Issue6

S

PAGE 7

PAGE 12-13

PAGE 19

PAGE 22-23

Rising knife crime in London

Editorial: Service Trips

Science 9: A new curriculum

A dual religious identity

Recruited athletes

With the increasing reports of knife crime around London, students describe their experiences with the growing danger in the city.

The Editorial Board comments on the purpose of service and students’ intentions to participate in such programs.

Students with parents of different religions discuss the implications that has on their own traditions and religious identities.

Four athletes share their recruitment and decision process, and discuss their plans for collegiate level sports next year.

PAGE 3

the Standard

Freshmen and science teachers discuss this year’s newly implemented Science 9 curriculum and whether its objectives are being met.

News 3-6 | Opinions 7-10 | Features 11-16 | Culture 17-20 | Sports 21-24

Phillips reflects on time at ASL Principal Jack Phillips will be moving to Philadelphia following the conclusion of the 2017-2018 school year. Phillips discusses his journey to ASL, his experience at the school and his plans for the future.

Alexandra Gers | Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Online Isabelle Lhuilier | Features Editor

Story on pages 14-15

May/June 2018 | Volume 43, Issue 6

The American School in London | One Waverley Place | London NW8 0NP U.K. | standard.asl.org

www .standard.asl.org standard.asl.org

The Standa The Standard

SPORTS Check out EaglesClaw.asl.org for a recap of all

FEATURES

spring ISSTs and the National Crew Regatta.

GRAPHIC BY IMOGEN WEISS

| April 2017 Male students and teachers in the community examine their place in the feminist movement.

A year in review: Head of School Robin Appleby Writer’s Seminar: An outlet for creativity

Varsity boys baseball discusses strategies in a time out during their game against AIS Vienna. PHOTO BY EMILY FORGASH

Behind the scenes of the meetings international school athletic directors participate in to prepare for ISSTs. Freshman baseball phenomenon Drew Erdei’s (’21) plans for the future of his athletic career.

CULTURE

A review of critically acclaimed TV show Brooklyn Nine-Nine

NEWS

Human Rights Seminar class runs its first ever symposium on May 31.

Changes to be made to the Alternatives program for 2018-2019 school year

PHOTO FROM FOX.COM

Selfridge’s ‘Flipside’ exhibition The political impact of late night talk shows

OPINIONS

Sam Habib (’21): The men’s rights movement and its relationship to feminism

The Alternatives program used to solely focus on one travel week in the fall. From August it will be a year-long program with the 4-day overnight experience moved to the spring.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHAHIRA MOOLA

Questioning the lack of support for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s bid for speaker of the house The value of Chinese and Arabic language classes in the working world

@TheStandardASL

To see more, go to standard.asl.org

May/June2018 2018 ard June standard.asl.org standard.asl.org

Iran Deal Teaser 1 New Principal Teaser 2

NEW NEWS

Combatting knife crime In the last year, the frequency of knife crime has risen by 23 percent, with 22 people killed in London in March alone. Exploring the reasons behind this increase, its effects on the community and ways to avoid being a victim.

SOPHIE ASHLEY | LEAD NEWS EDITOR

Student Experiences

A

s Chloe Chace (’20) stood of a near-fatal knife attack in Nowith a friend on Finchley vember. Luckily, although Snizek Road to order a cab, she was threatened with a knife, he nevhad her eyes on her phone and er actually saw the weapon. For him, money in the back of her trans- the possibility of a knife being inparent phone case. The last thing volved did not seem far fetched. Beshe expected was to be in any dan- cause of this, he decided to give the ger. Only steps muggers what away, however, they asked for. “I a group of men definitely did bewatched her, lieve that it could planning to be real because of mug her. what knife crime Only when is in London,” one of the men Snizek said. came up to For Snizek, Chace did their his main conintentions becern with the come clear. He mugging was began talking the unexpected about his family’s nature of the history with stabcrime due to his bings and sudlocation. Because denly “he pulled St. John’s Wood out his switchis considered a blade and showed relatively safe that he had it . . . area, muggings Chloe Chace (’20) and then he asked and knife crime for money.” aren’t aspects Chace proceeded to give the man that he often thinks about. everything he asked for, and he left Even after his mugging, Snizek her alone. maintains that, while he’s now Even after the incident, Chace is aware of the presence of knife unable to fully believe it. “It felt re- crime, he feels generally safe in ally surreal but I was lucky to not the school area. “If I were to be be alone because you kind of freeze mugged again like I was the first up in those moments,” she said. time, a knife is something I would “You don’t think in the moment that think about because no one really ‘maybe I’m going to get stabbed’.” has access to guns,” he said. “But Similarly to Chace, Ethan Snizek I hang out in relatively safe areas (’20) was mugged in St. John’s Wood with good people so it’s not somenear Primrose Hill. Primrose Hill, a thing I’m particularly scared about park near to the school, was the scene all the time.”

“

“It felt really surreal but I was lucky to not be alone because you kind of freeze up in those moments. You don’t think in the moment that ‘maybe I’m going to get stabbed’.”

JONATHAN NOVAK | NEWS EDITOR: ONLINE

The Facts Chace’s experience is not unique, especially in recent years, as the rates of knife crime has increased significantly. According to the Office for National Statistics, since the start 2018, there have been 62 knife related murders in London. In the last few months, the frequency of attacks has increased the most, with 22 people killed in March alone. These are the highest numbers seen in six years, with a 23 percent rise since 2017.

Head of Security Roi Yefet believes that one of the factors behind the recent growth in knife crime is the halt of “stop and search” policies from 2015 that used to be in place for the police.

“Basically, a few years ago police

Moving Forward

officers used to stand at the tube station[s] and it doesn’t matter who you are they could open your bag and they could search it,” he said. “It stopped a lot of knives going into the tube station[s].”

Yefet adds that in St. Johns Wood, the crimes that are happening are mostly “opportunistic.” As a result of this, most of the muggings that occur happen during specific times, when the perpetrators have the cover of darkness: “[In the] St. John’s Wood area, especially in the evening, majority of events happen at around 5–6 p.m.,” he said. “Especially in the winter when it’s darker [the muggings are happening] maybe around 3:30 or 4 o’ clock.”

Police Policy These stop and search policies have been a contentious topic among the general public due to the alleged racial profiling behind the searches. According to The Guardian, the stop and search policies are eight times more likely to target black people compared to people of other ethnicities.

Even with this controversy, with the rise in knife crime in the recent months, the police are starting to implement more stop and search procedures to prevent further stabbings. Soon, the police will be able to search

14,680 offenses 47,587 thefts

bags and pockets of anyone they think is suspicious, even without concrete evidence of weapon or drug possession. Recently, the U.K. Government also begun to restrict knife sales online, outlaw knives on school grounds, as well as strengthen knife possession and assault laws to increase prosecution rates.

The hope is, with the reinforcement of these laws and the creation of new ones, London will see the knife crime statistics decrease or, at the least, revert to their earlier rates.

Even with the increased knife crime statistics in recent months, there have been no significant changes made to ASL security policies as a result. With the intensity of the current security, additional measures were not considered necessary.

Security measures have also remained the same as Yefet believes that in St. John’s Wood there isn’t much risk in being stabbed, but a greater risk of being the subject of petty crime. “[In St. John’s Wood] there is more opportunistic crime, you see it all the time, someone might think ‘oh, there’s a rich kid and this is a rich area, I might snatch a mobile phone’,” he said.

Although Yefet agrees with Snizek’s statement that St. John’s Wood is a relatively safe area compared to other areas of London, he also acknowledges that crime does happen, and members of the community should take care to avoid being a target. “The key is awareness. Don’t be a target when you’re walking around,” he said.

“When you show your goods you become a target.”

Looking back at the moment she was mugged, Chace realized that she was displaying valuable goods at the time and it could have been what prompted the crime. “I think part of [why I got mugged] was that I had my phone very clearly out, I was also not aware of my surroundings and I didn’t even notice these people,” she said.

of knife crime in the 12 months leading up to March 2018

from the person reported to the police in the same 12 month period STATISTICS FROM EVENING STANDARD

44

news news

The Standar The Standard The Standard The Standa

The man behind the money: Chris Almond departs after 24 years Director of Finance Chris Almond has decided to retire from ASL. He reflects on his time at the school and his plans for the future.

QUINN WHITMAN MEDIA DIRECTOR

A

fter working with four heads of school, overseeing three capital campaigns and watching his two children attend one school, Director of Finance Chris Almond is leaving at the end of the 2017-2018 school year.

When Almond arrived in 1994, his first task was to bring much-needed financial stability to the school. “Within my first few years working with [Head of School Judith Glickman,] my job was to make sure that our enrollment wasn’t falling, because it was falling at that time. We were running out of money and the school was not a very happy place for teachers,” he said. “[Glickman] was in the school to try to help improve the curriculum and the standard of education as there was a lot of needed stability.”

Following the establishment of financial balance through stable enrollment within all divisions of the school, the next task for Almond was establishing trust between the administration and teachers. “[It was necessary to] have a process with the teachers whereby their compensation was discussed in a sensible way because that was the most significant cost of the school,” he said. “[In

I feel privileged that I am leaving an environment where leaving is bittersweet. It is going to be tough because we have done a lot together and built strong friendships.

Director of Finance Chris Almond

1994,] we were at a point where the teachers didn’t trust the administration and they were asking for a 20 percent pay rise... There was definitely a lack of understanding and trust so we needed to have that process.”

In addition to the work Almond has done to improve the financial outlook of the school, he has spent a considerable time managing the finances for the new building projects and capital campaigns (fundraisers to help fund financial projects).

ASL’s first capital campaign began in 1999, and helped renovate the school as well as create the current Top Orange classrooms. “That cost about £20 million and we hoped to raise about £7 million for that and

the rest was going to be from bank loans and that was the first time the school had ever had bank loans, so it was my job to help arrange those,” Almond said.

The school’s second capital campaign in 2006 was the construction of the new School Center and establishment of an endowment for faculty. “That was a £6 million project and our first endowment project where we raised money for faculty and staff,” he said. Currently the endowment lies at £20 million.

Almond was again an integral part of ASL’s development through the third capital campaign, New Frontiers, which funded the new fitness facilities and the Community Art Building.

For Almond, his proudest achievement is that the school is a much better environment than it was when he arrived. “I would say it is just feeling that the school is so much better than it was 24 years ago.

In terms of relationships between administration and faculty, in terms of financial stability, and then we have some fantastic facilities,” he said. “I wouldn’t really want to pick a specific success because they are all individual projects, but it really isn’t about me, it has been a team effort all the way through.”

Almond believes that teamwork has been essential in ensuring the success of the school.

“The much better atmosphere has had a knock-on effect where the teachers speak positively about the administration and the administration can speak positively about what is going on in the classroom,” he said. “All of that bodes well for speaking to parents about helping us raise some money.”

As a result of the work he has done in conjunction with the Board of Trustees, Senior Leadership Team and his colleagues in the Business Office, Almond believes that working in a team environment is what he will miss most.“I feel privileged that I am leaving an environment where it is bittersweet. It is going to be tough because we have done a lot together, built a lot of strong friendships. It is going to be hard [to leave that].”

For Almond, the uncertainty about what is next is exciting for him. “I am leaving because I wanted to be able to do something else with my career before I retire. There is that excitement because I don’t know what that next step will be. In this job because there is so much going on; it has been a ma-

Director of Finance Chris Almond working in the business office.

PHOTO BY QUINN WHITMAN jor part of my life. I have had two children here; I have been an employee and a parent,” he said.

Almond believes that now is the best time for him to pass the torch onto the next person to help secure the financial future for the school. “On my watch we have had over £700 million of revenue coming into this school and probably about £100 million of capital projects that we have done.

I feel pleased that I am able to provide the financial model and the financial stability for the school,” he said. “The school is in a really good place, and I think it will be exciting for the next strategic plan. I have done three [plans] so it will be nice to get a new perspective. I felt it was time to leave now because I think it is good for the new person who comes in to be part of the planning process and see the whole plan through.”

Almond believes that changing leadership will allow ASL to go forward in a new direction. “It will be interesting to see whether it is new building projects, new endowments or a new curriculum. There are things that make it really exciting to be in education, and there is a lot of new technology to put in the classroom,” he said. “Some of the challenges that we have to face is that we are very full. How big do we want to be?

If we want to have more people where are they going to go? And then also, who do we want to be? What does the American School in London really mean?”

A timeline of Director of Finance Chris Almond’s 24 years at ASL: - In 1994, Almond began working at ASL. His primary role was to establish financial stability and trust between the faculty and the administration.

- In 1999, the school embarked on the first capital campaign, SchoolWorks, to build the new High School above the Farmer Gym. - In 2006, Almond helped oversee the second capital campaign, Fulfilling Great Expectations, which consisted of constructing the School Center and building an endowment for faculty.

- In 2014, ASL began its third capital campaign, New Frontiers, which provided new arts, aquatics and fitness facilities.

- Now, in 2018, Almond is departing, and John Robinson will take his place.

news news 55

June 2018 rd May/June 2018 ard

Q&A: Incoming High School Principal Devan K. Ganeshananthan discusses his leadership styles and goals for the future.

ANANYA PRAKASH | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MICHAELA TOWFIGHI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: PRINT EMERITUS

Tell us a bit about yourself.

What sort of environment do you want to cultivate?

I’m a father to two young daughters (Maya and Asha). My wife (Christine) and I are really interested in a transition to London and giving our girls the opportunity to live abroad.

First and foremost I see myself as a dad, then also as an educator. My first year out of school, I worked on Wall Street, and I really didn’t enjoy it. [The day] was actually January 4, 2000, when I realized I didn’t see myself spending the rest of my life doing that. It was a Tuesday or a Wednesday and I was running to catch a train, and I had almost fallen over a homeless person in the subway area. I questioned myself, ‘what am I doing with my life?’

I really want to take some time to observe and learn more about the culture here. From all the observations I’ve made so far and discussions I’ve had, this is a fairly high-functioning place and there’s nothing that’s overtly out of shape or needing to be addressed. Of course, every place has room to grow, but to be really thoughtful and sensitive about that makes a lot of sense. It is also demonstrative of the respect I want to show for all the great work that has happened here so far. Moving forward, I’ve always believed in an environment in a school where the whole child is really developed. I want to make sure that there are levels of balance.

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA LEONARD Devan K. Ganeshananthan visited in March to meet with students, faculty and senior administration. PHOTO BY CHRISTINA LEONARD

What are you most looking forward to in coming to ASL? I think just developing a lot of new relationships. That’s really the foundation of a lot of trust, that’s essentially how schools get to run in a fairly beneficial manner. That’s trust with students, that’s trust with faculty and with parents. I want to be open and accessible so that starts really with being visible and communicating.

“ I’VE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN AN ENVIRONMENT IN A SCHOOL WHERE THE WHOLE CHILD IS REALLY DEVELOPED. I WANT

” DEVAN K. GANESHANANTHAN, INCOMING HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE LEVELS OF BALANCE.

What characteristics of ASL drew you to apply?

My wife and I were interested in a school that was small to a point where I’d be able to get to know all the students. I think London is a fantastic opportunity just in terms of my family; I have a lot of family here. One of the things I saw in my initial research was the different core values that the school espouses to, but that’s all fine and good.

Almost all schools have that portrait of a learner, but then to hear it not only from the faculty, because I knew I’d hear it from faculty, but then when I heard it at the first student interview and kids talking about how it shapes how they interact with each other, that meant a lot.

If you could time travel back to a certain moment, where would you go?

I would probably time travel to when my parents immigrated separately to the U.S. and see the world through their eyes. They met through a friend in Brooklyn; my father came to the [U.S.] to be a physician and my mother was a teacher. I think that would be really fascinating. Although my parents have shared a lot of different stories about their life and coming to the [U.S.], they didn’t share a lot with me about their initial experiences.

If you could swap lives with someone who would it be?

Ganeshananthan is moving from Edgemont High School in Scarsdale, New York.

PHOTO COURTESTY OF DEVAN K. GANESHANANTHAN

Either one of my daughters. I think it would give a different perspective and framework in terms of how they are seeing the world and how I can be a better dad. I often reflect, and probably incorrectly think, that my daughters’ experience in grade 3 is somewhat parallel to mine in the 80’s, which it’s clearly not.

66

news news

The Standar The Standard

The end of a defective deal The community discusses the reasons and effects of President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal.

LEA GEORGE | NEWS EDITOR: PRINT

T

he Iran nuclear deal was an agreement formed during the time of Barak Obama’s presidency, which aimed to decrease Iran’s nuclear production in return for the release of certain economic sanctions that had been imposed on Iran. It was signed and agreed on by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, (U.S., U.K., France, China, and Russia, Iran and Germany). Iran has expressed that its production of nuclear development is not for weaponry purposes, but for industrial purposes only.

On May 8, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would be withdrawing from the Iran Nuclear Deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA).

Since 2016, Iran has decreased their uranium stockpile, allowed more inspections to take place, and allowed for an investigation to be conducted on its previous research in regards to nuclear development. Additionally, the International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed several times that Iran had in fact been following the deal’s conditions.

However, despite urges to remain in the deal from French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Trump has decided to exit the deal. He claimed that it was out of date, and not within America’s best interests. Trump further expressed that Iran cannot be trusted with such powerful weapons, calling the country, “the world’s leading state sponsor terror.”

In response to Trump’s actions, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that Iran has already contacted their Atomic Energy Organization to recommence the development of Uranium to make nuclear energy, but solely for industrial purposes.

The question of whether Iran will use the renewed production of Uranium for industrial is of prominent debate.

Zachary Treseler (’21), a member of the Model United Nations (MUN) program, believes that more thought should have gone into the decision making, with the involvement of more countries. “At least to have brought Iran, brought Russia, brought China and brought the European countries back to the negotiating table and negotiated something a bit better,” he said.

However, in regards to the deal itself, Treseler feels that it does need revision in some aspect, and has ideas on how to make the deal more successful. “I think it should be definitely revised over time.

The[countries involved in the deal] should try to meet every two to five years just to see how [they] can improve the deal.”

Tressler believes that Iran will only increase their nuclear development in reaction to the U.S. withdrawal

from the deal. “The sanctions being lifted were motivation to stop [nuclear production]. Since[Iran] don’t have the motivation, what’s stopping them from doing it?” he said.

MUN member Mackensie Kim (’21) believes that Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is an apparent sign of his leadership style. “Backing out of this deal shows how different the policies are and will be,” Kim said.

Moreover, Kim added that this action shows the transformation of the US on the global stage, and its change as a country itself.

Treseler believes that although Iran has announced resumed uranium development to be used for industrial purposes only, the country will return to the production of nuclear weapons.

Additionally, he articulated that the sanctions imposed on Iran prior to the nuclear deal strongly harmed the Iranian economy.

“These sanctions cripple Iran’s economy, and I am going to perfectly imagine they do the same thing again,” Treseler said.

Similarly to Treseler, Kim believes that regardless of Iran’s statement that their renewed nuclear development will be used for manufacturing purposes solely, the country will continue their nuclear weapon production. Kim, however, feels that the ways Iran would make the nuclear weapons would be more private, and shielded from the rest

of the world. “They wouldn’t just announce it, they would make it a lot less obvious,” Kim said.

Agreeing with Treseler, Kim feels that options for different solutions could have included re-negotiation, and revision of the deal itself in the efforts of improving it. Kim falso believes that the amount of power the U.S.

“Backing out of the deal shows how different the policies are and will be.”

Mackensie Kim (’21)

has over Iran is “limited” now that they have withdrawn from the deal. “If Iran isn’t constrained in this deal by the U.S., the IranU.S. relationship would be much different because the U.S. is no longer putting them in this position,” she said.

Iranian student Nina Alizadeh (’19) believes that Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is an example of how the U.S. act for their own economic and political benefits. “It shows the lengths [the U.S.] will go to protect their own inter-

ests rather than other countries such as Iran,” Alizadeh said.

Alizadeh feels that the deal in itself, though it only covered a short period of time, worked successfully at preventing nuclear development. “I think at the time, it worked, and at the time it stopped enriching of uranium in Iran,” Alizadeh said. However, she feels that the stance of European countries in times of revision of the deal is valid, and agrees with them. “What [the] U.S. and Trump wants to do I think is a bit more of like a radical approach,” Alizadeh said.

Echoing Treseler, Alizadeh believes that the effects of Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal will impact its economy, as the once lifted sanctions are to be re-imposed. “I guess that [the Iran nuclear deal] is just cutting them out of the global economy,” Alizadeh said.

Furthermore, Alizadeh added that she believes there were many other alternative actions to withdrawing completely from the deal. “I think that it could have been done in a more diplomatic way for sure,” she said. Alizadeh believes that the way Trump approached this matter was contrary to what the United Nations had agreed on.

PHOTO BY EMILY FORGASH STATISTICS FROM BBC.CO.UK

2015 by Iran, U.K., U.S., China, Russia and Germany Since its implementation, the uranium stockpile in Iran has decreased by 98 percent Once the deal was put in place, Iran regained access to $1 billion from released sanctions The deal was signed in

OPINIONS OPINIONS

rd May/June 2018 June 2018

Plea bargaining Teaser 1 Split Conscience Teaser 2

standard.asl.org standard.asl.org

Editorial

Finding meaning in service trips As summer approaches, many students will be participating in some form of community service, often times abroad, in an effort to support communities that are vastly different from their own.

In recent years, many high school students have gone abroad with organizations such as Overland and Rustic Pathways for service trips and to make new connections.

While the majority of students presumably attend these programs with open minds and a desire to make positive change, it is important for all of us to reflect on the merit behind these trips, and the true meaning of community service.

We as an Editorial Board strongly believe that it is necessary to remember that our intentions to participate in these trips should

not be to tick off a box on our college application; instead, it should be a time to experience new cultures and ideas while selflessly helping others in the community.

Although we are not against the concept of service trips abroad, students who truly want to dedicate their time to helping communities in need can always find the opportunity regardless of where they are.

Therefore, we also believe that it is crucial for us to recognize that there are opportunities within our own communities that we can be involved with. Students do not have to dole out thousands of pounds to travel to locations such as Fiji, Tanzania or Cambodia to pursue community service. We can still help others by becoming active in our own communities. The location of the

community service is insignificant;rather, it is the actions we take to help others that is truly important.

Countless community service opportunities are offered in London. From work experience with charities, to helping out at hospices and organizations such as the Marie Curie Hospice or Doorstep, there are always service opportunities.

There is also an opportunity for students to help in the ASL summer camps for younger children. Many students can also use programs provided by the school such as WorkX to actively aid in improving their own community in London, while simultaneously gaining experience in different environments.

Whether service takes place in London or Laos, students who participate in these

activities with the benefit of the people they are helping in mind before their own, will be able to go in with a mind-set ready for change.

Whilst it is important that students are offering their time toward invaluable causes and trying to make a positive change, it is equally important to remember why we are participating in service trips. Service should be about wanting to better other people’s quality of life and give back to a community, not something that looks good on a resume.

We are very fortunate to have the opportunities to go on service trips and should want to participate. However, as the summer commences, we need to remind ourselves of what service means to us.

ANANYA PRAKASH Editor-in-Chief MICHAELA TOWFIGHI Editor-in-Chief: Print Emeritus SOURNA DANESHVAR JR. Editor-in-Chief: Online Emeritus PHAEDRA LETROU Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Print ALEXANDRA GERS Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Online CHRISTINA LEONARD Online Director SOPHIE ASHLEY Lead News Editor LEA GEORGE News Editor: Print JONATHAN NOVAK News Editor: Online CAM CAMPILI Lead News Editor Emeritus JONATHAN PHILIPS Opinions Editor JOHN TOWFIGHI Lead Features Editor MARTHA DUFF Features Editor ISABELLE LHUILIER Features Editor NAZ OZTURK Culture Editor: Print ROHAN HAARMANN Culture Editor: Online LILY WHITMAN Sports Editor: Print MICHAEL FLAHERTY Sports Editor: Online JONATHAN SHEVES Sports Editor Emeritus QUINN WHITMAN Media Director EMILY FORGASH Media Editor IMOGEN WEISS Media Editor OLIVIA ABRAMS Media Editor Emeritus SHANNON MILLER Adviser

STAFF WRITERS Allegra Albanese, Taylor Anderson, Maya Ariburnu, Sal Cerrell, Helena Hansen, Izzy Harris, Estee Jorgensen, Lena Levey, Uma Mokhtarzadeh, Liz Merryweather, Eli Nilson, Ishaan Rahman, Lucas Romualdo, Anastasia Ruimy, Sara Short, Elijah VanderMolen, Amaan Zafar CARTOONIST Gaby Iwegbue MISSION STATEMENT The Standard staff and adviser are dedicated to creating a collaborative, open forum that cultivates productive dialogue within the School community by publishing exemplary student news media according to the strictest standards of journalistic integrity.

CONTENT The Standard covers news related, but not limited, to the School community. Issues-driven coverage that aims to explore ideas, themes, concepts, trends and recent developments beyond the campus that are relevant to members of the community are also included.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send submissions to the journalism lab, room P-101, or to the_standard@asl.org. These must adhere to the same set of ethical guidelines that all staff content is held to, and will only be published at the discretion of the editorial board and the adviser. The Standard retains the right to edit letters for length and AP/

Standard style. All letters must be signed in order to be considered for publication.

EDITORIALS Articles published without a byline and presented in the same location issue-to-issue represent the majority opinion of the editorial board. They are unsigned.

COMMENTARIES Articles with a byline and a photo of the author are opinions articles. They represent the view of the writer only, and not necessarily the staff of The Standard or any other individual or group in the community.

CORRECTIONS POLICY Readers reserve the right to call attention to an error in print or online stories. Any queries regarding potential corrections can be emailed to the_standard@asl.org or be reported to P-101. The corrected version will appear online with a note indicating that the article has been updated since it originally appeared. If the article originally appeared in print, a note about the correction will also be printed in the following issue.

ENGAGEMENT WITH READERSHIP The Standard encourages all readers to submit their thoughts through letters to the editor, guest columns, online comments and story ideas.

Contact the appropriate section editor(s), or the online staff through the “Contact Us” box on our website, for submissions.

DISTRIBUTION Press run is 800 copies. Copies are provided free of charge to students, faculty and staff in The American School in London; current enrollment 1,380.

Printed by Mortons Print Limited, 01507 523456 ONLINE VIEWING The Standard can be viewed online at standard.asl.org.

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ TheStandardASL Follow us on Twitter: @TheStandardASL Follow us on Instagram: @TheStandardASL Follow us on Snapchat: thestandardasl

Standard

The Standard is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

88opinions opinions

The Standar The Standard The Standa The Standard

Justice weeps at plea bargaining PHAEDRA LETROU

phaedra_letrou-papamarkakis @asl.org

“

In the U.S., more than 97 percent of federal cases end in plea bargaining deals between prosecutors and defendants

It’s the seventh hour that you have been sitting in a rigid metal chair in a police station. You’re tired, you’re hungry, you just want to go home. The police have read you your rights, but you feel like you have none. Your lawyer is beside you, sweating. You keep telling him that you did not do it. The prosecutor walks in, sits down and says, “you have two options: go to court and risk the minimum of 10 years, or take this deal. Two years with admission of guilt. Take it or leave it, the offer expires at midnight.” This is plea bargaining.

A plea bargain is a settlement between a prosecutor and defendant where the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a charge in exchange for a concession from the prosecutor. Plea bargains are often given by prosecutors using scare tactics, suggesting that the plea deal would be more beneficial to the defendant than if they went to trial. Such tactics give the prosecutors immense power and control over the defendant’s situation.

In the U.S., more than 97 percent of federal cases end in plea bargaining deals between prosecutors and defendants, according to Fair Trials International (FTI), a charity which works to raise awareness on the justice systems so that their processes are certain and fair.

The mandatory minimum sentencing system in the U.S. allows prosecutors to have leverage when negotiating. By providing a plea to the defendants that is lower than the mandatory minimum sentence, defendants are incentivized to choose the plea, regardless of whether they are guilty or innocent.

Prosecutors achieve this through offering damning evidence against the defendants and overwhelming them with the possibility of going to prison for longer than they are offering. According to FTI, 20,000 innocent people are in prison in the U.S. for pleading guilty, through the use of plea bargains, to crimes that they never committed.

A common defense of plea bargaining is its use in bringing down

other criminals or gaining important information in ongoing investigations. A prosecutor will often offer a defendant a lighter sentence in exchange for information.

While this may appear beneficial because prosecutors are taking action, the reality is that these informants, commonly known as snitches, often lie. According to Northwestern University Law School’s Center on Wrongful Convictions, 46 percent of documented, unjustified convictions between the years of 1973 and 2004 were a result of false testimony by snitches. This clearly indicates a problem. Snitche’s testimonies are not providing justice.

Furthermore, people who are in dire economic circumstances often cannot afford to undergo a lengthy trial, meaning that only the wealthy are able to go to trial.

This system supports the idea of being able to buy innocence through the use of expensive defense attorneys. This means that people who struggle economically are incentivized to take a plea deal

Progress Report ROYALS

COWS

LAUREL

to save money for themselves and their families.

While the system of plea bargaining does have problems, the system offers some benefits. The U.S. saves significant amounts of money by avoiding lengthy trials, many real criminals are found guilty and prosecutors can dedicate their time to more pressing matters. Furthermore, both the witnesses and victims of crime do not need to relive their trauma by going through a needlessly long trial. Regardless, the system needs reform.

The reality is that the U.S. Justice Department would be over flooded with cases if they were to remove the plea bargaining system. However, reforms should be made. For example, judges should be more involved in the process of plea bargaining deals and offer supervision in a certain amount of pleas each year. An alternative idea would be revising mandatory minimum sentences to remove some of the leverage that prosecutors have. It is time to reform the detrimental system.

PHOTO 1 FROM PIXABAY.COM PHOTOS 2 AND 3 FROM THE STANDARD INSTAGRAM, PHOTO 4 FROM JONATHAN PHILIPS PHOTO 5 FROM WIKICOMMONS PHOTO 6 FROM PHAEDRA LETROU

ECON PROJECTS

Waiting on photo Waiting on photo

1

22

3

4 4

5

6

This Editorial Board of 1.

The Standard gives the school its last 2. report of the school year 3.

Yanny Vs Laurel: (A-) The secret to the tuning was released, depriving us of the mystery. All of you Yannites are dead wrong, it’s 100 percent Laurel.

Emily Forgash College Prep Day: (C+) Loved the free Bruno’s, but it gave me anxiety. Naz Ozturk Farmer Guy: (B) Joel was pretty quirky. It was a bit of a rant. But learned some quality stuff about germs and cows. Jonathan Philips

4.

Finals Timing: (D+) Really bad. Math and science finals on the same day, what is wrong with you people?

Isabelle Lhuilier

5.

Royal Wedding: (B+) Wasn’t a fan of the fire lecture, but love a bit of #ReverseColonization. Quinn Whitman

6.

Econ Projects: (D-) The harrassment is getting too much. No I do not want a milkshake. Phaedra Letrou Post Scriptum: Justice Weeps.

opinions opinions 99 opinions

rd June May/June2018 2018 ard

Gina Haspel: Fit for CIA director LUCAS ROMUALDO lucas_romualdo@asl.org

“

Haspel’s three decades of work at the CIA, well-accredited competence and perceived independence from the president make her an excellent choice for the next director of the CIA.

On March 13, President Donald Trump announced that Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Michael Pompeo would become the Secretary of State, and that Deputy Director Gina Haspel, would replace him at the CIA. Haspel’s nomination was met with backlash, particularly from liberal activists and human rights groups concerned with her record working at black sites, unacknowledged sites where the CIA operates covert sites.

Despite this backlash, Haspel’s three decades of work at the CIA, well-accredited competence, and independence from the president makes her an excellent choice for the next director of the CIA. Haspel was confirmed on May 18 by the Senate.

Haspel has worked at the CIA for 33 years in varying capacities.

She was just 29 when she began work as an operative. For most of her career, she has been an undercover operative in various locations across the world, including Ethiopia, Turkey and Azerbaijan.

She was also the CIA’s Station Chief in London, a key position given the frequent joint intelligence work between the U.S. and U.K. Haspel’s work undercover across the globe, especially in her time as station chief, gives her a breadth of qualifications: the perspective

of an average CIA operative, an understanding of regions of the world which are key to the CIA’s mission, and, most importantly, the experience of commanding a large clandestine force. Haspel’s background makes her eminently qualified to be the CIA director.

Not only does she have the requisite command experience and knowledge of areas in which the CIA operates, she also understands the perspectives of the agents who she will be leading, something that most past CIA directors have lacked. Her lifelong commitment to the CIA and stellar record are exactly what is needed in an administration filled with under-qualified leaders.

Despite her numerous qualifications, Haspel’s nomination has been met with a great amount of animosity. While working in Thailand, Haspel presided over a black site, a location used by the U.S. government for enhanced interrogation methods, a euphemism for torture, most notably waterboarding.

The practice has been deemed unfavorable by human rights groups and many elected officials, and is the primary reason for opposition to her nomination. While torture is a concern, it is important to put these events into context.

It is necessary to contextualize Haspel’s actions. The alleged

actions occurred in 2002, mere months after 9/11. The purpose of the CIA is to provide the president, as well as the U.S.’s wider national security apparatus, with accurate information pertaining to terrorists. In fact, the “enhanced interrogation” program was later deemed completely legal by the Department of Justice, which found no criminal wrongdoing in their investigation.

Critics have also called Haspel’s actions unconstitutional, under the Eight Amendment, which bans the use of “cruel and unusual punishment” as a criminal sentence. However, the terrorists subjected to the program were not American citizens, and the program was not conducted on American soil. Therfore, the legality of Haspel’s actions are not in question.

However, there is the question of the morality of her actions. As criticized as her involvement in the torture program may have been, Haspel made the hard call, and put her country first. The enhanced interrogation program in 2002 was necessary to prevent further terrorist attacks on American soil. Her actions invariably saved countless more American lives.

The secretive nature of the CIA means that we need a director who will make the hard calls to defend

our nation. Yes, of course principles matter. Morals matter. Yet, so do the 330 million American lives who rely on a strong intelligence apparatus to defend them.

It is simply unreasonable to expect someone not to do their job, which is necessary to prevent attacks against American citizens.

Haspel’s actions may have been immoral in our views today, but, given the context of the situation, it is hardly reason enough to oppose her confirmation as the next CIA director.

One should also note that President Barack Obama’s CIA director, John Brennan, was involved in that interrogation program.

Yet he was confirmed overwhelmingly, with 66 senators in favor of his nomination, including 52 Democrats. Brennan has given his support of Haspel’s nomination.

Gina Haspel has dedicated her life to the CIA and her country. Through 33 years of service, she has demonstrated her commitment to the CIA’s work, a love of country, and, most of all, a pragmatic competence. In a government led by inexperienced outsiders, Haspel is a refreshing addition, providing stability in the ever-unstable realm of national security. Citizens should welcome her into the CIA with open arms.

The case for interventionism ISHAAN RAHMAN ishaan_rahman@asl.org

“

Trump needs to continue the retaliation.

Airstrikes do send a clear message, however, the same action was taken last year and Assad has already struck again.

Whether this be boots-on-the-ground or harsher airstrikes is up to military officials.

From the 2003 Iraq War to the ongoing violence in Syria, the West has frequently intervened to prevent humanitarian disasters and combat brutal regimes. The perception of western intervention is that it usually makes the situation at hand worse, this is folly.

People point to the threat of the Islamic State, terrorist attacks at home and continuing poverty in the Middle East as proof of the interventionist ideology’s failure.

However, Western intervention in foreign conflicts has served to benefit local citizens by liberating them from violent dictatorships and taking steps to ensure the security of every nation.

Interventionism’s popularity has waned after the post 9/11 invasion of Afghanistan.

It is a common belief that these invasions, along with the intervention in Libya, were failures. While neither Afghanistan nor Libya are fully-fledged liberal democracies, their citizens seem to strongly appreciate western military presence.

According to a 2006 BBC World Service poll, 72 percent of

Afghans viewed U.S. influence favorably and 75 percent of Libyans supported Western military involvement. Economically, both countries’ gross domestic product has skyrocketed: from a mere $2 billion to almost $20 billion in Afghanistan and from around $35 billion to $70 billion in Libya.

It is also important to realize what could have happened if the West did not intervene. President Gaddafi and Al-Qaeda, a militant terrorist group, would probably have brutally ruled over their respective people and ruthlessly targeted opposition groups and minorities, not dissimilar to the current disaster in Syria. It is also important to stress that violence in Libya today is not a result of the intervention; the violence only started after 30 months of Western withdrawal. Even in Iraq, economic and political strides have been made since the 2003 war. Similar to Afghanistan, the GDP of Iraq has gone from $36 billion to almost $250 billion.

The people on the receiving side of interventionism are already

reaping the benefits of western involvement, both economically and politically. ISIS is on the verge of defeat in the Middle East thanks to the pro-U.S. governments established in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Historically, western intervention has proved effective. After Japan’s defeat by the U.S. in World War II, America sought to establish liberal, democratic institutions, which would rid the nation of its fascist past. Japan is now one of the world’s most functional and successful democracies.

Another perceived downside about interventionism is that it creates more enemies of the West then it defeats. History suggests otherwise. The rise of the Nazi government in Germany and the nuclear threats from North Korea and Iran are a testament to what can happen when illiberal dictatorships are allowed to proliferate, unchecked by western influence.

We must now apply this logic and the past success of interventionism in Syria and to current events. While I commend Trump for his air strikes in Syr-

ia, he needs to let go of common myths about the civil war in the country; he needs to continue the military retaliation.

Firstly, the idea that Russia is in Syria to bomb ISIS is absurd. According to the State Department, over 90 percent of Russian air strikes have hit moderate rebels and not extremists. This is merely another one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s schemes, and so far it’s working. The reality is we can never be allies with Russia with Putin in power.

Secondly, Trump needs to continue the retaliation. Air strikes send a clear message, however, the same action was taken last year and Assad has already struck again. Whether this be boots-on-the-ground or harsher air strikes is up to military officials.

The West needs to overcome the common myths about interventionist failures. As civilized societies, the West and its allies, must have the courage to stand up to regimes that commit brutal, violent and too often, genocidal war crimes. Through this necessary courage, we can make worldwide liberal democracy a reality.

10 10opinions opinions

The Standard The Standar

Split Conscience

Leaving the Iran deal Jonathan Philips | Opinions Editor

The reality is that the Iran deal delays Iran from getting a bomb within the next decade. This is not a win, this is putting a time frame on failure.

President Donald Trump made the right call when he took the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal. Even among the pro-deal Europeans, there is an understanding that the plan is fundamentally flawed. European powers admit that the plan is not perfect.

Furthermore, the deal is badly negotiated. Iran held the world hostage, again, but this time with the threat of an atomic bomb (A-bomb).

The U.S. gave Iran everything they wanted, regional power and economic resources, up front in return for one thing: minor limitations on Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear bomb, an ambition which they lied about.

At it’s most fundamental level, the deal is based on lies. The Iranians were explicitly asked to disclose any information regarding their nuclear weapons program prior to the deal, and they said they never had a program because it would be “Haram” (forbidden under their Islamic interpretations). But they did have a nuclear program.

It was not the U.S. that violated the agreement by leaving the deal, it is Iran that has been violating the deal by lying from the very beginning.

This treachery is enough to justify leaving the deal, but there is more. Iran promised its people that they would use the sanctions relief and billions of dollars that were literally handed over to them to improve the country's economy.

In reality, Iran has used these new funds to support their proxy wars in Syria and Yemen.

As well as destabilizing the region, they have also further strained the Israeli-Iranian relationship, bringing the two regional powers closer to war than ever.

In return for stopping their nuclear program, the deal stated that the signatories not put economic sanctions on Iran. Former President Barack Obama’s Iran deal was weak; he would not stand up to the dictators of the world and demand change.

Obama is this century’s Carter. Trump’s foreign policy is that of Reagan's: strong leadership and principled peacemaking. The Iranians backed down to Reagan, and they will back down to Trump.

Now that we have left the deal, the Trump administration can re-apply the crippling sanctions that brought the Iranians to the

If we sully the value of our promise, then the U.S. will have trouble leading the free world. How can we lead a world that does not trust us?

Yea Nay

table in the first place. This allows both for the opportunity to renegotiate the deal, or to simply force Iran to tell the truth and give up its nuclear ambition.

Everyone wished that the Iran deal would work, that Iran would join the ranks of the responsible nations. However, this deal is like trying to stop a hemorrhage with a

“

The U.S. wishes to stop Iran from getting a nuke, the deal wishes to delay that.

The second we concede Iran getting a nuke as inevitable, we have lost.

BandAid. Iran still continues to destabilize its neighbors and wreak havoc among its own people. From its beginnings the deal has been based on lies, and frankly we do not know that Iran is not working on a bomb now.

To those who say that we should stay in the deal because we gave our word, I say two things. Firstly, America did not give its word.

This treaty was not ratified; Obama gave his word. The country did not consent, the Senate did not consent. The reason Trump was able to so easily withdrawn from the deal is because it was brought into U.S. law by executive action, this was not a United States treaty. Secondly, I would say that the U.S. cannot be expected to be faithful to a deal, when the other side has been lying from the beginning.

The goal of the U.S. and the goal of the deal are at odds. The U.S. wishes to stop Iran from getting a nuke, the deal wishes to delay that.

The second we concede Iran getting a nuke as inevitable, we have lost.

Trump is making strides with Korea. He might be erratic but he is getting results. Diplomacy did not work; maybe this will. The reality is that the deal delays Iran from getting a bomb within the next decade. This is not a win, this is putting a time frame on failure.

For all its flaws, the Iran nuclear deal is worth sticking to. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, the U.S. gave our word to the world and we should not break it. Even though the treaty was not ratified by the Senate, the world saw a United Sates President agree to something, and going back on that is harmful. Secondly, the deal does have some merit and sets up a framework for delaying Iran’s nuclear ambition. Leaving serves to destabilize the region and could lead to the deaths of millions.

From a purely ideological standpoint, we should stay in the deal because President Barack Obama committed the U.S. to it. If the U.S. is so cavalier about our other international commitments then the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a coalition of U.S. allied forces, would fall apart.

More broadly, the entire new world order would collapse.

In these uncertain times our world must be our bond. If we sully the value of our promise, then the United States will have trouble leading the free world. How can we lead a world that does not trust us?

Trump is engaged in dealings with North Korea. If the Koreans fear that the U.S. is go-

“

The framework set up by the deal is much like how some regard the European Union; it is flawed, perhaps even at the fundamental level, but it is something to build off of. ing to back out of any deal they make with us, then they simply won’t make a deal.

This situation could harm our reputation as peace broker for decades to come.

The decision to leave the deal plays into the hands of Iran and the U.S.’s other enemies. Iran perpetuates an anti-American

narrative; they see us as villians. By leaving the deal we have only added fuel to that sentiment and given the Iranian regime ammunition to use against us.

Besides enraging Iran, leaving the deal may further destabilize the region. If the deal falls apart without American stewardship, there is no doubt that Iran will continue down a path towards building an A-bomb. If that does happen, Saudi Arabia has pledged that they will respond with the creation of their own bomb. There is already a warm war between the Saudis and Iranians; they fight in Yemen and posture elsewhere. By withdrawing from the deal, we then risk a nuclear war between two inherently unstable and dictatorial countries that could kill millions.

Furthermore, if the Iran deal does what it says it will do then it is valuable. Delaying Iran’s nuclear arsenal from materializing is a noble goal. Thus, this deal is better than nothing in this respect.

The deal seriously cuts Iran's uranium stockpile –up to 98 percent of it– and limits the amount of uranium Iran is allowed to produce. Further, it instigates checks at previous nuclear sites. We still need to trust that Iran is not building a bomb secretly under a mountain, but besides that we have a pretty clear picture about what is going on with regards to nuclear development.

The framework set up by the deal is much like how some regard the European Union; it is flawed, perhaps even at the fundamental level, but it is something to build off of.

Certainly, being part of the deal allows us influence and to be privy to all its workings.

Therefore, reforming the terms of the deal, while still being a signatory, allows the U.S. the most leverage and benefits.

Split Conscience is a recurring feature that addresses two sides to an issue, one that the writer themsleves is undecided about. Students can scan the QR Code to vote on which side of the issue they stand.

FEATURES FEATURES

rd May/June 2018 June 2018

standard.asl.org standard.asl.org

Dr.Teaser Phillips1 Science Teaser 92

Behind the lab work

An insight into the lives of Science Laboratory Technicians Aura Urbano and Tolani Enin and their journey to ASL. Ananya Prakash | Editor-in-Chief

W

hen walking by the science classrooms or cutting across Top-White, it is almost inevitable that students will come across Senior Science Laboratory Technician Aura Urbano and Science Laboratory Technician Tolani Enin.

Urbano and Enin work together to execute the practical side of the science curriculum.

Amongst numerous other tasks, they design the labs, order materials, dispose of chemicals and ensure in class practical experiments run smoothly. “There’s so [many tasks] that our job entails that a lot of people don’t know. It feels like we are the heartbeats of this High School Science department,” Enin said.

Born and raised in a small town in Colombia, Urbano has always had a passion for science and math, but struggled to find the right path to choose. “When I studied in Colombia, I didn’t really have that guidance. My mother died when I was so young, 14, and then it was me by myself,” she said.

moved to Ireland with her sister and mother when she was young. It was in Dublin where she completed her schooling and earned her degree in biological and biomedical sciences.

“I was very proud of myself, I was so excited after my degree with what to do next. I wanted to do a Ph.D.,” Enin said.

Enin moved to the U.K. to further pursue her education and get her

After having a child and relocating to Switzerland for three years due to her husband’s job, Enin knew it was time to find a stable life for her family. “I just got fed up with travelling, and with a baby, it just feels like, ‘I just need to settle down now’,” she said. “Switzerland was amazing, very beautiful, but it was so isolating. We had very little

“

Every year there’s an excitement, we have these plans, everything is going to change. It’s nice because you don’t have the same monotony every day.

Tolani Enin, Science Laboratory Technician With a lack of parental support, Urbano found it difficult to pursue her interests as her school did not have sufficient science resources and funding for her to explore topics in greater depth. “When I was at school and I was studying [science], I didn’t have any labs.

We didn’t even have microscopes, no chemicals,” she said.

Despite the setbacks, Urbano pursued a degree in chemistry at a Colombian university, after which she decided to move to the U.K. to continue her education at a higher level.

Alongside studying to get her Masters degree in environmental science, Urbano worked as a nanny. After hearing about the job opening at ASL through a newspaper advertisement, she contacted the family she worked with for a reference. The family coincidentally had children who studied at ASL as well. “I wrote to them and they wrote to [Science Teacher] Bill Kenney at that time,” Urbano said. “He interviewed me, and I got a reference from [the family], and then I got a job here.”

Although different to Urbano, Enin’s journey to ASL has also been full of twists and unexpected opportunities. Born in Nigeria, Enin

Aura Urbano (left) and Tolani Enin (right).

Masters degree in philosophy, molecular biology and biochemistry. Soon after, she got a job at a university as a researcher’s assistant.

“I was involved in really interesting projects... looking into premature aging in children. It was so interesting, but I got bored,” Enin said.

“Work for me is something I should enjoy doing otherwise I don’t want to do it.”

PHOTO BY QUINN WHITMAN friends, our families weren’t there. So we decided to come back to London and settle, and I got a job at ASL.” Urbano, who has now worked at ASL for over 15 years, finds her job rewarding and exciting, which is what has enticed her to stay for so long. “It’s such a nice environment, you’re helping the kids, you get recognition

from teachers and students,” she said. “Every year there’s an excitement, we have these plans, everything is going to change. It’s nice because you don’t have the same monotony every day.”

For Enin, the unforeseeable nature of experimental science and the opportunity to try new things is what she loves the most about her role as a laboratory technician. “Science is not predictable for sure, you can’t predict the outcome of your research, and that’s what I love so much about it, it changes,” Enin said.

This passion for experiments and science is what Enin and Urbano hope to instill in students through the various labs they organize and execute. Although Enin and Urbano interact occasionally with students, they don’t on a regular basis. yet are eager to get to know more of them. “Because we’re here in the middle [of Top White], not many people know where we are,” Urbano said. “It’ll be nice if people come and visit sometimes.”

Enin agrees and encourages students to approach the two of them anytime with questions. “Sometimes it can be isolating for the two of us, because we don’t see students–teachers do–we’re just in the background doing all these other things,” Enin said. “We would be happy if students wanted to ask us anything about the research and practical side of science.”

Although Urbano enjoys the comfort of her familiar job at ASL, she is not certain how many more years she will remain here with her husband and three year-old daughter. “I might go back home, I still call Colombia home, in the future, but I’m not sure when. My husband loves Colombia, we’ve been there twice, he loves the weather there,” she said. “Maybe we’ll go to Spain, but once you have a child, your life revolves around your child.”

While Enin tries to spend more time with students, she is also working hard to see more of her two young daughters. “I look at that clock and when it’s 3.30 p.m., I’m itching to go to them. It’s the love, it’s the joy at the end of the day of going home to two little girls that are waiting for mommy to get back,” she said.

With her combined passion for science and working with young people, Enin knows she has made the right decision to accept the job at ASL this year. “It’s not about the money for me, it’s about the satisfaction in what I do. I wouldn’t change anything,” she said. “Everything that I’ve done to this moment, I’ve felt that I’ve thought about it properly and have made good choices.”

Similar to Enin, although Urbano is uncertain of what the future holds for herself and her family, she is content with where she is. “At the moment I feel happy because I have somebody who loves me and I love, I have a family here, I have a job,” she said. “I think we chose a good career, I think we’ve done well.”

features

Science 9: Year in review The newly implemented Science 9 course has offered a variety of experiences and challenges for the Class of 2021. With the school year coming to a close, students and teachers shed light on how the experimental first year has gone.

Helena Hansen | Staff Writer

“I

think [the science teachers] were trying to inspire us with the whole ‘we are made of stardust and that is so cool’ thing, and it would have been cool, if it wasn’t the most stressful unit I have ever experienced in my life!”

Cala Lindsay (’21) said.

Reflecting on their experiences, many Grade 9 students have expressed concerns about the new Science 9 course. Replacing the previous split of Biology and Molecular Biology, the Science 9 curriculum involves studying numerous scientific fields, which combine to tell the story of the universe and its formation. In past years, underclass-

“

This course has asked students to think and function in a way that they weren’t used to doing in middle school. There needs to be a change in how people prepare and study.

Science Teacher Bill Kenney men have studied strictly biology for a year and then chemistry, but Science Department Head Andrew Ringham believes that “to be able to understand the history of our own existence… the story depends on chemistry, biology and physics, and so no one of those classes was able to tell that story by itself.”

The new curriculum urges students to learn in three different modes, which are key to the Next Generation Science Standards that the science department has adopted. The Science and Engineering Practices, which include asking questions and identifying problems, developing models, and carrying out investigations, is the first and most important mode. These practices are integrated into lessons as students study the second mode: Disciplinary Core Ideas, which includes Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science and Engineering.

The final mode is called Crosscutting Concepts, and this allows students to connect the four

Liz Merryweather | Staff Writer

domains and tell the story of the creation of the shocked by the complexity that we were hit with universe. By looking for patterns and moments right at the beginning of the year.” of “cause and effect,” students are able to develAdditionally, at the start of the first semesop a “coherent and scientifically based view of the ter, no plan or outline of the course was given to world around them,” according to the Next Gener- students. Kenney explained that the department ation Science Standards. didn’t supply a syllabus as the course had not been Despite having spent the past three school years developed in detail yet. developing the new course, issues arose when the At this point in the year, Lindsay feels disoriplan was put into action. The science teachers ex- ented in the curriculum and attributes it to the plained that they can develop a course in theory, but lack of a syllabus. “They didn’t tell us specifically cannot predict how all students will react. what we’re heading towards and what we’re trying Science Teacher Bill Kenney explained that to accomplish. Had I known what they wanted us high school science is a step up from middle to be able to do at the end of the year, what the big school because students are expected to learn goal was, that would have been easier,” she said. and study differently. “I think this course has Ringham explained that units weren’t specifically asked students to think and function in a way defined because that would contradict the curricuthat they weren’t used to doing in middle lum’s mission. “You get over trained to call someschool,” he said. thing this and not that. This is biology and not This change not only refers to adaptchemistry, this is astronomy and not ing to a different learning style that physics,” he said. focuses on investigating quesEvan Van Jaarsveld (’21) tions, but also refers to a agrees with Ringham. shift in academic prac“[The curriculum] can tices. “There needs be hasty at times, to be a change but I do like it in how people because a lot prepare and of science is study,” Kenney entwined, so said. He wonif you sepders whetharate it out er students into blocks, are resisting then some studying or science you are confused haven’t enabout how to countered study, which may be funcauses studamental dents to perto science form poorly you’re doon quizzes and ing now, but tests. “It’s been with our current very different from science course, you classes I’ve had in the learn what you need to past,” he said. understand the next topic,” Lindsay explained that he said. after doing poorly on the The Next Generation Science Standards, For Lindsay, what first quiz, her confidence split into three sections, are the guide- prevents Science 9 from was shaken. “I thought lines for the new Science 9 curriculum. being successful is not that I knew what I was Image from www.nextgenscience.org the concept of multiple doing,” she said. “I was disciplines, but rather

the speed of the course. “ the amount of informatio think it’s fast-paced,” she Due to this pace, Linds mosphere in her class is st pressure to understand ev Agreeing with Lindsay, A students are faced with an and not enough time to un “We don’t really have time t from the most recent class questions or develop our un Rohit Venuturupalli (’2 nificance of a topic shou amount of time allotted too much time on a uni need to, or too little tim really need to spend more Proposing a solution Learner believes, “we cou more important things tha understanding for next ye

“

When you thi amount of info being given, the pressure to u everyt

Cala Lind

She explained that tho tant, teachers should dev concepts so that each st is developed. “Each clas different, so there’s no ti develop our understandin Learner also believes connections between un learning in context. “It w the cumulative test we ar the connections between Ringham understand “The department realize

features

a v o n r e p u S n o i s u F

“When you think about on we’re being given, I do said. say explained that the attressed. “There’s so much verything,” she said.

Amelia Learner (’21) thinks n overload of information nderstand it in its entirety. to absorb the information s… there’s no time to ask nderstanding.”

21) believes that the siguld correspond with the to it. “We spend either it when we really don’t me on the unit when we e,” he said. to the uneven pace, uld spend more time on at will be the basis of our ear, and for future AP’s.”

“

ink about the ormation we’re ere’s so much understand thing.

dsay (’21)

ough details are imporvote more time to larger tudents’ understanding ss we start something ime to ask questions or ng,” she said. that making stronger nits would help put her would have helped me in re having soon, to have n each unit,” she said. ds Learner’s assertion. es that we have to get

Hydrolysis

Cell Cycle n o i t re c c A

DNA

Parallax

Velocit

Res

s d n o B

Evolution

ervoirs Nucleic Acid

better at making it easier for students to make this context while not taking away from the story we’re trying to tell,” he said.

Kenney observed that many students weren’t seeing the connections between units for the first two-thirds of the year, and that this made it difficult. In future, Kenney hopes to make “that bridge more tangible” between units.

Venuturupalli finds the connections arbitrary, so the story seems non-sequential. “I feel like there is some distant line which connects all the dots,” he said.

Widespread frustration has materialized into a negative stigma surrounding the Science 9 course.

However, Ringham doesn’t believe this is unique to this year. “There are these stigmas attached to science in general and that’s nothing new and that’s not a reaction we haven’t seen from the ninth grade courses we used to offer,” he said.

Ringham believes that some Science 9 students have developed “learned helplessness” because of the challenging nature of the course.

“You develop the idea that this thing is hard and

y

thus you must not be good at it. If you decide you’re not good at it, you will never be good at it,” he said. He explained that a fixed mindset prevents students from performing to the best of their ability.

Kenney said that Science 9 asks students to take a far more difficult approach to learning science. “The way science used to be taught, it was very much a Betty Crocker recipe,” he said. “It’s not a course that you can go ‘here is the answer,’ and that makes things more ambiguous.”

Ringham explained that it’s challenging to balance what must be learned and what is appealing to students.“We care about your love for science, but ultimately the most important outcome is understanding,” he said.

Learner asserted that issues with the course prevent her from loving science. “I would love science if the curriculum evoked passion in me and if I didn’t really feel left in the dark,” she said.

i c i d o i r Pe

ty

w

Nebula

To further adapt to students’ learning habits and build understanding of the material, Ringham and Kenney agree that courses should be developing constantly. “The course is evolving. That’s not an artifact of it being new,” Ringham said. “All your classes are evolving, and that is exactly what you want.”

As rising sophomores, the class of 2021 will experience another new science course next year with the introduction of Science 10 instead of the standard Chemistry A and B courses. Science 10 will involve exploring how humans interact with the environment and engineering solutions for the future. “It is a two-year process that [students] are embedded in,” Ringham said.

Having learned to adjust to unfamiliar course structure and material, Lindsay thinks their year as the “guinea pigs” for the Science 9 course has given students a chance to improve the way it is structured for future years.

“There’s always going to be imperfections, and the eighth grade now, they’re fortunate because they’ll come into a system that will have been refined,” she said.

standard.asl.org 1414

Leaving a legacy

The Standar The Standard The Standa The Standard

A final farewell to Principal Jack Phillips who will be leaving at the end of the 2017-2018 school year.

Alexandra Gers | Deputy Editor-in Chief: Online

P

rincipal Jack Phillips is lucky. Twice in his life, the timing has been perfect, allowing him to advance in his education-based career. In fact, “an accident” is how Phillips describes “most of [ h i s ] pro-

fessional life,” including finding his current job, which he will be leaving at the conclusion of the 2017-2018 school year.

However, Phillips did not begin his career with the intention of becoming a high school principal - not once, but twice - of “an elite K-12 private school.” Although he was previously the middle and high school principal of Phoenix Country Day School in Phoenix, AZ, Phillips’ journey did not begin there.

Immediately after graduating from Brown University with a degree in physics, Phillips was set on being a physicist, but quickly realized that traditional laboratory work was not for him. “I decided that I didn’t want to be in a lab all the time, so I thought what can I do to be involved in physics and not be a laboratory scientist, and I found teaching and fell in love with it.”

Thus, Phillips began teaching as an Advanced Placement (AP) Physics teacher at the Commonwealth School in Boston, MA. However, Phillips quickly discovered a new passion in music compo-

Isabelle Lhuilier | Features Editor sition, describing his work in the New England conservatory in Boston to be an experience which sparked his interest in the subject.

After returning to school to earn his master’s degree in music composition at Arizona State University, he believed that he would stay to become a professor at the university, but soon realized that it wasn’t the right position for him. “I still loved teaching and then realized it was not a good fit, actually what I loved, looking back, was the students,” he said.

“

Schools are places where we should be pushing ourselves; falling down sometimes and making mistakes, that’s how you learn.

High School Principal Jack Phillips A self-proclaimed “data nerd,” Phillips returned to teach math and technology at Phoenix Country Day School, where he would eventually become the middle and high school principal. Phillips’ career is emblematic of the philosophy that you never know where life will take you. “I took a couple winding paths, I never predicted this was going to be a lifelong career for me, but I’m really glad that it worked out this way,” he said.

Originally planning to stay

at Phoenix Country Day for one more year before changing jobs, Phillips stumbled upon a job opening at ASL for Assistant Director of Curriculum and Instruction, what is now known as Director of Teaching and Learning. Phillips struggled to find information for the position on ASL’s website, and jokingly pointed out that it was due to the secure, “locked up” nature of the school. To learn more, he sent in his resume and application, and a few days later, Phillips received an unexpected phone call from former Head of School Coreen Hester, explaining that there was a vacancy in the role for High School Principal. “I first fell in love with Ms. Hester, and then finally when I came out here for my interviews, I just immediately was blown away by the school,” Phillips said. Eventually, Hester offered him the job.

To Phillips, the differences between ASL and his previous job are palpable. Although he recognizes that Phoenix Country Day and ASL are both “academically intense schools,” the culture and size between the two differed dramatically. Phoenix Country Day had a student body that was approximately 240 students and a faculty that was about one third of the faculty at ASL. However, Phillips explained that the biggest difference was the international culture of ASL. “The number of people who come here new every single year, how that plays out in terms of the dynamics of the school, the international diversity that exists in this school and the religious diversity that’s in this school, that was all new to me,” he said.

On his first day at ASL in 2013, it wasn’t the exterior of the building or the facilities of the school that caught his eye, it was the size of the graduating class. In fact, even now his eyes widen as he describes the seniors looking “giant and like adults” to him.

He laughs as he recalls the way he would get lost over and over again, at one point ending up in the Lower School and having no idea how to return.

Phillips shakes his head as he remembers the way he presented himself when he first arrived, “I remember trying really hard to be this outgoing, sort of in your face, shaking hands with every student I could find,” he said. “I think probably people who know me now, know that was a little more extroverted version of myself.”

But one thing sticks out to Phillips in his

features1515

rd June May/June2018 2018 ard

memory: the importance of his new position as a milestone in his life. “We had just moved to London a few weeks before, it was our first time living outside of the U.S., and everything just seemed so new and so much bigger and such a bigger deal,” he said. “This school just felt like a big deal and I remember being a little intimidated by that for my first little while here.”

Throughout his time as principal, Phillips faced many challenges, the majority of which he believes are a result of a lack of communication. However, he believes that “there aren’t many decisions I would rethink again because, in general, I base those on school values and my own personal values.”

Phillips’ tone changes as he recalls an incident involving the planning of the 2016 senior ski trip where he spoke with parents about concerns he had with some of the behavior that usually took place on the trip. “I thought through it but not well enough... that was a mistake in that I didn’t talk to the students first,” he said. “I [also] didn’t follow up with something in writing so my words got changed as that telephone game continued to go, so there was a lot of correcting the record as we moved along.” He

“The har d part is there’s also a culture of perfectionism here.

An unwillingness to make mistakes, everything has to be perfect, so if they’re not perfect, it’s sort of like the sky is falling.”

Phillips believes that this culture of perfectionism is difficult for him to mold to, as schools are a place where failure should be accepted. “We always want to try something new, but we also always want it to be perfect, and that is not going to happen. Schools are places where we should be pushing ourselves and falling down sometimes and making mistakes, that’s how you learn,” he said.

Conversely, Phillips remembers one of his fondest memories from ASL was during his first Thanksgiving assembly. Concerned when not a single member of the student body responded to an email asking them what they were thankful for, Phillips took the stage and stated they would not

to d o for my family and for my wife,” he said.

One question that Phillips preempts is, “What will you be doing next?” Although he does not know what his plans will be in the

“I took a couple winding paths, I never predicted this was going to be a lifelong career for me, but I’m really glad that it worked out this way.” now aims to always speak to students first, and believes that it’s important to be transparent about his decisions.

Similarly, Phillips feels that it can be hard to manage and balance the three constituencies of the school: the parents, the students and the teachers, as often each one wants something different. To Phillips, all three of these sectors desire something that is both exciting but “difficult to manage,” - an interest in moving forward, and constantly changing. “The school is dynamic and exciting, and teachers are pushing, students are pushing, parents are pushing the school to get better and better,” he said.

leave the room until at least one person came down and said what they were grateful for. “We just stood there in silence for a couple minutes and suddenly one person came down until ... half the students were on stage having said something,” he said, still smiling widely. “It was just this incredible unscripted moment.”

When the school year concludes, Phillips and his family will be returning to the U.S., so that his wife, Danielle Phillips, can attend law school at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. “We are not leaving because we are unhappy here, which is really hard.

We are leaving because it’s the right thing

coming year, Phillips doesn’t plan on being a “building-level leader.” Instead, he hopes to devote time to his family and support his wife in a way that she has for him over the past decade. “We really want to make sure that she has every chance to be successful, really throw herself into her work,” he said.

“I need to take a job in a role that allows me to be more present for the family, in a way that she’s been for me over these last many years. I’m looking forward to playing that role with my kids and for my family.”

Although he is looking forward to his new life in Philadelphia, Phillips will miss “everything” about living in London. “I love the

b uzz, I love the diversity, I love that it’s a cosmopolitan global capital,” he said. However, an introvert at heart, the aspect he will miss most is visiting London’s many bookstores on a day off. “I am an introvert and this job requires me to be an extrovert,” he said. “I find it really tiring in that way and I recharge by being by myself.”

As he reflects on his time at ASL, Phillips stresses the importance of saying goodbye well. “It can be hard to acknowledge, ‘I am going to miss you and I love you and let’s stay in touch’,” he said. “But also know that we may never continue to be in touch in the same way because our lives are going to continue to move forward, and that’s OK.”

PHOTOS BY IMOGEN WEISS AND QUINN WHITMAN

16 16 features features

The Standar The Standard

Mental illness: Tackling the stigma

Exploring the impacts of mental health and the lack of support students and teachers feel in comparison to physical health issues Maya Ariburnu | Staff Writer while having a physical illness, while a mental illness has a deeper root. “A physical illness can be if you’re hurt, or if you’ve got the cold ... and I think that you can be happy no matter what you’re like physically, so I think that your

when someone has a mental illness we think, ‘They just need to suck it up’ or ‘That’s not that big of a deal’,” she said.

However, Yeoh and Oliver also fear that with such a lack of mental health awareness and knowledge, mental illnesses can easily be mistaken or undermined. In order to avoid this, Yeoh stressed the importance of students being conscious of the language they use “not when referring to themselves. “It’s both ends of the spectrum because important” kids can say, ‘Mr. Yeoh, I’m having a mental breakdown,’ but kids must know what a breakdown is, versus what a panic attack is [for example],” he said.

Oliver also addressed the issue of self-diagnosis that can come “weak” as a result of a lack of awareness. “I think “you are fine” a lot of students diagnose themselves with “Suck it up” mental illnesses, but really a mental “be to ug h” illness is something that impacts your mental daily funcwelfare is tioning to the much more impoint where portant,” he said. you’re not able to Echoing Yeoh and perform in certain Hagani, Oliver also areas of your life,” noticed the same issue she said. with students and parents Oliver fears that a lack of arising often, crediting the root of the problem to a history of people awareness can also sometimes treating mental illnesses as more lead to an unintentional underof a personal problem. “There’s mining of mental illnesses. “Some

DEpres

sIO

N

high

e

ect

of f”

xp

“S h

“p

ob pr

de

big

al re

s”

m le

ot a

ve ha

al”

eo

xiety pres s u r ns An e

ak e

it

atio

”

e pl

more into account than mental health issues,” she said.

Counselor Stephanie Oliver believes that a major contribution to the presence of this ‘lack of awareness’ of mental health can be the environment students are surrounded in. “In very privileged environments like this one, there is more of an effort to keep things secret and to keep things private amongst the students and the families,” she said. “I think that discomfort in the student comes from this need from protecting an image or protecting a perfect persona.”

Similarly, Mark Haghani (’18) shares this belief that the environment people are surrounded in can be a contributing factor to the prevalence of mental illnesses. “I would say there are a lot of people with mental differences in our school and I think that’s because our community has a lot of high expectations and there’s a lot of stress with that,” he said.

When mental health is taken in comparison to physical health Grade 11 Dean Rodney Yeoh stressed that the latter can often be falsely prioritized. “Mental and physical health are the same,” he said. “I think mental health should even be taken more seriously than physical health sometimes because of what it can do to you.”

ti c ma ra r d ve “o

ust shake it off,” and “you have more important things to worry about,” are comments Gigi Berchem (’21) has had to hear far too often from her peers. When Berchem found herself breaking down in tears before a presentation, she knew that using this as an excuse wouldn’t be accepted by her peers and teachers like a stomach bug or fever would have been. “I couldn’t focus on anything else at the time,” she said. “It’s not like I could just go to the nurse and say ‘Oh I’m upset, can I go home please?’”

In December of 2017, Director of Teaching and Learning Robyn Chapel presented at a High School assembly to raise awareness around safeguarding, which is defined by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) as “the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.”

Controversy arose from both students and faculty around whether the information was conveyed in the right way. This triggered a conversation within the community surrounding mental health, and how seriously it is taken, especially in comparison to physical health.

Ghalia Bseisu (’18), who struggled with serious anxiety around academics during her high school years, explained how it is sometimes hard to draw the line when it comes to staying home for feeling mentally ill, and staying home for laziness or tiredness.

“I have a lot of anxiety,” Bseisu said. “Especially before big exams and that’s because I hold myself to such a high standard in terms of the grades that I receive.” However she was quick to establish the difference between her serious anxiety or other mental illnesses and “just wanting to stay in bed...That is something every student in school struggles with. If it’s just that you’re tired, you should still push yourself to get up in the morning, but if it’s something more serious then you should definitely stay home and take care of yourself,” she said.

Both Berchem and Bseisu have noticed mental illnesses taken lightly in the community compared to physical health issues. “I definitely think that there’s a lack of awareness towards mental health issues, especially because we’re in such a sporty culture, and I feel like all of the physical issues are taken

“N

“J

“I COULDN’T FOCUS ON ANYTHING ELSE AT THE TIME AND IT’S NOT LIKE I COULD JUST GO TO THE NURSE.” GIGI BERCHEM (‘21) Haghani shared a similar perspective on the matter, as he feels somebody can still feel “happy”

something about it where when someone has a physical illness we think, ‘Oh, that poor person!’ but

kids, they’re trying to diagnose themselves with a mental illness when that’s just not useful… it’s

not OK to just go around telling your friends you have depression,” she said. “It’s not respectful to people that have it and it’s not useful to you in any way.”

However, Oliver believes that mental and physical illness can only be grouped closely together. “[Mental illness] is just so nuanced and subjective . . . whilst [physical health] is a little bit less confusing.” She further explained how “If you need a particular treatment for pneumonia, then you just go to the doctor. We can’t help with that, but I feel like we can help with things that are more social and emotional,” Oliver said.

Yeoh credits this gap to the fact that physical health is “something that you can see, something that you can address.”

When it comes to the attendance policy, Administrative Assistant Shahira Moola confirmed that there is no prejudice when it came to excusing students from mental versus physical illnesses. “Mental health is health, it’s all part of health,” Moola said.

“They’re exactly the same, it’s a medical exemption.”

Oliver said that often times high accumulations of absences are often actually due to mental or emotional reasons. “When students miss a lot of school… it’s usually not for a physical health reason, I think it’s usually because there’s something deeper going on,” Oliver said. She added that “keeping tabs on absences” can be a useful medium for her as a counselor because she can “look at absences and think, ‘oh my gosh, there must be something going on with this student,’ and I need to check in on that person to make sure that they’re OK.” In regards to missing school for mental health reasons, both Haghani and Yeoh share a similar perspective on the matter: missing school for mental health reasons is just as acceptable as missing school for physical health reasons. However, both express the importance of taking action and seeing professionals, just as one would for a medical issue.

“We don’t want you to not do anything about it, it’s an illness,” Yeoh said. “When you have a problem with an illness, see someone who can work on the illness. Just like if you break your bones, see an orthopaedic surgeon.”

CULTURE CULTURE

rd May/June June 2018 2018

Teaser The Late Show1 MargotTeaser Sarfas2(’20)

standard.asl.org standard.asl.org

Balancing two religions

How religion affects the daily lives of students and faculty and the intricacies that result from the intertwining of two faiths.

Isabelle Lhuilier | Features Editor

W

ith a Jewish mother and a Hindu father, Daya Benami (’20) naturally follows aspects of both religions. Since neither of her parents are extremely religious, Benami notices that she identifies more with the traditions of each religion, rather than their specific beliefs. “My parents aren’t very religious in the way that you follow a religion, they both have spiritual beliefs, but it’s more the traditions,” she said. “Growing up we’d celebrate Hanukkah, and Diwali, but I’d also celebrate Christmas as I lived in the States when I was young,” she said.

“

I like growing up in a family where I can take what I like from both religions.

Daya Benami (’20) Benami feels she is more immersed in Jewish traditions as she lived in Israel for five years and also speaks Hebrew. She believes that being able to choose aspects of both religions that she wants to identify with has been beneficial in shaping her overall identity. “A lot of people, if they’ve grown up with only one religion, they either continue to identify as that or diverge from it; I like growing up in a family where I can take what I like from both religions,” she said.

Similarly to Benami, Helen Roth (’21) is half Jewish and half Christian. She said she is not very religious, but enjoys celebrating the traditions of both faiths.

“I love celebrating holidays from both religions such as Easter, Hanukkah and Christmas,” she said.

In contrast, former Social Studies Teacher Christin Putnam, was raised Christian, but converted to Judaism as she wanted to be of the same religion as her husband and children. Putnam’s

husband was raised in a Jewish household and felt it was important his children were as well.

This left Putnam “torn” between her identity as a Christian and being of a different religion to her children and husband. “[It] made me think about [what] I wanted out of religion. In the process of deciding to raise my children Jewish, I had really come to love the Jewish faith.

I realized it was part of my identity, converting became the natural next step,” she said.

In order to facilitate her transition from Christianity to Judaism, Putnam initially stopped celebrating Christian holidays such as Christmas and Easter. “It was really important to me for a while to make it clear that I was really Jewish and so I did scale back a little bit,” she said.

Although Putnam originally stopped celebrating these

holidays to commit to her Jewish faith, she has since resumed her celebrations to stay connected with her family. “I realized that I was giving up too much by not visiting my family so I have let myself [celebrate] again,” she said.

Imogen Weiss | Media Editor Putnam emphasized that this initial determination was purely to prove to herself that she was committed to her new religion. “I don’t think I felt I had to make a point to anyone else, just myself, that I meant it, that this was something that was important to me and that I wanted to really understand what it meant to be Jewish,” she said.

Benami believes that following two religions has given her an “awareness” of people with different beliefs to her own. “I think that I’m more accepting overall, but in particular with people who have separate beliefs to mine and identify with other religions because I grew up with a mixture of a lot of beliefs,” she said.

Roth agrees that being of two

religions, in particular being halfJewish, has made her more religiously tolerant. “[Being of dual religions] has shaped my identity as it [has] helped me appreciate each religion more and made me more understanding,” she said.

Roth further explained how being of dual religions has made her more aware of other cultures. “I wouldn’t say being half-Christian has made me more aware because it’s more accepted. There’s been a lot of discrimination against Jews in the past so I think being Jewish has really helped me be more [conscious],” she said.

Similarly, Putnam also believes that converting from one religion to another has made her more accepting. “My son has a Christian girlfriend so I understand the importance of being open. We love who we love and not letting religion be a barrier to that is very important,” she said.

1818culture commentary culture

Avolato: Another artisanal fail

The Standar The Standard The Standa The Standard

A review of the new vegan dessert at Snowflake Selfridges Naz Ozturk | Culture Editor: Print

A

fter the arrival of artisanal coffee shops and vegan burger joints, I had desperately hoped that London had finally satisfied its craving for idle hipster foods. I discovered that I was wrong on a rainy Saturday afternoon, as I walked through the Food Hall at Selfridges.

Looking for a bite to eat after a tiresome shopping session, I quickly paused in my tracks through the crowded aisles as I saw something that truly embodies hipster and millennial culture: The avolato.

The avolato, a creation by the ice cream chain Snowflake, is only served at their location in Selfridges. As the name implies, the avolato is a hybrid between gelato and an actual avocado. Sixty percent of an avocado is used to make the ice cream that is then placed in the skin of an avocado and sculpted in a way that makes

the gelato look akin to an avocado. This creates the illusion that it is genuinely an avocado and not a sweet, cool dessert.

My first impression of the avolato was a mix of disgust and intrigue. Upon hearing that it was 100 percent vegan and made as a tribute to avocado fans, I was a bit exasperated as I thought of a new social media avocado craze, expanding due to this creation. The a v o l at o was displayed at the store along with the rest of the gelato, however due to its distinct color and

arrangement, the avolato instantaneously stood out. I was immediately entranced by its presentation; the pastel green gelato was fashioned inside of the skin of an avocado and finished off with a small ball of peanut gelato, cre-

ating the illusion of an avocado complete with the pit.

It was a picturesque and Instagram-worthy dish, definitely a must-have for any food blogger or foodie. Nevertheless, my wonder abruptly ended once I actually tasted the gelato. At first, my taste buds were shocked by the sweet and citrus like taste; however, soon after, an overwhelming and pungent avocado taste kicked in. Gelato is normally known to be creamy but the avolato had a texture that was light. In contrast, the small ball or “pit” of peanut ice cream was actually quite nice with a hint of vanilla. Nevertheless, it was not enough to make up for the disas-

The avolato is available at Snowflake in Selfridges until the end of the summer.

PHOTO BY NAZ OZTURK

trous flavor of avocado gelato. Personally, I was ready to throw away the gelato and wash my mouth out with anything that would get rid of the horrid and strong aftertaste.

“My taste buds were shocked by the sweet and citrus like taste; however, soon after, an overwhelming and pungent avocado taste kicked in” Even though it would be a mistake for me to order the avolato again, the creative preparation and arrangement of the avolato makes the dish incredibly desirable for anyone who is looking for a surprising, and somewhat odd, food experience. Additionally, the avolato is sure to boost your Instagram food post game, even though £9.50 seems like a steep price to pay just to take an extravagant photo.

Exploring the satirical nature of ‘The Late Show’ Discussing the purpose of late night talk shows and their mockery of current events

W

hen the news is so bad you want to cry, it helps to laugh instead.

Since President Donald Trump was elected, the use of potent satire in talk shows has exploded. Stephen Colbert of The Late Show has risen in popularity due to his sophisticated use of the art form.

Satire is defined as the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

Following the inauguration of Trump in 2017, Colbert began to gain a large viewership with his satirical humor and relentless humiliation of the White House. In fact, the week after Trump’s inauguration, Colbert beat The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon in average viewership for the first time since the show aired.

Colbert has since seen even larger gains in ratings, attracting an average audience of almost four million, myself included.

“Take A Side, Mr. President: Nazis Or Not Nazis.” Gripping, bold and blatant, this is the title of the first episode of Colbert I watched back in August; a response to Donald Trump’s con-

Allegra Albanese | Staff Writer demnation of the neo-Nazi’s in charge of the Charlottesville rally.

“There are two sides to a story.

I thought what took place was a horrible moment for the country, but there are two sides to a story,” Trump said to ABC News.

I was shocked and horrified

by Trump’s response, and grew afraid that, under the Trump Administration America would

“Satirists do not refrain from speaking their minds no matter how controversial a subject may be.” become a country where white supremacy and extremism play a leading role. To momentarily subdue my fear, I turned to Colbert and his right-hand man, satire.

Satire has been used as a tool to ridicule political leaders for centuries, from “Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One,” a treatise written by Benjamin Franklin mocking the British Empire, to “Mush and Bush,” a satirical diary depicting General Pervez Musharraf and President George W. Bush, in the Pakistani paper, The Friday Times.

However, time and time again, the question of whether satire can provide comfort to a politically struggling nation has been posed.

Satire can be used as both a coping mechanism and to administer ease in times of doubt. But what makes satire so potent a device in exposing the public to political opinion?

First of all, satire is candid and authentic. Satirists do not refrain from speaking their minds no matter how controversial a subject may be. Although the satirical cartoon portraying Mohammed in Charlie Hebdo prompted a violent attack in France, it also stimulated a powerful discussion on freedom of speech with a resounding response from the French public that affirmed the rights of journalists to express their opinions, no matter if they are offensive.

The appeal of The Late Show comes from Colbert’s ability to speak freely on issues that are often tiptoed around. This type of honesty is refreshing and appealing to me, as well as many other viewers, especially when the Trump administration seems so intent on creating narratives that are not based upon the full truth.

Stephen Colbert interviewing Chris Licht on his talk show.

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Colbert’s honesty most often comes in the form of ridicule. For example, the title of one of his recent videos: “Bill Gates wasn’t impressed with Donald Trump.” Although his words have not started marches and protests like Hebdo, Colbert’s segments make me laugh and forget about the disastrous political climate that surrounds me.

On top of this, Colbert can be informative. I believe it is important to be informed, but as a busy high school student, I often lack time to read the news in depth. By watching Colbert, I am able to learn about

current events and then can do more looking into stories that are of particular interest.

By making a mockery out of politics, satire can illuminate flaws in society. Colbert’s satire calls an viewers to exercise their individual power to right the wrongs of the U.S. government. He is using his nightly platform to do what he can to bear witness to the disastrous American political scene.

To read more on students’ responses to late night talk shows, see Staff Writer Lena Levey’s article on standard.asl.org

culture culture1919

June 2018 2018 rd May/June ard

Defying gravity with silks and trapeze Margot Sarfas (’20) discusses her love of aerial silks and the reasons she started.

Martha Duff | Features Editor

W

hen Margot Sarfas (’20) attended a trapeze lesson while on holiday in 2014, she was not expecting to garner a passion for aerobatics. Simultaneously debating quitting dance, Sarfas found herself seeking not only a

Aerial silks is a form of aerobatic performance in which an artist performs acrobatics whilst hanging from a piece of fabric attached to the ceiling.

“I like [silks] because I was good at it early on and it has what I did

of fabric that is split in two from one point on the ceiling, and then it can spin. I practice somewhere where it is nine meters, so [the silks] are long.”

Sarfas’s class consists of the same routine each time, yet she always

In addition, Sarfas explains how aerial silks serve as her main form of exercise throughout the week. “I don’t love working out in a gym, that’s not really for me, and I’ll do anything that is exercise but it doesn’t particularly feel

ing in that direction, but I don’t not want to do it either,” Sarfas said.

Additionally, Sarfas often performs aerobatics in competitions and showcases, despite its lack of popularity amongst other young adults. “There are a few aerial

IT’S REALLY HARD, BUT YOU CAN SEE RESULTS PRETTY QUICKLY. IT MAKES ME FEEL STRONGER. MARGOT SARFAS (’20) new form of exercise, but a new passion. Four years later, Sarfas attends competitive, hour-long aerial silks classes every week.

“I started doing trapeze on vacation and I was going to do lessons [in trapeze] in the States, but I couldn’t make the class, so I just thought I’d do silks instead,” Sarfas said.

like about dance, without what I hated about dance… Early on I knew that it was something I really liked,” she said.

Unintentionally, Sarfas discovered a true passion. “I would say I do have a passion for [silks], I always look forward to going and it is really fun,” Sarfas said.

Sarfas describes silks as “a piece

finds herself challenged throughout the hour. “We stretch and warm up for 15 minutes. We do warm up climbs all the way up and down and then sometimes [the instructors] make us stretch our splits in the air. Then we start working on new moves, drops or carrying on from previous weeks if we didn’t finish our routines,” Sarfas said.

like you are working out,” Sarfas explained. “It is really hard, but you can see results pretty quickly without lifting weights or anything. It’s really good exercise… it makes me feel stronger.”

Looking forward, Sarfas hopes to continue her passion for silks. “I don’t know if I would do it as a career or anything, I’m not really go-

competitions… I competed [in] last year and I was the only youth in the category so I got a medal,” Sarfas said.

Sarfas believes that her passion for aerial silks has been both an exciting and rewarding part of her life and hopes to continue it in the future. “I love it. I don’t ever want to stop,” Sarfas said. “You should try it.”

Margot Sarfas (’20) practicing her aerial skills during a weekly training session.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARGOT SARFAS

20culture 20 culture

The Standar The Standard The Standa The Standard

The craft of classical music Accompanying ASL’s choirs is Julia Wallin, an established concert pianist and international performer. Here, Wallin gives insight into her life as a professional musician.

John Towfighi | Lead Features Editor

“

I

’m from Finland. Hämeenlinna.”

Coincidentally the birthplace of Finland’s renowned composer of the romantic era, Jean Sibelius, Hämeenlinna is also the original home of ASL’s Choral Accompanist, Julia Wallin. Wallin grew up in Hämeenlinna, playing piano from as young as four years old. “My parents weren’t very musical. I just saw this program on TV and I really wanted to learn to play,” she said. “That was the first inspiration.”

Wallin’s passion for piano grew, and by the time she was 13 she was playing improvisations in local cafés. Yet, balancing other interests such as journalism and dancing, it wasn’t until Wallin was 16 that piano was solidified as a career path. “At that point my teacher said that if I wanted to become a professional pianist, I really had to start to work hard,” she said. “She thought I had a good chance of becoming a professional, but I just needed to put in the hours. So that was the moment where I started to practice really hard.”

While finishing her education at the Royal Academy of Music, the opportunity to work at ASL opened up for Wallin in

2009. Wallin is the accompanist for both the Middle School and High School concert choirs. To her, playing alongside a choir has given her the ability to see music in a different way. “It’s helped in how I listen to music, and how I approach music,” she said. “It has helped in my thinking.”

Wallin explained how visualising music as “singing lines” like the voice parts for the choir is a

al concert pianist and mixes solo work and work with other groups, particularly orchestras, to practice a variety of styles.

Crediting her success to her teachers and her hard work, Wallin enjoys travelling for concerts and performing in towns across the world where the audience is receptive and excited.

She noted that particular towns with less tourism and annual visitors often have given her the warmest wel-

cally,” Wallin hopes to continue to grow as an artist: improving venues, instruments and the overall scene of her concerts.

When she is not touring internationally, Wallin performs frequently at Cambridge University with composer Benjamin Ellin, and at festivals across the U.K. She is also working on starting a music festival of her own as an artistic director, fundraising for the project

“MY PARENTS WEREN’T VERY MUSICAL. I JUST SAW THIS PROGRAM ON TV AND I REALLY WANTED TO LEARN TO PLAY. THAT WAS THE FIRST INSPIRATION.” CHORAL ACCOMPANIST JULIA WALLIN technique that she has picked up and now applies to her piano. She feels that as the piano can be a percussive instrument, approaching the music through a singing lens presents an interesting challenge while playing.

Interested in the romantic period, like the works of her hometown hero Sibelius, Wallin has an established career as a profession-

come. “When you go to a place where you may have less concerts a year for them it’s always really special when you have someone coming,” she said.

“The energy can be palpable.”

She expressed a love for playing with an orchestra and explained how she is hoping to begin to working more closely with a specific professional group. Looking for people she can “really connect with musi-

that should be completed by 2019.

As well as developing her festival, in which many musicians would perform and watch, Wallin noted that she would like to explore more chamber music. Working primarily as a soloist, she enjoys the time she gets to spend with the orchestra, and also wants to further work with individual singers and smaller chamber ensembles.

Looking toward the future, she said the career of a concert pianist can last their whole life, and the longevity of the art offers her room to “enjoy the process of progressing continuously.”

For now, Wallin is in the process of recording her first ever studio album with eight-time Grammy Award winning producer Andreas Neubronner.

As a concert pianist, live performance is Wallin’s primary output of her music and having a recorded album will let her expand her audience outside of the specific venue she is playing at.

When not playing, either professionally or with the choirs, Wallin also serves as a private piano teacher for a few students at ASL. Her teaching experience extends from working at King’s College in prior years. Remembering the value of her teachers’ passion when she was a student, Wallin explained how she is constantly aiming to help people grow as musicians. “When I see that someone is very into music, hopefully I can help ignite that love for music,” she said. “Especially knowing how important my teachers were and still are, it’s good to be on the other end.”

PHOTO BY JOHN TOWFIGHI

sports sports2121

rd June May/June2018 2018 ard

Comparing the cultures A closer look at the transition from junior varsity to varsity and the cultural differences between both teams.

Rohan Haarmann | Culture Editor: Online

ILLUSTRATION BY GABY IWEGBUE

T

he ways in which team members are affected by the varsity and JV team divisions is more nuanced than one of superiority and inferiority. The selection process can be divisive, especially with several sports making cuts after the tryout process.

Faris Fakhry (’20) regards JV as a stepping stone that acts as a transition from middle school sports to varsity level competition. Fakhry transitioned from JV to varsity rugby this year due to his age. After his experience on both teams, he believes that playing on JV is what made him ready to play at the varsity level. “JV is where they facilitate you to go into varsity,” he said.

Fakhry also played rugby in Grade 8, and felt “JV was already a big step up.” For him, high school rugby was much more challenging in all aspects of the game compared to middle school. Fakhry spent his time on JV “trying out new techniques and learning new skills that [he] didn’t have in middle school.”

Similarly, Bertie Cassidy (’21) transitioned from JV to varsity soccer mid-season in the fall. His experience reflected similar respect between the teams, but he

felt on varsity, “a lot of the respect that is there comes from seniority and lowerclassmen respecting and learning from upperclassmen,” Cassidy said.

Fakhry also recounts a supportive dynamic between JV and varsity teams. Due to lacking numbers in the rugby program, JV and varsity train together each practice. Fakhry feels this is beneficial to his rugby skills because, “JV kids learn so much from the varsity kids.” In Fakhry’s opinion, the learning experience applies

higher level and can be considered more important,” Crawford said.

Despite that split, Crawford has noticed that the upperclassman can act as role models for the younger athletes in leadership and sporting ability. “Going in as a sophomore to varsity, the upperclassmen are definitely people who you look up to and people who are mentors throughout the whole season,” Crawford said.

Like Crawford, Fakhry notices the effects of the age dynamics when on a varsity team and feels

said. Hoyt noted that “the varsity team does not really respect the JV team.” He said, “sometimes varsity players help those on JV, but people on varsity have only ever helped me if they think I’ll be on varsity later.”

Crawford preferred her time on varsity because she “felt closer to all the girls” and built stronger relationships throughout the season.

She described the varsity team as “a more inclusive and family-based environment whereas in JV it was more just going to practice every-

“The varsity team does not really respect the JV team. If they don’t think you’re very good, then they won’t help you.”

Justin Hoyt (’18) to varsity athletes too. “By training with JV, it gives all the team members a better learning experience,” he said.

Ava Crawford (’20) had a different experience playing volleyball over the past two seasons. She was a freshman on JV and was then selected for the varsity team in her sophomore year. She described the JV and varsity teams as noticeably separated. “Varsity can sometimes be put over JV just because it is at a

that although you may be more challenged on a varsity team, you can learn more from the upperclassmen when on JV. “Even on varsity, I am learning so much from the juniors and seniors playing above me,” he said.

Justin Hoyt (’18) had a much different experience with the basketball program. “Being on JV, I felt like it was not taken as seriously, and none of the kids were really that invested into it,” he

day and having your workout.”

Comparing his own time spent on both teams, similarly to Crawford, Cassidy enjoyed his time on varsity more. “I definitely preferred my experience on varsity, just because it was more of a challenge for me... I got pushed to everything I had,” he said. He described the atmosphere on varsity as “more intense, especially when it comes game time.”

Hoyt preferred playing on a varsity level, describing it as “the ultimate

goal.” Similarly to Fakhry, he recognized value in the JV team. “The importance of JV was to develop those skills so that you can be on varsity,” he said.

Crawford also saw the merits of the JV team within her volleyball career. “JV is definitely a place where I got so much better and we would practice and have the same amount of games as varsity,” she said.

Crawford noted how there is a belief that the higher level of play on varsity sports is synonymous with a better experience. “It feeds into the stigma that if someone’s on a varsity sport, it’s so much better than JV,” she said. However, despite her own preferable experience on varsity, Crawford thinks that everyone’s experience is different. “I don’t think that is always the case,” she said.

Regarding the volleyball program as a whole, Crawford also highlighted how everyone is being given a chance to play through the introduction of a JJV team. “This year we had varsity, JV and JJV,” she said. Crawford commended how “those girls who did not necessarily make it on the varsity or JV team still had the opportunity to get better so that they could eventually be put on those more advanced teams.”

22 22sports sports

The Standard The Standar The Standard The Standa

Introducing ASL’s newest recruits Four senior recruited for collegiate-level sports describe their recruitment process and plans for the upcoming seasons.

Lily Whitman | Sports Editor: Print

Mia Holtze (’18) Mia Holtze (’18) will be a member of the women’s basketball team at Williams College going into the 2018-2019 school year. Williams is currently a Division III basketball school that competes in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC).

Holtze started her recruitment process at the end of her sophomore year when she contacted the Williams basketball team coach. “I sent highlights, and then we talked about my junior year, I visited in February of my junior year and toured the campus with [the coach],” she said.

Holtze was invited to a small recruitment camp in 2017, where 12 other female athletes attended it. In October of this school year, Holtze went on an official visit to Williams, where she enjoyed the school’s

Harry Nevins (’18) Harry Nevins (’18) will be a member of the Swarthmore College soccer team going into the 2018-2019 school year. Swarthmore College competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Centennial Conference.

Nevins started playing soccer when he was 4 years old, around the time he moved to London. He started his recruitment process early, in the summer of his freshman year. “I did 2 or 3 camps a summer, and was speaking to coaches. September 1st of my junior year is when coaches started contacting me. I had been talking to different coaches and in early September of my junior year, that is when I knew who was interested, and from then, I have just developed relationships throughout the years,” he said.

In preparation for next year, Nevins has a summer program to follow. “I have been keeping in contact with some of the guys [on the team], and seeing what they have been doing throughout the off-season. The coach and trainer gave me a copy of the summer

program focusing on fitness gym-wise, and then football will be down to me mostly in the summer. Just keeping in shape is important,” he said.

Nevins is excited for the upcoming season, and to be on the team at Swarthmore College. “I am really excited about the opportunity that there is a great balance between academics and athletics at Swarthmore. Playing for a coach who has been very influential for me over the past three years as I have gotten to know him and his style. Playing with teammates who I have gotten to know and seem like a great bunch of guys who do play and have played at a good level,” he said.

Nevins is also enthusiastic about being able to rebuild the soccer team. “Joining as a recruit in a rebuilding phase is exciting. I am looking to build up the program of the soccer team. Right now, the Baseball team is in the Division III world series for the first time ever, and the basketball team has always been very good, so I am trying to build the soccer team.”

atmosphere and the campus. “I slept over at one of the team member’s dorms. I went to some classes, practiced with the team, and then I decided to go to Williams, so I applied early decision there,” she said.

Before she begins school in the fall, Holtze and her teammates are going to work at a camp with the other members of the team for young children interested in basketball. “I think that it is going to be really fun, and I am excited to be working with the other girls,” Holtze said.

Holtze is looking forward to meeting her other teammates and getting to know her coach better. She is “really excited to be challenged and be around girls who love basketball.” Holtze is ready to “work hard and be a part of a strong Division III program.”

sports2323 sports

May/June2018 2018 rd June ard

Mark Haghani (’18) Mark Haghani (’18) will be a member of the University of Pennsylvania golf team starting in the 2018-2019 school year. The UPenn golf team is a Division I program that competes in the Ivy League.

Haghani started his recruitment process in the summer of his freshman year. “I was in between deciding to play soccer or golf in college. I had a really good summer of golf in freshman year. I had won a few big tournaments and so I basically just emailed a few coaches and decided from there that I was going to try to play golf in college,” he said.

Haghani had a plan set out for the second semester of his senior year to make sure he is in top form going into college next year.

“I have been working on that with my coach and the coach at UPenn. I have much more structured practice sessions than before. I have an intense summer of golf coming up,” he said. “As soon as I dive in at UPenn, I am probably going to be playing every day, so I have to be prepared.”

Haghani is excited to be playing in many tournaments over the course of the next year. “My objectives are to win the Ivy [League] Championships, that is the biggest tournament at the end of the year. Also, I just want to do well during the year,” he said. “At UPenn, there is a really structured team program that I will follow, and we will be playing a lot of competitions up until the Ivy Championships,” he said. “When I get there, I will set goals, and getting on the tournament team, because it is a 5-or-6 man squad for every tournament, and playing every week is important.”

Overall, Haghani is excited to be on a new team and meet other players. “I am looking forward to the competition and being on the team and having 10 avid golfers who are all- around scratch handicaps and just being able to compete with them and feed off of them. I think the environment is going to be really cool and really different,” he said.

“I AM EXCITED TO KEEP DOING WHAT I LOVE, AND I AM GRATEFUL THAT ROWING HAS GIVEN ME THAT OPPORTUNITY.”

NICK MANNHARDT (’18) Nick Mannhardt (’18) Nick Mannhardt (’18) will be a member of the Massachusetts Institution of Technology (MIT) rowing team during the 2018-2019 school year. The MIT rowing team is a Division I school that competes in the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges (EARC).

Mannhardt started his passion for rowing at the beginning of his sophomore year.

His recruitment process began when he was in Boston, Massachusetts for the Head of the Charles regatta, a rowing race held in the penultimate weekend in October, in 2017. Many of the competitors are some of the best high school and college rowers. “I didn’t go through the normal recruitment process. I was already in Boston for the Head of the Charles, when I was there, I walked over to the [MIT] boathouse, which was across from the start line, and introduced myself to the coach,” he said. “We had a talk; we set up a call for a week after, we talked about the recruitment process and he wrote me a letter of recommendation.”

To prepare for the upcoming seasons, Mannhardt is going to row all through the summer. “I have lots of cool stuff planned with the ASL team, and then when I show up for the beginning of the school year in August, that’s when training with the team is going to start,” he said.

Mannhardt is ready to begin training with his new teammates and coaches and to explore a different rowing style. “One thing I am really excited for is that we are going to be sweeping. It is a different kind of rowing than at ASL. What we do at ASL is that everyone rows with two oars, and at MIT ... you start rowing with one oar,” he said.

Looking forward, Mannhardt is not only excited to continue rowing at a high level, but also to be a part of a new team. “It is going to be fun to be a part of a big eightperson boat, and to be a part of a strong, big team,” he said. “I am excited to keep doing what I love, and I am grateful that rowing has given me this opportunity.”

ALL PHOTOS BY EMILY FORGASH

SPORTS SPORTS ISSTs RECAP

JV vs. Varsity Culture Teaser 1 Recruited Teaser 2 Athletes

The Standard The Standa

May/June 2018 June 2018

V

arsity girls softball finished strong, beating TASIS 5-3, and winning gold in the final.

Meghan Lang (’22), Natalie Vann (’20) and Mia Holtze (’18) won all tournament. Pitcher and Outfielder Kate Black (’20) felt that the team improved from their first game in the tournament.

“We lost our first game but won every game after that. Michaela [Towfighi (’18), co-captain of varsity girls softball] told us at the beginning of the tournament ‘remember that soccer this year lost | April 2017 one game but then won overall’ and I think that stuck in everyone’s mind for the rest of the tournament. We had really great spirit overall, since originally we were not winning,” Black said. Vann was impressed with the team’s drive and determination to come back and win. “It was the biggest comeback I have every seen. [We were losing] 3-0 starting the top of sixth inning in a seven inning game,” she said.

Coverage continues on eaglesclaw.asl.org

“

It was the biggest comeback I have ever seen. [We were losing] 3-0 starting the top of the sixth inning in a seveninning game.

Natalie Vann (’20)

”

BASEBALL Varsity won gold for the third straight-year.

SOFTBALL Varsity won gold for the first time in nine years.

TRACK AND FIELD JV and varsity placed first overall Varsity finished fourth JV girls won gold GOLF Varsity golf placed fourth TENNIS Placed first overall Varsity girls tennis won gold Varsity boys tennis won silver

Theo Longboy (’19) awaits her turn to bat at the ISST Softball preliminary rounds on May 24. The Varsity Softball Team won the game 6-5 against TASIS. The softball team eventually went on to win gold in the tournament, beating TASIS again 5-3 in the final on May 26.

PHOTO BY QUINN WHITMAN