The Lion's Roar 36-5

R AR

VOL. 36 ISSue 5

the LION'S

DECADE

unwrapped PAGE 14 - FEATURES A look back on the cultural milestones that made the last ten years uniquely memorable

PAGE 22 - SPORTS Decade of Dominance: both Boston and South teams went unmatched, pulling off record-breaking seasons

inside this issue Woods seized from BC With community support, Newton City Council voted to buy the Webster Woods property from Boston College for $15.2 million

2

Meme stalls progress 10 Calling out older generations through the popular catchphrase doesn’t actually address problems

·

Newton South HIGH School Newton, MA

Idling on Brandeis

12

Students arrive early to claim a parking spot, leave engines on against state law.

This habit raises environmental concerns

· Est. 1984 · December 20, 2019

NEWS

page 2|December 20, 2019|THE LION’S ROAR|issuu.com/thelionsroar

NEws@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 36, ISSUE 5

Newton seizes Webster Woods from Boston College Caleb Lazar, Alex Merkowitz & Sophie Strausberg News Editor, News Reporter & News Contributor

On Dec. 2, the Newton City Council voted unanimously to use eminent domain to reclaim part of Webster Woods from Boston College (BC). Eminent domain is the process by which a government pays fair market value to expropriate private property.

The order to use eminent domain will become final on Dec. 22.

BC purchased a 25-acre parcel of land along Hammond Pond Parkway from Congregation Mishkan Tefila in 2016. The land, which must be used for religious and educational purposes, was purchased for $20 million. Since 2016, BC has refurbished a building on the land into a student performance space.

Newton is seeking to seize 17 acres from BC to preserve the forest and prevent future development. The 17 acres does not include the part of the property with a building and parking lot, which BC has invested money into.

Rory Altman, a member of the Friends of Webster Woods advocacy group, said that development on the land would harm the environment.

“Webster Woods is threatened by BC’s ownership of a section that slices right it. BC has the right to develop it and take

down the forest,” Altman said. “If they did that, Webster Woods would be divided into one part that would be developed and two smaller parts on the end, probably too small to sustain the forest that currently exists.

BC spokesperson Jack Dunn wrote in an email to The Roar that environmental concerns over BC’s ownership of Webster Woods are unfounded.

“BC has announced no plan for the 17 acres that the city is seeking to seize,” he wrote.

Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said that while BC hasn’t unveiled official plans for the development of Webster Woods, they didn’t dismiss the possibility.

“They also would not commit to making sure the woods were there in perpetuity,” Fuller said.

Documents from a BC lawsuit trying to prevent the city’s use of eminent domain state that “the university has plans in progress and anticipates future development of the entire Hammond Pond Parkway property.”

Before deciding to use eminent domain, Newton tried to reach an agreement with BC on land development, Newton Conservators president Ted Kuklinski said.

“Over the summer, the mayor spent considerable time trying to negotiate with BC,” Kuklinski said. “For instance, the city could buy a conservation restriction.

BC would have owned the woods, but the conservation restriction would restrict development on that portion of the property.”

Dunn, however, said that Fuller halted

Webster Woods ownership through the years:

Newton uses eminent domain to seize 38 acres Congregation Mishkan of Webster Woods from Tefila buys 25 acres the Webster estate from Webster

1954

1896

Edwin Webster buys the land

1968

mayor or to us that they wanted to see this happen,” Baker said. “We had a number of letters, including really quite eloquent letters from students.”

Among those students was senior Kathryn Rhatigan, who has followed the Webster Woods controversy for years. She started a petition for BC to donate Webster Woods to Newton after BC sent a letter opposing the use of eminent domain to Newton residents.

“A lot of the reasons [in BC’s letter] were that it was going to cost taxpayers a lot, and there were other places that the community preservation funds could go,” Rhatigan said. “What I got out of that was that if BC wants to save the taxpayers money, they should do so by donating the land, not by being greedy.”

Rhatigan said that her conversation with Tom Keady, BC’s vice president of governmental relations and community affairs, prompted her to create the petition that went on to receive over 100 signatures.

“He went through and listed all of the environmental projects that BC has spent money on,” she said. “All I was hearing was that one, BC cares about the environment, and two, they have money to spend.”

Many BC students also support Newton’s move to use eminent domain.

BC junior Kyle Rosenthal, a member of Climate Justice at BC, created a petition urging the City Council to use eminent domain.

“There’s a lot of environmental issues that we think are much more important than any development, and we think that’s much more important than building dorms or expanding the school in any way,” he said.

According to Dunn, BC has up to three years to challenge the appraised value of Webster Woods, which it is already looking to do.

Congregation Mishkan “BC intends to challenge in Tefila sells their 25 acres court the legitimacy of the taking to Boston College and the Mayor’s appraised value of the land,” Dunn said.

“Our contention remains that the Mayor and City Council have grossly Newton votes to use underestimated the eminent domain to value of the land.” take the land from Despite Boston College the likely imminent legal battle, Fuller said that she hopes the use of eminent domain doesn’t harm the city’s relationship with BC. “I continue to think of BC as an important part of the fabric of Newton and am looking forward to collaborating with them.”

“BC is a valued part graphic by Emily Zhang of our community. There’s not a sense of hostility,” Baker said.

“It’s the preservation of the woods that’s important.”

negotiations.

“We were in negotiations with Mayor Fuller when she broke them off this summer,” Dunn wrote. “We had proposed a land swap, but she rejected our proposal.”

Fuller said that her goal in the negotiations was to preserve Webster Woods.

“Had BC agreed to save the woods — continue to own it and place what’s called the conservation restriction — we would have been very comfortable with that,” Fuller said.

The negotiation’s failure left Newton with no choice but to use eminent domain, Kuklinski said.

Newton will pay the appraised value of the land, $15.2 million, to BC. The value was determined by an outside professional appraiser.

City councilor Lisle Baker, who advocated for the use of eminent domain, said that this payment will not come from general taxes, but rather from separate funds dedicated to open space, historic preservation, recreation and community housing.

This fund comes from a 1% surcharge on property taxes that Newton adopted in the 2001 Community Preservation Act, and adds up to about $3 million in revenue each year.

Newton will pay the $15.2 million for the 17 acres in annual payments of around $500,000 over 30 years.

“It’s a big bite, but because we’re spreading it over time, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be too much,” Baker said.

Baker said that support from the Newton community, especially from students, encouraged the decision.

“Hundreds of citizens throughout the city came forward and communicated to the

2016

2019

The Lion’s Roar Issuu.com/thelionsroar News

December 20, 2019 Page 3

Baker-Polito funding to increase safety in schools Rachael Wei & Sarah Wei Copy Editor, News Reporter

Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito have announced the Dec. 15 release of $7.2 million in grants to almost 150 school districts across the state to improve school safety. The grant, awarded by the Executive Office of Education and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and passed by the Massachusetts State Legislature, will provide districts with school alarms and communications equipment, including interoperability radios and repeaters, which would allow school personnel to communicate with first responders more quickly and directly.

Newton Public Schools (NPS) is expected to receive $61,570 on Dec. 15 to install additional security cameras, as well as a new HD Network Video Recorder (HDNVR), a computer system that records footage from surveillance cameras.

Jake Wark, an employee of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, said that the new precautions come after many mass shootings at schools across the country.

“Items such as exterior door locks, safety cameras, alarms and communications equipment will help protect the physical safety of students and staff against the threat of violence … and help prevent tragedies

like the ones in Newtown, Connecticut; Parkland, Florida and just last month in Santa Clarita, California,” he said.

As a proactive measure, the grant will also provide funding for psychologists, counselors and social workers.

“A safe, secure learning

perpetrators.

“It will be evidence against the intruder, but it won’t

gr

environment is essential to student success, so these grants represent an important investment in children’s physical safety and educational development,” he said.

Senior Sirong Lin, however, said that the cameras won’t be effective in deterring

ap hi

cb yR

ac

ha

el W ei

teach the intruder to not take dangerous actions,” she said.

The money could be better allocated, Lin added.

“The biggest thing that I know about right now is the teachers union, that they don’t get paid enough. I think we should put the money there. Also, we already have safety stuff, and if we’re going to spend more money on security, it should be put towards things that would actually prevent danger.

Security cameras would not prevent threats

to the school,” she said.

Freshman class senator Zach LeBlanc said that by accepting the grant, South seems to be submitting to public pressure for increased security in light of recent school shootings.

“There’s pressure from a lot of different families and organizations to increase the security at our schools because of shootings that have happened in the country, but I don’t think that’s why here, at Newton South, we have to increase security,” he said. “There’s never been a school shooting in Newton, and I think it’s highly unlikely that we will ever have one.”

Lin said she believes that the grant should instead fund programs that will address the root of the mass shooting epidemic.

“We’re not fixing the problem by installing cameras.

We’re just finding an excuse for the problem. I say we should save some money, so we can have a bigger budget to actually invest it into something that will solve the problem and prevent the problem,” she said. “That starts from giving the correct type of education and better training.”

For others, like freshman Willa Foster, the measure is necessary to help students feel comfortable at school.

“Some students feel unsafe at school due to recent school shootings, and we need to ensure they feel protected. Video cameras will make school feel and be more safe,” she said.

NTA and School Committee reach agreement Julian Fefer & Eva Zacharakis

News Editor, News Reporter After 14 months of negotiations, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, the Newton Teachers’ Association (NTA) negotiations team, led by history teacher Jamie Rinaldi, and the School Committee negotiations team, which includes Bridget Ray-Canada, Steven Siegel and Matthew Miller, reached a tentative contract agreement.

The contract was ratified by the School Committee on Dec. 16 and approved by NTA members on Tuesday, Dec.17. The new contract includes longer parental leave policies, full-day kindergarten programs and an increase in cost of living adjustment, which NTA President Mike Zilles said is progressive even by Massachusetts standards.

Amidst the negotiations period, teachers have worked without a contract since September.

“Contracts of this size and scope take time, require attention to detail and necessitate careful attention to any budgetary implications,” Rinaldi said.

School Committee chair Ruth Goldman said that the School Committee prioritized the cost of living adjustments because of the broad scope of their impact.

“There are other things you can spend money on but don’t necessarily affect every teacher or every staff person,” she said. “We wanted to put most of our money into cost

of living adjustments because every person gets that money.”

While Goldman said that negotiations came to a stalemate after the minor clauses in the contract were agreed upon last June, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said the city’s appreciation for teachers never faltered.

“We continue to have the deepest respect and gratitude for our teachers,” Fuller

was the Oct. 25 teachers’ strike in Dedham.

“The pressure had just gotten to the place where the mayor realized she had to put a significant amount more money on the table,” he said.

On Nov. 26, Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito passed the Student Opportunity Act, which increased funding to Special Education and English Language

“ ” We’re all greatly appreciative that the contract has been settled. I think the teachers got a very good contract, and I’m pleased that we are able to give them a contract they deserve.

Ruth Goldman School Committee Chair

said. “That was true before, during and after the negotiations.”

English teacher Jeremiah Hill, co-chair of the Contract Action team that worked to garner support for the NTA, said Newton parents were instrumental in the teachers’ cause.

“At the [Nov. 18] School Committee meeting, a lot of parents spoke really beautifully, eloquently and forcefully in support of our campaign,” he said. “I think that made a difference.”

School Committee negotiations team member Matthew Miller said another catalyst

Learning programs across Massachusetts by $5 billion. This allowed the city to generate more funding for schools and to move forward with negotiations because it could reallocate funds from Special Education Programs to teacher salaries.

Rinaldi said that money also opened up for teachers’ salaries because the city changed their long-term budgeting plan from one of austerity — budgeting to prepare for recession — to a more regular budget as the threat of recession subsided. “[Mayor Fuller] came to see that that sort of long-term budgeting strategy was not

supported by the teachers and educators but increasingly, it was not supported by community members and parents,” he said.

Fuller and members of the NTA and School Committee all said they were pleased with the final contract.

“We’re all greatly appreciative that the contract has been settled,” Goldman said. “I think the teachers got a very good contract, and I’m pleased that we are able to give them a contract I think they deserve.” “[The NTA] is extremely proud of what this whole membership won through their united and concerted efforts to back the negotiation team and put pressure on the School Committee,” Rinaldi said.

He added that the NTA’s success will uplift its membership.

“The contract we won … will help give more dignity and professionalism to our educators,” Rinaldi said.

Student Representative to the School Committee sophomore Brendan Weissel said the new teacher contract will benefit students, too.

“As a student, it’s better because you’re not worrying that you’re getting a worse education because teachers are worrying about how much they’re getting paid, if they can live where they live and if they can have the supplies they need to teach.”

Hill said he’s hopeful that this negotiation will set a precedent for the future.

“It was a long road, but worth it,” he said. “It gives us a really solid foundation for future contract campaigns.”

NEWs ISSUU.COm/TheLionsroar The Lion’s Roar

page 4 December 20, 2019

Dec. 6 climate strike attracts fewer than past strikes Julian Fefer & Caleb Lazar News Editors

On Friday, Dec. 6, students from across the state skipped school to attend a climate strike in Boston.

The strike was one of hundreds of similar protests worldwide, part of the Fridays for Future movement inspired by 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

At the Boston rally, protesters gathered at Copley Square, marched to the State House and occupied the hallway outside of Gov. Charlie Baker’s office to demand he take action against climate change by passing a carbon tax, emphasizing climate justice issues and declaring a climate emergency.

Twenty-seven protesters were arrested for refusing to leave the State House after it closed at 5 p.m.

The strike was timed to coincide with COP25, the 2019 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Madrid, Spain, which concluded on Dec. 13 without a clear approach to mitigating climate change.

Though there were over a million attendees to the Dec. 6 climate strikes around the globe, fewer students attended this Boston strike than the Sept. 20 strike.

While 26% of survey respondents to a Roar survey said they attended the Sept.

20 strike, only 6.3% responded that they protested on Dec. 6.

Overall, 7,000 people rallied at the September strike in Boston, but only around 300 attended the December strike.

Compared to the South student turnout rate of

26% at the Sept. 20 climate strike, only

6.3%

of South students skipped school on Dec. 6 to rally at Boston’s State House Data from an anonymous Roar survey with 115 respondents

Left to right: Zoe Fayad, Callie Ware and Isobel Gilchrist protest at the climate strike in Boston. photos contributed by Nate Raisner

FEM club donates sanitary pads to women’s charity Preethika Vemula & Dina Zeldin

News Reporter, Editor In Chief On Dec. 4, senior Simone Klein loaded her car with 34 packages of sanitary pads.

Then, senior Adina Smith drove the donations to Project Hope Boston, a non profit in Roxbury, on Dec. 10. Smith’s drive to

Roxbury was the culmination of a weeks-long Female Empowerment Movement (FEM) club initiative to provide sanitary products for women in need.

For FEM club member senior Shoshanna Dansinger, it was important to get the community to realize the need for the donations.

“People take it for granted that they can go to a convenience store like CVS and buy

FEM Club President Senior Simone Klein loads her car with sanitary pads for Project Hope. photo by Dina Zeldin

anything that they need,” she said. “It’s not on people’s minds immediately. It’s important to realize that women need these products, and it’s not negotiable.”

FEM club found that women in poverty have limited access to pads and tampons, except for those donated.

“Sanitary products are not very widely available because they’re usually so expensive. For women and girls who are living in poverty or having a tough time financially, it can be something that’s really hard to ask for,” Smith, the FEM club vice president, said.

Motivated by their research, the club contacted Project Hope Boston, an organization dedicated to helping low-income women and their families escape poverty.

Ashwita Tiwari, the Events and Communications Development Manager at Project Hope, said she appreciates the organization’s work helping women. “[Women] are the primary people who kind of lead and take on the family, especially with the population that we work with here in the Roxbury and Dorchester area,” Tiwari said.

Smith said that FEM Club chose Project Hope for its eye toward the future.

“Project Hope really stood out for us because one of their goals is to help women and their families reach a point where they are financially stable enough to support themselves,” she said.

Donating to Project Hope Boston was an extension of the club’s work stocking bathrooms at South with sanitary pads and tampons, which they have been doing onand- off since the fall.

“This seemed like a natural progression of the work that we were doing at South, and bringing that out into the broader Boston com-

munity,” Klein, the FEM club president, said.

FEM club decorated donation boxes and placed them in house offices between Nov. 13 and Nov. 27. In total, they received 964 individual pads. Part of why the drive was successful, FEM advisor and English teacher Jasmine Lellock said, was that it was student-driven.

“It’s more important when it comes from the students. … It shows their interests and motivations instead of the adults going, ‘This is what we’re doing next,’” she said.

“Our job as teachers is just to make sure the bureaucratic stuff is taken care of.”

Lellock said she was glad to see male colleagues embrace the club’s initiative.

“I was really impressed by [how], for example, some of the male teachers in the English department … came up, and they asked, ‘Where are they going, what can we do, what do they need?’” she said.

Klein said she hopes the club will donate pads to Project Hope again.

“This would be really cool if this was an annual thing we did around the holidays, but I feel really happy with the response ... we got for our first time,” she said.

Signs advertising the donations boxes have helped to raise awareness for a facet of poverty that is often overlooked, Klein said.

“I wanted South students to … see it in their faces,” she said. “People think periods are gross and that pads are gross, and they’re not. … People would love to make a sandwich and go hand out sandwiches to homeless people. Periods are stigmatized, and so help with periods is stigmatized. If you’re giving someone food at a food pantry, you can think about them not being hungry that day, but it’s difficult, especially if you don’t have a period, to understand the impact that this makes.”

december 20, 2019 Page 5

The Lion’s Roar Issuu.com/thelionsroar NEWS

2018 YRBS reveals student trends Julian Fefer, Caleb Lazar & Julian Phillips News Editors, News Reporter

E

very two years, Newton Public Schools (NPS) participates in a national Youth Risk Behavior Survey to track trends in students’ emotional and physical health.

NPS collects data on its students through YRBS and then sends it to Social Science

Research and Evaluation, a data analyzing organization in Burlington, to analyze and compare Newton’s findings with those of other schools across the state and country.

The survey asks about student substance use, stress and connectedness to the school. The results of the survey are presented to the School Committee and used to help faculty learn more about student activity, Mary Eich, Assistant Superintendent

for Teaching and Learning, said.

The results, however, do not often translate to policy change due to the amount of time needed to process them.

“What it doesn’t do is give us information we can respond to immediately,” Eich said. “They do the survey in November, and we don’t get results back until May and don’t report it to the School Committee until early fall. That’s almost a year’s lag.”

Results show students have less sex because of increasing schoolwork, commitments

B

etween 2008 and 2018, one trend that has remained consistent in the YRBS surveys is a steady decline in students’ sexual activity.

In 2008, rates reached an all-time high, with 25% of Newton high school students responding that they had had sex. As of last year, only 17% of Newton high school students responded the same way.

Newton high school students’ sexual activity levels are low compared to the state average of 35%.

Wellness teacher Patrick JordanQuern said he believes the reason for the decline is increasing student commitments.

“When you’re very busy, you don’t have a ton of time to make those decisions and commit to someone else you really care about,” he said.

Indeed, since 2008, the percentage of students who responded that their life was

“somewhat” or “very” stressful increased.

Newton’s comprehensive health education may also deter students from having sex, South nurse Gail Kramer said.

“Learning about sex decreases unsafe sexual activity. The health curriculum is fabulous. It’s terrific,” she said. “Knowledge is powerful, and people here are aware of consequences and the seriousness of having sex.”

The main goal of health classes is to teach students that the safest way to prevent sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies is to practice abstinence, Jordan-Quern said.

Senior Allie Floros said that the health curriculum deterred her from having sex her freshman year.

“It kind of terrified me,” she said. “I think they did a good job with that.”

Despite the reduction of sexual in-

Percentage of students in each grade who reported having sex Newton

tercourse rates, sexually active students reported decreased condom use, down from 74% in 2008 to 69% in 2018.

“I hope people are using condoms to prevent STIs: birth control pills and IUDs don’t prevent them,” Kramer said.

YRBS results also showed that male students are having sex more often than female students — 19% of males compared to 15% of females.

Junior Dana Silvian said the reason for these numbers may be societal norms.

“I think there’s a societal pressure for girls to not have sex and for guys to have sex,” she said. “Both are strong.”

Whether or not students choose to have sex, Kramer said the school’s health programming is not meant promote or prevent students’ sexual activity.

“We don’t want to judge,” she said.

“We want kids to be kids.”

14 6

9th

30

LigerBots On Dec. 14, the LigerBots robotics team hosted the First Lego League Eastern Massachusetts State Championship event at North for middle school students.

Over 1,000 people attended the event, which focused on urban planning. It was held alongside a STEAM Expo that featured presentations from organizations such as Students for a Greener World and the Society for Women Engineers.

photo by Netta Dror

56

Winter Concert

44

Massachusetts

South Spots

36

30 23

17

12

During A and B blocks today, the chorus, orchestra, wind ensemble, band and multiple jazz groups will be performing holiday songs.

Students with teachers kind enough to bring them to see the performances should expect excerpts from the “Nutcracker,” “Czardas” and the annual orchestra tradition, “Sleigh Ride.”

Candy Corn

10th

11th

12th

Overall

The YRBS showed decreasing alcohol consumption rates and increasing stress and vaping rates In 2008,

37%

of respondents said they had consumed alcohol in the previous 30 days. In 2018, that number was down to

Since 2008, the percentage of students who responded to the YRBS saying their life was either “somewhat” or “very stressful” has increased from 72% to 81%, up by

Vaping rates, not included on the YRBS before 2016, rose to

15%

while marijuana usage rates, since 2008, have decreased by

22% 9% 6%

The Children of the Candy Corn improv group debuted their new members with their first show of the year, “Baptized,” on Dec. 13. The 90-minute show was a safe haven from pre-December-break stress.

photo courtesy of the Candy Corn website

The Road Not Taken “The Road Not Taken” is the rebranding of the previously named “College Rejection Board.”

It has been reinstituted in Senior Commons and will serve as a platform for students to share and destigmatize their college rejections and to receive support from peers.

EDITORIALS page 6|December 20, 2019|THE LION’S ROAR|issuu.com/thelionsroar

editorials@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 36, ISSUE 5

Nine values will guide Roar staff in 2020 and beyond In its Nov. 20 article “Sports Summary” highlighting the boys varsity soccer team, The Roar wrote that former head coach John Conte “was placed on administrative leave weeks before the season’s end for several OUIs [Operating Under the Influence charges] and inappropriate behavior.” This information was inaccurate. The Roar staff apologizes for the error and wishes to clarify the record.

Principal Joel Stembridge said in an interview that Conte was placed on administrative leave on Oct. 21 but denied that any OUI arrests factored into the district’s decision to place Conte on administrative leave. Stembridge said that the administration cannot disclose staff records because of legal commitments that protect employees’ personal information.

“All of that information is only between the district and the teacher and is not public information,” he said. “I would ask students and faculty to just know that we are protecting Mr. Conte’s rights by not commenting.”

For the Roar staff, the mistake served as an opportunity to reflect on its reporting and editing process. At the core of our work is the goal of delivering relevant, accurate and balanced content to students and the broader South community.

On Dec. 4, the Lion’s Roar held a staff meeting to discuss our ethical guidelines and

revise the staff manual. After discussion, the staff settled on nine principles that will guide the reporting process going forward.

In the writing, reporting, photography and presentation of The Lion’s Roar, we attempt to uphold the following values: Accuracy – Painstaking attention to detail in reporting, writing and editing is a must. We fact-check information with multiple sources.

Clarity – We write in clear, precise, logical, simple language and present the

Fairness and balance – We strive to give everyone with a stake in a story a chance to comment on it and treat sources without favoritism.

Objectivity – We use the same reporting and writing methods regardless of our personal feelings about an issue in an attempt to provide unbiased, clear information to readers.

Transparency — All subjects will be informed that their stories and quotes will be published in print before they consent to speaking on the record.

Truth – Above all else, we strive to print the truth as best as we can ascertain it, and we correct ourselves in the inevitable event we make an error.

This is an example of the latter. The Roar apologizes for any harm caused to individuals because of our negligence. With these values fresh in our minds, the staff feels better-equipped to cover controversial topics. We are committed to serving the community, and we hope to be able to move forward from this error to rebuild our readers’ trust in our reporting.

In an age when news and facts are up for debate, it’s more important than ever that journalists abide by the nine values the staff has put forth. With a new decade on the horizon, we hope we can continue to be a valued source of truth in this community.

We are committed to serving the community, and we hope to be able to move forward from this error to rebuild our readers’ trust in our reporting paper so readers can easily understand it.

Brevity – Stories are written as concisely as possible, using the active voice.

Relevance – We strive to select the most important quotes, illustrations, anecdotes and facts.

Attribution and Identification – All information and statements, except the most obvious, are attributed to the source of material. Sources are identified by name and title whenever possible; anonymity is explained.

Photographers, writers and artists are given credit for all of their work.

Volume XXXVI The Lion’s Roar Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper 140 Brandeis Road Newton, MA 02459 Srstaff@thelionsroar.com

Editors-in-Chief Jennifer Wang Dina Zeldin

Managing Editors

Send an Email to srstaff@thelionsroar.com for more details Editorial Policy

The Lion’s Roar, founded in 1984, is the student newspaper of Newton South High School, acting as a public forum for student views and attitudes.

The Lion’s Roar’s right to freedom of expression is protected by the Massachusetts Student Free Expression Law (Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 71, Section 82). All content decisions are made by student editors, and the content of The Lion’s Roar in no way reflects the official policy of Newton South, its faculty or its administration. Editorials are the official opinion of The Lion’s Roar, while opinions and letters are the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Lion’s Roar. The Lion’s Roar reserves the right to edit all submitted content, to reject advertising copy for resubmission of new copy that is deemed acceptable by student editors and to make decisions regarding the submission of letters to the editors, which are welcomed.

The Lion’s Roar is printed by Seacoast Newspapers and published every four weeks by Newton South students. All funding comes from advertisers and subscriptions.

In-school distribution of The Lion’s Roar is free, but each copy of the paper shall cost one dollar for each copy more than ten (10) that is taken by any individual or by many individuals on behalf of a single individual.

Peri Barest Carrie Ryter

Section Editors News

Opinions

Julian Fefer Caleb Lazar

Centerfold

Features

Copy Editor

Sophie Goodman Shoshi Gordon Ellyssa Jeong Siya Patel

Graphics Managers Gemma Hill Emily Zhang

Sophie Lewis

Rachael Wei

Business Managers Fletcher Smyth

Faculty Advisor Ashley Chapman

Isabel Flessas Chunyu He Anya Lefkowitz Gillian Tobin

Sports

Dorra Guermazi Jackson Slater

Photo Manager Netta Dror

December 20, 2019 Page 7

The Lion’s Roar Issuu.com/thelionsroar editorials

Around the world in 15 minutes: EDITOR’S discovering active procrastination DESK from the

Peri Barest Managing Editor

The yellow tint of Night Shift glows back at me as I watch the small, turquoise circle rotate around and around on my MacBook screen. I should start taking the history notes due the next day, yet I wait for the blank screen to give way to the busy, bright orange home page of Sporcle.

I quickly type “countries of the world” into the search bar. As soon as the page loads, I press play and scramble to enter every country before time runs out. To my dismay, I only receive 98%; I omitted Iran and Iraq: a rookie mistake. “I’ll get 100% next time,” I think to myself as I return to the Section 29.2 notes about American involvement in the Vietnam War refreshed from my 10 minute break.

Ever since my 10th-grade history teacher introduced us to Lizard Point, a website designed to teach geography, I kept returning to practice whenever I had a spare minute. That same year, I’d begun to believe that every second of every day had to be productive, feeling guilty for taking the time to eat dinner with my parents or spending five minutes flossing and using mouthwash after brushing my teeth.

Therefore, when my trips to Sporcle became more frequent, I got mad at myself for straying from the middle path. Even my

friends became concerned by the inverse relationship between my geography knowledge and hours of sleep.

Over time, I taught myself the countries of Africa, Asia, South America, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Oceania.

Suddenly, I had learned all 193 UN-recognized countries of the world, as well as the two UN observer states, Palestine and Vatican City, and two disputed countries, Kosovo and Taiwan.

At this point, I figured I must have

management, confidence and academic performance than did passive procrastinators.

Ever since, I’ve accepted that constant productivity isn’t possible. Rather, I encourage myself to take effective breaks filled with other learning. Although I once believed it too great a feat, I googled “capitals of the world.” The rest is history.

I slowly began to piece together countries with their capitals. My favorites are the seemingly complicated ones: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

“ ” I hope you leave high school having learned something of your own accord. As for my own study breaks, I’ll be tackling country flags and world bodies of water.

either an addiction or a talent. That’s when I read Angela Hsin Chun Chu and Jim Nam Choi’s study “Rethinking Procrastination.”

They distinguished between passive procrastinators, those who are paralyzed by their inability to complete tasks on time, and active procrastinators, people who deliberately plan out their procrastination to improve their productivity. Using complex statistical analyses that I still don’t quite understand (sorry, Mr. Rice), they found that active procrastinators ranked more similarly to people who didn’t procrastinate in time

and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka.

While they appear complex, I quickly realized that breaking down difficult names into smaller fragments makes them easier to digest. By dissecting Ouagadougou into Oua - ga - dou - gou, I find it much easier to remember the capital. On a larger scale, I prefer using a grouping strategy to remember each country: Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan fit together geographically; Slovakia and Slovenia go together phonetically; Romania, Bulgaria and Belarus are grouped by size. I find it helps to have a

travel itinerary. My preferred route begins in North America, continues southward through the Caribbean and South America, sails across to Oceania, treks upward through Asia, westward through Europe, with a final destination in Africa.

Whether I am analyzing primary sources in history class, reading current events articles or answering a final Jeopardy question about Somalia and Senegal, appreciating geography had numerous practical applications. My strategies for memorizing countries and capitals have proved useful to my work as a teaching assistant, student and editor. I often use the breakdown method to teach my students complicated Hebrew words, the grouping method to study Periodic trends and the big picture method to examine the structure of an article.

As the second semester of senior year approaches, the urge to slump seems impossible to resist. I will gladly return to the orange Sporcle screen for my daily dose of procrastination, maybe with a little less guilt attached. I challenge my peers to set aside time to actively procrastinate too.

Whether this means picking up that book you put down before high school started or listening to that podcast your teacher posted to Schoology “for fun,” I hope you leave high school having learned something of your own accord. As for my own study breaks, I’ll be tackling country flags and world bodies of water.

OPINIONS page 8|december 20, 2019|THE LION’S ROAR|issuu.com/thelionsroar

opinions@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 36, ISSUE 5

Should we cancel "cancel culture?"

A

s defined by the Macmillan dictionary, cancel culture is the practice of no longer supporting people, especially celebrities or products, that are regarded as unacceptable or problematic.

Recently, more and more popular musicians, actors, video creators and other artists have been canceled. This is unfortunate, as an artist’s personal actions shouldn’t interfere with people’s appreciation for their art. An artist’s actions aren’t based off of their work, and their work rarely has anything to do with the deed that canceled them. Associating the two and canceling what the artist has produced is therefore illogical.

The largest problem with internetbased cancel culture is its reliance on mob mentality, the phenomenon that pressures individuals to mindlessly act in a certain way just because everyone else is doing the same. Cancel culture impedes productive dialogue over what is getting canceled and why. When these differences are political, a lack of discussion further polarizes the left and the right. Simply following the herd to cancel someone for their opposing idea prevents individuals from formulating their own opinions.

Furthermore, there has been a dangerously large increase of cancellations due solely to an artist’s opposition to a political party or popular opinion. Cancel culture increases political and social division between the right and the left because people are unwilling to hear an opinion other than their own. Political parties grow more extreme and close-minded.

People immediately cancel artists without listening to a defense that could explain the questionable action. Individuals don’t hear other ideas, creating an echo chamber in which people don’t question their own beliefs. Due to cancel culture’s tendency to cancel people simply for their opinions, people with and without influence become scared to express their controversial opinions for fear of being canceled.

In the past, mob mentality has led to the factualization of false accusations and ruining of people’s lives. For example, in 2016, a DramaAlert, a YouTube account with over 1.5 million subscribers wrongly accused a 62-year-old Twitch streamer of being a pedophile. Almost immediately, huge groups of people flooded over to the Twitch streamer’s channel and spammed him with hate com-

YES

NO

By Avigail Rosen

By Matan Kruskal

ments, messages claiming him to be a child molester and threats to leak his personal information. Although the accusations were false, cancel culture didn’t give him an opportunity to defend himself — only after he was canceled were the accusations proved incorrect.

Furthermore, cancel culture ignores the possibility that people can change over time. It ruins artists because of something they said or did 10 years ago, even if the person apologized or showed remorse for their behavior.

Cancel culture is out of control and is causing irreversible damage to many artists’ careers. Cancel culture promotes following others without assessing the situation for oneself — a mindset that will prove problematic in all facets of life.

64

T

he first time I heard that a person was ‘canceled’ was last May, when James Charles, a massively popular beauty YouTuber, lost much of his fan base. Within hours after Tati Westbrook, his friend and mentor, revealed how he betrayed her by taking a sponsorship deal with a company that rivals her own, Twitter was filled with hundreds of thousands of people scorning Charles, saying “You’re canceled, sister,” (a reference to Charles’ catchphrase “Hey sisters!”).

Many of my friends were in an uproar about Charles’ actions, but I was hesitant to denounce him. Did it matter to me that he had betrayed one of his friends only personally, and not publically? Was it fair to shun him for one misstep? Did I even care, considering I’d never watched his videos? After delving

percent of students think we should cancel “cancel culture” The Roar anonymosouly surveyed 116 students.

gra phi c

by Ja

sm in

eL

iu

more into the scandal and learning about Charles’ character and goals, my apprehensions were washed away.

Cancel culture is an increasingly prevalent phenomenon of shunning people, often celebrities, because of certain actions, often a single

instance, that tarnish their reputation.

Even if it is avoidable, cancel culture is beneficial to society. Being famous is a privilege that should only be granted to those who deserve it professionally, personally, and ethically. Since celebrities have so much influence, we should hold them to a higher standard than we do your average Joe Shmoe. If the internet had allowed Charles to get away with his wrongdoings, then his fans would follow his example.

In spite of all the controversy, many of Charles’ fans claimed that it was unfair to condemn him for one action. A similar argument arose during the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was accused of sexual assault by Christine Blasey Ford. One of the biggest arguments of those who claimed the incident should not impact his prospects on the Supreme Court was that it was only one time, decades ago; therefore, the assault shouldn’t impact him at this stage of life.

But Ford was right in questioning Kavanaugh’s ability to serve on the Supreme Court based off of her past interaction with him. It’s fair to set a higher standard for celebrities and government officials, as they are drunk with power and should serve as role models for the general public.

Cancel culture doesn’t only impact people in power. It can impact brands, foods and even students. I do concede that cancel culture can be toxic when used against everyday teenagers to socially isolate them from their peers for one mistake, even if it isn’t recognized as such; I often hear classmates criticizing their peers for a single comment made in class. Cancel culture should be reserved for using against those in power.

Most importantly, however, cancel culture acts as a vehicle for educating people about the real world. Too many Americans have become engrossed in social media and entertainment, and ergo grown ignorant of the real world and its most pressing issues. But they should care. When we condemn so called ‘influencers’ publically, we force those who are ignorant to acknowledge real issues, and moreover to pick a side; continuing to support a celebrity accused of racist remarks would be to support racism, while the converse would be to denounce it.

Although cancel culture encourages criticizing others and does not necessarily motivate people who have been canceled to review their actions, cancel culture itself is not the problem. Rather, it’s a reflection of the problems that really do exist in our society, such as the immigration crisis, police brutality, gun violence, rising antisemitism — the list goes on and on. In today’s complex and interconnected world, morality can become fuzzy. Cancel culture prevents us from making excuses by striking the weak underbelly of the bloated perversion of moral relativism with which we and our government operate.

December 20, 2019 Page 9

The Lion’s Roar Issuu.com/thelionsroar opinions

graphic by Gemma Hill

ME, MYSELF AND I

Female masturbation is seldom acknowledged due to the widespread notion that female sexual pleasure must come from a male partner

By Anonymous*

“Y

es, I masturbate,” I said to my friend, turning my hot, probably beet-red face away from hers during a game of truth or dare. At 16, this was a sentence I had never uttered aloud and never thought I would. Masturbation was supposed to be something secret, ignored.

Even the word is weird. “Mas - tur - ba - tion,” makes you uncomfortable, doesn’t it? Guys have ‘jerking off,’ ‘beating the meat,’ and even ‘wanking it,’ you get the idea. Girls only have “masturbating,” which sounds like something you do to prepare a turkey. It’s not — for lack of a better word — sexy.

I began masturbating when I was pretty young, but, until eighth grade, I didn’t actually know what I was doing.

In fact, up until that point, I thought that only guys masturbated. I assumed girls just couldn’t or didn’t.

When I was younger, a friend vaguely mentioned something about being able to get pregnant even if you hadn’t gotten your period yet — which is false by the way — and I, with my complex understanding of the female reproductive system, took that to mean I could get myself pregnant just by touching myself. So I stopped out of fear, but soon started again. In my mind, I was risking pregnancy every time.

But I never told anyone, until that fateful game of truth or dare. After I answered yes, my friends shared that they too masturbated, much to my relief. As we sat there with flushed faces, we learned that other girls, in fact, all of the girls in the room, did too. In the conversations that followed, I found that I had friends that used their hands. Friends that used electric toothbrushes, back massagers and shower heads. Friends who had tried but couldn’t orgasm. Friends who watched porn, friends who read it and friends who didn’t.

While it is important for us to have had this conversation, it shouldn’t have taken so

long. Since middle school, I had witnessed boys talk openly at school about masturbation. Guys in my seventh-grade class would compare their favorite porn stars and discuss their weekend jerk sessions like they were a huge accomplishment.

Books, movies and TV shows constantly have jokes about left hands, lotion and tissues. I distinctly remember sitting in art class and overhearing a table of boys talking at full volume about masturbation methods (socks were the most popular) and how they dispose of their cum. Guys would talk about how horny they were and which girls gave them erections. For them masturbation was

own sexual fulfillment is not equally valued?

The double standard that begins in classroom conversations creates an expectation that is reinforced by the media — just Google sexism in movie ratings. Movies and TV shows often fall into the same pitfalls that my middle school experience did. Girls are only ever portrayed expressing desire for a relationship, not for sex itself. The normalization of male sexuality and the lack of female desire perpetuates a never-ending cycle of that erases female sexuality almost completely.

Luckily, things are changing. Hollywood is beginning to, rather timidly, address masturbation on “teen” platforms. Movies like “Ladybird” and “Booksmart” depict main characters masturbating and talking about it with their friends. TV shows like “Dear White People” and “Sex Education” discuss mastubration in detail, presenting it as equally or more satisfying than sex. This kind of content makes room for and invites conversations like the one I first had at 16.

I wish I hadn’t waited until that sleepover to share my “secret.” Had health classes addressed female masturbation, I probably would have talked about it sooner.

Eight-year-old me could have enjoyed myself instead of stressing over childhood pregnancy. 16-year-old me could have felt comfortable in my sexuality, instead of hiding it. We don’t have to let this stay a “secret” issue. No, you don’t need to broadcast your habits in a public forum or talk about it with every new person you meet, but please talk about it with your friends. Demystify it.

“ ” How can we expect to achieve full equality between men and women when their own sexual fulfillment is not equally valued? exciting, for me it was shameful.

My observations follow a national trend. According to the 2016 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior conducted by Indiana University, out of 14- to 17-year-olds, 74% of boys said that they masturbated, while only 48% of girls said the same.

These statistics feed a greater issue. If girls are not masturbating and taking authority over their own sexuality and bodies, they will not be able to advocate for themselves when they begin having sex. In heterosexual relationships, men are placed in a position of power and are expected to be more sexually versed. Both parties are taught that male pleasure comes before that of a woman and that women can only achieve sexual fulfillment through men, not themselves.

In addition to being heteronormative, this dynamic gives men power over women in one of the most intimate ways two people can connect. How can we expect to achieve full equality between men and women when their

Due to the nature of this content, The Roar has decided to publish this article as an anonymous submission to protect the student’s privacy.

page 10 December 20, 2019

Opinions ISSUU.COm/TheLionsroar The Lion’s Roar

“OK, Boomer” Deters Real Change

By Ahona Dam and Eva Shimkus We’ve all seen the memes and scrolled through the TikToks. Maybe you’ve even bought the merch. The popular Gen Z catchphrase “OK, Boomer” satirically calls out the outdated antics of older generations. But it has yet to provoke any change in their behavior or in the way Gen Z-ers view big boomer-run companies who prioritize profit over quality.

Though it started as a lighthearted joke, the phrase soon snowballed into a phenomenon that many, especially Baby Boomers, deem offensive.

It first appeared on Twitter in 2018, but it only gained attention in 2019 after circulating across TikTok, Soundcloud, Instagram and YouTube. In November, Chlöe Swarbrick, a member of New Zealand’s Green Party used the phrase while defending her speech on climate change, which had been interrupted by an older member of Parliament. Since it went viral, “OK, Boomer” has deepened a generational rift that may stall progress.

Gen Z-ers, people born between 1997 and 2012, make up roughly 25% of the population and have recently assumed a more active role in the fight for change.

A Pew Research Center study found that 70% of Gen Z-ers believe that government should do more to solve problems. Gen Z-ers have been particularly vocal about climate change action, affordable college tuition and gender and racial equality.

Despite their protests and social media

campaigns, however, Gen Z-ers have yet to make a major impact.

Right now, the president, as well as 60% of Congress, belong to the Baby Boomer generation. Born after World War II, they benefited from low housing prices, cheaper college, and they are the wealthiest generation, compared to all other generations living. In their youth, boomers led the anti-war movement in

tion who will face the brunt of its effects.

From VSCO girls urging others to ditch straws and “save the turtles” to hundreds of thousands of students skipping school to protest on Fridays throughout the past year, we all want to ensure our future on this planet. Unfortunately, much of our activism faces rejection and dismissal by older generations in positions of power.

It is not enough to have any older

the 1960s but have since adopted a “kids these days” mentality when it comes to Gen Z and millennial activism. Gen Zers view boomers as out-of-touch and unwilling to adapt or listen to new ideas, while boomers deem Gen Z-ers as naive teenagers who have no business meddling in significant issues.

“OK, Boomer” is the product of these rising tensions between the generations.

When it comes to climate change, Gen Z-ers are particularly concerned about its rapid escalation, as we are the genera-

person on board with our ideas, we need people in important government and economic positions who can use their influence to bring about change across the world. However, many major politicians and businesspeople such as the Koch family and the Trump Family are funded by companies that could lose profit if political action is taken, and therefore prefer to maintain our nation’s political stagnancy when it comes to climate change.

16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg’s views reflect those of many

people who are concerned for the future.

Speaking to world leaders at the 2019 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Thunberg said that “We are getting bigger and bigger, our voices are being heard more and more, but, of course, that does not translate into political action. We have been striking for almost a year, and still, basically nothing has happened. The climate crisis is still being ignored by those in power. It is not a sustainable solution that children skip school. We don’t want to continue. We would love some action from people in power.”

The same thing can be said about the “OK, Boomer” meme. It has succeeded in provoking a surge of funny TikToks and angry politicians, but it has effected little tangible change.

Unfortunately, by blaming boomers, today’s youth is putting energy into perpetuating intergenerational tensions and taking it away from the real issues.

It’s easy to place the blame on any older person we disagree with, but we should make better use of our time and redirect our rage to the real culprits: companies and politicians. The problem isn’t with each individual boomer but the companies that use their financial power to fuel their own agendas and with politicians who prioritize popularity over the betterment of our country. So instead of posting pictures of sea turtles with straws, call your politicians and make change happen.

Disney + Adds to the Demise of Centralized Content

By Maia Kahn Ah, centralized content. It seems like a far-off fantasy that there was once a time when one could find “Friends,” “Chopped” and “High School Musical” all on the same streaming platform. Since bursting onto the scene in 2007 and revolutionizing the concept of streaming, Netflix has ruled largely uncontested for over a decade.

Now, in a splitting-upof-StandardOil of sorts, the aforementioned titles have migrated to other services: NBC’s forthcoming Peacock, Food Network Kitchen and the newly unveiled Disney+, respec-

tively. These new players have a lot to boast about, but are they really worth it?

There are some positives to this new plethora of ways to view TV and movies.

It discourages exclusive control, preventing all viewership from going solely to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. It encourages more diversity of content, including platform-utilizing inno-

v a tions like the imperfect, but engaging interactive feature “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” on Netflix. It offers some pretty appealing options (EVERY episode of “Saturday Night Live” on Peacock), catering to everyone from anime lovers to horror buffs.

But ultimately, the problem with the sudden boom in streaming sites is that it turns what used to be a convenience into yet another industry.

The rise in plat-

form-specific content is a blessing that is turning into a curse. While these series and movies used to be few and far between, each service’s rapid loss of branded titles forced them to create more –– not necessarily better –– content. For instance, The Verge reports that Apple, in tandem with the christening of its new service, Apple TV+, has upped its television spending by almost $5 billion to compete with established streaming bigwigs.

As a result, mediocre originals proliferate the original streaming platforms, as titles that do not belong to a specific

streamer are spread thin. This makes it impossible for a consumer to have a satisfying library of media without shelling out extra money, which not everyone can afford.

And that money is shelled out for inherently less. Is it worth paying anywhere from $2-$14 per month for a few specific series? Indeed, the $6.99 fee that comes with Disney+ is “slightly less than the cost of a cinema ticket,” as The Economist stated. But the glaring issue with these individually modest prices is that everything you are now paying extra for was once available

in the same place for one price.

The current situation is like if Barnes & Nobles disbanded into different stores for each publishing firm or if makeup brands sold at Sephora began branching out on their own. These products would still be readily available, but who wants to make that many trips? To prevent this streaming boom from getting out of hand, as with any budding industry, entertainment powers must collaborate on a solution that is simultaneously convenient, affordable and profitable. As of now, too much focus is going toward the latter.

graphic by Kaila Hanna

December 20, 2019 Page 11

The Lion’s Roar Issuu.com/thelionsroar opinions

UPGRADE

9 South’s Holiday Concert A new decade (!!)

Holiday apparel December Break (duh) Longer days after Dec. 21 solstice Holiday parties Christmas music Getting gifts Little Women movie release

9

DOWNGRADE

Slipping on ice Making resolutions you know you won’t keep Chapped lips Socks falling off inside your boots Seasonal sadness Gaining 4239356.81245 pounds When the dreidel lands on shin

holiday survival guide During the holiday season, let’s focus on what really matters: There are two ways to handle the cheer, and two ways to read this story.

I

t’s finally that time of year again!

The weather is getting colder, old friends/enemies are returning from college and the holiday spirit is alive/you’re loathing the onslaught of holiday cheer. As the season of festivities approaches, you may find yourself losing sleep over all of the plans you’ve made for winter break/ studying for those post-vacation tests, but keep in mind that the true spirit of the holidays isn’t consumerism/togetherness, but togetherness/consumerism. The Roar opinions section staff has decided to give you some advice to maximize your holiday enjoyment!

1

Remember to kick back and relax/get that extra credit done. You probably won’t be able to do this when you get back from break!

2

Also, take advantage of those post-holiday deals/not having to wake up at 6 a.m.! Seize the day and hit the streets/sheets with the enthusiasm of a bargain-hunting soccer mom.

3

Finally, remember to make time for those who matter the most: your family/literally anyone but your family. Embrace one of the core meanings of the holidays by making connections/avoiding other people like the plague. The holidays just wouldn’t be the holidays without love/solitary confinement in your bedroom.

We wish you the happiest/most restful holiday!

Yours truly, Opinions section editors

photo by Netta Dror

L.A. Burdick Hot Chocolate Review

By ESME Kamadolli

H

ot chocolate isn’t a rare commodity.

Any good grocery store will have at least three shelves filled with this cacao powder and sugar mix packaged in everything from individual sachets to overpriced miniature glass milk bottles. After all, hot chocolate is the liquid embodiment of everything good about winter, whether it serves as a hand warmer after a day of skiing or gets you through a lengthy annotated bibliography (see Dr. Okun).

The burning hot, over-glorified chocolate milk widely available in homes and establishments across the country, however, is actually hot cocoa, a thin powder-based drink that is far from the thick melted chocolate beverage that hot chocolate is supposed to be. Real hot chocolate is so hard to find that I had to venture outside of Newton to secure a cup.

L.A. Burdick, a gourmet chocolate shop with locations in Harvard Square and the Back Bay, sells “drinking chocolate” alongside luxury chocolates and $4 cookies. I sampled five of their flavors, and suffice it to say, none of the five different perfectly tempered drinks that I sampled were reminiscent of a Dunkin’ hot chocolate.

#1 bolivian When I saw a hot chocolate advertised as “floral with a hint of grapefruit,” my need to satiate my curiosity bypassed my reservations about paying $6 for six ounces of liquid. The single-source chocolate from Bolivia had an astonishingly complex depth of flavor. I have no idea where L.A. Burdick was going with grapefruit. The chocolate tasted nutty. The Bolivian chocolate had an earthly bitterness and a fuller flavor than the others did, with a slight acidity that evoked a coffee-like flavor. I found it interesting, but its thick and grainy composition made it more of an adventurous one-time

purchase than a contender for a regular fix.

#2 MILk The milk chocolate is the most popular option for good reason. It was rich and silky, and the luxurious sweetness spread warmth with every tiny sip. Some of the darker hot chocolates felt thick and grainy, but the milk chocolate felt perfectly smooth and tasted like liquid Lindt truffles. I ordered the smallest size, but the mere six ounces was still too much for me. Its heavenly richness is best enjoyed in moderation.

#3 Dark This drink challenged my love for dark chocolate by taking “dark” to another level. It was extremely thick and bittersweet in a way that managed to be too sweet at first and too bitter at the end. I expected its higher percentage of cocoa solids to make it less rich than the milk chocolate, but the combination of heat and syrupy thickness made its surprising richness especially overpowering. I didn’t want to try more than a couple of sips for fear of a headache or dehydration.

#4 white I was very skeptical when ordering the white chocolate flavor, as white chocolate hardly qualifies as chocolate. It was a lot thinner than the other cups, and definitely less rich and heavy, making it the only one that I would even consider drinking with dessert. Its creamy lightness made it seem more like milk and honey than hot chocolate, and the sprinkle of cinnamon on top of the white drink just left my taste buds confused. Although white chocolate lovers may find it more enjoyable than I did,

photo courtesy of L.A. Burdick

I recommend looking elsewhere if you want to sample anything other than overwhelming sweetness.

#5 peppermint Featured on a clipboard near the register, the winter special caught my eye. I was very excited about this normally delicious combination, but in retrospect, I’ll take burnt Starbucks hot chocolate over L.A. Burdick’s peppermint hot chocolate any day. The peppermint was the only thing that I could taste in the strange beverage, redolent of peppermint tea. It was as sweet as the white chocolate at first, but then it filled my mouth with what I can only describe as the taste of a peppermint tea bag. It felt like opaque brown mint tea, with a couple hundred more calories.

The peppermint hot chocolate was a disappointing end to a sequence of otherwise excellent drinking chocolates. The Bolivian chocolate was definitely my favorite this time, but when I return I’ll probably order the smallest possible size of the milk chocolate.

CAR CRAZ Illegal idling on school grounds is a popular morning habit among students, prompting environmental concerns

J

unior Malissa Beckles leaves her house at 6:30 a.m. every morning to arrive at South by 6:40 a.m. Her early commute guarantees her one of the first spots on Brandeis Road, the closest parking option for students without a parking pass.

As Beckles watches the parking spots in front of her fill up, she notices something interesting: none of the cars’ headlights are turned off.

“A few months ago when it was still pretty dark in the mornings, I remember sitting there and seeing all these headlights and no one really doing anything,” she said.

There are 32 parking spots on Brandeis Road that fill up by about 7:15 a.m. While a few students choose to enter the building, most remain in their cars with the engine still running until the bell is about to ring. Some use this time to eat breakfast, others put their seats back and fall back asleep.

Beckles finishes her homework.

The habit of leaving a car on while it’s not in motion, or idling, on Brandeis Road isn’t anything new. Senior Hannah Ashkenazi started driving to school as a sophomore, one of the first students in her grade to do so. After she parked, Ashkenazi said she would sit in her car until the bell rang.

“I would sit there and go on my phone, listen to music, or, if one of my friends parked near me, they would come sit with me in my car or vice versa,” she said.

Ashkenazi said she would leave her car on, especially during the winter. She didn’t think twice about it because all the surrounding cars were left running as well. “Looking back on it, everyone was sitting in their cars idling,” she said What many students who park on Brandeis don’t know is that idling within 100 feet of school property is illegal under Massachusetts law. The radius includes most parking spots on Brandeis. Students who idle are at risk of receiving a $100 fine, which could be increased to $500 for any subsequent offences.

According to Principal Joel Stembridge, the administration does not have the authority to enforce parking regulations.

“If people are idling, we can call the police and have the

police come and ticket them,” he said. “That’s not something we’re spending a lot of our time on.”

Nonetheless, idling remains a major environmental concern at South, a microcosm for student obsession with driving as a whole. More students drive to school than can be accommodated in South’s parking lots, forcing students to compete for spots on Brandeis Road and other nearby streets.

According to senior Allison Walsh, who has a parking pass, driving to school is seen as a status symbol.

“You can just tell, you know, like people will whip their keys around,” she said. “I try not to be that person, but sometimes I guess I do that.”

“

The term ‘’school grounds’’ shall mean in, on or within 100 feet of the real property … No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the prolonged idling of a motor vehicle engine on school property.

”

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 16B

Walsh’s car keys are attached to a purple lanyard with her name written on it. Ashkenazi has one with polka dots, which she usually leaves dangling out of her jacket pocket, but “not consciously.” Junior Noga Bros said she keeps her lanyard on the side of her backpack.

Bros, who said she parks wherever there’s an available spot, recognizes the clout associated with carrying car keys. She drives her neighbor, a sophomore, to school each morning. Once, Bros gave her lanyard to her friend so she

By Sophie Lewis

Photos by Netta Dror

could get something from the car.

“I remember her sending me a picture on Snapchat and being like, ‘I feel like such a junior,’ because she had my lanyard,” Bros said.

Seniors said it’s expected that most students drive to school because of how many families can afford a car.

“It’s the norm if you can drive to school that people think they should,” Ashkenazi said.

“Let me rant about this one. My sister was a senior last year, and people always asked her, ‘Do you have your license?’

And she said ‘yeah.’ And they’re like, ‘So why don’t you drive to school?’” Walsh recalled. “It just blows my mind because not everybody has the money to get a car.”

For those who can afford to drive, it provides incredible convenience and freedom, unmatched by South’s bus schedule, which Walsh described as “ridiculous.”

“The buses leave so late, like 20 or 30 minutes after J block,” she said. “So being able to have a parking pass, I can get home at a decent time, like before the sun’s down.”

Senior Alisha Stadnicki, who parks on Brandeis, said that driving home after school is far more convenient than taking the bus. She and her twin brother, Andrew, drive to school in separate cars because they have different after-school schedules. Alisha runs on South’s track and cross country teams, while Andrew goes home after the school day ends.

“It’s bad to drive two cars, especially when we’re going to the same place,” Alisha said.

Stembridge said that the administration recognizes that, for some students, driving is the most convenient way to go to school, but he encourages students to think about green transportation.

Sustainability teacher Andrew Thompson is working with seniors in his classes to think of “out-of-the-box” solutions to incentivize green transportation. He’s interested in providing wellness credits for students who bike to school or creating a shuttle service between South and Newton Centre during lunch so students won’t need to drive their own cars.

ZE

Many students who drive keep their car keys on lanyards, swung around in the hallway and left conspicuously dangling out of jacket pockets.

Junior Kaity Shaughnessy applies mascara in her car.

Other students who park on Brandies Road eat, sleep or do homework before school.

r

(For his part, Thompson said that he’s committed to biking to school at least once a week this year, an achievable goal because he doesn’t teach during A or B block.)

Thompson said that one of the biggest challenges to making South greener is its location.

“Newton North is actually more in the middle of Newton,” Stembridge said, referencing a map of the city hanging on his wall. “North has more people within walking distance and where riding a bicycle makes sense.”

“”

Some Newton schools have installed signs that read, “No Idling Per State Law.” Environmental Club is advocating for similar signs on South’s campus.

I never even knew idling, there was a word for that.

Hannah Ashkenazi class of 2020

North is also easily accessible by public transportation: there’s a bus line that runs down Walnut Street and stops directly in front of the school. South, on the other hand, is about a 10-minute walk from the nearest bus stop and a 30-minute walk from the nearest T stop.

Nonetheless, students continue to lead the way in making South more environmentally friendly, starting by addressing the issue of idling. This year, Ashkenazi joined Environmental Club, which is currently working on installing anti-idling signs around South and Brandeis Road.

Ashkenazi said that she has reconsidered her morning habits to decrease the amount of time she spends idling. She still drives to school, but she has a parking pass and turns off her car when she arrives. She’s also tried to limit the number of days that she drives off campus.

“I never even knew idling, there was a word for that,” she said. “I actually just found that out because I’m a part of Environmental Club. And it made me realize that it’s actually an issue, especially on Brandeis.”

That’s the percentage of South students who know that idling is illegal on school property, according to The Roar’s online survey of 115 people.

31%

At Mason Rice Elementary, Barbara Nestle asks parents to turn off their cars every afternoon.

She said student-designed signs have led to a reduction in idling. photo contributed by Barbara Nestle

Cars line up on Brandeis Road during the morning of Dec. 19

FEATURES page 14|december 20, 2019|THE LION’S ROAR|issuu.com/thelionsroar

Features@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 36, ISSUE 5

DECADE

unwrapped ACTIVISM TECH

The rise of activists, especially in younger generations, has reshaped America’s social and political climate

By Sanjana Deshpande

No longer confined to a phone or computer, technology today has expanded into our homes through video games, headphones and speaker assistants

By Anya Lefkowitz and Rachael Wei

FASHION

Hold on to your mom jeans, kids! Fashion went back to the 90s. Simultaneously, brands like Supreme and Gucci released styles that knocked our socks off

MUSIC

Genres like Indie and K-pop took over the charts, and platforms like Soundcloud allowed unknown artists to break out

POLITICS

The 2016 election and Brexit referendum spoke to the nationalist fervor that has spread across the world

INTERNET CINEMA SOUTH

By Natasha Nagarajan

By Ari Gordon and Kara Wong

By Annika Engelbrecht

Facebook lost its monopoly when platforms like Instagram and TikTok entered the app store. Social media categorized our interactions throughout the decade

By Andy He

Sequels and remakes of beloved classics were all the rage, many making strides in representation. The decade set the stage for a more diverse Hollywood

By Laura Braudis

Student-led traditions devolved, and beloved customs like the senior Conga Line and Powderpuff were banned for safety reasons

By Oliver Ciric

December 20, 2019 Page 15

The Lion’s Roar Issuu.com/thelionsroar Features

Terrorism

Supreme is Queen

Throughout the 2010s, terrorism was an issue at the forefront of international and domestic news.

From the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011 to the rise of white supremacy and racially charged attacks, the invisible hand of terrorism has continued to plague the world despite efforts to clamp it down.

Supreme’s 2012 collaboration with Commes des Garçons catapulted the brand to popularity, reflecting the surge in brand obsession that we’ve seen over the past decade. Teens and adults alike have been seen sporting Off-White, Gucci, Champion and other highend brands. Shoes like Nike Air Force 1s and Doc Martens flood the halls at school. The allure of expensive products and the clout of trendiness maintain the draw of buying from these companies.

Let Me Take a #Selfie An Apple a Day Apple started off the decade by releasing the iPad, and companies like Google, Samsung and Microsoft followed, dominating the tech industry with products like the iPhone, Mac, Google Nest and Samsung Galaxy. Apple released its trendy Airpods in December 2016, just in time for your holiday gift giving. Laptops, mobile phones, and tablets from these popular tech brands have significantly developed this decade, while their aesthetic and efficiency continue to expand.

2010

Streaks, recents and the occasional saucy pic combined, people send around 3.5 billion snaps each day. Launched in 2011, Snapchat was a revolutionary platform that offered users the feature of exchanging photos and short videos that disappear.

This novel feature, unfortunately, has created a false sense of security for those wanting to leave no digital record.

2011

When Leggings Became Pants

Soundcloud Sings Because of Soundcloud and other streaming platforms, it is almost impossible to imagine a time when you needed a studio to record a song. At the beginning of the 21st century, high-quality mics were only accessible to record companies. As years progressed, anyone could make an album because they had the technology needed to put out a song.

By 2010, Soundcloud had given over 1 million users a platform to disseminate their songs to an audience.

Soundcloud is responsible for the success of Chance The Rapper and others, including Odd Future, Ski Mask and the late XXXTenction. The self-made indie rap genre exploded, thanks to the sharing service.

When “Frozen” was released in November 2013, everyone thought it would just be another Disney princess movie with a trite, romantic plotline. But watching Elsa belt “Let It Go” for the first time really hit different. Indeed, with its strong female protagonists and focus on familial love, it rose to an unparalleled cultural prominence that has changed how many view Disney princesses.

Its unconventional ending shows everyone that princesses can be strong heroes of their own stories. “Frozen” remains the second-highestgrossing animated film, and with the release of a sequel, we are reminded it’s not time to let it go just yet.

Athleisure entered the mainstream in the early 2000s and remained popular throughout the 2010s. Brands like Lululemon, Nike, Under Armour and Adidas swept over the industry, and yoga pants and sneakers quickly became not just a comfortable option, but a stylish one, too.

2012

2013 Powderpuff Goes Poof

Does it Really Look Better With a Filter?

Who doesn’t love to see a relatable meme on their Instagram explore page after a long day at school? Whether you joined Instagram to boost your friend’s follower count from 499 to 500 or to see what your favorite celebrity is up to, you won’t be able to delete the app — believe me, I’ve tried.

Reaching 5 million active users in 2011, Instagram has turned many people into clout chasers for likes and followers. Although memes — pictures, video clips and gifs with witty captions — existed before Instagram, the platform has allowed the once-niche corner of social media to flood the internet. Instagram has a lot of entertaining content, but it has also become an instrument to measure the popularity and societal acceptance that people receive.

Let It Go

Press Play In 2012, Gangnam Style became the most viewed video on YouTube, forcing the company to increase their view limit. The convenience of YouTube allows people to access videos nearly everywhere. If you are stuck on a concept that your teacher explained poorly during class, you can find it on YouTube. If you want to see celebrities exposing each other’s shady past, you can find it on Youtube. If you want to learn a recipe when your parents leave you home alone with no food and Postmate seems too luxurious, you can find it on YouTube. For some, YouTube has even come to replace their traditional cable televisions, as it offers everything imaginable in the realm of entertainment.

Started in 1997, powderpuff is one of South’s longest-running traditions. What began as a schoolsponsored tradition, soon became a point of contention, causing the administration to withdraw its support. In a 2013 letter sent to parents, Principal Joel Stembridge cited injuries and class division as reasons for the decision. The use of social media, specifically Twitter, in recent years has served as a platform to facilitate increased rivalry between juniors and seniors. Every year since, senior and junior girls have come together to keep this tradition alive outside of school property.

The continuation of powderpuff has surfaced a debate about gender roles, student safety and school spirit.

photo by Netta Dror

FeaTURES ISSUU.COm/TheLionsroar The Lion’s Roar

page 16 December 20, 2019

I’m Not Like Other Music

Alexa, Play Despacito With the release of Alexa in November 2014, home technology has blended into our everyday lives, giving us the choice to add reminders and play Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” with a simple “Ok, Google” or “Hey, Alexa.” Apple’s beloved virtual assistant, Siri, can tell you the weather, call your mom or even divide zero by zero. Online services like Spotify and Apple Music now allow us to blast music while doing homework or cleaning our bedroom.

We no longer have to manually pick up and turn our devices on: we can access them by just our voices.

2014

Embrace the Snake This singer-songwriter is one of the most popular artists of the decade, and she has 28 American Music Awards and 10 Grammys to prove it. Kicking off the decade with the release of her second and third albums, “Speak Now” in 2010 and “Red” in 2012, including hits such as “Mine” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Taylor Swift’s anecdotal songwriting style took the world by storm. Since then, Swift has released three more albums. Coming out with “1989” in 2014, “Reputation” in 2017 and “Lover” in 2019, selling roughly 25 million copies combined this decade. Over time, she ditched her Nashville country roots for a more pop-based sound, a transition evident in “Shake it Off,” the hit single off her 2014 “1989” album. Her abilities to share personal and authentic narratives through her music have made her the icon that she is today.

Alternative music began the decade still relatively outlandish, but has since risen to the front of charts and radio station queues. At first, it was half pop, half alternative artists, such as gnash, Ingrid Michaelson, Imagine Dragons or Lana Del Ray —whose album “Honeymoon” was in Billboard’s 25 Best Albums of 2015. These borderline artists allowed the new wave of alternative artists, like the bands Panic! At the Disco and Twenty One Pilots, to take over. 17-year-old Billie Eilish falls almost fully into the alternative genre, and she has a No. 1 charttopping album and over a dozen top 100 singles, something almost unheard of even five years ago. Songs became weirder and weirder, thanks to adventurous artists like these.

graphic by Cl

Trump Election In what was originally thought to be a safe election for Democrats, the 2016 presidential election was shocking not only for the U.S, but for the world as a whole. Donald Trump’s election to the presidency marked a turning point in domestic and foreign relations. In place of Obama’s globalist policies, Trump’s populist message downplayed the U.S.’ role as a global leader, which led to a power vacuum as other world powers rushed in to try to fill the void.

ara Boberg

Green New Bench Before becoming a green space in 2017, the hallway between the 2000s and 3000s had an area known as the L-Bench. Traditionally, the LBench served as a gathering spot for the junior class, but after reports of vandalism and harassment surfaced in 2015, the administration prohibited the bench’s use in an attempt to create a safe environment for all students. In the fall of 2017, the administration announced the closing of the L-bench, citing noise and behavioral complaints. The L-bench was replaced by a green space that is maintained by biology classes.

2015

2016

2017

K-pop Kicks Off

TikTok: No, Not the Kesha Song

#Activism

Korean pop music, more commonly known as K-pop, has gained widespread recognition this decade for its multi-talented artists. Starting out as the underdogs of the industry, K-pop boy band BTS, formed in 2013, gained global recognition with their charisma and musical talent, as well as the deeper meaning behind their songs. Having recently collaborated with prominent American artists such as Halsey and Nicki Minaj, BTS has redefined the global music industry and rightfully earned the title of one of the world’s most popular bands of the decade. In a similar fashion, K-Pop girl group BLACKPINK is taking the U.S. and the rest of the globe by storm.

Having broken multiple records as an all-female K-pop powerhouse, BLACKPINK has made history.

photo courtesy of Denise Truscello, Getty Images

In 2013, as the first social media platform to provide entertaining content through short videos, Vine set the precedent for subsequent platforms, including Musical.ly and TikTok. While Vine unfortunately shut down at the end of 2016, due to competition from Snapchat, TikTok emerged in 2017 as a replacement for Musical.ly. TikTok allows creators to post dance moves, lipsyncing videos, points of view and vlogs for their followers. When you like a video, TikTok studies your preferences and gives you more.

It’ll drain all your studying time for tomorrow’s test. These 15-second videos seem easy and effortless to make, but actually require a high-quality front-facing phone camera. TikTok has allowed many teenagers to go viral on the platform.

Hashtags replaced campaign calls, as activists took to the internet. In response to sexual assault accusations against film producer Harvey Weinstein that came to light in 2017, women took to social media, using #MeToo to highlight the prevalence of sexual assault.

The hashtag revived the movement started by Tarana Burke in 2006. #BlackLivesMatter, sparked by the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. The movements drew attention to police brutality and #LoveWins served as a platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. All of these online movements have paved the way for future social media activism.

December 20, 2019 Page 17

The Lion’s Roar Issuu.com/thelionsroar Features

Students Take Action

Get Out “Get Out,” released in 2017, is a brilliant masterpiece that utilizes the horror genre to send a message about racism, America’s very real horror. Protagonist Chris’s interactions with the white people in the movie speak to the prevalence of the implicit biases embedded in our society. Writer and director Jordan Peele uses symbolism to illustrate how white people’s views on race are not always as progressive as they may believe. It’s important to remember “Get Out” for more than its teacup memes. The famous Sunken Place scene, reminds viewers that there are still people whose voices are not heard. In a time when America felt more divided than ever before, “Get Out” offered crucial commentary and opened a dialogue about race.

Hashtags replaced campaign calls, as activists took to the internet. #BlackLivesMatter, sparked by the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin at the hands of law enforcement, took the country by storm beginning in 2012 and drew attention to police brutality. #LoveWins, started in 2015 after marriage equality became legal, similarly served as a platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. In response to 2017 sexual assault accusations against film producer Harvey Weinstein, people took to social media, using #MeToo to highlight the prevalence of sexual assault. The hashtag revived the movement started by Tarana Burke in 2006. All of these online movements have paved the way for future social media activism

photo by Evgenia Arbugaeva for TIME

2017 Britain Out While the European Union (EU), formed in 1993, has survived terrorism, financial crises and immigration disputes, the 2016 Brexit referendum shattered its stability. In a hotly contested and close referendums, the U.K. chose to leave the EU. Now, three years and two Prime Ministers later, the U.K.’s choice has led not only to a long-winded and complex exit process with international repercussions, but also to a reckoning regarding the EU’s future as a unified organization.

TBT Everyday ‘90s trends like mom jeans, butterfly clips and checkerboard Vans saw a comeback in 2017.

The revival, in part due to a rise in thrifting, has drawn those looking for unique pieces of clothing and the environmentally conscious.

While there used to be a stigma around wearing old styles, we can thank Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s “Thrift Shop,” released in June of 2012, for normalizing it.

photo courtesy of SNL/YouTube

2018 Black Panther

The 2010s was the age of Marvel, but 2018’s “Black Panther” rose above the rest. As the first superhero movie with a black lead and a primarily black cast, “Black Panther” became a cultural phenomenon.

It’s the third-highest-grossing film of the decade and the first ever superhero movie nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, proving that representation matters for audiences and the box office alike.

Fortnite Video games like Fortnite, Call of Duty and Minecraft became popular through game-plays on Youtube and Twitch. In 2019, Minecraft regained popularity from its launch in the early 2010s after YouTuber Pewdiepie uploaded videos of himself playing the game.

Advancements in gaming consoles and upgraded computers give gamers more opportunities to play their favorite video games, either in solomode or with friends online. Video games have provided entertainment for millions of people this decade and have built communities.

2019 Stranger Things The success of Netflix’s “Stranger Things” is due to its incredible acting, overload of ‘80s nostalgia and perfectly paced suspense. However, its quick rise in popularity shows that streaming services use entire season releases to their advantage. Instead of waiting each week for a new episode of a show, the 2010s have brought us the age of binge-watching.

“Stranger Things” became a pop culture sensation that turned the world upside down. It remains Netflix’s most watched original show, demogorgons and all.

Thank You, Ari Ariana Grande is a singing sensation who has stunned the globe with her uniquely high vocal range, a talent demonstrated in her lead single “The Way.” Her preceding albums pushed the pop star to the top of the charts with unconventionally striking melodies. Grande’s extraordinary vocal talent and innovative music style have redefined the face of this decade’s pop culture. Her most recent album, “Thank You, Next” was her first No. 1 single on the US Billboard Hot 100. At only 26 years old, Grande has proven time and time again that she has a lot left to give.

What’s next in

2020 ?

COMMON

page 18 December 20, 2019

THE

FeaTURES ISSUU.COm/TheLionsroar The Lion’s Roar

APPLICATION

The Roar follows four seniors with different interests as they navigate the college application process and will reveal their identities and college plans as they make their decisions

By Ellyssa Jeong

K

orey heard back from his early schools. He said that despite being rejected from his first choice, he is excited knowing that he is going to college.

“I heard back from UMass Amherst, and I got in, which made me more excited than I thought because it meant that I was going to college,” he said. “I heard back from Brown, but sadly, I was rejected. I was feeling down, but my friends were really nice and I got back into the swing of things.”

For regular applications, Korey said that he will apply to Amherst, Cornell, Middlebury, Tufts and the University of Pennsylvania. Looking back, Korey said he could have used early decision effectively.

“Early decision is a powerful thing you can use ... Brown is already a selective school, so I thought early decision would give me an extra inch, but using it to get into a target school might be a better use of it,” he said.

Despite the outcome of his early application, Korey remains positive.

“It’s not about what school you go to — it’s about what you do at that school and how you utilize it,” he said.

C

andace, who is applying to conservatories, submitted her applications on Dec. 1. She said that Eastman School of Music, Juilliard School, New England Conservatory and Rice University remain her top choices. For now, all she can do is wait.

“I’m done applying. I sent everything in, and I’m waiting to hear back about prescreen recordings. Live auditions start in mid-January and run through March,” she said. “I’ll hear back from them in the coming weeks. I made it past pre-screens at Rice, so I’ll have an audition probably sometime in February.”

Because many conservatories follow an application timeline different from typical universities, Candace will not receive decisions until April. Still, she said she’s enjoyed seeing her classmates hear back from their schools.

“It’s exciting to see where everyone’s ending up,” she said. “I’ve accepted the fact that my process is different, and it’s really exciting to see everyone getting into these top-notch schools and succeeding.”

A

graphics by Emily Zhang

ustin heard back from three of his early schools and is waiting for decisions from the Northeastern and Case Western Reserve Universities.

He said he was accepted early action to the University of Chicago and the University of Massachusetts Amherst Honors Program.

“I got deferred from Brown. I was not as crushed as I thought I was going to be,” he said.

After getting deferred, Austin said that he added more schools to his list. He is now planning to apply regular decision to 3 schools. These next applications will move faster than the early action ones.

“Getting all the materials together was the hardest part. It’s a lot of figuring out what goes where,” he said.

He said that he is slightly behind schedule and plans to utilize the winter break.

As the application season continues, Austin wants to encourage his classmates.

“For people who have gotten deferred or rejected — don’t base your self-worth off of this,” he said. “There isn’t a correlation with what kind of a person you are.”

A

dalia Rodriguez, previously known as Francesca, committed to Bryn Mawr College after receiving the Posse Scholarship.

“It was unexpected, but now I’m going to Bryn Mawr. I didn’t know what was going to happen until two weeks ago,” she said. “In June, I wouldn’t have expected that I would’ve made it this far.”

As she moves onto this new stage of her life, Rodriguez looks forward to what awaits.

“I’m excited to be myself in a college where people are like me and also just to learn about topics that interest me,” she said.

“The program for Bryn Mawr specifically is STEM, so they kind of forced me to pick a major, but I think I’ll major in psychology.”

Rodriguez said she hopes her senior classmates don’t get caught up in the college shoutouts that are all over social media.

“It’s been crazy with Instagram,” she said. “You keep seeing these posts about how this girl’s going to Harvard or this kid’s going to Brown and all that, so it may feel like you’re not good enough, but you have to try your best not to get caught up in all of that.”

Orren volunteers at Lesvos refugee camp Siya Patel

Features Editor Last summer, culinary teacher Jon Orren traveled to the Greek island of Lesvos to volunteer at a refugee camp.

“It was profound and uplifting and depressing and demoralizing and this roller coaster of emotions throughout the whole experience,” he said.

Orren served meals and helped out with children at the International School for Peace, a school for refugees in Lesvos.

Lesvos, an island off the coast of Turkey where the Moria Refugee Camp is located, currently holds roughly 16,000 refugees, although the camp is built to hold far fewer.

For Orren, the refugee students’ excitement toward school marked a key difference between them and his students at South.

After an on and off 10-year career in professional kitchens, Orren made the transition to teaching at South in 2010. He currently teaches International Cuisine, Culinary Arts Exploratory and Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems and oversees the Farm Club and the Community Service Club.

“What I love most about this job is sharing my enthusiasm and my passion for cooking,” he said. “There are these moments every day where it’s invigorating and gratifying because you get to see students have those aha moments when they finally get something right.”

Orren said he tries to ensure that

students try as many dishes as possible in international cuisine, and he encourages students to share food from their culture. This creates an atmosphere in which students can embrace their identities, he said. “[Food can] give you a sense of groundedness and give you a sense of identity,” he said.

Similarly in Lesvos, Orren said that volunteers cooked a variety of dishes for the refugees in order to make them more comfortable.

“They have this rotating menu, where they try to make sure that over the course of a week, everybody gets to eat something that they remember from their home,” he said.

Despite volunteers’ efforts to make refugees feel at home, Orren said he witnessed appalling conditions.

“They take this treacherous journey, … living in a tent, no heat, no air conditioning, standing in three-hour-long lines for each meal, every day,” he said.

The International School of Peace where Orren volunteered gave children a respite from their reality by offering classes.

The school currently has 250 students from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Congo, Somalia and Afghanistan, who are taught languages, math, sports, arts and other skills. Orren said that the most impactful aspect of his work was witnessing the children’s love for school.

“When they come to this school, … this is their first exposure to education, and so it was really profound to see children of all ages, six all the way up to 17 years old,

photo contributed by Jon Orren

Culinary teacher Jon Orren serves lunch to children at the International School of Peace. many of whom were in school for the very value the quality of their education. first time,” he said. “You see how much “I think it’s important to remember they’re just soaking in this experience like that a lot of people in the world would give a sponge.” anything for education … and for the op“They race as fast as they can to portunities that we have,” she said. the school gates with huge smiles on their Through his experience, Orren said he faces because they’re that thrilled to be at realized how much communities like Newton school,” Orren said. “You could feel your- take education for granted. He hopes to self overcome with emotion to see the kids incorporate his experience in Lesvos into experiencing that kind of unbridled joy.” his culinary classes.

Sophomore Isabelle Bonegio, who “I saw how critical education is, and takes Orren’s International Cuisine class, how it’s really a privilege,” he said. “There said she thinks it’s crucial that South students are plans to share more with South students.”

December 20, 2019 Page 19

The Lion’s Roar Issuu.com/thelionsroar Features

R AR

VOL. 36 ISSue 5

the LION'S

STAFF PICKS holiday edition

Today's Roaroscope New Year, New Me Edition

Look to the stars!

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18): As Taylor Swift once wisely said, “Baby, now we’ve got bad blood.” She was right. Cut down on your sugar intake so your liver doesn’t give way before you graduate.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20): Time is money, and free blocks are time. Add more into your schedule and call yourself a millionaire.

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Cake isn’t always such a piece of cake. This year, expand your culinary reportoire and learn to bake. Bring in your creations to Tuesday advisory to bribe your teacher not to N you out.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20): Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.

Jack fell down and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after. Keep an eye out for the Jacks in your group projects, or you’ll end up like Jill: showing up to class on the due date empty-handed and covered in grass stains.

Follow the playlist on Spotify by scanning the code in the app

The Lion’s Roar Holiday Staff Picks: 18 songs, 55 minutes — perfect to spice up your boring classes Christmas Tree Farm Taylor Swift

Wildflowers Andy Mientus, Our Lady J

Holiday-ish (feat.

Dylan Minette) The Regrettes

Dear Winter AJR

White Christmas The Drifters

Sleigh Ride The Ronettes

Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Op 71, Act 2: No. 14 Pas de deux Berliner Philharmoniker

Winter Things Ariana Grande

Chasing Cars Snow Patrol

Last Christmas WHAM!

MICHUUL. Duckwrth

Glitter BENEE

Dead House Trash Rabbit

Shawty Remi Wolf

Flight of the Bumblebee Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Columbia Symphony Orchestra

Almost (Sweet Music) Hozier

CHA LAUNDRY DAY

Island in the Sun Weezer

Gemini (May 21- June 20): Rest in peace Grumpy Cat. April 4, 2012 - May 14, 2019.

Leave behind your grumps in 2019, too.

Cancer (June 21- July 22): They’re a dime a dozen and $1.25 a packet. They’re tangy, they’re squelchy, they’re Welch-y. But maybe they’re not the best for your wallet. Do your future self a favor and save up this year, even if that means neglecting your midB block craving.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22): It takes two to tango, and eight to square dance. Set your sights high for the annual sophomore square off.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22): Mashed, baked, fried or gratin, every kind of potato needs to make it to the pot, pan or oven before it can become the crowd-pleaser it’s meant to be. Get off your c ouch and reach out to new social circles. You’ll surely find a buttery, salty, cheesy or sour-creamy friend who’ll complement your starchy humor.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): Wake up and smell the roses. Look up and see the ...MISTLETOE! Make some moves, you shmexy bachelor.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21): The world is your oyster, but seafood isn’t sustainably fished. When you take on new opportunities, make sure you’re conscious of how they effect the fragile equilibrium that is the ecosystem of your life.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): Cut corners, glue, and add glitter. Make sacrifices to create time for what really matters.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19): Don’t put all your eggs in one basket; don’t stuff all your papers into your backpack. Splurge on some binders and folders. It’ll prove an investment into your sanity.

page 20 December 20, 2019

Fun ISSUU.COm/thelionsroar The Lion’s Roar

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS:

1) Hit the ______s over break; rise over run 3) Rupture synonym; this starts today 4) Teacher who spent summer working with refugees in Lesvos 5) ______ times the charm; Trump is the ___ president to be impeached, as of Dec. 18 6) Woods seized from BC by Newton; Merriam-______ dictionary 9) 2015 boy’s team ends season undefeated, with state title 11) Problematic on Brandeis Road; illegal within 100 feet of school property 12) 14 months (and four Roar articles) later, teachers finally got a______!

14) The Patriots have this many championship rings (tied with the Steelers) 15) A person who has been ______ is no longer accepted by society; freshmen and firstsemester sophomores trek to 6167 when class is ______ 16) The good kind of fat; imported from Mexico 19) Roar came home from D.C. with a shiny new finalist plaque for this award; grandpa has one for his heart 21) The Dec. 21 winter ______ marks the shortest day of the year 25) One of Santa’s little helpers 26) Seen dangling out of pockets in hallways 28) Shhhh! The library will officially be a ______ space during J blocks as of Jan. 2

A dazzling dose of December delights

Down, Continued:

18) Do you want to build a snowman? If you didn’t the first time, Anna asked you again on Nov. 22 in this animated film 20) OK ______; Generation born between 1946-64 22) Successor of Musical.ly; see some great examples @_andyhe 23) An acronym for the Korean boy band “Bangtan Sonyeondan,” meaning Bulletproof Boy Scouts; Behind the Scenes abbr.

24) Chorus members and alumni will sing these holiday songs during D block on Dec. 20 26) Tell Google’s search engine you’re feeling this way for a surprise; first word in leprechaun-filled marshmallow cereal 27) City council used eminent ______ to acquire Webster Woods from BC; set of possible x values

DOWN:

Across: 1) Slope 3) Break 4) Orren 5) Third 6) Webster 9) Volleyball 11) Idling 12) Contract 14) Six 15) Canceled 16) Avocado 19) Pacemaker 21) Solstice 25) Elf 26) Lanyards 28) Quiet

Happy Holidays from the Roar

Down: 1) SnowDay 2) Sex 3) Baker 7) Bolivia 8) BigPapi 10) Onomatopoeia 13) MeToo 17) Bee 18) Frozen 20) Boopmer 22) TikTok 23) BTS 24) Carols 26) Lucky 27) Domain

1) Bet on this highly scientific calculator instead of doing your homework for tomorrow 2) The birds and the bees; YRBS found an 8% decrease in students who have this over the past 10 years 3) MA Governor; Newton city councilor of over 35 years; a person who makes bread 7) L.A. Burdick hot chocolate flavor; La Paz is its capital 8) Red Sox great who hit 541 home runs during his career; large father 10) Boom! Pow! Whack! Bang! Kapow! Whizz!

Clunk!

13) Social media campaign against sexual assault 17) Spelling ______ competition; buzz buzz

Washington, DC November 2019

photo by Brian Baron

SPORTS page 21|December 20, 2019|THE LION’S ROAR|issuu.com/thelionsroar

Sports@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 36, ISSUE 5

OH SNAP!

Recently, South sports teams have stopped fundraising through selling individual products, such as cookie dough or popcorn; instead, they have turned to Snap Raise, a third-party website that connects donors with high school sports programs.

Both boys and girls soccer, lacrosse and volleyball teams use the service to raise money for their program’s various needs, which range from new equipment to updated uniforms.

Snap Raise makes the process simple.

Athletes are asked to create an account with their email, join their team’s fundraiser using a code and then input at least 20 email addresses to whom automated emails, asking for donations, are sent.

“It's a very easy way to raise money,” girls soccer player junior Masie Abbiati said.

Snap Raise incentives athletes by offering prizes for certain donation goals, from a Nike T-shirt for garnering 10 donations to a pair of Beats headphones for leading a program in money raised.

Snap Raise, however, does not outwardly disclose that they take 25% of all donations.

On their website, Snap Raise clearly states their mission and core beliefs, one of which is “that youth coaches, educators and program leaders are able to empower kids to pursue their fullest potential when unburdened by financial concerns and administrative chores.” Nowhere on this same information page does Snap Raise display

the 25% of donations they keep.

Girls tennis team captain senior Mia Shursky said that when she was fundraising for her team, she was not aware that Snap Raise would take a quarter of the money her family and friends donated.

“I really didn't know that, and I don't know if my coach was aware of that either,” she said. “That's really shocking to me.”

“I doubt [the donors] knew that 25% of it was going to Snap Raise,” Abbiati said.

JV girls volleyball coach Hayley Teich, however, said it’s clear that t h e pl at -

South's main fundraising platform for athletics takes 25% of all donations without disclosing so to students

By Henry Blanchette

form takes such a large portion in order to make a profit.

The service’s convenience is the biggest reason the JV girls volleyball team has stuck with the platform.

“I think the kids find it easier to just send out emails rather than go around selling stuff,” Teich said.

Boys tennis t e am

coach Patrick McFarland said he was suspicious of Snap Raise when a Snap Raise representative introduced the program to the team.

“I wasn’t real happy with it. About the Snap Raise representative, I didn’t really feel he was forthright in everything that we would be involved in doing,” he said. “I don’t think that I would use it again in the future.

Abbiati said she picked up on Snap Raise’s dishonest ways of appealing to students.

“I think that their job is to help us raise money,” Abbiati said. “Obviously they want to get paid a little bit, but especially the fact that we weren't aware of it makes me feel like they aren't really outward about it and kind of keep it a secret because they want to secretly be [making] money.

Athletes said they are skeptical about using Snap Raise in future seasons.

“Every amount that we get is valuable to us because that goes towards our court time, our practice time and just our time together as a team,” Shursky said.

“It's good to spread the word and make us and our coaches more aware so that we can look for alternatives.”

Several prizes for raising donations (left to right): a top prize, a backpack, and lower level prizes, a hoodie and sweatpants.

photo by Netta Dror

Alpine Ski finds head coach in time for season

By Emily Schwartz & Clare Tourtelotte Sports Reporters

Senior Aden O’Beirne said he spends each year looking forward to the winter ski season. O’Beirne, an alpine ski team captain, has spent each winter on the slopes since he was three, and when he entered South, he promptly joined the alpine ski team.

After former head coach Mark Rosenberg stepped down from the position last winter, the team struggled to find a replacement. Until just days before the team's season began, it looked like O'Beirne and his teammates would not have a program this winter.

Then, engineering teacher and former Ski and Snowboard Club faculty advisor Claus Hinck stepped up for the job. Despite the last-minute change, O’Beirne remains confident that this season will be a great capstone to his four years skiing with the team.

“We're very lucky to have Mr. Hinck step up, and we are very grateful and fortunate for that,” he said. “He's an awesome guy. I think he's going to be perfect for the team, and I'm really excited to start working with

“ ”

him and excited to get the season going.”

The time requirements for a head alpine ski team coach made finding a replacement difficult.

“The ski team’s a really big commit-

“I love being outside, and I had been looking for a coaching position that was open here at the school, and since [skiing] is something I really enjoy, I decided to take the job,” Hinck said.

We're very lucky to have Mr. Hinck step up, and we are very grateful and fortunate for that.

He's an awesome guy; I think he's going to be perfect for the team.

Aden O'Beirne class of 2020

ment which involves late nights and driving a lot,” O’Beirne said. “Finding a person able to fulfill that and making sure that they can be there is really hard.”

“We're just really glad to even have a coach because we've come so close in past years to not even having a team,” junior Saylor Flannery said.

Hinck said coaching is a way to spend more time on the slopes.

After only a week, it was evident that Hinck brought positive energy, skier junior Masie Abbiati said.

“He definitely seems motivated to learn and help us learn together, and that's what ski team is pretty much about,” Abbiati said.

Indeed, Hinck said he is excited to lead the team.

"Anything worth doing takes extra work and extra effort. It takes a lot of time

to make a connection with students to actually be able to see their strengths and weaknesses and help them improve,” he said. “It's just a different sort of time management in downhill skiing.”

After cycling through several coaches in the span of a few years, the ski team may have finally found a long-term leader in Hinck.

“I hope to learn a whole bunch,” Hinck said. “I am looking forward to both understanding how to set up the team, but also the intricacies of downhill racing, and … in the following years, be really improved in my coaching.”

Though skiers are still warming up to Hinck, captains have stepped up to make sure the team is ready to compete in its next race in January, Abbiati said.

“Even if our coach is very last minute and we may not be as close with him, we have very strong leadership among the students that will help us be ready,” she said.

“This team has some very strong leaders, and that’s always been a common theme throughout my years here,” O’Beirne said.

“We're always here for each other. It's almost like a family, so we're very excited.”

Sports ISSUU.COm/TheLionsroar The Lion’s Roar

page 22 December 20, 2019 Gronkowski spikes the football after a touchdown photo courtesy of WallpaperCave

APRIL 23, 2010: Patriots Draft Tight end ROb GRonkowsi june 16, 2010: Celtics lose to Lakers in the NBA Finals Lakers all-time great Kobe Bryant wins his fifth ring. The Celtics had basically no bench, their starters were tired and center Kendrick Perkins got injured.

This finals loss stung twice over: the Celtics led in the third quarter of Game 7 and then blew it, and their loss came to the Lakers of all teams. (We’ll always have 2008, though.)

DECADE OF

On draft day, talking heads claimed that ASU tight end Robert Gronkowski,“Lack[ed] the elusiveness to make people miss after catch.” Gronk would go on to prove that one does not need elusiveness when one is a Mack Truck hurtling down the freeway. Plain and simple, Rob Gronkowski dominated the NFL. He was the ultimate mismatch: too big for DBs and too fast for linebackers.

Gronk would go on to be a critical part of several Super Bowl runs and was named to the NFL-100 all-time team in 2019. His supreme talent also came with entertaining off-the-field antics, as Gronk’s personality is as loud as any other ostentatious sportsperson in history. After all was said and done, Gronk retired in 2019 as one of the greatest tight ends to ever do it, and it all began that fateful day in 2010.

Mar 12, 2014: Patriots sign All-Pro Corner Darelle Revis (We all know what comes next) June 12, 2014: South Boys Volleyball defeats Agawam 3-0 in state title, completes perfect season

October 30, 2013: REd Sox win World Series After victories in 2004 and 2007, the Sox 6-game defeat of the St. Louis Cardinals was their third World Series title in 9 years.

David Ortiz immortalized himself through his performance in the series, as he was named World Series MVP after hitting an absurd .688 average (!!!), two home runs and 13 RBI.

February 5, 2012: Patriots fall to Giants 17-21 in SuperBowl XLVI

Coach Todd Elwell led the boys volleyball team to dominance week in and week out, and after the squad did not lose once in the regular season, they continued their impeccable play in the playoffs, where they beat rivals Acton-Boxborough and Neeedham before crushing Agawam for the Division I state title without losing a single set. This championship win is South’s only team-sport state title of the decade.

The boys volleyball team floods the court, celebrating their state championship win photo courtesy of Denebola

February 1st, 2015: Patriots defeat SEattle Seahawks 28-24 for Super Bowl XLIX title June 15, 2011: Bruins defeat Vancouver Canucks to win Stanley Cup; Boston wins all four major titles in seven years Bruins defender Zdeno Chara hoists the Stanley Cup photo courtesy of New York Times

The Bruins had not won the Cup in 39 years.

After they arrived in Vancouver for Game 7, Bruins wing Milan Lucic boldly dumped water from a bottle he had filled in Boston onto the ice of the Rogers Arena, claiming the rink as home ice. The Bruins would go on to dominate the game, raising Lord Stanley’s Cup with a 4-0 victory behind Tim Thomas’ otherworldly play in goal. The victory was the last the city of Boston needed to win all four major sports titles in just seven years (Patriots ‘04, Red Sox ‘07, Celtics ‘08). Boston now holds the record for the shortest time taken to capture all four titles, proving itself worhty of the name “Titletown.”

No team in NFL history had ever come back from down more than seven in the fourth quarter of a Super Bowl. No other team in NFL history, however, had Tom Brady at the helm. Staring down a 10-point fourth quarter deficit and Seattle’s “Legion of Boom,” one of the greatest defenses ever, Brady proceeded to go Sicko Mode, shredding the Seahawks for 124 yards and two touchdowns on 13/15 passing in this fourth quarter alone; his second touchdown put the Patriots up 28-24 with just 2:03 to play. Every heart in the New England adopted a dubstep bass line just a minute later when Seattle receiver Jermaine Kearse bobbled and caught a tipped pass at the goal line. Despite the palpitations, we all remember what came next: cornerback Malcolm Butler steps in front of Seahawks receiver Ricardo Lockette, steals an interception and seals the game 28-24 Pats. Chills, literal chills. Having carved up one of the league’s greatest defenses on the biggest stage when his team needed him most, Brady, now with four titles and three Super Bowl MVPs to his name, left Super Bowl XLIX the leader in every GOAT conversation.

Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler snatches his famous game-winning intercpetion in the final minute of Super Bowl XLIX photo courtesy of USA Today

December 20, 2019 Page 23

The Lion’s Roar Issuu.com/thelionsroar Sports

DOMINANCE February 5, 2017: Patriots come back from down 28-3, defeat Falcons in Super Bowl LI 34-28 This one needs no elaboration; we all know the story: with just over three minutes to play in the third quarter, Tom Brady leads the Pats from down 28-3 to an eventual 34-28 OT win. Unprecedented.

After Brady led the greatest comeback of all time against the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, he leads an even greater one just two years later. Simply no one in their right mind argued Brady was not the greatest to ever do it after this game. Brady=GOAT, Belichick=GOAT. 28-3. 28-3! (Shoutout Dan Quinn and Kyle Shanahan for forgetting that running the ball keeps the clock going.)

Boston sports have maybe their most successful 10 year period ever, South sports have 10 year period

By Austin Chen and Jackson Slater Brady stands beside his 5th Lombardi Trophy after leading the most improbable comback ever.

Brady finished Super Bowl LI with 466 yards, two touchdowns and his fourth Super Bowl MVP distinction. The man is simply the greatest.

February 9, 2019: South and North Co-op Boys gymnastics team wins fourth straight state title Four straight? Yes, four straight. The team is combined with North, which takes a little edge off the steamrolling, but the resume speaks for itself. What do you even call four titles in a row? Quadpete? No one knows because it doesn’t happen. South-North boys gymnastics is a textbook dynasty.

photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated

June 22, 2017: Celtics draft Forward Jayson Tatum

October 2nd, 2016: BIG PAPI RETIRES After countless clutch hits, 541 home runs, three World Series titles and a World Series MVP distinction, Red Sox power hitter David Ortiz called it a career. Universally beloved, charismatic and deadly in the clutch, Papi is an all-time Boston great. Heroes are remembered, but legends never die, and Papi is most certainly the latter.

Tatum celebrates a 3-pointer photo courtesy of Yahoo! Sports

The man dunked on Lebron James when he was just 19 years old. And he’s only getting better.

February 3, 2019: Patriots defeat Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII All the credit goes to BB on this one. Bill Belichick stymied Rams head coach Sean McVay’s #1 league offense, holding them to zero touchdowns. Wide receiver Julian Edelman finished with 10 catches for 141 yards and took home Super Bowl MVP. NBD, but that’s the Patriots’ third straight Super Bowl appearance, third title in the last five years, and sixth Super Bowl title overall; the Patriots’ six rings is tied with the Steelers’ for most ever. The Brady-Belichick tandem won their six in just 18 years, from 2001-2019.

All GOAT debates officially closed after this Super Bowl (not that there were very many doubts before), as both Brady and Bilicheck became indisputably the greatest to ever do it. Brady to date has played in 20 seasons, gone to nine Super Bowls, and won six. Insane. Six rings. Six. Rings. We’re too spoiled.

October 28, 2018: Red Sox win World Series March 3, 2016: South basketball defeats North at North 78-72 in an electrifying playoff comeback South traveled crosstown to challenge Princeton-basketballbound Ethan Wright and higher-seed North in the first round of the playoffs. South trailed early, but slowly edged back into the game. Just before the half, South senior Oscar Coulter (who would go on to play at Hobart College), closed in on Wright on a fast break, and sent his layup away in a Lebron James-esque chasedown block. South took the lead and held on, though Wright threatened with several consecutive threes in the waning seconds. As the clock wound down to zero, chants of “Our house now” echoed throughout North’s gym.

May 2, 2017: Isaiah Thomas scores 53 points, leads Celtics to OT victory in Eastern Conference Semifinals Thomas’s performance in this game defined his time in Boston: all heart.

The 5-foot-nine-inch man scored 53 points the day after his sister died in a car crash. Many men would not have been able to do that. IT is not like most men. The Celtics would go on to win this series in seven games.

February 4, 2018: Patriots fall 33-41 to the Eagles in Super Bowl LII Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller once said in a Player’s Tribune article, “Basically, to beat the Patriots, you need to play the perfect game. And then you need a little luck.” That’s exactly what Nick Foles and the Eagles did. The Patriots defense had no answers for Carson Wentz’s back-up, and though Tom Brady put up 505 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions, offense alone does not win championships. Tough loss, but for those of you counting at home, that’s the Brady-Belichick Pats’ third Super Bowl appearance in four years and their fourth of the decade.

(Left to Right) First basemen Steve Pearce, infielder Eduardo Nunez and catcher Sandy Leon celebrate the World Series victory photo courtesy of CNBC

The Red Sox simply walked all over the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2018 title. Though the Dodgers stole Game 2 after 18 brutal innings (a regular game is just nine) despite a heroic effort by diamond-in-the-rough Sox pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, LA never really touched the Sox otherwise; the series didn’t even go to six games. Beautiful performance by the Red Sox, and a well-deserved World Series MVP for mid-season acquisition first basemen Steve Pearce.

March 9, 2019: South girls gymnastics wins New England Title, Completes undefeated Season A Brown-commit-Ella-Poley-lead South squad simply dominated the winter of 2019: the team went undefeated, shattered numerous school records and won both the Massachusetts State and New England Regional titles. Dubs only.

PLAN THE PERFECT SUMMER!

TEEN SUMMER EXPO Monday, January 27 • 5:30pm - 8pm Newton South High School Cafeteria SNOW DATE: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3

ACADEMICS • ADVENTURE • ARTS • SPORTS • SERVICE • STEM

Pre-register and see programs on TeenSummerExpos.com