Issue 03 2018

THE

The Bishop’s School || October

TOWER Issue 03 MMXVIII

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 03 to the Bishop’s community. Typefaces included Eskapade on our cover, Minion Pro for our headlines, covers, and body text. Issue 03 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, Beyond, Local, 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 publishes anonymous quotes when the privacy of an individual is a concern.

Contributors

Editors-in-Chief: Sara Michael Isabelle Kenagy Amy Carlyle Copy Editors: Leah Parsons Jake Stenger Graphics Assistant: Olivia Ralph Sports Editor: Alyssa Huynh Staff Writers: Kendall Forte, Ethan Franco, Carly Phoon, Harper White, Lucie Edwards, Sophie Pilarski, Maggie Keefe, Alex Cotton, Kyle Berlage, Sariah Hossain, Alina Kureshi, Michelle Wang Faculty Advisor: Ms. Laine Remignanti

Contact

The Bishop’s School 7607 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037 Email: thetower@bishops.com Instagram: @thebishopstower Twitter: @thebishopstower Facebook: TBS The Tower

From an Editor-in-Chief

Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday. The costumes, the decorations, the endless DIY projects — it is a combination of all my favorite things.

The costumes, though, are the best part: you can take on any identity you choose. I can recount all of my costumes over the years, back through when I was in kindergarten; it took me months of thinking and Pinterest-researching before deciding on being Kim Possible this year. Nothing is more extraordinary than picking what character you get to play.

Issue 03 captures the spirit of Halloween in its pages — not only in the pumpkin-centric Top Ten, but also in the articles. This notion of identity influences nearly all of our pieces. Leah Parsons’s (‘19) article discusses the involvement of women in leadership, and how diversity in leadership shapes the identity of the world we live in. In addition, Sariah Hossain (‘22) comments on the identity of Gen Z in her opinion piece.

This issue also draws us back to identities within the Bishop’s community: Maggie Keefe (‘21) and Sophie Pilarski (‘21) introduce the community to our new Head of Middle School, Mr. Harlan Klein, and Chaplain, Reverend Nicole Simopoulos-Pigato. Our cover story by Sara Michael (‘19) explores Bishop’s financial identity and the disparities between high- and low- income schools.

The October edition of The Tower reminds me a lot of coming to school on Halloween. The first thing I notice as I arrive in the morning is all of the different costumes around me. As you look through this issue, notice the different identities in front of you, the different faces and facets of our community — plus, of course, a few added spooktacular surprises. I hope as you read, you begin to feel the Halloween spirit too.

Amy Carlyle (‘20)

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Academic Restless Knights Harper White

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Sports

Knight Knocked Down: A Road to Recovery Olivia Ralph Commitment Issues Lucie Edwards Bishbowl Photo Spread

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Beyond

Opinion

Bored of No Representation Leah Parsons

Kids These Days Sariah Hossain

IN THIS ISSUE

14 Arts

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Culture

Ashley Jay: Ceramic Imperfections Isabelle Kenagy

Profile: Mr. Klein Maggie Keefe

Fall Play: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Amy Carlyle

Profile: Rev. Simopoulos-Pigato Sophie Pilarski

Custom Costumes Alex Cotton

The Bishop’s Hunger Games Carly Phoon

Seniors Leaving You on Red Kendall Forte

The First Five Minutes Alina Kureshi

Cover Story

The Bell

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High-Income High School Sara Michael

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Starry Knight Horoscopes Michelle Wang Bishopians Seen Reading The Tower What Your Costume Says About You Ask Liv and Kendall Top Ten

ACADEMIC RESTLESS KNIGHTS Harper White

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leep is important. You can’t function without it—literally. The past few years have seen a rise in the amount of discussions about the sleeping habits of the nation. Just this summer, National Geographic cover story was about the science of sleep and the negative consequences of not getting enough. The conversation about sleep has reached a political level too: SB-328, the bill to push back all California schools’ start time to 8:30 a.m., was brought forward the start of this September, only to be vetoed later that month.

While advances in technology and science have helped accurately determine how much sleep per night is necessary, the 21st century has also seen a rise in lack of sleep, notably among adolescents. Numerous studies show that the healthy amount of sleep for adolescents is around nine hours per night. However, many students fall short of this duration. A study this year by MedSleep showed that only ten percent of teenagers were getting the healthy nine hours a night, and another report done for San Diego State University in 2015 showed that around 40 percent of teens were sleeping under

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seven hours a night, a 17 percent increase since 2009.

There are downsides to a consistent lack of sleep, especially for adolescents. Kyla L. Wahlstrom, a researcher for the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota, stated in an interview with the New York Times that there are strong ties between lack of sleep in adolescents and depression, substance abuse, and car crash rates.

While it is an undeniable fact that there are issues with lack of sleep throughout the nation, it’s a different question as to whether or not these issues are present at Bishop’s. A few weeks ago, Dean of Students Mr. Michael Beamer sent out a survey to the whole school regarding the general day-to-day activities and habits of students. The survey, a continuation of one sent out in 2015, focused on the sleeping habits of the students, gauging how much each student slept per night and what factors contributed to that amount. For Mr. Beamer, the survey served as a way to check up on the lives of students and “to help make them as healthy in mind and body as we possibly can.” Out of the 231 responses, the

Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

average amount of sleep a student was getting a night was a little over seven hours, two hours less than the recommended amount. In fact, only 3.5% of the respondents were getting nine or more hours, contrasted with the 12.1% getting under six hours a night.

This begs the question, then, of why some students at Bishop’s seem to be struggling to get enough sleep some nights. According to a BetterHealth survey, the main reasons why teens in general don’t get enough sleep include hormonal shifts that cause teens to get tired at later times, busy schedules that cut into sleep time, and electronic usage. The survey also measured students’ use of electronics during time dedicated to homework, which totaled at nearly 99% of the respondents having technology near them while doing homework and 64.5% having their phones on them. Technology use, while enjoyable and nearly universal at Bishop’s, not only stalls your body clock and keeps you up later, but also serves as a way to get easily distracted from tasks such as homework. Sophomore Lila Chityat (‘21) supports this, saying “I can mess around on my phone a lot, which doesn’t help my productivity.”

ACADEMIC

Bishop’s is renowned as a very athletic as well as academic school.

Teams generally practice for several hours a day, five days a week, and the pressure and time lengths only increase as students take their sports more seriously. Students attempting to balance practices and games with schoolwork can also cut into both their sleep schedule and academic life. “If you want to be serious about a sport you have to get eight hours of sleep a night which means you have to prioritize a lot,” says Bela Kellogg (‘21), a rower for the women’s varsity team at the San Diego Rowing Club. “You have to ask yourself: ‘okay, what’s my sacrifice going to be before the night of a test? Am I going to get eight hours of sleep and do well at practice but maybe not study enough or am I going to study and get five or six hours and, as a result, perform poorly during practice?’” And while some people like Bela try to prioritize between academics and athletics, other students simply accept the fact that sometimes they will have to get less sleep in order to meet the expectations surrounding them. Jack Martin (‘21), a player for Bishop’s varsity water polo team, admits, “I get to bed a lot later than if I would if I didn’t have sports and could just focus on academics.”

As well as athletic commitments, there also comes the issue with balancing extracurriculars with healthy sleeping habits. The dangers of Bishop’s having so many extracurriculars to offer is some students can overschedule, meaning it is hard to devote time to everything they are signed up for. Mr. Dee Mecham, economics teacher and tenth grade class sponsor, said that he

notices a pattern of students overfilling their schedules, whether it be from simply wanting to do too many things to pressure from colleges and parents. “It is difficult to manage time, and maintain good sleep habits, when you have overcommitted at some point in time,” he says, “And a stigma associated with quitting anything leads to students adjusting in the only other way they can–not getting adequate sleep.” Sydney Gerlach (‘20), the lead role in the

idea that if you’re not putting in all your efforts and completely sacrificing your mental health, then you somehow aren’t achieving as much as your peers.”

Part of balancing your schedule and making sure you get enough sleep is learning to be mindful of the challenges overfilling your schedule can cause, and the other part is learning how to manage your schedule around the activities you want and have to do. Sleep is a hugely important part of adolescents’ lives, and sacrificing one’s sleep for academics or sports or extracurriculars is not a healthy habit to develop. Prioritization is a key factor, as Sydney also touched upon. “By keeping track of things that are immediately due or most important to get done, I’ve been able to ask for appropriate extensions on things that may not be as important as getting a decent amount of sleep.” And sometimes, says Sydney, your sleep simply has to be prioritized: “I’ve had to put my own needs above the needs of every single one of my teachers, and that’s included saving homework for the next morning in order to get enough sleep, or asking teachers for extensions on tests just so I don’t have to stress about studying.”

Mr. Mecham also brought up the idea of tracking your sleep, whether by journal or app, to see what aspects of your sleep schedule need to be fixed. “As you make changes, you will see how some small changes can make big impacts in terms of allowing you to achieve peak performance in everything you do and, more importantly, be happier.”

“I get to bed a lot later than I would if I didn’t have sports and could just focus on academics.”

- Jack Martin (‘21) recent fall play, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, shared similar thoughts as Mr. Mecham, adding that the environment at Bishop’s also increases packed schedules. “It’s very difficult to achieve balance because, at a school like Bishop’s, one is expected to give their full attention and commitment to everything they do, whether that is extracurriculars on campus or homework and class projects,” she observed. “I think this aspect of Bishop’s culture grows out of the pervasive perfectionism and the

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SPORTS

KNIGHT KNOCKED DOWN: A ROAD TO RECOVERY Olivia Ralph

One: on August 17, Tyler Buchner (‘21) received the ball. Two. Three. Four: he decided to fake a punt and try to gain yards. Five. Six. Seven: he rushed up the field, ball in hand. Eight: he noticed defenders approaching.

Nine: dodge. Ten: he hit the ground.

The sophomore quarterback obtained one of the worst possible injuries for a high school athlete: a torn ACL during the first Bishop’s football game of the season. “It was in the fourth play of the game when my leg blew out and I was walked off the field,” he shared. A torn ACL takes athletes out of commission for six to eight months and involves surgery and rehabilitation.

The sixteenyear-old is highly regarded in the football world as one of the top quarterbacks in the United States: he was ranked overall third best sophomore quarterback in the nation and the number one sophomore quarterback in California by 247 Sports. Tyler’s motivation for success began in elementary school: “I grew up watching football, my dad played in college, and my parents finally let me play tackle [football] in fifth grade; I’ve loved it ever since. I love the competitive aspect and how the team has

a family bond.”

Despite facing this struggle at the start of his sophomore year, Tyler remains optimistic throughout his recovery. “I have had to learn how to face adversity,” he said, “and I’ve had to shift my mindset away from competing on the field to now competing in rehab and I’m excited for the new challenge.” Tyler attends physical therapy and completes various exercises to help regain strength and ensure a speedy recovery.

“I am motivated to succeed because football is a huge part of my life,” he further elaborated. “You can spend days at a time practicing, but you will never play more than 50 games in high school whether you like it or not, so every Friday night is truly special and unique. It’s unlike any other sport.”

Friday Night Lights for Tyler now consists of wearing a headset and communicating with the other coaches from the sideline. He continues to support his team by attending each game and practice, and helping new quarterbacks, Clay Petry (‘21) and Dom Haley (‘19), with specific plays and decision-making. “Now, I have switched over to more of a player-coach role as me and

“You can spend days at a time practicing, but you will never play more than 50 games in high school.”

- Tyler Buchner (‘21)

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SPORTS

[Coach] Danny Mitchell are putting in new offenses and schemes to try and help put our team in the best situation to win,” he said.

The Bishop’s football team is known for being a very close group of highschoolers. They sit together everyday at the same lunch table in the cafeteria, they get team dinners on weekends and they attend a special chapel service before each game. Senior Captain Ben Serdy (‘19) acknowledges that losing Tyler is hard on the team, but stresses what it has taught the group: “He is still a huge part of the team. He motivates all of us at every practice and game and is our team’s inspiration for success this year.”

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SPORTS COMMITMENT ISSUES Lucie Edwards

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ver since we were kids, our parents have told us that we need to study hard, get into college, and become successful. But what if you could go to a prestigious university without the typical application process frenzy? For some student-athletes at Bishop’s, this dream is their reality.

College coaches are always recruiting high school athletes who excel in their sports. Sarah Schrag (‘21) has committed to the University of California, Berkeley, for volleyball. She says that it is “definitely easier” knowing what school she will be attending in three years’ time. Matthew Mu (‘19) says committing to Brown University for tennis was “a huge relief,” allowing him to “do things with passion rather than pressure.”

Contrary to what some people may think, being committed does not necessarily guarantee you will be accepted. Football Coach Dani Mitchell explains the two ways of committing: verbal commitments and “signing days.” A verbal commitment is when a student reaches out to a college coach, and the coach informally offers the student a spot on their team. This kind of commitment doesn’t guarantee you admission to the university.

As college counselor Mr. AJ Jezierski puts it, “validity of [verbal commitments] is in question a lot of times because we’re talking about the athletics

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department, not the admissions office.” Some verbal commits aren’t worried about this uncertainty. Sarah acknowledges that she has to be able to get into the school, but goes on to say that “the academic requirements are lower for athletes.” According to Berkeley’s handbook, Sarah will need to graduate from Bishop’s with at least a 3.0 GPA, even though Berkeley’s average student GPA is a 3.87.

However, verbal commitments can add more stress to these students’ lives as well. The unre-

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SPORTS

liability of verbally committing to a school is becoming a source of concern for Matthew. He said, “There is always the fear that I could get de-committed either because of my grades or simply because the coach changes his mind.”

The other type of commitment involves signing a contract called the National Letter of Intent, which is usually prefaced by a verbal commitment.

This type of commitment is almost 100% guaranteed unless the student violates the rules stated in the letter, which can vary from school to school. Most of these rules discuss things like the minimum age at which you can commit, what happens if you take a gap year and other details about the terms of commitment.

While committing to a college seems to lower stress levels, some student-athletes who are still waiting to hear back from coaches report feeling a higher stress level in day-to-day life. Tennis player Brooke Waite (‘21) describes this stress as a “constant cloud overhead,” later saying that some of this stress comes from “making time to balance academics and sports.”

Colleges who recruit athletes are not only looking at their performance on the field, but also in the classroom. Finding this balance that Brooke mentions seems to be a concern for many student-athletes.

Rower Bela Kellogg (‘21) supports this, saying “It’s hard to find the balance between challenging myself in my sport and challenging myself academically.”

“There is always the fear that I could get de-committed either because of my grades or simply because the coach changes his mind.”

- Matthew Mu ‘19 However, student athletes think that this stress doubles as inspiration to excel. Jamie Fazio (‘21) feels that the challenges he faces in football only inspire him, saying, “If anything, it’s a motivation.”

Whether or not you find that the process of committing to a university affects your performance in school, the road to getting committed is undeniably rocky, but for the lucky ones who make it past the twists, turns, and bumps, it’s well worth it.

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SPORTS

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Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

BISHBOWL

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ARTS

ASHLEY JAY: CERAMIC IMPERFECTIONS Isabelle Kenagy

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shley Jay’s (‘19) ceramics and sculptures defy expectations with unexpected shapes and carefully chosen materials such as crayons, wire, and glass. As Visual Arts Department Chair Ms. Elizabeth Wepsic said, “Ashley’s art speaks to her unique vision of how things can be expressed visually. She does not strive to be like anyone else nor does she try for her art to resemble anyone else’s work. Her ideas are genuine. She is playful and hardworking in spirit and in her artistic process.”

shapes are represented, and then I get an idea of what I actually want to make.

Even when I’m in the process of creating something my ideas of what I’m going to make are constantly changing based on the “mistakes” that happen

I would like my art to communicate is that nothing has to be perfect, and sometimes details of a broken or not fully perfect piece is what makes a piece more noteworthy. I think it is the little details and the idea of letting one’s struggles show that is important in my art, as seen by the dancer piece that balances a wire structured world, the hot air balloon that’s cracked on its side, and the person on the swing being lost in oblivion.

How did you select the pieces for the exhibit? Is there any sort of theme you created?

The pieces I selected for the art exhibit were mostly the pieces that I completed in AP Studio Art junior year. I also added in a few of my favorite pieces throughout high school ceramics. The uniting theme for my art exhibition was the juxtaposition of wire and clay. Additionally the more emotional theme was the idea of imperfection. A lot of my pieces have negative space and broken parts to represent that nothing can be truly perfect and there is beauty in things that are not fully complete.

When did you start doing art?

I’ve been doing art for as long as I can remember. I guess my first experience with art was when I was three and started drawing on the couch with crayons. Besides that, my first experience with more structured art was when I came to Bishop’s in sixth grade.

I therefore started doing art and specifically ceramics almost seven years ago.

What is your favorite medium to work with?

My favorite medium to work with is clay. I also tend to mix elements of wire and spray paint A studio photograph of Ashley Jay’s ballerina sculpture. as ways to change the texture and visual aspects of my art. It’s a way to add my own individuality in a sense. during the creation process. Therefore What does your art mean to you? when I’m creating my work I’m usually My art is a way to express deeper thinking about more of the themes and thought and essentially figure out how What do you think about when you ideas that I can mend together to then I perceive certain things. Through art, are creating your work? get an outcome. meaning and concepts become more Honestly when I first start creating my apparent as I make my piece. Art is a work I don’t have a solid concept or Is there a uniting theme or message very spontaneous process for me so art idea in mind. I usually just start with that you would like your art to com- is a way to decompress between classa block of clay and just go for it. When municate? es and simply let my imagination run I’m just molding clay certain forms or The uniting theme or message that wild. It means a lot to be able to show-

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Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

ARTS case my emotional process and imagination through different mediums of work.

What does your creative process look like?

My creative process is all over the place.

I will often start with one idea and then transform the piece into something else entirely. It’s a very chaotic process and sometimes is based on the balance of the piece or some random element I find necessary to be in the piece. Sometimes my creative process starts with an overall image that I want, but then often develops into a piece thematically similar but visually very different from my original idea and goal.

How has your style changed over the years?

My pieces have definitely become more complex and thematic over the years.

I’ve also tried out more of a variety of materials in my pieces.

What kind of thoughts or feelings do you hope your pieces evoke in their viewers?

I hope my pieces evoke the feeling of satisfaction and nudge the viewers to examine their own life and the things that make them happy and curious.

Some of my pieces like heliacal rising are just aesthetically pleasing, and the color combinations create a nice balance. However, pieces like my dancer one are meant to encourage the viewer to contemplate all the emotions he or she is facing internally and the struggles of taking on the world.

A studio image of Ashley Jay’s crayon tower.

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S EAC RTTI SO N

FALL PLAY: THETITLE RESISTIBLE GOES HERE RISE OF ARTURO UI Amy Author Carlyle

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ressed in black monochrome with a leather vest and walking with an air of sinister confidence, Arturo Ui is undeniably the man in charge.

From October 11-13, Bertolt Brecht’s play The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui hit the Taylor Performing Arts Center. This production was Head of the Theater Department Mr. Nathan Emmons’ first at Bishop’s.

A three year veteran of the Bishop’s theater program, Sydney Gerlach (‘20) made her 2018-19 debut as the titular character Arturo Ui, a Chicago gangster who schemes and bullies his way to ruling the illustrious cauliflower industry. “He’s a power-hungry, ambitious, temperamental, middle-aged fascist,” said Sydney.

Some actors, including Gabe Worstell (‘20), began the show seated in the audience.

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The play’s storyline intends to parallel Hitler’s rise to power, with Ui as the connection to Hitler. Sydney explained, “The play is an examination of power and how corrupt people, like Ui, ascend to positions of authority. The whole play is set in 1930’s Chicago so everyone is in the Depression; all the other characters are down-on-their-luck, greedy, and

“The play is an examination oF power and how corrupt people, like Ui, ascend to positions of authority.”

Sydney Gerlach (‘20) and the entire cast wore face paint throughout the show as part of their costumes.

only to keep my stamina up during those scenes, but also to remember all those lines. This show has the most lines I’ve ever had to memorize.”

Throughout the show, Ui delivered passionate and invigorating speeches to his fellow gangsters, who were onstage at all times.

Jackson Fawcett (‘20), who played Ernesto Roma, described: “It’s like a - Sydney Gerlach (‘20) found-footage movie except it’s on stage, so like a found-play. Everyone is onstage at the same time and reacts desperate for themselves to gain pow- to everything that happens.” Even er and money.” when characters were not directly

In her career at Bishop’s, visible, they were never far from the Sydney has played leads such as Anne action.

Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank and Ui is not alone in his mission.

Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. However, He has three main allies: Ernesto Ui proved a new challenge: “With Ui, Roma, Giuseppe Givola, played by every single scene he’s in, he’s giving Gabe Worstell (‘20), and Emanuele some sort of speech, which has been Giri, played by Cat Paul (‘19). Roma a little more challenging for me not is Ui’s right-hand man: the two tend

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ARTS to stick together. Jackson described his character, “He’s the guy you turn to when you need someone dead.”

Giri shares Roma’s murderous spirit, but adds to it a hint of humor; just for kicks, she even collects the hats of all the people she kills. Rounding out this gaggle of gangsters is Givola: the brains behind Ui’s operations.

In addition to engaging and complex characters, the show featured an eclectic yet oddly fitting soundtrack of hits including Cage the Elephant’s “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” and MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This.”

Another unique aspect of the show was the use of GoPro cameras and screens to livestream the show and display it on stage. Sydney and Gabe carried GoPros with them during the entire show, Sydney on the front of her costume and Gabe on the top of his walking stick. This allowed showgoers to see the performance from the perspective of the actors.

Additionally, the cameras help carry out Brecht’s vision of separateness; he intended for the audience not to feel close to or attached to the characters, but rather to feel like onlookers. The cameras helped establish this divide.

For the student actors, however, the fall play brought them closer together. “This has overall been a great cast: very friendly and awesome, and very supportive of each other,” said Joseph Aguilar (‘22).

As for audience takeaways, the cast hopes that their audience left curious. “They’re going to have so many questions leaving the theater, but that’s what we want,” Sydney said.

“We want them to be able to have discussions after the show and even be able to come up to us as actors and ask ‘Why did you do this?’ or ‘What was the message behind this?’ That’s our goal here.”

The full Ui cast was present on stage during the entire show.

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ARTS

CUSTOM COSTUMES Alex Cotton

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iretruck red wool drapes over the actors’ shoulders. Gold buttons glow when the spotlight reflects off their shiny surfaces. The pristine white cravat is neatly folded and perfectly tucked into the collar. Shiny black boots tap against the stage like water drops drip from a leaky faucet.

The woman behind that costume works in a little sewing room above the ATP workshop. The room, crammed with colorful fabric samples neatly folded on a shelf, sewing tools stored in drawers, and half completed dresses, is where Costume Designer Mrs. Jean Moroney makes magic happen. Mrs. Moroney started making and designing costumes for Bishop’s 20 years ago. She began as a parent volunteer, but when her youngest daughter graduated from Bishop’s, the school decided to hire her to work full time.

The process for designing costumes is long.

Before each costume appears onstage, Mrs. Moroney has to conduct lots of research. Mrs. Moroney has to read the play over a few times to familiarize herself with the basic plot and characters. She finds images of costumes from past renditions of the play, and she turns to her extensive book collection for information regarding important historical details that inform the appearance of her costumes.

Then, she meets with the director of the play.

They discuss historical accuracy, double casting, and budget. Mrs. Moroney has to be aware of what the actors are doing. “The first musical I ever did, I did not understand how much [dance instructor] Ms. Cory does in a dancing musical, and I had all these lace dresses for West Side Story, and they [the cast] were spinning on the floor, so every night I was fixing them all. So, I now know to do a lot more research into what they’re doing, I see their dances, I know who has quick changes.” As a part of the re-

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search process, Mrs. Moroney has to measure the cast members to get them adequately fitted into their costumes.

After she has gathered enough information, Mrs. Moroney checks to see what she has in the basement. The basement is this vast underground closet that houses all of the costumes including a staggering assemblage of 32 wedding dresses. Mrs. Moroney sifts through hoards of clothing from past productions or donations to find pieces that will fit for characters in the play. “We have quite a collection of donated things,” Mrs. Moroney explained.

“All of our leather jackets were donated. We have fur coats too that were donated. Tuxes. It has saved the school a lot of money.”

At this point, Mrs. Moroney has a pretty good idea of what she has to make. She is ready to buy the fabric. For big projects, like Les Misérables, this means going up to Los Angeles where the fabric is cheaper. After that, “I come home and hang it all up in the order I think I am going to use it and then one day I come in here and go ‘nah, I don’t like it like that.’”

In the week leading up to opening night, the colorful fabric samples are coating every surface, the array of sewing tools are strewn about the tables, and the almost-finished dresses only need

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ARTS their final stitches. It is in this hectic week that Mrs. Moroney realizes, “You never have enough time to do everything you want to. So, you’re working a lot under panic, and you’re worried that you’re not going to get it all done.”

You are sitting in those cushy maroon velvet chairs holding a playbook. The black leather boots click across the stage like the second hand of a clock. The strawberry Skittle red coattails swing with every exaggerated step.

Think about the planning, measuring, slicing, and stitching that went into that costume.

Mrs. Moroney made the customes for the 2017 fall play Pride and Preudice. Pictured: Ben Li (‘18) and CJ Delfino (‘18).

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ARTS

SENIORS LEAVING YOU ON RED Kendall Forte

Shoreline Mafia and Khalid songs echo throughout the rec room and onto the Quad, proclaiming prosperity to the hopeful juniors. Red depictions fill the walls, drawing focus away from intense ping pong tournaments and the swarm of maroon polos hovering around the Xbox. Overworked students lounge on the stained couches as senioritis begins to take hold.

The Class of 2019’s color, red, grabs attention and permeates every piece of rec room art. As curious outside eyes scan the walls, they wish to fully understand the meaning of the majestic paintings, from famous logos to a twenty-foot dragon. Over the summer, many seniors including Emma Monroy, Lulu Buckley, Sheila Kaiser, Cat Paul, Ali Collins, and Jonathan Zau visited the rec room to help fill the blank canvas. One of the three students in charge of painting the rec room, Layla Khazeni (‘19), highlighted her role as an organizer: “It took a lot of cooperation. One of the most important parts of finishing the rec room is making sure everyone cooperates, rather than just focusing on individual projects, and that’s how the rec room ended up looking cohesive rather than a compilation of separate paintings. However, it’s really important for people to become invested in their painting because that is what makes it fun.” Here are a few of the paintings that the seniors enjoyed crafting.

One of the class favorites is the XXXTentacion painting.

Khazeni stated, “The XXXTentacion was my most controversial painting in the rec room, but in some ways [that] made it more meaningful. Despite his troubled reputation, X and his music impacted me and other people in my grade. His music was a big part of our lives. Painting in the rec room one day, someone started playing one of his hits, ‘SAD!’ on the speaker, and I knew then that X deserves a spot on the rec room wall.”

Another piece of art the class takes pride in is the Larry the Lobster painting. Looking back on his summer work, Jared Littlefield (‘19) said, “I chose to paint Larry because Spongebob is my favorite TV show, and Larry is the only red character besides Patrick, who had already been painted. It was really hard to get the right shade of paint for Larry. His back and claws are really bright red, and his stomach is closer to salmon colored, so just finding the right mixture of colors took a long time. After that, it was just about making sure that I was following the picture closely.”

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Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

ARTS

As the room’s largest painting, The Red Dragon coils across the south wall with intricate, deep red scales and face. Emma Monroy (‘19), another one of the art representatives, explained her reasoning for the several foot long painting: “My favorite movie is Spirited Away, so I modeled this dragon after the dragon in the movie. I wanted to put something on the wall that I loved and that everyone else would also love. Another thing I kept in mind was that since red can be a harsh color to look at, I wanted to make a big painting that was soothing on the eyes, which is where the Dr. Seuss kind of style of painting came into play. I worked on it for ages since there was a lot of detail put into it that you only see if you get up close, so I would say it took me about 40 hours in the rec room (I took a lot of breaks). Even though it was a lot of work, I’m really proud of how it turned out.”

By painting iconic brands and characters, recreating classic pieces, and designing original works, the senior class captured its fiery spirit on the rec room’s sacred walls.

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CULTURE PROFILE: MR. KLEIN

S

ummer has slipped away and the new season of fall is upon us. The change of the seasons welcomes many new things including falling leaves, the rotations of colors, and a cool breeze in our La Jolla air. Change happens. Our Bishop’s campus has undergone a change, one that will bring a fresh atmosphere to middle school.

We welcome Mr. Harlan Klein as our new Head of Middle School, taking over for Dr. Carol Barry as she currently serves as the interim Head of School. Mr. Klein has a promising past in education, coming from 16 years of experience, and was most recently the principal of Muirlands Middle School, not far from Bishop’s. Dr. Barry stated, “He has been a middle school principal for a long time in the public school system so he has dealt with many of the same setbacks he might experience here.”

Besides his accomplished resumé, Mr. Klein is easy to work with yet directly states what he believes is best. “He is generous with his time and is a very level headed guy. I believe he will succeed in such a unique way and I am glad that he is getting out and involved in the community,” expressed Dr. Barry. Mr. Klein is open to all ideas and clearly understands how to work with his peers to raise the quality of any undertaking.

He declared that his experience at Bishop’s so far has been “nothing short of amazing as [he] has been supported by all and warmly welcomed into the community.” There are ups and downs to every story and Mr. Klein also 22

Maggie Keefe commented, “There is certainly a learning curve but everyone here is dedicated and proud of what they are accomplishing.” He, too, feels elated with what he has done so far, such as going out and meeting students, and proudly said that he has already made close connections with a variety of different people.

Mr. Klein is excited to work with his fellow leaders to accomplish a variety of things at Bishop’s: “I am giving myself time to observe and see what is happening at our school, and am ready to enhance and spotlight certain areas of growth.” One such area of growth is working more efficiently with both students and staff members to better the middle school experience.

From an athletic and artistic perspective, Mr. Klein is very pleased with what he sees already in place in the curriculum and stated, “Middle school is the ideal time to expose students to trying new things and exploring and challenging themselves to take risks… I know there is a strong focus to introduce students to areas they may not have otherwise pursued and in some cases they find out that they have some hidden passion or desire which could change the trajectory of their career.” Mr. Klein was obviously passionate about how important it is for students to try different things. He has clearly thought about the rotations before and the importance they have towards the students’ benefit.

Technology is another large aspect of Mr. Klein’s philosophy.

One of the things he is most excited about is getting to learn and Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

adapt to how the Bishop’s community uses technology. For middle school students, he understands and is cautious about the possible negative side effects of technology such as too much screen time or distraction. He looks forward to working with his fellow administrators on making sure that “learning expands when technology is used, rather than substituting it.”

In similar ways, he will be making sure that students are enjoying the technology and correctly adapting to what the best ways to use it.

As Mr. Klein transitions into the Bishop’s community, a new way of perceiving ideas follows him. He brings a fresh outlook towards all things middle school and having him on the administrative team will hopefully spring forward the strengths of the Bishop’s middle school program.

CULTURE PROFILE: REV. SIMOPOULOS-PIGATO Sophie Pilarski

H

aving moved from California to India, Haiti to South Africa, and Oregon to Hawaii, Reverend Nicole Simopoulos-Pigato finally joins us back in California at The Bishop’s School as School Chaplain.

Rev. Simopoulos grew up in Sacramento, California, with her Greek Orthodox family, where she was influenced by the Catholic sisters and priests at the all-girls St. Francis Catholic High School she attended. Drawn to the sisters’ lives of faith and selflessness, she was inspired to become a sister. While in the midst of discernment, the head nun requested that she experience an independent lifestyle at college before committing to the sisterhood.

Rev. Simopoulos almost became a doctor after high school. She attended Stanford University and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Human Biology. After college, Rev. Simopoulos worked in a hospital in India, giving medical care for the untouchables—peoples who are part of the lowest class in Hindu society and any person outside the caste system. Her dad and both of her brothers are doctors. “There was a lot of pressure to become a doctor, so that’s why I was on that pre-med track. But I always had this deep, deep calling when I was young to have some kind of religious vocation,” she said.

So, she decided to switch her career path. She spent a summer living with the nuns of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, working as a volunteer at their hospital and observing the nuns to see what their lives entailed. In Haiti, she met a Catholic priest who suggested that Rev. Simopoulos attend seminary, so she went to Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley and studied Liberation Theology. She applied for a Rotary Scholarship and won, allowing her to study her major at any university in the world; she chose to study theology in South Africa at the University of Natal.

“I knew, at that moment, that the Episcopal Church was a church I wanted to belong to.”

- Rev. Simopoulos

During a life-changing moment, Rev. Simopoulos was strolling through the city of Natal when she came across the Anglican Church, or the Episcopalian Church in America, and walked in on a female priest celebrating the Holy Eucharist. Her eyes lit up as she remembered thinking, “So here I saw this woman who was a priest, and in the Catholic and the Orthodox church you can’t be a priest if you’re a woman, so then I knew, at that moment, that the Episcopal Church was a church I wanted to belong to.”

Soon after, she became ordained in the Episcopal Church and was invited to shadow a priest at the Oregon Episcopal School, where she instantly fell in love with being a school chaplain. She spent ten years at the Oregon Episcopal School before moving to Washington D.C. for four years.

From there, she went on to the ‘Iolani School in Honolulu, where she was the chaplain and teacher of religious studies for five years.

Now that Rev. Simopoulos is back in California, she and her family are excited to be back home and closer to extended family. She’s thrilled to start a new path at Bishop’s, saying, “the faculty and staff are so nice, the kids are so nice, and everyone is coming into my office or after chapel telling me that they are happy that I am here. I love how engaged the students are, and that they actually talk in class, and the culture of kindness and a place of joy for faculty and staff.”

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CULTURE THE BISHOP’S HUNGER GAMES Carly Phoon

I

t’s 10:40 a.m: the start of milkbreak. A student arrives at the Bishop’s snack bar, which has already descended into chaos.

Armed with the weapon of choice—elbows— the student pushes through the crowd, making a beeline for the cornucopia: the baskets of pastries. The air is filled with loud talking, shrieks from elbows hitting their target, and wails from those who failed to grab the last cookie. Two harrowing minutes later, the student emerges from the chaos $3.00 poorer with a cinnamon roll in hand.

At the opposite corner of the quad, an identical scene plays out at the bookstore.

Almost 40% of the student population participates in the “Bishop’s Hunger Games” at milk break, according to the Director of the Bookstore, Ms. Erin Saldana. ~~~~~

Bishop’s has placed a few gentle restrictions on snacks over the years: The bookstore is not open during middle school lunch; ice cream is only available after school for events like Fun Fridays; candy is only sold after school, and will be discontinued once the remaining is sold; nothing containing nuts

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is sold due to allergies.

But in the big picture, snacks at Bishop’s are abundant and accessible. Students tell their name to the cashier, get their snack scanned, and then happily munch on their Goldfish crackers

“The people that make the decisions on how healthy the food is are the students.”

- Ms. Sara Sweet without a care in the world. What did that beep from the scanner do, again? Those snacks aren’t paying for themselves...

So, it’s understandable why some parents don’t have such a favorable impression Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

of the Bishop’s snack system.

Parents don’t get to indulge in the snacks, but they receive the monthly bill.

An anonymous

Bishop’s parent said with exasperation, “I don’t appreciate getting a bill at the end of every month for $85.00 of junk food.”

The parent then conceded that the food options at Bishop’s do offer the important learning process of self-restraint.

Unfortunately, when carried out at the bookstore or snack bar, that learning process is expensive for parents. The anonymous parent made clear that her exasperation isn’t directed towards the school.

She explained the situation in a nutshell: “This school allows for the opportunity to show good decision making and maturity, which my child doesn’t show.”

CULTURE

Director of Food Services Ms. Sara Sweet understands this common situation. “I think that it’s in our DNA to be attracted to salty, fatty, sweet foods. We have to learn to make decisions over some of those instincts, and that’s what people learn to do as they get older, hopefully.”

And the world beyond Bishop’s is full of decisions.

College will have virtually unlimited food options. Unintentionally, Bishop’s prepares kids for college by testing their resolve with rather expensive pastries. ~~~~~

The pastries cost anywhere from $1.50 to $3.00; Chips and other packaged foods cost anywhere from $1.00 to $2.50. Just how profitable is the snack market for the school?

The bookstore and snack bar actually don’t make a profit. (Whatever money made is reallocated to various on-campus institutions.) Their purpose is to contribute to the simple necessity of feeding students–which is not as simple as it seems. Food options have to be balanced between

what students should eat and what students want to eat. The school successfully balances that contradiction: Almost all students indulge in the healthy and tasty lunch every day. About half of the student population also buys the less healthy (but still tasty) food at the bookstore or snack bar, according to Ms. Saldana.

Ms. Sweet emphasized, “The people that make the decisions on how healthy the food is are the students. We can give you spinach all day, but if you don’t put it on your plate...”

So, what do students prefer over spinach? Goldfish and Mentos are the most popular items sold at the bookstore. Chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, and breakfast burritos are the most popular items sold at the snackbar. Regarding the snack selection, Ms. Saldana also said, “The kids really drive what we sell.” Altogether, there are about 350 transactions involving snacks per day. ~~~~~

Snacks might not be the most defining aspect of the school, but they’re still an integral part of the Bishop’s experience. Readily available snacks are often taken Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

for granted. Former Bishop’s student Rachel Luxton (‘20) reminisced, “I used to spend thirty dollars at the bookstore every month. I didn’t realize how much I took Bishop’s snacks for granted until I moved to Connecticut. I miss the bookstore.”

Rachel attested that snacks are beneficial if they’re used as an occasional supplement and not as a daily meal replacement. The occasional pack of bite-sized chocolate chip cookies won’t cause devastating health effects, but it can boost a student through the last period of the day.

Nonetheless, the school might subtly nudge students in the right direction, but they’re not going to govern what students eat. (The “Eat Healthy!” sign on the vending machine comically epitomizes this philosophy.)

Bishop’s provides options; students make choices.

Buying that $3.00 cinnamon roll was nobody’s choice but my own.

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CULTURE THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES Alina Kureshi

O

n the first floor of Bentham in room B3, history teacher Mr. Kamal Assaf walks over to the back of his room and reaches for a framed photo above the sink.

At first glance it looks like any other framed photo. However, it is actually a poem from one of his past ad-

ories behind each face.“It’s kinda cute to think those eighth graders are frozen in time. Now I think they are all college juniors,” says Mr. Assaf. He still talks to his past advisees occasionally.

Advisories have been a part of the Bishop’s community for as long as anyone has known. However, many

have a choice of friends or advisors with whom they could spend the next three years. But Dean of Students Mr. Michael Beamer states, “What interested me was that the feedback of that process was extraordinarily negative.

The students felt that one of the hallmarks of a Bishop’s experience is that

Academic Technology Coordinator Ms. Sara White’s advisory gathers around the table each morning to read the Daily Bulletin.

visees, Jake Chasan (‘16), who created the Bishop’s app. The poem is called “Ode to Buddy!” and encapsulates this advisory’s past memories and favorites, narrating the year as a flight aboard “Assaf Airlines.” He points out each student individually, explaining the mem-

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changes went into creating the advisory system which we know today. In the past, random groups were created for ninth graders, and then students were intentionally given the ability to give more input in tenth grade. For two or three years, students were allowed to

Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

a relatively random group of students gets thrown together in ninth grade and then over the course of four years learns to grow together, get along together and create this unique Bishop’s thing of a senior advisory that had really formed together over the course of

CULTURE

four years.”

Simply put by Mr. Beamer, “The purpose of advisory is to give students a small group of peers that they might not otherwise have a lot of contact with as an opportunity to gather together on a daily basis and travel through their Bishop’s experience together.” They are designed to be groups that are relatively random who meet for five minutes every morning and occasionally for enrichments.

Advisory was once a place that had zero curriculum at all; it was just a time to debrief, talk about the day, and have a snack. However, the advisory system is currently going through a phase where there is now a fair amount of curriculum. Mr. Beamer and Dr. Carol Barry, who is the Interim Head of School, want advisories to have the twenty first century skills and c o nv e r s at i o n s .

The purpose is to have students want to talk about big, important issues.

The topic of advisories is a prevalent conversation in the Bishop’s community. Yes, they indeed split up friend groups now, but students might be surprised at how few people switch

advisories. As Mr. Beamer shares with regard to students who switch advisories, he says, “Percentage wise it’s extraordinarily small. It most often happens between ninth and tenth grade year. If I had a student in here now who wanted to switch, a ninth grader who wanted to switch, I’d ask how urgent it was and suggest that the best time to do that and have that conversation with

change.”

But despite the positive numbers, is the advisory system itself meeting its intended goals? “It’s always a challenge because at times, it’s a very short interaction,” mentions Mr. Assaf.

“They come in the morning, you read the bulletin, you check on everybody, you take attendance then they leave… that’s it.

In some ways, there’s an official part of advisory that works and in some ways is artificial, because there isn’t a meaningful connection.

I know my students a lot better than I know my advisees. A class takes on a life that’s much deeper than an advisory, so that’s the challenge.” Advisory time can feel forced, while classes become a normal part of teacher’s and student’s routines. A hard part of that is the complicated schedule. There’s an inconsistency to it, meaning that students and advisors don’t have the same meeting time every single day, besides five minutes at the beginning of school.

The time might be artificial, but the people and memories aren’t.

“The students felt that one of the hallmarks of a Bishop’s experience is a relatively random group of students that gets thrown together in ninth grade.”

-Mr. Beamer

me is at the end of their ninth grade year. I want them to give their current advisory a shot. But if at the end of their ninth grade experience they say I’m just not connecting, I’m not comfortable, then over that summer between ninth and tenth grade I’d find a way to make a

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BEYOND

BORED OF NO REPRESENTATION Leah Parsons

S

eptember 30th, 2018. The pen glides across the page, leaving a scrawling black signature: “Edmund G. Brown Jr.” Senate Bill 826 is official, and a harsh line was drawn between supporters and non-supporters.

But what exactly does it mean?

SB 826, signed into law by California Governor Jerry Brown, establishes a quota for the number of women on corporate boards of directors. In an attempt to close the gender gap in the business industry, the law requires publicly traded corporations in California to have at least one woman on their board of directors by the end of 2019, and a certain proportion of women to men

by July of 2021. The compliance fine is $100,000 for the first violation and $300,000 for the second. Currently, one fourth of publicly traded companies in California do not have any women on their boards.

Brown, in his signing letter that he also sent to the U.S. Senate’s Judiciary Committee, stated, “I don’t minimize the potential flaws that indeed may prove fatal to [the bill’s] ultimate implementation.

Nevertheless, recent events in Washington, D.C.—and beyond—make it crystal clear that many are not getting the message.” The bill was passed three days after Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford’s Senate testimony.

These “potential flaws” include concerns about the qualifications of women introduced to boards for the sake of gender diversity and government overreach. These opposition

points, among others, could stir up enough resistance to lead to the bill’s cancelation. On the other hand, many people believe that the law might open the door for the future of women in business, ending the vicious cycle that many women are locked out of.

Ms. Annette Bradbury, President of the Bishop’s School Board of

not apply anyway: currently, out of 28 trustees, 18 are women. According to Ms. Bradbury, they have not had a significant problem balancing gender diversity, at least in recent years. They also attempt to maintain a 25 percent Episcopalian representation and look for “diversity of skillsets” as well as racial diversity.

Ms. Barbara Edwards, Vice President of the Board and projected to take over as president next year, thinks differently about the bill. “We are seeing evidence over time that the number of female CEOs is growing, so while I agree with the conclusion [that the law is attempting to bring about], I feel like it should happen organically and my biggest reason for this would be that [the quota] questions the qualifications of each of the women that are there already and those who follow,” she said.

Numerical disparities between men and women is exemplified in other areas as well as business, such as in the search for the new Head of School last year. Ms. Edwards explained, “Out of 30 vetted candidates, only seven of that number were women, which was disappointing to us to be honest because we would have hoped for more gender balance.” The numbers were so disconcerting to the Search Committee that they paused and revisited the seven applications, attempting to find other qualified women, but to no avail. “The statistic nationally for heads of independent schools is ten percent are female, so we were just around the average [during the search] but a little bit below,” con-

The compliance fine is $100,000 for the first violation of the bill, and $300,000 for the second.

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Trustees, fully supports the bill. “It seems that in the United States we really lag behind in getting women on boards, and if it takes some kind of incentive, whether it’s a law or financial incentive or something similar, I’d be in favor of it at least to get things to the point where corporate boards become self-fulfilling,” she said.

The Board of Trustees, as a nonprofit organization, is not affected by this law, although the bill would

Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

BEYOND tinued Ms. Edwards.

Dr. Regina Ballard, Chair of the Religion and Ethics Department at Bishop’s, believes that the problem is not about the number of qualified individuals, but the methods used to find them: “With more women obtaining post graduate degrees, the pool of qualified candidates is out there, but we all

need to be committed to setting aside our implicit biases and hire candidates who may not fit what society traditionally views as qualified.”

In the end, the fact is that a more diverse board is a better board.

Diversity of any kind (including gender) can bring new ideas and perspectives to a company, strengthening the

decisions made by the board. Forty-five percent of all companies on the Fortune 1000 in 2016 (an annual list of the 1,000 biggest American companies, ranked by revenue) had 20 percent or greater women on their board. Not quite equal, but a start.

California Governor Jerry Brown signed his letter on SB 826 on September 30, 2018.

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BEYOND KIDS THESE DAYS Sariah Hossain

I

t’s 1985. Michael Jackson is on the radio, Ronald Reagan is in office, Marty McFly is on the big screen, and leg warmers are worn unironically. People clutch newspapers and print magazines over their morning coffee and tune into the newborn news channel CNN after work.

It’s 2004. Avril Lavigne dictates fashion choices, the Twin Towers have fallen, Apple is rolling out the first iPods, and American Idol finales get as many votes as presidential elections. The Internet grows more popular, Facebook is born, and information is more accessible than it has ever been before.

It’s 2018. Women drive in Saudi Arabia, Kendrick Lamar wins the Pulitzer Prize for DAMN., hashtags trend for every social movement, and Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed to the Supreme Court.

Meet Generation Z. Born between 1995 and 2012 and ranging from ages six to twenty-three, Gen Z is poised to become the largest and most influential generation to date. Every current Bishop’s student is a member of this group and are some of the first to have grown up as digital natives. We’re constantly exposed to information and news from a variety of outlets in every aspect of our lives. How do we engage with the news? How does it impact us? How should it?

Out of 84 upper school survey respondents, 88 percent answered that they discuss current events in their classes. As explained in the 21st Century Citi-

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Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

zenship philosophy, Bishop’s aims to cultivate globally aware students–a mission that seems to be well-accomplished. In a separate question, only 7.1% responded that they consider themselves uninformed.

As independent as students might imagine themselves, teachers curate the information presented in classes and decide the manner in which to present it. They speak on events going on in the world; for the most part, this only happens when big news occurs—something influential, something important.

Chair of the Religion and Ethics Department Dr. Regina Ballard streamed parts of the Kavanaugh hearing on the day it took place. When asked about her decision to do so, she said, “It was more so because the students were asking questions. It was maybe a 40/60 split, 40 percent of the kids knew what was going on and felt strongly one way or the other, and other students were, ‘what are you talking about?’ What then made it interesting is to, as much as possible, show both sides to it.”

Addressing current events in class, especially hot-button issues, gives students a safe space to discuss, debate, question, learn. “It’s important, whether I agree with a particular position or not,” Dr. Ballard affirmed. “I think our role as educators are for students to think, and to explore, and to be supported.”

The Kavanaugh hearing was one such ‘hot-button’ issue, and some students benefited from the opportunity to

BEYOND

deliberate in classes. “My class was very interested that we got to have the experience to share our views on controversial issues,” shared Neal Mehta (‘21) from Dr. Ballard’s Feminism: A Biblical Perspective class.

Yasha Kharrati (‘20) said, “Most kids knew something [about the Kavanaugh case]. He was a justice, there were allegations against him, he was confirmed. But I think looking at what this means is just as important as hearing it mentioned outside of class.”

Immersion in conversations about prominent news stories can lead students to better understand their significance and implications, on both personal and societal scales. As Gen Z will soon leave school to enter college and the workforce, global and political awareness is of paramount importance.

But even as we absorb articles and breaking news tweets, do we know what to make of them? To some extent, the trouble with Generation Z is the media age into which we were born. 52 percent of Bishop’s survey respondents get news from social media, and 42 percent get it from online newspapers. Consequently, we often assume there is bias or unreliability in the news we’re consuming. Director of Diversity and Community Life Mr. David Thompson puts it well: “We have trained ourselves to say, ‘What I’m reading is already biased. Somewhere else out there is another source that will counter this, and it’s my responsibility to find some sort of truth in the middle.’”

But the line is thin between cynicism and blind faith towards news media, and it is difficult to walk. As critical as it is to engage with current events, we must be smart about it.

Even so, the pursuit of truth, of knowl-

“The pursuit of truth, of knowledge, and of information that will make the world better is one of Gen Z’s most defining traits.” edge, and of information in pursuit of making the world better is one of Gen Z’s most defining traits.

According to Forbes Magazine, 60 percent of Gen Z say they want to change the world in their lifetimes, compared to 39 percent of millennials.

This article you’re reading is a piece of news. This magazine is bursting with it. The phone in your backpack is a reservoir of it. Take care to understand it. In the long run, it’s your greatest ally.

Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

31

OPINION HIGH-INCOME HIGH SCHOOL Sara Michael

L

a Jolla has been repeatedly ranked as one of the wealthiest towns in the nation. According to a 2018 census by Niche, the median household income in La Jolla is around $134,000, which is 218 percent of the national median of $61,372.

Families in La Jolla benefit from some of the best public and private schools in the state, and for a lot of these families, it’s not hard to give back to these local schools.

Last year, the Bishop’s auction titled, “Bamboleo, a Knight in Spain, Olé” raised a staggering one million dollars for faculty professional growth and financial aid.

Bishop’s is no anomaly when it comes to donations. In 2012 alone, fundraisers brought in roughly $2.4 million to the La Jolla public schools. Located just 30 minutes south of La Jolla, El Cajon’s public school’s net donations provide a stark contrast. According to a 2012 article published by Voice of San Diego, the Hoover public school in El Cajon, where the median income is roughly $46,000, raised around $23,000 that year.

Sadly, there’s nothing surprising about the inequity in donations; wealthy parents from wealthy towns can afford to donate to their children’s schools.

It’s understandable that parents want to support their children’s education, but there can also be unintended drawbacks. Bishop’s is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit orga-

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nization, meaning that it is a tax-exempt, charitable organization. But charities like these do not provide aid for the less privileged—in fact, oftentimes nonprofit organizations widen the gap between the rich and poor.

In his Op-Ed for The New York Times titled “Not Very Giving,” Professor of Political Science at Stanford University, Rob Reich, explains these unintentional effects.

He says, “By lowering the taxes of the donor and diminishing the tax revenues that would otherwise have been collected and partly distributed to rich and poor schools alike, Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

federal and state governments are in effect subsidizing the charitable activity of parents who donate to their child’s school.”

Parent donations to schools are just one aspect that contributes to the widening gap between the rich and the poor with regards to education. There’s a bleak contrast between government funding in higher income neighborhoods and lower income neighborhoods. According to the U.S. Department of Education, higher-income districts spend 84.4% more per student than lower-income districts. The discrepancies occur for the most part

COVER STORY because public school districts in many towns in America are partially funded by local property taxes, so higher income neighborhoods, where the houses are worth more, can raise more money for their schools.

This past February, The Washington Post published an article written by an entire faculty in New York City, titled “This Is What Inadequate Funding at a Public School Looks and Feels Like—As Told by an Entire Faculty.” In the article, one of the quoted teachers described the effects of budget cuts at her under-funded school. She said, “Every year, as our class sizes grow, it gets harder to give students the meaningful feedback that they need throughout the writing process.”

More locally, Kendall Lincoln (‘19), who attended Muirlands Middle School between sixth and eighth grade, said that she noticed a difference in the facilities between Muirlands and other middle schools where she had sports games. She said, “[Muirlands] was nicer because it was cleaner, a little more colorful, and fields were redone.”

Many of the inequities found in the San Diego School System can be traced back to how public school systems were originally molded in the United States in the 19th century. For decades, gender, race, socioeconomic status, or religion etc. greatly influenced the type of education a child received.

An article published by The Atlantic, titled “How Brown v. Board of Education Changed—and Didn’t Change—American Education” described the inequalities in scholastic opportunities that remain years

the nicest private schools in the nation, we should reflect on our privilege and ask ourselves what it might be like to attend a school other than Bishop’s.

This geographic inconsistency in student’s quality of education exacerbates inequality. after Brown vs. Board of Education.

It said, “Racial and economic isolation remains daunting: One recent study found that three-fourths of African-Americans and two-thirds of Hispanics attend schools where a majority of the students qualify as low-income.”

This geographic inconsistency in student’s quality of education exacerbates inequality, and it defeats the idea that every person in America has a fair chance to excel in a quality school.

It’s never easy to put ourselves in the shoes of other people, but if any issue compelled us to do so, this might be the one. For many students around the nation, overcrowded, underfunded classrooms are a reality that they have to face everyday. But as students at one of

Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

33

SECTION TITLE GOES HERE

The Bell

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Author

Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

S ENestled Cinside T theI Bishop ON

Johnson Tower is a bell.

TITLE GOES HEREview and hardly ever rung, evThough tucked away from eryone knows itAuthor 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.

Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

35 On October 4, Bishop’s celebrated its annual Blessing of the Animals.

HOROSCOPES Michelle Wang

Aries: March 21 - April 19 The Ram

Aries are trendsetters and never follow others’ footsteps. But beware, your spontaneous personality may attract trouble; remember this before sprinting across the senior lawn. And as self-reliant and individualistic as you are, this is the time to bond with your advisory, or spend some time getting to know your teachers better; they might even raise that unattractive test score.

Taurus: April 20 - May 20 The Bull

Reliable and hard-working, a Taurus is always continually driven by willpower. You are usually the responsible one in the friend group. However, your reliance on stability makes you uncomfortable with change. Try joining a table with someone new at lunch and make a new friend. Confess your feelings through a peer support acknowledgement, or even through a love letter. Lara Jean did it, so you can too.

Gemini: May 21 - June 20 The Twins

Geminis are curious and affectionate, and you have a side of energetic playfulness. However, this desire for excitement and drama can make you the origin of gossip. Sometimes, it is better to drink the tea rather than to spill it. Now is the time to renew and transform. Maybe do something like confront your friend and apologize for that nasty argument; you know it’s been long overdue.

Cancer: June 21 - July 22 The Crab

Cancers are passionate people with incredible emotional intelligence. You also hold a wide range of colorful emotions. However, these emotions often get bottled up inside you with the risk of erupting at any given moment. It is healthy to let your emotions out, and now is the perfect time to rant about your feelings. All you have to do is grab a friend and some dining hall chocolate milk, and you are good to go.

Leo: July 23 - August 22 The Lion

Bold and ambitious, Leos are usually the obvious leaders of the pack. Regina George was probably a Leo. However, there are times when you should settle down and soften that roar. Listen to others, and reflect on yourself. So although you are used to dominating group projects, it might be someone else’s chance to shine. And don’t worry about losing your authority; you’ll never lose your place in the spotlight.

Virgo: August 23 - Sept. 22 The Maiden

Virgos are perfectionists that are notorious for always having high standards, you focus on even the smallest matters. Your locker looks like a library, and your Google Drive looks like a university archive. However, try to lighten yourself up. Go outside, or get wild at a party; stop getting caught up in the details. Your hard work will still remain right where you left it.

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Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

Libra: Sept. 23 - October 22 The Scales

Diplomatic and kind, Libras are always willing to put others before themselves. Yet there are times when you neglect your own needs due to being caught up in others’. It is time for you to stop worrying and learn to not say “yes” to every request.

Express your own opinions. And while you are busy matchmaking for your friends, you might even consider to do the same for yourself.

Scorpio: Oct 23 - Nov 22 The Scorpion

Scorpios are passionate and independent, and never shy away from a debate; they can dominate any roast battle. Your opponent really shouldn’t even try. But often times, in an attempt to appear tough, you avoid your internal feelings. This could be the time for you to express your bottled up emotions. Talk to your friends, family, teachers. Learn to let go; there are always people here to support you.

Sagittarius: Nov 23 - Dec 22 The Archer

A Sagittarius is never afraid to wander away from the pack. You spill an endless amount of ideas; no wonder your Notes app is a mess. But, asking for help is something you aren’t used to and may become an issue in the long run. Resolving every comment on your Google Doc may not be the best solution; learn to take in suggestions from other people. Finding people to collaborate with your ideas will definitely lead to the end result of achieving something great.

Capricorn: Dec 23 - Jan 20 The Sea-Goat

Capricorns always get what they set their mind to, and are responsible and disciplined. But sometimes, your high standards can cause you to be hard on yourself and others. You often stress over the smallest things, like a bad quiz score. It’s time to click pause on Post Malone. Find the root of your stress and make a change. And remember that being overly-critical of yourself will differ negatively in the long-run.

Aquarius: Jan 20 - Feb 18 The Water Bearer

Original and humanitarian, an Aquarius is a highly intellectual person who sees the world as full of possibilities. And while you strive off of independence; now is the perfect time to associate yourself with the people around you. “Teamwork makes the dream work”, right?

Pisces: Feb: 18 - Mar 20 The Fish

As compassionate people, Pisces can always be found immersed in the company of different personalities. However, you can be overly trusting. Keep in mind that the more you trust others, the higher risk you face of getting hurt. Eliminate those fake friends and let go of unhealthy relationships that might stop you from achieving the best for yourself.

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Bishopians Seen Reading The Tower

Graham Cartwright (‘19) 38

(Left to Right) Hannah Liang (‘25) and Selene Wang (‘25) Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

SECTION TITLE GOES HERE Author

A group of seventh grade boys

Eli Browne (‘23)

(Left to Right) Arman Samimi (‘20) and DyalnLödl (‘20) Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

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Ask

LIV

ONE

L:

K:

Wow, senior year! I can feel my own High School Musical coming to a close and honestly, I am excited. It’s a funny term, “senior,” because we are the same people we were last year; our frontal lobes are just as undeveloped as the rest of Bishop’s students’. So what makes seniors so iconic? The maroon polo? Off campus privileges? Senioritis? The Rec Room? All these “privileges” are high key some of my biggest struggles. #ripLiv For example, the maroon polo is just a colored polo, but I still sweat profusely no matter the color of the polo. Off campus privileges are exciting, but knowing myself I will forget to sign out, and God forbid I end up back in the Disciplinary Committee.

As for senioritis, I feel that my last four years could be considered a symptom of senioritis, so this year, I have to work my butt off to thrive and get into Harvard… because that’s a rational goal, right? As for privileges, the rec room is hot, and for sweaty girls, like Ken and me, heat is not our friend… and neither is the smell of hamburger meat embedded in the carpet.

I think senior year is what you make of it. My advice: make the most of it, even if you come across some #struggles.

WISH ME LUCK. One more year, and then I am a free woman. WOOOOO!

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&

I’ve anticipated senior year since I first came to Bishop’s in sixth grade. From the maroon polos to the loud rec room music, I couldn’t wait. I grew up looking at the seniors as if they were scary, huge adults. Now that I’ve barely made it to senior year, I can say that it was worth the wait. The senior rec room has music, couches, and ping pong tournaments. What is better than that? Every day in the rec room seems like a party minus the fun stuff.

Senior year also holds more freedom; I am able to leave campus without being exposed by Ms. K and my parents. I have already started the countdown to graduation. After seven years of drudging through homework and tests, I am excited to leave, but also find myself unable to comprehend what life will be like outside of this small private school. Will college live up to my senior year? Will I even make it in college? No, but I’m gonna try! #LiveFastDieYoung

Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

Questions: 1. What are the perks of being a senior? -Sammie Stone (‘20) 2. What is the point of our existence? -Anon 9th grader 3. Blondes or Gingers? -Caroline Alleyne (‘19)

K EN

TWO

As I stated in the second edition of Ask Liv, humans’ purpose is to produce babies.

L: So since we are never content with what we were created to do, I’ll try to help you out. The only

motivational quote I can remember at the moment is one I stole from senior Lulu Buckley. One night while eating Panda Express (#queen) Lulu came across an inspiring message folded between the crisp shell of her fortune cookie. After reading it, she quickly taped it to her wall. The fortune read: “Don’t just exist, live.” So maybe, anonymous freshman, you have existed all these years without living. Since “live” practically is my name, I will suggest some ideas for you to channel this new motto.

Living is about being spontaneous and doing things that may seem unacceptable. You can only learn about yourself by messing up here or there… I know from experience.

I’m not advising you to do drugs or any of that disgusting stuff, but maybe get on top of a table in the library and sing your favorite song! If you’re not catching my vibes, then create a bucket list of things you want to achieve before high school is over. Make your existence mean something! Consider checking off each activity as important as having a baby…. Cause you’re not existing if you are not living! #DEEP

THREE L:

Duh, Blondes! What would society be without dumb blonde jokes?

Even the Kardashians are going blonde… it’s the obvious answer.

K:

Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

Gingers! We are rare and give off a leprechaun vibe.# Tea.

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Top Ten Author

PUMPKIN CARVING 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Ideas

Your worst nightmare: a ‘B’ in Core Math

The Dungeon . . .if you even know who’s on it anymore

A portrait of your crush #ghostingseason

“You Raise Me Up”

Your #SustainableBish photo entry

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6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

A squad pic in constrapposto @ AP Art History

Your favorite meme

José Martí

Scott Dyvig the Absolute Legend

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The Bee Movie Script

P H O T O

SECTION

Editor-in-Chief Letter — Page 3, Art by Vikki Chu Table of Contents — Pages PC: Gavin TITLE4-5, GOES HEREZau Author

ACADEMIC Restless Knights — Pages 6-7, Art by Carly Phoon (‘20) SPORTS Knight Knocked Down: A Road to Recovery — Pages 8-9, Photo courtesy of Tyler Buchner (‘21) and Art by Carly Phoon (‘20) Commitment Issues — Pages 10-11, Art by Lucie Edwards (‘21) Bishbowl Spread — Pages 12-13, PC: Isabelle Kenagy (19) ARTS Ashley Jay — Pages 14-15, Art by Ashley Jay (‘19) Fall Play — Pages 16-17, PC: Gavin Zau Custom Costumes — Pages 18-19, Photos courtesy of bishops.com Seniors Leaving You on Red — Pages 20-21, PC: Kendall Forte (‘19) CULTURE Mr. Klein — Page 22, PC: Maggie Keefe (‘21) Rev. Simopoulos-Pigato — Page 23, PC: Sophie Pilarski (‘21) The Bishop’s Hunger Games — Pages 24-25, Art by Carly Phoon (‘20) The First Five Minutes — Pages 26-27, PC: Alina Kureshi (‘22) BEYOND Bored of No Representation — Pages 28-29, PC: Leah Parsons (‘19) OPINION Kids These Days — Pages 30-31, Art by Sariah Hossain (‘22) High-Income High School — Pages 32-32, Art by Sara Michael (‘19) THE BELL The Bell Cover — Pages 34-35, Photo courtesy of bishops.com Horoscopes — Pages 36-37 Bishopians Seen Reading The Tower — Page 38, PC: Isabelle Kenagy (‘19) Ask Liv & Kendall — Pages 40-41, PC: Olivia Ralph (‘19) Top Ten — Page 42, Art by Carly Phoon (‘20) Front and back cover art thanks to Carly Phoon (‘20) Issue 03 • October 2018 • The Tower

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