The Coat of Arms
Volume 46, Issue 2
Menlo School, Atherton, California
Friday, November 15, 2019
serving Menlo's Upper School since 1973
Who’s On TikTok: eBoys VSCO Girls Your Spanish Teacher? Staff Photo: Sadie Stinson
by CHASE HURWITZ
Almost all students have heard of TikTok by now. Even if someone doesn’t have the app, they’ve likely seen TikToks on Instagram or their friends’ private stories on Snapchat or Instagram. If not, they’ve at least seen some freshmen on the quad dancing to American rapper DaBaby. Regardless of whether they like the app or not, there’s no denying its massive popularity; CNN reported in June that TikTok hit over a billion downloads worldwide. Like most internet trends, it’s taken parents and teachers a few months to
catch up. Now that teachers are on board, though, it seems like they’ve given TikTok a big thumbs up. Some are using TikTok as a medium to assign projects, while other teachers are filming them with their students. Now, the question is: how long can the hype last? It’s impossible to tell whether TikTok is here to stay or whether it will go down as just another brief internet trend. However, TikTok is currently alive and well, even in the classroom setting. “To me, I just like to make learning a little bit more current,” Upper School Spanish teacher Joel Co-
Chew on This: Veganism at Menlo by VALENTINA ROSS
Recently, activists leading the charge in a new wave of environmental activism have suggested that individuals turn to veganism in order to live sustainably and reduce methane in the air, which harms the planet. But some wonder how vegans can live a healthy lifestyle without the consumption of crucial proteins from meat. Veganism is a type of diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients. Junior Jackson Kunde has been vegan since seventh grade because of environmental and health reasons. “I get my protein from a lot of fake meats. There’s also beans and legumes that have a lot of protein, and tofu,” Kunde said. Kunde relies primarily on the fruit and salad options in the cafeteria, and while tofu is offered, the tofu is vegetarian, not vegan, according to Kunde. He notes that, as an athlete, he needs to bring his own food to get sufficient nutrients and feel satisfied. “It’s certainly risky,” Kunde said. He wished the cafeteria would add more options. Spanish teacher Joel Colom-Mena, who was vegan for 11 years, explained that he didn’t originally intend to be vegan; rath-
Vegan, page 3
lom-Mena said. Colom-Mena, along with other Spanish teachers, are offering TikTok as an option for students to complete their projects. “I’m trying to lose the paper and the books and make the project relevant to [the students’] lives.” In other cases, students have started making TikToks with their teachers just for the fun of it. “It may seem a little patronizing, like putting a Snapchat filter on your grandparents, but it’s still a fun way to bond with your teachers if they’re down for it,” sophomore Jazlin Chen said. Upper School history teacher Abby Tiek
thinks that although the app is a great way to get a laugh, there may be more meaning behind it. “Some of my freshmen made TikToks about the French Revolution, which I thought was really funny,” Tiek said. “But I have this theory that memes are almost like the 21st-century versions of political cartoons: that’s the way your generation makes political and social commentary.” Tiek thinks one day these “short little sound bites” are going to be studied
TikTok, page 2
Students Petition Menlo to Invest Sustainably by SOPHIA ARTANDI
Since the beginning of October, seniors Angel More and Lucy Pike have been working with the administration to reinvest Menlo’s $60 million endowment solely into mutual funds and bonds that are socially and environmentally responsible. The endowment is a fund of donor contributions that Menlo then invests as the school sees fit, providing 5% of Menlo’s nearly $41 million annual operating budget, according to interim Chief Financial Officer Bill Silver. Most of Menlo’s expenses are covered
by student tuition; the endowment serves as a long-term investment to fund financial aid and other programs. Money from donors gets invested in mutual funds, meaning Menlo gives the money to professional portfolio managers who invest it in stocks and bonds in order to generate capital gains for the school. Menlo’s invests with The Vanguard Group, which is one of the world’s largest investment companies. Specifically, Menlo invests in Vanguard’s total stock market, total international stock, total bond market and total international bond index funds. According to Sil-
Endowment, page 3
Jack Bowen became vegan because he thought it was healthier and more equitable to animals. Staff Photo: Valentina Ross