Issue 05 2023

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Tower THE In This Issue Service True Crime 16 Chat GPT 20 Sports Superstitions 08,18 10

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PHILOSOPHY

The Tower is a student-run publication at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, CA. Writers and editors work together under the guidance of a faculty advisor to enhance the Bishop’s community and stimulate meaningful conversation through the collection and distribution of news. The Tower aims to educate the Bishop’s community about issues and events that pertain to the experience of young adults. Sections of The Tower include Campus, Arts, Sports, Culture, Local & Beyond, Opinion, and The Bell. The Tower prints multiple issues each academic year, in addition to continuous online content.

POLICY

The Tower refrains from prior review of its issues, and maintains the right to publish anonymous quotes when the privacy of the individual is a concern. All quotes are subject to editing for clarity and length. Opinions expressed in The Tower do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or of the Bishop’s School.

COLOPHON

The Tower is printed by Streeter Printing Company in Mira Mesa, CA. The Staff uses Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator to arrange photographs and graphics, and distributed 300 copies of Issue 05 to the Bishop’s community. Typefaces include Saonara for the cover; Public Sans for the headlines, bylines, and subtitles; Minion Pro for the body text. Issue 05 and previous issues of The Tower are available digitally on issuu.com.

THE BELL

The Bell is a section of The Tower that intends to serve as a relief from the depth of the magazine. Satire, puzzles, quizzes, and the like are frequent inside The Bell.

CONTRIBUTORS

Editors-in-Chief

Leila Feldman

Crystal Li

GraphicsEditor

Isadora Blatt

Online Editor

Spencer Ralph

StoryEditors

Sydney Chan

Summer Hu

CopyEditor

Bella Gallus

Staff Writers

Aiden Afshar

Nora Bitar

Ben Brown

Camille Greenlee

David Lai

Lucy Marek

Lisa Pan

Emeraude Westlake

Melanie Yau

FacultyAdvisor

Ms. Laine Remignanti

CONTACT

The Tower

c/o The Bishop’s School 7607 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037

www.thebishopstower.com

thetower@bishops.com

IG @thebishopstower

TW @thebishopstower

With recent developments in artificial intelligence, our relationship with technology in our everyday lives is constantly evolving. In this issue, Lucy Marek (‘25) explores how Chat GPT may prove beneficial or detrimental to the classroom and beyond.

social media

Instagram: @thebishopstower

Spotify: @thebishopstower

Website: www.thebishopstower.com

Talk to us, Bishop’s!

The Tower is so excited to announce our new Guest Writers web-section, featuring each of your unique stories! We want to hear your voices and amplify them. If you’re interested in writing an article for The Tower, please reach out to thetower@bishops.com. We will consider writing that aligns with our philosophy, meets our ethical standards, and serves our community. We look forward to connecting with you and bringing your stories to life!

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Dear Bishop’s,

As I sit at another Tower meeting layout out this coming issue, in front of fragrant garlic knots and cinnamon bites, it seems that all is good. At this moment, my mind is not necessarily on my coming economics test or English paper, nor how contradictingly sunny and cold it is outside, but on that warm, fuzzy feeling I get from seeing roundtable smiles and chatter.

Senior year is weird. We are finally the oldest, most experienced, and dare I say coolest, students in high school, looking forward to a big life transition to college in just mere months. And yet, there is this unspoken uncertainty in the air that goes beyond college decisions or current friendships — how are we going to looking back on this time of highs and lows? More importantly, what are we going to remember? My senior, junior, and even underclassmen friends can vouch for my seemingly sudden sappiness in recent times. As I piece together my Dot Dot and chuckle at peers’ names for Senior superlatives, I cannot stop thinking about this bittersweet period of my life.

The Tower has talked a lot in the past couple of months about the double-edged sword journalistic responsibility wields. As reporters, we strive to spur enriching conversations while maintaining the ethical premise of validity — this sentiment goes hand in hand with something we discussed a lot last year: the idea that journalism is the first draft of history. Unlike textbooks and traditional newspapers, The Tower seeks to capture human sentiment and reflection whilst maintaining its warmth in our pages; this way, in a few years or so, dear future reader, you’d remember alongside us.

With this idea in mind, I introduce to you Issue 05, another first draft of our history. Sophomore Lucy Marek’s cover article about ChatGPT encapsulates the first conversations surrounding an AI software of many sure to come; junior Sydney Chan’s work on sports superstitions highlights timeless tokens likely seen on the court years from now; junior Spencer Ralph’s investigative look into service culture and Emeraude Westlake’s analysis of on-campus donations poses timeless questions about an integral part of our school life. I also appreciate freshman Melanie Yau’s piece about student commuters — as usual, Tower writing is made infinitely better by enriching conversations we hold as a staff. Of course, I was especially intrigued by junior Bella Gallus’s writing on the correlation between social media and crimes as it relates to my article’s exploration of ethical true crime consumption; both present an important question in adolescent life today: how can we continue to navigate ethics in a world of social media and digital entertainment?

Again, there is just so much happening every day of our lives. Whether you are a student or faculty member on campus, each passing moment is unique — try to find your own way of documentation. The Tower, as it has been for many, many years, will continue the act of recording and reflecting — I am ever so proud to be a part of that.

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4 CONTENTS || ISSUE 05
16 18 Bella Gallus Is True Crime a True Crime? Exploring the ethical boundaries of true crime entertainment Crystal Li A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Message Go Down At Bishop’s bake sales, desserts incentivize students more than the cause itself Emeraude Westlake Internet Sleuths Chase The Truth Citizens using social media can interfere with professional investigations OPINION 14 10 Sporting Superstitions SPORTS Athletes and fans alike practice superstitions — but why? Sydney Chan 06 CAMPUS Beyond the Bubble How long commutes affect students’ lives Melanie Yau Service Hours: For Kindness or Credit? Investigating student service at Bishop’s Spencer Ralph 08 12 13 LOCAL & BEYOND “A Little Birdie Told Me” How the health and wellness-focused Parakeet Cafe has helped its owners and the local community grow Nora Bitar Smallgoods: A Bite of Quality Smallgoods owners Mr. and Mrs. Eastwood have a cheese story to tell! Lisa Pan Chat GPT: The Good, The Bad, and the Plagarism Teachers respond to the growing usage of ChatGPT COVER STORY 20 Lucy Marek 23 Top Ten Sydney’s Suggestions Brunch in San Diego THE BELL 22
This photo was taken by Sydney Chan (‘24) at Niagara Falls in Buffalo, New York.

BEYOND THE BUBBLE

How long commutes affect students’ lives

When you live far away from school, time becomes your biggest enemy. Whether that means waking up much earlier, going to sleep later, or not having time to do the things you love, long commutes are a challenge many Bishop’s students face. Although commuting can lead to much tighter schedules, some students have been able to take advantage of the long commutes and even learn to appreciate them.

Senior Raynall Thornton explained that he caught up on homework during his long commute to school. “Because I lose so much time commuting to and from school, I try to be productive while I’m in the car,” Raynall explained. Even a cumulative hour of commuting makes a huge difference in a student’s schedule, and students have learned to use the time in the car in creative ways. Raynall described, “Most of the time I

you bombarding you with song requests or trying to tell you jokes, homework in the car is nearly impossible.” But doing homework in the car isn’t the only option. Raynall explained that balancing homework or sleep is a challenge and that one always has to be sacrificed, so with a packed schedule, sometimes it is more effective to do things that decrease your stress. Leela Zaveri-Tabb (‘25) explained, “I’ve come to utilize the longer commute, oftentimes to just relax.” Leela also explained how she uses the commute to eat breakfast, and “talk and joke around with [her] family.”

Long commutes lead to less sleep and time to do homework, but living far away from school can affect your social life and doing the things you love as well. “I missed out on a lot of memories just because I didn’t live in La Jolla,” Raynall explained. “My friends would plan something sponta-

happen.

In addition to social life, sports, and extracurricular activities can also be impacted. Gerard Blake (‘24) explained, “all of my time-consuming extracurricular activities died in my high school years.” Gerard loves tennis, but when he went to high school, he realized if he played tennis after school, he would get home at 7:30, “This meant I would go to bed extremely late, and for my own mind, became impossible to do.” It can be challenging trying to fit so much into little time, getting enough sleep for school the next day, finishing homework on time, making time for relaxation, and still having a memorable high school experience. With students at Bishop’s living in roughly 50 zip codes, and more students living outside of La Jolla than inside of La Jolla, these are troubles many students experience.

listen to audiobooks for a book I’m reading in English, listen to youtube videos about a historic event I’m learning about in history, or listen to a podcast in Spanish.”

Oliver Morrison (‘25) agreed with Raynall, and explained, “In the car, I’m usually cramming in some homework that I didn’t get done the prior day.” Zoe Yi (‘25) added, “The long car ride usually isn’t bad because I have a significant chunk of time to do homework.” Although homework is one of the most popular ways to be productive in the car, some students disagree.

Sydney Mafong (‘26) said, “with three screaming little siblings right behind

neously, and it would work out for everyone just because they all lived relatively close to one another. For me, however, getting to La Jolla was a whole process… I couldn’t always tag along with my friends.”

This is hard for everyone who lives farther away from school, but especially for younger students that do not have their licenses. Leela added, “I have had to skip things in the past because of how far I live from my peers. Sometimes my parents won’t have enough time to take me all the way there and back.” Making memories with friends is a key point of high school, but with these long commutes, it can’t always

“For a while, my social life wasn’t the best, along with my mental health, and I was constantly tired,” Raynall explained. Sydney also mentioned that her sleep schedule is really messed up because of the long commute. She explained, “I get so tired on the ride home that I end up napping in the car and not waking up until around 6 p.m.….it’s such a vicious cycle, I’m relying more and more on naps.”

Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice (DEIJ) Mr. David Thompson, asked two students about their schedules, and he explained, “The student who lives in La Jolla said they wake up at 7:45 am

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“Driving this far has become a big part of my life and in a way has made me who I am.”
“Driving this far has become a big part of my life and in a way has made me who I am.”
– Raynall Thornton (‘23)

and leave at 8:05. The student who takes the bus wakes up at 6:00 am to leave their house at 6:40 to drive to the bus stop. Each student arrives at school on time for advisory in the morning; however one is afforded over an hour of extra sleep in the morning, assuming they each go to bed at the same reasonable hour.”

Although living farther away from school is tough and the commute can be hours long, students love where they live. “I like living in a neighborhood with other Latinos as that creates a sense of community I personally would not find in La Jolla,” Gerard explained. Leela also explained, “Where I live fits me, and over time I’ve begun to appreciate it even more.”

The distances away from school are not all that bad either. Oliver laughed, “If I’m going to a concert or maybe Knott’s Berry Farm or something then finally I get to be the one with a shorter drive.” Leela added, “I don’t have to think as much about seeing people that I know from school at the grocery store, out and about, or in other scenarios like that that I find can be awkward.”

Although waking up earlier and having much less time is stressful, students have learned to appreciate the commute. Raynall explained, “driving this far has become a big part of my life and in a way has made me who I am…I’ve learned to adapt, not complain as much, and just go with the flow of things.” Students have little control of where they live, or as Mr. Thompson suggested, even where they go to school. Raynall concluded “If you asked me a year ago I would likely say I would prefer to live closer. But now, I am content with where I live…it has taught me a lot of lessons.”

Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Mr. David Thompson’s map in the DEIJ room is an impressive representation of the commutes of students from Bishop’s and shows where all Bishop’s students live with color-coded pins for grade-levels.

Photo courtesy of Melanie Yau (‘26)

SERVICE HOURS: FOR KINDNESS OR CREDIT?

Period Poverty Project, the Lucky Ducklings, Community Service Initiative, and Melodies for Remedies are just a few of the many student-based service organizations at Bishop’s. In fact, 49 different clubs applied to become official service clubs this past year. This should signal a clear passion for service among Bishop’s students. And yet, as of February, The Tower found that around 23 percent of these new clubs are no longer active in service. This raises the question, what really drives service learning?

The Upper School Guide for Community Service (available on the Student Resources page) states, “The service program guides students to find meaningful and consistent service projects through their personal interests and passions.” Students are required to fulfill a 20-hour-a-year — 10 each semester — service requirement. At a well-funded private school like Bishop’s, students are able to use their resources to attempt to rake in the benefits — like developing character and empathy — of service and even have the guidance of Director of Community Service Mrs. Jackie Gomez. Since coming to Bishop’s eight years ago, Mrs. Gomez has made it her mission for the School’s service to be “face-to-face, hands-on projects making an immediate difference.” The Upper School Guide for Community Service also states, “Projects lead students to develop meaningful relationships, have mindful self-reflection, and have the compassion to serve others.”

Mia Gaspar (‘24), a leader in the

Bishop’s Lucky Ducklings, believes that service “helps [her] understand and feel more connected to the people that are around [her].” She believes that “it has become an essential part of [her] life and gives [her] a big feeling of purpose.”

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“Is service at Bishop’s perfect? No,” explained Mrs. Gomez. But Mrs. Gomez, over her time at Bishop’s, has refined the service curriculum and requirements.

Mrs. Gomez explained that about a decade ago, service was seen as something that you have to get done, instead of something that provides purpose to students and aid to those served. In fact, Bishop’s students used to be able to bring money into the school to wear jeans on Fridays and buy an hour of service for their requirements.

“Good service is really inconvenient,” claimed Mrs. Gomez. “Although there is some need to serve our local community and our school community, there is great[er] need beyond our La Jolla bubble,” which could mean that you have to drive 40 to 45 minutes away to participate in a service event, according to Mrs. Gomez. Despite a potential long commute to service projects, Mrs. Gomez explained, “This is where students can make the most impact and serve others that they do not encounter everyday.”

urthermore, most are aware that community service plays a surprisingly impactful role in college

missions. A Forbes article by Derek Newton published in 2018 reported that 53 percent of most college admissions officers use community service as a “tie-breaker” if students have equal applications in factors such as their GPA, standardized test scores, and transcript. It is more than possible that students at Bishop’s could “fake”service hours, with no genuine intent of serving one’s community, to push their application over the edge.

A student’s service work could be a key aspect of their college application: it could even be the reason why they get it in. So some students might conclude, why not create a service organization for the credit, without doing the actual service?

At an all-school assembly last semester, several upper school students explained their idea for the Social Innovation Competition, titled “Bloom,” an app that provides links to certain websites that guide those in need to shelters, food banks, and other helpful r

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Spencer Ralph Investigating student service at Bishop’s

resources.

A couple days later, Senior Phoebe Paradez wrote a guest Daily Urinal piece for the twenty-second issue of the year, titled “Bloom: A Think Piece.” In her article, Phoebe explained how people constantly put too much on their plates, leading to “superficial charity work done on campus.” She further reflected on the idea that students’ service work, including the innovators of “Bloom,” is for the sole purpose of being able to say “you did it.” Bloom innovators and Mrs. Gomez declined to comment about the controversy for this article. However, in a Daily Urinal article in the twenty-fourth issue of the year, titled “Bloom: A Response,” Mrs. Gomez expressed her thoughts behind the idea of Bloom. In the article, she states, “[the innovators] didn’t create Bloom to put on their college applications or to get some service hours, but because they genuinely are passionate about this cause.” She continued, explaining, “If we all could do

this, think of the impact that we would have. And so I ask you, what issues are you passionate about, and what are you doing about it?”

Although Mrs. Gomez disagrees with Phoebe’s argument, Mrs. Gomez understands the hustle of creating a service club for your own college application. “At the end of the day, you are all going to college,” Mrs. Gomez stated. “If we are doing something that gives us purpose, we are passionate about, and we are consistently putting in effort and energy into the cause that we are involved in, you should put that on your application.” She clarified, “if you are creating something to put on your college essay, that’s different.”

Mrs. Gomez believes that the new system through Treedom allows for a more thorough reflection, since it requires longer responses and offers more questions to answer. Six to eight sentences are the minimum amount for students to thoroughly reflect on their experience, according to Mrs. Gomez. “Really really write about your experience and what you took away,” she explained. She asks students to dig deep into their answers, keeping the questions, “Why are you there? Why are you passionate about it?”

and “How does this give me purpose?” in mind.

As of right now, the system currently used to log service hours at Bishop’s is here to stay. CSI member and Social Innovation Competition winner Bela Gowda (‘24) acknowledged that “the concept, purpose, and intention of getting people to do service is lost in the service hour requirement.” However, Bela and Mrs. Gomez both worry that students would not do any service if there was no requirement. In their eyes, the service requirement exists so that students find something that they love to do while raking in the benefits to themselves and their community.

Ultimately, Bela said that “everyone could find a little bit of joy if they were to use the service hours to do something that they care about.”

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In 2021, the Youth Philanthropy Council (YPC), a service club created by Bishop’s students, held a shoe drive that distributed around 15,000 pairs of shoes, which ended up being the largest shoe drive in San Diego. Events like these are perfect for exposing Bishop’s students to the world of service and filling out their service requirements.
of this year’s new service clubs are no longer active in service.
Photo courtesy of Youth Philanthropy Council

SPORTING SUPERSTITIONS SPORTING SUPERSTITIONS

Athletes and fans alike practice superstitions — but why?

Michael Jordan wore his University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (UNC) practice shorts under his Chicago Bulls National Basketball Association (NBA) uniform shorts for every professional basketball game he played during his career; Serena Williams always bounced a tennis ball five times preceding her first serve and twice before her second; and Tiger Woods sported a red polo and black pants every Sunday for golf matches ever since he began to play professionally in 1996.

Lily Gover (‘24) has worn and

zarre rituals in an attempt to guide their teams to victory. But why do athletes and fans have superstitions in the first place, and is following them an emotionally healthy practice to sustain?

Honors Psychology teacher and volleyball coach Ms. Karri Woods defined “superstition” as a case in which someone believes there to be a contingency between one action and another result.

Let’s say a basketball player taps their left foot twice before every free throw. Whenever they do make the hoop, an internal belief that tapping

Adelaide Kessler (‘25) said. While there’s no scientific evidence proving that wearing your lucky socks during your game will help you score a hat trick, “superstitious rituals can have a calming effect and help you feel like you are better able to face a particular challenge or stressful situation,” Ms. Woods shared.

Simplistically, the mental block is often what athletes need to overcome before performing their best during the game. Superstitions can help athletes get in the zone faster, by providing a little bit of extra comfort.

will continue to wear her lucky Union Jack HocSocx (under-shin guard covers) in every high school field hockey game; Grace Dabir (‘24) never fails to sleep in her green American Taekwondo Association pajama pants the night before a tournament; and Luke Seltzer (‘23) listens to mostly rap and house music on the team playlist before every basketball game to bring his energy level up.

Many athletes at every level practice certain superstitions before, and sometimes even during, games to trick their brains into advancing their athletic performances. Similarly, many sports fans practice a number of bi-

their foot has to do something with a positive result is reinforced.

“In psychology, there’s something called operant conditioning,” Ms. Woods explained, “which is the idea that certain behaviors are reinforced when followed by a reward.” For example, if an athlete were to non-intentionally wear mismatched socks in a game against a hard opponent, but their team happened to win; the athlete may feel some sort of satisfaction with the extra “luck” that came from their choice of clothing and may wear mismatched socks more frequently in future games.

For most people, these superstitions “give you a confidence boost,”

But it’s not only athletes that hold these superstitions. Reports show that sports fans practice similar habits, sometimes even at a more extreme level. Ms. Shana M. Wilson, who received her Masters of Arts in the Department of Psychology at Western Kentucky University, explained in her 2011 report, “The Relationship between Superstitious Behaviors of Sports Fans, Team Identification, Team Location, and Game Outcome,” that the uncertainty in sports because of the element of chance adds to the anxiety for a sports fan.

While athletes are in control of their own actions — such as how they pass the ball, how they make the shot,

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SydneyChan
“I don’t think [superstitions] have to be inherently bad, but I think they could become unhealthy if you underestimate your own agency.”
– Honors Psychology Teacher and Volleyball Coach Ms. Karri Woods

etc. — fans watch the games as an outsider, with zero control. Superstitions, for fans especially, can provide peace of mind.

On the night of Game 6 of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians — now known as the Cleveland Guardians — my mother made our family a certain dinner. And after a successful nine-tothree victory for the Cubs that night, my mother prepared the same meal for Game 7. After a stressful rain delay, the Cubs won the World Series in 2016 for the first time since 1908. While I don’t

believe that our family meal was the deciding factor that led the Cubs to victory, I won’t argue against the fact that it could’ve helped. At least a little. But when superstitions are no longer just fun and games, and instead are something more seriously relied upon, are they actually healthy to sustain?

“I don’t think they have to be inherently bad,” Ms. Woods answered, “But I think superstitions can become unhealthy if they cause you to underestimate your own skill and agency.” In other words, your confidence in your

own ability should outshine your need to use a superstition or a similar practice.

Ms. Woods advised athletes to be aware of the definition of superstitions and their limits. If an athlete simply enjoys having a ritual and routine that gives them confidence, then there’s no harm in wanting to do your hair in a certain style before a big game. But once it becomes “debilitating and distressing” — such as if an athlete physically cannot get themselves to play in a game if they don’t have their lucky item or didn’t complete their lucky ritual — that’s where superstitions can be of concern. The sports community has always been one of blood, sweat, and tears, but it’s also one of laughter, love, and celebration. While many of us involved in sports have superstitions for the love of the game, in hopes of giving our team a better chance at victory; it’s important to always stay cautious of the extent to which we rely on these silly little practices and not let them restrict us from performing at our highest levels.

Lily Gover (‘24) has played field hockey for almost five years. For the past two and a half seasons, Lily’s gameday superstition has been to wear her lucky Union Jack HocSocx (under-shin guard covers) beneath her socks in every high school game. She plans on continuing this superstition until at least the end of her high school career.

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Photo couresy of Samson Chan

A LITTLE BIRDIE TOLD ME ”

How the health and wellness-focused Parakeet Cafe has helped its owners and the local community grow

on my cell phone,” she mentioned. “And it had a list of the items that I would love to serve, and we just experimented like that.” Among other methods, she gets inspiration from recipes she cooks at home, dishes from other restaurants, and meals discovered while traveling.

To Mrs. Roizen-Goldwasser, bringing people together through Parakeet’s food is very important. “We have customers that I’ve seen since day one, that come every day,” she said, “We built a restaurant for the community.”

Located along Silverado Street in La Jolla, California, the parrot-print wall and the familiar “A little birdie told me” quote painted on the windowpane are immediately recognizable as Parakeet Cafe. In the midst of the Village, it boasts salmon burgers with labneh, smoothies of every fruit imaginable, and even sky-blue lattes.

The journey to build Parakeet started years back with a spark of an idea: Mrs. Carol Roizen-Goldwasser and her husband Mr. Jonathan Goldwasser partnered with Juice Crafters — a health and wellness juice bar in LA — and opened several San Diego locations. Then, in 2017, they opened the first official Parakeet in the La Jolla Village. Currently, they have nine Parakeet locations in San Diego and plans for a Newport location as well.

Eating healthy, well-sourced food has always been important for the Goldwassers, especially after their youngest daughter, Michelle, was

born with a rare disease. Mrs. Roizen-Goldwasser soon realized she could impact Michelle’s health positively through healthy meals, making her “super apprehensive with everything around food.”

Even after Michelle made a full recovery, Mrs. Roizen-Goldwasser craved more with her newfound knowledge. “I wanted a healthy lifestyle for myself. But also being able to share that with others was something that I knew I needed.”

Using good ingredients is central to Parakeet’s mission. To obtain the best quality possible, they source their food from J.R. Organics, a certified, 100 percent organic family-owned farm in Escondido. Even though it may be expensive, “We will always honor that super high quality,” Mrs. Roizen-Goldwasser explained.

To curate recipes that match this mindset, Mrs. Roizen-Goldwasser pulls from many different sources. “I had a note

This sense of community is very obvious to anyone who goes to Parakeet, especially to Bishop’s students. A former Parakeet worker Khoudia Samb (‘22) said, “My favorite thing about the job was how friendly all of the coworkers were and getting to work with some of my friends.”

In addition to working there, many students are also frequent customers. Sarah Kaplan (‘23), spoke of Parakeet’s food quality. “I really enjoy Parakeet’s matcha,” she said. It is my favorite thing to get there, and I find it is the best quality matcha tea in La Jolla.”

Of course, running and managing a restaurant is never easy, no matter how well-received the food is. For Mrs. Roizen-Goldwasser, who characterizes herself as a perfectionist, it has been even harder. And yet, Mrs. Roizen-Goldwasser said, “It has given me flexibility in all aspects of my life, and it has been a great learning experience. I think that’s why I opened the restaurant. I needed to learn the hard way that I don’t control anything.”

And Parakeet has been fantastic. For the Goldwassers, for San Diego, and for Bishop’s students, it is truly an irreplaceable part of the community.

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Nora Bitar Pictured are the owners of Parakeet, Mrs. Carol Roizen-Goldwasser and Mr. Jonathan Goldwasser, with their younger daughter, Michelle. In addition to Michelle, the Goldwassers have an older daughter, Natalie (‘22).
” LOCAL & BEYOND || ISSUE 05 Full versions of both articles can be found on thebishopstower.com.
Photo courtesy of Nora Bitar (‘25)

SMALLGOODS: A BITE OF QUALITY

Smallgoods owners Mr. and Mrs. Eastwood have a cheese story to tell! Lisa Pan

As students flood down La Jolla Boulevard, they may pass by a flapping white flag with the word “Cheese” on it, or mouthwatering sandwiches, iced lattes, and charcuterie brought out to friends gathered at a white bench and table. This place is Smallgoods.

This small and cozy cheese and provisions shop is owned by Mrs. Jenny Eastwood and Mr. Mike Eastwood — a husband and wife team. In 2016, they moved to San Diego and started Smallgoods in the La Jolla farmer’s markets. Soon, they expanded to other farmer’s markets in the county.

“But we never really only wanted to do farmer’s markets,” Mr. Eastwood recalled. “The opportunity came along around three years ago, now, to get this place. So we pounced on it and opened up a shop here in La Jolla.”

However, three weeks after opening in February 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and everything shut down. “COVID-19 was very tricky for us because the store was really new,” Mrs. Eastwood sighed. It was difficult for many restaurants to get back on their feet — especially a new business.

While Smallgoods wasn’t a farmer’s market stand anymore, Mr. and Mrs. Eastwood maintained their close bonds with the farmers and artisans who sold prod-

ucts at their store. This sparked one of Mrs. Eastwood’s most brilliant ideas. “She came up with the idea of bringing the farmers here. We would set the market vendors up in front of the shop.” Mr. Eastwood smiled proudly. “They set up out front of our shop and gained [revenue] for quite a number of farmers.”

After the pandemic, Smallgoods started to gain more customers, many of whom were Bishop’s students.

Ayanna Hickey (‘26) worked at Smallgoods over the summer and into the school year. She started working in fifth grade at the farmer’s markets after hearing about the opportunity, and when she was old enough, she began to work in their shop. “It was actually so much fun. When you work, they give you samples of all the cheeses and meats.” She continued, “They’re actually the best things I’ve ever had in my life,” Ayanna said.

Next to the delicious samples, she also recalled having a blast with Mr. and Mrs. Eastwood. “They’re so nice, the sweetest people. They give me rides whenever I need it, and they allow me to go into Smallgoods and sit there and talk to them,” Ayanna said, grinning. “They treat me like their daughter.”

Other students, such as Lily Gover

(‘24) shared her experience at Smallgoods. “Mike came out of the kitchen and gave us a free sample of something he had just tried. It was like a sandwich with apple, cheese. It was something fun, and I’d never tried it before,” she said earnestly. “My first impression was that they really care about what they serve. There were only two of them, but it felt like a little community.”

Mr. Eastwood named many of the different artisans and small businesses that Smallgoods supports, explaining that what he loves about them are all unique. Erika Lynch, the owner of Babette’s Table, is one of his favorite artisans. “She’s still doing such an old-school, handmade process. There’s nothing mass produced about it,” he explained. Mr. Eastwood also mentioned Bill Miner, who owns Il Porcelino, and then there’s Golden Gate Meats from San Francisco, is another. There are so many great artisans all across the US.”

“Mike and I are very passionate about what we do,” Mrs. Eastwood said. “When you get our platters, we always include a little piece of paper that tells you all about the cheeses and charcuterie that are on that platter. You know exactly what you’re eating. And that’s important to us.”

Both Mrs. Eastwood and Mr. Eastwood, the owners of Smallgoods, put great time and care into making their charcuterie boards, which is what they’re known for.

13 THETower
My first impression was that they really care about what they serve. There were only two of them, but it felt like a little community.
” ”
– Lily Gover (‘24)
Photo courtesy of Lisa Pan
(‘26)

INTERNET SLEUTHS CHASE THE TRUTH INTERNET SLEUTHS CHASE THE TRUTH

The Criminal Justice System, and social media have become partners in solving crime in recent years. Social media has proved to be an effective tool as it allows citizens to stay updated on court cases, information on suspects, arrests, press releases, trials, and much more, according to Applied Social Psychology (ASP). However, partnered with these advantages are profuse drawbacks, such as fast-spreading misinformation, and false accusations. As social media has advanced, it has become a tool for solving criminal cases. A number of internet sleuths have surfaced on all kinds of different platforms, and have been the subject of various documentaries. A Facebook group featured in the Netflix docuseries Don’t F**k with Cats, investigated videos of a man harming cats and eventually provided vital evidence used in his conviction.

In other investigations and criminal cases, social media has

hindered investigations, and affected those directly related to the case, especially during the University of Idaho murders.

On November 13, 2022, four college students attending the University of Idaho — Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20 — were murdered in their home. After nearly two months, authorities arrested the suspect.

During the investigation, a number of true crime fanatics began to propose their own theories, opinions, and criticisms on social media – specifically TikTok. Hundreds of internet sleuths attempted to solve these horrifying murders, they often caused more pain than comfort to grieve family members and friends, as they spread their invalid and baseless theories. Social media is a network. It is a network where all types of information spread quickly. The sheer speed of the spread of information on the internet is unmatched. That information is

also permanent. The harassment, threats, and pain are permanent.

A Moscow Police Department (MPD) press release on December 13, 2022, stated, “Rumors and speculation have also affected the families of the victims, friends, and fellow students. In some cases, this has led to harassing and threatening behavior toward potentially involved parties.” Additionally, they threatened to press charges against the offending groups.

The harassment has yet to stop, rather it was accelerated. One victim’s ex-boyfriend became a target of internet harassment, based on calls records that were released early on in the case, according to the New York Post.

Additionally, a University of Idaho professor and History department chair, Rebecca Scofield, was accused of the murders by a self-proclaimed psychic, Ashley Guillard, on TikTok of the murders. As of an MPD press release on December 27, 2022, Scofield was not considered a suspect. Scofield is currently suing Guillard for

14 OPINION || ISSUE 05

defamation.

False accusations like these are harmful, and there is no excuse for spreading misinformation all over the internet. Whether it was well-intended, or for personal profit, these accusations and theories can interfere with the integrity of the case. Investigators carefully craft press releases according to a system in order to avoid interlopers.

According to Discover Policing — a website supported by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) — and the Community Oriented Policing Services Office (COPS), releasing information is often limited so that it will not hinder an investigation. Until the investigation is closed only descriptions of the crime, victim(s), and suspect(s) are released.

The MPD battled the constantly distorted accounts on social media throughout their investigation. In an MPD

press release from December 13, 2022, the department urged “the public to stay focused on the official facts released by the Moscow Police Department,” because “rumors and speculation have led members of the public to provide tips based on rumors rather than official information provided about the case.” Fortunately, the MPD and FBI agents successfully arrested their suspect, despite the persistent intervention from the public. Social media in the case of the University of Idaho murders may have had seemingly good intentions, but users brought permanent pain to many innocent individuals, by quickly spreading false accusations.

15 THETower
Citizens using social media can interfere with professional investigations Bella Gallus
That information is permanent. The harassment, threats, and pain are permanent.
Internet sleuths can have harmful effects on anyone who is involved with a criminal case: authorities, families, and victims. Art by Bella Gallus (‘24)

A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR HELPS THE MESSAGE GO DOWN

At Bishop’s bake sales, desserts incentivize students more than the cause itself

With lines piling up quickly during lunches, service club bake sales have always been popular among Bishop’s students. Leader of Lucky Ducklings Simmons Arnold (‘23) said, “The middle schoolers get really excited about anything sweet.” Based on the low turnout of a recent fundraiser — the Penny Wars held by Step Up Club that did not involve a bake sale — Bishop’s students seem to be incentivized by the purchase of desserts from service club bake sales rather than the donation to the cause.

Delicious desserts lead to high-profit margins at Bishop’s service club bake sales. “Krispy Kreme donuts go crazy,” said President of Key Club, Lilian Franqui (‘25), “We went through something like three or four boxes in an hour.” The focus of bake sales is often on the product — home-baked or store-bought goods — rather than on the cause the collected funds will be supporting.

The School has over 40 student-led service clubs that each work to solve world or community issues through service projects and hand out service hours to students so they can meet the yearly 20-hour requirement. Service clubs are popular amongst the student body because they allow students to meet this requirement and help the community. The thing that makes them even more popular, though, is the bake sales set up every few weeks during middle and upper school lunches.

Step Up Club, a service club led by Brooke Fitzcluster (‘23) and Emi Ayala Sekiguchi (‘24), focuses on supporting and increasing awareness of cancer and its effects on patients who suffer from it. The club recently organized a school-wide Penny Wars fundraiser in conjunction

with Key Club led by Lilian.

Penny Wars is a popular fundraising event in the community service industry, with many service clubs across the nation holding these same events, but it has not been particularly common at Bishop’s. For Cure Cancer Week from October 31 to November 4, 2022, the club organized the competition to raise money for the organization in their fight to cure cancer and bring awareness to it. Brooke announced that the grade that donated the most pennies, (one penny is equivalent to one point), would win a prize. It is also possible to donate larger bills in the Penny War jars of other grades to deduct points from their score.

Although it seems that this engaging fundraising competition would attract a lot of profit in support of Step Up Club’s cause, it only raised $213 last year, a sum lower than the average bake sale hosted during one school lunch. According to Director of Community Service Mrs. Jacqueline Gomez, “The Lucky Ducklings have done around $800 on the root beer float sale. And then I’ve seen downwards of between $200 and $300” for bake sales. This was the case despite the Penny Wars lasting two school weeks whereas all other campus bake sales last one day.

What’s more, Step Up Club also organized two bake sales during school lunches during Cure Cancer Week this year, raising $501. Additionally, last spring, Step Up Club raised $962 from one bake sale. These bake sales lasted about two hours each, for the duration of Middle School and Upper School lunches. The profit margin of bake sales compared to those of penny wars — an average of $487 per day compared to the $213 raised over two weeks — proves that desserts

16 OPINION || ISSUE 05

have a direct correlation with the profit margin of fundraisers.

In addition, students treat bake sales like dessert stands where they can buy the sweet treats they wouldn’t otherwise have access to at school. Emi said, “Everyone rushes when they see the food like they don’t really see the cure cancer posters. Many of them come for the food, but then, we immediately try to explain what it’s for.”

The Lucky Ducklings Club experienced a similar problem. Leader of Lucky Ducklings Simmons Arnold (‘23) said, “We try and write facts down on posters or card stock, but again, the food is a big distraction. I can’t blame them! A snow cone probably is more interesting to the everyday student than reading some facts writ-

ten on a sheet of paper.”

Mrs. Gomez has noticed this and shared some solutions. She said, “We usually have a QR code or an activity that students can do before they buy a baked good so they can realize what it’s for and who it is benefitting.”

Although it seems as though Bishop’s students are willing to pay the marked-up prices at bake sales to support a good cause, prices are similar to the ones of snacks like brownies sold at Milk Break. Students still line up and pay for the coveted cookies and banana bread every day, even though the profit goes only to the School and not to support a service club’s projects.

“On the other hand,” Emi said, “Last week there were a bunch of people that just donated without anything and they even brought their

friends to donate. So we saw a lot of both ends.” Brooke continued by explaining that it’s important to tailor to both types of Bishop’s students: those who donate to support the cause and those who just want a treat.

Lilian said, “Teachers were really willing to donate. Like, sometimes they wouldn’t even take a good when they were just donating money.”

In the daily bulletin and flyers posted around the School, the emphasis is placed on the special dessert being sold — milkshakes, root beer floats, Dip-and-Dots, donuts, and an assortment of baked goods — to attract a crowd. Mrs. Gomez reflected, “I would love it if our school would be a little bit more mindful when we have a bake sale and ask what they are supporting. It is always for a good cause.”

17 THETower
“A snow cone probably is more interesting to the everyday student than reading some facts written on a sheet of paper.”
- Simmons Arnold (‘23)
Lucky Ducklings members Gabby Anderson (‘25) and Adelaide Kessler (‘25) sell cookies and ice cream scoops to students at the club’s bake sale on Tuesday, January 31 during Lucky Ducklings week. Photos courtesy of Emeraude Westlake (‘24)

IS TRUE CRIME A TRUE CRIME?

When Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story premiered on September 21, 2022, it quickly became one of Netflix’s most popular series ever, passing one billion hours viewed which set it adjacent to season four of Stranger Things and Squid Game. However, the Dahmer show is spurring discussions about how true-crime commercialization frequently capitalizes on shock value, victim exploitation, and perpetrator glorification and romanticization.

You will find true crime content everywhere: turn on the TV, open up Spotify, and scroll through social media. In its simplest terms, the true crime genre is a recounting or retelling of any crime that has happened in real life. Considering the fact that much of this entertainment genre captures gruesome and tragic subjects,

the victims and their loved ones; additionally, they should be careful with conveying information to avoid misguided witch hunts and harassment. This true crime phenomenon didn’t start with the explosion of Making a Murderer in late 2015 through early 2016; in fact, according to Joyce Carol Oates’ 1999 New York Review of Books, true crime has a long history that dates back to the late 1800s. Whether it was serial essays published in magazines and books to now online streaming sites and the film industry, people have never gotten tired of real-life crime coverage no matter the medium.

However, with the Serial podcast launching in 2014 and even Saturday Night Live’s “Murder Show” skit in 2021, it’s clear this fast-growing entertainment genre had an especially explosive popularity throughout the

Exploring theethical boundaries of true crime entertainment

play armchair detective or even simply not being able to look away. “True crime is like ‘this could happen to me,’ so you get super in-the-moment,” noted Novalyne Petreikis (‘23). One of our most potent emotions, fear, may be the main reason we are drawn to true crime — we have a chance to experience this simultaneously basic and complicated emotion in a controlled setting when we are consuming this genre. “When we read about crime, we’re thinking about how would we handle [it] if we were [the] victim,” said Dr. Michael Mantell, a clinical and corporate psychologist from the San Diego Police Department on National Public Radio (NPR)

One true crime example demonstrative of a positive impact surrounds the overturned murder conviction of Adnan Syed. The Serial podcast, a spinoff of NPR’s “This

a question begs to be asked: is there a problem with watching true crime genre?

It’s hard for anyone to try and discredit an entire genre as bad. However, the real responsibility of the creators is to be empathetic toward

2010s, spilling over into the past couple of years.

Psychologically, the viewers’ fascination with true crime content is multifaceted and complex. As Time magazine cites, this obsession could be a result of thrill-seeking, an urge to

American Life” and an instant hit, enabled host Sarah Koenig to investigate Syed’s first-degree murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999. Serial raised questions about the evidence against Syed and spurred the internet into conversations about

18 OPINION || ISSUE 05
“It’s a shame that people can take our tragedy and make money. The victims never saw a cent. We go through these emotions every day.”
– Shirley Hughes, mother of Dahmer victim Tony Hughes
This article contains mentions of sensitive topics and details surrounding Jeffrey Dahmer’s murders. Please consider reading with a trusted adult. Art by Crystal Li (‘23), screenshots via Netflix

justice and a broken legal system. In September of 2022, 23 years after his conviction, Syed was granted release from prison.

Throughout the entire season one, which discussed Syed’s case, Koenig makes a sustained and noticeable effort to maintain ethical and empathetic storytelling methods. She acknowledges when she is speculating, attempts to mitigate any harm to the people she talks about, and adheres to an unspoken but present standard. However, though the podcast did help vacate Syed’s conviction alongside other podcasts and forums that also have positively impacted the justice system, the amount of caution within the act of relaying triggering information should be emphasized.

Despite Monster not being anything particularly new compared to the number of dramatizations of Dahmer’s life — such as The Secret Life: Jeffrey Dahmer (1993), Dahmer (2002), and Raising Jeffrey Dahmer (2006) — many were stunned by the graphic portrayal of violence, shotfor-shot recreation of court videos, and the victim-focused episodes. Between 1978 and 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer murdered and dismembered 17 young men — mostly Black, Latino, and Asian men — by luring them into his home and strangling them. In 1991, he was tried and sentenced to 16 life terms; in 1994, he was beaten to death by another inmate.

According to Netflix, Creator Ryan Murphy hoped that the series would unravel “the notorious serial killer’s past, while simultaneously exposing the systemic racism, homophobia, white privilege, and institutional failures that allowed him to continue his killing spree for more than a decade.” However, as the show climbs the ladders of popularity, so have the references to Dahmer’s murders, which can be demonstrated by the 19.3 billion views of “#Dahmer” on TikTok as of February 2 — fangirling over actor Evan Peters’ looks as Dahmer, analyzing side-by-side portrayals of the series and reality, and even expressions of sympathy for the serial killer.

Furthermore, certain victims’ families spoke out against the ethicality of the show. Because of Monster’s many uncannily similar scenes especially in the courtroom, many family members felt triggered and re-traumatized. “If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought it was me,” said Rita Isbell, whose brother was one of the many victims, in an Insider article. “That’s why it felt like reliving it all over again. It brought back all the emotions I was feeling back then.”

Murphy claims that over the course of the three and a half years working on filming plans, the Monster team reached out to around 20 of the victims’ families and friends “to get input.” But “not a single person responded to us in that process.” And

he continued on in the creation of the show without the approval of those at the center of the subject. In their process of “uncover[ing] the truth of these people,” they forced the victims’ families to relive their trauma through a TV show that closely focuses on the killer, despite attempting to weave in victim narratives. Shirley Hughes, the mother of victim Tony Hughes, expressed, “It’s a shame that people can take our tragedy and make money. The victims never saw a cent. We go through these emotions every day.”

When making true crime, it is the creators’ responsibility to be empathetic toward the victims and their loved ones. The massive popularity of many true crime giants such as the Dahmer Netflix series is inescapable; even if you try to turn it off or avoid its mentions, you are hearing and seeing it everywhere online. Imagine how the victims’ families feel on a daily basis — there is a line when true crime becomes blatant exploitation, as it’s generating massive profit for companies while exploiting real-life tragedies.

Though true crime is just offered like any other book, TV, or movie genre for its viewers, it does especially put showrunners into tricky situations. Next time, when you pick up that TV remote, click on Netflix, or open up Spotify, be mindful of the entertainment that you consume.

19 Tower

CHAT GPT: THE

GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE

Teachers respond to the growing usage of ChatGPT

It can generate a five-paragraph essay in seconds. It can produce a short story mimicking Edgar Allan Poe’s writing. It can write Shakespearean sonnets, summarize books, and create speeches in the style of former presidents. No, Google didn’t just get an upgrade; this is all ChatGPT.

ChatGPT, which stands for Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer, is a chatbot built by OpenAI that serves as a conversational computer program. It allows users to input a question or request — anything from “write me a paragraph about hubris in Macbeth” to “create a warning about the stampede-related hazards of shopping on Black Friday” — and it will respond with its best, most human-like answer. But while this versatility — its ability to compose music, answer questions, write fairy tales, and create screenplays — interests and delights the average user, the reactions from teachers have been mixed.

Some, like English teacher Dr. Clara Boyle, believe that it can be an instrument for good. “We have all sorts of devices that help us think and do,” she explained, “and I would never say to a math student that they shouldn’t use a calculator.”

Chair of the English Department Dr. Anna Clark agrees, to some extent. She said, “We’re considering what it offers us as well as some of the hazards,” referring to the meetings regarding ChatGPT occurring throughout the various departments at Bishop’s.

Chief among those advantages is how it offers “the opportunity to reflect on essay conventions and originality as we discuss the writing process in our classes,” clarified Dr. Clark. “We don’t just want [the students] to write clean sentences or say what other people say, but rather engage rigorously and attentively with ideas.”

And while most people’s initial thoughts are about how this could help students, the New York Times podcast Hard Fork welcomed a guest who suggested the possibilities this opens up for teachers. English teacher of 30 years Cherie Shields, who was on the

PLAGIARISM

Lucy Marek

January 13 episode of the show, has already started implementing ChatGPT into her classroom and says it can be a tremendous help. When she inputted an essay into the program she remarked,“It said, here’s what you’re doing

These reactions paint ChatGPT in a rosy, incredibly positive light, but some teachers think that it can also have negative effects on learning. Mr. Matthew Valji, a History and Social Sciences teacher, agrees that ChatGPT is a sort of writing calculator, but he noted that “it is critical that students build foundational skills without the use of a calculator,” and ChatGPT might stunt that process. “It still counts as plagiarism even if the entity you are copying from is electronic rather than organic,” he insisted.

Dr. Clark agreed that “it raises ethical questions surrounding plagiarism,” but she also acknowledged that there is not a clear solution, and she doesn’t think banning ChatGPT is necessarily the answer. But the School seemed to have other ideas, writing in the January 26 edition of the Daily Bulletin that “The use of AI, ChatGPT, or other chatbots on written academic work is prohibited except at the explicit behest of teachers.” This may seem like a strict rule, but it is actually one of the more lenient school policies regarding ChatGPT.

ChatGPT can respond to even the most bizarre questions, concerning teachers who anticipate their students will use it to write essays.

to work on. And it even said stuff like, your transitions aren’t very smooth, and your introduction is lacking.” This one-on-one feedback alleviates some of Shields’ stress by giving each of her 80 students personalized tutoring, without her help.

On January 3, New York City’s Department of Education announced a ban on ChatGPT from its schools’ devices. Jenna Lyle, a spokesperson for the department, said in an email statement that “while the tool may be able to provide quick and easy answers to questions, it does not build critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.” Ironically, this response does seem to be a quick and easy answer — if not somewhat ineffective, as students will still be able to access ChatGPT outside of school — to a complex issue.

But even if students did use ChatGPT to cheat, they are not necessarily receiving accurate information, which undermines the effectiveness and efficiency. The Washington Post affirmed that “even the most fluent answers sometimes suffer from collapses of logic or contain complete fabrications,” which can be explained by the way the program is designed. “ChatGPT doesn’t ‘think’ but instead predicts … ChatGPT makes its best guess at what should come next, based on

20 COVER STORY || ISSUE 05
Graphic by Lucy Marek (‘25)

the words, phrases, and concepts most commonly strung together in the set from which it learned.” This doesn’t guarantee accuracy, so perhaps turning in an AI-generated paper is not the most effective method of plagiarism. But cheating isn’t the only issue that ChatGPT could lead to. As Dr. Boyle noted,

neat sentences, grammatically correct and coherent, but a little bit clichéd.” She added that “it offers pretty superficial answers to questions, and its abilities are pretty limited.”

Despite its shortcomings, ChatGPT can excel in certain areas. “A cover letter is a way to determine whether or not a person

History and Social Sciences teacher Mr. Damon Halback predicted that “the next iteration [GPT4] coming out next year will be much more powerful and likely include footnotes and other documented sourcing,” and warned that “the degree to which this can be used as a plagiaristic device will increase.”

It is also important to note that there is existing software that can detect writing generated by ChatGPT, but it is not 100 percent accurate, and there are also systems being created to circumvent these detectors. When one of these systems gets better, it forces the

“because ChatGPT mines existing ideas, it would — in theory — cut off the possibility of new ideas.” The program is a parrot, and while parrots are adept at regurgitating information they have heard before, they are not especially good at creative thinking and forming new theories and ideas.

But inaccuracies and lack of creativity aside, some English teachers think that the writing itself is not good enough to fool them if it were to be turned in as an essay. “In terms of the quality of writing, it’s not extraordinarily good prose,” admitted Dr. Clark. Dr. Boyle agreed, saying that “it writes

has basic communication skills but it follows lots of conventions,” explained Dr. Clark, “and ChatGPT is excellent at reproducing that kind of writing.”

ChatGPT may not be perfect, but it is important to note that it will get better.

other to as well, and the cycle continues. But no matter how ChatGPT is used and how schools decide to respond to it, “teachers and students should engage in an ongoing conversation,” concluded Dr. Boyle.

21
“Because ChatGPT mines existing ideas, it would— in theory—cut off the possibility of new ideas.”
– English teacher Dr. Clara Boyle
*title generated by ChatGPT

SUGGESTIONS: BRUNCH IN SAN DIEGO

My favorite savory and sweet brunch items from local spots in San Diego! Sydney Chan

1. Harry’s

Going to Harry’s is undoubtedly a great tradition in our Bishop’s community, and one of my favorite brunch spots in La Jolla. I’m 100 percent a tuna sashimi girl, but for the salty option, I suggest the Tuna Melt with a side of fries. And Harry’s fries are the best. Not super thin, crunchy, and soft at the same time, we may as well give Harry’s the Best Fries in San Diego award. For the sweet option, I recommend the Chocolate Chip Chip Pancakes. They’re fluffy and not too sweet. I don’t know how to explain it, besides saying that they taste like nostalgia. You take the first bite, and you’re home.

2. Sugar and Scribe

Sugar and Scribe has really upped their menu since the last time I visited a couple of years ago. For the savory option, the Blazin’ Chilaquiles Skillet has pickled onions and pickled fresno chillies that perfectly cut the richness of the dish. The chips on the bottom are soaked with the sauce, so they have a nice savory flavor and a soft-ish texture. The Nutella Nuts French Toast is soft bread with a thin layer of nutella and sliced strawberries. It comes with a little dollop of vanilla bean whipped cream that is incredibly light and fluffy to contrast the thick and nutty flavor of the nutella.

3. Jasmine Seafood Restaurant

Jasmine is a classic Chinese restaurant, serving family-style dishes like dim sum, a traditional Chinese meal made up of small places of dumplings and other dishes. Some of my favorite dishes are the har gow — steamed crystal skin dumplings filled with shrimp — barbecue pork cheung fun — light rice noodles filled with a sweet, smoky pork topped with a soy-based sauce — and turnip cakes — a savory, turnip patty paired with hoisin sauce. My favorite sweet options are zhi ma qiu — fried sesame balls filled with either sweet red bean or lotus paste. Classic, crunchy, and satisfying.

The Nutella Nuts French Toast from Sugar and Scribe paired with sliced strawberries and a light vanilla bean whipped cream is a delicious sweet brunch option.

22 THE BELL || ISSUE 05
SYDNEY’S
Photo courtesy of Sydney Chan (‘24)

TOP TEN:

TOP TEN:

REASONS TUITION WAS INCREASED

Replacing plates and forks

Lawsuits

Another “Dean”

Bishop’s x Lululemon collab

THE Mr. Smith

3D printing dinosaurs

Renting a real football field

The million-dollar organ

Buying out Jack-In-The-Box

T-shirt cannon

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5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
1. 2. 3. 4.
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