The Classic, Vol 36, No 2, November 2019

NEWS

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FEATURES

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ICEDOUT, a student brand

Election Simulation Results

Throughout the halls, students have been sporting hoodies from senior Ivan Chan’s brand ICEDOUT. Ivan plans to drop more merchandise

Democratic nominee Pete Buttigieg, played by senior Justin Chen, and Republican nominee Donald Trump, played by senior Togay Atmaca, won this simulation’s primary elections.

in late November to early December.

SPORTS

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Winter Sports begin

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As the winter months roll in, indoor track, basketball, girls’ table tennis, and co-ed wrestling are taking center stage. As the season begins, the athletes are gearing up to go for gold.

THE CLASSIC TOWNSEND HARRIS HIGH SCHOOL AT QUEENS COLLEGE

thhsclassic.com

• November 2019 • No. 02 | Vol. 36

rity measur u c e s es New on the way page 2

NEWS

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Security cameras have been placed in various locations throughout the school building. This project has been in the works since 2014. | Jason Bacalla

Security cameras installed throughout building

By Bindu Koyi and Julianna Zitron News Editors

Students at Townsend Harris High School were recently greeted with a new sight in the hallways and stairwells of the building this fall: security cameras.

Installed earlier this year, the cameras are predicted to be fully functional starting this week.

Assistant Principal of Organization Ellen Fee explained that students should expect to be informed of the status of the cameras when they are fully operational.

THHS initially requested these cameras in 2014 when former principal Anthony Barbetta put a strong focus on school safety.

For a long time, there have been concerns in the student body over issues of theft.

In particular, these concerns are over the security of items in the locker rooms during Physical Education classes and team sports.

The school requested the cameras in order to prevent disturbances to student welfare.

However, according to Assistant Principal of Organization Ellen Fee, “They had to allocate the money and hire all the people, which takes a long time.”

At first, the push for cameras began when the

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School Safety Committee noticed a great number of students claiming that their personal belongings were being stolen.

Ms. Fee explained that

Yang Shen, don’t think the cameras will be of too much use.

“I think that the kids in this school are generally well-behaved,” said Yang.

happens as long as they don’t look inside of the bathrooms,” said senior Jennifer Jiang.

“Some students may have an issue because they

when you see it, knowing someone is watching you is weird.”

Senior Carine He agreed, “I don’t want people to watch me trip on the stairs.”

Howe v er, Ms. Fee assures students, “The footage will only be seen by school safety, and in some cases the dean or principal.”

S o m e students thought that the implementation of the cameras corresponded with other concerns, especially with preventing vaping on school property.

Freshman Meha Dhyani thought that “the cameras were necessary because they serve as a precaution against vaping, and such precautions will ultimately benefit the student body.”

Though this is an interest for faculty, the cameras were commissioned before these other issues became prevalent.

Ms. Fee explained, “once the project starts we can’t stop it. Even if I had decided

“ It is predicted that the cameras will be fully functional starting this week. Ms. Fee explained that students should expect to be informed of the status of the cameras when they are fully operational. before the cameras were installed, there was no way to see who could have been responsible for these issues.

Junior Zuzanna Pula said, “I’ve had things taken from me before, but I was never able to find out where they went. Having cameras could have helped with that.”

Senior Jie Lu added, “I am also kind of paranoid.

The cameras may be able to ease my fear in light of recent situations occurring in America.”

On the other hand, students such as sophomore

“You don’t have to worry too much about them, so I don’t think the cameras will be too necessary.”

Senior Tamanna Uddin agreed, “I feel like we already have security guards and I think there never was any instance where unknown people came into THHS without security guards being aware. I feel like the cameras being here doesn’t change a lot.”

But when addressing their feelings in general, a few students have expressed their indifference.

“I don’t really care what

think the purpose of the cameras is to see what the students are doing.”

Senior Sean Sharma said, “Personally, I don’t care if they are there or not; it doesn’t impact my actions, and I don’t feel like it’s an invasion of privacy or anything.”

One of the biggest grievances students have with the cameras is the potential invasion of privacy they impose.

Tamanna said, “I feel like the cameras are kind intimidating because even if you’re doing the right thing,

that I didn’t want cameras in the building, Mr. Barbetta started it, and so it’s happening.”

Other projects similar to this have also taken a great deal of time to implement.

The building currently contains water filtration systems that can be installed above water fountains in the building, but there have been significant delays between THHS receiving the filters and getting them installed.

As for the locations of the cameras, Ms. Fee explained, “all of the architects that worked with me to design where they went discussed everything in 2016.

Cameras only have a certain number of degrees that they can view, so they are placed where they have the most amount of viewing and can reach the farthest.”

According to the custodial staff, the cameras have been installed and all the wiring and cabling have been completed. THHS’s Internet went down on Friday to test the new system and bring it online.

Additional reporting by Victoria Kuzma, Daniela Zavlun, and Nataniela Zavlun

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Trump, Buttigieg top Simulation vote

By Ikeoluwa Adedokun, Yanaiya Jain, and Michelle Sandy Staff Writers

The 2019 Election Simulation came to a close on November 12, with Republican Donald Trump (portrayed by senior Togay Atmaca) and Democrat Pete Buttigieg (portrayed by senior Justin Chen) winning their respective party’s nominations.

Justin explained, “Our campaign realized early on that we cannot tap into the same voter base that Trump or Biden were competing over. Trump had done a great job at pulling the underclassmen to his side, the ones that appreciated his TikToks and diss tracks, so we stayed away from that approach.”

Instead, Justin aimed to portray himself as “articulate, logical, and reasonable.” He also made appearances on the track every week and visited as many classrooms as possible on Election Simulation days. Justin explained that his goal was to “get in touch with many of the students and make Mayor Pete easily accessible.”

This marks the first time that a simulated Trump campaign has won at THHS, following weeks of Togay receiving largely positive feedback from underclassmen

for his Instagram posts, TikToks, and bold campaign efforts, shocking numerous students. Despite Trump’s success, many more students ultimately voted in the Democratic primary, where Mayor Buttigieg proved victorious.

Togay explained that in his US Government class, students were matched with the candidates completely at random. “Shock was the first thing that hit me, and I knew from the start that I had to parody Trump instead of properly

successfully connected with the youth... Most people find him fun and entertaining.”

History teacher Frank McCaughey said, “[The campaign members] were active with class visits… and [in] the TV show with their commercials. Additionally, they used class visits to make engaging social media content.”

Some students found Trump’s character alluring because he entertains the crowd, regardless of students’ knowledge of his policies.

“The most Students show support for their favorite candidates | Katrina Dydzuhn shocking thing I’ve learned Togay’s Trump, made his debut simulating him down to a T,” said [is that] most of my tactics are in the Election Simulation Kick- Togay. very similar to those of Donald off Rally wearing a red tie, orange Since the Kick-off Rally, Trump Trump’s. Outside of the mockery, makeup, and of course, a blonde amounted a large presence at I dodge certain questions the way wig. By the end of the Simula- THHS. His campaign’s Instagram he does, I oversimplify my oppotion, he ended up earning more account garnered over 800 fol- nent’s points during the debates votes and a wider share of the vote lowers, through which he often the way he does, and I call people than previous Trump campaigns, engaged students with his use of names the way he does,” Togay exdespite assumptions that many banter against candidates in both plained. at THHS might be unwilling to parties. He also appealed to stu“Unfortunately for the other support even a simulated version dents through the TikTok app. candidates, they don’t have much of the president.

Freshman Maya Czeraks said, “He to grasp onto in terms of the per-

sonality of the real life candidate,” Mr. McCaughey said. “Also, since the policies of the candidate [have] no real impact on the school, it can end up being a popularity contest, which Togay has a major advantage with.”

Many students are in agreement that the replication of Trump in this primary doesn’t represent him to the fullest extent. In reality, President Trump projects his views on race and gender very strongly towards the public, but consideration of this may be neglected when students cast their votes. History teacher Jaime Baranoff stated, “President Trump is a very controversial figure, to say the least… It’s difficult in a high school simulation to represent Trump—while we want to keep things as close to real life as possible, we also don’t want anyone in our school community to feel hurt or offended.”

“Outside of political beliefs, when I’m out campaigning I can feel that many [students] simply find my campaign fun and my spin on Trump’s policies entertaining,” Togay commented. “I represent someone who openly pokes fun at the incumbent in front of the whole school in a way they don’t have the ability to.”

With additional reporting by Natalia Madera.

Open House welcomes prospective students from the class of 2024

By Samantha Alzate and Isabelle Guillame Editors-in-Chief

Townsend Harris held its 2019 Open House for prospective students from all over New York City. With a renewed social media push to publicize the event, this Open House gave insight as to what really happens within the walls of the #1 high school in New York State.

Though there were few changes from prior years, Assistant Principal of Humanities Rafal Olechowski shared, “[There were] more student interactions than we have had in the past.” Upon entering the building, there was a photo backdrop available to all students and families to build the “hype” for Townsend. Students were encouraged to share pictures using the hashtag #THHSOpenHouse.

Following a presentation, Harrisites took prospective students and their families on tours around the building. But before this event, many had foundationNovember 2019

al knowledge about the school. “I heard about Townsend through friends who are looking to apply to high schools, and I did my own research on it and found that it was a good school too,” said prospective student Brianna Nebet.

“It has a rigorous academic standard. Academics are really top notch,” added prospective student Victoria Borg. “Colleges the students go to are really, really good. It’s a well-rounded school.”

Despite the information readily available through websites and books, many attendees were excited to go beyond the statistics.

“I just want to see the school’s atmosphere—that’s the most important thing to me when going to an open house… just to see what a school feels like,” said Brianna.

Victoria said, “[I want to learn about] who Townsend really is as a community, not just a school— as classes and classmates. [I want]

to see students and how they truly feel about it… see and hear what they have to say about the school.”

“It seems like [Townsend Harris] has a nice surrounding neighborhood, and I’m really looking forward to using that track outside,” said prospective student Tristan Borlongan. “I like running but I’ve never really been on a track team.” Tristan hopes to expand his interests with a school environment like Townsend Harris.

Many attendees shared that they’ve recently looked at other high schools, ranging from specialized high schools like Stuyvesant and Bronx Science to private high schools like Archbishop Molloy and Saint Francis Preparatory School. From these visits, some prospective students have determined the characteristics of their ideal high schools. Prospective student Evann Martorella

Prospective students explore Townsend’s halls | Jason Bacalla

expressed an interest in a school where “there’s always stuff to do” and he’s “always interested.”

Victoria described her ideal high school as one with “good academics, a lot of clubs, extracurricular activities, balance between humanities and science, good teachers, good classmates, and a nice community and environment.”

The high school application opened October 2 and closes

December 2; students expect to receive their decisions early next year.

“There are many talented people like you applying to Townsend Harris. If you don’t get in, don’t let this sit on your shoulders like you aren’t good enough or aren’t smart enough,” said Mr. Olechowski. “Thank you for visiting our school. I hope to see you here in September.”

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FEATURES SPOTLIGHT

Founders’ Day through the years

Students from 1988 and 2018 recite the Ephebic Oath in Colden Auditorium | The Crimson & Gold (1988), Jason Bacalla

“The Ephebic Oath was passed down from the original Townsend Harris alumni to the students, faculty, and staff of the new Townsend Harris High School at Queens College -- ensuring that, in all we do, we try to leave a place better and greater than we found it,” Mr. All photos by Jasmine Shum Merino said.

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By Kelly Jiang and Marcella Soewignjo Staff Writers

Throughout the years, Founders’ Day has brought a sense of unity to Harrisites, allowing them to appreciate the values that Townsend Harris was founded upon. It has been a tradition since 1984 and still remains a unique part of the THHS experience.

Since the first Founders’ Day, many aspects of the event have remained largely the same, while the modern Founders’ Day has grown to incorporate many new elements in the time-honored tradition.

Joseph Merino, currently an Assistant to the Director of the Queens College Preparatory Programs, was among the first graduating class of the reopened THHS in 1988.

In regard to the traditions that still exist today, Mr. Merino said that “there were some student musical performances; however, nothing like the contemporary tradition of humorous skits and such.”

He added that there were several important speeches made on the first Founder’s Day. “We had numerous alumni,

politicians, and administrators from Queens College & the NYC Board of Education who had fought to get our school reopened, so there were stories of political controversy and public arguments on pedagogy, but mostly tales of the joys and long-lasting effects of having been a student at the original Townsend Harris.”

In 2019, the THHS faculty is full of alumni who themselves recall multiple Founders’ Days from their own high school experiences.

Physical Education teacher Lauren Caiaccia, class of 1992, also remembers her first Founders’ Day as a student.

“We were in the old building which is where RFK highschool on Parsons Boulevard is at and we walked from Parsons Boulevard to Colden Auditorium. It was very ceremonial,” she said.

The classic roll call was not introduced until after Townsend Harris moved to its current location.

“Roll call started after I was in school. I think that Ms. Solomon, who was the assistant principal [at the time], started roll call in the new building era,” she said.

Another Founders’ tradition, the recitation of the Ephebic Oath, has existed since the school’s earliest days.

“The Ephebic Oath was passed down from the original Townsend Harris alumni to the students, faculty, and staff of the new Townsend Harris High School at Queens College -- ensuring that, in all we do, we try to leave a place better and greater than we found it,” Mr. Merino said.

“I remember in Writing Process learning the Ephebic Oath and then saying it for the first time at Founders’ Day,” World Language Teacher and class of 2006 alum Christopher Amanna said.

“The Ephebic Oath [still remains the same]. There’s always a keynote speaker, there was always a musical piece, and the band always did the national anthem.”

Science teacher Sarah Loew, class of 2006, remembers doing the annual Founders’ Day Food Drive and the “Election Simulation candy line going into Colden where the seniors [were] trying to bribe their voters.”

Ms. Loew said that over the years, there has been an increase

in student led initiatives, as well as many more performances.

Social Studies Teacher and class of 2015 alum Nicole Gleizer recalled her Founders’ Day experience during her years at Townsend Harris. “For the most part it [has] stayed very consistent... the first [tradition] is to dress up… the skit has also remained an integral part, and the chorus under the direction of Ms. Sato has remained the same,” she said.

Last year, a new trivia game about the history of Townsend Harris was added to the program. Senior Kelvin Yip said, “The trivia was a fun activity, and it was funny to see the audience get frustrated with the players. It was a good way to test how little, or how much, we knew about our school.”

“The traditions remain the same but they are revamped every year, so there’s always a new twist that comes on it… it’s been evolved over time into being more relatable,” Ms. Gleizer said.

“We have this rich history, we have this rich culture,” Mr. Amanna said. “It’s something special that other schools don’t have and it’s nice that we honor it.”

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Founders’ Day: Homecoming for Harrisites?

By Kelly Jiang and Marcella Soewignjo Staff Writers

For most American high schools, traditions like homecoming and prom are part of the stereotypical experience. Homecoming dances generate a lot of excitement, as students frantically scramble to find dates and outfits to prepare for this annual “returning to school” dance. Harrisites, however, do not experience this; rather we have an entirely different tradition: Founder’s Day. Founder’s Day is a time to honor our school’s history and current culture through skits, alumni speeches, games, and music.

The incoming freshmen, sophomores, and new teachers officially become Harrisites by reciting the Ephebic Oath. Freshman Joyce Ke said, “The Ephebic Oath is a vow to work together as a team in this school.” The oath can also be applied outside of school, as it encourages students to give back to the community and to “not leave [their] city any less but rather greater than [they] found it.”

For some students, Founder’s Day is a significant event on its own. “Founder’s Day is different.

Principal Condon makes an address in Colden Auditorium | Jason Bacalla

HOCO is about … welcoming back, but Founder’s Day is like the history of our school and commemorating it,” said senior Shane Werther.

However, some students feel as if they are missing out. Junior Fabiha Samiha said, “As someo-

ne with older siblings who either went to or currently go to high schools that offer homecoming dances, I was a little disappointed when I started Townsend and missed out an experience that not only my siblings talked about every year, but also this cliché

event that I’ve read about in numerous books and watched in so many movies and shows.”

“I think that homecoming is definitely a special tradition for high school, so I feel a little upset about our school not offering a homecoming dance. I think that

homecoming is more interactive and exciting,” sophomore Angela Chen added.

Meanwhile, many don’t feel as if they are missing out on much.

“School dances aren’t that big of a deal to me. I’m not planning to go to prom anyway, so homecoming wouldn’t change anything either,” junior Edison Park said.

Regardless, Founder’s Day holds a special significance to the Harrisites. “It’s the first time the whole school is really in one place at a time,” Shane said.

“As the years go by, I find each senior skit more relatable than the last, each roll call louder than the previous. With each Founder’s Day, you’ll find yourself being ingrained deeper into the culture and atmosphere of the school,” junior Hali Huang said.

“I remember the courageous yell we made and the prideful roars of our upperclassmen during our first roll call. To me, Founder’s Day is greater than any homecoming dance we could ever have.”

Spirit week brightens halls with memes, costumes Lauren Jun and Julia Wojtkowski, Staff Writer and Copy Editor

On October 28, students, clad in their comfiest pajamas, kicked off spirit week with hall decorating.

Each grade participated in this unique THHS tradition by decorating their respective floor based on a theme voted on by students.

This year, bright yellow sunflowers dot the walls of the freshman floor; characters and building blocks swarm the sophomores’ green Minecraft-themed hall; blinking purple lights and tapestries from Disney’s Aladdin line the junior hallway; and an abundance of blue Crocs and Hydroflasks cover the staircases of the seniors’ VSCO-themed floor.

Coordinator of Student Activities Sarah Loew explained the judging process, saying, “The faculty are the judges for hallway decorating.

“They score the hallways on categories such as theme, use of color, and grade representation; this year we also added sustainability. [The faculty] walk around every hallway on the two days after hall decorating. All scores must be submitted on Wednesday at 3 pm.”

These scores are later tallied up and announced on Thursday during 9th band; the winning grade of 2019 Hall Decorating was revealed to be the Class of 2021, whose Aladdin-themed hallway impressed THHS faculty the November 2019

most.

“The junior grade tried really, really hard this year, and Sharon, our grade leader and president, had a lot of ambitious ideas for our hallway,” said junior Francesca Manabat.

I feel like the effort that we put in together was what made it possible.”

Senior John Pabololot recognizes the juniors’ hard work, expressing “mixed feelings” about the seniors’ loss.

However, Ms. Loew emphasized that the main objective of hallway decorating is to “bond with your grade and meet new people, make new friendships, and discover that you can do a lot more as a team than an individual.”

After dressing their hallways, THHS students proudly represented their hard work on grade color day, when each grade wore the color that matched their respective hallway.

Following this day was Meme day, Halloween, and finally, Twin day.

Ms. Loew encourages students to always particiMany dressed up as “VSCO Girls” for Spirit Week’s Meme Day | Jeremy Deacon pate in Spirit Week.

“When you see what everyone’s [Halloween] costumes “[The] sleepless nights spent countless days of painting, cut- are like, you really get to know working on the hallway really paid ting, making cranes and every- each other, and it takes down a lot off in the end… [I’m] proud of thing else was so worth it.” of the barriers that otherwise exwhat [the juniors] put together.”

“We all worked so hard on it ist,” she said.

Junior Fabiha Samiha added, together after school, standing on “It helps to increase the com“After all the preparations that top of chairs, using rulers to put munication and teamwork and we have done, all the hard work, up streamers on top of the walls; spirit that we have in our school.”

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WELCOMING THE NEW

NANCY BADum New AP World History teacher Nancy Badum currently teaches alongside Ms. White and is thrilled to be teaching in class.

Ms. Badum explained that she became interested in teaching when her mathematics teacher in high school believed in her, pushing her to complete the course.

“He never gave up on me, and he really put in the time to make sure I passed his class. He… was that person who made me want to become a teacher.”

Ms. Badum is happy to be teaching at THHS and to see students join different activities, run their own clubs, and perform in school productions.

She is eager to see what students develop and create throughout the school year, and she says “[she] came from a building that had no activities, so to come here and there’s so much, [she doesn’t] know what [she wants] to visit first!”

One of her goals while teaching is to “create great relationships with [her] students and colleagues, and to help [her] students love learning and want to come to [her] class.

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PETER SUKHOo Peter Sukhoo, an ISS teacher for Algebra I, Algebra II, and Biology, has joined the STEM department. Mr. Sukhoo previously taught at William Cullen Bryant High School in Long Island City. “My experience has really helped me to make sure the students get what they need.

I brought all those experiences to Townsend Harris,” he said.

Since arriving at Townsend Harris, Mr. Sukhoo has felt very welcomed and supported by the staff and administration, and he has expressed his love for our school culture. “Students own clubs and are not only competitive, but spirited in promoting them, socializing, and sharing that space with their fellow students. It’s a beautiful thing to watch,” he said.

Mr. Sukhoo also prioritizes strong teacher-student relationships. “It helps me as a teacher to understand their background [and] use those backgrounds in the lesson planning so we can get the best possible outcome for each lesson,” he said.

KEVIN McDonaugh New English teacher Mr. McDonaugh also specializes in Instructional Support Services (ISS).

Mr. McDonaugh said that he has had a positive experience at THHS thus far. “I find it to be a very welcoming and supportive environment. Since I am in a completely new place, the whole experience itself is memorable,” he said.

Looking ahead, Mr. McDonaugh is excited that “in a few months a whole new world of otherwise unknown people and experiences will become a part of [his] daily life.”

“I teach ninth graders and it’s a transitional year. It can be really scary and nerve-wracking to start high school, so it’ll be more interesting to see them come out of their shell, feel more comfortable in high school, feel more confident in their English skills, and I’m really looking forward to that,” Mr. McDonaugh said.

Katherine LIPInski From working in museum education to being a tour guide at her college’s nationality rooms, new English teaacher Ms. Lipinski held a variety of jobs before becoming a teacher. She completed her student teaching at the Comprehensive Model School Project and at Bronx Science High School. Since starting at THHS, Ms. Lipinksi has felt very welcomed.

“The students are really eager to learn, the staff has been really supportive... all of the other teachers have shared curriculum with me which has been really amazing. The culture is really welcoming,” she said.

“Teachers have introduced themselves to me and then introduced themselves to me again… to make sure [I] know that [I’m] welcome.”

Ms. Lipinski wishes for her students to understand that she appreciates each one of them as individuals, and that she “[values each student] as a person before anything else.”

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W CLASS OF TEACHERS

Blayne Gelbman

Before working at THHS, AP US History, AP World History, and Writing Process teacher Blayne Gelbman was a permanent substitute teacher at Farmingdale High School, a dean at Van Buren High School, and an assistant principal at a school in the Bronx for six years. He also worked at a transfer high school in Jamaica.

Mr. Gelbman explained that he had a long journey before becoming a teacher, as he first worked as a corporate trainer for restaurants and then started to volunteer as an assistant soccer coach. In both places, he had to teach people, which allowed him to realize that he enjoys teaching and loves working with children.

At THHS, he wishes to build on the strong culture and possibly create his own club in which he would bring students to the mountains and go skiing in the winter. One of his ultimate goals is to “give an educational experience that is not a traditional classroom experience that prepares [students] for the real world.”

November 2019

Frank MCCAUGHEY Frank McCaughey will also be joining the Social Studies dpartment as a U.S. History and Government teacher.

He attended Fordham University for both his undergraduate and master’s degrees. In his early years of teaching, he worked at Middle School 67, the Bronx Lab, and Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School in Brooklyn.

Mr. McCaughey knew he wanted to become a teacher since “[he] was always the “bad” student in class. Howevr, [he] knew [he] always loved history class and had a history teacher who cared about him].”

This changed his perspective on school and thus, he decided to pursue education.

Mr. McCaughey is also a volunteer fireman and was a twotime finalist for the Big Apple Teaching Awards. Like Mr. Gelbman, Mr. McCaughey is also very excited to see the culture at THHS, especially the clubs.

Angelica ASEEFA DIAZ RASOOL Before coming to THHS, freshman English teacher Ms. Rasool taught middle school at I.S. 392 in Brooklyn and high school at St. Francis Prep. Ms. Rasool has made it a priority to make the classroom a welcoming and comfortable environment for all her students.

“I hope that my students take away that it’s okay to express themselves and say what they are thinking… I want them to open up and feel comfortable in their own skin,” she said.

Ms. Rasool decided to teach at THHS due to prior experience observing the environment at the school when she was still a college student. When interviewed, she disclosed that she actually has personal connections to the school as she has a brother who graduated from THHS and she spoke positively about the effect of THHS on her brother’s character.

Upon being prompted about the impact she hopes to have on her students, Ms. Rasool replied she is, “hoping that [her students] will either continue their love for reading or writing or… find a new love for reading or writing.”

ABID CHOWHUDURY With the influx of new teachers this year, Abid Choudhury was recently hired to become a part of the THHS faculty as a math teacher. He is teaching mainly freshmen and sophmores in Algebra 1 and 2.

Prior to becoming a teacher, Abid Choudhury majored in sociology and political science.

However, his college schedule consisted of an abundance of math classes, and he often tutored SAT math, thus creating a foundation for his future career.

For Mr. Choudhury, “one of the biggest things that apeals to [him] about teaching is the relationships that [teachers form] with the students.” Such interactions served as a primary factor in his decision to become a teacher. He said, “Forming those bonds with students makes a big difference for them in little ways that they may not realize or I might not realize, even if it’s not explicit or apparent.”

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Senior debuts clothing brand and Townsend gets ICEDOUT

By Ikeoluwa Adedokun and Christy Han Staff Writers

As winter approaches, hoodie season is in session. Right on time, senior Ivan Chan pre-released his clothing brand ICEDOUT two weeks ago. The brand showcases an array of hoodies with colors ranging from black to peach and more to come.

ICEDOUT is a business endeavor that strives to promote inclusivity to all who buy the brand.

“I want ICEDOUT to be a lifestyle and streetwear brand,” Ivan said.

With sold-out pre-orders in 24 hours, Ivan hopes to keep his clients in mind when the brand officially launches its winter line.

Ivan explained, “I want to provide affordable prices to my consumers while maintaining the quality of my brand.” He expects “to release crewnecks, beanies, hoodies, [and] shirts,” for the upcoming season.

The brand is set for “limited releases” in order to create demand for the various products.

The idea for this brand spurred from Ivan’s growing interest in entrepreneurship due to “all the excitement and enjoyment that it brings.” He added that “entrepreneurship gives [him] the freedom to pursue [his] own vision, transforming it from an idea into

reality.” His inspiration came from the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, as it opened Ivan’s eyes “to the vast opportunities that are out there to become successful.”

While the clothing items were already predesigned, Ivan did have a say in choosing the type of garment for the hoodies. “There were more than 50 different types of hoodies I had to choose from and I decided to go with the garment that best met the criteria of being light, comfortable, and soft,” Ivan explained.

Ivan described some difficulties that arose while creating clothes for his brand. Two main issues were finding a way to pay for the upfront costs and selecting colors for the clothes themselves.

He stated that “pre-orders were a great solution to cover for some of the upfront costs, and [he] was fortunate enough to have [his] parents to lend [him] money to cover the rest of the costs.” Additionally, since his customers had various shade requests for the hoodies, Ivan “decided to make an Instagram poll and chose the three most demanded colors for [his] first drop of hoodies.”

Figuring out the name of this brand was no easy feat. The words

“iced out” refer to jewelry and the abundance of it. Ivan explained, “I came up with other names for my brand with my friends, but ICEDOUT stuck out to me the most and really ‘popped’ from the rest of the other names we came up with.”

So far, all of the hoodies being sold have an embroidered ICEDOUT logo in the centers. The inspiration for this logo came from “many other brands, while keeping [ICEDOUT’s] logo minimalistic.” Ivan used “the website dafont.com, where [he] selected the design that [he] wanted to use for ICEDOUT.” Senior Afrida Khalid, who recently purchased a black hoodie from the store, believes that it is “really cool that someone from [Townsend Harris] created a brand on their own.” She also complimented the new brand, stating that “the quality is very nice and up to standard of some of [her] favorite hoodies. The price and quality is really similar to professional brands.”

Ivan feels that ICEDOUT represents his “willingness to venture into something out of [his] comfort zone.” With the creation of ICEDOUT, “[there] is no end

Iced Out | Photo Courtesy of Ivan Chan

goal” in sight as he displays his creativity through this venture.

Regarding future plans, as the young entrepreneur heads to college, there is uncertainty as to whether or not the brand itself will continue. “I’m just excited to see where this takes me,” Ivan said.

To those who wish to start their own businesses, he advises to “have the confidence to pur-

sue your own passion and [to not] let anything hold you back from achieving your vision.”

ICEDOUT is set to make its official debut in late November to early December. Though the current featured hoodies are out of stock, orders will soon be available to be made on icedoutnewyork. com, and Ivan can be reached at @icedoutnewyork on Instagram.

Harrisites’ views on conservative interest groups

By Kelly Jiang and Reid Tujak Staff Writers

Last month, the annual Election Simulation Kick-off Rally was held in the school courtyard to introduce this year’s candidates and special interest groups. From TikTok wars to rap battles, this year’s primary presidential Election Simulation stirred up much excitement. However, conservative special interest groups in this year’s simulation received a considerably negative response from liberal Harrisites.

Right wing interest groups like the National Rifle Association (NRA), the American Family Association, and the America First Action, have more conservative stances on many important topics such as abortion, immigration, and gun reform.

The NRA is America’s main defender of rights stated in the Second Amendment. They emphasize the importance of gun safety and law enforcement training, believing that it is a “God-given right that benefits youth, women, law enforcement agents, hunters, and more.”

Many students’ opposition to the NRA’s views was evident when the group spoke at the rally.“At the Kickoff Rally, the stig-

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ma against the NRA at Townsend Harris was extremely evident, as we got a vigorous negative reaction from the crowd,” NRA representatives said. “We went into this Election Simulation fully knowing the backlash that could come with being the NRA. This just means a minor set back as we hope to inform students directly with classroom visits… and not go along with the crowd’s opinion towards us.”

Other groups shared similar experiences. The American Family Association has fundamental beliefs in pro-life, the idea of a nuclear family, and the protection of Second Amendment rights.

“There has been a very negative reaction to our actual policies on social media because of how radically conservative our group is…

Comments of disbelief and anger are often on our platform because it advocates for an ideal white, Christian society, which, when faced with the diversity at Townsend, is unbelievable,” representatives of the American Family Association commented.

The America First Action group, which endorses the agenda of President Donald J. Trump,

commented, “Townsend’s Democratic bias makes it hard for people to approach issues with an open mind, and only with proper respect towards all groups, conservative ones included, will they be better informed on the problems that plague our nation.”

Despite this, the Election Si-

mulation can be a valuable learning experience for many students. “It allows us to examine political issues from another perspective— the conservative one,” the American Family Association said.

Sophomore Angela Chen added, “Conservative groups offer

students a new way of perceiving the current issues. I think it’s still important to learn about these different groups because it’s beneficial for us to look at both sides of a topic and deepen our comprehension through this process.”

Students represent the NRA in this year’s election simulation, | Min Hyeok Shin

EDITORIAL

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EST. 1984

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

FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD

EDITORIAL STAFF

Saturday disaster: A larger issue than S!NG

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Samantha Alzate Isabelle Guillaume Amanda Renzi

For the Townsend Harris community, the student-led production S!NG holds great importance with students, family, and friends coming together in a crowded auditorium to support their respective teams every year. Both the Freshiors and the Semores put in months of tireless effort and dedication to ensure that the show runs smoothly and reflects the talent and creativity of those participating. Above all, however, students hope for a fair and transparent judging process when it comes to declaring the winning production at the end

the announcement.

Many students felt that wa it ing u nt i l Mond ay to a nnounce t he resu lts wa s unfair to members of the production who were planning on Saturday to be the culmination of all of their hard work and stress. Members of the production were likely upset at the prospect of having to hear the results in Band 2, where they would not be surrounded by their teammates. In addition, many planned to attend S!NG on Saturday evening specifically for the announcement of the winners.

By presenting their decision in an email, many students were unable to respond to the blindsiding change. This failure to recognize students’ interests and concerns in an appropriate manner displays the recurring tendency of the administration’s communicative shortcomings. Last month, The Classic published an editorial arguing to the administration that their communication with the student body needs major reform. This Saturday’s controversial announcement shows us that improvement has yet to occur.

“ The stress placed upon S!NG members was completely unwarranted and could have been easily prevented if proper communication was present between the administration and student body. of the night. Last year’s judging process encountered backlash following disputes over its fairness, resulting in unwarranted drama.

The Class of 2018 and 2019 had a long-standing rivalry due to the fact that last year’s Semores had maintained a three-year winning streak, whereas the Class of 2018 lost every S!NG competition from 2014-2018. Since members of that class returned to judge last year’s production (as is tradition), many questioned the reliability of the results and the inevitability of potential biases when the Semores lost.

The growing complaints about the flaws within S!NG’s judging system has since prompted the administration to make a number of alterations, including expanding the judging rubric.

Making changes is not necessarily a problem, but at the last minute, the administration decided to share via email that the winners of the competition would be announced on Monday during the daily announcements rather than at the end of Saturday’s show.

This email shocked and distressed students, immediately stimulating tremendous protest and opposition. The Student Union, S!NG directors, staff, and The Classic spent much of Saturday attempting to contact the administration regarding November 2019

Following the reaction that the delay provoked, the administration decided to reverse its decision, but this did not come without repercussions. In addition to the pressure students were dealing with before the last S!NG performance, they were forced to take on another burden as they spent the day pleading with the administration to reconsider their decision. The stress placed upon S!NG members was completely unwarranted and could have been easily prevented if proper communication was present between the administration and student body.

Despite immediate opposition to the delay, the decision may have been beneficial.

Fearing bullying and harassment between the two productions, the administration could reasonably propose that both teams go home, celebrate their work, and wait until Monday to hear the news with clearer minds.

Nevertheless, our concern is not with the decision itself but the time in which it was communicated; these changes should have been addressed much earlier.

Not only was the administration’s decision to delay the announcement disheartening to many students, but their chosen method of communication introduced further challenges.

Similar to the administration’s decision to finalize the new grading policies, their choice to delay the S!NG results was made without input from or even the knowledge of the Student Union.

T his continua l lack of communication between the administration and the SU weakens and trivializes the administration’s public calls for “student-driven” progress.

We respect the administration’s attempt to investigate the validity of the judging process.

We also commend their willingness to reverse their decision on Saturday, when others might have stuck to their decision to save face.

The issue, however, remains that there is an inherent problem with the way in which the administration communicates crucial changes to the student body. The potential problems with the aftermath of S!NG were recognized for an entire year; waiting until the day of S!NG to address it is unprofessional.

S ! NG i s a n e x t reme ly important event within the Townsend Harris community and students deserve a voice in decisions regarding its outcome.

This episode is demonstrative of a much larger problem within the THHS administration: inefficient communication and cooperation with students.

NEWS EDITORS Bindu Koyi Julianna Zitron

SPORTS EDITORS Abhinav Garg Ariana Vernon Kristen Zhou

FEATURES EDITORS Carly Hu Amrin Rahman

SPORTS PHOTO EDITOR Joshua Vieira

OPINION EDITORS Amberly Khan Ariba Khan

SCIENCE & TECH EDITORS Ryla Pasaoa Nataniela Zavlun

A&E EDITORS Victoria Kuzma Usha Sookhai

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS Jason Bacalla Katrina Dydzuhn Min Hyeok Shin

MULTIMEDIA EDITORS Kayla Kim Ava Nabatkhoran CHIEF COPY EDITOR Daniela Zavlun

LAYOUT EDITORS Victor Shemper Alexa Jude Tumulak Jacqueline Woo

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

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

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

Have an opinion on an article published in The Classic?

Want to have your thoughts on a topic published?

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

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Neuroscience Club visits Dr. Ray Johnson’s Lab

By Sohini Alim and Sahithi Attada Staff Writers

Dr. Ray Johnson gave Townsend Harris’ Neuroscience Club a tour of his laboratory within the Queens College Campus to explain his research on cognitive neuroscience and give advice to aspiring scientists.

“Researching offers a medium for an individual to build on their interests by utilizing their own creativity, which is a concept I wanted the students to realize,” said club president senior Bindu Koyi.

As an award winning researcher and undergraduate professor from Queens College’s psychology program, Dr. Johnson proved perfect for the task. His research specializes in using event-related brain potentials (ERPs) to quantify cognitive processes such as judgements, executive functions, deception, and long-term memory.

He demonstrated his innova-

tive research during the lab tour by showing equipment such as his handmade Electroencephalogram (EEG), which records brain wave patterns. He explained how his students were able to create such a device by connecting small, flat metal discs called electrodes that

the human mind differentiated between cars and faces. This included a separate dark room with a chair, a pair of buttons, and a computer. A test subject would be prompted with a distorted image on the screen showing either a face or a vehicle and instructed

in the testing room and observe how this process worked firsthand.

He went on to further discuss opportunities that allow high school students to become more involved with neuroscience.With modern technology at

“I think this trip definitely made me consider that neuroscience might be something I would want to major in. It allowed me to clearly see all the hard work put into understanding the inner workings of human mind behavior.” are attached to the scalp with wires, and Townsend Harris students were able to observe the cap up close.

Another feature of his laboratory included an elaborate setup of an experiment to test how

to click a button to the corresponding choice; this information would be sent to a computer in another room which would instantaneously create graphs and tables based off of this data. Students had the opportunity to sit

our disposal, he explained, students should be able to access a wide range of opportunities with a simple email or Google search.

He advised students to look into summer programs at local universities, conduct their own research

for competitions, and attempt to contact scientists who are willing to take a high school student as an intern.

It was clear that the trip had piqued students’ interest in the subject. An attendee of the trip, junior Pehal Singh, said, “I think this trip definitely made me consider that neuroscience might be something I would want to major in. It allowed me to clearly see all the hard work put into understanding the inner workings of human mind behavior.”

It also emphasized the presence of the invaluable resource that we have sitting in our very backyard: Queens College. Filled with professional equipment and experienced scientists, the campus has proven and will continue to be an invaluable resource that pushes students’ minds to make their own scientific discoveries in the future.

Electronic note-taking surging in the classroom

By Sabrina Eng and Brian Rettig Staff Writers

It’s become increasingly common to see a Townsend Harris student pull out an iPad in lieu of a notebook in class.

For the past several years, tablets have been quickly replacing the traditional paper-and-pencil way of note taking.

Tablets are gaining momentum in the classroom due to their many benefits: they are more versatile, offer access to a limitless array of information, are eco-friendly and efficient, and are physically compact and easy to carry.

The lightweight quality of the iPad seems to be one of its most compelling factors.

Junior Benjamin An said, “The largest benefit [of iPad use] is taking weight off your shoulders, literally. Students are relieved of the necessity to carry around multiple notebooks and binders.”

He also explained that tablets help students become more creative with their work and make studying sessions enjoyable: “The tablet provides resources that make note-taking more concise and appealing, making school work more fun by catering to the specific creative needs of the student. The tablet’s access to the internet provides many tools that make studying much more simple since difficult concepts can be elaborated upon quickly.”

Using a tablet also helps students better understand academic material.

The quick, instant nature of

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the device helps students take notes faster, giving more time to analyze and absorb information.

Junior Riya Sapkal said, “A teacher will have something on the board that they want us to copy down, but I can just take a picture and put it in my notes, while everyone’s still writing it. It gives me an extra second to really read what’s on the board instead of just copying it down; it helps me understand the topic more.”

However, despite these advantages, there are some benefits limited exclusively to traditional note-taking.

For example, students who take notes by hand are not dependent on the battery life of iPads or laptops.

To ensure that they can efficiently take notes for each class spanning 50 minutes over a 7-hour school day, students with tablets must charge them each night or risk their “notebooks”

Old vs New | Min Hyeok Shin

losing power in the middle of a lesson.

Moreover, the act of writing words and terms out is important for in-depth understanding and comprehension.

Modern Language teacher Paola Sierra said, “I think in general with all subjects writing is better, and I know that, for instance, Mr. Amanna allows tablets, but

you can only use a stylus, which resembles the act of writing, so that’s a good way of using the tablet with languages. With all subjects, writing is important, with spelling and accent marks.”

Additionally, while tablets may help to stimulate creativity, they can also distract students and encourage procrastination; it’s quite tempting to open up a new tab

during a monotonous lesson or scroll through social media.

“Students have other windows, tabs up, chats, messaging, social media, it’s a whole mess,” said Ms. Sierra.

“You think that multitasking is okay, but it never really is. It’s best to devote yourself to a task 100% in order for it to even turn out to be a good product.”

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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Mario Kart Tour takes a mobile spin on a classic game

By Genessa Kahn Staff Writer

Ever since its release, Mario Kart Tour has taken the world by storm. Within its first week, the app was downloaded over 90 million times, making it Nintendo’s most successful launch to date. It surpassed Nintendo mobile games’ previous download record for Super Mario Run, which had nearly 22 million downloads.

Mario Kart Tour is a mobile game that allows players to race around in courses that model real-world cities. The objective of the game is to be in first place at the end of each race.

To accomplish this, players can drive through item boxes. After a race is completed, the player is given Grand Stars, experience points, and coins.

It’s the ninth main installment in the Mario Kart series and in-

cludes many features that are found in the previous Mario Kart games, along with many new features.

Mario Kart Tour is a free app with in-app purchases. Currently, a paid subscription is offered to players in the form of a Gold Pass.

Players with a Gold Pass have access to new race modes along with exclusive in-game items.

It costs $5 a month and even offers a two week free trial period to allow new players to test the Gold Pass.

Within its first month the app made over $37.4 million in revenue, coming in second to Fire Emblem Heroes’ $67.6 million in its launch month.

The obsession with Mario Kart Tour has reached Townsend Harris, where students can be seen playing the game during lunch.

Freshman Maliha Ahsan commented, “[Mario Kart Tour] is really fun and enjoyable to play.

I’m obsessed with it.”

Students have found a new app to play during their free time that’s really enjoyable and are consequently becoming addicted.

“I really enjoy how competitive it is, even if it’s only AI (artificial intelligence),” added freshman Afsana Ferdous.

Since the app’s release, one common complaint is its lack of a multiplayer option, which is a staple of Nintendo’s games.

“I used to play Mario Kart in middle school when it was a Wii game, “ said English teacher Katherine Lipinski. “It definitely raises some questions for me though because I think Mario Kart was always really fun because it had a multiplayer option.”

Nevertheless, she explained that screen size was one of her major concerns for this feature in the mobile version, stating, “We would play it on the television screen because then there’s enough space for it to be broken up and for one player to look over to see where the other player was in the middle of a race whereas on a smaller screen that wouldn’t

really work because the screen is so small.”

However, the company has recently announced on Twitter that a trial test will be run before the end of the year, but will be restricted to players who have subscribed to Mario Kart Tour’s Gold Pass.

The future of Mario Kart Tour is unclear, but based on its early success, there’s much to look forward to.

Toadette Wins! | Vera Wang

Quantum teleportation breakthrough marks future for data security

By Jasmine Palma Copy Editor

An international collaboration between scientists from the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) has successfully teleported a three-dimensional quantum state, called a qutrit. Previously, only two-dimensional quantum state teleportation was possible. This is an incredible feat that could define the future of quantum computers and data security.

On April 28, quantum physicist Guang-Can Guo and his colleagues at the USTC reported the findings in a preprint paper.

This was followed by one from Anton Zeilinger and his colleagues of the Austrian Academy of Sciences on June 24.

In classical computing, which is what maintains the function of modern and common technology, devices store information with bits utilizing a linear binary base of 0 or 1 in a pattern. In quanNovember 2019

Through the Universe | Jerin Tasnim

tum computing, however, these bits can be both inputs 0 and 1 with the same piece of hardware because of a phenomenon in quantum mechanics called superposition. Superposition is when phenomena of the same kind, for instance polarization and wavelength, merge so that they can simultaneously exist in the same event. A binary bit is called a qubit, and within 20 of these qubits, there are over a million states of superposition.

In addition to linear binary systems, classical computing also uses a linear tertiary base of 0, 1, or 2 in a pattern. The same principle of superposition occurs to allow all 0, 1, and 2 to produce what is called a qutrit that allows for greater computational speed.

What the Chinese and Austrian researchers were able to accomplish is to transport a photon from one qutrit location to another.

“First, we had to design an experimental method for imple-

menting high-dimensional teleportation, as well as to develop the necessary technology,” said Manuel Erhard from the Vienna Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in a press statement on August 23.

According to phys.org, the researchers applied a novel experimental method that used the Bell state of entanglement based on a multiport beam splitter and the three-way path of a photon.

This directs the photon through all inputs and outputs and connects the three optical fibre pathways. Supplementary photons were also inserted into the beam splitter that can interfere with the other photons. Through selection of specific interference patterns, quantum information can then be ‘teleported’ to another proton without physical interaction. This is possible with any number of dimensions, as was theorized in the 1990s (University of Vienna).

“It is exhilarating that researchers have translated a theory to experiment. This is truly great progress in scientific development,” said sophomore Jocelyn Wang.

“The basics for the next-generation quantum network systems is built on our foundational research today,” said physicist JianWei Pan from USTC in an article

by Popular Mechanics.

Today’s encryption software uses a large number whose ‘key’ are two prime factors to protect your data. These crypted numbers can range in size, but are so complex that they discourage hackers from cracking them. As quantum computers evolve to be more efficient, they could easily access your data by breaking the encryption almost instantaneously. Using superposition and interference patterns, these principles are incorporated into Shor’s Algorithm, which produces the keys to the large number. The time in which this occurs with quantum computers is exponentially faster than that with current classical computational processes.

Therefore, anyone with a powerful quantum computer may put current data security at risk.

“It’s terrifying to know that there is a possibility that data, what I thought to be so secure, is actually susceptible to attacks and accessibility to someone else,” Jocelyn said.

However, developments in using quantum entanglement in computing could improve your data security as well. In theoretical physics, entanglement occurs when a state of one particle is correlated to the other. You can

separate these particles to be light years apart, but as long as you know the state of one, you know the state of the other. Einstein famously coined this “spooky action at a distance.”

Quantum computers could process algorithms with greater speed since entangled particles contain and influence much more information than classical computing. Using the principles of quantum entanglement, one can encrypt a message using a cryptographic key that is embedded in entangled particles. The receiver must have the key of the encryption.

Occasionally, a Bell test is performed, which gives information of the entangled particles and notifies you if the message is susceptible because of some defects or if someone attempted to intercept the information.

As humans advance to the future by venturing further into the frontiers of science, normally zest and curiosity makes scientists oblivious to the arcane complexities of the unknown.

That vulnerability makes many oblivious, yet that is what drives scientific innovation. It is encountering puzzles that have ramifications beyond our understanding, but must be dealt with prudence. Sometimes, science for discoverers is merely a logical consequence of imagination, not yet reality until it is defined by experiment. The prospects for quantum computing are great and exciting, yet one must always remember to proceed with curious heed as we enter a quantum revolution.

The Classic

14

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The pallette breaking the Internet

By Jessica Sandoval & Fiona Zheng Staff Writers

The recent release of the Shane Dawson x Jeffree Star Conspiracy Makeup Collection shook the beauty community, selling out in minutes and causing widespread website crashes. The collaboration was announced in a six-part documentary series released in early October on Dawson’s YouTube channel, with each video garnering millions of views.

The collection featured a liquid lip set, a mini eyeshadow palette, and the star of the show: the Conspiracy Pallette. The palette is sold in sets or individually and has completely sold out on Morphe and on Jeffree Star Cosmetics websites. It features 18 shades ranging from matte to metallics to foils. Each unique shade has been pressed with iconic symbols that represent Dawson’s social media presence and each shade has been named after catchphrases and inside jokes relevant to the creator. Senior Maria Leyba, who managed to snatch up a palette herself, said, “Many of the shades are bold, but there are also neutral shades in the top row of both palettes.”

In regards to prices, the large palette sells for $52 while the smaller sells for $28. “It’s very pricey for makeup,” Maria added.

“However, a huge fan of Shane and Jeffree wouldn’t see the prod-

ucts as just makeup. They’re almost like collectibles.”

The palette has gotten both positive and negative reviews from dedicated fans and makeup lovers alike. Freshman Sophia Kouchtaf, who owns both palettes, stated, “The best thing about the palette, in my opinion, was being able to watch the whole process of them making it and then be able to hold it in my hand. The colors also have a good variety a lot of neutrals but some fun colors to get me inspired to do more looks.”

The series discusses many secrets of the beauty industry and the drama that has occurred between various creators this past year. However, recently Dawson has come under fire for failing to include video clips describing drama between makeup artists James Charles, Tati Westbrook, and Jeffree Star, clips that he included in his teaser video. Dawson has responded on social media with plans to release a separate video addressing the drama, but many share Maria’s opinion: “The drama is a few months old, so I don’t care too much.”

Aside from the drama, each video brings the viewer through the step-by-step process of creating a palette from scratch, including never before released business

information and dealings.

For some, the multi-part series appeared to be part of an interesting marketing strategy aimed at increasing interest among his multi-million fan base. Long-time Shane Dawson fan senior Charissa Bachan disagreed, “I think [Shane] genuinely wanted to show people the processes of the makeup world…

[I believe that] his Shane Dawson is sweeping the makeup industry with his creative logo | Amanda Renzi intentions were genuine and he just wanted to exThis palette is not only a maThe slow build-up towards the plore something that wasn’t really jor rave to fans around the world, release generated the anticipation done before.” but also a major eye-opener into of the collaborators’ subscribers.

The videos also showed viewers the workings of the beauty indus- In no time, the website that the a side of Jeffree Star that they had try for the general public. During duo was selling their products never seen before. As a controver- the series, the effort Dawson and on crashed, and the products in sial beauty influencer, Jeffree Star Star put into the palette and how stores were sold out. has been involved in many scan- meticulously producers worked Many fans excitedly await the dals with other members of the to handpick specific shades that restocking of their favorite prodbeauty community such as Kat look best on their customers is ucts and the release of the last Von D and James Charles. The evident. The beauty industry has video in the series. It’s clear that unapologetic Youtuber revealed long been shrouded in secrecy, the collaboration has ushered in his soft side in these videos, and and a vast number of the general a new era of both makeup and Charissa added that “I never public are unaware of the process marketing and fans can’t wait to knew who Jeffree Star was until that producers have to go through see more.

Shane, but then I started to know just to craft a seemingly simhim better and liked him more so ple palette or any other makeup I started to watch his videos.” product.

Reporting from the frontline in the chicken sandwich wars

By Matthew Merino Staff Writer

For years, Chick-fil-A has been a leader in the premium chicken sandwich business.

Their signature chicken sandwich, made with a juicy fried chicken breast topped with pickles and a slight spread of mayonnaise on a buttered bun, has been an icon in Southern culture for decades now. In the past few years, they brought this sensation to other parts of the United States.

However, a longtime rival, debuting its own version of the chicken sandwich, has joined the competition: Popeyes.

What was originally a limited time offer became a nationwide craze. After a viral tweet in which Chick-fil-A detailed aspects of their wellknown chicken sandwich (“Bun+Chicken+Pickles=Love”), Popeyes responded with, “y’all good?” As a result, the chicken sandwich war was born.

Since then the Popeyes chicken sandwich has grown from an everyday promotion to a sort of cult following.

The Classic

Long lines wrapped around Popeyes locations with customers eager to get a taste of the infamous chicken sandwich.

They unexpectedly sold out within two weeks, a supply that was supposed to last from early August until September. Unfortunately, most were sorely disappointed.

This viral competition has gotten so serious that Popeyes began advertising for people to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bun) into their restaurants to make a de facto chicken sandwich.

One lawsuit was filed against them for the inconveniences the chicken sandwich trend created, including claims for “rim and tire damage totaling $1500” just to take out $25 from the bank.

However, the Popeyes chicken sandwich finally came back after months of anticipation.

When comparing the two sandwiches, it seems like they both have the classic juicy fried chicken topped with pickles on a buttered bun, right?

Well, Chick-fil-A uses a tender, slightly crispy fried chicken breast, whereas Popeyes uses the iconic crispy chicken that they are

known for.

Among the school population, students and teachers shared varied perspectives on the sandwiches.

More teachers who had both sandwiches favor Chick-fil-A, while more students favor Popeyes, with some crossovers in between. Sometimes it comes down to nostalgia, as English teacher Kevin McDonough puts it, “Popeyes, no question about it… because there was a Popeyes on my college campus, and of course, Popeye the Sailor.”

Others prefer it for the taste, like senior Delila Hasic, who “[chose] Chick-fil-A, mainly because they have good chicken” and described Popeyes chicken as “sometimes too crunchy and… expensive.”

The competition between Chick-fil-A and Popeyes is only going to grow thanks to social media. As Social Studies teacher Frank McCaughey said, “It is interesting [to see the intensity of the chicken sandwich war develop] because it is a perfect example of life in 2019.” It shows, he said, “how things are hyped up on social media [nowadays].”

38 Instagram likes scored free bubble tea

By Zoe Tylipakis Staff Writer

The increasing popularity of TSAoCAA, a new bubble tea shop in Queens, has caught the attention of Flushing natives since its grand opening on September 25. The shop is located on Prince Street, about 20 minutes from Townsend by bus, and is known for its freshly brewed teas, setting it apart from other bubble tea places that use powder as their base. The store has also attracted a crowd due to its aesthetic “Instagram-worthy” atmosphere.

“I found out about this place through Instagram. A lot of my friends from Townsend Harris and other schools were posting

about this new bubble tea place in order to get [a] free drink,” said junior Tiffany Liu. Although the promotion recently ended, TSAoCAA continues to gain customers with their menu and aesthetic.

Tiffany continued, “My overall experience there was decent considering all the hype about it on Instagram. I ordered the Brown Sugar Milk Black Tea with Oreo Milk Foam and it was really good. I thought that the store itself [had a cute design]… and the menu seemed to have a good variety… [so it] was worth the effort to go there.”

Students try different types of bubble tea in Flushing | Jason Bacalla

SPORTS

15

Winter teams welcome the new season

By Abhinav Garg, Ariana Vernon, & Kristen Zhou Sports Editors

The PSAL fall season is wrapping up, which means the winter season is just beginning. From co-ed wrestling to girls’ basketball, athletes from the seven winter teams are gearing up for their respective seasons.

Girls’ Basketball Last season, the girls’ varsity basketball team was undefeated during their regular season and placed third in the city.

Following this success, they plan to stay on top through teamwork and practice. Senior Kelsey Zhen said, “Our team is going to focus on building the team chemistry and laying a solid foundation. When we all hustle the hardest we can and devote ourselves to the team, there aren’t any limits that can hold us back and that’s an exciting opportunity to be a part of.” The team practices every weekday until 6, and on Saturday mornings. Junior Xandria Crosland said, “Practices are pretty rigorous... We do a lot of guard drills with shooting. And, of course, we do conditioning and work on our plays and other skills.”

Boys’ Basketball This season, the boys’ varsity basketball team is aiming to win the division and make a deep playoff run. Freshman Matthew Cantor said, “We have been prac-

ticing strenuously to be prepared for what is yet to come.

In order to achieve these goals, the team is planning on making many improvements from last year.”

Junior Jahdon Jerome added, “From last season, since the core of the team is returning players, we can improve on finishing late in games because we have only gained more experience.

Girls’ Indoor Track As the girls’ cross country team completes a successful cross country season, the girls are looking ahead to the upcoming indoor track season.

As always, the girls look to be the best in Queens and in the city.

The team is also looking forward to freshmen cross country runners joining the indoor team. Freshman Erica Jin said, “The distance we had to run in cross country [helped] build our endurance and strength. Speed is also crucial, so all those painful practices and meets really improved our speed.”

Freshman Kate Estevez agreed and attributed her excitement for the season to her teammates.

“The upperclassmen have all been extremely helpful. The captains of my team are the most supportive, caring, and understanding people I have ever met,” said Kate.

Boys’ Indoor Track

The boys’ indoor track season is starting up as well.

Finishing second to Francis Lewis in the Queens Borough Championships last season, the boys hope to take the title this year.

Although the boys’ cross country team struggled to recruit members at the start of the school year, recruiting for the indoor season is not a concern.

Junior Shawn Edelstein said, “Cross country is only distance running, but indoor track has a wide range of events including sprints, jumping, and weight throwing.

Almost all of the cross country runners will be returning for track, and we will also get some sprinters and jumpers who don’t do cross country.” Nonetheless, the team will still have to fill the positions of the recently graduated seniors. “We have a lot of good runners, but it might take some time to figure out who is going to fill in what role,” said Shawn.

Girls’ Table Tennis The girls’ table tennis team is expecting many changes to their roster with the addition of eager new players.

Co-captain and senior Jaime Tran said, “At the interest meeting, [co-captain] Chloe and I

Girls’ basketball team at Pep-Rally | Min Hyeok Shin

were really surprised to see that there were so many new members. There are now over 40 people on our team interested in playing compared to the 20 we started off with a few years ago.”

The potential new talent and increase in recognition creates a very hopeful future for the team.”

Co-Ed Wrestling After a solid season, the co-ed wrestling team hopes to continue their success this year. Senior Maria Arsenie said, “Last year the team finished off very strong and we are aiming to match that this year.

All the athletes are extremely

hardworking and our determination will help us fight for the state championship title. Our goal is to keep the title and also win more playoff matches.” The team is undergoing a change in coach from the Mr. Hackney to Coach Matthew Curiale. Despite this, no one is deterred. “We might need some time to adjust… but I am sure the team will be able to keep up the work ethic and motivation that allowed us to win states last year,” said Maria.

Cross country jumps over the hurdle

By Qazi Ali, Kelsey Miu, & Navraj Singh Staff Writers

Cross country is undoubtedly a mental sport, requiring not only physical strength, but also determination and will. This fall, not only was the THHS boys’ cross country team expected to run through hills and mud, they were faced with the obstacle of recruiting members.

Last year, the team placed fourth in the borough, encouraging them to come back even stronger this year.

However, a lack of runners did not allow them to start the season as planned. Captain Balraj Chahal said, “Our team was senior heavy last year and that means a majority of our runners graduated last year. Since some of the best runners in the city graduated we need to fill the gap.

“We had about fifteen seniors graduate and had about five freshmen join the team. A large portion of our team from other grades also left at the start of the cross country season so we were very short on depth.”

November 2019

For track teams, the number of teammates is essential to the number of coaches.

Not having enough runners risked the position of their assistant coach, Orlando Martinez.

In desperation, junior Andrew Mak said that the team “quickly took to social media and expanded our audience to get freshmen and other people to join.” Soon enough, the team’s effort was able to recruit 10 freshmen, making a total of 30 team members.

In addition to the lack of team members, the team was plagued by injuries. “A number of athletes have been hurt and not able to run for lengthy periods of time, including captains, Denion and I,” said Balraj.

This forces the remaining runners on the team to step up and endure even more since the team is not at 100 percent.

However, Balraj was still determined and insisted that he will “try to move up and lead the team to [their] goals.”

The team had many goals this season and went through intense training to achieve them.

Junior Itamar Hindi said, “Coach Rio and Coach Martinez have been training us every day of the school week to prepare and condition the entire team for our major races in the future.”

Other members reference having a proper, well-balanced diet, as well as high-intensity interval training, as a means to achieve their goal.

Track not only developed the athletic skills of some of Towsend’s most talented students, but also provided an outlet for growth, family, and fun.

Boys Cross Country Team | Jason Bacalla

Many members of the boys’ track team believe that the team is a tool they use to achieve their goals and further their work ethic. “[The team] is to come together and solidify ourselves as one of, if not the best, teams in Queens as we compete against

schools such as Francis Lewis and Metropolitan High School.

We have a strong team full of runners with great potential and we hope to show this on the Van Cortlandt Park course during Queens Borough Championships,” junior Robert Pellicane said.

The Classic

16 WE SURVEYED TOWNSEND

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HARRIS STUDENTS AND ASKED THEM WHAT THEY ARE

A. Gobble B. Big C. Golden D. Pudgie E. Glazed F. Yummy G. Little H. Fat I. Old J. Mr. K. Tasty L. Buttered M. Juicy N. Crusty O. Spicy P. Crazy Q. Mrs. R. Smelly S. Thick T. Wild U. Silly V. Master W. Crispy X. Orange Y. Burnt Z. Sassy

Your Birth Month

January: Feathers February:McStuffington March: Birdie April: Gobble May: Wishbone June: Gravy July: Gizzards August: Giblets September: Butterball October: Long Neck November: McTurkey December: Cranberry

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THHS Students are Thankful For....

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Mr. B’s guide to a very vegan Thanksgiving

By Jamal Bermudez Health and PE Teacher

This year I plan to keep the tradition going and host a Thanksgiving feast at my place, VEGAN style, for friends and family. I get so much joy from hearing comments like, “I can’t believe this is Vegan!” or “I didn’t know this was possible!“ or “I was expecting to eat just salad before I came over.” My brothers and close friends already know the deal. It’s the responses from their newest girlfriends or friends of mine who have never tried a vegan meal before, that are always pleasantly surprised.

What many don’t realize is that you can “veganize” any meal and still have the same joy, pleasure, satiation and satisfaction as you would with your traditional meatbased meals (you may even like it more). On the menu for this year’s Vegan Thanksgiving Feast: Farro and Cuban style black beans – Farro is one of the many whole grains that you can eat in place of rice. It’s high in protein and fiber. Beans will be seasoned with my grandma’s famous Sofrito (Spanish style seasoning). (15 minutes to prepare).

Roasted Sweet Potato – Cut into cubes and placed in an air-fryer cooked with a spritz of rosemary flavored olive oil. Using the air-fryer requires minimal oil and turns potato chunks into soft and smooth on the inside, perfectly crisp on the outside, pieces of paradise! (20 minutes to prepare).

Grilled Veggies – I coat asparagus, slices of eggplant, portabella mushroom caps, and slices of pineapple with my infused rosemary olive oil, a spritz of lemon, salt and pepper and grill them on my panini grill. (5 minutes to prepare).

Mr. B’s Bangin’ Beet Salad! – I spiralize about 4 large beets and 2 zucchinis in my Veggie Bullet. Once I have the base of spiralized beet and zucchini noodles, I add pomegranate seeds, chopped avocado, chopped cilantro, baby spinach, green onion, dates, coconut flakes, and hemp seeds. I’ll provide a variety of plant- based dressings and let my people go to town. (15 minutes to prepare).

The Classic

Tofurky – Here is an example of the “swap” or “veganizing” that I mentioned earlier.

Instead of serving up the traditional dead bird that was likely pumped up with hormones and other mysterious agents to fatten it for the holiday season, I’m serving up a plant-based turkey. The company Tofurky (who wittily combined tofu and turkey to form their brand name), has been making vegan products since 1995. Since then, they have really improved their products by making them taste better and reducing the amount of highly processed additives. For the holiday season, they market two products, the Ham Roast that comes with a glaze and the Turkey Roast, which comes complete with stuffing and gravy.

I think it’s really cool and it tastes great! It’s made up of tofu and wheat gluten that comes from grain. Wheat gluten is often used in meat substitute products as it has the consistency and mouth feel of meat when bitten into. With the right spices, you won’t even know the difference. (Bakes in the oven for 45 minutes at 400 degrees).

Chia Pudding – No Thanksgiving meal would be complete without dessert. The recipe is really simple with just 4 ingredients! Plant-based milk, chia seeds, fruit, and cinnamon. In a Mason Jar, fill it up halfway with any plant-based milk. I prefer Almond Milk.

Add chia seeds- ratio is really important here. Two tablespoons of chia seeds for every half cup of milk. You can play around with the measurements to find the consistency you like best. Stir. Wait 10 minutes. Stir again and make sure there are no lumps. Let it thicken in the fridge for at least two hours. Chop up some fruit of your choice and place it right on top of the pudding.

Sprinkle some cinnamon on top and enjoy. This dessert is high in fiber, high in protein and contains the kind of fat that is good for you.