Menlo-Atherton
e Mark April
Editor-in-Chief
Molly Kearnan
Copy Editor
Kate Flanagan
Layout Editors
Lauren Bruce
Joanna Vollrath
Features and Input Editor
Katie Moffitt
News and Op-Ed Editor
Caraline Albro
Social Media Manager
Sofia Bergmann
Staff Writers
Leyla Arabian
Reid Diamond
Brooke Faulkner
Rachel Frost
Elley Goldberg
Selim Karahan
Lara Karadogan
Sofia Karadogan
Leah Marcus
Taylor Shantz
Bradley Stillman
Olivia Tai
Advisor: Susie Choe
The Mark, a feature magazine published by the students in Menlo-Atherton’s journalism class, is an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its readership. The Mark is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost. The staff welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy, and obscenity. Submissions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of all M-A students or the staff of The Mark Send all submissions to submittothemark@gmail.com.
In this issue of The Mark, we explore introspection and the benefits of looking inward. As our model opens the book, she discovers that when you take a moment to fully immerse yourself into an experience or a task, you can gain a greater, unexpected reward.
Looking into body mass index
Recent controversy surrounding the Body Mass Index test has sparked national conversation regarding the accuracy of the test after it labelled an athletic and healthy middle-schooler in Indiana “overweight.” The student refused to submit her answers for the test, instead choosing to explain the flaws of the BMI.
The BMI, a health measurement commonly used in physical education classes (including our own here at M-A), is not an appropriate standard of health for many young adults. By dividing one’s height by his or her weight, the BMI attempts to classify a person within three categories: underweight, normal weight, and overweight. How-
ever, the BMI does not take age, sex, or fat distribution into account. Health is an extremely multi-faceted and complex measurement that cannot be evaluated by height and weight alone. For some athletic students, the BMI labels them as “overweight,” as the test has no way of distinguishing between fat and muscle. Therefore, students who are completely healthy may be at risk for an inaccurate evaluation of their health. Additionally, when a silly measurement enforces the social pressures and self-consciousness that are already rampant in high school, students face potentially detrimental physical and mental effects.
The M-A physical education department currently employs the BMI as
a portion of the physical education test. Every year, athletic students who fail the BMI may have to take physical education for another year on top of other sports.
The M-A physical education department needs to acknowledge the antiquity and inaccuracy of the BMI test. We need a more complex method of determining health when it comes to the well-being of teenagers. Considering The Mark’s theme of introspection, we must remember that body image and mental health in the midst of seemingly flawless Instagram photos are still of the utmost importance. By reforming the BMI, M-A can take a step toward improving the body image of its students.
by the Editorial Board
FOOD DESERTS
ACCORDING
TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, OVER 1 MILLION CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS LIVE IN FOOD DESERTS.
Afood desert is an area where nutritious food is difficult to obtain.
According to KQED’s “Eating Healthy in a Food Desert,” 33 percent of people live one mile or farther from a supermarket, and thus live in food deserts. While it may not seem like it, Menlo Park’s Belle Haven area and East Palo Alto are considered food deserts. Food deserts most significantly affect teenagers because teenagers require large amounts of fruits and vegetables, which those regions do not supply.
An anonymous M-A student living in East Palo Alto admits that when “[she’s] hungry, [she] just goes to the little market in the corner of [her] street and [buys] a couple packs of chips and [...] even a soda sometimes.” She also explains that she “never noticed any fruits or vegetables at the store [...] it’s mostly just little snacks, drinks and candy. [Her family]
has to drive to the real supermarket twice or three times a week, [they] can’t walk.”
This student has to make an additional effort in order to access healthy food, often traveling to a store that is miles away. Consequently, many students in her situation turn to the cheap and high-calorie foods in their neighborhoods. The “food balance factor” has a huge impact on the health of people who live in food deserts. When a fast food restaurant is significantly closer to homes than a grocery store, people will flock to the fast food. Unhealthy food causes malnutrition and diet-related health problems. According to the USDA, poor quality foods are linked to illnesses, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and can even lead to premature death.
Food deserts are very difficult to eliminate, considering high-calorie foods are cheap and accessible.
EACH DOT REPRESENTS A FOOD DESERT IN SPECIFIC CITIES AROUND THE UNITED STATES.
When foods are cheaper, public institutions like schools or work areas will offer junk food over fresh food options. In fact, M-A is a food desert in itself, as the food provided at the kiosks does not provide many healthy options. The given options include pizza, sandwiches, or poorly made salads, accompanied by orange juice or chocolate milk. As a first step in destroying food deserts, M-A should provide healthy and fresh foods to limit the detrimental effects of food deserts and to encourage students to eat healthier. For communties as whole, it takes more than a few grocery stores to solve the problem. Rather, a whole town must change their eating habits. People must limit their fast food restaurant visits to once every two weeks. With government legislation and community movements, it is possible to enact change.
by Leah Marcus
What’s all the BUZZ about?
The story behind Ms. Keigher’s shaved head
Katherine Keigher participated in her first charity 5K at 3 years old, as giving back was something that she loved since she was young. Reflecting on her childhood, she shares, “We didn’t have a lot of money to donate, but we did have time.” Today, she continues to stay involved with extreme dedication.
Keigher decided to shave her head over spring break in support of a child cancer research program called St. Baldrick’s. St. Baldrick’s is an organization that does medical research to help the underfunded cause of curing children’s cancer.
“A child is diagnosed with cancer every 3 minutes,” says Keigher. It is also the leading cause of children’s death past infancy.
“The idea that the most innocent members of our population are not getting what they need is oftentimes really surprising to people,” she explains. St. Baldrick’s has head-shaving events in order to raise awareness. People get sponsored, shave their heads, and wear a button that says: “Ask me why I’m bald” on it to continue to spread awareness even after the event is over. This cause hits home with Keigher, who explains; “[The] unofficial motto of St. Baldrick’s is ‘no one should have to be bald alone.’”
“The most innocent members of our population are not getting what they need.”
Keigher’s first experience with St. Baldrick’s was through her family. Three years ago her sister, a nurse, “called and asked if it would be alright if she was bald at [Keigher’s] wedding.”
Keigher’s sister had heard about St. Baldrick’s through her coworkers and became passionate about the cause, especially because she works with children who have cancer and witnesses firsthand the effects of such a disease. In 2013 she participated in the event and was indeed bald at Keigher’s wedding. A couple years later, her mother decided to take part as
by Rachel Frost
well. “Now I felt like it was my time to do it. Nobody pressured me. It’s kind of an unofficial family tradition,” Keigher explains. She likes that this charity gives people the opportunity to do more than just donate money. When asked for her main motivation behind this decision, she replied, “I’m not even sure I would be familiar with it if it weren’t for my family.” Keigher says they provide support through inspiration. This support has made her decision less scary, she says. “I know it’s not traditional in our culture to have a woman with a shaved head, but my family sees it as very nonchalant, not a big deal, especially compared to cancer.”
“I don’t know a single person who hasn’t been affected by cancer in some way. If there’s a way that with my time and with my money I can help the cause, that’s what I want to do,” she explains.
Having a child of her own was another source of motivation. “I can’t imagine if my child had cancer, what I would do, and I would want people to feel willing to do crazy things, like shave their head.”
Her advice to students looking to get involved in charity work of their own is to “find the cause that matters to you, that you care about, that you are really passionate about, whether it’s women getting education in an underdeveloped country, or clean water, or cancer research. Find something that you are passionate about because when you love what the charity does it will never seem like a chore or a burden to go out and raise money.” Keigher found a cause that spoke to her and encourages students to join a club and to take advantage of the opportunities provided at M-A. “It will never seem daunting, the amount of time you have to put in, if you know that time is well spent.”
Drowned Out
by Reid Diamond
Recently, the United Nations reported that the Syrian Refugee Crisis has been deemed the most significant humanitarian crisis since World War II. Meanwhile in Pakistan, at least 72 people, including many children, were killed in a playground bombing. In Brussels, the capital of the European Union, there have been several terrorist-led bombings. Yet, for the vast majority of the time, the American media focuses on the presidential election in the United States. Every American news outlet is clouded with news about the presidential election, letting world crises such as these fall to the wayside. Continually, the relentless talk of politicians, polls, and political insight from different guests and anchors feeds the U.S. media’s focus on politics. Especially on broadcasted news, information about the election is repeated on an endless loop, designed to fill up the maximum amount of time with a minimal variation of content. Instead of providing a broad range of content designed to give citizens a well-rounded perspective on ongoing critical issues, re-
porting the news has become both a popularity and profit contest. Perhaps due to the rise of Donald Trump, this presidential election has become sensationalized to gain the most views and profit.
It is the media’s duty not just to gain views and ratings, but more importantly, to inform the public about important issues around the world. The presidential election should not consume as much airtime as it is currently taking, considering that there is an abundance of other issues that demand attention. By only focusing on a few popular stories, especially the U.S. presidential election, the media is suppressing other vital, global issues. In blinding the average U.S. citizen from important global issues, the media contributes to an uninformed society, which consequently results in ignorance and mindless blame of others.
The presidential election process deserves to be reported on to inform citizens about the candidates; however, the media has blown this coverage of this election out of proportion. An analysis by The New York Times recently found that
by regularly focusing on Donald Trump, “The news media gave Trump $1.9 billion in free publicity in this presidential cycle.” By giving so much airtime and publicity to Donald Trump, the media has contributed to his growth in popularity and to the absence of coverage on other issues. Like the people of America, the media has been heavily influenced by the sensationalism of Trump and continues to unintentionally feed his advertising campaign at the expense of other important stories. The media capitalizes on Trump’s popularity as a spectacle in American politics to bring in more views and profits. In exchange for high viewership and profit, the media has forgotten its responsibility to journalism and has violated its obligation to tell as many of the world’s vital stories as possible. While telling every story is unrealistic, it is the media’s responsibility to broaden their coverage enough to be able to report a broad variety of all types of world issues. Meanwhile, it is also the average student’s responsibility to broaden his or her own sources of news.
by Katie Moffitt
Na v ic e d
How to get (and keep) your s**t together, as told by the semi-proficient
avigating the tricky waters of high school and all that it entails is difficult enough without the added stress of the outside world and, even more daunting, interactions with it. To be a functioning human being while surviving on, I’m assuming, minimal sleep and adrenaline from fear of failure is a feat in itself. So, I have written this advice column as a resource or a cautionary tale to simplify the most confounding parts of our existence.
QLife (school, social events, jobs, so on)
This is the most broad question I have received thus far; I feel as if I am neither qualified to answer this question nor even semi-educated on this matter. Having been alive a mere 17 years, I am quite flattered that someone out there thought me capable of dispensing advice on this topic. So be prepared for the most generic advice there is to offer, as that is all I have at my disposal (and try not to take this too seriously).
As Forrest Gump once said, “Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” No truer words have ever been spoken. The unpredictability of daily life can be overwhelming but it’s important to remember the “High School Musical” life lesson: “We’re all in this together.” So while on some especially rough days it may seem like poles sprout out of the ground when you aren’t looking and birds execute perfectly-timed bowel movements, there is someone out there who feels the same as you do. Whether that comforts you or solidifies your belief that the Universe is out to get you, at least you have fellow victims with whom you may commiserate. And, in the wise words of Robert Frost, “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” So keep your chin up, pursue the things that make you happy and avoid the things that don’t, remember to be at least a little bit social, and try not to hurt yourself or anyone else in the process of living and learning.
QHow do you nicely tell someone they are ugly?
The art of insulting and, to take such humor further, making a fool of someone with wit is an acquired skill not easily taught. I do not claim to possess such skill and regret to report that satire, in its most refined form, is often beyond my notice. Regardless, satire remains a fairly innocent and inoffensive technique to critique someone or something with. Take, for example, the satirical genius of Jonathan Swift. The man wrote a proposal about eating babies that somehow, through a mini-literary miracle, critiqued merciless British policy towards their Irish subjects and the poverty in which they lived. Now, one cannot just click his or her heels and suddenly attain the ability to banter. But, do not let that sad fact deter you from truth-telling. With ambition and studiousness, one may learn how to “tak[e] the comedic and insulting upper hand” (“Insults & Comebacks for All Occasions”). Enjoy the back handed and sly insults provided below while you touch up your satirical skill and may the gods of biting remarks be forever in your favor.
QProm (getting asked, asking,dresses, par- ties,etc.)
“I love how you’re not obsessed with personal style.”
“I’ve seen you on Animal Planet.”
“You have such a great personality.”
“You have a great face for radio.”
“You look so great, I didn’t even recognize you.”
“You look so great, I didn’t even recognize you.”
“You have such an exotic look.”
Prom: the culmination of a year’s social efforts and an often disappointingly unglamorous night. The evidence of the anticipated night is everywhere: the prom dress Facebook group (a nagging and constant reminder of my lack of that very key element: the dress), promposals popping up around campus, spirit week posters, and social media posts of other schools prom events. Fear not, I am here to help you through this difficult time. First and foremost, one must be clothed to attend any Menlo-Atherton event. Dress in something that you can dance in without too tragic a wardrobe malfunction because dancing is essential to a successful prom. Whether that garment be a trash bag or a ball gown, be confident in what you wear and you will succeed in fooling those around you into believing you are as put together as you look. The next aspect of this multi-faceted and pressing issue is the question of a date to the dance. As animals are not allowed at school or school-hosted events, I regret to inform the pet owners and animal enthusiasts reading this that you, in fact, may not dress your animal as a human and bring him or her to prom. But there are other fish in the sea that are not literal fish. So I recommend finding another willing and prom-bound human being, double-checking that your date is a person, and asking him or her to accompany you in a nice and respectful way. Kidnapping, coercion, and bribery are not recommended. The rest from here on out is fairly simple: buy a ticket, arrive at the Galleria in San Francisco, make awkward small talk, be safe, and have fun.
nourish the soul
by Lara and Sofia Karadogan
six simple smoothie recipes with different purposes to kick start your day
how ''lit'' is it?
Students and teachers assess the literary aspects and quality of online study tool Sparknotes
Since its launch as “The Spark” in 1999, online study tool Sparknotes has helped students study subjects ranging from literature to chemistry. As a reading companion, it provides students with (occasionally) in-depth summaries and chapter analyses.
For sophomore Nessa Fakrai, Sparknotes is a great tool to help her comprehend things she may have missed while reading the assigned text. “I use it [Sparknotes] after I’ve read the book or a chapter so I can understand it better,” she says. “If you didn’t pick up on themes or underlying messages, you can read about them on Sparknotes or if you didn’t understand a certain scene you can look at that.”
Sparknotes has long been the enemy of teachers because it can provide students with an easy way out of reading their assigned texts. English teacher John McBlair, however, has a different stance on Sparknotes than one might expect a teacher to have. “I generally discourage its use,” says McBlair, “but it’s particularly helpful for Shakespeare.” The “No Fear Shakespeare” tool on Sparknotes provides students with a side-by-side modern translation of
Shakespeare’s works. “Especially since most Shakespearean plays are rather long, and often have smaller characters and a lot of scenes that are less important, I’ll encourage students to use Sparknotes to help them get through those parts and give more time to focus on the important scenes that I want us to talk about. That way they can understand the plot so we can focus on the language.”
Unfortunately, many students become lazy and resort to reading Sparknotes alone instead of alongside the actual text. McBlair does acknowledge the disadvantages of relying too much on the online study tool because it frequently provides invalid summaries. “[Sparknotes plots] have a tendency to oversimplify, especially with No Fear Shakespeare [...] For some of the more advanced and complicated aspects of language play, it does not do a great job.” Because he knows students use it for review and general plot comprehension, McBlair sometimes warns them about wrong information written on the website. “Every once in a while there are misinterpretations of the plot, but at this point I’m pretty good at knowing
where those misinterpretations are and telling students about them; that way, they won’t buy them.”
Fakrai also agrees that there can be drawbacks to using Sparknotes in place of the actual text, rather than using it as a supplementary tool. “When people use [Sparknotes] instead of actually reading the book, it’s not always the best idea because they’re just getting the Sparknotes version of it.”
McBlair has a method to make sure his students are not cheating and having too much of an easy time doing homework. “Sometimes I’ll print out a page of Sparknotes and have students fill in the details that Sparknotes missed,” he says. “That way I know if they’re just reading Sparknotes.”
Sparknotes is a useful tool to study and review abridged versions of literature, but it can be harmful when it replaces the text completely. McBlair says, on a final note, that “[Sparknotes’] strengths lie in helping us understand the plot and how the main ideas connect to each other, but not necessarily for going in depth.”
by Selim Karahan
UNPLUGGED
It is important to take moments in time to step away from social media and electronics and to detach from society’s addiction to such technology. Everyone has the ability to get away from the stresses and burdens of life, whether it be through hiking, reading, exploring or indulging in any pastime – it just takes a certain amount of commitment.
My own moment of detachment was at Bell’s Books in Palo Alto, a little gem I had walked by at least a hundred times, either too busy with my phone or to engulfed in Instagram or Facebook to be curious enough to actually walk in. This treasure-filled bookstore, which is over
80 years old, is a relic for many people, brimming with books and poetry that I have never seen nor heard of before. It is refreshing not to see the “top 30 books of 2016” shoved in my face and instead to feel a leather-bound book that someone might have cherished 30 years before me. It is a rare feeling nowadays to find something new that was not identified online first and I encourage people to look for those opportunities more often. If I had never decided to put down my phone and to take a moment to look at what I was missing out on it life, I would not have found Bell’s.
by Taylor Shantz
I write
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I still have notebooks from elementary school filled from cover to cover with fantastical stories, messily written in both English and French. When I fail to properly verbally communicate my thoughts, I turn to writing, where my words flow out of me, through my pen, and across the paper, as if finally free from a dam. I treasure every in-class essay as an hour alone with my thoughts and a piece of paper. I have pursued writing at every opportunity – crafting creative stories in my spare time, entering the competition for my middle school graduation speech, and choosing journalism as my high school elective. With every story, essay, and article I complete, my writing develops. Without the distraction of appearances and social customs, writing leaves you with the bare soul of the author. Both
ings. Writing allows authors to reach out to their audiences and say, “Here, here is my world.” An essay written in the 1800s allows us to travel back in time and immerse ourselves in a world that would otherwise be completely inaccessible. As a journalist, it is necessary to work hard, to chase the good stories, to meet the hard deadlines. Over the years spent on The Mark, however, I have come to find that no story is worth telling if it fails to connect with its audience. The purpose of journalism is to uncover the world – a task that necessitates insight. In the first article I ever wrote, I was eager to prove myself, and thus took on the weighty topic of the standard of intelligence. Telling this story taught me the importance of applying insight to journalism, and to life. I explored the story of a student with dyslexia and, by interviewing her, was able to see the world through her eyes. I was also thrown straight into the trials of journalism when a teacher I interviewed refused to be recorded and I was left scrambling to copy down every word he spoke. The experience taught me that to give my story heart, I needed to look into the lives of actual people, with all their complexities, rather than regurgi
press, a publication that contains not only my own words, but the countless choices I made over the aesthetics and content of the magazine, I am revealing a little bit of myself to perhaps the most critical audience imaginable – teenagers. Despite my apprehension, I am eager to make this connection with my school, a school so big that widespread connection would otherwise be impossible. I am eager to communicate with them, to start a conversation. Whereas for some it’s painting, and for others it’s music, for me, writing is the most direct path for thought and feeling to manifest themselves. It is both the most individual and the most universal language. As I look at the world around me, I see I have only uncovered the surface, or perhaps I have just swept away some of the dust. Writing presents me with the opportunity to reveal the world I come from. And, more importantly, writing allows me to explore niches of the world from the perspective of someone who has directly experienced them, to make personal connections across expansive oceans, across time, or across the classroom.
by Molly Kearnan
Photography Lauren Bruce
PROM REFLECTIONS PROM REFLECTIONS
by Caraline Albro
As a junior, I had little idea what to expect when preparing for prom. I surely did not realize that the “Menlo-Atherton Prom Dresses 2016” Facebook page would update everyday with screenshots of Bloomingdale’s and David’s Bridal websites. I was not aware that “promposals” would control the social atmosphere, with posters and rose bouquets being handed out here and there. And I certainly did not realize that finding a prom dress would be so difficult. After some reflection on my prom preparation experience, here are some rules for having the best prom ever.
1Never stop looking. When you find a dress that you love, keep looking. Keep reminding yourself that there are better options out there at the next store and the next store after that. Drag your friends and family to malls hours away. Force them to watch you try on an endless array of dresses and give you a score from one to 10. When they give you a 10, refer to rule #2.
3
2Never trust your friends and family. Although they might say that you look beautiful, do not trust their kind words. They do not mean it. The only person you can trust is yourself.
The Internet is your friend. After digging through every formal section of every clothing store within a 120-mile radius of your home, turn towards the Internet. Only there will you be exposed to the countless dresses on websites like ASOS and PromGirl. After ruining your academic life with procrastination, order the dress!
4
The “promposal.” If you do not get asked to prom, you have failed as a high schooler. Your entire high school career is a lie. Once the promposal occurs in an extremely elaborate, intense way, teeming with roses, posters, shirtless guys, and chocolate, you have fulfilled the ultimate prom goal. You are now allowed to feel content with yourself.
Never wear the same dress as someone else. That’s what the “2016 Menlo-Atherton Prom Dresses” Facebook page is for. God forbid you walk into prom wearing the same generic dress as another person! Your social existence is basically over. Before you order your dress, immediately review the Facebook page to guarantee that no one else has the same one. If someone does, you’re back to square one looking for something with a slightly different detail. 5
6
Photos matter. When you’re 40 years old and looking back on your high school prom, you want to be able to reflect positively on your choices. In order to look good in the photos, a tan is necessary. Only after you have aged prematurely from the tanning bed will the photos look good. Makeup is also necessary for good photos. Cake your skin in makeup. Your adult self (who looks elderly – thanks tanning beds!) will happily reminisce on your flawless, healthy glow in photos.
Concussed?
It’s second period Thursday morning, and your attention is anywhere but on the test in front of you. You can’t get your mind off of that hit yesterday at practice. You were going for the ball, but so was the goalie and then, boom – a hit to the head. You remember feeling fine right afterward but then having a headache on the drive home. But to be fair, it is possible that you were worrying so much at that point about whether or not you might have a headache that you actually gave yourself a headache. But what if it really was a result of the collision? Could these be concussion symptoms? Now, back in class,
and what happens in the brain during a concussion are not fully understood.
“It’s just a very weird process to go to the hospital for a concussion, because they don’t really have a process. They can’t really tell you whether or not you have a concussion, at least in my case. There is no one test you can do, it’s such a vague thing,” shares an Menlo-Atherton student who prefers to remain anonymous. This student got hit in the head twice at a volleyball tournament, and kept playing both times because she “didn’t feel the most common symptoms.” “It’s just really tricky. You don’t
patient. In other words, there is no X-ray or CAT scan to identify a concussion, but instead a patient is expected to accurately describe their situation so the doctor can understand the magnitude of the problem. Lacrosse is an interesting sport to look at when analyzing concussions because the equipment and rules vary between boys and girls games. For example, boys wear a fair amount of padding, whereas girls wear only a face mask and a mouthguard. The rules of the two games (boys and girls) are also fairly different to go along with the differences in equipment. While boys are allowed to hit each other with their sticks below the waist, girls are barely allowed to touch each other. Both games, however, include a small, dense rubber ball being flung at sometimes up to 100 miles per hour. In other words, the danger of injuries – specifically, brain injuries – are prevalent in both versions of the game despite equipment differences. In fact, boys lacrosse actually ranks higher than girls lacrosse in concussions per 100,000 athletic exposures, at 9 – 11.6 points higher despite the helmets and padding (HeadCase). This puts into question the value of specific types of concussion prevention.
cussions. M-A senior and varsity boys lacrosse player Cole Quinn shares that “the boys game has taken steps in recent years to cut down on head injuries such as stricter helmet regulations, slightly softer/ safer balls or avoiding hits to the head.” Payne concurs that the same is the case with the girls game by adding that, “Concussions are really in the spotlight right now.” Looking more broadly at all sports and activities, it is important to remember that concussions are a complex issue that should be taken truthfully and seriously.
by Joanna Vollrath
analyzing the complexity of concussions
Step to
AA NEW TRAIL
s summer approaches and daylight lingers, Menlo-Atherton students are encouraged to spend time outdoors and reap the benefits of the summer months. A great way to get outside and connect with nature is to hike the beautiful trails that the Bay Area has to offer. Over the past few weeks I visited some highly recommended local trails everywhere from Palo Alto to San Francisco.
On my first hike, I explored Arastradero Preserve in Portola Valley. The drive from M-A to the trail was about 20 minutes without traffic; however, upon arrival, I discovered that it wasn’t the perfect day for hiking. The rain began to sputter onto my face and my camera
lens as I trudged along the muddy trail. Despite this weather oversight, I still had a great time. The air smelled crisp from the rain and illuminated the grassy hills. The creeks were alive with flowing water. I had to constantly wipe my lens between shots to keep water droplets off my camera, but the naturally high-contrast images were worth it. Although I was exhausted by the end of the trail, I also felt renewed from the rain and the scenery. Sometimes disconnecting from everything else is the best way to reconnect with yourself and the world around you.
Although second hike also ended in mud-filled shoes and soaking wet clothes, the rain truly didn’t detract from the fun (or the adventure) of the hike. If anything, hiking Windy Hill
in the rain added to the natural experience. The closer I got to the summit, the harder the wind pushed back, and once I reached the top I felt like I could literally pick up my feet and fly off the side of the hill. The fog grasped so tightly around me that I couldn’t see over the edge. Though I wasn’t able to be immersed in the view that usually draws hikers to the summit of Windy Hill, I was able to capture the blanket of fog that swallowed the tall trees and misted over the grass and rocks in my photos.
From the first step on a new trail to the last, hiking is liberating. Taking hikes with friends creates stronger friendships. And spending time away from phones, laptops and the rush of daily life allows you take a moment to destress, reflect and breathe.
by Lauren Bruce
Photography Lauren Bruce
From left to right: Marin Headlands Tennessee Valley Trailhead, Marin Headlands Tennessee Beach, Mount Tamalpais trail
Wunderlich Meadow Trail
Top to bottom: lighthouse at Marin Headlands; Windy Hill summit
Middle: Wunderlich Meadow Trail; Right: Mount Tamalpais
Students Family Happiness Health Friends Success Love Fun Career Money Beauty
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Teachers Family Love Health Happiness Friends Success Money Career Fun Beauty
Values of Menlo-Atherton
Answers to a simple question can reveal much of one’s character. Some students and teachers of Menlo-Atherton took an anonymous survey that asked them to rank ten core values in order of importance. Although it only represents a sample of the population, the responses covered a large and diverse range of people from different classes and grades. The results from the two surveys were compared in an effort to
note the effects that age and experience have on one’s core beliefs. The graphic on this page is the result of two surveys: the top row is data from the students and the bottom is from the teachers. Based on this survey, we concluded that while there are similarities between teacher and student values, there are also differences. For example, the survey showed that teachers placed a higher value on money than students did.
Clearly having a career affects one’s values, and thus the importance of money and jobs goes up. The comparison of teacher and student responses in ranking love shows that love seems to be more important and meaningful when one is older and has had more life experiences. While these conclusions may not represent the entire population of M-A, they do provide a good comparison regardless. by Lara and Sofia Karadogan
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
COMPASSION
Mindfulness cultivates compassion because it encourages kindness instead of judgement when recieving yourself and others.
SELF-AWARENESS
You become more aware of who you are - your impulses, habits, and unique qualities. Mindfulness helps you make wise decisions for your own good, instead of reacting impulsively.
RELAXATION
Research shows that practicing mindfulness meditation can lower stress, ease anxiety and pain, and help you sleep better.
WHY?
Tip #1
Meditation doesn’t mean your mind is “blank.” Having a busy mind is normal, just try to be aware of your thoughts and not get carried away with them!
by Olivia Tai
1. PAUSE
Pause.
Take a moment to stop what you are doing.
2. BREATHE
WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?
Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
Focus on your breath. You can do this anytime, any place because you are always breathing! You can try counting each breath you take and the sensations surrounding breathing.
3. NOTICE
Become aware of what you’re thinking about, what you were just doing, and what bodily sensations you are now having. Noticing what arises in the present moment is all there is to it!
Tip #2
You aren’t “failing” at meditation if you aren’t getting an expected result - like a relaxed mind, for example. Mindfulness takes a lot of regular practice before it can truly bear fruit... However, it’s very easy. to start!.
by Kate Flanagan
or this issue of The Mark, we focused on “looking inward” in order to reflect on ourselves and our relationship with society. So, I took a look inward at M-A’s own “mark” on the environment to see how much waste we produce. While I wasn’t able to attain quantitative data, I was able to ascertain that we produce and consume an unnecessarily high amount of waste and resources. When I looked inside each of our waste receptacles, I was barely able to determine which was for compost, which was for trash, and which was for recycling. Even the computers in my journalism class are
constantly plugged in, perpetually using electricity and adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Our grass is shockingly green, considering we are in the middle of a severe drought. Of course, it would be nearly impossible for us to completely eliminate all of our waste, but we can take steps to reduce it.
Take, for instance, our paper consumption. As a school, we obviously cannot just stop using paper altogether. But, if instead of throwing away our paper in the nearest waste bin we took the time to recycle it, imagine how much landfill space we would save. Similarly, you can
wait in the library after school to reduce the carbon emissions from idle cars waiting to get out of a crowded parking lot (or, even better, don’t drive to school at all); you can use the hand dryers instead of paper towels; you can do any number of little things that will, when added together, help to save the environment. It doesn’t take unreasonable or vast efforts to reduce our ecological footprint – you don’t have to buy a rainforest or feed a dying polar bear. Sometimes all it takes is a few extra steps to the recycling bin, a few minutes in the library, or a little extra time in the restroom.
(HINT: It shouldn’t be this hard)
$2,300.00
3 paper on M-A spends about every weeks.
THE Mark’s SENIOR SUPERLATIVES
Lauren Bruce
“Bring a camera.”
Brooke Faulkner
“Stay salty my friends.”
Best Person in a Crisis
Lauren is “best person in a crisis” because of her ability to put the magazine together beautifully and to maintain control over the format and articles of the publication. Lauren’s favorite part of journalism is “working on the layout of the magazine and seeing how the final product turns out.”
Sofia Bergmann
“Just go for it!”
Most Likely to Become an Actual Journalist
Sofia is “most likely to become an actual journalist” because she will actually be studying journalism during her time in college. Sofia is planning to attend Northeastern University, and to spend her first semester abroad in London. Sofia’s favorite part about journalism is that “it allows you to break out of your shell and try something new, while learning new information.”
Best Multi-Tasker
Because of her ability to write an article while watching Netflix during class, Brooke is titled “best multi-tasker.” Brooke stated that her favorite part about journalism is “being able to go into topics that she is interested in and report those topics to the students of M-A.”
Molly Kearnan
“Still thinking ...”
Most Motherly
“Most Motherly” describes Molly because of her calm demeanor and ability to keep the production of The Mark running smoothly. Molly’s favorite part about journalism is “starving to death in the classroom while trying to send the issue to press.”
by Leyla Arabian
“No more.”
-Michael TaulapapaLautalo
“Don’t take it too seriously.”
-Sofia Bergmann
“No matter where we go in the future we will always carry a figure of our past and the love we shared in this land.”
-Alex Hakanson
“Take it easy.”
-Sana
Sheikholeslami
“Life is like a dice, you can’t control what number comes up, but you can control where you throw it.”
-Chris Tinsley
Senior Quotes
“Hannah Montana said nobody’s perfect, but here I am.”
-Jamie Himler
“Life is too short so live like you are tall.”
-Leanna Moreno
by Brooke Faulkner
“If you’re gonna stand up for what’s right, sometimes you gotta stand alone.”
-Jak Tedesco
“Not all blondes are dum!”
-Mathilde Berthier
“Still as confused as I was freshman year.”
-Alan Cruz
“150 absences and still graduating.”
-Nate Gutierrez
“Avoid the E-wing during the cat dissection.”
-Jaya Blanchard
Photography Victor Busque
A Look at an M-A Senior’s Alternative Post-High School Plans
Over the past few years, it has become increasingly common to see high school seniors taking gap years before beginning their freshman year of college. Taking a gap year allows students to explore the world and gain a better understanding of what they look to do in their future. After completing a gap year, many report that their year helped them develop as a person as well as increase their maturity and self-confidence. Additionally, in a study performed by Bob Clagett at Middlebury College, students who had taken gap years significantly outperformed their academic expectations throughout college. Here, M-A senior Erik Muir shares the reasoning behind his decision to take a gap year and what he plans to do during that time.
by Elley Goldberg
“Idecided to take a gap year last year. My freshman and sophomore years, I never really got good grades. I was a pretty crappy student. I didn’t really start [understanding] how to learn at school or even wanting to learn at school until junior year. So, I just haven’t been that proactive of a student, and I think I just need a year to myself to understand what I want to do in life because I haven’t really had that kind of opportunity to figure out what I want to do.
I was initially planning on racing with the national team for cycling but unfortunately with my broken collar bone it looks like my chances of getting on the national team this year are pretty diminished. I’ve been biking since middle school. I started really racing at the beginning of high school. During my gap year I will be travelling around the world with my bike and racing in as many races
as can. I definitely want to travel to Europe; I’ve never been before.
My parents are totally supportive. I mentioned to them that I wanted to take a gap year and then they got behind it and they were like, ‘Yes, you are going to take a gap year and we want you to do this.’ My dad, just before he went to college, he lived on a boat in the Bahamas for two and a half years. He had his own company there, and he would help people navigate back and forth between the islands. That really shaped him into who he’s become today. He realizes that if he hadn’t done that, every year since he got out of college he’s been working at a desk job just sitting down staring at a computer screen. There was no other opportunity in his life that he could go and travel. You have the opportunity [after graduating] high school, why not take it?”
- Erik Muir
Photography Alex Chiu
Looking the Other Way
one in five women are sexually assaulted while in college
The Double Standard that Lies Within Sexual Assault on College Campuses
More than 90% of sexual assault victims on college campuses do not report the assault one in sixteen men are sexually assaulted while in college
They asked questions such as ‘Why couldn’t I have kicked or screamed?’, ‘Why did I drink so much?’, ‘Was I wearing a miniskirt to that party?’ I was asking for it. It was constant wagging of fingers, shaming and being put at fault.
- Lisa Sendrow, End Campus Rape Petition
Menlo-Atherton seniors will encounter many obstacles when preparing for college, but they face one in particular that affects millions of students across the country: sexual assault. About 20 percent of girls will be sexually assaulted during college. While this statistic is astounding, an even more shocking discovery is the seemingly arbitrary and unjust way that colleges handle sexual assault. Theoretically, someone who commits a crime such as rape – a crime that is both against school policy and illegal – should face the appropriate consequences. However, as seen in the statistics above, this ideal is rarely reality. The University of Virginia expelled 183 students for honor code violations and cheating. Yet out of 205 sexual assault reportings, there were zero expulsions. Furthermore, the consequences of sexual assault for rapists are more
The officer did not comprehend the most basic definition of consent in regards to North Carolina law. He decided that the rapist, although admitting to the rape, was in fact a good kid who didnt mean anything malicious.
-Elizabeth Willette, Appalachian State University
Harvard UC Berkley Dartmouth Stanford University of Virginia reported sexual assaults number of expulsions
3
lenient than the consequences that result from cheating, and often allow the rapist to continue attending school, potentially raping other students and psychologically traumatizing the victim. The problem reaches far deeper than schools failing to handle sexual assault cases appropriately. Rather, the issue taps into a hypermasculine tendency in society regarding the ageless “boys will be boys” excuse. This excuse, employed in countless situations, allows boys to get away with reckless and harmful behavior such as sexual assault. This double standard catalyzes the overwhelming number of campus rape cases because the hypermasculine standards of society continue to be praised and encouraged in men. In addition, colleges fail to appropriately punish perpetrators for their actions. Instead, colleges often blame sexual assault on the temptation or seduction of women. When
perpetrators are able to dodge the consequences of sexual assault, its significance is diminished on college campuses and perpetrators continue to perpetrate. Rather than carelessly blaming victims, colleges must spark behavioral change to put an end to this harmful cycle. It is crucial for us work together to break the double standard and enact real consequences for assaulters. Instead of teaching girls to avoid rape, it’s time we start teaching the importance of consent and gender equality. It is essential for M-A’s graduating Class of 2016, as well as future college students, to influence this movement and push for safer college campuses.
*Statistics and quotes gathered from the CNN Documentary: “The Hunting Ground,” the National Sexual Violence Recource Center and the End Campus Rape Petition
by Sofia Bergmann
PursuittO Play
Seniors are faced with a difficult life decision when choosing their path after high school. For those who are athletes and plan to attend college, they may have the option of representing their school through a sport. For some, it has been their lifelong dream to participate in a sport in college while others choose to focus more on scholastics and the college experience. Some high school seniors have been playing sports since they were able to walk. As they aged, the competition and commitment increased. Some of them went on to compete on a high school varsity team. Because of their many years of dedication to athletics, the decision whether or not to pursue playing on a varsity sports team in college can be challenging.
Lucas Fioretti, a senior at Menlo-Atherton and a skilled two-sport athlete, decided against playing a varsity sport in college as he thought it might limit his college options. Fioretti explains, “I would prefer to go to a school that I like rather than be able to play a sport at a different college.” Another M-A senior athlete, Quinn Rowland, shared
his primary reason for not participating in a college varsity sport. When asked about his decision, he responded, “I was looking at schools that were interested in me [for sports] and I guess none of them I really saw myself at.” Some students who would like to attend a larger university may not have the opportunity to represent their school on a varsity team due to the level of competition. The size of a college plays an important role when students are selecting the college to attend. Some athletes do not pursue playing a sport in college because of the considerable time commitment. For many, school work is rigorous enough in college. Adding a varsity sport on top of it can seem incredibly strenuous. Fioretti comments, “Time commitment is an issue in a lot of people’s decision.” Varsity college sports require daily practices with games during the regular season as well as a significant amount of off-season training depending on the school’s competitive division. In addition, students must be prepared to travel to a number of away games which could result in absences from their classes.
For those who choose not to play a varsity sport in college, their athletic careers do not necessarily have to end. College students are presented the opportunity to participate in club or intramural sports. Students that play club sports will practice regularly as well as compete with other universities. Intramural teams are comprised of students from the same college who compete against each other. These options allow students to play a sport they love without the time commitment of the varsity team. Many athletes who decide not to participate in a varsity sport at their college will pursue a club or intramural sport. For Fioretti, the idea of not competing in a competitive sport sounded undesirable. Fioretti explains, “I will definitely play club or intramural because I want to keep playing the sports that I love and have something competitive to keep me occupied.” For students who want to continue to play sports in college, it is comforting for them to know they have options other than the varsity program.
by Bradley Stillman
Photography Lexi Lobdell and Peggy Propp
Photography Trevor Lutge
Photography Max Fors
Photography Jack Jensen
Photography Kate Perri
Photography Sally Carlson
@themamark facebook.com/themamark
themamark.tumblr.com @themamark
visit machronicle.com for daily news