October 2020 Issue

PIPER CAMPBELL HALL EPISCOPAL

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VOTING FOR THEIR FUTURE With so much at stake for both political parties, the 2020 election has caused an increase in the amount of students becoming politically active. Students weigh in on why they’re involved and what issues matter most to them.

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VOLUME 24

ISSUE 1

Oct. 30, 2020

STUDIO CITY, CA 91607

THE PIPER

OCT. 30, 2020

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NEWS

Working towards inclusivity

As Campbell Hall works to to become an anti-racist environment, students and faculty reflect on what this statement means

tive experience he had as a sophomore and now has an incident of racial bias against him currently being investigated by the school.

Diallo has noticed that many of his peers are White. He believes that private schools profited off of White supremacy.

“Campbell Hall itself is a pillar of White supremacy, not necessarily in its ideas, but in the system that enables it to exist,” Diallo said. “The thing with Campbell Hall is [the] majority [of its students appear to be] wealthy, or well off, White students who have more money than most Black, Brown [and] Indigenous peoples because of a system that enables racism. It's that gap in [social] class that [runs] Campbell Hall. Campbell Hall can work to improve itself as an anti-racist think space, but Campbell Hall itself can never be anti-racist, anti-white supremacy and continue to exist.”

Like Diallo, History Department Chair William Cullinan believes it is important to examine our school’s history and acknowledge the system on which private schools were built. Cullinan feels that there is an innate sense of racism at private schools because there was a large gap in social class, due to White Flight, which created private schools in white suburbs, thereby excluding students of color from attending.

“We're a private school,” Cullinan said.

“Private schools were founded out of something called White flight. It was this massive movement outside of the city that was really prominent in the 50s and 60s, [and] ever since that as well, and that's in the DNA of the school. If we don't realize these things and hold ourselves accountable, then we're not actually anti-racist. We're just saying that we're anti-racist, because it seems like it's a buzzword [at] the time, but it's actually a really meaningful, important mission.”

Part of that mission involves the school’s

ILIANA KLEINER AND IZZIE DIALLO WRITERS

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ith 40 percent of students K-12 and 30 percent of faculty being people of color, Campbell Hall is working towards being an anti-racist environment.

Although she has not necessarily experienced blatant racism on campus, Taylor Watson (21) has witnessed both microaggressions and inappropriate comments made by classmates. Because of this, she would not yet categorize the campus as anti-racist.

"The school has stated they are an anti-racist environment, but simply saying you're anti-racist doesn’t make you anti-racist," Watson said. "You can parallel it to people saying I’m not racist, I have black friends. They need to make it apparent they are an anti-racist environment [by] doing more in the classroom.”

Stephanie Carrillo, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 7-12, understands that creating an anti-racist environment on campus is important for the growth of the school.

She defines an anti-racist environment as a place [where] whiteness is not centered and people in that community work to destroy racism.

“It's a constant process of working to dismantle racism, to dismantle systems that are just set up with whiteness as the norm, which automatic[ly] disadvantages other groups [and] constantly working to undo that,” Carrillo said. “We want to sit down with students to hear about what their experiences are. Those are important steps because if we make decisions without hearing from the key stakeholders, which are the students, that's backward. We need to hear from people as far as what [their] experience [has] been and how we can improve that experience.”

Quincy Diallo (21), who has been a student for seven years, recently shared a nega-

Educating through being educated: In order to create a safe space to teach students of all races, teachers must learn how to do so first.

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CONTINUING

THE

stephanie carrillo

We want to sit down with students to hear about what their experiences are.

DEI director

curriculum and is for teachers to attend training in social justice curriculum standards. Last year, the full English and History departments attended two days of training in anti-bias curriculum at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. Each department then held a full-day planning meeting with one of the designers of the Social Justice Curriculum Standards created by Teaching Tolerance. Kathleen Lawton-Trask, the English department chair, believes that these professional development days gave teachers tools and time to create a more diverse curriculum and develop greater confidence in having conversations about race in the classroom.

One tool that has begun to be implemented in classrooms is the use of identity, diversity, justice and action (IDJA) standards. These standards help students and teachers engage more deeply in a range of anti-bias and social justice issues.

“The English department has been having discussions about [creating a] more inclusive curriculum, a curriculum that more accurately reflects the world around us, for a few years,” Lawton-Trask said. “Those are conversations, not just about switching out books but also about guiding students through these four core [Social Justice Standards] areas: identity, diversity, justice and action (IDJA).”

For Lawton-Trask, class curriculum leads to more open community conversations. She hopes to see changes over the school year in terms of community members being able to engage in brave conversations about race and anti-racism. For her, this starts in her English 10 honors classes.

“My goal is to help kids have conversations about diversity, identity, justice and action,” Lawton-Trask said. “[I want them to] feel empowered to have these conversations, not that I'm telling them what they should think or what they should do, but rather that [students] themselves look at what they think is unjust and what they think needs to change.”

To begin towards a more anti-racist community, Monaco Greene (23) hopes to see an increase in education on race and racism, specifically within the elementary and middle schools, as well an increase in the diversity of the student body.

“It's important to teach children about systemic racism, especially starting from a young age,” Greene said. “I've noticed this year, Campbell Hall has actually made a bigger effort in teaching about racism and ant-racism. The school needs to make sure to teach about systemic racism in all grades."

CONVERSATION

Taylor Watson further discusses the activities Campbell Hall can set up to be a more inclusive environment ILIANA KLEINER WRITER

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aylor Watson (21) feels that an anti-racist environment is one where everyone in that environment is willing to discuss topics regarding race and that affect minority students. Rather than only being discussed when something happens, she hopes to see racial issues brought to light more often. She also hopes for the school to become a space where minority students feel that their voices are being heard.

“When there is [a minority student] in a predominantly white classroom, it is awkward for them to have to sit there and listen to other kids that don't experience the same things as [the minority students]," Watson said.

"I would definitely encourage [the school] to do some type of teacher workshop, [to teach teachers I would [also] want the school to promote or just discuss what clubs like 42 and the Black Student Union Groups do and include the other students, besides black students in those groups, so that they can hear what we go through.

[Outside of the classroom setting,] I don't feel like people would go. If [the school] wants to address [issues regarding race] it has to be in the classroom setting. I don't think anyone is going to go to a Zoom meeting talking about diversity if it's not affecting them. It would have to be in a setting that everyone has to go to.”

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Impact and purpose of @BlackAtCampbell Hall Instagram account LUCY KENNEL WRITER

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n my day, there was a group of popular high school boys that had confederate flags hanging from their pickup trucks. No one batted an eyelash.

This is one of many stories posted on the BlackatCampbellHall Instagram page.

The BlackatCampbellHall Instagram account was created in early June in hopes of spreading awareness about the incidences of racism that have gone unnoticed at the school. It serves as an outlet for students to send in stories about racism anonymously without having to worry about consequences or being turned away. The BlackatCampbellHall account holders decided to create the account after seeing the similar impact accounts had on other private schools in Los Angeles.

“We wanted to raise awareness for the students because these things exist, and if it doesn't happen to you personally, you might not be as aware of it, or you might not know that it happens,” the creators of the account said. “We just wanted [everyone], especially for White students and community members, to know that [racism is] an issue that is everywhere, including Campbell Hall.”

The account holders believe that it is the schools’ responsibility to educate their students about racism and other crucial topics that tend to go unnoticed. They want students to have a safe place to voice their concerns without the fear of being judged or ignored.

“The reason why you go to school is so you can learn and become a contributing member to society, and no matter what career or occupation you have in the future, you will use a race relations class, especially in America,” the account creators said. “It should be the school’s job to educate [on race and culture], instead of the BIPOC students, who are already stressed out enough.”

Head of School Julian Bull has been working for years on improving the diversity at Campbell Hall but feels that recently, the urgency for the matter has been raised. He and the rest of the administration were sad to hear the stories highlighted on the BlackatCampbellHall Instagram account but had been listening and responding to similar stories through conversations with alumni and training.

“I think that the pandemic inside the pandemic, as we call it, is a wake up call for White people in general and that this applies to Campbell Hall as well,” Bull said. “We've been doing diversity, equity, and inclusion work for a long time, [but now] it's the number one priority.”

With the Black Lives Matter Movement and the recent uprising in calling out racism in the country, Bull believes that it is becoming more crucial for schools to acknowledge what may be happening every day and attempt to fix it.

“At different times, you could say that climate change is the top priority, but [right now], diversity at independent schools is a huge issue because if you don't address it, [it] could be [our] achilles heel,” Bull said. “[The lack of diversity] can get to a point where people say these schools are just not aligned with the mood of the country as a whole.”

The school decided that it would be beneficial to take the stories as feedback.

They chose to utilize the account in order to hear the students’ voices and concerns.

“We decided early on that what we were going to do, instead [of trying to get the account holders to take it down], it was to just say ‘ok,’” Bull said. “Whatever shows up on the page, we want that type of feedback anyway, and we're just going to add it to the [pre existing concerns] and feedback that we already get.”

THE PIPER

OCT. 30, 2020

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Pandemic Productivity Students continue to navigate their lives during quarantine and learn how to be efficient JEREMY FRANK WRITER

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lthough many have spent their quarantines to take time for themselves and relax some Campbell Hall students have done the opposite. Despite the world seeming to be at a standstill, students have stayed productive through hosting zooms, selling food and working out.

While many have found it relatively easy to stay productive during the quarantine by partaking in activities, others have found it difficult and feel certain pressures from their friends, family and social media to continue being productive.

Demi Weitz (21) thinks that being productive is doing things that she loves that allow her to enjoy her day and feel accomplished. Although lacking motivation at times, Weitz has managed to keep herself productive through writing college essays, hosting zooms for charity and working out more often.

“Since the pandemic, my level of productivity has fluctuated,” Weitz said. “I was a lot more productive than I have ever been in my whole entire life. I really took [the] initiative [in] doing things outside of my comfort zone and really trying to make a change and difference in the world. There have been so many current events and things that have come to fruition that many students can get involved in.”

Although experiencing mental ups and downs, Oren Weissman (24) believes that there is nothing he would change about what he has done and experienced over the last six months.

Weissman has managed to stay productive both with and without his friends, which has helped him socially and academically.

“My productivity has changed for better and for worse,” Weissman said. “Have I been sitting around more? Yes. Have I been thinking about my life and trying to get the best out of every moment? Yes. There are two sides to this. You can either grab it and run with it, or be lazy and let the pandemic take you. [The] quarantine can be hard, but if you want it to be fun and productive,

demi weitz

We are all human, so we deserve [mental health breaks] because we can’t be doing crazy things all the time. senior

you can make that happen.”

Jack Marounian (22) feels that although he has had waves of productivity he has been lazy at times. Currently he has managed to keep himself busy by working and focusing on school work.

Marounian defines productivity as doing the same things that he was doing prior to quarantine.

“Since the pandemic, my productivity has not changed because I always like to keep myself busy, and because of this, I have not really had to adjust myself to be productive over quarantine,” Marounian said. “My parents, along with my brother, have definitely helped me stay productive because when I see them working hard and being productive, it makes me want to do the same.”

Many students have experienced societal pressures online, but Weissman has not felt any positive or negative effects from his use of social media since quarantine has started. He has been focused on his granola business, which has taken away a lot of his downtime that he usually spends on social media.

“My social media has the Clippers, Steelers and memes on it,” Weissman said. “My feed doesn’t have many workout videos or how to get better with your life. I’m a simple man. The people around me have not affected me during this time. I try [to] block out the noise from other people if it’s negative, and I feel like [quarantine] really tests that skill.”

Similarly to Weissman, Weitz hasn’t found much outside pressure to stay productive and

MY COLLEGE PROCESS TANYA PARASHER

KAYLA FRANCAIS WRITER *Name changed to protect student’s identity

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JEREMY FRANK PHOTO ollege admissions are a crapshoot. At least, that’s what I’ve heard. There’s something unsettling about a room full of strangers spending 3 minutes analyzing an application I’ve spent 4 years creating. My entire high school experience - the all-nighters spent studying, the nerve-wracking presentations, the clubs and extracurriculars - is being condensed into a single application.

A single file on a stranger’s computer.

With that being said, my personal college process has been nothing like what I expected. As a kid, I envisioned myself visiting colleges with a notepad and a pen, introducing myself to faculty, and rating the food at coveted restaurants around campus.

Instead, I spent the past summer sitting alone in a quiet room and watching campus tours on my computer until my head hurt. I remember leaving every single webinar with more questions than I came with: do I really see myself here? What if I hate the students at the school? What if I don’t end up where I’m supposed to be?

The pressures of ‘competing’ with my classmates and maintaining high grades while still marathoning my way to the notorious November 1st deadline has been nothing short of crazy. I find myself trapped in a perpetual cycle of waking up, working on my application, doubting myself, and crying by noon every day.

I have to constantly remind myself that I have absolutely no control over my decisions, and that whatever happens is what’s meant to be. Quite frankly, I just can’t wait till this is all over.

considers it as more of an inner feeling.

“Social media has definitely been highlighting more activists and their voices, and it has been very educational,” Weitz said. “It is really important to understand that this is an unfamiliar and uncertain time, and you don’t always have to be productive. [However], in order to move forward, it is important to take time for yourself, to let your brain relax and to clear your head and emotions. We are all human, so we deserve [mental health breaks] because we can’t be doing crazy things all the time.”

In July, Weissman started a granola business with his best friend, Kingsley Marin. They sell granola to the general public on Larchmont Bloulevard, and Weissman has enjoyed his experie thus far.

“I started the gronola business because I wanted to make money to buy myself a Play Station 5,” Weissman said. “Fortunately, I have surpassed my goal using the money I made in my business. I also watched a ton of basketball, I feel like I studied the game in a way that I’ve never done prior. I hope that this helps my basketball skills when I get back out on the court.”

Weissman believes that the opportunities that he has been confronted with have helped him grow and mature.

“I feel like these times are really shaping me for the future, and I feel like I’m gonna be able to run through a wall and tackle anything when I get out of this,” Weissman said.

What are the benefits of being productive?

While productivity can take different forms for each individual, it still has its many benefits. According to an Oct. 2015 article by Jessica Wendorff in the Elite Daily, being productive can be the key to living a happy, healthy and successful life.

Additionally, being productive in school can help increase one’s productivity in other aspects of their life, including relationships, creativity and even intelligence.

Confronting the complicated college process

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT:

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AUSTIN JANAVS GRAPHIC Balancing burdens: While adjusting to being back at school amidst COVID-19, students learn to balance their work, social lives and family.

ver 1,550 accredited four year colleges and universities have adopted a test-optional policy for the 2020-2021 admission cycle in response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, according to a list from the National Center for Fair and Open Testing in Sept. 2020.

The SAT and ACT, a test that most universities have long relied on when determining a student’s potentiality for their school, remains one of several metrics which admissions officers have been called upon to divorce from. Without this test, many colleges are left scrambling to figure out what else they might consider when admitting students from such large applicant pools.

As colleges work to reinvent a process that has stayed relatively unchanged since its conception, their applicant pool does the same. In light of the new way colleges must review applications, Sophie Ross* (21) who is currently working on her college applications for the upcoming admissions cycle, feels that COVID-19 has heightened her anxiety, as well as, negatively contributed to a process that already feels so mysterious.

“I have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder for over five years now, and the college process has always been a trigger of mine,” Ross said. “I never imagined that [this] process would feel this overwhelming. I do [attribute] this unexpected amount of anxiety to the unpredictability of the pandemic, in conjunction with [something] that is already as unknown as the college process. With the lack of answers we have about how we will be evaluated by colleges and the amount of opportunities we will not have to make ourselves stand out, I feel that students are being put at a disadvantage [due to] this cycle. I can only hope [that] colleges will take into consideration the unprecedented [nature] of COVID-19 and the uniqueness of [every students’] situations.”

Though Ross* believes that COVID-19 has impacted her college admissions process quite negatively, she has found that being away from school has allowed for students in the greater Campbell Hall community to abstain from having inappro-

priate and unproductive discussion about each other’s college processes.

“One of the worst parts of applying to college is how competitive the environment is, especially at Campbell Hall,,” Ross said. “Everyone finds a way to have an opinion or pass judgement on a process so unique to the individual. I like that COVID-19 has diminished the outside pressure from peers and the overall discussion of each other’s college processes. School allow[s] for that judgment to thrive, so having this time away from each other allows for greater privacy and a sense of respect for each other’s hopes and dreams [is necessary].”

Unlike Ross, Zachary Zeichick (21) thrives off of the pressure created by other students. Quarantine has diminished his motivation to be productive, and he believes this is due to the lack of discussion being had with peers surrounding the college process that he would have otherwise been surrounded with if on campus.

“I like to think that most students at Campbell Hall are respectful of everyone’s college process,” Zeichick said. “That isn’t to say that there isn’t a sense of competition between everyone, [and while] for some this competition causes anxiety sometimes, this is what keeps me [encouraged] to get my work done. COVID-19 has taken away that sense of pressure we would have had [if we were] on campus. I didn’t know it until it was gone, but I need that pressure to feel inspired to keep working.”

Though Zeichick thinks COVID-19 has undermined the stressful environment present on campus during the college season, he also thinks that this pandemic has created new variables to think about when looking at colleges, for better or for worse.

“I am having to take into consideration things I never thought I would,” Zeichick said. “There is the possibility that being closer to home has greater benefits now, aiming for higher grades due to the absence of test scores and looking for colleges who have responded responsibly to the pandemic are all on my [radar]. These new [considerations] feel never ending, but it’s possible that they could have long term benefits.

We will wait and see.”

THE PIPER

OCT. 30, 2020

Socially active

activism

With the use of social media constantly on the rise, students turn to platforms like Instagram and Snapchat to stay active in issues that matter to them

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louched on the couch after being overwhelmed while watching the news, Shaye Gonor (22) begins the endless scroll through social media, where she is able to see how she along with many others post about current issues. With the rise of social media, teenagers are more socially active than ever, utilizing their social media to raise awareness for a variety of issues and topics.

During quarantine, Gonor has become more aware and seen more information on how minorities around the world are being treated. She latched onto this idea, and decided to learn more about ways she can help. By doing so, she is able to see what other people experience and defend them in as many ways as possible.

“The most important topics for me to be socially active about would have to be Black Lives Matter and climate change,” Gonor said. “I have 100 percent become more socially active during quarantine because quarantine went hand in hand with the BLM movement, and I think the BLM movement opened my eyes to so many more issues occurring around the globe. The BLM movement made me want to research and help be an ally to people who need one. Before quarantine, I had never really posted anything about spreading awareness on my social media, but now I post on my Instagram story petitions [that] people can sign and articles I think people should read.”

Growing up in a society where she feels there is an abundance of teenagers and young adults who participate in social activism, Gonor has noticed that most of her friends use their social media as platforms to participate in raising awareness. Although Gonor uses social media as a way to spread awareness, she feels it is just as essential to have in person conversations about issues as well.

“I think being socially active means not just [speaking on important topics] for show, but actually having in person conversations with people about what you feel strongly about,” Gonor said. “When posting or reposting on social media, it’s about not just posting messages or ideas online to prove that you’re an ally or an advocate, but trying to change people’s opinions and views for the better. This helps especially if they have an ignorant bias.

In person conversations are very beneficial.”

Andre Wiseman, high school math teacher, has witnessed his son growing up around social media and sees

Viking voices What has your adjustment to Campbell Hall been like during remote learning?

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the impact of social media on activism today. He believes that social media has the power to bring issues into people’s minds and forces people to take responsibility for the events happening.

“It’s very interesting that things are being brought to life now because of the prevalence of social media being right in front of America’s face,” Wiseman said. “This country is built [on] racism and [the] mistreatment of indigenous people. The only difference nowadays is that it's on social media, and it's harder for it to be swept under the rug.”

Wiseman feels that social media is a huge and prevalent platform in society today, especially among the youth. He thinks it is necessary to use social media to positively impact others and spread messages. He also believes that the only way to really make a change is if everyone comes together and finally

takes accountability.

“Social media is the way of our future,” Wiseman said. “Youth in America [are] not reading the newspaper; they're not watching the news. There is a huge percentage of people who are getting their information from social media. It's important that we utilize social media but utilize it in a way we would use any other place we get facts from.”

As social media has continued to grow more prevalent amongst Gen-Z, Gonor understands how impactful it can be in spreading news and shaping people’s beliefs.

She truly feels that it is important to form your opinions and to stand up for what you believe is right.

“Silence is just as bad as being the oppressor, and if people don’t have a stance, they are just taking the side of the oppressor,” Gonor said. “It is important to have an opinion because there is so much going on right now. If you aren’t socially active it can be seen as being willfully ignorant.”

By the numbers: 36% say they have used social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter in the past month to show their support for a cause July 2020 Pew Research Study

Shout and Post: As students can no longer go out and protest for the issues that matter to them, they begin to use their social medias as a platform to stay socially active.

SARAH GUESSOUS AND AUSTIN JANAVS ARTISTS

How new students are adjusting to school wyatt nash

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yatt Nash (24), a new freshman, previously attended Walter Reed Middle School. Not knowing what to expect, he tried not come in with any expectations. Thus far, Nash is enjoying his transition and experience at Campball Hall and hopes to continue meeting new people.

"I think that quarantine and the situation we’ve been presented with, although weird, has [both] its goods and bads, [as well as] a give [or] take, just as everything does. But it is still something to get used to," Nash said. "Everyone is very nice and welcoming and has made remote learning a lot less isolating." freshman

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ose Greer (22) recently moved from New York and had to start the school over zoom without ever meeting any of her classmates or teachers. She expected it to be difficult to make friends over zoom but feels lucky that people have reached out to her and helped her transition into Campbell Hall.

“Everyone at Campbell Hall has been extremely welcoming,” Greer said. “I definitely have to say that joining a new school remotely has been rough but I’m so lucky to be a part of this amazing community. I haven’t found making friends to be as hard as i anticipated, a lot of people have reached out to me and have been really sweet and supportive.

I’m looking forward to actually meeting people in person.” junior

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ervous. Eager. Worried. Having never been a part of the Campbell Hall community before, new students are faced with all of the emotions, large and overwhelming workloads and new faces that remote learning has to offer.

The ninth grade retreat, which is usually an overnight trip, was replaced with a virtual orientation. Since the event was over Zoom, more faculty were brought in from different programs around campus, for instance student government, activities and the Academic Honor Board, in order to give new students a perception of what campus looks like. To help them connect, students met their advisors and advisory groups almost immediately. While it was virtual, Ninth Grade Dean Dr. Leticia Sanchez still hopes the students were able to feel a part of the school community.

“I hope that they can find connections with their classmates, friends and teachers because that has always been such a core component of what makes Campbell Hall special," Sanchez said. "I am just kind of making sure that still happens, [even though we are remote]."

In addition, the school hosted a 12thgrade virtual orientation. Laetitia Loo (21) is not only starting a new school but is also adjusting to living in a new country, as she has just moved here from Hong Kong. She observed that the senior orientation delivered a lot of information on what the year would unpack. After being introduced to her classmates during this orientation, she felt that her anxious mind was calmed.

“I had two orientations, which gave me

a lot of preparation and [helped with] feeling welcomed,” Loo said. “One [of the two] was specifically about senior year and the things we are going to do, which was fun. I definitely appreciated the first two days being mainly introductions, because it was nice to see that teachers are getting to know the students as well, so it didn't feel like stepping into a school where everyone already knew each other and felt 100 percent familiar.”

Unlike Loo, Orla Goran (24) is just commencing her high school experience at Campbell Hall, and initially came from a much smaller school. For Goran, the remote learning aspect already adds enough stress on top of acclimating to the environment of a new school, but she, so far, has loved the courses she enrolled herself in, even though the long Zoom school days feel strenuous. “[It’s] definitely very weird that I'm in my room all day long,” Goran said. “Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming and tiring because I'm staring at the same screen all day. But, it's different and exciting, and I have such cool classes.”

In response to seeing that online school days can be exhausting, Sanchez notes that the maximum number of students in an advisory was reduced from around 13 to ten, school-wide. Students now have a smaller group to encourage a safer space to become closer to others.

“We asked that [the advisors] do a few more check-ins than usual,” Sanchez said. “[We want them to be] looking out for students who are having problems, not just in class, but also [technical] problems and not being able to find a quiet space in your house, [the] sorts of problems that can affect their learning.”

THE PIPER

October 30 2020

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FEATURES

Make it personal The importance of pronouns

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LINCOLN WEINSTOCK WRITER YouTube video by Seventeen Magazine titled, “Why gender pronouns matter” has 2,300 likes and 22,000 dislikes. It’s no secret that social media can be a toxic environment for transgender and non-binary people.

Nick Gudis (22) identifies by they/them pronouns, which can sometimes be an obstacle in social situations.

While it can be nerve-racking to introduce themself, Gudis is grateful to be a part of a tolerant community.

“I get nervous around new people,” Gudis said. “I wonder, ‘how will they react? Will they try to make excuses [if ] they get it wrong?’ I think people who don’t identify with the sex that they were born with get that [feeling] a lot.

She, he, People will look for excuses to misgender you. I’m lucky I they: live in Los Angeles in a time period where it’s much more Various accepted.” people stand with Gudis feels that one of the most important steps to different making the Campbell Hall community safe and inclusive pronouns for gender non-conforming students is for everyone to rethey use spect that not everybody identifies with the sex that they to define AUSTIN JANAVS PHOTOSHOP were born with, and to always be empathetic of people themselves. with different life experiences than themselves. “[Students should] just respect that not everyone identifies with the biological sex that they were born with, and people don’t necessarily have to identify with any gender,” Gudis said. “Understand Jackson Fox’s (24) pronouns (he/him) are in his Instagram bio. He makes it that gender just isn’t for me. This isn’t me saying that gender sucks, or that clear that making pronouns public should be normalized, as this takes some nobody should have a gender, or that everyone should be non-binary. It’s of the weight off of transgender and non-binary people. a personal thing, and I think people understanding that and respecting “I think [sharing pronouns on social media] should be something we all [it] is a big step.” do,” Fox said. “If we all do it, then it will make it harder for people to target Gudis stated that sharing pronouns in-class, on social media, and in trans people.” other social situations shouldn’t be considered out of the ordinary, as it Teacher Suzie An (they/them) has all of their students share their pronouns starts an important conversation about gender identity. on the first day of class. This makes it clear to the students that gender pro“[Sharing pronouns is] just something that people, in general, should nouns are important. start doing,” Gudis said. “[At least] just asking people what their pronouns “Starting the conversation [during] the very first class says that pronouns are because it’s a spectrum. It should be a normalized thing, and when are important [and] establishes a communal discourse about gender,” An teachers do it, I think it does really help set you off on the right foot for the said. “In no way are we going to allow people to be insensitive about that school year. It makes it so you don't have to go up to someone and correct aspect of our identities just because they might not think it’s important. It’s them, which can be awkward and stressful. the most important thing to some students out there.”

Teacher trivia A little more about Ms. Emerson Jane Emerson teaches 9th and 11th grade English as well as her two sons who are in remote learning

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

I would love the ability to grade an entire class set of essays in less than 24 hours.

If you could be a part of any other profession what would it be and why?

I would love to own an independent bookstore that has a cat that lives in it or to be a nurse.

If you could live in any fictonal universe which would it be and why?

The muck in Their Were Watching God just because it had good vibes.

What is your favorite animal and why?

Dolphins because I love the beach and I love swimming in the ocean. Whenever I see one at the beach it makes my day.

If you found a genie, what would your three wishes be?

Number one: reverse climate change. Number two: a vaccine for COVID right away. Number 3: gaurantee a fair election.

Facts: Almost three percent of teens identify as non-binary or transgender usatoday.com

Only 48 percent of people ages 12 to 20 identify as "exclusively heterosexual." out.com

1/5 Americans have someone in their life who identify as non-binary pewresearch.org

Trapped inside out Quarantine has affected students' mental health in both positive and negative ways SYMPHONY SMITH WRITER

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n March 12, 2020, Campbell hall closed for what was expected to be a fun, extended spring break. As the months went on, students excitement for days away from school turned to feelings of depression and isolation. Now nearly eight months later, the full effect of social isolation has been felt school-wide, but also with positive tones.

According to South University’s May 2018 article Why Being Social is Good for You, social interaction is essential for maintaining good health, and research shows that it can foster good mental and physical health to have close community bonds. Jordan Ben-Yehuda (22) also feels this need for social interaction as she has maintained a close group of friends her whole life.

“Before quarantine, I was very social,” Ben-Yehuda said. “I craved a lot of social interaction and being around people made me feel more mentally stable I remember I used to say things like ‘I need people to survive’ and ‘my mental health is just so much better when I’m around people’ whereas now I feel a lot more withdrawn due to the fact that I had time to reflect within myself and think about what I really want out of life.”

Dealing with the sudden and unexpected loss of one’s social life can be very stressful.

Many mixed emotions can be felt, but all of them are usually accompanied by stress.

Auzzie Ankai (21) experienced the stress that came with being told to stay indoors and away from others.

“Coping with isolation has been a struggle for me at times,” Ankai said. “I miss my friends, and I miss going to school most of all. I didn’t think I really relied on social interaction as much as I apparently did, but being forced away from my friends has really

Auzzie Ankai

Time slowed down for me, and it gave me the opportunity to explore things I wouldn’t have been able to explore if it weren’t for COVID-19. senior

taken a toll on me.”

Although Ben-Yehuda struggled a lot with the thought of social distancing, she found many ways to cope during the experience.

“Initially, I was very resistant to this idea of social isolation and being alone, and it was extremely upsetting to me,” Ben-Yehuda said. “My main coping mechanism was evaluating why I feel this way and using that to shift my thinking/mentality. I used to have a negative self-hating lens, but I started to turn that into positivity regarding the situation.”

Since the dip in COVID-19 cases in mid-summer in California, some beaches have been allowed to reopen, which have given some of the local youth an opportunity to get out and stretch their legs. While there were still very real health risks with going to a shared public space, the available option made quarantine seem a little more bearable to Ben-Yehuda, who loves the healing effect of nature.

“I did go to the beach when it reopened,” Ben-Yehuda said. “Another thing that impacted me was nature because I found it so healing. If I were to give advice to anyone with an overcrowded mind, it would be to

take even a few minutes to go outside and relax in the sunlight. I find the sun and the beach to be such nice seratonin boosters,” While quarantine can be stressful, for Ben-Yehuda it also provides a lot of opportunities to look within herself without the distraction of going to work or school.

Without the pressure of feeling the need to publicly perform, self-improvement can take the forefront of one’s priorities.

Ben-Yehuda has experienced the therapeutic effects of quarantine. Although isolation has been difficult, she is one of many to have experienced the therapeutic effects of quarantine.

“Pre quarantine, I was definitely mentally scattered,” Ben-Yehuda said. “I remember I used to describe myself as chaotic, and I would think that that was a good thing. Now that I think back to that, I think it’s really unfortunate that that was the only thing that came to mind when I was asked to sum up my being. It’s now an inaccurate reflection of who I am now that I’ve taken this much needed time to heal and reflect. I’ve found quarantine very beneficial since I got to reframe my situation.”

Similarly to Ben-Yehuda, Ankai has also noticed the positive effect quarantine has had on his mental state as he’s had the opportunity to spend more time reflecting and developing hobbies.

“I have found quarantine extremely beneficial,” Ankai said. “Time slowed down for me, and it gave me the opportunity to explore things I wouldn’t have been able to explore if it weren’t for COVID-19. A nice touch is that I get to spend more time with my family, whom I love. I have also taken this time to mature since I’ve been able to focus on myself without the added social pressures, and I’ve learned a lot about myself.”

THE PIPER

MARCH 15, 2020

FEATURES

IN OTHER NEWS

act act ing a s i v i Ev sts me aluatin a ans g w

TOTALLY NOT MADE UP NEWS

SENIOR WHO DIDN'T CHECK EMAIL FOR MONTHS SHOWS UP TO SCHOOL ANYWAYS AMANDA SEDAKA WRITER

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c the tivist o to be hat it scr n a a tru een nd e off

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Ready, set, post: A student holds a phone ready to post on their instagram story.

LINCOLN WEINSTOCK WRITER MAGGIE CHIAPPETTA-UBERTI WRITER

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shawn watanabe

eely Chambers (22) opens Instagram on June 2nd, 2020, to find a feed filled with black squares. Some are captioned with whole-hearted enthusiasm, titled “black lives matter,” while others have no captions at all. She scrolls through the myriad of pictures posted by people all across the country, contemplating if she should post and contribute to the thousands upon thousands filled on her screen only to prove to otherspeople that she supports the movement as well.

Chambers, an avid women’s rights and BLM advocate and of the BLM Movement, believes that although the blackout Tuesday movement wasn’t ill-intended, she felt that it led to a lot of performative activism. Chambers, therefore, chose not to post a black square on her social media page “Posting a black square prevents people from truly being a good activist and an anti-racist,” Chambers said. “This day of non-stop black squares made me stop and think: ‘What does posting a black square mean to you?’ And after reflecting on this, I didn’t post because I didn’t think posting a black square was necessary to show my support. I really think people need to know what their values are and support these movements in a way that doesn’t just boost their social media platform.”

According to Lauren Ashe’s June 2020 article in Vox News, the blackout Tuesday social media movement made many people to believe that posting a black square was enough in this fight against racism and shifted the conversation away from what really matters.

According to her article, postingit served as a cop-out to many people who were silent about the death of George Floyd prior to #BlackoutTuesday, showing their lack of regard for the issue and ultimately exposing the insincerity of their gesture. SASshe noted that if the 29 million people who posted a black screen would’ve all signed the petition for justice for George Floyd, then the petition would have more than 19 million signatures. BIn the article, she explains that because of this, it is hard for Ashe to believe that people were sincere when posting the black square, for the real change is made through signing petitions.

Math Department Chair Shawn Watanabe has struggled with movements like the Blackout Tuesday movement., Hfor he saw it as a space to bring awareness, yet simultaneously, Watanabe believes that there are those who only want to improve their political appearance on social media platforms.

“It’s hard to strike a balance between self-serving and true action,

It's hard to decipher between those who genuinely want change... and those who want to make themselves look better on social media. teacher

and when everyone started posting the black squares, I noticed that this movement came with a lot of performative activism,” Watanabe said. “Posting a black square in a sense prevents people from sparking discussion in tough conversations regarding racism in America.

I noticed that a few conservative white women that I follow posted the black square, and although I saw it as a positive, I was simultaneously wondering if it was to promote their own social status.”

David Eick (22) has witnessed performative activism increase recently, specifically through social media. He believes that performative activism is not always negative, for with performative activism comes awareness whether it’s genuine or not.

“Activism of any form especially [on platforms] like social media where a lot of it is performative, lowers the barrier to entry for learning about current events, so when a lot of people see their peers spreading discourse on any given issue, even if that's performative, it generally raises awareness,” Eick said. It gets more people involved which, I think is a prerequisite to any sort of effective and real activism that could ever create changes in something like policy or government action.”

On the other hand, Math Department Chair Shawn Watanabe argues that although performative activism does helps raise awareness, in doing so, it subsequently boosts one’s image on social media, which raises questions about the true motives of the person who posted it.

“It’s hard to decipher between those who genuinely want change and are advocating for important issues by donating or going to protests versus those who want to make themselves look better on social media,” Watanabe said. “What’s worrisome about performative activism is that it allows people to post something and think it’s a quick fix to an immense issue, and in addition to this, it’s what happens after the post that is just as worrisome because no one knows the true intention of that person’s post.”

The impacts of being #canceled MATT ROSE WRITER SOPHIA GOLDBERG WRITER

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t was July 2, 2020, when Shaye Goner (22) was scrolling through her Twitter feed. She scrolled past mentions of the onset of the new NFL season and the latest artist dropping their new album when suddenly she saw a particular trending segment that was unexpected. Goner's favorite YouTuber, Shane Dawson, was being “#canceled.”

Recently it has become a normalized phrase to “cancel” influential people who carry an unpopular social or political position.

After seeing people get canceled on social media and on the news, Elena Malone, tenth-grade history teacher has noticed that the phrase itself is negative and the idea that [people] are "canceling” someone and silencing them is not the way to solve an issue.

“The word [cancel] is hard for me because I don't feel like canceling has the effect that

it's supposed to have,” Malone said. “It is definitely something that I don't think is serving the purpose it's supposed to serve.

It's a 50/50 percent chance where it's too risky to limit the speech because of the consequences of that being worse than letting the person talk.”

In contrast to Malone’s beliefs, Ollie Sohn (22), sees cancel culture as a way to make someone aware that they have messed up.

“Being canceled is a wake-up call for people who make bad mistakes,” Sohn said.“Sometimes being talked to is not enough and being punished is more helpful to see growth in people. In my own experience of seeing cancel culture happen, I have seen the people on social media being canceled grow into better people and realize they need to turn their lives around. Making someone irrelevant isn’t the answer but being canceled and punished might be a good wake-up call.”

Even when mistakes are made and conse-

quences are necessary, Goner believes that people should be held accountable for their actions, however, being canceled can be too intense for many situations.

“It is too far when someone is unable to live their day to day life without being harassed constantly about a mistake,” Gonor said. “I think that we should give the person room to grow so they have the chance to fix the mistakes they made before apologizing.”

Malone thinks that even though people make poor choices that deserve consequences, being canceled and getting their careers and reputation ruined should not be the answer.

“It's meaningless if there's no conversation,” Malone said. “I'd rather talk to the person about why they posted racist or homophobic stuff, or at least say, ‘hey, did you understand this was racist and sexist and this is why?’ I don't think either way it should be said as ‘[you are] canceled.’ Let this person talk out the reason why it's so controversial.”

espite the countless emails sent out by the Campbell Hall community informing families that students would not be returning this fall, rising senior, Bradley Jenkins, quite literally, didn’t get the memo. Upon being the first, and only student to arrive on campus, Jenkins couldn’t get over the fact that he was, for once in his life, early.

“I’ve had a lot of people call me a slacker in my day, and to them I say, ‘look at me now, losers! I’m the first person here on the first day!’” Jenkins said. “I don’t see any of you numbnuts being this early!”

Jenkins, who is known for his fantasy tennis team and catch phrase “Yeet-osaurus,” has been tardy since the first grade, but not today! Classmates watched in awe from a digital livestream hosted by the Campbell Hall security team as they placed bets as to when Jenkins would finally realize and return home.

“I give him three hours,” Said Jenkins' ex-girlfriend, Melissa Scott. “I know he’s dumb, but there’s no way he’s that dumb.”

Jenkin’s best friend, Marco Lane, however, disagreed.

“If there’s one thing I know about my man it’s that he’s a fighter!” Lane said. “Stick it to the man, man! I give him at least 36 hours minimum!”

Jenkins, still blissfully unaware, soon made his way to the student store.

“Aw sick! I’m the first in line!” Jenkins stated victoriously.

“Even before the student store people!”

Jenkins then added, “Don’t worry! I left money on the table,” before leaving with a moldy cookie in one hand and an expired bag of Doritos in the other.

After eight hours of wandering, faculty and parents alike begin to worry about Jenkins safety as the sun begins to set.

“I don’t think he will be able to last the night with only an old pilates mat and fallen footloose flyers as a makeshift bed and blanket,” a concerned parent said. “His parents should really go get him!”

STUDENT STORE STARTS DELIVERY SERVICE, PLANS TO PUT POSTMATES OUT OF BUSINESS AMANDA SEDAKA WRITER

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fter months of lockdown with few signs of return, the student store has made the decision to go mobile.

“Business has admittedly suffered a bit since the start of lockdown,” student store employee Ricky Lovett said, “Although we are grateful for [Campbell Hall security guard] Bill, who purchased a bag of Chex Mix on August 3rd, we have come to the realization that a change is needed.”

The student store team plans on introducing a delivery service starting next week. The new service will be available to all students and faculty and is guaranteed to deliver within the 40 minute lunch period.

“Big things are coming, Campbell Hall!” Lovette said.

“We’re gonna have all the options we had before, including all the specials! While we are still looking at the logistics, we are confident that between our delicious student store recipes and your ongoing support, we can make this work!”

Students are equally as excited about this new change, many making the commitment to ditch all other food delivery services once “Stuber Eats” is up and running.

“You mean the Stu will come to me?!” Markus Green (23), avid student store supporter, exclaimed. “Nothing gets me in the learning mood like my sweet BBQ wings!”

Others, however, feel the student store’s plan is overly ambitious.

“How can they possibly deliver to hundreds of students and faculty members in such a short period of time?” Quickies enthusiast Melody Fumes (22) said, “Do they plan on getting a helicopter? A jet plane? Forty minutes just doesn’t seem reasonable.”

Ricky was quick to respond: “Okay, first of all, Melody, you can donate to our GoFundMe where we’re trying to raise enough money to purchase a helicopter (the link can be found on the bulletin). Second of all, we have the utmost confidence that if everything goes according to plan, we should beat out Postmates by the end of the school year.”

One week later, on the first day of the student store delivery service, Ricky remains excited as he begins his journey to the hundreds of Los Angeles homes.

“Hitting hundreds of homes in 40 minutes will certainly be a challenge, but we got this!” Ricky said shortly before locking his keys in the car with the grill running in the backseat.

The gofundme has officially changed its goal from buying a helicopter to replacing Ricky’s burnt out Honda Civic. * All names are fake... or are they?

THE PIPER

Oct. 30, 2020

7

OPINION

Rethinking

ANTIRACISM Quincy Diallo calls for a reshaping of the school’s culture and curriculumn in order to be a true anti-racist school. For him, being a community of inquiry is having difficult discussions about race in our school and our society.

A full curriculum includes teaching about domestic terrorism JJ HOFFMAN WRITER

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QUINCY DIALLO WRITER

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uring the last week of May in my sophomore year, the high school campus was in quiet anticipation of finals. I found myself running a few minutes late to Mr. Arnold’s room for a review session. As I hurried past the dark classrooms, while the, then recently released, Igor rang through my earbuds I was frozen by a security guard, who’d apparently been following and shouting at me since seeing me walking past the lockers, from the guard booth.

I didn’t know his name but I recognized him immediately. He demanded, “What are you doing here? Who are you?” I was at first confused by the question. “What could a teenager with a backpack full of school supplies possibly be doing at a school?” I thought to myself, but school wasn’t in session and I was in sweats so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I understood his job is to make sure everything is alright; my question is how many of the White kids on campus for study sessions did he stop, why was I flagged as a potential threat?

I told him who my teacher was, and what grade I was in, and explained when prompted that I didn’t have my ID on me because when rushing out of my mom’s car it fell out of my pocket. I told him I was in a hurry and asked if I could go to my class but he said short of someone verifying my identity he would not let me go.

It was at that moment I panicked, I saw my mom, tears in her eyes, while the names Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman emanate from the TV, explaining to me that there will come a time she isn’t with me and I will be stopped; and that when that time came my only job was getting home to her. So I heeded the warning she gave me seven years earlier.

My mother in mind, we went to the office together to affirm my right to be on campus. Since none of the regular staff were there, I asked the person in the office if he knew who I was. He said yeah, he had seen me around but didn’t know me personally. The still unsatisfied guard decided he would walk me to the classroom and ask my teacher if I was actually his student. I marched, silently, through the quad as if being escorted into a courtroom at the end of a mob movie.

We stopped at the crowded math room in front of the Garver Gym, and he interrupted “Do you know this kid, is he actually a student here?’’ Of course, Mr. Arnold said yes, seemingly confused at the question. The guard announced to the thirty other students in the room and our teacher that if I’d had my student ID the incident could’ve

been avoided.

The justification sounded familiar, “If he’d had his ID… If he hadn’t reached so fast… If he didn’t resist arrest…” To me the difference between becoming the same stories we watched all summer, and, have been watching for hundreds of years; is that this time, the man who stopped, detained, and questioned me was unarmed.

This is only one instance of racism at school, over the summer we heard of dozens if not hundreds more on Instagram or from friends, classmates, and alums. The root of the problem, at least in instances of racism at CH and private schools like it, is or at least has been a failure on the part of all members of our community, students, faculty, administrators alike to confront the truth.

The unambiguous truth is that Campbell Hall, and all private schools really, is built on White supremacy, we cannot make the school antiracist because it’s very existence could not be possible if not for racist ideas and institutions in the United States. That is not to say the school itself is racist or that if you attend private school you’re racist, it’s to say that most of the private school population are White kids whose parents have the money to pay for a private school, or the connections to know they exist and allow them to attend. In that regard our school is a victim of circumstance, being in a country in which the vast majority of wealth is controlled by White people.

Don’t get me wrong, our school has taken impressive strides in actively condemning racism and other injustices; from adding CHAI Critical Race studies to faculty undergoing bias training.

However, there is more work to be done. We as a school need to shift our culture, and that means being uncomfortable. It means making sacrifices we are hesitant to make. It means especially for all of us but, especially White people on campus, relinquishing naiveté. It means learning the real, dark, disgusting history of the United States and it means replacing canonized authors for writings on racism, feminism, LGBTQIA+ activism, climate change, and how all of these modern social justice issues and more intersect.

Campbell Hall, as a private school, has the responsibility to make sweeping, seemingly radical deviations from classic, often racist, or at least ignorant, American education in addition to condemning bias and racism in the community. If we can do that, if we commit ourselves to become an institution that seeks to teach the truth about and against injustice and inequality there won’t be individual instances of racial violence and trauma.

It will be a lot harder for people in our community to have those prejudices and a lot easier for us to spot and discuss them.

Defining Antiracism “The opposite of racist isn’t ‘not racist.’ It is ‘antiracist.’

What’s the difference? One endorses either the idea of racial hierarchy as a racist, or racial equality as an antiracist. One either believes problems are rooted in groups of people, as a racist, or locates the roots of problems in power and policies, as an antiracist. One either allows racial inequities to persevere, as a racist, or confronts racial inequities, as an antiracist.

There is no in-between safe space of ‘not racist.’”

Ibram X. Kendi

IKE WEISSMAN WRITER

Ike’s Likes and Dislikes: I Fridays off edition

Chilling on a Friday: Ike Weissman (21) relaxes by the pool on a Friday while catching up on his work

magine you’re a little kid again, and someone gives you your favorite candy bar. You take that first bite, and joy immediately rushes through your body as you savor the flavor. You are reminded of how awesome that candy is, and you are excited to continue eating it. And then, all of a sudden, that person snatches the candy bar away from you. You begin to cry, and a feeling of betrayal floods your mind. From an outside perspective, this scenario seems quite cruel and upsetting to think about, right?

Last year, the school gave students Fridays off for the last few months of school.

Personally, I loved this idea, and quite honestly, I don’t know a single person who was against it. It gave students an opportunity to relax more while also providing them more time to catch up on their work. It also gave students the chance to meet with their teachers. It made online school and the pandemic easier to deal with. It turns out four day weeks were better than any

p until April 19, 2020, I did not know about the Oklahoma City bombings, yet I’ve been in school for eleven years. As I watched Oklahoma City on April 19, the documentary about the April 19, 1995 bombing, I was stunned by how horrific, hostile and historical this event was. The bombings were carefully planned out over a series of years and fueled by anger.

The bombings were carried out by a man named Timothy McVeigh, who bombed a government building out of hate of the government. Ruby Ridge as well as Waco siege, two other incidents, inspired McVeigh to make an extreme stand against the government. I couldn’t help but wonder why we were never taught this in school.

I think many domestic terrorism incidents are not talked about because it can divide our country and possibly create more tensions than are already solved.

I think schools are rationalizing that it is better to keep students focusing on the positive elements of the country and spending less time dwelling on the more frightening and uncertain world that we live in. However, these events should be discussed in order for us to learn from the mistakes of the past and try to improve them. Not only is it disrespectful to the people that perished in these incidents, but it doesn’t show signs of a country attempting to improve to fix its mistakes.

Though it may be too graphic for the younger students in elementary school, and it does not necessarily tie into any curriculum taught in the secondary history classes, as it is a relatively current event, I think that the Oklahoma City bombings are an important incident that should be covered. I think that the government doesn’t educate its citizens on this event because it was controversial and sparked outcry against the government, and so it is up to schools to teach their students. Learning about our country’s entire history, good or bad, is crucial to understanding who we are as citizens, and the deep political division of the nation. While I do think all history is important for students to learn about, this incident in particular highlights the political division in America, which is especially important during this time. This piece of history is still relevant today because it shows the potential of a revolt against the government, in contrast to peaceful protests which is a much better way to lobby the government. According to Neil MacFarquhar’s April 2020 New York Times article titled “Oklahoma City Marks 25 Years Since America’s Deadliest Homegrown Attack”, the Oklahoma City Bombings were one of the deadliest acts of terrorism, yet it is not as known as Pearl Harbor or the September 11 attacks.

The obscurity of domestic terrorist threats are a problem for the United States, but especially for high school students about to go out into the world. The idea of hyper-individualism falsely veiled in patriotism and citizens versus the government is more complex than we can really grasp, and it’s important to know the full scope of it.

candy bar I had ever tasted. I was really starting to get used to this lifestyle.

Cut to this year, where they decided to add Fridays back to our schedules. When I heard the news, I was that little kid who got his favorite candy bar stolen from him. Having Fridays off could’ve been the greatest thing at Campbell Hall since the day they decided to add the Joan’s on Third Chinese Chicken salad to the student store menu. When they took it away from us, it truly felt like a slap in the face.

And not only were Fridays inserted back into the schedule, but they also felt it would be a good idea to extend school days from 2:30 to 4:00. Now that seriously felt like hitting someone again after they had already been knocked down. For me, I’ve found it almost impossible to focus in class that late in the afternoon. By winter, the moon and stars will be out by the time we are finally let out of class.

I completely understand that there was no way that we could continue school with 30 minute classes, four days a week, from 9:30 to 2:30. I am a reasonable per-

son, and I recognize that a school week designed like that is not sustainable. That being said, we are still in the middle of that same global pandemic that made them change the schedule in the first place, so I feel like there has to be a way to improve it.

I’ve been thinking a lot about it, and I have come up with a proposal that I believe is the perfect compromise. What if just on Fridays, we had 30 minute classes instead, and school ended at 1:00 pm. In this scenario, we would still have school five times a week, but the half day on Friday would create a less stressful week for every student. This would also give students the opportunity to set up meetings with teachers after school on Friday as well. I believe that this is not only fair but beneficial for both students and faculty.

I don’t expect to get the entire candy bar back, but all I am asking for is a few extra bites. I know that I will most likely never experience school without Fridays completely ever again, but I will never forget how incredible it really was.

THE P

OCT. 30TH, 2020

CEN

YOUR VOTE MATTERS

As Gen Z nears voting age, many teens a and are using their voices by participatin

MAGGIE CHIAPPETTA-UBERTI WRITER

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our years ago, Donald Trump was elected on Danna DeKay’s (21) birthday. Not knowing much about politics at the time, she simply laughed off the fact that this man, whom she thought would never become president, had just been elected. As the next four years passed, and her political awareness grew, DeKay noticed how drastically the world shifted with Trump in power, noting that this is the most divided the country has been since the civil war. With the election coming up, many high school students like DeKay have related to this feeling of division and fear for the next four years.

DeKay wanted to take an active part in the election by becoming a poll worker, allowing the election to run smoother and enabling more people to vote. She hopes that more young people like herself will volunteer as a poll worker to help make a difference.

“I want to study political science in college, so it’s great to have the experience first hand on how an election actually works,” DeKay said. “Especially now in times of COVID, a lot of poll workers who have helped every year can’t go because they are immuno-compromised, so it’s really important that people from our generation get out there not only to help the immuno-compromised but also to understand how politics work.”

DeKay feels that the two presidential candidates this year are drastically different, and therefore, whoever is elected will change the next four years. She hopes that both Republicans and Democrats can come together during this election, uniting with common values rather than tearing each other down because of the party with which they associate.

“People make the assumption that every Republican is a Trump supporter, but that’s not always the case,” DeKay said. “Unlike all other elections, this election is not Republican versus Democrat. It’s crucial to understand the heart of this election: Trump supporters versus everyone who wants to vote him out. People should vote for the candidate whose ideas they most believe in and I think that people are afraid to step outside the boundaries of their own political party.

We need to promote the idea that we’ll get more done together as people who share common values than together as people constraining ourselves within our political party values.”

Johnny Szani (21), on the other hand, doesn’t see this upcoming election as something that will drastically change the country as DeKay believes. Szani views the 2024 election as more crucial, seeing the 2020 election as a stepping stone to get to the more important election where change can truly happen.

“I think that letting Joe Biden win this election almost sells the Democrats short because there are so many better

danna deKay

We need to promote the idea that we’ll get more done together as people who share common values than together as people constraining ourselves within our political party values. senior

candidates,” Szani said. I think that picking an effective candidate, whether it is a Republican or Democrat for the 2024 election is going to be more important because then we will be able to make a longer-lasting change regarding climate change or voting rights and prison reform. Not to mention that all of the upcoming voters coming of age in the next generation will be voting Democratic and if you give them four years they will be more inclined to vote and there will be more Democrats swaying the electoral college. Republicans, although they don’t have the majority population, have enough to win this election.”

Alonzo Jackson (22) considers himself as a person who constantly tries to find the good in both candidates. When it comes to human rights, however, Alonzo feels that his decision becomes a lot clearer.

“For this upcoming election, I am very torn because there are certain things about both candidates that are very bad, while others are good,” Jackson said. “Morally, and in terms of empathy and basic human rights, Biden is definitely the way to go and I think that sometimes people overlook this important fact. We’ve seen Trump target specific groups of people and push them away and that’s not what I want.

I have hope in humanity that even Trump supporters, deep down, don’t hope to see discrimination in our world. On the other hand, I feel like there definitely are things that Trump can implement to improve our world. Does the good outweigh the bad? This is what we have to consider.”

While DeKay hopes that the election could bring the country together, Szani thinks that the election will further divide Americans.

“The most interesting thing about this election is going to be the backlash,” Szani said. “If Trump wins or if Biden wins, our country is going to witness a huge divide between people. We are going to see a lot of protesting and rioting on both sides. This is kind of a reflection of where our country is headed in terms of politics for the next decade or two, and I don’t see it changing anytime soon.”

ISSUES THAT MATTER TO THE COMMUNITY In a recent survey, high school students iidentified the issues that meant the most to them right now.

Out of 267 responses, nearly 72 percent said that systemic racism and social inequity was the top issue for them, while 60 percent said the environment. Women’s rights and issues were identified by 47 percent of students as the significant issue for them and 39 percent said affordability and access to education.

SYSTEMIC RAC RACIAL INE KAYLA FRANCAIS WRITER

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lack Lives Matter is a sociopolitical movement that advocates for non-violent protests against incidents of police brutality and racially motivated violence against Black people. The movement began with a hashtag in 2013, following the acquittal of officer George Zimmerman, the killer of African American teen Trayvon Martin. Although Martin’s death certainly sent shockwaves across the country, it wasn’t until 2014 when the movement became nationally recognized following the deaths of African American men, Micheal Brown and Eric Garner, resulting in the mobilization of multiple protests and demonstrations across the country.

Its’ founders, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi, set out to expand their project into a national network. Since then, the Black Lives Matter movement has quickly become a nationally recognized loop

WOMEN’S ISSUES AND RIGHTS ILIANA KLEINER WRITER

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ince the ratification of the 19th amendment in 1920, which gave women the right to vote, women all over the country and world have been working tirelessly to gain rights. These rights and issues that women have faced range from reproductive rights to sexism in the workplace.

Without bothering to look into the true definition of reproductive rights, some assume that this solely entails women wanting the right to an abortion.

Although female reproductive rights and health can include the right to an abortion, it primarily means that women can control their own health and destiny. According to the Global Fund for Women, women’s rights are “the right to live free from violence, slavery, and discrimination; to be educated; to own property;

to vote; and to earn a fair and equal wage.”

Without these rights, women and men alike cannot truly live in an open society where women and men can enjoy full equality.

Furthermore, the recent passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose legacy includes her successful fight against discrimination and sexism in the workplace, has made many women question what women’s rights will look like without someone like her to advocate for women across the country. Women must continue to advocate for themselves and others, as well as continue Justice Ginsburg’s fight for equality.

As it has been 200 years since women gained their first sliver of equality with the right to vote, it is crucial to continue fighting for female equality and rights, including combating sexism, reproductive rights and ensuring that women have proper access to healthcare.

of activists, who utilize socia and political campaigns to and support. Starting in Ju May 1 of 2018, the hasht Matter” had been tweeted times. By June 10, 2020, it roughly 47.8 million times.

This recent surge in nat followed the killing of Geo na Taylor, and Ahmaud Arb cially motivated police brut Matter organized rallies in from May 2020 onwards, ed 26 million people parti Black Lives Matter one of ments in United States hist of the protests in the Unite thousands of protests world ada, France, England, Ger and Australia garnering supp all over the world who wish forts of the Black Lives Ma their own respective campai

ENVIR LUCY KENNEL WRITER

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ccording to the Environ Draft Fund (EDF), “the warming that is changing o mate is already having dire consequ The evidence of climate change as from the human race is more obvio ever, whether it be the global temp change, warming ocean, extreme shrinking ice sheets, and so much With time running out, many peo that now is the only time to try to s planet.

An environmental accord adop nearly every nation in 2015, now only time people can act to try to the effects of human caused climate c according to the Paris Agreement. Th Agreement aims to reduce greenho emissions in an attempt to limit th al temperature change, which is one

PIPER

9

NTER

are becoming more politically active ng and voting in the 2020 election

VIKING VOICES What does hope mean to you?

KAYLA FRANCAIS ILLUSTRATION

“ “

The movement now works to endorse government initiatives to defund the police and directly invest in Black communities harmed by decades of systematic racism and oppression. Institutional racism also known as systematic racism is a form of racism that is established as normal behavior within government systems and greater society. Its often leads to discrimination on the basis of skin color in the criminal justice system, employment, housing, healthcare, and political power, and has continued to impact millions of Black Americans in its own respective way for decades. Thus, making movements such as Black Lives Matter imperative to eradication of institutionalized racism in America.

Though public opinion on Black Lives Matter continues to rapidly change, 2020 has seen an increased growth in the movement’s popularity, as individuals across all racial and ethnic groups, learn more about the movement’s cultural and political impacts.

“

I hope that I’ll be satisfied with what I do, that I’ll meet good people and travel the world, and accomplish what I dream of. It’s important to me, because it’s what I grew up on. Just seeing people fulfilling their dreams, gives me hope. I know they also want me to fulfill my dreams. I hope for our school that we will be a better and closer community at the end of this experience. I feel like as a school we are very tight-knit and very close with each other, but I do hope we will bond in a strange way. I hope we feel like a community even more than we already do.

JESSICA MCPHERSON (22)

HIGHER EDUCATION AND AFFORDABILITY

THE RONMENT

pted by w is the reverse change, The Paris ouse gas he globe of the

TAYLOR HUIE WRITER

most problematic effects. The EDF claims that one of the biggest causes of climate change is burning fossil fuels and chopping down forests, which is entirely caused by humans and the rise of industrialized machinery. A lot of the time they are ignoring the scientific evidence and pushing it aside despite the countdown of when it becomes irreversible. Therefore, in order to preserve the health of Earth’s environment, it is necessary to have someone in power who cares about it.

While it may seem like no one is finding a concrete solution to climate change and helping the environment, there are ways for anyone to help. According to the Ministry for the Environment, anyone can help in simple ways like reducing electricity amount, eating less meat, shopping at local fruit and vegetable markets, recycling, planting trees and many other simple changes.

LILY KIRKLAND (23)

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I see myself as a pretty hopeful person. I’ve had my issues in the past just with a lack of hope or inspiration and just not being able to really do anything. It’s been hard for me in the past, especially in the beginning of quarantine because I’m a person who loves simple connections. I miss just seeing people walking in the halls, I miss seeing my teachers. It was really hard for me to have any hope or inspiration, but just seeing that my friends were struggling as much as I was, but found their own paths to make it through inspired me to also find my own things. I learned guitar, I learned sign language, I’ve done research on the black lives matter movement, I’ve been doing research on Armenia and I’ve been helping out at different homeless shelters. That’s what really made a difference. I have a lot of hope because I feel like I’m making a difference and because I feel like a lot of other people are trying to make a difference and that means so much to me.

“

al media platforms o gain popularity uly 2013 through tag “#Black Lives d over 30 million had been tweeted . tional recognition orge Floyd, Breonbery, victims of ratality. Black Lives the United States with an estimaticipating, making the largest movetory. The impacts ed States inspired dwide, with Canrmany, Denmark, port from activists h to model the efatter movement in igns.

“

ZOE SCHIFF (21)

CISM AND EQUITY

nmental global our cliuences.” a result ous than perature events, h more. ople feel save the

To have hope, specifically in 2020, means having the ability to envision a better future and have a belief that things will eventually get better no matter how horrible they may seem. I hope that we are obviously able to go back to school and get back on a normal schedule. I really hope that seniors are able to have a normal year and at least have some normal traditions. This is important to me because I have been looking forward to my senior year for as long as I can remember and I hope that everyone is able to have a normal life as soon as possible. As soon as life goes back to normal the happier everyone will be. It is especially hard for younger kids and I hope that the CH community is able to have a somewhat normal year. If you don’t have hope and there is nothing to look forward to, there is no point to anything.

M

odern Affirmative Action, first seen in 1961, aims to prevent discrimination and level the playing field for historically disadvantaged groups, taking into account race. It has been banned in California since 1996, but Proposition 16 on the ballot this year wants to repeal this ban. The debate surrounding Proposition 16 is part of a broader conversation nationwide concerning race and access to education.

In communities that have a primarily minority population, students are likely to attend underperforming primary and secondary schools. These schools are underfunded and often provide a lower quality of education, compared to the well-funded schools in predominantly White neighborhoods. For example, in schools primarily composed of minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged students, class sizes are larger, teachers are less qualified, and AP courses are not offered as readily. Thus, when students apply for higher

education, some students in minority groups have been predisposed by the school system to seem academically inferior on applications.

Affirmative Action has been the source of much discussion over the past decades.

One argument against the program states that it is a paradox: treating minority groups differently in an attempt for equality, is in it of itself an act of inequality. Some worry that Affirmative Action perpetuates the false narrative of inferior Black intellect, implying that preference through Affirmative Action is necessary to compete with their White counterparts. Additionally, many argue that Affirmative Action creates a bias against Asian Americans. For example, the US Justice Department recently sued Yale University for unfairly discriminating against White and Asian applicants.

In California, the ban on Affirmative Action has shown to have a negative impact on Hispanic and Black college applicants, reducing the overall number of such students in the UC school system. The ban has not proven

to be beneficial for White or Asian American students either. Proposition 16, which would repeal the ban, has received significant financial support and several notable endorsements from figures such as Senator Kamala Harris, Governor Gavin Newsom, Mayor Eric Garcetti, and many more.

Beyond this, many students also have difficulty affording a higher education. Scholarships and student loans have been touted as a solution, however both programs put these students at a disadvantage. Scholarships generally look towards higher test scores and academic achievements, factors directly correlated with one’s family income. This effectively excludes students with a lower socioeconomic status. Student loans have even further exacerbated this by providing more students the opportunity to attend college. 2019 data from the College board reflects roughly a 25 percent increase in the costs to attend a public university over the past decade and nearly a 30 percent increase to attend a private college or university.

THE PIPER

OCT. 30, 2020

10

OPINION

SLEEP TROUBLES Sadie Farley (21) details her experience with sleep deprivation and nightmares SADIE FARLEY WRITER

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very night I perform the same routine. I brush my teeth, wash my face, climb into bed, and read a little. However, the only part that is never constant is the actual sleeping. I try to fall asleep but every time I close my eyes I imagine the world endlessly shaking, or whatever is on my mind most. Sleep has never come easy to me. As an eight-year-old, I would lie in bed for at least an hour without being able to sleep. I would have so much on my mind that sleeping was nearly impossible for me.

However, as I have gotten older, my sleep problems have only worsened. I don’t usually fall asleep until four or five a.m. and, I can only sleep for 3 hours a night. I feel like Batman staying awake for most of the night.

But at least he’s fighting crime, all I’m doing is fighting my emotions. I go through a lot during these sleepless nights. I am hysterical, laughing at everything I see, and then I bawl my eyes out.

Around five a.m., I finally accidentally fall asleep and wake up two Up to 30% of adults to three hours latlive with some form er. Then wake up of chronic insomnia and experience the rollercoaster that is sleep paralysis. My Up to 23.8% of brain is awake, and teenagers deal with my body is asleep.

I see all types of insomnia hallucinations that keep me enSleepfoundation.org tertained after a boring night of no sleep. It has ranged from rocky earthquakes to an adventurous break-in. All illusions end in losing the feeling of breathing before I shake myself out of these weird fantasies.

The thing is I know why I have so many sleeping problems. I just don’t know how to solve them. For some weird reason, I have crazy paranoid imaginations of the scariest situations. This keeps me awake the whole night, thinking that these situations could actually happen. I come up with crazy and nonsensical solutions to each of the problems, which only makes me more nervous. I get so scared that I have to sit up and cradle myself. It’s a never-ending cycle of my anxiety getting the best of me every night. My sleep paralysis emulates these biggest fears.

In the summer going into eleventh grade, after experiencing two episodes of sleep paralysis, I had the scariest and longest one yet.

My biggest fear was coming right before my eyes. A big man with an ax was coming to kill me in my sleep. When I tried to move, I couldn’t. I was powerless. However, due to my imaginations never being consistent and constantly changing, the man quickly disappeared. Once I realized what was happening I lost, or so I thought, my sense of breathing.

It felt as if somebody was sitting on my chest, and that’s how every sleep paralysis episode ends; the feeling of losing your breath.

Due to my constant fear during the nighttime, I slept with my taser right next to me.

It’s for the illusion of safety. In actuality, the taser does not keep me safe which eventually lead my parents to wanting to get me a German Shepard, in hopes of calming my anxious wild thoughts. However, this puppy is also pretty anxious and will wake up from any nap to bark at any ongoing walker by our house.

Though my dog may help a little with my paranoia I still lie wide awake every night. I am not doctor-diagnosed with sleep insomnia, but I feel my lack of sleep is a pretty big sign of it. I never knew how much sleep I needed until I stopped being able to sleep.

I can’t even sleep in any later than 10 am. I am learning that I am over paranoid and I need to relax a little. However, solving this issue will take much more than just my realizations.

Facts:

Balancing identities: Taylor Huie (21) struggles to find a balance between her American identity and her Chinese Identity.

TAYLOR HUIE PHOTO TAYLOR HUIE WRITER

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s everyone prepares for Chinese New Year dinners, steaming dishes whizz past my face, my nose just barely catching the heavenly scent of pan-fried dumplings and steamed whole fish. Family members busily glide through the kitchen, barely avoiding collision with each other and the shouts of young children protesting their assigned job to set the table fills the room. As I fold dumplings, I chat with my a-ma, the Taiwanese term for grandma. She inquires about school and friends in broken English, and I respond in Mandarin, to the best of my ability. As the conversation progresses, we weave together English and Mandarin and slip into easier conversation. I celebrate Chinese holidays such as Chinese New Year every year, my grandparents all immigrated from China, and I know enough Mandarin to converse fairly freely with my family members. And yet, I still feel like an imposter among them; I don’t feel “Asian” enough.

I live in a house in the suburbs, surrounded by a predominantly White neighborhood. I attend high school just a few minutes away, with a predominantly White student body. And on the weekends, I spend time with friends in predominantly White areas. As a child, when I walked down Ventura Boulevard, I saw Starbucks and Brandy Melville, burger restaurants and diners. But no matter how much “White influence” I’m surrounded by, no matter how much “White culture” I adopt, it will never be enough. I will always be first and foremost, Chinese. It doesn’t matter if I stop bringing pan fried dumplings and steamed soy sauce fish to school for lunch, or if I don’t partake in traditional Chinese New Year traditions, my ethnicity, evident in my skin complexion, hair color, and facial structure, will

always take precedence over my behaviors.

No matter what I do, I will always be seen as Chinese.

And yet, when I visit my a-ma and go out to eat dim-sum or Taiwanese breakfast, any feelings of being “too Asian” in a predominantly White environment disappear, replaced instead by the dread of feeling “too White.” When my a-ma converses with me in Mandarin, I can only comprehend a fraction of her words, and when the menu, written solely in Chinese, is passed around, I can recognize just barely half of the menu items. When we return to my a-ma’s house, she asks me to bai bai, or pray, with incense at the altar set up for Guan Yin, the Buddhist goddess of compassion. I follow her bowing motions as she tries to explain to me what to do, but I don’t understand. Relatives often comment on how amazing it is that I’m able to speak Mandarin, or how pleasantly surprising it is that I, an American, will eat certain Chinese foods. Things that should come naturally to me are treated as amazing rarities. Though I was surrounded by people who looked like me, I felt like an outsider. I was simply not Chinese enough.

So, what am I? I’m a cultural amalgamation that hasn’t found a clear way to identify yet.

I experienced a similar dichotomy recently, as I struggle to define my role in the social justice movement. Am I an ally? Or am I a target? On TikTok, I’ve seen a rise in videos calling out the normalized racism against Asians. The viral “fox eye trend” and the “migraine pose” have both been called out as racist, as the trends mock the stereotype of thin, slanted, “Asian” eyes. I have also seen videos made that show David Dobrik and Liza Koshy offensively mimicking a Japanese accent. In addition, numerous videos have brought up the model minority myth, the anti-Chinese sentiments associated with the coronavirus, the microag-

taylor huie

And yet, I still feel like an imposter among them; I don’t feel “Asian” enough. junior

gressions, like asking “where are you really from,” and the cultural appropriation of the qipao.

As a Chinese-American, I feel outraged.

Outraged at the racism expressed in the videos, but also outraged at the ignorant, and sometimes malignant, people in the comments. But then I catch myself and hesitate.

Cognisant of my own privilege, I have been fortunate enough to not have experienced overt racism. I have never felt that I was discriminated against simply based on my race. Because of this, I question whether I even have the “right” to feel this outrage.

How can I identify as Chinese if I’ve never had to experience the racial hardships and barriers that many others have had to overcome. How can I claim to understand their struggles when so many have been assaulted during this pandemic solely because they are Asian, while I don’t have to think twice about my appearance before I take a walk down the street. I wonder if I’ve earned the credibility to be able to speak both with and for the Asian American community if I haven’t had a shared experience. Is my role to just be an ally instead?

I often feel that I am not “Asian” enough.

Whenever I visit with relatives, I am always viewed as “whitewashed”. And when approaching social justice issues, I feel frustrated and upset, but doubt the validity of my emotions. I feel torn between two identities, and I don’t know how to reconcile the two.

The Importance of food For Matt Rose (22) food is more than a meal; it’s a connection to people and places we love MATT ROSE WRITER

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lose your eyes and delve deep into the memory glands of your brain.

Envision the activities you undertook today. Maybe you went for a bike ride, or perhaps you decided to reside motionless in front of a screen and play Call of Duty all day. No matter what you do on a daily basis, there is always a particular constant in your life. This perennial entity powers you, and holds significant meaning to almost everyone. That thing is… food.

Now you may be thinking to yourself, “yeah, I had a splendid bowl of cheerios this morning, so what’s the big deal?” However I like to think that the utter power of a grand meal is incomprehensible and holds so many more consequential implications than what most believe. For example, food can be concretely encapsulated by our five, biologically routine, senses. Jog your memory back to last holiday season. Do you remember when your Grandma finally pulled that illustrious apple pie out of the oven? The righteous scent filling up the room, traveling to your salivating nostrils, observing its golden brown exterior, with your hungry eyes looking down upon that luxurious filling. Subsequently, the long-anticipated first bite occurs. You taste a distinct apple flavor with a tad of piquant, cinnamony spice. You feel the texture of the airy, flakey crust just

breaking up delicately in your mouth. And, lastly, the eruption of delight from your family permeates your hearing. This love of just a mere holiday dessert is enough to cause immense joy.

Food really is a thing that is able to epitomize the functionality of the five senses, the basis of all human interaction. However, the one thing senses cannot fully personify is connection. Quite literally, food, as frequently remarked by many cultures, brings those you love together. Sure, the definitive taste, variety, andor ingredients usually stands as the focal point when dining, however, the sparking of discussions, and adventures that occur while eating should be the most notable. How about a heated but friendly discussion with your closest buds about whether pineapple belongs on pizza?

A place where the banter is eminent, and the laughs and good vibes are eternal. Or think of a late night with your homies, walking around dimly lit streets and trying to find a suitable eatery to pig out at, while goofing off and forging memories. It could be the undeniable sensation of euphoria and elation when the waiter finally brings out your double cheeseburger to you and your teammates after an intense practice. Imagine sitting about a campfire, roasting marshmallows, and conceptualizing the deepest, abstract, and most profuse metaphysical ideas about the world.

Sure, food doesn’t have to be involved in any of these things, but it can be a fundamental catalyst for some of the most marvelous times in your life. This is why in these times of isolation, where you can’t always be with those you love, taking a gargantuan bite out of your favorite meal will prompt a nostalgic sentiment back to your happiest days.

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THE PIPER

MARCH 15, 2020

OPINION

Editorial

PIPER

THE

Student newspaper of Campbell Hall School 4533 Laurel Canyon Blvd.

Studio City, CA 91607 (818) 505-5325

It’s time to make a change

Re-evaluate the virtual schedule

Editor-In-Chief Jeremy Frank Issues Editor Kayla Francais Too much screen time: The countless hours spent on computer screens each day is having negative effects on the well being of students and teachers.

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eginning on March 13, 2020, the start of the COVID-19 statewide shutdown, Campbell Hall set out to adopt a remote learning instruction plan designed to ensure the safety of the Campbell Hall community, while continuing to provide students with a nuanced and rigorous curriculum. The plan consisted of a mixture of asynchronous and synchronous work, allowing for both students and teachers to engage in learning online and offline. Though remote instruction was hoped to be temporary, the need for this model has lasted far longer than expected, calling for a re-evaluation of the remote learning schedule.

After working tirelessly over the summer to conceptualize a new remote learning schedule that aids both on campus and off campus learning in a safe and practical manner, the administration finalized a plan of five day school weeks, composed of five one hour blocks, and a later start and end time, a vast contrast from what the community had experienced in March. Though the school’s efforts to accommodate for the student body and faculty alike are appreciated, it has not nearly met the needs of either group.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to engulf our lives, the sociopolitical climate of the United States continues to generate division amongst peers, and many face unprecedented struggles. The current remote learning schedule models the on-campus schedule far too closely and fails to accommodate for the nature of the current climate. Unequaled circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, call for unheard of solutions and accommodations. However, the

schedule fails d to acknowledged this truth.

Under the new instruction, the school has required students to appear on Zoom for an average of five hours a day. In conjunction with long school days, students are expected to manage hours of additional homework. As students juggle both online and offline instruction, they also face challenges unique and distinctive to their own environment; students are beyond doubt struggling.

The long hours on zoom nurture overspent, overworked, and fatigued students, who’s enjoyment for learning declines as each day progresses. The desire to succeed has readily declined, as students struggle to find motivation to sit at their computer screen for additional time beyond the allocated five hours they have on Zoom school.

Loneliness pervades all aspects of a students life, impairing both the connections they are making with students and with their teachers.

Classes, especially the schools Honors, AP and CHAI level courses, issue students a larger burden than usual, with their heavy workloads and complex curriculums remaining the same, all while being taught in an unprecedented way. While on paper the model satisfies Campbell Hall’s promise to provide a challenging education to all students, when applied, the school’s model fails to recognize the mental, social and physical needs of the community.

As students struggle at the hands of the remote learning model, teachers are finding that the current remote instruction design isn’t sustainable.

Concerned for the wellbeing of their students, teachers wrestle with assigning both an adequate amount of work and staying cognizant of students

Editorial Board

The long hours on Zoom nurture overspent, overworked, and fatigued students.

Seniors

mental; health. The long Zoom days certainly take a toll, as teachers are not only required to facilitate Zoom classes but must find the energy to be increasingly performative in their lessons in order to keep students engaged. Most importantly, though students clearly reflect the need to meet with teachers one on one, teachers often find the schedule doesn’t allocate time to attend to such needs.

We urge the Campbell Hall administration to take into consideration the feedback and concerns of both the teachers, parents and students of our community. Less time on Zoom, more creative approaches to projects, tests and quizzes, and an emphasis on the mental state of our student body are needed. We certainly acknowledge that it is difficult to make these changes and we admire the administration’s efforts to take our feedback seriously, as demonstrated by their choice to send a recent survey to the student body and teachers. However, we hope to see actionable change, change that can be seen and felt throughout our remote learning days. A reconstruction of the plan is needed to ensure the well-being of our community.

Pandemic Productivity Sometimes it’s okay not to do it all Noa Schwartz WRITER

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ne of the few things I like better about being in quarantine during a pandemic is the lack of social pressure. Sitting on my bed, surrounded by blankets and snacks with a scented candle burning, watching my favorite TV show might just be my idea of a perfect night. As an introvert, I can really appreciate being able to use the pandemic as an excuse to wear pajamas all day and not worry about my steadily growing hair. There is, however, one product of a pandemic in a digital age that I never would’ve guessed. As much as I enjoy being in PJs, I didn’t expect the amount of online pressure to remain productive.

Instagram constantly floods my feed with people stuck at home still managing to overachieve, even during a pandemic: Use this extra time wisely! Organize your room!

Learn a new skill! Cook extravagant meals! Start a business! Set up a charity! Then, post pictures of your newly organized room to prove that you have, indeed, been productive in quarantine. You don’t want people to think you have been lazy, do you? You don’t want them to think you’re not using your time efficiently, right?

Of course, doing all those things are great uses of your time, and now more than ever, completing something

fulfilling is incredibly important to stay sane when the world is on lockdown. But I don’t feel the need to be productive. I don’t feel like organizing all my clothes by color or doing a rigorous workout routine. I don’t feel like doing anything while I hear that the world outside is falling apart. What’s the point of eating healthy if I can’t see my friends for another six months? What’s the point of having a more organized room when I’ll still be looking at the same four plain white walls when I wake up the next morning? Honestly, all I’ve wanted to do is go back to the things that make me the happiest, the old boring activities that I’ve always enjoyed.

I’ve realized that not going above and beyond during a pandemic is not lazy or even unproductive. It’s not that I’m unmotivated, it’s that I’m motivated to do things differently. As much as we overhear it, we really are living through unprecedented times. A pandemic like this only ever happens every hundred years, and we are living through it right now.

So, as blasphemous as it sounds, you don’t have to be productive right now. Or at least not in the exact ways social media portrays as “good ways” to be productive.

If you don’t feel motivated to start a business or make dozens of loaves of bread, then do what makes you happy, not what you think will make you happy. The most important thing now is taking care of your mental health, whatever that means for you. What you have decided to do with your time during this pandemic is the best you can do, and that’s more than enough.

Productivity and stress: Stress produces a lack of energy, a lack of focus and reduced creativity business.com

Mental and emotional pressure is shown to have a direct impact on job performance National Library of Medicine

Since the beginning oft he pandemic, there has been a 7.2 percent decline in American’s productivity Forbes

News Editor Iliana Kleiner Features Editor Amanda Sedaka Opinion Editor Ike Weissman Sports Editor Charlie Cohen Buisness Manager Jacob Freedman Website Manager Sadie Farley Junior Editors Maggie Chiappetta-Uberti, Sophia Goldberg, JJ Hoffman, Taylor Huie, Lucy Kennel, Noa Schwartz Staff Writers Isabella Diallo, Lyla Horowitz, Amelie Park, Caroline Rehder, Lena Rohan, Matthew Rose, Samantha Sher, Symphony Smith, Lincoln Weisntock Photographers Austin Janavs, Angel Santiago, Sophia Pinkerton Illustrator Sarah Guessous Advisor Christine Gaul The mission of The Piper is to investigate and present the most relevant topics and issues pertaining to the lives of our school community. Truth, objectivity and accuracy are the primary goals of all staff members. Journalists uphold the right to express unpopular opinions or to agree with the majority and will never gather information in an inappropriate or unethical manner.

Furthermore, The Piper is intended to serve as a forum for student voices.

Advertisements follow the same scrutiny as all other material in the paper.

Advertisements are free of statements, illustrations and implications that are antithetical to our school values, based upon the opinion of the staff.

The unsigned editorials that appear in this publication represent the opinion of the editorial staff.

Letters to the editor are encouraged and should be submitted to Ike Weissman weissmi@campbellhall.org. Letters should be concise, and the writer may ask to be printed anonymously.

Letters may not be printed if deemed inappropriate for print by The Piper editorial board.

The Piper distributes 1,000 copies, free of charge to the Campbell Hall community. The Piper is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association

THE PIPER

OCT. 30, 2020

12

SPORTS

Team Unity: The tightly knit Campbell Hall Girls Varsity Basketball Team walks off the court after a big win.

ANGEL SANTIANO PHOTO

BIGGER THAN BASKETBALL How a player and coach on the girls varsity basketball team discuss social issues

CHARLIE COHEN WRITER LYLA HOROWITZ WRITER

The NBA, the MLB and the WNBA. All three of these major sports associations canceled at least one of their games in wake of the tragic and unjust shooting of Jacob Blake. As more and more athletes and associations speak out against the problem of police brutality in America, sports and social justice become even more intertwined.

The movement has not stopped at the professional collegiate levels of athletics. High school sports have been deeply affected by it as well., and Coaches have taken the opportunity to educate their players, as well as making sure that they feel heard and comfortable.

Alex Canty, head coach of the girls varsity basketball team at Campbell Hall is aware of the fact that many people’s exposure to the Black Lives Matter movement, or any social issue, comes from the people who they look up to. In his opinion, athletes speaking out about racial injustice has not only left a greater impact on sports but on the entire country as well.

“The momentum [behind the movement] is still growing,” Canty said. “Athletes [are] still speaking. Basketball players [are] wearing different things on the back [of their jerseys] like ‘Equality’. Football players have [worn] names of people that were lost during these terrible times on the lower part of their helmets. The influence is great and I think it’s going to [become] even greater.”

According to Canty, the best way to start learning about and understanding the current social climate surrounding race and racism is to listen to those who experience it.

“Listening to those stories will help people that are not black understand how they see and what they have been seeing,” Canty said.

“People might not feel comfortable or feel safe going out and protesting because, yeah, you’re doing the right things but all it takes is one rubber bullet to hit you and you be like, ‘I’m not coming out here [anymore]’, so listening to others is a great way to learn how

you can help.”

As a member of Canty’s team, Maddie Holden (23) has put in an effort to express her views individually with her coach. She has noticed the benefits of talking about these issues with those who have more life experience.

“We haven't had a full-on long conversation [about these issues] as a team, but we have a lot of one on one discussions, especially with our coaches, about things we see online,” Holden said. “Our coaches can often teach [us] what's right without saying anything.

I've had a lot [of ] one on one conversations with Coach Canty about things we've seen and about how disrespectful people really can be. The color of your skin changes the way you think, and because of that, it's easy to have conversations about how these issues affect us.”

Since basketball is such a diverse sport, Holden knows how crucial it is to understand what others might be going through.

According to her, basketball is a sport where everyone can feel like a part of something bigger than themselves.

“It's very important for athletes to be educated on these issues,” Holden said. “Everybody plays basketball. It's a community of all kinds of people, and to be educated on these topics is great because we need to know about what our peers are going through. We have to be sympathetic and try our best to understand that. Everybody needs to understand [the issues at hand] because there [are] a lot of people, some of whom [have a large influence], who don’t know what they're talking about.”

Canty’s approach to these conversations is to be as direct and upfront as possible. He knows that in order to change your understanding, you need to feel comfortable talking about the uncomfortable.

“I would have to talk about the dangers of [police brutality] because that’s where the main issue or problem is,” Canty said. “If I just talk about it in a broad way, that means I’m sugarcoating it

Faces from the crowd How do you see sports and athletes impacting current social movements? emma goss

junior grace anderson

senior

“The main thing is that [the social movements are] prompting discussion. It's so important right now to hear how the coaches [and players] feel about [current issues]. With sports, and specifically the racial turmoil that's been going on for the last nine months, I think it's long overdue that [these issues] segue into the sports world and into like representation.”

“I watched the NBA and all over the floor, on the court and on their jerseys and everywhere, on advertising, just everywhere there were Black Lives Matters, and “say her name” and “say his name”. It just really spreads awareness. Obviously America's sports get a lot of viewers, so I think it's a good way to spread the message in a larger capacity.” auggie koskoff

junior

“The first example I think of is when Colin Kaepernick started kneeling, there were [many] people against it. There were some people followed suit and agreed with him, but not many.

But as he continued to grow, now you see everyone taking a knee and it’s crazy because he didn’t stop because of the pressure from the NFL or from people who didn't support it.

alex canty

"If I just talk about an important issue in a broad way, that means I’m sugarcoating it or tiptoeing around it. If we’re going to talk about it, then let’s talk about it and get deep into it." coach

or tiptoeing around it. If we’re going to talk about it, then let’s talk about it and get deep into it. I might have a player that has a specific question, but if they see that I’m timid about the topic, then they’re going to be timid about the topic too, and we don’t need that, let’s just dive in it and get it out there.”

Holden is aware of how the issue of police brutality, as well as other social matters, can detract from the goals of athletes and their teams, but she is also aware of how athletes, specifically those who have a more prominent voice, can use their platform to bring light to these issues.

“Racism has definitely had a large impact on sports in both a negative and positive way,” Holden said. “It's stopping a lot of us from focusing on what we want to do when it comes to basketball. It's hard to focus on training and get better, but it's not about me, it's about the whole world and what's going on right now. But it's good that coaches and players from the NBA and the WNBA are given a chance to spread the word and use their platform to really educate the people who are watching.”

THE PIPER

OCT. 30, 2020

13

SPORTS

Fantasy Football Friendships

Stuck at

Home

How student atheletes have managed their mental health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

IKE WEISSMAN WRITER

Imagine playing sports almost every day with your friends, and then all of a sudden, you are locked up in your own house for 6 months and cannot play the sports that bring you so much joy. Brandon Zwillinger (21) is on the baseball team, and he was able to play the game he loves each day with his friends. Six months later, Zwillinger is still unable to compete in sports with his peers, but with the return of the NFL season, he is now able to compete with his friends virtually through fantasy football.

“Fantasy football is definitely a good way to stay in touch with people, especially since the coronavirus started because you are able to talk to friends throughout the season,” Zwillinger said. “You are constantly communicating with the people in your league about football games and discussing trades. Also, when you are playing against one of your friends you can FaceTime each other during the matchup, which [in the] end makes it even more fun.”

Similarly to Zwillinger, Simon Adell (24) is also in a fantasy football league with some of his closest friends. Through fantasy football, he has been able to become even closer with the members of his league.

“Fantasy football is a great way to stay in touch because you can create a closer bond with [the people in your league],” Adell said. “I have been playing in the same league for three years now, and when I started playing, I was pretty close with the people in it, but through our league, they are now some of my best friends.”

As an experienced fantasy football player, Adell believes that fantasy football will look a lot different this year due to the coronavirus.

“Fantasy football is much different this year because players can opt out of the season,” Adell said. “Therefore, fantasy drafts are being moved closer to the season to make sure that you don’t draft someone who ends up deciding to [opt out] of the season. Also, another difference is that players might not get as many points in the first couple [of ] weeks because they did not have a lot of practice due to COVID-19.”

For math teacher Kevin Morgan, fantasy football is more than just a game; it is a passion of his. Without being able to play real sports, fantasy football will give people like him a platform to compete. “[Fantasy sports] may be more important than ever,” Morgan said.

“Just being able to have that mental release of being able to compete because for some people, competition is really important. This may be a point in time where all we have is fantasy football, so hopefully, the NFL plays a full season because that is my biggest concern [for] this season.”

Each football season, Morgan shares his passion for fantasy football with his students in his business of sports class through the classes’ very own fantasy league. Morgan hopes that fantasy football will allow for communication between his students and himself during these times when staying in touch with one another is difficult.

“Fantasy football will be a great way to stay involved with friends,” Morgan said. “I have friends in other parts of the country that I play fantasy football with, so being able to connect with them without seeing them physically has always been a good tool, and it means so much more this year without being able to travel. Even playing with my students, it will be a great way to have that back and forth [communication] without actually being at school.”

Down in the dumps: After being confined to his home for months, Oren Weissman (22) has lost all motivation to practice football and decides to play video games instead of preparing for the next season.

IKE WEISSMAN PHOTO

JAKE FREEDMAN WRITER LYLA HOROWITZ WRITER

As Andrew Goetz (22) prepares for another day of soccer practice, only to realize that it has been canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

COVID- 19 has ruined many summers as well as athlete's ability to train. The inability to train has now resulted in a lack of motivation and depleted their mental health.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many if not all sports have been canceled or postponed.

According to a May 2020 study conducted by the NCAA showed that 40 percent of the student athletes surveyed reported a lack of motivation, 21 percent said they had feelings of stress, and anxiety and 13 percent reported feeling depressed.

Goetz, a three sport athlete, has not really felt the effects of the quarantine on his mental health, but as someone who is normally active, has found himself in an odd position.

“I feel like it hasn’t taken much of a toll [on my mental health],” Goetz said. “Although I do feel like I have lost motivation regarding physical activity just because of the lack of sports.”

Although Goetz has lost motivation to train for the sports he plays competitively, this time off has allowed him to try playing different sports like golf and tennis.

“I decided to pick [some other sports Goetz can participate in] that some of my friends have played for leisure instead of actually working out,” Goetz said. “I’m still trying to keep myself active, but I feel like I have lost some motivation just because there is no preseason.”

Like Goetz, Lulu Davis (21) has been unable to continue training as she normally would for the basketball season with the gyms being closed. She

would usually be training daily for her season but COVID- 19 has limited that to 3 times a week.

Davis expresses it has been challenging to train.

“It has just been a lot harder to [train] because of the pandemic,” Davis said. “There are no team practices. You can’t go to a gym and play, you can’t play scrimmages and run [drills] because of the pandemic. All of the gyms are closed, a lot of the outdoor courts are closed, so I think it's harder to play. I don't think it has affected my motivation that much, it has just made it more difficult [to practice].”

Lacking a normal schedule, Davis has found it much harder to keep up with her training. She thinks it's important to stay fit and has come up with ways to achieve that.

“I think it's important for your body to stay in the rhythm of training and stay physically fit because obviously, it's good to keep up with how you are used to training,” Davis said. “Maybe try and workout for an hour, I think that's important. You can't just let your body fall [because] it’s going to be hard to jump right back into sports whenever [they restart].”

Unlike Davis and Goetz, Camila Hurwitz (23) has found a way to push past the feeling of discouragement to train. She has training some days of the week but finds ways to push herself to work out.

“If I didn’t have training [for soccer], I’d have to get myself to say, ‘you’re not going to work out tomorrow, you didn’t work out yesterday, so today is the day, no excuses,’” Hurwitz said. “ I would trick myself, and I would run a long distance and then get super tired. Then I would be [far away] from my house, not a walking distance, so I would have to run. I would say to myself, ‘You

andrew goetz

"Just playing sports, in general, has definitely

allowed me to clear my head

and reduce stress, but since the pandemic began, it has been really difficult to find the motivation to play." junior

put yourself in this position, now you have to run back, you can’t walk.”

Although Hurwitz has had trouble finding ways to train during the pandemic, she understands that safety comes before training, and it is important to be cautious.

“It's definitely important to stay fit but also safely because you don’t really know [who has] the coronavirus,” Hurwitz said. “You can be asymptomatic, feel nothing but be a carrier and I think you should get tested regularly [if you plan on training.]”

With the pandemic bringing his spirits down, Goetz has found a way to persevere through the negativity and find light during these tough times.

“I have always liked being a part of teams and communities,” Goetz said. “For me, both physically and mentally, I feel so much better when I run. When I'm doing something physical, I just play and focus on one thing at a time. Just playing sports, in general, has definitely allowed me to clear my head and reduce stress, but since the pandemic began, it has been really difficult to find the motivation to play.”

Supporting through the screen

Fans continue to follow their favorite sports and teams from home NOA SCHWARTZ WRITER

Along with nearly everything else this year, athletics are going to be different. With sports stands empty and usually bustling fields deserted, it's easy for sports fans to give up hope for any chance of a typical sports season. However, whether we’re in the midst of a pandemic or not, fans continue to support their favorite teams and their athletic peers.

Lyla Dinzer (22) is not going to let the coronavirus stop her from enjoying the sports she loves.

Being raised in an avid sports family, Dinzer believes that now more than ever, it is important to keep up with the things you love. “[Staying engaged] is so important because there’s not a lot going on right now,” Dinzer said.

“I’ve been a sports fan my entire life, and just because [the coronavirus] is happening, it doesn’t mean that sports have to stop. While the world stops turning, sports continue.”

Similarly, Will Iger (21) has been a sports fan his whole life. An athlete on the Campbell Hall basketball team, Iger, closely follows basketball and football. He believes that it is crucial to stay informed with sports, even if they are temporarily put on hold.

“I think it is important to stay in touch with sports and pay attention to what’s going on,” Iger said. “You can be a sports fan and not pay atten-

SARAH GUESSOUS ILLUSTRATION

tion that much, but if you want to have an understanding of the game itself, I think it’s necessary to stay up to date.”

Doing the things we love is more important now than it ever has been. Dinzer believes that athletes should still practice their sport, even if they don’t get a chance to play in a normal season. Although it’s not ideal, she maintains that competition and playing with others aren’t the only reason people should play.

“I think that during covid, especially as a teenager, playing sports is a really great way to get exercise,” Dinzer said. “Even if you’re not going to play at Campbell Hall, it’s still good to practice

in any way you can. There’ll always be next year and if you truly love playing a sport, then you can find a different way to do it. It’s not all about competition.”

Due to COVID-19, Dinzer’s usual Sunday football get-togethers with friends have been reduced to intimate family. However, this doesn’t stop them from continuing their tradition.

“Usually, on Sundays, my house becomes a hub for a ton of people,” Dinzer said. “There are probably 20 people at my house on Sundays. But because of [the coronavirus] we can’t have that many people over, so it’s much smaller. We’re still gonna watch the games, but we don’t have as many people over.”

Iger also understands how significant sports can be to Campbell Hall athletes. The possible loss of a season makes it all the more important to support not only professional and college athletes, but also fellow peers.

“I think you can always show some kind of support for an athlete by just asking them how they’ve been doing,” Iger said. “As a basketball player, we’re planning to play in March, but there’s a good chance that we don’t end up having a season. [It’s important to] keep encouraging athletes to [stay] motivated and keep working hard because you never know what could happen. And if we do get to play, we should be grateful to get the opportunity to play what we love.”

THE PIPER

OCT. 30, 2020

14

SPORTS

PAYING TO

PLAY

TAYLOR HUIE & LENA ROWAN WRITERS

Eve Jobs, Georgina Bloomberg, Jennifer Gates. These three horseback riders who stand at the top of one of the world’s most expensive sports are all daughters of the world’s billionaires. However, there are many other sports that demand large financial means in order to succeed.

A dancer of ten years, Natalie Yu (23) believes that dance is a sport that employs the use of many external resources, many of which can be hard to afford.

“It’s very expensive because dancers dance all year,” Yu said. “It’s not like other sports where we have an offseason. Even on vacation, we have to train by ourselves, so we don’t lose our technique. You need to pay for training and competitions, costumes, physical therapy and pilates.

We also have summer intensives that cost even more, though it is possible to receive scholarships for these intensives, as I have.

I also go through 15 to 30 pairs of pointe shoes a year, and each pair costs about $100.”

Football is another sport that can demand quite a lot of money. Equipment, footballs, and private coaches can all cost upwards of $100, for example. But according to David O’mara (22), private coaches can be more lenient in terms of pricing, and sometimes, athletes do not need to pay for the equipment themselves. However, the costs of the recruitment process can still pose a challenge for some. For example, O’mara was planning on attending a UConn training camp this past summer, which, according to him, may have cost around $80.

“Recruiting is difficult, as far as economics go, because even just to go to a camp, you have to pay money to go to different kinds of training camps,” O’mara said. “To get the attention, it’s completely worth it because that’s your future, but if you’re going to a bunch of elite training camps for you to even get the chance for colleges to maybe look at you, the recruitment process can be expensive in that way.”

According to equestrian and swimming

Access to greater financial recources can give atheletes a leg up over their competition coach, Itzzia Gutierrez, equestrian is one of the more expensive sports at Campbell Hall. Because equestrian differs from other sports like baseball or football, which can practice on campus with school equipment, equestrian riders have to work off-site and have their access to horses and care. Riders have to maintain their horses, which according to Gutierrez, can be a large financial investment.

However, Jane Smith, firmly believes that it is possible for changes to be made in the equestrian world that can make it more financially accessible in general, like changing the way competitions are judged. In hunters, one of the most popular events at an equestrian competition, the judging criteria is solely based on the horse’s performance, not on the rider’s handling of the horse. Thus, the more expensive, elegant horses will garner more awards. Additionally, Smith believes that barn owners have the power to provide equestrian opportunities to those with varying socioeconomic backgrounds, such as donating to charities or providing opportunities to riders in lower income areas.

“I definitely think a lot of the bigger barns that are very expensive [can do more to help],” Smith said. “The owners have millions and millions of dollars, and they can’t even pitch in to charities. I feel like those barns could so easily set up little programs across the city that reach out.

There could be a lot of changes.”

While it is substantially more difficult to succeed without spending money in equestrian, Yu feels that there are already opportunities for dancers of various socioeconomic backgrounds to progress. An example is The Music Center’s Spotlight competition, which is free to audition for and provides scholarships as well as a training program to the recipients.

“I think financially, sometimes it’s harder for other dancers,” Yu said. “But usually, it also depends on how much the competition or the schools like you. Some girls, even though they have financial problems, if they’re good enough for the school to

SARAH GUESSOUS DRAWING

like them, they can receive scholarships.”

For Juan Velasquez, director of athletics, every student should have the opportunity to play sports, regardless of socioeconomic background. At school, the athletics department is always willing to accommodate students who may feel that playing a sport is financially difficult.

“We would never want anyone to say ‘I don’t want to play a sport, because it’s financially a strain,” Velasquez said. “We want to be able to have everyone participate that wants to participate, so they can have fun.”

Receiving guidance and coaching from both the team and additional private coaches can give an advantage, but in O’mara’s opinion, financial resources will never beat commitment and hard work.

In a sport that merely requires a weight room, a space to run, and a ball to toss around, O’mara believes that anyone can progress to the college level with enough ambition.

“The cool thing about football is that from anywhere you can pretty much make it as long as you go to a high school,” O’mara said. “It’s difficult for sure because it’s really competitive, but some people who really want to make a life out of it, and maybe don’t have access to the highest education, definitely have more motivation than the person next to them that has access to better education and has the ability to pick and choose colleges. That’s the name of the game, motivation.”

By the numbers: It costs $200,000 per year to exhibit a horse on the international equestrian circut, not including the cost of the horse.

It can cost anywhere from $1,795-$17,635 annually to own and care for a single horse.

It costs at least $8,356 to participate in two dance competitions

Q&A on Recruiting this year w/ Coach Velazquez Q: How this year’s recruiting process be different with the limitations set in place by COVID-19? What has changed?

A: If you’re a senior, the [recruiters] are going to have to rely on what you’ve had in the past. If you played [your sport]last year, you can share the film since it isn’t too far removed. But if you’re a baseball [player] and all you have is your stuff from two seasons ago, it isn’t the greatest [situation] to be in. It’s gonna be tough, but you can go and do a pitching lesson with someone who has the right credentials and is able to vouch for you.

Q: With the cancellation of the fall sports seasons, how will seniors be able to show their athletic abilities to Colleges?

A: [Thankfully] there will be film. It’s going to be tough not seeing people in person, but I think this is opening up a new format for recruiting, where there’s going to be more of, ‘let me get to know this person’ because we’re able to communicate and interact more than in the past because we were so set on face to face meetings. Now you can do the face to face thousands of miles away. [There will be] some fall back from not being in person, but there’s also going to be some perks.

Q: What else has Campbell Hall been doing to plan for the recruiting process?

A: We have weekly meetings with the athletic directors in our league. We chat about what we’re doing as individual schools and what the process can be once we start as a league. Everybody’s kind of in the same situation, but there are some schools that are a little bit more liberal in some [areas]. There were some schools that were going for two hours, and there were others that did nothing. We agreed that once we started league play, the important part is that we’re all following the same guidelines, so we’re all safe.