OP/ED: Insights from Falk

Each of us must ‘do what we can’

Last month was pretty rough for a lot of students. I was contacting students who had been in close contact with someone who had tested positive for the coronavirus. Most of the students I met with had been vaccinated, so for them, it was a matter of checking to see that they had no symptoms and then sending them back to class. However, there were some students who had not been vaccinated, and in those cases, I was giving students the tough news that they would need to leave school and be quarantined for 14 days. In one case, I was sending a student home who had only recently returned to school from being quarantined because of a different close contact.

As an administrator, those are some of the hardest conversations I’ve had. Telling a kid who wants to be here, who has not broken any rules, that he can’t come to school. After the meeting in my office, as I was walking him out to the front office, I told the student, “Sorry about this.”

And do you know what he said? He said, “Mr. Falk, we do what we can.”

Here’s a student I’ve just told that he is being quarantined for the second time, and he’s being reassuring to me.

It was one of the highlights of my year and that young man’s words continue to provide me with inspiration.

And in this moment, I can think of no better advice to you than “Do what you can.” You don’t need me to tell you that things are pretty tough out there and the problems that we face can seem insurmountable. Global warming, cities in turmoil, staggering inflation, a staggering national debt and a pandemic that has killed almost 900,000 Americans. Each of these challenges are potentially calamitous and we can feel powerless as individuals to address them.

But all of us can do something. And in fact, you ARE doing things. I’ve watched you.

When you say “Good morning” to someone, you are making someone’s day better. When you pick up that extra paper boat off of the lunch table, you are making a janitor’s job easier. When you put on your mask and keep it on, you are protecting your classmates and the adults who are here to support you. When you participate in a spirit day, walk on the right side of the hallway, hug a friend, participate in the class discussion or let a staff member know that you know someone who needs help, you are making a contribution.

You are doing what you can.

I’ve written about this before and it’s worth repeating. Mountlake Terrace High School is the last place where you will be required to get along with an incredibly diverse group of people. From here, you will choose the groups of people you surround yourself with. You’ll have a choice of jobs and the people you are surrounded by at work. You’ll choose a

college in part by the people you’ll have as classmates. You’ll choose a life partner and a neighborhood. But you likely didn’t choose Mountlake Terrace High School and the diversity of people you are surrounded by here every day, and the fact that we all generally get along is a very hopeful sign. We are a school of multiple home languages and multiple religions. We have a range of political affiliations. We include the multitude of gender identities and economic backgrounds. We include students from traditional nuclear families and kids who are living on their own. Daniel Falk ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL The fact we have banned together to follow a set of rules designed to allow us to continue to attend school in the midst of this pandemic is pretty amazing. The fact that you can all eat in the same cafeteria and play the same games in PE are all hopeful signs that we can get along as a country. So, in my view, Mountlake Terrace High School is a pretty amazing place because you are making it amazing. Your job while you are here is to get along and do what you can. And the next time you are feeling overwhelmed by the world we live in, remember that you have the power to do something, even if it seems pretty small, to make a positive difference. H

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THE OCEAN IS A LAYER CAKE

The ocean is a vast and widely unexplored region, despite the fact that 71% of the Earth is covered in water. As to be expected, not every ocean is the same and within every single ocean is a multitude of different layers, caverns and zones to explore. The average depth of an ocean is about 12 thousand feet, with three identifiable “zones” as the waters run deeper and deeper.

The first zone, which is closest to the surface of the Earth, is known as the Epipelagic Zone, but has been nicknamed the “Sunlight Zone.” The Sunlight Zone is located from the surface of the ocean to about 656 feet deep. This zone is close enough to the surface that the sun illuminates the water and provides a sufficient amount of heat, which allows for a wide variety of common sea animals and plants to live and grow. The Epipelagic Zone is also where most recreational activities take place, such as swimming and fishing.

The Mesopelagic Zone, also called the “Twilight Zone,” is the second deepest zone of the ocean, going as deep as about 3300 feet . This area contains some residual natural light from the first layer, but not much. The Mesopelagic Zone transfers high levels of carbon dioxide and traps it down within the third and final zone so that it cannot be re-released into the atmosphere. The animals in the Twilight Zone are a little more unique, as various species of bacteria like the zooplankton inhabit the zone, along with other creatures such as jellyfish.

The third and final zone, the Deep Ocean, is composed of three subdivisions: the Bathypelagic (Midnight), the Abyssopelagic (Abyss), and the Trenches. These divisions are split from the distance 6600 thousand feet below the surface to the ocean floor. The creatures that reside on all of these levels are bioluminescent, meaning they are able to make their own light, but not a large amount. Because of the dark nature of the Deep Ocean, their eyes have adapted, which has allowed them to be able to detect the presence of those around them.

The first layer of the Deep Ocean, the Bathypelagic layer, is where the temperature is typically 39 degrees fahrenheit. The animals living there have to rely on other creatures for food as plants aren’t able to grow. Animals like squid and small fish can withstand the pressure of the Bathypelagic layer, and either use the area for hunting or travel down to the ocean floor.

The second layer of the Deep Ocean is the Abyssopelagic layer, taking its name after the word “abyss” because when first discovered, it was believed that the ocean was bottomless and never ended. We now know that this is not the case, but we may be proven otherwise later. There is little to no life in this area, as the pressure is too high and the temperature never reaches above freezing.

The Hadalpelagic layer, nicknamed the Trenches, is the last layer of the Deep Ocean. This makes the Hadalpelagic layer the deepest part of the ocean, mostly full of caverns and canyons. One of the only animals to be seen in this layer is abyssobrotula galatheae, a type of eel.

Rachel Davis OP-ED EDITOR

The deep waters of the ocean are vastly unexplored, bustling with life that has yet to be discovered. Currently, we have an issue with being humans and we are unable to withstand the high pressures at the bottom of the sea.

To explore the sea further, we need to find a way to not get squished like a tomato can, and then maybe we can become friends with special eels. H

PHUONG LAM | HAWKEYE