the
HIGHLANDER March 28, March 2015 March28, 28,2015 2015
Taking a look at Prom: the cost and new styles for 2015 pg 10&11
Death and socialRIP media: what RIP RIP happens after you’re gone pg 24
Flashback to the 90’s: polaroids and fashion are back pg 12&13
DEATH Died Died
Died
Alisa Takahashi
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an immense loss,Call they be missed terribly :( In the age of social media, everyoneSuch can be an obituary writer.loss. Sorry about your mewill soon. Miss you! Sorry about yourto invade loss. our Call me soon. The consensus seems to be that as social media continues lives, it only makesMiss sense you! that people will post about topics ranging from what they ate for breakfa March 28 at 9:36pm · Like · users, 2 scores of whom die every day. The social networking phenomenon has fundamentally changed the way we mourn as ind FacebookMarch claims 28 to have 500 million active at 9:36pm · Like · 2 communities.
Sorry about your loss. Call meme soon. Miss you! IAw remember all the you made smile, the Heaven I'm so sorry :( times hang in there!
Facebook postings have largely replaced gravesite visits, and have led to a drop in sympathy card sales of as much as 30 percent, according to Aw marathon I'm so phone-calls sorry :( and hang in there!
angel today March 28 at 9:36pmgained · Like · another 2
March 30 at 7:02ampage · Like · 1a virtual condolence book; a public, communal mourning place that gives everyone processing a shared loss a place to gat A deceased person's Facebook becomes
March 30 at 7:02am · Like ·
1
Aw I'm so sorry :( hang in there!
But Facebook and social mediaÕs inÞltration into every aspect of our lives has been so quick and widespread that there are no rules yet for how to properly use it at life's mo
Alisa Takahashi
We learn a tragedy on social media, and we react in a way that is appropriate for that medium; we see the bad news, we share the bad news—or we “like” or “retweet” or “ March 1 to the next story. 30 at 7:02am · Like · April 3, 2015 This forces people to decide where the line is drawn between what’s acceptable to share on social media and what’s considered too personal. the age of social media, everyone can be an obituary writer. "DeathIn in social media creates an entirely different kind of experience than we've ever The consensus seems to be that as social media continues to invade our lives, it only makes sense that people will post about topics ranging from what they ate for breakfast to the death of a loved one. In the age of social media, everyone can be an obituary writer. Postingphenomenon about the has lossfundamentally of a loved one on a so impersonally casuFacebook claims to have 500Jed millionBrubaker, active users, scores of whom die every day. The changed theplatform way we mourn as individuals, and families and really had before," says a PhD Candidate atsocial thenetworking University of California at Irvine. The consensus seems to be that as social media continues to invade our lives, ally, like on Facebook, can trivialize the death, taking away the good intentions communities. itAs only makes sense that people will post about topics ranging from whatwith they ate of themore originalof post. our generation becomes increasingly comfortable sharing ourselves online, it is important to remain conscious of what exactly is being posted and what so Facebook postings have largely replaced marathon phone-calls and gravesite visits, and have led to a drop in sympathy card sales of as much as 30 percent, according to the New York Times. for breakfast to the death of a loved one. “If you post about someone’s death or your divorce, it’s not that different from post. A deceased Facebook page becomes a virtual scores condolence a public, communal mourning thatto gives everyone processing a sharedNicole loss a place Facebook claimsperson's to have 500 million active users, of book; whom die every typing, ‘I’mplace going Starbucks,’” said freshman Tin.to gather and grieve together. day. The social social networking phenomenon hasthe fundamentally thebeen way ourhelp society’s on a use wall ismost not condolences the same thing don’t help people deal with loss. But Facebook and social mediaÕs inÞltration into every aspect lives has quick andDespite widespread that there arefixation no rules yet social for how media, to properly it post at life's difÞcult moments. Using media to broadcast news ofofchanged aourtragedy is soawe good way to inform a community, but one-click mourn as individuals, families and communities. as a sympathy card and should not be seen as a a substitution for personally a tragedy on social media, and we react in a way that is appropriate for that medium; we see the bad news, we share the bad news—or we “like” or “retweet” or “favorite”—and then we move on InFacebook fact,We it learn accelerates and degrades a social norm and thatgravesite would otherwise several weeks: sending heartfelt letters, sharing memories in person, even showing support by postings have largely replaced marathon phone-calls reaching outtake to those in mourning. to the next story. visits, andThis have ledpeople to a to drop in where sympathy card sales of as much as 30 percent, “People need to be carefultoo about what they post on social media. Especially forces decideor the line is drawn between what’s acceptable to share on social media and what’s considered personal. to help sort paperwork mail. according"Death to thein New when they post about such a sensitive topic as death,” said freshman Hazel Lam. social York mediaTimes. creates an entirely different kind of experience than we've ever “IAthink it’shad okay tosays share loss loved ones Facebook because a fast wayhas tothe tellpotential someone if there’s no way to tellit has them face to face,” said freshman Miya Okumura. deceased person’s Facebook pageof a virtual condolence book; as social media to increase awareness of an event, really before," Jed Brubaker, abecomes PhD Candidate at theon University of California ataIrvine. Justit’s public, communal mourning place that gives everyone a shared potential trivialize it asofwell. As our generation becomes increasingly comfortable withprocessing sharing more of ourselvesloss online, itthe is important to to remain conscious is being posted and what someone’s reaction might be to the Postinggather aboutand the loss of a loved one on a platform so impersonally and casually, likewhat onexactly Facebook, can trivialize the death, taking away the good intentions of the original a place topost. grieve together. If showing care or interest in a death becomes popularized, the risk of insincerFacebook and social media’sthe infiltration into aspect of help ourit’s lives rises. Using media to broadcast news of a tragedy is a good way to inform ahas community, but one-clickfrom condolences don’t help deal with loss. “IfBut you postsocial about someone’s death or every your divorce, not thatitydifferent typing, ‘I’mpeople going to Starbucks,’” said freshman Nicole Tin. been so quick widespread that there arenorm no rules yet for how totake properly use sending In fact,and it accelerates and degrades a social that would otherwise several weeks: sharing memories person, even showing support spending The heartfelt skill of letters, Facebooking when itin comes to both good and by bad newsaisfewinhours the together ourdifficult societyÕs on social media, a wall post is nottiming, the same cardbefore and clicking shouldthe not beorseen help sort paperwork orÞxation mail. itDespite at life’s to most moments. and the thing simple as stepaofsympathy double-checking post send as a a substitution for personally reaching out t “I think it’s okay to share lossmedia, of loved and ones we on Facebook it’s a is fastappropriate way to tell someone if there’s no way to tell them face to face,” said freshman Miya Okumura. We learn a tragedy social reactthey in because a way that button. “People need to on be careful about what post on social media. Especially when they post about such a sensitive topic as death,” said freshman Hazel Lam. Posting about of a loved one onwe a platform impersonally and casually, like on trivializerule the death, takingis away thescoop good intentions of the original Daniel post. for that medium; we the seeloss the bad news, share so the bad news—or we “like” orFacebook, “Thecan general of thumb don’t important news,” Senning, a you post about someone’s death orpotential your it’s that different awareness from typing, ‘I’m going to said freshman Nicole Tin. Emilyto Just as“Iforsocial media haswe the tonot increase of anStarbucks,’” event, it has the potential trivialize it as well. “retweet” “favorite”—and then move ondivorce, to the next story. social media etiquette focus at The Post Institute said. Despite our societyÕs Þxationwhere on social media, post isbetween not the same thing as a sympathy card and should not be seen asthe a a substitution personally reaching to those in mourning. forces people to decide the lineaiswall drawn what’s acceptSocial expedites mourningforprocess but offersoutlittle process to the If This showing caretoor interest in death popularized, theabout risk ofmedia “People careful about whatathey post onbecomes social Especially when they post such a insincerity sensitive topic as rises. death,” said freshman Hazel Lam. able to share onneed socialbe media and what’s considered toomedia. personal. grieving. Just as social media has the potential to it increase awareness of an it has the than potential to trivialize it in as well. “Death in of social media creates an entirely different of event, experience The skill Facebooking when comes tokind both good and bad news the timing, and simple step of double-checking “If theisimmediate family has notthe made the announcement in that space, you before clicking the post or send button. If showing care or interest in a death becomes popularized, the risk of insincerity rises. we’ve ever should wait,” said sophomore Spencer Enriquez. ÒThe of Jed thumb is donÕt important Senning, a social media etiquette The skill of rule Facebooking when it comes to both scoop good and bad news is in thenews,Ó timing, andDaniel step of double-checking before clicking the post or send focus button. at The Emily Post Institute said. reallygeneral had before,” says Brubaker, a PhD Candidate at the University ofthe simple Informing people of any kind of news is best done in the most personal of manÒThe general rule of thumb is donÕt scoop important news,Ó Daniel Senning, a social media etiquette focus at The Emily Post Institute said. California at Irvine. ners, whether that be the ideal face-to-face setting, on the phone or a private Social Social media expedites the mourning process butto the offers little process to the grieving. media expedites the mourning process but offers little process grieving. As our generation becomes increasingly comfortable with sharing more of our- electronic message. ÒIf the immediate family has not made the announcement in that space, you should wait,Ó said sophomore Spencer Enriquez. ÒIf theonline, immediate family has not madeof the in that space, you Institute shouldhas wait,Ó sophomore Spencer Enriquez. selves it is important to remain conscious whatannouncement exactly is being posted The Emily Post seen said a few practical and proactive tech tricks that Informing people of any kind of news is best done in the most personal of manners, whether that be the ideal face-to-face setting, on the phone or a private electronic message. and whatThe someone’s reaction might be to practical the post. help avoid Family such situations. Family members individuals canface-to-face turn off walls, the comInforming people of any kind of news isproactive best done the personal of manners, whether that be the ideal on the phone or a private electronic mess Emily Post Institute has seen a few and tech tricksin that helpmost avoid such situations. members or individuals can turn off or the comment capability on their or insetting, order to Using social media to broadcast the news a tragedy a can good waya private to help capability on their walls, or in order to send a piece of information quickly to send a piece of information quickly to a large of group of people is they create groupment message. The Emily Post Institute has seen adon’t few practical and proactive tech tricks help such situations. Family members or individuals can turn off the comment capabili inform a community, one-click condolences help people deal with loss.posts, a baby large group of that people they avoid canofcreate a passing, private group The bottom linebut is that Facebook, with its pictures of lunch, congratulatory engagement announcements and messages a friend’s is here tomessage. stay and only growing more and more In fact,rooted accelerates and degrades a social norm that would otherwise take The bottom line is that Facebook, with its pictures of lunch, congratulatory enin our with otherquickly people. send a itpiece ofinteractions information to a large person, group of people they can create a private group message. several weeks: sending heartfelt letters, sharing memories gagement baby announcements and messages of a friend’s passing, is “It’s another tool we have at our disposal,” Senning said. “We in have to learneven how toshowuse that tool with someposts, intelligence.” ing support by spending few hours together with to helpits sort paperworkoforlunch, mail. congratulatory here to stay and engagement only growing moreposts, and more rooted in our interactions with other The bottom line is athat Facebook, pictures baby announcements and messages of a friend’s passing, is here to stay an · Comment Share “I thinkLike it’s okay to share loss· of loved ones on Facebook because it’s a fast people. rooted our interactions people. way to tellinsomeone if there’s no with way toother tell them face to face,” said freshman “It’s another tool we have at our disposal,” Senning said. “We have to learn how Miya to use that tool with some “It’s Okumura. another tool we have at our disposal,” Senning said. “We have to learn how tointelligence.” use that tool with some intelligence.”
April 2015 Vol VI Issue VII
www.scotscoop.com @scotscoopnews
Is public school still secular? Becca Fradkin Staff Writer
In a secular school, how much religion is too much? Starting freshman year students are exposed to different religions through literature and history. However, some students lack religious backgrounds to fully understand the content of the themes being taught. According to the Pew Research Center on U.S Religious Landscape Study, 67 percent of Californians identify themselves as Christian, while 2 percent identify as Jewish, .5 percent as Muslim and 21 percent as atheist. Given the broad range of religious identities, how are students expected to succeed in classes infused with religious concepts? AP Literature teacher Victoria Nilson said, “Western society comes from a Judeo Christian tradition where religion exists. To interpret, discuss with intelligence, appreciate, critique, interact and get pleasure from literature, we have to speak the language.” In a country where church and
state are supposed to be separate, some students lack the religious background to understand such language. The First Amendment to the Constitution prevents the government from creating a religion and bars government from passing laws that prohibit citizens from actively participating in any religion. Now how do these constitutional rights extend to the classroom? Senior Frieda Freeman is an AP Literature student who has just read Samuel Beckett's absurdist play “Waiting for Godot.”
“The play is about god and different reli- certain parts of the Christian Bible.” Like · Comment · Share gious themes and stories, such as Cane and Because of a blurred line between literaAbel, all relating to Christian faith. When ture and the Bible, students are expected to the class started to discuss the play, many know basic principles of religion. students brought up different parts of the Senior AP Literature student Kaitlyn play based on Christian themes which I Kelly also had difficulty interpreting the didn’t know to put together,” said Free- play religiously, “It wasn’t fair that I was man. asked to answer the questions because I Freeman was then assigned don’t know Christian symbols or stories so to answer the following I didn’t know what I was supposed to be questions: “What other understanding. I shouldn’t be expected to aspects of the play understand these connotations of a religion can be interpreted as that I am not affiliated with,” said Kelly. Christian symbols?” Without any lesson plan teaching the and “Support the Christian themes or Bible stories, those idea that the play is who did not grow up around Christianity based on Christian are left at a slight disadvantage. themes.” “When other students in the seminar Freeman said, spoke about the play’s relation to the Bible, “It was hard to I would listen and not even know what that answer these ques- part of the Christian faith they were distions because I cussing. It was frustrating because I wanted knew nothing on to put in good commentary and make conthe topic. I am Jew- nections outside the play but I don’t know ish so I don’t know certain religious connotations,” said Freeman.
Continued on pg14
HINDUISM
RELIG
nontheistic religion A quick based on distinct philosophical points MINH-HAN VU & ASHLEY KAWAKAMI of view
HINDUISM
nontheistic religion based on distinct philosophical points of view
RELIGION 101
Sacred Text: no universally accepted text
CHRISTIANITY
Monotheistic, Abrahamic religion. Based on teachings of Jesus Christ. Sacred Text: The Holy Bible: Old & New Testament
Sacred Text: no universally accepted text
A quick guide to a few major religions JUDAISM
Monotheistic, Abrahamic religion. Based on belief God chose them Sacred Text: The Tanakh Torah: first 5 books written by Moses under divine inspiration.
ISLAM
Monotheistic, Abrahamic religion. Founded by Muhammad
guid
JU
Mon Abraha Based o cho
R
HINDUISM nontheistic religion Sacred Text: The BUDDHISM CHRISTIANITY based on distinct Torah: first 5 boo
nontheistic religion Monotheistic, philosophical pointsunder div Moses based on teachings Abrahamic religion. of view to Basedattributed on teachings Gautama Buddha Sacred Text: of Jesus Christ. Sacred Text: no universally text Sacred Text: The Holy Bible: accepted text Old & New Testament
Sacred Text: The Quran verbally revealed by God to Muhammad, through the Angel Gabriel.
CHRISTIANITY ATHEISM
Monotheistic, rejection of a belief Abrahamic religion. in the existence of Based on teachings deities of Jesus Christ. Sacred Text: The Holy Bible: Old & New Testament
LARA OSTROFF & ASHLEY KAWAKAMI
Page 2
The Highlander
FEATURES
April 2015
Exploring what lies beneath the surface
NAOMI ASRIR
NAOMI ASRIR & KIMIKO OKUMURA
Senior Michael Bereket academically excels in his classes and will be attending Stanford University in the fall of 2015. However, those who do not personally know him are unaware that he is also talented in cross country and track.
Hana Wong Staff Writer These days, many are quick to judge other’s appearances. Appearances are the first things that people see when out in public. Once noticed, a person will be examined by the way they dress, the way their hair is cut, if they have tattoos, if they have any odd piercings. According to Science 20, people dress a certain way to show observers a variety of personality traits. While that can be great, it can also send the wrong set of personality traits to persons brain. “If people judge me for my nose ring, or the way I dress, it’s okay because I understand that they’re negative stereotypes in our society. I understand that they could of been raised in a culture that perpetrated these stereotypes so it’s not necessarily their fault. On the other hand, I don’t need people to judge me for superficial things,” said junior Marion Demailly. Different physical appearances might not be the ideal way for most people to express themselves but, for others it is a way to showcase a more fun, free personality. Society has become accustomed to judge people by their appearances so much that it is considered normal. “Personally, I am judgemental based off of first impressions because I believe it’s human nature. I think if a person doesn’t look or act a certain way right away, we automatically categorize them as ‘weird’ or ‘different,’ One thing I have to do is try to have an open minded opinion on other’s appear-
sometimes gives people a sense of pride beances,” said sophomore Victoria Maler. According to the Huffington Post, peo- cause demeaning others can create a false ple’s impulsive rejection of people due to sense of security and identity. As people of the general public, it is imappearances has become the new “normal” portant to help others feel comfortable in for the general public. the own skin. “I try to dress to benefit myself. First imSome might not like piercings, having pressions are based off of appearances, but I purple hair, or wearing bright colors themtry not to solely base them off the way they selves, but people shouldn’t be quick to look. But I do see others try to put people judge because that person can be the cominto a certain category based off of personal plete opposite of who we think they are. looks,” said freshman Lindsay Cho. “After a while, I just didn’t care about For example, society has taught majorwhat people ity of the said about population to me. I wear dress based suits every off the latest After a while, I just didn’t care day because trends, or be that’s how I about what people said about me. I friends with can express a person that wear suits every day because that’s myself and is physically how I can express myself and feel feel comattractive befortable. cause they comfortable. If people don’t accept If people can possibly that, that’s their loss don’t except be really nice. that, that’s According their loss,” to the New Daniel Thompson said Daniel York Times, Senior Thompson. on a very baH i g h sic level, judgschool is suppose to prepare us for the real ing people by appearance means putting world, and sadly the work field and peothem into impersonal categories, such as ple in general are quick to judge, but that ‘weird,’ ‘wild,’ or ‘funky.’ doesn’t mean it should be a normal thing. “The way someone looks should not at If a person dresses a certain way, it all reflect how they are inside. For example shouldn’t give others an excuse to make girls or guys that look attractive or pretty assumptions on the person’s work ethic or on the outside can be deceiving, but once jump to racial stereotypes. you meet them they can be totally differ“Obviously there is a stereotype for ent,” said sophomore Brittany Cheung. Asians. I’m the definition of one. But that According to BGNews, judging others
“
doesn’t mean I should be put into a category based on my race or the way I dress which some classify to be “chinky,’” said freshman Collin Liao According to Forbes, physical features such as posture, grooming, slimness, and physical attractiveness can possibly determine how much you get paid when working in the work field. “Some would classify me as dressing ‘sporty’ all the time. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m a sports maniac, I just want to be comfortable throughout the school day,” said sophomore Eric Lui. Big companies that have employers that don’t satisfy their boss’s appearance criteria could easily be judged. According to Forbes, taller people get paid more simply because of a height difference, larger people will get paid less, especially larger women, and blonde people get paid just about the same amount of money people that have been educated longer earn. These bosses might be giving better opportunities to people that don’t do their job as well or isn’t as intelligent because they’re blinded by the way their employee looks. The reason why employers hire people based off of their looks, is so their buyers will try to look like their attractive employees. But what happens to the people that don’t get a chance, because they don’t meet a company’s appearance standard? If a person wants to look a certain way in order to express themselves or feel comfortable in their own skin, it shouldn’t compromise what job they get or what person they are.
FEATURES
April 2015
Page 3
The Highlander
Behind Carlmont’s special education service Anya Meredith Staff Writer
They are in our classes, but you don’t notice anything different about them. While they go to our own school, we often don’t know who they are. Who? The students who receive special education support. According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, 1.7 percent of the U.S. population reports having a learning disability. The special education program in Carlmont includes services for learning disabilities and physical disabilities. All public schools are required to have a program that gives special education services. According to the Center for Parent Information and Resources, disabilities can range from asthma and ADHD to leukemia and epilepsy. Disabilities include anything that will affect one’s educational performance. What is it like to be one of these students? How can we be around them everyday and not know what they struggle with, or even who they are? The Center for Parent Information and Resources said that, “These services include specially designed instruction and a wide range of supports to address the student’s individual needs that result from his or her disability. Special education and related services are available to eligible children, free of charge, through the public school system.”
Special Education Chair Jason Selli understands these students’ needs and how to fit their learning environment to them. “These students are in your classes and you probably don’t even know,” said Selli. The goal of the special education program is to create the least restrictive environment possible for the students in it. “We only have a few students with adjusted schedules. Most of the students days’ are the exact same as any other student,” said Selli. Sophomore Hannah Wright along with many other Carlmont students, isn’t even aware who the special education students are. “I don’t believe I have any classes with special education students,” said Wright. However, there are many special education students among us in our classes and we can’t even tell. “The vast majority of the special education students are not different than anyone else. The students that receive special education services are in your classes with you. The Carlmont campus is built so that these students can have classes with everyone else and I think that, that’s just great,” said special education teacher Jamie Simpson. It’s hard to imagine what it’s like for special education students, and what struggles they face daily. “I would have a more difficult time throughout high school because certain aspects of school are already difficult to comprehend at times, but with a disability it would be even harder,” said Wright. The Center for Parent Information and
Resources said that, “ ...Special education and related services are available to eligible children, free of charge, through the public school system. This includes a comprehensive and individual evaluation of the child to determine his or her eligibility, unique needs, and what types of services and supports are needed by the child to address those needs.” “The special education program is a service, not a place students need to go,” said Selli. Special education teachers need to be specially certified and need to understand how to serve their students needs. They need to be able to provide special education services and have a higher level of teaching ability, specific to these disabilities. As a special education teacher, Simpson alters his teaching styles to accommodate to his students’ needs.
“My teaching style is different than other teachers’ because I teach the lesson accustomed to each students’ needs. Some students learn visually, some learn phonetically, and some learn by doing hands-on work, etc. As a special education teacher, I have to be able to recognize when my students are having trouble understanding and I need to change the way I’m teaching, even if it’s in the middle of a lesson,” said Simpson. Carlmont is designed to have students who receive special education support be able to be incorporated into classes with the rest of the school, while still getting the support they need. “I don’t think the special education students are any different than anyone else, they just have different challenges that some people don’t have. It doesn’t makes them any different than other students besides the way they learn,” said Wright.
SPECIA L E DU C A TION WHAT IS A LEARNING DISABILITY?
NEUROLOGICALLY-BASED PROCESSING PROBLEM
1 OUT OF 5
INDIVIDUALS HAVE LEARNING & ATTENTION ISSUES NATIONWIDE KIMIKO OKUMURA
National Center for Learning Disabilities
How to use assumptions to your advantage Hannah Young Staff Writer
Dress to impress. We all do it. Ideally something as superficial as physical appearance would not matter. However, knowing that people will make assumptions based on appearance provides the incentive to use their looks to their advantage. Physical appearances often come into play as a factor for job opportunities. Sophomore Ana Tudor realizes how this seemingly unfair reality can be used in ones favor. “Interviewers often look for a specific type of person when holding interviews, often for someone that appears professional. If applicants for the job understand what type of character the company would expect, they can dress to match that character accordingly,” said Tudor. The Equal Opportunity Act of 2010 made it illegal to discriminate based on physical features in the workforce. Nevertheless, physical feature discrimination is a reality that some use to their advantage. “Dressing professionally is pretty important. It shows how much you care and how much effort you’re willing to put in,” said junior Cassidy Sobey. According to Business Insider, an Italian study discovered that the job interview call back rate for attractive women was 47 percent higher than that of unattractive women, while the call back rate for attractive men was 21 percent higher than that of unattractive men. The resumes used in the study were all identical with the exception of the attached photographs. For Sobey, looks do matter, especially in relation to her part time job in retail at Nordstrom. “If you show up wearing sweatpants its obvious to your employers that you’re only here to get paid. I always try to dress the best I can, because I like fashion and I feel that if I look good, customers will want to ask me for fashion advice. People want to look good so they’ll trust someone else who knows how to dress well,” said Sobey. In 2003, Abercrombie & Fitch was sued for racial discrimination in its hiring process. In their attempt to hire young employees who expressed the clothing brand’s look, minority ethnicities were discriminated and employees were fired for not meeting the physical criteria displayed on their shopping bags. Not everyone can change their phenotype, but anybody
can use assumptions based off of physicality to their advantage. Professionalism can go a long way. Except nobody will get the opportunity to showcase their qualifications for a position if their resume’s photograph gets them eliminated on the first round. “Some people don’t like putting effort into their physical appearance and that’s probably why they don’t get as many jobs which is really unfortunate. But nobody’s going to hire someone who looks like they don’t care,” said Sobey. In some cases, ethnicity can open up shortcuts and windows of opportunity. Senior Liam Young has encountered numerous experiences where he was treated a certain way based off assumptions people made about his ethnicity. “When I tell people I’m Asian and I play piano they immediately assume I must be a genius at piano. They don’t even know I’ve passed all ten levels of content mastery, which I have, but they just assume that because I’m Asian and I play piano I’m really good, so I don’t have to try hard to impress them. Like if I’m at a party and I’m playing piano, I’ll just play something basic and hear ‘oh wow you’re so good’ without trying so hard. Those assumptions make it really easy to impress people,” said Liam Young. Assumptions in the realm of affirmative action offer more advantage points for students who know when and how to use them. Affirmative action policies are meant to level the playing field for ethnic minorities or groups who have been his-
torically discriminated against. “Affirmative action is necessary, because not everyone has the same opportunities in life due to social economics, but it’s unfortunate for the people who don’t get the benefits of it,” said Liam Young. For example, the scores a Hispanic student might need for college acceptance tend to be lower than the requirements for an Asian student. “I do identify as Asian, because I am, but I didn’t write Chinese on my college applications. I said I was Asian and Pacific Islander, but I left out my Chinese heritage because I didn’t want affirmative action to hurt my chances,” said Liam Young. Despite being half Chinese, Liam Young has often been mistaken as Mexican or Hispanic. “I got a fix-it ticket, and the officer started speaking to me in Spanish because he thought I was Mexican and was carrying something worse with me. I get profiled pretty harshly, and I haven’t found a way to use this to my advantage yet though,” said Liam Young. His brother, sophomore Peyton Young, who is instead profiled as Asian, not a part of any minority, sees how race and physical appearance can be use to one’s advantage. “Some people who make up minority ethnic groups can use that as an advantage for a sympathy card in school. Intelligence isn’t about race, it’s about how hard you try. And anyone can try hard. That’s really all that should matter,” said Peyton Young.
CAMPUS
Page 4
The Highlander
April 2015
‘One School, One Book’ strives to bring unity Megan Tao Editor
No one likes to do summer reading. To combat that assumption, Carlmont is introducing a new summer reading program called One School, One Book. Next school year, Carlmont will become a giant book club. Cynthia Artiga-Faupusa, an English teacher, and the teacher who is coordinating this program said, “There’s an underlying value of everybody reading the same book. It helps to build community and gives the school a common language.” Starting this program means every student and English teacher at Carlmont will be reading the same book over the summer. According to Read to Them, One School, One Book is a program designed to create a shared reading experience within a single elementary school community. Students were given the choice to vote on five different young adult fiction novels: “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” “The Living,” “Will Grayson Will Grayson,” “Shatter Me,” and the winner: “The Beginning of Everything,” by Robyn Schneider. “If [teachers] picked the book, then it’s still us telling you what to read, and the books that we pick might not be at an independent reading level,” said Argita-Faupusa. “The book that was chosen is definitely at an accessible level for students to read without needing help.” Student choice is a major part
Results of the ‘One School, One Book’ vote
ADRIANNA RAMIREZ
of this being a successful program because if the students are the ones picking the book, then they will feel more eager to actually do the summer reading. Having a school-wide summer reading book may promote a sense of unity for elementary schools, but it becomes problematic when initiated at a high school that offers many different levels of English. All of the books that students voted on fell under the category of young adult literature, which students probably noticed as not a common genre read for literary work in high school. “I did get some push back, because there are some teachers that don’t feel that young adult literature should be the genre that we are promoting, but really we’re
promoting reading,” said ArgitaFaupusa. However, there’s a reason why students have to read the old, classic books for school because they actually correspond with the curriculum. For example, juniors that are going to take AP EnglishLiterature their senior year have to read “Pride and Prejudice” over the summer because the class revolves around the study of British literature. “I think that having everybody in the school read the same book won’t be very beneficial because the teachers try to find summer reading that is tailored to each course, and fiction books are unfit for AP English,” said junior Nathan Kinsey. Reading young adult books may be a refreshing change from
the older books that students are used to, but for many students it’s just additional reading no matter the book. “Summer reading books don’t really help us, they just make sure we read, but I’d rather read [“The Beginning of Everything”] instead of the older books because those books are really wordy and boring,” said freshman Hazel Lam. For the sophomores deciding to take AP English-Composition their junior year, reading a fiction novel may seem like unnecessary work because it has nothing to do with the rhetorical analysis and writing curriculum of the class. “I don’t think the new summer reading book will corresponded with the work we do in AP [English-Composition] because we focus on philosophy and learning
how to write rhetorical essays,” said junior Melissa Chee. Some teachers who teach AS or AP English also see a problem with the inappropriate reading level of the book for an advanced class. “[The book] is not as germane for the content of [AP EnglishComposition] and is certainly not a difficult read for any advanced student,” said Erik Migdail, AP English-Composition and English II teacher. AS English II teacher, Joseph Hill said, “I’m all for this program, but I’m not particularly thrilled that it’s replacing a summer reading text for AS because it’s a short book and would be a quick read for an advanced student. I think it should be a supplement reading, rather than replacing a book that is important to the curriculum.” Even though the book might not seem relative to the curriculum of every English class, the program will help bring Carlmont together through a week of events centered around the book. Senior leaders will lead mini book discussions for the students that will end in a final writing piece. The week of events ends with a visit from Schneider, the author of “The Beginning of Everything.” If you weren’t able to get the book during the first sale, there will be another sale in the quad on May 13 and 14. “I think that the One School, One Book program will be extraordinary for our school because it’s going to bring people together,” said Hill.
New ASB Service Council helps to involve more students Kian Karamdashti Staff Writer
Of the few changes coming to Carlmont next year, one will be the introduction of another ASB class. Previously known as the Leadership II class, this year’s version of ASB voted to combine the Leadership class with their own, creating two separate branches, with Leadership II developing into ASB Service Council and this year’s ASB rebranding as the ASB Executive Council. “After our Leadership training with our public speaker Scott Backovich and the involvement of our reach out commission with students that our receiving special education, I saw that there were a lot of kids that deserved the chance to be more involved, but there just wasn’t enough room in ASB to fit them,” said ASB and Leadership supervisor Jim Kelly. “A seed was planted in my head and now it’s come to life.” Although both classes represent ASB as a whole, each class holds a somewhat separate function. Service Council is assigned service-based projects that help enhance the school and the community. These projects include many of the ones already completed by Lead-
ership II in the past such as the Clothes Drive, Valentines for Vets, and Gowns for Girls, while also continuing their work with the students that require more support. “I’m really happy with what our class has accomplished this year,” said junior Ariana Crame. “We’ve expanded on some old projects and even introduced some new commissions such as Reach Out.” Many senior members of the Leadership class are currently transitioning into commission supervisors for next year’s Service Council. “I’m very excited for next year,” said junior Melissa Chee, next year’s Do Something supervisor. “This class has a huge amount of room for growth and it’ll be great to see how we can improve the school. We are basically starting this class from the ground up, so there will obviously be some challenges, but I’m happy to be part of something that can grow into something truly amazing.” After years of being seen by some as a “step down” to this year’s ASB class, many students in Service Council are prepared to make a name for themselves in the upcoming year. “Kids have actually called us the ‘B team of ASB’ as an insult,”said junior Izzy DeWood. “I’m hoping next year’s
changes can really help us develop a name for ourselves and hopefully make a significant difference at this school.” While Service Council settles into their inaugural year, Executive Council will continue to hold all the class officers, most of the commissions, and functions of this year’s ASB. These functions include planning dances, leading Screamin’ Scots at sports games, and conducting lunchtime activities. “Service Council are not the only ones experiencing some changes,” said sophomore Executive Council member Liam Jocson. “We have a very large amount of seniors graduating this year so there will be a lot of new faces in our class. I’m sure there will be some sort of learning curve, but the kids picked were picked for a reason and I’m sure we’ll be just fine. A lot of us still in the class will have three to four years of ASB experience, so things shouldn’t be hard at all.” Although the two classes may hold different functions, they both share the same goal, to better the school and community around them. “We might be in different classes but we both are striving for the same thing,” said Chee. “To interact with students and make the school the best it can be.”
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April 2015
CAMPUS
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The Highlander
Legacies leave an impact on future students Shira Stein Scot Scoop Editor-in-Chief
Leaving a legacy behind when leaving high school is not a foreign concept to some people. People wonder what their classmates will remember them for, and it affects the way that they perceive themselves. Students join clubs and activities for college, but they also join to give themselves a sense of pride that they’ve done something important for their community. “I realized this year that I do not only want to leave Carlmont as a more positive place, but a supportive, accepting place as well, so I translated that into doing service for the student body,” said senior Elise Dimick. The craving that some students have to “make their mark” on high school isn’t necessarily the right goal People as a whole are not completely altruistic or selfish. They are in a grey area of doing things to help others, but also doing things for recognition from their peers. In a study done by John Darley and Bibb Latané in 1968, the psychologists staged a situation where an emergency occurred and the participant was either alone or in a group of participants. The study measured how long it took the participant to respond to the emergency situation. They determined that 70 percent of the participants who were alone would call out or try to help, but only 40 percent would call out or attempt to help when they were not alone. They determined that a bystander would decide whether to help based on whether or not they believe the person in the emergency is deserving of help, the competence of the person, and the relationship between the two. Junior Alex Irby, director of the spring play, said, “Originally, I wanted to [direct the play] for myself, but then I realized that it was for all the freshman too. I’m more focused on leaving an impact on the people I’m working with than the entire school.” Even though the original leaders of many clubs aren’t remembered for starting the club, their impact still endures.
“I don’t think I came in as a freshman thinking about how to make an impact on the school, but in developing the philosophy club I did think about creating a space at school for a type of thinking that isn’t always focused on in classes,” said Carlmont graduate and current Princeton student Laura Ong. Finding recognition from others is a concept with which many people are familiar. From small children who want parents to laugh at their actions to students trying to get the right grade, people crave approval. Dimick said, “Being ASB president has allowed me to realize that I am very capable of holding a high leadership role. Through this position I have gained confidence and courage that will stay with me for the rest of my life.” As seniors get closer to graduation, more and more are realizing that leaving their legacy is something that not all of them will accomplish. Leaving a legacy can be important because it can make a significant difference in someone else’s life, but getting recognition for making that difference isn’t nearly as commonplace. “The biggest impact we’re making on the school is getting more people interesting in the drama program. Otherwise I don’t think we’re making a significant difference,”
ADRIANNA RAMIREZ
Legacies can leave an impact in multiple areas of high school, such as sports and music. said Irby. The mission for graduating high school is to have all students ready to attend college or go into the workforce. It’s the place where children grow into adults and learn to understand themselves better. Part of learning to be an adult is becoming involved in activities that one enjoys, not necessarily to make an impact on others. Since 2002 R
where education and dreams meet
ENTERTAINMENT
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The Highlander
April 2015
Taxis face stiff competition with Uber Mia Hogan Staff Writer
Transportation at the tip of your fingers. With the help of smart phones, finding a ride is as easy as clicking an app. Companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Flywheel have made car services cheap and easy with no reservation required. All these transportation companies have an advantage over taxis due to the new innovative technology interaction with customers via smart phones. Uber, taking charge of the industry nationwide, has built a strong reputation in the peninsula, specifically San Francisco. Uber users download the app onto their smartphone and can access a wide variety of information the average taxi fails to provide until the end of the trip. Junior Melody Shanahan said, “Uber fits perfectly into the 21 century, where transportation services are based into an app on your smartphone. With Uber’s easy accessibility students are more likely to ride Uber than a taxi because we our generation had grown up with iPhones and Androids.” By tracking cars in the nearby area via the app, individuals can see available rides and summon cabs. Riders can also pay through the Uber app and split fares where no cash is needed. Senior Kirra Loucks said, “I like Uber because before getting into the car, you already know the estimated cost, the route you are taking, and the type of car you are in with a certified driver. There is no need to hail a cab if you can just summon one on your iPhone.” According to Time magazine, Uber uses personal cars either rented out or driven
by the owners, ultimately reducing the company’s expenses compared to those in the taxi industry. In the taxi industry, each franchise owns their own cars, therefore is required by state legislation to register each vehicle and driver. Because Uber is not considered a taxi under state law, the company is able to avoid regulated cab fares and instead use surge pricing, which further lowers Uber’s annual expenses. Uber’s pricing is based on demand. During rush hour, prices increase, and as car demands decrease, so does the price. Despite fluctuating prices, many still
prefer an Uber over the traditional taxi. In the San Diego Union Tribune article Taxi versus Uber, Phil Blair said, “[Uber and Lyft] are clean, new, and driven by personable, friendly, self employed people who provide a real value for their services. The current taxi business has become one of surly, non-communicative drivers in old, dirty cabs.” The upsurge of Uber has led to further growth in the company. Now providing five different types of service in San Francisco, riders can optimize their experience based on the type of car available. On New Year’s Eve, Uber and Lyft in San
ADRIANA RAMIREZ
Francisco partnered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), urging adults to make smarter decisions about driving plans that night. MADD’s website said, “After the ball drops and rings in the New Year, sadly it also rings in the deadliest day on the roads due to drunk driving. In 2013, 70 people died on New Year’s Day alone. We urge all adults that if your plans include alcohol, then plan ahead and designate a nondrinking driver before the celebrations begin.” Easy to access with reliable pricing, Uber and Lyft are available year around at all times. According to Highlander polls conducted in March, out of 180 student, 35 percent of students have used Uber or Lyft and described it as a positive experience and 28 percent plan to use these services in the near future. Fewer than 1 percent of students described a negative Uber or Lyft experience. Uber is a realistic option for high school and college students who are unable to drive themselves safely due to a long night and exposure to alcohol and drugs,” said Loucks. With Carlmont prom nearing, students look into safe transportation alternatives to travel into San Francisco late Friday night. Senior Natalie Tussy said, “With Uber’s easy accessibility and pricing, there is a high chance that many students will an Uber of Lyft over a traditional taxi or limo. Provided with many different levels of transportation and car types, Uber can provided more freedom than a limo experience to and from prom because students are not on a schedule.”
Celebrities take a stand against media coverage Kiera Pendleton-White Staff Writer
Media simply cannot get away with as much today. Before the increase of celebrities’ privacy, the media was able to ask all their questions and have them answered, no matter how insulting they were. But today, celebrities are starting to go against the wants of the media and gaining more respect for themselves and their boundaries with the media. This could lead to more emphasis on talent and ability, rather than gossip and appearances. One example of this refusal is of the “mani-cam” shown by E! Entertainment during the Golden Globe awards. Actress Elizabeth Moss was asked to show her manicure to the mani-cam, and instead of complacently showing her hand, she flipped off the camera. “There definitely has been worse on award shows and red carpets, so it’s not completely wrong. But it is highly disrespectful,” said junior Emily Crusick. Other stars such as Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston simply refused to show their hands
Editor in Chief Ashley Kawakami Business Manager Kristen Friis Online Shira Stein Copy Editor Jessica Adair Art Director Veronika Dvorakova
Editors Avery Adams Michael Bastaki Sarah Boro Alyssa Fagel Aria Frangos Dominic Gialdini Sophie Haddad Claudia Leist Kimiko Okumura Kelly Song Megan Tao Karissa Tom Zoe Wildman
to the mani-cam when it had another appearance at the Guild Awards. “I think it’s great that they’re refusing this kind of treatment. Men usually aren’t asked about what kinds of clothes they are wearing and they don’t have things like manicams,” said sophomore Elsa Carreras. This celebrity refusal to bow to the media’s demands extends further than just video and photography; it also includes interviews. In Extra’s interview with Anne Hathaway for The Dark Knight Rises, the interviewer asked her about her eating and exercise habits for filming. She returned the question back to him by asking: “Are you trying to lose weight?” Australian radio show, “Jules, Merrick & Sophie,” interviewed Taylor Swift and asked her about the critics who claim that she only writes songs about her past relationships. Swift put down that assertion by saying that it was a “very sexist angle to take” and no one says that about male artists who write about their relationships. “Asking about diets and relationships stuff is rude, they are personal and irrelevant to their work,” said Carreras. Some stars are even acting directly against the hounding
The Highlander
Art and Graphics Naomi Asirir Adrianna Ramirez Minh-Han Vu Lila Schulman Faculty Advisor Justin Raisner
Ayesha Abbasi Arianna Bayangos Brooke Buckley Angelina Castillo Holly Chen Andrew Cross Evan Davies Becca Fradkin Karen Gao Becca Garner
of the paparazzi in more ways than individual resistance. Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry worked together to pass the California Senate Bill 606 in 2013. This law made it illegal to photograph a child in a way that was harmful to them, regardless of their parents’ employment. “I think that’s a really good thing because they’re only kids. Paparazzi can be brutal sometimes, which is something children shouldn’t be exposed to,” said Crusick. This was an attempt to prevent the media from hounding the children of stars because their parents are famous, but the media is very persistent with their pursuit for pictures to put in tabloids. Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield use paparazzi to accomplish their own goals. When they saw that they were being photographed in New York City, they wrote messages on cards about supporting charities such as Autism Speaks, Youth Mentoring, Worldwide Orphans Foundation, and Gilda’s Club New York City. Whether for selfless or selfish reasons, celebrities are figuring out ways to dodge the wants of the media and hopefully will lead to a better media for all other celebrities.
Staff Writers
Ravina Gujral Danielle Hamer Mia Hogan Miranda Irwin Kian Karamdashti Bijan Khalili Victor Li Colley Loum Elena Mateus Anya Meredith
Jocelyn Moran Mateen Nozzari Lara Ostroff Sonia Paulo Kiera Pendleton Justine Phipps Kat Savin Sarah Schisla Gianna Schuster Marco Sevilla
Victoria Shanefelter Taran Sun Alisa Takahashi Lauren Tierney Stuart Vickery Ethan Wong Hana Wong Connie Yi Hannah Young
The mission of The Highlander is to accurately and honestly cover community and school events. As a student run open forum newspaper, we strive to incorporate multiple views and represent the diverse community at Carlmont.
April 2015
ENTERTAINMENT
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The Highlander
America’s new obsession: dystopian society
ADRIANA RAMIREZ
The hopelessness and destruction of a dystopian society seems to be the go-to setting in recent bestselling novels and blockbuster movies.
Taran Sun Staff Writer Breaking news: the next big movie is coming out based off of [insert bestselling dystopian society book]. Go figure. The entertainment culture of America is currently centered on the idea of a dystopian future society. Dystopia is an imagined state or place in which the general environment is often oppressive, unpleasant, and totalitarian. An examination of trending entertainment shows how dystopia is a main focus in popular culture. “The Walking Dead” is a clear example of a dystopian television show that has had massive success. Recent movies like “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” the “Hunger Games” saga, and “Divergent” all take place in stereotypical dystopian situations. Junior Isabelle de Wood said, “I really like both ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Divergent.’ I like how they show the different
ways and possibilities that the future could turn out, and how the main character fights to help everyone achieve freedom.” This common theme throughout many popular books, TV shows, and movies could reflect different attitudes in society. In the aforementioned entertainment outlets, there is either a nonexistent government or an oppressive government. Audiences devour situations such as these, reveling in the protagonist’s perseverance through the former and overthrow of the latter. Senior Lauren Pittock said, “I find the genre fascinating. It makes us take a closer look at our own society and all the things wrong with it. However, it also allows us to realize all the great things our society has to offer.” Some speculate that this is America’s way of expressing views on current political situations both within America and around the world. “I’ve heard people suggest that the popularity of the genre could embody the issues
that people have with different forms of government and politics today,” said Pittock. “That’s what makes that genre so interesting. You can look at it from different angles. It’s great that we have creative writers like these making us look at our society in new innovative ways.” The idea of a dystopian society often presents the opportunity to tear down the old and begin anew, as in “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent.” This could be attractive subject material to audiences due to dissatisfaction with their own current circumstances. Everyone, at some point or another, has felt dissatisfied with their situation, and the idea of a “clean slate” is appealing. Although the genre is appealing to a wide audience, some students aren’t as enthusiastic about dystopia. Sophomore Dro Avetian said, “I haven’t actually seen either ‘The Hunger Games’ or ‘Divergent.’ The idea of a futuristic society is cool, but it isn’t something that really appeals to me personally. I prefer a good ac-
tion movie myself, like ‘The Expendables.’” For today, the genre’s popularity is a given. According to Box Office Mojo, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” made $337,135,885 in box office revenue . Junior Cameron Dennler said, “I think it will maintain popularity until our society becomes some sort of dystopian society or the public realizes clearly that very similar things are already happening in countries today. As of now, the general public sees dystopia as fiction and so they enjoy it. I mean who would watch the ‘Walking Dead’ if zombies actually were killing everybody?” This trend of futuristic entertainment will continue as long as fans have appetite for it. Dennler said, “Until society recognizes that this is already happening or eventually experiences aspects of it, they will view it as a detached form of entertainment in the fiction genre and dystopia’s success will continue.”
Companies push quality toward the back burner Stuart Vickery Staff Writer
The phone you bought this year that will be replaced by a new, improved model in a matter of months. A box of light bulbs that will run out within a year. These are examples of planned obsolescence. Planned obsolescence is when a manufacturer of a product intentionally designs a flaw in the product. Once the product has run it’s time, the flaw will force the consumer to buy a new one. “I feel like companies are taking advantage of their customers when products break down on purpose,” said sophomore Anton McPeek. One of the most prevalent examples of planned obsolescence are light bulbs. After one buys a lightbulb, you turn it on, wait for it to wear out, then go buy another one. Halogen bulbs, as well as Incandescent bulbs, which have been used for decades, last for about a month. While the normal, everyday storebought light bulbs only last for a little while, they don’t represent the longest time possible. The longest lasting light bulb, which has its own website, Centennial.org, has been burning for 114 years. Regular light bulbs, however, do not have
a lifespan longer than 100 years. The issue of how lightbulbs last so much less long than they could is explored in the film “The Lightbulb Conspiracy,” which suggests that light bulbs are made to run out sooner to force consumers into spending more. “Since lightbulbs burn out [so quickly], I’d say that companies purposely make them burn out. It is a great way to make money and it sets a limit on how long the bulb lasts. Most new bulbs should last for about three years or so, but when they will burn out is debateable,” said sophomore Nathan Dougherty. Another example of planned obsolescence is the iPhone. In 2010 the iPhone 4 was released. Three years later in 2013 the new iPhone 5 was released. “By the time I’d had my iPhone 4 for a while the battery would go from 100 percent to 20 percent in an hour, which isn’t good. It was also really slow,” said freshman Brooke Chang, who owned an iPhone 4 and 5. While planned obsolescence could be viewed as a way for companies to make more money, it could also be used as a way to promote constructive competition between designers. According to The Economist, planned obsolescence is one of the reasons that industry grows. By ensuring that each new model of
ADRIANA RAMIREZ
Many companies, such as cell phone companies, manufacture products with the expectation of failure in hopes of selling a newer product. iPhone has something new, there is more drive to create more features. If an iPhone was perfect the first time around, new models would not be different enough to attract attention. “[Planned obsolescence] works very well because everyone always wants the newest toy because theirs seems outdated. It makes them think that what they have is outdated. I don’t, however, think that planned obsolescence is good at all because it focuses on
limited technological progress. It centers around sales and profits rather than helping humanity,” said junior Akshay Mohan. Despite the moneymaking advantages of planned obsolescence, companies could instead attempt to provide the best services and products possible to customers. “It’s in a company’s best interest to display to the buyer or investor that they are completely functional and care for their clients,” said sophomore Nick Tada.
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The Highlander
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
April 2015
“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” William Saroyan, writer
Timeline of Events April 24, 1915: The start of deportations and killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks 1918-1920: Armenia’s independence from the Russian Empire 1919: The three Pashas are condemned to death by the Turkish courtsmartial 1921: Ottoman leader Talaat Pasha is assassinated in Berlin by Soghomon Tehlirian 1939: “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?” — Adolf Hitler 1943: Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin creates the word “genocide” based on what happened to the Armenians 1991: Armenia gains its second independence from the Soviet Union April 24, 2015: The 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide throughout the world DOMINIC GIALDINI
Waiting for our justice
A news commentary on the plight of Armenians throughout the world people, and the country we live in and call Claudia Leist our own now can’t even admit it. Armenia’s Staff Writer Tears roll down my face as I watch, year after year, the candles being lit and the songs being sung about my people. My mind escapes the world around me and relives the past in the shoes of my ancestors, struggling for survival and peace. I hum the songs in my mind, imagining what would have happened if the Turks had succeeded. I dream of being in my homeland, surrounded by the beautiful earth and the resilient people, and emotions flood over me and out of my control. One hundred years ago on April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Turkish government began their attempt to exterminate the Armenian race. They starved us, burned us, raped us, murdered us and hoped that we would cease to exist. We were forced to march through the Der Zor Desert with no water or food. Our dead bodies filled the Euphrates River until it ran red, and mothers watched as their children were torn from their arms, never to be seen again. According to the Armenian National Institute website, one and a half million Armenians perished in the hands of the Ottoman Turks beginning in 1915, and the pain still lives on today. People always ask me, “Why are Armenians still talking about this? Wasn’t it 100 years ago? The Jews don’t protest every year about the Holocaust, so why do you?” Unfortunately, there is a simple answer to these questions. Turkey and the United States both continue to deny the Armenian Genocide. It sounds atrocious, but it turns into an argument about politics trumping humanity. Turkey claims that it was war, and that just as many Turks were killed by Armenians as Armenians were by Turks. Additionally, according to the Common Dreams website, the United States, as a prominent ally, supports this claim in fear of losing military bases in and protection by Turkey. No matter how many times Obama promises to recognize the genocide, it gets harder and harder to believe him. In reality, this country cares far more about power and partnership than about humanity and decency. Turkey stole our lands and murdered our
land today constitutes only 15 percent of what it did before the genocide. Mt. Ararat, Armenia’s symbol of peace and power, is now across the border and Turkey claims it as its own. It is a heartbreaking feeling to stand outside of Khor Virap Monastery and see the barbed wire fence that separates us from our territory. It is heartbreaking to watch Turkish soldiers guard that fence from the watchtower, waiting for a desperate person to jump over and run to what is ours. The most heartbreaking is that, standing there, staring at this beautiful mountain with tears in my eyes, I have no idea if we’ll ever be able to call it ours again. That is why we still talk about this. That is why, even 100 years later, we protest the Turkish government. That is why we are so proud of our culture and why you will never meet an Armenian who hesitates to let you know that. I was in Armenia this past summer and I visited Dzidzernagapert, the Armenian Genocide memorial in the capital city of Yerevan. An eternal flame burns there, day and night — a constant reminder of how our culture and strength is a fire that will never burn out. I hear the mysteriously beautiful melody of the duduk echo throughout the structure, and as I close my eyes I am overcome with sorrow. I stand in silence with my friends and family, praying for those lost and hoping that someday we will achieve justice. Today we have a free, independent and united Armenia, but we still live under a canopy of lies and inhumanity. Next time you see Armenians joining together through protests, marches, hunger strikes, vigils and demonstrations, you’ll know why we continue our search for the truth. We educate those around us and make a statement in order to get closer to that goal and to shed light on a dark part of a nation’s history that many people have never heard about. The pain that our ancestors endured and their perseverance are why I am in a continuous fight for justice, not just for myself but for my country. After such a brutal history and painful past, there are many things to be proud of. After all, we are still here.
Gen·o·cide: noun
the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation.
History
Leading up to 1915, Armenians had been oppressed under the Ottoman Empire. They were the only Christians in the Middle East area at the time, and the Ottoman Turkish government wanted an “ethnic cleansing” of all non-Muslims in Turkey and everywhere else. April 24, 1915 is viewed as the start of the genocide because it was the day that the Ottoman government, under Interior Minister Talaat Pasha, rounded up 250 Armenian intellectuals and sent them away to be assassinated. Following this event, and the passing of the Tehcir Law that allowed Ottoman deportations of individuals who “threatened national security,” Armenian families were forced out of their homes and into the Der Zor Desert on death marches. Men, women and children were burned, raped, tortured, starved and brutally murdered by Turkish soldiers, all while the world watched in horror. The government under the three Pashas, Talaat, Djemal and Enver, was aware that the marches could lead to the eventual extermination of the Armenian race. By 1919, the Pashas were sentenced to death during the trials for members of the Committee of Union and Progress. The Treaty of Sevres called for trials of those responsible for the “barbarous … offenses against the ... principles of humanity.” Records have held that about 1.5 million Armenians were killed from 1915 to 1919 in the hands of the Ottoman Turks, and even today Turkey continues to deny its act of genocide. April 24, 2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the genocide and it marks the Armenians’ continuous search for justice and recognition.
These maps show representations of historic and current Armenian borders with modern nations’ borders as a reference.
Armenia 1915
Armenia 2015
YEREVANCI|WIKIPEDIA|CC BY-SA 3.0
FEATURES
April 2015
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The Highlander
Fake it ‘til you make it to keep up a smile Miranda Irwin Staff Writer
Maintaining a positive attitude during school and throughout the day can be challenging with sources of negative energy such as being angry from a lack of sleep, increased hunger, school related stress, or poor attitudes from classmates. The human brain is more influential through our own actions than many people give it credit for. Individuals can create their own positive attitudes by training the mind or reminding oneself to maintain a positive mindset. Smiling at oneself in the mirror when mad or upset, as absurd as it may seem, can have a huge impact on one’s mood. This is called the Facial Feedback Theory and it dates back to the 1980s. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, “The facial feedback hypothesis suggests that muscular manipulations which result in more positive facial expressions, may lead to more positive emotional states in affected individuals.” It is tricking the brain into thinking that it is happy by maneuvering facial muscles. Luckily, it is much easier to control muscles than emotions. Smiling not only improves individual happiness but others’ moods as well. Smiling is contagious and is a fast and easy way to improve mood. “I can’t stress the importance of Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) having a smile on their face each time they answer the phone. We’ve all spoken with an agent that you can just tell they’ve been having a bad day. Yes, it can be very hard to keep that smile, but it is so vital to customer satisfaction,” said an article posted on Examiner in 2012, written by Amanda Browning. CSRs sometimes have mirrors in their workspace so they can remember to answer the phone with a smile. Happiness can
NAOMI ASRIR
The Facial Feedback Theory suggests that positive facial expressions can trick the brain into feeling happier. be sensed even by the tone in one’s voice, which is why it is so important for CSRs to answer the phone with a smile. This is also an idea that Walt Disney had back in the 1930s and 1940s when he was masterfully creating animated works and new ideas like the development of the Disneyland theme park. The same concept of smiling and acting positively applies to actual human interactions. Often it is not difficult to interpret how someone is feeling or what kind of mood they are in by the tone in their voice and the way they present their self through the use of facial expressions or physical actions. “I try not to let other people’s bad moods affect me too much, especially if I have no involvement in their bad mood. Some days I allow myself to be in a bad mood, but if I see friends or teachers that I have a positive association with smiling and being friendly to me it helps improve my mood,” said se-
nior Mariya Chichmarenko. Another way to improve mood and overall happiness and contentness with oneself is through exercise. According to an article published in 2009 by Harvard Health Publications, “A review of studies stretching back to 1981 concluded that regular exercise can improve mood in people with mild to moderate depression. It also may play a supporting role in treating severe depression.” “Sometimes when I am in a bad mood, I play sports like basketball or soccer to take my mind off of things. Distracting myself with sports or by hanging out with friends is usually helpful when trying to wait out a bad mood,” said senior Giovanni Allen. Often, students find it difficult to focus at school or outside of school when there is something else going on that is having a negative influence on them. “When my parents or friends are arguing, it usually has an effect on me and puts
me in a bad or annoyed mood. I become unmotivated and it is sometimes difficult to focus in class or get anything done. What I sometimes do to get through days like this is just avoid talking to people and have other friends who are in better moods distract me,” said senior Emilie Andersson. There are plenty of reasons to get upset or angry or be in a bad mood, but there are also many reasons to be happy and focus on more important things. Getting rid of a bad mood can be difficult, though, so some things that may make the situation less stressful are listening to music, taking a hot shower, participating in sports or physical activity like yoga or meditating that are supposed to help individuals relax. Finding things to distract oneself with, like spending time with family or friends, volunteering, or practicing talents or interests are good ways to improve overall mindset.
It’s the fault of our stars: student belief in horoscopes Sonia Paulo Staff Writer
Albert Einstein developed the theory of relativity, along with making many other significant scientific advances. But of course he did, he’s a Pisces. People debate whether or not astrology is an actual science. It sounds absurd that the date of your birth and something to do with the moon can determine one’s personality and maybe the future. In summary, astrology utilizes heavenly bodies such as the sun, planets, constellations, and the cycle of the moon in order to predict earthly events. According to the Chambers Dictionary, astrology is defined as “the study of the movements of the stars and planets and their influence on people’s lives.” The belief of astrology is primarily based off of the Big Bang Theory, stating that every atom of human existence is made up of some, larger part of the universe. This applies to a theory of quantum physics stating, “as above so below.” In astrology, this means what applies to the larger aspects of the universe applies to the smaller molecule of the individual. Many people view it as a crank belief, and others fully believe in it. The astrological community does not participate in traditional scientific practices such as sharing findings or practices of trial and error. Furthermore, astrologists base their findings off of observations in the natural world rather than data. This too causes reason to debate the legitimacy of astrology. “I don’t see that there is any real reason to believe astrology is real,” said junior Malcolm McClellan, “I see posts about it on Facebook and everything seems really vague, so that their claims can apply to a lot of different people.” Today, about 55 percent of Americans don’t think
astrology is “at all scientific,” according to the National Science Foundation. “It reminds me of superstition in the sense that it can apply to people if they want it to,” said senior Cole Castro, “it seems more like made up stuff that people want to believe in.” Despite the insufficient scientific backings, astrology seems to prove true for many people. Junior Claire Wheeler said, “I think they’re real because you read the astrology report and think, ‘thats me!’ and it’s just so accurate.” According to the National Science Foundation about 57 percent of 18 to 24-year-old Americans think astrology has some form of scientific legitimacy. “I definitely believe in astrology,” said junior Gabi Dimick. “I don’t believe it should completely dictate the choices in someone’s life, but I definitely notice similarities between people and their signs.” The National Science Foundation also says that in 1983, 50 percent of Americans believed astrology had no scientific backing. Between 1983 and modern day, 65 percent of Americans on average believed astrology was a hoax. “It’s not even like it’s a broad thing, which a lot of people say. There are specific parts of your sign which are so accurate.” Wheeler said. “Sometimes your friends will do something and you can’t help but think ‘oh my God, that’s so Capricorn,’ and it’s spot on.” The opinions of whether or not astrology is legitimate fluctuates over the years. Although there is no scientific backing, it is evident that astrology applies to multitudes of people.
NAOMI ASRIR
Horoscope signs are determined by one’s birth month. Some people believe a sign can affect individual personality traits.
PROM Dealing with the cost of prom Page 10
The Highlander
April 2015
Angelina Castillo Staff Writer
“I spent about $1,000 on prom last year.” According to US News, the nationwide survey conducted by Visa claims the average household will spend $978 in 2014 to dance the night away. That’s a 14 percent decrease from 2013, when families spent $1,139 on clothes, limousine rentals, tickets and dinner. To conserve money, students will often do their hair themselves, borrow a friend’s old prom dress, and put their makeup on themselves. In a recent Highlander poll, for the 2014 prom, 10 percent of students spent $200$300 compared to 3.3 percent who spent $800 or more on prom. Senior Zerena Silva said, “I borrowed my dress from a friend last year. Basically, I just bought my ticket and I paid for my hair which was about $100. This year I spent about $180 just on my dress before getting it hemmed which will cost money as well. I still have to buy my ticket which will probably be over $70 plus I have to get my hair done.” The expenses of prom increase yearly and pricing varies based on where you live. According to US News, in certain parts of the country – in states such as California, Washington and Oregon – the average cost of prom can get as high as $1,125, the survey found. The Northeast also had similar reported costs, at $1,104. Midwestern and Southern families plan to spend the least, at $835 and $926, respectively. The typical prom includes buying a dress or tuxedo, buying a corsage or boutonnière, the tickets, hair, makeup, and nails, photography, and a transportation. Prom pricing comes down to who the individual is and how much they are willing to spend on the prom experience. Junior Gabi Dimick said, “I think that the prices for prom are outrageous just because I don’t see the point of spending so much money just on one night. Although, I do understand if someone had a lot of money to spend why they would be willing to spend it on a prom dress.” Senior Julia Semmler said, “If you take all the pricing into consideration, nails, earrings, toes and all the fine details thats about $100 on top of the price of a limo and a ticket. Overall I spent about $480 and thats not including hair and makeup.” Does spending hundreds of dollars on prom really seem necessary? Semmler said, “The obvious answer is no but if its your dream dress, don’t let $400 or $500 set you back because you can always pay it off.” Dimick said, “I think it’s a little ridiculous to spend an abundant amount of money on one night but I understand because it’s one of the nights that has the highest expectations in your high school experience.” There are many alternative routes for students to save money during the prom
VERONIKA DVORAKOVA
season. Semmler had the help of her family which saved her a lot of money. Semmler said, “Hemming and alterations is something else people have to pay for which can be expensive depending on where you go. I’m lucky I don’t have to pay for that [because] my mom knows how to
do those things.” Dimick said, “Something that can be done to spend less on prom is borrowing a friend’s dress, sharing transportation with friends, doing your own hair and makeup. I often find that I always end up hating my hair and makeup when I get it done.”
With prom coming up in less than a month, it is up to each person to decide just how much they are willing to pay for this event. Prom is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but that doesn’t mean one should have to spend over $1000.
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PROM
April 2015
Page 11
The Highlander
Prom and its dresses: this year’s trends The most popular dress styles that will be seen at prom this season
VERONIKA DVORAKOVA
Weighing the pros and cons of a Friday prom Lauren Tierney Staff Writer
Carlmont’s prom this year will be on May 1st, a Friday. Prom on a Friday means less time to get ready and prepare for girls and for boys. This also means a possible lack of school attendance, especially for girls getting ready on the day of prom. Jen Anthony, a member of ASB’s dance committee, said, “We knew what venue we wanted to have our prom at and the only available day was a Friday so we took it.” For girls, so many things go into getting ready on the day of prom that go far past just getting their dress on. First, you must try getting a hair, makeup or nails appointment on what seems to be the most booked day of the year so that perfect 4:30 p.m. makeup appointment you were imagining turns into a 10 a.m. appointment. Senior Sarah Anderson said, “There is just so much to do on the day of prom. In past years it has taken me all day to prepare and with fewer hours it makes the day so much more stressful.” And then there’s nails, hair, getting your dress on, and picking up your date’s boutonniere.
VERONIKA DVORAKOVA
So when in all that time are you supposed to go to school? Senior Erica Aldenese said, “I think it’s stupid and adds more stress to students. Prom is stressful enough as it is; no one wants to go to school and take a test or study when there’s already thousands of things to be done on the day of prom.” For boys things are a bit simpler, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t errands for them to run, too.
Senior Toni Lupillin said, “Boys are always so last minute with everything. Especially prom so they really need all the time they can get on the day of prom.” Lupillin said, “I’m pretty sure my date bought my corsage and picked up his tux all within hours of prom.” Another issue with prom being on Friday, May 1, is that the SAT is Saturday morning at 8 a.m. for many juniors.
Junior Gabriella Lehr said, “I was originally signed up to take the SAT on Saturday May 2, but now I’m not planning on attending because there is no way I can do well after such a late night at prom.” Although there are many dates to take the SAT, students who already signed up will not be able to get their money back. Carlmont has made the day of prom a minimum day with a sev-
enth period 12:12 p.m. dismissal to help with prom preparations. The reality may be that there are many schools with the same prom date and it is impossible to get appointments that fit outside of your school day schedule. Although Friday prom creates many scheduling conflicts, it may also have positive impacts, as well. Prom on a Friday may give students an extra day to sleep and relax after all the prom activities and stress. Senior Joe Rodriguez said, “I feel like prom being on a Friday is a great idea because you have something to look forward to at the end of the week and also you’ll have Saturday and Sunday afterwards to catch up on sleep.” Whether you’re attending an after party or just exhausted from the late night activities of prom an extra day to get some rest may be very helpful. Anthony said, “Prom on a Friday gives you the rest of the weekend to calm down because I know on Saturday prom’s I am exhausted for the next two days, so this gives you the rest of the weekend to relax and unwind.” Prom and school all being on one day may be challenging, but at the end of the day will give students more time to rest and prepare for the school week ahead.
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The Highlander
Permanent picture Avery Adams Staff Writer
As you walk down the street, you spot iPhones peeking out of everyone’s back pockets. Photos are taken in a fraction of a second. Nothing grants instant gratification more than a pinky-nail-sized camera in the back of your pocket. But as you keep walking, you notice some people shaking out their wrists impatiently, as the chemicals spread across the iconic white-bordered frame. Polaroids may not be as up to speed as the latest digital technologies, but they’ve made their way back into our digitally gratified environment. According to Creed O’Hanlon, CEO of The Impossible Project, a company that took over the production of Polaroid products after the original company’s closure in 2007, the company is seeing a rapid boom in the consummation of Polaroid equipment. “In the past 10 months we have seen a 75 percent increase in the 18-25 demographic, with teenagers turning their backs on digital for something more tangible. Over the past 6 months, we have doubled the volume of films we sell, and refurbished more than 30,000 classic Polaroid cameras. Next year, we expect these numbers to double,” said O’Hanlon in an interview with The Guardian.
Not only are original Polaroid cameras ending up in the hands of this generation’s teenagers, but Fujifilm, another camera company, has introduced the Fujifilm Instax Mini line to the mix of instant film cameras. “I love the small size of the photos; I just think they look artsy,” said sophomore Nour Zabaneh, who owns a Fujifilm Instax Mini camera. Even if someone doesn’t choose to pay the accumulative bill of a refurbished camera and film to go with it, the iconic Polaroid style is reappearing in pop culture. From Instagram’s Polaroid-like logo to Taylor Swift’s “1989” album cover embedded in a Polaroid photo frame, the company’s impact remains branded on today’s society. “It’s the new, hip, upcoming thing to use, so that definitely was a factor I considered when buying my camera. I think people tend to bring back certain things, like record players coming back, and it’s just the new cool thing to do,” said Zabaneh. In Polaroid’s heyday back in 1977, its Land Camera became the best-selling camera in the United States. With the ease of digital cameras in the early 2000’s, their popularity dropped rapidly, leading to the company’s bankruptcy. “I owned the original big polaroid camera, and then I owned their camera that developed sticker photos. I ended up selling both at a garage sale in the early 2000’s
Chokers, flannels, and Doc Ma Connie Yi Staff Writer
Martens for shoes and the other was a little more preppy--shorter t-shirts, flared jeans, scrunchies, headbands, chunky heels for “Fashion in the 90s is that clothes never shoes, etc.. Girls wore a lot of darker makeup fit--everything was way too big or way too with eye and lip liner. Lots of girls wore big small,” said Karen Ramroth. hoop earrings and choker necklaces,” said The 90s fashion is back in style. Ramroth. Marion Demailly According to Retsaid, “90’s fashion in roWaste, in the beginmy opinion is basically ning of the 90s, “Teens I think ‘90s fashion grunge inspired. This were digging through includes dark plaid, is appealing because dad’s box of old clothes chokers, red lipsticks, to get their hands on it’s generally very ripped jeans, etc. I think some authentic holethe grunge look has comfortable and laid ridden jeans to wear definitely been coming top of their long back but also flattering over back lately though, as john stockings.” and cool looking. I’ve seen more people go Fashion is always a for chokers and docs.” changing topic. Marion Demailly Fashion is like sciTrends for clothing Junior ence, someone gives out can sway back and forth a type of clothing which through time. would be the hypothesis and if it works Ramroth mentioned an observation that then it’s a success but not all can succeed her mother made that fashion recycles every thus one must try again. 20 years or so and that you aren’t supposed “Most people I knew wore one of two to wear the trends the second time around. styles. One was the grunge look--baggy Fashion is always a new or old experiment jeans, flannels, Chuck Taylors or Doc for many.
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ASHLEY KAWAKAMI & KARISSA TOM
Page 13
April 2015
If we’re being honest, the ‘90s was a hot mess. It brought Furbies and frosted tips. But it also brought on new trends. It brought the popular TV show Friends. It brought Doc Martens and flannels. As much as we would like to think of the ‘90s as that embarassing yearbook picture from freshman year, the ‘90s was an era of new ideas and trends that still influence us today. INTRO BY KARISSA TOM
es for a digital era because everyone was moving to digital instead of keeping them on a phone where and people were starting to print pictures,” you can easily delete them,” said Zabaneh. said Hai Nguyen, a chemistry teacher who “Polaroids are a tangible thing. People don’t was an active part of the original Polaroid have time or want to go print out a bunch movement. “But now nobody wants to set of pictures anymore, so the fact that it is a up a printer; they just want pictures right tangible picture that you can instantly have away.” and share is a lot nicer.” The one minute processing time of the Since the cease in production of the Polaroid’s film was a groundbreaking dis- original Polaroid Corporation, a pack of covery when 10 prints procompared to duced by the the previous company can But now nobody wants to set up a only be bought week-long development at printer; they just want pictures right from secondpharmacies. hand stores, away. However, it’s such as eBay, no longer in for around Hai Nguyen the same ball$20-30. Chemistry Teacher park as today’s The Imposdigital cameras sible Project, with shutter speeds of a thousandth of a which is currently the only company mansecond and wifi capable transferrings. ufacturing new packages of film, sell their In addition, the once portable clunk of packs of 10 photos for roughly the same metal and plastic is being outshined by price at $25. today’s pocket-sized digital camera that is Fujifilm sells their smaller, credit cardoften taken on vacations, to sports games, sized film at roughly $20 per 20 pack of and to every outing in between. film; a dollar per photo. Despite the lack of accessibility and efDespite the steep price of this recycled ficiency, Polaroid cameras continue to in- concept, instant film cameras continue to crease in popularity. awe this generation. “I already had a digital camera, but I Nguyen said, “Polaroids bring nostalgia. wanted something that could print out Young people miss the hippie days even right away. When you’re with a group of though they never lived during that time; friends, a polaroid can create memories they want to go back to a time where they that you can instantly have, share and store, think people were happier.”
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artens: the ‘90s fashion revival Trends are made when top celebrities or bloggers update a new style that their followers would consider following or copying their look. This starts a domino effect throughout society. Many asian fashion industries are coming to different places around the world. According to the Teen Clothing Store, some stores such as Forever21 is a cheap knock off of more expensive shops such as ZARA and American Apparel. According to the Statistic Brain, US teens spend a total 258.7 billion dollars a year. If it is in the trend, many teens would do anything to get their hands on a pair of whatever the clothing may be. Once the have achieved their goal in getting the clothing the trend is already gone. “Everybody had Adidas black jacket in sixth and seventh grade and I really wanted one. I got one for Christmas and cited that for years as my favorite present ever. Looking back, I’m not sure why it was so important, but I guess I really did want to follow that trend,” said Ramroth. For example, high waisted jeans were in the time period of 1990s, and they are
back into fashion. This high waisted jeans became high waisted shorts which is very popular amongst the teenage group. It has been 25 years and the clothes style is back. Fashion has no stop sign. “90s fashion is lots of denim, kid-like clothing such as bright shirts and plastic necklaces, fuzzy and holographic textures and prints, platform shoes, etc,” said Isabel Valdes. Because fashion trends change at any time of place, there is no possibility to find out what the next fashion trend would be. Junior Marion Demailly said, “I get inspired by women on tumblr and Instagram and from art and feminism. I think ‘90s fashion is appealing because it’s generally very comfortable and laid back but also flattering and cool looking.” Ramroth said, “My advice to students is to just do you. Wear what makes you comfortable and happy and feel like the best version of yourself. Try not to get bogged down in what you’re “supposed” to wear or what people say you “should” wear. Fashion can be a really awesome way to express yourself and you can’t do that if you’re just wearing what everybody else does.”
nontheistic religion based on distinct philosophical points of view
A quick guide to a few major religions
NEWS
Page 14
JUDAISM
Monotheistic, Abrahamic religion. Based on belief God chose them
Sacred Text: no universally accepted text
The Highlander
ISLAM
Is public school still secular? Monotheistic, Abrahamic religion. Based on teachings of Jesus Christ.
Continued from page 1
Understanding religion’s influence on society is necessary in the modern classroom. “You can’t read Marx if you don’t know the old or new testament. You can’t read Shakespeare without the Bible because you won’t get the jokes; you won’t know they are jokes,” said AP Language and Composition teacher Martin Turkis. According to the College Board, “Because the Bible and Greek and Roman mythology are central to much Western literature, students should have some familiarity with them.” “A number of the great works of Western literature address themselves very directly to questions that arise within Christianity,” wrote Pulitzer Prize winner Marilynne Robinson in a New York Times review. The common entanglement between literature and the Bible is because religion has primarily defined Western philosophies and cultures. Also consider a freshman AS English class. Among the books assigned to AS English students are “The Chosen” and “Night,” both of which involve Jewish themes. AS English freshman Mackenzie O'Connell said, “I remember reading the books and not knowing anything about the religion, so I would have to Google my questions because I had no idea what was I was reading. I felt like the people who prac-
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ATHEISM
the time. In a perfect world we would have resources, books and time, for closing the gaps for students.” Once students reach an AP level they are responsible for their own education and need to become proactive. Pierce said, “Be active, jot it down, ask in class, clarify the lack. We won’t address every reference if students don't ask.” “Because it’s such a vast area, students need to create a habit of being proactive and intellectually curious which needs to be encouraged and activated in students,” added Nilson. According to Pierce, Carlmont used to implement an English program which gradually introduced “the most common bible stories and put them into each class level,” getting progressively deeper as students reach AP levels. But without such a program, many students including Freeman and Kelly have
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Sacred Text: The Quran verbally revealed by God to Muhammad, through the Angel Gabriel.
Sacred Text: The Holy Bible: Old & New Testament
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Monotheistic, Abrahamic religion. Founded by Muhammad
Sacred Text: The Tanakh Torah: first 5 books written by Moses under divine inspiration.
CHRISTIANITY
ticed this religion were lucky because they didn’t have to research all the background information.” Advancing to sophomore year, European History is dictated by religious themes and conflicts ranging from the crusades to the second world war. Sophomore AP European student Ilana Hamer said, “I think the religious aspect made learning European history easier because it helped me better understand the motives for some issues. I gained a better understanding for Christianity and its lessons and values.” “These religious concepts and stories have influenced and informed Western literary creation since the Middle Ages, and they continue to provide material for modern writers in their attempts to give literary form to human experience,” according to the College Board, which supervises AP testing. With school and religion being so entwined, how can gaps in some students’ understanding of material be avoided? “We recommend at the beginning of the year to go through some kind of primer on mythology and bible basics if you have gaps in your background. Students need to do that on their own because by the time they get to an AP level, we can’t do it as a class because there just isn’t enough time,” said AP Literature teacher Carole Pierce. Nilson said, “I have Mythology for Dummies, Bible for Dummies and Existentialism for Dummies which I reference all
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reached an AP level with inadequate exposure to the bible. Turkis said, “Public schools are all about teaching religion but with a secular mentality. I try to teach different world views in my class to create a ground on which students can critique these other ideologies and religions. There should be a world religions class where every world view is called into question the same way any other religious doctrine is.” “Realistically at high school level, private schools can have a world religion class where you get a foundation and critique of worldviews and ideologies. Whether or not we can incorporate this into AP is a vast undertaking because there is barely enough time to address the literature,” concluded Nilson. Although there is little to be implemented immediately, the debate of religious influence on public school continues.
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NEWS
April 2015
Page 15
The Highlander
How religion affects relationships Jessica Adair Copy Editor
“So you’re a Christian?,” she says to her friend with complete judgement. She wonders if this will always be between them. Conflicting religions have divided humans since the beginning of time. Religions have started wars and riots not only on an international level, but also on a personal level. There are disagreements about religion at home, at school, and among friends every day. Sometimes the disagreement is so strong that it causes an irreparable rift between two people. According to a poll of 181 Carlmont students, 27 percent said that religion has affected a relationship they’ve had. Junior Kate Bryan, who grew up in Georgia and Alabama and was raised Christian, said, “I have some very close friends who are not religious, and I have learned not to talk about God around them. I certainly do not change the way I act or am, I just don’t want to make them uncomfortable.” Because of the portrayal in the media, religion can sometimes cause a person to make a snap judgement and stereotypes. “We all want everyone to be treated fairly and not be discriminated against, yet the same people that strongly press for that have been the fastest to pass judgement on me. They think that I hate the LGBTQ community or that I’m a ‘crazy Christian,’” said Bryan. In Bryan’s case, these snap judgements affected her ability to meet friends. “I think if certain people hadn’t known my religion, they might have tried to become better friends with me. But once they found out about it, they labeled me as what they wanted, and decided they maybe didn’t want me as a friend. Now of course this is just a feeling I get sometimes, but it still stings a little,” said Bryan.
People may not see eye to eye religiously but can still remain friends with each other. Religion also becomes very prevalent during adolescence when decisions get harder and harder to make. Senior Alenna Winfield, who grew up in church and was raised Christian, said, “My views made my decisions different than others. Making certain relationships got harder as I got older but I never really saw that as a bad thing. If they aren’t supposed to be in my life, then they won’t be, and if they are, then it shouldn’t be a problem.” In Winfield’s case, her difference in views did not become a problem among her friends. “I know there have been times in friendships of mine where our views of drinking and partying and drugs was very different. At first they thought it was weird, but then they accepted it and all was fine,” said Winfield. Bryan said, “My own friends don’t really judge me. I don’t think I would be friends with them if they did.” Sometimes religion doesn’t factor into friendships at all.
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Senior Andrew Wach was raised Jewish and is a member of a temple nearby. “I don’t think any of my relationships have been affected at all by my religion. Most of my friends aren’t very religious, so it just doesn’t come up in conversation very often,” said Wach. But no matter how much controversy surrounds religion, it can also bring people together and make relationships stronger. “I have a very close friend from my church. Our friendship touches on God a lot, and it serves to strengthen our bond as friends to share in our religion,” said Bryan. Wach said, “I would never judge a friend for because of religion. There are a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes and I think everyone has a different way of practicing what they believe in, so people shouldn’t make any assumptions and form relationships regardless of religion.”
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SPORTS
Page 16
The Highlander
April 2015
The story behind America’s true pastime Andy Cross Staff Writer
Sports have been a prevalent part of America for as long as we can remember. They entertain us as well as excite and dissatisfy us. Also, they allow people to sit down for a couple of hours and let them get away from their regular lives. With that being said, there has been one sport that has entertained us and has been America’s favorite sport on a regular basis, but which one is it? According to The Atlantic’s website, baseball is America’s pastime. They say, “Sure, TV ratings suggest otherwise. But that metric ignores other strong indicatorslike local fan-base fervor and enduring cultural relevance-that baseball still matters.” Baseball was first played in the early 19th century and was recognized as America’s game by the late 19th century. The game has changed over the years from Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier to Jose Canseco starting the steroid epidemic. “I think that’s why baseball remains America’s pastime because the game is always changing. If something stays the same all the time, then it gets kind of boring,” said junior Tyler Brandenburg. There are many other factors that make baseball arguably America’s favorite sport.
Baseball is played daily and most of the season is during the warmth of summer. Fans typically don’t have to wait for a week or a couple days like football and most of the games are played under the sun. “As a fan, you don’t have to worry about missing a game because there are so many other games throughout the season,” said junior Isabelle De Wood. Also every stadium is unique. Football fields have the same dimensions in every stadium. Baseball stadiums have differ-
MINH-HAN VU
ent dimensions along with something in the park that no one else has. For instance Fenway has the green monster while Wrigley field has a wall full of ivey. Also when it comes to affordability, baseball is the cheaper than football. According to Forbes website, a baseball game costs about $200 for a family of four while a football game costs about $400. One thing that baseball struggles with is TV ratings. According to Forbes website, more people tuned into a meaningless monday
night football game between the Jets and the the Houstons instead of watching a postseason baseball game between the Yankees and the Orioles. Football is the most watched sport in America. It has the highest attendance out of all the sports leagues in America and the Super Bowl is one of the most watched sporting events in the world. One of the big reasons why it has high ratings is the physicality of the game. “I think football is more popular than baseball because football
is more physical. It’s fun to see people hit each other rather than people stand around,” said sophomore Troy Rice. Also, football games are always competitive and every game feels like a playoff game. “Football is intense every game because there are only 16 games. Since baseball has 162 games, it doesn’t have the same atmosphere that football games have,” said Rice. The biggest thing that makes football so popular is its huge TV audience. Football never used to be this popular, infact the college level was more popular than the pro game. But it all changed after the 1958 championship game between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts. This game helped football become what it is today. Along with the regular Sunday games, football now has Monday and Thursday night football. With that being said, what is Americas favorite sport? According to ESPN’s voting poll, football wins the competition with 34 percent of the vote while baseball came in second. “I think football is more popular right now, but baseball has always been popular. It took a while before football became popular whereas baseball never had this problem,” said Brandenburg.
Pro football is moving too slowly in head trauma policy Sarah Boro Editor
Chris Borland, a former player for the San Francisco 49er’s, left professional football due to fear of concussions and other injury at age 24. His actions are reflective of the apparent issue that the NFL does not even attempt to protect its players. The real question is... why would they? According to Forbes, the NFL has just north of a $9 billion revenue annually, which means the league remains the most lucrative in the world. American football is also said to be the most watched sport in America, and also one of the most violent. So again, why would the league want to change the game into a “safer” one and support concussion prevention? The reality is that they would risk viewers, fans, revenue, and ultimately the future of the sport. However, the longer they wait, the more lawsuits and interrogations will be headed their way in terms of the danger the game presents to its players. “From what I’ve researched and what I’ve experienced, I don’t think it’s worth the risk,” Borland told ESPN, referring to the multiple concussions he had sustained throughout his career. In 1994, the NFL conducted a comprehensive clinical and biomechanical research study of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). Through this study, researchers attempted to improve their understanding of these injuries so that manufacturers could systematically improve and update their
head protective equipment. Yes, it seems that the NFL is applying appropriate efforts to improve the problem at hand; however, not fast enough. Senior Sam Boyle said, “During football season my junior year, I was in a head to head collision with another player. I wore all of the gear that was supposed to be worn as well as what I found was necessary to be worn. I had some pretty extensive side effects after the concussion; it was hard to process information and I had migraine headaches everyday for about a week.” The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE), the non-profit developer who sets standards for athletic equipment for all sports in the United States, have proposed new standards for what they hope helmets should provide to help prevent concussions and other head injuries. Between now and June of 2015, the NOCSAE said the new standard will be “open for comment” from manufacturers and scientists. They hope to establish a precise testing “threshold” on whether a helmet meets the new standard in reducing forces linked to concussions. After that, the board will again vote on whether to put the standard into practice in 2016, at the very earliest. “It’s a pretty dramatic step for us. … I don’t think any other helmet in the world has incorporated these kinds of testing components,” Mike Oliver, executive director of NOCSAE, said in a phone interview. The NFL organization has no incentive to make any immediate changes, especially considering the unknown, potentially detrimental changes it can make.
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According to the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), in the season of 2012, the players in the NFL suffered from 171 concussions and by the end of the 2014 season, there were 123. The rate seems to be decreasing, and this rate of decline is due to small changes in rules and play, and the NFL hopes that it will last them until major changes are required. According to the New York Times, the NFL organization keeps all of their players in the dark in terms of the dangers that concussions cause. Findings found that 5,000 former players who sued the league alleged that the NFL had hidden the dangers of concussions from them. Changes are needed to fix these problems. However, is football an inherently violent game and therefore this can’t be fixed? The answer to this question is unknown. They also appear to confirm what scientists have said for years: that playing football increases the risk of developing neurological conditions like chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease that can be identified only in an autopsy. The debate over what actions should be taken to prevent concussions for the NFL as well as other organizations such as high schools, for example, are still being questioned now. The real question is, how long is it going to take before real actions are made and concussions and the effects of concussions are truly discussed and debated? The answer may be never.
April 2015
SPRING BREAK
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ALYSSA ESPIRITU
How spring break has changed over the years Holly Chen Staff Writer
“Spring break. Spring break. Spring break fo’ever,” an intoxicated James Franco says during the film, “Spring Breakers.” American media portrays spring break as a time of wild drinking and partying. But for most high school students, it is a time to catch up on homework and studies. Sophomore Katrina TaLavera said, “Usually during spring break, I study for tests or make up work. This year I am studying for my AP European History exam.” Spring break is also a time to relax and take a break from the stresses of high school. Sophomore Sonia Mahajan said, “During spring break, I do things that normally during the school year, I don’t have time for.
I might go out with friends or eat out with family or sleep in.” As students get older, the idea of spring break evolves with them. Jessica Liao, a graduate of San Jose State University, said, “ During elementary and middle school spring breaks, I pretty much bummed around at home and would spend time with family. In high school I started going out, shopping with friends and stuff, but not on major trips or anything. In college, with the freedom of being away from my parents, I was able to make choices I wasn’t able to when I was living at home. Since I was in a sorority, we would go clubbing, go out at night, sometimes go to casinos, and go on road trips, either to Santa Barbara or Las Vegas which both have huge party scenes.” In recent movies, there has been a glorification of spring break and college. In “Spring Breakers,” and
“22 Jump Street,” the protagonists of these films are whisked off to a tropical setting with days of partying. Yet these films fail to address the darker sides of such behavior. Mahajan said, “ I personally think that people under 21 should not be drinking. It is illegal and harmful. Most people’s brains are developing at this age. It is not good that the media glorifies underage drinking.” One study conducted by the American College of Health found that the average male college student reported to drinking 18 drinks per day, and the average female reported up to 10 drinks per day during spring break. According to the CDC, alcohol consumption can lead to injuries such as drowning, vehicle crashes, and falls. It can also lead to long term effects such as high blood pressure, cancer, or alcoholism.
For some, alcohol was a form of escapism and a way to find momentary bliss. Liao said, “On my spring break vacations in college, it was very much about being free, relaxing, and getting away from the burdens of school. From conversations and relationships with people who were in the partying lifestyle, and from being in it myself, it seems evident that partying or drinking is a way to detach from reality and be whoever you want.” However, it is often exaggerated by media. Sophomore Gabriela Gutierrez said, “TV and movies exaggerate the realities of spring break. They are a dramatic representation and I don’t think they really are like those shown in certain movies. Most college students can’t afford to go to Cancun or Mexico for spring break.”
What media doesn’t portray are the ones who focus more on self control and the crowd they chose to hang around with. A UC Berkeley graduate Sam Shaw said, “No one in my fraternity did anything really excessive. We were all just hanging out but in a different environment and if the situation arose, then yes, some people would drink, but most people didn’t really go that crazy.” All in all, spring break is a treasured American holiday and is a time to relax, by doing things that are enjoyable to oneself. Shaw said, “My friends and I would take road trips, but it didn’t really matter where we went. It was more about just us having fun, and taking our minds off of the stress from college and the stress from our communities. Spring break is about you and your friends just having a good time.”
CAMPUS
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The Highlander
April 2015
Touring college campuses: what to look for Ethan Wong Staff Writer
The student glances down at his list of dream colleges: UCLA, UC Berkeley, Stanford, Harvard. She is ecstatic about these colleges, but then realizes that she knows almost nothing about her so-called “dream” colleges. Everyone has goals for which colleges to attend, but how does a student know for sure that a college is best suited for him or her? Before choosing the best college to attend, it’s really important for a student to visit the campus of the college they are thinking of attending and explore the different aspects of the college. Senior Alan Yan said, “I do think it’s really important to tour colleges, because you can get a feel for the campus, the student life, what type of people you would be around. Personally I think the tours make a huge difference.” Students should look for college campus tour opportunities during their sophomore and junior years, while they still have time before college applications. Senior Nico Camerino said, “You can start anytime, but I would recommend after the end of sophomore year and during junior year, because that’s when you’re really looking into it. Your tastes and preferences will change over time, so you want to look as close to the last minute as possible so you know what you like at that moment.” However, the end of college application season in late November is not the defining line that ends the optimal period for college tours. Administrative Vice Principal Jennifer Cho said, “I applied to eleven colleges in my senior year. I didn’t tour any colleges until after I got accepted into the group of colleges. I chose my top three, toured those colleges and discovered I was most natural
LILA SCHULMAN
While pictures on pamphlets portray college campuses as sunny and welcoming, often that is not their true character. A visit can reveal flaws or further illuminate strengths. Sterling law building at Yale conveys the traditional architecture that makes East Coast schools so attractive. and at home at UC San Diego and ended up going there.” Each student is different, so some may feel comfortable touring colleges before college applications, while some may feel comfortable touring after college applications. “Touring colleges after getting accepted worked for me, because you don’t want to fall in love with a place you can’t have,” said Cho. There are several things that students should be looking for when touring a col-
lege campus, but it differs for everyone. “When you tour a college, you not only have to look at the campus. Personally, I look at the weather, the diversity of the student body, and the area around the school,” said Camerino. “Definitely look at the students, and see if they look happy or not. On a campus tour, a student should try to explore and look deeper into the college, not just at the outside.” The lifestyle and environment around the campus is also very important to observe when a student visits a college.
Sophomore Jessica Chang said, “I would look for a college with a friendly and clean environment where I will be able to feel safe and comfortable during my stay at the school. Personally, I’d want a quieter area around the school so that I’d be able to focus. If I’m going to be spending my time there, I want to be happy with where I’m living in the city and in the college itself.” There are many benefits to touring a college campus, as it helps a student gain more knowledge about his or her desired schools. Junior Erin Alonso said, “Touring college campuses can help a student find a direction in where he or she wants to go. You’re able to figure out what you want and don’t want in a school.” However, there is one thing that may make college tours less attractive to students: money. Cho said, “A student will definitely have to spend some money going to the tour, so that’s the only downside as it can get expensive for far-away colleges.” Other than going to a college and touring it, there are other ways to explore a college that do not require money. Yan said, “At the same time, if you don’t have the ability to go there, a student can go on a college’s website and attain some information and explore it that way. However, being on the campus and getting a feel for the school is way different from just looking at the website.” Despite the costs, touring a desired college is beneficial for a student and can help a student decide which college he or she wants to attend. Chang said, “Taking the college tours will give you a good idea of what it would be like to attend the college and a better perspective of how it would feel living there. College tours are extremely helpful, and are necessary for a student who is planning to attend college.”
Seniors come to grips with college choices between a school you’ve visited and one you’ve only seen online? You almost can’t, especially in a month.” Since college tours can be costly and For seniors, waiting has become a priortime-consuming, students prefer to wait ity. until they receive an admissions decision College is just around the corner and so they do not end up wasting time and many seniors are still waiting on schools to money to visit a school that may not even send out their admission decisions. accept them. A large portion of colleges require in“You have to know exactly where you coming students to fully commit by the want to go so you can just say yes when you first week of May. With many college acget in, but the decision is one of the most ceptances and rejections just now coming difficult you’ll ever make,” said Gomez. out, this gives seniors approximately four “The problem is a mixture of how late in weeks to make a decision about the next the game we get our letters and the date for four years of their lives. submitting a response.” “It’s a bit silly how late we find out,” said In a recent poll of 101 Carlmont seniors senior Olivia Gomez. “The whole process conducted by the forces students to Carlmont Jourknow exactly what nalism Departthey want and ment, around 78 It can be frustrating to choose where they want to percent of the go by the middle between committing very early seniors feel that of their junior year or waiting until what seems like having admisso they can plan sions decisions the very last minute to make such college tours for sent out earlier the summer.” a significant decision. would make it The process of easier for them to college admissions make such a heavy decision. can leave students feeling pressured to do “It is difficult how we get all our accepanything they can just to make sure they tances back with so little time to choose a have options when decisions are released. school to commit to. Especially out-of-state “What if you fall in love with a school schools, because you have to travel there to you find online over winter break?” said visit. There is just so little time to evaluate Gomez. “There’s no time to tour, so you apyour options and figure out where the right ply just to secure yourself a place if you get place for you is,” said senior Adelyn Yau. in. Say you do get in -- how do you decide
Gianna Schuster Staff Writer
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LILA SCHULMAN
Acceptances rain down. Now it’s just about catching the right one. Because of this time crunch, students that are already sure of where they want to go can submit their applications through an early decision plan. Early decision plans are binding -- a student who is accepted as an early decision applicant must attend the college if they are granted admission. Senior Andrew Yazhgur applied as an early decision applicant and said, “Early decision was definitely helpful because I found out about my admission really early on in the year, and since it was for my first choice, I was really set on going there. I’m
just glad that I don’t have to worry anymore.” However, there are students that prefer to commit to schools later on in the year so that they have more time to weigh their options. Thus, it can be frustrating to have to choose between committing very early or waiting until what seems like the very last minute to make such a significant decision. “It’s already a lot of pressure having to choose your home for the next four years,” said Yau. “The time crunch does not make it any easier.”
April 2015
CAMPUS
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The Highlander
Growing up and getting out creates anxieties
Seniors face the stark reality of independence when they leave home Jocelyn Moran Staff Writer
You walk on campus surrounded by the many students getting things out of their trunks and into their dorms. Your parents get the last of your stuff. They give you a hug and say goodbye. And now you’re alone, and reality has hit you. It’s time to grow up. This is a scenario that many seniors will be facing in the next months. The transition from high school to college can be difficult, especially for some who don’t have as many responsibilities at home. You have to learn how to do your own laundry and how to manage your money. You have to find your way around school without someone there to tell you where to go and what to do. Senior Julia Semmler said, “I’m really close to my parents. It’s going to be hard not having my mom there helping me with everything on a daily basis. There’s definitely a part of me that feels not ready to grow up and move away.” A feeling of fear and excitement is felt by seniors as they are anticipating moving on to a new stage in their life. They have more freedom, but they also have to become an independent person and learn how to be responsible. “There’s a lot of things that I’m scared of, but mostly adjusting to the new environment. I’m a pretty independent person,
LILA SCHULMAN
but I’ve never been away for more than a month so that will be interesting. I’m stressed, excited, and scared to go to college all wrapped in one,” said senior Mariko Kondo, who is committed to Syracuse University in New York. Despite the overwhelming feeling of moving on with your life, many seniors are excited to start a new stage in their life. Being able to live in a dorm away from parents gives young adults the opportunity to grow and become their own person. “I’m super excited to go to college, but
also a little scared because I’ll be going to Boston University which is super far from home,” said senior Madison Norman. “I’ll be sad to leave all the amazing people back home, but I’m excited to start a new chapter of my life in a new city, ready for a change in scenery.” As students get ready to move away from their parents and be independent, US News offers the following tips: 1. Let the school pick the roommate. You could live with someone who has a lot in common with you, or nothing at all. This
lets you appreciate the things that make you unique. 2. Your roommate doesn’t have to be your best friend. You may not have similar tastes with your roommate, but living with someone who you don’t know will teach you how to build communication skills. 3. Don’t bring it all with you. Leaving home can be an overwhelming feeling, and can lead to you wanting to bring everything from home into your room. However, college is an opportunity to make new memories, so leave space in your dorm for those memories. 4. Don’t only focus on academics. Yes, doing well in your classes is important, but it’s not the only thing you should be focusing on. Extracurriculars, community service, and spending time with friends is also essential. You don’t want to miss out on the college experience. Leaving home to a place where you don’t know anyone can be a scary feeling, but it can also be an opportunity to grow and experience new things. English teacher Emily Bandelt said, “I was the only person in my school to go to Villanova. I went far enough that I could take a 30 minute plane ride or a six hour drive. I was close enough that I could get there quickly if I needed to, but far enough that I could make my own life. College is an opportunity to find yourself. If you don’t leave the nest, it’s really a comfortable place to be. You don’t want to get stuck.”
Senioritis epidemic leads to mass slacking Grades slip as seniors anticipate the end of their time on the high school scene Justine Phipps Staff Writer
Seniors -- it’s finally here. The semester we’ve been waiting for since freshman year. Second semester of senior year. While we once used to shoot for A’s and B’s and that beautiful 4.0 GPA, we now aim for B’s, maybe C’s, maybe even D’s. What’s the harm in slacking a little bit? College acceptances have started coming in, and although many are facing rejection, the stress of getting perfect grades is long gone. In reality, letting grades slip can affect one’s college admission as well as their chance to walk down the aisle with the rest of the senior class. Many colleges have sent out conditional admission to students. Depending on the college and their rules of admission, students can have their admission revoked if they do not meet their college’s grade requirements for their last semester in high school. Many colleges will check a student’s previous grades with their final semester in high school to see if their grades have dropped significantly. “If you’re an A student, a D or an F could
LILA SCHULMAN
Fearful of losing his college acceptance, this senior expresses sorrow at his low grade. certainly do it,” Bev Taylor, founder of The Ivy Coach, a college admissions counseling practice, said in a Huffington Post interview. “If you got some C’s, the college would probably just ask you to explain your grades and see if you had a valid reason for their drop.” In a recent poll of 101 Carlmont seniors conducted by the Carlmont Journalism Department, around 30 percent of the seniors believe their grades have slipped compared to the past three years. Senior Andrew Yazhgur, who has committed to California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), has kept himself motivated to keep his grades up.
On the contrary, failing core classes such as English and History can take away graduation day. “I realized that slacking off is not the best plan, so I picked up my game,” said Yazhgur. “I think realizing that early on this semester helped keep my grades at a normal level.” Another disadvantage to slacking off on senior classes is the lazy vibe that comes along with it. Seniors get lazy with their work during senior year and have a hard time picking up their motivation in college. “College classes are hard from what I’ve heard from other people,” said senior Kirra Loucks. “I don’t think there will be that much [more] homework, but the tests will probably be much harder. The content of the classes will probably be harder, but that’s because they are higher level classes than high school.” In the end, although it may seem like second semester of senior year is the best time to give up, it could seriously affect one’s future. “Mrs. Ramroth always tells us that we’re running a marathon, and that we’re down to the final mile,” said Moran. “We’re almost there, so we shouldn’t give up yet.”
“Well I know, at least for Cal Poly, and this might apply to many other colleges, that when a student is admitted to a college, they are ‘conditionally admitted,’ which means that they have to keep up a certain GPA, or finish each class with at least a C to have the ability to go to that college,” said Yazhgur. Low grades can also put a senior’s diploma and walking “When a student is admitted to privilege at risk. If a senior has enough credits, failing a college, they are ‘conditionally language classes and electives admitted,’ which means that they have will not affect graduating. to keep up a certain GPA, or finish “If you fail a class, you don’t receive your diploma each class with at least a C to have the on the day of graduation,” ability to go to that college.” said senior Alejandro Moran. “You can do summer school, Andrew Yazhgur but you miss out on the gradSenior uation experience.”
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The Highlander
April 2015
Immigrants forced to look in from the outside Sarah Schisla Staff Writer
An 11-year-old boy, a U.S. citizen, wrongfully detained for over a month. A woman forcibly returned to her abusive husband’s control without her attorney's knowledge. The rampant spread of tuberculosis and pneumonia among small children. These horrors may sound like scenes from a movie or news reports from a distant Third-World country, but the reality is that these injustices are occurring right here in the United States. When a spike in violence caused an exodus of refugees from Central America last year, the United States government responded by resuming the previously condemned practice of using family detention centers and rapid deportation, creating what some have called a humanitarian disaster. Last summer, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) opened a temporary facility in Artesia, New Mexico where detainees (mostly single mothers and children) faced poor living conditions and a lack of legal representation in their immigration proceedings. In September, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) appealed to Congress and the Obama administration, urging them to "close Artesia and to abandon the strategy of detaining and rapidly deporting families. Based on hundreds of interviews with these detained families that our expert lawyers have conducted, AILA has concluded that Artesia is a due process failure and a humanitarian disaster that cannot
LILA SCHULMAN
be fixed and must be closed immediately." Although those held in Artesia were recently moved to a permanent center in Dilley, Texas in mid-December, the conditions in the new facility are not significantly better. Director of Policy at the National Immigrant Justice Center Royce Bernstein Murray said, "Artesia was definitely family detention at its worst, but the Dilley center continues to have fundamental issues." Until the wave of immigrants from Central America last July, applicants seeking asylum in the United States who met a "credible fear" standard and proceeded through a "merits hearing" were generally released to live with family and friends while awaiting their final hearing. Given the recent influx of immigrants, the Obama Adminis-
tration has adopted an aggressive policy of detention and rapid deportation meant to deter potential immigrants, affecting even those currently residing in the detention centers. One such resident, Geraldyn Perez, said while living at the Artesia center, "I so regret coming. I had [this] huge will to come out ahead in this country, but that's gone here. I have nothing left." When the Administration's harsh approach was questioned last summer, it responded that the families could not be released, citing flight risk and a threat to public safety. However, the vast majority of the non-U.S. citizens being detained are women and children with family or friends in the United States, and many already have a "credible fear" claim verified by an immigration judge. Carlmont English teacher Erik
Migdail said, "These people are amongst the most vulnerable in their home societies. Now they've come here to a country that claims to protect its most vulnerable members only to find themselves the victims of politics. This seems exact opposite of what's inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty." In addition to humanitarian and psychological issues caused by confinement, the detention centers rack up quite a cost to American taxpayers. Congressman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia (Rep.) recently estimated that the construction of the Dilley center cost $500 million. Additionally, Murray said, "There are current assessments ranging from $266 a day to over $300 a day per person in the centers, while alternatives can cost between 17 cents and $17 per day." GPS ankle monitors are one of the more expensive alternatives,
although they are still significantly more cost effective than the detention centers. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has dubbed the Administration's approach a "blanket no-release policy," as even those with bona fide asylum claims are being detained for months or even years. Senior Matthew Allen said, “I think any deterrence policy is wrong. I think we are unnecessarily harsh toward those seeking freedom and a new beginning, which is the same thing our ancestors sought when they came here.” Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said to the Dilley inmates, "It will now be more likely that you will be apprehended; it will now be more likely that you will be detained and sent back." The higher deportation percentage anticipated by the Obama Administration is not meant to result from a decrease in legitimate asylum claims or an increase in apprehensions of non-U.S. citizens. It is expected that more immigrants, even those in need of political asylum, will be deported as a result of rushed legal proceedings. And yet, the Administration has chosen to go forth with the blanket no-release policy modeled by the detention center in Artesia. Migdail said, "It seems to be completely antithetical to the ideals America is supposed to stand for. These people came to our borders at great risk to themselves, seeking asylum under threat of rape or execution if they were to return to their home countries. Instead of being met with compassion, they have been met with incarceration."
Stigma against recreational marjuana collapses Ivy Nguyen Staff Writer
Fifteen, ten, or even five years ago, most people would not have expected marriage equality to be as widely accepted as it is today. It’s possible that marijuana is beginning to follow the same track. Marijuana, which was previously a taboo subject, might be on its way to being openly accepted. A 2013 poll conducted by the Field Research Corporation showed that a 55 percent majority of Californians approved marijuana legalization for the first time since researchers began tracking opinions on the issue in 1969. Similarly, according to a poll conducted by Carlmont journalism, 69.1 percent of 181 respondents said that marijuana should be legalized. Since the beginning of this debate, there has been a spectrum of different solutions, due to the numerous factors that can be taken into account, including taxation and safety. Senior James Xie emphasizes marijuana’s safety consequences. “Legalizing marijuana would garner millions in revenue, but it would also result in more deaths from accidents, especially vehicular ones,” he said. Many people are currently looking at Colorado and Washington, states that have
legalized marijuana, to see the effect of legalization. Xie said, “There was a government study in Colorado that showed that the number of fatal crashes solely involving marijuana hugely increased, compared to the rates of states in which marijuana isn’t legalized. Because of this, I think that legalizing marijuana is too big of a risk that we can’t handle.” Even so, others say that it's possible to prevent the safety issues through regulations. Senior Komei Wang said, “If California takes more precautions, it could work, and the tax money could be used for things like education," he said. Some states have been introducing bills that offer various methods for legalizing marijuana. One example is “The Initiative to Tax and Regulate Marijuana,” a Nevada measure that proposes legalizing possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for adults 21 years of age and older. Nevada’s Department of Taxation will be responsible for regulating marijuana and imposing a 15 percent tax on wholesale purchases. The revenue from the tax will fund K-12 education. A similar measure has been proposed in California. Although it is not anticipated to be passed any time soon, the Washington Post reported that “California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) would not comment on wheth-
19 states legalized marijuana for medical purposes
27 states have not legalized marijuana 4 states have legalized for recreational purposes LILA SCHULMAN
er he supports or opposes the measure.” Karen Ramroth, the government and economics teacher, noted the possible effect marijuana legalization would have on the United States' economy. "From a theoretical standpoint, taxes on marijuana would reduce the supply and raise prices for consumers. In addition, the government’s increased revenue could be used on a variety of areas," she said. The effects on law enforcement and prisons are also considerable factors. Ramroth said, "Legalizing marijuana would also reduce the costs of law enforce-
ment and prison systems. The money spent on catching drug users and dealers could be spent in other ways.” “That doesn't necessarily mean it is the right decision for the state or the country, but economically, I would say we would experience a net positive effect," she said. Although recreational marijuana used to be an unthinkable prospect, the movement to legalize it is becoming more prominent. With the changing times, marijuana may become something that is not only socially but also legally accepted.
FEATURES
April 2015
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The Highlander
Advance to go: College Board’s monopoly Aria Frangos Editor
Take AP classes and take the SAT, because they’re vitally, irrefutably important for college. Never mind the fact that the nonprofit, tax-exempt company’s president was set to make almost $750,000 in 2014. That isn’t part of the advertised appeal. The College Board was founded in 1900 to simplify admissions and expanding access to higher education in America, and AP exams have been administered since 1955. To be designated as AP, classes must be audited and approved by College Board. To earn college credit for these AP classes, students must take and pass the corresponding AP exam for a price of $91 each. Students often feel pressured to take as many AP (Advanced Placement) classes as possible due to their high reputation in education rather than an actual interest in advanced study in the subject. “I have definitely taken more than one class that I wouldn’t have otherwise if I wasn’t getting the AP credit in my GPA and transcripts for college,” said junior Suzanna Gevorgyan. “Not only do I get that credit, but AP classes tend to be concentrated with more serious students, which is an environment I prefer to normal classes.” While there are other ways to get early college credit, such as taking community college courses in the summer, a dual high school and community college enrollment, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) program like the one offered at Sequoia High School, the most common method is still
through taking AP classes and exams. AP test fees go toward funding the development and guidelines for higher-level classes and support for universities and AP teachers. Approximately one third of the $600 million revenue comes from test registration fees. According to Americans for Educational Testing Reform, the salaries of the 23 executives of College Board average around $355,270. Despite the fact that the curriculum is only an option developed by a private group, many view AP as a necessity to get into elite universities, as well as a way to save money on courses in college. “Colleges always look for AP classes whether they’re required or not,” said sophomore Celeste Hsu. “All my classes next year except choir are AP, although I’m probably going to drop the one I’m least interested in. I don’t think it’s worth the stress necessarily, but I’m just going to do it for college.” Some, however, are breaking away from the reach of College Board. In 2007, Scarsdale High School in New York phased out AP and substituted Advanced Topics (AT) courses instead. Scarsdale School District spent $40,000 paying professors from top universities to develop the AT curriculum. AT differs from AP in that it spends longer on individual topics in efforts to allow students to more fully understand and digest the material, rather than adhering to the strict timeline of study needed to complete an AP exam in May. After dropping AP courses
in favor of AT, despite some of Scarsdale’s AP test scores dipping slightly, 49 percent of the next class who graduated attended the most competitive colleges in America as identified by Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges. “I think it’s a step in the right direction in moving away from score-based education in favor of more interest-based education that actually matters,” said senior Sita Chandrasekaran. “Would I have taken AP Euro [sic] if it hadn’t given me college credit? Probably not. But if I could have taken an accelerated science, AP or not, I think that would have helped me more.” College Board is very prominent in American education, but instances like the AT replacing AP in Scarsdale show that AP is
not as vital as many students and parents view it to be. According to the college admissions counseling service The Ivy Coach, many of the most competitive colleges are now looking for more “angular” rather than “wellrounded” students, which includes those who focus on classes, community service, activities or clubs that center around a common theme. The Ivy Coach says that the desired applicant to highly selective schools is not one with many qualifications and talents, but rather one who shows a singular talent, focus, passion, and motivation. “Part of college is finding out what you want to do with your life,” said junior Jasmine Davidson. “High school kids who don’t
LILA SCHULMAN
know our interests yet and want to try it all are turning ourselves into the ‘well-rounded’ type of student. It seems odd to be penalized for not knowing what course to take for the rest of your life before college.” For this reason, taking a slew of AP courses for credit and application purposes may not be as beneficial as many may think they are. While adding stress and detracting from time spent on subjects of actual interest in order to take multiple APs may not be as useful as the angular approach of a few focused interests, hundreds of thousands of students continue to take AP exams annually. As it stands, College Board’s eminence in education may not necessarily prove it to be the good choice that students believe it is.
Iran has been cast as the arch-nemesis of U.S.A. Bijan Khalili Staff Writer
America, the superhero of the world trying to fight off the dangerous villains of Iran. This is how we depict the nations of America and Iran. So why is Iran stereotyped as being the bad guy? “I think a lot of our influence is based on the media propaganda that often portrays Iran and other countries badly and people believe it,” said junior Gabi Dimick. Last month, Benjamin Netanyahu from the Israeli Parliament said, "The difference is that ISIS is armed with butcher knives, captured weapons and YouTube, whereas Iran could soon be armed with intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear bombs." Looking at the past, Iran and America didn’t always see eye to eye. “From America’s perspective we supported a really bad dictator over there and that was tied up with the Cold War. In 1979 a government came to power that we really disagreed with and took Americans hostage for a year and put them on our bad side,” said International Relations teacher Jarrod Harrison. After the Iranian dictator Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, supported by the U.S., was
LILA SCHULMAN
overthrown in the Iranian Revolution, all the tides turned and America started supporting the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. The same Hussein whom the U.S. made public enemy number one and subsequently killed in 2006. Saddam was the knight in shining armor, and Iran was the dragon that needed to be slain. In September 1980, Iraq invaded Iran, beginning the eight year long war. Throughout the war, the Americans looked to aid Iraq. December 1982, Hughes Aircraft sent 60 Defender helicopters to
Iraq according to the Iran Chamber Society. Again in October 1983, the Reagan Administration began secretly allowing Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Egypt to transfer United States weapons, including Howitzers, Huey helicopters, and bombs to Iraq violating the Arms Export Control Act. In July 1984, The CIA began giving Iraq intelligence necessary to calibrate its mustard gas attacks on Iranian troops. The list goes on.
The conflict nowadays seem to be over nuclear weapons. “Lately, I’d say the big thing is they’re [Iran] claiming that they want to develop nuclear power for peaceful reasons probably for a nuclear bomb to secure them from possible invasion and so both Europe and the U.S. feel threatened by that,” said Harrison. Nine nations have nuclear arsenals including the United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea. U.S. has the second most nuclear weapons in the world with 7,315 warheads yet, Iran is the threat. “If you actually go to Iran, you would not see angry people who would give you dirty looks, it’s actually the complete opposite. For the most part, if you are American they would be excited to see you,” said senior Soha Said. What they know is what the media shows them not knowing the true story of Iran and its people. "Where I come from, we have a rich culture. Everyone is so outgoing and welcoming. We're not like the angry terrorist that you would see on the news," said senior Parsa Padidar. Although portrayed as the villains, Iranian people are just like any other people of Belmont or San Carlos with feelings, desires, and morality.
OPINION
Page 22
The Highlander
April 2015
Domi-Nation Can you afford your dreams? Dominic Gialdini Editor
“Blessed is he that can laugh at himself, he will never cease to be amused.”- Anonymous
COLLEGE COSTS HAVE HIKED UP SINCE 1960
Explore your college options
“I’m going to Berkeley. I’m too good for anything less.” “Well, I’m going to Harvard; I got a 2390 on my SAT.” “I win — I’m going to Stanford, and I got a 2600 on my SAT (yes, I got a higher than perfect score) and a full ride.” These people sound like competitive buttfaces, don’t they? Then don’t act like them. Seniors, we are all too aware that final college acceptances have rolled in; in the dwindling weeks of April, we must finalize our decisions of where we are to go for the next four years. We’re acquainted with the hierarchy of universities that range from those we believe will gild our futures to the ones that lead to careers at McDonald’s. For the academically gifted, the former is the only acceptable option. Why? There are multitudes of reputable institutions, and yet we, and our society, have resigned ourselves to intellectual snobbery; the only college worth getting into is a prestigious, elitist, selective one. We scoff at those who settle for state schools and, God forbid, community college. The whole selection process has been made abhorable; students buy into what everyone else says. I’m tired of hearing people saying that they are too good for state schools or that they would never be caught dead at a certain university because it is way too easy to get into. Newsflash: just because 30,000 people don’t get rejected, it doesn’t mean that a school is academically unsatisfactory. Surely the likelihood of one’s happiness should be one of the top priorities when selecting a college. And yet, so many people would rather get into a cutthroat Ivy League even if it isn’t really compatible with their needs. Some who realize this “dream” are among the most unhappy and desperate. It takes no more than a little research of the suicide statistics at top universities to understand the horrible, horrible pressure that is exerted on, and almost sadistically welcomed by, naive newly accepted applicants. Many of us have fantasized about that one school that would cause the clouds to part and a chorus of heavenly beings to sing “hallelujah” (not the one in “Shrek,” but the one that’s played whenever something spectacular occurs). However, possibly the worst thing to do would be to close one’s mind off to any alternatives. If you asked me last summer where I planned to go, I’d have definitively stated that I’d attend the International University of Monaco. I was enamored with and couldn’t wait to return to the bizarre principality where the fabulously rich flaunt what they have, walking about with noses in the air and sticks up their — well, you get it. I’d also be old enough to get into the Monte Carlo casino that I had been kicked out of (twice — but that’s a different story). From August on, I was infatuated with the University of Notre Dame; the Golden Dome, the Fighting Irish, the incredible location in the middle of nowhere (by the Amish!). Only recently (in April, actually) did I make my final decision to attend Fordham University in Manhattan; it had everything that I was looking for. My decision was reaffirmed when Notre Dame so kindly informed me that I earned a spot on their wait list (after being deferred in December; thanks, Notre Dame!). Who wants to spend four years wandering through cornfields, anyway? My point is, college decisions should be fluid and people should be open to exploring more options. Don’t nail yourselves down to one university without at least considering other options and weighing the benefits and setbacks that are found everywhere, even at the greatest schools. Don’t avoid certain schools because they are relatively easier to get into (as I almost did with Fordham, until I swallowed my pride and thought about what truly mattered). The college application system is despicable. The top tier schools reject and demoralize so many people. Don’t let it get to you. And if you did get into your top choice, don’t let it go to your head. Come graduation, when I walk down the aisle with a big FU atop my cap for all of Carlmont to see (for Fordham University, of course), I will be nothing but proud. Whether you go to CSM or Harvard, I hope that you are too, because you are taking the initiative to better yourself. In your final weeks of contemplation, I urge you to select not the institution with the highest rankings, but the one that truly fits your needs.
Kat Savin Staff Writer Do you remember always being asked in kindergarten and elementary school the inevitable, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When answering that question, did you ever think of the cost of achieving that dream? Living in a very affluent area, Belmont and San Carlos residents make a median household income of about $110,000 a year. In order to qualify for financial aid, a student’s household income usually averages at around $50,000 maximum, excluding students of high academic or athletic achievement. So then what about the middle class? What about the families who make enough money to be “well-off ” enough to not qualify for financial aid, yet can’t afford the cost of a university? With tuitions estimated to rise 5 percent each year, affording your dream college seems to become more and more like a dream. I have always dreamed of attending New York University. After visiting New York City, I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else. The big buildings, busy people, beautiful sights, endless amounts of opportunity; it seemed like the perfect place for me to begin pursuing my dreams. It costs me $66,000 per year to live my dreams. (Not including flights from California to New York for breaks). I have been lucky enough to grow up in a family that is pretty “well-off,” my parents are able to take care of my brother and me without difficulty, money has never really been an obstacle. Since my family is middle class, I unfortunately do not qualify for financial aid nor do I qualify for most scholarships which state “Students who require high financial
VERONIKA DVORAKOVA
need.” No, I don’t “require high financial need” but my family can’t afford to pay for an out of state or in state university up front, along with many other of my classmates. We’ve always been told that after graduating high school we will have the independence to do whatever we want. We can go to college, pursue careers, become the adult we aspire to be. We have been told over and over that we have the power to succeed, but really is it us or is it our money holding that power? According to the U.S. Department of Education, around 81 percent of students attending college took out student loans for the 2014 school year. Those who have already graduated college and took out student loans would average at about $28,400 in debt. Is that what I have to do to afford my dreams? Take out thousands of dollars in loans to only be in debt, is it worth it? I plan to major in Media Studies which branches off of the Communications major and according to Forbes, the average starting salary is $43,000. Nowadays, it has become more and more common to take out student loans because it is the only way for students to afford the increasing college tuition. But, with a $43,000 starting salary (If I’m lucky enough to get a job right out of college), how long will it take me to pay back my loans? Our generation must evaluate the financial impact of our dreams before becoming too excited with pursuing them. The most important thing I have learned from the whole college application experience is to incorporate price as a leading factor when choosing colleges to apply to. I know that I and a lot of my other classmates wish we did give ourselves more options and considered money. Avoiding that would have saved a lot of seniors the immediate worry and stress after the excitement of being accepted into your dream college.
VERONIKA DVORAKOVA
OPINION
April 2015
Page 23
The Highlander
Editorial: show some respect Mike’s Corner The culmination of four years of sleep deprivation, homework, and hard work can end in rejection. Even the hardest working students can face the reality of rejection. Applying to colleges isn’t what is was when our parents applied. It’s far more competitive; this year Stanford hit a record low for admissions rate: 5 percent. That means that 95 percent of their applicants, many of whom are highly qualified, were turned away. Although many rejection letters this year come with a nice, “we had a record amount of applicants” or a “you are highly qualified” that doesn’t take away from the fact that it was a rejection. Quite frankly, rejections can feel like a slap in the face. A rejection from a college hurts. It’s the fact that the school you could see yourself at couldn’t see you there, or that they didn’t think that you worked hard enough over the four years at high school. I think the worst part of it all isn’t being angry or upset or disappointed, it’s feeling inadequate. Rejection hurts. On top of that, as teenagers in the 21st century we live in a world where news from across the world is readily available at our fingertips. It makes the temptation to log in to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and post away about our college admittances very high. Many students can’t contain
their excitement and immediately after seeing they made it into their Dream School they decide to post it. I understand. I truly do. However, think. As you get into your Dream School, a lot of other people don’t. Rejection hurts enough as it is, but taking to social media while the wound of rejection for others is fresh is just hurtful. It feels like a slap in the face from the people that you have worked hard with. Nothing stings more in a rejection than knowing the people you’ve worked side by side with, had study groups with, and shared sympathy with got into the school you didn’t. It makes that feeling of inadequacy far worse. So while I give you my biggest congratulations on getting into your top school, be respectful. There are many people who are so proud of what you’ve accomplished, but think about those people who don’t get to celebrate in that exact moment. Those people will get into another school that will make them happy, but in that moment they don’t have anything to celebrate. They are swimming in feelings of inadequacy. We’ve all worked hard, we’ve suffered together, so let’s extend some respect and wait until May 1st when we can all celebrate together.
I have white privilege EMMA LIN
Kristen Friis Business Manager I am trying to figure out what I can do as a white privileged person. The answer may be that there is nothing that I can do, but is it worth trying? I am white. I am aware of all the privileges that I have. Even though it is not possible for me to relate to or understand what privileges people don’t have or what marginalized groups have gone through, I want to help. I have struggles of my own. I am a woman, which can be considered a minority in today’s society. I am aware that I am a white person living in a two story house in the Bay Area, one of the nicest places to live in California. I am aware that I am part of a middle-class family with two loving parents, and that I have my own car to drive myself to school everyday. I am aware that I can walk across campus with ease and it might be easier for me to get a job. I am aware that I am not considered a threat to most people because of my skin color, and that people do not develop certain prejudices when they see me. If I, as well as other white people, are aware of these privileges, then is it still okay for people to say that they “hate white people,” or more generally, stereotype all white people in a certain negative way? It is possible to put down a white person by stereotyping them and generalizing them by their skin color, but it is not racist due to the fact that they have not endured oppression and disadvantage. I personally do not think the phrase “I hate white people” is particularly racist due to the fact that white American people are not and have never been systematically oppressed, though some people believe “reverse-racism” exists. According to Louis P. Pojman, the author of “The Case Against Affirmative Action,” reverse racism is defined as
“discrimination against white persons resulting from preferential policies intended to remedy past discrimination against minorities.” I see the phrase “I hate white people” as well as many other similar phrases all over social media. I often see things such as “can white people stop doing this?” or “why do white people do that?” And yes, there are many jokes about white people that even I think are funny, like that we can’t dance or we have thinly shaped lips or that we love mayonnaise. But it is still difficult for me to understand, because even though there are white people who are aware of their privileges and try to use them for good, there is still a generalization of the stereotypical “white person” who is characterized as ignorant and unable to understand other’s perspectives. And even though that may be true, there are still white people who want to help. Is it fair to generalize people who are willing to support and help others under the large umbrella of “all ignorant white people?” In today’s world the society of our youth is taught to advocate against stereotypes. There are stereotypes regarding race, gender, religion and anything that can be classified as out of the ordinary. I know that I can never understand what marginalized groups have gone through and I’m not trying to necessarily understand that, but I’d rather support and help the people that face these issues. With that being said, it bothers me to see negative posts about generalized “white people,” because many white people really do want to help. Stereotyping, no matter who is it toward, is not the right thing to do. I simply ask that people understand that there are white people who are really trying, and that it isn’t appropriate to be generalized as a stereotypical white person. With that being said, I also ask that white people try harder to support and help those who have less privilege. If we really want to strive for social equality, the first step is to realize that along with racism, we need to be aware of avoiding generalizing and stereotyping.
Michael Bastaki Editor
“Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”- John Wooden
Lies the media tells
Is that true or did you hear it on the news? In a nation where respected media outlets were once so closely followed, there’s now a growing trend to move away from mainstream news outlets. Truth of the matter is, people just don’t trust the news anymore. And they shouldn’t. Brian Williams and Bill O’Reilly are not the first news broadcasters to distort the truth. Nor will they be the last. However, these two powerful men represent a growing problem that news outlets are facing: they just can’t keep reader’s attention. According to a study done by Chartbeat, 55 percent of all readers spend less than 15 seconds on a newspage before they click away. This helps explain why the society we live in feeds off of sensationalized headlines. We need something really interesting, powerful, and moving in order to stay focused. If we don’t get “hooked” by the title, then there’s no way that we will read the article. Now here’s where Brian Williams and Bill O’Reilly come in. Both these men are paid enormous salaries by news corporations (NBC and FOX respectively) to attract viewers. Brian Williams makes $14 million a year to do this job, and Bill O’Reilly makes $20 million to do his. Both these men are in high-pressure jobs, and definitely feel the need to continue to attract viewers in order to create profits for their employers. Both these men also have a complete lack of a conscience, and are willing to do anything in order to create profits for their employers. As for Brian Williams, he has lied numerous times. Most infamously, there was the January 30, 2015 podcast that was dubbed “Choppergate.” Brian Williams said that there was, “a terrible moment a dozen years back during the invasion of Iraq when the helicopter we were traveling in was forced down after being hit by an RPG.” The pilot of that helicopter later came out and said that not only was their chopper never hit by an RPG, but that they weren’t even in the same division of the army that the downed chopper was in. Williams is also dogged by other claims of dishonesty. He claimed to have seen people lying facedown in the water after Hurricane Katrina (even though the area he was stationed in wasn’t heavily flooded) and he also claimed to have received dysentery (whereas the hospital had no reports of anyone being infected with dysentery). As for O’Reilly, his big lie revolves around his alleged combat story during the 1982 Falklands War. O’Reilly claimed that, “I was in a situation one time, in a war zone in Argentina, in the Falklands, where my photographer got run down and then hit his head and was bleeding from the ear on the concrete.” His claim was quickly rebuffed by his superior at the time, CBS Producer Susan Zirinsky, who said that no CBS reporter was ever stationed on the Falklands Island. Both of these men lied for a simple reason: they knew that their lies would attract viewers. Nobody would spend more than 15 seconds on a news piece that talked about an uneventful flight on a helicopter. Nobody would spend more than 15 seconds on a news piece that reported on a war while the reporter was stationed thousands of miles away. And the future doesn’t bode well for these massive news corporations. A Nielsen report found that the three major nightly newscasts have seen their ratings decline by 34 percent in the past decade. With fewer profits, more and more news reporters and broadcasters will be put in the uncomfortable situation of having to decide whether or not to fabricate stories in order to get profit curves back on track. And when this happens, will you be able to catch all the lies that your media is telling you?
Page 24
The Highlander
April 2015
March 28, 2015
March 28, 2015
RIP
March 28, 2015
Death Died
March 28, 2015 Unlike · Comment
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RIP RIP Sorry about your loss. Call me soon. Miss you!
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Alisa Takahashi
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April 3, 2015
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Alisa Takahashi
We learn a tragedy on social media, and we react in a way that is appropriate for that medium; we see the bad news, we share the bad to the next story. April 3, 2015 This forces people to decide where the line is drawn between what’s acceptable to share on social media and what’s considered too pe In the age of social media, everyone can be an obituary writer. to becreates that as social media continuesdifferent to invade our lives, makes sense that people post about topics ranging from what they ate for breakfast to the death of a loved one. "DeathThe inconsensus social seems media an entirely kindit only of experience thanwillwe've ever In the age of social media, everyone can be an obituary writer. Postingphenomenon about the loss of a loved one on a so impersonally casuFacebook claims to have 500 million active users, scores of whom die every day. The social networking has fundamentally changed theplatform way we mourn as individuals, and families and really had before," says Jed Brubaker, a PhD Candidate at theally, University of California at Irvine. The consensus seems to be that as social media continues to invade our lives, like on Facebook, can trivialize the death, taking away the good intentions communities. it only makes sense that people will post about topics ranging from what they ate of the original post. As ourFacebook generation becomes increasingly comfortable with sharing more ofsympathy ourselves online, to toremain conscious of what postings have to a drop in card sales of as muchitasis 30important percent, according the New York Times. for breakfast to the death of alargely lovedreplaced one. marathon phone-calls and gravesite visits, and have led “If you post about someone’s death or your divorce, it’s not that different from A deceased person's Facebook page becomes a virtual condolence book; a public, communal mourning place that gives everyone processing a shared loss a place to gather and grieve together. Facebook claims to have 500 million active users, scores of whom die every typing, ‘I’m going to Starbucks,’” said freshman Nicole Tin. post. day. The But social networking phenomenon hasinto fundamentally thebeen waysowe ourthat society’s a use wallit post ismost not the same thing Facebook and social mediaÕs inÞltration every aspect ofchanged our lives has quick andDespite widespread there arefixation no rules on yet social for how media, to properly at life's difÞcult moments. Usingassocial media to broadcast the news of a tragedy is a good to help a community, but mourn individuals, families and communities. as away sympathy cardinform and should not be seen as a aone-click substitutioncondolences for personally don’t help We learn a tragedy on social media, and we react in a way that is appropriate for that medium; we see the bad news, we share the bad news—or we “like” or “retweet” or “favorite”—and then we move on postings have largely replaced marathon phone-calls reaching outtake to those in mourning. InFacebook fact,toittheaccelerates and degrades a social norm and thatgravesite would otherwise several weeks: sending heartfelt letters, sharing memories next story. visits, andThis have led to a drop in sympathy card sales of as much as 30 percent, “People need to be carefultoo about what they post on social media. Especially forces people to decide where the line is drawn between what’s acceptable to share on social media and what’s considered personal. to help"Death sort or mail. according to theinpaperwork New when they post about such a sensitive topic as death,” said freshman Hazel Lam. social York mediaTimes. creates an entirely different kind of experience than we've ever deceased person’s Facebook pageabecomes a virtual condolence book;ataIrvine. 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Just asDespite social mediaÞxation hasonthe potential to increase awareness of anand event, it be has theaat potential trivialize it as towell. our societyÕs social media, post isbetween not the same thing as a sympathy card should seen asthe a substitution personally reaching those in mourning. This forces people to decide where the lineaiswall drawn what’s acceptSocial medianot expedites mourningforprocess but offersoutlittle process to the “People need toor be careful about whatathey post onbecomes social Especially when they post about such sensitive topic as rises. death,” said freshman Hazel Lam. If showing care interest in death popularized, thegrieving. risk ofa insincerity able to share on social media and what’s considered toomedia. personal. as socialmedia media has the potential to increase awareness of an it has the than potential to trivialize it as well. “DeathJust in social creates an entirely different of event, experience “If the immediate family has not made the announcement in that space, you The skill of Facebooking it comes tokind both good and bad news is in the timing, and the simple step of double-checking before click If showing care or interest in a when death becomes popularized, the risk of insincerity rises. we’ve ever should wait,” said sophomore Spencer Enriquez. The skill of Facebooking when it comes to both good and bad news is in the timing, and the simple step of double-checking before clicking the post or send button. reallygeneral had before,” says Brubaker, a PhD Candidate at the University Informing peopleaofsocial any kind of newsetiquette is best donefocus in the most personal of manÒThe rule of Jed thumb is donÕt scoop important news,Ó ofDaniel Senning, media at The Emily Post Institute s ÒThe general rule of thumb is donÕt scoop important news,Ó Daniel Senning, a social media etiquette focus at The Emily Post Institute said. California at Irvine. ners, whether that be the ideal face-to-face setting, on the phone or a private Social media expedites the mourning process but offers little process grieving. Social media expedites the mourning process butto the offers the grieving. As our generation becomes increasingly comfortable with sharing more oflittle our- process electronic to message. ÒIf the immediate family has not made the announcement in that space, you should wait,Ó said sophomore Spencer Enriquez. selves it is important to remain conscious of the what exactly is being posted The Emily Post Institute has seen a feworpractical and proactive tech tricks that ÒIf theonline, immediate family made announcement in that should wait,Ó said sophomore Enriquez. Informing people of any kind has of newsnot is best done in the most personal of manners, whether thatspace, be the idealyou face-to-face setting, on the phone a private electronic Spencer message. and whatThe someone’s reaction might be to the post. help avoid Family such situations. Family members can turn off walls, the comEmily Post Institute has seen a few practical and proactive tech tricks that help avoid such situations. members or individuals can turn off or theindividuals comment capability on their or in order to Informing people anyquickly kind of news is bestthey done inway the personal of on manners, bea piece the ideal face-to-face Using social media toof broadcast the news a tragedy a can good to most help capability their walls,whether or in order that to send of information quickly tosetting, on th send a piece of information to a large of group of people is create a private groupment message. inform a community, but one-click condolences don’t help people deal with loss. a large group of people they can create a private group message. The bottom lineInstitute is that Facebook, its pictures of lunch, congratulatory engagement posts, baby announcements andhelp messages of a friend’s is here to stay and only members growing more and The Emily Post haswithseen a few practical and proactive tech tricks that avoid suchpassing, situations. Family ormore individua In fact,rooted it accelerates and degrades a social norm that would otherwise take The bottom line is that Facebook, with its pictures of lunch, congratulatory enin our interactions with other people. send a piece of quickly to a large group of they create a private groupand message. several weeks: sending heartfelt letters, sharing memories person, gagement baby announcements messages of a friend’s passing, is “It’s another toolinformation we have at our disposal,” Senning said. “We in have to learneven howpeople toshowuse that tool with can someposts, intelligence.” ing support by spending a few hours together to help sort paperwork or mail. here to stay and only growing more and more rooted in our interactions with other The bottom is that Facebook, with its pictures of lunch, congratulatory engagement posts, baby announcements and messages of · line Comment Share “I thinkLike it’s okay to share loss· of loved ones on Facebook because it’s a fast people. way to tellinsomeone if there’s no way tell them face to face,” said freshman “It’s another tool we have at our disposal,” Senning said. “We have to learn how rooted our interactions withtoother people. Miya Okumura. to use that tool with some intelligence.” “It’s another tool we have at our disposal,” Senning said. “We have to learn how to use that tool with some intelligence.”
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