Garden City Echo Spring 2022-23

Table of Contents

Editors-in-Chief

Emma Rathgeber

Elaine Wang

Cover Art

Sarah Chen

World/National News (page 4)

Riya Katriyar, Editor

Maria Santos, Editor

Elaine Wang, Editor-in-Chief

Community/School News (page 14)

Daniel Butt, Editor

Ana Gaztañaga, Editor

Maria Gaztañaga, Editor

Student Spotlight (page 21)

Emma Rathgeber, Editor-in-Chief

Reviews (page 25)

Julia D'Aloisio, Editor

Faculty Advisor

Mr. McAuley

NOTE: The opinions expressed in the following articles do not represent the opinions of the administrative staff at GCHS, merely those of the writers themselves.

A Note From the Editors

Dear Readers,

As we return from spring break, the end of the school year is in sight. Both nerves and excitement are on the rise, and both students and teachers have a lot on their plates. Many have begun to prepare for upcoming AP Exams, while also juggling clubs, sports, and other extracurriculars. Amidst the chaos, we present our Spring Edition, filled with a diverse variety of news, reviews, and interviews.

This issue covers a wide range of topics, dealing with community, international, and even extraterrestrial affairs. Authors in the World News section delve into rising political tensions around the globe, zooming in on countries such as Brazil and the United States. Zooming out, this section also includes astronomy articles, detailing events both within and outside of our solar system. The community news section offers updates on many school events, such as the school play and this year’s Intramural Quiz Bowl tournament. In fact, we were lucky enough to have an interview with this year’s quiz bowl champions, which can be found in the Student Spotlight section. As always, the paper wraps up with the Reviews section, where you can find authors’ opinions on classic novels and futuristic films.

We recognize that this time of year is extremely stressful for everyone at GCHS, including the ECHO staff. We wish everyone luck on their upcoming exams, but it is also our hope that this latest release offers an escape from these nerve-wracking times. So take a break from studying as you sit back, relax, and enjoy our Spring Edition!

Sincerely,

Emma Rathgeber and Elaine Wang

Correction:

The "Spotlight on Clubs" article in our Fall/Winter edition omitted mention of Inkspots editor-in-chief Steven Scricca and faculty co-advisor Mrs. Calemmo.

Speaker of the House

By Elaine Wang

On January 7th, 2023, Republican Kevin McCarthy was elected 55th Speaker of the House after 15 long rounds of voting. Despite his party holding the House majority, McCarthy struggled to negotiate with about 20 representatives who stopped the House from normal operation In the 12th round, McCarthy pulled off a dramatic turnaround, gaining 14 GOP votes from far-right conservatives. His 2023 run was one of the longest speaker elections in history and marked the first time in 100 years a speaker had not been elected on the first ballot He later offered many concessions, and entered office with the self-proclaimed goal to “stop wasteful Washington spending, to lower the price of groceries, gas, cars, housing, and stop the rising national debt."

In November 2022, Nancy Pelosi announced her planned resignation as leader of the House Democrats, a position she had kept through four presidencies She passed the torch on in January to Hakeem Jeffries, a representative from New York who was elected unopposed as House Democratic leader Pelosi currently remains a member of Congress. The vacancy of the position of speaker left the House unable to conduct business for 5 days, as the House cannot induct new members, hold committee meetings, nor participate in security briefings without a leader

Kevin McCarthy, representing California’s 20th District, was first elected to Congress in 2006 McCarthy became majority leader in 2014 and minority leader in 2019, when Republicans lost the majority in the 2018 midterms. He had previously run for speaker in 2015 but dropped word

out of the race to succeed John Boehner. By making concessions this year, he secured the position of the speaker but also greatly reduced the position’s power. One of the main changes he made was to the process of ousting speakers In 2019, Pelosi introduced the requirement for a majority vote of the controlling party to bring a motion to vacate the speakership, but McCarthy restored the ability of any one member of Congress to initiate the procedure. The Freedom Caucus, the farthest-right bloc of the House Representatives, also gained McCarthy’s promise for more single-subject bills and his refusal to increase the debt ceiling in the next federal budget agreement. Furthermore, McCarthy granted Freedom Caucus members more spots on the House Rules Committee and House Appropriations Committee, two of the most powerful committees in the House These changes have drawn both criticism and praise to the newly inaugurated speaker, who claimed he would “be the check and provide some balance" to the Biden administration. In the future, McCarthy plans to repeal funding for over 80,000 IRS agents, expand aid to local police forces, and tighten border controls to address immigration.

McCarthy bangs gavel after being elected Speaker of the House Courtesy of CNBC com

NASA Discovers Potentially Habitable Planet in Nearby Star System

By Emma Rathgeber

Since its launch in 2018, NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has provided astronomers with data to further the search for small planets orbiting nearby stars Astronomers struck gold this January when they spotted TOI 700 e, an Earth-sized planet orbiting in the habitable zone of the nearby TOI 700 star system.

TOI 700 e was spotted using a common astronomical technique called the transit method. In this method, TESS observes large sectors of the sky and tracks any decreases in stellar brightness These decreases often occur when a planet passes in front of a star from our perspective, which is known as a transit. Using this method, NASA scientists discovered TOI 700 e, a world that, in many ways, is very similar to our own

This newly discovered planet is located roughly 100 light years away from Earth in the TOI 700 star system It is made up of mostly rocky terrain and is 95% the size of the Earth. What makes this planet so remarkable, however, is its location in the habitable zone of its star A star’s habitable zone denotes the range of distances from the star where liquid water can exist on a planet This fact, paired with the planet’s similar size to Earth, makes the discovery of TOI 700 e a major step in the search for Earth-like celestial neighbors

Nonetheless, TOI 700 e boasts some special properties of its own One year on this planet is equivalent to one month on Earth, as every orbit lasts 28 days. Further, this planet may be tidally locked, meaning that one side of the planet is constantly facing its star, TOI 700

TOI 700 is classified as an M dwarf star, situated in the southern constellation Dorado. While TOI 700 e has been the focus of astronomers’ attention recently, there are three other planets that orbit in this system. These planets, which have been imaginatively named TOI 700 b, c, and d, are very similar to TOI 700 e in some ways. Primarily, they share similar sizes and orbital periods. However, one of these planets, TOI 700 d, sticks out for a very specific reason: it is also located in the habitable zone of its star This makes the TOI 700 system especially unique, as it contains multiple stars in its habitable zone.

While the discovery of TOI 700 e has already provided much insight into planetary habitability, astronomers are far from finished with the TOI 700 system Due to its rarity, there will undoubtedly be continued research into this unique star system. TOI 700 and its satellites have the potential to teach us more about the possibility of life on other planets, as well as further our understanding of our own.

Artistic representation of TOI 700 e The planet’s neighbor, TOI 700 d, can be seen in the distance Courtesy of usatoday com

"Nepo Babies" Spark Online Debate

By Hunter Maguire

What are “Nepo Babies?”

If you’ve opened social media at all in the past few months, you’ve probably seen the term “nepotism baby” floating around in hyperspace Perhaps you’ve even witnessed heated debates online over the topic, or already have opinions on whether “nepo-babies” deserve their role in our cultural landscape Whether you’re familiar with the drama or not, keep reading for a full recap

What actually is a “nepo-baby?”

The term “nepo-baby” is shorthand online for a child of famous parents (especially in the entertainment industry) who is given unfair opportunities because of their associations and connections. Nepotism, defined by Merriam Webster as “favoritism based on kinship,” has occurred since the dawn of human history, but nepotism babies are a uniquely modern phenomenon.

Especially in the wake of recent social justice movements as well as the Varsity Blues scandal (in which celebrity parents paid a “college counselor” to falsify their children’s SATs and applications), the role of familial advantages has been condemned as unjust

The “nepo-baby” conversation traces its roots to Twitter, but it reached a much larger audience in 2022 when the New York Times, Vulture, and other mainstream media outlets covered the subject.

Which celebrities are examples of nepo-babies?

How was this term popularized?

Debate over the privilege held by the children of wealthy or famous parents has raged for the past few years.

worddddd word

Lily Collins, Emily in Paris: daughter of musician Phil Collins, was presented as a debutante in Paris in 2007

Maude Apatow, Euphoria: daughter of director Judd

Apatow and actress Leslie Mann

Rashida Jones, The Office + Parks and Recreation: daughter of twenty-eighttime Grammy winner Quincy Jones and actress Peggy Lipton

Kaia Gerber, Vogue “Big word

Celebrities from famous backgrounds include: word

Hailey Bieber, model and socialite: wife of pop idol

Justin Bieber, niece of infamous actor Alec Baldwin

Four” model: daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford How are celebrity children reacting?

Many celebrity children have denied that having famous parents grants them a “leg-up,” including actresses Zoë Kravitz and Maude Apatow. Kravitz defended her stardom, replying that it’s “completely normal for people to be in the family business,” while Apatow found it “sad” that the internet focused on her legacy status Others, like model Kate Moss’s sister Lottie Moss, antagonized nepo-baby critics, saying, “Obviously it’s not fair that people who come from famous families are getting a leg up because of that, but guess what? Life isn’t fair.” She received serious fallout from this statement and eventually took down her Twitter account. A few nepotism babies, however, accept the role industry worddd

connections played in their accomplishments. Actress Lily Allen, reflecting on her career, felt it was “important to disclose what a privileged upbringing I’ve had and how that has created so many wordd

opportunities for me.”

Celebrity Jane Fonda also admitted that “people give you things when you’re famous,” describing how her success was largely due to her father’s fame. Regardless of your personal

feelings on “nepo-babies,” the conversation raises important questions of fairness and privilege. The idea of nepotism babies may seem silly, but the issues nepotism stirs are serious ones.

Courtesy of Vulture com

Golden Globes 2023

By Riya Katriyar

The Golden Globes set a great tone for the 2023 award show season! The Golden Globes have been a long-running ceremony that recognizes greatness in television and film Comedian and Emmy-winner Jerrod Carmichael hosted this year’s 80th ceremony in Beverly Hills on January 10th. Fan favorites were nominated including Elvis, Top Gun: Maverick, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and more. Beloved actors and actresses were nominated including Austin Butler, Hugh Jackman, Margot Robbie, and Anya Taylor-Joy. At this year's Golden Globes, Zendaya won her first Golden Globe

as best actress in a television drama series for her performance in Euphoria. Although notable, Zendaya is not the only first-time recipient of a Golden Globe Evan Peters also received his first Golden Globe as best actor in a mini-series for his role as Jeffrey Dahmer in the Netflix series Jennifer Coolidge won best supporting actress in a limited series for her character of Tanya in the HBO series White Lotus White Lotus was also nominated for four Golden Globes and ultimately won two of them. Be sure to tune in to the rest of the award shows this award season!

Courtesy of NPR

Courtesy of Los Angeles Times

Courtesy of Hawaii Public Radio

Janurary 6th to January 8th Parallels

By Tara Kerimian

Many Americans are well aware of what happened on January 6, 2021. Many rightwing supporters of former president Donald Trump stormed the Capitol They were under the false impression that the election had been stolen from him and that Joe Biden had somehow rigged it. Donald Trump was still in office when the attack occurred and chose not only to spur on the attack but also to sit back and watch it. Many members of his base violently marred Congress members' offices and threatened serious violence against former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi This was a once-in-alifetime historical event that people did not see coming.

However, on January 8, 2023, supporters of the rightord

wing radical former Brazilian president Bolsonaro stormed the Brazilian Congress, Supreme Court, and Presidential Palace. He had recently lost the election to Workers' Party candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known as Lula The people broke into government offices, breaking windows, flipping over desks, and even bringing a hose to flood some. One such victim of this was Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes’s office

The people also sang the Brazilian anthem on the Senate floor, waving the Brazilian flag and proclaiming they were taking back the country Like many Americans, they believed the election to be stolen.

In Brazil, the storming of Congress ended within a few wd

hours because Lula called in shock troops who cleared out the swarms of Bolsonaro supporters He also vowed to punish the people involved with up to 12 years in prison and to find and punish those who funded the attack as well. In America, police did come and try to stop the attack, but Trump was still in office and tried to divert the National Guard away from the scene. Also, he fought tooth and nail for investigations to not be run on it, but in the end, justice prevailed and many right-wing extremists went to jail for their violent behavior In Brazil, the democratic president was already in office, so it was easier for him to take control of the situation, and he had the military on his side as well

Courtesy of TheHill com Courtesy of AlJazeera com

The Green Comet Lights Up the Sky This Winter

By Emma Rathgeber

In March of 2022, California astronomers were using the Zwicky Transient Facility telescope to search for various types of distant celestial bodies, such as emerging black holes and supernovas, when they unintentionally came across a form that was blurrier than expected. They immediately identified the observation as a comet, and named it C/2022 E3

In time, however, the small celestial body was given the more colloquial name “the Green Comet,” due to its stark green hue. However, this wasn’t the only part of the story that made the lucky sighting so remarkable The Green Comet’s flyby in early 2023 made history, as it marked the comet’s first return to Earth since the Stone Age

The sighting of the Green Comet was unlike other meteor word

sightings That’s because this flyby was not an appearance: it was a reappearance. The colorful comet paid a visit to Earth about 50,000 years ago, although it is unlikely that societies of the time were able to fully appreciate the spectacle. Thankfully, modern technologies allow us to view and study this unique phenomenon in all its green glory. But what makes the Green Comet, well, green? As a meteor flies through space, it reflects different wavelengths of light based on its orbital position The comet’s chemical composition also plays a role, as the diatomic carbon found in the coma glows green under sunlight. This coma is formed when ice on the comet sublimates as the comet flies by the sun. This direct change from solid ice to gas produces a

fuzzy cloud of blur around the icy sphere. Together, these two factors give the Green Comet its distinctive hazy-green hue

Unfortunately, the narrow window of time for enjoying this vibrant view has closed

The Green Comet escaped our range of visibility in midFebruary to continue its trajectory past Mars and into the outer solar system

Ultimately, the comet will return to the Oort Cloud, the home of many similar icy planetesimals. This was likely humanity’s final goodbye to the Green Comet, as the comet’s extremely wide orbit ensures that it will be another 50,000 years until another viewing Until then, we wish the Green Comet luck in its journey throughout the vast expanses of the solar system.

Courtesy of Dan Bartlett via Reuters com

Damar Hamlin Faces Near-Death Experience on Football Field

By T J Cooke

On January 2nd, just minutes into a highly anticipated Monday-night NFL game, tragedy struck Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest after making a tackle in the week-seventeen match. With both teams in pursuit of a top seed in the playoffs, this game was one of the most important of the season Cincinnati was leading 7-3 in the first quarter of the contest when Bengals receiver Tee Higgins made a 13-yard reception. As Higgins approached the 50-yard line, Hamlin extended his arms to make the tackle. Running at full speed, Higgins lowered his shoulder and made contact with Hamlin’s head and chest area, word

sending them both to the ground. Hamlin quickly got back up to his feet before taking several steps, adjusting his face mask, and falling backward. This seemingly typical football play soon turned into a nationally televised nightmare as an ambulance and the NFL’s medical staff took to the field, managing to restore a motionless Hamlin’s heartbeat by giving him CPR. From there, they transported him to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was immediately intubated. This traumatic event left players from both clubs visibly upset. There were lots of tears, and many players knelt with their arms around each other in wordd

consolation

Just after 10 o’clock that night, the NFL announced its decision to postpone the game The players, coaches, and referees widely supported this decision Later, it was announced that the game would be canceled entirely

Thankfully, Hamlin recovered from this incident and will play football again next season Nonetheless, his frightening injury had an impact on the entire league, as players from all 32 NFL teams wore shirts with the phrase “Love For Damar” during warmups It is a miracle that Damar Hamlin recovered from his cardiac arrest, and we are excited to see him play in the future.

Buffalo Bills players and staff gather on the field to pray for their beloved teammate Hamlin Courtesy of nytimes com

Chinese Spy Balloon Sends Tensions Soaring

By Ana Gaztañaga

Early in February, a Chinese surveillance balloon crossed the country, sparking a flurry of worry on Capitol Hill and prompting the postponement of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to China amid already strained relations between the two countries China has claimed that the device was a weather balloon that deviated from its intended path due to westerly winds, limiting China's capacity to control it The Chinese administration also acknowledged that the highaltitude balloon (which, according to US authorities, was floating at an altitude of around 66,000 feet) did, in fact, belong to Beijing, but that it was a civilian device used for scientific study such as meteorology. Notwithstanding China's justification, the arrival of the balloon into US airspace was viewed as a potential threat, with the Defense Department “certain” that it was, in fact, a Chinese surveillance balloon.

The Balloon

Although there has been considerable discussion wordddd

regarding the attempt to capture the balloon, a US official has stated that this is not viable. Because it is equipped with solar panels, the balloon will not run out of fuel According to the official, the balloon steers by rudder and is corkscrewing around to slow its journey over land, but the jet stream continues to propel it over the United States The balloon’s cargo- that is, the section beneath the balloon that handles the monitoring- is the size of two to three school buses, and the balloon itself is significantly larger, according to a U S official. The Pentagon was debating methods to "dispose" of the balloon, but it was concerned about the damage it may wreak if it fell to Earth

Balloon Timeline

On January 28th, the balloon was discovered in US airspace high over Alaska, north of the Aleutian Islands The North American Aerospace Defense Command extensively monitored the balloon and determined that it posed no threat or intelligence concern at the time According to a senior word

military officer, the balloon then entered Canadian territory over the Northwest Territories on January 30th, and after heading south, it re-entered US airspace over northern Idaho on January 31st On February 1st, the balloon was sighted hovering over Reed Point, Montana, and would eventually drift southeast into South Dakota and Nebraska A Chinese balloon has never flown above the country's center before The only other occasion a Chinese balloon flew over the mainland United States was during a brief journey over Florida. As a result, this aircraft sparked widespread concern and curiosity among civilians, with some whipping out their phones in an attempt to catch a video while others were left wondering whether the balloon had flown past them yet On February 3rd, the balloon moved south eastward across the continental U S, crossing Kansas, Missouri, and eventually made its way into the skies of North Carolina According to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the wordd

balloon was eventually downed in US airspace above US territorial seas by fighter aircraft assigned to US Northern Command on February 4th

According to a senior US defense official, the balloon was hit by an F-22 firing a missile around six nautical miles off the coast of South Carolina. Footage was captured of the balloon being shot down over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast word

of South Carolina, officially ending its voyage across the Western Hemisphere

Effects on U.S.-Chinese Relations

The balloon incident has heightened tensions between the United States and China at a time when the relationship is already at its lowest point in decades. Although top US officials have stated that they word

aim to maintain open lines of communication with China, the competing narratives around the balloon are fueling further conflict In addition, the Biden administration has launched a campaign to inform countries throughout the world about the scope of China's spy balloon program and its violations of sovereignty, anticipating that other countries will respond to Chinese espionage activities.

Courtesy of US Department of Defense, via BBC com

Trojans Rise from the Water!

By Dann Butt

Following a disappointing 7 meet-loss streak from last year’s season, Garden City’s Swimming and Diving Team made a splash in their 20222023 season, with a new conference and team Losing ten seniors to graduation and only recruiting four new swimmers, the Trojans, under Coach Anne Sullivan, knew they had to pull themselves up from the depths as a team despite smaller numbers and no home pool. Senior captains Ryan Sullivan and Liam Pryor paved the way in drylands (pre-season cardio and core exercises), while diving headfirst into Adelphi University’s swimming pool, leading the team through 5:30 AM practice every Monday, Thursday, and Friday to practice technique and build skills

Despite high spirits, this season hit a rocky start GC’s word

first dual meet of the season with Herricks (12/02) concluded with a Trojan loss of 70-100 Meanwhile, a visit to Farmingdale at their new Aquatic Center (12/06) ended in Dalers' triumph Another blow to team morale came with the cancellation of a Cold Spring Harbor meet, which was never rescheduled. However, GC came back with a trip to Great Neck North (12/16). Down in the first half of the meet by 9 points, the Trojans took the lead in the 100 freestyle, with Ryan Sullivan (57 73) in 1st and John Crouchley (59.28) in 2nd, with James Haedrich (1:02 10) trailing close behind in 4th Up by one point, the Trojans would go on to take 1st in the 100 backstroke (Leo Strauss, 1:07.52) and the 100 breaststroke (John Crouchley, word

1:16 44), steaming ahead with a 5-point lead by the meet’s end. Misfortune would strike again, however, when Garden City ended December with one more dual meet at Plainview (12/22), losing 43-54

Over the Christmas break, the team met every day at the Hofstra Swim Center, perfecting flip turns and (nearly) mastering strokes When January arrived, the Swim team emerged in a much stronger condition than they had entered the season in, and they bore the fruits of their labors at the meets They managed to secure many victories and ended the season with much more success than they started with. The school community is very proud of the swim team’s perseverance and achievements

The Battle of the Classes

By Elaine Wang

Between the freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors of GCHS, who has the most school spirit? The week of February 13-17 was certainly an exciting one, as it marked the first “Battle of the Classes”, a friendly and exciting competition between the classes of ‘26, ‘25, ‘24, and ‘23. This year’s theme was “Trojan Pride” Throughout the week, a series of events were held, with points assigned to each class depending on their performance Festivities first kicked off with mural painting, during which artists from each grade gathered after school to design and create posters fitting the theme From Tuesday through Thursday, each grade held a class bake sale, in which students worked together inventively to sell the most food; the juniors even set up a system rewarding buyers with a chance to spin a wheel and win rewards, including gift cards The seniors scored a narrow victory by impressively raising just under $1800, though the juniors and sophomores were close behind. The class of ‘26 came last with slightly less than $300 The competition ensured students from every word

grade had fun and enjoyed delicious treats throughout the week, and hyped up excitement for Friday’s grand climax: the “Battle of the Classes”. All class periods on February 17 were shortened to make room for the hour-long finale, and students from each class showed off their spirit by wearing their class color: white for freshmen, maroon for sophomores, blue for juniors, and black for seniors. With the gymnasium full of energy and anticipation after 9th period, the contests commenced with a classic game of musical chairs Teachers representing each grade also participated, and there were plenty of unexpected twists until the sophomores finally took the win In the hula hoop relay, over a dozen participants from each grade lined up and passed a hoop down the line, which the juniors completed first. Next was the leapfrog event, which the sophomores won, despite initially lagging behind. In the 3-legged race, pairs of students tied a leg together and raced in a relay. The heat was on in the plunger scooter relay, and there was a hint of scandal when the word

declared winner was disputed: though the seniors didn’t finish first, they were declared first place In the penultimate event, over a dozen students from each grade huddled up while their classmates ran around them with a roll of toilet paper to wrap them together With excellent strategy and coordination, the seniors easily won The day ended with an intense game of knockout, and though the seniors put up a good fight, the sophomores eventually took home the win. In the end, the seniors claimed a sweeping win with 42 points! The sophomores scored 31, the juniors scored 22, and the freshmen scored 3 Only time will tell who will win next year. Congratulations to the Class of 2023!

The poster made to advertise the event Courtesy of @acegchs on twitter com

And All That Jazz: Chicago the Musical at GCHS!

By Erin Lloyd

Chicago, set in the 1920s, portrays life in the lively, jazz-filled streets of Chicago Here, two rival murderesses are incarcerated after committing considerable crimes Chorus girl Roxie Hart murders her secret lover, Fred Casely, in cold blood. She is then able to convince her clueless husband, Amos, that Fred was an unwanted intruder – that is, until the police reveal to him that she did in fact know the victim While in jail, she meets nightclub star Velma Kelly, who, after finding her husband in bed with her sister, shoots and kills both. Velma then seeks out the help of Mama Morton, who presides over the jail, and lawyer Billy Flynn, who help turn Roxie and Velma’s unfortunate imprisonments into an eye-catching media trap. As a whole, the play takes the audience through a vivid depiction of 1920s controversy and scandal

Although I've never been one for theater, I have found my experience in the pit both an exciting and compelling experience. In the previous year, I participated in the production of Cinderella, which was my first involvement rddd

in our school's play. One of the most significant experiences, for me, was seeing how the music we rehearsed complimented the scenes that the actors performed. Among that, I saw how the stage crew, the pit, and the cast all fit together to create an unforgettable performance.

For Chicago, I've had some similar learning experiences As a member of the orchestra, it is a rarity for me to perform music with the band, and since Chicago is a very jazz-heavy script, I get to see first-hand the different band instruments. Some of my favorite songs, like Cell Block Tango and Mr Cellophane, consist of changing key and time signatures, as well as rhythms that make it more interesting to perform Moreover, I've had to build up the confidence to shift my mindset from performing in a full orchestra to practically a soloist position Aside from the music, spending time with other individuals who enjoy playing makes the experience more memorable. It gives me a more in-depth perspective of the theater world and continues to shape my musical growth.

Courtesy of Elaine Wang

Courtesy of Emma Rathgeber

Images Courtesy of Josephine Yin, Debbie Lieu, Emma Rathgeber, Elaine Wang

Team Dunleavy Takes the Intramural Quiz Bowl Title For the Second Year in a Row

By Emma Rathgeber

After school on Tuesday, February 14th, the Intramural Quiz Bowl Finals were held in the GCHS library Many spectators arrived to witness the intense showdown between Teams Dunleavy, Harrison, and Rebolini. After a nail-biting one hundred fifty questions, Mr Dunleavy and his team of juniors, consisting of Ana Gaztañaga, Maria Gaztañaga, and Tara Murphy, managed to secure the win. However, it was no short road to victory for the quartet.

The first round of the tournament took place on January 31st. Like the two other seeding rounds, the tournament’s fifteen teams were broken up into groups of three. Each group of teams competed in their own room, where they took turns answering a total of one hundred general knowledge questions. By the end of Round 1, Team Slater found itself in first place with a total of 390 points. Not far behind were Teams Dunleavy and McAuley, who secured 380 and 340 points, respectively.

Tensions were high the next week in Room 140, as first- and word

second- place Teams Slater and Dunleavy faced each other in Round 2. Team Dunleavy flexed their strength as a trivia powerhouse by taking 370 points that round, while Team Slater was left with only 270 points and Team Hager with 130 Meanwhile, Teams Harrison, Rebolini, Durkin, and McAuley put up the highest scores in their rooms What’s more, Teams Durkin and McAuley each earned a round total of 420 points, which proved to be this year’s highest single-round score in the seeding rounds

The Round 3 matchups gave us all déjà vu, as last year’s championship lineup faced each other once more. Teams Dunleavy, McAuley, and Rebolini played a very close game in Room 136, but, just like last year, Team Dunleavy narrowly edged out the other two with the highest score. However, it was Team Slater who scored the most points that round with a total of 380. At the end of Round 3, Team Dunleavy and Team McAuley were tied for first place, each with a third-round total score of word

1,070 Due to Team Dunleavy’s higher score in their match against Team McAuley, however, they secured the top spot. Following close behind was Team Slater in third and Team Harrison in fourth Teams Durkin, Quigley, and Esposito found themselves in a tie as well, each with a third-round score of 860. To determine these teams’ rankings, which would subsequently determine the teams they would each face in the semifinals, they competed in a fifteen-question faceoff right before the semis. After the quick round, their rooms were decided: Teams Durkin and Quigley would play against Team Dunleavy, while Team Esposito would play against Teams McAuley and Rebolini

Even though Team Esposito technically lost in the brief faceoff, the team members planned for this to happen. Interestingly enough, the team intentionally got questions wrong to better their chances of advancing to the finals By putting up the lowest score in the fifteen-round faceoff, Team Esposito landed in the worddddd

semifinals room with the second- and fifth-place teams, saving themselves from having to face the first-place team just yet.

While Team Esposito’s strategy was clever, they were no match for Team Rebolini, who delivered a shocking upset by defeating both Team Esposito and second-place Team McAuley. A similar situation occurred in Room 138, where Team Harrison defeated Team Slater by one question in the tiebreaker round Team Dunleavy, however, blew Teams Durkin and Quigley out of the water in their semifinals room With the second- and third-place teams out of the competition, the semifinals proved to be filled with surprises. Finally, after four hundred questions across the four rounds of competition, Teams Dunleavy, Rebolini, and Harrison punched their tickets to the finals.

On Valentine’s Day, the final three teams congregated in the library after ninth period. Spectators took their seats, and Mr O’Hagan stood at the podium. Through a random selection, it was decided that the first question would go to Team Dunleavy. The returning champs set the tone by nailing the first question and their wordd

resulting bonus question. However, Teams Rebolini and Harrison quickly responded by answering each of their question pairs correctly as well From there, the teams seemed to be evenly matched. The game continued, and the teams faced a myriad of questions ranging from bird anatomy to English cuisine Team Rebolini crushed the Shakespeare questions, as expected, but none of the three teachers were prepared for the Taylor Swift trivia thrown at them during the teachers-only set of questions. After an impressive first half, it was clear that Teams Dunleavy and Rebolini had pulled away: they each had 28 points, while Team Harrison had only 14

A short break after the seventy-fifth question gave the teams a chance to regroup Snacks and drinks were served to alleviate the ever-mounting stress of this final matchup When the game resumed, teams were immediately thrown back into action with the “Lightning Round.” In this finals classic, the students from each team had a minute to answer ten questions from a specific category This year’s Lightning Round focused on words with double letters. First up was Team Harrison, who correctly answered seven out of ten wordd

questions from the category “Double ‘R’” Next was Team Rebolini, who chose “Double ‘P’” and put up the highest Lightning Round score with nine correct answers. Finally, Team Dunleavy was left with “Double ‘G’”, but still managed to tie with Team Harrison by providing seven correct answers

After the Lightning Round, normal gameplay returned Teams had to answer music questions, drawing on their knowledge of TV show theme songs, reggae, and Lizzo. Mr. O’Hagan was also sure to throw in a handful of math problems, including geometrical proportions and imaginary numbers Just as Mr Rebolini aced the Shakespeare trivia earlier, physics teacher Mr Harrison secured easy points for his team when asked about SI units

Before anyone knew it, the one-hundred-fiftieth question had arrived: The Fifteen-Point Turnaround. Teams Dunleavy and Rebolini were still neckand-neck, Team Dunleavy with 50 points and Team Rebolini with 48. Mr. Harrison and his teammates were still in it, though, with 39 points. For the final question, teams could wager any number of points from zero to fifteen. After Mr. word

O’Hagan announced the final category to be “Infamous History,” the teams discussed their wagers. Mr. O’Hagan walked up to the tables to confirm each team’s bet, then returned to his podium to read the final question. While some teams took a second to think, others immediately began writing their answer In the end, each team came up with the correct response. But the final word

outcome depended on how many points each team wagered Teams Rebolini and Harrison each bet the maximum of fifteen points, ending with 63 and 54 points, respectively Team Dunleavy, however, bet fourteen points. After adding that to their previous total, they ended the game with 64 points – and that sealed the deal Team Dunleavy defeated Team Rebolini by one point and wordd

secured the victory. After a well-deserved celebration, team members Ana, Maria, Tara, and Mr. Dunleavy gathered around the Intramural Quiz Bowl banner for a photo In the middle, Maria held the IQB Champions plaque, which will soon have their names engraved on it for the second year in a row

Congratulations, Team Dunleavy!

Team Dunleavy poses for a picture after securing a victory in the Intramural Quiz Bowl championship. From left to right: Ana Gaztañaga, Tara Murphy, Maria Gaztañaga, Mr Dunleavy Courtesy of twitter com

A Talk with the Quiz Bowl Champions

By Emma Rathgeber and Elaine Wang gave

Recently, we had a chance to sit down and have a talk with the student members of Team Dunleavy, who won it all at the Intramural Quiz Bowl tournament this year Take a look:

Q: Do you have a team name?

A: Tara: Our team name is “The Inconceivables.” Last year we were talking about The Princess Bride after we encountered a quiz bowl question about it Coincidentally, Dunleavy suggested this name since it’s a famous quote from the movie.

Q: How long have you guys been a part of quiz bowl? How did you get started, and what attracted you to the club?

A: Tara: Two years. I was inspired to join by my love of Jeopardy!, which I watch all the time Ana: Every time we hung out, we would always play a trivia game, such as Trivial Pursuit or Jeopardy!, and it became sort of a tradition for us.

Q: Winning the competition was obviously memorable for you guys, but was there another moment from this year’s competition that stands out to you?

A: Ana: It was always funny when the teachers were asked pop culture questions during the “teachers only” set of questions When asked about Taylor Swift’s latest album, Midnights, I was genuinely surprised that Mr Dunleavy was the only teacher that could actually name a Taylor Swift album when he answered Red. It may not have been the answer, but it definitely word

us a good laugh!

Q: Quiz bowl is all about combining your knowledge to cover as much information as possible. Do you guys each have certain strengths that you bring to the table?

A: Ana: Tara has a vast knowledge of the most random facts due to her love for Jeopardy! and learning in general. She is also extremely knowledgeable on topics such as history and geography Maria and I have a good understanding of more internationally-inclined questions since we travel often and learn a lot from the various cultures we’ve encountered. Maria is also very knowledgeable on topics centering around music and pop culture I like keeping up with the news and current events which helped answer some of the questions related to that field

Q: Was there any team that gave you a run for your money?

A: Tara: All of the teams we went against were good competition.

Q: Any advice for students who would like to join quiz bowl?

A: Tara: Don’t focus on studying and memorizing facts. Focus on exploring your interests and having fun

Ana: Rather than striving for the win, focus on having fun and creating a strong friendship with your teammates that goes beyond the competition. For us, the true win was the experience itself and having fun.

Q: Other than Intramural Quiz Bowl, are you guys a part of any other activities in or out of school?

A: Ana: I have been part of the school’s fencing team for three years The experience every year is amazing. The group of people are all so great and willing to help other fencers advance and learn The captains, which I had the honor of being this and next year, are also very attentive of the team’s needs and are always pushing the team to do their best while furthering our athletic abilities. I’m also part of the ECHO club and love writing and editing articles concerning school news, current events, book/movie reviews, and much more.

Maria: I’m also a member of ECHO, the school newspaper, and I play on the school’s golf team. I’ve done both for three years.

Q: It’s clear that you guys have a vast collection of knowledge, but do you know what area of study you want to focus on for college?

Tara: Definitely something related to history and/or the humanities

Ana: Major in architecture and minor in civil word

engineering. I’ve always found drawing and sketching as a form of relaxation and have always loved math as well. The study of architecture not only brings together these subjects, but also incorporates my interest in other cultures and traditions as well.

Maria: I’m looking to study business in the future

Q: Favorite book?

A: Tara: I love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Ana: The Outsiders and Catcher in the Rye. They’re great coming-to-age books that every teen can relate on some sort of level. My guilty pleasure, though, is probably the Harry Potter series!

Maria: Lovely War is a great one.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: Tara: It’s a Wonderful Life.

Ana: The Princess Bride. It’s such a classic with a nice blend of humor and the fantasy world. I could watch it over and over with my family and friends and never get tired of it!

Maria: My favorite has to be La La Land

Wuthering Heights

By Maria Santos

If you’re looking for a feelgood romantic read, Wuthering Heights will thoroughly disappoint I’d heard that Wuthering Heights was a timeless classic and when I struggled to trudge through it, I questioned why I was unable to appreciate this literary masterpiece I realized that one cannot read this novel through the lens of romance and love but rather recognize the deep-rooted themes of abuse, revenge, and destructive love.

The story follows two starcrossed lovers, Heathcliff and Catherine. Catherine comes from the respectable and wealthy Earnshaws, who adopt Heatchliff, an orphan. Both Catherine and Mr. Earnshaw adore Heathcliff, and favor him over their own flesh and blood, Hindley As Heathcliff and Catherine become more infatuated with one another, Hindley’s resentment for Heathcliff grows. Hindley begins to rain down hell upon Heathcliff, treating him like a servant and physically and mentally abusing him Silently and passively, Heathcliff wordd

accepts this ill-treatment Heathcliff endures further trauma when Catherine abandons him to climb the social ladder by marrying Edgar Linton. Heathcliff runs away and returns years later as a prominent, wealthy man, capable of seeking revenge. He redirects the cruelty and abuse he suffered as a child to inflict pain and suffering upon Hindley until his dying breath. The abuse doesn’t stop there, however Heathcliff becomes increasingly more sinister, abusing his own wife and child. By the end of the novel, it was impossible to sympathize with Heathcliff as he became the very thing he loathed: the villain. Bronte uses Heathcliff’s devolution from the victim to the villian to shed light on the harsh reality of intrafamilial abuse, common at the time she wrote the novel

By the same token, Bronte uses Heathcliff and Catherine’s destructive love to suggest that healthy relationships require change and compromise Catherine’s wordd

choice to marry Edgar ultimately leads to her demise since she is unable to fully accept her new role as a dutiful wife due to her lingering love for Heathcliff. Throughout her marriage she longs to return to her childhood, refusing to adapt to life without Heathcliff Heathcliff, unable to move on from Catherine, “dies” when she does since their “souls” were intertwined. He thus continues his life in unrelenting misery, projecting his unhappiness onto everyone around him

To further emphasize the need for change in relationships, Bronte introduces two new characters: Catherine, Catherine’s daughter, and Hareton, Hindley’s son, whose love prevails in the end of the novel Heathcliff raises Hareton as an uneducated servant to fulfill his desire for revenge Ironically, he treats Hareton the same way Hindley treated Heathcliff, yet Hareton, unlike Heathcliff, gets the girl. Hareton’s desire to improve word

himself and become educated eventually led Catherine to accept and love him Their marriage demonstrates the necessity of growth and change in relationships

In the end, I can’t say Wuthering Heights was an enjoyable read I wanted to read a nice love story and instead read a dark, gothic novel exploring serious issues still word

present in modern-day society. If you choose to read this novel, just remember: this is NOT a romance!

Courtesy of bbc com

Avatar: The Way of the Water

By Sarah Chen and Yuchen Fan

The second movie in the Avatar series, Avatar: The Way of Water, was released December of 2022 The film follows Jake Sully and his family as they explore the fantastical world of Pandora Fifteen years have passed since the humans were defeated and driven out, but humans have arrived on Pandora once again to resume their attempt at colonization.

The story continues with Miles Quaritch, the main antagonist, returning to Pandora in the form of Avatar. The human invasion triggers protagonist Jake Sully to seek protection for the rest of the clan and leads him to move to the village of Awa’atlu with his family They must overcome innate challenges to adapt to the oceanic environment and start a new life far away from home The movie revolves around one major theme: family.

Kiri is an inquisitive fourteen year old who lives with Sully’s family after the death of her mother, Grace Augustine Although adopted, she is treated as their real family. Her connection to the water raises word

questions about her biological father’s identity, which is kept a mystery throughout the movie.

A sudden accident involving Sully’s eldest son, Neteyam, forces the younger son, Lo’ak, to take action He grows up instantly, no longer the childish boy who always gets into trouble and forces Neteyam to take the blame. At that moment, he needs to save his sisters, protect his family, and make his father proud.

Spider, a human boy, is Sully’s best friend. Towards the end of the story, Spider is torn between whether or not to save his dying biological father, Quaritch, who aimed to take over Pandora His final decision of mercy changes the stalemate situation between the father and the son Quaritch wants to gain Spider back, but it is not easy for Spider to erase the memories with Sully’s family. Still, the biological connection and his father’s kindness are enough for Spider to save Quaritch, but he refuses to join Quaritch’s force due to all of the years spent without his father.

Different family dynamics are explored in the newest installment of the Avatar series. Most notably, the film demonstrates the power of family to provide characters with hope and courage

However, family also proves to be a weakness In some instances, it offers a reason to give in to the enemies, as portrayed in Spider’s moral struggle to save Quaritch.

This film was released more than a decade later than the original, and the production is believed to have cost four hundred sixty million dollars Director Jame Cameron insisted on filming the underwater scenes in actual water rather than using CGI, while simultaneously utilizing motion-capture technology to project the actors’ precise motions onto the Na’vi characters. His vision was one unprecedented in film history. Nonetheless, a 900,000-gallon tank was built for filming and actors had to learn to hold their breath for minutes on end The result was a stunning picture that blends fiction with reality.

Ready Player One

By Julia D'Aloisio

How will the world appear in 2044? Earnest Cline attempts to answer this question in his New York Times bestselling dystopian Ready Player One Cline’s novel follows the life of Wade Watts, a young teenage boy living in “the stacks” (a condensed trailer park of vertically stacked trailers) Although he lived most of his early years in the “real world,” after the introduction of the OASIS, “a globally networked virtual reality,” his life never looked the same. After being granted a school issued OASIS to attend classes, he spent most of his days hooked into the OASIS, scouring the internet for clues to solve James Halliday’s quest. At the outset of the novel, Halliday, the creator of the OASIS, has recently died, leaving no heirs to inherit the wealth generated from the OASIS His quest: solve a series of puzzles in order to reach an elusive Easter egg hidden deep within the OASIS. And after hearing of this quest, Wade, living in poverty in his aunt’s trailer, embarks on a journey to reach the egg.

From the novel's conception, Cline masterfully develops the plot By providing context of Wade’s world through the use of dialogue and descriptive accounts of Halliday’s past, one becomes immersed in the world Cline creates Along with impressive world building, Cline’s writing style also drives the plot forward. With each new idea introduced, the pace becomes more thrilling, quickly turning the novel into a page-turner Cline's immersive writing style allows one to feel as if they are right alongside Wade, gathering clues, uncovering mysteries, and solving Halliday’s quest Furthermore, the word

inclusion of subplots serves to extend this pace while exploring the themes of friendship, love, and loyalty. Cline has also packed references to the time in which Halliday grew up - the ‘80s.

Anyone who read the Harry Potter series or enjoyed The Matrix is sure to appreciate Ready Player One. With its rich themes of nostalgia, identity, reality vs illusion, and corporate power, Cline’s novel is an engaging page-turner with mysteries to discover at every corner 100% recommend

Courtesy of Amazon.com