The Tower Issue 5 MMXIX

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The Bishop’s School || January

TOWER Issue 05 MMXIX

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The Details

Colophon The Tower is printed by Streeter Printing Company in Mira Mesa, CA. For this issue’s layout, the Staff used Adobe InDesign, Adobe CC (CS9), and Photoshop CC (CS9) to arrange photographs and graphics. We printed and distributed 500 copies of Issue 05 to the Bishop’s community. Typefaces include Eskapade on our cover, Cochin Italic for our headlines and covers, and Minion Pro for our body text. Issue 05 and previous issues of The Tower are available digitally on issuu.com.

Philosophy The Tower is a student-run publication at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, CA. Writers and editors work together to enhance the Bishop’s community and stimulate meaningful conversation through the collection and distribution of news and other information. The Tower aims to educate The Bishop’s community about issues that pertain to the experience of young adults. Sections of The Tower include Academic, Sports, Arts, Culture, Local, Beyond, Opinion, and The Bell.

Policy All materials featured in The Tower are student-done and/or from the Bishop’s community. All articles reflect The Tower’s philosophy and goal to deliver relevant content to the Bishop’s community. The Tower works with the administration by communicating about sensitive topics to ensure the safety of Bishop’s students and to confirm all topics are approached in an appropriate manner. The Tower does not engage in prior review of its issues, and maintains the right to publish anonymous quotes when the privacy of the individual is a concern.

Contributors Editors-in-Chief: Sara Michael, Isabelle Kenagy, Amy Carlyle Copy Editor: Leah Parsons Sports Editor: Alyssa Huynh Graphics Assistant: Olivia Ralph, Carly Phoon Faculty Advisor: Ms. Laine Remignanti Staff Writers: Kendall Forte, Ethan Franco, Maggie Keefe, Lucie Edwards, Harper White, Sophie Pilarski, Alex Cotton, Kyle Berlage, Sariah Hossain, Alina Kureshi, Michelle Wang Contact The Bishop’s School 7607 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037 Email: thetower@bishops.com Facebook: TBS The Tower Instagram: @thebishopstower Twitter: @thebishopstower

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Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

From an Editor-in-Chief I’m writing this editor letter on my phone for convenience. To get home, I’ll pull up the Uber app and dutifully stare at my phone until I’m home. After that, I’ll most likely scroll through my Instagram, keeping tabs on all the people doing cooler things than I am. The rest of my night should pass just like that: face to screen, finger scrolling.

Of course, I don’t want this technology addiction. I’d love to do a digital cleanse but I’m far too practical. For example, I’m at an event right now and I have a deadline.

My phone makes it easy for me to work while being somewhat present. Uber is a modern luxury and I keep my eyes fixed on the screen to assure that my driver takes the right path. Instagram, well, that’s just an addiction I have no excuse for.

My point is that our real lives and digital lives are not separate and as we continue forward in our lives the distinction will continue to fade. There is no real escape.

Luckily for us, Leah Parsons (‘19) takes on the issue of technology addiction in her article this issue. She dissects our students’ phone usage and overall technological presence in both a critical and understanding way. Alina Kureshi (‘22) then takes us to the classroom with a piece that explores the educational advantages of technology.

Our staff is unique in that it is comprised of the generation being most heavily affected by the digital age. We are innovators and thinkers and modernizers but we also are susceptible to the pitfalls of our own inventions. When covering these stories, our staff has the generational luxury of understanding quite fully the advantages and disadvantages of the technological world. This issue is one for the modern American kid, the kid that grew up in the transition from VHS tapes to music streaming services and from white boards to smart boards, the kid that will lead the future of work into a technologically advanced world. We’re just here to remind you to keep it in check.

Isabelle Kenagy (‘19)

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Contents.

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ACADEMIC

Charging Education Alina Kureshi Befores and Afters Sariah Hossain

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OPINION

Masc Off Sara Michael

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CULTURE

COVER STORY

Bishop’s Screenagers Leah Parsons

New Year, New Me Michelle Wang Speaking of . . .

Harper White

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BEYOND

Twin Cities: The Immigrant Crisis Affecting Tijuana and San Diego Isabelle Kenagy with The Staff

THE BELL

Top Ten

How’s Your Personality?

Sophie Pilarski

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ACADEMIC CHARGING EDUCATION Alina Kureshi

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echnology impacts almost every aspect of life today, and education at Bishop’s is no exception.

In many ways, technology has profoundly changed the way we learn. For one, technology has greatly expanded access to education. There was once a time when books were rare and only an elite few had access to such educational opportunities.

Individuals had to travel to centers of learning to get an education. Today, massive amounts of information are available at a teacher’s or student’s fingertips. The internet is able to provide Bishop’s resources such as Google Drive, IXL, Quizlet, and online textbooks. Everyone on campus is even required to have an iPad or computer for educational purposes in the classroom. A bulk of students’ homework is online. What kind of learning does this support?

Opportunities for communication and collaboration are expanding through technology. Traditionally, collaboration in classrooms has been limited to only students in the same classroom or building. But today, technology enables forms of communication and collaboration outside the Bishop’s campus. For example, Google Drive enhances collaboration by making it easier to com-

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“I don’t think technology is a requirement every day for every single class, but I believe it can enhance and enrich the classroom.” -Mr. Trumbo, Director of Educational Technology

municate with classmates and see which changes have been done by whom. Multiple people can view, comment, or edit a document simultaneously, making feedback almost instantaneous. Academic Technology Coordinator Ms. Sara White pointed out, “In terms of working together, students can literally be on other sides of the globe and still work collaboratively on a presentation, document, or spreadsheet.”

The use of technology in education has had the largest impact on students. At the end of the day, they are the ones that are affected by the education system and the way it operates. Technology and the internet have been a crucial part in the lives of students when it comes to research. Maddie Cayer (‘22), who takes classes Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

in coding and is knowledgeable about technology, supports technology’s impact on education. She said, “I believe technology has made research easier and has increased opportunities for different courses.”

Technology has also begun to change the roles of teachers and learners. Traditionally, the teacher is the primary source of information, and the learners passively receive it. This style of learning has been in the education system for a long time, and it is still very much present today. But at Bishop’s, the overall style of teaching has shifted more towards the technological and progressive side. Ms. White stated, “I would like to think, here at Bishop’s, technology promotes project based learning, where teachers are more of a guide on the side. They’re

ACADEMIC helping the students discover and learn themselves rather than just standing up and lecturing in front of the class, throwing out a whole lot of information that they hope the students will capture.” She credits the faculty for wanting to learn more about technology in order to develop more creative projects.

As students, we can attribute the large use of technology to the teachers at Bishop’s. Ms. White does many technology workshops with faculty, and she has repeatedly found that people sign up to learn how to use new tools in their classrooms.

She said, “I have a lot of teachers that want to do a project that they’ve always wanted to do, or they want to do a project a new way or do it a little differently.

I think it’s a very positive thing that the faculty are willing to try new things. They are looking to improve the experience for each student.”

However, it would be a false association to assume that technology betters all aspects of

education. Even though the use of computers and iPads is a reality all Bishop’s students can’t escape, different subjects manipulate technology differently.

History classes are using more simulations, English assignments are written on Google Docs, science labs are required to be typed, and language classes use apps to enforce the memorization of new vocabulary. On the other hand, there are teachers on campus who keep the use of technology in their classroom to a minimal amount. Some teachers don’t feel comfortable using a lot of technology, even for educational purposes. Sometimes, the presence of technology simply doesn’t suit the curriculum of every class. “It’s always a balance,” commented Mr. Anthony Trumbo, the Director of

Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

Educational Technology. “I don’t think technology is a requirement every day for every single class, but I believe it can enhance and enrich the classroom when used to enable options that were not feasible without the technology.” On the student perspective, Maddie agreed with that statement. However she believed that “technology only becomes an issue when people start using it for non-educational items during school,” since her teachers have her use her computer in every class.

Technology is a powerful tool that can support and change education in many ways, from making it easier for teachers to create instructional materials to creating new ways for students to learn and work together.

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ACADEMIC BEFORES AND AFTERS Sariah Hossain

At the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) held in Nashville, Tennessee, from November 28th to November 30th, students conducted a workshop for the faculty chaperones before the closing ceremony.

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he came back from it, and she told me it changed her whole life.”

Nathan Huynh (‘19) shared his reasons for applying to the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC), motivated by Danielle Strauss’ (‘18) experience there last year.

“I saw how happy it made her, and I wanted that for myself as well – to have that life-changing experience.”

SDLC, run by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), is a gathering of high school students and educators from private schools nationwide and abroad. The purpose of the conference is, according to NAIS, to “develop cross-cultural communication skills, design effective strategies for social justice through dialogue and the arts, and learn allyship and networking principles.” In simpler terms, it’s a place to meet people both

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similar to you and different from you.

It’s a place to start conversations about issues important to you and to the world, for today and for the future.

Up to six students can be selected per school to attend the conference. This year’s Bishop’s attendees were Nathan Huynh (‘19), Crystal Wang (‘19), Sarahi Castillo (‘20), Gabe Worstell (‘20), Naomi Deokule (‘21), and Zenzele Greene (‘22). Any upper school student is eligible; to apply, students must submit several personal statements and participate in group interviews conducted by a number of faculty and previous SDLC student attendees. “Then we argue and debate about who’s going to be able to go– who might be able to potentially grow the most as a person from the experience, or bring something back,” explained Director of Diversity and Community

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Life Mr. David Thompson. “It’s quite often incredibly challenging.”

This year, SDLC took place for three days in Nashville, Tennessee’s Music City Center. The Bishop’s group rose early in the morning to fly across the country on Wednesday, November 28. The conference itself began on Thursday morning and continued through Saturday afternoon. Participants took part in activities including keynote speeches from CNN host Lisa Ling and academic-turned-activist Marc Lamont Hill, discussions, as well as “affinity” and “family” group gatherings.

The latter proved to be the most valuable parts of the conference to the students. “A family group is a group of 55 students from all around the country. We were in a room together for hours on end, which created life-long

ACADEMIC “Throughout the conference they were using words like ‘we’ and ‘us’– that’s also the first time I felt included in that ‘we’ or ‘us.”’

- Nathan Huynh (‘19)

relationships with each other,” Nathan said.

“You were basically with them all day. Everybody was strangers to each other; you’re just getting to know these people, and still you relate to them so much. You just connect with somebody instantly over a second’s worth of conversation because you’re so similar, and that was my favorite part,” affirmed Naomi.

The theme of connecting and belonging carried over to affinity groups. Separate from family groups and taking place later in the day, they were organized by identifiers Asian, Black, Latinx, Multiracial. “There were so many brown people in the same room,” Naomi shared with a smile, speaking on the South Asian affinity group. “It was so amazing because I’d never had that before.”

It was activities like these that formed lasting connections and impacts on attendees.

Bishop’s alumna Danielle Strauss (‘18), reflecting on her SDLC experience a year later, said, “I guess the experience, really, was just having great speakers and spending 12 hours a day talking with people from all over the nation about diversity. But just being surrounded by thousands of beautiful people who all come from a place of kindness, love, and acceptance really changed my life. I learned so much and I completely changed the way I look at people and the world.”

Mr. Thompson observed a common quality in the students at the conference: “What we see there are students who, for one reason or another, feel ‘other-ed.’ For anyone who has ever felt ‘other-ed’ in a public space, the day-to-day experience of being in that place means building a wall that allows you to navigate it with as little emotional distress as possible. What I saw at SDLC was that wall coming down, for all of the students who were there.”

“Throughout the conference [facilitators] were using words like ‘we’ and ‘us’– that’s also the first time I felt included in that ‘we’ or ‘us,’” added Nathan. “At SDLC our differences were embraced, and that’s what made everyone feel normal, whereas here, our differences are what divide us. The hardest part about coming back to Bishop’s is, again, feeling like you’re not normal.”

1,600 students exclusively from private schools attended the conference. However, Mr. Thompson says, “Private schools are 25% of US high schools. [NAIS] represents fewer than 3% of high schools, and within that 3% we have just 24% or so students of color.”

“Conferences like this push us to recognize the humanity that exists outside these well-constructed and highly thoughtful walls. I think kids who go to school like ours need experiences where they are reminded that even though things are hard and they feel like they have one particular struggle or another –and again, I validate all of that– there are struggles of people and identities that we never get to see,” Mr. Thompson continued.

Returning from an empowering and inexplicably special three days, the six Bishop’s students are taking time to process and readjust – to the point where nearly everything is measured in “befores” and “afters” in relation to SDLC. “I never recognized before how privileged I am socioeconomically, ” said Naomi. “I also feel like now, after the conference, I’m more aware than I was before. Like before, I didn’t really understand why I didn’t really fit in.”

Nathan concluded, “The reason why we do these things is to impact the greater community of Bishop’s at least.

But I do think it’s really important because there are voices and people that aren’t heard, and [events like] these really bring out that empowerment – for them.”

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CULTURE NEW YEAR, NEW ME

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hether it’s shedding a few pounds or saving up some money, Year’s is a atime hether New it’s shedding few when people reflect and set goalsupfor some the pounds or saving future. Many of us have most likelyisalready money, New Year’s a time made some resolutions to be when people reflect and setcompleted goals for in the the coming or atmost leastlikely we say we future.

Manyyear of us– have already will According to to U.S. News, madecomplete. some resolutions be completapproximately 80 percent of resolutions ed in the coming year – or at least we say fail will by the second week of February. we complete.

According to U.S. And News, University of Scranton research suggests approximately 80 percent of resolutions that by only mere 8 week percent of all people fail thea second of February.

And ever achieve their New Year’s resolutions.

University of Scranton research suggests

that only a mere 8 percent of all people

Starting ago, ever achieve theirabout New 4,000 Year’s years resolutions.

New Year’s resolutions are an annual tradi Starting about 4,000 years ago, tion which a person resolves to change New inYear’s resolutions are an annual traan undesired trait or behavior, dition in which a person reto solvesaccomplish to change a personal goal,trait or an undesired otherwise improve or behavior, to actheir life on the first complish a personal day of a new year. It goal, or otherwise was first observed in improve their life on practice with the anthe first day of a new cient year. Babylonians It was firstmany obcenturies The Babyserved inago. practice with lonians made promises the ancient Babylonians to the gods to many centuries pay ago.their The debts and return obBabylonians madeany promjects they had borrowed, in ises to the gods to pay their the hopes to earn the gods’ debts and return any obfavor for the year. jects they had coming borrowed, in the hopes to earn the gods’

do year.

New favor forSo,thewhat coming Year’s resolutions mean

So, what do New to people nowadays?

Although Year’s resolutions mean to the modern definition of a New people nowadays? Although Year’s resolution has completely the modern definition of a New changed from a promise to the Year’s resolution has completely gods to just a personal objective, changed from a promise to the the of setting a goalobjective, for the upgodsidea to just a personal coming year has remained roughthe idea of setting a goal for the uply the same throughout the years. coming year has remained roughly “For many people, [New Year’s] the same throughout the years.

“Foris generally a time of year when there is reflection about how their year has gone, and what they’re looking forward to in the coming year,” Behavioral Health Specialist Jane Ehrman said. “It’s also a time for people to check in with themselves and see what they can im-

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Michelle Wang prove on in the coming year.” According to a major 2015 Nielsen survey, some of the top New Year’s resolutions are to staya many people, [New Year’s] is generally fittime andofhealthy, lose weight, and spend year when there is reflection about less and save more.

Another survey conhow their year has gone, and what they’re ducted in forward 2017 on to Americans’ New year, Year’s looking in the coming ” Beresolutions showed that 53 percent of havioral Health Specialist Ms. Jane Ehrman respondents their resolution for in said. “It’s alsosaid a time for people to check 2018 is to save money, while 45 percent with themselves and see what they can imwould to the losecoming weight year. or get in shape. to provelike on in ” According a 2015 Nielsen survey, some of the top New Year’s resolutions Bishop’s students are fit notand thehealthy, exare to stay ception of this data.

Tanvi Ghosh (‘22) lose weight, and spend less and save more. said, “My survey New Year’s resolution is Another conducted in to2017 stoponeating loads of Americans’ c h o c o -

lates and can-

Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

dies on a daily basis. I’ve got a really sweet tooth, so that’s going to be a tough one.”

Gabe Thomas (‘19) also showed said, “Mine is New Year’s resolutions that 53 to drink less soda, because soda makes percent of respondents said their resolution you for gain a lot of save weight. ” It iswhile also 45 com2018 is to money, percent monwould for like students to make academic to lose weight or get in shape. or sports goals forthe school.

“Myof this Bishop’srelated students are not exception 2018data.

New Year’s resolution is to get an Year’s Tanvi Ghosh (‘22) said, “My New ‘A’ in English, ” said Rolan Guang (‘22). resolution is to stop eating loads of chocoAndlates not everything as major and candieshas ontoabe daily basis.as eating healthier or getting I’ve got a really sweet better t o ogrades; th,

even a tiny goal can be considered as a resolution. Annie Fang (‘22) said, “I made a resolution to actually finish a chapstick without losing it.”

Whether it is something as simple as usgoing to be tough one. ” ingsoupthat’s a chapstick, or asomething bigThomas to(‘19) gerGabe like resolving get a also good said, grade is toclass, drink less soda,canbe-eiin “Mine a difficult resolutions makes a lothabit. of thercause reachsoda a goal or you breakgain a bad weight.”

It is also commonresolutions for stu However, incomplete to make or sports a f tdents e r every Newacademic Year’s seems to bere-the lated goalsnowadays. for school. “Every “My 2018 big trend New New to three get Year’s,Year’s I startresolution off with at isleast an ‘A’ in English, saidend Rolan resolutions, but by” the of the Guang month, (‘22).

I mostAnd likelynot haveeveryforgotthing hasall toofbe as ”major as ten about them, said Haha eating healthier or getting Shi (‘22).

better grades; even a tiny goal can be considered as Almost half of us give aupresolution.

Annie Fang on our goals by the one (‘22) said, “I made a res-to month mark, according olution Brain to actually fin-inStatistic research ish a chapstick without stitute.

The result?

People losing it.” stopped Whethermaking it is have just something as simple any resolutions now.as “I using a chapstick, never up make New Year’s or somethingbecause bigger I resolutions like get find resolving that it setstounreaasonable good grade in a expectations difficult class, and reso- it for myself, lutions can either doesn’t help, ” exreach a goal or plains Lila Chitayat break habit. (‘21). a badAssociated Student Body H o w e v eAdvir, Council isor, n c oDr. m p Regina lete resolutions afBallard, also ter every New describes why Year’s seems making resoto be the lutions arebig not trend a part nowof her adays.

New “EvYear’s ery New traditions: Year’s, I “I think start you off can with make at a least resolution any time. And even if I did make one, I would break it anyway by January 15th.”

So, why do our resolutions so commonly fail? Some of the biggest mistakes people make, said Sports Psychologist Dr. Stephen Graef, are setting goals that are too broad, too big, or too

many. Tanvi explained her experience with this issue of goals set too three resolutions, but bythat the was end just of a overcome making a resolution little high,a people should stick to and fothe too month, I most likely“Ihave for-to learn far from her grasp: wanted on only one thing at a time, rather gotten all ofBut them, saidI Haha newabout language. last”year tried to cus learn than setting too many goals and getShiDanish (‘22). Almost half of us Let’s give up using Duolingo. be honest, on Duolingo our goals by the one month mark, ting doesn’t teach you anything.

I gotoverwhelmed. “After getting some badtogrades in the first semester, I reaccording Statisticthe Brain Research halfwaytothrough course and tried Institute. result? People just flex onThe my Danish friends.have Worst idea solved ever.” to get a good grade in math by all of my homework, takstopped making any resolution resolutionsmay now.seemcompleting And even if your like ing good notes in class, and seeing my “I never make New Year’s resolutions you have good intentions, some resolutions teacher after school. And it worked! I because I find just that aitlittle) sets unreasonare (maybe too unreasonable. got a 98 percent on my recent quiz,” ableRyan expectations myself, it realizHemerickfor(‘21) said,and “After doesn’t help,much ” explained Lila isChitayat ing how pollution caused bysaid cars,Claire Zhao (‘22). By aiming her (‘21).

Chair oftothe Relgion and Ethics attention solely on math and planning I wanted make a change.

I told myself Department, Dr. Regina out It how she was going to achieve that that I would walk toBallard, school also everyday. describes why making didn’t happen.

I liveresolutions in Ranchoare Santaone Fe.”goal, Claire was able to successnot a part of her New Year’s traditions: fully complete her resolution and get “I think you can make a to resolution any to the

According CBS News, over-good grade she had hoped for.

An Odyssey article stated, time.

Andthis even if Iofdid make one,high, I peocome issue goals set too up with resolutions forces would anyway 15.”only“Coming ple break shouldit stick to by andJanuary focus on one thing So, do rather our resolutions to reflect on our actions during the at awhy time, than settingustoo so commonly Some of theoverwhelmed. big- past year. When you decide to make many goalsfail? and getting gest“After mistakes people make, sports resolution, you are deciding that getting some badsaid grades in thea first psychologist Stephen Graef, aregrade youinneed to change something about semester, IDr. resolved to get a good setting that are too yourself. This self-reflection is very mathgoals by completing allbroad, of my too homework, big,taking or too many. explained important for everyone.” Indeed, there good notesTanvi in class, and seeing my herteacher experience with making a res- I are that show that four out of after school.

And it worked! gotstatistics a olution that was just recent a littlequiz, too” far five people eventually break their reso98 percent on my said Claire from her (‘22). grasp:By“Iaiming wantedher to attention learn a solely lutions set at the beginning of the year.

Zhao newonlanguage.

Butplanning last year out I tried it is not impossible to overmath and howto sheHowever, was learn Danish using Duolingo.

Let’s be going to achieve that one goal, Clairecome was this failure. Jen A. Miller stated honest, Duolingo doesn’t teachher you in her New York Times article, “Your able to successfully complete resolution anything. gotgood halfway goals and getIthe gradethrough she hadthe hoped for. should be smart — and SMART. course and tried to flex on my Danish That’s an acronym coined in the jourfriends.

Worst ever.article ” And stated, even “Comnal Management Review in 1981 for

An idea Odyssey if your resolution may seem forces like youus to specific, measurable, achievable, reling up with resolutions rehave good intentions, flect on our actions some duringresoluthe past evant year. and time-bound.” So, will you tions are (maybe just ato little) tooaunmake a SMART resolution this year?

When you decide make resolution, reasonable.

Ryan Hemerick (‘21) said, you are deciding that you need to change “After realizingabout how yourself. much pollution something This self-reflecis caused cars, I wanted make ” And tion is by very important fortoeveryone. a change.

I told there myselfarethat I would even though statistics that show walk didn’t break thatto 4 school out of everyday.

5 people It eventually happen. live in Rancho Fe.” their Iresolutions set at Santa the beginning of the year, According to CBSstated News,intoher New Jen A. Miller York Times article, “Your goals should be smart — and SMART. That’s an acronym coined in the journal Management Review in 1981 for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.” So, will you make a SMART resolution this year?

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CULTURE SPEAKING OF ...

Harper White

Ms. Marie-Christine Nibagwire, a Rwandan genocide survivor, spoke to upper school students during a special assembly on December 28 about her experiences and her current work with refugees. Afterwards, School Chaplain Rev. Nicole Simopoulos-Pigato and Interim Head of School Dr. Carol Barry presented her with the Bishop’s medal.

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SG Travis Mills. Mr. Jeff Bucholtz.

Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Mr. Trevor Hoffman. Father Gregory Boyle.

Mr. Juan Felipe Herrera. Mr. Roy Perkins (‘08). Dr. Molly McClain (‘84). Ms. Caroline Kennedy. Mr. Dan Broderick.

Ms. Immaculee Ilibagiza.

During the course of any given year, Bishop’s has a wide range of guest speakers talk on campus, who become valued members of the community. In the words of the Bishop’s website: “Our guests represent their contributions on a national and international scale and routinely speak to the entire student body, teach classes and present to parents, faculty and the wider Bishop’s community.”

The process for choosing

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speakers differs depending on who they are and what program chooses them. Bishop’s has several endowment funds, such as the Endowed Scholar-in-Residence Program (SIRP) or the Endowed Leadership Lecture Series (ELLS). Endowment funds are investment funds that store up money and make withdrawals when wanted, typically to further the facilities or outreach of the program they support, with the Bishop’s funds going towards supporting the programs like SIRP and ELLS. According to the Bishop’s website, the main function of both these programs is to bring talented and gifted individuals onto campus to talk about their area of expertise. Each year, as part of the SIRP, a new speaker will spend

Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

a few days to a week on campus, normally speaking at several events such as assemblies or lunches. This program has hosted speakers such as the former Ambassador to Japan Ms. Caroline Kennedy in 2018 and the United States poet laureate Mr. Juan Felipe Herrera in 2017. The ELLS serves the purpose of “[inviting] individuals to campus who serve as role models for our students through their demonstrated leadership and achievements,” which has included speakers such as author Dr. Molly McClain (‘84) and gold medalist swimmer Mr. Roy Perkins (‘08).

Endowment programs like the ELLS and SIRP support prolific local or national figures coming to campus, but speakers can be invited to the school in

CULTURE other ways. Individual students, teachers, administration divisions, or clubs can request speakers from any area of expertise to come to talk to the school.

The only necessary requirements these nominated speakers have to meet is that whatever they intend to speak about is “mission-appropriate, age-appropriate and contribute to the educational experience of the Bishop’s community” and speaks about a topic that falls somewhere in the category of one of the pillars of the school -- Global Education, Diversity, or Service Learning for Sustainability. Once students have a speaker in mind, they can either talk to a member of the faculty or fill out one of the Speaker Series Proposals. These proposals are then reviewed and either approved or rejected by the Speaker Series Committee.

For the Bishop’s Speaker Series (the collective term for the speakers brought to campus via the applications and approval from the Speaker Series Committee), the main aim is to bring as many different perspectives to campus as possible. According to their official statement on the proposal forms, the committee is “committed to bringing to campus a robust and diverse slate of outside speakers to address the community,” making sure that “varied points of view are presented through the Speakers Series.” These guidelines have been effective in getting Bishops to host the speakers certain students want to hear, especially since student input is valued by the administration. Peer Support member Winnie Hunyh (’19) backed this, saying that “students have a lot of say in who comes when they’re other [non-endowment selected] speakers.”

Furthermore, students are also able to have a say in which speakers they liked

and which they didn’t, which helps Bishop’s to understand the student body’s interests. “Students can give feedback to a teacher who they feel close to and that teacher will relay the feedback to the rest of the faculty in a meeting,” Winnie continued. “In the past, we had a speaker named Paul Greenberg, and he spoke about fish in Alaska for about

“Having these speakers is a unique opportunity that [students] probably will not get later in life, definitely not beyond college.” Ali Collins (‘19)

an hour. Students don’t feel like they got much if anything from that and we haven’t had a speaker like that again.”

Peer Support member Ali Collins (‘19) furthers this perspective, saying that on Peer support, one of the student groups that does invite many speakers to Bishop’s, “wants to know what the students want to hear about, because ultimately it is for them, so we want everyone to be interested.”

It is recognized that not all speakers will please everyone, or sometimes not all speakers that are suggested will eventually end up speaking. How-

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ever, measures are taken, especially by groups like Peer Support, to ensure that the speakers will be as interesting to Bishop’s students as possible. “When we invite a speaker to come, we also plan and talk with them about what they are going to present about,” said Ali. “We try to work out if there is any way we can tailor it to the Bishop’s community.”

So, what is the point of having guest speakers? As mentioned in their statements online, Bishop’s believes that speakers can be beneficial for reasons ranging from inspiration to educational purposes to act as positive role models.

“The goal is to expose us to different perspectives and stories while getting having a clear message,” explained Winnie. Some speakers are chosen because of their relation to current events, but the majority are chosen simply because their message aligns with the key values of the Bishop’s community. “Sometimes it is just about something interesting, or often it is more for something like kindness or community service or resilience because those are values we want Bishop’s kids to hear,” continued Ali. “Having speakers is one of the things that Bishop’s students complain about most, but it is actually one of the most special things about Bishop’s. Having these speakers is a unique opportunity that they probably will not get later in life, definitely not beyond college.”

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COVER STORY BISHOP’S SCREENAGERS Leah Parsons

I

n the “Black Mirror,” Episode 1, Season 3: Nosedive. In the opening scene, the main character, Lacie Pound, jogs down the street on a beautiful afternoon, passing well-kept houses with beautifully manicured lawns. The sun is setting, glinting off the road in a golden stream. She never once looks up from her phone.

It’s hard to go anywhere without noticing a smart phone glued to someone’s hand, especially in areas where teenagers congregate, and Bishop’s is no exception. In 2007, Steve Jobs announced the invention of the iPhone. In the 11 years since, smartphones have become a cornerstone of society, seen everywhere and used for everything.

Today’s Generation Z is the first generation to grow up in the age of the smartphone, and experts are still debating the long-term effects of this technology-heavy environment.

A 2016 Common Sense Media survey found that half of 620 teen respondents felt addicted to their device. The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as “a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.” In a survey answered by 182 Bishop’s students, 51% respondents agreed that they felt as though they always needed to keep their phones with them.

It’s definitely difficult to put down a smartphone— but why? Tristan Harris, a former Google employee, explained in a PBS interview that for many companies, addiction is the goal: “There was this whole lab at Stanford that teaches students how to apply persuasive psychology principles into technology to persuade people to use products in a certain

way. So it’s not about giving you all this freedom, it’s about sucking you in to take your time.”

This business model seems to be working: A 2014 study published in the journal “Computers in Human Behavior” found that heavy smartphone users can’t go ten minutes without their phones before experiencing anxiety. These anxiety levels induced by lack of phones leave teens in a difficult position, because on the other extreme, constant use of phones has also been linked to anxiety and depression, creating a lose-lose type of situation.

This Tower survey also revealed that 66% of respondents use their phones from 1-4 hours a day. Four hours a day, added up in a week, amounts to 28 hours in a week. That’s an entire day of phone use per week.

And for the most part, many people don’t realize how much time a phone can suck out, because they are such an ingrained part of society. Ali Collins (‘19) has felt the effects of this: “I was doing fine, and then one day I checked [my phone usage] and I was really surprised at the amount of time I spent,” she said.

Jake Stenger (‘19) agreed, saying, “As soon as I get home, I spend like half an hour at least [on my phone].”

So where do people spend all this time? Fifty percent of survey respondents spend the majority of the time on their phones using social media. This way, they can feel constantly connected to friends and family. Karina Kadia (‘22), who got her first smartphone this year, said, “Before I got a phone, I often felt left out when people were laughing about memes or other Instagram things. Although I saw my friends everyday, it felt like I was always missing out. After I got a phone, it just felt like I was a lot more connected, which can be both a good and bad thing.”

“[Phones are] like anything, right? I love cake but I don’t want to eat cake all day every day of my life. Everything in moderation, but the thing is, nobody’s moderating.

Especially kids.”

- Ms. Megan Broderick (‘98), Director of Counseling

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Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

CULTURE

But, sometimes social media platforms can dilute reality, leading to discomfort. “You start believing that that’s what it should be like. Social media really reinforces [a perfect image] because you only really put your best foot forward out there,” said Director of Counseling Ms. Megan Broderick (‘98).

“I just think that social media causes a lot of anxiety and unnecessary comparison of people. It’s also very distracting for me,” added Rachel Waite (‘19), who deleted her Instagram account for her junior year. Self-moderating tactics like this are becoming increasingly popular; according to a Pew Research Center report released in August of 2018, which surveyed 743 teens, 52% said that they are attempting to cut back on social media and phone use in general.

Although, simple self motivation does not always work on its own, especially when it’s up against the addictive powers of a smartphone. “I’ve never seen someone who deleted social media not come back to it. I have a lot of friends who are like, ‘Guys I’m going on a [social media] break so you should just text me,’ but they’re always the ones who come back right away and make a big deal out of it,” explained Amea Wadsworth (‘19).

Even with growing awareness of screen time, people tend not to balance their phone use; 50% of survey responders sleep with their phone next to them, and 47% keep it beside them while doing homework. “It’s like anything, right?

Like, I love cake but I don’t want to eat cake all day every day of my life. Everything in moderation, but the thing is nobody’s moderating. Especially kids,” said Ms. Broderick.

Over the last few years, many researchers and experts have posed the same question: “Have smartphones ruined a generation?” Many argue that yes, they have: Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, published the book iGen in which she studies correlation between increase in teen phone use and the 33% increase (between 2010 and 2015) in depression symptoms in teens.

She suggests that this correlation is not a coincidence.

On the other hand, cigarette smoking, alcohol use, pregnancy rates, and car crashes in Gen Z are at an alltime low. Teenagers like Emma González are leading historic movements to implement changes, while others such as Olympic Snowboarder Chloe Kim are achieving lifelong dreams in front of the world.

Whatever their overall impact, though, smartphones are definitely here to stay. This raises a question to look at for

the future: Do we care about the smartphone’s firm grasp on society, and if so, what do we want to do about it?

Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

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OPINION MASC OFF Sara Michael

W

hether you see it in the toy section of Target, in violent video games, on the football field, or on the big screen, stereotypical masculinity is encouraged everywhere.

Men have been socialized to believe that universal human traits--vulnerability, fear, and hurt--are emotions that they must avoid or suppress. These human attributes are thus masked by anger, aggression, and stoicism, all of which popular culture accepts as stereotypical masculine traits. In her bestselling novel We Should All Be Feminists, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said, “By far the worst thing we do to males—by making

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them feel they have to be hard—is that we leave them with very fragile egos. ”

This resulting self-esteem in men can ripple into self-silencing and even depression. The self-worth that Ngozi Adichie talks about often attains itself from other people’s approval, and it can ripple into self-silencing and even depression. According to the National Institute for Mental Health, in the U.S., six million men are diagnosed with depression each year as opposed to twelve million women. Although statistically men are less likely to suffer through depression than women, depression in men is as much of a concern as depres-

Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

sion in women; this is also a feminist issue.

Depression in men is as much caused by biology as it is society. Biologically speaking, testosterone, a sex drive-linked hormone that is found in higher levels in men than women, correlates with depression. According to Alan Booth, author of the article “Testosterone and Social Behavior,” low levels of testosterone in both males and females are linked to depression. According to the article, “The relationship between testosterone and depression is inverse for men with below average testosterone and direct for those with

OPINION above average testosterone.” In short, scarred because they constantly wor- women who engage in high self-critmen with higher levels of testosterone ry about whether or not they live up icism, are more sensitive to rejection, are more prone to experiencing de- to the masculine ideals that they were and display low self-esteem, all of pression. There’s a link between higher taught.” which have been identified as prelevels of testosterone and masculinity. dictors of self-silencing as well.” Kim

In a research study done found in her study that men

by Stanford University professor, participate in self-silencing “Men who were social- who Dr. Robb Willer, he found that men are less likely to reach out for with higher levels of testosterone ized to be sexist often help even when they need it the had increased interest in mascumost. believe that they are line ideas such as support for war,

Where toxic mascuhomophobic beliefs, and those men more deserving of pow- linity and sexism can lead to showed more dominance and ag- er than women because depression and self-silencing, gression in relationships. Masculinfeminism often provides a platity norms may dictate the way men these things are auto- form for men to accept themseek help as well, therefore, if a man matically guaranteed for selves and feel empowered. True feminism -- the belief that there has increased levels of testosterone and masculinity, he is less likely to him because of his sex. should be equality among the seek help and support when feeling These men are also more sexes, which is a message often convoluted by anti-feminists-sad or depressed. likely to be emotionaloffers a nurturing environment.

In acclaimed feminist author bell hooks’ book Feminism Is ly scarred because they Feminism removes the weight of gender expectations; it strips for Everybody: Passionate Politics, constantly worry about away the “shoulds”--“he should she describes how patriarchy and or not they be more manly,” and “she should sexism corrode men’s sense of self. whether be less strong-willed”-- and reShe says, “Boys need healthy self-eslive up to the masculine places these ideas with self-acteem. They need love… Patriarchy will not heal them. If that were so, ideals that they were ceptance, compassion, and the search for truth and justice. they would all be well.” Patriarchy taught.” at its core is the dichotomy of rigid

Although gender gender roles. norms are fundamentally grounded in our society, and it

According to the results of Hannah Robbins (‘19) a study conducted by hooks, men will take years to crack through who are viewed as more indepenthis rigid system, feminism is a Sexism correlates with re- catalyst for change. In a world where dent, assertive, and controlling are seen as more masculine and stronger straining of emotion and self silenc- masculinity strips away freedom to than men who are more sensitive. ing, which is defined as the suppres- feel human emotions like sadness and

Hannah Robbins (‘19) talk- sion of self-expression. Self-silencing hurt, feminism teaches us how to emed about the dangers of a patriarchal is experienced differently for different brace freedom and justice in a way and sexist society. She said, “Men who men, but generally it falls tandem with that fosters authenticity and self-love. were socialized to be sexist often be- self-deprecation. Dr. Christie Kim, a lieve that they are more deserving of professor of psychology at New York power than women because these University, who wrote the publication things are automatically guaranteed “The Gendered Landscape of Self-Sifor him because of his sex. These men lencing” said, “Depressive symptoms are also more likely to be emotionally are more likely to manifest in men and

--

Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

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TWIN CITIES The Immigrant Crisis

affecting

Tijuana

and

San Diego

Isabelle Kenagy with reporting from Carly Phoon, Kyle Berlage, and Leah Parsons

La frontera. The border. The wall.

These are buzz words on both sides of the legal line between the United States and Mexico.

Immigration from Mexico and Latin America has been a hot topic for years but has become more controversial with the Trump administration.

On Sunday, November 25, though, this conflict made its way into our direct community. A caravan of approximately 7,000 migrants made up of asylum-seekers from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador arrived in Tijuana and some, in what started as a peaceful protest, rushed the border throwing rocks and charging at border officials in an attempt to cross. The United States Border Officials responded by throwing back tear gas in an attempt to quell the crowd.

Tear gas is a fairly common tool for breaking up large groups but Sunday’s situation was different because of the number of families with children in the crowd. The effects of tear gas are more pronounced on children and causes many to choke or have other extreme reactions.

The U.S. has since closed southern California’s entry points to Mexico twice, and President Trump tweeted, “Migrants at the Southern Border will not be allowed into the United States until their claims are individually approved in court. We only will allow those who come into our Country legally. Other than that our very strong policy is Catch and Detain. No “Releasing” into the U.S…”

The situation plays out a mere 35 minute drive from our campus and has affected students, teachers, and parents in our community. What follows is a collection of reactions, responses, and images from our greater community.

Spanish teacher Mr. Gregg Luna

I wasn’t able to leave Mexico to come back to the U.S. when they shut the borders down. The border was closed for five hours and during that time, no one could cross. It was completely closed. I was stuck. It was very chaotic because this is right after the whole tear gas incident. People were running, still affected by the gas, and there were a lot of kids crying with women trying to shelter them, comfort them.

The place where they kept the immigrants in Mexico was an old soccer stadium. It has become unsanitary for the people there, especially with the rains that we had recently. When you have almost 10,000 people in one place, you need toilets, you need water, you need services, you need to dispose of garbage.

I think that our country, our government, has taken a very inhumane position. Our president and our leaders have somehow managed to villainize these people in a way. And it’s not the first time that the United States has confronted an immigration, a need for people to come in. As a matter of fact, when [the U.S.] closed their borders to [Jewish asylum seekers] who tried to come over here before Hitler, is somewhat similar to what’s happening right now. The point I’m trying to make is that this isn’t the first time [a border crisis] has happened. The United States can easily let these people in, like we’ve done before. But because of the times, our leaders, and our need to have a common enemy, these [asylum seekers] are going to suffer a lot.

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Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

Religion and Ethics teacher Dr. David Moseley

I have strong feelings about the border crisis because I am myself an immigrant. America’s identity as a country that has historically welcomed refugees and asylum seekers and immigrants, and is itself a nation of immigrants, is something that I care deeply about.

It doesn’t matter how an asylum seeker enters the country under international law; as soon as they claim asylum, that asylum claim has to be taken seriously. America is a signatory to the treaties in the United Nations that govern those policies.

As someone who does work with refugees, and as someone who has travelled to parts of the developing world where I’ve seen the circumstances in which people live, and in which people feel compelled to escape when they’re persecuted for religious, ethnic, political, civil reasons, I am passionate about this issue.

I’ve been teaching a new class this semester called Global Issues. We started with the local situation in San Diego as a border city, and then looked at the national immigration conversation that has risen since the election of President Trump.

History and Social Sciences teacher Ms. Karri Woods

Immigration and border security are hot-button topics, especially in American politics, which is why we chose to focus on them in Global Issues this semester. These topics are interconnected and can be misunderstood on many levels, so we spent a lot of time fact-checking popular sound bytes. Many of the claims fell short of capturing the inherent complexity of these issues. Contextualizing data and identifying the ideological leanings were important first steps in our analysis. Later in the semester, I asked my students to consider some really tough policy questions, knowing full well that we would not be able to come up with neatly packaged solutions. We worked on being slower to jump to conclusions, quicker to consider multiple perspectives, and more adept at identifying push-pull factors.

Mauricio Burgos (‘19)

I definitely feel for the people going through that situation. I understand what it’s like to be in those shoes. I’m an immigrant. I wasn’t born in this country, so it saddens me to see these things happen. My dad’s girlfriend crosses the border on a daily basis for work.

May McConkey (‘21)

Since it [the border crisis] is close to us, that made it more personal.

Tents fill the streets of Tijuana in November, serving as temporary homes for the migrants.

Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

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S

ince you were a little kid, your eyes have been set on going to Harvard. Your parents brought you to the school and bought you a little sweatshirt and a foam finger. Your SAT scores reflect the perfect Harvard student, and so do your grades. You spent hours on school nights and weekends dedicating yourself to the application. Everything looks perfect. You press ‘Enter,’ nervous and excited for the big envelope. Your parents constantly hype you up, tell you over the coming months that you definitely got in. The envelope arrives -- it’s small and vacant of any promise. You open it, your eyes shrink, reading every word a thousand times over. You didn’t get in because of questionable or worrisome personal qualities.

Harvard is one of the hardest colleges in the world to get into. With an acceptance rate of about five percent, Harvard is bound to deny an exorbitant amount of students. Around 40,000 applicants apply each year and slowly dwindle down to fill 1,600 freshman seats according to the Harvard College website. The admissions team can’t just set the tremendously high bar for the test scores and GPA’s; too many would qualify. The applicants have to fit the Harvard moral character model as well. Plus, even if an arithmetic was possible, Harvard prides itself on being an institution where students learn from each other and their professors. Creating each freshman class is a skill, making the admissions officers assumedly use a combination of number-crunching and instincts.

A student studies outside of Hollis Hall, Fall 2018.

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BEYOND How’s Your Personality?

Sophie Pilarski

There’s a lot at stake for Harvard. An organization called Students for Fair Admissions is representing Asian-Americans that were at some point rejected from Harvard. In the lawsuit, they believe that these candidates were discriminated against their race, and that the Harvard acceptance protocol is to blame. Harvard has a personal rating score used for every applicant.

The scoring is based on a variety of different aspects, and overall the traits that applicants must have a bubbly and enthusiastic personality, not flat. According to The Atlantic, although the ratings are somewhat unclear, to put it simply, candidates are categorized in the following order; outstanding, very strong, generally positive, bland or somewhat negative or immature, questionable personable qualities, and worrisome personal qualities.

The Students for Fair Admissions believes that there is a clear correlation between the applicant’s race and their personality rating. Asian Americans have the lowest percent receiving a top personality score, even though candidates of all other racial groups with the top academic qualifications generally receive the highest personality ratings. To create a relationship between race and personality ratings is difficult. Harvard has argued that the personality testing allows for a range of cultural, socioeconomic, and geographic backgrounds– people who bring a breadth of sought-after personality traits, like humor and sensitivity, that may be hard to define. “Colleges attempt to create a class of people with diverse experiences, opportunities, and opinions. This fosters a collaborative and compassionate community and allows students to learn from each other.”

Melanie Schwimmer (‘19)

A consensus on the lawsuit has not arrived. But, despite the Students for Fair Admission and Harvard’s response, there is definitive evidence showing that Asian Americans’ character traits rating is disproportionate to all other candidates, thus making Asian Americans’ prospect of getting accepted much lower than anyone else. Why are Asian American’s put on a lower scale than others? The main idea from the Student of Fair Admissions believes is that Asian American biases and stereotypes are visibly used when grading the applicants’ personality. Asian Americans, for example, are consistently regarded as more “foreign” than other racial groups and are widely stereotyped as being reserved. If the use of biases is utilized for Asian Americans, this is not only taking a stab at one race but affirmative action overall.

In institutions of higher education, affirmative action refers to admission policies that provide equal access to education for those groups that have been historically excluded or underrepresented, such as women and minorities. The Obama administration had defended affirmative action in the past, but as of this summer, Trump’s administration abandoned the administrative policy. Although many colleges still enforce an affirmative action policy, it is extremely limited. Some states, such as California, have already made it illegal to use race as a factor for all grade levels. Across the country, even when race is used in admissions considerations, it is generally used very narrowly.

Research has already shown that the Students for Fair Admission v.

Harvard, and cases alike, have an appalling effect on affirmative action: One study, for example, found that the rate of “very competitive” schools, in-

Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

cluding private institutions, that factor race into admissions has plummeted in recent decades, dropping from 75 percent in 1994 to 47 percent in 2014 according to the Atlantic. If the court rules that Harvard’s policy is unconstitutional, then that will be the end for affirmative action everywhere, throughout the country. That prospect makes supporters of affirmative action all the more frustrated with Harvard’s reliance on such vague means of evaluating applicants’ personalities, and with the school’s failure until now to publicly disclose exactly how character traits factor into that evaluation. The war is not with Harvard, but with all colleges and higher education overall.

The lawsuit, Students for Fair Admission v. Harvard, escalates the tension in the already stress-intensive college application process. With half of American teenagers now graduating school with an ‘A’ average, colleges in general are being forced to make their decisions more creatively. The problem is, as every college evaluates differently, it’s hard to know what each one wants.

This has made Bishop seniors question what they put into their applications. Nathan Wu (‘19), who recently got accepted to Harvard, explained his process: “I prayed, had faith in God, worked my a** off, had fun learning, made good relationships, and tried to be the best version of myself every day.”

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Nestled inside the Bishop Johnson Tower is a bell. Though tucked away from view and hardly ever rung, everyone knows it is there. The bell has become a prize to find — students have attempted to reach the top of the tower for decades. Needless to say, the bell is a much sought-after icon on the Bishop’s campus.

The Tower has its very own bell; though not mysterious and more easily accessible, it aims to stir the same excitement as the physical bell. Home to lighter news and satire alike—such as Top Ten, Bachelor/ Bachelorette, and Who Wore it Better— the Bell intends to serve as a relief from the depth of the magazine and bring joy to the Bishop’s community.

Top Ten Most Unrealistic New Year’s Resolutions a skirt four inches above the 1. Wearing knee

6.

Getting an ‘A’ in Honors English

2. World peace!

7.

Becoming (and staying) vegan

3. Making more free time to relax

8.

Being less reliant on SparkNotes

4. Start studying early for AP exams

9.

5. Ending the opioid crisis

10. Actually trying @The Dungeon

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Enjoying life

Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

Photo Credits ACADEMIC Charging Education -- Page 7, Art courtesy of Google Images CULTURE Befores and Afters-- Page 8, Photos courtesy of Mr. David Thompson New Year, New Me -- Pages 10-11, Art by Vanessa Yang (‘21) Speaking of . . . -- Page 12, Photo courtesy of bishops.com COVER STORY Bishop’s Screenagers -- Page 15, Art by Amy Carlyle (‘20) BEYOND Masc Off -- Page 16, Art by Carly Phoon (‘20) Twin Cities -- Page 19, Photo courtesy of Isabelle Kenagy (‘19) How’s Your Personality? -- Page 20, Photo courtesy of Charlie Michael (‘16) Front and back cover thanks to Amy Carlyle (‘20) and Sara Michael (‘19)

Issue 05 • January 2019 • The Tower

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