The Lion's Roar 39-2

VOL. 39 ISSue 2

Fragmented Generation As the Internet makes media coverage more accessible, teens find themselves desensitized to the horrors of war

By Bella Ishanyan and Matan Josephy Photo illustration by Eva Shimkus

Newton South High School · Newton, MA Est. 1984 · June 9, 2022

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the LION'S

Retiring Teachers

04

My Journey with Vitiligo

10

Fragmented Generation

12-13

Two Years of the SHRC

15

Girls SMR Team Wins Nationals

19

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June 9, 2022

NEWS issuu.com/thelionsroar

Volume 39, Issue 2

May in Review

By Julia Lee

By First Last

Getting something like this off the ground is not an easy logistical effort, and so everyone putting their minds together and figuring this out was really amazing.

graphics by Emily Cheng

Andrew Hsu class of '23, class president photo courtesy of Newton South Regulus

Junior Semi-Formal Dance On May 14, the class of 2023 held its semi-formal at the Needham Sheraton Hotel. The dance was the juniors’ first grade-wide event after two years of COVID-19 cancellations.

This yearly tradition was planned almost entirely by the 2023 class officers. While the group excelled in their organization of the event, they suffered from a lack of funding. To raise money, the class officers sold tickets and designed merch.

My favorite memory from semi was going in and seeing my friends and classmates dressed up and having a good time.

Alyssa Chen class of '23, semi attendee

The court does not find that the actions of any of the Newton officers or supervisory responsibilities make them criminally responsible for the tragic death of Conlon.

Jeanmarie Carroll judge presiding over the Conlon case

photo courtesy of Wicked Local

The dedicated members of Newton's Police Department continuously work toward achieving our goal of supporting a community where every person feels safe.

Ruthanne Fuller mayor of Newton

Conlon Court Case Closed On May 17, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan closed the investigation to a Jan. 5, 2021 incident in which Michael Conlon entered the Indulge! candy store carrying a knife.

Conlon was shot by two Newton Police officers after fleeing to the third residential floor and later died at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Over a year later, Ryan concluded that the two officers would not be prosecuted, determining that they had acted out of self-defense.

I think we're all united to get something done and to make a point. This isn't what anybody wants to do, and they're doing it. So that tells you how important it is.

Eric Schiff Brookline High School guidance counselor, via WBUR photo courtesy of the Boston Globe

Brookline Teachers Strike On May 16, hundreds of Brookline teachers and staff stood outside of their school buildings to demand higher wages, more classroom preparation time and a more diverse staff. After schools were closed for just one day, the strike concluded as the union agreed to a compromise on a new contract covering a 6-8% pay raise from 2020-2026, at least 40 minutes of classroom preparation time each school day and a working group on underrepresented staff.

We have been talking for four years, but they're not listening. We have told them over and over what the problems are.

Bob Miller Brookline Educators Union member, via WCVB

news | page 3

issuu.com/thelionsroar

Community protests the leaked draft on abortion The leaked opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade sparked strong reactions from members of the local community

By Grace Dempsey, Ella Hurwitz and Alex Zakuta

O

n May 14, nearly ten thousand people gathered on the Boston Common to protest the May 2 leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which protected the right of pregnant women to an abortion in the first two trimesters.

The case being overturned would mean that abortion laws would be decided by individual states. No matter what the Supreme Court ultimately rules, it is likely that abortion will stay legal in Massachusetts due to the political leanings of the majority of the population.

The Boston demonstration was representative of a nationwide response to the leaked draft opinion. On the same day as the demonstration, pro-choice activists flooded streets across the country, inciting counterprotests by pro-life activists.

The May 14 rally in Boston was organized by the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union and Reproductive Equity Now. The three organizations also partnered to create the Beyond

This attack on reproductive rights and abortion must lead all of us to renewed activism and consistent voting.

Ruthanne Fuller mayor of Newton

Roe Coalition, whose main points include expanding access to reproductive health care and providing support to health providers and patients.

The rally’s speaker lineup included activists and politicians, including Senator Ed Markey, who spoke about the anticipated effects and implications of overturning Roe v. Wade.

Women’s March board member and disability activist Leslie Templeton said at the rally that abortion access can save the lives of those with health complications.

“Whether it's those like me with kidney disease, those who are going through miscarriages, people with a life threatening infection and countless others ... having access to abortion ensures that if I'm not able to safely carry a baby to term, I have the option for survival.” she said.

Another speaker at the event, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, said that laws restricting abortion not only are an attempt to take away womens’ freedom, but also lead to serious consequences for the American economy.

“The United States economy is losing $105 billion each year because of restrictive abortion laws,” she said.“Half a million women wouldn't be in the workforce today contributing [and] earning [for] their families.”

Tanisha Sullivan, who is president of the Boston branch of the NAACP and spoke at the rally, said that Roe v. Wade touches upon social justice issues beyond abortion.

“We are organizing not just in the fight for reproductive freedom and abortion rights. We are organizing for racial justice, for LGBTQ+ justice, for immigrant rights, we're organizing for workers’ rights, we’re organizing for the disability community,” she said. “We’re

fighting for all of America.”

Obstetrician and gynecologist Steffanie Wright said at the rally that overturning Roe v. Wade would only contribute to existing inequities.

“The decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade is out of touch with the real needs of millions of people, and we know that restricting abortion access affects everyone, but the consequences of these cruel policies fall hardest on the most vulnerable and marginalized individuals in our communities,” they said.

Freshman Shayla Bellucci, a member of South’s Social Topics on Air Club — which produces podcasts relating to social justice topics — said that the right to an abortion is a question of social justice and the right of women to choose.

“Women’s freedoms are limited if you cannot get an abortion, which is something that involves their body,” she said. “It takes away peoples’ choice.”

Junior Pearl Berzin, a social media manager for South’s Girl Up chapter, said that communication is vital between people on both sides of the issue.

“People who don't agree may feel like they can't speak out or aren't willing to learn, which is one of the biggest issues with trying to gain progress,” she said.

Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said in an email statement that the threat to abortion rights should encourage people to fight for their beliefs.

“This attack on reproductive rights and abortion must lead all of us to renewed activism and consistent voting,” she said.

South senator freshman Navaa Malihi said that petitioning against trigger laws is

The decision [...] is out of touch with the real needs of millions of people, and [...] the consequences of these cruel policies fall hardest on the most vulnerable and marginalized individuals in our communities Shayla Bellucci class of '25 an effective way to contribute to the fight for abortion rights. Trigger laws are bans and restrictions to abortion that some states will put into place immediately if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

“What people that support the right to abortion have to do is rally and start to petition state governments against trigger laws,” she said.

“Trying to petition members of government to ensure safe access [to abortion] by codifying legal access in certain states is important.”

Senior Andrew Kupovich, a member of South’s High School Democrats club, said that it’s crucial for people to get involved — even if they are not directly impacted by the fate of Roe v. Wade.

“This does not directly affect me, but it directly affects millions of people … It’s important for people without uteruses to be worried and talk about it.”

photo by Talia Zolondick

photo courtesy of WBUR

Protesters of the court draft gathered on the Boston Common on May 14

Pro-choice protesters marching past the Massachusetts State House after the draft leak

page 4 | news

the lion's roar

Farewell to Faculty Four dedicated educators depart South

By Justin Liu, Anahitha Menon, Jonathan Wei and Lily Zarr

Jeff Stulin

said, ‘Let's have some fun with that.’”

Stulin said he was pleasantly surprised to find teaching so enjoyable.

“As a person who's been in business, I did not expect to stay for as long as I did,” he said. “I stayed because I enjoyed working with teenagers, and that hasn't changed one bit.”

Senior Elizabeth Weaver had Stulin for two years of computer science and plans to study data science in college. She said that he inspired her to pursue the field.

“He's probably one of, if not my favorite teacher that I've had at South,” she said. “He made me appreciate how important computer science is in our world and how it connects to other topics that are really important.”

M photo by Gianna Burgess

Judy Clough

R

. eading specialist Judy Clough is retiring from teaching after 11 years working in the special education department.

“I'm ready to look at different parts of my life and explore and live and develop other areas,” she said.

She said that though teaching is a challenging job, helping and interacting with students is rewarding.

“The students are great. They’re fun to

ath and computer science teacher Jeff Stulin is retiring after 23 years at South.

During his tenure, he headed the computer science curriculum, created three honors programming courses and revised the curriculum for the junior CP math course.

Stulin said he started off in the programming industry and owned a software company before switching careers to become a teacher.

“I decided I wanted to do something challenging and useful,” he said.“There's all sorts of great crazy things happening in education, so I

work with, they’re intelligent, they’re funny,” she said. “Some of them are really interested in trying to improve their skills, [and] some of them are frustrated by it, but they typically are willing to come in and try to do their best.”

Guidance counselor Christopher Hardiman said that Clough’s devotion to her students is clear.

“You can always tell how dedicated, how knowledgeable and how passionate she is about helping students to read, ” he said. “That inspires me to continue to support my students as a school counselor as well.”

Clough's time at South has left a lasting

Sue Batler

R

etiring guidance counselor Sue Batler worked in rehabilitation services for 15 years before spending 24 years at

photo by Alyssa Chen

Bob Parlin

H

istory teacher Bob Parlin’s 35 years at South make him the current longest-serving teacher.

Throughout his career, he has been involved in numerous initiatives, including creating the first gay-straight alliance in a U.S. public high school, developing linked classes, helping to run the New to South program and co-founding the South Human Rights Council.

Parlin said that one of his favorite things about being a teacher is fostering student learning and growth.

“I love when I leave a class and students

South.

Over the course of her career, Batler said that she has observed an increasingly stressful culture.

“I've seen it change a lot over the years,” she said. “It's getting harder and harder to get into college, and people are pushing themselves more.”

have been excited about what we're talking about. They learn something, and they feel appreciative about what they learned,” he said.

“That's the highlight for me, and that's why I became a teacher. I love being a part of that whole learning process.”

History teacher Michael Kozuch first met Parlin in 1993 when they worked together on the Massachusetts Department of Education’s Safe Schools Program for Gay and Lesbian Students. After hearing about Parlin’s passion for teaching, Kozuch said he was motivated to become a teacher as well.

“He has inspired so many people,” he said. “We should look back on this career as one that has made a huge difference in people's lives. We need to celebrate that kind of impact,

impression on her students and colleagues, Hardiman said.

“As a reading specialist, she has been one of the very important components of getting some students to the level where they are comfortable, competent readers,” he said.

Though she is ready to begin the next stage of her life, Clough said that leaving South is bittersweet.

“There’s a sadness to it because I'm saying goodbye to a profession, to people and to a way of life,” she said. “I love my routine, my autonomy and my job, so it's going to be hard to leave.”

Guidance counselor Christina Brown, who shares Batler’s caseload, said that Batler’s extensive knowledge of her job aids her in helping students get what is right for them.

“She always makes sure that every student gets exactly what they need,” she said.

“She really understands the role of a counselor and that you have to meet kids where they're at and help them with whatever trajectory they want to take.”

Brown said that Batler has always gone above and beyond for her students.

“She's helped make South be like a home to so many people, and she's made it a home for me. I'm eternally grateful for that,” she said.

and I hope this community understands how much he's given to our school district.”

Parlin’s departure will leave a void that will be hard to fill, Kozuch said.

“I'm very happy for him, but there will be a hole in the school and there's not one person who will be able to fill that hole,” he said. “It's going to take a few of us to step up and provide the kind of leadership that he has provided.”

Parlin said he is grateful for his time at South. After retiring, he plans to travel.

“South has been an extraordinary place for me to dedicate my career [to],” he said.“Over the years, I've taught thousands of students, and they've been engaged and thoughtful. Each class has been something unique, and I'll cherish those memories.”

Stulin’s guidance extends beyond the classroom, Weaver said.

“He always was good at keeping things light and fun, but also recognizing when it was a good time to be serious,” she said.“He gave me a lot of good advice on how I should approach the next steps in my life.”

Stulin said he views mistakes as learning opportunities and has grown from his time at South.

“If I'm not making a mistake, I’m not trying hard enough in my job. I have zero regrets about being a teacher,” he said. “I screwed up a lot of things, I did a lot of things right and I learned from my screwups to become better at the job.”

photo by Gianna Burgess

Even when Batler is not physically present, Brown said that her influence in the school endures.

“On the days when she's not here, I miss her and I think,‘What would Sue do?’” she said.

“That feels really good because I know that so much of Ms. Batler will continue on through all of her colleagues and students that she's worked with.”

Batler said she wants to be remembered for helping to shape her students and their futures.

“I really cared about the students and I made a difference,” she said. “Overall, when I look back at the 24 years, it's been good.”

photo by Alyssa Chen

news | page 5

issuu.com/thelionsroar

"Save South Music": The Return of Jazz Combo photos by Cici Yu

After a campaign led by passionate students and families, the Jazz Combo class was returned to the South curriculum for the 2022-23 school year after initially being cut. News editor Jaesuh Lee spoke to students who fought for the program.

[Combo] allows everyone to get experience here at South and to build a community where people can learn and grow and get ready for their professional careers in music.

The Jazz Combo performs "Now's the Time" at South's May 26 Boston Pops concert

Jude Seiner class of '23 Wang plays at a City Hall demonstration

It was a combination of writing letters to them and talking with them and the actual protests where we performed music outside City Hall and the school.

Jared Wang class of '24

Students and families gather outside of Newton City Hall to protest Combo's removal

Dept. head of special education promoted Julia Lee & Sarah Wei

News Editor, Managing Editor On July 1, special education department head Melissa Gamble will leave South to become Newton Public Schools’ Director of Secondary Special Education. In this new position, she will oversee the special education programs at both high schools and all four middle schools.

During her nine years at South and five as department head, Gamble instituted major developments within the special education department.

Gamble said some of her proudest accomplishments include streamlining the department’s evaluation process, creating the South school store and improving existing programs while implementing new ones.

Special education assistant department head Kimberly Borgida said that Gamble’s work expanding supportive programs has been influential.

“Melissa has had a profound impact in the special education department. She worked hard on the expansion of clinical staff and therapeutic support within South’s special education therapeutic programs,” she said.“She was also instrumental in creating a program

catered towards students with language-based learning disabilities.”

Team specialist Carie Carnahan said that under Gamble’s leadership, the department has diversified its programs and extracurricular opportunities for students with disabilities.

Gamble’s work helped students set shortterm goals in high school to support a long-term vision, special education department secretaries Laurie Callahan and Catherine Leone wrote in a joint June 6 email.

Transition specialist John Curley said that Gamble’s focus on creativity and connection has helped improve support and representation for students.

“Melissa always preaches‘outside the box’ thinking, and I feel that has allowed the staff to come up with creative ways to support students over the past few years,” he said. “Melissa also values partnering with different departments within the school, different community members within Newton and agencies throughout the state. This has led to increased visibility, inclusion and opportunities for all students.”

Gamble’s passion for her work contributes greatly to her effective leadership, Borgida said.

“Melissa is a strong leader. She expels genuinity when supporting others in their

professional and personal success,” she said.

“I will miss the inspiring passion she had for supporting students with special needs.”

Gamble said that she is excited to imple-

photo contributed by Regulus

Special education head Melissa Gamble

ment the lessons she has learned and experiences she has gained into her new position.

“I have learned so much, especially from the teachers in my department. I have learned the importance of communicating clearly and honestly. I have also learned the importance of making decisions that are student-centered,” she said.

Carnahan said that Gamble’s experience will prepare her perfectly to lead at the district-level.

“I will miss her passion for supporting students at South, but am thrilled that she will bring that passion to supporting students across the district's middle schools and high schools in her new role,” she said. “Her background in both teaching and special education law give her a unique skill set and perspective.”

Borgida said that she will miss Gamble’s dedication to her students and coworkers.

“Melissa has curated a fantastic working environment for our special education faculty.

She is amazing at thinking outside the box for new ways to support students with special needs,” she said.“She has an incredibly impressive work ethic, and I, along with the rest of the department, will be forever grateful for her drive to create a safe, inclusive and equitable space for our students.”

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June 9, 2022

EDITORIALS issuu.com/thelionsroar

Volume 39, Issue 2

Hate-based violent acts demand response For nine days and 21 hours, we mourned the 10 people killed in a racially-motivated mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York.

That is, until the next shooting occurred. And then the next. And then the next. The New York Times’ breaking news notifications have become a constant hum, no longer distinct tones but one long, mournful cry.

How do we respond when the cry never stops? And for The Roar, how many editorials on gun violence must we write until change is made? How can we, as a nation, end the cycle of gun violence?

Our staff lamented the sense of psychological and political impasse that has come to define America’s relation with guns. Now the numbing recurrence of shootings has come to a head, creating a society that sits with its anxiety.

The vicious world of hatred and conspiracy, which often manifests online, underlies the recent shootings. The rise of the Internet and the acceptance of opinion as fact in America have brought previously-fringe violent and hurtful ideology into the mainstream.

This is not an issue of the one bad actor or the one unfortunate situation. So much of America, composed of genuinely well-intentioned people, falls prey to America’s deconstructive system of media that allows expert persuaders to sow discourse.

Take Tucker Carlson, the host of“Tucker Carlson Tonight” on Fox News. A man idolized by many, he spins hateful concepts about America’s social issues into seemingly logical conclusions in nightly addresses to millions.

To viewers, his constant presence serves as a nagging reminder of the immigrants that are taking their jobs, the Critical Race Theory that is indoctrinating their children and other haphazard issues that appear to plague the world.

To be sure, some innocuous conspiracy theories, like claims of UFO sightings, are just that. However, Carlson’s promotion of the “great replacement” conspiracy theory, a racist and xenophobic belief that non-white immigrats are being brought to the U.S. to force demographic and political change, is not one of those theories.

According to the New York Times, he has pushed the ideology in over 400 episodes of his show and has used similar sources as the gunman in Buffalo. “In order to win and maintain power,” Carlson said in an April 2021 episode, “Democrats plan to change the population of the country.”

Algorithms, too, drive not only racism but explicitly violent intentions. In an investigation into the YouTube algorithm, the Mozilla Foundation found that the platform frequently recommended disturbing and hateful videos,

pushing users down a rabbit hole of similar videos. Former product manager at Facebook and whistleblower Frances Haugen’s testimonial before Congress pointed to an algorithm that was designed to feed into the destructive ideologies of users.

And yet as much as we can point to the specific factors like algorithms behind violent acts, the visceral response to mass shootings cannot be ignored. Instead of finding excuses to turn our heads, we must confront the issue head on. Education is a crucial first step to creating change, as the critical thinking and source analysis skills we learn are far less trivial when applied to the real world.

Beyond receiving a well-rounded education, advocating for issues like economic equity rather than against creates a more constructive social dialogue. Ideologies centered around opposition to something, like the“great replacement” theory abound in modern America, contributing to a pessimistic and polarized environment.

While as individual students we have only our own voices, the school administration determines the course of conversations surrounding the violent manifestations of hatred.

While the South administration and teachers open opportunities for discussions more than many other nearby schools, it is a nuanced issue

This is not an issue of the one bad actor or the one unfortunate situation. So much of America falls prey to America’s deconstructive system of media that allows expert persuaders to sow discourse. that requires a balancing act.

South must promote active conversations while avoiding anxiety, the desensitization of students and the all-too-familiar copy-andpaste responses to atrocities.

In reality, anything that South does as a school will do little to shift the tide of the nation. Even so, emphasizing critical and creative thought to educate students will contribute to a new generation of informed, not susceptible, adults. Let South be both a safe haven of education and a forum for the spread of informed opinions.

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

Editors-in-Chief Emily Schwartz

Eva Shimkus

Managing Editors Sarah Feinberg

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. Violation of this policy shall constitute theft.

Julian Phillips

Sarah Wei

Section Editors News

Grace Dempsey Jaesuh Lee Julia Lee Lily Zarr

Opinions

Centerfold

Bella Ishanyan Matan Josephy

Danielle Berdichevsky Ahona Dam Annika Engelbrecht Risha Sinha Melinda Yung

Features

Sports

Sanjana Deshpande Ella Hou Molly Johnson Emma Zhang

Marisa MacDonald Zach Rhein John Timko Clare Tourtelotte

Photo Managers Gianna Burgess Maureen Caulfield Ines Koci

Pawdcast

Ari Gordon Aidan Lieberman

Faculty Advisor Ashley Chapman

Graphics Managers Caitlin Ang Emily Cheng Adrienne Lirio Julie Wang

editorials | page 7

issuu.com/thelionsroar

LETTER from the

EDITOR Emily Schwartz Editor-in-Chief

Whenever I drink coffee, my hands shake. My knees hammer. My mind races. My chest tightens. Ironically, I recently started as a barista at a local coffee shop My cold brews and lattes, cappuccinos and mochas are still messy, made by a beginner’s hand. These concoctions, however, have bridged gaps that I barely knew existed.

After my first shift, my grandfather sent me texts upon texts of advice and fun facts about coffee. A self-proclaimed “coffee enthusiast,” he seemed more excited for my job than I was.

His obsession with coffee wasn’t new, I realized, as I remembered the hotel coffee we used to make when during trips, a three-yearold me woke up at 5 a.m. and refused to go back to sleep. My grandfather, my Agong, was the only other soul awake. He hoisted me up to the chair in front of the vanity mirror and showed me how to pop open the top of the hotel’s coffee machine, how to put a cup of water underneath and how to press the button labeled “brew.”

After I cleaned coffee machines, grabbed cups and pressed“brew” more times than I could count during my second shift at work, we went to my aunt and uncle’s for dinner, and they asked about the job. To my surprise, I learned that my uncle, too, was a coffee enthusiast. We joked about my grandfather and the coffee

Coffee connections

beans he had recently roasted in his popcorn maker and about the coffee roasting tips he had been sending my uncle. After dinner, my uncle showed me his new coffee maker — a beautiful white, Italian model. We made coffees together, exchanging tips and critiquing the procedures we had both just recently learned.

I talked to my uncle more in those 10 minutes than I had in the past 10 years. We finally had something to share after years of just pleasantries and group conversations. I realized the bare extent to which I knew him, and that the same went for many of my other relatives.

We had dinner with my adult cousins the next night. One had come to visit me at work the day before, and we dissected the cold brew I had shakily made him. Through fits of laughter, we discussed the late-night school projects that catalyzed their respective addictions. We argued over the appropriate coffee to milk to sugar ratio and whether 8 p.m. was too late for a hot coffee.

Coffee became a bridge, a point of connection, among my family members. Over the internet, the dinner table or the phone, spanning a 50-year age range, we could relate to each other. Something so universal, so trivial, so personalized, so inoffensive, started conversations. It broke the ice.

The world has felt especially icy in recent years, as hate-filled tragedies perpetually occupy the headlines and human rights become political issues, resulting in an angry, numb and isolated

population desperate for change but unwilling to reach across the aisle to make the connection required to protect people.

We are a generation drowning in social media and still feeling the effects of missed interactions due to COVID-19. Establishing genuine connections has never felt harder.

To stay in contact over quarantine, we had to choose to connect, to reach out, to check in. More recently, I have embraced these purposeful connections — I force myself to say hello or ask about a classmate’s weekend.

No matter how much they don't want to talk or how low energy I feel, it always feels better to have exchanged energy.

You can be sure that I will be talking about my job at every chance I get. I’ll be asking about your coffee order. I will show off my burn from the steamer, proud of my very first battle wound. I have claimed coffee as my ice breaker.

I am like my grandfather in that way, I realized.

Through emails, he has continued to teach me about coffee, from a link on YouTube to latte art, a TED Talk entitled “Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about coffee,” a history of coffee documentary, to a reminder to actually watch the documentary so that I will have something to talk to my boss about.

Through all these years, from the hotel coffee to now, he has been trying to connect with me over coffee.

I wish that I’d have recognized my

grandfather’s attempts at connection, just like I try to connect with others. I wish that it did not take me discovering coffee on my own to feel that connection.

I am grateful that it is not too late. I cannot wait to make him a cup of coffee. I cannot wait to share coffee tips, to hear about his stories, to impress him with my latte art (which will hopefully be better than my current lines and circles). And I know now that I will pay more attention to connections: to reaching out, but responding, too, because there is no better feeling than exchanging a good cup of coffee with someone you may not expect.

Coffee became a bridge, a point of connection, among my family members. Over the internet, the dinner table or the phone, and spanning a 50-year age range, we could relate to each other.

page 8 June 9, 2022

OPINIONS issuu.com/thelionsroar

Volume 39, Issue 2

SHOULD STUDENTS BE REQUIRED TO RECITE THE PLEDGE IN SCHOOL?

It is important to look at issues with an unbiased opinion and forcing kids to pledge allegiance to a country from a young age prevents them from being able to form their own perceptions and beliefs.

separated from religion?

Over time I began to say it less. My sister stopped reciting it first. She noticed that people looked robotic while doing it and felt that it was wrong and had no meaning. I stopped mostly because I was lazy. As I got older, teachers stopped enforcing the mandatory recital of this pledge and eventually stopped making students even stand up during its oration.

Forcing children to recite the Pledge of Allegiance is meaningless when children do not understand its meaning.

Even after I learned that the Pledge was recited to show loyal support to America, I still did not feel the need to stand up and recite a couple of sentences. Nothing against America here — I was just very tired in the mornings.

The countless repetition had made the Pledge of Allegiance meaningless to me.

This whole ordeal recently got me thinking; do we need to teach the Pledge of Allegiance? The Pledge of Allegiance didn't have any meaning to me; I had said it so many times that even with the reasoning behind it, its words didn't matter. To me, it became a waste of time. It is important to teach kids things they don't fully understand like sharing or math, but is the Pledge of Allegiance really necessary? Probably not. For me and for many other students, the Pledge simply loses its meaning and goes unappreciated.

My thoughts on the Pledge lead me to a more important question: do we need to force

YES

By Elad Levy-Racin

By Maya Goldberger

nationalism on children? I remember when I was a sixth-grader, and a couple of my friends and I were playing a game to see who could jump the highest and hit the American flag.

After noticing our antics, my shocked teacher quickly stopped our disrespectful behavior. I instantly felt guilty — I had disrespected my country and upset my teacher by hitting a patriotic symbol.

Later, I reflected on the incident.

Why should I feel so guilty when I disrespect my country like that? I then realized that I love America, and it is wrong to disrespect something that I love. This decision was important to me because I had realized it on my own. I was lucky and able to look at this issue pretty neutrally because all prior attempts of forced nationalism had basically flown over my head, so my thoughts on America until that moment were relatively neutral.

This realization led to more questions about the validity of the Pledge: what about the students where that didn't happen? It shocked me that they would blindly support something without making their own independent decision.

It is important to look at issues with an unbiased opinion and forcing kids to pledge allegiance to a country from a young age prevents them from being able to form their own perceptions and beliefs.

It is important to love the country that you live in, but society shouldn't force you to think a certain way. It is also hard to teach a child a complex idea like nationalism, especially when they can’t comprehend many global issues relating to their own country.

All in all, children should not be forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

It loses its meaning when repeated to a point where children can’t comprehend the sensitive subject, and it is important to let people make neutral, unbiased decisions that school shouldn’t influence.

My younger self did not care about the Pledge of Allegiance. He did not understand world politics, how America compared to other countries and the idea of patriotism. This is why I believe that the Pledge of Allegiance should not be said in classes; America isn’t bad or not worth supporting, but an idea like nationalism

started saying the Pledge of Allegiance in kindergarten – before I could even read.

Since then, I have spent many mornings standing at my desk and reciting the Pledge alongside my peers. As a child, I did not think much of it.

Looking back, though, I can see the effect it had on me. It was something me and my classmates did together every day which helped build a sense of com-

Graphic by Denise Chan

E

very morning of every school day from kindergarten to seventh grade, I had to say the Pledge of Allegiance. At first, I obediently recited this pledge; however, I soon started questioning this odd ritual. Every day after the bell rang, everyone had to stand up and mumble nearly a paragraph's worth of words along with that day’s lucky student on the loudspeaker. Still hardly awake, I did this first thing every morning at school.

This routine puzzled me. For one, I didn't exactly know what the Pledge of Allegiance meant. Although I vaguely remember the words’ meaning being described to me in second grade, I still didn't understand why it was so important that I say them. The line “under God” also irked me. What did non-religious people think? Wasn’t school supposed to be

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I

munity. On a wider scale, the Pledge of Allegiance is an incredible symbol for the ideals our country should aspire towards.

Having been in effect since 1892, it is a staple of American culture.

The Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Julius Bellamy in 1892. Today, 46 states require schools to have a time to recite it. Students across the country recite the same words each morning: “I Pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

At a base level, the Pledge expresses a more tangible version of the American ideals than do other American symbols.

With the Pledge of Allegiance, the message is clear. What am I pledging allegiance to? The flag. What does it stand for? The ultimate goal — one united nation, with liberty and justice for all its citizens.

The Pledge of Allegiance is literal and concise, the ideal American symbol.

To understand how the Pledge impacts American life, one must look at the language itself and truly under-

stand its meaning. The principles presented in the Pledge are foundational American values: liberty, the freedom to pursue aspirations; justice, fair treatment of citizens by the government based upon their actions; and the ideal of one nation united through equal opportunities.

The ideas represented in the Pledge of Allegiance are wholesome and idyllic. As a united nation with liberty and justice for all sounds like a utopia, the Pledge inspires students to strive to achieve these values.

Repetition is one of the quickest routes to internalization, so reciting the Pledge every morning during the formative years of childhood is a way to teach these virtuous concepts to our youth.

Many right-wing conservatives use so-called patriotism as a guise for racism and hate. However, the Pledge’s promises of liberty and justice are completely separate from the hateful ideas pushed by such nationalists; they are central to the fabled American Dream, the idea that everyone has equal opportunity for greatness as long as they work hard and treat others well.

Justice would ensure that everyone has

We should strive to be more united and accepting. We should think back to elementary school when the Pledge was part of our morning ritual.

the opportunities available to them to lead a good life, and liberty would ensure that people are treated fairly, that their hard work is rewarded. In many ways, we are far from reaching these lofty goals; however, if we all bear the ideals of the Pledge at the forefront of our minds, we can begin to make strides forward to embody the ideals of the Pledge in our country.

Overall, symbols such as the Pledge of Allegiance bring Americans closer together, community through the United States’s values of freedom, equality and unity. Today, the United States is extremely divided, but maybe the Pledge can show us that our core beliefs and morals are not so different from one another.

We should strive to be more united and accepting. We should think back to elementary school when the Pledge was part of our morning ritual. Those shared memories and the lessons we learned should guide our contributions to our country.

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opinions | page 9

Celeb culture: inspiration or obsession?

By Jenna Kriensky and Grace Sousa

hallway crush: their perfect hair, beautiful eyes and cool style. You two would be the perfect couple — if only they would notice you. Next semester, you walk into your new elective and notice they’re in your class.

You get butterflies, and your face turns bright red; however, the butterflies and blushing don’t last long once you get to know them and realize they don’t live up to your idealized image of them. As time passes, you see your ex-hallway crush in class and you don't even bat an eye — the infatuation leaves as fast as it came.

More often than not, having a hallway crush is exciting: it gives you something to look forward to, a reason to get out of your sweats and wear those new jeans. But while putting celebrities and crushes on a pedestal sounds innocuous, it can be detrimental to your mental health.

I idolize Kim Kardashian, a successful beauty icon and businesswoman. In a recent Met Gala in-

graphic by Julie Wang

I have to admit — I will forever buy into celebrity culture. I obsess over the Met Gala, rating everyone's outfits with my sister.

I own almost every shade of Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty lip gloss and watch interviews of celebrities, even the ones I despise. While Zendaya and Tom Holland were in Boston, I was freaking out, hoping I might catch a glimpse of them.

I can testify that through social media, fans feel closer to celebrities than ever before.

While most of the celebrity craze is harmless fun, it's important to take into account the increase in celebrity stalking and hypersexualization of famous people, many of whom are underage, that results from unfettered social media.

If you fall into the same celebrity craze category as I do, then you should be aware of falling victim to parasocial (one-sided) relationships. A parasocial relationship can come from anywhere, not just celebrities.

When you begin to fantasize about or immensely care about someone who isn’t aware of your existence, a parasocial relationship begins.

Think of your latest

terview, Kardashian was asked about her dress, a coveted historical piece previously worn by Marilyn Monroe. Kardashian told the reporter that she had to lose 16 pounds in three weeks to fit into the dress, which she accomplished by going on a strict no-carb diet.

Not only has she publicly discussed her unhealthy weight loss, promoting it to an audience of millions, but she has also been subject to many drastic visual changes, most of which can only be achieved through various cosmetic surgeries.

What is most likely plastic surgery is seen as a “jaw-dropping beauty transformation” and a “body evolution” due to her vehement claims that she has never gone under the knife. With her massive follower base, Kardashian has undoubtedly shaped societal beauty standards around the world.

Most dangerously, many people (particularly young girls) believe her claims because of the false trust they have placed in her solely based on the highly curated image she presents on her TV shows and social media. This is an example of“stan culture” in the media. Although people haven't actually met these celebrities, they are in love with them and think of them almost as if they were a higher being.

Stan culture and parasocial relationships are deeply intertwined: once you start to “stan” a celebrity, it can turn into an unhealthy obsession. It sounds like it's no big deal, but it's more serious than people think.

It’s harmful to idolize celebrities,

especially at a young age — it can cause you to attempt to morph your personality into theirs and make you believe that you need to be just like them.

As social media progresses and hundreds of micro-influencers arise, falling victim to a parasocial relationship through the media is more common than ever before. It's not easy to avoid, and you may even experience one without noticing. The good thing is that once you realize you've been affected, you can take action to remedy yourself.

The first step to ending your parasocial relationship is to acknowledge it without resorting to self-judgment. What has helped me is deciding to delete social media platforms for weeks or months on end when I get too obsessive (my relationship with TikTok is ever-changing), reconnecting with a distant friend or family member and focusing on self compassion.

Find the root of your celebrity fascination — do you imagine yourself as part of the gang at Central Perk Cafe because you have a hard time finding friends you can truly count on? Do you consider yourself a Kardashian because you crave their success and fame?

Self care, self discovery and distancing yourself from social media are challenging, but the benefits are definitely worth it. It's time to end your parasocial relationships and feel happier. You deserve it.

Now go! Go outside, grab a picnic blanket, a journal and some sage and leave your phone behind.

Violating our bodily autonomy

By Ahona Dam The anatomy of a woman’s reproductive system is a beautiful blueprint — each part fitting like a puzzle piece to create the engine of life. In constant motion, a woman's uterus sheds, contracts and dilates. It is a swift messenger, working in harmony with the fallopian tubes, endometrium and cervix. In recent months, this system’s ability to nurture a fetus has become the center of a nationwide debate over women’s rights to reproductive healthcare in a country that claims to support maternal health.

I was shocked when the Supreme Court draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked on May 2. In the 1970 case, Jane Roe (pseudonym) sued Henry Wade, her local district attorney, claiming that Texas’s laws restricting her right to abortion were unconstitutional. In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Roe in a 7-2 decision, asserting that the Constitution protected a woman’s right to privacy, and therefore her reproductive health as well.

According to the New York Times, if the Supreme Court decides to overturn Roe v. Wade, 26 states may decide to ban or tightly restrict abortion. This puts all procedures that terminate a pregnancy at risk, including dilation and curettage (D&C), abortion pills, suction, induced miscarriage or c-sections which are typically done during third trimester abortions.

As my phone lit up with hundreds of news reports and Instagram stories in response to the news, I became angry thinking about how the Court could insert themselves into the lives of individuals without knowing each person’s circumstances.

Decisions by the court — a group of wealthy, mostly male justices — fail to account for a wide range of situations that require the protection of Roe v. Wade to access reproductive healthcare: mothers who cannot afford to take care of another child, mothers who endure the pain of a miscarriage, mothers who took on the title of ‘mother’ too young, mothers suffering through an ectopic pregnancy, mothers who are forced to make a decision between life or death — what does the future hold for them?

While many political leaders are fortunate enough to take matters of healthcare for granted, many women across America do not have that luxury. It is also important to acknowledge the conditions of abortion for all who can get pregnant including transwoman and any person with a uterus — not just cisgender women.

A gendered discussion of abortion fails to realize the real perspectives that other people face who have gone through similar trauma of being denied an abortion. By discussing the legitimacy of life and death, the conversation shifts away from the safety and rights of a woman’s health autonomy. The future of American mothers has become fragile, their reproductive systems a battleground.

According to research conducted at the University of California San Francisco, women who are denied an abortion are more susceptible to long term economic hardship and insecurity.

There is also a noticeable increase in partner violence for women who can’t get an abortion.

As a young woman growing up South Asian in America, I never openly discussed

women’s health. In fifth grade and middle school, girls would whisper to each other about their choice of pads or tampons, and students would nervously laugh as our health teacher explained birth control methods.

After I got my period, I was told not to talk about it in front of my dad. Pads were always hidden in shopping carts; bras were always bought secretly. When I was younger, I became accustomed to staying quiet and feeling embarrassed when these topics were brought up.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve questioned such reluctance to talk about women’s health.

Why has the female body been depicted to be this monstrosity or this foreign object of desire that no one should have the authority to handle besides the woman herself?

Women are not objects to be pointed at, stared at, or manipulated to fit into molds. My body does not have an unlocked door that can be opened without my permission. I am not programmed to listen to ang whatever someone tells ic by Julie W h p a me to do because gr I have a mind of my own.

There is a lack of knowledge about a woman’s reproductive system

among the general public. With this lack of knowledge comes misinformation and reluctance to advocate for one’s own health. Without understanding the intricacy of this system’s ability to care for a fetus, people are more willing to support restrictive abortion laws. Not only is knowing anatomy important, but so is recognizing a woman’s emotional wellbeing.

Listen to women’s stories that plague America’s healthcare about mothers forced to g iv e birth in dangerous conditions against their will. Listen to women’s experiences as they find alternate means to travel to states where abortion is legal. Listen to the cries of pain as women are forced to give birth to babies who have major health concerns.

This is far from just, and I am tired of explaining the importance of women’s health to people who choose to be ignorant.

Educate yourself and use your voice because it can change someone’s perspective. I am proud to identify as a woman and am grateful to have the necessary knowledge about my anatomy and rights because I know that being a woman in America makes me stronger.

page 10 | opinions

the lion's roar

Proud of my skin

By Risha Sinha I have Vitiligo.

That statement would have sent me into an anxiety-filled tailspin a year ago. Having Vitiligo was what I hated most about myself, and admitting to it would have been like admitting defeat.

Today, that statement is a relief: it represents my acceptance of who I am. Today, when people ask me, “What’s wrong with your leg?”, I just tell them there’s nothing wrong with it — it’s just different.

I am a brown person, yet my left thigh has patches of white skin. These splotches are called Vitiligo. Medically, it is an auto-immune disease, a dermatological disorder and a chronic condition.

Vitiligo occurs when the body attacks its melanocytes (melanin-producing cells that cause color in skin) in certain places. Simply put, it’s a fancy reverse freckle. It affects 1% of the world and cannot be cured, but there are steps one can take to lessen its appearance.

My Vitiligo appeared in third grade — a very inopportune time. Until then, I had been very busy hating myself for being brown. Children are cliquey and often cruel.

Their innocence presents as ignorance, which leads to intolerance. Suffice to say, my HarryPotter-quoting, bell-bottom-jeans-wearing, V8-tomato-juice-drinking self was not well tolerated by my classmates from kindergarten to second grade, so I was unbearably lonely.

As an oblivious 7-year-old, I didn’t attribute my lack of friends to my weirdness; I

attributed it to the most apparent visual difference between me and the rest of my class: I was brown, and they were not. As such, brownness became the most deplorable thing about me.

When the Vitiligo set in, I was horrified — if I were a superstitious person, I would say it was the physical manifestation of yearning to be white. My being brown was bad enough; being unevenly brown with bright white blemishes was positively damning. I would never socially survive if I was that different.

Suddenly, the sin of expansive brownness paled in comparison to the intrusion of the offensive whiteness creeping across my leg. I hated it with unparalleled passion. Even more so, I hated myself for bearing such wickedness.

I wanted it gone, fast.

I don’t remember exactly what happened in the years afterward. Whether that’s from age or because I purposefully blocked it out, I also cannot recall. I remember seeing many different doctors, having a biopsy done in the fourth grade, and eventually starting treatments.

When I returned from the hospital, I remember we were dissecting worms in class, which I found hilarious. After all, I had just been dissected too. In the years after, I used special creams, did UVB-light radiation therapy and underwent two MKTP surgeries. At the end of it, my Vitiligo had decreased a whole lot.

I refused to wear shorts until the summer of eighth grade – a full five years since my Vitiligo appeared. I hated myself beyond belief, and not only was I terrified of what

others would think about my leg, but I myself was repulsed by it, so it stayed hidden.

Cut to eighth grade, when enough inspirational quotes had finally permeated my thick skull, and I started to love myself, Vitiligo and all. Suddenly, I regretted all those years of hating myself and trying to fix my leg. As a novice teenager, I blamed my parents for it. Why didn’t they stop me? Why didn’t they sit me down and force me to love myself?

I realized that while I was being carted around from doctor to doctor, feeling like a freak in a circus act, my parents were making sure I had Vitiligo, not cancer. When the time came to choose to go through with the procedures, my parents did what they thought was best: what would make an incredibly sad child happy.

As time passes on, my relationship with my Vitiligo continues to change. It’s an emotional and challenging journey, and although sometimes I need to be reminded, I am incredibly grateful that my parents are there

with me.

These days, the only thing that stops me from wearing shorts is the cold. When I wear them, every so often someone will comment that I look like a cow. Well, as the hottest cow of all the cows, I am proud to say: having Vitiligo is a part of who I am. I am not ashamed of it, I do not need pity for it, and I will not hide it.

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The new "Doctor Strange": Marvel's goriest film

By Daniel Diamond and Noa Racin For over 14 years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has provided its fans with moving storylines, gripping characters and fast-paced action.

Its latest release, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” has not disappointed in these categories.

Riding on the success of previous releases such as “Moon Knight” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” the MCU’s experimentation with darker tones, violence and gore have attracted a new generation of viewers.

Before the release of “Doctor Strange,”

photo courtesy of Marvel

the MCU fanbase was unsure of the content of the film. It is supposed to be a movie about Doctor Strange, and while many fans did want a Doctor Strange movie, others wanted it to be a fan service film. Although we get a mix of both of these in the film, fan theories regarding who was going to be in the film gained popularity even before the release of “Spider-Man: No Way Home”.

While “Spider-Man: No Way Home” proved to be a hit at the box office, the ending left many fans wondering about how its storyline would tie into “Doctor Strange.” Fans also wondered about which MCU characters were going to be featured in this new Doctor Strange movie.

Despite the hype, these questions are hardly answered in this blockbuster: the MCU delivers an alienating film that contains some flaws in the plot but pleases fans with its visuals, acting and directing.

To begin with, director Sam Raimi goes above and beyond. Raimi — best known for directing“The Evil Dead” franchise and the Tobey Maguire“Spider-Man” trilogy — leaves a visible mark with his distinct directing characteristics to create a thrilling and action-packed film.

While Disney films are known to be family-friendly, Raimi’s direction brings a goriness and violence to the movie that surprised me. I appreciated Marvel’s attempt to update their typical style, rather than continuing to produce the same repeated story.

The acting of Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen and Xochitl Gomez, who

masterfully portray their complex, varied characters, is also a high point of the movie.

While playing many alternate versions of a character can be a challenge, Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen play their parts effortlessly.

Although Wanda Maximoff ’s status as the main villain proved to be controversial, I thought this was a great choice, as it gave a fresh perspective on possible villains in MCU’s future. It also continues the tragic arc that she had in WandaVision.

Although Marvel tends to disappoint fans with their shows by giving them rushed finales, Wanda’s arc continued well in this film.

However, I felt like Wanda’s motives could have been more fleshed out.

Her storyline about “being possessed by the Darkhold” felt rushed. While I approve of the choice of her being the villain, I felt like her character was a bit flimsy and should have been given more depth.

In addition, the flaws in this movie were glaringly obvious. For the most part, the movie only explores three main universes, despite the name of the film being“Multiverse of Madness.”

The only real big “multiverse” action we get is a jump sequence that is roughly 20 seconds long.

Despite the trailer for “Doctor Strange” being at the end of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and theories that the film was supposed to be connected to Spider-Man, explaining some of the movie’s inconclusive ending, SpiderMan is only mentioned once, very briefly, as the punchline of a joke. This came as a disappoint-

ment to fans like me, who expected to see more of Peter Parker in the film.

Furthermore, the cameos in this film were enjoyable to watch but felt poorly executed. Fan favorites such as Professor X (played by Patrick Stewart) and a few others make an appearance; however, their actions are mostly nonsensical

The MCU delivers an alienating film that contains some flaws in the plot but pleases fans with its visuals, acting and directing. and ill-fated.

But really, these complaints are all caused by the pacing, which in my opinion was inconsistent and all over the place. This issue made the audience entertained but also confused at times.

Overall, this is an excellent movie to watch. Is it the best Marvel movie? No. Is it the worst Marvel movie? Absolutely not.

Taking in all of the good and bad qualities of this film, I believe that this movie may well be one of the most divisive Marvel movies of the last decade. As long as you go in with an open mind, it will be worth the watch.

opinions | page 11

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Girls' bathrooms: An inside look Experience the daily routine of visiting South's girls' bathrooms as we rank each bathroom group out of a five star scale

By Molly Johnson and Feiya Wang 6000s bathrooms

1000s bathrooms

9000s bathrooms

Although the first 6100s bathroom, conveniently located just past the fork of the two wings, is relatively approachable, the inside is quite disappointing. Paint chips and hair strands decorate the walls while faded gray streaks and the occasional profane drawing leave haunting reminders of graffiti that once enveloped the bathroom. On the positive side, two wads of gum in the window corner provide a pop of color against the otherwise-drab last stall.

Contrary to the other appliances in this bathroom, the dryer is exceptional. This amenity makes the 6100s bathroom a great alternative to the second 6100s bathroom, located closer to the breezeway. I was unable to complete a full review of that particular lavatory because it smells atrocious. In addition to the stench, the first sink faucet is ripped clean off. Upstairs, a musky scent of B.O. permeates the beige walls of the 6200s bathroom.

Chipped and mismatched tiles litter the walls, giving the sense of an abstract work of art, but the bathroom partially redeems itself as the only bathroom with tampons that I reviewed.

Highest ranked of all, the 1000s bathrooms check all of our boxes. All three floors of bathrooms far outshine those in other areas of the school, with their new appliances and spacious stalls. Compared to the 6000s, the 1000s bathrooms are paradise — I would even consider camping on the floor.

The 1300s bathroom’s prime location, as the only option on the third floor, boosts its appeal (especially given my knee problems). The multiple stalls aid the slow-moving lines in between blocks. Although the toilet paper, soap and pads have fortunately been refilled as of recent, supply is always uncertain. Hand washing instructions are well placed above the sink so you have no excuse for bringing your germs back to class.

Speaking from experience, the shorter sinks in all of the 1000s bathrooms are greatly appreciated by the vertically challenged. Inside the stalls, I can look past the graffitied eye captioned, “I’m watching you” in the 1300s’ to find refuge during classes — when the lines diminish, the quiet, calming atmosphere provides much needed stress relief (or bowel relief ).

Despite frequently being locked, the entrance to the 9100s bathroom is lovely. As soon as you walk in, you are greeted by your own reflection in the mirrors that fill the vast expanse of wall over the sinks. The sinks are shorter than average, but the fantastic water pressure compensates for any flaws. The number of stalls packed into this bathroom amazes me. It was too many to count on one hand, so I just gave up.

However, the floor wrappers are almost as bad as the 5000s (which — along with the large hole between the last two stalls — was my only qualm with that bathroom).

The gender neutral bathrooms above (9200s) were first and foremost private and peaceful. They’re a little out of the way because no one likes walking, but useful if you’re in the 9200s or looking for a comfortable, accepting place.

The lighting adds to the ambiance, but the splattered toilet seat might ruin the mood. While peeing on the seat is excusable, leaving it as a little gift for the next toilet user is not only shameful, but morally wrong, especially when pairing it with the unflushed addition kindly placed inside of the bowl.

Girls’ locker room bathroom

4000s bathrooms R e to always body text up

member match your with the blue

A clean marble doorstep welcomes you into the 4100s bathroom. However, the heavy door is an immediate turn away: if it was any heavier, I might have peed myself before reaching the toilet. Compared to other bathrooms, both of the 4000s bathrooms are a little small, but if the three-minute walk to the temptingly spacious 1100s bathroom is too long a wait, find consolation in the proficient lighting and door hooks just a heavy push away.

The air vent, on the other hand, is unsightly, with more hairballs than an overused rug. Our extensive research made clear two common attributes of the school bathroom sinks: large clumps of hair and room-temperature water. Directly overhead, the 4200s bathroom, while incomparable to the 6100s bathroom, smells terrible. However, the walls are clean, and the leaves pressed against the window add a taste of nature to the space. Crumbs dust the toilet, meaning either someone had a snack or things got messy.

Speaking of messes, the 4200s bathroom is one of many bathrooms littered with empty food packaging. Maybe it's just me, but the bathroom is the last place I'd open up my all-you-can-eat buffet.

Another highly rated bathroom — the girls’ locker room bathroom — is well furnished with five stalls and four sinks. The only immediately visible downside is the characteristic sink hair. The entire bathroom is very roomy (they say size doesn’t matter, but when it comes to bathrooms, the bigger the better) and well laid out.

Inside the stalls, the only drawback is the lack of door hooks. Seeing as many students change for sports in these bathrooms, a clean place to put an open bag is absolutely necessary. The toilets are of impeccably high quality and I was unable to clog them, no matter how hard I tried. Outside of the stalls, the dryer farthest from the entrance does not work, but because there are two, the dryer problem is not detrimental to the quality of the bathroom. The functional one is perfect for ruining the conversations of others socializing in the vicinity.

Another defining feature of this bathroom is the showers. I have never met a single person who has used school locker room showers. And I don't blame them, because they barely work and are overflowing with filth.

photos by Gianna Burgess

All jokes aside, we ask a lot of our incredible custodial staff who do an amazing job cleaning our school. I am in no way criticizing them — students created all the messes described in this article — and we should all put in the effort to make their work easier. In the woods, we say take only pictures and leave only footprints; in the South bathrooms, we take only dumps and leave only toilet paper (please flush).

Layout influenced by the New York Times

The Lio

NEWTON, THURSDA

VOL. 39...No. 2

FRAGMENTED

As the Internet makes media coverage more accessible,

By BELLA ISHANYAN

F

earing the possibility that she could encounter somebody with whom she disagrees, Mia Katz* actively avoids discussing the Russo-Ukrainian War with her peers. With close family both in Russia and actively fighting or hiding in Ukraine, Katz said that she sees this conflict through a much more personal lens than many others in the South community.

“I've heard my friends make jokes about this, and it's really not okay. They don't think this is as big as it is,” she said.

“My half brother is in Ukraine fighting right now, and there's no way for me to contact him. My dad [is also in Ukraine and I] can't contact him, and it's really hard knowing that. My friends don't realize that I've been living every day just hoping that my family is still alive.”

Because of the tumultuous outpour of social media posts and breaking news notifications, many teens with no direct connection to conflicts like the RussoUkrainian War initially found themselves extremely distressed once the conflict erupted. However, perpetual media coverage allows for previously anxious teens to go numb to the traumatic news they hear as time went on.

An Unstoppable Wave Such a phenomenon extends past just the war in Ukraine. As teenagers contend with a world compounded by a vast number of cataclysmic events, senior Erik Gee said he finds his peers more disconnected from current events amidst neverending streams of information.

“People have definitely become numb to it,” he said. “[For example], when Ukraine was getting invaded, I feel like everyone was thinking to the extreme, but now it's just another thing in the news. I'm not trying to downplay the conflict, obviously, but it's not something that people are terribly concerned over.”

The vast amount of news coverage on tragic events is not unique to the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. Throughout the lifetime of many Americans in Generation Z, international animosity has dominated media coverage. Consequently, teenagers today approach conflict with a more apathy than preceding

generations.

After the 9/11 attacks, news coverage increased focus on global conflict, a rise in terrorism and an ever-more destabilized global scene. Paired with heightened political polarization, this trend has caused news coverage to become hyper-focused on bad news ― an effect that, as a study led by Professor of Economics at Dartmouth University Bruce Sacerdote found, has also been found within coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Media in the United States, the authors found, focused on coverage of bad news throughout the pandemic to a significantly larger extent than the rest of the world.

Sophomore Charles Kouspakian said that news coverage of cataclysmic events around the world is determined by the interest of its listeners.

“Since war isn't really a constant thing, when a conflict is officially declared, there's a lot of news coverage on it. Everybody always tries to get what's going on out there for a couple of weeks or for a couple months,” he said. “But as the war continues, you see coverage starts to decline a little bit and they start moving on to other things that are going around in the world. … It follows a trendline until people just stop paying attention to it anymore.”

History teacher Kyle Stark also said that young people may find themselves less able to fully process tragedies.

“The amount of information [available to young people] makes it even harder to find stability in the world,” he said.

The constant, unrestricted access to news that came with the advent of digital media catalyzed a difficulty for people to shut down their minds and process current events, history teacher and department chair Jennifer Morrill said. ― an issue Morrill said has been present for the youngest generations throughout their lives.

While this anxiety may feel abstract, concrete changes to news media in the past three decades have greatly contributed to the sensationalization of news.

Prior to the popularization of cable television in the United States, on-air news outlets were limited, so the vast

majority of media consumers had the same outlook on large stories.

First made available in the United States in 1948, cable television transformed the landscape of news media by encouraging competition among. up-and-coming media companies, Matthew Baum, the Marvin Kalb Professor of Global Communications at the Harvard Kennedy School, said.

“In that environment of fragmentation, you can't be all things to all people anymore,” he said. “You can't count on people staying tuned if they're not interested in what you're showing, so the news no longer has a monopoly when it's on the air, which means either you do something else entirely or you find a way to make the news more entertaining. That's when you start seeing things like soft news and more sensationalized coverage of things like foreign policy.”

Increasing Anxiety Decades later, when the Internet arrived into the mainstream, news outlets turned to ever-faster coverage that brought news to viewers within seconds as they sought to compete with ever-shortening spans of attention. As a result, the news coverage of today is a stark contrast from that of several decades ago, Baum said.

“Everything becomes shorter, and you have to try and find ways to get people to consume the message, maybe without sound or in a few seconds.”

These changes impact the way that people view news, and the differences in thought between generations are apparent to those who have experienced both.

According to Stark, members of Generation Z have adopted a more pessimistic mindset than preceding generations.

“I do see Generation Z as being ... a little bit more world weary,” he said.

“There’s this acceptance that things are really bad.”

As a consequence, young Americans have grown to view conflict around the globe with a greater degree of detachment than previous generations ― all the while having greater access to instantaneous information about events around the globe.

The Negative Spiral Research shows that young people in particular are found to be less engrossed in current events. Baum said this was so due to the sheer quantity of cataclysmic news coverage being fed to them constantly.

“Most of the data I've seen shows that young people are less interested in news than prior generations,” he said.

“There are a variety of reasons for that … but the volume, magnitude and scope of the badness that you guys are fed is unprecedented, except for maybe during one of the world wars, but it's really extraordinary. Why wouldn't you want to look at cat videos if you turn on the news and it's just existential extermination [everywhere]?”

However, Professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School Dr. Mel Feany said that the volume of negative content

on's Roar

Volume 39, Issue 2

Today, Newton South seniors graduate at a ceremony attended by faculty and family members.

Tomorrow, rising freshmen are expected to arrive for step-up day.

AY, JUNE 9, 2022

$0.00

D GENERATION

, teens find themselves desensitized to the horrors of war

N and MATAN JOSEPHY

depends on the population and what crisis is actually going on at the time,” she said. “Desensitization is a really interesting thing because while it's really easy to say ‘Yes, we are desensitized,’ just because there's so much going on and it's really overwhelming, we are so sensitive to everything that happens. It manifests and we express ourselves in different ways.”

Processing Trauma

may have the opposite effect.

“If you get more information about events or you hear more about people who are being affected by conflict and get more granular detail on the things that are really going wrong in their lives and how they're truly affected, that might make you more empathetic,” she said.

“That might give you a better picture of what they're really experiencing and might in fact, increase your sensitization.”

Lilit DerKevorkian, a first-year doctoral student in clinical psychology at William James College, said that though there is not much of a scientific understanding about the topic of media desensitization, there is research that proves both points. She said that the issue is too complex for pure data to describe.

“There is some research that shows that, yes, more exposure will lead to desensitization, but I really think it

According to Feany, neurologically, the way people express themselves while processing a distressing event such as war is distinct due to the difference between trauma and everyday short and long-term memories, whether one is experiencing it firsthand or learning about it in the news.

“There's a part [of the brain] more responsible for short-term memory and parts more responsible for longterm memory and then there's a special relationship of yet another part of the brain, the amygdala, to memories that are traumatic in nature that have an emotional flavor to them, particularly negative emotional flavor,” she said.

In addition, Feany said that one’s history and affiliation with certain traumatic events may cause a reaction that falls on a broad spectrum of emotional responses.

“The more closely related you are to the conflict, particularly if you're experiencing something yourself, the more likely you are going to have significant emotional associations and emotional context provided to those memories,” she said. “The more related it is to you, the closer it is physically to you, or perhaps someone you may know, the more likely it is to engage the emotional centers.”

Constant access to unprecedented quantities of news creates an emotional toll on young people, which DerKevorkian said may affect Generation Z negatively “I don’t think that [young people] are necessarily given the resources or the outlets to talk about how all that makes you feel,” he said. “That speaks to the fact that the rates of depression and anxiety are increasing in young people.”

Bias on Conflict Beyond just desensitization, the constant media coverage regarding negative or cataclysmic effects may come to reshape how young people actively define the world around them. Senior Yarden Shestopal said that the ongoing coverage of the war in Ukraine directly led him to reshape of his perception of the nation.

“Now, in my mind, when I hear the word Ukraine, I don’t think about Ukrainian culture or food or anything like that,” he said. “I think about the invasion, and it’s sad because the shock wears off, and then the people who are affected by the conflict become defined by the conflict.”

The constant buzz of news coverage may also intensify a disconnect to plights of those so far away, especially for those who grew up in South’s prominent Russian or Ukrainian communities, like sophomore Yana Kane.

“I feel like I should be able to sympathize more, but since I grew up in this environment, it’s difficult for me to empathize with [people in Ukraine] even though they’re technically my people,” she said.

However, while the war in Ukraine may be the most public example of desensitization, it remains far from the only one. Shestopal said that this notion plays into a larger view of how nations such as the United States views conflicts in different areas of the world.

“It speaks to the way we visualize the Global South here in the United States,” he said. “Conflicts in the Global South [are seen as] ‘Oh, poor them, let’s help them out,’ whereas in the North Atlantic it’s more like ‘Oh my god, this is the fall of civilization.’”

Sophomore Taban Malihi said that coverage of conflict can be unequal between parts of the world, yet it desensitizes viewers all the same.

“The same week that Ukraine was invaded by Russia, the U.S. dropped airstrikes on Somalia, and no one was talking about it. There’s a lot of different things that are happening at once, and it can feel so overwhelming,” she said.

Learning to Lead Even as teenagers today find themselves overloaded with coverage of cataclysm, sophomore Sasha Vorobyov said that she and her peers make an effort to educate themselves about the world. “[Young people] see the news, they talk about the news, they watch videos about the news and what’s going on in Ukraine and other countries,” she said. “I definitely think people my age are trying to be informed.”

Senior Zachary Meurer said that Generation Z’s desensitization, though prevalent, may ebb as its members get older. He said that as a result, what started off as a generation prone to tuning out may turn into one more informed than its predecessors.

“Over time, you gather more information, and when you get older, you care about history more because a lot of history happened during your lifetime,” he said.

Similarly, Baum said that Generation Z’s capacity to be informed may make it a focal point of civic involvement ­— a transformation that he said may have broader implications for American politics in the coming years, as the youth of today influences the politics of tomorrow.

“A colleague of mine, John Donahoe, just wrote a book which is a much more optimistic picture of Gen Z as being more activist and more determined to be involved,” he said. “I buy that too. People react in more than one way to being disillusioned and facing one existential threat after another ... I think it’s going to tell a lot about the next couple of decades of American politics.”

However, sophomore Danny Aldehneh said that in order to fully realize their potential for change, youth must put in the effort to expand their worldview.

“Even if [educating yourself] has to do with looking at a chart from school, just take the time and energy to focus on what’s important,” he said. “And just be kind to others because at the end of the day, you really don’t have anyone but the other people in the world." *Name changed to protect interviewee’s identity.

page 14 | jump

the lion's roar

The Roar's

Art Gallery Lynn Kim, untitled

As the school year draws to a close, the Roar Art Gallery aims to highlight the works of South's artists and photographers

Simone Isabelle, untitled Materials: woven digital prints

Marty Basaria, untitled digital photograph

Emily Cheng, "Self-Government" Materials: soft pastel

Gianna Burgess, "Shadow"

Gianna Burgess, "The Shook Ones"

Lynn Kim, untitled

Sophie Song, untitled

page15

June 9, 2022

FEATURES issuu.com/thelionsroar

Volume 39, Issue 2

A Voice for Students Since its creation two years ago, the South Human Rights Council has fought against racism and discrimination at South

By Molly Johnson, Amie Lee and Feiya Wang

S

eemingly every other week, students receive emails about hate incidents occurring at South, leaving many to feel like there has been little progress despite the efforts being made. The South Human Rights Council (SHRC), founded in the spring of 2020, was formed in response to incidents like these, history teacher and SHRC co-director Robert Parlin said.

Parlin said that the organization was first motivated by an April 2020 racist Zoom bombing incident in an AP Chinese class, which left the student and faculty upset by the lack of action in response.

“We were created about two years ago by a group of students and faculty who felt the school wasn't doing enough to respond to hate incidents. [We were formed] to really make cultures that are more marginalized more visible at South,” he said. “We're designed to help student groups feel more empowered and to help faculty get together to talk about issues that affect them in different groups and to create programs for everyone at school.”

After starting with approximately 20 student and teacher participants, the SHRC has grown to more than 50 over the last two years.

Katani Sumner, a METCO counselor and director of the SHRC’s Legacy Scholars Program, said the SHRC was solely a volunteer effort in the beginning. “ I 'm really proud of all the volunteers, students and teachers,” she said. “It's just been amazing to see how much

we've accomplished in the short time that we've been together, and I hope the future is even brighter as we keep moving forward.”

At the end of the 2019-20 school year, the SHRC created five sub-committees to improve the organization: the Communications Committee, Curriculum Instruction Committee, Fundraising Committee, Teacher Professional Development Committee and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee.

"It’s run by teachers, with a lot of students involved, but the SHRC board meets once a month, and then each individual committee tries to meet once a month with the students involved,” biology teacher and co-director of the Curriculum Committee Molly Estrada said.

Zak Gomes, history teacher and co-chair of the Curriculum Committee, said that while significant change takes time, every action counts. He said that there is much more to be done to support human rights.

“There are so many issues, problems that have happened, racist incidents and examples of violations of human rights that we see around the world and things that we can see at Newton South that we can improve,” he said.

S o far, the SHRC has facilitated a meeting with the football team regarding an incident at a Westford Academy game in the fall, provided safe spaces where students can reach out for support and held several multicultural days.

The council helped form the Muslim Student Association and the

graphic by Eyal Tamir

MESWANA (Middle Eastern/Southwest Asian/Northen African) Coalition — two new student affinity groups. The SHRC also sought out grants to help fund guest speakers who spoke to students about topics such as Latinx culture, Indigenous issues and the Armenian Genocide.

These partnerships between student affinity groups and the SHRC have been a positive experience for students, Sumner said.

“The overwhelming response from the students was that they would like to be able to talk to one another more often,” she said.

Estrada said that education and discussion about human rights issues should be an important component of a high school education. “[The SHRC has] brought to the forefront that we are having acts of hatred that are occurring in the school and that as teachers and students, we need to be addressing them, and that should be coming before the curriculum at times. Our curriculum in general also needs to take a more anti-racist lens,” she said.

Parlin said that the SHRC community is constantly developing and trying to pave the way for a better future at South.

“I hope that people will just see the SHRC as doing really important work,” he said.

“We're going to come across challenges, and we probably aren't always satisfying everyone's hopes, but we're very open to hearing what they are, and we want people to be as involved as possible. We're trying to be as transparent as we can and listen to the school community as much as possible.”

Joana Chacón de Entwisle, SHRC codirector and office coordinator, said that she hopes to see participation expand in the next few years to increase the committee’s influence.

“There'll be a lot more student involvement in the future, and it'll be a lot more streamlined in terms of being a group that gives voice to staff and students who belong to these different communities — African Americans, Asian Americans, Jewish Americans — really focusing on being an amplifier of those voices” she said. “The committee is excited about the direction the school is moving toward.”

While the SHRC is still in its initial years, Gomes said that he is excited for its

growth and development .

“I want to see this grow, and I want students to feel connected to this and understand that human rights are important,” he said.

“Whether it's about the world, the town or the community, this is something that I want to continue to be a part of at the school. This is not an overnight process.”

March April 2020

April-May 2020

A racist zoom bombing of an AP Chinese class sparked the SHRC's creation Students and faculty worked to create a mission, goals and committees for the SHRC The initiative became more urgent after George Floyd's murder

May 2020

Joana Chacón de Entwisle and Robert Parlin were elected as co-directors

2020 - 21

The SHRC began to form staff affinity groups

Present

The group funds guest speakers, partners with affinity groups and spreads awareness of hate incidents

page 16 | features

the lion's roar

South Returns to the Stage with "Newsies" The cast of the musical describes the behind-the-scenes process of production

By Ella Hou and Feiya Wang

A

fter two years of holding performances elsewhere due to pandemic restrictions, South Stage returned to the auditorium to put on an electrifying production of “Newsies,” a musical set in 1899 New York City about a group of newsboys, or "newsies," who go on strike for fair newspaper prices.

The show ran for three nights — May 19, May 20 and May 21 — and received rave reviews from sold out audiences.

Senior Julia Nasisi, who played Mush, a newsie, said that she was excited to return to the stage for the first time since her freshman year.

“When I was a sophomore in high school, [the musical] just got straight-up canceled, which was really disappointing for a

The cast and crew pose for a photo during rehearsal

Rivard (second from right) and Baumer (far right) perform with the cast

lot of people,” she said. “Last year, it was in the cafeteria, which was still fine, but it definitely felt like something was missing, so I'm really excited to be back in the auditorium.”

A theater lover from a young age, senior Mason Kitzis, who played Albert, another newsie, said that he was excited to participate in the show, which he had watched on Broadway a decade ago.

“I've been in love with the music [in “Newsies”] since I was a little kid, and the dancing is so fun,” he said.

Although preparing for the production involved a lot of rehearsal time, junior Jake McPherson, who played Nunzio and Teddy Roosevelt, said that all the cast’s hard work paid off.

“Rehearsals [were] amazing,” he said.

“They went to 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., which is a very long day, but by the end, everyone [was] super energized and hyped to finally do the thing that we've been preparing for for the past two and a half months.”

Kitzis said that the cast worked with a professional musical director and choreographer, who helped push the performance to success.

“We spend a lot of time with Mr. Youngman, the music director. He helps us really perfect our vocal technique and really sound good as a whole . . . Then our choreographer, Alaina, is just amazing. We're not exactly a dance-first company, but she has really brought us to a point where we feel really confident in our dance,” he said.

Senior Victoria Rivard, who played the role of Katherine, a journalist who helps the newsies, said that the show could not have succeeded without the help of the backstage crew.

“Our tech crew is absolutely amazing.

There's sound, lighting, there's costume. Then you bring in the props and furniture to help

The cast of "Newsies" performs a group number in the Seasholes Auditorium photos contributed by Jake McPherson and Julia Nasisi

make the set,” she said. “There's so much that goes into it, and it's just incredible to watch everyone work so hard to make it work.”

Sophomore Bryan Baumer, who played Jack Kelly, the leader of the newsies, said that the cast dynamic was warm and welcoming.

“We all inspired each other to work hard, and we did whatever we could to make everybody feel welcome. [Seniors] did a really amazing job of making everybody, like all the underclassmen, feel welcome and supported throughout this process,” he said.

Willa Foster, who played Crutchy, said that despite the usual uncertainties that come with a show’s opening, she was proud of the outcome.

“With theater in general, the week before the show, it always feels like ‘Oh my god, how are we going to do this? We're not ready.’ And then it gets pulled together in the end, and it

always works out,” she said.“I think it was great.

We all had so much fun, and there was just so much energy on the stage.”

Kitzis said that the cast became closeknit through all of their experiences working together.

"I mean, they're like my family. Especially the seniors, [since] I've spent four years performing in shows with them. I trust these people so much, and it's such a great and positive community. I’m just so grateful to be part of it."

Baumer said that while he misses working on “Newsies,” he’s already looking forward to the next production with South Stage.

“I liked working with everybody and supporting each other,” he said.“I'm definitely going to miss that and that aspect of the community, but I know that that's not gonna go away for the next show that we do, so I'm excited for the next one.”

Local events to check out this summer Noa Racin

Features Columnist Summer — a time for lazily sitting by the beach, kayaking along the Charles River and camping underneath the stars. Or, and this is probably more accurate, doing half a million volunteer jobs, internships and classes (go college!).

Whether your summer plans are haphazard, uncertain or totally booked, summer is just around the bend, so be sure to check out some local events happening in Boston!

Local historical holidays give Boston its flair. Bunker Hill Day on June 17 is one of Boston’s own public holidays, commemorating the historic battle that served as a turning point

in the American Revolution. Be sure to head to the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown to watch historical re-enactments and displays and listen to live music.

Or, venture down to the Boston Dragon Boat Festival on June 11 and June 12 to watch exciting dragon boat races down the Charles River accompanied by traditional Japanese dancing, art and music.

Also check out the Kelleher Rose Garden, located in the Back Bay Fens, to see rows and rows of beautiful roses in peak bloom. As a gardener, I am eagerly looking forward to appreciating some beautiful scenery, as well as taking some Instagram-worthy pictures.

The Jimmy Fund is hosting its annual Scooper Bowl at Patriot Place in Foxborough,

for all the foodies out there. Enjoy all-youcan-eat ice cream on June 18 — now you can eat for a good cause! All ticket sale money is donated to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to aid innovative research.

The SoWa Open Market in the South End, one of my favorite outdoor art markets, also offers some delicious cuisines. With an eclectic urban vibe, it serves as a great way to escape Newton. While you appreciate the market’s gorgeous artwork, make sure you enjoy its main attraction: the food trucks. Every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., SoWa offers over 100 art and food vendor stalls.

Whether you decide to bide your time until the next “Thor” movie comes out or have five pages worth of items on your summer

to-do list, Boston offers plenty of enriching experiences right at your doorstep.

graphic by Julie Wang

Charles River's dragon boat races

features | page 17

issuu.com/thelionsroar

Core Values

Local Voice Goes Live

Alan Reinstein English Teacher

Letter to Seniors Dear Seniors,

'11 graduate Ashan Singh shares his experience as a new multi-platform reporter for ABC'S "Nightline"

By Ariana Bhargava and Sanjana Deshpande

E

ver since spending late hours in South’s halls printing the newest issues of Denebola, ‘11 graduate Ashan Singh has had a passion for journalism. Now, as a multi-platform reporter for ABC’s“Nightline”, Singh travels the world to deliver the news and tell stories on national television and online news sources. He has interviewed celebrities like Lil Nas X and traveled to Ukraine to cover the ongoing crisis.

After just their first meeting, Singh’s passion was clear to Donna Segal, his guidance counselor at South. She said that throughout his time at South he continuously worked to achieve his goals.

It's a huge privilege that I get to do this and I don't think anybody in a similar position, especially from minority communities, takes it lightly.

Ashan Singh '11 graduate “From the minute I met him, I knew he was going to do great things here,” she said.

“He had an unusual energy, and he was more mature than the average freshman. He actually had a vision for what he wanted to accomplish during high school, and that became very clear in the roles that he assumed at South.”

Singh, who worked as a managing editor of Denebola, said he is grateful for the unique journalistic opportunities available to him at South.

“The newspaper culture at South … it just doesn't exist anywhere else, and that was a super exciting thing to be a part of, especially that rush of trying to get the paper to print,” he said.

After graduating from Tulane University, where he studied international relations and development, Singh moved to New York and took a job at a law firm .

“It was 2015, and I was working at a law firm in the communication department in Midtown, and I just realized I needed to be a part of something more. I didn't really want to just be at a pencil pushing job,” he said. “I wanted to be doing some sort of storytelling.”

Singh began applying to various entrylevel jobs in journalism. He secured a meeting with an executive producer at ABC from just a cold email and became a production assistant for ABC’s“Nightline” show. Over several years, he worked his way up the production route and

eventually landed his current job.

Though he had not planned to pursue his passion for journalism, Singh said that he was thrilled to join a field that is so crucial in today’s world.

“Journalism has been attacked in really dark ways, whether it be from political administrations in this country or abroad. There are conscious efforts to not just blur the truth, but deflect from the truth, and that's when ignorance runs rampant, when corruption happens, when everything goes wrong. It’s when someone is not out there to tell the truth, and that is our responsibility as journalists,” he said.

“Freedom dies when there is no journalism. It's imperative to a functioning, modern and free thinking society.”

Singh said that he works to highlight honest pieces of journalism on “Nightline”.

Examples of his work include articles about the recent Buffalo shooting and interviews with often-forgotten groups such as the Hmong community during gymnast Sunisa Lee’s Olympic experience.

Singh said that being a reporter for “Nightline” and journalism as a whole has enabled him to understand the motives and beliefs of others better.

“What I love about doing these longform stories for ‘Nightline’ is that you get to understand not just what's going on but why it's going on and why this person thinks this way. To be able to dissect that and help each other see each other is such an important part of journalism and creating an understanding,” he said.

Segal said that Singh’s career in journalism aligns with the values she knew him to hold.

“He was truly relational. His true gift was his ability to connect with people, and I could feel that and see that in every interaction that I observed with him, whether it be with younger kids when he was mentoring them, or

He had a real interest in people that went beyond what was being studied in class or what the topic of the day was, so I'm not surprised that he landed in the world of journalism.

Donna Segal guidance counselor just in the way that he spoke to his teachers,” she said.“He had a real interest in people that went beyond what was being studied in class or what the topic of the day was, so I'm not surprised that he landed in the world of journalism. It just fits him.”

As Singh continues his work for ABC, he said he is conscious of the role he plays in the ongoing discussions about representation in the broadcasting world.

“It's a huge privilege that I get to do this, and I don't think anybody in a similar position, especially from minority communities, takes it lightly,” he said. “Now's our time to get our seat at the table and force these conversations about representation and force our faces.”

To aspiring journalists, Singh said it is important to continue to create and tell stories that invoke personal passion, which is essential to personal growth.

“If [journalism] interests you and you want to tell stories, now it goes beyond being able to do traditional broadcasting. For your generation, you have so many tools at your disposal that you should just be making. You should just be creating, and that way you find your voice, your style and the things that drive you.”

photo contributed by Ashan Singh

Singh interviews rapper Cardi B on ABC's "Nightline" for an August 17, 2021 episode

Your graduation is both a milestone and a stepping stone — one for seeing where you’ve been and the other for seeing the way forward.

Whatever your plans are for September — work, college, the military, a gap year or anything else — just as you dreamed or feared, these plans will set a trajectory for your awesome and unknowable journey.

It’s true: awesome and unknowable.

Neither you nor anyone else can see what this journey will be, so go ahead and surrender to your future’s splendid mystery, and here’s what you can do to steady yourself: ground yourself in three central principles of conduct — how you treat others, how you treat yourself and how you learn from all of the moments and people you will come across.

First, treat others respectfully — even the people you don’t respect (but try to respect them anyway).

People and their positions have become so stubbornly attached that it’s hard to object to a political or social opinion and still respect the person presenting it.

If you can, however, find a way to separate these two things — who a person is from what they do or say — you will see that others may turn out to be as changeable and complicated as you know yourself to be.

The other first rule (it’s a tie) is to be kind to yourself.

We are all smudged and clumsy, but we are also capable of repair through our own gritty determination and belief in ourselves.

If you put the work of kindness onto others’ shoulders or define yourself by some external marker of success or happiness, you will hinder yourself from the authentic and primal pleasures of self-reflection, self-awareness and selfadvancement.

Your happiness is your responsibility; others will contribute to it, of course, but you are ultimately in charge.

Finally, be open to learning from all corners.

Regardless of what you do next year or where you do it, if both your eyes and mind are open, you will learn and grow.It’s inevitable.Any place you are in — a storeroom, a classroom, a living room, a tent — will offer up both its space and mysteries if you are willing to reach out with your own curious integrity.

Opportunities for intellectual, personal and emotional growth are everywhere and generously open to all. I say this to remind you that although our South community leans toward seeing some places of post-high-school activity as having more weight than other places, this is not true. What is true is that what you bring to a place will give it weight.

Again, and always again, you are in charge of how you grow.

These are a few things I want to share as you, celebrating this moment, look behind you and also look ahead.

page 18 | features

the lion's roar

1 in 2000: Elena Baskakova, "A role model" Alyssa Chen

Features Reporter For most, math is dreadful, but sophomore Elena Baskakova would beg to differ. A math enthusiast since second grade, Baskakova has gone from competing on her middle school team to leading that team, serving as an inspiration to middle schoolers who share her passion.

Baskakova serves as a role model to many, like eighth grader Sophia Yan, whose mother Jing Li said that Baskakova’s encouragement inspired Yan to participate in the Lexington Math Tournament (LMT) as the only girl on the math team. “[Baskakova] talked about her experience when she joined the LMT and that she [was] the only girl on the team. She also encouraged Sophia to take this [initiative],” Li said.

“She influences Sophia a lot and is a role model.”

When Baskakova started at Oak Hill, there were no opportunities to compete in national math competitions. This prompted her parents to organize their chapter of MathCounts, a prestigious math team that competes in local tournaments. After Baskakova graduated from Oak Hill, the club needed new leadership, so starting last fall, Baskakova stepped in to fill the role.

“I was talking to one of my students recently, and she said all of the nicest things about how inspirational it is to have someone to look up to from high school. It's just really rewarding being able to share this knowledge that I've gained,“ she said.“I want them to have the same opportunities that I had.”

photo contributed by Elena Baskakova

Baskakova said that math competitions bring an exciting flair to a subject often regarded as monotonous.

“In school, the math that we do has a definite answer, but competition math [has] so much more to it. You never know what to expect,” she said. “There's so many different approaches that you can use, and it's just really interesting trying to find these new approaches that you just haven't seen before.”

As MathCounts coaches, Baskakova and other students design lesson plans and create unique problem sets and lectures. Yan said that Baskakova’s interactive teaching style has helped her master the material.

“She’s really clear and concise and intuitive,” Yan said. “She can tell which areas you're unfamiliar with, and then she goes with that.

She also likes to use the whiteboard to draw diagrams, and her diagrams are really pretty.”

Baskakova’s father, Yuri, said that Elena’s love for teaching is evident in the time and care she puts into developing her lessons for her students.

“She very much likes the teaching aspect. [I’ve] observed some of her lectures, and she's putting a lot of effort into delivering it and making it clear, making sure everybody understands,” he said. “She cares about all the students. She has very spectacular relationships with some of them.”

Baskakova’s leadership helped bring the MathCounts club back from their brief hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Oak Hill Principal John Harutunian said that he was impressed by Baskakova’s efforts to restore the math team.

“It’s pretty much the first example of a true partnership. I've always dreamed about having students be really closely involved with Oak Hill,” he said. “This is really the first time there's been an authentic, consistent execution [and] not just talking about an execution of it.”

A member of South’s mock trial team, Baskakova is self-assured when publicly speaking in trial rounds, mock trial team captain senior Sydra Shapiro said.

“People like to hear the sound of their own voice, and we all have so many important things to say and all just want to be heard. Elena is a very, very unique person in the sense that she has so much to say, but she doesn't need to be heard all the time,” she said.“Someone could be yelling at her or ranting at her, or trying to

fill as much space as possible with their voice, and she has so much power in the sense that she's secure enough that she could have the same amount of power in a single sentence.”

Baskakova’s global English teacher Rachel Becker said that in addition to Baskakova’s passion for mathematics, she is involved with the classroom material and contributes to a positive atmosphere.

“Her passion for math definitely extends to other subjects as well. She's also the kind of person who wants to push her thinking,” she said. “She doesn't sit around with questions, she asks them, and I have a feeling that a lot of the questions she asks other people have.”

As a finalist in the United States of America Junior Mathematical Olympiad, Baskakova was invited to participate in the threeweek-long Mathematical Olympiad Summer Program. The program is held at Carnegie Mellon University in June and trains students for the International Mathematical Olympiad.

Baskakova has a lot to look forward to, but she said that looking back, she would tell her past self to continue persevering.

“In math competitions, there's a lot of failure. You're constantly doing worse than you expected [and] doing worse than your peers.

There's always people who are performing better than you, and that takes a toll mentally to keep going and pushing yourself. So I would tell myself to just keep persevering through it and take charge of my own successes,” Baskakova said. “Advocate for yourself, advocate for what you need, and [do] not be afraid to be obnoxious and demand what you want.”

Teachers' pets: More than a conversation starter Olivia Hong & Emma Zhang Features Reporter, Features Editor

Nobody likes a teacher’s pet, but everyone loves to hear teachers talk about their own pets. Students and teachers alike bond over their pets’ silly stories.

One of those teachers is English teacher Kelly Henderson, who said that she loves dogs for their positive impact on her mental health.

“Dogs are the greatest gifts to humanity ever, and they make us better people,” she said.

“They're really good when you're sad, and they force you to take walks and do things that are good for you.”

Henderson has two rescues, Sadie and Desmond. She has had Sadie for 10 years, while Desmond is a two-year-old pandemic puppy.

She said that she has enjoyed watching Sadie's growth throughout the years.

“When we adopted [Sadie], she had been through several foster homes. She was very territorial and had a lot of resource-guarding behaviors. If somebody tried to come to our house, she would growl and bite them. She had been living on the streets and emaciated, so she needed a lot of tender loving care,” she said.“Over the years, I’ve enjoyed watching her transform into a dog that is chill and trusts people.”

Music teacher Benjamin Youngman said that while the behaviors of his two cats Peter and Lizzy can be strange, they are entertaining nonetheless.

“Lizzy wants to escape all the time and go outside. As soon as she runs outside, she finds a sunspot and wriggles on the ground like a snake,” he said. “They also like to grab the elastics on the mask and just parade around and drop them in their food bowl.”

Deborah Bernhard, an English teacher, said that she has always wanted a dog. Although having a pet comes with many responsibilities, she said her dog Toby’s affection makes it all worthwhile.

“I begged my parents for a dog when I was a kid, and they did not let me have one. My dad thought it would end up being his responsibility,” she said. “Every time I come home, [Toby is] so happy to see me. He's pure and innocent, so he makes everything better because you can't be mad when he's a perfect angel.”

Similarly, Henderson said that her dog Sadie always knows how to cheer her and her family up.

“Sadie is the most soulful dog I have ever heard of. She picks up on our emotions, so when my husband and I start to get irritated with each other, not even a fight, like the beginnings of, ‘Oh, you ate the last yogurt,’ she starts thumping her tail and will get in between us and look at us like, ‘You guys can't fight,’” she said. “She's just so in tune with our emotions.”

photo contributed by Deborah Bernhard

Bernhard in Celtics gear with her dog Toby

photo contributed by Kelly Henderson

Henderson with her dogs Sadie and Desmond

While some pets may have a cheerful personality, English teacher Natalia Taube, who has two cats — Phoenix and Kirie — and seven chickens, said that she appreciates each of their different personalities and idiosyncrasies.

“My cat Phoenix’s favorite person in the house is my son Noah for reasons that no one can understand, and it’s cute because he will meow until Noah lets him in his room,” she said. “Kirie is so cute all around. He purrs like a tractor, and he loves to be scratched and scratched, and he turns so you can scratch his belly. But with Phoenix, if you touch his belly, he will kill you. He will. He’s very clear about that.”

Conversations about pets extend into the classroom as well. Henderson said that she and her students bond over their appreciation of dogs.

“Sometimes I get a little evangelical about it, and so for cat lovers or bird lovers, I feel like they might feel unwelcome in my classroom,” she said. “I’m just kidding, but I do really love dogs, and so for dog-loving students, it's an easy way to make a connection.”

Taube said that her chickens are a silly but impactful conversation starter with her students.

“There are many reasons why I connect

with kids, but kids especially love that I have chickens,” she said. “If you ever want to come over and visit my chickens, then you absolutely can.”

In contrast to the age-old debate over cats and dogs, Youngman said he wishes people would see past their differences in pet preferences and appreciate different pets as individuals.

“The whole cat versus dog or any other pet thing is way overblown,” he said. “You just want to find something that you can care for and love and that hopefully loves you back.”

Taube said that she loves animals and hopes to get a variety of farm animals in the future.

“When I retire, I’m going to get a goat,” she said. “I’m going to buy acres out in western Massachusetts, and I’m going to have goats out there. Maybe some llamas, chickens.”

After having had him for more than a year, Bernhard said that spending time with Toby is a gift and great joy that comes with caring for a dog.

“Every single day [Toby] brings me immense joy,” she said. “It is a responsibility, and you obviously have to care for them, but he brings me incredible joy every day, and I recommend that for anybody.”

As her dogs have done so much for her, Henderson said that she’s grateful to see her own impact on Sadie.

“I'm always so warmed by the idea that she gets to be the dog that she is because that wasn't the life that she’s always had. The only tragic thing is I never got to see her as a puppy,” she said.“Seeing her now with her graying face, knowing that she's climbed lots of mountains, swam in many lakes and chased many squirrels.

She gets to have the good life.”

page19 June 9, 2022

SPORTS issuu.com/thelionsroar

Volume 39, Issue 2

Lightning Fast After winning indoor nationals, the girls sprint medley relay team keeps on racing

By John Timko

photo contributed by Ellie Jolly

Lily Bulczynski, Amelia Everett, Ellie Jolly and Nicole Woo (center) savor their March 11 win at the Nike Indoor Track Nationals in New York

O

n June 17, the girls track sprint medley relay (SMR) team will race in Eugene, Oregon in their second national competition of the year, following a successful indoor season. On March 11, the SMR team won the Nike Indoor Track Nationals, crossing the finish line with a time of four minutes and six seconds at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Long Island, New York.

The winning team of four consists of sophomore Ellie Jolly in the first leg, senior Nicole Woo in the second, junior Amelia Everett in the third and senior Lily Bulczynski in the fourth. The four runners run 200, 200, 400 and 800 meter stretches, respectively.

The SMR is unique in the way it combines both distance runners and sprinters, athletes who normally wouldn’t race together.

Jolly said teamwork, preparation and perseverance have been essential to their success.

Woo said this unique opportunity heightens the competition experience.

“I don't get to run with Amelia and Lily; they run distance while Ellie and I do sprinting, so I don't really get to spend a lot of time with them,” she said. “So it's great being able to run with them in a relay and practice with them in the postseason.”

The indoor season was Jolly’s first with the team, which she said was difficult at times, but made better by the team’s openness.

“I was kind of thrown into the group, and I was worried about it,” she said. “But it was amazing. They were really welcoming …

I learned how to be a sprinter and a lot of the more technical aspects of it.”

Not only does the bond between the relay members make the experience easier, but the four racers draw inspiration both from one another and from the track team as a whole, Bulczynski said.

“They make it worth it to go there every day and put ourselves through really hard workouts,” she said. “At the meets, we all play music, and we’re so supportive of each other.”

In addition to the physical exertion, Jolly said that staying mentally focused can be just as much of a challenge.

“What I’ve found for the 200 is it gives you just enough time to start overthinking things,” she said. “I just tell myself, 'Sprint and let yourself feel the pain afterwards.’”

Preparation for a big meet comes in many forms, and varies among relay team members.

“The day before, we all talk about the race plan, what we each want to accomplish

individually and how that will look when it merges together,” Everett said. “We all know pre-race to just let each other do their own thing to get in the zone in their own way.”

Bulczynski said that this type of preparation is paramount to running the best that she can, particularly because it helps her settle her doubts and worries.

“Everything I've worked on throughout high school is telling myself that I'm going to have a good race no matter what, even if it doesn't end up being a good race,” she said. “I just force myself to believe in myself because it helps me the most, having confidence in myself.”

Woo wears the same attire to each meet and does the same shakeout routine before each race — two routines that get her in the mindset to compete.

Jolly said that anything from a baton pass to the pause in time before the official starts a race can cause nerves and overthinking. Despite the pressure, the relay team stays motivated, which is a key to their success.

The team’s motivation doesn’t only come from winning — just being able to compete at a high level keeps the team energized for each race, Woo said.

Bulczynski said winning with a group

brings a whole new level of excitement to the thrill of victory.

“Everyone's counting on you to end it off in a good position. And that's a little stressful.

But it makes it more fun and special when you win,” she said.

For Bulczynski, treasuring this type of success is essential. She said that the race requires both skill and luck.

“If one person had an off day, then we probably wouldn't have gone to Nationals, but we all happened to have a good day,” she said.

According to Everett, the girls have learned to take some pressure off themselves as they have persevered through injuries throughout the season. She said that they have developed faith in the process and in one another. “[We must] remember why we're doing it and have fun,” she said.“It's not to stress you out.”

Jolly says she and the relay team value more than just their victories and are proud of the journey that they have taken.

“The four of us together, we really experienced it together,” she said. “You grow closer after something on that level of stress and excitement. It was a really fun experience and it was a really fun group of people to be able to have that with.”

page 20 | sports

the lion's roar

Playoff picture: State tournament begins for South teams Baseball (13-8)

Softball (10-11)

Boys Tennis (2-12)

"We’re feeling good going into the first round.

“I expect us to play our best and hardest, and

“It’s been a tough season, without the top

We know we have the talent to make a run

to take it one game at a time. The key is to

three players having graduated. Our goal is to

this year. If we play to our potential, I expect

focus on strengthening our defense and of-

have a good fight against BC High and hope-

us to go pretty far in the tournament.”

fense come tournament time.”

fully advance further in the tournament.”

Henry Landay senior captain

Madi Wong junior

"The key to success in the state tournament

“We know we are going to be underdogs in

will be playing the best from the start. As a

the first round, but we aren’t counting our-

high school team, we lose a lot of points from

selves out. We are hoping to just keep getting

our slow starts, so we need to focus on scoring

better and give the underclassmen playoff

more from the beginning."

experience for years to come.” senior captain

Girls Track (6-1)

Elias Guermazi senior captain

Boys Volleyball (12-7)

Boys Lacrosse (8-8)

Aiden Giesser

Statements and photos compiled by sports editor Zach Rhein.

Statements collected prior to the beginning of the tournament.

photo contributed by Sam Johnson

The lacrosse team huddle before a game

Jaidin Russel senior captain

photo contributed by Zoe Hong

Freshman Julia Sayers goes for the slam

Boys Track (7-0)

"Our 4x800 team qualified [for states], and

Girls Tennis (7-6)

“Despite a 4 point loss at the DCL cham-

I am really excited to see what we can do

“We had a great regular season and ... We

pionship, the team worked hard the entire

together. I am running the 800, mile, and 4x8

have a good chance of going into the next

season to post impressive marks in the

against some great competition, and I am

round. Whatever happens though, I am

postseason. The team is in good hands next

really excited.”

really proud of the team, and we are just

year, despite losing many seniors.”

Amelia Everett junior

Brendan Weissel senior captain

going to go out there and have fun.” photo contributed by Alon Mileguir

South runners lead the way against L-S

Abi Handel junior captain

Boys volleyball achieves success this spring Zach Rhein & Tate Slater Sports Editor, Sports Reporter

It is undeniable that both the varsity and junior varsity ( JV) boys volleyball teams have had successful seasons. Since last year, both teams' records have drastically improved, the varsity team finishing third in the Dual County League and earning a spot at the Massachusetts State Cup. Players attribute their success this season to the teams’ bonds, roster talent and leadership.

Varsity senior captain and University of California, Los Angeles commit Jaidin Russel said that the team’s combined talent helped them lead one another to their best potential. .

“We have seven seniors on the team this year, which is almost unheard of for a volleyball team, and all of the seniors have been able to lift the gameplay higher,” he said. “There are plenty of leaders on the team. They just need to figure out what they need to do to be the best players they can be.”

After an injury sidelined Russel, his teammates have stepped up in his absence,

There are plenty of leaders on the team. They just need to figure out what they need to do to be the best players they can be.

Jaidin Russel varsity senior captain

varsity player senior David Smith said.

“Jaidin has been our rock both on and off the court,” he said. “Having to play without him has caused everyone to step up as leaders.”

Team leaders’ impact stretches further than simply direction during games. Sophomore Zach Weiss, who plays on the varsity team, said that his upperclassmen teammates’ encouragement during practices have helped him improve..

Weiss said the players’ bonds and dedication to each other contributed to much of the season's success.

“The main factor of this year’s success has been having each one of us holding others accountable not only to the team, but also to ourselves,” he said.

Michael Shen, a freshman on JV, said the team has worked hard on their communication.

“Team chemistry was a vital factor in having the success that we had because it allowed us to communicate with each other very well.”

For others, the team’s communal feel is about more than communication; sophomore Ian Brenner said the team has formed a community that fosters growth.

Brenner, a member of the JV team, said he has not only grown much closer to the team throughout the season, but he is impressed with the team’s constant work ethic.

“The reason we’ve been so successful is our dedication, practicing two hours a day, six days a week. Everyone shows up six days a week.

It’s always intense training, and that’s how we improve,” he said.

Shen said he has seen an unanticipated improvement in both his ability and that of his teammates.

"Over the course of the season, I’d like to say that I improved in virtually every aspect

of my game. As a team, the difference between the start of the season and the end is night and day,” he said.

After his first year playing on the team, Brenner said that he looks forward to increasing his commitment to volleyball and taking time over the offseason to continue practicing.

“I am planning on doing a SMASH volleyball camp and taking every opportunity I can to play with my teammates,”he said.

With all of the players’ dedication and hard work on and off of the court, it's not hard to imagine why the team has been so successful this season as they prepare for the postseason.

photo contributed by Ian Brenner

The junior varsity team gathers together in a huddle to build energy before a game

sports | page 21

issuu.com/thelionsroar

South's hidden community of climbers Ari Zeren Sports Contributor

It was the last day of a virtual climbing competition, and there was only one rock climb left for junior Alex Ma to complete — a difficult V9 (climbing gyms typically have climbs ranging from V0-V11). The only problem — he had never completed a climb that challenging in one go. After four harrowing tries, he still couldn’t

photo contributed by Alex Ma

Alex Ma tackles a high level 'V9' climb

get the last move, but on the fifth attempt, he gave it every ounce of effort he had, and to his own amazement, sent the climb.

“It was just me, my dad and a teammate,” he said.“And it felt better than any competition I've ever been to.”

Long considered a fringe sport, the last decade has seen a boom in rock climbing’s popularity across all demographics. According to “Gripped,” a Canadian rock climbing magazine, almost 600 climbing gyms were built in the United States alone in 2021. Last summer, the sport was added as a combined event in the Tokyo Olympics.

Alex Ma, who has been climbing for nine years, competes on a youth team run by Central Rock Gym in Watertown, where he and his teammates practice 12 hours a week, working to develop their skills in the three main disciplines of climbing: route, bouldering and speed.

Separated from other sports due to its blend of strength, flexibility and problem solving, rock climbing is an uniquely engaging activity.

Senior Sophie Berger, who has been climbing for 13 years, said the sport is like physical chess.

“It's a lot of training your mind to control your body in ways that you would not expect to be a natural movement pattern, and learning to really trust your own strength,” she said.

Freshman James Ma, Alex’s younger brother, said he enjoys how climbing forces him to work out how to make sense of what he sees on the wall and to make do with what he has.

Q& A

Climbing, however, certainly isn’t all serious. Junior Willa Foster, who's been climbing intermittently since sixth grade, said that she climbs for a simple reason.

“Oh, wow, OK. I don't know, it's fun,” she said.

Foster said that despite climbing’s individual nature, the sport fosters a collaborative environment.

“Everyone in the gym is learning, so it’s not a big deal if you fall [or] if you mess up because we’re all trying our best and we're all learning like a community,” she said.

Junior Brandan Holt, whose father introduced him to climbing when he was only five years old, said that climbing has taught him a resilience that is applicable in other aspects of life.

“Whenever I'm working on a climb that I'm kind of stuck on, I just keep going at it. Maybe I'll come back the next day, or just think of a new way to kind of look at it, or just a new sequence next time,” he said. “I do my best to bring that viewpoint into some other aspects of my life where I might have a problem to deal with.”

James said that his older brother has given him some sage climbing wisdom.

“You have to try hard, but not just in the moment. You have to try hard over a long period of time in order to get stronger.” James said that he has taken this mindset to heart, and that it has allowed him to feel determined in his daily life.

Alex Ma said he hopes more people at South will try climbing.

with the Mendelson Award Winners

photo contributed by Willa Foster

Willa Foster on a tough Watertown wall “Anyone who tries it will have a really good time, any age, any body type, any experience. It's just a great sport and I love it so much,” he said. “Whenever I hear a classmate say that they went to CRG Watertown and they knew that I rock climb and they wanted to let me know, that makes me feel so proud.

It's just so awesome.”

The Mendelson Award is given to one extraordinary male and female athlete every year. These athletes are amazing not only on the pitch, but also as leaders in the South community. This year the awards were given to senior Lily Bulcyznski, girls cross country, indoor and outdoor track runner, and senior Justin Levy of indoor and outdoor track. *These interviews were conducted by Aidan Lieberman and Clare Tourtelotte during the week of 5/31-6/3

photo contributed by Lily Bulczynski

JUSTIN LEVY

LILY BULCZYNSKI

What was it like when you heard that you had won the Mendelson Award?

What was it like when you heard that you had won the Mendelson Award?

It's exciting. I mean, I was sitting in the audience at this senior awards ceremony in the morning when Ms. Gonzalez announced my name.

And I was like, "Oh, that's me." It was so nice. And then she said nice things, and I thought it was so sweet. It was exciting. I was so honored, and I just didn't expect it.

It was truly an exhibiliarating feeling, the way Ms. Gonzalez described this athlete, I was surprised she was talking about me. She spoke with such high praise, and it really did feel great. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the Lions standing around me.

What does it mean to you that you, of all student-athletes, won this award?

What has been a highlight of your time as a student-athlete at South?

I'm so happy and honored because I feel like I'm not the loudest person, so it's hard for me to feel like a leader sometimes or feel like I'm making a big impact, but it was nice that they recognized me for leading in a quieter sense. I do Facebook posts for our team and I try to be super positive and obviously, I'm not like the loudest person, but it was just nice to feel seen by the school.

It was months after I had re-injured my knee, but it was the second meet of the season, and although I wasn’t feeling the hottest, I went out there and ran. As I finished that final leg of the 4x400m relay, I saw the rest of my team and the expressions and looks on their faces were just pure glee, happiness, pride and hope, and nothing beats that.

Have you won any other awards or records for running at South?

Anything you'd like to add?

Definitely our relay team winning the Sprint Medley Relay (SMR) at Nationals was a big thing, and this outdoor season I actually got the school record in the 400 meters (58.31), and that was probably my biggest accomplishment.

Thank you, each and every one of you. And to make the most of it.

Reflecting and looking back, this is my last week of high school*, and it’s crazy how time has flown. I feel like I’ve made the most of it for the most part, but I’m definitely going to miss these faces. photo contributed by Liam Sakekeeny

page 22 | sports

the lion's roar

Dress Well, Play Well South teams foster community through themed spirit on competition days

By Marisa MacDonald

U

nlike the high school movies of childhood nostalgia, South doesn’t have huge pep rallies, homecoming games or giant cutouts of star athletes plastered to the school walls (looking at you, Troy Bolton).

Despite the lack of fanfare around weekend games, senior and boys cross country, indoor track and outdoor track captain Brendan Weissel—also the co-winner of the ‘Most Spirited’ superlative in this year’s yearbook— said that South has more school spirit than one might think.

“South doesn't have the biggest spirit for football games or stuff like that in the traditional sense,” he said. “But I've always thought of South as having pockets of spirit in the specific communities that people are in.

When people do something, they're going to put all their energy that they have into it. You have a lot of spirit from and community coming from those spaces.”

There is no denying that South students are passionate about their various teams and extracurriculars, Weissel said.

Instead of having a deep passion for the color ‘blorange,’ students demonstrate their pride from dressing up in crazy outfits on the day of their games, like businessmen, in onesies and even as the team coach, to uplifting athletes and teams through vibrant social media posts and accounts.

Freshman Aoba Fujita joined the girls indoor and outdoor track teams this year.

She said that she felt at home in the tight knit community because of the camaraderie created by spirit days.

“Most of the time, freshmen gather with freshmen and sophomores gather with sophomores and so on,” Fujita said. “But whenever we do spirit, we take pictures with

upperclassmen and we get to know each other a little bit more. It's a great way to connect with other great people.”

Swim and dive captain senior Sydney Finkelstein said that seeing her teammates in the halls on spirit days excites her for the meet later in the day.

“You'll see people walk down the hallway in the same weird outfit as you, and you're like, 'Ay! Swim! Yeah!’” she said. “It's just fun.

It builds community and gets you pumped up for whatever you're going after that day.”

Despite the perceived embarrassing nature of ‘spirit’ outfits, junior Bria Abbiati, a member of the girls varsity soccer team, said that the days only further unite the team.

“You see someone dressed up in the same outfit as you, kind of looking like an idiot, but it's fun anyway,” Abbiati said.“It really brings the team together under one slightly embarrassing but still really fun cause.”

The boys running teams famously forgo the traditional spirit themes; instead, they opt for a professional look in a button-up shirt the day of every meet, which Weissel said has been a longstanding tradition of the program.

“It started before I got here and it's been a staple of the team. We do the same spirit every time so people know that there's a meet,” he said. “We keep it fun, and I think that dressing nice in general is a good thing, especially to get in the right mindset for a meet.”

A rise in sports and team-themed Instagram accounts has also contributed to an uptick in team spirit. Weissel said the social media pages have brought South together, rallying the student body behind teams and athletes as well.

“The more access people can have to other people's success and other people's games, the

better,” he said. “I couldn't say enough good about how social media can help us come together as a community.”

Finkelstein said that social media doesn’t just rally support for the team, but it also cultivates a stronger pride within the team.

“I think the benefit of putting things on social media, especially for swim, is that it gets people more into it,” she said. “People can send in photos, we'll put them on the story and everyone republishes it.”

The most creative development in the social media craze is a by-the-students, forthe-students athletic page, @nshslionspride on Instagram.

The account posts almost daily updates that fans or athletes send in, ranging from game scores to freelance sports photography.

Their segment called ‘Athlete of the Week’ highlights a diverse group of student-athletes and accepts nominations from followers, who submit names of athletes they believe deserve acknowledgment.

The account is co-run by juniors and student-athletes Hadley Conroy and Daniel Gelbert. Conroy said she is proud of the response the account has gotten from students, especially those beyond the athletic circle.

“It's cool because so many different students get involved, not just athletes,” Conroy said. “We get DMs from different photographers and lots of other people who want to be involved in different ways. So it spreads a lot of spirit and excitement to everyone.”

Abbiati said the recognition that comes from the account motivates athletes to perform better because they know the school is behind them.

“It adds to a more exciting environment around athletics, to see your teammates and

photo contributed by Brendan Weissel

photo contributed by Aoba Fujita

The boys indoor track & field team rocks the "look good, run good" fit on meet day

Girls track freshmen pose in "dad spirit"

photos contributed by Sydney Finkelstein

The swim and dive team on spirit days friends get recognition on social media. It hypes up the team and makes everyone feel recognized and excited to play and perform for the school,” she said.

Gelbert said his desire to spread his pride for the school across the student body motivates him to run the account.

“I’d like to just make people proud of where they go to high school,” he said. “We're looking for more ways to get people involved, and to get people motivated about not just sports, but South in general.”

There is always room for more school spirit, and Weissel said he has faith that South spirit will continue to grow.

“I would say that spirit at Newton South is a process,” he said. “Whether it be on one team or the whole school, I think that as long as we commit ourselves to being community members and commit ourselves to building up the other members in our smaller communities and our big community, the better it will be.”

photo contributed by Bria Abbiati

The girls soccer team in business spirit

fun | page 23

issuu.com/thelionsroar

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Answers: freshmen, pledge, Elena, vitiligo, Mendelson, nationals, Singh, Doctor, jazz, Bad Bunny, grafitti, parasocial, abortion, climbing, Brookline, nine, chickens, Newsies, SHRC, Parlin

DOWN

ACROSS

The Early Days of The Roar •

We've come a long way, but we will always remember our roots!

3. _____ Baskakova, a sophomore who runs a math program at Oak Hill.

5. Seniors Lily Bulcynski and Justin Levy won which award?

7. Last name of ’11 Graduate who now works for ABC’s “Nightline”.

11. Detailed artwork found in many school bathroom stalls.

12. One-sided relationships between fans and celebrities. ____ interactions 13. A leaked decision from the Supreme Court indicated the potential overrule of Roe v. Wade, a decision protecting ______ 14. Popular sport involving rocks and reaching high altitudes (not hiking). Requires arm strength.

17. English teacher Natalia Taube owns two cats and seven ___.

18. Recent South Stage production featuring New York City newspaper salespeople.

20. Retiring history teacher and co-founder of the SHRC, Bob ____.

1. On Step Up day, South will welcome a new batch of ______ to its hallowed halls.

2. A famous expression of allegiance to the flag of the United States and to the republic for which it stands.

4. Risha Sinha’s page 10 article details her journey with _______, a skin condition.

6. The Girls SMR team won indoor _____.

8. In a new Marvel Movie, actor Benedict Cumberbatch plays ______ Strange.

9. The subject of a famous “Bee Movie” quote (Ya like _____?” Combo class recently brought back.

10. “Un Verano Sin Ti” is this singer’s latest album release. The antonym of his name is “Good rabbit”.

15. Newton’s neighbor to the East — site of recent teacher strike.

16. Number of TV screens featured on front page.

19. South Council with a goal of fostering a safe space for all students (abbreviated form).

Happy Birthday JPhill!

frame photo courtesy of eBay.com

Adrienne Lirio (Graphics)

Emma Zhang (Features)

Sarah Feinberg (Managing Editor)

Jaesuh Lee (News) Matan Josephy (Centerfold)

"I only [took banjo lessons] because there was a "Dunkin' Donuts" next to it."

- Julian Phillips, 2022 Ahona Dam (Opinions)

Clare Tourtelotte (Sports)

Caitlin Ang (Graphics)

Eva Shimkus (Editor-in-Chief)

Lily Zarr (News) Emily Cheng (Graphics)

Emily Schwartz (Editor-in-Chief)

On the cover

In an increasingly interconnected world, Gen Z becomes overwhelmed by high speed news

photo credits

Photos on TV screens:

Row 1 (left to right): - Photo of Mexican Army soldiers in Reynosa (2009) courtesy of Adriana Zehbrauskas/The New York Times - Photo of the Hamra Hotel in Baghdad (2005) courtesy of Scott Peterson/The Christian Science Monitor/Getty Images - Photo of US Army soldiers in Kandahar province in Afghanistan (2011) courtesy of Baz Ratner/Reuters Row 2: - Photo of Twin Towers on 9/11 (2001) courtesy of Sean Adair/Reuters - Photo courtesy of the Atlantic Council - Photo courtesy of Modern Diplomacy Row 3: - Photo of a man in Damascus, Syria (2018) courtesy of Bassam Khabieh/Reuters - Photo of Saudi-backed government troops in Yemen (2021) courtesy of AFP/Getty Images Row 4: - Photo courtesy of the Nevada Department of Veterans Services

TV Screens:

Row 1: (left to right) - Photo courtesy of Shutterstock - Photo courtesy of Dreamstime - Photo courtesy of Shutterstock Row 2: - Photo courtesy of Shutterstock - Photo courtesy of Unsplash - Photo courtesy of Dreamstime Row 3: - Photo courtesy of Dreamstime - Photo courtesy of Depositphotos Row 4: - Photo courtesy of Getty Images