September 2016 Stentorian

the VOLUME XXVIII, ISSUE 2

STENTORIAN NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS

SEPTEMBER 2016

Students Chosen to Represent Class as Junior Senators By the 2016-17 Junior Senators The junior class recently elected six new senators: Wesley Block, Lu Cao, Giovani (Gio) Leone, Shiv Patel, Aman Singh, and Stephanie Yao. The first election season of the year lasted for about three weeks.

Nominations opened on August 24th, and during this time period, any junior could be nominated or nominate him or herself to run for junior senator. Primary elections were held on September 7th, after which the top twelve candidates with the most votes moved on to the final elections held on Wednesday, September 14th.

These candidates presented speeches in the ETC auditorium before voting began later in the evening, and juniors who chose to attend were allowed to leave supervised study. In the end, there was about a 75% voter turnout, which was not as high as last year’s turnout.

Below, introductions by the senators: Wesley Block: I first want to thank everyone who voted for me. I won’t let you down!

To anyone who didn’t, I’m going to dedicate myself this year to making you question that decision. We’re going to become an even tighter community, a UNIStampede that achieves the goals it sets for itself. We’re going to improve

CRISTOPHER ALVARADO

Junior Senators, from left: Wesley Block, Stephanie Yao, Lu Cao, Giovani Leone, Aman Singh and Shiv Patel. our campus, our community, and make student life the stuff of legend! I’ll be working to lengthen library and PEC hours and to plan fun events for us to enjoy. I served on student council my freshman year and was class president sophomore year, and because I love getting involved in tons of activities, I’m in the school play, rocketry club, NSBE, improv comedy and SMUF, just to name a few! I’m so excited to be at NCSSM and am honored to have been chosen to represent you!

Lu Cao: I have lived in Cary, NC for my entire life and previously attended Green Hope High School, where I was actively involved in the Key Club and Student Council, holding the vice

president and president positions respectively. In my free time, I enjoy playing violin and play in various chamber groups and orchestras. I also play tennis but unfortunately no longer have the time to compete in USTA tournaments. This past Summer, I attended the North Carolina Governor’s School West, which was probably the greatest experience of my life. I also have an older sister who is a Class of 2014 alumna.

Although I’ve only been at NCSSM for a couple of weeks, I’ve tried to immerse myself in the campus life and community as much as possible.

I’m currently involved with ACC, HOSA, DECA, SPEAK, KWave, Enthalpy, TSA, Rocketry, Key Club, Chamber Music, and Speech and Debate.

As a Junior Senator, my main goal is to work as hard as possible in order to reach and exceed the goals of my assigned committees while taking initiative to follow through with the ideas on my campaign platform such as the Human Library, interhall health competition, and schoolwide stress relief stations. With such a unique and diverse student body, we can unite to make improvements to our community and institution. I’m looking forward to a great year!

Giovani Leone: You can call me Gio, and I live on 2nd East Hunt. I am originally from the state of Connecticut in New England, and I moved to Leland, NC (across the Cape Fear River from Wilmington) in 2011. I am really into mathematics and physics, but I am also interested

in politics and foreign affairs and in running for political office in the future. I enjoy playing the trumpet and piano, listening to music, jazz, socializing and playing spikeball. My favorite color is green and my favorite restaurant in the area is Maggiano’s Little Italy. This year, my goals in Student Government are to strengthen school pride and bring the NCSSM community closer together. My plan is to create a group that will meet once a week so that students can support each other through the hardships of school and to create our first school Alma Mater. As your class senator, my willingness to advocate for you and represent you will be beyond passionate; I will do everything in my power to make sure that your voice will never be smothered. It will always be the motivation to everything I do to further the development of our institution.

Shiv Patel: First, some background information: I was born and raised in Burlington, NC, about forty minutes away from NCSSM. I’m living on 3rd East this year with two amazing roommates, Vibhu Ambil and George Dimitrov. I’m currently on the cross country team and I like playing tennis and basketball in my Continued on Page 3

Students Compete in Hall Olympics

By JULIA WANG On Labor Day night, five halls gathered for the opening ceremony of a special NCSSM tradition: The Interhall Olympics. This year, five halls signed up to participate: 1E2E2D, 1C2C1D, Ground Reynolds, Second West, and First Hunt. A parade serenaded from Hill House down to Royall. Chancellor Todd Roberts was present to light the torch.

An event was planned at 7 p.m. each day from Tuesday until Saturday. Each of them fell into one of the five hall activity categories: cultural, social, emotional, athletic, and intellectual. Tuesday’s cultural event involved games from all over the world combined into a relay, the first of which involved propelling a marble on a string into a cup.

Second, participants played

“rock, paper, scissors” with “ant, elephant, man” as substitutes for words. Next, contestants engaged in an egg beating contest to see which of two eggs would survive a collision. The grand finale was a marble toss, which Adithi Rao, ‘18, considered “very challenging; but, the competitive spirit made the event exceptional.”

Reynolds 1E2E2D Residential Life Assistants (RLAs) put together a fabulous social scavenger hunt for Wednesday night.

The goal was to accumulate the most points from a list of tasks. Participants took photos on a designated phone to prove the completion of tasks.

Maggie Mundt, ‘18, reflects: “I really enjoyed this activity because it was a nice team building exercise: from having to make a human

SUE ANNE LEWIS

Reynolds 1E2E2D participated in the 2016 Hall Olympics. pyramid to having to take pictures with strangers, we all laughed and ran as hard as we could.”

On Thursday, students engaged in an emotional event.

Students were challenged to memorize a personality chart used by Yale. They were given 30 seconds to commit the chart to memory and then raced to see who could swap the pieces on the team board to match the

model graph.

Kimberly Baxter, ‘17, recalled: “Unfortunately, our board broke, so we didn’t get much of a chance.”

Friday night’s dodgeball game consisted of multiple rounds in the PEC wrestling room. Long story short, the boys dominated. Their teamwork, speed, and powerful thrusts were impressive. Tasneem Essader, ‘17, sums the game up in two

words: “it [was] intense.”

To end the games, Student Life Instructor (SLI) Ross Knight executed an exclusive trivia tournament in the music room on Saturday night.

Knight had four rounds of esoteric questions prepared for the contestants, the first of which was to guess who stated a quote or to finish a quote with given words.

The second round was jeopardy-style. The category? Geek games.

Third, contestants were challenged with finding connections among four words or pictures. Finally, to finish off, words were shown without their vowels and with their consonants randomly spaced apart. For example, “ST PH NH WKN GND THR TCL PH SCS” is decoded as “Stephen Hawking and Theoretical Physics”.

2

NEWS & OPINION

September 2016

The Stentorian | NCSSM

6.2 Magnitude Italy Earthquake Kills 247

By MARGAUX WINTER From November 30 to December 12, over 190 countries were involved in the Paris Climate Summit (COP21). This two-week meeting took place in Paris and was comprised of open discussion and debate over the international political response to climate change.

The main goal of the convention was to set up a universal framework to stabilize atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gasses (GHGs).

The objectives for COP21 included revising the Kyoto Protocol implemented in COP3 and the Montreal Action Plan from COP11. The Kyoto Protocol aims to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions based on the fact that global warming exists and is caused by man-made CO2 emission.

The protocol recommends a decrease in CO2 levels for industrialized countries, specifically suggesting an eventual collective reduction of CO2 emissions by 5.2% as compared to levels during 1990.

The Montreal Action Plan was an agreement to extend the Kyoto Protocol beyond its initial expiration of 2012.

Both of these treaties were not legally binding, which allowed for countries to continue emitting any amount of CO2 without repercussions.

Originally, the conference was set to end on December 11, but lack of a final resolution extended the conference for an extra day. One of the most important aspects of a resolution at COP21 is its ability to be properly and completely executed. The final

ALBERTO PIZOLLI/AFP/GETTY IMAGES: CNN

World leaders meet in Paris to discuss the ever-growing concern of global climate change. paper had to access and respond to the issue of increasing CO2 emissions, while creating a manageable plan for both developing and developed countries. Furthermore, a country’s government had to be receptive to the idea.

Domestic politics created many issues while forming the COP21 draft text. The United States Senate has stated that it refuses to sign a legally binding international agreement. This statement upset many of the smaller, less economically secure countries that are greatly affected by climate change. Without legal enforcement, some countries believe that the United States may ignore and defy CO2 emission limits that are decided upon at the climate summit.

As a developing nation, the

Chinese government believes that its reliance on industry should provide a reason for the continuation of GHG emissions.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, China releases the most GHGs out of any country, allowing little room for growth. Other developing nations have similar problems, which dragged out the debate.

On the other hand, countries like Germany, Sweden and Denmark set an example for the rest of the world. Germany receives 78% of its electricity as well as many of its other energy expenditures from renewable sources. These countries have national initiatives to expand renewable energy and have passed meaningful legislation and significant progress in

lowering carbon emissions and increasing renewability.

Although these countries are making significant progress, they are not making a large impact.

Many of these countries are small in size and have small economies. While their efforts are important, their relatively small sizes do not call for immediate action in energy compared to larger countries.

Despite much speculation, a final agreement was reached.

This resolution, which is now being hailed as historic, unites almost 200 countries in an effort to diminish GHG emissions. The agreement aims to keep global temperatures well below 2.0˚C above pre-industrial temperatures.

However, although this goal is a vital step for climate change,

it may not be attainable unless drastic changes are made in CO2 emissions around the globe.

The agreement also aims to mitigate the GHGs emitted via human activity to the level that natural sinks can absorb from 2050 and 2100, reviewing each country’s progress in cutting CO2 emissions every five years and encouraging richer countries to help poorer countries switch to renewable energy sources.

The agreement is not binding, but it has opened dialogues about political action towards climate change. Countries need to take action and create plans to follow through with the statements made at COP21.

Without serious commitment and contribution from each

Reflections on Junior Adjustment

By TIFFANY PREDA Adjustment to a new way of living plays a major part in the lives of a incoming juniors who are filled with sporadic thoughts of what should be done next.

The common things running through the minds of new juniors involve academic planning, stress, and campus activities.

Questions and statements that roam the halls include: “I hope I’ll be able to do this.” “Why do I have so much to do?” and “When’s the next party?”

Although so many different thoughts circulate campus, coming to NCSSM is considered the opportunity a lifetime to many of the juniors. From the start, plenty of juniors worry about whether or not they will assimilate into the crowd. They wonder if they will end up with homesickness, or even why they are here.

The truth is that all of these things result in both excitement

MICHAEL CARTER

Juniors choose treats at the 2016 Ice Cream Social. and nervousness in every situation, varying with each junior on campus.

All of the juniors are in the same boat at the start of this school year. Being a newbie in a strange environment can be nerve racking, but many juniors are feeling the same way about the stress of the work load, the anticipation of the hall activities, and the want of numerous life­long friends.

Also, the hundreds of NCSSM students here are

here for a reason, and every individual has arrived with talents and interests, which they can use to find a close group of like-minded individuals.

N C S S M ’s c a m p u s h a s countless clubs and interest groups that will let juniors express themselves and get involved in whatever they love to do. Stephanie Yao, a current junior, recommended to “go to as many campus events and talk to as many people as possible.” This task is

undoubtedly possible since the weeks and weekends are filled with never­-ending opportunities for students to take part in campus activities, including Happy Half which is a fan favorite for socializing.

Felice Policastro, a junior, stated, “My transition was really smooth. I went to all of the social events and met so many new people. Some people struggled, but that may have been based on different personalities.”

Also, each member of faculty is known to be very welcoming and to be truly looking out for every student’s best interests.

They are always there to offer advice if the students feel the need for it. Having such an incredible support team of adults and other students, as well as forming healthy relationships, have helped make the adjustment for juniors at least a little bit easier.

Time management is a major factor in helping juniors focus

on what is in front of them without the inconvenience of too many distractions.

Junior Nina Yao says that “students are looking for a bit more organization throughout the year, something that would make time management a little less stressful.”

Not focusing on stress of adjusting, and using time wisely allows juniors to concentrate more on what they want and need to do over the next couple of years at NCSSM in order to prepare for their future.

Many of the juniors have already heard the wakeup call saying that their newfound independence from their family also means that it’s time to start taking care of themselves. And so far, some of the juniors have noticed that living through that fact can be made easier by managing their own schedule, finding their own interests and opportunities and talking to any of the people they are now living with.

September 2016

NEWS & LIFESTYLE

3 The Stentorian | NCSSM

University of Chicago “ Trigger Warnings” Letter Stirs National Debate

By ISABELLA LI In late Aug., incoming freshmen at the University of Chicago were greeted with a letter from John Ellison, the university’s Dean of Students.

Rather than delivering a traditional welcome to the school year, Ellison’s letter served a primarily political purpose.

“Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called ‘trigger warnings,’” wrote Ellison.

“We do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own.”

According to the university’s student newspaper, The Maroon, Ellison’s letter comes following controversy in the 2015-16 school year that saw protesters, such as Black Lives Matter and pro-Palestinian activists, force early exits or police involvement at multiple speaker events.

The University of Chicago Student Government argued over a resolution that encouraged the university’s administration to condemn individuals who supposedly obstruct free Junior Senators. Continued from Page 1. free time. In addition, I enjoy listening to all kinds of music and am always open to trying out something new. Likewise, as your junior senator, I am open to any suggestions you may have. Please feel free to message me on Facebook or email me if you have any concerns or even if you just want someone to talk to. This year, I hope to enhance the course registration system and push for more grade transparency. I’m looking forward to a great year!

Aman Singh: I live on 2nd East. I was born in Concord, NC, but I was raised in Charlotte. At NCSSM, I am involved with activities including speech and debate, UniChords, theatre, chorus, and math club. Before coming to NCSSM, I attended Ardrey Kell High School, where I had two years of student council experience, including as the president of our freshman class.

I organized activities including basketball tournaments, food eating contests, spirit weeks and pep rallies. As one of your junior senators, I plan to organize similar events at NCSSM in order to strengthen our community. I am also always available to listen to any opinions or suggestions that the student body has, and I will make sure your voices are heard during senate meetings.

Stephanie Yao: I live on 3rd Beall, and I am from East Chapel Hill High School in

speech, such as the protesters involved with inhibiting controversial speakers.

While the resolution was tabled after fierce debate, Ellison’s letter shows that the university’s administration supports its position. Moreover, his letter directly rejects the attitude and demands of a growing national student movement.

Numerous schools, including the University of Missouri, Ithaca College and Duke University, have seen conflict between school administrators and students, who argued that their administrators had handled racial insensitivity issues poorly.

Students at Oberlin College demanded trigger warnings to “Antigone,” citing a troubling handling of suicide.

Yale professor Erika Christakis faced vehement backlash and protests when she criticized a campus-wide letter that warned students against culturally offensive Halloween costumes. Christakis argued that the university had no place telling students what not to wear, warning that American universities had “become places of censure and prohibition.”

College campuses have seen a heated debate about Chapel Hill. I have one older sibling who recently graduated from NCSSM in the class of 2016, and we both really enjoy guinea pigs (especially Tribble). My passion is music, and I often spend my spare time practicing. A few of my greatest experiences have been playing piccolo in the Eastern Regional Orchestra of 2016 and attending NC Governor’s School East for flute this past summer. This year, I am super excited for SPEAK, Chamber Music, Ethics Bowl, Enthalpy, swing dance, Koffeehaus, and getting to know all of you.

As your junior senator, my main goals for this year are to implement SmathTalks, improve the Master Events calendar, introduce several other plans to improve our student life and community, and most importantly, effectively represent the class of 2018 as well as I possibly can. These are just a few of my ideas, and I aim to remain flexible and open to new ideas or changes. I really love talking to and becoming friends with everyone here, so please always feel free to come talk to me.

A final note from all of the senators: Together, we will do everything we can to advocate for your best interests and ensure that your voices will be heard. You can contact any of us through email, Facebook, or in person. Thank you for reading; we all look forward to representing you this year!

JOHN J. KIM/CHICAGO TRIBUNE

The University of Chicago has made its way to the forefront of conversation on free speech. which right is more important: the right to freedom of speech, or the right to protection from hateful and threatening speech.

The response to the University of Chicago letter mirrors the arguments around this debate in general.

Geoffrey Stone, University of Chicago School of Law professor, wrote to The Chronicle of Higher Education that “the potential costs of speaking courageously, of taking controversial positions, of taking risks, is greater than ever…

In this climate, it is especially important for universities to stand up for free expression.”

Stone, a supporter of Ellison’s letter, headed the university’s Committee on Free Expression in 2014.

Conversely, those opposed to the letter argue that threatening, hateful speech cannot be morally condoned on university campuses.

“Speech is never absolutely free… And there are some things, after all, that a university should refuse to legitimate or dignify by treating them as fit subjects for academic discussion,” wrote Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University, to The Washington Post.

“When we make a subject part

of a debate, we legitimate it in ways that may harm individuals and the educational enterprise.”

Susie Gronkowski, University of Chicago alumna, argued to The Atlantic that while the letter had a legitimate ideological basis, its argument was shrouded with insensitive, “tone-deaf” language.

“What the letter should have said is, ‘We seek no impediments in our quest for knowledge, and you should expect to hear speakers and interact with material and people that will challenge your ways of thinking. Do not back down.’”

Ask Lucy!

By LUCY WU Dear Lucy, During most ACT/SAT testing sessions, the proctor warns students not to go back and change answers in previous sections after time has been called in that section.

However, the clocks they use in testing rooms are typically analog wall clocks and are rarely accurate to the second, so the time allotted per section often varies by thirty seconds or so. What if I realize the correct answer to a question a few seconds after time is called? Would it be immoral to go back and re-bubble on the answer sheet?

Yours, Bamboozled by the Test Bamboozled, Your question is pretty interesting, because it’s not just a question of morality: it’s also a question of judging the actual value of standardized tests. But let’s start by considering the clean and simple morality of the situation.

To bubble an answer in a section after time has been called for that section is unquestionably cheating.

The rules are clear: fill in your answers during the time allotted. Nobody gets extra time unless they have preapproved accommodations.

GOCOLLEGE.COM

Is changing an answer on the ACT ethical? Lucy Wu weighs in.

And the reasons behind such rules are equally clear. The ACT and SAT are so universal precisely because schools trust that the test is administered under virtually identical conditions every time, which thus enables comparison of scores for students hailing from all over the United States.

Changing an answer after time has run out isn’t the most egregious form of cheating (see: students programming vocabulary list and complex mathematical functions into their calculators), but it is cheating nonetheless.

That being said, it’s difficult to condemn students for cheating on high-stakes testing. A few hours one Saturday morning can make or break someone’s college admission chances (in some cases). But the general body of knowledge on this subject seems to indicate that SAT/ ACT scores don’t predict college GPA or graduation

probability and don’t even measure intelligence or knowledge/ability accurately.

Most students would probably agree and would much rather be conducting research or volunteering than studying for the standardized test. So, if we consider standardized testing “bad” or “useless”, is it still our obligation to uphold the sanctity of its rules? And in your case, the violation is especially small – do we really care?

My personal answer is “no, it’s not our obligation.”

I’m not condoning cheating in general, but in this one instance, changing an answer a few seconds after time has been called doesn’t seem like a hanging offense. If the extra answer raises your score a few points, good for you – I wouldn’t blame you for deploying that pencil.

Love, Lucy

4

NEWS

September 2016

The Stentorian | NCSSM

National Parks Celebrate 100-Year Anniversary

By CLAIRE YIN A hundred years ago, Woodrow Wilson signed into law an act that created the National Parks Service. Since then, over 400 parks and park monuments have been established across the U.S. On the 100 year anniversary, Aug. 25, there were a variety of events planned. Over 1,000 visitors of the Human Arrowhead Emblem gathered on the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington with brown, green and white umbrellas in order to bring the arrowhead emblem of the National Park Service to life.

Some individuals brought cupcakes to the Juniper Picnic Area at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and shared the sweets with park rangers. Similarly, the Florida National Parks Association held a National Parks Birthday Party to highlight “This Land is Your Land: A Second Century for America’s National Parks.”

This exhibit showed images, videos and artifacts from parks in Florida.

At the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, they held a Na Leo Manu Hawaiian Concert Series, featuring Hawaiian music and a hula troupe. An impressionist of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant appeared at the Gen. Grant National Memorial in New York City to relay his work. Preserve historian Erik

The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, above, was home a concert series celebrating the National Parks’ centennial.

Johnson worked alongside the Denali National Park in order to track the path of famous explorers and biologists on a journey through the park.

The centennial of the National Park Service was indicative of more than just the long existence of national parks: it represents their development and growth.

In the past century, much growth has occurred within the National Parks. Many of these parks now offer art programs, exhibitions, and projects as a way to recreate the beauty of the parks. With the beautiful landscapes in parks, it is no

surprise that over 50 parks house artists-in-residence every year.

In addition to the expanded art scenery, women and minorities have received increasing job opportunities in these parks. In the past, the parks reflected the prejudice and suppressive society, as mostly white men worked as rangers or on park staff.

Now, these parks reflect the progressiveness and increasing diversity of America.

As research has supported the dynamism of ecosystems over the past century, parks have been increasingly

habitable for various wildlife.

This is a large change from the previously poorly managed ecosystems, where animals were under stricter conditions and not allowed to evolve and live freely and naturally.

However, the next century may not hold the promise of equivalent growth. At Yellowstone National Park, Service Director Jon Jarvis says that political support for the parks has decreased over time.

This simply exacerbates the fact that the park currently faces about $12 billion backlog of maintenance projects.

J.D. GRIGGS/USGS

Underfunding requires for more corporate donations and philanthropy to be amended.

Monetary issues are just one of the many challenges ahead.

As climate change continues to increase atmospheric temperature, scientists predict that Glacier National Park will have no glaciers. Additionally, wildfires have been longer and hotter than before.

Many parks share these environmental challenges, making us wonder how the next centennial celebration will look.

EpiPen Price Increases Cause Outcry

By ISABELLA LI A study by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimated that one in 50 Americans suffers from anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. For many of these Americans, the most immediate hope for survival, should they experience a reaction, is a fast injection of epinephrine from the EpiPen. In 2007, the EpiPen cost 100 dollars for a pack of two.

In 2016, the same pack of two cost 600 dollars — a 500% increase. Industry insiders estimated that the EpiPen only costs about 30 dollars to produce.

In 2007, pharmaceutical company Mylan purchased marketing and distribution rights for the EpiPen from Merck. Since then, Mylan has used aggressive marketing campaigns and congressional lobbying efforts to boost EpiPen sales, while steadily increasing prices for the product. Consumers have limited options in regards to other epinephrine

autoinjectors, with the EpiPen’s closest competitor, Auvi-Q, being discontinued for inconsistent dosages last October.

This outrage has sparked congressional action, spearheaded by Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley.

Mylan’s letter response to Grassley’s questioning did not answer questions about how the company determined its drug prices. It did, however, offer defense for the company’s actions.

Mylan claimed that it had invested over one billion dollars to increase awareness and preparedness about anaphylaxis. Mylan also stated that it believed that rather than decreasing the price of the EpiPen, offering a generic version of the drug would deliver more significant cost savings to patients.

“By ensuring the generic is priced well below the brand, we will be able to help ensure robust generic utilization and savings for patients and the healthcare system,” said

Mylan.

Generic drugs are copies of brand-name drugs that offer the same quality, dosage form, and strength, but for a lower price.

Mylan claims that it plans to release a generic version of an epinephrine autoinjector at 300 dollars for a pack of two, a 50% discount over the current price.

However, the FDA places strict quality standards on the production of generic drugs to ensure that they are sufficient replications of brand-name versions. A generic epinephrine autoinjector has yet to receive approval.

Mylan’s EpiPen price increase coincide with a rising outrage towards drug prices overall. The most notable case of this involves Martin Shkreli, former CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals. In 2015, Shkreli gained widespread notoriety — and was called “the most hated man in America” — for increasing the price of Daraprim, an antiparistic drug, by over 5000 percent.

U.S. consumers pay more for drugs than those in any

REAL FIRST AID, LTD.

EpiPen pricing has stirred controversy regarding drug costs. other country. Other national governments use pre-existing policies to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for lower drug costs. The U.S. government has no such policy. In fact, U.S. law bans Medicare, the country’s largest prescription drug buyer, from negotiating drug pricing at all.

Such legislation has been criticized on the campaign trail by both presidential candidates. Donald Trump has argued that Medicare should have negotiating rights with pharmaceutical companies.

And in response to the EpiPen cost increases, Hillary Clinton has set forth a plan that

threatens penalties if drug makers impose unreasonable price increases.

Ultimately, the EpiPen price increases first and foremost harm individuals and families who are affected by life-threatening anaphylaxis reactions.

“It’s bad enough when kids’ lives are lost just because they didn’t use an EpiPen quickly enough,” said Jennifer DiMercurio, parent of a child with anaphylaxis, to The Huffington Post. DiMercurio’s son had to use expired EpiPens for four months due to steep prices, “but to not have it for a financial reason is despicable.”

5

OPINION

September 2016

The Stentorian | NCSSM

Confronting Gender Norms

By VAISHNAVI SIRIPURAPU The notion of man and woman is so ingrained in our society that challenging this binary is perceived as deviant.

With all of the strict gendernormative marketing and media that we consume every day, transgenderism is a concept that challenges these traditional gender roles and norms.

As a result, perceptions of transgender people vary greatly in society. Transgenderism is an important issue in today’s society precisely because it is so misunderstood. Education and awareness serve as some of the most effective solutions to the aggression and negative stigma against being transgender.

Due to the harsh gender norms that invade every aspect of our daily lives, transgenderism is an issue that challenges established societal principles and constructs. This results

from gendered language and culture being imposed upon us as children, if not by our parents, then subliminally by society. Products from vitamins to socks are marketed as “for men” or “for women”.

This strict gender-normative environment breeds a strong phobia and a negative stigma against those who do not conform to these expectations. Fears of being perceived as too feminine or too masculine breeds ideals of hyperfemininity and hypermasculinity.

Resistance to challenging the gender roles and normative behavior in our society not only affects those who are transgender, but also impacts everyone in society.

There are various reasons why transgenderism is an important issue in today’s society. For one, some people are still debating whether or not transgenderism is a real phenomenon. This debate distracts from a much bigger, more es-

PHILLY VOICE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The transgender pride flag, above, made its debut in 1999. sential conversation: What can we do to provide a more inclusive and supportive society to those who are transgender?

Transgender individuals are more likely to suffer physical and emotional abuse. According to the Williams Institute, 41 percent of transgender people have attempted suicide, compared to 1.6 percent of the general population (Haas, Rodgers, & Herman, 2014).

Due to the stigma against transgenderism, there is no recent data concerning how many transgender people there are in America. Demographic censuses such as the United States census only allow for two answers to the question of gender: male or female, making it considerably more difficult to accurately survey how many transgender and gender nonconforming individuals there

are in the United States.

Transgenderism is an important issue in today’s society precisely because it challenges traditional norms and because the general public is still so uneducated about how to create an inclusive community.

The simplified solution to transphobia is education, awareness, and activism. We as allies can learn how best to erase transphobia in our society by being mindful of our speech; referring to transgender people as “transgender” and not “transgendered,” for example. We must always be open to being educated and challenging our pre-existing ideology.

In order to promote love and acceptance of all different types of people, national campaigns, protective laws, and active educational groups should be prominent, preserved, and well-funded. Only when we as humans accept each other can we truly unlock the full potential of all humankind.

The Passion of Nate Parker

By MAX NOBEL When the controversy surrounding #OscarsSoWhite erupted after the announcement that there would be no non-white Oscar acting nominees for the second consecutive year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences vowed to impose sweeping changes upon its membership.

683 new members, 41 percent of whom are people of color, were invited into the Academy’s ranks. As conversations concerning Hollywood’s inclusivity, or marked lack thereof, dominate media coverage, there is an explicit push across the industry to showcase a renewed diversity during the 2017 awards season.

The clear frontrunner in correcting this lack of diversity seemed at first to be Nate Parker’s The Birth of a Nation, the historical drama based on the story of Nat Turner and the slave rebellion that he led in 1831. Reclaiming and repurposing its title from D.W. Griffith’s KKK-championing reconstruction epic released in 1915, The Birth of a Nation was a passion project for its star Parker, who also directed, co-wrote and co-produced the film. Premiering to mostly enthusiastic critical reception and receiving a standing ovation before it even began screening, the movie won both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival before its worldwide distribution rights were sold to Fox Searchlight for a record-setting 17.5 million dollars.

This narrative was complicated upon the resurfacing of details surrounding the 2001 trial for the rape accusations brought against Nate Parker

and his The Birth of a Nation co-writer, Jean Celestin.

According to Jeannie Suk Gersen of The New Yorker, “In 1999, when Parker was a nineteen-year-old wrestler at Penn State, he and his teammate Jean Celestin, both black, were arrested and tried for having sex with an eighteen-yearold white female student at their apartment while she was too intoxicated to consent… At the 2001 trial of Parker and Celestin, [their friend Tamerlane] Kangas testified that, from a doorway, he saw Parker on top of the complainant, while she was still and silent. Parker motioned to Kangas and Celestin to join him, Kangas said, and Celestin did, but Kangas chose to leave, because he ‘didn’t believe that four people at one time was—you know, it didn’t seem right.’”

But according to Roxane Gay of The New York Times, “Mr. Parker was acquitted, based partly on testimony that he and the victim had previously had consensual sex.

Mr. Celestin was convicted of sexual assault and sentenced to prison, but the conviction was eventually overturned.”

“In 2002, the Women’s Law Project filed a federal Title IX lawsuit against Penn State on behalf of the complainant, who had dropped out of school, for allegedly failing to protect her from harassment by Parker and his friends following her rape allegations. The lawsuit claimed that the men hired an investigator who showed other students her photo, that they followed her around campus hurling sexual epithets, and that they made harassing phone calls to her room. Penn State settled that case for seventeen thousand five hundred dollars,” says Gersen. In 2012,

following years of struggling with severe mental illness, including psychosis, the victim succeeded in her third suicide attempt, at the age of 30.

The Birth of a Nation is itself embroiled in that personal history. The 1915 film whose name it appropriated perpetuated a stereotype of black men (largely portrayed in the film by white actors in blackface) as having an inclination towards raping white women.

The 2016 film is now adulterated by the perceived rape of a white woman by a black man.

There is also the 2016 film’s plot, portraying the sexual

One could look at other examples where the public was asked to separate art from artist as a comparison. Roman Polanski, the acclaimed director of such cinematic classics as Rosemary’s Baby and Chinatown, pleaded guilty to the statutory raping of a 13 year old in 1977, fleeing to Europe before his sentencing, where he has remained ever since.

Despite this, he has continued to make films, including The Pianist (2002), which won 3 Oscars, including a Best Director win, which was met with a standing ovation.

Bill Cosby, the formerly

MARK MANN (VIA DEADLINE)

The reputation of actor, director and producer Nate Parker was tarnished after he was involved in a rape scandal. violence by white men upon a black woman (played by real life sexual assault survivor Gabrielle Union), and making the brutal gang rape of Nat Turner’s wife, an event with limited historical evidence, the turning point in Turner’s choice to lead his historic slave revolt.

Parker’s attempts to confront his viewers with their country’s unresolved history are confounded by his inability to confront his own. The conversation on race in America that he aims to promote is tainted by his personal history.

beloved black stand-up comic who broke boundaries regarding race and entertainment with his sitcom The Cosby Show, had decades of sexual assault allegations catch up to him as news of accusations by now 60 women became viral in Oct. 2014. Organizational ties were severed, reruns were pulled, projects were cancelled, honorary degrees were rescinded, and his legacy was brought down with him.

Mel Gibson, star of the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon films and the Oscar-winning

director of Braveheart and the enduringly controversial, commercially successful The Passion of the Christ, had suffered from alcoholism and allegations of domestic abuse prior to making anti-semitic comments following a DUI arrest in 2006. He was shunned to a far greater degree than Roman Polanski and convicted rapist Mike Tyson, sexual assaulters Tupac Shakur and Rick James, and abusers John Lennon, Josh Brolin, and Sean Penn. After a four-year hiatus, he found only middling success in the roles taken over the following six years. His quest for redemption within the industry and public is only now coming to fruition, with the successful premier at the Venice Film Festival of his conscientious objector WWII drama Hacksaw Ridge, his first directorial effort since the surfacing of his anti-semitic remarks one decade ago.

Nate Parker has shaped The Birth of a Nation as an intrinsically personal film, the story of a rising black actor who forgoes promising career opportunities to write, direct, produce and portray a story of historical and contemporary importance.

His 1999 rape case informs both the portrayal of the film’s events and the film’s consequent significance. The question of separating him, or any of the other artists mentioned, from their art yields no conclusive answer. This will not be the last time we are asked to weigh works of art against the artists who made them, and it is important that we are informed and thoughtful in how we respond.

The Birth of a Nation will be released in theaters on Oct. 7.

6

NEWS & FEATURES

September 2016

The Stentorian | NCSSM

Columbian Conflict Comes to a Close

By CORDELIA GILLIGAN On Oct. 2, the citizens of Colombia will vote in a public referendum to decide whether or not to end 52-year-long civil war between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. If they vote to formally accept the peace negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, this would not only be the end to the longest war ever in the Americas, but would also mark the beginning of an era during which there is no political war in the Western hemisphere.

The Colombian conflict started in the mid-1960s following the rise of Cuba’s Fidel Castro, which inspired communist insurrections in rural Colombia. It was also result of perceived mistreatment by the Colombian Army that would attack villages thought of as communist reserves. The FARC formed as a rebel group representing some of the rural population with the ultimate goal of creating a communist government. The war’s start and purpose were similar to many of the other proxy wars in the Americas during the Cold War. The conflict seemed like it could be coming to an end by 1982 with most of the rebel groups being in negotiations for ceasefire and peace. This

FEDERICO RIOS/NATIVE

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia members have played a significant role in the country’s extended conflict. was not to be, however, as the illegal drug trade grew and became the one of the most pressing issues for the government and the guerrillas.

Drug cartels bribing the government officials stalled the peace process and military confrontations throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, and resulted in the collapse of ceasefires between the FARC and the Colombian government.

By the mid-1990s all peace talks had stopped completely as the FARC began to be involved in the drug trade and protected coca farmers from the efforts of the government to eradicate the trade. This period saw the point of the war shift from being purely political to being partially a war on drugs.

There remained to be military attacks and political opposition alongside the new element of the drug trade. Both the Colombian government and FARC started using landmines in the 1980s. Since 1990 there have been more than 11,000 casualties in Colombia from landmines alone.

The millennium saw some of the bloodiest and most violent parts of the war, with more civilians displaced and killed than in the previous 30 years.

There was extensive political corruption and the attacks from the rebel groups moved closer to urban metropolises such as Bogotá.

Over the course of the war, there were reports of human rights violations from both sides, and 220,000 deaths and

seven million civilians were displaced.

The United States backed the Colombian government throughout the war. In the 1960s, they utilized the same hunter-killer tactics that the CIA used in the Philippines post-World War II to prevent the growth of communist insurrection. This support continued into the next millennium. As of 2004, the U.S. has spent three billion dollars supporting the Colombian government in their fight against the FARC. Additionally, the CIA ran a program giving GPS direction for smart bombs and other types of intelligence to the Colombian National Military.

In 2010, Juan Manuel Santos was elected president on the promise that he would bring the warring to an end.

Peace talks began in 2012, and despite attacks occurring since then, the conferences came to fruition Aug. 24, 2016. The practical impact of the end of the war is equally as significant as the symbolic consequences of it being the end of the last war from the Cold War, the end of the longest war in the Western hemisphere and the end of active, political war in the Western hemisphere. In 2015, the demining of certain areas of Colombia began, but if the peace is formally recognized, this effort could broaden and

allow the seven million people displaced from their homes to eventually return.

The only obstacle the peace treaty faces until it is approved or voted down is the opposition of former president Álvarado Uribe. Uribe led an aggressive campaign against the FARC in the first decade of the millennium and was opposed to the peace talks as soon as they were announced. He believes the FARC should be punished for their actions over the course of the war and that the treaty is not harsh enough on FARC leaders, especially considering it allows the creation of an FARC political party.

As Uribe still holds some sway over public opinion, this worries some who believe it is more important to bring the war to an end, but it is ultimately decided by the voice of a people who have lived in a state of war for 52 years.

One of the facets of the peace treaty is the collection of all the guerrillas’ weapons.

All 7,000 of these fighters are to turn in their guns and uniforms and, alongside their fellow Colombians, begin a life free from the past half-century worth of violence and turmoil.

Then, those guns, once a symbol of the internal struggle and strife of the Colombian people, are going to be melted down and made into monuments for peace.

Student Government Update

By AMRUTH SRIPERUMBUDUR A residential school built for higher-level learning is different from a typical high school. That is why Student Government at NCSSM is also different.

In Student Government, we work with Academic Programs, the Faculty Senate, Student Life, Dining Services, Counseling, and other administrators to build a more supportive academic setting, a stronger social community, and a healthier mental livelihood for students.

Besides event hosting and club funding, our budget is dedicated to special initiatives and projects that affect the student body. This May marked the beginning of the thirtysixth session of NCSSM’s Student Government. Since then, SG members have been hard at work trying to make the transition back to school as smooth as possible.

Before the end of last school year, SG finished installing the structural supports for the egg chairs that it had been working on with Mr. Bryan.

The supports were tested and designed in our very own Fab Lab! SG also rolled out our first webinar for incoming juniors, designed to broadcast key registration tips, clarify the academic and student life

SIONA KSHIRSAGAR

Student Government Association Senior Senators, Executive Board, Executive Committee and Advisor Beebs Burton pose for a picture. transition to NCSSM, and provide further resources.

The momentum has continued through to the beginning of this year and to date SG has: • Hosted the club-fair and the first ever Speed Meet.

• Held its first Mental Health Awareness Campaign of the Year.

• Chartered a multitude of old and new clubs ranging from The Cloud Club to South Asian Cultures Club to Maker Lab. • Passed the 2016-2017 budget.

• Reinstated the SG

snapchat (@ncssmsg) and the SG Instagram (@ ncssmsga).

• Scheduled Junior Senator, Dorm Senator, and Senator at Large elections.

Check out these new resources from SG: • Our redesigned, easyto-use website (https:// sg.ncssm.edu/) with a centralized master calendar for campus events, petitioning, meeting summaries, legislation, all chartered clubs, and much more!

Check out the short intro video: http://

•

•

•

w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / NCSSMSGA/ Our first ever Student Guidebook to describe all the nuances of life at NCSSM. Find it at http:// sg.ncssm.edu/static/ executive Our first ever Opportunities Catalog to centralize clubs, related competitions, and other programs so you can easily find where to deepen and develop your interests.

Find it at http://sg.ncssm. edu/static/executive Daily menus and PSAs on the Food Services (PFM)

Facebook page!

This school year has started off with a bang, and SG plans to maintain the momentum through the entire year. We are currently working on a variety of new projects including: • A bi-monthly newsletter detailing the goals of each individual SG member, any events SG will be hosting, and the progress of projects SG has undertaken.

• Starting a formal program to foster student-teacher relationships by eating lunch together.

• Creating a program to invite visiting-professors to teach seminars.

• Reserving an area in each building where students can hang flyers and posters. (Inspired by last year’s open office hours!)

• Centralizing seminar registration deadlines and postings.

All SG meetings are open to students. If you have any ideas, questions, or concerns, please visit sg.ncssm.edu, tell us at open office hours, or come to one of the Student Senate meetings held every Sunday night at 7:15 p.m. in the Woolworth room.

7

LIFESTYLE

September 2016

The Stentorian | NCSSM

Fall Film Preview: 19 Reasons to Return to the Cineplex this Autumn

By MAX NOBEL SEPTEMBER Sept. 16: Blair Witch Director Adam Wingard and Writer Simon Barrett (You’re Next, The Guest) resurrect the franchise of the 1999 horror phenomenon, following James Allen McCune, brother of the original’s protagonist, as he and a group of friends set out on their own found-footage adventure to find out the truth about what happened to his sister.

Snowden Director Oliver Stone returns to the world of government intrigue with his docudrama about the titular NSA worker and whistleblower (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and the historical leak he helped perpetrate. He is supported by a cast that includes Shailene Woodley, Zachary Quinto and Nicholas Cage.

Sept. 23: Deepwater Horizon Director Peter Berg (Lone Survivor) reunites with Mark Wahlberg to tell the story of the men and women on board the offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon when it exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010, creating the worst oil spill in U.S. history. Wahlberg heads a cast that includes Kurt Russell, John Malkovich and Gina Rodriguez.

The Magnificent Seven Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) helms this remake of the classic western (itself a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai) about seven outlaws who unite to protect a town from an evil industrialist (played by Peter Sarsgaard).

Denzel Washington leads an ensemble cast that includes Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke and Vincent D’Onofrio.

Sept. 30: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Tim Burton directs this adaptation of Ransom Riggs’ bestseller starring Asa Butterfield (Hugo) as Jacob, a troubled teenager tasked with protecting the titular home from the “Wights”, led by Mr. Barron (Samuel L. Jackson).

Eva Green (Casino Royale) stars as Miss Peregrine.

American Honey (Limited Release) Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank) wrote and directed this road film and Jury Prize winner at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, starring Sasha Lane as Star, a teenage girl who crosses the midwest with a band of misfits led by Jake (Shia LaBeouf).

OCTOBER Oct. 7: The Birth of a Nation Nate Parker directs, cowrites, produces and stars in this period drama based on Nat Turner and the slave rebellion he led in 1831. Winner of the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.

The 13th (Streaming) In this Netflix documentary named after the constitutional amendment that abolished slavery, director Ava DuVernay (Selma) investigates the United States prison system and race in America.

Oct. 14: The Accountant Ben Affleck plays a man with autism operating as a forensic accountant for illicit clientele. With a Treasury agent (played by J.K. Simmons) hot on his tail, he takes on a legitimate client (played by Anna Kendrick) and watches the body count rise in this action-thriller directed by Gavin O’Connor (Warrior). Co-starring Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor and John Lithgow.

Oct. 21: American Pastoral (Limited Release) Ewan McGregor makes his directorial debut with this adaptation of Philip Roth’s 1997 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, in which he also stars.

McGregor plays Swede Levov, a man who watches his perfect post-war American life fall apart as a result of the new political affiliations of his daughter (Dakota Fanning).

Jennifer Connelly stars as his wife.

The Handmaiden (Limited Release) Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) directs this lurid adaptation of Sarah Waters’ Fingersmith, relocated to Korea under Japanese colonial rule. A fragile heiress falls in love with her maid, who is involved in a plot to defraud her.

IMDB.COM

NOVEMBER

Nov. 4: Doctor Strange The 14th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe finds top neurosurgeon Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) being mentored by the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) in the mystical arts following a career-ending accident. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Karl Mordo, a former pupil to the Ancient One, with Mads Mikkelsen as the villain Kaecilius and Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, a former colleague to Strange.

Loving (Limited Release) In his second effort of the year, Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special) writes and directs Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga as Richard and Mildred Loving, the interracial couple and plaintiffs behind the landmark 1958 Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia. Featuring supporting performances from Michael Shannon and Nick Kroll, the film was met with praise following its premiere

CHRONICLES OF BOB THE UNICORN By Grace Steffen

Jung-woo Ha and Kim Tae-ri are two stars of The Handmaiden, a drama set in Japan. earlier this year at Cannes.

Bleed for This (Limited Release) Writer-Director Ben Younger (Boiler Room) traces the life of World Champion Boxer Vinny Pazienza (Miles Teller) as he mounts a comeback following a nearfatal car accident that threatens to leave him paralyzed. Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight) stars as his trainer.

Nov. 11: Arrival Amy Adams is a linguist tasked by the military to translate alien communications under the looming threat of global war in this adaptation of Ted Chiang’s Nebula Awardwinning Story of Your Life directed by Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Sicario), also starring Forest Whitaker and Jeremy Renner.

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk Director Ang Lee experimented with 120 frames per second 3D in this war drama adapted from Ben Fountain’s award-winning 2012 Iraq War satire novel of the same name. The film follows Billy Lynn (newcomer Joe Alwyn) and the Bravo Squad on their “Victory Tour” beginning with a ferocious firefight with Iraqi insurgents and culminating in a Dallas Cowboys halftime show alongside Destiny’s Child.

Kristen Stewart, Vin Diesel, Steve Martin and Chris Tucker round out the film’s cast.

Nov. 18: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them David Yates (Director of the last four Harry Potter films) and J.K. Rowling (making her screenwriting debut)

conduct this new installment in the still-burgeoning Harry Potter universe, with a new protagonist, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), in a new setting, 1926 New York, confronting a new magical threat. The first chapter of a planned trilogy, its world is filled out by new characters, including those played by Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell and Jon Voight.

Manchester by the Sea (Limited Release) Acclaimed playwrightwriter-director Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count On Me) helms this drama about Lee (Casey Affleck) who is made legal guardian of his nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges) following the death of his older brother Joe (played

by Kyle Chandler). Returning to his hometown, he is forced to confront his separated wife Randi (Michelle Williams).

The film was universally acclaimed following its premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.

Nocturnal Animals (Limited Release) Fashion Designer Tom Ford (A Single Man) directs his adaptation of Austin Wright’s 1993 meta-novel Tony and Susan, featuring a double narrative tracking an art gallery owner (Amy Adams) as she receives and is haunted by a manuscript written by her ex-husband (Armie Hammer) which she begins to perceive as an act of revenge. The manuscript follows Tony (Jake Gyllenhaal), his wife (Isla Fisher), and their daughter (Ellie Bamber), as their paths are crossed with three dangerous men (led by Aaron Taylor-Johnson) on the road.

8 September 2016

SPORTS & FEATURES

The Stentorian | NCSSM

Intramural Sports Program in Full Swing

By TIFFANY PREDA Intramural games have been in full swing this year at NCSSM, and the soccer intramurals which started in the middle of August are currently wrapping up. Apart from soccer, NCSSM also offers frisbee, volleyball, basketball and dodgeball IMs throughout the year, all of them being something exciting to anticipate.

Each hall takes part in the games and competes against other halls for the Chancellor’s Cup. 4th Bryan has been the reigning champion of intramurals amongst the Bryan, Reynolds, and Royall halls over the past two years, and 1st Hunt is said to be the one to beat this year among the Hill and Hunt halls.

Brian Gonyeau, a coach and instructor of physical activity and wellness, and the head of IMs, highly recommends involvement and encourages every player to go out and have good time.

He says “intramurals are to be perceived as fun, stress ­relieving times where everyone can build camaraderie among peers.”

Many halls have come together to cheer for each hall mate and motivate each other, bringing the halls closer together.

Sportsmanship among opposing halls comes naturally to each game, and positive motivation is extended between the competing halls.

Not only are intramurals a great way to build relationships among peers, it can also be beneficial to oneself. Playing in these games is helpful as a distraction from stressful homework or IMs can even be a chance for someone to try a sport they have never played before.

Tasneem Essader, a senior, highlights these aspects

Senior Craig Messina (center) and junior William Elder (left) battle for the ball during an intramural soccer game. as she says, “I am not the most athletic person on the hall, but intramurals are definitely a great way to have friendly competitions. Going to every single intramural game, I can say, has been an accomplishment.

The intramural games are a good way to get some exercise, an excellent way to show off hall spirit and the games are just fun in general.”

Anyone who is not playing a varsity sport at this time is encouraged to participate in an intramural sport. Participation is a key element that will increase the chances of winning the Chancellor’s Cup by earning a certain amount of points depending on how many people show up for each hall.

So far, the participation in intramurals has been agreeable

throughout the school year, but it can always stand some improvement.

After all, students only have to commit for a short amount of time, usually 30 minutes per game, and there are only about four games every three weeks for each hall.

Taking part in these intramurals is a great way to get involved in something new or different from your usual day­-to-­day life. Not only have intramurals become popular among the halls at NCSSM, but they have become something that many students get excited JUSTINE TSAO about and are eager to support.

The Royall intramural soccer team won the 2016 women’s Coach Gonyeau also states that intramural soccer championship. “participating in intramurals is a huge NCSSM tradition.”

Foundation Feature: Nico Olegario

By AVRA JANZ According to Brock Winslow, NCSSM’s Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement, over eight percent of each student’s experience at NCSSM is funded by the NCSSM Foundation, the non-profit organization that grants funds to the school and its programs.

Senior Nico Olegario, a participant in NCSSM’s 2016 Summer Research Internship Program (SRIP), is especially thankful for the Foundation’s support.

Olegario spent his summer interning at North Carolina State University’s Gould Lab, where he analyzed the pesticide resistance of tobacco budworms, insects which infest crops, mainly tobacco,

in regions of the United States. Olegario’s research allowed him to gain a greater knowledge of entomology, the study of insects, and to explore his “growing passion for genetics,” an interest he notes was fostered by his experience taking Molecular Genetics at NCSSM. Olegario traveled about fifty miles by bus each day to and from the University in order to conduct his research. About half of the funds for research program buses are appropriated by the NCSSM Foundation, and over half (53%) of the Foundation’s expenses go toward academic programs at NCSSM – programs such as Olegario’s genetics course.

Participating in the SRIP, according to Olegario, has been “the highlight” of his

MICHAEL CARTER

THE STENTORIAN North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics 1219 Broad Street, Durham, NC 27705

Editors-in-Chief: Claire Yin, Margaux Winter, Avra Janz, Amruth Sriperumbudur Film and Cultures Editor: Max Nobel Photography Editor: Michael Carter DIAN NIU

Nico Olegario participated in the 2016 Summer Research Internship Program.

experience at NCSSM, and he is grateful to the Foundation for its generosity in supporting his research. “There’s an entire network of people that care enough about me to fund fifty miles of transportation a day just so I can pursue my passions,” says Olegario, and the SRIP “really isn’t possible without the Foundation.”

Staff Writers: Cordelia Gilligan, Isabella Li, Tiffany Preda, Vaishnavi Siripurapu, Julia Wang, Lucy Wu Contributing Photographers: Cristopher Alvarado, Siona Kshirsagar, Sue Anne Lewis, Dian Niu, Justine Tsao Cartoonist: Grace Steffen Advisor: John Kirk Please forward comments and inquiries to stentorian123@ gmail.com. Note that the opinions expressed in this paper are those of individual writers and may or may not reflect the opinions of the editors or of NCSSM or its affiliates.