POLY PREP’S Student Newspaper VOL. CV ISSUE VI May/June 2020
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POLYGON
STORiES OF THE CHiLDREN OF ESSENTiALWORKERS KAYLA THOMPSON “Trust is confidence in the abilities of something or someone else. My understanding of its significance has grown during this pandemic despite its pertinence in everyday life. We hope we can trust our government when they release information and the news when they report on it; we hope we can trust the doctor when they diagnose us; we hope we can trust friends and family constantly”
EMILY NG
“Not only was my mother risking her life by going to a clinic where sick patients will inevitably come in and out, I was also afraid of racial incidents that may cross her path.” These are excerpted from reflections written by students whose parents are essential workers. Read their full acounts on Features Pages 6 & 7.
polygonnews.org
Colleges Scramble &
MANY GO TEST OPTiONAL In the midst of a pandemic, many colleges are struggling to adapt. Why have so many school chosen to go test optional and what does this mean for rising seniors? LIZ BENTSIANOV EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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he COVID-19 pandemic has led to nationwide closures of college campuses and cancellations of on-campus activities. In light of the current circumstances, many colleges have gone test-optional and are altering their application requirements. These decisions will likely have a long-term impact on the college process. This sudden change has left many juniors in a place of uncertainty. The spring of junior year is an essential time for students to look at schools they are interested in. With the cancellation of tours and information sessions due to the pandemic, many students who were planning on looking at colleges for the first time over spring break are facing a major dilemma. While colleges have made virtual resources available for prospective students, virtually navigating campuses and attending Zoom information sessions are weak substitutes for walking on campuses, meeting professors, tour guides, and other students. Junior Talia Marash said, “There is only so much a student can go by in making a monumental decision, which will make the college process that much harder.” Even the Brooklyn-Staten Island College Fair, an annual pilgrimage of Poly juniors, has been canceled, further limiting opportunities for Poly’s juniors to interact directly with colleges and find schools they like. Attempts to create an online BKSI fair in conjunction with other high schools have failed. However, Poly is launching the Poly College Series, allowing students to interact with college representatives in Q & As and group information sessions over Zoom. Upper School Dean Alexis Perez said, “We hope it
will give students the opportunity to meet and connect with college reps both from schools they are already interested in and from schools they would like to learn more about. Additionally, many juniors are facing the obstacle of standardized testing. The ban on large gatherings and widespread school closures has made the administration of standardized tests impossible. Some juniors have not taken the SAT or ACT yet, and many others are looking to improve their scores by taking the exam again and super scoring. With early decision application deadlines looming, many juniors fear that if closures continue, they won’t be able to take either exam or they won’t have enough opportunities to reach an ideal score. Junior Dominique Porte said, “I feel very stressed about the fact that I may not have the opportunity to take an SAT and turn in my score. It’s also upsetting because I’ve dedicated so much time to studying for it and I may not have the chance to show my dedication.” In response to this issue, many colleges have gone test-optional, meaning that students will not have to submit a standardized test score with their application to be considered for admission to a school. Even University of California schools, for which the SAT was specifically designed, have announced they are going test-optional. The UC schools account for hundreds of thousands of applications annually, making their decision a major turning point in the college admissions process. Upper School Dean Nat Smitobol said, “If the UC schools figure out how to make good decisions without the SAT, it could lead to a huge change in the col-
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Poly’s Response to Floyd:
HOW CONVERSTAION CAN INSPIRE CHANGE A reflection on the recent forum by the organizers and a look at how the Poly community can work toward change MAKIEDA MCKENZIE & SAMARRA SANKAR FEATURED WRITERS
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n Tuesday, June 2nd, six days after the brutal murder of George Floyd, over 130 members of the Poly community came together despite limitations imposed by quarantine for a forum to discuss the current political climate of our country. The killing, while an immense tragedy, is not a first in America. Rather, it symbolizes a systematic problem regarding police brutality against unarmed black men fueled by America’s racist ideals. At the start of the forum, students and faculty agreed upon the fact that this was not a political nor a polar issue. This is a human issue. Despite the contrasting feelings and thoughts shared in the large group, the contract of respect was never broken. Students and faculty of color, who are inherently affected by this sensitive problem, expressed their concerns and feelings in a safe space while white allies were given the opportunity to listen and understand the struggles of their peers. People shared things they felt that they were ignorant about and wanted to learn more about. In response, our community, coming from a diverse range of backgrounds, helped orchestrate and promote a healthy space for change and gain insight. The learning took place with no constraints. Students and teachers alike were given the opportunity to evaluate their personal biases and to voice their individual experiences. The members of our community successfully created an environment where people felt comfortable enough to express their raw emotions without facing judgment. Towards the end of the forum, Ryantony Exuma shared a personal and captivating piece of writing, perfectly ending the broader conversation about the relationship between black people and America’s power structures and, more specifically, black men and policing. Many people of color shared the fears that they have to face every day in America while white allies expressed concerns and a newfound distrust of the systems that make up our country. Several community voices expressed feeling changed and recognized the need for immediate action. Through conversations in breakout rooms and an open discussion, many expressed how the Poly community, though well-intentioned, often feels like a bubble. This bub-
ble serves as a sanctuary for many, but times like these illuminate its faults. If anything, this forum has shown us all how willing and open our community can be in attempting to break down and escape from this sense of security. As a community, it’s in our best interest that we continue to come together and debunk serious issues beyond the confines of national tragedy, which seep their way into our daily lives at school. There are various steps that we, as a community, can take in order to continue necessary conversations towards change. Some ways involve introspection while others aim to change our current social environment. All actions and calls for change are equally important, for social progression would not be possible otherwise. Whether it is making a vow to work on undoing learned behavior and thoughts that are detrimental to others or deciding to make an effort to call out friends and family when they say hurtful comments, it is a step in the right direction and crucial to making a change. On a broader community level, it can be making an effort to internalize what is taught in Poly’s spheres of learning (the classroom, Assembly, etc.) by faculty, speakers, and peers who differ by their experiences and perspectives. Even organizing community events, spaces, drives, and other means can further propel us. No matter the circumstances, white allies must make sure they are using their voices in an active way. Based on conversations from the forum, white silence is deafening. It is not enough to simply say “I’m not racist” and sit back while events unfold. As people that possess the most privilege in the undeniably racist society of America, it is extremely important to be supporters and activists by undoing the mistakes of the past that this country is built upon. Being passive, especially in this new chapter of history, is detrimental. This is a burden that we all, both POCs and white allies alike, must share. If we don’t make this an “us” problem, we will never arrive at a solution. Students of color should feel a sense of pride in their experiences as they hold the power to expose injustices that plague the society that we all are a part of. As a part of this community, everyone’s voices are valued and heard.
Read more about this topic in the Editorial on News Page 3