THE CLASSIC
January/February 2016
THE CLASSIC
January/February 2016 - Volume 32 No. 4
THE CLASSIC
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> SPECIAL FEATURE ON PAGE 6
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THE CLASSIC
NEWS
FON adds cast size limits to performances Kristine Guillaume STAFF WRITER
THIS YEAR, Festival of Nations (FON) performance groups must adhere to a 60 person limit. Assistant Principal Ellen Fee placed a cap on the amount of people in each FON to ensure safety on a crowded stage and adequate performance time for all groups. FON is an event that a major chunk of the school participates in. In previous years, there was no cap on how many students could be in each FON. More than 100 students would be involved in an individual performance group. This made for a performance in which students were seen on stage for as little as 30 seconds. “60 was the number that I came up with from experience, [seeing] how many students can be [visible] on the stage... and can be safe,” said Ms. Fee. In addition, without the limit, FON created unsafe situations in which students had an increased probability of being injured. Ms. Fee recalled a “dangerous” situation in last year’s Fili-
pino FON finale, in which she was in charge of holding sticks vertically so that students coming on stage would not run into them. She said, “You had sticks rolling and then you had a hundred kids trying to come on stage amid those rolling sticks. ” FON leaders adjusted to the limit either by lowering the size of their FON groups or splitting into multiple FONs to avoid “cutting” performers. KFON leader senior Clara Kim had 150 signups for her group. Together, the leaders split into two separate FONs to accommodate 120 people, but they had to turn away 30. “After the kickoff meeting we posted [in the Facebook group] asking if anyone was willing to drop out. We asked everyone to write down their extracurricular activities so we could turn away those who have too many other responsibilities,” she said. Chinese ribbon FON leader senior Joan Nieh said, “We had too many people sign up at the interest meeting [so] I cut peo-
ple from my FON because they didn’t show up to our mandatory meetings.” Dhamaka, also known asBig Brown FON, split up into three FONs this year to comply with the limit. Senior Aneesha Vinayek, one of the leaders of Brown FON, said, “The leaders decided to create three different ‘brown FONs’: Bollywood, Punjabi and Classical/Gujarati.
Yearbook overediting underwhelms Kimberly Deodat STAFF WRITER FOR OVER six years, Continental Studios has been the go-to destination for Townsend Harris yearbook pictures. Since these photos would one day constitute as #ThrowbackThursday material, getting all dolled-up became quite the event. Recently, however, an editing mishap surfaced regarding the photos. From retouching to blemish-control, this year’s pictures were overedited to the point where students became unrecognizable. Yearbook advisor Caroline Lopera expressed that she had never had problems with the company before. Nonetheless, this did not take away from the fact that many student pictures were incredibly skewed and unpublishable. Ms. Lopera said, “Some students’ skin looked too smooth; it was obvious. They changed the color of eyes for some people. Those who had brown eyes all of a sudden had green eyes.” The editing faults were evident to the yearbook class as well, who work with Ms. Lopera to produce a creative and well-organized yearbook. Yearbook staff member senior Nicole Vu commented,
PHOTO BY ADAM SOSNICKI
PHOTO COURTESY OF ABDOULAYE DIALLO
Some feel the yearbook photos left students unrecognizable.
“ In some instances, people’s hair looked green and their skin tone would be off, even looking gray and pale at times. ” “In some instances, people’s hair looked green and their skin tone
PHOTO BY REBEKAH JONES
The members of Brazilian FON cheer after practing their dance routine.
would be off, even looking gray and pale at times.” Although this issue wasn’t detrimental to the yearbook itself, it will take some time to get the re-edited photos back. The schedule of completion was thrown off by a couple of days, but it was nothing the staff could not compensate for. Continental Studios was very diligent and took responsibility for their mistakes. Ms. Lopera added, “They didn’t charge anything for the corrections and the process wasn’t difficult at all.”
When people signed up, they signed up for ‘Brown FON’ and we had 150 people interested, so we had to place them in our three new groups. We were still unable to give everyone their first choice group [since we] had 100 people [who] wanted to be in Bollywood.” With these changes, each FON performance will be longer than it had been in the past.
Ms. Fee’s initiative allows for more students to get more stage time after two months of hard work perfecting routines. Aneesha concluded, “There definitely are pros to the limit such as being much safer and everyone that’s in FON gets much more stage time and can actually be seen compared to previous years, which was Ms. Fee’s major goal.”
ACTIVIST CLUB DEBUTS: THHS VOICE
THE CLASSIC
January/February 2016
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NEWS
Follow up: new sex-ed policy goes into effect Jason Lalljee EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
THE ACT is groundbreaking: it’s the first day that Townsend Harris HIV/AIDS peer educators have been allowed to perform condom demonstrations in class, something greenlit for peer educators and qualified teachers. “On our World AIDS day, my students who trained at North Shore were able to do condom demonstrations with the 11th and 12th graders,” said health teacher Maria Assante, explaining the presence of condoms in classrooms on December 8. For the past four years, New York City’s sex education curriculum allowed health teachers to speak about proper condom usage in class, but prevented them from performing practical demonstrations or showing actual condoms. The change impacts the way required courses are taught to NYC high school students, but parents will maintain the right to opt-out their children, as they always have. The opt-out policy dictates that parents may exempt their children from “prevention” classes (specifically lessons on condoms and other birth control methods) as long as the school is given “assurance that the pupil will receive such instruction at home.” In 2012, the criteria for opting-out broadened to include the HIV/AIDS curriculum. “It’s easier said than done when it comes to putting on a condom,” said senior peer educator Nadia Khan. “I don’t think people realize until they see the actual demonstration. It’s great that health classes are taking a step forward in the right direction of helping promote overall well-being,” she added. “It’s very important that students get a proper understanding of how to use [condoms] because proper usage not only prevents pregnancies, but also prevents the spread of diseases and viruses,” said senior peer educator Adomas Hasan. “The most effective way to teach students the process is through demonstrations,” he explained. A 2011 study published by the Public Library of Science (PLOS) found that states that taught comprehensive sex/and or HIV/AIDS education and covered abstinence along with contraception and condom use tended to have the lowest teen pregnancy rates. States with abstinence-only sex education laws stressing chastity until marriage and not demonstrating proper contraceptive use were significantly less successful in preventing pregnancies. “Rather than just stand there and tell the kids to imagine that
I’m holding a condom, I can actually show it now,” said Ms. Assante. “Everyone’s a different kind of learner. Some people [learn] auditorily, others kinesthetically, and some visually. Now, I’ll be able to address everyone’s learning style,” she said. None of the THHS students have begun the sex education unit in their first semester health classes, something that is traditionally saved for the end of the course. “We want them to be a lot more comfortable by the time we get around to that stuff,” stated Ms. Assante. In addition to the advent of the new policy, the DOE also recommended that instructors take advantage of their promoted curriculum, HealthSmart. THHS health teachers plan on using it as a supplement for
the old curriculum, creating what they describe as an “organic melding of the two.” As some THHS students feel,
“ Change happens when people feel passionately about something and do something about it. ” there might be an advantage to keeping the new demonstration policy classroom-based. “[Condom use] is good to
know how to do, but the demonstrations themselves were presented awkwardly and made me uncomfortable,” commented junior Vanessa Lau. “It felt a little unnecessary― I would definitely prefer seeing a teacher do it.” “The only complaint I have is that being the same age as the people educating makes it difficult to maintain the same level of authority that a teacher may have and may lead one’s peers to not take the demonstration seriously,” said Adomas. “I feel like it would be a much better idea to have an adult with authority [who] is able to maintain solemnity throughout the presentation.” For all its potential drawbacks, the policy is generally being well-received among the students and the faculty.
“[Despite] potential awkwardness, it’s a good idea to have education and choices available to you,” commented physical education teacher Lauren Caiaccia. On any other changes she would like to see added to the NYC health curriculum, Ms. Assante remarked that she would like to see the sophomore year health course “expanded from one semester to a year.” “Change happens when people feel passionately about something and do something about it,” Ms. Assante said, referring to both the recent changes in the health curriculum and ones she anticipates in the future. “Go to your mayor, your city council member…taking action is the best way to ensure that positive change gets made,” she concluded.
OPINION: EXTENDING HEALTH CURRICULUM WOULD HAVE BENEFITS FOR ALL BY MARIA ASSANTE, HEALTH TEACHER
WE MOST often associate “school” with the core subjects—math, english, science, and history, but physical education is just as much a part of the curriculum. Currently, the New York State requirement for graduation is seven semesters of Physical Education and one semester of Health Education. However, this one health semester is insufficient in passing on crucial knowledge that students will need throughout their lives. Health programs can be great if the teachers are committed to providing their stud en t s with the best education possible. I believe that as times are changing, health education is becoming much more important, and is expanding every year; five months is definitely not enough to cover everything; we should expand the curriculum to two semesters, even experimentally. An important lesson concerns decision making, which is actually a rather extensive topic
that we should be placing more emphasis on. It applies to all topics when you think about it —mental health, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, nutrition, sex—all of that is decision making. Health class focuses on awareness, options, consequences, decisions, actions and reflections on our final decisions. I think more time helping students with this process is never a waste of time. Health is not just another science class, nor is it a class where students scramble to copy down facts. It’s
about “practicing” decision making. How do facts teach you to practice standing up for yourself? How do they help you in saying no to someone who’s offering you a cigarette at a party or pressuring you to have sex? Kids need the room to practice and the chance to get to know one another, not a teacher. In our current curriculum, we spend the most time on the mental health unit, which is not an accident. Mentally, students have an incredible burden to deal with. They are stressed from all of the demands that are put on them at such a young age; they need a little mental relaxation. S t u dents, especially in this school, want to say “yes” to everything, and mental health is not focused on as much as it should be in real life. However, because we only have
“BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ONE SEMESTER, OTHER TOPICS DO NOT GET AS MUCH ATTENTION AS THEY SHOULD BE RECEIVING.” one semester, other topics do not get as much attention as they should be receiving. Recently, we have been using a new curriculum involving books from the HealthSmart series including Emotional and Mental Health, Nutritional and Physical Activity, Violence and Injury Prevention, and HIV, STD, and Pregnancy Prevention. With this new curriculum, we are able to additionally cover more topics that students are interested in. However, many activities are student driven and require quite a bit of time to be done effectively. We could get so much more out of each class discussion if we had more time. We should be given more time to cover these questions and topics which will surely affect the entirety of students’ lives. Knowledge is the best power.
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THE CLASSIC
2016 SAT/ ACT/ PSAT/ TACHS/ SHSAT/ HUNTER/ BACCALAUREATE
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Start Date: Saturday, June 25, 2016 – Sunday, August 21, 2016 Class 1: Test 1 (June 25) Class 2: Review 1 (June 26) *NO CLASS Saturday July 2* *NO CLASS Saturday July 3* Class 3: Test 2 (July 9) Class 4: Review 2 (July 10) Class 5: Test 3 (July 16) Class 6: Review 3 (July 17) Class 7: Test 4 (July 23)
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THE CLASSIC
January/February 2016
2016 SAT/ ACT/ PSAT/ TACHS/ SHSAT/ HUNTER/ BACCALAUREATE
Summer Camp
Start Date: Wed, June 29, 2016 – Thursday, August 18, 2016 Class 1: Test 1 (*Wed*)
Class 10: Test 4
Class 21: Grammar/ Essay
Class 2: Review 1 (*Thurs*) Class 11: Reading
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Class 23: Reading
Please Do Test 2 for HW
Class 13: Grammar/ Essay Class 24: Math
Class 3: Reading (*Tues*)
Class 14: Test 5
Class 25: Grammar/Essay
Class 4: Math
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Class 5: Grammar/ Essay Class 16: Math
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Class 6: Test 3
Class 17: Grammar/Essay Class 28: Math
Class 7: Reading
Class 18: Test 6
Class 29: Grammar/Essay
Class 8: Math
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WHY IS AMERICA AFRAID OF YOUR CLASSMATES?
6 January/February 2016
MUSLIM HARRISITES RESPOND TO RECENT UPSURGE IN ISLAMOPHOBIA
DONNING BLACK from head to toe, only her face and hands visible, a young Muslim girl makes her way to school. She and a current of other floating heads rush along towards the same destination. To these people, she is just another student. At Townsend Harris, she is one of many Muslim students, and wearing an abaya wouldn’t immediately turn heads or yield rumors. The same girl now walks down a busy street with her mother, a woman clad in a burka, only her eyes visible. They cross paths with an older white man, and are instantly propelled into a very different situation. Rude comments arise at an ever increasing volume, accompanied by hand gestures as he yells, “Go back to where you came from.” At one point, the girl fears he will spit at her. Junior Sangida Akter is a 16-year-old girl living in New York City. She shares this home with nearly 8.4 million people, many of whom identify with the Islamic faith. Her experience walking the streets of this city is not an isolated one. In a range of conversations with current and former Muslim students at THHS an alarming number report being harrassed in the street, intimidated, and in one case, physically assaulted. A c c ord i n g t o r e p or ting by The New York Times, hate crimes against Muslims have tripled since the terrorist attacks that struck Paris and San Bernardino, California at the end of last year. Such attacks coincide with increasingly sharp rhetoric from presidential candidates, with Donald Trump’s comments drawing the most attention and controversy. In December, Trump called for a “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.” Behind this climate is the a ssumpt ion that Musl i mAmericans are a singular subset of American society, one that can be lumped together, but there are few places that provide a picture that so clearly opposes this monolithic stereotype as Townsend Harris. New York has one of the largest Muslim populations in America, and within New York City, the largest concentration of Muslim Americans is in Queens. Unlike most schools in Queens, THHS pulls in students from all over the borough, ensuring that our population of Muslim students comes from a wide array of places within Queens. This puts Townsend Harris in a unique place within the country to report upon the nature of a group that has the rest of the nation talking. With this in mind, we sought to explore the experiences of
these Muslim Harrisites at this moment in American culture and politics, and to explore in depth key aspects of their experience here at THHS that distinguish them from wider images in the media.
WEARING THE HIJAB One of the most prominent examples of diversity within the Muslim community at Townsend Harris involves the decision to wear a hijab. While many may assume the hijab to be a mandatory part of clothing for Muslim women, for many it is a matter of choice. Junior Noorshifa Arssath is Sri Lankan with Portuguese and Turkish descent, “and grew up in a household that taught [her] to do anything [she] set her mind to.” It was her own choice to wear a hijab. It is an outward demonstration of her faith—a clear label that she is Muslim— and she realizes that oftentimes it puts her under a spotlight. “In the outside world I have to live up to a double standard. I walk into the train and there are times when no one will want to sit with me or near me.” She has been shouted at in public, and called a “terrorist.” She is steadfast in her bel ief that her hijab is not only what defines her as a Muslim: “Wearing the hijab or growing a beard doesn’t make you more Muslim. My dad doesn’t have a beard. He chooses not to, but deep inside he has a strong faith.” Junior Mithila Hossain, who is of Bengali descent, started wearing the hijab a couple of years ago, but no longer does, stating, “I feel more comfortable with myself by not wearing it and happier, but maybe in the future I’ll start wearing it again with pure intentions.” While she does believe that wearing a hijab is no guarantee of being a Muslim with a stronger faith, she did concede that “if people see you wearing a hijab or something that clearly portrays that you are Muslim, they will tend to be more racist towards you. Even though I don’t wear the hijab, I’ve witnessed lots of people harassing women who wore hijabs in public and made negative remarks against them and Islam.” Sangida, in her abaya, feels on display at many of the events that are normal for high school students to attend. At an academic conference, she can’t help but note the bewildered looks from people who underestimated her, believing she was “narrow minded and not involved in general American culture.” She too is an American; she has strong ideals, she has varied interests, she
is a feminist, and she is a scholar. And yet, there are times when she believes she has to face an “unnecessary hard time and still have to stand there and put in an extra smile and say please and thank you,” in a desire to avoid further tarnishing the person’s already distorted views on Muslims. “In those times, I’m at my most vulnerable and wonder why an extra piece of clothing makes me so very different in other people’s eyes.” She also discussed how different groups treat her: “If I had to be frank, I think little kids are the people I feel most comfortable being around as a woman in a headscarf in public. It’s absolutely beautiful how children are so easily able to see you as who you really are: just another human.” S en ior Ta h i na A h med remarks, “people see the hijab and they automatically associate you with ISIS or some kind of ter ror organization. It’s the worst.”
do people comment something regarding my name. I recall being asked, ‘How can you be Muslim if you are white?’” Noorshifa herself admitted to being surprised on the first day of school when she found out what Muhamed’s name is. “I think that people are quick to assume that Muslims have a distinct look, but religion has no race or specific look. Anyone can be Muslim regardless of where they’re from and who they are.” Muhamed went on to say that he believes that society in general plays a role in “painting the image of Muslims and adding to related stereotypes such as having a darker skin color.” Many students do not mention that they are Muslim until specifically asked, such as senior Abdoulaye Diallo, who remarks, “to me, religion is a personal thing—it is my relationship with God. I never really tell people what religion I follow because frankly, it’s personal. I’m not ashamed of my religion or anything of that sort; I just don’t announce my religion freely unless I’m asked about the faith I follow.” Abdoulaye is from Guinea, and lived in France for a few years before coming to the United States.
DEPARTING FROM MEDIA DEPICTIONS
A t THHS, t h e co-presid ent of the Muslim S t u d e n tA s s o c i a t i o n (MSA) is senior Sarah DeFilippo, who does not wear a hijab and is actually from Trinidad, a country in the Caribbean. She states, “I don’t really face a lot of outright discrimination outside because I’m light-skinned. I only speak English and Spanish, and I’m not a hijabi.”
ETHNICITY AND RELIGION Beyond the issue of dress is the general “ethnic look” that popular images of Muslims suggest can only be Middle Eastern. Yaseen Mohamed has Egyptian and Ecuadorian backgrounds, and follows many Islamic practices including fasting during Ramadan and refraining from eating pork. Muhamed Bicic, junior, is from Montenegro, a country in Eastern Europe: “For the most part, I don’t get much of a reaction when I tell people that my name is Muhamed. Very rarely
Many consider THHS a relatively safe space compared to the outside world. This is not necessarily the norm for other high schools, as Destiny Lucas of Queens Collegiate at Jamaica High School noticed: “Recent terror attacks have caused some students to joke about [Muslim students] being affiliated with it. When the ‘native speakers’ talk amongst themselves, people become curious or nervous.” Assistant Principal Ellen Fee finds that “NYC is a different place than the rest of America.” She continues, “We are very privileged to be in a very tolerant society, but I think that THHS is even more special and even more tolerant than most of NYC and I think our community is more open than any other community I’ve been to.” Referencing that diversity, Muhamed states, “THHS allows us to become more in contact with cultures we might not be exposed to.” Sangida adds, “I’ve basically grown up in South Asian and Muslim communities all my life, and though I was raised with the idea that you don’t have to be a certain way to be Muslim, I didn’t really get to experience this until I came to Townsend.” Tahina says, “The THHS
THE CLASSIC
Muslim community, specifically the MSA, is wonderful. The club isn’t exclusive; the door is open to anyone who wants to come in and engage in various conversations and I feel like that’s great because it moves away from the media’s idea that Muslims like to keep to themselves. Instead, the MSA is spreading the message that we welcome people of all backgrounds and religions.” The message that students and faculty want to get across is that wearing a hijab, having dark skin, or having a long beard does not automatically make someone a terrorist. “Human beings are complex; there are ways of understanding people in ways other than through religion,” says Assistant Principal Rafal Olechowski. Commenting on portrayals in the media, Sangida says, “Many of the Muslims I love spending time with aren’t those clad in hijabs and beards. They look and dress just like any other American and talk about the same pop culture that any other American talks about.” “I think my major issue is that people don’t view Muslims as Americans. I can tell you for sure that I love being an American,” said Noorshifa. She continued: “This is where I was born. It’s my country, my home. I stand up every day and say the pledge of allegiance and I even perform the National Anthem at events. If someone threatens my country, it’s my job as an American to protect it and its beliefs.” Mithila finds that the media “never explains what’s written in the Qu’ran or what is really expected from Muslims, but rather the horrible crimes that some committed.” Similarly, Tahina states, “I think a lot of the time Muslims are portrayed as being isolated members of their community. You’ll hear reporters say that Muslim assailants kept to themselves and were very taciturn. However, the media is just generalizing.” Sangida said,“The media loves to portray Muslims with these serious facial expressions, which really doesn’t help the misunderstood stereotypes others have of them being people who adhere to a radical religion that’s inconsistent with the 21st century. “ She added, “When was the last time the media showed a smiling Muslim or some Muslims teenagers or children just living life? “If the mosque in the background is really that necessary, then show the little kids playing around and giggling as they leave the mosque, not the preacher who is walking out solemnly or the prayer going on inside the mosque.”
BY LAURA MARSICO, MOHIMA SATTAR, AND ASHLEY SEALY ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SAHIL SHARMA
THE CLASSIC
January/February 2016
7
NEWS & FEATURES
CONFESSIONS PAGE RAISES QUESTIONS ON FREE SPEECH
PHOTO BY JUSTICE WILLIAMS
Some question whether the anonymous adminstrators of the Confessions page have a First Amendment responsibility to share the unfiltered thoughts of anonymous community members.
Hiba Sohail and Halima Tokhi STAFF WRITERS EAGER HARRISITES reach for their phones to see Admin 1 and Admin 2 update the THHS Confessions Page and flood it with new confessions. Cue the screenshots. The page’s amusing atmosphere attracts more than half of the school’s student body on Facebook. Created last summer, it is run by anonymous students who call themselves a1 and a2. As with the other confessions page, this one has raised questions of privacy, free speech, and anonymity. The general attitude of the administration toward the THHS Confessions page is not one of admiration. Dean Robin Figelman calls the page “silly, for the lack of better words. You’re hiding from feelings, your own emotions, and saying things on social media that could be said in person.” Students of the THHS student body have mixed feelings about the page. In some cases, individuals found them derogatory. Fresh man A m isha Saha recalls, “Someone called me out
on a low score on I got, resulting in people judging me by my grades.” Freshman Jacqui Valenti believes the page is popular because “it’s easier to say you like someone or hate something without having your name on it.” Sophomore Aaron Fernando, the designer of the cover photo and profile picture of the THHS Confessions page, took a more cautious stance on the issue. He says, “I think it’s a cool, fun way for us to interact with each other online. I know there are plenty of problems in using it. However, it is really fun to read when I’m bored.” Aaron finds that the popularity of the page relates to how “no one can prove that you said or didn’t say something. It’s also good for venting your feelings or just to share an anecdote or something with the student body.” Some posts don’t relate to specific people but can be inflammatory in nature in a broader sense. Confession #3150 read as: “Twinkle twinkle little star/I’m
going to bomb the whole world,/ ALLAHU AKBAR,” Referencing this, senior Minahil Khan says, “Honestly, it’s disappointing as a Muslim to see that an individual would find it funny to post that. I
“ You’re hiding from feelings, your own emotions, and saying things... that could be said in person. ” wouldn’t expect any better from that page—I know that a bunch of immature kids submit these ‘confessions,’ and that post displays nothing but ignorance.” Admin 1 of the page writes,
“There’s no real formula for determining whether a confession is worthy of being posted. It mostly depends on how we interpret the word choice and tone. The use of quotation marks around the confessions demonstrates that the opinions expressed within the quotes do not match those of the page’s admins.” He or she adds, “While we don’t necessarily condone those posts, freedom of speech is one of the most important amendments in the entire Constitution. People are free to say anything they want as long as it isn’t libelous in nature, and these posts don’t directly attack any individual member of the school.” U.S. History teacher Jaime Baranoff explains that the First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law restricting these five freedoms of citizens,” and this “limits the government and protects the rights of citizens to exercise freely what they believe.” Fellow History teacher Linda
Steinmann added, “The first amendment protects us from government abuse of our rights. In the case of online anonymous gossip or hate there is no first amendment protection, as Facebook could delete any inappropriate content without challenge since every user accepts the terms of service.” In other words, although citizens have a right to free speech, nobody is obligated to publish everything that someone says, and while the government cannot choose what can or can’t be said, a company like Facebook can. For Admins 1 and 2 of the page, the issues of censorship and free expression are closely intertwined. Admin 1 concludes, “We’ll do our best to learn from our mistakes and continue to ensure the page is a safe place for all to express their thoughts while maintaining a minimal level of censorship.” Addi t i o n a l re p o r t i n g b y Mehrose Ahmad
Europe trip cancelled due to Paris attacks Christine Paredes STAFF WRITER
EVERY YEAR, Townsend Harris High School offers an international trip, but occasionally, world events cause these trip plans to change. The school international trips usually alternate between exploring the continents of South America and Europe. This year, the scheduled trip was initially to France, Italy, Spain, and Moneco. However, due to the recent attacks in Paris, the trip has been cancelled and moved to China. The ten-day trip will hit the major cities of Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai. Despite the fact that the State Department’s international travel alert expires on February 24, the end-ofApril trip is affected. In reference to this change,
Principal Anthony Barbetta says, “In light of what happened in France, and the fact that there is a travel warning, the superintendent cancelled the trip. She figured that it would be easier to cancel it now, and to go somewhere else. It is harder to cancel the trip last minute because there’ll be a lot of money loss and things like that.” Lang uage teacher and international trip organizer Caroline Lopera is hopeful for this new change of location. “The kids voted, and they voted for China. I have never been to China, so it will be a new experience. I think it is going to be great to experience such a big place of such culture and history,” she comments.
Unfortunately, some students are disappointed to hear the news. Sophomore Valerie
“ I have never been to China...it’s going to be great to experience such a big place. ” Mui who is planning to go to the international trip this year states, “I was sort of upset because I
was looking forward to spring break. The international trip would have been beneficial to me mostly because of the experience and being able to view French culture [with] my own eyes.” S ophomore A my L i n describes, “My friends and I planned out our whole trip and how we were [going to] take loads of pictures. However, I would not want to be in Europe at this time.” In addition to this alteration, another dispute is the cost of such trips, which are usually thousands of dollars. The trip to China will cost approximately $3,800, while the price for the trip to France was set at $4,000. Junior Harleen Karir went to the Peru trip last
year and remarks, “I think international trips are wonderful, although they’re expensive. It’s still really fun eating new foods, practicing a foreign language in an actual foreign nation, meeting a great deal of friendly people, and seeing beautiful cultural and historical landmarks.” Furthermore, sophomore Tara Jackson explains, “It was worth going at least once because you get to experience a brand new point of view. I went mountain hiking, saw Machu Picchu, and also visited Lake Titicaca, which had everyone laughing about the name.” Principal Barbetta concludes, “Trips are a great way to expand a student’s horizons and furtherhelp students gain an understanding of another culture.”
8 January/February 2016
THE CLASSIC
THE HARRIS HEROES: FACULTY MEMBERS AND THEIR MILITARY SERVICE By Faaria Ahmed, Amanda Batista, Minahil Khan, and Ashley Sealy
ALL PHOTOS BY FAHEEMA SYAHBAL
TYPICALLY, AT Townsend Harris, teachers are known for assigning excessive amounts of homework and giving frequent pop quizzes. For some of them, the stakes of life before THHS were considerably higher; mathematics teacher Timothy Connor, chemistry teacher Adel Kadamani, and custodians Luis Perez and Mario Vasquez have each served in branches of the military and chose to share their stories.
Mr. Kadamani “I REMEMBER thinking, ‘My God, I could’ve been dead.’ My life was saved. That changes you, kid. That was something, I will never forget.” Chem ist r y teacher Adel Kadamani spent five years of his life serving in the Lebanese Civil War during the years 1975-1980. “People were getting killed and I had to enlist to push them back and protect our families,” Mr. Kadamani responded when asked why he enlisted in the first place. After serving for five years, he decided to
pursue the road of teaching. Mr. Kadamani said that he would not go back into the war, although it has changed him for the better. He said, “I did my time and now I need to take care of my family.” He also said that being in the military changed him by improving his “responsibility, discipline, hard work and interactions with people.” The war also changed his perspective on life, and now he sees that, “Life is a gift, we have to cherish it and be thankful for everyday and never take things for granted.”
Luis Perez Mario Vasquez “IT GAVE me more discipline and motivation and more pride in the United States.” Another custodial staff member who is also a veteran is Mario Vasquez. Mr. Vasquez, who works after school hours, spent five years stationed in North Carolina as a part of the Marine Corp Between the years 1980 a nd 1985 , M a r i o worked with the main office in the Marine Cor ps A ir Station located at
“I WAS a 19-year-old kid in the middle of a war.” Handyman Luis Perez joined the Air Force in 1967 at 17 years old as a way to stay out of trouble. Then starting in 1969, he served Cherry Point. When asked for four years in the Vietnam War. about his experience, all He left service in 1971. “I was Mario had to say was, “[I] fed up with the military. I had no love the way all the Marines freedom. I wanted to grow my stuck together, came to you hair long; it was the age of love and gave you a hand.” and freedom,” Mr. Perez stated Mario confirmed that when asked why he ended his serjoining the Marine Corps vice. Even though he said he was changed him for the better. tired of serving, Mr. Perez reinUpon learning of the forced that the military changed service of those like Mr. him for the better. “It made a man Vasquez, other staff mem- out of me. When I was 17, I was bers seemed impressed. Ms. a rebel; [the military] opened my Figelman responded “I feel eyes.” Mr. Perez also added that honored to be working with the military made him more outmen that served and helped going and open. us [and other counties] Like Mr. Kadamani, he would become a free nation.” not go back to serve. Instead, Mr. English teacher Robert Perez would like to revisit some of Babstock had the same the countries he travelled to while idea, and said, “I wish there serving, like Thailand.However, were more veteran teach- he asserted that he has joined the ers in this school who have Townsend Harris family to stay. ‘walked the walk’.” He enjoys his job at Townsend. “I like being around the kids,” he added.
Many school staff members do not know about Mr. Perez’s part in the U.S. Air Force. Dean Robin Figelman was astonished. “We have veterans in this school?” When en lightened about Mr. Perez and his past life she responded “I’m glad he came out alive.” Hector Benitez also shared his appreciation f o r M r. Perez’s s e r v ic e saying, “I wish I would’ve had the opportun it y to serve our count r y [a s h e did].”
“IT PUT EVERYDAY LIFE IN PERSPECTIVE. YOU LOOK AT THE Mr. Connor BIG PICTURE AND WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN.”
“[BEING IN the military] put everyday life in perspective. You look at the big picture and what could possibly happen.” Math teacher Timothy Connor served in the Army Reserves for twenty four years. Mr. Connor initially joined the army to pay the tuition for his last two years of college. As time progressed, however, he began to
enjoy his time there, so he decided to stay for twenty two more years. In the two decades he served, Mr. Connor travelled to a wide range of places, including Korea, Panama, Guatemala, Germany, and North Dakota. His travels to such places allowed him to meet and branch out to people from several parts of the world.
Mr. Connor’s military experience also made him see life in a different light. According to Mr. Connor, when students complain about completing a homework assignment, he simply thinks, “You don’t really know what stress is.” As a veteran, he believes that his experiences, while serving in the Army Reserves, are the epitome of true
stress . Furthermore, he said that being in the military taught him teamwork, planning, and leadership. Mr. Connor elaborated, saying: “It definitely made me see that you have to have plans.”
THE CLASSIC
January/February 2016
9
NEWS
Regents factored out of teacher evaluations Gustavo Delgado STAFF WRITER
WHILE EXAMS may play a large role in the lives of Townsend Harris students, until recently, the same could be said of their teachers. Originally, 40% of a teacher’s evaluation score concerning efficiency came from a student’s standardized test score. 20% would come from state assessments such as the Regents exam and the other 20% would come from local exams including the New York City English Language Arts Performance Assessment. However, on December 14, the Board of Regents came to the decision to put a moratorium on the use of state test scores in teacher evaluations until the 2019-2020 school year. This development towards the end of the dubbed “test and punish” period has ignited discussion among both students and faculty. In the previous system, any non-core subject that lacked a standardized test would be coupled with that of another subject. Teachers who taught physical education, art, or language would in part be scored on the exams of an English class they had no part in.
Principal Anthony Barbetta described, “I agree with the [idea] that student test scores [shouldn’t] contribute to a teacher’s evaluation. For instance, physical education teachers are graded off of the English regents. The assessments did not correlate with the teachers.” Mr. Barbetta further elaborated that this lack of correlation was one of the system’s flaws. Spanish teacher Diana Villaverde agreed, saying, “The system we had in place for factoring teacher’s scores was a bit unfair because it’s basically not a teacher’s subject and they’re not teaching that group of students.” It would come as a surprise to most that originally Governor Andrew Cuomo had been planning to raise the percentage from 20% to 50%. However, after the findings of his task force led by former school chancellor Dennis M. Walcott, it was visible that the system resulted in inaccurate ratings. Teachers were rated on a scale of “ineffective,” “developing,” “effective” and “highly effective.” The system resulted in inaccurate ratings because of biased results where 96% of teachers were rated either effective or
highly effective while “a little over 1 percent” were rated ineffective in 2014. The new policy will include state test results for “advisory purposes” rather than playing such a large determining factor in grading a teacher. Principal Barbetta responded, “I am totally opposed to the 50% honestly, because there is more to a child than a test score.” Science teacher Shi Bing Shen stated, “I don’t know if the new policy will help or hurt the evaluations of the teachers in our school yet.” Substitute teacher Kim Nitchman echoed Ms. Shen’s opinion, adding, “I think that it [removal of the regents score from teacher evaluations] makes perfect sense. It’s a much better choice because the problem was that it caused teachers and students to be stressed over tests, causing teachers to teach toward the test.” “Teaching to the test” is something that has been brought up by many teachers. In
the old system, classroom time would be dedicated to test prep at the cost of anything else that would be taught in favor of ensuring that a teacher and students score would be the best. Harrisites offer another outlook in the fact that teachers cannot be held entirely responsible for student test scores. Sophomore Hannah McCluskey furthered this by describing, “Teachers should not be evaluated on student test scores because no matter how much they teach their students, h o w a
much student actually
studies and pays attention is out of their hands. Just because a student is unprepared doesn’t mean a teacher should be condemned for that.” Junior Daniell Morales stated, “It is a student’s decision whether or not they wish to improve themselves within a specific subject.” Some fear the complete uncoupling of student testing with teacher evaluation, such as Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch, who although was an original supporter of the system, voted against the moratorium. Mr. Barbetta concluded,“In New York, I think it’s a pause. I don’t think there will be such a heavy emphasis on the exams moving forward… hopefully we’ll come up with something better than that.”
BE POETIC.
ART WORK BY AMAND A LIN
WRITE.
Creative Writing Classes. College Essay Coaching. w w w. g o t h a m w r i t e r s . c o m
FROM SECULAR STUDY TO SCRIPTURE: A LOOK AT THE INFLUENCE OF HIGH SCHOOL ON THE RELIGIOUS LIVES OF HARRISITES 10 January/February 2016
BY POONAM DASS, SUMAITA HASAN, & JASON LALLJEE
sonal change and growth, exposing teenagers to
be unfair to those coming from non-Christian back-
As the question
of church and state
a multitude of fresh influences within a learning
grounds or simply not inclusive enough of other re-
classroom beco
means that religion remains a sensitive subject in
environment that introduces more complex intel-
ligions. Some refer to either a reinforcement of their
school environments, given that faith (or a lack
lectual and cultural forces―religion being a part
faith or a disillusionment of it upon entering high
thereof) is not something that is easily extricable
of that. Some Harristies find the academic study of
school, whether that be through solidarity found
from a student’s identity. High school, however,
religions lacking or controversial, either citing the
in faith-based communities at THHS or changing
has proved to be a time-honored stage of per-
prominence of the Bible in humanities curricula to
political views that conflict with religious orthodoxy.
THE SEPARATION
THE CLASSIC comment on ho
to accommoda
HOW HARRISITES IDENTIFY RELIGIOUSLY In a survey involving 150 students, roughly
religious. It’s something I personally pursue; it’s
10.7% said they identified as “very religious,”
out of a sense of duty, it’s habitual. I’ve attended
“It’s hard to reconcile religious texts with science
32.7% said they were “moderately religious,” 32%
church every Sunday for ten years and I find it odd
and academia because of the lack of believable
said they were “somewhat religious,” and 24.7%
not to go.”
stories that most religions have. THHS has
said they were “not at all religious.”
In particular, we were interested in exploring
In regards to school influences, Stephen said,
made me more open towards considering a
More than 50% of the students claimed that
how school affects student religious perspectives.
they were religious because of their families, while
There are the ways that certain courses could chal-
42% identified as being religious on their own, re-
lenge or deepen personal beliefs, but there’s also
on the topic, which we will explore in the below
gardless of the influence of their families.
the way that interacting with students can influence
sections.
Senior Stephen Mai said, “My parents aren’t
more scholarly perspective on religion.” Other students had various perspectives
others.
CURRICULUM RESULTS IN REEVALUATION OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFS Though a secular education may not seek to
Olechowski believes that religious texts are an
However, humanities teacher Raquel Chung
broaden student perspectives on their own reli-
essential part of any school’s curricula, although
believes that “students who are familiar with the
them based on
gion, studying the history of religions is essential
measures should be taken to make sure the texts
stories have a hard time reading the text as a story.
ligion has an as
to a well-rounded education. In the process of
are taught effectively and respectfully.
Non-Christians are more comfortable and have an
students shoul
easier time looking at it as a story, not through a
kids don’t und
religious perspective.”
Hinduism, but t
conducting this study, many students report ques-
“Reading religious texts doesn’t work espe-
tioning their own personal beliefs. When asked if
“
high school classes expanded their perspectives on religion, numerous students suggested that the curricula presented from multiple departments has the tendency to lead them to question their religious texts. Senior Florebencia Fils-Aime recalled, “One moment that allowed me to reflect where I stood on the topic of religion was in A.P. French. I decided to be against religious institutions because people
IN ORDER TO STUDY THE LIVES OF OTHERS, YOU NEED TO APPROACH THEM CORRECTLY.
have used religion for unjust reasons. People have
”
used religion to justify war, slavery, the destruction of different cultures, and attacking groups of peo-
She continued, “I ask the class to approach
Catholics are C
baby in Christia
the story as a work of fiction because a lot of stu-
not logical, tha
dents read creation myths, like in freshman year,
they approach
and they don’t see it as a religious text. They should
very enlightenin
leave ‘the religious baggage’ outside the door. I
Sophomor
had a student last year, who decided to look at it
THHS is a sc
[the Bible] with the perspective of a character. She
seems to be the
compared the character of Jesus to the characters
your beliefs. B
in the Quran. By treating the stories in that manner,
it makes you v
she was able to distance herself from the religious
stand your belie
texts.”
“In a scho
Atheist students also shared their experiences
ities foundation
ple. However, some aspects of religion I like are
cially well in the seminar because students haven’t
on the Biblical readings. Senior Stephanie Howe
of what a sec
how it tries to bring order and how people use it to
been taught what the Bible is without ever reading
noted, “Reading about other religions is fascinating
like is one whe
get through harsh times.”
it themselves, and those who have read it by them-
in class, especially during A.P. World, but during
religious texts.
Though students can be led to question their
selves have the influence of religious backgrounds
humanities, when we read about Jesus and how
believe in and w
beliefs in science courses and social studies class-
and organizations,” he commented. “When you
he was a divine figure, [it] was kind of awkward. I
what they don’
es, one of the key areas of controversy in Townsend
bring it into a secular environment we’re working
respect other people’s religions, but the fact that I
Harris involves the humanities seminar, where stu-
under the assumption that they’re just texts.”
was being questioned on the details felt like I was
dents read, discuss, and write about
He added, “I think that we need a specialized
key stories from the Bible as
class, or even unit that teaches tolerance and ob-
Christina added, “the curriculum allows athe-
part of the Western lit-
jective thinking related to religious texts… In order
ists to be exposed to various religions, in what is
to study the lives of others, you need to approach
supposed to be an objective manner.”
erary canon. “I think the fact that we are forced to read the Bible in senior
Senior julian de la rosa, pictured right, performs at the seekers' coffeehouse last may.
them correctly.” Some students revealed that they felt at a disadvantage when reading the Bible. Senior Janet Hernandez expressed, “it’s
at a disadvantage.”
Senior Prabhjot Shergill stated, “I was always pretty skeptical about my faith; nevertheless, learning about other religions helped verify the skepticism that I had. A.P. World History was
strange to read [the Bible] as just a book. I see it as
where we learned about a lot of different cultures
a religious text. When the teachers ask questions
and groups of people that have come and gone.
on the ideas established in the text I feel like they’re
Learning biology, chemistry, and physics, all of
challenging my beliefs.”
which had research and time put behind them,
Senior Triparna Banik questioned, “How can
would conflict with religious ideas I was told to be
year is alright. In
we read the Bible, but not the Vedas? I feel at a
theory, we’re sup-
disadvantage in the discussions because I grew up
Social studies teacher Aliza Sherman hopes
posed to only view the
in a Hindu household so when the class is talking
that A.P. World “broadens political and religious
text as a work of literature
about a verse, I feel lost. I look forward to learning
perspectives, not to change their [students’] own,
and not a religious text,
about different religions because even the books
but to understand others, and that this should fos-
but in practice I think it is difficult for the
we read freshman year have elements of the Bible.
ter a sense of respect.”
other students who have been brought up with
It is a matter of being exposed to the Bible early
Regarding the curriculum, she stated, “I find
the Bible as a religious text,” said Senior Christina
on so that by senior year, everyone has a chance
that students who are of a religious faith have mis-
Louie.
to understand and have elaborate discussions on
conceptions about their faith. [Students] will think
the text.”
that Catholic and Christians are different, but really
PHOTO BY CAMILLE Chan
Assistant
Principal
of
Humanities
Rafal
Art by Anna Cheng
true.”
POLITICAL PERSPECTIVES VERSUS RELIGIOUS IDEALS
n of how to approach religion in the
omes more pressing, educators also
THE CLASSIC
ow they feel curricula should change
ate students of all religious roots.
H OW H A R
RIS
IIT
ES
ID
EN
has been one of the very few places in which
out more and more about ourselves. However,
school environment has led students to ques-
I’ve encountered people with different views.
realizing your sexuality is one that goes against
tion the nature of orthodox beliefs, as many be-
I feel that it’s a safe environment to discuss
the unspoken or spoken rules in your religion
gan to form political views separate from what
issues concerning gender and sexuality. These
definitely has students questioning their ability
their religions preached.
people and their perspectives have caused me
to stay faithful to their religion. When it comes
“
TI
ty led many students to question their conven-
FY RE
tional religious ideals.
LI G IOU
“I do support the LGBT community. I
SLY
never associated my support with my religion, although I do know that homosexuality is considered a sin in Islam,” stated senior Komal Siddique. Senior Sarah DeFillipo added, “Although heterosexuality is the norm in Islam, that doesn’t mean that I should judge or reproach people by their sexual orientation or gender identity. I think it’s a major sin to make someone feel unwanted or subhuman. You can be conservative or liber-
to me personally, I don’t practice religion but I do dabble in both Islam and Christianity be-
RELIGION AND SEXUALITY ARE TOPICS THAT DON'T GO HANDIN-HAND UNLESS IT'S ONE CONDEMNING THE OTHER.
al, but when it comes to people, you treat them
Christians. They’ll compartmentalize
Similarly, junior Fatema Haidery stated,
spect that doesn’t sound logical and
“Growing up, I was constantly surrounded
ldn’t mock this. For example, some
by family members, some of whom held very
derstand why cows are so sacred in
aggressive views concerning topics like same
Straight Alliance (GSA) chapter stated,
then you can ask how a virgin has a
sex marriage. Since they were really the only
“Usually, religion and sexuality are top-
anity. There are some things that are
influences I had as a child, they shaped my own
ics that don’t go hand-in-hand un-
views to match their own.”
less it’s one condemning the other.
religion.” Junior Nicholas Mohan added, “I think that the LGBT community and the religious community have always been at odds with each other because the main opponents of LGBT rights are usually religiously conservative people. You can’t blame the LGBT community for not wanting to be devoted to belief systems that don’t believe in them.”
WH
liberal than I was five years ago.” Junior Sarah Gafur, leader of THHS’ Gay
efs even more.”
hard in itself as we come to find
year. Lately, because of the school Election
cular humanist society should look
weakened, and the other 71% felt their views
Simulation (largely Donald Trump), I’ve be-
ere students learn a wide variety of
remained the same.
come a lot less religiously narrow-minded and
she attended a Catholic middle school where
I believe that service to the community is more
she already started to question religion. “I
impactful than just praying.”
wasn’t very religious to begin with freshman
US
H
A
perform on an equal level as they are already acquainted with the common themes. Thus, while there is validity to the argument
there’s no reason why we can’t read other religious texts in addition to the Bible. There is a large facet of prominent world
RR IS
IT
ES AR
“In freshman year, I was trying to look for
In terms of the school workload, he stat-
year. I started seriously questioning Catholi-
myself and figure out my values. I was led to
ed, “I often get a lot less time to visit the temple
cism a few years before that, and I was more
trying to find a church and Seekers, the Chris-
due to extra work from school, so in turn I’ve
open to hearing about other religions since I
tian fellowship club at THHS, gave me more of
become less religious in terms of praying, but
only knew one my whole life. Classes such as
an idea. Then, a fellow senior invited me to vol-
I keep my values and remember the teachings
Humanities make me look at how others view
unteer at a day camp and that’s when I started
of my Gurus.”
their faith. I wouldn’t say that learning about
E
going to that church.”
were taught in freshman year, all students could
applying it to other texts in the western tradition,
starting high school, 14% believed their views
IO
If we are to read it as a prelude to the classics of Western literature, the Bible should be a
are to read the Bible without any clear plan for
ences. He added, “The values of Sikh-
n—in a country like ours—the model
HOW R E LI G
freshman year.
actually facilitate this learning. Given this, if we
were really important to me until about last
’t know,” Mr. Olechowski concluded.
year instead of learning it as a fundamental text
of poor curriculum choices, the school does not
their overall religious views strengthened after
gious before attending THHS.
lacks in sense, as we study the Bible senior
dents understand the Western canon, because
ool like ours that has a strong Human-
what they were brought up with, but
canon. However, this is where our curriculum
that it is important to read the Bible to help stu-
ism, such as selfless service to society,
Julian recalled that he was not very reli-
Bible is essential to understanding the Western
Bible as part of the required reading. If the Bible
students’ religious beliefs. 15% of students felt
Not just the texts that their parents
The primary reason defenders offer is that the
seniors take a humanities class that includes the
TE
OUS
have large influences outside of family, school
High school has a polarizing effect on
Abrahamic religions to gain an unfair advantage.
that include Christian symbolism. Instead, only SI
I GI
As youth, following a religion is
RI
EL
She continued, “However, while I didn’t
AR
But in some ways it’s good because
very aware and forces you to under-
there is a bias present, which allows students of
religions are better equipped to analyze texts YH
ER
e top priority and it seems to destroy
school like Townsend Harris. Some feel that
it, so that students unfamiliar with Abrahamic
to become more open minded. I’m much more
NAVIGATING HIGH SCHOOL
chool where logic and questioning
MANY STUDENTS debate whether or not we should be reading the Bible in a secular
part of the freshman curriculum and then lead
AR
re Anil Singh added, “Honestly
and some because they weren’t raised with
S
ng discussion.”
for the most part not religious, some by choice
BY EKTA RANA
into texts that are based upon it or reference
n opinions more than facts. Every re-
these things with respect, it can be a
cause of my parents. My club members are
”
like people—anything else is unacceptable.”
at can’t be proven scientifically but if
January/February 2016
Beyond academics in the class, the social
Their interactions with the LGBT communi-
REMOVE BIAS FROM11 THE ENGLISH CURRICULUM
Junior Muhamed Bicic said, “I believe
more religions has made me less religious,
Junior Harleen Singh Karir said he “grew
school has the potential to affect the way
but I have to admit that occasionally, I’ll come
up a devout Sikh” because of his parents’ influ-
someone, like myself, views religion. You are
across something on social media that really
exposed to people who
makes me stop and think about the validity of
have different beliefs
some organized religions.”
and
are
sometimes
Fatema concluded, “Religion definitely
forced to compare the
gives you a list of what is right and wrong and
two. When this hap-
school has encouraged me to not necessarily
pens, you try to put
challenge these principles, but rather give
some sense into why
them deeper thought. There is a difference
your religion hasn’t ac-
between what you are told to do based on
cepted a principle that
religion and what rules you choose to uphold
another has.”
based on the values you’ve acquired through
Senior
Adrienne
Cabral mentioned that
other experiences.”
literature left untouched in the curriculum. This presents us with the opportunity to expand or modify the curriculum. Students can still study classic works of great merit and relate them to other religious texts. Take E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India. A classic of the canon, this novel consistently refers to ideals in Hinduism and could contribute to our understanding of history during the British imperial time and the appropriation of Hindu culture by foreigners. If we were to add such a text to the THHS curriculum, we could also study excerpts from the Bhagavad Gita or the Vedas to further our comprehension of the text. A current work in the freshman curriculum, Salman Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories, is rife with Islamic connections, but students are never given Islamic texts to study in order to supplement their understanding. Integrating religious texts in the lesson will only increase a student’s ability to recognize worldly connections and adeptly apply what he or she learns in years to come. Both these examples offer common sense solutions to the objections that many students voice to studying only one religion’s sacred text during their time at THHS. We need not merely stick texts in from other cultures for the sake of being more diverse; we can continue to study the classics of western literature, but we can study classics that would invite us to view the sacred texts of other traditions. We live in a diverse and heavily interconnected
world.
Exposing
students to some of that diversity through the literature of other cultures would educate new generations on how to better understand one another.
12 January/February 2016
THE CLASSIC
OPINION OPINION
Muslim Harrisites: If you think something, say something Rafa Sattar STAFF WRITER “THEY’RE ALL terrorists,” he declared with a nonchalant wave of his hand. What began as a well-intentioned class discussion on the tragic terrorist attacks at Paris took a sharp turn as a student began using the calamitous events to justify a need to place restrictions on the immigration of Syrian refugees. Still, it wasn’t my classmate’s xenophobic attitude which struck me most, b u t rather the
Please don’t stop the music
oppressive silence that hovered over the room as he spoke. My own reluctance to speak came from an utter fear of being marked an anomaly. I spent the remainder of the week feeling disheartened and ashamed. It was a sentiment that I shared with many of my Muslim classmates; like me, they were at a loss for words as to how to react to the terrorist attacks. I recall my friend describing to me how his “heart dropped” when his friend’s mother indignantly declared that the attackers were Muslim. Silent but stunned, there was a festering thought in the back of his mind that he ought to share in the guilt. Many wonder why MuslimAmericans remain quiet during the aftermath of terrorist attacks, as if we could speak on a terrorist’s behalf. What words could we say to prove our allegiance? By applauding the terrorist drones striking the backwaters of the East? By giving way for the forceful, booming voices of others to eclipse our own perspectives? I have long been told by others to maintain a
gracious, placid demeanor for the sake of appeasing my fellow classmates and ultimately upholding the values that Islam places on peace. Choosing to give voice to one’s opinions is an understandably burdensome task, but to maintain silence for the sake of being polite is not justified. In fact, taking a passive route to political rhetoric is selfserving to its core, ultimately protecting oneself for fear of distancing one’s friends. Why must I sacrifice my own convictions for the sake of mollifying my classmates? It is alarming to find people restraining their sense of compassion for the sake of “security.” As for me, my sense of security is threatened as the neck of a woman who refuses to subdue herself to ISIS is slit. My sense of optimism is trampled upon as the immaculate spirits of innocents like Syrian toddler Alan Kurdi, his body resting against the callous gravel of a Turkish beach, are mired under the abhorrent labels a student chooses to impose upon them—“terrorist.” But I do not speak up in class. Here are a selection of opinions of the Syrian refugee crisis which present themselves in the rhetoric of many of my classmates, and below them are the things I should be saying in response: Most refugees choose to move to “Western” na-
tions with the intent of attaining greater economic opportunities. For Syrian and Iraqi war refugees, receiving asylum is far from the classic immigrant experience of entering the gates of opportunity. Fleeing the violence and bloodshed that has overcome their respective homelands, refugees have saturated neighboring countries like Turkey and Jordan which has led to declining conditions for refugees and a depletion of essential resources such as food, shelter, and medical aid. To describe the plight of refugees as stemming from anything but a simple desire to live in a safe, secure environment would be a grievous understatement. We ought to instead focus on providing greater support for the homeless and war veterans rather than helping refugees. This is certainly a noble cause. However, the fact that governments would choose to recall the plights of veterans and the underprivileged when they themselves have up to this point done so little to support them deems this point superficial in its intent, to simply add weight to a self-serving political agenda. From the creeping prejudices that plague some in THHS to this oppressive policy of silence that many students uphold, I can firmly attest: we could only dream of having the courage that many have paid a dear
price for under ISIS rule. The likes of female journalist Ruqia Hassan died as martyrs, but they did not die as suicide bombers. They “dared to swim in a sea of dreams” by simply giving voice to an up and coming generation not much different from our own. We are more than mere extensions of Islamic and American values; though we may never reach such heights of courage, we can do far better than simply holding steadfast to our perspectives and silencing ourselves in the face of ignorance; we must give voice to those perspectives.
Diego Ramos STAFF WRITER
THE OPTION of listening to music in school is nonexistent at Townsend Harris, where demerits are given out to students for simply having a pair of earphones. However, students should have the opportunity to listen to tracks while exercising or studying to increase their productivity and overall mood. Various scientific s t ud ie s h ave proven t h at music helps people when studying and exercisi ng. Due to these advantages, school regulations should be more lenient about the usage of headphones throughout the school day. According to an article published by the New York Times, listening to music while exercising gives people motivation to put more effort into the
activity. Research a lso suggest s that music distracts people from the fatigue they could be experiencing during moderate exercise. At THHS, physical education grades stem from workouts ranging from running to weightlifting, most of which are independent, so listening to music would not pose a problem. Mile times could improve due to the fact that more students a r e able to implement music they enjoy into the workout. Work rate could also increase as a result of th is new motivation, leading to increased productivity. Studies also show that music benefits ARTWORK BY LESLIE HUANG students when studying or doing academic
work because they are able to maint ai n concent ration and elim inate distractions. Some students have free bands throughout the day in which they have the opportunity to study for an upcoming test or complete some work. During this time interval, they should be able to listen to music because they would not be disrupting lessons and won’t need to pay attention to a lesson. Some teachers may argue that music would impair a student’s attention, leading to safety problems that could result from not following instructions. To fix this potential issue, teachers can enforce requirements
such as using headphones during individual class work time or maintaining the volume of music at an appropriate level so that the student can still hear any instructions given by teachers or administrators. It is unfair to give out demerits to students just for having their headphones out when entering the building. Students should not be given demerits for listening to music in moments of independent
activity, whether it be physical exercise or academic work. Allowing students to listen to music in such moments would not only benefit the students, but also the entire school because students will be able to relieve their stress and concentrate better throughout the school day.
THE CLASSIC
January/February 2016
13
OPINION
The Classic
EDITORIAL STAFF
FROM THE EDITORS
Promote interfaith conversations
O
NCE AGAIN, there is a growing divide within the country over religion. The current presidential race reeks of racism, affecting students at Townsend Harris. As an inclusive and diverse school, THHS should try to combat this issue. Fortunately, we have the means to do so: the school features an array of religious clubs, each associated with a distinct faith, and many with strong memberships and admirable achievements. Though these groups should be independent and should provide members with avenues through which to explore and express their respective faiths, we wonder if these groups could become more interdependent in light of recent events. An interdependence between the varying sects could raise school spirit and offer a chance to overcome a culture outside our walls that seems bent on exposing and demagoguing religious differences. THHS stresses how much it prepares its students for college, whether through preparatory classes or a general rigorous course load. However, in a real world context, students are unaware of how to speak about controversial topics in a respectable manner, as can be seen with the various Facebook fights that begin as debates about politics or religion but end up centered on personal differences.
In an attempt to mitigate such animosity, a single event organized by a diverse group focused on fostering a dialogue would promote a further cultural understanding between students of different backgrounds and would appear more welcoming to students who do not identify with any of those religions. Establishing a club focused on the diffusion and appreciation of other groups may also facilitate this process. Religious clubs already sponsor annual events that attract much of the school population. There is Bhangra night, which offers students a chance to involve themselves in an evening of cultural dancing, Hennafest, which provides a similar form of cultural appreciation, and Seekers Coffee House, which is open to every student to partake in. Other events, like fundraisers for charity, also invite all students to attend, regardless of religious background. Such events are inclusive; however, they are usually not the result of a coordinated effort between various groups at the school. In addition, these events are open to people from other religions, but do not include activities or discussions pertinent to them. Therefore, a less diverse group is more likely to attend. This is not to say that all such events should promote interfaith conversations; Hennafest, for instance, need not become a cross-cultural event
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.
that celebrates other types of creative cultural expressions beyond henna. Rather, these events could be used as the blueprint for similar events that are organized by a union of interfaith clubs. Such an event should promote interfaith conversations, addressing differences between the religions and going beyond one group’s own core set of values. This helps broaden our understanding of the complex situations occurring in the real world and creates a muchneeded dialogue in an open and accepting space. In a way, we can look to FON as an example of what religious clubs could potentially offer the school in their own unique way. In FON, each performing group has an individual cultural background represented. Though it would seem as if FON enforces boundaries between cultures, the FONs do not deter people who are not of the same background from joining, allowing the event to become an expression of unity and diversity. FON attracts a large audience over the span of multiple days and is considered one of the biggest and most positive school-sponsored events of the year. Could the same be done to not only celebrate the diversity of faiths in this school, but to create the kind of mature, educational, and healthy conversation between religious groups that the rest of our country seems so incapable of fostering?
The Classic wins at Newsies
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Sumaita Hasan Jason Lalljee NEWS EDITORS Olivia Chan Poonam Dass
SPORTS EDITORS Evan Noblesala Noah Silversmith
FEATURES EDITORS Jillissa Drayton Rebecca Kwon
SCIENCE & TECH Eunice Baik Emily Lei
OPINION EDITORS Zion Kim Mohima Sattar
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS Adam Sosnicki Faheema Syahbal Justice Williams
A&E EDITORS Hailey Lam Julliette Paul
LAYOUT EDITOR Taz Abdelkarim
COPY EDITOR Jesal Parmar MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Rebekah Jones
COPY TEAM: Ilyssa Delos Reyes, Teresa Mettela, Sandhya Sewnauth LAYOUT TEAM: Kathy Chang, Tara Jackson
MANAGING EDITORS Mehrose Ahmad Ekta Rana ADVISOR Brian Sweeney We welcome letters to the editor. Townsend Harris High School 149-11 Melbourne Avenue Flushing, NY 11367
The Classic reserves the right to edit letters for
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Have an opinion on an article published in The Classic? PHOTO COURTESY OF NEWSIES COMMITTEE
The Classic editorial team and advisor Brian Sweeney accept awards, including the award for “Best Overall Newspaper.”
T T H IS yea r’s Newsies high school journalism competition, The Classic took home the top prize for “Best Overall Newspaper,” as well as runnerup for “Best Overall News Site.” Additionally, Editor-in-Chief Jason Lalljee won first place for “Best Community News,” Arts and Entertainment Editor Hailey Lam won first place for “Best
Arts Journalism,” Sports Editor Evan Noblesala won for “Best Sports Journalism” along with staff writer Kristine Guillaume and alumna Nina Leeds, News Editor Olivia Chan won first place for “Best Social MediaAssisted Reporting,” and alumni Kari Iocolano and Yash and Sharma for “Best Multimedia Storytelling.” The entire Classic staff was awarded runner-up for the collective effort in the
“Data-Driven Reporting” category (for last year’s “Who Will Test the Testmakers?”). A d d i t i o n a l l y, a l u m n i Kimberly Rodney and Sharon Chin won third for “Best National News,” runner up for“Best Feature Story,” went to staff writers Tiffany Yue and Rafa Sattar along with alumna Hallie Wolff; alumna Kari Iocolano also won third place for “Best Photojournalism.”
Want to have your thoughts on a topic published? Write a “Letter to the Editor” and email it to thhsclassic@gmail.com.
14 January/February 2016
THE CLASSIC
SCIENCE & TECH Museum of Natural History retires competition Emily Lei and Theodore Leon SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR & STAFF WRITER
THIS FALL, the American Museum of Natural History officially ended its Young Naturalist Awards (YNA) competition. For the past eighteen years, this local competition was an opportunity for science research students to submit research papers for publication. Due to financial complications, however, the museum will no longer hold the competition. Getting published in a scientific journal is difficult, even for professionals. YNA was a valuable resource for science research students who wanted to get their work into the field. Although YNA was not limited to New York metro student residents, most submissions were from NYC students in grades 7-12. The inquiry-based competition encouraged students to conduct research and explore the natural world around them. Many students did so by com-
municating and partnering with professional scientists in laboratories. Students from Townsend Harris’s junior and senior re-
“ When funding is lost, outreach programs are usually the first to go. YNAallowed students to develop relationships with scientists. “ search classes participated in this event by submitting their Intel and sophomore research inschool projects. Senior Ivy Lam, who was
a YNA semifinalist last year for her project, “The Epigenetic Effect of Stimulants on Drosophila melanogaster,” explained, “YNA made it evident to me that my work had value and had encouraged me to further pursue my research.” Regarding YNA’s termination, she commented, “It is disappointing that such a great competition has been discontinued and it is upsetting that many other young researchers will not be able to share the same experience.” Science Research Teacher Phillip Porzio expressed disappointment as well. He stated, “It’s sad. When funding is lost, outreach programs are usually the first to go. YNA allowed students to develop relationships with scientists.” With the termination of YNA, the science research classes have decided to participate in other competitions such as the
Google Science Fair, a tionwide competition geared toward science
n a -
and technolo g y . Last ye a r, seniors were the only o n e s to compete in the Google Science Fair.
The two classes also took part in the Teptu Brink competition, limited to high school students in NYC and South A f rica. It offers mentorship opportunities for the winners o f the
competition. This is the first year Teptu Brink is holding this competition, and like YNA, it encourages students to explore their surroundings and advance STEM research.
LOGO COURTESY OF THE MUSUEM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Looking to the stars: Harrisites on astronomy Noreen Mohsin STAFF WRITER ONE NIGHT, the moon shone a deep crimson, larger and brighter than usual. This natural phenomenon, known as the Supermoon, occurs when the moon reaches its full phase at its closest point to Earth, as it did this past October, stunning those observing it from Earth. To a large portion of the student body, the Super m o on needs no explanation; many students enjoy and study the science of celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole. Students are able to incorporate astronomy into their schedule through a variety of classes, such as the Advanced Topics in Science elective, the Astronomy elective at Queens
College, or through Science Olympiad, an extracurricular activity. Physics teacher Mr. Joshua Raghunath commented, “There are certain celebrity physicists that bring astronomy into the limelight, namely Neil deGrasse Ty s on — and because of that, I think it generates a lot of interest in the s t u d en t s that come to the school. If we were to offer [an astronomy] class, I think many of them would want to take it.” Senior Abdoulaye Diallo studied astronomy in both Science Olympiad and Advanced Topics in Science. He was satisfied with the depth of exploration in the class. “The unit furthered my
“ With so many mysteries in just one topic, it’s fascinating to think of all the other things that lay in space. “
PHOTO COURTESY OF ARIANE MARCHESE Ariane interned at NASA this past summer, studying solar activity, in particular cornoal mass ejections (CMEs).
interest in astronomy by letting me examine certain aspects of it that I never really examined before. I knew that pulsars, in specific, existed but the unit let me [delve] further into the topic,” he reflected. Junior Mitchell Mu agreed with the positive experience and shared, “I loved studying astronomy [in Advanced Topics in Science]. “It isn’t really ‘studying’ if you are getting to know
more about something you love,” he added. Senior Ariane Marchese, who plans to major in astronomy when she goes to college, stated, “Astronomy is generally a subject that will always have so many questions that need to be answered and secrets waiting to be found.” Ariane is also enrolled in the Astronomy elective at Queens College. “I really like [the elective]
since it’s straightforward and gives me basic astronomical knowledge,” she remarked. In accordance with her passions, Ariane attended the NSF NASA Summer Internship at the Queensborough Community College over the summer, where she took an interest in solar activity. Ariane concluded, “it’s fascinating to think of all the other things that lay in space.”
THE CLASSIC
January/February 2016
15
SCIENCE & TECH
Steel Hawks get cutting edge technlogy Phyllis Alinsao STAFF WRITER
MID-NOVEMBER, the Steel Hawks Robotics team was granted a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, whose microcomputer software is very new to technology. Unlike 3D p r i nt er s, a CNC machine d o e s n o t simply c re a t e parts b y p r i nt ing filament—it does the complete opposite. The CNC machine enables 3D printers to cut through stronger, more durable materials such as metals and wood. In doing so, the CNC instructs the print-
ers to bring designs to life, for the team.” nology) robotics teams must presenting itself as a useful With the addition of the design and build their comtool to engineers worldwide. new machine, the team will petition robot. Due to its heavy pricing, be exposed to new facets of Senior Robotics Captain however, this technology is engineering. Marcus Barbu stated, “The not easy to obtain. The Steel CNC will allow us to speed Hawks were introduced to up our prototyping and the CNC system durproduction times, letting “ ing the Maker Faire us build a more robust last fall, where comrobot more quickly.” [The CNC] will also panies displayed The team would be increase the number of hundreds of difcapable of creating ferent products or recreating high students who will have the to the public. quality parts at a There, the Steel opportunity to learn computer cheaper expense Hawks found provide more aided design (CAD)... CAD is an and a new addition exciting experito their family integral part of the manufac- ences in just hours. of machines: the Currently, they are turing process. ShopBot CNC training robotics machine. team members in the Physics teacher software necessary to ” and Robotics coach Joel run the machine. Heitman explained, “BeMr. Heitman added, “[The fore the CNC, we used 3D CNC] will also increase the printing to prototype parts They plan to number of students who for the robot and then we use it to create specific parts will have the opportunity asked for assistance in pro- during build season, a six to learn computer aided deducing those parts from our week period in which FIRST sign (CAD) both in class and corporate sponsors that had (For Inspiration and Recog- through the team, as CAD is limited time to produce parts nition of Science and Tech- an integral part of the manu-
facturing process.” Not only is the CNC machine going to facilitate the production of the final robot during this year’s competition season, but Steel Hawks members will get an opportunity to experience what it feels like to be part of the next g en er a tion of innovators.
Science Olympiad divides and conquers Sarah Gafur and Phyllis Alinsao STAFF WRITERS
PHOTO COURTESY OF IVANKA JURAN The Science Olympiad team placed third and eleventh overall in Albany earlier this month.
THE SCIENCE Olympiad took two teams to their second invitational competition of the season in Albany at Columbia High School. They placed third and eleventh overall with students taking home ribbons in multiple events.
The invitationals, held on January 9, allowed students to get a taste of what the real competition would be like, especially in preparation for the upcoming regionals. Junior Gabrielle Mompalao feels that “invitationals are a great wake up call for
regionals and give new Science Olympiad members the perfect opportunity to get their feet wet in new areas of science.” Preparation for these competitions involves selfstudying with guidance and resources provided by their
coaches. Students work in pairs to compete in a variety of events. As a team, they are encouraged to create a dialogue among themselves to help each other build a foundation for their knowledge. Science Olympiad Vice President senior Cindy Lin
stated, “It’s a team building experience. You get to take people who aren’t that experienced in [Science Olympiad] and give them needed experience and exchange resources.” Gabrielle added, “Having two teams allows us to bring more people to the invitational to get more experience and then apply that experience at major competitions such as regionals.” Though entering two teams into a competition may foster rivalry, bringing more teams increases THHS’ ranking as a school. With 25 events to cover and 15 members on each team, some students had to take on three events. Cindy anticipated the outcomes of the competition. She explained, “What was expected was the gap of ranks between the two teams, since one had more new people, but they all had great abilities.” The team of new members ended up placing eleventh, a respectable feat for some who have never been to a Science Olympiad competition before. Science Olympiad coach Mr. Thomas Sangiorgi commented, “I am very proud of my rising stars.”
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THE CLASSIC
SPORTS PSAL continues in the wrong direction Kristine Guillaume & Noah Silversmith STAFF WRITER & SPORTS EDITOR
IN A city that contains more than 40,000 student athletes, transportation to competitions and practices may present unneeded hardships to a whole team. Despite the use of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, student-athletes across the city consistently struggle to commute to events after school. This has affected numerous aspects of their ability to compete in games and meets. Most PSAL athletes commute to games via public transportation, using student Metrocards. This presents student-athletes with a variety of problems, most notably punctuality. Girls softball team member junior Georja Fotiou recounted experiences in which her team had to commute to games over 30 minutes away from school via Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) bus, saying that “there were many instances that the softball team almost had to forfeit a game.” Athletes have tried navigating around the unreliability of MTA services by departing from school early to arrive to games on time, but many feel disadvantaged, as they miss important class time. Tim David, a senior and multisport athlete at Hillcrest High School, explained, “We leave a period early for transportation purposes, but, if the field is very far away, we leave two periods early. The only inconvenience with this is that team players have to consistently miss class and there are academic requirements to stay on a team, so this can sometimes affect a player’s possibilities of being eligible to play.” In addition to punctuality, the crowded nature of MTA buses and trains increases difficulty for teams on buses. It is challenging to both fit an entire team and carry equipment in a subway car or public bus. Girls swim team member junior Sabrina Cheng said, “It’s inconvenient to stuff half of a team carrying double the amount of bags onto a crowded bus.” Due to the tediousness of public transportation, many resort to carpooling, which presents its own problems. Carpooling relies heavily on the willingness and availability of parents and licensed athletes. Furthermore, only a limited number of seats are available, which forces the team to either split up between different methods of travel or use multiple personal vehicles. Regarding the overall issue, PSAL/ DOE Media Coordinator William Mantell believed the current system to be effective. “Schools can provide busing if it meets their needs, and public transpor-
tation has been effective in getting our student-athletes to and from PSAL contests,” he said. Other officials, when asked to comment, echoed this response. While Townsend Harris does have access to vans, only two teams can use them at once, which often leaves many to resort to these less desirable forms of commuting. Since a number of games and meets take place in surrounding boroughs, riders sometimes run out of rides on their student Metrocards before returning home. Sabrina suggested that PSAL accommodate these difficulties, saying, “Athletes should get at least four-ride Metrocards for the season.” Student athletes taking public transportation late at night may also be forced to face the dangers of intra-borough travel; some areas are less tempting than others. Senior Kevin Turaczy, who wrestles for the Bronx High School of Science, expressed a desire for PSAL to be more involved with assisting athletes, saying provisions for transportation would be “much safer for my team.” He explained that post-game commutes are “even more dangerous because it’s super dark and we are in the Bronx trying to get back to Queens.” Catholic schools such as St. Francis Preparatory and Holy Cross High School use funds to provide private buses that take athletes safely to games. While PSAL athletes understand that such funding is hard to come by, they believe PSAL should provide some form of transportation to athletes. PSAL allocates a negligible amount of money to sports teams, sometimes only enough to pay for one round of gas expenses. Varsity badminton teams, for example, receive just over 12 dollars in extra funding for their season. “They should provide us with a school bus at least to get to games,” said Laguardia High School senior and basketball player Samori Harris. Senior Tanja Miketic spoke somewhat sympathetically: “I think providing a vehicle would be too much to ask for, but the PSAL could award stipends to teams for transportation purposes. We could at least use it as gas money for the vans,” she said. Other athletes suggested methods of aid that would not cost PSAL a dime, suggesting that if PSAL scheduled games at later times, there would be less of a hassle for teams everywhere. Krystal Acevedo, a senior and basketball player at Queens Gateway to the Health Sciences High School, said, “Since PSAL is the the one who actually schedules the date and times of games, they should consider the students’ abilities to make it on time, and even try to help them out with this.”
Navigating religiousathletic conflicts Rifat Ahmed and Benjamin Chang STAFF WRITERS
FAITH AND athletics can sometimes be hard to reconcile. Each religion has its own set of tenets that govern its followers’ lifestyles and activities. The most blatant of the limitations occurs with clothing. Although not practiced by every Muslim female, the wearing of hijabs is a focal point in maintaining modesty. Hijabs are veils or headscarves that cover the wearer’s hair and chest. Junior Noorshifa Arssath wears a hijab while wrestling, a largely contact sport. Noorshifa has experimented with several types of hijabs when wrestling. “On a regular basis I use pins to hold my hijab in place, but that’s a safety hazard,” she explained. “I used to wear a slip on hijab but that was difficult because in the midst of wrestling, it would slip and pull.” Recently, Noorshifa discovered a Canadian company that designed sports hijabs, which although pricey, do not slip or require pins. “It lets me follow my religious beliefs without getting in the way of my athletic performance,” she said. Junior Misbah Pochi, who considers herself a devout Muslim, runs cross country and track. Track uniforms, which usually comprise of a singlet and spandex shorts, are designed to be lightweight to be less of a burden to a runner. For people of Muslim and Jewish faiths, showing skin in certain areas is forbidden, causing a conflict with the running attire. Misbah has adapted to this by wearing leggings and a long sleeve shirt under her track uniform. “I believe it’s mental; [clothing] only affects my performance if I make it a big deal,” she said. Sophomore track member Tamara Taklov, who is Jewish, dresses similarly. She explained, “In my religion, [women] have to wear skirts or dresses, not pants because it’s considered men’s clothing. I’m not really allowed to show my shoulders or elbows, but I’m not super religious to follow it so closely.”
However, in regards to her uniform modifications, Tamara thinks they actually improve her performance. “We have to keep our legs warm before a race, so the leggings serve that purpose.” Junior Jagjot Singh is a practicing Sikh and wears a turban, a requirement for all baptized Sikh men. This obligation is sometimes inconvenient for Jagjot, who remarked, “Volleyball requires a lot of jumping, and that always loosens my turban so I repeatedly have to go to the bathroom during practice to retie it.” Aside from clothing, a certain religion may prevent an individual from attending practice or cause them to miss a game. For example, one may be required to pray or attend a religious ceremony after school; many faiths enforce a rigid time schedule for their followers. Junior Benjamin Pulatov, who strictly follows Judaism, is unable to participate in events scheduled on Saturdays because of Shabbat. This prevented him from participating in many track and field meets as a freshman. “I feel as if it limits which sports I can participate in,” he mentioned. Missing many of the scheduled events even caused Benjamin to leave the track team. Many of our sports teams obligate students to attend a majority of their practices, causing several religious students to think twice about whether or not they should even join a team. Fulfilling both a religion and team’s requirements is a strenuous task, and may even be impossible in some cases. For some, it is possible to make appropriate adjustments, but for those who devoutly follow their religion, they can be limited and will need to plan accordingly.
PHOTO BY JUSTICE WILLIAMS
THE CLASSIC
January/February 2016
Boys track makes history at Millrose Trials Benjamin Chang STAFF WRITER THE BOYS indoor track team made school history in the Millrose Games Trials at the New Balance Armory Track and Field Center in Washington Heights, New York. After finishing in the top six of their event, the boys will be sending a 4x400 meter relay team consisting of juniors Justice Williams and Zbigniew Szczerba, and seniors Dysron Marshall and Abdoulaye Diallo to one of the most prestigious meets in the world: the Millrose Games. The Millrose Games, a nationally competitive meet, has featured numerous Olympic champions in its 101-year history—202 to be exact. 2016 will mark the fifth year of the meet’s holding at the Armory, after 97 years at Madison Square Garden. Last year, the relay team, which consisted of the same members except for Zbigniew, finished in 3:37.9 minutes, placing 16th and missing the cutoff for the Games by eleven seconds. Dysron reflected on last year’s race, saying, “We were nowhere near the level required to qualify for it.” This year, however, the team entered the trials with a different mindset. “Since we were seeded in the faster sections, I knew that we had a chance to at least place in the top six,” remarked Dysron. Justice echoed the sentiment. “Based on our citywide rank in the 4x400m relay, I knew we had a chance [of qualifying]. I wouldn’t have been surprised if we didn’t make it, but us making it didn’t seem too farfetched either.” Townsend’s relay was placed in the fifth heat, alongside powerhouses Paul Robeson
and Thomas Jefferson, both of whom qualified for last year’s Millrose Games. “A lot of the people I was on the line with were guys whom I was used to just watching and talking about their times with my teammates,” said Justice, the first leg of the relay. “I knew that actually racing against them would be a tremendous challenge, but I was ready to accept it.” He got out of the gates quickly, running the first 400 meters in 52.6 seconds.
“ We all push ourselves past our limits at practice, and that effort was shown by the way we ran. ” Justice then passed the baton to Dysron, who kept the fast pace with a time of 51.7 seconds, a personal record. Regarding his performance, Dysron stated, “The gap between [our relay] and the action was slightly unnerving, [but] due to the intensity of our recent practices, I felt prepared to run my part in the race and felt strong throughout the sprint.” Zbigniew then received the handoff from Dysron, running his leg in a personal best of 53 seconds flat. Despite being an indoor track rookie, Zbigniew has adapted to competing with seasoned runners. He explained, “During the race, I try not to
think about much and concentrate only on running. Being the third leg, I have to make sure to keep the pace and set the anchor leg with a good position.” Abdoulaye sprinted the anchor leg in 50.6 seconds, securing a three minute and 28 second finish for the relay, a new school record. He detailed his strategy, saying, “I had red markers on every runner in front of me, and I tried to take them all down one by one.” The time was good for fifth overall in the PSAL division, marking the first time a Townsend relay has ever qualified for the Millrose Games, as well as the first time the boys track team has ever been represented at the meet. Townsend Harris’ most recent representative in the Millrose Games was Sophia Mahin, who competed in the Women’s 1-Mile Race Walk in 2013. “We all push ourselves past our limits at practice, and that effort is shown by the way we ran,” Justice expressed. Dysron added, “The thought that we are the first boys to do it just tells us how far we have come while on this team.” For coach George Rio, this year’s qualification marks a first in his eighteen years at Townsend Harris. But for coach Orlando Martinez, it is his fifth Millrose Games relay qualification between tenures at Alexander Hamilton and August Martin. Mr. Martinez commented, “It’s a very happy and proud moment for coach George Rio and myself. We’ve always tried to send a relay but it’s always been difficult because [our relays] don’t have that type of leg speed [for the 4x400]. The Millrose
17
PHOTO COURTESY OF ED YAKER Junior Zbigniew Szczerba runs as the third leg of the 4x400 meter relay.
Games is a professional track meet with a few high school relays, so it’s an honor.” Undoubtedly, expectations will be riding high into the meet, which will be held on February 20. “We expect big things from them. We hope that they can drop their time down in the
4x400 meter relay by three or four more seconds,” said Mr. Martinez. Abdoulaye summarized his attitude towards the Millrose Games: “We are leaving our mark on the school’s history.”
18 January/February 2016
THE CLASSIC
SPORTS
Wrestling faces first defeat
George Adamou STAFF WRITER
THE TOWNSEND Harris McKinnon agreed, saying, “...the varsity co-ed wrestling team suf- entire team was really good I feel fered their first loss of the season like we could’ve beat them if we when they faced the Bronx High had more players.” School of Science and were overRegarding the team’s perforwhelmed by a score of 60 to 28. mance, junior Noorshifa Arssath Both THHS and Bronx Sci- believed that mental blocks hinence entered the match, on Janu- dered their physical abilities. ary 12, undefeated, with four and She stated, “Our team put up six wins, respectively. a fight but we were giving up Ultimately, the factor that at very close moments. But we led to the THHS defeat was the worked really hard and I think fact that they had to forfeit four the thing we need to work on is weight classes. our mentality going in.” This kind of problem occurs On the other hand, Kristov regularly with the team due to felt the team performed strongly. the stature of most of the team’s He explained, “For every loss, we athletes. had a win, but everything [every Junior Bartłomiej Skica said, other loss] we lost due to weight “The massive gap in score came class forfeit.” about because [Townsend HarKristov felt this strength was ris] had to forfeit a bunch of reflected in his own performance. weight classes that [Bronx Sci- He continued, “I faced a senior, ence] had people for.” Other- who was allegedly a state chamwise, both teams won roughly pion, but I still lasted a match.” the same amount of Bartłomiej also commatches. mented on his Sophoteam’s chances PICTURED: m o r e to make the Kristov playoffs. English and drama
teacher Joseph Canzoneri plays a game of table tennis with members of the school’s team after running play practice for the forthcoming THHS production of Pippin.
He said, “Although [Townsend Harris] is not sure if playoffs will be taking place, due to the fact that this is a completely new league, if they happen, we’re already set.” With THHS taking part in a newly created league, it’s unsure of whether or not a postseason will be taking place, but as Bartłomiej stated, the team will most likely make the playoffs as they find themselves near the top of the standings. Assuming this is the case, their first playoff match is expected to be held at the end of February. Nevertheless, this season has been a refresher for the team after last year’s 7-1 record. This year, the team, having won its final home game of the season on January 20 against Seward Park Campus, now happily ends its regular season with a record of six wins and one loss.
SPORTS UPDATES Girls Table Tennis ‘
Semifinal match will be held on February 5 at Brooklyn Technical High School
Girls Basketball Home game will be held on February 3 at Townsend Harris High School
Boys Basketball Away game will be held on February 1 at Robert F. Kennedy High School
Girls JV Basketball Home game will be held on February 4 at Townsend Harris High School
PHOTO SPOTLIGHT OF THE MONTH
BY NICHOLAS RAHIM
THE CLASSIC
January/February 2016
19
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Kelly Tops
Hailey Lam A&E EDITOR
THE CLASSIC frequently features articles on local food options, but for this month, the publication decided it was time to look at some of the talented cooks in our community. To find a student cook worthy of a profile, the multimedia class hosted a “Top Chef” style competition in early January, featuring desserts only, and the winner (determined by a panel of teacher judges) was freshman Kelly Casottana. Kelly’s journey to the top began before she could even peer over the edge of the kitchen table. She spent much of her early childhood days in the kitchen helping her father chop vegetables and put together flavorful concoctions. By the time she was six, she began preparing her own meals and crafting new dishes. Cooking became more of a lifestyle than a hobby, com-
plete with baking marathons that lasted hours into the night. While baking “desserts are fun and (usually) easy to make,” she prefers cooking since “[she has] more freedom to add [her] own twists on dishes, baking requiring more precision.” Her love for experimenting carried on to the baking world, inspiring her to add personal touches and make original recipes. Her entry for Top Chef, Caramel Filled Chocolate Chip Brownies, took the traditional brownie recipe and revived it. The brownie, dusted with light powdered sugar, was deemed perfect for the Top Chef stage. The event was held in the cafeteria, set up much like the television version in Top Chef. Each chef was given an opportunity to introduce their dish along with its inspiration and what it contained. Afterwards the judges were given time to
the competition
taste and assess the dessert, then brought the chef back for additional questioning. One of the judges, classical language teacher Dr. Marianthe Colakis said, “I was glad
“ The brownie dusted with light powdered sugar was perfect for the Top Chef stage. ” to see you got such nice layers. That the caramel didn’t melt into all the chocolate.” She also gave Kelly some baking suggestions, advising her to “use a little sea salt on top to cut the sweet-
ness.” Upon reflecting on the experience Kelly said, “I was super nervous throughout the whole competition because I was the youngest one there and everybody’s desserts looked so good.” As the event progressed, Kelly began to doubt what she created and never imagined making it to the final three. “The judges were saying how sweet it was and I thought that it was over for me then.” She didn’t have to be worried, however. “When I won, I was so happy and my hands were shaking. It was great to know that all of that time and effort paid off,” she said. To see the full results, stay tuned to The Classic’s Web TV channel on YouTube, which will publish a video episode on the event later this semester.
CARAMEL FILLED CHOCOLATE CHIP BROWNIES 1 stick of butter 1/3 cup evaporated milk 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 cup cocoa powder 1 3/4 cup white sugar pinch of salt 1 cup chopped pecans 60 caramel chews 1/2 evaporated milk 1/2 a bag of chocolate chips -Mix butter, evaporated milk, baking soda, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, together. -Split batter into 2 and put half into the pan, bake for 7 minutes. -Melt caramel chews and mix with evaporated milk poured the caramel over baked brownie layer -Put a layer of chocolate chips down. -Put half of the brownie mixture into a square on wax paper and placed it on top of the previous layers the entire thing went back into the oven for roughly 25 minutes.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
STUDENT PLAY
Pippin to take the stage
Harrisites’ talents pay off
IT IS once again time for Townsend Harris to begin preparing for one of the few productions that are put on during the school year—the school play. This year on April 8, students will be performing Pippin, the musical. Pippin is a play about a travelling group of players and a young man named Pippin, played by sophomore Noah Sadik, who is supposed to be Charlemagne’s son. The play follows him around as he attempts to discover his place in the world and how he can fulfill his life’s purpose. According to director Joseph Canzoneri, “[Pippin] comes to discover that meaning and happiness is found in relationships with one another.” One very important part of casting is finding a student that can sing. Mr. Canzoneri states, “You can kind of get away with an okay actor, but for characters who need to sing a solo, that’s all about how well people will sing.” Students go to a first vocal audition where they can sing any piece that they want. Particular students then return in order to sing a piece from the play to see if they are capable of performing it. The next step of this process is matching someone to a part and then seeing if the actors match in relation to one another.
THE STROKE of a pen, the sound of the pawn sliding across the board, the click of a camera: these are familiar sounds for some students at Townsend Harris. In an effort to relieve the stress of constant work or make a little spending money, THHS students use various skills to compete in competitions, statewide and nationally, winning monetary prizes along the way. Sophomore Shawn Roy participates in chess competitions across New York, especially at the Marshall Chess Club. Similarly, senior Jasmine Brite was one of five students awarded a “Silver Medal” at the 2015 “From the Bow Seat Contest” in the Poetry section, also receiving money for her accomplishment. Jasmine has entered poetry contests in the past, including the New Voices Young Writers competition in sophomore year, winning honorable mention. While many students today compete to win money to put towards college, Jasmine decided to instead “use it for [her] senior dues” and other miscellaneous expenses.
Sarah Mafroud STAFF WRITER
Mr. Canzoneri explains, “Once you decide, for example, that Noah is the right person for that role, now you have to see how the other people fit in relation to him. Will the Charlemagne person be believable as his father? Will the love interest, who’s supposed to be older than him, be believable as someone older than him? So those things come into play.” While doing this, the directors make sure to be diverse, especially when it comes to one’s race. Mr. Canzoneri continued, “You know in this school, the population is heavily Asian. You can’t have a cast with 25 Asians, so we want some people who are light skinned, we want people whose skins have medium tones, some people who are African American. We try to assemble as diverse a cast as possible.” Usually when it comes to casting and auditions, the directors have a good idea of who will be a part of the production because they know who the theater students are. This year, however, Mr. Canzoneri admitted, “There were many more surprises, but I think that’s a good thing.” One such surprise was junior Maria Silaban, who the directors believe is well-cast as Pippin’s older love interest. The cast and crew seem to be very optimistic in this year’s play outcome. Noah commented, “I expect this year’s play to be nothing but absolutely magical.”
Francesca Filiberti STAFF WRITER
Unlike Jasmine, Shawn plans to “save most of the money I win to pay for college.” Neither Jasmine nor Shawn wish to a pursue a career involving their talents, although they wish to continue participating in competitions in the future. Shawn says, “I might teach during college and continue to play at tournaments.” Jas-
mine continued, “I see myself writing poetry for more contests. I like doing it when I’m given a good topic.” For students interested in photography, Art teacher Margherita Wischerth suggests the Photographer’s Forum Magazine photography contest which provides winners with a monetary prize. However, Ms. Wischerth explains that “Most art competitions in which the students’ work is entered help students receive recog nition for their artistic talent... as opposed to winning money.”
ART BY ANNA CHENG
2020 January/February January/February2016 2016
TECHNICAL ARTISTRY
THE CLASSIC THE CLASSIC
AN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE ON DIGITAL ART AT THHS BY ANGELO GAO & ALIYAH KHAN
ART, IN the most traditional
form.
Art: The old and the new
Students can use apps on an
ion, is using the tools and mouse. It
like perspective, lighting, and shadow,
While some people, such as junior
sense brings to mind things like sketch-
iPad or another tablet device, or they
requires a new type of skill, a new level
is very difficult in digital art. Coloring,
Veronica Moreno prefer paper art due
es and sculptures, drawings of fruit in
can connect tablets to computers and
of hand-eye coordination.” She goes
however, is much easier on the com-
to “tactile aspects that make the art
a bowl, and ornately painted portraits.
use a digital pen to create their works
further to say, “every process is diffi-
puter, as there is always a consistency
seem more authentic,” digital artists
As the modern world progresses, art is
of digital art.
cult. Artists use art as an an expression
in the hue.
can have the same tactile experience.
also adapting to the age of technology,
Digital media comes with its own
of their thoughts, translating ideas into
Junior Clairisse Tam stated, “col-
As Ms. Wischerth stated, “any medium
which has led to the creation of digital
set of difficulties. While using materi-
a medium... most don’t understand how
oring is especially enjoyable with all
is hard to use until you practice to the
art.
als like charcoal and paint may be dif-
difficult the process is.”
of the special effects. You can create
point where it becomes second na-
Digital art with the use of comput-
interesting things.” Digital color is also
ture.”
ers may utilize the “undo” button, but
known to be more vibrant than tactile
As exemplified below with our fea-
that doesn’t minimize the difficulties.
mediums, partly due to the backlit dis-
tured artist, sophomore Bailey Chan, a
play.
number of Harrisites are of such nature.
Digital art uses electronic tools such as Photoshop and other com-
ficult, coloring with pixels and a mouse is a different challenge.
puter art programs to create artwork;
Art teacher Margherita Wischerth
art made by tablets is a popular new
said, “the hardest thing, in my opin-
Realism, which uses properties
Bailey published her work “Shattered” (right) last December on the web platform DeviantArt, inspired by environmental decay. She publishes both original work and fan art. Her piece “Mackenzie” (upper right) was inspired by a webcomic by DeviantArt user Vivienne Medrano.
A look at digital artist Bailey Chan
WHEN IT
comes to digi-
artist,” she finds the “overly in-
know how to use them. Selection
tal artistry, Bailey Chan is one of
tense colors [of digital art] jarring
tools changed my view of tablets
Townsend Harris’ exceptional prac-
and often oversaturated.” It also
completely. It used to take me for-
titioners of the form. To create her
took Bailey a lot of time to get used
ever to draw, trying to color inside
art, Bailey uses a tablet and a stylus,
to the tools. She said, “there are a
the lines and erasing. Shortcuts
which applies “the same concept
lot of applications and materials
make it faster and you can undo
as a Chinese brush. The change of
that even after two to three years,
your mistakes.”
the pressure [applied to the stylus]
I’m still unable to use. They’re also
She adds that she mostly used
changes the outcome,” explained
not convenient. I can’t lug around a
tablets for works of semi-realism,
art teacher Margherita Wischerth.
tablet all day with a laptop. If I have
a form of art that wavers between
one, it’s mostly stationary.”
realistic art and cartoons or anime.
Bailey’s interest in tablet art began when her parents bought a
Tablet art can be quite an ex-
For most of her artwork, she incor-
drawing tablet for her on her thir-
pensive way to create artwork,
porates realistic human propor-
teenth birthday. Days and nights
given the price of the technology
tions with the facial configuration
of practice led to Bailey’s pro-
involved. As for the tools she uses
of characters that resemble the
gress, and she is still maneuvering
for her tablet artworks, Paint Tool
style of anime, since that served
through the complexities of this
Sai with a Genius F610t Tablet are
as her main inspiration as an artist.
new art form.
her first choices. However, the total
She regularly publishes these works
Bailey describes herself as “a
selection of the materials needed
on online art sites, where there is a
person that’s never really content
for creating digital art can exceed a
large community of digital artists.
with [her own] work.” She finds it
thousand dollars, whereas a pack of
Bailey encourages beginners to
difficult to incorporate color into
20 pencils can be purchased at the
be optimistic about their artwork,
her artwork, despite it being, “one
dollar store.
stating, “value your art and un-
of the greatest aspects of digital
Despite the expenses and other
drawing,” Since she didn’t use color
difficulties, Bailey said that “[tab-
often when she was a “traditional
lets] make drawing easier when you
derstand that it has unfathomable worth.”