New Feature: Student Spotlight Page 2
Student Op-Ed: Later Start Times Page 6
Thanksgiving Break Begins 11/27!
Homecoming Brings Competition and Unity Em Miller Copy Editor
Going along with Hillsdale traditions, hall decorating took place the week of homecoming.Though decorations only remained up for a day,
Congrats to the JV Girls Water Polo team on their undefeated season, and for claiming first place in the PAL standings! Final Exams start 12/17! Tuesday: 2nd period Wednesday: 3rd & 4th period Thursday: 5th & 6th period Friday: 1st and 7th period Winter Break Begins 12/23!
Do you have comments, feedback, letters to the editors, or want to buy an ad? Contact us at: thehillsdalescroll@gmail.com
Crossword and Polls! Page 8
Website: www.hillsdalescroll.org
November 26th, 2019
News In Brief
Student Corner: Spooky Looks! Page 4 & 5
A clever poster in the decorated hall Photo Credit: Christine Lee their presence still brought the halls alive. Students got together on Sunday, November 3, to design their decadeappropriate decor and put it up. Freshmen looked to the 1960s and filled their hallway with good vibes and flower power. Sophomores went all out with a 1950s diner, complete with records with every student’s name. The 1970s aesthetic was taken care of by the juniors, whose hall infected everyone with disco fever. And finally, the seniors brought back the 1980s, complete with PacMan and Tetris. Then came the judges, looking for the class who decorated their hallway with the
most accurate to the decade and theme. Freshmen came out on top, then juniors, seniors, and finally the sophomores. However, one could easily say the classes were fairly evenly matched, and each hallway went above and beyond. That Friday was the second rally of the year, homecoming. While the school continued with the two separate rally periods, each one was extremely lively. The introductory video was wellexecuted with a fun video involving time travel. However, the main event was the Super Dance, which combines the cheer and dance teams into one, extra long performance. As freshman A clever poster in the decorated hall Christian White said, “I thought Photo Credit: Anya Lance-Chacko the dances were well thought out and interesting and represented the school in a great way.” Then came a relay race, where each class had a team of four dressed in football pads and a helmet. Footballs in hand, the students ran between cones, through hula hoops, and had to keep going as they were hit with pads. Once they got through those, they had to throw the ball down the rest of the basketball court to be caught by a football player. They retrieved the ball, ran back, and passed on the pads and helmet to the next Funny decorations in the hall person. With each class being Photo Credit: Anya Lance-Chacko more competitive than the last, the Schmier. Despite the loss of the seniors, atmosphere was overwhelming as every grade level cheered on their teammates. their morale was quickly raised with the Unfortunately, the screaming announcement of the homecoming court contest only occurred in the second rally, nominees, each of which received a lei and the results were surprising, to say in the first rally, and a rose in the second. Overall, the 2019 Homecoming the least. “I’m very disappointed that the Rally was a fun 40 minutes of competition juniors have won for the second time in and unity, which led to a great game that night. a row, even though the seniors were so loud,” explained a saddened senior, Natalie
Football Makes Win After Win
Anya Lance-Chacko Editor in Chief This year’s football season has come to a close, but it’s not without tremendous victories. 2019 has been incredibly successful for The Fighting Knights. Throughout the years Hillsdale’s team has grown, and Mr. Canda, a current counselor and former member of the team explained, “Hillsdale football was a powerhouse since the school opened. We’ve won several CCS or equivalent championships and even had multiple undefeated teams.” This season followed in that tradition, with Hillsdale beating Aragon 42-7. Senior Celine Kim described the game: “It was cold outside, but I wasn’t feeling cold because the Hillsdale energy was burning within me!” Hillsdale lost to Aragon three years in a row until they beat Aragon last year by a close margin of 14-13, rocketing the team into a year of triumph. Unfortunately, this year hasn’t
been quite as great for Aragon, which went 1-9 this season. Aragon lost to Burlingame 41-0 and forfeited to MenloAtherton, a reigning state champion. Hillsdale’s Knights, however, keep fighting. On November 16th the Central Coast Section began the playoffs, and Hillsdale took down Soquel in the first round of the Division IV bracket, defeating them 10-0. Coach Parodi explained, “The key was our outstanding defense! They did a great job of shutting down their offense through all 4 quarters. This allowed us to control the clock with our offense and eventually kick the field goal and then score the clinching touchdown.” On Friday, November 22nd, Hillsdale played Milpitas, the number one-ranked team, in a semifinal game and lost by a very close margin, 14-13. Despite the final outcome, Hillsdale played a remarkable season, finishing 8-4, all thanks to the team, it’s coaches and Hillsdale’s unwavering spirit. Coach
Parodi had high praise for the team: “Our biggest strength is the character of our team members. They care about each other and they care about the game of football. They sacrificed many hours to get us to this point. The difference is internal - in each one of these kids... Their commitment, attitude, and they are pretty good athletes too! This is a special group of kids and I do not say that because of their record... I say it because of who they are in their day to day lives.” As Mr. Canda put it, “Alumni and former players from my era and before me are proud of the work of Coach Parodi, his staff and his players. Coach Parodi and his teams have been more consistent in being competitive and making CCS more often. He and his staff have changed the culture and ...has brought back important values that happen to result in winning. I’m hoping his tenure marks the turning point when Hillsdale returned to dominance.” Because of Hillsdale’s hard work, this season was undoubtedly a successful one that will be long-remembered.
November 26th, 2019
Natasha Patel Staff Writer
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World News World News
Website: www.hillsdalescroll.org
Nationals Win World Series 2019
This year, the two teams that competed in the Major League Baseball World Series were the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros. The teams were determined in the ALCS (American League Championship Series) and the NLCS (National League Championship Series). The Nationals beat the Saint Louis Cardinals, and the Astros beat the New York Yankees, and thus got to take part in the 2019 World Series. The Nationals’ pitching staff is one of the main reasons for their success. They are led mainly by Max Scherzer, a power pitcher with a low three-quarter-arm delivery, who has achieved many strikeout records. Their offense has dominated the National League pitching with heavy hitters. One of the outfielders, Adam Eaton, also proved
Brooke Vaysberg Staff Writer ISIS is a terrorist organization that is aiming to create an Islamic State and pushing people to convert to their religion. They do this in a very harmful way. CNN states, “ISIS is known for killing dozens of people at a time and carrying out public executions, crucifixions, and other acts.” The United States has been hunting them down, so they have been forced to withdraw from some of their territories. As of October
to be a big help in the seventh game. Their late-game heroics led the Nationals to defeat the Saint Louis Cardinals in the NLDS. The Astros also have a powerful and phenomenal pitching staff. They have some of the best pitchers in The ALCS, such as Justin Verlander. They are also skilled in other aspects of baseball. According to mlb. com, the Astros have “the best offense and pitching in baseball -- and they know it.” This season, however, they became very agitated, due to their losses in the world series in previous years. Some believe that they will let go of this anger, and others argue that it will affect their game play in the field. The first game of the World Series had an extremely close score. The Nationals pulled through and won, with a final score of 5-4. They also won the second game, which took place in Houston. The Nationals
crushed the Astros due to their success in the sixth inning, where they made six runs. The Astros responded by winning the next two matches in front of the Nationals home crowd. Game four was a crushing defeat for the Nationals, 8-1. In game five, the Astros made one run in the seventh inning and none for the remainder of the game. This is because of their frustration from the previous games, and the replacement pitcher due to Max Scherzer’s injury. The Nationals, however, scored a total of seven runs, taking the lead in the series 3-2. With the teams tied with three wins and three losses, game six included some tight calls. The Nationals won with a final score of 7-2. The seventh and final game was full of drama for both teams. The Astros struck first, scoring the first two runs of the game. The Nationals responded with numerous
home runs coming from the red hot bats of Anthony Rendon and Howie Kendrick in the seventh inning. In the eighth inning, Juan Soto scored the fourth run for the Nationals by knocking in Adam Eaton with a single to right field. In the top of the ninth, Adam Eaton smashed a single into center field, bringing Victor Robles and Yan Gomes home, totaling the score to 6-2. The Nationals brought in Daniel Hudson to close out the ninth and with two outs and Michael Brantley at the plate, Daniel Hudson did what no other Nationals pitcher has done before him, and closed out a World Series game and brought the championship title home to Washington. The Nationals, with four wins and three losses, won the 2019 MLB World Series.
said, “‘His death marks a devastating blow for the remnants of ISIS.’” The New York Times states that before the raid, American allies and a Kurdish force had stolen Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s underwear so they were able to confirm his identity and make sure they were tracking the right person. Even though it looks like the Kurds and Americans were a huge help in tracking Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, President Trump still decided to pull American troops out of Syria, which upset the Syrians. This
left Syria at the risk of getting invaded by Turkey and disappointed that what the states had promised, being on the winning side of the battle against ISIS, would turn out to be harder with the United States not being associated with them. Although it is a step forward that the leader was defeated, the fight against ISIS is not over, and will not be for quite a long time, however, this is a start and a great accomplishment.
ISIS Leader Hunted Down 26th, the United States Military was able to hunt down and find the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Northwestern Syria. According to CBS, the Kurds had tracked him down for five months knowing all his hideouts, where the guards are, and locations of his tunnels. During the assault, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi got stuck at a dead-end tunnel and set off an explosive vest killing himself and the three children with him, along with the undercover dogs sent to find him. On CBS, Mark Esper, Acting Defense Secretary
California Wildfires Continue to Blaze
Emily Duncan, Leil Cheng, and Pooja Agarwal Staff Writers
Throughout October and into November, California has been terrorized by devastating wildfires. According to The Los Angeles Times, one in four Californians are at risk of being affected by these blazes. Wildfires are a growing issue, and their primary cause is the rapidly heating planet. Although PG&E has implemented power outages in order to protect homes from potentially igniting a blaze, these outages have caused many local difficulties. Over 90,000 acres of land in Southern California have been incinerated due to the Kincade Fire, the Maria Fire, and several others. According to the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), fall is the most dangerous season for such fires, and seven out of ten of California’s most devastating wildfires began in the month of October. When small brush fires are sparked, strong winds traveling towards the coast, such as the Santa Ana gusts, may cause the rapid spread of these small fires and cause them to develop into the destructive infernos currently threatening the state. Many of the ecosystems in California have evolved to survive infrequent wildfires, such as the redwood forests of Northern California, which have developed thick back containing tannin, making them more resistant to fire, or the Southern California chaparral, which has adapted to regenerate rapidly following a fire. However, these wildfires have been steadily increasing in both magnitude and intensity since 2000, at a rate beyond ecosystem’s capabilities. One of the main reasons that these wildfires are increasing is the planet’s everincreasing global temperatures . According to the Center for Climate and Energy
Solutions, the average fire season is now 78 days longer, and wildfires now burn twice as long as they did in 1970. There are many factors that lead to the creation and spread of these flames, including the temperature, soil moisture, presence of trees and shrubs, and earlier snowmelt, and all of these factors are directly related to climate change. For example, California
some precautions to prevent the creation of more wildfires were taken by PG&E. The power has been shut off of over one million people’s homes in California due to predicted winds of over 70 miles per hour, which would allow fires to spread rapidly. High winds could also potentially knock trees into power lines, creating sparks that the wind then turns into wildfires. In
People evacuate as their homes blaze around them Photo Credit: CBS News has notably warmed by around 1.7 degrees Celsius over the past century. This, in turn, means hotter air and drier vegetation. Drier plants and shrubs are known to burn more easily. Projections have shown that an annual increase in temperature of one degree Celsius may raise the median area burned by 600%. An increase in the intensity of greenhouse gases and the severity of global warming will cause a mirroring increase in the spread and intensity of these wildfires. In the wake of these dangers,
theory, these blackouts were effective, as fires that could have been started weren’t. However, the power outages caused a lot of disturbance in the lives of Californian citizens. According to The Los Angeles Times, people panicked attempting to obtain the supplies they needed to live without power, which resulted in shelves being completely cleared of resources. When the power eventually came back on, grocery stores were mobbed with swarms of resource-deprived customers. Additionally,
PG&E did not successfully communicate the information, as many people were told they would not be affected, and then were. The Peninsula Daily Journal stated that PG&E led people to believe that power would return on Monday the 28th, while it actually returned for many people several days later. Additionally, according to NBC News, the blackouts cost the local economy over $2 billion. For instance, food in grocery stores, restaurants, and homes rotted without power to keep it fresh, and all of the money spent on it was wasted. Local businesses struggled to keep up financially after losing several days of business. Governor Gavin Newsom suggested that PG&E reimburse customers who lost money in the process of losing power. He recommended to the PG&E president that they pay $100 worth of credits to each household, and $250 to each business. Although President Bill Johnson agreed with the governor’s suggestion, no action has been taken. PG&E is currently struggling financially due to the hundreds of lawsuits where they are being sued for the creation of previous wildfires, including the devastating Camp Fire that took the lives of 85 people back in November of 2018. These new lawsuits may push them over the edge. Amid all the chaos and confusion, there is one thing we can know for sureclimate change is slowly burning up California, and based on recent trends, these wildfires are only going to become more frequent and more dangerous. The wildfires terrorizing this state are a manifestation of the growing threat of global warming, and a warning of the destruction that will follow if we cannot save our planet.
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School News School News
thehillsdalescroll@gmail.com
November 26th, 2019
Website: www.hillsdalescroll.org
November 26th, 2019
Advice from Papaya & Cherry
Student Corner: Hillsdale’s Halloween Spooky (and not so spooky) Looks Nicole Kaye Valenzuela Senior Staff Writer
Mr. Springman, Kyoto 10 History Teacher Q: So who or what are dressed A cow from the heavens!
Nathalie Bruderer, sophomore in Oaxaca Aloha, Lilo & Stitch
Pablo Mota, sophomore in Florence A dinosaur rising from the dead?
Q: So who or what are you dressed as for Halloween today? A: I’m wearing a t-rex for Halloween because my friends were also dinosaurs and that kinda inspired me.
as for Halloween today? A: I am Lilo and have a Stitch plushie with me for my costume!
Q: So who or what are you dressed as for Halloween today? A: I’m a HOLY cow. So I have a cow onesie on and a halo.
Q: What inspired you to make or choose this costume? A: So basically I had to hurry up a little bit and since this is my first Halloween ever (since she lived in Switzerland!). I wanted to do something really simple. I am super excited to be Lilo!
Q: What inspired you to make or choose this costume? A: Every year, Kyoto teachers get together with a theme and this year we chose puns. So all the Kyoto teachers are puns and I’m a holy cow, Ms. Van Beek is a fork in the road, Ms.Witkop is an oh deer.
Q: What inspired you to make or choose this costume? A: It was a very funny one (idea) and I also wanted to chase my dog and cat around, but not in a mean way just a funny way! I also wanted to impress my friends.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about what you’re wearing, and something special you want to point out? A: My favorite thing is the Stitch plushie but it’s not mine it’s from a friend and I am just super happy she let me borrow it. One special thing? My shirt has pockets and it’s pretty helpful.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about what you’re wearing, and something special you want to point out? A: (My) favorite thing is that it’s comfortable and I didn’t have to make it I could just buy it. Something special? It’s cool that all the Kyoto teachers get together and do something.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about what you’re wearing, and something special you want to point out? A: Something special I want to point out is the mittens. I think everything about this costume is special.
Dear Cherry and Papaya, My AP classes are really hard! What can I do to help me through it? Sincerely, Addie Vance
Dear Addie Vance, Make sure you manage your time well, having an agenda can help you keep track of your work and make sure to go to office hours for help! Sincerely,
Papaya Dear Addie Vance, What did you think was going to happen? It’s basically a college class. Sincerely,
Jessica Yan, Junior in Jakarta Violet Evergarden: in, the present? Q: So who or what are you wearing for Halloween today? A: Violet Evergarden. Q: What inspired you to make or choose this costume? A: The show is one of my favorite shows, so I just had to man. And the fact that it looks hella nice. Q: What’s your favorite thing about what you’re wearing, and something special you want to point out? A: My favorite thing is the green pendant! And I want to point out that I look like a pirate.
On October 32nd (more commonly referred to as November 1st), 2019, Hillsdale’s Improv Team (The HIT Squad) put on their first Halloween-themed performance. The Little Theater stage was lined with miniature candles, with the stage lights kept dim, creating an eerie atmosphere. A pianist even provided the squad with spine-chilling entrance music. The show consisted of two acts where the HIT squad performed
short, comedic, and spooky impromptu scenes based on separate settings chosen by the audience. A returning audience member, Enzo Ferreira, junior, exclaimed, “I’m super excited because this is the second show that I’ve come to and I loved the last one. I’m just excited to be here.” The first act was set in a paranormal Alabama farm. It featured a cannibal couple from out of town, zombie cows which produced blood milk, robot girlfriends, businessmen,
Cherry
S p i r i t We e k , students and
Dear Cherry and Papaya, I got a new job! How can I make sure I save and spend my money wisely?
teachers alike
Sincerely, Bane Kerr
came together Oaxaca teachers costume theme: VSCO girlies (In picture from left to right: Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Zee, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Aha)
Mr. Stevens, Oaxaca 9th grade History teacher Q: So who or what are you dressed as for Halloween today? A: I’m a VSCO human I believe or VSCO girl.
the Oaxaca 9 teachers and (we were) brainstorming what would be something interesting to do. I don’t know how it happened but we started talking about VSCO girls and decided to do it.
Q: What inspired you to make or choose this costume? A: I am doing this along with all
Q: What’s your favorite thing about what you’re wearing, and something special you want to point out?
A: It’s unbelievably comfortable wearing (these) sandals. I have never worn jorts before and this is the first time I have ever worn them. It’s a very comfortable feeling and I don’t know, I may wear jorts to school from now on. And Birks? And birks.
Halloween Improv Show Was an Absolute HIT
Maddie Dixon and Andi Taylor Staff Writers
As a part of
and “Furry Girl,” a young woman who revealed she is half werewolf. Throughout the show, the audience got to see these characters interact, spreading a virus by drinking zombie cow blood, attending parties, and developing relationships. After a brief intermission, the show’s second act commenced, this time with an entirely different set of actors. The next few scenes took place in a candy store (as requested by the audience). The second act followed the rivalry between Dr. Peppermint, a candy store owner
planning to burn down his competitors’ shops. One of these competitors was a man who sold marzipan with a “special recipe,” which caused children to love his daughter and never want to leave his store. Most of the audience can agree that HIT’s 32nd of October show was a successful and entertaining performance. Both acts were mysterious, compelling, and comical with phenomenal acting from the squad members. Jamie Sloves, freshmen, commented,“I like how the story is sort of continuing; [each act]
is a bunch of different stories coming together, but it’s the same plot line.” Come see HIT’s next performance on November 21st to experience what all the San Mateo Union High School improv teams have in store during their “Gorilla!” competition.
to celebrate the spooky holiday Halloween with spooky, cute, and creative costumes!
Dear Bane Kerr, Make sure you put a portion of your income into a savings account for the future and think carefully about big purchases that you plan to make. Sincerely,
Papaya Dear Bane Kerr, Invest all of it in cryptocurrency!
Dear Cherry and Papaya, How do you make your crush like you? Sincerely, Crushed Dear Crushed, Try to hang out with them when you can, and learn about their interests so you can talk about it! Sincerely,
Papaya Dear Crushed, “Accidentally” lock the door behind you when you enter a room together.
Cherry
Dear Cherry and Papaya, How do you choose between a career you love and something that makes a sustainable amount of money? Sincerely, Confused Capitalist Dear Confused Capitalist, Do what you love and you never work a day in your life! Sincerely,
Papaya Dear Confused Capitalist, Money buys happiness, so make as much of it as you can. Sincerely,
Cherry
Sincerely,
Cherry The Improv team poses goofily Photo Credit: HIT’s improv coach Tynan
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November 26th, 2019
Op/Ed Op/Ed
thehillsdalescroll@gmail.com
Let’s Get Down to Business... But Not Saturdays
Em Miller Copy Editor Another year, another culminating project for seniors. This is only the second year of the Capstone Project, which requires the whole of the class of 2020 to take the skills they’ve gained since freshman year and apply them to one final task. This can be anything from a campus-wide service project to a detailed research report. However, the project is a year-long endeavor with many aspects, particularly during the planning phase, which needs
to be turned in along the way. As with any sort of assignment, sometimes it is not turned in on time. To combat this, the administration behind the Capstone has turned to Saturday intervention sessions. During these “interventions,” students who are behind or have missed a deadline simply come to school and work through the assignments together. As a current senior, though, I see many flaws with this plan, the most obvious being that as seniors, we are already extremely busy. Most of this stress comes from college apps, which
has a timeline which happens to coincide with the preparatory work for the capstone itself. And, let’s be honest, no senior needs the extra worry of a long-term project when they’re already dealing with college apps and whatever AP coursework they have. Students are also given short notice as to whether or not they need to attend. In the words of Nick Morro, a senior, “They tell you last minute, say it’s mandatory, and expect you to just clear your schedule.” While the reasoning for Saturday Interventions is understandable, that it gives students space and guidance they need to
finish their work, the fact of the matter is seniors are dealing with just too much as is. Saturday interventions take what little free time we have and force us to spend what would otherwise be time spent catching up on sleep or just relaxing after a stressful week. Relaxation is an important factor in combatting stress and maintaining good mental health. While I understand the value in forcing students to sit down and just work, but the idea of it is indicative of a larger issue surrounding the Capstone Project, one which puts additional, unneeded stress on seniors.
getting pushed back or starting earlier, leaving less time for homework. Hillsdale students seem okay with sacrificing homework time for sleeping in, however. Junior Brian Ko says, “If it’s pushed back it might affect my homework, but
get to wake up not as early, so I would be glad if start times changed.” Hopefully, that’s what Hillsdale will do. Even so, there’s still no guarantee that the leadership and band kids would get to sleep in. Also, this bill does not just affect students. While their students may be more alert during first and second periods, commuting may become more complicated for teachers who drive from farther locations. Teachers coming from more than an hour away would be hitting lots of traffic as they drive to Hillsdale. They could come early to make the commute in time, but then they would have to wait for an extra hour before school starts. Ms. Sison, a Kyoto 9 history teacher, also thinks a school getting out later would affect teachers. She says, “Teachers who live in the South Bay have to leave right as school ends to avoid traffic, but if we move back the time their commute could more than double and we could lose teachers.” Ms. Sison adds that while teenagers getting more sleep is a good thing, the practical applications of such a bill are very complicated. However, the next caveat may be the biggest of them all: early start times won’t affect any students at Hillsdale except the freshmen. Because the bill is being put into effect in July of 2022, Hillsdale seniors, juniors, and sophomores won’t get to enjoy the later start times. Even freshmen will only get to experience the later start times for one year, but these exhausted students only seem grateful to get one year of later start times. “I just feel glad that I get one year of sleeping in,” Freshman Owen Pouimbouef remarks. While the idea of the bill is backed by science and exhausted students, Hillsdale itself won’t be much affected in the next few years. At least the class of 2026 can rejoice in sleeping in for all four years of high school.
California’s Bill:What it Means for Hillsdale Maya Musselman Staff Writer Ever had trouble getting out of bed in the morning? Most of us stumble through first and second period blearyeyed, even excluding those with zero periods. Starting at 7:45 can be tough, but that’s about to change. On October 13, California Governor Gavin Newsome signed a bill that will push high school start times to 8:30, starting in 2022. California is the first state to do this, proving once and for all that we truly are the best state. Newsom cited research that showed later start times helped student’s concentration, a fact that has been known for a while. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association recommend that high schools start no earlier than 8:00, yet a 2015 CDC study showed that more than four in five high schools don’t. So the question disgruntled seniors are asking is, why has it taken so long for a bill like this to come into effect? There has been plenty of opposition for a later school start. A common argument is that teenagers should simply go to sleep earlier. However, research shows that this may not be possible. Have you ever felt wide-awake late into the night yet felt exhausted the next morning? “I stay up until twelve. I always say I’m going to sleep earlier but I never do,” says Sophomore Hale Ma. This isn’t uncommon for teenagers, and science points to shifts in biological rhythms as the cause. The time you would naturally fall asleep and wake up is called the circadian cycle, according to the National Sleep Foundation. When you’re a little kid, it seems a lot easier to get up early in the morning. Once you go
Shristi Keni, Perrine Lee Staff Writer
through puberty, however, your circadian cycle shifts one to two hours back because of changing hormones. So when you would normally go to bed at nine, as a teenager you wouldn’t get tired until eleven. In order to get the same amount of sleep, teenagers have
Do you get more sleep on Thursdays? Other
I sleep in and feel I’m better able to focus in class No, I
Depends.
No, I just stay
wake up later on up and Wednesday. study/get No, I to school just go to early Starbucks in the morning.
A Scroll poll on Thursday start times taken by 38 people To participate in polls follow the Hillsdale Scroll @hhs_scroll to sleep in later. However, this rarely ever happens. A CDC study found that teenagers should get upwards of 10 hours of sleep per night, but due to later bedtimes and early school starts, only 1 in every 4 high school students gets more than 8 hours. We all know how pulling all-nighters can be. Additionally, people argue that later start times would probably mean later release times as well. That would mean sports and other after school activities either
I don’t mind staying up late to finish.” But just how would this be implemented at Hillsdale? Well, for one, zero periods aren’t affected by this new bill, so they can start as early as the school likes. Hillsdale might push them back to coincide with the start of first period, however. Ella Jensen, a Freshman in Leadership, agrees with this idea. She states, “If first period was moved forward an hour, zero periods would also be moved forward an hour. I would still
The Pro and Con of Late Start
Pro: At 7:45, four days a week, the school bells ring at Hillsdale High. On Thursdays, and some Tuesdays however, students are expected at their second-period class by 9:12. Hillsdale Highs’ typical early start time of 7:45 often forces students to wake up by six in the morning in order to arrive on time for school. On late start days, however, students can typically wake up later, allowing for more time to sleep in. Millions of students around the globe are striving to meet the general demand of the current society. As today’s’ students are pushed to achieve more than the previous generation, most sleep fewer than the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep. Sleep has been proven to play a vital role in young students’ lives as it provides the brain with the support it needs to continue
to perform vital functions. With a lack of sleep, one’s ability to perform tasks many be hindered, and mental and physical health can decline as well. As students work hard to meet the ever-growing demands of school, sleep is more important than ever, since students need the proper amount of sleep in order for the brain to develop and function at its full potential. On late start days, students have an extra hour intended to catch up on schoolwork or get some much-needed sleep. With the evidence presented above, the importance of late starts, providing an extra hour to students is largely beneficial to students and should be kept to encourage extra sleep in students. Con: Late start days are simply not beneficial. By sleeping in on only one day of the school week, late start days only ruin your sleep schedule and take time out of your day. Not to mention double block for once a month.
That’s a whole other story. Personally, I would rather wake up early and get out early. I feel like students are more likely to get work done if they have time after school when they’re already awake, rather than when they’re given the choice to sleep in. And it’s only about an hour of extra sleep which I think we can live without. When talking amongst friends, it seems like no one actually gets more sleep - they just stay up later. Sophomore Alisa Kwong says, “ I always just end up watching Netflix for like 3 more hours.” This defeats the “more sleep” argument since most kids don’t even take advantage of the late start days. In addition, starting later makes it harder for my parents to drop me off in the mornings. They usually start work at 9, so when my school starts at that time, it makes them late to work. In addition, there is a new proposal to have every school day start later. However, this could affect the amount of time we have in class, negatively impacting our understanding of the class content. This could also affect after
school practices and extracurricular activity times if they also extend our school day length due to starting later. All in all, I don’t believe that Late Start Days are necessary, as they just take away from our already busy days, and don’t benefit our sleeping schedules. While there are different opinions on whether late start days at Hillsdale High are helpful to students, one thing is agreed upon: with stresses of everyday life and school, extra time allowing for extra sleep or work is largely beneficial. The execution of Hillsdale high schools one/two times a week late starts may result in some students using the extra hour insufficiently and experience difficulty getting a ride. Different ideas have been suggested by students and teachers, with goals of allowing students the extra hour while keeping a schedule that is consistent to encourage student work and help students set up reliable rides. Whatever the answer, educators need to create the best solution for students
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November 26th, 2019
The Joker Review
resonant and inventive than any comic book film I’ve seen in recent years, to the point where it could also speak to non Joker has been the center of lots of superhero-fan audiences like those who are buzz and conversation since it was released only expecting a dark crime film. In terms of on October 4 -- it’s also become the highestthe concerns about the film’s violence, there grossing R-rated film of all time. Joker takes isn’t much graphic content (definitely not as a unique perspective on the supervillain much as other R-rated superhero films like origin and presents Deadpool and a s t o r y t h a t ’s Logan) but the never been done implications by a superhero the violence studio on the big has are more screen before. disturbing, I t ’s n o D a r k serious, and Knight — the grounded, Joker never robs hence the banks or blows R-rating. up buildings, and T h e f i l m ’s it’s certainly no themes about Suicide Squad society and — no gang wars, violence alien armies, or have sparked apocalypse-level discussion The Joker looks creepy stakes. Instead, a m o n g Photo Credit: Warner Bros the story is much audiences, but more personal and the film has managed to find its following small scale. It always sticks to a very oldamong viewers as well -- my showing fashioned, noir-like style, gracefully shot ended with applause and audience members with every prop feeling like it belongs in going “Wow” as the credits rolled. Joker a frame of a painting. The roaring music has also seemed to find its audience among feels perfectly done for a haunting and Hillsdale students. For example, senior tense crime thriller that focuses deeply on Drew Follansbee found lots of depth in the the protagonist’s descent into darkness. film, saying, “I saw it less as a comic book Joaquin Phoenix has always had a spot on film and more as a character study.” Senior my favorite actors list, but he manages to Noah Gross said he would recommend steal the show in a completely new way here the film to students at Hillsdale, “even — different than Heath Ledger’s spectacular though it’s not for everyone, because take on the character in The Dark Knight, but it’s so dark that some might find it offequally worthy of praise. His performance putting or too grotesque for their liking.” as a mentally troubled man who feels like an In the end, Joker is a strongly recommended outcast in society and is soon pushed over film that’s difficult, yet thrilling and the edge adds to the terrifying, unsettling resonant, and will amuse both fans of the tone of the movie. Joker is much more comic book genre and casual cinema goers.
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Monthly Horoscope Catherine Lange Senior Staff Writer
Gal Balaban Senior Staff Writer
The Institute Review Fiona Lu Staff Writer
on the kids’ psychic powers and more focused on the experiences the children are subjected to at The Institute. Many The Institute by Stephen King is a have drawn parallels between King’s own recently published book that has soared into opinions about certain political subjects, popularity in both reading lists and political such as ICE and the treatment of children in debates alike, praised for its enthralling plot the migrant crisis, and his descriptions of the and underlying messages. It has been welltreatment of children in The Institute. This received by critics and fans. The book tells becomes especially clear when at the end of the story of a brilliant boy- Luke Ellis- who the story, it is explained how The Institute, is kidnapped by a mysterious organization and the many other institutes around called “The the world, serve Institute” for his a purposemeager telekinetic to eliminate powers. Along c a t a l y s t s t h e w a y, h e for global meets many other destruction. This children in the factor adds an same situation element of moral as him, and they grayness to The bond over the cruel Institute, as it is treatment and acknowledged tests they receive that the children from the staff to are being try and enhance kidnapped, their psychic and eventually, The Institute book cover art abilities. The driven to Photo Credit: juliesfreebies.com main character is insanity, for the likable, and as he greater good. This brings up many similarities experiences more and more trials and to the justifications that supporters of ICE’s tribulations, it becomes impossible not to policies use- that it’s all for the greater good. sympathize with him. The plot of the story, Nevertheless, as the first Stephen albeit slow and long-winded at times, is King book I’ve ever read, this book has interesting and entertaining, more so in the surpassed my expectations. Even for latter half of the book, when the two plotlines those who may not enjoy the political that the author developed start to converge. connotations, this book is one well worth One of the aspects that caught my reading, and a welcome addition to King’s eye with this book is that, unlike with many already substantial repertoire of literature. other fiction books, the story is less focused
Aries (3/21-4/19)
A life-changing fourth period will make you wonder if you have a normal amount of toes.
Taurus (4/20-5/20)
Many hands make light work, which is why every time you’re alone you’re plunged into darkness.
Gemini (5/21-6/20)
Honesty is always the best policy. Until your lawyer says it isn’t. You will run into an old flame later this week when you return home and find your forgot to turn the stove off.
Cancer (6/21-7/22) Leo (7/23-8/22) Virgo (8/23-9/22)
Avoid all crows this week or risk witnessing a murder. Your star sign is in the dominant phase transition shift over Mercury this month, which means you know nothing about astronomy and don’t care to learn.
Libra (9/23-10/22)
Trust your gut. The alien using your intestines like an air bnb really knows what they’re talking about.
Scorpio (10/23-11/21)
You can’t always get the bread that you want. But if you try sometimes, you’ll get what you knead.
Sagittarius (11/22-12/21)
Look to the stars for romance. You sure won’t find any here. You will make a grave mistake this month when you send your brilliantly written personal insight questions about your artistic upbringing to the wrong collage. Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. Late to bed, early to rise makes you a high school student. You will do something this week that might help or hurt someone, which will cause another thing to happen that may or may not be good or bad or neutral and will surprise no one.
Capricorn (12/22-1/19)
Aquarius (1/20-2/18)
Pisces (2/19-3/20)
Quote of The Month “October extinguished itself in a rush of howling winds and driving rain and November arrived, cold as frozen iron, with hard frosts every morning and icy drafts that bit at exposed hands and faces.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
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November 26th, 2019
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November Crossword by: Brie Sloves, answers can be found here: https://bit.ly/35oSbda
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DOWN 1 Aon ___________, company headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois 2 A statement of hesitation, tripled 3 “Ere” to a non-poet 4 Ready, set, _____ 5 A small, mischievous devil or sprite 6 Cue, Are, Ess, Tee, You, ___ 7 Synonym for enthrones 8 Abbreviation for a country that shares its name with a November holiday food item 9 Wife and sister of Zeus, in Greek mythology 10 Having knowledge of a situation or fact 11 Descriptor on many children’s art supplies 12 Key risk indicator, for short 13 scenery in a theatrical production 19 Japanese automobile producer 25 Unit of measure akin to atm or psi 26 Phil _______, drummer in band “Kansas” 27 Casual affirmative response 28 “Doing nothing,” in Snapchat lingo 30 German singer-songwriter who sang “99 Red Balloons” 31 Hangs down, often referring to skin 33 Brown liquid, consisting of dirt and water. 37 Second version of a test or exam 38 Slang term for a single item from 46-across 39 An extremely small amount 40 Murdering with a knife 42 Feathered scarf 43 Enclosed by some barrier 47 I see, my apologies 48 Fish often packed tightly into a can 50 Cube numbered 1-6, often rolled in casinos 53 Assistant in a classroom 54 Resting atop 55 Acts that may result in arrests or fines 56 _________ Palmers consist of iced tea mixed with lemonade 57 White fleshy fruit with poisonous seeds 61 South Korean city 35 kilometers south of Seoul 64 Prefix meaning environment 65 Large, often violent, group of people 67 Rotating device used to circulate air 68 Synonym for craze 71 Grades that are barely passing 73 Negative response
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Staff Writers:
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October Issue Crossword key
P U M P K I N
ACROSS 1 The central part of something 4 With 8-across, something one does on 24-across 8 See 4-across 14 Pioneer in employee prev. healthcare 15 An event superstitiously deemed as a predictor of evil 16 Flaunted the same clothing 17 World’s premier conf. on issues in cities 18 A small, bothersome creature 20 “___ __ up” by Rich the Kid 21 Grp. that aims to survey and chart the world’s oceans and seas. 22 Company that states to “engage leading entrepreneurs to learn and grow” 23 School subject involving painting 24 Nickname for the fourth Thursday in November 29 Billions of years 32 ___ ___________ of the Opera 34 Global manufacturer of alcohols, polyols, and other chemicals of similar nature 35 Small battery 36 Delicious bread dish served on 24-across 38 Bro’s counterpart 41 Facial exp. unintentionally portraying anger or irritation 44 Much ___ about nothing 45 Chemical Abstracts Service, acronym 46 Starchy dish served on 24-across 49 Akin to St., Ave., or Ln. 51 State that is home to Salt Lake City 52 Relating to bodily structure 58 Now frowned upon dance moves 59 Sweet fruit used to make sauce for 24-across 60 Ghostly word? 62 Binding app. for college 63 Co. 64 Muslim military chiefs 66 Not sim. 69 ____s’ scale of mineral hardness 70 Birdie, from the hit stage musical 72 Indian flatbread 74 Extinction Lev. Event 75 Doctors who help deliver babies 76 Prefix meaning within 77 Total Owner Benefit a business produces, abbr.
BROWN
Andi Taylor Shristi Keni Brooke Vaysberg Fiona Lu Leil Cheng Kayla Leong Perrine Lee Lucas Chan Kristen Rank Stefanie Elgaard Natasha Patel Brooke Vaysberg Naama Akiva Emily Duncan
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