Volume 105, Issue 5

The Spectator The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper

Newsbeat • Sophomore Adam Wickham received the Dr. Martin Jenkins Scholar Award for Highly Gifted Black Students and will be honored in an award ceremony in Baltimore, D.C, where he will be joined by Principal Jie Zhang.

• Chemistry teacher Steven O’Malley was among those chosen to participate in a master class led by Nobel Laureate Roald Hoffman (55’) in the New York Hall of Science.

• The Bilateral United States (US) -Arab Chamber of Commerce selected Social Studies teacher Michael Waxman for the 2014 Teachers Educating Across Cultures in Harmony (TEACH) Fellowship which allows a small group of Fellows from the US to lead a delegation to Bahrain and Qatar in the spring.

• Toy designer Howard Wexler, the creator of “Connect Four,” visited Social Studies teacher George Kennedy’s Wall Street class to share new toy ideas, describe product development, and strategies for pitching to a large company. The New York University Student Investment Club also visited Kennedy’s Wall Street class to discuss investment strategies.

• Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Brian Kudon visited Linda Weissman’s Criminal Law class, where he talked about legal procedures during a prosecution.

November 20, 2014

stuyspec.com

Ambiguous Safety Drill Policies Impact Stuyvesant Readiness

Polazzo Plans to Apply for the Position of COSA

By Ariel Levy, Tina Jiang, and Sonia Epstein

During first period on Thursday, October 30, Assistant Principal of Security, Student Affairs, Health, and Physical Education Brian Moran called an unannounced soft lockdown. This was the first unannounced lockdown to occur at Stuyvesant.

The soft lockdown was initiated after Moran received reports of a potential threat to building safety.

At the beginning of first period, a teacher had overheard a conversation between two students concerning dangerous contraband.

“The teacher thought that there was a possibility that the student might have a weapon,” Moran said.

This teacher informed Moran of the conversation, and Moran announced the lockdown.

“The student did not have a first period class, and we could not find him, so the procedure was to go into lockdown,” Moran said. The school response personnel, a group of Stuyvesant deans and administrators referred to as the “sweep team,” fanned out across the building. After 10 minutes, the team located the student who had made the remarks. The team searched the student and determined that he was not carrying a weapon. Moran then lifted the lockdown. “There was no disciplinary action,” Moran said. “Nothing the student did violated school rules.” Moran did not share further details in an effort to protect the identities of parties involved.

The set of procedures used in emergencies at Stuyvesant, the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), is a Department of Education standard that was introduced by the “I Love U Guys” Foundation approximately five years ago, according to Moran. The lockdown drill was introduced later, about two years ago, after a series of high profile incidents in schools.

The SRP is based upon the premise that there are four specific actions that can be carried out when a threat presents itself to a school: lockout, evacuation, shelter-in, and lockdown. The name for each of the emergency procedures is labeled a “Term of Art.” When announcing these actions through the intercom, each Term of Art is then followed by a “Directive.”

A lockout occurs when a physical threat comes from outside of the school and is followed by the Directive “Secure the Perimeter.”

It is the protocol used to safeguard students and staff within the building.

Evacuate has the Directive “Directions to Follow,” and is always followed by a location. It is used to move students and staff from one location to another in or outside of the building in case of a fire or bomb threat.

Shelter-in has the same “Directions to Follow” Directive and is always followed by a qualifying type and a method. It is the protocol used when the environment outside of the school building is in some way contaminated. Durcontinued on page 3

Air Force Pop Band Performs

By Ariel Levy, and Sharon Lee

Social studies teacher Matthew Polazzo plans to apply for the position of Coordinator of Student Affairs (COSA), a role that has been empty since former COSA and current health teacher Lisa Weinwurm injured herself on the Stuyvesant bridge in the winter of 2014.

The COSA traditionally acts as a liaison between the Student Union (SU) and the school administration, facilitating the organization of student activities. For instance, the COSA provides adult supervision for SING! after school and oversees the distribution of SU funds to student clubs.

Due to a lack of a COSA this semester, the SU has struggled to communicate successfully with the administration. “The SU has to take whatever plans we have and directly ask the administration for approval, which can be pretty ineffective sometimes, especially without an adult or adviser on our side,” said SU Vice President Jonathan Aung in an e-mail interview.

Currently, the COSA’s responsibilities are split among several members of the administration and SU. Assistant Principal of Organization Saida RodriguezTabonne organizes SU funds by allocating money for SING! and various other student activities.

Anne Duncan / The Spectator

Article on page 2

Features

Article on page 8.

Stuyvesant’s Guardians Read pages 8-9 for a comprehensive look into the behind-the-scenes lives of Stuyvesant’s security guards.

Their stories involve more than daily duties of keeping students safe.

continued on page 2

Calling Up the College Board: David Coleman (‘87) on the Revamped SAT, Being President, and Stuyvesant

By Emma Loh and Ariella Kahan

The Air Force Academy Pop Band performed in the Murray Kahn Theater on October 27th.

Assistant Principal of Guidance Casey Pedrick is responsible for supervising SING! after school hours and acts as the “gate keeper” for the SU offices, holding the keys to the offices and allowing students access to them. Assistant Principal of Security, Student Affairs, Health, and Physical Education Brian Moran is responsible for supervising student proms and dances, and has helped supervise SU procedures, including clean-up in the offices. Assistant Principal of Social Studies Jennifer Suri oversees the Stuyvesant Board of Elections.

Students have adopted other aspects of the COSA’s role. For ex-

When the first Saturday of the month comes, you better pray that you don’t get cramps or risk getting below a 2300 on the SAT. The day of the SAT is one that few, if any, Stuyvesant students welcome with glee.

The night before the exam, Facebook feeds are peppered with wishes of good luck; hours after the exam ends, they are overflowing with exuberant posts of good riddance. The majority of the Stuyvesant student body regards the standardized test with disdain due to its elementary material (most of the math section is Algebra, which many students learned in seventh or eighth grade) and questions how accurately the SAT “[assesses] your academic readiness for college,” as it is written on the College Board website.

However, students acknowledge its importance in the college admissions process, comSpread on page 19.

monly take the SAT numerous times, and spend hundreds, even thousands, of dollars to prepare for it.

With so many students perceiving the SAT as a sheer nuisance that must be overcome to achieve their dreams of attending a prestigious university, it is easy to believe that the College Board is out of touch with the roughly two million high school students it tests a year.

But the president of the College Board remembers high school quite clearly––David Coleman graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1987.

At Stuyvesant, Coleman was a policy debater and came in second place in the renowned Tournament of Champions when he was a senior. Debate, Coleman wrote in a follow-up email, “was the one time in life when being needlessly argumentative advances you.” continued on page 5

A&E Vive La Vie Boheme

Didn’t watch the STC’s production of Rent? Check out page 19 for an all-encompassing review on what you missed.

Jin Hee Yoo / The Spectator

Volume CV No. 5

“The Pulse of the Student Body”

Page 2

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

News Air Force Pop Band Performs

By Vanna Mavromatis The Air Force Pop Band, “Blue Steel,” performed in the Stuyvesant auditorium on Monday, October 27, during an extended third period. The performance was organized

by Assistant Principal of Music, Art, and Technology Dr. Ray Wheeler. The concert included a mixture of pop songs, such as “All About That Bass”

by Meghan Trainor, and older songs, such as “We Will Rock You” by Queen. In addition to performing for free, the band attempted to recruit students for the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA).

Vocalist Julie Bradley introduced the band. Jeffrey Valentine played the steel guitar with Colin Trusedell on bass, Stephen Brannen on guitar, Christopher Gaona on drums, and Craig Larimer on the keyboard.

Each member, also a member of the Air Force, played a short solo on his instrument during the introductions. “We have not had a band perform here in several years,” Wheeler said.

“These are highly skilled professional musicians signed by the Air Force, and they really know how to work with high school students.”

The band spoke about USAFA to interest students in potentially joining. They played

Polazzo Plans to Apply for the Position of COSA continued from page 1

ample, Aung and Student Union President Keiran Carpen have had to approve and revise students’ club charters.

Due to the current vacancy, Polazzo has decided to reapply for the COSA position. “I have the experience and it is too important a job to leave vacant,” Polazzo said.

Polazzo formerly served as COSA before Weinwurm took over the position. However, because Polazzo had differing educational philosophies than those of some past administrators, he chose to dedicate more time to his teaching job, specifically his AP Government classes. Polazzo declined to comment on his disagreements with the former administration.

Though the position usually involves staying after school hours, Polazzo would only serve as a daytime COSA, as his personal schedule interferes with the full-time job. “Back when I was the COSA, a lot of the job involved staying after school to facilitate clubs and events, like the Club Pub Fair, and I enjoyed that part of the job,” Polazzo said. This time around, however, Pedrick will continue to supervise SING! and Moran will continue to supervise proms and dances.

As a day-time COSA, Polazzo

a video depicting a day in the life of a USAFA cadet. The video, set to “Ain’t it Fun?” by Paramore, showed cadets playing football, marching, cheering, and skydiving.

“It’s a way to get students thinking seriously about a career in the military; it’s basically [Public Relations] for the military,” said Wheeler, who was in the United States Army Band for three years during the Vietnam War. The band suggested that students attend a USAFA information session in Port Washington, New York on October 30. “I can think of several students who graduated Stuyvesant and went on to be in the naval academy at West

Point,” Wheeler said.

The students had varied responses to a program perceived as a recruitment effort.

“I thought this was much more effective than them just lecturing us about the air force,” sophomore Gabriella Birzh said. “It was definitely a better way for them to appeal to students.”

Other students saw it differently. “I don’t believe that my school should try and force me down a certain path in my life,” sophomore Zakhar Lyakhovych said. “I should be free to make my own decisions about my future.”

Some students simply enjoyed the music. “I liked the

way they played different types of music. A lot of the songs were very catchy,” sophomore Emily Lin said.

Despite students’ misgivings about the purpose of the visit, the band members believed that the students enjoyed the performance. “The students were great,” said Gaona in an e-mail interview. “They were very engaged during the performance, knowledgeable about the music, and very respectful; very sophisticated for high school students.”

“We had a great time there and would come back anytime,” Valentine said.

By Joanne Ha and Julia Ingram

precautions the DOE and DOH have taken to prevent Ebola, the DOE continues to assure parents, students, and faculty of the extremely low risk of exposure, due to the fact that Ebola can only be transmitted through bodily fluids. Even if someone does show symptoms, there is a very small chance these symptoms are a result of Ebola, since the virus is mostly concentrated in West Africa and the only confirmed case in New York City has been isolated.

Many students have recognized this low risk and are reassured by the precautions that the school has taken. “I think that this is being blown out of proportion.

Unless you share their spit or exchange bodily fluids with someone, I don’t think that you’re going to get Ebola. You’re more likely to catch the flu than Ebola,” sophomore Anastasiya Bolgova said.

The DOH and DOE are preparing hospitals for possible future epidemics of Ebola, but the chances of schools being infiltrated are slim. Until Ebola becomes a more pressing issue, no drastic changes will be enacted by the administration. “There’s nothing you should be doing differently. Until something like that happens, there’s no reason for us to act any differently than we would on a normal basis,” Karunadasa said.

phone to call 911,” sophomore Lorenz Vargas said. “My first thought would be to get help from an adult nearby.”

Some believe that the system is too complicated and increases the amount of waiting time. “It is unsafe because someone could die by the time Moran hears the phone ringing,” junior Sabira Mehjabin said.

Still, others think that the system is fine. “[There’s] no problem as long as someone gets there quickly,” Vargas said.

To help guide both the staff and students to take proper action, labels will be posted on the telephone box of every classroom stating which phone numbers to call in the event of a crisis. Furthermore, a school-wide assembly and an orientation at Camp Stuy may be implemented to discuss appropriate actions during an emergency. “The assemblies would definitely make me feel more comfortable if I were ever in a situation like that,” sophomore Justin Lee said.

First Case of Ebola in New York City, DOE Responds

will still be carrying out many of the required duties. He will be communicating frequently with Zhang and Pedrick, as well as with members of the SU. “There is going to be a lot of overall involvement with student life and a building of a relationship with the SU,” Polazzo said.

The new COSA will officially fill the position at the beginning of the second semester, in February 2015. If there are no other COSA applicants, Polazzo will take on the role. In addition to improving communication between the SU and administration, Polazzo will take over responsibility for admittance to the SU offices. “[A new COSA] will make the Student Union offices much more accessible,” Pedrick said.

Even though Polazzo would not be available for after-school events, Aung still believes a new COSA will greatly benefit the SU and student body. “[A new COSA] will definitely assist us,” Aung said. “[There will be] definite times when the SU offices will be unlocked, and [he will act as] the bridge between us and the administration,” Aung said.

Though at this point the future of the COSA position is still unclear, the role will likely have more stability in future years. “Nothing is certain yet, but the job of the new COSA will probably be a multi-year commitment,” Polazzo said.

On Thursday, October 23, the first case of Ebola in New York City was confirmed.

Four days later, the Department of Education (DOE) instructed principals to send out e-mails to parents and students outlining key details about the virus. While the e-mail emphasized the low risk of contracting the virus, it also advised parents to be alert. Additionally, it explained the preparations taken to educate school nurses and administration about the symptoms and treatment of Ebola.

The DOE has been sending all principals weekly updates on Ebola, including all confirmed cases of it since August and instructions to follow if a student were to show signs of Ebola. “First of all, if the families and the students have recently traveled to West Africa, we would definitely monitor these students,” Principal Jie Zhang said.

If a student were to show any symptoms of Ebola, Zhang and Nurse Danielle Karunadasa would reach out to the DOE. “We would report to central [offices of the DOE] to get further direction, whether the student will be quarantined in a hospital or in a separate setting or sent home,” Zhang said. The central DOE staff would

then decide whether or not to inform the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH).

All school nurses have also been attending training sessions held by the DOH, where they learn about the symptoms of Ebola.

“While we were having the training, the DOH wanted to let people know that if they don’t feel well, they should stay home, especially if they had fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, [and] the hallmark of Ebola, bleeding,” Karunadasa said.

Karunadasa noted that at Stuyvesant, students want to stay at school even when they are ill. However, she is now taking stronger action to make sure any sick students are sent home.

“Anybody who has a fever should come to the medical room and expect that I’m going to send them home,” Karundasa said.

Zhang, Karunadasa, and other administration officials have also been advising students to maintain good personal hygiene in general. One way in which they’ve been doing this is by putting up more “Cover Your Cough” posters. “It’s always good advice to tell the students to be conscious that when eating and going to the bathroom, washing hands is a number one [priority]. These are the things we should always practice, not just specific to Ebola,” Zhang said.

Despite the large number of

the procedure was carried out by the three groups in charge of handling these issues: Assistant Principal of Student Affairs Brian Moran, school safety officers, and Nurse Danielle Karunadasa.

The school’s faculty meeting at the beginning of each school year to review emergency protocol is one reason why the operation was successful.

As a precautionary measure, teachers are also supposed to fill out a repair form at the start of the semester if their class-

room telephones are broken.

During an actual emergency, several tasks should be done simultaneously to maximize efficiency. The most important task is to call for help.

“When there is an emergency, there are certain phone numbers to call so appropriate action can be taken by me, the nurse, or school safety,” Moran said. One person in the classroom should first call Moran at 2070, because he is the head of the organized effort. If Moran does not answer, a voice message should not be left. Instead, someone in the classroom should dial 1020, the school safety patrol at the bridge entrance, or 4986, the safety patrol at the main entrance.

At the same time, another person should lead everyone else out of the room to isolate the afflicted person. If the teacher is the one who has a problem, another adult or teacher from a neighboring classroom should be called in as well. In the case of a heart attack, anyone who is certified to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) must do so.

If someone is also certified to use an automated external defibrillator (AED), which checks heart rhythm, they may use it.

AEDs are the red packages inside rectangular glass cases by the elevators on every floor.

Someone else from the classroom should go to Karunadasa’s office in room 371 to inform her of the situation.

“Send one person to my office to confirm the fact that I am aware of what’s going on. [The person] might even reach me before I get word of any situation via walkie talkie,” Karunadasa said. Moran then decides whether to ask the police or EMS for help. If he deems it necessary, the school patrol can directly contact the local precinct without having to go through the 911 dispatcher.

Teachers know that dialing “911” on the classroom phone will not direct them to the actual police, but instead to room 911. However, many students are not informed about what to do and may even delay the process by mistakenly dialing “911.” “I’m sure some [students] might use the class

Mahfuza Sabiha / The Spectator

Emergency Procedures at Stuyvesant

By Sharon Chao and Stephanie Chen The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was called to Stuyvesant on Thursday, October 13, 2014. Though details were not disclosed, a female student was taken to the hospital due to an emergency that occurred within the school.

When such incidents happen, certain protocol needs to be followed to ensure the safety of everyone involved. In this case,

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 3

News Increase of Academic Dishonesty within English Department

By Julia Ingram, Sharon Chao, and Jennifer Lee Following the June 2012 cheating scandal, the administration emphasized rigid exam procedures and the importance of academic integrity in an effort to stop cheating. Since then, these efforts have seemed to suppress academic dishonesty. However, the English department has recently discovered a surprising number of instances of plagiarism. Within the first two months of the school year, teachers have already confirmed seven cases of academic dishonesty, particularly among sophomores and juniors. This is a large number when compared to the average of 12 cases this department usually encounters every semester.

Five of the seven cases of academic dishonesty were instances of plagiarism, including copying text word-for-word or inputting others’ ideas and evidence in assignments.

Recently, a student in English teacher Maura Dwyer’s class copied a piece from a well-known author and had volunteered to share it with his class under the pretense that he had written it himself. Dwyer, however, quickly recognized the piece and realized that her student had taken credit for something he didn’t write.

If a teacher detects an abnormality in a student’s tone or writing style when grading, they may

investigate to see if the work is plagiarized. “We might notice an assignment has the same structure, the same evidence, [or the] same basic argument; it would be next to mathematically impossible for that to have happened by coincidence,” Assistant Principal of English Eric Grossman said. Teachers typically confirm their suspicions using Turnitin, an Internet-based plagiarism prevention service.

If the teacher confirms that the work is plagiarized, and it is the first instance of academic dishonesty for the student, he or she does not receive credit on the assignment.

In addition, a meeting between the student, the student’s parents, the student’s teacher, and Grossman is arranged to ensure that he or she fully understands what qualifies as academic dishonesty. If the student is caught cheating a second time, it can lead to academic suspension.

Despite the prevalence of plagiarism, one of the recent cases of academic dishonesty did not involve plagiarism. Rather, it included a new method of cheating in which a student was able to delay handing in a writing piece to Turnitin.

Turnitin has a large database of web pages, student papers, and academic articles that it compares submissions to in order to check for originality. One sophomore, who was granted anonymity due to concerns about his academic standing, attempted to bypass the system by uploading a corrupted file full of gibberish as a placehold-

er to make it seem as if the actual writing piece was submitted. Had his defective file been the only one of its kind submitted to Turnitin, he would have been able to successfully claim the file was incompatible with Turnitin. In this case, his English teacher, Kim Manning, would have asked him to resubmit his paper in a compatible format.

This submission and resubmission process would have given the student a few extra days to complete the assignment.

However, Turnitin’s originality check identified the content of the defective file as an exact match to the content of another student in the same class. Since the system identified the text as copied word for word, it acted as if the gibberish in the document was “plagiarized” from that other student. “I was confused at first because I couldn’t figure out how it happened. [The content of the file] was not something that came from an obvious place, like Sparknotes or Wikipedia,” Manning said.

Ultimately, it was concluded that the students derived their corrupted documents from the same source. Both students received zeroes on their assignments. “It was upsetting because it just felt like another obstacle, another thing we’re up against as teachers, fighting this fight of plagiarism,” Manning said.

When the English Department staff discussed this topic at a meeting on November 4, the overall

consensus was that students who are under constant pressure and stress resort to plagiarism as a way of cutting corners. “I don’t think the intent is malicious… it’s [not] meant as an insult to the teacher, as a disrespect,” Grossman said. “I suspect that it often happens as a last-minute thing, and [students] feel like they won’t even have time for a face-to-face meeting with the teacher.”

Grossman also attributed the numerous cases of academic dishonesty to the fact that the act of plagiarizing is done in private, putting students under the illusion nobody will find out. “The other contributing factor, I think, is that it happens in secret. While the effects are public... when the act itself occurs, it’s always someone sitting in his or her room. [He] feels like [he’s] alone and protected, but in fact [he’s] not,” Grossman said.

When a student is caught cheating, some teachers are inclined to give him or her the benefit of the doubt, believing that the student caught cheating did not fully understand the consequences of academic dishonesty or what it entails. English teacher Eric Ferencz believes that many students don’t understand that plagiarism is more than just copying another person’s work word for word. “I think students think that plagiarism is when you cut and paste off the Internet.

Students don’t necessarily understand that looking on the Internet for ideas, and writing about some-

one else’s ideas is plagiarism [as well],” he said.

Many teachers and students recognize the inevitability of academic dishonesty in Stuyvesant.

“We try to keep it to a minimum, but with 3,200 kids and this much work, it’s unrealistic to expect that nobody would ever copy another person’s math homework,” Grossman said.

The English Department is making efforts to reduce plagiarism by accommodating students, such as making sure that students understand that they can ask for extensions and also scaffolding assignments at smaller intervals to prevent procrastination. The department is also planning on discussing in class what academic honesty means to ensure that students know what the rules are.

Using these methods, English teachers hope to create a more academically honest environment that will encourage students to be more upfront with their teachers. They want students to know that they understand their situations and would rather help them instead of having them resort to plagiarism. “[Talking to us] means a lot, and it’s a really great opportunity to build a student-teacher relationship that helps the student grow. It’s a great chance that is missed because of shame or guilt, perhaps. We want students to know that we are behind them all the way,” Ferencz said.

Ambiguous Safety Drill Policies Impact Stuyvesant Readiness continued from page 1 ing a shelter-in, all entrances to the building and classroom doors are locked. Students and staff may conduct business as usual.

Lockdown is followed by the Directive “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight,” and is the protocol used to secure individual rooms and keep students quiet and in place. There are two types of lockdowns: hard lockdowns and soft lockdowns.

A hard lockdown implies that everyone within the school building might be in imminent danger and that no staff members or administrators are to sweep the building. All individuals, including School Safety Agents, are to take appropriate lockdown action and await the arrival of first responders. Doors are to be locked, lights are to be turned off, and students and teachers are to move out of the line of sight of any windows or doorways.

A soft lockdown implies that there is no great imminent danger within the school. Students and staff are instructed to follow the same procedures as during hard lockdowns. However, the sweep teams are exempt from lockdown procedure and are allowed outside classrooms to assess the threat.

Despite the literature on emergency procedures, implementation is usually ineffective. For example, Directives are often shortened or misstated. In fact, during the most recent lockdown, no Directive was used at all.

By Jeremy Elkayam New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued a call to action for women to change the world, and nearly a dozen students from Stuyvesant were there to take the call. Social studies teacher Linda Weissman took a group of students to see Gillibrand talk about her book “Off the Sidelines: Raise Your Voice, Change the World.”

The New York Women’s Bar Association Foundation invited Weissman and up to 10 students to Gillibrand’s lecture on Thursday, October 23. “They asked us because they wanted young women, and

Teachers and students are trained for the different emergency procedures with drills conducted throughout the school year. Additionally, teachers go over the procedures during faculty meetings, and information about the different protocols is sent to teachers via e-mail and placed in their school mailboxes.

Despite the efforts to educate teachers about the correct procedures, after the lockdown on October 30, it became clear that many teachers were unsure of how to react in different emergency situations. “My [computer science] teacher went [into the hallway] and said, ‘Which one is the soft lockdown again?’” junior Derrick Lui said.

Other teachers have confused the soft lockdown drill with the shelter-in drill. Teaching may only continue during a shelter-in, not a soft lockdown. Sophomore Anya Laskin Keller was in her history class during the lockdown when her teacher began shelter-in procedures instead of lockdown procedures. “We heard the announcement and [my teacher] says something like ‘I’m not really sure what we are supposed to do.’ He locks the doors, turns the lights off, but continues teaching, just maybe a little quieter,” she said.

Despite the misunderstandings, Moran is not particularly troubled by these issues. “I think it’s a relatively new procedure, so there is still some confusion over what the expectations are,” he said.

“If there is confusion, we’ll continue to have practice, we’ll continue to have professional development, we’ll continue to have conversations about it to make sure that everybody is on the same page and understands what the procedures are.”

In other classes, even fewer safety measures were taken. Sophomore Danielle Eisenman was in her Jazz Band class when the lockdown was announced. “We barely heard it, and our teacher just told us to keep playing Feliz Navidad,” she said. “Someone could have heard us playing and come right in. That was really dangerous.”

Assistant Principal of Music, Art, and Technology Dr. Ray Wheeler believes that it is impossible for all students to get out of sight in the crowded band and chorus rooms.

However, he does not view it as a serious issue. “It is what it is. When the school was designed you didn’t have school shootings. So in these procedures you just have to do the best that you can: close the doors, lock them, shut off the lights, and be quiet,” Dr. Wheeler said.

Moran agreed with Dr. Wheeler’s stance. “[Students] need to stay away from the windows and doors as best they can but obviously in some rooms it is more difficult than others,” he said. “It’s impossible to completely hide—we know that’s not reasonable. The idea is that you want to avoid being a target of opportunity, because generally people will only look for easy targets,” he said.

In an attempt to clarify lockdown procedure, the administration is considering removing the “soft” versus “hard” distinction between lockdowns. “The word ‘soft’ is causing unnecessary confusion for students and teachers, when they should be performing the same actions,” Principal Jie Zhang said. Removing the distinction in announcements will necessitate the creation of another way to inform the building response team and security personnel of the level of severity of an emergency.

The Department of Education suggests performing one unannounced lockdown drill per year.

While the administration has considered this option, it is unlikely that it will be implemented this year. “We would like to continue as much instruction as possible, so we don’t want to add more than the required number of drills,” Zhang said.

English teacher Holly Schechter believes that all lockdown drills should be announced. “An unannounced lockdown drill is unprecedented, and seems like a bad idea that could incite fear and other strong reactions,” Schechter said.

“Going forward, I hope that we can establish some policies—for example, to know that there would never be an unannounced lockdown drill—so that when we hear that announcement, we know what to do, and we take it seriously.”

Moran cautions that unannounced drills more closely simulate genuine emergencies. “In the

New York Senator Speaks to Students

they turned to a school,” Weissman said. “I said yes immediately, and I brought the largest number I was allowed to bring.”

Gillibrand spoke for an hour about her experiences as a woman in law school, as an attorney, and in government. As a member of the Senate’s Committee on Armed Services, she felt that women brought a different perspective. Gillibrand found that men on the committee discussed militarism more, while she asked more questions about the service people in the army.

She noted that, as one of 20 female senators, she finds that it’s easier to work effectively and find common-

ality with other women in the Senate from both political parties.

Gillibrand discussed the difficulties of a career in a profession traditionally occupied by men. “It’s harder for women to be in the fray.

Men are more accustomed to the competition of politics because of their competitive nature. Men learn to be more resilient and to promote themselves more readily, which is a critical skill for fundraising. Often women who are not independently wealthy have trouble fundraising for political campaigns,” Gillibrand said.

Gillibrand discussed how, throughout her career, she has

been objectified. She specifically cited her legal partner saying after a successful case, “I’d like to thank Kirsten Gillibrand. Doesn’t her hair look nice today?” She felt as though all the work she had put into the case was reduced to how she looked and noted that discussion of men’s appearances in such a setting is much less common.

Students were impressed by Gillibrand’s speech and ambitions.

“I loved how she said that she was an ‘ambitious feminist,’ because that really puts her closer to the causes she wants,” senior Melissa Ye said. “She’s kind of a role model that a lot of people, like me, want

event that there is an actual emergency, there will obviously be no warning given. Common sense would lead you to believe that you would take it even more seriously, because there is that element of unknown,” he said. “My expectation is that whether or not it’s a drill, whether or not it’s announced, everyone should take the proper steps and treat it seriously.”

Schechter also identified an issue with general lockdown policy.

According to protocol, teachers are supposed to keep their doors locked during the entire period of a lockdown. However, many teachers needed to unlock their doors so that deans could bring students from the hallways inside classrooms. “I did open the door to let the student in,” Schechter said. “But I think it would benefit the safety of the school and the confidence of the faculty to discuss these things carefully, so that in a real emergency, we’d know exactly what to do in a moment like that.”

In light of the issues that have arisen after the most recent lockdown, the importance of drills has become more apparent to those at Stuyvesant. “Probably most of us find security drills of all sorts annoying and time-consuming,” social studies teacher Dr. Lisa Greenwald said. “But we should take them seriously, do them quickly and efficiently, and know that in the end they are meant to benefit us.”

to be.”

“Gillibrand is a very, very good speaker, and her ideas that she presented were really motivating and they really encouraged me to pursue my interests, because she was a really relatable person,” senior Lily Chen said.

“It was a wonderful experience, from my point of view, to have young ladies be able to hear a U.S. Senator [...] talk about her own experiences as a woman attorney and as a woman in government,” Weissman said. “I thought it was one of the single best experiences I’ve ever brought students to.”

Page 4

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

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The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 5

Features

continued from page 1

Though he no longer speaks as quickly as many debaters do, Coleman still hones the talents that are associated with debaters. He is eloquent, often supporting his statements with ample evidence, and is careful to avoid saying anything that could be held against him.

When asked what he would do if he was in a position to redesign the SHSAT, Coleman stayed silent. “The role of Specialized High Schools in New York is a very special one, and that is for many others to comment on.

I won’t comment directly,” he said.

The debate team also helped Coleman discover the diversity and talent of his classmates at Stuyvesant; it developed his desire to surround himself with passionate people. “I found my fellow students extremely exciting, and I think that I spend a lot of my professional career looking for exciting colleagues, exciting people to do things with,” he explained.

However, one of the most passionate people Coleman found at Stuyvesant was his history teacher, Elaine Grist.

“Walking into her room, you felt suddenly an adult; she elevated all of us. She made words and ideas matter. I did my best to take any class she taught, ranging from government to psychology, because all things were in her hands a training in excellence,” Coleman wrote.

There was, however, a flip side to the positive elements of Stuyvesant that Coleman aimed to replicate in his life. Coleman recognized the presence of a “dangerous, extreme” anxiety among students and in his later years pondered how one could make something useful out of this anxiety. “You had a large body of students who lived in such anxiety about where they would go to college, about their grades, about the kind of rat race that high school can become. And I think I spent much of my life after that thinking about what’s a more productive way to hone that energy,” Coleman explained.

Coleman’s résumé after high school is one that Stuyvesant students (and most of their par-

ents) would revere. He earned a B.A. in philosophy from Yale and went on to study both English literature at the University of Oxford and educational philosophy at the University of Cambridge as a Rhodes scholar. As his journey as a student ended, he flirted with the idea of working on the other side of the classroom as a high school English teacher but eventually decided to spend his life working on the administrative side of education. Even though his education focused on the humanities, Coleman said, “One great gift Stuyvesant gave me was keeping numbers and the sciences very important. I think the humanities are much less powerful unless they’re combined with serious work that is analytic in nature. I think we make a great mistake to do one without the other.”

Since becoming the president of the College Board in the fall of 2012, Coleman has taken on a big project: redesigning the SAT. Coleman decided to reconstruct this exam because he recognized that teachers, students, parents, college professors, college admissions counselors, and high school counselors all disliked it, and validly so.

The new SAT, which will begin to be administered in the spring of 2016, has a number of components that distinguish it from the current version. In the new SAT, the essay section is optional, obscure words are replaced by “relevant vocabulary” that the “students will use throughout their lives — in high school, college, and beyond,” and the math, reading, and writing sections will “engage with questions grounded in the real world,” according to the College Board website.

Coleman hopes that these changes will help decrease the amounts of useless panic that he found abundant at Stuyvesant. “We’re trying to create a climate in which, in a sense, teachers are trying to teach, students are trying to practice, there is less unproductive anxiety and more productive pursuit of things worth doing,” he explained.

In relation to the College Board’s formation of a broader curriculum, such as the AP curriculum and exams, Coleman

said, “I think that one of the beauties of the College Board or the beauties of this work is the design of courses in collaboration with K-12 and higher education AP courses... I think that kind of single-most sensational thing that can happen in education is when you do something you [didn’t] think you could.

When a teacher calls on you to do more than you thought, and at first you really don’t think you can, and then you surprise yourself [with] what you can do.

And then also things begin to happen in terms of your sense of self-esteem, in terms of your concepts of what’s possible to do. I think advanced placement in its best has that quality, where for many kids, it’s their first time they’ve done work that really stretches them, and at the same time, the teacher is their coach and helper.”

Another problem that Coleman has begun to tackle since becoming president of the College Board is the achievement gap between students from lowincome and high-income families. One initiative that Coleman is particularly proud of is one in which the College Board sends four income waivers for college applications to every lowincome student who takes the SAT. Moments when he sees the positive effects of such initiatives are some of Coleman’s most prized memories.

“My favorite day in work was when a student posted the waivers on Instagram and said, ‘The college board sent me fee waivers because I am awesome.’

And he didn’t say because he was poor,” Coleman explained.

“And that’s why I feel like we’re really doing something useful when kids feel that we are putting in their hands the tickets to their future and something that’s helped them.”

These new initiatives, in addition to his creation of the Common Core State Standards, landed Coleman a spot in the TIME magazine’s “Top 100 Most Influential” list of 2013. One might expect Coleman to be a rigid, highly booked person with grand ideas and a wide vocabulary. In some ways, he measures up to this expectation—after contacting his secretary (who referred to him as “President Coleman”) for the first time, it

Courtesy of Michael Nagle

Calling Up the College Board: David Coleman (‘87) on the Revamped SAT, Being President, and Stuyvesant

David Coleman is the president of the College Board.

took roughly 25 e-mails and six months to schedule a 30-minute long interview with him.

But at the same time, Coleman presented himself as easygoing and compassionate. After interjecting in the middle of a question, Coleman jokingly remarked, “You can point out, ‘he rudely interrupted me,’ in the piece.” He was candid: “I can tell you, as students on your way to college, that’s some of life that is most real. Reading a good book is one of the most real things you can ever do, and don’t let anyone ever tell you different,” he said. He would love for every student to read a 1953 essay by American choreographer Martha Graham titled “An Athlete of God.” Coleman also often asked if we understood what he was saying and inquired about our own experiences at Stuyvesant.

After describing the prevalence of pointless anxiety he felt while studying at Stuyvesant, for example, Coleman asked whether we thought this was still a problem.

Coleman is no stranger to the College Board’s unflattering perception in the realm of high school education, which we affirmed to still be strongly centered around exams and grades. While Coleman readily describes the excited educational experiences of his own youth that he wishes for others to have, he indirectly notes that standardized testing isn’t exactly compatible with this ideal. “I think Stuyvesant can match any college in at least the vitality, at least when I was there, of the student body. And that comes

when people are devoted to things beyond their next step.

And in terms of the College Board, I have something of an obligation to try to cut down on the excesses. You could argue that the College Board is part of the problem, and part of my job as president is to make everything we do kind of encourage much more productive immersion in things worth doing and are exciting and worthwhile in and of themselves,” he said.

When asked how he thinks high schoolers should view the SAT, Coleman said, “As a worthwhile athletic experience.

I can’t get rid of competition.

But there are competitions like sports where it’s work worth doing. But it may be a competition, but you’re not just doing this work for the SAT, you’re doing it to ready you to do more things in the future.”

Coleman has advice for the future as well. “Nothing’s more powerful, actually, than to develop something you’re really excited about. Not to get into college but because you’re actually crazy about it… My mother said to me, ‘What you should study in college is what keeps you up at night.’ Not for the sake of studying for lessons, not that kind of keep you up at night.

Because, I mean, it impassions you. And high school should be a time of discovery and cultivating that information.”

An edited transcript of our phone interview with David Coleman can be found on our website.

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The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 6

Features Roving Reporter: How Open is Stuy?

By Lon Yin Chan and Erica Cho It was the summer before seventh grade when senior Leon Frajmund realized he was gay.

He was at a summer camp and met another gay person. “And then I was like ‘Oh... I’m that,’” Frajmund said.

It was while watching Emily Fields, a character from the ABC Family Show “Pretty Little Liars,” come out as a lesbian that a senior who wishes to remain anonymous came to terms with her sexuality. “It kind of came to me that there are just teenage girls who like other teenage girls and it was like every other relationship out there,” she said.

It was freshman year when Stuyvesant alumna Vivian Huang (’14) realized she was developing feelings for other girls. “During sophomore year, I wrote many journals to sort these feelings out. It was one hell of a year filled with angst and confusion,” she said. “But by junior year, I quit drinking and became comfortable with myself.”

Each non-heterosexual person has a different story of discovering his or her sexuality and embracing it. Likewise, everyone has a different take on the degree to which Stuyvesant is accepting of the wide Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer (LGBTQ+) community. But even with the recognition that it is an elusive topic, it is hard not to wonder how open Stuyvesant really is.

The Spectator recently asked 466 randomly chosen students if they disapprove of homosexuality. 86 percent of students answered “no,” six percent answered “yes,” and 16 percent left the question blank. In the same survey, 39 percent of students answered “yes” to the question, “Do you have a close friend who is lesbian or gay?”; the remaining 61 percent said “no.”

These results indicate that Stuyvesant leans toward an accepting environment, and this was confirmed by a number of interviews. “People are generally incredibly accepting; when I first came out to friends, I got nothing but acceptance and kind words,” a female junior, who will be referred to as Anon 1, said in an e-mail interview. She added, “When I first came out to my friend before first period, she merely replied: ‘Okay, I mean, you’re still sassy so it’s fine.’”

Junior Steven Ma, who identifies as gay, agreed. “Stuyvesant’s environment is definitely accepting. Being a certain sexuality doesn’t seem to affect you too much other than being asked the same couple questions by a handful of people,” he said.

Some of these common questions include “If you’re gay does that mean you’re promiscuous?” and “Is it a choice?”

In general, Ma still affirmed that most people accept his sexual orientation and don’t pry when they find out about it. “When I meet anyone new in Stuy, my sexual orientation is accepted as who I am. It’s like stating you don’t eat meat; it distinguishes you but it doesn’t define you,” he said.

Sophomore and co-president of Gay Lesbian and Straight Spectrum (GLASS) Rhys Suero, who identifies themself as pansexual (attracted to all genders), has found that Stuyvesant “gives tacit approval to non-heterosexuals,” they said. At the same time, they are bothered by an unawareness of topics relating to sexuality. “The ignorance and micro-aggression I hear in the halls make me feel a bit closedin and aggravated. Most people I talk to don’t have a problem with it, but not everyone understands my sexuality or gender. However, some people tend not to be very kind in the way they express their confusion,” Suero added.

“I believe Stuy needs to be more aware of the negative connotation of the words faggot and gay.”

—Jonathan Aung, junior Junior Jonathan Aung brought up a similar point. “I believe Stuy needs to be more aware of the negative connotations of the words faggot and gay. This all ties back to the ignorance we have of using such words, including the n-word, believing that they aren’t harming anyone,” he said.

Most of this ignorance seems to stem from a lack of awareness for different types of sexualities and gender identities, both within and outside of Stuyvesant. Gender identity refers to how a person identifies him or herself regardless of what they are physically. Gender identities include being female, male, transgender, or gender-fluid.

Meanwhile, sexuality refers to the people to whom a person is

attracted, and can fall anywhere on a wide spectrum. Certain lesser-recognized sexualities include pansexual and asexual, where “the person either doesn’t feel sexual attraction but can still fall in love… or has sexual desire, but isn’t attracted to others. Demisexual is in between asexual and not being asexual, where you only have a sexual attraction towards people you’re close to,” senior Jenny Baran explained.

Baran, who is a “non-binary gender queen,” believes that there should be a stronger community at Stuyvesant that supports the LGBTQ+ population. “[There’s a] lack of representation and recognition; nobody discusses genders and sexuality.

There’s GLASS [Gay Lesbian and Straight Spectrum] but it’s not very public,” Baran said. “They do have meetings and stuff but people don’t really know about it.” As a result, Baran added, people are generally uncomfortable speaking about sexuality.

Suero, however, pointed out that GLASS hosts events throughout the year, and the turnout is usually pretty high. During Ally Week, which took place from October 13 to 17, GLASS set up a table near the scanners and spoke to students about what it means to be an ally. An ally is someone who advocates for a community they do not identify with. For example, a gay man advocating for the transgender community is an ally. “Ally week was a bit hectic this year, but we still got over 100 signatures and I was able to teach so many of my friends about the LGBTQ+ community,” Suero explained.

GLASS also observes the Day of Silence. “Towards the end of the year, another big event is the Day of Silence. It’s used to commemorate the members of the LGBTQ+ community who have been silenced by those around them.” On the Day of Silence, participants tape a piece of purple duct tape to their mouths and carry around an explanatory pass in support of the effort.

“Also, we were considering putting up posters that discuss different sexualities and genders,” Suero said. “I think it’s easier to accept and tolerate something when you understand what it is.”

Though GLASS’s efforts have seen success at Stuyvesant, there remain some students who are uncomfortable speaking about their sexualities. An anonymous junior, whom we will call Anon 2, is still trying to understand who she is attracted to, despite having a boyfriend. “I’ve always been comfortable with expressing my feelings about girls who I found attractive but I felt like

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[I] was starting to open up that part of me more and then I got scared,” she said. “I’d say [I identify as] bi-curious but I hate the stigma that goes along with that word. It’s almost shallow, like it makes me think of college girls who just want to hook up with other girls for the fun of it, and I dislike that.”

Anon 2 has not officially come out because she was not well received in several attempts to come out to her friends at Stuyvesant and her family. The confidants made insensitive comments that made her uncomfortable. “If anything, it made me harder for me to accept myself,” she said. She knows that she will not come out until she feels that the people around her will no longer be prejudiced, even if it takes years. “The part I don’t like is the underlying assumptions of what people of different sexualities are like. I think that Stuy is the same as most [of] society when I say that labeling someone’s sexuality makes people think of them a little differently.”

Ma articulated the same opinion. “I want people to know that even though I do display several stereotypically gay traits, having a different sexual orientation should not make you a different person. Gay people aren’t all loud and flamboyant. We don’t all say how fierce you are or excessively use the word ‘slay.’

We don’t all have an urge to cover everything in a coat of glitter or quote Barbra Streisand. Television has ingrained in our minds that being a different orientation means there are qualities that set us apart from straight people.

Every gay needs to wear bright colors and have a high pitched voice. Every lesbian needs to be a bitch and have excessive amounts of leather and plaid.

The point is we’re not all white, male and affluent; gay people are regulars just like you,” he said in an e-mail interview.

In other instances, stereotypes and societal norms have led to more concrete forms of discrimination. For senior Alex Gabriel, one of the more hurtful moments while dealing with his sexuality stemmed from his participation in Stuy Squad’s girls’ hip-hop. “According to my friend, some of the guys in the audience had commented about how uncomfortable it was for them to watch me dance,” he said.

Frajmund recalled two incidents of what he considers harassment at Stuyvesant. “I had a friend who was clearly homophobic and uncomfortable.

So […] he made an extra effort to show that he’s accepting. He kept asking about my relationship

with my gay boyfriend. The other one kept insulting me playfully and I understand that he’s doing it playfully. But he kept making references and eventually I was this close to punching him,” Frajmund said.

In addition, junior Samia Siddiqui, who identifies as bisexual and gender fluid, has previously had to deal with questioning looks from teachers. “One of my teachers looked at me, frowned and asked me why I was wearing a man’s shirt,” Siddiqui said.

“Something as simple as a lingering look can make you feel unwanted in a classroom, and comments are worse.” Siddiqui has ignored these looks, understanding that it may be the first time the teacher has seen a girl in men’s attire. “But I think it’s interesting that while I have gotten compliments from a lot of students for the way I express my gender, teachers have given me odd looks before,” Siddiqui said.

Anon 1 agreed. “I will occasionally get a teacher who I believe to be homophobic. For instance, my foreign language teacher has made a few comments that are definitely less than accepting when a homosexual person is mentioned,” she said.

Suero, on the other hand, has found that teachers react better to their sexuality than students do. “Teachers tend to be really accepting and understanding, and don’t require explanation for me. I changed my name to Rhys [from Gloria] this year because I needed a gender-neutral name, and most of my teachers have no problem with it. My old name occasionally slips up, but I understand, because it’s an adjustment period for everyone. With students, however, it’s harder to explain myself. I’ve gotten pretty negative comments of my sexuality and gender, and some people even go as far as making a joke out of it, without realizing how hard it has been for me to figure out who I was. There’s just a general vibe I get from students that makes me feel so much more different than I am,” they said in an e-mail interview.

Even though students have had mixed experiences at Stuyvesant, Stuyvesant as a whole seems to lean toward having a more open atmosphere.

However, it seems to be moving toward a greater acceptance and tolerance of non-heterosexual students with an increase in educational efforts of the student body. By initiating efforts little by little, the larger goal will some day be achieved. As Suero said, “If there were most straight allies, [we] could give the school a different perspective.”

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 7

Features That’s the (School) Spirit!

By April Lam with additional reporting by Lon Yin Chan

people know when games are.”

The basketball team faces a similar situation. Former junior varsity boys’ basketball team member junior Austin Siu said, “We average about ten to fifteen viewers during home games… and that’s during the good days.”

It should be noted that though the team receives more viewers than many other sports teams, Siu said, “Most are parents and our friends [who] we invite.”

Though some students speculate that this trend of low viewership only holds for less successful teams, senior Malcolm Wells, co-captain of Stuyvesant’s successful fencing team, offered contrary evidence. “We don’t get large numbers of people at our games,” he said. “Since the gym is small, the team is small, and games usually start an hour after school, it is fairly predictable.”

The consensus among students is that there is simply not enough time to attend sports games. “Between finishing all my homework and studying, I barely have time to stay after school for other events and extra-curriculars,” sophomore Edward Tsang said.

Sophomore Alex Serbanescu added, “In a school where students try to shave thirty seconds off their commutes and do their homework on trains and in classes, we don’t have any more time to go watch a game when we can be doing something else.” The general air of apathy regarding sports became apparent when Serbanescu said, “I don’t care for them.”

Another reason for low turnout is the time at which games start. Most games start at least an hour after school, and potential spectators lose interest due to the long wait. Physical education

Mariya Gedrich / The Spectator

When I pass by students wearing blue, shoulder-padded jerseys and matching knee-high socks, I know that they are part of Stuyvesant’s football team. And when I see students whose faces are painted with intimidating black and red war paint, I know that they are members of the school’s swim team getting ready for an intense meet. My physical education teacher constantly suggests that we go see the players in action, but, like the majority of Stuyvesant students, I have never attended a school sports game.

In a school with more than 3,000 students, why is it that only a dozen or so show up at most sports games? Most home games receive only a handful of spectators; the bleachers are usually a quarter filled or less. Does the number of spectators depend on

the team, or is Stuyvesant’s sports culture just not that prominent altogether?

Those participating on sports teams have various takes on the issue. Junior and cricket team co-captain Joydeep Baidya explained, “One factor for us being underrepresented is because cricket is not an American sport, so naturally there isn’t as much of a culture for cricket here.” Most of the spectators at games are parents, siblings, friends, alumni, or team managers. Baidya also speculated that the cricket team rarely has spectators because their games often take place in remote areas.

However, when asked about the number of spectators at a girls’ varsity volleyball game, a team that regularly plays in Stuyvesant’s indoor gymnasium, co-captain and senior Hannah Yep said, “We don’t get too many viewers at our games unless we make an event [on Facebook] and invite people, since not many

teacher Philip Fisher noted that when he started teaching, games started at 3:30 p.m., so students were able to go straight to games and leave at around 5:30 p.m. In comparison, today’s games start at 4:30 p.m. and spectators often leave at 6:30 p.m. or later. Fisher explained, “It is natural [that] parents will be concerned with their kids getting home late, and even casual fans cannot attend all games and leave so late every day.”

Stuyvesant, however, isn’t an outlier in the Specialized High School community in regards to school spirit. At Brooklyn Technical High School, though the wrestling team is undefeated and considered one of the school’s most successful teams, junior and girls’ wrestling team member Wenley Ma said that there are usually only three to five spectators at each game. The audience is usually comprised of “our own team, the opposing team, and maybe a few friends,” Ma explained. Additionally, Ma said that most students at Brooklyn Tech, including herself, have never gone to any school sports games due to a lack of interest and free time.

At LaGuardia High School, senior and volleyball team member Stanley Chow said that “athletics is not popular.” Chow recalled a time when a physical education teacher arranged the school’s first ever pep rally, aiming to increase the school’s sports spirit. “It was pretty much a failure. It was held in our concert hall, and the only people that showed up were the athletes, freshmen, and friends of the basketball team,” he said.

Regis High School, a maleonly, tuition-free Catholic school with approximately 120 students in each grade, is a school that has success with school spirit.

“Before a big game against our rival school Xavier, there will be a pep rally in the gym, which gets everyone really excited. For the game against Xavier, so many people want to attend that tickets are sold out within a few hours,” freshman John Timony said in an e-mail interview. This excitement can be attributed to the fact that Regis is a smaller school where everyone knows everybody on sports teams. Thus, they feel more inclined to go and support their classmates.

Even though Stuyvesant is a larger, less intimate school, hope isn’t completely lost for the sports culture at Stuyvesant. The school has made an active effort to increase the school’s sports team spirit; the Student Union posts game results onto their Facebook page every weekend in order to keep the students updated, and matches are regularly announced during the morning announcements.

Furthermore, after I went to my first sports game for this article and experienced the excitement of the match, I couldn’t wait to go to another. The girls’ varsity volleyball team’s cheers (which included saying, “bang, bang what up” while forming pistols with their fingers after a “kill”) lent me some insight into the dynamics of the team and added to the energy in the gymnasium. Though the crowd was small, I joined in with the other spectators’ loud cheers or “aw man”s when Stuyvesant scored or missed a point, and this made me feel like I was part of the game.

Stuyvesant lost that game, but the intense match kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

When the game ended, it was with a sigh that I got up and left.

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The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 8

Features Stuyvesant’s Guardians

By Claire Jin and Geena Jung It is 6:30 a.m. and agents Crystal Barbosa, Diane Centeno, Barbara Taylor, and Rose Aponte gather in room 102, still tired from their morning commutes. The security guards’ room is almost hidden on the first floor between the East Staircase and the Alumni Association’s office, but their elaborate office is complete with bathrooms and multiple desks. As each agent ties her hair into a bun, supervisor Rosalyn Burns cranks up the radio, and the classic “All That Jazz” from the musical “Chicago” fills the small room.

An hour later, the agents head out to the security desks in the first floor atrium and by the second floor entrance, keeping their eyes out for any visitor, parent, or student who forgot his or her student ID. Throughout the day, they walk up and down the floors, making sure everything is under control. Sometimes during 10th period, a security guard will make a quick run to Ferry’s to order an egg white sandwich and coffee to go. But once the 10th period end bell rings, most agents leave the building— either to work a shift in a different school or to go home after an exhausting day.

“My mother had no help, and she really didn’t have the time to go back to school and further her education. That’s why she always stressed the importance of education to my sister and me.”

—Crystal Barbosa, security agent Agent Crystal Barbosa is not only passionate about her job, but also loves athletics. She enjoyed playing sports, especially basketball and baseball, when she was a teenager. When asked why she did not pursue an athletic career, Barbosa explained that the only reason she did not become an athlete was because of her petite figure. “I’m just over five feet tall. I’m tiny!” she said.

Barbosa was born in Queens and grew up with her mother and sister. “I was around the family a lot more. I was able to be in contact with cousins from both sides of the family. But now that everyone’s older, everyone has a different agenda; they have kids, married, or go to school. So, it’s harder to meet up with everyone,” she said.

Being raised by a single parent was hard, but Barbosa’s mother’s hardworking nature allowed her to grow up content. “I was young, so I didn’t really understand anything. To me, I felt that I had everything…. However, I didn’t come from a wealthy family. [We] never lived in a house that was our own.” Barbosa said. “My mother had no help, and she really didn’t have the time to go back to school and further her education. That’s why she always stressed the importance of education to my sister and me.”

But it was not only her mother’s encouragement that made Barbosa an enthusiastic student; she was also very self-motivated. When asked what her favorite part of school was, she replied, “Everything! It taught me how to be a better person. I don’t think that at that time anyone in my family went to college, so it was definitely a goal for me to complete school.”

Of all the things that stood in her way, cancer was one of Barbosa’s greatest enemies. When she was 10 years old, her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Barbosa’s mom underwent surgery at the Long Island Jewish Hospital and was told that she was no longer sick, but a few years later, the cancer came back. “We were all extremely relieved that we had finally overcome that struggle, but the cancer appeared once again. It was so frustrating to be informed of this,” Barbosa told me. Her mother was operated on again and pronounced healthy.

Four years later, however, Barbosa’s family got into a car accident. Her mother was scanned and diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was operated on once more and was, for the last time, deemed cancer-free. Ironically, Barbosa is thankful for the car accident because had it not happened, her mother would likely not be alive today. “Health issues and the tight schedule of my mother didn’t give her time to focus a lot on my sister and [me]. This shaped us into more independent children. We were able to take care of many schoolwork issues ourselves,” Barbosa explained.

Barbosa’s drive and independence took her far. She completed high school at Transtech Academy and went on to John Jay College. Though she dreamt of receiving a college diploma, Barbosa was unable to graduate because she was offered a job at Stuyvesant in the middle of her last semester. She regrets her decision to take the job, but explained that her break from college was not a matter of choice. “I didn’t really take a break because I wanted to, but because I had to. I needed the job,” Barbosa explained.

Luckily, working as a security guard was a welcome career for Barbosa because as a child, she had dreamt of being a police officer. She explained, “It is a career path that no one in my family had pursued. I wanted to do something different and give my family something to be proud of.”

Barbara Taylor

“Currently, I don’t live with the baby’s father, so for the most part, I had to raise my daughter alone. It was difficult financially, emotionally; it was really hard overall.”

—Barbara Taylor, security agent

“I had a rather quiet life, which mostly involved going outside to play with friends,” said agent Barbara Taylor, who was born and raised in a serene neighborhood in New Jersey. She does not recall having many problems, socially or economically, while growing up. However, her life changed permanently when she had her daughter at the age of 18.

When her family first heard that she was pregnant, they were not happy and did not want to deal with the situation. However, after Taylor’s daughter was born, they realized that they needed to assume some responsibility in order for Taylor to complete her education. Even with her family’s help, Taylor had a rough time during later teenage years. “Currently, I don’t live with the baby’s father, so for the most part, I had to raise my daughter alone. It was difficult financially, emotionally; it was really hard overall,” Taylor explained.

Ever since the birth of her first child, Taylor has wished for a career in which she could work and interact with kids. For 12 years, she chased this dream and worked for a Head Start program to assist children from low-income families.

This job, however, did not pay enough for Taylor to support her daughter, so she quit. “I was really young back then, and at the time, it didn’t really seem to work out for me. I was separated from my husband, and I needed a job, and my sister told me about School Safety as a job that I could apply for,” Taylor explained.

After deciding to look to School Safety for a career, Taylor began a nine year process of training under the guidance of the New York Police Department, during which she learned basic police training, such as first aid procedures.

Taylor’s first few months of working as a security agent were not what she had imagined. She came across very stressful times while working at an elementary school in the Bronx. “I had to act as a counselor because the kids would always come to me with all sorts of problems. I ended up interacting with parents more than I ever thought I would,” Taylor explained. She recalled a particular child with special needs who once had a seizure. “I had to calm down his mother days after the seizure took place. She would come into school every day to talk to me about her family. She talked about her other little girl that was a difficult child to raise, and I would listen and give her advice whenever I could,” Taylor said.

This parent-agent relationship ended when Taylor decided to apply for a school in Manhattan and was assigned to Stuyvesant. “The commute to the Bronx was long. On some days where there was traffic, it would take me almost 90 minutes trying to get to the school,” Taylor said. Since she lives in lower Manhattan, Stuyvesant was a more suitable choice.

Though she has only been here since the beginning of the school year, Taylor enjoys the environment in Stuyvesant, especially compared to that of other schools she had previously worked at. Before, she was used to strictly enforcing many safety rules to prevent anyone from being injured. “The main rules that I emphasize as an agent are no fighting, keep your hands to yourself, and show each other respect,” she explained. But Taylor does not have to worry about safety at Stuyvesant because she sees that most students cooperate with each other.

“I love it here. It’s close to travel to, and it’s generally an easy school to be an agent at. The kids are obedient most of the time,” Taylor said.

Julie Chan / The Spectator

Courtesy of Crystal Barbosa

Crystal Barbosa

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 9

Features Rose Aponte

Julie Chan / The Spectator

“Now that I am a mother, I am around my son a lot more, and I try to ease down with the wild style of fashion.”

—Rose Aponte, security agent “We would have equipment: those drums, salsa shakers…. So Saturday night was loud, but I loved it. My brother taught me how to play the piano and a little bit of this and that. I had a sister too, and we would all just play the instruments.” —Diane Centeno, security agent When I first met agent Diane Centeno, she was sharing a laugh with agent Barbosa about their height difference. Centeno is approximately six inches taller than Barbosa, who stands just over five feet tall. As one Stuyvesant’s most enthusiastic security agents, Centeno has a colorful nature rooted from her childhood, which was filled with the vivid sounds of her brother’s Spanish band instruments. On Saturday nights, her family’s small apartment was always pleasantly noisy. “We would have equipment: those drums, salsa shakers…. So Saturday night was loud, but I loved it.

My brother taught me how to play the piano and a little bit of this and that. I had a sister too, and we would all just play the instruments,” Centeno explained.

Since this is Centeno’s first year working at Stuyvesant, she is still in the process of deciding what her future career will be. Her current title is a security agent, but she wishes to become more of a “specialized” agent. “I don’t know what I want to do with this job. It’s just a lot because I’m a security agent, but there are FBI agents and CIA agents, so I’m really interested in those as well,” she said.

For now, however, Centeno believes that her job is stable, and she will continue it for a few more years. However, she also recently took the court office exam and laughingly said, “Well, if they call me, then I will just take that job!”

Before she began working at Stuyvesant, Centeno was a security agent at P.S. 123 in the Bronx. “The kids come from different ethnic backgrounds, and what I realized about them is that as long as someone cared about them, they were okay. When I first set foot in that school, there were fights. I was taken, and it was a very active school. I wasn’t afraid or intimidated because I could relate to a lot of those kids,” she said.

When asked how her opinion of Stuyvesant compares to that of other schools she worked at, she told me, “In this school particularly, I love it. It’s because of you guys! It’s easy to communicate with you guys. We follow the school’s rules, and it’s not about us. So if we say, ‘put your phone away,’ it’s not an argument. I don’t mind explaining why and the rules.” She added, “I don’t do this job just for the money or security portion, but also to be there when children need [me].”

This inclination reflects Centeno’s motherly instincts. She is very proud of her two daughters and appreciative of her “lovely husband that drives [her] to work every morning.” Furthermore, she attributes the existence of many of her positive character traits to her children. “Now, I want to treat others the way I would want them to treat my children. I feel the parental protection never leaves me. It’s a part of me!”

Centeno summed up the two most important aspects of her life nicely. “I find joy in being a parent and playing a role in enforcing security. These are the two stable things in my life,” she said.

Julie Chan / The Spectator

Rosalyn Burns

“We grew up poor, but there was so much love that you could really feel it pouring.”

—Rosalyn Burns, supervisor

Though all the agents wear the same uniform, it is not difficult to find agent Rose Aponte. While I was scavenging the first floor for a potential interviewee, she stood out from the rest of the agents with her half-blonde and half-dark brown hair.

Aponte was born and raised in Brownsville, Brooklyn. As a young girl, she had to buy groceries, cook for the family, and do the laundry because her mother, as a single parent, always needed her help. “She was that type of mother where I was her supporter and she always wanted me to do everything for her. It was difficult,” Aponte explained. Her older brother and younger sister did not have these same responsibilities that she had. “My brother was the man and my mother thought he could do whatever he wanted. Guys get to hang out and come home at whatever time. My sister was just an exception. She was the princess,” Aponte said.

Aponte also struggled to keep up with her academic studies. “In school, science was really hard. [There were] two regents I had to pass while I was at Wingate High School: Living Environment and Earth Science, and eventually, I passed one of them,” Aponte said.

She had a busy childhood, but Aponte wanted to make her dream of becoming an agent true. However, achieving this was not easy for Aponte. “I failed the test in 2012, because I was taking care of my son as a single parent, and I knew I wasn’t trying as hard as I could. I came back strong in 2014 and made it happen,” said Aponte excitedly.

She didn’t give up because she knew that being an agent was the job for her. “I’ve always [had] a passion of enforcing rules, making sure that everyone is safe, because the ideas such as terrorism, especially 9/11, devastate me,” Aponte explained. “Personally, I had no family near the Twin Towers, but I saw so many people mourning about the horrific event. Until this day, whenever I pass by the World Trade Center, tears still run down my eyes. Every day I’m reminded that I have a duty to protect you guys, and that’s one of the many reasons I love security and my job.”

Aponte’s passions don’t lie solely in security. When asked what her interests are, one of her responses was “Fashion!” While working in school, agents are not allowed to wear anything besides their uniforms. Aponte, however, loves bringing a “bling” into her outfits, which includes getting a blonde weave. “I love Jordans, Footlocker, Forever 21, all those name brand clothes. When I was younger, I even used to like the Children’s Place jeans, but now I can’t fit into them anymore,” Aponte said. She described herself as being the most “wild” out of all the agents because of her taste in fashion. Naturally, Aponte loves wearing a variety of colors, such as bright neon, but she has recently toned down this look. “Now that I am a mother, I am around my son a lot more, and I try to ease down with the wild style of fashion,” she explained.

When she is not spending time with her friends or son, Aponte works at Stuyvesant until 5:00 p.m. Usually, she goes to her home in downtown Brooklyn right after her shift ends to take care of her son, but occasionally she works overnight. Aponte puts in all this effort so that her son can live the best life possible. “I want the best for him. I always tell him to stay in school and don’t turn out like mommy! I want him to have a better life than me,” Aponte explained.

When I knocked on the door of room 102, supervisor Rosalyn Burns was listening to jazz music while speaking on the phone with an agent on the fifth floor. It was 3:30 p.m. and Burns was ready to leave for Harvey Milk High School, where she works until 7:30 p.m. to complete her 12-hour work day.

Burns was born and raised in South Carolina with her mother and three siblings. Her family struggled financially because Burns’s father died when she was six, leaving the family with no stable source of income. Burns, however, believes her childhood was a blessing. “We grew up poor, but there was so much love that you could really feel it pouring,” she explained.

As a young girl, Burns aspired to become an elementary school teacher. She always loved math, science, and kids, and teaching seemed like the ideal job for her. At the age of 17, Burns moved to New York City for employment opportunities. Transitioning from South Carolina’s environment to New York City’s was tough. “The city itself was bigger with a lot of nasty people, especially on the subways. There was [also] a lot of trash here, while the South was really clean,” Burns explained.

Upon arriving in the Big Apple, Burns attended Medgar Evers College, where she hoped she could earn her degree to become a teacher. Unfortunately, Burns’s plans could not become a reality due to her financial status. “I went to college for [teaching], but I dropped out because money became tight [and] because I had to pay my rent,” she explained.

Burns recognized that as a security guard, she would not have the same opportunity to interact with students that teachers have. However, since security was what seemed to be the only option available to her, Burns pursued her goal of becoming an agent.

She first became an officer under the control of the Board of Education, but then the New York Police Department (NYPD) took over the role of supervising the school safety officers. After training with the NYPD, she became a certified agent, and worked in Graphics High School for 15 years. When asked how she ended up becoming a supervisor at Stuyvesant, she explained to me, “The commander officer is the one who transfers officers from one group to another. I was in Seward Park for four years, and from there they moved me to 52 Chambers Street Tweed Courthouse. After that, I came to Stuyvesant as a supervisor due to my experience in the job.”

Because she is the most experienced agent at Stuyvesant, working for 20 years as an officer and three years at Stuyvesant, Burns often gives advice to the newly hired security agents. She trains them to make sure that they uphold the rules and regulations of the school, but gives quirky advice as well. One of her favorite sayings is that “kids will be kids,” simply because all students, whether at Stuyvesant or at another school, will take risks and be foolish.

As a supervisor, Burns makes sure that each day her goals are set and achieved. “One of my main goals is to teach the incoming agents how to do things the proper way, and to implement the rules and regulations that have been set by the principal and assistant principal,” Burns explained. As she said those words, Agent Diane Centeno walked through the door and covered her mouth, trying to contain her laughter.

Julie Chan / The Spectator

Diane Centeno

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 10

Features Carlos Bravo: A Handful of Ambrosia I got my masters from St. John’s University.

Carol Deng / The Spectator

What emotions did you feel after the car accident and not being able to go to Georgetown?

Because I had a full scholarship to go to Georgetown University, at first, I was a little bit disappointed because of this difficulty. But when one door closes, others open, and there’s a reason behind it all. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t be here today. I’m really happy to be here. It’s one of the best places in the world. Becoming a teacher is the way of life for me. The whole dream of becoming a diplomat doesn’t mean much anymore.

By Geena Jung and Kachun Leung

Spanish teacher Carlos Bravo talks to The Spectator about coming to America from Colombia, his travels in Greece, and his book of poetry, “Ambrosia a Manos Llenas.”

What was your life like growing up?

I was born in Bogota, Colombia, but my parents were Spanish.

They left Spain during the Franco regime, like a lot of other Spanish people, and it was very difficult for me growing up. But in another sense, it was very funny. Since I was born in Colombia, I would speak differently from my parents.

Instead of saying “durazno,” they would say “melocoton,” which both mean “peach.” Certain words were different, and it was kind of confusing, especially when I slept over at someone’s house. They would say, “Why are the children speaking differently?”

Do you have any memories from Colombia?

I grew up in the Andes, which is very high above sea level. We had sheep around the school, lots of sheep, and we had wheat because of the wheat plantations.

When I got to the United States, I was really missing the nature and the fauna. For me, nature was a very important part of growing

up—seeing the mountain and the rivers. It became a very important part of my writing with nature and plants.

Why did you leave Colombia?

Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to come to the United States. Big cities, like New York with its tall buildings, the busy life, and all that. I asked my parents, “can I go?” and my uncle wanted to bring some of his nephews to the United States, [so] I went with them.

Was it hard to leave your parents to go to America?

I didn’t know how to speak English when I came to the United States from Colombia, so it was very difficult for me. I had to do all different types of jobs, but at the same time I went to school, my father had died. It was a very challenging time for me. I didn’t have my parents to provide for me here.

I was living with my uncle. I had to work very hard to put myself to college. However, I now see what happened as a very good thing for me.

I got a scholarship later on in life to study at Georgetown University.

I wanted to become a diplomat, and I applied to Georgetown to study international relations. But I had an automobile accident, and a lot of my doctors were here in New York, they thought, and I couldn’t go all the way to Washington D.C. [where Georgetown is]. I ended up going to Seton Hall University, and

You seem to know a lot of languages, is that because you traveled overseas a lot?

Yes. I speak Greek, because my best friend was from Greece, so I was always associated with Greeks. I took courses and I also lived in Greece, and every vacation, I would travel to Greece, up until 2013. Greece is one of my favorite places in the world.

What about Greece makes it your favorite place in the world?

I like the culture. They’re like Colombians. They’re loud, happy, they like to eat, they like to drink a lot of wine, they like to dance, and they’re very outgoing people.

The language is also very basic, so I have no problem speaking Greek.

Once you know Spanish, the Greek language becomes very easy and simple.

Can you tell us a little bit about the book of poems you wrote, “Ambrosia a Manos Llenas”?

“Ambrosia a Manos Llenas,” [which translates to “Ambrosia for Full Hands”], is the story of life. It’s my own experience in all different kinds of ways about life, friendship, nature, children, and in addition, this is very important to me, guilt.

I also write about my own experiences while traveling the world. I know many countries, and I have worked in different countries also.

When I was living in Spain, which I know very well, I wrote several

poems about the topic of the Flamenco music and the people of Spain, which is my background.

When I was living in Italy, in Venice, I wrote the poem Venice, which reflects the lives of the people who live there, the art, the nature, and everything that Venice is about.

Overall, I am a writer by heart. I love to write poetry because it is a very intrinsic, and it is a very honest way to say the realities of life.

Do you have a favorite poet?

I guess I don’t have a favorite poet. Every person that writes poetry is a special person. But, I think a very powerful Spanish writer was [Gustavo Adolfo] Becquer. Becquer has all sorts of poems, but a lot of them are about love. I identify a lot with the way he expresses his feelings, I like the simplicity of Becquer. He’s sort of controversial because his writing is very simplistic, but at the same time very profound.

Do you have a favorite word in Spanish?

Yes. “Paz,” [meaning “peace.”]

It fills me with all the best feelings. When you open your mouth and say “paz,” it calms you down.

When you say it in English, it’s just “peace.”

Do you plan on learning more languages and visiting more countries, or do you think you’ve reached the limit?

At this point, I don’t think I’ve reached the limit, but I just do not have the time. Stuyvesant is a very demanding school, you can tell.

Stuyvesant occupies 100 percent of my time, if not more. I would love to learn how to speak Korean and Chinese one day, possibly in my next life.

This interview has been condensed and edited.

From “Ambrosia a Manos Llenas” by Carlos Bravo Spanish:

English:

Buenas Noches Luna

Good Night Moon

Buenas noches luna buena me voy a dormir canta a las estrellas arrurú por mí

Astrol of the night good evening kiss me for the stars as their presence glitters way about the mountains far away from valleys mirrored through the Alps

Buenas noches blanca que del cielo cuelgas cierro yo mis ojos mientras tú no duermas Bueans noches luna que descanses tanto para que mañana brilles con tu encanto Buenas noches astro mi luna y gemela ambos solitarios entre tanta nena Buenas en menguante buenas luna llena buenas en creciente media luna buena Buenas noches luna que descanses tanto para que mañana brilles con tu encanto

Good night pretty white one in magin suspension I will close my eyes while your name I mention rest tonight your beauty while down in the city my peaceful intention Is dream with my sweetie Good night sister precious the light of my eyes we are so very lonely in the widened skies good evening dearest take your wanted break and look for tomorrow you will shine again

By Lisa Shi “The 10th floor is not like any other floor in the school,” drafting teacher Steven Rothenberg often says to his classes. And he is right—the unusual combination of teachers shouting to each other across the hall and the three different jazz songs playing from three adjacent classrooms make the 10th floor hallway a unique one.

While I was interviewing Rothenberg, drafting teacher Leslie Bernstein interrupted us to ask what Rothenberg wanted from a coffee run. “I’m heading out for some coffee. What do you want?”

Bernstein asked.

“What, you’re going out now?

My medium coffee, and here—” replied Rothenberg, who had reached into his pocket for some spare cash. This relaxed relationship between teachers is not limited to their offices; drafting teachers frequently waltz in and out of each other’s classrooms in the middle of lessons.

Drafting teachers also like to keep their rooms stress-free by playing music and making jokes in the middle of their lessons. “I do play music, [and] sometimes I play the guitar; I definitely joke, but not everyone gets my jokes,” Bernstein said.

“It’s a good foil for stress… and students have a chance to be themselves,” said Rothenberg, who enjoys “cracking jokes bordering on profound corny humor.”

These jokes range from Star Wars comments to old movies that most students haven’t seen.

“They’re kind of crazy,” junior

Joanne Pan said. “I remember he [Rothenberg] had an apple one time and just started quoting Shakespeare to the fruit.”

Drafting teacher Arthur Griffith is also well-known for his humor. “He’s really funny in the class. Sometimes, he pretends to be a salesman, and he sells all these styles,” junior Edison Lei remarked. “I know at the beginning of the year, he was like ‘All these lines come cheap!’ and it was really funny. He sold them in packages.”

Still, the drafting teachers try to keep their classes focused on the topic at hand: drafting. “I’m aiming for a professional yet humorous atmosphere….We could be the happiest class on the floor, but we sure aren’t getting anything done!” said Griffith, chuckling.

Bernstein agreed, saying that she tries “to make it as relaxing as possible, but at the same time [she wants her] students to take their projects seriously.”

Though the drafting department’s fun mood is appreciated by many, students often bemoan the long, time-consuming projects that they are assigned. “Personally, I don’t see drafting as important.

Like, I guess the teachers want you to learn something new. But that’s it,” Lei said.

Many students share this opinion, as they feel that what one gets out of drafting is simply not worth the time or effort put into the class.

“It was fun and good for my average…. I guess it’s not so popular because the final projects are so hard,” Pan said. She commented that many students in her class

struggled to finish their projects in time, and the majority of the class handed assignments in late.

Despite students complaining that drafting is a waste of time, many do not realize that it used to be a two-semester course. First semester covered basic sketching and handwork, and the second semester dealt with CAD (an online drafting program) usage.

This only changed for the current seniors, who were only required to take one semester of drafting during their junior year. “I think it was originally cut because it was too much work. [Students] couldn’t finish the projects, and then what could we do?” Griffith said.

Though some teachers believe that a one-semester course works just fine, others find that much has been lost in shortening the drafting curriculum. “I really believe it should be one year. It’s much better: it’s more effective,” Rothenberg said. “The course is really designed to be one year. We’ve edited it, but it’s really cramped now.

Students would get more out of it in one year.”

Interestingly enough, Griffith feels the opposite way about the cramped structure. “We don’t have the rigid structure… we have leeway. I don’t have to finish teaching sketching in the first week. I can stretch it out to one week and a half, or more,” he explained.

Despite the opposing views, both teachers emphasized the benefits of drafting and explained that the course’s applications are not limited to the field of architecture. “Well, it helps focus [and] discipline, and teaches framework,”

Derrick Lui / The Spectator

Tenth Floor Tales

Rothenberg explained. The course does not focus on teaching students how to draw well, but rather is an early experience for students to understand the feeling of a college-level course. “It’s an exercise that practices time management,” he stressed. Rothenberg truly believes and often advocates that drafting is a crucial subject for the knowledge that it gives students.

Still, several students complain that the time required for drafting is one of the biggest issues. “I’m losing out on sleep… it’s probably my biggest workload,” said sophomore Daniel Tsang, who mentioned that the “workload doesn’t match up with the image.”

But Griffith is convinced that this is not the case. After working in programs with students across the board, Griffith recollected instances when students who did not go to Stuyvesant wish they had learned CAD in high school. “I

remember one student in particular… who asked me if they were at a disadvantage because they didn’t know how to use CAD. It’s a big deal, because they can’t afford it and CAD is growing bigger,” Griffith said. Sketching, although the backbone of the course, has slowly been going out of business, and it is crucial in any field to teach students with proper tools. Griffith summed up, “We don’t know how good we have it.”

Like every course, drafting has its ups and downs. From highspirited and skillful teachers to the time-consuming projects, this subject has students everywhere from lacking sleep to dancing. As Pan puts it, “I’m no architect. I’m no artist either! But being with Rothenberg was one of the [most fun] classes [I’ve] ever been in….

I’d like to take another course later, just to experience it.”

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 11

Features “When you see a Student Sleeping...”

By THE FEATURES DEPARTMENT

Sushma Arora, Chemistry: “I don’t believe in giving zeros for people sleeping in class. Usually I just knock on the desk and I ask them, ‘Are you okay?’ but not in a bad way. I understand that some kids stay up late or have a rough night. I try my best to wake them up. Sometimes I joke around [and say,] ‘Is my lesson that boring?’ I try to make some activity to wake them up, but never in an insulting way.”

Dr. Reuben Stern, Social Studies: “I’d just allow them to sleep. I understand that they can’t control it, and that’s one of the bad things about Stuyvesant: students don’t get enough sleep. If it’s the end of the period and I need to wake them up, I’ll do so very gently.”

Edward Lostal, Mathematics: “[I] call the student in a clear way and remind them that in class we need to serve our master math… You have to set up discipline at the beginning of the class and demand responsibility and accountability and make it clear that they are going to learn math at the college level.”

Howard Barbin, Physical Education (who has never actually had to deal with a sleeping student): “[I would] walk over and pour water over their heads. Or [I’d] put a mirror under their nose and see if they’re breathing.”

Rebecca Gorla, Physics: “I will ask them to open their eyes. Sometimes I will whistle a lullaby. Sometimes I ask them to stand. Yeah, I think it’s rude [when students fall asleep], though I do understand that most students are taking too many classes and commuting long distances, so I try not to take it too personally.”

Dr. Steven O’Malley, Chemistry: “I stand by students talking loudly, ask neighbors to wake them up, [or] lower [their] participation grade. I also re-evaluate myself as to what made my lesson so boring that students fell asleep.”

Daisy Sharaf, Physics: “I make fun of them!

I gave [a student] paper clips as a joke once so that he would be able to keep his eyes open during class before. I just like to tease them.”

James Cocoros, Mathematics: “I throw chalk at them. In 407, you assume the risk.”

Yujie Fu / The Spectator

Emilio Nieves, English: “I usually let them slide.

But I’d definitely talk to them, speak to them after class... I mean, wouldn’t throwing chalk be dangerous?”

Robert Weldon, Spanish: “When I see students sleeping in class, I usually stomp my feet or clap my hands and get their blood flowing, so they wake up and get energized and involved in the classroom.”

Kristyn Pluchino, Chemistry: “If you’re an occasional sleeper, I try to wake you up without the whole class knowing, like with a small poke in the arm. If you’re a chronic sleeper, I usually have the whole class laugh at you while you’re sleeping.”

Thomas Strasser, Physics: “Usually knocking on their desk works. Or, if you just stand in front of their desk long enough, they sense that the teacher is there and wake up.”

Brian Sterr, Mathematics: “I call on them to answer the next question [or] if they look a bit dead, I poke them to see if they’re okay.”

Yulia Genkina, Computer Science: “I try to wake them up without other people noticing, [but] I first see if they’re okay.

[I’d] lightly tap on their desk and say, ‘Good morning, sunshine.’”

Dr. Jeffrey Kivi, Chemistry: “I throw paper balls at students’ heads until they wake up.”

Samuel Konstantinovich, Computer Science: “It depends on the frequency of the action and the personality of the student… The most extreme thing I would do wouldn’t be malicious, but maybe mischievous. It also depends on what we’re doing in class. I would relish the opportunity to have the entire class quietly leave and turn the lights out.”

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The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 12

Editorials Staff Editorial

“Asian” at Stuy

Asian-Americans make up 72.5 percent of Stuyvesant’s student population, and it’s no secret. We have heard this number thrown around in the news and in conversation. Whether Stuyvesant’s competitive culture or a possible change to the SHSAT is being discussed, the media seems to include this percentage without explanation of what these demographics really mean.

Wesley Yang, in an article titled “Paper Tigers” in New York Magazine, summarized the common “Asian” stereotype with the following statement: “Here is what I sometimes suspect my face signifies to other Americans: an invisible […] people ‘who are good at math’ and play the violin, but a mass of stifled, repressed, abused, conformist quasi-robots who simply do not matter, socially or culturally […]

On the one hand, it offends me greatly that anyone would think to apply [these stereotypes] to me, or to anyone else, simply on the basis of facial characteristics. On the other hand, it also seems to me that there are a lot of Asian people to whom they apply.” Though provocative, Yang suggests that for many Asian-Americans, this pre-imposed belief is a conscious part of their identities.

At Stuyvesant, the label “Asian” often brings to mind an introverted, unsophisticated East Asian teenager who studies hard, does well on tests, excels in math and science classes, and doesn’t like to speak in class.

Similarly, at Stuyvesant, the label “Asian” often brings to mind an introverted, unsophisticated East Asian teenager who studies hard, does well on tests, excels in math and science classes, and doesn’t like to speak in class. The term is commonly thrown around in casual conversation among students to describe their peers, and while it’s not a distinctly negative term, the stereotype conjures a strict definition with which many Asian-Americans do not identify. Teachers often take longer to learn the names of Asian-American students, and although Asian-American students do outnumber students of other races in class, this delay furthers the perception that individual students are simply part of a monolithic body. Additionally, though the name “Kevin” has become a widely accepted joke within Stuyvesant, the fact that individual students

are prescribed the name “Kevin” or are referred to by others as “some random Asian kid” falsely implies that all students of Asian descent fit the same set of characteristics.

There are certain perceptions about the types of activities in which Asian-American students participate at Stuyvesant. There is essentially no correlation between race and overall sports team involvement. However, there are spe-

cultures, South Asian cultures, and Pacific Islanders. Many people, however, do not consider these cultural differences and diversity when they discuss the large number of Asian-Americans at Stuyvesant. Inside our school, even though, according to The Spectator’s survey, South Asians make up roughly 10 percent of the Stuyvesant population, they are casually labeled as “brown,” separate from the stereotype associated with “Asian.”

The Spectator The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper

“The Pulse of the Student Body” E DITORs

IN

N ews

cific extracurriculars in which Asian-American participants are less common. For example, in the STC’s most recent musical, only one of over twenty cast members was of predominantly Asian descent. In leadership of clubs and pubs, Asian-Americans are only slightly underrepresented, making up roughly 55 percent of leaders of all student organizations, a percentage that stays approximately the same when only considering leaders of large clubs.

One extremely common stereotype about Asian-American students is that they are more prevalent in math and science subjects, while Caucasian students are more prevalent in humanities. According to a sampling of several AP classes from multiple grade levels conducted

by The Spectator, this perception seems to be accurate. We found that, in advanced math and science courses such as AP Statistics, BC Calculus, and AP Chemistry, Asian-Americans tended to comprise between 65 and 80 percent of the classes, while in advanced humanities courses such as AP Great Books, AP European History, and junior AP English, Asian-Americans tended to comprise between 35 and 50 percent of the class.

Nonetheless, quite often, overarching stereotypes of Asian-Americans are simply false. They are often perceived as diligently studying all night to achieve high grades (hence the term “Asian fail” to describe a “B” on an assignment). On the contrary, a school-wide survey published in Issue 9 of The Spectator in February, 2014, showed no correlation between race and overall GPA, no correlation between race and hours spent studying for the average test, and no correlation between race and hours spent completing homework per night.

It is also important to note that the term “Asian” is a blanket term that references an entire continent—this includes East Asian cultures, Southeast Asian

Admittedly, students of all ethnicities at Stuyvesant casually use these terms, including Asian-Americans, and they likely do not have the intention of offending anyone. But their prevalent use can make it frustrating for Asian-Americans who do not identify with the aforementioned stereotypes to distinguish themselves from these images, creating negative effects on the student body that aren’t always noticeable. A 2006 report published by the American Psychology Association states that, in case studies in which AfricanAmerican students were told that a certain test diagnosed intellectual ability or even recorded their race on the test paper, they performed significantly worse. Granted, this does not entirely represent the situation Asian-American students face in Stuyvesant, but the idea remains the same: when students are conscious of the stereotypes related to their identities, they are prone to believing them and falling into this trap of the “stereotype threat.”

It is essential for Asian-Americans to realize that they do not have to conform to the popular opinions about their ethnicity.

Nearly three quarters of Stuyvesant students cannot simply be captured with the term “Asian.”

If you’re a wallflower and pride yourself on the grades that you’ve slaved to achieve, that’s awesome! And if you love participating in STC shows, sing your heart out! We encourage every student, even if the majority at Stuyvesant is Asian-American, to view the opportunities of our school without the lens of race. Don’t be afraid to pursue any passion simply because it doesn’t align with the perception of your race. Racial stereotypes are detrimental to our student body, and demographics are not the part of our school that should be focused on most.

Every student should be considered (and consider others) for individual personality before ethnicity.

O pi ni o ns

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a rt

Coby Goldberg* Tina Jiang Andrew Wallace* F e at u r e s

Students of all ethnicities at Stuyvesant casually use these terms, including Asian-Americans, and they likely do not have the intention of offending anyone.

But their prevalent use can make it frustrating for Asian-Americans who do not identify with the aforementioned stereotypes to distinguish themselves from these images.

C HIEF

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The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 13

Editorials STUDENT REFLECTIONS

The following pieces recount the experiences and thoughts of current and past Asian students at Stuyvesant. Although each reflection focuses on a different and more personal journey, the idea behind each piece is the same: there is a negative stereotype in Stuyvesant surrounding Asian students, and this negatively impacts individuals in school.

Anonymous, Junior

Anonymous, Senior

When I look back on my 16 years of life, I see two phases. Middle school me and high school me. Middle school me fit the stereotype of a typical Asian quite snugly. I had round glasses, a neatly tied ponytail, never participated in any of my classes, and had a mortifying fear of social situations. My head was always buried in a book and I could never muster the courage to speak my mind, always scared that I would be wrong. I’m not sure how I developed this sort of personality, but I’m guessing it was my stereotypical Asian family. My mom always stressed college and tests; these topics never failed to come up every day. She also stressed not being wrong. Being wrong was the worst crime of all. There was only one thing that was important and that was the answer and whatever that answer was, you didn’t question it. So when I sat in English class in middle school, I would always think about the answer, think my answer was wrong, think about whether I should take a shot (after all, I had a 50-50 chance of getting the question right), and then not say anything because the fear of being wrong overpowered the desire to be right.

I am loud and opinionated. I’m proud of my voice. Yet I feel that every time I walk into class on the first day of a new term, I need to be louder and raise my hand more often. Perhaps it’s me being insecure as an Asian girl, but I feel the need to prove myself and break the stereotype of an Asian kid: quiet, meek, and boring.

You would think this cycle would continue, but in high school something changed. I stopped being that stereotypical Asian. Why? That’s what really gets me; that’s what makes me think about whether or not I did the right thing.

I realized at Stuy that I wasn’t going to get anywhere without making myself noticed. There were so many Asian students that I felt a part of the masses. I believed the perception that Asians looked the same, and had to do something to make myself not be the same. So I started to speak in class, and it was the most frightening thing I could imagine. I still remember that first time I raised my hand in history freshman year. Even before the first word was uttered, my face and ears had turned red and my hands were shaking. I started to question myself again, but words had already started to come out, so there was no stopping my thoughts from spilling. My teacher was nodding his head and so were students around me. It was an adrenaline rush of some sorts, a feeling of accomplishment. That’s what spurred me on, and as cliché as it may seem, I never really stopped talking. Anyone who met me from that point on thought I was a loud confident girl who had no fears of public speaking. That’s good, right? But sometimes I think that’s exactly what’s wrong. I had to succeed in the US, so I became Americanized and in many ways I rejected Asian culture, maybe even grew to despise it. Writing this makes me think that I don’t completely despise Asian culture because I’m questioning it now, but truthfully, I’m lying to myself. If I could be white, I probably would be. Innately, I know that’s wrong because I need to accept myself for who I am, but I’ve been so pushed around by the portrayal of Caucasian characters in the media that I can’t help but almost glorify them. I guess this story is just my way of telling you that I’m doing right, but I’m also doing wrong. I guess I’m asking you to choose which one’s better or maybe to just realize that the two are simply inseparable.

People say that the “Asian stereotype” doesn’t exist, and even if it does it doesn’t really affect Asian students. It does exist and it affects me. There is no reason I should feel the need to prove myself because of a preconceived notion based upon how I look.

It’s disappointing that there is an Asian stereotype especially in a school that is so predominantly Asian. Of course, the stereotype only has power because I and other Asian students give it power and let it affect the way we behave.

Anonymous, Senior I’m Asian and I’m admittedly an introvert. So, yes—in some ways, I think that I tend to fall under this Asian stereotype of a student who doesn’t really speak up that often in class. I’m the type of person to mull over thoughts, to form a thorough opinion of something before I’m willing to share my perspective, and I’m the type of person who’s easily intimidated in the center of attention, whether this is in a social circle or in front of a classroom.

I feel, however, that there is an unspoken stigma around my personality solely based on race. I acknowledge that race may be a factor in my personality trope—Asian cultures emphasize a type of quiet diligence and obedience, values that I was raised with by my parents. I was told to take things for granted, to limit my questions and curiosity. This has permeated into my role as a student in the classroom. There’s a cultural conflict that’s part of the problem, too. My parents are both immigrants, and therefore, I was never raised watching classic movies of the ‘80’s or ‘90s, and I can’t join in on impromptu sing-a-longs with songs from decades past. As a result, I sometimes feel intimidated knowing that I lack something that others have, and who am I to comment on a culture that I can’t very well claim to be a part of?

This explanation aside, I also believe that were I to be any other race, I wouldn’t feel as uncomfortable as I do when I sit in class. I feel an outside pressure to force myself, in a sense, to speak up in class, to somehow prove that I’m not like the “other” students—and I also feel that whenever I do speak, I must say something profound. Every class period subsequently becomes a stressful internal dialogue as I try to frame my thoughts in a coherent manner and force myself to raise a hand and contribute to the conversation at hand.

Anonymous, Junior At Stuy, there isn’t outright, blatant racism against Asians with slurs and the like. But I believe there is an unstated understanding among the student body that most Asians are quiet, shy, and sit in the corner of class, taking notes and never participating. This perception of Asians (specifically East Asians) makes it difficult for Asians such as myself to distinguish ourselves. I personally feel like I have to make twice the effort just to get it into teachers’ minds that I am not just “another quiet Asian.” While there isn’t outright discrimination against Asians, the fact that this stereotype exists is detrimental to those trying to succeed in this school.

Priscilla Cheng, (’14) Alumnus To be an Asian at Stuy is to be part of a majority in a state where Asians are the minority. The city is in uproar that Asians are taking up all the good spots and that there are too many of them in this school; it is unbelievable that the city would even make such a claim that there are too many minorities. To them, a school dominated by hard workers is a bad thing. To them, the demographics of a school based purely on academics are discriminatory. Yet the city is the one discriminating against Asians, which can only serve to demoralize one’s Asian American identity. Stuy is an alternate reality that not only provides equal opportunities for Asians to succeed, but also allows those from Asian descent to take pride in ‘being Asian.’ Asian stereotypes are often played upon, but being part of the Asian American community at Stuy makes one immune to those stereotypes. People see you for who you are and not what others presume you are, and that is one reason why I am grateful that Stuy has such an accepting attitude toward Asian culture. In general, Stuy helps Asians cope with their identity which is often degraded outside of the school through stereotypes and discrimination. The Asian stereotype does manifest itself in Stuy but the attitudes taken towards those stereotypes are different.

People are more accepting towards Asians and the stereotypes does not factor into just one race alone. The hardworking mentality stereotype applies to every single student body in the school; after all, just being part of the Stuy body itself would put the students under the same stereotypes, whether the students are Asian or not which plays down the role of being ‘Asian’ and turns up the role of ‘smart people.’

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 14

Opinions

By Wenhao Du

Zovinar Khrimian / The Spectator

“I’m sorry, but you have to sign in again at the bottom of the list,” I reported.

The parent cursed under her breath, hastily wrote her name on the sheet, and sat down on the nearest chair with her arms crossed. She was clearly annoyed that she had to wait another 30 minutes to see her child’s English teacher, whom I was monitoring for. I didn’t know what to do besides enforcing the “back to the end of the line” rule, since she had missed her spot by a few minutes. I apologized profusely for having to do this, and the lady told me quite frankly that it wasn’t my fault that such a “stupid rule” was in place.

Even though I had to enforce this rule as a monitor, I found myself in complete agreement.

It is ridiculous: our busy parents shouldn’t have to spend two hours rushing from floor to floor and guesstimating wait times just so they can get the chance to meet our teachers. Considering that even the most athletic among us would break a sweat climbing the stairs from the second to the 10th floor and back, imagine how exhausting it is for some of our aging parents to accomplish this task.

The logic behind the rule makes sense: the system is first come, first serve, so if you aren’t there when it’s your turn, you shouldn’t be allowed to cut the line later. But who says ParentTeacher Conferences have to be run entirely on a first-come, firstserve basis? What if our parents could meet our teachers at a predetermined time? If the school could implement, partially or entirely, an appointment-scheduling system for Parent-Teacher Conferences, parents would no longer have to continuously go from floor to floor to enlist themselves on the sign-in sheet. This simple solution would make Parent-Teacher Conferences much more efficient and parentfriendly.

In such a proposed system,

our parents would log into Parent Tools in order to schedule conferences, similar to how we students select preferences for classes we register for. Parent Tools could then send the preferences to teachers who then decide, based on priority (failing test grades, not doing homework, etc.), who to meet and how much time to allocate. Parents of students who aren’t a huge priority could be placed into default two-minute time slots. If there are more parents than time-slots, the computer system could draw a lottery. Otherwise, any free time left over would be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

This system would be more than feasible to create and implement. When I consulted computer science teacher Samuel Konstantinovich on whether the Computer Science Department could create such a program, he retorted, “Are you kidding me?

[Even] you guys could write it.”

This is likely true, since sophomores enrolled in a second term of computer science learn how to create interactive web servers with Python. It would not be difficult for strong students to replicate the basic interface of Parent Tools.

In an official statement, Student Union Vice-President Jonathan Aung told the Spectator that he is “completely behind the notion of appointment-based meetings,” though he believes the decision should be left up to Principal Zhang. When the Spectator later interviewed Principal Zhang regarding this issue, she said that she would support such a system being created. However, she also maintained that the choice of whether to use this system should be up to the individual teachers.

The benefits of the proposed electronic system are clear and not having it standardized among teachers may cause additional confusion among parents.

Nonetheless, those who would prefer to opt-out could still make things easier for parents by having fixed time slots on their waiting lists, something Principal Zhang noted a handful of teachers did when her children were students in Stuyvesant. This would, at least, ensure that parents will not have to guesstimate wait times, which is one reason they miss their spots in line.

Streamlining Parent-Teacher Conferences is a much-needed change that would produce positive effects. Having an electronic sign-up is just one possible but simple fix; all it takes is an administration to coordinate it, a couple of students to code it, and teachers willing to use it.

By tackling the issue together, we can have what we all want: fewer angry parents.

The Lack of Change in the Changing SAT

By Asher Lasday

This year, Stuyvesant sophomores took the Kaplan Challenge, a practice exam that attempted to prepare students for the “new and improved” SAT and PSAT, which will be administered in spring 2016. Many of these changes, however, fail to address the multitude of problems that exist within the current SAT; it continues to be a test not of intelligence, but of preparation.

The new SAT will eliminate the mandatory writing section.

Though this change will reduce unfairness in the grading process, especially since Dr. Perelman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology notes there is a strong correlation between essay length and scores, it is possible that this length is due not to increased development, but rather is just filler added by the student. This false equation of length and grade prove the ineffectiveness of the essay, as it does not truly test writing skills.

Nonetheless, the sad truth is that most colleges will likely mandate the essay portion, just as they demand the optional ACT essay (currently all Ivy League schools and many others). Because of this, the non-mandatory essay will, in effect, be just as mandatory as before—if not in name, then at least in practice. While the de-mandating of the SAT’s essay clearly harms no one, it

may not have a great impact, simply because many schools would still require it.

Similarly, changes to the SAT reading section have only further exacerbated many of the problems faced by the old SAT. The new exam will test students on their comprehension of “Founding Documents” in place of the sometimes obscure passages of today’s SAT—an attempt to make the SAT seem more relatable and relevant. The College Board defines “Founding Documents” as “passage[s] from one of the founding documents or from a text from the global conversation” (e.g. the Constitution and the Gettysburg Address). Essentially, there will be famous historical writing or speeches. By using this strict set of founding documents for some reading comprehension questions, preparation for the test becomes easier. Students who have been exposed to these documents are at a clear advantage over those who have not, once again straying from the SAT’s purpose of proving intelligence. Whether or not I happen to have read Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech should not impact an assessment of my comprehension of writing, and yet, with this new system, it will. While this obviously harms those who have attended poorer schools with less sophisticated curriculums, it also fails to make high schoolers

more informed citizens. No student will truly gain an appreciation for influential documents simply because they have studied them for the SAT. Like the definition of alacrity, they will be forgotten as soon as students bubble in their final answers.

One constructive change from the College Board is the replacement of high-minded vocabulary words to exercises in finding the meaning of words in context. On the Kaplan challenge this seemed pretty simple, but perhaps it didn’t represent the true level of the new test. By making the SAT less focused on rote memorization and more on logic, no longer will the test be entirely based on preparation.

This will ensure the SAT does what it is meant to do: test true intelligence.

While the College Board may believe that it is designing a better test more indicative of true potential, the truth is that, at best, they have slightly altered the specific hoops through which students have to jump.

The changes made to the vocabulary section seem to be a step in the right direction, but the new “Founding Documents” do quite the opposite. What we really need is a massive overhaul of the SAT to make it test ability to apply knowledge, not the ability to study. Only when the SAT has been built again from the ground up will it be free of its inefficiencies and quirks.

The New APUSH Exam: A Blind Path

By Justin Kong ‘Murica: the one phrase that may as well be the only legitimate sign of true American culture. We have all seen pictures of fatty McDonald’s sandwiches, F22 Raptors during airstrikes, and armed police shooting innocent bystanders, captioned by this one phrase. Comic as they may be, these memes do show the “ugly truths” of American culture. The College Board, however, has decided to whitewash these dark moments of American history from the new Advanced Placement U.S. History (APUSH) exam curriculum, hoping to depict America in a more glorifying light.

In September 2014, The College Board released the framework of the new APUSH exam, which organizes U.S. history into nine periods, each with its own conceptual focus. For example, the focus of 1890-1945 is “an increasingly pluralistic United States faced profound domestic and global challenges, debated the proper degree of government activism, and sought to define its international role.” As students, we are only supposed to learn how events in this time period support this focus. What about United States imperialism during the 19th and 20th century?

Can we ignore the travesties that our imperialistic ideals imposed on Latin American countries?

Thousands of Latin Americans were forced under American control, but of course, College Board has decided to leave this part of history out. This is what pro-American teaching is: a complete ignorance of America’s past mistakes.

In addition to these changes, pivotal figures in American history, such as Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King Jr., Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore

Ashley Lin / The Spectator

Hayoung Ahn / The Spectator

Our Parents’ Time Matters!

Roosevelt, were blatantly omitted. The College Board claims that critics of the new exam simply misunderstand the new model; they do acknowledge the absence of these individuals. So how can this new examination be an improvement if it excludes so many key figures? The framework clearly states, “Beginning with the May 2015 AP U.S. History Exams, no AP U.S. History Exam questions will require students to know historical content that falls outside this concept outline.” This quote directly entails the omission of large parts of American history. Although some can state that leaving out these American heroes results in the exclusion of glorified periods of American history, it is quite the opposite. Martin Luther King Jr., for example, became an American hero by his actions during the period of segregation.

If the exam will not include King, it will not include segregation either. The history of thousands of African Americans wrongfully punished by Americans, simply because they wanted equal rights, will be blotted out. This same logic applies to Theodore Roosevelt and his major role in the forced acquisition of the Ha-

waiian Islands. Glorified as these individuals may be, their actions in history show the dark parts of American history. Individuals need to learn about such mistakes we have made if we truly want to improve ourselves. We cannot simply let organizations like College Board gloss over these major details and control our education.

Pro-American teaching, the omission of our mistakes from American history, needs to be eradicated. How can we learn about the United States if we do not learn about its faults? Younger generations of Americans need to learn from the errors of their country in order to ensure a positive future for the nation.

There is so much we need to learn before we can take action in shaping our country’s future. For example, there have been more deaths caused by airstrikes in the Middle East than deaths during 9/11. I understand that teaching students about the faults of the United States may cause resentment, but we cannot teach the younger generations a history of only glory and victory. We will only be depriving them of what is most valuable in history: the mistakes.

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 15

Opinions The Opportunity of Falling Oil Prices

Stephanie Chan / The Spectator

the fact that price drops move surplus from producers to consumers, is indisputably good.

Another sure positive is that thanks to the energy-intensive nature of farming (John Baffes of the World Bank estimates that $1 of farm output requires up to five times as much energy to produce as $1 of manufactured goods), countries whose economies are dependent upon agriculture will prosper. And as The Economist puts it, “since most of the world’s farmers are poor, cheaper oil is, on balance, good for poor countries.”

By Daniel Kodsi On Tuesday, the Senate will vote once more on the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Already approved by the House by a vote of 252-161, the pipeline— which would carry roughly 830,000 barrels of oil a day from oil sands in Alberta, Canada to refineries in Nebraska and Texas—has been a highly contentious issue since 2011, when it attracted the ire of environmentalists. However, regardless of the outcome of the Senate’s vote, President Obama appears likely to block any passed legislation from becoming law.

Such a decision ignores a new reality in geopolitics: dropping oil prices. While there are certainly detriments to the pipeline, the Obama administration has before it a unique opportunity—and not just with Keystone—to squeeze the wallets of foes like Iran and Russia.

The U.S. has a responsibility to act, not abdicate responsibility

and wait for market forces to play themselves out. Supporting American crude oil producers is not just sound economic policy, but necessary foreign policy as well.

A basic overview: the price of Brent Crude (in short, a benchmark for the global price of oil) has fallen from $115 a barrel in mid-June to just under $80 this past week, a drop of roughly 30 percent. The drop is due to both lower demand, notably from Europe and Japan, and greater supply, with American manufacturers producing one to two million barrels a day more in 2013 than they did the year previous. Were it to be sustained, the impacts would be far-ranging and hugely significant.

First of all, according to The Economist on October 25, “a price cut of 25% for oil, if maintained, should mean that global GDP will be roughly 0.5% higher than it would be otherwise.”

That growth, resulting from

Supporting American crude oil producers is not just sound economic policy, but necessary foreign policy as well.

After those two benefits, however, the good and evil of lower oil prices mostly come down to perspective. Let us look, for instance, at the effect of the past few months’ drop on long-embattled Iran. As Vox explains, Iran needs oil prices to

be nearly $140 per barrel in order to break even on its budget.

With the actual price more than 40 percent lower, Rouhani’s government will be forced to make up revenue elsewhere, stalling Iran’s economy. This is a fortunate change for the U.S. and its allies, especially given the ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear weapons program, slated to end in late November.

If Iran looms once again on the precipice of recession, perhaps then Rouhani might finally come to a deal.

The ramifications of low oil prices in the long-term are possibly the most dire for another law-breaking country to the east: Russia. While Putin has learned the lessons of history well and has reserves of $454 billion on hand to prevent oil price fluctuations, he cannot prevent against the hit low prices bring to Russia’s economy, already weakened by Western sanctions. As it stands, Russia seems headed for stagnation: a shrinking economy worsened by high inflation. Such straits could hopefully alter the Kremlin’s foreign policy—a prolonged crisis could make Putin change his tune regarding eastern Ukraine.

Finally, within our shores, the consequences will likely be mixed: though gas prices will drop and growth will increase slightly next year, the more troubling impact is on domestic oil producers. Since shale oil extraction is expensive, according to Michael Cohen of Barclays, “only four-fifths of shale reserves are economic to ex-

tract using current technology with Brent around $85.” While it is unclear how quickly production will fall, states like North Dakota could be hard hit.

This is where the Keystone pipeline comes back into play.

An authoritative report published by the U.S. Department of State predicted that without the pipeline, were oil prices to fall to $75, the higher costs involved would reduce shipment of tar-sand oil. In other words, without the pipeline, production would slow. Slowing production, in turn, would help push the price of oil back up and benefit those now suffering: Russia, Iran and Iran’s cohorts in OPEC, like Venezuela, which is currently stretched to its limit.

The situation is not complicated. Obama’s administration should do everything in its power to keep prices low for the foreseeable future. This does not mean that Obama must forsake the environment; doing so would be a catastrophe.

He ought to continue to work with Congress, and where that fails, via executive power, enact measures that further green energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. His administration’s recent deal with China over climate change was a real step forward. But with Keystone and other energy initiatives, the small contribution made in heating the environment is outweighed at the present moment by the need for lower oil prices. If Keystone passes the Senate, Mr. Obama, do the right thing and let it become law.

By Munawar Rahman Just a week before Halloween in New York, 11-year-old Amadou Drame and his teenage brother Pape Drame faced something more frightening than ghouls or goblins— schoolyard bullies. The two were bruised by punches, kicks, and shouts of “Ebola!” after having come back from a vacation in Senegal. Young kids know no better, but their fear and intolerance were drilled into their heads by fearful and intolerant adults. In fact, according to a recent Harvard School of Medical Health poll, four out of five adults believed they could’ve caught Ebola if someone showing symptoms sneezed or coughed on them. Even with Ebola eradicated in the U.S., the stigma it has wrought has not, and this stigma will be embedded in our perception of Africa, its emigrants and its inhabitants—unless we do something about it.

Thirty-four years ago, American political activist and writer Susan Sontag wrote a novel called “Illness as Metaphor,” which criticized how our associations of illnesses with certain demographics stigmatized and dehumanized them. For instance, Sontag wrote about how the media portrayals of the AIDS epidemic during the late 70’s and 80’s forged a flashpoint for homophobia and the perception of Africa as a point of origin for ignorance and pestilence. The fear and association have never truly died. Gay men today who attempt to donate blood are given a lifetime ban

if they admit to having sexual contact with other men. It is not science that upholds the ban, but an ever-present hysteria. And as for our view of Africa, a 2004 study published by the University of British Columbia titled “Evolved DiseaseAvoidance Mechanisms and Contemporary Xenophobic Attitudes” shows strong correlation between times or areas of “apparent” high infection risk and the resilience towards foreign groups. The study also shows that this hatred is directed with a greater fervor toward African and South American immigrants than European and Asian ones. This makes sense— we’re bombarded with photos of destitute third-world villages

Even with Ebola eradicated in the U.S., the stigma it has wrought has not, and this stigma will be embedded in our perception of Africa, its emigrants and its inhabitants—unless we do something about it.

and sickly inhabitants that contrast so much with our “clean” and “sterile” society that sympathy turns to stereotype and we begin to harbor fear and resentment toward people who originate from these places. The resilience will not dissipate— the probability of Ebola infection for the average American between then and now is virtually unchanged, yet the stigma remains static.

Studies can only communicate so much; it is best to look to specific instances of how this stigma persists and continues to dehumanize in order to grasp the better picture. The fear isn’t just a mindset; it has materialized in the form of prejudiced decisions lowering the quality of life of Africans, and there is nowhere better to look than Staten Island, home to one of the largest Liberian communities in the world, where discrimination against Liberians has risen since the country declared its ebola epidemic.

In late October, community leader Oretha Bestman-Yates was forced on unpaid leave by her boss and had her car repossessed after coming back from her home nation of Liberia. Fifty-year-old construction worker Sando Roberts was fired and is now struggling to find work.

Councilwoman Debi Rose reports Liberian children being bullied in schools in incidents similar to that of Amadou and Pape Drame. Such playground bullying wasn’t just restricted to kids; 45-year-old Ahmad Kargbo was called “walking Ebola” without provocation by his colleagues at a company

Jennifer Dikler / The Spectator

They Are Not an Epidemic

picnic. This incident in particular shows how troubling and true the idea of “Illness as a Metaphor” is—these individuals aren’t just suspected of carrying the disease, they are the disease. To consider one on par with an illness that can result in optic and rectal bleeding is one of the worst forms of dehumanization, but something so unfortunately integrated as a result of our unwarranted hysteria.

In response to the malicious metaphor, the Liberian community devised the slogan “We are Liberian, not a Virus.” The plea is still relevant. From the depths of Twitter conspiracy theories of Obama being the embodiment of African malice who wishes to wreak havoc on the U.S., to more concrete decisions such as the Visa ban that blocked travel of West Africans in Canada just a few days ago, it is clear that the eradication of Ebola in the U.S. just isn’t enough. For some, Ebola still walks among us—it travels in

our subway systems, breathes our air, sits near us in restaurants and only deportation, or at the very least isolation, can truly solve the epidemic.

Only then can we reinforce our sense of American sterility and security and further distance ourselves from the chaotic and primitive desolation of Africa.

One can see how unsettling this perspective is, especially when we’re talking about people— everyday individuals who try to make ends meet. “We are not a Virus” is a plea we must answer if we wish to establish ourselves as accepting and progressive individuals. It may be difficult for us to make policy decisions, but breaking down the associations between crippling diseases and people would be a start.

By rooting for the underdogs, we set an example for the rest to follow and turn their mockery and fear of foreigners into sympathy and a greater understanding of the real victims of the epidemic.

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 16

Opinions SURVIVING SUICIDE AT STUYVESANT It was my senior year, back in spring 1980, more than 30 years ago, making me outdated by today’s supersonic standards. I come from the era before Twitter, Skype, Hulu, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and all those other technological wonders. My New York City was bankrupt, filthy, covered in graffiti, and menaced by the Son of Sam. My version of our school was the “old building,” with its antique chemistry lab, blackboards, and history textbooks that didn’t get up to the Vietnam War. But, then as now, we had parents who didn’t care or slammed immense pressure on us. Impossible grades and college admissions to achieve.

Queen bees and king bullies who dictated social standards and led their acolytes in torturing those who deviated from those norms. And teachers and administrators who made students they found amusing or annoying miserable.

It was the latter group that was the stressor that made me try to kill myself. I had plenty of the other issues: my mother was a borderline narcissist who used me as a whipping boy and blamed me for all of her failures in life. I got the lowest grades in math in the school’s history— or so I was told. The queen bees ensured that I couldn’t get a date, and the king bullies ridiculed me for every aspect of my existence, even my haircut.

But my teachers and administrators used me as a punching bag. My grades were too low. I didn’t show the right attitude towards math. Or physics. Or chemistry.

The final straw was the day my chemistry teacher asked for the formula of hydrochloric acid. Normally, I never answered questions in chemistry class. This time, I happened to know the answer. I raised my hand, and the teacher pointed at me. I blurted it out.

“See that?” said the teacher, pointing at me. “That question was so easy, that even this guy knew the answer…and he’s the stupidest person in class!”

I exploded. How could he say that when I had given the correct answer? What did he get out of insulting a student like that?

He tried to backpedal, saying that I was “right,” and then made it worse, saying I should go and see the school’s counselor.

All the kids sat there, grinning with the harsh smiles that teenagers show when one of their classmates, but not them, has been humiliated. When you’re aged 12-22, you are at the bottom of the pit when it comes to showing compassion.

My teacher had just made it clear: there was no way I could do right in his class, even when I was right, and that really, I was just a nutter. So I hurled a few more insults at him, and flew out of the room. Then out of the building, out onto East 15th Street. Then home on foot.

When I got home, I rifled through the medicine cabinet,

looking for something to end my anguish. Sleeping tablets, razor blades, anything. I found my brother’s prescription medication. I swallowed the whole bottle of pills, hopped into my bed, and waited for chemistry to take its course. I drifted off to sleep.

Nothing happened.

I woke up a few hours later, disgusted. I couldn’t even succeed in killing myself. Weary and emotionally exhausted, I climbed out of bed and realized—I had not written a suicide note. Nobody would have even had a clue as to why I had tried to kill myself.

My parents came home later in the day. My mother had been at the hospital with my disabled brother, and my father had been at work. I didn’t tell them what had happened. I didn’t know what to say. I knew that my mother would proceed to hammer me and make me the villain and herself the true victim, and my father would not be able to grasp the situation.

Instead, I wrote an angry letter to an assistant principal in the school, listing every single battle I’d fought with him and his teachers over the three years I’d been at the school and making an offer: if he gave me a written memo explaining why the educators wanted me dead, I would kill myself in front of him. I added that he would also have to give my brother the slack he needed and deserved, which he was not getting, from the same educators.

The assistant principal read a piece of this 15-page manifesto and summoned me, my mother, and the school counselor to his office the next morning, where he tried to show how seriously he was taking all this by telling his secretaries to hold all calls, not admit visitors, and keep the door closed.

The three of us went over my manifold problems (which I will not share—for space and privacy). Whenever I asked a question, the assistant principal gave one of those usual, meaningless answers that educators always give. But he also made it clear that he would move to address my objections, promising to reach out to the teachers who had been giving me grief and pain, without being specific on how. On that vague note, the conference concluded, my mother went back home, and I went back to class.

Afterwards, my teachers basically backed off. I was no longer a dummy to them, and even ones I barely knew would come up to me and ask how I was doing and at least pretend to be respectful towards me, even asking to sign my yearbook when that came out.

The chemistry teacher wrote, “You’re brilliant!” I was not amused.

But I was also 18 years old.

Now, I’m in my fifties. More than 30 years have gone under the bridge. In that time, I’ve worked on four continents, gained a Master’s Degree, and raised a genius daughter of my own, in a totally different city, in a somewhat different state.

And I have realized a few things, and while I’m not good at any of them, they are messages that need to be passed on.

The most important of these is that the world is NOT a better place if you kill yourself.

The very people you seek to hurt with your death will not be. But the people who love you will — parents, relatives, and friends. They will be left baffled, uncomprehending, anguished. They will want to know what they could have done to prevent this. Above all, they will never understand— no matter how clearly you write that suicide note—why you did such a thing. They will wish you had told them what was upsetting you. They will think they could have done something about it.

Secondly, there is no glory, martyrdom, or release from pain in suicide. Only a finality. You will have no chance to change the situation you are in. High school is a temporary way station in life, and the agony you are facing now will soon dissipate.

And lastly, time will erode your parents’ authority and power. The fact that they are pushing so hard speaks for how aware they are of their loosening grip—they are losing ownership of you, and there is nothing they can do about it but yell a lot about your choices in music and fashion.

More importantly, anyone who has the nerve to say to you, “These should be the happiest days of your life,” as was said to me, is wrong. These are among the worst days of your

life. You have very little power over your life, immense social and academic pressures to be perfect all the time, raging hormones, nobody listens to you, and you’re not even really quite sure what you want to say or how to say it.

That will change. Your life will get better. You will graduate from this school, and once they hand you that final report card and handshake, even the numbers on your report card won’t matter. The only thing the school will want from you afterwards will be money, as it does from all alumni. Over time you will learn ways to communicate what you think and feel: metaphors, similes, and aphorisms that make perfect sense.

The boys and girls who use you as punching bags will go their different ways, meeting larger monsters that will make their lives hell in turn.

And think about what will happen to them 30 years from now when their kids come home from school teary-eyed, themselves victims of that generation’s king bullies and queen bees. Your tormentors will learn their lesson.

Bottom line: you will go off to college and a completely new set of responsibilities and freedoms, and all the nonsense you are dealing with right now will be completely irrelevant.

Finally, you will hit adulthood soon enough. Yes, you will have a new set of issues to deal with: finding a job, a home, budgeting your finances, doing taxes (there’s a major drag), having a family of your own, and growing a career. But you will also find all the great

benefits of it. Some are vast, like being able to plan and live your own life without reference to whatever or whoever is tormenting you right now. You’ll be able to choose your friends, your social groups, your forms of entertainment, your reading matter, your vacation sites, and your political views, and nobody can punish or harm you for doing so. It won’t be anybody else’s business.

You will also have the small benefits of adulthood: being able to walk into a store and getting reasonably courteous service from the staff. People calling you “sir” or “ma’am.” Being able to sit at a staff meeting and have the idea or viewpoint you put forth be treated with respect, and, as you get older, deference. Being recognized by your superiors for work well done. Even being recognized in this school’s alumni newsletter for what you’ve accomplished in life.

Suicide denies you all those opportunities. It is unfair to yourself and your abilities and talents, denying them a chance to express themselves. Forget about everybody else. It denies you hope. It denies you positive change. It denies you a better life. It gives your tormentors an easy and cheap victory that they will soon forget, as they move on to other prey and ultimate defeat.

Suicide only makes things worse and final. Choose to make things better by continuing. Just get the best grade you can get on that next test, and move on. Better and more important things await you. Suicide is not one of them.

Alisa Su / The Spectator

By Anonymous

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 17

Arts and Entertainment

Yujie Fu/ The Spectator

Daniel Radcliffe has come a long way since he was first introduced to mainstream audiences in 2001, when he starred as the title character in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Since the end of the “Harry Potter” series in 2011, Radcliffe has remained active in film and has branched out into other genres. For instance, in 2012, Radcliffe tested the waters of the horror genre with “The Woman in Black,” which was darker and more serious than the relatively family-friendly “Harry Potter” films. Radcliffe’s latest endeavor, “Horns,” is a supernatural murder mystery directed by Alexandre Aja and adapted from the Joe Hill novel of the same name.

Horns tells the story of Ignatius “Ig” Perrish (Daniel Radcliffe), who is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Merrin Williams (Juno Temple). Though Ig is innocent, the public is convinced of his guilt and almost nobody believes his story. Ig awakens one morning shortly after the murder to discover two horns growing from the sides of his head. A trip to the hospital in an attempt to remove the horns reveals some unusual new abilities that Ig has acquired: people he meets are compelled to reveal their deepest secrets, desires, and opinions, while physical contact with those people allows him instant access to their recent memories. Furthermore, Ig finds that he can influence others into doing his bidding by amplifying their urges. Ig resolves to use his powers to find and bring to justice the person truly responsible for Merrin’s death.

“Horns” is only Radcliffe’s third film after the conclusion of the “Harry Potter” series, but his performance as Ig proves his versatility as an actor and is the film’s strongest aspect. The stress of coping with Merrin’s death and the frustration Ig feels from dealing with the people around him, almost all of whom are convinced of his guilt, take their toll on him, turning him into a social outcast and becoming the defining aspects of his character, which are reflected in the smallest details of Radcliffe’s performance. Ig’s attitude towards other characters is marked by aggression and irritation that shows in his tense, often-profane language, which is offset by moments of dry humor, such as his suggestion to a group

of reporters to beat each other up for the chance at an exclusive interview with him. His appearance, from his unkempt hair and scruffy beard to his somewhat gaudy leather jacket and yellow sweatshirt, gives the impression that he has simply stopped caring about himself. Even his facial expressions are telling. Ig constantly glares and grimaces, only occasionally flashing a devilish grin and always looking as if he is just one step away from snapping.

Unfortunately, “Horns” has a few flaws that detract from the overall experience. While the film’s premise as a supernatural murder mystery is intriguing, it leaves a lot to the audience’s imagination, which can be frustrating. The appearance of the horns on Ig’s head and the origin of his powers are never explained, and other characters’ almost nonchalant reactions to the horns, while amusing, don’t make much sense because they are devoid of any degree of surprise.

These errors could be attributed to the paranormal nature of the horns, but the film still contains one serious problem: its ending.

Ig’s final confrontation with the killer receives heavy build-up, but it ends too quickly and isn’t as satisfying as it should be. Part of the problem is that, in the rest of the film, Ig employs the full range of his abilities to manipulate and intimidate others to get what he wants. In the final confrontation, however, Ig seems inexplicably limited to physical means of attack, which is rather disappointing.

For the most part, Horns is an entertaining film. Its premise is highly intriguing and is executed effectively. It’s satisfying to see Ig systematically hunt down witnesses from the night of the murder and use his powers to pull the truth from them. Unfortunately, some narrative loopholes and a relatively weak ending hold the film back. Still, Ig himself is incredibly fun to watch, as Daniel Radcliffe’s performance makes the character relatable, likeable, and very believable, while it distances him from the far more well-known role of Harry Potter.

Ig uses his powers in creative and morbid, even macabre, ways, and although the film’s ending leaves something to be desired, it still manages to deliver a twisted yet funny experience.

By Elvin Shoyfer

The inevitability of death is one of the few things we all share, and yet it is, perhaps, among the most divisive. With “You’re Dead!” (2014), experimental music producer Steven Ellison—better known as Flying Lotus (or FlyLo, for short)— presents an interpretation that’s far less gloomy than what we’re used to.

If the trippy album art and choice of punctuation in the title didn’t tip you off, FlyLo sets the tone with album opener “Theme.”

Not a second passes before you’re taken down the rabbit hole, and the sound quickly transitions from menacingly grandiose into something eccentric and playful.

The album flows like a doubledecker bus on a sightseeing tour of the afterlife. It’s a quilt of what are often very short tracks—a style reminiscent of the late producer/ rapper J Dilla, a friend whom FlyLo credits as a life-changing influence.

Dilla produced 29 of the 31 tracks from his album “Donuts” (2006) in his hospital bed while suffering from an incurable blood disease; the album was released a mere three days before his death. “You’re Dead!” is an homage to family, friends, and heroes long passed; it’s a celebration of what it means to be human and of lives that endure well after they’re gone.

In the song “Never Catch Me,” guest rapper Kendrick Lamar meditates on his struggle to accept death whilst outrunning it by means of his spirituality and the art that he can leave behind. The jovial spirit of the song—a marriage of fast-paced drums, solemn piano, and soulful jazz—can easily hide its powerful message, a melancholic reflection on the human condition.

By Liana Chow

Sunny Chen/ The Spectator

By Geoffrey Luu

Album Review What Comes After

Ultimately, Lamar concludes that death is best approached with optimism: “I got mind control when I’m here, you gon’ hate me when I’m gone / Ain’t no blood pumpin’ no fear, I got hope inside of my bones.”

Captain Murphy—FlyLo’s rap alter-ego—joins Snoop Dogg in “Dead Man’s Tetris,” in which the two investigate their puzzling transition out of the physical world over an appropriate glitch-hop beat. There’s confusion—the entire track descends into an overwhelming black hole of chiptune, analogous to the inescapability of death—but also some good times, as Murphy notes: “Hold up, hold up / Me and Dilla ‘bout to blow some trees / Hold up, pass to Austin and to Freddie Mercury.”

Other tracks express feelings

purely through their sound, lacking any lyrical accompaniment. In 40 seconds, “Fkn Dead” simultaneously captures the stomach-pit moment of utter realization along with the wonder of infinite possibilities through its groovy guitar and dazzling harmonies. “Ready Err Not,” a desolate electronic track, is a reminder of the trepidation that arises from our constantly-ticking biological clocks; the steady beat reassures you that your time will come, too.

FlyLo has created an album that is paradoxical in nature. It’s deeply personal, and yet it has a universal theme. It’ll put you in control and show you that you’re powerless. It’ll cheer you up and make you shed a tear. Perhaps it’s just the right fit for its subject matter.

Restaurant Review How to Eat Snow

There is only one place in New York City to get a dessert that tastes like falling snow in a magically flavored land. On 10th Street between First and Second Ave in the East Village, Snowdays Shavery serves a concoction called “snow cream”—it is neither ice cream nor shaved ice, but it’s something like shaved ice cream.

The enthusiastic 29-year-old guy taking orders at the Snowdays counter is the founder and owner, Tony Quach. Although he grew up on the East Coast, Quach drew inspiration for his innovative dessert from around the world. Shaved ice is typically made by shaving solid ice into bits. However, in Taiwan— where “shaved ice is really big,” according to Quach—a milkier base has been used recently. The Taiwanese milk version became popular under the name “snow cream” in Los Angeles, where Quach encountered it and decided that the East Coast needed it too. Back in New York, he further increased the proportion of milk and also improved the idea by using local dairy sources instead of powdered milk.

Snowdays’ snow cream resembles the light, drifting flakes that you like to catch with your tongue. When a snowflake falls on your tongue, the texture starts out like velvet, almost furry, and then melts into something softer and creamier than ice cream.

To achieve this effect, Snowdays uses huge Taiwanese ice-shaving machines to shred frozen blocks of milk combined with other ingredients, making the texture a lot lighter than that of regular ice cream.

Snowdays Shavery is a pleasant space with 15 seats and an allglass front looking onto 10th street.

The workers are generous with free samples. The shop’s symbol is an adorable yeti, and it calls its des-

Cindy Li/ The Spectator

Film Review Horns of a Dilemma

sert “abominable snow cream.” All the sizes, ranging from $5 to $8, are huge, with “yeti” being the most gargantuan. However, because the snow cream is so light, a large size is easy to eat.

The flavors are milder than those of ice cream. Some flavors that are not strong enough, such as the NY Cheesecake flavor, are bolder with the addition of a strawberry topping. Other flavors work very well by themselves. For vegans, there is Coconut, which at first glance appears to be a pile of white coconut shreds, but has the same milky texture as the other snow creams enhanced by a soft coconut flavor. The most popular flavor is Yeti Tracks, a mixture of blueberry and Oreo flavored snow cream. This flavor can certainly satisfy a sweet tooth. Mr. Quach’s personal favorite is the Black Sesame.

“We hand-roast the black sesame ourselves. We put a lot of love into it,” he said. The Black Sesame snow cream is gray and looks a bit suspicious, but the flavor is pleasantly smoky.

The combos created by the store include Made in Taiwan, which is Green Tea Matcha snow cream

topped with grass jelly, mochi, and condensed milk. The chewy mochi, cool grass jelly, and fluffy snow cream make for an unexpected mix of textures. Other combos are Yeti Food (Yeti Tracks Snow Cream, bananas, sugar cones and blueberry puree) and The Original (Sweet Milk Snow Cream, Captain Crunch, blueberries and peanut butter sauce).

All the toppings, most of which are similar to those for frozen yogurt, are crowd-pleasers. Pocky sticks protrude like crowns from the tubs of snow cream, and pieces of mochi, mango, strawberries, red bean, marshmallows, and M&M’s are also on the menu. A “drizzle,” such as blueberry puree or salted caramel, is included in the base price. The toppings, an extra $0.50 each, add to the sometimes subtle flavors of the snow creams themselves and allow the customers to make the dessert as wildly colorclashing and sweet as they wish. The topped snow cream doesn’t always end up looking like what’s normally accepted as food, but that’s okay because it doesn’t taste like any food you’ve had before. In fact, it’s probably better.

Page 18

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Arts and Entertainment

“Feel Good Inc.” Cover Artist: Celia Pavey Original Artist: Gorillaz “Get Lucky” Cover Artist: Pentatonix Original Artist: Daft Punk “Just Give Me A Reason” Cover Artist: Tiffany Alvord Original Artist: P!NK ft. Nate Ruess “Heart Attack” Cover Artist: Cimorelli Original Artist: Demi Lovato “Gangnam Style” Cover Artist: Jayesslee Original Artist: PSY “Toxic” Cover Artist: Melanie Martinez Original Artist: Britney Spears “This is Halloween” Cover Artist: Panic! At The Disco Original Artist: The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack “Papaoutai” Cover Artist: Pentatonix ft. Lindsey Stirling Original Artist: Stromae “Let Her Go” Cover Artist: Tyler Ward Original Artist: Passenger “Sweater Weather” Cover Artist: Max Schneider and Alyson Stoner Original Artist: The Neighbourhood “Just a Dream” Cover Artist: Sam Tsui and Christina Grimmie Original Artist: Nelly “Skinny Love” Cover Artist: Birdy Original Artist: Bon Iver

“The A Team” Cover Artist: Scott Hoying, Kina Grannis, and Kevin Olusola Original Artist: Ed Sheeran “Cool Kids” Cover Artist: Gardiner Sisters Original Artist: Echosmith “Paradise (Peponi)” Cover Artist: The Piano Guys Original Artist: Coldplay “Rather Be” Cover Artist: George Twins Original Artist: Clean Bandit “Stay High” Cover Artist: Against the Current Original Artist: Tove Lo “Burn” Cover Artist: Scott Bradlee and Postmodern Jukebox Original Artist: Ellie Goulding “Beethoven’s 5 Secrets” Cover Artist: The Piano Guys Original Artist: One Republic “Wake Me Up” Cover Artist: Scott Bradlee and Postmodern Jukebox Original Artist: Avicii, Aloe Blacc “Riptide” Cover Artist: MisterWives Original Artist: Vance Joy “Somewhere Only We Know” Cover Artist: Max Schneider and Elizabeth Gillies Original Artist: Keane

Podcast Review

By Emma Bernstein and Shahruz Ghaemi One January afternoon in 1999, Baltimore high schooler Hae Min Lee disappeared after school. She was found strangled in a city park. Her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was charged with her murder and sentenced to life in prison. But for such a weighty crime and sentence, there was very little concrete evidence both for and against him.

Now, an extremely unlikely someone is digging up the 15year-old case—not a concerned lawyer, not even Syed himself.

Sarah Koenig, producer of the popular radio show, “This American Life,” was asked by Syed’s family friend last year to cover the case. Koenig explains in her first episode that the more she dug, the more perfect Syed’s story seemed as the opening salvo of her spinoff podcast, “Serial.”

“Serial” harkens back to older forms of radio (and television) storytelling, where one story un-

Book Review Sandwiches—and Poison—at Teatime

By Shahruz Ghaemi Hercule Poirot is less familiar to Americans, and young people in particular, than his predecessor, Sherlock Holmes, but his creator is certainly not. Agatha Christie is the second-bestselling fiction author of all time, behind only her countryman Shakespeare. Everyone is at least passing familiar with “And Then There Were None” and “Murder on the Orient Express.” But you may not know that “Orient Express” was a Poirot mystery.

Hercule Poirot (pronounced “her-kewl pwah-roe”), the punctual little Belgian detective who solves British murders, first appeared in Christie’s 1920 novel “The Mysterious Affair at Styles.” He survived by popular demand for five decades, before Christie retired him in 1975, but since then, he has been on the wane.

While Sherlock Holmes has been parodied and duplicated since the beginning of the last century, there have been nowhere near as many stage or film adaptations of the Belgian detective. This is because Holmes has been in the public domain for many years now, whereas Christie’s estate still holds the rights to Poirot and his adventures. Fortunately, they have just authorized Sophie Hannah, a best-selling novelist of mundane-Gothic crime, to pen “The Monogram Murders.”

Hercule Poirot has been given a new lease on life.

Set in the winter of 1929, Hannah’s story plunges us right back into Poirot’s world. While on stay-cation to rest his “little grey cells,” Poirot is disturbed by an inconsolable woman who tells him that she is about to be killed, but begs him not to search for her murderer. Following this upsetting episode, three bodies are found in a fashionable hotel; three people poisoned behind locked doors, ceremonially laid out, and with a monogrammed cufflink in their mouth. The hunt is on, then. Poirot fears finding a fourth cufflink alongside his newest friend’s body—

Bonny Truong/ The Spectator

Playlist Our Favorite Covers and Remixes

because cufflinks come in pairs, don’t they?

Told from the point of view of Detective Edward Catchpool, a Watson-esque sidekick, Hannah’s novel is an impressive resurrection of classic Poirot. All the mainstays of a murder mystery are there—overly talkative characters with shady facial hair, red herrings aplenty, a sleepy village where all is not as it seems—but with the Continental touch, all the ouis and nons and mon amis (and all of Poirot’s complaints about English stodginess).

There are outfits and catchphrases we expect to see from any recurring character: Sherlock’s deerstalker hat, Bond’s martini shaken, not stirred. The traditional portrait of Poirot is one of a small, portly fop sporting a top hat and handlebar moustache. A European dandy always worried about his clothes, yes, but also a strong proponent of rationalism, neuroscience and psychology, and above all, the marvelous “little grey cells.”

Unfortunately, Hannah may have overdone herself in replicating Christie. Poirot’s constant condescension towards Catchpool, par for the course in detective fiction but especially heightened here, makes for a buddy-cop dynamic that an-

noys instead of amuses (Christie herself only persisted in writing the “detestable, bombastic, tiresome, ego-centric little creep” because of popular demand).

The plot is undoubtedly exquisitely constructed—every last detail is eventually accounted for, and Poirot can make meaning out of a character’s grammatical slips. There are some compelling aspects: the mystery woman’s fate, lovers set against a puritanical and harpylike community, an overheard conversation with a corpse. But the last chapters, and the “dramatic” reveal in particular, are so pedantic in their execution as to be exasperating.

The story’s convolutions and Hannah’s tendency to recap every chapter makes for frustrating reading in one sitting, which is why “The Monogram Murders” is best enjoyed over a long period of time, perhaps on the beach.

It is also best enjoyed at night, when Hannah’s eerie murders and tormented characters come to life. What do we make of a murder in which the victim acquiesces, even believes it to be just retribution? Where do we turn if each clue leads only to dead ends? Well, Hercule Poirot may just be able to show you the way.

Murder Mystery on the Radio

folds over many episodes. The Syed case makes up “season one” of the podcast, which attempts to spin a story out of the mountains of legal documents, police recordings, and trial proceedings.

The foundation for the state’s case comes primarily from the testimony of Syed’s friend, Jay. He claims that Syed called him to help dispose of Lee’s body, but both his testimony and the physical evidence are unclear and questionable. Did Syed really tell Jay he was going to kill Lee beforehand? Did Lee let him enter her car in the school parking lot? Did Jay really meet Syed in a Best Buy parking lot, with Lee’s body in the car?

Imagine what “Law and Order” would have been like 15 years ago. There wasn’t much electronic evidence for anything: security cameras weren’t ubiquitous, and cell phone logs didn’t even record the numbers to which calls were dialed.

Syed maintains his inno-

cence, even when we hear his voice calling from the Maryland Correctional Facility phone. The logical extension of his innocence is that he wouldn’t have reason to remember what he did the afternoon of Lee’s death. But in order to prove his innocence, hazy memories are exactly the opposite of what investigators need—and they sure aren’t conducive to a watertight alibi. Yet this is what so much of “Serial” is about: the blurred memories of a few teenagers who may or may not have seen him.

In the first episode, Koenig challenges the listener to recall what he or she was doing last Tuesday. Try it. What were you were doing last Tuesday at 5:20 p.m.? It’s almost impossible to remember. Now try a day 15 years ago. The truth is hard enough to uncover in the moment, but that doesn’t mean listening to “Serial” is an exercise in futility.

Koenig is able to captivate for a solid half-hour as she guides you through every aspect of her

investigation, and although she openly and often doubts herself and the information she finds, you feel as if you have made progress for those 30 minutes.

This is extraordinary because by the time the podcast is over, you realize that you know nothing about the case: you have no clue what happened within the 20 minutes, and you still have no idea about how you feel about Syed.

Because this podcast is the perfect romance murder mystery, there’s almost an obligation to like Syed because he’s the real-life protagonist. After all, what’s the point of investigating a case in which he’s already been proven guilty if not to prove him innocent?

However, Koenig makes clear that her goals are far from giving Syed another day in court. “Serial” is just as much an investigative on investigating as it is on Syed. Throughout “Serial,” we’re able to travel step by step with Koenig and experience her

frustration and her revelations— that’s part of what makes this show so compelling—and you need to do a substantial amount of work with Koenig to conclude anything.

But “Serial” brings up queasy ethical questions. This isn’t a game of detective or “Law and Order.” This is the real-life death of a promising young woman. On the podcast’s website, Koenig’s research materials are posted for curious fans. Koenig and “This American Life” are professionals at sneaking into people’s lives and sharing what they’ve found, but somehow, the extended nature of “Serial” feels hyper-personal. It’s an intriguing story to plunge into for half an hour each week, but should we be excited about it?

Koenig says the podcast will “stay with each story for as long as it takes to get to the bottom of it.” How long will that take?

As Koenig quickly finds out, “Serial” produces more questions than answers.

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 19

Arts and Entertainment STC Review

By Shahruz Ghaemi with additional reporting by Jenny Jiang The Stuyvesant Theater Community (STC) is no stranger to taking on large productions, admittedly to sometimes mixed results. While bedeviled by certain problems, this year’s fall musical, “Rent,” was also excellent in some areas. (The STC also puts on a winter drama and a spring comedy).

“Rent,” a reworking of Puccini’s opera “La Bohème,” takes place in the grimy, coarse Alphabet City neighborhood of the Lower East Side, among young bohemians struggling to hold on to love, light, and art in the face of poverty and the omnipresent shadow of HIV/ AIDS. The popular musical first debuted on Broadway in 1996 and did not close until 2008, making “Rent” the tenth-longest-running show on Broadway. It has always drawn youthful crowds for its joyous celebration of life (and death) outside of society’s spotlight--not to mention the energetic defiance of dear old Mom and Dad. The Murray Khan Auditorium was accordingly packed for the Friday, November 7 performance.

In addition, Stuy alum Telly Leung (‘98), who played the role of Angel Dumott-Schunard in 2010, returned to watch the Saturday night performance.

The first few minutes did portend many of the production’s prob-

Vive La Vie Bohème lems, as well as its strengths. On a Christmas Eve in the late 1980s, filmmaker Mark (junior Henry Rosenbloom) and rock musician Roger (senior Thomas Perskin), live without heat or electricity, and cannot pay the rent demanded by their roommate-turned-landlord Benny (sophomore Dennis Ronel).

Another former roommate, gay anarchist professor Collins (junior Peter Samuel) is mugged on his way over and falls for Angel (senior Franco Caputo), a street drummer and drag queen who comes to his rescue.

Meanwhile, Mark’s final exroommate—and ex-girlfriend— Maureen (sophomore Jessica Sparacio) prepares to protest Benny’s eviction plans with her current girlfriend and lawyer, Joanne (senior Jasmine Thomas). Collins, Angel, and Roger all have HIV, as did Roger’s girlfriend when she committed suicide. Roger is still trying to cope when he meets the brash and flirtatious exotic dancer Mimi (freshman Sammie Paul).

The band, directed by seniors Tomin Perea-Chamblee and Sabrina Leo, was laser-focused and always ready to rock. But audibility was a consistent issue. The superb band often drowned out the soft voices on stage and the singers were almost silent when not facing the audience—even in “Happy New Year,” when the entire principal cast was onstage. Microphones would have helped those packed in the rear seats on Friday, if only

there were enough functioning ones to go around. More mics on Saturday significantly improved the situation, but they didn’t always work perfectly. It made one sometimes wish for the unabashedly loud Jimmy McMillan (remember the “rent is too damn high” guy?).

First-time directors sophomores Zora Arum and Livia Kunins-Berkowitz handled a cast filled with faces old and new. Paul, for instance might have been a risky choice for Mimi, if not for her already long history with the stage.

She captured much of Mimi’s vivaciousness, though not all of her more mature impishness. Caputo’s presentation of Angel also seemed very whole-hearted (and a crowd-pleaser). Samuel, though starry-eyed for much of the time, sang very strongly. His dynamic with Caputo made for the most heartwarming duo of the production, lending Samuel’s later ardent songs additional weight.

Rosenbloom, who officially stepped up only the week before performances begun, was nervous. This translated to a more limited performance than he could have delivered, even given Mark’s already restrained character. However, Rosenbloom was able to overcome this in a couple of Mark’s more outgoing moments, such as his wonderfully feisty duet with Thomas in “Tango: Maureen,” choreographed by seniors Nadia Saleh, Danielle Isakov, and junior Frances Dodin.

Thomas, with her bravura voice and assured stage presence, was just as wonderful to watch as ever. Joanne’s rocky relationship with Maureen imploded in “Take Me Or Leave Me,” a passionate triumph for both actors.

Sparacio was a spot-on casting choice to play the flamboyant performance artist. Her rendition of Maureen’s over-the-top, cowbellbanging, milk-slurping masterpiece “Over the Moon” was a sheer joy, and frankly more compelling than the watered-down 2005 movie version. An award is surely in order for the background dancers who had to keep straight faces.

Some of the production’s problems, however, stemmed in part from the source material. “Rent” is a complicated story, and many of the finer points of the character’s tense relationships would certainly have been lost on those sitting in rear seats. Additionally, some of the songs are simply too long and tended to devolve into repetitive stand-and-deliver pieces.

More creative blocking could have helped, but this was particularly exacerbated when the some of the actors’ vocals are not entirely up to the task. Mimi’s sexual affirmation, “Out Tonight,” already a song filled with screeching high notes, was too much to ask of Paul, though she sang well the rest of the night. Perskin, Rosenbloom, and Caputo also struggled with volume or pitch in their solo songs to a lesser degree.

The ensemble numbers, on the other hand, unequivocally shone. The half hour surrounding intermission contained the three undoubted triumphs of the night.

Act I winds down with “Over the Moon,” followed by “La Vie Boheme,” the finger-snapping celebration of a life of artistic, sexual, and cultural freedom. Dancing on tables, the bohemians revel in their self-created community. Liveliness was the order of the night.

Act II then opens with the famous song “Seasons of Love.”

Standing in a plain chorus line, the entire cast delivered on this hard-to-fudge favorite, a hymn to measuring life in love that featured the dynamo voice of junior Kelsey Watts. The International Union of Pure and Applied Science is presumably still accepting names for the unit of love.

In general, what the audience saw was a laudably heartfelt reproduction of a musical that clearly had its fans onstage. What they heard, however, was sometimes harder to capture. “Rent” is undoubtedly popular with most students—aside from all the MITbashing—and the STC did not fail to deliver the musical’s best songs.

Speaking to the cast and crew after Saturday’s production, Leung was fully supportive and spoke about his own experiences on the very same stage as part of the STC. “I feel like it’s come full circle,” he marveled. “It lives on as you keep doing it.”

The STC’s Fall Musical: Rent

By Justin Strauss

Page 20

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

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The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 22

Humor These articles are works of fiction. All quotes are libel and slander.

See the College Essay that got this Student Rejected from EVERY College in the United States

By Dennis Nenov

XOXO,

Dear Admissions Officer,

Dennis Nenov

Riding the New York City subway to and from school for four years has taught me one thing: the world is beautiful because it’s completely absurd.

:))) <-- I’m smiling as much as the skin cell on the advertisement is.

In order to show you just how absurd (and, thus, beautiful) the world really is, I’ve attached three letters that are each addressed to a person or entity that I’ve encountered in the subway. *** Dear copywriter-who-wrote-thecosmetic-surgery-subway-ad, Don’t get me wrong: I certainly think that “Small risk of scarring; High chance of success” is an apt description of your cosmetic surgery; it’s a very interesting (and honest) headline.

But I also think that there’s something off-putting about your advertisement—and I don’t know if it’s because of the picture of a smiling skin cell or the fact that you’re earnest enough to let me know that there’s a sizeable chance I’ll be scarred if I undertake the surgery that you’re trying to sell me.

Also, maybe you should consider making your ads more appealing to teenagers and kids. Because although it’s true that most teenagers and kids probably don’t want or need a cosmetic surgery, they might need or want one in the future, so you should invest in building brand loyalty while they’re still young. That’s what McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and all the other major fast food chains do.

Heck, maybe you should give out little skin-cell-shaped toys. In my opinion, that would be quite endearing.

By Mariya Gedrich Drugs, gang activity, and anarchy are common phenomena in the halls of Stuyvesant High School. There was yet another drug bust here last week, when junior Frank Shlafer was detained by the New York Police Department last Wednesday afternoon for pending charges of manufacturing illicit drugs on school premises. The NYPD’s Stuyvesant Division was quick to arrive on the scene, already having been in the building investigating a particularly gruesome case of plagiarism on the 6th floor. Using the chemistry department’s secret store of tear gas reserved for student uprisings (last used during the Damesek protests), they were able to subdue a classroom of violent students who had by then successfully tested/ingested the product. The scuffle ended in Shlafer’s arrest and the confiscation of the product, which was confirmed to be methamphetamine.

Shlafer, a student in chem-

***

Dear person-singing-and-listening-to-music-aloud, I love “Clique” by Kanye West as much as the next guy, but the song started to lose its charm after the sixth time you played it. I stopped counting after the eleventh time, and, at this point, I feel like I’m more than capable of joining you in singing the verses aloud.

I understand that you’re trying to practice rapping because your first mix-tape probably flopped and you want to improve; after all, you wouldn’t be rapping aloud on the subway if you were some sort of international rap star.

Or maybe you are a star. Maybe you’re Kanye’s rival, and you’ve decided to disguise yourself as a regular person, go around the city, and play Kanye’s songs until people tire of them.

And while your appearance doesn’t intimidate me, your courage to continue playing the same song over and over does. So I guess I have no choice but to stay put and continue exchanging looks with the nice old lady sitting next to you.

But, in all honesty, I admire you because you’re a free spirit.

Keep On Rockin’ (or Rappin’), Dennis Nenov *** Dear person-who-is-looking-atme-and-probably-judging-me,

I know that you’re judging me; I can tell from the look in your eyes.

And I want you to know that I’m judging you too.

That’s the nature of the subway: it’s an environment in which each person is being evaluated while he or she evaluates others. Your possessions, physique, and demeanor are all taken into account as people try to determine your exact position in life.

You’re reduced to a frame of reference—a means through which other people can compare their life choices and accomplishments to someone else’s.

And though this behavior certainly isn’t unique to the subway, it is more prevalent there. This is because your mind begins to wander and draw unwarranted inferences about the people around you when you have nothing else to do—and that is often the case when you’re riding the subway.

So, yes, I’m judging you for (probably ironically) wearing a sweatshirt with the word “Ironic” on it—and for reading “Infinite Jest,” a book whose title should be “Infinite Text.”

Sincerely, Dennis Nenov *** I hope that this letter finds you in good health.

Please write back soon. This could be the start of something special.

Warm Regards, Dennis Nenov

Spectator Humor Department Tries to come up with a Funny Article about Brian Moran, only has this Excessively Long Headline to Show for It 10 Facts about Stuyvesant

By Winton Yee Tagged by Brian Moran 1) You will accidentally curse in front of little kids on Chambers Street. “Oh, c’mon,” you’ll think, as you realize a thirdgrader just heard what you called your Spanish teacher.

2) You will attempt to distinguish yourself from the mass of grade-grubbers. Perhaps you will do it through Speech and Debate. Perhaps you will do it through alcohol. Perhaps you will do it through writing humor articles for the Spectator. I mean, it’s all a futile attempt on your part to escape the unanswerable question of existentiality, so it doesn’t really matter.

3) Juniors will begin saying “junior year” in all situations.

“Junior year,” your friend will say, referencing the two verb conjugations he has for homework.

4) You will miss your train at Chambers Street more times than you should. “No, Jesus, please,” you will frantically say as you run into the turnstile after swiping your MetroCard too quickly.

5) People will talk about SING!. A lot. “SING!” they will scream in your face, as you stand at the urinal. “SING!” your teacher will shout at your class while pointing to her physics powerpoint. “SING! SING! SING!” a crowd will chant, marching through the halls, holding the

Excellence in Meth and Science

istry teacher Sushma Arora’s AP chemistry class, actively denies having knowingly taken part in the illegal drug manufacturing process, insisting that the methamphetamine he produced during lab that day was synthesized purely by accident. “I have no idea how it happened,” Shlafer

red phosphorus.”

Arora confirmed that the instructions in the manual did indeed correspond to the correct step-by-step meth-making procedure. However, only Shlafer’s work yielded the illegal drug. “Everyone had the same lab manual,” she said. “I guess Frank was

“I usually don’t know what I’m doing during lab, so nothing seemed out of the ordinary when the lab manual told me to put on a gas mask and mix iodine and red phosphorus.”

—Frank Shlafer, sophomore said. “I usually don’t know what I’m doing during lab, so nothing seemed out of the ordinary when the lab manual told me to put on a gas mask and mix iodine and

just the only one who bothered to do the lab correctly.” The origins of the instructions in the manual remain unknown, though the NYPD has called dibs on the fac-

ulty member responsible for inserting them into the manual.

The narcotic was confirmed to be of exceedingly high purity by many members of the administration and the student body, including junior and methamphetamine expert Rahul Debnath. “I’ve been studying meth and other narcotics since I entered high school, and I have never seen a product of higher quality,” Debnath said. “It’s even more impressive than the acid I made last year, since that was contaminated when I tripped during lab.” Shlafer has since gained considerable notoriety, nicknamed “Shleisenberg” by his peers. Students have begun a campaign protesting Shlafer’s incarceration, claiming that having a manufacturer of the neural stimulant on hand would lessen the need of students to sleep and therefore improve their academic performance. “Kids are always complaining that we don’t have enough short days; with someone like Frank around, it would feel like a half-day every day,”

heads of sacrificial lambs.

6) Some kid you thought you trusted won’t even let you copy down the questions for the homework. “Bruh,” you’ll say. “I’m just copying the questions.” “Nuh,” the nincompoop will say.

7) You will scroll through photos of your classmates on Facebook, and question whether they are actually having fun.

“Probably not,” you’ll think, trying to cover up the deep well of insecurity bubbling up inside you.

8) You will become frustrated at that one teacher who never seems to be satisfied with the way you format your homework. You will get Homework #12 back with a check minus and a comment to “please see sample homework formatting!”

I did, you churlish, shag-eared canker-blossom.

9) You will get annoyed at that one person in your homework group. “Oh my God,” you will think. “Yes, Katherine, the essay is due tomorrow. Geez.”

10) You will become confused about your place in the shallow ditch of algae that is the high school popularity hierarchy. Like, are you just some seaweed? “That’s messed up,” you’ll think, as you zone out as your teacher talks about the Industrial Revolution. “I definitely do not want to be some seaweed.”

Tagging Bronx Science, Ferry’s, New York Post

sophomore and leader of the Free Shleisenberg movement Vadim Mell said.

Shlafer has since gained praise from the rest of the chemistry department as well as his peers. Many faculty members have joined students in advocating the release of their new idol. “This is the most interesting thing to happen in chemistry lab since the emergency showers went off by accident in 2003,” Assistant Principal of Chemistry Scott Thomas said. “Not to mention that since the incident, there has been a sudden influx of willing lab volunteers.”

When questioned in custody about his newfound following, Shlafer said that he is happy to be a role model in chemistry for his peers, and that he is excited to be noticed by prestigious colleges searching for aspiring chemists.

“I’d advise the competition to tread lightly, because by the time I’m a senior, colleges will know exactly who Shleisenberg is,” he said.

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 23

Humor Dr. Markova Wins Nobel Prize for Physical Education

Marijuana Legalized in 34 Classrooms

By Shaikat Islam, Jacob Faber-Rico, and Saif Zihiri Something’s been smelling funny lately—and it’s not the boys’ locker room.

Cannabis, the controversial plant that has been smoking through state legislation recently, hasbeen legalized in 34 Stuyvesant classrooms.

Last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio controversially extended the legality of marijuana, passing a bill allowing a few “test subjects” to consume marijuana recreationally as long as they act safely and responsibly.

Stuyvesant will serve as the city’s first test subject. After legalizing marijuana in room 105, Principal Jie Zhang decided to extend the policy to 33 more classrooms (three on each of the 11 floors). “I just felt like, you know, every department deserved equal access to the program, whether it be the chemistry department or the lifeguards on the pool upstairs or, you know, the robotics/ mechanics department. They especially need the inspirational aura created by the transient nature of marijuana,” Zhang said while rolling a small piece of paper. “Now excuse me, I need to get funding for Doritos in the vending machines.”

While not all teachers have been as supportive of the legalization as Zhang, almost all the teachers in the newly classified “bud-rooms” have been as-

tounded by the sudden increase in participation.

“The kids are just so much more open to each other’s ideas,” Assistant Principal of Mathematics Maryann Ferrara said. “We had such a lovely discussion yesterday on the Grothendieck conjecture on the fundamental groups of algebraic curves, except the next day we forgot what we were talking about. Apparently, we talked about the relationship between dense sets and Ebola from the condition of my board, but then again you can never tell.

Not all teachers, however, have been fond of the new participation in the classes. “I had one student debate me on the ideological differences between deontology and utilitarianism,” chemistry teacher Samantha Daves said,”which would’ve been fine if we weren’t in a Regents Chemistry class.”

Students are, not surprisingly, praising the initiative, but a few were upset with the process of the selection process for the classrooms.

“I’m not trying to say that the initiative is bad—no, I love it—but give the seniors some leverage!

Freshmen just started the school year and some of them get the cannabis? Man, I’ve spent four years here and I can’t even get it,” senior Daniel Goynatsky said.

“Good thing I’m going to University of Colo—Huh? They don’t allow it there? I can’t take this, man!

Pass me another joint!”

“Junior SING! is going to be very... lit. The performance should be out of the earth…

I mean world… hahaha… man… the world is so corrupt… I need a refill…” —Shuhei Yamaguchi, junior Students are hopeful of the potential of the new policy in school-wide performances. “Junior SING! is going to be very… lit. The performance should be out of this earth… I mean world…

I mean… hahaha… man… the world is so corrupt… I need a refill,” junior Shuhei Yamaguchi said.

Janitors have noted that the ninth and tenth floor bathrooms have begun to smell a lot less lately.

Administration Increases Daily Instructional Time by Decreasing Daily Instructional Time

By Jacob Faber-Rico When students returned to school in September, many noticed a slight change: the schedule had been lengthened by five minutes.

Last spring, an audit by the New York City Department of Education (DOE) revealed that Stuy-vesant was not meeting its standards for daily instructional time. Some students were receiving a mere 315 minutes of instructional time, which is less than the required 330 minutes.

After months of careful deliberation over how to best solve this problem, the school administration decided to increase daily instructional time by decreasing daily instructional time.

All periods remain 41 minutes long, with the exception of period three being shortened from 45 minutes to 44 minutes.

“It was just a slight change,” Principal Jie Zhang said. “But, we maxim-ized within our own structure the instructional time for students.”

It seems impossible that Stuyvesant can meet the DOE’s requirements of more instructional time by taking away instructional time. In fact, according to basic laws of mathematics understood by everybody with an IQ greater than that of a DOE official, or that of a potato, it is impossible.

However, it is possible, because passing time counts as “instructional time.” We don’t know

why the DOE would count passing time as “instructional time,” but there must be a good reason, be-cause the people who decided on it are the same people who thought it was a good idea to use essays written in English to evaluate Spanish teachers.

Yet, even after extending passing time, Stuyvesant still falls short of DOE standards by ten minutes. To solve this problem without adding extra time, the Humor Department is proposing a new schedule. To comply with DOE standards, “instructional periods” will be lengthened from 46 minutes to 48 minutes. Each period will contain one minute of class time, and 47 minutes of passing time.

By Fish Milnikiewicz

Few Stuyvesant students know that before physical education teacher Dr. Anna Markova worked at Stuy, she spent years attending various universities to broaden her knowledge in the field of physical education (PE), learning about the Squat Thrust Theory and the concept of Quantum Jumping Jacks. Markova first attended Yale University, where she majored in Fitness and minored in Buoyancy. She recounted that, after graduating from Yale, she had greater goals: “I wanted to get my PhD in phys ed,” she said. A few years later, Markova did just that, graduating from Harvard with a PhD in PE. Last week, Markova reached a new milestone. Along with her team of a retired triathlon athlete, an Ethiopian marathon runner, and a former Norwegian Olympic curling player, Markova won the Nobel Prize for her groundbreaking efforts in PE. Markova told of

her excitement: “The team and I spent nine years analyzing the effects of various different hardwood floor types on the performance of elite European handball players. The research was very stressful. I remember several nights curled up in bed, shaken, wearing my Slavic tracksuit.”

However, not all was joyous. The team experienced an unstable financial period in late 2012 after they stopped receiving funding from Michelle Obama.

They were forced to auction the fifth floor girls’ bathroom sink and the boys’ bathroom urinal on eBay. The auctions generated just enough revenue for the research to continue for one more year and allowed Markova to publish her study. In response to this, other Health and Physical Education faculty members expressed their support earlier this week.

According to an interview conducted earlier, physical education teacher Howard Barbin said: “Soph-frosh Semiformal!”

Kid Doesn’t Even Know What “Augment” Means

By Winton Yee

On Thursday, November 6, junior Galen Ng reportedly misused the word “augment” in his precalculus class while describing the rotation of a graph, revealing that Ng probably didn’t even freaking know what the word means.

Inside sources report that Ng said, “You just rotate the parabola and augment the y-axis,” indicating that the imbecile either didn’t understand the basics of mathematics or should return to making fifth-grade vocabulary lists. After the incident, the entire class, including teacher Jim Cocoros, sat in stunned silence for the rest of the period, mouths agape at the travesty committed to the English language.

“No funsies,” whispered Cocoros, in a fetal position in the corner of his classroom.

“It was just like any other day in precalc, you know, studying for my APUSH test,” said junior Jacob Hoffman, “when some fool raises his hand and says augment the freaking y-axis.

What does that even mean? You can’t freaking increase the freaking y-axis.”

Reports indicate that literally every single eight-year-old knows what augment means.

“Yeah, augment,” said thirdgrader Jorge Ramirez, a random, mediocre child who, at the time of publication, failed his last two vocabulary tests.“Verb. It means to make something greater by adding to it.”

When asked if it would be proper for a functioning human being to say “augment the y-axis,” Ramirez replied, “What?

Of course not. What idiot would say that?”

Besides being clearly and obviously defined in many elementary school vocabulary books, the word “augment” is often used in news articles and its definition is clued in through context. How could someone go through sixteen years of his life without knowing the definition of the word? Just, like, what? It’s beyond comprehension.

“Wait, are you serious?” Assistant Principal of English Eric Grossman said. “Are you being serious right now? What? Did this seriously happen?” A bewildered look crossed his face as he struggled to register the fact that a student had failed to comprehend the meaning of this simple world.

“Oh, come on,” Principal Jie Zhang said, with a disgusted look on her face.

KenKen 5+

8+

2–

12×

5+

60×

By Lev Akabas Fill in the grid with numbers 1 through 5. Do not repeat a number in any row or column. In each heavily outlined set of squares, the numbers must combine, in any order, to produce the target number in the top left corner using the operation indicated.

If you finish the puzzle, send a picture of your completed grid to stuyspeckenken@gmail.com, and if you are the first student to complete the puzzle, you’ll get your name mentioned in the next issue of The Spectator, so get started!

Issue 3 Winner: Jessica Titensky

3+

6+

2÷

8+

6+

Page24

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

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The Spectator ●November 20, 2014

Page 25

Sports Girls’ Swimming

Penguins Cruise Through the Playoffs continued from page 28

Penguins Break Personal Records, Advance to Semis

By May Chen With two quarterfinal meets going on at the same time, the Stuyvesant pool was filled with cheers from various supporters. On Thursday, October 30, Stuyvesant competed against Tottenville in order to move to the semifinals. Simultaneously, Bronx Science and Townsend Harris also competed, vying for a spot in the next round.

Excitement and tension ran high as the four teams waited to see whether they would move on, and if so, who would be their next competitor. In a landslide victory, the Penguins won 61-39. “Tottenville has not proven to be difficult competition in the past, and since we haven’t heard of any new, fast freshmen on their team, we weren’t very concerned with the outcome of the meet,” senior and co-captain Sappha O’Meara said.

Tottenville performed well early in the match, but soon proved to be no match. In the 200-yard medley relay, the Penguins’ two teams started off with a lead, but Tottenville was determined to keep up.

Tottenville’s anchor managed

“Since we’ve beaten Bronx Science twice before this season, I don’t think anyone is very worried about the semifinals meet.”

—Sappha O’ Meara, senior and co-captain to catch up to the Penguins’ second team and surpass them by four seconds. The relay team consisting of seniors Cynthia Lao and Grace Lu and juniors Carol Wang and Clara Zheng finished first with a time of 2:05.17.

In the following 200-yard freestyle event, O’Meara was neck-to-neck with a Totten-

ville rival. She quickly pulled ahead, however, earning second place with a time of 2:21.63 while her teammate, freshman Maddie Wong, placed first with a time of 2:11.40, which was a personal best.

The meet continued in the Penguins’ favor. The team placed first in seven out of the nine following events. In the 200-yard individual medley, junior Gabriela Almeida placed first with a time of 2:26.14, and in the 100-yard backstroke, Zheng placed first with a time of 1:06.40, both of which were personal season bests. Wang won the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:58.91, and in the 100-yard breaststroke freshman Yi Xia swam a season-best time of 1:19.23.

“Winning the first playoff meet gives us confidence and sets a good mood among the team,” senior and co-captain Kimberly Wong said.

The team’s opponent in the semi-finals will be Bronx Science, who defeated third-seed Townsend Harris. “Since we’ve beaten Bronx Science twice before this season, I don’t think anyone is very worried about the semifinals meet,” O’Meara said. Instead, the Penguins are already looking forward to performing well in the finals and continuing their streak as city champions.

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Boys’ Soccer

A Bittersweet End to Something Great continued from page 28

the game, the Centaurs couldn’t control the ball and even the score, leaving the game at a close 1-0.

Despite the playoff loss, the Centaurs surpassed all odds on the season as a whole. In the first time in eight years, they defeated Beacon, and they also went deeper into the playoffs than they had the prior two years. The squad’s special team dynamic showed when, at the end of the game, the entire team was in tears. “Our team chemistry was amazing. We were all close friends outside of soccer and school,” Sfakianakis said.

In a text message sent by Sfakianakis to the entire team after the loss, he said, “It has been an honor playing with you guys these past couple of years. This has been one of the best aspects of my life so far and the best part of Stuy. Thanks to everyone for putting in the effort to help us get this far and at the same time have such a great time.”

Of the eleven starters this year, ten were seniors, which helped the team form a unique bond but creates uncertainty with regards to how the Centaurs will fare in the 2015 season. “Well, everyone was a sophomore or junior once, right?” Miller said. “I know my team well and I trust them. They will definitely be able to come back even after the loss of the

seniors.”

For now, the team simply wants to focus on the successes of this season. “There were games we played well and others not so well, but we always picked our heads up and came out the next game with a purpose. We played with more heart than I have seen in my four years,” Fitzgerald said.

“There were games we played well and others not so well, but we always picked our heads up and came out the next game with a purpose. We played with more heart than I have seen in my four years.” —Sean Fitzgerald, senior and co-captain

The Spectator ● November 20, 2014

Page 26

Sports Girls’ Golf

Girls’ Soccer

Birdies’ Season Ends with Semi-Finals Loss

By Susan Wu On the sunny afternoon of Tuesday, October 28, the Birdies walked onto the green with confidence for their semifinals playoff game against Bronx Science. The entire team was aware of their opponent’s abilities. Although the Birdies did not play Bronx Science this year because they switched divisions, they had lost to Bronx Science the two previous seasons.

“I knew that the semi-final match against Bronx Science was going to be a big challenge, [but] I was pretty confident that we had a chance, because we matched up pretty well with them, at least on paper,” coach Emilio Nieves said.

“I like to say we’re pretty evenly matched, with them a little better than us,” senior and third position player Erica Chio said.

Once again playing on an unfamiliar course, the Mosholu Golf Course, the Birdies were at a disadvantage compared to a Bronx Science team that was playing on its home course. This advantage became apparent when senior and first position player Sabrina Chan played. On her first hole, she fell behind by four hits. Chan tied the next two holes but was unable to catch up, in part due to weak driving.

“My drives always faded, and the only way I controlled it was to not hit too hard,” Chan said.

“I had attempted to fix my swing the week before the match, but it

was not enough time.”

Additionally, as the only junior starter, second position player Amanda Chiu faced a lot of pressure. Chiu played a close game with her opponent, tying three out of the eight holes and only trailing by one of two hits for all the others. “I was jittery, but after the first hole, I pulled myself together and just played my game,” Chiu said. However, she was unable to win the match.

The final player in fifth position was senior Bonnie Lee. At the beginning of her match, Lee had a rough start and lost the first two holes. Lee hoped for a turnaround when she won the following two holes, but then only tied the fifth hole. “I think I let that failure affect me and I lost the next two holes,” Lee said.

The Birdies were unable to come back, ending their season with the 4-0 loss. Senior Rebecca Lee McFadden tied her opponent, avoiding a clean sweep by Bronx Science.

Throughout the season, the Birdies were thrown many unexpected curveballs. They were put into the Brooklyn division to play against new opponents and at foreign courses. The Birdies also lost two important players from their previous season.

Senior Jane Jeong, who played third position last season, was unable to play due to a wrist injury, and sophomore Sharon Lin, who played as a sub, left for personal reasons. Nevertheless, the Birdies were able to emerge as

the top team in the division.

“The Birdies are not just a team; we’re a family, and whether we win or not, it will only bring us closer,” Chan said.

The team had a special camaraderie. “I will forever remember this season and this team, not only for its great success, but for the players who push me to be a better golfer after every match, who make me laugh harder and hug me tighter than anyone else has, and, at the end of the day, make me rush down after ninth period excited for every practice and every match,” Chiu said.

With the majority of this year’s team being seniors, including all the starters except Chiu, “next season will be tough,” Nieves said. The team will consist of many new, inexperienced players.

Despite the change in players and skill level, Nieves is optimistic about current members on the team, including Chiu.

“The goal every year will be to win more than we lose. I learned as a coach that I have to prepare all players, not just the starters, to be ready to step in when needed,” Nieves said.

Many of the senior Birdies this season have been together on the team since their freshmen year, and several of them have been starters for three seasons.

“I want Stuyvesant to know they should be proud of the team, especially the seniors. They gave so much to the team under amazing pressure,” Nieves said.

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Mimbas Unable to Recapture Playoff Berth

By Jeffrey Su After a relatively successful 6-8 season last year, complete with a playoff berth, the Mimbas failed to reach the same level of success this year, with a 1-12 record in the 2014 season. The Mimbas were outscored by two or more goals in all but two of their games.

Senior and co-captain Madison Truemner attributed the poor season to unproductive practices. “We could have split practices into more position specific drills,” Truemner said. “Defenders probably would’ve been able to translate practice techniques to games more easily if they had spent their time working on things such as passing drills rather than taking shots on net.”

Several players pointed to practices as a way they could have improved. “Definitely, I think we all could’ve benefited from more efficient drills and better conditioning,” junior Sarah Joseph said.

The Mimbas’ scoring drought was persistent throughout the season, as they went scoreless in ten games. Players playing out of position also became an issue. “It took us a while to adjust after our two center backs graduated,” Truemner said. “We had a generally young team, and many people were asked to play out of position, which can be tough, especially when working with new players.”

The Mimbas’ unfamiliarity with their positions led to a lack of communication on the offensive end.

“Our offense wasn’t connecting in the midfield. We’d try to send balls, but reaction time was not as fast as it should have been,” Joseph said.

As more effort was required to get into scoring position, defense quickly became an issue. “Usually the team would just run out of gas at the end of the game, and we’d struggle defensively,” Joseph said.

One of the Mimbas’ key players, senior goalie and co-captain Sophie Gershon, will be leaving a large hole on the defensive end next year. “It’s scary to think what we’re going to do without her next season, since we don’t have a backup goalie at the moment. We’ll have to work much harder to put less pressure on the goalie next season,” Joseph said.

The Mimbas’ lone win came from goals scored by Joseph and junior Alexis Kushner against Eleanor Roosevelt High School. In a tumultuous season, Kushner and Joseph stood out as playmakers who will be returning next year. “We both take a lot of shots and set up a lot of plays, but it’s difficult for the players who don’t have as much experience to capitalize on them,” Joseph said.

“Alexis Kushner and Sarah Joseph, as well as other juniors, showed us we were leaving the team in good hands,” Truemner said.

As the Mimbas closed a lackluster season, one thing can be said about the team’s play. “We definitely put in a lot of effort this season. We lost a lot of good players so it was a bit of a challenge to replace all of the talent, but every person on the team really stepped up their game,” Kushner said. Now, the team relies on the leadership of their juniors to bring the proper competitive nature to the team.

The Spectator ●November 20, 2014

Page27

Sports Boys’ Badminton

Stuyvesant Regroups With Injury to Star

By Joshua Zhu Surprising events unfolded in the third floor gym on Tuesday, October 28. There was a small crowd in the gym watching… badminton? Although on most game days, not many show up to watch the boys badminton team in support, on that Tuesday afternoon, chants of “Stuy!” rang out all across the gym in the team’s last home game against John Dewey.

The team’s star player, sophomore Jeffrey Wang, had twisted his ankle during practice. Wang’s doctor had cleared him to play and he felt comfortable enough to face his opponent. Nevertheless, Wang’s first singles match was played last so that Wang would have time to stretch his ankle.

“When we heard that Jeffrey was injured, we knew that everyone would have to step it up more than usual,” sophomore Charles Sang said. “Jeffrey usually plays and wins the first match in our games and we get too comfortable with that one game lead. We can’t do that; [today] we have to be ready from the [start].”

It was clear from Sang’s demeanor that he was focused. Even though a 12-0 start left little doubt on the outcome of the second singles game, Sang did not let up until he won the first set 21-8. It was during the second set, however, where things took a turn. Underestimating his opponent, Sang assumed he would win.

However, his opponent furiously fought back and led Sang 11-5. Realizing he had been too relaxed, Sang began to play more intensely and tied the game at 17-17. It was only through two crucial service errors that Sang managed to pull

out with a 21-19 win.

“I definitely underestimated my opponent during the second set,” Sang said. “My overconfidence is something I have to work on in the future.”

Sophomore Christopher Ye and freshman Steve Wong were motivated by Sang’s win, but their opponents, seniors Yi Mou Chen and Yu Liu, offered stiff competition. The senior duo was more experienced and often caught Stuyvesant’s first doubles team off guard. Ye and Wong could not anticipate Chen’s and Liu’s moves and lost 22-0 in the first set. During the second set, Ye and Wong became acquainted with their opponents’ playing styles and were able to come back and win the next two sets by scores of 21-16 and 21-15.

With Stuyvesant leading 2-0, the team’s confidence was mounting. Sophomore Zicheng Zhen easily won his third singles match in two sets, 21-3 and 21-6.

Sophomore Brandon Zhang and senior Daniel Goynatsky followed in a similar fashion as they won their second doubles match with identical scores of 21-3 and 21-6. As these two wins ballooned Stuyvesant’s lead to 4-0, all that was left to see was how an injured Wang would fair in his game.

Wang entered the game determined not to let his team down despite his injury. Leading 6-0, Wang started off strong until he started to show signs of physical discomfort, which his opponent took advantage of to bring the score to 11-6. Wang rested on the bench and stretched out his ankle, which, without a doubt, had a positive effect on his level of play. He came back into the games and won the first set 21-14. The second set proved to be much more difficult for

Wang, as fatigue set in. Nonetheless, he matched his opponent point for point up until a 15-15 tie. It was then that Wang tapped into a hidden reserve of energy. Wang soared two feet off the ground to smash a lob as part of a 6-0 run, and he won the second set 21-15.

“I became frustrated during the middle of the game [because] the leg kept acting up. I guess [my opponent] saw that and cashed in at the opportunity,” Wang said. “Near the end, I tried to mentally rid myself of the pain so I could sprint to the finish.”

Wang’s win gave Stuyvesant a per-

fect 5-0 win over John Dewey in their penultimate game. The team gained valuable experience for the playoffs, playing without their top player and learning not to underestimate their opponents.

“The team came in thinking that John Dewey was a good team but not competitive. The guys came out with a win,” coach Marvin Autry said. “I didn’t anticipate a problem with Jeffrey, but fortunately he was able to win his game. The real problem will be at our last game against FDR, where the competition is much higher.”

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November 20, 2014

Page 28

The Spectator SpoRts Friday, November 21

Sunday, November 23

Monday, December 1

GIRLS’ JV VOLLEYBALL @ A. Philip Randolph Campus

FOOTBALL vs. KIPP NYC College Prep @ 12:00

GIRLS’ TABLE TENNIS vs.

Tottenville @ Stuyvesant

Tuesday, December 2

Wednesday, December 3

Thursday, December 4

BOYS’ SWIMMING @ Roosevelt Educational Campus

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL vs.

HS Economics & Finance @ Stuyvesant

BOYS’ BASKETBALL @ Washington Irving

BOYS’ WRESTLING vs.

Queens High School Complex @ Stuyvesant

BOYS’ GYMNASTICS @ Long Island City - 4th Floor Gym

BOYS’ SWIMMING vs.

George Washington @ Stuyvesant

Boys’ Soccer

A Bittersweet End to Something Great

By Ari Hatzimemos On Tuesday, October 28, the Centaurs faced off against Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the second round of the playoffs. Two days earlier, the Centaurs had won an impressive playoff game against Queens Vocational Tech 3-1, and senior Mohammed Haque scored two goals. However, unable to continue their trend of excellence throughout the regular season, the Centaurs lost a nail-biter to FDR 1-0.

The game was a defensive battle. Both teams adopted a counter-attacking strategy, which is when the offense attempts quick through balls past the defenders as opposed to slowly passing balls up the field.

The goal of this strategy is to tire out the defense and catch them off guard. For the first 15 minutes of the game, the counterattacking came up nil, with few shots taken.

Soon, however, FDR was on

the attack, dominating possession and constantly pressuring the Centaurs’ defense for the remainder of the first half. On one play, an FDR player shot a close range free kick directly on goal. Stuyvesant’s goalie, senior Demos Sfakianakis, had his vision blocked by another FDR attacker, but Sfakianakis caught the ball to make the save and the crowd went wild. Senior and co-captain Sean Fitzgerald also contributed on the defensive front. Standing at 6’4”, Fitzgerald, the center defender, rarely lets a cross or a corner kick get past him.

At half time, Coach Vincent Miller talked to his team and calmed them down. He told them to just play like they had all season, and his words had a major effect. In the second half, the Centaurs’ excellent defense allowed their offense to finally find its stride.

The offense began putting pressure on the FDR defense in the latter part of the game.

Sophomore Laszlo Sandler received a nice through ball and almost scored, but the referees negated the play with an offside call. The Centaurs’ offense also began to get physical. Senior and co-captain Isaac Gluck received a yellow card for arguing with an opponent from FDR. The Centaurs soon got themselves a free kick in range of the FDR goal. Senior Mohammed Haque took the free kick and crossed it to Fitzgerald, whose header was too strong, and the ball soared over the goal with the game still scoreless.

Finally, in the 85th minute, FDR scored the only goal of the game. FDR controlled the ball on the right wing, which drew the defense and Sfakianakis forward. Then, they passed it back towards the middle attacker, who was open right in front of the goal and kicked the ball in.

In the remaining few minutes of continued on page 25

Penguins Cruise Through the Playoffs

Ella McAndrewst / The Spectator

SPORTS CALENDAR

Girls’ Swimming

Penguins Crush Wolverines

By Jason Lee Having beaten the Bronx Science Wolverines twice during the regular season, the Penguins went into the semifinals expecting victory.

“Going into the semifinals with prior experience against Bronx Science as our opponent gave us the confidence that we could do it again,” senior Cynthia Lao said.

The Penguins defeated the Wolverines 58-42 and punched their ticket into the finals.

The first two events shifted the momentum toward the Penguins’ side. Stuyvesant started off strong with a first and third place finish in the 200-yard medley relay. The Penguins’ first place team, consisting of juniors Krystal Lara and Audrey Lee, senior Grace Lu, and sophomore Britney Cheng, was the only team to finish below two minutes with a time of 1:59.79, the second fastest time in the city. The third place team only lost to the Wolverines’ second place team by three seconds. The Penguins continued to dominate in the 200-yard freestyle. Juniors Gabriela Almeida and Carol Wang clinched first and second place with times of 2:06.20 and 2:11.58, respectively.

“I did not put my best times on the scoreboard,” Almeida said.

“But Coach always says as long as you tried, there’s nothing to regret, so I was pretty happy with my times.”

By Jason Lee

Earlier this season, the Pinheads defeated the Murry Bergtraum Lady Blazers 2-0.

Confident in their rematch on Monday, October 20, the Pinheads entered the game. Unsurprisingly, they won yet again with a score of 3-0.

Team A for the Pinheads had a slow start, but finished well.

Senior and co-captain Fawn Wong finished with a 100, senior and co-captain Stephanie Lin finished with a 102, and junior Yubin Kim led Team A and the entire match with a 137. No Lady Blazer in Game A scored above a 100, and the Pinheads won the game 436-347.

“It didn’t go as well as it could have,” Lin said. “Our A team players were fairly off their game that day, with one of our members, [Ashley Chong], hitting below 100 when she normally sweeps 140 with no problem.” Chong explained

that her score of 97 was due to a recent change in her strategy.

“For me personally, I had just changed my form the day before […] so I still was not really used to it yet,” she said.

Despite this, the Pinheads had another blowout win in Game B, with sophomore Jasmine Lee scoring a personal best and game-high of 120. The Lady Blazers were held back by one of their members scoring a 27, and it was another easy victory for the Pinheads.

Though the Pinheads had already clinched a win, they continued to perform well in Game C, with junior Christy Cheng scoring a personal best of 123. With Cheng’s effort, the Pinheads dominated Game C as well with a score of 408-288, winning the overall match 3-0.

There were many new individual high scores set during this match, such as Kim’s 137.

“Improving our individual averages is something everyone

[is] always working on,” Lin said.

Many Pinheads, however, were not satisfied with their performance. A major issue was each player’s consistency, but part of the problem was that Frames, the Pinheads’ home lane, changed their oil pattern.

This meant that the Pinheads had to constantly adjust their forms. The Pinheads were also not able to practice there, preventing them from becoming accustomed to the lanes.

“I feel that everyone on the team is doing remarkably well under the circumstances,” Lin said.

The Pinheads finished the regular season with a 15-0 record, and are looking to turn their standing at the top of their division into a city championship.

“We are hoping to maintain our consistent, undefeated record for the season,” Li said.

continued on page 25

Sports Wrapup

Girls’ Bowling

Pinheads Beat Lady Blazers Again to Finish Regular Season Undefeated

In the 50-yard freestyle, the Penguins took first and second again, with Lara leading all the swimmers with a time of 24.77 seconds, followed by sophomore Paulina Ruta with a 27.61.

“Krystal is always someone to keep an eye on, since she pulls off what would seem impossible,” Almeida said. The Penguins continued to finish first and second in the 500-yard freestyle, with senior and co-captain Sappha O’Meara and junior Elizabeth McAndrews finishing with times of 6:27.63 and 6:33.46, respectively.

“I have raced the 500 against Bronx Science several times, so I knew what I was up against,” O’Meara said. “I came in first, so I feel pretty good about my performance.”

The Penguins continued to dominate in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a team consisting of Cheng, Lee, Wang, and Almeida. At this point, the Penguins’ large lead and the confidence they brought into the meet certainly reflected an overwhelming victory to get them through to the finals.

While this meet went on, there was a semifinal meet between Brooklyn Tech and Francis Lewis.

Most expected Francis Lewis to win the matchup, but Brooklyn Tech pulled off an upset and won by two points. It was an unexpected victory, and the Penguins will now face Brooklyn Tech in the finals.

•

• •

• •

• •

• • • •

Congratulations to the Penguins, Stuyvesant’s girls’ swimming team, who defeated Brooklyn Tech 57-42 and won the city championships for the seventh consecutive year! The 400-yard freestyle relay team of juniors Gabriela Almeida, Carol Wang, and Krystal Lara and senior Grace Lu broke the city record, and Lara beat her own city record in the 100-yard backstroke. Lara and Almeida qualified for the state championships.

On Sunday, November 9, Stuyvesant’s girls’ and boys’ cross country teams competed in the city championships, which consisted of a 5000-meter race. Senior Eric Chen placed second in the varsity race with a time of 16:53.65 and led his team to a third-place finish.

On the girls’ side, the varsity team came in sixth place and was led by sophomore Zovinar Khrimian, who came in second with a time of 19:43.36.

The Centaurs, Stuyvesant’s boys’ soccer team, lost to Franklin Delano Roosevelt on Tuesday, October 28 in the second round of playoffs. The Centaurs ended their regular season 9-4 and second place in their division behind Martin Luther King, Jr. The Peglegs, Stuyvesant’s football team, lost 54-6 to undefeated George Washington on Friday, November 7. This marked the Peglegs’ first loss of the season, falling to third place in the division with a 9-1 record. In the first round of the playoffs, however, the team rebounded with a 26-6 win over William C. Bryant. They will play KIPP NYC College Prep in the second round on Sunday, November 23.

Stuyvesant’s girls’ bowling team won their second round playoff game on Thursday, November 13, against Townsend Harris, 2-0.

They advanced to the third round to face first-seeded New Dorp.

Stuyvesant’s girls’ volleyball team won in the first round of the playoffs on Thursday, November 13, against John Jay Campus, 2-0.

They advanced to the second round to face third-seeded Hunter.