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Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Boston, MA Permit No. 54523
Volume 32, Issue 5 140 Brandeis Road Newton Centre, MA 02459
Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper · Newton, MA · Established 1984 · January 8, 2016
Russell headed to Switzerland after nine years
The
Elephant Room in the
Michelle Cheng & Carina Ramos News Reporter, Sr. News Editor
Adding to a litany of international experiences, history teacher Kirsten Russell will take a leave of absence and move to Switzerland at the end of the first semester. Russell, who is leaving to join her husband while he works for the World Health Organization, said the move is currently temporary, but could become permanent at their discretion. This move comes as Russell’s latest trip in her life of extensive travel. Her experience with different cultures gives her teaching a unique, worldly perspective, which both her colleagues and students said they will miss. “She gets people involved,” sophomore Gretchen Zhang said. “She creates more discussions. She doesn’t like to tell you the [material] — she likes for you to think about it. … Every teacher wants that, but she kind of accomplished that.” In her past career, Russell worked in economic development while living in China and Pakistan, as well as traveling through eastern Africa, Europe and Latin America. She dealt primarily with food policy, including analyzing how the nutritional status of Pakistani children correlated with their mothers’ empowerment. Senior Paul Chan agreed that Russell brings something new to the classroom. “A lot of times teachers in other history classes would give us discussions that we’d sort of already know the right answers to because it was in the textbook,” he said. “But … [in her class] you’re forced to infer or connect between the lines.”
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The marginalized members of the NSHS GOP Mona Baloch & Emily Belt
Sr. Centerfold Editors “What do you expect?” This was his friend’s response when sophomore Alec Liberman mentioned the backlash he receives for his conservative political views. “I’m a fan of some of the Republican candidates. People just started calling me a racist and a homophobe and a bigot, even though
that’s not true,” he said. “The second they … linked me to the Republican Party, I was automatically each of those things.” Every student and teacher interviewed agreed that Newton is known as a generally liberal city. Some, however, said the number of conservatives is underestimated, and that the perception of a homogeneous political culture can result in a
RUSSELL, 4
CONSERVATISM, 16
Austin St. Approved 17-6
Nef, ‘11, adjusts to new fame Karin Alsop & Celine Yung
Features Editor, Features Contributor Though she is only 23 years old, ’11 alumna Hari Nef has already been profiled by The New York Times and Vogue, has starred in the Amazon show
“Transparent” and has become the first transgender model to sign with IMG Models. English teacher David Weintraub, a former teacher of Nef ’s, remembers her bold character. “She was always the kind of person who was focused on the big picture. She always knew she wanted to make a big impact. I
kind of missed the point where she decided how she was going to make that impact — I think that happened in undergrad during college. But I always saw her as very ambitious, very direct, very focused, very bold and provocative,” he said. NEF,
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
bracing for impact
Get with the program
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Student argues high school football needs more regulation in light of the dangers of concussions.
Programmers recount the joys and frustrations of the notoriously difficult class.
Dieting for Sport
The wrestling team adopts strict diets to cut weight and prepare for the season.
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NEWS 2 EDITORIALS 8 OPINIONs 10 CENTERFOLD 16 FEATUREs 20 Fun Page 26 SPORTS 27