Issue 2

A CLOSER LOOK (p. 7-10)

CAMPUS (p. 4-6)

We take A Closer Look at the importance of downtime and how a packed schedule can negatively impact a student.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 17, 2017

800 MAGNOLIA AVE. PIEDMONT, CA

Camp Reel Stories teaches young girls about filmmaking and careers in the arts.

VOL. 104

ISSUE 2

The Piedmont Highlander TPHNEWS.COM

Upcoming

@ PHS

WED. OCT. 18 Education Speaker Series at 7:30 p.m. @ Alan Harvey Theater THURS. OCT. 19 Great CA Shakeout Drill at 10:20 a.m. @ PHS TUES. OCT. 24 Parent Preview of Consent Assembly at 7 p.m. @ Alan Harvey Theater

Photo by Ella Lee

As an online Learning Management System, Schoology allows students to check one website for all their digital academic needs, streamlining academics.

Schoology digitizes education ELLA LEE

Bella Oglesby said. “It’s more convenient.”

Schoology offers a more interactive gradebook than Student Information Systems like Infinite Campus, which records grades, attendance, and schedules, Hill said.

Schoology does more than just tell you A or B;

that teachers post will appear on the student’s calendar, allowing them to see their upcoming due dates for different classes in the same Schoology, a learning management system, place. simplifies the relationship between school and “All the assignments are right there, technology so that students can get the most instead of jumbling everything together,” out of the online classroom experience, said Donaldson said.

English teacher and Technology and Learning Because it Coach Debbi Hill. is an entirely “The whole concept of a learning new system, the “Schoology will be the one door you go management system is that it does a lot of transition comes through to get to digital school.” things that these other tools do, so it’s a more with challenges, cohesive and simpler digital hub,” Hill said Hill said.

Debbi Hill when asked how Schoology compares to “Schoology is English teacher and Technology and Learning Coach platforms like Google Classroom and personal kind of confusing teacher websites. “[Schoology] is my web right now, we don’t presence, gradebook, and discussion forum.” know how to use Hill said that though students talk about it yet,” Donaldson preferring Infinite Campus over Schoology, it is linked directly to your work, to give the said. “I don’t think everyone is responding teachers will use both. The tech department student more accessible feedback. very well to it because they’re changing “Within your grades, if you see a grade for something they’ve used for so long.” is trying to figure out a way to connect a paper or something in Infinite Campus, you Schoology and on Infinite Campus.

Students also face the problem of Seniors will continue to submit their just see the number,” Hill said. “In Schoology, inconsistency in how their teachers use transcripts for college applications through you see the number, you can click on it and Schoology. Only a few teachers do use it, and Infinite Campus, while Schoology will become see the rubric and the assignment and the different teachers utilize different parts of the go-to site for things like assignments and comments.”

Schoology; some use the gradebook, others The administration is making the switch the calendar, or a combination of various projects, Hill said.

“There’s still a features, sophomore misunderstanding that Diana Lim said. if everyone is using “Students would Schoology, that means choose Schoology if all no Infinite Campus,” their teachers used it, “Students would choose Schoology if all their Hill said. “That’s not and if they used all that teachers used it, and if they used all that it offers.” the case at all.” it offers,” Lim said.

Sophomore Jack Hill said she hopes Diana Lim Donaldson said he that by second semester, sophomore enjoys the Schoology all teachers are gradebook. introduced to Schoology “It’s a simpler and that by next school interface,” Donaldson said. “I like that when to Schoology so that rather than each teacher year, everyone will be making full use of the you click on grades, it gives them to you using something different, like Google platform.

Classroom, personal websites, or Teacher straight away.”

“Any new technology comes with Schoology can help students with tasks Notes, they will all use Schoology. difficulties and resistance and that’s “Schoology will be the one door you go understandable,” Hill said. like organizing and completing assignments automatically linked to the gradebook, Hill through to get to digital school,” Hill said.

Donaldson said he feels optimistic about The calendar, personalized to each the future of Schoology. said.

“I like how Schoology has your student, is an important feature of Schoology, “I think I will learn to like it,” Donaldson assignments linked to your grades,” senior Hill said. The assignments, tests, and projects said.

staff writer

THURS. OCT. 26 Consent Assembly Safe Driving Assembly THURS. NOV. 2 - SUN. NOV. 5 Fall Plays at 7:30 p.m. @ Alan Harvey Theater

Ch eck out Campus Question: What would you add to the school during the remodel?

Homecoming Week Photo Gallery

Senior Picnic Photo Gallery

Video: You say “skoology,” I say “skooology” To see more, check out TPHNews.com

2

OCTOBER 17, 2017

The Piedmont Highlander

News

Architects reveal design for new high school

OCTOBER 17, 2017

The Piedmont Highlander

News

3

Meet the National Merit Scholar Semifinalists

Photo courtesy of measureh1.org

These designs for the remodeled school were presented at the School Board meeting on Sept. 27. The remodel, which will utilize Measure H1 funds, includes a new 3-story STEAM building.

SHAY HEMPECK

opinions editor

Almost a year ago, PUSD authorized a $66 million bond to be poured into Piedmont schools, and after much planning, HKIT Architects released the final designs on Sept. 27. The district is renovating the theatre, and building a 3-story STEAM building that will sit in the school’s entrance. One of the main goals of the

reconstruction is to utilize zero net energy utilities, such as teaching tool PVs, and energy-efficient shades. Another change, based on the design plans, alters the floor plan and elevates the buildings. There have not been multiple stories in PHS buildings in decades, besides the stairs heading down from 30s building classrooms to the library.

In an email to students and parents, Superintendent Randall Booker stressed the importance of keeping the campus’

history, and create a modern school to be a tool for “energy production, use, and conservation.” Since April 2017, the district has held multiple community meetings, for individuals to view the multiple plans for the school, and share input and ideas. There was also a feedback form online for people who could not attend the community meetings to share their thoughts. Booker reports that hundreds of students, parents, and residents voiced their thoughts between

Find dy/dx if y=7x+9sin(3-x^2)

Photo by Margo Rosenbaum

Freshman Sam Eisenbach sits in his AP Calculus AB class among juniors and seniors after studying to skip two math levels.

Freshman Sam Eisenbach excels among seniors MAX MONICAL staff writer The teacher lifted her hand off the board and stepped away. The upperclassmen in fifth period AP Calculus AB stared at it, desperately trying to figure out how to solve the problem. A familiar silence ensued, one most have experienced when no one can answer the question put forth. The teacher looked around, rapidly losing any hope that someone could solve it. Right before she gave up and moved on with the lesson, a student raised his hand.

Freshman Sam Eisenbach saved the class.

Math teacher Amy Dunn-Ruiz teaches that Calculus AB class. “[Eisenbach] came up and explained one of the more challenging proofs to the class and was a very good presenter. He explained clearly in a way that I think the rest of the class was able to understand,” she said.

During the summer, Eisenbach decided to finish Math Analysis so he could start Calculus AB during his first year of high school.

“I shut myself in my room and studied 10 hours a day of Math Analysis” Eisenbach said.

Sam has been teaching himself math in this fashion even before he entered the middle school.

“In fifth grade I was teaching myself sixth and seventh grade math using Khan Academy,” Eisenbach said. “At the end of 5th grade, I took a test to go into Common Core 8, and took that course.”

At this point he was already two grade levels ahead, but he didn’t stop there. Going into seventh grade, he took a test to skip freshman level math.

Dunn-Ruiz said over the past month, she has noted the unique work ethic and passion for math that Eisenbach possesses.

“The fact that he spent the summer getting ready for the class shows that he must have fun doing math, and I love that he has that enthusiasm.” Dunn-Ruiz said.

Eisenbach said he has taken no outside courses and taught himself all of the courses he has skipped, through Khan Academy or using the textbook from the school curriculum.

Despite the amount of time Eisenbach has put into math , he said he does not plan to pursue a career in it.

“Although I like math, my main interest is science,” Eisenbach said. “I want to be a quantum physicist when I grow up.”

Dunn-Ruiz and counselor Amanda Carlson both said they have never heard of a freshman in Calculus before.

However, Eisenbach isn’t the only freshman that has reached a typically upperclassmen math class . Freshman Thomas Chu is in Honors Math Analysis this year.

Honors Math Analysis includes curriculum from both Math Analysis and Calculus AB, so Eisenbach and Chu will both take Calculus BC next year.

“After Calculus BC, we’ll probably go to Cal [junior year] and do multivariable calculus or linear algebra.”

Eisenbach said.

the meetings and online forms.

Ground will be breaking during the summer of 2018, and students of PHS will be around lots of construction for years to come. But, based on the designs, generations of students will be appreciating the renovated, beautiful campus. After months of input, and endless community meetings, a final decision has been reached, and the plans are open for anyone to view at measureh1.org.

SHOO THE FLU TUESDAY OCT. 24

District Nurses, in collaboration with the Alameda County Public Health Department and California Department of Public Health Shoo the Flu program, will administer flu shots to students on Oct. 24 at the PHS library.

Interested students must submit a consent form to the administration

by Oct. 20.

Visit the Library at Tutorial, Brunch, or Lunch on Oct. 24 to get your shot!

Photo courtesy of Cassie Fox-Mount

Photo courtesy of The Piedmont Post

The National Merit Scholars Scholarship recognized seniors Ellie Coleman, Rohan Srivastava, David Yu, Eva Hunter, Mira Tellegen, and Juliet Kucirek (left to right) as Semifinalists on Sept. 13.

MILES FAWCETT staff writer The National Merit Scholarship Competition recognized six Piedmont seniors as National Merit Scholars on Sept. 13. Rohan Srivastava, Ellie Coleman, David Yu, Eva Hunter, and Julia Kucirek received Merit Scholarship honors.

In order to be a National Merit Scholar, a student must take the PSAT, be enrolled in a high school or homeschool, and be a US citizen. Of the 1.6 million students who take the PSAT each year, the top 50,000 become Merit Scholar Semifinalists.

An advantage of being a Merit Scholar is the recognition students receive from colleges.

Colleges boast the number of

Merit Scholars they have for each freshman class, making Merit Scholars a commodity.

Merit Scholar Finalists can also qualify for a two thousand dollar

profession that would aid the company.

Senior David Yu feels excited about the prospect of receiving a Corporate Scholarship, since his

“It’s a 2,000 dollar scholarship, but we have less than a 50 percent chance to get it, so initially I didn’t know if I wanted to pursue that” Srivastava said.

“It’s a 2,000 dollar scholarship, but we have less than a 50 percent chance to get it.”

Rohan Srivastava senior

scholarship.

Companies may award corporate scholarships to children of employees who reach Finalist status. Corporate Scholarships aim to sponsor a particular

parents both work for companies that have Corporate Scholarship options for children of employees.

National Merit Scholar senior Rohan Srivastava said he felt skeptical at first.

Srivastava then reevaluated the scholarship and calculated its expected value using the time he put in and the money he could get out of it.

“If you think about it in the

W hat’s ‘Sup? You are not totally free at 18

Vote, check.

Get a tattoo, check.

Serve in the military, check.

Get married, check.

Excuse yourself from school, maybe.

All 18-year-old students who want to excuse themselves from school must have their parents sign an agreement. This privilege can be revoked at any time by the administration if they find the student is abusing the policy, according to the PHS handbook. 18-year-old senior Siddharth Gala said he talked to his mom about signing the agreement, and his mom liked the policy and agreed to sign the form.

“The calls the office send to your parents are really repetitive and annoying,” Gala said.

According to educational lawyer and retired PHS principal Rich Kitchens, the policy that allows 18-year-old students to excuse their absences has been around for over 10 years, yet laws around the policy are still unclear.

“The law is not specific because there are competing obligations,” Kitchens said.

“There is the school’s obligation to make sure the parents are aware of the student’s situation,

with Suppiger

and then there are the student’s rights as an adult.”

The policy is based on how parents are obligated to make sure that their kids are at school even if the kid is 18, and the parents can be fined if the student is consistently truant. When the student is at school, the school is obligated to act in place of a parent, and prevent the student from cutting class. Therefore, both the parents and the school can take away this privilege, because it is both of their obligations to keep the student at school regardless of age.

According to Kitchens, there is no law that speaks directly to the school’s policy, so it can be changed or modified at any time by the school.

“In education law, schools have wide discretion to act in that grey area,” Kitchens said.

S o m e students such as 17-yearold senior Jonas Rapport feel this policy should be changed.

Rapport said it is too harsh on adult students.

“Adults have a lot Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock of responsibility, and a lot of consequences come with that responsibility,” Rapport said. “So you should also be granted some privileges.”

context of college, which is like 200,000, then it’s not even a drop in the bucket,” Srivastava said.

Srivastava said he realized that spending one or two hours for a chance at the scholarship would be worth his while.

“Once I reframed my mindset, I thought even though it’s not a guarantee, rationally it makes sense to pursue,” Srivastava said.

Srivastava says he plans to submit an application and hope for the best.

Yu’s advice to anyone wanting to pursue a Merit Scholarship is to figure out a way to take tests and be chill. Yu said he recommends that test takers accept that there will be stress and find a way to counter it and make sure their head is in the right place.

What’s ‘Sup? with Suppiger will be a returning segment in TPH. Staff writer William Suppiger will examine our school policies in an effort to educate the student body.

Look to page 29 of your student planner to read the full policy surrounding the rights of eighteen-year-old students.

“Eighteen-year-old students are adults and as such may legally excuse themselves for absences under certain conditions. As with excuses presented by parents, state law requires a believable, reasonable excuse if the excuse is to be accepted by school authorities.”

Staff writer William Suppiger will examine our school policies in an effort to educate the student body.

Contact Will at wsuppiger@tphnews.com if there is a school policy that you want him to examine.

4

OCTOBER 17, 2017

CAMPUS

Girls learn about filmmaking through Camp Reel Stories MARGO ROSENBAUM campus editor Thirteen percent of writers in the media. Seven percent of directors. Even though they make up about 50 percent of the world’s population, women hold fewer roles than men in the filmmaking industry.

According to their website, Camp Reel Stories strives to narrow this gender gap by offering a summer program that teaches young women about filmmaking. PHS girls have taken advantage of this opportunity by participating in the camps and joining the student board.

The non-profit, all volunteer run organization holds two, five day “boot camps” or beginner camps, and one week of advanced camp every summer at Oakland School for the Arts. Aged 13 to 19-year-old girls learn to write, shoot, edit, and broadcast short documentary or narrative films. At the end of each session, a film festival broadcasts their creations, said PMS Film and Animation teacher Anne Smith. Smith is also on the the Camp Reel Stories Board of Directors and is a summer film producer.

“In about two days, in terms of the filming and the editing, the films they make are just outstanding,” Smith said. “They are so varied, diverse, and reflective of what each of the girls are thinking about.”

Camp Reel Stories was started by former Pixar employee Esther Pearl in 2013. Smith said that Pearl was very aware of the underrepresentation of females in the film industry, and wanted to create an organization that would empower young women to explore film and media.

“Our mission is that if females are represented behind the scenes in films, they will be more accurately represented on the screen,” Smith said.

By having at least 50 percent of the girls in the camp on scholarship, Smith said that it helps their mission of encouraging diversity in the film industry.

“When girls look at television programs or movies, they do not really see themselves being represented,” Smith said.

“So Camp Reel Stories wants to support that diversity and give everyone a voice.”

Smith said that over 20 girls from PHS

have attended Camp Reel Stories because she informs them about it.

“We have been fortunate to have a lot of Piedmont girls,” Smith said. “Because I teach film at PMS, and there is no film program at the high school, I have presented this as a possibility for students to do in the summer time.”

Due to their desire to become more involved in the program, juniors Clarissa Lam and Jane Simonetti, and freshman Aya Troyer joined the Camp Reel Stories student board, Simonetti said.

“I thought this camp was a lot of fun and I didn’t only want to go back in the summer,” Troyer said. “I thought that if I was a part of the board, then I could be participating in it the whole year.”

Simonetti said that Pearl finds different opportunities for the student board members to participate in throughout the year.

“As a board member, we have meetings once a month and we discuss different ways we can get Camp Reel Stories out to the general public, and how we can advertise it,” Simonetti said. “We hold a fundraiser in October, and I am going to be there helping with that.”

Other women in the film industry collaborate with the seven high schoolers on the student board. The 30 total board members decide how to use their funding, what they need and how they should alter the camp, Simonetti said. “[Lam] and [Simonetti] have been really great, and have been quite the spokespeople since being on the student board last year, and continuing this year,” Smith said.

To join the student board, Troyer said that girls should attend the camp a few times and possibly become an advanced camper. An email with a form is sent to all campers asking whether they want to join the board, and if so, why.

Because she has attended camp three times, Simonetti said that she has learned a lot about film.

“I learned how to work the certain cameras, how to use audio equipment, and how to direct and write a film,” Simonetti said.

Simonetti and other Camp Reel Stories

Photo courtesy of Anne Smith

Girls who attend Camp Reel Stories work in gorup production companies to create their short films.

attendees have been able to attend and get their films nominated in film festivals such as New York and Portland, Oregon.

“Going to the festivals and seeing your film on the big screen next to a bunch of other filmmakers is super rewarding,” Simonetti said.

Freshman Claire Lichty, who attended a one week session over the summer, said that she gained appreciation for filmmaking because she experienced its difficulty.

“I think the biggest thing is you don’t realize how hard something is until you try it,” Lichty said. “I always took movies for granted, and now I realize that there is so much work that goes into them. And it is like that with everything.”

Simonetti said that she not only learned how to create films, but also gained more

Questions and Allison’s Answers

FDR

Favorite historical figure?

FDR

World traveller

Job that is not a teacher?

Public Relations

Who knows history teacher Allison Cota best?

Her daughter, sophomore Gabi Cota, or her son, freshman Jake Cota?

Jake’s Answers MLK

Historian

One thing Allison would bring to a desert island?

Her dog

Her dog

Eating chocolate

Guilty Pleasure?

Dark chocolate

Eating chocolate

When Harry Met Sally

Favorite movie?

When Harry Met Sally

The Breakfast Club

Barcelona

Place Allison would live?

Barcelona

5/6

Gabi wins!

Her dog

applicable skills to everyday life.

“I’ve learned so much about how to ask for a job,” Simonetti said. “I learned more social skills, with documentaries, since you have to reach out to ask people to interview and set up a time. It has made me more comfortable talking with people I might not necessarily know.”

Even if the girls who attend the camp do not go into filmmaking as a career, they still gained a greater understanding and appreciation for film creation through their experience, Smith said.

“I think it is really important for them to have the opportunity to tell their stories from a point of view from a female, and become aware of media and the statistics that exist in terms of who is producing the media,” Smith said.

Barcelona

3/6

The Piedmont Highlander

Campus

5

Documentaries delve deeper into diversity NINA TAFAPOLSKY

“I think we are able to tie the films to a local reality when we have speakers,” Pervere said.

On a warm Wednesday For “And Then They Came evening, the Havens campus for Us,” 97 year-old Yae Wada seemed like it always did at night, spoke about her experience in the darkness and silence blanketing internment camps. the playground and halls. No one “The audience was really would ever expect the hundreds moved by her story of the effect of the internment on her life even of people crowded into the Ellen Driscoll Theater, eyes focused after she was released from the on the stage, where a projector internment camp,” Nexon said screen cast a blue light over the when talking about Wada. faces in the crowd.

The film series strives to unite This crowd - children and all members of the Bay Area grown ups alike - had gathered to community, Pervere said. see “And Then They Came For “They said ‘who’s from Us,” a film about the Japanese Piedmont’ and they raised their American internment camps hands, then they said ‘who’s from during WWII. Oakland’ and so many people For 20 years, the Appreciating raised their hands and then they said ‘who’s from Berkeley’ and Diversity Film Series has featured everyone went ‘woop documentaries like woop,’” math teacher “And Then They Diana Miller said Came for Us” that “You can get a more full about the “And Then center around diversity experience of the film if you They Came For Us” issues. The non-profit screening at Ellen series is sponsored by have an opportunity to talk the City of Piedmont, Driscoll. about it right afterwards.” the Piedmont Adult To increase the Janet Nexton School, the League accessibility of the Appreciating Diversity Film Series committee member of Women Voters, series to a wider Bay and the Piedmont Area audience, all of Appreciating the documentaries Diversity Committee. feature both at The “The point of the series is “Diversity is pretty broadly Ellen Driscoll Theater and to let people know that issues defined in our case to include The New Parkway Theater in of diversity are fascinating, and racial diversity, economic Oakland, Pervere said. there are great ways to learn and to diversity, gender diversity, age “There is a lot of evidence get engaged with what’s going on diversity,” Nexon said. that people help each other if in the world,” said Appreciating The series also provides they think that they are part of the Diversity Film Series committee discussion platform for the topics same community, so I think it is member Maude Pervere. shown in the films, Pervere said. in all of our best interests if we At first, the series started “To see a movie in a expand that sense of who’s in our out as a speaker series, and then group makes a whole different community,” Pervere said. the committee chose to feature experience rather than sitting at Junior Niki Roseborough said documentaries accompanied by home and watching it on your going to “And Then They Came panel discussions, Pervere said. computer or Netflix,” Nexon For Us” at The New Parkway “I think that today’s geniuses said. “You can get a more full made her experience unique. are often filmmakers,” Pervere experience of the film if you have “There’s a sense of said. “It’s hard to do a good job an opportunity to talk about it community seeing it in a place and if you make a successful right afterwards.” like that, or the Ellen Driscoll, film, you’ve usually put together Committee-organized guest along with the speakers at the some fairly nuanced ideas that are speakers add to the experience end makes it very different than much easier to present when you of the viewing in after-screening seeing it at any movie theater,” can do it with pictures and words, panel discussions, Pervere said.

Roseborough said. staff writer

Who Knows Who Gabi’s Answers

OCTOBER 17, 2017

not just words.”

In addition to “And Then They Came for Us”, the Appreciating Diversity Film Series will show the following films this year and into January: “CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap”, “Growing Up Trans”, and a double feature of “The Arc of Justice” and “The House We Live In”, Pervere said.

For a documentary to be shown by the series, it must examine issues of diversity and a committee of nine members must preview it, and then vote if it should be shown. When voting, the members look for certain qualities that makes a film cohesive with the rest of the series, said Appreciating Diversity Film Series committee member Janet Nexon.

Photo courtesy of Diversity Film Series

The first film of this year’s series discussed Japanese-American internment.

Upcoming screenings CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap Oct. 25, 2017 at 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Ellen Driscoll Playhouse, 325 Highland Ave, Piedmont, CA Oct. 28, 2017 at 3:00-4:30 p.m.

The New Parkway Theater, 474 24th St, Oakland, CA 94612

Growing Up Trans

Dec. 7, 2017 at 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Ellen Driscoll Playhouse, 325 Highland Ave, Piedmont, CA Dec. 9, 2017 at 3:00-4:30 p.m.

The New Parkway Theater, 474 24th St, Oakland, CA 94612

Arc of Justice & The House We Live In Jan. 11, 2018 at 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Ellen Driscoll Playhouse, 325 Highland Ave, Piedmont, CA

Meet Me @ Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream SAMANTHA FANGER AND SARA SIQUEIRA acl editor and editor-in-chief Location:

2335 Broadway, Oakland Hours:

1PM to 11PM Monday - Thursday

12PM to 12AM Friday - Saturday

12PM to 10PM Sunday Prices:

1 scoop ----- $4.50

Butterbeer, Persian lime and curry, and secret breakfast are just a few of Humphry Slocombe’s signature ice cream flavors. Housed in a shipping container structure, this ice cream shop describes itself as a “bizarre, delicious, frozen universe,” which you will see to be true after taste-testing the wide variety of unique flavors. You may not have considered that some of the flavors, like secret breakfast, which consists of bourbon ice cream with scattered cornflakes, could even be made into ice cream. However, don’t be shy, because Humphry Slocombe also serves more traditional flavors, such as Malted Milk Chocolate, just with more “umph” as

each flavor is rich, sharp, and very sweet.

At the downtown Oakland location, Humphry Slocombe can be found in a courtyard amidst the hustle and bustle of Broadway Avenue and parallels a hipster vibe with a neighboring coffee shop, which is also inside a shipping container. Humphry Slocombe’s advertisement of free samples is no lie as the service was friendly and welcoming. The employee excitedly explained the flavors and brought out the sample spoons before he was asked.

Humphry Slocombe’s unique name comes from the two main characters of the British 1970’s comedy “Are You Being Served?”

Humphry Slocombe offers more than just traditional

ice cream. Their menu also includes toppings beyond the classic rainbow sprinkles, such as cornflake crunch, olive oil and sea salt, and marshmallow fluff. If you’re feeling more hungry, sundaes, floats, and pies are also offered.

Overall, Humphry Slocombe offers a unique experience with something for everyone (except those who are lactose intolerant) from the butterbeer for Harry Potter fans, to the acquired taste of the Persian lime and curry, to the authenticity of the Blue Bottle Vietnamese coffee flavor. To top it off, the friendly employees and the Oaklandish environment will make the experience worth more than just a scoop of ice cream.

6

OCTOBER 17, 2017

The Piedmont Highlander

Campus

Hunter hunts down victory in Khan Academy Contest

A CLOSER LOOK

CLARISSA LAM

much work and there’s nothing really to lose from it,” Hunter said.

Both Hunter and Dunn-Ruiz said they believe that the timing of the competition proved difficult for many students.

“The deadline crept up pretty quickly,” Dunn-Ruiz said. “And this time of year, seniors are super busy, getting ready for college applications and juniors are taking the PSAT. There’s just a lot going on this

grap hics

by Ka the

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on

Senior Eva Hunter created a video about immuno-oncology in a sports report form for the contest.

by

ie Black, and Azul Kothari

ills W

Photo courtesy of Eva Hunter

edited and designed by Sama ntha Fang er a nd Ka the r in eI rv

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thought it would be a cool thing to do, and on the off chance that I get something out staff writer of it, that’d be really cool,” Hunter said. $250,000 scholarship. $100,000 lab.

Along with the creative freedom $50,000 for the teacher. One contestant: contestants have while making their videos, senior Eva Hunter. The annual Khan Dunn-Ruiz said she was also attracted to Academy Contest has come and gone, the competition’s other unique qualities, taking with it a single PHS entry. To such as the size of the contest and prize. compete, students had to enter a video “It is an international contest, so it spanning less than three minutes, would be pretty phenomenal to have one describing any science or math concept. of our students place in that,” Dunn-Ruiz “The kids that were drawn to it were said. either really interested in math or science Also, should a student win the and are already going above and beyond in competition, $100,000 for a new lab would that field, or are really creative and were be very beneficial as the school makes looking for ways to express themselves plans for a potential remodel, Dunn-Ruiz creatively,” math teacher Amy Dunn-Ruiz said. said.

“I’ve always loved science, and I hope Connecting the science aspect of the that this prize is part of the process of contest and having helping more already expressed kids, who are a curiosity in a bit nerdy like “It is an international me, to get the immuno-oncology three years ago contest, so it would be opportunity to while writing her pretty phenomenal to have do science,” I-Search, Hunter Hardy said. one of our students place said she used that The prize information to money gives in that.”

Amy Dunn-Ruiz create her video. students, who math teacher I m m u n o do not have oncology is the substantial study of drugs that money or target the immune support to system to help it receive high fight cancer, Hunter said. levels of education, the possibility to “It’s a difficult subject that not a lot of do so. Students from second and third people know about,” Hunter said. “It’s very world countries benefit the most from relevant because a lot of people are either the competition’s low risk, high benefit affected directly or indirectly by cancer, so qualities, Hardy said. it’s something people should know about.”

“We live in an age where technology While the topic and information dominates our lives, and having young presented in the video should be engaging, people interested in science is really judges also take into consideration the important,” Hardy said. “Of course for the performance of the contestant, said winner, it gives them a great opportunity to professor of neuroscience and contest do really well academically,so I think it has judge John Hardy. a general benefit and a specific benefit.”

Students are asked to teach their The competition inspires students to concept in the most creative way possible. pursue scientific or mathematical careers, To meet this requirement, Hunter presented so by getting more schools involved, the her information as part of a sports report, competition serves its purpose, Hardy said.

Hunter said.

“I’m surprised more people didn’t take “I don’t really expect to win, but I [part in] it because I don’t think it was that

7

OCTOBER 17, 2017

time of year.”

Despite this year’s low participation levels, Dunn-Ruiz said she already looks to ensure greater success in future years.

“If they do the contest again next year, I will definitely try to be more proactive in helping my students know about it and trying to support them in the creative process and the production process,” Dunn-Ruiz said.

O ther contest opportunities for students * Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Deadline: Dec. 7, 2017

* Regeneron Science Talent Search Deadline: Nov. 15, 2017

* Claremont Review’s Annual Writing & Art Contest Deadline: Nov. 15, 2017

‘Decide’ founders teach decision making skills

Photo by Owen Levinson

Students listen to the founders of “Decide” during the VoCo event at lunch.

OWEN LEVINSON staff writer

DP or family game night?

Dream school or debt free? This dress or that dress?

Students poured into room 16 on Sep. 27 to learn the tools to make smart, well-informed decisions. With more than 40 students packed into the room, many sat on the floor attentively

watching and learning to feel confident in their decisions.

At Voice Cooperative’s, or VoCo’s, first event of the school year, founders of the company “Decide,” Maria Carson Breber and KeriAnne Hohener introduced students to their decision making process. Breber said that she and Hohener started their company a little over a year ago, and have been helping and

guiding clients to select their ideal options.

“Our goal is to get people to not fear or feel paralyzed by decisions,” Breber said during the presentation.

Breber and Hohener’s six step plan involves the participant identifying key factors and then giving each factor a certain point value. The total amount of points has to equal 100, so the participant must decide which factors are most important to the decision, between the two or three options. Once the points are all added up, and the person sees which option has more, they have a gut check, Breber said.

“The gut check is great because it shows [the participant] how they actually feel,” Hohener said. “Once they see which option ‘won’ they allow themselves to show how they actually feel, whether they like or don’t like that option.”

Breber and Hohener’s presentation showed students the basic format they use in their process.

“Their method for making

decisions is really unique and is something that I’d never really thought of,” said junior Max

Raushenbush were approached

by Gao and Sanford and asked to continue the club, and since 2016 they have supervised the club themselves, said.

“Our goal is to get people Guzdar “We’ve changed to not fear or feel paralyzed VoCo a little bit,” Guzdar said. “When by decisions.”

[Gao] and [Sanford] Maria Carson Breber had it two years co-founder of “Decide” ago, it was more like performances in smaller classrooms.

Roitblat, a frequent VoCo event But since then, [Raushenbush] attendant. “I would definitely use and I have tried to get speakers their system if I had a big decision that cover topical issues.” to make.”

VoCo’s meetings don’t just The decision making provide a platform for speakers, presentation was the first of they also provide a space for many VoCo meetings that will students to interact and connect occur throughout the year. Co- with those speakers, Guzdar said. presidents seniors Maya Guzdar “Going to [VoCo] events are and Genevieve Raushenbush set really interesting,” Roitblat said. up events and invite speakers “They bring in a whole variety of during the school year. different people. I like how their “We’re trying to cover topics events aren’t rushed like Diversity that aren’t discussed as much in Day at the middle school, but Piedmont,” Guzdar said. spread out and actually allow you VoCo was started in 2015 to meet new people and learn new by then seniors Courtney Gao things.” and Grace Sanford. Guzdar and

With so many assignments to do and places to be, it can be difficult for students to find the time to unwind. We take a closer look at how having downtime affects us in three different ways.

8

OCTOBER 17, 2017

The Piedmont Highlander

A Closer Look

OCTOBER 17, 2017

The Piedmont Highlander

A Closer Look

It's okay to have your head in the clouds.

Emotional Carpe diem, Latin for seize the day, would be a fitting motto for PHS, where students tend to fill every waking minute of their lives with activities, accomplishing as much as they can during their four years. However, while there are students who thrive on a busy schedule, lack of free time has contributed to increased levels of stress, said clinical supervisor at the Wellness Center Alisa Crovetti.

Crovetti estimates that of the approximately 200 students referred to the Wellness Center, almost all bring in concerns about stress related to over-scheduling.

“Some people get greatly gratified by having lots of activities and being busy,” Crovetti said. “I think the line is when you start to notice symptoms of stress.”

These symptoms include difficulty sleeping, agitation, worry, and inability to think clearly, Crovetti said.

“You can feel when you’re on and you’re relaxed, and focused, versus when you’re mind’s jumping around and you can’t stay on a topic,” Corvetti said. “That probably means you’ve gone too far.”

Sometimes these symptoms accumulate to the point where students are unable to come to school. Crovetti said that over the last five years she has seen an increase in this behavior, known as school refusal.

“I don’t think it’s in high school students’ repertoires, or even in college students’ repertoires, to think about self care,” Crovetti said.

Crovetti said teachers and administration should try to discuss strategies for self care.

“Downtime-- I don’t know how much you hear people talking about that,” Crovetti said. “I think that should become a more common part of our vocabulary.”

Research during the 1990s found that when the mind is not concentrating on anything in particular, certain regions in the brain actually become more active.

Further scientific studies discovered that while daydreaming, the mind enters a state known as default mode network (DMN).

According to reviews of research on DMN at the University of Southern California, daydreaming helps individuals process their daily experiences, and resolve fundamental tension. Authors of the review found that the mind undergoes a thorough self evaluation while daydreaming.

Crovetti said that what works for some students to achieve downtime might not work for others.

“People need to think about what works for them,” Crovetti said. “For some kids it’s watching Netflix for a couple hours; it’s binging on a video game; it’s getting on social media; it’s taking a walk; it’s hanging out with friends.”

Crovetti believes some of those activities are more beneficial than others. She said it can be dangerous when kids are spending too much time on social media or playing video games.

“Meditation, exercise, walking in nature-- I think those are the superlatives,” Crovetti said. “I don’t think [social media and video games] are necessarily resting

the mind, or resting the brain,” Crovetti said.

However, she also said that to achieve downtime, the mind does not necessarily have to be fully at rest.

“Even if [the activity] involves the mind, like reading a book, that can be really good,” Crovetti said.

According to research at the University of Sussex in England, reading for just six minutes reduced stress by 68 percent.

After a long school week, senior Katie Fraser can spend hours over the weekends in her room drawing.

“When I don’t have free time, that’s really stressful for me,” Fraser said. “It freaks me out if I can’t have that time to settle down and be with my own thoughts.”

Last year, due to her workload, Fraser said she had very little free time.

“I think it’s like most important as an upperclassmen not to overschedule. That’s the Piedmont High School curse,” Fraser said. “It happens here especially because it’s such a competitive environment.”

Senior Genevieve Raushenbush, who fills her time with extracurriculars such as crew and choir, said that she focuses on compartmentalizing, staying in the moment with each activity, to ensure she makes the most of her downtime.

“I take my downtime very seriously,” Raushenbush said. “I’m at complete rest.

I love walking my dog with friends and making smoothies.”

Raushenbush said she tries not to ruin the integrity of the activity she is doing by being distracted and adding the weight of other commitments to it.

“I think overscheduling contributes to a lack of down time and sleep,” Crovetti said. “And then it’s a really negative cycle, because students are less capable of getting their work done and more stressed.”

What is “Downtime is time that I can play guitar, watch Netflix, no homework, no football, no school, not with anybody but myself.”

-Mike Goody, junior

Physical “I do crew at Oakland Strokes. Crew is six days a week, but sometimes we get Wednesdays off and we always get Sundays off, and that’s from 4 to 6:30.

Saturdays are mornings from 7 to 10:30,” senior Genevieve Raushenbush said. “Then I do choir, and I have two nights a week of that.”

Although students continue to fill their schedules with school, sports and other extracurriculars, there are benefits to having unscheduled portions of the day and time to rest, too.

“I love every activity that I do, but I will admit that I have a little bit too much going on,” said Raushenbush.

According to Dr. Samuele Marcora, a leading researcher in the field of brain endurance, downtime is extremely important and can have a drastic effect on how an ath- lete performs. A tired, busy mind can often result in a tired body, which can reduce an athlete’s physical abilities.

“I guess I get some [free time] on the weekends, but right now it’s kind of filled up with college apps.

I’ll take a nap or something on the

weekends. I try to get stuff done during my free seventh, and then as soon as I come home from crew, I eat dinner, and then I shower and do my homework and go straight to

9

bed,” Raushenbush said.

Marcora said that athletic performance is clinically proven to be hindered after a mentally fatiguing task such as school work or any unfamiliar activity, and it can also increase someone’s perception of effort, making the task seem much more difficult.

Marcora said, “The longer an athlete focuses on a monotonous task, the greater the buildup of a neurotransmitter called adenosine, which can cause mental fatigue in athletes and significantly impair their performance.”

The correlation between a tired brain and a tired body stresses the importance of downtime. Downtime is crucial for athletes if they wish to perform at an optimal level.

“I take my downtime very seriously. I’m at complete rest,” Raushenbush said, “that could be with friends- lying down listening to music or talking, and asking each other questions. I tend to associate downtime with minimal movement.”

Downtime is necessary to strengthen the brain and the body in order to prepare it for more difficult tasks.

During physical activity, an athlete’s body experiences two types of fatigue: peripheral fatigue and central fatigue. Peripheral fatigue is centered in the muscles, but central fatigue originates in the brain. Athletes can fight central fatigue through a neural circuit that has two phases: inhibition and facilitation. Inhibition occurs when the body tells the brain that the muscles are tired, which allows the athlete to slow down. However, if the athlete still has enough energy, the inhibitory signals can be weakened through facilitation, which is the ability to continue exercising. Once the body uses up all of its available resources, facilitation must stop because the athlete has reached exhaustion and cannot continue exercising.

For athletes who do not receive sufficient rest, the facilitation circuit is weakened. This results in a reduced athletic performance.

This means that recovery becomes very important to staying strong and healthy.

One of the main ways that athletes recuperate is through adequate amounts of sleep.

Raushenbush does her best to get eight hours of sleep. “I normally go to bed around 10:30. I really try for that, but sometimes when I have a ton of homework, then it turns into 11, although I really can’t do productive work past 11:15, tops,” she said.

In other cases, the exercise itself can become a time to rest and recover. For instance, ultramarathoner Sarah Lavender Smith uses her runs throughout her week as a time to unplug. She said that her runs are a form of active meditation, or downtime, and they allow her to work through her more difficult thoughts.

Smith enjoys the habit and routine of her weekday runs, as well as the feeling that comes with it. However, the physical sensation is not the only part of Smith’s running. She also said that she does her best thinking when she is running on the trails.

Downtime serves an important purpose in athletics and other aspects of life. Although downtime allows people and athletes to stay healthier, it does not necessarily make things easier.

Raushenbush said, “Don’t do things if they don’t actually excite you and make you happy, but if you like something that you’re doing, then do whatever you can to do it, so long as you are making healthy decisions for yourself.”

Downtime?

“The process someone does to ‘chill’ after a hard day at work or school. Or as my mom says, ‘doing nothing productive with your life’.”

-Val Besch, freshman

10

OCTOBER 17, 2017

The Piedmont Highlander

Educational

A Closer Look

Does PHS take its downtime seriously?

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP. It is 7 a.m. and your alarm blares into your ear. You eat breakfast, gather your school supplies and begin your busy day students want at school. After taking multiple tests and and completing hours of classwork, you finally get home and now it is time to complete homework and study of downtime on average per day for tests and quizzes you must take the next day.

This takes up the rest of your day and it is incredibly tedious. You then finally go to bed, and the cycle repeats the next day.

School, homework, and extracurriculars. All three of these aspects of life take away from a high school student’s much needed downtime, said president of the Challenge Success Club and senior Sarah Machle. of students believe downtime Machle is also a student representative on the Challenge Success school committee. The committee is run by a team of administrators, including counselor Chris can include screens Hartford, Machle said.

Hartford said that the administration and Challenge Success Club have already attempted to help students increase downtime. One example of this is the late starts on Tuesday and Friday. “[Challenge Success] is an organization that works with schools that helps students decrease and reduce stress,” Machle said “It works with individual schools to eval“There is a false belief that by uate the school’s leading issues regarding climate creating a life where everyone is and culture on the social and emotional level.” stressed out, we are then teaching Machle said that the Challenge Success Club and committee is working together on determining how people how to be stressed out for productive and meaningful homework is. college.”

“There is a false belief that by creating a Chris Hartford life where everyone is stressed out, we are then training people to know how to be stressed out Counsellor freshman get only for college,” Hartford said. “Whereas, a lot of research says that it doesn’t help you deal with more stress later; it just makes you much more stressed out at the time.” more downtime than seniors According to an article from Scientific Learning at www.scilearn.com, downtime is incredibly important for the average learners brain. The brain uses as much as 20 percent of the bodies energy while working. Simple acts like resting, meditating, and even blinking help the body and mind rest.

Machle said she has noticed that many students immediately have to go do homework or to a sports practice after school “This is just not a sustainable lifestyle,” Machle said. “A large part of Challenge Success is making sure that students have that [downtime], and a lot of that stems from homework, so that is something that Piedmont High School is focusing on.”

Freshman Jill Coleman agreed that homework takes away from her downtime.

Coleman said that after school she comes home and tries to finish her homework before soccer practice, yet most of the time, Coleman finds herself doing more homework after she gets home from practice. “[Downtime] is when you are not doing anything that is required,” Coleman said “When I’m doing homework, I’m never super focused on the material, I’m more focused on getting it done.”

Sophomore Kami Zimmer said that downtime is when you can sit down without a single worry on your mind.

Zimmer said she does not have much downtime, partly because she dances through an organization called California Academy of Performing Arts.

“With dancing and homework combined, I don’t have much downtime, which is pretty stressful,” Zimmer said. “ I think downtime is incredibly important.”

In addition to daily homework and other extracurriculars, studying for tests takes away a large portion of downtime as well, Machle said.

“If you have a lot of homework and you are spending a lot of time on it, then it is harder to stay focused and process information,” Machle said “So [homework] becomes less productive.”

1.75 hours

53%

11%

11

OCTOBER 17, 2017

OPINIONS

One number does not determine ability RILEY FRANCIS staff writer

Pencil tapping, palms sweating, my eyes dart around the room awaiting the scantron. When the scantron is placed on my desk my foot anxiously taps waiting for the start time. As the clock strikes 8:00, everyone around me furiously starts bubbling in their scantrons. Fear of falling behind, I quickly begin, my heart pulsing throughout my whole body. I am not alone. Millions of students nationwide are feeling the same way I am. This is make or break day, this is test day. Today, a number decides if I can get into my dream school. Whether SAT or ACT, these tests should be abolished, and a new form of information should affect college admission.

According to the New York Times, in 2016, about 3 million students took the SAT and ACT hoping to achieve their dream scores. But one test cannot measure success. This large number of students were very diverse with their scores and preparation. A teenager from a wealthy background is likely to do better on

these tests, due to the opportunity for expensive tutoring sessions that come before the test. The SAT and ACT are biased before students even take it, creating a less diverse pool of students who are getting admitted based on test scores.

Students with learning disabilities are also predisposed to having a harder time on the SAT and ACT before they even take the test. Teenagers with ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disabilities struggle more than the average student on any form of scantron tests. For example, it can be extremely difficult for students with dyslexia to comprehend what the test wants them to accomplish.

Additionally, someone with ADHD has a harder time keeping focus for the long duration of the test. Accommodations are usually given to fit the needs of students with learning disabilities such as additional time, however these accommodations can be a blessing and a curse.

Making a student with ADHD take a seven hour test sets them up for discomfort, restlessness, and a lower test score. These tests are not about intellect and do not accurately portray students with learning differences.

According to the

“Today, a number decides if I can get into my dream school.”

We want your stories.

TPH would like to know how the Napa Valley fires have affected you or people you know.

TPH would like to compile a list of ways students and the community can help fire victims in the coming weeks.

Contact the editors at editors@tphnews.com

I am still driving in circles SAMANTHA FANGER acl editor

It’s 7:55 a.m. and after driving around for the past 11 minutes, there is still nowhere to park. Spot after spot is either taken or marked as a resident or “permit A” space. I contemplate whether or not it is worth parking in the two-hour slot and risk a ticket to avoid a tardy. Finally, an empty spot… and it is about a seven minute walk away from school. I run up the hill only to stumble into class a minute after the bell rings and, low and behold, my teacher marks me late.

There is just not enough parking for students. No matter how early everyone arrives, there is a limited number of spaces to compete over. It is not just students at odds with each other for parking spots. There are other Piedmont residents, city employees, and visitors who need parking, too.

Excusing everyone’s tardiness is not the answer, for obvious reasons. It is also

important to maintain designated permit spots for staff and other city workers.

Still, students should also have the opportunity to get to school on time as they are expected to.

H1 renovations will include solar-paneled roofing and new multi-storied STEAM building for the high school. I think it is reasonable for them to, at least, consider setting aside space for a parking lot for students and staff.

Not having to stress about parking each and every morning will make for happier students and an overall better experience going to school each weekday. If that is not a possibility, then the school should consider issuing permits to students who do not live within walking distance of the school.

The lack of parking around the school has become more than just an inconvenience. Parking is a city-wide issue that may not have an easy fix, but it should still be seriously re-evaluated.

Otherwise, parking will continue to be a problem especially with the projected growth in student population. The city and the school is expending the time and effort to renovate for H-1 anyways.

Might as well add a few more parking spots while they are at it.

Contact Samantha at sfanger@tphnews.com

Washington Post, there are already 950 US colleges and counting that recognize this intellect of students over SAT or ACT scores and look at the student as a whole, rather than a statistic. More universities should switch to test optional to create a more diverse learning atmosphere.

Colleges are always trying to create more diversity, but it is often overlooked that a learning disability is a diversity as well.

On the other side of the spectrum, colleges argue that they need more information to make a decision during admissions. The SAT and ACT give colleges another piece of the student to consider, and helps to be a deciding factor of admissions in tough situations. A new form of information can be given to colleges such as a personal portfolio, giving insight to the student as a whole, or personal interviews to give a broader perspective. Additionally, these tests give somewhat of an even way for colleges to view students. High schools have different ways of weighting grade point averages, while the SAT and ACT give a uniform evaluation of students.

Rather than make students sweat over a menial number, colleges can open up their admissions process to new ideas. A number does not show what a student is capable of, rather how well they perform on standardized tests.

With abolishing the SAT and ACT, students can give colleges a broader sense of their personality and give true insight to their character.

“A number does not show what a student is capable of.”

Contact Riley at rfrancis@tphnews.com

Do you remember?

Do you remember what happened two weeks ago? Sixteen days later and the prayers, charity concerts, and celebrity reactions are all over with. The temporary profile pictures on Facebook are disappearing, and the sympathetic hashtags are being replaced with the usual #tbt, #tagsforlikes, and #photooftheday. When, if ever, will we start to do more? We have become numb to tragedies like the Las Vegas shooting, and it seems the most we ever do is send our “prayers” via social media. As the death toll increases, these events become normal and we see each one as just another shooting. Unfortunately, prayers aren’t going to cut it. The recovery from these shootings is becoming shorter and shorter, and that’s not a good thing. After the Paris terrorist attacks, temporary profile pictures on Facebook, with a French flag superimposed over smiling faces, filled news feeds for months. After the Las Vegas attacks, one of the deadliest attacks in modern U.S. history, we saw less impact. Tweets, news links, Instagram photos, even petitions for gun control spread around social media for a few days. And now, nothing. Are you still talking about it?

We want to stress the importance of a follow-up. Month after month, tragedy after tragedy, we become more desensitized. Will we eventually cease to care at all? Will the amount of deaths be only numbers to us, rather than individual humans? In addition to expressing frustration and grief, we need to take action. As students and as young people, we can call our congressmen and plead for more regulations on gun control. We can create care packages for victims and families of the victims. We can speak out and draw support in our own communities. The possibilities are endless. Even after initial event is over, people still suffer. We just cannot afford to not care anymore, if these tragedies keep occurring. Will Las Vegas cross your mind the next time terrorism and shootings strike the world? Or will your eyes glaze over the news headlines, since it seems like you have heard the same story a dozen times before?

-TPH Editorial board Contact the editors: editors@tphnews.com

12

OCTOBER 17, 2017

The Piedmont Highlander

Opinions

We need to talk about more than textbooks

60 percent of our student population (all of our underwell being. The countless looping of “American Girl” on classmen and about half of our juniors). After just a day the radio, while not uplifting, is an escape from someKATHERINE of mourning the world had started to move on, and PHS thing far worse, and sometimes that’s okay.

IRVING was no exception.

However, the only way we will ever come close to acl editor And before you cry out that no, we had a moment of preventing so many atrocities is if we start to care. Statsilence over ing that there the announceis nothing we ments, (which can do about we didn’t get shootings as On Monday, Oct. 2, my day was almost normal. I for 9/11, refer Nevada govwalked to school with friends while debating the best to our previernor Brian way to strike up a conversation with a stranger, slogged “The death of one should not overshadow the ous issue for Sandoval through two classes, ate a waffle for brunch, and slogged murder of over fifty innocents and the injury of more on that) did breeds through three more. It was only after lunch, when I sat the equivalent of around 60 percent of our student ten seconds complacency down in the very class that I am writing this story for, population.” of silence two and blocks that anyone would have been able to tell that something days after change. High was wrong. the event ocschool spans On Sunday Oct. 1, a 64-year-old man named Stephen curred is too the years Paddock caused the deadliest mass shooting in 70 years, little too late. when chilkilling nearly 60 people and injuring more than 500.

A student dren become Countless mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, and shouldn’t have to take a journalism or history class to young adults, when we are becoming critical thinkers, daughters are now missing their loved ones, and counthave an opportunity to speak about an issue of this magand school is supposed to help us to understand the world less more who were present at the event are in shock over nitude.

If we could create a diversity assembly just days and prepare us for challenging its workings in the future. what they have seen. after instances of anti-Semitism By ignoring this problem we are teaching the next genAnd yet, were reported at the school, and eration that it is okay to accept these shootings and move before my if we could create a lunch forum on to problems we can fix.

And if the generation that will adviser began for people to talk about the elecsoon take control of our government doesn’t believe in our lesson in tion of Donald Trump, then we our ability to fix this then we will have shootings even journalism, “By ignoring this problem we are can set up a place where students more deadly than Las Vegas. not a single teaching the next generation that it is can open up on an issue which On Wednesday Oct. 4, Chancellor of UC Berkeley one of my I believe is just as, if not more, Carol Christ sent out an email to every employee and okay to accept these shootings and teachers had upsetting. student concerning the Las Vegas shooting. She discussed discussed move on to problems we can fix.”

Obviously, inadequate the tragedy but went a step further, outlining every place the shootresponse to shootings is not on campus where everyone could seek support and ways ing, plowing a problem exclusive to PHS. that they could help to effect positive change. While this through America has become desensiemail was a couple days late, it was certainly not too classes as tized to violence, and with the little.

There are ways that our school could have actively though nothrecord for the largest mass shooting in the past 70 years responded, and Christ’s email is proof of that. School is ing had happened. The next day as I did homework, the broke twice in the past two years, it’s easy to see why. about more than learning information others have already only thing I heard on the radio was Tom Petty music and My news feed bombards me with articles reporting the discovered.

We need to discuss events like this; we need debate over whether he was actually dead or not. The violent ends of innocents on a daily basis; to absorb every to talk about more than the textbooks. death of one should not overshadow the murder of over victim’s death would be to throw away my emotional fifty innocents and the injury of the equivalent of around

Revitalize Academic Integrity aids, and when tests may be discussed. I have never seen this side of the policy in practice. Students cannot be MIRA penalized if teachers do not adhere to their responsibility TELLEGEN to tell us what they expect. I know students who have news editor received negative points for collaborating on homework assignments. I have avoided pulling up SparkNotes for four years, even to refresh my memory. I think I could Craning your neck to see a peer’s scantron, copy-past- have been a more effective student if I had spent my time reviewing effectively and discussing work without ing a plagiarized essay from Google, rifling through a fearing suspension. teacher’s desk in search of a test. In combatting this type Autonomy of the student body is unavoidable, the of student indiscretion, Piedmont’s Academic Integrity administration will always face complaints and dissent. policy expresses the expectation of honesty from all That dissent is unfounded here. Academic Integrity students. The student planner, on page 17, defines having cannot be written off as a high school cliche, and students academic integrity as “valuing and demonstrating posishould not rebel against honesty. tive regard for intellectual honesty, personal truthfulness, Piedmont provides countless privileges to its students, learning for its own sake, and the creations and opinions open campus lunch, lenient dress code, Chromebooks to of others.” The policy implements universally important use in every class.

Responsibility does not go one way. To ideals, and in this way fulfills its duty to prepare students deserve our privileges, we must respect the limits to our for later life. freedom.

In middle school, we meticulously constructed Sitting in my senior classes, however, I have started bibliographies in fear to notice a defiof repercussions. nite increase in Although I am not the disrespect for advocating a return the policy. The to academic paranoia, phrase “Academic we must acknowledge “Students cannot be penalized if Integrity” seems our attitude shift and to have solely joke teachers do not adhere to their make an effort to reconnotations. vitalize our academic responsibility to tell us what they We must interactions. revitalize student expect.”

I love the Acrespect for the ademic Integrity policy, but also policy.

As someone return to the policy who adores rules, it’s itself. As students seemed like a beacon lost positive regard of light to me throughout my high school years that a for the policy, teachers drifted from the original intent of codified policy mandated certain behavior of the students. shared academic responsibility. The planner states that students cannot cheat, but also stipulates that to define the We must stop undermining rules that boil down to “be honest,” as there is no feasible way to argue that that idegray areas of integrity, teachers must tell students when al is unfair. To students and teachers, join me in working collaboration is okay, what the policy is towards study this year to revitalize Academic Integrity.

Contact Mira at mtellegen@tphnews.com

Contact Katherine at kirving@tphnews.com

The

Piedmont

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Royden Connors Sara Siqueira NEWS EDITOR Mira Tellegen CAMPUS EDITOR Margo Rosenbaum A CLOSER LOOK EDITORS Samantha Fanger Katherine Irving OPINIONS EDITOR Shay Hempeck SPORTS EDITOR Patrick Aebi ARTS EDITOR Gigi Gleghorn WEB EDITORS Azul Kothari Jeremy Wong PHOTO EDITOR Ty Ozsoy MANAGING EDITOR Yasi Parsa STAFF WRITERS Maggie Black Nathan Chin Miles Fawcett Riley Francis Susan Kuroda Clarissa Lam Casey Lane Ella Lee Owen Levinson Max Monical Roni Schacker William Suppiger Marta Symkowick Nina Tafapolsky

Highlander Editorial policy: The Piedmont Highlander, a publication conceived, planned and produced by students, is also the product of an academic elective program. Certain guidelines must be put into practice ethically and legally. Journalistic in nature, TPH attempts to inform and entertain its audience in a broad, fair and accurate manner on all subjects that affect the readers in the areas of academics, clubs, sports and all other aspects of student life.

The entire student body of Piedmont High School constitutes the target audience of the newspaper with secondary audiences including school personnel, community members and other journalism groups.

Content focuses on coverage that will meet the wants and needs of the majority of the student body. The staff not only allows but also encourages constructive criticism of any part of the newspaper before or after distribution, but final decisions will be made by the editorial board and adviser.

If deemed necessary, the administration will be consulted concerning questionable material. No material, opinionated or otherwise, that is libelous, irresponsible, advocates an illegal activity or which the editorial board or adviser deems in poor taste will be printed or posted online.

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13

OCTOBER 17, 2017

SPORTS

Disney makes a splash as water polo team captain

photo courtesy of Annika Disney

Disney with the ball seconds before passing to a teamate for the score agaisnt Bishop O’Dowd on Sept. 21.

SARA SIQUEIRA editor-in-chief

averaging over five goals per game.

“I think of myself as a competitor,” Disney said. “It’s just in my blood, I guess.”

Game day arrives and senior Annika Disney said that after making the team, Disney goes through her routine. She a large component of her motivation to wears a Piedmont visor to school, the same play water polo came from her connection one she has been wearing for four years, with the team captain at the time, Sarah sings Kanye West for the whole team, and Mooney. then tops off the pregame hype by spitting Disney began playing club water polo the summer after her freshman year and when “I’m not just a leader to teach the girls the she struggled to keep up with sport in the water, but also more of a big the experienced sister for them outside of the water,” players, Mooney Annika Disney acted as a mentor, senior Disney said.

“She not only showed me the ropes in the pool, but also with life,” in her teammate’s mouth for good luck.

Disney started playing water polo in Disney said. “I learned a lot from her about freshman year when she made the varsity having a good attitude and that you get to team without any prior experience with the choose your attitude.”

Mooney’s guidance inspires Disney to sport. This season, before getting injured, Disney scored 48 goals in nine games, keep positive energy present as one of the

captains of the varsity women’s water polo team.

“I’m not just a leader to teach the girls the sport in the water, but also more of a big sister for them outside of the water,” Disney said.

Varsity women’s water polo co-coach Joe Welsh said Disney is a great leader because she models a strong work ethic and a positive attitude.

“She fights for every inch and doesn’t back down,” Welsh said.

Women’s water polo team member and junior Jessica Allen-Goix said that she also values Disney’s drive and how Disney inspires the other players to continue improving their skills.

“She definitely does have fun, but also brings out the competitiveness that we need,” Allen-Goix said.

Another team member and junior Amelia Tolles said that she appreciates how much Disney cares about the team, despite her injury and inability to play in recent games. Tolles said the team’s first game without Disney was difficult and

they lost in the third overtime.

“At the end, she was pretty distraught over it,” Tolles said. “She felt like she let us down even though she didn’t. She cares so much about how well we do and is really invested.”

Disney said that despite any obstacles or doubts, her love for the sport has led her to continue playing.

“I lose track of time when I get in the pool, in a good sense,” Disney said. “My passion is just kind of absurd.”

Disney’s love for the sport has made her torn rotator cuff injury hard to deal with.

“I just want to be in the water,” Disney said. “It’s been difficult, especially during high school season because it’s a time for me to grow, excel, and score a certain amount of goals. I like to keep that number high for college.”

Disney said that although her injury has been a setback, it also has allowed the other team members to improve. It has given juniors, especially Tolles, who is now the No. 2 scorer, a chance to step up, Disney said.

“It’s known she is the best player, and she does everything,” Tolles said. “We all rely on her, so without her it’s made us strengthen our own playing. It’s been harder, but it’s fun.”

Welsh said that Disney is not as confident in her playing as she should be.

“She deserves a lot of credit, but she is really humble about how good she is,” Welsh said. “She works hard at everything she does across the spectrum.”

Behind the spirit and purple face paint on game days is Disney’s connection with and dedication to water polo.

“I try to learn more from water polo than just the sport,” Disney said. “With all the setbacks I’ve had, I have learned a lot about myself as a person and become more resilient.”

Volleyball team sets itself up for success with new coach NATHAN CHIN staff writer

The gym lights blare. The white ball volleys from one side to the other. Sweat drips from faces to floor. It is a close game. Now it is time for Head Coach Alison West to crack a joke.

“I try to emulate how my players react to the game, if I’m angry and tight then that’s how my team will play,” West said. “If I’m loose and relaxed, then they’ll be loose and relaxed.”

West began coaching the varsity volleyball team this year, leading the team to an 10 - 4 record.

She has been coaching for a total of five years at Absolute Volleyball Club and College Preparatory School.

Prior to her coaching career, West played volleyball at photo courtesy of Jeff Porter Albany High School and Chicago State University.

Coach West and assistant coach True warming their players up before a game against Bishop O’Dowd High school.

“That’s why I have such a strong work ethic, because of the sports I played,” she said.

West mentally prepared them for every game situation.

Many players attribute the team’s success to West, West’s coaching philosophy reflects what she has At the beginning of the season, each player created a sophomore Daniela Skov said. learned from sports. Unlike traditional rigorous coaching poster with a cue word to think of every time they made a “It was Alison coming in here and knowing how much regimes, her style of mistake, West said. we suffered from last season, as well her knowing how coaching is centered “When I was in to bring the team together that has made the team really around learning life high school I would sing successful,” Skov said.

“I try to emulate how my players react lessons, West said.

Backstreet Boys in my The team’s leadership has improved as well. In addition to the game, if I’m angry and tight then “I always use athletics head and that would put to West and Assistant Coach Daren True, the captains have as life skills, so whatever me at ease,” West said. “I really stepped up, sophomore Kate Goldberg said. that’s how my team will play.” they are going through in wasn’t caught up in making “Our captains have better leadership this year and are Alison West the game I use it to teach mistakes and all the things really focussed,” Goldberg said. “We’re all devoted and Varistiy Volleyball Head Coach them a lesson,” she said.

I did wrong, so I could want to succeed.”

Additionally, West play better volleyball.”

Now that the players are having fun and finding has taught her players the West said her coaching success on the court, West said she ultimately hopes to importance of working hard and that the key to success is style is very relaxed and heavily emphasizes the importance take the team to the North Coast Section championships. persevering even when things may seem difficult, junior of enjoying the sport and having fun on the court.

“It’s up to them how far and how long they want the Dina Gallacher said. “[West] just lets us play and has lots of faith in us as a season to go,” she said. “I just give them the tools they Knowing that the team came off of a 10 - 15 season, team and individuals,” senior Claire Devroede said. need, and everything they do on the court is all them.”

14

OCTOBER 17, 2017

The Piedmont Highlander

Sports

Seniors play the game of recruitment

From left to right photo courtesy of Thomas Hawk, Will Richmond, Reece Proctor, Kylie Hilton

From left to right, four seniors Cole Kingston, Will Richmond, Reece Proctor, and Kylie Hilton work towards their goals of recruitment for college sports.

GIGI GLEGHORN

arts editor

Most kids grow up fixated on the TV watching their heroes play for their favorite college team.

A select few kids get to become those heroes and have others look up to them instead. But, playing sports in college starts with the recruitment process.

“I started running in sixth grade,” said senior track and cross country runner Reece Proctor. “My mom kind of made me do it.”

Now, he is looking into running at the top Division II schools, as well as some middleof-the-pack Division I schools, Proctor said.

“I’ve emailed a couple coaches of schools I’m thinking about attending and running for and we’ve had some conversations here and there,” Proctor said.

Running and school are his

life, Proctor said, so going to run in college is sort of essential for him, no matter where he ends up.

“I love competing,” Proctor said. “I just run so I can race and college is the next level to compete at a higher level

together; their moms set it up.”

He is committed to attend Stanford to play soccer, as long as he gets into the school, Richmond said. “[Stanford] made it pretty clear, unlike a lot of other schools,

“I really like the sport and it does also help me

get into a better college, so you can have the best of both worlds.”

Cole Kingston senior

and that’s my largest goal with running.”

Like Proctor, senior soccer player Will Richmond has been playing his sport for a long time and plans to play in college. “[I started playing soccer] when I was 6 or 7,” Richmond said. “All the little kids played

they’re pretty tough on who they let in,” Richmond said. “So I was kind of on the fence if I should try and get in and decided just to give it a shot, so I had to take way more classes this year.”

Richmond has to take 1 Honors class and 1 AP class in school, along with 2 AP classes

online this year in order to meet the caliber at Stanford, he said.

“I’m committed to them and they’re committed to me to try to get me in,” Richmond said.

“There’s no certainty. If I drop my grades, I won’t get in.”

Senior Kylie Hilton said she is looking into the option of playing gymnastics in college, but is not set on the idea yet.

“I’m applying to way more schools without [gymnastics] because I definitely know that’s way more important,” Hilton said.

Like all other NCAA sports, coaches can not email players until their junior year, Hilton said.

“For a year or so, you’re just sending emails and you have no idea if [the college] got them,” Hilton said.

Even though Hilton experienced the contact complications, senior football player Cole Kingston started his

SP ORTING EVENTS

fall sports

CAPTAIN’S CORNER

Jacob Prager Football

William Robinson

Team moto?

“Strength and honor.”

Biggest Rival?

Justin Sienna

Favorite Team food?

Funniest player?

TUES. OCT. 17

Women’s Tennis Vs Alameda @ 3:30 p.m.

THURS. OCT. 19

Most spirited player?

Team Pump-up song?

recruitment process mid way through his junior year, avoiding those confusing interactions, he said.

“I really like the sport and it does also help me get into a better college,” Kingston said. “So you can have the best of both worlds.”

He began by emailing coaches of potential schools his highlight tape from his junior season and waiting to see if they responded or not, Kingston said.

“In the summer I went to various recruiting camps where I met them in person and played in front of them,” Kingston said.

Like Hilton, he is applying to schools based on their academics, Kingston said.

“Almost all of [the colleges] are engineering focused and STEM focused so I apply first and foremost for the academic part of it, and they also all have good D3 programs and good coaches,” Kingston said.

But, despite the reward in the end, the process of recruitment can sometimes be daunting, especially when dealing with the coaches, Kingston said.

“The hardships are when you are interested in certain schools and a lot of times they won’t respond or you’re waiting for a response,” Kingston said.

Proctor said he agreed with Kingston in thinking it was somewhat awkward to talk to coaches.

“Putting yourself out there to all these coaches, you kind of feel like you’re just advertising yourself more than you normally want to,” Proctor said. “You have to talk about all your achievements and that gets a little uncomfortable sometimes.”

Madison Aikawa Women’s Tennis

Audrey Edel

“Get In the point.”

Berkeley

“Shake That.”

“Glorious.”

Chocolate Milk

Cheez-Its

K.K. Smith

Noreen Au Young

Margi Brayer Women’s Golf

Minnie Cooper

“Trust the process.”

Bishop O’Dowd

“We don’t have a pump-up song.”

Cheez-Its

Minnie Cooper Compiled by Miles Fawcett

Volleyball Vs Berkeley @ 6:45 p.m.

FRI. OCT. 20

Football Vs Castro Valley @ 7:00 p.m.

SAT. OCT. 21

Men’s Water Polo CCC Tournament at Contra Costa College, opponent and time TBA.

THURS. OCT. 26

Cross Country WAAC Center Meet #3 Vs Alameda, Berkeley, and Catsro Valley at Oyster Bay Regional Park, San Leandro.

FRI. Oct. 27

Women’s Water Polo League Championships at Encinal high school, opponent and time TBA.

15

OCTOBER 17, 2017

ARTS

Beckner molds creativity, humor into teaching MARTA SYMKOWICK staff writer

teachers.

“I still can learn more. I am a forever student,” Beckner said.

When Beckner first graduated she took an internship as a banker, she said, but determined that it was not the career she wanted to pursue.

“I spent my entire day counting down the minutes until the next break and when I was off work,” Beckner said.

“I believe that if you’re going to do something your entire life you should be passionate about it and enjoy it because you only live once. So I pursued art and ceramics. I love teaching, being creative, working with clay, and I never look at the clock.”

Beckner has been teaching for sixteen years and thinks art is the most important class, she said.

On the front of her desk

“I remember working with mud. Just sitting in the side yard playing with mud,” new ceramics teacher Katherine Beckner said, with a small smile on her face and a bright yellow apron covering her front.

Mud was the main material with which she constructed her fourth grade California mission project, she said. This is one of many examples of how, throughout her childhood, she always enjoyed being crafty and doing things with her hands, Photo courtesy of Katherine Beckner Beckner said.

The new ceramics teacher, Katherine Beckner, studied ceramics in college and started teaching sixteen years ago.

However, Beckner did not realize her passion for ceramics until she took a class later in high this motto, Beckner hopes that students continue to try even if cultures, Beckner said.

“We live in a world that’s school. her students develop the trait of they are frustrated, and that they “I was a drama geek, but grit, she said. are not afraid of failure. She getting smaller and smaller,” towards the “I think wants her students to know that Beckner said, “It is important for end of high grit is the most they can ask her for help at any students to appreciate cultures around the world instead of just school I took i m p o r t a n t time, she said. a ceramics “She really cares about how at their school, in their city, or in “I believe that if you’re going to do concept that class,” Beckner kids can learn you do in the class and that you their state; for them to think more something your entire life you should be in ceramics,” are having fun,” ceramics student globally.” said with a In addition to having a deep tiny chuckle. passionate about it and enjoy it because B e c k n e r sophomore Hannah Ferguson understanding of the technique “I was terrible said, “When said. you only live once. So I pursued art and at it, but I something Beckner believes that of her craft, Beckner has a great ceramics.” really loved breaks what everyone should be visually sense of humor, art teacher Katherine Beckner the process of are you going literate in order to understand Gillian Bailey said. ceramics teacher “She is funny,” Bailey said, creating art and to do? Are you the historical and cultural so I just kept going to fix it? significance of art. When people “I really appreciate it because working at it.”

Are you going are visually literate it allows sometimes as a teacher you might Beckner to start over? them to understand the messages have a long challenging day. It’s s t u d i e d Are you going of images that are logos or ads nice to be able to laugh.”

Now Beckner’s bright yellow, ceramics at to cry and give in order to be more responsible California State Chico, she said, there is a simple black and white up? If it’s not salvageable move consumers, she said. In addition, fruit covered apron contains a where she learned a plethora sticker with the words, “Fear No on, try again.” art has and can increase people’s faint layer of clay-- without any of styles from many different Art,” in bold lettering. Following Beckner’s goal is that her understanding of different traces of mud.

Dark comedy and Irish accents light up the theater animals, a Hollywood film, and a dark underlying story about seven to 10 hours a week, with the accent it’s almost that explodes to the forefront in tragedy, Anable Eme said. 24/7.”

Anable Eme walks around quietly and listens to music “‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ is an Irish dark comedy and so, in addition to being fun and entertaining, it also has before a rehearsal or show to adjust to her character, who more depth and messages about how we treat other people is pretty stoic for most of the play, Anable Eme said.

“Working on my Irish dialect and my physicality for so you get both layers of an enjoyable show, but also take away a more meaningful message,” ‘Helen Mccormick’ the character has been a challenge, but one I have loved working on.” Morris said. actor junior Abigail Seevak said.

During the rehearsals after school on Wednesdays, the With comedy, the focus is making things land in a funny way and keeping things light. With tragedy, the cast spend about an hour rehearsing specific scenes with focus is to make moments of despair even sadder than the one or two fellow actors, Taylor, and the stage managers, rest of the play. With a dark comedy, there is a balance Anable Eme said.

“We’ve been mostly memorizing and working on basic between the two, Anable Eme said.

“One moment it’s a funny lighthearted conversation blocking,” Seevak said. “Sometimes on Tuesdays we have and a second later it’s a tragic monologue,” Anable a special fight choreographer.”

Senior Olivia Adams is stage managing with junior Eme said. “It’s difficult to make these changes natural, Photo by Sara Siqueira especially in a play where characters are rarely telling the Gracie Ellis, Adams said.

Cast members of “The Cripple of Inishmaan” pose for photo.

“First, my co-stage truth, so we spend a lot of manager and I went time preparing these shifts SUSAN KURODA through and located all of and how to be constantly staff writer the props we need for the dipping back and forth “One moment is a funny play,” Adams said. “We between comedy and lighthearted conversation and have to create a set list and tragedy.”

In history, english, science, math, and their electives, prop list that corresponds Morris will be playing cast members use their Irish accents to recite lines from a second later it’s a tragic to each scene so we can the role of Billy Claven. the November play. “The Cripple of Inishmaan” is an Irish monologue.” know when to move the Morris practices two hours dark comedy starring junior David Morris and shows at Vivian Anable Eme furniture and props on and a week with director Kim the Alan Harvey theater Nov. 3 and Nov. 5. senior off stage.”

Taylor and four to five “The Cripple of Inishmaan” is about ‘Billy Claven,’ Stage managers hours outside of school, a crippled boy raised by two of his aunts after his parents help direct scenes and Morris said. drowned themselves, who wants to leave the island of work with actors on their “This is my first lead, Inishmaan. Claven finds his opportunity when a Hollywood and I’m super excited and ready for the challenge,” Morris monologues. They work outside of school for about about film producer comes to cast on a neighboring island. “[The author,] Martin McDonagh has written a play said. “I have been memorizing lines, working on my Irish three hours every day during ‘tech week,’ the week before that uses hilarious comedy that then abruptly turns into dialect, practicing being ‘crippled’, analyzing lines, and opening night, Adams said.

“The hardest part is managing all of the little moving the darkest drama in twists and turns so that you don’t practicing the scenes with my fellow cast members.” pieces,” Adams said. “Although stage managers don’t Eileen has an Irish accent as well, which is new to relax in your seat even when the show is over,” senior have to memorize a script or develop a character, it is still Anable Eme, she said.

Vivian Anable Eme said, who will be playing ‘Eileen,’ an incredibly difficult because we have to ensure that the “I’m constantly, constantly working on my accent,” adoptive aunt of Billy Claven. entire production runs smoothly.”

Anable Eme said.

“Without the accent [I practice for] The play includes egg throwing, hired killers for farm

16

OCTOBER 17, 2017

The Piedmont Highlander

Arts

“1776” musical implements gender-blind casting RONI SCHACKER staff writer

Holden Caulfield, female. Juliet, male.

Gatsby, female. Lady Macbeth, male. This year’s school musical, “1776,” will be following these footsteps.

The musical “1776” is implementing gender neutral casting. Actors participating in the musical have been very optimistic and excited about director and producer Amy Moorhead’s decision to do this play, said junior Jane Simonetti, who is playing Benjamin Franklin.

“It’s just something new to try, a different type of musical,” Simonetti said.

During her musical research, Moorhead said that it was brought to her attention that “1776” was performed at an all girls high school and she immediately thought that it was a great idea.

“It had never even occurred to me to do it, and then do it with gender neutral casting,” Moorhead said.

Moorhead took into account that there are only two female characters in this musical, Moorhead said.

“I think my initial intention was not to make a point but to just give all genders the opportunity to take on some of these really great roles,” Moorhead said. “[And] to give girls the opportunity to play these historically male characters, an opportunity they wouldn’t typically have.”

Moorhead said that she was not trying to make a political statement, but that this musical can stand for the political and social imbalance in the world today.

“I’m not doing it for that reason, but I think it will have the added benefit of making people think,” Moorhead said.

Moorhead is very passionate about giving all of those who auditioned a fair and equal opportunity to get any role they wanted, Moorhead said.

Photo by Azul Kothari

Juniors David Morris and Jane Simonetti work on the music for the musical this year, “1776.”

“All the roles were wide open to both genders from the get go,” Moorhead said.

“There weren’t any males who expressed

Moorhead said that a lot of the time in theatre there are more girls than boys.

“I think given that so many more girls

“I’m not scared about being a guy, I’m scared about being on stage, giving a character justice.”

Jane Simonetti junior

interest in female roles. If they had, they definitely would’ve been given strong consideration.”

tried out than guys, it was just natural that it was going to go in the direction that it did,” Moorhead said. “The two female

roles are being played by females and that a bunch of the male roles are being played by females.”

Simonetti said she has minor concerns over playing a part of a different gender than her own.

“It is gonna be difficult encompassing a female’s physique into a male’s,” Simonetti said. “They sit a certain way, hold themselves a different way,” However, Simonetti said that she sees the biggest challenge of the role as who the person she is depicting is, not their gender.

“I’m not scared about being a guy, I’m scared about being on stage, giving a character justice,” Simonetti said. “If Ben Franklin was a girl, I would feel the same.”

The actors, who show little concern over embodying a different gender, are welcoming the new method very comfortably, Simonetti said.

“I can play the role either way, I’m not too worried about it,” said junior Margo Donahue, playing Andrew McNair.

“1776” is about the creation and the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the events leading up to it in the continental congress in Philadelphia Moorhead said.

“I chose this musical because it’s very different from what we did last year,” Moorhead said. “I like to vary the style of the musical and the era of the musical each year so that students who do the musical each year are exposed to different kinds of shows.”

Overall, the participants in the musical have shown much optimism for what they believe will come out of this experience not only for them, but for everyone who sees it Simonetti said.

“I think it can be a gender transformative experience not only for the actors but also for the people who come see it,” Moorhead said.

AP ART CORNER TALLULAH PELLISSIER LLOYD SENIOR

What is your concentration?

“Mine is based on microscopic images.

I’m taking AP Bio, and the textbook has all these pictures of bacteria and stuff. I want to do something like that and make it super colorful, and do them in circles so it looks like you’re looking through a microscope. I might do them about different diseases and base my images off them.”

Photos and Graphics by Roy Connors

How did you decide on your concentration?

“I’ve always seen pictures of microscopic things. I think they’re really beautiful, like weirdly pretty. It’s always been in the back of my head, like ‘Oh, I want to draw those.’”

Compiled by Casey Lane