionand sports drinks, have almost no health benefits. ing and mood in kids,” lead study author Erica Kenny, Evie Kortanek ’18

Marley morton ’18 Columnist

April ISSUE 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY

a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard’s Chan School, told CBS News. So while we’re choosing that soda over the glass of water, what we’re really doing is sabotaging our mental performance. In addition, “We’re worried about the impact on the brain and their ability to learn if they’re not well hydrated,” said Dr. Deborah Lonzer, a pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital.

Age, gender, weight, activity level, and amount of time spent outside in hot weather are all factors that make daily fluid intake recommendations subjective. According to the guidelines put out by the Institute of Medicine, “children aged 9 to 13 need to take between seven to eight cups of fluid per day, while teenagers aged 14 to 18 need between eight and 11 cups.” Though these guidelines include fluid content in foods and other beverages, it is said drinking water is the best way for kids to stay hydrated.

80% of the brain is made up of water and is essential in neurological transmissions. Poor hydration affects mental performance and learning ability by reducing the brain’s ability to transmit and receive information. Studies show that once thirst is felt, mental performance such as memory, attention, and concentration decreases by as much as 10%. If we just drink water and get hydrated, we won’t have to worry about our mental performance deteriorating.

Water could be the key to reaching your full academic performance, so drink up!

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COMMUNITY (Continued from Page 11) “speak American”. Trump himself later said in an interview with Breitbart: “[Jeb]’s a nice man. But he should really set the example by speaking English while in the United States.” Statements such as this, uttered throughout the campaign trail, portend hostility towards multiculturalism under the Trump administration, which is worrying to many in the WFS community. “Historically, America has prided itself on being a diverse melting

pot, a land of freedom for anyone to contribute their culture,” asserted Gutsche. “Trump boasts about being American, ‘speaking’ American, but he fails to understand that ‘speaking American’ means speaking all the different languages that reflect our national diversity.”

“We impulsively preach “America First”, but we have to remember as a country we’re also involved all over the world. People look up to us to lead- and I don’t think we’re doing a good job at leading,” mused Zepeda.

Matthew Tornek ’17 Sports Editor

ASP the year before, and planning the upcoming QUEST Women in STEM lunch and learn. The scholarship goes towards an ABET accredited school of my choosing, and I intend to study environmental or civil engineering. Besides my robotics involvement, I also emphasized academic achievement and an emphasis on being well rounded and on teaching the next generation.” Kushner has worked incredibly hard to get underprivileged kids involved in the STEM fields, ran a robotics team, and promoted women’s involvement in these fields. Her dedication has not gone unnoticed by anyone, and is a high bar for those following her in years to come. Margaret Sullivan ’17 has also played a prominent role in the STEM areas at WFS, and she had nothing but praise for her colleague Kushner. Sullivan explained, “Hannah is an awesome person to work with, she is great at both doing the work as well as teaching it to others. She has been so important to the robotics program. In regards to STEM, the goal of our project (Women in STEM) is to encourage incoming freshman and sophomore girls to join STEM related clubs. We have noticed that very few girls join robotics and other STEM clubs and we really want to change that.”

Both Kushner and Sullivan are changing girls’ lives forever, as they introduce them into a field they would otherwise turn away from. Kushner’s commitment to learning, teaching, and creating is something that WFS strives to bring out in every student. We all look forward to seeing what Hannah will do in the future.

Dear Diary: Senior edItors reflect on their time at Kushner ’17 Wins Engineering Scholarship Friends Dear Diary, My time at Friends has defined most of my life.

I came in as a shy first grader, and since then, I’ve gone through two major self-discovery periods, and now feel confident stepping out into the world as the person I am today. I didn’t have the best experience at the school I attended before, and so it meant a lot to feel welcomed by such a supportive community, so I owe a large part of my feeling of happiness in life to Friends.

What I love about Friends is how the faculty fully allow the students to run their school community how they want. From Business Meeting to the nearly 50 clubs, Friends is a school shaped by those who attend it. The result is a passionate, intelligent, determined community who are invested in the challenges with which they surround themselves.

With all the amazing experiences at Friends, there have also been some negative moments, like not getting the East gym (the better gym) for my senior night for basketball and having a locker room with broken lights while the boys football team has locker room with personalized lockers.

While I think the school has made progress, there is plenty of progress to be made.

From Homecoming sports games, to Senior Spirit Week, to Singing Meeting for Worship, I have enjoyed so many traditions during my years at WFS. Ever since I came to Friends, I idolized the Upper Schoolers. It is now very difficult to wrap my head around the fact that I am one of them, and am only a few months away from being an alum.

I will certainly miss the ridiculous pep rally dance offs, the camaraderie of my sports teams, the way the community is strengthened by Meetings for Business, and the bond with my peers as result of our shared academic challenges. I credit WFS for forcing me to step outside my comfort zone every now and then to consider multiple perspectives.

As bittersweet as my “lasts” of senior year have been, I know I will look back on my time at WFS and be grateful for the influence this school has had on this chapter of my life.

When all is said and done, I will never forget the constant support that I received from my teachers.

I am thankful to each one who guided me through the toughest parts of the rigorous curriculum. I cannot quite believe that I won’t be surrounded by the same people I have been with for most of my life, but I am positive that our shared Friends education will enable us to go out into the world and make a positive difference. Saying goodbye to this school means saying goodbye to my childhood and closing the door on a chapter of my life. However, I have confidence that I will always look back on this chapter as the best time of my life.

Love,

The Senior Editors of Whittier.

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There is no doubt about it; the future lies within the wide area of knowledge known as STEM. Research money, scholarships, and interest continue to rise on an annual basis for the program. STEM is quickly becoming the root of American industry and wealth.

However, with this new field come some inherent biases that are being combatted at both global and local levels. For example, women account for about half of the jobs in the US economy, yet hold only 25% of jobs in STEM fields. In addition to this, minorities in the US also hold a disproportionately low percent of STEM jobs. One member of the Wilmington Friends School community, Hannah Kushner ’17, has taken tremendous leaps to fight against these issues that are hurting this field with otherwise incredible potential.

Kushner has recently won a scholarship through the Society of Women Engineers. This non-profit group seeks to support and promote women who are seeking engineering and leadership positions around the country. One of their main ways of achieving this is by handing out scholarships to a variety of quality applicants that embody their mission statement.

Kushner was one of three Delaware girls to win this award, and they were honored for it at the Delaware Engineering Society’s annual banquet. This incredible achievement was the result of all of the hard work Kushner has put in during her High School career. She commented, “In my application I told [the Women’s Engineering Society] about some of the initiatives I’ve taken on with the robotics team, such as organizing lego robotics mentoring at the Boys and Girls club last year, teaching a Finch robotics lesson to 5/6th grade

This article was originally featured as an online Weekly Update. For more updates like this, check wfs.whittier.com every week, and like our Facebook page, WFS Whittier.

The real need to protect the earth Already, air quality in China is so poor that those living there often wear breathing masks when venturing outside.

Chinese people are so desperate for fresh air that a CanaI first learned of climate change at eight years old. My dian startup has begun selling bottled air from the mounfirst question was why adults had not adressed this issue tain town of Banff, and sales are booming, according to a in time to stop it, and to this day I am met with the same CNN report. A 2015 study from the University of Leicester answer: “No one wants to change their way of life.” explained that the Earth could be dangerously low on free This sentiment made me mad at the world, and at my- breathable air as soon as 2100. We’ve known about climate self. Because it’s true; it’s hard for us, as privileged peo- change since the 1970s, but countries are only starting to ple living in the developed world, to care about some- get serious about it now because we’re starting to see and thing that is not directly effecting us enough to change experience the effects: severe weather, poor air quality, our behaviour. The reality is melting glaciers, ocean acidity; and that we are all suffering from a this is just the tip of the iceberg (HA!). dangerous delusion: that if we For us to turn a blind eye is cerdo nothing, the problem will tainly convenient, but as those living disapear. Indeed, it may seem on Earth at a time when we can alter invisible even now; the peoour current trajectory, it is our duty to ple currently being affected the place a priority on educating people most by climate change live by about climate change, with the hope and large in developing nations, that the people will speak out, which in and these people often have little turn will let our government know that or no voice on the world stage. The need for action to counter climate change is real. we do care about the fate of our planet.

In my room hangs a poster that reads, “Earth: Our OaWe owe everything we have and everything we are to sis In Space; Where the Air is Free and Breathing is Easy.” this wonderful planet. It is nothing less than our greatest When I read this, I feel grateful that this is still true, but I responsibility as humans to ensure that our beautiful oasis wonder, for how much longer will this statement hold up? is around for all future generations.

Sarah Gooderham ’17 Editor-In-Chief

Sarah Gooderham ’17

Sadie Proud ’18 Editor-In-Chief

April ISSUE 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY