The Classic, Vol 36, No 3, December 2019

NEWS

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Alum makes a career in comedy

Moot Court team a hit

Only five years after The Classic’s first interview with Class of 2000 alum and comedian Hari Kondabolu, Hari has become a worldwide sensation. Recently, we spoke with him about his career and his time at THHS.

For the first time in twenty years, members of the Townsend Harris Moot Court team made history as finalists in the MENTOR Moot Court Competition. Team members share their experiences.

SPORTS

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Disney+ takes over Disney+ has taken over the streaming service industry by storm.

Since its release on November 12, over 10 million people have subscribed. Students discuss the new platform.

THE CLASSIC TOWNSEND HARRIS HIGH SCHOOL AT QUEENS COLLEGE

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SPOTLIGHT

Townsend Harris alum Hari Kondabolu furthers his career with upcoming projects | Photo courtesy of Rob Holysz

Alum and Netflix comic Hari Kondabolu speaks on diversity and his career

By Carly Hu and Amrin Rahman Features Editors

“Having life experience made me a better artist. Having an education that was rich made me a better artist. So I think at some point, you do have to take the risk and say I’m pursuing this, but that doesn’t need to be from day one. You can work towards that, just never let it go.”

Only 5 years after The Classic’s first interview with Class of 2000 alum and comedian Hari Kondabolu, Hari has become a worldwide sensation.

In 2017, Hari released The Problem With Apu, a documentary in which he examined the stereotyped Indian cartoon character Apu from The Simpsons. Since the film’s success, Hari has starred on Conan with Conan O’Brien, The View, and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. In May of 2018, he released his Netflix standup comedy special, Warn Your Relatives. Before this successful career, however, Hari was a young Harrisite.

Hari reflected on his time at THHS fondly. “I think that Townsend Harris taught me how to think critically,” he said.

“At a relatively young age, it taught me how to write.”

In terms of his favorite teachers during his years at THHS, Hari explained that Mr. Hackney truly fostered his interest in comedy.

“Everybody was just obsessed about college, extracurriculars, to get [into] college… Everybody had their heads down… there wasn’t [a lot] of school

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spirit. With [Mr. Hackney], he always thought outside the box, and kind of nurtured the creativity in a way that I felt made me really lucky.”

Mr. Hackney stays updated with Hari’s comedy, and is proud of his recent success.

“For everybody who wants to be a musician, 99% of them essentially don’t succeed, and the same sort of thing is with being a stand-up comedian. So I was like, ‘Okay, he’ll do this… he’ll have fun, but he’ll end up doing something else for a living.’ I didn’t think he would actually be able to pull it off to the extent that he has,” he said.

After graduating in 2000, Hari attended both Bowdoin College and Wesleyan University, and soon realized the stark differences from attending a school in Queens.

“Diversity is seen as a commodity… there’s value in learning about many different cultures. We grew up with that… it was just everyday life. It was just walking around Queens,” he explained.

“When college happened, all that everyone’s talking about [is] how we have a ‘diverse student body,’ and then you get to these schools and you’re like, ‘This isn’t like home; this isn’t what diversity means.’”

“I think right now we live in a time where there’s so much

close-mindedness and people are afraid of losing the country, and I think to myself, ‘Well, what country do you think you’re losing?’

Because the country I grew up in is the one that this country’s becoming… America is becoming Queens, and I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

As for many other comedians, Hari’s career in comedy had initially only been a hobby.

THHS students to take risks and follow their interests, above all. “It is okay to be passionate about things, it’s okay to take risks. I know how important college is and academics are, but ultimately, education isn’t just about getting a great job.”

Hari also emphasized the importance of open-mindedness when pursuing interests.

“I do think that you could be interested in math and science, and at the same time, critically thinking and being creative—that’s not just a humanities thing… innovation comes from critical thinking. Innovation comes from being creative and thinking outside the box,” he explained.

One aspect of Hari’s stand-up that he is known for is his use of political satire. For him, commenting on politics is merely “observational,” and potential material is “easy to spot…[For example], unequal power dynamics? I gotta say something…

There’s something funny in the absurdity of this.”

He clarified that politics are not necessarily about elections; they can be personal, day-today events, which are what he focuses on with his satire.

Although there is an increasing representation of people of color in comedy, Hari has faced problems in the past regarding the stereotyping of South Asian

““I think that Townsend Harris taught me how to think critically...at a relatively young age, it taught me how to write.”.”

He practiced comedy in high school, in college, and even as an immigrant rights organizer in Seattle, simply because of his passion for it.

“Just because you’re not pursuing it as a career initially doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it,” he said.

“I knew I was going to find a way, and then it turned into a career. And then at a certain point, when you’re at that crossroad of deciding, ‘what do I do?

This is something that’s becoming more serious,’ … then that’s when you [have] to make the hard decision, but I don’t think you need to make the thing that gives you creative fulfillment… smaller and smaller until it disappears.”

He encourages current

communities in the media.

He described the lack of many South Asian characters he saw in the entertainment industry growing up, as “[he] really just had Apu and some other stereotypical characters.”

“Can you imagine not having Aziz Ansari or Mindy Kaling or any other brown actor? It was just a cartoon. So compared to then, this is a really special time, and I’m really proud to be part of this… first wave of young South Asian comedians making art in the mainstream,” he said.

Hari shared his own advice on combating stereotypes on a day-to-day basis.

“I think you gotta call it out… I know people will say ‘It was just a joke, move on,’ but if you don’t find that joke funny, and if you don’t have a chance to reply, you gotta call it out.”

Despite Hari’s many accomplishments, he has never lost sight of the value of his work and is currently developing his own TV show, his next hour of stand-up comedy, and new podcasts.

He explained, “I don’t do this in terms of ‘oh, look how much more famous I got.’ I look at [it] in terms of how good the stuff I’m putting out is. Is it better than the last hour that I wrote?… That’s how I look at things.”

“If I was producing stuff I wasn’t proud of, what was the point of any of this?… I don’t do this because of money or because I want to be famous. I do this because I love doing it,” he concluded.

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Senior earns College Board distinction

By Julia Wojtkowski News Copy Editor

Last spring, current Senior Rachel Zheng received a letter from Trevor Packer, Senior Vice President of the AP and Instruction of the College Board, congratulating her on her performance on the AP Seminar exam, which she had completed at the end of her sophomore year. He said that she “not only received a top score of 5, but was one of only 6 students (accounting for just 0.019 of 2018 AP Seminar exam takers) from around the world to earn every point possible on this difficult assessment.”

When she initially received the letter, Rachel described, “I was really shocked to have received the letter from College Board congratulating me because I remember walking out of the gym after the AP somewhat unconfident. It still feels surreal to have been able to accomplish this, but it definitely feels very rewarding.”

Rachel explained that the main reason for her success is the preparation she received from AP Capstone teacher Franco Scardino. “The whole

year can be considered as prepping for the test and the weeks leading up to the exam were more like brushing up on skills rather than learning something dramatically new.”

Mr. Scardino said he was thrilled to hear the news. “Her success in the course is due to her ability to take on rigorous challenges.” Mr. Scardino continued, “My role as the teacher was to teach and develop the skills students need to develop…. During the course of the year, students developed a National History Day project which was the framework for teaching the historical and research skills needed.”

Rachel said, “I would absolutely recommend the course to other students. It’s one of my most rigorous courses, but the skills I’ve been able to learn are invaluable. Learning to properly and efficiently research, support my ideas with credible evidence, synthesize multiple perspectives, and present in a professional, engaging manner are things I’m confident I will utilize throughout the course

of my whole life.

These skills have also helped tremendously in my other courses.”

Mr. Scardino added, “The AP Capstone Diploma is now recognized by the most competitive colleges and universities as evidence of college readiness and beyond. I highly recommend this course to all students of Townsend Harris High School… as it is perfectly aligned with the mission of the school.”

May 2018 was the first year the AP Capstone exam was administered at THHS. History teacher Chris Hackney and Mr. Scardino taught the newly implemented two-year AP Capstone course, which consists of AP Capstone Seminar and AP Capstone Research.

Rachel is currently enrolled in AP Capstone Research, the

Senior receives perfect score on AP Seminar exam |Courtesy of Rachel Zhang

second course in the AP Capstone program. “I’ve been able to pursue original research in a field of interest to me. I’m in the process of conducting a project on consumer psychology, which is under the field of

business. Being that I want to study business in college, this research has allowed me to get some early insight into what I may potentially go on to study within business.”

“Zen Den” debuts in dean’s old office

By Ashley Facey and Deborah Molina Staff Writers

Due to the efforts of the guidance department, college access team, Student Union, and Student Wellness Team, room 314 was renovated into a new mental health space called the “Zen Den” on November 18. This space, full of bean bags, couches, rugs, and more, is expected to become a haven for students to de-stress.

Alongside new furniture, the room is equipped with new art supplies including watercolors, markers, paints, crayons, and play-doh. It also features aroma diffusers, a Tibetan bowl, a tapestry, and a wall of fake grass in efforts to give the room a more earthly aura. With a blue paint job and green accents throughout the room, Assistant Principal of Guidance Veronica York, said that the “Zen colors” are meant to be “calming and soothing.”

The guidance counselors and other administrators had been hoping to add a space like the Zen Den to the school for some time. Senior Delila Hasic, the President and cofounder of the Student Wellness Team, said, “The students of the school have been asking for a place to spend their free time that isn’t loud and crowded like the cafeteria, or quiet…

December 2019

like the library.”

The opportunity finally arrived over the summer, after guidance counselors won a College Access grant and decided to use part of the funds to create this space.

Ms. York explained, “We were sitting there brainstorming, trying to figure out how we could support our students and what we could do in the building that would be different.” The result was the newly opened Zen Den, dedicated to mental health. Rondell McClary, the Youth Development Counselor, has also joined the room with his own office space.

Ms. York believed he was a necessary addition to the room, as he is always happy to help anyone who needs to talk. “He’s someone the student body really loves and trusts. I think he delivers a strong service of supporting students,” she commented. “We wanted him to be able to run large groups and restorative circles, and him being in that space gives him the structure and space.”

Mr. McClary says that he plans to host groups discussions where “we can just talk about de-stressing…Kids can come and talk about a class that they’re having that might

| Joshua Vieira

be difficult to deal with and kind of look at each other and say ‘Hey, I have the same problem’.”

Senior Cathy Carpio said, “It’s definitely a great addition to Townsend. It really lets you come in here and relax and forget about your classes or deadlines.” Senior Melanie Harster agreed: “I like the furniture, the variety of it. Also the lighting is nice. It gives [the room] a nice ambiance.”

In the past, room 314 served as a college office, an attend-

ance office, and most recently, the office of Robin Figelman, the dean. Room 314 was specifically chosen to be the Zen Den because “it was a large enough… [so] we could create it into a student wellness space” said Ms. York. The fact that it was already situated with such proximity to the guidance offices and was already being used as a student hangout spot made room 314 the ideal space for a Zen Den, in the view of its creators.

“We had conversations with

Ms. Figelman so we could include her in it and find out the best way of where we could still have…the structure of a dean’s office,” Ms. York said.

Ms. Figelman explained the situation, saying that she had preferred to continue her dean’s office outside of the Zen Den room, as she felt that the Zen Den’s restorative approach did not align with her responsibilities. “I chose to move my office out of there, and keep my status as just the dean, as the disciplinarian,” she commented.

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SPOTLIGHT

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THE CLASSIC WRAPPED

By Sarah Aguiar, Justyne Buenaventura, Kelly Jiang, Matthew Merino, Marcella Soewignjo, Christine Xu, and Jessie Ye

TOP THHS TOPICS 2019

Pictured above: The lead images from some of the year’s most read Classic articles.

Change in Dress Code In February, the administration announced changes in the enforcement of the school dress code. This new procedure involves a transfer of responsibility from the dean to the guidance office. Students found breaking the code must now be referred to the guidance office, who will then decide whether to refer it to Princpal Condon for demerits.

Physics Cheating Scandal On March 28 2019, a physics student shared a photo of an exam proctored by a THHS substitute teacher.

This test later was invalidated with a new one created to reevaluate students. Many students felt as if this was unfair and believed teachers made it harder to teach them a lesson.

THHS ranks #1 Best Public High School in NY The 2019 US News and World Report released earlier this April, ranked Townsend Harris High School the #1 public high school in New York and the #11 best public high school nationwide. Students and alumni quickly took to social media to share this prideful moment. Fox 5 visited, showing students working in the redesigned room 410. “I felt extremely proud and excited, and the ice cream sandwich treat was an added bonus,” sophomore Angela Chen said.

English Teacher Judy Biener Retires English Judy Biener, who taught for 30 years at

THHS, retired last school year. Ms. Biener held great pride and affection for our school, and witnessed most of its history following its refounding.

Gym Requirements Creates Changes to Student Schedules Earlier this school year, after a review of the THHS schedule, the DOE communicated to the administration that additional Physical Education hours are required in order for some students to graduate on time. As a result, many seniors and juniors saw an additional gym class implemented during their free band or after school on Fridays to meet the daily PE requirements.

TikTok Takes Over Over the summer of 2019, TikTok, an app launched

by Chinese developer ByteDance, blew up over social media. TikTok songs and dances appeared at various school events such as the pep rally and election simulation. “The trend was a little childish at first, but some dances are a challenge. It’s fun to see others teach and interact with each other,” said Junior Annie Yi. New Fitness Rooms in the Basement Over the summer, the basement weight room was renovated with the addition of several new exercise machines. The new room allows for more variety in student exercises. “What we’re moving towards will be more fun and engaging for everyone,” Physical Education teacher Jamal Bermudez said.

POPCULTURE H I G H L I G H T S INSTAGRAM A LOOK AT THE TOP POP CULTURE TOPICS THAT DOMINATED THE YOUTH CULTURE OF THE 2010s

CLASSIC RECAP TOP TEN MOST READ CLASSSIC ARTICLES OF 2019 1. “Cheating on physics exam leads to retest, tensions, and testing procedure concerns,” by Samantha Alzate and Julianna Zitron 2. “N-Word Pass Statement,” from Principal Condon May 2019 3. “New elevator policy scheduled to go into effect today leads to confusion,” by Danielle Amster and Isabelle Guillaume 4. “Q & A with Class of 2019 valedictorian and salutatorian,” by Ilma Aamir 5. “Larger class of new faculty members expected to join in September,” by Jasmine Deonandan, Allyanne Ilasin, and Alisha Mahadeo 6. “New addition Abid Choudhury,” by Yuri Choi 7. “Townsend alumna makes history at Harvard,” by Isabelle Guillaume 8. “Townsend Harris ranks highly statewide and nationwide,” by Afifa Ibnat, Natalia Gierlachowski, and Joshua Vieira 9. “Senior earns rare College Board distinction,” by Julia Wojtkowski 10. “Saturday disaster a larger problem than S!NG,”

by The Editorial Board

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MARVEL Disney acquired Marvel films in 2009. Their “MCU” series has dominated films throughout the decade, ending in Avengers Endgame in 2019. As sophomore Marykate Wee said “Even people who haven’t kept up with the movies still came to watch it.”

Instagram began in 2010 and has dominated social media throughout the decade. On Instagram, people were eager to snap shots for their feed, especially of their food. Junior Xu Dong says “Desserts are definitely the most instagrammable foods. There’s a place called SPOT that makes its business off its instagrammable foods.”

TIKTOK/VINE

RAINBOW LOOM

Around 2013, colorful rainbow loom bracelets became a fashion craze. Sophomore Cate Nguyen said they “allowed people of all ages to get creative and make their own jewelry...

The bracelets made very good presents to give away during the holidays.”

Byte Music released Tik Tok in September 2017, and by January 2018 the app gained a spotlight at the top of app stores around the world. Senior Elizabeth Katanov shared, “Tik Tok originally started as Musical. ly which I think came out as a response to Vine. It was like a musical Vine.” Vine was popular in the earlier part of the decade and was discontinued by 2017.

Both TikTok and Vine showed an interest in short, funny, musical and dance-oriented video clips.

MINECRAFT Minecraft has held with its position within this past decade. Since its debut in 2011, it has been consistently popular, despite its “decline.”

As Minecraft Youtuber BeckBroJack said at Minefaire in November 2019, “I think Minecraft will always come back. It’ll be relevant just because it’s a very timeless game [and] it’ll eventually come back stronger than ever as time progresses.”

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Moot Court team become one of the top two teams in New York City

By Sruthi Manish Staff Writer

For the first time in twenty years, members of the Townsend Harris Moot Court team made history as finalists in the MENTOR Moot Court Competition. Competing amongst approximately fifty New York City high schools, the THHS Moot Court team practices legal research and oration with assistance from mentor lawyers. This year, the team advanced to the finals held at Thurgood Marshall Courthouse in downtown Manhattan.

In this year’s competition, the Moot Court team, with senior Hope Ha and sophomore Andre Chen as the speakers, represented the defense in a case where “a student was expelled for keying a teacher’s car. The case revolved around the fourth and fifth amendment, the right against search and seizure,” according history teacher and advisor Nicole

Gleizer. The Moot Court team from James Madison High School represented the prosecution.

In order to prepare for this competition, the students worked extremely hard, meeting three times a week after school.

On one day, the speakers would develop their arguments and be questioned by their teammates in order to prepare for the potential questions that the judges may ask them.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the team would go to a law firm in Manhattan in order to collaborate with actual lawyers and strengthen their arguments. Freshman Elliot Heath described that they “sometimes [had]extra practices after school for even more practice time.” He said, “It really was a lot, but it apparently paid off in the end.”

“It was a lot of fun. The kids

| Courtesy of Clara Greceanu

were great to work with. They are an amazing group of people,” said Ms. Gleizer. “I recommend that every student in the building learns about Moot Court because what the-

se students do is incredible.”

“Being able to articulate our thoughts and legal analyses in front of a panel of judges, especially in the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, is a surreal

and valuable experience,” said Hope. “As one of the top two teams in NYC for the first time since 1999, [this] is the perfect way to end this season and my experience in Moot Court.”

New “floating piano” invites music between classes

By Laura Jun Staff Writer

Roaming in the halls of Townsend Harris, there is now a “floating piano” traveling from floor to floor, courtesy of the music department. During non-instructional time, THHS invites teachers and students alike to engage in impromptu performances.

Music teacher Kevin Heathwood explained that he found the piano in storage while advising SING practice, and credits science teacher Joel Heitman for the floating piano idea.

He stated, “It’s a great spotlight for people who love to play piano, and I think it’s great that we’ve created a creative outlet for students.”

Assistant Principal of Guidance Veronica York explained that studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between music and high level academics, and she thinks that the piano will yield positive effects for students and faculty alike.

In addition to Ms. York’s understanding that music supports student learning, many students have also expressed December 2019

that the floating piano is a way to forget about the pressures of schoolwork.

Sophomore Avary Kwai said, “I think [the floating piano] was a good idea since people love music and it brings out some positivity in such a tiresome environment of school.”

Sophomore Juney Liu agreed, “[The floating piano] offers a way to alleviate stress in between classes and I often see crowds around the piano because of how eager everyone is to be able to listen to others play as well as try it out for themselves.”

Students have also spent time right after school playing the piano with one another in the halls as others get their belongings together before going home for the day.

Although some students might not play the piano, the floating piano seems to have piqued their interests.

“Personally, I wouldn’t use the [floating] piano because I can’t play piano, but it’s fun to see what other people can play when passing by in the hallways,” expressed freshman

Rachel Lin

Maddie Cannon.

She continued, “[The piano] shows that even though we aren’t an arts school, we care about students’ creative expression.”

Senior Georgia Malo, on the other hand, pointed out a

potential limitation to the floating piano experience. “It’s nice to hear music when moving in the halls but it gets drowned out by all the noise [of the halls].”

Ms. York concludes by encouraging Harrisites to visit the

piano and show off their skills.

She said, “If the floating piano frees peoples’ minds from the stress of Townsend Harris like I hope, then it will have done its work.”

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FEATURES 8

Semores Soar to S!NG Victory

By Julianna Zitron and Victoria Kuzma, News Editor and A&E Editor This past Saturday, the Semores were announced as the winners of the 2020 S!NG competition. Following some confusion about the announcement of winners, the Semores went on to capture the attention of both the audience and judges with their creative interpretation of this year’s theme: Reality TV. The performance focused on the inner workings of a suspense game show called Escape Reality, where contestants had to solve riddles and find clues in an attempt to escape four unique rooms and win $1,000,000. Semore director Savannah Sclafani said, “‘Escape room’ and ‘reality TV’ are two phrases that wouldn’t initially seem like they’d coincide, but I’m proud of how our team managed to turn two very different things into one.”

Dance director Faye Shemper said, “The cleverness of the plot, in my opinion, allowed for so much more creativity from each department than previous years, and that of course made for

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a cohesive, enjoyable show.”

Audience members agreed, including sophomore Michelle Cho, who said, “I thought it was certainly better than last year; they had more freedom in this one because last year the [theme] felt so limiting and they couldn’t do much, that’s why the shows were so similar.

But this year they had more creative freedom.”

In reacting to the victory, dance director Ashley Facey said,

“My team usually doesn’t focus on winning S!NG as much as we focus on enjoying ourselves and each other’s company, so the fact we got to have such a phenomenal season and win makes it all that much better.”

Sophomore performer Amelia Wiszowaty, who played the role of Snap, expressed, “I think I was most proud of this year’s improvement. We started our first run through and we were a little scared, but the shows that we put on showed how much work that we put into every last detail.”

The performance featured

vocal performances such as “Vogue” by Madonna and a comical rendition of Sarah Mclachlan’s “Angel.” One of the vocal directors Lucas Ayala said, “It felt amazing to win this year. It’s very rewarding to see weeks of long rehearsals and run-throughs pay off. I’m so proud of our singers.”

Unique choreography to songs such as “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish and “Forever for Now” by LP left the audience stunned. Dance director Angelina Jimenez explained, “I’m incredibly grateful that I was able to work with co-directors that both listened to me and challenged me in a way that allowed us to make the dances we did.”

Many students agreed, including sophomore Zarif Rahman. “The Semores had really good dancers and singing, they were all very coordinated,” he said.

Freshman Erica Jin described, “My first S!NG experience was way better than I imagined….

I didn’t think that a group of students could collaboratively organize such an amazing and creative show.”

Although the Freshiors were not victorious in this year’s competition, the team put

on a captivating and exciting performance. The show revolved around a televised singing competition called “The Star Project,” exploring the drama between contestants. It featured skilled choreography to songs like Britney Spears’ “Circus,” Ariana Grande’s “Greedy,” as well as a unique Freshior twist on the song “Another Day of Sun” from the La La Land movie soundtrack.

Senior Betty Jin remarked that, “The step routine in [the Freshior’s] performance was [her] favorite part. It was really well coordinated and had a lot of energy.” Freshior dance director Givon Carter described, “Performing is always a rush for me because I get to show off all the hard work I put into the show. Overall, I love S!NG and wouldn’t want to trade my family for anything.”

Semore faculty advisor Yvette Reyes reflected on her second year as an advisor stating, “Seeing the sophomores interact with the seniors and seeing how the seniors take them under their wings is awesome to watch. They really came together as a family and a community, and that was fascinating to see.”

Ashley concluded by urging all underclassmen to “treasure this club. Keep the love alive and do not forget that you should be enjoying yourselves every step of the way… Strive for excellence and let your imagination take over.”

FEATURES 9

Behind it all: Interview with the overalls

By Anindita Bhattacharjee, Foram Patel, and Yamila Frej, Staff Writers and Features Copy Editor With the S!NG 2020 performances around the corner, directors are busy adding the finishing touches on their shows, coaching dancers and actors, and reflecting on their experience immersing themselves in an intense production process for the past few months.

This year’s theme, chosen by the graduated S!NG directors of the Class of 2019, is reality television. The overall directors for the Freshiors are juniors Isabella Gallegos and Hannah Krayzman, and directing the Semores are seniors Savannah Sclafani and Usha Sookai.

Overall directors are in charge of writing the script, directing the actors, and managing the work of all other departments.

Students often consider S!NG season to start in early October, but S!NG directors usually begin planning during the last week of June when they receive the theme. July and August are spent script writing, selecting songs, arranging harmonies, choreographing, drawing stage layouts, designing costumes, and organizing ideas to fit the show requirements. Once students return to school, the directors cast roles and build bridges between every department to make their vision come to life.

“Nothing beats walking into practice and feeling that energy,” Usha said. “I love producing a show with some of my best friends and seeing all of my effort and hard work pay off.”

Usha and Savannah explained a few of the difficulties they experienced during their two years directing. “The hardest part is learning to manage and balance responsibilities, especially as the show date draws near,” Usha said. Savannah added that it is difficult to “[manage] such a large group, close to 200 people, to bring this vision to life.”

As seniors, Usha and Savannah say they will miss the connections that spawned from S!NG beyond the actual show.

“It’s more than just a project. It’s an experience that has shaped who I am,” Savannah commented. “It also has brought a group of amazing people into my life and for

that, I will forever be grateful.”

“Creating is my passion and I can’t wait to use the skills I’ve learned from being a director later on in life,” Usha said.

The Semores were able to provide some insight into what the audience can expect to see this weekend. The directors made a wordplay on the assigned theme of reality TV, creating an original show called Escape Reality. According to Savannah, “the show incorporates both theatrical aspects of reality TV shows with everyday issues to illustrate how although you can’t escape reality, you never know what adventures life will bring.”

The opposing Freshior team is also ready to finally showcase their months of devotion and hard work onto the stage.

Hannah elaborated on her role as an overall director. “My job entails writing a show that uses the given theme, which includes a sequence of songs and dances, casting actors and working with them on their execution of the scenes, overseeing the other departments, managing the costs of the production and scheduling fundraisers, and refining lighting and sound cues with the tech crew.”

Isabella added that “[she] had to write the script, and help pick the songs, give ideas for art, and direct the show.” Essentially, she “had a hand in almost every department, although the other directors had a part in leading their respective de-

partments.”

Both directors clarified that there are no set requirements to become an overall director.

However, Hannah said the role does “require dedication, patience, and a knowledge of performance.” As a previous actor, Isabella mentioned how working closely with the previous S!NG directors combined with her experience in theater outside of school helped her to

earn her position.

Isabella explained that though directing has been a tiring process, she “would do it all again because it has taught [her] so many valuable lessons that [she] will use in the future.”

“Despite the stress, I have enjoyed every moment as a director,” Hannah said. “The hardest

part[s] of being in charge [are] keeping track of all tasks that need to get done, balancing input from multiple sources and coming to compromises, as well as working to meet deadlines. These challenges are balanced by the gratification that comes with seeing our ideas come to life on stage.”

As the work for the productions come to an end, Hannah and Isabella hope that the “audience takes away the message that not everything is as it appears. Events can be twisted to paint false villains… it is important to stay true to oneself and one’s values.”

Usha and Savannah added, “Although it’s really hard to escape reality, you should always dare to dream and make the seemingly impossible possible.”

Both the Semore and Freshior teams will perform their SING! 2020 shows today, November 22 from 7-9 p.m and Saturday, November 23 from 6-9 p.m.

Tickets are available for $10 in the SU office.

Photos by Rachel Chen, Jasmine Shum, and Ruby Zheng

December 2019

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OPINION

College tuition is too damn high

By Shawn Edelstein Staff Writer

In the United States of America, we spend more to attend college than nearly any other country, with total student debt nearing $1.5 trillion. As high school students, we are forced to choose between missing out on our dream college education or being swamped with insurmountable student loan debt. This is especially true at Townsend Harris, where year after year students are admitted to some of the top schools in the country, which also often happen to be some of the most expensive. It is inexcusable that the wealthiest country in the world should lag so far behind other nations in terms of education. We need a solution that will give our students the best chance to succeed in the future, regardless of their background: that solution is to make 4-year public college tuition free.

There are 44.7 million student loan borrowers in the United States today, and the class of 2017 already owes an average of $28,650. The ridiculous amount of student debt in the country continues to grow, as enormous interest rates make the debt seemingly never-ending. As a result, these loans can take decades to pay off, making success after college difficult by limiting financial stability and weighing people down for years.

Instead of developing the brightest minds to succeed in

their respective fields and contribute to the U.S. economy, the ridiculous price of college rather hinders our nation’s progress in various fields. The cost of college drags down the economy by discouraging students from pursuing the degrees needed to contribute to some of the most important and fastest growing fields in the county. Student debt itself can also create a stressful environment for employees entering the workforce out of college, limiting productivity by shifting their attention from succeeding at work to paying off their debt.

Furthermore, the exorbitant price of college in the United States perpetuates the inequalities that plague this country. Part of the “American Dream” is that if one works hard enough, they can follow their dreams and become successful. It’s a dream that Townsend Harris students know well, as many of us have parents and grandparents who came here for precisely that opportunity. However, it is nearly impossible for Americans to reach where they want to be in life without enough money to afford the very opportunities that will propel them there.

In terms of college, students

| Min Hyeok Shin

who come from poor or even middle-class backgrounds have an extremely hard time affording the education they need to follow their dreams. As a result, students who come from wealthy families can afford to make a living and maintain that wealth, while less affluent students are often unable to work their way up and are destined to miss out on the future they hoped for because of factors completely out of their control.

If we made public college tuition free, every student would

have an equal opportunity to get the education they need, regardless of their background.

This is the change that can finally rejuvenate the “American Dream.”

Applying to colleges can be a very stressful time for Townsend Harris students. On top of the studying, test taking, essay writing, and preparation needed during the college application process, students today are faced with the unnecessary burden of worrying if they can even afford to attend the schools they

are spending so much time applying to.

The cost of college in the United States today is an injustice, and forces kids to make difficult decisions that will follow them for the rest of their lives.

We can no longer accept a process in which students have to sacrifice their childhood to save money for their future. We the students of the United States of America must stand up and demand that public colleges are made tuition free.

Relationship rants: getting ghosted in the halls

By A—

This is a new monthly column we are launching for people to share their thoughts about social life at Townsend Harris High School. This should speak to general aspects about social life at our school and avoid clearly discussing specific individuals or groups. We reserve the right to withhold publication if the topics do not seem common enough to apply to large groups of students.

Otherwise, feel free to share your thoughts to thhsclassic@gmail. com.

You’re walking down the third floor to your locker, friends chatting in every corner, and then you see the person you’ve been waiting to see.

Your crush is standing at their locker with a group of friends, talking about the latest gossip.

You glance over, casually wave and give them a smile. They see you, and turn back to their peering posse. You’ve been ignored.

It doesn’t make any sense.

You guys snap each other every day, share study guides on Dri-

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ve, and last night you even sent them the calculus homework.

How could they ignore you?

Then you start questioning everything. You wonder whether they’re embarrassed to talk to you around their friends, but then you realize that’s ridiculous.

If anything, your presence only adds to their clout. Maybe they don’t actually like you, but if that were the case they wouldn’t be sliding into your dm’s and swiping up on your story every time you post a cute pic of your dog.

The reality is: these people are cowards.

Someone will be willing to talk at all hours of the night on social media and then refuse to make eye contact in the hall.

Why? Because when it’s all at home and on a phone, nobody else knows what’s going on. It’s just the two of you.

But the moment that someone else might see what might be going on between the two

of you, they act like you don’t exist.

Right now you are in the in between. You aren’t a “thing” but you both know what’s coming. Until you get there, said person will constantly fear rejection.

The saddest part is, they’re so scared to approach you that they send their friends as undercover detectives to get the deets on whether or not you actually like them.

You end up having more in person conversations with the wing(wo) man than the actual person you like, and that’s pathetic.

Let’s be real for a second.

We’re playing ourselves here.

The best way to get what you want is to go for it. Be bold.

Stop hiding behind your phone and your friends and actually talk to your crush. In. Real. Life.

Instead of sending them on an emotional rollercoaster of mixed messages.

Think of it this way, there was a time where cell phones and social media didn’t exist.

If people could talk back then, you can do it now.

Now get out there and shoot your shot. The worst that can happen is rejection, but I think you can handle it. Good Luck!

Amanda Renzi

EDITORIAL

The Classic FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD

DOE should reevaluate PE decision The DOE’s recent comThe ramifications of these potential to be inconvenient munication regarding physi- changes to the PE scheduling for students as they would lack cal education requirements has are exacerbated by the fact that the information necessary to forced the Townsend Harris they were entirely unnecessary. make healthy decisions about administration to make variUnder the four-day per week their physical, emotional, and ous changes to both PE and model, Townsend Harris PE social health. The alternative, he a lt h cla sse s, neg at ively still maintained its notorious which is to have students take affecting students’ scheduling reputation for being immensely health during the summer, is and overall physical educa- rigorous. Students ran at least not an appealing or realistic tion experience. After auditing one timed mile every week, choice either.

Townsend Harris’s physical sometimes running up to 2.5 We understand that putting education program, the DOE miles each semester, and our up a fight against the DOE is determined it did not satisfy staff of highly dedicated phys- risky and challenging, but their requirements. ed teachers ensured that their it is the responsibility of the Although PE classes met students were pushed to their administration to stand up for “every day” that students have limits throughout the year. The the needs of the student body. class on the block schedule new impositions were unwar- We are sure that the adminis(f ou r d a y s p e r tration has preweek), the DOE “The DOE’s gym requirements are not sented reasons has now obligated to t he DOE our students to only unnecessary but have gone so far that the THHS meet five times per as to interfere with health education as program is suffiweek. Despite stucient for gradudent opposition to well, threatening to leave students unin- ation; we only these changes, they formed about information vital to their encourage that are forced to comthose efforts be ply with them for everyday lives.” continued vigorfear of not meeting ously. Given the graduation requirements. With ranted considering the rigor of struggles that the student body our school’s long-standing rep- the Townsend Harris physical is encountering, the adminisutation of having a rigorous education program. tration must protest the DOE’s and challenging physical educaThe DOE’s PE requirements recent impositions. tion program, students do not are not only unnecessary but Given t he rigor of t he deserve to deal with these new have gone so far as to interfere THHS program and the numalterations in order to graduate. with health education as well, ber of minutes spent in PE durAt the beginning of the threatening to leave students ing our regular block schedule, year, many students became uninformed about informa- THHS merits a waiver from accustomed to a certain sched- tion vital to their everyday the DOE. We urge the adminule and the abruptness with lives until the end of their high istration to express stronger which the DOE announced school career. opposition to these new PE their new physical education In the beginning of the year, requirements, which contest requirements has proven to be many sophomores attended the interests and wellbeing of greatly troublesome, leaving health for the fall semester, the student body. Townsend the student body struggling much like previous yea rs. Harris has a strong alumni to adapt. Many students are However, when the DOE’s network and PTA that should expected to be at school as early new PE requirements came roll- be encouraged to join in petias 7:15 to attend their extra PE ing in, all health classes were tioning the DOE to reconclass while others have been cancelled and replaced with s i d e r i t s decision, especially forced to sacrifice their free PE classes. The question of since state periods. Attending PE classes when students will take health early in the morning takes a toll classes remains unanswered as on sleep schedules and affects the administration has placed additional areas of student life. a greater emphasis on complyFor instance, members of the ing with DOE requirements for jazz band, who meet in the students who need to gradumorning, are now forced to ate soon. The current options requiremiss out on vital practice time. are to schedule health classes ments are Similarly, students who are in senior year or to have stu- sufficient. forced to relinquish their free dents take the class during the In an periods can no longer use that summer. A preference towards a t t e m p t t o time to catch up on their work, senior year health classes has reform physidecreasing productivity. been expressed by the admin- cal education, Along with these troubling istration, and although not t he DOE not scheduling compromises, the yet off icially conf irmed, it only ignored the lack of space in the gym has presents a number of issues. efficacy of our previ- o u s driven classes to be held in Health education is critical in program but also imposed a classroom formerly used motivating students to make changes on current students for health. Students have to healthy decisions and reduce that should have been enforced execute demanding workouts risky behaviors. This education prior to the DOE approving and activities in a space that is is especially vital to learn early our block schedule. not appropriate for such work. on in high school before stuWe are calling on the DOE Ultimately, students end up dents are exposed to complex to reevaluate these imposed crammed and uncomfortable issues involving drugs and sex- changes which have derailed, attending PE class in a room ual health. Delaying this edu- rather than improved student meant for standard classes. cation until senior year has the growth.

December 2019

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EST. 1984

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

EDITORIAL STAFF EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Samantha Alzate Isabelle Guillaume Amanda Renzi NEWS EDITORS Bindu Koyi Julianna Zitron

SPORTS EDITORS Abhinav Garg Ariana Vernon Kristen Zhou

FEATURES EDITORS Carly Hu Amrin Rahman

SPORTS PHOTO EDITOR Joshua Vieira

OPINION EDITORS Amberly Khan Ariba Khan

SCIENCE & TECH EDITORS Ryla Pasaoa Nataniela Zavlun

A&E EDITORS Victoria Kuzma Usha Sookhai MULTIMEDIA EDITORS Kayla Kim Ava Nabatkhoran CHIEF COPY EDITOR Daniela Zavlun

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS Jason Bacalla Katrina Dydzuhn Min Hyeok Shin LAYOUT EDITORS Victor Shemper Alexa Jude Tumulak Jacqueline Woo

MANAGING EDITORS Nikki Ng Victoria Oei Samantha Sestak ADVISOR Brian Sweeney Copy Team: Antonella Abreu, Amir Baig, Esther Dai, Yamila Frej, Afifa Ibnat, Natalia Madera, Jasmine Palma, Zeyad Shariff, Julia Wojtkowski, and Rachel Zhang We welcome letters to the editor.

Townsend Harris High School 149-11 Melbourne Avenue Flushing, NY 11367 thhsclassic@gmail.com

The Classic reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and concision.

Have an opinion on an article in The Classic?

Want to have your thoughts published?

Write a “Letter to the Editor” and email it to thhsclassic@gmail.com.

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12

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Spring musical goes for ‘creepy’ and ‘kooky’ with Addams Family

By Cailin Bell, Olivia Leon, Francesca Manabat, Vivian Mei and Nafsa Raisa Staff Writers

English teacher Ryan Dunbar shared that the title for this year’s school musical has been selected over the morning announcements. In an effort to build suspense and excitement, he went on to say that the music at the end of the day would reveal their choice. After band 9 they confirmed tha this year’s play is The Addams Family.

Originally created by Charles Addams in 1964, the television series, which later became a musical in 2009, followed the dysfunctional yet comical Addams family. This year, Mr. Dunbar, music teacher Kevin Heathwood, and English/ISS teacher Kevin Schwab will direct the dark comedy. Mr. Heathwood hopes the musical will play to “all of Townsend’s [students’] strengths… [from] the singers, actors, dancers, [to the] pit musicians, and tech crew.”

Mr. Schwab said that they’re looking for students who can “embody what [each] character represents.” He loves that everyone in The Addams Family plays “a larger than life version of something.”

The play directors encourage students who don’t usually enjoy acting, singing or dancing to still consider trying out. Mr. Schwab said, “[in the play] we can push our student body a little bit further,” and help them play characters who have have different experiences than they do. This way, he said, there’s a greater “stress on acting and being able to accentuate characterizations.”

The play also has a place for students with specific interests.

“There’ll be a dance call,” Mr. Schwab said, and noted that the ensemble cast will have “lots of fun little costumes” because they play the ancestors of the Addams family who go back in time. They get to play “ghost-like figures.”

In addition, the ensemble has a lot of opportunities to perform, because they’re present in several scenes.

Many students who participated in last year’s school play, The Wiz, had a lot to say about this year’s play. Senior Ashley Facey, a Dance Captain who played Dorothy in last year’s play, said “I’m exci-

| Jasmine Shum

ted that we’re doing The Addams Family,” and added that students planning to audition for the play should, “Expect to dedicate [their] free time to lengthy rehearsals.”

Although the show days are months away, Mr. Dunbar, who also produces the play with Assistant Principal of Humanities Rafal Olechowski and Assistant Principal of

Organization Ellen Fee, said that in order to “avoid the rush at the end,” that they will be “working on some of the elements of the musical a bit earlier.”

The producers and other staff members of the show are focusing more on student and cast involvement this year.

They consulted students before making the final decision

on the play, and Mr. Dunbar plans to increase communication between students in various roles by “[acting] as a liaison between departments to ensure that all parties are on the same page…and by implementing more regular production meetings.”

Top 5 places for pictures in the winter in NYC

By Sarah Chowdhury and Justyne Buenaventura, Staff Writers

With winter near, another picture taking season is here!

There are many beautiful places in New York City that are worth freezing for. Here are the top 5 places for pictures Townsend Harris students recommend: Rockefeller Center If you like bright lights, shiny nights, free attractions, and want to capture wonderful moments of Christmas joy, you should definitely visit the Rockefeller Center. Senior Ashley Cholula recommends taking pictures during the annual lighting of the tree as it “is an attraction that incites warmth to whoever sees it and almost reminds you of some of your deepest memories.”

Besides the Christmas tree, you can take pictures near the Christmas angels leading up to it and the ice skating rink below Rockefeller.

SoHo Known for its cobblestone streets, trendy boutiques, and cute cafes, SoHo is the ideal place to take photos that capture the exciting Christmas aesthetic. As junior Kelly Liok

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puts it, “SoHo is a nice place to take pictures because the lively atmosphere of Christmas shopping and trendy stores perfectly capture the feeling of Christmas joy.” The aesthetically pleasing settings and lighted store windows will add warmth and pops of color to your winter photos.

Bryant Park From a variety of Christmas stalls to the free ice skating rink, the Bryant Park Christmas Village is a place you should not miss. Each year, the park introduces new vendors that offer picture-perfect food and products for the holiday season. Junior Charlene Lee says, “The holiday shops at Bryant Park are all so uniquely decorated and offer such a variety of products, it can make you feel like a tourist in your own city.”

Dumbo When scrolling through your Instagram feed, you are bound to see someone posing at Dumbo.

Known for its view of the Manhattan Bridge, Dumbo is a place made for pictures. In

| Katrina Dydzuhn

addition to the iconic bridge, Jane’s Carousel is also located in Dumbo, providing great views of Manhattan and the river. Junior Emmily Cipriana describes it as “a place every New Yorker should visit… [it’s] even more beautiful in the winter, and it’s less crowded.”

The High Line The High Line is an elevated rail-trail on the Westside of Manhattan. Surrounding it are picturesque murals and sculptures that can be a great addition to your photos. Junior Kristine Kong says that “it’s nice to stroll around and chill. In the winter, the snow ac-

centuates the scenery.” When covered in snow, the rail-trail looks like a Winter Wonderland overlooking the city.

Get your coats, gloves, and hats ready because these places are picture perfect. Not only are these places free and easy to get to, they are the perfect settings for the winter season.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Fans offer thoughts on Frozen 2

By Allen Babakhanov, Christopher Crisanto, and Arvin Gaul Staff Writers

Frozen II received critical acclaim and was a massive box office success upon its release last month. The film was a follow-up to the original Frozen, which quickly became an international hit in 2013. Today it’s one of Disney’s most renowned movies, even winning an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Six years later the sequel begs the question: how does Frozen II compare to its predecessor? Townsend Harris moviegoers shared their thoughts. (Warning: minor spoilers ahead!).

Freshman Chayti Biswas said, “[Frozen’s] music was so ‘Disney’ like. [It was] catchy and… easy to sing along [to].”

Some may argue that the songs in Frozen II aren’t as memorable as those in Frozen because they sound more complex than other traditionally catchy Disney songs.

However, freshman Amanda Ip said, “The music [in Frozen II] was very catchy and you would have it stuck in

[your] head very easily.”

In both films, the plot and character development can easily leave viewers emotional.

Chayti remembered, “tearing up and crying at the end [of Frozen II] because of [a sad] scene between Elsa and Anna.”

Amanda also said she “cried a lot.”

While Frozen was unique in its depiction of Disney princesses, Frozen II provided a different spin on the style of filmmaking found in Disney cartoons. Junior Natalia Gierlachowski said it’s “more complex storyline” made it better than the original…that keeps me interested as a teen.”

However, some components left viewers unsatisfied.

Natalia continued that during Kristoff’s solo song she,“could tell the creators were trying to be sarcastic and funny,” but the execution was “awkward.”

Frozen II follows the story of sisters Anna and Elsa and their friends as they embark

Amanda Renzi

on an adventure to save their home, Arendelle.

As they venture into a different land, they attempt to accomplish their goal and discover more about themselves

and their history.

The sequel features a more complex story than its predecessor, with a darker tone ands more dramatic, Broadwaystyle musical numbers.

The plot explores questions that viewers may have had after watching the original, including the true reason behind the death of Elsa’s parents.

Disney+ enters the streaming market with nostalgia

By Andrew Mak and Thomas Szymanski Staff Writers

Disney+ has taken over the streaming service industry by storm. Since its release on November 12, over 10 million people have subscribed. Disney+ has cemented its status as one of the top online streaming services and one of the most competitive in the market.

Disney+ also made a large impact on Townsend Harris students. Freshmen Devin Wu said, “I gained access to hundreds of movies and TV shows, at a price even [lower] than [that of ] Netflix.” Disney + also gave students a new opportunity to give into nostalgia, as Junior Zuzanna Pula said, “We got it because I have younger siblings who watch Disney shows that aren’t on Netflix anymore… it has a lot of shows and movies that I haven’t seen in a while or that I haven’t even watched.”

“I love Disney +. Out of 10, I would rate the app a solid 9.

I have not had any problems with the app,” said Freshman Jordan Jones. “I have two accounts. The day the app was released, I was quick to purchase a subscription because there was so much hype around the app.”

Others enjoy it for the great selection of movies it offers, both new and old. Senior Niatalie Sokolow said, “I like that

December 2019

it allows me to rewatch all these shows that I forgot about and bring about feelings of nostalgia. Now that they are no longer on netflix, I like that I can watch The Incredibles and certain Marvel Movies on Disney +.”

The introduction of this new streaming service has become a major competitor in this market for the top spots in the streaming market.

Disney+ entered the service streaming industry when Netflix was the main competitor.

While other applications such as HBO’s On Demand and Amazon’s video streaming service, Prime Video, gained some attention, Netflix features a wide variety of content and certainly reaped the rewards.

Last financial quarter, Netflix garnered over $5 billion dollars in revenue and half a million new subscribers, adding to their already monumental 150 million.

This is not to say, however, that Netflix is invincible.

In fact, Netflix’s prices have steadily increased – a natural decision for a company seeking expansion, growth, and a continuous profit margin. Disney+’s business model shows they plan to poach Netflix subscribers. As of now, the price for Netflix stands at

$12.99 a month, uprooted by Disney+’s measly $6.99. Disney+, although its prices are not likely to remain stagnant, remains highly competitive as a result of its current status.

Disney+ embraced Netflix’s model of offering consumers a range of content. Recently, they engaged in an aggressive advertising campaign promoting one of its original series, The Mandalorian. The Mandalorian presents a plot based off of the Star Wars franchise, which is owned by Disney itself, and boasts itself as the peak of Disney+’s original production through its sizea-

ble budget, over $12 million dollars per episode. The series demonstrates another one of Disney+’s advantages, in that being a part of Disney, it is free to borrow from larger franchises and “universes” owned by Disney.

In particular, one aspect of the show has garnered intense interest from viewers: “Baby Yoda.” Though the character is only known as “the child” in the series and is not actually Yoda (as Yoda died in Return of the Jedi and this takes place after that), people have taken to the cuteness of an infant of Yo-

da’s species.

For weeks, memes have been shared online countless times and the memes have spawned interest even from people who have not seen the show yet.

Additional reporting by Gabriella Fusco and Georgia Salcau.

Amanda Renzi

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Thrift to save the world

By Ramisha Parvez Staff Writer

H&M, Fashion Nova, Forever 21, SHEIN, Urban Outfitters. All of us have shopped from these stores at least once in our lives, but that isn’t the only thing that these stores have in common: “fast fashion” brands. Fast fashion is an industry that provides inexpensive clothes that are quickly manufactured and tailored to the taste of average consumers.

These brands work by implementing the latest trends into their clothing and producing new designs when these clothes sell out. This method makes the clothing that we already bought look old, causing us to desire and buy the newest designs.

This process is a never-ending cycle that hooks consumers to shop and throw out.

Even though it is now easy for shoppers to constantly be in style, ever-changing trends have damaging consequences for the environment. Fast fashion is the second dirtiest industry in the world. As stated in Business Insider, the fast fashion industry releases 10% of global emissions. As the industry expands, this percentage will only increase. Garment factories release the most greenhouse gases, which contributes to global warming. The toxic runoff from these factories pours into local rivers, making them too dangerous for human/animal contact. According to Rainforest Action Network Magazine, 120 million trees around the Earth are being chopped down

every year for fabrics such as rayon.

As a result of fast fashion, SustainYourStyle, an informative platform that addresses fashion concerns, points out that we wear clothes that we buy approximately 7 times before getting rid of them. Putting this into perspective, for every ten shirts that we purchase, our grandmothers purchased two.

The McAllister Environmental Group reports that on average, an American throws out 82 pounds of textile waste every year. This trend of buying more causes us to discard more clothes which, in turn, makes our landfills larger.

You don’t have to be a part of a protest or a march to help limit the power of fast fashion.

It all starts with the changes that you make in the way you shop. For many people, hearing the term “shopping sustainably” reminds them of thrifting. Thrifting has become a popular activity in recent years as it is cheap and helps keep clothing out of landfills.

Additionally, thrifting helps consumers find their own unique style since they know that no one else will have the pieces that they purchased. “I don’t always know what I’m going to find, and when I do find something it makes me feel very accomplished,” said sophomore Kate Romero, who has been thrifting for almost three years now.“Every time I thrift, I find better deals than the last time and it inspires me to dress even

more sustainably. For me, thrifting is a win-win since it helps me to expand my wardrobe and style while benefiting the environment.”

However, for many people, thrifting does not seem conventional. Sophomore Fay Wong stated that, “[She] tried thrifting and felt that [she] couldn’t fit thrifted clothes into her everyday style.” People often associate thrifting with people who have certain aesthetics (retro, vintage, e-girl, etc.). The more you thrift, the more you can find clothing and develop a style for yourself. Fay also pointed out that she doesn’t have time to go thrifting, as it isn’t as easy as buying clothes online or at the mall. While this may be true, it doesn’t mean that shopping sustainably is difficult to do.

As a beginner, sustainable fashion may seem like an extremely broad term. However, there are many forms that this topic can be broken down into, as it doesn’t only include thrifting. One way to dress eco-friendly is to make your own clothing. You can embroider shirts or even make your own accessories. This goes hand in hand with upcycling, the process of reusing materials and making your own creations. You can upcycle old vinyls by painting on them and creating your own art piece.

You can even upcycle shirts by cropping them, adding cuts/ tears, adding beads or anything your heart desires. The main

Katrina Dydzuhn

point of shopping sustainably is to shop in ethical places. It is extremely easy to find stores that create sustainable clothing thanks to our modern-day internet. Some ethical brands include but aren’t limited to Levi’s, H&M Conscious, Reformation, and Patagonia.

Thrifting for the first time can be difficult for many. Here is some advice from some fellow Harrisites who have mastered the art of thrifting.

NYC Thrifting Guide Contributions by sophomores Nikki Chang and Audrey Chou, and juniors Sara Tekin and Victoria Ciszewska Always be considerate about size! If it’s slightly bigger than what you normally wear, think of how you could fix it (crop it, roll it up, etc.) You never know what you might create out of something. However, if it’s too big/too small it isn’t worth

buying since you most likely won’t wear it.

Thrifting can take a long time and be very overwhelming. It is important to stay patient and look through every single item on a rack. Don’t always expect something that you might find at Brandy Melville or Urban Outfitters. Don’t get discouraged as you will have bad days and good days but it’s always better to thrift with a friend.

Utilize dressing rooms! This way you can see if something fits and looks nice on you.

Make sure to wear comfy materials when shopping so you can easily change.

Try different styles, you never know what you might like.

Shop all sections regardless of your age or gender. You might find some nice graphic tees in the men’s section or shirts that fit you in the kids’ section. It’s important to keep an open mind. See more on thhsclassic

NYC Council passes ban on e-cigarettes

By Adamary Felipe and Jasmine Palma, Staff Writer and Sci & Tech Copy Editor

A ban on all flavored e-cigarettes was recently passed by the New York City Council on Thursday, November 21. Similar bans are taking place all over the nation amidst escalating concerns regarding vaping’s health ramifications. This ban extends to all types of flavored e-cigarettes and e-liquid vaping products. The most alarming part of the vaping epidemic is its main target: young people.

Students can be seen vaping in buses and the subway, as this trend has taken to the liking of many teenagers, including some Townsend Harris students.

The most prominent e-cigarette producer, JUUL, provides flavors ranging from mango and other fruity flavors to cool mint, working to entice the younger demographic. This seems to be a flattering alternative to conventional cigarettes, providing variety and a more

The Classic

appealing scent. The company also provides a “Juul Calculator” to estimate the money saved by using Juuls instead of cigarettes. The e-cigarette is also small and slender, making it an easy device to handle and hide if necessary. This caused a surge in popularity, as the masses familiarize themselves with the product.

However, Health and Physical Education teacher Matt Lemanczyk explained that the teenage brain is still developing into the early 20’s, meaning the adolescent brain is more susceptible to an addictive substance in comparison to an adult. By getting kids addicted to e-cigarettes that contain nicotine, companies such as JUUL, he said, will “have a customer for life.”

As of late, many kids who vape have acquired a disease called popcorn lung, or bronchiolitis obliterans. This condition was first documented in 2000

when microwave popcorn factory workers were exposed to the flavoring chemical diacetyl.

According to Gizmodo, a Canadian teenager has contracted this disease after vaping for a series of months, making this the first case that directly correlates popcorn lung and chronic lung disease to e-cigarettes due to the inhalation of diacetyl of flavoured vaping liquids.

“High school students that vape now are basically test subjects to see the long term effects of vaping,” said Mr. Lemanczyk.

Sophomore Sai Choudari stated, “It seems to me that this is just a cycle – people see a new trendy or popular item and are oblivious to its impact or collateral damage. Then it happens again and again with no regard to pass occurrences.”

Sophomore Kaitlyn Chung shared similar sentiments, stating, “Students should be conscientious of their actions

Jason Bacalla

and decisions. People lack the ability to reflect on the past and when they see their error in judgement it is then too late.”

Schools and parents are starting to take heed of the detrimental effects vaping is having upon kids. Therefore, precautionary and remedial measures are being implemented in response to vaping’s hold on the

teens of America. One such measure is to install vaping detectors in school bathrooms and locker rooms to prevent students from using these products. Increasing awareness of the product is spurring a ban on these flavors altogether and increasing the age at which it is legal to buy an e-cigarette.

SPORTS

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Phys Ed program changes go into effect

By Anindita Bhattacharjee, Andrew Mak, Kassidy De Nobrega, Foram that met for four days a week.

Patel, Dylan Samuel, Netanya Given this, most eleventh and Tsang, and Elliana Yakubov twelfth-grade students are deStaff Writers

Following an audit of New York City graduation requirements, the New York City Department of Education (DOE) determined that Townsend Harris’ physical education program did not meet its requirements. The THHS administration then implemented a new physical education schedule for many students, which also brought about change to the health program. The Classic reported on these changes in October, but now that the schedule is fully implemented, we are looking at the specifics of how student schedules have changed across the grades.

Implementation The DOE’s physical education policies state that middle and high schools have two models from which schools can choose.

The two choices are either: seven semesters of PE, where classes meet daily, and one semester of Health or eight semesters of PE where classes meet less than five days a week and, in addition, one semester of Health.

In other words, to have classes that meet less than five days a week for eight semesters must require health. Formerly, with its new block schedule, THHS offered seven semesters of PE and one semester of health

ficient or missing one semester of PE. Now, they must attend PE for five days a week through that model to make up for the PE credit they are missing.

“We were notified by the Office of Academic Policy (OAP), that in order to award 0.58 credits for PE [the current practice], our PE classes must meet daily,” Assistant Principal Ellen Fee stated.

The audit of the THHS program resulted in the DOE determining that not meeting five days a week does not comply with their regulations despite THHS PE/Health classes meeting “every day” on our fourclass-a-week program.

Though the THHS schedule offered PE for 200 minutes a week (twenty more than the 180 the DOE requires), it must offer PE for five days a week to comply with the seven semester PE/one-semester health model that THHS was using.

In order to compensate for the discrepancy, juniors and seniors began taking PE classes during zero bands, lunch bands, or free bands.

Many students are taking PE classes on Friday as a fifth band class. Students with team gym or zero band PE classes are not currently affected.

Freshmen students are not currently affected by the schedule changes either. On the other hand, sophomores are

now required to take a full year of PE, replacing the semester of health.

Ms. Fee said, “It’s not easy getting a change in late October, just when you’re getting used to your classes. Adding another class to your schedule is usually not very pleasant.

But I think that after [a while] students and teachers [will get] used to the extra class.”

The changes produced many different opinions among the student body, primarily from those who now have an extra class. Junior Zuzanna Pula said, “I lost my free ninth band on Tuesday because of this schedule change. Now, I can’t do any of the extra work I planned to get done during that period.”

Senior Tammana Udin added, “Because of the extra class on Fridays, I have to change my work schedule outside of school.”

Upon realization of the differences between THHS’ physical education program and those of other schools in the area, some students found the changes to be unfair, exacerbating an already present disparity between schools.

Junior Annie Yi said, “My friends [from other schools] have gym 2-3 times a week, but with our regular block schedule, we still have gym class more than them.”

Though meeting less frequently is not against the rules, students believe the programs of other schools to be less rigo-

rous than the THHS program.

Among many other public schools, the decision to have PE meet fewer than five days a week for eight semesters seems popular. Francis Lewis, for instance, follows the 3/2 schedule because of their abundant student population.

Changes to Health Classes Though senior and junior schedules were changed to ensure they are taking enough PE, sophomore schedules were changed to remove health and replace it with PE. The question for freshmen and sophomores now becomes: When will students take health from now on?

Although a final decision has not been made on when these students will take health, Assistant Principal Ellen Fee said, “We [the administration] are still thinking that it [health class] probably belongs most in senior year.” Other options include: taking health during the summer or taking it in junior year.

Although a senior year health class is not confirmed, it may make sense given the flexibility that seniors have in their schedules.

Some students have already expressed worries about not taking the class until then.

Sophomore Jacob Davidson said “The drawbacks[of the health curriculum change] severely outweigh the benefits due to its poor timing. I feel

like adding more work to a senior’s program along with college courses isn’t optimal. In addition, I feel like many important subjects simply cannot be delayed, such as drug use, nutrition, and sexual health.”

In addition, sophomore Kayla Greenfeld said, “I am disappointed because we need to learn about certain things before we encounter them in life and senior year will be too late.”After the decision was made, the health room was converted into a PhysEd room, with desks cleared out and dumbbell racks and yoga mats put in.

Some sophomores were upset about abruptly not taking health, and taking PE instead.

Sophomore Cecelia Taravella said, “I was interested in the health class that Mr. Lemanczyk was teaching and felt ready to learn more about well-being and taking care of myself.” In addition, some students did not want to use the classroom as a gym.

“I don’t like it because the classroom becomes really gross...the room is not meant for PE and fifty students,” said Kayla.

All students must take health to graduate, as per New York State regulations. The THHS administration wants the correct number of credits to be allotted per semester to phys ed classes and is currently working to solve this issue.

Angela Zhu “flies” her way to states

By Ryan Eng, Gabriel Matatov, Kristen Zhou Staff Writers and Sports Editor

Each year, the Townsend Harris girls’ swim team sends many swimmers to the PSAL A Swimming Championships, where swimmers have the chance to qualify for the State Federation meet in Ithaca. At this meet, junior Angela Zhu qualified for states in the 100-yard butterfly and finished in 49th with a time of 59.74 seconds.

Throughout the regular season, Angela shined as the “flyer” of the team; she swam the butterfly leg in the medley relay and the 100 fly as her main event. At the “A” meet, Angela was one of the top seeds in the preliminary round of the 100-yard butterfly.

She ended up swimming a time of 59.90 seconds, breaking a minute in the event for the first time in her career and securing a spot on the States team.

“I didn’t hear the announcer say that I qualified, so I didn’t find out until I walked back to my team. I was so surprised,” recalled Angela. Senior co-captain Emily Yan, who was watching the December 2019

event with the team, said, “When we [the team] saw her time, I think everyone was jumping out of their seats. She worked so hard and was so close to the [qualifying] time for the past three years.

We were all so excited for her.”

In finals, Angela finished fourth overall in the event with a time of 59.38 seconds, dropping even more time from her previous swim.

Her success this season, however, did not come without sacrifice. In addition to swimming for Townsend Harris, Angela swims for Queens Aquatic Club, a USA Swimming sanctioned club team. “[Swimming is] yearround, where skipping practice even once can have a huge impact on endurance and stamina,” said Angela.

She would get home from practice after 8 PM every day and often missed out on hanging out with friends on weekends.

In balancing both teams and her schoolwork, she admits to having thoughts about giving up. How-

ever, the goal of “breaking a minute in the 100 fly kept me strong throughout all my practices. I feel like it was all worth it in the end.”

The States meet was held at Ithaca College this past weekend. Angela, alongside the PSAL team, competed against the top swimmers from all of New York.

Angela said, “Even standing next to them [other swimmers] was intimidating and I could tell that everyone at the meet worked hard to get there. It motivated me to practice even harder.”

With this experience, she has set new goals for herself; she hopes to drop even more time and make the States team in her senior year.

Angela attributes much of her success to constant support from friends, teammates, and coaches.

“I was really proud to represent my school, the Turtles, and my city at States. Reaching this level definitely took a lot, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates’ encouragement and support.”

Joshua Vieira

The Classic

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This parody song is set to the tune of “The twelve days of CHristmas.” see if you can find all of the elves we’ve placed throughout this issue!

At freshman orientation they took a pic of me, and they put it on my ID On my first day of Townsend I was unlucky because my locker was skinny and I looked super bad in my id In my third month of Townsend I went to Founders’ Day, watched the senior skit, still hate my locker, but honestly it’s really okay In our last month as freshmen I ran a 2.5, climbed lots of stairs, took the elevator, got some demerits, and I struggled ‘cause I couldn’t breathe In my second year at Townsend I took chemistry with Mr. Kadamani In my first month as a sophomore, I met Mr.Hagerty, had to use the restroom, so he gave me a hall pass to pee In my third month as a sophomore we had a bowling trip, that didn’t go well, I couldn’t roll well, but Ms. Assante scored a turkey In my ninth month as a sophomore I took my first AP, bought a Barrons book, studied really hard, learned an ancient language, plus I’m pretty sure I failed the NLE. In my junior year at Townsend we took a trip to see, colleges that won’t accept me Since it’s junior year we took the SAT, I took a prep class and ONLY SCORED A 1550 In our eighth month as juniors we went to junior banq, took some pics for insta, posted on our finstas, and we all looked super pretty In May of junior year we had our physics trip, I threw up after Nitro, went on some more rides though, rode kingdaka, and got sunburn, obviously At the start of senior year we re-took our ID’s, and it looked like a glo up for me In our second month as seniors we had to rsvp, to the senior trip, which is happening in January In my last year at Townsend I took humanities, one extra gym class, 3 AP’S and a class over at Q/C We’ll do some fun things before we have to leave, all go to prom, pull a senior prank, do a senior run, and get into college eventually Written By sebastian pas and amanda renzi eLVes by veronica kuzma and amanda renzi

The Classic