Sept 2018 The Hillsdale Scroll

Senior Capstone

September Preview Issue

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September 17th, 2018

We’re looking for interested photographers, journalists, and writers! Come to Room 113 any Tuesday at lunch to join our awesome staff!

Ocean’s 8 Review

What is the Hillsdale Scroll?

Hey Hillsdale! It’s Henry, Eilleen, and Anya, and we are your editors for the Hillsdale Scroll this year. The Scroll is Hillsdale’s official newspaper, made by our newspaper club. It’s a monthly paper, typically distributing issues on the first Friday of every month except January. Our articles cover a lot of school news—drama productions, band concerts, school dances, and more.

One of the highlights of our paper is our editorial pieces, discussing a wide range of topics from controversial events to takes on Hillsdale policies. We also

publish articles on world news, movie reviews, restaurant reviews, and more.

And we have monthly features too: most notably Club of the Month and Quote of the Month. For entertainment, you can find a crossword, polls, and comics on the last page if you’re into that sort of thing as well. We have a ton of great ideas for this school year and we’re so excited that you’re here to experience this with us as we bring you high quality journalism.

Thanks for taking the time to read our issues. Unlike other schools which have a dedicated class for newspaper, we’re

a completely student-run publication!

Lots of students put in time and effort to deliver this product into your hands.

Finally, if you want to improve your writing skills, enjoy taking photos, like going to school events, or just find journalism interesting, new members are always welcome! Just come to room 113 (Ms. Mylan’s room) during lunch on Tuesdays or shoot us an email for more information.

Happy reading!

~Eilleen, Henry, and Anya

News In Brief The Hillsdale Music department is hosting a popcorn and cookie dough fundraiser to fund their Mini Tour to Southern California!

Congratulations to the Robotics Team for finishing fifth once again in the world at the International Botball Competition this summer!

Good luck to the sophomores participating in Censoria!

Do you have comments, feedback, letters to the editors, or want to buy an ad?

Contact us at: thehillsdalescroll@gmail.com

Class of 2019 seniors posing together after enjoying the sunrise together. Photo Credit: Ngoc Rodriguez

Hillsdale leadership at Back to School Knight. Photo Credit: Ngoc Rodriguez

Senior Defense becomes Senior Capstone Eilleen Zhang Editor-in-Chief

The start of the new year brought big changes to the senior defense for seniors, who were asked to choose their three preferred subject areas for the new “portfolio capstone project” by August 27th.

In the past, the senior defense was a cumulative project, an opportunity for students to look back at all three years of their progress in high school through portfolio pieces. With a few portfolio pieces in almost every academic class, each student had an iconically giant three-ring binder filled with blue sheets and projects all the way from freshmen year. Throughout the year, students would meet with their coaches in a subject area, reviewing their past papers, choosing things like an “Area of Focus” and identifying their proficiency, growth, and challenges in projects.

The general format of the new capstone project remains much the same as the past senior defenses. Students pick a subject area, and are assigned to a coach.

Throughout the year, there will be ten coaching meetings for students to work

on their projects with their coaches. Then, on March 27th and 28th, each senior gets a two-hour slot to work on an application task, then defend their application task, reflections, and the capstone project itself.

The biggest difference is the project options available to students.

Before, the project was just reflecting back on work throughout high school.

Now, students are asked to choose a subject, and later a project category within that subject, to make something new.

Project categories include English as Art, English as Appreciation, Mathematical Modeling, Science for Social Justice, Performing Arts from the Spanishspeaking or Mandarin-speaking World, Directing a Vocal Ensemble, Production of live concert, and much more. Senior Ryan Scibetta says, “I think that the capstone project used to be all about talking about what you’ve done, and this new project is about actually doing cool things… In this project you can do basically whatever you want, as long as it’s challenging and helps people out.”

These changes to the defense are focused a lot on giving students options, while continuing to build upon past work. Principal Mr. Gilbert explains:

“Maybe one way to think about it is, the reason why we call it a capstone is that this thing you’re doing, it’s still part of your portfolio, it’s the final shining piece of your portfolio. We tried to make categories that model what happens out in the world, and that prepares you.”

Amidst the confusion of jumping into a whole new system at the beginning of the year, seniors have positive views on these changes. Senior Rachel Sang describes the new capstone as “definitely more fun than the senior defenses, because you can actually research something that you’re interested in and do something cool like that.” Other seniors are really starting to plan out their projects. “I’m talking about erosion -- if it gets accepted.

I like going to the beach, I like going to the ocean, and I like messing with my dogs, so it really was this perfect trifecta,” declared senior Zachary Levitan. “I just want to go to some beaches, take a whole bunch of measurements… and then drive to another one.” Ultimately, the new senior capstone project is giving students the freedom to make something their passionate about, while still holding them to the same high standards as the rest of their portfolio from the last three years.

2 September 17th, 2018

September Preview Issue

Science Club ignites their passions

up the bubbles in their palms. Then, it was time. With a lit match, Science Club members ignited the bubbles as

As students inside the dark watching observers let out “oohs” and classroom of Mr. Stallings covered their “ahhs”. Seeing the bubbles in her hands hands in liquid soap, carefully scooping transform into a stream of fire, senior up bubbles into their palms, those Veronica Casey exclaimed, “It was really outside were able to see brief flashes cool, I could feel the heat on my face and of light illuminating the windows. On hands,” before helping her friend tie her September 4th, Hillsdale’s Science Club hair up in a ponytail so that she could do was conducting a public experiment for the experiment too. Even though having everyone to see: Fire Bubbles. Streams fire stream out from your hands seems of fire jumped out from students’ hands scary, it’s actually harmless because towards the ceiling before quickly fading the fire disperses so quickly, like a brief away mid-air. flash of lightning. After being asked if

The experiment was simple yet they would like to try out the experiment incredibly fun. By filling up a plastic tray themselves, so many students raised their with water and adding a layer of glycerol hands that the Science Club continued or liquid soap, you can make a simple their lunchtime light show until the bell soap bubble solution. But Science Club rang, to everyone’s disappointment. took it another step further. They used a

Fortunately, the Science small tube to pump methane, a flammable Club will continue to showcase their gas, into the solution, forming numerous experiments throughout the school year. small and large bubbles all over the Tijmen Sep, a senior in the Science tray. Next, they doused their hands Club, said, “This year, we’re planning with the same solution before gathering on making elephant toothpaste and doing a bunch of other flashy experiments, but those are a secret for now.” Last year, they did fire bubbles as well, along with smashing watermelons in the Great Court and conducting electricity with pickles. Although Science Club’s future experiments remain a mystery, their next Science Club lights up the classroom with their flaming demonstration will surely be bubbles demonstration. Photo Credit: Sean Tjoa just as awesome.

Sean Toja Staff Writer

thehillsdalescroll@gmail.com

Women Allowed to Drive in Saudi Arabia Esha Kher Staff Writer

On June 24, Saudi Arabia ended the world’s only ban on female drivers.

In this unitary Islamic monarchy where women still are barred to patriarchal guardianship laws, the lifting of this ban has helped to ease Saudi Arabia into line with the norms of modern era.

For years, Saudi clerics and officials have been ambiguous around whether letting women drive is in accordance with Shariah Law. According to the New York Times, some of the explanations for the law included that having women on the road with men would be inappropriate and would harm the Saudi family structure. Th step to overturn this rationale is the combination of efforts from inside and outside the nation, and a testament to the impact of the rights activists who have been arrested and sometimes imprisoned for their efforts.

The lifting of the ban, ordered in September 2017 by King Salman, is part of the Vision 2030 reform plan by his son, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, to transform the country’s economy and open up its society. The new law hopes to diminish the criticism towards a practice that further aligns them with conservative Islamic groups like the Taliban and IS. The lifting of the ban aligns with the kingdom’s economic changes to diversify their “petro-dependent” economy – shifts which require women to be workers and consumers. As a result of these changes,

women will be able to fill positions in services and retail sectors. For example, car service companies, like Uber and Careem, have reported that at least 100 women are interested in being drivers. In addition, lifting the ban will liberate many women from the constraints of needing to hire a driver to make even the shortest trips–this will mitigate the expenditure of Saudi womens’ money on transportation.

Women aged 18 years and older are now lining up to apply for a driver’s license. Driving schools for women have emerged in five major cities, taught by Saudi women who have obtained their licenses abroad. In addition, women who hold foreign driving licenses will be able to apply for a local one through a process assessing their driving skills. Women throughout the country are rejoicing, publishing photos and videos to social media exhibiting their newfound liberty.

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, “more than 3 million women could receive licenses and drive by 2020.” With this recent opening in the nation, there is a long wait list for ladies’ driving schools.

In spite of the recent liberation efforts, it remains unclear to what degree Saudi Arabia’s patricentric government will accept and be more tolerant of the recent changes in the countries’ policies.

Already fearing a backlash ahead of the lifting of the ban on female drivers, the government has warned men not to stalk women on the road and passed a law against sexual harassment, with a penalty of up to five years in prison.

Ocean’s 8 Review Anya Lance-Chacko Editor-in-Chief

the ten minute clip of the theft scene alone. Actually, I think that’s the case of the entire series. Having seen Ocean’s Eleven, it wasn’t much more either.

It was good for the box office in the year of its release with multiple stars bringing people into theaters, but the movie doesn’t leave you with a whole lot more than that. The blame doesn’t lie on director Gary Ross, but rather the original story–of which I believe there is none. Sure, there was a bit of a storyline with Sandra Bullock’s character as we learned about her relationship history that led her to heisting. Ultimately, the concept doesn’t leave much room for character development as each face needs to be seen in the span of an hour and a half.Although it featured some fun moments, the film is best left at that and a cool opportunity to see an all female cast commiting a crime.

On June 5th, a new film in an old series was released with a twist–an all female cast. With origins from Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen, Ocean’s 8 offered a fresh and entertaining thriller that left audiences admiring the craft of… thievery? Although the film may have not been the most inspiring or artisan, the key was the eminent cast. Starring the renowned Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Anne Hathaway, Sarah Paulson, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, and the iconic Awkwafina, this power cast demonstrated that women can do anything–including stealing a $150 million dollar necklace.

The film, although lacking in coherency, led viewers through a nail-biting maze with unexpected twists and reveals admirable intricacy in the key heist scene as each character played a key role in the theft. However, beyond this and some incredible comedic moments delivered by Awkwafina– the film didn’t do a whole lot. Sure, it was a fun rainy day sourt of timekiller, but the film was pretty much that–a few fun moments. Frankly, the Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) poses powerfully with the film could be enjoyed with seven members of her all-female crew. Photo Credit: BBC

Editors-In-Chief: Eilleen Zhang Henry Gu Anya Lance-Chacko Advisor: Ms. Mylan Staff Writers: Andrew Chang Julia Chen Esha Kher Sean Tjoa Elise Raphael Emily Chang Mitchell Yu The Hillsdale Scroll is published by Hillsdale

High School’s journalism club.

A l l v ie w s , opinion s , and editorials are representative of the Scroll staff and are not necessarily those of Hillsdale High School’s administration, staff, o r s t u d e n t b o d y.

A d v e rt i s e m e n t s a r e n o t r e p r e s e n t at i v e of t h e op i n i on s of t h e S c r o l l s t a f f.

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