LH Magazine 12/12 by The Little Hawk

DEALING

The Little Hawk Feature Magazine

December 19, 2012

10 4

FRENEMIES: BATTLE OF THE BESTIES

FIERCE ELITE BOWS

ON THE COVER: THE DEPTHS OF DEALING

By Lily Howard

By Alex Perez

By Emma Baxter

An in-depth look at three friendships between City High students that have turned from sweet to sour in the span of a year.

Rachel Wilcox ‘13 began her small business last summer. Now, her range of customers has expanded to cheerleaders all over the world.

A profile that explores the world of marijuana through the stories of three anynomous students living in the Iowa City School District.

SIGNED: PETER LARSEN

By Sonora Taffa

Peter Larsen ‘16 recently traveled to Chicago to pursue his dream of modeling.

EVOLUTION OF THE MAC By Jason Arnold

With all the hype surrounding the latest iPhone and iPad, the LH looks back on where it all began. The Mac is now the fastest growing computer on the market, but this sleek product traces back to the garage of two college dropouts. Those two drop-outs never imagined just how far their invention would go. 10 years from now, who knows where it could be?

Macintosh The Original

Macintosh Color Classic

Macintosh Performa

1984

1993

1995

WWW.THELITTLEHAWK.COM

The iMac Bondi Blue

1998

iMac G4 The Sunflower

iMac G5 Behind-the-Screen

iMac The Razar

2002

2005

2012

TOM BRAVERMAN A Teacher Profile:

“

I don’t think that the government assistance my students receive should be what they rely on. They should work to be productive members of society.

“ photo by Eli Shepherd

By Renata Stewart Tom Braverman is a true “Iowa Citian”, born and raised. He was a member of Horn Elementary’s first K-6 class, was bused to Northwest Junior High, attended West High, and got his undergraduate degree and Masters at the University of Iowa. After a brief hiatus living out west in Oregon and Washington, and after giving up his goal of going into the commercial cut flower production (for environmental reasons), Mr. Braverman took a job working for Systems Unlimited of Iowa City, and found something he really enjoyed. “I loved working with the adults with special needs,” he said. “It kind of just felt right.” Subsequently, a friend opened up a social service agency, where “Mr. B” (as he is affectionately called) made supervised visits with people who had had their kids taken away from them, along with other criminalized people. “They didn’t really like me much,” he said. “And frankly, the feeling was mutual.” During this gig, he started his undergraduate education at the U of I. He took a variety of classes, and ended up earning a BGS (Bachelor of General Studies). “That was really cool because I got to essentially take whatever classes I wanted to,” he explained. “But by the end of my time there, I knew that I was really interested in going into education.” Pursuing this interest, he took a job as an associate and paraeducator back at his alma mater: West High.

“I loved working with what we call the ‘moderately disabled’ kids,” he said. “But then, after getting some guidance from other faculty at the school, I decided to go get my Masters in order to really advance my career.” He found his experience back in school somewhat disappointing, however. “The graduate classes I took just involved regurgitation of what I already knew from previous experience,” he explained. “And a lot of it, unfortunately, was simply not relevant in a real classroom setting. It was all just theory, theory, theory.” He finished, though, and ended up with a Masters degree. He then returned to West High, with a new job teaching kids who had a variety of behavioral disorders. “But that wasn’t really what I wanted to be doing,” he said. “I knew it wasn’t going to be a long-term thing.” And indeed, he left the job after 2 years, and took a new one running an atrisk program at West Branch high school, working with teens who were in danger of dropping out and using drugs. “I was essentially a professional nag,” he joked. He then left West Branch to take a job at the then-new Solon high school, teaching resource and learning support. “I absolutely loved the other faculty and the atmosphere of the place,” he said. “But the commute just got to be too much.” Luckily, another job opening presented itself. “Literally on the last day of my job at Solon, I got wind of a job opening at City High for the moderately disable kids I had loved working with in the past,” he explained. And

after an interview in which he “answered all of their planned-out questions after the first question”, he was offered the position immediately. Braverman has been at City for 7 years, and was instrumental in starting the Best Buddies club, which matches general education students with those with intellectual disabilities. The club now has over 170 members school wide. “That’s one of the things we’re most proud of in our department,” he said. Mr. Braverman and Mr. Deniece made the decision to start a chapter, even though the paperwork it involved was daunting. The positive effect it had on the school community was evident soon thereafter. “The change we saw in our kids started immediately,” he said. “It used to be that the only activities [the students with intellectual disabilities] were involved in were ones their parents arranged for them, otherwise they were just at home most of the time. Now I saw them out at *Continued on Page 14

To get a new perspective on students, check out this inspiring video recommended to us by Mr. Braverman himself:

December 19, 2012 LH FEATURE MAGAZINE

FRENEMIES Three students discuss the trials and tribulations of having to keep up good relations with “friends” that they no longer wish to keep.

art by Lily Howard 4 LH FEATURE MAGAZINE

December 19, 2012

“He became this person that I so detested, he represented everything that I just hated.”

m o n g the various cliques and friend groups of City High’s student body, there are relationships that are caught in the uncomfortable state of frenemies. Not friends, not enemies, but something painfully in between. “Basically, at this point it’s a situation where I’m forced to be around and interact with somebody that I really don’t like most of the time. So it’s way more convenient to be nice than to just be blatantly rude. Maybe it’s out of guilt but it’s more that it would just be really awkward to be mean to that person,” Adam* said. “But having to listen to him talk makes me want to punch myself in the face.” A frenemy is defined as a person who has, at one point, been friends with someone, but has now transitioned into becoming more of an enemy, generally without the knowledge of said friend. “My frenemy wasn’t always my frenemy, he used to be one of my good friends. He’s always been a person that kind of annoyed me, but before I had always managed to ignore his flaws and accept them, because you know, I’m a flawed person, and I expect people to accept me,” Charlie* said. “But there came a time when it just got worse and worse. I couldn’t ignore them anymore.” High school students often go through periods of being annoyed and angry with their friends. Frenemies are much more long term. “I thought it was just a phase we were going through, and that I would just get over it, because that’s happened with me and my friends before. I’ll be annoyed with them for like a week or two and then it’ll be fine,” Janice* said. “But

By Lily Howard this has been like a year, and I don’t even want to look her in the face, I hate talking to her, and I don’t understand how she doesn’t see that. I’ve been blatantly rude to her multiple times and honestly, it’s to the point where I don’t even care anymore, but she still just doesn’t understand. Or maybe she’s ignoring it, I don’t know.” Usually one event sets off the process of becoming frenemies and the relationship spirals out of control from there. “He became this person that I so detested, represented everything that I just hated, and even managed to ruin one of the relationships between me and one of my very best friends,” Charlie* said. “At first he manipulated me and my other friends into thinking he was the good guy in every situation, where a girl broke his heart, or he was screwed over by someone. But then you take a step back and analyse the whole

situation, and talk to the other people involved, and you find out you’ve been played this whole time by somebody who consistently is lying to you, exaggerates, and is a bag of crap.” People are trapped with these ‘friends’ that they truly dislike because of pity, guilt or even just convenience. “When he’s there, and very nice to me, I’m not the kind of guy that can be very upfront and rude to people unless I mean it as a joke, of course,” Charlie said. “It’s all because of this frenemy concept where he’ll say a joke and we’ll all laugh for pity’s sake. And it’s terrible, I know, but that’s why he thinks we’re still friends, and I

don’t think he suspects it.” The relationship becomes more and more toxic the longer the frenemies are forced to stay together. “I do harbor a little bit of guilt for being nice to him and making him think that I’m friends with him,” Charlie said. “But I can’t go up to him and say, ‘Hey I’m not your friend, I think you’re a horrible person.’ I can’t do that. I guess that’s definitely a flaw of my own.” They remain ‘friends’ with these people that they no longer get along with mostly because their frenemy doesn’t realize that they are harboring these negative feelings. “I actually don’t think he suspects I don’t like him,” Charlie said. “I think if he were more intuitive maybe, but as it is now he doesn’t. He has so many of these frenemies that he can’t even keep track, and he also thinks he’s hot shit and he thinks that everyone likes him.” People with frenemies find themselves torn between the fact that they are engaging in a false relationship, and the fact that they don’t want to hurt any feelings. “There’s a part of me that would feel eternally guilty if I just went up and told him we weren’t friends. That’s why I can’t do that,” Charlie said. “There’s a part of me that’s like, well that was horrifyingly mean, but also a part that’s being horrifyingly mean by not being actual friends with him and lying to him. I’m living a lie when it comes to my relationship with him.” The major factor that leads to the transformation from friends to frenemies is an increase in distance between the two parties allowing a new perspective. “You only get inklings of that when you’re officially friends with them,” Charlie said. “When you’re friends with them you’re kind of blinded by most of their faults. It’s all a little bit obtuse because you’re willing to be friends with them. Once you’re distanced from that, you see. I can’t believe I actually was friends with this person. I can’t believe I fell for his traps.” *names changed to protect privacy December 19, 2012 LH FEATURE MAGAZINE5

FIERCE ELITE

BOWS 6 LH FEATURE MAGAZINE

December 19, 2012

Rachel Wilcox ‘13 is springing into the corporate world with the launch of her own business, Fierce Elite Bows.

By Alex Perez

urrounded by a sea of spandex and sequins, bedazzled scissors in hand, Rachel Wilcox ‘13 is busy at work. A simple pastime turned profit, Wilcox found her niche in bow making. Her company Fierce Elite Bows is taking the Iowa cheerleading world by storm. “I used to buy other bows,” Wilcox said. “But they were almost 20 dollars for one bow, which is absolutely ridiculous. I decided to buy one and take it apart and see if I could figure out how to make one myself.” Wilcox soon found that she had too many bows just for herself, so she decided to sell them to other members of her gym. “After I figured out I could make them, I set up shop in my basement,” Wilcox said. “I thought I had too many so I decided to try and sell some to my other cheerleading friends.” The overall review was positive. “People really liked them because they were cheaper than any other bows,” Wilcox said. “But they were basically getting the same quality product.” The bow buzz quickly escalated. “People from other gyms have started contacting me about making bows for their teams,” Wilcox said. “And other teams all across Iowa have asked me. I never thought this would turn into such a big thing.” Wilcox also buys vendor spots at different competitions across the state to sell her bows. “Being a vendor is my favorite part of the whole thing,” Wilcox said. “Because people compliment you on all your hard work, and it shows that it really pays off.” Despite the positive outcome so far, Fierce Elite Bows does face some criticism. “The owners of my gym hate that I sell bows,” Wilcox said. “Because they sell bows from large vendors, and they think I’m stealing their customers.” Alongside the criticism is competition. “Bow making is a very competitive business in the cheerleading world,” Wilcox said. “And since I’m such a small business and I’m in the Midwest, I have a lot of other companies working against me. Some big ones are Wild Bows, Yella Bows, Fierce Essentials and

many others.” Besides cheerleaders, Fierce Elite Bows have caught the eyes of many others. “People have bought bows for other reasons as well,” Wilcox said. “Some people buy them as key chains and put them on their keys or backpacks. Some have gotten them for little girls to wear in pigtails and other people have gotten them to wear as headbands and to sporting events and stuff.” Although fun, Wilcox described the process of making the bows as complicated and sometimes tedious. “I make the bows in stages,” Wilcox said. “Right now I make them in seven different stages and it takes about half a hour to make each bow.” It’s a challenge to find the right balance between school, cheerleading and bow making. “My bow making gets in the way of school and cheer,” Wilcox said. “A lot of times I will have orders that need to be made within a couple of days, so I’ll bring materials to school with me and make them in class. I also try to make them at the gym sometimes, but the owners want nothing to do with my company so they always get mad at me, which is super annoying.” Wilcox plans to keep up her business after graduation. “Fierce Elite Bows is part of the reason I decided to go to Iowa,” Wilcox said. “I still want to make bows, and I will still have all my supplies at my convenience.” Wilcox hopes to expand her business in the future. “When I get out of college and if I’m still making bows, I’ll start traveling to other places,” Wilcox said. “Like to nationals and other larger competitions.” Even though it’s a small business, Wilcox has discovered that owning and operating your own company is no small task. “I learned that it takes a lot to own your own business,” Wilcox said. “Even if it’s a tiny one, with a small crowd, you still have to do a lot for customer satisfaction. My advice would be, be prepared in what you’re selling before you actually go public with your business. Even if you don’t think you’ll be successful, you never know what could come of it.”

December 19, 2012 LH FEATURE MAGAZINE7

SIGNED

photo by Emma Baxter

By Sonora Taffa Peter Larsen ’15 doesn’t sit in a chair. He lounges. With his Vans kicked out, one arm hanging over the back of his seat, and a comfortable smirk in place, he appears impressive and seems to know it. All that’s missing is a photographer. “My friends had always told me I should be a model, just joking around, but I guess I decided to take that to the next level,” Larsen said. “I wanted to try and see where modeling could take me.” Larsen sent in an application to HOP Models and Talent agency this September without any true expectations. In fact, he didn’t tell anybody he had decided to pursue a modeling job before doing so. “I was just sitting around my house one day this summer when the company called me wanting an interview at one of their branches in Chicago. I was really shocked,” Larsen said. Larsen scheduled the interview without his parents’ knowledge for a weekend when his family would already be near Chicago in order to drop his older sister off at Northwestern University. “I guess my parents couldn’t really say no, because we were already going to be in Chicago,” Larsen said. “I kind of sprang the idea on them because I had applied on my own. And I’m a minor, so they were required to come to the interview with me. It was actually more nerve racking with them there because I think modeling was a new idea to them. I had been thinking about it a lot longer than they had, but they’re pretty excited about it now.” Larsen was required to bring pictures of himself to the interview, which were presented to an agent and then sent to HOP Model headquarters in Atlanta. Although he remembers feeling nervous about meeting his agent, Larsen insists the

worst part was having his parents with him. in modeling, he realizes the industry is very “The agent really just wanted to get to know competitive and considers a potential career in me,” Larsen said. “One of the first questions they modeling realistically. ask you is whether or not you’re seriously inter“Modeling can be a serious profession, so I ested in modeling. Lots of kids will come out don’t think it’s anything to laugh at,” Larsen said. and say no, it doesn’t matter that much to them. “But then again, there are very few professional, I just think it’s ridiculous to expect to stand a full time models. It’s not like I’m planning on chance to get a job, when you act like it’s not im- moving to Milan and getting a job there or anyportant to you.” thing. Right now for me, it’s kind of like playing Two weeks after the interview, HOP models soccer. I really enjoy it as a hobby; it’s just somecalled to notify Larsen that he had been hired. thing I like to do, so I do it.” The company represents about 30 male models, Beyond viewing modeling as a hobby and powith branches in Atlanta and Chicago. Larsen tential career, Larsen also appreciates its worth has signed a one year in terms of real world contract with them, and experience he can is represented in the state gain while still in high of Illinois. school. “I was really excited “Like a lot of other when I found out that jobs kids can have in they had chosen to rephigh school, modeling resent me. Plus I’ve never shows that I’m kind had a job before, so it of part of the work was exciting in that sense force,” Larsen said. too,” Larsen said. “My “It shows that I know - Peter Larsen ‘15 first photoshoot was also how to act professiona lot better than I thought ally, because I had to it would be. The photogbe interviewed to get rapher told me what I needed to do, and the the job, and I have to represent a company well.” stylist took care of all the clothes and hair. Re Larsen has already experienced some ally, I just had to know how to follow directions rejection in his young career, although he does and I was fine. I just had to stand there and look not allow it to affect him. Peak Agency, a modelpretty.” ing firm that he applied to, told him that pursuAlthough 15-year-old Larsen is still too young ing a modeling career in Iowa is similar to purto be hired as a fashion model, he plans to use suing a snowboarding career in Florida. Larsen catalog work as a method to build his portfolio did not let this feedback discourage him. Instead in hopes of one day becoming one. he found a job with HOP in Chicago, and plans “I would preferably try to get represented by to continue to apply this optimistic attitude one of the bigger companies in Chicago like throughout his career. Elite or Ford,” Larsen said. “They have offices “I think it’s important to not fear rejection, all over the United States, like in L.A. and New because it happens,” Larsen said. “You can’t let York. That would be my ultimate goal to work it get to you, because it doesn’t say anything toward over the next few years.” about you other than that you can take a chance. Although Larsen is ambitious about a future There’s no shame in that. Confidence is key.”

Modeling can be a serious profession, so it’s nothing to laugh at.

Larsen poses in the studio where he got professional photos done in Chicago. >> courtesy of Peter Larsen

photo by Renata Stewart December 19, 2012 LH FEATURE MAGAZINE

P ot, weed, dope, grass, Mary Jane. Different names, but all slang for the same illegal substance: marijuana. While the act of taking a hit of a freshly rolled blunt may seem simple, the drug is bought and sold in a complicated network; a network surprisingly familiar to high school students. After interviewing students from the Iowa City Community School District, it was clear that many of these teens have been exposed to this substance. Three anonymous students agreed to go on the record and talk about their involvement in the covert world of drug dealing. Some who are deep in this business didn’t start out with these intentions. All they wanted was a way to cope with the stress in their lives. “I was really stressed out at the time I first smoked and it proved to be the most effective way to chill out and make things bearable,” Jacob* said. He took his first hit at the age of 15, but now considers himself a habitual user. He smokes three to four times a day and spends 60 dollars a week on his expensive habit. This cost is one of his main reasons for selling marijuana. Others start the habit even younger than this. Zach* was just 11 years old and in sixth grade when he was introduced to the drug. “Looking back on it, it was probably really dumb,” he said. “I wish I didn’t start that young, but it doesn’t matter now. It’s one of the choices I made and I don’t plan on stopping.” John Bacon, principal at City High, has personally suffered from the effects of substance 10

LH FEATURE MAGAZINE December 19, 2012

By Emma Baxter

abuse by family members. “I have seen the devastating effects of drugs up close and personal,” Bacon said. “I understand the curiosity and the desire to experiment, the thrill and fun, but I also know it can lead down a dangerous path.” Bacon feels a “tremendous obligation” to his students, their families, and the community to make sure City High is a “first class high school.” “It’s my primary goal to make sure we have a happy, healthy, nice environment that every student feels comfortable in,” Bacon said. “I won’t stand for drugs. You’re putting your body in harm and it’s also against the law.” Chip Hardesty also understands the prevailing feeling most users have, and has experienced this in his time as a lawyer and working with at risk kids. Hardesty feels sorry for kids who have reached the point where they feel like they need drugs to perform and succeed. “I get the point of view of ‘who am I hurting if I just sit in my car and smoke dope, I’m not hurting anyone by myself,’” Hardesty said. “But the truth is if you could follow that dollar to where it goes, it gets into the hands of some pretty bad people quickly.” Jacob, however, feels differently. “I don’t think my money is going to a bad place because they get it from Colorado where it’s legal to operate a store,” he said. “It’s like any

other business you feel bad giving money to. Take Petland for example, you don’t like buying things from there because of the poor animal conditions, but you do it anyway.” Some think that because we live in Iowa, the consequences of buying and selling drugs aren’t as harsh. “You don’t hear about killings in Iowa,” Zach said. “If I lived in Chicago, I would be worried. Money has nothing to do with it here. When you pay a dealer, they just use it to get more weed, nothing else really happens with that cash.” The reality is that violence follows money and drugs wherever they go. When Hardesty worked with a program in the southeast side of Cedar Rapids he met a single dad trying to support his four young daughters. One month he couldn’t pay the rent so he borrowed money off the street. Drug money. When he didn’t reach the deadline to pay them back, he got beaten. When he couldn’t pay them back again men came to his apartment at midnight with guns and started - Zach banging on the doors. “Imagine four little girls huddled up in this apartment,” Hardesty said. “Their dad with a gun on one side and these other guys with guns on the opposite. This is the reality, this is where your drug money goes. And less than a mile away, some teenager who bought the drugs is playing video games in his room and is totally

“I wish I didn’t start that young, but it doesn’t matter now. It’s one of the choices I made and I don’t plan on stopping.”

The Filter-down Effect

oblivious.” going to sell to people That’s because many who I know won’t be stustudents who smoke maripid about it. If someone juana aren’t concerned with I sell to got caught, they how their marijuana got to can be tricked into ratIowa City. Jacob thinks of ting on me. You just gotta the drug world as an empire be ready for that. That’s with a hierarchy. He doesn’t why I don’t sell to that consider himself a “big gun”, many people, it becomes but he has close ties to the riskier.” people who go to Colorado When high schoolers and drive back with incrim“snitch” on their friends, inating amounts of marijuathe social consequences na to sell into the Iowa City can be perilous. market. “It’s bogus if you rat “We live in a college on someone. It’s true that Those buyers sell town. Thousands of stu‘snitches get stitches,’” that transport to drivers the marijuan dents leave for breaks all Zach said. “You just don’t a back to Iowa over the United States and do that. I’ve known peoCity come back with drugs to sell ple who’ve beaten kids up to anyone they know who’s for snitching.” willing to pay for them,” JaThe legal consequenccob said. “That’s how drugs es of smoking and dealing travel and how they’re so marijuana often lead to easy to get a hold of.” plea bargains. Matt* shares the same “If you got charged feeling. with possession with in“Once I started smoking tent to deliver, you could in r e I got connections. You find get what’s called deferred d r o y ll that usua sell their out more about it when you judgment,” Hardesty said. s r e y u b to s r ll e le s a e y d keep doing it,” he said. “I re“You plead guilty and the e h n T cal grow arket lo R alized there is a whole comjudge doesn’t accept it for O s d poun their m munity: the big dealers that a couple years. Basically supply to bring imported drugs who you’re on probation, but sell to people in pounds then after that allotted Thos or ounces, and then those time you’re free and it’s e to us smaller people sell to normal buyers wiped off your record ofers l deal looking to buy in grams or ficially. It’s a pretty sweet gram ooking ers sel l s or t quads. There are branches, deal.” ounc o buy es like a government.” However, times are Although Matt doesn’t changing. The law used deal marijuana, he considto be that if you got *graphic by Braden Offerman-Mims ers himself a middleman. pulled over in a car with “I hook my friends up, I marijuana in it everyone don’t work for anyone, but if would get charged with “I don’t want to put my family through that. I someone comes to me lookpossession. Now the law ing to buy weed, I can place an order for them had a family member who got into some serious states that the police would have to determine and take them with me the next time I go to drugs and it messed him up for life. I don’t want who the actual owner is, therefore not everyone to end up like that.” meet my dealer,” he explained. would be convicted. Hardesty, who used to defend criminalized The primary reason Jacob sells marijuana is “You’ll never convince everyone to think one drug dealers, says the most common way of re- way or the other,” Jacob said. “There will always to earn easy money. “When you buy larger quantities of weed, ducing or dropping a charge would be to make a be people who stereotype and think I’m a drug you get more for less money,” he said. “Sort of deal with the police. addict, but laws and people’s opinions are evolv“You’re very likely to be buying from some- ing. I feel like people are finally starting to reallike buying in bulk. You can get a gram for 20 dollars, or you can buy a bag and get three and one who has been charged in the past, unbe- ize the direction we’re heading. It’s inevitable.” a half grams for 60 dollars. It’s just a better deal.” knownst to you,” Hardesty said. “There’s a reaThe journey marijuana travels is complex Matt usually buys a quad (120 dollars worth son for that. From a tactical level, if you’re facing and uncertain. jail time, you’re going to do anything you can of marijuana) once a week. “Where this money goes, who it connects “I smoke everyday,” he said. “I don’t do it not to go to jail. That may include selling out with and how they use it is a problem,” Hardfor the high though, I mean it feels good but I your best friends. I mean what would you pick, esty said. “He’s getting it from someplace that mostly do it because it helps me concentrate and a friend or prison?” doesn’t take too many jumps back to find. Those Jacob only sells to people he knows he can people have guns, money, and power. It’s a ruthrelaxes me, kind of like a medication.” Matt says that once he turns 18 he plans on trust to “be smart”. less business.” “People who are dumb enough to get caught cutting back because that’s when “shit gets real.” “Dealing would be too much for me,” he said. are idiots in my opinion,” Jacob said. “I’m only *Names have been changed for privacy

ell s o d ora edical l o C in with m s e i r nsa people e p s i D ana to nses. ju lice mari

December 19, 2012 LH FEATURE MAGAZINE 11

all i want for

CHRISMUKKAH

LH FEATURE MAGAZINE December 19, 2012

Holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s a time of joy and a time for cheer. Corbin and Quincey Scholz spend their holiday a little differently by celebrating both Christmas and Hanukkah. By Kellee Darner

photo by Kiera Zapff

veryone knows the typical Christmas and Hanukkah traditions. A Christmas tree with lights all around and ornaments hung from branches; tree skirts around the trunk and a topper on the tallest point of the tree. The ninebranched menorah, a symbol of Judaism since ancient times, is lit one branch at a time for 8 days. Chrismukkah is a merging of Christmas, which is religiously tied to Christianity, and Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday. It is cel-

ebrated in interfaith households where one parent may be of Christian heritage and another parent of Jewish heritage. “It’s our way of coming together as a family and celebrating a holiday without being religious,” Quincey Scholz ‘16 said. According to Corbin Scholz ‘13, the name fits perfectly. “We just had nothing else to call it,” Corbin said. “It’s awesome because we get triple the presents.” Chrismukkah was popularized by the FOX television program The O.C. On the show, the character Seth Cohen has a Jewish father and a Protestant mother. As a way to merge the two faiths, Seth claims to have “created Chrismukkah” when he was six years old. The series included annual Chrismukkah episodes for every season of its run. Seth explained the celebration as “eight days of presents, followed by one day of many presents.” “My mom grew up Jewish but she didn’t bring it into our family. She wants us to be able to explore our own beliefs,” Corbin said. “Our immediate family is really the only ones that celebrate Chrismukkah.” The O.C. celebrated Chrismukkah by displaying both a Christmas tree and a Hanukkah menorah. Some people have taken this holiday a step further and created Chrismukkah greeting cards and symbols. For Quincey and Corbin, Chrismukkah has been a time for forming their own traditions. “We have traditions on each

side of our family but we have our own within our immediate family,” Corbin said. “Like saying what we’re thankful for before we open our gifts.” Chrismukkah celebrators give their gifts at different times. If they celebrate Christmas more, the typical time to give presents is Christmas Eve or Christmas day. Those who focus on Hanukkah give presents gradually every day for 8 days, with a greater amount on Christmas day. “We each have our own menorah at our grandma’s house for the 8 days, then we open gifts on the last day,” Corbin said. “We don’t go to a Jewish ceremony nor a Christian church because we’re not very religious.” Interestingly, it is believed that the spelling of the holiday as “Chrismukkah,” intentionally left out the “t” from Christmas, so that Christian activists would not be enraged that Christ’s name was proclaimed in such a holiday. Some families celebrate Chrismukkah as a religious holiday while others celebrate ‘just cause.’ “We keep it kinda private and not religious,” Quincey said. Corbin would like to continue celebrating Chrismukkah in the future. “I hope to keep the tradition of Chrismukkah in my family in order to bring my family together but I also don’t want to force religion on my kids,” Corbin said. “I would like to celebrate it some day along with my kids and my immediate family so the ‘Chrismukkah family’ can grow.”

December 19, 2012 LH FEATURE MAGAZINE 13

basketball games and other school activities, and that was so cool to watch.” And beyond these activities, Braverman really started to see a culture shift in those matched up in one-on-one friendships. “When people started introducing their Best Buddy as their ‘friend’ was when I really noticed what an impact the club was having,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about. Everyone has feelings and a right to belong.” Braverman and his colleagues have worked hard to create “a positive educational experience” for all of their students in the classroom as well. “It’s all about striking a balance between functional and core academic skills,” he explained. “How is mainstreaming a kid and putting him in calculus beneficial when he doesn’t know what 2+2 is? That just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.” So, as a team effort, the special education staff works together to create a curriculum that fits well with their students.

“I want to see that we have made a difference and improved both [my students’] vocational and functional lives.” - Tom Braverman “We modify the core curriculum a lot, but it’s still a lot of the same stuff. We read the same novels as all the other classes, like Fahrenheit 451 and To Kill a Mockingbird, we just go a lot

slower,” he said. “And in my opinion, we get a lot more out of them.” Though Braverman quite clearly loves his job, he admits that there are certain challenges. “Of course, working with students with intellectual disabilities definitely requires a high level of tolerance,” he said. “Everyone has a breaking point, and sometimes you just have to walk out of the room for a second.” But with a goal in mind, Mr. Braverman and his colleagues work together to make sure that the lives of their students are improved both in the short and long run. “I want to see that we have made a difference and improved both their vocational and functional lives,” he said. “We want to help them be productive members of society, just like all the other kids.” And this process of teaching and preparing is one that is reciprocal for Braverman. “I learn just as much from my students every day as they do from me.”

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LH FEATURE MAGAZINE December 19, 2012

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December 19, 2012 LH FEATURE MAGAZINE

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