The Lion's Roar 39-1

VOL. 39 ISSue 1

Amidst a reckoning around sexual harassment, South works to protect the victims while managing community perceptions page 12

Newton South High School · Newton, MA Est. 1984 · September 29, 2022 April 29, 2022

R AR

the LION'S

A Balancing Act

By Bella Ishanyan and Matan Josephy Graphic by Julie Wang

Supporting Ukraine

03

School Lunch Review

11

A Balancing Act

12-13

Meaningful Mentorships

15

South Athletes Take on Marathons

19

page 2

April 29, 2022

NEWS issuu.com/thelionsroar

Volume 39, Issue 1

April in Review

by Grace Dempsey

If you have an idea, and you genuinely love that idea, then no matter what you will be able to pursue it. graphics by Emily Cheng

Kevin Yang South class of '24, co-developer of abSENT photo courtesy of abSENT

"abSENT" App now Available We got a lot of users- we're up to around On March 23, abSENT, an app created by Newton sophomores Kevin Yang and Rosham Karim, was released. The mobile app notifies students at South and North when one of their teachers is absent, providing a streamlined way to learn about canceled classes. Despite some setbacks that delayed its release, abSENT is now up and running and can be downloaded on the App Store and Google Play.

400 at this point. [...] So it's 10% of the people that could have used the app right now.

Roshan Karim North class of '24, co-developer of abSENT

[The manager's] not letting me take a leave of absence and making me quit right about the time that the union vote is happening, when she knows that I’m a union organizer.

Naomi Goldstein Newtonville Starbucks barista, via GBH

There are more hours available during the holiday season and, as a result, the local teams make adjustments, and that’s an ongoing process. It’s certainly not related to any organizing efforts.

Corporate Starbucks Spokesperson via GBH

photo courtesy of Restaurant Jump

Starbucks Efforts to Unionize On Feb. 15, Newtonville Starbucks baristas filed to unionize.

Workers told GBH, a Boston-based public media producer, that the company has since responded unfairly, as managers have cut hours and increased pressure to halt the unionizing process in direct violation of labor laws. The company denies that the treatment of their employees is due to union organizing efforts.

I've never really been there before. My sphere just extends to Back Bay and downtown. But if Somerville is worth going into, I will.

Madeline Mechanic class of '25 photo courtesy of WBUR

Union Station’s strategic location will

MBTA Green Line Extension contribute to an estimated removal of On March 21, the Green Line’s extension branch to Union Square in Somerville opened. The project has been in the works for years, with construction experiencing delays due to COVID-19. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is also in the process of extending the new branch through Medford to the Tufts University campus. The extension is projected to be opening this summer.

26,000 private vehicle trips per day from local streets.

Joe Pesaturo MBTA spokesperson, via Boston.com

issuu.com/thelionsroar

news | page 3

Newton Community Supports Ukraine South responds to the Russian invasion of Ukraine by creating a new club, NSHS Students for Ukraine, which provides space for students to discuss the conflict and take action

By Ella Hurwitz, Alex Zakuta and Lily Zarr

photos by Ines Koci

A man holds up a Ukrainian flag at a March 25 rally

O

n Feb. 24, Russia invaded Ukraine, resulting in a devastating humanitarian crisis that has sparked an international outcry of support for Ukrainians. The Newton community has come together to support one another and relief efforts in Ukraine. At South, students and teachers have mobilized to create NSHS Students for Ukraine, a club dedicated to spreading awareness and raising funds for the ongoing crisis.

Many people in the South community have personal ties to Ukraine, including parent Vitaly Zakuta, who grew up in Kyiv and has family and friends in Ukraine.

“I'm still in shock. Nothing like that has happened in my lifetime,” he said.“[I saw] a picture of a building where the whole wall on one side was missing, and it looked like the building where I used to live, so it really brought it home for me.”

Junior and NSHS Students for Ukraine member Dan Brudnyy said that his father, who had been working in Russia, fled the country at the beginning of the war.

Zakuta said that a friend in Ukraine has experienced bombings firsthand and is now trying to get out of the country.

“He woke up at four in the morning from the explosions, and it was surreal,” he said. “Now people who are there are just trying to survive. They don't have time to be shocked anymore.”

Junior and NSHS Students for Ukraine member Pavlo Deynega immigrated to the United States from Ukraine four years ago. He said that he fears for his family members in Ukraine, whose days now consist of supplying soldiers with ammunition

Attendees of the Newton Centre rally, in which Mayor Ruthanne Fuller spoke, show their support for Ukraine

and medicine kits and staying sheltered inside.

“Right now I'm trying to move all of them out,” he said.

“I'm worried about my grandparents and how they're doing because I can't help them physically. I can only help them from here by donating to organizations [in] the country.”

To give students like Deynega a way to contribute to relief efforts and a safe space to talk about the conflict, English teacher Natalia Taube founded the NSHS Students for Ukraine club.

“There are many Russian and Ukrainian kids here and also kids with a social conscience, kids who always want to help and do something,” she said. “I wanted to provide a place where people could come and talk and be with other kids who have family in Ukraine or Russia.”

The club spreads awareness about the war through its Instagram account, @nshsforukraine, and is selling bracelets to raise money for Boston Aide for Ukraine, an organization that provides displaced Ukrainians with essentials like food, shelter and bedding.

Freshman Skyler Montgomery said she bought a bracelet to promote conversation about the war and to raise money for Ukrainians.

“I wanted to show support for Ukraine in a way that would help others bring the war up in conversation,” she said. “It’s a good way to donate to a group that will support Ukrainians in the best way possible.”

On March 25, residents gathered in Newton Centre where Mayor Ruthanne Fuller spoke in support of Ukraine.

“We know what is at stake goes beyond the borders of Ukraine,” she said. “As citizens of the world, this conflict is a test of our commitment to individual liberty, to democracy and to the rule of law.”

Russian and Spanish teacher Jill Christensen said that it is good that the South and Newton communities have come together to support Ukraine by selling bracelets and holding rallies.

“Those things are great because it gives people a way to have their voice be heard and to let other people know that this matters and that it's something that we should be talking about,” she said.

In addition to donating money, Zakuta said that people can promote the cause by contacting their politicians to ask them to advocate for Ukrainians.

“A way to help Ukranians is talking to our local, state and federal representatives to let them know that this is really bad, that this can't go on and something needs to be done,” he said.

Junior and NSHS Students for Ukraine club member Sarah Scarr said that maintaining support for Ukraine is necessary as the war continues.

“It's easy to forget about it in our lives because we have things like SATs and college applications, but teenagers in Ukraine have to escape and leave their families or take care of their siblings or their parents,” she said. “People should remain aware of how much privilege we have in the United States and what we can do and not forget about people in Ukraine.”

page 4 | news

the lion's roar

Balancing the Budget O

n Thursday, March 31, over 100 people rallied outside Newton City Hall in response to the Newton Public Schools (NPS) proposed budget for fiscal year 2023.

The budget, which was proposed on March 23, included significant cuts to math and literacy support at elementary and middle schools, in addition to reductions of up to 74 positions across the district, including up to 50 teachers. This staffing reduction was forecasted to create a greater number of classes with more than 25 students and fewer electives.

Additionally, the plan included a cut in guidance counselor positions throughout middle and high schools, increasing the studentto-counselor ratio.

Superintendent David Fleishman pointed to a decrease in enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of revenue from building rentals, the increased cost of substitute teachers and risin costs for special education programs as the primary reasons for the budget imbalance.

Judd West, a fourth-grade teacher at Zervas Elementary School, said that the increase in class sizes ensured by the budget proposal would have hindered teachers’ ability to provide the same standard of education to students.

“Class size is probably the number one most important factor when it comes to having a successful learning and teaching experience … especially at elementary schools, the class size numbers are so key for kids that young,” he said.

“Unfortunately, budget cuts mean each student is just getting less attention, and then the ability to manage a class becomes more challenging.”

NPS parent and Parent-Teacher Organization Co-President Penny Johnson* said that the proposed cuts could give families with access to outside resources like the Russian School of Mathematics an advantage over

families without them.

South band director Lisa Linde said that the proposal made her worried about the budget cuts’ effects on the music program, as they have historically targeted arts faculty, which limits music classes and opportunities for students.

“NAfME, which is the National Association for Music Education, has this opportunity to learn a set of standards where they qualify you as a basic-level program or a quality-level program,” she said.“We used to be in many areas a quality-level program, and we have moved down to the basic level. We've gotten rid of an improvisation specialist. We've gotten rid of our orchestra specialist.”

Johnson attended the protest on March 31. She said that with the proposed budget cuts, her family would lose the extra support in math and reading that her child is receiving from his elementary school.

“He has an IEP, and he is able to get those services through [educational support staff ], and right now he gets services that aren't included in his IEP because his school has the ability to serve him with those, but once they get rid of these positions … it’ll be on us parents,” she said.

Following the plan’s announcement, teachers and community members criticized its proposed reductions, citing the $63 million that the city received from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) as funds that could be allocated to alleviate the budget gaps.

South math and physics teacher Ryan Normandin said that while the ARPA funds posed a short-term solution to the issue of budget gaps, the district still lacks a longer-term resolution to future financial shortfalls.

“People want the mayor to use ARPA funds for this; she probably shouldn't take a short-term solution,” he said. “But in the long term, we need to fix something because next

Budget cuts ignite protest over possible layoffs

By Jaesuh Lee, Julia Lee, Jacob Tomaneng and Jonathan Wei

year we're going to be in this situation. We're going to have another set of cuts and next year, another set of cuts unless we actually find a way to generate more sources of revenue.”

Amidst community backlash to the March 23 spending cuts, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller announced a reversal in policy which authorized a 3.5% increase in funding for NPS. The additional funds reversed many of

Protestors rally outside of city hall on March 31 before the updates to the budget photos by Ines Koci

the initial plan’s cuts.

School Committee member Christopher Brezki said that he supported the readdition of funds to preserve student services.

“We're restoring the math and literacy interventionist at the elementary school level,” he said. “We’re making sure we have enough guidance counselors and making sure that we have appropriate staffing so that we don't have that odd three-quarter team where we wouldn't have a subject teacher in a cohort.”

School Committee member Cove Davis said that mental health was a priority throughout the budget decision process.

“I'd like to restore [mental health services] more and be able to give more to the high school in that area. Whether it's guidance counselors or social workers or even just special programming, I think that'd be really important,” she said.

Normandin said that the district should avoid cuts to NPS in the coming years.

“If you cut off the legs of these schools, you have all of these elementary [and] middle school kids who are going to be reading far below level because they don't have the support they need in order to achieve where they can,” he said.

“That's going to have an effect at the high school in five to 10 years because we're going to be getting students who are just not at the place that we are used to them being at when they come in here.” *Name changed to protect interviewee's privacy

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news | page 5

South responds to incidents of hate speech Grace Dempsey & Lily Zarr News Editors

Since the beginning of March, Principal Tamara Stras has informed the South community of three instances of hate speech through email. Stras has reported on toilet paper shaped into a noose found in a boys’ bathroom on March 16 and two separate instances of antisemitic graffiti in bathrooms on March 23 and 28.

When a community member reports hate speech, house deans begin an investigation and the school notifies the Newton Police Department and Anti-Defamation League, history teacher and South Human Rights Council (SHRC) Co-Director Robert Parlin said.

Although South must hide the identities of students who are responsible for hate speech to comply with federal law, Stras wrote in a March 29 email to parents that perpetrators are disciplined accordingly, as is the case for the student who drew antisemitic symbols in a boys’ bathroom on March 28.

“I can assure you that appropriate consequences and corrective actions are in process for the individual responsible,” she wrote. “We will continue to work together to help students learn so we can honor and celebrate each other and come together in solidarity.”

The SHRC has an important role in South’s response, Parlin said. When hate speech is reported, he said that the council conveys solidarity to students and teachers through supportive Schoology updates and meetings with affinity groups.

Despite these efforts, the school’s response has received criticism from people like sophomore Alon Mileguir, who said that hate speech at South has become normalized.

“Whenever something like this happens,

we all look, we get the email and then we say ‘okay,’ and then we all move on,” he said.“I don't think enough people care about it.”

Sophomore Shir Ivanier said that she is disappointed with the administration’s lack of continuous communication with students.

“We hear that something happened, but we don't hear any updates about it,” she said.

“It feels like nothing is happening and nothing is being done about it, especially when it continues to happen all the time.”

History teacher Marcia Okun said that the issue extends past South to all of Newton Public Schools.

“I think the school individually is doing as much as it can, [but] I am concerned that we exist in a larger community,” she said.“We need to think about what's going on in elementary schools [and] in the middle schools.”

After an instance antisemitic hate speech occured two years ago, junior Daniel Marshak started a petition calling for an increase in Holocaust education that garnered nearly 700 signatures.

History department head Jennifer Morrill, who was already working with North history department head Greg Drake and the district’s K-8 coordinator Alan Ripp on increasing Holocaust education, reached out to Marshak.

The 10th grade modern world history curriculum already includes the Holocaust, and Newton Public Schools recently added it to the middle school history curriculum.

Marshak said that this inclusion could help prevent future antisemitic hate speech.

“I could count the number of times I've talked about the Holocaust in school, which is

photo by Marty Basaria

A speaker presents at the Holocaust Symposium on April 8 during WIN Block

very disappointing,” Marshak said.“It's a really good step that we're making to prevent these incidents from happening because it all stems from the lack of education.”

In an effort to further improve education and awareness, Morrill and the Jewish Student Union organized a schoolwide Holocaust symposium hosted by the Lappin Foundation, an organization that promotes Jewish identity.

They have offered the workshop during Friday WIN blocks in the lecture hall since April 1 and will continue until May 13. The workshop educates students about the details of the Holocaust as well as historical and present-day antisemitism.

In addition, Jewish Culture Week began on April 26. Events are being held in the lecture hall and include student experiences with antisemitism.

Morrill said the recent hate speech is a harsh reality check that show the steps South still needs to take.

“I just taught the Holocaust unit in my class, and I see how the kids are horrified by it and are impacted by it,” she said. “To have a symbol from that era in this building makes me sad and worried in the sense that we have some work to do if there's someone in our community who believes that's okay.”

English teacher and SHRC Co-Director Joana Chacón de Entwistle said that the South community is working hard to properly address hate speech and improve communication.

“No administration is going to solve racism and antisemitism in one year, but what I am seeing is that they're open to new methods of trying things,” she said.“We're going through a growing phase where now there is transparency.

If you look at us years down the road, it'll be a lot healthier and a lot more polished.”

Fleishman to leave district for nonprofit Sarah Wei

Managing Editor After 12 years as superintendent of Newton Public Schools (NPS), on April 7, David Fleishman announced that he will be leaving the district at the end of the school year to become president of Jewish Vocational Services, a nonprofit organization that provides career services to the Greater Boston area.

During his decade-long tenure, Fleishman oversaw the remodeling of several school buildings, the 1:1 computer initiative and, most recently, the navigation of the district through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fleishman said that a key focus for his administration has been providing students with adequate resources to thrive at school.

“Whether it's mental health or academic support … our district continues to improve as the needs of students change,” he said.

During Fleishman’s tenure, NPS established the Department of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in 2020. The department, composed of administrators from across the district, investigates and implements efforts to combat racial discrimination. The addition was a key step to addressing issues of inequality in NPS, Fleishman said.

“I'm also proud of how we've been able to embrace diversity and equity inclusion in a really thoughtful way. We certainly have a lot of work to do, but our focus on racial justice district-wide, as well as having an excellent DEI department, is something that I'm really proud of,” he said.

History teacher Brian Murray said that these endeavors have created a large shift in South’s culture “As a classroom teacher, it’s pretty clear that he’s been moving the district in a particular direction in terms of social-emotional learning and trying to make the curriculum more inclusive,” he said. “You can see some significant, if not massive changes, in the school.”

An essential part of the superintendent’s role is interacting with students and teachers directly, Fleishman said. He said that this responsibility was important in fostering a welcoming learning environment.

“I love engaging with students and educators. I've really enjoyed working with really passionate, smart and committed adults who care deeply about students,” he said.“I'm proud of a lot of the relationships I've made with people because at the end of the day, education's a people business, and we want to make sure that people feel connected in school.”

English teacher Deborah Bernhard said that Fleishman’s appreciation for educators is apparent.

“He remembers people — he can meet you once and he knows your name. He knows where you work out of 30 schools. He's very personable in that way … when you interact with him, you feel like he knows who you are.”

Fleishman said that another key part of his job is resolving issues, especially those with conflicting points of view.

“People have very different perspectives on what education should be,” he said. “For certain issues, it's hard to get consensus, and

that's just a part of the job you always have to do — collect lots of information, get advice, but at the end of the day, you're often the decision maker and that's hard because you can never please everybody.”

Math department head Alex Kraus said that it is essential for the next superintendent to be thoughtful about these complex decisions.

“There is always a really fine balance that one needs to strike when coming into a leadership role. Everybody comes in with their own preconceived notions about how you do something effectively and how you do it well,” he said. “I will be paying a lot of attention to how [the next superintendent] finds a balance between … their own priorities and vision and being a good listener and learning about the community before [they] take any major steps.”

Some NPS community members said that they hope the next administration will improve on communication.

Junior Willa Foster said that the administration should provide students with more information and opportunity to voice their opinions.

“There’s a lot of stuff that happens behind the scenes and gets put out, and students are like, ‘What? This isn’t better for us. We’re not happy with this,’” she said. “I wish there was more communication between the superintendent and students’ wishes because these are policies that are affecting our lives.”

These issues also extend to district parents, South parent Christine Lecesse said.

“Communication with the parents is something that I would really love to see im-

proved,” she said.“I would love for it to be a little bit easier to get information from the schools.

I feel like things are so disparate.”

New leadership means the opportunity for growth in these areas and in NPS as a whole, Fleishman said.

“It's been a privilege to be in the job, but I think change is good for organizations, and I think change is good for individuals as well,” he said. “I'm optimistic about the future of the Newton Public Schools, and I'm grateful to have worked with so many terrific people and gotten to know so many wonderful students.”

photo courtesy of NPS

page 6 April 29, 2022

EDITORIALS issuu.com/thelionsroar

Volume 39, Issue 1

The demise of print journalism Perpetually, it seems, newspapers wrapped in plastic line the streets of Newton. To some, the sight of stacks accumulating on front lawns is an eyesore. To others, who diligently digest the Newton Tab newspaper, the papers are an essential way to maintain connection to the local community.

The Newton Tab, the city’s only print newspaper, announced on March 16 that it would cease printing, opting to move to its publisher’s online platform, WickedLocal, after its final print edition on May 4. While the paper is not officially dead, its move to a strictly-online format marks the end of an era of consistent local coverage — perhaps a sign of the end of print news as a whole.

40 years ago, Newton had four local newspapers, all subscription-based. When the Newton Tab began printing in 1979, it was revolutionary, delivering each Wednesday to residents’ doors free of charge. The weekly newspaper covered a myriad of local news, rang-

As the only print newspaper left in Newton, we will work to ensure these values and continue to shed light on life in the Garden City

ing from high school sports games to the latest real estate listings to feel-good stories about local initiatives. However, in recent years, the paper has entered a lull. In a March 17 Village 14 forum, many commenters remarked on a distinct decline in the quality of the Tab. Once equipped with a large staff, today the paper only boasts one reporter.

The paper has also experienced significant changes in management, with its most recent being its acquisition by Gannett Company, a media holding company owning over 1,000 newspapers across the country, in 2019.

According to WickedLocal, the decision to suspend printing was a result of the Tab’s commitments to the sustainable future of local journalism.

With the move online, Newton will be the largest city in Massachusetts without a local print newspaper, according to the Boston Globe.

In the era of digitalization, the Tab’s move made us question the importance of print journalism. Online journalism trumps print papers in its accessibility — both for publishers and readers.

As a print paper, we understand the additional effort it takes to print: from spending hours laying page designs to meeting printer deadlines, printing a newspaper requires a substantial amount of extra time and resources.

As a monthly paper, we also have to grapple

with the delay in reporting that comes from our print date — a delay not experienced by online publications. For readers, online news offers real time breaking news accessible from anywhere on the internet and provides a platform for interaction and feedback.

All of these benefits may lead some to question the relevance and reach of print journalism: is it still necessary to print in the digital age?

We believe it is.

All the barriers to printing a paper ensure that every page — every word and design — is intentional and meaningful. The hard work that laying and editing takes translates into reliable and thoughtful coverage with a personality and charm that online websites lack. One editor called paper journalism “an art form” — the ink on the page gives photos and text more value.

Physical placement of articles and photos adds a layer to a reader’s understanding of a story.

In addition to these benefits, the difference in consumption between print papers and scrolling online varies greatly. Many of our editors have memories of the Newton Tab or Boston Globe spread across their kitchen counters, their parents flipping through pages while eating breakfast as a cemented ritual.

As the only print newspaper left in Newton, we will work to ensure these values and continue to shed light on life in the Garden City.

JOIN THE R AR Come to room 1201 any blue lion block to see what The Roar has to offer Our website: issuu.com/thelionsroar Facebook: The-Lion's Roar Instagram: nshslionsroar

Volume XXXVIII 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

Julian Phillips

Sarah Wei

Section Editors

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.

News

Grace Dempsey Julia Lee Jaesuh Lee Lily Zarr

Features

Opinions

Centerfold Bella Ishanyan Matan Josephy

Sanjana Deshpande Ella Hou Molly Johnson Emma Zhang

Photo Managers Gianna Burgess Maureen Caulfield Ines Koci

Danielle Berdichevsky Ahona Dam Annika Engelbrecht Risha Sinha Melinda Yung

Sports Marisa MacDonald Zach Rhein John Timko Clare Tourtelotte

Media Managers Ari Gordon Aidan Lieberman

Faculty Advisor Ashley Chapman

Graphics Managers Caitlin Ang Emily Cheng Adrienne Lirio Julie Wang

issuu.com/thelionsroar

editorials | page 7

from the

EDITOR'S DESK Eva Shimkus Editor-in-Chief I didn’t want to learn to walk. It was bad — here I was, a 13-month-old, scooting around on my butt everywhere because I was too lazy to take my first steps. My parents were concerned. They’d put my toys at the other side of the room and cheer me on, hoping I would snap out of it and start walking. Uninterested, I would find something else to do, convincing myself that I didn’t need to have the toy in the first place.

Ironically enough, I recently went through a phase where I’d walk everywhere in order to avoid having to drive. I often make things impractical for myself in order to avoid being challenged.

During driving school, I figured I’d just cut corners and do the bare minimum. I put in the required hours and practiced parallel parking and three point turns with my dad in Needham Street parking lots until I didn’t feel like it anymore.

Then in October, I failed my driving test. Shocked and dejected, I sniffled in the passenger’s seat as my dad drove me home.

Throughout my driver’s education, I’d held onto this overconfident ideal that I was somehow unable to fail. Failing was for losers, I told myself, not for me — I was a great driver!

My dad wouldn’t have it. He made me

Life is a highway

practice every day leading up to the next test to the point where I could probably back up 50 feet in my sleep (legal disclaimer: I never attempted this).

After a lot more practice, I passed my second test. But oddly enough, when my dad asked me if I wanted to drive home afterwards, I said no and climbed into the passenger’s seat, like always. Over time, I felt myself lose my desire to drive at all.

De spite having a license, I refused to drive, especially on my own. My parents still drove me to friends’ houses, to school, and, of course, to all the weekend Roar paste ups.

When my dad picked me up from school, he started making me drive us back home.

Defiant as ever, I began wearing the chunkiest Dr. Martens boots I own because I knew he wouldn’t let me drive if I couldn’t feel the pedal through my thick soles.

My friends would sometimes ask me why I was so reluctant to use my license, to

which I didn’t have a good answer. I saw other people driving their friends home in their cars, and even though I had the means to do that too, there was a mental block holding me back.

Perhaps it was fear.

I hadn’t changed much since I was a toddler scooting on the floor, staying stagnant in familiar territory. I told my friends I didn’t drive because I preferred looking out the window or listening to music.

Beyond feeling lightly embarrassed in front of my friends, I felt especially guilty for forcing my parents to drive me everywhere. It felt babyish to be scared. I would be out of the house and in college soon — what would I do then?

My mom reminded me of how lucky I was to be able to drive at 16. Freedom, she said, is knowing how to drive. Especially for a woman. My mom had learned to drive in her early twenties, so she understood how essential mobility can be for independence. With a car,

I told myself I would rather tough it out and learn to drive so I wouldn't ever have to be dependent on anyone to take me where I want to go.

you can leave anytime and go anywhere you want. Without a car, you are perpetually reliant on someone else, oftentimes a man.

My mom’s feminist attitude towards driving really struck home for me. I hadn’t really thought of it that way before, and seeing driving as a way to become an independent woman made the daunting prospect of being behind the wheel become almost beautiful, like an affirmation of power. I told myself I would rather tough it out and learn to drive so I wouldn't ever have to be dependent on anyone to take me where I want to go.

So I started easy. I drove myself to Wednesday night Wind Ensemble rehearsals at school. Then, I drove myself to Newton Centre.

I drove my mom to run errands. I drove my dad to Home Depot.

Instead of constantly asking other people favors and expecting them to show up for me, I began being truly in control.

After I drove my mom to Natick last weekend, I felt strangely giddy. I loved the cathartic click sound from locking my car and unzipping my purse to drop the car key next to my wallet containing the money I made over the summer. I loved double checking that all four wheels were straight and within the white lines and that I hadn’t left the lights on. As I walked away, I just kept thinking to myself, “I am such an independent woman right now!”

I think it was worth the effort.

page 8

April 29, 2022

OPINIONS issuu.com/thelionsroar

Volume 39, Issue 1

Underneath the Surface Many parts of our identity are under the surface and are not clearly visible; student experiences with cultural taboos represent the complex definition of identity

Sexuality in Cape Verde

Pork in Jewish Culture Noa Racin

Anonymous

T

eW an g

h e pig —a large, vaguely hairy animal not meant for consumption that is often covered in mud. Well, at least that’s how it has long been viewed in my family.

My family is Jewish, but we’re not particularly religious by nature. We observe the High Holidays. We eat cheeseburgers and use electricity on Saturdays.

While my family doesn’t keep kosher, most of my family had always avoided pork at all costs, mostly out of tradition.

Pigs aren’t kosher animals.

To be considered kosher, an animal needs cloven hooves and the ability to chew their cud. Pigs, though they have cloven hooves, don’t chew their cud, and for thousands of years, Jewish people avoided eating them.

I have never, to this day, eaten pork.

My mother grew up in a conservative home, and while she did not keep kosher, she never ate pork. Her side of the family has always viewed pigs as off-limits and unhealthy — eating one was always out of the question.

My father, on the other hand, is Jewish in name only. He grew up in a “kibbutz,” a farming community in Israel.

His community—like a majority of Kibbutzim— put little emphasis on Judaism, causing him to not observe the same traditions my mother’s side practices. His upbringing makes him the least religious out of all of us. In fact, the closest thing he had to a Bar Mitzvah was jumping through a hoop of fire (I’m being serious). He has also eaten pork his whole life. And personally, pork by Ju li

thing of it, but at every family gathering, it became a topic of discussion. He was constantly called“gay” and told to “dress like a real man” or “grow some muscles to look manly” and that “his hair made him gay.” I always stood up for him, even when the rest of my family acted as if it wasn't a problem.

Although he tried to pretend that it didn't phase him, I knew it did. I watched him as he slowly started to dress differently and asked my mom to buy some new clothes. He began to ask me and my sister for opinions on his outfits and he started to grow out his hair. Whenever he went to get a haircut, he would hate it when it was cut too short.

Witnessing this at a young age, I didn't fully grasp the idea of the normalized homophobia that my family didn't think twice about. I will never understand the homophobic actions of my family, especially because they understand what it’s like to be discriminated against about something that isn’t under their control. After watching my brother feel uncomfortable about his appearance in front of his own family, I can't even begin to imagine the discrimination LGBTQ+ people face.

Now that I am older, I can proudly say that I speak out about fundamental human rights. I know how difficult it can be to stand up against your own family, especially when your family values trust and respect, but I encourage everyone to put a stop to the discrimination within your own culture. It's time to bring light to this issue, look within your family's values and be an active part of the generation that finally creates change.

gr ap hic

F

amily visits to Cape Verde often consist of at least one of my grandparents saying something controversial about current societal topics, like race, sexism, sexuality or the current WWIII scare. My parents will justify such comments with a“Well, that’s just how it was back then, sweetie.” But does that make what my grandparents said okay?

Shouldn't they be evolving alongside society?

This is a dilemma I have often faced, especially within my own cultural roots.

I take a lot of pride in the fact that I am biracial. My dad's side of the family came to the United States in 1970, bringing along their vibrant music, captivating dances, Creole language, delicious Cape Verdean dishes and fierce family loyalty. The older I get, the more fascinated I become to learn more about where I come from.

In Cape Verde, 93% of the population practices Christianity, my family included. I do believe that many aspects of the religion are beautiful. I remember when I used to say grace with my family before eating meals as a way to come together and express our gratitude. However, I have seen Christian beliefs be construed into a discriminatory system.

The most unforgettable experience I had was when my cousin on my mother’s side was thrown out of church for being gay, even though the Bible preaches love and acceptance. Anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination is prominent in Cape Verdean culture as well.

As my siblings and I grew up, my little brother stayed relatively small with short, skinny arms and legs and a torso so thin you could see his ribs. He loved parting his hair to the side, making sure it was always neatly gelled down. Having two sisters put him at a disadvantage because he was constantly compared to our physical strength and size.

At the time, I never thought any-

Opinions Reporter wasn’t something I ever considered eating.

Around three years ago, my family was eating at a restaurant. My brother asked if he could order bacon. My mother has always let us make choices about what we do with our bodies and lives, so she hesitantly agreed.

While I felt discomfort rise inside me, I said nothing.

As the months passed, my brother and father became more comfortable eating pork at restaurants.

I don’t remember the first time I woke up to the odor of crackling bacon, but I do remember the horror I felt. I would watch my dad and brother eat bacon with relish, cringing every time I saw pork on their plates.

I had no idea how to react to this new turn of events. Internally, I felt guilty and ashamed. None of my Jewish friends ate pork, so why should my family? We already weren’t religious. There wasn’t much left of Judaism to surrender. To me, bringing bacon into our house felt like we were giving up a part of our identity.

Much to my horror, my mother began to buy bacon for the family. What started as an occasional treat for my brothers and dad became a weekly occurrence.

While my family might not keep Kosher, I have fallen in love time and time again with the traditions and values of Jewish culture. As the months went on, I realized that everyone has their own way of practicing religion, and everyone has the right to make their own choices.

My family is not religious, yet we are proudly Jewish. It isn’t fair to judge another person for practicing religion differently. And while I still don’t like the smell of bacon, I understand that eating pork may not be a choice I make, but it is a choice that I have come to accept.

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opinions | page 9

Racial identity hidden behind the screens

By Risha Sinha When I first got Instagram in sixth grade, I didn’t download the app — I grammed (so to speak) from Safari on my iPhone 5. My refusal to download the app could have been for a couple reasons: one may have been that I was wise beyond my years and could foresee the detrimental impact Instagram would have on teens’ mental health.

The other more likely reason: I had created my account without telling my parents and was trying to stealthily check the latest updates from the Shawn Mendes fan pages I followed. Today, I have long unfollowed the likes of ShawnieBoy98, and the Instagram app resides comfortably on my phone.

My feed is now filled with SNL theory pages and small stand-up comedians, along with random influencers, the occasional ad marketing some God-awful game or product and my peers’ posts. As teenagers are prone to do, I often compare myself to the photos posted by my peers. When I do, I find it helpful to remind myself to take the images I see with a grain of salt.

Inauthentic Instagram pictures from my peers don't bother me because I know they are fake. I see them in-person every day, so I can always compare their authentic selves to what I see in their posts. Online, we are posed carefully and dressed in our best outfits. In the halls of South, however, I see few jaw-dropping outfits; instead, I see lots of sweats. It is my firm belief that high-schoolers single-handedly finance the booming Hanes conglomerate.

Day to day, the average high-schooler has the elegance and poise of a baby giraffe learning to walk, with a back curved like a macaroni noodle from carrying a ridiculously heavy backpack. In other words, we are rarely

straight (physically or otherwise) and do not hold ourselves with the same grace as we do on Instagram.

But make no mistake — this does not make us look bad — it just makes us look human — albeit sweatpant-clad, gangly, run-of-themill humans. The duality between Instagram and reality is what makes it fun. We can enjoy sharing the best versions of ourselves without the false idea that this version needs to be our constant expectation.

Some people take these expectations of social media too far, leading to my main issue with Instagram: influencers’ overuse of Photoshop and filters. This false reality poses a major threat to the mental health of their followers, particularly young girls.

There is nothing I could say about this topic that has not already been said in a more serious and eloquent way. Instead of being another voice yelling the same thing into the void of hundreds of videos and articles surrounding this topic (read Twitter activist), I’d like to shift the focus from the people who use filters to the filters themselves.

Not all filters are harmful. (The worst thing about the Grinch filter, for example, is that I am quite possibly more attractive when using it.) The filters I speak of, some of which are given oxymoronic names like “No Filter” or “Just Baby,” fundamentally shape key features of the user’s face to Eurocentric beauty standards.

As someone whose 23andMe test would come back 99% Indian, I have many stereotypically Indian features: hooded brown eyes, a bulbous nose that likes to channel its inner potato and skin as dark as the copious amounts of chocolate I dream of consuming. I’m not about to run to modeling agencies, but in my

photos and graphics by Gianna Burgess and Adrienne Lirio

opinion, I have a pretty okay face.

Based on all of its very questionable filters, Instagram apparently disagrees. My skin lightens, my nose shrinks and sharpens, my lips inflate and my eyes, for some bizarre reason, turn blue or green! My brown, brown features are changed to be Westernized. I look like the Barbie version of myself. I look like the Kardashian version of myself. Yet media and society regard this unrealistic and racist image to be the ideal, as the popularity of the filters in question show.

So, what do we do about this? Do we petition Instagram and members of Congress to remove all subtle, appearance-altering filters?

Do we stop using filters altogether?

In a perfect world, we would all celebrate each other for our unique beauties so that no one would feel the need to don filters and masquerade with another face. If we focus less on becoming“beautiful” and simply accept that we are stunning as we are, we would collectively have no need for such subtle, face-altering filters, and solve this problem.

The end of such practices, in turn, gives us energy to spend on more important issues, simultaneously preventing Instagram from profiting from cruel, false beauty standards.

But before we can focus on our other issues, we all need to take the first step together.

We all need to look in the mirror and love what we see.

"The Lost City": Two hours of wasted potential

By Jacob Lewis There is nothing more exciting than sitting down for a movie with low expectations only to find the film a refreshing and unique take on an old genre; however, equally as disappointing is discovering a directionless movie with wasted potential.

In the beginning of “The Lost City,” an adventure-romance novelist named Loretta (Sandra Bullock) struggles to come up with a suitable ending to her newest book. Despite various approaches, she is unable to write any-

thing that is not completely contrived. She soon gives up, finishing with absolutely no payoff. It’s ironic because the film itself suffers from the same problem: “The Lost City” benefits from a solid opening, but devolves into a cliche and drab storyline.

At first, the story seems relatively unique.

Loretta is kidnapped by billionaire Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe) because she is apparently the only person worldwide who can decode a clue that leads to “The Crown of Fire,”

photo courtesy of IMDB

a priceless artifact on an Atlantic island. The cover model for Loretta’s books, Alan Caprison (Channing Tatum), devises a plan to save her.

After an unfortunate turn of events, Loretta and Alan end up stranded alone on the island with Fairfax and his men, who are trying to track them down and catch them.

These first 30 minutes do not promise a masterpiece, but they certainly promise something better than what follows. The movie falls into a boring and predictable plotline which every audience member will have seen a million times. It is essentially a “Raiders of the Lost Ark” wannabe without the elaborate action, original story or charisma of Harrison Ford.

The adventure sequences are eye-roll inducing, the attempts at humor, especially in the second half, fall completely flat and the character development is nonexistent. Radcliffe, an actor with the ability to take on complex roles, repeatedly delivers different versions of the same evil speech and has nothing else to do.

Even Tatum’s dance moves, awkwardly injected into the middle of the movie, can’t charm the audience into overlooking these flaws.

This movie has one saving grace: Brad Pitt’s eccentric ex-Navy SEAL turned CIA operative Jack Trainer. Pitt’s portrayal of Trainer is

humorous and unique, and his chemistry with Bullock and Tatum is undeniable.

Unfortunately, instead of taking advantage of Pitt’s charisma and utilizing it to paper over the movie’s cracks, the filmmakers give him no more than 10 minutes of screen time before he exits. All the audience will do after he leaves is wish he would come back. Why would the producers spend millions on as high profile an actor as Pitt only to squander the opportunity?

None of this is to say that Bullock and Tatum are not charming leads. Bullock manages to maintain the momentum of the scene even when tied to a chair or slowed down by a sequined jumpsuit and heels. Tatum is effective as a dull-witted but lovable model who gets in way over his head. In another situation, they might pass as an unlikely couple.

However, neither of them can salvage the film from its slow-moving, predictable script. The filmmakers rip their relationship from the pages of the worst romantic-comedy screenplays and morph it into a jungle adventure. It is not the lack of fun performances, but rather the lack of originality that causes “The Lost City” to fail.

Stay home and watch a better Brad Pitt movie instead.

page 10 | opinions

the lion's roar

The untold truth of personality quizzes

By Yana Kane and Jenna Kriensky time alone to contemplate.

The further I scrolled through the internet, the more I convinced myself that I was in fact a model ISTP. With further research, I learned that Amelia Earhart, Steve Jobs and Tom Cruise are examples of famous ISTP personalities. Although I would like to consider myself an accomplished person, I doubt that I have much in common with these legends.

But subconsciously, this association facilitated by the MBTI quiz made me want to emulate the traits of these famous people; I tried to shape myself into them and this personality.

This doesn’t mean I tried to learn how to fly planes, invent ground-breaking technology, live solely off of fruit, join the Church of Scientology or anything like that, but I found myself attempting to display the same characteristic traits as an ISTP individual.

As ISTPs are said to be chill and relaxed people, I put on a calm facade, even when I was upset. Sometimes they’re seen as the problem solvers of the group, so I took charge and tried to solve everyone else's issues. With the weight of other people's problems weighing heavily on me, I wasn’t able to focus on myself and my personal needs. I let the test influence me, my actions and, eventually, my mental health.

By relying on the test results to tell me who I was, I felt like I could fast-track a whole period of self-discovery in my life — I could just be told who I was, instead of figuring that out for myself. Now, I realize that this period of self-discovery is vital in understanding who

I really am.

In the end, I shaped myself to be someone that I’m not. My biggest mistake was trying to find out who I am from external sources, whether from online quizzes or other people. It can take years, even decades, to figure out who you are. But don’t worry because everyone else around you is struggling with it too.

Overall, online quizzes, or any other outward pressures, should never dictate what you base your personality around. I know it seems near-impossible to reach that point, but trust me, it can happen. I am not saying to not take online

quizzes anymore, but please, don’t take them seriously. I know it sounds cheesy, but you are “perfect just the way you are,” and since Bruno Mars said it, it has to be true.

ng graphic by Julie Wa

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve received completely random answers from arbitrary online personality quizzes. Whether it’s BuzzFeed quizzes, appearance analyses or Hogwarts house sortings, the questionable results I receive often leave me wondering about the validity of quizzes that promise to give me life-changing insight about myself.

Although personality quizzes are far from accurate, everyone seems to obsess over them: they’ve become a cultural phenomenon.

Good job, Gen Z! The growing obsession with quizzes has made me wonder how the results impact people's perceptions of themselves.

Taking personality quizzes is harmless fun, but when people try to shape themselves into a specific persona an online test gives them or look for validation from other sources, problems occur.

Now, I don’t live by online quizzes — they’re not my Torah — but I do enjoy taking them sometimes. The MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) test compartmentalizes personality based on four theorized dimensions of personality types, as well as 23 more specific aspects they measure of your personality to make your result more accurate, if you answer truthfully.

When I took the MBTI test, it told me that I’m an ISTP (introverted, sensing, thinking, perceiving). I had no idea what this meant, so I relied on a super-accurate and quick Google search to find out that people with ISTP personalities are independent and like to have

The blurred lines of performative activism

By Aden Tom In early June almost two years ago, social media was filled with black squares under the #BlackLivesMatter and #BlackoutTuesday hashtags as the world protested police brutality. While the goal of Blackout Tuesday was to use social media to spread awareness about racism around the country, varying intentions have diluted the effectiveness of this method of advocacy.

Around Blackout Tuesday, the term “performative activism,” the act of supporting a cause to receive social acceptance or to seem righteous, started gaining popularity. According

to Google Trends, the term peaked in searches during the weeks prior and during Blackout Tuesday. Skeptics called the Blackout performative, as it drew many people to post black squares just to follow a trend, without any true regard for the meaning behind the action.

An example of this involves a famous TikToker, Charli D’Amelio. Around the same time as Blackout Tuesday, D’Amelio began using her platform to promote Black Lives Matter. She posted videos and changed her profile picture to a black screen. But her traces of activism quickly disappeared. D’Amelio’s

graphic by Lynn Kim

content transitioned from promoting Black Lives Matter back to dancing videos, and she changed her profile picture when the BLM movement became less popular.

Personally, I was reluctant to post during Blackout Tuesday. Leading up to the blackout, I constantly questioned my reason for participating. Was it because I genuinely cared about the issue, or was I seeking approval from others?

The unnecessary pressure of posting greatly outweighed its actual impact, defeating the entire purpose of the blackout.

Although many people’s contributions to Blackout Tuesday might have been appreciated, they often made minimal efforts to address the issue beyond the single post. This facade of advocacy is ultimately counterproductive: performative activism, while a convenient and easy way to show support, is just a mindless sharing of posts which overshadows the work of genuine advocacy.

I have noticed that performative activism comes to a forefront during various heritage and identity months, such as Black History Month and LGBTQ+ Pride Month. During the first few days, companies roll out their supportive banners and comments of solidarity, but as the month comes to an end, their passion quickly dwindles and the buzz of awareness practically disappears.

It’s almost like those issues are only present during their respective months. I often wonder where all the enthusiasm for activism goes and why it is incited and dissipated so quickly.

I believe that this is partly due to gaining

acceptance or wanting to fit in. Some people want to give off an impression of being supportive. While doing something as simple as reposting a list of facts is an easy way to show allyship for a cause, it’s like opening a door for someone but leaving before they get to the door.

The door gets shut in their face, and they have to open it themselves.

In doing so, performative activism is an excuse to follow the crowd, as the activism is doing the bare minimum. The desire to fit in was evident during South’s walkout against sexual harassment, as many chose to wear white shirts. Some participants misunderstood or were unaware of the intentions of wearing a white shirt. This confusion only perpetuates the issue since nothing is being done to address the problem.

Back to Blackout Tuesday: I struggled to accept my decision to not participate. A feeling of guilt began to build up for not publicly showing my support of efforts against police brutality.

I felt like a horrible person when, in reality, I did nothing wrong. In fact, the entire time I was criticizing myself, I could’ve been more productive in supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.

While I wasn’t able to go to any in-person events due to the pandemic, I still donated to reputable charities and fundraisers. Taking steps to advocate, even if they were small steps was, for me, the most effective form of activism.

The continuation of small steps of advocacy directly addresses an issue and pushes society in the right direction of fixing it.

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opinions | page 11

Cafeteria cuisine: Bland or tastefully simple?

By Elad Levy-Racin

photo contributed by Vecteezy.com

photo by Marty Basaria and Mary Pierce

photo by Marty Basaria and Mary Pierce

photo by Marty Basaria and Mary Pierce

Fish Sticks

Ham Sandwich

Caesar Salad

Cheese Pizza

An interesting choice for a hot meal, the breaded fish with potatoes that I tried were a tad flimsy, but did provide one crucial component that many other renditions fail to deliver: a true essence of fish flavor. The sheer presence of fishiness lifted the quality of the course and delighted my taste buds.

The meal exceeded my expectations; mastering fish is a difficult feat for even the most brilliant of chefs. However, the outer breading was far too salty. Maybe the creative chefs at the South Café were trying to channel the salty flavor of the sea, but sadly, the result was a tsunami of sodium.

As for the potatoes, they were sliced too thick and did not maintain a solid structure throughout, as they quickly became mushy. This potato bake, however, posed as a solid option to fill my stomach, and it complemented the fish nicely.

Although South’s fish sticks were lukewarm and inoffensive to the tastebuds and stomach, free seafood is never a good idea.

Sandwiches are a fickle beast. They seem simple enough to prepare, but a multitude of things can go wrong — first, sogginess. The ham and cheese sandwich I tasted succumbed to this fatal flaw. Along with the requisite ham and cheese, this dish contained tomato slices and lettuce.

The untoasted bread had no protection from the moisture of the juicy tomato, leading to an unpleasant mouth feel. However, the sandwich’s innards fit well together, and no ingredients clashed, redeeming it significantly. The savory cured meat worked wonders when contrasted with the creamy cheese. The tomato added a sweet and acidic brightness, but it was stifled by the crisp, but watery, lettuce. It wasn’t a textural masterpiece, but it still satisfied my selective stomach.

I have traveled the world, sampling sandwiches from all over, and in my expert opinion, even Subway, the world’s most popular sandwich spot, has got nothing on South’s star sandwiches!

The chicken caesar salad was the most pleasant surprise of all. It contained just a few ingredients: fresh lettuce, herbed croutons, savory cheese and a slightly-soggy chicken patty.

Although perhaps unintentional, the crispness of the lettuce and croutons complemented the soft chicken nicely.

The mix was topped off with a creamy caesar dressing, which had light notes of fish flavor with the sodium-heavy anchovy, parmesan and garlic blended in the thick sauce.

Unfortunately, I did have some trouble opening the dressing’s packaging and had to pry it open with the flimsy tines of my plastic fork.

Once open, however, the sauce was an umami delight for the tastebuds.

I recommend eating this dish quickly after tossing it in dressing, before the vibrant lettuce has a chance to wilt under the heavy sauce.

When enjoyed promptly, this salad proves the old adage of quality over quantity, as the simplicity of the dish allowed each component to shine.

This was a fun food to eat, a rarity – I don't eat pizza very often since it clashes with my ideal diet, which consists solely of high-grade truffles and Strottarga Bianco caviar. It lacked in flavor complexity compared to other pizzas that I have enjoyed, but overall, it was highly acceptable.

I was especially impressed by the caramelized cheese bubbles that developed when the pizza was broiled. Its cheese was delicate and quick to separate from the crust when provoked. The crust itself was underwhelming — its wonderfully dark color suggested a certain crispiness that it regrettably lacked.

I felt that the best part of the pizza was the sauce: the tomato-based marinara sauce was flavorful and appetizing, teasing my tastebuds with notes of oregano. While this pie was by no means the greatest pizza I have ever had, at least it was better than the abominations that are most Hawaiian pizzas. I don’t know who needs to hear it, but pineapple has no place on pizza!

GRAD ISSUE IS COMING SOON

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photo courtesy of the American Physiological Society

O

n Wednesday, March 9, a group of male students gathered outside of the fitness center housing South’s newly-formed Girls Only Lift WIN block. Almost instantaneously, an explosion of social media outrage criticizing the male students’ actions and the school’s response spread through South students’ Instagram pages.

Within days, students labeled the male students’ actions as sexual harassment. Two ninth grade students soon organized a walkout to bring attention to greater sexual harassment culture within Newton.

On social media, several posts regarding the incident involving the Girls Only Lift alluded to a broader cultural tolerance for sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination that some students feel has left such issues relatively unaddressed and uncommunicated.

Yet elaborate laws and regulations, like Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, often dictate the administrative processes, ability to share information more broadly and a timeline for response, which can potentially create perceived inaction amongst students.

Setting the Scene According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), 56% of high school-aged girls and 40% of boys have experienced any kind of sexual harassment. However, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) reports that 79% of schools containing grades seven through 12 have reported no incidents of sexual harassment, a figure that the AAUW said is mainly due to an underreporting of incidents.

While such figures reflect the national scope of sexual harassment within public education, English teacher Jenny Robertson said that the issue is also present at South.

“There have been some unaddressed and problematic behaviors in the school for a long time,” she said. “That’s the culture, and that’s what we need to change.”

English teacher and ‘07 South graduate Deborah Bernhard, said that when she attended South, her peers perceived the Senior Commons and gym as traditionally masculine spaces with little room for female involvement or presence, a culture she said is still prevalent.

History teacher and‘12 North graduate Lillian Robinson said that she sees sexism in the classroom, but that addressing sexist comments can lead to adverse responses from students.

“I feel like I hear a lot of misogynistic comments, a lot of misogynistic attitudes,” Robinson said. “And I try to correct

them in a way that people will not get annoyed with me, but I feel like it’s still an issue. . . I’ve seen the changes, but also feel like we still have a long way to go.”

Junior Mitchy Bojar said that generally, sexual harassment is a regular part of the culture at South, so those affected don’t tend to report such incidents.

“I think sexual harassment is way too normalized at South,” they said.“I know so many people, pretty much all nonmen, who have experienced some form of sexual harassment but have never said anything because it’s just something that happens to everyone and it feels overwhelming taking action.

Additionally, it feels like there are never any consequences so it feels like it’s not worth the trouble.”

In athletics, even within girls teams, some female athletes feel uncomfortable. Junior and girls volleyball player Tia Russell said her volleyball uniform consists of close-fitting jerseys and skin-tight shorts, which makes her feel subject to sexualization and harassment during her games.

“I feel like most of the boys who come to watch volleyball have been so tainted by the idea that volleyball is about the tight clothing that they really just come 40% for the game, 60% for the ass,” she said. “As a tall woman, I think men tend to stay away from me because they think I can fight them off, but girls who are smaller than me or skinnier than me have a higher chance of getting harassed because they don’t look strong.”

Bojar also said that there is a noticeable difference of power dynamics between the girls and boys team, affecting the way they interact.

“As an athlete, I feel like the women or those on girls teams are never as respected,” they said.“The boys teams always feel so comfortable taking space away from women and never seem to care or acknowledge what they’re doing.”

Senior Sydra Shapiro, who addressed the weight-lifting incident in an Instagram post that received over 5,000 interactions, said that the source of the issue is bigger and more difficult to combat than some may think.

“It's a multi-layered problem, because you have these immediate, more urgent issues … that we have to deal with because if safety is being threatened, then that's the first thing we deal with,” she said.“But this [is a] much deeper issue deeply rooted in something that none of us really can touch, or at least we haven't been able to yet.”

History teacher Jessica Engel said that the presence of sexual harassment and sexism is vast because of its pervasivenesss.

“Schools and all institutions are reflections of our society,” she said. “We live in a sexist society, so of course there’s sexism in South.”

A Balancing Act

By Bella Ishanyan and Matan Josephy Graphics by Julie Wang

Tackling the Dilemma Responding to allegations of gender inequality and sexual harassment is often much more complex and procedural than it may appear on the surface.

Cutler House Dean Josepha Blocker said that when students submit allegations of sexual or gender-based harassment or discrimination, they must be guided through their Title IX rights and make a decision as to whether they wish for their claims to be pursued under the Newton Public Schools (NPS) Harassment, Discimination and Retailation Procotol or under Title IX. She said that such decisions often extend investigations due to their complexity, and consequently, may prolong any community communication.

South initially addresses allegations of sexism or genderbased discrimination no differently than they do other claims of hate: with an appropriate investigation, Goldrick House Dean Marc Banks said.

“We take all claims of harassment, discrimination and retaliation seriously at South, and use the district's protocol to respond thoroughly,” he said.

Claims of sexual harassment, however, navigate a notably more difficult process than other issues of discrimination or prejudice. While the school can often handle allegations of racism or antisemitism itself, which allows administrators a large amount of agency in their investigation to determine consequences, gender-based discrimination claims are often

governed by a larger array of rules and procedures.

When students file reports of sexual harassment or discrimination, the investigation may operate under federal guidelines instead, affecting the administrative response. Chief among the federal guidelines is Title IX, a law passed in 1972 to ban sex-based discrimination in any school receiving federal funding, an umbrella that South, a public school, falls under.

Since its passage, Title IX has played a crucial role in national efforts to address gender-based discrimination within schools. History teacher and co-chair of the South Human Rights Council Robert Parlin said that Title IX is critical in combatting the cultures of sexual harassment and overall gender discrimination that can ferment within high schools across the country.

“It is an amazing law. It's fantastic because it forces schools to recognize how sexist things are and particularly to give equal educational opportunities,” he said.“It's been great where it's been used effectively. It's been fantastic for gender equity and safety.”

However, the complexity of Title IX regulations often forces administrators to navigate a more rigid and intricate set of rules in their response than they would for most other issues, thus prolonging investigations.

“The one thing I would say is a difference [between sexual harassment investigations and others] is that Title IX provides an additional layer to the investigative process that sometimes slows us down,” Blocker said.

Investigating claims of sexual harassment depends on students’ [and their families] decision of whether to follow federal or district action, which Blocker said complicates the process.

“It may feel to some folks like it takes longer when [claims fall under] sexual harassment, but it’s really not that we’re moving slowly,” she said. “It’s that we’re trying to provide people rights, and that process can be a lot longer until we get clarity on what to do and how to do it.”

Walking the Tightrope Allegations of sexual harassment resonate within the South community. The nature of the federal and district responses require a lack of transparency around such instances, causing some students to feel unsatisfied and unhappy with the school’s responses.

Sophomore Kaveri Krishnamoorthy said that the lack of communication between the administration and the student body have allowed these issues to continue and intensify.

“I don't think that the issue is getting any better,” she said.

“In fact, it's getting dramatically worse because people aren't seeing any sort of concrete repercussions for people's actions.

So it's [an] indirect signal for the issue to keep on happening.”

While the school has organized speaker panels and mandated class discussion in response to other hate-related incidents, Shapiro said that South simply does not grant as much attention to sexism as other issues.

“This was something that happened right in our community right under our noses, and we knew and nothing happened,” she said. “No one did anything, and the administration didn't respond even though they knew about it. They didn't validate it, and that way, they didn't give it the acknowledgement and validation it deserved.”

However, Krishnamoorthy said that the challenge within the handling allegations of sexual harassment is the behind the scenes nature of the process.

“It's more of a governmental issue because the way in which you solve these issues isn’t by keeping everything secretive,” she said. “If the students don't actually understand what's happening, then you don't prevent something from happening in the future, and if you don’t actually understand the legal process in which the school deals with these cases, not only are the students unable to voice how they think we could make the process better [but] also voice how they can feel safer.”

Principal Tamara Stras said that revealing more about the cases would not only potentially violate student privacy, but also indirectly hurt those who have been affected by similar issues in the past.

“There are so many things that I have to keep confidential on different levels … but those are things that I am privy to, and it’s my duty to protect people from that,” she said.“A lot of people don’t see it that way because they believe information is power, but when we come to this idea of re-traumatizing people, that's when people realize maybe information is not power because it's bringing something up that they don’t necessarily want it to.”

South deans and Stras emphasized that the disclosure of information for allegations of sexual harassment is determined by those affected and the legal courses they wish to pursue.

“There will always be an imbalance between the information that we’re allowed to put out and what is actually happening, but it's nothing that the deans can fix because the law says that it is this way,” Banks said. “It's frustrating because I worry sometimes that in the absence of information, people assume nothing is happening; meanwhile, there is a lot that is going on, it’s just that we can’t talk about it.”

Similarly, Stras said that a lack of student body knowledge about incident specifics is simply the reality of the situation.

“People need to learn to get comfortable with knowing that they’re not going to know everything,” she said.“And they're going to have to be okay with that.”

Amidst a reckoning around sexual harassment, South works to protect the victims while managing community perceptions

page 14 | jump

the lion's roar

page 15

April 29, 2022

FEATURES issuu.com/thelionsroar

Volume 39, Issue 1

Meaningful Mentorships Newton's One-to-One Mentoring program pairs elementary and middle school students with a high school friend

By Ella Hou and Feiya Wang

E

very Sunday afternoon, junior Angela Yee plays Mancala and makes arts and crafts with an 11-year-old who, in less than a year, has become like her little sister.

This is just one of the many positive experiences Yee has had as a mentor in the One-to-One Mentoring program, an elective class offered at both North and South. The class matches high school juniors and seniors with elementary or middle school students to give them extra support.

Yee said that the program allows high school students to help younger students in a positive and easygoing environment.

“You just spend time with [the mentees], and for the class, you journal and talk about your experience and how it's going. It's a really good way to give back to the community,” she said.

Rebecca Young, the program’s coordinator, said that the unique relationship helps mentees gain valuable social skills.

“Parents often are looking for opportunities for their children to have positive role models … somebody that can help support and build their confidence and self esteem,” she said. “Those are areas really worth practicing — social skills like winning and losing and having good, positive conversations.”

Senior and mentor Duc Tran said that the opportunity to help others and experience personal growth drew him into the program.

“It was a chance for me to learn more about myself. I'm a really passionate person of helping others, and I [felt] like my contribution to the program would be great,” he said.

After being a mentee in elementary school, junior Mica Berman said that becoming a mentor five years later allowed him to give back by creating a similar positive experience for others.

“I created a bond with [my mentors] that I won't forget. I just wanted to give back that

Having an older person, a mentor, a friend, who is interested in you, is a life changing experience for many people.

Brent O'Neill Intern at One-to-One Mentoring

graphic by Emily Cheng

experience to another kid and hopefully be the [mentor] that [mine] were to me,” he said.

Like Berman, senior Nicole Tarasenko had a mentor in elementary school, and she said that she hopes to replicate the positive growth her mentor encouraged.

“I just try to help validate [my mentee] and her experiences and show her that her voice is important,” she said.

In the spring, students speak to their guidance counselor to register for the elective course, and when the class starts in the fall, new mentors fill out an application form to match them with a mentee. Mentors list their home location and weekly schedule, as well as personalities, strengths, interests and life experiences.

Tarasenko said that each of these factors help make sure mentors and mentees are as compatible and suitable for each other as possible.

“The program director looks at a bunch of different things, such as where you live so you could get to each other's houses quickly.

They look at gender, as some kids would benefit from a same-gender match or [a] mixed-gender [match]. Also, [they look at] interests and availability. My [mentee] shares the same nationality as me; we actually look very similar — it's like a mini-me situation,” she said.

In addition to a two-hour visit with their mentee each week, mentors meet for class to

build mentorship skills. Young said that it is important for mentors to be understanding, patient and empathetic so that their mentees can feel safe sharing about themselves.

“We have some [mentees] who have had experiences that may be important for a mentor to be comfortable with. Sometimes it can be a youngster living between two households or having experienced a loss in their life,” she said.

Tran said that learning these skills have helped him create a more welcoming environment for his mentee.

“When it comes to being vulnerable, it's hard to open up,” he said.“I try to flip that, challenge it and turn it into a conversation where there's empathy [and] openness.”

Berman said that while building a relationship with a mentee can take a lot of time, the hard work is rewarding in the end.

“For the first few weeks, it was difficult to form a bond. And then there was a day where I made some joke that he liked. That small step in the right direction started to build up,” he said.

“Now I'm going on walks with him, playing Just Dance with him and playing board games and hide-and-seek and tag and all of the above. It's really grown from where we started.”

Through weekly visits over the last two years, Tarasenko said that she and her mentee have grown closer together.

“A lot of the time when we're together, we crack jokes and we make each other laugh,” she said.

The program fosters growth and positiv-

ity within the community, which Young said is mutually beneficial for mentors and mentees.

“Building relationships between teens and kids is really valuable, [as well as] the connections that families sometimes make in this experience,” she said. “[It] provides an opportunity for a feeling of belonging.”

In addition to connecting with a young person, mentors learn responsibility and communication skills, Brent O’Neill, a graduate student at Boston University who is interning at the program, said.

“For many students, this is the first time they've been accountable for another human being's wellbeing, [having] the responsibility of knowing where a young person is, and making sure the young person stays safe when you're out in public,” he said.

Yee said that her connection with her mentee has been a source of development for herself as well.

“It's definitely helped me grow in the sense that, seeing how she is, it's reminded me of myself, and I get to reflect on that,” she said.

O’Neill said that these meaningful bonds can have long-lasting positive impacts.

“Mentors may never even know the impact that they have on these kids,” he said.“But what we do know from what they've shared is that having an older person, a mentor, a friend who is interested in you, is a life changing experience for many people.”

page 16 | features

the lion's roar

Exciting senior electives to debut next fall Maya Goldberger Features Reporter

While searching through this year’s program of studies, junior Zoe Goldberg found a brand-new class that seemed like a perfect fit for her: Jewish and Jewish-American Literature. Goldberg said that the class piqued her interest because it educates students on Jewish history and promotes representation.

“I'm excited that there's a course that's highlighting specifically Jewish and JewishAmerican history because as a Jew myself, I feel like that's often a culture that's underrepresented in the learning here,” she said.

“I'm excited to see what that class has to offer.”

In addition to Jewish and JewishAmerican Literature, several new classes, including Modern Physics, AP Art History and Sports History, will see their debut in the 2022-23 school year. The elective classes will only be open to seniors, with the exception of AP Art History, which is also open to juniors.

After recognizing students’ interest, teachers like math and physics teacher Ryan Normandin drove the addition of these courses. Normandin, who will teach the Modern Physics and Linear Algebra electives, said that he noticed South’s limited number of math courses and wanted to make a change.

“I felt like there was a lack of non-AP math electives,” he said.“I wanted more elective options for kids who are enjoying math and science because history and English have so many and we don't.”

Like Normandin, History of Sports

teacher Lillian Robinson said that she created her class in response to student demand. She said that she hopes the class will provide a space for students to think about sports at a deeper level.

“My kids wanted to talk more about sports really badly,” she said.“When I proposed this course, I wanted to give students an opportunity to think about how history, sports, politics and everything intersect at the moment.”

For many students, the new electives are opening doors for interests that they could not previously pursue. Junior Mitchy Bojar said that AP Art History will be a great fit for them next year.

“It's a way to learn about art without

having to actually [make art],” they said. “hich is a lot more my skill because I'm good at reading and writing.”

Senior Sri Paladugu said that the new electives offer students an even more diverse range of opportunities. “[The electives] give people a lot more options and allow them to take classes that they would actually enjoy rather than just signing up for things because they’re AP courses or they’re honors courses,” she said.

The new electives not only cater to students’ interests, but provide practical knowledge as well. Normandin said that Linear Algebra is used in a variety of fields like image filtering and computer science.

“It's very useful. It has a lot of great ap-

plications, but it's also something that doesn't require that you've studied calculus or anything else before doing it, so it's largely accessible to a pretty wide swath of students,” he said.

By allowing students to learn more about possible career and educational pursuits, the new courses can help guide seniors to make decisions for their future paths, Goldberg said. “[Elective additions are] very important to have, especially to provide more variety and depth to the classes that seniors can take,” she said. “I think it's important to have that kind of variety for seniors who are trying to figure out what they want to do in college.”

[The electives] give people a lot more options and allow them to take classes that they would actually enjoy rather than just signing up for things because they're AP courses or they're honors courses.

Sri Paladugu class of '22

ic by graph

g Chen Emily

Lisa Linde wins award, hitting a high note Olivia Hong

Features Reporter After 24 years as a teacher and conductor at South, Lisa Linde received recognition from the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA) in the form of the Paul Smith Hall of Fame Award. MICCA is a nonprofit organization that runs festivals for school choruses, bands and orchestras around the state.

Linde said that she was honored to receive the award as many previous Paul Smith Hall of Fame recipients had been her mentors throughout her career.

“I look at it, and I think I'm in the presence of all the people who I worship,” she said.

“It feels almost impossible, like how did this happen to me.”

Benjamin Youngman, South’s chorus, orchestra, Music Technology and AP Music Theory teacher, who has worked closely with Linde for the past 23 years, said that the Paul

Smith award is about more than just musical influence.

“The MICCA award is a very prestigious honor,” he said. “It shows that you're able not only to give good instruction within your school or your system, but outside of it.”

The award is presented to a candidate who represents the high teaching standards of the late Paul Smith Sr., former Director of Music of Abington Public Schools. Candidates are nominated online by peers who recognize their outstanding qualifications.

Only two conductors can be admitted into the hall of fame annually. The MICCA Executive Board decides who best meets the qualifications, which include having10 years of conducting experience, being a model in the musical community and serving as a promoter of musical growth.

Youngman said that Linde meets the high standards as an experienced conductor who actively encourages and spreads the values of musical education to her students.

photo by Sophia Davis

Linde conducts the wind ensemble at an April 10 performance in Mechanics Hall

“[Teaching] is always about trying to find the right approach for a specific student and trying to strengthen musical concepts within our students,” he said. “[Linde’s] consistency and perseverance is every single day. It's not just ability, it's intention.”

In addition to directing the Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Honors Chamber Ensembles, Jazz Ensemble, Lab Jazz Ensemble and four levels of jazz improvisation courses, Linde also founded Jazzhers, an organization that is committed to shaping the future of jazz by empowering young female and non-binary musicians.

Jazzhers hosts three to four hour “Jam Sessions” every few months. Bella Patel, a freshman in Jazz Improv who attended one of the sessions, said that Jazzhers had a friendly atmosphere and that Linde helped her fit in with the more experienced musicians.

“Jazzhers was a very fun and welcoming experience,” Patel said. “It showed me that [Linde] cares a lot about our musical goals.”

Maria Garrett, a freshman in the Jazz Ensemble, said that Linde has always been very supportive.

“She's good at encouraging people to do things. She told me to audition for Jazz Ensemble, even though I wasn't going to,” she said.

Linde's peers said that her care for her job shines through. Fine and Performing Arts department head Megan Crist, who has known Linde since 2005, said that Linde is easy to work with and that she wasn't surprised Linde achieved the award.

“Her key strengths are her tenacity, her vision and her persistence,” she said.

Jocelyn Canton, a senior in Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble, said that having Linde as a teacher has been a positive experience.

“She's an excellent musician and conduc-

photo by Sophia Davis

tor. She's an overall good teacher,” she said.

“And when we play something well, she makes sure that we know that.”

Jared Wang, a sophomore in the Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble and Wind Ensemble, said that Linde helps drive students to their full potential.

“Linde truly cares about each and every one of her students,” he said. “She definitely knows how much to push her students, and she takes her teaching very seriously.”

Linde said that the award was especially meaningful because of the recent budget cuts and schedule changes.

“Mr. Youngman and I have been working so hard and feeling really like the arts aren't appreciated in this building and in this district,” Linde said. “So to get an award from a bunch of peers who felt that I was working hard … it brought tears to my eyes.”

Youngman said that he is glad that Linde’s efforts were recognized.

“I just hope that everybody can admire Ms. Linde and appreciate all the hard work and what she's given to us,” he said. “It's really something that should not go unnoticed.”

issuu.com/thelionsroar

features | page 17

Professors' Pastimes Teachers share their interests beyond the walls of South

By Sanjana Deshpande and Chloe Yu

F

or many teachers, teaching is far from their only passion, with many pursuing lifelong hobbies ranging from art to music to Pilates.

As a children’s literature author, biology teacher Siana LaForest is one of many teachers with a unique pastime. She said that her books serve as outlets for her creative interests.

“I like the solitude of getting up really early in the morning, opening up my computer and being creative in my mind and inventing stories in my head and putting them down on the page,” she said. “It's a very solitary pursuit, so it’s very different from teaching, which is a social pursuit.”

Spanish teacher Alexandra Van Buren said that her friends largely influenced her decision to become a Pilates teacher.

“I played a lot of sports growing up, and I had some serious injuries, so I had to do sports which had less of a physical impact on my body, so I got into Pilates. I always danced, and Pilates is like a dance type of exercise. It's all about core and stretching,” she said.

“One day, when my friends said that I should become an instructor, I was like, ‘that sounds like a good idea,’ so I did a certification program… and now I teach a few days a week.”

As the owner of the small business Belenky’s Sculpture and Welding, art teacher Paul Belenky said that he developed his art and teaching careers simultaneously.

“I started working as an awning maker,” he said. “It was a lot of welding and sculpture in doing that, and it gave me a lot of the skills that I need and have now to teach other people and make things for people.”

Alongside working as a public speaking and acting teacher at South, Paige Perkinson has acted in multiple regional professional productions.

“It can be a lot because professional shows expect people to rehearse for 36 hours a week, but then I’m here as well, so when I rehearsed late at night, I was working two jobs, which is a lot of time and energy,” she said. “It's a logistical nightmare, but it's still totally worth it to keep my acting career going because that's what really fills my cup.”

Physics teacher Derek Van Beever is a vocalist, bass player and keyboardist in Sleepyhead, a band he formed with several other Newton teachers. Van Beever said he uses his love for music as a vehicle to connect with students who share his passion.

“If they show that they're interested in

music, I try to learn about what they're interested in and have a conversation with other people who are passionate about music,” he said. “I love talking about music.”

Van Buren said that while she enjoys teaching Pilates, the reward of watching students grow throughout the year in her Spanish classes is unmatched.

“I like teaching Pilates, but it gets a little repetitive, whereas I feel like we're working on different things up here in Spanish, and there's a lot of progress that students make.” she said.

“People do make a lot of progress in Pilates, but I see a lot of new people constantly, so you're not seeing that same arc of progression that I see with my Spanish students here.”

Perkinson said that while balancing her two lives comes with challenges, she gets the best of both worlds by doing what she loves in and out of the classroom.

“The way that you get to a fulfilling life is to make your life's goal general enough that it will satisfy you. My life’s goal is to have a life in theater,” she said. “If I were always on stage, that would be nice, but I’m satisfied and I’m happy because I attained this goal. I have the goal that I set out for myself by having a life in the theater and getting to make theater every day all the time.” photo contributed by Paul Belenky

Derek van Beever performs with his band 'Sleepyhead'

Paul Belenky poses with his sculptures

photo contributed by Derek van Beever

Paige Perkinson performs as Porthos in 'The Three Musketeers'

photo contributed by Paige Perkinson

Core Values Alan Reinstein English Teacher

How to Apologize I’m going to offer a little primer in the civil act of apologizing — a short how-to guide for anyone who (a) has never been comfortable with saying, “I’m sorry,” (b) used to be comfortable apologizing but has somehow lost their mojo or (c) is a skillful apologizer and wants the how-to reminder for extra support and confirmation.

My own credentials? My certification comes from the school of the deep desire to smooth over hurt feelings as quickly as possible; I’ve been apologizing for more than 50 years. So here you go: 1. Care. First off, you have to care about trying to fix what’s been damaged by your actions.You should feel bad that you hurt another person’s or group’s feelings — even if you don’t clearly understand how your actions caused harm. And if you don’t understand how your actions caused harm, you’ve got to get there before you can move on to the next step. You can get there by listening to others and/or by taking time to self-reflect.

[And if you don’t care that your actions caused harm or about your relationship with the person or people who were hurt, then you’re not ready for Step 2. Stay where you are.]

2. Apologize. Acknowledge the harm your actions caused with specific language about what happened even before you express regret over what you did or said. “I’m sorry for what I did” is not enough; you’ve got to say what you did. Something like this, for example: “My actions and language outside the weight room the other day were awful because they made you feel not only unsupported, but also unsafe.”

No need to explain why you did what you did or explain your intentions or feelings.

Keep your focus on what you did and what happened. People you’ve hurt want to feel that you are aware of the impact of your hurtful actions.

Also, no misbehavior is too small for a meaningful apology. If you interrupted someone during a discussion in a history class, then a short “Sorry I cut you off in class today” to your classmate on your way out the door can go a long way.

3. Forgiveness may not come. Be ready for this. An authentic and sincere apology is its own good, but it may not be enough to repair the damage you’ve done. No one owes you forgiveness. Your job is to acknowledge what you’ve done and show sincere remorse. That said, forgive yourself, by all means, as part of the process of moving forward into the final step.

4. Grow. Commit yourself to getting better. Make a mental or physical note to avoid the similar error that led to your poor behavior. The most authentic apology is expressed through your future actions. Forgiveness is more likely to come when the person or people you’ve hurt see that you have changed. Things take time.

March at Newton South had a new announcement from the principal each week identifying a different type of offense leveled at our community. First, there were boys who taunted girls outside the weight room; then there was a report of a noose (a racist threat) made out of toilet paper in one of the bathrooms; finally, there were two antisemitic expressions — a slur and swastikas — found also in bathrooms.

From the misbehaving boys, there seems more hope for an authentic apology than from the other actors, and yet, even to those who presented racist and antisemitic symbols to our community members, the invitation for a sincere, earnest apology never closes.

THE COMMON APPLICATION page 18 | features

the lion's roar

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

By Sarah Feinberg

photo contributed by Victoria Rivard

After receiving acceptances to Boston Conservatory, New York University, Roosevelt University and University of Miami, Victoria Rivard, previously known as Zoe, committed to Syracuse University. Syracuse’s strong musical theater program made it one of her top choice schools.

“In addition to their strong theater program, it’s a big school with lots of campus pride, sports, a really fun environment and a lot to do beyond the program. It’s a perfect combination of the type of school that I was looking for.”

Rivard said that she is glad that she started the application process early.

“I planned everything I needed to do, so I was really able to focus on putting my best self out there when I was auditioning,” she said. “Staying organized set myself up for a very successful audition season and the least amount of stress possible.”

To navigate post-graduation life, Rivard said that it is important to stay true to personal values and interests throughout the decision-making process.

“There are a lot of really, really good schools that I think some people forget about at South,” she said. “Looking at these programs without the bias of school reputation is very helpful in applications and making decisions in the end.”

photo contributed by Brian Gomez

photo contributed by Ryan Lee

Ryan Lee, previously known as Evan, committed to Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Lee said that choosing between his top choices — Rochester Institute of Technology and RISD — was difficult but that visiting the schools in person was helpful to personally connect with the school.

“My choice was really determined by what stayed strong to what I'm interested in and what I want to learn,” he said.

“It was a really welcoming environment, and they emphasized growing and learning as a person, not just in your main field.”

Lee said that his decision came down to the strength of the design program, as RISD’s programs would set him up best for success in industrial design.

“They give you the freedom to make projects tailored to who you are, and they have a lot of opportunities in terms of unique resources like company connections,” he said.

Lee said that he looks forward to the community and strong opportunities at RISD. “I’m really excited about being with other talented, creative people, and hopefully befriending them,” he said. “I hope to do a lot of exciting creative projects and collaborative work with them by elevating each other and learning new perspectives and skills from meeting like-minded people in the field of design.”

Previously known as Jared, Brian Gomez, committed to Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) as a mechanical engineering major. He said that he was ultimately drawn to WPI’s flexible course offerings.

“I can move around and take the courses that interest me the most,” he said. “By minoring in aerospace engineering and environmental studies, I can experience different pieces of what works best for me.”

While he is disappointed he didn't get accepted into his top school, Gomez said that he is glad that he applied to schools that aligned with his interests.

“Both RIT and WPI are huge sponsors and supporters of the robotics program I’m involved in,” he said. “Just doing the activities and taking the classes that really focused on my interests, and my intended major in college, really helped.”

Gomez said that he is looking forward to opportunities in college to delve deeper into his interests at a higher level. He said that it is possible to have a meaningful experience at any college.

“It's the experiences you have in the internships, research, study abroad programs and jobs that really makes a difference.” he said. “Focus on what you would like to do in terms of your interests.”

1 in 2000: Ryan Normandin, "Inspiring atmosphere" Alyssa Chen & Emma Zhang Features Reporter, Features Editor

Some know him from peeks into the glass fishbowl room in the 3000s; others know him from vlogs posted by the 603whateverthisis Instagram account run by a group of his precalculus students. Ryan Normandin, a beloved math and science teacher, has become widely known for his rigorous yet supportive teaching style and equally accepting personality. He always aspired to go into education, although he said his biggest decision was not whether to teach, but rather which grades to teach.

“When I was in elementary school, I wanted to be an elementary school teacher, and then when I was in middle school, I wanted to be a middle school teacher, and in high school, I wanted to be a high school teacher,” he said.

“I didn’t want to do college teaching because it's much more impersonal, and there's a lot of other stuff that comes along with being in academia. High school felt like the right spot to be able to really build relationships with students and do content that was interesting.”

Senior Mark Chudnovsky, a teaching assistant for Normandin’s honors precalculus class, said that his vast knowledge of a variety of subjects coupled with his patience has helped create an approachable atmosphere for learning.

“Before physics, he was actually a political science major, so you can talk to him about anything, [like] school policy, mathematics, physics or multivariable calculus,” Chudnovsky said. “He's not judgmental. We have kids who don’t even know him come by during D block and ask him questions. He's so willing to help

photo contributed by Ryan Normandin

anybody and creates a nice environment that fosters learning.”

In addition to honors precalculus, Normandin teaches freshman physics, several physics electives and math for the DaVinci Program.

Junior Dylan Yee, a student in Normandin’s honors precalculus class, said that Normandin tries to genuinely get to know his students.

“It feels a lot more personal when learning [the material],” he said. “Because I look forward to the class a lot more, it means that I look forward to math a lot more.”

Normandin’s encouragement and belief in his students’ success have proven to be invaluable, said junior Ainsley Eckhoff, a student in his honors precalculus class.

“At the beginning of this year, I failed the first test, and I was devastated. I'[d] never failed a math test before, and I came to him crying … he said, ‘You know what? Ainsley, I

can see you're a hard worker. I'll get you there.

We are going to work on it together,’” she said.

“That mindset set me up for the rest of the year. He's very involved with all of his students, and he really believes in them; even when they don't feel ready for a test, he always has full confidence in them.”

Math department head Alex Kraus said that Normandin’s enthusiasm for STEM has shone through both inside and outside of the classroom.

“The times where it is most evident are usually when I get to watch him work with students, whether that's because I'm in his classroom doing an observation or I'm happening to walk by the glass fishbowl room when he’s got a bunch of kids in there and is really active in some intense conversation,” he said.

Sophomore Neena Tarafdar, also in Normandin’s honors precalculus class, said that his unique teaching style has reignited her interest in math.

“As a kid, I was relatively not interested in math because I was sent to programs such as Russian Math and Kumon Math. All of the math they do is often very robotic and very repetitive,” she said. “I have Normandin this year, and I love the types of problems he offers. They're not repetitive, and at the same time, they're interesting, and they make you think about a new aspect that you might not have thought about before in math.”

Normandin said that all of his students are capable of achieving much more than they might believe, as long as they’re given enough support.

“If you believe in them, and you give them the tools that they need to succeed, and you are

willing to really stick with it through the hard times in the beginning of the year, they'll come out of it really proud of the work they've done and really having grown and learned a lot.”

Support can come in the form of providing a space where students feel comfortable asking questions, and Normandin said that this is a priority for him.

“The stuff we're doing is tough, and if you're not asking questions when you don't understand something, you're going to have a hard time,” he said. “I want people to be able to learn. I want a place where people feel like they can collaborate and they can work together on problems.”

Eckhoff said that the welcoming and uplifting atmosphere Normandin builds in his classroom has fostered bonding where there might otherwise be competition. “[The class is] really encouraging and different compared to my other honors classes.

Those seem to be very competitive and cutthroat, but everyone really gets along in our math class,” she said. “[There’s an] inspiring atmosphere, and there are a lot of smart kids who encourage me to do better, and everyone's always very helpful.”

As a testament to Normandin’s close relationship with his students, several of his classes threw birthday parties for him in March.

Eckhoff said that the genuine relationships she’s made this year have made the class memorable.

“I’d tell [Normandin’s future students] that the first two months are going to be really rough, and maybe even the whole year, but to stick it out because 603 is a great place for learning,” she said. “I've never learned so much and felt so welcomed by a class.”

page 19

April 29, 2022

SPORTS issuu.com/thelionsroar

Volume 39, Issue 1

South Athletes Take on Marathons Margot Madison and Nico Hensch ran the Newport and Boston Marathons over break

By Clare Tourtelotte

Margot Madison

J

unior Margot Madison played soccer her whole childhood; however, when the pandemic halted soccer practices, she started running and quickly found a love for long distance running.

In the last two years, she has run virtual half and full marathons, and on April 16, she completed her first in-person marathon. She said her family, in addition to the isolation caused by the pandemic, inspired her to pursue long distance running.

“My first long run was with my dad and my sister … It was just after both of them had run a half marathon,” she said. “I started training a little bit and ultimately ran 13 miles with my sister. I found that I really liked longdistance running.”

When soccer started back up in the fall of 2020, Madison continued running and signed up for the virtual Baystate Half Marathon. The race inspired Madison even more, and she signed up for her first marathon, the virtual 2021 Newport Marathon, just eight months later.

“I wanted to keep pushing myself, keep digging,” she said. “A lot of people told me not

to do it, that I was going to get injured, and I did, many times. But it was genuinely one of the best experiences of my life at that point, and after that, there wasn't any going back.”

Ultimately, Madison wanted to focus on running, so she stopped playing soccer in 2021, joined the cross country team and signed up for this year’s Newport Marathon.

In the weeks leading up to the race, Madison dealt with shin splints, which forced her to take time off. The day of the marathon, she said, was her first day back to running.

“I was getting really nervous that I may not have been able to finish, but they actually didn’t hurt as much as I was expecting them to at the beginning of the race,” she said.

Overall, the marathon went well, Madison said, and she got third place for her age group. She said that consistency was a major part of her training, which consisted of running six days a week, starting in January.

“There really isn't much ‘method to my madness’ when it comes to training. I just get out there and run, and the long run is the most important part,” she said. “Then on the off day, I do strength to try to build up what I broke

Nico Hensch

S

photo contributed by Nico Hensch

Hensch completes the Boston Marathon

enior Nico Hensch ran the Boston Marathon on April 18 without any prior running experience. A four-year Dual County League All-Star, Hensch holds four South swim records and has committed to swim at Harvard University next year. He ran for the Rett Syndrome Association of Massachusetts.

He developed a close connection with the association and the people affected by the disorder through an adaptive swim program he and his family founded in 2017.

“Every Saturday, we would bring the girls into the water and help them move around, float around and just really try and work their muscles that they're oftentimes unable to move by themselves because of the debilitating effects of the disorder,” he said.

The pandemic forced the program to shut down; however, on Oct. 11, 2021, when Hensch saw the charity runners for the Rett Syndrome Association of Massachusetts at the Boston Marathon, he said he was inspired to run in April.

“I thought that since I was not able to run the swim program because of the pandemic, maybe I could run the marathon because I

down on my long run the day prior.”

It was important, Madison said, to be wise about her training to minimize injuries from overuse.

“This year, I've been able to apply my experiences from last year, and I've gotten way fewer little nagging aches and pains and even fewer major injuries. It’s all a learning curve,” she said.

Madison said that running marathons builds perseverance and is rewarding in a way no other activity is.

“It's really intimidating, but I genuinely can't imagine doing anything else,” she said.

“There have been times where I've cried during a run because something is hurting and I don’t think I can finish, but at the end, when I do finish, it’s always the high point of my day, and training has been one of the most rewarding experiences I've had so far.”

Madison said that it is important to do what you love no matter what.

“Don’t let anybody hold you back and tell you that you shouldn't do it because running a marathon is amazing,” she said. “Don't let the process intimidate you.”

Madison smiles at Mile 21 of her race

would still be helping them,” he said. “I'd be raising money that would be going directly to research to help families affected by Rett Syndrome, find better therapies and make their lives as comfortable as possible.”

Each charity has to raise a different amount of money determined by the Boston Athletic Association, and because Rett Syndrome is so rare, Hensch and he and the four other runners had to raise $10,000 each.

“Fundraising was a lot of networking and trying not to give up,” he said. “I asked family from Italy, from Japan, friends all around the country, and it was really a huge team effort. In the end, I received over 100 individual donations from different people.”

Running a marathon, Hensch said, had been on his bucket list for a while, and his swimming experience helped him train.

“I’m a distance swimmer, so mentally, I know what it takes to do distance running, and also I think it helps cardio-wise,” he said. “But physically, it's just been a whole different ball game because swimming has zero impact on any joints really. So running has been tough on my knees and my hips and everything like that.

Pain and swelling has been a big issue for me.”

Hensch said remembering who he was running for and why he was doing it gave him the motivation he needed during the race, to push through the tough moments.

“No matter how physical it might sound, running is so mental. Mentally it's very draining, very challenging to push yourself through something like this,” he said. “There was a Rett group there, and that was awesome to see just as a reminder of why I'm doing this, who I'm doing this for and that it's bigger than me. That gave me a lot of motivation to just keep going because I worked so hard for them, and they're pushing every day to keep moving forward, so I was trying to follow in their footsteps and take their mentality.”

One of the best parts of the marathon, he said, was the support at every step of the way.

“I've always heard about how the Boston Marathon brings the whole community together, but being a runner and being on the other side of that fence, it was incredible,” Hensch said.“Every step I took, I heard people cheering my name or cheering ‘Go Runners.’

Everyone was out there to support the runners.

It didn’t matter if I knew them or not, which was the most incredible part.”

photo contribured by Margot Madison

page 20 | sports

the lion's roar

South Speaks: Tom Brady's Unretirement

Lillian Robinson, history teacher

"I think he might have just lied to himself, thinking he was ready, then discovered, ‘You know what? I'm not ready to step away.’

Which is fine, except that his fans are all devastated now.”

“I have this theory that his mom was a pirate, and he's supporting her and pirates by being on the pirate team.”

Niamh Rourke, class of '23

“I don't know if retirement was fully his decision. I think he was mainly retiring based on what other people wanted him to do, so he probably wasn't finished.”

Gabe Lieberman, class of '24

Teddy Ginsburg, class of '23

"None of this is based in fact, but I think it was a publicity stunt. He just wanted the attention from the retiring, and he wants even more attention from the un-retiring and he wants a bigger contract because he's like, I'm unretiring!"

Mia Hamm tells women "You're Enough" Clare Tourtelotte Sports Editor

Since its establishment in 2015, the Council for Women of Boston College (CWBC) Colloquium’s mission has been to consider contemporary issues through the lens of women’s leadership. On April 12, the CWBC welcomed soccer player Mia Hamm to speak at a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federal-funded education programs.

A crowd of 300 gathered at BC’s Margot Connell Recreation Center to watch the event.

Organizers set up hundreds of chairs in rows on the basketball court, where a majority of young female athletes and women sat on the edge of their seats for the hour-long panel.

A two-time Olympics gold medalist and World Cup Champion, Mia Hamm is considered by many to be the best women’s soccer player in history. At just 15 years old, Hamm was the youngest player of all time on

the United States women's national soccer team when she joined in 1987, just two years after the team’s inaugural match.

She was recognized as both the ESPY Female Athlete of the Year and FIFA Women’s Player of the Year, and was the first woman inducted into the World Football Hall of Fame.

Hamm retired in 2004 after a 17-year career, and in 2012 ESPN named her the greatest female athlete of the past 40 years.

To understand how Mia Hamm became the face of women’s soccer, it is crucial to first recognize the strides she and her teammates made for public recognition of women’s sports.

The women's national team kickstarted the movement during the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, now seen to be the historic turning point for their fight.

“I remember that Marla Messing, the president of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, was approached by FIFA who said, we want to do this tournament regionally. She said no, we have the opportunity to make this a historic tournament. So, she came to our team

photo courtesy of Clare Tourtelotte

Mia Hamm posing with Clare Tourtelotte after her speech at the CWCA event

and said,‘I’m going to need your help to do this.

We’re going to put it in all of the iconic stadiums all over the country, but it's going to take a lot of work,’” Hamm said at the CWBC event.

The women’s national team worked tirelessly for over a year to rally enough support to show critics that it was possible for people to do more than just buy a ticket, come to a game and fill the stands; it was possible for fans to actually become invested in women’s soccer.

“We went to every city the tournament was going to be held. Shaking hands, kissing babies, whatever we could do to create that connection to get people excited about the tournament,” Hamm said.“And we were doing that on a limited income, but we just hoped that the investment we were making was going to pay off. We believed in what we were doing.”

After winning the 1999 World Cup in an iconic nail biting penalty kick shootout, the team members became the biggest names in the country. Hamm said that they went from being anonymous to global superstars overnight.

“We saw cars, vans, SUVs, with signs on them saying ‘Go USA’ and our names on them. It was like ‘Oh my God, they’re coming for us.’ We pulled into the stadium and we saw families tailgating in the parking lot, wearing our jerseys, and it was just so emotional for all of us,” she said. “[There had been] all this negativity saying ‘You can't sell out stadiums, no one is going to watch you play, and even if people come to the stadium, they’re not going to watch you compete’. But it was like holy crap, if we actually put money into women’s sports, then this is what the return is.”

Hamm and her teammates showed people that women’s sports have the opportunity to be huge.

Still, the fight for equality continues,

photo courtesy of Getty Images

from fair press coverage to equal accommodations to the ways in which female athletes are expected to behave. Hamm concluded with a powerful message: you are capable of anything you set your mind to, and you should celebrate who you are.

“Think that you’re enough. Women spend so much time thinking about what they’re not rather than celebrating what they are and who they are. And I say that because I was as guilty as anyone else in this room; it’s what we’ve been told to do ever since we were little,” she said.

“Just know that you’re enough, and I was lucky enough to have some really great teammates and friends that said‘You’re enough.

We’ll do this together.’ My hope for you is that you have those people in your life, and if you don’t have them now, go find them. You will know who they are.”

issuu.com/thelionsroar

sports | page 21

Spring Sports Standings

compiled by Zach Rhein graphic by Emily Cheng

Freya Munshi wrestles barriers to the top Grace Grabowski Sports Reporter

In February, sophomore Freya Munshi won the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Girls State Wrestling Tournament in just her second season on the South team. As the lone female member of South’s wrestling team, Munshi is the school’s first female wrestler to win a title at the tournament.

“She's literally making history at our school, which all of us think is amazing,” teammate junior Tyler Kadish said.“We just love to see our teammates be able to succeed.”

Munshi said she stumbled into the sport by chance. Typically, the wrestling season takes place in the winter, when Munshi plays hockey; however, last year, wrestling was pushed to the spring due to COVID-19, allowing Munshi to give the sport a try.

“I normally would have never tried it if they hadn't switched it to the spring,” Munshi said.“I didn't have anything to do, so I thought, ‘why not try something new?’”

Although the season was fraught with pandemic-forced changes, Munshi still found a love for the sport, wrestling coach and wellness teacher Alan Rotatori said.

“We hardly had any competitions,” he said. “She might have had one or two matches last year because of the modified schedule and shortened season, but she was all in after last year. She ended up joining a club, so she works on wrestling all through pre-season to get ready and is just really focused.”

After months of training, Munshi’s hard work paid off as she worked her way through the state tournament, winning her first four matchups before defeating Gianna Daniele of Minnechaug High School to win

the 118-pound state title.

In recent years, girls' high school wrestling has seen an increase in popularity, with the number of participants nearly tripling from 2005 to 2018. In 2018, Massachusetts introduced a separate girls state championship, which has given girls an opportunity to compete at a higher level.

Now, female competitors have the option to compete in the boys or girls state championship, a choice they did not have just a few years ago. For Munshi, the choice was difficult, as she knew she had potential to be successful in either tournament.

Despite the expansion of girls’ wrestling, the sport is still male dominated. Munshi, the only girl on the South team when she joined in her freshman year, said that this gap provided unique challenges.

“I had to wrestle people that were at least 20 pounds heavier than me because there was nobody my weight,” she said. “I was this little girl wrestling with seniors and they're heavier and bigger than me. I'm not going to have the same amount of strength but I can definitely use my strength to wrestle just as fine.”

Although South has not seen the uptick in female wrestlers that other schools around the country have experienced, the team hopes to recruit more girls in the future.

“The whole team is really invested in this, which is nice. We were trying to recruit girls at the eight grade sports night,” Munshi said.

“I’m in touch with one eighth grade girl who I know wants to wrestle … which is awesome, even if we just have one more girl.”

Kadish said Munshi’s success plays a role in expanding the popularity of girls wrestling.

“We definitely want more girls to be involved with the team and join,” Kadish said. ”She's not only helping South, but she's helping

Massachusetts build girls wrestling, which is something that we think is amazing … we’re just extremely proud of her.”

Munshi said that in the future she hopes to push herself and continue to grow as a wrestler.

“Next year I'm going to probably do boys' states, not girls' states, because it's an added challenge,” she said.

Munshi also said she hopes to extend beyond state competition as well and compete at tournaments on a national level, where the competition is higher.

“My other big goal is to place at nationals

for girls,” she said.“Once you get to the national level, there are girls who are on the world team and have been to the Olympic trials, so it's just a totally different situation.”

Rotatori said that he hopes more students who share Munshi’s drive and determination will join the team.

“If there are more kids like her, whether they are boys or girls, I do not care. We just want more kids like her,” he said. “She won states at five o’clock on a Sunday afternoon, raising her arms as a champion, and 24 hours later, she was lifting weights in the fitness center. That is who she is. We are really pleased to have her.”

photo contributed by Freya Munshi

Munshi wrestles her opponent on the mat during a match against Concord Carlisle

page 22 | sports

the lion's roar

A Steep Slope

College Commits photo contributed by Luka Marceau

Luka Marceau

Failures in women's sports coverage highlight the need for media reforms

Sports Reporter Tate Slater spoke with junior Luka Marceau, who has verbally committed to play Division I soccer at the University of Massachusetts Lowell

Have you always loved soccer?

I really have. I know a lot of people always say they developed their love towards the end of elementary school, but I basically grew up with a ball at my feet — there are baby pictures of me with a ball at my feet.

So I really have always loved it.

You must have worked hard to get this far. Where do you think this work ethic and dedication come from?

Well, the pathway for soccer isn't necessarily the easiest. There's a lot of ups and downs in terms of what team you make and knowing if you get cut or not, and so I think once I realized that the work wouldn't be done for me and nothing was handed to me, I realized that I had to start going and ramp up my work ethic if I actually wanted to make it anywhere.

Is there anything in particular you love about soccer?

By Emily Schwartz

O

n March 28, the Boston Pride won the national championship.

Until a day before the game, I didn’t know that Boston even had a professional women’s hockey team, let alone that it was strong. The victory secured the team their third Isobel Cup title, the league championship of the Premier Hockey Federation, North America’s only professional women’s hockey league.

The championship win went relatively unnoticed by our home state, aside from a few short articles in the back of the Boston Globe’s sports section. Nobody seemed to know about our local team’s feat.

A limited public awareness of women’s sports is not new, helped by a severe lack of media coverage, compared with that received by men. According to a study by the University of Southern California and Purdue University, only 5 percent of television airtime is dedicated to female sports, a figure similar to rates from over 30 years ago. The effects of such little media coverage extend far beyond just an absence of articles, leaving young people everywhere with few role models and a warped and artificial sense of success and failure.

Last May, when Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open, media coverage broke open. In the following days, news outlets from all over the world picked up the story, reporting on Osaka’s decision to skip her press conferences, a move she said she took to prioritize her mental health.

Otherwise absent news coverage ascended on this story, and the sheer number

of reports blew it out of proportion. The media’s power to shift the narrative only intensified, as it does once every four years, at the Summer Olympics, a month later.

This past year, two Olympic Games took place. Otherwise abysmal women’s sports coverage skyrocketed during the Games as the world prepared for sensational storylines.

Simone Biles’s decision to withdraw from events in which she was heavily favored to medal became the Olympics’ biggest story.

Both Osaka and Biles’ decisions drew a slew of media coverage and social media response as the world paused to weigh in. This media madness, zeroing in on the women’s failures to meet expectations, continued for weeks.

Just six months later, I watched Mikaela Shiffrin compete in the Beijing Winter Games.

Winning just one medal would make her the winningest American female alpine skier. She crashed out of three slalom runs, missing a chance to medal in five events she’d been heavily favored to win.

After Shiffrin’s second straight failed race, NBC aired 20 minutes of her crying on the side of the ski slopes, head in her hands. Shiffrin had not missed back-to-back runs in over a decade, but perhaps such high expectations, with the whole world watching, contributed to her rare mistake.

The biggest women’s sports stories of the past year focused on failure. The world watched and pity-tweeted, using these women as examples of the importance of mental health, of how to graciously fail, as a reminder that we all make mistakes.

I like that it's an outlet. If I'm stressed about other things, I know that soccer is always there. A lot of people can turn away from you, but I know that soccer will always be there for me, so it's a really great outlet.

How did you make the decision on UMass Lowell?

The main factor for me was that my club coach's wife is one of the coaches at the school, and I'm very close with her. And there were two other coaches there and all of them were just very excited about me; they were as excited as I was about them. And it just felt really great to be that loved and it's great to know you’re loved and wanted going into it. Because that's where you're spending the next four years of your life and you want to make sure it's the most enjoyable.

photo collage by Emily

Mikaela Shiffrin in the media photos courtesy of The New York Times, The New Yorker, Wikipedia, The Japan Times, Wallpaper Safari, and YardBarker

Cheng

From a newspaper’s perspective, it makes sense to cover defeats and controversies — failures and mistakes garner the most views and the most interest from readers. Like a crash on the side of the road, readers are enticed by their drama and excitement.

But because women’s sports receive such little media coverage to begin with, news of upset and failure becomes the dominant narrative. It becomes next to impossible to look past the many stories focused on mistakes or missteps when there are next to none about their triumphs.

If you could see past the controversy, you’d remember the immense success these women have had. Biles is widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time; Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam champion and the first Asian player to hold the number one ranking; Shiffrin is the most decorated American athlete in Alpine World Ski Championships history.

With great success comes a steeper, more public fall. A media that only focuses on a few most successful athletes determines a class of role models with little room for failure.

Limited media coverage recognizes only a few female athletes’ fame. When so much emphasis is placed on those athletes’ failure, that’s all young girls and boys see — only exceptionally successful athletes cracking under pressure.

It is the media’s role to cover not only the highest of successes or the lowest of failures.

There is so much potential in the power of women’s sports coverage; imagine all of the young girls and boys in the area who would be so inspired by the Boston Pride, if only they knew.

How The Roar Vacationed issuu.com/thelionsroar

fun | page 23 Clare (left) enjoys the beach in Saint John while Risha (right) perfects her cricket skills

Zach (left) keeps up the sports grind on the beach while Bella (right) drinks a non-alcoholic Shirley Temple to celebrate her volleyball success after a tournament in Atlanta

Marisa (left) revisits her Irish roots as Jaesuh (right) hijacks the Wegman's elevator Sarah, Julian and Eva (left) feast on a delicious homemade pizza while Emily (right) takes a goofy photo of her mom in Chicago

Crossword

ACROSS

2) Van Buren’s flexible hobby 3) what Fleishman’s new organization provides 4) Madison’s pre-race snag 8) type of activism that is a lot of talk and no action 9) star athlete on mats and ice 11) prospective union worker prone to misspelling your name 12) initially proposed teacher cuts; number of stars on Old Glory 15) Marceau’s UMass pick

DOWN 1) Instagram influencer’s preferred app 5) Hamm’s starting age on the U.S. women's soccer team 6) class that’s getting a modern upgrade for the 2022-23 school year 7) Loretta’s cinematic sidekick with a juicy name 10) indent key; soon-defunct print newspaper 13) savory taste found in the school lunch salad 14) dreaded English discussion; where you can find Normandin during free blocks 16) Cambridge’s northern neighbor accessible via the Green Line 17) Linde’s organization

Answers: photoshop, Pilates, careers, shinsplints, fifteen, physics, caprison, performative, Munshi, tab, barista, fifty, umami, fishbowl, Lowell, Somerville, Jazzhers

Melinda (left) rushes to the port-apotty moments before Dana (right) finds her

BRING IT OUT

SOUTH! Newton South’s Inaugural 5K Race

SUNDAY, MAY 15 9:00 A.M.

RUN, WALK or

VOLUNTEER!

Pre-register! Students: $25 | Adults: $35 Free t-shirt and raffle ticket with race entry

Lions5k.Racewire.com

Support Newton South Athletics and events that build school spirit!

Lions Roar.indd 1

4/11/22 2:58 PM