February 2024 Issue

Harvard-Westlake • Studio City • Volume 33 • Issue 5 • February 1, 2024 • hwchronicle.com

School designates holiday

AP course offerings reduced

By Everett Lakey

By Connor Tang

The school will replace multiple Advanced Placement (AP) classes from the curricula of the Math, World Languages and History Departments with honors courses in the 2024-2025 school year.

AP Economics, AP French Language and Culture and AP Human Geography and Urban Studies are being replaced by Honors Economics, Honors French IV and Honors Urban and Ethnic Studies, respectively, according to Faculty Academic Committee (FAC) Chair and Science Teacher Heather Audesirk. Audesirk said the decisions to replace these courses were made by individual teachers and departments, rather than the school administration.

“I believe that the reason for changing from AP Econ to Honors Econ was to allow the teachers to utilize the full class year to teach content rather than losing the last month or so to reviewing for and taking the AP exam,” Audesirk said. “For AP Human [Geography], the course didn’t truly follow the AP curriculum to begin with, and the school was hoping to offer an Honors Ethnic Studies class, so the change seemed like a natural move that suits the curriculum that is actually being taught and the interests of the school and students.”

Head of Upper School Beth Slattery said the transition to honors courses was inspired by teachers feeling discontented with the restraints inherent in AP curricula.

“It feels like the dominoes are falling because a lot of our teachers feel the AP curriculum is really limiting,” Slattery said. “[The] standard curriculum hasn’t always evolved in the ways that I think some of our teachers would like to teach.

I’m personally not a fan of APs, and that’s just my own particular preference because I think our teachers can design better classes than the College Board.”

The school announced that it will designate Lunar New Year as a day off for students and faculty in an effort to be more inclusive of hundreds of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) students at the school, according to Head of Upper School Beth Slattery. The 2024 Lunar New Year holiday falls on a weekend, meaning students will not be given a day off, but a one-day break will occur in January 2025 and every year following for the forseeable future.

The administration’s action comes amid a similar decision made by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), which passed a resolution that recognized Lunar New Year as a holiday for all students, according to Slattery.

Although Lunar New Year festivities differ between cultures, people who celebrate typically spend the holiday together, eating cultural foods and partaking in traditional activities. In acknowledgment, Slattery said she wanted to provide students with a day off to allow them tocelebrate the holiday.

“There’s a threshold about events like that for a large segment of our population that would involve some kind of observance during the day,” Slattery said. “People may travel, want to spend the day cooking or want to be together. We have a large [AAPI] population, so it felt compelling.”

Slattery said the idea was first brought up a couple of years ago when students at the Middle School decided to speak with administrators about the possibility of designating the day as a holiday.

Chazzy Cho ’25, one of these students, was one of several leaders of the Asian American Culture Club (AACC) when he was at the Middle School. Cho decided to push for the day off for Lunar New Year alongside his co-leaders, Lauren Park ’25 and Hudson Chen ’25.

• Continued on hwchronicle.com

HANNAH SHAHIDI/CHRONICLE

SENIOR STATS: Seniors focus on a lecture in Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics after receiving college decisions.

From the Class of 2024, 206 students applied Early Decision, Restrictive Early Action or Single Choice Early Action.

51 percent of senior class applies to same 14 schools in early round

By Hannah Shahidi

The Class of 2024 received their early admissions decisions last December, with 51 percent of the students who applied early applying to the same 14 schools, according to the Deans’ Office.

There were 206 total students in the class who applied either Early Decision I (EDI), Restrictive Early Action (REA) and Single Choice Early Action (SCEA) to various colleges. The school could not provide exact statistics regarding the early rates of the senior class.

The schools include the eight Ivy League schools in addition to Duke University, Georgetown University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, Stanford University and the University of Chicago, according to Head of Upper School Beth Slattery.

Slattery said students’ decisions regarding where to apply early are often influenced by the previous class’s matriculation.

“Last year’s class did so well, and that emboldened people,” Slattery said. “When one class does well, the next class thinks everybody will get in. The other thing is that more than half of [the] class applied early to 14 schools, and those 14 schools are

the most selective schools in the might think you’re eligible, but country. Most of these places, you don’t stand out as much.” even if they’re nice to us, are not According to a Chronicle artigoing to take 20 kids.” cle from December of the 2022Slattery said for some students, 2023 academic year, the school applying to top colleges is not a made the decision to add weightgood use of the early decision pro- ed GPAs back to transcripts to cess and ends up making the regular help students distinguish themround more competitive. selves in college admissions. The “For plenty of those kids, school had removed weighted those schools are legitimate op- GPAs for the Classes of 2022 tions, and it just didn’t and 2023. They reinwork out,” Slattery troduced them onto said. “But for some transcripts for the Class kids, it was not a good of 2024 along with undecision, and they went weighted GPAs, making against advice. It’s gothis year’s seniors the first ing to make regular in two years to apply to [decision] a challenge college with both GPAs because there’s lots more on their transcripts. Depeople left in the pool.” spite this, Cuseo said the L. Wood Slattery said grade change had no impact Beth inflation may have takon admissions during Slattery en place over the past this year’s early cycle. four years.

“The colleges have “There’s an argument to be access to the same information made that grades could have felt that they always have,” Cuseo inflated during the four years,” said. “We are just now making Slattery said. “Grades were cer- it easier for them to use whattainly inflated during COVID, ever [GPA] is going to be most and I feel like the year we came helpful. There is no world in back, they were also inflated. We which they didn’t care as much froze grades last year, so I wonder about rigor. They figured it out on if, for a lot of kids, their grades their own when we didn’t provide were better than they might have [weighted GPAs] and they figured been. If your Grade Point Av- out unweighted [GPAs] on their erage [GPA] is really high, you own when we didn’t provide that.”

• Continued on A4

IN THIS ISSUE

A3

B7

D2

Investigating Iowa: Student journalists travel to Iowa to interact with citizens and report on the 2024 Iowa Caucuses.

Fantastic Fortunes: Community members discuss their changing relationships with spirituality in a modern age.

Kickin’ It: After winning the Mission League, Boys’ soccer hopes to dominate in search of a CIF title.

Buy your Ticket: “Sweeney Todd” is holding performances Thursday, Feb. 8, Friday, Feb. 9, Saturday, Feb. 10 and Sunday, Feb. 11 in Rugby Theater.

Reserve a free ticket using the QR code.

• Continued on A2

A2 News

Feb. 1, 2024

The Chronicle

School honors holiday

• Continued from A1

Cho said he was inspired to do so after seeing the school's lack of acknowledgement for the holiday.

“It was in ninth grade during the Lunar New Year, and all [the administration] did was send an email,” Cho said. “I looked at the schedule because there was a Flex Day the week after Lunar New Year. I was thinking, 'Why couldn't they just move it up, and show more appreciation for all the Asian students at the school?'"

Park said they then presented their case to the administration.

The students waited, and after a year without resolution, they followed up with their case in their sophomore year with the Assistant Head of School for Community and Belonging Janine Jones, who then pitched it to the upper school administration. Another year later, the administration officially designated Lunar New Year as a holiday.

Park said Jones' help was crucial in connecting them with the upper school administration, and that she is thankful for Jones' commitment to upholding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) principles.

"Jones was a huge advocate in all the DEI work that we were involved in," Park said. "When we brought [our proposal] up to her, she guided us through the process of how we could get it approved and who the right people were to go to on campus. I'm really grateful for her."

Cho said he is grateful for Chen and Park, who helped advance the idea, and the administration, for inspiring and executing their ideas through a long process.

“None of this would’ve happened without [Chen] and [Park], so they deserve credit,” Cho said.

“I’m also appreciative of the administration. We were able to give them the idea, but there's a lot of consideration that goes into schedule changes and getting days off.

It’s awesome, and I’m proud.”

NATHAN WANG/CHRONICLE

A WEEK OF WONDER: The World Languages Department organized and hosted the first-ever World Languages Week. On the last day of the celebration, LatinX Hispanic Student Organization (LAHSO) co-leaders led line dances on the Quad for students to participate in.

World Languages Department introduces annual World Language Week festivities

By Nathan Wang

The World Languages Department hosted its first-ever World Languages Week celebration Jan. 22-26. Throughout the week, the World Languages Department, in partnership with Student Leaders for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (SLIDE), organized cultural activities on the Quad and curated music playlists featuring different languages and cultures. The World Languages Department also arranged cultural clothing themes throughout the week.

The week featured activities such as face painting, salsa and Bachata dance, Afro-Caribbean Bomba, traditional Armenian dance, Chinese singing and more.

Upper School World Languages teacher Sephora Escarpeta-Garcia said she took inspira-

tion for World Languages Week from seeing a lack of confidence in sharing different cultures.

“I wanted [World Languages Week] because, as language learners, sometimes we're afraid to share cultures,” Escarpeta-Garcia said. “I want [our students] to not only find their voice in their culture but also come out of [their] shyness. I want us, as a department, to what we do in our classes. We have a lot of fun in our classes, and we do a lot of activities across the languages. We wanted to bring those voices into the community.”

Escarpeta-Garcia said the World Languages Department also aimed to emphasize the school’s cultural diversity. "[The celebration] had a cultural focus,” Escarpeta-Garcia said. “It's not just the languages that we teach here. We have a lot

of kids from very diverse cultural backgrounds, and I'd like to see them find a safe space where they can express themselves in whatever language or culture they practice at home.”

As a part of World Languages Week, most language teachers provided extra credit for student participation in the festivities.

Avery Kim ’25, who participated in cultural dancing activities, said he gained a greater appreciation for numerous cultures that are often underrepresented in his daily life.

“I joined in on the World Language Week celebration because I initially saw my friends participate in it,” Kim said.

“After dancing for a little bit to music and having fun, I realized the value of celebrating the diversity of the school’s culture. It is a special thing to be able to

celebrate so many cultures and languages because outside of my Chinese class and at home, I don’t feel connected to many other cultures.”

The Armenian Club shared Kham-Khama, a traditional dance from Western Armenia. Armenian Club leader Eric Vartany ’24 said the dance on the Quad was an opportunity to highlight Armenia’s cultural sophistication.

“It's really interesting because every culture has its dance, music and everything,” Vartany said. “Dance is just one way to explore and indulge in a new culture. It's a great opportunity to share culture with the rest of the student community that might not know too much about Armenian culture. We're a small people, but we'd like to take up this opportunity to make our culture heard.”

Girls’ education activist presents

By Zoe Goor and Kayla Graff

CONNOR TANG/CHRONICLE

THE FIGHT FOR RIGHTS: Shabana Basij-Rasikh was selected as the 2024 Brown Family Speaker for her fight for equal girls’ education.

Girls’ education activist and co-founder of the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA) Shabana Basij-Rasikh spoke about her mission of teaching Afghan girls at this year’s Brown Family Speaker Assembly on Jan. 8.

The speaker series, which was started 22 years ago by Linda and Abbot Brown (Russell '94, David '96), provides the school community with opportunities to hear from renowned speakers and panels.

Basij-Rasikh grew up under the first Taliban regime in Afghanistan, where girls were forbidden from attending school.

Her family sent her and her sister to a secret school run by a former high school principal in her home.

Basij-Rasikh said she understood from a young age the danger of seeking an education as a female under the Taliban’s regime.

“The woman in charge [of the secret school] had one message for us,” Basij-Rasikh said. “She would

say, ‘As soon as you walk out of this house, walk away as fast as you can.

If you get caught by the Taliban, don’t bring them back [to the secret school]. Fewer people will be killed in your house. More people will be killed here.’ I cannot believe we understood that, but we did.”

In 2001, the Taliban was toppled, and girls were able to attend public schools. When she looked out at her classmates on the first day of school, Basij-Rasikh said she realized everyone in her grade was at least six years older than her. She said in that moment, she grasped the magnitude of her parents’ sacrifice.

“On that day, all I could feel was shame and gratitude and privilege,” Basij-Rasikh said.

“All I wanted to do was leave and hug my parents because what I knew was that my life was going to be so different than my classmates.”

Basij-Rasikh went on to study at Middlebury College, where she co-founded SOLA in 2008 as part of her mission to educate Afghan girls. SOLA, a boarding

school for girls, was originally located in Afghanistan. The start of the Taliban's second regime forced them to relocate to Rwanda, where the school currently resides. Basij-Rasikh said SOLA aims to educate girls so they can improve the future of Afghanistan.

“The idea behind SOLA is that we can achieve true peace in Afghanistan by investing in the education of Afghan girls,” Basij-Rasikh said. “The true inspiration behind SOLA really is the power of girls.”

Basij-Rasikh said the issue of female education in Afghanistan should not fly under the radar.

“Afghanistan is the only country on Earth where girls’ access to education is illegal,” Basij-Rasikh said. "The world's attention matters."

Middle Eastern Student Association (MESA) co-leader Lila Daoudi ’24 introduced BasijRasikh at the beginning of the assembly. Daoudi said it is essential for students to be informed about global events.

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Feb. 1, 2024

hwchronicle.com/news

News A3

Students take trip to Iowa Caucuses

By Jack Ryan

CONNOR TANG/CHRONICLE

EXCHANGE EXPERIENCE: Lisa Suen, a foreign exchange student from the World Leading Schools Association in Shanghai (WLSA), paints on a collaborative canvas installed in Feldman-Horn Gallery. Suen is one of the six high school students the school hosted from Jan. 22 to Feb. 2.

School hosts foreign exchange students from school in China for first time since COVID

By Connor Tang

Shanghai and would send their own to China for an assortment Six high school students from of internships and programs.

Patterson said the importance China visited the school as a part of an exchange student program of interactions between the school from Jan. 22 to Feb. 2. The stu- and exchange students was one of dents came from the World Lead- the main reasons he wanted to restart the program. ing Schools Association (WLSA), an interna“It’s great to have tional school in Shangthese kids, who come hai that aims to connect from a place that in with schools globally many ways is completethrough education. ly different than living Consequently, they orin LA,” Patterson said. ganize annual exchange “In many ways, they are student programs to living the same lives our other countries’ schools. students are, in terms L. Wood In 2020, the school, in of the their goals for Julien partnership with this college, university and Liu ’25 global program, agreed their lives. It’s really an to host WLSA students. amazing opportunity to meet and Director of Kutler Center Jim really develop friendships with Patterson has run the exchange kids in other parts of the world.” program since the school first During their visit, the exjoined the global program with change students attended classes WLSA over 10 years ago. Before and experienced life on campus. the COVID-19 outbreak, the They were encouraged to observe school accepeted students from life at a foreign school and absorb

new learning methods. Outside of school, the students also attended school sports games, visited landmarks across the Los Angeles (LA) area and toured local universities.

The trip was organized by Patterson in accordance with the director of the exchange program Jessie Xie. Xie is also from Shanghai and serves as a college counselor for students at WLSA. Part of her job working at an international school involves helping students apply to colleges in the U.S. Xie said the most exciting part of the exchange is seeing the students learn about new cultures in a foreign environment.

“They’re young and energetic,” Xie said. “It makes you happy that they love to learn. You’ll see that they’re curious about exploring a different environment and a different home.”

Lisa Suen, an exchange student, is currently a junior at WLSA. Suen said her experiences at the school made her feel that

she was better suited for school in the U.S. “American schools suit me more,” Suen said. “Both the teachers and the people here are just different from Chinese tradition.”

Julien Liu ’25, who is American-Taiwanese and speaks fluent Chinese, volunteered to have Suen shadow him. He ensured that Suen knew how to get around campus as she attended all of his classes.

Liu said taking Suen around campus allowed him to learn about how high school education works in China.

“Their schools are very academic,” he said. “Harvard-Westlake is academic, but we’re balanced in our extracurriculars. Almost all of the students there study. They work hard, [and that] is normalized in China. Applying to college is usually harder for a Chinese international student, so they have to work two to three times as much to be recognized.”

A group of students visited the 2024 Republican Iowa Caucuses from Jan. 13 to 15. They attended rallies of various presidential candidates, including former President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. The group also interviewed Iowan voters during the caucusing process.

Rowan McCarty-Simas ’24 said the trip made her more aware of the differences between Republicans and Democrats and caused her think about the direction the nation is headed.

“Although I grew up in D.C., I had mostly been surrounded by Democrats and Democratic policies,” McCarty-Simas said. “This trip was the first time I was really immersed in Republican politics and being in Iowa made me realize just how dedicated these voters are.

I’d say it also made me nervous for the future of our country. Seeing the lengths these people would go to support people who often speak untruthfully was shocking.”

A video of Sara Segil ’25 gained attention on both the internet and from various news outlets, where she began to ask DeSantis, “Considering what happened in Perry and your support of gun violence,” before DeSantis cut her off and accused her of “learning to spew propaganda.”

Segil said the exchange caused her to see the differences in character between the candidates.

“I felt uncomfortable and left, but I think it was definitely interesting to see how different candidates answered difficult questions,” Segil said. “For example, earlier that day, a couple of people asked [Ramaswamy] some hard questions. And though he was obviously not very receptive, he answered courteously.”

Presidential Scholars nominated

By Sienna Dall’Olmo

Nine seniors were nominated for the 2024 United States Presidential Scholars Program. The program, established in 1964, was designed to recognize scholastic achievement among high school students in the nation. Since then, the program has broadened its scope to honor students’ artistic and technical talents.

The nominees are Presentations Managing Editor Kriste An ’24, Emily Ba ’24, Arin Budhiraja ’24, Aidan Deshong ’24, Ian Kim ’24, Alex Lee ’24 and Sophia Vourakis ’24.

Kim was nominated as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts.

High school seniors across the nation are invited to apply to the program based on their standardized test scores, and nominees are selected from each state. The National YoungArts Program selects up to 60 finalists from their competition to nominate for the Presidential Scholar Award in the Arts.

Deshong said though being nominated is exciting, it comes with a number of responsibilities.

“The Department of Education

sent me an email with no subject line,” Deshong said. “It’s cool to be nominated, but at the same time, I have this new responsibility to write a lot of essays, which is not the most exciting thing in the world.”

Kim said as a nominee for the Presidential Scholars in the Arts, the application process was personalized and focused on his connection to his pieces.

“I was one of 60 people who were nominated to be a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and unlike the regular Presidential Scholar program, the nominees were taken from seniors who had won the National YoungArts Competition, which includes both visual and performing arts,” Kim said. “Being an extension of an arts competition, a lot of the application is writing about why you do art and the impact you want your art to have.”

Vourakis said although the nomination can be seen as a reflection of students’ consistent dedication to academic achievement, the award itself focuses on students as a whole.

“We all know the nominees are

bright and committed to academic excellence inside and outside of the classroom, not just on a standardized test,” Vourakis said. “In that respect, who the nominees are as individuals is, in fact, much reflected in their scores. Beyond the nomination stage, there are plenty of essays and consideration of the students’ personal interests and circumstances, so the actual award is focused on the whole person, not just on [their] scores.”

Deshong said although the nomination process is based on standardized testing and lacks personal aspects, it only reflects the academic commitment and ability of students.

“It looks like nomination depends only on standardized test scores, so I don’t think they represent much about people other than their ability to answer a specific set of questions on one Saturday morning,” Deshong said. “To be fair, there might be a decent correlation between being able to do that and being ‘academically excellent,’ whatever that means.

But the nomination process needs a human component, and [so] it has one to narrow the list.”

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ILLUSTRATION BY AVA HAKAKHA

A4 News

Feb. 1, 2024

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Early Decision Insights An inside look into how the Class of 2024 performed during the early round of college admissions compared to previous years. ferent schools,” Cuseo said. “But at the same time, when students In addition, the school recently have done well and have strong implemented maximums for the grades, it’s hard to say they don’t amount of Advanced Placement deserve to try for something hard.

(AP) and Honors classes that stu- That conversation is about minidents can take. The original policy mizing regret. For some students, went into effect at the beginning the regret is gonna be that they of the current seniors’ sophomore didn’t get in, and for some, it’s year. It allowed two, three and gonna be that they didn’t go for four APs for sophomores, juniors it. It’ll be different for different and seniors, respectively. The new students.” policy, which went into place this The school uses a platform fall, the Class of 2024’s senior called College Kickstart to proyear, changed the limit for soph- vide students with information omores to three APs and honors about their college choiccourses, while juniors es. It utilizes data from and seniors can take a past students at the maximum of five APs school and classifies and honors courses. schools into “likelies” Cuseo said people where a student has a view each admission cy75 percent chance of cle differently based on being accepted, “tarwhat schools students gets” where a student choose to apply to. has a 50 percent chance “Overshooting is L. Wood of getting accepted, something the deans Rick “reaches,” where a stutalked about,” Cuseo Commons dent has a 25 percent said. “We felt that inchance of being acdividually, they could have made cepted and “unlikelies” where a better, more realistic choices, but student has a less than 1 percent as a whole, they didn’t apply to a chance of being accepted. Preswide range of schools. Every year ident Rick Commons said it has is usually a pretty good year, and become increasingly difficult to people get into amazing places. categorize schools into one of But what determines the percep- these four labels. tion of the year is where and when “Back in the 1990’s, when I was people choose to apply.” a college counselor, [the process] REA is non-binding, meaning was much more predictable based that if a student is accepted early, on somebody’s record, grades, they may apply to other schools scores and activities,” Commons in the regular round. ED, on the said. “Over the last several years, other hand, is a binding agree- it has become almost impossible ment, meaning that if a student to know. We used to say ‘Here is accepted, they must attend the are your likelies, here are your college or university. Cuseo said 50-50’s, here are your reaches and part of her job as a dean involves here is what’s out of reach.’ We making sure that students do not regret their choice of ED or REA. 2016 “Before they submitted their applications, we did bring up to kids that they should look at dif-

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2018

2017

aftermath of a disappointment,” you what you want to hear. It Cuseo said. “There is a percep- looks like managing expectations tion that the deans are pushing and maximizing opportunity.”

EDII. The truth is for some of Commons said students are these schools, EDII is the only well-prepared to attend any way, and that was the conver- school and should have the option sation. It wasn’t that everyone to go to whichever university they had to EDII somewhere.” want to attend.

Sophie Bobb ’25 was a soph“I am thrilled for those who omore when her older broth- got good news and disappointer, former Sports Editor Jaden ed for those who did not,” Bobb ’23, applied to college. Commons said. “I feel a sense She said seeing this year’s col- of unfairness when students lege results made her realize who are incredibly prepared that her brother’s grade had and have worked hard don’t performed extremely well. have the options that they de“The fact serve. As much that this as there was a What determines lot of good news year’s seniors didn’t do well in the fall, there the perception of the makes me feel was also a lot of year is where and when bad news. It feels relieved bepeople choose to apply.” to me that Harcause I had such high exv a r d -We s t l a k e —Sharon Cuseo students should pectations, Upper School Dean be understood by and I was getting kind all colleges to be of nervous bebetter prepared cause there’s no way I [could] than your average applicant, live up to that,” Sophie Bobb [but] I am biased. While it said. “But now I’ve realized [the has always felt to me that HarClass of 2023] was just a spe- vard-Westlake students should cial case, and this year is more have all the options, the unprerealistic. It’s helping me gauge dictability of it is frustrating.” what is realistic. I’ve learned a Slattery said she expects this lot from them.” year’s matriculation to end up Slattery said she hopes more similar to past years, despite students will listen to their lower acceptance rates in the deans’ advice so as to prevent early round. unrealistic decisions.

“Ultimately, people are going “I wish more people would to end up fine,” Slattery said. listen to the deans,” Slattery said. “There’s going to be people who “Nobody delights in having it go get exactly what they wanted, poorly. That’s not fun for anyone. people who didn’t get exactly what Deans don’t want to spend their they wanted but got something winter break talking about this, good, people who got something and they love [their students]. So good but are still disappointed when they give advice about a and people [who] are understandschool not being the best ably disappointed. That number use [of an ED applica- of understandably disappointed tion], and people interpret people is very small every year. It’s as ‘You don’t support me,’ all going to be okay.”

2019 the truth is that support doesn’t look like telling 2023

“

2022

2020

2015

47 percent of students accepted

43 percent of students accepted

40 percent of students accepted

44 percent of students accepted

51 percent of students accepted

54 percent of students accepted

47 percent of students accepted

55 percent of students accepted

43 percent of students accepted

2021

47 percent of students accepted

Estimated percentage of students in the last 10 classes who were accepted in the early round of admission, according to the Deans’ Office.

2014

could predict that, and the families and students could predict from [the information] that was there. So if a student didn’t get into a college that we had said is out of reach, we told you it was out of reach, and we were right on. If we said it was likely, we’d almost always end up with a yes.

That’s become much harder, so it was a frustrating fall for all of us watching what has happened.”

Students who are not accepted during the early round are either denied or deferred. If they are deferred, they are reconsidered for the school during the regular round. Slattery said there were fewer deferrals this year because colleges are changing their approach to the admissions process.

“Another thing that was surprising to me were the denies,” Slattery said. “Part of that is a shift philosophically, and that doesn’t have anything to do with [the seniors]. I think that has to do with more colleges not deferring people they know they’re not going to take. I feel like people who got deferred might feel a little bit better because it probably was authentic, as opposed to some years where it’s just a courtesy.”

Students have the opportunity to apply Early Decision II (EDII) to a limited number of schools.

Applications for these schools are usually due in early January, and students hear back in February and March. Cuseo said there is a common understanding among students that the deans are encouraging students to apply EDII. “Advising kids about [applying EDII] is always hard because you don’t want to just grab onto whatever feels like a sure thing in the

HANNAH SHAHIDI/CHRONICLE

Feb. 1, 2024

hwchronicle.com/news

MESA and Jewish Club co-host lunch town hall discussion

News A5

By Zoe Goor

sphere at the meeting so students could feel secure sharing The Middle Eastern Student a diverse array of perspectives.

“I think it’s comparable to Alliance (MESA) and Jewish Club hosted a town hall during Peer Support in that students all lunch Jan. 23. Members were rant about how they’re feeling and invited to share their feelings have their problems recognized,” and experiences surrounding Daoudi said. “We try to make it common issues, such as the Isra- super casual and comfortable with el-Palestine conflict in the Mid- all shares being anonymous.”

Raquel Moradi ’26 said atdle East. This town hall marked the return of a series of similar tendees talked about spreading events that Student Leaders for awareness on current issues and Inclusion, Diversity and Equity finding more places for students to have open discussions.

(SLIDE) hosted last year.

“We were talking about havMESA co-leader Lila Daoudi ’24 said the goal of the event ing a bigger community and safe was to provide students with a space for everyone to share their space to share their concerns opinions and schoolwide assemand help the administration ad- blies for important events in the world,” Moradi said. “We felt dress pressing issues.

“The goal is to promote joint that a big issue was people being discussions and creative solu- uneducated or unaware about tions to issues that students certain world events. For examat [the school] face,” Daoudi ple, the [School of Leadership said. “We use these discussions Afghanistan] all-school assembly to pose possible solutions and was great. Everyone learned so ideas to [the administration] to much, and it spread information about larger world problems.” promote change at school.”

Moradi said she hopes the Jewish Club co-leader Noa meeting will Blackman ’25 help the school said she was iniaddress the tially hestiant on It’s a direct line misinformation how many peoto speak with [the present in many ple would attend the event. administration] about class discussions.

“I shared some “I was nerissues that [we’ve] stories about getvous that not been facing.” ting misinformaenough people in class and would come to —Noa Blackman ’25 tion teachers spreadthe town hall,” ing that to other Blackman said.

“But we’re now thinking of students who weren’t aware of the doing a second one because of truth,” Moradi said. “I hope that how successful and productive the school [will] spread more information on these global topics, and it was.”

Blackman said she hopes [that] students will further their the town hall helped create a knowledge in them.”

Upper School World Lansense of unity between the two guage Teacher and Jewish Club affinity groups.

“It’s supposed to be a time faculty advisor Simona Ghirlanfor affinity groups to get togeth- da said she appreciated the town er and share things they’ve expe- hall as it emphasized the shared rienced on campus,” Blackman ground between the Jewish and said. “As we’re discussing, the Middle Eastern communities. “[The] Middle East, Israleaders [take] notes. These notes are given to SLIDE chairs [who] el the Jewish community are take these notes, put them into brothers, sisters, and cousins,” a presentation and share [them] Ghirlanda said. “We have so with [the administration]. It’s much more in common than a direct line to speak with [the what divides us, whether we are administration] about issues that Jewish, Muslim or Christian.

We have so many roots in com[we’ve] been facing.”

Daoudi said she worked mon that I think it should be a to foster a comfortable atmo- regular event.”

“

CONNOR TANG/CHRONICLE

SPIRITED STORYTELLING: Former News Editor Saba Nia ’19 shares her experiences as a former student and how they relate to her newly published book “Carpe Diem.” The novel was inspired by a piece she wrote in eighth grade.

Former News Editor speaks to students about her new novel

By Nathan Wang

Former News Editor Saba Nia ’19 spoke to students about her first book “Carpe Diem” at a Harvard-Westlake Student Alumni Association (HWSAA) Book Club event Jan 22.

After six years at the school, Nia attended Georgetown University as a pre-medical student studying psychology. In her sophomore year at Georgetown, Nia began writing “Carpe Diem” based on a creative story she had developed in eighth grade.

“Carpe Diem,” which translates to “seize the day,” combines themes of Greek mythology, indigenous philosophy and different types of folktales.

Nia’s book takes place in the future on a fictional planet called Gaia, where the human race has become infertile due to a divine curse. The book explores the journey of a boy named Dante who must navigate life knowing he is part of the last human generation.

Nia said creating characters in her book allowed her to reflect on the valuable people in her life.

“Some of the characters rep-

resent a combination of dif- demic happened, it was such a ferent types of people I’ve met moment of, ‘I can’t control evin my life,” Nia said. “For ex- erything.’ I think that really fits ample, [the character] Rose. I in with the message of ‘Carpe called her Rose because some Diem,’ like seize the day. I was people in my life, who are really like, ‘I’ve been trying to write strong, are similar to this book, and I’m not her. It was a great way even living the mesto look deep into my sage [of it].’ The panlife experience.” demic affected me so Nia said the chalmuch, and I felt like lenging academic enviI was just going to go ronment of the school for it, seize the day and encouraged her to write this book.” take a risk in writing HWSAA leader “Carpe Diem.”

Ellie Whang ’24 said L. Wood “I learned things at Nia was an impactful Ellie Harvard-Westlake that speaker because her Whang ’24 ended up helping me unique achievements write and publish the book,” Nia as a recent alum made her feel said. “The biggest thing was just relatable and connected. learning how to have a good work “One of the main things is ethic. Being around a lot of bril- that she is so young, and she’s liant people motivates you to al- already accomplished so much,” ways take risks.”

Whang said. “I think that’s what Nia said she decided to write drew her to us because she’s close the book after having to accept in age. A lot of the time we get the chaos in her life that was alumni speakers that are a lot oldcaused by the global pandemic. er, and there’s a little bit more of “I’m a very organized person, a disconnect because of how difand I had all these ideas of how ferent it was when they went to my college experience [would Harvard-Westlake versus what it be],” Nia said. “When the pan- is now.”

Annual Tap Out game announced

By Kayla Graff

ILLUSTR ATION BY EVA PARK

Prefect Council announced the return of Tap Out on Jan. 22.

Tap Out is an annual schoolwide game in which all participants receive a target via text message who they must eliminate by tapping them on the back and saying “out.” To make an elimination count, a video of the encounter must be uploaded to the Tap Out Facebook group. To prevent the game from stalling, players must eliminate their target in three days or they will face elimination.

President Rick Commons announced the commencement of Tap Out in a satirical video posted on Prefect Council’s Instagram page. Commons said Tap Out is an essential tradition that must be taken seriously.

“With great solemnity, I am here to announce the return of our most important Harvard-Westlake tradition, Tap Out,” Commons said in the video. “Tap Out will commence, and you shall pursue excellence with that sacrifice and focus that sets aside all joy. May the odds be ever in your favor.”

Sophomore Prefect Caroline Cosgrove ’26 said Tap Out helps foster a more united community.

“Tap Out is a really fun and important way for our community to bond because it allows people who don’t know each other to enjoy something at school together,” Cosgrove said. “It creates new tight-knit relationships that are often really unexpected.”

Sophomore Prefect Sarah Anschell ’26 said she is eager to see people eliminating their targets.

“I’m excited to see people get their targets on the Quad,” Anschell said. “Hopefully, we’ll get some fun video submissions.”

Noa Blackman ’25 said she enjoyed Tap Out last year and is looking for redemption this year. “[Tap Out] creates a good energy on campus while it’s going on,” Blackman said. “Last year I was unfortunately one of the first 10 people to get out, so I’m excited to redeem myself this year.”

Olivia LePera ’26 said she will not be playing Tap Out because of the inconvenience of creating a Facebook account.

“I’m not going to participate in Tap Out because I think it’s annoying to make a Facebook account for it,” LePera said. “I just don’t think it’s worth it.”

Tap Out will begin Feb. 5.

A6 News

The Chronicle

Feb. 1, 2024

Second Semester Clubs Comic Art Club

By Audrey Kim The Comic Art club, founded

by Loren Park ’25 and advised by Visual Arts teacher Whitney Lasker, will teach students about comics and how to draw them. The club hopes to explore comics from many genres to help students write and draw their own.

Park said she started the club because of her love and passion for comics.

“I started the Comic Art Club because I have always loved reading them,” Park said.

“The usage of images to express unique characters and create compelling storylines always keeps me on my feet. There are so many ideas that come through the pages visually. I know many people at Harvard-Westlake feel the same way as I do, and I want to create a welcoming community that cherishes and creates comics.”

Park said that she hopes that this club will introduce the full world of

Taekwondance Club comics to the school community.

“I want to have a space where people can be inspired and create amazing stories,” Park says. “I am planning to explore and talk about all comics from all genres so we can be inspired to curate characters, storylines and art styles all unique to ourselves. I also plan to start this club to give opportunities to people of all ages and communities to express and create comics as well.”

Park said she wants to build a space where students, even ones who don’t want to participate in the activities, can socialize.

“I hope this club can bring out creativity in students, and I want [it] to be a place where people are willing to be inspired and collaborate with other students on their art in general, ” Park says. “I also hope to create a chill and fun environment by providing a sense of belonging and ease.

All students are welcome, no matter their age and prior knowledge when it comes creating comics and comics in general.”

By Lydia Gugsa The Taekwondance Club, founded

by Liv Lee ’26 and advised by Upper School Dance teacher Queala Clancy, combines two aspects of Korean culture: Taekwondo and K-pop. Lee hopes to gather a wide variety of talents and interests as the club encourages students who may be more experienced in one area to try a new style.

Lee said she started the club because she has a black belt in Taekwondo, has been dancing for four years and wanted to combine her two passions.

“As a Korean immigrant, I feel like Korean culture has always been a huge aspect of my life,” Lee said. “I started learning Taekwondo at age seven and was captivated by it because of the unique and powerful movements as well as the emotions and inner strength that are displayed during a performance. I became interested in K-pop in middle school because I subconsciously felt the obligation to choose between my Korean and American identity. K-pop expanded its influence glob-

Computational Competition Club

3D-ify Club

By Jayan Kandavel

By Jack Ryan

The Computational Competition Club, founded by Michael Barr ’25 and John Xu ’25, plans on forming a team to compete in coding competitions like the United States of America Computing Olympiad and the Lockheed Code Quest. Members of the club will work together to improve their coding skills while prepping for many competitions.

Barr said he created the club to unite coders across the school to collaborate and improve their skills, as well as be able to participate in a competitive activity together.

“We realized that there are hordes of very competent coders at Harvard-Westlake that have received a really good education in code but aren’t aware of all the opportunities that the skill provides them, competitively and just in general,” Barr said. “I think competitive coding is fun. I loved prepping over winter

break with a small group of friends, so I thought it would make sense to share that experience in the form of a club.”

Barr said the decision to create a team stems from the number and variety of coding competitions.

“Since there is such a diverse set of coding competitions that require similar skills, we thought it made sense to form a team to build and share these [skills] together as well as apply together for team competitions and awards as a school,” Barr said. “This not only creates a space where students who are interested in coding in general can collaborate, but a competitive activity as well.

Barr said the club is the product of a longtime passion for coding since a young age.

“It is my life’s work, my pride and my joy,” Barr said. “I am filled with respect and love for the world every time I set foot in Chalmers 307, and the family I have become a part of.”

3D-ify, founded by Kyler Yun ’25 and advised by Upper SchoolMathematics Teacher Juan Lopez, is a space where students can discuss how 3D computer generated imagery (CGI) is created and applied so they can gain both a greater appreciation for the industry and make their own original CGI art.

Yun said he created the club to help inform others about how much time and effort goes into online graphics, as well as teach participants about some of the skills involved in making them.

“While there is an end goal for the project, a retro piece of tech in 3D that I won’t spoil, I hope people can use what they’ve learned from this club on their passions, whether that be art, filmmaking, game development or design,” Yun said. “I also hope they can gain a new level of appreciation for the artists whose work and talent goes unnoticed in so much of

ally while preserving the Korean touch to its music.”

Lee said she chose Clancy as her faculty advisor because she can help choreograph the dances.

“I thought she would be such an amazing advisor in the process of the choreography,” Lee said. “Her energy is unmatched. She’s perfect for the environment and space that I’m trying to create through this club.”

Clancy said she was thrilled to support the club as it would help students learn the choreography of th many dances.

“I was excited when asked to become the advisor for the club,” Clancy said. “The opportunity allows me to support the students along their journey. As a dancer and educator, I understand the value in movement, identity, cultural joy and acceptance. Therefore, to see dance used as an educational and creative method of engagement on campus speaks to me.

I hope to bring perspective and confidence into the work of the club.”

The club will meet every Day 4 during lunch in the dance studio.

the content we consume in our everyday lives.”

Yun said ever since he first learned about CGI art, he has hoped to spread his passion to others.

“When I started middle school, one of my teachers introduced me to 3D modeling software, and I became obsessed with it,” Yun said.

“I’ve continued to make 3D art ever since, and I’ve wanted to teach it to others for quite a while now.”

Yun said 3D-ify will meet consistently and build on past meetings in order to best prepare members for the final project at the end of the year.

“While club meetings will be pretty consistent and hinge on material learned in previous meetings, I’ll be emailing copies of the presentations and Blender files as attachments.

The club’s structure is similar to that of a class or elective,” Yun said. “Even if someone misses a meeting, they can come on by and pick up where they left off. I hope participants enjoy the club.

Hopefully in the future we can expand the club into something larger in scale.”

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JUANA MARKMAN

Feb. 1, 2024

hwchronicle.com/news

Screening held for new film

News A7

By Ella Jeon

The Jewish Family Alliance (JFA) and Kutler Center hosted a screening of the 2023 documentary "UnBroken" during a recent installment of the Cinema Sundays program Jan. 21.

The screening was followed by a group discussion in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The film that was shown, "UnBroken," is directed by activist, artist and second-generation Holocaust survivor Beth Lane. The film tells the story of the daughter of a Holocaust survivor who goes on a journey to find answers about the history of her mother, who was incarcerated and murdered at Auschwitz, and her six siblings who escaped Nazi Germany as young children.

Lane said “UnBroken” is an essential story of hope and it aims to inspire viewers and audiences to combat antisemitism and show more kindness in their lives.

“My goal is that 'UnBroken' will offer its viewers an opportunity to strengthen the muscles of hope, compassion, empathy and love [while] collaborating with individuals of a variety of belief systems,” Lane said. “[This] may just add a stitch to the fabric of a more just society where everyone has kindness and courage in equal measure.”

Director of Kutler Center Jim Patterson said this Cinema Sunday screening was noteworthy because the film is centered around the Holocaust and honoring those who suffered.

“I am excited that we were able to show this film about an important story,” Patterson said.

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF MIKE BIETZ

READY FOR THE REBUTTAL: Members of the novice Lincoln-Douglas debate team pose together at an in-state tourament after completing a match. The tournament took place over three days, with two Junior members of the Varsity team receiving bids at the end of the competition.

Debate team competes in local competition

By Alex Lee

The debate team competed in the Peninsula Invitational in Rolling Hills Estate, California, from Jan. 20 to Jan. 22. The school competed in the Varsity and Novice Lincoln-Douglas divisions.

Asher Meron ’25 and William Liu ’25 received Tournament of Champions (TOC) bids at the tournament through the Open Lincoln-Douglas division.

Olivia Zhu ’27, Elijah Yguado ’28, Michael Reola ’28, Lucy Shi ’28, Jacob Waxman ’27 and Beau Cartwright ’27 placed in the top 10 speakers in the Novice Lincoln-Douglas division.

Director of the Debate Program Mike Bietz said the team competing showed up in large numbers and performed well in both categories while competing at the local tournament.

“I think it's the most debaters • Continued on hwchronicle.com

that we took to a tournament this is always gonna make me more year,” Bietz said. “We took 17 de- proud than winning. Judges baters to the tournament, and decide who wins, but in terms they got to stay overnight. They of how the kids acted and supdid very, very well. I think we had ported each other, those are desix of the top 10 speakers. And in liberate choices, so I'm proud of varsity debate, we had two de- them for that.” baters earn bids to the Debater Kaison Tournament of ChamMaruyama ’27 said pions, so it was a very the support the team successful weekend.” gave him along with Bietz said he was his own work made impressed by the team’s him feel prepared for performance but felt the tournament. proudest about how “I put in a lot of well team members work before the tourhelped each other. nament, and I think L. Wood “Debate is an acit really payed off,” Asher tivity where you go in Maruyama said. “Even Meron ’25 and debate by yourthough I wasn’t 100 self,” Bietz said. “But percent prepared for the preparation and all those everything, I felt that my team things that we do as a team, was really able to help me.”

I get to see. To see the older Meron said he felt he made debaters helping the younger a lot of progress since his last debaters and being supportive tournament and is now focused

on getting a second bid to advance to the TOC. “I feel like this tournament was a big improvement in my performance which was obviously reflected in getting my first bid,” Meron said. “Now I’m aiming to get a second one so I can fully qualify for the TOC. I'll definitely be working hard on getting that by the end of the season. Hopefully that push will start in Atlanta this weekend.”

Esther Goldman ’26, who attended the trip, said she enjoyed the trip because she was able to connnect with her team.

“I love traveling with my team because we can really feel the sense of community,” Goldman said. “Going to team dinners and hanging out at the hotel gives a bond that carries over into debate since we all want each other to do well.”

Prefects host chess tournament

By Lyla Kavanaugh

ILLUSTRATION BY EVA PARK

Prefect Council partnered with the Chess Club to organize a chess tournament during lunch periods Jan. 29Feb. 2. Students will compete for a chance to win a new chess board, supplied by Prefect Council.

Sophomore Prefect Robby Louie ’26 said Prefect Council hopes the chess touranment will provide students with a chance to relieve academic stress and pressure while participating in a schoolwide event to boost community and connections between students.

“We hope to create a break from academic stress so [that] people can go watch and enjoy the games to de-stress during the day,” Louie said. “Another outcome we’re hoping for is to help students make new friends, immerse themselves in the community and foster opportunities for friendship.”

Chess Club Leader Eric Vartany ’24 said this is the second year the Chess Club has hosted a schoolwide tournament that anyone can partici-

pate in with Prefect Council.

“Last year, we partnered with Prefect Council, and it was a huge success,” Vartany said.

“Working with them, we’re able to spread the word to more people along with get the necessary funding for chessboards and other equipment.”

Vartany founded the Chess Club along with Chase Hameetman ’24 during their sophomore year and they have continued running and expanding the club since then. Vartany said although chess used to be very popular at the school before he was at the Upper School, it hd lost traction by the time that he started as a sophomore.

“Chess at Harvard-Westlake has been very on and off,” Vartany said. “Years ago, chess used to be huge and Chess Club would sell lots of merch around campus. But I guess it died out after that. [Hameetman] and I refounded the club in the 2021-22 school year and this is our second year of hosting an all-school tournament.”

Online chess has seen a rise in user activity over the past few years, according to Annen-

berg Media. The most popular of these online sites being Chess.com, with users from every country in the world and ten million chess games being played every day on their platform, according to Chess. com. Vartany said the release of mainstream shows combined with the growing popularity of online chess websites have heightened students' interest in chess.

“Online chess has certainly influenced the popularity around campus,” Vartany said. “The online format makes the game a bit [more] addicting. I think online chess has helped grow the popularity of the game among people.”

“The Queen's Gambit,” a television show on Netflix starring Anya Taylor Joy, released in 2020 and was centered around the game. Vartany said people became interested in the game and the apps after watching the show.

“Chess spiked after ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ was released on Netflix,” Vartany said.

“Websites like Chess.com and Lichess.org [also] facilitated people’s interest in chess.”

A8 News

Chaotic Crossword

ACROSS: 1. Relative of LMAO 4. _____ the weather (sick) 9. In progress, to Sherlock Holmes 14. King Kong or Donkey Kong 15. Somewhat, informally 16. Soup scoop 17. He pities the fool!

18. Food that actually originated in Belgium 20. Herb in pesto 22. ____ Forest University

Feb. 1, 2024

The Chronicle

23. In case 24. Response to a zinger 26. T-shirt size bigger than med.

28. Food that actually originated in New York 35. Exploits 37. The Hawkeye State 38. Do penance 39. Not backwards?

40. Like some modernday maps 42. NHL tiebreakers

43. Marinated Filipino meat dish 45. Debtors’ notes 46. Thicken, as cream 47. Food that actually originated in Canada 50. Political org. with a donkey symbol 51. Crowns fit for a princess 54. Fruit with an accent 57. Klutzes 61. TV teaser

Chron-nections

Aidan Deshong ’24 has schemed up Volume 33’s fifth crossword. Will you be able to figure out this gargantuan 71 question brain-teaser? Good luck and go puzzle!

62. Food that actually originated in Philadelphia 65. Oxford or Cambridge, informally 66. One of three in a weekday “Garfield” strip 67. Calculator, watch and keyboard brand 68. Zilch 69. Place 70. Showing little emotion 71. Card game from the makers of “Uno”

DOWN: 1. Certain Italian sports car, slangily 2. She said “You get a car! You get a car!”

3 “Hmm...”

4. Old Glory 5. Neither’s partner 6. Took a turn in Pictionary 7. Smoke spewer in Sicily 8. Triangle on a pool table 9. TV ET 10. One end of the political spectrum 11. “Garfield” dog 12. Fútbol cheers 13. The “T” of SAT and ACT 19. Ship’s steering wheel 21. B&Bs 25. Ballet movement 27. Burrito add-on, informally 29. Aegean region 30. Faint with passion 31. Overdo, as a stage role 32. Goof off 33. Really digging 34. Hatchling’s home 35. State with the highest concentration of Mormons 36. Sweet, aerated beverage 40. Enter 41. “That so?”

44. “I’d think twice about that” 46. The word for C in “P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever” 48. Clickable image 49. Resealable bag brand 52. OB/GYN exam 53. Makes dirty 54. High points in Switzerland 55. Layer of paint 56. One of the Brontë sisters 58. Kindergartner’s recitation 59. Lambda Chi Alpha, for one 60. Not great, but not terrible 63. Aged 64. It’s right on a grandfather clock?

• Answers on hwchronicle.com

Jack Ryan ’25 and Alden Detmer ’25 have designed the third Chron-nections. Find four groups of four words that share a common category. Each word belongs to only one category.

• Answers on hwchronicle.com

Opinion The Chronicle • Feb. 1, 2024

Studio City • Vol. 33 • Issue 5 • Feb. 1, 2024 • hwchronicle.com

Editors-in-Chief: Averie Perrin, Ella Yadegar Print Managing Editors: Jade Harris, Iona Lee, Davis Marks

editorial

Presentation Managing Editors: Kriste An, Chloe Park, Tate Sheehy Executive Editors: Jackson Mayer, Grant Park News Editor: Sammy Glassman Assistant News Editors: Jayan Kandavel, Everett Lakey, Alex Lee, Hannah Shahidi, Jack Ryan Connor Tang, Nathan Wang Opinion Editor: Jackson Tanner Assistant Opinion Editors: Eden Conner, Sabrina Hamideh, William Liu, Hana Mehdi Williams, Olivia Phillips, Max Turetzky Features Editor: Dylan Graff Assistant Features Editors: Alden Detmer, Alex Dinh, Zoe Goor, Georgia Grad, Saisha Kumar, MeJo Liao A&E Editor: Caroline Plunkett Assistant A&E Editors: Sasha Aghnatios, Crista Kim, Katelyn Kim, Mia Morgan, Olivia So Sports Managing Editor: Jake Lancer Sports Editors: Karsten Cole, Christopher Mo Assistant Sports Editors: Hailey Cho, Justin Tang Satire Editors: Jade Harris, Davis Marks Assistant Satire Editors: Zoe Goor, Hannah Shahidi Digital Editor: Casey Reims Business Managers: Tate Sheehy, Grant Park Art Director: Eva Park Illustrators: Amelia Chiarelli, Annabelle Cheung, Iris Chung, Ashley Ham, Ava Hakakha, Alexandria Liu, Juana Markman, Lucia Plata, Maiya Holly, Sabrina Simek, Siena Orwitz Executive Broadcast Producer: Jake Lancer Assistant Broadcast Producers: Rohan Amin, Alexa Benitez, Hunter Bridgett, Eric Chang, Hudson Chen, Grace Coleman, William Coleman, Jack Limor, Aaron Milburn Layout Assistants and Staff Writers: Camryn Banafsheha, Annabelle Cheung, Iris Chung, Emma Cohen, Sienna Dall’Olmo, Wynne Davis, Donna Enayati, Kayla Graff, Lydia Gugsa, Tali Gurule, Colin Ho, Ella Jeon, Yuna Jeon, Lyla Kavanagh, Audrey Wage, Connor Merrihew, Max Nam, Analeigh Nava, Shiara Navarro, Alex Reisner, Andrea Ricabal, Olivia Roosa, Erin Ryu, Eila Shokravi, Aven Son, Celine Wang, Sophia Wiczyk Advisors: Jen Bladen, Billy Montgomery, Max Tash Layout Assistants: James Lane Publication Information: Founded in 1990, The Chronicle is the Harvard-Westlake Upper School’s student-led newspaper. Now in its 33rd year, The Chronicle strives to report stories accurately and to uphold its legacy of journalistic integrity. The newspaper is published eight times per year and distributed to students, parents, faculty and staff. The paper is affiliated with two school magazines, Big Red and Panorama. We are members of the California Newspaper Publishers Association and the Private School Journalism Association.

ILLUSTRATION BY LUCIA PLATA

Promote Student Voices in Politics

From Jan. 13 to Jan. 15, students from the school traveled to the 2024 Republican Iowa Caucuses, immersing themselves in the heart of the democratic process and engaging with presidential candidates.

The students attended rallies, interviewed Iowans and observed the caucuses process.

In the bustling halls of our school, where academic pursuits often take center stage, the realm of politics can seem like a distant concern. However, students’ presence at the Iowa Caucuses demonstrates that engaging with the political landscape is both possible and crucial for the development of informed, empowered citizens.

Interacting with citizens in Iowa offers a grassroots perspective, connecting students with the concerns and opinions of voters who are different from those in the Los Angeles area. These experiences encourage students to develop an enhanced awareness of the political landscape and gain valuable insights into the diverse perspectives that shape political discourse.

High school is a pivotal time in students’ lives as they begin to foster a sense of civil obligation. In encouraging students to engage with politics throughout high school, we equip them with the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to make well-informed decisions in the voting booth. It is easy for us to develop one-sided opinions on an issue after listening to our parents or teachers. Engaging with people who share differing perspectives, such as far-right evangelical Christians in Iowa, can broaden our horizons.

Students’ experiences at the Iowa Caucuses underscore the power that students can hold as active participants in the democratic process — not only did they interview Iowans, but they also spoke with both candidates and esteemed national journalists. Politics isn’t a realm exclusive to seasoned adults. Rather, student voices are both valid and essential to the political landscape, catalyzing change and paving the road for a new generation of inquisitive, involved citizens.

Our peers’ direct involvement in the caucuses sends a powerful message; political engagement is not confined to the privileged few but is an obligation that all citizens, regardless of age, should embrace.

Reflecting on the significance of political involvement in high school, it is important to acknowledge the barriers that can impede students from taking on an active role. Academic pressures, extracurricular commitments and a general lack of awareness regarding the avenues available for political engagement can all deter students.

Therefore, it becomes incumbent upon the school administration, educators and fellow students to create an environment that encourages and facilitates political engagement.

To address these challenges, the school should implement initiatives such as creating dedicated spaces for political discussions, organizing informational sessions on local and national political processes and collaborating with external organizations to provide resources for students interested in politics. The school should facilitate more opportunities similar to the Iowa Caucuses trip for students who are interested in observing the democratic process firsthand. In breaking down these barriers and fostering a culture of political awareness and engagement, the school can have a pivotal role in shaping a generation of conscious and active citizens.

High school students’ engagement in politics is not just admirable — it is essential for the health of our democratic process. The unique position of high school as a formative period in students’ lives makes it an opportune time to instill the values of critical thinking and active participation. Our school should be a nurturing ground for future leaders, changemakers and conscientious citizens who recognize the power that blossoming minds can hold in shaping the course of our nation. It is time to embrace the potential within our students and cultivate a generation that both values the democratic process and contributes to its flourishing.

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A10 Opinion

The Chronicle

Feb. 1, 2024

The AI music issue

By Eden Conner

I

n the 1988 case Midler v.

Ford Motor Co., actress Bette Midler sued Ford for impersonating her voice in a commercial and won the appeal. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals claimed that because a voice is distinctive to an individual, imitating that voice for profit was an encroachment on their identity and could not be used without their consent. In 2023, TikTok user Ghostwriter997 posted “Heart on My Sleeve,” a new song that featured the voices of Drake and The Weeknd, except the song was created by artificial intelligence (AI). Although the song was quickly taken down due to copyright infringement for an identical producer tag, national decisions about what should be deemed copyright infringement in AI music are concerningly vague.

As AI becomes more accurate and accessible, it begins to encroach on one of our world’s most innately creative art forms: music composition.

There are benefits to using AI in order to speed up the production process, but the tool is also being used to create “new songs” with existing music.

Copyright law bans the ability to copyright music made solely

by AI but does not restrict the use of music as a plug-in to AI or the use of voices and AIgenerated tunes similar to an existing sound.

Under copyright law, the owner of the copyrighted material is the only individual allowed to produce derivatives of an original work. If an outside party wants to remix the song, — or incorporate aspects of the song into a new work — they must gain master use and sync licenses before doing so. AIgenerated music is able to evade this requirement because while it uses music that is copyrighted, the resulting song does not technically include any direct copies of the original piece and therefore cannot be at risk for a lawsuit. An AI- generated song would not exist without the

input of the copyrighted song.

The basis of a song created by AI is an input of copyrighted work, making it a derivative of copyrighted work, and as a result should face the same copyright charges as a stolen verse.

This is not simply someone listening to a song, liking it and subconsciously modeling their own work around it. AI is a technological tool with no creative center of its own that uses an algorithm to copy a song all without infringing on existing copyright law. The glaring derivative use of an original song

by AI needs to be addressed in our legislation.

In addition to AI’s ability to plug in songs in order to create music with a similar sound and meaning, it is also capable of using deep fakes, which take recordings of an artist's voice and use it to create new songs. If Midler was able to win a lawsuit over an individual impersonating her voice to make a profit, why should AI be allowed to take a recording of an artist's voice and make a profitable song? One would think that using someone’s voice would be a greater breach of property than their music. By law, however, an artist’s voice should be considered a breach of copyright the same way impersonating someone is. Though the words the automated voice is speaking are different, the sound of the voice itself should still belong to the original artist.

The growing use of AI in human life is inevitable, and it can have a positive impact on the music-making industry, but this is only if it is used in a way that doesn’t infringe on people’s personal sound and artistic creations. There is nothing wrong with using a computer generator to reduce the cost or production time of music. Taking someone else’s work, however, and plugging it into a computer to tweak it and call it original is not what music making is about and needs to be restricted by the Copyright Act.

ILLUSTRATION BY IRIS CHUNG

Start school day later

By Max Turetzky

I

t is 8:00 a.m., and students are trudging to class and chugging their caffeinated drinks in the hopes it will keep them alert for the next 75 minutes.

This scene is all too familiar, but it does not have to be the norm.

The decision to start school at 8:00 a.m. turns students into malfunctioning, sleep-deprived

zombies. Meanwhile, a growing number of medical studies — as well as an increasing number of schools and state legislatures nationwide — agree that it does not have to be like this. Other private schools in the area, including Campbell Hall, Crossroads, Oakwood and Marlborough, have all shifted their start times past 8:00

ILLUSTRATION BY AMELIA CHIARELLI

Require a dedicated environment class

By Sasha Aghnatios

H

umans are the only organisms on Earth that create unusable waste, and the effect this has on the environment is disastrous. Light pollution, air pollution, water pollution, land pollution — how much pollution can we create, and how much pollution can the Earth handle?

The answer is “no more.” Yet, while many people realize this, they don’t realize that what they consider to be a sustainable lifestyle is not, in fact, sustainable.

They don't understand that their daily actions can be detrimental to the environment. For example, eating meat more than once a day and having more than 15 electronic devices per household are actions that are really harmful to the planet, but the majority of people don’t know this. If they did, then they would think more about the fate of the Earth before making a choice.

This is not to say that people are actively trying to hurt the environment. Rather, any harmful actions often come from a place of ignorance. This is why an environmental science course should be mandated at the school. By informing students about how to better the environment, we can catalyze major shifts in their lifestyles in addition to a cultural shift on campus. If everyone knows how they are damaging

the environment, students can work on making daily life choices that are more sustainable.

In my AP (Advanced Placement) Environmental Studies class, students engaged in an exercise where they calculated the number of Earths needed to sustain each student's lifestyle if the human population consumed the same amount of resources. The results were striking — even the person with the lowest ecological footprint in the class required 1.7 Earths to sustain their lifestyle.

The highest needed a staggering

8.9 Earths. It was after this class that students became aware of the extent to which they were harming the Earth. It was knowing the impact of your actions but also the way in which everyone’s actions were put on display for the entire class to judge.

Instituting a mandate requiring all students at the school to take an environmental science course would help educate students on our patterns of overconsumption as well as foster

a deeper understanding of the pressing climate crisis. Many people in the class began buying drinks in aluminum cans and eating the vegetarian options in the cafeteria after this class. In an era plagued with environmental challenges, equipping students with the knowledge and tools to address these issues is essential for creating informed and responsible global citizens.

This instruction could easily be mandated for next year’s sophomores during Sophomore Seminar. The curriculum for this meeting is constantly changing, and even making a few meetings about sustainability could make a big difference. These classes wouldn’t have to cover a full environmental science curriculum, but they theycan instead focus on how people affect the environment, enabling students to implement this knowledge in their lives.

It's tempting to blame others for the harm that we cause it’s the cafeteria’s fault, the factories’ fault or the planes’ fault. But it’s not. The real culprit is the culture of wastefulness and nonchalance that our world has cultivated. In order to instigate real change, we must begin with changing students' mindsets. Being a high school filled with budding and developing minds, there is no better place to start this change.

a.m. Bill No. 328, a new California law that took effect in 2022, requires that all public high schools start past 8:30 a.m. The Upper School stands as the odd one out — it is time to align with these changes and shift our own start time to 8:30 a.m.

Bill No. 328 was the first of its kind in the nation to implement a later start time for high school students, but other states are expected to follow. In 2023, Florida passed a law to be implemented in 2026 that sets the same floor.

Legislators in at least nine other states, including New York, Texas and Nevada, are proposing similar changes. Our current 8:00 a.m. start time is neither universal nor set in stone, and we should change itif it promotes better outcomes for students.

Prevailing scientific evidence proves that starting school at 8:00 a.m. poses a legitimate threat to students’ health and well-being. For instance, 72.7% of high school students get less than eight hours of sleep each night, which is the medically

recommended amount of sleep for adolescents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This deficit is especially pronounced at the Upper School, where students are put under more academic pressure and receive more homework than their counterparts nationwide. Many of my classmates often go to bed absurdly late — even after 1:30 a.m. For students who live far from school, some as far as Lancaster or Riverside , their situation is more severe.

Several students wake up at 5:30 a.m. or earlier. This is brutal for adults, let alone teenagers, who require even more sleep.

These effects are real and serious. The CDC described the epidemic of sleep deprivation among high school students as a “substantial public health concern,” noting that a lack of sleep can lead to lower grades, mental health struggles and antisocial behavior. High school students themselves know that it just doesn’ t feel right to be waking up at the crack of dawn for school.

It’s a biological truth that adolescents have delayed circadian rhythms that cause them to all asleep and wake up later. Most teenagers can’t fall asleep before 11:30 p.m. and remain in “sleep mode” until 8:00 a.m., according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). That’s not something that can be fixed through encouraging students to “go to bed earlier.” The school should accommodate its students’ inherent biological clocks instead of working against them.

This shift would not inflict a drastic change in our school's schedule either. Though school would have to end later to keep the block schedule intact, it is more important that we follow what the science says is best, and most medical organizations have agreed on 8:30 a.m. at the earliest. The bus schedule would also have to change, as would the start and end times for after-school sports. But these changes are a matter of will — if other schools can do it, so can we as an entire American population to fix it.

They don't realize what they consider to be a sustanable life is not, in fact, sustainable

Feb. 1, 2024

hwchronicle.com/opinion

Make the new library less isolating

Opinion A11

STATS AND FACTS

By William Liu

O

n Dec. 12, a long awaited email arrived — Mudd Library was about to reopen after months of renovation. This email marked the return to a once-beloved space at the Upper School, where I had spent so many hours studying and hanging out with friends.

The library had always been a vibrant hub for students to gather, unwind and prepare for exams while engaging in fun conversations. Having gone almost four months without a proper place to relax or socialize — the Feldman-Horn mock library lacked Mudd Library’s unique atmosphere — I hoped the new library would be a breath of fresh air.

When I first saw the new library, my excitement clouded my initial judgment. I was in awe of the vast array of study spaces, the new furniture and the bunk beds in the new Learning Center. However, it slowly dawned on me that Mudd Library has never been more isolating.

The library was once a more open area. Featuring a spacious floor plan and towering bookshelves, students had the option to sit down in groups at tables, couches and beanbags to work together. Light conversations were possible all throughout its two floors, and those who needed to focus quietly could go into Silent Study for a more private work space.

The new layout, however, forces students to choose between productivity and socialization. Turn left, and there is a narrow path lined with individual workstations. Turn right, and there are a number of couches devoid of outlets or tables, making it impossible to be

productive. Instead of the group study rooms serving as a place for group projects or studying, they are rented out by students to socialize and eat lunch. These spaces have become limited but in high demand as students attempt to return to the library at the same rate they did before.

Even the large study room is filled with rows of built-in tables, which make the layout seem more like a traditional classroom than a collaborative space. Even though some of the other classrooms in the upper library and Kutler are more conducive to group work, with tables that can be moved closer to one another, they are also nearly unbearable to work in due to the lack of ventilation.

Ultimately, any space for students should aim to create a healthy and productive sense of routine.

It is not necessarily that the library has gotten worse. Rather, it has turned into an exclusive haven for only the most studious at the Upper School. For those seeking a tranquil space for focused work, the new library could not have been better. But to half of the student population who thinks the new library is worse for socializing, according to a Chronicle poll, this shift only exacerbated the challenge of fostering connections and collaborative efforts.

Academic pressure already compels students to study alone in

End the semester before winter break

By Sabrina Hamideh

T

he first weeks back from winter break are filled with anxious chatter as students gather in the library and teacher offices, struggling to relearn material from before the break. The end of the first semester brings a heightened level of stress as students grapple with the pressure to review, memorize and prepare for an overwhelming series of exams that complete the semester. But, by ending the first semester before the start of winter break, students will be more familiar with the recently taught material and perform better on their exams before they can fully embrace a relaxing winter break.

Changing the semester schedule would put students’ mental health at the forefront, providing them with a chance to recharge over the break, prepare for the upcoming semester and guard against burnout.

Ending the semester before breaks would allow students to retain the material better

for assessments. Cumulative assignments take a lot of time and effort to prepare for, even when the information is fresh, so scheduling these exams after winter break only puts students in a position where they would have to work much harder for longer periods. Scheduling tests earlier ensures better recall and understanding of the material being tested. The school emphasizes strong student performance and this change would only increase student success.

Shifting the end of first semester will be particularly helpful to seniors who have to submit their semester grades to colleges. Oftentimes, their grades are dependent on the last few tests that lead up to the end of the semester. By giving seniors the opportunity to better retain information, they will not only have a more manageable workload, but they can also perform better. The benefits of this change extend to college applications — it will alleviate the stress seniors face of having to juggle the dual demands of college applications and midterms. Seniors are constantly stressing over their college applications during winter break, so being able to complete all of their exams beforehand will allow them to fully

Is the new library better for students’ productivity?

silent areas, and the renovation only further entrenches that.

There are still social spaces in the new library, like the couches on the bottom floor or the tables on the second floor. The problem is that they are broadly separated from work-oriented spaces. There are no areas to relax with friends while also studying like in the old library — only one or the other is possible. This seems like overdesigning, where creating one specific purpose for every place in the library reduces its overall usefulness.

Ultimately, any space for students should aim to create a healthy and productive sense of routine. A comfortable, consistent environment in which people can see their friends is more important to student wellness and overall success than a reading nook. Students will eventually adjust to the new space — in just two years there will be no more students on the upper school campus who remember the old library.

We obviously can’t reverse the remodel, nor should we. The renovation did make some legitimately much-needed updates to the old library, and a few simple fixes could alleviate most of the problems with the new setup. For instance, we should prevent students from eating lunch in the group study so that it remains open for students to work. Instead, we should add more table space on the Quad or in the lounge to accommodate those who are used to eating in the library. The library can once again be both a productive and a social space, so long as the school recognizes that they shouldn’t try to separate the two.

focus on writing their college supplemental essays instead.

Upcoming midterm exams and assessments also put stress on the student body over the break, hindering their ability to rest and impeding on time that could be spent with friends and relatives. Even if a student is not preparing for a test, the looming anxiety can detract from these memorable times. Changing the semester

Yes: 72.5% No: 27.5%

Is it harder to socialize in the new library?

Yes: 50.5% No: 49.5%

Do you like the bunk beds in the Learning Center?

Yes: 67.6% No: 32.4%

Do you find the new silent study more useful?

Yes: 72.0% No: 28.0%

*182 students polled Assistant Opinion Editor Sabrina Hamideh argues that the school should end the first semester before winter break to promote student well-being and academic success. schedule would put students’ mental health at the forefront, providing them with a chance to recharge over the break, prepare for the upcoming semester and guard against burnout.

This change would not be unique to our school. In fact, it has been adopted at other schools in the area. For example, schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) end first semester

before letting students out on break. Our school is an outlier in the community, and it’s time we make a decision that best supports student life.

The school is tough as it is, and there is no need to make students experiences more difficult. It is time for the school to recognize the advantages of this adjustment and make a positive change that benefits the entire student population.

ILLUSTRATION BY EVA PARK

Community The Chronicle • Feb. 1, 2024

CONNOR TANG/CHRONICLE

DISTRIBUTING DISCOUNTS: Prefect Council announced a set of discounts for students, including new additions Shake Shack and Sweet Butter Kitchen. Shake Shack, which is about a 10-minute walk away from campus, opened its new Ventura location in the month of January. There were also a number of renewed discounts, which includes a list of over 10 restaurants in the area.

Prefect Council adds discounts including Shake Shack

By Analeigh Nava

Prefect Council announced student discounts at Shake Shack and Sweet Butter Kitchen on Jan. 17, with 10% discounts at both restaurants. The two discounts follow 11 other discounts announced in October.

The burger chain Shake Shack opened a new location on Ventura Boulevard earlier in January, about a 10-minute walk from campus.

Sweet Butter Kitchen is a bakery and a cafe also on Ventura Boulevard, which sells an assortment of breakfast items and pastries.

Sophomore Prefect Caroline

Cosgrove ’26 said building relationships with the restaurants was time-consuming but worth effort. “[Prefect Council] reached out to various restaurants and stores near campus through emails and phone calls, especially to ones that are popular among the [school] community,” Cosgrove said.

“Some did not reply, others, like Alfred’s, offered limited-time discounts, and others renewed our long-standing discounts, like Il Trammezzino, a restaurant that we have been collaborating with for a few years. The discounts give students an opportunity to spend less at their favorite restaurants, [while]

also bringing in more customers for the restaurants.”

Andrea Colmenares-Cifuentes ’24, a regular customer at Shake Shack and Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill, said she is grateful for the discounts because they allow her to spend less money.

“I use them to save money obviously, but I also know that it helps the school with the partnerships and future partnerships with other stores as well,” Colmenares-Cifuentes says. “Also, I think the stores appreciate the amount of customers they get each day.”

Chris Marin ’25 said it is difficult to ask for discounts at times,

but the customer service makes him feel better.

“I feel a little shy to tell them that I want a discount, but they always happily attend to me so I don’t feel bad,” Marin says. “I love Shake Shack so the fact that there’s a 10% discount helps me out a lot.”

Eric Vartany ’24, a senior with off-campus lunch privileges, said that the opening of the burger chain nearby allows him and his friends a greater selection of food.

“Shake Shack is great,” Vartany said. “It’s another option for burgers we already have, HiHo [Cheeseburger] and Five Guys. But it’s always nice to have more options,

especially when you have a group of friends that are some people like one type of burger, and other people like a different type of burger.

More options is always best.”

Vartany said the discounts provided by the school are also useful for other restaurants in the vicinity.

“The student discounts are useful,” Vartany said. “I forget to use them like most of the time.

Like when you’re in the in the speed of payment, and you have like three people behind you, I often forget to say that I’m a Harvard-Westlake student to get the discount, but definitely what I do remember it’s useful.”

Alumni discuss latest school changes

By Max Turetzky

Harvard-Westlake Student Alumni Association (HWSAA) hosted its annual Community Board Meeting in the newly renovated Mudd Library on Jan. 24. The event, which was open to all alumni, highlighted recent developments at the school, including the renovation of Mudd Library and the ongoing River Park project, which was unanimously approved in September.

President of the Alumni Association Angel Horacek ’95 said the meeting aimed to keep former students engaged with the school community even after moving on from the school.

“This Community Board Meeting is an open meeting that we’ve been having for the last few years,” Horacek said. “We encourage all of the alumni to come back and feel like they’re a part of what’s happening with the alumni board. It helps them get knowledge about what [HWSAA] is doing, and it also provides opportunities for them to participate if they haven’t done so in the past.”

Head of School Laura Ross

spoke to alumni about the school's efforts to improve student mental health since the last school year.

Ross said the aftermath of the tragedies on campus encouraged her to reconsider the school's approach to mental health.

“I’ve worked in schools and colleges for 27 years, and there's no question that [last year was] the hardest time for me as a person [and] as a professional,” Ross said. “As we watched the mental health crisis hit teenagers, all of us educators were thinking, ‘What can we do? Are we serving kids right?’”

One major topic at the meeting was River Park, which was approved by the Los Angeles City Council in a unanimous vote Nov. 14. Ross said she is glad the neighborhood granted its green light for River Park and promised new developments for the project in the next two months. Ross said although she empathizes with Studio City residents who oppose River Park, she hopes they will soon recognize the benefits of the project.

“It has been six years of extraordinarily hard work by so

many people to make [River Park] happen," Ross said. "It will not surprise you that there are still neighbors [who] don't think it's the best idea. Our great hope is that once they see that we keep our promises, they will see that we do intend to share it with the community every day.”

Head of Peer Support and Interdisciplinary Studies Tina McGraw ’01, who teaches a class called “The Science of Psychology,” spoke about the Kutler Center, and its impacts.

She said the creation of the Kutler Center has given her more freedom to teach interdisciplinary subjects such as her psychology class.

“Psychology just lends itself so naturally to this interdisciplinary process,” McGraw said.

“One of the most wonderful things is that we get to spend so much time letting students marinate and reflect on their own experiences, and how they connect with the material. Unlike an [Advanced Placement (AP)] Psychology class, if I were teaching that, I would have to be rushing through content, just 100 miles an hour every single day.”

ILLUSTRATION BY AMELIA CHIARELLI

ILLUSTR ATION BY IRIS CHUNG/ORIGINAL PAINTING: MARTIN VAN MEYTENS, PD-US-EXPIRED

The Chronicle • Feb. 1, 2024

Features

A FAMILY AF FAIR

• Continued on B2

DYNASTIES

B2 Features

The Chronicle

Feb. 1, 2024

Numerous notable families in the school community discuss their various impacts and their presence among students and faculty.

By Hannah Shahidi It is 1997. Upper School Dean Sharon Cuseo walks into Rugby Auditorium as she searches for a seat at “West Side Story.” Spotting the Platt family, she goes to sit next to them. Cuseo and the Platts have not known each other for long — in fact, they met for the first time the week before when their oldest child, Samantha Platt ’01, came to campus for her applicant interview. In years to come, the Platts would send all of their children to the school, forming an unofficial “dynasty,” and remaining a prominent name in the school community. Cuseo said she enjoyed being able to make more memories with the Platt siblings as their dean.

“I vividly remember my interview with Samantha Platt,” Cuseo said. “It was like the universe introducing me to the amazing Platt family. She and I had the most intense conversation about the musical ‘Rent’ because she and I had both just seen it. There was a musical at Harvard-Westlake that next week, and the Platt family was there, [though] they hadn’t been admitted yet. From the very beginning of their time at Harvard-Westlake, we sat in the auditorium and watched musicals together.

That experience happened many more times over the years, which made it even more m e a n i n g f u l .”

Marc Platt is a renowned producer in film, television and theater, best-known for his contributions to “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Wicked,” “Legally Blonde” and “La La Land” according to Playbill. He and his wife, Julie Platt, sent their five kids to the school over the span of 20 years. All the Platt children were extensively involved in theater during high school with Ben Platt ’11 later becoming prominent in Broadway and television. Cuseo said a family becomes a dynasty when they stay connected with the school for an exceedingly long time.

“If [parents] like the school enough to invest so much time and money into their kids going here from the beginning to the end, that’s a long time to be connected to an institution,” Cuseo said. “That’s what makes [a dynasty] more than anything.

The only type of people who have a historical connection like that are people who work here, so those families are entering that level of connection. A group of siblings would be less of a dynasty if they were each one year apart, even if there were five or six of them. But if you have a kid at the school over the course of 20 years, then you become a dynasty.”

The definition of a dynasty is a “powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time,” according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

From a business perspective, the word means a cohesive economic entity in which family values last for generations, according to Private Wealth Advisor John Thompson. While families at the school are often not more than two or three generations of students and alumni, there can be values and interests that are passed down through a couple of siblings who have attended the school.

Cuseo said that a student in a prominent family may feel pressure when their siblings are all successful in a single extracurricular.

“Sometimes, it’s hard when you have an extreme talent in something,” Cuseo said. “If a family is just a bunch of nice, well-rounded kids, then there’s less pressure. But when you’ve got siblings who are all talented at something, you could come and be a strong student who’s involved and is a leader on a normal level, and you would feel disappointed because you weren’t nationally recognized or Head Prefect.”

The Cosgroves, another large family at the school, is made up of Julia Cosgrove ’18, Jonathan Cosgrove ’21, former Editor-in-Chief Natalie Cosgrove ’23 and Caroline Cosgrove ’26. Julia and Jonathan Cosgrove both served as Head Prefect, and Caroline Cosgrove is currently a Sophomore Prefect. Like the Platt siblings, all Cosgrove siblings had Cuseo serve as their dean. Cuseo said some dynasties are recognized because of a certain brand they embody.

“Another dynasty is the Thomas [family],” Cuseo said, “There was Lizzie Thomas, Matt Thomas, John Thomas and Mike Thomas. They had strong athletes, leaders, math, science and humanities, but there was never a particular thing. But there is a Platt brand, and there is a Cosgrove brand.”

Caroline Cosgrove is closest in age to Natalie Cosgrove, but the two were never on one campus at the same time. Caroline Cosgrove said she does not perceive her family to be a dynasty because they do not have many mutual acquaintances.

“We didn’t have much overlap as a big family,” Caroline Cosgrove said. “Some teachers and deans know all of us, and they see our similarities and our differences, so sometimes they’ll comment on it. I wouldn’t say that people think we’re a dynasty. I know that because there are a lot of us, it might seem that way, but we’re all separate people. My oldest sister and I are seven years apart, so we don’t have that many people [that we know] in common. But it’s well-known that all of us were present in the school community.”

Students are represented by four Prefects from each grade in addition to two Head Prefects who oversee the entire

council. These students are elected through grade-level elections held in the spring. Caroline Cosgrove said she and her siblings all found an interest in serving the student body.

“It may seem like there’s some sort of driving force or pressure to be successful academically or with activities, but our parents’ main focus is for us to be happy with what we’re doing,” Cosgrove said. “Just because of the way things turned out, we all happen to have similar paths, but it wasn’t a calculated thing.

It just happened, and they happened to be similar. I don’t think they [thought] we should all run for Prefect. It just happened to be that we all gravitated towards helping the student body in that way.”

Caroline Cosgrove said having multiple kids who have attended the school can make it easier for parents to navigate the experience.

“There’s only so much [a parent] can know by having one kid at Harvard-Westlake,” Caroline Cosgrove said.

“We’re all similar, but we still look at things in different ways sometimes, so having that adds perspective and helps them get the full story of the school.”

When Jonathan Cosgrove first came to the school in seventh grade, his oldest sister Julia was in her first year at the Upper School. When he became a senior, his youngest sister Caroline Cosgrove started her first year at the school. Jonathan Cosgrove said he was able to witness his family become a dynasty because he was a student at the same time as all of his siblings.

“When I was at Harvard-Westlake, I felt like our family was a dynasty in the making,” Jonathan Cosgrove said. “I

was only the second one, so it’s not like we’d had many siblings go though already. I know the Platts finished up Harvard-Westlake a few years before I got there, and that was a big dynasty. For us, I was there during the process of it happening because I had one older sister and two younger sisters starting. By my senior year, I started to see a dynasty take shape because that’s when Caroline started.”

In addition to the four Cosgrove siblings, their mother, Rona Cosgrove ’85, attended the Westlake School. Jonathan Cosgrove said his family has always made sure the school is a part of his life since childhood.

“My mom went to Westlake as well, and she loved it,” Jonathan Cosgrove said.

“Those were formative years of her life, and a lot of her best friends to this day are people she met at Westlake. I’m also friends with her friends’ kids. I feel like Harvard-Westlake is something we all grew up with because our mom went there and loved it.”

Leila Mercado-Quinn ’25 said dynasties emerge from a group of siblings when they have a well-known brand.

“There are definitely groups of siblings that everyone just knows about because they’re so involved in the community,” Mercado-Quinn said. “In some ways they can feel like dynasties because everyone knows of them and what they do, but not everyone knows them personally. Especially when they all do the same extracurriculars or they’re just similar people personality-wise. It doesn’t happen with everyone, but at Harvard-Westlake, there is a pattern of younger siblings following in the footsteps of the older ones, which can lead to people reognizing them as a dynasty.”

• Continued on hwchronicle.com

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANNABELLE CHEUNG AND LUCIA PLATA PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JORDAN DEES, CAROLINE COSGROVE AND SHARON CUSEO

hwchronicle.com/features

Feb. 1, 2024

Features B3

Breaking the Silence In light of Black History Month, students, teachers and counselors discuss the pressures and importance of reading about Black narratives.

By MeJo Liao

people or hearing certain words,” Olivas said. “For context, I was the When Black Lead- only Black person in my entire midership, Awareness dle school. Whenever we talked about and Culture Club the Black experience, I felt like I had (BLACC) leader Tif- to give my perspective so much, but I fany Armour ’25 had also didn’t want to speak for the whole found out her Honors Black community.”

English III: Imagining Upper School Counselor BrittaAmerica class would ny Bronson said the obligation to be reading “Beloved” represent an entire community puts

by Toni Morrison, she pressure on students of color to share was overjoyed, having their perspectives. read another one of “The pressure is very systemic,” Morrison’s books over Bronson said. “When you are the only the summer and liked person of color, it’s like the spotlight is it. Now, listening to on you. And so when it comes to dothe audiobook in class, ing things in class, people will look at she felt uncomfortable you like, ‘You’re Black, so tell us what and tense. the Black experience is.’ But The book [one] can only speak from had used the one’s own experience, and it N-word and shouldn’t be your responsibil‘Negro,’ but ity to teach your classmates her teacher or even your teachers. Also, had not adwhen reading Black authors, dressed the it’s treated as a special projbackground ect, as opposed to it being nor the signormalized. From the outside L. Wood nificance of looking in, we should really Tiffany these words integrate [these perspectives] Armour ’25 when they into the curriculum so that came up. it’s not so separate and seen as Looking around the special because it’s limited.” room, she began to Nonetheless, Armour said finding feel a heightened sense representation in the books she read of awareness of being in the classroom was important as the only Black student it allowed her to feel acknowledged in her class. while bringing awareness to the variFollowing this re- ous perspectives shared in class. alization while read“Literature is such a powerful art ing books about the form to educate people because it African American ex- touches your emotions on a very perperience in her English sonal level, especially when you can class, Armour said she have a window into [a character’s] life,” felt certain obligations Armour said. “Emotionally connecting to share her point of with the traumas of slavery or Black view in class. history that go unsaid during the ev“I was the only Black eryday makes the struggles more real. person in [my] English That’s why, not only for my own repreclass,” Armour said. sentation, Black authors creating works “Reading ‘Beloved’ that are taught in schools is so importwas an experience ant. It’s for my non-Black counterparts that was difficult for to see through the lens of [the characme. I felt this pressure ters] in a classroom setting. Having that to bring my perspec- sense of solidarity and understanding is tive as a Black per- so important.” son, especially to say To introduce new perspectives into things that other peo- his course, Honors United States Hisple might feel reluctant tory (HUSH) teacher Erik C. Wade asto say, or to use certain signed his classes reading from “A Black language to say straight Woman’s History of the United States” up what’s going on.”

by Daina Ramey Berry and Kali Nicole Similarly, BLACC Gross. The text tells American history member Anaya Oli- through the perspective and anecdotes vas ’25 said discussing of African American women. topics related to the Wade said he made this choice to exAfrican American pose students to the complexities of the experience, though experiences of different races in order important, can be un- to understand the current world. comfortable and make “Quite often, when we think her feel pressured to about U.S. history, we think about share her perspective. it in white terms,” Wade said. “We “Sometimes this per- were being taught certain parts of the spective can lead to an narrative that are uncomplex. But we uncomfortable new- don’t think about African American ness, hearing about History. So rather than centering on the trauma of Black whiteness, I wanted to complicate

[the narrative] with Black women. with other people and They had something substantial to celebrate her identity do with the founding of this nation, with them. with the ongoing redefinition of free“[Black History dom and what opportunity looks Month] is a month like in the U.S. It’s important not to that specifically overwhelm younger folks but at the highlights the fact same time to know exactly what type that Black history of country and history you’re inherit- is American history ing. So then you’ll know this is why and how fundamensystemic racism is an ongoing thing. tal it is to this counThis is why the fight continues for try,” Armour said.

Black people.”

“Every day, every When she discusses these topics, Ar- week, every month, mour said teachers who foster a safe and there’s something welcome environment allow her to feel new happening in more comfortable. the Black commu“Teachers who bring in all perspec- nity, whether it’s tives create a classroom environment a shooting or police where the discussion is healthy and pos- brutality or discrimitive, which really helps,” Armour said. ination. But this “To a certain extent, though, there’s [month] is a time only so much a teacher can do because, to not only recogat the end of the day, any teacher isn’t nize these struggles going to make me less aware that I’m but also to have a Black or alleviate all the pressure. These month fully deare things that I’m going to live with for voted to celebratthe rest of my life.” ing our culture.

In Wade’s two HUSH classes, there It’s also a time to are no Black students. Wade said he connect with other is aware of his own race and position Black people and as a teacher in relation to his students share my culture when discussing topics of slavery and with people that Black history. aren’t Black.”

“I’m hyper-aware of myself being From a historical a Black man,” Wade said. “I struggle perspective, Wade sometimes when I don’t see students said Black History who look like me in my class. These Month serves as a places weren’t necessarily made for me, chance to look back but that doesn’t mean that I can’t be on the progress the a viable voice. It’s important that I’m nation has made tothere with [the students] to have these wards equality and conversations because there are some look forward to what teachers who don’t feel comfortable to the future holds. have them. I try to create a space where “Black History people share what they actually believe, Month is always with the questions that they have.” complicated beHonors English III teacher Steph- cause you could anie Chiang said she felt the difficulty talk to different of teaching African American perspec- educators,” Wade tives as someone who doesn’t identify said. “To those who as African American. are very keen on “I feel like a fraud, honestly,” Chi- African American ang said. “I feel like I’m not equipped culture, having our to be talking about the Black experi- contributions limence because I have not experienced ited to a month is that kind of discrimination and vio- a bit of a travesty. lence. But what I can offer is creating But it’s also an opa space where we can learn from each portunity to reflect other and learn along with reading the on the strides that texts. Because at the end of the day, we’ve made as a nawhat [the author] did so beautiful- tion and how our ly was to get us to discover and learn Black folks have what it means to see and understand contributed to that, our own and others’ [experiences].” thinking about how To encourage conversations of the battles that have Black history and recognize its im- been waged as far portance in U.S. history, a week-long as equality, equity celebration of Black History was and opportunity in launched in 1926, called the Negro the U.S. are ongoHistory Week. This week expanded to ing. It’s often also become Black History Month, cele- important to think brated every February, in 1976 when about what the former President Gerald R. Ford Black future looks made it official, according to the Ford like in the U.S., not Library Museum. just in February, Armour said that Black History but beyond it.”

• Continued on hwchronicle.com Month has allowed her to connect

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MAIYA HOLLY

The Chronicle

B4 Features

By Zoe Goor and Georgia Grad Condoms mingled with the usual pencil shavings and old worksheets in the trash can, and a single bruised banana sat, out of place, in the recycling bin. The classroom was still. An hour or so before this, scores of students, some blushing beet red and others blowing the latex into balloon animals, stretched condoms around bananas here. This activity was part of the school’s sophomore sex education (sex ed) program. Under

a desk at the back of the classroom, a bright green sticky note lay on the floor.

The other sticky notes hung crookedly on the white board. Scrawled on each sticky note was a question about sex ed written by a student. Maya Karsh ’25 said her sex ed class, which met in her English classroom, had a lighthearted atmosphere during this activity.

“I remember doing some activities with brightly colored Post-Its and having to place them on a board depending on what we knew and what we didn’t know,” Karsh said. “The questions we had were really awkward, and then they would be read to the class, and it was funny trying to [figure out] who wrote what questions.”

Five days of activities, such as the one Karsh described, make up the school’s sophomore sex ed curriculum. The curriculum includes topics on sexual health, sexuality and gender, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy prevention and social media.

Sex ed is “high quality teaching and learning about a broad variety of topics related to sex and sexuality. It explores values and beliefs about those topics and helps people gain the skills that are needed to navigate relationships with self, partners and community, and manage one’s own sexual health,” according to Planned Parenthood.

In California, sex ed is required for public school students in grades 7-12 at least once in middle school and once in high school. This requirement exists because of the California Healthy Youth Act, which was enacted in early 2016. Having sex ed as a part of the curriculum is very popular among parents, with a Planned Parenthood poll reporting that at least 90% of parents support this type of teaching.

Nationally, 38 states and the District of Columbia require sex ed, according to Guttmacher Institute. Each state maintains the right to regulate sex ed, which contributes to the ongoing battle over how children are educated and what they are taught. For example, educators in Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and South Carolina are permitted to present homosexuality in a negative light, while elevating and promoting heterosexuality, according to a U.S. News and World Report article.

According to “School Health Pro-

Feb. 1

1, 2024

hwchronicle.com/features

grade. However, the curricula are different because students are in different stages of development. Sophomore Prefect Caroline Cosgrove ’26 said she learned about sex in the eighth grade human development class, but that was not the main focus of the class.

“As an eighth grader, we learned how to practice safe sex and the most efficient ways to prevent any sort of unwanted pregnancy,” Cosgrove said. “However, we definitely focused on emotions and how they affect different hormones and files 2020: Characteristics of Health the way we act much more than sex, like Programs Among Secondary Schools” our desire and impulses for substances.”

For the Class of 2025, the school from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of stu- brought back sophomore sex ed, which dents who have received sex ed of any they had not taught since before the kind, abstinence-only or comprehen- pandemic. McGraw said the school uses this curriculum to present well-rounded sive, is declining overall.

“Despite strong evidence and support sex ed to students.

“We teach the sophomores four lesof sexual health education, national estimates show fewer students have received sons from the LGBTQ+ inclusive prosuch education in recent years,” the re- gram created by ‘More Than Sex-Ed,’” port said. “Nationally representative data McGraw said. “Those lessons include from 2011-2019 indicates that youth information about various topics from aged 15-19 experienced significant de- STI prevention to social media and sexuality. They are also closely paired creases in receipt of key sex with presentations from Safeeducation topics (i.e., delayBAE, which discuss consent.” ing sex, birth control methThe lessons also include inods, HIV/AIDS prevenformation about various forms tion and STDs); including of contraception. Since the Adomarked disparities by race/ lescent Family Life Act passed in ethnicity and gender in re1981, many schools have taught ceipt of sex education.” abstinence-only sex ed, a curricThe Class of 2024 did ulum that stresses that premarital not receive sex ed during L. Wood sex should be avoided, according high school because during Caroline to Advocates for Youth. Abstithe pandemic, Planned Cosgrove ’26 nence-only sex ed is not effective Parenthood did not have in preventing teenage pregnanenough educators to teach cies because teenagers are not deterred the program the school previously used, according to Upper School Counsel- from having sex, according to the Gutor Tina McGraw ’01. Last year, the tmacher Institute. Rather, they do so school introduced a new sex ed curric- without proper knowledge of how to ulum from the nonprofit “More Than have safe sex. The school does not teach Sex-Ed.” For the Class of 2024, the abstinence-only sex education. Janice*, a sophomore seminar program was not student who has received sex ed in the focused on sex ed. Ellery Shapiro ’24, past, said that she got birth control bewho did not attend the middle school, fore she had sex for the first time.

“I am a very anxious person,” Janice said during the sophomore seminar said.

“I didn’t want to be like, ‘Oh my god, program, she did not learn about sex.

“In Life Lab, we did this presenta- oh my god, I’m going to get pregnant.’”

While Janice has taken sex ed before, tion,” Shapiro said. “We each had a different thing like homelessness, vaping she said she feels like sex ed surrounding and lack of food. It was about problems birth control is generally insufficient.

“I wish there was more education in the world. I think some people don’t know how to participate in safe sex be- about different birth control methods,” cause they didn’t learn at a time where it Janice said. “As females, we don’t really get that many options and all birth was important.”

Health education at the school is control kind of sucks. There’s so many currently provided in eighth and 10th downsides to it and it’s so stigmatized

Features B5

less of whether or not they realize it.

“Even though I doubt that most people will consciously say that they walked away from it learning anything, the fact that they did it has to mean something, even [if ] it’s not consciously educational,” Suh said. “[There is] always some merit to [making] sure that everybody gets equal opportunity and experience with that kind of stuff.”

Karsh said she thinks the 10th grade course was less meaningful than the eighth grade one, although the 10th grade class resonated more because she was older. “[The 10th grade class] didn’t make a lasting impact on me, but I feel like that you don’t really talk about it with it was more of a review session,” Karsh that many people. I just think that if said.

“In eighth grade, we had human we had more education about it, people development, which really drilled it would be more aware of the different in there, even though that was online. choices. I wish I was more aware of the I feel like that was more extensive indifferent options out there for birth conformation.

In 10th grade it feels like trol before I chose what I did.” way more relevant information.

It’s a Upper School Counselor Michelle lot more timely.

I feel like they should Bracken said because many sophomores maybe do shorter coursare in different develes every year instead of opmental stages, somejust giving it to you all I think some times the sex ed they at once.” are given feels like it people don’t know how Upper School Coundoes not resonate with selor Brittany Bronson to participate in safe their lives. said that sex ed needs to sex because they didn’t “I think [sex ed is] teach students how to act something we need learn at a time where it responsibly during sex and to be talking about in reflect different identities. was important.” developmentally ap“It’s imperative that propriate ways in each —Ellery Shapiro ’24 students have the knowlgrade level,” Bracken edge on what safe sex is said. “So I think the and the measures they can take to protect way it’s taken, lots of people are rollthemselves and their partners,” Bronson ing their eyes probably thinking, ‘Oh, said.

“It is also important that sex educamy gosh, I already know about all this tion curriculum is inclusive of all gender stuff.’ But to me, I still feel like we identities, expressions and orientations. need to be talking about those things, and we need to be delivering the in- When I received sex education in high formation as well as being able to have school, we only learned about [cisgender] open conversations. That’s not an easy male and female bodies and heterosexual relationships. It is a beautiful thing to thing to do.”

On the student side, 106 out of 182 witness the growth of sex education and students who responded to a Chronicle how all encompassing it has become.”

Massey said he thinks that if sex ed poll said they felt the school’s sex ed curis something that students need to rericulum is adequate. Jacob Massey ’25 ceive, then school is where they should said he thought the 10th grade sex ed receive it. course was necessary and informative.

“I think that our schools are our pri“I thought it was the most useful mary source of learning, so if it is felt and prudent way to teach us about our changing bodies and the changing world by our society that this is an important that we inhabit, for without comprehen- subject that needs to be taught, then sive sex ed we will only cause more un- school is the best place to learn about wanted pregnancies, STDs and more,” that subject,” Massey said. “Schools Massey said. “I’m not afraid to say it. should have a hands-on approach to sex education.”

STDs are bad.”

During this course, students part*Name has been changed. nered up to put a condom on a banana.

Junior Prefect Victor Suh ’25 said that, while he found the activity to be strange, he understood the overall goal.

“I was like, ‘Okay, this is happening now,’” Suh said. “[It was an ] interesting exercise. I understand what the purpose is obviously. It’s just familiarity, and [familiarity is] never a bad thing. I do think it’s a little weird.

If I try to step outside of myself and look as an objective third party observer, I feel like there’s nothing bad to giving everybody the same opportunity to get a feel for that kind of thing.”

Reflecting on his perceptions of the grade’s general reaction to the sex ed course, Suh said he thinks most people likely took something away regard-

“

PHOTOS BY ZOE GOOR

B6 Features

The Chronicle

Feb. 1, 2024

The Gold Standard Students discuss how their parents can have high expectations of them and how that can affect them through their childhood years.

By Alex Dinh

to offer their children support as they go through school.

“There’s a balance between being Christian Horry ’24 looked around the room and saw his dad and his old co-work- over-involved where it feels like they’re ers. For Horry, his dad’s old co-workers ar- almost sitting next to you at the desk en’t just friends from the office — they are in class versus that more removed exformer players for the Los Angeles Lakers perience,” Joyner said. “Somewhere in who helped the team win three straight Na- the middle seems best. If the parents tional Basketball Association (NBA) titles aren’t involved in the school process at from 2000-2002. Horry, age four, had just all, a student might feel [the lack of ] seen his dad, seven-time NBA Champion an anchor and some support structure.

Robert Horry, retire from the NBA. While It’s nice to feel like someone is curious he was in that room, surrounded by NBA about how you’re doing without being Champions, Horry knew that the expecta- overly invested in the outcome.”

As opposed to some who feel that tions were high. Even though his dad never told him he had to play basketball, in that their parents are too involved, Nora* moment, he felt the pressure of his fathers said her distant relationship with her parents has made her a more self-suffiachievements looming over him.

Horry said that even though he was cient person.

“My parents haven’t played a huge role not able to see his dad play very much in the NBA, it drew him into basketball. in my life because they haven’t been that “I was born in 2005, and he retired in present,” Nora said. “I honestly like the 2009, so I didn’t get to see a lot of [his person that it has made me, but it’s very career],” Horry said. “But I definitely felt different for a lot of people because my the impact of it growing up and of all the parents didn’t really do a lot of stuff for people I would be around. It was cool, me. From a young age, I was managing all and it made me fall in love with the game my own stuff. The absence of my parents has made me grow up very fast, which has of basketball.”

Horry said playing basketball with shaped me a lot.”

George Ma ’25 has a similar experihis dad has brought them a lot closer, despite Horry feeling a need to live up ence, as his mom is a Professor of Economics at Peking Unito his father as a kid. versity in Beijing, and “I used to feel a his dad is an architect lot of pressure when I Often, the way with business around was younger,” Horry we handle emotions and Europe and Asia. Ma said. “But now that said his parents often beI’ve grown up, it’s not experiences is modeled ing away has made him that much pressure by our parents.” self-sufficient, but it can because my dad has al- Emily Joyner also be difficult. ways made it clear that “I have more individhe doesn’t care how I Upper School Psychologist ual skills and am more perform in basketball. independent as a person He just wants me to do well in life. We spend a lot more time to- because of them being away,” Ma said. gether because instead of me being in the “It’s kind of sad how they’re always away, house playing video games, we will be in but I get to call and FaceTime them a lot while they are gone and look forward to the gym hooping together.”

While some parents pass down their when they are coming back.”

Another potential cause of anxilove of a sport to their children, others pass down their worries and stress. Kids ety in adolescents is comparisons to with a parent who suffers from anxi- their siblings. Children who receive ety are up to seven times more likely to less affection from their parents in have anxiety, according to the Journal comparison to a sibling become of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. more likely to commit vandalAdditionally, almost one-third of sopho- ism, violence and theft because of the mores and juniors at the school said their damage to their self-perceptions, accordparents make them feel like they are not ing to the Behavioral Science Institute. doing well, according to the Authentic Joyner said being compared to Connections survey taken by the entire other people can lead to a restudent body. Carson* said his dad often duced sense of individuality.

“Comparison with othtakes out his stress onto him.

“My dad will pressure me about ers stifles personal explora[school work], and I’ll say ‘I’m doing it,’” tion and finding out what Carson said. “The way he deals with his your interests and values anxieties is by managing other people, are,” Joyner said. “Evand oftentimes, that’s me getting man- eryone learns differaged. That affects me. It has made me ently. Everyone has a a much more anxious person and dis- different relationship with their academics and tanced me from him a lot.”

Upper School Psychologist Emily what they’re interested in.

Joyner said she sees the results of the Au- And if you’re being comthentic Connections survey reflected in pared to one template, it’s pretty stifling.” her talks with students.

Nora, who has six older “The results from the [Authentic Connections] survey represent what siblings and a twin brother, I’ve heard from people about how it said her dad often sets expecfeels when parents are super invested in tations of her relative to her older their kids getting certain grades,” Joyner siblings.

“My dad tends to compare me said. “That pressure can sometimes lead to more avoidance of tasks and procras- to my other siblings a lot,” Nora tination. Then, I can see it going in the said. “My mom does not because direction where the [involvement] is not she’s a psychiatrist and underconducive to being able to achieve those stands how things she says affect goals. Parents being so invested in grades mental health. My dad does [comcan make students feel like they are not pare me] a lot, which kind of sucks, acknowledged for their humanity and and it has definitely strained my relawho they are as a person. It is reduced to tionship with him.”

Nora started One Bite at a Time, a equating self-worth with grades.”

Joyner said it is important for parents small business aimed at fighting eating

“

disorders, diet culture and weight stigma, shaped by growing up fast,” Nora said. “It after seeing the harmful effects of eating didn’t feel as much of a change compared disorders while dealing with anorexia. to a lot of my friends who are also here. I Nora said nearly everyone she knows with wanted to be grown up for a long time, an eating disorder also has a parent with and I want my career to start. Also, my an eating disorder. parents got divorced about a year and a “I find intergenerational eating disor- half ago. My home life was kind of a disasders interesting because a lot of people get ter last year, so I wanted to leave for a bit.” eating disorders from their parents,” Nora Nora said being abroad has led to her said. “People tend to be upset with parents relationships with her parents to evolve. because it seems like they’re the cause of “When I saw my dad for the first an eating disorder. It’s a really common time since I left for France, it was defithing, but can we really blame nitely easier to be together,” parents for that? Because they’re Nora said. “My dad and I also a victim of societal beauty have a very weird relationstandards and things that cause ship, but because we spent so eating disorders. Almost everymuch time apart, we weren’t one that I know who has had an fighting about anything. eating disorder, some aspect of it With my mom, I’ve never was because their mom had an been that close with her, and eating disorder too.” being abroad has made me Joyner said that parents can appreciate her more. Even L. Wood impact how their kids deal with though she doesn’t help me a Christian important events in their lives. lot in life, it’s nice to have a Horry ’24 “Often, the way we handle mom there when something emotions and experiences is modeled happens, which has been hard while by our parents,” Joyner said. “We can living in another country.” see that come up through relationships Ma said he can stay close to his parto food. Also, seeing how parents han- ents even if they are not in town a lot. dle conflict with each other is how we “In the end, I love my parents and learn what to do with our own emo- they love me,” Ma said. “Even if we tions. How we deal with emotions and don’t spend that much time together, eating disorders can absolutely be an the moments that we do get to share intergenerational process.” keep the bond strong. We love Nora is spending her junior year away going out to dinfrom home, studying abroad in Paris. In ner, and these addition to her interest in the French memories language and culture, Nora said her inmake up dependence and life at home motivatfor all the ed her to spend a year away. lost time.”

“The fact that I readily packed up *Name and moved across the world without my has been parents was definitely changed

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Feb. 1, 2024

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Features B7

LOSING FAITH

Members of the school community discuss the rise in spiritual activities like visiting psychics, crystal collections and religious worship among Gen Z.

By Alden Detmer and Saisha Kumar Sitting in a cramped and slightly foggy booth on a plush leather chair, Librarian Kacie Cox let out a heavy sigh as she looked around. Crystals of all shapes and sizes rest on every surface. Fluorescent purple light fills the room from a single lightbulb on a stand. Even though there are three different Buddha statues surrounding her, the setting is not enough to distract from the pungent scent of sage and cigarettes.

In the small bookstore on Ventura Boulevard, a psychic dressed in a colorful wool shawl, silver turban and blue skirt peeked through the curtain and stepped inside. Cox said the woman began the palm reading with detailed questions about her life.

“She started by asking my name, what I do for a living and why [I was] there,” Cox said. “She asked, ‘What brought you to me?’ and ‘What are you interested in?’ They talk very softly in a calming voice. It’s all around just a very calm environment.”

In addition to hearing about her friends’ experiences, a psychic correctly predicted Cox’s mother would have two daughters and switch careers at a certain age. Cox said she continues to return to psychics because she has always had a positive and enlightening experience with them.

“I learned a lot about what I think about myself,” Cox said. “The psychic I went to the first time focused a lot on self-improvement and what I needed to focus on in order to reach [my] highest self. I learned a lot about the way that I love people and the way that I communicate. Even if it’s little things that I already knew, it’s affirming to hear it from someone else.”

Cox and her friends are not alone in their visit to a medium: over 70% of Americans now believe they have some sort of spiritual connection, according to Pew Research Center. In fact, 25% of millennials and 17% of Generation Z (Gen Z) consult a fortune teller for financial advice, compared to 6% for Generation X (Gen X) and 1% for Baby Boomers, according to Empower.

While she has not consulted a

psychic for financial advice, Clara Berg ’25 has gone through various phases of spirituality, ranging from astrology to a personal crystal collection. At age 13, Berg began reading tarot cards to herself and her family, a spiritual practice used to gain insight into the past, present or future, according to Lifestyle Asia.

Although she no longer believes in what the cards dictate, Berg said the practice adds value to her life.

“I used to think that [the tarot cards] were so profound, and that I was learning so much about myself,” Berg said. “I look at my tarot cards now, and they’re all just so broad.

That’s what makes them seem so profound because they can be applied to any situation. It’s a part of self discovery to wonder and try to make sense of things.”

Along with tarot cards, Berg also used to believe she had a spiritual connection to crystals. Though she does not entirely believe in how crystals affect events, Berg said she is still open to the idea that they may have some spiritual significance.

“I have had a connection to my spirituality [ever since] I got into crystals over quarantine,” Berg said.

“I believed in their properties and how some crystals are grounding. It sounds a little bit ridiculous talking about it now because they are just cool rocks. A lot of cultures have tied significance to different natural elements, so [it does] make you wonder if they’re kind of magical.”

Berg’s deeper sense of spiritual connection resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, when the uncertainty and isolation of lockdowns drove some Americans to experiment with their spirituality. Twenty-eight percent of Americans reported stronger personal faith as a result of the pandemic, according to Pew Research Center.

After looking for recreational options while stuck at home, Amelia Chiarelli ’25 began to reflect on her spirituality. Chiarelli said many gravitated towards spirituality during the pandemic because they needed something to create a sense of order.

“This [turn to spirituality] happened to a lot of people I knew over the pandemic,” Chiarelli said. “Peo-

ple were feeling really lonely and shut off. A lot of people turned to spirituality [like] crystals and tarot cards to try and predict the future. In times of uncertainty, people turn to higher powers. But for our generation, that happened to be spirituality as opposed to religion. I started doing a lot of reading and research about auras and practicing it as a form of mindfulness and entertainment.”

Chiarelli said even aside from the pandemic, she thinks her peers generally turn to spiritual practices as a form of reassurance during periods of stress.

“There’s a lot of people who are comforted by the idea of being able to know the future in its entirety or even have some kind of framework that they can follow,” Chiarelli said. “Even if it is all just a placebo effect, it’s really good to help put people’s minds at ease. Just the idea that the future can be seen is really comforting.”

After growing up a Christian but never fully committing to his faith, Andrew Suh ’26 said he began to dive deeper into the teachings of Christ following social and school issues.

“Recently, I’ve been having more problems as I grow older,” Suh said. “Because I’m already a Christian, why not look a little bit deeper into what I’m supposed to believe? At first, [I thought] mass was boring, and I didn’t really get it until I started looking more and more into it. A few months later, after reading through the Bible, I look forward to reading three or four chapters each night.”

Suh now regularly posts quotes from the Bible on his Instagram account in an effort to share his beliefs with the community, which has become increasingly less committed to religion. More than one-third of Gen Z identifies as religiously unaffiliated, making the group the least religious generation in the nation, according to the Survey Center on American Life.

In comparison to Suh’s direct pursuit of a spiritual connection, Laura McNary ’25 said she was

raised Catholic and felt that her religion was a direct result of her parents’ and relatives’ influence. “​​ I do feel pressured to have the same religion as my family, but mostly it’s just feeling like I’m part of a community that my family is a part of as well,” McNary said. “Religion isn’t something I think about a lot. I feel like in different circumstances, I would [follow] a different religion or not [be] religious at all.”

After hearing from a female rabbi in a women’s studies course at Westlake, Rabbi Karen Bender ’84 felt inspired and served for 20 years in a synagogue before shifting to Los Angeles Jewish Home, a senior living organization. Bender said her involvement with religion in the 1980s was vastly different than what her own children have experienced.

“When I was a kid, there were only a few things to do, like playing sports, studying an instrument, dancing or going to Hebrew school,” Bender said. “But now, there are 10 million things you can do, even if you put away your screen. People care more about their extracurricular activities now than they do Hebrew school attendance. I don’t know if that’s coming from Gen Z as much as it’s coming from the way Gen X parents prioritize different things. I’m a rabbi, and I didn’t force my kids to go to Hebrew high school.”

Berg said the trend of exploring whatever kind of spirituality works best for someone may be a result of young people shifting away from the practice of organized religion toward less strict practices.

“Spirituality is a lot more free in that there are [fewer] rules,” Berg said.

“Spiritual beliefs aren’t like traditional religions, and they don’t have a set of commandments or a set of rules that you have to follow. That freedom might be part of what draws Gen Z in. Spirituality is ancient, but I think it’s being rediscovered with our modern technology and our new ideas about zodiac signs or celestial bodies.”

ILLUSTRATIONS BY LUCIA PLATA

B8 Features

The Chronicle

Feb. 1, 2024

Be Mine Mad Libs

(To your future Valentine)

Are you ever sitting in ___________ (building on campus), breathing in the ___________ (adjective) February air and wondering why you’re still ___________ (negative adjective) and alone? Well, don’t worry! The Chronicle is here to help! Here’s the ___________ (adjective) guide to asking out your crush for Valentine’s Day this year:

1. Make sure to put on ___________ (messy food) scented deodorant to school EVERY DAY. Even though ___________ (teacher) will probably comment on how ___________ (negative adjective) you smell during ___________ (unconventional sport) practice, your future Valentine will fall madly in love with you.

2. Show your crush, ___________ (Chronicle staffer), that you can take initiative and prompose early! We have a few ideas. You can take a(n) ___________ (animal) to your math class and throw it out the window ___________ (adverb) so that it falls on your crush who is ___________ (verb) on the Quad. They’re sure to say yes! If that doesn’t work, call up ___________ (cancelled celebrity) and get them to start Twitter beef with you.

After you gain followers from all ___________’s (same celebrity) haters, your crush will want to join in on the fame.

3. DO NOT buy them a box of ___________’s (history teacher) homemade chocolates. We wouldn’t trust it. Instead, you should make them a(n) ___________ (person you hate) scented slime as a method of communicating your true feelings. If you’re feeling extra ___________ (adjective), maybe get them some ___________ (cafeteria food) flavored Taki chips.

4. Get cancelled by ___________ (extracurricular) kids for ___________ (adverb) telling someone that they look like a(n) ___________ (adjective) ___________ (animal) that’s having a bad day. This boldness will show your crush that you mean ___________ (adjective) business. They will be filled with ___________ (emotion) that they will actually ask you to be their Valentine.

If you follow these steps but do not have a Valentine by Feb. 14th, ___________ (year you expect to graduate from college), you will be entitled to ___________ (number from 3-10) point four billion dollars in compensation taken out of The Chronicle’s snack budget.

XOXO, The Chronicle

ILLUSTRATION BY JADE HARRIS

Arts &Entertainment The Chronicle • Feb. 1, 2024

Students and faculty discuss the process of applying to college for art and its relationship with students’ academic life.

By Sasha Aghnatios

to feel comfortable expressing myself, whether it be my As the clock ticked down identity or creativity.”

Cohen said her art mainly to 1:00 p.m., Edie Cohen ’24 compulsively checked the time involves oil painting and filmand bounced her knee ner- making, which her parents envously as she struggled to focus couraged her to pursue in colon her English in-class essay. lege and beyond.

“I have always gravitated toWhen she refreshed her inbox wards making art using after the essay and my hands,” Cohen said. saw an email from “I love the process of the Rhode Island oil painting as there are School of Design multiple steps, and each (RISD), she could one feels impactful. In not steady her terms of filmmaking, hands as she went I have grown up in a to go click on it. movie-loving family, After she saw the and they were in total confetti appear on L. Wood agreement of me applythe screen indicatDiego ing to RISD, which I ing that she had Godoy ’24 am very lucky for.” been accepted, Upper School Dean Cohen was ecstatic and grateful that she would be Sharon Cuseo said the process able to go to her dream school of applying to school for art renext year. Like many of her quires strategy and time.

“First of all, applicants classmates, Cohen had worked tirelessly on her application, need to decide if they want to but while most of her peers apply to an art school, where only wrote essays, Cohen also everyone there is majoring in had to crafted her art portfolio. some aspect of the visual arts, Cohen said the decision to ap- or if they are applying as an art ply to college for art came very major to a college or univereasily for her because being sity that offers more than just near other artists would help art,” Cuseo said. “They could [also] be applying to an art develop her work.

“I am honestly so inspired school within a liberal arts and sciences college.” by art and feel a huge sense Cuseo said once this deciof excitement when I am sursion has been made, the aprounded by other creators,” plication process differs from Cohen said. “Being at Harschool to school. vard-Westlake, I have been “Then, [students] need to able to appreciate both artists and non-artists, but figure out what the portfoI realized for my next step, lio options and requirements are for their program,” CuI want to be [around] creseo said. “Some schools, like ative individuals as well as focus fully on my artwork. Stanford, require all of the applicants who will be subBeing surrounded by other artists allows me mitting portfolios to do so two weeks ahead of the regular application deadline. Most of the time, they are using a site called ‘SlideRoom’ for submitting their portfolios. If a school doesn’t have a formal portfolio submission process, then students can create their own website to display their art or just provide links to im-

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANNABELLE CHEUNG

ages of their art as part of the camp, I realized that I can’t just normal Common Application take performance-centered activities grid.” classes all the time. DiscussUpper School Art Teacher ing theater was too abstract Gustavo Godoy said he works for me, and I missed with his students to ensure that learning equations and their pieces have a clear story to computable problems.” help strengthen their portfolios.

Fried said colleges “I spend a lot of time help- often require students to ing students build a narrative come to the school and do around the work they have in-person auditions for theater, created at Harvard-Westlake,” and that this process is very inGustavo Godoy said. “I help tense and intimidating, which them think about what skills ultimately influenced her deciand concepts they should sion to not apply for art. showcase in the group of 12 “At a lot of schools, purto 20 images that go into the suing theater is [through] portfolio. The portfolio is a the Bachelor of the Fine Arts snapshot of your art experience [BFA] route,” Fried said. “For in high school and can show these BFA programs, you ofhow you connect personal in- ten have to apply and auditerests, issues from history, so- tion. I was terrified to do that. cial concerns or your imagina- I don’t want people judging tive wanderings to an aesthetic what I create on a pass-or-fail expression. I also can help stu- basis [and] choosing whether I dents choose schools that feel move on to the next round or appropriate to the kind of rigor not. I only indicated theater and type of work they hope as a potential major at schools to make in college. All of the where that wouldn’t necessifaculty members of our [Upper tate an audition.”

School Visual Arts DepartDiego Godoy ’24 will be ment] are artists who went to majoring in Studio Arts at art school, and we have a lot of Tufts University next fall, and experiences said that while to share.” he does not Elise Fried specialize in a I realized for my ’24 is a memsingle medium, next step I want to be ber of the his art has inschool’s perspired him and fully surrounded by forming arts led him to excreative individuals, as program but plore the world well as focus fully on my and himself. decided not to apply to “I don’t have own artwork.” college for a specific type —Edie Cohen ’24 of art that I art. Fried said her decision specialize at this was greatly point besides it influenced by the fact that pur- being 3D art,” Diego Godoy suing a degree in theater is aca- said. “My art at this point has demically limiting. consisted of ceramics, wood “I decided not to apply to work and welding. My most college as solely a theater ma- recent pieces have been influjor because I knew going into enced by my Mexican heritage the process that I still wanted and have been a way for me to to be able to pursue other ac- explore and learn more about ademic interests, and I don’t my family’s origin which started intend to pursue theater pro- with a research trip I did over the fessionally,” Fried said. “After summer to the Yucatan Peninsuspending seven weeks in an la of Mexico.” intense 24/7 sleepaway theater • Continued on hwchronicle.com

“

C2 Arts & Entertainment

The Chronicle

Feb. 1, 2024

Theater students discuss their thoughts on the upcoming production of ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.’

By Davis Marks and Everett Lakey

amazing job. We are obviously not Broadway, but when the show was announced, I was really excited to see how we would Walking to rehearsal while attending make the show our own. I started thinking a summer theatre program, Elise Fried about what our set, costumes and blood ’24 and Anna Ames ’24 eagerly discussed effects would eventually look like.”

Performing Arts Teacher and show their favorite Broadway shows. With their senior year approaching, Fried and Ames director Michele Spears, said “Sweeney knew the winter musical was going to be Todd” impressed her because it mixes announced soon and nervously awaited grandeur and personal moments.

“What stood out to me the news. Suddenly, Fried felt a when deciding what show to buzz in her pocket and took out produce was how big yet intiher phone to see an email notificamate it is,” Spears said. “Sondtion from Performing Arts Teachheim describes ‘Sweeney Todd’ er Sabrina Washburn. Upon seeas being a movie on stage, and ing “Sweeney Todd: The Demon it really feels that way. The muBarber of Fleet Street” was chosen, sic is operatic and the show is Fried dropped to her knees out of chaotic, but every moment immense excitement. reveals so much about the “When I found out about the l.wood characters. I’m a big believer show, I fell to my knees dramatElise that there’s so much to learn ically because ‘Sweeney Todd’ is Fried ’24 about the potential of musical my favorite musical,” Fried said.

“There are so many Broadway shows that I theater through Sondheim, and this show love, but I find it so impressive how much provides so many learning opportunities care Stephen Sondheim put into ‘Sweeney for actors because of the degree to which Todd.’ The music is really beautiful, but it music and storytelling are intertwined.”

“Sweeney Todd” is an operata, featuralso ties so many different themes together and often foreshadows events [that occur] ing very little spoken dialogue, as the main the show. Every time I listen to [cast] jority of the musical takes place through recordings, I am floored by the intricacy song. Additionally, the majority of scenes of the music and the care that was put into with dialogue are underscored with mucreating it, so I was just so excited that we sic. The school’s production will feature a would have the opportunity to emulate 21-piece orchestra to produce this music.

Ames said she enjoys the show’s emphasis such a complex and incredible show.”

Set in Victorian London, “Sweeney on storytelling through music.

“Something interesting about ‘SweeTodd” is a dark and comedic musical that tells the story of Benjamin Barker, a barber ney Todd’ is that almost the entire show who is wrongfully imprisoned by a cor- is set to music, making it different from rupt judge. After years of suffering, Barker recent musicals we’ve done that have both escapes and returns to London under the straight scenes and musical numbers,” new identity of Sweeney Todd. Consumed Ames said. “I think it is so cool and interby a desire for revenge, he resumes his bar- esting to watch the story unfold through ber profession and forms a gruesome plan the use of music.”

Spears said she was interested in with his landlord, Mrs. Lovett, the show’s thematic exploration of to exact vengeance on the human emotion and the dichotomy judge and those who he felt of good and evil. wronged him.

“The show examines the With music and lyrics writspectrum of human emotion, ten by Sondheim and a script and more specifically, what written by Hugh Wheeler, does it take in one’s life to “Sweeney Todd” is based on tip them one way or the a 1970 play adapted from other,” Spears said. “Diving a nineteenth-century into this epic story about good penny dreadful — and evil, and whether they are sensational stories separated or intertwined, is such published in weeka compelling experience. The stoly parts. Since the ry has both horror and comedic musical opened in elements, which adds to that 1979, there have been mulexploration of dualitiple revivals, international ty since laughter productions, national and tears are tours and a 2007 not far apart movie. A current in our own Broadway revivlives.

This al of the musical show is a thrill opened in March ride for the au2023, subsequently diences, and like grossing over $20 million a good horror film, and winning a total of two many will be left reflecting on Tony Awards.

Fried, who plays Adolfa Pirelli, said be- their lives.”

Cayley Tolbert-Schwartz ’24, who cause of the show’s current run on Broadway, the prospect of the school creating its plays Mrs. Lovett, said she enjoys portraying a character with complex motives own version was very fun and exciting.

“I have been following the current and with sinister actions. “[Mrs. Lovett] is a character that is Broadway revival of ‘Sweeney Todd’ since it was announced,” Fried said. “My act- very different from a lot of the characters ing class got to see the show in October I usually play,” Tolbert-Schwartz said. when we visited New York City, and [it] “There’s something so twisted about her was fantastic. The set was beautiful, the ef- thought process, and it’s kind of fun to fects were really cool and the actors did an explore that and try to humanize that. I

think her relationship with Sweeney is the was capable of flattening and shooting acmost humanizing thing about her. She tors onto a slide hidden under a trapdoor. does all these horrible things, but most of After engineering the chair, Pugh built the them she just does for him.” multi-floor set in Rugby Theater. Spears Tolbert-Schwartz said exploring her said due to the show’s wide variety of set character has allowed her to improve her pieces and props, it is technically chalacting abilities. lenging to produce.

“I definitely feel like I have “The show is so grown as an actor,” Tolcomplex in terms bert-Schwartz said. “It has been of the practical rea lot of character study for me quirements,” Spears where I’ve just been working on said. “There are so making sure I really understand many different loca[Mrs. Lovett] as a charactions, and because the ter. I’ve realized that show is so theatrical as an actress, if I unand large, we wanted derstand the characto bring those locater deeply, the movetions to life as much as ments and emotions possible to immerse the will just ultimately audience in the story. The come naturally.” show also requires numerThe musical feaous props, period costumes tures a Greek Chorus and plenty of blood, so it ensemble that narrates has been fun to work out the story and influencall the different elements that es the events. Ames enhance the performances of said being a part of the actors.” the Greek Chorus Jackson Hollis ’25, an assistant has been a rewardstage manager for the show, is ing experience due to responsible for overseeing props its unique role. and maneuvering the moving “The ensemble in set pieces. Hollis said he likes the prob‘Sweeney Todd’ is different from lem-solving associated with the work any ensemble I have been done backstage. a part of,” Ames said.

“It’s shaping up to be “We take on the roles a real good show,” Holof many different lis said. “It’s cool to see characters and mainly how each of the actors has serve as kind of a collecgrown [during the process], tive narrator for the story. Sometimes and we’ve been just adding more and more it seems as though we are existing in the set pieces and more props over time. My minds of the characters, sometimes we are favorite part [of rehearsal] is solving proba part of the world and sometimes we are lems when they come up and trying to looking at it from an outside perspective. figure out ways to do complicated moves It has been really interesting and exciting that need to happen during the show.” to explore as actors.”

Finn Slootweg ’26, a member of the Traditionally, the Performing Arts Greek Chorus, said the rehearsal process Department stages productions as actors has fostered a sense of community within learn the music. However, due to the size the cast. of “Sweeney Todd,” actors spent a month “It has been a really interesting process learning the music before stepping on stage doing ‘Sweeney Todd’ as my first show at to learn blocking. Isaac Tiu ’24, who plays the Upper School and my first show since Tobias Ragg in the performance, said the elementary school,” Slootweg said. “It is show’s rehearsal timeline allowed the cast so cool to be a part of a show that has so to become confident with the music be- many moving pieces because it’s such a fore working on the additional elements. collaboration between everyone in the the“The rehearsal process for ‘Sweeney atre community. Doing such a big show Todd’ has been unlike any has allowed me to really other rehearsal process I’ve get to know everyone in experienced because of the cast and form realWhat stood out how complex and vocally ly strong friendships. to me when deciding demanding this show is,” When I joined [the what show to produce Tiu said. “With that in cast], I quickly felt the mind, we spent the first support and love, and I was how big yet month of our process just really appreciate that.” intimate it is.” having vocal rehearsals Jasmine Sorgen ’25, where only the music was —Michele Spears who plans to attend the rehearsed. By doing that, said she is exDirector musical, we were able to really grasp cited to see the show bethe complex music and escause she has no knowltablish our sound as an ensemble. With edge of what “Sweeney Todd” is about. a thorough month of vocal rehearsals, we “I’m really looking forward to seewere able to focus on staging the show ing my friends perform,” Sorgen said. and tackling the complex acting of scenes “[‘Sweeney Todd’] is not a musical I am instead of worrying about the difficulty of familiar with, so it will be exciting to exthe music.” perience something new. I’ve peaked my An iconic component of “Sweeney head into the theater a few times and the Todd” is Todd’s modified barber chair, set looks really cool, so I think it will be which he uses to dispose of his victims af- cool to see how they utilize it.” ter slitting their throats, according to PlayPerformances of “Sweeney Todd” will bill. Performing Arts Teacher and Master be held on Feb. 8, 9, 10 and 11 in the Carpenter Rees Pugh built a chair that Rugby Theater.

“

ILLUSTRATIONS BY EVA PARK, MEJO LIAO AND JUANA MARKMAN

Feb. 1, 2024

hwchronicle.com/a&e

Arts & Entertainment C3

Students perform in acting showcase

By Colin Ho

SHIARA NAVARRO/CHRONICLE

PAINTING PURSUITS: Students in Drawing and Painting classes I, II and Honors Senior Seminar present their art using different mediums.The showcase apeared in the Feldman-Horn Gallery during lunch Jan. 25.

Feldman Horn Gallery displays ‘Rainbow Connection’ artwork

By Shiara Navarro

feel like there's a lot of talent present here, and it's good to Artists from all three class see everything come together.”

The art exhibition featured levels of Drawing and Painting opened their gallery exhibition a collaborative piece that “Rainbow Connection” on Jan. invited all members of the school community to 25. The show was held work together. Visual in the Feldman Horn Arts teacher Conor Gallery and was the first Thompson said that this of the year due to the painting was meant to be gallery being used as a an immersive experience substitute library during that reached others. the library's remodeling.

“I always love doing Charlotte Appel ’25, the giant collaborative who takes Drawing paintings,” Thompson and Painting I, said the L. Wood said. “This year we’re piece she created was Charlotte doing Diego Velazquez’s per sonal to her and Appel ’25 ‘Las Maninas.’ It’s inspired by her dad.

“I created a piece about tonal gonna be a painting almost as colors,” Appel said. “I wanted to performance that happens during do something dedicated to my the three-week run of the show. dad. I took a lot of objects from his Everyone’s invited [to collaborate], past and his present and meshed not just Drawing and Painting them together. He inspires me to students, anyone on campus can add to it.” do a lot of art.”

Thompson said that his goal Appel said she was grateful to be featured in the show amongst with the piece was to show her fellow student artists because students that art is a collaborative process for students. of the community.

“I think it teaches our students “I feel good to be a part of [the art show],” Appel said. “I a lesson about working in a

group,” Thompson said. “Painting doesn’t have to be this idea of this solitary genius, it can be this idea of something open-ended and communal that everyone works on. It's also just fun.”

Charcoal sketches of Kermit the Frog by students in Drawing and Painting I were featured on the wall of the gallery and were a main focal point of the show although it was originally not going to be included in the showcase. “[The Kermit drawings are] an exercise that we do while learning tonal value and tonal rendering in Level 1,” Thompson said. “Typically we wouldn't show them in the gallery, but [Visual Arts teacher Whitney Lasker] came up with the idea of putting them all together like one giant painting. That was super fun this year.”

Caroline Riemer ’24 said that although creating the art was a long process, it was worth it.

“Making the art for me probably takes about a month for each piece,” Riemer said. “But it's been this fun process, and we're so happy to have the gallery back.”

Students in the Advanced Performance Studies class this semester performed the play “Do You Feel Anger?” by Mara Nelson-Greenberg on Jan. 20 in the Drama Lab, which now serves as a new blackbox theater. The students spent their first semester working on the production and performed it as their final project for the class.

The play centers around Sofia (Calla Fox ’25) who has recently been hired as an empathy coach at a debt collection agency and struggles to teach the employees about emotion and how to practice compassion for others.

At her workplace, she encounters misogynistic male employees and tries to change their mindsets.

Anna Ames ’24, who played office worker Howie, said she appreciates the strong bonds she has created with her fellow actors.

“The play was so much fun,” Ames said. “We’ve spent the semester working as an ensemble and have become kind of like a little family. We have a lot of trust in each other so it makes working together really enjoyable and easy. I love them all a lot. [Performing Arts Teacher Sabrina Washburn] is also such an amazing director and she let us have a lot of creative freedom throughout the process which was really cool. ” Ames said she struggled to draw parallels between her own life and her character’s life.

“Howie isn’t really a great guy, so I had some trouble connecting with him at first,” Ames said. “I think I was able to understand him and his actions better by thinking of him like an immature little boy. I kind of tried to channel my little brother at times.”

Isaac Tiu ’24, who played the role Old Man, said he learned how to create a deeper connection between himself and his character.

“The process [of the play] was great for me because I was able

to concentrate on just one scene, which meant that I could go into much more depth and find out what the character’s real intent was,” Tiu said. “Upon first reading [his monologue] it seemed to have little to no meaning, but after researching the irony used in this play, I found that there are significant reasons for why the character talks the way he does, and that has to do with this idea of nurture versus nature, where he was brought up in a society which significantly impacted his development as a person. For me, having this understanding of my character helped to contextualize him.”

Emma Lutsky ’26 said she enjoyed the ongoing theme of gender roles throughout the play and feels that sexism in the workplace is a prevalent issue that should have more awareness brought to it.

“I loved it,” Lutsky said. “It was so much fun to watch and the characters were so fun and overall I had a great time. I really enjoyed the motif of women [standing up for themselves] but how it's perceived in society as the woman being controlling or bossy and that they are lashing out against men, even in instances where the men are in the wrong. It was a very specific topic that I think needs to be spoken more about.”

Tiu said he spent some time researching older comedians in order to learn more about the character he played.

“Old Man was definitely a challenging character to connect with, given that he was 130 years old, and I am 18,” Tiu said. “But I tried to research other comedic skits like in Saturday Night Live and where people have played older roles to see what they had done to make [their performance] comedic [while being] realistic. I [couldn’t sound] 130 years old, so I decided to just over exaggerate how I was speaking in order to make it look like an acting choice [and develop] my character.”

Senior hosts photography exhibit

By William Liu

Tanya Anand ’24 presented her photography in a pop-up exhibition titled “Untouched Tableaus” on Jan. 20 in Pasadena. The gallery was open for public viewing and primarily consisted of wildlife photos. The proceeds will be donated to the Jane Goodall Institute to fund habitat conservation.

Anand said she was thrilled to display her photography to renowned artists in the field.

“Just the fact that it was my own gallery and work was exciting,” Anand said. “I got to meet some incredible photographers like people who have won Pulitzer prizes.”

Anand said she concentrated her photography on wildlife to spread awareness about environmental conservation.

“All of my photography is focused on wildlife, so quite a few are endangered species or species facing habitat loss and emissions issues,” Anand said. “It

was my way of letting everyone know what the world has to offer and why we shouldn’t be destroying it.”

Anand said a connection at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) helped her set up the exhibition.

“I started photography when I was 10, and I was just playing around with small digital cameras,” Anand said. “Five or six years ago, I started doing proper, professional wildlife photography, and two years ago, I met with someone working in the industry who suggested that I do an exhibition. I reached out to LACMA, and the director offered to help me get the wheels rolling.”

World Languages Teacher Margot Riemer said she enjoyed the variety of Anand's show.

“Tanya displayed a number of beautiful photos she’s taken over the years during her travels,” Riemer said. “It was well worth seeing. The vast majority of the photos were of animals, but there were also

four small photographs, three of Italy and one of Thailand. In a couple of them, she featured the canals of Venice, but one of them was a study of the interior of a cathedral, which was very mysterious. The photo of a lake in Thailand was a nice counterpoint to that since it was very calm.”

Eric Vartany ’24 visited the exhibition and said he found Anand’s work to be a reflection of her impressive skills.

“I feel everyone [at school] has heard of the amazing things she has done, and [she] has truly done it all,” Vartany said. “I think this moment was a chance for us to see her in action.”

In the future, Anand said she will host more showcases.

“I’ll definitely continue to do more exhibitions and shows to raise money for foundations that I care about,” Anand said. “It’s something [significant] that this was the first one, but I know I’m going to do more since this was a big success.”

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF TANYA ANAND

WONDERFUL WILDLIFE: Tayna Anand '24 hosts her art pop-up show titled "Untouched Tableaus," displaying her wildlife photos Jan. 20.

Satire The Chronicle • Feb. 1, 2024

BREAKING NEWS

PREDICTIONS

Looking ahead to 2024 Chronicle Headlines.

By Hannah Shahidi

Sports The Chronicle • Feb. 1, 2024

MICAH ROSSEN | WOLVERINES BASEBALL | TRENT PERRY | KAMARI Mcneely

STANDING ON

BUSINESS BOYS’ SOCCER IS BACK FOR MORE.

• Continued on D2

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF NICOLAS MONROE

D2 Sports

The Chronicle

Feb. 1 2024

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF DARLENE BIBLE

coach Erush's HAt Trick

By Justin Tang and Nathan Wang It was boys’ soccer Program Head Michael Erush’s first day at work.

Erush felt the cool spring weather on his jacket as he entered practice with the team as its new head coach. After introducing himself, Erush instructed the players on the field to do passing drills, where he analyzed their different playing styles. However, after the first practice, Erush said he knew there was a lot of work to be done with the whole group.

“I smile when I think about day one,” Erush said. “Obviously, it was during COVID, but the culture was different. Not many players, due to many different reasons, played at high-level club soccer. But again, they worked hard, and we had to create a game model based on the players we had.”

Senior defender JT Federman ’24, who was a freshman when Erush became head coach, said the team has changed significantly for the better under Erush’s leadership.

“Everything was new,” Federman said. “I was a freshman then and even though I wasn’t close with everybody else, I could tell that the other grades of guys weren’t that close either, and it wasn’t a bonded team. We had an okay year, but it wasn’t what we wanted. Those first few seasons were important for everybody to get to know Coach Erush and see that he’s a really good coach who has a lot of talent. He deserves a lot of credit for these past couple of years.”

Erush and the Wolverines are currently first in the Mission League, following a historic season where the team won its first Mission League title in over two decades. The team is also predicted to be placed in Division 1 for the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF)

playoffs and is currently on the Open Division watchlist. Erush said the consistent dedication of the senior class has been a major factor in the team’s success.

“Ever since day one, this senior class three years ago really bought in,” Erush said. “Now, each one is playing at a very high level throughout the year with club soccer and Harvard-Westlake. They know what it’s like to be successful.”

Federman said the team has embraced a new mindset and shown more dedication to the game.

“It was a big culture change,” Federman said. “Especially these past two years, everybody has been really committed to accomplishing all of our goals. We set the same goals in my freshman and sophomore years, but we didn’t work as hard as we needed to actually accomplish them. These past two years, everybody’s been extremely focused and committed to winning.”

Erush said the team has emphasized a high standard of upperclassmen leadership.

“For me, leadership is greater than talent,” Erush said. “The seniors lead by example, and they know what to do. The juniors still have a lot to learn, even though they think they might know everything. But I think for [the seniors], seeing the recent success of the program creates a little more intensity with our opponents. To continue being successful, you need to put in the work.

So for the junior class for the following year, they know what it takes, and they can’t cut any corners because they’re going to be held accountable.”

Junior striker Micah Rossen ’25 said the senior captains have emphasized intensity as well as accountability for the team this season.

“Once [the seniors] started winning,

especially since last year, they under- having him early in the season was a stood what needed to be done to help really big deal because he’s a big key the team,” Rossen said. “[Federman] to our success. Having him back is rehas grown a lot. He used to only send ally nice,” Federman said. “He’s already text messages, but now he speaks dur- scoring goals and assisting, and he’s ing team meetings. [Spencer Casamas- back to his usual ways. He has a good sima ’24 and Nathan Casmassima ’24] presence on the field that I think we have really acclimatized to the roles of were missing the first couple of games captain as well. They always keep us in of the year.” check so we’re not messing around and Earlier in the season, the team comstay focused, which is really important peted in the Socal College Showcase because we’ve never really had that on from Dec. 27 to Dec. 30, where they the team.” played against several ranked teams in Rossen has returned this season after the country, including Gulliver Prepasuffering a tibial tubercle fracture in his ratory (FL), ranked second in the counknee over the summer, when he took try, and Servite High School, ranked a penalty shot in the Elite Clubs Na- 11th in California, according to Maxtional League (ECNL) Preps. Although the playoffs. Despite scorteam went 1-2 during ing the penalty to win the showcase, winger Especially the game, an awkward Tyler Ullrich ’24 said these past two years, landing caused his knee the games were a great everybody’s been to bend in the opposite opportunity for the direction, ultimately whole team to gain really committed to tearing a tendon in his much more in-game exaccomplishing all of knee. Rossen said his perience against highour goals.” teammates supported level competition. him during his very “Going into the —JT Federman ’24 difficult injury process games, we were nervous over the summer. a little because of how “It was a struggle,” Rossen said. “My highly [the teams] were ranked,” Ullfriends were always there. Once I got rich said. “The whole team performed back, my friends even showed up at my very well, but unfortunately, the score house. They were really supportive, and didn’t go our way. There were definitely my parents were always there for me games that we could have at least tied too. But, it was a struggle because or maybe won if we just finished our I couldn’t really do anything for chances. For me at least, playing such a while.” good teams is more fun and enjoyable Rossen has been cleared to because it’s such high competition.” play since the beginning of the Ullrich said the team looks to close season, where he has made an im- out Mission League strong for a secmediate impact on the team’s offense. ond consecutive title and that he is Rossen said being able to finally play confident in the team’s ability to pull soccer has been fulfilling for him. off a successful playoff run.

“It’s great,” Rossen said. “I love “Personally, winning Mission [playing soccer]. It’s definitely a big League is a really big goal,” Ullrich part of why I’m so happy now. I really said. “We’re in a spot right now where looked forward to playing, and this was it’s definitely doable and something a big jump from before.” that we can accomplish if we stick with Federman said having Rossen back it. If we let up one game, or we lose at in the lineup has been crucial for the the end of the season, we could almost team’s success this season. lose Mission League. So, everyone has “[Rossen] is really talented and not to stay focused.”

“

Feb. 1, 2024

Sports D3

hwchronicle.com/sports

Boys’ basketball back up to speed after losing two in a row

By Hana Mehdi Williams

Over Martin Luther King Day weekend, the boys’ basketball team traveled to Springfield, Massachusetts to participate for the first time in the HoopHall East Classic, which is “the most prestigious high school [basketball] event on the calendar,” according to ESPN. The team played McEachern High School (GA) on Jan. 15, ranked 11th in the United States (U.S.), according to MaxPreps.

They defeated the Indians from Georgia 60-59 in overtime, and four-star forward Nik Khamenia ’25 was named Player of the Game, finishing with 21 points, eight rebounds and two assists.

Khamenia said the game was a team effort and that without his teammates, his achievement would not have been possible.

“They found me open spots [on the court], and [Coach Rebibo] put me in a lot of positions to be successful,” Khamenia said.

Two days later, the Wolverines played Notre Dame High School, a highly anticipated opponent, who they beat 8578 in double overtime last year.

The team had the support of a packed school student section in Taper Gymnasium and over three thousand broadcast viewers on HWTV. To start the game, the Wolverines came out in the first quarter with a 21-10 lead, forc-

ing multiple timeouts from Notre Dame. The Knights then took a 23-21 lead after nine straight points from four-star Houston commit Mercy Miller.

Guard Christian Horry ’24 said that the team was not playing up to their standard.

“Honestly, we weren’t playing our best basketball, especially when it came to rebounding as a team,” Horry said. “We didn’t do our job of containing [Miller] as much as we should have.”

The Wolverines were able to keep the game close, which was tied 44-44 at the end of the third.

In the end, the defense could not stop Notre Dame’s Miller, who finished the game with 29 points. The Knights left with a victory, the final score being 5459. Despite the team’s loss, Horry finished with 12 points, and guard Trent Perry ’24 finished with 22 points. It would be their first loss in the Mission League in over a year, breaking a streak that lasted 18 games.

Two days after that, the Wolverines looked to redeem themselves against Sierra Canyon High School, California’s No. 5 team, Jan. 19. They kept their offense strong and held their lead up until the fourth quarter.

However, with five minutes left in the fourth, senior shooting guard Justin Pippen, with the help of junior guard Bryce Cofield, led an 18-0 run against the Wolverines with six threes. The

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF NICOLAS MONROE

TO THE RACK: Nik Khamenia ’25 looks to drive from the left elbow to the rim in a game agsint Notre Dame.

After going 1-2 against three top opponents, the team secured two victories against two other Mission League teams.

final score of the game was 6874. It would be the first time the team had lost back-to-back games since the 2021 season.

The week after, the Wolverines went on the road to play against Chaminade High School, beating them 7846 in Mission League game on Jan. 24. Then on senior night against St. Francis High School, the Wolverines beat

Wrestling cut from Mission League final, now looks for individual wins

By Sabrina Hamideh

The boys’ wrestling team has currently won two out of five dual meets in Mission League play.

In their most recent meet, they lost by one point against Bishop Alemany due to forfeiting. Since the opponent had more wrestlers in each weight class, the team lost several individual matches, which cost them many points and ultimately led to a loss.

Consequently, the team failed to qualify for Mission League finals, but certain wres-

tlers were selected to Mission League individuals.

Select wrestlers will look to return to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Individuals and Masters, most notably Cutter East ’24. East secured first place in the Downey 32 Way tournament earlier this season.

Following the Mission League competition, qualifying individual wrestlers will be selected from each round to advance to CIF Individuals, Masters and then State.

Nathaniel Levin ’25 said despite the loss to Bishop Alemany,

many wrestlers still performed.

“We forfeited several matches in each dual meet, which led to us losing,” Levin said. “The losses hurt because we wrestled better than them and won the majority of the matches that we wrestled.”

Likewise, Henry Rutherford ’25 said the loss to Bishop Alemany was unfortunate.

“Even though I individually won, our team lost to theirs because of forfeits,” said Rutherford.

“That really frustrated me because of how hard our guys have been working. It’s [good] though be-

the Golden Knights 64-33.

Just a day later, the team would play in the Nike Extravaganza, an annual showcase Jan. 27. In the final game of the regular season against Foothill High School, the team put up a strong defensive performance against the Knights, pulling away with a double-digit lead in the second half. The team finished the reg-

“

ular season record 22-3 and a league record of 5-2.

The Mission League Tournament begins Jan. 30, where the team will play the winner of Alemany and Loyola at home. If the Wolverines win, the team will advance to play Notre Dame on the road. If they win the semifinal, they will play Sierra Canyon on the road Jan. 27.

Wrestling is a sport with the most work and the smallest material reward at the end of the tunnel. This alone makes it worth it for me.”

— Alec Avedissian ’25 L. Wood

cause the season isn’t over, and we will face them in the mission tournament this year.”

Alec Avedissian ’25 said he has learned to embrace the adversity of practice, and he has continued to push himself further throughout the season.

“Originally I didn’t like it,” Avedissian said. “I would feel my stomach drop on my way to prac-

tice because I was so uncomfortable, but I always found that no matter how nervous I was going into practice, I always left feeling glad that I endured it. Wrestling is a sport with the most work and the smallest material reward at the end of the tunnel. This alone makes it worth it for me.”

Individuals will be at Crespi Carmelite High School Feb. 3.

Girls’ soccer striving for playoff success

By William Liu

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF NICOLAS MONROE

YOUNG TALENT: Striker Kaia Santomarco-King ’26 rears up to deliver a ball. Only in her sophomore season, she has been crucial to the team’s success.

In their latest game, the girls’ soccer team won 2-1 against Marymount High School on Jan. 26.

The team improved to an overall record of 11-4-3 and a league record of 6-1-1. As of Jan. 27, they have two remaining games against Flintridge Sacred Heart and Chaminade, teams that they have won and lost to, respectively.

This season, notable players include strikers Vicky Pugh ’25 and Kaia Santomarco-King ’26, who have led the team’s offense in scoring. Midfielders Gemma Ozturk ’25, Simone Puathasnanon ’26 and Madisyn Grant ’25, who has returned back from a longterm injury that put her out of her sophomore season, have also been crucial for the team.

Additionally, Pugh and Puathasnanon have been selected to the United States Youth Na-

tional Team (USYNT) ID center, a preliminary tryout that will determine the future of the USYNT. Head Coach Richard Simms said he is happy with the team’s progress throughout the season.

“I’ve been very pleased with our mentality and commitment,” Simms said. “The team is battling hard in every game and competing at a high level. We have been more focused on scoring off of set pieces and doing a better job defending them.”

Defender Ashle Reese ’25 said the team has been flexible with their game schematics, experimenting with different play styles and techniques.

“We have tried different formations and putting different players in different positions in order to figure out what can work and how we can be the most successful,” Reese said.

“In the future, we will most likely continue to switch things

around, so we’re not as easy of a team to guard against because we have so many different things we can do.”

Reese said the team has tried hard to regularly condition themselves for success.

“With the amount of games we have within this short amount of time, it’s really important to work hard in practice and make sure you stay game-ready,” Reese said. “It’s good to do preventative stuff like rolling out your legs and stretching regularly to be able to perform at high levels.”

Ozturk said she is particularly proud of the younger players in contributing to the team’s success.

“Our season is going well so far, we have only one loss and one tie,” Ozturk said. “We look to come out of the Mission League on top. Our underclassmen have played a huge role in our season, and I’m extremely impressed with their ability to step up.”

D4 Sports

The Chronicle

Feb. 1

#9

Cade Goldstein

Wolverines’ Baseball

2024 FuLL SchedulE PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF CHARLIE GOLDSTEIN

1, 2024

hwchronicle.com/sports

Sports D5

@PBR Invitational

@CreSpi

Feb. 10 -20 Great Park (Irvine, CA)

March 22, 3:30 p.m.

Hartunian Field

VS Marcus High

@Chaminade

Feb. 24, 11:00 a.m.

O’Malley Family Field

March 26, 3:30 p.m.

Chaminade High

@Sierra Canyon

VS Chaminade

Feb. 27, 3:00 p.m.

M.J. Siegel Stadium

March 27, 3:30 p.m.

O’Malley Family Field

VS SierrA Canyon

@Villa Park

Feb. 28, 3:00 p.m.

O’Malley Family Field

April 2, 3:30 p.m.

Villa Park High School

VS ST.

Francis

@Orange Lutheran

March 5, 3:00 p.m.

O’Malley Family Field

April 3, 6:00 p.m.

Orange Luthern High School

@ST. Francis

@NHSI

March 6, 3:00 p.m.

Glendale Sports Complex

April 10 -13 USA Baseball Training Complex

VS ST.

VS Loyola HS

Francis

March 8, 3:00 p.m.

O’Malley Family Field

April 16, 3:30 p.m.

O’Malley Family Field

VS Notre

@Loyola HS

Dame

March 12, 3:30 p.m.

O’Malley Family Field

April 17, 3:30 p.m.

Hank Hernandez Field

@Notre Dame

VS Loyola HS

March 13, 3:30 p.m.

Notre Dame High School

April 19, 3:30 p.m.

O’Malley Family Field

@CreSpi

VS ALEMANY HS

March 19, 3:30 p.m.

Hartunian Field

April 23, 3:30 p.m.

O’Malley Family Field

VS Crespi

@ALEMANY HS

March 20, 3:30 p.m.

O’Malley Family Field

April 24, 3:30 p.m.

Alemany High School

D6 Sports

The Chronicle

Feb. 1, 2024

Thompson returns for home game

By Connor Tang

Girls' soccer alum Alyssa Thompson ’23 returned to her alma mater before the team's match against Notre Dame High School on Jan. 24. Thompson met and took pictures with students and parents, who were able to enter a free raffle for one of her autographed United States Women's National Team (USWNT) uniforms. The girls' soccer players were sporting her jersey in warmups as a welcome nod to her visit.

Before she graduated, Thopson was the youngest player to ever be picked first overall in the National Women's Soccer League by Angel City Football Club (ACFC). While she was a student, she actively competed in the U-20 national team and was called up to play for the USWNT team. Shortly after graduating, she played in the women's World Cup over the summer in Australia.

Thompson has remained local, playing for ACFC in Los Angeles.

ACFC is currently in their offseason, and Thompson is attempting to make the roster for the women's the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, (CONCACAF) Gold Cup in February.

Head of Athletics Terry Barnum said he was grateful to welcome Thompson back to campus.

“Having Alyssa back has been amazing,” Barnum said. “She was an amazing athlete here, an amazing person and great for our community in the fact that she still feels so connected to us. We're just blessed to have her around.”

In the fall, ACFC also picked sister Gisele Thompson ’24, to play for the club. She signed a three-year contract and will immediately join the club after graduating. With her sister on the same team, Alyssa Thompson said she is even more thrilled to play with the upcoming 2024 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) season in March.

• Continued on hwchronicle.com

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HUNGRY FOR MORE: Point guard Trent Perry ’24 sprints down the court. He was accepted to the 2024 annual McDonald's All-American Game which will be played in Houston on April 2. Perry is the fourth basketball player from the school to be selected for the prestigious team.

USC basketball commit selected to play on 2024 McDonald's All-American West team

By Nathan Wang

eration (CIF) State Southern California Regional Open DiviUniversity of Southern sion Championship.

California (USC) basketball Perry said he is grateful to be commit Trent Perry ’24 was part of the All-American team selected to the 2024 McDon- because many of his National ald’s Western All-American Basketball Association (NBA) team. The team competes in idols were selected as well. the annual McDon“It's an extreme ald's All-American honor and something Game, formatted in that I've been dreaman East versus West ing about [since I was] competition. The a kid,” Perry said. “A 2024 All-American lot of great NBA playgame will be played ers played that game like at the Toyota CenLeBron [James], Kobe ter in Houston on [Bryant] and Carmelo April 2.

[Anthony]. It's an exL. Wood Perry is nationtreme honor just to be a Trent ally ranked in the part of that class.”

Perry ’24 top 50 players and Head of Athletics is the fifth-ranked point guard, Terry Barnum said Perry’s seaccording to SBLive Sports. He lection to such a prestigious was named the Mission League’s level of high school basketball most valued player (MVP) after reflects school pride. averaging 16 points, seven re“We're just so proud of bounds and six assists per game him,” Barnum said. “He has in the same season that the represented our school in an boys' basketball team won the amazing way for all six years California Interscholastic Fed- that he's been here. I think that

that's special. This is a kid who started Harvard-Westlake in seventh grade. This wasn't some kid who came in as a transfer.

He is a Harvard-Westlake kid through and through. I'm super proud of him for reaching the pinnacle of [high school basketball], which is being a McDonald's All-American.”

Selection to the All-American team requires being a well-rounded student-athlete.

Troy Perry (Trent ’24) said his son’s discipline on and off the court helped him overcome challenges and grow as an All-American player.

“When you come from Harvard-Westlake, it is not all about what you do on the court,” Troy Perry said. “It's also what you do off the court because you’re supposed to be [an] all-American. Being disciplined helped [Trent] not only keep his grades up but also helped him achieve greater things in basketball over time. I'm not saying that

[Trent] didn't have his struggles, but staying disciplined, focused and organized helped them go away.” ​​Trent Perry said his defining characteristic as a player on the court is his energy and positive attitude to competition.

“I never really have a serious face on the court. I’m always just smiling [and] having fun," Trent Perry said. "It just makes [playing basketball] a whole lot easier for me when I'm having fun and [when I'm] able to play with my teammates.”

Trent Perry said he is expecting to work hard and connect with other talented high school basketball players.

“I’m looking forward to being able to have a great experience,” Trent Perry said. “I'm probably going to be out [at the All-American game] for about five to seven days. [I’m excited to] bond with the other players that are with me and play well in the scrimmages and in the [All-American] game.”

Baseball prepares for new season

By Eden Conner

It is 6:45 a.m. as pitcher Tommy Bridges ’24 wakes up to the sound of his alarm and looks at his phone. The words ‘win the day’ stare back at him on his screen as he turns off the ringing sound. Reading the phrase, Bridges remembers pitching in the Wolverines' 2021 California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section win.

He remembers the group’s second round exit last year. He remembers he has a team behind him that became a true community in the offseason — one that is willing to give their all this year to win.

“The group fights,” Bridges said. “I think it all comes down to the fact that we all want it.

We’re not taking a pitch off.

We’re fighting through every at-bat, no matter the score.

The inner fire is also coming from [Head Coach Jared Halp-

ert]. He knows what this group can accomplish. He’s setting that "fire" mentality from the top, and it’s going through the whole team.”

The team finished the 2022-2023 season 21-9. In this year's Perfect Game preseason high school rankings, the Wolverines rank seventh in the nation. Following the loss of multiple seniors, the lineup will look different with all three outfielders, both catchers and multiple pitchers being underclassmen. Middle infielder Cade Goldstein ’25 said he is happy to see how much of the team has stepped into leadership positions.

“All of the juniors and especially returning players are, as a whole, trying to lead a team of some younger guys who haven’t played a full season and haven’t had to deal with big, tough games,” Goldstein said. “The players who have been there and

[played a full season] are really stepping up and taking bigger leadership roles.”

Returning to the mound this year are two potential first round draft picks Bryce Rainer ’24 and Duncan Marsten ’24 as well as Bridges, who is committed to Texas Christian University. First baseman Miguel Villegas ’25 said in addition to the deep pitching staff, the team’s focus on smaller details will be a game-changer in the upcoming season.

“We have multiple first round picks in the senior class, and our pitching staff is also a big help because we have so much depth,” Villegas said. “More than that, though, we take pride in the little details because they are what make the difference in a very close game. The preseason was a great opportunity for us as a team to capitalize on working on our flaws and paying attention to the little things.”

• Continued on hwchronicle.com

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PITCHING WITH POWER: Sophomore pitcher Jake Chung ’26 winds up on the mound. The team is looking to improve with its new leadership.

Feb. 1, 2024

hwchronicle.com/sports

The CHRONICLE's Winter TAKES Justin Tang Assistant Sports Editor Boys' Basketball Reporter

Hana Mehdi Williams Sports Section Contributor

Sports D7 Four Chronicle staffers gave their thoughts on select winter season sports. Here are their opinions on boys’ basketball and crucial role players on some teams.

Alex Dinh Sports Section Contributor

Connor Tang Sports Section Contributor

Boys' basketball has work to do before league playoffs aren't a sign of failure, but a dire wake-up call for the team. If the team can watch enough film to recover their mistakes and begin finding their strides in practice to build back confidence, future games against these teams are going to look very different.

Rebibo and the Wolverines have shown their ability to bounce back before, and they are without a doubt able to do it again.

CONNOR TANG/CHRONICLE

The boys' basketball team picked up back-to-back defeats in tight games against Mission League contenders Sierra Canyon and Notre Dame, both teams that they did not lose to last year. The team is now faced with a third place standing in the Mission League, and will likely have to play these teams again. Our writers discuss whether or not the losses should be a source of concern for the team moving forward.

Justin Tang Losses are concerning The Wolverines have not looked like the same team offensively. For the team to compete with other offensive powerhouses like Notre Dame and Sierra Canyon, the squad's big three of Trent Perry ’24, Robert Hinton ’24 and Nik Khamenia ’25 all need to deliver offensively.

Although Perry and Khamenia haven’t had trouble scoring in these games, Hinton hasn’t

looked as comfortable as he was earlier in the season, when he was easily scoring midrange and three-point opportunities.

On the defensive side, rebounding has been a major issue for the Wolverines.

Head Coach David Rebibo has shown a tendency to run a small-ball, fast-paced lineup with Isaiah Carroll ’25 at the forward position for Dom Bentho ’26, but he has paid the price, losing offensive and defensive rebounds. This was apparent in their ranked matchups against Columbus School (FL) and McEachern School (GA), where missed rebounds played a major difference down the stretch for the Wolverines. Rebibo will have to decide whether he prefers the quick offense or a larger presence on the glass as the team looks to retake control of the Mission League.

Hana Mehdi Williams Losses are not concerning Up until mid-January, the defending state champions had our students convinced that they would once again take home the trophy. After two consecutive losses against Notre Dame and Sierra Canyon, some are concerned that Wolverines can only be a one-hit wonder.

But now is not the time to lose hope. Just two days before the Notre Dame game, the Wolverines traveled across the country and defeat McEachern High School, led by 5-star recruit Ace Bailey, who is definitely NBAbound. Two days after Notre Dame, they played Sierra Canyon. The team had little to no time to recover and practice for opposing teams. Additionally, these three games were the first truly competitive games of their season, with most of their past games as blowouts. The losses

Alex Dinh Losses are concerning After dropping two straight league games to Notre Dame and Sierra Canyon, there are some clear problems that Rebibo and the squad are going to need to get fixed before the end of the season.

The problems for the team start with the holes left by graduating seniors last year. Although the loss of Brady Dunlap ’23 was vital, it is the loss of 6’11” Jacob Huggins ’23 that truly affected the team. Bentho and Barron Linnekens ’26 have showed splashes of greatness as bigs in their sophomore season, however, they don't provide the squad with the same stability that Huggins did.

In addition, the team has been too prone to losing their large leads. Against McEachern, the team was up by 18 but was forced to pull off a win in overtime. Against Notre Dame, the team got out to an 11 point lead in the first six minutes but ended up losing the game 59-54. Against Sierra Canyon, the Wolverines led 58-50 early in the fourth quarter until they blew the lead. This all happened in one week. The Wolverines can fix these issues, but they must be

addressed before playoffs.

Connor Tang Losses are not concerning There's no doubt that the losses are surprising. Although at first glance, the two losses looked like bitter defeats, the team actually showcased their strongest performances.

Against one of the most explosive and energetic teams they have played, Notre Dame, the Wolverines came out blazing with a clear 21-10 point lead. In a back-and-forth game against a star-studded and new-looking Sierra Canyon team, they went on a dominant run to take an eight point lead with almost five minutes left, demonstrating control and poise in a hostile environment. The win-loss record doesn’t accurately display this team’s strengths and weaknesses.

They have struggled in critical minutes, which can be easily prevented with adjustments to game prep and leaders to step up and say, “look, we're good.”

Because we know Khamenia and Hinton can find the mid-range. We know Perry can get to the free throw line. We know Christian Horry ’24 can knock down shots from behind the arc. But this can only come with confidence. When faced with ranked opponents full of four and five star recruits, the team needs to continue playing the way they do in practice and in dominant games.

The naysayers and other teams shouldn’t dictate how confident they play. Only the team should. Rebibo lost games to Liberty (NV) and St. John Bosco last year, but remember how it ended.

Our picks for underrated players Justin Tang Athlete: Isaiah Carroll ’25 Boys' Basketball

Hana Mehdi Williams Athlete: Deana Thompson ’25 Girls' Basketball

Section Division 1. Thompson is a superstar in the making and deserves all the praise and more.

Forward Isaiah Carroll ’25 has developed into a great sixth man option for the Wolverines. Standing at 6’6”, Carroll has been a strong defensive presence for the team when in the game and has also shown an ability to shoot the ball with confidence. Carroll has developed an impressive level of awareness in his first year on the varsity team and has learned the Wolverines’ offensive and defensive schemes quickly. The only thing for him to improve on, however, is his defensive strength and rebounding. He has some struggles with boxing out stronger opponents. Going into CIF playoffs and next year, expect Carroll to become an essential part of this Wolverines squad.

The girls’ basketball team is often overshadowed by the boys’ basketball program. Nevertheless, their players are equally as impressive, specifically, guard Deana Thompson ’25. The Wolverines played Notre Dame, and Thompson hit the 1000th point of her career Jan. 25. In doing so, she has cemented herself as one of the most skilled girls basketball players to ever go through the program. Despite only being a junior, Thompson has joined Trent Perry ’24 in elite standing, who also hit the 1000-point mark this year. She has been an all-star her entire career. In her freshman year, she was the only freshman on the team selected to first Team Mission League and was top three in scoring amongst freshmen in the CIF Southern

Alex Dinh Athlete: Stella Jurado ’27 Girls' Soccer Defender Stella Jurado ’27, standing at 4’11”, is flying under the radar, but don't be mistaken — she has been a key contributor for the girls’ soccer team in her first season. After starting the season on the junior varsity (JV) team, Jurado is now a starting midfielder, making plays on both the offensive and defensive ends. In a league match against Flintridge Sacred Heart on Jan. 10, Jurado made her presence known with her first-ever high school goal. Forward number 22 Skyla Wilkins ’25 sent a cross into the box, and Jurado, who was wearing the number 22 JV jersey with a piece of tape over

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the second two, headed the ball in. Jurado has now been given her spot on varsity, and the new number 28 is a vital piece of the team’s young core of players.

Connor Tang Athlete: Race Serota ’25 Boys' Soccer No one appreciates the secret behind the success of the boys’ soccer offense. A squad needs crucial midfielders, who are able to skillfully receive and thread

passes, and not allow turnovers to feed into another team's offense. Race Serota ’25 is a premier example of such — he's an outstanding ball handler, who is physical with his opponents, yet outmaneuvers them to get the ball to the offense.

He knows how to quickly find seams to get the ball down to the corners, which allows for scoring opportunities. Just this season, Serota has already done an excellent job with the team, and he will only improve.

The Chronicle

D8 Sports

Feb. 1, 2024

WOLVERINES ONLY

BY

KAMARI MCNEELY F

or all my life, I’ve been surrounded by sports. I began playing basketball when I was three years old. I remember sitting on the bleachers while my dad played basketball and feeling pointy blades of grass against my skin and dirt under my fingernails as I watched my sister’s soccer games. Countless weekends have been devoted to traveling to various locations for my sports, waking up early for 8 a.m. matches or doing homework on the way to practice.

Despite still playing soccer, I knew basketball was the sport I was going to play in high school. So, when I came to the school, I was really excited when I got called up to varsity. My first year was a blur. COVID-19 protocols kept us distanced, making it hard to connect with my teammates. Sophomore year was probably the most memorable year because it was the hardest. School officially opened back up, and I was bombarded with so many readings and homework. I had basketball practices and lifts five times a week. On top of that, I started club soccer again. So, while I was trying to acclimate to the Upper School, I was running from one practice to the other. I was stretching myself too thin, and I felt like there wasn’t a single instance in which everything was going great. If I was doing well in school, I wasn’t doing well in basketball. If I put more effort into basketball, my grades would slip. If I didn’t go to my soccer practices, I wasn't a starter. These things

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF DARLENE BIBLE

constantly ran through my mind, and I felt even more stressed and overwhelmed.

I remember when I met with [Sports Psychologist] Kat Scardino before one of our league games. I expressed how nervous I was. There were so many what-ifs swirling through my head that it was hard to calm down. I remember that Kat told me to, “focus on what you can control.” I can't control my playing time, the referees or my coach. What I can control is my defense, effort and attitude. When I focus on the things I can control, not only do I keep myself present but I also keep the self-doubt away. I think that was one of the most important pieces of advice I’ve ever received and still apply today.

When basketball season finally came to an end, I was so relieved. I was in desperate need of a break, and I finally had it. During the offseason, I began club soccer again in the spring.

With my soccer team, I rediscovered the confidence and support I desperately craved on the basketball court. That year, we won our regional league, [won the] National Cup and got the opportunity to play at the Far West Regionals Championships. Because of my success at soccer, I thought that I should continue pursuing it. I had lost confidence, motivation and love for basketball, so why not? I remember telling my coach that I was considering quitting, and she told me that she really wanted me to be part of the team, but ultimately, it was best to do what

made me happy. I talked to my mom, and we decided to give basketball one more chance for the summer and see what happened.

The summer before junior year was promising enough that I returned. Not for the sport, but for the bond with my teammates. The shared anxieties before a Friday practice, whispered jokes and knowing glances from across the court are the things that kept me going.

When basketball season ended again, I decided to try track. It was a new experience, and I wasn’t the best at it. Yet, the support and encouragement I received from my teammates, was enough to make the 400 seem durable.

Now, in my senior year, the realization that everything I do will be for the last time has fueled a determination to give it my all. This season, our team has had its ups and downs, but I’m trying to enjoy every second of it because I know that I’ll never meet a more amazing or funny basketball team than the one right now.

My journey through sports has felt like a marathon. It has taught me the grit of resilience, the power of connection and the bittersweetness of letting go. Though I don’t know if I want to play any sports in college, I know that the school has equipped me with the experiences and resilience to thrive in any sport I choose.

For now, I’m going to cherish every moment, laugh and layup with my teammates as I culminate the end of my sports journey.